//------------------------------// // 25: Fanfic Generations: Crossing Worlds Finale // Story: Kamen Rider: What's Your Desire? // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// Kougami Foundation: Denver Branch “Okay, so what do we know?” Eiji asked, a PowerPoint presentation behind him. Adagio had to stifle a chuckle. Yeah, that was so businessman like. “Foundation X is in the city. Starlight herself came, presumably to… investigate the new Riders.” Here he gestured to Adagio who waved weakly and muttered to herself: “...I’m so flattered. Might invite her over for coffee.” “Next, she battled Takeru and stole his Nobunaga Eyecon,” Eiji continued the information appearing behind him and marked with bullet points. Takeru’s section had a chibi version of Ghost next to it. “Technically it’s Nii-san’s Eyecon…” Takeru said to himself quietly. Eiji looked flustered with himself and then changed the chibi Ghost to a chibi Spector.  “Afterwards, somehow and in some way currently unknown to us the Riders Charge, Alchemy and Scarab appeared in this city. Soon after, Starlight gained the powers of some future form of Ex-Aid via a watch-like device,” Eiji said. “It is entirely possible to theorize that all of these events listed thus far are connected.” “Hey, let’s not forget Wraith appearing,” Erika remarked sending an apologetic glance to Adagio. “Though from what we’ve seen so far, Wraith is less connected to this overall plan and more bodyguard. Enforcer really. Side experiment.” “A side experiment I’d like to punch Starlight in the face for…” Adagio said irritably. Takeru by this point was rubbing her back in a calming manner.  “Trust me, you may very well get your chance soon enough,” Eiji said. “We currently have a satellite um… borrowed from Hiden Technologies tracking any unusual energy surges. There were a few when Charge, Scarab and Alchemy appeared and I suspect whatever move X makes next will produce more of these surges. I feel Foundation X’s current plot is reaching its climax.” “Wait, didn’t Charge, Scarab, and Alchemy all appear at different moments in time?” Erika pointed out. “Scarab appeared first in the early afternoon while Charge and Alchemy only appeared later that same evening.” “Yes, now that you mention it…” Eiji murmured to himself in thought. “It’s odd isn’t it, like really odd. You’d think they’d appear all at the same time! But instead… There has to be something we’re missing!” Ocean looked at the projection behind Eiji for a moment before saying something: “Hmm… There seems to be something connecting a few of these things… Both Scarab, Phoenix and me, as well as that strange watch, don’t seem to belong in this world… Could it be that our appearance is connected to them opening-up pathways to other worlds to get their hands on this Muteki Power?”  “The question is how?” Erika remarked before shooting a look at Eiji. The kind of look that said: ‘you so owe me overtime pay for this’. “What did they do, suddenly get their hands on a time machine? What, did they mug Tsukasa? Because if so, I don’t want him to come here and go all Destroyer of Worlds on us! I won’t see my next paycheck!” Ocean let out a pained sigh before returning: “Let’s hope Tsukasa is not involved. My run-in with Diend was enough of these kinds of Riders for a while… And a time machine wouldn’t explain how we ended up here.” “The only thing remotely like this back home is when we ran into Guardian and some others,” Sea commented as she thought back for a moment. “But, yeah this is different.” “Was Tsukasa involved in that too?” Erika had to ask, not reeeealllllly sure if she wanted to know the answer or not. “Is he kinda maroon and carries around a pink and black camera?” Sea asked, trying to remember the strange pony that they had met towards the end of that adventure. “Yes!” Both Phoenix and Ocean muttered in unison.  “Well, he’s kinda a moron if you’re asking that, but yeah, that camera sounds exactly like him,” Erika said. “...Good god, how many of us have met this guy?” There was a light cough and everyone turned to see Adagio, hand raised nervously. Takeru murmured to her: “You’re not in a classroom, you can put it down you know…” Adagio blushed as Eiji indulged her flight of fancy with a: “Yes?” “...Um, am I missing something?” Adagio asked. Naivegio, really. You really had to envy her. “Trust me, you don’t. Tsukasa is a good guy, but dear goodness, he can drive you nuts…” Ocean returned with an exhausted expression. “...do I want to know what this Destroyer of Worlds thing is about?” Adagio asked somewhat nervously. Okay, maybe a bit more than somewhat. Her voice was coming out as a terrified squeak really.  “Well, I didn’t exactly get to know him, but he showed up in my world during this… well, it’s kind of a long story,” Sea said. “This Rider named Guardian showed up along with some others and we were under attack by creatures called Another Riders. I worked with Princess Dusk in a sort of temporary truce to deal with them. Tsukasa I guess, he appeared a couple of times and sent them back to their home universes. Like I said this seems to not be connected to that though, not even sure why he was in my world.” “Guy can travel through dimensions, seemingly helping out where he can. You just seemed to be on his way,” Phoenix shrugged. “Don’t think about it too much. Tsukasa does what Tsukasa wants.” “Basically, every Rider meets him at some point or the other,” Erika said to Adagio. “Don’t think too much about it. It’s basically like that one episode of Jungle Strike, Eternal Crimson? Except we all want to kill him.” “...I feel so honored,” Adagio sighed sinking into her seat. “Yeah, so honored!” “If he was involved in what happened with the Another Riders, I’d rather not cross paths with him again,” Sea commented with a shake of her head. “Those things were freaky.” Erika patted her on the back. “Usually, once you’ve met him once, you don’t generally meet him again.” “...Don’t bet on it,” Takeru grumbled. “Onari’s put up sealing paper to keep him out and I think Akari nee-san now owns a baseball bat with his name on it.” “Anyway, as much fun it is to bitch about Tsukasa, where were we again?” Ocean returned. “Things not of this world, and however Foundation X got ahold of them?” Takeru remarked. “Because I have a theory. Ocean, Phoenix, you’re from an alternate timeline right? One where you were the first Riders?” “Timeline, world, dimension, however, you want to call it, but yeah. Even if my world is totally different from this one,” he encountered. “Then how do we know Sea isn’t from an alternate timeline herself? One where ponies evolved to become the dominant species instead of humans?” Takeru asked. “We keep on coming back to time, and the more and more I think about it the more and more it’s beginning to make sense…” Eiji murmured to himself. “This is starting to give me a headache…” Sea muttered as she rubbed her head a little. “So what does this mean in plain and simple ponish?” “I think it means she messed around with timeline-dimension-bullshit and pulled us all here. Same with that watch, right?” Phoenix said, a somewhat confused look on his face. “Basically, yeah,” Eiji said. “I have a working theory, does the phrase Gaia Memory ring a bell to any of you?” “Oh no…” Erika muttered to herself. “Don’t tell me… Eiji, I am so going to need a raise after all this is over.” “Noted…” Eiji squeaked out nervously tugging at his tie. “Uh, what’s a Gaia Memory?” Sea asked. “I second that,” Phoenix joined in. “A few years ago, back in this city called Fuuto, this group called the Museum was distributing them. Imagine super-drugs, and every time you injected one? Boom, instant superpowers at the cost of turning into a monster,” Takeru explained. “The Cross of Fire striking again really, as it took a Gaia Memory to stop a Gaia Memory. I’ve been talking with Philip Hidari -Akari’s suggestion, said I needed a penpal- and apparently one Gaia Memory’s gone missing.” “Let me guess, it has something to do with time?” Eiji said beginning to feel a headache coming on. “Correct-a-mundo!” Takeru shouted before everyone looked at him strangely. “...which is a phrase I shall never say again. Basically, yeah, I think I know what’s going on around here.” “Foundation X built themselves a time machine,” Eiji sighed wondering if that glass of sake he kept under his desk was appropriate right now. “And they’re using the Time Memory to grab and snatch whatever they want to further their plans. Well, I guess that explains why Taiga-san mentioned to me there was a Dark Kiva lurking around Seito University…” “Okay, I only understood part of that, but I guess it makes sense,” Sea said. “Monsters, superpowers, the usual I see,” Phoenix adds. “Yeah, it’s like Michelle Rodriguez’s characters always getting the axe,” Erika commented. “Some things are just universal.” “Yeah… I’m getting that impression,” Sea said. “Honestly sometimes I’m amazed it took my universe this long to get Kamen Riders again considering some of the stuff I’ve read about.” “Timeline!” Takeru corrected before everyone looked at him again. He let out a mumble of: “Y-Yeah, it’s just I thought we settled on timelines, not alternate universes. Alternative timelines. J-Just clearing that up.” “Does it really matter?” Phoenix asked, leaning on one of his hands. Adagio patted her boyfriend on the back in a sympathetic manner.  “W-Well, I mean it probably does given we don’t want to get confused here, Phoenix-San…” Takeru remarked. “All that matters that we aren’t from around here, right?” Phoenix shrugged.  “We have to find and stop Foundation X,” Eiji said. “They cannot be allowed to possess this memory or this machine. This ends tonight!” “Problem is, we don’t know where X is. Okay, yeah sure, they’re obviously somewhere in the city, that much we know,” Erika went on. “But assuming we can even comb the city inch by inch, it could take weeks. We don’t have weeks!” Wordlessly, Eiji handed her a brown paper bag to blow into. Then there was a knock at the door, and Eiji said: “Enter.” Soarin’ stepped in, and held up a tablet. “Right, I don’t know if you’re in the middle of something but I was told to give you this. I don’t understand most of this, I’m not a rocket scientist but there’s something about energy conversions and to be honest, I figured you’d better see this.” Eiji, looking quite excited grabbed the tablet out of his hands. “Well, this makes a 0 for 1, for us against Foundation X. We’ve found their base, or at least the one they’re currently using. Thank you Korenosuke Hiden!” “Isn’t it a 1 for a 0?” Adagio asked as she leaned over to Takeru. “You want to correct him?” Takeru asked watching Eiji-San dance around the boardroom like an idiot.  Eiji then leaped up on the table and struck a pose, similar to Phoenix Wright’s ‘objection!’ pose. He then struck it again, before coughing. Erika sighed to herself before suddenly, spotlights shone on Eiji. “TEAM, MOVE OUT!” Takeru facepalmed. “Oh, and uh,” Eiji said. “Nobody take anyone’s cars. We’re Kamen Riders, not Kamen Drivers.” Another facepalm as Erika sighed. “...More like you don’t want Phoenix to damage your new Centenario with his… Phoenix-ness.” Phoenix meanwhile had leaned over to Ocean and whispered: “And you complain about my jok- Hey!” Adagio, trying very hard to keep the mirth off of her face leaned over and patted him on the back in sympathy.  “Is Phoenix-ness even a word?” Takeru asked in a ‘you gotta be kidding me’ tone of voice. Sometimes he wondered about Eiji, he really did. “It is now, apparently…” Adagio remarked. “Though given my track record, I dunno. Kamen Driver sorta fits me.” Somewhere in Japan, a man named Shinnosuke Tomari sneezed. A loud whine cut through the darkened streets, another to follow. Under the streetlights, a glistening silver soon became visible, a streak of red soon to follow. In the lead was the silver-lined form of Sea’s rider machine, the word ZECT standing tall and proud. “I notice we’ve picked up some eyes,” Adagio commented, her face hidden by the deep black visor of her helmet. Her golden hair flew freely in the wind. Oh, she was so going to get helmet hair after this, she knew it. “And that they’ve been steadily growing.” A low rumble came from beside her as Phoenix on a borrowed RideVendor pulled up. He grumbled something under his breath, mutters of how you had to pay to ride these things and capitalism.  The continuous growl of the engines was suddenly interrupted by the squealing of tires, right next to Adagio. As she turned her head to see what was going on she just noticed that Phoenix wasn’t where he was supposed to be anymore. With a confused look even further back she could only make out the shape of the RideVendor racing off in the opposite direction. Her eyes widened as she saw two Masquerade Dopants on bikes heading right for her. Drawing the medajalibur, she swung wide as one of the Masquerades ducked his head. She let the sword loose, flinging it like a boomerang. Next, she used her sword hand to grab one handlebar, and in another quick movement knocked the second Masquerade off his bike. The medajalibur returned and dealt with the first Masquerade, flying back into her grip. More came, and Adagio gunned the engine leading them down off a pathway into a park. Trees flew by in a blur, scarlet and coal-black forms cutting through the park and down the path. Adagio smiled under her helmet, as she popped a wheelie and then spun the bike on its front wheel. Loading three cells into the blade, she struck. Reality warped for just a brief moment and then re-strung itself as the Masquerades went down in a heap. The rear wheel touched pavement and Adagio was off again. As soon as she was back on the streets, she became aware of a massive black SUV heading right for her. Twin machine guns popped out of the headlamps. Adagio weaved right and left as she uttered: “What is this, James Bond?” under her breath. Pushing herself off the pavement with her boots, Adagio made the bike take a flying leap over the van. With a screech and sparks flying, it landed safely behind the colossus. More tires squealing as the van made a sharp turn, and Adagio became aware of it on the street opposite hers. Bullets flew over her head, and Adagio let out a yelp. The van’s passenger had pulled out a machine gun, of all things! Then, an energy ball flew right past her, and the van exploded in a massive fireball. High-fiving Sea as she drove past, Adagio gunned it, wondering how Phoenix was doing. Hopefully a lot better than her. A bit before, when Adagio had heard the squealing of Phoenix’s tires his bike had spun around before racing off in the other direction, right towards a group of bikes that had followed them for a while now. With unnerving speed, he had raced towards the pursuers. Neither of them seemed to back down as they headed straight for a collision, instead, Phoenix even increased his speed instead. Just within the last few seconds, his opponent seemed to finally catch cold feet, rearing his bike to the side just enough for Phoenix to pass him by. Fate was not too fortunate with the Masquerade however as he lost control of his bike and crashed it into a nearby lamppost. Phoenix meanwhile had pulled out his Driver and slapped one of his Disks on it as he hit the breaks once again. \ MAGIC DISC DETECTED! / “Henshin!” \ EARTH DISC ACTIVATED! / The bike came to a stop, both wheels now pointing at the sidewalk, all while the orange armor with green eyes formed around him. Ripping the Disc from his Driver once again with one hand he let the engines roar with the other as he speed back towards the remaining opponents. \ Earth Disc Attack Mode! / \ Boulder Shield! / He was already halfway towards the turning around bikes when the shield in his hand formed. Without as much as a second thought, he threw the round piece of metal, right at the Masquerade in front of him. With a loud clang, it bounced off him, knocking the monster clean off its bike before rebounding towards the next one, slamming into its front wheel. Phoenix only chuckled as the shield returned to him, the remains of two bikes passing him by. He was about to let his engine roar once again to catch up with the rest when two red energy bolts zoomed past him, hitting something behind him. Moments later Ocean zoomed past him, in red armor, covered in jet engines all over her body. “Watch out!” Was all he heard before she continued forward, right towards two more bikes that had just dashed out of a side alley and one that was already a wreck on the street.  In a single fluid motion, she pushed her legs on top of the seat of the RideVendor before a few of the engines on her back started to go off. She was rocketed off her bike and straight towards the poor minion in front of her. He was just about to pull sideways as her foot slammed into him, knocking him right off the bike as Charge pushed herself off the Masquerade again.  