Episode 037: The Impostor's Secret, part 1

Author's Note #1:

Given that the impostor Genm has been stealing the spotlight, the whole Ex-Aid casts featured throughout the fic are beginning to be aware of the existence of the doppelganger, as shown with Asuna at the end of the previous chapter. The impostor Genm himself is the walking spoiler of the third act since his sole purpose is to erase the real Kuroto Dan from existence, also he's Go's puppet. Given the doppelganger still has the real Kuroto's unstable and psychotic traits. However, the doppelganger lacks the real Kuroto's polite and businessman-like demeanor, in other words, the impostor Kuroto has a very unpleasant and violent disposition, and is much more of a schoolyard bully.

This chapter marks the re-appearance of Hilda since the first two chapters of the fic after Ange and company were forced to leave her home colony being invaded by the intergalactic invaders (Black Cross Armada). Let us explore how Hilda managed to reach the Earth without being chased by those aliens.

Though most of this chapter discusses much about the Genm doppelganger, we get a subplot involving Alain.

-Screaming in the Night-

It was very late night, and everyone is asleep. The Command Tower residents are already getting themselves shut eyes. The observatory in the 19F is quiet, and so does the laboratory on the 20F. The 14th floor, both Alain and Makoto slept without any visible distractions from their respective rooms… Both Mitsuzane and Samus are sleeping much better in their room in the 15F.

While 16th floor is also peacefully quiet. Fortunately, Ange gets to sleep away from Tusk to make sure the latter doesn't do anything lecherous, as the latter is trying to restrain himself even after falling into the tricks of both Go and Mitsuzane. Mayu is no slouch either, she manages to close her eyes without hearing the young couple shouting at each other and vice versa.

Meanwhile in Go's room in the 17th floor. As Go is asleep, something just crawled onto his bed. No, it's not a bug, but something big. As this mysterious presence crawled even further on Go's bed, he feels something, though it doesn't wake him up for a few seconds. When Go takes notice of something crawling around his bed…

The mysterious presence around the bed began chanting something inaudible, "RA… YA… AN… GE… NO… O… NA!"

The ominous voice gave a frightening vibe to Go as his mouth opens wide as he is about to scream at the top of his lungs, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!", Go hysterically gets out of the bed out of fright as he saw something crawling around his bed. His scream is loud enough to wake everyone inside the tower!

Kyu, who sleeps at the top of the double deck bed, wakes up seeing Go cowering in fear as they see a living lump on the loudmouth's bed when Kyu checks on Go, the only thing the latter can do is holding on through his legs like a hysterical child.

Seconds later, Mitsuzane opens the door, Momoka and the other Space Explorers (in their sleeping clothes) check on Go.

"The hell was that?", the young Kureshima replied all while rubbing his left eye.

And Go started to sound like a boy who cried wolf, "It got into bed all of a sudden", Go cried out, "and it sounds like someone's chanting a spell… It scared the hell out of me!"

And Go's bed starts moving…

"Whoa!", everyone but Samus screamed. At the same time, Alain ends up jumping into Makoto's arms out of fright.

"Go-kun, what does the spell sounded like?", Mayu asked, flinched at the sight of Go's bed moving on its own.

Go repeats the inaudible noise which caused him to scream like a child, "RA… YA… AN… GE… NO… O… NA!"

"RA… YA… AN… GE… NO… O… NA?", Mayu repeats the said inaudible chant, before thinking for a second about the closest audible sentence, "RE… YA… AN-", then Mayu figures out what does the inaudible chant means: "Are you Ange or not?"

That means, that mysterious presence is looking for Ange.

"Someone bring her here!", Samus exclaimed, and Momoka does so as she heads for Ange's room.

And Go tells Momoka to hurry up and he doesn't know why this mysterious thing hiding on the bedroom wants with Ange. Mitsuzane, on the other hand, didn't take it too kindly about something underneath Go's bed wanted Ange, as Samus tries to calm him down from losing his sanity.

"A perverted rascal who likes Ange-kun!?", much like Go, Mitsuzane starts to act in hysterical insanity. As he starts to shake off Go's bed, "Come out! Come out!", and then starts screaming at the top of his lungs, "COOMMMMEEEE OOUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTT NOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Surprisingly, underneath the bed reveals a girl with red hair!

"Wait… you look familiar.", Mitsuzane's mood switches from a screaming mass hysteria to a puzzled and comically serious one, only for the redhead to shove Mitsuzane out of the bed.

"You're a girl?", Go asked.

"How cute!", Kyu added, only to get an elbow to the gut by Samus.

The red-haired girl couldn't stand of being almost shaken off out of Go's bed by Mitsuzane, as she feels Go's sweat all over her skin.

