#ultraman rush

[dollyocaccount]

Akio + Ultraman Rush Headcanons:

- Ultraman Rush is very much similar to his human host in terms of being highly ambitious, reckless, and having a tendency to rush into things. He looked up to older Ultra heroes like Ultraman Taro, Ultraman Zero, and Ultraman Toga and even the Father of Ultra. However, even though he had the power...he had absolutely NO patience.

- Back at Ultra Academy in the Land of the Light (Ultra Academy is where Ultras learn how to be warriors, its not really in the shows but it is semi-canon in the spin-off material), Rush excelled in raw power and instinct based combat situations, a hot shot prodigy of sorts. However he struggled with teamwork, tactics, and temper. Always failing final exam portions because he believed knowing how to fight and thinking on your feet was all he needed. He was often reprimanded, similar to Akio, for taking on missions by himself, sneaking out of trainings he thought were "useless" and didn't need to be present for, and challenging his upperclassmen or older Ultras to duels.

- His teachers and older Ultra superiors respected his drive and energy but don't believe he had the judgement or tact to be ready yet. He was often put on "restricted watch", not just as punishment but because they were concerned for him as well. Some of his peers saw him as a nuisance and an insult in what it means to be an Ultra because he's not taking things seriously, while other peers found him amusing but still well-meaning.

- Either way, Ultraman Rush is more of the "young and immature" Ultra archetype. He's headstrong, confident to the point of arrogance, but he truly does want to do his part to do good in the universe just like the Ultramen who inspired him. He doesn't want to do it for the glory or notoriety, he just has an idealistic dream to be the best damn Ultraman anyone has ever seen.

- Meanwhile, Akio Takayama is very similar to Ultraman Rush in terms of personality but his drive isn't a naive childish dream. His older brother, Takeshi, was a high ranking SHIELD agent and a rising star within SHIELD. However, when Akio started his first few weeks of training, Takeshi lost his life on a mission that went sideways. After his death, Akio's parents demanded that he quit his training but Akio felt like it was the only thing keeping him close to Takeshi. Takeshi was always selfless and dedicated to protecting others, rarely was he ever selfish, and he had a knack for keeping people calm. He was everything Akio wanted to be and still wants to be, Akio wouldn't allow Takeshi to just fade away, and wants to keep his legacy alive but he doesn't want to be exactly like him because he knows he could never be him.

- He rushes his training because he feels like if he started earlier, if he worked harder, if he wasn't slacking OFF with the other trainees then maybe he could've been there. He could've worked with Takeshi and he could've protected him. Time wise and skill wise, that wouldn't be possible but its something he tells himself a lot. Takeshi's whole thing is that he's not living for himself, he's living for his brother's memory, which can be an honorable but damning thing.

- That's why his bond with Ultraman Rush after the SAKIYAKU mission is so important, because Ultraman Rush doesn't need him to be Takeshi, he needs Akio to be Akio. Likewise, Akio doesn't need Rush to be like the Legendary Ultras that Rush idolizes, but he just needs Rush to be himself while respecting Akio's autonomy. Their journey isn't that one of them leads the other, their journey is that the two of them grow and learn together.

- With that being said, they're very much "buddy cop" with each other in many ways. Where Akio has to teach and inform Rush about humans and how they interact and how fragile each human life is. Meanwhile, Rush's curiosity and naivety of humans helps Akio see the better in them and their potential to do great things. They joke around with each other (like if Fury is reprimanding them, Akio will zone out while he and Rush just roast Fury in their head only to snap back to attention when Fury loudly asks: "AGENT TAKAYAMA, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION!?").

- What's also important about their dynamic is that they both grow out of their reckless and hot headed phases. Rush because Akio is his first human host and he doesn't know much about humans aside from the fact that they're fragile but still mighty, Akio might get crushed by a Kaiju without him but he always puts up a fight when it comes to Rush taking control (which Ultraman Rush both admires and is annoyed by). He learns to protect Akio without looking down on him and realizes the importance of restraint after facing situations where he could possibly get Akio hurt or injured. As for Akio, he specifically learns how to pass down Takeshi's teachings WITHOUT becoming Takeshi and learns that he needs to be patient because Ultraman Rush wields so much power but is still young and unaware of the dangers of wielding it recklessly among humans.

- While they are similar in some aspects, they have very notable differences as well. Ultraman Rush is very golden retriever in his curiosity and excitement to help humanity which can be endearing but also intimidating. Like, Ultraman Rush will "save" people who were on a Rollercoaster because they were screaming and is confused on why they look even more terrified only for Akio to explain that IT'S A ROLLERCOASTER. HUMANS GO ON THEM TO HAVE FUN and Rush is all: "Really? How odd-"

- THEY'RE BOTH STILL VERY CHAOTIC IN THEIR OWN WAYS AND TAKE TURNS WITH THE BRAINCELL. Like yeah, Akio sometimes has to reel in his giant Alien partner BUT SOMETIMES RUSH GETS STRESSED OUT BY HIS HUMAN HOST. LIKE, all Ultraman transformations all typically last for 3 minutes but Akio will try to force himself to stay transformed longer instead of focusing on getting to a safe place. WHICH REALLY ANNOYS AND WORRIES RUSH. LIKE, NO, DUDE, YOU NEED TO GET TO A SAFE SPACE NOW BC YOU'RE UP AGAINST JUGGERNAUT.

