Episode 9: Wings of Fate

“You never told me the bitch had a son, what the hell Fury?” Walker shouted into the receiver of a payphone.

“Walker, could you back up a bit... What exactly is the problem?” Fury asked from the other end of the line.

“You remember Fata from a few years back? Well, turns out she had a kid and I just ran into him,” Walker explained.

“How do you know this?” Fury asked.

“Well, he went a shouted it to the world like it was nobody's business,” Walker stated, “Not to mention that he had a belt and memories that looked just like Fata's.”

“Wait, this wouldn't happen to be the Kamen Rider you're talking about would?” Fury pondered, “Black suit, big x across the face, can use more then one memory at a time?”

“Sounds about right,” Walker confirmed, “But that's not the stick right now, where the hell is Inertia, put him on the line!”

“Inertia?” Fury pondered “Oh yeah, you've been out of the loop for ten years haven't you? Inertia is long gone and we're under new management, ”

“What! The hell did he go?” Walker demanded.

“It's complicated the point is that Vainglory is our commander now.

“Vain-who? Never heard of him before,” Walker barked.

“He's new,” Fury stated.

“Then how is he in command?” Walker shouted.

“That's also complicated... and classified,” Fury proclaimed.

“Classified my ass!” Growled Walker as he tightened his grip on the phone.

“Walker, your energy is better spent dealing with the matter at hand,” Fury said trying to calm Walker down, “As for the Kamen Rider-”

“Hey stop tryin' to change the subject!” Walker barked.

“Thank you for the information, we'll look into the matter as soon as we can. All we ask is that you refrain from contact with Subject X and we'll be able to-” As Fury tried to give Walker his instructions, Walker slammed the phone on the receiver.

“Fine then!” Walker smirked, “I guess I'll just have to deal with the pest myself.”

{Insert Opening Theme - Extreme Dream}

Down at the police station, Alex sat in Sampson's office with his hands still cuffed. Sampson looked over a report of the encounter with Walker with his face turned away from Alex.

“You disobeyed my instructions, went out of your way to chase down a prisoner under parole, and caused over thousands of dollar in collateral damage,” Sampson listed off, “Mind telling me what was going through your head when you did that?”

Alex sat with his head down, “We've already been over th-”

“That's not what I'm talking about,” Sampson cut him off slamming his hand down on his desk, “Even after I told you to be patient and wait for us to figure it out, why did you still confront him?”

“He's a Dopant!” Alex shouted back, “Named Shredder... or so I found out.”

Sampson sat silently for a moment before responding, “I see...”

“Even so,” Marcoh cut in, “If you hadn't had antagonized him like you did, Walker would've had no reason to go on the offensive. That much should be obvious.”

“I understand how you feel Alex, but that's still no excuse to act as recklessly as you did,” Sampson stated, “If something were to happen to you out there, Alice would never forgive me.”

“What is Fata?” Alex asked out of no where.

Sampson's eye widened, “Where... where did you hear that name?”

“Walker,” Alex stated, “He said 'you must be Fata's boy', I figured that you would know more about it... Also could you get these cuffs off of me?” He added raising his arms in front of his face.

“Fine,” Marcoh said unlocking the cuffs and removing them from Alex's wrists.

“Thank you,” Alex returned rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had been.

Sampson got up out of his chair and walked over to the window across the room he sighed, “I hoped that I would never have to tell you this, but now I see I have no choice,” He paused for a moment as he turned to Alex, “Fata... was the alias your mother used, when she was in your position. Ten years ago, when you were only a little child, she protected this city from the same threat that you now face.”

“My mother... was Kamen Rider?” Alex asked.

“Yes, Kamen Rider Fata to be exact,” Sampson returned, “She's the one I first heard the term from actually.”

Alex sat back letting the information sink in, “Sampson... what exactly does Kamen Rider mean?”

