//------------------------------// // 24: Fanfic Generations: Crossing Worlds Part 4 // Story: Kamen Rider: What's Your Desire? // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// Saint Joseph Hospital: (Again.) Sea shifted uncomfortably in her seat for a moment. She had never liked visiting the doctor back home in Ponyville, and that was in a small clinic. Something about sitting in this place just made her more uneasy than anything else. She glanced around at the others, trying not to look nervous, but it only made her look more uneasy. “Tch, calm down, you’ve faced worse than doctors and nurses,” Khepri reminded her. “Kamen Riders really shouldn’t be such babies.” “Uncomfortable?” Adagio empathized, shifting in her seat as well. She’d already called ahead and told her co-workers she had to take the rest of the night off due to Rider things. “...Yeah, I know how you feel. I’ve been in this hospital… what, twice by this point and I still hate it. Way too… sterile. Smells like someone just died.” Adagio realized too late that probably wasn’t too reassuring given the current situation. “You’re not helping, you know that right?” “...I work better with animals over people okay?” Adagio admitted. “So sue me!” “Yes, and it’s totally like I’m not something that would be considered an animal in this world.” Sea drawled. “Okay, point,” Adagio conceded. “...Okay, I work better with sea animals.” “Well yeah, Sea Ponies still live in Seaquestria after the Changelings drove back the Storm King’s invasion force years ago,” Khepri commented. “So I doubt any of them would be visiting this world.” “Tell that to my other counterpart…” Adagio thought to herself. “Anyway… I’m just not good with doctors…” Sea said as she shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry… I’m focusing more on my discomfort than why we’re actually here…” “They’ll pull through,” Adagio said though it sounded like she was reassuring herself more than anything else. “They’ll pull through.” Inwardly, she cursed the Foundation. They did this, they put Phoenix and Ocean in the hospital and they brainwashed Elias and turned him into Wraith. If the situation were any different, she might have laughed given Wraith was already halfway there to the classic Rider origin story. Brainwashed by a large group, to serve their own ends. Now he just needed to defect. Well, if Adagio had her way she’d see to that. “I hope you’re right,” Sea said with a weak smile. “I just wish Scootaloo was here… or Jasper… or anypony from back home really…” Adagio looked decidedly awkward, not really knowing how to handle this. She glanced over to Sonata, who was absentmindedly doodling what looked to be a bug in samurai armor. It resembled Kamen Rider Gaim in some ways, but in other ways not.  “Sorry, so sorry,” Sonata apologized. “Needed to so something before I go crazy. Idle hands, after all. Sea mentioned Riders in what were Ponyland’s Sengoku period right? So, I let my mind wander and well… I came up with this. Basically, it’s Ichigo… reimagined. Though I’m not sure how a horse rides another horse. ...aside from the obvious way I suppose?” Here she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Adagio facepalmed. “I highly doubt they did that, honestly I don’t know what they used…” Sea admitted. “I’d have to talk to Tinker about that, she’s the expert on Rider tech for the Resistance not me.” “Honestly, you should have just tried frying Starlight with the tako medal, or at least brought her in for a good knock to the head. Doesn’t matter how good your armor is, head injuries HURT.” Aria suggested. “Taco medals?” Sonata asked. “...I thought the medals were based on animals, not food. I want some!” “Tako, as in octopus, not tacos you dolt.” Aria grumbled. “Even better. Octo Tacos!” Sonata chimed in. Then the doctor walked in before Aria could have a brain aneurysm of the highest order. Sonata looked at her. “Is… are they alright?” The doctor nodded, and gestured for the group to follow. After roughly a minute they reached one of the many rooms of the hospital, he opened the door slowly to reveal the two patients. “Hey…” It came an exhausted voice from inside the room as they entered, revealing the two Riders bandaged up and inside hospital beds. “Nice that you all visit,” Phoenix chuckled as he waved at them before hissing and pulling back his arm. “Ouch!” “It was your own fault,” Takeru noted sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. “The doctor said for you not to move.” “How did…?” Here, Takeru held up an eyecon to Sonata to answer the unfinished question. “I’m so jealous of him…” Sonata muttered. “I want one, and his driver.” “Well, you either have to be a brainwashed Quark or have to be dead to get one,” Takeru said drolly. “So, what is there to be jealous about?” Aria burst out laughing at this and Adagio had to hide her laughter with a cough. Even Phoenix couldn’t hide a light chuckle, only to once again hiss out in pain. “See, that’s who you need,” Aria said punching her sister in the arm. “A funny man, you better stake your claim up quick before I do…” she remarked licking her lips. “Your brain needs something to pull it out of the gutter,” Adagio said. “You’re depraved.” “Damn right, and for the record it was born in the gutter…” Aria grinned proudly. Takeru rubbed his forehead. “Focus you two, I believe we have larger problems don’t we?” Takeru said giving them a look he’d inherited from Inari or Akari. Both women seemed to look ashamed of themselves immediately. Adagio mumbled something on how he should use that on Ankh. “So… Starlight,” Adagio mumbled resting herself up against a wall. “What do we know about her? Any ways to beat her aside from throwing her into that black hole those guys at CERN created?” “Well, she certainly isn’t nice,” Phoenix returned. Captain of the obvious, really.. “And she can throw back your attacks. Really uncool. But she apparently has a weakness against trees, well until she used that strange Hyper Mutaki, Mutuki, Mu-whatever thing.” “Muteki.” Takeru corrected. “So you’re suggesting we hit her with a tree?” Aria asked. “Great, let me call up King Kong on speed dial, maybe he can force feed her one down her damn throat.” “I mean, it worked when I did it, so, maybe?” He shrugged, only to let out a slight whine.  “Any useful information?” Takeru asked with a small roll of his eyes.  “I mean, hit her with something she can’t really throw back at you I guess. Oh, and she can teleport as well. But besides th- Oh, right, when she used that Mutoki thing, her eyes started to… bug out? Like some sort of glitching computer. Does that help?” “Excuse me,” Takeru said getting up and walking out of the room mumbling something about hopefully anyone at CR was awake at this time. If he was right, Phoenix may have just accidentally discovered the secret to their success. “Well, seems it did,” Phoenix chuckled. “Come on, thank me,” he continued with a smirk on his lips. “With a kiss?” Aria asked. “Because I’m sure your girlfriend will loooooooveee that. Unless she’s into, y’know, sharing and all that!” Ocean just raised an eyebrow and simply said: “Oh, go ahead. I don’t have to worry about a criminal record in this world.” “I like her,” Aria suddenly declared. “But seriously, tell me how was it getting your ass beat by Starlight’s personal fu… sorry, second in command?” she said correcting herself upon seeing Adagio’s expression. She was still hit over the back of the head by Sonata though. Ocean sighed before returning: “I underestimated him, simple as that. He caught me off guard with his weapon stealing ability and managed to knock me out. Through I think the next time we see each other will be different. I have a few ideas.” Adagio considered herself an observant sort, and she knew something was on Ocean’s mind. She quickly shoved her siblings out of the room, much to their protests. She then vaguely remembered something Takeru taught her, and touched her finger to Phoenix’s forehead knocking him out. “Okay, we’re alone now,” Adagio said before Phoenix snored. “...well, mostly alone. Now tell me, what’s on your mind?” she asked pulling up the chair Takeru had previously occupied. “Well, seems like we are. You definitely have an eye for details. You have to teach me that trick by the way,” she said with a smirk before continuing with a far more serious tone. “This world… It isn’t the first time we heard about one like this, just the first we actually get to see more of. So many Riders… So many monsters...  For so long… It’s… Unnerving.” “Luck of the draw I suppose,” Adagio remarked. “We both knew what we were getting ourselves into… Well, I suppose you did. I was just impulsive and wanting to save my sister.” “I got captured by Changelings and had to free myself and the others so I stole my Driver, I didn’t exactly know what I was getting into,” Sea said with a shake of her head. “I suspect on some level you did,” Adagio remarked. “And maybe I did as well, given I grew up with stories of the Riders thanks to my sister. I love her, but she’s an out and out nerd.” “Otaku!” came Sonata’s shout from the other side of the door. “Get it right!” “Siblings,” Ocean said with a shake of her head. “I thought I did as well. I had collected magical artifacts for a government organisation for a few years at this point and seen Phoenix fight as Alchemy when I had the chance to use the Charge System. I assumed it would just be a bit more dangerous version of my job until then, but Phoenix sure did prove me wrong.” “So you’re scared of this world, and what it has in store for you next?” Adagio questioned before she corrected herself. “...No, you’re just scared of what every world might have in store for you.” “I’m afraid my mother was right…” She returned weakly after a few seconds of silence. “What do you mean?” Adagio questioned wondering to herself if she was getting too personal. “My mother was the director of the MRG, the organisation I work for. She believed that it wouldn’t take long until the Corrupted would overrun the world and the only way to save it was if the MRG would take a more proactive stance in saving it. In other words, use the artifacts we found to make sure no one else would get their hands on them in a sort of police state. I disagreed… And… Well… I…” Her eyes lowered to the sheets of the hospital bed as she said these last words. “I’m sorry,” Adagio said. “So you believe you’re a false Kamen Rider? That all you did was a lie? I don’t think so, not really. It wasn’t a lie to you, the devotion you had to protecting others was true enough, wasn’t it? If you ask me, and I didn’t believe this at the start but I do now, whenever one is needed a Kamen Rider will come to call.” “No, I don’t think that. I wouldn’t have made the decision a second time if I didn’t believe in it. I’m just worried that, just like this world, the tide will never stop… I thought we would find a way to get rid of the Corrupted, but after they were knocked out of Canterlot City they are everywhere in the country now. Then the Changelings showed up and are fighting the Power Rangers. And then there was the entire Orphenoch situation with my mother… And I have the feeling that this wasn’t the end of that as well… And it hasn't even been a year yet...” “You seem to think you have to shoulder everything alone. What I said still stands, whenever a new era needs it a Rider will come. And you have Phoenix, and these Rangers and god knows who else right? I’ve never been afraid to ask for help, and I’m not implying you are either. But you don’t have to shoulder this alone.” Ocean smiled warmly at her. “You know, you sound just like Phoenix. This could have easily come out of his mouth. He has that unbreakable optimism about him. That every mistake isn’t the end, just the next step to become a better person.” “If you’re going to start quoting Gurren Lagann at me, just… stop okay? I get enough of that from my sister.” Adagio muttered. “Gurren what?” Ocean raised an eyebrow. “I envy you.”  “Don’t worry, I have my personal sappy monologer right over there,” she chuckled back while pointing at Phoenix. “And really, it can’t be cheesier that ‘I’ll keep moving forward to a bright future’, right?” “Take my word, it can.” “Well, this is… all a bit concerning really isn’t it?” Eiji remarked sometime later that night. “So X has stepped up their game, apparently. Hyper Muteki. Lovely, Hyper Invincible. ...as if Starlight’s ego wasn’t big enough!”  “And it comes from Emu’s powerset, of all places!” Takeru commented, the phone on his room’s bedside table set to speaker. “While I’m happy to know Emu is going to get that kind of power somehow sooner or later, it really doesn’t exactly bode well for us currently does it?” “Well, it could be worse, it could have come from Genm’s powerset now couldn’t it?” Eiji remarked. “Think about it, Starlight with the powers of a zombie.” “Yeah, I’m thinking about it and I’m not liking it,” Takeru said in response. “Thanks for the nightmares by the way!” “Look on the bright side, I’ve heard rumors of a game being developed, one about a monk slaying zombies. Sounds like you could toss in a few pointers, really!” Eiji teased. The sounds of shots being fired were heard from the background, and what sounded like drink cans clattering to the floor. Takeru could only guess that Eiji was continuing to train the new Birth, from his scattered messages back and forth. “Invincible or undead, now there’s a choice for you!” Takeru grumbled. “Mind you, I’ll send Inari over to this game developer, I’m sure he’ll be flattered to be an inspiration.” “Should I contact one of the others?” Eiji asked after shouting something to Soarin’ Takeru didn’t quite catch. There had been an explosion in the background a few minutes before. Huh, he could have sworn Soarin’ had better aim. Was the Birth Buster really that powerful? “Maybe Haruto-San could…” “No, nobody would be able to get here in time, not even Haruto with his teleport rings. And I doubt you have Gaim on speed dial,” Takeru sighed. He held up a certain Eyecon, clutching it tightly in his palm. “Besides, I already have a plan in place. Far as I can see, Starlight’s carrying a strain of the Bugster virus, from Adagio and Phoenix’s descriptions. So basically… All we need to do is cut it out.” “And how do you plan to do… Oh, I see. Clever!” Eiji realized and praised. “Dangerous, but clever!” “And when is anything we do not dangerous?” Takeru drawled. “Point,” Eiji conceded. “Still, all the same be safe. Don’t do anything foolish, okay?” Takeru smiled and shook his head, honestly Eiji was such a worrywort at times. His heart was in the right place, it really was, but Takeru had been a Rider long enough -and died enough times by this point- to know when to exercise caution. Takeru knew had only one life to live, and he didn’t want to see himself wasting it. “The question is… am I really living that life? Riderdom is okay enough I suppose, I’m helping people when they need it but now that I’m out of school… what next?” Well, he supposed there was one option really. Yes, Adagio was a few years older than him, but only a few. Plus, she was a fascinating woman, and really duty minded. Maybe a bit too much but her heart was in the right place. And really, who could better understand the woes of a Rider than yet another Rider? “Besides, we’re already past the student-sensei barrier, really…” Takeru thought as he walked into the kitchen, Adagio cooking dinner in the microwave. “If I wanted to tell her off for it being inappropriate, I would have or should have at that restaurant. Mou… I’m such an idiot, you’re in too deep now Takeru!” He blinked at the little glass case set beside the stove, with what looked to be a grasshopper of some sort inside, crawling up the sides. Takeru blinked, that definitely didn’t look like any american grasshopper he knew of -not that he knew of that many- and if anything he expected fishtanks knowing Adagio. Then again, he doubted Adagio could either fit or even be allowed to have leopard seals in her apartment. “Paying tribute to the older Riders?” Takeru teased. “I was expecting a waterbug!” “Har har, you’re very funny,” Adagio deadpanned while her ramen cooked. “It’s Sonata’s, she asked me to take care of it for the week. Said she didn’t trust Ankh to be around it, not that I can really blame her. Phymateus leprosus, I think that’s the name…” “Aren’t most bugs with bright lime green colors toxic?” Takeru questioned. “Well, what does she expect me to do?” Adagio asked. “Eat it? ...though I will admit the idea of Ankh eating it and throwing up his cells all over the kitchen floor is pretty funny.” “...You have a very disturbed mind, you know that right?” Takeru said taking a few noticeable steps backwards.  “Not saying I was going to feed Sonata’s pet to him,” Adagio deadpanned. “Though I do wonder if she is trying to send a message with a grasshopper to take care of.” “I’m not sure to be scared or in awe of her…” Takeru wondered aloud. “With her?” Adagio answered. “Equal measure I think.” “Probably a safe bet, yeah,” Takeru agreed as Adagio blew on her ramen. “Didn’t you say your sister was trying to housebreak Ankh and turn him into a quote henpecked husband unquote?” “Yeah, she is,” Adagio said. “I’m curious to see how long it’ll be before Ankh goes on strike until he gets his ice pops. And knowing Sonata, she’s probably already deprived him of his ice pops.” “Well, it works as a carrot and stick method. He doesn’t play nice, he doesn’t get fed,” Takeru agreed. “I don’t care if Ankh hasn’t really tasted anything in over 700 years, you deserved better than him.” “Oh, like you?” Adagio teased booping him on the nose and leaving Takeru noticeably flustered. As she slurped on her noodles, she had to bat away a certain cube-based condor grumbling: “...and I thought Ankh was the piggy one…” “Give him a cracker, maybe that’ll calm him down,” Takeru suggested with a teasing smile. “You’re so not funny…” Adagio grumbled to herself and looked around and sighed. “Oh, this is going to be a long week. Between the moving apartments, work, and Foundation X, I’ll be amazed if I don’t hang myself from the tallest tower any time soon.” It was true, Adagio had recently engaged in the hellish task known to all as moving house. She’d opted for the same general area really, close to her workplace but for a larger apartment. Boxes lay strewn all throughout the house and Adagio was frankly amazed by this point she hadn’t tripped and fallen smashing her skull open on the floor. Mind you, she had found some stuff she hadn’t seen in years, her eyes drifting to what looked to be a small orange sauropod with yellow hair. It looked to be brushable, just like the mane of the purple pony next to it. Strikingly, and somewhat frighteningly she was sorta reminded of Aria now that Adagio thought of it. “I wasn’t aware that you had a love for such things…” Takeru remarked his eyes following. Adagio hit him over the head with a pillow, her face now an interesting shade of red. “S-Shut up, I-I was a little girl t-too once, o-okay?” she stammered out, her face still red. And most damningly of all to her, that blush absolutely refused to go down! “So sue me if I had a Cutesaurus when I was a kid, it was a gift from my mom okay? And don’t you say a word about the name, alright?” “Was I going to?” Takeru asked. “Though I am imagining you as a kid, and you probably were a cute one right?” “Yeah, well, you can go out and ask Sonata for baby pictures, or Aria. I know one of them has the album these days…” Adagio said to herself as she walked out to the balcony. Throwing the doors open, she was greeted by a welcoming blast of cool night air. Lights covered the city skyline, some moving and others not as car horns rose up in a symphony of intermittent honks. Adagio smiled, she always loved the sight of the city, and it was another reason she chose this location. It was a prime spot to just go out and view the city for what it was, and beyond the skylines you could see the mountains and rising hills. In her old apartment, -or on her coffee break at the National Aquarium- Adagio often found herself just looking out at the city with earbuds in place and listening to her music. Soft, tranquil stuff. A mix of what they called chillhop and piano music, no pop or anything like that.  Speaking of music, Adagio’s ears caught the soft dulcet tones of a saxophone rising up from the streets below. She looked down, and saw Old Man Bert as the neighborhood called him playing his horn, money being flicked into his case. Next to him, sat a man with a guitar to accent the brass section. The saxophone was soft, sweet and soothing and at once Adagio felt the day’s troubles just wash away. She let out a soft moan before she realized what was happening, and what was happening was Takeru rubbing her back. “Didn’t know you knew how to…” the woman murmured. “Yes, well my friend, Akari?” Takeru asked as he did his work on her lower back. “She thought I’d be more cultured if I learned how. She also thought it might net me a potential girlfriend.” “Yeah, well she’s not wron…. Oooohhh, yeah, that’s so much better,” Adagio murmured as Takeru worked out the kinks. “You know, you could make a fair bit of money from this. I know these two in town, Aloe and Lotus? They’re hiring, and they do need a spare hand from time to time.” “For obvious reasons, I won’t be in town all that often, not long enough to hold a steady job at their salon,” Takeru said and Adagio sighed sadly. Yeah, there was that. Such a shame really, as she was beginning to enjoy Takeru’s company for more reasons than just as a sensei. Such was her luck really. Her first potential boyfriend was an egocentric bastard, and the next happened to live in a completely different timezone. Not to mention the potential accusations of being a cougar being thrown around. Not that Adagio cared, not really. She’d long since given up caring about what others thought. ...Yeah, Adagio didn’t believe that one for a microsecond. Her other self wouldn’t have gotten to her so good if that was the case. Adagio loved the limelight, she loved both the idea of being a hero and being a famed marine biologist. “Yeah, I suppose you wouldn’t have made it five minutes without being hit on. Aloe and Lotus are both perverts to some extent,” Adagio admitted. “I have heard the rumors of ‘special services’ that they both offer.” “Well, I’m definitely not working for them then if that’s the case,” Takeru deadpanned blushing a bright red. Adagio almost smirked, so it seemed the shoe was finally on the other foot for tonight. “I’d really not wind up working for madams.” “No, you’re too innocent, way too innocent