Chapter Text
I do not own Kamen Rider Zi - O or Claymore, all of the characters belong to their respective creators.
It has been a day since Sogo left Ontai City behind to embark on his journey to Pieta. Right now, it is a good morning outside as Sougo steps out from the tent he has made using the Ground Ring of Wizard. As Sougo prepares a small breakfast, he reminisces about the day he arrived in this world.
It all happened when Sougo was walking around as a regular civilian in the world of Kamen Rider Saber. As he was about to enter a park, he realized that there was a disruption of Space-Time near an unsuspecting tree. When he checked it, it was a connection through another world he had never seen before. Fascinated, he decided to open a portal at the place of the distortion.
"A white wall appeared without showing the other side? Fascinating!" Sougo mused as he reached his right hand towards it. Unfortunately, instead of going straight through the portal like every time, his hand was blocked by the wall.
"What? This has never happened before!" surprised Sougo as he tried to push harder but to no avail.
"I guess I need my true power for this." Sougo sighed as a black Ridewatch with gold carvings appeared on his right hand. The watch also has the sign of Zi – O and the year 2068. "Ohma Zi – O," rang out from the Ridewatch as Sougo pressed the button on top of it. With the Ridewatch in hand, Sougo began to push against the wall harder until his right hand went straight through it.
"Bingo," Sougo exclaimed, pushing further and walking through the wall.
Back to the present, Sougo is still surprised that he has just appeared in a world beyond the protection of Kamen Riders as he looks around.
"Back when I still lived with my uncle, I heard in a TV show that for a creature to exist in another world, it must follow the rules of said world." Sougo thought, "I'm surprised that the powers of Kamen Riders still work in a world without one to begin with."
"Not to mention that this world's time flows slower than that of Rider Worlds; without my control over time and space, I guess I would be an old man right now," Sougo mused as he looked down his reflection on the river he is taking water from. "So that is how I would look like when I'm 30 years old."
As Sougo is eating his breakfast, he hears 4 footsteps that are slowly approaching his position. By instinct, Sougo turns his head in the direction of the footsteps. With his body ready to spring into action, he sees two women with white hair and eyes staring at him. They are wearing what he can only guess is some type of white silk spandex with a weird symbol on their chest and silver pauldrons adorning their shoulders. Behind their back is a giant sword he has never seen before that also has the same symbol on it. The woman on the left has short hair with a cheerful air around her, while the woman on the right could be mistaken for a man if she doesn't have the assets to make up for her hairstyle and stoic face.
"This is surely interesting," Sougo thought to himself as he waved at the women, "Hello."
"What is a human doing here at a place like this?" the one on the right begins to question, hands ready to draw her sword.
"I'm just going on an adventure of my own to the Northern Side of the Island," Sougo smiled, "I suppose you are Claymores, aren't you?"
"You have never heard about our existence before?" surprised the woman on the left.
"Well, I exactly didn't come from this land, but I've heard so many stories about it that I just want to come here to see for myself," Sougo spoke in half-truth.
"I didn't know that there are other lands out there besides our little island! I guess the world is full of surprises, huh, Deneve?" the woman on the left suddenly beamed and pushed her elbow against the other one.
"This is definitely surprising, but this still doesn't excuse the fact that this man's action is risky and stupid, Helen." Deneve said with a stoic face, "You should return back where you came from, this land is not a place for your fantasy."
"Sorry to break your fun, but I have to agree with her on this one, Mr. Stranger; surely, ya have loved ones back at home, don't 'cha?" Helen asked with a smile on her face.
"Of course, but I cannot return home right now, for I have yet to explore this whole place yet." Sougo confidently answered, "Besides, I want to know more about you guys, I mean Claymores."
"Such a stupid determination!" Deneve sighed as she moved again, "If you want to die that much, then be my guest; we have our own missions to attend to."
"I tried to warn you Mr. Stranger, but it seems like you are just as hard-headed as my other friend, and we Claymores are told to not interfere with other people's business," Helen said before leaving with her friend.
As Helen and Deneve leave, Sougo sits down again to finish his breakfast and pack his stuff before pulling out a blue Riderwatch with a black rim, a barcode, and the year 2009 on it. "Diend," it rings out as Sougo presses it, and a gun begins to manifest in his right hand. The gun has 2 barrels that lie horizontally, 2 gold lines running across its body, and a cyan color skin. A cardholder also manifests on Sougo's right hip. Sougo pulls out a card from the holder after he extends the head of the gun. "Attack Ride:" Sougo inserts the card into the gun, closes it, and fires, "Invisible."
