Kamen Rider Kabuto AU: Female Gamer

[CaptainNinnin]

Summary

Have you ever thought about what could have been? What if Kabuto wasn't about a MAN that walked the path of heaven. But a woman that walked the path of...video games? Kamen Rider is owned by Toei Company, Ltd. I own nothing but the idea.

Note

For this one, I have cast one of my favorite Toku actresses in the role of Tendou. If you are a fan of Dekaranger that you'll recognize the wonderful Kinoshita Ayumi. But she is the one that I have cast here.

Chapter 1

In 1999 it was a perfect and ordinary day. People were out and about living everyday lives. Including the Kasakabe family. They were in a building the father was working on something and something had come up when he was out and about with his family so he decided to bring them too. But Amaterasu couldn’t be bothered to learn where she was or why she was there. She was mad and like most kids her age, she didn’t care about anything other than her anger.

She didn’t even care that her little sister was wandering around. She idealized her older sister. But she had angered her before they had left for their house by accidentally erasing her saved game for the newest craze for games. Armored Hero one about the mighty Kamen Rider Kuuga.

Hiyori wanted to make it up to her but she didn’t know how she could. But as Amaterasu looked out the window she saw a ball of flame heading for the city. “Okāsan?” she asked just as the meteor hit the city-destroying half the city. And Amaterasu cried for hours in the rubble of the building. And she was all alone her family was gone and no one could bring them back.

*     *     *

Seven years later and little Amaterasu wasn’t so little anymore. And she was living a somewhat normal life. She had moved in with her grandmother and took her grandmother’s name and became Tendou Amaterasu. She went by Tendou because she never wanted to hear her first name again. It brought up memories of her family. She had a new little sister too. Her young cousin Tendou Juuka who also lost her parents in that fateful meteor crash.

“Nē-chan, good morning,” she said with a smile as she ran into the room with her sister playing a game like always.

“Good morning.” Tendou said with a smile as she cleared a level. “Yes!” she screamed as she looked at the screen of the game.

“Itadakimasu,” Juuka said as she dug into the meal that her older sister had made. “Delicious as usually Nē-chan,” Juuka said with a smile.

“I bet you say that to all the cooks you have.” Tendou said with a smile.

“No Nē-chan. You are a great cook. Why do you play those games?” she asked with a smile.

Tendou smile faltered a little. “For my family,” she said with a sad smile as her favorite character in Armored Hero 7 Kamen Rider Kabuto did his victory pose of pointing to the sky.

She had bought every game in the franchise. If only to play them for her sister. She hated herself for being mad at her that day. She would give anything to have that day back and at the very least tell her that it was a stupid thing to have gotten mad over. And Juuka looked sad. She knew that her sister had been kicking herself for that day since she had met her when they both moved into this house seven years before. But she never knew what to do.

*     *     *

With Juuka in school for the day, Tendou decided to go out. It would have been her sisters 20th birthday. And every year on her birthday she would go do something that she wished that she could share with her. This year she had found a little bistro called the Bistro La Salle. It was a cute little place. The type of place that her sister would have loved.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed right now sweetie.” the woman in charge of the restaurant said to her as she walked through the doors.

“But the sign says open?” Tendou said, looking out the door to see the open sign.

She looked out and saw the sign. “I’m telling you that child doesn’t know if she’s coming or going. Come in I’ll fix you something good for your trouble,” she said with a smile as she went out and grabbed the sign before any more people would come for the non-existing lunch rush.

“Sorry about that.” Tendou said with an apologetic smile.

“It’s not your fault sweetie. I have part-time help that is both a cook and a go for. She was supposed to take down the sign last night must have forgotten with her other job a suppose. So I’ll fix you up something. I’m afraid it can’t be something on the menu. Most of that I am starting the early prep work now.” she said with a smile as she went to the kitchen.

“That’s fine ma’am. I just came here to celebrate my sister’s 20th birthday.” Tendou said sadly.

“Should I fix something for two then?” she asked with a smile.

“No she’s...” Tendou said but couldn’t finish it.

“The meteor?” she asked with a knowing smile.

“Yeah.” Tendou said, trying not to cry.

“We all lost something to that damn thing. I had a cousin that was in the Shibuya district. We could never find him. His family was a wreck. I’ll fix you something special.” she said with a smile.

Tendou her. She reminded her of a simpler time. When all that mattered was family and love then that meteor hit the Shibuya district and the world changed. “Let me help you, ma’am. I know a thing or two about cooking,” she said with a smile and the two of them cooked a fine meal for the both of them to enjoy and toast to the memories of those that they had lost.

