SHADOW CHAPTER PART 4: RECRUITMENT

After dinner, both Rena and Shinichi went into his room for some privacy, though Shiori kept suggesting the naughty things they could do together.

"Shin-kun, who was that other Rider?" Rena asked.

"That's the Skull Rider I told you about," Shinichi answered. "And I still don't know whose side he's on."

"Maybe he's on your side?" Rena suggested.

"I doubt that," Shinichi frowned. "I can't be too sure of his intentions. So he helps me out this one time. It still doesn't change the fact that he attacked me before. I don't know what his deal is, but I'm going to find out even if I have to beat the truth out of him."

The Infernal Merchant and Balance Guardian were watching all this going on. "Looks like you've motivated him into Sleuth Mode," said the Infernal Merchant.

The Balance Guardian answered, "He has a sharp mind. He'll be able to figure out the truth when given enough clues."

"When he finds out I doubt he'll be happy."

"I have a way to make it all better."

"That's my line."

Knock! Knock!

"Hai?" Shinichi answered.

"Shinji, do you mind going to the store to get more paper?" Shiori requested. "I've run out of paper."

"OK, Kaa-chan," obeyed Shinichi. "Rena-chan, I'll be back, OK?" He got up and left the room but not before pecking her gently on the lips. "See ya!"

Shinichi went out of the apartment and was headed for the elevator. Along the way, he bumped into his neighbour, Warren Smith. He had a plastic bag filled with baby formula, a new box of diapers and baby food.

"Oh, sorry," Shinichi apologized.

"You look like you're in a hurry," observed Warren.

"My Kaa-chan needs paper, so I need to go." As Shinichi made his way past Warren, his neighbour said something that made him freeze in his steps.

"So, you're Showa, hm?" asked Warren, completely out of the blue.

"What?" gasped Shinichi in surprise as he slowly turned to look at Warren with wide eyes.

"Oh, right, here you're simply known as Kamen Rider."

"Me? Kamen Rider? That's ridiculous! I'm not a superhero!" denied Shinichi, chuckling nervously.

"Shinichi, or was it Shinji? Please, I know who you really are. I know all about you, the NEO-NUMBERS, WHITE 14, GIN-SHOCKER…" listed Warren.

"Who are you? How do you know this?" Shinichi demanded, eyes narrowed with his belt forming.

Warren calmly answered, "Like I said, my name is Warren Smith, and I know this because it's my job to know this."

Shinichi clenched his fists. "Are you one of their agents?" He suspected that Warren was working for GIN-SHOCKER and if he was that made him the enemy.

"Actually, I'm here on your behalf," clarified Warren.

"On my behalf?" Shinichi questioned, "Why am I so special?"

"Because you're a Kamen Rider," Warren answered as if it was completely obvious.

Shinichi looked to the floor, shuffling his feet, "One created to be a destructive weapon…"

Warren argued, "As were several others, if I'm correct. The reason you were given power for doesn't matter. What you use it for...THAT is what matters. And that's why I'm here for you."

"Look, I don't know what your angle is, Smith-san, but I…don't trust you," admitted Shinichi.

"Understandable. A man you don't know suddenly appears, shows he knows secrets no one else should know…Oh, and by the way, one of your friends, Chiaki was just attacked by GIN-SHOCKER troops."

"What! I have to help him!" Shinichi got ready to aid his fellow Rider. Warren took hold of his shoulder.

Warren said, "Don't worry. My agents have the situation under control. The troops have been neutralized and Chiaki is being debriefed as we speak."

Shinichi frowned, "So, you're here to recruit me? Sorry, but I'm a free agent."

'Why must the newbies be so difficult? Guess I need to play hardball,' thought Warren. "Of course. Guess that means I'll need to take my info back."

Shinichi blinked. "Wait? What info?"

Warren explained, "The info that you received from Kenzaki Tsukuba. He's also one of my agents; at least, he will be one day."

"Hey! He gave me that info fair and square and I need it to take down GIN-SHOCKER!" Shinichi shouted. That info was important to him. It was the key to his plans to take down GIN-SHOCKER for good.

