KR Gaim - Crossover 2014 (Part 1-4)

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クロスオーバー2014：鎧武×ウィザード〜アーマード・魔法使い組！〜 / Crossover 2014: Gaim x Wizard ~The Armored/Mage Team-up!~ (Part 1-4)
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Let us take a moment to observe an event which took place prior to the true coming of the Overlords.

A white motorcycle made its way through the streets of Zawame City, carrying a young man and woman. They entered this Utopian city for the first time and felt taken aback by its scenery - So much so that the woman asked the man to pull over. Once they were off of the road, they came to a halt. The man removed his helmet, letting his messy, short blonde hair free.

"On foot from here, Aimi?" The young man asked.

"Just hide the bike, Kosuke, we can get it later." Aimi told him, straightening her long brown hair after removing the helmet. "I wanna take in the scenery - it's beautiful here."

"You're tellin' me." Kosuke said, looking around.

The two ended up going to a donut stand, like old times, and munch on the decorated delicacies that were popular here. Aimi kindly paid for both of them and they walked through the open area.

"Man, this place is a lot bigger than I remember." Kosuke remarked.

"You used to live here?"

"Naaah." Kosuke grinned, "I stopped by here once years ago on my travels. Seems like they did some major refurbishing since then."

"Hey, looks like there's some street performers over there." Aimi pointed out a stage and a crowd.

The two made their way through the dozen or so people and saw a bunch of teens in white, blue and purple dancing to lively music as the crowd was cheering them on. The attitude was so lively here, it made them forget about all their troubles... for just a bit.

Aimi let her eyes wander, only to focus on the raised street above the stage - She noticed an older gentleman in a white suit, looking down at the two.

"Aimi?" Kosuke looked to her curiously.

Aimi started to run past the crowd and to the path leading up that way. Kosuke followed in surprise.

"Whoa, what's up??" Kosuke asked her.

"That Phantom is here!" Aimi told him, "I have to act now, no more running."

Kosuke nodded and let her go on her way. Once she made her way up, the man faced away from her, but she knew he was aware of her presence. He seemed to have a silver strap around his waist now that she'd arrived.

"Thought you'd forgotten about us for a second." Aimi said sarcastically. She had her tome out, ready to scan a ring.

"I never forget a face." He told her coldly.

{DRIVER ON - PLEASE~!}

The tome closed and shrunk down, attaching to her waist to form a belt. She flipped it open to scan her light orange ring now.

{♪SHABADOOBIE, TOUCH AND TRANSFORM♪}

"Transform!" Aimi called out, scanning her transformation ring.

{CHANGE - PLEASE~!}

After bringing a hand to his waist briefly, a giant skull and spine dropped from the sky and wrapped around him, and in a black smog he gained a black monstrous form with a bony, jagged sword. He turned around to face her... just as she recognized, the monster featured silver skeletal markings, and a blank face with a flowing white mane. The sight caused otherwise curious civilians to run away, fearing the worst.

Aimi ran forward and passed through a pink spell circle, transforming into the violet mage known as Kastelle. She came running at the skeletal being with a punch and he grabbed her fist, knocking her in the stomach to stun her. He started to leap from the higher ground and landed on the stage below, scaring off the dancers who were already fleeing the area once they saw him change.

Kastelle leapt with him, landing on her feet. She scanned a ring after that.

{BIG - PLEASE~!}

A spell circle appeared in front of Kastelle and she punched forward, allowing a giant fist to attack. However, Fifteen held it back with his strength and slipped by it, managing to get to her and slash her in the back. He then kicked her to the ground off of the stage, walking towards her with his sword ready to perform the final kill. But suddenly, the sound of two more heroes made their way to the scene.

[ORANGE ARMS! TAKE THAT SPOTLIGHT ON STAGE!]
[HASHIBAMI ARMS! YOU CAN DO IT!]

Gaim and Maiden came diving in with their swords, but the black creature quickly blocked with his own. He managed to slip by and dodge their advances, then kick them both aside in one hit like he did with Kastelle. She'd gotten off the ground now, recovering from the attack, and observed the black creature. A skilled melee fighter, it seemed.

"Just as I anticipated." The black creature said in remorse at their appearance.

"It talks..." Aimi remarked.

"An Overlord?" Gaim asked.

A pink spell circle started to form beside the black creature, which he caught just in time.

{EXPLOSION - PLEASE~!}

The creature dove away and rolled onto the ground, landing on his feet despite the powerful blast.

"Next time, we meet on more favorable grounds." The black creature said.

