Disclaimer: This is just a work of fanfiction. The Ultra Series belongs to Tsuburaya Productions

The events of this fanfiction takes place in the Original Timeline/Universe, twenty-five years after the events of Mebius. The main Ultra's abilities will follow the traditional format because I really hate the new format used in recent series where previous Ultras and Monsters are used as power tokens by new Ultras.

Ultrawoman Solas

Chapter 1: Valkyrie Descending

Introducing: Razorback Monster, Suressaron

The Land of Light, located within the system Nebula M78, is the home of giants of light known throughout the galaxy as Ultramen. Transformed into their current forms by a powerful experiment meant to save their planet instead of a quest for power, these Ultras has taken upon the responsibility of safeguarding the galaxy with their new abilities, but it was not just the denizens of M78, for they were soon joined by similarly transformed beings from O-50, U-40 and survivors of L77, thus becoming a true force to reckon with.

Since the 1960s, Earth has found itself faced with what is now known as the Ages of Monsters. Each time an Age of Monsters occurred, an Ultraman was present to help defend the planet alongside humanity. Some took on a human host who had impressed them with their thoughts and actions, others simply created or used their original human-like forms, but all of them had joined an Earth Defence Team during their tenure on Earth. The last to appear on Earth was the Ultraman known as Mebius in year 2005.

Now, in the Land of Light, the Ultras prepare to send a new guardian to Earth, but the individual they had in mind was not who everyone expected… Instead of a warrior, a scientist will take the role for the first time!

Planet Egufer

Those who witness the beauty of Planet Egufer would find it hard to believe that many years ago, it was noting more than a wasteland, the results of its now-extinct denizens constantly waging war on each other. What was once barren were now lush forests, dried-up lakes now brimmed with fresh water, and weather was no longer limited to sandstorms and heatwaves. All thanks to a forty-year long project initiated by a young scientist from the Land of Light.

Her name was Solas.

Hailing from the Blue Tribe, Solas was, like her people, a silver giantess with blue markings that covered her chest, halfway down her forearm to her hands, from her hips to her knees and finally her feet. She also had a set of Protectors around her collarbone areas that resembled three black lines, and the silver parts of her arms and legs had scale-like markings on them. Her head fin stretches past the back of her neck, resembling a ponytail of sorts.

A biologist and member of the Silver Cross Corps, Solas had always believed that Ultras do not necessarily need to kill when it comes to dealing with monsters. Inspired by rumours of an Ultraman from another universe who possessed a pacifistic nature despite his considerable strength, only resorting to violence when he has exhausted all options, Solas wondered if she could apply the same methods to the ones she faced during her missions.

So far, she was doing quite well, since Planet Egufer had been converted into a monster sanctuary populated by those she had managed to tame and befriended, shortly after her 40-year mission to restore it was finished. She even managed to revive the extinct Star Bem Gyerons, which would have earned her a Star Mark, but she had refused the award since she had used Ultraman Hikari's resurrection device for the final phase of reviving the alien bird.

"Ah, Planet Egufer becomes more and more beautiful each time I come for a visit. You've really outdone yourself, Solas."

"Master Seven, this is a surprise. What brings you here? Even Master Ace is here as well. 80 too," Solas asked as she turned to see the veteran Ultra Warriors Seven, Ace and 80 landing behind her, all of whom had taught her a few combat tricks at some point in time before they were deployed to planet Earth.

"Well, it's more of a social visit and an assignment. You haven't returned to the Land of Light for quite a while. 80 and Yullian were getting worried their childhood playmate had gone missing," Ace replied.

"I was actually about to prepare for my return, actually."

"Which, unfortunately, won't be happening, well, not yet, anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"Orders came from the top. Seems like they want a Blue Tribe member to go to Earth and protect it this time. And they've decided that you, Solas, was the right person for the job," 80 explained.

"Me?"

"You are among the most skilled fighters among the Blue Tribe, not to mention one of the smartest. Ever since we created the Capsule Monsters, you have always been the one to heal or repair them. You even created Sevengar…"

"Speaking of Capsule Monsters, how is Windam? I mean, both times that poor guy was close to death when you brought him to me," Solas asked.

"He is better than before. Anyways, back to the subject at hand… Mother of Ultra has already given her consent. In the meantime, 80 and Hikari will take turns helping to care of Egufer… Oh, this is very awkward…" Seven said, his voice trailing off into a mumble.

"Why did you have to mention him?" 80 moaned.

"So, he goes by Hikari now, huh? Creates a method of reviving the dead even though I said it was not safe, then disappearing like a deadbeat claiming to be on a journey…" Solas muttered.

"I take it you and him are far from reconciliation?" Ace asked.

"Two millenias is a long time to be angry. I've already forgiven him, but until he apologizes to me personally, there's nothing for him and I to talk about. But let's leave my uncle out of this for now. Why am I going to Earth? I mean, you guys know my stance about monsters…"

"I'm sure it will all work out just fine, although I must admit that humanity has a tendency of shooting anything that scares them," Ace said.

Solas sighed.

"I know I always said that I wanted to visit Earth, that humans were allies of Ultras, but didn't they turn on Mebius multiple times during his tenure there? Could it be that their society is degrading? If so, I don't really want to get involved in them."

"Humans are not perfect creatures, Solas. They made many mistakes, and sometimes they do not learn from it and repeat the mistakes over and over again throughout history. But humans also have strange, unique qualities in them that even we Ultras end up learning from," Seven said.

"Give them some time, observe their actions. Never mind the masses, just concentrate on the individuals you meet during your tenure on Earth. You'll be surprised. Besides, you might not want to be outdone by Mebius now, huh? I remember how you used to help him with his science homework when he comes crying for Solas nee-san, and now he's an elite warrior," 80 added.

"Oh, how could I not remember? The kouhai has become the senpai, it seems," Solas retorted.

"It is time now, Solas. Perhaps, like us, your experiences on Earth would change how your thoughts and opinions of the galaxy," Ace concluded.

"You guys still haven't answered why a Blue Tribe member like me is the one going to Earth next? C'mon, there must be more than just the basic 'protect Earth' reason. You're hiding something from me."

The three senior Ultras looked at each other before Seven spoke up.