[dollyocaccount]

I HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE HACHIBARA SISTERS LOVE INTEREST BUT ALSO, FOR A REALLY COOL ULTRAMAN THEMED HERO AND VILLAIN. So first off we have the hero:

Ultraman Rush/ Akio "Rush" Takayama:

- Rush Takayama is a SHIELD agent in training whose incredibly cocky, reckless, and arrogant. He often has to be reprimanded by his superiors but he just feels like he has a lot to prove and that SHIELD is wasting his time. Slightly entitled but only because he's always been a prodigy.

- In fact he was given the nickname "Rush" because he's constantly running in head first into situations because he thinks he can just figure out everything on the fly.

- Rush Takayama is a Japanese-American whose older brother was killed in the line of duty for SHIELD. His parents constantly discourage him from going into the Academy but Rush always admired what his older brother did and wants to carry on his legacy. When his brother died, he just felt like he lost the only person who understood him.

- Meanwhile, in the Land of the Light (the home in which all Ultramen come from), Ultraman Rush (yes, they have the same name) is a very young but equally reckless Ultraman who managed to sneak out on his own for his own mission. You see, the purpose of all Ultramen (like, in general): is to protect Earth from giant monsters and alien threats, while also inspiring humanity to be better and work towards a more peaceful and cooperative future. Granted, they usually crash land or end up on Earth unintentionally sometimes-

- Anyways, Ultraman Rush prematurely went out on his first mission before he was ready and his Ultra energy ended up somehow getting stuck onto earth and was found by SAKIYAKU. They experimented on it and because he didn't have a human host, Ultraman Rush was basically incredibly weakened and on the verge of Death.

- Meanwhile, Rush had just gotten lectured from his SHIELD superiors and was on suspension but on his way out, he overheard a team being assigned a mission about discovering a SAKIYAKU base. While he definetly wasn't old enough to know about SAKIYAKU or their incident, Rush knew that they were a rising threat, so he purposely stole the mission file just to do the SAKIYAKU mission on his own and prove himself in the eyes of SHIELD.

- He's like really determined but he's also really really dumb and overeager to prove himself.

- Anyways, Rush manages to successfully infiltrate SAKIYAKU but he loses the details of the mission on the way in so he kind of has to explore around on his own. Upon exploring, he finds a strange room where a glowing object is and feels compelled to go by it. He senses that it's weak and that it needs help, even if he isn't sure what it is but when he walks towards it, he accidentally triggers an alarm throughout the whole facility. He's suddenly surrounded by thousands of SAKIYAKU operatives and Swarm Riders but when they start opening fire on Rush, Ultraman Rush uses his energy to create a shield of light around Rush Takayama. Rush looks at the orb and he's all: "What are you?" before he reaches out and touches it.

- Ultraman Rush immediately bonds with him and Rush Takayama can feel the Ultra energy through his viens and he's surrounded by an aura of light. Rush is all: "WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WAIT, WHAT IS GOING ON-"/ Ultraman Rush: "Heya, little buddy, so I don't have much time to explain but you're my host now and I'm gonna need you to let me transform us really quickly before they kill us-"/Rush: "WHAT!? O-OKAY, HOW DO I DO THAT?"/ Ultraman Rush: "JUST, SAY SOMETHING-"/Rush: "LIKE WHAT!?"/Ultraman Rush: "I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING."/Rush: "OKAY, FUCK- UM, LET'S RUSH THIS!?"

- And he immediately becomes bigger, in standard Ultraman fashion, and Ultraman Rush is so happy to finally give these assholes a taste of their own medicine for experimenting on him but Rush Takayama is FIGHTING him for control so he's a lot more destructive than he intended to be and internally, IT'S JUST A BACK FORTH ARGUMENT BETWEEN THEM.

- They eventually do manage to get away but SHIELD later catches Akio/Rush Takayama and when Fury tries to fire him, Tommy ends up being all: "Yeah, I don't think we can let him go. Not unless we want to deal with this." and Tommy shows Fury a video of last night of the first Ultraman Rush sighting and when watching the video, Akio feels his wrist burn and he looks to see a symbol tattooed on his arm, as he was branded with Ultraman Rush's energy.

- Ultraman Rush: "Ugh, I look stupid. You should've just let me have control!"/ Rush Takayama: "I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON!" and, like, ONLY RUSH CAN HEAR ULTRAMAN RUSH so Tommy and Fury side eye each other before Tommy is all: "He's gonna be apart of my team, isn't he?"

- Fury: "Have fun with your new member, Agent Xiong." and Tommy just groans as Rush is literally arguing with himself.

Kai'Zarr, The Cosmic Killer/Kai Juu:

- Kai is the son of Juu Souta and Kairaksa. Souta was a normal human anthropologist and archeologist who stumbled upon an injured woman. She was strange looking, with reptilian eyes and scales on her body, but she was beautiful to him in an otherworldly way. The woman's name was Kairaksa, she was being hunted down by Ultramen because she belonged to a cosmic lineage of Kaiju's who had the ability to "unweave light" and absorb the powers of Ultramen to become even more powerful (they could also have humanoid forms as well).

- Souta helped hide Kairaksa and nurtured her until she regained her strength. At some point, he fell in love with ALL of her, still seeing her as beautiful even when she was in her cosmic Kaiju form. They eventually had a son, a boy who could transform between fully human to fully Kaiju. That boy was Kai Juu.

