"Rider Beta! Try to distract it!" You shout urgently, without any hesitation Beta nods. Quickly, Beta undoes the makeshift towing hook and cable securing his bike to the carriage. His engine roars to life as he repeatedly revs it, and with a pull on the handlebars, his bike surges forward. The tires grind on the energized pathway, sending a cascade of bright embers into the air. The front wheel lifts off the ground, and Beta uses the momentum to pull his bike upwards, executing a daring maneuver that launches both him and his machine off the side of the mana-way. Gasps of concern emanate from the villagers in Beta's carriage as they watch him plummet into freefall.

"Rider Change!" Beta shouts as he pulls his bike into a controlled dive. In that moment his armor powers up, coating him in a bright light, receding only when it was completed. You don't need to copy him, having already armored up earlier, the both of you now wore your armor. Diving downwards, Beta shifts his bike into its flight mode, where he immediately pulls up, passing within a hairbreadth of the Arch-Dragon speeding through the air.

The invader growls in frustration as it pivots to dodge Beta. With its attention momentarily diverted, you take this opportunity to sever yourself from your carriage as well. Dragging the villagers along would only expose them to unnecessary danger. Since the bridge as already online, presumably Henry's bike, and the connecting generators over in Tokyo would keep it online.

"You too?!"

"Draw him here, we shall face him together!"

"Honey, no!"

You hear excited voices from the villagers behind you. Below you, Beta and the Arch-Dragon are engaged in a high-speed battle, together they created a strangely mesmerizing dance of lights as their armors and the bike twist and turn about. Launching yourself off the pathway exactly the same as Beta, you fling yourself upwards, just as the Arch rises up, following the path of a nearby mountain.

"Rng? Two of you? I was told there is but one single Rider warrior!" The Arch roars. Normally you wouldn't want to give an enemy information, but if it wants a name, it'll get two of them.

"I am Kamen Rider Alpha!" You announce as you take a standing position on your bike, one arm out, the other bent away.

"Then, I am Kamen Rider Beta!" Beta draws closer, mirrors your pose, presenting a powerful presence at your side.

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"Two Kamen Riders? I suppose even that one can be wrong sometimes." The Arch seems to be referencing another, perhaps the one you saw in Tokyo? Regardless, it continued, "behold your destroyer! I am Farmaak, hierarch of the Saurian Empire, and your interference will no longer be tolerated!"

Beneath your helmet you grimace. Farmaak appears to be every bit as fast as the last one you saw, if needed, it could probably dodge the defense cannon long enough to get out of range again. It's useless to simply hope it will go away. Nodding at Beta, you both dive into action.

"It's you who will not be tolerated!" Beta shouts, and his embedded bike guns come to life, firing lasers that pour over Farmaak's armor, leaving tiny scorch marks in their wake.

"Again, you Kamen Riders bring trouble right to my doorstep!" Henry opens fire with his own laser rifle from atop the mana-way, adding to Beta's barrage.

"Oh, humans, you did not bring anything big enough to harm my visage!" Farmaak roars with laughter as it lunges towards Beta, completely ignoring Henry. However, Beta's agility proves too much for the Arch-Dragon to handle, and Beta deftly evades its attacks with a sharp dive.

As the invader rushes past the both of you, you swing your bike around, gunning it as fast as you could. Just before collision, you pull your handlebars back, throwing your cycle into a wide circle, burning an arc of energy into the air with the exhaust, striking Farmaak's thigh. With one powerful swipe of its tail, Farmaak brushes you aside, sending you into a harsh mid-air drift before you regain control again.

Farmaak is big, strong, and fast. But its only one enemy, using your superior numbers you could try hit-and-run tactics, keeping the Arch off balance. Each Rider would draw temporary fire while the other goes in to attack. You could also try to use the environment against the Arch, the nearby mountain has collected a lot of snow, you could make an avalanche happen. Or you could try to trap it in a confined space, like the mountain terrain below you. All this is assuming you and Beta can keep up long enough to win the fight that is. For some reason, Beta is unable or unwilling to transform his bike, so he's stuck using the production version of your bike. Then there's also the civilians who now only have Henry by their side, if Farmaak notices them, it might get bad.

>Hit-and-Run

>Use the environment

>[Write-in]

>>5787162
Available now on BD, The Kamen Rider of 30XX Collection: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=30XX
I promised it saturday, i meant it, but i lost power so i got delayed. I refused to delay it any longer so i did it like this. Anyways after a short(long) nap I will return to continue this.

>>5787166
>Hit-and-Run
beep beep

>>5787166
>Hit-and-Run
Try to bait him away from the civvies

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3.25 MB GIF

"You wanted a Kamen Rider? Come get one!" Beta taunts Farmaak, then surges forwards, his bike screaming past. In an instant, he executes a nimble drop-turn, narrowly evading the Arch-Dragon's vicious jaws. A resounding clang echoes behind him as Farmaak's maw snaps just inches from its target. Leveling out, Beta races away, but not before daring your foe to chase.

Meanwhile, you've strategically positioned yourself behind Farmaak. The powerful flaps of the Arch-Dragon's wings created bouts of turbulence for you, despite the power in them though, you feel that most of his speed is in fact, coming from his armor. Watching the lights on his body trace brightly colored trails into the sky, you get a sense of what's what on Farmaak's body, even as the three of you start accelerating close to sub-sonic speeds.

Positioning yourself behind him, you jump off, launching yourself forwards, delivering a powerful punch. A resounding metallic clanging echoes through the air as your fist crashes into the armor, the metal bends and groans further. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and you're shaken off. Just barely grabbing your Hopper's handlebars when it comes for you.

Displaying an incredible amount of aerial agility, Farmaak dips upwards, swiftly turning about to face you. In the blink of an eye, a blazing claw of energy descended upon you. A strange sensation in your blade antennae tells you to dive further down, you obey, just as the claws extend outward in the form of burning energy. In the peripheral of your visor, you spot Beta gesturing with his hand, and you nod.

With a graceful kick, you launch yourself off the Hopper, leaving yourself suspended in mid-air. Before Farmaak could seize the opportunity, Beta collided into him with a fierce flying kick. Leaving Farmaak, Beta lands onto your bike, while you find yourself on his. Using the flying cycles as makeshift platforms, you engaged in an oddly exciting aerial dance, attacking Farmaak from behind, fluidly switching positions.

Growing impatient, Farmaak unleashed a mighty roar, accompanied by a purposeful beat of his wings. The powerful winds and shockwaves buffeted both you and Beta, knocking the both of you helplessly into the air. The Ride-Hopper reliably comes for you, but as soon as you turned your back, a volcanic stream of fire follows you, connecting with your back and the Hopper's rear thruster. The impact rocks you, all you can do is grunt as you weather the attack, even as temperature alarms in the Hopper's computer start blaring.

"It seems you are not as weak as your people typically are! I'm starting to enjoy this!" Farmaak shouted, his voice carrying a tone of exhilaration. He slammed his wings together in front of him, and armored orbs on his joints lit up. A barrage of lasers erupted from his body, forcing you and Beta into a defensive aerial dance once more.

"Partner, I can't dance all day!" Beta shouts out as a laser collides into his shoulder.

From what you can tell of the Saurians, it's starting to look like all of the invaders are battle-hungry weirdos. Even at these high speeds, you can just barely see the edges of its jaws turning upwards, into a sinister smile. You and Beta continued employing hit-and-run tactics, all while attempting to lead the Arch-Dragon away from the civilians. The sheer power and speed of the Saurian is putting a lot of strain on you and your bikes though. And it's not hard to imagine Beta's bike is going through something similar if not worse.

Darting through the skies, Farmaak creates a crimson blur to those watching from afar, while you and Beta appear like faintly glimmer stars. Using his laser-claws, among other weaponry, you find yourself being pushed to the limits of evasion. From what you could see, you haven't actually gotten too far away, merely a few miles or so away. How far are you going to take this?

>Keep it up, hit-and-run, wear it down

>All-out attack

>End it now [Try for a special, roll 2d20]

>[Write-in]

Rolled 18, 12 = 30 (2d20)

>>5788098
>End it now [Try for a special, roll 2d20]

Rolled 12, 9 = 21 (2d20)

>>5788098
>End it now [Try for a special, roll 2d20]

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991 KB PNG

Pulling the Ride-Hopper around in a wide arc, you try to evade the barrage of lasers unleashed by Farmaak. Much like a rainstorm, Farmaak is putting out dozens of streams of lasers at once making dodging difficult. As another hit nails the side of the Hopper, scorching both you and the cycle, you notice the engine is now making repetitive groans. The hits keep coming, and the strain on both you and Beta intensifies. Any more and things could get really bad. Nodding at Beta, he returns the gesture, and the both of you ready up.

Finally, either because the weapon needed to cooldown, or some other reason, the laser barrage finally lets up. In perfect synchrony, you and Beta start spiraling around each other, creating a cyclone between your machines. Farmaak's predatory gaze remains locked on you.

"Ah, a strategy, is it?" Farmaak mocks with an oddly human gesture, extending his armored arms as though inviting your impending assault. "Show me all you've got, humans!"

