Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore
Requiem VII: Jyamato Hunting Season
It was the morning after the last round of the Desire Grand Prix. Amity yawned as she stretched out, feeling a bit sore from the battle in LA. She could hardly believe how close they were now. It was just down to five Riders: Amity, Luz, Sasha, Marcy and Anne.
The teen witch girl frowned a bit when she remembered how that last game went. From what Luz told her, Marcy was willing to cooperate to help them score some points. That was a stark contrast to how Anne and Sasha operated.
'If they hadn't blocked that one shot from Molly, she might still be in the game,' Amity thought bitterly.
Amity didn't want to think badly of Anne, as Marcy didn't seem to put much emphasis on her being anything like Sasha. Those three were friends, after all, so it did make sense for Anne to help out Sasha, and for Sasha to help Anne.
As Amity got out of bed and began making it, she wondered what those three could want so badly. Looks could be deceiving. Just because Marcy was a sweet girl, that didn't mean that her wish would not be a selfish one. The same could be said for Anne and Amity dreaded what someone like Sasha could wish for. It was hard for Amity not to see the clear parallels between Sasha and Boscha.
"That girl could easily wish to rule the world or something. I know they said that any wish we desire could be granted but just how much power do they have? Can they really affect the world to that degree?" Amity pondered aloud.
She stopped midway while making her bed.
"If it doesn't…then are we just fighting for nothing? No, they would've said that our wishes couldn't be fulfilled. But what if they don't see the wish until after the battle is over? They could end up telling us that they can't fulfil it because they can't affect another realm. If that happens…then why did we fight so hard?"
Amity shook those thoughts out of her head as she continued making her bed.
"Never mind that now, Amity. Focus on the game and make sure either Luz or I win. Luz needs this."
Once she was done, Amity was about to exit her room but stopped when she saw the door open. She saw Vee, in her original form, standing by the doorframe.
"Hey, Vee. What's up?" Amity asked.
"Oh, uh, Amity. I was wondering, could you talk with Luz?"
Amity raised an eyebrow at that.
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"I don't know. She won't talk to me and she looks like how she did when you guys came back from the Demon Realm after that whole Oscura mess was over," Vee explained.
"Have you told Camila yet?" Amity asked worriedly.
"No, I figured you'd want to talk to Luz first before I told Mom," said Vee.
"Okay, just give me a few minutes. I'll find out what's up."
Vee nodded and slithered away to go and get some breakfast. Amity walked to Vee and Luz's room and knocked on the door.
"Luz, it's me, Amity."
There was no response.
"Luz, I'm coming in. You better have some shorts on or something," Amity warned.
Again, no response.
'Wow, that usually gets some kind of reaction from her.'
Amity slowly opened the door and found Luz sitting against the wall in her bed, hugging her legs against her chest as she pressed her forehead to her knees.
"Luz, what's wrong? Vee said you didn't look so good. Are you sick?" Amity asked as she approached the bed.
Luz didn't respond, keeping her face hidden from Amity. Amity sat on the edge of the bed as she reached out and touched Luz's knee.
"Luz, please, don't shut me out. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," Amity urged.
Luz's left arm let go of her legs and she pointed towards the desk.
"Look inside the Mission Box."
Amity glanced at the box.
"Was…Was there something bad in there?" Amity asked.
"Just…Just look."
Amity didn't know what Luz saw in that box to put her in such a mood, but Amity decided to go and see what it was. The teen witch girl got off the bed and walked to the desk. Once there, she carefully opened the Mission Box and looked inside. When she did, Amity dropped the lid, letting it clatter against the floor as she gasped in horror.
Inside the Mission Box was a large Raise Buckle but it was unlike the ones they had already seen before. The main body was made out of grey metal and there was a ring-shaped pull switch on the side. However, it was the faceplate staring back at Amity that caused her reaction. Surrounded by seven dark rainbow-coloured stones was the mask of Kamen Rider Oscura. Amity backed away from the box as if it was cursed. Considering what it was, it might as well be.
"Luz…w-why does that Buckle look like Oscura's mask?" Amity asked.
"I opened the box up last night. I wanted to see if it was a Buckle, and if it was, I wanted to go to the Desire Temple to train with it. But…but when I saw what it was…" Luz's hands began to tremble. "Why, Amity? Why would there be a Raise Buckle that looks exactly like…like her?! Why would they make something like that?! And of all people, why give it to me?!"
Amity quickly got into the bed and held Luz close to her.
"Shh, shh. It's okay," she whispered soothingly. "This…This must be a sick joke. It has to be. That can't be a real Raise Buckle for you to use."
"Amity, I don't want to become her again! I don't want to become a monster!" Luz wept.