- However, when Kairaksa was searching the cosmos to find a place where she and Souta could raise their son in peace, she was attacked by Ultramen. She didn't fight back because she hoped that they would see that she meant no harm but her bloodline had killed too many Ultramen for them to just give her the benefit of a doubt.

- Kai was 9 years old when she died and he was raised by his father on Earth for a while in complete solitude. Souta worked obsessively to find a way where he can hide Kai from the Ultramen, desperate to protect his and Kairaska's beloved boy. Meanwhile, Kai become obsessed with training to destroy Ultramen and even though his father told him never to use his powers, the rage and anger in Kai's heart made him practice in secret. He'd destroy the areas around him, roaring with a heartbroken and angry cry, and image over and over again how he was going to make those Ultramen pay for killing his mother. One day, he went overboard and more Ultras showed up at his father's house.

- Souta did his best to protect Kai but eventually, he was killed in the process. The sight of his father dying tipped Kai over the edge as he turned into his cosmic Kaiju form, Kai'Zarr. Years of killing Ultras kicked in as Kai become one with himself, both the human and the Kaiju, and killed every single one of those Ultras. Absorbing their energy and making him more powerful.

- Kai now walks between the multiverse and cosmos, hunting down and killing Ultras to satiate his blood thirsty revenge, and making sure that each of them die slow and painful deaths so they can feel a FRACTION of the pain he feels everyday.

- Kai is a sadistic but controlled individual, he enjoys destroying Ultras with surgical precision and predatory satisfactions. He may even have a hoarde of trophies he's collected from them with each kill.

- His Kaiju bloodline allows him to hunt down Ultra's and more importantly, when they've become bonded to a host. He strikes after an Ultra has freshly bonded with its host, almost as if "spawn killing" them before they've even had a chance, and he exploits the hosts weaknesses (either emotional, physical, etc) because while bonding with a host can be an Ultra's greatest source of strength, Kai knows how to weaponize their bond so its more like a prison for the Ultra. He never attacks until the odds favor him, he will always know the terrain, and he strikes wherever it causes the most pain. If he can and has the ability too, he'd happily like to mess with his prey and torment them before he comes in for the kill.

- Kai is also aware of how dangerous he is. ULTRAS ARE INCREDIBLY POWERFUL COSMIC BEINGS, so he definetly has a chip on his shoulder because he hunts these guys for breakfast. This can cause him to be a bit arrogant but to be fair, he has the stats to back it up.

- He has that stubborn teenage certainty too. Kai believes that he knows everything about the universe and that Ultras are hypocrites who need to be taken down and that he's the only one strong enough to do it. He can be dismissive of other world views, especially sappy pacifist ones, and will brush people off during arguments with venom and cold indifference.

- He also has no friends, he can blend in among humans, but he has no intention of connecting with them. He knows better than anyone that human relations are a weakness and besides, its not like they'd ever accept him if they saw what he could turn into. Humans are just as despicable as Ultras in his eyes but at least one of them poses an actual threat to him (hint: it's not the humans).

- So at the same time with Rush Takayama and Ultraman Rush fuse, Kai had finally finished up hunting an Ultra, lazily tossing aside the host and devouring its Ultra energy and becoming empowered. When the fusion happens, his cosmic Kaiju instincts let him know and he smiles to himself as he turns back into his human form. Holding his hand to unsheathe his monstrous claws, he tears a portal into reality (it closes up behind him) as he walks like a hunter ready to start chasing another prey.

[dollyocaccount]

IN MARVEL RIVALS, THERE IS AN EMOTE FOR SPIDERMAN MAINS where you get your own little chili MJ on your screen and everytime you get a kill, she has hearts around her and she's so cute BUT LEXI DOING THAT FOR AKIO AND HACHIKA. Like, I don't know HOW she'd program that into Hachika's Kamen Rider Form or Akio's Ultra form but IT WOULD BE SO CUTE IF THEY HAD A LITTLE CHIBI LEXI IN THEIR VISORS AND EVERYTHING BUT SHE HAS EVEN MORE REACTIONS.

Like, Hachika is using her Sweet Justice Weapon and SHE ROCKS SOME GUY'S SHIT and virtual chibi Lexi is all: "PERFECT STRIKE! That's my honey bee!" And Hachika just stops fighting and giggles happily because GOD SHE LOVES HER GIRLFRIEND SO MUCH. Or like, when Akio is Ultraman Rush then virtual Chibi Lexi is programmed to make sure he and Rush don't—well, you know— RUSH into anything and she provides a warning like: "Remember, its always best to think a strategy out, you two! Akio, this message is directed at you specifically-"

Akio: "WHAT?" and Rush is all: "HAHAHAHAHA-"

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW SHE PROGRAMMED THEIR PHONES WITH LITTLE CHIBI VERSIONS OF HERSELF and it gives them helpful reminders like: "Hachika, your phone is at 20%!" Or she's all: "Akio, this is a reminder to take a break from training and stretch so you don't strain yourself!" Like she's so cute and helpful, they love little Lexi AND LEXI EVEN PUTTING MINI CHIBI VERSIONS OF THEM IN HER PHONE and they voice recorded their own lines as well. Like Akio being all: "Babydoll, don't forget to call. You know we miss you~" or Hachika is all: "Hi, Honey! This is your water drinking alert!!"