As your bikes begin to accelerate more and more, you note that Beta's vehicle begins venting energy from its main engine compartment. It has to happen now. Unexpectedly, Beta takes the lead in your sub-sonic dance. With a thunderous roar, Beta swings his cycle towards Farmaak, and launches it on its own. With a backflip, he positions himself high into the air, twists around, and aims his fist outwards.
"Is this your best effort?" Farmaak chuckles in a guttural tone as he observes Beta's battered bike hurtling towards him. "A sound tactic, abandoning your damaged vehicle, but it's not enough, you primates!" Beta's Divecycle undergoes a spectacular transformation, becoming a blazing comet, spewing Aether-fueled flames as it hurtles relentlessly toward Farmaak, who casually encases himself within his armored wings.

With a brilliant burst of energy and an ear-splitting explosion, Beta's Divecycle crashes into the invader, sending metal-shards and cascades of stray energy scattering in every direction, leaving Farmaak in a cloud of smoke.

"Double!" He shouts. Aether surges through his body, putting his Gyro into overdrive, collecting a powerful and radiant energy into his fist.

"Rider!" You roar as well continuing on the opposite side of Beta. Channeling your inner strength, your fists ignite with a blazing aura as you both shoot forward, aimed directly at Farmaak.

""Punch!""

>>5788410
Farmaak's defiant laughter sliced through the dissipating smoke cloud. With a sudden and powerful flourish, the invader spread his colossal wings wide open, dispersing the clouds of smoke surrounding him, rendering all three of you visible to each other once again. The powerful gusts coming your way shake you slightly off course, so you use your jets to correct as much as possible. When your punches finally land, the force from the impact sends shockwaves rippling through the air.

Beta's descent brought him crashing squarely onto Farmaak's massive chest, while your blow is intercepted as the Arch turns slightly, striking one of the Arch-Dragon's armored arms. The synergy of your combined assault rippled through the air like a cataclysmic shockwave. Farmaak's defiant laughter turns into a roar of agony as your combined attack explodes outwards from him.

"That's all I've got, Alpha." Beta says quietly as he spreads his arms and legs out, with no bike to call his own, he's left to freefall.

"Rragh! You are powerful, Kamen Riders." Farmaak declared, his attention swiveling suddenly toward the radiant mana-way in the distance. "Ah yes, if I recall you were leading a convoy moments ago, no? Valuable supplies if one must guess. Surrender, fall to your knees, or I will destroy it!" The invader gives you no time to respond. With a blast of energy from his flight-pack he jets back towards the civilians.

Beta is helplessly falling to the ground right now, but he's essentially out of danger. Can you really leave him on his own again? However, the Arch-Dragon is on his way back to Henry and the civilians. No offense to him, but Farmaak's armor is simply too heavy for his rifle, he'll need your help to fend off an attack.

>Pick up Kamen Rider Beta

>Reinforce Henry and the civilians

>[Write-in]

>>5788415
>Reinforce Henry and the civilians

>>5788415
>>Reinforce Henry and the civilians

>>5788415
>Reinforce Henry and the civilians
Maybe we could send our own ride back to Beta once we group up with Henry? Either way, this is not looking good.... I pray the castle will be able to send reinforcements.

>>5788663
Gonna give it to you straight chief, the castle is not gonna be helping you today.

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With Farmaak hurtling back towards Henry and the vulnerable convoy of civilians, hesitation was a luxury you couldn't afford. Turbulence still rippled through the air, giving your Hopper's engine some resistance. Gripping the handlebars tightly, you twisted the accelerator, pumping the engine several times. Deciding to give chase, you spare Beta one last look, just in case. Beta would survive a fall like this; you know he'd want you to give chase. When you look back, you spot Beta quickly fading from view as he plummets below, giving you one last casual wave as he drops into the dense mountain terrain.

A burst of energy propelled you forward with immense velocity, carving a luminous streak across the sky. Following the mana-way up towards the convoy is hardly a challenge, that would come when you continue the fight. Farmaak was fast enough to evade the defense cannon, of course he'd be fast enough to close the distance, to your relief though, Henry is on the ball. Not that you have anything to do with this; but you're quite proud when you see what your ally has in store for the invader.

From afar you spot Henry produce a strange looking side-arm with a sphere attached to the front. With a pull of its trigger the sphere flies out, hovers mid-air, separates into dozens, then hundreds of smaller objects, creating a swarm of tiny metallic shards. As Farmaak drops close enough, the objects all explode, stunning the Arch for several moments. In that instant Henry and his comrade Tyri open fire on Farmaak's head, drawing a pained grunt from him.

The Arch has gotten entirely too close to the villager convoy for your liking. You can't allow this battle-obsessed invader to reach them. Clenching your fists around your handlebars, you aim upwards. As Farmaak's form grew larger you spotting him about to attack, unable to prevent it, you watch as he unleashes a powerful fire blast, scattering Henry and Tyri.

"I didn't sign up for this!" Tyri's panicked voice rang out.

"This is exactly what you signed up for!" Henry sharply retorts.

Henry is nearly blown clean off the mana-way, only to miraculously grab hold of the edge and haul himself back up. Benefits of a great physique! Tyri manages to survive as well, to counterattack, she has decided to channel the spirit of a tortoise; in other words, she has left the fight.

"Get up soldier!"

"No way! I can't be at your funeral if I die!"

File: kamen-rider-next.gif (5.62 MB, 498x280)

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Scanning over Farmaak with your eyes, you try to pick up some options for yourself. The Double Rider Punch had inflicted significant damage, stripping away layers of armor and exposing vulnerable internal components. With a good enough shot, which you have seen from Henry and probably Tyri, you would disable a lot of his advantages. You could also continue where you left off. Beta helped make this a more even fight. With a little just a little more fighting and another finisher, you could finish him off.

Another thought suddenly occurs to you. Back at the Saurian prison ship, it seemed like that other one was trying to keep his experiments a secret. Some were strange looking, even now, you aren't sure what was happening there. You do know one thing though, those head-mounted machines, the cyberized prisoners, are unlikely to be a true Saurian invention. There's also the signal dead zone, along with the fact that allied hackers couldn't even see that floor using hijacked schematics. If you show Farmaak your Saurian prisoner, maybe something could happen?

>Try to line up a critical shot for Henry

>All-out assault, you'll have to finish the fight [Roll 1d20]

>Negotiate

>[Write-in]


Broadcast continues saturday! Same old, same old, right?

>>5789521
>Try to line up a critical shot for Henry
I do hope Henry is a good shot.

>>5789521
>Try to line up a critical shot for Henry
Seems like they do have heavy weaponry, so let's soften him up some more!

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Hitting a switch on the Hopper's keypad, you access the communication circuit for your side in order to relay your plan. Shouting it over the air could have also worked; for obvious reasons you choose not to do so.

"Henry, how are you both holding up?"

"We're intact, but not for long. We really don't have anything for that level of armor." Henry audibly grinds his teeth together as he speaks. "If we sacrifice that copy of yours we could probably escape."

"You two get ready, I'll create an opportunity." You decide to ignore the last part of his statement. Instead, focusing him back onto the current problem.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." Cutting the circuit, you rocket toward the Arch-Dragon, his imposing form filling your vision. From what you can see of the armor: a few places had been stripped away, at least somewhat, most of which from the Double Rider Punch. The chest had taken a large amount of damage, you can actually see some sort of leathery mesh around what would have been the upper-arm of a human. You assume it must be some sort of tech-suit the armor is secured on.

The compound visor shows you Henry, having apparently given up on the other soldier, now bracing himself on the mana-way. With a loud snarl, Farmaak threatens you one last time, but he seems to have underestimated the Hopper's speed. With him so close to the convoy you know your next move needs to keep his attention.

Closing in on him, you collide with one of his massive wings, momentarily staggering him. In that instant, you let the Hopper ride on into the sky, while Farmaak lets out a confused grunt. Tracking your now rider-less bike, he's no doubt seen that you're no longer on it.

To his shock, you've made your way onto his armored back, gripping the plating as the powerful Saurian leader attempts to violently dislodge you. Clinging to his armor, you become acutely aware of the power the Saurian leaders have, as Farmaak tries violently shake you off. Incredible centrifugal forces pull you at every direction and wind rages around you. Just barely managing to keep your grip, gritting your teeth together as you try to withstand this. With powerful determination, you maneuver yourself, even as large armored claws come down around you.

"The bugs on this planet are unbelievable!" Farmaak shouts, then activates something on the other gauntlet. Suddenly, a powerful current of energy surges through the surface of the armor, drawing a pained shout from you. "As expected from the planet of the apes. I'll shake you yet!"

Time is of the essence. Swinging by his arm you deliver a swift kick to his bicep, paying him back just a little from the earlier attack. Attaching to his chest plate, you deliver a series of punches and kicks. As hard and fast as you can. Sparks and metal shards fly as you attack the opening Beta left you. They slow him down, but it doesn't seem to be effective. Clearly, Saurian leader-class armor is nothing to scoff at.

"Hah?" Farmaak lets out a confused grunt, you try to ignore it, but then Henry's voice cuts your concentration.

"Get back in!"

