Kamen Rider: The Fall of Shocker

by Sir Koji

A sequel to The Third, based on the rumored title. Kamen Rider X and Amazon continue fighting Shocker as they are drawn into the conflict already established. Shorter and not as good as The Third, I admit, but The Strongest will redeem me, I hope.

It should be noted, that along with the original casting rumors, these are the alumni cast:

Keisuke (X) - Faiz's actor

Daisuke (Amazon) - Kabuto's actor

Ryoko - Misaki (Kabuto)

Kiriko - Hirose (Blade)

Nakano - Hibiki (Hibiki)

The image designs are based on custom SICs found for the two Riders. Shocker executives are based on their old looks and no true designs, Apollo Geist is based on his official SIC.

I also apologize for formatting. I forgot that formatting is not required for this site, but there is too much for me to fix, as I have other work to do. I really do apologize for my perceived laziness, but I'm on a schedule for another project I hope to upload today.

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Kamen Rider: The End of Shocker

[i]"Great Leader is very displeased."

"He's coming very soon to oversee things as a result."

"Work it out. This is your last warning."[/i]

[b] It has been three months since Kazami Shiro encountered Colonel Zol, and with the help of Hongo Takeshi, was able to deal a damaging blow against Shocker's Japanese branch. As a result of the newly dubbed "Kamen Riders", Shocker's executives have gotten to the point where they have grown worried and a somewhat hectic to prove themselves, lest the wrath of the Great Leader befall them.

Doctor Shinigami and Colonel Zol have as of yet been unable to root out the two Kamen Riders – the escaped Hopper and Hopper Version 3 who were once Shocker Kaizo Ningen – and are now under increased pressure, especially with the appearance of another Shocker elite threatening their well being with his arrival.

Ambassador Hell, Colonel Zol, and Doctor Shinigami now set out under Hell's guidance in order to eliminate the two Riders. What they don't know is that there are other threats to them as well.[/b]

Three video screens flashed to life before three figures. One figure clothed in all white, along with a black cape with a crimson inside and somehow still dark hair stood, the oldest member of the trio. Doctor Shinigami; the genius behind the [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i].

The second was a man dressed in a military uniform of dark blue, white and black, with an eyepatch over his left eye, arms folded over his chest, gripping a riding crop hard in his hand, filled with anger at his quick drop in trust, at his quick demotion. He was Colonel Zol.

The third figure was wearing black armor with some gold. His hands were golden, along with the Shocker emblem he wore as a belt buckle. A long crimson whip hung from his right hip. He wore boots to nearly his knees, with some silver studs lining the tops, along with going up his legs and down his chest and arms. His black leatherwear stood out, shining in the minimal lighting. He had a larger gray piece of armor around his upper chest and his shoulders which connected to the helmet he wore, larger than his head by almost three times. His head sat in the center, his face the only thing visible. The golden Shocker emblem sat on his forehead, and two golden horns springing out to the sides from this point. His cape, unlike Shinigami's, was pure black and leather. He was the newest arrival, the elite Shocker known as Ambassador Hell.

Youth sat on one screen, while Lady sat on the other. They were on opposite sides, with the center screen being pure black, with the occasional burst of static imagery. There was a static sound constantly humming out from it, with no understanding to be heard from it by normal, mortal ears. [i]Kaizo Ningen [/i]were more than normal humans; they were able to hear this message; the divine message of the Great Leader of Shocker.

This base was the nearly skeletal remnants of the base that the Hoppers had attacked three months ago. Most was gone, but this inner chamber remained, allowing the three to still utilize what technology had survived, along with what Combatmen had also survived the slaughter.

Hell stood in the center of the three, nodding to the static sounds. He opened his mouth to begin speaking, but Zol cut him off, speaking with his accented Japanese.

"How could you persecute us like this?" he hissed foolishly at the black screen, "We've done nothing but serve loyally! I have won every battle you have thrown me into ever since I joined the ranks of Shocker! My leadership skills are unmatched in the field; my strength and speed unrivaled, so why?"

Youth snickered. Lady's face didn't change. Hell turned to look at Zol, saying nothing.

A screech came from the black screen. Zol screamed out and fell to his knees, grabbing his ears, trying to block out the sound without success. Shinigami and Hell looked at him without remorse. He had spoken out against the Great Leader, after all.

"You've had three months to speak out, and yet you have not," Youth said absently, "Why wait until now?"

Zol looked up as the sound was ending, "Because this is the first audience with the Great Leader that I've had the honor to be at since then," he muttered.

"You could have told me," Youth said.

Lady looked to him – her screen of him. She shook her head and folded her arms over her chest, "You think too much of yourself."

Youth glanced to her screen and only smiled slightly, "You forget we're higher ranked than them."

"I don't hold myself so far above them that I confuse myself with the power of the Great Leader," she said, almost threateningly.

Youth showed nothing on his face. A small screech emerged from the black screen. His eyes widened slightly, and he nodded his head, "I…I understand. Forgive me."

It stopped.

"Thank you, Great Leader. Sir," he said.

Shinigami cleared his throat and spoke up, "We need a plan. You want us to succeed, Great Leader, but we have no plans currently. Is there a true reason you have called this meeting of us? To give us a plan? Or to check up on us when you already know we have nothing?"

"Oh…big mistake," Youth stated with a smile.

A screech emerged, dropping Shinigami with a shout of pain as he was pierced by the Great Leader's voice. He covered his ears on instinct, despite knowing it would do nothing to help relieve the pain.

Hell cleared his throat and spoke, "I have a plan, Great Leader."

The screeching stopped. Shinigami looked to him as he rose. Hell looked back and said one thing.

"No thanks for saving you?"

He drew his whip and span, slashing it across Shinigami's face, sending blood spraying to the floor and dropping the man, clutching his face where he had been cut. Hell looked at him without remorse, and then turned back to the screen.

"You have a plan?" Youth asked with interest.

"Go on. Tell us, Ambassador Hell," Lady said, unfolding her arms.

"Technology has been failing us as of late," Hell told them, sending a cursory glance to Shinigami, the man behind the [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i], the man to blame. He looked back at the screens, "What I propose is a shift in our objectives. We will still obtain everything we have striven for, but in a different way. A more efficient way. A way that won't fail."

"And what is this way you speak of?" Lady asked him.

"I have heard rumors of an ancient power in the Amazon Rainforest; an ancient Incan magic which we can convert into a weapon of mass power for ourselves. It is different from our usual plans, but it can work very well. I'm willing to lay everything I am worth to this organization on my thoughts, on this plan. Technology has failed us; magic can redeem us, and magic can lead us to domination of this world."

Shinigami was angered; his face twisting into a scowl, "How dare you belittle my research; my work! Are you trying to completely destroy what I mean to the great and glorious Shocker? My technology? Admit it, Hell. You're only suggesting this plan to hinder me!"

"And why would I do that?" Hell questioned, "I consider you of no threat to me. You are so far below me, it makes no difference to me if you are working or not. If you are despised even more or not. I have nothing to fear or worry from the likes of you."

"I'll make you regret saying that," he hissed.

"How?" Hell questioned, lifting his whip, "Do you wish to test me?"

"Perhaps we should intervene before they rip each other apart?" Lady suggested on the monitor.

"But this might be entertaining," Youth said with a sigh.

A buzzing sound emerged from the center screen. The two men stopped their bickering and turned, nodding to the screen; Shinigami submitting while Hell hooked his whip back to his belt and nodded in thanks for his plan being approved.

"We begin at once," he stated, turning with a swirl of his cape as the screens began to go dark one at a time, leaving Lady to look at them for a moment longer before she too killed her connection.

"Secure the Incan magic at once and utilize it to create a new world; a Shocker-controlled world," Hell stated as the two followed him, "That is our mission; that is how the will of Shocker shall be interpreted for the time being. It is how Shocker will once more rise higher than those who dare to oppose us."

"You think that we are weaker now because of the Hoppers?" questioned Zol angrily.

"We are," replied Hell, "I'm no fool. I know not to underestimate those men; those men who have given themselves the title of Kamen Rider. This base is testament to their abilities, after all, Zol."

Zol muttered angrily to himself as he followed, submissive for now, alongside Shinigami, following Ambassador Hell into what very well could be hell.

The night was dark and rainy; the rain falling in sheets with no end in sight. People ran to try to get to their cars or buildings to escape the downpour. One man was just running, however; running on and on. He kept looking back over his shoulder, but kept looking forward, apparently being fine.

He was a man in his mid-forties, wearing a drenched trenchcoat, with a strong willed, defined face, now run ragged from the rain and from his running. His dark hair was short in the front, the matted appearance from the rain at least not obscuring his vision. He looked onward as he ran.

Sirens started to ring out in the darkness. He looked back, starting to see a light shining in the darkness; the light of a policeman's car. He ran faster and stopped, turning into an alley and running down it to reach the next street faster. He ran across the street, a car screeching to a stop as it almost struck him. He pushed his hand off of the hood of the car and ran into a building with minimal lighting inside, closing the door behind him and running, the water trailing off of him. He met no souls as he passed through the building, through the outer rooms, searching for a way out or a place to hide perhaps, even.

He broke through a door, stumbling a little as he came into what looked to be a laboratory. There were a few labtables around, beakers, other jars, other equipment strewn about; some set up, others just sitting, presumably not yet hooked into place, still covered by tarps from a transport it would appear.

He saw an older man – about ten years older than him – with short dark hair which was losing its luster, and a bit of a weary, ragged face. He looked up from his work at the newcomer, "I'm sorry, this is a private place of work. You'll have to leave," he said.

A younger man emerged from a side room. He was around twenty, perhaps twenty five years of age with light brown hair hanging to nearly his shoulders in the back, covering over his ears and hanging down to his eyes. He had a rather kind looking face that appeared to know the rigors of hard work, but also of freedom.

"My father is correct. But…is something wrong?" the younger man asked.

"Perceptive eyes," the newcomer stated, looking around the lab, seeing robotic arms and heads, some torsos. A robotics lab, but that didn't matter to him. He was in too much of a hurry to be impressed. He looked back to the older man, "I'm going. Back door."

The older man set down what he was working on, "And why would you need to use the back door?" he questioned, "Why not the front?"

"Father," the younger man said, gesturing back with both of his hands, "This way, if you'd please," he told the man, "It's around the corner."

"I thank you," he said, walking around a labtable and heading towards the way the younger man directed him. He walked past the older man, who got a glimpse of a handgun in his belt, obscured otherwise by the coat. He grabbed the man by the arm to stop him, "Excuse me?" the newcomer questioned.

"Go back the way you came," the older man told him with a fire in his eyes, "Go, and we'll forget we saw you."

"And what's the difference if I use the front or back?" the man questioned him, realizing without much shock that the man had seen his weapon.

"If you walk out the back, it would seem we helped you. If you go out the front, you'll be forced into a possible confrontation, which works for us, since whatever you did will at least be partially amended by imprisonment."

"And I would walk out front just because you say this?" the man questioned, "Who do you think you are to say this to me? To order me?"

"Jin, Keitaro," the man told him, "The name means nothing to you; I have no power at all over you, but I can make you do this, or you will have the police bearing down harder on you. I swear that."

The younger man looked startled, "Father…"

"Keisuke, please," Keitaro said.

"You should listen to your son," the man told Keitaro.

"I probably should, but you don't frighten me," Keitaro told him.

"I'll make you regret saying that to me," the man said, sliding his hand up towards his coat pocket.

"Father!" Keisuke shouted, running over.

The man pulled a folding knife from his pocket and rammed it into Keitaro's gut, driving the blade up, slipping it under a ribcage. As the man staggered back, bleeding profusely from the knife being pulled free, he put his hands over the wound to try to stop the flow of blood, but was failing. He fell into a table and to the ground.

Keisuke grabbed the man an d tried to overpower him, but he managed to get his gun free into his left hand and fired it pointblank into Keisuke's chest, sending the deafening ring of the gun through the room, finding it much harder on himself due to proximity from having his weapon nearly to his chest.

The young man dropped, his chest torn open from the bullet. He rammed the gun back into his belt and ran, sliding the knife back into his pocket as he followed Keisuke's instructions and found the back door, fleeing the scene.

The sound of sirens could still be heard, coming closer. Keitaro crawled for Keisuke, having hope…until the sound passed by. Nobody would be here to help.

Keitaro gripped his son who was barely alive at this point. He looked down at his son's pained face, gasping for breath, probably having a lung clipped or damaged far more than that. His son wouldn't live for long.

"Keisuke…I won't let you die on me…I swear," Keitaro said softly, grabbing his son under the legs and under his back; sliding his arms under. He managed to somehow come to his feet after three attempts at getting up; managing to lift his son to the nearest table beside him, swaying with son in arms, swaying after his son was let onto the table.

Keitaro looked down at his son's chest, just seeing the scope of the damage now that he was under a stronger light. It looked absolutely terrible; horrendous. If he was any weaker of stomach, he would have been puking profusely, as many people would had they looked upon the damage from that near pointblank shot. Keitaro put it aside, seeing only his son dying, seeing no injury, no wound to drive his eyes elsewhere.

He prayed for strength. He begged forgiveness. He knew it had to be done. He needed strength to accomplish his goals; he needed the forgiveness for when it was all over. He didn't know if he would gain either from God and his son respectively, but he hoped sincerely that he could.

"What good am I as a robotics professor if I can't do this?" he asked softly, weakly, pulling supplies over and beginning work. An ambulance wouldn't come in time to save Keisuke; but he could at least stabilize his son with his technology. From that point on, there would be no hope in calling an ambulance. They would undo his work and kill his son inadvertently.

He had to do it all himself, or there was no hope for life.

"I'm sorry, Keisuke," he said softly, starting to work inside of his son's body, just hoping that he could survive the ordeals he would go through this night.

As Keisuke's eyes slowly blinked open, he understood that it was morning. He didn't know why; he just felt it. He was sure despite no windows in the lab leading outside. He remembered the previous night…or was it just a dream? An intruder attacking him and his father. It had to be a dream, or he would be in pain…or dead.

The first thing he noticed was that his vision was slightly tinged red. He reached up to his face, looking at his hands, seeing black colored gloves covering them. Confused, he sat up and looked at his legs, seeing gray colored clothing covering him down until his black boots. He looked down at the table, seeing his father's body lying there, asleep.

He hoped.

He leapt down off of the table, feeling…great. He felt stronger than he ever had in his life. He felt complete, in some strange way. He reached up, feeling a helmet. He found where the mouthpiece connected and took it off, setting it on the table before gripping the helmet itself with a hand on each side, lifting it clear of his head, letting his face feel the stagnant air of the lab, smell the smell of death and blood.

He looked at his father, seeing his shirt caked with dried blood. He realized that the smell of death was his father.

"Father!" he screamed, grabbing his father's body and feeling for a pulse. Of course there was nothing. He gripped his father to his chest, "Father! Father! What…what happened? Was…was it all true?" he shouted, grief-stricken, broken, seeing his father lying there dead from an injury that could have been helped.

If the injury was there, then he had to have been shot. It was true…it was all true…it was no dream, last night was reality; an all too dark reality.

