After saluting Heart, Kiriko carefully helped Shinnosuke sit down on the grass, his exhaustion finally setting in. Although she was worried about not finding her brother or Chase in the last place Rinna had told her that their tracking devices had been and had only been able to find Shift Dead Heat half buried under some rubble and bits of broken and burnt machinery, she knew that the two had worked well together as a team and that they would get themselves to safety once their fights were over. She just hoped that since all the fighting was over, the two could finally acknowledge each other's friendship. Shinnosuke was her priority now since he was trying hard not to pass out and she didn't know the extent of his injuries.
"Kiriko! Shinnosuke!"
The two looked up to see Rinna and Otta running up to them, unfortunately without Gou or Chase.
Rinna looked at Kiriko sadly. "We looked everywhere in the basement, even the next floor and outside, but there's no sign of either of them. I know Gou was more injured that he let on, so they couldn't have got far after fighting Banno. I can't even pick up Signal Mach or Chaser on my computer. Kiriko…I don't think…"
"The reason you can't pick up anything on that outdated hunk of junk is because I re-purposed everything to suit my plans. It's…unfortunate that you defeated my Sigma Circular. I had hoped to use my latest acquisition to help govern my new world…but after I have my new enforcer kill all of you, no one will be able to oppose me the next time."
The four looked in horror as Banno walked up to them, still in his Gold Drive form, still without a scratch on his body. The scientist laughed. "I'll tell you one thing before you all die, something to put your minds at ease. Gou and Proto-Zero did give it their all to defeat me, but it wasn't near enough."
Banno snapped his fingers. "Boy! Come on out and show them your new improvements that daddy gave you!"
Kiriko couldn't hold back her sobs as she watched Gou walk up beside the gold Rider, his clothes ripped and dirty. His hair was in his eyes, but the rest of his face and his body had the same posture he had adopted when he had been pretending to be under Freeze's influence.
Banno ruffled the teen's hair. "Unfortunately I didn't have any other clothes than the ones he was wearing, but that won't really matter. I've configured the new Signal Bike to give him perpetual energy. He won't have to de-transform at all. Now…son, why don't you show them your new power?"
"Yes Father."
Gou held up a Signal Bike which was a mashed up combination of the Signal Mach and Signal Chaser and placed it in his now completely black Driver, noting the chills the four got when they heard Banno voicing the announcements.
"Henshin."
RIDER MACHASER!
The new Rider form was a blend of both Mach and Chaser, with bits of Chase's Mashin form. Machaser summoned both the Zenrin Shooter and Break Gunner and pointed them toward Shinnosuke and Kiriko.
Shinnosuke quickly whipped the Drive Driver around his waist, pushing Kiriko behind him and grabbed Tridoron in the Shift Brace. He was in no position to be fighting after having a near-death experience and after Heart beat his human body before dying, but he had to try his hardest to protect Kiriko and the others, even if it WAS Gou.
Machaser kept slowly walking closer to the four, guns still pointed at Shinnosuke, ready to pull the triggers at any moment. Just as Shinnosuke was about to transform, Machaser suddenly whipped around and shot Banno repeatedly before running up to him and started punching and kicking the shocked scientist.
"Machaser! What the hell are you doing?! You're supposed to be trying to kill them, not me! I reprogrammed you! Stop this and obey the orders I gave you!"
The Signal Ax flew into the Rider's hand and Machaser began to attack the gold Rider. "Sorry to disappoint you again, but both of us have a thing with brainwashing not really sticking. It's a thing we share as being failures of yours!"
The ax flew down, striking Banno across the chest like Banno had done to Chase hours before and the suit began to spark and crackle before the transformation was undone. The Roidmude body had been in the suit, shook and exploded, leaving the Driver quivering on the ground.
Signal Machaser was inserted into the ax and Machaser pushed the button to activate it's finisher attack.
"W…wait! Don't do this! Think of the power I've given you! I can give you so much more! You're my greatest creation, even better than Sigma Circular! Don't do this! Gou! Proto…!"
"ITTEIYO!"
The Signal Ax glowed purple as the Rider raised the ax up and swung down, smashing the black Driver to unrecognizable bits. Machaser staggered for a second, dropping the ax, which clanged to the ground. He undid the transformation and Gou dropped to his knees.
"Gou!" Kiriko rushed to the teen, dropping on her knees in front of him, pulling him into a hug. He flinched for a second, before shakily returning the hug and choked out a sob.
"Nee-chan…we did it…we beat him. After what he did… After…he…"
Kiriko began to smooth down Gou's hair, trying to get his bangs out of his eyes as tears began to form in the corners of hers. She was trying to force herself to not cry. She needed to be strong for him. "I know Gou. It's finally over. Chase…he's… he's gone… isn't he?"
"Kiriko…"
Time seemed to stop when she heard HIS voice, the only sounds were the rapid clicking of Rinna's computer as the woman typed, mumbling about how the combo Signal Bike shouldn't work.
Gou lifted up his head, looking Kiriko in the eyes, and the woman immediately knew what Banno had done as one eye from each boy stared back at her. A few seconds later, the lids began to droop and Kiriko slowly lowered Gou, and now Chase's, head in her lap.
Otta came up to her and lifted the limp body in his arms. "I've got him Kiriko. Let's all get back to the others and get his and Tomari's injuries healed up."
"Them. You've got…them Otta."
Otta, Shinnosuke, and Rinna all stared at her in confusion and Kiriko smiled sadly. "Chase…is in there with Gou. Banno put Chase in Gou somehow."
Shinnosuke pulled her into a hug and Kiriko let the tears fall that she had been holding in, sobbing into his chest.