Archive of Our Own ^beta

This was not how he expected this to go.

Granted, Keiwa didn’t exactly have a lot of experience in the DGP. He was hardly a veteran… this was just his second game, and apparently, they even had more missions in the first one after he got eliminated.

But he got the feeling this wasn’t normal.

Nothing about this round of the DGP was normal.

They weren’t supposed to fight each other.

“You want Ace out of the DGP this much?”

The Game Master smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Don’t you have a wish you want fulfilled?”

And Keiwa did.

He really, really did.

So he grabbed a buckle and went out to look for Ace.

Ace didn’t even seem surprised when Keiwa showed up.

“So… you are gonna be the hunter, huh?”

“You told us so many times,” Keiwa said, looking down at Ace. “How we have to believe in fulfilling our dreams and fight for our wishes. So that’s what I’m doing.”

Ace smirked a little, raising his own buckle.

“Well, let’s see how strong your conviction is, Tycoon.”

Ace was… Ace.

Keiwa told himself he had to win, but—

Could he win?

Their swords clashed.

He couldn’t see Ace’s face from his mask anymore - but Ace jerked his head a little with a scoff.

“Come on, Tycoon. Don’t you want your wish fulfilled?”

“I have to win.”

“Then prove it. Or maybe you don’t really want to win. Well if you don’t - I can just win again.”

Keiwa pressed on their swords, shoving Ace backwards, then slashed his sword, and—

And Ace staggered back.

So Keiwa screamed and struck again.

And again.

One.

More.

Time.

Ace’s suit fell apart, his transformation ending - he was breathing heavily, his face bruised and bloodied.

And Ace slowly grinned.

“You know Tycoon - this is not enough to finish me off. Go ahead.”

Keiwa’s hand shook.

“Ace–”

“Are you going to give me time to collect myself?”

Keiwa struck his sword again, and the force of the strike sent Ace flying backwards.

It was similar to that bear Rider that he had seen, back in the first DGP he had witnessed - when that man flew backwards, crashing into the wall.

Ace flew backwards just like that, his body slamming against a wall.

Ace tried to steady himself, but his legs were clearly shaking, and his body looked like it was… glitching.

Keiwa couldn’t stop himself - he canceled his own transformation, running forward, holding Ace up, trying to prop him up.

“Ace—”

The words died in his throat.

What was he supposed to say?

I win?

Or

I’m sorry?

Ace slowly grinned, raising a hand, clearly in pain, his hand grabbing the back of Keiwa’s neck, pulling his head forwards, his lips by Keiwa’s ear.

“Let’s just build the world anew.”

MISSION FAILED

The driver fell to the ground, leaving Keiwa there by the wall alone - his own knees buckled, as he leaned by the broken wall, trying to steady his breathing, ignoring the stinging in his eyes.

“...Keiwa?”

It was Neon’s voice.

Last time he had seen Neon, she—

She had that weird sphere on her head, and didn’t seem to be herself.

“Game Master. You wanted Neon to win, didn’t you?”

He turned around, and behind Neon, who looked shaken, there was Girori, his face frozen in tranquil fury.

The man was terrifying, when he wanted to be, his usual polite bartender-like demeanor nowhere to be seen.

“You wanted Neon to win, because you know what my wish is, and you didn’t want to grant it. But I won. So now what will it be?”

Keiwa felt his throat tighten, as he walked closer to Girori, walking past Neon.

“Will you give this another round? Will you make Neon fight me now? Will you keep going until a person you want wins? That isn’t much of a fair game now, is it?”

Girori’s jaw clenched.

There were rules. The rules were being bent and broken all around this game, and Ace knew it.

And Ace—

Keiwa took a deep breath, remembering Ace’s whispers in his ears.

“Grant my wish now, Game Master.”

The world started to… almost shimmer around them, as a light slowly engulfed the area.

It was time for a new world.

*

*

Keiwa remembered everything this time around.

His first walk after waking up took him around the hospital - and he saw Takahito outside, and a young child next to him in a wheelchair, clearly in the process of recovery.

His wish worked.

Ace’s face was still plastered all over the screens in this world. He was everywhere, but just like when he got eliminated… he wasn’t the same.

He just wasn’t.

…but he will be.

