SZ: Hey guys and gals, time for a character focused chapter, and the debut of a new Rider!
Z0: Time to move on to the next phase of the story.
SZ: Yup. We done with the Blazblue part of it for now...and now onto focusing the Build side once more! But before we hop in...we own nothing aside from original content, so..z0! Start us off!...and no explosions or fires! People already used those up for the latest DLC character for Smash Ultimate as of writing this.
Z0: Yep, so later!
Sento: Hey Sento, the smartest man to ever exist, is here to…
Ryuga: We're here too, ya know!
Sento: Yes...and again why must you intrude on my opening narration…?
Ragna: Because the three of us had key moments in the last chapter!
Sento: Yea...but I was the MVP of it when I used the Sparking Full Bottle on Terumi.
Ragna: Yeah...but I was also the MVP when I used the Azure Grimoire and Nu...er...Lambda...that girl's Idea Engine to beat Terumi's ass!
Ryuga: What about me?! I took on that crazy psycho-dragon-bitch Karai and held back Noel...er...Mu until you guys arrived...Speaking of whom, Why did you have such a revealing outfit, Noel?!
Noel: I...I didn't know it was revealing while I was in that state!
Ryuga: Grounded, young lady!
Noel: Mmm~!
Ragna: Well...At least we were able to snap her back to normal.
Sento: Yeah...at the cost of your old arm.
Ragna: It was the only way!
Sento: You realize who we have to go to this chapter, right?
Kokonoe: If you're referring to me, I started working on his new arm once you guys got to the new hideout.
Makoto: Mmm...Master is gonna be pissed for what happened to his place.
Ryuga: Where did that wierdo go? He ran when the fighting began and hasn't come home yet...Where'd he go!?
Noel: M-maybe he went to Litchi-san's place...
Kajun: Most likely...but I believe we deviated from the recap here, such as who Sento-tachi encountered after snapping Noel back to normal.
Ryuga: Oh yea...the Imperator…
Ragna, Jin: Saya…
Makoto: A story for the actual chapter! Begin!
Sento: AH! *chases Makoto with his Drill Crusher*
"Okay…" Sento muttered, moving some goggles away from his eyes as he stepped away from Tager, "Try moving now."
"Right…" Tager nodded, sitting up on a large metal table as he lifted an arm slowly before he flexed his fingers a bit, "Hmm...Everything seems to be in working order."
"The damage was not as bad as expected," Sento explained, "Thankfully Ryuga was able to drag you in."
"My muscles...are screaming…for protein..." Ryuga panted for air in a corner.
"I would've helped, but a certain neko said I can't use my new arm to lift heavy stuff until I fully get used to it," Ragna muttered, sitting in a corner...with a dunce cap on his head and his shirt off, his human arm replaced with a synthetic one as it was in a cast-iron...cast.
"Idiot says what?"
"What…?" Ragna and Ryuga asked, "...Ahh, damn it!"
"Your own fault for falling for it," Kokonoe stated, currently working on something on a computer.
"D'oh…!"
"Also once you're fully charged up Tager, I'm sending you out on a recon mission," Kokonoe continued.
"Understood," Tager nodded.
"Do I have time to add the photon cannon?" Sento asked.
"Wait, what?"
"Tempting, but no …Wait until I finish the schematics for Golden Tager XX: Hyper Mode."
"Oh you tease." Sento replied as he lowered the dangerous looking weapon that was in his arms.
"Make them stop...It's been science, nerd stuff, arguing, flirting...and rinsing and repeating…" Ryuga groaned.
"Quiet, monkey-boy," Kokonoe ordered.
"Saru janai! Ryu da!"
"Sento, the new Driver is almost nearing completion," Kajun spoke from a nearby table, a pair of goggles over her eyes, "Mind giving me a hand with the finishing touches?"
"Hai~!" he cheered, rushing over.
"Oi...Does the nerd have two girls…?" Ryuga whispered to Ragna.
"I'm starting to th-" Ragna began before the two narrowly ducked under a large wrench thrown at them.
"Reow…." Kokonoe gave a cat-like growl at that, eyes narrowed at the two before going back to the computer.
"Run?" Ryuga asked.
"Run," Ragna agreed.
"RUUUUUN!-!-!" the two screamed as they bolted out of there.
"Hoo...Finally glad to be out of that cast," Makoto sighed in relief, flexing her arm and fingers a bit as she sat at a lone table, "Now I can get back to helping the others fight those creeps."
"Glad to hear..oh! I'm making spicy sweet and sour rice for lunch," Noel spoke from the makeshift kitchen, "Hmm...oh! Maybe I should make a mix of duck and soy sauce for it!"
"Noel...Let's go for simple. Remember that we're kind of in a situation, kay?" Makoto chuckled awkwardly.
"...mmm...You're right. ...Okay, I'll just make some normal rice…" Noel pouted.
"Phew…" Makoto sighed in relief.
"...Ano...Are you sure you're alright, Makoto?" Noel asked, earning the Beastkin's attention, "I...I mean, Haza…Terumi...he...You barely survived thanks to Ryuga arriving to catch you."
"Eh? Of course I'm alright, Noellers," Makoto assured.
"I mean...mentally," Noel clarified.
"Hmm…" Makoto muttered, "Well I got beat up. Of course I feel kinda bad about getting beat up. But I didn't pay much attention to his nonsense. Plus if I beat myself up after all the work Sento and the boys put in to get you back, I'd seem pretty ungrateful, now wouldn't I?"
"...True," Noel muttered, "Just...don't push yourself hard trying to catch up with Sento and Ryuga."
"Don't worry. I won't," Makoto assured, "Besides...It's gonna take more of a beating like that to take me down!"
"Okay," Noel smiled before they turned to the door which leads to the basement lab.
Ryuga and Ragna ran out in a panic.
"...Sento, Kokonoe, or both?" Makoto guessed.
"Kokonoe…!" the two replied as they ran past them.
"This new arrangement is gonna take some time to get used to..." Makoto sighed.
"I'm surprised she has so many hideouts," Noel added.
"She tends to do that in case her plans are compromised," Makoto answered, "Though I never realized how fast they were…Seriously, she made a tunnel from Master's place to this abandoned building in the next city over."
"She must have a digging machine that she lets run while people are working," Noel guessed.
"That or she used Tager," Makoto shrugged, "Heh heh...I remember she installed something in him called 'Golden Tager'...Ah that was epic."
"This all sounds like things Sento would love," Noel noted.
"Most likely," Makoto shrugged, "...Ooh~! I bet he'd add something to let you use your entire body to pilot from inside Golden Tager! ...That last part came out wrong."
"Eh? What do you mean?" Noel asked.
"Best left unexplained," Makoto replied simply.
"What, you mean like G Gundam?" Ryuga asked, "That...sounds pretty epic honestly."
"Yes! Thank you!" Makoto beamed.
"With your body, you'd probably cause more nosebleeds on live feed with the opponent before the fight began," Ragna muttered.
"Y-Hey~!"
"Makoto...You can't be proud of the body and then complain when people use it as a point against you," Ryuga spoke.
"True, but if pointed out like that, it makes it sound like a quick and easy fight that isn't deserved," Makoto huffed.
"...Okay. Fair point…" Ryuga muttered, "Though with your body, since you want to be like me and Sento...I doubt you'll be able to fit in the suit."
"...You callin' me fat?" Makoto asked with narrowed eyes.
"No," Ryuga countered, "Though parts of you are rather...big…"
"...Are you referring to my 'girls'?"
"...If I said yes...would that earn me a slap?" Ryuga asked.
"Not unless this is purely for anatomical reasons," Makoto argued.
"Then yes," Ryuga replied as Makoto took out a white glove and slapped him, "Hey!"
"Technically, it wasn't a slap from me and it didn't hurt," Makoto smiled.
"I...ooh…" Ryuga complained as he pointed at her, "Oh ho you…!"
"Oh ho me," Makoto smirked a bit.
"You know you're lucky you just got better or else…" Ryuga began.
"Oh, I'm so scared," Makoto smirked.
"Bleh. Save it for the honeymoon, you two…" Ragna groaned as Noel handed him a bottled water, "Noel, can you believe these two? They're worse than the Nerd-a-Tois…"
"Say that again and I'll make your arm hit you!" Kokonoe warned from the lab.
"Oh yeah? We-" at that, his arm slapped him, knocking him over, "Nevermind…" he groaned.
"...Tsundere…" Noel whispered, "...Mmm~ And me without something to write in…"
"That's 'cause you filled the last one with things about these two," Ragna grunted, pointing at Ryuga and Makoto who were still arguing back and forth in the charming way they did.
"...Oh yeah. Still need a title for it."
