Reviews:
Tigracho: True, Tsubasa tends to go over the speed limit when she needs to go somewhere fast. But she also tends to cause the bikes to explode. I wonder how many bikes she owns? Idol money I guess. The others don't like seeing a cinnamon bun like Hibiki argues with Hajime. Chris and Takeru are making sure they don't fight as much. But their moralities are being tested this season. And with that, so is their relationship. Chao-Xing will be difficult to get along with. Especially with Hajime since she looks down on him. The Kazanaris were associated with the Liangs. This will be discussed further this season or probably in XV. Not sure yet. But that's how she knows what Fudo did to Tsubasa's mom. Since her grandfather knew Fudo in the past and she was to be the next heir of the family. But she doesn't hold back. It will be clear to see that it's a trend for her to go for the jugular, both in arguments and fights.
Cyclone fox: Lol. We'll see. But he'll think twice before complimenting someone like her.
Guest DCDGojira: Glad you liked it.
lordri25may2001: I'm happy you liked it. But I don't know if he would like the fact that they're pretty much fake.
Tenzalucard123: Like Odin said, Bragard's confidence could cause his defeat. But with Carol defeated, our heroes can take it easy...right? Well, not really. There's still Ryuga and his friends and Bragard and the Autoscorers. And Tsubasa...everyone telling her she can't teach people how to drive so she tells Yosuke he drives like an old lady lol.
Author's note: No flashback this time. They'll come back next chapter or the next. Not sure yet.
Chapter 58
Beach Time
A few days after the seeming defeat of Carol, the group walked down the street that was to lead them to the resort they were going to. Said resort was located in Okinawa, so the group had just gotten off the plane after their flight from Tokyo. The boys carried the bags for the girls, but not all of them were happy with the arrangement.
"Did you really have to pack so much stuff into your bag?" Raiden asked Shirabe, rolling her luggage on the ground while carrying his back with his free arm."We're going to be here for a few days. You packed like we'll be here for months!"
"Girl stuff. You wouldn't get it." Shirabe responded, not even sparing him a glance.
"You think she packed a lot?" Jades mused, his bag hoisted over his shoulders while he carried two huge bags in each of his hands."Maria came prepared."
"Of course. You never know when you might need extra things." Marie stated, puffing her chest."I brought the essentials, not just clothes. Since Andreas decided to bring his Switch and all of his games, I had to carry some of his things."
"Speaking of which...Jades-san, can you...carry my bags?" Setsuna asked, visibly blushing at the silver-haired man.
Jades blinked, glancing over to Hajime who was giving him a threatening glare then switched over to Andreas, who had puppy eyes."I think Andreas can help you with that, Setsuna-chan...My hands are full right now."
"Y-yeah!" Andreas beamed, nodding enthusiastically."I can carry your bags, Setsuna-chan!"
"Oh. Okay!" Setsuna immediately tossed her bags over to Andreas, who struggled to catch them.
"Oof! How much did you pack?!" Andreas cried out, gritting his teeth due to the effort he had to put in."Why do girls pack so much?!"
"It's not that bad..." Hajime muttered, finding his arms tired from carrying his and Hibiki's stuff.
"I don't know why we couldn't have gotten the taxi to bring us a little closer." Hazuki wondered, carrying Miku's bags as well.
"It's a government-owned private beach." Tsubasa supplied."Taxis, busses, and such aren't allowed here."
"Is that so?" Chao-Xing arched a brow, opting to carry her stuff."So how come we're getting a so-called guide?"
"The Commander saw fit for us to have a guide since none of us have ever visited Okinawa." Yosuke responded."He said we should be familiar with him. But if he lives in Okinawa...I have no idea who it could be."
"They must be aware of Kamen Riders and Symphogear." Takeru guessed.
"Hopefully they don't get startled by my appearance," Tobias said. He was wearing blue shorts and a sleeveless white shirt with a sun on it. The outfit made his grey skin and the stitches around him more noticeable.
"I'm sure it'd be fine." Hibiki smiled at him."If Master chose this person is because has trust in them. So let's give them a-"
"Aloha! Welcome one, welcome all! Buenos dias, ladies!"
The group abruptly stopped as they finally reached the resort, which was a building with three floors right next to the beach. From the main door, a young man with fair skin, dark blue spiky hair, and a small ponytail, tied back with a black hairband, and hazel eyes similar to Hajime's. He was wearing a Hawaiian red shirt, sunglasses, a straw hat, cream-colored shorts, and sandals.
"Oh. Is that our guide?" Jades wondered, a little taken back by his appearance."He looks...young."
Maria blinked, not having expected a young man to be one of the Commander's contacts. But that's when she noticed her friends' reactions. Except for Chris and Takeru, the rest were all visibly taken back, as if they had met this person before. And to her surprise, even Kirika seemed to share their confusion.
"No way..." Yosuke muttered.
"I...wasn't expecting this," Hazuki gaped.
"Why is he here?" Tsubasa blinked.
"Hey...Hajime..." Hibiki turned to her boyfriend, who suddenly dropped his bags to the floor."Isn't that..."
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" The young man removed his glasses and hat, giving them a grin."Eh, Hajime?"