“It means masked hero. A hero that's willing to defend what they hold dear with their life,” Sampson sighed, “Something that Alice knew far too well... and it wasn't until she went up against Walker that I learned what she truly meant.” He said with sorrow, “You see Alex, Walker was the last dopant Alice ever fought... However it was also her first and last defeat.”

“What happened during that fight?” Alex asked.

“I don't know all the details, but what I do know is that in the end... she managed to bring Shredder into custody at a heavy price,” Sampson explained, “She paid with her life to ensure that you could continue to live yours, and now you have the chance to finish what she could not.”

Alex sat silently in aw, “My mother, did that for me?”

Sampson nodded, “It's not in my right to ask you for more after all you've done, but if you could consider it... Could you continue in your mother's stead?”

At that instant, the phone on Sampson's desk began to ring.

Sampson dashed over to his desk and picked up the phone, “Yes?... I see... alright, send them in.”

A few moments later the door swung open.

“Hey prisoner, how's it going?” Cole asked as he barged into the room, Sarah and Madison coming in directly after him.

“Wha- What are you guys doing here?” Alex asked.

“Heard you got arrested,” Sarah explained, “didn't think it was possible but you sunk to a new low Darwin.”

Madison surveyed the office as Marcoh caught her attention, “Hey, you're that officer from the water park aren't?”

“Yes,” Marcoh returned in his usual monotone.

“Anyway, getting back on track,” Sampson grunted, “Alex?”

Alex sighed, “Sorry, but all this is a bit much too take in,” He stood up from his seat, “I need some time to think about this,” He said as he proceeded to the door of the room.

Sarah nudge Madison, Madison then turn to Alex as he past her, “Oh, I'll go wi-”

“Sorry, I just need to be alone for a moment,” Alex informed her.

“Oh, I see...” Madison said as she let her arm drop to her side, “Alright then.”

“Thanks,” Alex returned quietly as he exited the room and disappeared from sight.

“Damn, never thought I would see him down in the dumps like that,” Sarah said.

“Alright Sampson, what exactly is going on?” Cole demanded, “And I want an answer this time.”

Sampson glanced at the three of them uncertain of what to say next.

The silence was finally broken by Marcoh, “Chief... I believe it's time you told them the truth.”

Sampson sighed, “You three might want to sit down for this.”

--- “Finish what my mother started...” Alex thought to himself as he walked a asphalt path in a park not too far from the station, “ARGH! Nothing makes sense anymore!” He exclaimed planting himself onto a bench a couple feet away. He sat on the bench with his head down for a while as the cry of crows filled the air around him.

“What should I do?” He said to himself, “... what can I do?”

“Hey mister, you alright?” A voice called out to him.

“Huh?” Alex looked up to see a girl with short blond hair hunched over him with her feet balancing on the top of the bench.

She was wearing tall navy boots with orange laces, along with a yellow skirt, black leggings and a t-shirt that was the same color as her boots. The shirt she was wearing looked to have some sort of space ship near the bottom right hand side of it and a big pink star on the top left. Her entire outfit seemed like something a five year old would wear, but she seemed to be almost the same age as Alex.

“I said 'are you alright?'... well are you?” She asked again, “You don't got the black plague or nothin do yah?”

“I'm fine,” Alex returned.

“Great!” She said flipping over the bench and landing on her feet on the ground, “You think you can help us out then?”

Alex raised an eyebrow, “Help? Help with what?”

“Very glad you asked!” She said pointing to Alex, “You see we're on a mission, to hunt down the monsters that dwell in this world and take them all out in style!”

“Monsters huh?... Good luck with that,” Alex snarked, “Who's 'we' anyway? I only see you here.”

“'We' is me and my partner!” The girl said bouncing up and down.

“And this partner of yours is...?” Alex asked.

“Scouting mission,” The girl returned.

“Uh-huh...Sounds nice kid,” Alex said getting up from the bench and walking down the way he came, “Anyway, I have to go now. Anyway, good luck on your mission.”