"You never have to, and no one can force you to." Amity furrowed her brow as she made Luz turn her head to look up into her eyes. "Luz, get dressed. We're going to pay Tsumuri a visit. We're getting to the bottom of this right now!" Amity drew a spell circle and pointed it at the box. She levitated the lid back onto the box before wrapping it in a protective energy bubble, more for their protection than the item itself. "I'll keep an eye on the box, so don't worry,"
"O-Okay. Thanks, Amity."
Back at the Desire Temple Lounge area, Tsumuri was busy looking through her tablet. Checking for any updates or alerts regarding the next game. Mr. Butler was behind the bar area, cleaning a few glasses.
Mr. Butler welcomed these breaks between games. It was nice and peaceful. While he was in the business of hospitality, he did enjoy some peace and quiet in the morning. It allowed him time to ponder things as he would not be busy serving the players. The serenity was soon shattered when the doors to the lounge opened up, and Amity Blight stormed in with Luz Noceda in tow.
"Tsumuri, why in the name of the Titan did you send that Buckle to Luz?!" Amity demanded.
Tsumuri casually looked up from her tablet and greeted the two players.
"Ms. Blight, Ms. Noceda, to what do we owe this pleasure?" she asked.
"Don't play coy with me!" Amity floated the Mission Box over to the table in the middle of the lounge, and then used her magic to lift the lid, showing off the Raise Buckle. "Explain that to me! Why does that Buckle look like…like…!"
"Oscura?"
Luz flinched at the name.
"Yes," Amity confirmed. "Do you have any idea the kind of mental trauma she's been through because of what happened to her?! She was finally getting better, we were finally getting better, and you just dropped that on her! What is wrong with you people?!"
Tsumuri put down her tablet, stood up, and took hold of the Mission Box.
"Allow me to at least dispel one fear for you Ms. Noceda. This Buckle does not use any type of magical energy, so while it will grant you access to some of your abilities from your time as Oscura, it won't be quite as potent as when you wielded the Philosopher's Stone. But make no mistake, Ms. Noceda, that this Raise Buckle is not only unique but also very powerful."
"I don't care about that! I won't use it!" Luz argued firmly.
"Even if it means you'll have a greater edge over your competitors?" Tsumuri asked. "While I can't say much, I can say that you, Ms. Noceda, have garnered the attention of someone connected to this game. And that someone very much wants to see you in your prime, when you were at your most powerful. To that end, they have granted you this great boon. It would be a shame not to use it. Since it is very rare for unique Buckles to be made specifically for a certain Rider to use."
"So you're saying someone WANTS to see Luz in pain?!" Amity angrily questioned, glaring furiously at the DGP navigator. "If they know what Luz went through, then they should also know how much pain she was in when it was all over! How much it still hurts! And you people just want her to become that person again?! For what?! To what end?!"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Blight, but I cannot divulge any further information. If this person wants to contact you, they will of their own volition. Until then, this rightfully belongs to Ms. Noceda." Tsumuri held the Mission Box to Lus.
Luz glared at the box in Tsumuri's hands. Inside of it was a physical manifestation of all the heartache and pain she went through when she was fourteen. It was four years ago that Luz became Oscura, conquered the Demon Realm, and hurt so many people. Among those people was her girlfriend, the one standing in front of her, defending her, trying to protect her from ever being put in that situation again. Luz wanted to win, she wanted to undo the damage she had done, to bring back the lives that were taken directly and indirectly by her hands. But this was a price she was NOT willing to pay.
"I don't care who this person is. As far as I'm concerned, they're just cruel people who just want to watch me suffer! Well, you can tell them they can go screw themselves! I'll win this game! Without becoming a monster! I will never become O-O-Oscura again!" Luz declared.
Tsumuri sighed as she got the lid of the Mission Box and placed it back on.
"Be that as it may, Ms. Noceda, this is yours and yours alone." Tsumuri put the box back on the table, picked up her tablet, and tapped the screen. "But, if that is how you feel. I will keep the Raise Buckle here in the temple. Should you desire it back, you can use this." Luz's Spider Phone beeped. She took it out and saw that a new app had appeared on the screen. "You're free to recall the Mission Box before or during the next game. Whatever you decide, the decision – in the end – will be yours to make."
Luz looked at the app, sneered, and sighed dejectedly.
"I'm deleting it when I get home."
"Sorry, but you can't delete official DGP apps from the Spider Phone."
"Ugh!" Luz groaned angrily. "Let's go home, Amity! I need a drink!"
"Luz, we're not old enough to drink," said Amity.
"I don't care! I fucking need something!"
Amity followed Luz, but before they left the lounge completely, the Blight stopped and turned to look at Tsumuri with a serious expression.
"Tsumuri, tell me, does the DGP really have the power to grant us whatever we desire?" Amity asked.
Luz paused as well and turned around.
"Indeed, Ms. Blight. We have the power to grant you whatever wish your heart desires," Tsumuri confirmed.
"Even if it's something that affects a realm not even connected to Earth?"
