Within the grand halls of the Nexus Palace, a man walked into a room and shut the door. It was in this room that he found a dark void, but it was nothing to be afraid of, not to him at least. This man, clad in a trenchcoat, and carrying a large book, walked to the metaphorical centre of the room. He opened the book and smiled.
"Why hello there. For those of you who don't know me, let me introduce myself. My name is Woz, a vassal of my Overlord, Sougo Tokiwa, or as some of you may know him, Kamen Rider Zi-O.
But today, I won't be bringing you a great tale of my Overlord's many adventures. No. Today, I'm here to tell you the tale of a previous young Rider. Her name is Luz Noceda, and she was once known as the dark and terrifying Empress Oscura."
Holographic screens began to appear all around Woz and they each depicted a moment in the life of Empress Oscura, or rather, Kamen Rider Oscura.
"Brought to despair by a curse, young Noceda-chan sought to free herself from it. And so she turned to powers that she was not ready to use, and in turn, fell further into the darkness, and pushed away those who loved her.
To finish a diabolical plan, Oscura summoned her alternate self from another universe, who went by the moniker Kamen Rider Witch, and another young girl named Anne Boonchuy, Kamen Rider Amp.
She sought to use Boonchuy-chan's power to break into other universes and bring darkness and destruction upon them. And as for her alternate self, she tried to break her, and make her see that darkness dwelled in her heart. That this other Luz was not the hero she thought herself to be.
However, in the end, it was the combined efforts of Witch and Amp that freed Luz from Oscura. However, in order to avoid capital punishment by the people of the Boiling Isles, her mentor and second mother, Edalyn Clawthorne, had Luz banished from the Boiling Isles forever.
While this seems like a sad tale, and for the most part it was, there was a glimmer of hope. Another young girl, a witch named Amity Blight, self-exiled herself as punishment for her hand in bringing about the rise of Oscura.
Together, along with Noceda-chan's family, she has been able to heal and is now living a comfortable life with her new girlfriend, adopted sister, and mother.
However…
It seems that the wheels of fate still turn for this Luz Noceda.
The Ballad of Oscura was once thought to have concluded, but now it is time for a new song to be written.
Now, sit back, and watch as our young troubled Luz Noceda finds the strength to become the hero she was truly meant to be…"
Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore
Requiem I: Invitation
The students of Gravesfield High School came rushing out in their graduation gowns. It was graduation and officially the start of summer vacation. One such student was Luz Noceda and today meant that she would never need to step through those doors again.
"Finally!" Luz let out gleefully as she took off her graduation cap. "School's over!"
"You seem happy," a pink-haired girl with amber eyes smiled as she walked alongside Luz, carrying a diploma.
"You have no idea, Amity. High school hell is finally over."
"It wasn't that bad," Amity remarked. "Remember prom?"
Luz blushed as she remembered their senior prom. How could she forget such a magical night?
Luz nervously paced at the foot of the stairs. Tonight was the senior prom and she had asked Amity to be her date. It should not be such a big deal. They were already officially dating but that did not make her any less anxious. For many teens, prom was a huge deal and Luz promised to show Amity a good time.
For the prom, Luz decided to put on a proper black tuxedo but instead of trousers, she wore a skirt that came down to her knees, black stockings and flat-heeled shoes. She also had a corsage for Amity.
When Amity first heard of prom, Luz had to explain that it was just a dance. The witch was relieved to know that it was nothing like 'Grom'. There would be no fight to the death with an eldritch fear-inducing monster. Luz admitted that she would pay to watch a witch fight a monster like that.
The past few years had been good to them. Amity might be stuck in the Human Realm, but she was not alone and in that time she and Luz had gotten close. They had been enemies, then friends, and eventually girlfriends. Amity must have broken plenty of hearts when she declared herself Luz's girlfriend.
"So, prom night, right?" Masha asked as they stood beside Luz. They wore a gothic black dress and had skull-shaped earrings on their ears. Their skirt came down to their knees and they wore fishnet stockings along with high heels.
"Oh, Masha," Luz smiled. She had not even noticed Masha come in. "Hi."
"Hi, yourself," Masha greeted back. "Nervous?"
"Oh, no. Not nervous at all. This is just prom night. We only get it once in our lives and I have cool, and classy Amity as my date. Not nervous at all." Luz wiped some sweat off her brow. "Is it getting hot in here?"
"Dude, chill," Masha urged Luz. "It's just a dance. Just relax, smile, and show your cotton candy-haired lady a good time."
"So, you're here to pick up Vee, right?" Luz asked.
"Who else am I here for?" Masha asked rhetorically. Masha was Vee's enbyfriend and they had met while Vee was posing as Luz. Vee had taken Luz's place and gone to the camp instead, where she met Masha and her friends. After that, Vee kept using Luz's identity while dating Masha.
After Luz returned to the Human Realm, Vee had no choice but to give up her identity and forge a new one for herself. Masha did not seem to mind. They had fallen for Vee not for her looks but for her personality. It did not matter what – or who – she looked like to the nonbinary. Masha did not even care that Vee was a shapeshifter. That just made their relationship more interesting.
"We're ready!" Vee called as she stood at the top of the stairs with Amity. The two wore beautiful dresses and Luz was utterly gobsmacked by how beautiful Amity looked. Amity wore a violet sequined dress and had her pink-dyed hair up in a bun. The dress was sleeveless and held up by spaghetti straps. Finally, she wore a pearl necklace around her neck. Vee stood beside her, dressed in a beautiful dark green dress. Her swamp green hair with darker green tips was still in its usual style.
The two walked down the stairs together and joined their respective dates.
"Looking good, babe," Masha winked.
"You too, Masha," Vee smiled, blushing. "I really love your dress."
"I look like a sexy witch, don't I?" Masha winked.
"Amity, you look…wow…" Luz was speechless. She had no idea what to say but her expression said it all.
Camila was practically gushing as she saw her daughter, adopted daughter, and surrogate daughter, all dressed up and looking absolutely beautiful and handsome.
"¡Oh, mira qué lindas son mis bebés! (Oh, look at how cute my babies are!) Photos, everyone!" Camila called, holding a camera.
The group of four stood together with their respective dates when Camila started taking pictures. She couldn't help but cry a little when she saw this image, and it prompted Vee and Luz to go to her.
"Mom, c'mon, don't cry," said Vee.
"This is a happy moment, Mamá," said Luz.
"I know, I know. I'm just so happy to see you all so happy. Now, you all enjoy yourselves and if anyone messes with you, tell me, and I'll make them regret ever crossing a Noceda!" Camila declared.
Masha leaned over to Amity.
"Their Mom is really badass, and hot," Masha whispered.
"Yeah…Wait, what was that last part?!" Amity exclaimed.
"You heard me."
Amity gave Masha a deadpan look.
"How did Vee fall for you again?"
Masha shot the witch girl with a sultry look and smirk.
"Mmm, I could show you~ Ow-ow-ow!"
Vee had stealthily grabbed Masha's ear and began pulling at it, making the goth back away from Amity.
"Down, Masha," said Vee.
When Vee let go, they simply smiled and rubbed their sore ear.
"Sorry, babe, can't help it sometimes."
"I don't mind you flirting…just so long as I'm the only girl you care about at the end," said Vee in a shy voice.
Masha hugged their date close and reassured her.
"Vee, you're the only everything I need."
Luz shook her head playfully before she thrust her right fist into the air.
"Okay guys, let's storm the prom!"
Luz remembered that night fondly. Sure, the conservatives gave them odd looks but they did not let it bother them. They had a good night. Even Zoe was green with envy when she saw Luz and Amity enter the gym, hand-in-hand, together.
Luz used to be a friendless weirdo that nobody understood, but a lot had changed since she was banished from the Boiling Isles. She and Amity grew closer as they started out as real friends before they started dating. There were a few bumps along the way, but nothing they couldn't resolve.
