1997: Two years ago, a prince was sent from an embattled planet to Earth by his grandfather. His mission was to protect the planet from the menace of his uncle and to protect his powers from being taken for use by the enemy. To continue his quest, he was taen in by a kind family and learned to live as a human.
Since then, he waged a pitched battle against his uncle's insectavores, ready at a moment's notice to call upon his powers to become...
Masked Rider.
The Spiderbase floated in the air, hidden from detection by most of earths heroes by an elaborate cloaking device. Within its cockpit and miniature throne room sat it's captain and the ruler of the conquered planet, Count Dragon. Tapping his metal fingers along the arm of his throne, he glared through the green eyes of his mask at the viewscreen in front of him. Images of past battles played out in front of him on loop, with the masked rider coming out on top in every battle.
As he curled his lips into a snarl, his three generals watched from a distance at his anger. The first to step forward, was a short gremlin with a white face as he took a cautious step and whispered, "Our emperor seems ill at ease, his doesn't seem to cease."
"Perhaps, one of us should talk to him," Cyclopter said, looking down at his female companion.
The woman in red narrowed her eyes at her one eyed friend, "Talk to him?! When he is in this state and ready to kill the first thing he sees? Do you think I wish for death?"
"To be fair Nefaria," Doubleface said, playing with the buttons on his jacket, "You do seem to be among his favorites when it comes to people. He may spare you if you were the one to speak to him."
Nefaria glared daggers at her fellow general before turning to walk to the throne where her general sat. Sighing and then taking a deep breath before she began to speak, "What troubles you sire?"
"Two years," Dragon said, his words leaving stiffly, "We have been at this for two years and not one bit of progress has been made in this campaign. That fool Zedd has been more successful than I, those rusted and useless pieces of cheap metal calling themselves conquers have been more successful than me. I have been at this, for two years and am NO CLOSER TO HAVING THE MASKED RIDER POWERS OR HAVE A FOOTHOLD ON THIS BLACKWATER PLANET ON THE OUTER RIM!"
"Well, sire, if we are to be fair-"
"Faire? FAIRE? Do you know what is going on in the homeworld while I have been on this foolish quest?" asked Dragon as he rose from his chair and then growled,"I have been mocked, laughed at, and treated as a failure. Our armies are being driven back from much of the land, the rebels win at every turn and even my father has raised a new capital in that time!"
Doubleface, no more assure of his survival, took a step forward, "Surely sire, it cannot be that bad."
"My father is closer and closer to declaring victory. The men I sent to rule and fight in my stead failed me, and where have I been? Trying to take the masked rider powers from a small whelp who doesn't even know how powerful he can be! He doesn't even know how to use them, or the proper word for their power!"
"It does seem that this campaign, would be considered a failure by most...sire." Cyclopter said, before looking up, "But not by you, of course. Surely you can figure a way to win this. Perhaps with a cyborg or-"
"What foolishness are you suggesting..." Dragon paused, and then smiled, "A cyborg..."
Dex Stuart stood on the grassy plain og the park, looking down his opponent with a determined look. He knew this young boy quite well, for the tween in the light red and black gi was his younger brother. Though now twelve years old, young Albee had proven himself to be quiet the opponent and very skilled in he martial arts. Tomorrow was even the day he would earn his first blackbelt, "Ok Dex," Albee said, raising his forearm in a defense stance, "Don't go easy on me. Giv me all you got."
"Very well Albee," Dext said, smirking as he took a cautious step, "But remember, you lose and you will have to make supper for us tonight."
Albee smiled, "Then I'm glad I won't lose."
The two waited for a moment, breathing slowly as they took a measure of each other and looked for an opening. Then, hearing an unseen bell in their heads, Albee made his first move. Thrusting his right arm out, he went for a cross and then followed it up with a left cross. Each strike was quickly blocked by Dex.
Ducking down, the young tween went for a sweep kick and watched as Dex stepped back to dodge. Using his opening to strike out, he kicked Dex hard in the gut before getting to his feet. Dex quickly struck back with three quick punches before following with a jump roundhouse into Albee's head.
The tween fell to the ground and rolled to the side before getting back to his feet and into a defensive stance. Rushing ar his brother, Albee began to perform roundhouse after roundhouse, trying to land a hard strike into Dex's chest. After the third strike, Albee started one more kick, before switching into a side kick into Dex's stomach.
Before he could strike out with another one, Dex grabbed his brother's leg and spun him around to flip his brother to the ground. As the young boy laid on the ground, Dex planted his foot onto Albee's chest and said, "I do believe this is where you need to cry uncle before I put you into a hold."
Albee let out a small grunt and then laid back before sighing, "Fine, you win. Uncle."
Dex chuckled at this and reached down to help his brother up with a warm smile on his lips. Once Albee was on his feet he walked to the small bag that they brought with them containing water bottles, "Forgive me for asking, Albee, but why are you so focused on getting another belt. Do you not like the one you have on now?"