"I know," Warren agreed. He questioned, "Shinichi, do you know who I work for?"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, and I don't really care."

"Well, you should. I am the head of an agency known as A.R.M.O.R."

"A.R.M.O.R.?" Shinichi cocked an eyebrow quizzically, unfamiliar with the term.

"Altered-Reality Monitoring and Operational Response," explained Warren.

"And that means…?" Shinichi prompted.

Warren explained further, "Multiversal police. We watch every world in the Multiverse, and when someone like GIN-SHOCKER makes a move, it's our job to stop them."

"So, you're here to recruit me as an agent? Will it benefit me? Will it help me protect my loved ones?" questioned Shinichi.

"You're loved ones, friends, and family will be financially secure for life. They will be protected," Warren answered. "I'm not a bad guy, Shinichi. My job is to protect."

"Would I have to leave if I join?" Shinichi asked. He loved this world. He didn't want to leave it. It still needed his protection.

Warren answered, "Only if the situation called for it. Basically, if a Multiversal threat appears, I call in who I think would be fitting for the job."

"I see," nodded Shinichi in understanding. "So, have you met the other NEO-NUMBERS? I suppose this offer extends to them as well."

"Not personally. I have various agents meeting with them now. Ryuki Hasuma, Nick Fury, Kenzaki Tsukuba…"

"Kenzaki…" growled Shinichi.

Warren stated, "He's not an assassin anymore. Gave up that life after his encounter with you. He's a bounty hunter and family man now."

Shinichi was surprised when he heard that. "But I just met him a week ago. How can this be?"

"Time travel," Warren answered as if it was obvious. "The Kenzaki I have working for me is in his early thirties now."

"Time travel, alternate worlds…I have a headache." Shinichi rubbed his temples.

"Wait till you need to deal with aliens," Warren quipped.

Shinichi then realised something and glared hotly at Warren. "Hold on. That means you could've stopped them from taking me. If you people are supposed to protect people, then why didn't you stop GIN-SHOCKER from taking me from Kaa-chan and Tou-chan?"

Warren knew Shinichi would ask that so he answered honestly, "Then I would've created a paradox. I save you from being taken, you never become Showa. You don't become Showa, there's no one to fight GIN-SHOCKER. Without you to discover the truth, GIN-SHOCKER manages to get a sample and the Hinamizawa Syndrome becomes an epidemic and is weaponized…"

Shinichi, after calming down, asked, "So, you knew I was going to go against them?"

Warren tapped the side of his forehead. "I know a lot of things. That was simply one of them."

Shinichi had more questioned thought, which he chose to ask right now. "I need to ask. Does this job pay a lot?"

Warren answered, "Like I said, your family will be financially secure for life. You're current salary isn't even a fraction of the pay you'll receive. So, Shinichi, do we have a deal?"

"Does it have a dental and health plan?" Shinichi asked hopefully.

"Of course," Warren answered with a nod.

"And even after I die my family will be taken care of?" Shinichi questioned further.

"We don't plan on you dying any time soon. But yes."

"Sign me up!" Shinichi grinned eagerly. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and with all the perks it didn't seem like it would put him at a disadvantage.

Warren smiled, "Glad to hear it. I'll see you around Shinichi."

Shinichi spoke up, "Oh, and the name's Kamen Rider Showa, Hero of Hinamizawa and the bane of GIN-SHOCKER."

Warren snickered, "That last one's cute. I'll be sure to have it put on your pass card." He paused. "Oh, and Shinichi?"

"Yes, Smith-san?"

"We were never here. When you're asked, A.R.M.O.R. does not exist. No one other than who I tell is to know of its existence. That includes Rena," specified Warren.

Shinichi frowned as he thought of Rena. "I hate keeping secrets from her. You don't know how she gets when I'm forced to lie to her and she finds out."

Warren remarked, "I'm married to a woman who hits me with a book when she's mad. You'd be surprised."

Shinichi added, "My girlfriend keeps a cleaver."

Warren continued, "My wife has superpowers."

