"Suiko's Conflict"
By: Seinasu
Disclaimer: Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers is copyright © Sunrise and all others associated with legal rights.
Author's Note: This story takes place towards end of the first episode of the 2nd OVA Kikoutei Densetsu (Legend of the Inferno Armor) and flashes back to a time prior to the event. I borrowed some of Bandai's subtitled dialogue in order to see my story fit the scene.

"Shin, what are you doing?!"

"Shin! Hurry!"

"Our spirits must be one in order to summon the Kikoutei!"

His friends desperately needed him. At any moment, Ryo would end up in the clutches of the mysterious warrior who wore the black twin of the White Kikoutei. Suiko no Shin was the last Samurai Trooper needed in order for Ryo to bring forth the Kikoutei. Yet as he stood there, paralyzed with fear and confusion, he couldn't help but search deep within his heart.

The first time he felt the armor's hunger was when he had summoned the power of Suiko several months ago.

"BUSO... SUIKO!"

It was just like always: the ritual movements, the kinetic energy that crackled, and the cherry blossom petals that rained down on him and melted onto his body to form his full mystical suit of armor gear.

Just as his fingers clasped around his helmet that appeared before him, he was slammed with nausea.

What? Why... Why now?

Just as those very thoughts ran through his mind, the color of his helmet washed over with an eerily familiar crimson pigment. Gasping, he snatched his hands to his chest – only to look down and discover that his entire suit was the same shade of red. The helmet mysteriously floated in front of him.

"Red Suiko!?"

"It is rebirth, Suiko no Shin-san."

The deep voice reverberated from behind. Shin spun around and melting away from the darkness was his doppelganger: same face, eyes, hair – even his armor was the same, only it retained its natural light blue shade. However, his voice was much deeper and filled with malicious intent. His face plate covered most of his features, like how the former Masho fashioned their helmets; but he somehow knew this was a part of his inner psyche reaching out to him. But why now and in this place?

"The more you fight, the more power you feed your armor," doppelganger Shin explained calmly as "he" waded up to the frightened young man as if he was swimming through water. "I'm sure you've heard it before. How the nine armors were created from Arago's dark armor? But did you know that in due time, the armors will seek out their former natures?"

"We use these armors to fight for what's good," Shin explained as he found himself unable to move from his spot within the pillar of light. It was like he was frozen within the armament and he couldn't get out. "I've heard it from Shu – from Rajura – that the armors can seek bloodshed because of their origins. But we know that we have to get stronger in order to protect those we care about and what we believe in. As long as we fight for good, we won't let our armors go wild."

The doppelganger chuckled in amusement as he reached out and clamped both of his hands upon Shin's shoulders. The floating helmet was thoughtlessly bumped aside as the double took his place alongside him. Shin swallowed back the impending bile in his throat as he met his mirror image face to face.

"No matter what fight for, Suiko no Shin-san, the armors will still feed on the battles. It all began when you destroyed your first humans with your armors. The corruption within was unlocked! In due time they will reach zenith strength. Then they will gather at the center of their ultimate source and unleash the fury yearning to be awakened."

Shin turned away. Yes, the Korin Armor was manipulated by Shikaisen, a human who studied black magic, into killing countless innocent people in the United States. The White Kikoutei slew the puppeteer who had, by then, taken on a more gigantic and haunting form. Even after that, he never had the shadowing doubts in his mind as he was experiencing now.

"I... I don't believe you."

"What about Kongo no Shu-san when he questioned his armor during a dire moment? Did it not make you think about your own armor? Have you considered your future within the yoroiden?"

He turned to his doppelganger once again but this time with a resolution written on his face. "We fight to preserve the righteous path towards the future. We were chosen by these armors created by Kaosu to battle against the forces of evil!"

"But do you wish to fight for the rest of your life?"