"Kuroiwa!" Hajime ran to his best friend, tackling him into a hug.
"Oi! Come on, man!" Kuroiwa chuckled, ruffling the raven-haired teen's head as nearly lost his balance from the hug."What happened to call me by my name?"
"Hamaguchi then..." Hajime rose his head, tears glistening in his eyes.
"Try giving me a nickname..." The bluenette sweatdropped."My name is too ugly. How about Guchi? Sounds pretty cool, huh?"
"Guchi?" Hibiki repeated."As in Gucci? The brand?"
"Yeah. I think it sounds cool." Kuroiwa batted his eyes at her."So how about it, Tachibana-chan? Wanna call me Guchi?"
"No thanks!"
"Gah! So direct!" Kuroiwa gasped, hand to his chest. One quick look at the girls seemed to be enough to regain his energy."I bet one of these lovely senoritas is willing to humor me."
"Senoritas...?" Andreas repeated the foreign word."What's that?"
"He means señoritas. With an ñ." Takeru clarified."Right?"
"A what now?" Kuroiwa cocked his head."How do you pronounce that? But hey, you speak Spanish, my man?"
"Claro que si. Soy de Val Verde(Of course I do. I'm from Val Verde.)" Takeru recited in Spanish."What about you? You don't look Hispanic at all."
"I have no idea what you just said. I only know the bare minimum Spanish to impress the ladies. But I'm a man of culture." Kuroiwa shrugged."I like to keep the tourists happy. A lot of Latinas come over and boy, let me tell you, they're a sight to behold. Like god damn. Huge rack. So I've been learning some Spanish."
"You haven't changed a bit. Still, the same womanizer you've always been." Hajime chuckled in disbelief.
"Womanizer? More like a player. I have the occasional girl here and there but nothing too serious." He grinned cockily. He spotted a blonde girl among the others, who was giving him the stingeye."Wait a minute...that blonde hair...the hair clip..."
"I remember you, Noodle Boy!" Kirika pointed at him accusingly."You're that weird kid who always tried to play with me and Blacky-kun-desu!"
"Oh, right! You're the Power Girl! So Hajime found you!" Kuroiwa laughed aloud, approaching her and eyeing her from top to bottom."Wow. I hardly recognize you. Grew in all the right places. Say, Hajime you're not dating her, right? So can I do it? She's totally my type."
"Absolutely not!" Kirika screeched. In an instant, a wall composed of Jades, Raiden, and Shirabe blocked Kuroiwa from further harassing Kirika.
"You're not getting anywhere near Kiri-chan." Shirabe narrowed her gaze at him.
"That's right. We don't want our sister associating with creeps." Raiden stated.
"And if you bother her...Or any of the girls here..." Jades cracked his knuckles."We'll crack your head open."
"Oh, wow! Hahaha!" Kuroiwa laughed in good nature, completely brushing off the threats."I didn't know you had such overprotective siblings! So cool!"
"So can someone care to introduce us?" Maria asked no one in particular."Most of you seem to know him, but the rest of us don't."
"Oh, right. Sorry, sorry." Kuroiwa rubbed the back of his neck."The name's Hamaguchi Kuroiwa. But feel free to call me Guchi." He winked at the girls."And for the ladies...feel free to call me whatever you want."
"Carry on," Tsubasa grumbled, already fed up with him.
"Well, I know Hajime, Setsuna-chan, Tachibana-chan, Kazanari-san, Yanagi-san, Kohinata-chan, and the pretty boy Kaburagi-san."
"Again with the pretty boy..." Hazuki deadpanned.
"Anyway, I moved her after the destruction of Kaiser Academy, and your Commander was kind enough to keep me in the loop and contacted me when he said you guys were coming here. What about the new faces? Who are you guys?"
"I'm Chris Yukine and this one here is my boyfriend Takeru Sakamoto."
"Sup." Takeru gave him a peace sign.
"Oho. You got good taste, Take-Take." Kuroiwa couldn't help but comment."You're a boob man too!"
"You are a boob man as well?" Takeru marched up to him, grabbing his hand as they engaged in a handshake."My brother."
"Ugh...another pervert. Great." Chris muttered dryly."You better not get close to me or I'll blast the hell out of you."
"I'm Jades Demetrios. And these are my siblings, Maria, Shirabe, Andreas, Raiden, and Kirika."
"Oh, so that's her name." Kuroiwa nodded in understanding."Hajime forgot it and he came to ask me if I knew."
"Yeah..." Kirika trailed off, her gaze softening."Blacky-kun was...well, it's a little complicated. But we managed to become friends again."
"Hopefully we can be friends too." Kuroiwa shot her a playful wink."And what about these two shorties right here? Hey, is that a costume?"
"No...I'm an Autoscorer." Tobias said with a shy tone.
"An Autoscorer? Hahaha! Sounds like a video game thing." Kuroiwa laughed, ruffling the Autoscorer's head."And what about the blondie?"
"I'm Elfnein. I'm a Homunculus. I created Tobias." Elfnein explained as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh, okay. Now it makes sense." Kuroiwa scratched his chin.
"You seem to be too acceptant of things." Yosuke pointed out.
