NEW LIFE CHAPTER PART 4: RAIN

"Did you plan for him to get his memories back?" asked Frederica as she sat across from Topper at a table with a Checkers board between them. They were playing a game.

"Maybe," Topper shrugged. "Whatever happens to my clients is entirely up to them. I sealed his memories as part of the deal but he regained them on his own. Not my business."

"He will face hardships far greater than before," Frederica said.

"You sound concerned," Topper stated.

"I just want to see how long this new game of yours will last. Will your client be able to face these hardships and survive, or die?"

"Like I said it's all up to him," Topper answered. "Your move."

I heard Gebok clap behind me as I dropped the body. Blood covered my armored form. The 13 members of NUMBERS were all sprawled around me, dead. I had killed them.

"You have proven your existence, No. 13. Congratulations," he told me. I didn't respond. He took away my emotions from me. For a weapon, personality and emotions meant very little. They meant nothing, really.

My orders were simple. Kill and survive. It didn't matter if they were my comrades. I was ordered to kill them so I killed them.

I looked them over. I would not miss them. I didn't care about them. They were just…nothing to me.

"You deserve a new name. No. 13 is just too bland. A new moniker for you, son! From this day onward you will be known as BLACK 13!"

"Why is it so cold?" Shinichi shivered as he sat at the kotatsu (heated table) with his mother, famous adult novelist Shiori Banabara. They were wearing matching purple coats to keep warm.

"Well, it isn't spring yet, even if all the snow has melted," the woman replied. "And it's raining." A heavy shower was outside their apartment.

"It's a good thing the kotatsu works," Shinichi answered, laying the side of his head against the surface of the heated table. "I mean it was so cold when I woke up. I barely had any will or energy to go on my paper route."

"You could've asked for a day off," Shiori told him. "I can give you money if you need it."

"I've been earning my own money since I woke up in Hinamizawa last June," Shinichi remarked. "I earn it, save it, and spend for what I need."

"You're so smart and thrifty, Shinji," the woman laughed.

"I must have inherited all that from my smart mother," Shinichi complimented.

While Ruffling his hair, Shiori picked up the TV remote and turned on the television. "I wonder what's on TV today."

"Well, it's Sunday. Sunday Morning anime shows, I suppose," Shinichi shrugged.

"Don't you like anime?" Shiori asked. "I thought all kids your age do."

'My life is an anime,' he said in his mind. Aloud, he said, "Just had better things to do than watch TV on Sunday."

"Yes, that club of yours," nodded Shiori.

"But it's raining and I have nothing to do since I finished my homework last night." He rolled his head lazily along the surface of the table. "Lazy…lazy…lazy…Boring…boring…boring…"

"How about you read a book?" asked Shiori. "I've just gotten the advanced copies." She handed him a book. It was 'Twincest: Sisterly Bonds', the book Shion and Mion would kill him over.

"Thank you," Shinichi took the book and opened it up to the first page. Her stories didn't mainly feature sex. There was a plot, character development, and romance. Of course, the Twincest book was definitely going to be one of her more interesting books.

Shiori smiled. It was cold, so they needed a snack and hot drinks. They still had a few slices of birthday cake left since Shinichi's birthday, which was last week. Rising from the floor, Shiori went to the kitchen to get the cake and make hot chocolate.

Shinichi's eyes wandered to his mother. The woman was carefree and without troubles from what he could see. However, he knew she'd been hurting for ten years after he'd disappeared. He felt guilty. He knew it wasn't his fault, but it didn't wash away the guilt. He didn't want to add any more pain to her fading wounds. That was why he refused to tell her about GIN-SHOCKER and Gebok.

Shinichi took the remote and changed the channel. It was the news. Once again it was about him as Showa. A Darkloid had appeared in Okinomiya and so he acted quickly and defeated it. However, he'd been caught on film as well. They were calling him 'Kamen Rider'. He just snickered at how accurate they were. The helmet which acted as a mask and the bike made naming him easier.

"So, the Kamen Rider has appeared again," Shiori said as she sat down. She put down the tray and handed Shinichi a cup of hot chocolate. She also gave him a plate with a slice of chocolate cake on it as she took her own plate and cup. "I wonder who he is under that mask."

