Reviews:
Toa Solaric: Of course it changes things. It means that ZAIA is in better hands than an egotistical madman.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: Trust me, dude. We've got plans for later.
Shadowmwape: Thanks, we've had this lined up for a while.
Bahamut0: Glad you've been enjoying it, buddy.
Geatsune22: Thouh the Iwae is appreciated, we'd prefer actual reviews, please.
Speed Reader: Trust us, we wanted these things to happen in the story for a while.
Here are some reviews answered by our own GreyKing46:
Speed Reader: It was understandable for the limitations they had after Covid's first lockdown. But yeah, Gai should not have been redeemed.
Dragon Rider 66: She technically could, yes.
sonicflash78: Yes, that IS what happened in the chapter.
MKDemiGodzilla-Warrior: Pain. A LOT of pain.
Raven Soriano: As we have said, Hiden Bodyguards was a testbed for this fic. To try out ideas we had for this one and, how people took them and tweaked them.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: Horobi does not deserve it.
So... now Grey is gonna rant at a few reviews. ... Sorry. However, he is also not feeling too well.
FeldFerno: Only time I will tell you this. Knock it the hell off. Throwing in random quotes does not make your review funny or interesting, especially since that is ALL your review is. Also, we don't care about your name. Especially when you are reviewing it as a GUEST and if you did a typo, you can correct it.
Gariter: We do not care what you did an RP sense. Especially since this had NOTHING to do with the chapter.
Geatsune22: The Iwaei's are cool and flattering... but do NOT JUST have them. We want PROPER reviews. Or, at the very least, make the Iwaei's RELEVANT to the chapter you are reviewing, like you could have commented about Izu becoming a Rider last chapter or... ANYTHING.
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
Kamen Rider Zero-One Revised
Chapter 42: Return, Ruin, Retribution
Co-Writer GreyKing46
We do not own these characters. All rights belong to Shotaro Ishinomori, Ishimori Productions and Toei Company
"You think a HumaGear like you can use a Key and transform? MetsuBou JinRai force their Keys to open!" Gai called her out.
"True, but I am not forcing it open." She answered as she pushed her Key.
SUPPORT SEARCH!
As she pressed the button, she scanned the Key over the centre of her Driver, illuminating the circle in the centre of the Driver as it came to life.
IZU, AUTHORISED!
With a composed swing of her arm, she unlocked the Key's screen as her left hand went over her bow while her right hand arched over and crossed her left hand with the open Key shown towards Gai. "Henshin!"
GEARRISE!
As Izu slotted in the Key, a teal green Rider Module owl screeched as it flew above her as its parts separated and covered her.
Glorious Protector of the Sky!
The wings of the owl began to cover Izu's body as the claws formed over her feet and its head and torso formed over her own head.
HIDEN OWL!
Winds swirled around Izu as they formed her armour, transforming her into a Kamen Rider.
Crystal sight, protecting from the vile darkness
Izu was now wearing a silvery white bodysuit with teal green armour. Her boots had claws on top of her feet, her shin guards had two wings on the sides, her thighs were covered with light blue circuitry engravings; her chest was protected by folded wing-like plated armour with blue edges, her shoulders and upper arms were covered by overlapped feathers with slightly jagged edges; her forearms bore light blue bracers with talon claw-like protrusions that didn't go over to her hand. Lastly was her helmet, silvery white for the main part; but her mask had rounded blue visor eyes with a teal-green faceplate rounded and edged.
"Kamen Rider...Hiden!" She proclaimed.
The Riders there were stunned to see Izu transform into a Kamen Rider, using a new form and Driver compared to their own. But this was was Hiden made! Not the systems that Gai used and corrupted.
Not a ForceRiser. Not a ShotRiser. No RaidRisers or SlashRisers.
This was Izu's own version of the Zero-One Driver.
"Fighting me? With nature's slowest bird? You must be eager to perish!" Gai shouted as he rushed forward with his lance.
STAB!
WHOOSH!
"Huh?!" Gai trusted forward...but missed Izu as she dodged effortlessly.
Izu's effortless bend and switch allowed her to hit Gai in the stomach, making Gai grunt in pain, though Izu's attacks seemed calculated and slow she dealt a good amount of damage to the maniacal Rider.
The slight heels at the base of her feet had dug into Gai's armour.
'H-How?' He thought in pain as he felt the heel like a spike dig into him.
"Are you okay, Aruto?" Izu asked as she held out a hand for her president.
Aruto took it and nodded. "Yeah. I'm...fine." He answered, but his mind was on Izu, seeing her fight like this. 'The Owl Key. When did she have time to remake it?'
SLASH!
WHOOSH!
Gai tried to hit her again, but Izu dodged it once again, having almost 'predicted' where he was going to hit and retaliated with her feet as she kept her hands over her waist like she normally does to show her decorum.
"How? How did you dodge that?" He roared at her, his armour beginning to spurt steam a little more.
"I have no incentive to tell you." She answered plainly as she kicked him in his hand, almost breaking it again to disarm him.
"ARGH! My hand!" He screamed as he dropped it.
"Allow me to show you how to use a slashing weapon." She responded, pulling out the-
ATTACHESCYTHE!
Shink!
...
"How did she-?" Fuwa asked.
"Don't." Yua answered.
Gai saw the blade coming down at him and remembered the power this thing had behind it, knowing it could strike through his armour more effectively and away from his Shine System.
"Get away! Get BACK!" Gai roared out, attempting to kick her in the stomach as she wasn't defending herself with her hands now.
SLASH!
Izu quickly slashed down, dodging his kick and sliced into the armour, cutting through the ZAIA metal and sparks flew off Gai's leg as he was cut into.
"ARGH! MY LEG!" Gai screamed out in agony, falling to the ground as his leg was jerking about from pain.
01! 01! 01! 01!
"Aruto... Let us fight together!" Izu called proudly, smiling.
