Okay, last chapter was a total bust, and I only got 2 reviews for a little while, until recently I got another. And I know why. It's because from one of my recent reviewers, Hellbreaker told me that the Korra fanbase hasn't acknowledged the existence of the Kamen Rider series. But hey nobody's perfect. I suppose I'll have to accept that and I'll use some martial arts from the animated series and Tokusatsu style.
PS: I'm sorry for not uploading this chapter on Thanksgiving or not finishing this chapter earlier. The truth is my flash drive made out of recyclables melted by the heat of my laptop that had the one document of this chapter I half-finished in it, and I had to start from scratch all over again for I don't know how many days I worked on this. I had to buy a non-recyclable one as a replacement.
So without further ado, please enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kamen Rider Gaim or Legend of Korra
Chapter 3: Deadly! Pineapple Kick!
Mysterious Forest
Back in the mysterious forest where the Inves live in, researchers wearing green hazmat suits with Yggdrasil logos on their backs are studying the fruits, but mainly the ones on a tree where Korra plucked her Water Lockseed from. And they all wore Sengoku Drivers around their waists, but the difference between them and Kouta and Korra's was that they have no knife levers or faceplates. One of the researchers plucked one fruit off the tree and it transformed into a Lockseed with an image of a white lychee fruit on it, and it has the imprint 'LS-AIR.' This is the Air Lockseed.
Suddenly, a couple of researchers were attacked by an Elementary Inves, and two more came out scaring taking them by surprise. They all dropped what they were doing while one was recording with his camcorder as he ran backwards while being chased.
As an Inves was about to attack one of the hazmat suit users after he fell, Zangetsu's shield, Melon Defender flew in spinning out of nowhere like a boomerang and attacking them, knocking them on the ground. From the shadows, Zangetsu charged towards the monsters with an aura of cold malice towards the Inves as he caught his shield. He slashed one down mercilessly and went for another until they all collapse and exploded.
The researchers approached the rider, thanking him, but Zangetsu didn't bother glance back at them for a moment until he turned his head to look back calmly. He was still enraged at the fact that his former employee, Jin, took their belt and have some girl took it right under his nose. And what better way to blow off some steam by taking out a couple of Inves?
"Hmph..." was Zangetsu's response. And just when he was about to leave, something glinted at the corner of his eye. He looked down to see the Air Lockseed and picked it up to look at it with interest, "Hmm..."
(The scene now zipped to reveal the opening)
(Insert OP: Just Live More by Gaim no Kaze)
(The opening begins with Kamen Rider Gaim, Baron, Ryugen, and Zangetsu in their battle stance with a fence behind their backs with locks. They were then switched by Gaim with Avatar, Baron with Mulan, Ryugen with Nuktuk, and Zangetsu with Masamune. And the camera now focusing on Avatar switching to Gaim who readied his sword.)
Got it, Move...Wow,
(Helheim's vines diminished as they reveal the four elements, earth, fire, air, and water. They were cut down by slashes until the title of the series reveals itself.)
Kamen Rider Gaim and Avatar
Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE!
Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE!
(We cut to the eight riders in a room full of samurai armor as they took their pose. The scene shifted to Gaim in an empty world while he held out his Musou Saber with Kouta's reflection under him, holding his sword of course.)
Sabaibaru! You got move. Gendai wa sanagara Sengoku
Survival! You got move. The present day is just like the Sengoku period.
(Kouta ran towards the screen, but stopped when a fence with locks blocked his path. He then sees his double in front of him, holding a Lockseed, and he calls out to him. But he and the fence immediately turned into stone, then to dust and blown away by the wind as the other Kouta simply walked away.)
Dare ga kachinukeru? Kagi wa hirake rarete shimatta!
Who will win? The lock has been opened!
(We take the next scene to Team Baron, with Kaito leading in front of Zack, and Peco, who are dancing in front of a building. We shift to Kouta and Kaito, who looked at each other with Lockseeds in their hands. Kouta holding his Orange Lockseed and Kaito holding his Banana Lockseed. Below them is their reflection in their rider forms, Kamen rider Gaim and Kamen Rider Baron, who darted towards each other to fight. We shift to Korra, Asami, Mako, and Bolin who had their backs turned to each other and took their battle stance, and their reflections replaced by their rider counterparts Avatar, Mulan, Masamune, and Nuktuk did the same, only with their weapons in their hands.)
Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE!
Doko ni aru?
Where is it?
Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE!
(We shift back to Gaim and Baron's fight, and in their reflection Kouta and Kaito were in some kind of hand-wrestle with their lockseeds in their hands. We go to Micchy, who picked up his Budou Lockseed and saw his older brother, Takatora, holding his Melon Lockseed. And their Rider counterparts are in their reflections. He ran towards him, but like with Kouta, a fence with locks blocked his path before Takatora looked behind to see his younger brother and Zangetsu held his Musou Saber near Ryugen's neck.)
Do tsukau, kindan no kajitsu?!
How shall it be used, that forbidden fruit?!
(Back in the room where the riders posed, one by one appeared from Gaim to Avatar. We go to Gaim in Suika Arms only to go gyro mode, and Baron, drove right past him on Rose Attacker. And the next scene shows the characters Henshin with their Sengoku Drivers in order, from Zangetsu to Masamune, Ryugen, Nuktuk, Baron, Mulan, Avatar, and Gaim.)
`Ima' to iu kaze wa nani o tsutaeru tame? [Omae no moto ni fuku? Tsuyoku Tsuyoku! Blowin' up!]
What is the wind of the moment trying to say? [Is it blowing to you? Get stronger, much stronger! Blowin' up!]
(Gaim drew his Musou Saber to battle, and he slashed an inves with his hybrid weapon across the stomach. Next we go to Team Gaim dancing in front of their headquarters, then we go to Team Fire Ferrets headquarters with the team doing their dance, and the same goes to Mulan. The cameras then shifts focus on Kouta, Mai, Micchy, Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Asami dancing. And we go to Kouta greeting Mai and their reflections show Kaito with the Priestess of Fate, who looks like Mai.)
(We go to Zangetsu who aims his Musou Saber at the screen with an army of pinecone samurai themed riders behind him holding spears. Next we have Kamen Rider Gaim with Avatar slashing down the pinecone themed riders while Baron and Mulan did the same in Gaim and Avatar's reflection.)
Ashita ga yume ga mada mienakute mo [Soko genkai? Seiippai ikite iru to ierunara?]
Even if you can't dream of the future [Is that your limit? Can you say you're living without your might?]
(In a forest, Kamen Rider Ryugen shoots down a fence blocking his path and ran forward and we go back to Team Gaim/Fire Ferrets/Mulan in a three way split screen who finished their dance, disappeared. And we focus on Gaim's outside headquarters to be replaced by the Priestess of Fate, who points towards the screen.)
(Next we focus on Gaim's arms, Lockseed, and Daidaimaru to the floor, and we focus back to Gaim slicing down to the screen with the pinecone riders standing behind him.)
Utsumuku na yo... [Kao agero!] Doko madede mo... [Mageru koto naku!]
Don't look down... [Lift up your face!] No matter where you are... [Don't become twisted!]
(We shift to Banana arms with the Banana Lockseed and Banaspear, then to Team Baron finishing their dance, and we go to Kamen Rider Baron slashing down inves in the mysterious forest with his banaspear and finished with a pose. Next we shift to Starfruit Arms with the Starfruit Lockseed and Starfruit Saber, Budou Arms with the Grape Lockseed and Budou Ryuhou, Melon Arms with the Melon Lockseed and the Melon Defender, Fire Arms with the Fire Chili Pepper Lockseed and Hiegashimaru, Earth Arms with the Earth Coconut Lockseed and Tsuchui, and Water Arms with the Water Watermelon Lockseed and Mizuspear.)
Shinjita michi o yuke, JUST LIVE MORE!
Follow the path you believe in, Just Live More!
(All eight riders are back to back with each other, swinging and aiming their weapons towards the screen. We next go to Kouta who ran towards the fence of locks, screaming until the premature Lockseed fruits and plants grew around him.)
Don't Say No, JUST LIVE MORE!
(Finally, we see Kamen Rider Gaim riding on his horse to battle along with Avatar riding on Naga by his side.)
Kazuraba's Residence
Kouta, Korra, and Naga are now standing before the entrance of the former's home.
"Thanks for inviting me and Naga over to dinner Kouta." Korra said as the raven-haired rider unlocked his entrance, "But you really didn't have to, you know."
Kouta looked back with a smile and said, "I know, but this is considered thanks for saving me back then."
