"Give me the deck."
I spin around to find the voice that just spoke to me. I want to believe that it's not him, but I can't wish for such things. As I finally come to face the man I didn't want to see, he looks me up and down, and opens his mouth to talk, probably to ask me again, I interrupt him.
"Daisuke."
He's taken aback. I figure it's because he thought I forgot his name, or at least that I wouldn't recognize him after so long, but I can't count on that, he does know me after all. So I pocket the deck, and he takes a step forward, he must want it bad enough, either that, or it's the EWO's orders.
"Virgil, please give me the deck."
He only says that because he knows that I would've made a smart remark, one that we would have used to laugh at together, but now, it wouldn't even put a smile upon his face.
"I knew I shouldn't have transformed. You guys still have tabs on us."
"We only detected one Rider in this area, and you're holding the Taiga deck, so I'm forced to figure that it's you," he says, taking another step towards me. I know his angle already, so he springs it up on me. "Given the recent police reports, the killer is whoever is using that deck, but only you and I would know that."
He's got a point, but if he still knows me, then he'll know what I'm about to tell him.
"I'm IXA, through and through, and you should know that more than anyone else. Besides Daisuke, this deck is fake."
Daisuke looks at me as if I'm crazy. He must have really lost his edge thanks to joining the EWO.
"Prove it then," he says without remorse. At this point it doesn't seem that he cares what I have to say, the only thing he wants is the deck, but I'm not giving it to him, not without a fight at least.
"Prove it yourself," I say as I throw the deck to him. He catches it haphazardly, and then stares at me. I point to a mirror behind him, one that's required for all users of those decks to transform. He turns and points the deck at the mirror, but nothing happens, further explaining my point.
"Both you and I know that a belt should've appeared around your waist. The deck is fake."
"I see," he says, as he puts the deck in his pocket. "But tell me how he turned into Taiga?"
"The EWO has you trained well," I say, knowing that it will strike a chord in his system. It was always Daisuke's duty to protect the people, and now that he's the EWO's lapdog, it hurt even worse.
"Tell me how he was able to transform, or I'll be forced to arrest you for the murders!"
"Fine," I say, and walk over to the still burning remains of the person that used the fake deck, and pull the perfectly preserved belt away from the corpse. "There you go, fake deck, fake belt." I throw the belt on the ground, remembering that I gave Daisuke the deck by accident, I tend to do things like that sometimes. But Daisuke never goes for the belt, and not once, does he even set his emerald green eyes upon the belt, all he does, is stare at me. At this point, I know what's up.
"I have to take you in Virgil," he pauses for a second, and as I open my mouth to say what I need too, but he finishes his sentence first, "for using IXA without permission."
"Aww man," I scoff, and kick the ground. I know that would've made Daisuke laugh, but he doesn't, the EWO trained him well, and like a loyal dog, he obeys the code without flaw.
"This isn't time for games Virgil, this is serious. You were instructed three years ago to stop transforming-"
"And have all of my information as a Rider erased from government records, but I'm guessing that didn't happen, because you 'detected a Rider in the area.' This whole thing was never about the murders was it? It was all a ploy to flush me out so you could come and get me to join up with the EWO!" I am furious. I want to hit him square in the jaw, and watch him hit the ground, but I can't let myself do it, yet.
"I have to obey my orders," he says, and now I find myself wanting to break his neck instead.
"Your orders are bullshit! You were my friend Daisuke, and now, now you're just a government dog. You let your sense of duty take you over, and let them control you, mold you to their will, just because you wanted to save humanity. Why couldn't you have gone on living your life normally like the rest of us? Why couldn't you have just fought from the side like we do?" He doesn't speak, and that's because he doesn't know what to say. He's hurt, I can tell. He's beginning to remember our past, our friendship, our hardships, and most importantly, fighting together when the time came for it, but in a few minutes, the EWO's training will take over, and he'll snap back into EWO mode.
"Either give me the IXA knuckle and the belt, or I'll have to arrest you." And it's like he read my mind..
"I'm sorry to say this but I'm not doing either."
"Then by direct orders of the Exodus World Order, I hereby order you executed," says Daisuke, his voice going sour at the end. I know he doesn't want to fight, but because his duty calls for it, he has too, he wouldn't want to disobey his precious EWO. So he takes another step towards me, closing the short distance that we once had in between each other. And then it appears. His belt, the mighty Arcle, is now around his waist. He looks up at me, this time, strength displayed greatly in his eyes. "I'm giving you once last chance. Hand over the IXA knuckle and belt!"
"I thought being arrested was an option?" I get smart with him because I know how he'll react, or at least I used too. Before I take down my old friend, I would like to believe that he is still in there.
"You want to be arrested?" he asks, his tone lightening up this time. Too bad he won't get the answer he's looking for.
"Sorry man, but even if you do arrest me, I lose the knuckle and belt anyway." Daisuke sighs, but not in relief. He really doesn't want to fight me, but I know it won't end up like that, he has to. "Besides, I've always wanted to beat the shit out of you."
"Henshin!" he screams, and now the fight begins.