While walking towards Pieta, both Deneve and Helen feel that something is following them, but they cannot identify the source, causing them to tense up throughout their journey to Pieta. As the duo arrives at Pieta, they are greeted by a scene rarely witnessed before among Claymores: a large gathering of Claymores with warriors ranging from a single number to number 44.
"Phew, I had never thought I would live to see such a large number of Claymores in one place like this," Helen exclaimed
"If this is the number of warriors needed to finish this mission, then I won't mind working with them," Deneve replied.
As Helen and Deneve begin to introduce themselves to the other Claymores, Helen notices something. "Hey, isn't that Clare over there?" Helen questions as she looks at where they came from.
"There's no mistaken, that Yoki is hers," Deneve answers.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and welcome her!" Helen screams in joy as she unsheathes her sword and jumps towards Clare.
Swords clash against each other, causing a loud "Clang" to echo through the howl of the snowstorm raging around Pieta.
"Ha Ha! You're still alive, huh?" Helen laughs, "I miss you so much, Clare!"
"Helen!" Clare says as another sword thrust past her shoulder, aiming towards Helen. Helen jumps back, and Deneve rushes forward, blocking the other warrior from advancing further by pushing her blade near the other one's neck.
"It is just old friends greeting each other," Deneve coldly says, "Please don't interfere."
"Deneve" Clare exclaimed as the other warrior twisted her sword-holding arm and pushed Deneve back. "I won't accept any insolent towards her; don't be so shameless even if you are old friends!" talked back the warrior.
"Heh Heh Heh," Helen laughs, "Now you even have a "fan" escorting you, huh, Clare?"
"Just to let you know, my number is 22, while Deneve's is 15; which number are you, smart-ass?" Helen proudly proclaims.
"My name is Jean, number 9," Jean claims.
"WHAT! You are a single number! Then why do you look like you are following Clare?" Surprised Helen.
"She saved my life; now, it is hers to decide," Jean replies.
"Hey, let me remind you! Clare's number is only 47, the LAST number! Why a single number warrior like you would follow a low rank one like her?" Helen panics.
"I owe her my life; what do our ranks have to do with this?" Jean calmly replies.
"Hmph, understood; I've always thought that all single numbers are arrogant. But it seems that I'm wrong in this case." Deneve smiles.
"My name is Deneve, number 15. Please excuse me for my previous action. Helen didn't mean anything bad; please don't mind it." Deneve introduces herself.
"No, it is my fault; I shouldn't also act like that," Jean apologizes back.
As Helen looks back and forth between Jean and Deneve, she also apologizes, "Uhm, my name is Helen, number 22; sorry for what I said, Jean."
"Now, I feel like a dumbass, hihi!" Helen laughs as Deneve scolds her, "You are always like that, causing trouble all the time."
"Everyone, please focus; I will begin to impart our plan of attack; my name is Flora, number 8," Flora shouts.
"It's number 8; rarely do we have such many single numbers in one place," Helen comments. "There are two single numbers here and the higher ranking one get to lead. Does it mean that you will be the one who commands us?"
"No, there is a higher-ranking single number; she will be the one in charge," Flora replies.
From the raging snowstorm, a figure appears, "Miria," Helen exclaims.
"It has been a long time, everyone; it's a joy to see everyone is still alive." Miria says, "And you even have a new partner following you."
"WHAT?" Helen, Deneve, Clare, and Flora exclaim as Miria rushes forward with sword in hand, passes through them like a mirage, and jumps up.
"Putera, Torikera, Tyrannosaur. Putotyrannosaurus", something rings out in the air at all Claymores ready their swords and point them toward the source of the mysterious sound.
As Miria brings her sword down, a huge "Clang" reverberates, and snow splashes everywhere as her sword comes in contact with the enemy. When the air between them is clear, Miria and all Claymores can see clearly what kind of enemy they are facing. It was a figure clad in purple and white armor. The calves and hands are clad in bulky purple armor with claws; there are strange carvings on the breastplates and claws(?) on the shoulders of the armor, with the head of the armor looking like a bird with green eyes and no mouthpiece. There is also a weird belt strapped at the hip with 3 purple coins inserted in it.
"There is no Yoki coming from that thing. How is it so strong?" Helen exclaims as she sees the figure blocking Miria's sword with just one hand.
"Are we sure that it is not a Yoma with those carvings on its breastplates and its color?" Uma panics.
"Yomas, even Awakened Ones, will always produce Yoki with their presence; there's no way that thing can be a Yoma," Deneve answers.
"To be more precise, that thing smells more like a human than Yoma," Flora says.
As Miria looks at her sword in the figure's hand, she notices that there is ice spreading across her sword and jumps back to her comrades. The figure puts its hand down as it looks at the Claymores intensely with its green eyes, causing them to tense up.
