The day started innocently enough for Yuuki Ashikaga. It was the middle of his second term of his second year of high school. He was still in Class 2-1, still short, and still a nerd.
Well, that was a stereotype, but he wasn't as tall as many of average guys in his school, a member of the book club, helped out at the library, and at home he logged onto MMORPG's to play.
Yup, he was a nerd, and one in love.
As he stood at the counter in the library, his gaze went towards Kotonoha Katsura who was reading a book. Over her eyes she wore a pair of reading glasses that just enhanced her natural beauty. He could only watch as she came in, read, check out books and returned. The only words they exchanged were when she came to do some library business. Yuuki sighed. She was way out of his league before when she was single but now she had a boyfriend. It still surprised him though since said boyfriend wasn't someone anyone expected.
Sitting beside her was none other than Ryuji Hasuma, her boyfriend and fellow classmate. While rumors about him being a thug running with a gang outside of school flew around campus and he was known to be a delinquent as well, Yuuki knew better. The fights he got into were all in self defense. The KLLA, SSSS and LLRB all attacked him and he was merely defending himself. They outnumbered him so he was in the right to beat them up in order to protect himself. Still, he did go overboard. Ambulances were beginning to beat their times in getting to the school to pick up the members who needed it.
One time he actually saw him lose was when he fought Kenzaki Tsukuba. That fight had been intense and was unlike anything he'd seen outside a computer screen. Their moves were simply out of this world and unbelievable.
Still, Yuuki wondered how Kotonoha, who was sweet and gentle, could hook up with a guy like Ryuji, but then again opposites did attract and both were dramatically opposites. But, Yuuki had no right to question their relationship. She loved her boyfriend and wasn't going to break up with him anytime soon.
Still, Yuuki did still think that under different circumstances he and Kotonoha could become an item. If only he had been more assertive and voiced out his feelings sooner. Well, he couldn't cry over spilt milk anymore. He just had to move on.
Once he was done with his duties in the library, Yuuki went home. His sister, Chie, had basketball practice. On the women's team was another Hasuma. Kat Hasuma. Despite being a little eccentric since she had a habit of groping the other girls in the locker room, she was a capable member of the team. Of course, sometimes she would disappear for days before turning up mysteriously again. What did she do during those times of disappearances?
It was obvious she and Ryuji were brother and sister. They both loved to fight as much as the other. Sometimes she would join in when all those groupies came together.
Yuuki, himself, despite his admiration for Kotonoha, was never going to join them. Their methods were just driving their 'idols' away from them.
Once he was in his room, Yuuki logged onto his favorite MMORPG and began to fly. Half an hour into the game his avatar was approached by an odd avatar resembling a man wearing a top hat. Yuuki blinked. He hadn't read of such a character in the game before. A chat box opened seconds later, inviting Yuuki to chat.
Top Hat: Would you like to make your wish come true?
Yuuki then typed a reply.
Yuki-Oh21: What kind of wish?
Top Hat: To be the most powerful hero in the world.
Yuuki thought it was part of the game and this guy was offering him something so he typed in another reply.
Yuki-Oh21: Sure. If it will help me level up.
Top Hat: Oh, it will. :)
And then the screen went blank.
"HEY!" Yuuki exclaimed. He checked his computer. "Darn it, what now? Is it broken?"
Then, the doorbell rang.
Yuuki sighed. He would check his computer later. There was someone at the door.
Yuuki made his way to the door and opened it up. In front of him was a delivery person wearing an all green uniform with a top hat logo over his right breast pocket, though Yuuki didn't notice. He wore a cap that was worn low to cover his eyes with a shadow. Yuuki did see his long and pointed nose. In his hands was a package.
"Package for Ashikaga-san," the delivery person said.
"Oh, OK," Yuuki said. A package? Did his sister order something? Maybe his parents did?
"Please, sign here," the man said as he took out a form. Yuuki searched his pockets. The family stamp was locked in his parents' room so he had to make due. He took out a pen and signed his name.