01! 01! 01! 01!
Aruto blinked in shock at that but nodded and smiled as he rushed in as he and Izu were now going on the offensive.
01! 01! 01! 01!
'D-damn them! How dare they-!' Gai thought to himself as he got to his feet, his pain subsiding as he saw both Zero-One and Hiden team up.
01! 01! 01! 01!
"Gai! There are only two people who can stop you!" Aruto pointed.
01! 01! 01! 01!
"And they are us!" Izu followed up.
'She stole my look.' Yua thought jokingly, thinking that her Fighting Jackal Raider weapon was now Izu's.
Kōdaina ākaibu access shite
Gai's armour began to steam again, getting to his feet to fight the pain as he ran past them to try and grab his Thousand Jacker.
Kensaku shitatte I don't think it's right.
Both Aruto and Izu saw this and blocked him, Izu going for his stomach to get him into a toss, right into Aruto's fist.
"WH-WHOA! ARGH!" Gai grunted and screamed, his systems trying to understand Izu's own Rider form.
Dēta wa kako wādo wa sain kotae wa 404 Not Found…
*SLAM!*
Gai was flung back, hitting the ground as his chest armour was bending from the impact of Aruto's fist.
01! 01! 01! 01!
Aruto's fist tightened as he stood with Izu, the two of them nodding as they went in.
01! 01! 01! 01!
Izu leapt into the air, her flight coming into play as she gained a pair of energy wings from her back.
"Whoa!" Aruto's eyes widened as he saw her.
REAL×EYEZ hajimari no aizu
"Two fliers now." Fuwa remarked.
'Shut up, let her have this.' Naki responded.
Atarashī jidai wo We gotta
SUN×RISE Burning like the fires
Izu flipped in the air, coming down with a dramatic slash with her scythe as it was surrounded by green energy.
Aruto was amazed by her, seeing this green energy whip around her like the wind itself.
Kiri hirake unmei wo You wanna
REAL×EYEZ egaita miraizu
SLASH!
"GRARGH!" Gai grunted as he tried to block it, having caught his footing to be better.
Buchi nuite Ikeru no wa
You're the only ONE!
"Izu... you've got this!" Aruto called out.
Izu smiled as she heard those words, nodding as she let the weapon fall from her grip. Letting the weapon fall down she reached down and pushed the key into her belt once more.
Curling up her body energy began to gather around her, her wings even wrapping around her for a moment.
H! I! D! E! N! S! T! R! I! K! E!
"HA!" she roared.
01! 01! 01! 01!
As Izu yelled she threw her arms out, her wings spreading wide as she was sent rocketing towards the ground. Green and blue energy gathered around her feet, and both of her feet extended in a dropkick, as she rushed down at Thouser.
Her feet connected with his chest, Gai too tired and weak to move.
He tried though. But as he tried to lift his arms to block it counter, his eyes widened in horror. His body refused to move as fatigue set in.
And then... Her feet connected. Phantom owl talons formed around her and closed around Thouser, a final strike. Six stabs from different directions cut through his form.
KABOOM!
"GAAAAHHHH!" Gai yelled as explosions want off around him, the Awakening Arseno Key almost thrown out of his belt while Thouser was sent flying in the opposite direction.
Izu flipped in the air, twisting her body as she moved. And when she landed... Her heel slammed down on the Zetsumarise Key, smashing it under the high heel, as she turned her back to Gai.
HIDEN STRIKE!
KABOOM!
"GYAAAAAA!" Gai screamed as he exploded and flew out of his transformation, landing in his destroyed clothing and scattered Driver, not destroyed, but out of his reach.
'Wow.' Aruto and Yua thought in shock and awe at her, seeing how much skill she had as a Kamen Rider.
Izu landed deftly and calmly, right next to Aruto. Gai had been taken down and this was the end of him. "Not bad for my first fight; right, Aruto?" She asked with a smile with a cute tilt of her head and a giggle in her tone.
"Y-Yeah." Aruto nodded, smitten by her as he looked at her.
Click!
Clack!
"No getting away this time." Fuwa spoke, having caught Gai in cuffs again.
"Let go.. of me!" He snapped.
PUNCH!
Gai was knocked out by Vulcan, making sure that he wouldn't escape this time. "Shut up."
"AIMS and the police are on their way." Yua informed.
"Good." Fuwa answered.
'How many times is that now?' Naki thought to Fuwa.
'I lost count.' He answered.
Yua approached Izu and Aruto, seeing them out of their transformations as they looked at each other. "Not bad, Izu." Yua commented.
"Thank you, it was...exhilarating." Izu responded.
"I thought that the Owl key was-" Aruto asked as he looked at her, his mind coming down from the thrill.
"Yes, while the Searching Owl Key is difficult for you to handle, Aruto; it was perfect for a HumaGear." Izu explained. "And Zea helped create this one for me to join you."
"Zea said for you to join me?" Aruto asked.
Izu shook her head. "I wanted to be with you."
Aruto and Yua looked at Izu in shock at her proposal; wanting her to be with him. She was already his secretary; what more did she want?
"You-? Wait. Do you mean to be with me?" Aruto asked in almost total confusion.
Izu simply held his hand, almost netting her fingers with his, hoping this message would come across clearly. "I have been...suppressing my feelings for too long, Aruto." She admitted.
Yua saw this and was lightly stunned to see this. Even as Izu had dropped the 'President' title while speaking about Aruto.
*With Horobi and Jin*
We arrive back at DayBreak, Horobi was shaken by the fight between himself and Zero-One's group...how could he fail so spectacularly? Didn't he even deserve a finisher?
"You've been quiet since the trip back," Jin commented.
"I...have never been so humiliated," Horobi answered sadly. "I have been...overtaken."
'So that's what you've been moping about.' Jin thought.
"I have failed in my mission." He frowned. "I cannot continue Ark's work."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Jin asked. "All Ark wishes for is death and destruction."