"What's odd is it's gotten to the point they now ignore us," Ragna added.
"No, I was not saying just 'cause you have them, you're not a good fighter!" Ryuga spoke.
"Sure sounded like it."
"Well I'm not."
"We'll agree to disagree."
"Oh now you're just being cheeky...which I think is ironic..." Ryuga muttered.
"No it's not...is it?" Makoto asked.
"I don't know…"
"...We may need some parental guidance here since Master's missing," Noel muttered, "...Oh! Makoto, why not try and contact your mom?"
"?!" Makoto tensed at that, "...M...m…my mom?"
"Eh?" Ryuga blinked, "Did...did you just stutter?"
"No I didn't," Makoto instantly denied, "And it's not because I'm possibly scared of my mom when she finds out what I've been doing as of late...and hurt those that let me get injured the way I did against Terumi...except Noellie."
"Hey I saved your butt!" Ryuga complained.
"Don't talk about my butt around my mom!" Makoto snapped.
"Oh what? She gonna make us get a shotgun marriage?" Ryuga laughed.
"Oh ho no...She'll put the fear of GOD into you...and then get the sawed off shotgun for the wedding."
"I was kidding!" Ryuga complained.
"They are at it again…" Sento spoke as he and the fellow smart ones watched the chaos, "The natural environment of the lower rungs of the IQ ladder…"
"Yet it provides the best comedy," Ragna chuckled, "Popcorn?"
"Ooh…" Sento smiled, taking a handful.
"It's almost worth keeping you knuckleheads around. Well that and two free crash test dummies," Kokonoe smirked.
"Shh. Don't let them know that," Kajun hushed.
"They are getting streetwise," Sento agreed.
"Ahh…Fair enough."
"What did I walk in on?" Jin questioned with a sigh as he walked in.
"Complicated things you don't understand." Sento replied simply, "Mainly the aesthetic of romance and how the lower IQ have difficulty admitting it if they have similar personality types."
"...Soka," Jin muttered, "Well...you might want to know this. Everyone in this room is now on the NOL's most wanted list for 'attacking the Imperator.'"
"Wait what?" Ryuga and Makoto blinked at that, stopping in their agreement.
"I didn't expect things to get that bad...wow...talk about over the top…" Sento muttered.
"You should see the bounties," Jin stated as he pulled out some wanted posters, "You're currently tied with Ragna, Kiryu Sento..."
"WAIT WHAT?!" Ryuga and Ragna exclaimed, shooting up and grabbed one of the wanted posters.
"AH! He posed again!" Ryuga snapped as the poster was of Build Sparking jumping through the sky with sparkling bubbles surrounding him.
"How does he find the time to do that?!" Ragna complained.
"Back up! I'm wanted too?!" Makoto exclaimed before grabbing one of the wanted posters, "...EH?! That's a lot of zeroes!"
"Why are you bending forward for the picture?" Ryuga asked.
"That's what you ask!?" she snapped.
"I mean...Sento always makes those cool poses...why is yours sexy?" Ryuga pointed out.
"I..guess to throw people off a-wait. Why's this an issue now?!" Makoto snapped.
"...How...much am I worth?" Noel asked in worry.
"...nothing, trash," Jin replied, only to tense when Noel pulled Bolverk out, "...Near Sento and Nii-san's amount with me underneath you and the ape."
"What about Ryuga?" Sento asked taking one of the posters, "Pffthahaha...Makoto you'll forgive him after this." he handed her the poster, making her laugh and fall over.
"Wait. I...I'm worth more than…" Ryuga blinked before he began to laugh, "Oh that is hilarious! I'm worth more than mr. 'hero'!"
"Silence, ape," Jin ordered, Yukianesa out of its sheath as he gave him an icy glare.
"Look at the picture." Sento added.
"Huh?"
"Hahahaha...wh-when did that happen!?" Makoto laughed as the picture was of Cross-Z stuck in a trashcan...a poor doodle of his mask in the corner for context of what he looked like under that.
"...WHAT?!" Ryuga gawked.
"...I know your pain, man," Ragna sighed, patting his shoulder.
"H-how...Sento how do you take those pictures?!" Ryuga demanded.
"I'm always prepared." Sento smiled.
"Bullshit!" Ryuga snapped.
"Yeah no one takes a perfect picture all the time." Makoto laughed, getting over it.
"I do." Sento smiled.
"Yeah...Right!" Makoto pulled out a phone and took a sudden picture, "Hahaha...I bet...why are you posing like a model!?"
"Told you so." Sento smiled.
"Think we're getting off track...in fact, Kajun. Let's head back to the lab," Kokonoe muttered as she walked off.
"Very well," Kajun nodded, following her before stopping for a moment, "...Oh. And do not worry about your families Makoto, Noel...Kokonoe made sure to keep them in a safe place so the NOL doesn't come after them."
"When did you have the time to do that?" Makoto asked.
"Turns out Sparking moves very fast." Sento smiled.
"Oh...still, phew," Makoto sighed in relief with Noel.
"But Kokonoe makes a good point. We did deviate from the subject for a moment," Sento stated, "As of now...we're all the world's enemy thanks to the NOL."
"Well...I-I'm sure you have a plan, right Sento?" Noel asked.
"Oh no. I'm just stating facts."
"...HAH?!" the others gawked at that.
"I'm smart, but I've been so swamped with work I've failed to do my tactical formulations." Sento sighed, "Ah...I'm actually behind schedule...I need to get back to work or we won't have new powers and weapons to save our skins and we'll all die...which includes new forms."
"DIBS!" Makoto declared.
"Well then let me work and keep Dumb, Dumber and Brocon out of the lab...oh and Noel so she doesn't mistake my chemistry equipment for ingrdienets…" Sento spoke.
"One time~" Noel complained.
"Six…" Sento corrected, "You mixed sulfuric acid into milkshakes…"
"She did what with milkshakes?" Makoto blinked.
"I...I thought it was lime syrup," Noel sheepishly admitted.
"...n...nevermind. Forget I asked..."
"Mmm...I'm bored." a voice groaned.
"The Boss said to stick to the routes." another voice spoke.
"We can't draw to much attention once we arrive," A third more gruff voice spoke.
"I know I know...just...wish there was something we can…" the first voice began before the sound of paper hit someone's face, "GAH! I…eh? WOAH GUYS!"
"Oh now what?" the second voice sighed.
"This bounty is huge! Look!"
"AH! What the hell!?"
"Oh for…" the third voice groaned, "Listen. We…oh...oh wow. That...that is a huge bounty…"
"...Should we tell the boss...or big sis if the boss is unavailable?" the second voice asked.
"...I say we surprise them with the Platinum Dollars we'll rake in from this bounty," the first voice suggested.
"I get the feeling Sis won't like us going off on a mission alone…"
"She'll get over it." the gruff voice spoke, "Besides with the Platinum we're gonna rake in, she can afford actual pants…"
"I'm telling her Akaba talked about the uniform." the youngest sounding laughed.
"Kiba you little shit! Come here!"
"AH! Aoba help!"
"I'm not walking into that hornet's nest."
"Ah!"
"Get back here!"
"Never! AH!...I tripped...is my nose bleeding?"
"Ugh…"
"...so...I just have to test this?" Makoto cautiously asked, pointing at a device of sorts with a sole slot in it around her waist.
"It's not the legit thing." Sento added, "This is a Prototype for data and testing purposes...in short, your more or less just doing a VR henshin. Mainly since after Noel's confidence boosted by large amounts...I am not allowed to experiment on you."
"We know, bummer." Kajun sighed patting Sento's shoulder, "But what we hope to gain is the data that all is working...you know...like Life support...so you can breathe in the helmet, and the suit doesn't make you swing so hard you tear all the muscles in your arms..."
"Ahh...alright! Let's give it a go!" Makoto saluted, grabbing a nearby Full Bottle and shook it.
"Alright on the count of three…two...one!" Sento pointed.
"Hen~shin!" Makoto declared as she slotted the FullBottle in.
"Hmm…" the smart ones muttered, looking at the data.
"What you got, Smart people?" Makoto asked.
"You're right. We need to enhance this function here," Kajun noted, pointing at one line in the data, "That's a problem waiting to happen."
"I assumed Katsuragi's original plan was unfinished...but this is what tests are for. Catching problems before they become one." Sento sighed as he turned to a completed Sclash Driver, "We'll have to push back finalized testing till we can complete the Model 2."
"Eh? Model 2?" Makoto gawked.
"Well we don't want you to...hmm...how do I word this…?"
"Become dumb as Ryuga," Sento blurted for Kajun.
"That's it," Kajun smiled.
"Wah...This sounds like a big issue…" Makoto muttered.