Korra's face softened when she heard him thanking him. She remembered when she and Koura fought the Inves together even though he was reluctant to help at first. And even though they just met recently, she couldn't help but feel that they're friends for a long time.
FLASHBACK
After the two riders finished off the Lizard Inves, Kouta and Korra ran back to the fountain where Mai, Naga, Lin, Micchy and her two officers are. And two of the police officers that were attacked by the Inves were put on stretchers, rolled out of the shop, into an ambulance and drove off.
Kouta and Korra ran to the chief of police and the former was about to explain to her what happened.
"Don't worry about it Kazuraba-kun." Lin assured him, "Mai-chan already explained to me about what happened earlier. And I am grateful to you for protecting my daughter again in a selfless act." After what happened today, she'd be crazy to doubt her daughter. And she turned to Korra, "And I thank you young lady. Chung-san and Kureshima-kun told me about how you tried to save two of my officers earlier and took them into the shop before you were about to heroically lead the monster away from here. It's too bad we couldn't find the culprit who beat them silly before we did and did this much damage to the public."
Korra blinked and said, "Huh? But I-" she then looked at the elderly man who gave a pleading look, shaking his head, and waving his hands frantically. And Micchy crossed his arms in an X, telling her that they're trying to cover for her when they were about to take her away for taking down the thugs, "O-Of course! Sure, yeah. There's no need to thank me. And uh, good luck in finding the idiot who did this much damage." she mouthed a thank you to the man and Beat Rider and they both gave happy nods.
"Chung-san, you can go home now. And don't worry about your shop, the police department will cover the damages." Lin said to the elder and he nodded and left. Even after going through with the Triple Threat Triads and the Lizard Inves, business will go smoothly again what with the damages being covered. He will have a good night's rest to forget all that has happened.
And she turned to Micchy with a neutral look, "Kureshima-kun, you may go home as well."the young man nodded as well and left."I suppose I'll have to come up with something to cover this incident up."
Mai then placed her hand on her mother's shoulder, "Don't worry Mom. For what it's worth, you and your officers caught three members of the Triple Threat Triad. I think that's something Zawame's Police Force should be proud of." Korra frowned at her words. The police force kind of came late and weren't doing a good job cleaning up the streets in Zawame City if the triads had been coming around here to bother the elderly man.
Lin smiled and nodded. Hearing her daughter praise her in a good day's work is something that made the woman proud of, "As long as no one was hurt, then that's all that matters." she said, and it was her turn to place her hand on her daughter's shoulder, "And don't worry Mai-chan, I'll go investigate in finding your friend Sumii Yuuya-kun with these two and investigate that mysterious portal you and Kazuraba-kun went through. Until then, go back to your friends and keep practicing your dance skills. But don't stay out too late, you're father will worry." (1) she then leaned into her ear to whisper, "And even if Team Baron did take your stage, you shouldn't let that loss get to you. Just be patient, and when the time is right, go and take back what's rightfully yours." she pulled away to see her daughter gain a look of determination and nodded.
The two Takatsukasas walked off in opposite directions with two of the chief's officers behind her.
FLASHBACK ended
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry you weren't able to find your friend." Korra apologized sympathetically.
Kouta shook his head and gave a smile, "Don't worry! Like I said, Yuuya's plenty of strong. He wouldn't be team leader of Gaim for nothing."
Korra nodded as she remembered Kouta told her about being a former Beat Rider of Team Gaim and that she met Mai and Micchy for being Beat Riders as well. Kouta told her that the reason why he quit the team is that he's working part-time and learn what it means to be an adult. Which is something that's understandable to her.
"So, you ready to eat some of Neechan's cooking?" Kouta asked as he placed his hand on the doorknob, ready to open it.
Korra nodded, "Yeah." truth be told, she was a bit excited to have some home cooking. She then turned to Naga, sniffing the air, smelling something that's good.
Kouta opened the door and walked in first, "I'm home!" he said as he took off his shoes followed by Korra and Naga with the dark-skinned girl taking off hers.
"Welcome back!" Akira called while stirring the pot, "You're pretty late you know."
"Neechan, I brought a guest!" Kouta said as Korra walked in and he introduced her.
Akira sighed and looked back at him, "Kouta, I wish you would call me earlier before..." she trailed off as she looked to Naga standing in front of her, panting happily.
"Oh, uh, I had no idea that our guest would be a polar bear dog." Akira said awkwardly, and a nervous smile was present on her face, "Nice to meet you." she slowly reached her hand out to pet her head, but didn't expect the creature was going to do next.
Korra's eyes widen to see Naga jump on her, "Naga no!" but it was too late, she jumped up to the older Kazuraba to do something that she did to Kouta before.
SLURP! Naga licked Akira's face in a friendly matter with dog slobber all over her.
Akira groaned out in disgust, "Friendly, isn't she?" she asked slowly, a bit disgusted after being 'kissed' on the face by her guest. And Korra and Kouta ran up to their large canine friend to pull her by the collar and away from the elder Kazuraba.
"Neechan, I'm sorry!" Kouta apologized with a small bow.
"I'm very sorry!" Korra too apologized with a bow and she glared at her friend with disapproval, "Naga, we don't lick our hosts!" Naga lowered her head in shame to hear her long time friend scold her.
Akira reached for a cloth to wipe the slobber off her face.
Kouta coughed into his hand, "Neechan, this is Korra." he said, finally introducing his friend to his sister.
Korra smiled and gave a polite bow, "Hello. My name is Nozomi Korra, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Akira stopped wiping her face for a moment to stare at the girl, looking a bit startled by her name, but mainly her surname, 'Nozomi?' her face grew thoughtful as if she just remembered something before it turned serious and she crossed her arms.
Korra looked up a bit to see the older Kazuraba giving her a look of disapproval and looked back down again, "I'm very sorry about my friend here." she apologized again, followed by her friend who lowered her head in shame, very sorry about what she did.
Akira's expression softened a little before she broke out in a smile, "It's fine, as long as you're friends of Kouta, you're our guests in our home." and her face turned serious again, "But if your polar bear dog pulls another stunt like that again, she's eating outside!" she pointed to the balcony of their apartment.
Korra nodded, "You have my word, Naga won't pull anything stupid like that again." she declared and turned to her friend, "Right Na... ga...?" she trailed off to find her friend up to the kitchen's stove to smell something from the pot, "Naga, no! That's not for you to eat!" she ran up to her and wrapped her arms around the neck and pulled.
"Ah! What are you doing?!" Akira shrieked as she and Kouta ran up to the beast and wrapped their arms around her neck to pull her way. But like yesterday when she sniffed the curry, she wouldn't budge. And she even stuck her tongue out to taste it, but couldn't get a taste.
"Naga! No! We don't eat before dinner!" Korra exclaimed forcefully before she realized she can command her to sit down, "Naga! Sit!"
After getting Naga to stop trying to eat the nikujaga, Kouta was resting on the table while drinking a cup of water, Naga was sitting on the floor, behaving like the good polar bear dog she is, and Korra was on the floor on her knees and bowed before the elder Kazuraba.
"I'm really really sorry!" Korra apologized again with her head so low, it was touching the ground.
Akira looked at her with crossed arms before she sighed with a smile, "It's fine. But I will give you one more chance though." she then look to Kouta, "You sure made an interesting friend Kouta." her smile turned rather sly, "Is she your girlfriend?"
Kouta spat out water he was drinking while Korra's eyes widen in shock. They both blushed furiously and responded, "She's/I'm not my/his girlfriend!"
Akira laughed and went back to stirring her pot.
Korra shook her head and gave a face palm, she guessed that this was payback for letting Naga lick her face and try to eat their food. Well she supposed that she deserved it.
Deciding to change the subject, Kouta said, "Oh yeah. Neechan, I just transformed today!" he got up from his seat and brought out his Sengoku Driver, "I did. I really did." he walked to his room.
Korra gave an unsure look at Kouta. Is it really wise of him to blurt out something like that to his sister? Even if they are siblings, she thinks it's unwise to say something about him transforming into that armored form he just did earlier. Then again, she was somewhat in the same boat as him.
Akira on the other hand looked at her brother skeptically before shrugging it off and poured beef and potatoes to a bowl.
"Orange!"
Korra heard the Lockseed Kouta activated earlier and thought, 'He's not...'
Akira looked up to Kouta's room with a confused look to hear another voice in there and walked over to the doorway.
"Soiya! Orange Arms! Hanamichi On Stage!"
"Hey!" Akira called out before knocking on his door, "Kouta?"