'He's sitting right next to you,' Shinichi thought, amused. "Who knows, Kaa-chan? Maybe he's just some stranger, or maybe he's someone we know? Who can tell with that mask of his?"

"Well, maybe he's you. That would be cool," said Shiori with a wide smile.

Shinichi just stared at his mother. He wasn't sure if she was being serious or not. Shrugging off her statement, he took a sip of hot chocolate.

"So, how do you like the book?" Shiori asked.

"Kaa-chan, you know I've read the original and you know what I think of it," Shinichi replied.

"I just like hearing you say it. I used to make your father read my advanced copies all the time."

"It'll make noses bleeds," Shinichi told her.

"Oh, thank you!" she beamed.

The doorbell rang. Shinichi rose up, stretched, and said, "I'll get it." He walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. His eyes widened. He undid the locks and opened the door. "Guys, what are you doing here?"

There standing outside the apartment was Mion (disguised as Shion), Keiichi and Rena. Mion saluted, "Yo!" They had umbrellas in hand, which were dripping wet.

"Come on in," Shinichi invited.

"Shinji, who is it?" his mother asked.

"Just Mion, Keiichi and Rena-chan," he answered.

"Tell them to come in!"

"Come on, put your umbrellas in the umbrella basket," he instructed. "Why did you come here in this weather?"

"We were bored," Mion answered.

"She dragged me over," Keiichi pointed to his girlfriend.

"Rena missed Shin-kun!" Rena answered.

Shinichi sighed and after they put on the house slippers they entered the living room. Rena immediately made it to the kotatsu. The cloth attached to the table was cute in her opinion. She was rubbing her cheek against the tabletop. Chuckling in amusement, Shinichi took a seat as well.

"Take a seat and warm yourselves," Shiori offered. She liked Shinichi's friends. The company was welcoming.

Mion and Keiichi smiled graciously as Shiori rose up to get some more hot chocolate and snacks. Mion saw Shinichi hiding a book under the kotatsu. "Shin-chan, what's that? Is that one of you mother's books?"

"No," he denied.

"Shin-chan," she glowered.

"It's nothing."

"Shin-chan."

"Stop glaring at me, Mion. It's scary!"

"Shin-chan."

"I am not hiding anything," he denied. Mion frowned and then reached under the kotatsu. She grabbed the book. "Hey!" he protested but it was too late.

As soon as she saw the title and image on the cover she glared at him. "Shin-chan…" she growled.

"Hey, what is-WOAH!" Keiichi's eyes widened as he looked at the cover. Two identical girls, naked, were wrapped in an embrace and kissing. His nose bled.

"Kawaii…" Rena swooned.

Shiori returned with more hot chocolate and sat down. "Here, one for everyone." She then saw the book in Mion's hands. "Oh, I see you holding my new book. It's all thanks to Shinji that I got the inspiration for it." She was oblivious to his hand signals. He didn't want his mother to blurt it to Mion.

Mion grinned, a dangerous grin, looking like a demon ready to spill blood. "Oh, he gave you inspiration, did he?"

Shiori realized, "Oh, I wasn't supposed to say that, was I, Shinji?"

Shinichi moaned, "No…" He imagined Mion torturing him once she got his hands on him, and then Shion would join in. Then his imagination turned perverted as he imagined the twins in S&M gear and he was chained to a wall as they 'tortured' him. He snickered like a pervert. Mion just looked away in disgust.

"Pervert," she murmured.

"Were you talking about me?" asked Shiori playfully. Mion blushed. Shiori wasn't supposed to hear that. "You should read it. It's one of my best works. The books come out in stores in two weeks. Of course, the company gave me a box of advanced copies. I can give them to you."

"Really?" Keiichi smiled eagerly. Mion elbowed him in the ribs. "Oof!"

"I'd like one," smiled Rena.

Shinichi chuckled at the look of discomfort on Mion's face. She could use those books for ideas to spice up her and Keiichi's love life. Her glare made him stop laughing. She didn't care if he was a Kamen Rider. She would beat him up for being a pervert without hesitation.

