VI. Finale

The roar of an engine filled the air, tires screeching in protest as a driver yanked up the handbrake and span his battered, yellow jeep to a halt.

From the passenger seat, Professor Oodōji launched himself out, his leather shoes tapping a rhythm against the broken street as he rushed toward the prone form of his son.

"Kotarou! Kotarou!" he cried, embracing the child, "Thank goodness you're safe!"

Slowly, the jeep's driver reached up and removed his sunglasses and canvas hat, staring at the fallen shapes of the bat and spider kaijin and shaking his head in admiration.

"You really finished those guys off," he said with a smile and then stopped abruptly, staring directly at Tsukasa as he moved his hands over his waist and his armour faded. "Huh, now who are you, I wonder?"

The younger man offered a half-smirk and sidestepped the remains of the Shocker kaijin, their bodies already dissolving into a morass of foam and liquid.

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider," Tsukasa offered with a wave of his hand.

Ðecade turned to look over his shoulder, his hands moving in a similar fashion to Tsukasa's as his own antique wooden armour faded from view.

"Going so soon?" he queried.

The younger man turned and smiled.

"This isn't my story," he said, "and if you're right about my suit plotting against me then I'm not going to learn to subdue it by acting as your shadow."

The other smiled warmly in response. Despite sharing a last name, there was little similarity between the two. Taki's hair was longer and darker, his smile less reserved and his shoulders broader. He wore a heavy leather jacket and red scarf tied about his neck, a reflection of the uniform he wore as both Ðecade and Skull Rider.

"Passing through Kamen Rider," the older man with the canvas hat repeated with a frown, "you would have thought Shocker had learnt their lesson."

"Shocker won't give in that easily," Hitomoji remarked, strolling toward them, his helmet held under one arm. "This is why Kamen Riders must continue to fight for humanity, whilst we most continue to safeguard freedom and peace. We must continue to be heroes."

Tsukasa smirked and dug his hands in his pockets.

"Keep on fighting then, heroes," he offered with a wave of his hand, "I've my own destiny to meet."

"Ichigo is strong," Hitomoji called out suddenly, "if you hesitate and allow that belt to consume you, he won't spare you."

The younger man paused, the smile no longer upon his lips.

"Then I guess I'll have to get stronger," he offered.

Without a further word, he walked on, hands in pockets and head never looking back.

Behind him, Kadoya Taki, Hitomoji Hayato, Tachibana Tobei and Professor Oodōji and his son watched him leave, each one lost within their own personal reflections on what they had witnessed; in Oodōji's case on what he had almost lost, and, in Kadoya's case, on what he had almost gained.

"Kamen Rider fights against evil for the sake of human freedom," Ðecade said softly, watching the other man leave. "Godspeed, Kamen Rider Decade, Godspeed."

FINIS