Ace sits across from the police station. How long have I been here? Feels like hours. The bell above the cafe door đź”” CHIMES, another customer walks in. Guess I'll get another coffee. Ace waves down the waitress. "Another coffee, please."
Ace glances back at the station. Come on, Kenji. I don't have all day. He taps his fingers on the table, the rhythmic drumming a counterpoint to the cafe's gentle music. He sips his coffee, the bitterness doing little to improve his mood.
Finally, Kenji exits the station, looking disheveled and confused. Two officers escort him to the curb before heading back inside. Ace throws some cash on the table and exits the cafe. He keeps his distance, careful not to spook Kenji.
Kenji walks slowly, shoulders slumped, lost in thought. Ace hangs back, matching Kenji's pace. Where are you going, Kenji? Back to the construction site? Or somewhere else?
Kenji mumbles under his breath, "Not my fault... wasn't me..." His words barely audible above the city's hum.
Poor guy, he looks like he's been through it. Ace closes the distance. "Hey," Ace calls out.
Kenji whirls around, eyes wide with alarm. "Whoa! You scared me, kid!"
Ace raises his hands. "Sorry, didn't mean to. I just... saw you leaving the station. You okay?"
Kenji sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Okay? Does it look like I'm okay? They think I trashed the construction site. Said I was drunk, caused a scene." He spits on the ground. "It wasn't me, man. I swear."
"Hey, hey, calm down," Ace says, his voice soothing. "I'm not here to cause trouble. Just trying to understand what happened." Ace waits, letting Kenji collect himself. After a moment, the man's breathing steadies.
"Do you... remember anything about a monster? A gorilla?" Ace asks, carefully.
Kenji eyes him suspiciously. "You with the cops? 'Cause I already told them, I wasn't with that mutant-type Quirk villain. I don't even like apes!"
Ace shakes his head. "No, man. I'm not with the police. Just a concerned civilian, trying to figure things out."
Kenji hesitates, then seems to decide to trust Ace. "Alright... alright. I remember... I was drinking, yeah? Like always. Then... this light, it just kinda slammed into me. Next thing I know, there's this ape standing in front of me. Asked me what I wanted."
Kenji shudders. "I was drunk, see? Angry. I said... I wished that company my boss owns, the whole damn place, to be destroyed. Said it outta spite. That work environment was horrible, the wage was a joke..."
Kenji launches into a tirade about his boss, Tanaka. He talks about the impossible deadlines, the low wages, and the general disrespect he and his fellow workers endure daily. Ace listens patiently, nodding occasionally.
"Thanks for telling me all this, Kenji. It helps," Ace says, offering a reassuring smile.
Kenji sighs. "Thanks for listening, kid. It's been eating me up."
Ace nods. "Anytime."
Ace walks away, leaving Kenji to his thoughts. A wish for his company to be destroyed, huh? That's all Ace needed to know. If Imagin wants to fulfill Kenji's wish, then it is sure to target that company again.
Ace hops on the Trychaser, revving the engine. Time to find out where Kenji works. He needs to be ready for the Imagin's next move. Ace speeds off, his mind already piecing together a plan.
Ace weaves through traffic, the Trychaser eating up the miles. He consults his phone, a quick search revealing Tanaka Construction's main site in the industrial district. Bingo.
The construction site looms ahead, a skeletal framework of steel and concrete against the skyline. Yellow tape cordons off the perimeter, but Ace spots a gap, slipping through unnoticed.
Inside, workers mill about, surveying the damage from the previous attack. A portly man in a hard hat yells instructions, his face red with frustration. Tanaka. Ace recognizes him instantly from Kenji's description.
Ace hangs back, watching Tanaka berate a group of workers. The guy's a real piece of work. Ace can feel the tension in the air, the resentment simmering beneath the surface.
Suddenly, the ground SHAKES. [Rumble] [Rumble]
The workers freeze, eyes wide with terror. Tanaka spins around, his face paling.
"What in the—?" he stammers, the words lost in the GROWL that echoes through the site.
From the wreckage, the Gorilla Imagin rises, its sand-strewn body shimmering in the afternoon light. [ROAR]
"YOU DARED TO REBUILD?" The Imagin booms, its voice a gravelly echo. "THE WISH HAS NOT YET BEEN FULFILLED!"
