Disclaimer: I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
…
Goro was roused from his torpor when the door opened. However, instead of the doctor he had expected, it was Kazuta, hat respectfully held in one hand. Goro wasn't sure whether to be pleased or disappointed to see his mentor. "How is she?" The captain asked quietly as he entered the hospital room and marched over to the bed where a comatose Kari was lying, arms wrapped with bloodstained bandages, fluids being pumped into her by equipment arrayed around the bed while the constant beep of a heart monitor provided a constant, nerve-wracking background noise.
Mira was curled up in a chair next to Goro, covered in a blanket, her face scrunched up in unhappiness, twitching slightly as unpleasant dreams tormented her young mind.
"The doctors said her condition is stable," Goro responded just as quietly, so as not to wake up Mira, who'd barely gotten a wink of sleep since her mother had been admitted to the hospital. "She should be awake in a couple of hours, and we can take her home in a few days."
Kazuta sighed in relief. "Good. That's good. We were all worried."
Goro nodded solemnly. "No more than me, sir."
He stared at the zyuman, face pensive. "I just… I just don't understand why she would do something like this," he confessed, an agonized look on his face. "She was doing well. She seemed fine. Happy, even. And then, I come home to find her in the tub, and-"
He cut himself off, unable to finish the sentence.
Thank Gaim he'd found her before Mira had. The poor girl had enough problems due to the gender dysphoria and nightmares from her experiences at the trafficking ring, she didn't need to add her mother bleeding out to all her other trauma.
"Unfortunately, unless you're a psychic, none of us can ever really know what's going on inside another person's head," Kazuta said softly, shaking his head. "One minute, a person seems totally fine. The next, you find them with a smoking gun in their hand and a hole in their head." He glanced at Goro. "You and I both know that it doesn't take much to set someone off, especially someone who's managed to live through what Kari did."
Goro nodded. He and the captain both knew far too many good soldiers who couldn't cope and, in the end, took the only way out they saw available to them. He'd been pretty close to that himself, once or twice.
He never thought that Kari might be in the same boat.
"Right now you're cursing yourself for missing the signs, for not seeing this coming sooner," Kazuta said, startling Goro. As always, the captain knew him better than he knew himself. "This isn't your fault, Goro. You've been doing the best you could with her."
"And it wasn't enough?" Goro asked bitterly.
"Perhaps, perhaps not," Kazuta said with a shrug. "What matters is that you got to her before it was too late. Which means you have another chance."
Goro nodded, resolute. "I promise to make the most of it, sir."
Kazuta smiled, unsurprised. "I know you will."
Goro stared at Kari for a moment. She looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful. Just like she had when he'd found her-
"I'm going to tell her," Goro said abruptly. "Not right away, of course. I can't spring that on her in her current state. But… After we're out of the hospital, after she's had therapy, after we're sure this will never happen again… Then I'll tell her how I feel."
Kazuta nodded in agreement. "Good. That's just how you should do it. But… Remember, Goro, while waiting is the right answer… Be careful not to wait too long."
Old pain flickered behind his eyes. "Because eventually you'll run out of time."
Goro nodded, but said nothing in reply.
Kazuta took the chair next to him, and together, the two soldiers sat in solidarity as they waited for Kari to wake up.
…
The lobby of King's Tower was grand and ostentatious, like most people imagined a medieval castle would be. Stone floors and walls, elaborate chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, red carpets, period furniture, roaring fireplaces, and big paintings of uncomfortable-looking people in even more uncomfortable clothes adorning the walls.
Eiji Hino ignored it all as he entered the lobby, only pausing as he passed a portrait of a very familiar king, a flicker of distaste crossing his face as his gloved right hand clenched tightly. He understood that the man had been Kougami's ancestor, but considering what that man had almost done, both in the distant past and more recently, he couldn't help but feel like it was in bad taste for the king's picture to still be on display.
"You try telling Kougami what to do," he muttered, seemingly to nobody, and his right hand unclenched very slightly.
He continued towards the front desk, where he was displeased, but unsurprised, to notice that the receptionist was wearing a neural interface, the X on the front glowing an angry red. Her eyes glanced up to meet his, her bored, apathetic expression briefly flickering to one of horror, then outrage, then back to boredom. "May I help you?" She asked in a dull monotone.
Eiji briefly wondered who was really asking the question, then decided it didn't matter. "I'm Deputy Secretary Eiji Hino, and I would like to see my father, Minister Akihito Hino, please."
She knew who he was, of course. Everyone looking back at him through her eyes did.
"Do you have an appointment?" She asked.
He did not, and they both knew it.
"I do not," he replied.
"Then you can't see him," she said quickly, perfunctorily.
Eiji's right hand twitched. "I really must insist."
Her eyes narrowed. "So must I."
The sound of boots on flagstones filled the lobby, followed by the cocking and arming of numerous submachine guns. Eiji didn't bother turning around to see that he was now surrounded by a couple of dozen Production Model FX Riders – resembling FX-5, but with somewhat muted colors – and Guardian units pointing their weapons at him. Eiji raised an eyebrow very slightly.
