Chapter 7 - Answers

The armor turned to a sparkling light as it faded from Hez and Ren's bodies. Arianna sat on the ground, her jaw hanging as she caught a glimpse of their faces in the dark. They looked to her and offered a hand but she was frozen. "Arianna, we aren't going to hurt you." Hez insisted that he and Ren were still the same as before." She took his hand reluctantly as well as Ren's. They pulled her to her feet.

"Are you ok?" Ren asked her.

"Am I ok!? You guys were just mobsters then… I don't know, knights in shining armor?" she replied in hysterics.

"You could basically say that." Hez said with a joking tone. "Let's get home, it's late and we have to open tomorrow." He motioned to walk back to Neil's house. The trio made their way through the park in silence. Arianna walked a few paces behind Ren and Hez. Ren looked over his shoulder, smiling at Arianna to reassure her all is well. He noticed the pink pigment of her cheeks and quickly turned his head.

Ren, you're never living this down. Hez thought to himself as he watched them out the corner of his eye. He changed the pace in his steps to slowly fall behind with Arianna. He waited the few seconds it took her to take his place and he couldn't help but allow the smile to creep across his lips as he held his head down. Thoughts of Katrina ran through his head until a startling realization set in that stopped him in his tracks. Ren heard him stop and turned.

"Everything alright bro?" He asked.

"We can't tell anyone what happened here," Hez's tone grew grim. "We were chosen to fight this war and we can't get the others involved."

"I had a feeling you would say that." Ren said with his winning smile painted across his face. He then looked to Arianna, "which means keep your mouth shut about this."

"Why're you looking at me?" She asked defensively, her face looking as innocent as possible.

"You're talkative, not a great trade midget," Hez said with a grin as he continued to walk.

"That's not even fair." Arianna huffed as she followed. Ren was close behind, laughing. As they reached Neil's home, Hez braced himself for what was to come. He then noticed the house was empty.

"That's one less problem, charge phones!" Hez said with a sigh of relief and a fit of excitement. As he charged his phone he dropped on the floor, marveling in how good a carpet feels when you're sore.

"Everyone is on their way, apparently they have been looking for us." Arianna said as she entered the living room.

"This should be fun," Ren said sarcastically as he heard the door opening. Donna darted to her older sister, seemingly pouncing on her.

"Where have you been I was worried!? Are you ok!? Did they hurt you!?" Donna spoke frantically while squeezing her sister.

"I can't breathe." Arianna managed to bellow out between breaths. She inhaled deeply as her sister released her death grip. "I'm fine, we are fine. Well Hez looks like shit and probably could use a shower."

"What happened?" Aj asked.

"Got caught in an alley, took on too many of them." Hez felt guilty leaving out the other half of the story but to keep his best friend out of harm's way, he knew he must.

"You handled them solo?" Brian asked semi shocked. "Aren't you still hurt from testing?"

"Of course," Hez said as he slowly sat himself up before standing and grabbing his phone. "Now if you'll excuse me, my week off of work has started and I would like to celebrate with the world's greatest shower." Brian and Aj looked at each other, feeling something is off. Ren followed behind Hez.

"I should get home too, we do have to open and run classes tomorrow." Ren said. Katrina followed with a worried look on her face. Brian nodded to Aj, they knew they were hiding something.

"Hez," Katrina called as he sat in the driver's seat.

"Huh?" Before he realized it she had her upper body in the car, embracing him. "Should I go missing more often?"

"Not unless you wunna die by my hands," she replied.

"Note taken," Hez said as the night ended. Katrina watched as the others gathered outside to see off Donna and Arianna. As they drove down the block, the group huddled.

"Anyone feel like Ren and Hez were a little off?" Brian asked.

"We all see it, problem is, u doubt we will get them to talk." Aj said.

"Could they be rangers too?" NC asked.

"I doubt it, Zordon said there were six of us. Something isn't right and I don't like it." Neil said.

"Everything about this isn't right. We have to lie to our friends, save not just a city but the whole planet, fight monsters, this whole situation spells not right." Aj said in annoyance.

"Then we have to make this work. Let's get a fresh start tomorrow, clear our heads and find out what's going on." Brian suggested, "sleep is needed all around."

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The moon sat high in the night sky, it's light shining through the window of a dark room. Hez opened the door, throwing his phone to the bed. As he did, the screen activated and he noticed his missed calls and texts from Aj, Katrina and his father. He's going to chew me out later. Hez thought as he pulled off his hoodie and shirts. He winced as he lifted his arms over his head. He heard the patting of a dog's paws slapping the hardwood floor as Tyger darted into the room. The large dog pounced on its owner, nipping at his flesh. "Less biting you giant fur baby!" Hez said as he wrestled with the canine.

"I see you missed me fatty, I missed you too now move. I smell horrible." Hez nudged his dog out of the way as he made his way down a narrow hall to the bathroom. Looking at himself in the mirror he could only see the monster of Joker looking back at him. He shook his head while closing his eyes. As they opened he saw himself, body covered in bruises and scrapes. He sighed before undressing and take a hot shower to wash away the pain and smell of battle. As he exited the bathroom, now only half dressed and his upper body still cascaded in drops of water he continued to attempt to wipe away through the pain, he saw his own armor standing before him. Hez blinked multiple times, sure he was dreaming as he continued to stare down Chalice.

"What do you want?" Hez asked hesitantly.

"It's time you knew what happened to the riders. If you're going to fight, you should at least know what you're fighting for." Chalice said. Hez couldn't wrap his mind around to he ominous glow of the body of armor.

"Can't this wait? I'm beyond tired, sore and really don't want a history lesson." Hez replied turning into his room. As he finally dried himself completely and prepared to lay on the bed, he looked to the opening of his door and saw Chalice standing with his arms crossed. "Since I doubt I can avoid this tonight, tell me all you know."

"This started on our world. We are but one of many of the Kamen Rider worlds. After the war started by a rider named Decade, many of the riders thought there would be a new age of peace." As Chalice spoke Hez became confused and titles his head.

"Multiple worlds of riders? So youre saying we have different dimensions or planets?" Hez inquired.

"There is a multiverse of riders. Every so often our universes mesh, allowing some to pass into other worlds. Kamen Rider Garren, Kamen Rider Blade and myself were the protectors of ours. It was until we found true evil." He paused and turned his gaze away, from Hez. We fought warriors we came to know as Beetle Borgs. They are fierce and relentless in serving the twisted Lord Zed. They killed the riders, single handedly and found a way to access the Joker strain that started from me."

"So you're the first Joker? What does that mean for me?" Hez asked.

"It means it's now part of you, a power you must never tap into. You have to save the others from becoming Jokers then killed Lord Zed. His existence will only bring death and ruin to your world." Chalice's tone grew malice.

"How in the hell do you expect me to even band the riders together? I got lucky, Ren is my friend but what if the others aren't? What if I can't sway them to fight a battle that isn't theirs?" Hez felt as if he had "insecure" written across his forehead.

"It is your job to figure it out now. I can only hope you realize the Wild power you now have and bring an end to this darkness." Chalice's body blurred before fading completely. Hez slammed his body onto the bed, exhausted, confused and deep down inside frightened. He held his forehead in his palm as he head Tyger come walking back into the room before jumping on the bed and curling up next to him. Hez gently stroked his companion's fur as he drifted off to sleep.