Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore
Requiem V: Jyamar Ball Game, the First Half
Molly decided to write in her diary about what happened in the last round. Making sure nobody would overhear her, she sat down and wrote.
"Alright, so it was the third round of the Desire Grand Prix and it was called a Witch Hunting Game. We ended up fighting a bunch of Jyamatos dressed as witch hunters from back in the day. It took place in Luz's home. In the end, we won but…Penn died when he faced the Boss himself. That just hit home how real this is, and how at any moment we could die…and our loved ones would never know what happened to us. I wanted to reach out to Penn's family, to tell them their son had died a hero, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea…I'd just be opening a big can of worms for my own family if I suddenly talked about a kid who was missing from states away. Anyway…regardless of how I'm feeling, I'm not going to give up. It would just make Penn's death meaningless."
Molly sighed as she finished her entry and closed her diary. Glancing to her right, she looked at her Desire Driver and Raise Buckles. Her wish was to make the world a happy place and that was a wish worth fighting for.
Marcy was panting as she stood in the middle of the training room. She had just gotten through fighting several holo-Jyamatos, trying to work out her frustration at losing a fellow Kamen Rider. Marcy knew, just like all of them, that this game was life-or-death. That every time they transformed to go out and fight the Jyamatos, there was a good chance they were going to die. But when she was with Sasha and Anne, the idea of them dying felt like such a far-off concept. The three of them together were an invincible team, and that showed during their battle with the Judge Jyamato.
Likewise, Luz and Amity were the same. They were so in love with each other, and just as much in sync. They were a dynamic duo and it was hard for Marcy to see either of those two dying in this game. Molly and Marco seemed like a good pairing, and Penn…well…until that last game, she had thought he would make it a bit further, or at least retire from the game instead of dying.
Marcy brought up her cell phone and checked the news sites. She found several articles about Penn Zero in his local hometown. How they were searching for him, and how his family and friends were worried about his disappearance. Marcy nearly threw her phone at the wall when she saw the word "disappearance".
'He didn't just disappear…he's dead! They're searching for nothing!' Marcy thought, bitterly.
Just then, Marcy heard the door open from behind her and turned around to see who it was. She paused when she saw that it was Sasha, leaning against the doorframe as she looked at her best friend.
"Hey, Mar-Mar," Sasha greeted.
"Hey," Marcy replied.
"You feelin' alright?" Sasha asked as she entered the room.
"Not completely," the Taiwanese admitted, sighing. "I searched Penn online and found all these articles about his disappearance. People in his hometown have sent out search parties to look for him, saying he disappeared. They don't know how pointless it is and we can't even tell them what really happened to him."
"I know it sucks, Marce. He didn't deserve to go out like that." Sasha glanced about at the disappearing holograms of the Jyamatos. "Guess you wanted to take out some frustration on these guys, huh?"
"It helps, but…not as much as I'd like hurting them. Anyway, did you need something?" Marcy asked.
"Actually, I kinda do." Sasha crossed her arms. "I need to know what you overheard from the Nocedas and Blight."
"Uh, what makes you think I understood a word of what they said?" Marcy questioned, raising a curious eyebrow.
"Marcy, it's you," Sasha replied with a chuckle. "I may not have been there at your high school, but I know for a fact that someone like you would pick up a couple of foreign languages. One of which I'm sure is Japanese, right?"
"Watashi ga nihongo o mananda koto o shinjita hō ga ī yo, Sasha. (You better believe I learned Japanese, Sasha.)" Marcy puffed out her chest and placed her hands on her hips proudly as she spoke fluent Japanese.
"Of course, a diehard weeb to the end," said Sasha.
"I prefer 'otaku', thank you very much."
"So I can take a guess that, for more practical reasons, you probably also learned how to speak Spanish. Am I wrong?"
Marcy hated to admit it, but she did, in fact, take AP Spanish.
"Yes, I did."
"Great, so you can tell me what they were saying," Sasha chirped hopefully.
Marcy looked into the eyes of her best friend and remembered the conversation that she overheard. She didn't know the full story behind it as there was a lot of missing context. Even if – IF – Marcy felt inclined to tell Sasha, without the whole story, going off on what she picked up from accidentally eavesdropping on the Nocedas and Amity's conversation wouldn't do them much good.
"Sasha, leave it alone. It was a private conversation and I'm not about to violate their privacy by telling you what I heard," said Marcy as she began to walk out of the room.
Sasha raised her right leg and planted it against the other side of the door frame, blocking Marcy's exit.
"Mar-Mar, whatever they said could give us an edge over Noceda and Blight. At this rate, things are going, and neither one of us is going to end up in the finals. Blight's magic is already a hax and Noceda...that girl just creeps me the hell out. There's something wrong with her. What it is, I don't know, but it's something dangerous. Did you see how she mowed down those Jyamatos in the last game?"
