Chapter 34: Recovery
Part 1: Wataru's Repentance.
Wataru winced as his strength failed him, the large canister in his hands crashing to the floor.
"Are you alright, Wataru?" Mayuri asked, hefting the canister with practiced ease.
"Yes, Mayuri-san..." Wataru said, dejectedly, "Why did I let myself get duped like that?"
"Because we're all made of flesh and blood," Mayuri said, "And Stained Glass, for some of us... We're allowed to make mistakes. It's our right as beings with a highly functioning brain."
"You don't get it though," Wataru said, "I killed people... I killed priestesses of ultimuus."
"And you've been forgiven. You've been a great help to us all, The rangers are even glad to have another rider on their side... Especially with Kenzie-chan pregnant and all."
"How did you find out?" Kenzie said, drawing the rainsoaked hood from her head as she closed the door to the sanctuary, "Hows the repairs going?"
"Well," Mayuri said, "How are you feeling, Hime?"
"Like I could eat a few horses," Kenzie said, "Is Kira busy?"
"She's in one of the classrooms, teaching some possible trainees about our ways." Mayuri said, getting a mischeivous glint in her eye, "But I think they could benefit from the appearance of a hero."
"I ain't doing it," Kenzie said, "I don't know about you, but that armor doesn't exactly give much around the stomach area."
"Who said you had to walk in transformed, Hime?" Mayuri said, "you bear the markings still, you are the Unknown Warrior, even stuck in your current state."
"True," Kenzie said, "Though i'm surprised you didn't make the new kid take the trial of repentance."
"I left it up to Kira," Mayuri said, "Besides, there hasn't been a Priest of Ultimuus in ages, though such is not unheard of in our order."
"Heh," Kenzie said, "I'd call the priests less of a cleric and more of a battlemage. Most even knew the art of Necromancy."
"Necromancy?" Wataru said, "You're kidding, right?"
"Yeah," Kenzie said, snickering, "Whatever."
As Kenzie walked towards the classroom Kira was in, Mayuri kept a straight face.
"Mayuri-San," Wataru said, "She was kidding, right?"
Mayuri smiled, "I hope so."
-Temple classroom 1-
"As priestesses of Ultimuuus," Kira said, the silver and gold kimono she wore bound by a copper chain, denoting her rank of Mistress of knowledge, and keeper of Archives, "You will be bound to uphold the laws set forth by Ultimuus, and be willing to stand in the path of any being willing to attack our ideals, your fellow priestesses, or the Unknown Warriors."
"The Unknown Warriors?" A young woman of 17 inqured.
"A being of immense power, whose very existence is due to Ultimuus' intervention. They are protectors of the earth, and of the ideals of our faith." Kenzie said as she entered, her right arm uncovered, showing an elaborate tattoo over her bicep, "Though I also go by Kenzie, nitwit, and other names I won't use in front of the nice priestess."
Get ready for honorifics out the ass, you sneak, Kira said, telepathically to Kenzie, It'll remind you not to visit me during class.
"Honored one," Kira said, mischief in her eyes as she solemnly bowed her head, "What brings you here?"
"Oh, nothing too much, " Kenzie said, "Mainly wanted to see how the temple was faring. Getting to see new blood entering the journey is a plus though."
"Ah," Kira said as she and Kenzie both felt Bloody Rose's echoes, "Well, Thank you for visiting us, honored one..."
"Yeah," Kenzie said, her phone going off right on time, "I gotta take this."
-Sanctuary-
"Kenzie-chan," Mayuri said, "is there another attack?"
"Yeah," Kenzie said, "Wish me luck."
"Wait," Wataru said, "You're pregnant, You don't need to be out there."
"I'm more durable than you think," Kenzie said, thumping the side of her head, as to prove a point, "But backup would be nice."
"Let her go," Kira said, "I'll he here to back up, Too."
"You change quick," Kenzie said, noticing Kira now wearing a black shirt, dark jeans, and a bubble jacket, "Ready?"