for that,” Adagio said. “It must be preserved. You’re literally a cinnamon roll, or a Disney Princess given male form!” she teased. “Wouldn’t that make me a Prince?” Takeru questioned. “So does that mean I’m the Hans to your Elsa?” “Firstly, Hans was an abusive scheming bastard, so no that would be Ankh in this analogy. Though I am pleased with the Elsa comparison, really,” Adagio remarked. “No, you’re the Kristoff.” “The guy with the moose?” Takeru blinked looking almost insulted. “So that means I should be dating Sonata then, given she’s more of an Anna than you are.” Adagio burst out laughing in spite of herself. Regaining her composure, she turned back to a very confused Takeru. “I’m sorry, we were just… first my night started off with a hellish move and now we’re talking Frozen of all things! What has happened to my life?” “Well, you’re smiling again, so that’s one thing,” Takeru said continuing his ministrations. “But what happened to your life? Well, for one thing you…” “If you say that I met you, I’m punching you off this rooftop,” Adagio drawled. “That’s too damn corny.” “But you seem to be responding well to corniness,” Takeru countered. “Didn’t you say I was literally a Disney Prince given human form?” “...Yeah, that’s fair,” Adagio admitted with a small grumble of defeat. “Though if you start doing the Shakespeare I’m still throwing you off this balcony…” “Well, at the risk of sounding cornier than normal and getting tossed off a balcony, I say But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and you are the sun.” “....Oh dear god, you’re doing the Romeo and Juliet routine,” Adagio grumbled. “Oh, anything but that…” “It’s a good love story, what can I say?” Takeru shrugged taking his hands off Adagio for a moment. “One which had both lovers commit suicide at the end, may I remind you,” Adagio drawled. “And did I say you could stop with the massage?” “Yes ma’am…” Takeru said sweat dropping and getting right back to work. He was sorely reminded of Akari on her worst days. What was it with him and his luck? “You sure you’re not related to Akari? You remind me of her…” “What, your science friend?” Adagio asked. “Doubt it, I don’t know of any family in Japan though it sounds like we’d get along. I think I’ll take her in as an honorary sister!” Takeru shuddered at the thought. That was… scary, the idea of those two meeting up for tea and coffee. Somehow he figured they’d get along like a house on fire as Adagio predicted. “So, are we really doing a thing?” Adagio questioned. “Like, are we really dating? Here you are giving me a massage and quoting Romeo and Juliet like some cliched shōjo male lead?” “Well, I assumed we were,” Takeru remarked. “I mean, I assumed you were showing interest when you took me out for dinner.” “T-That w-was a t-thank you for teaching me,” Adagio stuttered out even if she didn’t quite believe it herself. “N-Nothing more, nothing less!” “A very expensive thank you, I should note,” Takeru commented not entirely convinced himself. “My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw the check.” “Hey, what you did for me was worth it, and I paid for all of it in full right?” Adagio asked. “I never do anything by halves!” “So I’ve seen. Adagio Diana Dazzle, Kamen Rider and workaholic marine biologist,” Takeru observed. “You’re quite correct, you never really do anything by halves.” “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Adagio demanded. Takeru immediately sensed he was treading on unsteady ground. Smart guy, really. “I’m just saying, at times me and Eiji both worry you’re stretching yourself too thin, and that you’re on the verge of snapping,” Takeru clarified. “That’s all, really…” “Well, I can’t just do one or the other now can I?” Adagio asked. “Being a marine biologist has always been my dream and now I’ve achieved it. I can’t just give it up, and nor can I give up being a Rider now. Once I put on this belt, I had a duty to accomplish. You know that as well as I do!” “Agreed,” Takeru said. “Someone I met once, Yusuke Godai -yes, that one- once said this. The path of the Rider is not an easy one. to be a Rider means to put your life on the line for others, to fight often in the shadows against threats the rest of the world is often blind to. You'll never be the same as you once were. But at the end of the day, you did something that no one else could. You stepped up and drew a line in the sand and said this far and no further. Its not easy, it's not glamorous or rewarding, and you don't know if you'll make it out of it alive. But it is a path that must be tread, and those that walk the true path, have earned the title of hero.” “Well, if anyone knows about any of that, it would be Kuuga wouldn’t it?” Adagio murmured in a tone of undying respect for the first Heisei rider. The man who fought alone, with no other Riders to help him out and only the local police force. Well, that explained where she'd first heard that line. “There’s a Japanese word for it, right? Gimu, isn’t it? Obligation, something you can neither run from nor avoid.” “I’m impressed, you really are a cultured woman,” Takeru remarked. “Well, I was in Japan a few times accepting a few transfers to the Aquarium, so I did pick up a few things. Not much, but a few,” Adagio said. “Though we’re getting away from our original subject. Are we or are we not a thing?” “Well, it all depends on if you want us to be, or not I guess,” Takeru remarked. “You seem… scared. Not to s-step out of line or anything, not trying to but that’s what it feels like.” “O-Of course I’m scared, there’s my reputation to think about. A-All the accusations of cougar and the like. A woman in my position can’t afford… you