Masked Rider - Season 1 Episode 8 - Welcome Home

Belle woke up with Eliza hugging her in bed. She looked so cute with her eyes closed and she did look tired. Belle gently got up and placed her head on a pillow. Deep sleeper...

Belle missed Matt a lot and was a little upset how utterly worthless she felt as an individual. She wanted revenge on the mayor for what he did to her parents... and she did fail in her last attempt. Her life was a mess.

She looked at herself in the mirror and just felt like she was looking into the eyes of an alien at this point.

"Where are you Matt?" She said to herself 

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A few days ago...

In Canada Matt and the other Riders had tracked down a Shocker taskforce.

"RIDER PUNCH!" Yelled Matt as he punched one of Shocker's hybrids. Amazon tore a couple of soldiers and hybrid limb from limb and knelt down beside the corpses, ripping off chunks and chewing them. Stronger super-charged and punched the ground, causing electricity to incinerate a big group of soldiers. They then head to a door and Stronger forced it open as a bunch people got out. Matt climbed in and carried a little girl in his arms as he ran out of the bunker.

"Thanks mister."

"Don't thank me now, go!" Yelled Matt at the girl as she ran to her parents. After clearing out the entire area the riders waited for evac.

"Guys, I need to get back to Haven." Said Matt to Amazon and Stronger. "ZO and the others are there, guarding her."

"Yes I know that mark, but it's...." Stronger said hesitant.

"Belle. It's Belle." Said Amazon, eating something.

"How do you know that?!!?"

"I'm Amazon. I just know stuff."

"Well that explains it." Said Stronger. "Well if you need to do it, Matt, we won't stop you."

"Thanks guys."

"No problem." Stronger said waving at him.

"Amazon......friend." Amazon said before going back to eating something.

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Belle was wearing a grey hoodie and was jogging around the very large garden of the safe house, trying to up her physical condition and really get a chance to use that caged fighter in her. After all, she was a boxer's daughter and it was her turn to fight the mayor when the time was right. She was panting like crazy as she spent two hours out in the garden while Eliza slept like a little angel on her bed.

"Lungs on fire..."

Belle said to herself as she sat on a swing and checked her phone... still nothing from Matt. Typical men acting all mysterious and then they let you in and then they push you away...again. She spotted a bike driving in the distance towards the house...

"I did too!"

Belle kissed him on his mask. "I might've made a little mess though..." She said as she turned on the TV and news stories were talking about the Masked Rider's companion attacking the mayor.

"I was kinda drugged up and given some pretty badass powers that time...I'm sorry. I couldn't play princess here while you were away." She explained.

But the report also showed footage of Rider X and the mayor fighting and X winning.

"Justin..."

Eliza woke up and lay down on the couch.

"Oh, hey Matt." she said, then she woke up fully.

"MATT!"

She snapped to attention and saluted Matt.

"Woah, Eliza, calm down. At ease, soldier!"

She sat back on the couch.

"Sorry, I've been here longer than I'm supposed to."

Matt took off his helmet.

"All that really matters is that you protected her."

Eliza looked down at the floor.

"Yeah, about that...."

"Eliza has kinda become my best friend as she has saved me from god knows how many threats. Do you think she can stay to protect me? I mean, I don't want to ask anything beyond what I should. She just makes the day that little bit brighter at the end of the day just like how you light up things for me and I really don't want to be left without the either of you for company again. You're kinda like my new family. Matt, she's like my sister at this point..."

Belle explained.

Matt thought for a minute, before throwing a punch at Belle. Eliza caught his fist in midair.

"Good."

Eliza said, a little confused;

"What?"

"That you can defend her."

Matt clicked his belt buckle, and his suit dissembled and disappeared into his belt.

"wow you fixed it!" said Eliza, amused.

"Yeah, thank S-1 for that."

Eliza giggled.

"I knew Hiro was smart."

Eliza giggled as she sat down.

"How are Amazon and Stronger."

Matt sat next to her.

"Mark misses you, and Amazon... well, he wants food. But he does miss you also."

Reilly came and greeted Matt, licking his face happily.

"Aww hey boy, did you miss me?" said Matt, petting him.

"Haha, yeah he did. Hey have you heard from ZX?"

Matt looked at her.

"You know he's been secretive since Dinah Drake's death."

"Who the hell is Dinah Drake?" Belle asked, almost unable to digest all of weird again. She was relieved to know that Eliza would be able able to stay and was still digesting that fact that Matt tried to punch her...as a test for Eliza? She almost had a heart attack.

"Dinah Drake was his wife. Shocker killed his family and turned him into what we are." said Matt, turning pale as he remembers the first time he and ZX fought. The viciousness in his attacks and the bloodbath he left behind him.

"He is dangerous, but we trust him. I....turned into his wife to lure him out" said Eliza, remembering when she posed as his dead wife and his reaction to her thinking she was alive.

"That was in the past." Matt said firmly. "Belle, why don't you help Eliza get dressed and find some clothes for her?" He handed them a couple of gifts. "I got these for you guys."