Shinichi still hadn't told his friends about his experience where he'd come home injured. He had lied to Rena. She hated when people lied to her, but this was something he had to figure out on his own.

NUMBERS…

They had nothing else to do but play Old Maid as it continued to rain outside. The hot chocolate warmed their bellies. Shiori had even given her son's friends some extra coats. She was playing Old Maid with them as well. Unlike the worn out cards the Gaming Club used, these cards looked almost brand new.

"OK, your turn," Mion said as she held up her hand. She was hoping for Shinichi to get the Joker from her. However, he snatched the 6 of Diamonds from her hand and discarded it along with his 6 of Hearts.

"Did you really expect me to snatch the Joker? No chance," Shinichi smirked. Mion frowned.

"OK, Rena-chan, your turn," said Shinichi as he offered his hand to Rena.

Already a pile of cards had collected on the table. Shiori herself was left with only four cards, Keiichi had a total of five, Rena had four like Shiori, Mion had five and Shinichi was down to three.

Rena snatched a card at random and smiled. She tossed the 5 of Spades and 5 of Clubs down onto the table. "Rena has two cards now." She offered to Shiori. "Shiori-san, you're next."

"Oh, good. I've been waiting," Shiori said. She didn't hesitate. She just took a card and smiled, discarding the 7 of Hearts and 7 of Diamonds down onto the table. "And next is Keiichi-chan."

Keiichi, who was a fan of Shiori's work, smiled as he took a card from her hand, discarding the 3 of Diamonds and 3 of Hearts onto the table. He then turned to Rena, offering his cards.

The game continued on like this until Keiichi and Mion were left. Mion held up her cards for Keiichi to take. One was the Joker and the other was the Ace of Spades. He had only the Ace of Clubs. If he took the right card, then Mion would be the Old Maid and play the punishment game.

Shiori, Shinichi, and Rena watched in anticipation.

Mion decided to use her feminine wiles to her advantage, leaning forward, Keiichi's eyes wandered passed her cards to her breasts. She was dressed as Shion and so her top was tight against her huge breasts.

"Come on, Kei-chan…" Mion purred. "Take one."

"Oh…OK…" Keiichi answered dumbly. He reached over, but he missed the cards.

Squish.

Mion's eyes widened as her face turned red. Keiichi's eyes widened as he blushed too. Shinichi and Shiori grinned as they saw this. Rena gasped in surprise.

"Uh…oops?" Keiichi managed to let out.

"PERVERT!"

SMACK!

Keiichi was holding a bag of ice to his cheek. The smack he received from Mion was punishment for groping her in public like that. She was so embarrassed. Right now, the girls were making lunch in the kitchen with Shiori.

"You deserved that, dude," said Shinichi, sniggering.

"Aw, shut up," grumbled Keiichi as he held the ice to his cheek to numb the stinging pain. "Wait till Rena does this to you."

Shinichi just smiled in response at that. He'd groped Rena, several times. Of course, those were in private. A few times on the couch, a few times in her bed, a few times in his futon back at her house and a few times in his bed. Then a few times in her van.

His grin widened with each thought.

"Again, sorry for dropping in on you like this," Keiichi apologized.

"We don't mind. Kaa-chan enjoys the company," Shinichi replied. "I mean she's been lonely since she lost me and then Tou-chan."

"And now she has you back. I've noticed she's been showering you with affection since day one."

"And were you expecting anything less?" retorted Shinichi. "She's making up for lost time. The birthday party she threw for me is just an example of that. She's just showing her love."

Keiichi understood that. Shiori wanted to pour ten years worth of love for her son and Shinichi was soaking up that love he'd missed for so long.

"Have you remembered anything else?" Keiichi asked.

"I remember how to kill a man with my thumb," Shinichi answered, showing said thumb. "Want to see?"

Keiichi paled.

"Hey, whatever the girls and Kaa-chan are cooking sure smells good," said Shinichi, changing the subject.

Keiichi's eyes wandered towards Shiori. Despite being only 39 years old, she was still very attractive. She was like Mion's mother, mature and well-preserved.