If anything was established by the last round, he knew that Ace would come back. Ace would always be Kamen Rider Geats. He’d always participate, as long as he was alive.

And even though he died by Keiwa’s hands, he came back from Keiwa’s wish as well.

It probably should have made him feel… powerful.

It didn’t.

If anything, it felt achingly hollow, and just... pointless.

Will Keiwa even be called back?

Ace definitely will be. Maybe Michinaga too, seeing how many times he was called back. Probably Neon as well, seeing her family’s connections.

Keiwa had no idea what was going to happen to him.

…what would he want to happen?

During his wanderings, he found himself close to a film crew, and some fans, and he could see - Ace. Ace, in front of the cameras, beaming with his usual smile… no. No, it wasn’t his usual smile. Ace had many different smiles. His smirk when he confidently said he’d win. His smirk whenever a trick of his paid off. His small smiles when he wasn’t willing to share what was on his mind.

His face bloodied, the smile on his lips, hand gripping the back of Keiwa’s neck.

He shuddered, looking away - and he saw a familiar figure between the crew. Michinaga was moving between the workers. There didn’t seem to be any tension in his steps, and he even exchanged a few smiles with the man he was talking with. And Ace walked over, casually hands in pockets, and they exchanged a few words.

It was all so… casual. None of Ace’s taunting smirks and grins. None of Michinaga gritting his teeth and hissing.

It seemed… normal. For everyone else, it was normal, but for Keiwa, who had seen them interact many time before, it was like two strangers with frustratingly familiar faces.

So Keiwa just… walked away.

He dreamed of Ace’s body broken on the ground.

He’d dream of kneeling on Ace’s chest, and Ace’s face would be bloodied, and Keiwa’s hands would be wrapped around his neck.

And Ace would tilt his head backwards, and he’d gasp a little.

“You have to squeeze harder,” Ace whispered. “You think you deserve to win. Now show me how much you deserve to live.”

His hands wouldn’t move from Ace’s neck, and Ace wouldn’t look away.

That was not how it happened. Keiwa, who was awake, knew that.

But the Keiwa who was sleeping didn’t care about accuracy.

“Congratulations! You have been selected as a Kamen Rider!”

Tsumuri’s usual cheerful voice made Keiwa sighed deeply.

“...I thought you wouldn’t call me back.”

Keiwa just took away the box, opening it up, looking at his ID Core.

Tsumuri didn’t say a word.

“...what’s going to happen, Tsumuri?”

He glanced back up at her, and her smile didn’t seem honest.

“Have you considered what your next wish would be?”

He didn’t.

He really thought the Game Master wouldn’t invite him back.

“Did the Game Master invite me back so he can punish me?”

Tsumuri’s smile was a bit strained.

“I am not privy to the selection process.”

“That isn’t a no.”

It wasn’t. But Tsumuri didn’t say anything more.

He dreamt of Ace again before he got called for the next round.

This time, Ace was leaning by the wall, just where he really was, and there was a blade buried into his chest, and Keiwa was holding the sword.

Ace’s hand was holding the back of Keiwa’s neck, and Ace slowly smirked, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.

“Are you ready for round two?”

“You know I didn’t want this.”

“You wanted it enough to do it,” Ace grinned. “I kind of respect it. You actually acted on your selfishness this time around”

“Shut up.”

“You already killed me. What else can you do to me?”

Nothing.

There was nothing Keiwa could do.

And Ace just held Keiwa’s free hand with his other hand, and Keiwa couldn’t let go.

When they got summoned, there were many familiar places. Neon immediately appeared on Keiwa’s side. Michinaga looked around with wide eyes. There was even the Kamen Rider called Shirowe, the man Keiwa had seen die on that rooftop on that fateful day.

“What the hell is going on?” Michinaga hissed, eyes darting between Keiwa and Neon. “If I’m back— that couldn’t have been Geats’ wish, right? It had to be yours.”

“Yes,” Neon nodded, while Keiwa refused to look up at Michinaga. “It was Keiwa.”

“Why is Geats back?”  

“It’s one of his previous wishes,” Neon explained. “As long as he is alive, he has to be invited.”

“Did you kill the Final Boss? You had to, right?”