Luz's eyes widened. She didn't even consider that their wish might not be able to be granted since it involved the Demon Realm. She was suddenly gripped with a bout of fear, believing that all their efforts were for nothing in the end, that her step towards redemption was going to be denied.
"Indeed," Tsumuri smiled. "Your wish, whatever it may be, is not bound by the limits of time, space, nor reality itself. Whatever you desire, we can make it real, even if it's a wish that affects an entirely different realm."
Luz sighed with relief, but Amity just got grew warier about this whole game.
"So, for example, say that I desired to rule the world or make someone my slave for the rest of their lives, you would grant that? Even if the person wanting that wish was someone deplorable?" Amity questioned.
"Certain criteria must be met before someone can be chosen as a Rider. Their moral alignment is not one of those criteria."
"So you'll just grant someone who's a completely evil SOB any wish they want?!" Luz questioned incredulously. "What if they desire to blow up the Earth or something?!"
"Calm down, Ms. Noceda. There are certain things that you are not allowed to wish for and that would be one of them. Without the world, we cannot have the DGP, and without people, we cannot have Kamen Riders. So, such wishes are automatically null and void," Tsumuri answered.
"But the whole rule the world, enslavement, and whatever, stuff like that is acceptable?!" Luz asked angrily.
"Acceptable in the sense of morality is different from what is an acceptable desire to be granted. We do not judge the wish by how morally good it is. Only that it is what the player desires the most. No wish is beyond our power to grant. We could, for example, grant you two a wish that would allow you to have a child. One that shares your blood, and is grown inside of you as any normal child would be."
Luz and Amity blushed at the insinuation of the two of them having a child, but at the same time, the idea of such a thing being possible blew their minds.
"I think we've spoken long enough. You two really must get some rest while you can," said Tsumuri.
Luz and Amity glanced at each other, nodded, and exited the lounge area.
"Amity…she just said they have the power to create a life inside one of us…"
"I know."
"And they can even affect the Demon Realm."
"I heard."
Luz stopped walking and looked at her girlfriend.
"Just who are these people? And what kind of power allows them to tamper with life and death like this?" Luz asked.
Amity clenched her fists. This kind of power was practically on the level of gods and these people managed to harness such godly power, and they used it to create a game. It was terrifying.
"Luz, I don't know what Sasha, Marcy, or Anne desire, but we have to make sure that we're the ones who win this," said Amity.
Luz understood. They couldn't risk that any of the other three Riders had malicious wishes. If they did and if any of them won, then it could spell trouble for the entire world.
Tsumuri sighed as she went to the bar counter where Mr. Butler already had a drink prepared for her.
"You handled that rather well, Ms. Tsumuri," Mr Butler praised.
"As well as I could, given the circumstances," Tsumuri replied before taking a sip.
The tablet began to ring and Tsumuri answered it. When she did, a shadowy figure appeared on the screen.
{Seems as if Luz was a bit put off by my gift.}
"I'm sorry. I know you did a lot to have that special item made for that player."
{It's fine. I didn't expect her to accept it just like that. But, given time, she will see that the power she once held is the power she needs to make her desire a reality. Only this time around, she will be the hero I know she can be.}
One week after the Jyamar Ball game, the players were all summoned to the Desire Temple. It had been a good week, which gave them time to rest, relax and train for what was coming. After all, there were only five of them left and that meant they were close to the finals.
"Thank you all for coming," Tsumuri greeted as the five remaining participants of the DGP stood before her in the Desire Temple.
"Let's just get this over with," Luz huffed as she crossed her arms. Tsumuri expected the cold reception but she ignored it and remained professional.
"Today's round is a Jyamato Hunt," Tsumuri said as she brought up the holographic map.
"Wait, is that New York?" Marcy asked as she recognised it.
"Indeed and within the Jyamar Area are four Jyamatos that you each must hunt down and defeat. The player who fails to defeat a Knight Jyamato will be eliminated," Tsumuri informed them.
"And how are we supposed to find these Jyamatos?" Sasha asked.
"Your Spider Phones will be updated with a tracking app. Use it to find your targets," Tsumuri told them. "Good luck, Kamen Riders."
The Kamen Riders were transported out of the Desire Temple and ended up in New York City. However, they did not end up together. When Luz looked around, she could not find Amity or the others anywhere.
"Guess I'm doing this alone," Luz said as she took out her Spider Phone to look for the tracking app. For a moment, her eyes lingered on the app that would allow her to summon her Mission Box but she looked away from it to find her tracking app. Tapping the app, it brought up a map of New York City. "OK, now where are you…?" She then found the closest Jyamato signal which was marked by a stylised 'J' and it was 500 meters East of where she stood. "Alright, it's hunting time."
'Oh, that sounds delicious.'