"Well, only if you think heightened aggression and a potential blood rage boost are a problem." Sento shrugged.
"Oh...oh yeah. That is a definante big issue," Makoto cringed.
"Exactly." Sento smirked, "Personally we can't lose our mood maker." he chuckled, "So until we can finish the Model 2 without that...you don't mind waiting a bit longer right?"
"...Sure," Makoto shrugged.
"Really? You...can be patient?" Kajun asked.
"But I waited so long…" she cried, falling over onto her tail and kicking her legs in frustration.
"Like I said, it's best to test it for flaws now then worry about an issue later." Sento spoke, "Besides, I'll tell you what? I'll up the power of the Model 2 just for you."
"Honto?" Makoto asked, poking her head up so her eyes could see across their work table.
"Yes." Kajun sighed in agreement, "But shh...we don't want the other boys feeling bad now. Plus...why do you think I made you the Star Bottle?"
"..." Makoto slowly blinked before she quickly blurred up to Kajun and hugged her, "Eeee~! You're the best pal a Beastkin could have!"
"Hai hai.." Kajun smiled a bit, "Now..why don't you find something to do while me and Sento finish the Driver for you?"
"Hai~!" Makoto nodded, letting her go before running off.
"Don't tell the idiots!" Sento added.
"Tell them what?" Makoto countered offscreen.
"...If only she applied that intelligence of hers into her studies," Kajun muttered.
"Hm...maybe in a parallel mirror world." Sento shrugged.
"Possibly," Kajun nodded, "Now...let's us get back to experimenting."
"Alrighty. What to do…?" Makoto pondered as she walked outside, her cloak on and her cap over her ears, "Hmm...wanted so...might be hard to get a bite to eat. Can't go work out at a gym, or even go to the park to chill...huh. This...is a brain scratcher."
"Yo Makoto." Ryuga spoke walking back with Noel both in disguise with wigs that made it seem like they swapped hair color with one another, "We got snacks!" he declared, holding up large grocery bags.
"Hah? You...you guys went out without me?" Makoto blinked, "...Shoot. There goes that idea…"
"Eh?"
"I'm trying to figure out what to do and...I'm drawing a blank," Makoto explained with a sigh.
"Well we would have invited you but you looked excited to help Sento and Kajun...for...some reason." Noel mumbled.
"Yeah. Noel spent all day picking out a disguise for ya." Ryuga added, "Spoiler; for some reason she chose to make you a redhead for this disguise…"
"I thought it looked nice." Noel argued with a pout at his tone, "Besides for some reason, just a wig and people can't tell its us."
"...Huh. Never thought of that," Makoto muttered, ...Shoot. If I had known you had that in mind for me Noellie, I would've had more options to do...like the gym, or an all-you-can-eat...or the park."
"We still have plenty of disguises." Noel offered.
"I'm not being a granny again…" Ryuga quickly complained.
"Mmm…"
"..I'm not doing the old man either."
"Aw…" Noel muttered, "But you make such a cute old person."
"I'm not cute! I'm supposed to be cool!" Ryuga barked before flinching when Noel pulled Bolverk out, "...On second thought cute works too."
"You've really gotten trigger happy since you became more confident, Noellie," Makoto muttered.
"Hmm...oh I hadn't noticed." Noel spoke as she put Bolverk away, "Ever since the boys saved me I've felt...I don't know. Happier...and like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
"Huh...maybe something they told ya got through to ya," Makoto guessed.
"Maybe…" Noel muttered.
"You seem the same besides pulling a gun faster than before." Ryuga spoke, "Before it took the 'thing that must never be named' to upset you."
"Mm…" Noel blushed in embarrassment at that.
"You know, it seems like you almost see these macho knuckleheads like brothers now." Makoto pointed out.
"I guess if anyone here knows what sibling squabbles looks like, it's you huh Makoto?" Ryuga pointed out.
"Eeyup,"Makoto nodded, "Seriously, you have no idea how many times Mekoto would do something that often got on my nerves...only for his bad luck to kick in and karma hitting him. But despite the squabbles, I love my little bro and my little sisters."
"Siblings…" Noel muttered.
"Ragna and Jin say you look exactly like their little sister…" Ryuga pointed out, "All I know is I'd rather Noel be here with us."
"Same," Makoto nodded, "...and if anyone dares to hurt someone I see like a little sister in someway, they will receive a trip to the moon courtesy of my fist."
"Wouldn't that be overboard?" Ryuga sweatdropped.
"Wouldn't you do the same?" Makoto asked back.
"I'd probably drop them into a volcano…" Ryuga admitted, "And Sento would probably do some horrible experiment to them like something out of a horror movie."
"And Raggy would probably beat them to a fine dust and dunk that dust into the toilet...and dig up the water with said dust and toss it into a…" Makoto began.
"I-I get it," Noel muttered, "But...I see your point."
"That makes this one heck of a family don't it?" Makoto joked, "Sento's the responsible eldest, Ryuga and Ragna are the ones who never stop fighting, Jin's the weird one you hide in the closet."
"Silence!" he shouted from upstairs.
"And Noel's the cute youngest you all protect like crazy." Makoto laughed enjoying the rise she got out of Jin, "And of course I'm the big responsible sister while Kajun's the smart one while Tsuba…" she paused for a moment before Noel looked down sadly, "...Hey now...we'll get her back. Once we snap her back to normal, we'll have our responsible student council member again."
"...I hope so," Noel whispered before smiling, "Still...thank you for cheering me up at least."
"Eh don't worry I bet Sento made some weird science cure." Ryuga added.
"Knowing him and Kajun working together, most likely," Makoto added, "Hell maybe Kokonoe w-" she stopped when her ears twitched, "..."
"Makoto?"
"Noellie...get back inside," Makoto ordered, a serious tone in her voice.
"Eh?"
"Ryuga...I think we got some unwanted company heading our way," Makoto continued.
"Nani?" he blinked.
"Yeah...and judging by the way they're talking...I think they're bounty hunters or vigilanties...or some guys looking to make some quick money."
"Eh? She heard us?" a voice spoke, making Noel and Ryuga tense as they looked around.
"They're probably a Beastkin, meaning they have some really good hearing," a second voice added.
"I wanna see!"
"No Kiba!" the other two voices shouted as they fell out from a window of an old building. Three men wearing the same jacket all groaned hitting the ground.
"I didn't do it…" the youngest a young man wearing a yellow beanie groaned.
"Yes...yes it was…" the more gruff voice a man with spiked up hair kept back by a red bandanna grunted.
"Both of you get off me…" a slightly older man with stubble and wore a blue beret grunted.
"...Ano...hi?" Noel greeted in confusion.
"GH?!" the three tensed as they shot up.
"Bakas…" Ryuga spoke.
"Dai bakas…" Makoto added.
"Hey we don't judge you guys off first impressions." the youngest Kiba complained, "I mean...how would you like if people judged you on...the fact you got...uh…"
"Don't say it…" the eldest Aoba muttered.
"He's gonna say it…" the middle Akaba spoke.
"Uh...shoot. I lost it…" Kiba muttered.
"Oh thank god…" the other two sighed falling over.
"Yappa bakas…" Ryuga muttered.
"...Who're you guys supposed to be anyways? The new Three Stooges?" Makoto asked.
"Don't answer that," Aoba and Akaba spoke before Kiba could answer.
"So what are they?" Ryuga muttered.
"Oh that's easy! We're the Three Crows of Seito!" Kiba answered, "And we're here to collect some bounties!"
"...So your bounty hunters?" Noel cautiously asked.
"Well...technically no. We were on a delivery of sorts before…" Akaba began.
"Shut up…" Aoba sighed in annoyance, "They don't need to know that...they don't need to know anything…"
"Ah...but it's fun to show off who we are…" Kiba sighed.
"You're 18! You think everything stupid is fun!" Aoba complained.
"These guys seem more like goobers than a threat…" Makoto sweatdropped.
"H-hai…" Noel added.
"Shut up!" Akaba snapped.
"Yeah! We are way stronger than you three losers!" Kiba snapped.
"I'm pretty sure just me or Makoto could knock out guys o-" Ryuga began before he was smacked upside the head by Makoto's tail, "Ite!"
"Idiot! Shut it!" Makoto hissed, "We're wanted remem-"
'Eh? Makoto?...oh! She's one of the people on the NOL'S most wanted!" Kiba beamed.
"Way to go, idiot…" Makoto groaned.
"Then we can take you all down then." Kiba smiled.
"Boss will be happy if we bring in more than one wanted person." Akaba smirked.
"I guess now we got no choice." Aoba sighed as all three produced...purple Full bottles like the ones Blood Stalk and the other Transteam gun users had.