"It was a matter of time before a member of the Blue Tribe becomes Earth's guardian, but because of Hikari's time as Hunter Knight Tsurugi there, we fear that Earth would never accept a Blue Ultra as its guardian. You are among the most civil Ultras among both Red and Blue Tribe, so Father and Mother of Ultra agreed that you should be the first to go."

"Even Ultraman King has given his blessings," Ace added.

Solas sighed and nodded.

"Well, looks like its up to me to fix our Blue Tribe's image and honour on Planet Earth, huh? All right, masters Seven and Ace as well as my old pal 80. I'm off now," she said as she began to form her Travel Sphere.

"Good luck, Solas! Bring pride to us Ultras as the new guardian of Earth!"

"Enjoy your time there, Solas! I hope you make new friends there!"

"And remember, stay safe and never forget what we've taught you!"

Solas waved back to Seven, Ace and 80 before the travel sphere finally finished forming and sped off into space, with the destination being Planet Earth…

When life is victorious, there is birth; when it is thwarted, there is death. A warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for Peace.

- Ueshiba Morihei, founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido

MARCH 10, 2030

MOUNT AKAGI, GUNMA PREFECTURE, JAPAN

It is the year 2030. Three years ago, scientists predicted that a New Age of Monsters was about to happen. Realizing that they needed to be more prepared than before, the United Nations set up the Crisis Response Operations Worldwide, aka CROW, around the world in case things get out of hand.

True enough, the New Age of Monsters began on November 12, 2029, when a never-before seen monster later named Surasshuron emerged in Austin, Texas. This was followed by the appearance of a two familiar faces, Gudon and Twintails, again fighting each other in Hiroshima, Japan, just one day before the New Year. Thanks to their advanced technology as well as emergency bunkers stragitically placed around cities, CROW was able to keep casualties at the minimum and control the situation.

But nothing lasts forever. At CROW's Far East Division, scientists were already predicting that the rate of monster appearances will only increase until not even CROW's greatest technology can stop them anymore. Little did they know that dark forces are plotting the demise of Earth, nor that hope was arriving yet again from the distant star of Nebula M78…

Now, on Mount Akagi, members of CROW Far East's Strike Units are taking the latest recruits on their final training, after which they will begin taking those who fit their individual criteria into their own Units: The combat-oriented First, the seafaring Second, and lastly the Third, first responders and rescue specialists…

Several men and women of different nationalities around Asia between the ages of eighteen to twenty-eight gathered in front of a makeshift stand at the foot of Mount Akagi, each of them wearing a green military-like outfit and a field cap. Meanwhile, a number of black SUVs and a couple of tents were set up nearby, each of them bearing a symbol of a black-coloured bird in a white outline as well as the words "C.R.O.W." on them.

Standing on the stand was a 34-year-old bespectacled woman wearing a black combat uniform with orange hues which also beared the same symbol as the ones on the SUVs and tents, with a belt that had pouches and a two holsters each containing an advanced-looking sidearm and a baton respectively. She had shoulder-length hair and a youthful face, and her first name was printed above the left chest pocket of her uniform along with a '3' beside the name. There was also a triangular badge on her collar.

"All right, recruits, gather up and listen up! I am Captain Kobayakawa Fuyumi of CROW Far East's Third Strike Unit. You have been training hard and well for the last three months, and today is the day where you either make it or break it! The final test, combining search and rescue, combat and cooperation! Instead of competing with each other, all of you will now be working as a team."

The recruits began mumbling among each other. Fuyumi raised her hand and gestured towards Mount Akagi.

"The test, or mission, is simple. Three humans and a friendly alien have been taken hostage by hostile aliens, and they are hiding in the mountain. So you must take out all hostiles and rescue the hostages within three hours."

"Ha, this should be easy."

Fuyumi's gaze settled on a 24-year-old Japanese man sporting a short 'frosted tips' hairstyle and a cocky expression.

"What is your name, recruit?"

"Harusame Takatora, ma'am. From Hokkaido."

"Why did you say it was easy?"

"Well, the enemy are just people disguised as aliens, right? Most of us here are from military, so…"

Fuyumi laughed.

"Oh, it would not be a mission if it was that easy. Guys, you can come out now."

To the recruits' horror, an Alien Shaplay, two Cicada Humans and an Alien Baltan appeared, and they were as real as they can be, not disguises.

"You'll be facing them. Alien Baltan Manny would use his clones to act as foot soldiers. Alien Shaplay Hexa is the big boss and the Cicada Humans would be disguised as two of the hostages. By the way, they will be using all the abilities as well," Fuyumi explained with a cheerful grin on her face.

"We're really fighting aliens?" one asked.

"This ain't fair!"

"Aren't they invaders or something?"

"Now, now, drop the apprehension. These aliens are allied with Earth. They came to our planet at some point and decided to settle down instead of trying to take over unlike the rest of their brethren. When CROW was formed, leaders of a number of alien communities that had been hidden out of sight came to the leaders of CROW seeking to be left in peace. Of course, this was granted as long as they do not threaten us. In fact, CROW's Alien Policing Enforcement is run solely by aliens, with our Far East Division's APE led by Alien Shadow Vahan."

As the name left Fuyumi's lips, an Alien Shadow wearing a jacket with the logo of CROW emerged from one of the tents.

"I am Vahan, chief of CROW Far East's APE. I wish you all the best in this final test," he said to every recruit before disappearing into the tent again while the 'enemy aliens' teleport into the mountain.

"All right, now that everyone is geared up and ready to begin, on my signal… Begin!"

Fuyumi produces an air horn from somewhere and lets out a blast, causing the now-hesitant recruits to make their way into the forests of Mount Akagi. Once they had cleared the area, Fuyumi lets out a sigh of relief as she disappeared into the tent where Vahan had been in, grabbing a chair and sitting down beside two other humans wearing the same uniform as her.

"How many of them do you think will pass this year, Yves?" Fuyumi asked 31-year-old Yves Dupont, a stoic soldier with a short fauxhawk and a five o'clock shadow from France.

"Well, I am not too sure, but there are three individuals I have been observing. Tout d'abord, this fellow. The one who opened his mouth just now. Harusame Takatora, 24 years old from Sapporo, Hokkaido. In all the foot combat tests from ground to sea, he performed extremely well and his shooting is very precise. Not unexpected for a former JSDF sharpshooter, but he is also a known hothead."