"You are trespassing on private property without permission," the receptionist said coldly. "I suggest you leave immediately."
Eiji raised an eyebrow very slightly. "This seems rather excessive."
"You are well known to be one of the strongest and most versatile Heisei Riders," she countered. "If anything, it's not excessive enough."
Eiji looked her in the eyes. "Is this really how you want this to go, father?" He asked her, or rather, the man pulling her strings. "You've gone too far this time, and I have the evidence and authority to put you away for good. One way or another, I'm shutting this project of yours down. We can do this peacefully. There doesn't have to be a fight."
In response, the soldiers and robots immediately opened fire, and the young politician vanished in a cloud of gunsmoke, spent cartridges littering the floor as the security forces emptied their clips at Eiji.
A cruel smirk formed on the receptionist's face. "But what if I want a fight?"
"Then it's a fight you'll get."
The receptionist started. "N-nani?!"
The smoke cleared to reveal Eiji was completely unharmed, save for his right sleeve and glove, which had been completely shredded…
Revealing that his right arm looked like it belonged to a demon, red and green with sharp claws, a birdlike formation on the forearm, and black thread wrapped around the elbow. His right hand, raised and clenched into a fist, opened, and several dozen crumpled bullets clattered to the ground.
"I'm afraid that you are the ones all trespassing on private property," Eiji said calmly, glancing at a watch on his left wrist as the receptionist and soldiers gawked in disbelief. "As of five minutes ago, Kousei Kougami revoked your lease, so the building returns to his possession. Leave at once, or we will make you leave."
"We?!" The receptionist snarled as the gathered soldiers quickly reloaded, even more Riders and Guardians racing into the room.
Eiji smirked as the front door slid open to admit entry. "Yes. We."
Eiji Hino entered the lobby.
Followed by another Eiji.
And another.
And another.
Until there were a total of 13 Eijis in the lobby.
The receptionist's jaw dropped. "How-"
Eiji's smile grew. "I used Gatakiriba before coming here."
"Kill them!" The receptionist screamed as all of the Eijis revealed they were wearing OOO Drivers, face white with terror and fury. "Kill them all!"
"Time to earn your icepops, partner!" The "prime" Eiji declared as the security forces frantically reloaded, flicking his demonic right hand and hurling a number of colorful medals at his duplicates before slamming one last set into his own. "HENSHIN!"
"HENSHIN!" all of his clones shouted.
The soldiers opened fire, only for every single one of their bullets to be deflected as giant multicolored medallions swirled around the Eijis as they ran the OOO Ring over the medals in their Drivers.
"SUPER! SUPER! SUPER! SUPER TAKA! SUPER TORA! SUPER BATTA! SU~PER TATOBA, TA-TO-BA! SUPER!"
"KUWAGATA! KAMAKIRI! BATTA! GA~TA GATA-GATA-KIRIBA! GATAKIRIBA!"
"LION! TORA! CHEETAH! LA-TA LA-TA, LA-TORA~~TAR!"
"SAI! GORILLA! ZOU! SAGOHZO... SAGOHZO!"
"SHACHI! UNAGI! TAKO! SHA-SHA-SHAUTA, SHA-SHA-SHAUTA!"
"PTERA! TRICERA! TYRANNO: PU-TO-TYRANNOSAURUS!"
"COBRA! KAME! WANI! BURA-KA~WANI!"
"SAME! KUJIRA! OOKAMIUO! SA-RA-MI-UO! SA! RA! MI-UO!"
"EBI! KANI! SASORI! BIKASO, BI-KA-SO!"
"SHIKA! GAZELLE! USHI! SHIGA-ZE-SHI! SHI-GAZESHI, SHIGA-ZE-SHI!"
"MUKADE! HACHI! ARI! MUKACHIRI CHIRICHIRI! MUKACHIRI CHIRICHIRI!"
"SEIUCHI! SHIROKUMA! PENGUIN! SEI! SHIROGIN! SEI! SHIROGIN!"
"TAKA! KUJAKU! CONDOR! TA~JA~DOL! ETERNITY!"
As the gunfire finally ceased and the smoke cleared, everyone in the lobby could do nothing but stare in horror and awe at the 13 colorful animal-themed Riders standing before them, surrounded by bullet casings.
"Whenever there is someone in need… I will reach out to help!" Eiji declared dramatically.
"Wow, well done, it only took you how many years to come up with a catchphrase?" His right hand snarked.
"Hush."
The receptionist frantically called for more reinforcements.
She rather doubted they would be enough.
…
The skyscraper shook, explosions bursting out all over the tower as the fight in the lobby began to spill out into the higher floors. A group of Masquerade Dopants, Waste Yummies, Dustards, X Guardians, and FX Riders headed towards an elevator to join the fight…
"XTREME!"
Only to find their path cut off when, without warning, the Hardturbuler smashed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the lobby they were in, skidding to a halt in front of them as well as leaving some nasty skidmarks which Kougami's cleaning staff were going to have a great deal of difficulty removing.