Shinichi argued, "I've witnessed my girlfriend kill two people, take a school hostage and make a bomb."

Warren rebutted, "I've witnessed things you can't even begin to imagine."

Shinichi argued further, "I get visions of alternate scenarios where my friends kill. It's not something I can easily recover from. My only faith is that I know they won't make those mistakes again."

Warren retorted, "I was trapped in a concentration camp for 6 months. I've seen just about everyone I cared for die at one point in my life. My only faith is that I have to keep that from happening again."

Shinichi said firmly, "Me too. I won't let the Hinamizawa Syndrome corrupt them, ever again."

Warren smiled, proud of his choice, "I knew I made the right choice in you."

Shinichi rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, and I'm even starting to remember what happened to me in GIN-SHOCKER. I'm surprised I turned out so…sane."

"All it takes is one bad day to turn the sanest man alive to madness," quoted Warren.

Shinichi nodded, frowning in guilt. "And it happened to me. I killed my friend and went berserk, escaping the facility and killing everyone in sight who got in my way."

"And it only takes one good day to bring a man back," Warren countered.

"Well, it was a good thing I lost my memories when I got to Hinamizawa. It's a nice place to live, despite the murders that took place a few years back. Nice people too. Just…the Sonozaki head REALLY doesn't like me," groaned Shinichi.

Warren scoffed, "Can you blame her? I saw how you were staring at my wife."

"Well, she's attractive," Shinichi smirked.

Warren warned, "She's also an amazing mother and quite terrifying when mad."

"Passionate women often are."

Warren reminded, "Oh, and my daughter Lucy will be visiting soon. She's one of my top agents so I'm going to have her stick around with me."

"I see." Curiously, he asked, "So, tell me, Smith-san, what do you know about Kamen Riders?" Maybe Warren could help shed some light on the situation.

"Everything. From the first SHOCKER to the creation of the latest Kamen Rider technologies," Warren answered.

"Are you a Rider?" Shinichi asked.

"Remember that Skull Rider?" Warren asked. Shinichi's eyes widened in shock.

"THAT WAS YOU!"

"Yes, though, I've retired from heroing for the most part. I'm more of a politician and bureaucrat now," Warren added, "Sorry about the beat down from before. I just had to gauge your abilities."

Shinichi calmed down. Warren was no enemy to him. He was an ally and Shinichi needed more allies. "I see. So, how much am I paid? I need a number."

"A million a year, minus expenses and collateral damage," Warren answered.

"Well, I won't quit being a paperboy. I kinda like delivering papers to my friends," Shinichi remarked. He actually liked being useful to the community in a more normal sense.

Warren nodded, "Good. It doesn't pay much for sure, but you need the life experience. Oh, Shinichi, about my daughter…"

"I won't hit on her if that's what you're worried about," Shinichi interrupted.

Warren shook his head. "Oh, it's not that. But if you look at her like you did my wife, you'll have your eyes plucked from your sockets."

"By you?"

Warren warned, "No, Lucy has very little tolerance for that kind of behaviour."

"I'll keep that in mind," Shinichi nodded. The way Warren spoke of his daughter, made her sound like someone he should be really afraid of.

"Be sure that you do. Well, Shinichi, I'll be going now. Thank you for your time."

Shinichi's twin ahoge/antenna hair began to wiggle and then became straight. "I have to go as well."

"Darklings and Darkloids?" Warren asked.

"Yes," Shinichi confirmed.

"Well, good luck," said Warren, patting his shoulder.

Before Shinichi made a motion to leave, he paused for a second. He spoke, "I need to ask you. Do you know how I ended up in Hinamizawa? I only remember running out of the facility."

"Sorry Shinichi. But, even if that information involves you, it's classified," Warren declined.

Shinichi sighed. "Might as well. I was just curious, really. I'm thankful though. I have found a new life here."

"Glad to hear it. Now, get to work, Agent Showa."

Shinichi saluted before running to the elevator.

KR Chrome: And Showa has been recruited to join A.R.M.O.R. Wonder what possibilities this will open up for Shinichi? Who knows?