"Hey!", Go bellowed. "How did you get in?"

I have a feeling that the tower security systems have been offline. But how? Samus thought to herself, thinking that the tower's security systems have problems on its own.

And things got way out of hand when Go and the red-haired girl go into an overly-dramatic stare down. That is, until Momoka returns back to the room with Ange and Tusk.

To Ange's surprise, she recognizes the red-haired woman, "Hilda?"

"Ange? Is that really you, Ange?", Hilda is surprised to see Ange alright, and follows up to hug her friend.

"How did you manage to escape the colony?", Ange asked.

Hilda is willing to explain, but not now since she found herself at the presence of four men and two women that is the core Space Explorers. The redhead is surrounded by the entire Space Explorers, not to mention, being asked by Samus how did she infiltrated the tower and how did she bypassed the Tower's security.

"By the way…", Mitsuzane stands up after getting pushed out of Go's bed by Hilda minutes ago, "What kind of relationship do you have with Ange-kun?"

"Well…", Hilda replies, moments before she holds hands with Ange, "We're lovers."

Both Go and Mitsuzane are puzzled to hear a yuri relationship between Ange and Hilda, and Mitsuzane responds with a flat, "Eh?"

"You gotta be shittin' me!", Go looked at the reader(s). And then, Makoto, Alain, AND Mayu shares the same reaction with Mitsuzane and they both screamed "EH?!" at the top of their lungs.

-Samus's Log Entry-

Space Explorer Initiative Log #4

January 10, 2017

Log Author: Samus Aran

One of Ange's fellow Norma, going by the name of Hilda managed to escape the alien invaders who attacked Earth Colony AZ-007, surprisingly she stole one of the invaders' ships where she fled all the way here to Earth.

Hilda mentioned that her fellow Normas that were left behind in the Earth Colony are now prisoners of war after defending their home planet from the attackers. Strangely, she managed to hijack one enemy spacecraft to escape to Earth. Another surprising note, she managed to track down Ange all the way here, even by infiltrating the Command Tower itself, despite the security being online throughout the night.

-END LOG-

-About the Impostor Genm-

The next morning…

Samus receives a video message from CR's command center from Seito University Hospital. And the recipient is Dr. Hiiro Kagami.

"Samus Aran, I want to ask you something.", the surgeon started cutting to the chase. "Recently, there is a second Genm fighting the real one."

"I've been hearing rumors about a doppelganger trying to prey on the real Kuroto Dan.", the bounty hunter replied. Not to mention, Samus herself is aware of the former CEO of Genm Corporation gathering data on the Rider Gashats, and he plans to wipe out anyone who stands in his way.

We cannot allow any of Go's activity to be compromised. But, I have a faith in him. Samus thought to herself. Since she knew that Go's espionage activities were to make sure they exploit Kuroto Dan's flaws. Samus continued, "I assure you that we are not involved anything relating to this impostor Genm. This must be the work of someone else."

"I see. Let me also remind you that Genm uses a Gashat called Dangerous Zombie, and uses the power of Level X (10)", Hiiro continued. "But the intern was able to gain a Gashat which he was able to split into two Ex-Aids.."

"I see.", the hunter nodded. "For the time being, I still haven't seen the Genm doppelganger as of this moment. If we ever encountered both Genm and/or his doppelganger, we'll inform you."

Samus closes transmission. After being informed by Asuna, and most recently by Hiiro about the impostor Kuroto Dan; as much she places her faith in one of her companions (Go) who is instigating the Genm doppelganger, she will keep any information related the doppelganger confidential away from the CR personnel, and Taiga Hanaya as well, even if by means lying to them.

-Genm Zombie Gamer vs. Mach Chaser-

Elsewhere in a nearby stadium, Kuroto goes alone to seek after his doppelganger. Only to find one of the members of the Space Explorers, Go Shijima, standing right before him

"Are you one of the Space Explorers, Shijima Gou?", Kuroto asked. "I have a question for you to answer: Do you have anything to do with the impostor Genm."

"Bzzt!", Go replied with pure sarcasm. "Wrong answer, pal! If you wanna find out the copycat, you'll have gonna have to fight through me. Eyes on the prize!"

"I figured out you say that.", Kuroto replied in return, all while a unnerving smile curved through his lips as he puts on the Gashacon Bugvisor on the Bugster Buckle, thus converting it into the Buggle Driver. In response, Go already put on his Mach Driver and pulls out his Shift Ride Crosser.

*DANGEROUS ZOMBIE!* / *SIGNAL BIKE… SHIFT CAR!*

Both men insert their trinkets on their belts after a chant of "Henshin!"