*     *     *

Later Tendou had to get what they were going to have for dinner that night. That’s when she saw something that she hoped that she and Juuka would never run into in their lives. Standing before her, was one of the creatures that had come to the Earth with that meteor. Inside the meteor was a creature that had come to be called Worms. They were shape-shifting aliens that would kill the people that they take the shape of.

Everyone lived in fear that someone that they loved had been killed and been replaced. But thankfully their numbers hadn’t grown too large. There were rumors that there was an organization that protected them from the Worm. But they aren’t doing a good job, she thought. Terrified by what she was seeing.

Then she saw vans and trucks pull up and she saw men jump out of them to fight the Worm. “Get out of here!” she heard a female voice say. That’s when she saw a woman that was just a couple years younger then she was. But she carried herself with confidence. She liked her right away. But she was terrified by what she was seeing. She couldn’t move. Her body was frozen.

That’s when she was grabbed by this woman and the two of them rushed out of there. But it didn’t take long for the Worm to start to glow. “Shit it’s molting!” she heard from one of the fighters that were trying to fight this thing. She looked over her shoulder as she was being rushed out. The green monster that it had been, just milted away and replaced with a streamlined version of the monster.

Then almost without warning it vanished and then all of the troops were defeated and sent flying all dead by the looks of them. Tendou couldn’t believe what was happening. She saw her life flash before her eyes. And she regretted her anger even more now that she thought her life was ending. She wanted more than anything takes that back.

“I’m sorry Hiyori,” she said with tears streaming down her face.

The person that was helping her escape was then attacked by the Worm. It held her up by the neck. Tendou couldn’t just watch as this woman died. So she lunged forward and tried to free her from the Worm. But it worked about as well as you could hope. She was swatted away and her game was flung free from her pocket.

At this point, the game started to glow like it never had before. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw something that she never thought that she would ever see. Something flew out of the game. It was the little red beetle that Kamen Rider Kabuto used to Cast Off and power up. It also had a belt too.

She didn’t know why, but she felt like this was her destiny. She rushed to the belt and put it on. And then she caught the red beetle. “Henshin!” she said as she slid the beetle into the slot on the belt. And armor grew around her body. She couldn’t believe this feeling as she looked at the bulky armor that she knew only too well.

The woman that was being held up by her neck eyes went wide. She has never seen anything like this before. And she had been fighting Worms for a couple of years.

“Is this happening?” Tendou asked herself more than anyone there. As she looked at the armor she knew so well. Then she was brought back to the situation by the sounds of the woman gurgling.

“I don’t think so.” Tendou said as she rushed into the fight. She pulled the Worm off the girl that would be her hero. She punched him away fighting him off her with ease. It then moved fast again. That’s when she remembered the special power that they had come up with for this generation of Kamen Riders in Armored Hero. “Cast Off,” she said flicking the horn of the beetle.

“CHANGE BEETLE!” she heard as her armor was flung from her body and a horn came up to her face. The girl behind her couldn’t believe this as she watched the armor pieces hit the Worm. She had never seen a molted Worm being fought like this. She knew that they had to defeat these worms before they molted. But she watched as this random person was right now going toe to toe with a molted Worm.

That’s when it tried to speed run away again. “No, you don’t.” Tendou said as she pushed a button on the side of the belt that she knew was. Thank you game, she thought with a smile.

“CLOCK UP!” she heard as she started to move just as fast as the Worm. She had wondered why this gen of Kamen Riders had this power when she first heard about this power but she was thankful for it right now as she fought the Worm. She thought about all the things that she had dealt with because of that damn meteor. She would never be able to apologize to her sister who she was sure had died thinking that she would hate her forever.

She saw all the nightmares that she had ever had of the meteor taking everyone that she had loved. Her otōsan, her okāsan, Juuka, and Hiyori. She could never forgive anything that came from that devil thing that had taken her life and trashed it beyond repair. “ONE. TWO. THREE.” her belt said as she pushed the button on the beetle she had caught called the Kabuto Zecter.

“RIDER KICK!” she said as she roundhouse kicked the Worm sending a massive amount of energy into the Worm with the kick. And the Worm fell and exploded.

“CLOCK OVER!” she heard the belt say as the flames erupted behind her.

The girl that had wanted to save Tendou stared at this person that she had wanted to save. “How did you know how to do that?” she asked her as she undid her henshin.

