Kamen Rider: What's Your Desire?

by The Bricklayer

23: Fanfic Generations: Crossing Worlds Part 3

“...News from Japan. Continuing our story from last week, the shockingly popular game Kamen Rider Chronicle has taken off by storm, enveloping the nation. CEO of Genm Corporation Ren Amagasaki had this to say:

“My Motto is: “I Love You.” I love my player base, and like any good game developer I intend to deliver my beloved game to the whole world.”

“Naturally, some are skeptical as the previous Genm Corporation CEO, Dan Kuruto was recently discovered to be a bioterrorist and has currently vanished. He is suspected in the disappearances of those such as Kiriya Kujo and Saki Momose…”

Ankh tuned out the news, silencing his tablet. “Tch,” he thought to himself. “Humans, why they want to lose themselves in these ridiculous realities is beyond me. There’s far more excitement in the real world as is. And this Amagasaki Ren… he makes me uneasy. I’ve been alive for over 700 years, and I know when someone’s lying through their ass. I do it all the time, after all.”

He had to wonder what this man wasn’t telling his player base. Ah well, it wasn’t really his business to bother with in the end, not when there were far more interesting things in this city to focus on. Why he should concern himself with the goings-on in continents far across the world was beyond him.

“New Riders, huh?” Ankh remarked upon seeing another news story reporting on this Kamen Rider Scarab. “Well, doesn’t this make things a bit more interesting. Sounds like she’d get along with Uva, by the name. ...or maybe not, seeing as how she handed Uva his most embarrassing defeat yet! Honestly, that one needs to learn not to charge into things so much. He needs to form plans.”

Ankh was quite content with sitting back and letting the rest of the Greeed worry about their medals and OOOs. As long as he had his own medals, he was happy. No, that wasn’t right. He wasn’t happy with just collecting his own medals. There was this...hole in him. He hesitated to name it, but he knew he was missing something. He just wasn’t quite sure what that something was.

He thought back to Adagio, she made his heart dance in some ways. Not that he was in love with the fish woman, but she’d been the most interesting human he’d met in a while. Yes, she was very… rude, but at the time she didn’t seem to give a crap about herself and would freely self sacrifice herself for her fellow humans. Not that he saw why, humans weren’t all that interesting and pretty stupid at times. They only lived about 70 something years before their bodies expired. And more often than not, they rarely did anything with those years.

“Heh!” Ankh laughed to himself. “Remind me never to live like one of those flesh bags, doing so would just degrade me as the King of Birds.”

He paused for thought. But he wasn’t the almighty King of Birds anymore now was he? No, he was just another idiot who had to live off and mooch a human’s body just to stay alive. And so far, he couldn’t do much to change his situation.

“Not that I ever did much good as the King of Birds anyways…” Ankh thought. “Though… there was that one girl…”

He quickly brushed that thought aside, not wanting to think upon that for any longer than he had to. He fought back the image of a terrified face, and bloody eyeballs. He punched a wall in anger, he tried to help one human and what did he get out of it? Fear and scorn.

“I’d almost say I was happy to be a Greeed again,” Ankh sighed as he sat down upon the bank of the riverwalk. “But then HE showed up. The mongrel proved me right in that humans are worthless fools, backstabbing me the way he did!”

His fist curled in anger as he thought of the ancient King. He was the reason the way he was now, disgraced and alone. “Well, I’m not completely alone I suppose, I do have… them.”

He thought of his fellow Greeed, the bumbling Gamel and the almost motherly Mezool. Even that accursed cat Kazari. Ankh frowned, that was odd. He felt a fifth pull that he knew he wasn’t supposed to be feeling. Was Adagio turning into a Greeed herself? That was entirely possible, and Ankh had to laugh at the thought of it. It just came with the territory of using those Cores too much he supposed. Humans were foolish, show them something shiny and they’d think it was worth the world. Obviously nobody ever heard of reading the fine print.

“Just goes to prove my point I suppose… Humans are idiots,” Ankh continued to think before he unwrapped his latest ice candy sucking on it. “...Though they aren’t completely terrible, as if they can make something like this maybe they’re still worth a few laughs.”

There was another possibility Ankh hated to consider. He didn’t like to think about it, but he couldn’t deny it was on his mind. There was a reason why he hadn’t seen the rest of his body around lately, and it was entirely possible that it had formed a Greeed of its own. That would explain why Kazari only had the one medal… Or, well he had that one medal before Ankh swiped it from him when he wasn’t looking.

Eyeing the red bird as it glittered in the sun, Ankh pocketed it. His body and his cores were his alone, he didn’t like to think about the possibility of someone else having even one as Kazari had dared to do. Yet that was exactly the reality he faced now, with Another Ankh -as the original would so name it- running and probably flying about. It would have the mind of a child, being newly born but it would learn. It probably already had been active for some time now, and knew a few things. Ankh frowned. This was a change to the agenda he didn’t like at all.

He would have to recalculate his plans.

---

“Let's Party ENJOI shinakya mottainai
datte, jinsei wa ikkai…” Sonata hummed to herself as she did a little spin on her heels before doing a little curtsy. Adagio, watching this had to shake her head as her sister seemed to be off in her own little world. Yeah, okay, Sonata was a bit of an oddball to be sure.

But… Adagio mused to herself that didn’t mean she wasn’t the good kind of oddball. She seemed intent on making a few people smile even if she had to look like some kind of idiot in the process. Even her dress sense -honestly, who else wore a taco on their shirt?- screamed ‘look at me world, I don’t care what you think!’ in every regard.

Adagio knew Sonata’s seeming perpetual cheeriness was possibly a way of coping with the utter crap basket life seemed to be handing her family. It had started after her father’s death, and all the Dazzling siblings had their own ways of coping. Adagio retreated into her texts, Aria played it hard and loose, while Sonata just smiled. It was their way of handling things, and Adagio would have been a fool not to have noticed that this picked up just right after she started putting herself in mortal danger as a Rider.

She also would have been a fool to not have checked on who now owned the Denver National Aquarium. She knew what Sonata and Aria were doing, just trying to make life that little easier for her. After all, how else could you explain Sonata dragging her on a crawl through the city’s clubs on her possibly only vacation week?

Not that Adagio wasn’t grateful for the sibling bonding time, but she was getting way too many benders for her own liking, and it wasn’t even 5:00 yet. Okay, yes it was probably five-o-clock somewhere but it wasn’t that time here!

“Hey, uh…” came a familiar if not concerned voice. “Are you sure your sister’s alright?”

Adagio looked to her left, and saw Sunset Shimmer walking up her gaze firmly trained upon Sonata’s twirling form.

“...dare mo ga motteru yasashisa idenshi
Toki ni miushinai (shinai)
Kizutsukeba ttemo Kizuna ni CHENJI
Jinrui mina kyoudai…” Sonata continued to sing -if not horribly off key from the song itself- and dragged a nearby passersby into her dance. Said passersby, a man in a white business suit seemed to be horribly annoyed by all this.

“No, it’s fine…” Adagio murmured. “This… This is something she does.”

“Heh,” Sunset chuckled. “Reminds me of Pinkie Pie actually, why do I suspect those two would get along…?” she trailed off as the man was finally let go and allowed to continue on his way.

“Oh god no!” Adagio shuddered. “Not to fault either of them, but if those two were ever allowed to meet the world would never survive!”

“Oh come on ‘Dagi!” Sonata said. “You are really so stuck up, you need to loosen up and have some fun! Seriously, you do. Like, ya do.”

She tried to coerce Adagio into doing the Macarena with her. Adagio didn’t comply.

