A/N: For a story that didn't really have a set plan... we're really moving forward with the plot.

[Edit] I screwed up the chapter upload smh... so sorry for the inconvenience. I forgot how some changes can only get updated as long as 30 min and I got impatient. Times like this I preferred the AO3 interface better.


"Whoa..."

Keiwa glanced up from his desk to Kinoshita staring at him.

"That looks painful. What happened?" asked the man innocently as Keiwa unconsciously touched the side of his neck covered with a big bandaid.

He laughed nervously. "Unh... my pet bit me last night. Got a bit too affectionate, I guess."

Kinoshita just chuckled at him. "Hehe, lovebite... huh? Must be quite a big dog."

Keiwa felt his cheeks flare as soon as his colleague was done talking. "Ha ha... y-yeah. I had quite an affectionate 'dog'..."

If only they knew...

Kinoshita just nodded off in understanding before walking away. Keiwa let out a long sigh of relief.

Dangit, Ace!

Ace was lucky that he was a real fox right now, because if not he was in big trouble. How could he... last night... of all things! He wasn't even sure what kind of relationship he has now with Ace. Although, he had to admit... having Ace with him right now felt so reassuring.

Keiwa sighed again as he looked down at the pile of old news articles and print-out of some other online articles from the past few months. The other seniors had been working on the Kurama Corporation, so he had offered to help out in organising the collected information. Especially since the trial involving the former chairman, Kurama Kousei—Neon's dad—would be underway. Which was the real reason why the team have been busy trying to cover the case right now.

Keiwa took in a long breath. So this was what had remained of the DesiGra's trace, not that the people who were going after Kurama's case were aware of it. Since Ace had made sure that everyone forgets about the DesiGra and the Jyamato's existence in this world.

.

Still, Keiwa couldn't help but wonder. The furthest memories that he could recall before the complete hole in his mind was of the new breed of Jyamato, which apparently Daichi was cultivating after taking over from the previous gardener, Archimedel. Because of that, Daichi was able to further his experimentation and created those 'Phase Twos'.

Keiwa gritted his teeth. Because of that guy... Sara... his sister ended up getting involved with this. What grudge did Daichi have with him anyway? Even back then during the Desire Royale when his sister was dragged in to become a Kamen Rider, even back then Daichi had gone after her as well.

Was it because of him? Was it because of that Dezastar incident that Daichi started bearing grudges against him? He really doesn't get that guy.

And there was that other time when the Jyamato gardener Archimedel tried to attack his sister as well. But did that and Daichi's doing had any connection between them?

What happened to those Jyamato that remained during that blank period in his memories? He supposed Ace and Michinaga and perhaps Win were handling it... but what about him? What happened back then that led to him getting hurt? Because that must be it, right?

Keiwa glanced back at the documents in front of him.

Honestly, when he first hear about Neon's father being a DGP sponsor, he couldn't really grasp what the role of a sponsor was supposed to mean actually. Because he never thought that people in this world would have any involvement with the DGP management directly. But back then, it was because of Neon's father that they managed to get a hold of Niram to help them resolve the case regarding Girori's attempt to oust Ace.

Keiwa flipped a page on one of the official reports that stated that Kurama was responsible for bribing some government officials to cover up some of the unexplained deaths of some random people as well as preventing anyone to reveal any information to the public regarding some suspicious criminal(?) activities. He supposed that was related to the DesiGra and the Jyamato activities. That reminded him.

It was only during Ace's DesiGra that he ever recalled anything about the appearances of Jyamato attacking the public ever reported on the news and media. Because before that, he didn't remember anything like that ever happening. Even during the incidents when a Jyamar area had opened up in the real world, there was nothing being covered in the news as it happen.

He always thought that it had to do with the DGP management controlling everything involving the DesiGra. He never thought the people in this world had anything to do with the DesiGra behind the scenes. But that was wrong too, right? Because all of the staff behind the management, those people should be people from this world as well... right? Like Win-san.

Keiwa sighed.

Back then, he should've tried finding out more about everything Hareruya Win-san knew about the DGP management. Yet then again, was he in any state to even care about that back then? He used to have his head full of the Goddess... as well as the defeated players and sacrificed civilians...

Keiwa stared at the document in front of him again.

[Suspicion of involvement and cover-up of criminal activities, including illegal experimentations on humans]

A jolt of paint suddenly shot up from inside of his heart as Keiwa thought about his parents. Would he end up finding his parents' names among the deaths that had been covered up by the Kurama Corporation? Were there any other parties that were involved with the DesiGra in the past? Kurama Corporation can't be the only one, right? There was that politician who was the father of that Kamen Rider Seeker that last time as well...

.

"Good afternoon, Keiwa-san!"

Keiwa turned around to find Neon coming to visit him at the office.

"Ah, Neon-san!" he exclaimed as Neon hurried over to him cheerfully. But then as soon as he noticed Neon's smile started to falter, Keiwa hurriedly put away the documents he had been reading.

"Umm... sorry about that. I was helping my seniors out with their work," he said as Keiwa tried to offer his apologies to Neon. Because even if Neon used to also take part in the DesiGra in the past, she probably had no idea of the things that her father had done in connection with the management. And regardless, right now... Neon didn't even remember anything about the DesiGra. And even then, it would still be alarming for her to see anything involving her father...

"Are you alright, Keiwa-san?" asked Neon instead.

"Eh?" Keiwa gasped. He had been worrying about Neon because of the investigations on her father, but she was worrying about him?

Neon placed a hand over his shoulder as she continued to look so worried. "You looked so pale, Keiwa-san! Are you sure that you're not getting sick or something?"

Oh. Neon must have been worried about his heart condition. Because he told her before about the surgery he had prior.

Keiwa hurriedly waved her concerns away. "It's nothing, Neon-san. I'm just fine... actually."

xxx

He came to check the small Inari shrine again while he was on the way home. Because he was still curious about the other Core IDs. Also because meeting Neon again made him recall something.

Because he remembered seeing three Core IDs besides his and Ace's. That should mean the other Core IDs included Neon's, right? But he recalled that Michinaga had broken Neon's Core ID. Shouldn't that mean that she could no longer become a Kamen Rider again? Wasn't that why Michinaga had been trying to break everyone's Core IDs during Suel's Desire Royale?

Keiwa stood before the small shrine and knelt in front of it. But as he opened the small shrine, he only found a small Inari figurine inside of it and no Core IDs in sight... including his and Ace's. He sighed.

Of course. Now that he was aware of the Core ID's existence, why would anyone leave them unguarded here anymore? Ace and Tsumuri already made it clear that they didn't want him to continue digging into the past...

.

Keiwa sighed as he leisurely headed towards the main shrine. Since he was already here, he might as well pay Tsumuri a visit. As soon as Keiwa reached the main shrine, he saw Tsumuri outside... sweeping the dried leaves outside on the lawn.