Amity had never been to New York City but she had seen it on TV and it was usually the setting of a lot of the TV sitcoms she watched with Luz. She enjoyed watching those shows with her as they cuddled on the couch together.
New York was a big city, comparable to LA, but she was not here to sightsee. Taking out her Spider Phone, she tapped the tracking app to find her quarry. She needed to find her target and eliminate it quickly. While she should be looking for Luz, she was confident her girlfriend could handle herself.
"Maybe someday we can take a sightseeing tour here," Amity mused. She was even considering going to visit LA with Luz as well.
Luz wanted to go travelling and some of the places she wanted to see included Japan, the place where anime and Kamen Riders were born. They had even gone to Comicon a few times, cosplaying as Azura and Hecate. Those were the times when Amity could see Luz being happy, bringing back a bit of her old inner light. At first, Luz was not sure if she deserved to dress up as Azura as she had not been a Good Witch but an Evil Overlady instead, but Amity managed to assuage her fears, telling her that they were just going to have fun.
And they did have fun on one Comicon visit when they shared a hotel room. They had a lot of fun that night too. Let's just say, they discovered they really enjoyed roleplaying.
Sasha scowled. She was hoping she could work together with Anne and Marcy but they were separated in this round. With only four targets, that meant one of them would be eliminated. She could not let either Noceda or Blight win.
Sasha wanted to win and needed Anne and Marcy to help her. But once they were in the final three, she would have to compete with her best friends and only one of them could win. She hated the idea of them not being able to share the victory with her, but at least they could help her and she could share the benefits of her wish with them once this was all over. However, lately, Marcy did not act the way she was supposed to. She would not reveal anything to Sasha of whatever she had learned from Amity and Luz, despite her insistence.
Focusing on the task at hand, Sasha brought out her Spider Phone to turn on the tracking app. It did not take her long to find the closest Jyamato signal.
"Let the hunt begin," she grinned viciously as she went to find her target. She was going to win. She was Sasha Elizabeth Waybright and she would not lose.
Luz made her way to Central Park and found her target. There were people there, enjoying their day. Since it was summer vacation, there were plenty of kids and teens just hanging out at the park. Looking at her Spider Phone, she tried to look for her target. Scanning the crowd, her eyes then focused on a particular sight. People were crowded around a weird-looking statue. It looked like a strange two-headed horseman that was covered in prickly green skin. It stood straight, with both its hands resting on the pommel of a multi-branched sword that was pointed down. People were taking pictures with it.
Suddenly, Luz's Spider Phone went off and she saw the message that went across the screen:
'TARGET FOUND.'
As if triggered by her proximity, the two-headed horseman suddenly moved and raised its sword. The people gasped in surprise but continued to take pictures. All of a sudden, it swung its blade. Blood splashed its body as it cut an unfortunate civilian down.
"NO!" Luz screamed.
The people witnessing this screamed once they realized the danger and ran for their lives as the Knight Jyamato began to go on a rampage.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Luz shouted as she attached her Magnum Buckle to her Desire Driver. The logo appeared in front of her as she pressed the trigger while running towards the Knight Jyamato. "Henshin!"
[MAGNUM!]
Bullets shot out of the Magnum Buckle's logo and struck the Knight Jyamato as it held a woman by her throat. The bullets struck, causing it to recoil and release its prey. The bullets then curved right back and hit the logo in front of Luz, transforming her into Kamen Rider Lechuz.
[READY, FIGHT!]
Sparks burst from the Knight Jyamato's chest as Lechuz fired upon it, knocking it back as she ran to help the woman up.
"Get out of here, run!" Lechuz urged and the woman did not argue as she ran for her life.
Seeing a worthy opponent, the Knight Jyamato charged at Lechuz. It swung its sword to take her head off but she quickly squatted to dodge. Rising to her feet, she kicked the Knight Jyamato in the stomach, knocking it back before she fired multiple shots across its chest. It shrugged them off and slashed her across the chest, sending her reeling.
"OK, this is a tough one," Lechuz grunted. But she was not about to give up.
'Use my Buckle,' the dark voice inside of her urged. 'Use my Power. Show this thing who it's dealing with.'
Lechuz ignored the voice and charged at the Knight Jyamato. She would win this game and the Desire Grand Prix without relying on her power.
Gato yelled as she was thrown back after being struck by her Knight Jyamato. She had tracked her target down to the New York Public Library. Unfortunately, she did not have time to admire the place since the Jyamato immediately responded to her presence and began attacking people. They fled in fear and she instantly engaged the Knight Jyamato.
[Poison Charge!]
Rising to her feet, Gato pumped her Zombie Breaker sword, charging the blade up with its special corrosive poison. The Knight Jyamato came at her and she parried its weapon with her chainsaw sword, sparks flying as the teeth ground against her enemy's blade. Gripping the sword tightly in both hands, she struggled as the Knight Jyamato pushed forward but she managed to deliver a kick to its midsection, breaking them apart. She slashed it across the chest, causing sparks to fly before she spun on her heel to deliver a follow-up attack. It managed to block her sword before it delivered a kick that knocked the wind out of her and sent her tumbling down the steps of the library.