"Don't make me gouge your eyes out with my thumb," Shinichi threatened.

And another strike to Keiichi for being perverted.

"Sorry, but your mom is hot," Keiichi remarked.

"Ogle Mion, just keep your eyes off Rena-chan and Kaa-chan," growled Shinichi. His eyes darkened dangerously, glaring at Keiichi with an evil leer. It made Keiichi shiver.

Keiichi had nearly forgotten that Shinichi had spent most of his childhood as a brainwashed soldier, a living weapon, and could easily snap his body in half like a twig.

That thought made Keiichi cringe.

"So, when are you going to tell your mom about Showa?" Keiichi asked.

"Probably…never," Shinichi answered. "Keiichi, if you were me, would you tell your parents you snuck out at night to hunt monsters?" Keiichi shook her head. "I don't want her to worry. That's why I won't tell her or ever tell her. I hate lying to her but I want to preserve this happiness for as long as I can."

Keiichi silently took this all in. Shinichi was right. Shiori would worry constantly if she knew what her son did at night. He was a Kamen Rider, and his duty was to protect the innocent at the cost of his own life. No wonder he wasn't too keen on telling Shiori.

"OK, lunch is ready!" Shiori announced as she came out of the kitchen with plates of food. Mion and Rena were also carrying plates of food. "Let's dig in!"

And when everybody was at the dining table, they all said, "Itadakimasu!" and dug into the food.

Rika poured herself a glass of wine as she stared at the rain. Hanyuu was with her. "Rika, you're still drinking?"

Gazing at her glass lazily, Rika took a sip. Now that Hanyuu existed in the physical sense, their senses were no longer connected, so Hanyuu wouldn't have to suffer if Rika partook in her favorite wine or kimchi. Hanyuu hated wine and spicy kimchi.

"It soothes me," Rika said.

"But the endless June is no more, and you have your whole life to look forward to," Hanyuu told her dearest friends.

"I can finally grow up and not face an early death," Rika mused. For many centuries due to Hanyuu's resets Rika was stuck in a child's body. However, her mind had matured through all those experiences, one after another. She no longer had the innocence of a child after seeing and experiencing so much blood and death. Oh, she could pretend, but Rika's true self would manifest itself in her voice. "There's something troubling Shinichi."

"I've noticed it too. He's been touching his scar a lot lately," Hanyuu said.

"He only does that when he starts to remember something," Rika added. "Something bad."

"Au…" Hanyuu whimpered. She didn't like bad things happening to her friends. She had seen it happen too many times.

"It has something to do with his past and that organization…"

"GIN-SHOCKER. But Gebok's gone. Shinichi killed him."

"Yes, we saw him defeat Gebok, but I'm not so sure if Gebok is truly gone," Rika frowned. She took another sip of her wine. Something just didn't fit. "All I'm sure is that Shinichi's past is going to haunt him more in these next few months."

After the rain stopped, Keiichi's friends decided to leave. They thanked Shiori for her hospitality. Shiori was happy to have them. Her boring day had turned around. Shinichi was sure Mion was going to tell Shion about the book. He prepared himself for the worst tomorrow.

Rena was the last to leave but before she walked out the door she gave Shinichi a brief kiss on the lips.

"You should have your friends come over more often," said Shiori. "They can even sleep over if they want."

"I'll think about that," Shinichi said. "Kaa-chan, if I ever remembered what happened in those ten years when I went missing, would you want me to tell you?"

Shiori looked him in the eye. "I'd want you to tell me, Shinji. I'd want to know. However, I also know that it was just as painful for you as it was for me."

'You have no idea…' He asked carefully, "Would you hate me if I did bad things?"

She gasped, shocked. "I could never hate you! You're my only son."

'You can say that easily now, but once you know of the blood I've spilled you'll sing a different tune,' thought Shinichi. She then hugged him. "Kaa-chan?"

"I want to forget those years when you were missing. I want to live for the here and now, and for the future," she said.

'Me too…' "Me too, Kaa-chan."