Kamen Rider Double, in their CycloneJokerXtreme form, hopped off the motorcycle and stood before the understandably terrified goons, striking a dramatic pose. "Foundation X… Prepare to count up your sins-"
There was a ding, and everyone instinctively turned to look at the elevator as it opened and Aruto Hiden emerged. He looked relieved when he saw Double and the horde of minions. "Oh, finally! I've been going from floor to floor looking for someone to fight! This is a really big building, maybe even taller than mine! Easy to get lost."
Double did a double take. (Ha.) "Hiden-san? What are you doing here?"
Aruto shrugged. "Well, I was there to help you and Hino-san the last time you stormed a Foundation X-operated tower even though I didn't really have any good reason to be there whatsoever, narratively speaking, so I figured I might as well help out this time too."
His expression turned stern. "And besides, someone has to put a stop to Minister Hino's towering ambition!"
He struck an insanely cheesy pose. "And that's how you know it's an Aruto!"
Everyone stared at him blankly. "I don't get it," one of the Dopants spoke up in confusion.
"Oh, I get it!" The right half of Double realized. "It's a pun, since we are currently inside of a tower!"
Aruto facepalmed. "Philip, explaining the joke doesn't make it funnier."
"It wasn't funny in the first place," the left half of Double pointed out.
Aruto groaned. "I miss Fuwa. He found my jokes funny…" He muttered, a look of grief briefly flashing behind his eyes. "Let's just get this over with."
He slapped on the Zero-Two Driver and primed the Zero-Two ProgRise key.
"ZERO-TWO DRIVER!"
"ZERO-TWO JUMP!"
"HENSHIN!"
"ZERO-TWO RISE! ROAD TO GLORY HAS TO LEAD TO GROWIN' PATH TO CHANGE ONE TO TWO! KAMEN RIDER ZERO-TWO! IT'S NEVER OVER."
Aruto struck a pose, his metal scarf flaring. "There's only one person that can stop you… And that's me!"
The goon stared at him. "But, they're here," one of the FX Riders pointed out, pointing at the bemused Double. "And there's, like, a bunch of OOO downstairs-"
"WILL YOU JUST NOT."
…
More than just these two veteran Riders and the army of OOO fought their way through the building towards the upper floors. Ant soldiers led by Corporal Zaria used the tactics Goro had taught them to overwhelm every adversary in their path. Ninjas of the Mantis Clan – both humans and actual mantises – stealthily and swiftly neutralized all opposition and cleared the way for the other forces, with an enthusiastic Hood relishing the chance to put her training to practical use.
And in the medieval castle at the very top of the building, Minister Hino, Dr. X, and the original five FX Riders were hurriedly trying to make their escape.
"I can't believe this," a stunned Hebishima stammered, and not for the first time, as the seven of them rushed through the hallways of the ancient Castle, the five Riders forming a protective cordon around the irate Hino and the rather anxious X. "The Hive are attacking us? But that's… That's practically a declaration of war, isn't it? We're supposed to be on the same side!"
"And they somehow got veteran Riders to help them," a disbelieving Takeshi stated. "I don't… I don't understand. Why would they do that?"
"I told you that the Hive could not be trusted," Hino snarled, shaking with rage. "And my son and I have never seen eye to eye. I doubt it took much for them to convince him to turn against me. He still blames me for that Civil War he foolishly found himself in the middle of…"
"Which, of course, you had no involvement in whatsoever," Kamiya said almost robotically.
"Precisely."
"Sir, I… Do you really think Goro is involved?" A worried Fukiyami asked her captain.
Kazuta tightened his grip on his shotgun. "… I want to believe otherwise, but… Maybe the Minister was right. Maybe Queen Apista really did dig her tarsals too deep into him. With all those minds in the Buzzing screaming in his head, how long did it take before his own was drowned out completely?"
"We have to get out of here," Dr. X insisted, and not for the first time, clutching a metal briefcase to his chest. "If Cheng – I mean, the Hive – get their hands on me – I mean, us-"
"We won't let that happen," Kazuta promised the scientist. "Once we get to Site X, we can figure out what's really going on and plan a counterattack."
He stared off into the distance, pensive. "… We have no idea who we can trust. It's possible the entire government, all of our nation's heroes, have been compromised. We… We may be the only ones left."
"If that's the case… Then we won't stop until we take back the country," Hino said firmly. "The Hive, the Swarm… All of them, all of humanity's enemies, will have to go." He grinned rather sinisterly, not that any of the Riders saw it that way. "It's fortunate that we have powerful allies, do we not, doctor?"
Dr. X nodded anxiously. "Y-yes, of course."
Kamiya shook his head, incredulous. "Whoever would've thought we'd be relying on Foundation X of all people."
"Unusual circumstances make strange bedfellows," Kazuta reminded him, though he couldn't help feeling a strange, nagging sensation that something about that didn't sound right-
It's fine. Everything is fine, a voice that he couldn't discern from his own or the Minister's spoke in his mind, and he immediately stopped that line of thought.