saw the looks at the restaurant right, the judging ones?” “But you’re happy right?” Takeru asked. “You seem happier than you have been in years, at least that’s what Aria tells me…” “Of course she would say that... “ Adagio grumbled. “But she’s right, and I AM happy. It’s just… I’m worried. And then there’s our other problem. You live in Japan, and me… I’m stuck here in f-fucking Denver for the time being!” “We’ll make it work,” Takeru said and brought her lips up for a kiss. Quick, but passionate enough. “Y-Yeah, we’ll try…” Adagio said grasping his hand tightly. “We’ll have to.” “Well, I’m about done really,” Aria said pulling away from the bike. “Not much more I can do, really. I’d say this thing is actually… fairly battle ready the moment you decide to take it for another spin.” Here, she whacked Sea atop the head with her wrench, making her let out a little yelp. “And when I say do not touch the bike, do not touch the bike. But what did you do last night?” “...I touched the bike.” Sea mumbled. “Exactly,” Aria said giving her a pointed little look. “You touched the bike.” “Hey, it was either that or let Phoenix get himself killed,” Sea said the stress obviously starting to get to her by now. “So, I had a very good reason for touching the bike.” “Yes, but there’s one of those vending machines turned bikes right outside, like literally right outside,” Aria said. “You could have popped a cell in, and there off you go putt putt putt!” “But I grabbed my bike, my bike okay?” Sea said. “It was my bike or Phoenix died.” Aria groaned. “Ugh… Okay, yeah. Big girl in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you? You want to go a few rounds, I’m fine with that. Like, I am. Bet you couldn’t even last five minutes with a woman with severe anger issues.” “I’m a survivor, okay? I survived in a wasteland that looks like anything Dmitry Glukhovsky could come up with look tame. I think I can last a few rounds with you with or without the suit.” Sea snapped. Ankh was perched atop a crate once full of motorcycle parts and was nibbling away at a drumstick, long since stripped to the bone. He chucked, and both Aria and Sea looked at him. “What?” they snapped in unison, Aria going for the Friendship Spray. Again, Ankh chuckled. He was far too amused to even fear it right now. “I mean, are you the people who are supposed to be helping fight Miss High, Mighty and Golden? No, I don’t think so. So what are we, a team? No, no, no. Thanks to you two, we're a chemical mixture. Just absolute chaos. To put it simply, we're a time-bomb. So excuse me while I laugh in the face of you ‘stopping evil’ and all that,” Ankh drawled. “Let’s see, what do we have here? We’ve got a horse woman in a bug suit, a ditz, a woman with enough anger management issues I’m surprised she doesn’t turn into a rage monster. We’ve got an idiot, we’ve got firefly, we’ve got the overgrown watergun and last but totally not least we have the sea animal fucker.” “And we have you, a confirmed narcissist and possible psychopath,” Sea deadpanned. “So you want to chip in at any time, that’d be nice. Or Aria will probably shove that wrench up your ass if I don’t beat her to it.” Aria looked approving. Sonata popped her head in. She then spritzed Ankh with the Friendship Spray -he yelped and swore as ever- and gave Sea a look. “Hey, be nice. Nobody will have any things shoved up in any of their places,” Sonata said trying to defuse the possible ticking time bomb as aforementioned. “Oh god, where is my CBD?” Aria muttered leaning back in her recliner, a dusty old thing that had probably seen better days. “Like, I could so use some just dealing with Ankh alone.” “CBD as in… Cannabis oil?” Sonata blinked swearing she misheard. “You smoke pot?” “It’s not pot, it’s a relaxer you dolt!” Aria said. “It’s anything but pot, so shut up!” “It’s pot!~! You smoke pot~!” Sonata singsonged and Ankh and Sea shared a look. They both suppressed a snort.  “It’s the non-psychoactive stuff. It’s not gonna make me high or anything you dingus,” Aria explained. “It just helps me with anxiety and other shit. Been trying to get some for Adagio for years. She always refuses, not sure why.” “Because it is pot!” “It’s not…” Aria started reaching for her sister before deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. "Look, if it helps you any Fluttershy takes the stuff as well. Perfectly alright with her. A mutual friend of ours, Tree Hugger -you know, the yoga girl down at the center?- hooked us up. ...and now I realized that's helping neither of our cases.” Aria made a mental note to apologize to Tree for making her sound like a drug dealer. Oh well, it could have been worse. At least Tree drove that Tesla around instead of one of those big bulky and rather intimidating Escalades. Then again that was a whole different lifestyle choice with the rap and the gold chains and shit. ...not that there was anything wrong with that. “I've just been so on edge lately with Adagio being a Rider and this X and the Greeed I needed a release, y'know?" Aria said. "And yeah, before you say anything sex is nice but do I look like the type to be attracting long term boyfriends?” “...I thought her and Fluttershy were totally rutting…” Ankh murmured.  “Yeah, so did I…" Sonata agreed before turning back to her sibling. “But seriously sis, you need to give yourself more credit! You'll find-” Just then something fast, a white blur rocketed outside shaking the whole complex. Glass shattered, car alarms went off. “You hear that?” “Course I did 'Nata. And it doesn't take a genius to realize what it was,” Aria agreed going for her bike. She grabbed her phone and tossed Sonata her own. “Call Adagio. I'm going to follow SoulJar Boy here and see where he goes.” With that, she gunned the engine and tires squealed -smoke in her wake- as she took to the streets.  