After his mother had fallen asleep, Shinichi once again snuck out of his room to take a ride around town. He was on a hunt. He would do this a few hours each night, on patrol, looking for Darklings or Darkloids to slay. He would even patrol Hinamizawa on these nights. The Darklings and Darkloids, while rare, still existed. They would always exist as long as humans existed. The good news was that numbers had dwindled because of him. The bad news was that they still existed.

Shinichi hated the Darklings and Darkloids. They caused his friends great pain in the other worlds he'd seen. He'd seen his friends commit violent acts of murder. He'd seen Shion murder Satoko, her grandmother, Mion and the village chief. That was by far the worse case of the contamination caused by the Darklings and Darkloids known as the Hinamizawa Syndrome. There was no Oyashiro-sama curse. It was not the work of a god, but these demons.

As he drove past an alley, a figure walked out and watched him drive by. "Thirteen, you're mine."

Shinichi was headed back home when all of a sudden his tires went flat. He pulled the brakes and dismounted to check his tires. "What?" Sticking out of them were needles. They were long and sharp. He pulled one of them out and examined it. He had the oddest feeling of déjà vu and…

He rolled out of the way as more of the same needles flew out of nowhere. He was almost turned into a pin-cushion. "Huh?" The needles were stuck on the spot where he'd been on a moment ago. Looking up at the sky, he saw a figure flying in the air. "Darkloid?" No, it wasn't. It was something else.

Shinichi summoned his belt and called out, "Henshin! Let's Ride: Showa!"

Once his armor was on, he leaped onto the rooftops to get a closer look.

And what he found was the last thing he expected.

It was another Kamen Rider.

"Who are you?" Showa asked.

"So, you have lost your memory," the mysterious Rider sneered. "Well, let me remind you. I am No. 00, but you can call me Zero."

"Zero…" Showa repeated.

00, known also as Zero, was clad in armor that was based on a hornet, with the wings of the insect on his back. The bodysuit was black with yellow stripes. He was donned in black and yellow striped gauntlets and boots. His yellow chestplate also sported black stripes like a tiger. Extending from his gauntlets was a pair of long and sharp stingers. Like Showa, his helmet was insect-like in appearance, sporting empty black eyes and antennae. Between his helmet's eyes was the number '00'. Around his waist was a belt similar to Showa's and in the crystal was the number '0'.

"BLACK 13, you're mine!" Zero declared as he flew straight at Showa, his wings beating as he rushed to kill Showa. Showa dodged a punch from Zero, which would've led to one of those deadly stingers impaling his head. Showa continued to dodge. He then sidestepped and grabbed Zero's arm before pinning it to the Hornet Rider's back.

"Who told you that name?" Showa demanded.

"Who do you think?" remarked Zero. He head-butted Showa, causing the heroic Rider to release him and stumble backward. He aimed at Showa with his arms and then fired his stingers. They struck Showa, causing sparks to explode off his armor. Showa screamed as Zero pressed on the attack, forcing Showa backward until he was at the edge of the roof. "Goodbye, BLACK 13!" Zero then rushed to Showa and shoved him off the roof with a punch.

"Showa-Racer!" Showa called out, "Flight Mode!" His eyes flashed as he sent the order to his bike via the antennae on his head. As soon as he said it, the Showa Racer converted to Flight Mode and flew up to catch its owner. Showa's hand gripped the handlebar and he pulled himself up. He landed on the seat and ordered, "Going up!" His hands were gripping the handlebars tightly as he ascended.

"Cheh," Zero spat. "So, if it's a dogfight you want, then it's a dogfight you'll get!" He hovered off the roof and then flew to engage Showa.

"Take this!" Showa pressed a button and fired lasers from the Showa-Racer's headlights.

The dogfight between Zero and Showa was intense. Riding on his Showa-Racer, which was in Flight Mode, Showa fired upon Zero with the lasers in his headlights. Countering his assault, Zero fired a lethal barrage of stingers at Showa. Showa evaded the shots and continued to fire with the headlight lasers. However, the stingers hit the headlights, damaging the weapons concealed within.