"?!" Ryuga and the two girls tensed at that.
"Aw crap…" Ryuga whispered as the three shook the Full Bottles.
"Don't blink," Kiba smirked.
=CASTLE! KUWAGATA! FUKUROU!=
The trio jammed the bottles into their arms as colored flashes went off and began transforming them. They all became Smash. But...different. They all seemed to have the same blue robotic legs from the waist down.
Akaba's Smash form from the waist up was to his namesake, Red, and looked like a Castle transformed into chest armor, each of his arms was equipped with small shield, with even larger rampart shields attacked on swiveling points on each shoulder with twin canisters on each side of the shields resembling castle towers, his head looked like a tall pointed knight like helmet which was tilted up to reveal yellow eyes and a large black hexagon port in the center of his head piece.
Aoba was a darker blue from the waist up. He had overlapping armor which had large shoulder pads resembling the shells of a Stag Beetle. His arms had large bladed scalops extending from his elbows while two large combat knives were holstered to each arm. His head was a blue futuristic helmet with two silver Stag beetle mandibles blocking the eyes.
Kiba was yellow from the waist up. His armor was rounded with a large rounded torso piece with a long collar opening for his head. His armor was covered in small black orbs that looked almost like speakers. He had large yellow shoulder armor with two more speaker orbs in each, his forearms covered in large shield like gauntlets which extended over his hands ending in a large circular piece with two large orbs connected atop them. His face was covered in a yellow mask that looked like an owl with two black eyes peeking through the mask.
"Smash?" Ryuga asked in shock.
"Jajan!" Kiba cheered, "Are you surprised? We're the first Smash in history who have total control over themselves and can change back and forth!"
"N...nande?" Noel whispered in disbelief.
"...Again Noel, get back inside," Makoto ordered, gripping her cloak as she glared at the three, "Me and Ryuga will hold these guys back."
"You're not going anywhere!" Akaba roared as his head began glowing with a green light before he fired out a green laser, which tore apart the street and buildings in its path, leaving a literal trail of destruction going on for maybe a mile.
"...Fine...need something to practice on anyway," Makoto smirked as she three her cloak off and took her tonfa off, "Alrighty, Ryuga! L-"
"HOLY!" the three Crows exclaimed once they saw Makoto's outfit.
"Told you people would react…" Ryuga muttered to Noel.
"H-hai…" Noel slowly nodded.
"Wow...and I thought big sis' outfit was revealing…" Kiba blinked.
Akaba smacked him upside the head.
"What I do?"
"We never talk about Sis's outfit!"
"You're sick Kiba…"
"I didn't mean like that!"
"Mmhmm…"
"Oi…" Aoba facepalmed.
"...I am getting a bit annoyed with this bit," Makoto muttered with an eye twitch, "It's to help me move around faster!"
"Sis makes the same point...doesn't stop boss from telling her to wear pants." Aoba muttered mostly to himself.
"How does she handle the Winter in that outfit?" Kiba asked.
"Uhm...I kinda wonder that to." Noel asked.
"Noel…" Makoto complained.
"I'm just worried about your health." Noel argued.
"Aw…"
"Orya!" Cross-Z roared as he landed a kick to Kiba knocking him into the other two, "Nice distraction Noel!"
"Right...that's what I did…" Noel muttered sheepishly.
"Ah distracted by the cute one and the sexy one...clever girls…" Kiba spoke, holding his face as Aoba helped him up.
"More like we...ugh nevermind! Let's fight!" Akaba exclaimed as he shot up.
"Bring it, castle boy," Makoto challenged, cracking her knuckles as Noel quickly pulled out Bolverk.
"Like I'm gonna lose to you girly!" he shouted, bashing his arm shields together tauntingly.
"Heh," Makoto merely smiled at that before rushing up to him, reeling her arm back as she landed a blow on his chest...which only staggered him back a bit, "...Uh...that...should've knocked you further away…"
"Ha! As if a punch could! My defense is nigh impossible to get past!" Akaba laughed, "If anything...that was merely a tickle!"
"Akaba talking cocky again…" Kiba deadpanned.
"Shut up! I'm immovable!"
"Let's test that!" Cross-Z roared as he and Makoto punched only for Akaba's shoulder shields to spin forward and block both punches. After a moment the two backed away holding their hands, "Ah...I think I broke it…" he groaned holding his throbbing hand up.
"Baka..." Akaba sighed shaking his head as Cross-Z was left on the ground in pain.
"Hah?! How could your punch..?!" Makoto began before she dodged an attack from Aoba and Kiba, "Woah!"
"Don't forget about us Squirrel Nee-chan!" Kiba spoke swinging his hands making Makoto step back from each swing, "And drop the beat!" he cheered as the orbs on his hands began glowing with yellow vibrating energy. He slammed his hands and sent a shockwave along the ground which exploded sending Makoto flying back with a grunt.
"Ahh geez! That hurt!" Makoto winced, holding her hands over her ears, "What was that?! A soundwave?!"
"Hoo Hoo~" Kiba taunted as he jumped up and flew up to avoid shots from Noel.
"He can fly too?" Noel gasped.
"Haha-ha-haha~" Kiba taunted, perching on a street light post.
"Well great…" Makoto groaned before dodging an attack from Aoba, "And what can you do, ya big bad beetleborg?"
"Heh...I got that reference…" Aoba spoke as he swung his swords, making Makoto back away before he vanished and appeared behind her and kicked her sending her tumbling forward.
"Ow...okay...you're super fast…" Makoto grunted as she got up, "But I'm not gonna let that beat me. Also...can you hit multiple of me?"
"Hmm?"
"Asteroid Vision!"Makoto shouted as she split into multiple clones of herself.
"Oh! Kage bushin!" Kiba beamed, "Is she a kunoichi?"
"Oh not that again…" One of the Makoto's groaned.
"Can ya blame him given how we dress?" another asked.
"Oh don't you start..."
"Makoto stop arguing with yourself!" Cross-Z groaned as he was bashed by Akaba's arm shield, "Gah!"
"Stay focused!"
"What are these guys made of? They are way stronger than any normal Smash." Cross-Z complained.
"Like I said! We're the Three Crows of Seito!" Kiba laughed as he dodged another shot from Noel, "We're not like regular Smash as we don't go berserk, and work really well as a team!"
"They are harder to fight than the normal Smash...Harder ...Hard Smash…" Makoto muttered amongst….herself, "Huh…"
"This...is a br-" one of the Makoto clones began before gasping when one of Kiba's sound attacks hit her, making her disappear in a plume of smoke as an acorn took the clone's place.
"An acorn!?" Kiba gawked, "It makes no sense!"
"Just focus and fight…" Aoba sighed before slashing at Makoto, who quickly dodged as one of her clones tried to strike him..only to get shot down by Akaba after he blocked another punch from Cross-Z.
"Okay...these guys are really good…" Makoto muttered.
"Or maybe you guys aren't as good as you thought!" Kiba laughed.
"Urusei!" Cross-Z barked before blocking a strike from Aoba and Akaba.
"Lets just take them in." Aoba spoke, crossing his blades as the trio readied to attack again.
"Crap!" Cross-Z realized.
"Crap!" Makoto agreed.
"Cr-Crud…" Noel stutered.
"Aw...she still can't curse." Makoto chuckled.
The Three Crows growled charging up only to blink as bubbles began surrounding them. They blinked and Kiba poked one...causing them all to explode in a chain reaction that knocked them all back. As they stumbled, a Red and Blue blur shot forward and began dashing around striking all three ripping sparks off their armor. They cried as the blur stopped in front of them and slashed them with the Drill Crusher.
"Kokonoe, Kajun, are you seeing this?" Build Sparking asked tapping his helmet, "Next Level Smash, perfected already."
=I see it...and I can't believe it…= Kokonoe spoke =How is this even possible?=
=Normally when exposed to Seithr and Nebula Gas, the person infected goes in a berserk frenzy, and yet...these three seem to remain normal= Kajun added.
=Yes...but who supplied them with these forms?= Kokonoe questioned.
"I'll have to find out." Build replied.
"Se-" Makoto began before a bubble popped on her nose sending her tumbling backwards and into Noel's arms.
"Code names...they exist for a reason." Build reminded as he spun and kicked Aoba's swords away before ducking around him and kicking Kiba, "Interesting...they are using the same bottles as Blood Stalk and Night Rogue…" he looked as Aoba's arm before pushing him back, "Did you use a Transteam Gun to transform?"
"A what?"
"That's a no." Build swung around and avoided Akaba's swings, "This one was modded for power, the blue for speed, and the yellow for flight." he spoke, jumping over Akaba and forming a giant bubble he punched into once he turned around.