As you look over, you can see a few of the villagers have left their carriages to spectate your fight. Not that they were any safer inside, they would have at least been in one place, somewhere you could watch over. If they start running around now though...

You'll just have to hurry!

"Rider!" You shout with fierce determination, then vault up Farmaak's armor, meeting his viper-like eyes on the way up. "Slash!" Your voice rings with power as your hand clamps onto what would have been a human's collarbone, the Arch's natural defense, along with its armor, stop you dead. With a primal shout, you will your slash to grow stronger and drive deeper. As you descend, your blow carves a blazing path through Farmaak's armored plating. Then, you plunge into freefall, much like Beta did earlier. Before that though.

"Henry now!"

Farmaak lets out a pained grunt as you take advantage of his confusion. For a fleeting moment, he's distracted, tracking you with a murderous gaze that would have chilled anyone else, then he realizes what you've said, and turns his attention back towards the rest of the humans. In that instant, a powerful laser blast nails him in the chest, right where you'd separated his armor. The beam penetrates almost cleanly as it burns through, just barely, a tiny sliver of energy bleeds out the other side.

With a tortured howl, Farmaak topples backward, dropping out of the air. Unfortunately, the dense forest canopy obscures your view as you descend into the mountain woods below the battleground. You land on one knee, slowly regaining your footing, then take in your surroundings. Scanning your environment.

Yup. It's a forest. Leaves, trees and shrubbery as far as you could see, with the dirt slowly rising as your gaze closes on the mountain. So far so good. There's even a thunderous earthquake starting up. That's what you were missing today, earthquakes, you're nostalgic for those! Except you know what that really is. The repeated booming quickly closing in on you can only be one thing.

Dying doesn't come easy to these guys, does it? Well, they are pretty big, maybe twenty or thirty meters?

Swiftly navigating through the foliage, you spot Farmaak closing in on you. He's lost some of the agility he displayed earlier. Instead of quick burning thrusters, he simply lands or pushes off trees, looking more like a bulldozer instead of a jet fighter. Despite losing most of his power armor he's still plenty fast. His tail swings around and a beam shoots out from the tip, mowing down the trees in front of him in a wide-arc. The blast catches you, burning a mark onto your chest, nearly melting through the chest plate.

"You, human, what was that?" Farmaak shouts at you. As if threatening you it makes a show of powering up his laser claws. His arm jerks back in recoil as the energy shoots out, extending into a several pillars of burning light. "Up there. Those did not look like normal humans! Answer!"

What a strange question to answer. For that matter, it was strange at all that they understood Japanese if all they did was shoot first. It was probably used to seeing armored humans. Still...

>"Like I would tell an enemy anything!"

>"Leave them alone!"

>[Blitz him with a rider special][Roll 1d20]

>Call the Ride Hopper and fight

>[Write-in]

Update in 20ish hours. For real. Hopefully.

>>5796207
>"Leave them alone!"

>>5796988
Ahem. I saw this pretty late. Thought we were just going to have a lazy sunday. I'll finish up and post monday.

You stare down the Arch-Dragon. It can be as intimidating as it wants, you won't allow it to go any further. One day the Earth will be free, to do that you know one day you'll have to go through all those 'Arch-dragons' anyways.

"Leave them alone!" Your voice echoes through the forest, challenging the massive invader before you.

Farmaak fixes his fierce gaze on you, his reptilian eye unblinking. He remains motionless, but his attention shifts, as if something else has piqued his interest. Slowly, he raises his laser claws, pointing them menacingly in your direction.

"People. Neither weapons, nor reinforcements?" Farmaak's voice rumbled through the forest, his words were more a statement than a question. It was as if he were probing you. How strange, that a leader of the aliens would have to resort to questioning the enemy personally, it knew precisely where you were, but not what you were doing.

You offer him nothing more, shaking your head resolutely, you give him a simple reply. "The lives of humans are all that matter to me. Do not touch them.

"So be it. Something else is a foot. I will leave in peace. A dozen or so unarmed humans will hardly make a difference." He doesn't deactivate his claws though, instead, he takes a new position, something like a lunging stance if you had to guess. He must have been reacting to the sound of an approaching presence. The very same one you heard sprinting towards the two of you now.

"I'm here!" Beta calls out as him somersaults to your side. Fortunately, he didn't look any worse than the last time you saw him. A few clinging leaves and dirt muddy splotches indicated exactly what he's been doing recently. "What's the plan?"

>"We'll attack. Together."

>"We let him go."

>[Write-in]

>>5798247
>"We let him go."
>"But keep an eye on him, just in case he goes back of his words of retreating."

"We let him go."

With a huff of heated air, Farmaak deactivates his blazing laser claws. His massive head bobs once, taking one step back, he lunges towards you. In an instant you and Beta take up defensive postures, only for Farmaak to continue over you, then he accelerates, leaving the forest soon after. An audible 'boom' shakes the nearby foliage as he kicks off the ground and shoots off into the air. Noticeably lower this time. If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay away from Tokyo. With a sense of relief, you watched as Farmaak disappeared from view.

"Seriously?" Beta shoots you a look, even though the helmet you can tell he's confused. But you know this is for the best. Right now, your Krystal Heart is working overtime trying to compensate for the damage, and you know Beta is going through something similar. As soon as Farmaak leaves you relieve the stress on your parts by undoing the armor. With a hiss of steam, your belt gives one last spin as your armor disperses; sighing, Beta follows your lead.

"We'll have to fight him one day. And it might not be a two-on-one next time."

"When that day comes, we can face it together." You give a firm nod to your partner; he shrugs in response.

"You're awfully optimistic, Rider One. I'd feel better if we could recruit a third Rider."

"That would be difficult."

"Yup."

All of a sudden, you remember the other Ride belt you have in your house, the one you took off a certain body. Where did you hide that again?

>Under the bed

>Gave it to the droids for safekeeping

>[Write-in]

You simply make a note of that for now. There's nothing you can do about that now anyways.

"Well, number One, would you mind calling the Hopper? I'll tell you this now. I'm not running over to the castle alone."

"Just a moment."

Now that Farmaak had left, you get a strange sense, for some reason the area felt oddly familiar. You realize you recognize the area for a reason, you've dreamt of this exact scenery. Currently, you're on the side of a mountain, and if your recollection serves you right, there's a cliffside nearby. While there are no Torii gates or foxes, the layout is nearly identical, so much so it's uncanny. A fox had called attention to that area in your dream. Surely, it must be simply a dream, such things don't exist in real life after all. Maybe you just wanted a vacation?

"Uh, number One, are we daydreaming?" Beta's question snaps you out of your thoughts.

>Explore

>Call the Hopper and leave

>[Write-in]

>>5798280
>Gave it to the droids for safekeeping
Is one of the kids is going to turn into a rider?
>Explore
>"Dreams aren't usually shared, are they?"

>>5798289
>"Dreams aren't usually shared, are they?"
Are we asking beta if he shares dreams with you?

>Is one of the kids is going to turn into a rider?
haha no

unless that's what we want i guess, they're a little young tho, and only one is teenage age

>>5798353
It was supposed to be a rethorical question, but now I'm curious if we do, since he's a clone.

>>5798280
>Gave it to the droids for safekeeping
>Explore

"We? Dreams aren't usually shared, are they?" You shoot your own rhetorical question after Beta's.

"Just making sure I didn't lose you."

Operating on a whim and a confident feeling, you point off into the distance, towards the other side of the mountain. When you tell Beta what you expect to find he gave you a lost look.

"So? You saw a cliff. What about it?" He asks, raising a brow. Frowning, you try to articulate this without sounding like a broken comp set.

"Not on the way over. It came to me in a dream."

"Huh?"

"A fox showed me," you added, deadpan. Beta's expression hadn't improved, it seems as if you're losing him. "Look, if we've never seen this mountain up close, I wouldn't know about the cliff, right?"

"Fair enough." Beta relented with a defeated look, then mutters softly, "I can't believe I lost number One to mental damage."

You quirked an eyebrow and retorted, "So you grew a smart mouth too, huh?"

He knows you heard him and gives you a chuckle. Despite the jokes he trusts you enough to let you lead. Not long after you start hiking, you get a worried communique from Henry.

"We just saw the alien leave. Are you still alive?"

Beta answers for you, keeping the answers short, along with disguising how the fight really ended. You don't stop him. For some reason, you sense Henry would disapprove of not fighting the invader to the death, even if he was the one to call the cease-fire. Disguising your little trip as a short patrol around the area, Beta ends the call, leaving the two of you to travel quietly; all the nearby wildlife must have been scared off by the battle.

"You know." Beta suddenly interrupts. "If you get the Ride Hopper upgraded to combine with you, so you can fly, you might stand a better chance against those flying Saurians."

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Yeah. But then we'd have to change your name, right? How about becoming a Sky Rider?"

"And you, what would your new name be?"

"I'll become Kamen Rider One, obviously."

You grinned. "You mean, Kamen Rider Alpha.."

"No."

The several minutes you have to yourselves is enough to enjoy a childish, light-hearted chat, with your 'brother'. While not particularly deep or thought-provoking, it helped pass the time, and you could tell Beta appreciated it. It wasn't bad for you either. Eventually, you get to where you wanted, reaching the end of an old dirt road that intersected with your path.