"Meh. The girls can transform into hot babes with powers via singing and you guys can transform into armored warriors that fight other armored warriors." Kuroiwa shrugged nonchalantly."Is the fact that Elfnein-chan and Tobias-kun are Homunculus and creation so weird?"
"I guess not..." Hajime hummed."Oh, yeah. That's my cousin. Remember her?"
"Remember her?! Bro, how could I ever forget the ice queen herself!" Kuroiwa jogged over to Chao-Xing, ogling her shamelessly."Damn! You didn't tell me she had gotten so hot! Is it a family thing because-OW! I GIVE UP! I GIVE UP!"
Chao-Xing had grabbed his arm and twisted it, almost to the point of breaking it."Say one more word about me and I'm breaking this like a twig."
"Okay! I promise I won't!" Kuroiwa tapped her arm, tears streaming down his face. The Liang released his arm, much to his relief."Ow...Holy shit, she's so strong..."
"I can't believe this is supposed to be our guide..." Maria muttered, not amused by his antics."All he's doing is checking us out..."
"A-anyway! How about I show you guys around and you guys can fill me in on everything? Don't worry, this place is clean and big enough for all of you to fit in. Hell, we can even host a party here if you want."
"Uh...we're supposed to be here for training, actually." Elfnein meekly pointed out.
"Training, partying, it's all the same." Kuroiwa beckoned them to follow him."Come! Come! Don't be shy now!"
The group reluctantly followed Kuroiwa inside the house. That is until Chao-Xing abruptly grabbed Hazuki's hand and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Hey!" Miku gasped, rushing to their side."What are you doing to him, Chao-Xing-san?!"
"Huh?" Hajime and Hibiki noticed the commotion.
Chao-Xing stared directly into his eyes, pink orbs meeting pink orbs."You...What was your name again?"
"I-it's Hazuki Kaburagi..." Hazuki responded, taken aback by the sudden aggression.
"What's going on?! Why are you hurting him?!" Setsuna tried forcing Chao-Xing to release him, but she had a vice grip on the boy.
"Hazuki Kaburagi...you have the same eyes as me."
"Uh...I guess so?"
"What, are you going to say he's a Liang too?" Hajime groaned."Just because someone has pink eyes or dark hair doesn't mean they're a Liang! Besides, he's blonde."
"You have dark hair but not pink eyes. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a halfbreed to show either one Liang trait or not at all. Well, maybe he is. He has a very familiar chi. A little similar to yours, in fact."
"Chi?" Hibiki asked for clarification.
"Chi is basically life force energy that all living things possess." Chao-Xing explained."However, not everyone can sense someone's Chi. Us Liangs are capable of doing so, with a bit of practice. Back to what I was saying...I'm pretty sure this guy is a Liang."
Hazuki said nothing, his lips forming a thin line as he sweated bullets.
"And that means...that this guy has to be that brother of yours." Chao-Xing shot Hajime a mocking glare."Meaning that he's that halfbreed that your dad abandoned as well. How about it? Where are your parents?"
"He's an orphan but that could be due to other factors!" Miku exclaimed."You're jumping to conclusions too much!"
"Just let him go." Hajime scowled at his cousin."We literally just got here, Chao-Xing. It's too early to deal with your shit."
"Whatever then." Chao-Xing released her hold on Hazuki, allowing him to breathe properly again."It's your family situation, after all."
Hibiki and Hajime watched as Chao-Xing made her way to the house, closing the door behind her.
"This is going to be a long few days..." Hajime sighed, looking up at the sky.
A couple of days before the trip, the group was called to the command center to receive their newly repaired pendants and decks respectively.
"Here you go Raiden-san, Andreas-san." Elfnein handed out each Deck to their respective user."We performed the same procedure for your Decks as we did the others. They should be more durable and you should be able to enter the Mirror World now. As long as you have the Deck with you, of course."
"And here are your respective Survive Cards. Fubuki, the left wing for Jades-san. Seishin, the left wing for Raiden-san. Rasen, the right wing for Andreas-san. And finally, Chikara, the right wing for Takeru-san." Tobias handed each of the Riders their respective Survive cards.
"Fuck yeah." Takeru grinned, kissing his card."Now we can fight all out. Those Autoscorers won't know what hit them."
"Don't get too cocky, Sakamoto." Yosuke folded his arms, eyeing him critically."Remember our enemies can upgrade their powers. Also, if the Divine Disaster of Valhalla are working with Carol and Bragard, then they must have access to this power too. Right, Tobias?"
"It's possible. They have Loki with them, after all." Tobias made his way over to Hajime."Hajime-san. Your Deck. Seeing as it was the only one not broken, it was easier to upgrade."
"So in the end, the Luitenant was the only one who didn't lose." Takeru commented, wiping an imaginary tear off his eye."That's my boy."
"Guess he's the most capable out of you lazy bums." Chris snickered."You guys gotta start trying harder."
"I don't want to hear that from you." Raiden scoffed."You lost day one."
"What was that, you brat?" Chris glared at Raiden, causing him to freeze up.
"N-nothing, Chris-senpai..."
"Hajime-san...You have a Link Vent..." Tobias showed him the card he had pocketed in his lab coat.