ALSO, AKIO WOULD CALL LEXI CUTE TERMS OF ENDEARMENTS. He specifically likes calling her "Babydoll"—just because she reminds him of pretty dolls that sit on shelves, NOT IN A WEIRD WAY, just that she's really pretty and he thinks she looks so cute when she's enjoying herself or so elegant and untouchable when she's locked in— but he'll also go for the typical: "Babe", "Sweetheart", "Angelface" (when he's being extra gushy but don't worry, Rush is all: "Ugh, why'd you call her that? I think I just got what you humans call "the ick"-)

HACHIKA GIVES LEXI CUTE JAPANESE NAMES. Like when translated in katakana for foreigner names, Lexi becomes "Rekushi" (REH-KOO-SHI) so THIS IS PROBABLY HOW HACHIKA PRONOUNCES LEXI'S NAME, the longer she's in America then the more subtle it sounds, BUT ALSO—SHE WILL MAKE CUTE NICKNAMES BASED OFF OF THE KATAKANA OF LEXI'S NAME. She'll call Lexi "Rekko" or "Rekko-Chan", or "Rexu-Chan". When she's being extra cutesy or suffering from cute aggression, she'll add the "-tan" suffix instead of the "-chan" because she's illustrating HOW OBNOXIOUSLY CUTE SHE THINKS LEXI IS.

[dollyocaccount]

When Kai has hunted down and killed Ultra's and their human hosts, it's not really personal beyond: "Your kind killed my mother so I will kill all of you to avenge her and further grow my power." He's not really emotional when he hunts them down, he's calculating and timing everything. There have been times when he's found an Ultraman annoying or irritating, so he's responded by pettily separating them from their human host and then devouring the human RIGHT in front of their Ultra power before he devours the Ultra and its light, its not necessarily enjoyable for him to eat humans. It's really more performative violence and is really more out of pettiness than it is out of actual hunger. He doesn't like to cross that line (and prefers not too) BUT IF THEY PISS HIM ENOUGH then he absolutely will. HOWEVER, AKIO IS ACTUALLY SO ANNOYING TO KAI THAT KAI ACTUALLY GETS A BIT PERSONALLY INVESTED IN THEIR FIGHTS.

Like, AKIO IS JUST SO INFURIATING TO KAI because Akio will make quips, jokes, or throw insults in Kai's direction and Kai feels like Akio isn't taking him seriously and that HE HAS NO RIGHT TO ACT SO COCKY WHEN KAI LITERALLY HAS EVERY ADVANTAGE POSSIBLE. This is a coping mechanism on Akio's part and Kai is aware of that, it doesn't make his voice ANY LESS GRATING to him. What makes Kai's hatred of Akio worse is that Akio, unlike some of the newly bonded human hosts before him, is actually willing to die for Rush. Even though they're newly bonded, clumsy, and constantly bickering: AKIO IS USING EVERY OUNCE OF HIS STRENGTH TO HOLD ONTO RUSH LIKE SOME STUBBORN PETULANT CHILD.

Kai is a predator, a hunter, and a force of nature but also...he is still a teenager. He's going to get annoyed by certain people and he can be set off by certain things, no matter how composed he tries to act, and Akio is just really good at getting underneathe his skin. LIKE IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT HE'S NOT EVEN BEEFING WITH RUSH, HE'S DIRECTLY TALKING TO AKIO AND THREATENING HIM. Like he's fighting against Akio and Rush when they're transformed as Ultraman Rush (but both Kai and Ultraman Rush are at their human heights), Kai just growling at Ultraman Rush and looking him in his eyes and he's all: "YOU CAN'T PROTECT THAT MEASLY HUMAN FOREVER, ULTRAMAN RUSH. I'LL DEVOUR HIS SOUL FIRST WHILE YOU WATCH."

Ultraman Rush: "I'd burn you to ashes before I let you get Akio!...Also, Akio says: "You'll have to catch us first, LIZARD BREATH!" and Kai just growls before he charges at them.

What's even worse is that even when Akio is in human form and Kai is Kai'Zarr and he's standing at 400 feet tall, HE CAN PICK AKIO OUT OF A CROWD OF THOUSANDS OF PANICKED CIVILLIANS AND HE WILL CHASE AND TRY TO ATTACK HIM SPECIFICALLY TO SCARE HIM. And sometimes Akio does say some things to Kai that LOWKEY kinda make sense on why Kai would be pissed at him. Like Akio, before he knew about Kai's origins story, looked at his Kaiju form and was all: "GEEZ, Talk about a face only a mother could love."

For obvious reasons, that struck a nerve and Kai'Zarr roared with pure anger and rage as he started to attack Akio and Rush was all: "HEY, AKIO, FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE GIANT SERIAL KILLING KAIJU'S MOTHER, OKAY?"

At first, Kai will be slightly rattled and/or visibly antagonize but then the more he fights Akio, the less they phase him but he still hates Akio's snide comments and quips. Sometimes Kai will even cut him off by just punching him or attacking before he can even finish his sentence. Sometimes he'll respond with his own witty remark but then lecture himself because he realizes he's bantering with the moron.

Akio, as Ultraman Rush facing off against Kai: "Ugh, do you EVER stop talking?"

Kai: "Only when I'm eating your kind."

Rush: "...Oh, wow."