"Uh, Akira-san, I don't think you should..." Korra said before she trailed off when she opened the door to see Kouta in his armored form while looking at the mirror to touch his headpiece.
Gaim noticed his sister and Korra and walked over to them, "See?" Gaim asked before he jerked a thumb to himself, "What do you think?"
Akira was speechless, unable to say or what to think of as she looked at him from bottom to top.
Korra was a bit shocked to see him show his transformed form to his sister, and in his own house at that.
Akira then smiled awkwardly, "We're having nikujaga for dinner." she said and she slowly closed the door before Gaim gave them a thumbs-up.
After Kouta reverted back to his normal form, he sat at the dinner table with Korra and Naga by his side. While Akira sat across the group, mainly way from the polar bear dog, not wanting to sit anywhere near her.
"So Korra, are you from another country or did you actually grew up here in Japan?" Akira asked the young girl.
"I'm from Canada, actually." Korra corrected, "Although I do admit about how people see me as a foreigner."
"You speak Japanese very well!" Akira said, impressed by her fluent in the Japanese language.
"Well my grandfather is Japanese, and my father is half Japanese, and they taught me how to speak the language. In fact, my father once grew up here in Zawame City, Japan before he moved to Canada." she picked up a potato with her chopsticks and ate it before her eyes widen. And her face turned softened with a dreamy smile, "Mmm, umai!"
Akira smiled by her praise, "That's good." she said with her face softened as she looked at the girl, "So, what did you come to Japan for?"
"Neechan!" Kouta scolded her for pestering the girl with questions.
"No, it's okay Kouta." Korra assured him, not minding to answer her, "In all my life, I was taken care of the people who took care of me, having no need of money, and I'm here for a good education. And my father told me that if I want to find a goal, then I need to work hard. With every step I take, I'll be able to find my destiny one day without people telling me what to do. And as long as I keep on walking, I'll be able to get there someday."
Akira's smile never left her face, "What is your father's name?"
"Nozomi Tonraq." Korra answered.
With Korra and Naga
Korra and Naga were walking back to their apartment through the streets while the former was rubbing her stomach and sighing contently. After they ate dinner, they got to know the Kazuraba siblings, Akira is an employee at Yggdrasil and Kouta works at Punjabi's curry restaurant and at a construction site.
"Ah, what a meal." Korra said happily.
BARK! Naga barked in agreement and Korra laughed, "I know, I know. You can't help but eat a lot whenever you're with me for dinner." she couldn't help but think how delicious the nikujaga was, and that she and her canine friend practically at the whole pot.
She then brought out the Sengoku Driver in her hands, "And I suppose I should be thankful that I found this belt in the forest." she traced her finger on the faceplate. Thinking back, without this belt, she wouldn't have helped Kouta defeat the Inves.
Suddenly...
"Beware, for you are taking a part of destiny in your hands." a familiar voice called to Korra and she and Naga looked behind to see 'Mai' with strawberry blonde hair and wearing white clothing.
Naga barked happily as she ran up to her and nuzzled her head on her stomach affectionately, and 'Mai' simply petted her head.
Korra squinted her eyes before they widen in recognition and asked, "Wait, aren't you that girl I met earlier? Mai, was it?"
Instead of answering, 'Mai' pointed her finger at her Sengoku Driver and said, "Once you take the path with that, there will be no point of return. An ordeal will welcome you to a battle to the bitter end."
Korra stared at the girl for a second, not knowing what's going on. But look to her Sengoku Driver, seeing where she's going with this and responded, "Maybe. But even so, I don't want to astray from my path. And like I said before, even if it is impossible, with every step I take and the progress I work hard on, I'll be able to find my goal one day."
'Mai' looked at her sadly before she gave Naga one more stroke to her head and turned to walk away before she slowly faded away before their eyes.
Korra looked in stunned awe to see 'Mai' disappear before her eyes before Naga ran up to her and the former jumped on her back to go back home. "What was that, just now?"
Back to Kazuraba's Residence
After Korra and Naga left, Kouta went back in his room to try and find the right henshin poses right before he turned into his armored form.
"Soiya! Orange Arms! Hanamichi On Stage!"
"Kouta! Go to bed!" Akira shouted angrily shouted through the door, getting irritated by hearing his transformation after 28 times all night.
Gaim then jumped jumped and laid his back on the bed before he looked to his Musou Saber questionably and asked, "So, what the heck am I supposed to do with this?"
Next day at Punjabi's
Kouta walked into the curry restaurant to start working.
"Owner, I'm here." Kouta said, greeting his boss.
The owner wore a red cap and a long-sleeve yellow shirt with Punjabi's logo on it.
"Oh, Kouta, good timing. Sorry, but we've got a delivery today." Owner said, preparing more food.
"Sure." was Kouta's response before he gained a look of determination, "Owner, I'm feeling a bit different today." he walked over to the orders to take it to the moped.
And Owner looked at the young man skeptically, "Huh?"
Kouta placed the curry in the carrier of his moped and he placed his Sengoku Driver on his waist with a cheesy happy look on his face before he took a pose with the Orange Lockseed in his hand.
"Henshin!"
He clicked the Lockseed and it shouted.
"Orange!"
And the young man inserted it in his belt before locking it.
"Lock On!"
It played the Sengoku horn tune to it with Kouta listening to the beat for a second. And ignoring bystanders looking at the metal orange over his head after it came out of the zipper portal, he sliced the Lockseed,"Soiya!"
"Orange Arms! Hanamichi On Stage!" Kouta turned into Gaim with the people gawking in disbelief and awe to see him turn into his armored form.
"Yosh!" Gaim said as he entered his vehicle before hitting the ceiling of it, "Ow!" he struggled to get in, and after a few tries, he finally got in before his head hit the ceiling. And just when he positioned himself, the motorcycle wobbled a bit before it fell to the left, with Gaim in it.
This caught the owner's attention as he walked outside to see Gaim in the motorcycle. And he didn't recognize him as Kouta as he angrily demanded, "Ah, what are you doing you idiot?!"
"Ow." Gaim groaned out, trying to get out of the motorcycle, but had his headpiece stuck, "Ow. Ow."
"Huh?" Owner asked, recognizing the voice, "Kouta?" Why is he wearing samurai armor?
"Ow." Gaim groaned in pain and requested, "I'm sorry, but could you give me a hand? Ow. I'm really sorry about this!"
Construction Site
After Owner told him to go home early, Kouta was working at the construction site in his uniform where he was preparing paints to bring it up to his co-workers.
"Hey, Kouta!" his superior shouted from above on top of the scaffolding, "Can you bring those paint cans up here?"
Kouta's face brightened as he got up and responded, "Sure! I'm feeling a bit different today, Boss!"
"Oh?" his boss asked, thinking that he's in the mood to show some spirit or something. And Kouta placed his belt on his waist again and had his signature cheesy face again and unlocked his Lockseed.
"Orange!"
The metal orange came out of the zipper portal, surprising his boss and his co-workers coming out of nowhere.
"Henshin!" Kouta shouted.
"Lock On!"
They all gawked at Kouta's transformation as he picked up two cans of paint his boss want.
"Yosh!" Gaim said with enthusiasm and looked up before he jumped up with his strength on the top of the scaffolding.
He made the jump, but instead, the whole thing shook from the landing, making a few workers fell on their bottoms, while one grabbed another, who was about to fall off.
"Boss? Senpai?" Gaim asked looking around, failing to notice that he kicked off a paint can off the scaffolding and onto one worker who was about to go up and fall off. Thankfully, he wasn't far off from going all the way to the top and hit the ground.
Gaim looked around before registering the mistake he made and said, "Whoops."
Park
After his boss and co-workers told him to go home early, Kouta sighed in a depressing matter while walking through the park. He was hoping that he would make things better if he were to transform, but instead, it just made things worse.
It was then, he stopped to hear a boy crying and he ran towards the sound until he saw a boy stuck in a tree, "Mommy!"
"Hey, what's wrong boy?" Kouta asked the young boy.
"I climbed up this tree, but now I can't get down!" was the boy's answer as he wiped some tears away in his eyes.
Thinking that this might be his last chance to help by transforming, Kouta said, "Say no more! I'll come and save you!" he brought out his Sengoku Driver again and placed it on his waist and reached into his pockets to find that his Orange Lockseed is missing, "Huh?" he looked into his shirt pocket to find it, "That's weird. Where did I put it?" Little did he know was that it was hanging on his bag.
"Where did it go?"
Little did he know was that a person passed by him and approached the boy, "You won't get anywhere by crying young one!" Kouta looked to the voice and recognized the young man from before. Kumon Kaito, leader of Team Baron.