"Kuso!" Showa cursed. Zero then spun and struck at Showa with a kick to knock him off his flying vehicle. Showa dodged to the side but a kick to his face knocked him off his seat. He clung tightly to the handlebars with his hands and glared at Zero who glared right back at him. He opened up his seat and took out the Showa-Blaster from the hidden compartment before aiming it at Zero. "Take this!" Showa shouted as he fired upon Zero. Zero dodged to the side and with a swing struck the hand Showa was using to hold the handlebar.

As he plummeted, Showa executed his transformation. "Let's Ride: Skyrider!" In a flash of light he assumed the form of the flying Kamen Rider. He ascended back up to deal with Zero.

The two Riders traded blows as they battled in the air. One fought to defend his life while the other fought to avenge his death. Neither would let up until the other was dead and gone.

"I won't die again!" Zero declared

"And I won't die, ever!" Showa shot back.

"You shouldn't even be allowed to live! You're a scourge! That's why your name is BLACK 13!"

Showa exploded, "DON'T EVER CALL ME THAT NAME!"

With a brutal punch to the face, Showa shattered one of the eyes. He then followed up with an uppercut and then he used a haymaker that cracked Zero's chest armor.

"I AM NOT BLACK 13!" Showa roared. He grabbed Zero by the ankle and flew straight to the ground. With a swing, he smashed Zero into the pavement below. He landed on the ground, reassuming his original armored form, and stood over Zero. "BLACK 13 is no more…" Showa said slowly.

Zero rose up from the crater and glared at Showa. "You'll always be BLACK 13, Number Thirteen."

"Tell me, who are you? What are the NUMBERS?" Showa demanded, fists clenched.

"Figure it out for yourself," spat Zero. "You just need one hint: you were one of us."

Showa's eyes widened under his helmet.

Zero hovered off the ground and said, "For now, I will withdraw, but next time I will end your life…like how you ended mine." He then took off into the night sky.

"Oi!" Showa shouted. He would've gone after him, but it was getting late and he needed to be home. "I…ended his life?" Showa asked himself in confusion. Thunder crashed and lightning flashed in the sky before it began to rain down on him. "I…was one of them?" His hand went up to where his scar was. "Then…why can't I…remember?"

"Doctor, I've returned," Zero reported as he returned to base.

The Doctor remained in the shadows and asked, "So, have you given him the message?"

"Yes, I've given him the message. He really doesn't remember anything, does he?"

"Oh, he remembers bits and pieces. His memories aren't 100 percent but he'll get them all."

Zero nodded. "I don't care whether he remembers or not. For what he did to us and GIN-SHOCKER, he must pay."

"Your armor is damaged, Zero. Why not get out of it?" the Doctor suggested.

With a nod, Zero banished his armor. His belt released a flash and his armor fell away in the form of yellow fragments. In Zero's place was a man in military fatigues with coal black eyes and silver hair in a military haircut. Tattooed above his right eyebrow was his number, 00. Zero stood up straight and saluted, "No. 00, Shogo Kuso of NUMBERS, reporting for duty, Sir!"

The Doctor smiled. Designated as No. 00, Shogo was the first prototype of the NUMBERS Project. While not as advanced as his successors No. 00 was still a serious and dangerous threat. He was designed for accuracy with his stingers that he could shoot his victims with from a distance and for aerial combat. In the skies, he was virtually unmatched. His mind was a strategic one with a mind that could think of various military tactics to take on a variety of foes. His death at the hands of BLACK 13 had been a great blow to him so after he was resurrected, Zero kept a deep-seeded hatred for BLACK 13.

"At ease, soldier," said the Doctor. "Now, go to your quarters and rest up. When I need you, I'll send for you."

Shogo Kuso/Zero saluted and turned on his heels before marching towards his quarters.

The Doctor, in truth, didn't care about any of the NUMBERS. They were a means to an end. "Soon, son, you'll wake up from this dream and come back to me." As he entered the light, he was revealed to be…

KAMEN RIDER CHROME: And so the first of the NUMBERS makes their appearance. Will this spell doom for Showa? Who is The Doctor?

Shogo Kuso was created by Oriongamer