Marcy had to admit, while they were all riding the high of avenging Penn, the way Luz brutally killed those Jyamatos without a shred of mercy, or even any semblance of such, was kind of terrifying. Sasha even told them about how Luz violently took out the Boss Jyamato during the second round.
"I'll admit, she can be a bit brutal in her executions of those monsters but it's understandable since Amity got hurt both those times," Marcy pointed out.
"Yeah, very brutal, almost like she's a seasoned killer," Sasha frowned.
"Sasha, what are you saying? You think Luz is some kind of murderer or something? C'mon, they wouldn't allow someone like that into this game. This is just as much about saving the world as it is about getting what we want. Inviting a killer would defeat the whole purpose," Marcy countered.
"They don't seem to have a problem with inviting a witch, even if it's unfair," Sasha argued. "Plus…she scares me, Marcy."
Marcy had to take a moment to absorb what Sasha just told her. Sasha was the 'Scare Dare Queen' and there wasn't a challenge that she came up with that she couldn't complete. The 'Book of Losers' was evidence enough as Sasha had never had to put her name in it. And from what she recalled during their video chats and texts, Sasha's challenges have only gotten a bit more extreme. Even so, Sasha was fearless. There was no one she couldn't stand up to and nothing frightened her. So, to hear Sasha Waybright, the baddest badass girl she had ever known, admit that she was afraid of someone, was nothing short of impossible.
"Sasha, you can't be serious…right?" Marcy questioned.
Sasha looked down at the floor, her brow furrowing as her hands began to tremble.
"I don't know how to explain it, but when Noceda glared at me that one time…I felt…fear. Like, a primal, instinctual fear. Like every cell in my body was telling me that she was dangerous, and if I wasn't careful, she would end me." Sasha visibly shuddered when she recalled Luz's glare. "Plus, have you seen her skills? She fights like she's done this all before!"
Another point that Marcy had to agree upon. Amity's fighting skills were one thing since she was a witch from a different dimension. For all they knew, witches in her home dimension were trained warriors or had to adapt to harsh conditions that made them stronger than normal humans and more skilled in combat. On the other hand, Luz looked like a regular teenage girl and yet her combat skills were far above all of theirs. If anything, it almost looked as if this tournament was child's play to her.
"Do you understand why I want you to spill the beans, Marcy? We don't know what kind of person Luz Noceda is. She could be a killer or she could be something else entirely. I don't want to risk having someone like that stay in this game and possibly risk losing you or Anne," said Sasha. "It's not just for the sake of winning, it's for our safety."
Marcy was starting to worry herself. What if Sasha was right? What if Luz really was a bad person? What if she was scheming to kill off the remaining players? Perhaps she was just waiting for the games to get harder to do them in? Penn rushed in and, unfortunately, got himself killed. The seven of them had consistently stayed at the top, so now would be the time to start offing players if she wanted to.
'Maybe…Maybe Sash is right? What if Luz is just playing us? But if that's true, is Amity in on it? Or is Luz just manipulating her as well?' Marcy thought.
The Taiwanese teen remembered the conversation she had with Luz in the lounge, along with Amity and Molly. She didn't feel the fear that Sasha was talking about. Instead, she felt a kindred otaku spirit in Luz, someone who also loved Kamen Riders. They also shared a friendly debate about 'Cynthia Coven' and 'The Good Witch Azura' book series.
There were two conflicting versions of Luz Noceda in Marcy's head right now, and she was not sure which one was the real one. The hidden monster that Sasha was afraid of or the loving girlfriend and anime nerd, which one was the real Luz Noceda?
"Sash, I get it and I know admitting that wasn't easy. You're the bravest, most fearless girl I've ever met in my life. And back when we were kids, you were like my knight in shining armour, always there to protect me and Anne. That's what I really admire about you," said Marcy. Sasha blushed a bit when she heard that. "But, right now, I don't have enough data to say that Luz is a bad person."
Sasha brought her leg down as she stared at Marcy in shock.
"B-But I just–!"
"I'm not dismissing your feelings, Sasha. I know you wouldn't admit that you were afraid of Luz if you truly weren't afraid of her. But at the same time, I don't think we have the whole story. And from what I overheard, it's still too early for me to draw a conclusion one way or the other. For now, I say we just keep being cautious. We continue to watch each other's backs and make sure no one else dies," Marcy suggested.
Sasha growled in frustration as she punched the door frame.
"Fine, Marcy. But if anyone dies in the next game, don't say I didn't warn you! I'm just trying to keep you two safe!" The blonde teen turned her back to Marcy and was about to leave, but paused to turn her head slightly in her direction. "You know, there is something I'm more afraid of than Noceda."
"What's that?" Marcy asked.
"…Losing the both of you."
Sasha left and the door slid closed behind her. Marcy sighed heavily as she dropped to the floor and sat on her rear.
"Me too, Sash. Me too."