“Uh, I played this game Armored Hero 7. My favorite Kamen Rider in that game is Kamen Rider Kabuto. And that’s what I had just become. B-But I don’t understand this. It’s just a game.” she said as the Kabuto Zecter playfully flew around her.

“Would you mind coming with me?” the girl asked.

“Why?” Tendou asked, looking at her.

“We could use someone like you fighting these Worms,” she said with a smile.

“Uh, I don’t want to fight.” Tendou said.

“But you just demolished that molted Worm. I’ve never seen that before,” she said, looking at her.

Tendou started to fear what this woman was saying; she liked her but she didn’t want to be the puppet of some organization that operated in secret. “My obāsan told me this. Never trust someone that hides their true face. You might be making a deal with the devil.” Tendou said with a smile.

She rushed to her game and picked it up hoping to run away. But as soon as she touched it a bike appeared in front of her. It was shaped like Kabuto and had a helmet on the set. She didn’t know where or how that appeared. But it was becoming the norm right now. She quickly put the helmet on and rushed back to her house. With the Kabuto Zecter flying beside her like a happy little puppy following its master home.

*     *     *

“I’m sorry Juuka. I got sidetracked as I was going to get the food for tonight,” she said with a smile to her little sister. They were walking to the restaurant she had lunch in.

“It’s alright Nē-chan. I know that today is a bad day for you,” she said with a comforting smile to her older sister.

“Has anyone ever told you that you are wise beyond your years.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Yes, you Nē-chan,” she said with a smile as they walked into the Bistro La Salle.

“Hey welcome back. And who is this?” the woman she had lunch with asked with a smile seeing her with Juuka.

“This is my other little sister. She’s my cousin. But we both were taken in by our obāsan. And we became sisters.” she said with a smile.

“Oh, that’s nice. I guess every cloud has a silver lining,” she said with a smile to the two of them. And seat them at a table.

“Kagami sweetie please give these two fine people the specials,” she said with a smile as she went to another group seating at the table across the room.

“Hi, I’m Kagami Miyo. I’ll be cooking tonight. And the special is saba shioyaki, nikujaga, sunomono, miso soup, and genmai.” she said, handing them a menu just in case they wanted something else.

“That sounds great Nē-chan,” Juuka said with a smile.

“Then make that for two please.” Tendou said, looking up at the server and that’s when they saw each other for the first time.

“YOU!” they both said at the same time. Because the woman that was taking their order was the same one that had tried to save her earlier. But was ended up being saved by her.

[CaptainNinnin]

Note

For this one, I have cast one of my favorite Toku actresses in the role of Tendou. If you are a fan of Dekaranger that you'll recognize the wonderful Kinoshita Ayumi. But she is the one that I have cast here.

Chapter 2

Tendou didn’t like this. Shortly after that meeting, Kagami Miyo called in two others and they discreetly took her away leaving her little sister in the restaurant. She hated this but what could she do. She could fight them off of course. She could feel Kabuto Zecter. It was someplace above her waiting for her to call it. But she got this vibe from Miyo when she brought her in.

She didn’t want to hurt this woman. She wanted to get to know her more. She couldn’t explain it. “Hello Tendou-san,” a gruff looking man asked, looking at her.

“Who are you? Why did you shove me into this van?” she asked.

“My name Tadokoro Shuichi, this is Misaki Yusuki, and you met Kagami Miyo before,” he said.

“Still not explaining the kidnapping psycho van vibe I’m feeling.” Tendou said to him.

“We work for a government organization called OverWatch or OW. We fight the Worm. But as you saw earlier we do have trouble with the molted worms.” he said.

“And you all want me to join the cause and fight for the greater good?” she asked, looking at him with disgust.

This pissed off both Misaki and Kagami a little. But he held them back with a sneer.

“I did a little research into you,” he said, flipping open a file.

“Name Tendou Amaterasu formally Kasakabe Amaterasu until you were adopted by your obāsan. You have a little sister Tendou Juuka. Your family was lost in the meteor that crashed into the Shibuya district. Your family has lived on the settlement money that was awarded to you for the building that you were in not being up to safety code standards. Which contributed to the deaths of the people inside. You have become a professional gamer. And make a grand total of 1,579,200 yen a month. You love to cook and you have blood type AB.” he said, looking it over.

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” she asked, looking at him.

“But what this doesn’t explain is why a video game that you love to play shot out a thing that transformed you into something that could take on a Worm,” he said closing the file.

