The Innocent Runaway 3
Ryuga sped along the road atop another stolen dirt bike. As he drove, a melancholic expression crossed his face while he reflected on the last time he had been with his fiancé.
...
They had been walking together on a grassy field, near a beautiful blue lake. There was a massive, blossoming cherry tree. The pink leaves on it were a sight to behold and the two walked towards it, their arms both swayed in tandem as they held hands.
Ryuga had laid out a blanket and, together with Kasumi, arranged a selection of food and drinks from a bag she had been carrying for a quaint, romantic picnic beneath the tree.
They bantered for a while, exchanging teases with affectionate smiles. During a brief lull in the conversation, Kasumi felt it was the opportune moment to bring up a more serious topic.
"Hey...you got banned from fighting because of me, didn't you?"
She reached her hand out and brushed his heavily bruised cheek before continuing.
"You lost that match on purpose, to earn the money I needed for surgery..."
Ryuga grinned and grabbed the hand that was touching his face, holding it in his own while he smiled at Kasumi and softly responded.
"Don't be stupid."
Ryuga looked down at the hand he was holding and his smile visibly dimmed. Kasumi's engagement ring seemed to be slightly too large for her skinny finger. 'She's getting thinner...'
Kasumi, noticing his gaze, smiled at him and pushed on with what she wanted to say.
"You were looking for a job, right? This scientist I know, Katsuragi, is looking for some help..."
...
Ryuga snapped back to reality after hitting a pothole and nearly losing control of the bike as he daydreamed. He corrected his course and then thought about heading to the interview that his wonderful woman had setup for him.
...
The doorbell rang at the given address, repeatedly, but Ryuga received no answer. Finding it odd that there was no response despite his appointment, he decided to test the door handle.
It wasn't locked and the door swung open easily. He started walking around the apartment.
"Hello? Is anyone here? It's me, Ryuga Banjo. I have an appointment with you Mr. Katsuragi..."
He halted suddenly, a familiar scent from his boxing battles filling his nostrils. The living room was tinged with a coppery smell.
"Blood? Mr. Katsuragi? Are you oka..."
He was rendered speechless for a moment, his eyes widening as he moved from the kitchen into the room. There, on the floor, lay a lifeless body, drenched in blood.
"What the fu..."
Before Ryuga could complete his curse, the door to the apartment burst open, and a booming voice thundered, startling him.
"DON'T MOVE! Hold it right there!"
Ryuga turned his head, his expression one of even greater shock, and suddenly, he found himself staring down the barrels of several police officers' guns aimed directly at his face!
"What have you done?! You're under arrest for suspicion of murder!"
...
Ryuga was jolted from his reverie once again, but this time it wasn't the road that shook him. A group of guardians on motorcycles had emerged from a side street, obstructing his path!
"Banjo, Ryuga located. Commencing pursuit."
"Oh crap!"
The man's eyes widened as his right foot shifted sideways off the peg it was resting on.
Screech!
Ryuga's foot slammed on his rear brake, causing the bike to skid. He veered left, away from the guardians, and sped down the only open route—a road leading into a deserted town dotted with numerous random warehouses.
Ryuga yanked the throttle, pulling the bike's front up into a wheelie. After crossing a narrow bridge, he veered sharply left. He was now speeding along a stone path that ran parallel to the town's small creek!
The path transformed into stairs, compelling Ryuga to steer his bike into an open warehouse. The space wasn't too big, with a concrete floor and nothing but support pillars throughout. Searching for an exit, he was taken aback to find that the guardians had preemptively set up a blockade. His route of escape was effectively sealed off!
SCREEEETCH!
The confined space amplified the screech of his tires as they skidded to a stop, louder than when the chase started. Ryuga leapt from the bike and assumed a boxer's stance. The guardians, who were blocking the door, swiftly closed in, forming a circle around him and launched their attack without delay!
Thud!
He knocked one back, then ducked a swing from another to his left, moving his feet like a seasoned pro in the ring. He weaved back and forth between them, but there were too many. Any further attacks would surely result in a hit from another guardian. Ryuga's heart sank as he searched for an escape from his dilemma.
Vrooom!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Screeeeech!
A motorcycle with a custom engine and look thundered into the warehouse, its roar echoing through the space. The rider, a blur of blue and red, swiftly took down several guardians in mere moments, then positioned himself between Ryuga and the remaining guardians.
Sento, having located Misora's cell, chose to transform upon hearing the commotion in the deserted town. He had spotted the guardians and realized they were in pursuit of Ryuga.
Sento, now Kamen Rider Build, hopped off of his machine and turned his weapon into gun mode. He shook then inserted a bottle into it and started blasting!
READY, GO!
Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang!
VORTEX BREAK!
He obliterated many machines, yet more swarmed in through the doors. Continuously firing, he managed to steal a glance at Ryuga and question him.
"Why did you run off alone?"
Ryuga evaded a guardian's punch and retaliated, sending the machine flying before replying.
"I had to do it!"
The boxer delivered a jab followed by a hook to the guardian as it advanced again, effectively downing it this time.
"A girl is waiting for me!"
Build whirled around to face Ryuga, halting his fire momentarily. He gazed at Ryuga and echoed his words in a high-pitched, astonished tone.
"A girl?!"
He spun back around and sniped an approaching guardian that was doing a wheelie on a dirt bike towards them.
Bang!
One shot was all Build needed to complete the task. The Rider aimed at the bike's gas tank, resulting in an explosion that destroyed both it and the automaton. Moments later, the last couple guardians filtered through the door and were taken out in a similar manner.
Build stowed his bike, and he, along with Ryuga, dashed out of the warehouse.
Both had several questions for the other, yet as they rounded the corner, they stopped abruptly before they could speak.
An entire fresh platoon of guardians was arrayed before them! Arranged in tidy rows, the guardians began to march towards them as soon as they spotted the duo. There must have been at least fifty to sixty of them there!
Before the guardians got close enough for combat, they executed a sudden 180-degree turn, presenting their backs to Build and Ryuga.
Their figures began to swell, tearing apart their garments to reveal the machinery concealed beneath. Each guardian emitted a crackling aura of purple and white light as they commenced merging and fusing into one entity.
Build and Ryuga watched in astonishment, their eyes tracking upward as the amalgamation of machinery grew with the addition of more guardians.
"You've have got to be kidding me..." Kamen Rider Build muttered in sheer disbelief.