"Uh-oh...AH!" he cried as it exploded, sending him flying away.
"Thankfully I've upped the Sparking systems abilities since its last use." Build spoke.
"Eh!?" the others all gawked.
"You didn't think I'd be happy staying at one level did you?" he pointed out.
"..."
"Your silence means 'yes,'" Build smirked behind his helmet before dodging a shot from Akaba.
"What's with the half and half guy!?" Kiba complained.
"...It's happening again…" Makoto whispered to herself, clenching her fist a bit as Build was easily taking on the three Crows, "I'm being useless again…"
"Hmm?" Noel blinked, noticing her friend's current mood.
"This is insane…" Cross-Z spoke, standing up, "But I'm not backing down."
"Oop...handicap," Kiba gulped a bit, "...Should we call on boss of big sis for h-"
"NO!" Aoba and Akaba snapped, making him flinch.
"Last thing we need is to get either of them upset," Aoba stated.
"You stupid brat! This is your fault!" Akaba shouted, smacking Kiba upside the head.
"I'm not a brat! I'm 18! I'm for sure not the youngest here, they have a little blonde girl!"
"Ah…" everyone on Team Build blinked and turned to a stunned Noel.
"Least they got the right gender…" Cross-Z whispered.
"Ugh. We'll need to regroup and rethink our strategy…" Aoba sighed.
"...Good idea," Akaba nodded.
"Hah~?! But I…" Kiba began before Aoba and Akaba picked him up.
"This isn't over…" Aoba stated before he and Akaba ran off, carrying Kiba as they did.
"Hmph…" Build sighed.
"Little…" Noel muttered still stunned.
"You are kinda short," Build spoke while patting her head, waking her from her stupor.
"...I...I'm not that short," Noel muttered.
"You kinda are, right Mak-" Cross-Z began as he turned to the Beastkin...and noticed that her ears were drooping, "...uh...Makoto?"
"Huh? Oh...yeah…" Makoto replied with a sigh.
"Well regardless...We'll need to prepare for next we meet them." Build spoke, "I scared them off but the truth is I didn't hurt them all that much."
"What?" they asked.
"Yes, my Hazard level was too low. And even with Sparking, they are stronger. They must have been given a refined Nebula Gas exposure process…" he went on, he walked over and grabbed Cross-Z's Driver before yanking it off, "I need to update this." he spoke, walking off.
"Wh-?! Hey!" Cross-Z snapped, changing back into Ryuga as he chased after Build.
"...Makoto, y-" Noel began before noticing the Beastkin walking back into their hideout, "..."
Sento muttered to himself as he typed away working on two Sclash Drivers. He pushed his chair back and grabbed the Dragon FullBottle and then pushed himself over to another machine as he plugged the bottle in.
"Kajun, we are ready to form Sclash Jelly," Sento spoke as he pushed his chair away as she pulled him behind a riot shield, "Ready?"
"Ready," Kajun nodded.
"Okay, nerd, give me bac-AH!" Ryuga cried as an explosion sent him flying and crashing into the bathroom.
"...Not good. There's too much power in the Dragon Full Bottle for this model of the Schlash Driver," Kajun sighed.
"I figured as such...Unfortunately until we make the jelly, we'll need to use the Model 1," Sento sighed, "I'll go set up the equipment again; you put in the data."
"Leave it to me."
"...Pft!" Ryuga sputtered as he walked out, "What was that?!"
"Shh!" Sento hissed, "This is a delicate setup. One mistake and kaboom...mushroom cloud."
"He's right," Kokonoe spoke from her computer, "One wrong move and it'll result in a blast capable of destroying all of Seito."
"...Oh…." Ryuga paled at that.
"Exactly, so shh!" Sento hushed, "...Actually know what? You can help us out with something."
"Hmm?" Kajun and Kokonoe raised brows at that.
"I need you to see if you can get the Star Bottle from Makoto," Sento said to Ryuga.
"Oh...For a moment, I thought we were gonna use him as a test monkey," Kokonoe admitted.
"Do you want us to die?" Sento argued.
"Fair…" she shrugged.
"Besides Makoto is moody and likes Ryuga...It's for the best."
"Say what now?" Ryuga blinked.
"Oh...you poor...poor boy," Kajun sighed, patting his shoulder, "How did you even land your first lover?"
"...She made all the moves…" Ryuga admitted.
"That explains it," the two female scientists nodded.
"Oi!"
"...mm...not hungry…" Makoto muttered, pushing away the chestnut parfait before her as she rested her head on a table.
"?!" Noel blinked in surprise at that, surprised to see her friend-who's normally a big eater-not hungry.
"Hey Makoto, Sento needs your…" Ryuga began as he walked in...and noticed the uneaten and untouched chestnut parfait before Makoto, "...Wow. That bad huh?"
"She hasn't even touched it," Noel answered in worry..
"This is bad...and to make it worse...Sento wants me to take her personal Full Bottle…" Ryuga whispered to Noel.
"Oh...if we don't word this the right way...she will demolish this building…"
"Noel...I need you to tell me what to say…'cause I know if I say something my brain comes up with, it'll make things worse...and you know it, too."
"...Mmm...Honestly, I am not sure…" Noel admitted, "But...I am worried. She assured me that she was fine earlier, but...after Sento showed up, I think I heard her say something...something about her feeling useless."
"Eh? Useless?" Ryuga blinked.
"...Oh. I think…." Noel began in realization.
"You know I can hear you two, right?" Makoto spoke with a sigh, making the two tense, "I keep telling you guys I'm fine."
"Sorry, Makoto...but…" Noel paused before pointing at the melting chestnut parfait, "That says otherwise."
"...I…just didn't want anything cold and sweet?"
"Then why did you pull it out?" Ryuga asked.
"I…ugh...I don't know…" Makoto sighed sadly, her tail and ears drooping further as she looked at one of her hands, "Lately...I've been feeling...useless to you guys...on how I couldn't protect anyone."
"Makoto, y-"
"It's true…" Makoto argued with Noel as she closed her hand, some tears beginning to form in her eyes, "I...I couldn't protect you from Terumi. I couldn't help Tsubaki and she got corrupted by the NOL and Blood Stalk's group. I…." she paused as she slammed her fist on the table, "I couldn't even do anything against those Three Crows!"
"Sento said they were too strong...stupid, but strong," Ryuga argued, "Now he's working on two new belts at once and a lot of explosive crap!"
"But will it be enough? Will it be enough for me to save Tsubaki? To protect my friends?" Makoto asked, tears forming in her eyes, "I...I really hate this. I hate feeling so useless! I hate not being able to protect the people so dear to me!"
"Makoto…" Noel whispered.
"Okay…" Ryuga spoke as he walked over and picked Makoto up and began carrying her away.
"Huh!? Hey...Ryuga!?"
"Ara…" Noel blinked confused, "Could this be…?"
"Don't even think of it, Noel!" Makoto snapped, blushing as she was carried off down to the lab.
"Oi Sento!" Ryuga spoke.
"Hm? Ryuga, I said the bottle; not the Makoto attached to it," Sento spoke as he looked up, "But I mean, if this is your way of…"
"Stop it…" Ryuga spoke.
"Oh, this is serious then. Okay...what's wrong?" Sento asked.
"She says she feels useless and feels like she's not able to protect everyone close to her," Ryuga summarized.
"R-Ryuga!" Makoto exclaimed.
"Well I'm sorry, but I don't want to see you mope around all sad-like! Besides, it's better to see you all happy and energetic..not moody and depressed," Ryuga argued.
"I…ugh…"
"...Is what he said before true?" Kajun asked.
"Hai…" Makoto sighed, ears drooping.
"Hmm…" Sento sighed, standing up, "So I see." he held his hand out, "Full Bottle please."
"Uh...hai," Makoto spoke, flicking her tail and the Star Bottle popped out and landed in Sento's hand once he moved it slightly to the right.
"You say you feel powerless…" Sento spoke, examining it for a moment, "While untrue, I can understand after all that's happened. After all I'm powerless as well."
"But you…"
"I'm Build...I fight monsters...and I save people," Sento smiled before it faded slowly to a much sadder expression, "But I can't fix the world." he added, "I...I'm a genius...I can build amazing machines that do amazing things. But...yet...here I am...a nobody...a freak made of a composite body. I can't share my desire to help with the world 'cause I'm a being who shouldn't exist. I'm powerless to change this suffering world at the moment." he went on, "But...in spite of that...all of you. You...Noel, Banjou, Ragna...you all accept someone like me. The people I save all smile for the days I gave them," he motioned to Ryuga and Noel who walked in, "You have these things, too, Makoto. Even if I made you a Rider...would that change that? You'd still have us. We'd be there to help you out...to catch ya when you feel down. To make sure that sun-filled smile never leaves."