“You mean this?” Tendou asked as a tiny hole appeared in the windshield as the Kabuto Zecter flew into its masters’ hands.

This surprised Misaki and Kagami. But Tadokoro just smirked. “Yes, we do. Do you know what that is?” he asked.

“Yes. In the video game called Armored Hero 7, this is the little bug, called the Kabuto Zecter, that makes the main Kamen Rider power up from his Masked Form to his Rider Form,” she said looking at the Zecter.

“But how can a video game power-up leave the video game and fight a Worm?” Misaki asked.

“I don’t know but that’s what happened. Ask you BFF she was there. She saw it zoom out of the game console along with that bike.” Tendou said, looking at her.

“Yes. It was the strangest sight ever.” Kagami said, looking at the two of them.

“I personally don’t care where or how this has happened,” Tadokoro said.

This surprised both Misaki and Kagami who both wanted to explore how this had happened.

“All I care about is that the user of this...Kabuto Zecter is an ally of OW. Which is why I have NOT reported any of this to my superiors.“ he said, looking at Tendou who was surprised by this.

“Sir what do you mean?” Kagami asked.

“This is the chance that we have been looking for to take down these Worms.” she pleaded with her boss.

“Kagami stand down. I have had to report the presence of a female warrior using unknown powers because of the footage that Kagami has taken during that fight. But I was able to hide your face so that the only four people that know the true identity of this real-world Kamen Rider Kabuto are in this van.” he continued.

Tendou didn’t understand why he was doing this, but she did seem to like the man so far. “Why?” she asked.

“Because this isn’t a fight for someone that doesn’t want to fight. Everything in your background tells me that you can do this. You can be the warrior that we need using the power of the very thing that you love: Armored Hero 7 Kamen Rider Kabuto.” he said, looking at her.

“But we can not force you to join us,” he said.

“But boss. What will happen if they find out you hid this?” Misaki asked.

“That is not this woman’s or your concern. That is all on me,” he said forcefully.

“So am I free to go?” Tendou asked, looking at him.

“Yes. But take this,” he said handing her his card. “If you change your mind give me a call,” he said.

Tendou didn’t wait for another word she quickly jumped out of the van.

“But sir!” Kagami yelled as soon as Tendou had shut the door behind her.

“Kagami I know that you have lost a lot to these Worms. I get that you have wanted revenge for some time. But the truth is that she is not a soldier that we can just command. She is a human and she has to make this decision on her own.” he said looking at her.

Kagami looked downfallen.

“Go back to your part-time job. Don’t you have the dinner rush to work through?” Tadokoro said to her. And she jumped out of the van and back to the diner where she saw Juuka and Tendou eating there meal eyeing each other.

“Are you sure about this Tadokoro-san?” Misaki asked him.

“I have a good feeling about both of them. And I want both on my team. I have been fearing these attacks more and more. But...” he let out a deep sigh. “I can’t force them to be ready to take the fight. They have to grow and change. That’s what it means to be a human after all. Growth. Change. Adapting. Loving. And learning.” he said, looking at the computer screen.

“Yes,” she said as she returned to the driver seat to drive away with a smile on her face. And respect for her boss.

*     *     *

Kagami was downfallen after the night before she couldn’t get it out of her head that she had finally found the one thing that she had been looking for all these years only to have it taken away again. She just wandered aimlessly through the city. Ending up at an arcade. She didn’t know why she had hated video games for the longest time. But then she saw the one person that she couldn’t stop thinking about. Tendou Amaterasu.

“You following me now. Government dog-san?” Tendou asked without turning around but somehow feeling that Kagami was there.

“I’m not a dog,” Kagami said, looking at her.

“Then you are following me?” Tendou said, turning around.

“No. I couldn’t get this whole thing out of my head and just found myself here.” Kagami said, looking everywhere but at the video games.

“Do you hate video games dog-san?” Tendou asked her.

“I told you; don’t call me a dog!” Kagami said forcefully.

“Dog-san. Dog-san. Dog-san. Dog-san.” Tendou sang to her.

That when Kagami grabbed Tendou by the collar. “You like pushing buttons,” Kagami said to her.

“No. I just can’t look at someone that looks like her entire world is nothing but sadness.” Tendou said, looking at her.

Watching her the night before had given her the feeling like Kagami was almost always crying. She wanted to see more than just a sad person. She wanted the real person behind the tears. Kagami let her go.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through since that damn meteor,” Kagami said, walking away.