"KIVAARA!" Kira said.
"Kivat!" Wataru said.
"Scionus!" Kenzie said, the three Kivats swooping in and landing in their owners hands.
"Kivatte Ikuze!" Kivat said, "BITE!"
"Let's go, Kira-chan!" Kivaala said, "BITE!"
"Hmph, You're reckless, Hime... but so is that child that you're growing," Scionus said, "It yearns for battle... Battle it will feel! BITING!"
After the bats finished biting, the three brought their Kivats in front of them in unison.
"HENSHIN!"
-Ocean bluff Bank and trust parking lot-
As the 4 fangire attacked random people, the three riders made it to the scene, Kira grinning under her helmet, "Your adrenaline level is through the roof, Kenz... You ok?"
"I'm ready for battle," Kenzie said, "Let's go!"
As the 4 fangire spotted the 3 riders, the 2 golden wyverns, Tatsura and Tatsulot flew down, docking on Kivaara and Kiva's arms respectively, before transforming them into their Empire forms respectively.
Leaving 1 rider in their base form.
"Aw!" Kenzie said, "No fair!"
As the three riders tore into the monsters, Kenzie seemed to be at the top of her game, until the first fangire, one resembling a hawk, connected with a telling blow to her stomach.
"Silly girl... Fighting with a child in the womb..."
"Hmph!" Kenzie said, scrambling up, cradling her stomach, "Kira, I need the Arms Monsters!"
"What?!" Kira said, "But..."
"Just let me use them."
As Kira brought her hand to her fuestles, Kamen Rider Destiny rode onto the scene.
"No," Destiny said, "Using Scion's DoGaBaKi Form would be too much."
"I don't CARE!" Kenzie said, brushing past her old friend, and compacting scionus' wings inward.
"Hime!" Scionus said, panicked, "Your body can't handle the stress!"
"BREAK UP!" Kenzie said, forcing the bat to fly off, revealing the Sciondriver.
-Kamen Ride: Scion!-
As the armor finished forming, Kenzie rushed forward, even as blue electricity coarsed over her body.
"She's Reckless," Morrelson said under his breath.
"Always has been," Dora said over the comlink, "But other than kill her, there's nothing that we can do to stop her from going after that monster."
"Hmm." Destiny said as the two combatants fought, oblivious to the other two riders finishing their battles and watching in in horror as Kenzie fell to one knee, "Maybe she is ready."
As Kenzie stumbled to her feet, Scion form re-constituted.
"You still want to fight?" the Hawk Fangire said, "Why? Why do you throw yourself at danger so readily!?"
"You don't get it, do you?" Kenzie said, the electricity still pulsing through the armor, even though Break form had since faded, "I throw myself at danger, not because I want to, but it's my sworn duty... and the oath I pledged when I was old enough to take the mantle of the unknown warrior. I will protect those who can't protect themselves, and destroy those who would take their lives."
"You intrigue me, girl... Might I ask... What are you?"
"Hmph," Kenzie said, "Just a passing through Kamen Rider... Remember that!"
"Kenzie,' Morrelson said, tossing a phone-sized device to her, "Use that, It should balance your suit's energy levels."
Kenzie nodded, before pressing the screen
-Q-
-U-
-A-
-N-
-T-
-U-
-M-
"QUANTUM" The phone said, before bouncing a light into scionus' eyes.
"I get it..." Scionus said, "Q-Touch... Quantum Form!"
As Scionus said that, he flew off the roost, taking the buckle part of the Sciondriver with it, leaving the two pulltabs, and a place big enough to put the phone. As soon as the bat left the roost, most of the external armor cracked, before exploding outward, revealing a slick bodysuit, with glowing armor on the ankles and wrists, with backwards facing shoulder spikes glowing the same sickly blue as the rest of the armor. As a new, sleek, black breastplate formed over Kenzie's chest , the Omnilenses donned the same glowing blue color, , with the rest of the helmet taking on the characteristics of the rest of the bodysuit, black, and streamlined. As Kenzie placed the Q-Touch on the buckle area, Scionus docked on the card reader, his mouth now forming the opening of the sciondriver's card slot.