"Why…why?" he cried, his tears falling to his father's hair, "You could have lived…why did you save me? Why did you…," he looked at himself, unable to tell what he was wearing, what had happened, "Why save my life? You could have saved yourself first! You had a chance of living a better life! You could have done so much more with your life than I can! You could have saved lives with your work…helped so many people…you're the better scientist, not me! Why? Why?"

It had happened, however. It was done. His father was gone, and he was still alive. This was fact…but it wasn't fact he had to come to terms with. He could agree that it happened, understand that it had happened…but he didn't have to agree. He didn't have to agree with his father on what to have done in this situation.

He would have done the opposite; saved the man with more to offer humanity.

Keisuke set his father's body down and rose to his feet. He looked at himself once more, and then walked in front of a mirror, looking at his new body.

He had black boots rising up to about a foot away from his knees. After his boots he wore gray fabric as armor, with a red stripe running up the outside of each leg. His knees had rounded pad-like armor on over the tops of the caps. He had gray colored lines running up parts of his legs, possibly as where fabric overlaid itself for more thickness and protection.

At his waist, the gray fabric of his chest hang down under his belt, but not too far. His belt was black on the outsides and back with silver along it, two rows of rounded holes. He wore silver bits on each side of the belt with an unknown purpose. The center was a half-circle of silver on the right side with a crimson triangle facing towards the left. In the center was a black turbine, while a small crimson handle struck out of the silver half-circle adding to the strangeness of the belt.

His chest armor was the same as the rest; gray and red. He had little gray on his chest, with the bottom covered in red strips with silver bolts driven through. Two crimson pieces per side, both pointed upwards. Above them, covering his pectoral region was a large crimson piece with black mixed in, with a "V"-like shape driving down on it.

He wore gray shoulder pads, much like he had seen on the news reports of the two men calling themselves "Kamen Riders". There was a crimson line running up the outside of each, along with coming off of the shoulders and going down the arms. Unlike the arms, the shoulders had bolts in them again.

He had gray gloves over each hand, rising up to nearly his elbows. Back at his neck he had a turned up collar of the thick fabric, probably for protection of his neck and throat. Tied around his neck was a black scarf hanging down his back; the scarf had two tails trailing down and was adorned with a yellow "X".

He looked back at the helmet he had worn, now lying on the ground. It was ray and black, with a little red. Had the mouthpiece been attached, there would have been a silver jaw with a silver lining going up the center of the mouth, with black on either side, boxed in by the silver. It was silver except above and below the crimson eyes; above was a line of black over each eye, going upwards, while below was a mark that looked to be a teardrop coming down. Rising between the eyes was a black piece as well, which rose up into a "V"-shaped black prong coming up from the center of the helmet with a crimson "V" overlaid and smaller, sticking between the eyes.

He walked back over to his helmet, turning it over in hand. He found himself staring at the teardrop marks below the eyes, and then back to his father.

"You knew…didn't you?" he asked his father's corpse softly, "You knew that you wouldn't make it…so you adorned me properly…as a Kamen Rider."

In the silence he looked back to his father, "That's what you meant for me…right? To make me into one of those masked heroes that fights the evils of this world? Or you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of this suit…just the implants, the cybernetic body. This is beyond necessity, father. What…what do you want done?"

And of course, only silence permeated the room.

He set the helmet and the mouthpiece on one of the tables and looked away from his father's corpse, "I swear I will avenge you, father. I will avenge us. I will find that man…and I will make him pay for this pain, for everything that had to happen. I don't hate you for saving me…but I do hate you for not trying to save us both," tears came down his cheeks, "But I'm not a father…I'm not in the situation like you were…I wouldn't know."

He turned back to his father, "If you wanted me to be a Rider for justice…or one for vengeance, I don't know. But know this…I am taking the name of "X". Kamen Rider X. I…I will execute that man…it won't bring you back – take away the pain – but it will bring me at least some peace, some joy. Don't think less of me, father…please, forgive me of the sins I am to commit."

He lifted his helmet and looked at it, nodding once to it, "This is who I am now…this mask is my new face, as Kamen Rider…"

"It is time to awaken," a voice cracked over him.

The man's eyes flickered open. He could see crimson lining around the outsides of his eyes. He was wearing something; a helmet of some sort. That's what he was seeing. The eyeholes weren't completely large enough for him, it would seem.

"What's…what's happening?" the man groaned, his voice sounding odd. A mouthpiece over his helmet?

"You were saved. I – we – saved you, Sosuke, Nakano. The police caught up with you…and you weren't vey…fortunate. But the great Shocker has given you another life! I have given you another life!"

He looked up at the man in white, "And who would you be…? What…what happened to me?" he shouted in demand.

"My name is Doctor Shinigami," he told Nakano, "The man who created this process."

"What process?" the man demanded.

"You aren't the patient type I can see," Shinigami said, putting his hands behind his back and turning his back on the man, "You are a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] now, serving Shocker. You are my final creation for the time being…you were made at the level of myself, of my two colleges; as an elite of Shocker…as Apollo Geist! You shall stand testament to the strength of the [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] in order to show Ambassador Hell that he is wrong! That technology is still strong enough to win the world for the sake of Shocker!"

"What…what is Shocker?" the man demanded, rising up from the table he was on. He saw a weapon lying at his side; a large lance-like blade. He lifted it and directed it at the other man's back, "Tell me!"

"Shocker is referred to as a terrorist organization by some…by others a sacred organization of science for the betterment of mankind," Shinigami said, keeping his back to Nakano.

"And what would you call it?" he demanded.

"Both," Shinigami said, turning to face him, "Many would only call us terrorists…they don't see what we do. They don't understand."

"What should I think?" Nakano demanded, "You…"

"We managed to obtain your corpse and revive you with our technology; bring you back from the brink of death," Shinigami told him, "So what would you think? I'm not here to put opinions in your head…just to make points to you."

"What points?" he demanded.

"You will serve Shocker willingly, as a powerful [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i]. Beyond the scope of any normal modified human before you. You serve alongside myself, Colonel Zol and Ambassador Hell…and you can do as you please. You will be a ruler in this life when the mission is accomplished," Shinigami stated, "How does that sound?"

"That…that sounds amazing," Nakano said simply, nodding, "What did you call me again?" he asked.

"Apollo Geist," Shinigami told him, "A name to be symbolic of your great strength and abilities as a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i]. You are stronger than any man; faster, when putting your strength to your legs. You have become far more resilient, far more powerful…smarter, increased senses…you have become greater than any human. Greater than most [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i]even…even those who are self-proclaimed heroes…Kamen Riders. Live up to your name, and serve us."

Apollo Geist was clad in bronze and black armor, adorned with some dark blue and crimson. He wore dark blue armored boots along the feet, while rising up to his knees his armor was bronze. The armor at the knees was gilded with slopes coming up off to the sides from this armor. His armor along his body was black here, gilded along the rest of his legs rising up to his waist where he wore a thick dark blue armored belt with a large circle in the center, holding a crimson object of intricate design in a circular shape.

His chest above the belt was black, well defined muscularly. He wore dark blue gilded shoulder armor that was rather rounded, with some armor coming down very slightly onto his arms. His arms were black armored and gilded, showing muscles. At his elbows he wore gauntlets down to his wrists in dark blue with more gilded patterns along them. His gauntlets themselves were dark blue and black in a mix.

At his upper chest he wore red feather patterned armor that hang down onto his chest. A few feathers of various sizes – all of them larger than any feather could be. They were purely ornamental, possibly representative of the rays of the sun. Gold ran along the outsides and the necklace portion that allowed it to set on his armor itself.

Around his neck, atop the sun-like designs, he wore a cape of white and crimson, hanging down to nearly the ground. It served only to give his armor a more regal appearance; that of a god. Crimson flame patterns danced along the bottom of the cape, rising upwards. On his body, rising up above the cape, was an armored collar to protect his neck and throat. It was similar to what other [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i]– such as the Kamen Riders – used.

His crimson helmet stood as a testament to his godly appearance. A crimson mouthpiece sat snug within the crimson helm. The helmet rose down to cover his sides and back, while the mouthpiece covered the front for him. The eyeholes were currently the only things that allowed a true opening; slits slanting up to the upper sides. The front of the helmet had a point heading down which overlapped the top of the mouthpiece. Other than that, it was rounded and perfect in design; smooth, unmarred.

Off of each side, sloping upwards, was a wing-like pattern; consisting of three separate parts connected together in order to form the wing-like pattern. They slanted up, as if to rise to the heavens, slanting back like wings would in flight away from a body.

His weapon was just as fearsome and befitting his appearance; it was a lance that covered to his elbow on whichever am he wielded the weapon on. Encased in a gold and silver case, his arm would slide in and his hand would take grip of a hilt running sideways to allow him to wield it and keep his grip on such a design. The silver rounded ending led way to a golden ending, becoming smaller, more compressed, with ridges rising upwards to hold a blade; doubling as both a lance and a sword's blade. It appeared a cross of crimson and silver, running down past his feet were he to hold it straight down while standing at his full height. The weapon was edged like a blade, but also made for thrusting, like a lance. It was extremely strong, resilient, and sharp, able to pierce even a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i].

"I will serve up to the name bestowed upon me," the newly appointed Apollo Geist stated, "I shall act like a god upon the mortals of this world…crush all who oppose the will of those I serve…as payment for my life. As payment for my power…as payment for my rule in this world when it is all over."

"Very good," Shinigami said with a wicked smile forming on his lips.

Nakano span and lifted his blade to Shinigami's throat, resting the tip at the other man's hollow, "Tell me…why shouldn't I just dispose of you, and of those others you mentioned? If I am a god among mortals as Apollo Geist…then why shouldn't I be sure that I am in a high position and unopposed?"

"Because you would end up a dead god," Shinigami told him with a dark inclination in his voice.

"You dare to think you can hold against me?" Nakano hissed, "I may not know the extent of this body's power…but I know I can kill you before you can do anything."

"Oh…is that certain?" Shinigami questioned him, "Do you know why I am named after the gods of death?"

"Why? Because you are one?" Nakano questioned obviously.

"Because I make even the gods of death fear," the Doctor told him softly, "You do not wish to oppose a devil…would you now?"

"I am a god," Nakano told him, "I will slay you, whatever devil you are."

"Ika Devil," he answered to the younger man.

"A sun god shall slay the squid devil," Nakano said.

"You are a fool through and through," Shinigami told him, "Do you think I am here alone?"

"You think someone else will save you?" Nakano questioned, "I see no others; hear no others approaching with my senses."

"You are a fool," Shinigami told him, "Just watch. Lower your blade and I shall look the other way."

Hesitantly, he lowered the weapon. Shinigami walked away, "I wouldn't wish to upset my host."

"You're smarter than your bloodlust lets on," he told the newcomer, leaving his sight.

The jungle spread out around him. The sounds of nature, the sounds of the animals of this place chirping and encompassing everything as he passed into their domain. The place was of a different nature than he was used to. He was an explorer, yes, but the Amazon Rainforest was something entirely different from what he was used to. It was a place of mystery, a place of unexplored beauty. He may very well be the first person to walk this part of the Rainforest. It was largely unexplored, after all.

He doubted that this place would be fully explored for hundreds of years, unless there were more dedicated men such as himself who would take the challenge. But in the year 1800, not many would seem to take the interest or challenge. But he was bored of everything in America. He wanted something new; something exciting.

The new year was the perfect time to do it. 1800…it felt like a dream to know that this was the year they lived in. Especially after all of the turmoil that had happened in the Colonies – now America.

He pushed a branch away so that it didn't hit him in the head, and then sat down on a log after passing it. He took out his canteen and drank a small swallow from it. He needed to conserve his water, after all. But he needed more. This canteen was almost empty.

"I won't die here," he breathed. No. He had come too far. "Yorktown didn't take my life…neither will you. And the British were much better than some heat…"

Josef Baxter. He had fought only in Yorktown at the age of sixteen for the Continental Army. He had wanted to fight before that, but couldn't, despite the need for supporters. But he finally proved himself in that battle. He only killed one Redcoat, but that was fine. He helped in the battle. After the war had ended, he had lived out his life in Philadelphia for some time, but never made anything of himself. Instead he had started to learn, and had then left the newly formed America for something new.

He had managed to get a ship for himself and had done some light trading. It wasn't much, but it gave him stories and it gave him some income. The ship had nearly ruined him, however, and it was only with luck that he had managed to keep it and keep earning a living. He took his money and invested it into his ship. But soon, when he had heard of the Amazon Rainforest and the rumors about it, he invested in a trip.

This was his trip. It had taken him years to be ready, but he was here. He was ready for this. If he could find what was rumored to be here, then he would be set for life. He would have prosperity and happiness in wealth. He was sure of that. The wealthy and powerful seemed happy enough, anyway. He was certain he could be, too.

So here he was. In the Amazon Rainforest. He replaced the stop on his canteen and stood up, hefting his pack up as he started to continue. He was more at home on his ship now, but he still remembered the little marching he did under Washington. He was still strong, despite being thirty five and not having done much with his life since the end of the war that would give him a lot of strength.

The heat was getting to him, but he pushed on. He pushed branches aside as he walked, ducking under the next one so as not to disturb the web strung between it and the branch above it. He was very careful of spiders and lizards here. That spider didn't look like one he had ever seen, so he was careful.

He stopped once more to consider something he had considered often since starting. Where was he going? He had no idea. He was just hoping to find something. The stories he had compiled gave no information on [b]where[/b] to go, just that he had to find the Incans, or something. But where?

Maybe this was suicidal, going alone. Going with such little information – not that there seemed to be much more as it was. In his despair he drank a little more from his canteen before forcing himself to stop, lest he drain it all. He would die in that case, as he didn't know where to find water, other than dew in the morning. And this was only the afternoon.

"I'm going to die…," he said softly. He put his pack down and pulled items away, finally finding his knife. He looked at it, turning it over and letting the sun reflect slightly off of it. He swallowed hard, considering ending it quickly.

He held it tightly in hand, his knuckles turning white. He twisted it, putting the tip at his own throat, just holding it there, waiting. He didn't have the courage to do it. He would be dead by now if he did.

He didn't have the strength.

"If I'm going to die…I should do it…," he breathed to himself, looking at the jungle around him, "I won't let you kill me! Do you hear me?" he screamed at the jungle, "No! I…I will do it myself! I'm a soldier! I have the strength!"

But he didn't. He couldn't kill himself. No matter how badly he wanted to end his own life right there, he couldn't. He couldn't thrust slightly into his throat. He could just feel the steel there…but couldn't make the thrust.

"I'll do it!" he screamed again, as if to prove his strength to an unknown listener. But he could not do it.

He threw the knife aside, watching it vanish into the bush and bushes. He put his head in his hands, crying softly, "I…I can't do this!"

He had nothing to return to. No wife. No children. No family. Nothing; not even an empty house. He had sold it along with everything he owned on land for the sake of his ship, his business, and this trip.

Despair was setting in harder by the moment. There was nothing left for Josef now…no point left. He was running dangerously low on water, probably couldn't survive the night, or find enough water the next morning from dew. No matter what happened, he was sure he was going to die.

"I don't want to die…"

[i]"Then do not."[/i]

Josef looked up, looking around, "Who's there?" he called, standing quickly, "Who spoke?" he shouted, but nothing replied to him.