Tendou didn’t let it end there she followed her.

“Now who’s following whom? Gamer-san?” Kagami said, stopping in the park.

“That’s me the gamer.” Tendou said, swinging around a tree nearby.

“What do you want?” Kagami said, looking at the woman as she rested up against the tree.

“Maybe I just want to know why you are like this. I’m a gamer because I lost everything in one day.” And I can’t forgive myself for not forgiving her for a simple game. she said and thought.

Kagami just looked at the woman out of focus as she smiled at her.

“I lost everything too. My life, my family, my heart, my soul to that damn meteor.” Kagami said.

“You are a survivor like me?” Tendou asked.

“Yeah,” she said, sitting down on a bench.

“I was trapped in the rubble for three days. Lost and confused in my own head. I nearly gave up hope. Then I was rescued by some workers of what would become OverWatch. And then these Worms started to show up. I would give anything to have what you have. The chance to fight them. A chance to take back what was once my life.” Kagami said, looking across from her.

Tendou stepped away from the tree and sat down next to her. “I guess that’s why you work for that nice woman too,” she said, looking at her.

“Yes. When I was a teen I was so focused on becoming stronger and fighting that I was cold and unfeeling. She saw me looking like that. And when I told her my story she told me: The meteor was the devil that came to make us all like him. The only way that you can fight that devil is to let joy and happiness in.” Kagami said.

“It’s true you know.” Tendou said.

Kagami turned to her. “I missed my family something fierce. My litter sister especially.” Tendou said, thinking about the happy smiling child she was.

“I thought Juuka was your sister,” Kagami said.

“Not by blood. She’s my cousin. My real little sister always ran around me looking up to me as an idol. I loved it too. Even now I can still see her running around and laughing...” Tendou said, stopping as tears formed in her eyes.

“But...if I don’t keep moving forward. And welcoming new love into my heart I wouldn’t be the idol she looked up to. And it helped me make new friends. New memories. My obāsan told me this. If you focus on what was lost forever, you can only become lost forever yourself.” Tendou said, looking at Kagami.

The two shared a smile. “That’s a much better look on you dog-san.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Don’t call me a dog,” Kagami said with a chuckle.

At that point, there was a scream nearby. Without hesitation, the two of them rushed to the scene where they found a woman that was being attacked by a group of Worms. “Get the girl.” Tendou said as she called for her Zecter. “HENSHIN!” she yelled as she inserted the Zecter into the belt. And the armor encased her as she ran.

She reached the main Worm in time to pull it off the woman before it could kill her. And started to fight off all the Worms as Kagami quickly went up to the woman and helped her escape from the fight as Kabuto fought off a collection of five or six Worms. And she was holding her own for a minute until one of the Worms started to molt.

“CAST OFF!” she said flicking the horn shooting off her bulky armor.

She then brought out her dagger weapon and slashed through several of the Worms that hadn’t molted yet causing them to blow up like they were nothing but annoying bugs to be squashed by the morning newspaper. Before long there was only the molted Worm left and it started to run away.

“CLOCK UP!”

She then caught up with the molted Worm not far away on a roller coaster. The car would have been speeding at the two of them if they weren’t moving so fast. Kabuto than sent the Worm flying and they landed on a barge just of the port. “ONE. TWO. THREE.” her belt sounded as she pushed the buttons.

“RIDER KICK!”

She then roundhouse kicked the Worm and he exploded.

“CLOCK OVER!” her belt sounded as everything returned to normal. What the hell, she thought. She pointed to the sky just like the character did in the game.

*     *     *

“The Worm toast?” Kagami asked Tendou, seeing her walk up to the arcade.

“Following me again dog-san?” Tendou asked with a smile.

“This time yes,” Kagami said with a smile.

“Yup the Worm has been sent to meet its Worm maker.” Tendou joked.

“Good. I think that you should join us to fight these Worms. But I think that is up to you.” Kagami said to her.

“I think I might fight. But I’m not joining this OverWatch.” Tendou said.

“Understood,” Kagami said with a smile.

“Another thing.” Tendou said with a smile.

“What’s that?” Kagami asked.

“Are you housebroken?” Tendou asked.

“Huh?” Kagami asked.

“I want to invite you to dinner but I need to know if I should lay down paper for the dog-san?” Tendou said with a smile.

“I’ll make you a deal. You don’t call me dog-san ever again. And I come to dinner.” Kagami said with a smile.