"Thanks for making that night wonderful, Ams," Luz smiled warmly.
"You're welcome," Amity smiled back. "So, any plans for the summer?"
"I'm finally gonna get my book published then take a year off to do some travelling," Luz said. "You?"
"I did get accepted to college. But honestly, I can afford to take a year off as well," Amity answered.
"Hey, don't put your life on hold for me, OK, Ams? I am OK by myself," Luz reassured her girlfriend.
"Girls!" Camila called from the parking lot, waving. She was also holding a camera. Vee and Masha were with her as well. "Over here!"
"Looks like Mom wants to take more pictures," Luz said with a smile and an eye roll.
"Then let's not disappoint her."
There was a graduation party being held at the gym that night. The graduates were encouraged to have fun and the dress code was casual. The teachers were assigned as chaperones to make sure nobody spiked the punch. The last time that happened, things went wild.
Luz stood at the snack table with a cup of soda waiting for Amity who had gone to the bathroom to freshen up. While she was alone, Luz often found herself lost in her thoughts. Years ago, she had wanted to destroy all of this. Being misunderstood and having no friends hurt a lot even though she had hidden it from her mom. That all changed when she ended up in the Demon Realm, befriending Eda, King, Willow and Gus.
"I wonder how they're doing..." Luz whispered. She missed them but without a portal door, she could never go back. Not that she could since she was permanently banished for all her crimes. She just wanted to know if they were all OK.
Luz spotted Vee with Masha along with their friends Angie and Callum. The two had accepted Vee when she came out to them as a basilisk. Angie seemed thrilled about it while Callum was just oblivious and did not seem to notice that Vee looked different. Masha was just happy to have a cute shapeshifting girlfriend.
Luz remembered a conversation she had with Masha that both made her confident that the enby would never hurt Vee and at the same time made her worry for her adoptive little sister too.
"Look, Masha, Vee's practically my little sister. Mi familia. And I don't want you going into this relationship and regretting it because she's not human," Luz warned. "She's been hurt enough already, got it?"
"Luz, let me tell you something. The fact that your little sis is a shapeshifting magical snake creature from another dimension does not bother me in the slightest… 'Cause I'm totally into that shit!"
Luz blinked.
"...Wha?"
"Vee's cute, shy, and a total babe. She's kind and she's caring. She's the best. But at the same time, you gotta imagine all the possibilities that will keep the relationship spicy! For instance, Vee could–!"
Luz shivered. That was the lewdest, raunchiest, most cringe-inducing hour and a half of her life. Masha really did not skip any details. Masha was not afraid to be their freaky self and that was what Luz liked about them. Honestly, if Luz knew she would meet someone like Masha at summer camp, then maybe she would have been alright and made some friends.
That's when a haunting revelation hit her. "Oh, crap…that means me and Masha might've ended up together…"
Luz wasn't sure if she was either happy or terrified by that.
A moment of thought later.
'Terrified…'
She then remembered the time she showed Amity 'Kamen Rider'. The witch was surprised, to say the least.
Amity just stared at the laptop after she finished watching the episode with Luz.
"So, you got the idea to be a Kamen Rider from this?" she asked.
"The Driver was just something I came up with at random to test the power of the Philosopher's Stone," Luz admitted. "I didn't realize it could allow me to transform until later."
"So, Empress Oscura was inspired by a foreign TV show about masked heroes fighting rubber-suit monsters," Amity deadpanned. "Did anyone else know about this?"
"Gus did," Luz answered. "He found a lot of the media that crossed over to your world and got hooked."
"As ridiculous as that sounds, I can understand why you wanted to be a Rider. They're heroes, like Azura."
"They are, but I wasn't," Luz frowned sadly. "I tried to be but I just messed everything up." She had gone in without a plan and killed a lot of people in a misguided attempt to free the Boiling Isles from Belos' tyranny. Her early days as Empress Oscura were fine as she tried to be a harsh and fair ruler. She even went after Belos when she learned he was alive so he would not resume his plans to kill everyone in the Demon Realm. But then the Collector revealed that there was another version of her from another timeline who did not have to suffer like she had and she just snapped.
If she had not learned about the other Luz's existence, would she have gone down such a dark path? She remembered wanting to protect the Demon Realm from Philip, and then she decided to sacrifice it so she could travel the Multiverse and destroy every other Luz Noceda who had not suffered as she had.
"I wanted to be a witch…and then I wanted to become a hero. In the end, I became a monster and hurt so many people…" Luz lamented. "Including you."
Amity reached over and took Luz's hand into her own.
"Oscura was the monster but that's not who you are. You're Luz Noceda, the girl who managed to overcome her darkness. The girl who's an amazing big sister to a mistreated basilisk. The girl…The girl I fell in love with," said Amity.
"And you still don't find it messed up that you've fallen for the girl who tortured you for months? Who turned your assassination attempts into a game? Who killed your mother?"
"Mom…Odalia, after I've had some time to think, really wasn't a 'mother' in the true sense of the word. Yeah, she gave birth to me and she raised me but I was just a tool for her to gain more power, wealth and influence. If I had to say who's been more of a mother to me between Camila and Odalia, I'd choose Camila, one hundred percent, every time. Heck, I accidentally called her 'mom' a few times too," said Amity.
"She seemed to like having another daughter," Luz commented, amused.
"Yeah, but I'm kinda glad I was able to keep my last name. I mean, dating you and calling Camila 'mom' would feel like I was dating my sibling or something." Amity cringed at the thought.
"Batata~ I didn't know you had an incest fetish," Luz teased.
"I do not!" Amity denied, blushing bright red. "I'm just saying I…I'd rather call Camila 'mom' and be a part of your family in a different way…"
Luz went red. She didn't know what to say to that. Amity practically admitted that she wanted to get married to her. The two girls sat there in silence, just holding hands before they moved closer to each other and hugged.
"I love you, Amity."
"Love you too, Luz."
'Do you really think she loves you?'
That dark and familiar voice echoed in Luz's head. That was another thing she had gained after leaving the Boiling Isles. All of her doubts and guilt took the form of her voice. Oscura would always be a part of her and despite how much she wanted to move forward, she could not escape her.
After she came back, the nightmares came as Luz relieved every moment of being Oscura. She remembered all the death, pain and destruction she caused. There were also nightmares where she killed Amity after growing bored from all her assassination attempts. Those were the ones that caused her to wake up screaming.
She remembered how she coldly declared she would kill her own mother and in her nightmares, she saw herself doing just that. How could she even think that? She knew it was due to the Philosopher Stone's corruption as it amplified her dark emotions, but that was just horrible even for her. It was beyond sick.
'Amity does love me, and I love her. Would she even bother to stay under the same roof as me if she didn't?'
'Convenience. Your home is the only place she can be right now. She's all alone in this world. Of course, she's going to suck it up and do whatever she can to make sure you don't kick her out. Amity is smart, no doubt about that. But at some point, she'll slip up. And when that happens, someone is going to see she's not human, and then, well, you've seen how people react to you just being you. How badly do you think they'll react when they see an elf-eared girl walking around?
'Face it, you're just her shelter. And she'll do whatever she needs to make sure she has a roof over her head. Tenderly caress you, kiss you, whisper sweet nothings into your ears, all the while she's secretly cursing every second of every day she has to spend kissing your ass so you don't kick her to the curb!'
'Dammit, do you ever shut up?! Amity isn't like that! I love her! She loves me! You're not real! You're just some stupid voice in my head! So pipe down and let me enjoy myself tonight!'
The voice of Oscura seemed to go silent, at least for now. Luz sighed heavily and took a sip of her soda. She was aware that she was messed up and contemplated seeking a professional, but the therapist might conclude that her mother had been abusive towards her, which was far from the truth. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to get in trouble because of her. Unfortunately, her problems were about to get a little more annoying when she saw a familiar figure approach the refreshment table.