The group scaled a set of spiral stairs and came out on the top of a large tower where a helicopter was waiting to convey them away from the building. They started forwards…
And then Kazuta stiffened, hearing the sound of a train horn.
"GET DOWN!" He shouted, tackling Hino to the floor as the ShinLiner opened fire, destroying the helicopter in a fiery conflagration.
"NO! That was our best way out!" Dr. X shrieked, panicking.
"Everyone, back down the stairs, we can find another exit-" Kazuta started as he helped Hino back to his feet, only for the ShinLiner to swoop down between them and the staircase, rising back into the sky…
And leaving the transformed Bugrangers in its place, who immediately started their roll call.
"The heartful genius! Red Ladybug!"
"The stalwart soldier! Blue Ant!"
"The noble Shinobi! Yellow Mantis!"
"The indomitable warrior! Green Hopper!"
"The starlight sorceress! White Butterfly!"
The team struck their group pose.
"In the name of the hive! Konchu Sentai…"
"BUGRANGER!" They shouted as multicolored explosions erupted behind them.
"Let's show them what all the buzz is about!" Nushi finished.
Dr. X gulped as Hino snarled in rage. "Bugrangers…" He growled, voice dripping with hatred.
"… Goro… Why?" Kazuta whispered, betrayal tinging the thoughts of the squad.
Goro took a deep breath. "… I'm sorry, Captain. But this is how it has to be."
"Do you idiots have any idea what you've just done?!" Hino shouted, furious. "This is a government sanctioned operation! You're committing treason-"
"Says the guy working with Foundation X, who could probably rival Shocker for sheer evilness and callous disregard for human life!" Shinya shouted back, livid.
"You naïve fool. Governments make deals with shady organizations all the time when their interests align, no matter how dubious their ethics," Dr. X retorted. "This is no different!"
"Oh, and the fact that you're getting to build an army of mind controlled super soldiers on the taxpayer yen answerable only to one man and, I'm assuming, your bosses back at Foundation X is purely incidental?" Goro retorted.
"Goro, it's not like that-" Kamiya protested.
"It is like that!" Goro snapped. "And the fact that none of you are able to see it just proves the point! Captain, all of you, since when has doing the right thing involved sacrificing your integrity to work with objectively evil people for the 'greater good?!'"
Kazuta fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. "Goro, a good soldier follows orders-"
"NO!" Goro bellowed. "A good soldier does not just follow orders! A soldier is not just some wind-up toy who exists solely to carry out the will of the people above him! 'Just following orders' has never been a valid excuse to justify your actions! A good soldier does what needs to be done and suffers the consequences so others don't have to! You taught me that, remember?!"
Kazuta hesitated, looking confused. "I… That's right, I… I did say that… Didn't I-"
"Captain Kazuta, ignore this traitor," Hino snapped sharply, exerting his will on Goro's mentor, causing him to stiffen and stand to attention, infuriating the younger soldier. "You are one to talk about sacrificing integrity, seeing as how you sold your soul to alien powers! And you dare to accuse me of mind control?!"
"Yes. Yes, I do!" Goro retorted. "Before, you accused us of having our minds manipulated by Apista, our thoughts and feelings altered to suit her needs. And you know what? Maybe there's some truth to that."
Hino was taken aback at this. "I… wait, you admit-"
"But the difference between you and her? She's willing to admit that she might have changed our minds, even without realizing it, and is willing to help us change back if necessary," Goro continued. "She actually gives a damn about the people her mind is linked to! She loves every single member of the Buzzing, and doesn't regard anyone as a pawn to be disposed of when it suits her needs!
"Maybe I, maybe all of us, have been changed. And maybe we aren't all completely okay with that! But to compare our metamorphosis and joining to the Buzzing with the sheer violation you've been carrying out on my friends, the way you're defiling their minds, causing possibly permanent brain damage-"
"I'm sorry, what now?" Hebishima asked, startled.
"Ignore him!" Hino snapped.
"What you and Dr. X have done is not only an insult to the values the Buzzing were created to uphold, it's nothing short of pure evil, and I have no intention of letting you follow through with it, no matter how high up your support for this goes!" Goro declared. "Hino, this time, I will make sure you see justice for what you've done!"
Hino's lip curled in disgust. "You really are your father's son," he spat hatefully. "He talked like that, too. Going on about honor and duty… As if any of those mean anything for a soldier! A soldier is nothing more than a warm body trained how to pull a trigger! They exist for no other reason than to kill on the behalf of their betters! The only thing separating them from machines is that machines are more expensive to make!"
Mibojin glanced at Nushi. "You really should've let me kill him before. This is exactly the sort of man I would have killed back before joining the team."
Nushi sighed wearily. "I know, I know."
Goro, shaking in fury and disgust, glanced at Kazuta, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable. "Are you really going to let him talk about dad like that? About a soldier's purpose?"
