They've decided to head to Zawame City first, in their search for answers. Seeing as the only Rider they met that came to their world was Gaim, his allies might know something about dimensional travel. Or, at least, how the heck he had pulled it off.

The reports of the city having been at war with itself didn't hurt the decision either – they might be able to find someone to help them with the more… mundane stuff they're dealing with. Mundane meaning 'we have been used as weapons in a war and cannot deal with what happened,' as opposed to the other problems. Problems such as 'we're literal superheros from another reality,' the incredibly specific 'one of us is sort of half space alien and we're both kinda worried that jumping realities didn't actually deal with that the way we'd hoped,' and the technically mundane but also really hard to explain 'we both keep trying to sacrifice ourselves first so that the other guy doesn't have to.'

Neither of them is okay, and they are both well aware of it. So many things have happened to them, and with maybe a single semi-decent coping mechanism between them, they need help.

Said "coping mechanism" is currently "Ryuga taking over the decision-making role and both of them trying to make sure Sento doesn't shut down completely again." They really need help, and they know it.

The fact that they've been here before both helps the situation and makes it harder.

It helps in that there are a handful of people here who they've met, and might be able to find.

It makes it harder because among that handful is a pair of Riders that were separated for one week and for two years at the same time because of Katsuragi.

Because of Sento.

They had thought about the Kaiser System more often, back when they were home, because that was relevant and kept showing up.

But there was still the fact that, when trying to head off the dual Mogamis, Katsuragi had gone to a parallel world – this world – and stolen Ex-Aid's powers and inadvertently stranded Para-DX in theirs.

And Sento had thought that was just a bizarre dream of a memory that somehow passed to him through the bottle. They hadn't found out that the previous Build and the current Build were originally the same person until after everyone went home.

They'll have to meet them eventually, especially if they're looking into other Riders, but Sento doesn't see any way that the conversation will end well. Ryuga's more optimistic, because they know they fixed that problem, but the guilt is still there.

So then. They landed closer to the city they'd been in before, but getting any help there was not an option at the moment. Zawame City it is.

Or… it would be, if it weren't so damned far away. At least they have transportation.

During the war, Sento had upgraded the motorcycle to not need a fullbottle to run – they didn't exactly always have bottles to spare during the war, and it's even more practical now that they only have the two.


During a lull back home, Kazumin had asked how the bike worked – completely missing the "shut up" motions Misora and Sawa were making behind Sento.

"I could not explain it if I tried."

Having clearly not learned his lesson, Kazumin asked Katsuragi during that… whole thing.

Katsuragi barely slept that night, and by morning 'only' had this to say.

"I have no idea what he did, or how he did it, but this bike, for all intents and purposes, should not work. I couldn't get any of my designs to change into a phone. I designed a version, yes, but could only make it compress to the size of a suitcase. It used to run on Nebula Gas, but now it plugs in as a phone, charges as a phone, and runs as a phone and a bike off the same charge. This should not work, but it does, and I don't know what he did or how he did it because half of the documentation is… His documentation for every single thing he made is complete except for this one project. I don't know how he managed to make actual scribbles appear as text on a computer but he did and-"

At that point Katsuragi lapsed into frustrated and confused mumblings that no one else could really make out or understand.

Later, once Sento was back: "Your bike made the other guy cry."

"I told you – I couldn't explain if I tried."


The boys have been on the road for a few days. Zawame is a lot further than they thought, and they've gotten lost. Several times. They're pretty sure they're going the right way this time, though. But then the storm hits.

It's not a giant, natural disaster level storm, but still large enough that being outside in it is a bad idea. And they're on a motorcycle. Not exactly an ideal situation. So, they find a large tree off to the side of the road. Also not exactly ideal, but they don't know how far from any actual shelter they are, and right now almost anything is better than being out on the road in this.

About a half hour after they stop, someone actually drives by. Then stops. Pulls a U-turn that may or may not be legal. And drives over and pulls up to them.

"Hey, are you guys okay? You, uh, you look like you've lost your way."