*Gashatto! BUGGLE UP! DANGER! DANGER! GENOCIDE! DEATH THE CRISIS DANGEROUS ZOMBIE!* / *RIDER! MACH CHASER!*

(*cues: "Ground Zero Funk" from Tekken 5/Dark Resurrection*)

Kuroto transforms into Genm Zombie Gamer Level X, and Go into Kamen Rider Mach Chaser. As both Kamen Riders charge to fight, Go looks directly at the reader(s) and says "FIGHT!" The fight starts as a street brawl between Genm Zombie Gamer and Mach Chaser, even though Kuroto's opponent is a non-Gamer Driver user, Mach Chaser is on par with Genm since Mach Chaser is now Go's recently strongest form.

Both pull out their weapons and start firing at each other. Go pulls another Zenrin Shooter to even the odds, both Go's Zenrin Shooters' bullets and the arrows from Genm's Gashacon Sparrow deflected. All while firing, Go makes firing noises like, "BANG! BANG! B-B-B-BANG!", as the bullets coming from Go's Zenrin Shooters collided with Genm's arrows, bouncing off in opposite sides, then it switches to normal speed.

Mach Chaser speeds away from Genm's side, only for him to appear from behind and delivers a sucker punch, and continues speeding Genm back and forth before Kuroto gets the chance to stop Go from his tracks.

Genm pulls out the Giri Giri Chambara Gashat and proceeds to insert it on the Gashacon Sparrow.

"You noisy cretin.", said Genm, "Die!"

*GIRI GIRI! CRITICAL FINISH!*

Genm fires energy arrows from the Gashacon Sparrow, before creating a massive amount of energy arrows under his control. He sends the arrows at Mach Chaser to take him down. While the arrows began to rain around Go, the explosion covers him. Moments later, inside the explosion, the impostor Genm arrives on time to protect Go. As this is what Go himself planned for – if ever the real Genm is about to defeat Go, the impostor Genm should take the bullet for a switcheroo gambit.

After the explosion clears, Kuroto thought that he managed to defeat Mach Chaser. Unfortunately for him, the impostor Genm shows up, and Go somehow disappeared from the battlefield.

"You again?!", the real Kuroto grunted in disbelief.

The doppelganger Genm kept silent as he pulls out the Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat, much to the shock of the real Genm.

*DRAGO KNIGHT HUNTER! Z!*

"Grade Five.", the doppelganger Genm chanted after inserting the Gashat.

*Gacchan! LEVEL UP! […] Mi~gh~ty Act~ion~! X! I Gotcha! Do-Do-Drago! Na-Na-Knight! Dora! Dora! Drago Knight Hunter… Z!*

To Kuroto's shock, this is not the first time a Prototype Gashat would be compatible with the original Drago Knight Hunter Z Gashat. The impostor Genm in Hunter Action Gamer Level 5 charges at the real Kuroto!

"You cur… Where in the world did you get that Gashat?", the real Kuroto asked.

To which the doppelganger replies, "Enough of your petty questions and enjoy the fight!"

Both Genms continued their brawl, as Kuroto is incredibly fed up of the impostor's presence.

-Old Memories-

Elsewhere in a cemetery…

Makoto and Alain visit Mrs. Fukushima's grave, praying. Mayu came along with the two men. Mrs. Fukushima died eight months ago when Alain decided to settle on the human world. The very last words Mrs. Fukushima said to Alain before passing away peacefully were, "A heart doesn't die. […] There's no need to rush. Someday… you'll be able to listen to the voice of your heart. And then, you can follow what your heart tells you."

Fumi-baa. I'm back again. My heart felt restless, and I'm continuing my journey protecting this world's treasures. Alain spoke to himself, for the first time visiting the grave of the old woman who gave him hope. I have more new friends… new allies…

A few minutes later, Makoto, Mayu, and Alain left the cemetery. Alain decides to head out for the takoyaki stand where he usually frequented, where it is now run by Mrs. Fukushima's granddaughter, Harumi.

Once arriving at the takoyaki stand, the whole place didn't changed a bit, and Harumi herself is running the store herself. And is delighted to see Alain back again.

And oh, Mitsuzane was staying around the park waiting for Makoto and company.

"Kept you waiting, huh?", the young Kureshima chuckled.

See you next mission…

Author's Note #2:

- The switcheroo scene between Go and the impostor Kuroto is similar to Ex-Aid episode 07, just after Kiriya manages to defeat Genm and tell Hiiro and Emu that Kuroto is Genm, only to find out that Pallad switched places with Kuroto. This is the first time that a similar scene from the current Kamen Rider season (i.e., Ex-Aid) happens on this fic.

- Micchi saying "Kept you waiting, huh?" is a shoutout to the Metal Gear Solid series, which happens to be Snake's catchphrases.