Chapter 9: Double Reunion

Sento and Kairi began to transform into RabbitTank form and Lupin Red, respectively as they began attacking the Grado soliders while finding the exit. While they were fighting, Ephraim and his company has arrived from the west corridor.

"Eirika!" Ephraim called out.

"Prince Ephraim, I hear sounds from the east corridor. Sounds like fighting!" The green-haired man informed.

"Do you think it could be General Seth and Princess Eirika?" The blonde-haired man asked.

"If that's the case, then we should head there and help her!" Banjo suggested.

"We have two goals here, men: save Eirika and vanquish the enemy." Ephraim told them. "Kyle. Forde. Banjo. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Your Highness." Kyle answered.

"As always." Forde also answered.

"Heh, of course I am! I may not be able to transform right now, but I can still fight!" Banjo told him.

"Lord Ephraim, we should join forces with Princess Eirika first. We should be able to reach them by way of the eastern corridor." Kyle suggested.

"Come now, Kyle. That seems like a lot of trouble when we could just crush Grado between us." Forde told him.

"A lot of trouble? Forde, you're as insolent as you are careless!" Kyle said.

"Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you, man? Don't you care about the safety of your princess?" Banjo told him.

"If anything were to happen to Princess Eirika, we Knights of Renais would..." Kyle added.

"Fine, fine. I see where you stand. Calm down, before you two boil over." Forde told them. "Prince Ephraim will decide. How shall we proceed, Your Highness?"

"We await your command, Prince Ephraim." Kyle said to Ephraim.

"The three of you, follow me!" Ephraim commanded.

"Alright!" Banjo shouted as he equips the Magma Knuckle on his right hand.

And with that, the three proceeds to attack the soldiers on the way to meet up with Eirika. On the eastern side, they heard some noise on the western side.

"What was that noise?" Kairi asked.

"It must be them!" Sento answered.

"Them? Who?" Eirika asked.

"I don't know, but we'll have to find out once we take out these soldiers on the way." Sento answered.

After taking out the soldiers guarding the nearby door, Eirika, Sento and Kairi proceed through it. There, Eirika couldn't believe what she saw: it's her brother, Prince Ephraim in the flesh!

"Brother?! Is it really-You're alive! You're alive!" Eirika express joy upon seeing his brother.

"Well, of course I am. After we escaped Renvall, I thought I'd strike a blow against the emperor himself." Ephraim said. "When I heard that you'd been waylaid by the enemy, however, I turned back to find you. Looks like my timing was impeccable."

"I'm so sorry. The irony is that I was trying to rescue you. All I did was interfere with your plans..." Eirika said.

"What are you talking about? You came to help me, didn't you? Your efforts alone are enough to inspire me." Ephraim asked. "Come on, Eirika! The enemy awaits!"

"All right!" Eirika nodded.

"Oh, who might you two be?" Ephraim asked as he points to both Sento and Kairi.

"These two are the ones who helped me find you, brother." Eirika answered.

"I'm Sento Kiryu and this is my friend, Kairi Yano." Sento introduced themselves to Ephraim.

"You two have rather strange armor and weapon. I've never seen anything like it." Ephraim said.

"That's because they're from a far away region, brother. Sento's a Kamen Rider and Kairi's a Sentai Ranger." Eirika told him.

"Kamen Rider? Sentai Ranger?" Ephraim was confused.

"Well, we're both heroes who protect the innocent and saving the world from evil!" Sento told him.

"I see..." Ephraim nodded. ""

"No problem at all." Kairi said. "We're glad we can help her in anyway we can."

"Prince Ephraim!" A voice can be heard.

Then, Kyle, Forde and Banjo catches up to him after he left off on his own. Sento couldn't believe what he saw when he sees Banjo

"Hey, man. Don't you run off on your own next time!" Banjo told him.

"B-Banjo?!" Sento said.

"Ah! S-Sento?" Banjo asked.