“As long as you don’t stop smiling...dog-san.” Tendou said with a smile and the two laughed and walked back to her place to prepare dinner for Juuka, Kagami, and Tendou.

[CaptainNinnin]

Note

For this one, I have cast one of my favorite Toku actresses in the role of Tendou. If you are a fan of Dekaranger that you'll recognize the wonderful Kinoshita Ayumi. But she is the one that I have cast here.

Chapter 3

“I can’t believe this Tendou.” one of Tendou’s oldest friends Tamai Yuki said with a smile. “You’re beautiful, you have money, but you don’t have a man. Why is that?” she asked.

“You know I have high standards Yuki-chan. Would you like some tea it’s really good today?” she asked with a smile.

“No thanks, you always get that jasmine tea,” she said with a smile.

“You know I like that bath girl. How many times did I come over to your house only to find you in the bathtub?” Tendou asked with a smile.

“Maybe once or twice...a week.” Yuki smiled at her friend.

“So you have that job appointment the day after tomorrow right?” Tendou asked her.

“Yeah. I’ve been dreaming of this job for so long. And to think that I’ll finally have a chance to get it...eh.” she squealed her excitement.

“What was that nē-chan?” Juuka asked, running into the room.

“Sorry squirt it was just me,” Yuki said with an embarrassed smile.

“Yuki-chan don’t scare me like that. I thought there was a mouse or something,” she said, looking at her.

“Nope just an excited bath loving girl about to get her dream job.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Congratulations Yuki-chan,” Juuka said with a smile.

“Thanks, kid. But I haven’t gotten the job yet. I need to get through the interview the day after tomorrow.” she said with a smile.

“You are a shoo-in for it. If you don’t get it. No bath privileges for a month.” Tendou joked.

“Okay now I got to get it.” she joked with a giggle.

*     *     *

Yuki walked home thinking about the job she wanted. And how her friends were all behind her. She thought that she just might get it too. She hoped anyway. But then she walked into something that made her blood run cold. She saw a man laying on the ground with a Worm standing over him. Then she saw the Worm transform into him. She wanted to scream and run away but she was frozen in fear.

Almost as if he could sense her fear it turned to her and looked at her standing there. She ran for her life. Trying to get away from it. She managed to get to the parking garage a few blocks away. When it walked out in front of her. The Worm disguised as a guard looked at her and then it turned into her. She knew that it would only be another few seconds before it would kill her too.

Then sirens could be heard and Yuki and the Worm looked at them. That’s when the two of them started to struggle with each other one of them managed to pull the hair clip from her hair before she managed to get away.

Then the cops surrounded the one holding the hair clip. Boxing her in with their buttons.

“But I’m the real one. The fake is getting away,” she screamed as they started to force her into the back of a cop car.

*     *     *

“Is this a social call?” Tendou asked, sitting in the cafe in the middle of the day.

She had been called there by Kagami. They had been getting along pretty well after the first little get together. She had thought that they could become real friends. Until she saw Misaki sitting at the table too.

“Guess not,” she said with a sour face. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Misaki. She just didn’t like the idea of becoming a dog of the government.

“We had to call you in,” Misaki said.

“I don’t work for you.” Tendou said to her.

“I know that,” she said trying not to get offended by what she thought of as the rudeness of Tendou.

“Then get to the point dog-sempai.” Tendou said to her.

“Tendou,” Kagami said to her.

“Are you calling me a dog?” Misaki asked her with a look of frustration.

She knew that Tadokoro-san wanted her on the team but she couldn’t see it. How could this lady who was so rude be apart of something that they hoped would save the world as they knew it?

“It fits dog-sempai.” Tendou said.

“Tendou stop it,” Kagami said to her.

“Why?” Tendou asked her.

“Because I respect her as much as I do you,” Kagami said to Tendou.

“Wait when did you two become friends?” Misaki asked.

“It’s kind of ironic right now,” Kagami said with a smile.

“What is?” Misaki asked.

“I kept calling her dog-san.” Tendou said with a slight slime.

“So I’m ‘dog-sempai’ because I’m her superior?” Misaki asked, getting the joke but not liking it.

“Yup dog-sempai.” Tendou said to her.

“Tendou?” Kagami pleaded.

“It’s alright Kagami-chan. But I’m not like Kagami-chan. If you keep calling me this I will seek vengeance.” she said, cracking her knuckles.

Tendou smiled at this. “I think I actually like you dog-sempai.” Tendou said.