"Interesting. Who is the other individual?"

"This young woman."

Yves pointed at another screen where a young woman with short ponytail fumbled her way through a bush while carrying a bag with a Red Cross logo marked on it

"Nomura Karin, 23 years old, paramadic from Ueda, Nagano. Has some background in medicine. She's like a reverse of Takatora, doing extremely well in rescue, combat support and medical tests. Not only that, it seems Commander Yamazaki personally recommended her. She must be pretty skilled for the commander to do so, don't you think, Rex?"

Yves poked the shoulder of Rex Han, a 24-year-old Singaporean with a regular short haircut who was also wearing a Tampa Bay Rays baseball cap that was operating the computers.

"Hey, stop poking the gaijin. He might click something wrong," Rex commented nonchalantly.

"Stop calling yourself that! I thought your passport is Japanese now," Fuyumi exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I still need to bring a couple of my neighbours with me when I want to eat dinner outside if I don't want the waiter sneering at my face."

"Hmph, at least you're Asian. Everytime I walk down the streets, the locals say nice stuff about me because I'm white and then start talking crap about me behind my back 'cause they think I'm American," Yves retorted.

"Yeah, I guess the Western gaijin tend have it worst than the Eastern gaijin," Rex muttered.

"Well, at least they have enough respect not to say stupid things in our faces because we're wearing this," Yves admitted as he pointed at the uniforms they wore.

"Hey, look. The recruits are finally starting to team up. And Manny's clones are on the attack," Rex said.

"I hope that Baltan knows how to hold back. I would hate to be the one answering questions if a recruit is badly wounded," Vahan muttered.

"I don't think he even needs to attack. He just need to go 'ho ho ho' in the darker places and the recruits would come screaming out of there."

True enough, one of the cameras picked up the signature Baltan laugh, followed by four recruits tearing out of a cave, prompting everyone in the tent to start laughing.

"Now, back to the recruits… What about this young lady? Aozuki Otoha, from Maizuru, Kyoto. 22 years old, joined the police force after graduating from high school but left last year for unknown reasons. She mostly got involved in minor search-and-rescue missions and… What the hell?" Rex exclaimed.

"What?"

"She made over sixty-seven arrests during her three year career, all of them solo arrests, including seven murderers, a former male wrestler and two U.S. military personnel that got drunk!"

"You got to be kidding me, for real?" Yves exclaimed as he leaned forward to read the document on Aozuki Otoha.

"She's tough for a small woman. Damn, I sure won't want to be on her bad side," Fuyumi commented.

Karin came to a stop near a fallen tree and began taking deep breaths, having just got freaked out by the Baltan laugh. As she looked around, she realized she was quite lost, having not seen the way she was going during his mad dash to escape. The others who had gone in with him were also not within sight.

"Darn it, where do I go from here?" she wondered out loud as she made his way through the vegetation, eventually finding himself by the mountain road where a fellow recruit was resting. She was a young Japanese woman, probably younger than her, with a styled bob haircut and a clueless face.

"Hey, you lost too?" the other recruit, a female Japanese, asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. Whole mountain's confusing the brains out of me. I'm Nomura Karin."

"Aozuki Otoha."

"Nice name. Er, you won't mind if I tag along with you?"

"Not to worry, but I'm kinda lost myself…"

A bush rustled behind them both, and then another recruit popped out, dragging an unconscious Cicada Human behind him.

"Woah, who are you? Never saw you during the training before," Karin asked.

"Oh, wait, it's the one who spoke out at the captain during the pre-briefing. Man, you look different from forty minutes ago."

"Oh, the guy called Harusame Takatora..."

"You guys should be taking this last mission more seriously. They said only ten of us are going to pass. By the way, turns out the Baltan clones will disappear when you hit them with the paintball gun we are carrying," the one called Takatora said.

"You knocked him out?"

"He was pretending to be one of the so-called hostages. Anyways, turns out they have pretty weak jaws."

"So, what do we do with him?" Otoha asked.

"Beats me."

"We'll handle that for you guys."

The voice came from a loudspeaker attached to one of two CROW SUVs that was no cruising towards them. Four men wearing olive green military fatigues and wearing black Kevlar bearing the CROW logo emerged, carried the Cicada Human into the SUV and drove off.

"Guess CROW's troopers are patrolling the area just in case," Otoha said.

"Well, we should carry on with the test…"

The three continued making their way through the forest.

"So, er, Takatora, right? Why did you join CROW?" Otoha asked.

"I want to do more than just laze around in a military base with a sniper rifle that I never get to use. Joined them in the first place to protect people, but things should be a lot more exciting with CROW."

"You were an army sniper?"

"Damn right I am. Best shot in the whole of the JSDF. Even out-shoot the best snipers of USA, Russia and Canada during an international military competition. And just in case you think I'm boasting, I got the medals and plaques to prove it."

"Sounds like we got a hotshot with us," Rin commented.

"What'cha say?"

"What about you, Karin? Why join CROW?"

"Protect Earth, do my part. Being a paramedic in a division where men make all the rules can take a toll on your passion. When I heard that CROW had no such practices, I signed up. Hopefully I'm not walking into the same shit I endured for four years."

"What about you, er, Otoha, right? Why join CROW?" Takatora asked as he stared at Otoha.

Otoha scratched her head as she pondered for a bit before answering.

"Oh, well, I just, you know, want to help people, that's all. Not to mention that being a member of CROW would mean I get to get up close and personal with monsters."

"Huh? Why the heck would you want to get close to them? I mean most of them are the size of redwood trees or something. We'd probably be shooting at them most of the time anyways," Karin commented.

"I believe humans can co-exist with monsters. Besides, are there not friendly aliens living in the cities now? If we put all the hatred aside, perhaps a true peace can be achieved."

"That's a bit naïve, don't you think?"

"Why?"

"They're monsters. They only know how to destroy," Takatora said.

"But it's still a nice dream. Say, what were you working as before joining CROW?" Karin asked.

"Kyoto Prefectural Police Officer."

The other two stopped for a moment to size up Otoha, wondering how a small girl like her could have been a cop, but then…

"Shh, look! Hostage sighted, and there's two of the Baltan clones guarding her," Takatora whispered as he pulled the two women behind a large boulder.

