Almost everyone he knew was here. And... happy birthday? Was today his birthday?
—Drip.
"Huh?" Feeling liquid slide down his face and his vision grow a little blurry, Senba Gari hurriedly reached up and wiped away the tears that had escaped despite his best efforts.
"Why are you crying again? You're a big boy now. You can't keep blubbering all the time." Senba Setsune walked over and gently wiped the remaining tears from the corners of Senba Gari's eyes.
"It's because... you all suddenly did something like this... I don't even know why I'm crying... I just... just saw you all here, and then... then I couldn't hold back the tears..." For once, Senba Gari spoke to Senba Setsune in a tone that was almost childish and clingy.
Only at moments like this did he seem like a child who would never grow up.
"Is that so? We've always been here. We never left. So don't cry anymore." Senba Setsune stroked Senba Gari's head and spoke softly.
"Mm."
"That's more like it. That's my son. Today is your eighteenth birthday, and your dad has prepared a gift you're really going to love." Senba Ryo said mysteriously.
"A gift?"
"Right here." Senba Ryo patted the all-silver motorcycle behind him.
"This is..." Senba Gari, still looking dazed, reached out and gently stroked the motorcycle's instrument panel. An indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside him, and, as if possessed, he blurted out:
"Welcome home..."
Rider vs Monster Quiz
The following is purely for laughs. I just felt like writing it. Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!
Weather: Long, long ago, there was a great mountain. In the mountain was a temple, and in the temple there was... Ahem, I'm getting off track.
Weather: Hello, everyone! I'm the shameless single-dog author who threw away her dignity but kept her chastity—Weather! ヾ(^▽^*)))
Weather: Hey, hey, hey!? Where is everybody?! Didn't I invite a whole bunch of people? Where are they? Why aren't they... Pwoah! (. ?ω?)σ)′Д`)
Senba Gari: Ahem, sorry. I just went to change clothes, but then some shameless author took advantage of the opportunity. Phantom! Come clean this up!
Phantom: Understood, Master. ( )?
The unconscious, shameless author was silently carried away~
Senba Gari: Ahem, then let's start over. Welcome to the Lunar New Year's Eve special of Love Live! and Kamen Rider—Rider vs Monster Quiz!
The ever-present Shocker Combatmen: Eeee!
Senba Gari: Ahem, we're short on funds, so we could only drag in a few cheap audience members. Ha... haha... (awkward).
All right, enough chatter. First, let's welcome our special guests!
First, representing the Rider Faction, Kamen Rider Number One!
Number One: Hello, everyone!
The audience erupted in cheers!
Senba Gari: Next, Kamen Rider Kuuga!
Kuuga: Hello, everyone!
The audience erupted in cheers!
Senba Gari: And last, Kamen Rider—our fake Decade!
Decade: You...
Narutaki: Damn you, Decade! (grabbing a chair)
Decade: Narutaki, are you looking for a fight?! I'm happy to oblige! (grabbing a chair too)
Senba Gari: Hey, hey! Calm down! Calm down! Oh, crap! Don't hit me by mistake, you idiot!
The stage descended into chaos, while the audience cheered wildly.
Once things onstage began to settle down.
Senba Gari: Ahem, there was just a little accident. Yes, just an accident. We've already subdued the troublemakers, so there's no need to worry. Now, let's continue.
Decade, Narutaki: Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!
Senba Gari: Next is the Monster Faction. First, let's welcome the Shocker Leader!
Shocker Leader: (waves)
The audience cheered again.
Senba Gari: Next, Number Zero! Daguva!
Daguva: Kuuga! Come fight me! (he charged straight at Kuuga without another word)
Kuuga: ...Screw you! (reached out and grabbed Number Zero by the throat)
Senba Gari (darkened): I've had enough... (quietly picked up two bricks)
Thud! Thud!
Phantom: Ashes to ashes. ヽ(￣︿￣)-C<(/;◇;)/ (drags him away)
Golden Firmament: Dust to dust. (scatters flowers)
The Silver Phantom and Golden Firmament quietly dragged two corpses—one white and one red—off the stage.
Senba Gari (darkened): Don't cause trouble for me, you two~ (smiling as he looked at Decade and Narutaki)
Decade, Narutaki (nodding frantically): Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!
Senba Gari: Good. Then let's invite the next—uh, Narutaki's already been subdued. Ahem, never mind. Let's welcome our jury! There are too many people to introduce, since they're all here.