Sento's half asleep – might actually have been entirely asleep for once if it weren't for the thunder. Still, exhaustion seems to have lowered some of the walls he's put up, so he chuckles tiredly. "In more ways than one."

"Would you guys like a ride? I'm headed to meet up with some of my friends, so I can get you to the city if you want a lift."

Sento looks to Ryuga, and mumbles, "I'll follow your lead."

Ryuga hesitates. They haven't been having the easiest time trusting anyone here – not when they can't really explain what they're doing on the streets without looking like they're either lying or nuts.

But it's the middle of a storm, and they'll need somewhere to sleep tonight; and this guy has a car and can at least help them get somewhere that's dry. It's going to take time to find someone in the city who will be able to answer some of the more sciencey, conspiracy-theory-sounding, questions, and they're going to need to scope out the area and find where they can pick up odd jobs so that they don't, you know, starve.

"That'd be great, man."


On the way to the monthly get-together, it started to rain. And rain. And rain some more. Driving past a tree-lined section just outside the Zawame limits, Shinnosuke Tomari sees two men huddled under a tree, with an eccentric looking motorcycle supporting one end of a make-shift tarp.

'What are they doing? If they'd kept going, they could get somewhere dry, so they probably don't know how close to the city they are...'

This is Shinnosuke. Of course he goes to help.

"Hey, are you guys okay? You, uh, you look like you've lost your way."

One of them, who was leaning on his friend for… support? (Sleep? Both? Probably both) chuckles emptily. "In more ways than one."

'Well, doesn't that sound familiar.'

"Would you guys like a ride? I'm headed to meet up with some of my friends, so I can get you to the city if you want a lift."

The one who spoke before looks over and murmurs something to the other, who smiles a lopsided grin that only looks half forced, and replies that would be great.

Shinnosuke grins back, and to his credit only blinks a little when the tired one in a scarf shrinks the bike into a phone.

"Nice trick. I have some friends who could have used that a couple times."

The one who'd grinned, with side-braids, looks at him a little warily. "Makes getting out in a hurry easier."

'Lost in more ways than one, huh? That and needing to get out in a hurry means they've definitely been in trouble of some sort, but what type?'

Braids is trying to roll up the 'tarp', but it's not happening. It looks like they were trying to use a blanket for a roof, but it's soaked through. "No, don't – don't bother with that. Hang on." Shinnosuke gets out and opens the trunk. "We can stash that in here, and get it cleaned later. I've got some towels and a couple of blankets, too, so you guys can dry off."

"Thanks." Scarf-guy says quietly. "You're pretty prepared."

"Well, you never know what's going to happen. Some of my worst days have been in rain like this. Do you want to hold onto those bags, or put them in the trunk too?" They each have a pack slung over their shoulders, both of them narrow enough that they don't look like they could hold much. 'Looks like the type Go always wears. Somehow I doubt they've got cameras in there.'

"We'll hold onto them, thanks." That's Braids – Scarf had stiffened at Shinnosuke's question and was clutching at the strap on his.

"That's fair. You can put them on the floor, then. There should be enough room. So," he asks as they climb into the back seat, "what brings you to Zawame?"

Scarf appears to have hit his interaction limit for the day and lost either the ability or the will to talk, much to Braids' apparent dismay. So while Scarf is attempting to make himself at least a little dryer, Braids picks up the conversation.

"Research, I guess. We're trying to find answers about some stuff."

"If you don't have a place to stay-" They both flinch at that, so no they don't. "-you can come with me. If you want info on Zawame City, my friends are some of the people who know it best."

"We couldn't put you out like tha-"

"I insist. Helping is my job, and it kind of sounds like you guys need some."

'Speaking of what they need...' It's not late or anything, it's barely even afternoon and it's only dark at all because of the rain, but Scarf is clearly dead on his feet and Braids doesn't seem much better off. He's doing a good job of hiding it, but it doesn't look like either of them have been getting much rest for a while.

"It'll be a while before we get to the Kureshimas, they live on the other side of the city. You two should probably get some rest."