"So what'll it be, boy?" Kaito asked him, "Will you jump down? Or perhaps, you prefer to stay up there all day?!"
"Whoa there..." Kouta said, trying to reason with him.
The boy stopped crying as he decided on what to do. Take his word for it, or wait until someone else comes for him? And he made his decision as he jumped off before Kaito ran up to catch him in his arms.
Kaito looked at him with approval and said, "A wise choice. For someone so young, you're pretty strong." and he let him down.
"That's a tad extreme." Kouta said in exasperation. And Kaito looked at him for a second before looking back at the boy.
Kaito advised him, "Don't forget, young one. In the end, the only thing that you can rely on..." he pounded his chest to where his heart is, "Is your strength and strength alone."
The boy nodded, "Yeah! Thank you, Oniichan!"
Kaito nodded and walked off.
5 minutes later
As Kouta kept on walking and was about to reach into the shopping district, a large shadow soared over him and he looked up to see a large bison with six legs with three toes on each leg, pointy horns, a flat manatee-like tail, brown eyes, shaggy white fur, and a brown stripe that runs along its back from tail-tip to its forehead, where it terminates in an arrowhead. This is Oogi(2), a Sky Bison that resides on a Buddhist temple island in the city.
"Oogi?" Kouta asked slowly and skeptically, not sure if it's him or not, but on top of the bison is a woman in her thirties.
She had green eyes, wavy, light brown hair, drawn back in a center parting with both parts of her hair hanging loosely in front of her forehead. And she wore a red and yellow robe, and what really caught his attention was her swollen stomach, telling him that she's pregnant. Her name is Kusakabe Pema, she is the wife of the head monk (5) of Zawame City's Buddhist Temple and mother of three, soon to be four. And she's Mai's aunt, her father's sister. (3) (4)
"Hello, Kouta-kun!" Pema greeted happily with a wave, "How long has it been?"
"Pema-san." Kouta said before he realized who he's talking to and gave a quick bow, "Oh, uh, hello Pema-san! It's probably been a while. I think."
Pema chuckled, "There's no need for formalities, Kouta-kun. We're practically family after all." it was true, she had known Kouta and his sister and was friends with his family for as long as she could remember.
"So, how is the path to adulthood been going with you lately?"
Kouta lowered his a head a bit before he answered, "Well... How do I put this...?" was all he could say before he took a deep breath to explain. He began by telling her of how he found the belt in a strange forest and uses it to 'transform.' He didn't want to tell her the details about turning into his armored samurai form, because she's pregnant and any excitement or a simple startle might endanger the baby in some way. And he told her about what happened at work today and that things didn't go well. And he even told her about trying to get a boy down from a tree before Kumon Kaito showed up and told him to jump off before catching him.
From there, they were both on a bench with Oogi behind them. And Pema sighed in exasperation and disappointment, "Oh, honestly, pulling a stunt like that. What would happen if he didn't catch him?"
"Now, now, calm down Pema-san." Kouta said, trying to calm her down, "Even if it was reckless, it all worked out in the end."
Pema sighed again, "I suppose." she couldn't argue with that. But pulling a stunt like telling the boy to jump off a tree and catch him was too dangerous. And she paid her attention to Kouta, "Anyway, I'm sorry to hear about what happened at your jobs."
Kouta brought out his Sengoku Driver and passed it to her, "To be honest, it was a total failure." he said as the older woman took it off his hands and observed the device, "And I thought that maybe I could do something cool with it too."
Pema passed it back to him, "Don't give up hope Kouta-kun. I'm sure you'll find something useful for it in some way." she assured him with an encouraging smile.
"I guess." was Kouta's answer before he heard his cell phone ring and he picked it up, "Hello?"
It was Mai, "Hey, Kouta. Have you heard or seen Yuuya since that incident?"
Kouta raised a confused a brow and answered, "No. Didn't your mother try to find him last night?"
"She did. She even called all of her officers to find him all night, but found nothing. Yuuya didn't even return home last night." Now Kouta was worried, "He didn't even appeared at the garage either."
"Seriously?"
Warehouses
Pema and Kouta arrived on Oogi to meet up with Mai. From there, Mai was surprised to see Kouta next to her her aunt and on the flying bison.
"Hello Mai-chan!" Pema greeted her niece.
"Pema-obasan?" Mai asked slowly, "What are you and Oogi doing here?"
"Oh, I'm just here to drop off Kouta-kun here." she said letting the young man jump off the bison and landed on the ground, "Just so you know, we're having dinner tomorrow. I've already invited your mother and father, and they say they're coming. And you're invited too. I'm sure your cousins(6) will be happy to see you again. Especially Ikki-chan." she said the last part with a smile.
Mai froze when she heard that, "Oh, uh, great. My cousins." she said slowly with her face slowly becoming pale. But she shook it off and forced a smile, "Uh, I mean, that's great! I can't wait to see them again!" she paled again and held onto her hair, "Just as long as they don't touch my hair again." she tried to mentally block out a horrible memory.
Pema's smile turned sympathetic, "Don't worry, your uncle and Jinora-chan will keep them out of your hair. Literally." she said to him and turned to Kouta, "You're invited too Kouta-kun."
Kouta blinked and pointed at himself, "Me?"
Pema nodded, "Oh yes. In fact, I've already invited your sister this morning. And she said she will come." she mushed the reigns on Oogi and flew off, "Until then, I'll see you both tomorrow!"
Kouta and Mai waved at the woman as she flew off before the former looked at the latter with a raised brow, "Hey, you're not still scared of Meelo-kun or Ikki-chan, are you?"
Mai snapped her head in his direction and exclaimed, "What?! Of course not! No! Why would you say that?" she raised her hands up defensively, but the former Beat Rider can tell that she's lying, "Anyway, we should go to where the portal was."
Kouta nodded, "Yeah."
They finally arrived to where they found the zipper portal to where it leads to the Inves forest, only to find it gone, along with the mysterious plants.
"Somehow, it's different from yesterday." Kouta began, remembering that there was indeed a portal.
"You don't think we dreamed all of that, did we?" Mai asked slowly.
"That can't be." Kouta argued, pulling out his Orange Lockseed from his bag and looked at it.
"But Mom told me that when she and her force got there, they found nothing." Mai explained, "And they've searched all night trying to find it." and she gave a thought, "What if, Yuuya never made it out of that weird forest?" and she became frantically worried, "Or maybe, he was attacked by that monster and..."
"Hey don't think like that!" Kouta interrupted, trying to assure her, "This is Yuuya we're talking about! I'm sure he's fine. He can be pretty strong-headed when he wants to be. After all, this isn't the first time he went off on his own, right?"
But Mai thought otherwise, "But the team's in a crisis!" she pointed out, "He'd never disappear at a time like this!" and something crossed her mind, "Oh yeah. That belt you picked up in the weird forest, was Yuuya's. He said that would be the team's ace in the hole."
"He said that?" Kouta asked.
"Hey, you'd better give it back." Mai continued, "There's no point in you having it Kouta."
"Okay." Kouta complied with a nod, and he took out the belt buckle and handed it to her.
She took it in her hands and placed it on her waist, but unlike with Kouta and Korra, nothing happened.
"Huh?" Mai asked, confused to see nothing happened.
"That's odd." Kouta said as he took it off her hands, "You do it like this." he placed it on his waist and the yellow belt formed right out.
"What's going on?" Mai asked, confused to see why it was working on him.
"Let's go ask the lock dealer." Kouta suggested, "He's most likely at Bandou-san's parlor." and they both walked off.
Little did they know was that they were being spied on by a man coming out a van, wearing a black suit and carrying a camcorder. He was from Yggdrasil.
Drupers
Kouta and Mai arrived at the fruit parlor to ask Sid on what's the deal on the belt.
"Ah. You mean the Sengoku Driver, huh?" Sid asked before he took a bit out of a slice pineapple, "That can only be used by the first person who puts it on."
"Huh?" Mai gawked.
Sid fiddled with a charm on his suitcase, "Yuuya sure was a fool." he said with a sigh, "I sold him a fine product. And he let someone else put it on first." he looked back at her and asked, "Are you also a Gaim member, young lady?"
"Yes." Mai answered.
"It must be pretty hard with Baron eyeing your territory." Sid said with pity, "How about I sell you some Lockseeds since you can't use the Driver?"
"You'd do that?" Mai asked rather eagerly.
Sid looked into his iPad to select some Lockseeds, "Zack from Baron, has at least a couple of Class C locks." he stated, "And if you want to fight him on equal grounds, you'll need at least a C+ or B Lockseeds." he scanned through some locks to find a perfect recommendation for her, "In any case..." he picked the one with a picture of a pineapple and the imprint, 'LS-05' and showed it to her, "I recommend this."