As he started to walk away, forgetting his pack in his panic – or his insanity, if he had imagined it – he backed into a tree. This stopped him, at least, but he couldn't think properly none the less.

He pushed past the tree and kept walking; looking around, partially in a panic, partially in a calm trance that he knew not of what caused it. Something seemed wrong, but he couldn't tell. Not in this state.

[i]"Come to me…Josef…"[/i]

"I will…," he breathed, not watching where he was going anymore. His eyes were opened, but sightless. He just walked, knowing where to go, somehow.

He didn't notice anything. The lizards that followed him, the birds that flew near him, following him. The sounds of insects had stopped, leaving only the breeze to rustle the trees to make sound.

And soon he stopped. There was something burning in front of him, something hot and intense. He reached out, but could not grasp it. It burned hotter, more intense every second.

And then he realized something as he came back to his senses. He had been bitten by a lizard. He looked at the ground, seeing the small horde of lizards climbing and clawing at him, biting him, injecting him with their poisons. He couldn't cry out. He opened his mouth to no sound; his throat felt as if it were closed.

[i]"Here is your fate."[/i]

So…this was his fate? To b led on by a mysterious voice and be bitten to death by lizards? To die of poisoned bites? No! This…this was too much! He refused.

Finally he could shout, "I refuse to die!"

No voice replied to him. Instead he just saw that glowing intensity before him once more. This time it moved closer, but was not hot, was not intense in feeling. It wasn't just his pain manifested before his eyes. No. This was something real. Something solid. Something powerful.

Was this something he had sought? This could be one of the Incan treasures of power that he had sought. That the stories he had heard spoke of. He tried to grab it, but could not. He refused not to have it. He refused to die without even touching it!

His next attempt gripped it. He held it tightly in hand. The thing was burning now, burning his hand, burning his body and his mind. Burning his soul. But he didn't care. He had it! It was his!

"I've found it!" he screamed as loudly as he could, "My mission! It is done!"

[i]"Congratulations, human. You have found this power that was once ours. You have proven yourself worthy of holding this object. If you take it, know that you will know unimaginable pain…but unimaginable power."[/i]

"Come to me!" he screamed, "I want it! I don't care anymore…I want it!"

The voice laughed softly. At him? It spoke.

[i]"Very well, then. Take the power, but know that you were warned."[/i]

"I don't need a warning," he said, "I know that power comes with consequence…I will take the consequences of my actions! Just give it to me!"

The voice didn't speak again. Ever again to Josef. The object erupted into light one more time, and then, Josef erupted into light as well, screaming in pain beyond imagine. His voice could have split the heavens, he was certain, with the magnitude of the pain, and how his scream would certainly sound. But there was nothing around to hear it, he realized. He saw no animals following anymore; he heard no sounds, not even the rustling of the trees or his own voice.

Was he really screaming, then? He was sure that he was…or was he wrong? But it mattered not. The pain had ended, he realized, since he was thinking clearly again. He turned around, finding himself taller. Somehow. He ached; his body was sore. But…despite the pain, despite this new uncomfortable presence that he was for whatever reason, he felt powerful. He felt wonderful in other ways.

He glanced at his right arm, seeing the snaking band of silver affixed. But…something was wrong. He looked at himself, and lifted his hands in the darkness of the cave he suddenly found himself in. And he screamed.

He ran. Hard. Fast. He glanced back over his naked shoulder, only hearing the sound coming. Feeling the reverberation in the ground. It was coming nearer, closer. He was afraid of what would happen if he was caught. There would be no hope for him if he was. He couldn't fight head on, not against something like…that monster.

He stopped, panting. He looked around quickly, and then leapt into some bushes to his right, off of the slight path that he had been on. He dug himself deep and flattened himself on the ground, looking at the path, where he could see footfalls if anyone walked past, but nothing more. He wouldn't be seen, with this many bushes around him.

However, a single shaft of sunlight fell down to his left arm, reflecting slightly off of the silver snaking armband he wore. He shifted slightly, silently. The sun didn't strike it.

If it gave him away, he was dead. He knew that as a fact.

He was a young man, around twenty five years of age at most. He was dressed in rough-spun clothing around his waist, forming something between pants and shorts, due to tears from his flight. He was barefoot and bare-chested, with a strong, toned, tanned body from his life in the Amazon Rainforest. He had black hair in a disarray, partially matted to his head due to sweat at this point. He had no memories of much, having lived here his entire life and being raised by the people of a friendly village. He wasn't one of them, he knew, and had no real name. Everyone called him "Amazon" for an unknown reason. The village elder told him that it was because of the armband he wore, but he wasn't sure how that correlated, and asked. He never got an answer.

When he asked about how he ended up in the jungle, when he clearly was not one of their own people, they gave him no answer, as they did not know. While curious, Amazon didn't need to know. He was happy here. He had a family, friends. But things were changing with this danger that had started to pursue him. It was after something, but he wasn't sure what. He cast a glance to his armband, wondering if it was that, since he couldn't remove it. It had to be something rather special.

He stopped breathing as he saw it appear. It was a large boulder, just rolling past. A large groove was being made in the ground as it went by. The rumbling was moving farther away.

That was the threat. The danger to Amazon, his friends and his family. There was no name for it, but the people whom Amazon lived with spoke of a myth of a creature called Gorgos; a demon bound to a boulder, but of unimaginable power. Amazon figured that this creature was where the myth came from. Or it was the myth.

He had never seen it before the day before. Nobody had in the village. It was as though it had just appeared, as there was nothing indicative of it appearing ever before, or any purpose for it, other than to kill. Nobody believed it existed, or seemed to. But he had seen the looks he had been given from time to time by the older villagers, but never the elder. His adoptive father. The looks were always to his armband.

As the boulder passed, he hesitantly rose to his feet and looked after the being who was departing. It was a large boulder with something along the base, but he couldn't discern what. They were round, ovular indentations; that much he could tell. He looked up the boulder, seeing the figure who never moved from its spot, as the boulder didn't roll. It seemed to slide over the ground, keeping the figure firmly in place.

The figure was browned red, rising up from his waist. At his waist was a silver and gold ornate belt of some sort, just coming out from the boulder. A muscular body rose up from the waist, with the back in grooves of some sort coming off of the shoulderblades, like spikes or blades. From the little he had seen of the front, the body was heavily muscled. The arms weren't thick, but they looked strong. From the elbows down, his arms had spikes coming back, his hands were tipped in claws.

His face was the worst part. A grotesque boar-like face of a demon and a man mixed together, as far as Amazon could tell. It made this monster look all the more threatening; all the worse to him. But, despite that being consciously the thing that was the worst to Amazon, subconsciously, his eyes drifted to the creature's right arm; to the similar armlet that was sitting there, glinting in the sunlight as the creature passed into patches of sunlight.

The name suddenly came to him, "GaGa Armlet," he breathed in Japanese, a language he did not know, but he knew he was of that location. He looked at his own armlet, "GiGi Armlet," he said softly, almost surprised to know the name. It was as if the armlet was speaking to him, telling him the names. He looked back to Gorgos, "I will stop you," he said to himself, "You killed so many people…"

He thought of his village, when he had come upon it. It had been destroyed; in flames and crumbling down around him. He had screamed out and gone searching through the rubble, finding no survivors. He had only found a few corpses, compared to the number he should have found. The elders were all missing as well.

So was his "family". That part disturbed him; nobody he was extremely close to remained in the village. He feared for them, wondering if Gorgos wanted his GiGi Armlet, and was using his closest connections to try to find a way to obtain it. If that was true, then it would be Amazon's fault if they died, or were tortured.

He tore at the object on his arm, but as always, it wouldn't move in the slightest. If he could give it up for their safety, he would in a heartbeat. He wanted nothing more than for them to be safe. Even if it meant having to surrender, he would do it. But since he could not remove it, he swore to kill Gorgos in revenge. His revenge would never bring them back, but it would at least kill the being whom had taken them, and possibly killed them.

He started to walk after Gorgos, running silently. He ducked behind a tree as Gorgos turned around when they were very close. But Amazon was hidden; unable to be seen or detected by Gorgos, who seemed to have a weak understanding of the location, and of how things in the jungle worked. So when the demon turned around, he ducked back out, getting a better look.

He nearly gasped and gave himself away. He bit his tongue to keep himself silent as he ducked back behind the tree once more. He slumped to the ground, shaking a little.

The indentations on the boulder…he knew what they were. They were faces. Faces of people he knew. And they were alive. They were twisted into agonizing screams, but they blinked. They moved their eyes. They were alive, and in pain.

He saw the elder whom had become his father. He saw a man whom had become his brother, and a woman whom had become his sister. Gorgos had taken their faces unto his boulder in order to force Amazon…because he would never let it stand that his family was in pain, or in this living hell. No. He needed to save them! Or at least reveal himself and try to put them out of their misery, as much as he despised the thought of them dying, by his own hand, no less.

But what could he do about it? Nothing! And as Gorgos kept going, the eyes of the elder fell onto Amazon as he stepped out again. They focused on him, making Amazon wonder if Gorgos would know, but he did not, and kept going. Amazon stood there, his body trembling in anger, in rage at what was happening.

He would see to it that they were all avenged. He would do what he had to in order to save them, even if he had to kill them. At this point his anger had come over him too much to make him consider surrendering the GiGi Armlet, if that was an option. No. He would slaughter Gorgos!

He threw his head back as the Armlet shone. His flesh began to ripple, shining slightly. Then he looked at his hand, now black and tipped with claws. He looked at himself, seeing what the GiGi Armlet had done to him. It had changed him; made him into something capable of facing Gorgos.

It was a cross of organic and armor that his body had taken on. He had black boots rising up to almost his knees, with blades erupting off of the back of his ankles and curling back up to his legs. His body was then a cross of leather and organics in green with red designs swirling over. His knees were protected by a cap of armor. It rose up normally again until his waist, where he wore a black and silver thick belt, with a design on the front, where there was a saw-like buckle with two handles in red coming out to either side.

His chest was orange and muscled, a cross of muscles and armor in look and in actuality. It was only the front of his chest that had this color; the rest had gone back to green and red along his sides and back. At his shoulders he was protected again by a cap, just like his knees. His arms continued down until they became black, almost like gloves, just past his elbows. His fingers were tipped in white claws. From the back of his wrists came blades, short, but strong, coming back.

Down his back he had a green and red spine erupting out, like a lizard. One spike of it was green, the next red, and so on. Four were green; three red. At his neck, his body came up, like a collar, to protect parts of his neck. He wore a white scarf that trailed down his back in two tails.

His face was like a lizard. It was green and red in design again, in a feral design. His mouth was silver and capable of opening with fangs. His nose area on up became green and red again, with sloping back designs off the top and sides of his head. He had a small antenna coming off of the center of his forehead, and two crimson eyes. While the head could be removed like a helmet to reveal his human head, the eyes did blink, and he could bite, making him an odd combination of armor and flesh.

From his left arm he wore his GiGi Armlet; the object that had allowed him to take on this form and this power as Amazon. He was going to live up to his name and fight like a feral beast.

He would stop Gorgos, no matter what. He clenched his fist, biting his claws into his palm. He drew his fingers back, looking at the cuts in his palm which bled. They slowly started to heal. He looked after Gorgos, who was now out of sight. He threw his head back and let out a feral scream. He wasn't sure if Gorgos would hear. He wasn't sure that if he heard, he would come back or not.

He wanted to cry out to the jungle, to show that he was ready to fight. That he was here, and that if Gorgos heard, that he was ready for a fight. For revenge against him for his crimes, his sins.

This was going to be his vengeance.

Keisuke shouted, swinging out his sword. He drew it back and plunged it forward in a thrust, but his opponent parried the blade to the side and redirected his own into Keisuke's chest, ending their duel. Keisuke panted hard from the long fight. He had been stuck on the defensive; those two moves were his only true offensive attempt, and they had both failed him in the end.

"Keisuke-san, you need more fluidity in your movements," his fencing partner told him as he pulled his mask off, "You can't hope to win a duel without a strong offense. Your defense is good, and your offense is strong. It's just wild; you can't strike with it. You really need fluidity and calm. You're in a rage."

"I know, sensei," Keisuke said, taking his helmet off and tucking it under his arm. He shook his sweaty head, "It's…I just need to get better."

"Rage won't help you," his sensei stated, "You need to find a peace of mind. You need focus so you know what you're doing. Fencing, to me, is a battle revolving around calmness, as it lets you focus. It lets you see your opponent's move, and stop it. It lets you figure out your next move, and figure out how to get past your opponent's defense."

"Yes…you're right. You're the sensei," Keisuke said, giving in to that. He wasn't sure if he completely meant it or not, though. How was he supposed to keep his rage under control? His father had been murdered…he was a cyborg now, only alive because his father had sacrificed himself to save his son. And he was a Kamen Rider, by the title he had given himself. He was supposed to be fighting villains, like Shocker. Like the other Riders. His rage was what was fueling him.

"Tell me, Keisuke-san. What is your sudden interest in fencing?" his sensei asked, "You've been here for hours a day for the last week. It's more than most beginners do."

"I have my reasons," Keisuke told him, leaving it at that. He pulled his mask back on, "Can we go again?"

He sighed, "Keisuke-san…you're pushing yourself far too hard. Even if we kept going, I don't believe it would help you. You need to do something else…have you had a proper meal, or had a proper sleep since you started? It doesn't seem it, to me. You get a bit better each day, but you also get weaker and a bit sloppier."

"I'm fine," Keisuke tried to assure him, "Now, can we go?"

He shook his head, firmly stating, "Keisuke-san, come back in three days. Just get some sleep, get some proper rest. A good meal. You're working yourself ragged for reasons you refuse to divulge. Is it really that important that you risk your own body?"

"It is!" he snapped, "Please sensei!"

"No," his sensei said, walking away from him.

Keisuke shouted and drew up his sword, running for him in his blind rage. He swung it, since it lacked an edge. He span around, parrying to the side and thrusting for Keisuke. Keisuke dodged back, letting himself go, relying on his status as a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] as he swung his sword up to knock his sensei's aside. He thrust, but his sensei parried it down with speed greater than Keisuke had expected.

Keisuke swung up again, meeting their blades. With all of the strength he put into it, the other blade snapped as he brought his blade up. In his rage, thinking of the man who murdered his father – how he needed this skill for the Ridol – he thrust forward, sending the tip into his sensei's suit.

His sensei stumbled back, pulling the tip out as a result. Keisuke realized what he was doing, dropping the weapon. A small bit of blood was on the tip. He had plunged through his sensei's fencing suit.

"What…what was that…?" his sensei breathed in question, in shock.

"Sensei!" he ran over, grabbing his sensei, "I'm so sorry! Please, let me get you to a hospital."

"I'm…I'm going to be fine," he assured Keisuke, "You…you on the other hand…what was that…?"

"I'm so sorry, sensei," he said, unable to say anything about himself, "If you want me to leave you…I shall."

He grabbed Keisuke's hand, "Come back to me when I told you to. You…you have potential. Your strength isn't suited for fencing, but…if this is so important to you, then I shall continue to help you."

"Thank you, sensei," he said bitter-sweetly.

"Where have you been?" the woman across the table at the outdoor café asked Keisuke after they had tea brought to them.

