Talking: Nice to meet you.

Whispering: That's wild.

Thinking: (What the hell is happening?)

---------------------------------------------------------

{3rd Person POV}

The soft and syncopated sound of footsteps against metal could be heard. The space station was eerily quiet, with only the engine's hum and footsteps cutting through the utter silence. Stelle, March 7th, and Ginga stuck close together as they followed Dan Heng.

He led them through a light bridge and into a room that overlooked the entire elevator section of the space station.

Sitting close by on a chair was a young boy tending to his wounded leg. Once he noticed Dan Heng and the rest of the group entering the room, he quickly covered up his injury. Almost as if to hide it.

【🩹Arlan🩹】
[Path: Destruction]

Arlan: Hey...You're all together?

March 7th: Yep, we're from the Astral Express~

Arlan: Oh... Did Madam Herta send you to help?

The taller black-haired male only sighed. When they arrived at the Space Station, The Antimatter Legion invaded immediately. It was almost as if they were waiting for the Astra Express to board...

Dan Heng: It's just a coincidence. We came to deliver the rare relic Herta trusted us to find... We didn't expect to arrive during an invasion.

Stelle: What I don't get is why the Antimatter Legion is targeting you specifically.

March 7th: Exactly! It seems they just ignored the surface of the planet and came straight to the space station.

The dark-skinned boy looked down in thought for a second before shaking his head.

Arlan: I... have no idea. The Legion came at a very suspicious time — almost right after the security system suddenly failed.

Ginga: W-Wait, suddenly failed?... (Was it sabotaged?...)

Arlan: Lady... Lead Researcher Asta immediately began to organize the evacuation. I was supposed to cover everyone as they evacuated, but... I didn't expect to end up failing in this task.

He looked down at the ground, disappointed in himself. He did everything he could to help. But in the end, it wasn't enough. Ginga's breath hitched in his throat and he took a small step forward.

Ginga: ...Don't beat yourself up about it...Y-You did everything you could...

The nervous boy gave Arlan a sympathetic look, but inside, he was afraid. Afraid he would turn out like him. The shorter boy nodded at Ginga, not exactly believing in his words. The small interaction was interrupted by the tall black-haired man.

Dan Heng: Your leg and dominant hand were injured. It was a wise decision to hide here and avoid a head-on encounter with the Legion.

March 7th: Yeah! Most of the staff have been evacuated safely, so right now our highest priority is to return to the master control zone and plan a counterattack!

She spoke in an excited and assured tone. Her aura radiated pure positivity!... Before calming down to looking confused, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

March 7th: So... do you know how to use the elevator? I couldn't start it...

Arlan: After the evacuation was complete, the elevators were all shut down to keep the Legion away from the master control zone. Since Lady Asta sent you to look for me, I assume she must've given you the encryption key for accessing the elevator system?

March 7th: Oh, right, she did give me some sort of card...

She placed a hand on her chin. In response, Stelle squinted her eyes and gave her an "Are you stupid?" look. She spoke up, something she didn't do all that often. She was a girl of few words.

Stelle: And you didn't think of using it?...

The tall male beside her deadpanned.

Dan Heng: ...March...

March 7th: But where did I put it...

Everybody around her began to get increasingly nervous. The tension rose with every second as she rummaged through her purse. Then she grinned proudly and pulled out the key card.

March: Ah! Here it is!

Dan Heng only pinched the bridge of his nose in response. Arlan nodded, his eyes still vigilant as they lingered on her. Stelle chuckled silently along with Ginga, looking more nervous than her.

Arlan: Now that we found the key, we should get going. We can use that console over there to unlock the elevator.

Stelle could sense from Arlan's cautious gaze that the encryption key was not only used for unlocking authorization but also proof of their identity.

Stelle: (Hm, there's no point in saying we work for the station now. I'll wait for the topic to come up.)

She turned to March 7th.

Stelle: Hurry up and use it March.

The pink-haired girl quickly walked over to the security terminal and scanned the card. She saw the elevator move up in the distance but only to the highest floor, much to her confusion.

Arlan explained that he didn't want to risk the Legion using the elevator to reach the master control zone, so they had to take the long path, unfortunately.

The brown-skinned boy attempted to stay in the room, but the group reassured him that he wouldn't be a burden and wouldn't slow them down due to his injured leg.

Arlan almost fell forward when he tried to stand up, but luckily Ginga held on to him to ensure he didn't fall. Arlan, using Ginga as a crutch, pointed towards the door they had to go through, with the group following his direction. As they walked, Ginga couldn't help but wonder...

Ginga: So, A-Arlan...do you know why the Antimatter Legion invaded...?

The shorter boy groaned in discomfort as Ginga helped him walk up a flight of stairs.

Arlan: They must've come for Madam Herta's collection... But as to why, I still...

Dan Heng: I heard there's something called a Stellaron in Madam Herta's collection.

Arlan: ...That's not the kind of information someone in my position would have access to.

The boy with long black hair bristled at Dan Heng's comment. He mentally reprimanded himself, glancing at an oblivious Stelle but quickly looking away. He flinched slightly when he heard Momotaros' voice in his head. He was lucky the others didn't notice.

