Episode 8: An Explosive Entrance
Roughly a day had passed since Scissors' defeat at the hands of Knight and his subsequent death by his own Contract Monster. Shinji let out a sigh as he threw himself onto his bed. He'd just gotten done with work for the day and the events of the last battle were still on his mind.
"Sudo did a lot of bad things as Scissors, and he had to be stopped." Shinji muttered to himself. "But why am I having trouble with how to feel about it?"
Before Shinji could spend any more time to air his thoughts, his cellphone rang.
"Hello?"
"Shinji." Tezuka's voice replied from the other end of the call. "I felt a pulse come from my Advent Deck yesterday. I wanted to know if you felt a similar sensation."
"Yeah, I did." Shinji nodded. "I was there to see what caused it. Yesterday, Knight fought Scissors, whose real identity was a corrupt detective named Masashi Sudo. He'd kidnapped Yui because I was an idiot and didn't piece his true identity sooner, and Ren fought him in the Mirror World. The two pitted their Final Vents against each other, and Ren's won out. But I guess earlier in the fight, Ren must have damaged Sudo's Advent Deck because hit shattered immediately after Ren used his Final Vent. But Ren's not the one who killed Scissors. He was eaten by his own Contract Monster."
"Likely because of the contract card being destroyed along with the deck." Tezuka speculated. "So the victory I predicted for Ren came true."
"Uh huh." Shinji nodded. "But… it's weird. I'm sad that Scissors died, but at the same time I've got this strange sort of relief that he's gone. He did horrible things even before he was given an Advent Deck, so you could probably say he had this coming. I just… I just don't know how to feel about all this! Should I be sad that he died, or glad that he's not around to hurt innocent people anymore?"
"Calm down, Shinji." Tezuka replied in a comforting tone. "The answer to your question is simple: Feel both ways about it. It's good that you mourn the fact someone died in the Rider War. However, it's not wrong to take satisfaction in the fact that people with ill intentions for the wish will no longer be a threat. The latter doesn't make you a monster or evil, Shinji. But that doesn't mean you should put down every Rider simply because they might be a threat to innocent people. Always try to understand them, like you're trying with Ren. If you do that, then you might be able to turn them towards a better path."
"Thanks, Tezuka." Shinji sighed in relief. "I think I'll sleep better tonight after this talk. See you around."
Shinji hung up the phone and proceeded to turn in for the night. But as he was about to brush his teeth, he was surprised to see Dragreder staring at him from the other side of his bathroom mirror. The red dragon hovered in the air a bit before poking his head through the mirror. Shinji backpedaled to give his Contract Monster some room.
'I guess this is why I don't have to worry about Mirror Monsters trying to snatch me in my sleep.' Shinji thought as he stowed his toothbrush into his pocket. 'Dragreder must be playing watch dog while I'm dozing off.'
Dragreder looked about Shinji's apartment, surveying it like it was foreign territory before returning his attention to Shinji.
"So what brings you to my side of the mirror?" Shinji asked his dragon. The answer came in the form Dragreder gently nuzzling him. Like how a pet might comfort their owner. Shinji couldn't help but chuckle at the display.
"Hey, where's this coming from?"
Seemingly satisfied with his contractor's elevated emotional state, Dragreder let out a small rumble before returning to the Mirror World to resume his guard duties.
"Is this what Tezuka meant when he said Riders could develop bonds with their monster partners?" Shinji thought out loud before filing the speculation away for a later date. Right now, he needed some sleep.
Things carried on as usual when morning arrived. The city was full of life and activity, and the same was true of the Mirror World. However, the action taking place there was far more intense. Within the confines of a building, a humanoid Mirror Monster was frantically running for cover. The echoes of footsteps spurring the beast to panic. This new breed of Mirror Monster was called a Zebraskull due to its horse-like appearance with hoof-like feet and horse's head and its black-and-white color scheme. Before long, the beast was cornered as the footsteps came to a halt. In the low light of the warehouse, the silhouette of a figure could be seen. The figure had blocky armor on their shoulders and a rectangular helmet with a v-shaped antenna on it. Along the helmet's sides, treads like those on a tank could be seen moving. Though not all of the figure's features were shown, it was clear that they were a Kamen Rider. The Rider reached for something mounted at their waist, but the Zebraskull whinnied before leaping straight through the building's skylight!
"Jumpy one, aren't ya?" The Rider commented on the Zebraskulll's escape. "Times likes these are when I wish I had a jetpack. Well, can't get 'em all." With that, the Rider proceeded to exit the Mirror World.
About an hour or two later, Shinji had just left his apartment and driving over to ORE Journal. Things were pretty normal with the exception of Reiko staring at the office's TV.
"Anything good on, Reiko?" Shinji asked jokingly.
"Sort of." Reiko replied. "Recently there was a gang who got busted for running a racket. However, they've got pretty deep pockets and brought themselves a super lawyer. And he just won them the case. Look, he's coming out now."
Shinji turned his attention to the screen and saw a well-dressed man walking to the group of reporters. A victorious smile on his face as he addressed the press.