"No Dex its just that, a black belt shows that you have reached the top of your game in a martial arts school. Mine is in Shotokan Karate." Albee said, "I can't wait to get it."
Dex looked confused as he sat down with Albee, "I see, and this black belt will grant you more skills? Much like my belt?"
"No, it's symbolic, kind of showing how much I learn. Kind of like how your crown will be when you finally get to be king Dex," Albee said.
"Oh, now I get it," Dex said, leaning and laying back to look up at the clouds. He reached up and wrapped his fingers around the sun, trying to take i in his hand as he relaxed.
"Hey Dex, you looking forward tomorrow? I mean, its your graduation day, that's gotta be exciting," Albee said.
Dex closed his hand and letting it fall to his side, "I'm not sure Albee. For most of your people, graduation day is the symbol of moving on from childhood. To moving on to the next phase of your life and moving onto your dream career. But, I don't know what I want to be after high school is done."
"A prince Dex. You know, prince of an entire planet? That's gotta be awesome and cool," Albee said.
Dex shook his head before putting his arms behind his head, "I am not so sure anymore. I have been on this world for two years now. I have come to love and care for your world and it's...strange...customs and practices. I wonder if I have not become more attached to your world over my own and am not fit to rule once all is said and done."
Albee sat up at this, and looked down, "I..." he paused and shook his head, "Never really thought about this. I mean, I just thought you beat Dragon, win, and be a ruler and it would be cool."
"It's not always. Sometimes, your own home can feel alien," Dex said before shaking his head, "Have you given thought about your future, Albee."
"Oh yeah!" a chuckle escaped Albee's lips as he looked at Dex, "You are looking at the guy who'll master a thousand skills before he goes to college. That way, I'll be ready for everything. I already got Entemology, Bike rider, baker, martial artist, tv watcher, reviewer, and toy maker."
"Entermology?" asked Dex as he sat up. "Did your big brother inspire you to study insects?"
Albee shrugged at this, "Well, considering that the coolest bug I know kicked monster butt constantly, yeah. And hen there are those oher masked warriors that showed up, they were all awesome bugs too." he then paused before turning to look at Dex, "Do you think your dad had masked rider powers too?"
"I...don't know," Dex said, looking for a moment, "Grandfather never talked much about father. All he told me was that he was a good man and would've been a wise king if he never died. That the people loved and respected him as a kind prince. Me, I barely remember him since he died when I was five."
"Hey, I bet he was an awesome guy. Just like you, Dex," Albee said, getting to his feet.
Dex smiled warmly at this as he walked over to his bike, putting the key in and starting it up. Looking back at Albee as he got into the side car, he couldn't help but feel a little warmer at the compliment his brother had given him. With a loud revving of the engine, he rode off down the road with the sun slowly setting behind him. Sighing, he looked down and began to think, 'I haven't thought much about my father at all lately. Suppose that's because he died when I was so young, or that when I thought of him I would think of grandpa or-"
He quickly came to a stop in front of his house's garage to see his sister sitting by, "Oh, there you are."
"Molly, what's going on? Why are you outside?" asked Dex as he got off the bike.
"Dad is busy tinkering with something new and Mom is-" a small explosion interrupted Molly and caused her to gasp. Standing up, she and her two brothers ran into the house where her father laid on his back, soot and oil covering his face alongside some small blisters on his arms. His wife stood over him, with some cold compress at the ready.
"Dad, what happened?" asked Dex as he sat by his dad while the rest of the family helped him up.
Hal coughed a little, "I was trying to fix you a little graduation present to go along with Molly's and I think I over charged the gears a little."
"I told him that you two didn't need anything special for graduation," Barbra said, holding onto her husband, "Tomorrow is going to be exciting enough without any real pop and circumstance."
"Yeah, but I like to think that graduation should be someting special," Hal said, "Like for me, I met a cute girl who wanted to go into home ec and for graduating, she gave me the biggest cookie."
"And what happened to this girl?" asked Molly with a smile, knowing part of this story.
"Well, it took a few years, but I realized that cookie meant I love you," Hal said, pulling his wife into a hug and kiss.
"I think the reason why I haven't thought about my birth parents is because lately...I only see them."
The Spiderbase
"I trust it's nearing completion?" Dragon asked as he watched the machines worked on the humanoid within the green tube.
"Yes, although I had to make some concessions here and there and some deals with the mach-" Cyclopter paused when he mentioned the other empire and froze.
"You made deals with those foolish buffoons?" growled Dragon,narrowing his eyes at his general.
Cyclopter bowed and shuddered, "I am sorry sire, but the battles with Dex have left us wanting for supplies and our efforts to recycle those parts are becoming harder and harder. The Machine Empire was willing to allow us to borrow their tech for a small price."