“It took you longer to warm up to me,” Kagami said with a pout.

“I still love you just the same. She gets ever so jealous.” Tendou said to Misaki. Who in spite of herself, started to smile at this.

“That’s a better look on you by the way.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Did you do all of this for me to smile?” Misaki asked her.

“Maybe, You all are so wound up. If I wasn’t terrified that I was going to go to the OW version of Americas’ Area 51 I would have done some of this that night too.” Tendou said smiling.

Having finally gotten a grasp of just what she was like, she understood just why Tadokoro-san wanted her on the team after meeting her for just a few minutes. Somehow he could see something that she couldn’t. This woman cared about the people around her. Probably because of her past. She would make sure that they were happy if she could. It made her respect her somehow.

“It’s about your friend Tamai Yuki,” Misaki said to her getting serious again.

“What happened to her?” Tendou demanded.

“It was last night. She was walking home from your place, according to her. When she came across a Worm attacking a security guard.” Misaki said.

“Damn it. I should have walked her home. Is she alright?” Tendou said, kicking herself.

“Well...both of them were unharmed,” she said.

“Both?” Tendou asked.

“Yeah. It looks like the Worm copied her.” Kagami said to Tendou.

“Is there any way to tell which one is which?” Tendou asked.

“Well, one got away. And the other is in jail under suspicion of being the murder of the security guard,” she said.

“Then what do you want from me?” Tendou asked.

“We would like a complete rundown on who she is normally. And if the one that is out there is the real one she must be scared. Could you help us find her?” Misaki said.

“Sure. But we aren’t going to hurt either are we? Not until we know which one is which?” Tendou asked.

“Of course,” she said with a smile.

*     *     *

Misaki went in undercover in the prison to see if this woman was the real one or the fake. “This way.” she heard from the guards as they placed her in the cell across from her.

“Let me out I have an important job interview tomorrow!” Yuki screamed to the guard that walked away.

“Job? What for?” Misaki asked her as she gave up and slumped down on the bed.

“It was for my dream job. I’ve wanted this job since I was a little girl,” she said as she started to cry.

She watched this. She couldn’t help but feel for this woman. If she was the real one then she was being held against her will for something that she hadn’t done. But I must remain objective. She thought to herself as she began to talk to her about every and anything.

*     *     *

“I knew I’d find you here.” Tendou said leaning over the edge of the bridge smiling at her friend.

“Tendou-chan,” Yuki said, looking at the women upside down.

“That’s me.” Tendou said as she jumped down to stand in front of her.

She rushed her and hugged her.

“It was so scary. A Worm copied me,” she said in between her sobs. That’s when she spotted Kagami.

“Who’s that?” she asked.

“This is Kagami. She is a friend of mine. When you didn’t answer my phone call I was worried and found out what happened.” Tendou said, making up the last part. If this was the real one she didn’t want to have her find out that she was a video game warrior that fought Worms. And if she was the Worm she didn’t want to tip her hand.

“Come on let’s go for a ride.” Tendou said with a smile as she led them out from under the bridge.

“Why did you think she was here?” Kagami said leading the way back to the bikes that they had. Tendou that same video game bike. But Kagami had a motorbike.

“We would come here when we were in high school,” Yuki said.

“Why?” Kagami asked as they each grabbed a helmet.

“Her parents weren’t a fan of us loving certain things. In Yuki’s case, it was Tokusatsu. She loves Tokusatsu. In fact, if she gets the job tomorrow she will be the head make-up artist for a Tokusatsu franchise.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Even with everything that’s happened am more nervous about that interview,” Yuki said with a weak smile.

“My obāsan said this: If you like something. Then be proud of it. It will show through to the whole world.” Tendou said with a smile as they put their helmets on and drove off.

*     *     *

“I’ve loved Tokusatsu since I was a kid. I dreamed about this job. I’ve fought hard for it. And I feel like it’s slipping away from me.” Yuki sobbed in her cell to Misaki.

“This has to be the real one,” Misaki said to herself.

That’s when she heard a commotion from the front room. She then saw Tendou appear before her.

“Tendou-chan,” Yuki said seeing her.

“Let’s get you out of here shall we.” Tendou said with a smile.

She watched as Tendou helped her friend escape. Then Kagami came up and let her out of the cell.

“Why is Tendou doing that I could arrange for her to be let free. You two did deal with the Worm right?” Misaki asked as she looked at Kagami.

“You don’t know?” Kagami asked Misaki.