“Fine fine, fun killer! Killer of fun!” Sonata said sticking out her tongue at Adagio. Now if Sunset didn’t know better she could have sworn a faint ghost of a smile trailed up Adagio’s lips at her sister’s antics. Sonata threw her arm around her older sister’s shoulder. Adagio hung her head and suppressed a sigh. “But like seeeeeeeeerrrrrriooousssssllly girl, you need a theme. Like, you do. You’re an honest to god superhero now. Superman, Batman, they all got themes. Why not you? Heeeeeey, I bet that Alchemy fellow has his own theme!”

“...Don’t remind me of him, okay?” Adagio said her eyebrow twitching momentarily. “I try not to think of him after he blew up my office.”

At this, Sunset turned to look at Sonata and Adagio. “...He blew up your… office?” she asked slowly. “...Doesn’t sound like a very heroic thing to do.”

“Eh, it’s not his fault his transformation is so destructive,” Sonata shrugged not really caring she’d possibly just outed another Rider. “I was walking up and man oh man, did I catch the aftermath! Adagio looked more furious than I’d ever seen her! ...though that may just be due to the mounds of paperwork she has to do now.”

Adagio looked skywards, as if to ask ‘please, oh please Lord save me from this hell’ or something.

“Okay, okay,” Adagio said. “I’ll consider this theme song proposal of yours. Though it’s not going to be J-Pop dance music alright? Certainly not this Micheal Jackson ripoff of yours that you found… somewhere.” she teased playfully.

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!” Sonata said with a little wave of her finger.

“No, imitation is the sincerest way to a lawsuit.” Adagio drawled.

“Eh, pish posh!” Sonata said. “Don’t deny it, you like it!”

Sonata smiled upon seeing the look on Adagio’s face. “My job is done. I dedicate my day to making you crack even a little smile, and this is the thanks I get? No laughter, no amusement? Oh, my life is such pain…”

Here she turned to Sunset who was trying to stop herself from laughing at Sonata’s overacting. “Like seriously girl, ‘Dagi here? She wouldn’t know fun if it danced up to her naked and bit her in the patootie sister!”

“She does have a point you know,” Sunset remarked. “You are rather… taciturn even at the best of times.”

“I prefer the term work-oriented,” Adagio said. “You don’t have a lot of room to talk, Miss Three-Time Gold Record artist and Top of the Pops charting artist. So tell me Shimmer, what’s your secret?”

“Well, I… Uh…” Sunset stammered out feeling as if she was being interrogated by the old Adagio Dazzle.

“Relax, I kid,” Adagio shrugged. “I have no real interest in the music industry. Hell, I couldn’t name you the top five biggest-selling artists this decade, let alone this year if I tried. I only know of you because Rarity likes to gab about you so much. Now Sonata on the other hand with her Bieber-Fever…”

“I was fifteen!”

“Seventeen actually,” Adagio corrected. “And neither me nor Aria are ever going to let you forget it.”

“Well, we are never going to let you forget that little crush you had on Kamen Rider X when you were a kid,” Sonata said with a small smile. “Because Lord have mercy, you were a fangirl. Like, I bet you money if X walked up to you today, you’d be reduced to a babbling wreck.”

“Yes, well, when you go up against a super-secret organization with nobody to help you, you go ahead and try not to be a fan of the guy! I dare you!” Adagio huffed.

“Sounds familiar…” Sunset teased.

“Oh, I’d hardly call the Greeed an organization!” Adagio huffed.

“In any event, I still cannot take GOD seriously,” Sonata teased. “Not when they produce things like… well, this!”

Adagio should have averted her eyes, she knew what was coming. But like a trainwreck, she couldn’t help but to not look away as one of the weirdest monsters -if possibly the weirdest- was shown on Sonata’s phone screen.

Sunset gaped doing a remarkable impression of a fish as she stared at the figure on the screen. “Is that…” she started upon finally regaining the gift of speech.

“...Yes, it is,” Adagio answered. “No, you’ve not gone crazy. That is indeed what you think it is.”

“Oh, good god,” Sunset replied. “I know I want to look away, but I just… can’t. It’s utterly fascinating in how utterly horrific it is…”

“Can’t say I blame you,” Adagio replied. “I mean, that is… Well, it’s… there’s no other way of putting it…”

“It’s Adolf Hitler on a starfish’s body,” Sunset said before blinking. “Oh my god, it’s still there.”

“I know,” Adagio said patting Sunset on the back. “It is a… thing. Yep, it’s definitely a thing.”

“What were they thinking?” Sunset asked. “No, that’s inaccurate. I should be asking something else. And that is… WHAT WERE THEY ON?”

Kamen Rider Otaku Sonata Dusk, everyone.

“Same drugs as those Amazing Squadron show writers I bet,” Sonata shrugged finally removing the image from their sights. “I still can’t take them seriously as an organization after seeing this.”

“...well, I mean, at least they were trying…” Adagio muttered. “I mean, it’s not Shocker, they’re sooooooooooo last century. They’re like Hydra, except less cool.”

Sonata got up in her sister’s face with a shout. “DO NOT DISRESPECT THE GROUP THAT CREATED ICHIGO AND NIGO!”

“...Wow, she is a nerd.” Sunset said mildly intimidated.

“Otaku, learn the difference,” Sonata said with a huff and crossed her arms. “...seriously, they kickstarted a legacy that’s still going strong over thirty Rider Kicks later.”

“...Did I forget to mention she plans to turn Ankh into a ‘henpecked’ and I do quote that, henpecked house husband?” Adagio whispered to her fiery-haired friend.

“I don’t know who to feel more sorry for, her or Ankh…” Sunset murmured. Adagio could only nod.

“Ankh, definitely Ankh…” Adagio replied after a few short minutes of thought.

Sonata had spied a man on the riverbank while Sunset and Adagio chattered away. She blinked, no, it surely couldn’t be. “As much as I hate to leave my sister, I really must see if my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me and I haven’t had too much to drink.”

Because surely that could not be Ankh sitting on the riverbank just a mere few short feet away from them going practically unnoticed by anyone. “Oh well…” Sonata thought to herself. “What’s that they say? Nothing ventured, nothing gained? Yeah, that’s it! And the best thing about being a woman, well, that means you’re obligated to have a little fun! Or teach certain birdbrains a thing or two about manners!”

She marched over to Ankh, with a confident smirk on her face. Playing it totally cool, she slid up to the former King of Birds and flung an arm around his shoulders. She tapped him on the shoulders, and when Ankh let out a totally not girlish yelp she said: “Hey.”

“...Oh right, there’s three of you crazy little…” Ankh said after taking a few deep breaths and recovering what little was left of his dignity. “Don’t you have someone else to bother?”

“Oh, but you’re too good of a person to just leave alone and sulk by yourself…” Sonata said. “So, whatcha brooding about? Cause right now, you’re definitely Mc Broody Broodster face right about now. Hell, even Kylo Ren looks happier than you! And he sucks balls!”

If looks could kill, Ankh’s glare would have made Sonata explode on the spot. “I am not sulking.”

“Sure you’re not,” Sonata said. “And you’re also totally not grumbling over whatever loss of dignity you probably suffered lately. So, who got you this time? Was it the cat?”

“SPEAK NOT OF HIM!”

“...Okay, so yeah, it was definitely the cat,” Sonata decided. “Also, would it kill you to be a little more polite?”

“And would it kill you to be a little less annoying?” Ankh asked. He was soon bashed upon the head via paper fan by Sonata. “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!”

“See, that’s your problem isn’t it?” Sonata sighed. “You’re so rude, no wonder my sister dumped you like yesterday’s garbage.”

“She didn’t dump me, I dumped her!” Ankh said, almost sounding as if he was whining.

“You’re not helping your case…” Sonata singsonged wagging her finger and Ankh had to suppress a groan. Were all of that accursed family this completely crazy? “Thankfully, I’m here today to teach you some manners, and straighten you up into a proper suitor!”

“What have I gotten myself into?” Ankh asked himself as he felt an encroaching feeling of doom come across him…

---

“Life…it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury; signifying nothing...” Mogami ruminated. “Or, that’s how it was in the beginning. Nowadays, life is significant. And it’s all thanks to the glorious power of science.”

He fired his gun into several holographic targets, before whirling around to meet a shot from Kamen Rider Wraith in mid air. The two engaged blades, with Mogami flipping upwards and kicking Wraith’s belt knocking the eyecon inside free. Wraith fell to the ground, canceling out his transformation.

Mogami pocketed the Eyecon and smiled. He only lasted five minutes against the power of Wraith, and it was proof that the Rider could hold his own against the Kaiser system. “And the Kaiser System is far superior to most Rider belts currently in operation today. If Wraith can handle me, well… then that means Madam Starlight may never have to go out in the field again! I’ve done it!”

He paused for a moment of obligatory mad laughter. Walking back into the main lab, he overheard a snippet of a news report.

“...I love my player base, and like any good game developer I intend to deliver my beloved game to the whole world.”

“Naturally, some are skeptical as the previous Genm Corporation CEO, Dan Kuruto was recently discovered to be a bioterrorist and has currently vanished. He is suspected in the disappearances of those such as Kiriya Kujo and Saki Momose…”

“Please,” Mogami said with a roll of his eyes silencing the report. “Amagasaki is talking out of his ass. I heard rumors already that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has been talking about this Kamen Rider Chronicle in hushed tones. Planning recalls.”

“It’s just a game isn’t it?” one scientist asked. “But then again, this is Genm Corporation we’re talking about. Bet they never released to the public that they had games that could actually turn someone into a Kamen Rider…”

“Yes, that would be fun wouldn’t it…?” Mogami mused idly fiddling with the Night of Safari Gashat. He laughed. “This is going to be something we’re going to have to keep an eye on. I can’t imagine the world’s most deadly game will do well for a company.”

He knew Genm Corporation hadn’t had a hit in years. And to suddenly spring up out of nowhere with this Kamen Rider Chronicle meant that they were either desperate or planning something.

Mogami betted on the latter. He did hope after all the fires were put out from Genm Corp tanking hard, Foundation X would be able to take control. Starlight was a frugal woman, after all. She knew good business opportunities when she saw them. And what could be a better opportunity than a company that produced Rider powers?

Though Mogami knew that Starlight wanted to buy up a company like this just to spite Eiji after he’d spited her by not partnering up when he’d had the chance. She was an odd woman like that. Not that Mogami was complaining, Foundation X was at the height of its powers with locations set all across the world and no one the wiser.

Okay, perhaps maybe odd was underselling it at times. Starlight was a very driven individual, Mogami would almost call her desperate. She was also exceptionally scared of power, even if she held a vast amount of it herself. She wanted to equalize things, bring basically gods down to her level. At times, Mogami had to wonder about where she came from, what made her like this.

Perhaps it was none of his business, but when your leader seemed to be a paradox at times one was allowed to wonder about them weren’t they?

He didn’t envy those who got called into her office, though. Mogami had been in there a few times, and it was like the blinding light of the sun sometimes. Did it really need to be so warm? Mogami had to dab at his face with a handkerchief just thinking about it.

Oh well, she was allowed her little quirks. Starlight certainly didn’t seem to say anything about his predilection for saying ‘funky’ every other sentence.

Least not publically.

“Alright, let’s try this again,” Starlight said as she walked into the room. Speak of the devil. She gestured to Mogami and his right-hand man. “Mogami, this one had better actually amount to something.” she sighed in a tired tone.

Grumbling something under his breath about crazy dancing taco ladies, the scientist tossed what looked to be a blank watch of some sort into a gate. The theory was, out there somewhere in time and space existed a Rider’s powers that could augment Starlight’s own and put an end to the fifteen-minute restriction.

As Mogami had explained: “A certain Gaia Memory is our lure, and the machine is our fishing rod. The watch is the bait.”

Mogami pressed a button. < TIME! >

After a whirring sound and a ‘ding!’ thanks to Mogami’s… offbeat sense of humor a man dressed in dark blue armor came flying out of the portal created. He seemed to be shaking, and the shoulder pads seemed to be themed after onibi fireballs.

“Rider Time! Kamen Rid~er Geiz! Bibill Time!”

“Scared Time?” Starlight blinked before observing the man. “...seems fitting.”

The man punched wildly at his surroundings and the strange setting like some sort of madman possessed before the belt rang out: “Bibill Time Burst!”

This Geiz dived forwards two flaming eyeballs aimed squarely at Starlight before she with a roll of her eyes transformed. She then soundly kicked him back right through the time portal. Turning to Mogami, she remarked with a raised eyebrow this: “...well, at least we know your hairbrained scheme works.”

Mogami shrugged. “Shall we try again?”

< TIME! >

This time, the same Rider seemingly in Faiz themed armor with a Crimson Smash at the ready. He was thrown back into the portal.

< TIME! >

Again, the Rider appeared but this time resembling a matador, and had a kick aimed squarely at Starlight’s face. She grabbed him by the foot, and tossed him overhead and behind her. Without so much as a word, the Rider was tossed back into the portal before Starlight having had enough plucked out the Time Memory. “Put it to bed, we’ll continue this one later. And next time… please no Riders who want to kill me…”

Mogami turned to his right-hand man and said: “...well, at least it’s not the worst experiment result we’ve ever gotten…”

He was reminded of what exactly that worst experiment result was…

“Check all systems!” Mogami had ordered. It was a simple order, but screwing it up could have absolutely disastrous consequences. First, a bit of history. The year was 1908, and it's just after seven in the morning. It took place in Siberia, and from even forty miles away the explosion could be felt. People, hurled from their chairs like an atomic bomb had been dropped several decades too early. Locals blamed the god Odgy, and it wouldn’t be until 1927 that a successful expedition was launched.

If you ever wanted to start up a conversation with anyone even remotely interested in asteroids, all you had to do was mention Tunguska. After 100 years, scientists still talked over and speculated over it. Nobody knew what had happened, and of course the conspiracy theorists blamed aliens instead of a simple meteorite. They talked of coverups and flying saucers.

Because, of course, what else was there to talk about?

They wouldn’t be that far from the truth, as for what had happened was a dimensional rift tearing wide open and allowing a spaceship from another timeline to just crash land in the middle of the wilderness. The Russian government did indeed cover it up, and said it was just a meteoroid. That was the official story they stuck to and allowed the public to believe. Neo-Shocker would later form an alliance with the one who inhabited the ship, and Foundation X would later reverse engineer the technology -as they always did- to create bits and pieces of Starlight’s driver.

Sadly, they botched the job or maybe Starlight’s body wasn’t meant to handle the strain the driver simply put her under. It was hard to tell, and after watching the head of the Foundation nearly kill herself fighting hard light copies of the Rider’s greatest enemies time and time again -all in the name of getting herself to adapt to the powers of the Driver- Mogami had enough. He needed to get more of this race’s technology and complete that driver. It had become a personal crusade for him.

If Starlight died, the whole Foundation would fall apart. And obviously, asking Starlight to simply just give up the Driver was folly. So, there he sat in a room that was strictly off the books, unknown to even Starlight. A black-ops experiment was being conducted. Like the later model of this gate that would be used in conjunction with the Time Memory, bait was used. This time, namely a piece of the Galaxy King’s ship.

“Check all systems,” Mogami said. “Are all lights green to go?”

