"Proto-Zero! I'm glad you're still functional after all this time!"

"Professor Steinbelt... You are...a belt..."

"Yes Proto-Zero, I unfortunately was killed by the finished products of the research Professor Banno and I did with you several years ago. However, I transferred my consciousness into my computer and then into this belt. Using it, you'll be able to transform into a warrior I've been creating to defeat whatever the Roidmudes are planning to do."

"Roidmudes?"

"The finished machines that we based off of you. Unfortunately, Banno made them evil behind my back and I ended our partnership. They killed him as well as me and are wanting to enslave humanity. I need you to fight and destroy them and protect the humans they try to hurt using the power I've given you."

"What happens when I've destroyed them all?"

"The Core Driviars in your bodies are too dangerous for people to understand. Once the Roidmudes are destroyed, I'll seal everything that's left with one until humanity is ready for them."

"What...about me? Am I not a Roidmude since they are based on me? Will I be destroyed? What if I destroy them, but humans still need a protector?"

"If the task is done right, then humanity won't need a protector. And I wouldn't want you to fall into enemy hands and have this technology stolen and people revive the Roidmudes. If you survive this, I'll seal you up as well since your mission I gave you will be over."

Gou woke up to muffled shouting coming from in front of him and blearily opened his eyes, noting that he was in the passenger seat of the Tridoron, which was in the ruined Drive Pit. The entire Tokujo team was in there and it appeared they were shouting at Krim, who was on his belt base when he wasn't on Shinnosuke's waist. He noticed his and Chase's weapons and his Driver were on the hood and there was a blue force field around the vehicle.

The teen grabbed the door handle and tried to open the door, but the door wouldn't budge, even after pushing the unlock button. His head started to clear away from sleepiness and he heard the words "sealed away." He immediately started banging on the door, forcing the shouting to stop momentarily, before he saw his sister and Shinnosuke try to get around the force field and Rinna and Otta start throwing bits of the broken Pit at the blue light.

A minute later, the force field disappeared and Kiriko wrenched open the door and pulled Gou out, holding him close against her body as she got the teen as far away from the car as possible and sat down with him on the couch by the door. The force field appeared again just before Shinnosuke could reach Krim.

"What were you thinking Krim?! Gou's still part human! He's not just a machine you can lock away! And we've got to figure out a way to separate him and Chase!" Shinnosuke started shouting at the belt.

Gou looked at his sister confused. "Nee-chan...what...what happened?"

Kiriko glared angrily in the direction of Krim before looking back to the teen. "Krim kidnapped you two from the Emergency Drive Pit while you were unconscious and while we were reporting on everything that happened. He was going to lock you and Chase up with him and the rest of the Drive arsenal since your body is part Roidmude and you have a Core Driviar now."

"What?! L...lock Chase and me up!?" Gou immediately stood up, breathing heavily.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP AND LET ME EXPLAIN!" Krim's shouting shook the Pit lightly. "Yes, I was going to lock Gou's body up with me, but only so I could it in stasis while I worked on a way to separate Proto-Zero from him and fix it to where Gou didn't have to rely on the Driviar to work his Roidmude parts. I only had Gou's best interests in mind! Don't you think he's suffered enough!? Do you really want him to be conscious while I figure out how his body works? As soon as I fixed him, I would wake him up and bring him back up here!"

"Wh...what about Chase?"

Gou's question was ignored as Kiriko stormed up to the belt. "And how long Krim?! How long do you think that would take? A month? A year? Ten years?! Do you know how traumatizing that would have made Gou if he wakes up and ten years has gone by?! The last thing he would remember was falling asleep in my lap and then suddenly everyone he's known and loved is years older and he's still stuck in his teenage body?! How do you think that would make him feel?! That's NOT having Gou's best interests in mind!"

"What about Chase!?" Gou had asked louder.

"Kiriko! The Core Driviars are dangerous when in the wrong hands! You just saw firsthand of the damage they can do! What if Gou fell into enemy hands and they figured out the technology?! They could bring back the Roidmudes or worse! Banno did unforgivable things to Gou! Do you want him to relive all that?! Locked up with me in stasis is the ONLY safe place for him!"

"WHAT ABOUT CHASE!?"

Everyone turned to look at Gou glaring angrily at Krim. "What about Chase? Did you all forget that he's in here too? What happens to him? What happens if and when you do figure out how to separate us and "fix" me? Don't either of us have a choice in what we want to do?"

Gou closed his eyes and had a concentrated look on his face. When he opened them, his face grew stoic. "My original mission was to destroy all the Roidmudes and protect humans while doing it. Once that was over, I would be deactivated and put back into stasis like I had been in once Krim and Banno were finished with their research of me. Krim is right, the Core Driviars are too dangerous to be used. I wouldn't want Gou to be harmed any more than he's been harmed. If something were to happen to this body if we were allowed to stay, either the human or Roidmude parts, there might not be a way to fix it. It...would be best if we were put in stasis."

Chase gave Gou back control of his body and the teen sat down heavily on the couch, hugging himself. He felt someone touch his shoulder and he involuntarily flinched. He looked up at Krim, tears threatening to fall. "C...can I have some time? Some time to...myself...before...?"

Krim sighed. "Gou...I'll begin working on your body as soon as I lock the Pit up. We need to get started as soon as we can."

"Pl...please Krim? Just...just an hour? At least...let me go get a change of clothes from my apartment? Enjoy one last bike ride? Something?"

"...Alright. One hour. I'll even give you a ten minute window so you can have the full hour. But no more. Proto-Zero, I know you can hear us. Make sure he gets back here in that time. I've seen you can control his body. Do it if you have to."

Gou's body twitched. "Yes Krim. Might I suggest that we take Ride Chaser? It is faster than Ride Macher. Gou, you will have more time at your apartment and can cover more ground on a bike ride."

Gou's body twitched again and Gou was back in control. The force field lowered and Gou looked at Macher reluctantly, before climbing on Chase's bike. The garage door had been blown away from the Roidmude attacks and Gou drove off, not looking back.