A/N: Finally concluding this in the most shonen-est way possible. Any other tiniest tweaks will be on my AO3.
Neon flashed him a wide smile as she showed Keiwa her Desire card and Michinaga gave a begrudging scowl before showing off his, to prove that both of them DID rejoin the DGP to save Ace. The sight gave Keiwa immense delight. Because it felt that the heavy burden he was carrying was getting lighter since he was not going to do this all alone.
Still, he had to know. The current Neon and Michinaga that he saw before didn't appear to be lacking anything to be wanting the desire to change their world, so there shouldn't be a reason for the DGP people to want to get them back. Was it because of their sponsors? In his case, Kekera-san had lobbied to get him back into the game. Because he still didn't get to see him unleash his full potential as a Kamen Rider. Plus he didn't feel like finding a new player to root on for the next show. So when Ace's decision allowed him another chance to get to see Tycoon at play again, Kekera immediately jumped in to grab the chance.
As much as Keiwa didn't quite trust Kekera anymore (he still didn't really forgive that frog for that trick he did to allow him to be revived back and rejoin the game), for once he was glad that the frog did get him back into the game. Kekera's logic had no flaw after all; finding out that Ace had sacrificed himself to allow the DGP to continue would've given him all the motivation to fight for his wish. It was the same when Kekera tried to use his sister during the last game.
But how about Neon... or even Michinaga-san? As far as he knew, the only 'sponsor' who had expressed their interest in him was Beroba. Even then he doubted that Beroba would be interested to help them save Ace, out of her own 'generosity'. Considering that she was more interested to see human misery and suffering (was she even still around now?)
"About that..." Neon started to say as Michinaga made a face at him.
"Don't look at me, I just want to kick that sneaky fox's ass one more time!"
xxx
When will I find my true love?
Honestly... she never felt so free and at ease with herself. How long has it been since... when she used to livestream herself trying to run away from home and trying to find her own identity, unrelated to the Kurama legacy. She didn't even remember the reason why she did what she did before... but once in a while, she caught her two bodyguards talking about her between themselves so it must be true.
She didn't quite remember what happened in the past that led to her living separately from her family but she liked it this way. Somehow aside from the two bodyguards who often followed her around to protect her, she never really felt as if she really belonged in the Kurama family. So for her to learn to live on her own without being cuckolded by her mother... well that was quite an experience.
So all that was left was for her to find someone she could call her own, someone who can make her feel as if she truly belong with them. That should be true happiness for her, right?
.
Yet lately, there WAS someone who caught her attention without warning. She didn't know his name, but Neon often caught him watching her from afar. The man seemed like a very shy person... yet she wondered why the person didn't seem to want to greet her properly. Assuming that he was a fan of her...
And then one day, the man approached her out of the blue, carrying a small box with him.
.
"I..." the person started to say. "I was contemplating whether or not I should give you this, because you seemed to be happy in this current life. But I remembered you telling me this before, that you preferred to be yourself and make your own choices no matter how much it may hurt you. And I thought... you probably wouldn't sit quietly if you know that a friend was in peril."
Neon frowned at the man, considering that he spoke as if he knew her well. But she had no memories of knowing the man prior to this moment. And the man spoke about a 'friend' in danger... but who was this 'friend' that he was talking about?
The man opened the box he was carrying before showing it to her.
"If you would touch the core ID, you'll understand what I'm talking about."
The box in question contained some kind of device... and there was a smaller cylindrical-shaped thing with a cat(?) symbol on it. Was that what the man was referring to as the 'core ID"? Neon cautiously touched the core ID as she immediately felt as if there was a spark hitting her finger. And soon after it felt as if someone had doused her with a bucket of water. All of her memories returned back to her in a blink of an eye.
Neon glanced back up towards the man again. "Kyuun-san! How—?" she asked right away as her mind immediately recalled the things Kyuun had said to her a moment ago.
"What did you mean that a friend was in danger? And this driver and core ID... was this related to the DGP?"
Kyuun nodded. He let out a long sigh.
"It's about Ukiyo Ace..."
xxx
"You haven't really changed..."
Michinaga scoffed at the recollection as he recalled Tohru's words making fun of him for being so childish. Just because he still gets overexcited about things that he liked to do or fancies. As he used to do, ever since he was a little kid.
Still, there was something that bothered him a bit. As much as he did like eating kitsune udon once in a while, he didn't remember being that obsessed with anything fox-like or having any memorable incidents involving foxes. Yet lately, he found himself feeling strangely nostalgic whenever he had kitsune udon or feeling that something was missing whenever he saw anything that reminded him of a fox. That was very strange. And at times, he tend to get really annoyed whenever someone tried to act slightly fox-like with him. He really didn't understand why...
Until that one time, a stranger appeared before him.
.
"Michinaga-san..."
For a sec, he thought it was Tohru who had called for him. But it was a different person. Yet why was this guy addressing him suddenly?
The man just shrugged at him.
"I know that this was very sudden, but I really need your help. Someone important to me needs help."