"Mr. Kitaoka!" A reporter asked. "Your clients had nigh irrefutable evidence against them, but you still managed to net a victory today. Does this mean the rumors of you being an unbeatable lawyer are true?"
The lawyer, now identified as Kitaoka, smiled and nodded.
"If my clients give me a case, then I'm obligated to help them win." Kitaoka replied smoothly. "That's the whole point of my profession, isn't it?"
"While that fact is undeniable, there's another thing to call into question about your profession, Mr. Kitaoka." Another reporter stated. "It's been documented that the clients you typically serve all have one thing in common: Vast amounts of wealth to afford your services. Most, if not all of your clients, possess that. So the question is: Do you only take on cases from the wealthiest clients, no matter where their wealth comes from?"
"We all have to keep the lights on and food in the fridge, don't we?" Kitaoka countered. "I for one think that the fact there's people so willing to pay that much for me shows how valuable my skills are."
With that, the lawyer bid farewell to the reporters and drove off in his car.
"Well, that's that." Reiko said as she stretched. "C'mon, Shinji. Chief Okubo's got an assignment for us. Apparently, an old man's discovered some new species."
"Relly?" Shinji asked in surprise. "That should be front-page material for sure!"
Shinji followed Reiko on his bike and the pair was off to the old man's house. As soon as Shinji and Reiko arrived, any enthusiasm Shinji had about the possible article for ORE Journal started to dwindle as he looked at the "new species" the old man had discovered.
"So you said that you found this golden crawfish while you were out walking?" Reiko asked the old man with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes!" The old man nodded with a grin. "I was out for my morning walk when I noticed it in the nearby creek. I said to myself that 'I've never seen anything such as this before!'"
"I guess you could say this was quite the golden find." Shinji noted as he observed the new species that the old man had discovered. "A discovery like this deserves to be widely known."
"You'll make sure it's a front page article, won't you?" The old man asked excitedly.
"We'll need to convince the chief of that." Reiko smiled politely. "Thank you for your time. We'll be going now."
As soon as Shinji and Reiko were out of earshot, Shinji decided to make his thoughts on the story known.
"Hey, Reiko." Shinji began. "Is it just me, or did the golden color of that crawfish look unnatural?"
"Oh?" Reiko tilted her head in interest. "What makes you say that, Shinji?"
"Well, it seemed a bit too shiny to me." Shinji scratched his chin in thought. "In fact, the texture of it kind of reminded me of paint. I couldn't tell you what kind, but I know in my gut that the crawfish was painted."
"Congratulations, Shinji." Reiko smiled. "You're mastering the art of observation."
"Really?" Shinji beamed.
"Yep." Reiko nodded. "Any good journalist follows their leads, but they also look out for any holes in the stories or signs that things don't add up. Our job is to report the truth. In that regard, we're kind of like detectives."
"So I'm guessing that these 'newly discovered species' are just some stunt for attention the old man's pulling?"
"Got it in one." Reiko snapped her fingers. "I'll head back to the office and inform Chief Okubo about our observations. The story we get might not be as exciting as the discovery of a new species, but we'll be exposing a creep who's been mutilating animals."
"Either way, we'll get ORE Journal some views." Shinji smiled. "Tell the chief that I'll be out getting some lunch. I'll be back soon!"
With that, Shinji decided to head towards Atori Café. He was worried about how Ren was dealing with the aftermath of fighting Scissors.
'Even though he said he'd crush anyone in his way, Ren still looked away in disgust when Volcancer was devouring Sudo.' Shinji thought. 'I've got a feeling he's a lot more shaken up than he's willing to admit.'
Meanwhile, the lawyer Shinji had seen on TV earlier was walking to his car. The man's full name was Shuichi Kitaoka. Needless to say, he was pretty pleased with himself for winning today's case. His clients weren't declared guilty and he would be walking away with a hefty sum of money. Either way he looked at it, Kitaoka saw it as a win-win. Unfortunately, there were those who saw otherwise. Specifically, the group of men in suits standing in his way.
"Afternoon, gentleman." Kitaoka greeted. "Can I help you?"
"Cute, lawyer. Real cute." One of the men scoffed. "You know why we're here. After that case you lost, you walked away with our money!"
"Sorry, but I've got a no refunds policy." Kitaoka fired back. "Still, you came all this way just to see me. It's only fair I give you a little something for your troubles!"
Kitaoka swung his briefcase at the nearest goon and bashed him on the head! The other thugs immediately rushed Kitaoka, but the lawyer gave them each a bashing too. Before long, the thugs were groaning and holding their heads in pain. Not wanting to risk a worse beating than the thugs had initially planned, Kitaoka made a mad dash for his car. Once inside, Kitaoka frantically fumbled around with his keys before finding the one for the car's ignition. The instant the car started, Kitaoka sped off to escape his pursuers! However, another group of shady men soon gave chase in a car of their own.
"This is not my day." Kitaoka grumbled as he tried to ditch his pursuers, unknowingly driving into the wrong side of the road.