Scarf nods reluctantly, and slowly lays his head on Braids' shoulder. Braids makes no moves to sleep. "What's your angle?"

Shinnosuke chuckles. "There's no angle; if I see someone in trouble, I help." He's started driving, so it's not like Shinnosuke can turn around, but he can look back at them from the mirror. Scarf is already out like a light, and Braids is looking at Shinnosuke with a combination of doubt and suspicion.

'Moment of truth time.'

"Whether I can transform or not, I will always help people who need it."

Braids starts. "You're-"

"Detective Shinnosuke Tomari, Kamen Rider Drive. May I ask your names? I'm on public record, but I know how anonymity can be a big deal. So, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but it helps to have something to call you, at least."

"… … Ryuga Banjou, Kamen Rider Cross-Z. This guy's Sento Kiryu, Kamen Rider Build. How could you tell?"

"Well, a bunch of little things, even just over a few minutes." Shinnosuke looks back at the two strays. Scarf – no, Kiryu, was out cold on Brai- Banjou's shoulder. "The transforming bike, for one. You were willing enough to put the blanket away, even when you guys don't seem to have much, but… Kiryu, you said?" Banjou nods. "He froze when I mentioned storing the bags. That means they're important. Go – Kamen Rider Mach – uses one just like that to carry his Driver.

"Is he – are the two of you okay?" Shinnosuke asks. "You said you were heading to Zawame for answers, but there hasn't been any activity here for a while now, Rider wise."

"There…" Banjou sighs. "There was a war. The websites we looked at made this place look like the Best Match to what we were dealing with. And the reports we could find said that… uh, Gaim? I think his name was? He was the first Rider here to show up. We figured his friends might know something about other dimensions and stuff since he somehow showed up in our world."

"Showed up in-? Oh, man." Shinnosuke groans, starting to pull the car back over. "That kid is way overpowered. What happened here isn't my story to tell, but the city was recovering when I was starting out. When we met, he introduced himself as, and I quote, 'Some sort of space god.'"

Banjou flinches at the term 'space god', which can't indicate anything good. 'Oh boy. Probably shouldn't mention the rest of the Megahex incident then.'

"You said he showed up in your world. Are you stuck here?"

"…"

"Alright then. If you don't mind, I'm going to call ahead, and put it on speaker. It'll help when we get to the others if everyone enters this on the same page."

"Others?"

"My friend, the guy I said you'd want to ask about what happened in Zawame, is a Kamen Rider too. Pretty much everyone that's going to be there is, actually, or they work with Riders. The call will just be the three of us, though. Four, if Kiryu wakes up while we're talking."

"There's going to be a lot of people there?"

"Well, it depends on the turnout. There's usually a good number when we get together in Zawame, since we usually meet at the Kureshima brothers' home, and they downsized a while back, but they still have a good amount of space. A lot of times, people wind up staying through the weekend.

"Oh, right, of course you wouldn't know. Since late last year, a lot of us – Kamen Riders, that is – have been getting together to meet up each month. It's part socializing, part trading stories, part group therapy. We've." Shinnosuke sighs. "We've all been through a lot. I'll be honest with you, a lot of it is us helping each other recover. This should have started happening a long time ago.

"Hojo-san – Kamen Rider Ex-Aid – got it all started after last December, when there was another Earth that was apparently under threat of being merged with this one."

"After – shit. Shit shit shit." Banjou pales. He looks at Kiryu, who's still asleep, and then back up at Shinnosuke.

'Oh, that is not a good reaction.'

In a deathly serious tone, Banjou asks "Are Ex-Aid or Para-DX going to be there?"

"I don't know, I'd have to ask. Did… they do something to one of you?" Shinnosuke can't see Emu doing anything that would bring out that kind of reaction, but Parad made a number of enemies among the public by reputation. 'It's odd enough that he knows about Parad in the first place. Most of us hadn't heard of him until they started making the rounds to get us all going.'

"Not them, it's more the other way around. …Mistakes were made. And… and that 'other Earth' was ours. You should make that phone call."