Michinaga frowned. Now that was odd. Because if the person this man was referring to needed help, shouldn't they go call the police? Or ambulance? Or what other uniformed bodies may relate to whatever plight this man's friend was caught in. But why did this man turn to HIM?
The man took out a small box with DGP marked on it and opened the cover. Right away the man took out a small cylindrical thing from the box and shove it to his face!
"There's no time to explain properly! Michinaga-san... please touch this core ID. Touch this, and you'll understand what I'm trying to say."
He lifted his hand without thinking... but then a stray thought crossed his mind about not trusting any random strangers who came to you with suspicious requests. Those kinds of precautions were usually intended for kids but maybe... it applies to adults as well. Who knows what weird business he'd end up getting himself into once he touched the weird gadget thing?
"Ah! This was going nowhere—!" the man suddenly exclaimed before grabbing Michinaga's hand to touch the 'core ID'.
"Wai—!" Michinaga cried out before suddenly feeling strange electricity zapping onto him through his fingers. Immediately all of his memories about the Desire Grand Prix siphoned back into his head. It almost felt like his head could have burst from all of the information but it hadn't.
Michinaga shook his head before turning back towards the man who had restored his memory. He glared at the man.
"You! You're that Geat's... sponsor kid! What do you want from me?"
He looked down at the core ID he was holding (as well as the box Ziin was holding) and seethed. Why were the core ID and Desire Driver still exist? Did that mean the DGP was starting again?
Ziin let out a long sigh before shrugging at him. "As I said earlier, I need your help to save someone. And as you've already gathered, the Desire Grand Prix will be starting again in this world. I need your help to put an end to the DGP once and for all."
This was still suspicious as hell!
"Why are you asking me? Don't you have Geats? And wasn't HE supposed to have ended the game during the last Desire Royale? Was all that shit he said about the fighting the admins and everything all lies?"
"About that—" Ziin started to say before biting his lips. "Geats—I mean, Ace-san—was not currently able to do anything... at the moment. At least, not in the state he was currently in right now. That was why I needed your help."
Michinaga laughed at him.
"What? Did that guy chicken out on wanting to end the game? Didn't he want to save his 'mother' from those DGP people?" He scoffed at the thought. "Or did he still want to play around in the DGP that he was loathed to let it go?"
"Don't mock Ace-san like that! You have no idea what he sacrificed for everyone's sake!" Ziin snapped suddenly. The outburst made Michinaga step back from the guy a bit.
Michinaga cocked his head to the side. "W-wait... earlier, you didn't just ask me to end the Desire Grand Prix. You asked me to help in saving... someone. Don't tell me... you want me to save Ace's mum?"
Ziin shook his head rapidly. "No, you idiot! Ace had already saved Mitsume during the last Desire Royale," the man exclaimed before letting out another exasperated sigh.
"I need your help to save Ace."
Michinaga stared at the man in disbelief. Of all the strange and unbelievable things that he had to hear right now...
"WHAT?"
xxx
Michinaga rolled his eyes as he recalled the incident when Ziin had come to ask him for help.
"Seriously... I never thought that guy would do something stupid like taking his mother's place in the DGP."
Keiwa immediately winced at the scathing comment.
"Well, sorry about that—" he said weakly as Michinaga stared at him strangely.
"I was talking about that stupid Geats tho—"
"Yes, and I was the one who convinced Ace to let the DGP continue so that we can save the defeated players and other victims from the past games."
"You're the one who did that? You're such a—"
"Hey! Last time I checked, you're pretty much HAPPY that you've got your friend back again. Was that guy's name... Tohru? Ace told me about him one time—"
"Why you—Ah! Were you at the restaurant last time? Were you SPYING on us? That kitsune udon thing was a fluke, it meant nothin—!"
"Yes, yes..." Neon hastily intervened between the two as she pushed both Keiwa and Michinaga apart to stop them from quarrelling. "Basically we're all here with a common goal to save our friend, Ace-sama. (Michinaga: That fox was NOT my friend!) So let's focus on that."
Michinaga made a face as he wrapped his arm around himself.
"I'm really gonna kick that fox's ass really HARD!"
xxx
Tsumuri turned her attention towards the three youths who have finally reunited with each other despite the odds against them. And somehow the sight of the three being together warmed her heart. Despite the current situation, she felt that this had been for the best. It was better to see the three fighting together on the same side rather than against each other. She really hoped that the three could realize their dreams and make them come true.
Still, she couldn't help being grateful to be able to meet those three. And for Ace to somehow formed a bond with them.
Tsumuri turned to look at the rest of the other new players for the DGP. As much as she was rooting for the Three to succeed in their endeavour, that doesn't mean that she should ignore the other players' existence. These other players... should also have their own reasons to want to join the DGP to the point of risking their own lives for it. She wished all of them well... and hopefully, no real harm would come to any of them throughout the duration of the game.
She prayed that the three would be successful. Even if it meant that the other players would not be able to realize their dreams and wishes, she hoped that the three would be able to save her brother.
Surely the other players would be able to figure out what to do with their lives afterwards even without the DGP, as humans always do. Even though it wouldn't quite be the perfect solution.