"And..." he pulled it back to tap something and showed them the price, "This is the price."
"Whoa..." Kouta let out.
And Mai looked a bit devastated, "Impossible! I can't afford that!"
Sid then pointed out, "Hold on now. Aren't you the Chief of Police's daughter, Takatsukasa Mai?"
"I am, but..." Mai struggled to say, but said it, "Nowadays, my family is kinda strict on money."
Kouta patted her shoulder in sympathy, understanding her pain. Even if she did ask her mother for money, she wouldn't allow her to spend it in one place, let alone the Inves Games. And they couldn't ask Asami for a loan either, she's their friend and their sister at that.
As they got up and left, Mai looked back, and Kouta looked at her thinking that she might do something stupid before he dragged her out.
Gaim's old stage
At Gaim's old stage, Kaito was leading his team through dancing in sync. People were cheering for them as they danced their performance. Among the crowd was Asami and her Beat Rider team, Team Mulan, looking at Team Baron with great disapproval and bitter looks. They wore a variety of hip hop clothing with matching red, black and gray, not wanting to match Team Baron's color at that.
Next to Asami was a young girl with tanned skin, emerald eyes, brown chin-length hair, and wore a red red tank top with her belly exposed, a white jean jacket, gray sweat pants, and black and white sneakers. Her name is Opal(7), Team Mulan's second-in-command, no one really knew about her or her past, but all they know was that she is loyal to the team and Asami. And that's all that matters to them.
Speaking of which, the leader glanced at her second-in-command, glaring at the Baron members dancing, mainly to the team leader's right hand man, Zack. She felt uneasy to see her this way, to see her with cold anger and... hatred? Either she didn't like the way Baron was showing off, or the fact that they did something to tick her off. It may have been both.
And just when Team Baron was about to bring the finale to their dance, a group of guys wearing black and yellow clothing and wearing leather jackets jumped up on the stage, interrupting their dance. This is the Beat Rider group, Team Raid Wild, and their leader is a young man with wild black hair, Hase Ryuji.
The crowd was complaining that another Beat Rider team interrupted Baron's. It was bad enough that it had to happened again from before.
"How about putting aside your lame dancing and give us your stage, Baron-san?" Hase asked cockily.
"Raid Wild!" Zack recognized as he stepped forward to challenge them on the team's behalf, but Kaito stopped him.
"You talk big, but do you have the strength to back those words up?" Kaito asked rhetorically, "In short, do you have the strength to face us in battle?"
"Let's find out." Hase said, bringing out a Sunflower Lockseed. And they all jumped off the stage while the crowd was clearing out, giving the opposing teams room for the Inves battle.
They've both brought out the yellow force field with Hase unlocking his Lockseed to bring forth a green elementary Inves.
Kaito brought out three Lockseeds, two Sunflower and one had a picture of a walnut with the imprint 'LS-02.'
"Three at once?!" Hase demanded in disbelief. One Lockseed maybe one thing, but two or three is a different story.
Kaito didn't answer as he unlocked each of the Lockseeds to bring forth three elementary Inves. Two red and one blue.
"Battle Start!"
The fight began between the four Inves, but since Baron had the numbers, they have the advantage. What started out good for the green Inves is that it hit the blue one by a slap to the face and a couple of more punches. Raid Wild cheered on for their Inves, but Baron did the same.
Everyone else was cheering to see the Inves duke it out on one another, like the audience in the Colosseum of Rome, cheering on for the gladiators to shed blood to one another.
"Kill him!"
"Crush him!"
"Hit him with a rock!"
Nobody bothered to pay any attention to that last remark as they were busy watching the fight, and Baron were cheering on for Kaito's Inves' beating up Hase's.
"Go on! Go get em!" Peco shouted out.
"Let him have it!" Zack encouraged.
And soon, the three Inves gained the advantage by attacking it at the same time until they pushed the green one down with one red finishing it off with a drop kick, thus ending their battle.
Raid Wild were startled that they lost, no surprise there.
"Yeah baby!" Peco shouted in a cheer, happy for their victory.
"Alright!" Zack cheered.
"You win!"
Kaito and his team stepped forward and said, "It looks like we'll be the ones who'll be talking big today." Hase looked away for a moment, "Begone, loser dog!"
Hase looked furious as he and his team walked off and left in a huff.
"Quite the brilliant, yet brutal strategy, Kaito." Asami said as she and Team Mulan stepped forward to face Team Baron. Anticipation filled the air as both teams stood across each other, giving each other looks of determination and seriousness. It's as if another Inves Game is about to commence.
The crowd began to murmur.
"It's Team Mulan!"
"Are they going to have another Inves Game?"
"Shh, let's wait and see."
"Team Mulan." Kaito said, recognizing the all-girl team, "I figured you would be here."
Asami arched a brow, "Why? Is it because you saw us among the crowd?"
Kaito smirked, "No. It's because we danced on Gaim's old stage." he knew about the relationship between Gaim and Mulan, and that Asami was friends with two members of the team.
Opal gave a small glare to Baron's second-in-command, Zack, in which he returned with his own.
"So I take it that you're here to challenge us to an Inves Game to take back Gaim's old stage?" Kaito questioned.
"Actually, it's more of an observation to see what you can do in an Inves fight. Besides, it's more up to Gaim's call on whether if they want us to take it back for them or not." Asami explained, "And I hear that Team Wolfbats are eyeing our territory lately and wanting to fight us. And we'd like to save our strength to fight them first."
Kaito crossed his arms, "So I hear."
Asami then frowned, "And as for your tactic you used earlier, I can't say that I'm impressed. But rather, I disapprove of it by using three Inves to fight your battles instead of one. One would hardly find it fair in a fair fight."
"All's fair in love and war." Kaito stated, "And in war, you can only rely on strength to win. Whether it's numbers, knowledge, morality, strategy, skills, and even brute force. They're all considered skills of strength."
Asami's eyes narrowed and said, "Then the next time we meet..."
"We'll see who is stronger." Kaito said finishing her sentence.
The two locked onto each others' eyes intensely for a second, almost like they're staring at each other for an eternity.
And Asami broke the silence by turning around and walked away, "Let's go team." and they all followed with Asami in the lead. Little did they know was that Opal was the only one stayed behind as she continued glaring at Baron's second-in-command.
"While we take on Team Wolfbats, you'd better remember about what you and your little friend did to take Gaim's stage." Opal warned in a cold tone.
Zack cocked a brow, "Huh? Did you say something?"
Opal didn't answer as she walked up to him, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and gave him a cold glare, "I said to remember it... Cheater." she hissed quietly so that no one, not even Kaito could hear them. She'd rather have their leader find out about their little trick than to rat them out.
Zack stiffened as Peco's eyes widen in shock. She knew. And it would only be a matter of time until everyone find out if they're not careful.
"Opal, let's go." Asami called, and the young girl let go of Zack's shirt and ran off to join the others.
As they walked away, one of Gaim's fan complained, "Aw man. If Baron keeps this up, then no one will be able to beat them."
And his girlfriend pointed out, "But you know, Gaim was using this stage up till yesterday. And I was so looking forward to seeing them dance again."
"Shh!" the guy hissed, not wanting Baron to listen in on their conversation.
"I just think that Gaim's dancing is way better." they didn't realize that Kaito was walking in on their talk.
"Not so loud, they'll hear us!" and it was too late, they noticed Baron's leader and left. Kaito then turned back to his team.
"Rude jerks, just where do they get off?" Zack complained with a growl.
"Next to the baby group Fire Ferrets, Gaim is the loser group." Peco added before he turned to Zack, "Right?" and he got a nod in return.
"But they're strong in their own way." Kaito pointed out, "And we decide on who's strong or not." He paused before adding, "And frankly... the weak are beneath us. All they can do sniffle like toddlers when you hit them once." Kaito walked off with Zack and Peco giving each other a handshake before they follow along with the rest of the team.
With Kouta
In the city, Kouta spent all afternoon looking for Yuuya, but had no luck in finding him. The police are searching all over the city to find him as well.
After spending over half a day searching, Kouta finally sat down on the side of the street.
He gave out a tired sigh, "Yuuya..." he then laid his back down and rested his head on his hands in comfort, "Where on earth did you go?!" it was then his cell phone rang and Kouta picked it up, "Hello? Oh, Micchy? What's up?"
"Kouta-san, we need your help." Micchy said over the phone, "Those Baron Jerks are at our garage."