"Huh? S...Sun filled?" Makoto blinked at that last bit.
"...I think he tried to pun about your FullBottle," Ryuga noted before Sento tossed a crumpled up paper that hit a button behind him, causing a panel to open above Ryuga and drop a washbin on his head, "Gah!"
"Don't explain the joke."
"Why did you make a button for that?!"
"Oh, please. I have a button for everything," Sento smiled.
"You do not!" Makoto laughed.
Sento pushed another button as a wall panel opened and a cup of coffee slid out for him, "I do."
"...That's not the coffee Noel made, is it?" Makoto asked.
"I only drink my own coffee," Sento argued, taking a sip, "Mm...dark roast. Hints of chocolate…best match."
"...I stand corrected," Makoto blinked.
"Now then, back to science," Sento smirked, tossing the Star Bottle up and catching it, "We got the Bottle!"
"Now unless you wish to get blown up like Ryuga-san...duck and cover," Kajun smiled as she and Sento hid behind a blast shield.
"Begin!" Sento smirked, hitting a button.
"AH!" the others panicked as a blast of blue energy knocked them all over.
"We're okay...Ryuga broke our fall…" Makoto groaned.
"We gotta have a plan next time," Aoba spoke as the Three Crows sat down at a food cart, "We got our asses kicked hard…"
"Did not…" Kiba spoke.
"You got bounced around by bubbles…" Akaba reminded, slurping up ramen.
"It was like a broken as heck fighting game combo that needs to get nerfed…" Aoba added, "That's how bad it looked."
"No it wasn't. There wasn't a slide kick at all in it," Kiba argued.
"Ask Akaba's shins…" Aoba said, eating a piece of gyoza.
"Don't bring that up…" Akaba sighed, "But seriously, that Build guy is good...no wonder he's one of the top people wanted by the NOL."
"...Ya know, if he is that good...what does that say about Ragna the Bloodedge and his big bounty?" Kiba asked.
"..." Aoba and Akaba slapped Kiba upside the head, "Ya jinxed us!"
"Ow! Hah?!"
"You jinxed us...like the last time at the casino…" Akaba spoke.
"And the time at the onsen…" Aoba sighed.
"I didn't know sides swapped after dinner!" Kiba shouted.
"It was on the sign you took down…" Akaba groaned, slapping his head again, "Now we're banned from that place and labeled as 'deviants' in that town…"
"...Oh yeah…"
"Ugh...Seriously though, why would you bring up Ragna the Bloodedge?" Aoba sighed, "We're lucky we didn't fight him...he would've used Akaba to beat one of us like a club!"
"Yeah, it'd be me…" Akaba shrugged in agreement.
"Mmm...then how're we gonna cash in the Platinum Dollars when we capture one of them?" Kiba pouted.
"Well we just need to go for the weaker ones," Aoba argued, "...Oh darn. It's the girls, isn't it…?"
"Yes!" Kiba and Akaba cheered.
"Oh god no…" Aoba groaned, realizing what he started.
"It's the perfect idea!" Kiba beamed.
"Sis would literally kick our asses across all three cities the moment she hears about this," Aoba argued
"But Boss would stop her when we show him the Platinum we raked in!" Akaba cheered.
"Oh...Oh...I don't like this. It's so wrong…" Aoba groaned.
"But it's our only option…"
"...Ugh, fine. But don't blame me when Sis uses you as a punching bag for those explosive punches of hers."
"Ok..but if that happens...we toss Akaba at her."
"Y-wait, what?"
"Works for me."
"...Ugh...anything?" Kokonoe asked, the three scientists of the group sitting around a circular table with cups of coffee near them.
"Nope…" Sento sighed.
"Sadly no…" Kajun added.
"I thought so…" Kokonoe groaned.
"Damn it...What are we doing wrong?" Sento asked, "The equations should be right, but the jelly is not solidifying for the Schlash Driver."
"I think I may have made Makoto's Star Bottle too strong…" Kajun whispered.
"True…" Sento spoke, "The Dragon Jelly was easy enough...I guess it's true. We need to rely on bottles that fit the match for now." he picked up the bottle, "I think I have an idea…" he smirked as his ahoge popped up.
"Hmm?" Kajun blinked while Kokonoe raised a brow.
"Follow me on this." he smiled walking off.
"Oh Sento's got an idea." Makoto whispered as she, Noel and Ryuga peeked into the lab.
"I don't get it…" Ryuga muttered, sneaking in and grabbing the Model 1 Sclash Driver, "They already finished one...and a Jelly...Why not just give em to me?"
"Excuse you?" Makoto asked.
"I mean it's a dragon...so it's mine," Ryuga smiled.
"Uh no...Sento said that the first one had a major flaw," Makoto spoke, "And he promised me I could use it."
"Bah...those nerds are freaking over nothing," he argued.
"We can and will turn you into a monkey," Kokone threatened from the next room.
"Gah!" Ryuga yelped.
"Forgot she's got great hearing, didn't ya?" Makoto smirked.
"...Maybe."
"Look. Sento ruins a lot of our fun...but when it comes to this listening to him is probably for the best." Makoto spoke, "I mean he says that thing...his invention has a major flaw...I'm gonna believe him."
"Yeah but nerds find flaws in everything." Ryuga argued.
"Not moi," Sento spoke off-screen.
"What's the big deal about this stupid jelly anyway? Besides it being fun to squish it." Ryuga asked, squeezing the Sclash Jelly packet a few times.
"I wouldn't do that." Sento spoke.
"Oh yeah why?"
"You're charging it." Sento explained.
"Wha...AH!?" at that it exploded in blue fire sending Ryuga flying out the building.
"Ahh! Ryuga-san!" Noel gasped as she and Makoto ran after him.
"I tried to warn him…"
"...Ow…" Ryuga groaned, on a pile of broken trash cans, "...Stupid nerd...should've w-ahh~! My back…"
"Well...this is a coincidence."
"?!" Ryuga tensed as he looked up, seeing the Three Crows of Seito looking down at him, already transformed, "...Ah crap."
"Boys...we got our damsel in distress…" Akaba spoke as Ryuga blinked.
"Who with the…"
At that, Akaba punched him in the face knocking him out. Kiba grabbed Ryuga by his leg and began dragging him off.
"Wait why him?"
"Honestly...I figure this guy's like some kinda Harem anime protag...he's so dense he keeps those weirdos together via his gravity." Aoba spoke.
"I get it."
"I don't…" Akaba spoke.
"Okay look. I'd explain it but I'd have to get into all sorts of tropes and cliches that I bet you don't care for…" Aoba explained.
"Do I get to punch him again?"
"I don't know….probably?"
"Works for me!"
"I think I saw him flying over here!"
"?!" the Three Crows tensed as they hid right into an alleyway...a rather tight as they were all mushed up together just as Makoto and Noel ran into the area.
"Where did he go?" Noel asked.
"Holy cow that tiny little jelly had a lot of power…" Makoto muttered, "Sento what the hell!?"
"Good thing it made Ryuga drop all of the dangerous things…" Noel muttered, "Sento would be so mad if we lost the Belt and Jelly."
"I think there's a fat person joke to be made there…" Makoto muttered.
"MMM!" Ryuga grunted, only for Akaba to smack his head.
"You hear that?" Makoto blinked.
"Quack!" Kiba panicked, a loud clang was heard, "I mean: Hoot!"
"...there's no owls here…" Makoto frowned before she and Noel slowly turned to the alleyway the three were in.
"...Uh….meow?" Kiba 'greeted'.
"The stupid Owl…" Makoto realized.
"Hey...I'm not stupid! I mean...quack...I mean Hoot...ah god dang it…" he panicked.
"Idiot…" Akaba and Aoba deadpanned before tensing when Noel reeled her fist back while Noel's guns changed into a minigun.
"Idiot shield!" Kiba shouted holding up Ryuga making them pause for a second, "Holy cow it worked...uh...we got your…boyfriend?"
"Grr…."
"MMMMMMM!" Ryuga muttered through the gag.
"...I think you made it worse!" Akaba freaked.
"I don't know...I mean we don't know what these people are to each other…" Kiba argued.
"Big Bang…"
"Wait what's she d-OH GOD!"
"SMASH!" Makoto roared out, sending a massive energy punch that tore into the alleyway and sent the three-along with Ryuga-flying into a nearby empty park.
"Holy crap that was scary!" Akaba freaked.
"MMMMM!"
"Oh crap she knocked him flying with us…" Aoba realized.
"I'm falling!" Kiba panicked, "Oh...wait...derp...I can fly." he held his arms out and stopped mid air as Akaba grabbed his legs, Aoba grabbed Akaba's leg...and grabbed Ryuga by the scruff of his shirt, "Ja-ne~" he laughed as they began flying off.