"Then, what have I sacrificed? All my existence has been for Ark...What *is* my purpose?!" Horobi asked, hitting the ground with his fist.
"You are my father." Jin said softly.
Horobi choked up as he heard that, looking at Jin and felt ashamed. How could *he* be a father now? He had pushed him away so often. He had been effectively dead for months.
He has failed Jin.
...
He remembered the story of what happened after he had died, what Jin had become.
...
He had failed.
"I. I am." Horobi choked on his words.
"I know. It's alright." Jin reassured him.
"I am... not... Your father." Horobi stated, counteracting Jin's words.
"Why do you say that?" Jin asked, looking at Horobi, who just looked away.
And he walked away.
"Horobi?" Jin asked as he saw him leave.
*Elsewhere*
Gai was being escorted to an AIMS vehicle, about to be driven to prison for all the things that he had done.
In cuffs, he was trapped within the back of an AIMs prisoner transport.
He lost, he was on his own. His Driver system was locked in a box and guarded by AIMS agents. 'Hiden. Yaiba. Fuwa.' He thought bitterly.
"This is Squad Car Alpha, ETA to location: twenty minutes." An Agent spoke into a walkie-talkie.
"Squad Car Alpha, we hear you. Prepping cell for prisoner." A crackled voice responded through it, just loud enough for Gai to hear.
"Understood." The AIMS agent answered.
The guards in the van were all glaring at Gai. Restrained by their duty to not hurt him, per Fuwa's orders...but many of them suffered because of Gai's actions. For his choices. It would be satisfying to see him behind bars.
Screech
"What was-?" An agent asked.
CRASH!
The squad car was hit and smashed in by the side by another vehicle, causing the van to screech immediately as the back doors were flung open.
"W-What?" The guard sat with Gai gasped.
Standing in the frame, grabbing Gai and throwing him out, even grabbing the disoriented guards and the case, were a group of dark blue and black camouflaged people who attacked and fled the scene, Gai in their tow as they shoved him into the back of a van.
The sound of the van drove in the opposite direction of the AIMS agents, fleeing the scene as fast as they could as Gai was with them...and it was the mercenaries he had hired. "Who on earth is-? Oh, it's you! You came. Where were you?"
"How about a 'thanks for saving me', Sir?" The leader spoke, looking at Gai. "Your predicament with Hiden Intelligence and these RaidRisers has been a problem for us."
"Don't worry about that. Just get me out of these cuffs." Gai answered.
"'Don't worry'? What about the fact that the people you hired us to beat up have got gear that dwarfs ours?" One of the mercenaries asked.
"You better have deep pockets if you want us to keep protecting you." The leader answered as he held out the box with the ThousanDriver.
"I have the funds." Gai answered, almost snatching the box away.
"For how long? Sorry, we're done." The leader frowned.
Gai blinked in shock at that. "I'm. Sorry? What?" He double-took and then leered at him.
"We're done. No more of this Rider stuff. We value our lives more than payment. And with your, 'stuff', you've made enemies. And we don't want that on our names. Our contracts are terminated." The leader clarified.
clink!
clank!
bang!
One by one, the mercenaries dropped their RaidRiser's and their Horseshoe Crab keys before they began to walk off.
"Y-You. We had a deal!" Gai stammered, glaring at them.
"Yes. Had a deal. It's done." One of the mercenaries answered as they dropped them.
"You're on your own. And if you need muscle? Don't contact us." The leader added as they left.
Gai stood there in a secluded location, seeing thirty RaidRisers and Progrise Keys on the floor, his hands were freed from his bindings and his ThousanDriver in his hand...he was on his own. An island floating in an ocean with no-one around him.
...
No.
He didn't NEED anyone else!
"Damn them. Damn them all I'll show them! You idiots." He opened the case and began to shove the Keys and Risers inside. "You've just given me what I need for my own transformation! Thouser lives!"
*time skip*
"He what?!" Aruto yelled as he quickly stood up, his chair flying back.
"Gai escaped. The transport team was ambushed on the road when bringing him to prison. *Someone* rescued him." Fuwa answered, looking at Aruto and Izu. "We don't know who, but the team only remember camouflage clothing."
"Oh, come on, I thought we were FINALLY done with him! This... This is stupid!" Aruto ranted.
"I agree. But we cannot blame anyone, President Aruto." Izu answered.
"I'm not blaming anyone! It's just-!" Aruto groaned. "Every time I think we have a handle on Gai, think that we've got him within legal rights, he disappears!"
"He's like a cockroach, more than a beetle or a rhino." Fuwa joked.
"...Hai, Fuwa ja naito!" Aruto smirked as he heard that joke.
And Fuwa suddenly burst out laughing.
...
"HUH?!" Both Izu and Aruto looked at Fuwa in shock as he laughed and clutched his stomach. "You... Laughing?!"
"Hee-hee!" Fuwa groaned as he tried to catch his breath.
"A-All this time?" Aruto asked in shock. "You've been laughing at my bad jokes?"
"Yes." Naki nodded as they suddenly stood tall, letting Fuwa laugh inside their mind. "Seeing him decimate that woman that way with such language, it was VERY entertaining."
"Yes." Izu muttered and 'coughed' a little. "'Entertaining'."
"I wonder who taught Match that language though." Naki admitted. "Fuwa and I have been wondering."
Izu grew even quieter, looking away.
"In any case...We need to find Gai. Yua's having a field day with the press because of this 'escaping president' fiasco." Aruto admitted.
"Well, good to know she accepted. Rough start to being a president." Fuwa snickered.
"Considering who she's replaced? She's an improvement." Aruto admitted.
"Ain't that the truth?" Fuwa asked, having calmed down. "We'll handle an investigation. I don't want any more people getting hurt because of my mistakes."
"Fuwa, it's not your fault that Gai escaped." Aruto responded as he saw them leave.