Kouta got up and asked, "What?!" he picked up his stuff and left in a hurry.
"They demanded us to hand over our team's Player Pass." Micchy furthered explained.
Gaim's Garage
At Gaim's headquarters, the four members of Gaim are being confronted by Team Baron's Kaito, Zack, and Peco with the latter swinging on the swing and the second-in-command checking out the car. And needless to say, Team Gaim aren't happy at what they're proposing.
"This isn't funny!" Mai snapped at the leader, "Just who do you think you are?!"
"I'm not saying you should hand it over immediately." Kaito said calmly, "I said let's duel for it." Team Gaim looked at him skeptically, "If you win, then we'll give back the west stage to you. And as a bonus..." he reached into his pocket to pull out the Pineapple Lockseed, "We'll throw in this Class A Lockseed. It's not a bad deal if you think about it, right?"
He had them there, but there's also a catch.
"And the way I see it, Gaim is in the dumps according to the rankings." he continued, "But this may be your last chance to redeem yourselves."
And Chucky thought otherwise, "But if we lose our Player Pass, we'll no longer be able to dance on this city's stages-"
"That's the point!" Kaito interrupted making her stop, "There will be no place for weaklings. To be honest, a pack of loser dogs shouldn't be considered a team in the first place."
Mai gave them a fierce look. No way in hell was she going to back off, and like her mother said, she shouldn't back off and let these guys do as they please. You either die trying or live to see yourself fail.
"If I were you guys, I'd disband the team without a second thought." Zack advised.
Rat looked down to the floor, "No way..."
Kaito got up and approached the female Gaim member, "So then, what will it be?" he questioned, "Do you have the strength to take on all of us to protect your land?"
The members just stood there in silence, not knowing what to say.
"Or rather, do you guys even have any Lockseed to begin with?" Peco questioned further.
Zack grew a cocky smirk and taunted, "Well, if you have the guts to take on the Inves, then step right up." his smirk widened as his eyes focused on Mai, "Or maybe, you'd rather call your mommy, the chief of police and let her do the fighting for you. Mama's girl." The invading team laughed hysterically and cruelly at that.
Mai simply stood there while shaking angrily. How dare they bring her mother into this? Just because she's not strong or doesn't know how to fight, doesn't mean she's helpless. And if Kouta, Asami or her mother were here, then they wouldn't allow them to get away with calling her names like that. No, they wouldn't allow anyone to disrespect her.
Suddenly, the front door burst open and in came Kouta followed by Micchy and the former proclaimed, "Well I've got a Lockseed for you!"
Mai and the others turned to him, "Kouta!"
Kaito recognized him from before, "So it's you."
Kouta and Micchy walked down the stairs to confront Baron's team leader with a look of determination and the former held out the Strawberry Lockseed in front him.
Kaito and his two members were taken aback as they looked at the Lockseed in Kouta's hand.
"An A Class Lock?" Kaito asked in surprise, eyeing the said Lockseed before turning at the former Beat Rider, "Impossible. Just who the hell are you?!"
"I'll fight you on their behalf." Kouta declared, "That won't be a problem, right?"
Later in the city
Everyone has gathered around the two Beat Rider Teams, Gaim and Baron to see them battle in and Inves Game. Grownups, students, business men, employees dropping at what they're doing in their jobs, and even the elderly eager to see the opposing teams in battle.
Among the crowd was Korra with Naga by her side, watching both teams getting ready to fight and was eager to see who will win. This is her first time seeing an Inves Game up close live instead of watching it on TV or online. And what really surprised her was that Kouta is fighting in Gaim's place, she thought that he quit the team and working, but nevertheless, she came here to see the battle between Beat Rider Teams.
Kouta began, "Just to be clear, if I win, then Baron will leave the west stage, and give Gaim their Lockseed. Am I right?"
And Kaito clarified, "And if you lose, Gaim will hand over their Player Pass and disband. In any case, you'd better be ready to lose."
Mai was about to step forward and use Kouta's Lockseed to fight them, but Micchy stopped her.
"Mai-san! We should leave this to Kouta-san." Micchy advised.
Zack walked up to Peco and nodded his head to him and the light brunette nodded in return and walked off. Kaito and Kouta opened their Lockssed to summon their Inves.
Kaito summoned the three Inves that fought Hase's Inves before and Kouta summoned one that is human-sized which looks like a deer. It's color and designs are a brown body with a blue and yellow armor, and its antlers are the same as well. Given that the Strawberry Lockseed is A Class, there was no surprise. This is the Shika Inves.
"What?" Zack gawked at the beast's size.
Kaito looked impressed by it, "Just what I need. A challenge." he locked his Lockseeds to start the game. Kouta looked back at Mai and Micchy who gave him smiles of encouragement, telling him that he's got it in the bag, and he locked his Lockseed to start as well.
Korra also smiled excitedly to see Gaim get the upper hand as she and the crowd began to cheer for Gaim to give it their all. This is going to be exciting.
"Battle Start!"
The fight began as the Shika Inves made its first move by throwing a spin kick, but the small Inves dodged its attack and before they know it, they all ganged up on it by jumping. But the Shika Inves tossed them off like flies and it attacked two of them with its antlers, finishing them off, leaving one alone.
"Yeah!" Chucky cheered.
"Woo-hoo!" along with Rica.
"Alright!" Rat exclaimed.
"Yay!" Mai and Micchy cheered as well as they both gave each other high fives.
"Yeah ha ha!" Kouta shouted out with his friends.
"Yeah! Woo-hoo!" Korra cheered as well, hugging Naga by the neck. Team Gaim is gonna win! "Way to go Kouta!" she shouted to him getting his attention and he gave a wave at her and she returned it with her own.
Team Baron looked shocked, especially Kaito, "Impossible!" And as Team Gaim were celebrating their early victory, Peco readied his slingshot and aimed for the Strawberry Lockseed in Kouta's hand.
"Loser dog." Peco mocked before shooting and hit Kouta's hand, causing him to drop his Lockseed.
By then, the Shika Inves was no longer in control as it looked at the crowd with a murderous intention.
Kouta looked at the Inves in worry before it broke free and materialized, running towards the crowd and they ran away. The former Beat Rider looked to his Lockseed as it was kicked away by a bystander and he went after it. Mai looked at the scene, which looked very familiar to her.
"Just like that time." she said aloud.
As the Inves was attacking people, Kaito approached the laughing member, Peco with irritation and disappointment.
"You weasel!" Kaito snapped, grabbing his wrist that held his slingshot, "Is this what you considered strength, using dirty tricks?!"
Peco gave a sheepish smile and squeaked out, "Well, you see..." he didn't get to finish as Kaito snatched it from his hand.
"This is childish and meaningless!" he snapped it in half like a twig before he turned to Zack who gaze away, unable to look at him in the eyes and telling him that he was a part of it too. And Mai looked at the Baron members, while the Shika Inves was still attacking everyone in its way.
Kouta tried to dive in to catch his Lockseed, but it was still being kicked around like a ball, and he looked to the Inves attacking both teams.
But Korra and Naga intervened as they both attacked the Inves with the young girl kicking it in the chest and Naga biting it by the arm. But like with the Lizard Inves, it threw the Polar Bear Dog off like a pest and struck the girl's face and kicked her stomach sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Korra!" Kouta shouted before he brought out his Sengoku Driver, 'That's right. I couldn't properly use this. Because I was using this for my own gain.' remembering the times he had throughout his part-time jobs, he can understand how irresponsible he was.
He then remembered Pema's words.
"Don't give up hope Kouta-kun. I'm sure you'll find something useful for it in some way."
'But, if I use this to protect everyone, then maybe...' he didn't bother to finish his sentence as he placed it on his waist and brought out his Orange Lockseed before he struck a pose.
"Henshin!"
"Orange!"
The zipper portal appeared over his head with the metallic orange sphere coming out of it. Kouta then shifted his upper body to the left, then right, and back to the center to raise his Lockseed high in the air. And he placed the Lockseed in the porthole in his drive before slamming the lock in place.
"Lock On!"
The Shika Inves released its grip on a Baron member as the Sengoku tune caught its attention as well as both teams. And Kouta sliced his Lockseed.
"Soiya!" the Orange Lockseed glowed a bright orange, transforming Kouta into Gaim with his armor on.
"Orange Arms! Hanamichi On Stage!
The orange sphere unfolded into armor and revealed Gaim's helmet. After the transformation, Gaim tossed his Daidaimaru in his left hand and drew out his Musou Saber.
"It's go time!" Gaim exclaimed and he charged in to make the first move.
