Chapter Text
Kamen Riders. Masked Heroes that fought for Peace and Justice. Over the years, they have fought countless enemies that have threatened the peace. The first of these riders was Takasaki Takeshi, Kamen Rider Ichigo. He was initially captured by Shocker and forced to undergo a procedure that changed him into a superpowered cyborg enslaved by Shocker. Before the brainwashing process could be completed, he escaped and dedicated his life to fighting for humanity’s freedom and against the Shocker. Eventually, Shocker was brought down by him, and the world entered an era of peace. Decades later, the stories about Ichigo became legend and a thing of the past. This a story about a world where Kamen Riders are a thing of the past.
Takasaki Soreo was inside his office, working away at his computer. It was in the middle of the afternoon. He was already knee-deep in contracts and paperwork he had to fill out for his company, Hidden Intelligence, a tech company specialized in making top of the line security equipment and the forefront innovators in artificial intelligence.
He leaned back on his chair while covering his eyes.
“Oh my god. I’m never going to get all of this done. I need a break.”
He slowly got up from his seat and shuffled over to the water cooler, where he drank a few cups of water. As he finished, his phone started to ring.
“Hello? This is Takasaki Soreo of Hiden Intelligence. Who is this?”
“Hello, Takasaki. It’s me, Will. We’ve got something important to talk about. Can you meet me in my office tonight?”
“Okay.”
Later that night, Soreo step into Will’s office.
“So, what’s up?”.
Will had a solemn look on his face. “Is everybody gone?”
“Yes, everybody left a while ago. I stayed back to work a bit more.”
“Okay, good. I want to show you something.”
He gestured for him to come closer to his computer.
“Look at this.”
He brought various news articles up on his computer.
“Are these…?”
“Various kidnappings that’s been happening lately. Normally, I wouldn’t be bringing your attention to this and leaving it to the authorities, but this time is special.”
He enlarged the images.
“The victims are all scientists and engineers. Ranging from biologists and chemists to mechanics and engineers. Do you know what this means?”
Soreo thought for a moment before widening his eyes.
“Shocker.”
“That’s what I’m thinking as well. But we don’t have any evidence, so we can’t come to any conclusions. But if they really are back, then we have to be ready for them. Which is why…”
He brought out several blueprints and laid them on the table. They were full of detail and were designs for various suits of armour and devices.
“When did you?”
“It’s a secret project I’ve been working on for some time. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before.”
Soreo scanned the blueprints briefly
“These are…Kamen Rider suits?”
“Yes. With Shocker on the rise again, we need to bring back the heroes who opposed them. I know your Father is still very active and combat-ready, but we can’t rely on him forever; he’s already pushing 70 years old. The world needs a new symbol to believe in.”
He then brought out another blueprint and laid it on the table. This time it was a design of the circular satellite.
“Of course, we can’t run it all by ourselves. That’s why I made plans for an autonomous satellite. It’s called Zea; it will be in charge of running and providing equipment to the Rider as well as linking them to the satellite’s database.”
He brought out a small device as well as a key card-like device.
“This is the Cyclone Riser and Rocking Hopper Zetsumerise Key. They’re prototypes I made for you. You may not have to use them, but just in case Shocker ever rises up again. I need you to stand up and fight them.”
The Cyclone Riser was silver-grey in colour with red accents. It had a slot for inserting the Zetusumerise key with a red trigger on the top and bottom for activating it. The key itself was dark green in colour with an image of a grasshopper on the side.
“But why me?”
“Because you’re Takeshi’s son. I don’t know if you realized this, but you two are a lot more alike than you think. You have a strong sense of justice, and you don’t hesitate to help those in need. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I can’t ask your son or daughter to do this; they’re far too young to handle this kind of responsibility. I can only rely on you. So I’m saying this as not as your head technician or someone who admires your Father. I’m saying this as your best friend. We need you to become Kamen Rider Ichigata.”
Soreo brought out a picture from his pocket and looked at it. It showed him with his two kids, Yu Takasaki and Aruto Takasaki, no older than 6 years old. After a brief moment of contemplation, he took a deep breath and made his decision.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
“We’re counting on you…Kamen Rider Ichigata.”
*10 Years Later*
“Aru…to.”
Aruto felt something shake him, but he was too sleepy to register who or what it is was.
“Aruto…Aruto.”
The shaking gradually got rougher, as Aruto could vaguely make out a female voice.
“TAKASAKI ARUTO!”
Aruto slowly opened his eyes to see his sister Yu trying to shake him awake.
“Get up, Aruto. You’re going to be late for school.”
“Yu? How did you even get into my room?”
“You left me a spare key in case something like this ever happened. Now hurry up and get ready. Ayumu is already waiting for us outside.”
“Alright, alright, I’m up. Now leave my room so I can get ready.”
Aruto dismissively waved for Yu to leave as she exited his room. After he got his school uniform and cleaned up his appearance, he went outside to meet up with Yu and Ayumu.
