Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore

Intermission: Some Much Needed RR (Rest and Revelations)

Masha and Vee were just hanging out in their room, watching a movie on the TV, when they both heard a knock on the door.

"Did you order room service, babe?" Masha asked.

"No, I thought you did," Vee answered.

Masha got off the bed, walked over to the door and looked through the peephole to see who it was. They saw it was Camila and opened the door for her.

"What's up, Camila?" Masha asked.

"I was hoping I could sleep here tonight," Camila said. "Amity and Luz need the room for some privacy."

"Oh~," Masha grinned. "They need the room for some 'privacy', huh?"

"I don't think they need privacy for that, Masha."

After making sure that Marcy was going to make it back home all right, Luz and Amity apologized for tag-team teasing her. Marcy told them not to worry about it, and that she hoped their vacation was not completely ruined. Probably one of the better things about the DGP was how it reset memories and everything else within the Jyamar Area. So, as far as Masha, Vee, and Camila were concerned, they had just come back to the hotel after going on the Haunted Mansion ride.

Although, there was a noticeable change in the air between Luz and Amity. It was for that reason they asked Camila if they could have the room to themselves. Luz was pacing the floor, with Amity sitting on the foot of the bed, watching her fiancée's frantic back and forth. She had a good idea why she was like this, but she waited for Luz to say it.

"Ugh! I hate this," Luz complained.

"Hate what exactly?" Amity inquired.

"Oh, don't act like you don't know. I hate…this! You're back in the DGP!"

"I am," Amity said with a sigh. "And you'll need me to help you get your wish."

"I can do this on my own, Amity. I don't need your help," Luz retorted.

"Clearly, you do. That design flaw or safety feature, whatever, almost cost you in the last game. You used the last Sin Spell and if Willow hadn't transferred her qualifications to me, you would've lost," said Amity.

Luz scoffed at the insinuation that she was going to lose that game.

"Okay, so, maybe I could've paid more attention to the fact that I was getting weaker the more Sin Spells I used. But that's not going to happen again. Next time, I'll save them for only when I really need them," Luz assured.

Now it was Amity's turn to scoff.

"So, you're telling me that during this last game, you didn't 'really' need to use them?" Amity questioned.

Luz bit her bottom lip. She couldn't lie. Every time she used one of the Sin Spells, it was to keep her family safe because she was the only thing standing between those monsters and the ones she loved.

"It…It was an emergency. Masha, Vee, Mom, and you were in danger. I had to use all the spells. Again, if I knew about that beforehand, I would've been smarter and conserved them. But that won't happen again."

Amity shook her head at the notion.

"No, Luz, you can't say that as if it's a certainty. The Jyamatos are getting stronger, which means you'll need to use them more often." Amity stood up, arms crossed. "And while I don't doubt Marcy's skills, you need someone who knows you, who's fought in life or death struggles more times than she has. You know as well as I do that I'm the best one suited to help you and keep you safe."

"Ugh…Yes, you're right. You know me best, and you have the combat skills." Luz rubbed her left arm as she turned away for a moment. "I know you do but I still want you to quit."

"I won't."

"Please, Amity, just give up your qualifications and go back to being a civilian!"

"I'm not going to do that, Luz. I'm putting my foot down on this. I'm going to fight in the DGP and protect you!"

"BUT WHAT IF I CAN'T PROTECT YOU!" Luz yelled as she grabbed Amity by the shoulders.

Amity blinked as she saw Luz's face contorted with a mixture of anger and fear.

"You died in my arms…Amity. You died and I couldn't do a damn thing to save you…! I had all that power…and yet I couldn't do anything to keep you from dying…" Tears began to flow down Luz's face as she slowly fell to her knees, with Amity holding onto her as she did as well. "I don't want that to happen to you again…If you stay as a civilian, you'll come back to life. As a Rider…if you die…that's it. Game Over! You don't come back!"

'You know you're not strong enough without my power,' Empress Oscura's voice taunted Luz.

"I…I don't know if I can bear seeing that happen again…I…I don't think I can live on if you die in front of me again…"

'You're weak and everyone around you will die because of your weakness,' the dark voice whispered in her mind.

"I'm begging you, Amity. Call Tsumuri, tell her you don't want to be a Rider anymore…" Luz looked up into the golden eyes of her fiancée as she pleaded. "Please…I can't lose you again."

Amity wrapped her arms around Luz, bringing her fiancée closer as she hugged her.

"You won't because we'll be fighting together, again. You have my back, and I'll watch yours. We'll protect each other just like we did before. You're not the only one who's afraid, Luz." Amity broke the hug slightly as she looked into the beautiful brown eyes of her future wife. "When I got my memories back and realized that you were fighting in the DGP again, it hit me. I could wake up one day and you might not be there and I would never know why you were gone."

"Amity…"

"You say you couldn't live without me, Luz," Amity continued as tears began to flow down her face. "Don't you think I feel the same way? I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't want us to be torn apart like that. I don't want to just suddenly wake up one day and find out that you died, or that you were erased from existence. We both have a lot to lose, mi amore, but we won't lose each other if we protect each other. And I'll always protect you."

Amity leaned forward and kissed Luz passionately. Luz held Amity closer as she reciprocated the kiss, slowly bringing the two of them to standing height as she pushed Amity back until they were both on the bed. They broke their kiss and stared at each other, their chests rising and falling as they both looked upon their blushing and tear-streaked faces. Amity reached up and cupped Luz's face, and Luz did the same to Amity.

"We will make it through this, Luz, just like last time. But unlike back then, we won't lose anyone else. Not Sasha, not Marcy, and not each other," Amity promised.

"Even Boscha?" Luz asked.

"Screw Boscha."

Luz chuckled.

"She wishes you would."

A sultry smirk appeared on Amity's lips.

"Then…want to do what she can't?"

Masha stepped out of their room and came to Luz and Amity's room to knock on their door. They received no response but they knew they were inside since they could hear sounds coming from the other side.

"Hey, so Camila asked if she could sleep in our room. Are you good with that?" they asked.

"Yes!" Luz cried.

"Are you sure?" Masha asked.

"Oh, Amity! Yes!" Luz cried from the other side of the door. "Right there! Yeah, right there! Your tongue feels so good! Oh, oh, OOOOOOHHH~! SI, SI, SIIIIIIII!"

Face flushed red, Masha speechlessly stepped back from the door and turned to walk back to their and Vee's room. They quickly opened the door and walked back into the room with a look of embarrassment on their face.

"Oh, Masha. You're back," Vee said, putting down her phone after sending texts to their friends Angie and Callum.

"What did they say? Are they okay?" Camila asked.

"They said 'yes', and needed some alone time to grind out the details," Masha said monotonously.

Camila nodded in understanding, but Vee gave Masha a dubious look as she raised her eyebrow.

"What aren't you telling us?" Vee asked.

"Babe, they're doing fine. They're just eating - eh - getting to the heart of the matter."

It was morning and Luz's cellphone alarm went off on the nightstand. Amity and Luz were in bed, their clothes thrown all over the room. The two of them were cuddling under the covers, after a passionate night of lovemaking.

Luz woke up and reached over to grab her phone before shutting the alarm.

"Sweet potato, it's time to get up," Luz said as she went to wake up her fiancée.

"Don't wanna..." Amity whined as she clung tightly to Luz, nuzzling her neck. "Can't we just stay in and order room service or something?"

"As much as I like that idea, Amity, we need to get up, get dressed and meet everyone for breakfast," Luz replied. "And apologize to Mom for kicking her out of the room."

"...Yeah," Amity sighed. "Luz, are you still mad about me joining the DGP again?"

"A bit, but I totally get it. You were worried about me getting hurt just like I was worried about you."

"Yeah, but to find out the whole thing is just one twisted reality TV show, it's messed up," Amity frowned. They were fighting with their lives on the line and those cameras were watching them, broadcasting them to an audience that enjoyed every second of their struggle.

"It is, but people need to get their kicks somehow," Luz agreed. "Let me tell you about the Dark Web sometime. Makes me wonder if they even make bets on who wins each round and if they wager on who wins each season."

"Just who are these people?" Amity wondered.

"My best guess: alien time travellers from another dimension," Luz stated and Amity laughed at how ridiculous that sounded. Though, considering everything they had experienced, that was just as likely too.

Luz's Spider Phone went off and she reached over to see what it was. She got a text message that was labelled as important.

When Luz arrived in the Desire Temple's lounge, she found Mr. Butler there to welcome her.

"Good morning, Ms. Noceda," Mr. Butler greeted.

"Hey, Mr. Butler. I was told to come here. The message said it was important," Luz said.

"Yes," Mr Butler confirmed, handing her a Desire Card. "This is for you." She took it and turned it over to see an invitation written on the other side.

"My sponsor?" she asked.

"Yes, they wish to speak with you."

"Good, because I've got a few questions."

"Just walk right through that door." Mr. Butler pointed and on the lounge's wall was a door she had never seen before. It just appeared out of thin air.

Luz stepped up to the door and tapped on the control panel next to it, which made it slide open. When the door opened, a bright light flashed before her eyes, temporarily blinding her. When the light faded, Luz found herself in a completely different place.

Luz was on a large floating platform in the middle of an empty space with neon glowing geometric shapes floating around in it. At first, Luz thought Mr. Butler had tricked her, but then she saw the furniture and then she found herself gazing at a beautiful teenage girl sitting on a large couch.

She wore a pair of black-heeled boots and dark stockings that led up to a red leather skirt, a red leather jacket, and a black tube top that exposed her tan-coloured stomach. She also had golden eyes, and long turquoise hair that went down her back and covered the sides of her head.

'Oh, no. She's HOT!' Luz internally panicked as she met her sponsor. Luz may be faithful to Amity, but she could still find other people attractive. The sponsor smiled at Luz, which made Luz blush. She looked to be about the same age as her. However, considering all the strangeness surrounding the DGP, she could not be too sure about that.

"Finally, Luz Noceda, live and in person. I've waited so long to meet you face to face. C'mon, take a seat," Luz's sponsor offered. Luz sat down on the loveseat to the right of the couch. Luz's sponsor picked up what looked like a wine bottle and angled it towards Luz. "Want some? It's very good."

"Sorry, but I'm not old enough," Luz politely declined.

"Eh, more for me." Luz's sponsor poured some of the red liquid into her glass and downed it before putting it down. Leaning forward, she rested her arms on her knees. "So, I suppose you have questions."

"Y-Yeah, I was told I had a sponsor who chose me to participate in the Desire Grand Prix. What I want to know is why?"

"Why indeed, Luz," Luz's sponsor said with a broad smile. "Why indeed." She snapped her fingers and multiple screens popped up that displayed Luz in the past when she was a Kamen Rider in the Boiling Isles.

Luz froze when she saw them.

'H-How…How do they have these images?! This…This is from the past!' Luz thought.

"I chose you because, despite what everyone else believes, you have the potential to be a hero, Kamen Rider Oscura. Even in the past, you were a powerful figure in the Boiling Isles that none could challenge," Luz's sponsor said.

Luz clenched her hands into fists as she looked upon the images of her past self. Seeing Empress Oscura sitting on the throne filled her with bitterness and self-loathing.

"I was a tyrant…an evil, vengeful bitch that wanted to hurt everyone around her. If that's what you call a 'powerful figure', then yes I was once," Luz countered.

"No, that's what you were forced to become." Luz's sponsor snapped her fingers again and brought one of the screens forward. It displayed the moment when Luz first transformed into a Kamen Rider. "It was Emperor Belos who sent his Coven Scouts and Lilith Clawthorne to capture Eda. But you courageously fought against them, and in the process saved Eda's life and broke her curse, freeing her from her suffering."

"At the cost of killing all those Coven Scouts…" Luz stated.

"Yes, when you first transformed, you killed those Coven Scouts but you also saved Eda." Luz watched her past self heal Eda and break her curse, restoring her youth. "That was a good thing you did. And besides, you saw your mentor get killed right in front of you. Anyone would react violently if they saw someone they loved and cared about die like that. You should know that very well by now."

Luz couldn't deny that. She did it once when Anne died, annihilating the Jyamatos. And the second time when the Pinhead Jyamato killed Amity right in front of her. Thinking back on it, the others were just about ready to tear that Jyamato apart, but they stayed back and allowed Luz the pleasure of doing it herself.

"Wrath is a sin, but when directed at an evil force, it can also be considered righteous fury, Luz," Luz's sponsor told her.

"That still doesn't change the fact that those Scouts had lives, families," Luz retorted. "And whatever good I did back then was outweighed by the evil I did after."

The sponsor sighed as she snapped her fingers again, this time showing a few other screens that displayed the times that Luz fought against the Coven Scouts and didn't kill them. Luz remembered that this was in the early stages of her Kamen Rider career.

"Yet you didn't kill all of them. You weren't without mercy and showed it when and where it was needed," she said.

"If you have all this, then you know what I did at the Conformitorium, where I drained the magic of all those Coven Scouts and killed the Head Witch of the Illusion Coven."

"Well, again, he tricked you. He played with your heart and mind. Let us not forget that he was loyal to your enemy. He was a threat."

"He was drained of magic at that time!" Luz shouted, hitting the armrest with her fists. "How do you see that as fair?! He couldn't hurt anyone after that and I burned him alive!"

Luz's sponsor snapped her fingers again and showed the assault she made on the Emperor's Castle, along with her battle against Belos.

"True, your hands were stained in blood but you had good intentions. You wanted to be a hero, free the isles from Belos' rule, and allow everyone to freely mix magic. You decided to put an end to Belos' regime by freeing everyone from the shackles of the Coven System and after that, made your assault on Belos himself. And by doing so, you exposed his plans for mass genocide. The people should have hailed you as a hero. If anything, They should've crowned you as the Empress. But what did they do instead?"

Luz didn't want to answer. She knew the answer to that already.

The sponsor's expression softened as she snapped her fingers again and showed new screens of when Luz ascended to the throne.

"You became Empress Oscura. At first, your rule was harsh, but you were fair. You completely abolished the Coven System, and whether they would like to admit it or not, the young witches of the Isles flourished under your policies. You even infiltrated the schools to see if your changes were making things better and they were. You didn't even penalise anyone for sticking with one type of magic. Everyone was free to choose their path and the magic they wished to wield."

Luz shifted her gaze back to her sponsor.

"You seem to be glorifying all my supposed 'accomplishments', without completely addressing all the death and suffering I caused while I was Oscura. Or did you forget what I did to Amity's family? What I did to Amity? Or how my Phantom army killed Eda's parents for resisting! They were killed because of me!"

"And yet, what did you do when you found this out?" she asked.

"I…I destroyed the Phantoms responsible."

"Doesn't sound much like the actions of a heartless tyrant. There was still light inside of you, as small as it was, but the Philosopher's Stone you were gifted with amplified and fed on your negative emotions. While they were your emotions and thoughts, they were only made worse through the amplification of the stone's power which, in turn, corrupted it, and corrupted you in a vicious feedback loop," the sponsor corrected.

"So, what?" Luz retorted with a dry chuckle. "Am I supposed to blame all my decisions on the Philosopher's Stone? Sounds like a stupid way for me to avoid responsibility."

"UGH!" Luz's sponsor grunted in annoyance as she got up, marched over to Luz, slammed her hands on either side of the backrest and got in the Latina's face. "YOU'RE SO DETERMINED TO SEE YOURSELF AS THE VILLAIN THAT YOU CAN'T SEE HOW YOU WERE A HERO, LUZ!"

Luz backed up against the loveseat. Having her sponsor this close to her was stirring some things in her that she really didn't want to stir.

"I…I was never a hero!" Luz shouted back. "I was just a stupid little girl who was too stubborn to cut her losses and go back home! I didn't have to stay in the Demon Realm, I didn't have to try and do magic and get scarred from it! All those decisions were mine!"

"Fate dealt you a bad hand. It was obvious by how the other you thrived as a hero in her world! But just because she became one, doesn't mean your only fate is to become another villain!" Luz's sponsor rebutted angrily. "Your path to heroism wasn't pretty, but you were on your way! It was the fools around you that didn't see the light that you were willing to bring them, and instead chose their ignorance! Even to this damn day those idiots still see you as a boogeyman, a devil! It's…It's unforgivable!"

Luz was starting to get curious, but that's when her eyes widened as she saw something. The sponsor's hair parted enough to allow Luz a glimpse at the teenager's ears. They were pointed, just like Amity's.

"You're…You're a witch, aren't you?" Luz gasped.

Luz's sponsor pulled away and sighed, realizing that she had accidentally let Luz see her ears prematurely.

"Damn it…"

Luz slowly stood up out of the chair and gave the witch a scrutinizing stare.

"You're a witch from the Demon Realm, aren't you? Aren't you?!"

"…Yes, Luz, I am a witch from the Demon Realm," her sponsor confirmed.

"It all makes sense now…why you're so fixated on me being Oscura! Why you had this made!" Luz took out the Oscura Buckle with a scowl and slammed it on the table in front of her. Her brow furrowed as she got on guard. "Who are you?! Are you part of a cult that worships Oscura?! Is that why you're so damn determined to bring her back?! If that's it, then forget this! I won't play this game anymore if that's your endgame!"

"Luz, please…that's…that's not the reason," Luz's sponsor pleaded.

"Then tell me! Tell me why you're doing all this! Tell me why you're so damned determined to make Oscura appear as a hero rather than what you know I was!"

Luz's sponsor glanced at her, her eyes a bit teary, which honestly caught Luz off guard.

"Because I'm tired of people calling you a monster. Everyone on the Boiling Isles sees you as a harbinger of death and destruction, like that's all you came to the Demon Realm to do. And I hated it. You weren't some malevolent evil force that wanted to hurt people upon setting foot there. You were a quirky, kind, loving, and spirited young girl who loved our world and its magic. You became a monster only because everyone saw you as one. After all, it was easier than admitting they were wrong. And it's easier now because, after so many years, people have forgotten the real story."

Luz could hear the sorrow in her voice, the pain. This witch really seemed to believe that Luz was unjustly vilified. But there was something else that Luz caught onto in her explanation.

"Hold on, you said 'after so many years'. But it's only been four years And I thought time passed the same way in the Demon Realm and Earth," said Luz.

"It does, Luz." Luz's sponsor wiped her tears away as she turned to face Luz. "I'm not from this present. I'm from many, many years in the future. A future where the Boiling Isles has prospered. A future where, as I've said, you're seen as the ultimate evil that should never be given rise to again. But my family knows the true story, and yet we can never tell it or be seen as sympathizers or – as you put it – members of an 'Oscura cult'."

"I…I don't understand. If you're really from the future, then who would still be around and who would know the real story?" Luz asked.

It was here that the witch smiled. She walked over to Luz and carefully reached out for her hand. Luz could sense no ill intent from this gesture, so she cautiously gave the witch her left hand. She led them both to the big couch where they sat down next to each other.

"I know the real story because it's been passed down my family for generations," The witch looked Luz in the eyes as she said this. "My great-great-great-great grandmother's name was 'Luz Anne Clawthorne', the daughter of Eda Clawthorne and Raine Whispers."

Luz felt as if time stopped, her eyes grew wider as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Y-You're…You're Eda's grandchild…?"

"Many, many times great-grandchild, but yes. Eda named her daughter after the daughter she adopted who left our world and that tradition has been kept through our family. The first daughter of our family should carry a name similar to yours, which means 'light'. That is how I got my name, Lumina Clawthorne. So, let me do this over."

Luz's sponsor released Luz's hand and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you, Great Aunt Luz," said Lumina happily.

Luz's heart was swelling up. Eda never forgot about her. Despite everything that happened, she still loved her. So much so that she made it a tradition in her family to give their first-born daughters names that were synonymous with 'light' and kept the true story of Oscura alive, against what others said. Luz's arms rose and hugged Lumina back as she rested her cheek against the top of her great niece's head.

"I…I can't believe this…"

"Believe it, Luz. Because it's real. I'm real. Whether everyone in the Boiling Isles wants to admit it or not, their bright future would never have come about if you hadn't arrived in the Boiling Isles. And my family will never forget that. I will never forget that," said Luz's sponsor, Lumina.

Luz and Lumina kept hugging for, well, they lost track of how long they were embracing. Eventually, they released each other and wiped the tears from their eyes.

"Wow…a great-grandniece. So, Eda really adopted me into the family?" Luz asked.

"She officially made you a Clawthorne adjacent. So, at least on paper, we are related." Luz's sponsor formed a cattish grin on her face. "Does that put a damper on whatever little fantasies you were having about me?"

"W-W-WHAT?! N-NO! I wasn't thinking that!" Luz exclaimed.

"Please, you were totally checking me out when you saw me. I don't blame you. I am pretty hot, and I know it. But, pseudo-incest is still incest, Great Aunty Luz," Lumina teased.

"Ugh! You are definitely Eda's great-granddaughter," Luz groaned.

The two then shared a laugh. It felt good, as if Luz was talking to Eda again, something she dearly missed.

"I'm sure you can't tell me things about the future, so I won't ask," said Luz.

"Good, I wasn't one for spoilers."

"So you made me the Oscura Buckle."

"I commissioned its creation, knowing you will need it," Lumina confirmed. "I'm glad to see I wasn't wrong."

"I only used this power because I had no choice," Luz claimed.

"And it allowed you to be crowned the God of Desire, and your wish was granted," Lumina countered. "And you're still using it now."

"Because I owed someone whose life was cut short."

"You mean Anne Boonchuy?" Lumina asked.

"Another version of her saved me alongside another version of me. I need to win so I can bring her back to life. I owe her that much."

"Sasha Waybright wishes for the same thing. Why don't you just forfeit if that's what you want?" Lumina challenged.

"Because if I don't fight for my wish, then what was the point of me fighting up until now?"

"Yes, that's a beautiful resolve," Lumina smiled approvingly. "Despite the pain and torment you suffered in the past, you still took part in the DGP for the sake of others. That's what makes a hero. Anyway, Luz, I know you're having second thoughts about this fight with Sasha but I think you and I know you need to do this. Not just for Anne's sake, but for Sasha's too. I think you know why that is."

"She's like Oscura in some ways," Luz answered as she understood. "But she's not beyond saving. She's letting her darker emotions consume her, but at the same time, she's wrestling with them. Like she wants to be freed from them, but doesn't know how."

"If there's anyone who can guide someone out of the darkness, it's someone who was once trapped in it. You know darkness, but you are not the darkness. You are Luz Noceda, the light in the darkness, and you can use that light to bend darkness to your will. You've done so plenty of times so far. Do it once again and save two lives instead of one."

Luz looked at the Oscura Buckle. The name 'Oscura' had been an accursed title associated with pain and evil, a part of herself that she would rather bury in the past and relegate to a fictional character in a book. But that was not all Oscura had to be in the end. The name could also be associated with redemption, with hope. Luz picked up the Oscura Buckle and looked at it for a moment before turning her gaze back to Lumina.

"Thank you, Lumi. I think you finally opened my eyes to what I need to do for Sasha and for myself," said Luz.

"Heh, 'Lumi'." Lumina leaned back with an approving smile. "I like it. I'm expecting a great show from you, Great Aunty Luz. Show me what a hero can do."

"Oh trust me, Lumi," said Luz as she stood up. "You'll see a great finale!"

Sasha woke up feeling…angry. This whole time, all the battles they fought, all the pain and losses they suffered, it was just one big show. They were just entertainment for some mysterious audience watching their every move. They were watching when they were first selected, and they no doubt watched as Sasha cried when Anne died in her arms. They watched all of this, from the safety and comfort of wherever the hell they were, enjoying it like some sort of TV drama.

'Our lives are nothing but goddamn entertainment! Do you assholes get a kick at watching me fight so hard?! Did you all cry when I cried after Anne died?! Did you all fucking get excited for my little upcoming one-on-one fight with Noceda?!'

If it wasn't for the fact that she was in Disneyland at that time, Sasha would've trashed the suite and yelled obscenities to the invisible cameras that she no doubt had a feeling were watching her every goddamn move. Sasha shivered with disgust the more she thought about it, wondering just how much of the DGP audience was watching her.

Were they only tuning in when they were fighting and in the lounge of the Desire Temple? Or did those invisible cameras follow them outside of the rounds to broadcast their daily lives just like a reality TV show?

Sasha thought about getting some answers from Tsumuri. However, considering she was part of the game's coordinators, that meant she might not be as forthcoming in answering Sasha's questions. With that 'lovely' thought in mind, she continued her stay at Disneyland with her family, putting on a smile, and acting nice when it was warranted, all the while hiding her anger that she was probably being watched right every single second of it. Eventually, their vacation ended and they returned home.

Sasha was starting to get a little paranoid. Did these otherworldly freaks watch her when she went to the bathroom? Changed her clothes? Took a shower? Or, ahem, when she did other things in private?

Sasha ruminated on this for about a day and, in the end, came to a decision...

'Screw it, I don't give a damn anymore! So long as I get my wish, I don't care if a bunch of freaks watch me! Look all you want, perv on me, cheer for me, boo me, whatever! All I care about is winning this damn game and getting Anne back! But not before I give Noceda some well-deserved payback for getting my friend killed!'

A couple of days passed, and Sasha had just gotten out of the shower after a vigorous workout. There were no announcements or notifications of another game, so Sasha switched her time between working out and resting up for the next mission. Although, now she took to flipping the bird whenever she was changing or got into the shower, just in case the audience was watching her.

As she sat down on her bed, her cell phone went off. She picked up her phone and was surprised to see who had called her.

"Hey, Dad," Sasha answered.

{Good to hear from you, Sasha.}

"Yeah, you too. What's up?"

{If you have time, I'd like for you to come with me to my office tomorrow morning. Are you free?}

That was unexpected of him. She barely remembered the last time her father asked her to come to his workplace.

"Uh, what for, Dad? I'm pretty busy," Sasha inquired. It wasn't a lie. She was busy preparing herself for the next round, whenever that may be.

{It won't take long, I promise. Just a couple of hours and then we can go and do something else. Or I can bring you back to your mother's. It's up to you. I will say that if you do come with me, it'll be worth it. Trust me.}

Sasha debated if she could afford to waste her time like this. It was not like she did not love her father and any time she got to spend with him was a treat in and of itself. But right now, she was focused on the task at hand. On the other hand, perhaps it would not hurt to go meet with him.

"Alright, Dad. Come and pick me up tomorrow."

The next morning, Sasha's dad came over to her mother's house and the two of them headed to his company in downtown LA. It was a rare thing for her father to invite her to his company, for any reason. After the divorce, it was decided that Sasha would live with her mother, while her parents maintained joint custody.

The divorce had hit Sasha hard. She felt like it was her fault, or that she should've done more to keep their family together. As she grew older, she realized that people just fell out of love and whatever feelings they had for each other had dried up. So, they decided to end their marriage on good terms before it got to a point where they began to resent each other and have Sasha get caught in the crossfire. Of course, it would not be until she was older that Sasha was able to understand the reason behind the divorce and while she understood, it didn't make what happened sting any less.

Since then, Sasha's father remarried and now Sasha had a younger half-brother who turned two this year. Her mother eventually got married to her long-term boyfriend, who also had a couple of kids of his own. Sasha was at least thankful that they gave her the choice of whether or not she could keep her last name.

And while her step-siblings weren't particularly annoying or mean to her, Sasha just didn't feel close to them. Not like Anne and Marcy. They were practically sisters to her. Along the way, the platonic love she had for them turned into something romantic.

However, Anne was gone. She died because of Luz Noceda. And to add insult to injury, everyone's memories of Anne's death were replaced with some BS version. Perhaps it was done that way so that Sasha's anger towards Luz could be directed at some faceless, nameless drunk driver, making her hatred feel justified. But after regaining entry into the DGP, she remembered how Anne really died, and the true target of her wrath.

'I swear to God, I'll bring you back, Anne. And along the way, I'll make sure that bitch pays for what she did! Enjoy being the God of Desire, Noceda. That title and that wish will be mine.'

Currently, Sasha was riding in her father's BMW with him until they arrived at a highrise building downtown. After parking in his private spot, the two of them headed up to the top floor of the building. Oh, yes, it should go without saying that her father's company was very successful, which made him very wealthy. Luckily, he wasn't the kind of girl to spend loads of money on extravagant stuff and, thankfully, her mother was of the same mind.

The two of them walked through the office, with Sasha happily greeting the employees as she passed them by. They greeted her back with the same enthusiasm.

'Kissasses,' she thought bitterly.

The two of them made it to his private corner office, which was quite large. It provided a beautiful view of the cityscape and the ocean in the distance. Mr. Waybright welcomed her in, closed the door and locked it before taking his seat behind his desk. Sasha sat across from him with her arms and legs crossed.

Honestly, this whole surprise visit to his office was annoying. Nothing against her father, she did love the man, but it was annoying in the way that she did not have time to waste on father-daughter bonding. She needed to prepare for the next DGP round and figure out how she was going to take down Noceda in their one-on-one match.

In all honesty, if she could, Sasha would just fight Noceda right now. No Kamen Rider powers, just their fists. But, unfortunately, she was unable to get to her as, apparently, Noceda lived on the other side of the freaking country in Connecticut. While her mother did make decent money, it wasn't anywhere close to what her father made, even when you combined her stepdad's income. So, it wasn't as if she could just go up to her mom and ask, "Hey, Mom, I want to go to Connecticut. Can I borrow a couple hundred bucks to hop a flight down there?"

'As if.'

"Thank you for coming with me, Sasha," said Ted.

"No problem. It's been a while since I've been here. Looked a lot bigger when I was ten," Sasha commented.

"Heh-heh, yes. Yes, it is," Ted chuckled. "I suppose a lot of things seemed bigger when you were that age. You barely fit in that chair, it was like having a cute little doll on display there. Now, look at you. You're a tall, strong, and beautiful young woman. Time sure files, kiddo."

Sasha rolled her eyes a little at his reminiscing.

"Dad, not to sound like a jerk or anything, but is there a reason why you suddenly wanted me to come here? Are you offering me a summer internship or something?" Sasha asked.

"No, because I know you would not have time for it," Ted remarked. "You have other obligations." Sasha raised an eyebrow. From the way he said it, it seemed like he knew something.

"Well, I am a busy girl," Sasha said.

"Oh, I know. The Desire Grand Prix can keep anyone busy."

And that was when the bomb finally dropped.

Sasha stared at her dad, eyes wide, flummoxed by what he just said. Sasha quickly sprang to her feet, on edge. Her eyes started to dart around the office, trying to see if this was a setup of some kind. As far as she could tell, there wasn't anything that would indicate that. At the same time, she expected Tsumuri to appear out of nowhere and tell her that she was disqualified.

"...What did you just say?" Sasha asked her father.

"Oh, I know you're a player in the Desire Grand Prix," Ted admitted, leaning forward with his hands steepled. "Congratulations on making it to the finals last time, and you put up a really good fight in the last round."

'How…How does he know about that!? I never said anything to anyone other than Marcy! This is bad! This is so bad! If Tsumuri finds out, I'll be disqualified! I won't be able to save Anne! I won't be able to make Noceda pay! Nonononononononono!'

"OK, seriously, Dad. How the hell do you know about the DGP!? Who put you up to this!?" Sasha demanded, more shocked than angry.

"Calm down, honey. You're not going to get disqualified, I assure you. Please, sit down and I'll explain," he assured her. Sasha forced herself to relax and slowly sat back down on the chair. However, she was still on edge as she kept glancing around the room. "The reason why I know you're a Rider in the DGP is because I'm one of its sponsors."

Now Sasha was even more confused than she was a few seconds ago. Her father was a sponsor of the DGP, that was…a lot to take in.

"W-What!? A sponsor!? W-Wha, but, how? Wait, you mean you personally or you and this company?" Sasha asked.

"A bit of both, actually. A lot of companies and groups have invested in the DGP to help things run smoothly. We provide them with funding, as well as aid in the delayed response of local law enforcement and military activity. Didn't you ever wonder why there was little police presence whenever a Jyamar Area formed? Why was there never a military response when LA, New York, and other places were designated as game zones?"

Sasha thought about it for a moment, and when she did, she realized that there was very little response from local law enforcement or the national guard. Especially during the end of the last game.

To be fair, at the time, Sasha was not really paying attention to those kinds of things. In hindsight, now it made some sense. The DGP had backers that had enough influence in the country, or possibly other countries as well, to keep police and military out of the way so that they did not interfere with the DGP's games.

"So, that was you then?" Sasha asked.

"Correct," Ted confirmed. "We aid the DGP in covering up the games and in exchange, we're provided with certain benefits."

"The memory rewrites," Sasha concluded. After each round of the DGP, everyone inside the Jyamar Area would be restored with their memories rewritten. All except for the players, and it would appear that the sponsors were given the same benefit as well.

"Yes, we're allowed to remember what happened during the DGP as one of the benefits we are granted. That is also why I wanted to say, I'm sorry. It was hard to see you in such pain over Anne's death when I knew how she really died. I hated seeing you in such pain. Believe me, if I had known something like that would've happened, I would've pulled some strings to get you and Anne a special item. And for that, I apologize. Words cannot express how much I admire your friend for what she did. Because of her, you're still here," Ted said sympathetically.

Sasha felt tears begin to form in her eyes as she gripped the armrests of the chair, hard.

"…I loved her, Dad."

Ted Waybright raised an eyebrow.

"Pardon?" he asked.

"I loved her, Dad. I was in love with Anne! But I…I never got to tell her…I never…I was too afraid of messing up our friendship…I missed my chance…" Sasha raised her right fist and beat it against the armrest. "And it's all that bitch Noceda's fault! She had a Raise Buckle that made her so damn powerful and she practically oneshot the Final Boss and defeated dozens of Jyamatos all on her own! What kind of BS is that!? And it was a 'special' Raise Buckle made for her! Who in the DGP had it made!?"

"I'm sorry, Sasha. Part of my agreement with the DGP is not to disclose the names of the other sponsors involved. But believe me when I say I knew nothing about this special Raise Buckle that Luz Noceda used in the final round," Ted informed her.

Sasha growled indignantly. While her father could not say much, he did give her some good information just now. There was someone behind the scenes helping Noceda, and it was this mysterious backer who commissioned that 'Oscura Buckle' for her.

"Isn't that against the rules or something? To have someone just give a player they like a special item?" Sasha asked.

"Not really. Sponsors can set up secret missions or outright have a certain item sent to players they support. The Boost Buckle is a perfect example. Although, it's also kind of a game of chance as well. There's no guarantee that the sponsor's favourite player will complete the secret mission before the game is over, or when they really need it. A sponsor has to know their player's personality well enough to set up secret missions that they will complete," he explained.

"In other words, the deck is kind of stacked against us from the get-go. If we're well-liked enough by some mysterious person, then we'll get the good drop items. So, you just asked me to come to drop this truth bomb on me?" Sasha questioned.

"No, I asked you to come here because I have something to help you win." Mr. Waybright reached under his desk and picked up a red Mission Box with Sasha's Core ID logo on it. He put it on his desk and slid it over to her. "Go on, open it."

Sasha took the Mission Box and removed the lid to see a new Raise Buckle inside. It was large and resembled a pair of wings with a metallic chrome finish, golden trim and flame decals.

"Dad...what is this?"

"I requested the DGP to have that made for you. Let's just say it wasn't cheap."

Sasha carefully took the Raise Buckle out of the box, handling it as if it were a fragile work of art. It was certainly different from the other Raise Buckles she had seen, and it had a uniqueness to it too, much like Noceda's Oscura Buckle. However, Sasha knew something like this did not come free. Her dad just said it was not cheap, so that must mean there was something that he wanted in exchange.

"And what do I need to do, Dad? There has to be something you want from me. Do you want me to change my wish for you so you get something instead? 'Cause I'm telling you right now, if that's the price for this Buckle, you can take it back. I will bring Anne back to life! I won't change my wish for anything!"

"Well, as a matter of fact, there is something I want you to do."

Theodore "Ted" Waybright stood up from his desk and walked around it until he was standing in front of his daughter. Sasha glared up at her old man, refusing to be intimidated by his presence. Honestly, so long as she did not have to change her wish, Sasha was willing to do anything if it meant she could have the power to stand against Noceda and crush her. However, her dad surprised her by getting down on one knee and placing his hand on his daughter's.

"I want you to win. That's all you need to do and I know you can do it, kiddo. You're my daughter, after all."

Sasha's eyes began to tear up again as she pushed the box aside, got down on her knees and hugged her father tightly.

"Thanks, Dad! I will!"

Since the days of Oscura's fall, Boscha managed to continue her education after Hexside was rebuilt. She even graduated with flying colours and found work as the school's grudgby coach. Still, it would have been so much better if she had Amity by her side, but that bitch Oscura had to take her away from her.

Boscha was not just one of the most popular students in Hexside due to her athletic ability, but also because she excelled at potions. She could make potions that could do anything and they were beneficial when she joined the resistance. Now, she was brewing potions for her own benefit.

"She won't be around for much longer," Boscha grinned wickedly as she brewed a potion in her cauldron.

Facing Oscura head-on was a terrible idea. Boscha knew she was outclassed by the human, loathed as she was to admit it. Even now, she still had the power to completely obliterate her if she chose to do it. The only thing stopping her was the DGP rules that prevented Riders from fighting each other. Well, Boscha would not be fighting her. Instead, she would do something devious.

Oscura deserved to die for everything she had done. The council were fools to just banish her to the Human Realm. Boscha knew it was only a matter of time before she regained her power and this game allowed her to do that. If Oscura won and then played again, she could wish to rule both the Human and Demon Realms, and there would be nobody to contest that.

No, Boscha would do everything in her power to prevent Oscura's rise again. She would be the hero her world needed. However, she could not do it alone. Luckily, she had an ally. After Oscura, Boscha had a low opinion of humans, but Sasha Waybright was definitely someone she could see as being her equal. She may not have magic, but she had charisma, not to mention a cunning mind as well as a never give up attitude, things that Boscha could appreciate.

Just like Boscha, Sasha also had a grudge against Oscura, blaming her for her friend's death. Good, she needed someone who hated Oscura as much as she did and having a like-minded ally was the only way to get ahead in this game.

Unfortunately, Sasha did not want Oscura to be eliminated until they could settle things in their match during the finals. Sasha wanted to wish her friend back to life and Boscha could respect that. However, she could not allow Oscura to have a chance at that wish. She needed to be stopped before it was too late.

And if the potion did not work, then Boscha had some extra assurance. In the Raid Boss chamber, Boscha had picked something up. With a twisted smile, she admired her latest acquisition.

It was a Jyamato Buckle.

Dr. Exposition: Luz learns the identity of her mysterious backer and Sasha learns that her dad is her supporter and a sponsor for the DGP. Sasha has also gotten herself a special Buckle which will give her access to even greater power. It will appear that Sasha and Luz's final battle is coming soon and many audience members are eager to watch. However, Boscha does not want Luz to live another day. Oh, and the next arc will be a mid-season change in the DGP's format and will be called "Reality". Please, wait for it when it comes to a computer screen near you.

Ravencroft: SURPRISE! Many of you were thinking that Luz's mysterious sponsor was the descendant of Luz's and Amity's child. Sorry, but no. It is, in fact, a descendant of the Clawthorne family! I mean, there's always that one rebellious child in the family, and I think Lumina would be doing her great - to the umpteenth power - grandmother Eda proud, helping out her adopted Aunty Luz. But whew, a lot of stuff is about to go down! Look forward to it, Rider faithfuls!