Naga approached the unconscious Korra and nuzzled her with her nose to wake her up, and Korra slowly opened her eyes and slowly got up to see the Inves dodge the rider's slash attack before it swiped its claws at him, but the rider blocked its attacks before kicking it in the stomach. It used its antlers to charge, but Gaim blocked it just in time before he was being pushed.
They stopped before Gaim pushed it off and slashed it on the chest and on the back.
Gaim then loaded his Musou Saber before he blocked an incoming attack before shooting at it in the right flank of its stomach and shot out some more. He then gave one last slash, sending it flying to the ground and rolled over.
Korra slowly stood up with the help of Naga and she looked around to see people panicking, and looking back at the fight between the Gaim and the Inves, the rider can handle it. The people's safety comes first.
"Everyone! Get out of here!" Korra shouted to them, and she helped a man up by the grab of his shoulder, "You'd better get out of here!" and the man nodded as he and the rest of the crowd ran with Korra evacuating them immediately, "Run! This is not part of the Inves Game! Just run and hide somewhere to safety!"
The Inves then spotted the Strawberry Lockseed and went over to it before it shoved one bystander out of the way to Gaim where he caught him.
"Are you okay?" Gaim asked before letting the person go. He spotted the Inves to pick up the Strawberry Lockseed and a sideway mouth formed and opened on its forehead before it consumed it, "Huh?"
Suddenly, flames lit around the Shika Inves' body before it grew twice from the consumption of the Strawberry Lockseed. It's upper body grew larger which made it look like a bodybuilder, or a gorilla even. Its shoulder crests grew wider as well, making it look like wings, and its antlers grew out in the size of trees, making it look like an actual deer. After it transformed into the Evolved Shika Inves, it gave out a monstrous roar.
Korra, carrying a man by the slung of his arm, looked at the Inves in gawking shock and disbelief, "Whoa Nelly..." she spoke out in English.
"No way!" Mai gasped out in shock as well as her teammates, seeing the evolved form of the monster.
"Is that, even an Inves anymore?" Kaito questioned with his team staring at it in fear.
It gave out another roar and Gaim showed no fear, "I'm not scared of you!" he charged at it, and for something that large in its size, it jumped and dodged Gaim's attacks with great agility like a monkey before it back flipped and kicked the rider in the chest, sending him flying to the side of a building and he fell down hard, followed by the rubble hitting him.
Gaim got up and jumped out of the way before the Inves could get to him, and just when it was about to throw a punch at him...
"ROAR!" Naga ran up to the Inves and bit it by the hand, from there the Inves stopped and snarled in pain before it shook off Naga, throwing her to the ground making her whimper and tumbled.
After evacuating the citizens, Korra ran by Gaim's left side, "Kouta!" she shouted, getting Gaim's attention as he looked to her to see her putting on the belt and pulled out her Water Lockseed, "This won't be like the fight with the Inves we fought before, but if we don't stop it, then people will get hurt." They looked back to see many people still running away.
Gaim nodded, "Okay." and they both faced the monster.
Korra struck her pose, "Henshin!"
"Water!"
A zipper portal appeared over her head and the sapphire blue metallic watermelon came out, and Korra placed her Lockseed in her belt to lock it.
"Lock On!"
Her Sengoku Driver played the Inuit tribal music with Korra taking her pose by taking a Tai Chi stance, motioning her arms spreading out, leaning forward, bending her right knee, stretching her left leg away from her right and circling her arms halfway to form a circle. And she slammed her right arm down on the knife-like lever to slice her Lockseed.
"Element!"
"Water Arms! Element of Change!"
The blue watermelon dropped on her head with water splashing out on her body. Her blue bodysuit appeared as well as her gauntlet and the metallic fruit formed on her head and body with the helmet and body armor, transforming her into Armored Rider Avatar.
Both teams looked at the girl in gawking awe to see her transform like Kouta did.
"Korra..." Mai spoke out, stunned to see her transform like Kouta.
Avatar spun her Mizuspear and exclaimed, "Let's slice and dice this baby...!"
Gaim spun his Daidaimaru, "...and cook him up into venison!"
They both charged at the Evolved Shika Inves before it charged up its fists with the power from the shoulder crests and threw its flaming fists forward to hit them.
"Whoa!" both riders exclaimed as they both jumped out of harm's way and to the sides.
"Okay, I did not know it could do that." Avatar commented.
As the two riders are busy keeping the Inves from attacking everyone, Kaito spotted Gaim's Musou Saber and picked it up. He looked at the Evolved Shika Inves, busy trying to smash down the two riders before he gave a battle cry and charged. He attacked the Inves with a slash to the back, getting its attention when it charged up its flaming hands and it spun around dodging Kaito's attack. It then kicked Kaito right next to Gaim and Korra.
"Hey!" Gaim shouted.
The Inves roared once more, approaching the three.
"We gotta protect him!" Gaim yelled, coming in between Kaito and the Inves.
"Right!" Avatar shouted, following him and they both grabbed the knife lever on their Drivers, pushing them three times in unison.
"Soiya/Element!"
"Orange/Water Sparking!"
Their fruit armors folded up to their original positions as Gaim used it to block the Inves' punch to throw it off guard and Avatar rammed into its stomach throwing it off. Gaim's armor folded back as well as Avatar and the former looked to Kaito.
"Hey, hand over that lock you promised us!" Gaim said to him.
"What?!" Kaito demanded.
Avatar looked to him and pointed out, "You promised him that you'll hand it over to him when he won that match! And a lot of people will get hurt if we don't do something!"
Gaim then offered his hand, "So come on! Hand it over!" Kaito slapped it way and tossed his Musou Saber to him before getting up.
He brought out the Pineapple Lockseed and looked at it before handing it over to the orange rider, in which he took it.
"Thank you." Gaim thanked before he unlocked the Orange Lockseed form his Driver.
"Lock Off!"
He unlocked his new Lockseed.
"Pine!"
He placed it in his Driver before locking it.
"Lock On!"
His orange armor disappeared and a zipper portal appeared over his head, only this time a giant metallic pineapple came out. He sliced his Lockseed using his knife-like lever.
"Soiya!"
Like with the metal orange and blue watermelon, the pineapple dropped on his head and formed a new armor.
"Pine Arms! Funsai Destroy!"
The pineapple formed down, covering Gaim's head before it came down with the front folding together to form a chest plate with black sides and square metal studs that are covered jagged and widened. The sides on his shoulders folded, becoming a drawn-out and impenetrable armor which concealed his arms down to his wrists. The back section was also folded down into protective studded steel. Even Gaim's helmet has changed, with the helmet section becoming more like a samurai with solid yellow square studs with green decoration near the crown. The visor's color has changed as well, from orange to yellow, making it look like a pineapple slice. And in his hand was a black handle that's connected to a chain and mace-like weapon with the mace shaped like a pineapple. This is Kamen Rider Gaim in Pine Arms and he wields the Pine Iron.
Kaito looked startled as he stared at Gaim's new form while Avatar looked at him with amazement.
"Now that's a cool looking armor you got there." Avatar commented in approval.
Gaim looked to his new weapon, "This feels different for some reason." And while the two riders were looking at his new form, they didn't notice the Evolved Shika Inves jumped up over them before they dodged in time and Gaim smacked its face with his Pine Iron, and Korra thrust her Mizuspear at it making it step back. But the Inves countered by smacking Gaim to the side, but missed Avatar when she ducked down.
"Come at me Shikazilla!" Gaim challenged and he twirled around his Pine Iron from left to right and smacked it against the Inves' face, and destroying some of the armor off of it. It was then that the iron got stuck onto the Inves' right arm before it yanked the wire along with Gaim in the air.
"Time for Plan B!" Gaim exclaimed before he connected the Musou Saber's handle to his Pine Iron's, making it a Kusarigama.
While Gaim was flying in the air, Avatar sliced her Lockseed three times once more.
"Element!"
"Water Sparking!"
She slowly spun her Mizuspear that's emitting flashing blue energy until it increased speed up to a circle. It was spinning so fast that it looked like a buzzsaw, and she threw it at the Inves' arm when it was about to collide with Gaim. From there the Mizuspear was spinning so fast that it sliced off the arm where Gaim's Pine Arm was. And the Pineapple Rider slashed it in the shoulder with his Musou Saber before he pulled off the iron off severed arm and landed back on his feet.