"Hmph," Hawk Fangire said, "You've lost almost all your armor. This will be simple."
As the Hawk Fangire flew forward, he was met by a high speed punch delivered by Kenzie, before taking 2 more thunderous kicks to the sternum.
"Impulse" Q-Touch said, as Kenzie ran extremely fast at the monster, kicking it in the shoulder, causing it to flip a couple times before landing on the ground.
"How..." Hawk Fangire said, as a card automatically loaded into the buckle.
"Final Attack Ride." The Q-Touch said, in it's eerie voice, "Warp."
Kenzie's suit glowed before launching her forward at nearly the speed of light, before the girl jumped in the air, bringing an axe kick down on the monster, enough to rend it in twain.
"You... Your will... is unbreakable..." The hawk Fangire said before exploding.
As the commotion died down, Scion's transformation ended, leaving a panting Kenzie.
"Hey," Kira said, "you Ok?"
"No," Kenzie said, tears in her eyes, "That fucking hurt."
As the other three ended their transformations, Morrellson grinned, "I'll get Kenzie back home. You two go back to the temple."
"No," Kira said, "I'm coming with. Wataru can come too, as my guest."
"Won't the priestesses wonder where you both are?" Morrelson, genuinely worried.
"Mayuri is probably in the Crystal chamber watching us. If she has a problem with it, then so be it. Sides, Kenzie's still the UW."
"Thanks for flippantly pointing that out," Kenzie deadpanned as Morrelson pressed a button on his phone, summoning a large humvee, this one having blue tail-lights.
"Noice," Kenzie said as the four entered the vehicle.
"SugimoriCorporation," Morrelson said, a grin on his face, "Full impulse, plot away from civilian vehicles."
-TBGF-
Part 2: The fall of the jaguar.
As the Riders were battling the monsters at the much-maligned Bank and Trust location, Theo coughed violently, shaking him out of his meditation.
"Man... I don't feel good." Theo said, scratching his head, before looking at the time.
"Crap! Lily's probably going to kill me! We were supposed to spar." the blue ranger said, before washing his face and running out of the room.
As he ran past the medical bay, to the holodeck, Dickson walked past him and entered the medbay, before firing up one corner's ventilation system and lighting up a blunt.
As dickson smoked his marijuana in peace, he barely noticed the lifesupport system on Fran's stasis bed cease, along with the force-field dissipating over the young woman's body.
As fresh air entered the young woman's lungs, Fran opened her eyes, the light forcing her to close them back again a few times before acclimating.
"Man... where am I?" Fran said,
"Fran!" Joe said, putting his weed out and saving it for later, "Good to see you awake."
"How long have I been out?" Fran said, worried."
"About five months..." Joe said, "A lot of things have changed."
"I bet," Fran said, "Where's Theo?"
"I think he went to spar with Lily," Joe said, "They don't have their morphers on them though."
-Red Alert... All non-essential personnel to safety areas.-
-Sparring arena, 4 minutes before-
Lily and Theo traded punches, with the former having to nearly go full out just to keep up against theo.
"Theo, your heart rate is going through the roof.. everything ok?"
"Yeah," Theo said, before collapsing to his knees, cradling his head in pain.
"Theo?" Lily said, before seeing eldritch lightning coarse over the young man, "Theo, what's wrong?"
"Hmph..." Theo said, getting to his feet, his eyes an evil red, "Theo... is dead... my dear..."
With that, a silver staff appeared in Theo's outstretched hand, before the ranger took the form of an enemy that Lily knew all too well.
"No!" Lily said, before a bolt of energy tossed her into the far wall, "Computer... Emergency... summon the rangers.. to.. training... room.. 2.."
