The following day he receives news worse than losing a meat shield and nearly losing his longest-running pawn.
"I came to report in."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I've got some new information for you."
"And what would that be?"
"There's a new Rider. Some bird chick in white armor."
He feels a vein pulse in his head.
"Kamen Rider Siren...!"
It can't be. He simply cannot be that unlucky.
"I destroyed her!"
...or so I thought.
But looking back, he isn't absolutely sure—and so the truth is clear. "...The swan got away."
"Another Ventaran Kamen Rider?" Strike interjects from his side, looking nervous. "She as good as Wing Knight?"
"Maybe better," he's forced to admit. If Siren had been the lone surviving Kamen Rider instead of Wing Knight all those months ago, he would have certainly lost a lot more sleep over it. Wing Knight is an experienced trench-sitter, a significant threat—but Siren is a force of nature.
But—
Wait.
"...how did you find her?" he asks Axe—lightly, oh so lightly. He keeps his voice low, inviting the confidence—demanding the information's source. Because Axe is supposed to be grounded, not gallivanting around town running into new thorns in Xaviax's side.
Axe is a fool, so he tries to back up, and it works just as well as it did last time he angered his lord. "...I was just riding along, you know? She attacked me."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah," Axe stammers. "Listen—I just came here to let you know. All right? I gotta go."
And then before he disappears, he—he—
The little punk smirks. Smirks, like he's done Xaviax some huge favor. Like he hasn't just lied to his master's face. Like he's not just a pawn, stupid and replaceable.
Xaviax barely lets the mirror finish shimmering.
"Vent him."
Strike flinches. "...Let me talk to him," he entreats.
"Vent him."
"General, with this Siren showing up we need every soldier we have—at least let me see—"
Xaviax doesn't repeat himself a third time. He doesn't need to. If Strike values his life, he will obey.
There's a short silence. But before it can stretch, Strike has exhaled and departed through the same mirror as Axe.
Good. Something needs to go right today, after the news he's just been brought.
Siren...
It is now more imperative than ever that Dragon Knight becomes his pawn once again in this war.