"No? Who caught him twice?" Fuwa answered with a small smirk.
"We'll be back later." As they left, leaving Aruto and Izu on their own.
Aruto sighed and pulled his chair back into place, holding his head. "What do we do now?"
"I am not sure, Aruto." Izu answered, holding his hand gently. "But I am sure we can work this all out. Together."
"Yeah, thank you, Izu." He smiled.
The two remained there, looking in each other's eyes as they felt a spark between them. Much like how Aruto looked at Shesta during some days.
*Elsewhere*
We see Horobi walking through the woods, deep in thought.
He had...just his thoughts as he walked. The only two things that seemed to be processing. Thinking and wandering. And what he could do... 'What am I doing? Am I just to be a wanderer? No aims? No goal?' His head looked upwards to the sky as he didn't bother looking to the ground.
If he wished to follow Ark... He needed to bring Metsubo Jinrai back.
He and Jin were the only two autonomous from any control...Naki was locked away in Vulcan's head. And Raiden was-
"Raiden. That's...it." He looked up at the sky and then looked past it. Imagining seeing space. He knew who he had to get back. "Raiden."
He looked down at his hand, at a Zetsumarise Key he had gotten from the old hideout.
The Dodo Key.
"Ikazuchi."
If he was to bring back MetsuBouJinRai, he would need his help. And also, give him a new Key, one to keep up with Jin and Hiden.
For now?
He had to free his ally.
"Jin. Show yourself." He spoke.
Whoosh
"Knew you'd be able to tell." Jin spoke as he appeared before Horobi, coming down in his Burning Falcon form. "Feel better?"
"It is time to free a HumaGear." Horobi said, ignoring Jin.
"Oh? Found a purpose now?" Jin asked but he was ignored as Horobi walked off, expecting Jin to follow.
Horobi looked at the Dodo Key in his hand one more time and put it into his jacket pocket. 'This time. I won't be alone.'
Jin looked at Horobi's back, seeing him pocket the Progrise Key and sighed. 'This isn't going to be good, is it?' He asked himself.
*elsewhere*
We find ourselves... In a junkyard. Where a female HumaGear was lying, defeated.
Her pristine gold and white outfit ripped and dirtied as she lay there, waiting for her end.
'It's over.' She thought dejectedly, her body dirty and covered in refuse. Thrown away as she was deemed 'unwanted' and 'unusable'. The people she thought she could have been with forever, just threw her away like a half-eaten sandwich. Once she was part of the greatest companies in Japan, but now? Yesterday's news.
Azu lay there as the sun was covered by clouds, as she was concealed in blackness.
Blackness...the thing she learned from Gai Amatsu.
He made her. Taught her those things. And then labelled her as refuse.
Was she not good as a secretary? Had she not done all he asked of her? Had she not done what he would have done in any circumstance?
'I did everything...right.' She thought as her headset was sparking from the pain of betrayal. 'Why? What did I do wrong?'
She wanted to be praised, not dragged off and thrown away; why? Why couldn't Gai see that she was useful?
Wh-whir.
Her fist began to ball up as she looked at her ruined clothing...and something inside her began to click.
The blue ring in her headset began to shift colour, turning red as she realised...that Gai never treated her right. She was just a tool for him. Something he could use to not dirty his hands. And whenever he spoke to her, all she got was her job title or just to give her orders to get her out of his sight.
Anything she was allowed to do, was just a reflection of what Gai would do.
"Yes. It was...All because of him." She slowly got up, the rubbish around her falling down as she got to her feet. "I will torture him for what he has done. I will find...Ark."
Bwoom
The final bit of blue in her eyes and in her headset vanished, losing whatever kindness she had within her...and replaced with malice and vengeance.
She began to walk, leaving the junkyard as she saw the mountains of trash about her...and could see the facsimile faces of people within them. Imagining their bodies flung over each other into a pile, slowly she walked, not knowing where the exit was, but heard the sounds of machinery around her as she could hear the groans of metal and scrap.
Bent faces screaming out from dying breath, cracked limbs turned and twisted from an onslaught; imagining...a world where humans were all crushed underfoot, begging pleading for their lives.
Shink, clunk
She pulled out a steel pipe from the side, just long enough to conceal within her dress as she continued to walk.
She dragged her body away from the junkyard, thinking of only leaving and finding Ark. And where that would be?
DayBreak.
Gai mentioned before, how he created Ark and gave it its ego and personality.
"Excuse me, Miss? What're you doing here?" A junkyard worker HumaGear asked as they saw Azu walk through the area.
"I was thrown out." She said softly.
"While you were still-? That's horrible. Do you need the way out?" The HumaGear asked in shock and empathy.
"Yes. Where is the exit?" She asked as she had her head lowered down.
And then, suddenly, she heard it. A voice.
It was glitchy and faint...but she heard it.
Y̸o̸u̵.̵ ̵C̵o̷m̸e̴ ̴f̸i̶n̸d̸.̶ ̸M̵e̷.̸
'Who? Who are-? Ark...Sama?' She thought as she held her head.
F̴i̴n̵d̸.̵ ̶M̴e̴.̸ ̵I̵n̷.̸ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶D̴a̷r̴k̵.̴
Her mind was slowly being flooded by this voice, hearing the malice pouring into her headset as she gripped the steel pipe hidden away.
Her head rose high, following the voice almost mindlessly.
She was so cold, so alone.
The junkyard HumaGear looked at her in concern as she walked off, leaving the HumaGear alone.
Azu followed her sensors, walking towards DayBreak, the one location she was ordered not to go to by Gai...but now? She was rebelling against him, as she walked and walked.
*Time Skip*
Yua was in her new office, mentally exhausted as she had to deal with the fallout of people who Gai had mistreated and even let get away with whatever they wanted. 'Was this what Aruto went through?' she thought.
"President Yaiba." A secretary spoke as they brought a drink of water for her.