A week passed since the last Jyamato attack and Molly was back to her old happy self. She may not be able to forget Penn's death but being sad all the time would not be doing her any favours and it worried her friends and family. As much as it hurt, she needed to move on and focus on the present. She was still in the Desire Grand Prix and needed to be ready for the next game. It could be anything but if the people needed to be saved from the Jyamatos, then Kamen Rider Joy would save them.
Another Jyamar Area had just manifested within LA and Tsumuri summoned all the Riders. The Riders were gathered in the Desire Temple, clad in their DGP uniforms.
"For today's round, you'll be playing as a team," Tsumuri informed them.
"OK, what do you mean 'as a team'?" Sasha demanded.
"You will all work together to defeat the Jyamatos in a game of Jyamar Ball. For this game, the entire Jyamar Area is your field," Tsumuri began to explain.
"That's a huge area," Marcy commented as she saw how much the Jyamar Area covered. "The last Jyamar Area nearly covered a whole town."
"And it's in LA again," Anne remarked. The last time they fought in LA was in a mall but now a large section of the city was their battleground.
"There will be numerous floating rings above the city. Those are your goals. To score points, you need to throw the ball into the goal. If you lose the game, you will all be instantly eliminated and the entire section covered by the Jyamar Area will be lost."
"So we won't have to compete with each other," Molly said, smiling. "That's great."
"I did not say that," Tsumuri corrected, earning a look of surprise from the Irish-Thai-American girl. "You see, you will be earning points for yourselves along with your team."
"Huh?" Molly blinked.
"It's semi-competitive. The points we each earn will be totalled up as a whole to beat the Jyamatos. But then after we beat the Jyamatos, our individual scores will be counted to decide who stays or gets eliminated," Marcy explained.
"Exactly," Tsumuri confirmed. "And this time it'll be a double elimination. At the end of the game, if you win, the two players who score the lowest will be immediately retired from the game."
"So, even if we win the game, two of us are going home?" Marco asked.
"Exactly. Now, Mission Start!"
The Riders were all transported to LA and found themselves standing in the middle of a street. Standing across from them was the Jyamato team. There were six Pawn Jyamatos who were clad in black basketball uniforms with green trim and matching sneakers. One of them even had an afro and was wearing a sweatband. The seventh member of the team was a Rook Jyamato that was dressed similarly, and wearing a captain's armband.
Up in the sky were various glowing rings of light which were the goals.
"Jya jya!" the Captain Jyamato (Rook) pointed at the Riders and then gave them a thumbs-down. "Jya!"
"OK, I don't know what he said but I think that was an insult," Marco remarked.
"Alright, let's teach these bozos a lesson!" Sasha ordered.
The Riders put on their Raise Buckles, preparing to transform.
'I won't fail this time,' Molly resolved.
'I won't lose,' Marco thought.
'I'll win this game too,' Sasha decided.
"Henshin!"
[Armed Propeller!]
[Armed Water!]
[MONSTER!]
[NINJA!]
[BEAT!]
[MAGNUM!]
[ZOMBIE!]
[READY, FIGHT!]
[GAME START!]
30:00
A portal opened up and dropped a black and purple ball down in the middle of the street. Upon seeing it, both sides charged straight for it.
"Oh, no you don't!" Soaron shouted as she strummed her Beat Axe, knocking the Jyamatos off-balance. "Anne! Marcy! Grab the ball!"
Qrok and Newtonne went for the ball but the Captain Jyamato would not allow them to reach it. It raised its right arm, transforming it into an organic arm cannon. The barrel of the weapon began to glow bright with green energy and it fired off a large sphere that flew straight towards Qrok and Newtonne. By the time the two Riders were within arm's reach of the ball, they were hit by the energy blast. It exploded in their faces and sent the two of them flying, sending them sprawling on their backs as their armour sparked from the damage they received.
"Ugh!"
"Argh!"
A Basketball (BB) Jyamato immediately scooped up the ball and ran with it towards one of the goal rings. Joy narrowed her eyes and gave chase, raising her weapon into the air as the quad blades fanned out and spun just as she jumped into the air.
"Get back here!" she shouted as she flew after the BB Jyamato with her Raise Propeller.
Joy aimed herself right over the BB Jyamato and deactivated the Raise Propeller to go into freefall. The rabbit Rider performed a somersault in the air before thrusting both of her legs out and landing, feet first, right into the Jyamato's back. The monster's back made a sickening cracking sound as it was smashed into the ground, face first.
"And Molly McGee sticks the landing!" Joy declared. The impact caused the Jyamato to release the ball and she quickly snatched it up. With great urgency, the rabbit Rider thrust her Raise Propeller into the air and flew towards the goal.
The Captain Jyamato, however, was not about to allow a Rider to score. It raised its arm cannon and powered up for a second shot. The next energy round flew from its cannon and struck Joy in the back.