"Hold on you big ape!" Gaim exclaimed as he chased after the monster. Team Gaim and Baron ran up to see the fight scene, but instead, they met up with the one armed Evolved Shika Inves. Just when it was about to raise up its left arm to smash the Beat Rider teams, the Mizuspear came back like a boomerang and sliced off its left arm and went back into Avatar's hands. Gaim then threw his Musou Saber, wrapping around its antlers, "I won't let you!"
And he went for the lever again to push it one more time.
"Soiya!"
"Pine Squash!"
Gaim tossed the spiked pineapple in the air like a ball and jumped after it. Once he was high enough, he kicked it like a soccer ball with a flashing surge of yellow energy coming out. And once it came towards the Inves, it grew in size until the fruit covered its head with the creature shaking his head trying to free itself from the large fruit.
Gaim was then pushed by an invisible force and extended his leg into a flying kick with yellow energy surging throughout his kick and himself.
"Ha~! Seiha!" Gaim yelled, delivering a strong flying side kick like he did with the Lizard Inves. He smashed through its torso, creating a hole and landed back on the ground with ease.
The Inves behind him howled in agony with the yellow power surging through its body after it was kicked, forming a huge pineapple slice before it collapsed and exploded. The giant Pine Iron exploded as well with pineapple slices flying about in all directions.
Without even looking back, Gaim cheered, "Hell yeah!"
Everyone, after they braced themselves from the explosion that never reached them, looked at Gaim in amazement to see him defeat the large Inves.
"He won... didn't he?" Micchy asked slowly, unsure of what he just saw.
Rat turned to him and cheerfully confirmed, "He did!" and he looked to the others, "We've won!"
Chucky added, "That's Kouta-san for you!"
"He's so cool!" Rica said excitedly.
"Kouta..." was all Mai could say before she and the team ran up to him.
"Yosha!" Gaim cheered.
"Kouta-san!"
"Guys!"
"Way to go Kouta!"
Mai didn't say anything as she looked at him before looking to Avatar.
Avatar looked at the Beat Rider group with a hand on her hip and closed up her Lockseed to revert back to Korra, "Congratulations Kouta." she congratulated with a smile, "You sure gave one hell of a show for protecting everyone and Gaim's reputation." even though she helped evacuating the citizens out of there and helping him fight the monster, Kouta was the one who finished it off. And he still would have defeated it even if he was alone.
A bark was heard and Korra turned to see Naga run up to her and nuzzled her head on her stomach, "Hey Naga." she greeted as she petted her head and she heard her whine, "Aw, it's okay girl, even if Kouta did defeat the Inves with my help, I'm sure he would have finished it off by himself."
Mai looked to Gaim before he reverted back to Kouta, "Kouta..." she said before she gestured her head to see something, or someone, and the young man gazed to her direction to see Korra and Naga.
Just when they were about to leave, Kouta and the others approached her.
"Korra." Kouta called out, getting her to turn to him, "I just wanted to say that if you hadn't helped me out in defeating the Inves..." his arms draped around Micchy and Rat's necks, "My friends wouldn't be here today. So, thank you."
The Beat Rider group ran up to her and thanked her.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you very much!"
"That was amazing!"
Korra, over flooded by their thanks and praise, gave them a kind smile, glad to be praised by them and to see them and everyone else safe. She came here to see the Inves Game between two Beat Rider teams, but not only got to see the game, she participated in it.
Team Baron, who were looking at the Beat Rider team and Korra were speechless.
"Kaito!" Zack called out to his leader.
"Just what the hell is he?" Kaito demanded in a low tone.
Back with Team Gaim, the group lifted up Korra on Kouta's shoulders with people cheering for them. They both smiled and held out V-signs for victory.
"We're the greatest! Yeah!" Kouta shouted in victory.
"We defeated a monster!" Korra cheered as well.
Naga, not wanting to feel left out, got under between Kouta's legs and lifted him up to let him ride her. And they all walked with Team Gaim following, waving at the crowd like they were in some kind of parade.
Unbeknownst them was that a certain team leader and co-leader of Team Mulan looking at the riders with proud smiles and crossed arms. Asami was so proud of Team Gaim for standing up to Baron and they got their stage back.
Opal had a contenting look on her face as she stared at the team celebrating their victory. And her smile grew more genuine with her eyes trailed a little on Mai.
The raven-haired girl then brought out her Sengoku Driver and a Lockseed with a Starfruit image on it with the imprint, 'LS-14' on it.
"So that's what this is for." Asami said before she put them away and turned around, "It looks like we've got some interesting competition ahead of us Opal."
And with that, they both left the scene without being spotted.
Throughout the city
"We've got some nice footage of today's events! During Team Gaim and Baron's long-standing rivalry, two incredible Beat Riders put on armors and brought the beat down on the streets!" DJ Sagara announced from his studio, informing fans throughout their digital devices, "What's more, one of them just obliterated the Inves!" he showed the footage of Gaim finishing the Evolved Shika Inves off with his finishing move.
"Just who are these mysterious riders?" DJ asked the audience as he showed Kouta giving out V-signs for victory while riding on Naga, "Well from what I hear, one of them was a member of Team Gaim. So I'm gonna call him Armored Rider Gaim." he then showed the footage of Avatar throwing her spinning Mizuspear at the Inves' arm, slicing it off and coming back to slice the other, and it showed Korra on Kouta's shoulder holding out V-signs, "But who is this armored rider that helped Gaim in the battle? If anyone knows, then feel free to shout out!" he brought out a t-shirt of the Beat Riders Hotline logo on it, "And get a free t-shirt as a reward!"
A street in Zawame City
Meanwhile, inside a moving limousine, a man in his late twenties was holding a Lockseed that had the image of a melon on it with the imprint 'LS-04.' He wore a business suit and a white collar shirt but no tie, and he had ungroomed hair. He was watching DJ Sagara hosting the Beat Riders Hotline through his TV. His name is Kureshima Takatora, he is the project leader and overseer in the Research and Development branch of the Yggdrasill Corporation.
"Armored Riders huh?" Takatora questioned before he shrugged, looking happy and angry at this announcement, "No matter. Things are proceeding as planned." he looked up as he pulled out his sunglasses to hide the emotions in his eyes and reached into his pocket again to bring out the Air Lockseed, "But about that girl..." he trailed off while clutching onto the Lockseed, which anyone can tell that he's angry. It was then he received a phone call and picked it up, "Hello."
"Sir, our prisoner Jin is ready to talk." a voice said over the phone.
"I see. I'll be there as soon as I can." He said before closing it and putting the Air Lockseed away and laid his head back on his seat to relax.
And the limo was heading towards Yggdrasil Tower.
Next Time on Kamen Rider Gaim/Avatar:
Chapter 4: Starfruit Rider, Mulan! And Avatar's Bending!
"Should I join Team Gaim Naga?" Korra asked her friend.
"I hope you don't mind, but we have a guest!" Pema said introducing Korra to Kouta and Mai.
"Let's duel." Asami said, unlocking her Lockseed and change into Armored Rider Mulan.
"The name's Bolin, and this is my brother Mako." Bolin said introducing himself and his brother.
"Bring it on!" Avatar exclaimed as she placed her Water Lockseed into her gauntlet and her armor disappeared.
"Bending! Water Charge!" Avatar threw a water whip at her opponent.
Okay that's the third chapter I've made for this story, and tell me what you think. I've decided to add a few characters to this chapter. Mai's father as an OC in the next one. Pema, her children, and Opal. I'm making Pema as Mai's aunt, who is her father's sister. And what is Opal's relationship with Mai? (Well, I think you all know what it is.) As for Zack and the Baron members being jerks to Gaim, they'll turn around eventually in the future chapters. Now the reason why I made Zack bring up Mai's mother is because I want to show you how mean those Baron bullies were, and who they are now are more important than who they were in the past. For Lin's attitude for Mitsuzane, I'd rather not say, because that will be rushing the story. I've changed Mr. Chung to Chung-san. I'll be adding more characters to this story from Legend of Korra. And FYI I'll be busy studying for the final exams, so until then I wish you all to be patient and wait for the next chapter until Christmas or early. Thank you!
List of References:
(1) Mai's father- He is an OC, and he will be based on one of the supporting characters from a famous manga.
(2) Oogi- Sky Bison from Legend of Korra.
(3) Pema- Head Monk's wife, character from Legend of Korra, and Mai's aunt in this story.
(4) Kusakabe- The surname is based on the character, Tendou Souji, who was formerly known as Kusakabe Souji from Kamen Rider Kabuto.
(5) Head monk/Mai's uncle- He will be in next chapter. He is Head monk of a Buddhist Temple, and you all know who he is.
(6) Pema's children- Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo from Legend of Korra.
(7) Opal- A character from Legend of Korra.