The two girls took the bag that held the gifts and went upstairs to get changed. Eliza put on navy blue jeans, a green lantern t-shirt and a red leather jacket. Belle dressed in black jeans, Batman t-shirt and a blue leather jacket in a similar style to Eliza. Belle opened her gift bag to find that some stealth suit was in it. It looked pretty tight fitting for her liking. Eliza spotted the suit.

''Belle please don't go crazy and try to fight Matthews... you know what happened the last time." said Eliza, worried for her. ''Matt might be cool with helping you but don't start stuff.''

Belle looks at the suit and thought, while Matt booted up the computer and typed a new file - 'PROJECT:NEXT' and he went to see how the Riders were doing and saw how they all were fairly far-spread, and investigated the battle between X and Apollo.

"I won't. Still, I am curious how this suit feels on the field. Do you think we could do something soon? I've been practice in the garden doing all the moves you taught me to the point I think I should get a chance to redeem myself in the eyes of the other riders...at least...maybe a little bit better. I don't do rules too well." Belle ponders at how she would do using stealth as her ally and not brash force. Maybe Matt was trying to tell her something...

''I don't know, but we got rules because we had random vigilantes trying to join because they thought we were normal vigilantes. But we're not.'' said Eliza, and hugged her. "Yeah I could, but you gotta bulk up more. We don't go easy on people."

"I think holding back and looking for a weak point is what I need to do. I'll never be as strong as you guys." Belle said quite truthfully. "What is next then? Who do we take down next?"

''I don't know, a lot of mayors are in hiding due to Apollo." Eliza pulled Belle's shirt over her stomach and looked at her arms critically. "Yeah, you need to gain a bit of muscle." she said, moving Belle's arms. "Lots of training needs to be done."

"Okay..." Belle said, a little annoyed at Eliza pointing out how little muscle she had. "We all can't be as awesome and strong as you." She complimented Eliza before putting on her stealth suit to see if she could sneak up on Matt with it.

Eliza watches Belle sneak down the stairs with a little smirk on her face. Belle sees Matt on his chair and begins walking up to him...

He turned around and Belle tried to act normal...

"What do you want to do Matt? I think you should decide as you've been doing hero stuff away for so long and all."

"I think you should train more" said Matt, turning back in his chair. "I gave you that suit in case of emergencies, not for pissing around Belle." Belle pouted and she headed upstairs.

"Hey, at least Matt knows you can fight."

She sat on the bed.

"Hey I might be strong, but I need to look strong as a man and a woman. But personally, I like being a woman." said Eliza, lying on the bed and pulling up her shirt showing Belle her impressive torso and breasts.

"You like?" said Eliza trying to act hot, but it came out as cute.

"Awww...you're so cute." Belle said as she kissed her on the forehead. "I hope Matt doesn't stay mad at me, I didn't wait for him to return just so that we could fight and cause each other heartache. I really hate myself sometimes." Belle admitted. "Can you maybe help me prove myself to Matt a little? Teach me a trick or two. Hell, maybe there's a weak point in his suit that I could use to my advantage if I challenge him to test me in combat."

"Ah man I thought I was being really hot..." said Eliza, pouting. "He just really cares for you, he might be serious but when we aren't fighting Shocker he's a pretty cool and chill guy when you get to know him and especially in........never mind forget I said that." said Eliza embarrassed at herself as she was gonna spill the beans on a secret of hers. "Hey, I'm a mystical Rider. They are technological but I think his belt is a weak point. It's like Cyclone, it spins." said Eliza, trying to help her. "Hey could you maybe give me a new body?" she said to herself. "I like this one but it's too easily recognizable."

"Wait...especially in what?" Belle asked a little confused. "And why are you speaking to yourself exactly? Can we also get some action up in this place as I've been going crazy being confined to this area?"

"Oh, nothing. Forget I said it." said Eliza as she grabbed her amulet "Come on please I know you don't want to but please." she said to herself. Belle was a little confused but even more as she heard ZO's voice

"Fine Eliza" ZO said.

"Yay!" Eliza went to the bathroom. "I'll back in a flash Belle, don't worry." said Eliza pulling off her clothes.

Belle decided to apologize to Matt after spending a minute completely bewildered by whatever Eliza was doing.

"I'm sorry, Matt. I don't want us to fight just after you got back. I've missed you...really missed you." She kissed Matt on the cheek.

"Me too Belle. I'm sorry, but I'm not pushing you aside. I'm just really busy is all." said Matt to her, as she went upstairs to see a random girl putting on clothes.

"Oh hi.......Belle." said the girl, embarrassed. "Now I understand what your thinking and yes I'm Eliza. Or should I say Elizabeth? But anyway, how do I look?" said the girl, posing.

Belle walked down with Eliza. She looked back and forth between Matt and Eliza. "I thought you guys understood that my brain only can take a certain level of weird and this goes way over that." She circled Eliza. "I mean, you look great! How though...? And why now?"

''I'm a shape-shifter, remember? Also because of my powers I sorta got different personalities and I ask them to let me change, I actually feel taller and younger now. So that's nice.'' she said giving a thumbs up at Belle. 'I gotta ask Matt if I can tell you what we did when we first met." said Eliza, feeling her hair.