As Gato landed on her back, the Knight Jyamato came walking down the steps. Scanning her surroundings, she saw one of the famous lion statues and got an idea. She drew a spell circle and the lion statue glowed for a moment. The lion statue stood up from its pedestal as it came to life and let out a roar. The Knight Jyamato paused when the animated lion statue leapt off its perch and pounced on it. Roaring, it clawed at the Knight Jyamato as it tried to fight it off. Meanwhile, Gato was back on her feet.
The Knight Jyamato managed to throw the lion statue off it and it tumbled through the air before deftly landing on its feet, right next to Gato. Smiling, Gato gently petted the lion's stone mane and climbed on its back.
"This is for Luz! Now, attack!"
The lion statue roared and lunged at the Knight Jyamato. The monster readied to defend itself but it was knocked back by the lion statue's claws. As it picked itself up, the lion statue snapped the Jyamato up in its jaws and shook it violently before spitting it away.
Drawing a spell circle, Gato conjured a stream of fire that struck the Jyamato, causing it to cry out in pain. She would defeat this thing and advance with Luz to the next round.
Sasha's hunt ended as she found her target standing at the base of the Empire State Building. As soon as she was close enough, the Knight Jyamato came to life and went straight at her. She welcomed the challenge as she transformed.
"Henshin!"
[BEAT! READY, FIGHT!]
Sparks flew as they exchanged blows. Swinging her Beat Axe furiously, she attempted to beat the Knight Jyamato with brute strength alone. The Jyamato, however, expertly parried her blows before finding an opening and striking her in the chest, knocking her back. She grunted and then grinned like a maniac.
"Hey, horseshit! Here's a number I wrote for ya!"
[Rock Fire!]
She played the Beat Axe as the music blasted out of the speakers on her shoulders. As she played her Beat Axe, flames danced across its neck as she strummed it wildly.
"Eat this!"
[TACTICAL FIRE!]
She swung her Beat Axe, sending a wave of fire at the Knight Jyamato but it casually walked through the flames. Soaron goggled at the sight, wondering why they did not work, but she did not have time to wonder further as it charged at her and slashed her across the chest, sending her violently tumbling across the ground.
Tsumuri frowned as she observed the battles currently taking place. Lechuz, Gato and Soaron had all found their targets and they were all Knight Jyamatos. This breed of Jyamato was in a whole other class, above the rank-and-file Pawn Jyamatos and the stronger Rook Jyamatos. But she had to have faith in the Riders. At the same time, Newtonne and Qrok had yet to find their targets. With three of the four Knight Jyamatos already found, there was only one left.
By the end of this game, one of the Riders was going home forever.
Marcy ended up on Broadway when she ran into Anne. Turns out, they had been transported close to each other and were looking for their target when they bumped into each other. They should be continuing their hunt, but Marcy decided she needed to speak with Anne.
"Anne, can we talk?" Marcy asked.
"Is now the best time?" Anne responded. "We've got a Jyamato to hunt."
"I know, but we need to talk about Sasha."
"Marcy, I really don't have time for this."
"Anne, please."
"Ugh. Fine, but make it quick. We don't have time to waste."
"Sasha wants us to join her at the finals, right?"
"Yeah, that's right?"
"But that means she wants us to help her win, doesn't she?"
"Of course."
"Anne, we all have wishes we want to be granted. Are you going to sacrifice your wish just to make Sasha happy?"
"Marcy, what are you saying?"
"I have a wish too, same as you, and I want to fight to make it come true. I know you do too. So, is Sasha's wish any more important than ours?" Anne hesitated, unable to answer. "Anne?"
"Look, dude, can we talk about this later? Let's go look for that Jyamato, OK?" Anne deflected before she walked off.
"Anne..." Marcy sighed and took out her Spider Phone to track their target.
Anne was deflecting and that was not good. It was not right for Anne to sacrifice her wish for Sasha's. Was that a bit selfish? Maybe it was but they had all worked hard to get to this point. Maybe Anne felt obligated to Sasha, but that did not mean she needed to live her life based on the blonde's expectations.
Lechuz cried out as another strike from the Knight Jyamato sent her tumbling. Rolling to a stop, she groaned. This Jyamato was stronger than any of the others they had fought so far. It was at a whole other level. She may need something stronger to beat it, like the Boost Buckle. Or...She took out her Spider Phone. For a moment, her eyes went to the app to summon her Mission Box.
"What are you waiting for?"
Suddenly, the world around Lechuz went black, and she was the only one in it.
"What…What's going on? Where am I?"Luz questioned in the darkness, bare of her armour.
