(CEO's OFFICE: HIDEN INTELLIGENCE BUILDING, 4:45 PM)
Just inside the 3D industrial printer, the Zero One Driver was stored when the two sets of robotic arms were forming a new Progrise Key coming out from it. The equipment was done and waiting for someone to pick it up.
Suddenly, Aruto and Izu came from the meeting and entered the office. The humagear secretary detected something inside the 3D printer cubicle and turned to her boss.
" Aruto-sacho, I detected a new Progrise Key in the office, " she informed.
" A new Progrise Key? " the Hiden Intelligence CEO curiously repeated the phrase, becoming too oblivious. " Seriously? I haven't fought another threat, yet. "
" That's why we need to figure out, sir. "
" Right, " he nodded.
Descending from the office stairs to the lab, they intently looked at the newly created keycard like device. Izu opened the printer's door and intently examined it. Then, she took out the Zero One Driver and handed it along with the new Progrise Key to her superior.
" Shrinking Hopper? " Aruto curiously read the new device's name, cocked his eyebrows, turned to Izu, and asked. " Never had this one before. Did Zea intend to create this one? "
" She has a purpose of the new Progrise Key's creation, " Izu explained and reminded. " Perhaps, you should try this prototype and let's see what it can do to you. "
" Good idea. "
Aruto placed the Zero One driver belt on his waist and held the New Progrise Key, testing it.
" Henshin! "
Progrise! Authorise!
SHRINKING HOPPER!
A Jump into the sky turns into a rider....SHRINK!
Transforming as Kamen Rider Zero One, Aruto felt very odd and noticed his normal height and size instantly becoming too miniscule. Inside his helmet, he widened his eyes in shock and loudly yelled. The Shrinking Kamen Rider fell onto the floor. To his perspective, everything was too enormous, endless, and wide. He moved his head around and intently looked at his humanoid secretary who seemed to be a fifty feet giant.
" Sir, are you all right? " she asked. " Sir? "
Aruto heard Izu's voice and became too frightened to hear her. He was slowly stepping away from her and thinking that she could stomp and squeeze him into his demise.
" I-Izu....S-stay away from me! Stay away! " he yelled in his squeaky voice. " Stay away! "
Izu closely walked over as Aruto or Zero One quickly ran away to his safety. She levelled herself by kneeling down and looked concerned at her armored boss. He was tremblingly shaking and sweating inside his helmet.
" Izu, get away from me! YOUR FEET CAN SQUISH AND KILL ME! "
" Aruto-sacho, I don't have an intention to do that, " she seriously spoke and carefully picked him up using her right hand. " I really want to find out what's wrong with your transformation. "
" I turned into a size of an ant! " he heatedly shrieked. " That new Progrise Key must be the culprit of my damn shrinking! "
" Can you try to remove it, sir? "
" Remove it? "
" Yes, please. "
" Uh...sure..."
Aruto or Zero One attempted to detach the Shrinking Hopper from his transformational driver on his belt. He moaned and thought, " I wish I have an enough strength like Fuwa-san! Dammit, I can't remove this freakish thing! Come on! "
Izu watched her boss's struggle in removing the Progrise Key and sighed. She thought of helping him and placed him down on the table.
" Hey, Izu! " he cried and waved his both arms, calling her attention. " Why you leave me like that?! Hey! "
She took a pair of tweezers, forceps, and scissors from the supplies and tools cabinet and felt determined to remove the Progrise Key from her boss. Placing them near Aruto's position, she headed to the other table to get a petri dish and a magnifying glass.
" Izu, are you gonna do an insect surgery on me? " Aruto worringly asked and begged. " Tell me, Am I gonna die on this? If I die, I'm confessing my sins in becoming Kamen Rider Ark One or the Hellriser Mode. Please forgive me! "
" Sir, you're not gonna die, " she calmly assured. " I'll try my best to remove that Shrinking Hopper in your system. You will return into your normal size for good. "
" Just don't hurt me, okay? "
" I won't do that, sir. "
Izu focusedly attempted to remove the progrise key from her boss and zoomed in her vision. Aruto was lying down and trying to calm himself down. His humagear secretary scanned, frowned, and found it very impossible to take it off. She gave up and placed her tools down.
