KR Gaim - Tru Heart 2017 (Part 2)

[DISCLAIMER: This is an alternate continuity to Kamen Rider Gaim, featuring a few fancharacters and altered plot. Refer to description for extra detail on this specific special.]

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トルーハート2017：ライダーズの向こう側まで / Tru Heart 2017: Riders From The Other Side

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The manager of Avoir Envie, the restaurant where Yori worked, was awaiting his return. Yori kept a steady pace as he walked down the town square, somewhat puzzled by what had just transpired, but had to focus on his job.

Everything progressed as usual until he began to approach a young man leaning against a tree whose eyes locked onto him. Yori then felt a sudden strike to the back of his head as a pinecone was lobbed at him. He rubbed the back of his head to see the young man holding another, clearly trying to get his attention.

"Careful where you throw those." Yori said, the look on his face clearly showing awareness of the intention, but not for what purpose. "You might hurt someone."

"I don't know where we are, but your image isn't clean as far as I'm concerned." The young man, Masato, told him. He dropped the pinecone and walked closer.

"What are you talking about?" Yori questioned. He started to turn away. "Listen, I don't have time for games, I need to get to--"

Yori could feel the sudden movement behind him. As Masato came in with a punch, Yori grabbed his arm from behind and flipped him forward. Masato moved his body and landed on his feet, jerking his arm from Yori's grip. He quickly got his Sengoku Driver on, glaring at Yori. He stepped back, getting some distance from Masato.

"Wasn't expecting this..." Yori muttered. "You must be with that other kid."

"Gaku and I are on entirely different levels." Masato got his Lockseed ready. "I'm on a level you've yet to achieve."

[BLACK CHERRY!]

Seeing the dark colored cherry armor descend, Yori got his Sengoku Driver on and whipped out his own Lockseed.

[BLACKBERRY!]

The blackberry armor clashed with his, causing a stir in nearby civilians. Striking down the knife on his belt, Yori transformed.

[C'MON - BLACKBERRY ARMS! TILL THE BITTER END!]

Masato ran forward, slamming down the knife.

[C'MON - BLACK CHERRY ARMS! FLARE UP, RIDER!]

Transformed, Haku used his mace to block the saber that the transformed Masato was wielding. He shoved himself back, giving a twirl then posing with it.

"You may be skilled, but you'll not best Armored Rider Rolento." He said smoothly, getting into character.

[BLACK PISTOL!]

From beneath the cloak on his one arm, Rolento whipped out a pistol and began shooting rapidly. Haku ran to dodge each shot, then jumped against a tree. Launching himself from it, he came forward with a flip and a jumping kick, moving past Rolento.

As he was preparing his mace, however, Haku heard a ringtone.

"Wh-- My manager? Now, of all times?" Haku questioned.

[C'MON - BLACK CHERRY AU LAIT!]

Jabbing his saber forward, Rolento sent a pair of cherry holograms with a toothpick shape flying at Haku, knocking him into a tree. He fell to the ground with his phone falling beside him. In a panic, Haku rolled aside with it, answering it as he got up.

"I know I'm late, but--" Haku started.

"Kazama? What's going on out there?" Takatora questioned. "We've got reports of a black Rider causing a panic."

"Eh? Kureshima!" Haku dodged Rolento's saber, then swung at him with his mace to knock him back. "I'm a bit busy right now - another weird Armored Rider showed up."

"Don't underestimate me!" Rolento snapped. He started to punch Haku, but Haku caught him.

"Can you handle it?" Kureshima asked. "We're currently on the lookout for that one who can control cracks."

"Right, that one..." Haku remembered. "I'll figure something out."

Putting his phone aside, Haku brought Rolento close then kneed him. Throwing him aside, he gave Rolento a chance.

"Look, don't wanna deal with Yggdrasill." Haku told him. He held a hand over his Lockseed, "I've got this belt because I protect this city. If you're gonna cause trouble like this, I've got no choice but to take yours."

"I won't... give into Yggdrasill's threats..." Rolento stood up. "And you won't take away my power!"

Rolento clenched his fists. With a power surging through him, his armor began to let off a glow, taking on a new color. Rolento stood firm, flicking his cape aside with a glittery energy flowing from it.

[FRRRESH BLACK CHERRY ARMS!]

"Oh geez..." Haku muttered, not expecting a transformation on this level.

. . .

Rei continued walking through any of the wooded areas nearby, until she finally came to an area leading into a street. Near it, Gaku was sitting against a tree, looking idly at the busy city around him. She quietly walked towards him, hoping that if she didn't make too much noise, he'd recognize that she didn't mean harm.

Gaku saw her, and immediately started to look past her in the surrounding area, with a look of concern.

"I'm just here by myself." Rei assured him.

Gaku silently looked back to the city. He watched cars go by and people walking around, interacting.

"This city is so peaceful." Gaku spoke up. "Why do you have all of this when you have Armored Riders?"

"It wasn't always this way." Rei corrected. "That is... a few years ago, some monsters from another world attacked the city, and then the whole world. We had to work to get where we are now."

"I see..."

