Author's Note: I apologise for the delay on this chapter. Next chapter will be the last one. Please enjoy~

Chapter 25

Takeru rushed through the eerily familiar outskirts of the Gamma World. They had less than half an hour before the machine would have enough power to open the portal. Transformed, they had enough speed and strength to move individually but the strain of keeping the transformation up was already niggling at the back of Takeru's mind and he was sure he wasn't the only one. He hoped they were close. If it was too much further, there was a chance they wouldn't have enough power to subdue the Unknown Rider.

As if prompted by Takeru's internal thoughts, Build held up a hand. Takeru upped the pace to join Build at the crest of the sand dune and they all looked down.

There she was. The Unknown Rider. She stood surrounded by billowing dust as the harsh winds whipped around her. The portal machine was nearby, whirring as it charged. She turned, her gold mask shining against the black of the rest of her suit.

She held up a vial in silent warning.

Takeru stepped forward.

"Kimura-san," he said gently, gratified to see the surprised tilt of her head at the mention of her real name. "You need to stop. What you are doing will not work."

She did not respond.

"We have a cure," Takeru said. "Please, stop here."

"What I am doing is right," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Humanity will die out if we rely on modern medicine."

"Killing others isn't right. The field of medicine would love your expertise. We can work together to find a solution."

"This is the solution."

"It's not a solution. It's a last resort."

Takeru tensed as the Riders behind him began to power up.

Kimura lowered her hand to her belt and slowly pulled it, the flash of light temporarily blinding as she cloned herself. The resulting eleven versions of herself carefully spread out.

"We don't have to fight," Takeru said. "Put the vials down and come with us."

"Don't talk of things you don't understand."

Sento drew Takeru back as a fireball began the fight.

Takeru shook his head in frustration.

"When is someone just going to listen to reason?" he muttered to himself as he gathered all of his eyecons and transformed into his ultimate form, the shimmering armour almost blinding in the Gamma World's light.

Takeru threw himself into the fray.

The fight was mayhem. Fireballs exploded at random, the showering sand lowering visibility to a viscosity like smoke. Struggling forms shifted in and out of the ensuing dust storm and flashes from attacks lit the cloud like lightning.

Takeru teamed with the Mighty Brothers to take down one of the clones just as a massive wall of fire streaked from the smoke cloud, throwing him to the ground. Sore but not injured, he pushed upright and tried to find the Mighty Brothers again. They were nowhere to be seen but another clone was hurtling towards him.

Takeru raised his arms to protect himself and took the initial blow on his forearms. He tried to attack back but even his hissatsu attacks did little damage.

"Takeru!"

Spectre appeared out of nowhere and Takeru quickly readied a synchronised attack.

The clone disappeared as Takeru landed, breathing heavily as the effort from the attack drained out of him.

"There's still 6 more!" Spectre yelled as he disappeared into the red dust once more.

Takeru gathered his breath and threw himself into the whirlwind.

An unusually bright light drew his attention and Takeru waded through towards it.

Gold flashed as an armoured fist split the dust and slammed into his chin. Takeru wheeled back but maintained his balance. He went in low for a tackle and met solid resistance. They both went down with the momentum and Takeru leaped back as fast as his bruised body would allow. He was greeted by the Unknown Rider and an active portal. She still had the vial.

Takeru's eyes widened. He had to stop her.

Takeru launched himself at the vial, reaching wide.

A flaming hand chopped down on his back.

He grunted and curled in on himself. The Unknown Rider slammed her foot down on him and wiggled the vial above him tantalizingly.

Takeru kicked up, surprising the Unknown Rider rather than hurting her. The weight left his chest and he scrabbled away, straightening and turning back to fight.

The Unknown Rider tightened her fists, both igniting with flame at the movement.

"Ghost!" Build came out of the dust cloud, armour dirtied and injured arm loose by his side.

"She's still got the vial!" Takeru called.

Build took immediate action, running to the Unknown Rider with one of his unusual weapons raised with his one good hand. Takeru readied his own attack as Build fought and they worked in tandem to create a joint attack.

The attack hit solidly and the Unknown Rider stumbled back but did not disappear. The original, then.

Takeru readied himself for another attack and Build joined him. The Unknown Rider rolled out of the way and the attack glanced off. Takeru landed heavily, knees buckling at the effort of two consecutive hissatsu attacks. He looked to Build and found him down to one knee and breathing heavily.

They both struggled up as the Unknown Rider prepared to throw the vial into the portal.

Their next attack threw the Unknown Rider off of her feet, the vial rolling from her hand.

Takeru didn't land this time, hitting the ground hard and rolling to a stop. He tried to push himself up, to reach for the vial, but nothing would move. Pain and exhaustion paralysed him and his vision had gone spotty. He dragged his hands underneath him and pushed up, the world rocking from side to side before turning upside down. No. The world wasn't upside down. Somehow, all that effort had simply turned him onto his back.

Build was close by, clutching his arm as he struggled to his knees.

The Unknown Rider was upright and she bent down to retrieve the dropped vial with grace and ease. She swept the vial into her grasp and turned back to the portal, picking up speed as she got closer.

Takeru struggled. He had to get back up. He had to stop her. They had to do something.

But he couldn't move. He wasn't going to make it. And a quick glance to Build showed him Sento wouldn't make it either.

They were going to lose. The world would be infected. Even if they had a cure, he doubted they could synthesise enough medicine fast enough to save everyone. It was the end. The fight was over.

"Ghost!"

The Mighty Brothers appeared, the smoke swirling behind them like they were holy creatures. Their armour was charred and one of them moved more sluggishly than the other but they were upright.

They still had a chance.

"Stop her!" Takeru called, pointing to the Unknown Rider.

The Mighty Brothers reacted immediately. They dived in front of the portal, catching the Unknown Rider by an arm each and trying to push her back. They only managed to keep her from proceeding. But it would be enough.

Takeru finally got to his feet and found Build upright next to him.

"One more time." Build said.

"Together." Takeru nodded.

They gathered the last of the strength and launched. The Mighty Brothers added their own force to the attack and Takeru swiped the vial out of the Unknown Rider's hand just as their attack hit dead on.

There was an explosion of light and sound. Takeru was thrown backward and his vision blacked as he hit the sand.

He was aware of voices and a light touch on his shoulder before his vision returned.

Sento and the Mighty Brothers stood over him.

"The portal?" Takeru grated.

Sento grinned.

"Closed. We stopped her," he said.

The Mighty Brothers helped Takeru to sit and he saw what he assumed to be Amu Kimura sitting tied to the side. The Rider armour and belt were gone and she sat with a sour expression on a face more elderly than he had assumed.

Takeru looked down at his hand and found the vial intact and unopened.

He sighed and let a smile spread before he let exhaustion take him.