"You want to win this game, right? You want to undo all the bad things you did, right? So summon the Buckle."
"That voice…Who are you?!"Luz demanded.
Part of the darkness peeled away before Luz, turning into feathers before revealing someone she thought she'd never have to lay eyes on again. Clad in an indigo dress, with a black cape, her body riddled with scars, a golden crown upon her head, and eyes that had two violet glowing slits in them, was Empress Oscura.
"Did you forget what we sound like already?"
"No…NONONONONONONO! YOU'RE GONE! LUZ AND ANNE – THEY FREED ME FROM YOU! YOU'RE NOT REAL YOU DON'T EXIST ANYMORE!" Luz screamed.
Oscura crossed her arms as she began slowly walking around Luz.
"They got rid of the Oscura in your soul. But you and I damn well know that you can't shake me off in your mind. So long as those memories continue to exist, so long as you still hold onto all those regrets and fears, I will still be here. Especially when you're acting like a little cowardly bitch right now!"
Luz stood up in the dark space and glared at her former self.
"TO HELL WITH YOU!" she screamed. "I know what you're trying to do! It won't work! I won't become you!"
"So you'll just die here, huh? You'll lose the game? Lose your chance at 'redemption'?"
"I'll redeem myself, I'll atone for my sins! But not with your power!"
Oscura chuckled.
"Fine, but heads up. You're about to get kicked in the gut."
"Good!" Pause. "…Wait, what did you say?"
Lechuz was snapped out of her thoughts as the Knight Jyamato charged in and punt-kicked her in the gut, sending the owl Rider flying and crashing into a tree. The Knight Jyamato shouldered its sword as it walked towards her and she stood up. She looked at her Magnum Shooter and put it away before cracking her fists. If shooting it would not work, then maybe her fists would.
The Knight Jyamato broke into a run and swung at her but she sidestepped its blade which cut down the tree in one swing. Granted an opening, Lechuz tightened her right fist before landing a hard right hook across one of its heads. It staggered a bit and that's when Lechuz got an idea. She flexed her wrists and activated her wrist-mounted Armoured Guns as she raised both her hands up.
"Time for some Gun Fu!"
The Knight Jyamato shook off the first punch and swung with its sword again, Lechuz weaved around the next strike and delivered a jab to its right head. As soon as she hit it, the wrist gun fired, blasting it in the face at point-blank range. Lechuz threw two more jabs, firing each time she landed a hit. She moved into a straight punch, hitting the left head and shooting it again. The Knight Jyamato was confused by the way Lechuz was fighting. It wasn't expecting to get punched and shot at the same time. But still, it tried to attack, swinging wildly at her.
Lechuz dodged and weaved, mimicking a boxing anime she had seen a while back. The owl Rider began dipping and rolling, and with each move, she threw a punch to an exposed part of the Jyamatos's body. Lechuz continued to roll and punch, roll and punch, firing with each successful hit. Sparks flew off the Knight Jyamato's body as Lechuz used the momentum of each hit to further damage the monster in front of her. It was too much that the Knight Jyamato could barely counterattack at all.
Lechuz threw rapid-fire punches at the Knight Jyamato's chest, blasting it with a barrage before she planted both fists into its gut, causing it to double over and go flying, landing several feet away from her.
[Secret Mission Cleared!]
When she heard that notification, Lechuz took out her Spider Phone and saw the message: 'Secret Mission: Dealing damage with a combo move.' In a flash, she received a Mission Box. Frowning, she carefully picked up the Mission Box and took off the lid to find a Boost Buckle. Now, this she had no problem with.
"Alright, let's finish this," Lechuz decided as she rotated her Desire Driver and attached the Boost Buckle.
[Set!]
[Dual On!]
[GET READY FOR BOOST AND MAGNUM!]
[Revolve On!]
Her body rotated and her limbs switched positions before she landed on the ground. Her top was covered by the Boost Armour while her bottom half was equipped with the Magnum Armour.
"To borrow a friend's catchphrase: this is the finale!"
The Knight Jyamato miraculously endured Gato's fire spell and shrugged off its injuries before advancing on her and her steed.
"Attack!" she commanded and the lion statue roared before it lunged at the Jyamato with its jaws wide open. As it went to take another bite, the Knight Jyamato thrust its sword down the lion statue's throat. All of a sudden, green spikes burst from the statue's body before it exploded, throwing Gato through the air. Casting a spell, she slowly levitated herself back to the ground. The remains of the lion statue lay scattered around her. It was a pity since it had helped her fight the Knight Jyamato as an amazing steed.
Gato and the Knight Jyamato crossed blades again, sparks flying as the teeth of the Zombie Breaker's chainsaw blade ground against the Jyamato's sword. Breaking apart, Amity cast a spell and created a giant rock fist that shot out of the ground and punched the Jyamato, knocking it back.
