Interlude 2: Prologue

Hmm… How should I start with this…

Well, I should start by prefacing that I wasn't there for the majority of what Ritsuka's been doing. It all began long before I or everyone he's with now entered the picture.

Years ago, Ritsuka was lost, adrift somewhere and all by himself. It sounds like a terrible fate, especially to him after all he did… but he was thankfully unconscious the entire time. No one knows for sure how long he was adrift in that void, least of all him, but as you can already guess, someone rescued him.

How unlucky of you to end up here of all places. Well… that streak of bad luck won't be ending any time soon.

The person who saved Ritsuka was… certainly something. He's a piece of work: rude, pretty pushy and assertive, and a bit of a jerk. In other words, somewhat like how Ritsuka is now after everything… but just like him, that man is kind in his own way. Why else would he save Ritsuka instead of leaving him drifting forever?

That man was on a journey of his own yet he stopped to help Ritsuka and eventually gave him the choice of returning to his World. Ritsuka… he chose to accompany that man on his journey. Said he was curious about his saviour and wasn't in a rush to get back.

And so, Ritsuka and that man travelled together although reluctantly in the latter's case. Ritsuka learned of the various Worlds and met new people. But continuing in his journey, he was met with opposition and hardship… mainly because of the man he was travelling with. You can say they both were trouble magnets but nearly everything he faced was more related to that man.

Huh? What is that man's name?

Well… I'm gonna keep that a secret~ Sorry, but I find it more enjoyable if you don't know who he is yet. I am, after all, a storyteller. It's more fun to throw in a little bit of mystery~

Anyway, where was I? Oh right— ahem.

In his initial travels, most of the trouble Ritsuka faced were entities from the Rider Worlds and… that group. Ritsuka couldn't do much to help; he was no longer a Master nor was he a Rider yet. It wasn't that terrible issue as the man was a Kamen Rider— and a true one like that. Whatever troubles from the Rider Worlds they ran into, that man solved with little issue. Sometimes he had help, and sometimes he was on his own, but whatever the situation, that man dealt with them with Ritsuka as a non-helpful sidekick.

Hey, that was Ritsuka's own words, not mine!

Ahem— But as they travelled together, or to be more accurate, Ritsuka tagged along with that man, there was still one large, underlying issue: the schism in Ritsuka's heart. You already know his mental state towards the end of his time in his original World; it… didn't get better during his travels.

Sure, Ritsuka saw beauty and wonder as he travelled through the Worlds but… he also saw chaos, disasters, and many, many terrible things… He learned a terrible truth— no, he knew deep in his heart about that truth, but his journey opened his eyes to it. It was a truth that man had also learned but soldiered on as a warrior of justice.

Tell me, Fujisaki, do you believe good will always win? Or will evil eventually edge out one day?

Or will good and evil be forever locked in battle?

In your journey, you've seen what happens if one truly defeats the other.

He wanted to change things, wanted to help… but he was powerless to do so. And he didn't know if changing things would be for the better.

But eventually, he got his chance to become something more than himself. That man saw his desires and at first tried to dissuade him but saw it was useless. He relented—and took Ritsuka to his beginning.

Here's your choice. If this isn't the road you want to walk, all you need to do is turn around and leave.

Walk away. You don't have anything to do with this battle. You'll be suffering for no reason.

...That's a lie.

Ritsuka chose to stay on his path and took what that man left him. With that, he took up the name— and fate —of Kamen Rider Decade. With his new title and powers, he took the first step to his new future. He wanted to learn the truths of reality— to find answers to the questions now present in his heart.

Why do you fight? Why do live?

"What do I fight for? Simple: love and peace~"

"To protect dreams, even if I don't have one for myself."

"To grab the hands of everyone I can reach, that's what I fight for."

"Becoming the last hope and bringing that to those that need it. Is that a good answer for you?"

Will there ever be an end to your fighting?

"Hmm… maybe? I want to say yes but… it doesn't look likely, does it?"

"A long time ago, I would say yes. Unfortunately, even with Museum gone, there is still crying in this city… Even if it's not as a Rider, my fighting is far from over."

"…So long as people have wishes, that battle will start again. And when that battle restarts, I will be there— whether I want to or not."

"No."

Are you… happy with how your life turned out?

"I am. But that's not all, is it? I know what you want to ask and… I do wonder how things would go for me if I never got these powers."

"To be honest… I'm not sure. Helping people put a smile on my face but there are days when I found myself… thinking."

"Of course. I wouldn't have things any other way."

Then— one of them…

"Ritsuka, all these questions you're asking… you won't find a satisfying answer from us. In the end, the only answer you'll accept with all your heart is the one that comes from yourself."