But yeah, Akio and Rush just trigger another level of hatred to Kai in a way other hosts haven't. Like other Ultras are just tactically targeted, hunted for powers and to fulfill Kai's twisted sense of justice, and Kai doesn't even think twice about the human host unless he needs to make a point. BUT WITH AKIO; HE WILL JUST CHASE HIM DOWN OF SPITE AND MIGHT EVEN BE A BIT MORE BRUTAL WITH HIM.

Akio is terrified about the fact that Kai, whether he's human or Kaiju, knows his name and doesn't hesitate to chase him down...but also sees it as a win that he's successfully annoyed the literal cosmic Kaiju hybrid because at least he's making a name for himself!

[dollyocaccount]

When Kai and Akio first meet, I want their first meeting to be almost casual and easy to miss...on Akio's part. After Kai recovers from his ASS KICKING from Kanami, his instincts start picking up the Ultra's presence again and he realizes that New York appears to be where the source of the energy is coming from so he's walking around the city, a hoodie over his head as he keeps his head low but his senses are sharp. His nose sadly adjusts to the polluted air and listens in on the humans around him. He's tall at 6'4, but aside from that he doesn't particularly stand out.

Meanwhile, AWOL is going on a fun little coffee run at a Cafe, they chose a spot at the park for a picnic and Bakari remarks about wanting some coffee and Tommy is all: "There's a really good coffee place down the street, I'll head over-" but Akio, who has secretly been trying to do nice things for Hachika because he lowkey wants to fix her opinion of him, is all: "I can grab them. I'm the new guy, aren't I? Just text me what you want and I'll order it!" and his teammates are asking if he'd need help but he assures them it's fine as he walks away.

Rush: "How is retrieving hot liquid supposed to increase your relationships with the team, especially Hachika?"

Akio: "Look, she doesn't want me around her so I can't exactly do nice things for her because then I'd be bothering her. BUT, if I can do nice things for the TEAM and she's apart of the team, then she has no choice but to let do something nice for her!"

Rush: "Why have we not just...apologized to her?"

Akio: "I'm building up to that, man! Right now, I have to lay down the foundation! That way, she realizes my apology is genuine and even if she doesn't want to reject it, she'll feel bad about it."

Rush: "...I don't think I agree with that line of thinking-"

Akio: "I PHRASED WRONG."

And while they're done ordering coffee and walking back towards AWOL, Kai just casually walks past them. He's still on the look out but when he passes them on the street, he raises his head but he doesn't move it towards Akio. Instead his eyes become reptilian and they look at Akio from the corner of his eyes, his stare brief but intense as he memorized every detail about this host before he continues walking. MEANWHILE, Rush instantly feels something is wrong (this is due to the fact that the Light Devourer totally had this menacing aura to Ultras because they're beings of light) so Akio's eyes glow Ultraman white-blue as Rush takes control and turns him around suddenly. Akio looks around quickly because he can feel Rush's unease but then he's all: "...What was that for!?" and Rush goes: "...Something was there."

Akio: "Where? I don't see anything. It looks like a perfectly normal day."

And Rush is all: "...hmm, maybe I had imagined something." and Akio is all: "AH, SHIT. I spilled Hachika's drink. Ugh, she's gonna think I'm a total asshole-"

Rush: "Oh, yikes. I'm pretty sure that was the last honey lemon refresher too-"

Akio sighs softly before he's all: "DAMMIT, MAN."

But then, later that night, AWOL is called to fight when a giant monster attacks the city. A monster whose scales are black as night and even though it's causing people to run scared, it appears almost BORED with this mindless destruction. Akio is excited because he finally has a chance to prove himself to the team but Rush is all: "Akio, that energy...I feel it again."

Akio: "Don't worry, you'll feel better once we get rid of this big ugly lizard! WE RUSH TO THE CALL OF ACTION!" and then they transform, meanwhile the other AWOL members are looking at each other and are all: "Yeah, that wasn't any better."/"It just didn't hit right, you know?"/"I can't believe I actually prefer 'Let's Rush this'-" but Akio, now Ultraman Rush, says: "HEY, BUDDY, WE CAN DO THIS THE EASY WAY OR THE HARD WAY!"

And the Kaiju just stops and stares at them before it ROLLS ITS EYES AT THEM. and both Akio and Rush are all: "D-Did it just roll its eyes? That was so...human-" but then the Kaiju attacks them and charges and Ultraman Rush and Akio are going ALL OUT on him...only to realize he's somehow GETTING STRONGER. And the Kaiju hasn't even made a real attack aside from dodging them but when it grabs Rush and hangs him into the air, they can see the corner of its scaly reptilian snout upturn into a cruel snarl as their eyes widen. Because it's smirking at them, gloating even. Before it slams them down into the concrete. AND THIS BATTLE IS NOT LOOKING WELL FOR AKIO AND EVEN WITH THE HELP OF AWOL, THE DEFENDERS, AND SHIELD, IT'S NOT GOING DOWN. So when Kai'Zarr finally has Ultraman Rush on the ground, injured and badly beaten, it just tilts its head mockingly before snorting. It almost sounded like a mocking scoff as if to say; "This was the best you could do?" Before it dispersed into photons and walked away again. LIKE, RUSH WASN'T EVEN ABLE TO USE HIS MOVES and Akio and him were arguing and panicking but when that monster started into their eyes, Rush and Akio (since they're transformed) felt that overwhelming sense of fear and dread and Rush is all: "Oh no..."

Akio: "I-It left us alive? AH, my shoulder...Why? Why did it do that?"