"I-"
"Of course he is," Hino snapped, causing Kazuta to stiffen and once again stand at attention. "Because a good soldier obeys his superior officer!"
"Last time I checked, you're still a civilian," Goro retorted. "I looked it up, Hino. I know you were dishonorably discharged when dad caught you doing something you really, really shouldn't have and the only reason it didn't go public was because of your family. Trust me when I say that's not going to happen this time!"
Hino laughed in his face. "Oh, you think so, do you? Allow me to remind you: this project has been approved by the government! Do you know how many people knew about what this project entailed, but didn't care? By standing against it, you're committing treason, made worse by the fact that the Hive have sent their own forces here to try and shut us down, which practically amounts to a declaration of war! Do you have any idea how easily I'm going to be able to spin this in my favor, as your jealous Queen trying to take out the competition, and sending her brainwashed thugs to try and assassinate me for trying to give humanity a weapon against the Swarm that she doesn't control? There's no way she'll ever recover from this PR blunder!"
"You know, before you say that, you might want to look at this," Ariel said with deceptive cheerfulness, holding up her phone. She pressed a key, projecting an image of none other than King Tokiwa – may he reign forever – holding a press conference.
"Earlier today," Sougo began, the young king looking rather angry. "I received word that a certain high-ranking Japanese politician, Minister Akihito Hino, was using his authority and taxpayer yen to fund a super soldier operation allegedly to combat the Swarm but in actuality to increase his own power base using brainwashing and one of the most dangerous and uncontrollable substances on the planet with the backing of a number of like-minded members of the National Diet and illicit investors, including infamous evil organization Foundation X. That sort of corruption might've flown under the radar before I took power, but now that I'm king, I refuse to tolerate such actions! I hereby order the cancellation of the FX Project and the immediate arrest of Minister Hino and his partner Dr. X, and issue a blanket statement to every country on Earth that if I get word that anyone else is engaged in a similar project, I'm going to come down in person and make them stop, and I think we can all agree nobody wants to see that!"
Ariel put her phone away, smirking as Hino and Dr. X went very stiff, and the FX Riders exchanged startled looks. "You know, having a single global ruler with absolute power isn't as much of a bad thing as you might expect sometimes, huh?"
"That went out five minutes before we started our raid, incidentally," Mibojin commented calmly. "So our actions are perfectly legal and could be considered a joint action between the Japanese government and the Hive military, due to the presence of your son and the deputization of Kamen Riders Double and Zero-One."
"So, unless you're going to say something crazy like claiming that we somehow got to King Tokiwa-" Shin began.
"May he reign forever," everyone on the roof reflexively chanted.
"Then you might want to consider that maybe you guys are in the wrong here?" He jeered.
Dumbfounded, Hebishima turned to his commander. "Sir, are… Are we the bad guys?"
Dazed, Kazuta slowly lowered his shotgun. "I… We… We might-"
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Hino shouted, spittle flying from his mouth as his neural interface lit up.
Immediately, all the FX Riders stiffened and held their guns to the sides of their heads.
Shin swore. "Oh, so we're doing this, huh?"
"You BASTARD!" Goro shouted, trigger finger itching to put a bullet through the crooked politician's skull.
"None of you make a move, or I'll have every single FX Rider in the building blow their brains out!" Hino barked. "Here's what you're going to do. You're going to let the good doctor and I leave. You will not follow us. You will not tag us or track us. You will not move from your positions until we have left the city. Then, and only then, will I consider commanding my puppets to lay down their arms. Do I make myself clear?"
"You do," Nushi said calmly, slowly reaching for Coccinella. "But allow me to make a counter offer. Ariel?"
"Jiruma Magi Magiine!" The sorceress chanted, firing a spell from her wand at Coccinella, causing her microprocessor to start flashing. Ariel tapped it, and a red and white energy wave made of tiny ladybugs and butterflies blasted out from the Divine Insect to engulf the entire building.
Hino, X, and the FX Riders cried in pain as arcs of red and white energy started crackling around their heads. The Riders clutched their helmets, and X quickly ripped off and hurled away his neural interface as it started sparking and smoking. Hino desperately scrabbled at his interface, but had difficulty removing it due to its bulkier design, and roared in anguish as it partially melted, searing his fingers and cranium.
And then, after a few seconds, it thankfully stopped…
And every X microprocessor in the FX suits flickered, turning from red to gold.
And quite suddenly, dozens of new voices joined the symphony in Goro's head, but he only really cared about five of them.
"WELCOME," the entirety of the Hive sang in joy. "WELCOME, NEW FRIENDS!"
FX – no, Katsutoshi Squad, which is who they always had been and always would be – were understandably startled. Confused. Even a little afraid.
But the five of them were already at least somewhat used to being part of a psychic network, and that fear was soon replaced with awe and wonder. "This… This is the Buzzing?!" Hebishima cried in amazement.