At the same time, Shinji was headed in the direction Kitaoka had left from. He was driving along when he noticed Kitaoka's car coming straight for him! Both Kitaoka and Shinji gasped before they swerved to opposite sides to avoid hitting each other! Kitaoka was able to stay on the road, but Shinji had swerved too hard and wound up driving onto the curb. Shinji hit the brakes on his bike hard, but the sudden stop made him fall forward and break his goggles.
"Ngh… " Shinji groaned in discomfort as he dismounted his bike and felt himself over. "Nothing broken in my body."
It only took a second for Shinji to notice the large crack in one of the lenses of his goggles.
"Can't say the same for some of my headgear though." Shinji muttered as he removed his helmet and goggles. It was then that the car pursuing Kitaoka pulled up and the men inside immediately marched up to Shinji.
"Hey, you!" One of the men called out. "Did that driver make trouble for you too?!"
"I… I guess." Shinji hesitantly replied. 'It was probably by accident though... '
"Which way did he go?!" Another demanded!
Shinji pointed behind himself, and the group of men immediately filed back into their car to give chase. As the pursuers left, Shinji couldn't help but feel uneasy.
'Those guys looked pretty ticked over a simple driving incident.' Shinji thought as he put away his broken goggles. 'Better follow them and see if I might need to step in. Checking in on Ren and Yui is going to have to wait.'
Shinji tailed the car, and soon found the thugs beating up Kitaoka!
'I literally pointed them in the right direction! That guy's getting hurt because of me!' Shinji thought as he dismounted the bike and ran to Kitaoka's aid! 'I'm not going to let someone else get hurt because of me! Not again!'
"That's enough!" Shinji cried out at the thugs! They immediately ceased roughing up Kitaoka and looked at Shinji in disbelief.
"You sure you didn't hit your head ?" A thug asked. "Didn't he nearly make you crash earlier? I'd say you should be thanking us for giving him the beatdown he's getting now."
"He didn't mean to make me swerve onto the curb!" Shinji countered. "I don't like fighting, but…" Shinji got into a combative stance. His gaze hardening with determination.
"I'm not gonna stand by and let someone get hurt either!"
"Okay then, weirdo." A thug frowned. "If you're sticking up for this guy, then you're getting what he's getting too!"
In an instant, half the goons rushed Shinji while the other half still beating up Kitaoka. As he was being assaulted, Kitaoka managed to catch a glimpse of Shinji trying to fight off the thugs. The lawyer was surprised to see Shinji was holding his own.
'For someone claiming to hate fighting, he's pretty decent at it.' Kitaoka thought as he struggled to shield himself from the thugs' blows. There was a way out of his situation, but he had some reservations towards it.
'I know I'm a lawyer, but this is a low blow that I'd prefer I didn't have to use.'
Without any further hesitation, Kitaoka kicked the nearest thug right in the nuts! While their comrade was down, the other thugs were left vulnerable due to their surprise. It was only a few seconds, but that was more than enough time for Kitaoka to get to his feet and shove one of the thugs into his comrade. With the thugs piled up, Kitaoka rushed over to Shinji's side. The young news site intern was roughed up a bit given his earlier accident and the hits he'd taken from the thugs, but otherwise alright. With a few quick punches, Kitaoka helped Shinji take down the attackers who were beating on him.
"Come on!" Kitaoka motioned for Shinji to follow him. "Don't waste time mounting your bike! We'll take my car!"
Shinji didn't want to risk hurting people any more than necessary, so he nodded and bolted for Kitaoka's car. While they were speeding away from their attackers, Shinji finally got a good look at Kitaoka, recognizing him from the news report he'd seen earlier that day.
"Hey, you're that super-lawyer from the news this morning!"
"News travels fast, doesn't it?" Kitaoka chuckled as he handed Shinji a copy of a newspaper with his face on the front page. "Not only do I possess extraordinary skill with the law, but I'm also quite photogenic. Makes sense that I'd get mobbed by the media, right?"
'He's a little full of himself, isn't he?' Shinji thought as he took the newspaper copy. "I'm sorry about earlier. If I'd known those guys were going to beat you up, I wouldn't have pointed them your way. What did you do that got them so mad at you? They couldn't have been that mad over a simple traffic accident."
"Well, I got caught up in a group with shady politics in one of my recent cases." Kitaoka answered. "Needless to say, they weren't too happy with the price tag for my services. And even when I put my best efforts into their case, they want their money back. Sore losers, aren't they?"
"Try angry." Shinji muttered as he took a moment to catch his breath. However, any sense of relief was promptly dashed as Shinji spied a car speeding towards them. Not from behind, but right in front of them! "HIT THE BRAKES!"
"I SEE IT!" Kitaoka snapped as he slammed the brake pedal hard, the tires screeching horribly as the car came to a halt. The occupants of both vehicles stepped outside after turning off their cars. Both Kitaoka and Shinji had nervous expressions on their faces as the thugs approached them.
"We're outnumbered and not in the best condition." Shinji muttered. "And running's not really an option either."
"Don't worry." Kitaoka put a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "There's still one thing left we can do."
Hearing this puzzled Shinji. There was no possible way Kitaoka could take on a whole group of thugs at once. Sure, Shinji had seen him holding them off earlier, but he was only able to beat them off due to Shinji's arrival serving as a distraction. But Shinji's confusion was cleared up the instant he saw Kitaoka fall to his knees and bow his head to the ground.
"Please forgive me!" Kitaoka begged desperately. Most of the thugs were a bit put off by the lawyer's gesture, but shrugged and began cracking their knuckles regardless. "I'm sorry that your money's gone, but I don't have a refund policy! I'd have happily returned some of your money had I won your case, but that's not how things went! And leave the guy behind me out of this! He got dragged into this when I was trying to get away from you!"
"We don't care what your policy is." One of the thugs spat. "The fact is, we're going to get our money back one way or another! So-!"
"None of you will lay another hand on sensei." A voice called out.
The thugs turned their heads and saw a man with a red shirt, a leopard print jacket, black pants, and brown shoes approaching them. He had wild brown hair, and sported a pair of black gloves on his hands.
"Goro!" Kitaoka cried out in joy.
"Don't worry, sensei." Goro said with a smile. "I'll take care of these guys with no trouble."
Goro made a gesture like he was about to transform only to rush the thugs and lay a beat down on them. He rolled his head out of one thug's swing before promptly chopping at their neck and catching the fist of another thug who tried to rush him. In an instant, Goro threw his attacker over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground!
"Why you-!"
The next thug didn't even get to finish as Goro slugged him in the gut, sending him reeling to the ground! It was down to Goro and the last thug. If the last thug were smart, he would have turned tail and ran. However, his decision to try and charge Goro proved he had little-to-no intelligence, and Goro dispatched him with a single kick. With all of the thugs incapacitated, Goro headed over to Kitaoka's side.
"Are you badly hurt sensei?"
"No." Kitaoka shook his head. "I didn't get too much of a beating thanks to this guy right here."
Kitaoka pointed his thumb over to Shinji.
"I see." Goro nodded before bowing to Shinji. "I appreciate you helping sensei."
"No problem." Shinji smiled. "It's kind of my fault they were able to catch up to him since I pointed them his way."
"Eh, don't sweat it." Kitaoka waved off Shinji's concern. "You didn't know they'd be assaulting me, but I'm sure glad you tailed them to find out!"
"Well, if we're done here, I'd best be going." Shinji dusted himself off. "Chief Okubo's probably going to want to hear about my little adventure today once I'm back at ORE Journal."
"Wait." Kitaoka fished around in his pocket, and pulled out a business card. "Here. I owe you for dragging you into my mess. That, and for nearly making you crash earlier. Let it not be said that all lawyers are heartless."
"Thanks." Shinji said as he took the card.
"Plus, feel free to call me up for an interview." Kitaoka said with a cocky grin. "This face of mine was meant to be a headliner."
"Maybe you should quit law and be a model." Shinji joked.
Kitaoka chuckled. "What's your name? Might as well know who I can thank for playing hero today."
"Shinji Kido." Shinji answered politely. "Nice meeting you too."
"Want a lift back to your bike?" Kitaoka offered.
"Nah." Shinji shook his head. "I could use the exercise."
Shinji sprinted off towards his bike, and was soon on his way back to ORE Journal. Needless to say, everyone was pretty surprised to hear the details of Shinji's little adventure.
"We're glad you're alright, Shinji." Chief Okubo sighed in relief. "Still, I can't believe you have the business card of one of the most sought-after lawyers in the city. We've got an interview sitting in our laps!"
"Maybe I'm ORE's good luck charm?"
"With you around, we just might uncover the origin of all those disappearances." Reiko giggled.
"Trust me, I'm already looking into that." Shinji muttered to himself. 'Speaking of matters pertaining to the Mirror World, I better call Yui. She and Ren are probably working right now, so I can at least leave a message.'
With everyone briefed on the events of that morning, Shinji headed to the hallway and dialed up Atori Café's number.
"Hello?" Yui answered from the other end of the call.
"Hi Yui." Shinji greeted. "I meant to call you earlier, but I got a little sidetracked."
"You're fine, Shinji. So what did you want to talk about?"
"Well, I was wondering if you've been feeling since… well, you know."
"I'm still a little bit shaken from seeing that." Yui sighed. "I always knew that Mirror Monsters devouring people was horrible. But to see it happen right in front of you? Seeing a Kamen Rider eaten by his own Contract Monster? It's so much more awful than anything I could have pictured."
"Same here." Shinji grimaced at the memory of Scissors being eaten. "Hey, how's Ren holding up? Is he okay?"
"He looks like he's okay." Yui spared a glance at Ren. "But sometimes, I've seen him staring at his hand and muttering 'Is it my fault?' over and over. Ren's willing to put his life on the line for his wish, but I don't think he truly wants to kill anybody."
"Well, it's like he told me earlier." Shinji sighed. "For the wish he wants to make, he has to take out riders. There might not have been any choice for Ren before, but that's all the more reason why I need to stop the Rider War. So that any good people caught in this mess aren't forced to do horrible things to each other."