"Well, well, you really did see this." Beta remarks. As you and Beta stand at the cliffside, the forest below you stretches out, and the distant peaks of the mountains loom in the horizon. The dense trees and foliage obscure the forest floor, creating an almost surreal, untouched landscape. It's at this point that Beta nudges you, pointing somewhere below you two.

"Hey, One, is that what you wanted to check out?" Beta's curiosity is piqued by an unusual metallic glint among the greenery. You follow his gaze and indeed spot a peculiar sight. The fox didn't do anything more than lead you here. Off in the distance though, you can just barely make out a few rusted metal panels, sticking out from among a thick tree line.

Intrigued, you both take a plunge off the cliff. When your teachers and parents asked if you would ever follow someone off a cliff, you'd obviously said no. But they never said anything about jumping first. Fortunately, you'd already seen that it wasn't a terribly deep drop, for both of you. Just a mere ten meters. Unfortunately, you're the only one who gets snagged by a tree on the way down. Even more unfortunate, Beta manages to land on both his feet. With a loud giggle that scares the birds away, he gently helps you back onto yours.

"Instead of a grasshopper, I think you looked more like a worm, flopping around like that!"

After he's done enjoying your misfortune, Beta quickly pats you off, allowing you to lead the both of you closer, and you finally see your goal. Before you, sits a large, dilapidated bulkhead. Moss and other bits of nature had grown over it, but you can make out a series of faded and scratched letters, along with an emblem. The emblem depicts a pair of wings attached to the Earth, with a feathered wreathe surrounding them. You know it well; it belongs to the Earth Defense Force.

"No way..." Beta steps back in shock. "This is the..."

"Yeah."

Brushing aside some of the grime and plant life. You read out the lettering.

"*E.D.F. - Sentinel One*"

Earth's only monitoring station, set up in high orbit, built as a watch station to maintain Earth's peaceful state in your time. A watchtower if you will. Now merely a memento from a time of unparalleled unity and prosperity. You recall Dr. Cain mentioning that it was shot down before the Saurians invaded. Would it have been brought down by human weapons, or... well there's only one possible answer, right?

But since when did they have orbital capability? Why not hit the Saurians?

>Proceed further in

>Take some observations from the outside then return

>[Write-in]

Wow, look at that, multiple posts! That hasn't happened in awhile. I'll see you guys later though, something like, saturday later.

>>5798406
Nanomachine clones do not dream of electric sheep. Sorry.

>>5798438
>Proceed further in
Considering the state we're in, this may not be the best move... But I doubt anything dangerous remains after so long, or we'd have encountered it already.
Still, I can't believe that dragon let us go so easily. Maybe they've got some sort of honour system, too.

>>5798438
>Proceed further in

File: 65234425.jpg (532 KB, 1920x969)

532 KB JPG

You and Beta dutifully eye the outside as you search for an entrance. Initially, one might be concerned about gaining access through an airlock, or a loading bay. Which would be troublesome considering nobody here had ever been inside the satellite. But you hardly need to worry. The hull had certainly seen better days, multiple sections had detached or where were only barely connected by leaning on a rock formation, or some other crumpled part of the station. At a casual glance the both of you picked out several breaches you could squeeze into, most of which were certainly big enough for the two of you.

The entire structure is battered and weathered, either by time, or battle. It's actually hard to tell if you're looking at battle damage considering the general condition of the wreckage, but your sixth sense tells you there's definitely something here. Pushing aside some encroaching plants, you squeeze into the nearest tear in the hull, allowing you to penetrate the station. Fortunately, it's not as dark as one would expect. Plenty of the sun's rays peak through smaller cracks in the hull, with more light coming in through larger breaches.

It's still somewhat dim as the tree line above you reaches over most of the station. The once-pristine stainless-steel corridors are now layered with dirt, grime, and other forms of creeping fauna.

Above you, flickering lights briefly sputter to life, spewing sparks from behind various bulkheads. For then on they began to flicker erratically, never managing to fully turn on. You and Beta decide to explore further in. Meanwhile, you come across several doors and hallways, all of which prove to be locked, jarred open at odd angles, or lead to nowhere.

"Can't believe the power is still operational." Beta comments, "they don't build'em like this anymore."

"No kidding."

For the next few minutes, the only sounds that can be heard are your footsteps echoing, or the occasional groaning of the metal. A breeze rushes through the empty hallways out of nowhere, stirring something within the barely operational computer. The passive flickering lights suddenly switch into a red hue. Followed by a shrill, distorted wailing, that pierces through the quiet stillness, sounding almost like a scream. At a guess, it probably was the alert alarm.

It's a bit unnerving.

"H-hey, do you think the Ark left us a trap here?" Beta nervously asks you.

Well, you hope this isn't a trap. You'd hate to think the fox led you somewhere creepy as part of an ambush. Kamen Rider is on the side of nature, so surely nothing like that would happen. Right? Glancing around, the flicking lights and the soft lighting from far off rays begin to cast eerie shadows over your environment.

"Nah." You reply, and for the next few moments the both of you continue on in quiet.

You follow a few surviving signs on the walls, leading you through a labyrinth of dilapidated corridors and junctions. There are several situations where you are forced to detour through a maintenance duct, or climb up a former corridor. All while the deteriorating alert howls through air. Eventually you finally stumble upon what seems to be the command center.

Small tears in the bulkheads in the ceiling allow faint daylight to filter in, illuminating several wall panels lined with small buttons and switches, along with several scratches and dents along the bottom of the door. Trying the door's control panel is hopeless. With a shared glance, Beta jams his finger into an emergency grip at the bottom, while you handle the one up top. With a loud metallic screech, which echoes throughout the structure, the doors are wrenched open, slamming into their frames with a loud bang.

"Think we overdid it?" Beta's voice is hushed, as if afraid he might wake something. Either due to your nerves or simple whim, you wait a moment longer, in that moment you could swear you heard metal clanging around from somewhere further within the station's damaged superstructure.

You must have shaken something loose.

Inside the command center, you quickly scan several small breaches in the bulkheads above, along with several of the panels lining the walls. No doubt the result of power surges or some other explosive event. Venturing slightly further in, you come across a lone figure seated in the center of the room; the station commander, you assumed. The body is still dressed in the ragged remnants of an EDF uniform, but the flesh has long given way to time, leaving only a gnarled skeleton.

Both you and Beta offer a simple prayer as you walk past.

"Please wait a little longer. We will avenge you."

Sharing a single thought, you both turn to the command computers, hoping to find a trace of valuable information. Beta's finger gets stung by surging sparks as he fumbles with one of the consoles, and you tap futilely at another computer in the corner. No meaningful response from either of your efforts.

"It's a miracle it has power at all. We can't expect anything else." Beta offers you a hopeless shrug. Well, if he wasn't going to think of an idea...

Your expressions brighten as the both of you suddenly feel a bulb light up in your heads.

""The computer core!" The words leave your lips in unison.

The command center is where the commands go in, where information is received, disseminated, and then a decision is made. But this isn't where the computer is actually located. If you go to the source, there's a chance something might have survived. While the both of you share a knowing look, the unnerving wail of the alarm shakes the both of you back to reality. Neither of you really wants to stay here a moment longer but...


>Send Beta to the computer core

>Send yourself to the computer core

To look for something specific?

>[Write-in]

And what is the other one doing?

>Continues to search the command center

>Continues to explore the station

>[Write-in]

>>5803855
>Send Beta to the computer core
>Paperwork, files, or scrawled messages.
>Continues to search the command center
I guess even Riders can get spooked

"You check it out. I'll stay here and keep searching." You order.

"And where would that be?" Beta asks you with a sharp tone, to which you shrug. Neither of you have a map with which to find the computer core to begin with, nor any previous experience, and there weren't any helpful droids roaming around either.

"Probably, below?"

"Have you noticed how trashed this place is?" With a sigh, Beta nods, his armored boots echo faintly as he leaves the same way the both of you entered, eventually disappearing into another decaying corridor. No doubt trying to find some way to access a lower section. "Who died and made him boss.." You hear him mutter softly.

Sorry, bro.

As your partner heads off on his quest, you're left alone in the dimly lit command center. The persistent flickering alert lights, along with the discordant wailing of the alarm, create an unsettling ambiance that puts your nerves on edge. Occasionally, you imagined the metal clanging around beyond the walls was actually something hiding, like a certain creature was going to leap out

Dusting off a nearby chair, you sit down by a console, then begin tapping. Your fingers glide over the touch-screen interface board, with a little hope, and a lot of doubt. After a moment of determined poking, the interface panel flickers, with only certain keys lighting up. It suddenly starts sparking at the edge, as well as from the side of the nearby monitor. Then it goes completely dark. Again.

Sighing loudly, you lean back in the chair and carelessly spin yourself around. The technology here is probably the closest you'll be to home. A brief wave of nostalgia washes over you as you stare out at the command center, reminiscing about the time you'd gone to the children's science expo, long before you became Kamen Rider. Despite being in disrepair, the equipment here was enough to remind you of the various little stations the staff had prepared for kids.