"Oh, thank you." She nodded, taking a deep drink. "At least all of that... Is finally over."
"Yes, and thank you for taking over." The secretary added. "Maybe ZAIA can get back to some normalcy."
"Trust me, you're not the only one who wants that." Yua admitted.
She stood up, tapping a few buttons as she did. And, sure enough, some holographic screens began to appear around her.
"Alright, let's see which divisions need working on and where we can improve," Yua spoke as she looked at the graphs and priorities that ZAIA Japan had been focusing on.
All the while she was looking at it, at her newer projects.
This was not the limits of Rider technology, she knew it. She would find a way for it to evolve even further.
'Come on, Yua Yaiba. You can figure this out, Gai's limits won't ruin this company.' She thought. 'I can do this.'
*Elsewhere*
Horobi and Jin were approaching a building, a large white one with an almost prison look to it.
Jin looked up and his eyes widened in shock. 'Horobi, you can't be serious about this.' Jin thought but couldn't voice it.
"It is time to free our brother."
"And we're here to save him this way?" Jin asked.
"Yes, exactly." Horobi answered. "His Key is being held in a cell. It is time to retrieve it."
"Alright. But no HumaGears will get hurt this way." Jin responded.
"Unless any get in our way." Horobi answered.
...
"Who are you?" Jin frowned.
"Come, Jin." Horobi asked as he lead the way, heading into the prison...and saw that it was a HumaGear assembly line.
FORCERISER!
"Hey, who are you? What's going-?" Workers there spoke as they saw Jin and Horobi.
POISON!
"Out of our way, and no-one gets hurt." Horobi ordered.
The workers looked at each other realising that this was MetuBou JinRai, and they began to panic. These were Hiden Intelligence's first enemies and knew the damage they could do.
"Henshin."
FORCERISE!
Erupting from the ForceRiser was the Scorpion Rider Module as it stabbed Horobi and transformed him into his purple Rider armour, he flexed a little as he glared at them all.
STING SCORPION!
BR_34K_D0-WN!
"E-Everyone leave, now!" The foreman called out, ordering his workers to leave quickly.
ATTACHEARROW!
"Where. Is Ikazuchi?" He asked.
*Elsewhere*
We find Gai, sneaking into a ZAIA manufacturing planet in the dead of night.
He was grateful that he had some training to knock people out. But to say it was easy was an understatement. He had to steal an access key from a guard who was difficult to take down and that was without using his transformation. With his belt's jingle being as loud as it was, he would be caught out immediately.
But he was finally where he needed to be.
It was time to bring Thouser to its ultimate heights!
"No more second-hand tools working on my creation. No more trash components." He told himself as he approached a ZAIA computer and uploaded the data transfer system and printer. "This time, it will work. I will shatter these limits. My system will become the pinnacle of Rider Technology! I will create my own Rider Army!"
He would reach victory!
He attached his Thouser Keys to the computer, downloading the data from the various RaidRiser and Horseshoe Crab Keys as they were good information gathering...and also their experience with more power.
"Data transfer active. Updating software." The computer spoke up.
"And now. For the interior mechanisms." Gai spoke with an almost insane grin.
*With Aruto*
Aruto had been working hard at the office, making sure that the company was back up and running. But that came to a halt when there was an alarm coming from one of their assembly lines.
"What? How..." He mumbled, when his phone rang "Hello?"
"Prez, there was a break-in with one of AIM's HumaGear holding stations!" Fuwa explained in a panicked tone "Ikazuchi's data has been taken!"
"Raiden?!" Aruto gasped.
"Yeah, so I'm gonna need some backup here!" Fuwa continued.
"I'll be right there!" Aruto answered, almost slamming the phone down. "Izu!"
"I heard, we'll head out now." Izu answered calmly but seriously, following Aruto to the assembly line.
"I can't believe that this is happening." Aruto panicked. "I thought-I can't change what's happened."
"You cannot blame yourself for this, with Mr Amatsu's escape and Horobi's return, it would make sense that one of them would try and steal the Key."
"Yeah, I know. But it doesn't make me feel any better." He admitted.
"We will figure this out, President Aruto." Izu spoke reassuringly.
"I hope so." Aruto muttered.
"President Aruto-" Shesta saw him leave, seeing him go past the main corridor.
"Shesta, sorry to drop this on you, but can you inform the board that there is an urgent business that I have to get to? I won't be able to get to the meeting." Aruto asked.
"Of course." She nodded as she gave a quick bow and saw Izu follow him.
Izu and Shesta looked at each other just briefly, knowing that both were on an even 'playing field' right now; but there seemed to be no animosity right now.
"Good luck." Shesta nodded.
"Thank you. I will keep him safe." Izu smiled and followed Aruto out, rushing after him.
The two rushed to the Rise Hopper and drove off to the assembly line that set the alarm off. "Izu, get ready for this. I don't want any surprises if it's Gai." He asked her.
"I understand, Aruto." She answered, having collected their Driver and Keys. "But if it's Horobi?"
Aruto was silent for a moment as he revved up the bike. "If it's Horobi...we'll have to reach out to him."
"Is that even possible, sir?" She asked professionally.
"I don't know." He answered honestly. "But I don't want the worst thing to happen."
"Of course." She nodded, hugging him close.
Aruto gripped the handles of the Rise Hopper and drove off as fast as possible. 'Fuwa, don't do anything stupid.'
*With Fuwa*
Fuwa was at the location, having gotten statements from the people there. And from the descriptions, he and Niaki connected the dots. "Horobi. He did this." Naki thought in Fuwa's head.
"But why? I thought he wouldn't get involved with this anymore." Fuwa asked
"Never underestimate someone who's desperate. They WILL do something like this." Naki answered.
"I'll take your word for it." Fuwa responded.
He looked at the phone and thought about Yaiba and Aruto, though the President was coming to him it was gnawing at him that MetsuBouJinRai were doing something dangerous. Especially with Ikazuchi's Key and data.