“Good luck on yours too!” The girl shouted back.

“Mission?” Alex turned back to the girl, “But, I'm not on a mission!”

“Don't be silly,” The girl shouted, “We're all on a mission every single one of us, at it's our duty to carry it out no matter what!” She exclaimed as she turned around and ran down the road in the opposite direction.

Alex stood in silence as the girl disappeared over the horizon, “Okay... hope I never run into that girl again.”

--- Back at the station.

“WHAT!” Sarah exclaimed, “Darwin is Kamen Rider! You're joking right?”

“That would explain a quite a lot,” Cole stated, “Like why he seems to be exhausted all the time, and why he's always late for class and such.”

“Well I still don't by it,” Sarah barked back, “I mean if he's supposed to be this high and mighty super hero than why do his grades in PE completely suck? Care to explain that big guy?”

“Because the whole Kamen Rider thing wares him out, isn't that obvious?” Cole retorted.

“GAH! You're useless!” Sarah yelled, “How about you Madison, what do you think?”

Madison sat quietly, “That... is... that is...”

“That is 'what'?” Sarah asked.

“AWESOME!” Madison screamed as jumped up from her chair nearly knocking Sarah off balance, “I mean I thought that Alex was cool before, but this just pushes it over the edge! It makes him, like, twenty-NO more like A THOUSAND TIMES cooler in my eyes!”

“We are talking about the same person here right?” Sarah asked trying to calm Madison down.

“Well... that went better than I expected,” Sampson thought to himself, “Eh hem,” Sampson grunted grabbing the trio's attention, “Well, now that you know our little secret, I hope that we can rely on you three to keep it between us and to help us out in anyway you can, alright?”

Madison gasped “Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my, I would never tell anyone I swear!” She returned frantically.

Sampson furled his brow in confusion before speaking again, “Alright, and what about you two?”

“I still find this a little far fetched, but I guess it wouldn't do much good if I went around blabbing it to every random person now would it?” Sarah returned, “Alright... what Madison said.”

Sampson smile, “Great, and Cole?”

“I think you should already know my answer,” Cole stated, “Alex is my friend, heck he's pretty much family. As long as I can, I will look out for him in anyway that I can,” He said standing up and staring Sampson straight in the eye, “count on it.”

Sampson returned with a smile, “That's exactly what I wanted to hear,”

{End of Part A} - {Star of Part B}

It was now night, around eight o'clock or so. Alex walked through the front door of his apartment, hung up his sweater and collapsed on the coach in front of the TV and buried his face in one of the arms. After a few seconds he flipped over on to his back at starred blankly up at the ceiling.

He sighed, “What am I going to do?”

A few seconds later, the phone began to ring. Alex slowly got up from the coach and walked over to the phone on the other end of the room.

“Hello?” He asked picking up the phone.

“Alex? Oh, thank god you're home,” Sampson said from the other end of the line.

Alex was set back a bit, “Sampson, what's up?”

“Are you close to a TV?” Sampson asked with little patience.

“Uh... yeah, why?” Alex asked a bit confused.

“Turn it on,” Sampson instructed.

“Okay,” Alex returned grabbing the remote for the television at the front of the room, “What channel?”

As Alex flipped on the TV he saw the image of the same Dopant he had fought early that same day.

“Listen well Kamen Rider,” Shredder cackled from an unknown location, “I here by challenge you to a rematch. If you accept my challenge meet me at the old steel mill located in the west end of town at nine o'clock tonight. However, if you don't, let's just say whatever happens next shall be entirely on you... Your choice.”

After he finished speaking the message reset and went back to the beginning.

“How many times has this played?” Alex asked.

“This makes twenty seven times now,” Sampson stated, “It's broadcasting on every station across the city. We're currently unable to track down the source of the signal.”

Alex switched off the TV, “Sorry Sampson, I have to go.”