" What's the matter? " he asked with a concern.
" Shrinking Hopper Progrise Key removal is negative to fulfill."
" Wait, what?! "
" Upon your transformation earlier, it altered your entire body size and system. "
" So, I shrunk? "
" It is obvious, sir. "
" Is there a way that I can return to my normal size? "
" I'm afraid it's impossible to do that. "
Aruto remained silent after hearing his secretary's words. He instantly sat down and crossed his arms, trying to understand of his current condition. He was very anxious of what would possibly happen to him in the coming days aside of what would everyone in the company think of him. He moved his head to and fro, seeing the entire room was too vast for him to work and live. He exasperatedly sighed and looked at his secretary.
" Izu, I'm so scared. I just don't know what to do, now, " he broke his silence. " Look at me, I'm too tiny. I can be brushed off, wiped away, picked, stomped, or even squished to death. Then, this office is too huge for me to work here! "
" I understand, sir. "
" It's just that I can't live and return to my normal size and life like I used to be. I will be like this forever, seriously. "
" I'm sorry that you end up like this. I'll find a way to help you in your situation. "
" Thanks. "
" However, I will do some research along with Satellite Zea for your complete lifestyle change and an expert who can help you. "
" Lifestyle change? Expert? Izu, who and what are you talking about?! "
" Let's start from your diet and day-to-day living. With your size, I should be extra careful for your health and safety. I will stay with you 24/7. "
" Gotcha. "
" About the expert, I will be coordinating with Satellite Zea. That person needs to check on you as well. "
" Sure. "
Days after Aruto tested his new Progrise Key, Izu, the CEO's humagear secretary, tirelessly looked after him and asked Satellite Zea for help. The data from the satellite couldn't find any solution for Aruto's miniscule condition, but it gave her the expert's information and contact details. She contacted another CEO and a scientist from the United States and sought for his help.
Just then, Mamoru the humagear security guard, assisted and welcomed a bespectacled and bearded blonde man in his late fifties to early sixties. He was wearing a dark brown business suit with a white shirt and a purple tie underneath. He brought a suitcase, entered the CEO's office, and looked intently at Izu.
" So, you must be Izu, President Hiden's secretary? " he calmly spoke to her.
" Yes, Dr. Pym, " she politely replied and bowed at him. " It's a pleasure to meet you in person. "
" Likewise. How many days did he remain in that condition? "
" It's been three days, sir. "
" So, where is he? "
" He's on the observation table inside the lab. He has been living in that open jar. "
" An empty glass jar of pickles, I take it? "
" Yes, sir, " she nodded.
" Take me there. "
Izu aided Dr. Hank Pym and opened the Hiden Intelligence secret lab access as they both headed onto the stairs. Just beside the humagear models, there was a vacant white table where Aruto or Zero One peacefully remained inside the jar and saw his android secretary and her visitor.
" President Aruto, we have a visitor, " she said and carefully released her armored human boss from the jar. " This is Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym of Pym Technologies. He's going to help us in your condition. "
Aruto intently looked at the visitor as he was in shock and starstrucked to see him. Then, he happily exclaimed in his tiny squeaky voice, " Hank Pym, the Original Ant-Man!! I have heard and read more about you!! It's great to see you so BIG!! "
" It's an honor to meet you, President Peepsqueak, " Pym sternly replied. " You accidentally shrunk yourself, I take it?! "
" President Peepsqueak?! You've gotta be kidding me!! "
" This is how I call you from now on. "
Pym took out his magnifying glass and intently eyed on the CEO and armored superhero. Aruto got frightened to see the other CEO's eyes, zooming out and slowly stepped back. Izu noticed her boss becoming uneasy.