"You know, despite how many times he's turned you away, I think you're truly someone that could be considered Ren's friend, Shinji." Yui said with a smile. "If you were talking to him, he'd probably call you a fool for saying such things."
"Yeah, he probably would." Shinji chuckled. "But he wouldn't be Ren if he didn't call me that. Take care, Yui. I'll see you around."
"Bye, Shinji." Yui hung up the phone and went back to clearing out tables.
Unbeknownst to her, Ren had overheard the conversation she'd had with Shinji. As he heard Shinji's declaration, Ren couldn't help but sigh as he reflected on all their past encounters. Even after all the times he'd insulted Shinji and spurned his friendship, Shinji was still willing to try and help him.
'Is this what friends do for each other?' Ren thought to himself as he went about his duties at the café. 'It feels kind of nice, to be honest. Having someone who's willing to look out for me.'
The day passed by in its quiet way, and the next morning soon arrived. It began as any other day for Shinji. That is, until he was informed by Reiko that he'd been requested to conduct an interview.
"Who could possible want me to interview them?" Shinji asked, confusion present on his face at the news. "Aren't you more qualified for that, Reiko?"
"Well, Kitaoka the super lawyer was pretty adamant that you be the one interviewing him." Reiko answered. "Seems your little adventure yesterday made him take a liking to you."
"Just trying to do the right thing." Shinji chuckled sheepishly. "So where does he want me to meet him?"
"There's a hotel he's staying at currently. Pretty high-end too." Reiko smiled. "Good luck, Shinji."
Shinji mounted his bike, and drove over to the hotel where Kitaoka wanted to have the interview at. As he rode, Shinji took notice of all the posters for missing people that dotted the city. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret at the sight of them. While he accepted that he couldn't be everywhere at once, it still hurt to know that there were people he couldn't reach despite possessing the ability to access the Mirror World at will. However, instead of moping about it, Shinji used this to harden his resolve.
'If there was a way to open the gateway between our world and Mirror World, there's got to be a way to close it too!' Shinji thought as he rode onwards, and determined look in his eyes. 'The easiest way would be the wish, but I refuse to believe that's the only way!'
It wasn't long before Shinji arrived at the hotel. When he entered the lobby, he found Kitaoka waiting for him in the lounge area. A friendly smile on the lawyer's face.
"Ah! Welcome, Shinji!" Kitaoka greeted. "Glad you answered my humble request!"
"No problem." Shinji smiled. "But I didn't think we'd gotten that close after our little excursion the other day."
"I guess I found you interesting." Kitaoka replied with a shrug. "Not many people would stick their neck out for someone of my profession. It's an almost universal fact that lawyers are despised."
"Even by their clients and yesterday proved." Shinji nodded. "So how do you want to do this?"
"I feel conversations are best started over food." Kitaoka chuckled. "Walk with me."
Before long, Shinji found himself dining at the hotel's built-in restaurant. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he looked at the prices. Thankfully, Kitaoka was footing the bill for both of them.
'I still owe Ren a bunch of money. Eating a full meal here would be close to twice that much!' Shinji thought as he pulled out his notepad. "So I was wondering if we could start the interview while we wait for the food. Is that alright with you, Mr. Kitaoka?"
"Just call me Kitaoka." Kitaoka chuckled. "We're not close enough for you to use my first name, but I'd definitely say our little car chase yesterday definitely brought us closer. Ask away!"
"Well, for starters, is it true that you take on the wealthiest clients only?" Shinji asked. "Regardless of whether they're truly guilty or innocent?"
"Regardless of my clients' guilt, they're hiring me for my skills." Kitaoka replied with a smirk. "Good or evil doesn't really figure into that. Especially since they're paying through the nose for me to win their cases."
"In that case, I really don't see what sets you apart from other lawyers." Shinji noted as he scribbled down what Kitaoka had told him. "Looks like this'll be a short interview."
"Actually, there is a bit more to it than just the money for me." Kitaoka interjected as the food was delivered to their table. "I love human desire."
"Human desire?"
"Yep." Kitaoka nodded with a smirk. "I love seeing what they want from me. Add in the end, it's a win-win for both of us. They get my skill set used for their benefit, and I get paid handsomely for my services. We both get what we desire, and that's the beauty of my job. It's as they say. If you do what you love for a living, then you never work a day in your life."
"I guess that's what you owe your success to, right?" Shinji asked. 'I'd call out how selfish it is, but that's not what I'm here for.'
"Naturally." Kitaoka chuckled.
"So was Goro a gift from a happy client?"
"No." Kitaoka shook his head. A thoughtful expression and genuine smile on his face. "Goro is with me because he wishes to repay me."
"Repay you for what?"
"A story for another time." Kitaoka waved off Shinji's inquiry. "For now, let's eat! After this, we can also enjoy what else the hotel has to offer."
The two finished their lunch and shortly after found themselves at the hotel's spa and the pool not long after that. Kitaoka was lounging on a chair while Shinji was sitting on the poolside. Both nursing drinks as they sat. At both locations, Kitaoka had basically preached of the wonders of human desire.
"And so, that's the beauty of desire." Kitaoka said with a fond sigh. "All the things I've done today, I was able to enjoy by living for my desires."
