Running Azure

is the twenty-fifth episode of Kamen Rider Hibiki. It features the first appearance of Gaika, Hibiki's Rider Machine.
==Synopsis==
After Sabaki is defeated by a Kappa, Hibiki is sent out to finish the the job. Asumu, Hitomi, Hinaka, and Todoroki enjoy the day off by going to a water park. At the park they run into Tsutomu Tsumura, who works at the park but has ties to the Oni world.
==Plot==
Ibuki and Kasumi were timing Hibiki's laps in a swimming pool. When he got out he was complimented by Ibuki, but Kasumi wondered why he put so much effort into it. Hibiki said it was summer and there were a lot of ”they”, referring to women, and Ibuki agreed, while Kasumi looked suspiciously at them. Kasumi felt she was being a dead-weight which reminded Hibiki of the weighted bracer they brought. He strapped them on and jumped in.
Asumu and Todoroki were stretching by the pool in a water-park, and Todoroki pumped himself up so that they would train as much as Hibiki and Ibuki. Todoroki decided the two were gonna swim for 3 km, and Hinaka, Hitomi and Ikuko Adachi cheered them on. Todoroki however went into the wrong side of the pool and swam against the flow of people, and the women tried to get him to turn around. Asumu took his own time, and Hinaka and hitomi went in shortly afterwards.
Akira was in the mean time taking care of the Tachibana Sweet Place. A customer called her a good girl for taking care of it on her own.
Sabaki had just defeated a Douji and Hime with his Kigenjutsu Onibi and Onizume. He recognised them as summer Makamou when he suddenly heard the sound of a Kappa. He unholstered his Ongekibou and prepared himself, but was caught of when the Makamou shot a hardening substance on his wrists. The substance made his arms very heavy and he was unable to defend himself properly when it attacked him and pushed him into the nearby water. It kept attacking him.
Kasumi was getting bored watching Ibuki timing Hibiki's swims and sighed out loud. Ibuki noticed and called her beautiful in her swimsuit, which made her blush. She noted it was not the first time he said it so she decided to go for a swim on her own. Ibuki received a phone call from Ichirou who had just gotten a call from Ishiwari who had informed him of how Sabaki was beaten by a Kappa. Ibuki was surprised to hear about it and would let Hibiki know immediately. Hibiki headed out on his new motorcycle the Gaika. Kasumi tried to run after him, but Ibuki said that he would be fine on his own and that they should head back to the Tachibana's in the meantime.
At the Tachibana's, Akira had been told by Ibuki that Hibiki always went alone to defeat a Kappa and asked Ichirou why that was so. Akira guessed but Ichirou was none the wiser since he never went out in the field. Ibuki and Kasumi came and she was not happy that she was left behind today. Ibuki and Ichirou gave a signal to each other which Kasumi noticed and she demanded to know what it meant. They denied doing anything and walked of, but she felt it was suspicious.
One of Sabaki's Disc Animals found Hibiki and let it follow it to the Makamou's location.
The Kappa was in the meanwhile in the progress of creating an offspring.
At the water-park it was lunchtime and Todoroki was gulping down a lot of food. Hinaka, Hitomi, Asumu and Ikuko was amazed by how much he ate and practically threw down his throat. Ikuko commented that such and appetite was to be expected after swimming three km. Hinaka told him to show some restraint but Ikuko said it was okay. Todoroki choked on some food suddenly and Asumu went to get some water. Todoroki un-choked and praised Ikuko's cooking which relieved them all. Hitomi started to explain to Todoroki and Hinaka that she and Asumu went to the beach or a pool every year since elementary school. Every time she was looking forward to the feast that Asumu's mother would prepare. Ikuko blushed and thanked her and told them to eat up. Hinaka commented they must have been like a family and asked Hitomi if they ever dated which stumped the girl. She explained that the usually went with Kiko and Katsunori, but they were busy with their own things now. Hinaka and Ikuko gossiped about how Kiko and Katsunori was a couple now. Todoroki asked Hitomi why it did not work between her and Asumu and if he had another girl. Hinaka stepped on his foot to silence him to avoid any more awkwardness. Hitomi ran of, and Ikuko and Hinaka looked at him angrily.
Hitomi was not paying attention to where she was running and bumped into a shelf with water toys and it fell over. An employee came forward and asked if she was okay and she apologised. He said it was okay and they started picking things up.
Ichirou was talking to Ishiwari again and he told him to tell Sabaki to be careful and take care of himself. Ibuki asked what had happened, and Ichirou told him that he had almost drowned but Ishiwari helped him. Akira remarked that Sabaki had just recovered as well.
Hibiki was stretching at Sabaki's old camp as a Disc Animal returned with the location of the Kappa.
Hitomi was walking with the employee and revealed she was from Shimatachi. He was amazed as he used to go there frequently. He asked if she came with her boyfriend today, but she said he was not her boyfriend. Todoroki caught up with her and the employee called Tsutomu Tsumura was surprised to see him there. Asumu came up to them with the tea he just bought, and Tsutomu concluded that he must be the boyfriend. Hitomi, Asumu and Ikuko later played catch with a ball, while Tsutomu, Hinaka and Todoroki talked. He was amazed that Todoroki had become an Oni, and Hinaka asked what Tsutomu was doing now. He did not have much to say except that he was a part-time worker there at the water-park. Todoroki could not believe it and asked if that was what he really wanted. Hinaka tried to calm him down and Tsutomu agreed that he did not need to be so hot headed all day. Asumu was listening as they told Tsutomu to visit the restaurant sometime before he left. He patted Asumu on the shoulder as he left, leaving Asumu curious.
Hibiki ran to a riverbed where he encountered the Kappa and transformed. He dove into the river and swam behind were he grabbed a hold of the Kappa and pulled it out of the water with him. The scond Kappa appeared and made him loose his grip. Hibiki made some distance between them and powered up into his Kurenai form. He easily punched them until he unsheathed his Ongekibou and used his Ongekida Shakunetsushinku form to defeat them both. One offspring was however able to avoid him to Hibiki's annoyance. He ran after it until it jumped down several steep hills, so Hibiki sent his Disc Animals after it. He ran and got his motorcycle and pursued it. He soon caught up with it but it jumped over him, making him almost crash with the bike. It shot the solidifying liquid at Hibiki and encased his lower arms in the substance. Hibiki was unfazed, even though it shot more liquid at him. It jumped into the river below and Hibiki followed it. He felt how heavy the encasing of his arms became and the Kappa was able to grab and attack him. Hibiki used all his force and punched the Kappa out of the water. He followed it onto land and unsheathed his Ongekibou. He tried to use his Kiboujutsu Rekkadan but missed, as it jumped high up. He followed and kicked it so that he could perform his Ongekida Shakunetsushinku which defeated it. He powered down, and started to scrape of the encasing with his Onizume.
Ibuki was worried if Hibiki would be able to fight if he was hit with the Kappa's attack. Ichirou was hopeful as being an Oni meant one had to fight. Even if it meant remembering uncool memories, Ibuki continued. Akira commented that an uncool Ibuki did not seem like the Ibuki she knew. Ichirou concluded that Hibiki must be fighting alone so that Kasumi did not see any uncool moments.
On his way back, Hibiki called the Tachibana's and Kasumi answered. The gas from the Kappa encasings had turned his voice squeaky and Kasumi thought it was a prank. He then revealed that he always lost his voice when he fought Kappa.
==Cast==
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===Guest cast===
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===Suit Actors===
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==Notes==
*As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 22, .
*Viewership: 6.8%
Category:Kamen Rider Hibiki
Category:Episodes