Kamen Rider Chrono

Chapter 33: Time for a New World

Trish: "You think they'll be okay?" She asked, looking at her passed out brother and Mercy.

In a formerly empty classroom stood Kibou, Yuya, and Trish as they waited for Mercy and Connor to wake up. 

Aibo: "Yeah, they'll more than likely be fine. There doesn't seem to be wrong with either of their bodies." Aibo flew out of Mercy's body and landed on a desk next to Kibou.

Yuya: "It's just a waiting game, then? While Zetsubou is out there doing Lord knows what, we just sit around?" Yuya let out a sigh and looked out the window. The rain crashed against the window, and the red sky peered out from beyond the clouds. 

Kibou: "Not like we can do much else. We have no idea where he disappeared to, and we can't leave just in case a Zodiac decides to attack the school." Kibou swirled the bottle of water in his hand.

Trish: "What's even his goal of all this? What kind of power trip is he on?" Trish pushed herself off the desk and crossed her arms, pacing around the room. 

Aibo: "From what he told us, he wants to create a world in his image, with himself as the leader."

Yuya: "That sounds like only something a God could do. I can't imagine anything like that is actually possible."

Kibou: "Normally, I'd agree with you, but... That's also the reason why he came to all of us to take the Zodiac coins... I think he's planning on using the power of the Zodiacs to become some sort of pseudo-God. Something he called a 'Candidate for King'."

Trish: "Candidate for King...? And just how exactly does he plan on doing something like that?"

The trio all groaned, turning their gazes down as they tried to think about all this. They all had some sort of idea, and it had to revolve around those weird Zodiacs that were popping out of nowhere. 

Mercy: "Ugh... I feel like someone beat my head with a bat..." 

All three of the Riders immediately turned their attention to Mercy, who just began to stir awake, glad that she was starting to wake up. Trish made a move over to her, before there was a knock on the classroom door, the door slowly sliding open to show the present Trish and Ana helping Sakura inside.

Kibou: "Ah! What are you three doing here?" Kibou rushed over to his friend's side, taking him from the two girls and sitting him down on a chair.

Sakura: "I figured if we're all about to die, then I might as well spend it cursing you out, Kibou." He let out a groan as he was seated, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck.

Present Trish: "We were just worried about you all..." This Trish looked down at her brother, her heart dropping when she saw him knocked out, but feeling a wave of relief as he began to stir as well.

Mercy: "Wha...? Oh... WAIT! Did you three give your coins to Zetsubou!?" Mercy began to freak out, trying to push herself off the floor.

Yuya: "We didn't have much of a choice." Yuya told her, both himself and Future Trish helping Mercy stand up.

Mercy: "This is bad! Really, REALLY bad! Do you know where Zetsubou is!?"

Future Trish: "No, after we took the coins, he just vanished. Do you know what's going on? We only have an idea, but it would be better if we knew exactly what we're going up against."

Connor: "Urk... What... What we know is that back when Mahiro was alive, Zetsubou had created something called the Alter System. It basically draws power from the Zodiacs to create a copy of them, and he plans on using that Alter System to infuse himself with all of their powers."

Mercy: "Once he does that, he plans on opening the gate to the afterlife, to destroy this universe and rebuild it anew."

Ana: "Wait... You're joking... Right?" 

Sakura, present Trish, and Ana all went wide-eyed at that revelation. The thought of not only the entire world, but the universe being destroyed had scared them to their core. 

Sakura: "You guys are going to stop him, right? Right!? You have to!"

Yuya: "Easier said than done when you have no idea where the guy is."

Present Trish: "So there's nothing you guys can do? Nothing at all?"

Aibo: "Hm... Well... There is one thing we can do..."

Connor: "And what's that?"

Ana: "Anything! As long as it's an idea, you have to do it!"

Kibou/Aibo: "We let Zetsubou win..."

An audible gasp could be heard coming from everyone in the room as the pair had suggested this.

Future Trish: "Are you out of your mind!?"

Mercy: "You seriously want a universe where that psycho is in charge?"

Kibou: "Just here us out. I promise we haven't lost out mind."

Sakura: "You better haven't, because it's seriously starting to sound like it."

Yuya: "...You want him to open that gate so we can find him, huh?"

Aibo: "Yeah. If we just run around the city looking for him, then we'll just waste energy fighting off those Zodiacs, and when he's eventually found, we'll be seperated. This is the one chance that I see to stopping him."

Connor: "It... kinda makes sense? It's a huge risk, though."

Kibou: "I know it's a risk, but I honestly feel like this is the best chance we have. Still, I won't force you all to go through with my plan. If you feel like we should think of something else, then I'll agree."

Silence fell over everyone. Kibou's plan was the only one that they had, but it also came with a heavy risk in that there would be no time for them to go with a back-up plan.

Yuya: "I'm all for it."

Future Trish: "If you feel like that's our one chance, then I'll go along."

Ana: "And if WE don't agree?"

Yuya: "Heh, unless you'll be fighting Zetsubou, then I don't think it's up to you... No offense."

Sakura: "None taken... It sucks that you all are basically pushing the equivalent of the red button, though."

Connor: "Of course, we'll help as much as we can."

Future Trish: "Eh? Don't take this the wrong way, brother, but you can't exactly help at this point. You're not Riders."

Mercy: "True, we might not be Riders, but I was working on something over at HOME. If we could get there, then we might just be able to help, even a bit."

Present Trish: "There's a huge problem with that, though. Getting to HOME when the streets are filled with Zodiacs."

Mercy: "We'll find a way. The Riders can't be the only one risking their lives, right?" She smirked at the Riders, and this was the first time that they saw her smiling, even if it was a smirk...

Before they could say anything, though, the ground started to rumble underneath them. Their immediate attention went straight to the window, where a beam of light shot into the sky, clearing the clouds and creating a golden staircase that went to the atmosphere.

Connor: "It's starting..."

Aibo: "Looks like we had even less time than we thought..."

Yuya: "It'll be a while to climb all those stairs... We all should get our affairs in order."

Future Trish: "Right... No matter what happens... No matter what comes next..."

Kibou: "Tomorrow will be the dawn of a new world."