Your attention is snapped back around as your console begins emitting a droning whine. Surprise etches itself onto your face as you witness the console slowly awakening. Only a few keys are fully lit-up and interactable, while most flicker between being active or inactive. Apparently, you lucked out onto finding the security console; the position responsible for monitoring what happened on the station.

Trying to pull up anything important, station readouts, or status reports, you're suddenly bombarded by dozens of pop-up windows. One window, riddled with data corruption, mentions power surges across multiple floors. Another mentions reports of unidentified energy readings detected on the station's periphery. A more concerning note discusses equipment malfunctions and unexplained disturbances in various sections of the station. The earliest entry, left onscreen by the last user, is a report that the station had entered lockdown.

You can also see that the mana core is still trying to power Sentinel One's defense barrier and weapons. You go ahead and power those off. Following your directions, the computer promptly 'depowers' those systems. A sigh of relief escapes your lips as the flickering lights return to a faded yellow, replacing the darker ominous red alert lighting, along with that awful alarm.

"Phew.."

From here, you can access the last recorded voice entry, from the commander himself. Looking over your shoulder, you take one last glance at the body sitting in the middle. His last words, a message from the past.

Will you open it?

>Yes

>No

I swear i had hours to write this, where did the time go? Update tomorrowish.

>>5804833
>Yes
How can I resist?

>>5804833
>Yes
Naturally

How could you not? There's nothing stopping you after all. You need only a moment to figure out how to play his log, all while the aging computer strained to pull data from the command center recorder. Suddenly sparks fly from the giant cracked screen embedded in the 'front' of the room. You save it the trouble of turning on and just route the message through your monitor. Audio only, unfortunately.

"-strange malfunctions. Command says they'll be sending another engineering team. As if mine aren't up to the task?" The message starts in the middle of a normal report it seems. You skip ahead a few entries.

"At 0100 hours, Sentinel One engaged in combat with an unknown assailant-intense firepower. We've moved the station into a lower orbit, hoping to strategize a counterattack. -defense barrier-barrage, but something penetrated-returned fire." The message is frequently interrupted with static, with the commander’s voice generally bordering incomprehensible due to data corruption. It's impossible to clean up. Normally there would be an AI inside the system to help with that, for obvious reasons it is not working today, so you simply let the messages continue.

"-boarders, everywhere! Must have snuck in during the last attack, my security- Activated lockdown. Hopefully that will buy us some time to work out a plan. Venting the frackers hasn't-in the slightest."

It became clear that Sentinel One sustained damage during its initial engagement, only to be further compromised when the intruders boarded the station. From what you know Sentinel One was merely supposed to watch over the Earth, its only weapons would have been there to intercept large debris or asteroids, so it's hard to say how powerful it truly was. Still, the Machine Lifeforms have a way of deploying in space. How awful.

You briefly remember the one Dragon Commander from a while ago, the one enhanced by the Ark's technology. Just what is their goal? They almost seem erratic. You let the final message play. This time it comes with an image of the station commander. It seems this final entry was recorded by him personally, from the recorder at the side of his chair.

The Commander's final message flickered to life; a holographic image of a weary man filled your corner of this dimly lit room. His face carried a mix of concern, while his eyes carried a fierce fire. You watched with rapt attention as the recording began.

"Final message, Commander Joseph Walker reporting. I'm all alone now. I've sent my people to the escape pods. Hopefully, they'll make it down okay, but you would know better, right?" Giving a wry smile, he continues.

"With the lack of support from command, I can only assume our signals are being intercepted. I can't believe this is-satellite Alpha. Do-data from it, repeat, do-rely on data-from satellite Alpha." His brows creased in frustration as he tried to articulate the urgency of his message. He leaned back in his chair, weariness etched into his features as he relaxes once again, almost like he was at peace. Despite the garbled sections of his message, your attention remains fixated on the image of the commander. It's clear that time has not been kind to the recording, making some parts nearly incomprehensible.

What you can tell is that the situation had been rocky for a while. It all started with a series of strange disturbances and equipment malfunctions. Not long after that they detected a fast-moving object in high orbit with them. Walker also mentions that his crew had been monitoring a strange series of events on Earth that they were unable to report to command, events that suggested traitors had infiltrated the EDF, the most recent of which occurred on the Asian continent.

Long before the Saurians invaded, the machine lifeforms made their move, they had certainly grown bolder after you left the stage. You can't help but feel a growing sense of dread. Fighting flying enemies was enough trouble, but if they're all hiding in space, what can a Rider do? Ark-Zero's strike range was now just as high as the invaders. In the background of the recording, a repeated banging sound persisted. Walker paid it no mind as he continued recounting their situation. The message is nearing its end and it has become your duty to witness his final moments.

"To whomever recovers our wreckage. I want it to be noted that my crew fought valiantly." Walker then salutes the camera. Sentinel One had sustained too much damage and could no longer maintain its orbit. Now, it was hurtling toward Earth, the audio recorded a cacophony of heat and structure warnings from the onboard computer. Then, with harsh static, the recording abruptly terminated.

Walker's determined salute haunts you for a few more moments, his unwavering dedication etching itself into your thoughts. You wonder if you'll ever have to demonstrate the same level of resolve one day. The security console doesn't have the access to display what attacked Sentinel One, as such, the exact nature of their attacker still eludes you. Such information would be in the tactical console, though you would be hard pressed to find out which one that was, you'd also need another miracle to power it up. Realistically, it would be easier to pull sensor readings from the computer core.

Speaking of which, a faint voice crackles through your communicator. It's Beta.

"Hey bro, I think I'm on my way." There's a brief pause, and you hear the strain in Beta's voice as he grunts, followed by a loud bang. "It's not pretty over here. I'm running into locked doors left and right. Trying to pry them all open will eat up too much time. Think you can lend me a hand from your end?"

Evidently, Beta hasn't reached the computer core yet. What do you think? You might be able to power down the lockdown and release all the locked doors. As you consider where you might do this, a security alert briefly pops up on another linked monitor, expanding upon the report, you see a fox jumping out through the same hull breach you'd entered. Then the screen goes dark and you return to the single monitor.

>Do it

>Let's leave

>>5805705
>Let's leave
Paranoia

>>5805705
>Let's leave
We could always come back later... But a remnant of whatever attacked the station might still be there in the remains.

damn, if any of you were waiting saturday i'm sorry, i can't even finish it past midnight, i'll wrap it up in a few hours when i wake up

>>5810581
No worries, take your time QM!

You decided it was best to leave, at least for now. If Beta hadn't found a way into the computer core by now, he probably wouldn't for a while, even with your help. You also decide against fighting any hidden enemies. If there's another ambush waiting for you today, you have no intention of falling for it. Another ambush was the last thing you needed today.

""We're getting out of here, Beta. Regroup with me," you responded to his last communique.

"Are you serious?" Beta is understandably annoyed, but the situation has changed, he's just going to have to deal with it.

"Yeah."

After a momentary pause and a sigh from Beta, he conceded, "Next time, I get to mess around with the computers."

"Sure, buddy," you replied, offering a half-smile. You'd make it up to him later if you remembered. Shutting down the security console, you quickly make you way back to reunite with your brother.

Retracing your steps is simple. Over the course of which you feel a sense of unease hanging over you. The flickering lights aren't helping, not to mention the constant clanging of metal in the distance bothers you. If someone near you asked about it you would have said it was the metal settling, unfortunately, you didn't believe that at all.

You finally meet up with Beta in one of the station's many narrow corridors. His armor is slightly scuffed, and he seems visibly relieved to see you. Without a word, you give him a nod, indicating that it's time to leave. Beta falls into step beside you as you both backtrack through the damaged station, following your path back to the hull breach.

Eventually you note that the sunlight filtering through the station's cracks and surrounding forest has changed, signaling the approach of evening. Any longer and the folks back in the convoy might get worried.

"Come, Ride Hopper!"

You snapped your fingers, shouting into the sky, summoning your Ride Hopper. Dutifully it descended only a few moments later, with grinding noises and the occasional bout of gushing sparks. While the both of you took a beating last time, the difference here is she'll have to carry you home. Beta hesitated for a moment before awkwardly settling in behind you.

With a grin, you said, "I've always thought we should have a sidecar for the kids. Would've been handy now. You know I could-"

"Absolutely not." Beta replies sternly. Gripping the handlebars, you rev up the engine, and lift off back into the sky. Something stirs in the station behind you, it's much too far away right now, and so you leave it alone.

Upon returning, you find the group has moved somewhat, putting extra space between it and a single carriage. Evidently, one of the carriages had suffered collateral damage during the earlier encounter with the Arch invader. One of the wheels looks like it caught fire so the remaining people had to be squeeze into the remaining carriages. Other than that, along with a stern talking-to from Henry, your journey proceeds as before. Neither you nor Beta mention the station; the details are better saved for a more suitable time.

There's also your last encounter with Saurian leadership. Perhaps there is some honor to them after all? He recognized the people with you were noncombatants, and chose not to engage further. The aliens truly are strange, aren't they?

The rest of your journey is quiet again. Aside from some complaining from the villagers. You're unsure whether it's because they're still in shock from the earlier fight, or because everyone is simply busy trying to stay comfortable. Gazing up at the skies, along with the clock in your computers, you note that noon is approaching. After another half hour or so you find a down lift from the manaway, which you all take.