"Oh...yeah. I don't know where I got it from. It sort of just appeared back on the Frontier when we were fighting Ouja. It concentrated all of our Final Vents into one, mixing our powers into something stronger."
"A card that unifies the connected hopes of those around the chosen one." Tobias' eyes turned silver, indicating that Thor had taken over."Lad...are you a Messiah?"
"A Messiah?" Hibiki repeated.
"Odin and Bragard called me that too." Hajime scratched his head."But I honestly don't know what that means."
"There was an old Advent legend back in Ventara. A chosen warrior would be selected by the Divine Beast, Ventara, to be its representative in case of an emergency. A mighty warrior capable of opposing oppressors. One that carried the will and hope of those who believed in him. After all of them were converted into Mirror Monsters and Ventara was split into 13 monsters, it appears that Beast somehow is capable of creating...or rather, bestowing this title to humans throughout history in hopes of one day restoring its power and taking down Odin as retribution. These humans are referred to as Messiahs, or rather, Messiah Candidates."
"Why candidates?" Yosuke promptly asked.
"Because there are multiple people capable of becoming a Messiah. It's happened throughout humanity's history, but since the Advent Monsters hadn't been found then, it led to nothing. But there can only be one true Messiah. Bragard must be a Messiah Candidate, just like Hajime. And if my assumptions are correct, then the human working with Loki is also one."
"What does being a Messiah Candidate even mean?" Hajime folded his arms."I mean...do I get special powers or something?"
"Kind of. Not in the way you're thinking though. You see, Messiahs can draw hope from those around them and use them during times of need. Because people associate a Messiah with a savior. That's the purpose of this card, the Link Vent. Think of it as a conductor to unify the powers of the other Riders into one and manifest the Divine Beast, albeit partially."
"So wait..." Jades rubbed his chin."When we used the Link Vent back then...we were using Ventara's power?"
"That's right. Hajime, a Messiah Candidate, created a miracle with your combined hope and unified your powers into one powerful attack."
"And you're saying Bragard might have a Link Vent too?" Raiden frowned."Not to mention Ryuga...But wait, what determines if one is the true Messiah or not? I mean, you said there can only be a real one, right?"
"Now that you mention it..." Yosuke hummed in thought."Odin called Bragard a "False Messiah". Does that have to do with anything?"
"A False Messiah...I wonder..." Thor chewed on his thumb."Regardless, it seems all Messiah Candidates share one thing in common. They are the only ones capable of taking in a God inside of them. Bragard is the only exception."
"Why do you say that?" Tsubasa wondered.
"Because otherwise, he would have forced a contract with me instead of keeping me locked away for so many years. Maybe that's what he meant by "False Messiah". It would only make sense."
"So does that mean Tobias is a Messiah too?" Shirabe asked.
"No. Gods are only able to enter animals or inanimate objects without a proper contract. Tobias is the latter since he's technically a doll completely created from scraps. But we did form a contract of equals."
"Hey, the Luitenant can do the same, right?" Takeru grinned at the idea."Why can't you form a contract with him? Loki gave power to the other Riders, right? Couldn't you do the same?"
"Tobias wants to." Elfnein spoke up."But..."
"I don't." Thor shook his head."You see, once you form a contract of equals, the human and the God are bonded forever, albeit not entirely the same. Even if I hadn't formed a contract with him, I can't leave his body or share power with any of you mainly because my powers have been weakened over the years. But also because...I'm pretty much Tobias' energy source."
"Since he was made on unfavorable conditions and in a rush...he's a defective Autoscorer." Elfnein clenched her hands."Thor is the only thing keeping him in one piece. If he leaves his body or any alterations are made to his energy core...Tobias will die."
"Can't you...repair him?" Takeru furrowed his brow."Or...is there something more to this contract...?"
"When a God and a human sharing a body die by any means, their souls disappear." Thor closed his eyes."They don't go to the afterlife. No heaven or hell awaits them. I don't know about Autoscorers and such but for humans..."
"So that's the price of being able to wield the power of a God..." Maria's lips thinned in a line."Is that Ryuga's destiny? I guess it's no wonder why he's so persistent in achieving his goal."
"It also makes sense why you didn't suggest forming a contract with any of us." Yosuke nodded."You don't want our souls to vanish..."
"I'm sorry I can't be of more help." Thor's shoulders slumped."But...I might be able to help replicate the Link Vent. Just like the Survive cards. That way, you'll have an ace up your sleeve in case Hajime isn't around. But Takeru and Hajime. I'm working on special cards for you two. So look forward to that."
"Hey, you did more than enough." Maria approached the God of Thunder with a smile."You, Elfnein-chan, and Tobias-kun. Without you, we wouldn't have made it this far."
"With that out of the way..." Genjuro boomed, earning their attention."I think you need to train your new powers to be ready next time you face the enemy. So we reserved a private beach for all of you in Okinawa. And I have a good person in mind that can help you get accustomed to the area."
After settling down their things in their shared rooms, the group decided to go to the beach behind the house but Kuroiwa requested for them to help him carry some things to start a grill.
"Sounds like you guys have had a crazy 6 months ever since the attack on Kaiser Academy." Kuroiwa said, packing some meat in a cooler."So Gai...or rather Kuwana-san is your guys' brother. Must be awkward for family reunions, huh?"
