The 6 secret agents entered the Galleria Mall and Clover's eyes immediately sparkled in delight. She swooned, "My god, I am in heaven and it is beautiful! This is my paradise!"

"Look at how big it is," Alex said as her eyes gazed at all the stores. "It's even bigger than our mall."

"Well, that's the Galleria Mall for you," Tazuka said. "Sometimes it's easy to get lost in here."

"I'll say," Sam said. "You need a map for this place."

Ryuki was strangely quiet. This place, it brought back memories. Most of them were fond memories of hanging out with his friends but then…he remembered what he had been forced to do in the end to protect them. He often wondered if he'd done the right thing. Ichijyo seemed to think so, but as for Ryuki…

"Hey, kiddo," Takada spoke, earning the redhead's attention. "Why so quiet?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Takada," Ryuki said, shaking his head. "Nothing at all," he smiled. Takada accepted the answer. However, Tazuka knew that Ryuki's heart was hurting. Alex also noticed this as she waked over and took his hand. He looked at her and he smiled. Ever since that day when he'd been forced to erase Caitlin's memories of himself, he'd been depressed. He did smile but it was rather forced than his usual one. Meeting Alex took that pain away. He really hoped that this time around his relationship wouldn't be jeopardized. He really liked her.

But did he love her?

"It's painful, isn't it?" Alex asked. Ryuki had told her about the mission and what he had to do. She understood. WOOHP often did it for security but sometimes it just didn't seem quite justified.

"Hai, it is," Ryuki admitted.

"You want to see them, don't you?"

"Demo…"

"It'll be okay," Alex said reassuringly. "Just act natural."

Could he really do that? It sounded too easy.

"Alright, people," Sam said, taking on the leadership role. "Remember that we're on a mission here. We have to interview Ron. He must be here, somewhere."

"But isn't he blind?" Clover asked.

"Ron is a war veteran," Tazuka reminded. "I don't think a simple disability will stop him from doing his job. He's a very stubborn person by nature."

"Just listen for someone saying the word 'maggot'," Ryuki added. "That will lead you right to him."

"OK…So, what do we do in the meantime?" Takada asked.

Clover scanned the mall and then her eyes brightened when she saw a store. "Ooh, Albatross and Finch!" She had spotted it, and the hot topless boys. She grabbed Takada's hand. "Come on!"

"Clover, wait!" Sam shouted as she chased after them. Tazuka sighed. He turned his eyes towards Ryuki and Alex.

"I guess will be doing this in pairs, right?" Tazuka asked the younger Dragon Knight. This could turn out to be good. Alex might be able to get him over his sadness.

"Hai, I believe so," Ryuki nodded, his hand tightening around Alex's. It wasn't painful and Alex seemed to enjoy it.

"We'll keep in touch," Alex said. "I'm kinda hungry after that jump."

Tazuka nodded before going after Sam, Clover and Takada.

"So, the food court?" Ryuki inquired.

"Lead the way," Alex smiled while hugging his arm.

It was just like how he'd remember it. The gang was all there, hanging out. There was Jen taking her break, Jonesy bragging about something, Jude enjoying his lunch, Wyatt sipping his coffee, and Nikki making sarcastic remarks at Jonesy. Of course, at the lemon, serving drinks was Caitlin. His heart rate sped up at the sight of her. She didn't seem to have changed much since those months ago. She still looked cute and…no longer his girlfriend as he saw her flirt with a cute boy. He had to remember that those times were over and gone. They didn't remember him. No point in trying to mend a broken relationship that never existed to them. At least they didn't have to suffer the pain of lost as he had.

Ichijyo once offered to erase those memories but Ryuki declined. As painful as it was, there were some good times he wanted to keep, to treasure, and he didn't want to lose that, even if the memories would be a constant reminder to the pain. He didn't have a choice and yet he made the choice that led to the greatest pain.

"That's them, right?" Alex asked, remembering the photographs on Ryuki's wall. They were easy to recognize since Ryuki had taken such care in keeping the picture he had of them.

"Hai," Ryuki nodded. He pointed out each one. "The redhead is Jen, the purple-haired girl is Nikki, the skater boy is Jude, the one drinking coffee is Wyatt, the other boy is Jonesy and…"

"The girl in the lemon hat is Caitlin," Alex finished. Ryuki nodded. Alex herself had to admit that Caitlin was cute. She had the 'girls-next-door' vibe about her, blonde hair, and green eyes. "What did you like about her?"

"Her energy and her eyes," Ryuki admitted. They were the same color as his.

Energy…Ryuki liked energetic girls. Caitlin was energetic at shopping, like Clover, while Alex was energetic when it came to athletics.