"Luz," Zoe said as she went to grab another cup of soda.
"Zoe," Luz responded neutrally.
Luz remembered how she used to have a crush on Zoe but then the girl used that against her, making her a gopher. Zoe even tried to do the same to Vee when she was posing as Luz, but dating Masha pretty much changed that. When Luz returned to take back her life, it confused many others when she started dating Amity and Masha started dating Luz's adoptive little sister.
Luz remembered when she had stood up to Zoe…and frightened her too.
School was just as she remembered it before leaving for the Demon Realm. The social hierarchies, the cliques, and of course the stares from the students. A lot of the kids noticed Luz's change in demeanour, as well as her appearance. While she kept her old shorts, leggings and shoes, she now wore a black hoodie over her indigo shirt. It was not just her appearance that had changed, but how she carried herself as well.
Luz could already hear the whispers of her schoolmates, no doubt trying to figure out why she looked so different from the clean-cut version of herself. They did not know that was Vee pretending to be her. But Luz didn't care about that because, thankfully, she wouldn't have to deal with high school alone.
Luz was standing outside the office, waiting for a certain special someone to walk out. She was not disappointed when Amity exited. She had dyed her hair pink to symbolize her fresh start in the Human Realm, and as a student of GFHS. She wore a pair of ripped jeans, a purple top with a cat on the front, and a pink gemstone necklace. This wasn't an ordinary gemstone as it was enchanted. Amity had used her illusion magic to infuse a glamour spell into it, essentially making a "concealment stone". As long as she wore it, Amity's ears would appear round just like any other human.
"How did it go?" Luz asked.
"Everything's good. As of right now, I'm officially a Gravesfield High School student," said Amity.
"You have no idea how happy that makes me," Luz smiled.
"Ouch, what am I? Chopped liver?"
Luz turned around and saw Vee standing behind her. The Latina smirked and began ruffling her adoptive little sister's hair.
"C'mon, Vee. You know what I mean! You're my number one little sister. But Amity's, well, Amity."
Vee gently pushed Luz's hand away as she fixed her hair with a groan.
"I know, still…"
"Still," Masha came up from behind Vee and hugged her from behind, lifting the smaller girl up from under her arms, "You're my cute little cinnamon roll!"
"Masha! C'mon! Let me go! Y-Your arms are right under my, you know!"
"Ooh, don't I know it."
"Masha!" Vee complained.
The enby gently put their girlfriend down and gave her a peck on the forehead. This did not go unnoticed by the other students. Up until now, everyone knew that Luz and Masha were together. But now, for some reason, Masha was kissing this new girl with green hair. But that wasn't the only subject of interest, as many were gawking at Amity. Not that Luz could blame them. Amity was very beautiful and had an air of class about her that came from growing up in a wealthy and powerful family.
After checking Amity's schedule, the group of four decided to head to class together since their classrooms were in the same hallway. Masha had no problems displaying their affection for Vee, walking with their arm around the shorter girl, and Vee nuzzling into Masha's side. And, as predicted, this only caused more murmuring from the other kids. Amity and Luz didn't hold hands. They didn't talk too much about what they were going to do as far as how they would act in school.
Amity learned that the Human Realm, despite being mostly tolerant of LGBTQ+ oriented people, still had people who were bigoted towards them. It was something that Luz made sure to never reveal. But thanks to Vee taking on Luz's identity, everybody knew she at least swung that way. Although, since Masha identified as nonbinary, an argument could be made that it did not really solidify which gender she preferred. That being said, there were a lot of boys who were staring at Amity, and it kind of annoyed her on some level, as she could already imagine what some of them were thinking.
"Oh no…" Vee groaned.
"What?" Luz asked.
"Zoe," Masha answered, eyes narrowed.
Luz frowned when she saw the most popular girl in school make her way towards their group. She was surrounded by her little clique of four, something that Amity immediately took note of. The witch girl didn't need to ask, she could already tell that this girl approaching them was the Queen Bee of this school, just like she used to be back at Hexside.
Zoe and her group stopped a few feet from Luz's group, with the popular girl giving a disapproving look at Masha.
"Wow, blatantly cheating in front of your girlfriend? That's so wrong."
"Eh, maybe I'm into that sorta thing?" Masha shrugged. "Maybe Luz is? Either way, have you met my GF? Vee Noceda."
Zoe looked at the new girl next to Masha and squinted as she looked at her.
"Wait? Vee 'Noceda'? She's related to Noceda over here? They don't even look alike."
"Adoption is a thing, Zoe," Luz deadpanned.
"Well, that's sad. Sorry, Vee, you got stuck with a weirdo for a sister." Zoe turned her gaze to Amity and smiled. "And who might you be?"
"Amity Blight. I just enrolled here," Amity answered.
"Oh, so you're new." Zoe looked Amity up and down and immediately decided that she needed this girl in her group. "Well, Amity, I'm Zoe Armitage. My family's one of the founders of Gravesfield, and we're pretty much like royalty here."
Amity crossed her arms over her chest. She could already see where this was going.
"And I've decided that you're exactly the kind of girl who would do well with me and my girls. We're practically the ones who run this place, so if you're with us, it's nothing but the good life." Zoe walked up to Amity and held out her right hand. "So, what do you say?"
Amity looked down at Zoe's hand, and then back to her smug grin.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'd like to choose my own friends for myself. Besides, I've had enough of that whole popular girl mess back at my old school."
Everyone practically gasped when they heard the new girl flat-out reject Zoe's offer of becoming part of the popular kids.
"Uh-heh-heh, you must've not understood me. I'm offering you a chance to be popular. I'd take it or be like…" Zoe glanced at Luz, Vee, and Masha. "Those three over there."
"And what's wrong with 'those three'?" Amity asked.
"Masha's…well…Masha. Vee there, well, honestly, don't know much about her, but if she's part of Noceda's family, definitely a problem. And then there's Luz. Oh boy, this girl is trouble. She's pretty much the weirdest kid here. Unleashing those spiders during art class, releasing snakes during a book report, having strings of sausages in her costume when she pretended to stab herself during a play, I could go on but you get the point. She's a social pariah, and on top of that, she's gay. She actually tried to hit on me and confessed she liked me, how cringe is that." Zoe laughed.
Amity was getting angrier and angrier the longer she listened to this girl. It was like she was hearing the old her, mixed with Boscha. However, before Amity could say anything, Luz began to laugh, loud and hysterically. It was kind of disturbing and made most of the other students back away from her. Even Zoe took a few steps back. Amity looked at Luz with concern, wondering if listening to Zoe say all that broke her.
"Luz…are you–?" Amity started.
"Sorry, sorry. Just, wow, I can't believe I was afraid of you or even had a crush on you back then. You're so stuck up and full of yourself, it's a wonder you can fit that fat ego of yours through the door!" Luz exclaimed in hysterics.
"WHAT?!" Zoe exclaimed indignantly.
"I mean, you're such a cliché: popular, cheerleader, mean girl." Luz took a breath and sighed. "Wow, I needed a good laugh. C'mon, let's head to class."
Masha smiled, nodded, and gently pushed Vee along to start walking. Amity smiled and began walking with Luz right beside her. They passed Zoe, who was stunned for a moment before she managed to regain her senses. Growling in anger, she spun around and reached out with her right hand to grab Luz's right shoulder. She then forced the Latina to turn around and face her.
"Who do you think you are, Noceda?! You think you're better than me?! You're still a weird, gay little–!"
Luz looked Zoe in the eyes, and she stopped talking. Something was wrong. The air around Luz became ominous and heavy. And her eyes, there was something in those eyes, a kind of fierceness and undaunted willpower that threatened to crush Zoe like a bug. The popular girl took a step back, and Luz stepped forward, slowly advancing on her with each step as she made Zoe back up.
"Zoe, you can say and do whatever you want to me. I don't care. I've been through some things, and let me tell you, compared to that, you're not even scary. I've seen scarier things, I know what real terror, pain, and hatred are. And let me tell you, they aren't some prissy rich little girl who gets off from putting others down!"