Momotaros: (You ever plan on telling her?)

Ginga: (Momotaros?...I...I don't know. I don't even know how I would begin to approach that conversation...Maybe I'll wait for it to come up...)

Momotaros: (Tch, you're too passive!... Whatever... Don't blame me if you get your ass kicked for hiding things!)

~Small time skip~

After a few minutes of walking through the metal halls of Herta's Space Station, the group came across a room on the upper level. A Voidranger: Reaver was seen patrolling through it. It seemed to be searching for its next kill.

Floating in the center of the room and held up by a high-tech pillar, was a card. Ginga recognized it immediately since it was really similar to the one Momotaros had appeared from.

Stelle: Just when I was getting used to not dealing with these guys...

She summoned her Galactic Bat to her hand and was ready to ambush the Antimatter Legion Soldier but stopped when Dan Hend stepped forward all of a sudden. She raised an eyebrow, looking up at him.

March 7th: You're fighting it alone?

The silent male only nodded in response. His face was calm and serene, yet his aura felt menacing, inky black in color. The Reaver looked back once it heard Dan Heng's footsteps. The soldier released a low distorted growl of amusement. It was happy that it found its next prey, but the calm man was undeterred.

Dan Heng: Step aside. I have no interest in stoking conflict.

The Reaver roared, its shining blades extending out from its forearms with a golden glint. It took a stance to rush forward and a second later pushed off the ground, its body dissolving into stardust!

"[🌌 Vortex Leap! 🌌]"

The Reaver suddenly reappeared in mid-air right in front of Dan Hend, its blades raised high to slice him in half diagonally! But–

"☯Come, Cloud-Piercer!☯"

*Whoosh~*

Almost 2-D pitch black ink surrounded Dan Heng's hand and quickly stretched to form the shape of a long polearm. The inky brush strokes disappeared, leaving behind a mystical jade-green spear.

The dark-haired man easily parried the attack, sending the soldier recoiling backward. He pointed the tip of his spear at it, not an ounce of fear or hesitation in his expression.

Dan Heng: I assume you're not backing down...

The reaver snarled, angrily swinging its blade arms around. It sliced a metal table in half before turning to the spear-wielder.

Dan Heng: You had your chance. Now, it is too late to repent.

As swift as the wind, he dashed forward! The Reaver tried to catch the approach but Dan Heng flipped his spear, using the butt end to whack its arm aside. Dan Heng flipped the spear once more, raising it above his head and coming down with a swift slash to the chest!

The reaver growled and raised its right arm to slash at Dan Heng, opening up the perfect opportunity for the man to quickly raise his spear and slice the Reaver's arm off!

Stelle: Man, he's ruthless. If it wasn't a Voidranger I might feel a little bad.

The silver-haired girl commented as the group watched the fight.

March 7th: Yup, that's Dan Heng for ya. Straightforward and to the point.

She leaned closer to Ginga and pretended to whisper into his ear. Truthfully, she wanted Dan Heng to hear her.

March 7th: Some might say he's a cardboard cutout~

*GASH*

The group turned their heads to see that the one-sided encounter had already ended. Dan Heng stood over the fading corpse of the Voidranger, Cloud-Piercer stabbed through its chest as he glared back at March.

Dan Heng: I am not a cardboard cutout.

March 7th: Suuuuuure...

She perked up and noticed the brilliant object floating in the center pillar of the room. Ginga followed after her at a slower pace.

March 7th: Hey, these shiny things... Are these Light Cones? I thought only the Interastral Peace Corporation had rare stuff like this.

Dan Heng: No, Light Cones are Garden of Recollection technology. They allow you to carry memories around. I heard the corporation paid a lot for the usage rights, but I've no idea how Herta managed to get hold of one.

The shorter black-haired boy felt a stinging pulse inside his head once he heard the words "Garden of Recollection". He held his head, beginning to feel dizzy for a few seconds. His mind seemed to want to desperately remember something, anything, but the memory was too fast.

He was brought back to his senses when he felt the warm touch of Stelle's hand on his shoulder. She shook him lightly, pulling him back into reality.

Stelle: Hey, space to Ginga. Are you alright?

Ginga: Ngh–Y-Yeah!... I mean... Yes, I'm ok...

Stelle looked at him with skepticism and concern. March 7th waved her hand in front of his face a few times, looking just as concerned as the silver-haired girl.

March 7th: You have a habit of spacing out don't you...?

Ginga: I-I guess...It's nothing, really...

The avatar of the Stellaron frowned slightly. True to her tomboyish nature she reached up and ruffled Ginga's soft black hair.

Stelle: I'm not buying it! Don't you trust us? Don't you trust me?

Her words made his brain click with realization. He could trust them right?... Right?...

Momotaros: (The brat's right you know? You better spit it out or I'm kicking your ass!)

Ginga: Um...It's just that when I met Momotaros, he came from a card similar to this one.

Sand began to fall from his clothing, quickly forming into the upper torso of a stunned Oni.

Momotaros: You're telling me I came out of that dinky little thing?! That's...so...UNCOOL!