Something of a thrill ride, this modern day exit ramp leaves your passengers worse for wear, as all of you plummet downwards at a brisk seventy miles per hour, before you all curve up and level out onto the ground. Tokyo is just a bit further on the horizon. You take this opportunity to let everyone stretch their legs and enjoy a quick snack with the last of the provisions.


Will you talk to anyone in the mean time?

>Henry. It's been a while since you've talked one to one. Pick his brains about the situation.

>Tyri. You saw her panicking during the last fight. Maybe you should say something?

>Beta. You're pretty close to the castle now. There's something you might want to clear up soon.

>[Write-in]

>>5811604
>Tyri. You saw her panicking during the last fight. Maybe you should say something?

>>5811604
>Tyri. You saw her panicking during the last fight. Maybe you should say something?
We haven't really talked to her much, have we...

>>5811604
>Beta. You're pretty close to the castle now. There's something you might want to clear up soon.
Relations seem a bit tense, might want to explain the last message we saw.

The campsite buzzed with activity as survivors settle in and unwind. Some stretched their weary muscles, others attended to chores, and a small group returned from a successful hunting trip, their faces bearing traces of pride and exhaustion. All with your blessing of course. The machines haven't made a peep in a while, and with the retreat of their leader, any nearby Saurians probably aren't going to bother you. For now, the camp was a pocket of peace in a world torn by chaos.

Taking a moment to check on Tyri, you noticed her sitting alone near the edge of the campsite. Were you worried for her? Seeing her crawl up into a ball mid-fight was sort of funny in hindsight, but for a soldier it was pretty pitiful. She was never the picture of composed, but it seems like something was rattling her. Maybe her recent encounter with the Arch-Dragon? Approaching her with genuine concern, you sat down beside her.

"Hey, Tyri," you began, your tone as gentle as you can manage, "are you okay?"

Tyri seemed startled by your presence, and her voice wavered slightly as she responded, "Huh? Ah, oh, it's you. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I suppose it was a matter of time."

"How do you mean?"

She paused, her fingers nervously toying with her hair, before finally speaking. "Well," she hesitated, "you saw me earlier, right? I really didn't want to be there." She chuckled awkwardly, attempting to mask her anxiety.

"The alien?" You nodded. "I know. It felt like a close call, but we all made it. That's what matters."

She hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to continue. "I've never been in a situation like this before, you know?" Tyri admitted. "I mean, nobody told me I would be fighting one of those guys today." She was talking towards the ground now.

If she was part of the EDF alongside yourself, one would expect her to get harshly corrected for abandoning her duty, strict training and discipline were the norm. Except the people of this era probably didn't have a choice. They had to be useful, one way or another. Right? For a brief moment, Dr. Cain occupies your thoughts; you've seen her become very passionate with her work, and you wonder if most people have that same blessing.

You reached out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but she flinched slightly, so you pull it back. "It's okay to be scared, Tyri. Even the toughest warriors feel fear sometimes. But you're not alone in this. We're all in this together, and we'll support each other every step of the way."

>>5812837
I say saturday, but i'm confident i can push out this tiny little chapter before then.

there's like a whole paragraph missing, dammit lmao

>>5812837
>Intermission [Our secret is safe]

>>5812842
You're so fast.

Turns out it's not even that much but I'm neurotic i guess. I have to fix it. It's actually just one sentence really.

"Ha, together, huh? I doubt that." Tyri whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Then, her tone shifted, her voice becoming slightly higher, as she focused on a different topic. "By the way, do you have to shout the names of your moves?"

You blinked in surprise, but if Tyri wanted to steer the conversation, you'd humor her. "I've mentioned before; it's intent-activated."

She couldn't resist a playful chuckle as she mimicked one of your signature poses. "Sure, sure, but do you have to shout it? I bet the kids love it! The belt is kind of tacky, though."

You shrugged with a grin. "I need it to keep my pants up." Her laugh reassured you; she was clearly feeling better now.

Tyri then adopted a more serious tone. "You came to check on me, because you're worried. I'll be fine, really." Then she lowers her voice, barely above a whisper. "You should know though. Commander Orodovis never fails a mission when he deploys."

"Huh?"

She giggled. "I'm definitely going to get an earful when we get back."

You can't say you have a good read on her. It seems she has great respect for the commander though? As long as she's feeling better, that's all that matters. Staring back at the campfire from the edge of the camp, you wonder if you should invite some people over to your house. The notion of throwing a party for the kids crossed your mind earlier, maybe you should include some more people too. Maybe Tyri? Maybe Henry? Nah, that guy probably hates kids.

A mid-day meal is served from what the villagers were able to gather. Surprisingly, a couple of them are able to scrounge up tea supplies from their sacks. A woman approaches you and Tyri to share a cup.

"Heh. A tea party? It's been a long time since I've had one. When this is all over maybe you should join us soldiers for a party?"

"Soldiers have parties?"

"Sure, they do, humans are the best party animals on the planet."

Soon, the group readied to depart and made their way to the final destination. Despite the fact that the skies had been clear all the way up until now, the clouds seem to be gathering only over Tokyo. It's a bit of a strange sight. When you say as much, Henry gives you an explanation.

The vast amount of machinery piped throughout the city occasionally go into some kind of overdrive that generates an intense static wave around the city, drawing in lighting storms, or other phenomena.

Other?

For now, though, you simply have to deal with an intense rainstorm that pours down upon the battle-scarred and blasted buildings of the once great city, as well as the quickly constructed outpost. Of which has been your goal, ever since finding out the castle had moved. The outpost is designated "Tokyo-1". Apparently, they simply referred to the outpost itself as "Tokyo". Or so you assume as you pass by a few soldiers on watch.

Despite Henry being the highest-ranking officer, the officers manning Tokyo approach you first for some reason. Much to Henry's annoyance, which he makes known with a loud angry sigh; making sure to shadow you, so as to not be left out.

"Hey there! I'm Lieutenant Akira. The ranking officer of Tokyo. Good to see you, Rider!" The officer said as he quickly approached, extending his hand. Neither recognizing his face, nor his voice, you're a little lost. Akira lets out a hearty laugh, easing your confusion.

"Don't worry, you're not getting old! I was one of the prisoners you rescued. Most of us were," he chuckled. "I spent the rest of the day either on your shoulder or someone else's!~"

"Ah! Good to see you guys are doing better now," you replied with a grin. Regrettably, this reunion needed to be cut short; business came first.

"Actually, Akira, we were trying to contact the castle, only to find out they've moved out of range," you explained.

"Normally, the castle would wait until all landing parties can be recovered. Why the shock would they leave when they have men outside?" Henry angrily cuts in.

Akira shook his head. "Sorry, guys. We don't actually know either. All we got was a message that the castle was responding to an emergency."

An emergency, now, from who? Henry gives you a strange look, even he doesn't know what to make of this. From what you remembered they couldn't leave Japan, so what would they be doing moving around at this stage?

>Intermission [Castle of disaster]

>Intermission [All is not revealed]

>Intermission [Emergency deployment]

>>5812849
>Intermission [All is not revealed]

>>5812845
I just caught the thread at that unfortunate time.
I have some really bad luck with replying to updates that get deleted, it happens very often.
>>5812849
>Intermission [All is not revealed]
I think this is the same one I voted for before?

>>5813422
Pretty much. Just one missing sentence and a few typos.

Wow, so the qm never posted that intermission huh. How unreliable...

The grandeur of the Saurian mothership, the mightiest warship, outshined anything that had ever left their homeworld. Enormous and intricately designed behemoth, the alien architecture held an air of oppressive dominance. Massive, otherworldly constructs adorned the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced and flickered.

The nearby corridors echoed with the thunderous march of heavy footsteps as a procession of praetorians, colossal creatures clad in spiked armor and hoisted on reverse-jointed legs, ascended a grand set of stairs. Farmaak, still clad in his crimson armor, led this formation as both its center and head. His armor bore visible battle scars, defiantly refusing any repairs upon his return, and his fierce gaze silenced any who would question this.

Farmaak would not be meeting all three of the Arch-Dragons, just the one, Ruduhg. The very one who told him of Kamen Rider's location. After a few more moments, they finally reached a large room near the underside of the ship. A large antechamber with streams of data displayed on multiple walls, pillars, and several screens. Functioning as a workshop, library, and lab, this room is where a certain Arch-Dragon spent most of his time.

The doors spun slightly, revealing three slits in the sides, which then receded into the walls, allowing Farmaak inside.

"Honored praetorian, you will wait outside." A voice from inside ordered Farmaak's armored entourage. The leading guard shifted its pupil to scan Farmaak's reaction. With a snort of steam, Farmaak gestured for the guards to wait beyond the doors. Bowing deeply, the guards spun on their clawed heels and complied.

"Forgive me, Brother, but this chamber is not meant for our soldiers." Covering himself with his wings -along with a set of indigo robes, beneath which his limbs could not be seen- Ruduhg turned to face Farmaak, dipping his head slightly.