Rush: "It can be true. It can't be true, I thought they just told us that story to keep us from sneaking out of our barracks!"

Akio: "Uh, Rush? Buddy, what's going on?"

Rush: "Akio, that wasn't just any ordinary Kaiju."

Akio: "WELL, OBVIOUSLY. It was fighting like crazy, man."

Rush: "NO, AKIO. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. It was THE Kaiju. The Devourer of Light! O-Or something like it?"

Akio: "The Devourer of Light? What is that?"

but then AWOL catches up to Akio and they help him up and they're all: "Akio, are you okay?" and even Hachika is there like: "Takayama-San, you're hurt!" and as Rush is explaining what the Devourer of Light is, the mysterious killings of Ultramen that were reported to the Land of the Light, and other things inside of Akio's mind...Akio just not hearing his teammates as he frowns and feels a bit of anxiety hearing about the horrible things that the Devourer of Light did to Ultras.

While everyone is trying to get his attention, Hachika feeling genuine concern so she reaches out to touch his shoulder, her Harmonizer glowing a little and sending out a soothing resonance which snaps Akio out of it and he's all: "...He's coming for us next."

Meanwhile, Kai had returned to his human form, putting his hood up to conceal his face and cracking his neck slightly as he's all: "Pathetic. I almost pity you, Takayama Akio. What a useless Ultra you have." but then the star pendant on his chest glows, which causes him to purr (or rumble in his chest loudly) as he walks beneath the street lamps above him, their lights dimming as he passes underneathe them.

[dollyocaccount]

I DO WANT TO DEVELOP MORE ABOUT AKIO AND RUSH WHEN THEY FIRST BONDED BECAUSE THAT WAS CRAZY. Like when they escaped the SAKIYAKU compound together and SHIELD found them, Akio was literally passed out in a nearby field around them and was dreaming peacefully in his head. After bonding with Rush, however, Akio's dreams soon become a place where he and Rush communicate to each other during his subconscious...but the first time they talked like this, it wasn't exactly the best start.

This is because Rush wanted to choose a subconscious form that Akio would be comfortable with so he went through his memories and such and decided the best way to appear to Akio...was as his dead older brother. So Rush appears before Akio in the form of Takeshi and he's all: "Hey, partner!"

Akio: "...Keshi..."

Rush: "Oh, um, not actually! You see, I just took this form because, like, it seems to subconsciously invoke feelings of trust and endearment towards you and I wanted to make a good first impression! My name is actually Rush!"

Akio, stopping in his tracks: "...What?"

Rush: "Yup, you see, I'm actually an Ultra!" and he just uses his own memories to kind of give Akio a run down of what an Ultra is, the Land of the Light, their purpose, and the powers that Akio will have and Akio is all: "Wait...so you're like...an alien parasite?"

Rush: "ABSOLUTELY NOT. Do I have to go over the bonding process again?"

Akio: "I- YOU- SO YOU HIJACKED MY BODY AND NOW YOU'RE HIJACKING MY BROTHERS!?"

Rush: "Hey! I did not HIJACK your body, you reached out and were willing to bond!"

Akio: "BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME TOO! I CAN- HOW DO WE UNDO IT? I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS!"

Rush: "UM, YOU WEREN'T COMPLAINING WHEN I SAVED YOU FROM GETTING SHOT AT! Talk about ungrateful!"

Akio: "YOU MADE YOURSELF LOOK LIKE MY BROTHER! "

Rush: "TO PUT YOU AT EASE. CLEARLY THAT WAS THE WRONG CHOICE AND SO WERE YOU! If I knew how to undo the bond, I so totally would-"

Akio: "...You DON'T know how to UNDO IT!?"

Rush: "OH, C'MON, YOU'VE FALLEN ALSEEP PLENTY OF TIMES IN CLASS. YOU CAN'T JUDGE ME-"

Akio: "STOP LOOKING AT MY MEMORIES! AND CHANGE THAT FORM, THIS IS REALLY CREEPY!"

and after Rush transformed into his Dad, then his mom, then his aunt, and then his pet cat back at home, Akio is all: "YOU KNOW WHAT!? JUST USE ME. I ALREADY FEEL CRAZY, WHY NOT TALK TO THE GIANT LIGHT ALIEN THAT CAN STEAL MY BODY AND READ MY MIND WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE ME!" and Rush, who transforms into a version of Akio with white hair and blank glowing white eyes, is all: "DUDE. YOU DON'T NEED TO YELL. WE'RE IN YOUR MIND!!'

THEY DO BECOME FRIENDS but it is a little rough. The way ultras transform and interact with their host while transformed varies: sometimes the host is dormant while the Ultra takes control or sometimes the Ultra is dormant and only steps in for the host when needed. BOTH AKIO AND RUSH ARE FIGHTING FOR CONTROL WHICH MAKES IT HARD FOR THEM TO LAST LONGER THAN A MINUTE BECAUSE THEY AREN'T WORKING TOGETHER. Rush thinks that Akio should step back and let him handle things because he obviously knows how to use his own powers and stuff and can fight Kaiju and other things. Meanwhile, Akio's argument is always: "IT'S MY BODY!" which is actually a very valid point, and he also thinks that Rush could endanger people when he's purposely showing off to get adoration from humans. HOWEVER, their similarities may clash but it also brings them together and when they focus on their shared goal of saving lives, that's when they become more synchronized.