“Wait, Alex don-” Sampson called out before being cut off by Alex slamming the phone back on the receiver.

Alex grabbed his sweater and proceeded out the back door of the apartment, “If it's me he wants, then that's what he'll get,” he thought to himself as he marched down a flight of black metal steps which led to a small parking lot behind the complex. He jumped down to a large mass covered by a tarp, he then removed the tarp to reveal the X-Cyclone parked under it.

Alex grabbed onto one of the handle bars as another quickly covered one of his.

Alex gasped as he jumped around to see who was behind him, “... Cole?”

“And where exactly do you think you're going?” Sarah called out as she and Madison emerged from the shadows.

“Wha- what are you guys doing here?” Alex asked stumbling over his words a bit.

“I live here,” Cole stated backing away from Alex a bit,

“Yeah, I know that,” Alex retorted, “But what are-”

“Marcoh and Sampson told us everything,” Sarah interrupted, “Turns out you're not as pathetic as I thought Darwin.”

Alex's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, “Thanks.”

“Sarah,” Madison said naggingly.

“Alright, alright,” Sarah grunted, “I guess I'm sorry for being so hard on you Darwin.”

Cole raised an eyebrow at Sarah.

“Alex! I'm sorry Alex!” Sarah barked, “There, happy now?”

“Very,” Cole smirked, “Now then Alex, I believe you have something to take care of, right?”

“Well yeah... but... it's just,” Alex said as he thought of what to say, “This is all too complicated, I couldn't even begin to explain it.”

“Don't be stupid,” Cole said punching Alex in the shoulder, “You always say that. Well news flash, you're smarter then you give yourself credit for.”

“After all, you've been fighting a battle without any of us finding out about it until now,” Madison added, “so you must be doing something right.”

Alex tried to gather his thoughts, “But-” “If you come up with some stupid excuse I'll kill you,” Sarah interrupted, “Now get going already you idiot. We'll be waiting for you when you get back.”

“Just be sure to give that guy one hell of a punch for me alright.” Cole chuckled.

“You got it,” Alex returned as he hoped on the bike, “and thanks,” He pulled back on the handle bar as the roar of the engine filled the air. In a few short moments, he road down the lot and disappeared around the corner leading to the street.

Sarah looked over to Madison who was twitching her hands a bit, “Go on already.”

“Huh?” Madison jumped.

“Before you miss,” Sarah smiled as she pushed Madison in Alex's direction.

“Oh, right,” Madison returned as she ran off after Alex.

--- Alex neared the end of the drive way.

“Alex!” He heard call out to him.

He turned around to see Madison run up from behind him. She reached the tail end of Alex's bike and rested on the back seat.

“Yes?” Alex asked as he was about to put his helmet on his head.

“I uh... I just wanted to say... um,” Madison said awkwardly, “Be careful out there... alright?”

Alex smiled and patted Madison on her shoulder, “I will.”

Alex kicked of the ground as he drove on the street, shortly disappearing into the night.

“So...” Sarah asked wrapping her arm around Sarah.

“He has enough to worry about at the moment,” Madison stated, “I can wait for the time being.”

“Wow, that's very grown up of you,” Sarah proclaimed.

“Is it?” Madison returned removing Sarah's arm from her shoulder, “Maybe it's just because I know what he's going through.”

--- Walker leaned against an old rusty rail glaring at a pocket watch.

“Rider boy should be showing up any time now,” He said as the hands of his watch struck nine o'clock.

The roar of a motorcycle engine filled the air and echoed throughout the old mill before going silent yet again.

Walker slithered his tongue over his lips, “and here he is.”

Alex walked through the large doors of the mill and stood in the light that peered through a glassless window pane.

“Alright Walker, I'm here,” He called out.

A slow applause echoed throughout the mill as Walker emerged from the shadow of a large machine, “So you are,” He cackled, “and right on schedule too. I must say, I'm impressed.”