As Lily lost consciousness, Lord Zedd teleported out, knowing not to risk a similar beating to the one he received last time.
-present time-
As Dickson made it into the training area, he found Kenzie, Kira, Morrelson, and an unfamiliar person checking on Lily.
"What's going on?" Dickson said, "Moreover, who's the dude in the red muffler?"
"Wataru Kurenai," Morrelson said, "Kamen Rider Kiva."
"Cool, huh?" Kira said, impishly, before looking to Kenzie, "What'cha think?"
"Negative energy blast," Kenzie said, "most likely from a magical being... Computer,... activate holo-imagers... Last 4 minutes of footage... Inquiry... any monstrous beings... show 3d image... Commit."
As the computer formed the being, Kenzie's breath siezed for a second when she saw the being who attacked Lily.
"Lord... Zedd.." Kenzie said, "But he died."
"Apparently not," Annika said, walking into the room, "We've got another problem..."
"Oh?" Dickson said, what?"
"Drena's sent baddies In full force."
"Theo..." Lily said, stirring, "Guys... Theo... theo's become.. lord zedd..."
"That's not possible," Dickson said, before getting shut up by Kenzie.
"Makes sense," Kenzie said, pulling out her morpher, "Heh, I never got the tailor to work on this."
"No," Dickson said, "I've been cool with you Kamen Ridering, but your ranger form has no armor around the midsection... I'm not going to see another friend lose a baby just because they wanted to play hero."
"Stop me, then," Kenzie said, getting in dickson's face, before the latter stepped aside, not wanting a confrontation with his good friend.
"Be careful, Kenz," Kira said, before hitting the button on the com system, "All clearance zeta members... SCRAMBLE!"
-TBGF-
Part 3- The Lost soul.
Cassie drove her scooter down the highway until she reached the small copse of trees that marked an elaborate grave. As she dismounted her bike, her eyes met those of one other person, a woman Cassie hadn't seen for years.
"You weren't kidding when you said you changed," Olivia Rhodes said, "How are you doing, honey?"
"I've been fine...Listen..."
"I know..." Olivia said, "Billy told me..."
"You know Billy?" Cassie asked, "Why did you want to meet at Dad's grave, then?"
"I think I know what really happened to your brother..."
"Lucas?" Cassie said, "Mom, he died when I was four."
"Yes," Olivia said, running a freshly manicured hand through her slightly graying hair, "Cass... whoever killed him didn't do it because of money or fame, or whatever... They killed him because of a power that flowed through him... and... amazingly enough... even though your embryo was transplanted, you."
"You're saying i'm a target?" Cassie said, "Then why bring me out here?"
"I'm offering you respite from the pain that's coming for you... I've started working with Torchwood, an outfit in britain that protects from stuff like this... You'd be safe."
"Nah," Cassie said, "You threw me out when I was fifteen... I think i've done great since then."
"They'll pursue you intensely, until you die or they all die... Do you want that?"
"What happens, happens...," Cassie said, "But don't try to use fear to try to get back into my life, mom. Cause it won't work."
With that, Cassie walked away, her canvas shoes barely disturbing the pine needles.
"You warned her," a man with blond hair said, "My bretheren will no doubt attempt to attack her now that you've shown that she's related to you."
"I know, Ankh,"Olivia said, stained glass markings appearing on her face, "When will the new gear be ready?"
"You don't intend to fight, do you?" Ankh said, some worry seeping into his speech, "The world isn't ready for the power you bring."
"I know... " Olivia said, "But it may never truly be ready..."
AN Hour later
As Cassie sped down the road, she failed to spot the policeman staking out the road ahead.
As she heard the siren, she found a shoulder and pulled over, with the cop stopping behind her.
"License and registration, please," The cop said, taking Cassie's information, nodding as he looked over the information, "Do you know how fast you were going, Ms. Rhodes?"
"No sir," Cassie replied.