Accept with all my heart? I…

"Reasons for fighting; an ending to the fighting; and about happiness. That's something you have to answer yourself. Asking me or anyone else won't help you at all."

I know. But… I'm still searching for it.

"…I'm only going to say this once— all of us are on our own journeys. Not just us as Riders, everyone is going through life. Life is its own journey. And as in all journeys, there are times where you wonder what the point of it is."

I'm not questioning what the point of life is.

"Maybe not, but you will be soon. You're already questioning everything; soon enough, you'll be wondering why you're on a journey if you can't find the answers you're looking for. And if you question what your journey is… Well, I don't need to say it, do I?"

…No, you don't.

As you can guess, Ritsuka was already questioning himself. And unlike back when he was a Master, he didn't have anyone to fall back on.

That Kamen Rider… Yes, he was right. What Ritsuka was looking for wasn't something he could ask anyone and everyone. It was something he had to find out for himself; others could be involved but only he could answer his own questions.

But when it said that, Ritsuka found himself retreating more into himself. That Rider didn't mean to do so but he instilled the idea that Ritsuka could only look at himself for answers. No one else could help him with his questions— he had to do so himself.

…I want to ask. Was it the same back then? When he was in a good mood, he would sometimes tell me about his past life. It was only ever the happy things, he would never talk about the bad feelings he bottled up during all of it.

I see… he was always like that… Just as I read then…

Hmm? Don't worry about that… not yet.

Ritsuka continued as he was for some time after that. Maybe it was to find the answers or to uncover the ones buried inside him. In any case, he would discover one of the answers he wanted: a reason to fight that is his and his alone.

"Hey!" He called out to the celebrating group a short distance away. Unfortunately, they were too caught up in their cheers for winning the battle to hear him. "Seriously…?" Ritsuka sighed to himself. "I'll just do it myself then."

He kneeled down to pick up the dropped weapon— the Sword of Darkness Kurayami. It had been flung away after Calibur's defeat in the skies above. While watching Saber use his new form (to them anyway) to defeat him was cool and all, the Riders of the Northern base needed to pick up the slack. 'They're really different from before…' thought Ritsuka as his fingers wrapped around Kurayami's hilt.

He was musing about how the others needed to be less careless. Yet, it was his own carelessness that propelled him forward.

It was instant to everyone else. Barely any time passed for everyone else; none of them noticed at all. They only realised when they heard the loud clanging of Kurayami being dropped.

"Fujimaru-san?" He didn't know who was calling his name. It was likely Saber but it could've been Blades too. Heck, it could've even been Kenzan or Slash. Whoever it was, their concern was the last thing on Ritsuka's mind.

"Wha…" A scared murmur escaped his lips. His entire body was shaking and he couldn't focus on anything; there were too many thoughts going through his head for him to properly process. "That was… why?"

In your time watching us, have you ever learned anything about Kurayami? There is a reason why its wielders tend to go insane— when it was forged, there was a wish imparted into it. That wish would give Kurayami an ability that would be too powerful for its own good.

The wish: to prevent disasters. And the ability that was granted to all that would wield Kurayami: visions of the future. Yes, Kurayami would grant clairvoyance to those that use it as a weapon. That's why… I wonder why it granted Ritsuka the vision that would haunt him until the end. I don't think he had any intentions to use it; he only wanted to keep it safe.

Yet, Kurayami saw it fit to force him into the darkness and warn him. The only theory I have is that Ritsuka was deeply involved in that future. Or maybe… someone used Kurayami as a conduit. A middleman as it were.

When I say someone, I'm sure you know who I'm referring to. With the powers he held, it wouldn't be a surprise if it was him.

As a clairvoyant yourself, you should know what it feels like to see a future you don't want. The future Ritsuka saw would both serve to push him and keep him shackled at the same time. His desire to change that future would motivate him for the rest of his journey but in the same vein, changing the future was the only thing he could work towards. Nearly everything he's done since touching Kurayami was to stop his vision from becoming a reality.

Ritsuka discovered an answer to one of his questions: why do you fight? He didn't find it the way he expected but does anyone?

Yes… I have to. To fight the future… that's why I'll live.

I want to say it was then when Ritsuka's future became concrete— that it was his decision to fight for us all.

But I'd be lying to myself and you.

No, from the very moment he met the previous Decade, his fate had been sealed. Or maybe… it was even long before. When he accepted that he'd had to destroy Worlds to save his own.

Yes… It was when he accepted being a Destroyer of Worlds, the path to fighting the King of Time was paved.

A/N: I foresee the next chapter taking a while so here's a very lore-heavy interlude to pass the time till then. Analyze it as you will and try and figure out where I'm going with all this. All I can say is that there is a bit of contradiction here and there.

I really do want to hear all your theories and such. Engagement with my audience keeps me motivated.

Until next time!