There was a pause.

"You seem like you're going through that right now." Rei suggested.

"Yggdrasill took everything away from me." Gaku told her. His hand rested on his Sengoku Driver resting next to him. "Gang wars in Kokage were at an all time high, so they came in and gave everyone these belts to start a war they could keep under control. But it turned into a competition to rule the city."

Rei saw the look of pain on his face, which struck her as... a familiar confusion. She kneeled down to meet him face to face.

"I don't know if there's a version of you in our world, but you remind me of someone I once knew." Rei said. "He and I fought to stop the people in Yggdrasill who were responsible for everything going wrong, and even when the world was falling around us, he wanted to keep fighting for everyone's future."

Gaku's eyes drifted up to see her smiling softly at him.

"What you're describing sounds bad, but if you've got that belt, you have something special: A voice of reason to stop the war." Rei told him. "It won't be easy, but... the heart finds a way to keep going."

"Wish I had someone like you in my world." Gaku finally said. "I... could really use a friend like that."

Rei smiled a bit, but felt bad about that - where was she in this world of his?

They then heard the sound of fighting taking place. Nearby, Haku rolled into view, using his mace to block a saber. Rolento stood over him, a saber in each hand.

"M-Masato, stop!" Gaku stood, running over to them.

"Gaku." Rolento kept his stance, showing detest at the interruption. "Stay out of this."

"We're not in Kokage anymore." Gaku said. "This guy, he... We shouldn't hunt him down without knowing how differently he turned out."

His power was fading. Rolento's Lockseed closed, returning to his usual state, and causing his suit to dematerialize. He moved back, allowing Haku the chance to stand.

"What exactly is going on here?" Haku looked to Rei, closing the Lockseed so his suit could dematerialize.

"That Rider who disappeared into the crack seems to have pulled these two from another world with their own Yggdrasill." Rei summarized.

"... Ah." Yori realized. His eyes looked to Masato, who took issue with him, then to the pensive Gaku.

"Things are different here. Way different." Gaku explained to Masato. "Better."

"You know we can't stay here, though." Masato said plainly.

"I know..." Gaku nodded. "We need to find that Rider."

A ringtone could be heard from Rei's pocket. She pulled out her phone, saw a familiar number and answered.

"We found a clue." Takatora said right away. "Please come to Yggdrasill as soon as possible."

"Got it." Rei nodded, ending the call.

"An update?" Yori asked.

"Looks like we've got something." Rei answered. "But, it's at Yggdrasill..."

Gaku and Masato exchanged looks for a moment.

"You'd better not be wrong." Masato told Gaku.

Accepting their path, the group headed out of the wooded area. Nearby, standing behind a large tree, an older man in a white suit coat and face mask waited until their departure. He peeked from behind the tree to make sure they were out of sight, then kneeled down with his briefcase.

Clicking it open, a small white case was inside. Inside the white case, he eyed the oddly colored fruit inside and allowed his gloved hands to grasp it. He gently placed it by the tree, then closed his things.

With the winter season, no one would find that face mask conspicuous, so he headed out into the streets, away from the temptation of that fruit.

. . .

It was a surprise to see Gaku and Masato accept the invitation. Although they were reluctant to share all that Gaku shared with Rei, it was accepted that they were from a different world. In a meeting room, Professor Ming passed around a set of papers for all of them to see. Along with it, strangely, was a small chunk of metal in a sealed bag.

"This is part of the hinge of a Lockseed." Professor Ming explained the metal. "Running DNA tests on it, we were able to find a match."

"Valerie... Hansen." Yori read the name on the paper. There was an old photo included of a very young foreign girl. She looked to be about 6 years old.

"The photo is our best match to that name." Takatora clarified. "She was an orphan until about 2009. We were unable to find any information on who adopted her."

"Even so..." Rei spoke up, seeing the photo as the paper was passed her way, "She'd be 14 by now, but she was as tall as Yori."

"I do wonder..." Ming trailed off.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have an emergency."

Entering the room was Putra, former Rider - now part of Yggdrasill's Japan sector. He looked concerned.

"What's going on?" Takatora stood.

"Inves." Putra said simply. "We've got reports of them all over the city."

"How?" Yori questioned.

Takatora shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now. All of us need to stomp this new infestation out."

"All of us?" Gaku asked. He looked to Masato, who was equally concerned and confused about this news.

"We've already got people dispatched, but with all of us, it should go more smoothly." Putra told them. "Come on."

"Putra is--?" Yori found that surprising, getting up from his seat once Putra left the door. "Hey, wait up!"

"Hold on!" Gaku spoke up.

Yori stopped. He watched Gaku approach him timidly.

"The Haku we fought was different from you." Gaku explained. "Cold, scary..."

Yori recalled his time at Yggdrasill and understood. He didn't lead Gaku in any direction - he let him make his own conclusions on how these times in his life contrasted.

Gaku held out a hand. "If you fight to protect peace, then I'll help you."

Yori nodded, shaking his hand. He gave a genuine smile, to which Gaku gave a weak but accepting smile.

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[Next time, the Armored Rider teamup!]