"You were going 95 in a 60 zone," The policeman said, before seeing the Sugimori corp ID badge on her necklace, "Ah, makes sense, you're with Sugicorp."
"That's the unfortunate rumor," Cassie said.
"Ok... Listen, since this seems to be your first offense, I'm going to let you have a warning... but don't push your speed like that again. Sugicorp or no, safety's number one."
"Thank you officer," Cassie said, before seeing the officer's face pale, "Officer, what's wrong?"
"Look behind you..." The officer said, before fainting.
"Ah, lemme guess, Baddie, probably one, with a bad attitude, and worse claws..." Cassie said, before placing her hair in a scrunchie and grabbing her morpher, "Full Throttle, Henshin!"
As Cassie finished morphing, she brought an armored gauntlet in front of her, "Alright, time to test the upgrades!"
-ten minutes later-
The monster wrapped it's hand around Cassie's unmorphed neck, cracking a menacing grin as it looked at the young woman.
"Pathetic!" The monster said, "You're Rhodes' Child, but you don't carry the Seed?"
"The Seed?" Cassie gasped out as the monster tossed her against the cliff, next to her now trashed bike, "What seed!?"
"Make sure your mother knows this, young woman..." The monster said, "My master will find Agito... and Kill him!"
"Agito?" Cassie said, as she clambered to her feet, only to find the monster gone, "What the hell was that?!"
As she checked herself for injuries, she felt herself being beamed up.
-TBGF-
"Agito's a myth," Kenzie said, "No one has ever obtained concrete evidence that he actually exists."
"Normally i'd be skeptical of Kenz calling anything a myth," Dora said, her stomach slightly swollen, "However, she's right... There are no known beings called Agito..."
"Not in the original Unyarou plane... unless... Computer," Kenzie said, taking out a pair of black rimmed spectacles and putting them on her face, "Security Access Hikari 33alpha baker Tango... I need any information on any... Agito in Japan at any time in the last ten years."
"She busted out Sugi's brainy specs," Morrelson said, grinning, "Hmm... According to the search results... There was an outbreak of monsters called "Lords" in 2001... A young man named... Souichi Tsugami defeated them... However... Check this out... Take the picture from the archive, save it to a file, bring up a pic of young Cassie's brother, age him a few years... BINGO!"
"Same dude," Kenzie said, "Jim, you're a fuckin' genius."
"What can I say?" Morrelson said, "Your specs are contagious."
Kenzie grinned before grimacing for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Kira asked.
"The baby kicked," Kenzie said, "Outta my way, it just did a rider kick on my bladder."
As the gathered shared a laugh at the Wielder of scion's expense, Dora and Dickson stepped away from the group.
"How were her tests?" Dickson said, worryingly.
"The baby is stronger than ever, but that's what has been worrying me. Gestation for a normal dragon is 5 months... Kitsune around 4 to 5... and Shadow around 9," Dora said, "However... every time she's used that armor, that child in her womb has been growing. I know you've had her spending weeks at a time in one of the pocket dimensions, but even taking in those stints... she should still have at least a month left...
"I guess what i'm trying to say is... " Dora said, worried.
"Hmmm..." Dickson said, "Well, maybe we shoul-"
Dickson was interrupted by a sharp blast of telepathic energy... which could only come from one person.
As dora ran into the bathroom, she saw a puddle of liquid on the floor, with Kenzie shaking horribly.
"I.. I think my water's broke."
"Dickson to Divine Legacy, 3 to beam directly to medbay, get the incubators and such ready, Kenzie's having her baby NOW!"
As the others gathered heard Dickson's panicked request for beam up, Morrelson scratched his head.
"Cassie, You and Anni beam up there, I'll let everyone else know, then go get Kira." Morrelson said, before being cut off by T'leyah.
"You let everyone else here know, then beam up. I'll go talk to Kira." The young vulcan woman said, a small smile on her face, "Go, you two are old friends."