True enough, a 'hostage' was seated outside a tent with two Baltan clones keeping an eye out for trouble.

"Okay, let's put this discussion aside and figure out how to get the 'hostage' out of there," Otoha said.

"Rush them and take them out?" Karin asked.

"Nah, Baltan clones can make more clones of themselves. Gotta be sneaky. Listen, this is what we'll do…"

"Oh, look what those three are up to," Rex commented as he stared at one of the screens in front of him which showed Otoha, Karin and Takatora circling their way around the tent where the 'hostage' was, ready to ambush the Baltan clones.

As they watched the screen, they saw how Takatora was able to sneak up on one clone and expertly take it out with a few blows. The other clone, however, had a rather painful experience as Otoha clobbered it over the head with a thick branch before Karin kicked it in the nether regions and stomped down on its head to the ground the moment it knelt down.

"Wonderful, it's a stand-alone Jack Bauer special with guest-stars Tom and Jerry," Yves commented.

"The instant teamwork is rather impressive, however," Vahan said.

"Either way, they did get the hostage to safety, did they not?" Fuyumi added.

"That was the last hostage as well, and the one that was hidden away at the hardest place to spot…"

The Alien Shaplay called Hexa is seen ambushing the three as they were removing the hostage, but gets shot in the face by Karin's paintball gun before Takatora K.O.s him with a well-placed roundhouse, followed by Takatora bragging and an obviously sarcastic response by Karin.

"And that Takatora fellow's also taken out our poor Hexa as well… All right, test's over!" Fuyumi said at last.

MARCH 11, 2030

TOKYO BAY

CROW's Nest, Tokyo Bay

CROW's Nest, the main headquarters of CROW Far East Division, is an artificial island located in the middle of Tokyo Bay, linked to the mainland via three bridges. Consisting of a main building that houses the administration offices, medical bay and the individual meeting rooms of each Strike Units nicknamed Roosts which also serves as the unit's personal quarters, the island also has a laboratory, a barracks for ordinary CROW Troopers that provide security for the base and support for Strike Units in the field, and lastly a hanger which houses the engineering department and the armoury, and lastly

Otoha, Takatora and Karin nervously waited at the lobby of the main building, no longer wearing their training uniforms but the black and orange ones of CROW's Strike Units, and judging by the number beside their printed names, they were going to be in the Third Unit.

"Darn it, why the Third Unit? I wanted to be in First Unit!" Takatora complained.

"What do you mean? Is there something bad about the Third?" Otoha asked.

"Man, you don't do any research, huh? Look, CROW Far East have three special Strike Units. The First Unit are aerial combatants, the Second Unit are the navy of CROW Far East and the Third Unit's just clean-up detail."

"Eh? Clean-up?" Otoha and Karin uttered.

"Guess we're the janitors of CROW Far East," Takatora muttered as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Harusame Takatora, Nomura Karin and Aozuki Otoha?"

The two looked up to see who was calling their names.

"Ah, good, you're all here. Rex Han, Third Strike Unit's designated engineer. I've been assigned to take care of you guys for the next two months so that you can adjust to your new roles. Now, I'm pretty sure I heard one of you guys say something about wanting to go to First Unit?"

Otoha and Karin stared at Takatora, who glanced upwards and acted like he had no idea what was going on. Rex stared at them before clearing his throat and continuing.

"Now, let's get you all equipped first. Shall we go the Third Unit's Roost?"

Before they knew it, the three and Rex were in an elevator going up the building, followed by a long walk down a corridor and finally to a set of doors which opened after Rex tapped his access card on a device beside the doors.

The three were immediately greeted by the sight of Tokyo Bay from the large windows of Third Unit's Roost. On the left were a set of electronics, computers and an office chair in the middle, while on the right were a pair of large television screens. In the middle was a long desk with chairs, and at one end of it was a special desk. A couch was situated near the windows along with a coffee table, a sandwich vending machine and a water dispenser.

"Not exactly fancy, but it'll start feeling like home. Now, where the hell is our captain?"

"She'll be back soon."

The three new members jumped as two other members of Third Unit suddenly emerged from behind a door with a crate.

"Bonjour, new folks! Yves Dupont, at your service," the Frenchman greeted.

To the surprise of both Otoha, Takatora and Karin, the person beside Yves Dupont was a young Japanese male, probably 18 or 19 years old given his appearance, with a messy curtained hairstyle and sitting in a wheelchair.

"You… Your legs…" Otoha stammered.

"Oh, these two? Yeah, they stopped working a long time ago. Iwamoto Teru, operator for Third Strike Unit. Nice to meet you, and here are the items you'll be receiving as part of your gear."

Teru set the crate on the long desk and opened it to reveal three sets of futuristic pistols, batons and phone-like devices.

"Othrus Beaters, they're standard T-batons but can be used like cattle prods. The electricity can also be deployed like a taser with the trigger button here. Then these are the Cerberus Shot, your standard laser pistol, but attach the Howler and you get a blasting weapon capable of destroying walls, or the Blackout to launch EMP shots, useful with robotic enemies," he explained.

"Lastly, the SCANcomms, they link directly to the Satellite Crisis Alert Network systems. Take one each. Trust me, they're useful," Yves interjected.

"Cool," Takatora said.

"I don't think weapons are cool at all. There's a huge responsibility that comes with wielding one," Otoha muttered.

"A good observation. I like your thinking," Yves said before Takatora could argue.

"So, what's the job scope for Third Unit? Someone said we're the clean-up crew," Otoha asked.

"Third Unit has may responsibilities in CROW. We're the first responders, search and rescue, escort detail and investigations. And lastly, yes, we supervise the clean-up detail as well. But like the other two Strike Units, our main duty is to fight any threats that show up."

Everyone turned to see Fuyumi entering the room.

"Good morning, new members of the Third Unit. I'm Kobayakawa Fuyumi. Nice to see you both again, Harusame Takatora, Nomura Karin, Aozuki Otoha."

"Nice to meet you, Captain," Otoha greeted.

"Now, I'm not exactly a rank-and-file person, so you have permission to only address me as Captain when other officials are around or during missions. Otherwise, you're free to refer to me by my name. Anyways, make yourself at home, and then we can- Oh, of course. We ought to show you the main toys, no? Yves, show them the planes," Fuyumi said.