*     *     *

“Where are you taking me Tendou-chan?” Yuki asked as they walked into an empty parking garage.

“Only my friends get to call me that.” Tendou said, throwing her up against the wall.

“Tendou-chan?” Yuki asked as Misaki and Kagami appeared in the garage too.

Then Tendou caught the Kabuto Zecter.

“HENSHIN!” she said, inserting it into her belt as the Kabuto Masked Form encased her body.

That’s when the Yuki before her expression changed from terror to delight as it transformed into a Worm having already molted. Into its second form. Tendou punched it.

“You think I would let scum like you hurt my friends,” she said as it tried to flee but ran into Kagami and Misaki hold guns. Tendou flung it around away from them.

“CAST OFF!” she said, flicking the horn of the beetle.

“CHANGE BEETLE!” she heard as the monster tried to flee faster this time.

“CLOCK UP!” she said, hitting the button on the side.

The monster and she fought some more with Kabuto punching a hole into a cement wall the debris once free started to slow down. “Your one that needs to learn, messing with the people that I care about is never a good thing,” Kabuto said to it.

“One. Two. Three.” the Zecter said as she pushed the buttons turning her back to the Worm.

“RIDER KICK!” she said roundhouse kicking the Worm causing it to explode.

“CLOCK OVER!” the belt sounded as the debris flung free of the wall with Kabuto standing before embers pointing to the sky like the video game character she loved.

*     *     *

“Congratulations!” they all cheered at the party for the real Yuki.

She had gotten the job of her dreams and was over the moon. “Thank you,” she said, bowing her head.

“Maybe she can introduce me to some of those cute Tokusatsu actors,” Juuka said with a smile.

“Maybe but you have to grow up first, squirt,” Yuki said with a smile. Everyone laughed.

“What’s with you?” Tendou asked Misaki as she watched everyone laughing.

“It’s nothing,” she said.

“Common dog-sempai, what is bothering you?” Tendou asked nudging her.

“I always pride myself at being able to read people. I was so sure that she was the real one.” Misaki said, thinking about the conversation that she had with the Worm.

“Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes.” Kagami said as she came up to the two of them.

“But I never have before. I guess it’s making me doubt myself.” Misaki said to the two of them.

“Don’t. My obāsan said: Even a wise man can be fooled. But he is happy as long as he learned something from it.” Tendou said to her.

“Did your obāsan say a lot?” Kagami asked.

“Yup. She wouldn’t shut up.” Tendou said with a smile.

Misaki laughed a little.

“But what could I learn from this?” she asked.

“Friendship.” Tendou said, looking at Yuki laughing with Juuka and the restaurant owner.

“What?” she asked.

“It was how Tendou knew we had the real one. We went to a tea shop and she got jasmine tea for Yuki.” Kagami said with a smile.

“She can’t take jasmine tea. She’s allergic to it. Causes her to throw up and we had to take her to the hospital afterward. She teases me about it because it is my favorite tea. So I tease her about the number of baths she likes to take. I managed to pass it off as I mixed up the cups.” Tendou said.

“So you figured out who was who not by listening to her but by knowing each other so well,” Misaki asked her.

“Yup. We are friends. And the three of us are nakama. I might not work for OW like the two of you. But we are.” Tendou said to the two of them.

“Why don’t you want to join us anyway Tendou-chan?” Misaki asked with a smile.

“I guess I just get this vibe when I see the OW troopers out there fighting Worms. And yes I do patrols every day to find and fight Worms. I see them fighting but I never see them caring. I’ve saved many troopers. But it seems like they are going in, underprepared and overmatched. And nothing is changing is it?” she asked the two of them.

They looked at each other. That had been bothering them too.

“So why join an organization that clearly doesn’t care about the members in it?” she asked the two of them.

“I guess I can see your point,” Misaki said.

“But Tadokoro-san is different.” both Kagami and Tendou said at the same time which caused all three of them to laugh.

“I don’t know why. But I kind of liked that old guy. If someone like him was in charge of OW I would have no problem joining. Otherwise. I’m staying an outsider fighting the good fight.” Tendou said with a smile.

“Understood,” Misaki said with a smile.

“Anyway, let’s go join the fun ladies.” Tendou said with a smile as she got up and walked over to her friend, giving her hug. And Misaki smiled maybe Tendou was right. And she also could use a friend from time to time.

“Tendou-chan is right, let’s join the fun dog-san,” Misaki said with a smile.

“I’m not dog-san,” Kagami said with a smile.