Jazik hummed a soft, wordless tune, a habit he had picked up from Tom, as his Gochizos zipped and bounced around the warm bakery. ( ๑ ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و They were diligently polishing the glass display cases, their tiny bodies reflecting the afternoon sun. He watched their playful antics, a rare, gentle smile gracing his lips. He leaned against the counter, enjoying the quiet moment.
The soft chime of the entrance bell broke the comfortable silence. Two men entered, casting long shadows across the checkered floor. One was a broad-shouldered figure whose presence felt like a wall, radiating a cold, impenetrable strength. The other was tall and unnervingly pale, with stark white hair slicked back from a sharp, angular face. His eyes, a piercing silver, seemed to drink in the details of the bakery.
Jazik straightened, his smile fading slightly as his ingrained caution surfaced.
"Welcome," he said, his voice even and polite. "How may I help you?"
The tall man took a slow step forward, his gaze fixed on Jazik. A thin, predatory smile stretched his lips, a chilling expression that did not reach his cold eyes.
"G-7," the man purred, the sound a low, sibilant hiss that seemed to cut through the pleasant bakery air.
Jazik's breath caught in his throat. His blood ran cold, instantly freezing the gentle warmth within him. The playful Gochizos around him froze mid-air, their expressions shifting to worried (Σ(°△°|||)). The man's words, his tone, were sickeningly familiar. It was the same tone that had haunted his nightmares, the sound of sterile labs and cold instruments. He did not recognize the man's human features, but he knew that expression, the chilling condescension behind it.
"Vesper," Jazik breathed, the name a bitter taste on his tongue.
Jazik attacked in an instant, a desperate blur of motion. His fist shot forward, aiming for the pale man's face, a desperate attempt to protect the fragile peace he had found. The broad-shouldered man, who had remained silent until now, moved with impossible speed. He intercepted Jazik's strike effortlessly, his arm a solid, unyielding barrier. The force of the block jarred Jazik's bones, echoing through his arm.
"Still so impulsive, G-7," Vesper said, his voice laced with mocking amusement. "Some things never change."
Jazik recovered his balance, spinning into a low kick that aimed for the bodyguard's knee. The bodyguard merely shifted his weight, deflecting the blow with a heavy boot. He countered with a swift, powerful kick to Jazik's chest.
THWACK!
Jazik flew backward, crashing into the wooden counter with a loud CRACK, scattering bags of flour and sugar across the floor. A dull ache spread across his back, and the air left his lungs in a painful rush. He pushed himself up, his eyes narrowed, fighting for breath.
"What do you want?" Jazik demanded, his voice rough.
Vesper stepped around the bodyguard, his gaze sweeping over the disordered bakery with an air of mild distaste.
"Merely checking on my escaped experiment," Vesper replied, his voice calm and condescending. "I see you've been quite busy, playing shopkeeper."
"Playing shopkeeper," Vesper echoed, a faint, chilling laugh escaping him. "A rather charming facade for Specimen G-7. You truly believe these humans can protect you?"
Jazik felt a cold tremor. He had tried so hard to keep his two worlds apart, the harsh reality of G.O.D. and the gentle warmth of this bakery. The thought of Tom, Sabine, or Marinette caught in this nightmare sent a spear of ice through his chest. He took a subtle step, positioning himself between Vesper and the back of the shop, where the stairs led to the Dupain-Cheng apartment.
Ding Dong 🔔
The bakery bell chimed, a familiar, comforting sound that suddenly felt terribly out of place. Nadja Chamack entered, her magenta hair a bright splash against the muted tones of the bakery. She carried a professional air, though her eyes held a hint of fatigue. She paused, sensing the unspoken tension, her gaze flitting between Jazik and the two strangers.
"Oh, sorry," Nadja said, her reporter's voice a little less sharp than usual. "Is this a bad time? I'm here for the Eiffel Tower anniversary cake."
Jazik moved quickly, grabbing the carefully decorated cake box from the counter. He pushed it gently toward Nadja, his eyes still locked on Vesper.
"It's ready, Madame Chamack," Jazik said, his voice low but firm. "Please, take it."