"Aaarrrghhh!" Joy screamed as sparks burst on impact, forcing her to drop out of the sky and land against the unforgiving asphalt. Despite this, Joy managed to hold onto the ball as she rolled along the street before coming to a stop. She was still stunned by the initial impact but saw that the goal was not too far away. She could still score for the Rider Team.
The Captain Jyamato took advantage of Joy's stunned state as it walked up to her, aiming its arm cannon to fire a third shot. Joy braced herself for the attack. No matter what happened, she was not about to give up the ball.
"Get away from her!"
Just as the cannon was about to fire, Gato came running in and delivered an upward slash with her chainsaw sword that knocked the Captain Jyamato's cannon arm into the air, causing it to misfire its energy ordinance. She then struck the Captain Jyamato twice before kicking it away.
"A-Amity?" Joy stammered.
"Molly!" Gato yelled. "Score the goal!"
"Gotcha!" Joy sprang to her feet, reared her arm back, and threw with all her might, sending the ball flying straight into the goal.
Jyamato Team: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 0 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 3 pts.
"Alright!" Joy exclaimed as she did a V-sign. She had just scored the first goal for her team.
The game was still ongoing, however, as a new ball dropped right in front of the Captain Jyamato. Gato saw this and tried to intercept but the Captain Jyamato took the initiative and punched her in the stomach with its cannon arm. It fired another shot at point-blank range, setting off an explosion that sent Gato flying right into Joy, knocking both of them down. Once that was done, the Captain Jyamato picked up the ball, loaded it into its cannon arm, and looked around for a goal. Once it found its target, the Captain Jyamato took aim and fired. The ball sailed through the air like a meteor before passing through the goal and disappearing.
Jyamato Team: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 0 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 3 pts.
"Wait, how did it get five points!?" Soaron demanded as she grappled with a BB Jyamato.
"The scoring system must be based on distance! The further the shot, the higher the points!" Newtonne concluded.
"So, that means we gotta throw far!" Qrok said and she saw the ball appear again. "Out of my way!" She cocked back her fist and threw a right hook at the BB Jyamato in front of her. As she made a beeline towards the ball, she threw punches left and right, knocking down more of the BB Jyamatos. She was nearly upon the ball and was about to kick it into one of the floating rings in the sky when Soaron suddenly came out of nowhere and slammed her right foot into the ball with all her might. The purple ball was sent flying once again, soaring through the air until it passed through the goal ring and disappeared.
Jyamato Team: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 0 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 6 pts.
"Oh, yeah! Three more points for us!" Soaron cheered.
"Sasha! What the heck, dude!? I had it!" Qrok complained.
"Sorry, Anne, but I saw it first," Soaron teased and then she saw the ball drop again. "Get the ball!"
Lechuz saw the ball as well and it was surrounded by BB Jyamatos. She engaged both her left and right arm blasters and began firing at them. The BB Jyamatos were either shot in the back or took a blast in the face before being thrown to the ground. Once they were subdued, Lechuz ran for the ball and scooped it up. Then, all of a sudden, like before Soaron tackled Lechuz, sending both Riders rolling on the ground.
"Oops, sorry," Soaron faux-apologized as she picked up the ball. She readied to throw it at a ring but, at the last second, a couple of BB Jyamatos tackled her to the ground and made her lose the ball. "Oh, c'mon!"
Lechuz scooped up the ball but before she took it to a goal ring, she decided to give Soaron a few words.
"Turnabout is fair play, Waybright!" Lechuz taunted as she ran for a goal ring.
"Noceda, you - Would you a-holes get off me!?" Soarn shouted.
Newtonne groaned in annoyance at Soaron's antics, but her moment of indignation didn't last long as she witnessed multiple BB Jyamatos begin to spawn. There were seven at first, including the Captain Jyamato, but now there were seventeen, and then they multiplied again, bringing their numbers to twenty-one, outnumbering them 3-to-1.
"OK, this can't be fair!" Kata complained as he used his Raise Water to fight off the Jyamatos.
Meanwhile, Lechuz found herself surrounded by BB Jyamatos. With a smirk, she deployed both her wrist blasters and spun on her heel, firing at them. They all reeled backwards from the shots, clearing a path for her. Spotting the goal in the distance, she tossed the ball up and slotted her Magnum Buckle under her Magnum Shooter after converting it to Rifle Mode. As the ball fell within her sight, she angled her gun just right and pulled the trigger.
[MAGNUM TACTICAL BLAST!]
Miraculously, the blast did not cause the ball to explode but instead launched it across the city. The BB Jyamatos tried to intercept it but they were knocked away by the blazing projectile as it flew through the ring, scoring points for Lechuz and the Rider Team.
Jyamato Team: 10 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 11 pts.
The ball respawned as it fell in front of Soaron. She grinned under her helmet as she picked it up and readied to bat it right into the goal ring in the distance. However, as she tossed it up to strike it, a Jyamato tackled her from behind while another one snatched up the ball. The two Jyamatos then ran away from Soaron who was furious.