" Izu, Doc, what the hell are you gonna do to me?! " he yelped in fear. " I'm no guinea pig! "
" President Aruto, please calm down. He's having a look on your condition, " she said with concern.
" Take it easy, President Peepsqueak, " Pym added. " I just need to find out what went wrong with that device and then how we could deal with your state for the meantime. "
Dr. Pym examined the other CEO and took out his device to check if something had altered the Kamen Rider's size and height. He started scanning and scratched his beard. Detecting with his device and laptop computer, he looked at the screen and showed the cause of his shrinkage.
" Nanobots are inside your Zero One driver and that keycard, " he gravely spoke.
" Doc, it's a Progrise Key. "
" Progress Key? "
" No, it's a Progrise Key, Doc! " Aruto yelled. " It allows me to use different abilities as Zero One. "
" Whatever, " Pym dismissed and changed the topic. " So, your dear ol' grandpa and daddy developed you as a hero. "
" Y-yeah..."
" Then, this Progress Key shrank you into a size of a bullet ant, I take it? "
Aruto cringed, facepalmed, and heard the American expert's blunder. Izu helplessly smiled and chuckled at Doctor Pym, trying to lighten up everyone's mood.
" So, my question is where the hell did you get those nanobots? " Pym asked.
Aruto and Izu exchanged glances and recalled of a cyber-terrorist named Rihito Isshiki who used nanomachines to control the whole society as a doomsday cult a couple of months ago. Aruto was forced to use the Hellrise form at that time when Izu or Zero Two found him.
" I think I remember now, " Aruto broke his silence.
" What do you mean? "
" I tried to fight S and became out of control as the Hellriser form, but I never realise that Zero One Driver can be infected by nanomachines. "
" I've heard of the guy. He used his nanomachines to control people. How lame, " Pym replied. " Now, his remaining ones got into you. "
" So, what should I do with this condition, Doc? Maybe, you have a device that I can grow back. "
" Look, President Peepsqueak. It will take time for me to study and apply my stuff into you. You need to wait for me and Izu to deceipher further with that Progress Key. "
" It's Progrise Key, Doc! How many times I have to tell..." Aruto loudly retorted.
Izu glared at her boss and gave him a gesture to be squished by her own hands. Aruto nervously chuckled and behaved as he sat down. Pym cleared his throat and turned to the humagear secretary.
" Izu, I guess we can explain and instruct him some important precautions to your chief, " the American scientist reminded. " I will be under your guidance and supervision. "
" Certainly, Doctor Pym, " she sincerely smiled and nodded.
" Go on, Izu, " Aruto sighed.
" Doctor Pym and I proposed some dietary plan as you will live inside your temporary shelter within the office and other living arrangements, " Izu explained and showed some slides in her tablet.
Aruto intently read the dietary plan and tilted his head. He could only eat bread crumbs and tiny meat and fruit slices , tiny green leafy vegetables, a grain of rice, and seaweed fragments. Then, he would stay inside the shrunken condo given by Doctor Pym. He could attend company and board meetings along with Izu and Pym as he would stay inside the transparent pickle jar. If ever President Hiden or Zero One needed some bathroom breaks, Dr. Pym would accompany him to the men's comfort room.
" Sir, what can you say with this plan? " she asked.
" I feel like I'm being under surveillance here, " Aruto nervously chuckled.
" It's better safe than sorry, President Peepsqueak, " Pym sternly reminded. " Before I made a thorough study and an intensive experiment with your condition, we want to make sure that you are well protected. We don't want you to get lost and disoriented with your new lifestyle.
" Right. For the meantime, what should I do while I'm awfully small? "
" I'll train you to be my temporary Ant-Man. "
" Ant-Man?! I'm no Ant-Man, I'm Kamen Rider Zero One in Shrinking Hopper form! "
" Shrinking Hopper Zero One or whatever, you're still an Ant-Man in your condition. You gotta learn how to adjust yourself. Understood? "
" Right, Doc. Gotcha. "
" Good, you'll get used to it when you're dealing small scale threats in the future. "