Then, we see Banjo approaching Sento and touches him to ensure it's really him. Sento then taps him on the head.

"What do you think you're doing, idiot?" Sento jokingly said.

"Hey, who are you calling an idiot?!" Banjo said before he realized. "...It really is you, Sento!"

"Of course it's me, you idiot! Who else can use this form but me?" Sento asked. "Still, I can't believe you're here... and alive, as well."

"Yeah, I can't believe it myself..." Banjo said.

"Well, I'm glad that you're alive." Sento told him.

Then, Banjo noticed Kairi, who was next to him.

"Ah! You're that phantom thief guy! You're here, too?" Banjo asked.

"Yeah. It's been a while since we last met." Kairi said.

But then, the conversation was interrupted by more Grado soldiers coming in their way.

"Looks like these guys don't want us talking here." Kairi said.

"Then, let us finish them off before we can get out of here!" Ephraim ordered.

"Right!" Eirika nodded.

"Banjo, hurry up and transform already." Sento told him.

"I can't..." Banjo said.

"Huh? What do you mean you can't?" Sento asked.

"I can't fit the Magma Full Bottle into the Magma Knuckle anymore." Banjo answered as he showed the Magma Full Bottle, which is a bit rocky, to Sento.

"I see...The Magma Full Bottle has been dried up..." Sento thought. "Well, do you still have the dragon with you?"

"Dragon? I'm pretty sure I still have it." Banjo said as he showed the Cross-Z Dragon to Sento.

"Perfect." Sento said as he takes out the Dragon Full Bottle. "Then, you're gonna be needing this..."

"This is...the Dragon Full Bottle!" Banjo said.

"I've been keeping that ever since you gave it to me during the final battle with Evolt." Sento told him.

"Alright!" Banjo shouted as he takes out the Build Driver.

"What is that?" Ephraim asked.

"It's the same device that Sento used..." Eirika answered. "Then, he's..."

"Yeah..." Sento nodded.

Then, he shakes the Dragon Full Bottle and then inserts into the dragon. He then lifts the dragon's head and tail so that it's now facing up and finally, he inserts the dragon into the Build Driver.

WAKE UP! CROSS-Z DRAGON!

After inserting, he then cranks the lever long enough until he stopped.

ARE YOU READY?

"Henshin!" Banjo shouted as he clenched his fist.

WAKE UP BURNING! GET CROSS-Z DRAGON! YEAH!

And with that, Banjo has finally transformed into Kamen Rider Cross-Z! Ephraim, Kyle and Forde could only look in awe as to what they see.

"W-What did I just saw?" Forde asked.

"Magic, perhaps." Kyle guessed.

"It's not magic, it's science!" Sento told them. "...Seriously, how many times did I say that?"

"Heh! It's been a while since I've used this form...It's good to be back!" Banjo said.

"Welcome back, Banjo...or should I say, Kamen Rider Cross-Z!" Sento told him.

"Now, I don't feel like losing this time around!" Banjo said.

"Alright then, shall we begin the experiment?" Sento said.

And with that, both Build and Cross-Z proceeds to attack the soldiers. Ephraim, Eirika, Seth, Kyle, Forde and Kairi soon followed them as they assist the Riders. After taking out the remaining forces, they finally reached the throne where Tirado is waiting.

"Hmm...My men were unable to finish the job, were they?" Tirado said.

"Well, that's what you get for underestimating us!" Sento told him.

"It falls on me to show you my own special brand of power." Tirado said.

Tirado tried attacking them with his lance, but they managed to dodge it. Build then retaliates by using the Drill Crusher, but he blocked it and kicked him away. Lupin Red then used his VS Changer to shoot him, but his armor was too strong and the bullet didn't get through.

"Hahaha! Your pathetic attack can't get through my armor!" Tirado laughed.

"Well, in that case..." Lupin Red said as he takes out the Magic Dial Fighter.

"What's that?" Ephraim wondered.

"I believe that's what Kairi called a Dial Fighter." Eirika answered.

MAGIC! 0-2-9! MASQUERAISE! KAITOU BOOST!

Lupin Red summoned a Magic Arrow in his right hand and then used it to fire an energy arrow at him. Tirado didn't move, as he think he can fend off the arrow, but unfortunately, the arrow goes through the armor, damaging him.

"I-Impossible..." Tirado said.

"Interesting..." Ephraim was interested by Lupin Red's weapon.

Then, we see Build inserting a Rabbit Full Bottle into the Drill Crusher and Cross-Z inserting the Dragon Full Bottle into the Beat Closer and pulls the grip at the end of the hilt twice.

READY GO!

HI-HIPPARE!

"Let's go, Banjo!" Sento said.

"Okay!" Banjo nodded.

VOLTECH BREAK!

MILLION SLASH!

Sento and Banjo used their swords to simulatenously slashed Tirado, injuring him even further.

"Do it!" Sento told both Eirika and Ephraim.

"Let's go, brother." Eirika told his brother.

"Right." Ephraim nodded.

Then, we see both Ephraim and Eirika charged towards the weakened Tirado and stabbed him with their weapons.

"Very...impressive...However...I expect you'll wish you'd died here on my steel. Lord Valter is...not nearly as merciful as I..." Tirado's last words before dying.

"It's finally over..." Ephraim muttered.

"What should we do now?" Banjo asked.

"Well, we should get out of here. We already conquered the castle." Sento suggested.

"He's right. Let's go, everyone!" Ephraim told them.

They managed to get outside the castle where everyone is waiting for them. While Eirika and Ephraim have their own conversation, alongside Franz, Kyle, Forde and Seth, we see Sento and Banjo talking to Kazumi.

"Hmph. I've never thought I would see you again..." Kazumi said.

"K-Kazumin?! You're alive?!" Banjo was surprised.

"Yeah, I was transported here instead of dying..." Kazumi answered.

"What about you, Banjo? How did you get here?" Sento asked.

"I don't know...The only thing I remember is that I helped you take out Evolt and all of a sudden, I'm right here in this strange land, with my body still intact."

"That's strange...How did the three of us end up here instead of the merged world?" Sento wondered. "Surely, there must be a reason as to why's here..."

"Is there a way for us to get out of here?" Banjo asked.

"I don't know, I haven't found anything yet..." Sento answered.

"So, what do we do in the meantime?" Banjo asked.

"Well, I guess we have to help Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika until we find a way to get out of here." Sento answered before he noticed Eirika waving at them. "Oh, looks like Eirika has something to say. Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Banjo said.

With that, the three Riders walked towards Eirika, but Kazumi whispered something to Sento while on their way.

"Sento, I've been wondering about something..." Kazumi said.

"What is it?" Sento asked.

"If I'm being transported here instead of dying, then...you don't think HE...might be here, still alive?" Kazumi asked.

"I've been wondering that myself, ever since I found you..." Sento answered. "Maybe there's a chance that HE's alive...somewhere around Magvel."

Somewhere...

We see a mysterious man walking in front of many Grado soldiers. He seems to have the Sclash Driver in his waist.

"W-Who are you?!" The soldier demanded.

He didn't respond and instead, he took out the Crocodile Full Bottle, twists the lid and inserts it into the Sclash Driver.

DANGER! CROCODILE!

"Henshin..." He muttered.

He then pushed the Activate Wrench downwards, which begins his transformation sequence.

WARERU! KUWARERU! KUDAKECHIRU! CROCODILE IN ROGUE! ORAA! AAHHHHH!

A/N: And that's Chapter 9. What a great reunion isn't it? Not only do we get the Eirika-Ephraim reunion, but also Sento-Banjo reunion as well. We also to get to see the return of Kamen Rider Cross-Z!

Oh, and there's going to be one more Rider joining them soon...I think you already know who it is.

That's it for now and I'll be seeing you in Chapter 10.