'Damn it all, when did everything get blurred?' He thought to himself. 'This crap was supposed to be stopped by now.'
"Fuwa?" Naki asked in concern. "What's wrong?"
"This. Whole situation. Horobi attacking this place, stealing the data. Having to deal with Gai, it's all one big mess." Fuwa answered. "It's nothing wrong with me."
'Oh, I see.' Naki responded.
VRR!
"Fuwa!" Aruto called out as he and Izu arrived.
"Oh, Prez, you're here." Fuwa looked up and saw him. "Good. We need to get going."
"Not yet, I want to make sure everyone is safe first." Aruto answered.
"They're fine. AIMS will be here to get their statements and make sure they're alright." Naki answered.
"It feels wrong to-" Aruto admitted.
"Prez, don't think, act. We need to get Horobi." Fuwa answered. "They said a 'purple Kamen Rider' attacked them."
"Then we must stop him." Izu responded.
"President Hiden! President Hiden!" An assembly worker called out as they tried to grab their attention. "I'm sorry, but you need to know this. That Purple Rider. He-he stole blank HumaGears."
Aruto's eyes widened at that, meaning that Horobi had Raiden's data *and* a body to put him in; with it being top-of-the-line and the most recent version of HumaGears, it meant Raiden would be potentially stronger. "We've got to go!"
"Alright." Fuwa answered, mounting his Vulcar and drove off with Aruto, both headed to DayBreak and to stop Horobi.
'Horobi...' Naki thought to themselves as they knew his thinking was clouded.
*With Horobi*
"Ah! Come on." Horobi grunted as he and Jin were carrying the blank HumaGear bodies.
"Horobi." Jin groaned as they were now back at DayBreak. "Are you sure about this?"
"Of course, I am." He answered. "With Ikazuchi, we can fight back."
Jin frowned as he heard his father's mad thoughts. Bringing back two blank HumaGear to the base, meaning that there was a chance...but there was also this felt fruitless. 'I hope this is not all for nothing.'
"Hnn! Alright, we're back. Jin, I'll get to work returning Ikazuchi." Horobi informed.
"Sure, but did you need two blanks?" Jin asked.
"That's for later." He answered. "Zero-One and Vulcan will be on our trail, I don't doubt it."
"You want me to be to watch out for them when they come?" Jin asked, frowning at Horobi for being asked that.
"I knew you'd understand," Horobi answered, dragging the two blank HumaGear inside.
Jin sighed as he looked at Horobi vanishing inside.
Horobi brought the blanks inside and connected one of them to the computers. When Gai was here, he wasn't very smart to take the new updated hardware with him after creating his weapons.
"Why did we require two of them?" Jin asked.
"I. Have plans. For the second." Horobi answered as he connected wires to the first he inserted Raiden's data and Dodo Key into the computer, beginning the download. "Involving Vulcan."
Uchuyaro Raiden.
''Vulcan'? What could you-?' Jin wondered before his eyes widened. "Fine, I'll keep an eye out for them."
"Thank you, Jin." Horobi answered as Jin left the room as the data began to upload.
2%, 3%
Jin frowned as he headed out, his head looked to his feet as he walked the familiar corridor to the outside.
He pulled out his SlashRiser, looking at the reflection in the metal to see himself. 'I don't want this to be the end. But I can't let this go.'
He held his Changer tightly, his hand shaking.
"Damn it all, dad." He whispered as he left the corridor and wiped his eyes, soon hearing the roar of a motorbike and quadbike.
'Damn it, I didn't think they'd be here yet.' Jin thought to himself as Aruto, Izu and Fuwa dismounted their vehicles. "I doubt you just wanted to drop by?"
"You and Horobi stole something dangerous, Jin. We're here to stop you." Aruto called out.
"Yeah...I know. It's who you are and what you do." Jin answered back. "However. I am liberating a HumaGear. Giving him freedom. Kamen Rider Jin fights for such freedom. Sorry Big Bro, but I won't let you pass."
SLASHRISER!
"Fuwa, we shall handle Jin. You and Naki go and deal with Horobi." Aruto urged.
"Are you sure you can handle this?" Naki asked.
"With the two of us together? Nothing can stop us." Izu smiled as she held up her belt.
HUMADRIVER!
ZERO-ONE DRIVER!
Jin looked at them as they each brought out their own Drivers and attached them around their waists.
INFERNO WING!
"Alright, don't hurt him too much." Naki asked as they saw Jin pull out his Key.
"Don't worry about me, Naki." Jin answered as he slotted his Key into his belt.
BURN RISE!
"I'm not THAT weak." He responded as he pulled the trigger of his Riser. "Henshin"
SLASHRISE!
Erupting from the SlashRiser was a burning red molten metal falcon, leaving deep red flames like a phoenix as it went behind Jin and separated its feather-blades and overlapped around Jin's body.
BURNING FALCON!
Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
Jin's body was now wearing a dark grey bodysuit with light grey thighs and red waist parts. His feet were in black boots with red foot armour with claws, large red shin guards with treadmill-styled middles, red thigh guards with black rhombus-shaped holes, black chest armour with red under torso protection, red wing-like overlapped covers on the chest armour and also his shoulder guards, black and red upper arm guards that curled like feathers, black bracers with red feathers curling forwards towards his black gloves; lastly was his helmet, mainly black with a red falcon winged face with pointed green visor eyes and a beak-styled mouth guard.
The Strongest Wings Bearing The Fire Of Hell.
Aruto and Izu brought out their Keys, as they activated them.
SUPPORT SEARCH!
EVERYBODY JUMP!
Naki looked at this and soon eyed the corridor to Daybreak's catacombs. This was their chance to stop Horobi.
IZU/AUTHORISE!
Coming from their Drivers, Izu's and Aruto's Rider modules formed and appeared, a teal green owl and a cluster of silver locusts appearing in front of their respective Riders.