"And that price was?"
"That we allow them to have a small island on Edenoi, that is all," Cyclopter said. "I figure it wouldn't be anything you would miss sire."
"No, but the fact that we are being reduced to make deals with losers like them, continues to remind me why we must continue with this plan," Dragon said, watching the machinges work, "Let me know when it is done tomorrow. I wish to give Dex a little present."
The next day, the principal of Leawood high was in minute five of his twenty minute speech much to the pain and sorrow of the students of the school. Near the back row of the graduates, sat Dex and Molly dressed in their light blue robes. Watching the mood of the gym slowly go from happy to lethargic to bored to death, Dex couldn't elp but lean to his sister, "Molly, I do not understand. The way everyone was acting, they treated this event as exciting, but this feels like it is putting everyone to sleep. Have I been wrong about what exciting is all of this time?"
"No, Dex. The speeches aren't the exciting part, it's gettign your diploma and moving on wiht your life. ITs growing into a different person and becoming something new. This ceremony is just the dull part," Molly said.
"Oh, so is this the moment where we should have an explosion to lighitng things up?" asked Dex.
This made Molly laugh, "No, and stop watching those action movies with Albee. But you know, having an insectivore attack would make things better right now."
"I fail to see how an attack by an enemy would-" before Dex could finish his sentence, there was a crash from the roof as a large yellow bipedal spider landed in the crowd.
"Now now, don't' run," the Spider monster said with a grin, "I need you to hold still so I can feast on your ENERGY!"
Dex looked to Molly before turning to run, "Molly...are you happy with what you wanted?"
In response, Molly lightly hit her brother in the shoulder, "No you dork! I was speaking rhetorical!"
"And I think Dregon gave you a rhetorical response," Dex said with a nod.
Molly just glared at him ass they ran into the hallway. Taking a look around, she made sure that the coast was clear before giving Dex a nod. Dex nodded and threw away his robes to showoff his white striped shirt and pants underneath. He then began to cross his arms above his head to begin his morph, "Ecto-phase act-"
However, as his voice summoned his belt, there was a voice from within the gym that distracted him, "Look, its Masked Rider."
"Masked Rider," Molly said, before ooking back at Dex and then to the auditorium, "But, you're still here. You haven't morphed yet."
"No, I haven't," Dex said, looking at his body, "My armor isn't on." he then ran inside the auditorium with Molly, neither noticing a young woman watching.
"Dex...was the Masked Rider?" whispered Patsy in shock.
Running inside of the auditorium, the two watched on in shock as a masked Rider stood before them in front of the spider monster. His armor was mostly black save for two vertical stripes on his helm and orange bands on his wrists and ankles. Glaring up with red eyes, the masked rider said, "Monster, stand down or be excectuted by Masked Rider BLACK!"
"Black," asked Molly, "Another Masked Rider warrior?"
"I don't know," Dex said, shaking his head, "I thought I met all of them before. I thought there were only ten."
The monster let out a growl and spat, "Ha! You think you scare me, ya pathetic insect? I will not bow to some-"
The monster barely had a moment to speak as the rider ran up and delivered a hard hook into it's belly. Then slammed his left punch deep into it's gut, causing the monster to step back in pain and let out a bellow. Stepping back to dodge his claws, the rider found himself bound by a long string of webs.
There was a laugh from the monster, followed by a grunt of pain as the rider pulled the monster to him slowly with one arm. With a powerful series of kicks, the rider kicked the monster in the gut and broke one of his legs. Watching the creature struggle to get up, the rider pulled back his fist and slammed it into the creasture's chest, breaking it's ribs. He then leapt up as high as he could before extending one leg out, energy glowing bright red around the foot, "Rider KICK!"
The monster screamed in pain as the rider slammed his foot into the monster's body, making it explode upon impact. Standing up, the rider took in the cheers before he ran away.
"Dex, did you see-" Molly asked before watching Dex's back as he ran outside to follow the rider, "Dex!"
Patsy watched as her friend ran after the wayward prince and quickly followed, ready to listen to the conversation. HEr chase soon lead her outside of the school where she saw Dex catch up to the other rider. Finding a place to hide, she laid in wait as she listened.
"-and grandfather never told me of the other riders," Dex said, looking into the crimson eyes of the other rider. "He told me there was only ten before me. So who are you?"
"I am afraid, your grandfather miscounted," The man said as he deactivated his powers, "There were 11 riders before you. I was the 11th,"
Dex stepped back in shock and horror as he saw the mirror image of himself looking back.
"I am Rexorian of Edenoi, your father prince dex."
I was inspired by my love of Kamen Rider and the fact that Dex didn't have a finale for his series (BEcause 90s toku shows were whimps who didn't want to kill their villians) so here it is. Enjoy plenty of chills and thrills and scares and twists.