Casting another spell, Gato summoned a flock of pigeons that came out of the sky. The birds swarmed the Knight Jyamato and it swung its sword furiously, trying to swat the birds away. A few of them were hit, and while Gato felt bad about sacrificing innocent animals, she knew they would be OK after this. Casting another Beast Keeping spell, she summoned another notable pest in New York.
Opening a portal, she summoned a huge pack of rats that came pouring out. They squeaked furiously as they climbed up the Knight Jyamato's body, nipping and biting at its prickly body. The Knight Jyamato tried to shake them off while swinging its sword at the pigeons that swarmed it like crazy.
[Secret Mission Cleared!]
Curious, Gato checked her Spider Phone and saw the message that appeared across the screen: 'Secret Mission: Using magic to distract the Jyamato.'
"That seems oddly specific," she remarked but she did not complain as a Mission Box appeared in front of her. She picked it up, tore off the lid and found the Boost Buckle inside. "Score!" This was just what she needed to win this game.
[Set!]
[Dual On!]
[ZOMBIE & BOOST!]
Equipped with the Crimson Boost armour on her lower body, Gato charged at the Knight Jyamato. The pigeon and rat swarm dispersed, leaving a Jyamato that was covered in rat bites and pigeon droppings. As it saw Gato come at it, it raised its sword while she threw a Boost-powered kick that blasted it down the street. As it went tumbling, Gato walked towards it and rotated her Desire Driver.
[Revolve On!]
As the Knight Jyamato picked itself up, Gato decided to finish it.
[ZOMBIE STRIKE!]
Gato dashed towards the Knight Jyamato as ghostly gravestones rose out of the ground, caging it. She delivered a furious flurry of Boost-powered punches and each blow exploded upon impact. Finally, with her Berserclaw charged with purple energy, she performed a sweeping kick, sending the Jyamato flying and shattering the gravestones. As it lay on the ground, it tried to get up before it collapsed and exploded.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
Soaron panted and gritted her teeth, her shoulders rising and falling as she tightened her grip on her Beat Axe. She really missed having Anne and Marcy around right now. With their help, she could have defeated this Knight Jyamato by now. This thing was strong, way stronger than the mooks and those other Bosses they had fought before. It would kill her if she failed to defeat it.
"No, I'm not gonna die here. I've come so far," Soaron said to herself as the Knight Jyamato walked towards her. "Sasha Waybright does not lose!" Steeling her resolve, she tapped the Elementadrum button on her Beat Axe. "Hey, asshole! Here's a little something I wrote for you!"
[Rock Fire!]
She began to play an instrumental solo on her guitar. It was a song she had written long ago when she, Anne, and Marcy had a garage band called 'Sasha and the Sharps'. The song was called 'Heartstomper'. She then tapped the mode change button again.
[Funk Blizzard!]
The music intensified as she strummed the strings of the Beat Axe, the music blasting from her shoulder speakers. The Jyamato ignored it as it continued on its path towards her before breaking into a run.
And Soaron tapped the button one last time.
[Metal Thunder!]
As she continued to play, fire, ice and lightning swirled around her body, becoming a growing storm and when the Jyamato was about to strike, she made her move.
[TACTICAL FIRE! BLIZZARD! THUNDER!]
"HYAAAAAHHHHHH!" Soaron roared as she swung. Her Beat Axe connected with the Jyamato's sword, freezing it in ice and causing it to shatter. The blast hit the Jyamato point-blank, freezing it before it received an explosive blast of fire and lightning that shattered its icy prison, knocking it back. It was also electrocuted as it convulsed and spasmed on the ground before it finally exploded.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
[Secret Mission Cleared!]
The second notification caught her attention and she saw the message written across her Spider Phone's screen: 'Secret Mission: Defeat the Jyamato with an elemental combo finisher.' Soaron smiled as she saw the Mission Box appear. She picked it up and took off the lid, finding a Boost Buckle just for her.
"Hah, score!" This would be useful for later.
Using her fists proved to be the right decision as Lechuz was able to put the Knight Jyamato off balance. Whenever it tried to strike her, she would dodge and then counter with punches and kicks. Flames burst from the Boost Puncher exhaust pipes, adding more force to her blows to deal damage.
The Knight Jyamato tried to strike her down, but she dodged before countering it with her fists. One explosive punch knocked the thing clear off its feet and sent it flying before it slammed against a tree.
[Revolve On!]
She switched back to her Magnum Boost Form and took out her Magnum Shooter.
[Rifle!]
The rifle attachment folded out, extending the length of her barrel before she took the Magnum Buckle off her Driver and attached it to the underside of the gun. She spun the Buckle like a bullet chamber and prepared her shot, looking through the scope. The Knight Jyamato rose to its feet and grunted before it dashed straight for her. She lined up her shot and pulled the trigger.
[MAGNUM TACTICAL BLAST!]