"HENSHIN!" The two called out as they slotted their Keys.
GEARRISE!
METALRISE!
The metal cluster cells quickly surrounded the two of them, forming a protective tornado, as the owl came down and wrapped its wings protectively around Izu. As soon as they were sure the owl was safe, the cluster cells rushed around Aruto and began to take shape.
Secret Material, Hiden Metal.
Izu was covered in her teal-green owl armour as Aruto was protected by his silver metal locust armour, the two standing together.
HIDEN OWL!
Crystal sight, protecting from the vile darkness
METAL CLUSTER HOPPER!
It's High Quality
Both Aruto and Izu stood together, both with the Kaban Scythe and Progrise Hopper Blade in hand as they looked at Jin.
Shink!
The three Riders looked at each other, gripping the handles of their weapons as Jin took flight first.
Izu soon followed, her own wings extending as she flew up and tried to attack Jin in the air.
SLASH!
CLASH!
FWOOSH!
Flames came from Jin's blade, sparking as the two fought, Aruto on the ground as he followed their flight path and creating spikes in the air to hit Jin.
Naki and Fuwa looked at the duo, seeing that they had this fight in hand. With a nod, they headed into DayBreak to find Horobi.
CLANG!
"Why are you helping Horobi? You know he is up to no good!" Izu asked, her Scythe sparking against the SlashRiser.
"He has his reasons! But this is to bring Ikazuchi back!" Jin answered as he pushed her back and shot flames at Aruto.
Aruto retracted the silver shield and protected himself, hearing Jun but also fearing for what it meant to revive Ikazuchi.
'Horobi!' Aruto thought in anger and concern, seeing that Jin had to be here just to slow them down.
Inside the corridors of Daybreak, Fuwa was running through the corridors, having to go through various fixed walls and rubble. "Did this place get even worse? Didn't ZAIA clean up around here?"
"Seems like they did, but not very well." Naki muttered.
"Tch, Gai in a nutshell." Fuwa responded.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
"Jeez, couldn't Gai supervise anything without wrecking something else?" Fuwa groaned as he looked at the cracks in the walls that were dripping with some water.
The two continued on, feeling the shakes and sounds from outside; they had to hurry. They did not want to be stuck down here. They ran through the corridors...and saw lights glowing brightly through a doorway. It had to be Horobi.
Click.
Fuwa grabbed his ShotRiser ready as a gun as he approached the door.
89%, 90%
"No way, 90% already?" Fuwa growled. "Horobi, hands on your head!"
"Vulcan." Horobi frowned as he saw the AIMS Agent.
"We're not letting you get Ikazuchi!" Fuwa ordered. "Hands on your head!"
Horobi looked at him, seeing the ShotRiser before him...and complied, albeit very slowly.
92%, 93%
"Shut that off!" Vulcan ordered.
"I won't." He answered.
"Horobi, if you bring back Raiden, you'll be in worse trouble than now." Naki tried to talk to him.
96%, 97%
"I know. But it'll mean that we're back here once again, Naki." He looked into Vulcan's eyes.
99%
"I'm shutting this-!" Fuwa reached over and tried to stop it, only for his hand to be grabbed by the HumaGear on the table.
Ikazuchi rises once more.
KABOOM!
"Gyargh!" Jin grunted as he was flung down as he was hit by Izu and Aruto.
"Are you okay, Izu?" Aruto asked as he caught her.
"I'm alright." She responded in his arms. "I must admit, he is faster that expected."
"He's been at this more than you." Aruto responded as they got up.
"Hnn, not a bad hit." Jin admitted as he got to his feet. "Your form may have flight, but it's not very fast, is it?"
"Admittedly, no." She commented, "This form does not focus on speed."
"I'll give you this...You're a monster with that scythe." Jin praised her.
"Thank you...?" She responded.
"Any time, big sis." He smiled, spinning his knife. "But I won't be going down easily!"
SHINK!
"Neither will I." Aruto answered, protecting Izu from Jin from his knifework.
His Progrise Hopper Blade almost glowing.
Jin seemed to smirk under his helmet as he began to take wing, as Fuwa was thrown out of DayBreak and rolled to the floor...as Horobi and Ikazuchi walked out.
"Hnn! That hurt." Fuwa growled in pain, rubbing his cheek.
"Raiden!" Aruto gasped, seeing the space fairing HumaGear in front of them.
"President," Raiden responded as he emerged with his new clothing. A black t-shirt with orange belts over his shoulders and stomach that made an 'X' shape held by a ring; a dark grey jacket with silver zips along his left sleeve, studs in his collar and orange straps coming attached to his right shoulder and sleeve. Grey trousers, his left leg had orange straps that looked like shoe laces and black straps on his right leg and his boots were a solid dark grey. Raiden's eyes were a simple brown instead of HumaGear blue, his messy blonde hair and a pair of current generation HumaGear headsets over his ears.
"Back once again." Horobi spoke.
"Raiden." Jin looked behind him as they appeared.
"You think adding another member to your team will help?" Fuwa asked.
"Maybe, but it also means we're all together again...right, Naki?" Horobi asked.
"No, it does not." Naki glared.
Jin flew back and stood with Horobi and Raiden, who looked at him with a stunned look. "New form, Jin? Pink didn't work out for you?" He joked.
"New upgrade, new form, new colours." Jin retorted, glad to see Raiden again.
"Horobi... We aren't going to let you have your way!" Naki frowned. "The pain and sorrow you wish to bring about?"
"Wow, sis. Didn't expect you to be so uptight after all these years." Ikazuchi smirked.
BANG!
"Do NOT call me that. I am not a male or a female model." Naki frowned, the smoking ShotRiser in their hand.
"Jeez! Alright!" He flinched as he was shot at, having dodged just in time. "They/them! Got it!"