“I'd hold the praise if I were you,” Alex said as he pulled out the Star and Runner memories from his back pocket and his driver materialized around his waist.

“Rather optimistic of you... I'm glad,” Walker stated as he pulled out his Shredder memory from his coat pocket, “It means it will be all the more satisfying when I kill you.”

“Shredder!” Walker's memory called out as hit the silver button below the label and jammed it into his neck, taking on the same form from his last encounter with Alex.

“Just try it,” Alex said placing his two memories into his driver and split the slots apart.

“Star! Runner!” Alex's driver called out as the black and red armor of Star Runner formed around him.

Walker smirked, “With pleasure.”

Walker charged at Alex and swung at him with the three large blades on his right arm. Alex quickly evaded Walker's strike and dashed behind him. In a flash, Alex threw six lightening fast punches up Walker's spinal column and then proceeded to deliver a full on road house kick to Walker's face forcing his head to twist around.

“You've got speed kid,” Walker cracked his neck as he got back on his feet, “But speed won't be enough!”

Walker swung at Alex with his right set of blades knocking the rider to the ground. He then proceeded to repeatedly swipe at the boy with both sets of his blades.

Alex quickly grabbed the Runner memory out of his driver and replaced it Kicker.

“Star! Kicker!” His driver called out as Kicker's steel grieves formed around Alex's feet and his lower leg armor switched from black to a deep green.

Alex crawled along the ground as he attempted to parry each of Shredder's strikes. At the third parry, Shredder grabbed Alex by ankle and swung him into the side of a machine across the room. Before Alex could recover from the throw, Shredder had grabbed Alex by his neck and began tightening his grip.

“Aw, and here I thought this was going to be interesting,” Shredder cackled as Alex gasped for air trying to break free of the Dopant's grasp, “At least Fata was able to keep entertained before I put her out of commission. Oh yeah, that's reminds me... when you meet up in hell, tell her that it was Shredder sent you!”

Shredder raised his free set of blades high into the air as Alex managed to pull the Star memory out of his driver and replace it with Blast.

“Blast! Kicker!” Alex's driver called out as the black and red armor of the Star memory was replaced by his blue Blast armor and the eyes of his mask switched from red to blue, his blaster materializing in his handing.

Alex held his blaster up to Shredder's face.

Shredder chuckled, “Do you honestly think that dinky little thing is going to help?”

“No,” Alex smirked, “But I'm not aiming at you.”

Alex raised his arm straight into the air and pulled back on the trigger of his blaster as a grappling hook shot out of the barrel and latched onto a rail above.

“Going up,” Alex said as he released his hold on the trigger as the two were propelled up into the air and over the rail.

Shredder slammed down hard onto the metal surface of walk way as Alex detached the wire of the grappling hook and landed safely on the same walk way. Alex then pulled the Kicker memory from the left side of his driver and replaced it with Diver.

“Blast! Diver!” His driver called out as the grieves were replaced by fins and aqua leg armor.

Before Shredder could have a chance to recover, Alex fire a heavy continuous blast of water causing him to slid to the end of the walkway and slam into a wall.

Alex then pulled both Blast and Diver out of there slots and replaced the two memories with Blade and Kicker.

“Blade! Kicker!” Alex's belt called out one final time as Blast's blue armor and blaster was replaced by Blade's green set and sword.

“Craig Walker!” Alex shouted as he pulled his Blade memory out from his driver and slammed it into the hilt of his sword, “Your rampage... ends here!”

“Blade! Maximum Drive!” The memory called out as Alex swung the sword over his shoulder and locking on to the outside of the armor on his lower right leg with the flat side of the blade facing Shredder.

Alex jumped into the air and leapt towards Shredder.

“Blade Full Kick!” Alex yelled as he kicked his right leg out towards Shredder as the blade extended passed his foot. Alex struck Shredder across the face causing his Dopant form to explode as the blade disconnected and flew into the air, Alex catching it in his left hand as he hit the ground.