"Thank you," the man tipped his hat and turned to leave. Yuuki blinked as the delivery person walked off.
Yuuki closed the door before bringing the package up to his room. He carefully tore open the wrapping paper and then saw a white cardboard box. Curiously, he lifted up the flaps and peered inside. There was a note that said 'Make Your Dream Come True' but he ignored it as he searched the contents of the box.
Buried within Styrofoam and covered in bubble wrap was a white object. It was wide, with a circular window in the centre surrounded by a silver ring and black horizontal stripes on the sides. There was also a pair of handles on the sides of the buckle with three circular lights on each. Also, he found what looked like a book with a nozzle sticking out from one end of the spine and a black handle attached to the bottom. There was a black stripe that extended from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. In the centre of the stripe was a red 'V'.
He opened the book-like object and saw that it didn't hold any pages. Instead, on the right side was a stack of blank data within a slot for them. Holstered within the left side inside a special slot was a card that wasn't blank. He drew it out and gazed at the card, which depicted a headshot of an armored man in a red suit with black vertical lines running over his helmet and green eyes. "Huh? Kamen Rider Vortex?" he read. He inspected the blank cards. They didn't tell him much, though. They were, after all, blanks. They just had a barcode on top and had red borders with black backs.
"What are these?" Yuuki asked himself. He then saw an instruction manual. It was a booklet with the V on the front. He then flipped through the pages, skimming through the words before sighing. "Great, a toy. I don't think Nee-san would want something like this nor would my parents. And I don't remember asking for this either." He carefully wrapped up both items in bubble wrap and put them into the box again. He closed the box and picked it up. "Looks like it's off to the post office."
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Still dressed in his school clothes, Yuuki was carrying the box to the post office. Luckily he still had the address which had been on the wrapping paper so he knew where to return it to. "Whoever wants this must really be waiting."
All of a sudden, the world changed for Yuuki. The sky suddenly turned blood red and everything froze. Everything, but him.
"Huh!?" He was shocked and looked around. He could see a bird frozen in midair and in front of him a dragonfly was flying past his face, also frozen. "What's going on?"
Yuuki didn't know what was going on. One minute he was on his way to the post office to get his package returned and suddenly the sky turned blood red and everything moving just froze like statues. Even the people were standing in a state of suspended animation and he saw an ice cream falling off its cone when a girl dropped it.
"What is going on!?" Yuuki started to freak out. He was a logical individual by nature but he was finding his logic challenged. First by the Kamen Riders and the monsters they fought, but he quickly adapted, and now this.
Suddenly, Yuuki saw a wall being blasted open and much to his surprise a familiar and famous figure was rolling across the ground before landing on his back. "Ifrit!?" It was one of the Kamen Riders. Actually, it was the first Rider that had appeared. It was Kamen Rider Ifrit (Sabre Form).
"Kuso…" Ifrit cursed as he got up to his feet. "Gross, I'm covered in snot." Indeed. His entire body was covered in what looked like mucus. Stalking towards him was a humanoid demon with one large eye set in the middle of its face, a large nose in its chest and a large mouth in its stomach with razor sharp teeth. Instead of fingers it had knives and forks. It was colored in black and drool was dripping from the large mouth in its stomach.
The monster, a Nytemare, laughed and snaked its tongue out to give Ifrit a raspberry. Growling in anger, Ifrit roared and charged at the Nytemare. The Nytemare opened its mouth and stretched out its tongue to wrap around Ifrit. The Rider struggled against the moist appendage, disgusted by the moist wrappings. His feet dragged along the ground as he was being pulled.
Suddenly, the package in Yuuki's hands started to beep and beeping louder and louder. He put down the box and opened it up to take out the strange white item which looked like an oversized belt buckle with a circular window in the centre that was surrounded by symbols he didn't recognize. There were also handles at the sides of the white object. "What am I supposed to do with this?" He then recalled the instructions in the manual. "Could it be…?" He had thought that the item might be a joke but right now he had a feeling that it was not a joke at all. In the box was also a book-like item that had a clip. He'd opened it up and saw blank data cards.