"Ryoko-chan, I'm sorry," he said, "It's just that…well, you know that my father was murdered…I've just been…picking up the pieces," he admitted softly, not wanting to think about it. He took a drink.

Ryoko Mizuki was Keisuke's fiancée. She was a young woman, twenty four, about a year younger than Keisuke was. Brown hair went down past her shoulders, in ringlets after her shoulders on the rest of the way down, with a very kind, beautiful face. She worked at a corporate headquarters of some sort. She didn't like to talk about her job, citing it as very boring, so Keisuke didn't pry into what she did exactly.

She nodded and drank a little before sadly stating, "I know that I would be the same, if I lost a family member to murder," she sorrowfully admitted, "I'm sorry…I…I didn't think of that…"

"Don't worry about it," he said sadly, "I don't blame your accusation."

"I…Keisuke-kun…I should have been there that day, with you two," she said softly, "Maybe…maybe I could have helped your father and you…how is your wound?"

"It's fine," he said, "I healed. But…even if you were at the lab that day…father never had a chance to survive. Even if you were there, you couldn't have helped. No more than I could have, if I could have done anything."

"I like to think that we could have," she said softly, "It's…it's all I have. It's all I can do to stop myself from feeling guiltier."

"You could have died," he put in, silencing her, "I'd rather not have that happen."

She smiled weakly, "Thank you, Keisuke-kun," she said softly.

"Ryoko!"

They both looked to see the person approaching them. A young woman, around Ryoko's age. She was a year younger. She had the same beautiful face, but not quite the same in appearance, as they were not twins. She had black hair in place of brown, wearing it straight, and a little shorter than her sister. She wore the same type of professional women's clothing that would be appropriate in public or in the office.

Keisuke smiled, "Kiriko-san," he greeted with a nod.

She smiled back, "Keisuke-kun," she said. She reached over and took Ryoko's arm, "I need to borrow my sister for a few minutes."

"Go ahead," he offered, "I'll be fine waiting alone."

Kiriko nodded, "Come on," she told her older sister. As they started to leave the table, Kiriko looked back, "Keisuke…I'm very sorry about your father," she offered softly.

He smiled a little, "Thank you for caring," he said, looking away a moment.

She just nodded and led Ryoko off. Keisuke kept his seat, taking another drink of his tea and leaning on an elbow, looking off at the other tables. At other couples. Families. He saw a young man with his older father – or whom Keisuke assumed was the man's father. He smiled at that, smiled more than he did seeing the couples. Was that wrong? No. He didn't think so. He had just lost his father…he still had his fiancée.

He looked after Ryoko and Kiriko, but they had gone farther off and presumably around a building. That was strange, certainly. But he didn't question it. If they wanted privacy, they certainly got it. Or maybe Kiriko had something to show her? He wasn't sure, but it didn't bother him.

He set his cup down and looked at his hand. When he wasn't fencing, he was at home, or the lab, or somewhere else. He would be using the Ridol and practicing hard. He lacked a glove when he did that, unlike when he was fencing. His hand was cut up and raw, blistered. He had been surprised when Ryoko showed no concern or shock when they took each other's hands. Maybe she would bring it up…maybe not. She knew he was fencing; he had told her that once when they had talked briefly on the phone the other day. Maybe she didn't know a glove was used, and assumed it was from that.

But that would raise more questions. Why wouldn't she ask about why he was fencing? He had never done it before, so it should have seemed odd. But…again, he didn't question it. She probably knew he needed some sort of release. Maybe she figured fencing was how he relieved his stress, his anxiety over his loss.

He leaned back in his chair and waited there. A few minutes had passed by now, and still Ryoko and Kiriko were missing. He took another drink of his tea and looked at Ryoko's. It would be cold by the time she returned. His was already getting a bit cool.

He looked at the tables again. Some people had left already. That was to be expected. What he didn't expect was to see some people running to and from a place around the corner. Was something going on?

He pushed his seat out as he abruptly rose, rushing over in that direction. He looked back once, but didn't see the sisters. He started running again, heading around the corner to see some people waiting outside of a building, watching. These people were usually younger; people who didn't care about the consequences of things in life. The sensible people had been the runs fleeing.

It was a bank robbery, it seemed. Keisuke flexed his hand, feeling the cuts and blisters well when his fingers brushed his palm. He ran towards the bank, pushing a kid aside to get a look in the window for a moment.

He saw hostages. They were on the ground, hands over their heads. They were numbered around seven or eight, but it was hard to tell. He saw a man behind the counter, bent over, getting money. He didn't let the tellers do it for him, and left them standing against the wall, faces to the wall, hands behind their heads.

He wasn't afraid, clearly. He was cocky.

Keisuke looked around, and then ran from the group, going through an alley two buildings over, and running to try to get behind the bank. When he came out, he turned and ran, pulling his shirt aside to look at his belt, but he covered it again when he reached the bank, finding no back door or windows. He put his hand on the wall and pushed, straining himself if he were a normal man. But as a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] he was fine. He pushed through, breaking down the wall, certain to have made noise, but it couldn't be helped.

He ran inside, over the rubble, and towards the front of the bank. When he came around the corner, he saw the robber. He saw a gun on the counter next to him, but out of reach right now as he was stuffing a bag of money. Keisuke used his body's ability to move forward, reaching for the weapon first. The man looked surprised to see anyone.

So did Keisuke.

They both froze for a moment, but the man's was only to smile, "I thought you were dead."

Keisuke drew his shirt away and took grip of his Ridol weapon. He shouted and ran forward. As the man turned to throw the money bag aside, he looked back to Keisuke, seeing him armored as a Kamen Rider.

"Oh, interesting," he commented, "Didn't see that coming at all."

Keisuke kept seeing that fateful night. He continued to see his father dying slowly, and saw himself blacking out from being shot. He kept seeing his father trying to get the man to leave, and the failure in his bravery. His foolish, foolish bravery. His admirable bravery.

"I thought you died!" Nakano shouted, avoiding the swing of the Ridol by ducking and coming back up at his side, kicking Keisuke in the side. He stumbled into the wall and pushed off, swinging and shouting, but Nakano ducked, letting Keisuke smash some things off of the counter.

"Stop moving!" Keisuke shouted, spinning and hitting his Ridol, extending it into a longer pole. He shoved it forward, more like a spear, but Nakano grabbed it and pulled, pulling Keisuke in. He punched Keisuke hard in the gut, throwing him across the bank, smashing him into the wall on the far end.

Keisuke panted hard and pushed himself off of the wall, "What…what are you?" he questioned, "How could you do this? I'm not a human!"

"Neither am I," Nakano stated, walking towards him and snapping his fingers, letting a nice snap come off and hang in the air for a moment. "You survived…you deserve a proper death, so I will give you one this time."

Keisuke blinked. When his eyes opened again, Nakano stood in some sort of armor. He held a sword/lance combination on his right hand, and wore a rounded shield on his left arm. He lifted a helmet onto his head with his left hand, then loaded the faceplate on after, standing in his complete armor, very muscular and powerful looking. Extremely imposing.

"What…what have you become? Or…or were you this from the start?" Keisuke questioned in shock.

"I was never this," Nakano stated as he approached, slashing his sword to the side, digging it into the wall, leaving a line as he walked, "Now…I imagine you did that after I shot you…so I won't waste time asking. Now…come at me, boy!"

He had never expected a sword. Not one like that. He was practicing fencing for the sake of using the Ridol to its most effective, since the tip was stronger than the body. But against a weapon like that, he would have no real chance of winning a sword duel. But…he had no choice but to try. Ridol was built with four functions, perhaps the rope or net would be of use here.

He doubted it.

Nakano rushed him, swinging at his shoulder to arc down. Keisuke swung the Ridol up, managing to parry, but barely, walking backwards to open up space as he thought of what to do.

Nakano gave him no time to try his option. The man in the suit of Grecian armor threw a punch into Keisuke's right shoulder. Keisuke cried out as his Ridol weakened, letting the blade slash across his left shoulder and down his chest, throwing Keisuke back, into the wall.

He struggled with the Ridol, hitting a button on it as the sword was thrust for him. He directed the tip of the Ridol for Nakano as the weapon grew, extending into a long pole, hitting him square in the chest, but that only stopped him for a moment. Regardless, Keisuke took that moment and rolled aside, pulling the weapon with him and swinging his arm out, catching Nakano in the back of the legs with it, bringing him down.

He rose and thrust the long pole for Nakano's head. The other an swung his sword up, parrying the long pole away and went up to one foot, pivoting and coming forward with a punch, slamming Keisuke into the wall, leaving cracks running up it as he held back from breaking the wall with X's body.

"We're in completely different leagues," he informed with a deadly soft whisper, "You should surrender, boy."

"I won't surrender," Keisuke muttered, "Not after you killed my father!"

"Your father was a fool! I can see you, as the son, are as well!" Nakano shouted, grasping Keisuke by the scarf and whipping around, throwing him over the counter and into the bank lobby. Nakano put his foot on the counter and pushed himself up onto it, looking across the room to Keisuke, "Give up!"

Keisuke pushed himself up, barely holding the Ridol anymore. It reverted with the press of a button on the hilt, becoming the smaller rapier-like weapon that he was used to. He looked up, staring at Nakano for a few moments, "My father was no fool…he was a greater man than you!"

Nakano laughed at him, "Do you think I want to be a great man? Great in the way you define it? No! I want what I want in life…not to be looked upon by the normal populace as a great and wonderful man. No! I want to be known as a man to be feared; as a powerful man! And if you think I can be compared to your father, then you're a fool. We're opposites; unable to be compared. And I wouldn't want it any other way!"

"Then you're the fool," Keisuke said, struggling to his knees, leaning back onto his feet while kneeling, "Because my father was a man of respect, of dignity, one looked up to by others. You want to be feared, don't you? Well…fear can earn you respect, but not the right kind!"

"Who said anything about respect?" Nakano questioned, "I just want to live a powerful life!"

"You don't want fear?"

"I want what I want, like I said. I want a comfortable life with as much power as I can have. Shocker gives me that! Much faster than I could have my normal way."

"Your normal way was going to get you arrested," Keisuke told him, "So I guess that was your only option, wasn't it? That, or face retribution?"

"Shocker, prison, death," Nakano said, "I choose Shocker!"

"Then…what were you doing that night?" Keisuke demanded.

"I can't tell you, but it would have made me very rich," Nakano told Keisuke with a small chuckle.

"Rich enough to make a man's blood on your hands wash away?" Keisuke questioned.

"I feel nothing for murdering your father," he said, dropping to the ground and walking towards Keisuke, "In fact, you should! You didn't die, so he did! I imagine. From the wound I inflicted."

"Shut up…"

"You act so self-righteous here, coming after me for killing your father, when he could have saved his own life. It wasn't a serious wound. He had time. You…you didn't have time. If anything, your father's death is on himself, and on you!"

"Shut up!" Keisuke screamed.

Nakano grabbed him by the helmet, pulling the mouthpiece off and throwing it aside. He grabbed the helmet, pulling it off as well and looking at Keisuke's face.

"What…no tears?" Nakano questioned.

Keisuke rammed the Ridol straight up, ramming the tip into his foe's neck, managing to stagger Nakano back as he reached up with his left hand, making choking sounds from the blow. Keisuke ran forward, swinging his weapon into Nakano's chest with all of the force he could, following up by pivoting and ramming a kick into the same spot.

As Nakano stumbled back, Keisuke rolled, pulling on his helmet and snapping the mouthpiece back on as he span to face his foe once more. But as he did so, the doors smashed open to the bank.

Both men looked to see two women entering, handguns drawn. Keisuke was shocked to see this.

Ryoko and Kiriko. They both trained their weapons on one of the men, both firing.

Keisuke took the bullets to his right side, going down and stumbling a bit into the wall. The bullets hitting Nakano stumbled him back a bit as well, mostly out of surprise on both ends.

Keisuke almost called to Ryoko, but he caught himself as she shouted something.

"This is Interpol! Both of you Shockers are going to come with us. This building is surrounded! Now, just surrender, and you keep your lives!"

Nakano laughed as Keisuke's mind raced. Interpol? But…Ryoko was his father's assistant. And Kiriko worked for some company, right? This didn't make sense…

But then…he started to wonder. If that was cover, then why was Ryoko working for his father? As an Interpol agent? Clearly this was a mission, hence the sisters meeting. So…were they looking into his father…? No! His father didn't do anything wrong. It had to be something else.

"What's so funny?" Kiriko questioned Nakano.

"You think that guns can stop me? A Shocker?" he laughed, pointing his blade towards her as he approached them. Both women fired on him, but he didn't stop, only laughing further, as if to prove his point.

"We have an entire team waiting outside," Ryoko stated, "You aren't going to escape!"

"Oh, we'll see about that," Nakano said, rushing for them However, Keisuke ran at him, tackling him from the side and knocking him into the wall on the other side of the bank as he continued to plow his shoulder into the other man. As soon as he hit the wall, he rammed a fist into Keisuke's face, throwing him back.

Keisuke slid across the ground. He saw Ryoko moving in with handcuffs. She was a fool if she was going to try that. But he knew she was brave. Brave and stupid were completely different, however, and this was crossing the line into stupid. Were he a threat, as they figured he would be.

Keisuke pushed himself up and thrust the Ridol into Ryoko's face, keeping it a scant inch from her forehead. He looked at her, then lowered the weapon and ran for Nakano, who was running after Kiriko, who fired in vain at him.

Sliding across the ground and coming in with a low slash, Keisuke caught Nakano's leg with the Ridol. He stumbled and span around, plunging the weapon straight down. Keisuke just barely slid to avoid it as the ground was shattered from the impact of the thrust. Hitting another button to use the rope function, the end of the Ridol swung out, circling the blade and pulling taught as Keisuke pulled on it. He pulled himself in, pulling Nakano slightly towards him as he leapt up, kicking him in the upper chest as the distance of a few feet. As Nakano stumbled back, Keisuke pulled again, taking this plan into consideration.

If this could work, he could end it here, reveal himself, and hopefully get away. Get his fiancée and her sister to stop. Or, at the least, save their lives.

As he leapt up again, Nakano was pulled forward again. Keisuke drew his right leg up to his chest, focusing, and then he lashed the kick out, hitting Nakano square in the chest with all of the power he could muster. The rope came undone from the sword as Nakano was thrown into the opposite wall, leaving a large series of cracks running up it.

Keisuke landed, his right leg – his kicking leg – sliding out from under him as he took that leg down to a knee. He looked up at Nakano, who peeled himself out of the wall and came down to his feet, struggling a bit.

Both women aimed their weapons on him as Ryoko touched her ear, "Reinforcements, now!" she called before lowering her hand back to her weapon and keeping it perfectly trained on Nakano's chest.

Nakano looked at the two women, then glanced to the door to see the suited team enter, using bigger guns. He looked past the women to Keisuke, laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Ryoko demanded, ready to pull the trigger.

"I'm laughing at your foolish efforts, and at his attempts to defeat me!" Nakano explained, "But I must admit, I felt the anger in that blow, boy. You did very well."

"Anger?" he shouted at Nakano, "I…"

"You what? Fight for justice? So you don't use anger? Ha! No. You used your anger at me killing your father. Face it! You're not a hero of justice. You're just someone looking for revenge!"