Arlan was shocked at the Oni's sudden appearance, while the other four beside him were already used to his boisterous personality.

Stelle: Seriously, that's what you're worried about?

Momotaros: What else would I be worried about?!

Dan Heng: The implication that you were trapped inside a light cone. That must mean, you are a memory, or at least a representation of one. Although, it is unclear how you managed to get out. To my knowledge, it shouldn't be possible.

Everyone turned to look at Ginga, with the nervous boy perking up slightly.

Ginga: I-I don't know how it happened. I just sort of touched the card and Momotaros came out of it in his sand form.

The taller male placed a hand on his chin in deep thought.

Dan Heng: Hmm... Well, we are in the space station. If there is any place where we can find more information, it's here.

Momotaros: I gotta admit, I'm a little curious as to where I come from. This has gotta be the key to getting our memories back. Don't you think, Ginga?

Ginga: Yeah...I guess so...

He stared at the floating light cone for a second and thought back to his mind trying to reach out for the memory. If he was a little faster... A little stronger... He might have a clue of who he is right now...

Ginga: (Did I summon Momotaros because...I'm the singularity point?)

He knew Momotars was eager to find out more about himself. So if he could help his "partner", then he was willing to find out more, as much as it scared him.

The group continued walking through the halls of the space station, eventually coming across a bridge that led to the elevator platform on the upper floor.

March 7th: Is that it? We've reached the elevator already? That wasn't too many monsters~

She then shook her own head slightly, looking up at Ginga with a sheepish look.

March 7th: Oof, probably shouldn't have said that... Might bring bad luck.

The black-haired boy chuckled in response, smiling back at her. Stelle squinted her eyes and looked between them as she walked behind since it was her turn to carry the injured Arlan.

She had been doing this since they left the room with the light cone. Staring at Ginga and March 7th as they walked and chatted together.

Dan Heng: You've grown, March.

*Whoosh*
*CLANG*

They were stopped in their tracks by a gigantic arrow flying towards them. Dan Heng quickly summoned his spear and blocked the shot, deflecting it away from the group but hurting his hand in the process. The arrow flew past them, grazing Stelle's cheek and causing her to grunt in pain from the cut.

They then turned to see the beast who fired such a powerful shot. A four-legged Void creature with a humanoid upper body and a horse-like lower body!

【🌌 Voidranger: Trampler 🌌】

Dan Heng: Tch, I should've known this was too easy!

The two women of the group summoned their weapons. Stelle stepped forward, protectively putting an arm in front of him.

Stelle: Stay back. I'll take care of this.

Arlan quickly moved out of the way despite his injured leg to give them space to fight. Ginga stayed back while March 7th fired a volley of arrows at the Trampler, but they were all broken into dust with a swing of its arm!

"[🌌Unreal Projection!🌌]"

The arrows were all crushed by a series of cube-like energy pillars that appeared out of thin air! Dan Heng's injured left hand didn't allow him to be as swift as he wished, so when he was about to slash at one of its legs he was kicked away and sent rolling back!

Stelle took the chance to jump high in the air and come smashing down with her bat but was blocked by the giant Antimatter Soldier.

[📸Frigid Cold Arrow!📸]

One of March's arrows came soaring forward and struck the Trampler right in the chest. The area began to slightly freeze over, but it didn't appear to cause a lot of pain or even do that much damage. Ginga continued to watch their battle until he felt a sandy hand slap against his leg.

Momotaros: What happened to wanting to be helpful, dumbass?!

Ginga: H-Huh–But...

Momotaros: But nothing! I could be doing awesome stuff out there. I don't want to be held back, and you want to help! Let me take over and let's beat this jerk!

The black-haired boy hesitated for a little moment, but the sounds of his friends struggling made him snap into action.

Ginga: Your turn, Momotaros.

Momotaros: HELL YEAH!

The Den-O belt appeared around his waist. He quickly pressed the top red button and the train jingle began to play. He pulled out the rider pass and held it up.

"[🔘Henshin!🔘]"

A bright red light and the sounds of trains surrounded the two once he scanned it!

《🔴🗡️SWORD FORM!🗡️🔴》

Back with the other three, they were struggling. Stelle had managed to land a couple of solid hits but not nearly enough damage to bring it down.

They heard footsteps quickly approaching from behind and now, standing in front of the Trampler stood Kamen Rider Den-O, hitting his signature pose!

"🔴🗡️Ore...Sanjou!🗡️🔴"

He...HAS ARRIVED!!! 🔴Den-O quickly assembled the Den-Gasher: Sword Mode and pointed it at the gigantic Voidranger.

🔴Den-O: So far, none of your friends have been a real challenge. Let's see if you're a more worthwhile opponent, jerk!

The fused boy dashed forward, past Stelle and Dan Heng, and clashed his blade with the Trampler's giant leg. It tried to crush him, but 🔴Den-O resisted, sparks flying from the clash.

Stelle: What are you doing, Baka-Momo?!

🔴Den-O: You're not holding us back anymore, snot-nosed brat!

Stelle: Ugh! You're a terrible influence!

She ran forward with a burst of speed, swinging at the leg that was clashing with the armored male's sword. This caused the Trampler to