"Umm...okay." Belle replies a little puzzled at why she would have to ask Matt. "I really need to train, don't I? Can we have a little wrestle?" Belle asks.

''Yeah, you should. How much do you weigh? Oh, and what are the things you wanna work? Hmm...make a list of the things you wanna work on and train for. I'll be right back.'' Said Eliza going downstairs to talk with Matt.

Eliza shows her new body to Matt.

''So, what do you think Matt?'' Said Eliza posing to him.

''Eliza, you know that was a long time ago, okay?" Matt looks at her then he gets back at looking at the computer again ''You look cute." Said Matt complementing her new body.

''I know, but if i'm gonna stay here, we got to tell her..." Eliza said.

Matt stops typing at what she said.

''If we tell her, I don't know how she'll react..."

''Mattie we gotta tell her about our past relationship." Eliza says sits on his lap.

''Look, I don't know. She is sorta my girlfriend now, Liz...'' Said Matt at her as she sat on his lap.

''Oh, come on...Matt we need to, please.'' Said Eliza pouting.

''Fine, we'll tell her later.''

Eliza hugged him.

''Thanks, Mattie.'' She kisses him on the lips.

''Oh, i'm so sorry...guess it was an instinct?'' Said Eliza embarrassed and blushing.

''I forgive you.'' Eliza goes up the stairs and blows him a kiss as she goes to Belle.

Eliza walked into the bedroom and looked for Belle. She looked in the bathroom and then she began to panic until she heared Belle's voice from above.

"Got you..." Belle joked as she was hiding in the ceiling through the planks of wood that allowed her to hide easily there like a hawk watching its prey. "I was practicing stealth again." She climbed down from there. "Sorry if I startled you. I think that would prove I did my job well..." She continued to joke around. "Is Matt okay...? I have a feeling that he has detached himself from me emotionally for some reason that I can't say."

''Yeah, you got me. Okay, Matt and me gotta tell you something later.'' Said Eliza going to put on some workout clothes.

''Okay, ready to train.'' Said Eliza trying to change the subject.

"Is there something wrong? I feel like you also have gotten distant from me and that usually is when I do something impulsive like attack the mayor. So please, don't do that." Belle doesn't really gain a response past a nod from Eliza.

The two wear boxing gloves and unlike all of the times before, Belle waits for Eliza to make her move. When she jabs towards the right rib of Belle, she blocks it and hits Eliza hard in the left rib. Eliza tumbles back a little due to the unexpected force that Belle was able to hit back with due to her patience and serenity about attacks.

"I'm sorry! I didn't hurt you too bad, right?" Belle asked worried that she might've hit a little too hard in a critical weak point.

''Oh please, your talking to the gal that can become a half human half insect super hero...'' Said Eliza as the two spar for three hours and Eliza starts using kickboxing techniques against Belle. She knocks her down on the floor. "Oh, Belle! I am sorry. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?''

"A little. No pain, no gain. I can I hit harder against someone who is a thousand times stronger than me and probably even someone like Superman?" Belle asks still excited to learn. "I'm hitting your critical points that you leave vulnerable...but I have the punching force a baby compared to you."

''Well not just me but Matt and the others as well'' Said Eliza getting in a fighting position and started fighting Belle with kicks as well as punches. Belle tries her best to dodge her but Eliza is a little too fast and belle gets hit couple times.

"I guess you beat me..."

Suddenly, Belle jumps back up and turns off the lights. She uses the darkness as a cloaking tool and she keeps hitting Eliza in her critical points near the waist. She also climbed on the wood panels that were on the celling and watched Eliza from above looking for her. Belle tripped Eliza up and managed to bruise her left ankle by doing so.

"I'm pretty tired now." Belle says. "You and Matt wanted to tell me something, right? Can we also go in the field soon after? I need some action."

''Ouch, okay. I think I have sprained my ankle now.'' Said Eliza as Belle helps her to the living room with Matt waiting for them. ''Belle, Eliza and I gotta tell you something...''said Matt as he sits next to her and Eliza put her hand on his thigh ''We were a couple before I met you...''

"And what are you now? Just friends? I would only be pissed if I found out that my love for you this entire time was a lie..." Belle crossed her arms. "If not, I still don't have much of a problem with this. I mean, I dated plenty of friends myself before I met you Matt and I know what that feels like so yeah. Umm...I still don't appreciate finding this out now though."

''HEY, I thought before I got here, she would be gone...'' Said Matt in defense as he tried to tell her. ''Look, I do love you, but with her here-look, it's complicated!''

What both didn't know that Eliza still had feelings for Matt.

''Belle, Matt is right. It's complicated.''

"Everything is with you riders! I am going out for a stress jog. I'll be back late." Belle says as she puts on her grey hoodie and begins to run through the woods to unwind a little.

The truth was that Belle just wanted to feel the warm arms of Matt again and it seemed to her that she was no longer wanted by the two of them. That thought didn't really help her burning self hatred and Belle was so distracted that she realized that she was already two miles from home. She began walking back, slowly.