"I realize that no apology could make up for what Terunosuke made you go through. But...I'm sorry...and for those kids, he killed as well..." Maria bowed down apologetically.
"Hey, no need to do that. It feels weird when such an awesome idol bows down like that to a nobody like me..." Kuroiwa laughed sheepishly."I'm alive. I'm grateful for that. And thanks to Hajime, no less. Besides, he did that stuff on his own. What your brother did has nothing to do with you guys."
"Where do you want the grill?" Raiden asked as he and Andreas carried the grill with each other's help.
"Anywhere you want. And tell Yanagi-san to start pouring the ice into the coolers. Take-Take has the drinks so there's that."
"And what about the ingredients?" Jades inquired, carrying a few bags of vegetables and meat.
"Set it down close to the grill." Kuroiwa grabbed a pair of knives, twirling them around his hands like a professional."I might not look it, but I'm a really good cook. The best in town, actually."
"Really?" Kirika asked skeptically."You're telling me you know how to cook...?"
"Yup. Really. Girls love a guy that can cook. Right, Power Girl? You like guys that can cook?" He wagged his eyebrows seductively, much to her irritation."And besides, I kind of have to. I did drop out of school so I can work at my family's ramen shop. I'd be pretty stupid to not know how to cook. It's my only redeemable quality."
"Hey, Hamaguchi...do you think we can talk a bit?" Hajime requested, his expression troubled.
"Sure." Kuroiwa nodded, following Hajime to an empty room. Hajime sat on the bed as Kuroiwa sat on top of a chair, crossing his legs."Listen...I know what you're going to say."
"Oh. Really?"
"I'm not that dense, man." Kuroiwa sighed, shaking his head."Listen. No words could ever express how much I regret just...leaving without saying a word."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hajime asked, crossing his arms."Why didn't you tell me you were moving?"
"Because it wasn't meant to be that soon." Kuroiwa breathed out."But when the school got destroyed...my aunt said we had to get out of town. Somewhere more peaceful. For our sake. Your boss made this easier. He pulled a few strings and got us set up here in Okinawa. We even set up a new ramen shop and became very popular. But...I told him to promise me not to tell you anything. To say that he didn't know. That way, you would think I just...vanished..."
"But...why...? You just disappeared without a word...Just like-"
"Your dad. I know." Kuroiwa rubbed his face."It's been tormenting me every day. To leave you without saying anything. But...I just couldn't say goodbye. I didn't think I deserved it. All those kids died that day...and I was one of the lucky ones who survived. And what do I do? Drop out of school so I can work at a regular ramen shop."
"Regular? But it's fami-"
"My family isn't that special, Hajime. We're just normal people." Kuroiwa cut him off, sighing."You can find a better ramen shop in Tokyo, I'm sure. Maybe some of the kids who died would have grown up to be productive members of society. Doctors, lawyers, firefighters, police. But me? I sometimes feel like I could be doing more, you know? And when I saw you guys on the news, I knew. I knew that you were better off without me. That's why I never reached out. I thought I...would just slow you down."
"Hamaguchi..."
"And I was right. Look at you when we were hanging out every day. A thug, a punk who skipped class with someone like me." He laughed bitterly, his shoulders slumping."But now you're surrounded by wonderful people. Tachibana-chan changed you a lot. You're a completely different person from what I remember. I'm...proud of you."
"Dude...you're my best friend. That hasn't changed." Hajime stood up, making his way to Kuroiwa and placing a hand on his shoulder."Sure, I was hurt when you disappeared. But I'm happy you're chasing your dreams. You're happy being here in Okinawa, right? You said you're a bit of a celebrity?"
"Just a little." Kuroiwa shot him a smirk.
"Then if you're happy, then I'm happy too." Hajime offered encouraging words."We all had to move on from being delinquents right? We both changed. Not just me. We both got our lives now. And you're happy."
"Are you happy?"
"I..." Hajime pondered that question. Was he happy?"I mean...sure. I got a lot of friends and a loving girlfriend. Aside from the fact about my dad and being hunted down by this monster, then yeah. I'm happy."
"I mean, about being a Kamen Rider."
"Oh. Well...at first, I thought it was a game. I used this as some form of way to relieve my sense of danger. Then it just became a duty. And don't get me wrong, I'm excited to fight really strong people and all. But...it can be a bit exhausting. Too many life-or-death battles where any one of us can die...It's becoming a real pain. But I have to do it. I was chosen to be a Kamen Rider. And if Hibiki wants to keep fighting to protect others, then I will too."
"That's my dawg." Kuroiwa clapped him up."Look at you. You went from picking fights with others to protecting the innocent. You're a hero now."
"I don't see myself as a hero, honestly..." Hajime responded, trailing off."But I guess...I just want to do what's right."
"Yeah, Tachibana-chan changed you. You got really lucky with a girl like her." Kuroiwa groaned."Man! I wish I found a cute little girlfriend that made my life better. Say, do you think I have a chance with the Power Girl? I'm really into her. She's so damn cute."
"Why do you call her Power Girl anyway?"
"You didn't know? Well, let me tell you..."
