Kamen Rider ZO, Rider Forever

Chapter 7

Night Stalker, part I

A relatively uneventful week has passed ever since Masaru defeated the Mantis Neo Organism.

However, Nanami has been experiencing strange symptoms ever since coming into contact with the Mantis Neo Organism's blood.

She has began experiencing nosebleeds and migraines. Masaru attempts to convince her to stay home and rest, but Nanami declines, stating that it's going to be the end of the month and that she'll need to pay the bills, she can't afford to miss work again.

Despite her condition, she manages to fulfill her tasks, but as the week went by, she gets more and more lethargic, prompting even her usually mean spirited boss to tell her to take a day off. She finally relents and spends a day off resting.

Masaru finds her condition strange. She had been in a deep sleep for hours now. He decides he'll check on her every half an hour.

On his fifth check finds that she's suddenly running an unusually high fever. He rushes down to get a bowl of water and a clean rag to sponge her fever away.

As he wipes her down, he suddenly finds that her nose is bleeding. Without hesitation he picks her up and carries her. He gets to the bike with her still in his arms before being faced with a dilemma.

*Wait.. how am I going to get her on the bike?*

He runs back in and places her on the couch. He goes up to the store room and he finds an old obi.

*Why does she even have this?- wait this is not my priority now!*

He runs back down. Nanami is conscious but very weak, she attempts to get up. Masaru takes her arm and places it around him and helps her walk.

"Nanami, I'm going to bring you to the doctors"

Nanami is too unwell to properly respond but she nods. They get to the bike and Masaru helps Nanami get on first before he himself gets on. He ties the obi around the both of them to secure Nanami.

She lays weakly on his shoulder, barely comprehending anything that's happening, the blood from her nose staining his otherwise white shirt. He tells her to hold on to him and she does. He holds her hands and ensures she won't let go.

He speeds off to the clinic. Once they arrive, he calls out to the staff to help Nanami off of the bike. They take her in and begin treating her. Masaru paces around anxiously.

*Nanami! Please be okay!!*

The doctor comes out after a long while, and explains that he'll have to take her to a hospital in a nearby town because her condition is too dire, stating that her fever is too high that even ice couldn't bring it down.

He hands Masaru a note before rushing back in and wheeling Nanami out on a wheelchair. He offers to drive Nanami over but Masaru declines, but thanks him anyways.

Masaru picks Nanami up and with the assistance of the staff, he gets her on the bike again. They ride off, but before they leave the thresholds of Nanami's town, Masaru telepathically summons Shoji. Within a short time, Shoji flies over and lands on Masaru's shoulder. They finally ride off towards the other town.

Masaru transforms into ZO, thus converting his bike into the Z Bringer so that he could get to the next town faster. He holds Nanami's hands tightly, precariously steering with one hand. Luckily, the roads were mostly empty.

They arrive in town and Nanami is successfully warded, but Masaru isn't allowed to be by her side as they need to put her into intensive care for the night due to her being in critical condition.

He opts to stay in an inn nearby the hospital for the night. He calls the hospital from the inn and tells them to call the inn's number in case there's any updates. They agree to do so and reassure Masaru that they'll do their best to treat Nanami.

Masaru simply sits in his room, playing with Shoji to pass the time. He couldn't sleep at all. All he could think about is Nanami.

It's midnight, Nanami slowly gets up from the hospital bed, but her eyes are still closed. As if she were compelled by something, she pulls the IV drip out and makes her way to the window before jumping out into the hospital's garden.

The hospital security guard hears a thud and quickly turns around. He finds that nobody's there, or so he thought, not realising that something is stalking him in the cover of darkness.

Masaru clutches his head as a familiar sharp pain suddenly surges through his head again.

*The hospital..?..!! Nanami!!!*

He leaps out of the window of his room and transforms midair, landing as ZO. He takes his bike and it becomes the Z Bringer. He frantically speeds off to the hospital, Shoji following close behind.

They manage to arrive in time. He tells Shoji to survey the area. He runs off into the hospital garden right when a security guard is almost ambushed by a Neo Organism.

Masaru intervenes in time before it could harm him. He frantically runs away as the battle unfolds.

The Neo Organism breaks free of Masaru's grip. He finally sees it's form under the garden's light. It's a clear hybrid between a mantis and a grasshopper.

It attacks with the same viciousness as the Mantis Neo Organism, and powerfully jumps and kicks like he does. It had both humanoid hands and claws that extended from it's forearms.

*What the--*

Before Masaru could even finish his thought, it pounces onto him and deals blow after blow after blow, leaving him unable to react due to the extent of his injuries, to the point where he reverts to human form.

Before it could deal another blow, it suddenly stops at the sight of Masaru's human form. Almost as if somebody was holding it back. Masaru uses this as a chance to escape. The creature punches the ground instead after Masaru gets away.

It jumps up into the observation ward shortly afterwards. The Neo Organism reverts to it's human form. It's Nanami.

Still under the influence of the Neo Organism, she blankly inserts the IV drip needle back into her hand, and returns into a deep sleep, as if nothing had ever happened.