Her Magnum Shooter fired an explosive burst from the barrel and it hit the Knight Jyamato dead centre in the chest before it exploded in a huge fireball. Shouldering her gun, Lechuz walked away with the flames dying behind her like a boss.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
Newtonne and Qrok, meanwhile, were engaged in combat with the last Knight Jyamato. They had found it inside a theatre and once they showed up, it immediately went on the attack. Now, the two Riders were fighting the Knight Jyamato on stage. The people in their seats thought this was all part of the show.
Qrok was knocked back when the Knight Jyamato jabbed at her but she managed to block the attack with her Monster Gloves. Newtonne supported her, using the Ninja Armed Arrow form as she had the Ninja Buckle on the right side of her Driver and the Arrow Buckle on the left, giving her access to the Raise Arrow crossbow along with the Ninja Dueler.
The Knight Jyamato charged at Qrok and she threw a punch at it, but it countered with its sword, knocking her back. It then delivered a flurry of strikes which caused sparks to fly off her armour. Finally, it delivered a slash that sent her tumbling.
As Qrok groaned and picked herself up, the needles on the Knight Jyamato's arm grew, glowing with energy. Newtonne saw this and knew it was charging an attack.
"Anne!" Newtonne yelled and pushed Qrok out of the way. She rolled away and looked up in horror as her friend was hurt by the energy needles, causing sparks to erupt from her armour. Newtonne fell to her knees as the Knight Jyamato walked towards her. Grabbing her collar, it hauled her up and stabbed her through the chest.
"MARCY!" Qrok screamed. No, no, no! This was not happening! This could not be happening! Marcy could not die! She couldn't! But she could not deny the reality as the Knight Jyamato had just run her oldest best friend through. Her fists trembled as she stood in shock.
The Knight Jyamato removed its blade and Newtonne's body dropped on the stage floor. But then, all of a sudden, her body went poof and was replaced by a scarecrow.
"Huh?" Qrok blinked.
[Arrow Strike!]
Newtonne stood behind the Knight Jyamato and fired her Raise Arrow, hitting it in the back and sending it flying towards Anne.
"Marcy, you're alive!" Qrok cried happily.
"Anne, now's your chance!" Newtonne yelled and Qrok knew what she had to do.
[MONSTER STRIKE!]
Rearing both her fists back, she waited for the Jyamato to come close enough before she unleashed a flurry of punches. Her fists went flying as she struck the creature with rapid-fire punches before she finished her combo with an uppercut that sent the Jyamato flying into the rafters where it exploded in a star-shaped blaze.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
The audience erupted with cheers and applause. The two Riders were stunned and looked at the audience before they decided to give them a bow. It did not matter if they were seen. Once the round was over, all memories of the Riders and the Jyamatos' existence would be erased from the civilians' minds.
Qrok was elated but then she realized what had happened and looked at Newtonne. She understood what had happened as well.
"Marcy…" Qrok said softly as Newtonne approached her.
"Anne, it's OK. You deserve this," Newtonne said, patting her friend on the shoulder.
With the game concluded, the players returned to the Desire Temple and the results were put on the holographic screen.
Luz Noceda/Kamen Rider Lechuz: [WIN]
Amity Blight/Kamen Rider Gato: [WIN]
Sasha Waybright/Kamen Rider Soaron: [WIN]
Anne Boonchuy/Kamen Rider Qrok: [WIN]
Marcy Wu/Kamen Rider Newtonne: [LOSE]
"Guess I'm going home," Marcy sighed but she was not upset to be retired and was satisfied with the result. It was just unfortunate that she would not remember any of it.
"Marcy…" Anne said softly.
"It's OK, Anne. You got the killing blow. You deserve this," Marcy said as she hugged her friend before she whispered in Thai. "Rawạng læa chokh dī. (Be careful and good luck.)"
Anne nodded as she understood. Marcy then went to Sasha with her eyes narrowed.
"Looks like you won't be going onto the next round with us, huh?" Sasha said, upset that one of her best friends was eliminated from the game.
"Looks like it," Marcy agreed. "Sorry."
"Yeah, me too," Sasha nodded.
"Take care of Anne, OK, Sash?" Marcy requested. At that moment, her ID Core vanished.
[Retired!]
Marcy's body was covered in blue light before she vanished into thin air. After this, she would wake up in her room with no memory of the DGP. Her Driver landed on the floor and Sasha picked it up.
Luz and Amity were sad to see Marcy gone. They had become pretty good friends throughout the tournament, but they knew it would not last.
All of a sudden, alarms blared in the Desire Temple.
Dr. Exposition: With the end of the Jyamato Hunt, only four players remain. But who will win the title of God of Desire and have their wish granted? Please stay tuned. And now, let's see what Marcy's wish was:
"I wish that there was no longer any form of discrimination so Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright and I could be together." – Marcy Wu.