"Ah, you're back brother, I trust the hunt wa-" Ruduhg began, but Farmaak abruptly stomped forwards, leaving several dents in the floor plating, before coming to a halt right in front of Ruduhg.

"I will not be played! I am not a youngling looking for a chance to impress an elder, no games, Ruduhg! What do you know?!" Farmaak angrily presents a set of claws, planting them firmly between each of their gazes. Ruduhg remained calm.

"Brother, what do you mean?" Ruduhg played a look of surprise, only for Farmaak to firmly shove his 'comrade' into a nearby wall, shattering the display.

"There is not one, but two, Kamen Riders! Both with the same abilities!"

"Our Dragon Commanders also report one human known as Kamen Rider! You say there's two?" Ruduhg adds, quickly trying to calm his 'brother'.

"You did not know?"

"This I swear!"

Farmaak loosened his grip, allowing Ruduhg to regain his composure. Ruduhg stood upright once more, and Farmaak leveled him with a penetrating stare.

"What of your supplies?" Farmaak inquired.

"You didn't see them?"

"Only more humans, huddled within those primitive vehicles, hardly suited for their journey! I ask again, where are the supplies? Why were you sending me?"

"You're the most formidable among us. You know that neither I nor Erulta could engage as effectively as you. I was also defeated, as you recall!" Ruduhg met Farmaak's intense gaze, offering an explanation with a hint of desperation. "Our commanders thought the strange movements of this 'Kamen Rider' were to recieve crucial supplies. But if those humans were reinforcements, you surely destroyed them, didn't you?"

"No. They were unarmed, not worthy of destruction," Farmaak responded. Ruduhg's expression twitched, briefly betraying his inner turmoil as Farmaak spoke. Reluctantly, Farmaak took a step back, unclenching his claws, making an attempt to control his anger. "This mistake, Ruduhg, it's not like you."

"We will be more precise in our intelligence next time. If... nothing else appeared strange to you, we should refocus our efforts. Next time allow the praetorians to escort you."

Farmaak walked around the room, the clinking of his crimson armor resonating with each step.

"They deserve a battle, I concur. But I prefer to handle my own kills."

Ruduhg bowed his head slightly, signaling his agreement. "Unfortunately, the humans will always fight us in numbers. Our praetorian guards will gladly lay down their lives, if only to even the numbers."

At Ruduhg's comment, Farmaak let out a deep laugh. "They are more than a match for humans. I may indeed bring some with me next time."

After that, Ruduhg performed a simple questioning, if only to align their information on the humans more properly. Before long, Farmaak left, attending to his personal business, leaving Ruduhg alone with his thoughts once more.

Deceiving his 'brother' was never easy on him, doubly so when the senior Erulta was in the same room, nonetheless his deception was enough once again. How long until he is unable to fool them? Such thoughts troubled him, but it was necessary. It worked this time, thanks to the humans' natural distrust of their kind but what about the next time? Well…

There had better not be a next time. Ruduhg had hoped that Farmaak's aggressive nature would handle this cleanly, but he didn't live to be an Arch by blindly rampaging. It was wrong of him to underestimate him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ruduhg relaxed his wings, returning them to rest on his back, revealing his hands. Within his grip, he was only a single press away from activating his plasma slicer. As a fellow Arch-Dragon, it would have been easy to silence him. A clean assassination. One simple thrust, between the muscles of the throat and the jaw, straight into his brain.

"Your experiment almost gave you up. Destroy him." A faceless voice spoke up from the side of another monitor, one hidden away from the door.

"Not necessary, he saw nothing." Ruduhg shakes head, but the voice interrupted his next thoughts.

"Do it. Or I will."

"I.. understand." Ruduhg reluctantly agreed. "But is this really alright? What about that Kamen Rider, your plans?"

"I have calculated all moves. Even this is within the margin. But it is not my plans you must be concerned with."

For an emotionless being, there seemed to be an aggressive edge to that last part, causing Ruduhg to feel a cold tingle run down his spine. It referred to his latest experiment, a way to remove a mind from the body, putting it completely under the control of a single entity. Of course, he didn't think he could hide it forever, but he had to do something, the war on the humans is unimportant in the long run.

Desperate to change the topic and sooth his nerves, Ruduhg posed a question about their next move. "Should we organize another attack?"

The voice's response was unequivocal. "No. I will temporarily remove them from the equation. Use this time to fortify our presence on this continent." Coordinates appeared on a nearby screen, the nearby continent, surely the next destination of the humans. If not by their own choice, then by it.

"This is your last warning. Do not act on your own again. If your cooperation is discovered, I will not save you."

"Understood."

Ruduhg acknowledged the directive while guilty flooded his mind. His primary concern was ensuring the survival of his kind. Cooperation with these 'machines' was the only viable route. Although it meant deceiving his own kin, he believed it was a necessary sacrifice. Constant warring among the stars is no future, at least with this there is a chance. Someday. As the voice closed its private circuit, another voice addressed him, this time from the announcement system. An urgent message from the command center.

"Lord Ruduhg. Large explosion detected." A gravelly voice addressed him with deep reverence.

"Source?"

"We believe it may have been a human battleship."

"I am on my way."

>[Intermission: End]

Regular(?) broadcast continues Monday.

Giving you a shrug, Akira manages to keep a bright expression as he waves you closer towards the outpost. Definitely better than the village, that's for sure. The mood is significantly lighter, as you've finally reached safety, the villagers sense this and eagerly leave. As soon as they do, the other nearby soldiers curiously interact with them, exchanging greetings in the best way they can. Despite the odd culture barrier.

"Who are you guys, guerilla fighters, where were you entrenched?" One of the soldiers asks.

"Guerillas? Entranced?" A nearby villager responds with a baffled expression.

It doesn't take long for Akira to question your strange entourage. Henry and Beta both meet your gaze when you look to them. Not a single one of you knows how approach this subject. Thankfully, Akira senses your dilemma and quickly waves it off. "It's fine. If they're with you now that means their base got taken out, right?"

More or less true.

Upon seeing the bandaged and bedridden villagers, Akira calls out to the outpost. "Hey, they've got some wounded, medics!" Beta quickly pulls one aside and directs him to Amane's carriage. Conditions hadn't exactly improved, but with someone knowledgeable she might hang on longer. However, when a few soldiers catch sight of your bound prisoners, they're understandably startled. Beta does his best to fill them in. But even he's a little unsure of why they're here and tied up.

"Well, we still need to get to the castle, do you have any idea where they went?" You ask, and Akira nods.

"We don't know where they are now, but our sensors managed to track them for a while." Gesturing for you to follow, he leads you into their command building. Another prefabricated structure like most of the outpost. Inside is a similarly constructed room to the landing castle meeting room, at least as far as the bulkhead material goes, you've never seen their command center. But you get a good idea of what it would look like. With so many floating objects, you started to get a little nostalgic for the retro touch interfaces of your time.

At the center of the room is a large gunmetal gray table, displaying a holographic map of the area from on top. Around it are more similarly colored consoles with holographic controls projected into the air. Directing you toward the center, he shows you the castle's last known location, as well as a projected path. It leads all the way up north. To the ocean.

"What could they be doing up there?"

Your question is met with aimless speculation. Nothing of importance is said, it couldn't be helped though, all you know now is where you need to go. You have some time before you set off, would you like to get anything done in the meantime?

>Talk to Henry and Beta. Speculation was fine. But if the castle was in real danger, you might need a plan.

>Talk to Akira. The area still had a few enemies roaming around. It might be good to alert him and see what they want to do.

>Talk to Seesan. You tied him up a while ago. If you have any questions, now is as good a time as any.

>Leave immediately.

>[Write-in]

>>5821402
>Talk to Akira. The area still had a few enemies roaming around. It might be good to alert him and see what they want to do.

>>5821402
>Talk to Henry and Beta. Speculation was fine. But if the castle was in real danger, you might need a plan.
We have to figure out a way to approach this...
Can this outpost repair our bike, by the way?

Rolled 1 (1d2)

no update yet

>>5822460
No, your machine is unique. They can give you a spare for the other guy though.

"Is... there anything else?" Akira, after seeing your pensive face, asks you.

"The outpost sensors, have they detected anything else unusual?"

Akira merely shakes his head in response to your question. Apparently, it has been all quiet for them, so you feel like you're jinxing him, but it’s your duty as a comrade. You take a few moments to tell him about the roaming cyberized prisoners and the Saurian grunts. Both of which you had left behind, with good reason of course. While you explain this, Akira and a few nearby officers nod. A mix of recognition as well as concern paints their expressions as they mentally connect dots.

"That explains a few things. We had detected a few strange signals earlier, but we didn't know what to think of it. So, it was you guys?" Akira said, then adopted a contemplative pose. "Still, those cybers, they sound awfully familiar. I think we saw a few of those back on the prison ship."

More than a few nearby men and women shudder, clearly remembering their time in Saurian custody. They were lucky enough to escape before being subjected to those same experiments. Some still bore clear scars on their faces or other parts of their skin, like their arms, or necks. At least, from what you could see, thanks to their patchwork armors.

Akira continued on, "There hasn't been any indication of Saurian activity recently, you really saw them?"