Several nods, and Mogami fingered his Nebulasteam Gun and gear engine. Kami only knew what could come out of he was not careful. He was so nervous about the results, Mogami hadn’t even said ‘funky!’ once.

“3, 2, 1.”

What followed next could only be described as simply cataclysmic.

A loud explosion and a hum as the whole area seemed to bend and warp around them. Lights flashed and alarm bells rang as jagged shards began erupting through the walls. The world began to warp, and as beings erupted from the hole in space and time, Mogami transformed to fend them off. Blasts of energy flew as he shouted wildly for the machine to be shut down.

“Funky Drive! Engine Running Gear!”

A hoard of the invaders were wiped out before another Funky Drive was channeled to completely destroy the ship that was encroaching into the room. Mogami would only later find out this experiment was probably the cause of Charge, Alchemy and Scarab appearing as well.

From the outside, nobody knew what happened. A massive explosion blew off a door, Mogami was thrown from the room and knocked out of his transformation. “...Damn you,” he whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.

Back in the present, Mogami rubbed his chest. He’d been brutally scarred by that incident, and of all the people in Japan he’d been rescued by the future Kamen Rider Brave AKA Hiiro Kagami. Of course, Hiiro didn’t question what happened as there was very little left of the lab. Maybe he suspected but he’d said nothing. The Super Surgeon indeed.

This incident only tightened Mogami’s resolve, he knew he was on the brink of finding an answer and that his experiment worked. Yeah, sure there were a few bugs that needed to be worked out but the basic idea was sound. He only altered it slightly, from reaching across dimensions to only reaching through time itself.

“Try it again.” Mogami ordered and Starlight looked at him.

“...what?” she asked. “Did you not hear me? I thought I said you should put this experiment to bed!”

Her tone was firm, unflinching. She wouldn’t give in. And neither would Mogami. Ever heard that phrase of what happens when an unstoppable force met up with an immovable object? Well, Mogami was that unstoppable force and Starlight was the object here.

Finally, the question was answered as Starlight gave in. “...Alright, one more time. But if anything goes wrong? This project is shut down… permanently.”

“...Understood,” Mogami swallowed nervously tugging at his collar. “But shall we try again?”

< TIME! >

The hand reached out through time, and aimed to grasp the future. And grasp it did, as a watch flew out through the portal and impacted against the far side of the room. Spiderweb style cracks were now emanating out from the now steaming Ridewatch. Mogami smiled as he pulled it out of the wall, and turned it. Seemed those doctors would come in handy after all.

“Ex-Aid!”

---

Sonata’s Apartment:

“Hey, you mind turning it down in there Ri-Ri?” Sonata called over the blaring rock music. “I can hear your boombox from the other end of the house!”

“Not my fault you decided to get yourself a possible hangover by going clubbing!” Aria chimed in.

“Oh, like you’re so innocent!” Sonata said. “You still come and ask me to call a cab every other weekend from your stupidity! Amazing, I’m younger than you and it falls to me to be the responsible one…”

Aria had to fight back a laugh. “Responsible? You brought home birdbrain!”

Sure enough, Ankh set on the couch eating an ice pop he’d… uh, borrowed from somewhere. Sonata already felt her wallet crying for mercy. She’d never again tease Adagio again about this. Taking the pop from his hands, she tossed it in the trash can and ignored Ankh’s heartbroken look. “Oh, don’t give me that look, you’ll get brain freeze. Mind you, it might teach you a thing or two…”

Yes, even Sonata had her limits when it came to her patience.

“I apologize for him,” Sonata continued to Sea watching Khepri buzz about her head. “Seriously, I am. But I’m going to turn him into a productive member of society no matter what.”

“Tch,” Ankh said looking at both Sea and Sonata. “I’d like to see you try…”

Sonata then sprayed Ankh with what looked to be something in a can, Ankh recoiling. “Hmmm, concentrated Friendship Spray, guess it really does work,” Sonata remarked. “Whaddya know. Guess I’m going to have to thank Rarity for the gift.”

“Concentrated Friendship Spray?” Sea asked as she raised an eyebrow as she caught Khepri in her hand. “Stop that, you’re making me dizzy, this body is disorienting already.”

“Blame Rarity for the idea, actually…” Sonata murmured. “Soon as she heard about Ankh, she said and I quote: “Well, one must find a way to keep that uncouth brute in line!” I thought she was having me on, but seeing is believing I guess…”

Ankh looked ready to raise protest before Sonata held up the spray bottle and shook it. He looked scared by this, and Sonata smirked almost devilishly. Guess Equestrian Magic was good for something after all.

“Tch, maybe you should bring some back with you, might actually give you a chance against the Hive,” Khepri commented.

“You shut up,” Sea said as she rolled her eyes at him. “I swear, the gods picked him just to torture me. Probably payback for something I did when I was a filly.”

“Meh, he’s annoying, but least he isn’t planning to stab you in the back,” Aria said as she walked into the kitchen covered in grease and oil much to Sonata’s disapproving look. “...which is more than I can say for birdbrain over there.”

“Really Aria,” Sonata said. “You could at least wash your hands and face…”

“Hey, not my problem Sea’s new bike has a few problems with it,” Aria said. “Small wonder this ZECT wanted to give it up, the cowling alone… Oh, and you don’t want me to start on the issues with the engine. Eiji’s a cheapskate, if you ask me.”

“I’m not sure he knew how bad it was…” Sonata said. “Plus, I expect he meant to fix it himself in any case before Sea decided to just take it with her. It’s military surplus, these things always have a few problems! You really expect ZECT to sell you a perfect example of their hardware?”

“So don’t bother bringing it back with me, got it,” Sea chuckled. “Then again, I’m not sure I could drive that thing with hooves…”

“It’s a bike! It’s not like it’s a Zector…” Aria said with a roll of her eyes. “Oh well, it least it works. Honestly, inter-organization bitching is just the worst. I thought I’d seen it all when Eiji got shoved that G4 armor onto him!”

“It wasn’t ‘shoved’,” Sonata said. “From what I heard it was basically given to him in hopes he could actually find some use for it.”

“In other words, the G-Project didn’t want something with such a deadly history tainting their offices,” Aria deadpanned. “Read between the lines ‘Nata.”

“Still doesn’t give you an excuse to just waltz into my kitchen dripping globs of grease,” Sonata said eyeing the floor she was going to have to clean now. “Honestly, what would Fluttershy say if she saw you.”

Aria looked fairly unnerved by the thought. She was quickly shooed out of the room by Sonata.

“Interesting that all the Princesses still have their old names here,” Khepri commented. “I wonder if that means things are that different or if something is yet to come.”

“Definitely just a difference, we don’t need two universes dominated by Changelings,” Sea reminded him. “Besides, I think this universe could handle itself if they tried.”

She noted all the old files she’d looked up on Sonata’s computer on this Kamen Rider Club website. Seeing all of those Riders… it was both impressive and intimidating. And fairly frightening when it came to the Worms. She shuddered in remembrance.

“Oh, by the way,” Sonata said scooching up to Sea. “If Ankh tries anything, please tell me. Us girls gotta stick together and teach this idiot some manners.”

“Tch!” Ankh said.

“Oh, tch yourself!” Sonata said. “You treated my sister like crap, so if I have to manhandle you to make you into a better person I will. So stop complaining. You’re lucky I’m even giving you this chance.”

Sea raised an eyebrow at that for a moment before nodding. “Noted, same for Khepri really, he’s full of hot air. I was talking with Jasper just…”

And she let that trail off for a moment as she thought about what might be happening back home. Jasper was more than a capable fighter, and a Kamen Rider at that, but she couldn’t help but be worried. Her best friend was having to protect Ponyville on her own right now, all she could do was hope that she could handle it.

“Yeah…” she finally finished and looked away, closing her eyes a little.