"Come on, I think I want one of those lemon smoothies," Alex stated, dragging him along. He hesitated but didn't put much of a resistance. Sooner or later, he had to face them. Alex silently promised herself that she would help him through this as much as possible.

Arriving at the Lemon, Alex made her order, "One large lemon smoothie with two straws, please?"

"Coming right up!" Caitlin said brightly. When she was finished making the smoothie for them, she stuck in two straws. "Here you go."

Ryuki took out his money to pay and when his hand brushed along Caitlin's she gasped.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling a little concerned over the girl he was trying to get over.

"I'm fine," Caitlin replied. Her eyes focused on Ryuki and narrowed, "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

Ryuki grew quiet. He didn't know what to say. Luckily for him, Alex was able to lend support. "Oh, we've actually just arrived. Maybe you think we look like people you know."

Caitlin accepted the answer, somewhat, "OK, I guess that must be it. For a second there I thought you looked like this boy I knew."

Ryuki swallowed.

"I'm Alex, and this is Leo," Alex introduced.

"Konnichiwa," Ryuki bowed. Alex grabbed the smoothie and took Ryuki's hand before dragging him towards a nearby table. Caitlin scratched her head in confusion.

"I could've sworn he looked familiar," the lemon hat wearing girl muttered. For some reason, she felt a slight urge to hug to boy. Well, he was really cute.

"This is the life," Clover said as she and Takada entered Albatross and Finch.

"I'll say," Takada agreed as his eyes fell on the Greeter Goddesses. He was still a womanizing flirt by nature. His phone rang so he picked it up. There was a text message. He flipped open his phone and read it.

'Keep your eyes to yourself. You're in the company of a lady,' he read Tazuka's warning. Takada shivered. He never figured out how Tazuka's powers work. Sure 'magic' was a good way of summarizing it but he did prefer more scientific answers.

Sam and Tazuka entered and even Sam had to appreciate the appearance of hunky looking topless boys. Sure she saw a lot on the beach but never at the mall. Her cheeks flushed a little. She nearly forgot her train of thought.

Clover instantly got along with the Greeter Gods and Goddesses. It made sense when they thought about it. This was Clover's element and she was good at what she did. It was only right that the Greeters would accept her with open arms.

"I am sure glad that Ichijyo sent us here," Clover said as she looked around. "Makes me want to take back all the bad things I've said about him."

"I wouldn't go that far," Takada said. "He's still a jerk, even if he can be nice when he wants to and even that is rare."

"We still have a mission," Tazuka reminded. "So, we'll just look around for a few minutes, buy a few things, and go."

"Tazuka, you have a lot to understand about the female mind," Takada said as he patted Tazuka's shoulder. "Girls don't just look and buy. They try out the clothes and see if their boyfriends like them."

"Also girls expect the boys to carry their bags for them," Tazuka replied back. Takada paled.

"Oh, man, I forgot about that," Takada palmed his face but then he looked at Clover. Actually, he was looking up and down her figure and smiled. "But it would be so totally worth it."

Takada crossed his arms. What did Ichijyo call Takada? Was it a mongrel in heat that couldn't keep it in his pants? It was along those lines but Tazuka doubt it went that far. Tazuka observation only proved that Takada couldn't keep his eyes to himself as Clover went into the changing rooms with Sam and his eyes just looked at all the other girls, most prominently the attractive Greeter Goddesses.

A long day was ahead of them. Might as well find a place to sit down.

As Alex and Ryuki shared the smoothie, she couldn't help but feel that Ryuki mind was wandering. He was strangely quiet and not his usual upbeat self. She took one sip before asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

He answered, "Of course. What makes you say that?"

"You're not usually this quiet," Alex pointed out. Despite being a little naïve at times, she could be observant when it came to a boy she dated.

Ryuki sighed. Lying was not an option since he could not do it so well. He could keep secrets but lies were a whole other story. He could bend the truth but the holes would be seen in his story so obviously. He looked her in the eye and spoke, "I just, well, feel empty when I'm here. They were my friends and now they don't even know me."

"They don't remember you."

"Doesn't make the pain go away, though," he stated sadly. Alex didn't like seeing him so sad. What happened to the boy she kissed that day? What happened to the perpetual smile that was always on his face or that sunny disposition? It was like he was a whole different person.

No, this was actually a part of him that he didn't often show. He was still human despite being able to make fire come out of his hands. He still had emotions. Maybe that was why he was so reluctant to tell her about his powers. He feared rejection.

She knew how to take care of that.

She took hold of his face, resting her palms gentle on his cheeks. He responded to the contact to just gaze at her. She smiled and gently pulled his face to hers. Ryuki gasped but then his eyes closed as she closed her own eyes. She slowly kissed him, letting his savor the taste of her lips, which tasted like lemons like his due to the drink they were sharing. She pulled away for a second before kissing him again.