"We stole your idiot!" Akaba cheered.
"They realize they move really slow right?" Noel asked.
"Yup…" Makoto nodded, grabbing a broken car nearby before tossing it right at them.
"Ahh! Makoto wh-"
"Give it a moment."
"Wait. What's that coming to-AHH!" Aoba exclaimed before the car hit them, sending them falling as they crashed into the ground while Ryuga landed in some bushes.
"There we go," Makoto smirked.
"You know you make it really hard for people not to tease you and Ryuga about the couple thing when you react like this right?" Noel asked.
"...dang it," Makoto muttered as her ears drooped.
"Anyone get the number of that car…?" Aoba groaned as he pulled himself up, an imprint of his face on the ground.
"God...is that you?" Kiba asked as he landed with his head jammed into the ground.
"Good thing I'm indestructible…though I think I have short term memory loss…" Akaba spoke, his pointy head embedded into the ground, "...Though I think I have short term memory loss…"
"How did you all land face first?!" Makoto gawked, "I know I'm good...but not that good...oh wait. I forget..you're all idiots."
"OI!" the three barked as they shot up.
"...Know what? Nevermind...we're far enough from Build, and dragonboy is injured with a broken back, so…" Aoba began as he raised his swords up, "We can take you two in for the reward."
"...oh…" Noel began in worry.
"Crap baskets…" Makoto paled.
"GET 'EM!" the three declared as they pounced, making the two girls yelped as they jumped out of the way.
"We totally forgot that we don't stand a chance against them if normal Riders can't...and you don't have that bikini super mode…" Makoto muttered.
"I had an undersuit!" Noel complained with a blush.
"I...beg to differ…" Ryuga groaned from the bushes.
"P-please don't involve yourself, Ryuga-san!" Noel shouted as her blush increased.
"I feel pretty involved…"
"You guys are more dysfunctional than us...and we're the goons!" Akaba shouted.
"Hang on!" Makoto shouted, "We're losing to goons!?"
"The boss and Ane-san are way stronger than us!" Kiba agreed.
"...Oh you gotta be kidding…" Makoto whispered before barely dodging a laser shot from Akaba.
"D'oh! I missed!"
"Ahh! Right..focus on th-" Noel began as she resummoend Bolverk, only for Kiba to fly by and grab them, "Eep!"
"Neh-neh-neh!" he taunted before blowing a raspberry, "Ah mistake! It's all inside the helmet...mask...shell thing!"
"Bet that must be an-AHH!" Makoto cried when Aoba's blades managed to hit her, cutting up her arm as a bit of blood spilled.
"Makoto!"
"Best pay attention!" Aoba shouted as he kicked her away, sending her tumbling along the ground.
"Ahh...that h-" Makoto began, holding her bleeding arm before she quickly rolled out of the way of Kiba's divebomb attack.
"Makoto n-" Noel began before Akaba grabbed her from behind, "Kya!"
"I got one of them!"
"Oh no you d…" Ryuga began as he got out of the bushes, about to pull his Driver out before grunting as he held his back, "Gah...damn it."
"Baka...your back is all messed up! You can't do anything!" Akaba shouted smacking him with the back of his shielded arm sending him back down.
"Ryuga!" Noel panicked.
"Gh...damn it…Grrr….SENTO!" Ryuga shouted.
Everyone paused for a moment in concern. Just as the Three Crows sighed they grunted as a Red and blue blur tackled into all three of them. The blur slid to a halt, revealing Build in his default Rabbit Tank form. He chuckled as he laid on a one knee pose on the ground. He put down a large briefcase as he stood back up.
"Call his name and the Hero arrives." Build replied before kicking away Aoba's swords. He leaned back from a swing from Akaba and flipped with it to land a kick to Kiba.
"I don't get it...your not even in your super form...how are you hurting us?"
"Using Sparkling so much has raised my Hazard level." Build explained, "In layman's terms...I've powered up so even my base form is stronger."
"Hah?!"
"However...I'm only here on a delivery," Build stated as he opened the briefcase, revealing a Sclash Driver and Makoto's Star Bottle, "Simply put, I'm not the one who's gonna beat you."
"Eh?"
"Noel, come here help me please." Build ordered as she scurried over and took the Star Bottle, "Okay hold this, now here is the instruction book...simplified for Makoto."
"Hey…" she pouted.
"The normal one is written in Algebra…" Build argued, "Yes I know that's not a thing but it's the best way to explain how its written down in pure numeric format and equations that explain everything in fine detail, even how the suit allows for your tail to pass through the bullet proof fabric."
"One Henshin for Dummies please." Makoto held her hand out.
"Here ya go," Build said as he handed her the book.
"Oi...oi! Don't ignore us!" Akaba snapped.
"Shh! Silence...we need to build up for our latest ally," Build hushed.
"Wait what?"
"Another one?!"
"Yup."
"Huh...so that...oh wow. I can do that…" Makoto blinked as she read the manual, "...Sweet. I think I got the basics down, Build."
"...Oh I don't like where this is heading…" Kiba muttered as Makoto took the Sclash Driver and her Star Bottle.
"No...no you are not," Makoto smirked, shaking the Star Bottle as she put the Driver around her waist. She then frowned a bit as she stopped shaking the Full Bottle, "I'm not gonna let it happen again…"
"Huh?"
"Not being strong enough to save my friends...not being able to protect them from guys like you. But no more...today, I'm gonna do it. Like a star in the night sky…" Makoto paused, twisting the top of her Star bottle, "I'm gonna shine bright and be there for the people important to me..and my fist will be the shooting star that'll send people who harm them flying!" she declared as she slotted the Bottle.
=STAR=
"Was that a female voice?" Akaba blinked as a beaker began to form around Makoto, the squirrel girl reeling one of her arms back.
=ARE YOU READY?=
"Hen~shin!" Makoto declared as she pulled the level, causing light to spark from the Driver as her Star Bottle glowed.
=AKARUI~! KAGAYAKU~! PIKAPIKAHIKARU~! STAR~ IN~ NOVA~! KIRAAAA~!=
Instead of liquid, the beaker around the Beastkin began to fill with light. After a moment, the container shattered as she was now covered in an armored suit of orange and black. The torso was orange along the sides and back with a black strip running down the front of her torso to her belt. The suit formed a skirt of material over her waist as the leggings of the suit became black at her knees and ended at orange armored boots. Her arms were orange up until the black gauntlets which covered her forearms, orange armor formed along the back of her gauntlets and hand, with each finger armored in the same orange plating. Her helmet was blank at the moment with an orange back and frame around the face which was black. Light particles began forming around her before converging on her shoulders forming small shoulder pads which pointed outwards, a chest plate or orange armor framing around a black centerpiece with a glowing star symbol in the center. Her mask's amber eyes flashed as a giant lens in the shape of a star covered her eyes like sunglasses.
"Would you like the honors of your own presentation?" Build asked.
"Yosh," She nodded as she punched her opened palm, "Name's Nova. Kamen Rider…" she paused as she spun in place a bit before punching the air, "Nova~! And just to warn you...I don't know how to pull my punches."
"Try not to aim at the ground please." Build replied simply as he used the case as a seat while he jabbed a needle into Ryuga's back, "We don't want to scare the locals with an earthquake."
"Noted," Nova nodded as she got into a fighting stance, "Alright boys...payback time~" she smirked before she vanished.
"Huh?! Where did she g-" Akaba began before crying out in pain, Nova's fist embedded deep in his gut before he shot back, crashing through a few trees.
"Did..did her fist just pass through his defense like nothing?" Kiba blinked in shock.
"Yup! And that's just a taste of what I have in store!" Nova declared, winding her fist up before she punched forward, a star-colored energy fist flying towards Kiba.
"HOOT!" he panicked as it struck him and sent him flying into Akaba.
"Something...ain't right here…" Aoba whispered.
"Holy crap!" Ryuga gawked.
"That's what that Driver does?" Noel asked Build.
"It's what Makoto's does." he corrected, "She has a Mach 2 Sclash Driver. More energy, less backlash, and a perfected system. That's why I tested the first model with Kajun and Kokonoe first...to ensure we have a better version."
"We?" Noel repeated.
"I found that files from my system were copied." he explained, "It's why I put all the notes for the Mach 2...in the one place no one can hack." he tapped his head.
"Oh~"
"Yup. Also found a way around the tricky part integrating the Jelly into it…" Build continued as Nova sent out another energy fist at the Three Crows, "Instead of Jelly...we went with light. Like the light of a star."
"Oh...wait...how does that fit the bottle theme?" Noel asked.