But there is definetly aspects of their relationship that doesn't go away. Like the both of them will backseat fight in their head and Rush is all: "Dodge, Akio-"

Akio: "I don't need to dodge!"

Rush: "WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH A GRUDGE AGAINST NOT GETTING HIT!?"

Or like, Akio will do the same to Rush when he's all: "Dude, you're moving too fast-"

Rush: "UH, YEAH. THAT'S KIND OF OUR WHOLE THING, AKIO."

Akio: "YEAH, BUT THE MOVEMENT FROM THE WATER IS MAKING THE WAVES DANGEROUS FOR THE BEACH GOERS." and Rush sees them and he's all: "THEY HAVEN'T LEFT!? WE'RE FIGHTING A GIANT MONSTER!"

Akio: "They're probably video taping this for Tik Tok."

Rush: "YOU HUMANS HAVE ASTERIOD DEBRIS FOR BRAINS, I SWEAR." and now he has to grab them to evacuate.

BUT LIKE, it soon kind of becomes part of their relationship and there are times when they can be each other's hype man as well. Like when Rush is being held down by a Kaiju, AKIO TAKING CONTROL IMMEDIATELY KICKING THE KAIJU IN THE GROIN and the Kaiju roars in pain and Rush is able to get up.

Rush: "Hah, effective. Cruel, but effective."

Akio: "I didn't think that'd actually work BJT I'M GLAD IT DID. Let's finish this!"

Or Akio is at regular size and he's fighting Hydra agents or something and when one of them tries to hit him from behind, Rush creates a light barrier that stops Akio from getting hit and Akio instantly turns around and decks the guy in the face and is all: "Nice assist, man."

Rush: "I've always got your back!"

LIKE, THEY BECOME BESTIES SO SOON AND THEY END UP CARING FOR EACH OTHER SO MUCH AND I GENUINELY THINK THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.

[dollyocaccount]

Akio also isn't as close to his family as he used to be anymore and he's quite distant with them. After Takeshi's death, Akio's parents did everything they could to try and stop Akio from pursuing his training as a SHIELD Agent but Akio constantly kept insisting on it and since then, their relationship has been strained. It's not like his parents NEVER worried about Akio or Takeshi, they always did to a degree, but Takeshi always knew how to ground them and make them see sense. It's a trait he's always had since they were young kids.

When Akio was picked on or bullied for being an Asian-American or when he was singled out, he'd sometimes start a fight or two which may have required his parents to come down to the school (while the other kid got off with a warning). So after they scolded him and gave him a harsh punishment, Takeshi would step in and talk to them to make them realize that Akio was already on suspension while the kid got a simple warning, and that Akio probably feels terrible enough already. As the children of Japanese immigrants themselves, Kenji and Karin (Akio's parents), would eventually see Takeshi's point of view and slowly go to Akio to apologize for being hard on him already and suggesting they try and do something fun to lessen the pain of his suspension. When Takeshi first told them about how he would be training to become a SHIELD agent, his parents showed worry and while it took Takeshi a while, they eventually were open to it and even became supportive and proud as they bragged about how their son was a "Japanese James Bond". When Akio joined, his parents where still hesitant but once again, Takeshi's ability to talk to them and ground them helped them become more lenient and supportive of Akio's training.

Now, with no Takeshi, communication between Akio and his parents is more difficult and Akio doesn't even know how Takeshi managed to reason with his parents when they're so-...so...unreasonable and stubborn. Akio's parents love him, deeply, and that's why they're constantly discouraging him and trying to stop him from pursuing his dream. They hover, they guilt him, they over-explain, and they take matters into their own hands to force Akio away from the path he set from himself.

Akio will have conversations over the phone with his father, their tones both tense as Akio is once again telling his dad that he will NOT move back home because he might have a chance to intern at some fancy company, and his dad is all: "Don't get an attitude with me, Akio."

"I WASN'T EVEN-...I'm sorry, dad. I didn't mean to sound angry. I've just...I've just been tired lately-"

"Sounds like you've been tired for a while. Maybe that's a sign you're not meant for this work." and Akio just sighs softly before he's all: "I have to go, Dad. Training starts soon." and he hangs up before his dad can say anything and he just sighs before he slumps on his bed.

Or when his mother is calling, she's the worst one about guilting him when she says: "Your brother would've wanted you to be safe. Are you really going to be so selfish you'd put yourself at risk?...I always watch the news on the TV, you know...I just...I can't bear the thought of losing you out there." and Akio is trying to comfort her and be all: "I promise, you won't lose me!"

"Takeshi promised us that too! Now look what's happened!" and Akio just pauses in his tracks and then his mom lets out a small sob: "A-Akio, I'm sorry...but I can't believe you. Not until you're back home safe and sound." and Akio just gulps before he's all: "I have to go, I love you, mom."

His dad will constantly sign him up for schools, internships, and other things that have "promising and safe" careers and gets upset when Akio won't go to them. Or his mother is all: "Oh, I wish you'd do something with that artistic talent of yours! You had so much potential and you're wasting it." but Akio has the artistry talent of a potato and knows she's just making stuff up in hopes that it'll stick.

Akio isn't mad at them, he knows that Takeshi's death hit them hard, but he is a bit frustrated with them because how can he talk to them the same way Takeshi did? How could he ease their worries like Takeshi could and make them worry less? How come he can't make them understand him?