Rtuki's eyes opened a little and in the corner of his eye he could see the notoriously known couple, Jason and Joannie, who were always seen making out. It would appear that they were challenging Ryuki and Alex to a kissing contest but Ryuki paid them no mind. He was enjoying the way Alex was kissing him. Her lips were just so soft.

She pulled away, cheeks flushed and panting and so was he. A bead of sweat was wiped away from his forehead as he smiled.

"Where did that come from?" he asked.

"I wanted to cheer you up," Alex admitted. "Did it work?"

"I guess," Ryuki shrugged. "But maybe we should check again?"

Alex got the message and then started to kiss him again.

Sam and Clover left Albatross and Finch with Takada and Tazuka in two, holding their shopping bags.

"You know, I think I forgot how hard girls shopped," Takada said, struggling with his load."

"I saw this coming, really," Tazuka said.

"Of course you did, you're a fortune teller," Takada retorted. He turned his attention to the girls. "So, girls, what now?"

Sam was about to speak, mostly about their mission, until Clover pointed, "Ooh, let's check that place out!" She was talking about the Khaki Barn.

Takada gave Tazuka a look of dread but the older boy shrugged nonchalantly. Luckily for Tazuka, Sam knew when to stop.

"I think it's time Tazuka and I go and look for Ron," Sam said. "We'll keep in touch and tell us if you find anything suspicious."

Clover gave Sam and 'OK' sign before dragging Takada towards the Khaki Barn. Tazuka chuckled in amusement as he followed Sam in search of Ron.

"We should really go, now," Alex said, panting from the kisses.

"I agree," Ryuki said, his face making a fine impression of a tomato. "Before we loose control."

They had been making out for almost an hour and things were getting little hot under the collar. Of course, it didn't help Ryuki when Yaminekoryu was encouraging Ryuki to 'mark' Alex with a hickey.

Ryuki took the empty smoothie cup and threw it over his shoulder. It landed inside a trashcan before he stood up with Alex and they headed out of the food court. They had to remember they had a mission to complete.

Suddenly, Ryuki heard a scream, "Thief! He took my purse!"

"Excuse me!" Ryuki yelled before he took off. Alex chased after him. There was a purse snatcher in his sights and she knew he was going to go after the guy. She might as well help provide backup.

The purse-snatcher ran towards the exit. Nobody seemed to make an effort to grab him, not even those pesky mall caps. Just a few more feet and he would home free.

However, he tripped as Alex did a sweep kick under his legs and he fell to the ground, scattering the contents of the purse he was carrying. He gathered what he could before getting up but then his face met with an elbow and he was knocked to the ground. He tried to get up but then a foot pressed down on his chest, pinning him down. He looked up to see angry looking red eyes.

"I suggest you stay down if you know what's good for you," Ryuki said as he clenched his fists. The purse-snatcher, now with a broken nose due to the hit he got from Ryuki, gave up. Alex took the purse and put everything back inside. The owner of the purse, the attractive Yummy-Mummy, approached them.

"Oh, thank you," Yummy-Mummy said. "Thank you for helping me get my purse."

"Oh, it was nothing," Alex smiled. Of course, she felt ignored since Yummy-Mummy was actually talking to Ryuki.

"What's your name, young man?" Yummy-Mummy asked.

It was déjà vu for Ryuki since he remembered doing this for her. "It's Leo, ma'am," he said, smiling.

Alex knew this woman was flirting with Ryuki so she stepped forward and grabbed Ryuki's arm. "And I'm Alex." She handed Yummy-Mummy her purse. "And this is your purse."

Yummy-Mummy took it and winked at Ryuki before walking away.

Ryuki looked down at the criminal and asked, "What do we do with you?"

"You'll hand that maggot over to me, that's what!" an all too familiar deep voice spoke. Ryuki knew it well. Alex and Ryuki's eyes went over to the direction of the voice to see a man in a security guard's uniform, but wearing sunglasses and holding a cane.

It was Ron. They had found him.

Character Bios

THE MASKED RIDERS

Ichijyo Desmond Amakusa-Akuma/Shadowcobra is a founding member of the Special Ops team dubbed the "Masked Riders" and de-facto leader of the team while operating as CEO of Smart Brain Tokyo. He has few field missions since he has to run Smart Brain's Tokyo Branch but will go on the field when necessary. He has very few friends and treats the ones he does have quite coldly, though he really does care for them despite not showing it. He possesses shadow manipulation abilities, an aptitude for magic (which is ironic since Smart Brain is a technologies company), some psychic abilities, stealth skills and the power of Invisibility. He and Takada have an intense rivalry attributed from their first meeting which resulted in a fight. This was also caused by Takada whose inventions and experiments result in explosions and large amounts of damage. He holds some respect for his friends, the most being for Ryuki despite seeing him as a naïve idealist. He seems to be suspicious of everyone and keeps files on them. He refers to Takada with terms describing dogs (mongrel, mutt, etc). His jumpsuit is black and purple.

