Disclaimer: Not mine

Warnings: Au. Brainwashing, kidnapping, bondage

There were a few advantages to fighting End alone. Ryuuji didn't have to worry about Hiromu and Youko-chan getting hurt. And if End was preoccupied with killing him (which seemed to be his favorite way to spend his time, and Ryuuji didn't even know what he'd done to earn his ire), he wasn't stealing Enetron. However, all of this was outweighed by the fact that he was alone, exhausted, and End was only getting stronger.

"C'mon, Blue Buster." End's face was obscured by his usual white hood, but Ryuuji could almost feel the smirk. "What good is the nii-san if he goes down this easily, right?" A metallic tendril whipped from his right hand, wrapping around Ryuuji's ankle before he could react. End sent him flying through the (thankfully empty) wood boxes taking up space in the factory where End had ambushed him. It was only through sheer force of will that Ryuuji didn't pass out.

... But he sincerely wanted to pass out as he hurt footfalls in his direction. "Well, well, well." End's tone was light. Even playful. "You gave up sooner than I thought you would." He sat next to Ryuuji, body language relaxed. "It's kind of a disappointment, but I guess after all the previous fights we had, your body just couldn't handle it." He huffed sadly. "If I'd known that, I would've gone easier on you. It's no fun if you don't drag it out, right?"

Ryuuji tried to get up, but End smacked him before he could. "I'll make sure not to make that mistake with your precious Hiromu and Youko-chan-"

Using his strength was always risky, especially in a humid place like this. Still, the fact that End was threatening his younger siblings couldn't be ignored, which was why Ryuuji punched End, hard enough to send him flying, and to leave a dent when he hit the wall. End fell to the ground soundlessly.

And his hood was off, revealing dark, messy curls.

... Very familiar dark, messy curls. But no, he had been lost thirteen years ago.

Warily, Ryuuji righted himself, stumbling to End's unmoving body. The shape of the face, the hair, it was just like him. He willed his hands to stop shaking as he went to remove End's strange, oversized sunglasses. It couldn't be him. He was just concussed and seeing things, it couldn't possibly be-

"Sempai," Ryuuji breathed, the glasses falling from nerveless fingers.

"Ryuu-san!" Youko's voice echoed. "Where are you?"

Hiromu and Youko were here. And he had defeated End, who was really his sempai. They'd want answers. It was their right.

Which was why Ryuuji felt very guilty as he scooped End/sempai up in his arms, leaving quietly. But he had questions of his own right now.

He found an old, dilapidated house. No tech to corrupt. He restrained End's hands and feet, then handcuffed him to a sink pipe. Then he waited until End opened his eyes.

End moaned softly, trying to move. His actions became more panicked as he realized he was bound, but then his eyes fell on Ryuuji. "Shit. Ryuuji, is that you?"

"It is." He noted that End called him 'Ryuuji,' not 'Blue Buster.' "Now tell me who are."

End smiled weakly. "You've gotten so big... sorry. Forgive an old man for losing focus." This was the first time End looked at him with his own eyes. "It's me, Masato. More or less."

"If you're really sempai, why have been attacking EMC?" As badly as he wanted to believe, he couldn't. Not yet. "And why is it just now that you're remembering all of this?"

"Damn, and you've gotten shrewd, too!" End laughed, a little. "I can't blame you. If I was Buster, I'd kidnap me and tie me up, too. As for question number two, hell if I know. It might have something to do with the fact that he hit me really hard."

"Sorry." It was odd to apologize to End, but sempai had always thrown him for a loop. "What happened to you?"

"I'm not really sure." End's face grew dark. "Personally, I blame Messiah."

"... Messiah." Ryuuji knew the damage that Messiah could do first hand, but to warp someone as strong-willed as sempai to his will...

"He still can't enter this world. Not yet. That's why he needs an Avatar- and I guess since I'm the best Megazord Engineer in the world, I made a good candidate." Any attempts of humor were long gone as End- no, sempai looked at him with haunted eyes. "Ryuuji, you gotta believe me, I tried to fight him. More than anything. But he's always there, and he's so damn strong..." Sempai slouched in shame. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I'm not worried about that." It wasn't a wise idea to push the hair out of sempai's face, but Ryuuji's day had been full of bad decisions. One more would not hurt. "Sempai. Is there anyway we can save you and the others?"

"... I don't know. I haven't seen anyone else." Sempai bit his lip. "But, and I know this is kinda grim, if I was around to be brainwashed, surely he'd keep others around? In case I don't cut it?"

"That is grim- but sound." It made sense. A brutal sense, but sense nonetheless. "We'll save them. And you. I promise."

"I know- shit!" Sempai cried out, body twisting as much as the restraints would allow. Ryuuji found himself being pushed back.

"Sempai, what's wrong?"

"Messiah's aware that End's in the back of my head rather than the front- and he's doing his damndest to reverse the situation- no, Ryuuji, stay back!" Sempai shuddered. "He's gonna win. I'm gonna be End again, and I'm gonna try to hurt you again."

"We'll stop Messiah." What else could Ryuuji say right now? There was no way he could stop this. All he could do was offer what comfort he could... and plan to end sempai's pain, one day. "And we'll save you."

"T-thank you." Sempai's voice was strained, almost metallic. "Remember, you promised to save me, I'm holding you to that-" He cried out one last, chilling time, then collapsed.

Ryuuji knelt next to him. "Sempai?"

... End broke out of the restraints effortlessly, leaping to give himself some room. "Blue Buster." There was no smirk this time. Just cold fury. "I don't think heroes kidnap people."

"You're right." Ryuuji was too tried to fight anymore. "They don't. This was pure selfishness on my part."

End gave him a look. "What are you talking about- nevermind." He turned, and vanished.

Feeling very old, Ryuuji turned on his communicator. He'd turned if off when he'd 'gone rogue,' but there was no point now. "Hello? Hiromu, Youko-chan?"

"Ryuu-san!" Youko-chan's voice was enough to make him flinch. "What were you doing, running away? Did End do anything weird to you?"

"Yes. But I'm fine." Ryuuji walked out of the house in even strides. Hiromu and Youko-chan were okay. At least sempai had survived, and he could be saved. He couldn't afford to be sad anymore. "I'm even a little hopeful."

"It will be done, Messiah." End bowed deeply, before teleporting to a parking lot. There was lots of Enetron here to steal, and it would be awhile before he was discovered, if at all. It was an easy mission.

... Which was good, because he felt oddly off. Like he'd lost something.

It was probably nothing.

He started siphoning Enetron from an especially flashy gold convertible. Probably.