"You've made that pretty clear." Shinji muttered.
"Speaking of desires, what is it that you want, Shinji?" Kitaoka asked with an amused smile.
"Pretty sure I'm the one who's supposed to be asking the questions here." Shinji joked before sighing. "Besides, I don't think you'd like me if I told you."
"Try me." Kitaoka smirked. "What could possibly make you say that?"
"Everyone lives for themselves in some way or another. You're right about desire in that regard, Kitaoka." Shinji began. "But me? What I desire most is to help people. Just like the heroes I've looked up to all my life."
Silence reigned for roughly a minute between the two before Kitaoka burst into a fit of laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, you couldn't have been more wrong about how I'd feel towards your desire, Shinji!" Kitaoka clutched his sides as he struggled to keep his drink from spilling. "How strange. A desire that's both selfish AND selfless. Now that's one I haven't seen before!"
"I… don't understand."
"Do you get a good feeling when helping people, Shinji?" Kitaoka asked.
"Yeah," Shinji nodded hesitantly.
"Well there you have it." Kitaoka smiled. "That feeling you get helps you, and you get it from helping others. Much like how I am with my clients."
"Except I'm not thinking of how I can benefit when I help people." Shinji protested. "That's something on your mind. But you're a lawyer. It's part of your job to be selfish. I guess living solely for yourself is just expected of people in your profession."
Hearing this, Kitaoka bristled.
"What would you know about my life?" Kitaoka scoffed while aiming a slight glare at Shinji. "You're just an ordinary, common-place person."
"Maybe I am." Shinji replied in a level-headed tone. "But I didn't mean any offense in what I said to you. I'm just stating a fact. In that regard, I'm living according to my profession as well. I might not like how you go about it, but I can't tell you how I think you should live your life. That's all up to you,and no one else."
"Well this is another first." Kitaoka muttered. "Someone who didn't mean to insult me."
"If it's any consolation, I don't think you're all that bad." Shinji said with a small smile. "Your friend Goro was quick to come and help you without even the slightest order from you. And he seems to be quite loyal to you too. So you must have done something right to earn his help."
"Let's just say I did my job and leave it that." Kitaoka smirked. "So I take it we're done here?"
"I'm all out of questions." Shinji shrugged. "Thanks for your time, Kitaoka."
"I take it our day together will make you write about me in a flattering light?" Kitaoka asked.
"Sorry!" Shinji smirked. "Gotta live true to my job. You taught me that!"
"You learn fast." Kitaoka chuckled as waved goodbye to Shinji. "I guess I was wrong. Perhaps he is more interesting than he lets on."
Shinji mounted his bike and rode back to ORE Journal. Chief Okubo was quite pleased with how the interview went. Even with how Shinji handled Kitaoka getting touchy about the observations made around him.
"It's really a pity that I can't hire you straight away, Shinji." Okubo sighed. "You quick learning and adaptability will make you an excellent journalist. What a shame it is that you still have so much time left in your internship."
"Trust me, I wish I could join the team right away, too." Shinji smiled. "But there's still a high chance I could screw something up around here."
"You might be a bit of a goofball sometimes, Shinji." Reiko stated. "But you always learn from your mistakes, and your resolve is pretty commendable."
"Gee, thanks." Shinji said sheepishly. "By the way, Chief, is there anything else that you need me to do today?"
"Ah, yes." Okubo nodded. "That old man who discovered the golden crawfish apparently found another new species."
"Considering the 'new species' we saw last time, something tells me that this is just another cry for attention." Shinji sighed. "Reiko and I better tell him that his game's up. We should at least have the decency to tell him in-person."
Shinji and Reiko soon arrived at the old man's house, and were immediately ushered inside by the dwelling's resident. Upon being shown the 'new species', a lizard with a horn stuck into it, they decided to end the charade.
"Sir, you can stop this act." Reiko said with a sigh. "We were onto you ever since your first call about the golden crawfish."
"W-Whatever do you mean?" The old man said with a nervous smile.
"We know you've mutilated animals and presented them as new species, sir." Shinji replied. "I could tell that gold on the crawfish was just paint. And the horn on that salamander there looks like it was glued on."
"I…" The old man sighed in defeat. "I just wanted some attention."
"Newspapers are for sharing important information." Reiko admonished the old man. "Your cries for attention could have taken away space from emergencies or something even more vital."
"Please stop what you're doing, sir." Shinji pleaded. "Neither of us want to get the police involved."
"I understand." The old man sighed. "I apologize for my deceptions. It just… felt so nice to be noticed."
"Just don't try anymore stunts, alright?" Reiko asked. A softer expression on her face.
The old man simply nodded in response. Satisfied that all was well, Shinji and Reiko took their leave. However, that's when a nearby window in the old man's house began rippling. Puzzled, the old man ventured to it and froze at what he saw in the mirror. Instead of his reflection, there was a humanoid zebra staring back at him. It was a Zebraskull like the one that had been fleeing the Kamen Rider that was seen earlier. But unlike that one, this new Zebraskull had iron-colored armor segments on its body as opposed to the bronze seen on the former one. This was the Zebraskull Iron. The old man was so stunned at the Mirror Monster's appearance that he forgot to scream. Not that he would have had any time to voice his terror as the Zebraskull Iron immediately dragged him through the mirror and began feeding upon him. The man seemed vanish in slices as the Zebraskull consumed him.