"I am a Kamen Rider! A hero!" he shouted, using the name one of his predecessors gave to describe themselves as heroes, not just [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i].

"Then why do you fight with hate?" Nakano questioned, "I am Apollo Geist! Named after the god of the sun! Do you see me trying to act self-righteous? Of course not! Because I know and accept what I am. And that is not a hero. Not someone above who I truly am. No. You're trying to act above who you really are! You're nothing more than the son of a dead scientist looking to kill me for revenge!"

Ryoko quickly turned to look at Keisuke as Nakano said those words. He glanced to her, he eyes of his helmet locking with her eyes for a few brief moments as he wondered if she knew it was him.

She looked back, keeping her weapon trained, "Enough talk! Surrender, or we shoot!"

The other weapons all aimed for him. There was no way out, and even that many bullets would cut him down. Half that, even. He was dead if he didn't surrender.

"I am a Shocker! I will never surrender! Not to you," Nakano told them, spinning around and slashing the wall. Already weakened, it started to break down. He leapt through it as they fired on him, hearing bullets connecting, but as the team rushed through, while some turned on Keisuke, they found no body. He had escaped.

Ryoko walked towards Keisuke, "Helmet. Off. Now!"

He dropped the Ridol and pulled the mouthpiece off. He let it drop as he put both hands to the sides of his helmet, lifting it off. He looked up with his true eyes to Ryoko, seeing the surprise on her face that she tried to desperately to try to hide. But there was no hiding it. It was a pained shock. Shock at his identity. Pain at her actions.

"Arrest him. Name; Jin, Keisuke. A Shocker…"

"What?" Keisuke shouted at her, rising to his feet. Every gun focused on him instantly, "Ryoko-chan! I'm not a Shocker! Father did this to me…he died to do this to me, so I could live! Ryoko-chan! Believe me…believe the truth!"

"I see you standing before me as what we know to be Shockers," she told him, "You are under arrest."

"Tell me something…you're Interpol, so why did you watch my father?" he demanded.

"Interpol was interested in his technology," she said, "In case Shocker approached him."

"Did they think that was a possibility?" he demanded.

"It was, or he would be abducted. I was to watch and see what would happen," she informed Keisuke. Kiriko cleared her throat, but she looked to her sister, "He's…he's our target, our prisoner, but I can tell him this much."

"Tell me something, Ryoko-chan…," Keisuke muttered, "Did you plan on marrying me for love? Or…was this part of the act? To keep close to my father?" he demanded, his voice filled with emotion.

"I…," she said, trying to think. His question clearly caught her off guard.

"Tell me! I deserve that much, at least," he muttered.

"I agreed to marry you because I do love you," she admitted.

"Then let me go. You know you can trust my words!" he said, "Have I ever lied to you? My father did this to me to save my life. I'm only trying to avenge him. I'm not a Shocker agent! I'm fighting them! That man…he's the one I'm after! The one who caused this. And now he's a Shocker! Let me fight him! Please, Ryoko-chan!"

"It…isn't my decision to make," she said softly, "I'm sorry, Keisuke-kun. I really am sorry. But this is a decision from higher above. I have no say in this." She aimed her weapon at his head, "Now, put your hands behind your head."

Keisuke looked around. Everyone was ready to execute him if he didn't listen. He looked to Kiriko, who did indeed look saddened by this. He looked to Ryoko, who looked like she was going to cry. He wasn't sure if she believed him or not, but he slowly lifted his hands up, interlacing his fingers behind his head.

One man behind him lowered his weapon, letting the strap around his neck hold it. He pulled out his handcuffs and moved forward to put them on. Keisuke whipped around, backhanding him across the face, careful not to use too much power. He grabbed him and rotated, keeping an arm around the man's neck, using his free hand to lift the weapon at the Interpol agents.

Ryoko took two steps forward, lifting her weapon up, "Keisuke! Stop this!" she shouted.

"Don't look at me like I'm a criminal," he told her, "Please. I'm doing this for my father…and for everyone! By stopping a Shocker!"

"Keisuke!" she shouted at him, "I will fire!"

"You won't. You won't kill me…no more than I could kill you, Ryoko-chan," he told his fiancée.

"Keisuke!" she shouted again, her arms wavering as she kept the weapon trained at his head, over the man's shoulder. He knew she was aimed, but didn't move. If anyone, he wanted her gun aimed for the kill.

He used his hand on the man's gun to fire a few shots into the ground at the feet of some of the agents, "My helmet and weapon. Slide them to me!" he called.

"Do it…," Ryoko muttered, keeping her weapon up.

"Ryoko…," Kiriko started.

"Do it!" she said.

Kiriko holstered her weapon and crouched, sliding them across the floor to Keisuke and his hostage. He used his foot to bring them closer, then crouched, bringing the man down with him to his knees. He lowered the gun and used his hand to bring the helmet on, then attached the mouthpiece and slid the Ridol into the belt. He rose again, not taking the gun back up.

"I'm sorry, Ryoko-chan," he said.

"What do you mean sorry?" she questioned him, taking a few more steps forward. He looked only at her through his helmeted eyes, not willing to fight her or cause any more problems.

"I must stop that man, and avenge my father. After…I will come in and do anything you require. I will even bring his body, if you wish to see Shocker technology. But I can't stay here. I can't be arrested and detained by Interpol. I have to go after my father's killer! He attacked us pretty much at random, as nothing more than a common criminal…I refuse to let him kill more people now that he's a monster like this!"

"Keisuke!" she shouted, "What are you going to do? Answer me, or I will shoot!"

"You won't, Ryoko-chan. Just like I couldn't, and wouldn't, if we were reversed." He looked at the gun on this man, then to make his point, tore the strap, letting it drop to the ground so he couldn't utilize it.

"Keisuke…"

"I'm sorry. But I will be back," he pushed the man forward and ran to the wall. As he stumbled, one man pushed him down and lifted his weapon, firing rounds for Keisuke's back as Keisuke leapt up, kicking out at the wall he had slammed Nakano into earlier; the opposite side the other man had escaped from.

As the bullets hit him in the back, his kick tore the wall down, letting him drop down into the rubble and claw his way forward, back to his feet, as he took the corner, running from the bank. The men were already pursuing as Kiriko grabbed Ryoko's shoulder.

"You can't let your love for him get in the way…," Kiriko told her sister.

"I know. We have a duty to more people than we know…and my own feelings can't get in the way of that," Ryoko whispered, looking at her sister.

"I don't blame you, but you should have stood back and let me take over," she said.

"You could have done it?" Ryoko asked.

"It…would have been hard, but I could have tried," she told her sister.

"Tell me…do you believe his words?" she asked.

"I think he told the truth," Kiriko told her, "But even so, we can't let him go. We need to question him at least, and see his technology."

"Yeah…I know," Ryoko admitted quietly, "I…just don't want to stop him. Not until he's avenged his father."

"I know…it's hard to have to stop it," Kiriko admitted.

"But…," Ryoko said quietly, "We have our duty."

Kiriko nodded, "Come on," she said, pulling her sister along with her.

Keisuke had returned to his normal clothes and had gotten to as busy a street as he could, now walking to blend in. He was cut, but he would be fine. His fight with Nakano had left him bleeding, but that shouldn't give him away too much to the people passing by. He hoped.

He had to think. His priority was to find and eliminate Nakano. Apollo Geist. But with Interpol hunting him like this, what could he do?

As he looked around, he realized where he was. He was close to an airport. While leaving wouldn't solve anything, he knew that he had to get away. Ryoko would be after him at this point, and he couldn't face her.

And if he did leave, he was sure he would have local authorities looking for him as he landed. That wouldn't be good. No. That would be terrible.

But…if he left and came back, he would be found on landing. No. Not an option.

But what could he do? He looked around, looked back, but didn't see anyone coming. But he knew that Interpol agents could be anywhere, looking for him, ready to bring him in for…what? Questioning? Dissection? At this point, he didn't quite know.

As he walked, he glanced aside, seeing a man heading towards the airport. It was him…

But, was he going to the airport? Or not? Keisuke did his best to follow, keeping as far back as possible and blending in. As he observed, his target was clearly going to the airport. He kept behind, in the line, as he bought his ticket.

Keisuke watched, using his increased eyesight to get a look at it.

"The Amazon…," he said softly. He would buy the same ticket and follow. From Japan to the Amazon Rainforest. From the city to the jungle.

"I will follow you to the ends of the Earth," Keisuke said softly after purchasing his ticket and heading to the plane. He didn't know if Interpol would stop him before they arrived. Get here before the plane left, or be on the plane. He was sure that they would be in the Amazon soon, though. He used his normal identifying information, so they would know where he was going.

He didn't care at this point. Now, what mattered was that this man died. And Keisuke would be the one to end his life.

Daisuke, or Amazon, slept under a tree. Rays of sunlight fell to his face, but didn't do much for him at the moment. His sleep was one of nightmares, one with a need to avenge his friends. While he wanted to wake and set out to it, he knew hat in his dreams, he could always do it. He could always win.

This was fortunately not a nightmare. In his nightmares, he wasn't sure if he could win. It was a nightmare for a reason in that case, was it not? No victory for him.

A scream pierced the solace of sleep. He sat up, pushing the brush aside as he walked onto the path, looking around. Then, as he heard the scream again, it hit him.

"No…," he muttered, running as hard as he could, panting as he broke off as fast as he could down the path, dodging around trees and everything else in his way. He had to get there. But…was this real? He knew that her face was on Gorgos. Or…was this a trap? Did she get free from Gorgos somehow?

He had no idea what was happening, but had to try something. He had to keep going; he had to do everything he could to save her, save everyone Gorgos had enslaved in his body! As Amazon dodged around the last of the trees, he slid down a small slope, looking up to see the monstrous figure of Gorgos, his boulder resting in a groove on the ground that it had made, one of the faces on the front screaming.

Amazon slowed, but his momentum took him forward. If he reached Gorgos, he was sure it was over for him. But he managed to stop and look up, trying not to look at the anguished, screaming faces of those he knew. He looked at the demonic figure sitting imbedded from the top of the stone. The brusque face looked at him, laughing at him.

"I'm surprised such a simple trick worked…," the being mused, looking at its own fingers as if in boredom. Its eyes glanced to Amazon, "But you're nothing more than an uneducated jungle boy. Of course it did…"

"Insult me…but do not ever underestimate me…," Amazon hissed at him, his anger filling every fiber of his being. He was like a cobra waiting to strike; muscles tense, body waiting to lash out against these impossible odds that were mounted against him in the form of this demonic figure, wielding a power arguably equal to his own.

Amazon looked at the GaGa Armlet worn by Gorgos on the right arm. He looked at his own GiGi Armlet on his left arm, then looked back to Gorgos, his eyes glowing slightly as he seethed in his rage and anger.

He screamed. Gorgos's grotesque face came into a smile. And soon, Amazon stood as a lizard-like beast, part organic, part suit and armor, waiting to fight, blades trailing off the backs of his arms, claws flexing as he kept a lower stance, ready for anything against the monster that had slain the people he loved; the people he held as family.

"Come and fight me," Gorgos hissed, "You are nothing but a shadow of my own, tremendous power! Let us see what nothing more than a small imitation can do!"

"I am no imitation!" screamed Amazon, "I am the power of the jungle, ready to save the people who have chosen to live among its greatness. You are nothing but a demon! A monster! We have no bond! I am no imitation!"

"Oh, but you are…," Gorgos hissed, "Do you not think that I was once a man? A man who came to this jungle, searching for an object of power?"

"I had this always. I didn't search!"

"Oh, but you were man."

"I still am."

"You are a monster, like me," hissed Gorgos, "You just have the ability to remain man. Because your power isn't as grand as mine is!"

"My power is great. My power is the jungle! The jungle is the mightiest there is! It knows me as a child of it…so I am still human!"

"Just tell yourself that," Gorgos hissed, "But you should embrace it. You should become a beast, like me!"

"I have the choice not to," hissed Amazon.

"You're lucky. But I'm stronger. But look at yourself! You're halfway there…embrace it and strip away the part of humanity that you still have in that form! Become a full beast, like me!"

"Why should I?" he demanded.

"For the thrill of power," Gorgos told him.

The faces began to scream to Amazon, telling him not to listen. Telling him to remain a hero of the jungles. Telling him to fight Gorgos and forget about them. But Gorgos silenced them with a mere thought; his Armlet briefly glowing to cause them pain; to cause them to scream and become silent.

"You see…this is what power does to you…," Gorgos hissed, glancing down for a moment to be sure that the faces were silent. He looked back up to Amazon, "I am a monster, so I act as one…for the sake of restoring humanity by taking your Armlet. But you have the glorious choice of remaining human. It is something I have not had in centuries. I was like you once, I admit it. I had hope for this power…this form I was stuck in. Until time eventually forced me to do anything to reclaim humanity."

"Why are you telling me this?" demanded Amazon, shaking his head and letting out a growl, "You're telling me to keep away, to keep being human…"

"I may be…but look at me! Look at my power!"

"I see a monster."

"But a powerful one…look at what you could be! Maybe your weaker power can keep you from going crazy. Maybe it'll keep you coherent. Maybe if I took that Armlet, you'd be stuck like that. A true beast of the jungle, and not a man anymore. You'd truly be the hero of the jungle, being of the jungle for eternity! Or however long our longer lives are. Or would you rather be human, even without other humans around?"

The beastly face of Gorgos smiled. He was forcing Amazon's hand. Amazon could remain human, and be a warrior for the jungle, but he would have no other human contact. But if he became Amazon fully, then he would have those beings there for him. The beasts of the jungle. But as it was, he was alone. Completely alone, inbetween worlds as the current Amazon manifestation of the Armlet.

"I refuse!" screamed Amazon, "I will be alone, but I will be as they left me! A man…not a monster of the jungle!"

"You call yourself a monster so easily?" questioned Gorgos, "I'm surprised. A bit impressed."

"I know what I am…and I am not a normal human. But it is all I have to go by…monster. But you're much more than I am. A different sort of monster. A heroic monster! You are a monster…a demon…an enemy to the people!"

"Then consider this conversation at its end," Gorgos hissed, shooting across the ground for Amazon, the ground rumbling slightly as the boulder crashed across it, Gorgos flexing his clawed fingers as he approached, though his body was nowhere near the ground enough to get at Amazon.

As Gorgos approached, he threw himself forward, landing a foot on the boulder and pushing himself up, for the torso itself. He slashed with a claw, catching Gorgos across the chest. Blood streamed down Gorgos's browned body as he returned the slash across Amzon's chest, causing blood to stream down the heroic monster's body.

Swinging his arm up, he slashed at Gorgos's shoulder with his arm blades, causing more blood to spray out as he nearly took off his foe's arm. He followed up with a chop to the side of the neck, wounding Gorgos, who let out a cry of pain. Griping both of his arms above the elbows, Amazon forced them down as his mouth opened and he came down, biting Gorgos's throat, causing more blood to spray out, some of it entering Amazon's mouth. A warm feeling, but a disgusting one.

He tore his mouth away, letting more blood stream down as he released the arms and slashed Gorgos across the chest with his right claws, then his arm blades. More blood; more cuts remaining.

