When the reports of a Gigantic Guyver protecting more of those damnable Thunderbolt transports had come in, his first thought had been annoyance that he would have to cut Kenji's training short. His son was capable of fighting, yes, but he was nowhere near capable enough that Imakarum would have been willing to risk his precious son's safety in combat against that vicious, ruthless sociopath Agito Makashima. Maybe he never would be; Makashima was a brutal killer, and Imakarum would never risk Kenji's life by pitting him against an opponent like Makashima.

When further reports had stated that the Gigantic protecting those transports was Sho – and more, that Guyver III was nowhere in evidence – Imakarum had decided that this was the perfect opportunity to give Kenji some more hands-on combat experience. Sho Fukamachi was weak-willed; a sentimentalist. He would never be able to attack his old friend, Masaki Murakami.

He'd forgotten, in his excitement, that Kenji was rather sentimental as well.

-Is this guy really your friend, Dad?- Kenji asked, his tone full of innocent curiosity, even as he destroyed one of those damned Thunderbolt transports with a hail of Gravity Bullets; just the way he'd been taught to.

Imakarum was so proud.

-He was,- he said, deciding that Kenji deserved to know the story. His son had long since proved himself to be loyal and strong; something so small wouldn't be enough to sway him, even so sentimental as he could be. -A long time ago, I was just as misguided as Sho- Kenji, reinforce your shield, they're firing missiles at you,- he chided gently, sensing his son's concentration beginning to slip.

-Oh. Sorry, Dad.-

Imakarum would have known – even without seeing the rather adorable look of concentration on his son's face – that Kenji had heard him and was doing just as he'd advised, simply from the feel of his son's power thrumming in the air. -It's nothing too damaging, my son,- he said, turning to smile reassuringly for his son's sake before turning his attention to the filthy little gnats who had been so stupid as to try to murder Kenji in the first place. -I'll deal with them, you just keep your wits about you, my Kenji-chan. And, keep yourself safe.-

-I will, Dad.-

Swooping down on the vile human maggots that had dared to try and murder his son like any number of avenging angels, Imakarum quickly located those humans who possessed missile launchers and slaughtered them without mercy.

-Um, Dad?-

-What is it, Kenji?- he asked, looking over at his son to make sure that he hadn't found any more trouble; thankfully, he hadn't.

-If you and Sho were on the same side, then does that mean you were fighting against Chronos?-

-Yes,- he admitted, realizing then that Lord Alkanphel had either erased or repressed Kenji's memories of the time he had spent with Masaki Murakami. -All of that was before I met Lord Alkanphel; you already understand what he did for me, right, Kenji-chan?-

-You said he helped you understand what Chronos was really doing,- Kenji said, even as he fired volley after volley of wind Scythes at the Thunderbolt transport beneath him.

When he finally destroyed it, Imakarum smiled indulgently. Kenji truly did have a talent for those kinds of attacks; which fit, since wind was the element he'd been attuned to when Lord Hamilcal had recreated his Zoalord body. -Yes; Lord Alkanphel was the one who helped me to understand Chronos' true goals. I have often offered to bring Sho before Lord Alkanphel, so that he too would come to understand Chronos and our goals more clearly, but every time I make the offer Sho refuses it more and more vehemently. I'm beginning to think we'll never be reconciled.-

There was some honest regret on his part – he did in fact miss his close friendship with Sho – but until the boy had come to understand the futility of his struggle, there could be no peace between them.

-So that's why he's fighting you?-

-Yes,- he said, as he eliminated another squad of those annoying Thunderbolt soldiers. -I've often wished that things could be different between us, but until Sho gives up his vendetta we're going to continue to be at odds.-

-That sounds sad,- Kenji said, caving in the roof of one of the few remaining transports with a large, fully-powered Gravity Bullet.

-Yes, I've often thought that, myself,- he said, firing off three Incision Waves and then a single full-strength Spiral Crusher to finish off the remaining Thunderbolt transports. -Why don't you go back to our room in Cloud Gate and wait for me, Kenji-chan? You seem to be getting tired.-

-I'm not really that tired, Dad,- Kenji said, then yawned.

-Of course you're not,- he chuckled. -Go back to Cloud Gate and sleep, Kenji you silly boy. I'll see you when I get back.-

-Okay, Dad,- Kenji said, yawning once more before he teleported away.

Smiling fondly at the place where his son had once been, Imakarum turned his attention at last to Sho. He could almost feel the moment when his sentiment left him; he allowed it without protest, since a battle was no place for such sentiment.

Kenji was such a sweet, gentle boy; so kind and sentimental. There was truly no need to expose him to the reality of a world that would do everything it could to crush his gentle nature. Truly, the very thought of Kenji's nature and outlook on the world changing in any way was anathema to Imakarum.

There were few things that he wouldn't do to prevent that from happening…

However, at the moment, such thoughts were irrelevant and would only serve to distract him from the matter at hand. His dealings with Sho Fukamachi, troubling and troublesome as they were in their myriad ways, would not be held off by lingering sentiment. Not on either of their parts, it seemed.