“Morning Ayumu. Morning Yu.”
“Morning, Sleepyhead.”
“Morning, Aruto.”
The three then proceeded to walk to school together while chatting along the way.
“I assume you guys have School Idol activities after school as always?”
“That’s right. We have a live planned soon, and the girls are practicing as hard as they can.”
“That’s nice. I wish I had something like that I could focus on and work towards.”
“Ever think about joining the club and becoming an idol yourself? I’m sure you’d be popular.”
Yu jokingly teased Aruto while elbowing his chest.
“Shut up. You know I’m not cut out for that stuff.”
“That’s what everybody says in the beginning.”
“I’m serious, Yu. Ayumu, you agree with me, right?”
“I’m not really sure. I never hang out with you outside of when I’m with Yu, but I’m sure if you try, you can do it.”
Aruto slightly chuckled at that comment as they reached school.
Elsewhere in a remote part of the city, a man was dragged into a fortress by several goons dressed in all black; they’re faced covered by black luchador masks. On the waist was an insignia featuring a giant bird, wings extended to the side, perched over the world—the symbol of Shocker.
“Who are you, people? Where you taking me?”
The goons didn’t respond; they only threw him into a room filled with lab equipment. Testbeds were scattered all around the room, as well as human-sized containers; a giant circular device stood in the middle giving off an eerie red glow. Different men dressed in hazmat suit proceeded to grab him and stuff him in of the containers. They closed the lid as the machine whirred to life. The man screamed in pain as his body felt like it was being set on fire. His skin started to peel off, revealing the fleshy interior before being transformed and replaced with circuits and machinery. The scientist then inserted a Zetsumerise Key titled ‘Berotha’ into the machine as it announced, “Zetsumetrise!”. The man’s body glowed bright green before armour materialized around him, transforming him into a monster.
The scientist opened the lid and helped the newly formed Berotha Magia out of the tube. His head was replaced by a metallic grasshopper head as his body was covered in black and silver armour. Two daggers resembling grasshopper legs appearing by his side as he took them in his hands and admired them. He roared profusely before turning towards the scientist.
“For the glory of Shocker.”
The scientists nodded and responded in kind.
“FOR THE GLORY OF SHOCKER!”
Once classes were done for the day, they went their separate ways.
“Alright, I’m gonna head home now. Have fun with your club activities, guys. I’ll see you at home.”
“Bye, Aruto.”
“Bye, Aruto.”
Aruto got on his bike and started to pedal home as Yu and Ayumu left towards their club room. However, the ride home would not go as smoothly as Aruto would have hoped. As he rode home, a giant explosion occurred near him, nearly making him fall over. As he stabilized himself, he looked towards where the explosion had happened and made a faint outline of a humanoid grasshopper. It was the Berotha Magia, laughing maniacally as he swung his daggers around, releasing wave after wave of destructive energy.
Aruto screamed in fear as he scrambled to pedal away from the Magia’s destructive onslaught. The Magia took noticed of Aruto’s screams and turned towards him.
“Trying to run, eh? GOOD! I love a good chase!”
The Berotha Magia darted towards Aruto at an almost inhuman speed, wildly slicing at the air before unleashing a precise energy wave that cleaves through his bike with ease. Aruto fell to the ground with a harsh thud as the Berotha Magia slowly inched toward him, sharpening his daggers with malicious intent. Fear had consumed him as he desperately tried to crawl away from the oncoming Magia.
“Say your prayers!”
The Magia raised his daggers as Aruto braced himself for his incoming death. However, before the Magia could drive his daggers in Aruto, he was suddenly blown away by a gust of wind.
“What the hell is this?”
Aruto hesitantly looked towards the side to see someone familiar; it was his Father.
“Dad…?”
“Are you okay, Aruto?”
“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. But what are you doing here?”
Soreo rushed over to protect Aruto as he brought out the Cyclone Driver.
“I’ll explain everything later. For now, get behind me.”
“Wait. What’s going on? Who is that monster?”
“GET BEHIND ME!”
Soreo shouted his orders as Aruto quickly and obediently rushed behind his Father. Soreo then placed the Driver around his waist as it wrapped itself around him, forming a belt. He proceeded to active his Rocking Hopper Key.
“Kamen Rider.”
“Transform!”
He inserted the key into the Driver and pulled the trigger flipping the key open.
“CYCLONE RISE!”
A giant dark blue coloured grasshopper emerged from the Driver as Soero was enveloped by a miniature cyclone of the same colour. The grasshopper then surrounded Soero and broke itself apart into separate armour pieces attaching itself to his black undersuit with cables as the cyclone evaporated.
“ROCKING HOPPER!”
“TYPE 1.”
Soreo, now transformed as Kamen Rider Ichigata, stood before the Berotha Magia.
“This can’t be-. You’re…a Kamen Rider?”
“That’s right. I’m a Kamen Rider. Kamen Rider Ichigata!”