"You! What are you?" Miria questioned, as she had never seen any creatures or armor look like that before. However, instead of attacking, the figure just puts its left hand on the belt and straightens it, revealing a human inside. When Sougo reveals himself, all Claymores stare in surprise, especially Helen and Deneve.
"Uh, hello?" Sougo sheepishly said.
"WHAT. THE. HELL?" Helen screams out, "It's the stranger I and Deneve met 3 days ago."
"I guess I forgot to say that you guys and I had the same destination, so I kind of followed you, haha." Sougo laughed while scratching his head.
"Screw you, man!" Helen curses while lowering her sword and walks up the front.
"Be careful, Helen!" Miria warns.
"Don't worry, Miria, this guy is harmless, I don't sense any murderous intent from him." Helen smiles back as she stands in front of Miria
"Okay. Who are you, Mr. Stranger? And what the hell was that armor that you were using?" Helen screams out.
"My name is Tokiwa Sougo, and I'm a Kamen Rider," Sougo explained, "I arrived at this place about 2 weeks ago and heard of Yoma and Claymores, so I want to know more about you."
"That's the same shit you told me 3 days ago, but I will accept it for now, and what is a Kamen Rider?" Helen questioned Sougo again.
"I will explain everything if you let me join you in this mission." Sougo's demand shocks all of the Claymores who are standing there.
"Can we let a human join our mission?" Helen asked Miria.
"In normal circumstances, this will be a violation of our rules. However, this is not a normal circumstance, so let's see what this man says." Miria replied, which confused some Claymores.
"Allowing a weak human to help us with this dangerous mission, are you insane, Miria?" Spat Undine.
"Even with his armor, I still have to concur with Undine; a human is weaker than us in all aspects; letting that man help will only slow us down," Flora argues.
"All of you, look at my sword." Miria shouts as she raises her sword, "When my sword came in contact with him, I felt a chill down my spine, and even my sword has been frozen at the edge."
"Whatever this man did, this is not something a Yoma or an Awakened One can do; this is magic even beyond our understanding," Miria shouts, "besides, I don't sense any murderous intentions from him, if he truly wants to help us, let him does it."
After hearing Miria's speech, even Undine and Flora have to back down, and all Claymores lower their weapons. Understanding Miria's intention, Helen shouts to Sougo: "Okay, Sougo, we accept your help in exchange for your information."
"Thank you, but can I wear my armor? It's so cold out here in this blizzard." Sougo shouts back as his body shakes intensely.
"Uh, okay, you can wear your armor back. We won't draw our swords." Helen replied.
"Thank You," Sougo says as he shakenly takes out 3 red coins, replaces the purple ones inside his Driver, and shouts: "Henshin." "Taka, Kujaku, Kondor; TaJaDor". The sound once again surprises the Claymores "Transform?", "Hawk? Peacock? And Condor?" Then, a circle of flame engulfs Sougo and melts all the snow. A new armor appears as Sougo spreads his wings to fly up and touch down in front of Miria. "It's nice to meet you; my name is Tokiwa Sougo," Sougo says as he extends his right towards Miria. This new armor is different with red eyes, a bird-like head, shoulder pads, a carving of what looks like a phoenix on the breastplates and a circle device on the right hand.
"I am Miria, Phantom Miria; it's a pleasure working with you, Mr. Sougo." Miria extends her left hand and shakes Sougo's.
"Oh, I'm sorry for what happened to your sword; it's a side effect of the Invincible Combo. However, I can fix it with the Blazing combo I'm using right now." Sougo points at Miria's sword.
"I accept your offer, Mr. Sougo," Miria says as she hands her sword to him.
With the sword in hand, Sougo generates 2 fire circles on both hands under the curious watches of other Claymores. As he finishes channeling the power of the Medals, the ice is completely melted, and he hands it back to Miria.
Miria swings her sword around to the amazement of other Claymores as the sword didn't suffer any damage from the flames.
"So, this really is magic," many Claymores thought to themselves.
Hello again, as you finished this chapter, you might ask me that: "Narwal, if this is a fic about Kamen Rider Zi - O, then why the fuck don't you let Sougo turn into regular Zi - O?" Well, that's a reasonable question if I do say so myself. The answer lies in a Tweet of Shin-ichiro Shirakura, the chief producer of Kamen Rider Zi - O, from January 26th in 2020. Shirakura himself confirmed that and I quote: "Once Zi-O makes himself be Ohma Zi-O, he will not turn back to the original Zi-O forever. In this term, Ohma Zi-O is a Rider, not one of the forms of Zi-O, like human is not a form of apes." Therefore, as long as he doesn't want to use the Ohma armor, he will have to fight using other Riders' power.