As he got up, a crack started to appear, different from the ones opening into the Helheim Forest... its zipper line was sinister and bony, and led to a purple, smokey void. The black creature backed away into it and it sealed quickly, before Gaim, Maiden or Kastelle could follow. They each sighed in disappointment.

Kosuke walked over to them now that things had quieted down, "Hey... What's goin' on?" He asked.

Maiden and Gaim looked to Kastelle, and she looked to them. That's when it hit them - They hadn't even taken in the fact that they were facing mutual costumed heroes...

"A samurai..." Kosuke crossed his arms looking at Gaim.

"A jewel face..." Maiden pointed to Kastelle.

"Food for armor..." Kastelle followed.

"Witch's hat..." Gaim added.

"What're you supposed to be?!" The four all asked in unison.

. . .

"Sengoku, explain." Yoshimoto said.

At Ryoma's office, Yoshimoto dropped a photo onto his desk. It was an image provided from one of the cameras in the West Stage area of Zawame, depicting the black creature the Riders had been fighting moments ago.

Ryoma quirked a brow in intrigue at the closeup, because this unknown figure was wearing a Sengoku Driver with a silver strap, which looked to be made by his own hands. Minato looked over his shoulder at the sight as well, seeming mildly concerned.

"Curious." Ryoma commented simply.

"The appearance of this Armored Rider doesn't match anyone currently on Yggdrasill's database." Yoshimoto told him, growing more serious in tone. "Must I remind you of the consequences of--"

"I'm aware of the job I was assigned to and the limitations attached, thank you." Ryoma interrupted. He stood up and paced in a small circle as he spoke. "Seeing a new Armored Rider in this city is as perplexing to me as it is you... I'd like to observe it more closely." He turned himself to Yoshimoto. "Perhaps we're dealing with another mimic Inves such the one from that fall incident." Ryoma then crossed his arms. "Of course... What do you propose we do about it?"

"Since the Overseer is understandably busy looking into other matters, you will remain by my side until my suspicions are lifted. I'm understandably suspicious." Yoshimoto said motioning him to follow. "We'll just have to encounter this Rider and identify him personally."

"As you wish." Ryoma answered. He looked to Minato as he left his office, shrugged with raised brows and followed.

. . .

At the fruit parlor Drupers...

"No." Mr. Bando told Kota.

"But--"

"I need to make money, kiddo." Mr. Bando crossed his arms, giving a sardonic look. "I can't do that by giving out freebies."

"It's okay, we can pay for it." Aimi assured him.

"Well, uh." Kosuke smiled nervously. "I think I might have some pocket change after our last stop?"

"I'LL pay for it." Aimi corrected herself, smirking to him.

Mr. Bando got to work on their parfaits. In the meantime, a question came to mind.

"By the way, you were fighting that thing from before." Kota brought up.

"The Phantom." Aimi corrected.

"Phantom?" Rei and Kota asked together.

"A person with magic potential who's been overcome by despair in the presence of the dark aura let off by other Phantoms." Aimi explained, keeping her voice soft. "They lose their humanity and become a mythological creature. I'm fairly certain that was some kind of demon based Phantom."

"Aimi recognized it." Kosuke added. "Every few towns we passed through, she thought she saw that dude watching us. I thought she was just being paranoid but it was totally the same guy in white. So we figure it's a stubborn stray Phantom that's stalking us."

"It wasn't an Inves, then." Rei said to Kota.

"Inves?" Aimi brought up. She was a bit thrown off to hear another name for them so she spoke up this time.

"They're those things kids used to fight with 'round here." Mr. Bando answered. He hadn't been paying full attention to their soft conversation, but heard the Inves being mentioned. "Personally I thought the monster fighting craze was fishy as is. Look now - the city's got those things running around every so often and they hurt innocent people... As well as my business."

"We're doing the best we can to stop them." Kota told the two.

"And doing a fine job of it, too!" Mr. Bando complimented with their orders. "Hope the monster stuff doesn't scare you off. This place really is great to visit."

"Thank you." Aimi smiled to him as he carried on with his work.

"That portal it went through was strange..." Rei brought up once Bando had walked away. She lowered her voice to avoid suspicion. "It left through something that Inves use to travel, but that one seemed... different."

"Whatever it is, we ain't leavin' until it's stomped out for good." Kosuke said confidently, mashing a fist to his other hand. "Real sick of it following us around like this."

Aimi nodded hesitantly. She felt about the same, but the mystery of its origins grew greater and greater now...

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Next time, his powers are known...!