“You alright?” Sonata asked noticing her new roomie’s discomfort. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen Sea drift off like this and Sonata had also seen Sea visibly shaking in her sleep. Clearly, she was in the throes of some horrible nightmare, and about what Sonata could only begin to guess.

“My best friend is back in my home universe, she’s the only other Rider currently protecting our home,” Sea replied with a sigh. “I’m just worried about her is all.”

“Hey, I’m sure your girlfriend is fine,” Sonata said. “She’s a Rider, right? If anyone can protect themselves, it’s a Rider. If you don’t believe in a God, or a Buddha or whatever, you can at least believe in them.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s just my friend! You haven’t even met her, you can’t… whatever,” Sea protested. “But yeah, she’s a Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Lux. She’s been trained by the Resistance since she was young, and I’m sure she’ll be fine. But still, I can’t help but worry a little bit.”

“She’ll be fine, though I don’t blame you for worrying if she’s struggling against those Worm ripoffs,” Sonata said. “Though she isn’t your girlfriend? Please, you’re fooling no one, not with the way you speak of her like that!”

“Tch, they both deny it so much they might as well be in a river in Somnambula,” Khepri laughed. “Even Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle can see it, and they see Sea almost like a daughter.”

“We’re not dating, we once… never mind, that’s private, but we’re not in a relationship together,” Sea sighed. “Jasper is just the best friend I’ve ever had, we grew up together after her parents vanished and she was taken in by her grandmothers. You haven’t even seen us together, it seems like kind of a leap to assume that.”

Sonata didn’t have to guess what Sea meant by Jasper’s parents vanishing, given what she could guess of that universe. “Please. Like I said, you’re fooling nobody with the way you worry and fret over her,” she said unconvinced. “Trust me, that’s basically the way I’ve seen Aria talk about Fluttershy at times. If my counterpart in Equestria is one of those things from the Odyssey, I’d like to think I know a bit about romance.”

“You two make me sick, you know that right?” Ankh said faking a gag. “Like, you really do. You’re like from some girly-girl Japanese anime… talking about your feelings and stuff!”

“And how do you know about these types of anime hmm…?” Sonata asked pointedly. Ankh said nothing in response.

“We all have our secret shames!” Khepri said.

“Tch, shut it you!” Ankh growled swiping at the bug with his good arm. Khepri simply flew out of the way. “I’ve never liked insects and I’m beginning to like you even less!”

And so began the great ‘tch’ war of 2017.

“Tch.”

“Tch!”

“Tch.”

“Tch!”

“Tch.”

“Tch!”

“Tch.”

“Tch!”

“Oh Gods above, there are two of them…” Sea groaned as she held her head in her hands. Ankh meanwhile looked ready to strangle Khepri. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but I’m paying for it big time.”

“This guy is really annoying!” Ankh and Khepri shouted at each other. Ankh was now pointing at the bug like a small child throwing a tantrum.

“Speak for yourself!” Sonata said. “Pot, meet kettle.”

Clearly, rehabilitating him would be much harder than she thought. Sonata had planned to introduce Ankh as some feral child from the Amazon jungle who had nothing in the way of absolute manners. ...which was pretty damn close to the truth now that she thought about it.

“I swear, if I ever get into a conversation with Dusk Shadow again, I’m going to ask her about the personalities programmed into these things,” Sea groaned. “I’m pretty sure that she and Elusive don’t have to put up with Shifters this annoying.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Sonata hummed. “They say when two people argue then that must mean they really care about each other… So by that logic, that means Khepri must care for you a lot.”

“Said logic’s faulty,” Ankh drawled. “I argued with Adagio a lot and we hated each other.”

“Yes, well, you’re… you, so you don’t count!” Sonata said in return.

Ankh looked fairly offended by this. “...why I oughta…”

“Again, that’s your problem,” Sonata said. “You’re so hostile it’s next to impossible for anyone to stand you. You need an attitude adjustment. Like, you do. And I don’t care if you’re 700 years old, that kinda thing didn’t fly then so I’m certain it won’t fly here!”

“Tch, not so high and mighty now are you?” Khepri chuckled.

“You need a Core to function!” Ankh shouted. “I wouldn’t be acting so haughty if I was you, considering if I took it away from-”

He was soon hit with the Friendship Spray.

“Bad Ankh,” Sonata chided. “No ruining anyone else’s transformation device!”

She then noticed the three little red medals that had fallen out of his body upon this third spray. A hawk, a peacock and a condor. Sonata knew exactly what this meant. “A full set…”

“Alright,” she said looking Ankh directly in the eyes. “Explanations, now. When did you get three red Cores, and who from?”

“Is it really your business?” Ankh challenged but backed off upon seeing the look in Sonata’s eyes. Sea was just confused.

“I… I don’t get what’s so important about a matching set of these medals,” she asked. “Do they increase your sister’s power or something?”

“Idiot woman, of course they do. You’ve seen Adagio only with mixed combos,” Ankh explained. “Now imagine the power a full set of any color would grant.”

Sea looked lost in thought at this.

“So where’d you get yours?” Sonata asked and Ankh finally relented before he explained.

“So, running experiments are we?”

Ankh hated that voice. It always spelled a headache for him. He groaned as he saw the unwanted form of that damn cat walking up. Yes, sure he was in his human guise but it was no less irritating to look at.

“Don’t you have anything else better to do?” Ankh asked in a ‘please kill me now’ tone. “Like, some female feline to hit up?”

“Some way to greet an old friend,” Kazari said with a wicked grin. Ankh remembered a saying. Never trust a nun, never trust a nurse, and never trust a cat. That’s how it went, right? “Still scheming I see. What’s got you so worked up this time?”

“You know exactly what, Kazari,” Ankh said not even bothering to look at him before he sniffed the air. “Dive into any dumpsters lately? Something stinks.”

“Only thing around here that stinks is your breath,” Kazari hissed. “I followed a trail of feathers here, are you molting bird-boy?”

“Ooooh, think a little harder on your insults and they’d almost sting…” Ankh sniped back. Kazari clutched a hand over his chest, miming being shot in the heart. Ankh had to keep himself from rolling his eyes.

“I’ve noticed a curiosity about you lately Ankh,” Kazari observed licking his hand. “Teaming up with Uva, to save Adagio? That’s not like you, I’d almost think you actually cared for the girl…”

“What are you driving at?” Ankh asked. “The only reason I had to team up with Uva was so that one less threat to our cores was out of the picture. If someone can defeat OOOs, then they surely can defeat us. This doesn’t concern you?”

“Yes, sure, keep telling yourself that,” Kazari said looking out over the city, leaning on the edge of the rooftop. He turned back to look at Ankh. “You care for the girl, admit it. Never thought it would happen again, but here you are… Let’s hope this turns out better than LAST time.”

Ankh let out a growl. “I thought we agreed never to talk about that…”

“I’m just saying,” Kazari said with a small shrug as he got up and walked over to the former King of Birds. “You’ve got your weaknesses, and I’ve got mine. Yours are just more… obvious.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ankh said trying very hard not to just toss Kazari off the rooftop and be done with it. It wouldn’t have killed the cat, but it would have made Ankh feel better. “Anyone knows your weakness is your pride and your lust for power.”

“That’s because in the animal world,” Kazari leered booping Ankh on the nose. “I’m on top of the food chain. Now remind me, what do cats do to birds again?”

“Your pride will be your downfall Kazari,” Ankh warned. “Someday you’ll pick a fight with an enemy you can’t win, or you’ll meet someone more manipulative than yourself. Sounds hard to believe, but it happens… every once in a century. Remember the King?”

“I seem to remember you fell for his lies as well, so you’re hardly innocent,” Kazari replied. “Granted, he had one advantage over you, and I don’t mean his belt…”

“...what are you implying…?” Ankh asked even though he already knew.

“Oh, a little of this, a little of that,” Kazari said. “I’m just saying, he knew exactly what buttons to press and how. He found you sobbing your little heart out after that mess with that girl. It was really quite pathetic really…”

“Why you…” Ankh said getting up off his perch.

“If you’re really going to fight me,” Kazari remarked. “Think on your choices a bit better. Think about it hard, considering unlike you I actually have a powerful body to back up my claims. What about you? Are you… ahem, armed and ready dare I say?”

Ankh curled up his fist and threw it punching a wall right next to the feline greeed. “If I were at my full power, we know how this would end…” he growled.

“But you’re not, are you?” Kazari remarked. “Fact of the matter is, you’re at the lowest you’ve ever sunk. You’re forced to rely on humans, and other Greeed!”

“And what about you?” Ankh pointed out. “You keep boasting about how you’re going to return to form, and yet… I’ve seen nothing of the kind.”

“Exactly, you’ve seen nothing of the kind, and that’s the entire point,” Kazari said. “I can’t be showing my hand at this stage in the game just yet. Especially not to you.”

“Tch!”

“And there we go, resorting to childish expressions!” Kazari laughed. “Granted, I know you’re working on something, surprised I didn’t think of it first!”

“Will you get to the point?” Ankh asked.

“I know what you’re doing,” Kazari smiled. “You’re trying to figure out what can kill a Greeed by throwing Uva, our punching bag around into various situations! Wraith was just the latest! If something does work, then you rush in and claim his medals! Hah! Sounds like something I’d do, run this experiment. Shame I didn’t think of it first.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Ankh said disgustedly.

“Be that as it may,” Kazari replied. “You’re still plotting to off your fellow Greeed. My my, how the times have changed! From saving little girls and giving them back their eyesight to offing your own kind!”

But finally he had gone too far, and Ankh punched him to the ground. Kazari changed into his true form and charged at Ankh claws bared. Suddenly he was covered in a nearly blinding light, and Kazari growled in rage as he realized what had happened. Ankh was now in possession of his Lion Core. And then he realized something else. He was now missing a certain bird core as well.

“So you let me goad you into punching me, just so you can rummage around in my body and steal a few cores,” Kazari appraised. “Clever bastard. I approve.”

And yet somehow, Ankh didn’t really like said approval…

Now obviously, Ankh had left out a few details such as his plans for Uva but this was what he had -mostly- explained to Sea, Sonata and Khepri.

“Well… that was certainly interesting,” Sea commented. “Are multiple transformation devices normal in this universe? We only have one each where I come from.”

“You read that Rider Club article, right?” Sonata asked. “Don’t think I didn’t catch you reading up on the Worms. Be thankful someone like Gorgom didn’t experiment on you and turn you into a cyborg! ...actually, do you even have those in ponyland?”

“Not outside of the comic books or whatever, no,” Sea replied with a shake of her head. “From what I understand our gear is based on ancient Neighponese magitech like I probably said. Though, I’m not really an expert on it as Tinker is our tech expert.”

“Tch, Or Princess Dusk Shadow, she’s better than that rookie,” Khepri snorted.

“Oh shut up, you like her,” Sea chuckled with a roll of her eyes.

“Ever feel you’re missing half the story?” Sonata asked leaning over to Ankh who could only nod.

“Sorry, more used to talking to ponies who know more about the Resistance,” Sea replied with a shake of her head. “It’s a long complicated story involving a scientist being captured and the Changelings using their notes to design the Change Drivers. Later when I got the Change Driver and Khepri, Tinker, our tech expert, used that to finish a Driver for the Resistance which is what Jasper now uses.”

“...Cross of Fire again…” Sonata murmured. “If one thing stays consistent between universes, it’s that. That, and a whole bunch of Rider Kicks.”

“Tch, are yours at least more original than just shouting Rider Kick?” Khepri asked with a chuckle.

“Hey, it was all I could come up with on the fly!” Sea protested.

Sonata could only laugh.

---

The Magnum Opus

The restaurant was once again jam-packed with customers, this world Ocean, and Thunder busy as bees keeping everything rolling while their Phoenix was busy delivering. While all of this was taking place the other Phoenix and Ocean were sitting inside a small break room right next to the kitchen. Ocean had been busy, looking across the net to find any Rider related information. There was a lot about Denver and OOO’s, but even more about a country named Japan, apparently this world’s version of Neighpone. Thankfully she had stumbled across a site called Kamen Rider Club that detailed information reaching back to the seventies.

“Really, really interesting,” she muttered, clicking on the next article, the familiar face of a gem-faced wizard looking back at her. “We never had time to look into the Riders when we were in Justice’s world. They even have an article about Kamen Rider Wizard. It seems to line up with what we learned about his history as well.”

“Wait, there is a Haruto in this world?” Phoenix returned, looking over to her.

“Yep, and also a little bit about Decade, but nothing but rumors. Seems he doesn’t show up that often. But he seems to have made enough of an impression apparently, someone has cursed him under every article about the guy. Guy calls himself DamnYouDecade1010. To be fair, Tsukasa is… well, Tsukasa after all. And nothing about any Rider called Justice either. Seems like OOO’s is the only Rider of this country until now besides rumors about one in 2010 and 2011 connected to a wave of missing person cases.”

“Anything about dimension travel?” He asked with a nervous undertone.

“No, sadly not. Well, nothing that would help us right now at least. Seems we have no choice than to stick to Adagio for now if your logic has any merit to it,” she sighed, clicking on the next article. “Come to think of it, what’s your opinion on her?”

Phoenix looked back at her with crossed arms before beginning. “Well, she definitely has a temper that could rival ours, but besides that? Not really much alike I would say. Nice enough on first glance, but I’m not really on the trusting her phase yet. Not that I think she is evil, I’m just… Somewhat unsure when I see her being the hero, that’s all.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean, it’s weird. Especially after our last battle… To be fair, if she puts the same kind of drive into being a hero, I think this city should be safe, don’t you agree?” He just chuckled in return. “And, in all honesty, she faintly remembers me of you when we first met and that can’t be too bad, right?”

“Well, as long as she doesn’t decide to not sleep anymore, then no, it’s a good thing. But we’ll see soon enough, right? Knowing the life of a Rider, trouble isn’t too far off, right?” He continued to chuckle only for it to slowly die out, replaced with a sigh. “This world is really filled with trouble, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, yeah it is…” Ocean nodded before slowly turning away from the laptop, a frown on her lips. “You think this will happen back home too? I mean, this is the fourth Rider World we know of and all are filled to the brim with monsters…”

“And all are filled with Riders as well,” he said with a smile. “For over forty years now I might add. They don’t give up, even in a world with so many monsters. Tartarus, even Sea is still fighting, even if her world sounds to be on its last legs. That’s the only thing we can really do, isn’t it? Fight till the last breath.”

Her expression slowly shifted into a weak smile before she bumped him on the shoulder: “Goodness, you’re happy. But thanks.” And with that, she gave him a quick kiss.

“If you two are making out in there…” came a warning tone.

“And what if we were?” Phoenix returned in a snarky tone.

“There’s someone here to see you,” Thunder said peeking his head in. “Looks important, wearing a nice suit and everything. Who’d you broker a business deal with?”

“No one… Who do you think it could be Phoenix?” He just shrugged in return. “Maybe someone of Adagio’s friends? Uhm, Thunder, would it be ok if she could come here so we can talk about this out of earshot of your guests?”

Thunder gestured with his hand, and in walked Starlight Glimmer setting her briefcase down at the edge of the door. She pulled up a chair.