A few moments later, the Rider still in the air pulled up her revolver and aimed it right at the last pursuer that was still on his bike. One single pull of the trigger later and the last remaining bike exploded in a fiery explosion, all while Charge landed safely back on her bike, pulling it back around and racing after Phoenix and the others. Adagio had found herself pursued by twin SUVs, similar to the one before approaching from either side. Looking right, and then to her left she eyed both. Machine guns were already appearing from the headlights. “David vs Goliath and his twin brother apparently…” Planting her foot hard on the brakes, she ducked behind them just in time before with a squeal the bike came to a stop. The headlamps pointed at the sidewalk, while Adagio drew her Wolffish spear. “Same, Kujira, Ookamiuo: Sa-Ra-Mi-Uo! Sa! Ra! Mi-Uo!” Her armor covering her, she sped after the two massive SUVs pulling up alongside one. Leveling her spear under the car as the passenger windows rolled down to reveal another gunner, she struck. A geyser of water and the SUV flipped end over end before finally being totaled with an explosion. The second of the two pursued her down a side street, walls closing in fast. Then, a distinctive sound of ripping metal and all the doors of the massive vehicle were torn clean off in a shower of sparks. Tires squealed as the massive vehicle went into a drift as it rounded a corner. The problem now was both Adagio and pursuers were in the middle of oncoming traffic on a freeway leading out of Denver. Dodging and weaving between traffic, Phoenix somewhere below her, Adagio thought fast. Planting her boots to the ground once more, she jumped over the divider and onto the street below. “Well, that’ll probably be taking several more years off my life won’t it?” she remarked at Phoenix. “Several years off your sister’s as well,” Phoenix remarked before he gestured to the right of them. “Looks like he’s a persistent one isn’t he?” Sure enough, the SUV was still in pursuit having found an offramp. Adagio groaned. “Oh, you have to be kidding me… I need a halfpipe, Captain Planet! Can you do that?” “A what now?!” He shouted back before shaking his head, touching each side of his shield quickly. “Well, I can try. No promises though.”  “Just trust me!” Adagio shouted. “I’ve got a plan!” With that, he threw the shield a good distance in front of them, bouncing it off the sidewalk before it slammed into the other side of the street and back to him. “Here goes nothing,” he screamed before snapping his fingers, two bright orange circles appearing where he had hit. Within moments the ground began to move and grow as a rather rocky halfpipe shaped rock formation emerged from it. Adagio smiled and then drove up it, and drifted along the rockface, sparks flying and tires squealing in protest. And then she swung the wolffish spear, a massive shuriken of water taking down the SUV. “Well, looks like those plans are all… washed up?” she joked as she rejoined Phoenix. “What do you think, needs work?” “Eh, give it a 7.8 out of ten. Too much water,” he chuckled. “Suit yourself Human Torch,” Adagio drawled. “You still owe me for ruining my office by the way.” “You’re both terrible at jokes if that’s what you’re trying to do,” Sea groaned as she caught up with the two of them. “I’ve met Militia Ponies that can tell better jokes, and I’m pretty sure they remove the sense of humor in training.” Adagio did the mature thing and flipped Sea off. “Make a better one and I might be quiet for five minutes,” Phoenix simply returned. “Emphasis on might.” “I’m a musician, not a comedian,” Sea said with a roll of her eyes. Adagio briefly glanced upwards, seeing what looked to be a giant lizard leaping from rooftop to rooftop. She blinked, had to be her imagination. “Plus I don’t think you’d get any jokes I might make given the timelines thing.” “Too bad for you.” All four then crashed through a security gate, Foundation X employees on humvees driving up to meet them. Chainguns were mounted atop the humvees. “...Great, so it seems we get the fun-vees,” Adagio drawled. “Can’t they just be regular gas-guzzling humdrumvees instead?”  “Oh, don’t you know? It’s never easy,” Phoenix sighed. “I’m starting to be glad we don’t have these things in Equestria,” Sea groaned as she placed her hand on her pocket. “Khepri, are you ready for this?” “Oh please, Foundation X is everywhere,” Adagio said only now just beginning to figure this out. “Pretty sure your world has some variation of them somewhere.” “Tch, I’m always ready,” Khepri retorted as he flew out and slid into place on her Driver. “Henshin!” Sea said as the shifter glowed brightly. “WHAT IS BORN IN THE DARK MUST COME TO THE LIGHT!” The Change Driver said as the purple and pink armor formed over her. She gunned the engines on her bike and nodded to the others. With squealing of tires, all four bikes managed to charge forwards, dodging and weaving between gunfire. With a roar, all four leaped over the gunners and slid to a stop behind them. Adagio got off her bike, and spun her weapon around like a staff as dustards leaped out of nowhere and surrounded the group. “Ninjas, as if they weren’t overcompensating enough!” she remarked.  “Look, I’m sorry if we so rudely interrupted, but we’ve got places to be. Let me see if I can book you in for a later appointment,” Adagio commented as she mimed checking a schedule. “Yep, that’s hum… Interesting. Yeah, here it is. Uh…the 7th of Never through to the 15th of Ain't Gonna Happen. How's that work for you guys?” “Um yeah, I wouldn’t antagonize the henchmen..” Sea piped in. “Why, they’re just henchmen, and ninja henchmen at that! They have only two jobs, to hench and to get their behinds handed to them,” Adagio commented. “Haven’t you ever heard of the law of Conservation of Ninjutsu?” “Yeah, I agree with our OOO’s here. Even if I have no idea what she means with that. And anyway, the more there are, the less likely they’ll get any hits in,” Phoenix muttered, while he and Ocean pulled out one of their other transformation trinkets and replaced their current ones. \ FLAME DISC ACTIVATED! / \ 50, 80, 100! THUNDER CHARGE! / Then the sound of wings flapping was heard from behind the group. “...On the other hand,” Phoenix muttered. “That may be something to worry about.” Sure enough, when they turned Wraith was waltzing up to them. He leveled his sword at them, as the gunners locked on target. Then, a crash as a massive… iguana sent one of the humvees flying. “Every Bullet Hits its Mark! Gunpowder Flash and Spark!” the Ghost Driver boasted as Takeru walked up in western-themed attire. “Howdy partner?” Phoenix asked a bit startled, staring at the giant robotic iguana. Takeru looked unamused as he shot down a Dustard creeping up behind Phoenix. “You go on ahead, deal with Starlight,” Takeru said miming blowing gunsmoke from his weapon. Embers fell all around them from the nearby fire. “I’ll handle Wraith.” Before anyone else could say anything Ocean stepped next to Takeru. “If you don’t mind, I’m joining you as well. My power set is not well suited to fight against someone like her…” “Whose is?” Adagio drawled. “…so I’ll be of more use here. And I have to pay him back for last time as well.” “What makes you think you can get Elias back?” Wraith said and for the first time Takeru realized it was the Eyecon speaking, not Elias. Wraith pointed to Adagio. “She tried, and you saw how well that worked for her.” “Yes, well I’m certain Ankh didn’t really help matters so…” Takeru said. “I am Takeru Tenkuji. On my 18th birthday, I was killed by rampaging Gamma. In order to come back to life, I became Kamen Rider Ghost, stood up, and fought. And I won. My life is burning bright, and I swear to save Elias from you and give Nii-San back his eyecon. So two choices, you can either stand down, or I’ll take you down by force.” “So be it…” As the battle below kicked off in earnest, Sea and Adagio ran through the building. For the most part, it seemed to be an abandoned work site. Adagio knew better, as the construction site angle was clearly a front. Through panes of glass, she could see Takeru and Ocean engaging in battle with Wraith. Adagio took a few deep short breaths, knowing Takeru could handle himself. Oh yes, sure, Wraith had beaten just about anyone who challenged him, but Takeru… Yeah, he knew what he was doing. “Oh, so we’re making assumptions now are we? How much you want to wager?” Adagio asked herself. “60%? 70% chance Takeru will win? What about that other 30%?” “Do you think they’re going to be okay?” Sea asked as she glanced out the window where Adagio was looking. “Well, I-I’d say Takeru has this well in hand,” Adagio murmured to herself. Though the stammer in her voice betrayed her. As well as what she said next. “85%? Is that too high? Is… is this really the number we’re going with?” The earlier adrenaline had left her. Now the fear had set in. They were actually inside a Foundation X base, where only god knew what sort of creatures awaited them. Phoenix had branched off and taken another route. Yeah, Adagio felt he was in no danger. Not if this Philosopher's Stone mode or whatever he called it was available.  “I hope you’re right,” Sea said as she took a deep breath. She glanced around for a moment, looking down at her tonfas for a moment. “What about you, Adagio? Are you doing okay? You sound more stressed than I do.” “You haven’t seen Wraith in action,” Adagio said. “I have. Even with TaJaDor I couldn’t defeat him.” “Oh, I see,” Sea said with a frown. “I never thought I’d actually kind of prefer being back home in Ponyville. Dealing with Changelings seems almost easy compared to what’s going on around here…” “Oh, you think this is easy?” Adagio asked. “At least you know how to put down the changelings, like permanently put them down. The Greeed, well… I’ve still yet to find a way to stop even one of them. You can hold off them off and take their Cores, but that still leaves the problem of destroying a Core. That’s the only way to kill a Greeed, and Eiji says short of an atomic bomb there’s really nothing you can do to destroy one. We’ve tried slashing them, burning them, blowing them up with a freakin’ bazooka! Hell, we borrowed a jet and shot one with a cruise missile! Don’t ask me how the military let us do that but there you go.” “I don’t like killing…” Sea admitted. “After I killed the first Changeling that went after me, I felt sick. I’ve been doing what I can to avoid killing ever since…” “Tch, not exactly the smartest move if you ask me,” Khepri commented. “But whatever, it does the job. And given how the Changelings work, it’s probably kept more ponies from being taken.” “Yeah…” Sea agreed. “Sea…” Adagio started and made a motion to comfort her before another voice joined them. “You two are so sweet, you know that right?” Mogami remarked as he stepped into the room, slowly clapping. “Like, really you are.” “Well, great, we’ve got company,” Sea commented as she gripped her tonfas in her hands. “What do you want?” “Mogami…” Adagio growled filled with a gutteral primal rage. “You did that to Elias didn’t you?” “Oh, got it in one!” Mogami said twirling in place. “Oh, it seems I’ve been found out, whatever shall I do? But yeah, out of all the experiments I’ve done over the years, I have to say, Wraith is my masterpiece! I mean, tossing the soul of Lem Kannagi himself into one of these Eyecons and overriding the base personality of Nobunaga himself? Oh genius!” “You’re sick…” Sea whispered. “Bet you’re real proud of yourself aren’t you,” Adagio asked just barely keeping her anger from bubbling to the surface. God knows one enemy was bad enough, a berserking OOOs was the last thing they needed. “Now how about you sit there real pretty so I can Rider Kick you into the stratosphere!” “And I’m going to help her,” Sea added as she stared Mogami down. “Soul magic, black magic! I may not know everything about this universe or timeline or whatever, but I do know that kind of thing is dangerous.” “Danger is in the eye of the beholder, science decides everything in this world. The law of the victory has been set, and I’m afraid your time as part of this experiment? It’s come to an end. Kaiser!” Mogami shouted before his armor formed around him. Before Sea got a chance to react, she was pinned to the ground. Something snarling, snapping and feral. Adagio, as she whirled around to avoid a shot from Mogami’s rifle, noticed a gashat sticking out of the monster’s head. So this was the same thing she’d encountered before, lovely. As if Mogami wasn’t enough! Sparks flew as Adagio blocked Mogami’s blade with her spear. Mogami lunged but Adagio caught him by the wrist and shoved him into a wall. She staggered back as laser shots riddled her armor. Adagio felt a massive force hit her like a freight train, and saw the projection of an energy gear fade out. She’d been tossed through a wall, rubble laying all around her. “Same, Kamakiri, Tako!” Adagio’s belt sang out before her legs turned into tendrils pulling Mogami closer. This was so her arm blades -formed from the kamakiri medal’s power- could slash at Mogami in a scissor maneuver. As Mogami staggered back, she switched again. “Sai, Unagi, Ookamiuo!” Sending Mogami upwards with a wave of water, Adagio used her unagi whips to bring him closer. Once he was within striking range, she gored his armor with her helmet’s horn. Roundhouse kicking him across the room, Adagio smiled in satisfaction as she watched him get kicked through a wall this time. Laser shots were soon fired in response and once more the combo of medals changed. “Kugawata, Gorilla, Zou!” Using the water to her advantage, Adagio fried Mogami with the kugawata medal’s electricity. Next, she fired the gorilla fists but at the last second? Mogami dodged. He actually recovered his wits and dodged at the last second. “Funky Attack! Engine Running Gear!” Adagio let out a scream as she was kicked upwards, smashing through several floors. The sound of medals hitting the floor was heard even a few rooms over. Meanwhile, Sea was struggling against the grip of the monster holding her. She kicked hard at the leg of the creature, trying to escape its grip. “Khepri, any ideas?” Sea said out loud as she tried to release her wings to push the grip out, only to find them pinned too. “Not particularly, tch, you get caught so often I’d wonder if you were doing it on purpose,” Khepri commented. “Maybe if you were fast enough you could get out of its grip somehow. Unfortunately, you’re not fast enough to do that.” Sea let out a scream as the Collabos Bugster actually bit her, before pulling hard as if to try and yank her arm out of it’s socket. Kicking her in the stomach several times, Sea let out a cough and nearly vomited. With a growl, the Collabos Bugster tossed her to the ground. One arm was raised, powerful claws at the ready. Sea eyed the three little grayish silver medals next to her.  “Khepri… one medal enhanced you before… do you think three would do something more?” She asked with a groan as she reached down and placed her hand on the three medals. “It’s worth a try,” Khepri replied as she tossed them up into the air and he flew off her Driver and drew them in before sliding into her belt again. “Dai Henshin!” “INTO THE LIGHT WE FIND, AND RULERSHIP IS THINE!” Her Driver said as magical energy flowed out of it and over her armor. The first thing the Collabos Bugster noticed was the flash of light, and then he found himself knocked into a wall. Then he saw it. Scarab’s armor had… evolved. Small wings jutted out from the arms and legs, glowing with a cerulean light. Energy crackled all over the armor, glowing lines covering it, including glowing rib armor. Twin arm blades had erupted from the forearms, the tonfas having evolved to grow these same blades as well. “Tch, I have to say it’s an improvement,” Khepri commented. “I must say I’m impressed, the Princess form is something that was still in development.” “Well, let’s give this thing a test drive,” Sea said as she turned back to look at the Collabos Bugster and dug her feet into the ground. The bugster let out an animalistic howl as it charged towards her. “Let’s see what this can do!” She took off, moving in a blur as the Bugster swung at empty air. She swung one of the bladed tonfas around and slashed hard against the Bugster’s back. It let out an animalistic roar of pain as it sung back around, trying to hit her again only to have her raise her hand and catch its arm in mid-air. “Okay, this is definitely an improvement…” she said as she kicked hard at the bugster’s chest. The bugster tried to punch her, but to her amazement Sea managed to vibrate at a speed fast enough for the blow to pass right through her. In a flash, the bugster was on the floor from one punch. “A shame we can’t keep it,” Khepri commented the bugster rolling to a heap at their feet. The Night of Safari gashat flew out and then shattered. “Um… game clear I guess?” Back with Adagio, Mogami held her by the throat. Cackling madly, he lunged with his blade. “And now… it ends!” Adagio then kicked him, right in the place where no man ever wanted to be kicked. “You bitch!” “No, sorry that’s my doppelganger,” Adagio said as she summoned the medajalibur. Sadly, tired and beaten up as she was, she barely was able to muster the strength to even swing it. Mogami easily side-stepped the slash, and then the next and then the next. “Okay, you’re a bitch but foolish. You don’t even have your armor anymore! I don’t know why I waste my time with you…” Mogami sighed before shrugging. He went for his weapon. “Oh yeah, because Lady Starlight commands it!” He lunged again, but this time the strike was caught. Sea had appeared in a flash of light, and if Mogami didn’t know better he could have sworn she winked at him. She drew back her fist and he was on the floor. “You were saying?” Adagio asked before she appraised Sea. “Love the new armor by the way. Very… very evil overlordish. Not sure that’s what you’re going for, but there you go.” Her transformation overtook her and she felt her strength return.  “Yeah? Well, blame the mares who designed this suit.” Sea returned. “Funny, I believe it’s my medals who got you that power unless I miss my guess?” Adagio drawled. “Can’t we just deal with Mogami?” Sea practically whined as the mad scientist readied himself. “Yeah, fair,” Adagio remarked. “Though we will have words about your fashion choices later!” “I didn’t… never mind,” Sea groaned as she tightened her grip on her bladed tonfas. “Let’s do this then.” “Seems like a real Mexican Standoff, doesn’t it?” Wraith remarked as he looked towards Takeru. “See, he even has the guns!” That wasn’t to last, as Wraith looked above him as he heard the Ghost Driver proclaim: “Intimidating Sworn Brother! Tougher Than Any Other!” and leaped backwards only just in time to avoid a massive hammer blow. Takeru threw a punch, and Wraith only just barely caught it, before twisting his body to leap right over Takeru. A leg sweep, and Ghost was knocked to the pavement. Just as Wraith was about to make his next move several energy bolts rushed past him. Looking to his side he could see Charge aiming her revolver at him before dashing away in a blue blur again. Wraith spread his wings, and flew upwards before changing into his La Catrina-themed form, scythe at the ready. Takeru was already intercepting the strikes in Musashi, twin blades blocking every blow as sounds of clashing metal rang out across the battlefield. He whirled around behind Wraith, in dance-like fashion and Takeru kicked the Rider towards Charge.  Only moments before he would have hit her she once again dashed out of the way, only to race back almost instantly, just from the side. With her momentum enhanced kick she knocked him down into the concrete, leaving a few cracks on the impact point. As he was about to push himself back up she planted her foot on his chest, pointing the revolver directly at him. Wraith snapped his fingers, and the rose petals that had been floating around the battlefield exploded. Both Charge and Takeru were sent flying, and Wraith rocketed above the smoke, before blasting it away with a powerful flap of his wings. “Far above, far above, we don't know where we'll fall. Far above, far above, what once was great is rendered small,” Wraith uttered to himself, ramblings of a madman. “Dealing with battle is alright, yes, It's what goes on in here that's hard…” “Damn, this guy is so annoying,” Charge grunted through her teeth, slowly pushing herself back up again. “I’m personally not a fan of excessive force and Light Bulb is definitely gonna kill me for this, but how about we pull out the big guns… metaphorically.” “You seriously know someone named Light Bulb?” Takeru murmured. “And people would say that Takeru is a strange name where I’m from,” Charge snarked. “So focus!” Takeru nodded before he let out a yelp as Wraith rocketed towards him, scythe drawn. Drawing a symbol in midair, he shoved Wraith back with a palm strike.  “That still won’t take care of our main problem though, that Eyecon’s got full control of Eilas’ body. Now, I believe Himiko can take care of whatever brainwashing he was put under, but I need to get in close. Real close, and something tells me that…” here he dodged another scythe strike from Wraith before blocking another blow with his blades. “...that is easier said than done.” “Oh, you need to get close? Say, are fifteen seconds enough for you to do whatever you need to do?” Charge returned, pulling out a silver device with a cylinder on its side. “Seems like a fair assessment,” Takeru said backflipping to avoid another scythe strike and implanting his swords in the ground to stop himself. “I’ll get you an opening.” “Officer of the strange! Righteous tire change!” the Ghost Driver proclaimed as Takeru went into Drive’s Damashī. Spinning the ‘steering wheel’ on his sword, he was seemingly able to ‘drift’ around Wraith’s slashes before he changed forms once again to deliver a fire-infused roundhouse kick. “Magic rings are in! The last hope within!” “Good,” she simply returned before pulling out her Charger and slipping the device into its place before giving it a good spin. Wraith meanwhile was sent flying back from the kick Takeru had dealt him. \ 100, 150, 200! OVER CHARGE! / It didn’t take long for her blue armor to be replaced with dazzling white, the same engines of Fire Charge all over her body, as well as a red crystal on her chest. Her two red bug-eyes focused on Wraith, clenching the large futuristic rifle in her hands tightly, lifting it and to everyone's shock slam it down on her knee. With a loud crack, the weapon broke in two, the Rider throwing the two pieces to the side where they exploded, taking with them the remains of the vans. “What is it with final forms and white…? Isn’t white death here in Japan?” Takeru wondered to himself as he observed the form and what happened via transformation into it. “...such a showoff.” “Incredibly expensive equipment destroyed… Check,” she sighed before cracking her fists. “But at least you don’t get your grabby hands on it either. Goodness, this could have been one of Phoenix’s plans… He is rubbing off on me.” “Um… Less monologuing, more heroics.” Takeru pointed out. “Roger,” she stated matter of factly before suddenly disappearing, only to suddenly show up again right in front of Wraith. The tubes on her body glowed bright blue and the engines were blasting at full force. He had not even reacted to the strike yet that he was already knocked back down to the ground, crashing into the concrete below. A flash of red and then pink before… “Future Seeing Eye! The Queen From Yamatai!” Wraith was pushing himself back off the ground as suddenly two white arms grabbed him from behind, Charge pinning the Rider tightly to herself. He couldn’t see it, but the crystal on her chest started to glow. “You have fifteen seconds! Don’t waste it!” Takeru simply nodded before pulling the handle of his Driver once again.  “Dai Kaigan: Himiko Omega Drive!” The area around them started to fade into a pink dreamscape, the three Riders seemingly floating within it. Wraith escaped Charge’s grip but found himself restrained by chains of flame. Ghost dashed forward, stabbing the controlled Rider into the chest before delivering another slash across his chest, every strike accompanied by a rain of cherry blossoms.  Making several movements with his hands, Takeru nodded. Himiko was a sorceress, and so he would use her power to stop this horrible fusion. A dark spirit was suddenly beginning to draw itself out of Elias, before another hand gesture from Takeru and it went up in a flash of fire. Nobunaga’s image appeared before Takeru and nodded before the spirit returned to his proper place within the Eyecon as the dreamscape faded away. Wraith, no… Elias staggered back and fell into Eiji’s arms. “What… what… X, they did that to me…” Elias murmured. “I can’t believe. It has been so long and my path has been so dark, darker than I ever dreamed it could be.” Eiji smiled as he helped Elias to his Centenario, ignoring the smoldering wreckage around them. “And yet you survived, your chains have been broken. X can do many things, it was never your fault. Here, let’s get you out of here.” “Yet I was lost and became a rabid animal…” Elias whispered. “A beast without purpose. Far above, far above, we don't know where we'll fall. That’s what he said. The Eyecon, X’s Eyecon…” “Well, if all goes well, X will be out of the city before a new day dawns,” Eiji said before gesturing to his car. “Now come on, let’s get you out of here. As much as I want to stick around and see how this ends, I… frankly think attending to you is more important.” Elias nodded weakly, even as he cast a glance upwards to a window, where inside Adagio, Phoenix and Sea battled… Adagio slid back, using her sword to stop herself as Starlight laughed. “Don’t you get it yet, you persistent little grub? Invincible means invincible!” “Anyone ever tell you that you talk way too much for your own good?” Adagio asked, sending a wall of water towards Starlight. Her eyes widened under her helmet before Starlight focused two laser blasts to turn it to steam. “Like, you seriously do.” “And you’re insolent.” Starlight said in return. Adagio rolled her eyes at this muttering a: “Bitch, please…” to herself sending a triple scanning charge at Starlight with the medajalibur. To her credit, while it didn’t do damage, it did knock Starlight off-balance long enough for Sea to smash her into a wall. “Um… what she said basically…” Sea commented. “New form, new packaging,” Starlight said having absorbed the energy. Then she unleashed it in a wave of pure power flooring the group. “Same product. Losers!” “Great…” Sea muttered as she struggled to get to her feet again. “Any ideas on how to deal with this?” “I, for one, rather like being a loser, if that’s what being a winner is like!” Phoenix remarked as he threw a powerful punch. Starlight caught the first one, but was then punched in the gut. Flames licked at her armor, but she caught the next punch and twisted Phoenix’s arm. A scream of pain filled the room.  “Mogami, deal with the rabble,” Starlight sighed as the ‘Kaiser’ leaped back into the fray. “That idiot isn’t even worth my time. Eiji’s little pet and the Equestrian however, they’re more interesting. Let’s see how long they last eh?”  “Tch, she’s going to regret that,” Khepri commented. “Let’s show them how we do this back in Equestria.” The room became a blur of purple and gold, both Riders battling at top speed, scoring hit after hit before finally… In a matter of seconds Starlight slowed down long enough to deliver a roundhouse kick. She was only visible for a few brief seconds, but that was all Adagio needed to deliver a Rider Kick of her own to Starlight. Nearby, Mogami engaged Alchemy, the Rider still groaning from Starlight’s twist of his arm. He, because of this was too slow to block the shot of his opponent.  With a loud grunt he was pushed through the next wall, his armor shattering away just as the last rocks fell to the ground. “Ok, that really hurts,” he hissed, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself back up from the ground. “But you know, that is no reason to give up hope, is it?”  With a shit-eating grin he pulled out a ruby-red Disc with a dragon on it and slammed it into his Driver just as Mogami stepped through the hole in the wall. \ RIDER DISC DETECTED! / “Henshin!” \ WIZARD DISC ACTIVATED! / A red magic seal appeared under Phoenix, it swirling up him in a fiery whirlwind until it revealed a black armor with silver highlights that reminded of Kamen Rider Wizard. Red gemstones adorned his chest and large silver, dragon-like horns his head. “It’s showtime!” “Last hope or not, that’s still not enough,” Mogami said as he merged his blade and gun to form a rifle. “I’ve studied Haruto’s fights, I know what he can do. For example!” He leaped over a flame-infused kick and riddled Phoenix’s armor with laserfire. “Irony, a Rider named Phoenix using the powers of Wizard!” Mogami remarked. “Funky!” Phoenix grunted as the bullets hit him, but didn’t slow down his kick. Instead, he continued onward until his leg suddenly grew in length and like a whip clocked Mogami in the back. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just know that even if you know Haruto’s moves, I know really dumb ways of using them, so that won’t help you at all!” As the leg returned to him he had already stuck his hand into another magic circle that had suddenly appeared, pulling out a copy of Wizard’s own sword. Mogami chuckled before he detached blade and gun, lacing his blade with electricity. He spun in a feint, before scoring several powerful slashes to Phoenix’s chest. As a coup de grace, he fired his nebulasteam gun point-blank several times making Phoenix stagger back.  “Apologies for those fancy jewels of yours… or not.” Mogami remarked before kicking Phoenix in his family’s jewels. Phoenix let out a pained scream before sinking to his knees, the blade about to hit the floor beneath him tip first. But instead of the sound of the metal against the floor, nothing could be heard, until a second later as the tip of the blade slammed into Mogami’s own. “Really… That was your witty remark? Or not? Man you are bad at this…” he hissed through his teeth the mocking tone still audible  “I’m really good at funking you up though,” Mogami remarked before he slashed with his blade. The strike was about to meet but… “Orange? Banana? Now that's bananas!” the Ghost Driver joked as Takeru stood with daidaimaru in hand. He drew back his fist and sent Mogami staggering with one punch. Switching out eyecons, he traded a look with Adagio. “Heisei Rider! Aratana Kousei! Kore wa Heisei!” His new costume was truly… out there, purple and white with spiked ‘hair’ atop the hood. “Why don’t we switch dance partners. You handle Mogami girls, me and Phoenix will clear Starlight’s game with no continues!” “Sounds good to me… Just… Let me do one thing…” he grunted as he switched the sword into its gun mode and shot seemingly aimlessly at the floor only for the bullets to disappear into another magic seal. Seconds later a loud crashing sound could be heard as the bullets appeared right under Mogami, slamming upwards, making them even. “I needed that…” Takeru shook his head before pulling the lever on his belt even as Phoenix waved his hand. Starlight was suddenly trapped in several seals. Before she even had time to think, once again Phoenix changed forms. \ FRIENDSHIP DISC ACTIVATED! /  “Dai Kaigan: Omega Drive Ex-Aid!” \ Friendship Disc Maximum Power! / Starlight’s eyes widened before both Phoenix and Takeru rider kicked her into a world of ones and zeroes. The Game World… “Huh, that’s new…” Phoenix muttered, finally regaining his breath again. “Yeah, but now the real battle begins,” Takeru said as he drew his Gashacon Breaker changing it into sword form. “Be ready!” “Yeah, yeah. I’ll try,” he returned, carefully looking over at Starlight. The Rider flickered, seemingly glitching out. She let out a grunt of pain, but for the most part, seemed unfazed. “What was that?” “Ah, so that’s your plan?” Starlight remarked slowly stepping forward, the world around her warping into a grid, and like out of the movie Cube, began shifting and changing. Walls sprung up, boxing the heroes in. It was all Takeru and Phoenix could do to dodge pillars erupting from the ground or from the sides. “Keep in mind, I’m a game character now as well.” With a flash of gold light, she was behind Takeru. The monk’s eyes widened under his helmet, before a shield -shaped like Twilight’s cutie mark- sprung up between them. Phoenix shared a nod with Takeru before Ghost changed the Breaker back to hammer form. Leaping forwards, little ‘hit’ flashes becoming visible.  Starlight waved her hands and walls sprung up between her and Takeru. Then, another gold flash and Starlight was leaping out in front of the wall with Key Slasher in axe mode. Takeru leaped backwards, only for a great chasm to rip into the ground. The abyss below was filled with… nothingness. No data, no codelines. Just pure blackness. Takeru ran, more abysses forming before he changed forms. “Officer of the strange! Righteous tire change!” Spinning the little ‘wheel’ on his sword, Takeru ‘drifted’ and fired several shots from Drive Damashī’s door gun. Starlight blocked or deflected every one of these shots, but the intent wasn’t to hit her. No, it was to distract her, as Takeru back in Ex-Aid Damashī got in several strikes with the Breaker in hammer mode. Then Takeru was sent flying as a part of the wall erupted outwards and knocked him into Phoenix. ‘Hit’ flashes sparked above their heads. Starlight did a little bow and said: “I control the medium. This is my game world as much as yours. Sending me here was the worst mistake you could ever possibly make!” “Blah, blah, blah. And people tell me I never shut up,” Phoenix sighed, reading his sword before dashing forward, hovering over the ground and slamming his blade against her Key Slasher. It was just a moment later that she noticed his star-shaped shield wasn’t any longer in his hand; instead, she felt something crash into the back of her head.  “Little trick of mine. Someone told me once it’s quite a good one,” he chuckled before jumping backward, the shield floating back into his hand. Starlight looked unamused before sending him crashing through several walls with an energy beam.  “You’re going to need to get that sword thing away from her,” Takeru said floating above him. “Seems to me, only game world constructs damage her. You need Ex-Aid’s powers to fight Ex-Aid’s powers.” “Damn it… Why can’t that stupid virus work by normal rules… Wait… Ex-Aid gets his powers from a virus, right?” He muttered, levitating himself back into a standing position. “Well, nobody said this was going to be easy,” Takeru said. “I talked to Emu, the real Ex-Aid. Didn’t give away specifics, really didn’t want to change the future or anything like that so I didn’t mention the Muteki thing but I did mention Starlight being infected. He agreed, Ex-Aid’s powers or something like them would probably be the only way to drive the virus out.” “But it’s still a virus… I have a really stupid idea… You wouldn’t mind covering for me a bit while I set something up?” He returned, already grabbing for the Disc on his weapon. “I’ll see what I can do,” Takeru said before rocketing forwards changing souls once again. Slapping the Toucan Boost Eyecon into his driver and then another Eyecon he asked: “How long do you need?” “Kaigan: Musashi! Kettō! Zubatto! Chō Kengō!” “Puh, I think about half a minute? I guess… Shouldn’t be too long,” Phoenix returned, putting the Friendship Disc back on his belt holder and pulled out the white Disc, spinning it. Takeru meanwhile kept Starlight off balance with the master swordsman’s twin blade style, the sunglasseslasher and his usual blade in play. The sound of clashing blades rang out as Musashi’s power kept the Key Slasher at bay. Another soul was used, and Starlight lept backwards to avoid a barrage of arrows from Toucan Robin Hood. \ HEUREKA! / Now in his white-gold Philosopher Mode again he wasted no time he pulled the Disc from his Driver again, letting its shape turn into an ornate spear with a round tip. Six gems were arranged around the circle with one in the middle, holding the Disc in place.  \ Philosopher Stone Attack Mode! /  \ Magnum Opus! / Slamming the spear on the ground he quickly touched multiple of the stones in quick succession. \ WATER! / \ WATER! / \ WIND! / \ FRIENDSHIP! /  Takeru changed into Ex-Aid Damashī to summon the Breaker in sword form before implanting the blade in the ground. “Kaigan: Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, Ieyasu! Hatasu no wa itsu! Tenkatōitsu!” Grabbing the Breaker and the sunglasseslasher, Takeru shared a nod with Phoenix who slammed the spear on the ground again, a wave of green energy washing across the entire game world, letting it glitch out, nothing seemed to remain steady. At the same time, Takeru felt all the injuries he had sustained during this fight fade away. “Arigatō, Phoenix-San.” Takeru said with a little bow before pulling the level on his driver. “Dai Kaigan: Omega Drive Tenkatōitsu!” The driver proclaimed several eyes appearing behind Takeru and opening. Takeru slashed forwards -twin ‘perfect!’ hit flashes appearing- before rider kicking Starlight. Takeru then looked at Phoenix, giving him a nod. He just smirked under his helmet before placing the Disc back onto the Driver and spinning it. \ Philosopher Stone Maximum Power! / Dashing forward he jumped at her, his six wings appearing behind him as he started spinning to hit Starlight right in the chest. The game world shattered and with a shout of “Game Clear!” and triumphant music the three were back in the real world.  “As I said, never underestimate an idiot. You never know what they might come up with,” Phoenix chuckled as he stood back up again. Mogami stumbled into view, Sea and Adagio sharing a fistbump. A black ridewatch clattered to the floor, Takeru crushing it underneath his boot. “...We’re leaving…” Starlight growled before she pulled something out of her suit. Pressing a button, a fireball consumed the entire room… A new day dawned, and everyone was once again back at the Kougami Foundation. Due to some quick thinking -emphasis on quick- by Sea, everyone had escaped the explosion. Eiji’s people were searching through the rubble now, to find the Time Memory and the machine used to bring everyone here. “So… this is it huh?” Aria asked as she watched the machine be re-assembled. Off to the side, Vignette on TV reported of a strange explosion in the night along with Kamen Riders racing through the streets.  “Eh, you get used to it. It’s always weird to say goodbye, especially if you don’t know when you’ll see each other again, since, you know, different worlds and such...” Phoenix chuckled, giving her a soft clap on the back.  “Timelines…” Takeru mumbled out of sheer force of habit. “Timelines, slimelines,” Phoenix muttered in return. Then he was barraged by a blubbering Sonata Dusk. “BUT I DON’T WANT YOU TO GO!” Sonata sobbed, an almost incoherent mess. “YOU… YOU… RIDER! I HAVEN’T EVEN INTERVIEWED YOU FOR THE KAMEN RIDER CLUB YET! YOU OR SEA!” Aria muttered something to herself, something along the lines of how she didn’t even know how she was related to Sonata. That, and the usual comment of: “Idiot…” Adagio chuckled, noting Aria -though she would completely deny it- looked like she was close to crying herself. Not that she would admit to this. “Where is Sea, anyways?” Takeru asked. “The machine should be reassembled within a few minutes…” Phoenix quickly returned a somewhat desperate: “I’ll go look for her!” He tried to free himself from Sonata’s surprisingly tight grip. Eventually, after a few botched attempts, he actually slipped out from her grasp long enough to bolt for the door.  Ocean just shook her head and chuckled. “You know, I think our world will be just fine.” “What makes you say that?” Adagio asked remembering their earlier conversation. “You’ve had quite the little change of heart it seems.” She smiled back at her. “More a confirmation of something I knew deep down already. Seeing all of you and the other Riders around the world through the web. It reminded me of what I saw in Phoenix. Good people. Good people that strive to do good and make the world a better place. And as long as there will be people like all of you, I think someone will always stay in for what is right.” Sonata’s phone beeped and she let out a shout of joy. “Gen-Kun! He messaged me! He messsssaggggeeeed me~!” She shoved the phone in Adagio’s face, the text message reading: “HEY! THERE WERE NEW RIDERS AND YOU DIDN'T INVITE ME!? I MISSED OUT! I SO WANTED THEM TO BE MY FRIENDS!” Adagio facepalmed before chuckling.  “Y-Yeah, I think we’ll be fine. Yeah, completely fine.” she said, Takeru grasping her hand gently. Aria meanwhile, had found Sea in an abandoned office, taking one last look at the setting sun over the city. Shades of bright orange and yellow cascaded over the sky, Aria smiling. “Peaceful isn’t it?”  “Yeah, very peaceful,” Sea replied with a sigh as she looked out the window. “I guess I just wanted one last look before I went home again.” “I can’t pretend to understand your world… timeline… whatever,” Aria said. “But I think it’s in good hands. As long as good people… ponies… whatever continue to fight, I think… No, I know the sun will shine on your home again.” “I’m sure you’re right,” Sea said softly as she took a deep breath as she thought back on something for a moment. “‘When the era comes when Equestria needs it again, Kamen Riders will return.’” “Yes, well, most worlds have some sort of prophecy, something like ‘When England’s need is at it’s greatest, the rightful King will return’ or something like that. ‘Course,” Aria commented. “It seems when magic is actually involved, well in your case certain soothsayers might be onto something. Or they were high as kites and such. I mean, to be fair, there’s always need for a hero or two. That legend, probably less legend and more wishful thinking, or something.” “You’re terrible at this.” Sea deadpanned. “What? Were you expecting sympathy?” Aria asked. “All the same, I have a feeling your world’s going to be just fine. And one other thing, if you ever get the chance… come back and see us. You’re ‘Ohana now. Family. Family means nobody ever gets left behind or forgotten.” “If I ever get the chance, I will,” Sea said softly as she looked back out the window. “Family… I never had a biological family, at least not one that I knew. First Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle along with Jasper… now this. Feels like I’m making my own families more than anything else sometimes.” “And this is a bad thing?” Aria asked. “I… I fail to see the problem here.” “It’s not a bad thing, just, thinking is all,” Sea said as she looked back at Aria. Out of the corner of her eye, Sea thought she saw something in the window. A dark figure, knightly yet… not. Draconic. She blinked, maybe it was just her imagination. “I looked them up, briefly, just to see what’s been going on. There’s something surreal about being older than the ponies who raised you like their own daughter.” “I can imagine…” Aria chuckled before she took a deep breath, sighing. “You know those two, they’ll be back right? Starlight and Mogami. Eiji and Takeru searched the rubble. They found the pieces of the machine, and the Time memory. But they didn’t find either of their bodies. Starlight… she’s going to be more pissed than ever. God only knows what she’ll do next. Somehow..  