At the same time, two individuals heard the familiar ringing of mirror noise go off. The first was Shinji who was still relatively close by the old man's house. And the other… was Shuichi Kitaoka.
"Looks like I'll get to finish my business from two days ago." Kitaoka muttered to himself as he dashed over to the nearest mirror and pulled out an Advent Deck form his suit's coat pocket. The deck was green in color and had the golden symbol of an ox on it. Kitaoka aimed his Advent Deck at the mirror and the V-Buckle materialized around his waist before positioning his right arm in front of himself and positioning his forearm so that it was pointing up.
"HENSHIN!" Kitaoka cried out as he slotted his Advent Deck into the V-buckle!
Greyscale images of armor spiraled towards Kitaoka before colliding with the lawyer! The new rider's suit was green, and considerably more armored and futuristic than any of the other Kamen Riders so far. This was Kamen Rider Zolda.
"Time to finish my hunt." Zolda smirked as he unholstered the submachine gun that was attached to the right side of his belt. This was the Magnuvisor, and it was easily Zolda's greatest edge in combat. Without any delay, Zolda dove into the window and mounted the Rideshooter that was waiting for him.
At the same time, Shinji had transformed into Ryuki and arrived in the Mirror World just in time to see the Zebraskull Iron galloping away.
"Dammit, I was too late!" Ryuki muttered as he slotted a card into the Dragvisor.
"STRIKE VENT!"
At the Dragvisor's announcement, the Dragclaw descended onto Ryuki's outstretched left hand, Ryuki charging forward and peppering the Zebraskull Iron with a flurry of fireballs! The Zebraskull Iron whinnied in pain as it stumbled to the ground covered in scorch marks. Getting to its feet, the Zebraskull let out an angry snort as it stomped its foot.
"I couldn't stop you from eating that old man, but I'll at least be able to stop you from devouring anyone else!" Ryuki slotted his Sword Vent card into his visor, and charged at the Zebraskull Iron, armed to the teeth and fully intent on avenging the life the Mirror Monster had taken!
At the same time, Zolda had been searching for the source of the mirror noise, his helmet's more hi-tech visor scanning the area. He didn't have to search far as he heard a familiar whinny come from above.
"Well, well. If it isn't my friend from a few days ago." Zolda smirked as he looked up.
Staring down at Zolda from the top of a building was the same Zebraskull Bronze he'd chased only a couple of days ago. The Mirror Monster's entire body seemed to separate into segments as it leaped down to Zolda's level, promptly reassembling upon landing.
"Jumpy one, aren't you?" Zolda chuckled as he unhooked the Magnuvisor from his belt, giving it a spin straight out of an old western movie. "Too bad I'm locked onto you now."
The Zebraskull Bronze just let out an angry snort before charging at Zolda, flipping its arm blades so that they faced forward! The gunslinger rider's response was to pepper it with shots from his submachine gun, forcing the monster to halt its charge and double over in pain. Though the hail of bullets didn't deal all that much damage, it still hurt a lot.
"You brought fists to a gun fight." Zolda chuckled. "And I haven't even whipped out the big guns yet."
Back at Ryuki's fight, he had just about gotten the Zebraskull Iron on its last legs. A constant barrage of fireballs and sword slashes had definitely worn down the Zebraskull Iron. However, the fight was taking much longer than usual due to the Zebraskull's jumping ability and its durability. Each time Ryuki slung a fireball at it, the monster seemed to separate into segments and tank the shot!
'This is getting annoying!' Ryuki fumed mentally. 'It just keeps jumping everywhere. And whenever something does hit, it just separates to lessen the damage! Wait… that's it!'
Wasting no time, Ryuki fired another fireball from the Dragclaw gauntlet at the Zebraskull Iron! While the monster had separated itself to tank the hit, Ryuki rushed forward and jammed his Dragsaber into one of the openings while the Zebraskull was separated! The Mirror Monster screeched in pain as it felt the sword jammed into it, and flailed around in pain as it tried in vain to dislodge it! Dismissing his Dragclaw, Ryuki drew his Final Vent card and slotted it into the Dragvisor!
"FINAL VENT!"
At the visor's announcement, Ryuki crouched down as Dragereder flew to his side and coiled around him. The next instant, Ryuki leaped into the air, Dragreder circling the Kamen Rider protectively before flying behind Ryuki and propelling him with a blast of flame into a flying kick! The Zebraskull Iron tried with all its might to dislodge the Dragsaber from its body, but it was no use as Ryuki's Dragon Rider Kick crashed into it, killing the beast in a fiery explosion! When the smoke cleared, the Zebraskull's energy core drifted into the ear before being snatched up by the hungry Dragreder. With a pleased roar, Dragreder circled around Ryuki before flying off.