Gorgos returned the attack with a punch to the face, staggering Amazon. An arm gripped Amazon's right leg, just above the knee. He pulled Amazon in, headbutting him and sending him staggering. He kept his footing, instead of falling off of the boulder, and leapt forward with a chop.

Gorgos caught the arm, stopping the blades from cutting him. He reached up, gripping Amazon's throat and squeezing. Amazon let out a gurgled gasp for breath, the remaining blood that he had refused to swallow running down his chest, along with his own blood from his cuts on his chest.

"Die!" Gorgos screamed out, veins on his arm protruding as he applied more force to his choke. Amazon started to kick, striking Gorgos in the chest, but nothing came of it. His attacks were futile from this angle, from being unable to draw a breath. He was going to die if he couldn't do something, and he couldn't get enough strength into his arms for a slash of any sort.

He shot his hand down, grabbing one of the ends of his belt. He pulled the grip, extending the chain and leaving the bladed gears resting in the center. He didn't have the strength to use his claws to much affect, so how much of a chance did this have? Not much.

He pulled as much as he could out, and then threw it out, managing to lash it around Gorgos's neck. It was only around the back, so he lashed his legs out, managing to hook one of his blades on the back of his leg to one of the chain links. He pulled his leg back, managing to snatch the other end of the chain and draw it tight, trying to choke in vain.

"Won't work!" Gorgos laughed, enjoying himself, enjoying the futile struggles of Amazon.

He realized it wouldn't work. But he still had a short amount of time left. His vision was already becoming spotty, so he had to act quickly. The blades were still on the chain. Just at the end. He adjusted them as best as he could, swinging the chain back down, to trail down the length of the boulder. He used all of the strength he could, swinging it and hooking the chain over the cut on Gorgos's right arm. He yanked, twisting the chain, ramming one of the circular blades into the cut, jamming it in there.

Even Amazon's weakened pulls were doing damage. Gorgos cried out in pain. His grip didn't slacken.

"If I kill you, that won't matter…," he hissed.

"Can you…do it…before I take your arm…?" hissed Amazon in question.

His eyes bulged a bit as it immediately tightened. If this was his right arm doing the choking, it would be over. The pain would stop Gorgos from continuing, or even starting. So he as smart; making a move he knew he could keep up. One that would succeed in killing his foe, regardless.

But one more pull caused the grip to loosen and drop Amazon, bouncing him over the side of the boulder, still pulling on the chain. Gorgos let out a scream, gripping the chain with his left arm and pulling up, hauling Amazon back onto the boulder. He pulled the chain away, casting it aside as he reached down, grabbing his counterpart by the arm and hauling him to his feet, before delivering a punch to his face, knocking him back down.

"You'll die for this…," Gorgos hissed, reaching down for his back. The spine on Amazon's back shot up, cutting Gorgos's hand as he tried. Blood fell like a light rain onto Amazon's back. He rose and twisted, pivoting and punching Gorgos across the face with a left hook.

Amazon followed up with a swipe of his arm upwards, cutting his foe with his arm blades. Gorgos cried out as more blood ran down, pooling at Amazon's feet. But now Amazon had the upper hand in this fight; he wasn't going to lose it. He was going to press his advantage and end this fight now, if he could.

But Gorgos retaliated with one more left punch. It struck square in Amazon's chest, forcing Amazon to fall to the ground, panting hard. It felt like his chest had caved in at least a bit. This wound, combined with everything else, was almost too much.

"Can't win…," he breathed to himself. He knew it was true. Victory would elude him today, but death would find him, if he stayed to fight. He had to run, or he was going to die. And then who would avenge everyone?

But as he rose, he realized he couldn't surrender. Not now. Not yet. He looked at Gorgos one more time, at the faces in the boulder. The faces of his friends. Of those who had become his family in the jungle.

He ran for the boulder, leaping and kicking off of it, into a tree. He kicked off, landing on a tree branch, then pushed himself off, coming straight down at Gorgos, lifting his right arm for a chop. He shot down, chopping, but not at Gorgos.

He struck the seam in the rock and the body. There was a seam; an obvious target for him, now that he could see it.

There was silence. Then, a shifting. A cracking sound, almost. Amazon leapt off of the boulder torso, landing on the ground and spinning around, looking up at Gorgos. He saw a stunned look on the face of his foe. Pain, anger. Mostly shock.

"Daisuke!" one voice called.

Amazon looked at the boulder. He saw the face of one man – his father figure – beseeching him. If this was a trap or a trick, he didn't know, but he didn't even think it a possibility. He only saw the man he had loved like a father calling for him.

"I'm here," he said, crouching in front of the face as Gorgos screamed out above him. Amazon's face reverted to human.

"Please…kill us…," the face gasped in pain, "Please!"

"I can't!" Amazon cried out.

"Daisuke!" the voice called, crying a little, "Please…please kill us…you defeated the ten faced demon…but we're feeling it now too…end us…with your loving nature…please!"

Amazon rose, his helmet still gone. He nodded once, solemnly, "I will…," he said hesitantly, the emotion heavy in his voice.

"Thank you…my son…"

When he said that, Amazon knew he couldn't turn back. Using his claws, he impaled the face. It was a savage way, but the way he knew.

He went around the base, silencing each face one by one. They gave him parting words of love and support as he finally finished, leaving only a faceless boulder with Gorgos still pained atop it.

As he looked up at Gorgos, the last words of the final man haunted him.

[i]Take the Armlet…[/i]

He leapt up, atop the boulder, and reached out, ready to rip the beast's arm off to take the GaGa Armlet. If he did that, then his problems would be solved. The enemy would be defeated, and no other would use this power for evil again.

As he reached out for it, Gorgos's arm instantly healed of the serious cut. His palm slammed into Amazon's chest, throwing him to the ground. He groaned in pain; the thrust hit him in the same spot the fist had earlier.

As Amazon looked up, the boulder shattered. Gorgos's face was a mask of panic for an instant; only one or two fleeting instants. Then he showed a grim smile. He knew what was going on.

As the boulder cracked around him, he fell, landing on the ground on two legs. He rose to his feet; his legs the same color as the rest of him. They were muscular yet slim, with spikes protruding out of the back of the calves, up to the back of the knee. He looked almost like Amazon in a way, but was more brutal looking, more grotesque, brusque. Monstrous.

"This is my full power…Amazon…," Gorgos hissed, walking towards him, "I must thank you for freeing me. Who knew that boulder was restraining me? Holding me back from this body? This pure, savage power?" he shouted, shaking his head with a grotesque smile plastered on his face, "Oh, certainly not you, or you wouldn't have done that. Should have aimed that last chop for my arm instead of the boulder…"

"What are you?" demanded Amazon as he backed away, hesitant.

"I am like you. I was an explorer around two hundred years ago, searching for the Armlets. I found this one, and lost myself. I guess this is what became of my body…but when I get your GiGi Armlet, I should revert. I should have control. That is what all of the stories stated; the GiGi first for control, then the GaGa for power. I should be fine if I get yours, even if I did it in a backwards order…"

"You won't have it," Amazon hissed, flexing his claws, ready to fight, despite being weakened. His wounds were slowly sealing due to his force of will and the power of his Armlet. He noticed, however, that Gorgos's wounds were also sealing and healing.

"I will," Gorgos said, running forward. He swiped his claws. He was fast. Amazon was cut across the chest and staggered back, returning with a clawed swipe of his own, which Gorgos deflected down by striking him on the top of the wrist. He threw a punch into Amazon's face, staggering him, followed up by a double fisted slam to the back of the head, dropping Amazon to a knee. He gripped Amazon by the scarf, hauling him back up and ramming an uppercut into his chest to send him flying back, smashing into a tree.

"You're weak," Gorgos hissed as he approached, then took off running after Amazon.

Amazon picked himself up, ducking the punch which shattered the tree and swiping his arm blades through Gorgos's chest, leaving deep cuts, but nothing that slowed the enemy. Gorgos elbowed him in the back of the head, dropping him, then reached down and hauled him up again, by the left arm this time, reaching for the Armlet.

"I'll just rip it off through your arm," he said in a deadly soft whisper, "You know that the Armlets are stronger than a body, right? It won't snap; your arm will just be torn."

Amazon growled and rammed his right claws into Gorgos's side, digging his claws in as deeply as he could. Warm blood ran down his hand.

"Nice try," Gorgos hissed, pulling. Amazon could feel his bones beginning to weaken quickly with the pure strength Gorgos was using, as well as the unbreakable Armlet pulling at him. Without thinking he plowed one foot into the ground and rammed the other knee into Gorgos's chest while tearing his left arm back and pulling his right arm across the man's chest, cutting him further. The combination proved successful, freeing Amazon, letting him stagger back as Gorgos laughed, despite all of the blood running down his chest.

Amazon panted hard as he staggered back. He knew there was no victory for him. Not against a monster like this.

Gorgos approached, "What's wrong? Are you afraid now? You should be!" he laughed, running for Amazon, throwing punches without much concern if they hit or not. Amazon continued to dodge instead of trying to deflect them. He leapt back, putting his back to a tree, then rolled aside as the punch shattered it.

He span around, ramming the blades on his legs into Gorgos's back, but nothing. It didn't even slow him as he span, tearing himself free, and throwing a punch. Amazon ducked it and rammed his blades up for the spot just under the Armlet, since the right arm had punched.

Gorgos pulled back and kicked Amazon hard in the side, throwing him down. He walked over, kicking him while he was down. "Done yet?"

Amazon leapt forward, ramming his shoulder into Gorgos's chest and plowing him into a tree. He backed off as Gorgos staggered back a bit, then rushed him. Amazon had one choice only for his next option of attack.

He leapt up, pulling off a reversed spinning kick, deflecting the other man's fist down and striking him, repelling him and pushing him past. He hit the ground and rolled a little, but not much, as he hadn't expected that. He pushed himself up, seeing Amazon using his belt to swing himself onto a tree branch, reconnect it, and then leap off onto another branch and keep going.

"I'll get you," Gorgos growled, taking off after him on foot. He was fast, but Amazon's head start and knowledge of the trees would probably help him be an even match. This wasn't going to be easy, and Gorgos hated that.

He wanted his freedom. No longer having the boulder was one thing, but almost being human again…after so long, it was eluding him. He was not pleased.

Keisuke got off of the plane quickly and immediately arranged for transport into the jungle when he saw Nakano doing the same. He just needed someone to take him in, and hopefully some sort of vehicle to drive so that he could keep up and cover ground faster. He needed to kill that man, and now.

As he looked around, he saw two men asking people coming off of the plane something. They had a picture. Keisuke had ducked out in a larger group, right in the center, so he was mostly fine for now. With no luggage, he could just get moving. He saw the picture was of him, as he used his increased vision.

He looked to the door, seeing another man who had to be Interpol standing there. He looked around; only way out.

He headed that way after arranging to meet someone for a trip. He saw Nakano exiting, and then quickly shouted to the man at the door that he was a terrorist. The agent, acting on impulse, quickly grabbed Nakano's arm to restrain him. But Nakano, being the man he was, smashed his fist into the man's face and flipped him to the ground, stomping on his chest and walking out. The other agents ran, one called for backup and pursued outside, lifting his handgun while the other went to the downed guard. Keisuke didn't have a hard time slipping by, even though they should have locked it all down.

By the time the man realized it, Keisuke had run off, keeping after Nakano. He saw the downed Interpol agent, and kept going, keeping his distance as best as he could, observing as Nakano headed straight from the airport towards the jungle.

About an hour later, another plane landed. Ryoko and Kiriko exited with more Interpol agents on their team, since the men already there were just dispatched to intercept. Ryoko looked at the wounded agents, "Who did this?" she questioned in English.

"Some older looking man," one told her in English, "Not the subject."

"Must be Apollo Geist," Kiriko told her sister, using English.

Ryoko nodded, "That makes sense…"

"Did anyone find the subject?" Kiriko questioned, since her sister clearly wasn't.

"No. He must have slipped out in the confusion," the first man to have gone down told them.

"Fine. We'll find him," Ryoko said, "He went after Geist. That's for sure…we'll find them together, no doubt."

"One or both dead, I'm sure," Kiriko put in.

Ryoko didn't want to think about that. Not about Keisuke being dead. She didn't acknowledge those words as she just moved on, bringing her team with her, "We're going to the jungle, since they were heading that way," she said, off of the testimony of the man who pursued Nakano.

"We're here," Doctor Shinigami said with some disgust, looking at the jungle.

"Put up with it," Ambassador Hell told him as he folded his arms over his golden armored form, "Apollo Geist is already here, and the Armlet is somewhere in there. We'll find it, but remember, this is everything for the two of you. Fail, and die. So best help me complete another mission."

Zol muttered something while Shinigami simply nodded his head, submitting for now. He would have his revenge, and he would regain control of his own operation soon enough. But for now, this was best.

The three Shocker executives entered into the jungle, ready.

As Keisuke ran through the jungle, searching for Nakano after being unable to find the transport arranged for him, he heard something. He ducked behind a tree, lifting his shirt and fingering the Ridol's grip. He span around, drawing it and lifting it up like a blade, seeing a shirtless man standing there, looking like a savage.

"Who are you?" the man hissed, muscles tense. Keisuke's eyes were drawn to the object he wore on his arm.

"A traveler come here looking for revenge," he answered, "Did you see another man come through here?"

Keisuke was surprised that this man could speak Japanese, but he didn't let that show. He kept a poker face up for now, keeping it cold and composed.

"I saw no others," the man stated, "Amazon."

"What?"

"My name. Amazon," Amazon stated.

"Keisuke," Keisuke said, putting the Ridol into his weapon, "Then I will find him on my own."

Amazon turned to look at him, "Revenge?"

"Yes, I said that," Keisuke said, looking back, "Why?"

"I fought for revenge earlier. I barely escaped with my life."

"You? Against who?"

"A monster," Amazon replied, "I almost avenged my people, but…"

"You're from a tribe, right?" he questioned, looking at Amazon's style of garb, or lack of.

"I am," Amazon replied, "Was."

"Is your revenge the reason you've come close to civilization?" asked Keisuke.

"I need help," Amazon replied, "I came for healing, so I could go back. I also came to warn people to stay away."

"You're not warning me?" Keisuke asked.

"You seem strong. You seem capable," Amazon replied, "You can handle yourself. I know it."

"That's right," Keisuke confirmed for him, "I'm a Kamen Rider, after all."

"Kamen…Rider…?" questioned Amazon.

Keisuke nodded, "A hero…but I'm only a hero until I can accomplish my revenge."

"Is that…all?" Amazon asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Is any hero a Kamen Rider?" he questioned.

"No. Only a certain kind," replied Keisuke, looking back, "I have to go!" But something kept him there. Something strange. It was that arm band. He knew it.

"Like this?" questioned Amazon, just knowing. He felt it. As Keisuke blinked, he saw a lizard-like beast standing before him.

On instinct he drew the Ridol, "You're no Rider. You're a monster, if anything!"

"A…monster?" hissed Amazon, "You dare call me that? Like [b]him[/b]?"

"You are one. Look at yourself!" Keisuke cried out, unable to help himself, "But…"

Amazon leapt at him, slashing. Keisuke rolled. He said too much. He knew that. He drew the weapon, pulling his helmet down and affixing the mouthpiece to the helmet, completing his transformation to Kamen Rider X.