Zoe gasped when she felt her back hit the lockers. Luz thrust out with both of her arms and slammed her palms against the lockers on either side of Zoe's head. The metal lockers reverberated, ringing loudly from the slam. It even carried into Zoe's head as the sound rattled her ears.
"I don't care what you say to me or even about me, but I'll make this clear right here and now. Don't you ever come near my little sister, or harm her in any way. I'm not the same girl anymore and I'm more than willing to prove it to you if you cross the line." Luz removed her right hand from the locker and brought it close to Zoe's face. She then brought her index finger and thumb together, leaving a small gap between them. "You came this close to crossing the line. Too close. But go on, test me. Right now, go ahead! Threaten me! Make fun of me! Say something, Zoe!"
The blonde teen could only tremble as she slid down the lockers and onto her rear as she stared up at Luz in terror. She stepped back, straightened out her hoodie and walked over to Amity. She grabbed her hand and kissed her on the cheek.
"B-t-dubs, Amity's my girlfriend, so don't mess with her either."
"AAAAAAAH, MAN!" some of the boys cried out in dismay.
"Suck it up!" Masha yelled.
Amity was blushing the whole time, unable to really say anything.
"C'mon, we'll be late if we don't hurry. Not a good first impression to be late for class, hermosa," said Luz.
"Uh, y-yeah, let's go," Amity nodded.
Luz stopped, turned to Zoe, and gave her one last word.
"And by the way, I'm bi, not gay. Get that right."
Luz had humiliated Zoe that day, in front of the entire school. Of course, being the Queen Bee, Zoe would not let Luz get away with it. She needed to put the loser back in her place.
But Luz was not alone. She had an awesome girlfriend and Zoe found out what that meant.
It was unreal, it was uncanny, it was utterly ridiculous. Ever since Luz humiliated Zoe in the hallway, the popular girl had been trying everything to get back at her. But no matter what she tried, somehow, as if by magic, Noceda and her crew were always two or three steps ahead of her as they somehow foiled her plans right on the spot.
First, Zoe tried to get Luz during a game of dodgeball. She convinced the rest of the class to make sure Luz was the last one standing. For some reason, Luz did not seem scared or intimidated as her teammates kept dropping like flies. If anything, she looked bored as hell, tapping her foot against the floor and waiting. When Luz was the last player on her side, Zoe had given her team the order to make her dance around the court. That had not gone as planned, however. When they began their onslaught, Luz performed acrobatic feats that she had never displayed before. Her reaction time and speed were on another level as she caught the balls coming at her right out of the air and fired back with great precision. In under a minute, Luz had taken out all of Zoe's teammates, leaving the blonde on her own. Needless to say, Zoe took a gut shot, sending her flying off the boundary line.
Then there was another time and was cliché as all, but a classic was a classic. While Luz was in the shower, Zoe and her crew stole her clothes and tossed them into the trash in a random spot in school. They were going to force Luz to remain in the locker room or have her try and ask for help while she was butt naked. However, when they came back to see her squirm, Zoe and her crew watched with gaping mouths as Luz came walking out of the locker room with a different set of clothes. She gave them a wink and walked off.
Another attempt came when Zoe managed to convince some nerds to jury-rig a paint bomb in Luz's locker. They managed to crack her locker combination and set up the apparatus with no evidence that the locker had been tampered with. Zoe skipped class just so she could watch Luz getting a face full of paint. There were also some feathers added, just for kicks.
When the bell rang and the students flooded the halls, Zoe made sure to keep out of sight as she watched Luz and her, ugh, girlfriend, Amity, walk to her locker. The cheerleading captain snickered deviously as she waited for Luz to open her locker and get blasted by the paint bomb. Instead, when Luz opened her locker, nothing happened. She was carrying on a conversation with Amity while she got what she needed and disappeared around the corner.
Zoe was flummoxed. Those nerds guaranteed her that the slightest motion would set the paint bomb off. She ran over to the locker, pushed aside the other students, and put in the combination.
*SPLAT!*
Zoe got a face full of her own medicine, along with a smattering of feathers. That was just humiliating. And just to add insult to injury, Luz and Amity came walking in from a different direction and were now laughing along with everyone else.
These incidents were slowly eroding Zoe's reputation. There was a reason you didn't cross Zoe: she was good at getting back at people she didn't like. And yet, right now, all of her attempts were failing miserably.
The blonde teen was at their usual lunch table as she scribbled out a plan in her spiral notebook. As she wrote, two of her crew, Gia and Mindy, sat on either side of her and looked down at the notebook.
"This your new plan to get at Noceda?" Gia asked.
"Obvi," Zoe responded.
"Seems complicated," Mindy commented.
"It has to be! Noceda has been one step ahead of me every single time! It's like she can read my mind or see the future! It wouldn't even surprise me given how freaky she is! But oh-ho, this will get her. It's got so many moving parts that Noceda can't possibly account for all of them! Remember that wasp nest over by the east side of the school? Well, I'm going to make sure she's under that nest, and then we're going to shoot it with a BB gun I swiped from my older brother, ticking them off into going after the only person nearby: Noceda!"
Gia glanced over at Mindy.
"Okay, and what happens after that?" Mindy asked.
"There's a door that leads directly to the swimming pool right around the corner. Everybody knows about it. So if Noceda wants to get away from the wasps, she'll run straight for it."
"So, you'll lock the door and make sure she can't get in?" Gia asked.
"No, that would be too obvious. Instead, it will be unlocked. I doubt she'll be in the right state of mind to close the door. The pool won't be occupied during the time we make this happen, so there's no chance of anyone getting in the way. We'll also leave a few doors open that lead directly to the pool so that Luzer doesn't go in a different direction. And that's where phase two comes in!" Zoe flipped through the notebook and brought up another sketch. "I managed to snag a special solution that will turn the water blue. It's barely noticeable but when Noceda leaves the pool, she'll be as blue as a smurf. The best part is, the dye won't come off for days, no matter how hard she tries to scrub it off! We'll have the school paper ready at the entrance to the pool, bust in, and then snap pictures! She'll be on the front page of the school paper and all over social! HA! That damn Luzer will regret ever humiliating me like that!"
"Wow, that does sound pretty complicated, but, um, how and why would Luz go to that exact spot?" Mindy asked.
"I managed to snag a note that Amity wrote to her. I copied her handwriting and wrote a note telling that gay Luzer to meet her at the east side of the school and at that specific spot," Zoe answered. "She's so into Amity, she'll be there without fail!"
"Wow, Zoe, you thought of everything. Say, we're going to head to the restroom, BRB," said Gia.
"Yeah, yeah." The two girls walked away from the table. And about a moment later, they came back. "Huh, that was the fastest restroom trip I've ever seen. Anyway, do you understand the plan?"
Gia and Mindy looked at each other in confusion.
"Uh, what plan?" they asked.
"The plan I just finished explaining! UGH! Pay attention, God, I hate repeating myself."
Unbeknownst to Zoe, another Gia and Mindy rounded the corner and entered the restroom. Once they made sure they were alone, Gia drew a spell circle and dismissed their disguises, revealing themselves as Amity and Luz.
"Wow, she's super ticked at me," said Luz.
"So, how do you want to play this?" Amity asked.
Luz hummed for a moment before a devious smile appeared on her face.
"Well, it'd be a shame to let all Zoe's hard work go to waste, right~?"
The day of the plan came. Zoe, along with Gia and Mindy (the real ones) stood next to her, hiding in the bushes with a clear line of sight of where Luz would be, and where the wasp nest was. It was large and at the high corner of the building. Some students had complained that the wasp nest should be gotten rid of, but since it was so high up, they never flew down to where the students and teachers were. Plans were made to get rid of it as some of the faculty raised the concern that the wasps might find a way into the school via that roof, and that would be a problem. Thankfully, they hadn't gotten rid of it yet, and it was just sitting there, ready for her use.