Rider Group: Oh!
Monster Group: Roar!
They gazed deeply into each other's eyes~
Senba Gari: Anyway, here are the rules. I'll ask a question, and whichever side—the Riders or the monsters—knows the answer should press the red button in front of them. The first to press gets to answer first. A correct answer earns one point; a wrong answer earns nothing, and you'll also face a penalty~ Got it?
Everyone: Got it!
Senba Gari: All right, first question: How many forms does Kamen Rider OOO have in total, including its sub-forms?
After a brief silence, Kamen Rider Number One was the first to press the red button.
Senba Gari: All right, Number One got in first. Number One, what's your answer?
Number One: 128!
Senba Gari (smiling): Congratulations! That answer is—wrong!
Number One: What?! Isn't it? Isn't the answer 128? (flips the table)
Senba Gari: Ahem, let's have OOO give us the answer!
A spotlight shone on a certain spot, revealing OOO's conspicuous red-and-green traffic-light design for all to see.
Kamen Rider OOO: Ahem, sorry, Number One. You were really close, but you left out the Super Tatoba Combo, so the answer is 129.
Senba Gari (smiling): All right, now that the answer's out, it's time for the penalty~ Phantom!
Phantom: Understood! ( ? ?ω?? )? (pulls the lever beside him)
Click!
Number One (looking at the huge pit beneath his feet): NO!
Shocker Leader (slapping the table and laughing hysterically): Wahahahahahaha!!!!
Click!
After a long, dangerous, thrilling journey, Number One finally crawled back.
Just what kind of insane penalty would leave Number One in such a sorry state?!
Senba Gari: All right, now that Number One's back—hey! You over there! Keep slapping that table and it'll break!
Shocker Leader (in studious mode): ...
Senba Gari: Now, let's look at the next question. The Showa Riders were always themed around modified humans, but the Heisei Riders moved away from that. So, here's the question: What's the defining characteristic of a Kamen Rider?
Number One, Shocker Leader: What else could it be?! Modified humans, of course!
Number One, Shocker Leader (looking at each other): Hmm? (leaves his seat and slowly walks toward the other)
Number One (gripping the Shocker Leader's hand tightly): A kindred spirit!
Shocker Leader (gripping Number One's hand tightly): A true friend!
Senba Gari sensed that the atmosphere was getting a little weird.
Number One: You're absolutely right! A Kamen Rider is only complete after undergoing modification surgery!
Shocker Leader: A kindred spirit! You're absolutely right! The romance of being a Kamen Rider is all about being a modified human!
Number One: Exactly! So, to save the Kamen Riders—
Shocker Leader: Let's capture them all and modify them!
As they spoke, the two turned their eyes to Decade.
Decade: Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!
Thud! Bang! Pow! Boom! Crack! Clatter! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Extreme Slash!
DeDeDeDeDecade!
Joker~Extreme!
Watching the stage devolve into total chaos, Senba Gari looked on with a face like a corpse.
Senba Gari (darkened): Heh... Hehehe... Go on, fight. If you're so determined to fight... (quietly pulled out a card)
Vehicle armor, appear!
Armed!
Divine Garuda!
Divine: Ora ora ora ora!
Boom! Thud! Bang! Pow!
Phantom: Hahaha... Sorry, as you can see, we've had a bit of an accident here... (Decade: DeDeDeDeDecade!) (≧ｗ≦;)(;≧д≦)
Ahem, anyway, Phantom wishes everyone a happy Lunar New Year's Eve! ( ?｀?*)
Divine: Ora ora ora ora!
Number One, Shocker Leader: Modification! Modify them all!!
Rider vs Monster Battle Royale!
The following is purely for laughs, to cheer everyone up!
Ding-dong!
Senba Gari: Welcome to the second special episode of Love Live! and Kamen Rider for the Lunar New Year—Rider vs Monster Battle Royale!
All the Shocker Combatmen (applauding): Eeee~
Senba Gari: All right, ahem. Due to various reasons, our first quiz session had to be interrupted, but that's okay. This time, we're changing things up. We'll do what we're best at—fight!
All the Shocker Combatmen (applauding): Eeee!!!!
Senba Gari: Then first, let's welcome the leaders of the Rider Faction and the Monster Faction!
First, the leader of the Rider Faction, Number One!
Dun dun dun—!
Number One makes his dazzling entrance~
Before you continue