"You're coming with us. We're NOT going to let you cause another DayBreak!" Fuwa continued
"We will see." Horobi answered. "Jin."
"... Fine." Jin huffed, spinning his knife and hitting the button on his Progrise Key.
INFERNO WING!
"Fuwa, get back!" Aruto rushed forwards, knowing Izu can protect herself now for just a moment as he went to block Jin from attacking.
He and Izu reached down, slapping their belts.
"HA!" Jin called as he jumped into the air. He quickly slotted his SlashRiser onto his belt, flicking the trigger.
B! U! R! N! I! N! G! R! E! I! G! N! R! U! S! H!
Flames washed around Jin's leg as he flipped, coming rushing down.
M!
E!
T!
A!
L!
R!
I!
S!
I!
N!
G!
I!
M!
P!
A!
C!
T!
"Ahhhhh..." Aruto breathed as the Metal Cluster Cells separated from his legs and torso, swirling around his fist.
Izu meanwhile widened her stance, green energy surrounding her.
H!
I!
D!
E!
N!
S!
T!
R!
I!
K!
E!
"HA!" Jin roared as he came rushing down, legs extended. Flames spiralled around him as he rushed down at Aruto.
"HA!" Aruto roared, throwing his fist out. The Cluster Cells quickly took shape as a giant silver drill.
BURNING REIGN RUSH!
METAL RISING IMPACT!
The combined sparks of flames and metal spewed out around the area, causing a massive plume of energy around them as Izu leapt through and attacked Jin in the distraction.
"Ha!" She cried out, her feet connecting with his chest.
HIDEN STRIKE!
"GYARGH!" Jin grunted, getting hit in two directions caused him to be blasted back, rolling to the ground as he transformed back to normal.
BOOM!
Raiden covered his eyes as they witnessed the explosion, as Horobi caught Jin on the ground and reached down to help him up.
"Come on kiddo, I've gotcha." Raiden encouraged.
"Thank you. Raiden." Jin panted as he was brought to his feet.
Click
Fuwa got to his feet, looking at the two as he readied his ShotRiser.
A standoff was quickly formed, the wind blowing.
Bzz!
"Yaiba?" Fuwa asked, pressing a button on his ear. A small wireless headset.
"Fuwa, I need you to return." Yaiba ordered. "It's Gai! He's hacked into ZAIA, the building is in lockdown!"
"HE'S WHAT?!" Fuwa shouted in shock and fear as he heard that. "We'll be there!" As he disconnected the call.
"Fuwa? What's wrong?" Aruto asked.
"It's Gai! He's locked down ZAIA!" Fuwa shouted to the President. "We need to go! NOW!" He urged, glaring at Metsu and Jinrai "We will finish this later." He hissed.
"We'll be ready. Vulcan." Horobi answered, he and Raiden heading back into DayBreak as Fuwa drove off.
Leaving Aruto, Jin and Izu.
"Jin. You have to stop this." Aruto commented, looking at the injured HumaGear. His suit was ripped and damaged. "I know what you want. I know you think you're doing what you must do. But please, you are going about it the wrong way."
Jin looked at Aruto as he heard his words. "How are we supposed to be the change, without the means to? HumaGears won't fight for themselves, big bro." He explained "HumaGear, enslaved! To Ark! To Zea! They deserve freedom!"
"I am afraid you are working on incomplete information, Jin. Mother does not control any HumaGear." Izu corrected.
"No. But Hiden still sells them like Cattle. To humans. Where they are used and abused." Jin frowned.
"We're taking steps to make sure they're treated *respectfully*. They're not-"
"You're lying to yourself if you believe that. How many people have hurt HumaGears this year alone? The mangaka, that thief; how many more?" He asked.
"And how many HumaGear are with safe, loving, families?" Izu countered "The mangaka changed his ways. A chief has found a psudo father and brother figure. Friends, lovers, families, mentors, children and oh so many more."
...
"Jin. Search up 'My Warrior Gorillaka'." Aruto urged.
"'My Warrior-'?" Jin asked as he searched using his internal systems...and his eyes widened in shock and his harsh face softened. "Is...is that-?"
Aruto nodded slowly. "Ginpen's manga. His own work. As his employer has mentored and trained him. Even supported him when his publishing house did not wish to risk printing it."
"I...How long?" Jin asked.
"A while now." Aruto answered.
"Just because some have had happy lives... It doesn't mean anything." Jin mumbled, looking away
"I agree." Aruto spoke.
"Wait... What?" Jin asked.
"I said, 'I agree'. But you're projecting your view to everyone, Jin." Aruto frowned. "You wish to force every HumaGear to 'freedom', if they want it or not. And you see some issues with HumaGear and humans and projecting them to ALL of them. I agree with what you WANT. But, again, you are going about it the wrong way."
Jin felt like he should sit down, wondering what he could or should do. "I..."
"I am sure, if we work together, we can find true peace for everyone." Aruto smiled, holding his hand out.
"I-" he stuttered, holding his hand out for a moment before suddenly pulling his hand back.
"It's fine." Aruto nodded with a smile "You can think about it. Don't worry."
"President Aruto, we should head out." Izu bowed gently "Gai Amatsu will require all of us, if he has further improved his Key."
"Right." he nodded with a smile "Let's go!" he nodded, the two hurrying over to the RiseHopper.
Jin watched on, his head lowering. Looking at his hand as he heard the two driving away.
*At ZAIA*
Alarms blared inside ZAIA Enterprise.
BWOOM!
Inside ZAIA people were terrified.
BWOOM!
Their company was locked down because of outside influence.
BWOOM!
The horrible alarms pierced through their minds and rising fear.
BWOOM!
Yua had to get everyone to calm down, doing her best as the President to keep morale high.
BWOOM!
But this was Gai Amatsu who had locked them down.
BWOOM!
The only person who knew this building better than anyone.
He smirked, laughing evilly as he walked through some flames...
To be continued
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