Zoe watched as Luz walked up to the spot. The stupid Luzer had a dopey grin on her face, like a lovesick puppy. Oh, how she was going to enjoy seeing that stupid smile wiped off her stupid face. Zoe had loaded her brother's BB gun and took aim at the wasp nest above. One shot wasn't going to do it, so she decided she would unload the entire clip. Zoe fired repeatedly at the nest, blowing holes in it until chunks of it fell off and struck the ground to the left of Luz. The angry buzzing of the wasps filled the air as they swarmed around their broken nest. Luz looked up and watched as the swarm seemed to designate her as their target.
The wasps flew straight at her as Zoe watched with eager anticipation. For some reason, Luz didn't run. It didn't matter. If she was too stupid to run, she'd at least enjoy watching Luz get stung. That was when something strange happened. Just before the wasps swarmed her, they stopped right above Luz. The swarm of wasps hovered in the air like a cloud before flying away from Luz. Zoe's eyes widened when she saw the wasps coming straight for her!
Zoe screamed bloody murder as she dashed out of the bushes, completely ignoring the fact that Luz saw her. The wasps ignored Gia and Mindy and kept on chasing Zoe. The cheerleading captain didn't think as she ran for the only open door nearby. She was going to close it, but the wasps were right on her tail. If she stopped for any reason, they would swarm her and sting her. So all she could do was run.
Zoe kept up her mad dash as she tried for different doors, knowing that if she followed the path, it would inevitably lead to the pool. But right now she had no choice. The blonde teen ran as fast as her legs would carry her and soon spotted the pool. Zoe ran faster and jumped into the air before she splashed into the middle of the pool.
The swarm stopped and then turned back, leaving the building entirely. Zoe kept her eyes shut as she breached the surface, making sure not to swallow any water. Once she got her bearings, Zoe swam to the shallow end of the pool and dragged herself out of the water. When she got out, her skin had been dyed blue, along with her hair, her expensive designer clothes, and her shoes.
"Ugh…can this get any worse?!"
As a matter of fact, it did. The doors to the pool opened and that was when several of the school newspaper journalists, along with several other students, came walking in and started snapping pictures of Zoe's humiliation. Masha led the charge, snapping her own pics and immediately uploading them to her social media.
#Smurfgirl was trending a lot that day.
"Alright, Noceda, how are you doing this!?" Zoe demanded.
A few days later, and a lot of dye-removing agents later, Zoe came back to school and was absolutely livid. The students parted like the Red Sea for her as she managed to track down Luz and Amity, to demand an explanation as to how they were foiling all her attempts.
"Doing what?" Luz questioned innocently. She and Amity were just hanging out in front of her locker when Zoe approached them.
"Don't play dumb! I know you did something! The dodgeball game! The locker room! The locker! And the damn wasps! I planned all those perfectly and yet you manage to mess up my plans every single time! I know you did something! Did someone tell you?! Are you getting the heads up from someone?! Tell me right now!" Zoe demanded.
"Wow, Zoe. Paranoid much? But, it's funny. Sounds like you're obsessed with me. Is this a sign of you coming on to me? I didn't peg you as the tsundere type, but maybe all these little insults and pranks were just your way of saying, 'Oh, Luz-sempai, please notice me'! Guess maybe I wasn't too far off the mark the first time when I confessed to you, huh?"
The students in the hall couldn't help but laugh at Zoe's expense. The cheerleading captain looked around, seeing the faces of the students she ruled over, now snickering and smirking at her. If she listened closely, she could even hear some of them start to whisper if Zoe secretly did like Luz and all this aggression towards her was just the blonde's way of trying to get Luz's attention or some roundabout way of saying she was not gay by picking on the girl she had a crush on. Zoe's face turned crimson red from anger and embarrassment as she glared at the Latina and her girlfriend.
"I'M NOT LIKE THAT! I'M NOT SOME GAY DYKE LIKE YOU AND YOUR PINK-HAIRED SIMP OVER THERE! YOU'RE A FREAK! YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S A FREAK! YOUR FAMILY ARE A BUNCH OF FREAKS AND–!"
"Shut. Up."
It was only two words, and not at the same volume as Zoe, but they cut through Zoe's rant like a hot knife through butter. Those words carried with them so much anger and barely contained rage, yet they were spoken so calmly, that it was jarring. Zoe could only be silent when Luz said that, eyes narrowed coldly at her. Even the other students went dead quiet.
"Zoe, it's time to grow up. This popular mean girl bit will only last you until the end of high school and after that, it won't mean a thing. People will move on from you, forget about you, and live their own lives. You'll just be a bad memory they'll want to forget. Nothing more, nothing less." Luz stepped away from Amity and walked up to Zoe until she was right in the popular girl's face, making said popular girl gulp and sweat bullets. "Now, you can stop bothering me and maintain what little popularity you have left, or you can keep coming at me and lose it all. Take your pick. But if it's a war you want, then know that I'll give you one!"
Zoe looked around as all eyes were on her, some even recording the confrontation on their phones. She should be putting Noceda in her place, but right now she was not looking at the weirdo they used to make fun of. No, Noceda was different now and Zoe had just realised it.
Zoe just knew she had crossed a line and that Luz meant to declare war on her if she did not stop bothering her. So, reluctantly, Zoe agreed to a truce. It did cause Zoe's popularity to suffer a little but it was for the best. All of her attempts to get back at Luz had failed and backfired spectacularly and she feared what Luz was capable of if she decided to retaliate. Whatever it was, it would not compare to the humiliation she had suffered from her failed attempts.
"Looks like we all made it to graduation without any more incidents," said Luz.
"Tch," Zoe scoffed.
"Okay, jokes aside, Zoe, can we at least bury the hatchet?" Luz asked. "The high school drama's over. Maybe we can start over?"
"Dream on, Noceda. Just because we're not high school anymore, doesn't change who you are and who I am. You're still a freak no matter what, and I'll always be popular, well-liked, and rich," Zoe retorted.
Luz sighed in disappointment.
"You really need to change that attitude, Zoe. It's good to be confident in yourself, but if you keep this up, you're going to end up alone. And if you do end up with someone, it'll just be someone who doesn't really love you and only wants you for your body and your money. I'm not telling you this to be spiteful or as one last dig before we go our separate ways. I'm telling you this because I feel like you could be better, that you are better than this version of yourself."
Zoe didn't know what to say to that. They had rarely talked since they agreed to their truce, and now, here, after graduation, Luz Noceda decides to impart some sage advice to her. She hated to admit it, but she didn't sense any resentment or malice in Luz's words. It sounded as if she was genuinely trying to help her. Although, the more she thought about it, the more it felt like Noceda was looking down on her.
"I don't know what makes you think you can act like some guidance counsellor, Noceda, but none of what you say is going to happen! I'll still have a wide range of friends, and I'll marry a super hot, super successful guy and live a life of luxury. You? I don't know. If there's anyone whose body is going to get used, it's yours." Zoe took a drink of her soda and walked off without saying another word.
'I'm not a guidance counsellor, Zoe. I've just been through a lot more than you can imagine,' thought Luz.
Amity had finished freshening up and came back to the gym. Spotting Luz, she headed over and grabbed her hand.
"Luz, come on!" Amity pulled Luz to the dance floor so they could dance together. They would enjoy themselves tonight without any distractions or worries from the past.
In an unknown place, a woman was scanning a list of names on her tablet. Her job was to approach them and ask them to accept the invitation. It would still be their choice, but she would make sure to give them an offer they could not refuse.
The couple had slept in the day after the party. After a late breakfast, both girls went to the diner to have milkshakes. Luz remembered the first time Amity had one and the brain freeze that followed. Amity was embarrassed but Luz thought it was funny and cute.