Walker fell face first on the ground as his memory broke apart in the palm of his hand.

Alex panted as he rested against the rail.

“Well kid?” Walker said as Alex jumped back into his battle stance, “You going to finish me off?”

“Huh?” Alex asked out of breathe.

Walker got onto his knees, “You beat me... now kill me and exact your revenge.”

“No,” Alex returned, “I'm not like you.”

Walker raised an eyebrow, “You're kidding?”

“I can't forgive you for what you did to my mother, but killing you isn't going to bring her back,” Alex stated as he removed the two memories from his driver and his armor dematerialized, “Besides, your memory is destroyed, you can't harm anyone with it any longer.” Alex said as he proceeded to the staircase on the other end of the walk way.

“So you're just going to leave me here?” Walker chuckled, “I don't need a memory to kill you know. Walkaway now, and I'll end more lives than you can count!”

“The police will be here momentarily, they'll decide what to do with you,” Alex said as descended down the small flight of stairs, “After you broadcasted your location to the entire city, I wouldn't be surprised if they were already waiting for you outside.”

“Like hell they are!” Walker shouted as he leapt off the walkway and charged at Alex, shoving him through the large steel doors of the mill. As the two bolted through the door Walker nailed Alex to the ground and pulled out a small blade from his back pocket, “DIE!”

As Walker was about to stab Alex, he heard the cocking of gun. He looked over to see a squad of police cars with Sampson and Marcoh behind them.

“Stand down Walker,” Marcoh said with his finger on the trigger.

Alex smirked, “Told you.”

{Begin Ending Theme - Mask}

An officer wrapped a pair of handcuffs around Walker's wrists and loaded him into the back of one of the two cars.

“Thanks Marcoh... and Sampson,” Alex said grabbing the officers' attention, “I probably wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you guys.”

“Actually, we aren't the ones you should be thanking,” Marcoh proclaimed.

Alex tilted his head, “Hmm?”

“You should be thanking them,” Marcoh pointed over to the behind one of the cop cars. Alex turned around to see Cole, Sarah and Madison standing not a few feet away from them, “Those three were worried about you, so they came to us and begged us to get here as soon as possible. You should count yourself lucky to have friends that care about you as much as they do.”

“Yeah... you're right,” Alex said with a smile, “So what's going to happen to Walker then?”

“He's going back to the big house,” Sampson stated as he got into the the driver's seat of the car behind him and shut the door, Marcoh following in the passenger, “for good this time.”

“I can live with that,” Alex said quietly, “Though I still think it's more then he deserves.”

“Don't worry about it alright,” Sampson said placing his hand on Alex's shoulder, “It will all workout... okay?”

Alex smiled and nodded.

“Good,” Sampson grinned. Sampson removed his hand from Alex's shoulder and the two patrol cars drove through the gate and took off down the road, soon fading out of sight.

“So then,” Cole said as he wrapped his arm over Alex's shoulder, “I know it's rather late, but I propose celebratory round of pizza!”

“What's the occasion?” Alex asked, removing Cole's arm from his shoulder.

Sarah raised an eyebrow, “You just took down a psycho sci-fi monster, what's a better occasion then that?”

“Anime North?” Madison asked snarkingly.

Sarah glared and Madison, “Did I ask you?”

“That's sounds great,” Alex interrupted, “I could use some pizza right about now.

“Great, then you're buying!” Cole shouted.

Alex growled, “Hey! Why do I have to pay?”

“That's the rules of pizza, city Protector pays,” Cole snarked.

Alex took in a deep breathe, “Fine.”

“Seriously?” Cole gawked.

“That is my mission after all,” Alex thought to himself, “To be this city's protector... it's Kamen Rider.”

Gaia Memories

 * ​Memory Used
 * Soul - Blast
 * Body - Kicker
 * Half Changes:
 * BlastKicker