"Oh, goody. Come now, new birdies. To the hanger!" the Frenchman said cheerfully

"Woah…" Karin uttered as she, Takatora and Otoha stared at three futuristic aircrafts in front of them, painted black and orange and bearing on both sides the logo of CROW.

The three aircrafts were designed to combine with one another to form one big aircraft. The first one serves as the front part of the combined aircraft, with red stripes on its wings and bearing the standard design of a fighter jet, albeit resembling an X-Wing from the Star Wars series.

The second one, bearing blue stripes, formed the back of the combined aircraft. It was bulky and heavy-looking, with a cargo hold in the back and a pair of minigun-like weapons attached under its wings.

The third one was the smallest, resembling a Nighthawk Stealth Fighter and bearing green stripes. It was attached to the front of the second one and on top of the first one.

"Presenting to you, the Cloud Jackdaw. The red one's Jackdaw Flash, it's made for dogfights and strafing runs. Also has a submersible mode. Yellow one's Jackdaw Blade, designed for high-speed aerial pursuit and has special wings that can cut through anything. Last one's the blue one, Jackdaw Stark. Its main purpose is for rescue and transportation, but it packs the most heat among the three," Yves explained enthusiastically.

"Shit, I thought the Storm Ravens were badass enough, but we actually have our own fighters?" Takatora asked in awe.

"Incroyable, are they not? The Jackdaws are much more advanced than the Storm and Bolt Ravens, which were unfortunately only built for the sole purpose of attacking. Each part of the Cloud Jackdaw has its own special functions, but become powerful when combined as one," Yves explained.

Just then, an alarm began sounding as red lights flashed about on the walls.

"What is that?" Otoha asked.

"Emergency. Monster attack. Quick, back to the Third Roost!"

Third Roost

Teru was typing away at his workstation the moment they returned to their new workplace as everyone gathered around the middle table.

"Teru, bring up the screen," Fuyumi said.

"Working on it. And… Done!"

The big screens on the right flickered to life, with the smaller one showing a digital map of Japan which Teru zoomed in on a blinking red dot which also had an arrow pointing towards a direction towards east.

It was what was being displayed on the larger screen that really had everyone's attention, however. On the screen, a lizard-like monster standing at least 52 metres high was busting its way out of the mountainside. It had two rows of dangerous spikes resembling metallic shark fins going down its back, a pair of red eyes, a wide mouth and wild mane which made it even more intimidating, and its roar resembled a mix between a screeching tire and the horn of an ocean liner.

"Where is this happening?" Fuyumi asked.

"At a forest at Uratakaomachi, near the Chūō Line. At the speed and direction it is moving, it would take it ten minutes to reach Hachiōji City!" Teru replied.

"That damn thing looks familiar," Rex commented.

"It's appeared before. In Austin, Texas. It's Surasshuron," Yves replied.

"The same monster? Damn, that time it appeared, nearly two hundred people lost their lives."

On the large screen, a smaller screen appeared, showing a bespectacled man in his fifties with a receding hairline wearing a black suit over a white shirt and tie with three military badges above his left pocket.

"Commander Yamazaki!" Fuyumi exclaimed out loud as he stood to attention, with everyone else doing the same.

"Captain Kobayakawa, I take it you are aware of the situation?"

"Yes, Commander."

"First Unit is already on its way to intercept. I want Third Unit to assist the CROW Troopers in evacuation, rescue and medical aid."

"We're on it."

The small display disappeared, and Fuyumi turned to her men.

"Urgh, the orientation has not even finished and we're already having to deal with our first monster of the year… Everyone at the Jackdaws in two minutes. Make sure our personal Dasher is secured in the cargo hold before leaving," she said.

"Roger!"

CROW Nest Hanger

Yves leads Rex, Takatora, Karin and Otoha towards the Striker Jackdaw, all five now wearing gloves, helmets and Kevlar-like armor on their torso, with their equipment attached to their belts.

"Surasshuron has reached the city and is launching attacks all over the place. Thankfully, CROW Troopers on the scene have already evacuated the area being attacked currently, but it would not take long for the monster to reach places that are still under evacuation," Fuyumi said through the radio installed in their helmets.

"Copy that, Captain."

"Just to let you know, First Unit is already engaging Surasshuron in battle."

"Thank you, Teru. All right, listen up, folks. CROW Troopers have already establish a triage station near the southern outskirts of Hachioji, and our job is to make sure that the civies get there safe and sound. No heroics, and no blasting at the monster unless evac's finished. Remember, priority is the civies. And Rex?" Yves said.

"Yeah?" Rex asked.

"Please don't start shooting looters like the last time."

"C'mon, at least in the knee?"

"No. We're wasting time. Let's move out. I'll be in Jackdaw Blade. Karin and Takatora will man the Jackdaw Flash. Rex and Otoha, the Jackdaw Stark is all yours."

"We're a two-man team?" Otoha asked as she entered the cockpit of the larger Jackdaw with Rex.

"Yup, and we get the nastiest Jackdaw as well. Shame I can't show you its firepower since we're in a civilian area and the Skybreaker Cannon needs authorization from the higher-ups before we can use it…"

Once everyone was properly seated, Yves notified Rex to initiate takeoff.

"Cloud Jackdaw to Hanger Control, VTOL system engaged," Rex said through the radio.

"Roger, Third Unit. Preparing take-off procedures. You are clear in five, four, three, two…"

The Cloud Jackdaw exited through the now-opened roof, continuing to lift up until they have reached a certain altitude.

"One. Godspeed, Third Unit."

The VTOL systems the Jackdaws switched to flight mode and their thrusters fired up.

"Split!" Yves ordered.

Almost immediately, the Cloud Jackdaw splits into its three component aircrafts, and in a blink of an eye, they was gone, speeding into the direction of Hachioji…

Hachioji, Tokyo

A building explodes as Surasshuron smashed its way through the city, while several advanced-looking fighter jets swooped around it, firing at every pass. Meanwhile, the Jackdaws had arrived, with Stark landing while Flash and Blade flew around the area to prepare to engage when necessary.

