Kamen Rider Chrono

Chapter 16: Investigating the Riders

Kibou: "We can just explain the situation to them, though..."

Ann: "Who are you talking to?"

Kibou/Aibo: "No one/The voices in his head."

The look on Ann's face contorted in confusion as she could've sworn there was another voice besides his. She shrugged it off, though, and pushed him to wait at the corner of the alley. She then waited for the street to get busy. Once a good amount of people had gathered, she walked down the street, her eyes watching the alley and her steps rough against the concrete to announce her arrival. 

As she grew closer to the alley, Kibou jumped out from around the corner and held the prop knife toward her. She cleared her throat, then let out a shriek, clutching her purse.

Ann: "Ahh! Someone, please help! I'm being mugged! Oh, woe is me. If only there were some strong superhero that could save me from this vile scum that means to cause harm to me!"

Kibou paused for a moment, then asked if she was serious. Ann could barely get an answer out before a bunch of people rushed over, restraining Kibou while others called the police. It took a lot of convincing before they finally released him from the back of the squad car.

...(The day after)...

Older Trish: "H-How? Why? Why do you even have a full-body costume of the Dog Zodi— I mean... that wolf-looking creature that attacked a while back?"

Ann: "Oh, I have some very talented friends in the drama department of my school."

Older Trish: "Right... and you want me to wear this because... it'll draw out the Kamen Riders to save you..."

Ann: "Correct! My first plan didn't exactly go all that well... It actually ended up with the person getting arrested..."

Older Trish: "So I've heard..."

Ann: "But you don't need to worry about getting arrested! The police wouldn't dare to approach those monsters since they know the Kamen Riders deal with them! So all you gotta do is act all big and scary until one eventually shows up!"

Older Trish: "Y'know... When a teenage girl approached me asking for a favor, this isn't what I expected..."

Ann: "And I'm eternally grateful that you accepted! Now, put on the costume and watch as I finally get that interview with a Kamen Rider!" The Seven Sisters reporter rubbed her hands together as she thought this was a perfect idea, much more perfect than her last one.

Trish took one look at the costume, then sighed as she slipped it on. One thing that bothered her about the costume was how perfectly it hit her. The next thing was the unbearable heat inside the thing. She looked around, embarrassed of the costume, then let out a wimpy roar. 

Ann: "Hm... Not that intimidating. You need to make it REALLY feel like you're one of those monsters! Let out a gut-wrenching roar! Say that you'll devour me whole and leave only my bones left!"

Older Trish: "I don't think the monsters can speak..."

Ann: "Oh, I know that, but the Kamen Riders probably don't! They're too focused on killing the monsters." 

Trish let out a sigh, internally curious as to how stupid this whole situation could get. She let out another louder roar, but it wasn't up to Ann's standards. The next hour was just spent with Ann instructing and demonstrating to Trish 'how to roar properly'.

Older Trish: "That's it... I'm done with this whole thing." She said as she reached behind her to take off the suit, cursing said suit out for the lack of mobility it gave her arms.

Ann: "Oh, fine... This didn't work anyway. Here, let me help you out of that thing." Ann strolled around to the back of the suit, thanking the lady for all her help and yanking the zipper down, snapping it off.

Older Trish: "What was that...?"

Ann: "Oh... Er... Funny thing..."

...(The day after the day after)...

Ann: "Plan one failed horribly... Plan two I accidentally trapped someone in a fur suit... I'm starting to run out of ideas..."

Ann let out a sigh as she collapsed on the bench behind her, covering her eyes with her arms and groaning.

Gears: "Then maybe you shouldn't create such stupid plans to get someone's attention."

Yuya walked toward the girl, his Kamen Rider suit already equipped onto him, and taking a seat next to her.

Ann: "The plans aren't stupid. They just didn't go the way I thought they would."

Gears: "That's why I said they were stupid..."

Ann: "Whatever... If only the Kamen Riders weren't so difficult to find! Then I wouldn't have to try all these plans just to get one lousy interview!"

Ann removed the arms from her eyes and leaned forward. A new fire engulfing her irises.

Ann: "Hey, stranger!? Can I ask for...! A... favor...?"

Ann looked over at the man sitting next to her as her speech slowed down. It took a second for her to register what she was seeing... more like a full minute, actually.

Gears: "Are you... okay?"

Ann: "YOU'RE ONE OF THE KAMEN RIDERS! OH MY GOSH! MY SACRIFICE WORKED!"

Gears: "Sacrifice? What in the everliving Chrono did you do?"

Ann: "Uh..."

...(The night prior)...

Ann had set up a ritualistic looking circle in the middle of her room, lighting dozens of candles to set on various points of the circle. In the middle of it all lay a book of Arthurian legends, a crimson sword stabbed through the book, and a picture of a female King Arthur against said sword.

Ann: "Oh I call upon Riku... Lord of all stories and knowledge, the wielder of a great and powerful fire sword that can transform him into a mighty dragon knight. Hear  my prayers, and bless me so that I can FINALLY SEE A DAMNED RIDER!"

...(Present Time)...

Ann: "So, Mister Kamen Rider? What are you doing here?"

Gears: "Uh..."

...(An hour ago, at HOME base)...

Yuya: "What the Hell happened to you two?"

Yuya looked up from the gadget he was messing with to see an exhausted Kibou and the Older Trish in a fursuit, the head pulled off her head.

Kibou: "Got arrested..."

Older Trish: "Trapped in a fursuit..."

Yiya: "Okay? Let me ask again... What the Hell?"

Kibou: "There's this girl who's trying to interview a Kamen Rider..."

Older Trish: "And we thought it would be a nice thing to help..."

Kibou/Trish: "And it was the wrong choice!"

Yuya: "Uh-huh... So two Kamen Riders wanted to help a girl get an interview with a Kamen Rider? If you wanted to help then why didn't you henshin?"

There was a silence that engulfed the room before Yuya sighed and slammed down the gadget he was working on. He picked up the Gears Driver and walked out of the Rec Room.

...(Present)...

Gears: "Not important. All that's important is that I heard you were trying to interview one of us. Well, here I am."

Ann: "And I thank you for that! Now, I won't be long. Just a simple two hundred and thirty-seven questions I've prepared and want to ask!"

Gears: "You've got to be kidding, right?"

Ann: "Nope!~"

Gears: "...I'm starting to think I should've stayed in the destroyed timeline..."

Ann: "Two Hundred and thirty-eight!"

Gears: "OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"