“Starlight?” Ocean managed to say, her eyes wide open, just as her mouth as she stared at the new arrival.

“So you are familiar with me,” Starlight said looking slightly annoyed by the amount of grease in the restaurant and the smell of pizza. Evidently, she was not one for fast food. “Interesting.”

“You know her?” Phoenix added as well. “Who is she?”

“A genius and one of the quickest rising agent in the MRG. Onyx took her in after an… incident in the village she came from. Even though she is only twenty at this point she has already a position similar to mine before I was sent as head of a team to Canterlot,” she returned, curiously eyeing the woman. “We meet a few times, mostly through Onyx. He pretty much adopted her.”

“...You know, if you were trying to hide the fact that you’re from another dimension,” Starlight drawled. “...you’re not doing a very good job of it.”

“The only reason you would be here in the first place is that you know that much already. And since you should have met my double of this world just outside I thought I should come clean right away so we can skip that part. So, what do you want?” Ocean said, her tone still welcoming, but a bit more on the diplomatic side.

“I represent an organization,” Starlight said. “I think I might be able to get you home.”

“Oh, that is great, do you rea-” Phoenix interrupted only to be stopped by Ocean gesturing him to calm down.

“Organisation? Government, private, illegal? I would prefer to know what kind of organization you are talking about. Just to be sure of course,” she returned, an insincere smile on her lips.

“Private Contracts,” Starlight replied. It wasn’t technically a lie as such given the fact that Foundation X had their pockets in nearly everything nowadays. “Look, I believe we can help each other, and to be honest… I feel I owe you an obligation seeing as how it was one of my scientists who may or may not have accidentally brought you here.”

“Oh? A private organization that is able to breach dimensional barriers? Fascinating. Does that organization have a name or are you some group of no-men?”

“Ocean? Why are you so defensive? She just offered to help us,” Phoenix said, looking confused back at her.

“Well now, this is X-Tremely interesting isn’t it,” Starlight asked laughing at her poor pun in spite of herself. “But I wouldn’t blame your friend for being so suspicious. After all, if someone came to me and said I could just open up dimensional wormholes then I’d take it with a grain of salt. If something seems too good to be true, then it usually is.”

“So indeed, Foundation X, the merchants of death, wasn’t it?” She coldly returned, Phoenix face suddenly turning an interesting shade of pale white.

“Wait, what?”

Starlight suddenly realized she’d slipped up, before regaining her composure. “So you have heard of us,” she said pressing her fingers together. “Impressive. This is due to that group calling themselves the Kamen Rider Club isn’t it?”

Ocean just smirked: “Perhaps, who knows? I just know that just like ‘The Circle’ you are nothing more than a bunch of maniacs who whored power everywhere they can for whatever purpose, the consequences be damned.”

“Kougami then,” Starlight spat with no small amount of distaste. “Damn that insufferable man, he’s always been spreading lies. But I assure you, Foundation X only wants what’s best for the world. I want what’s best for the world, to improve it. We are simply just the foundations -if you will- of the next phase of humankind.”

“Sounds familiar actually. The world is changing at a rapid rate, it’s only a matter of time before everything will get out of control. Would you rather have someone in charge who cares for those beneath them or a bunch of criminals who would exploit it, right?” She returned, keeping a keen eye on every move she made.

“Well, obviously building the new world requires money, and even if we have to get it from… less than reputable sources we’ll still need it,” Starlight returned. “You’d be surprised on just how hard building a career is without the proper funding, especially if you’re a woman in this world.”

“You know, you sound just like my mother. Successful woman, head of a government agency to contain and study magical artifacts. She was considered one of the all-time greatest. I learned everything from her, looked up to her. Till the day she came with that argument to me. A preventive measure to stop the world from falling apart, turn our organization into a police state that would prevent anyone from causing any damage through magic,” she returned with a somewhat shaky voice.

“Ocean…” Phoenix muttered.

“Yes, well, your mother had good intentions but we all know what the road to Tartarus is paved with don’t we?” Starlight whispered sounding reminiscent. “I assure you, I have no intent on making the same mistake. I hoped I could make an ally out of you two, manage an error and get out in front of it before that damned Kougami could. I see now that I was mistaken.”

“Oh, you won’t make the same mistake? Then why are you here trying to recruit us to your side? I would advise you to leave now and not return. Not if you want to avoid her fate at least. This is my only warning, leave or we take you down.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Starlight said slapping on her belt. “I’ve faced two Riders already, and defeated them. I wanted to recruit you, because I know how powerful Riders are damnable as they are. But I see this venture was a wash now.”

Then, she flicked her wrist blasting Ocean out the back wall with the little gems embedded in her palm. “Henshin.”

“Equalize, Scienticize! Energize, Solarize!”

“I’ll foot you the bill,” Starlight said as her armor covered her, before she grabbed Phoenix and tossed him next to his girlfriend. “For both this establishment and... anything else.”

“The Revolution begins now.” Starlight stated, her armor letting off blasts and bursts of steam.

Outside both Phoenix and Ocean had landed rather roughly on the back alley behind the restaurant. But that didn’t stop either of them as they pushed themselves of the ground, each of them either putting on or activating their Driver.

“Ok, first, ouch! Second, fuck you for destroying my brother’s restaurant and third,” Phoenix growled back, slapping his Disc in the Driver while Ocean inserted her Charger into her own.

\ MAGIC DISC DETECTED! /

\ SCANNING CHARGE! /

“Henshin!”

\ FLAME DISC ACTIVATED! /

\ 50, 80, 100! THUNDER CHARGE! /

Both were once again covered in a fiery whirlwind and an electric orb before revealing their Rider forms to Starlight. “Come on, get out! I want to beat the shit out of you here!” Phoenix added, tauntingly waving her to come closer.

“I hate ruffians, you really are a fool if you think we can fight here and not put someone in danger,” Starlight said with a sigh. “And two things. One, I hardly call one brick wall destroying a restaurant. And secondly, it’s not you I’m interested in. It’s your girlfriend. She intrigues me.”

“Says the one who through us through that wall. And you know who I hate? It’s people who think they are so much better than everyone else and can decide what is best for them, but in reality, are just in it for themselves.” He hissed back, stomping on the ground to reinforce his point.

“Very well then, I’ll dance with you,” Starlight said in continued annoyance snapping her fingers. “Deal with her.”

As she said this, a fine mist covered the area leaving only the lights of Starlight’s helmet visible. Then Charge felt herself kneed in the gut before she was tossed into a brick wall by an unknown force. With a blast of wind, the mist faded away to reveal that same white-cloaked figure Adagio had encountered earlier that week, some of the white robes becoming wings.

“Masamune,” the figure stated before his armor changed and a truly elegant katana materialized in his hands. “The maker of the finest sword in Japan.”

Starlight meanwhile took advantage of Phoenix’s shock to land a powerful blow across his face, before slamming him into a nearby wall. She dragged him along it, ripping up bricks from along the wall. Finally, she released him, dealing out several more powerful punches.

Phoenix was thrown backwards several meters, landing a short distance away with a loud groan. The Rider was strong, but that never stopped him before, after all, he thought as he pushed himself up from the ground, slamming one of his fists into his open palm and dashed forward, straight ahead.

Starlight sidestepped, and grabbed Phoenix by the back of his armor slamming him into the ground. “Idiot, your rage is clouding your judgement.”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled, mixed with a bit of coughing, before grabbing her foot and snapped his fingers. In an instant, the two were consumed by a big explosion, seemingly from Starlight’s foot.

“That idiot!” Charge said as she saw the fireball racing towards her and Wraith. If Wraith was afraid, he didn’t show it.