Ryuki Leonard Hasuma/Draco is a founding member of the Masked Riders and the one to suggest the team name, which stuck. The name of the team comes from Ryuki's idolism of the Kamen Riders, whom Ryuki admires. He is often times the field leader, with Takada and Tazuka's help of course. He is Ichijyo polar opposite as he is always smiling, easily excitable and makes friends easily. Ryuki possess psychic abilities like Ichijyo but are limited to only telekinesis and teleportation. It should be interesting to note that Ichijyo was the one to teach Ryuki how to hone these abilities. Ryuki also has the ability to absorb heat as well release it, which would explain his slightly higher than normal body temperature. He, like Ichijyo, comes from a wealthy family. Ryuki can project fireballs, taking advantage of his ability to absorb heat. However, he cannot control the heat he releases since it's always on and he can melt ice on contact. Because of this, Ryuki has never had ice cream or fun in the snow. This, however, doesn't affect his outlook on life. Of course, he is very emotionally sensitive and would end up in depression for a while. He is currently dating Alex. He likes her because of their common interests like sports and food. At first, he is a little reluctant due to his previous relationship ending badly but Alex helped him recover his bright spirit. His jumpsuit is black and red.

Yoshiyuki Takada/Pluto is a founding member of the Masked Riders and the team's tech expert. He is a high level genius, capable of hacking into complex computers, conducting experiments as well as creating advanced machinery. However, he is also very absent minded and careless, resulting in various mishaps (a common running gag) most often comical and destructive. He and Ichijyo share an intense dislike for each other from their first meeting, even after being united. He doesn't seem to hold any respect for Ichijyo but he does seem fond of Ryuki. He has a habit of flirting with random girls and as such dubbed a playboy by Ichijyo. His ability of invulnerability is useful to him since his experiments often blow up in his face. Considered a mad scientist by many, his mentor is a fellow mad scientist named Professor Yuriko Murata. How Ichijyo can stay sane with these two defies logic. He is currently dating Clover. Takada, like Clover, is also obsessive about his looks and as such takes time spiking up his hair. His jumpsuit is black and navy blue.

Tazuka Mizuki/Jawz is the team's newest member and the oldest boy in the group. He is a college student upon their first meeting and later transferred to Red Horse Private Institute. He uses his powers of clairvoyance to earn money as a fortuneteller and his predictions are almost never wrong. This is not the case with Ryuki who he considers an anomaly. As such, he takes on the role of older brother towards Ryuki, who in turn looks up and admires him, looking to him for advice which Tazuka gives to his younger brother. He possesses information of the future which he is sometimes reluctant to share unless there is an emergency. He has a relationship with Sam which budded from their first mission together and their appreciation for the finer things in life like art. He is also a musician, able to play numerous instruments, but is mostly seen playing the piano. His jumpsuit is black and blue.

THE SPIES

Sam sports a green catsuit and is the de-facto leader of the three Spies. She is the smartest and most focused member of the group. Like her friends, she likes to shop, visit salons and date just like any teenage girl but is still the most responsible one of them, making her a good leader on missions. She often prefers more intellectual pursuits, like reading in the library or just visiting the museum. She likes older mature men and this is seen when she blushes at Ichijyo and while she's dating Tazuka. She enjoys his company and it seems mutual.

Clover sports a red catsuit and has a valley-girl accent. She is most concern about her looks, popularity, boys and the latest trends compared to her spy work. Due to this, she is often side-tracked on missions. However, she does care for her friends and will jump to help them. Though she isn't as smart as Sam or as athletic as Alex, her knowledge of pop-culture often helps out in certain times. Her obsession with good looks also attributes to her hunting for her 'Mr. Right' which she found in Takada. Both of them are very similar in personality and are flirtatious. She uses 'study-dates' as excuses to get close to the genius. Like Takada, she also has a low opinion of Ichijyo who ruined her hair on their first encounter, despite the tape dissolving overnight,

Alex sports a yellow catsuit and is the youngest of the Spies. She is also the most athletic and fitness minded of her friends as she enjoys exercise and playing sports. Like Ryuki, she is also naïve and a bit slow on the uptake on certain conversations plus has trouble focusing. She also takes figures of speech literally. Though she is the most healthy, she likes to eat a lot which Ryuki appreciates since he too enjoys eating. Her relationship with Ryuki started when she observed how depressed he was over his mother's disappearance, culminating in a romance. She deeply cares for Ryuki and will try to cheer him up the best she can.