"I don't have time for this!" Keisuke shouted, "I didn't mean it that way!"

Amazon leapt for him, swinging his arm blade. Keisuke parried by running the Ridol straight up. He kicked Amazon back in the chest then drew the weapon down and plunged it, using it like a rapier to knock Amazon back with a direct shot to the chest.

As he stumbled, he dug his feet into the ground and ran forward, dropping to all fours. He rolled forward, using his spine to cut at Keisuke, knocking him back. It was unorthodox, but it worked.

Keisuke switched to the rope function and rolled, swinging it out for Amazon's leg, intending to stop him. He pulled, offsetting Amazon's footing and pulling him closer. But Amazon slashed his arm down, cutting the rope with his arm blades. He picked himself up and ran forward, punching Keisuke in the face to take him down. He reached down, gripped his shoulders, and bit him in the neck.

Keisuke cried out as blood ran down his white suit. As pain shot through him. This man was an animal! Maybe he really was a monster.

Keisuke rammed his knee into Amazon's chest twice, knocking him off. Amazon was already wounded, it seemed. Keisuke changed functions back to the whip mode, so he could use his rapier again. He ran forward, slashing Amazon twice across the chest before spinning around for a mule kick, knocking Amazon into a tree.

Amazon thrust himself off of it, punching Keisuke hard in the face. Keisuke went down as Amazon shot his hand down, gripping him by the throat and hauling him back to his feet, squeezing. His claws were slightly digging into Keisuke's neck. More blood ran down.

Keisuke's eyes went to the side. He saw something moving, thinking it Nakano. He tried to get free of the grip, but couldn't. Then Amazon looked to the side, dropping Keisuke to the ground suddenly.

"Found you," hissed Gorgos, walking towards the two of them, flexing his claws.

Keisuke picked himself up, "I take it that's the monster…," he muttered, swinging the Ridol to the side, "I'll help you," he offered.

Amazon looked at him, then looked ahead, "Fine," he growled, running forward and slashing with his arm blade. One fist connected into his chest while his other hand gripped the wrist to stop the swing. He punched again then released his foe's arms and kicked him back, landing him on the ground, rolling him away.

Keisuke ran forward, swinging his Ridol with great strength, but Gorgos dodged continually. He kicked Keisuke's hand, relieving him of the weapon, then slashed him with his claws, sending him stumbling back. Keisuke quickly span around, throwing a punch into Gorgos's face, using his [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] body to do some good damage to the beast, but his strength was nothing compared to Gorgos's mystical body.

Gorgos kicked him in the chest once, sending him skidding back across the ground. He finally lost his footing, ladning on his back and sliding before rolling and slamming into a tree, shattering it to splinters, dropping the remnants onto Amazon on accident.

Gorgos laughed, "If you two fought like a team, maybe…maybe you could beat me. But no! You're too weak, the both of you! But you did have a nice punch, newcomer…I'm impressed."

Keisuke shook his head, "Quiet…"

"What? No compliments?"

"It'll make it harder for me to kill you, if you compliment me," he said, almost as a joke as he came to his feet. He crouched down, picking up the Ridol and walking towards Gorgos. He fingered a button and ran forward, swinging twice, but Gorgos ducked the first and dodged back on the second. He thrust the third, but Gorgos dodged back, as hoped.

The net ejected from the end, snaring Gorgos. As it sealed, Keisuke pulled, yanking the unsuspecting Gorgos forward. Amazon was up, rushing forward and leaping, slashing Gorgos across the face with his arm blade, slicing through the net as well, freeing Gorgos on accident.

As Gorgos stumbled, a figure walked towards the three combatants. It was Nakano; Apollo Geist. He lifted his sword and ran forward, slashing Amazon across the chest to send him stumbling away, bleeding profusely. He span to Gorgos, slashing him once across the back, sending him stumbling forward, also bleeding profusely. Keisuke lifted his Ridol as a rapier again, parrying the blade down and swinging up to strike Nakano across the face.

Nakano only laughed, "Weak, compared to last time!" he rammed a knee into Keisuke's chest, knocking him back. He walked after him, "Bleeding? Huh! Is that your weakness? Your loss of blood? Well, makes sense. But I guess you're just not as strong a [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] as me!"

Keisuke shook his head, "Quiet. I'll kill you in silence. You don't want to keep talking, or my rage will only grow. You'd best take death without this rage."

"Ha! You're talking a big game. You can't kill me!"

Keisuke ran for him, swinging, but he dodged and slashed, but Keisuke deflected. Meanwhile, Amazon was slashing for Gorgos, but the other figure dodged and span, kicking him. He stumbled and whipped around, throwing himself forward from about seven feet away, landing on his foe and digging his claws in.

As Keisuke rolled to avoid Geist's next swipe of his blade, he glanced back, seeing Amazon pulling off a backflip from Gorgos's chest. He landed away and leapt forward, slashing Gorgos down from the face, across the throat, and slid past. Gorgos gripped his throat as he bled out, unable to stop this bleeding as easily, unable to take it period.

Amazon span around, going for him again. He slashed his arm blade across Gorgos's back, coming past him.

Gorgos looked at him, "I…will…not…die!"

"Too late!" Amazon screamed, whipping around and plunging his claws into Gorgos's chest. Gorgos slumped forward on the claws biting through him, bleeding from his mouth now as well as the chest.

"How did you…get…stronger?" he demanded.

"I have motivation. I have…an ally," he stated.

Gorgos tried to laugh, but the blood bubbling up kept him from it. Amazon took his chance, tearing his hand free. He moved to Gorgos's right arm, grabbing it just above the Armlet, and at the elbow. He drove his mouth down, tearing into Gorgos's shoulder. He tore at the same time, ripping the other man's arm off, letting blood spray down, staining the ground. Amazon looked at the prize as Gorgos hit the ground, dead.

At the same time, Nakano slashed Keisuke across the chest, sending him stumbling away. He ran forward, slashing Amazon across the chest. He lost his grip of the arm as he was sent rolling away. It landed on the ground as three more figures walked towards it. The lead figure, in gold, crouched down to pick it up, sliding the GaGa Armlet off of the decapitated arm.

"Very nice work, Apollo Geist," mused Ambassador Hell.

"Thank you, Sirs," Nakano said, addressing them all before spinning, ducking a swing of the Ridol, and kicking Keisuke back. Amazon leapt for him only to be subjected to a pivoting kick to the chest. He landed near the three newcomers, rising, but was kicked away by Zol, then hit by Hell's whip.

Keisuke heard a familiar voice. As he came up he saw Ryoko and Kiriko along with their team, weapons trained on everyone.

"Stop now!" Ryoko shouted, "Everyone surrender, and you don't die!"

"There's more now," Kiriko muttered.

"We take them all in," Ryoko told her sister, looking with question to Amazon, but she would figure it out later.

Hell laughed, "You think…whoever you are can stop Shocker? The glorious Shocker?"

"We're Interpol," Ryoko told him, firing a single shot. But Hell slashed it out of the air with his whip, laughing at Ryoko's shock.

"This is a Shocker's ability!" he laughed. "Go!"

Shinigami and Zol moved in on the two Riders as they fought Apollo Geist. As Zol walked, he appeared as the Gold Werewolf. As Shinigami approached, he took his form as the Squid Devil.

The Squid Devil wore a fully white uniform. White boots rising up, almost seamlessly into his armored pants. Everything was the same leather bodyarmor that the others used. He was shiny and sleek, rising up without anything until his belt, which was adorned with the Shocker emblem. The legs, however, were rippled and looked plated in design, but that was only in design.

From the belt up, he had normal white again. He had no abdominal armor like the Hoppers or Gold Werewolf, rather, there was more of the rippled design. However, among the ripples were suction-cup styled marks to signify his squid design. He was minimal at this point on his body with designs.

His arms were different. A tentacle wrapped down and around each arm, the tips trailing off, writing on their own. He wore gauntlets that were thicker, ending almost at his elbows. There was nothing special on them. The tentacles appeared to be connected at the back of the shoulders.

He wore a crimson cloak that draped to the ground, trailing behind him. It was white on the back, red in the front, against his white body. He wore two more tentacles as a necklace of sorts, which could trail down his chest, support the cape, rip the cape off, and be used for combat purposes.

His helmet was like a squid's head; rising up into a cone-like design. Two more tentacles hang down his back. His mouth piece looked like a beak, resting in silver down to the raised collar that came up around his neck. He had black hollows for eyes, able to see through them like a visor.

He didn't look as imposing as other [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i], but he was an elite. There was no doubt about his power.

Ambassador Hell walked forward, throwing his arms aside and laughing as he took on the form of Garagaranda.

Garagaranda was like a snake. He had scaled legs in dark gray with splashes of red, with fully black boots rising up halfway up his shins. Chains circled parts of his legs, adding to his defense and somehow to his intimidation factor. Over his entire center of the chest, even down past his belt, his chest was red and segmented, like a snake. It was rippled, scaled, and muscular in design. Around the outsides of the red, there was tan, and a chain lining once more.

On the sides of his body, there was more of the gray scale designs. He wore the Shocker emblem on his belt. His arms were the same scaled design, but with chains and buckles wrapped around various parts of his arm. His left arm ended in a gauntlet that merged seamlessly with his suit, ending in claws, while his right ended in a tentacle, like the tail of a snake in dark gray, lashing out. Chains lined it, wrapping around for extra damage.

His head was like that of a snake or a lizard. The collar came up, wrapping around his neck in the same scaled pattern. His head was like that of a lizard; fans protruding out of a snout, with ears pulled back. A red line went from the tip of the nose up the center of the head, wrapping around the back. He had two glowing yellow/orange eyes as his visor. His mouthpiece was the bottom half of the jaw, snapping in and opening and closing, acting on its own. A piece was visibly over his real mouth, presumably to keep blood and anything else from actually reaching him.

The executives entered the battle, with Zol rushing right in and punching Amazon in the face. Amazon flipped to the ground, staying down as Zol slammed his foot on Amazon's back, causing him to scream out, trying to raise his spine, while also trying to get himself up, both options failing.

Geist slashed Keisuke across the chest twice, but Keisuke didn't go down. He thrust the Ridol forward, ramming the tip into Geist's face, knocking him back. He leapt forward, delivering a kick to his foe's chest to stagger him back. Keisuke span around, taking a lash from Hell's whip arm twice across the chest, first down, then back up, then took a kick from him to stagger into Geist, who gave him a punch to the back of the head, sending him down.

Keisuke picked himself up and pushed past Hell, rolling to get to Amazon. He reached out, but his wrist was stepped on by Shinigami, who lashed the tentacle off of his right arm, grabbing Keisuke around the throat and hauling him up.

Keisuke looked around, seeing Ryoko. She lifted her gun and fired on Shinigami's head, but it didn't work.

"You're a fool if you think that can work," hissed Shinigami, whipping around and throwing Keisuke into her. Both of them went down hard.

"Ryoko…," he gasped, gripping his throat after being released, "Get…away…"

"I can't," she told him.

"You'll die if you don't," he hissed.

Kiriko came over and helped both of them up. She looked to the man who would be her brother in law, "Go and fight," she told him, leaving it at that.

He looked to Ryoko, seeing her determination as she nodded the same answer.

He nodded, lifting the Ridol and walking towards the fight as Amazon got up, blocking Zol's punch with his arm and then dodging and ducking a swing of Geist's blade, getting next to Keisuke in a lower, savage fighting stance.

"How do we do this?" he hissed.

"I don't know," Keisuke admitted as the four came from three sides; Geist and Zol coming straight ahead, Hell on the left; Keiske's side. Shinigami on the right; Amazon's side.

As the two waited, Keisuke glanced to Amazon, "Sorry about earlier. You are indeed worthy of this title, I believe. Kamen Rider."

Amazon only nodded, "Then let us die…as two Kamen Riders!"

One Interpol agent started to shout. "Get back! Everyone, move back! There's nothing you can do anymore!"

Ryoko stepped towards him, "I'm in charge in this mission," she hissed.

"I know, but you're out of your league," the man told her, holstering his sidearm, "Hey!" he called out to the Shockers.

Shinigami looked at him, then tensed, "You…"

The man walked forward, pulling away his clothes to reveal a belt. As he walked towards the fight, he pulled on a helmet, attaching the mouthpiece.

"Hongo, Takeshi!" Shinigami hissed as the first Hopper approached them. The Interpol team behind him was surprised, shocked, as Ryoko shouted at him.

"I have my ways," he told her, lifting his right fist up and clenching it. He ran forward, leaping at Hell and rolling before he reached him, kicking upwards from his lower position, sending the man staggering back. He came up and span around, giving a roundhouse kick to his face, sending him stumbling away. He lost his grip of the GaGa Armlet, sending it skittering across the ground.

Geist ran for Keisuke, who parried and span around, ducking and swinging out at the backs of his legs. He rose and gave a mule kick to stagger Geist back while Amazon leapt for Zol, slashing him across the chest.

Shinigami, in the confusion, ran for the GaGa Armlet. He had to reach it. He crouched down to grab it, but took a kick to the chest from another Interpol agent, pulling on a helmet and snapping a mouthpiece on, standing there as V3, reaching down and picking up the GaGa Armlet.

"I'll hold onto this," he told Shinigami.

Shinigami came up to his feet from the stagger, rising and letting his tentacles unfurl themselves from his arms, "Nobody will stand in Shocker's way! Stand aside, Hopper, or I will kill you!"

"I won't surrender to you, or any Shocker," Shiro told him, clenching his fist, "Not after everything. Not after Chiharu. Not after you took Junko-chan hostage. Not after killing Yuki!"

Shinigami ran for him, slashing with his tentacles, but Shiro continued to duck and dodge, rolling away and throwing the Armlet back, "Keep that safe!" he shouted to the agents, lifting his arm up and letting it become ensnared by a tentacle. As he was pulled in he leapt up, coming down with a kick to Shinigami's chest, tearing the tentacle off of his arm as he pulled his arm back.

Hongo dodged the swings of Hell's whip, leaping back and rolling to put some distance between them. However, Hell rushed him, kicking him in the chin and knocking him back. He rolled back and swept his leg out to try to take Hell down, but Hell leapt back, lashing his whip out, wrapping it around Hongo's throat.

"You're done interfering with Shocker, Hopper," he hissed.

As Hongo struggled, Hell kept him in the air, away from his body, away from the ground, keeping Hongo unable to do anything.

Meanwhile, Geist continued to slash. Keisuke continued to parry, rolling across the ground, but having his scarf impaled by his foe's weapon. Keisuke lashed his leg up to strike Geist in the side, tearing his scarf free as he rose, using the long pole mode to smash one end into Geist's chest, then using the other before spinning around and ramming it into his chest to propel him back.

Amazon leapt over Zol's punch, landing behind him. He span around, giving a roundhouse kick to knock Zol forward. As Zol span to face him, Amazon propelled himself forward, slashing Zol across the face, then span around and followed up with his arm blade to slash Zol across the chest.

As he staggered back, he held his chest, "How can a beast defeat me? A soldier?" he shouted, flexing his claws and running forward. He threw the punch, but Amazon sidestepped. As the claws came for Zol, Zol chopped his arm down, catching Amazon on the side of the neck, taking him down.