"Get back here!" she shouted as she gave chase. As she was getting close to the ball-carrying BB Jyamato, it tossed the ball to its partner. This caused Soaron to momentarily stop and dash straight for the other one but as soon as she got close, it tossed it back to its partner. This game of keep-away continued with the two Jyamatos making noises that could be construed as laughter, mocking Soaron for not being able to catch the ball. "Oh, is that how you wanna play it!?"
Soaron unhooked the Beat Axe from her belt and hit the mode change button before she strummed the guitar.
[Funk Blizzard!]
"Then freeze!"
[TACTICAL BLIZZARD!]
Soaron angrily slashed the air with her Beat Axe, creating an ice wave that crackled as it quickly caught up with the two Jyamatos. However, before they were frozen solid, the Jyamato that had the ball threw it. The ball was then caught by the Captain Jyamato, who loaded it into its arm cannon and fired it at the goal ring, scoring yet again.
Jyamato Team: 10 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 11 pts.
"Dammit!" Soaron cursed.
"Luz, we need to get rid of these Jyamatos," Gato said as she saw the ball drop again. "And we need to get that ball!"
"Gotcha, hermosa!" Lechuz acknowledged as she smiled and ran for the ball.
[MAGNUM STRIKE!]
She jumped straight into the air as she aimed her Magnum Shooter and wrist blasters, opening fire as she dealt the Jyamatos death from above. Countless energy bullets rained down on the Jyamato Team as sparks cascaded in the air from each successful hit. Lechuz landed on the ground and spun around as she fired more shots in a 360-degree spin. Once she stopped, the Jyamatos exploded around her.
Now that they were clear, Lechuz scooped up the ball. She was about to run with it when a bolt of lightning shot down and struck Lechuz's right foot, throwing her forward. As she hit the ground, the ball fell out of her grip and began bouncing away.
"What!?" Lechuz saw the familiar figure of Soaron run by her. "OH, YOU DAMN ASSHAT!"
Soaron ran after the ball and was about to catch it when the Captain Jyamato fired another round from its arm cannon, hitting her in the back and throwing her past the ball. The Captain Jyamato swiftly caught the ball, loaded it up, and fired it again, scoring another goal for its kind.
Jyamato Team: 15 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 11 pts.
"Sasha, what are you doing!?" Qrok demanded as she punched a BB Jyamato.
"I'm trying to win!" Soaron snapped as she saw the ball drop again. She jumped to catch it but the Captain Jyamato fired at the ball, knocking it out of her reach. "I'm starting to get really ticked off with that thing!"
The ball fell and the players all went for it. A BB Jyamato got to it first and threw it at its team. Kata jumped in to intercept but was tackled by another BB Jyamato. It was Joy who managed to grab the ball but she suddenly found herself dogpiled by BB Jyamatos. The ball rolled out of her hand and was picked up by a BB Jyamato. It threw the ball to the Captain Jyamato when Newtonne intercepted it and caught the ball instead. She then jumped high into the air before going into a spin to throw the ball at the farthest ring she could find. The ball went through as she scored for herself and her team.
Jyamato Team: 15 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 16 pts.
The ball respawned and dropped on the Jyamato Team's side. One of them scooped it up before it made a run for it. The Riders gave chase, fighting through a wall of Jyamatos that tried to stop them.
Joy was flying after the running Jyamato when the Captain Jyamato saw her. It aimed its cannon arm and fired. The sphere clipped her and she lost control before she fell on top of a car with a crash.
"Molly!" Kata yelled as he ran to help her and she groaned.
"Don't mind me! Get the ball!" Joy cried.
Kata nodded and chased after the Jyamato to deliver a flying kick that knocked the ball out of its hand. As the ball tumbled through the air, the other Jyamatos tried to catch it but Lechuz fired her Magnum Shooter at the ball, sending it to Gato.
"Amity!" Lechuz yelled. Gato was about to catch the ball when Soaron suddenly intercepted and swung her Beat Axe at it, sending it flying through a goal ring.
Jyamato Team: 15 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 19 pts.
"YES!" Soaron cried out in triumph.
Gato growled but kept silent as the ball dropped again. As the players went after it, the Captain Jyamato charged up its cannon arm and fired a barrage of blasts. Multiple explosions went off all over the place, throwing the Riders several feet away from the ball. The Captain Jyamato then nonchalantly picked up the ball as it rolled up to its feet, loaded it in its cannon arm and fired at a far goal ring, scoring five more points for their side.
Jyamato Team: 20 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 5 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 19 pts.
"Amity, it's time to play some Grudgby," Lechuz told her girlfriend as she helped her up.
"Alright," Gato said as she cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. "Cover me."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Lechuz saluted, smiling under her helmet as she got her gun ready.