Sitting behind the wheel of their CROW Dasher SUV, Rex sped out the Stark's cargo hold and past the panicking civilians until they came to a stop in front of an Irish CROW Trooper.

"Mighty fine driving you got there! Whole place's a focking mess and you're driving like you're delivering tofu through Mount Akina?"

"Nice to met you too, arse-face. Otoha, this is Lieutenant Ian Dempsey of the CROW Trooper's medical section. These guys are the ones responsible for rescue and medical support, so we will work with them a lot of times. Ian, meet the new girl, Aozuki Otoha."

"Wish I met you folks under better circumstances. Never thought I would see Surasshuron again. Was at ground zero when the first one stucked its ugly mug out the ground back in Austin. Anyways, there's this stubborn arse of a store owner near the post office, refusing to leave. Mind helping us with him?"

"No problem. You heard the man, Otoha, let's go."

Rex sped down the streets, passing CROW Troopers urging people to run for the evac zone, eventually reaching the store Lieutenant Dempsey was talking about. Within seconds, the Rex had already lost his composure and was arguing with the store owner.

"We need to go! The monster is just moments away from here!" Otoha urged.

"No! I need to save these products! I can't make a living if I leave them here!"

"We can get you new supplies! You want to die over some cabbages?" Rex asked.

"No! I won't leave my store like this!"

Otoha and Rex looked at each other with incredulous looks on their faces before turning back to the defiant store owner.

"I'll shoot you in the leg if I have to, sir!" Rex threatened, having lost his patience.

"This store has been run by my family for generations! I will not let it fall like this! I will…"

Rex jabbed his Orthrus Beater into the store owner's gut with it in Taze Mode, the baton acting like a stun gun as the store owner is rendered unconscious.

"What are you doing?" Otoha asked in shock.

"Saving his butt."

"You shocked him! What if you killed him?"

"Nah, he still breathing. Help me stuff his bloody carcass into the Chaser. Bloody hell, my uncle has dementia but he's even more reasonable than this idiot," he said as he and Otoha shoved the store owner into the Dasher.

"Hey, Rex, Ian here. One of the evacuees said her son is at an apartment near your location. Could you check that area out?"

"Any estimate on Surasshuron's arrival to our location, Ian?"

"First Unit's keeping it quite busy at the moment."

"All right. I'm on it. Otoha, check the nearby apartments. I'll go check this one here."

"Roger…"

Otoha to the apartment complex next to the store while Rex went to investigate the other apartment. However, the two had no luck, and after exiting their respective buildings, glanced at the third one, a five-storeyed building and the only one left that was still not checked.

"You reckon he be in there?" Rex asked.

"Perhaps…"

"Rex, Otoha, pull out! First Squad just freakin' retreated! Surasshuron is now two minutes from your position!" Teru's panicked voice came in through their SCANcomms.

"He's right. Both of you get out of there now!" Fuyumi's voice now said.

"But we haven't found the boy! You mean for us to just leave him to his fate?" Otoha argued.

"There's no other choice! Get out of there!"

Rex looked at Otoha, then back at the SCANcomms, before he turned to see Surasshuron just moments from reaching them.

"We can't leave that boy alone in there," Otoha said adamantly.

"Well, I ain't gonna do that either. Go, I'll distract it while you search!" Rex replied as he pulls out his Cerberus Shot and began firing at the monster.

"We ain't doing that either! Standby for aerial support, you two!" Karin's voice came through the SCANcomms.

The Jackdaw Flash suddenly came soaring by, its weapons primed. Inside its cockpit, Takatora was scanning the monster to find any weaknesses, but gave up and contacted Teru instead.

"Teru, any weak points on Surasshuron?" Yves asked.

"The one in Texas was taken down by CROW North America targeting that red round spot in the middle of its head, but it took a lot of fighters to do so, and right now, you're the only one available."

"All right, fools, follow instructions next time, will you? Karin, arm Stalk-Trak Missiles now. Takatora, fire Gatlasers at the red area on Surasshuron's head, keep it distracted," Yves's voice is heard coming from the radio as the Jackdaw Blade came into view.

"Got it now… Okay, firing!"

The Flash's weapons began firing on Surasshuron's head, causing it to rear back in pain. Meanwhile, the Stalk-Trak Missiles were fully primed and Karin unleashed the first payload onto Surasshuron, the attack causing it to begin stumbling backwards as it howled in pain. This was followed by the Blade firing its own supply of Stalk-Trak Missiles as it flew past Surasshuron.

"Thanks, guys!" Otoha yelled before she sprinted back into the apartment complex.

As she rushed up the stairs, Otoha could hear the others still firing at Surasshuron as she searched just about every floor, but each level came up with nothing. Otoha even did a second round of checking, but still no luck. Finally, on the second level, Otoha picked up a low whimpering, and turned to the right to see a young boy hiding behind some trashcans.

"Everyone, I found the kid!"

"Good! Get him out now! Surasshuron's losing interest in us! It's making for the building!"

Upon hearing this, Otoha quickly grabbed the boy, who resisted out of fear.

"Listen, I know you're scared, but we need to go. Your mother is looking for you, so be brave, okay? C'mon, let's get out of here," Otoha said to the boy with a reassuring tone, who calmed down and allowed her to carry him out of the apartment.

Just as they were nearing the exit, the building began to shake as loud explosions are heard. Rex was standing at the exit, screaming something inaudible at Otoha, but as she got nearer, his words sent chills down her spine.

"Get out, hurry! Surasshuron fired some kind of energy bolt at the building! It's about to collapse!"

Holding the boy close to her, Otoha began running for the exit as the building collapsed around her, but as she was reaching the exit, she realized she was not going to make it.

"Rex!"

"Hurry!"

"No! I won't make it! Catch!"

"What?"

With all her strength, Otoha threw the boy out the exit into Rex's arms. As Rex grabbed the boy, he realized to his horror that Otoha was still in the building.

"Otoha!"

Too late. Before Rex could do anything, Otoha had disappeared within the rubble of the building as it was finally demolished.

"FUCK!"

"Rex! Report! What happened?" Fuyumi demanded.

"Otoha got caught in the building collapse! Get help!" Rex yelled as he got the boy into the Dasher before throwing his helmet aside and began digging into the rubble, praying for a miracle to save his new teammate while completely unaware of Surasshuron bearing down on him…

Otoha… Otoha…

Otoha stirred as she looked about, only to see that she was in some sort of dimension with psychedelic lights all around her. She was clearly standing, but she could not see any floors below her.