"It's beautiful!" Takeshi exclaimed joyfully, eagerly allowing her feelings to intermingle with those of her squad, the Bugrangers, and everyone else in the entire universe. "So many minds, so many people, so many WORLDS…"
Kamiya trembled, nearly dropping his minigun. "It's… Breathtaking," he gasped. "It just… Goes on for practically forever… But I can almost understand it all…"
"Is this what a real hive mind feels like?" Fukiyami wondered, awestruck. "I thought I understood, but now… I see I didn't know a damn thing!"
"Despite having more voices in my head than I ever thought possible… My mind feels clearer than it has in ages," Kazuta marveled. "Goro, you… You were right. About all of it. Thank you. Thank you for saving us."
Goro smiled. "Of course I did. We're family, aren't we?"
Goro and Kazuta regarded each other while the rest of their friends looked on, both of their minds open books. While they had grown together, fought together, experienced so much together… In many ways, this was the first time either of them could claim to truly understand each other.
"All this time… Is this really how you felt about me?" Kazuta whispered, on the verge of tears, as he found himself reliving every moment he and Goro had shared through the eyes of the younger man.
"Of course," Goro replied, trembling with emotion as he found himself reliving every moment he and Kazuta had shared through the eyes of the older man. "I thought you knew."
"I did. And yet I didn't. Goro, I…"
"I know, Captain. I do too."
The two men didn't hug – now was not the time for that – but they certainly did the equivalent in the Mindscape, to the joy of all.
"WHAT?!" Dr. X shrieked in disbelief, helping the anguished Hino back to his feet. "You… What have you done?!"
Nushi chuckled. "You know what your problem always has been, Shang? You've always thought yourself smarter than you actually were."
Dr. X stiffened and nearly dropped Hino. "You… You know?!"
"I do," Nushi replied coolly. "And you haven't changed one bit, piggybacking off my work like you did back at university! Which actually worked in my favor, here. You may have modified my original design, but the basic programming was still the same! All I needed to do was make a few tweaks with some help from my awesome girlfriend-"
"That's me!" Ariel sang chipperly.
"And I was able to write a new program purging you and Hino from the FX network, freeing all of your Riders and everyone else wearing one of your bastardized interfaces!" Nushi proclaimed.
"But… That's not possible!" X stammered. "I designed the interfaces so that if either Hino or myself were removed from the network, they would emit a microwave pulse frying the brains of their wearers!"
"A simple enough fix," Nushi bragged. "I just had to replace the two of you with a new administrator… Queen Apista! As of this moment, the FX system has become a subsidiary of the Buzzing!"
"WHAT?!" X shrieked.
"Greetings, Katsutoshi squad, and all others!" Apista spoke into the minds of the FX Riders, causing Goro's comrades to immediately stand at attention. "Although our time together is brief, I hope you'll enjoy your taste of the Buzzing while it lasts, and assure you that I am not exerting any mind control on you whatsoever! Or at least, I'm trying not to, if anyone feels like they've been brainwashed, please let me know as soon as possible, I'm trying to get a handle on that. While I will be sorry to see you go once this is over, I will not force anyone to stay who does not wish it. We are not in the habit of assimilating people against their will, and I apologize for the necessity in this instance and beg your forgiveness."
"You have it," Kazuta said firmly.
Takeshi swallowed. "Um, your Majesty… First of all, big fan, second of all, I, um, I hope you don't mind that-"
Apista sighed a little wearily. "Trust me, whatever you and your partner have done with… Representations of me, I assure you Nushi has done far, far worse."
"Your Majesty!" Nushi shrieked as amusement filled the Buzzing.
"You… You hypocrites!" Hino shouted, eyes squeezed shut in pain. "You call me a monster for controlling people's minds… Only to link them up to that alien bitch's hive mind instead?!"
"It is only a temporary measure," Mibojin spoke up. "Until we can safely remove your atrocities without killing their users."
"If they want to stay a part of the Buzzing after that, I'd be more than happy to provide them with one of my completely safe, totally voluntary and easily removable interfaces later," Nushi explained.
"The Hive is not in the habit of forcing anyone who doesn't want to be a part of it to join," Goro stated firmly. "… And if anyone really wants to leave… Then… Well, we're working on a way for them to do just that."
"But you two," Kazuta said, all the squad turning and pointing their guns at the panting, straining Hino and Dr. X. "Aren't going to be leaving here in anything but handcuffs. You're both under arrest."
"Oh? Don't be so sure of that!" X cackled as suddenly the microprocessors on the FX suits started flashing again. "Did you think that the neural interfaces were the only things I installed a failsafe in? I rigged your suits to kill you if you ever turned your weapons on me!"
"What about me?" Hino demanded.
"You were a lesser priority," X said dismissively, much to the other man's anger. "So now, the five of you will die from lethal electroshock in a matter of-"
"Aaaaand disarmed," Nushi interrupted, tapping Coccinella's microprocessor and emitting another energy pulse.
The flashing microprocessors on the suits stopped flickering and resumed a steady glow.
X his jaw dropped. "WHAT?! But… But how did you break my encryption?!"