Nadja took the box, a slight frown touching her brow as she glanced at Vesper's impassive face. She opened her mouth as if to ask a question, but Jazik cut her off, a subtle urgency in his tone.
"Thank you for your patience," Jazik continued, offering a small, practiced smile. "It was a pleasure baking for you. Enjoy your evening."
He steered her subtly toward the door, his hand resting lightly on her back. Nadja, perhaps sensing his unusual demeanor, nodded slowly.
Nadja's brow furrowed slightly as she took in the scene. She glanced at the stern bodyguard, then back at Jazik.
"Is everything alright, Jazik?" she asked, her voice professional but with a hint of concern. "You seem a little…tense."
Jazik managed a strained smile. He knew he could not risk the truth.
"Everything is alright, Madame Chamack," he said, his tone smooth despite the tremor in his hands. "This gentleman and I, we have a sort of history. We are just sorting things out."
Nadja's gaze lingered on Vesper for another moment, then she shrugged, her reporter instincts telling her there was more to the story than she would get now.
"Oh, I understand," she said, her voice softening.
She stepped out the bell chimed softly behind her. Jazik watched her go, a breath he hadn't realized he was holding escaping him. He turned back to Vesper, his posture taut.
"I am not going back to G.O.D.," Jazik stated, his voice a low, steady rumble.
Vesper chuckled, the sound dry and devoid of warmth. "You have no choice, G-7."
The broad-shouldered bodyguard moved again, a silent, efficient strike. He threw a quick, heavy punch toward Jazik's head. Jazik ducked under the blow, the wind from it ruffling his hair. He twisted his body, aiming a powerful kick at the bodyguard's side.
THWACK!
The kick connected, forcing a grunt from the bodyguard. A section of synthetic skin peeled back from his side, revealing cold, gleaming metal underneath. Jazik's eyes widened slightly, the realization hitting him like a blow. This was no ordinary human; this was a Magia, an artificial lifeform, just like the one he had faced before. The bakery, his new home, was truly in danger. He couldn't fight here, not with the risk to the building, to everything Tom and Sabine had built.
Jazik lunged for the back door, crashing through it into the narrow alleyway behind the bakery. He sprinted, weaving through overflowing bins and stacked crates, a desperate urge to draw the fight away from the warmth and safety he cherished. He cleared the alley and cut sharply down a side street, heading for the quieter, less populated areas of the city.
"Running again, G-7?" Vesper's voice echoed behind him, a chilling whisper that seemed to cling to the air. "Some habits are impossible to break."
Jazik found an abandoned alleyway, narrow and shadowed between two forgotten buildings. He skidded to a halt, his chest heaving, the metallic tang of fear sharp in his mouth. The streetlights cast long, broken patterns across the grimy pavement, making the space feel both exposed and hidden.
Vesper's voice, calm and detached, echoed from the alley entrance.
"Running is useless, G-7," Vesper said. "Give up."
"My name is not G-7!" Jazik shouted back, his voice raw with a defiance that surprised even himself. "I'm Jazik!"
He ripped open his jacket, exposing the Gavv organ on his abdomen. A familiar hum began to emanate from the blue lips as a Poppingummy Gochizo popped into its waiting mouth.
[EAT GUMMY! EAT GUMMY!]
[POPPINGUMMY! JUICY!]
Kamen Rider Gavv materialized in a flash of vibrant blue and magenta, his sleek, candy-like armor gleaming under the harsh streetlights. Opposite him, the broad-shouldered Magia produced a Berotha Zetsumerise Key, a dark, angular device. The Magia jammed the key into a belt on its waist, and the device screamed the monster's name.
[BEROTHA!]
The Magia transformed, its skin rippling into a jagged, insectoid form. Green, chitinous armor snapped into place, and sharp, predatory blades extended from its forearms. Vesper watched from the shadows, his silver eyes gleaming with detached curiosity, observing the unfolding spectacle as if it were a scientific experiment.