After they arrived at the diner, they both ordered their milkshakes and sat at their usual table to enjoy their drinks. It seemed to be a perfectly normal day without any surprises.
"So, since you're finished with your book, could I read it?" Amity asked hopefully.
"Are you sure?" Luz asked. "You know it's based on what happened to us." She was afraid reading it may open old wounds for Amity.
"Luz, it's OK. Besides, you've kept it to yourself for years and I've been dying to read it. Maybe I could offer some notes since I was there."
"Excuse me, are you Luz Noceda and Amity Blight?" a woman asked as she came to their table. She appeared Asian, dressed in black and white, with a white headband and her long dark hair tied in a side ponytail. She also carried a pair of black and yellow boxes.
Luz blushed when she laid eyes on the woman. She may be dating Amity, but she could still appreciate the woman's beauty. Amity was not immune either but recovered quickly before she lightly kicked Luz under the table to shake her out of her stupor.
"Um…who are you?" Luz asked.
"Congratulations, after careful consideration, both of you have been chosen to participate in a special tournament. Starting today, you are Kamen Riders," the mysterious woman said as she held both boxes in front of the couple.
Luz and Amity blinked.
"…I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Amity asked.
"You two, Amity Blight and Luz Noceda, have been chosen to participate in a tournament as Kamen Riders, along with other participants," said the woman.
Hearing the words 'Kamen Rider' caused Luz to tremble. Images of herself as Empress Oscura began to play in her mind as her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing began to quicken. Amity noticed Luz's panicked expression and quickly reached across the table to grab ahold of her girlfriend's hands.
"Luz, calm down. It's okay. I'm right here, just breathe," Amity cooed.
The Latina slowly began to inhale and exhale, matching Amity's breathing. It took a couple of minutes, but Luz managed to avoid having a full-blown panic attack in the diner.
"…I'm OK, batata. Thanks."
Amity glared up at the woman.
"What's your deal, lady?! And why would you say that to us?" she demanded.
"We are very aware of your history, both of your histories. You, Miss Blight, are a witch from another dimension called the Demon Realm." Amity's eyes widened with shock. "And Miss Noceda was once a Kamen Rider, but one who wielded dark powers." Luz winced and gritted her teeth. "But you needn't worry, Miss Noceda. This Rider System does not make use of magic, so you can toss away your fears of becoming your old self." The Asian woman placed both boxes on the table and bowed to the two girls. "You've been accepted, but participation is entirely up to you."
"Then you can take those things back! I won't become a Rider ever again!" Luz exclaimed. "I caused too much pain and suffering when I did…"
"Even if participation will grant you any wish your heart desires?" the woman asked.
Luz curiously turned her head to the woman.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I, unfortunately, cannot divulge much more than that. If you want to learn more, then you will have to choose to participate. Of course, you're also free to drop out at any time. I still have others I need to meet with so I bid you both a good day," said the woman before she turned and left the diner.
Amity and Luz looked at the two boxes that were left on their table, their appetite for their milkshakes gone.
Luz and Amity sat on the floor in the middle of the old shack behind Luz's house. Over the years, they had fixed it up, turning it into an unofficial clubhouse of sorts. They may or may not have used it as their secret love nest at times. Both girls were mulling over what the woman had said, especially Luz. Amity could tell her girlfriend was thinking harder than she was about this, and it didn't help that the mysterious had told them that they could have any wish their hearts desired.
How could she have known Amity was a witch? How could she have known about their pasts? About the Demon Realm? About Oscura?
Just who was she? And what was this tournament she told them about?
"Do you think she was telling the truth?" Luz asked.
"I…I don't know, Luz. I mean, she knew who we were, who you once were. The only people who know about that are me, Camila, Vee, Masha, Tsukasa, your alternate self, and Anne. I find this highly suspicious, but also very disturbing," Amity admitted.
"But what if she's not lying? What if…What if she's telling the truth? What if…" Amity looked Luz in the eye, causing her to pause.
"Is there really something you want so badly that you're willing to become a Kamen Rider, again?" she asked.
Luz went silent for a moment.
Amity looked a little hurt as she asked again.
"Is…Is what we have not enough?"
Luz quickly turned her gaze to Amity and pulled her into a tight hug.
"No! No! You are more than I deserve, mi amor! I…I just need to do this, I think."
Amity still wasn't sure, but she trusted Luz, and at least this time, she would be by her side as a Rider.
"Okay."
"Ready?" Luz asked.
"Ready," Amity answered and the two slid the lids off the boxes. What they found inside caused their eyes to widen. "Luz, these are…"
"Drivers," Luz finished as she fished out the device from the box. It was black and grey with a circular slot in the centre and a black diagonal stripe going across it. "She did say we would become Kamen Riders. These Drivers must be how we do it."
Amity could see her girlfriend's hands tremble as she held the Driver. The dark memories replayed in Luz's head as she remembered the last time she became a Kamen Rider and how she had lost her way and become a monster of pure evil. Amity put her hand on Luz's, calming her down.
"Luz, it's OK. Let's just throw these away and–"
"No, I'm not gonna run away." Luz shook her head, steeling her resolve. "This could be my one chance to be a better Rider."
Amity was not sure but if Luz wanted to participate in this tournament, then she would not be doing it alone. Amity found a set of instructions, explaining that these devices were called 'Desire Drivers'. To activate them, they would need to put them on and insert their 'ID Cores', which were the circular items included with their Drivers. Luz picked up hers which was indigo and had the image of an owl. Amity examined her purple ID Core too, which had a picture of a cat.
[Desire Driver!]
The two girls put on the Drivers and belt straps appeared to secure the devices to their waists. Luz took a deep breath and looked Amity in the eye.
"Ready to dive in?" Luz asked as she held Amity's hand.
"With you, Luz, always," Amity answered and they inserted their ID Cores.
[Entry!]
Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the two vanished.
When Luz opened her eyes, she found herself standing at the edge of a platform that was hundreds of feet in the air. She nearly lost her balance if Amity had not caught her and pulled her away from the edge in time.
"Thanks, hermosa," Luz said as she took stock of where they were. She and Amity were standing on a floating platform that was surrounded by pillars and strange machines that rotated at the base. In the middle of the floor were the letters DGP in red.
"Luz, where are we?" Amity asked.
"I…I dunno, Amity," Luz answered as she automatically took her girlfriend's hand. They were not alone either as there were several other people with Desire Drivers too. They all looked just as lost and confused as the couple. Among the gathered participants was a trio of teenage girls. One was Caucasian with blonde hair, the second was Thai with a brown afro, and the third was a Taiwanese girl with long dark hair and wearing a Vagabondia Chronicles T-shirt.
"Marcy!?" the Thai girl and Caucasian girl exclaimed happily.
"Anne! Sasha!" a Taiwanese girl shouted in excitement.
The three girls met up with each other and practically squealed with joy as they jumped up and down, much to the annoyance of the other participants.
"Greetings, everyone!" the strange woman who presented the Desire Drivers to them appeared in the middle of the platform, standing atop an elevated pedestal. "Welcome to the Desire Grand Prix! My name is Tsumuri and I will be your navigator."
"Desire…" Luz started.
"Grand Prix…?" Amity finished, confused. They were not the only ones.
"Now, I understand that you must be confused but you have all been chosen to fight as Kamen Riders to protect the world from the Jyamato threat," Tsumuri explained.
"So, we're being conscripted? Is that it?" the blonde asked.
"You can say that, but we do not expect you to fight for free. If you become the winner, you may have your ideal world. In short, any wish you have may be granted."
The participants mumbled when they heard this.
"Our ideal world?"
"Any wish can be granted?"
"Cool!"
Luz and Amity shared a curious yet wary look. Any wish?
"Please, write your wish on your Desire Card," Tsumuri instructed as blank cards with DGP on their black and white backs appeared in their hands along with a quill. As soon as they did, everyone began to think and write down their wishes.