"I..." Shin's voice trailed as he reflected on few, brief periods of peace he enjoyed when he wasn't a Samurai Trooper. In the beginning, it'd been Seiji who'd been the first to express the way he felt: as long as the five of them weren't together, there wouldn't be any battles. Reunions only brought chaos. True, it sure did seem like it, but they'd always prevailed against those who wanted to do wrong. "I trust my feelings. I trust in my friends and in Kaosu's words."

"Do you, now? Have you seen the way your friend acted when he hesitated to put on his armor? You realize that not everything the Gen Masho said were lies."

He huffed. "Shut up!"

"Search your memories and search your heart. Didn't it feel good to perform the armament so that you could use your armor? To use its powers to manipulate your given element?"

Dipping his head downward, Shin witnessed pools of blood forming in the palms of his hands like stigmata.

"No," he whispered, his voice beginning to tremble. "Power for power... blood for blood... To save innocent lives we have to fight..."

He closed his fingers over his hands, ignoring the sheering pain that penetrated through the surface of his sub-armor. "But are we really destined to fight? Forever?"

"Sacrifice is necessary for the glory that is power. You don't need family, friends, or even love. All you need is your armor and for you to surrender your human spirit."

"Sacrifice?"

He'd sacrificed enough when he became bore the Armor of Suiko. He forfeited time with his ailing mother, his elder sister, the family business, what few friends he had left in school... He was tired of giving them the excuses every time he had to go fight, especially to his friends.

Sorry, but I have to take my mother to the doctor's.

I can't hang out after school today. I have to study for next week's test.

I'm afraid I can't go out. I'm kind of committed with another engagement... I'm so sorry...!

"Dammit, I can't think about this now," Shin hissed through clenched teeth. "I just can't! I have to fight!"

"Don't push aside your virtue, Suiko no Shin-san," the doppelganger murmured heavily against his ear. "TRUST is embedded deep within your heart and very soul. Your feelings, your heart, your mind, your soul... your virtue... They are all connected. When you betray one of these things, you betray all of them in due time."

Distortion of the armor wasn't far-fetched at all. Though this was more than evident with Shuten, Anubis, Naaza, and Rajura's armors. And it wasn't that long ago that Shikaisen and the Mad Scientist had gotten a hold of Seiji and his armor. Could the nine armors really feel the need to return to the darkness?

"As long as I don't fight, my armor won't make me forget about my human heart," Shin stated aloud, albeit in a quiet voice.

The doppelganger smirked. "So you will forget about your friends?"

"My friends..."

Ryo. Touma. Seiji. Shu. They were waiting for him to break through the armament and joint them against their latest opponent.

NO! There was no way he could abandon them now, even with these conflicting feelings!

He shook his head vehemently and cried out, "Everyone!! I'm on my way!"

Stretching his arms outward, his helmet swiftly gravitated to his fingers. The doppelganger vanished quietly as he had first entered – back into the abyss of his sub-consciousness. Shin placed his helmet over his head and in an instant, the blue hue of his armor returned and cleansed the red stain that previously marked it. His spear magically formed in his grasp and he took a deep breath, as the pillar of light faded away. Seconds later, as he exhaled, he found himself back in the real world, surrounded by his fellow Troopers and faced before their foe. While it felt like he'd been within his armament for a long period of time, to the outside world, mere seconds passed since he'd utilized his Kokoro no Tama.

For now, he wouldn't say anything about his feelings about the armor and the fighting. As of right now, he his dear friends needed him.

However, the hesitation would never leave his mind and it would arise again; later down the road, it would leave a more permanent mark.

First, Kongo called out to him. "Shin!"

Then Korin turned and looked in his direction. "Shin!"

Last but not least, Tenku averted his gaze from Ryo to him. "Shin!"

Anxiety wracked his body, as the warrior saw Shu, Seiji, and Touma look at him – but instead of seeing his friends, he saw nothing but empty, animated armors with sinister auras surrounding them. The deep, twisted voices that came from the armors didn't even sound like his brothers-in-arms.

What is this feeling...? he thought forebodingly as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. And yet deep within, he knew exactly what he was feeling, and that was absolute hatred for fighting.

THE END