"Where am I? Am I dead?"

No, but you were clinically dead for ten seconds. Three broken ribs, right arm bones shattered, internal bleeding and both knees dislocated, maybe a punctured lung…

"What the… Who said that? Show yourself!"

A large silver face suddenly materialized in front of Otoha, causing her to squeak in fright as she sort of fell down. The face chuckled.

Oh, you should have seen your own face! All right, all right, jokes asides. My name is Solas, a scientist from Nebula M78, specifically the planet known as the Land of Light. On Earth, my people are called Ultras.

"An Ultrawoman?"

Well, you may call me that if you wish. Still, pretty close call, eh? Lucky I was patrolling the atmosphere when I saw what was happening. Couldn't help myself from coming in to save your butt. Besides, now I can patrol Earth more effectively.

"Eh?"

Let's see… How to explain? Okay, here goes: I am the first Blue Ultra to be officially sent to be Earth's newest guardian. Normally, I would be one of the eggheads, but this time they feel that us from the Blue Tribe should take a more active role in the frontlines. Get what I mean?

"Yeah, but what happened to me? You listed off like three injuries on me that would be fatal if left untreated and…"

Don't worry about them. I bonded with you to save your life, so your injuries are already starting to heal.

"You bonded to me?"

Think of me as a beneficial parasite. Don't worry, I will leave if you don't want me in your body, but only after I healed your wounds.

"Er, actually, I think it's fine if you stay in me, since I'm not exactly in the position to argue. Just, like, what do I do now?"

I sense pacifism in you. That's nice. I was afraid I would end up with a host that thinks having an Ultra in him or her means beaming everything to explosions. I follow a philosophy that a monster should only be killed when all options have been exhausted. Seems like a start of a beautiful partnership. Here, a gift.

A box and a knuckleduster-like object appeared in Otoha's hands.

"What are these?"

The box contains Capsule Kaiju. There's five of them, but they're not as strong as their original counterparts, so be careful when using them. It takes me a few weeks to fix the ones that 'died'. As for the other object, it's the Luna Blink. You use that to switch places with me in times of need.

"A transformation device?"

Yeah, well, you could say that… Now, wear the Luna Blink, swing it in an arc to make a crescent as you raise it to the air, and call out my name, Solas. This will trigger the transformation as you call it. In fact, I think you should do it now, since we got a rampaging monster to deal with.

Otoha nodded as she followed the instructions given to her.

"I don't know what's going on, but here goes nothing. SOLAS!"

As she did so, Otoha watches in surprise as the Luna Blink began manifesting a gauntlet on her right hand…

Surasshuron was just about to stomp down on a distracted Rex when a pillar of light exploded from the ruins, knocking Rex back just as light particles gathered to form a silver and blue giantess the size of an 18-storey building swinging her right hand, which was encased in some sort of thick armour.

"Zeyaa!"

The right fist of the giantess connecting with the Razorback Monster's face was like a meteor striking the ground, as Surasshuron immediately crashed to the ground from the punch .

"Holy shit!" Karin exclaimed inside the Flash.

"Did you guys see that?" Takatora yelled.

"Mon cher Dieu," Yves whispered as well.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Rex had recovered just in time to see what had just appeared in front of him.

"Ah, this, guys… What the hell am I seeing in front of me? Is she who I think she is?" Rex asked as he began stumbling backwards away from the giantess.

Third Roost, CROW Nest, Tokyo Bay

Teru stared silently at the screen before turning to Fuyumi.

"Captain, is that… Is that the one you all call…"

"Yes, Teru… That is an Ultra. An Ultrawoman," Fuyumi replied.

Hachioji

The chaos that had been tearing its way through Hachioji suddenly came to a stop as all attention was focused on the new arrival. On the ground, everyone had stopped running and were left astounded by the giantess as she withdrew her fist and placed both hands on her sides as she glared at Surasshuron.

She was an Ultra from Nebula M78. Ultrawoman Solas was her name. And she is ready for a fight.

"A blue Ultra? Will everything be all right?"

"I thought Ultras only come in red and silver?"

"Remember all that damage Tsurugi caused twenty-five years ago?"

"Yeah, she does look a bit like Tsurugi…"

On the ground, the humans were making comments and staring at Solas with a mix of awe, hope and suspicion, though the latter tries her best to ignore them.

Oi, Solas, would I get hurt when you get hurt? Otoha asked from inside Solas.

Nope, unless something happens that is out of my control. First, however, I need to verify if the monster in front of us can be saved or if our hand has to be forced, Solas replied.

Solas held up a hand, palm facing forward, and stared straight at Surasshuron. Nothing. All she got was rage, and a desire for destruction. This monster cannot be calmed.

"Oi, giantess or Ultrawoman, whatever you call yourself! Look out!" Rex's voice is heard screaming from behind Solas, alerting her to immediate danger.

Solas side-stepped just in time to avoid Surasshuron's tackle, tripping it at the same time and sending it sprawling across the ground. The moment Surasshuron got up, it was tackled at high speeds by a flying Solas, who quickly brought it to the empty construction field. Upon hitting the ground, the two rolled about for a bit before Surasshuron throws Solas off it and quickly got up to fire energy bolts at her.

Aw, nuts, it spits explosive! Not to mention that powered-up tackle consumed one minute's worth of stored energy, which means I've only got five minutes left.

Wait, you have stored energy?

Experimental armour to extend our stay on Earth. Otherwise, my people can only last three minutes on your planet at full size before we need to skip town. This thing lets me last about seven to eight minutes all together. Still, using energy attacks drain the stored energy quickly, so I still got to be careful.

Drawing a circle in front of her with her right hand, Solas creats a large shield that protects the city from taking any possible attack from Surasshuron. The energy bolts are knocked aside by the energy shield, but Solas was not done. Again, she tried to reason with Surasshuron, but again, the only answer she received was blind rage before Surasshuron got close enough to bite into her shoulder.