Panic erupts. Workers scatter, screaming as the Gorilla Imagin begins its rampage. Steel girders crumple like paper, concrete slabs shatter under its immense strength.
Tanaka stumbles backward, his eyes fixed on the monster. "No... no, this can't be happening again!"
The Gorilla Imagin raises a massive fist, aiming to crush Tanaka. "TANAKA! YOUR COMPANY WILL FALL WITH YOU!"
[VROOM]
A blur of red and black streaks across the construction site. Ace, astride the Trychaser, careens toward Tanaka, snatching him from the monster's path just as the fist slams down.
"WHOA!" Tanaka screams, clinging to Ace as the Trychaser swerves wildly.
Ace dumps Tanaka by the perimeter fence. "Run! Get out of here!"
Tanaka doesn't need to be told twice. He scrambles to his feet, legs pumping as he flees the site, disappearing into the maze of streets.
Ace cuts the engine, the Trychaser settling into a low idle. He steps off the bike, his gaze fixed on the Gorilla Imagin. The Imagin towers over him, a hulking mass of sand and fury.
"Who are you?" The Imagin bellows, its voice shaking the ground. "Another one trying to interfere?"
Ace smirks, cracking his knuckles. "Forgotten me already, Kongaros? Guess you really got a bad memory."
The Gorilla Imagin squints, its eyes narrowing in recognition. "Wait... that voice. Are you Kamen Rider!?"
Ace shrugs, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Bingo! And this is where you're going to end."
The Imagin laughs, a booming sound that echoes through the ruined construction site. "Kamen Rider? You think you can stop me? I won't lose. I'll complete my contract, no matter what!"
Ace shifts into a fighting stance, his eyes blazing with determination. "We'll see about that, ape. Let's dance."
Ace is about to summon the Arcle, ready to transform into Kuuga, when a ball of light slams into his back. He staggers, pitching forward, completely off balance. What the—? A foot shoots out, stopping his fall, but a smirk creeps onto his face, a smirk that doesn't belong there.
"This body feels great…" Ace mutters, his voice deeper, rougher than usual.
His hair flashes, a streak of crimson suddenly visible. His eyes burn red, a hot-blooded, arrogant look settling on his face. "Ore, Sanjou!"
The Gorilla Imagin recoils. Something's wrong. The aura around the man in front of him had changed, drastically. It's darker, more chaotic, with a palpable sense of barely-contained energy.
"Found ya, You stinkin' Imagin!" Momotaros declares, a grin splitting his face.
"You… you're an Imagin!" Gorilla exclaims, astonishment lacing his gravelly voice.
"That's right! I'm here to kick your ass!"
"Why! Aren't we on the same side!? Wait, you're one of the traitors!"
"Traitors? I don't know what you're talking about," Momotaros scoffs. "All that I care about is a good fight and to stop you! So, let's play!"
Momotaros reveals the Rider Pass and Den-O Belt. The Rider Pass is a sleek, black card resembling a futuristic train ticket. It features silver accents and the DenLiner emblem, symbolizing its connection to time travel. The Den-O Belt is a high-tech transformation belt featuring a central buckle known as the Terminal Buckle, which houses the SetTouch scanner. It has four color-coded buttons—red, blue, yellow, and purple—each corresponding to a specific form.
"Let me show you, my cool Henshin," Momotaros announces, pressing the red button on the Den-O Belt.
[Sword Form Jingle]
"Henshin!" He shouts, swiping the Rider Pass in front of the Den-O Belt.
[Sword Form]
Ace is covered in a flash of light, as he forms the Plat Form. The silver and black armor forms around his body, sleek and streamlined.
A surge of red energy erupts from the belt, solidifying into the Aura Armor. Pieces of armor materialize and lock onto the Plat Form, a vibrant red replacing the silver. The chest piece clicks into place, adorned with rail-like patterns. Shoulder pads resembling train parts attach to the shoulders, further emphasizing the train motif.
The helmet snaps onto Ace's head, the red mask peels to the sides, revealing a golden faceplate underneath. The visor design resembles two halves of a peach, a nod to the Momotaro legend.
Momotaros laughs, flexing his armored hands. "Ore… Sanjou!" He strikes a pose.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz