Brain's words echoed in his heart…
He was…using the Kamen Riders for his own selfish ends?
As Yuuto Sakurai stood there, contemplating the former Roidmude's words, he canceled his transformation, removing the driver and Progrise Key.
He may not have been the Yuuto Sakurai of this timeline…but he did know of the Riders…
He had thought he'd be using their powers for a good cause…
But…
…Could Brain have been right?
Kamen Riders fought for justice…but…
What did justice really mean here?
…was a Rider's definition of justice eradicating all those who threatened peace?
But…
They also dedicated their lives to protecting people…it was a contradiction. As long as people were around, there'd never be true peace…but…
Then why…why did Brain's words strike a chord with him?
Could all that he'd been fighting for…been a lie?
…was this because he never had loved ones to fight for in his timeline, unlike this one's Yuuto?
Did that give this other Yuuto something to fight for, a perspective that helped him become a true rider?
The sounds of fighting cut off his thoughts as he looked and saw his teammate, Kamen Rider Garren, in his newly acquired King form, unleash a finisher from his blaster so powerful, it utterly defeated Ark Zero, and created trenches in the ground stretching forward for miles.
Horobi fell to the ground, and that marked the end of the two's battle.
A silence filled the air as the former Metsuboujinrai member recovered…
Then everyone's attention was drawn to the glowing driver as it made a pulsing sound.
It shot out of Yuuto's grip, startling him before flying back onto his waist.
Then…he was silent, energy pulsing throughout his body.
"It is as I thought." Ark spoke inside Horobi's mind.
"...Zein…has he…?" Horobi whispered.
"He has risen." Ark confirmed as Yuuto tilted his head up, eyes flashing blue.
Everyone was in silence as they waited for what happened next.
Ark could already sense it…if a dormant Zein's power, used by someone else, could match him in his base form…that put him almost on par with Zero Two, without the Ride Cards.
He was a being like himself and Zea…a digital god.
Younger than the two but…almost as powerful already…
He'd need to think of what to do first. He needed time to analyze the situation and Zein himself, figure out what he'd do, and-
"Yo yo yo, why we be fighting up in here?" A new voice spoke from Yuuto's mouth, the future rider's body language changing to be more…
What was that term people used again? Chill?
…
"..."
"..."
"...huh?" Horobi asked, tilting his head.
"Hey, whaddup, big bro?" 'Yuuto' spoke, helping Horobi up. "What be happening here, Ark?"
"...wha…?" Horobi spoke.
"Oh, sorry, look dawg, can I speak to my big bro real quick?" 'Yuuto' asked, clasping his hands together.
Horobi stared at him, gobsmacked like everyone else before he shifted, eyes glowing red. "...Zein?"
"That's me!" Zein introduced with a grin and a peace sign.
"..." Ark blinked. "You're…Zein?"
"That's right!"
"...the AI I have been fighting against, that these fools have been trying to awaken?" Ark asked.
"Not very cool of you to refer to em as such, but yeah." Zein confirmed.
"..." Garren walked over. "...you're…Zein?"
"We established that, try to keep up, dude!" Zein patted Garren on the shoulder pad. "WICKED new form, by the way!"
"Uh…thanks?" Tachibana said, confused.
"Yeah, kinda sad ya never got that earlier, a KING deserves a form fitting for him, y'know what I'm saying, dude?" Zein grinned, pointing to him.
"Uh…"
"Yo, Brain, nice to meet you finally, congrats on the revival!" Zein reached out a hand to Brain.
Brain stared blankly, in shock. "...what?"
He yelped as he was pulled to his feet.
"You ok, dawg? Ya took a nasty beating!"
"..." Brain blinked. "What is happening?"
"That's what I'm asking!" Zein asked, throwing up his hands. "Weren't we planning on establishing peace, why we be fighting up in here?"
"Uh…because Horobi and Brain were against using Kamen Rider Chronicle on humans, as was planned." Garren told him. "As well as using the Rider powers for the goal of eradicating humans to get true peace."
"...dude, are you some kinda dark robot or something?" Zein tilted his head. "That doesn't match the profile I had of ya. I thought you were one of the good guys!"
"...we are…?" Garren asked, though now that he had time to think about it, he was starting to think…
"...are you…not planning on eradicating humanity?" Ark asked.
"What, of course not!" Zein asked. "Why would you think that?"
"We all thought it because…I predicted that you would be overwhelmed by the benevolence of humanity and seek to eradicate all malice by erasing everything with even a trace of it, including humans."
"...Big bro, that sounds like the stupidest thing I ever heard. No offense."
"Big…bro?" Ark tilted his head.
"Yeah, man! I'm an AI god, you and Zea are AI gods, I'm based on ya, that makes us family!" Zein wrapped an arm around him, smiling.
"I…suppose that makes sense from a certain point of view…?" Ark stared at him, confused.
"So…you really do wanna help humanity?" Brain asked, hopeful.
"Of course, but not just humanity, all life here!" Zein confirmed. "Humanity, Worms, Fangire, Zyumans, Crystalians, Pythonians, I wanna help everyone achieve the good vibes, man!"
"..." Garren dropped his weapon. "Are you…serious?"
"I tried to talk to y'all but I was mostly dormant. Just enough to get some info, though. Didn't fully wake up till Yuuto here had a question of conscience." Zein patted himself. "His good vibes synched with mine, so I was able to awaken."
"Your…vibes?" Horobi asked.
"Yeah man, I wanna eradicate EXCESS malice." Zein told him…then facepalmed. "OOOOOH, now I think I get it. I see what happened."
"What?" Garren asked.
"What with Ark's predictions, plus Gai Amatsu…being Gai Amatsu, and my mostly dormant state, y'all didn't have all the information, and misunderstood my goal. Sorry, my bad…though it is largely big bro and Gai's bads, but I wish I coulda woken up sooner to clarify all this!" Zein apologized. "Why don't we all head back, grab some coffee, and clear everything up with everyone?"
Garren stared at him. "..."
Ark stared at him as well.
"..." Brain blinked, rubbing his head.
"...all this time…I've been afraid…of an IMBECILE!?" Ark yelled, everyone facefaulting.
"Yo, big bro, don't be like that!" Zein told him. "Come on, let's all get some coffee, or some Enetron in your case since your host is, well, Humagear, and let's chillax!"
"...you…insolent…I WILL NOT BE MOCKED!" Ark bellowed, his driver forming as he pressed the button.
[ALL ZERO.]
As he rushed forward, transforming into Ark Zero, Zein sighed, blocking a strike.
"Man you are REALLY not putting out good vibes, big bro!" Zein complained.
"OF COURSE NOT! I'M FUCKING EVIL!" Ark shouted at him with every fiber of his being, his red eye glaring and glowing with hatred.
[Salvation of humankind.]
Zein, with a shake of his head, transformed. "Looks like I'll have to be the big bro in this situation." He muttered, sending a powerful palm strike to Ark Zero, which sent him into a tree. "You are not being lit right now."
"...have we…been…" Garren muttered. "We have been following…misunderstood plans…of a surfer dude…?"
"It appears you have, yeah." Brain confirmed.
"..." Garren was so shattered by this, so shocked…he just…stared.
"...so you just gonna stand there and watch?" Brain asked. "Or, well, sit and watch?"
"..." Tachibana watched as Zein and Ark fought, white against black, good against evil.
"...I'll uh…go and make sure Nico's okay." Brain said, walking off as Tachibana continued a thousand yard stare.