Luz looked at her Desire Card, her hand gripping the quill. What was her greatest wish? Her life was alright, now. She was happy, she and her mother's relationship was good, and she had her family and also an awesome girlfriend. But then she remembered the Owl House and her friends back in the Demon Realm. As much as she wished to see them again, she could never return, not after everything she had done.
Maybe this Desire Grand Prix could help her make everything right again.
She wrote down her wish.
Meanwhile, there was a busy restaurant but it was anything but normal. Sitting at the tables in the dining area were strange humanoid creatures with white heads that resembled the pawn pieces in chess. The creatures were dressed nicely and served by similar creatures that were dressed as waiters.
In the kitchen, other creatures dressed like chefs were preparing dishes and in the corner of the kitchen was a cage filled with frightened people. They were begging to be released, but their pleas were ignored.
An alarm went off in the Desire Temple, surprising the players. A holographic screen appeared behind Tsumuri, showing the restaurant.
"Your first mission has begun! Stop the Jyamato Restaurant and rescue all the captured people inside!" Tsumuri declared.
"Wait, we're going in already?!" Anne asked.
"Yes. Everyone, prepare for transport," said Tsumuri.
In little time at all, all the participants began to glow with blue light, and in the next moment, the entire platform was cleared save for Tsumuri herself.
The participants found themselves standing outside the Jyamato Restaurant and wearing a new set of clothes. They all wore black and blue hoodie jackets with matching pants and boots. They were each given a black and pink box, similar to the ones that contained their Desire Drivers and ID Cores.
{To fight the Jyamatos, please use the Raise Buckles provided for you. Good luck, Kamen Riders!}
Luz and Amity opened up their Mission Boxes and found their Raise Buckles. Amity got a yellow one that had three claws on it and Luz got one that looked like a cute pink mallet.
"OK, how do we use these?" Amity wondered.
"Like this, I guess," Luz said with some uncertainty as she slotted her Raise Buckle into her Desire Driver.
[Set!]
Once inserted into the Desire Driver, a holographic logo appeared next to Luz that had the word "HAMMER" displayed in pink text. She began having a flashback to her first transformation. The Latina's hand trembled a bit as her heart pounded in her chest.
Luz took one look at Amity, smiled and steeled her resolve. She then moved her hands around in a unique pattern for a moment before stopping.
This was it. Today was her first step towards correcting her mistakes.
"Henshin!" Luz exclaimed and then she tapped the Raise Buckle, activating it.
[Armed Hammer!]
Amity gasped as Luz transformed. Her body was covered in a plain black suit with minimal armour. Her helmet resembled the image on her ID Core. The lower half of her helmet was jet black while the upper half was indigo, with a silver beak-like nose, big round eyes, and grey crests above the eyes with black stripes. At the same time, the holographic "HAMMER" logo morphed into an image of her Raise Buckle that merged with her.
Now, Luz had additional armour composed of a right breastplate and a silver shoulder pad that was held on by pink straps. On Luz's breastplate was the symbol of her Raise Buckle and in her right hand was a pink mallet. Her black eyes also filled in with colour as they flashed and turned yellow.
[Ready, Fight!]
"Luz, you transformed…" Amity's eyes widened as she saw her girlfriend in her new Rider suit.
"I…I did…" Luz said shakily as she looked at her hands as the memories came flooding back. "I'm a Kamen Rider again…"
The other participants who witnessed her transformation copied what Luz did to transform as well. It was a simple enough procedure as they attached their Raise Buckles to their Desire Drivers and activated them.
[Armed Arrow!]
[Armed Water!]
[Armed Shield!]
[Armed Chain Array!]
[Armed Propellor!]
[Armed Drill!]
Their suits formed and each of them became a different animal-themed Kamen Rider, equipped with their weapons.
[Armed Claw!]
Amity had activated her Claw Buckle and was equipped with yellow claws on her hands along with her armour. Like Luz, the lower half of her helmet was black while the upper half was purple and resembled a cat. She had a silver stripe going down between her now yellow eyes and pointed ears on top. Beside the eyes were whisker-like markings.
[Ready, Fight!]
"Ay, que linda! Amity, you're a cat!" Luz said in amazement as she saw her girlfriend's Rider form.
"And you're an owl,"Amity pointed out.
"Ah, right." Luz rubbed the back of her head. "Guess those ID Cores show our motifs, huh?"
"Guess so," Amity nodded. "Now, how about we get started?"
"Right behind you, Amity!" Luz nodded as she raised her hammer excitedly. "Let's save those people!"
The Riders all stormed the restaurant and thus began the first round of the Desire Grand Prix.
When the Riders entered, they found the Patron Jyamatos sitting at the tables and Waiter Jyamatos serving them. Seeing the Riders, the Patron Jyamatos panicked and stood up, holding their utensils like weapons. The Waiter Jyamatos also took out kitchen knives to defend themselves.
A Rider with a green newt motif fired her Raise Arrow crossbow and shot a Waiter Jyamato in the head, killing it.
"Boom! Headshot!" she cheered. Suddenly, she received a notification and took out a special DGP-issued Smartphone to see that she had earned 200 points from her attack. "Oh, it's like a video game!"
"Nice shot, Mar-Mar!" a Rider with a blue frog motif said, armed with an orange Raise Chain Array.
"Now, how about we teach these monsters a lesson?" a red Rider with a heron motif growled, rubbing her Raise Claws together.
Emboldened by the green Rider, the DGP Riders all charged at the Jyamatos. The Jyamatos fought back, screaming as they used their utensils to defend themselves. However, they seemed to be no match for the army of players.
There was a white hawk-themed Rider who was only armed with the Raise Water gun. He appeared to be skilled in karate as he performed punches and kicks, knocking down the Jyamato. He also used the Raise Water gun as a melee weapon, clubbing the Jyamatos with it.
Nearby, there was an orange rabbit-themed Rider who seemed to be enjoying herself. She used the Raise Propeller as a polearm and was laughing joyfully. Fighting evil monsters and saving people was like a dream come true for her.
"Best. Day. Ever!"
Luz and Amity stood close together as they fought the Jyamatos that came at them with forks and knives. Luz swung her Raise Hammer, knocking them to the ground as Amity hacked and slashed with her claws. They went down like puppets with their strings cut before exploding.
A Jyamato managed to disarm Luz as it struck her wrist, causing her to drop her hammer. As it raised its knife to strike her, she delivered a karate chop across its throat before she grabbed its shoulders and drove her knee into its stomach. As it staggered back, she struck with a spinning roundhouse kick across its face, sending it to the ground. A few more Jyamatos came at her but she easily defended herself, throwing punches and kicks that knocked them down.
"These guys are supposed to be a threat?" Amity questioned as she withdrew her claws from a Jyamato's corpse.
"These must be the mooks so they are standardly weak. The only thing they got going for them is numbers," Luz answered as she picked up her Raise Hammer. She watched the chaos in the dining area, but she remembered their goal was to rescue the people that were taken captive. Scanning the room, she spotted the entrance to the kitchen. If this was a restaurant, then the Jyamatos were preparing the humans to be cooked. "C'mon, Amity! Follow me!"
Luz charged towards the kitchen and knocked down the Jyamatos that tried to get in her way. She also had to manoeuvre past the other Riders. One Rider screamed as they were flung across the room and sent crashing into a table.
Amity tried to follow her girlfriend but was blocked by a Rider grappling with a Waiter Jyamato and then she was tackled by a couple of Patron Jyamatos who knocked her to the ground. They began jabbing her with their knives and forks.
"Amity!" Luz shouted as she heard Amity's scream in the commotion. She hit her Hammer Buckle, initiating its finisher.
[Hammer Strike!]
Yelling, she leapt into the air and jumped over several Jyamatos to cross the room. Once she landed, she swung her hammer, knocking the Jyamatos away and sending them crashing into the wall where they exploded. Amity groaned as Luz helped her up.
"You OK, babe?" Luz asked.
"I'm fine," Amity grunted. "I was just taken by surprise."
"Damn, I don't see a clear path to the kitchen," Luz grimaced as it was chaos in the dining area.
"Allow me to clear the path," Amity offered as she pulled the switch on her Claw Buckle.
[Claw Strike!]
Yellow energy gathered in her Raise Claws. Rearing her arms back, she swung them forward and threw energy slashes that travelled across the dining area. The Jyamatos were caught in the attack and shredded to pieces, clearing a path for the couple.
"Wow…" Luz uttered in amazement. She should not be surprised. Amity had always been a powerful witch, and her fighting skills had improved in the years since their banishment from the Demon Realm.
"Luz, hurry up!"
"Coming!"
Inside the kitchen, the prisoner screamed as the Chef Jyamato opened the cage and grabbed a screaming child.
"Let me go! Let me go!" the boy yelled as he struggled but the Jyamato ignored his cries. It placed the boy on a kitchen counter and raised its butcher knife to chop him. Suddenly, Luz and Amity burst through the door, startling the working Chef Jyamatos. Amity spotted the Chef Jyamato as it was about to kill a child and angrily pulled on the switch on her Raise Buckle, to initiate her finisher.
[Claw Strike!]
Her claws glowed, gathering energy and with a yell, she charged at the Chef Jyamato. Several of them tried to get in her way but she cut them down with ease before reaching the Chef Jyamato and the child. She drove her claws into its chest and pinned it to the wall before it exploded.
"Wow…"Luz's eyes widened as she saw how amazing Amity was as the feline Rider helped the boy off the counter.
"Are you OK?" she asked, and the boy silently nodded. "Good."
[Secret Mission Cleared!]
"Huh?" Amity blinked and took out the phone that came with the suit.
The screen read, 'Secret Mission: Be the first to save a civilian from near death.'
In a flash, a new Mission Box appeared on the counter, and she opened it. Inside was a large Raise Buckle with a chrome red finish and a handle on the side.
"Amity, you just got a power-up!" Luz yelled in amazement.
"Luz, we should get these people out of here." Amity pointed at the cage containing the trapped civilians.
"Gotcha!"Luz saluted and she went and smashed open the lock with her hammer before she opened the cage door. A woman came running out to hug the boy Amity had saved.
"Are you OK, Bobby?"
"I'm fine, Mom."
"Thank you," the mother said gratefully to Luz and Amity. Luz felt her heart swell from the genuine gratitude she received.
"OK, everyone, please follow us out the back!" Luz instructed as she pointed at the exit.
Meanwhile, back in the dining area, three female Riders were going to town on the Jyamatos. The red heron-themed Rider seemed to be having a blast as she hacked and slashed like a maniac. The green newt-themed Rider provided cover fire for her while the blue frog-themed Rider used her chain array to whack the Jyamatos from afar.
"Think we racked up enough points?" the Heron Rider asked.
"Considering how many we've defeated, I believe so," the green Newt Rider said. "Though, if this is the First Round, we should be seeing the Boss soon."
"Mar-Mar, this ain't a video game," the Frog Rider said. "It feels more like a weird Reality TV Game Show."
"Who cares? I've never felt so alive! Hahahaha!" the Heron Rider laughed as she pulled the switch on her Raise Buckle.
[Claw Strike!]
"Eat this!" She swung her Raise Claws and threw energy slashes that obliterated a group of Waiter and Patron Jyamatos, causing them to explode. The explosions, however, knocked down several players standing too close to the blast zone.
"Sasha, you could've hurt somebody!" the Frog Rider admonished.
"They're fine, Anne. They've got armour," the Heron Rider brushed her off. "And Anne, try your finisher! It's cool!"
"Yeah!" the Newt Rider agreed as she hit her Arrow Raise Buckle.
[Arrow Strike!]
Energy gathered at the tip of her crossbow before she fired a repetitive barrage of energy arrows that hit the Jyamato Waiters. She aimed for their heads and the arrows pierced their skulls, causing them to explode. She received several notifications from her Spider Phone, telling her she had wracked up a ton of points.
Seeing this, the Frog Rider activated her finisher too.
[Chain Array Strike!]
The Frog Rider swung the chain above her head as the spiked ball glowed with energy. Charging at a group of Jyamatos, she swung her weapon and it went off like a bomb on impact. The Jyamatos screamed as they were sent flying before they exploded.
"OK, I see what you mean," the Frog Rider realised. That was fun.
"Now, let's keep going and–!" the Heron Rider began, only to be cut off.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
In a flash, the Riders were all transported back to the DGP Platform. Many of them were wounded and they were all exhausted, but they were happy that it was over.
"Huh!?" Sasha looked around in confusion. "Wait a minute, it's over already?"
"Congratulations on finishing the mission!" Tsumuri declared.
"Wait," Anne said. "You said we needed to rescue the civilians."
"Yes, and two of you succeeded," Tsumuri said. "Please, let's look at the leaderboard."
A holographic screen appeared behind Tsumuri, displaying the names, Rider names, and points of the top ten players.
Amity Blight/Kamen Rider Gato: 25,000 pts
Luz Noceda/Kamen Rider Lechuz: 17,500 pts
Sasha Elizabeth Waybright/Kamen Rider Soaron: 17,000 pts
Anne Savisa Boonchuy/Kamen Rider Qrok: 16,400 pts
Marcy Regina Wu/Kamen Rider Newtonne: 16,300 pts
Marco Ubaldo Diaz/Kamen Rider Kata: 14,500 pts
Molly McGee/Kamen Rider Joy: 13,400 pts
Penn Zero/Kamen Rider Tai-Ger: 12,900 pts
Sebastian Krabbs/Kamen Rider Clamp: 11,500 pts
Peter Prospects/Kamen Rider Smog: 9,900 pts
"Sadly, only the top ten players will make it through to the next round. For the rest of you, I'm sorry but this is where your fight ends," Tsumuri said, and she snapped her fingers.
[Retired!]
Many of the players vanished, leaving behind their Desire Drivers which clattered to the ground. Now, only ten players remain. Luz took a moment to see who they were. There was a blonde Caucasian, a Thai girl with an afro hairstyle, a Taiwanese girl, another Thai girl with a ponytail and a joyful look on her face, a Latino with a beauty spot, a ginger kid with messy hair, a dark-skinned male with dreadlocks and finally a man in his forties with grey hair and a moustache. He seemed the most out of place due to being the oldest.
"Wait, how did she get first place?" Sasha asked, pointing at Amity.
"'Coz, we rescued the civilians in the kitchen!" Luz boasted, smiling.
"So, she accomplished the mission objective," Marcy concluded, crossing her arms and nodding. "I see. That's why she's at the top of the leaderboard."
"In all hindsight, we probably shouldn't have been so focused on mooks," Anne thought aloud. Sasha shot a glare at her, causing the Thai teen to clam up.
"With this, the first round has ended. You will be summoned when the next game begins. Until then, please enjoy your downtime," Tsumuri told them.
After returning home, the two girls sat together in Luz's room. Camila had to work late so they did not run into her. Vee was also absent, having gone out with her friends to hang out.
"What a way to start the summer, huh?" Luz remarked.
"Yeah," Amity agreed. "…Luz, what did you write down as your wish?"
Luz was quiet for a moment. They were told they could not reveal anything about the DGP to outsiders, but it should be OK to tell Amity about her wish, right?
"…I wish I could undo everything I did when I became Oscura," Luz confessed.
DrExposition: With permission from Michael Ravencroft, I decided to write a Disney Rider story. Now, the Luz and Amity I'm using are from the Oscura Universe. I recommend you read the stories "Kamen Rider Witch Alternative: The Ballad of Oscura" and "Kamen Rider X Kamen Rider Witch And Amp: The Dark Side Of Hope" to learn more about these variants of Luz and Amity.