A young Kuroiwa slurped on a cup of ramen, walking around the park he used to visit when he was a child. That's when he spotted a lone blonde playing around with a ball while her friend, who he later found out was Hajime, took a nap on the grass.
"Hey! Blondi!" Kuroiwa waved at her with a friendly smile."Watcha doing? Mind if I-OOF!"
Kirika kicked the ball in Kuroiwa's direction, knocking the ramen cup out of his hand and hitting his stomach, nearly causing him to throw up.
"Get out of here! Don't bother Blacky-kun while he naps-desu!"
"Despite her stature, that girl is crazy strong. Never got hit by a ball that hard." Kuroiwa rubbed his stomach with a wistful smile."So that's why I call her Power Girl. Also, she's my favorite superhero and she's blonde too, so it fits."
"Huh. Really. No wonder she gives you the sting eye. Maybe she thought you were trying to bully me."
"As if." Kuroiwa waved his hand dismisivally."You've always been stronger than me. And trust me, back then, I wouldn't have wanted to be on the opposite side of your fists. So, speaking of that...are you nervous?"
"About what?"
"Fighting this Bragard guy. And finding more about your Dad and all."
"Yeah..." Hajime laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling."I am. Of both of those things. It's just...there's a lot a stake. I found out that my dad's side of the family has been killed off almost entirely...and that my dad was working for the guy that did this. And for some reason, he has this obsession with wanting to get back at my dad for whatever he did to him, so he's focusing on me. And...I'm really scared."
"You? Scared of a fight?"
"It's just...what if I fail? Everyone seems to believe in me. And...I don't want to put them in danger. Bragard is coming for me so I should be the one to fight him. But...what if I'm not strong enough?"
"Come on, that's not the Hajime I know." Kuroiwa stood up, sitting down on the bed."You had more confidence than this before."
"Yeah, but it's different...There's a lot at stake and...a lot of people depending on me." Hajime rubbed his temples."I know I'm not alone...but..."
"You feel responsible. Since it was your Dad the one who helped Bragard get the Decks." Kuroiwa nodded in understanding."I guess I get it. But hey, you shouldn't shoulder all that burden alone, man. You got a whole group of friends with you. Plus, like you said. The stakes are high, right? It just means you have to give it your 110%."
Kuroiwa beckoned Hajime to follow him back to the living room."I came to realize something during my time here. People are stronger together. But they're even stronger when they believe in someone. Someone that can reassure them and bring them peace of mind. Someone that they can look at and think everything is going to be fine. I think you're that guy, Hajime. You're this "Messiah" after all, right? I believe in you. I mean, you've saved me before, right? And the others too. So don't sell yourself short. You're better than you think."
"Yeah...You're right. I have to stay positive." Hajime nodded."It's worked so far."
"Also, don't think of it as fixing your Dad's mistakes. Think of it as...learning from said mistakes. And proving you're not like him by settling them on your terms."
"That's right! I'm not like my Dad at all!" Hajime exclaimed, finding his confidence renewed. "Thanks, Hamaguchi. I'm glad I can count on you."
"Ah...well, I am your best friend, after all. The last I can do is try to help you. But...I don't know if I can help you the same way you helped me."
"That's not true." Hajime frowned, resting his arm on his shoulder."You do plenty. And now that we're back to being friends, then we have plenty of time to catch up. How about we join the others? I'm starving and I wanna see what you got planned on the menu."
Kuroiwa grabbed Hajime's hand as the hazel-eyed boy was about to leave."Wait...Hajime..."
"Yeah? What's up?" Hajime offered a friendly smile.
"We...we grew up together." Kuroiwa's features softened."Let's make sure...we grow old together. Got it?"
"Hell yeah." Hajime nodded solemnly."We'll make sure we laugh at this whole thing while sitting down on a sofa and watching movies like how we used to back when we were kids during Summer break.."
"It's a deal." A playful smile adorned the bluenette's face."Say...you think any of the girls are into me, man? They're so damn hot. I can't believe you've had this much to choose from."
"And you ruined it." Hajime sighed."What happened to being into Kirika?"
"Hey, I do. But a man's gotta have a backup plan in case she's not into me." Kuroiwa planted his fists on his hips."But with my charms and my charisma, I'm sure I'll have her craving for some Guchi action soon enough."
"By the way...how is Seiko-san?"
"Dude, don't even talk about her. The last thing I need is to be talking about my sister."
'It's too quiet.' Hazuki sat on the sand, wearing a pair of black trunks as he watched Kirika, Shirabe, and Andreas build a sand castle.
He didn't want to admit it, but not having Loki with the constant commentary in his head was making things more dull than they seemed.
"It's better if I say here and guard your Deck. Thor is there, after all. He's pretty dumb, but he'll be able to sense me in you and it will blow your cover."
So, Hazuki had no choice but to come on this trip completely unarmed.
"Mom would have loved this sight." He muttered to himself, taking in the sights of his friends playing around and enjoying the sun."But...one day. Everything will be destroyed. When Ragnarok begins, all life on Earth has to come to an end. There will be no exceptions..." He glanced down at his hands."And I'm the only one who can do that...to save the world and give everyone the happiness they deserve in the new world..."