He hates visiting home because they always make up excuses for him to not go back to SHIELD (a surprise trip to a relatives house, begging him to stay one more night, and inviting distant family over last minute so if Akio just left them it would be rude) so he doesn't go back home as often. His mom sends him care packages but they also have pamphlets to schools and colleges or job opportunities that Akio rolls his eyes at and throws away. He doesn't even tell them any of the exciting things about his job because they always ruin it. HE ESPECIALLY HASN'T TOLD THEM ABOUT RUSH BECAUSE HE KNOWS THEY'D FREAK OUT EVEN MORE. He just...he doesn't know how they can be a happy family again without Takeshi. So he ignores their phonecalls, he responds to their texts with emojis or dry responses, and he has a metaphorical roulette wheel of excuses ready to use for why he didn't come back home for the holidays. He feels lonely and it's times like these, he wishes Takeshi was still here with them the most.

Rush is initially confused when he witnesses his first "Tense Takayama family phonecall" because AKIO DOESN'T EVEN MENTION HIM TO HIS PARENTS but after the phonecall is over, Rush lowkey understands it.

Akio: "Sorry you had to hear that, that must've been awkward for you."

Rush: "No, no, I get it. My mentors and teachers were the exact same way with me. Granted, it was mostly because I...you know, rush into things. But I understand."

Akio: "At least someone does. Crazy how the super powered alien parasite of light in my body is more understanding than my actual parents."

Rush: "First of all, not a parasite. That was rude. and second of all, they still love you. They wouldn't be paying this much attention to you otherwise. It's annoying but they're just trying to protect you, you know?"

Akio: "You sound like you're speaking from experience...D-Do Ultra's- Can they, like-...Does your kind..."

Rush: "The mood is already awkward enough, Akio. Let's not make me relive my Ultra Adolescent classes-"

Akio, laughing: "Yeah, okay. That'll be a question for later."

[dollyocaccount]

Ultraman Rush/Akio "Rush" Takayama Abilities:

So, I want to start with the basic Ultraman Abilities and then I'll discuss Ultraman Rush's own specialized abilities (since there are the basic abilities and then the personalized abilities of the main Ultraman character that is kind of meant to set them apart from each other.

Basic Abilities:

Gigantification/Size Shifting: This is THE Ultraman ability, the fact that they can grow to Kaiju size instantly. Rush himself can grow up to 186 ft in size. I also think they'd have a more flashy transformation because of how young and reckless both Akio and Rush are.

Energy Beam: All Ultras have a signature energy beam. Rush's will be called the "Rush Ray", which fires a beam of light energy at his opponents. I KIND OF WANT IT WHERE THERE IS A CENTRAL BEAM AND THEN AFTERWARDS, there are two other light beams that circle around the central beam.

Super Strength/Super Speed: SO EVEN THOUGH HE'S SUPER BIG AND SUPER STRONG, I do think that Ultraman Rush is definetly more nimble and agile than previous Ultraman protagonists before him. He has a flashy and fast paced way of fighting and his attack combos look like parkour mixed with pro-wrestling. Quick but entertaining to watch, just how he likes it.

Flight: I mean, yeah, he can fly. I don't know how to personalize that but he CAN do that. Might leave a beam of light energy like a Powerpuff girl honestly. HE ALSO MIGHT BE A BIT SHOWY TOO, like how in TFP when Starscream did those extra blackflips before turning into his alt-mode and flying away? That's something Rush would do-

Energy Barriers: HE CAN USE HIS BARRIERS FOR CONTAINTMENT, PROTECTION, AND DEFLECTION. However, how strong they are depends on how in-sync he and Akio are at the moment. Like early on, Akio and Rush struggled to even form a barrier because Rush kept trying to take control but Akio was all: "Dude, stop, it's MY body-" and Rush is all: "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT-" but when they were in a fight and a bunch of civilians were getting hurt, they both instinctively activated their barrier around them because they were synchronized in their desire to protect people.

Three minute time limit: Not an ability but just a standard thing all Ultramen have. Currently, since they're just starting out, Akio and Rush kind of have a hard time even staying transformed for a full minute because Rush thinks Akio should sit back and let him take over but Akio wants to be an active participant in saving people and thinks that Rush should let him take control more. They'll eventually learn to be more in sync soon, however!

Rush's specific abilities:

These abilities are specific ONLY to Rush and reflect the fact that both Rush and Akio "Rush to action".

Rush Lines: Rush can create trails of light speed movement behind him that can linger temporarily and be redirected or weaponized. These trails can act like razor thin blades or barriers, he can "rewind" himself for a reverse dash attack by following the light trail backwards, and can even create decoy Rush's of himself to confuse enemies.

Flash Step: He can briefly teleport or flash-dash short distance to dodge things rapidly or to close the distance between him and his enemies, its a mid-combat movement tactic thing and not long-distance teleportation. Hr loves a burst ring everytime he jumps forward to use this ability.

Chrono Overdrive: When time is running out, he can enter a supercharged state that slows the world around him so he can operate at TRUE lightspeed for 10-15 seconds. This burns through his energy timer and he has to be FULLY SYNCHRONIZED WITH AKIO or it can cause him serious damage when they destroy form. LIKE HIS BODY STARTS TO GLOW AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE AIR HAS SHATTERED AROUND HIM. While everything moves in slow motion, it looks like he's moving normally but you can see "after images" of him and once he's done, they all speed up and run after him to create one cohesive Rush image.