He picked up the 'book' and saw the data cards again. This time they were filling with images and he recognized some of them. There were headshot pictures of Kamen Riders. He recognized Wraith and Ifrit, but not the rest. Still, it had to mean something.
"OK, Yuuki," he told himself, "Time to make your dream come true." Yuuki placed the white object, which turned out to be a belt buckle as a black belt strap wrapped around his waist and fastened it on. He then opened the 'book' and pulled out a card which was in a special compartment. The image depicted a Kamen Rider in red with black vertical stripes all over his helmet and green eyes.
The belt buckle turned a quarter clockwise and revealed a slot. Recalling the instruction, Yuuki slid the card inside the slot and pushed the handles on the side. He then called out, as the instruction explained, "Henshin!"
"MASKED RIDE: VORTEX!"
The images of ten armored figures began to overlap over Yuuki before covering him in armor. At first the suit was all black with white eyes but then it began to fill with color.
Ifrit managed to shatter the tongue using his ice powers and smashed his fist hard into the Nytemare's face. It was at that moment did he notice the newcomer. "NANI!?"
It was Yuuki, or rather Vortex, that he saw. Vortex's suit was a mixture of black, white and red. His legs and arms were covered in armor that was white on the inward side and red on the outer side. The two colors were divided by a thick black line that ran the length of his limbs, and his hands were now covered by black leather gloves. His upper body was decked in the same red-colored armor with a black X in the centre outlined in white. On his left shoulder was the number '10'. His head was encased in a helmet that was the same red color as his armor with black, vertical lines and a set of large, green eyes. Two longer lines looked like antennae. Hanging from his right hip was the book-like card holder.
"Sugoi," Yuuki/Vortex looked himself over. "I'm a Kamen Rider now." He looked ahead and clenched his fists. He then charged forward.
Ifrit wasn't aware that another Rider was in this world, not to mention one he didn't recognize. Still, this was his turf and he didn't want any unwelcome interlopers. "Oi, newbie! Scram!"
Vortex didn't hear Ifrit and started to pummel the Nytemare with his fists like a boxer before sending it to the ground with a vicious backhand. He reached down and opened up the 'book' and drew out a card that depicted Ifrit's image on it. The buckle turned up and Vortex slipped the card inside before pushing the handles to reset it into place.
"MASKED RIDE: IFRIT!" the belt announced.
"Masked WHAT!?" Ifrit let out and in front of him the new Rider had just changed into an exact image of his old Ifrit Form. "Oh, I don't believe this!"
Vortex/Ifrit had no time to admire himself. He then drew out another card that depicted a gun and a sword. Once his buckle was set, he slipped it in and pushed the handles.
"ATTACK RIDE: COLD SNAP!"
The weapons depicted on the card appeared in his hands and as if guided by instinct he aimed the Sub-Zero Shooter and a blast of ice cold and freezing frost energy streamed out and slammed into the Nytemare, encasing the hapless creature in ice. Finally, he charged forward and performed a cross slash with the Ifrit Dao, cutting the Nytemare up into four pieces. Instantly, the frozen Nytemare exploded as its icy prison shattered.
As soon as the Nytemare was destroyed, the crimson stasis field dropped and everything was back to normal, including Yuuki and Ryuji as their suits vanished along with the Stasis Field. Both boys, still wearing their belts, now gawked at each other.
"Ashikaga!?" Ryuji just couldn't believe it. It was that bookworm from the school library who was always making eyes at his Kotonoha.
"Hasuma!?" Yuuki couldn't believe it either. Kamen Rider Ifrit was in fact Kotonoha Katsura's boyfriend, the infamous delinquent known as Ryuji Hasuma.
Just what had the glasses wearing boy gotten himself into?
Not too far away, a man with a long pointed nose and top hat smirked as he witnessed the silent exchange of shocked reactions. "Oh…this is going to be interesting," he snickered before he vanished in the blink of an eye.
"You are coming with me," said Ryuji in a harsh tone.