"We made Makoto's Star bottle one of those sports bottles where you squeeze it to get the water to come out." he explained, "It helps keep the overwhelming energy within it in check, but just enough to transform and to deliver some powerful attacks."
"Like those punches she keeps firing?" Ryuga couldn't help but ask, seeing Kiba be sent flying from another energy fist from Nova.
"More or less without going into too much detail."
"My ribs!"
"My Leg!"
"Hoot! OW! Hoot!"
"Wow...this is almost too easy...note to self; when Sento says give him time to make something perfect...give him time…" Nova spoke to herself, flexing her hand a bit, "Also be lucky I'm still reeling a bit from that cut, beetle man...otherwise I'd send you flying...then again, I can still send you boys flying once I get to the finisher."
"RED FLAG!" Akaba freaked.
"Matte Makoto." Build spoke up, making her stop for a moment, "We don't know what would happen if we hit them with a full power finisher yet. Remember my tools save." he stood up and snapped his fingers as the energy tubes formed a weapon he caught, "Use this. The Twin Breaker." he tossed the blue knuckle duster-like weapon to her.
"Ooh.." she awed, fitting it over her hand, "A spiky punchy thing…" she tapped the gold pile bunker spike...pushing it in and making two tubes fold forward.
=BEAM MODE!=
"It's also a gun," Build spoke.
"It's amazing…." she spoke, her eyes glittering. She then noticed the twin slots for FullBottles, "Hm?"
"It's got two Finishers, so let your imagination run wild," Build spoke, lifting up the Rocket and Diamond FullBottles before tossing them to her as she pulled the tubes back, letting the bunker spike extend.
=ATTACK MODE!=
"...Oh you three are not gonna like what I'm about to do…" Nova grinned as she caught the two Bottles, a glint appearing in her eyes as she slotted the Rocket FullBottle into her weapon.
=SINGLE! SINGLE BREAK!=
Nova ran forward as a jet of flames came from the Twin Breaker and propelled her forward, sliding across the ground as she punched the pile bunker spike into all three as she passed them. The Three crows all cried in pain as sparks flew off them. They got up and quickly got behind Akaba who raised all four of his shields...and took the blow again, only for the force to still knock them over.
"Wh-wh-whoa!" Nova cried losing her balance as the rocket propulsion stopped. She skipped forward on one leg for a bit before holding both arms up as if sticking a landing.
Build held up a large white card with a 9 written in the center.
"Ah what?! That was so a 10!" Nova complained.
"You lost balance near the end before sticking the landing," Build pointed out.
"Mou~" Nova pouted before looking back at the Three Crows just as they got up, "..Okay! Next bottle!" she shouted, taking out the Rocket FullBottle from her weapon before slotting the second one in.
=SINGLE! SINGLE BREAK!=
"Hmmm~!" Nova cheered, winding up her arm as blue energy condensed on the pile bunker spike before forming a large Diamond tip. She rushed and punched it as it struck Akaba, sending him flying back before she pulled the trigger, making the diamond shatter and fire as shrapnel that struck and pelted Aoba and Kiba.
"Now both at once." Build ordered.
"Both…" she mumbled, slotting Rocket back in.
=TWIN! READY, GO! TWIN BREAK!=
She cocked her arm back as the diamond tip formed again. The rocket burst came from her Twin Breaker as she jumped forward. She roared as the diamond tip began spinning before landing a Superman punch to the Three Crows. A sparkling explosion went off as all three of them grunted and stumbled away reverting to normal.
"That...really...hurt…" Akaba groaned before plopping to the ground.
"I knew this was a bad idea…" Aoba groaned.
"I thought...it was good," Kiba slurred, his eyes replaced with swirls as he stumbled around, "Oh hey guys...didn't know you had twins."
"Wow...I made them more stupid." Nova muttered.
"Re...Retreat…" Aoba spoke as he grabbed them...and tossed them all down a hill before joining them.
"They yeeted themselves…" Build muttered.
"Heh heh. Yeet," Nova chuckled, hopping in place a bit before moving over to Build and the others, "Hoo~! That was so cool! You guys see that?! I kicked ass and took names!
"Hmm...maybe I should cut the energy back a bit next tune up…" Build muttered as he grabbed her shoulders to make her stop bouncing, "Down girl…"
"I can't help it! I feel like I just chugged down a whole gallon of coffee!" Nova giggled excitedly before taking a deep breath, "Still….thanks, man."
"Eh...I figure your natural strength would make you a useful companion." Build sighed, "Also now it's even between you and Noel...kinda...Noel can't go all...death mode on will yet."
"I can turn back into that?" Noel blinked.
"Potentially...but till you can...Makoto is now the strongest girl again." Build laughed.
"Yup!" Nova nodded as she pumped her fist, "I'd like to see those bad guys try and top me again, because my mighty fist will send them to the stars!"
"My god...she really is acting like she drank a gallon of coffee," Ryuga blinked.
"Will she be okay once she changes back and this energy high wears off?" Noel asked Build.
"Don't worry...we made sure the energy is totally beneficial towards her health." Build nodded as he walked over and picked Nova up and tossed her over his shoulder, "Come on. Let's go home before you bounce into space."
"Hehehehe…" she laughed.
"Maybe cut the energy back by a lot…" Noel offered.
"Never!" Nova shouted, "I hear the cries of a million squirrels calling out to me!"
"No you don't."
"Eh? I don't?"
"That's the energy in your body having nothing to do…" Build explained, "Think of it like this...you just ate your body weight in sugar...twice...in less than an hour."
"Ahh...fair enough."
"...You...I blame both of you..." Aoba frowned, glaring at Kiba and Akaba as the three were in bandages, "We were supposed to do a delivery...and what do you do? You drag me into a battle with some of the NOL's most wanted!"
"It was going to get us cash!" Akaba argued.
"Yeah, and we got our asses kicked, gave Kiba a concussion, and you short term memory loss!"
"No I don't!" Akaba shouted, "...It was going to get us cash!"
"See?!"
"I thought it was a good idea…" Kiba muttered, "Besides...least the boss and anee-san didn't find out."
"Find out what?" a female voice spoke, making the three tense up as they slowly turned towards a female figure.
"...They did it." Aoba spoke, pointing at Akaba and Kiba.
"DUDE!" they shouted.
"I don't wanna get beaten up again!"
"...again...find out what?" the figure demanded, their eyes narrowed a bit.
"..."
"...Aoba please d-"
"We tried to capture the bounties on some of the NOL's most wanted," Aoba blurted, making his two compatriots slump, "...and furthermore, not my idea...it was these two...mostly Kiba's."
"...Please dont hurt me!" Kiba begged, using one of the wanted posters as a shield...while hiding behind Akaba.
"...Kazumi, come see this," the female figure called out.
"?!" the Three Crows tensed up, sweating heavily at that as another figure began to walk up to the female figure.
"What?"
"Look at what Kiba is holding."
"Give me that." the man ordered snatching the poster from him, "What the heck...is this…"
"A...really bad attempt to draw?" Kiba offered.
"...This does look like Ragna the Bloodgedge…" the male figure muttered, "...you have anymore?"
"Oh! Y-yeah," Kiba nodded as he pulled out more.
"?!" the female figure's eyes widened as they snatched one of the posters, "...A clue...where did you three last saw them?"
"We'll show you!" Kiba panicked, "Don't hit me!"
"Or us!" Akaba and Aoba added.
"We won't…" the two figures assured.
"It's a trap…" Kiba panicked.
"I still blame you two!" Aoba hissed to Kiba and Akaba.
"Slap them." the man ordered simply.
*SLAP!*
"OW!" all three cried.
SZ: Phew...done finally! So sorry for the delays on this story...Life catches up again..and other stories!
Z0: We have no excuses...you know the drill folks.
SZ: Yup...defs gonna get to our toku stories this year while balancing out GSE, so for now..preview! Z0, hit it!
Z0: *tosses piano at the screen*
Jikai, Blazbuild!
Kajun: The second of the Sclash Drivers should be finished...but the negative side-effects are still too strong.
Sento: It'll have to do in a pinch if Makoto's not around. But still we should not rely on it.
Kajun: Agreed. If used too much, it'll drive someone into a berserk-like state.
Isurugi: I just got back...and Makoto, I think you might have a rival.
Makoto: Hubba wha?
?-?-?: Kokonoe...where is she?
Sento: This is such a problem…
Ryuga: She's so fast...we can barely get a hit on her!
?-?-?: This is personal...you won't stop me from finding the truth.
Tager: This girl...why does she feel familiar?
Entry 14: Spirit of Dragonic Fire
Ryuga: I won't fall behind...HENSHIN!
=DRAGON JELLY!=