Nushi chuckled smugly. "Thanks to the Buzzing, I have access to some of the most brilliant minds in the entire universe, and can use the combined processing power of every brain in the Hive to run calculations that even the mightiest of supercomputers would struggle to achieve… Absolutely none of which I needed because you used the same password you had back in college."
Hino shot the embarrassed scientist an incredulous look. "Really?"
"Oh, like I'm the only one who uses the same password for everything!" X snapped back, shamefaced.
"Yeah, that's fair," Ariel admitted.
Nushi shook her head. "It's like I said, Shang. You were never as smart as you thought you were. In fact, while you are a pretty awful boyfriend throughout, the worst thing you ever did to me was making me believe that I wasn't as smart as I really was."
"What about stealing your work and blackmailing you into trying to kill yourself by threatening to reveal your father's secret identity to the authorities?" Mibojin pointed out.
"The second-worst thing, then," Nushi admitted. "No, wait, make that the third, the second-worst thing is how whenever we had sex-"
"I don't think anyone here needs to hear about that!" X cried shrilly.
"Too late, now it's in all of our heads," the horrified Hebishima moaned, trying not to throw up.
"I'm suddenly seeing the downside of the Buzzing," Kamiya whimpered.
"It has its drawbacks," Goro admitted.
"Regardless, unless you happen to have another failsafe…" Kazuta began.
"Do you?" Hino asked desperately.
"I do… Not. I do not," X confessed. Hino's eye twitched.
"Then you both are under arrest. For real this time," Kazuta continued. "And this time, you're definitely not escaping justice!"
"It's over, Hino!" Goro agreed.
Hino clenched his teeth in frustration as the two teams approached. Dammit… Damn it all! If it weren't for Goro, or his father… Or my worthless son… None of this would've happened! This can't be how it ends for me! I REFUSE to accept that! There has to be something I can-
"Who is this?"
Hino hesitated. That voice had not been his own. What? Who are you?
"Queen Parasitica II, ruler of the Infestation Empire Swarm!" The other voice in his head snapped, much to his horror. "And you… Wait. You're the leader of those wannabe Sentai who killed Tick-Tock and ruined my plan at Nagano!"
They're Riders, actually-
"Whatever! And… Hang on. You've been using cosmic fungus cells to build your own psychic network?! So THAT'S why I've been getting so many headaches over the last few weeks!"
No… this is impossible! X assured me that the cells were dormant-
"'Dormant' isn't the same as dead, you imbecile! Especially when you're talking about fungus with the power to reanimate the dead!" Parasitica scoffed. "But don't feel too bad for making such a mistake, after all, you're only a mammal. And you've just provided me with a delicious opportunity for some revenge! Thank you ever so much for your assistance! Your sacrifice will promptly be forgotten."
No, wait! Hino thought desperately. We can make a deal! I'm a powerful man, I could be of great use to you-
Parasitica snuffed out his consciousness without a second thought. What a small, weak, pathetic mortal. For all his ambition, he had no clue of what real power was.
Something she fully intended to demonstrate.
Hino's body suddenly convulsed, face contorting and throat gargling as the microprocessors on his half-melted interface started flickering ominously, and the device started partially dissolving and shifting about. "What the- Shang, what have you done?!" Nushi demanded.
"What makes you think this is my fault?!" He screeched in indignation.
"Who else could it be?" She pointed out. "You built those things!"
"Yes, but I never designed them to do that-" X started, only to stare, dumbfounded, as abruptly Hino's entire body dissolved into a mass of Cell Medals covered in mold. "Or that!" He added quickly. "You can't pin that on me!"
The mass of medals abruptly collapsed back on themselves to form an ever shifting humanoid figure somewhat resembling Hino…
Except the face kept transitioning between looking like Hino and looking like Parasitica!
"No," the figure spoke, its voice formed from the clattering together of countless medals. "You can pin it on me, though!"
The Bugrangers gasped. "It's Parasitica!" Shin cried unnecessarily.
"You know, I was half expecting her to hijack the situation somehow, but I was not expecting it to look like that," Ariel confessed.
"Open fire!" Kazuta ordered, and Katsutoshi Squad immediately unloaded their firearms at Parasitica, only for her modular avatar to wildly stretch and shift and come apart, holes opening to allow the bullets through her body before reassembling as if nothing had happened. Dr. X, who had the misfortune of standing right next to her while this all happened, screamed uncontrollably and threw himself to the ground, curling into a fetal position and covering his head with his hands, desperately pleading for the nightmare to end.
"Yeah, I saw that coming," Shin said unhelpfully once the squad had finished emptying their clips and did no damage whatsoever to anything but the smoldering remains of the helicopter and the tower's stonework.
"Hmm, this vessel has its advantages, but it's not quite what I'm looking for," Parasitica mused, looking her avatar over. She carefully examined the 10 heroes – deliberately overlooking X – and paused when she got to Kazuta.
A hideous, far too wide grin stretched across her ever changing face. "Ah. You will do just fine."
And then her body dissolved completely into Cell Medals and shot towards the startled captain, much to everyone's horror.