He felt a single tear stream down his cheek."But...can I do it...? Is there no other choice to guarantee humanity's well-being...?" The blonde shook his head."I thought I was already determined to do this...but why have I been feeling like this lately? Could it be...they're changing me? She's...changing me? Before I met them, I thought this world was hopeless and there was no hope or salvation. But now I feel like they're giving me what I lost all those years ago... happiness..."
Memories of the horrible things he's witnessed throughout his life and the constant evil threatening the world filled his mind."But if evil still exists, no one will ever be happy. People will continue to be killed and families be broken apart. The world will eventually die and humanity will wipe itself out. I...I have to do this. The world needs an ultimate good. There is no other choice. I-"
A cold object pressed against his cheek caused him to yelp, startled at the unexpected coldness."What the?!"
"You're spacing out." Miku offered him a canned drink. The pink-eyed boy couldn't help but marble at her sight. She was wearing a one-piece swimsuit that accented her figure nicely."And you're doing it again."
"Oh, sorry..." Hazuki blushed, accepting the drink as Miku took a seat next to him."You just...caught me off guard, is all. You look beautiful."
"Ah...t-thank you..." The black haired-girl blushed."You look nice too. I didn't know you were that fit under your shirt."
"Well, I do work out occasionally." Hazuki half-lied since he did more than just work out. But he wasn't going to confess about being a Kamen Rider.."Anyway, how's your hand?"
"It's getting better. I can at least use it now." Miku gave him a peace sign with said hand."What about your forehead?"
"Oh, this?" Hazuki chuckled, touching the bandage on his forehead, courtesy of Bragard after he slammed his head against the ground on their first encounter."I'm fine."
"I'm glad to hear it." Miku smiled warmly, making the boy feel butterflies in his stomach.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for that...I was just...I had a lot going on." Hazuki sighed, ruffling his blonde hair."Too many things happened at once. I...learned a lot. About my family. About myself."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember how I said my family and I got stranded on an island after our cruise ship sunk? Well, it turns out that's not exactly true..."
"Not true?" Miku asked, noticing the apprehensive expression on his face."You can tell me, Haz-kun. But if you don't want to, that's okay. Just now you can count on me to listen to your problems."
"I know...I'm very lucky to have met you." The wielder of the Ryuga Deck took a deep breath."Apparently, it wasn't a cruise ship. It was a regular sailboat. And only my Mom and my Dad were there with me. I don't remember what happened but...something attacked our boat and caused it to sink. My mom and I ended up on an island. I...And as for my Dad...I'm not sure."
"But how do you know this? Did you learn something new? You said "Apparently"."
"It turns out that the event was so traumatic for me that it blocked some elements from my memories. And it filled the gap by creating fake memories. I just...started remembering recently. As well as...some unpleasant memories..."
It wasn't entirely false. As it turns out, Loki knew all along what happened. Hazuki had told him to help him forget back when he was stranded on that island and he did, blocking the painful memories until Bragard forced him to remember.
"We were stranded on that island for some time. There were no fruits...no animals to hunt. And we didn't know how to fish..." Hazuki started shaking like a leaf."So my Mom...to make sure I lived...she..."
"You don't have to say anymore." Miku placed a comforting hand on his shoulder."I get it. We don't have to talk about your time on that island. So then you got rescued?"
"Yeah," Hazuki said, remembering how he found the Ryuga Deck and Loki disguised as a salmon. That's when everything started for him."A sailboat was nearby and picked me up. Then everything else is history. I...sometimes can't help but remember that. The incident that took my family away from me. And then the orphanage I was in was burned by the Yakuza...it's like I'm a cursed child. Bringing misery everywhere I go. Maybe that's why I couldn't cut it as an idol. No one is going to like a bastard child like me."
"That's not true. To me, you're a wonderful person." Miku offered words of comfort, wrapping him in a hug as he rested his head on her shoulder."You're not a cursed child. You're a person with a big heart that found some trouble on the way. But that's not your fault. I'm lucky to have met you, honestly. Who cares if those idol agencies don't want you? They don't know that they're missing a talented person like you. But if it's worth anything, you're special to me...Haz-san. No, Haz. I...I...I think I like you."
"W-wait what?" Hazuki suddenly pulled back, feeling heat rising to his cheeks.
"I think it became clear to me when I was being chased by Nakahara-san." Miku flushed, playing around with her hair."I...I was thinking of you. How much you mean to me...and how worried I was about you. That I didn't get to tell you how I feel...And before today, I was worried sick. You were barely answering your phone, barely texting me back. These few weeks we haven't seen each other...they've been hard on me. I'm sorry...I guess I sound a little clingy, don't I?"
"N-no! I...I feel the same way, Miku-chan..." Hazuki rubbed his nape nervously."Ever since I met you, I felt something special about you. We both have problems expressing how we truly feel. And we also admire someone for who they are."
"Someone?"
Hazuki glanced over to the house, where Hajime and Kuroiwa were making their way to the others, carrying a few things."I don't know how he does it, but Hajime-kun is just a natural at bringing people peace of mind. At first, I thought he was a blowhard and a little aggressive, but he has a heart of gold. The same can be said about Hibiki-chan. But us? We're not like them in that aspect. We're more reserved but we continue to support them however we can."