Solas yelled in pain before forcefully dislodging the monster's jaws from her shoulder with an eye gouge, but then Surasshuron turned around and raked her body with its spikes, knocking Solas to the ground before giving her a few kicks. Surasshuron's attention then turned towards a group of onlookers and fired energy bolts at them, but Solas threw herself in between Surasshuron's attack and the onlookers, taking the blast instead. Her Color Timer started to blink.

"She protected us! But is she going to be all right?"

"We have to stop seeing this one like we saw Tsurugi. Even he redeemed himself, right? He's Hikari now…"

"Oi, blue Ultrawoman, you can do it!"

"Win the fight!"

"Yeah! Show that spiky boy what you're made of! You're as tough as your red brethren, right?"

Please don't mention my cousin's name, but thanks for cheering for me, Solas thought to herself.

You're Hikari's cousin?

How did you figure that out, Otoha?

Er, I believe I can hear your thoughts as you can hear mine.

Oh, right, forgot about that. Well, doesn't matter. Let's not hide things from each other, 'kay?

Deal.

Solas got up, cracked her neck on both sides and, with a single leap, flew towards Surasshuron and delivered a powerful side kick into its gut, sending it flying backwards this time. When Surasshuron got up and fired its energy bolts again, Solas sent a blade hidden within her head fin flying out with a single swipe of her hands. The blade, spinning like a boomerang, sliced through every single energy bolt of Surasshuron before hitting it square in the head, knocking it off-balance while the blade returned to Solas who slotted it back into her head fin.

However, Surasshuron was quickly able to orient itself back and it was getting more and more angry by the second. As it prepared to fire more energy bolts, both Otoha and Solas finally concluded that they had no other choice left. Besides, Solas's Colour Timer, which was in the shape of a triangle slightly above her chest, was blinking faster and faster.

Stretching both arms forward in a horizontal manner, Solas slowly drew her right arm back while energy charged up within and around it, mimicking an archer drawing a bow, before she quickly snapped both arms back together in an 'L' posture.

"Luminium Cannon!"

A rainbow-like beam of light is fired out from Solas's vertical right arm like a railgun as it blasted Surasshuron in the chest before the beam travelled up to its head. Explosions wrecked the Razorback Monster's upper torso and neck as Solas stopped the attack and gazed sadly at it. Surasshuron's eyes dimmed as it dropped to its knees first, then toppling to the ground lifeless.

The death of the monster ignited cheers from the onlookers once the results registered in their minds, yet neither Otoha nor Solas was enjoying the fact that they had just taken a life. Shaking her head, Solas silently bent down beside the fallen Surasshuron, causing the cheers to go silent as everyone stared at her with confusion.

Lifting the corpse of Surasshuron in her arms, Solas looked up to the sky and took off, disappearing into the clouds within a blink of an eye. Once in space, Solas created a wormhole to a planet near Egufer named Planet Stre where she would send the bodies of the monsters that had passed away on Planet Egufer and allowed the corpse of Surasshuron to be sucked through it.

"Be at peace now, Surasshuron," Solas whispered before transforming into a ball of light and returning to Earth at fast speeds…

"Rex, you all right?" Yves asked as he, Takatora and Karin arrived at the collapsed building, where he was still digging through the rubble, their Jackdaws landed nearby.

"I got to find Otoha," was all Rex replied.

At the same time, Ian Dempsey had joined in the search with three CROW Troopers, having overheard Rex informing his team that Otoha was caught in the building collapse.

"With all due respect, I don't think that lass can survive this," Ian said to them.

Takatora lets out a frustrated noise, as though he was stopping himself from cursing out loud.

"Damn it, this was her first day on the job…" Yves muttered with sadness as he and Karin joined Rex and Ian in digging through the rubble when…

"Er, guys?"

"Otoha!" Everyone exclaimed with shock and relief when they saw Otoha emerging from behind a large piece of rubble.

"A fridge and washing machine saved me by blocking the rubble," Otoha explained.

"A bloody miracle," Ian exclaimed with a whistle, he and his men looking quite happy to see Otoha alive.

"Why didn't you come out then? You scared me half to death!" Rex asked.

"Sorry, Rex. I did not mean to terrify you. But that Ultrawoman suddenly appeared out of nowhere and I, well, I couldn't move."

"Such an amazing sight, it is no wonder you cannot move," Yves replied.

"But what was with that Ultra? She fought and killed Surasshuron, yet showed it a lot of respect afterwards," Karin asked.

"Perhaps she doesn't like to kill?" Otoha suggested.

"Well, whatever it is, she saved the city, and I'm damn grateful to that Ultrawoman. But we can't keep calling her that, right. I mean, There's Seven, Ace, Taro, Mebius… She needs a name for us to call," Rex suggested.

"Hmm… She's blue, like Hikari… How about Guang? It means 'bright' in Chinese, right, Rex?" Takatora asked.

"Sorry, that's too masculine! Maybe, er… Cahaya?"

"What language is that?"

"Bahasa Melayu…"

Yves was about to suggest something in his native tongue when…

"What about Solas?"

Otoha's hair stood up at the back of her neck upon hearing Ian mention the Ultrawoman's real name. She could feel Solas getting nervous within her. She sneaked a glance at the Irishman.

"Solas?" Karin asked.

"Like Hikari's meaning in Japanese, Solas means 'light' in Irish Gaelic," Ian explained as he scratched his head.

"Sounds nice, I'll take it," Rex replied.

"Solas it is, then," Yves concluded, while Otoha sneakily lets out a sigh of relief, realizing that Ian Dempsey doesn't know that she was the host of Solas, just that the Ultrawoman's name happened to be a word that exists in the many languages of the human race.

That was close, I thought I was about to get busted, Solas said within Otoha.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. We'll call her Ultrawoman Solas from now on!" Otoha said cheerfully, with the others agreeing as the sun began to set into the horizon…

Next time, on Ultrawoman Solas…

Third Unit heads to Kanagawa to investigate a series of deaths where the corpses were severely scalded. Evidence quickly points to a Cosmo Liquid, but when it does appear, this particular Cosmo Liquid is shown to possess unique powers the original did not have…

SCAN Archives Data: Razorback Monster, Surasshuron

Height/Weight: 50 mtrs/18,000 tons

File Category: CROW

First Appearance: Austin, Texas on November 12, 2029

Powers: Spikes, energy bolts from mouth, endurance