He looked back to the Interpol team, unsure of what to do with the GaGa Armlet. He ran towards them, taking gunfire, but not slowing by much. The Armlet would be Shockers.

Zol beat the man aside who stayed to fire on him while the others retreated, still firing. He ran, tearing men aside, ripping them asunder with his claws. He reached for the Armlet, tearing it free of the man's grip.

As he held the Armlet, Shiro kicked him aside, but in his attempt to keep the Armlet safe, unsure of what it was, knowing it was important, Shinigami wrapped his other arm's tentacle around his neck, throwing him to the ground, then kicking him aside as he approached.

The Armlet lay on the ground as the Riders and executives fought each other for it. The Interpol team tried to move in for it, but the fighting always prevented them from getting close to it.

As Geist and Keisuke continued, Keisuke span and ducked the swing of the sword. He swung his Ridol down on Geist's sword arm, making the weapon fall off. He swung the Ridol into the side of his foe's face, offsetting him. He switched to the long pole, ran and rammed it into the ground, propelling himself forward, vaulting for Geist with a kick.

Geist looked up, taking the fast kick to the chest. He somersaulted end over end, finally coming to a stop. He reached his arm up, towards the sun, and then his body exploded, killing him.

That left only the executives of Shocker, and four Riders. Keisuke looked at the fight in progress. His revenge was complete, and Ryoko was here, in danger, possibly in the crossfire. He would have to watch her, make sure that she was safe. If she was hurt, he would never forgive himself.

He ran that way. If he could get the Armlet and keep the team safe, then his mission would be over. However…the more he watched the battle, the more he realized that he needed to join in. The more he needed to fully earn his title as a Kamen Rider. As Kamen Rider X. A hero. Not a man driven only by revenge.

He saw Shiro take a punch from Shinigami, which took him down. As Shinigami approached him, Keisuke ran for him, slashing him twice with the Ridol across the back. On the third one of the tentacles around Shinigami's neck came, ensnaring the weapon. He whipped around, kicking Keisuke, flipping him to the ground. That gave Shiro ample enough time to get up and leap forward, giving him a flying side kick to send him rolling away, out of the battle.

Zol slashed Amazon across the chest, but took a slash in turn. He punched the Rider in the face, then again in the chest, then added a knee and a double fisted slam to the back of the head, dropping him. As he prepared for the punch to finish the fight, Keisuke leapt for him, slamming his weapon across Zol's face. He rolled past as Shiro ran for him, giving him a reverse roundhouse kick to knock him to the ground.

"Time to end you for good this time," Shiro told him, gripping his right wrist and clenching his fist. The eyes on his helmet shone for a moment.

Zol laughed, "I will never die! Just like Shocker will never die!"

Hongo kicked Hell back and joined the other three. His helmet's eyes shone, "That's wrong, Colonel Zol. Today is the day that you will die, like all other Shockers! Today is the first step to a better world," he put his arms out, gesturing to the four of them, "Four of us are Kamen Riders in this world. We have lost two comrades. Ichimonji. Yuki. But we will carry on, and using their spirits, we will defeat Shocker! This is all there is for you, Zol. Shinigami. Hell. This is the first step to Shocker's downfall! Three of its executives!"

Zol only laughed, "Do you really think that even if you succeed here today, that three executives dying will be all there is to Shocker? No! Shocker will outlast the three of us. Shocker will live on forever!" He flexed his claws and started to run for them, "You will never win!"

He threw a punch. Hongo deflected it down and punched him in the face with a quick jab, while Shiro ducked and punched him in the gut. Amazon leapt up, biting his neck while Keisuke rammed his Ridol into his jaw to tilt his head up, giving Amazon more room, and blinding his foe for this moment.

Amazon leapt up, coming down with a chop. His chop, using a small portion of his arm blades, along with as much force as he could muster, slammed into the bite wound, causing Zol to cry out as Amazon tore through his neck and part of his shoulder. He landed, and with the others backed away as Zol stumbled, clawing out in vain, taking one step forward, as if to come for them, before he fell to the ground and he too exploded as his systems crashed, killing Zol, if the wound hadn't already.

The four turned, seeing Hell walking towards them, lashing his whip out against the ground. He lifted the whip tentacle and watched them, then rushed forward, lashing out everywhere. It caught Hongo across the chest, knocking him aside. He ducked and span, kicking Shiro in the side to knock him away.

As Keisuke moved in with the Ridol, he parried with the tentacle, wrapping it around X's weapon and yanking it free of his hand. He kicked Keisuke and then slashed him with his own Ridol, using his tentacle as well. He span around, giving a roundhouse to throw Keisuke to the ground, sending him rolling away.

Amazon leapt over Keisuke's body, slashing Hell across the chest with is claws. He ducked the swing of the tentacle, keeping low and evading each swing. Hell abandoned the Ridol and continued to swing down, but Amazon's dodges continued, unable to be touched.

"You're like a snake," Amazon told him, "I just watch…and I evade!" he shouted, dodging the swing at the last moment, then gripped it as if grabbing a striking snake, keeping his hand at the end, as if he would be keeping the mouth forced closed. He used his free arm to swing up, slashing the tentacle in half. It fell, barely connected by one of the chains wrapped around it to the rest on his arm. He looked in what could be perceived as shock, due to his body language, at the tentacle, and then punched Amazon in the face with his now free right fist. He lashed the broken, torn tentacle into Amazon twice and then followed up with a kick to send him reeling.

As Amazon fell, he was caught by Hongo, who rushed with Shiro to face Hell. Shiro blocked his first punch with his forearm, while Hongo caught his tentacle remains in both hands, both of them spinning around, pushing Hell's arms behind his back and shoving him forward, keeping their feet to the backs of his legs, pushing him towards the other two.

"Take him down!" Hongo called to the other two Riders while they had Hell immobilized. Keisuke grabbed Amazon's shoulder and they looked at each other.

"Let's earn our titles," he stated.

Amazon nodded, "Yes…let's," he said, running for Hell alongside Keisuke. Keisuke leapt up, throwing out a flying side kick while Amazon leapt forward, throwing a chop that started with his body straight, then shifted his right side to Hell and swung his arm up and around to come down with force, using his blades and his arm.

As the kick and the chop connected, Hell screamed out as he was thrown free of the other two Riders. He lay on his back, staring up at the sky for a few moments, then let out a gasp as his body exploded, leaving only Shinigami.

"Where'd he get off to?" questioned Hongo, looking around. He looked back at the Interpol team as Keisuke headed over there.

"Ryoko-chan," he said, removing his mouthpiece and helmet. He let them drop as he approached her. She quickly holstered her gun and ran to him, throwing her arms around him as he hugged her as well.

"Keisuke-kun," she said softly, "You…you're not a Shocker…"

"Of course I'm not," he said, holding her tightly, "And now you know that too," he explained.

"I do. But you still need to come in, if only to be cleared," she said.

"As long as it's understood that I am a true Kamen Rider, then I will come," he assured her.

She smiled and gave him a nod, "It will be understood."

"Good," he said with a smile.

Amazon joined the other two Riders, "I am Amazon," he told them.

"Hongo," Hongo introduced, "Hopper. Kamen Rider."

Shiro nodded to him, taking his helmet off as Hongo did, "Shiro. Hopper V3. Just…V3."

Kiriko walked over to the three of them as Amazon's helmet came off. They looked at her. She looked at the two Hoppers, "What happened?" she demanded, "Were you always here?"

"We were in your team since the start," Shiro said.

"How did you guys get on this team? How the hell did you know anything?" she demanded.

"We have our ways," Shiro stated, "And when we found out you were pursuing Shocker, we had to get in, even if it meant it blew our cover."

Hongo shrugged, "It was one shot only. We used it. Simple as that. But before you ask, we won't work for Interpol. We have our own jobs to do in hunting Shocker. Now, where is Doctor Shinigami? Have your men seen him?"

"No," Kiriko said, looking around, "He probably escaped."

Hongo noticed, "That armlet is gone…"

"What?" Kiriko muttered, running over, "Oh shit! It is!"

"We have to find it!" Amazon exclaimed, "It's too dangerous!"

"Yeah, let's go," Hongo said, "Shiro?"

"On it," he said, running off ahead. He slowed before he got far, seeing Shinigami approaching, no Armlet with him, still missing a tentacle, so he hadn't repaired himself.

"Did you think you had won?" Shinigami hissed, "That I had fled? If I flee, I die. This mission was a failure if you survive."

The four Riders rushed over, standing shoulder to shoulder as he approached. Hongo spoke up, "We won't let you win. We'll stop you!"

"You can stop me, but this is my life at stake. I won't lose. And if you somehow defeat me, Shocker will still win! We have what we came for…now if I can remove the obstacles you present, then Shocker's domination is complete!"

"Not so," Ryoko said, walking to stand behind Keisuke, "Interpol and the governments of the world will stop Shocker!"

"Ha!" Shinigami laughed, "A war between terrorists and the governments of the world. The governments lack the technological prowess that Shocker has. Even if you look at those three and start making [i]Kaizo Ningen[/i] as well, it won't help! We have the GaGa Armlet now! Shocker will rise stronger than ever before with the aid of magic on our side! Magic, technology, and terror tactics. Can the governments really hope to stand against us? No! They can't! This is going to be over either immediately, with Shocker domination, or we can fight for…perhaps two years, and make this much, much harder on the people of the world. On the people of your governments, as we take their lives in our terror tactics, just to force the hands of the governments.

"Now, take a message back to Interpol. Have them spread it o the governments of the world. Tell them to surrender now to Shocker, or be in for a long, and painful war that they can't hope to win. The body count will be much, much smaller if you surrender now, as opposed to fighting us. Remember that and make sure it is understood by everyone. I am sure that the governments and world leaders will choose the proper decision."

"Bowing down to Shocker?" questioned Ryoko.

He nodded his squid helmet once, "Yes. Bowing to Shocker. The great and glorious Shocker!"

"The world will never bow to Shocker rule and dominance. They will never subjugate themselves!" shouted Shiro.

Hongo nodded, "Shocker's dreams of domination are nothing more than that. Dreams. As long as we are here to oppose Shocker, they will fail!"

"Then fight me, and let's see!" Shinigami exclaimed, running for them. As the four Riders rushed him, Hongo and Shiro took the lead.

Shiro threw a punch, but it was deflected down and to the side. Shinigami pivoted to kick him back. He span around, whipping Hongo across the face with his left arm's tentacle, sending him sprawling to the ground. He jumped back to avoid a claw strike from Amazon while Keisuke leapt off of Amazon's shoulder, coming down with a kick.

Shinigami span to avoid it, kicking him in the back and sending him stumbling forward. He moved forward, giving a slide kick to Amazon's chest, sending him flying back. As Hongo rose, he threw a punch, which Shinigami deflected down and returned with a kick to the chest. Hongo stumbled back but jumped forward, throwing a punch, striking him in the chest to send him stumbling back.

Shiro swept his legs out, dropping Shinigami. As he threw a punch down, Shinigami lashed out with is neck tentacles, smashing them into Shiro's face to send him stumbling back. As he grabbed his face to wipe blood away as the nanobots healed the cut, Shinigami rose.

Keisuke ran for him, punching him twice quickly in the chest, but a knee sent Keisuke back. He grabbed Amazon's wrist and span, throwing Amazon forward. He kicked Shinigami in the chest to knock him back, letting Hongo leap forward and deliver a powerful punch to his chest, beckoning Ichimonji for strength silently.

As he fell back, Shiro added his elbow to the strength, knocking him back further. He saw Keisuke lunging forward, Ridol in hand again. He drove the tip into the same wound, which was added to by Amazon coming in with a side chop, slicing through the suit with the claws, causing Shinigami to bleed.

The four Riders stood shoulder to shoulder once more, "It's over, Shinigami," Hongo told him, clenching his fist, "You may have gotten that armlet…but we will stop Shocker! As Kamen Riders…that is our mission!"

Shinigami laughed, "Come, then! Let me show you how foolish your mission is!"

"We'll show you the power of our mission!" Hongo shouted, running at him. He leapt up, coming in with a flying front kick, smashing it into Shinigami. He stumbled back, immediately taking a flying kick from higher up on down by Shiro to the same spot. Then a flying side kick from a vault from the long pole by Keisuke, and finally a flying roundhouse kick by Amazon.

As the four Riders landed one by one, Shinigami staggered, having taken each kick in turn, gripping his chest, "No…," he gasped, "Shocker…will…not die…even if I…die…here…foolish…Riders…"

He let out one more scream as he exploded, forcing the Riders to draw their arms up to cover their faces. When they lowered their arms, there was only a hole where Shinigami had been a moment ago.

Ryoko ran back to Keisuke, "It's over," she told him.

"I have my revenge, and I helped here today," he told her, "But I must keep fighting. I learned that, or I would have stopped after avenging my father. No…I am a true Kamen Rider now, who must continue the fight against Shocker…if they will have me," he said, looking to Hongo and Shiro.

"Of course," Hongo told him.

Shiro put a hand on Amazon's shoulder, "Come to Japan. Join us in our fight," he said.

Amazon considered it for a few moments, then nodded, "I will. I need to find the GaGa Armlet."

"Shocker is sure to have it now," Shiro stated, "Join us and retrieve it."

"Of course," Amazon replied.

Hongo turned to Ryoko, "We're out of Interpol, by the way."

"I figured," she said, "But we don't need Kamen Riders to join us. We have our own ways of dealing with this problem of Shocker."

"Good," Keisuke said, "Because…I will still marry you. I still want to, but…I must go with them. When the fight is over, I will come back, and we can wed."

Ryoko nodded, kissing him, "I'll be waiting," she told him softly.

As Hongo and Shiro started to walk off, Amazon followed just behind them. Hongo looked back, "Keisuke, come with us!"

"I need to go to Interpol," he replied.

"No. Interpol isn't getting Rider specifications," Hongo said, looking at Ryoko and Kiriko, as she joined her sister's side, "We…don't distrust Interpol, but we don't want to think about what could be done."

"Understandable," Ryoko said, "But he has to come."

Keisuke shook his head, "Sorry," he told Ryoko, walking off after the others. She watched the four go as one man approached her.

"We can stop them," he said.

"No," Ryoko said with a small smile, "Let them go. I'm still in command here…and I will deal with the consequences of the decision. But…let those masked heroes go on their way."

"…understood," he said. They watched as the four left, ready to continue the fight against Shocker.

Youth held it up to the screen. It was the GaGa Armlet.

"Here it is, Great Leader," he said with a smile, "It cost those three their lives…but you still have the two of us as your executives."

Lady smiled, "And we will not fail, if we are needed."

"Excellent," the Great Leader's voice came, "With this…Shocker is no more…"

Youth and Lady both showed shock, "But Great Leader…," Youth started.

"Shocker is an organization of technology. Now…now we are using magic to achieve our ends. Magic and technology. Shocker as a name is no longer fit for us. This is Shocker's end…and the birth of Gel-Shocker!"

Youth and Lady both relaxed, "Well then, Gel-Shocker…," Youth mused.

Lady smiled, "We will be sure that everyone is alerted. That the governments of the world know who to fear, now that we have this power."

"Do so," Great Leader said, "For if you both disappoint me…your deaths are a certainty."