Messages flew back and forth between Sonata and her sibling, who was rushing to the scene on her own bike.  “So, what do you think it is, why is he popping out of hiding like this and that?” “Guilt? Maybe he’s drawn to you sis, you saved him from that lab and all that and so maybe he’s been trying to figure both out you and whatever X did to him.” “You really think so?” “Don’t get your hopes up sis. Do not get your hopes up. I’ve seen where that leads, your desires churning whenever you fight. Yes, Takeru has been helping you but it still happens. It still happens!” “I’ll keep my head ‘Nata, I promise you that.” “Can you? Can you really make a promise to a girl that you can’t keep?” “...Don’t go quoting Cortana on me ‘Nata, only I’m allowed to do that.” “Be safe sis, okay?” Adagio whispered an “I will.” as she exited the elevator. She was on the uppermost floors of the Shiba Financial group. In the middle of the room there he stood, Kamen Rider Wraith. His wings, weathered and soaked to the bone made him resemble some fallen angel. Lightning cracked, and the room lit up. “Elias, is that you in there?” Adagio approached him delicately, not ready to go for the belt just yet. “It’s me, Adagio, remember me? I know you must be so scared, and so confused about what X did to you. I understand that, okay so maybe I don’t but I do want to he-Huurk!” She was thrown up against the wall by the phantom Rider, his hand around her throat. His wings had folded back up into his cloak. “Can you really look me in the eyes, while you kill me? I know what’s happening here, you’re like an animal lashing out. I get that. You’re scared.” She was tossed head over heel and landed on the floor with a crash. Wraith brought his foot down, and Adagio screamed out in pain. She couldn’t feel her arm, she couldn’t feel her arm. Then a zap, and Wraith trembled as Aria stood with a taser in hand. A powerful roundhouse kick sent him sprawling. “Apologies for following you sis, but I knew you’d do something stupid. He’s not like an injured animal,” Aria said as she helped her up off the floor. “He’s brainwashed, and only way I figure you’re going to knock some sense into him? Knock some sense into him.” “Y-Yeah, I see that now…” Adagio whispered as she went for the belt. “Same, Kujira, Ookamiuo: Sa-Ra-Mi-Uo! Sa! Ra! Mi-Uo!” Meanwhile, Sonata argued with Ankh. “Now, my sister is facing an opponent who put a Rider far more powerful and far more experienced than her in the hospital, there’s no way she can take Wraith on alone!” Sonata said. “Especially not with her… emotions.” “Tch!” Ankh said. “You humans and your flexible feelings. So, what’s in it for me. I assume you want me to help!” He was soundly hit with a riding crop. Ankh let out a yelp. “Oh my, I didn’t know you were-OWWWWWWWW! Goddamnit, you little bitch!” He’d been hit again. “Aside from the glory of the so-called King of Birds gaining fame for helping defeat a powerful opponent?” Sonata said with a devious little smile playing upon her face. “You’ll get back in good with Adagio, and I know she’ll feed you all the ice pops she can give you. Which knowing her pay grade is a lot.” Ankh was out the door before she could even say anything more. Sonata smirked and flexed her crop. Good not just on potential partners, apparently it worked on bribing birds. Oh, she was spending too much time around her sister wasn’t she? “Life asked Death, “Why do they love me, but hate you?” And Death responded saying, “Because you are the beautiful lie, and I am the painful truth,” Wraith said in full Masamune mode blocking spear strikes with his blade. “You don't  know what kind of person you are until the very end. So which are you?” “You’re like a broken record! And to answer your question, I’m the woman who never gives up hope.” Adagio said before she struck, and sent a powerful whirlpool spiraling around the room sending desks and papers flying. She lost track of Wraith though, and only ducked behind a pillar at the last moment. Machine gun bullets littered the sky above her. Adagio wanted to emerge but couldn’t. “Tch! Always relying on me to pull you out of the messes you get yourself into!” Ankh’s familiarly grating voice said. “Here, catch! Maybe you can do something with these!” He tossed three little birds her way, and with her good hand Adagio caught them and slotted them into the driver. Scanning them was a bit awkward, but it was doable as she whirled around to let Ankh do the deed. While this happened, Wraith changed forms again and roses filled the air. “Taka, Kujaku, Condor! Ta~Ja~Dol! The roses ignited, and Aria’s eyes widened as the room was consumed by flame. Then, the flames cleared as a familiar figure stood blazing true. Like a crimson angel, the figure leaped out of the fire six elaborate wings extended. The torso armor flashed, and a small disk appeared on one of Adagio’s arms.  “It doesn't matter how, those petals of yours will scatter now,” Adagio said flames licking her armor. Several were left in her wake as she strode onto the battlefield. “I will save you. That I promise you. Listen to me well as right now, I feel as if nothing can stop me now! The winds are as ever-changing as my own abilities, now don’t you ever underestimate the powers of the animal kingdom!” Several disks of fire were sent Wraith’s way and although he dodged these he couldn’t outmaneuver the kicks. Like a whirlwind, Adagio spun with her leg armor shifting to form what looked like talons to slash and strike at the brainwashed Rider. Then, using her good arm she haymakered him. Wraith was sent flying out the window, and shifted to his base form wings extending. He rocketed upwards, and on instinct, Adagio seemed to follow. Her armor ignited as she punched holes through roof and beam until they emerged on the roof. Wraith shifted forms again, to his Jack the Ripper based attire and mist filled the air. It was soundly blown away by TaJaDor’s powerful wings. But then Wraith shifted forms again, and a series of explosions threw Adagio to the roof. Meanwhile, Ankh ran and emerged onto the rain-slicked roof lightning flashing in the sky above. Adagio was barely using her arm shield to block powerful strikes from the La Calavera Catrina form’s scythe. She was then soundly punched in the face, and sent staggering back.  “Gah!” Ankh said, Aria right behind him watching with fearful eyes. It was then everything seemed to go out in a blur, and next thing Aria knew his body was on the floor. No, the body he had been possessing was on the floor. As for Ankh himself… Well, he was now controlling Adagio.  “As she said, prepare to scatter now,” Ankh said, all six wings on his -his- armor extended and ablaze with light. “You don’t get it yet, do you? This is my combo, the burning combo. The Hawk, the Peacock, and the Condor. It’s where my and Adagio’s desires intertwine. Meaning, I can do this. She’ll wake up with a headache in the morning, but it’s clear she won’t be able to beat you as is. I can, and now rejoice for you face the King of the Birds!” He became a blaze of red light, and Wraith became a blur of white as they battled in the skies.  “You don’t care about her, all you care about is the fame and the glory!” Wraith sneered. “Perhaps,” Ankh admitted. “But you’re a little piece of trouble, aren’t you? And to be honest, I know exactly what it’s like to be controlled. Yet you’re so naive, people always betray people. You just haven’t realized it yet!” More speed was poured on and the two battled above the cityscape trading blows time and time again. Glass shattered as a sonic boom was unleashed over the city, and at one point Ankh did a scanning charge. Wraith was kicked through one end of a building to the next. But he seemed to take damage like a tank. Ankh contemplated a Giga Scan, that might do it. It also might kill the fool, and he knew he’d catch hell -and more importantly, be deprived of his precious pops- from Adagio if he did that. So, instead, he opted for the softer option. The softer option being to draw back his fist, of course, and unleash a powerful blow. Wraith’s helmet shattered, parts of it falling to the floor.  “Good, now did that wake you up?” Ankh said after another roundhouse kick -with talons extended- knocked Wraith to the floor. Wide, blank eyes stared out at him. Ankh shrugged. “...I guess not. Oh well, maybe a few more knocks and blows will-” “Magic rings are in! The last hope within!” came the Ghost Driver’s voice and Ankh just barely dodged a flame powered kick. There stood Ghost, dressed in attire resembling that of Kamen Rider Wizard. “That’s enough,” he said gently. “Now, I know you want to be out and about for showtime, Ankh, but would Adagio ever forgive you?” “Tch, screw you Firefly,” Ankh said throwing a punch that Takeru caught. “Just because you’re her boyfriend doesn’t mean that you get to dictate her life.” “No, but neither do you. And yet you did from what I heard from Eiji,” Takeru said blocking another blow. “Now release her, and allow me to undo some of X’s work.” “Of course, it was Kougami. Always stepping in where he’s not needed!” Ankh said grabbing Ghost by the shoulder and running him through a wall. “And you’re not exactly earning my respect either!” “I’m holding back, I could easily go into Mugen if I wanted and draw you out if not for the pain it would cause Adagio,” Takeru said making Ankh stagger backwards with a magic-infused palm thrust. “I’m willing to bet Mugen could kill you and we’d have one less Greeed in the world. Would you like to test that theory?” Ankh collapsed and released Adagio, the transformation canceling itself out. He floated above the woman, her normally long and beautiful straight hair in curls. It actually was frighteningly similar to that of the other Adagio’s. Takeru wondered if Ankh did that as a twisted joke. Knowing him, probably so. “Now for…” Takeru said going into Himiko form, the driver ringing out another tune. “Future Seeing Eye! The Queen From Yamatai!” it rapped as Takeru’s attire became a shocking pink. Readying some enchantments, he groaned out as he saw Wraith had vanished. Adagio for her part was leveling Ankh with a deadly glare, and the arm seemed to shrink under her look. It soon retreated to his body of choice, and ripped all three of his red medals out of Adagio’s grasp. “This was the only time, I only lent them to save you and you still found a way to screw it up,” Ankh hissed looking about ready to choke Adagio before he seemingly thought the better of it. “But good on you, I’m feeling generous today. I won’t kill you for not showing the proper form of respect towards my cores capiche?” “So what will you do?” Adagio asked not sure she really wanted to know. “Haven’t you guessed?” Ankh said. “I’ll be using them properly.” He shoved them inside his body, and for a brief second twin rainbow wings erupted from his back. They were ghostlike in shape and form and for a brief moment, Adagio wondered if he could truly fly. But it was not to be, as both shattered a second or so later. “So that’s how it’ll be eh?” Ankh said and if Adagio didn’t know better she could have sworn he was… crying? “I see… I see…” He trudged off into the night, and into parts unknown...