Somehow I get the feeling we played right into her hands. From what I’ve heard of X, this was probably only step one of a larger plot.” “I know…” Sea agreed as she took a deep breath. “Part of me wants to stay here and help. But the rest of me knows that I have to go back.” “I know,” Aria said. “Well, I suppose we can’t keep Kougami waiting can we? Plus, there’s this Jasper you keep telling me about. Goodness knows she’ll probably love her marefriend back, eh?” “We’re not dating!” Sea protested. “She’s just my best friend, and we were practically raised together, it would be like dating my own sister!” “In my experience?” Aria asked with a little smirk, Sea still stuttering and blushing as they rejoined the others. “Best friends make for the best girlfriends.” “I get this enough back home you know,” Sea groaned as she shook her head. “Everypony always jokes about the two of us dating. It doesn’t help that we… never mind, nothing ever happened between us.” “Keep telling yourself that,” Aria said before she took in a deep breath as she saw the machine. A massive ring-like device mounted on a platform, perfect for generating portals. “...well, I guess this is it isn’t it?” Sonata’s sobbing started up in earnest. Aria just pulled her into a hug. Then the whole world warped as the memory was activated.  Flashes of moments in time. A black Rider with silver armor and green lines on it, facing off against a grey monster in the remains of an office building. There was a familiar-looking girl with purple pigtails laying under some debris. Another Adagio, under a red sky, Riders ready to fight. A hero declaring she was the new Monster. Mass-produced Riders and belts, explosions and sounds of warfare amongst the buzzing of wings. And then a shout -no, a snarl- of “HENSHIN!” and the call of a belt and a roar and a screech. A purple figure, both draconic and prehistoric undergoing evolution under a rainbow light. “Ho-Ki-La-Ge-lo-Ma!” And then things returned to normal, a portal to a dark and twisted Equestria revealed. Aria shuddered, was that… was that really Sea’s home? Smoke, factories, and hives? “Home sweet home,” Sea said as she looked through the portal for a long moment. “Thank you, all of you.” Adagio hugged her tightly. “Anytime. Riders help other Riders out, right?” she asked before mumbling: “Now, what was Kuuga’s signature…? Oh, yeah…” Here, she gave Sea a thumbs-up. Sea smiled as she returned the thumbs up before pausing a moment and reaching into her pocket. “Oh yeah, almost forgot, you’ll need these back,” she said as she tossed the medals to Adagio. “Khepri almost didn’t want to let them go, but they’re yours and they won’t do us any good back home anyway. Thanks for the loan.” “A-Anytime…” Adagio sniffled. “Now go, I’m sure your world needs you.” “Yeah… hopefully, if we ever see each other again, it’ll be under happier circumstances,” she said as she headed through the portal. “Welp, it’s your turn now,” Eiji said to Phoenix as the Time Memory was activated one final time. Thankfully, there was no world warping this time around. “Anything left to say? I’m not sure how long I can keep this portal open.” “Not much. Just make sure you all keep moving forward towards a bright future. Then everything should turn out alright,” he smiled back. ”I know you can do it.” “Yeah, we can,” Adagio nodded. “I think… No, I know we can.” “That’s the spirit!” Phoenix returned with a thumbs up before he and Ocean vanished into the portal. The memory shattered, and Adagio finally allowed herself to cry. Manehattan, United States of Equila The wind picked up atop the large skyscraper in the city as the portal opened once again with thunderous sounds, out of it stepping both Phoenix and Ocean. “Well, that was certainly something,” he chuckled, stretching himself as he leaned on the railing. “One way of looking at it, certainly. But I’m glad to be back,” she returned with a smile.  “Yeah, I can’t wait to relax for a day or two.” “Well, then I have just the right thing for both of you,” a smug voice returned, a very familiar voice.  Both Riders spun around in an instant before being greeted by a very punchable, magenta face clad in a black suit, a camera hanging around his neck. “Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Ocean let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, not happy to see an old friend again Newbie? I swear, not even Tendou is this incorrigible… ” Tsukasa chuckled, taking a picture of the two. “Good work with Starlight and her little Kaiser. But if you don’t want to see me, I can take these with me again,” he continued, not for a second dropping his attitude and waving two envelopes in his hand. “What’s that?” Phoenix asked, looking a bit puzzled at the man. “Invitations.” “Oh, yeah, because that tells us so much,” Ocean countered, her arms crossed in front of her. Tsukasa rubbed his forehead. “Invitations for a certain someone’s wedding, I swear not even Bravo needed this explained to him…” Ocean raised an eyebrow before chuckling. “Wait, you are an interdimensional errand boy now? Didn’t know that being a Rider wasn’t paying the bills for you anymore.” “Tsk,” he returned before lifting the two envelopes into the air and continuing. “I’m a passing-through Kamen Rider and that little detail makes me somewhat responsible for every Rider in the multiverse. Even if their requests and needs might be a bit… Unorthodox. I offer the same service for when you two tie the knot. And not just in the bedroom.” “How do you-” Ocean’s face turned bright red, as she wished she could sink into the ground and die.  Phoenix didn’t fare much better, his head in flames so to speak, still, he managed to stammer: “Uhm… Wh… When is the wedding?” “That’s more like it. We don’t have any time to waste. You two would have almost missed it because someone didn’t plan this out properly. No time for packing anything. We leave right now!” Tsukasa returned and before any of them could say anything else the dimensional curtain already passed over them, once again leaving an empty roof behind. And once again the door was ripped open seconds later, Onyx bursting through it. “Ocean! Phoenix! Thank goodness you two are ba…” His sigh of relief was cut short by the fact that no one was around at all. “But… But I heard something… I’m sure I did. Oh. Decade...” Ponyville, Pony Safe Zone. “Well, that was certainly a unique experience,” Khepri commented as Sea stepped out of the portal, stretching out  a little as she returned to her normal form. “Though that Ankh fellow got on my nerves.” “Oh really?” Sea asked with a chuckle. “He got on your nerves? I would’ve thought you’d find him very familiar.” “Tch, you’re imagining things, I’m telling you we’re nothing alike,” Khepri retorted. “But I have to say that Princess form was... interesting. It shouldn’t even be possible for you to unlock that kind of power...” “What are you talking about?” Sea asked. “Nothing, you should get back to town, I’m sure Jasper is worried about you,” Khepri pointed out and Sea just shrugged as she walked back towards the town. She looked up at the sky, they had left at night but now it was the middle of the day, so there was no telling how long they had been gone. As she walked back into Ponyville she was rushed and hugged by a familiar Pegasus mare. She smiled a little as she hugged back. “Hey Jasper.” “Sea, where have you been?” Jasper asked. “You’ve been gone a week, we were afraid that… you know…” “I’m fine, don’t worry about it,” Sea replied as she smiled gently. A week? She had been gone a whole week? Well, the time difference was definitely weird. “So, did anything happen while I was gone?” “No, everything’s been pretty quiet,” Jasper answered as they started walking together towards a building built out of a tree. “You’re going to want to talk to my grandmothers, they’ll need to debrief you.” “I don’t think they’ll believe me, but then again after what happened before…” Sea said as she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I worried you.” “I’m just glad you’re back,” Jasper said as she opened the door to the library and they walked in together. “I’m going to have to hear about what happened though. I’m sure it’s one heck of a story.” “Oh, you have no idea,” Sea groaned. “I’ll tell you about it when I tell your grandmothers. Trust me, this is one story I don’t want to tell more than once.” Khepri watched the two of them as he thought about what had happened. The Princess form was only supposed to be reached by Changelings that were, well, Princesses. Sea shouldn’t be able to achieve more than Drone form, the base form that she used right now. At least, that’s what everything he knew told him. There was something special about Sea, that much he could tell. The question now was what was it?