Thankfully, Ariel immediately thrust out her wand and cried, "Luuma Gonga Lujuna!"
Kazuta's body sparkled as her vaccination spell took effect…
Only for the swarm of medals to merge with his body anyway, causing him to cry out in pain, everyone flinching as his terror and agony reverberated throughout the Buzzing.
"Ghhh…nnnnhhh…gaaaah!" Kazuta cried out, his body convulsing, parts of his armor dissolving into medals then hardening again, spots of mold forming over his body and cycling through a variety of different colors, and the tortured faces of animals briefly forming the in the increasingly fluid metal covering his body. "N-no… Get… Out… GET OUT!"
"I-I don't understand," a shocked Ariel stammered. "That spell should've kept her from infecting him!"
"That's because she's not trying to infect him, she's infecting the suit!" Nushi realized. "It has pieces of Cell Medals and cosmic fungus in it as well, so her current avatar must be compatible with it!"
"Can you get her out?" Goro pleaded. "We have to save him!"
Ariel nodded, regaining her composure. "Sure, another exorcism spell should do the trick."
Some of the almost liquid metal extruded itself to form Parasitica's face, though part of it kept stretching out to the side to form Hino's wailing visage before getting sucked back in. "No, not that spell!" She shrieked. "It gave me such a migraine the last time!"
"Good," Ariel sneered darkly. "Jiruma-"
Abruptly, the castle started trembling.
"What the-" Shin started.
"Your Majesty, you didn't wake up-" Mibojin began.
"No, he's still sleeping! I don't know what this is!" Apista replied.
There was an evil chuckle, and suddenly all of them remembered Dr. X was also there, having replaced his neural interface when nobody was looking. Pushing up his sunglasses with one finger, he (presumably) grinned beneath his bandages and said, "You know how a minute ago, I said I was out of failsafes? Well, that wasn't entirely accurate."
The castle shook, and an earsplitting roar filled the air as suddenly a massive purple biomechanical monster rose into view behind the mad scientist. It resembled a Tyrannosaurus, but with the horns and frill of a triceratops, and the wings of a pterodactyl. FX-06 was painted on its side, and it had a variety of massive X-shaped red microprocessors (or processors, or macroprocessors, we've done this bit already) set in its joints, with an especially large one glowing in its forehead almost like a third eye.
Everyone gawked at it incredulously. "The hell is that?!" Shin demanded.
"That looks like one of our Rider Beasts," Fukiyami noted. "But none I recognize!"
X cackled madly. "Of course you wouldn't. Did you fools really think I would only create five? Everyone knows that a standard five-man hero team inevitably gets a sixth member, with a suitably powerful mecha to back them up!"
"Guy has a point," Ariel admitted.
"Hino tasked me to create this one for the inevitable sixth, planning for its pilot to be a remote-controlled proxy, with even less of a mind left in it then the standard FX Riders would after being fully indoctrinated," X explained.
"Oh, like Kamen Rider Odin?" Kamiya asked.
"Precisely!" X declared triumphantly. "While the suit isn't ready yet, the mecha certainly is… And what I never told Hino was that I designed it so that I can pilot it, just in case. He thought that just because he was the core of the FX network meant that I had no secrets from him, but he forgot, I am the one who designed it in the first place!"
He backflipped, falling through a hatch which opened in the fearsome machine's head and landing in its cockpit. "You may have ruined the FX program, but I'm not going back to Foundation X empty-handed! This fascinating specimen Hino and Kazuta have turned into should be more than enough for my superiors to overlook my plan's failure and continue supplying me with the bio-stimulant I need to survive!"
"Nnn…noooo…" Kazuta moaned as his armor continued to mutate around him.
"We're not letting you take him!" Goro shouted furiously.
Parasitica's face briefly appeared in the warped metal of her current host. "As much as I hate to agree with a Bugranger, he's absolutely right! I will not allow a filthy mammal like you to lay a finger on this vessel, not before I've had a chance to kill someone with it!"
X cackled. "I'm not giving you a choice!"
The mecha roared, forcing everyone to brace themselves as they were buffeted by the wind, and then fired its three horns off like missiles.
Because that's exactly what they were.
And then the missiles split into dozens of much smaller, but still quite potent, missiles, all of which were aimed right at the castle.
A collective, "Oh shit," rang throughout the Buzzing.
"Everyone, get in close!" Ariel shouted frantically, raising her wand. "Jinga Majuna!"
Everyone quickly rushed to her side as a shimmering, Aurora-like curtain of energy swept down to create a shimmering magical dome around them…
All of them, that is, except for Kazuta, who, in his struggles to regain control of his body, had inadvertently staggered over to the tower rampart.
Goro's eyes widened in horror as his mentor collided with it and started to tip over the edge.
"CAPTAIN!" He shouted, lunging out of the magical shield.
"Goro, no!" Everyone shouted in horror he lunged towards Kazuta. His fingers stretched out, only millimeters away from grabbing the other man's suit-
And then the missiles struck, and the castle exploded.