AN: The poor page. Somehow, he's turned into a damsel in distress. Please enjoy the next installment. It turned out quite different from the anime's episode 26.

26- Shadow Awakening

Buguese and Grasshop were in Mantid's chambers, meeting with him.

"What should we do about this new Oracle Key?" asked Buguese.

"Please, allow me to capture it!" Grasshop chimed in.

"Of course, we must capture it," Mantid replied. "However, Grasshop, are your abilities enough to succeed in this important mission?"

Hearing this caused Grasshop to sweat nervously. Still, he realized, he had to keep composed.

"What are you saying, Mantid-sama?" he replied. "Me? The great Grasshop incompetent?"

Buguese glared at him, but decided not to speak up.

"If you succeed, then you will be given a great promotion," Mantid stated. "But if you fail… well let's just say you don't want to know the consequences." His voice was ominous.

If he wasn't doing his best to be as composed as possible, Grasshop was tempted to burst out in tears. What consequences? But on the other hand, a great promotion? Well, surely his wife and kids would be overjoyed. He couldn't possibly miss this chance.

"I will do it, Mantid-sama!" he exclaimed, hopping off joyfully.

"Mantid-sama," Buguese spoke after Grasshop was gone. "Why would you send Grasshop on this mission? Surely he'll fail."

"He can play if he wants," said Mantid. "However, we sent a swimming Insector back from Nuuma, who has probably apprehended whoever took the Key by now. One way or another, we will have it."

"I see," said Buguese. "My apologies for doubting you."

He left the room as well.

The poor page had found himself tied up again. Luck was just not on his side, he realized.

A rather large grey Insector, and not one of the more humanoid-looking ones was standing before him.

"You did a very good job slipping away from Nuuma in your dingy rowboat," said the bug. "But unfortunately, this is the end of the line for you."

"I don't care what you do to me!" the page said. "You can take my life!"

"Oh, who said I was going to kill you?" the bug replied. "I want information. What are you hiding?"

The page didn't flinch.

"An Oracle Key, perhaps?" he wondered.

He still didn't move.

The Insector slashed him across the face with a dagger he was carrying. The page fell over in pain, blood dripping from the wound.

"One way or another, you'll talk." Another hard blow followed, and then another.

"There you are!" a voice yelled, and the figure of Grasshop jumped down from above.

"You may have gotten away from me once, but this time I won't let you go. You have the Oracle Key, and I'm taking it back for Mantid so I can get my great promotion and be adored by my wife and kids!"

Completely ignoring the other Insector that was there, Grasshop ran up to the page, and started feeling all over his body for the Key.

"Where is it?!" he asked, stunned.

"I don't have it with me," replied the page. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Oh great," Grasshop thought out loud. "Well, in that case, it's still not over."

He turned to the other Insector, finally deciding to acknowledge him.

"Hey, you can go for now. I'll take over control of this prisoner. I am ranked higher than you, whoever you are, so you have to listen to me."

"At once, Grasshop-sama," the Insector replied, and went off, mumbling something to himself.

"Now, we're finally alone," Grasshop told the page. "I'm going to keep a very close eye on you, so you won't pull anything this time. Not that you look like you're in any condition to fight back. But even if you do, you won't win, because I'm just that powerful."

The page glared at Grasshop. Sadly, he knew it was true that he really couldn't do anything now.

"You should know that when the Spider Riders come to rescue you, they'll have no choice but to exchange the new Oracle Key for your freedom. They have it now, don't they?"

"Like I would tell you," he said. He at least hoped to sound tough.

"I'll take that as a yes," replied Grasshop.

Hunter, Corona, and Magma were on the run, atop their spiders. Regardless of whether or not they were going to Nuuma, their priority now was to rescue the page. At the very least, the Oracle Key was still in their hands. Hunter carried it along with him, just in case he needed it.

"They couldn't have gotten far," Hunter assured. "We'll definitely find him."

"Hunter, look up ahead!" Corona called. Before them stood Grasshop.