"Glad to see you're happy, big guy." Ryuki smiled before the sound of gunshots but a halt to his good mood.
Curious as to the source of the sound, Ryuki peered over the top of the building where he'd been fighting the Zebraskull Iron. It was then that the source of the gunshots was revealed: Kamen Rider Zolda.
"So that's where the gunfire came from." Ryuki muttered as he observed the battle between Zolda and the Zebraskull Bronze. "I guess Zelles aren't the only monsters that move in packs."
Back on the ground, Zolda was continually peppering the Zebraskull Bronze with gunfire. However, that's not to say he piled on the hurt solely with his Magnuvisor. While the Zebraskull was staggered by bullets, Zolda rushed forward and slugged it in the face with his fist before pistol-whipping the monster!
"I'd say you're softened up enough now." Zolda smirked as he pulled back the hammer of his Magnuvisor and revealed that the gun's magazine was the card chamber! "I don't know about you, but it's been a blast for me!" Zolda then drew and Advent Card from his deck and slotted it into the Magnuvisor!
"SHOOT VENT!"
At the visor's announcement, a gigantic green rocket launcher descended into Zolda's hands! This was the Giga Launcher, Zolda's weapon of choice for shooting down his targets. Zolda wasted no time in aiming his weapon at the Mirror Monster, the Zebraskull giving a cry of surprise at the massive weapon pointed in its direction.
"Let's end this hunt with a bang, shall we?" Zolda quipped before firing the Giga Launcher!
The Zebraksull tried to do its segmenting trick, but the force of the shell striking it was too great! With a final cry, the Mirror Monster exploded! All the while, Ryuki was in complete awe of the new rider's firepower. So much so that he couldn't be silent about it.
"I WANT THHHHHAAT!" Ryuki screamed at the top of his lungs. Unfortunately, the realization of what he'd just done hit him a second later. 'Crap! I gave away my position!'
"Hm?" Zolda whipped his head in the direction of the sudden cry, and was surprised to see Ryuki atop a nearby building. "Well I'll be. Maybe this is my lucky day after all. HEY! YOU UP THERE!"
"Huh?" Ryuki blinked in confusion.
"You were pretty impressed by my baby here." Zolda smirked as he patted the Giga Launcher. "Kinda hard not to be. My weapon cards are so good that I don't need to waste a Final Vent."
"It's a bit cooler than throwing fireballs." Ryuki replied.
"Name's Zolda. So who do I owe the pleasure of having an audience with?"
"Ryuki. Kamen Rider Ryuki."
"Since you were so impressed just a few seconds ago," Zolda then aimed his Giga Launcher in Ryuki's direction. "How about another demonstration?"
"I've got better things to do than fight riders." Ryuki declared firmly. "I only came here because there was a Mirror Monster attacking people." Ryuki clenched his fist.
"And I was too late to save the person being attacked."
"Ho?" Zolda tilted his head. "Interesting. So you say you don't have any wish?"
"No, I do have one desire." Ryuki said with steel in his voice. "I want to stop the Rider War and become a real Kamen Rider. Just like those in the urban legends that are whispered to this day."
"You're in this thing to play superhero?" Zolda asked as he thought back to his interview with Shinji and lowered the Giga Launcher. "Funny. You kind of sound like a guy I know."
"I don't know what wish you're hoping to make, but I hope you'll at least consider my offer." Ryuki sighed. "I can't tell you how to live, that's not my job. But if nothing else, I want to try and save the other Kamen Riders from what seems like a fate set in stone."
"I'm afraid I can't let that happen." Zolda shrugged. "My life's riding on claiming the wish. And I can't afford to lose it."
"Then I'm sorry we're going to have to fight." Ryuki then called Dragreder via the Advent Card, and flew away.
As he watched Ryuki leave, Zolda couldn't help but smile beneath his mask.
"Huh. That's the second interesting person I've met today." Zolda chuckled. "Well, no sense lingering here. And if he gets in my way, I'll shoot him down next time."
Zolda then exited the Mirror World and removed his Advent Deck, reverting back to Kitaoka. Upon his exit, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Goro approaching him.
"I take it your fight went well, sensei?"
"Yeah, the monster was no trouble." Kitaoka nodded. "Even met another Kamen Rider out there."
"Did you manage to take him out?"
"No, but I did have a rather interesting conversation with him." Kitaoka stroked his chin in thought. "He said he aims to stop the Rider War. From what he told me, he's striving to be like the Kamen Riders you'd hear about in urban legends. His desire's to be a hero."
"Do you believe he's trying to pull off a ruse, sensei?"
"Goro, I'm a lawyer. I can tell when someone's pulling a scam." Kitaoka sighed. "No, he actually sounds genuine. Kinda makes me sad that I'll have to shoot him down. Like I told him, my life's riding on the wish. Might not have taken out any riders, but I at least know one of the others that're fighting. Not to mention, I sure made one hell of an entrance."
"You sure did, sensei." Goro chuckled.
AN: And now Zolda makes his explosive debut. Might take a short break from this story and work on some other ones I've got in the pipeline. That way I don't get bored. As always, read and review. It helps know how to move forward.