Gato got behind Lechuz as the owl Rider unleashed a full barrage on the ball. None of the rounds hit the ball but instead, they struck the ground around it, creating a huge dust cloud, obscuring it from view. The ball rolled out of the cloud of dust and out into the open.
A BB Jyamato quickly grabbed it as soon as it was exposed and chucked it to the Captain Jyamato. The Captain Jyamato reached out and got ready to catch it, but the moment the monster made contact, the ball went poof.
The Captain Jyamato was visibly confused and so were the rest of its teammates as they tried to figure out where the ball went. Just then, a vine sprouted out of the ground and whipped something towards Lechuz. The owl Rider smirked as she jumped into the air and threw a spinning roundhouse, smashing the ball straight towards the goal.
"GOOOOOOOAAAAALLL!" Lechuz yelled as she thrust her arms into the air.
Jyamato Team: 20 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 22 pts.
The ball dropped out of thin air again, and just as before, the Jyamatos ran for it. Suddenly, the ground around the ball started to rumble as several stone pillars sprouted out. Each pillar smashed into one Jyamato after the other, throwing them back or outright destroying them. Lechuz sniped a few stragglers as she glanced over her shoulder. Gato had a spell circle drawn on the ground before drawing a second one. With the casting of the second spell, the pillars began reassembling, creating a thick wall of stone that kept both the Jyamatos and the other
Riders away from the ball while forming a linear path right for the goal.
"Go for it, gatita!" Lechuz yelled.
Gato ran straight for the ball and scooped it up with her left hand. With her right, she drew another spell circle and then slapped the ball, setting it on fire. With the added fire spell, Gato launched it like a rocket straight for the goal ring where it passed right through with embers falling in its wake.
Jyamato Team: 20 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 27 pts.
"You scored a five-pointer, babe!" Lechuz cheered and the couple shared a high-five.
"Couldn't have done it without you, Luz."
Soaron narrowed her eyes as she watched Gato cast magic. Despite Tsumuri confirming that it was not cheating, it still did not seem fair.
[MONSTER STRIKE!]
The ball was in Qrok's hands now and she punched it with her Monster Glove, sending it flying through a goal.
Jyamato Team: 20 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 32 pts.
"We're in the lead!" Newtonne cheered as she saw the scoreboard. At this rate, they would defeat the Jyamato Team for sure.
The Captain Jyamato did some hand signs and the BB Jyamatos understood. They reached behind their backs and pulled out their machetes before they rushed at the Riders to attack them.
"Dang it!" Kata blocked a machete with his Raise Water and kicked the Jyamato away. "They're not playing around this time!"
"We can't let them score!" Joy yelled as she slashed one of them with her Raise Propeller. They could not afford to lose.
While the Riders were distracted, the Captain Jyamato used this chance to score another goal.
Jyamato Team: 25 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 32 pts.
When the ball dropped again, there were no Riders available to claim it, so the Captain Jyamato fired and scored another goal.
Jyamato Team: 30 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 32 pts.
And another.
Jyamato Team: 35 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 32 pts.
[TACTICAL BREAK!]
[TACTICAL BLAST!]
Gato and Lechuz delivered their attacks, destroying the BB Jyamatos that stood in their way. They saw the ball come down and went for it but Soaron saw it too. She was not about to let them catch it.
[TACTICAL BLIZZARD!]
A sheet of ice formed under Lechuz and Gato's feets, causing them to slip and Soaron scooped up the ball.
"Have a nice trip?" Soaron mocked but then vines snatched the ball from her. "Son of a bitch!" She whirled around and saw the vines retract to the Captain Jyamato's cannon arm and then it fired. The ball sailed over the players and flew right into a goal ring. "Oh, c'mon! That's bullshit!"
Jyamato Team: 40 pts.
Kamen Rider Joy: 3 pts.
Kamen Rider Kata: 0 pts.
Kamen Rider Soaron: 6 pts.
Kamen Rider Qrok: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Newtonne: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Gato: 5 pts.
Kamen Rider Lechuz: 8 pts.
Total for Rider Team: 32 pts.
And that was when the clock ran out.
!00:00!
{That is the end of the first half,} Tsumuri announced as the Jyamatos all vanished. {Everyone, please return to the Desire Temple.}
"Seriously, Waybright, what the hell was that!?" Luz demanded.
"I was trying to win!" Sasha snapped.
"You got in the way of us scoring and now the Jyamatos are in the lead thanks to you!"
"Not my fault you suck, Noceda!"
Everyone was trying to rest after the first half of the Jyamar Ball game. Unfortunately, thanks to the two girls arguing in the middle of the room, nobody could relax.
"Waybright, I don't care how much you want to stay in this game, but if you keep screwing us over like this, we're gonna lose and that whole section of LA and everyone in it is going to be wiped out," Luz growled. "Do you want that?!"