The Berotha Magia struck first, a blur of emerald green motion. Gavv barely dodged, the Togamarder blade slicing through the air where his helmet had been a millisecond before. He countered with a flurry of gummy punches, his fists bouncing off the Magia's hardened forearm blades. The impacts resonated with a sharp, metallic clang.
CLANG!
The Magia retaliated, firing an energy projectile from its blade. Gavv leaped backward, his boots sticking to the brick wall of the alley, allowing him to scale it for a moment before dropping back down. He landed behind the Magia, but the monster spun, its segmented tail sweeping his legs out from under him.
THUD!
Gavv hit the ground, but he rolled through the impact, his body stretching like elastic to absorb the force. The Magia pressed its advantage, throwing one of its blades like a boomerang. Gavv dodged the first projectile, but the second clipped his shoulder. His armor sparked, and he stumbled backward.
Vesper hummed softly in the shadows, a faint sound of interest escaping him. He carefully noted Gavv's resilience. Gavv realized he could not win a speed contest against such an opponent. He reached into his Gochipod and pulled out a Kickingummy Gochizo, a vibrant orange sphere. He fed it into his Gavv organ, feeling the familiar pulse of energy. His right leg glowed with translucent orange energy, expanding into a massive, gum-filled armored limb.
[KICKINGUMMY!]
The Berotha Magia charged, its blades a menacing green blur. Gavv slammed his newly Kickingummy-enhanced right foot onto the asphalt.
[KICKINGUMMY! KICK!]
STOMP!
A wave of gummy energy rippled outward, cracking the pavement and disrupting the Magia's precise, buzzing charge. The monster staggered, its multi-faceted eyes momentarily losing focus. Gavv seized the opportunity, his leg coiling then extending like a massive rubber band. He delivered a devastating kick.
SPLAT!
His oversized gum-armored leg expanded further on impact, like a balloon filled with sticky energy. The Magia was launched backward, its chitinous form colliding with a brick wall. Masonry crumbled around it. The Magia struggled to rise, its armor visibly dented and sparking with internal damage, but it was not yet out of the fight.
Vesper offered a small, appreciative smile from the shadows. "Remarkable adaptation," he murmured, his voice a soft, almost clinical whisper. The Berotha Magia, driven by programming or desperation, fired a desperate energy blast from its damaged blade. Gavv was already moving. He closed the distance in a single, heavy stride, ignoring the incoming projectile. Gavv grabbed the Magia's head with both hands. The Gavv organ on his abdomen opened wide, its blue lips stretching impossibly. Gavv dragged the screeching monster toward his stomach.
CRUNCH!
With a wet, tearing, and crunching sound, the Gavv organ consumed the Berotha Magia whole, leaving only faint trails of iridescent energy in its wake.
Gavv stood panting, his Kickingummy armor dissolving in a shimmer of blue and magenta energy. His right leg returned to its normal, Poppingummy-clad size. He turned to Vesper, his eyes burning with a cold, protective fury. Gavv took a deliberate step forward, his fists clenched, intending to finally end this threat. Vesper did not flinch; his pale face remained impassive.
"I'm taking you out!"
"If you strike me down," Vesper said softly, his voice cutting through the silence like a scalpel, "the Magia I sent to the Trocadéro will complete their mission. Your friends... and the Dupain-Cheng girl... will be dead before you can take another step." Gavv froze, his body rigid. His armored fist trembled, every fiber of his being screaming for vengeance. The raw fury in his eyes dissolved into sheer, unadulterated panic.
"You monster," Jazik snarled, his voice cracking with a mixture of rage and terror. He couldn't risk it, not with those he cared for now tangled in his nightmare. He couldn't let them die, not after everything. He slammed his hand onto his Gavv belt.
[VROCAN! GO-GO-GO!]
The hot pink Vrocanbuggy materialized beside him with a soft fizzing sound. Jazik leaped onto the seat, his gaze fixed on the mental image of the Eiffel Tower. He offered Vesper no backward glance. The buggy's engine roared to life, its tires kicking up dust and loose debris. The Vrocanbuggy peeled out of the alley, tearing through the streets of Paris toward the Trocadéro, leaving Vesper alone in the settling dust.
***
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