"Oh, it's you again," Hunter sighed.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Grasshop exclaimed. "I assure you, today is going to be very different. You see, the page is mine, and the only way I'll give him back to you is if you trade me the Oracle Key."

"No way!" Hunter exclaimed.

"He can't be too far away," said Magma. "I'll go look for him. You and Corona can deal with Grasshop."

"Got it," Hunter replied.

"Oracle's Power!" he chanted, and was transformed into his Rider form. Corona followed suit.

"Not so fast!" Grasshop yelled. "Come, Machine-Sector!"

From the ground, a giant mechanic beetle emerged, standing in Magma's way.

"The only choice is to fight," Grasshop declared.

"Fine by me," said Hunter. He and Shadow leaped at it, firing an attack. However, it was a rather speedy beetle, who dodged the blow, and retaliated, sending Hunter flying back. When he hit the ground, both Oracle Keys which were on him fell to the floor beside him.

"I was right!" said Grasshop. "And now I'll take my prize!"

"No!" said Corona, who managed to grab one before being knocked aside as well.

"This one's mine," said Grasshop, grabbing the Key. "Yeah, I won!"

"You won't get away with this," said Hunter, rising from the ground.

"Here, Hunter!" Corona tossed the Oracle Key to him.

"Thank you," Hunter replied. "Oracle Key!"

He transformed with the Key's power, and was ready to go for another round with the Machine-Sector.

Hunter attacked it, with Corona also firing her arrow. The machine fell to the ground.

"We did it!" Hunter exclaimed. "It's alright!"

Grasshop was laughing hysterically to himself, as the machine rose to the ground.

"But how?" asked Corona, stunned.

"This is an extra-special Machine-Sector. It's not going to be taken down by your puny attacks, Spider-"

He was stopped mid-sentence by Magma, who put a hand over his mouth. Magma ripped the Key from Grasshop's hand.

"Magma!" Hunter exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"No problem," replied Magma. "Now let's deal with this big bug!"

"Nooooo!" Grasshop screamed. "My… my perfect plan. My big promotion… but wait, you still haven't found the page, and I won't tell you where he is!"

Hunter wasn't listening to Grasshop though, as he was caught up dealing with the Machine-Sector. Even with Corona and Magma's attacks combined with his own, it just wasn't going down, yet the Riders were getting thrashed about.

"I'll never give up!" Hunter declared, rising after being violently knocked down once more.

"This is getting boring," said Grasshop. "Hey Machine-sector, why don't you try your special attack?"

As Hunter leapt at the machine, it fired a strong blast of energy.

"Ahhh!" As the force of the blast hit Hunter and Shadow, they could barely move. The pain was intense.

"Hunter!" Corona screamed. Suddenly, she was surrounded in light. The unused Oracle Key flew to Hunter, and blocked the mechanical bug's attack.

Shocked, Hunter looked up and saw the Key floating in front of him. Seeing it, he could sense something. The Oracle wanted to aid him. And Hunter was more than willing to take her up on that offer. He took the Oracle Key in his hand, and suddenly, he and Shadow underwent a new transformation. He had unlocked the power of two Oracle Keys at once.

At Mantid's fortress, Aqune felt a chill run through her body.

"What was that?" she wondered.

Back at the battlefield, Hunter attacked the Machine-Sector once again. It was destroyed in a single blow.

"No way… " Grasshop whimpered, shocked.

"Hunter!" Corona exclaimed. "You did it!"

"Yeah, now let's find the page!" he said.

Grasshop ran off, knowing that there was really nothing he could do with his machine destroyed.

They did find the page very close by, but he was in bad shape, barely conscious.

"Are you alright?" Corona bent down before him, and worked to untie him.

"Ugh…" he mumbled, trying to find the strength to speak. Instead, all he could do was stare at Corona. And it was then when he realized something.

'That girl… have I seen her somewhere before?'

"Don't worry," Corona said. "We'll get you back to the castle and take care of your wounds."

"Wait…" he finally managed to speak. "You're… I know who you are."

"What?" Corona replied.

"You're…" but the man fell unconscious.