"That's true." Miku nodded, smiling at Hibiki as she laughed while running around on the sand.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is...your kindness and your bravery are what draw me in. You give my life the color it was lacking. Ever since we became friends, everything seems...colorful. It's as if I was looking at the world as if it were grey. But you helped me find what I was missing. You are the moonlight shining on the path ahead of me. So...if it's okay with you, I would like to be your boyfriend..."
"R-really...?" Miku gasped before hugging him tighter."I would love to be your girlfriend!"
Hazuki kissed her cheek, enjoying her warmth and nuzzling against her neck."Miku-chan...There's...something I have to tell you..."
"You can tell me anything, Haz..." Miku whispered.
Hazuki took a deep breath, pondering his choices.
"Do you think she'll like you once she finds out you're Ryuga?" He recalled Loki's words.
"Besides, if Ragnarok happens, everyone has to die anyway. Miku Kohinata is destined to die. Everyone on this planet will die as a consequence of Ragnarok. There will be no exceptions...I know you don't have it in you to kill her. So I might as well do it to prevent you from suffering that pain."
Hazuki gritted his teeth, Chiaki's words echoing in his mind.
"What is it, Starlight?" Miku pulled back from their hug with a concerned look, gently rubbing his cheek."What's wrong? Is it about what Chao-Xing-san said? Is that...bothering you...?"
"Miku...no. Never mind." Hazuki backpedaled at the very end."Just...It's nothing. Sorry."
Miku frowned but nodded."It's fine...When you're comfortable enough, you can tell me. I'll always be willing to listen. No matter what."
'No matter what, huh...?'
"Man! Look at this buffet of babes!" Kuroiwa marbled upon seeing the girls in their swimsuits."Shit! Nothing can't compare! I wish I brought my phone!"
"Good to know you're having a good time, Kuroiwa-san..." Hibiki's smile twitched, hiding her irritation toward the boy.
"Stop ogling my girlfriend, asshole." Hajime smacked Kuroiwa on the head.
"Oh, right. You guys are dating." Kuroiwa cleared his throat."So, Hajime? You gonna compliment your girl or what?"
"Huh? Oh." Hajime blinked, eyeing Hibiki closely, causing her to blush. Inside, he was freaking out at how adorable Hibiki looked in her two-piece swimsuit. Now that he thought about it, it was his first time seeing her wearing something like that. While he did see how good her figure was while using her Symphogear, this was something else. He had so many good things to say about her but his brain only helped him blurt the first thing that came to mind."You look freaking hot..."
"E-eh?!" Hibiki cried, covering herself.
"Ohohoho!" Kuroiwa slapped him on his back."So direct! Well, I'll leave you two alone! I'm going to go enjoy the view for a bit. If you wanna get comfortable, you can go back to the house and lock your room!"
The young couple was left to their own devices, embarrassed after Kuroiwa's little comment.
"I'm glad...you find me attractive." Hibiki whispered, twiddling her index fingers."I think you look really...you know..."
"Hey, that's not fair." Hajime poked her stomach, earning a giggle. He grinned maliciously, going on the attack with a tickle attack."I said something very embarrassing, honey. It's only fair you do the same."
"D-dear! P-p-please, stop! Hahaha!" Hibiki laughed uncontrollably."O-okay! Y-y-you look v-v-very handsome! You have nice abs!"
"Huh? I do?" Hajime looked down at his toned stomach. He wasn't one to pay attention to his body like that, but now that she pointed it out, he did look more muscley and defined than before."T-thanks..."
"Sorry..." Hibiki sighed, leaning against his chest."It's just...I'm not used to this. I never had a boyfriend before..."
"I never had a girlfriend either...But honestly, I think we made good progress." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and taking in her scent."We're not as clueless as we were. And we're happier than before. Though...we did have a few fights..."
"Chris-chan was telling me that couples argue all the time. We're not perfect." Hibiki looked up at him, pecking him on the nose."It just means we have things to work out in our relationship. And that not agreeing on anything is good. Since we complement each other's flaws."
"I guess that's true." Hajime nodded in agreement. They intertwined fingers, smiling upon seeing their friends having fun."This is something worth fighting for, isn't it?"
"So every day can be like this with our friends." She beamed."I never went on a trip with this many friends before. It's so...different."
"You're telling me? I never went on a trip with friends, period." Hajime scratched his head."It's nice. But...I should probably get started on my training."
"Enjoy our time off won't hurt too much." She squeezed his hand lovingly."I know how you feel but we'll have time for everything."
Before Hajime could retort, a flash caught their attention. Setsuna grinned at them, holding her phone and taking pictures."Don't mind me! Just getting good memories!"
"Damn it, Setsuna." Hajime groaned, trying to snatch the phone away to no avail."Let us know next time!"
"You're just mad I caught you on your bad angle, Haji." The brunette stuck her tongue out. Hajime proceeded to chase around his sister with Hibiki giggling at their silly behavior. This was going to be a trip they will never forget.
Finally, we're starting the second half of GX, and what better way to prepare for the battles ahead than the beach episode? I'll expand it for a few chapters. So the next one and maybe a bit of the other one will involve the beach. Since Garie's attack still happens and all. Next chapter we'll start beach shenanigans for real!