Starlight’s palms glowed before the fire was absorbed into her body. The energy made her suit glow before with a wave of her hand she threw Phoenix back with a blast of energy. “And you shout at me for property destruction!” Starlight snarked. “Pot, meet kettle!”

She spotted something across the street and aimed a powerful roundhouse kick at Phoenix. He was once more sent flying into an empty construction site. “Least now if we destroy something, we won’t hurt anyone in the process,” Starlight noted. “Well, except you but that was a given.”

“Aww, you do care… How cute Stray,” he returned with a deep breath, once again pushing himself off the ground, his right arm charred and burned. “Whatever that was, I think that’s not gonna cut it,” he continued, removing the Disc from his Driver before replacing it with a purple, star-shaped one, spinning it quickly there afterward.

\ FRIENDSHIP DISC ACTIVATED! /

A pink and purple energy surrounded him before it dissipated and revealed the Rider in a purple suit with pink lines over it, two star-shaped shoulder pads and pink eyes. His previously charred arm now once again perfectly fine.

“So you’re going to friendship laser me?” Starlight asked with a chuckle. “Cute. But you’ll still fall. Listen up silly boy, you’re fighting someone who’s fought any Rider I can program into my training regiment. I’d advise you just sit back and take this as it comes.”

She let out a roar as she charged towards Phoenix, her suit glowing with energy.

He quickly ripped the Disc out of the driver once again, the disk starting to glow with light.

\ Friendship Disc Attack Mode! /

\ Connect Protector! /

The disc transformed into a star-shaped shield and a purple sword with a star-shaped armguard. In a split-second, he pulled the shield between himself and Starlight.

“So you intend to make me see stars?” Starlight asked, using the shield as a stepping stone to jump over Phoenix. She then knocked him to the ground with a leg sweep. Phoenix recovered, and rolled out of the way, pulling himself back up. He drew his blade, Starlight holding back the strike with her gauntlets.

With a swift movement, Starlight kicked him in the stomach making Phoenix stagger. Starlight slammed a fist into her palm, and then punched Phoenix hard knocking him out of his transformation…

Meanwhile, Charge and Wraith dueled.

“ALL IN THE FAMILY! GODFATHER AL CAPONE!” Wraith’s driver shouted as he fired a supercharged Tommy gun at Charge, the bullets never seeming to end.

Charge dashed to the side, circling the Rider while firing four shots of her Charge Revolver, which was a simple silver and blue six-shooter style revolver. All four shots hit the Rider square in the chest, letting him stumble backward a little bit. His Tommy-gun clattered to the ground.

Then the mist returned, thick and choking like pea soup.

Charge let out a scream as her eyes adjusted to the fog, feeling a knife cut into her armor. Then another slash and then another. She was kicked backwards. The mist returned to Wraith’s hand, his attire having changed once again. From the light tan to a deep black, twin surgeon’s knives on the faceplate with a top hat above them. “Jack the Ripper, Horror of Whitechapel.” Wraith stated still in that deathly monotone.

“Oh, you want to play hide and seek? Fine, two can play this game,” she hissed, switching her electric-blue Charger for a dark blue one.

“Charge up!”

\ 50, 80, 100! WATER CHARGE! /

Her light blue undersuit was replaced with a dark blue one and all over her body small engine like devices appeared all over her body. “No more hiding for you,” she said with a smirk under her helmet as the fog started to become nonexistent to her, instead replaced with infrared vision. Without warning, she spun the cylinder of her revolver before firing six shots at the ghastly Rider.

This proved the weakness in the fog, as it was mainly used for hiding and striking an opponent who couldn’t see through it. But when one could… the game changed. However, Wraith was already changing tactics and adapting. A strum of a Spanish guitar sounded as rose petals covered the alleyway.

Now the Rider was dressed like a skeleton, and holding a massive scythe. He swung it and the petals flowed towards’ Charge. Explosions peppered the alleyway as she was tossed back.

“Deadset.” Wraith said. “Game, set… and match.”

He snapped his fingers and returned to his base form, before with another snap of his fingers Charge found herself weaponless. Wraith now held her weapons. “This is why I am Lady Starlight’s Knight, her enforcer. You lost as soon as you chose to battle me, you just didn’t know it yet.”

One small push of the lever on his belt and a glowing eye opened up behind Wraith as he selected his target. “The finisher. Fade to black.”

He fired, and the battle was over.

Back with Phoenix and Starlight, they continued their own battle unaware of Charge’s defeat. “So you fought programs of Riders? Interesting, but I think that might actually come in handy here. You know, one thing machines or intelligent people can’t do is being stupid. People don’t fear idiots, but in the end, they don’t know the most logical approach and instead go for something completely bonkers. And, I tell you, I’m a massive idiot!” He chuckled before pulling out a perfectly round white Disc with golden line all over it.

“So now you show your true potential?” Starlight asked. “Very well then!”

\ PHILOSOPHER STONE DETECTED! /

“Henshin!”

\ HEUREKA! /

A powerful wind blew through the construction site, covering Phoenix in a white whirlwind and golden feathers. When everything calmed down once again he stood before Starlight in white armor with golden ornaments all over it. His shoulders had taken on the form of a large feather, a white cape hanging from his back. His horns had been turned into two golden, curved feathers and two blue eyes stared at her.

Placing both his hands behind his head and right against his helmet. “Ok, now we can start. By the way, I think I figured it out.”

“X Kick.” Starlight said swinging her foot in a powerful roundhouse maneuver knowing she had to end this battle now. She could already see the warning signs flashing all over her helmet. As Phoenix raised his gauntlets to block the strike, his eyes widened. Starlight vanished in a purple flash of light and came from behind pile driving him into the ground below.

“Oh, not bad. Teleportation as well? But that was a mistake,” he chuckled, snapping his fingers again. On the back of his helmet, a white seal appeared, intricate in its design, but Starlight had no time to admire it as suddenly something shot out of it. Within moments a tree had shot out from there, entangling the Rider and pushing her backward.

“Not… bad,” Starlight appraised. “Not bad at all.”

The seal disappeared from his back, the giant tree falling to the ground with a loud crash. Standing back up he chuckled: “You know, you aren’t half bad yourself, but you’re completely set in your ways. You can do no wrong, the ends justify the means, but in the end, you’re just stuck in your dream of a future, a bleak one, I might add. But you know what, that’s not gonna happen because I and every Rider in this world will not stop to keep moving forward towards a bright future!” With that, he spun the Disc once again. Jumping forwards, Phoenix glowed with a bright light, six wings appearing from his back, before kicking Starlight through several buildings.

Starlight bleeding in several spots and armor practically destroyed stood up. “Very well, I see the game is over.”

With this, she produced the Ridewatch and slammed it into her now open Driver, the Driver closing up around it. “Haipā Muteki na ōgon bodi! Kanzen shōri no Eguzeido Muteki Gēmā!”

A bright nearly blinding light lit up the area, and Starlight stood her armor completely repaired and glowing gold. “Hyper Muteki Rider… Hyper Muteki Ex-Ai~d!”

“And if I have to clear this with continues, so I shall!” Starlight said her eyes glowing a sickening color before she darted forwards punching Phoenix right out of his transformation.

“Like I said silly boy…” Starlight said as Wraith walked up tossing the unconscious Charge beside him. “I did advise you to sit back and take what comes. But I have some semblance of honor, I don’t beat on defeated opponents.”

“And besides..” Starlight said as she saw Scarab and OOOs driving up on their bikes. She saw the blast from Scarab’s Rider Machine coming, and took it quite unaffected. “I think these two should take you to the hospital. Till next time.”

With a golden flash she vanished as Wraith took to the skies.

“What… what was that?” Adagio asked as she helped Phoenix up.

“Someone who is really gonna regret underestimating an idiot…”

Author's Note:

Well then. Scared yet?