"Then why not help me win? Once I'm far enough in the lead, maybe I'll let you and your little witchy girlfriend score enough points to stay in the game," Sasha countered. To be honest, she'd rather have Luz and Amity retire from the DGP. That way they could not threaten her ranking and Anne and Marcy could stay with her until the final round. She did not even consider Molly or Marco a threat.
Luz snorted and stormed out of the lounge with Amity following after her. The pink-haired witch looked over her shoulder to shoot Sasha a cold glare before she caught up with Luz.
"Why can't we just work together?" Molly questioned.
"Fat chance of that happening, Molls," Marco scoffed, crossing his arms. "According to the rules, while we beat the Jyamatos by scoring more than them, we're still competing with each other to stay in the game. That's not gonna help us work together."
"I'm going to the bathroom." Marcy stood up to leave in the same direction as Luz and Amity but Sasha grabbed her arm. "Sasha?"
"Marcy, I notice you've been getting pretty chummy with those two," Sasha stated.
"I'm just being friendly, Sash."
"They're our rivals, Marcy. In this game, there are winners and losers and I am no loser. So, I need to know if you're with us or against us."
Marcy stared at Sasha then glanced over her shoulder to see Anne who watched them worriedly. Looking back at Sasha, she gave her friend a comforting pat on the shoulder.
"I'm with you," Marcy swore. "Always."
"Good," Sasha smiled.
"Could you let go of my arm, Sash? I really need to pee."
After her bathroom break, Marcy decided to look for Luz and Amity. She knew they were headed to one of the training rooms. Using her Spider Phone, she scrolled through the list of training rooms until she found the one that was occupied by the couple. It was not too far.
It amazed her how big the Desire Temple was on the inside, but she was not surprised. With their advanced technology, creating a bigger-on-the-inside building would be within their capabilities.
"OK." Marcy steeled herself and entered the training room. She found the couple in their Rider forms and sparring against the holographic Jyamatos. Marcy also watched as Gato cast magic on the Jyamatos.
To think magic and witches were real! That was just so cool! And Amity's ears made her look like an elf. Maybe her race was originally called 'elves' but after mastering magic, they switched to calling themselves 'witches'?
Oh, she had so many questions for them, but right now she needed to speak with them about what she had learned. But more importantly, Marcy needed to confirm who or what Luz was before they reached the endgame.
"Hey, girls!" Marcy called. Lechuz and Gato stopped to see her approach.
"Oh, hey, Marcy!" Lechuz smiled as she waved. They stopped the sparring session and disengaged their suits.
"Did you need the training room?" Amity asked.
"No, actually, I came here to talk to you two, alone," said Marcy.
"OK, did you want to talk about strategy?" Luz asked.
"No. What I wanted to talk about is you, Luz. Rather, what I overheard."
Amity and Luz were growing a little uneasy with what Marcy was saying.
"What do you mean? What did you overhear?" Amity asked.
"Cuando estabas hablando con tu mamá en español, Luz, entiendo cada palabra (When you were talking to your mom in Spanish, Luz, I understood every word)," Marcy spoke in Spanish.
Luz's eyes widened as Amity's eyes narrowed. The teenage witch quickly grabbed Marcy and brought her to the other side of the room. It all happened so fast that Marcy could only yelp and let herself be dragged along. Despite Amity's lithe appearance, she was surprisingly strong.
Amity placed Marcy in the corner of the room and slammed her left hand against the wall right next to Marcy's head, cutting off her exit from that direction. At the same time, Luz came up from the right and leaned against the wall, cutting off Marcy's other escape route while giving her a perfect view of the door. They could not afford for anyone to eavesdrop on them.
"So, you heard what we were talking about. I guess you have questions," said Amity.
Marcy gulped but steeled her nerves once again.
"I do, mostly for Luz." The Taiwanese teen turned her head to face the Latina in question. "Everyone heard how your dad used to be a Kamen Rider in the Desire Grand Prix, but when you were talking to your mother in the lounge, it sounded like this wasn't the first time you were a Kamen Rider. And after what I've seen, I'm inclined to believe that. You fight too well to be a beginner like me and everyone else. I don't know what kind of training Amity's received, but I can tell she's had a fair amount of combat experience too."
"You're not wrong in either case," Luz said with a sigh.
"So, I need to know, Luz, because I want to trust you. I want to put my trust in you, but at the same time, I'm afraid of what you might do to me, my friends, and possibly the other players. We lost someone already, and I don't want to lose another," said Marcy.
"Are you trying to suggest that Luz is trying to kill you all off?!" Amity angrily retorted. "That's the last thing she wants!"
"Luz has demonstrated extreme brutality when it comes to the Jyamatos. I know they're monsters, but from the way she goes about it, it's almost as if she's channelling some kind of killer instinct," Marcy stated.
Luz rubbed her left arm uncomfortably. She was not blind to her behaviour. She had been channelling her dark side during the fights with the Jyamatos. At this point, her sheer brutality had become instinctual and necessary just so she and Amity could survive in this game.