"Absolutely. We passed by some grunts along with a leader class invader."

"It's not that we don't believe you. We saw the Tokyo gun firing, but..." Akira's contemplative gaze shifts to the tactical map, uncertainty lingering in the air. "When was our last firmware update?" He asks another soldier, who promptly responds.

"Just a day ago sir, last transmission from the castle."

With a strange expression, Akira thumbs his communicator, and simply leaves it on.

"Sir?" A nearby soldier questions him, Akira quickly puts a finger to his mouth, gesturing for complete silence. The lieutenant adjusts the controls for a few moments. Suddenly, sharp static rings out through the room, in the next moment a nearby officer -situated behind another screen- becomes alarmed.

"Sir! There's another signal piggybacking on ou-"

"Bring us to alert!" Akira quickly interrupts, drawing his sidearm in the same moment. A loud alarm begins blaring, then your world shakes. An explosion rocks the side of your building. Something from outside is attacking the command center. Lights flicker and the entire building rocks as it weathers the attack.

"Status!" Akira's voice pierces through the chaos, rallying his command. Rapid responses follow, the nearby officers and soldiers eagerly report only minor injuries. Luckily, modern buildings are built tough. The tactical map still shows all clear, but from outside the scorched and scratched para-crystalline glass, you can see two groups of machine combatants marching their way in.

Gunfire erupts, blending with the chaotic symphony of screams. Panic ensues, and your thoughts instantly gravitate towards the vulnerable villagers caught in the crossfire. Another explosive impact rocks the building, intensifying your concern.

"Raphael! Werner! Get your squads, form on me! We stop them at the main entrance!" Akira barks out orders to his men. "Rider, you hold your own pretty well, can you hold down the cargo entrance?"

"Sure!" You give him a hasty reply. It's his outpost after all. Leaping down the emergency staircase, you quickly burst through the door, then you sprint across the outpost. Passing by several buildings and busy soldiers, making your way to a large ramp off to the side of the outpost. The mega-steel doors, partially blown open, serve as a makeshift entry point for the machines.

Some are simply jumping through the existing hole, while unseen minions continue their onslaught from the other side. Launching arching blasts that just barely clear the walls, or doing their best to completely burn down the door. A machine targets you from beyond the opening, but before it can fire, a laser bolt quickly plugs it in the head. Causing it to explode into chunks of molten shrapnel. Unfortunately, it is merely replaced by two more who simply jump through.

"Just like old times, huh bro?" Beta casually comments, as he appears at your side, with a laser-pistol in his hand.

>Stand your ground here. Take them as they come.

>You still have your Ride machine. Get Beta to hold them off while you scout the area. The combatants alone do not have the power to take this base.

>Take the fight to them. Between you and Beta, you cannot be defeated. Route them with overwhelming power.

>>5826250
>You still have your Ride machine. Get Beta to hold them off while you scout the area. The combatants alone do not have the power to take this base.

>>5826250
>You still have your Ride machine. Get Beta to hold them off while you scout the area. The combatants alone do not have the power to take this base.
Maybe there's a way to block off the entrance, or collapse the door... It'll stop the flow for a little bit, at the very least.

"Do not let them enter!" Akira yells over the base intercom, then another voice replaces him, continuing to direct troops in his stead. There's nothing more for you as far as listening is concerned. More importantly, you still have the Ride Hopper. Aside from being a very sleek and reliable machine, it offers you height advantage, giving you a literal eye in the sky.

Snapping your finger, you call it towards you.

"Beta! Hold them off, I'm going to scout the area!" You call out.

"Decoy duty again? Wrap this up quickly then!"

Meanwhile, another group of combatants jump through the opening, which is growing larger by the second. In a swift series of movements, Beta sends an axe elbow drop into the shoulder of a machine, bisecting it completely, while sliding into the feet of another, forcing it to crash into its allies.

Settling into the Ride Hopper, you try not to let its sluggishness get to you, but you manage to lift off just fine. Once in the air, you're able to get a much clearer view of the entire battlefield; despite the occasional shot at you from a machine minion. Around the outpost walls are machine combatants, rushing for the two openings.

The soldiers are putting up a good fight. Akira himself you note is pretty good. Blocking a laser-sword with his own energy buckler, he immediately counters with a point-blank shotgun blast. Nearby, his soldiers are dug in, holding an unbreachable line between the large front entrance and the rest of the base. Behind them, medics are working overtime trying to pull injured away, as well as providing cover and support from the back lines.

Back at the cargo loading entrance, Beta is skillfully tearing through the minions. Was it narcissistic to say even you couldn't do it better? The cargo entrance itself is blown open, with more minions adding their firepower to opening the hole further. Under calmer and controlled conditions, you and Beta could probably close it, unfortunately it’s not exactly doable while under fire. Trying to collapse the entrance would also do more damage as you would be attacking the very structure of the frame, allowing the machines easier access. There is however, nearby heavy machinery, you might try organizing some kind of blockade maneuver by blocking the entrance physically with cargo containers.

Dropping into a familiar pose, Beta stretches out one arm out, pulling the other in. But something goes wrong and he collapses onto a knee. Taking advantage of this lapse, the nearby minions all direct their weapons towards him. Fortunately, he has strength enough to dodge, at least a little. Laser bolts just narrowly miss as he rolls to the side.

Despite that, he still manages to get clipped several times. That momentary weakness is enough for the minions to burst through the cargo gap in larger numbers, threatening to overwhelm him. Beta ducks to the side to avoid gunfire and delivers a flying roundhouse into the side of a machine combatant's head, sending it flying into its ally, smashing the both of them.

The outpost along with the surrounding area is in chaos. It's hard to pick out a machine commander among the combatants as they swarm the outside. If there is one. Then again, he could just be farther out, if you hold position up here you might be able to pick it out.

>Go back and help Beta. If left alone any longer, he may be overwhelmed.

>Continue scouting, just a little longer.

>Try to attract attention to yourself. Bring the fight directly to those outside the cargo entrance.

>>5827471
>Try to attract attention to yourself. Bring the fight directly to those outside the cargo entrance.
This way, Beta can handle the "somewhat-" ess intensive task of blocking the way with cargo containers while he takes a breather.

>>5827471
>Go back and help Beta. If left alone any longer, he may be overwhelmed.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

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You can't bring yourself to leave your 'brother' alone, especially now that he's struggling. Descending rapidly with your Ride Hopper, you guide it towards the cargo entrance where Beta is battling the onslaught of machine combatants. Chaos unfolds beneath you and every second counts.

Skidding so close to the ground that your bike's rear thruster grinds against the ground, you do gather the attention of the nearby machines. Spinning the rear of the vehicle around, you smash the backend into a machine doing its best to cutdown Beta.

"Need a hand, Beta?" you call out, engaging the enemies alongside him. Beta, despite his injury, gives you a forced laugh.

"Come crawling back already? Bored up there?" He's clearly just trying to reassure you with a joke. But it falls flat when he nearly collapses again, you just barely catch him, helping to brace him up.

"What's going on with you?" You're filled with concern but he merely shakes his head, then pushes off you to jump back into the fight.

"Not now!" He yells, frustration evident in his voice. It's fine, you'll address that later, if he can fight well enough here it shouldn't be a problem. As a laser bolt flies right over your head, you scan another sailing into Beta's shoulder, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

"We'll do it together, as it should have been!" You call out to him, then strike a pose. With one arm out, you slowly rotate it clockwise, while the other bends to your side. Beta mirrors you pose, using the opposite arms to create a symmetrical image next to you.

""Rider Change!"" You both shout. A shimmer of light forms around your waist, and Beta's a moment later. Moving your arms counter-clockwise, you then switch and then shoot both away from your sides. The gyro begins to spin loudly, the air around the both of you rushes into a small vortex, kicking up debris and small shrapnel into the air.

"Kamen Rider Alpha!"

"Kamen Rider Beta!"

Glancing over your shoulder, you spot Beta, looking no worse off than yourself. He seems fine for now. Backing up Beta, the both of you rush forwards, clashing against any combatantsin your way. Leading the way, Beta seems eager to get some revenge as he delivers a burtal kick that forces one machine into another ally, with its still firing weapon lighting up another just in front of you.

While the both of you quickly regain control of the situation, smashing through machine minions with more or less ease, you quickly turn towards the cargo entrance. The doors make a loud gnashing noise as they are finally torn down. In the midst of the destroyed gate a larger, unfamiliar, machine comes lumbering towards you and kicks aside some debris to make room for itself. The new design made you think it was a new machine lifeform come to face you, but it's attitude and movements come accross as preprogrammed. It seems to simply be an up-armored combatant.

Over the radio, you can hear Akira and the others pushing back against the enemy, after a failed push by the machines. Through it all, you can hear another perimeter wall just barely hold against an attack on the opposite end.

>Rush the armored minion with Beta. Tear through him before engaging another front.

>Overwhelm the armored minion with speed. Take it down before it can engage you.

>Address the other wall. Bring the fight to whatever is there.

>[Write-in]

>>5828398
>Overwhelm the armored minion with speed. Take it down before it can engage you.

>>5828398
>Overwhelm the armored minion with speed. Take it down before it can engage you.