"And you're sugi's daughter. " Morrelson said.
T'leyah just smiled before running off.
"That girl..." Morrelson said, "She's her daddy's girl, that's for sure."
-TBGF-
As T'leyah neared the Temple of Ultimuus, the same monster who had attacked Cassie, a lion based beast, stood in her way.
"You... You aren't Agito!" The monster said, "Leave this place!'
"How about no." T'leyah said, arming the ValkyrDriver, "Henshin!"
-Kamen Ride - Valkyr!-
As the Valkyr Armor formed over T'leyah's frame, The young Vulcan ran forward, locking into a test of strength against the monster, only to get overpowered.
"Hmph, DO you really expect that to work?" The monster said, before Valkyr armed a small switch on the left side of her belt.
"Cast Off!" Valkyr said, toggling the switch.
-CAST OFF!- The belt said as pieces of Valkyr's armor began to split and form outwards, as if ready to burst outwards. After a moment, the armor plates did exactly that, revealing sleek, crimson and blue armor along the chestplate, with red and charcoal grey shoulder pauldrons. The horns on the helmet began to shift forward, before the tips of each side shifted to form right angles with the rest of the horn, before combining, thus giving the impression of one full horn, similar to a Rhinoceros beetle's,
-CHANGE BEETLE!-
"Ah... This might just be a good fight after all." the monster said.
"What are you?" Valkyr said, the black bodysuit underneath the armor gleaming in the light of dusk.
"I am... the El of the ground... And your executioner."
"Is that so?" T'leyah said, the tone of her voice almost... relaxed, before pressing the red buttonlike middle of her Valkyr Driver.
-One-
-Two-
-Three-
"Rider Kick..." Valkyr said, walking forward.
-RIDER KICK!-
With a vicious kick, T'leyah rent the monster in two, causing it to explode rather anticlimactically.
"T?" Kira said as T'leyah ended her transformation, "What's going on?"
"Kenzie's giving birth," Morrelson said, sitting on an overturned trash bin, "Come on, I'll have all of us beamed up."
-TBGF-
Kenzie screamed in intense pain as the baby came out of her womb, the newborn wailing as it took its first breaths of sterile air on the starship.
"It's a girl." Dora said, wrapping the baby in a blanket before putting it in Kenzie's arms, right as Kira, Morrelson, and T'leyah entered the medbay.
"Just remember," Kenzie said, a small grin on her face, "When you have your baby, you can't claim that I don't know the pain you'll be facing."
"She's beautiful," Kira said, "Well, Momma, What you gonna name her?"
"Alyciana Rebekhe." Kenzie said, "What? At least I didn't name her Perpugilliam!"
"IT's a beautiful name," Kira said, stroking Kenzie's hair.
-TBGF-
One week later.
"You sure Kira doesn't mind watching Aly while we try this?" Kenzie said, "I mean, Yeah, i've made small Vortexes before, but nothing as big and Ohmigod-dangerous like this before."
"Yeah," Dickson said, "Sides, you did tell her that it'd probably be a whole day thing anyway."
"I know," Kenzie said, "Let's get started then."
As the two began, a portal appeared, a multicolored tinge of red and green bordering the portal, growing larger until it was big enough to transfer a person or two.
"Bonzai?" Dickson inquired.
"Allons-y!" Kenzie said.
New Factions:
Torchwood: A special organization in Britain, under the control of the Crown, whose purpose is to appropriate and adapt alien technology for the purposes of protecting the earth. Just a hint, You'll be hearing about these folks later on.
New character : Olivia Rhodes: A High ranking member of Torchwood, and a Fangire who travels with a man known only as Ankh. She seems to know things that our heroes do not.
New Forms
Valkyr- Haste Form: After releasing a switch on her armor, Valkyr sheds most of the bulky armor and becomes Valkyr-Haste, whose helmet is based on the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. This armor seems to incorporate the design of a Kamen Rider who walked the path of heaven in 2006.