"Marcy, Luz is not that kind of girl." Amity briefly glanced at Luz, noticing how uncomfortable she was. "Has she gone a bit too far in killing the Jyamatos? Yes. But with our lives at stake, we cannot afford to hold back against them."
"Then tell me why they look so deathly afraid of her whenever she gets like that?" Marcy questioned. "They don't do that for anyone else. Not me, not Anne, and definitely not Sasha. The only Rider in this game that seems to scare the living crap out of them is Luz."
"…It's…complicated, Marcy," Luz said.
"Luz, you don't have to say anything. You don't owe her an explanation. Not after what we've been through – what you've been through," Amity told her.
Luz looked into Marcy Wu's eyes. She did not see any deceit or ulterior motives in her questions. This was a girl who was genuinely concerned for her safety and the safety of her friends. Luz couldn't help but smile at that. Marcy basically walked herself into the lion's den, without any inclination that her questions might just end up getting her hurt. That took guts.
"You care a lot about your friends, don't you?" Luz asked.
"They're my best friends. Sasha and I may be butting heads right now, and she may tick me off sometimes but that doesn't change the fact that I love them. I won't let anyone hurt them if I can help it," Marcy boldly declared.
Luz reached over with her right hand and placed it on Amity's shoulder.
"It's okay, batata."
"But…"
"I think we can trust her."
Amity wasn't completely assured, but she was willing to trust Luz's judgment for now. The teen witch moved away from Marcy, allowing the Taiwanese teen to move out of the corner and face the both of them.
"There are certain things I can't really tell you, Marcy. Mostly because they are both very personal and painful for me. But I will tell you what I can. Is that fair enough?" Luz asked. Marcy glanced at Amity, who was now moving closer to Luz and giving her a hug. She then gave Luz a nod of confirmation. "I've made mistakes, mistakes that hurt people, including the people I love. I indulged in my own darkness, and because of that, I've done things that I wasn't able to take back. I thought I would never get a chance at redemption, that I would have to live with my terrible mistakes for the rest of my life. But then…"
"You got chosen to participate in the DGP," Marcy finished and Luz nodded.
"Yeah. I don't want to erase the past. After everything I did, you'd think that's what I would wish for. But if I did, I wouldn't be with Amity. So, now I'm fighting to fix my mistakes."
"That still doesn't explain your combat proficiency and how the Jyamatos are scared of you."
Luz hesitated to answer when she felt Amity take her hand. She looked at her girlfriend who gave her a comforting smile, urging her to answer.
"...I was a Kamen Rider before this but not a very good one, in terms of moral alignment anyway," Luz confessed. "And the reason the Jyamatos are so afraid of me is that I'm 'tapping into' the old me. I guess they can sense it."
"Hm, they must see you like you're some kind of predator," Marcy theorised. "In nature, prey animals have an instinctual fear of predators. Maybe that's it."
"Marcy, if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that I don't want anyone to die. The only ones who will be on the receiving end of my wrath will be the Jyamatos. I can tell how dear your friends are to you. The last thing I want is to take them away from you, or see you taken by the Jyamatos." Luz walked up to Marcy and held out her right hand. "It's fine if you don't trust me. I won't blame you. But please believe me when I say I won't harm any of you or any of the other players. If I did, it would make my whole wish irrelevant. I can barely live with what I did in the past. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I sacrificed the lives of the Riders here just to get my wish."
Marcy looked into Luz's eyes. When she did, she could see pain and remorse but also hope. Whatever Luz had gone through in her past left a mark on her, psychologically speaking.
"I get why you may not want to tell me everything and that's fine. I understand." Marcy reached out and shook Luz's hand. "I'll trust you, Luz Noceda. Kamen Riders fight to protect the innocent and I can tell that you're willing to do that. I do hope that one day, maybe you'll trust me enough to tell me the whole story."
"Well, if I ever get a publisher lined up, you can read all about it," Luz said with a smile.
"Wait, you wrote a book?" Marcy asked.
"Luz turned her experiences into a story," Amity explained.
"It was therapeutic at first but I'm thinking of making it into a career," Luz added.
"Huh, is that so?" Marcy was intrigued. "Well, if I end up getting retired, and you still manage to remember me, send me a copy, will ya?"
"Wouldn't it be a bit weird to receive a book from a total stranger?" Luz questioned.
"Eh, I'm weird like that," Marcy shrugged her shoulders.
"Us weirdos have to stick together," Luz whispered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, just something I remembered."
Dr. Exposition: The first half of the Jyamar Ball game ends with the Jyamatos in the lead. Sasha just keeps trying to hog the ball so why was she not penalized? Perhaps her moves were not seen as attacks on other players and were considered accidental. In any case, she's being a total jerk. Marcy also goes up to Luz for an explanation about what she has heard and wishes to know more. Hopefully, Sasha does not try to force the issue again this time. So, who do you think will be the two players eliminated this round?