“No,” Keiwa muttered. “Ace did.”

“What?!”

“Not here,” Keiwa looked up at Michinaga, desperation tinging his voice. “Please. After the first wave, back in the lounge. We’ll talk there. The last game went… really wrong in the end.”

Michinaga seemed like he didn’t quite like this, but he nodded, jaws tense.

“Then stay alive, because you owe me answers.”

From Michinaga that was as good as a good luck.

And on the other side of the room, there was Ace - and when Ace looked over the crowd of Riders, his eyes met with Keiwa’s.

And Ace smiled, making Keiwa suddenly look away.

It was one of those games again where they were sent out in pairs, and Keiwa was paired up with Michinaga.

That was… almost something he was used to.

“While we are waiting for them, you can tell me what the hell happened. How did Geats beat the Final Boss? He was eliminated.”

“He touched your ID Core when you—” Keiwa couldn’t say it. He still couldn’t. “So he remembered. Then Tsumuri gave him back his ID Core, because of that wish of his.”

“But if he killed the Final Boss, it should have been his wish that got granted.”

“The Game Master didn’t let it happen,” Keiwa said in a soft voice. “He really… didn’t want Ace to win this time. So he added an Intermission Round.”

“Intermission Round…?”

“He named it a Fox Hunt.”

Michinaga clicked his tongue.

“I almost wish I was alive for that. I assume you had to hunt Geats down.”

“...yeah.”

“...and if your wish was the one that got granted…”

Keiwa didn’t reply. Suddenly Michinaga’s hands were on Keiwa’s shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

“You killed Geats?”

“That’s—” Keiwa’s words died in his throat. “I don’t think...”

“How?!” Michinaga demanded, shaking Keiwa’s shoulders.

“I don’t think I did!” Keiwa yelled, shoving Michinaga away.

Michinaga just looked confused, and maybe, there was something on his face that made Keiwa think it may have been… concern?

Then the familiar yapping of the Jyamatos interrupted them, so Keiwa just took this chance and turned away from Michinaga, grabbing his driver.

Fighting monsters was as good a distraction as any.

Sadly, it didn’t work forever.

Keiwa sat in the lounge, staring at his feet, and it felt like he wasn’t even there. He heard Neon and Michinaga talking.

As always, multiple people got eliminated.

Neon was giving Michinaga the condensed version of what happened, as much as she knew it herself.

It was like Keiwa wasn’t even there.

Then suddenly Keiwa’s arm got grabbed, and he got yanked to his feet, and part of him thought it was going to be Michinaga, and then… no. No, it wasn’t.

This person was taller.

“Ace!”

“Geats!”

“Give us a bit,” Ace’s voice was cheerful, as he dragged Keiwa after himself. “Him and I have a bit of catching up to do.”

Ace wasn’t going to kill him.

Keiwa was sure of this.

That said, he didn’t know what Ace would do.

He pulled Keiwa to one of the back corridors, and Keiwa suddenly stopped, yanking his arm out of Ace’s grip. And Ace also stopped, looking back at him, head tilted to the side.

“You wanted to talk. What do you want?”

“Now is that a way to talk to me?” Ace seemed amused. “I’m just curious about how our current God of Desire is feeling.”

“Stop,” Keiwa hissed, shaking his head.

He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t handle the amusement in Ace’s expression.

“Now that’s rude. You did kill me, after all.”

“Don’t mess with me!” Keiwa shook his head again, stepping closer to Ace. “You let me.”

Keiwa finally looked up at Ace, and Ace’s eyes were gleaming.

“You know you did.”

“Is that you little you think of your accomplishments, Tycoon?”

“You know I can’t possibly kill you. That’s the only explanation. You knew what my wish was, so you let me kill you. So go ahead. Just do your thing.”

“What? This?” Ace made the little fox with his fingers, raising his hand. “I gotta give it to you. You figured it out.”

“Stop. Stop,” Keiwa grabbed Ace’s hand. “Knowing doesn’t make it… It doesn’t— I still–”

He still didn’t sleep well.

He still remembered Ace’s bloodied face, his smile, the glitching all over his body.

He suddenly felt Ace push him backwards, and then his back was against a wall, and Keiwa wanted to pull his hand away, but Ace's fingers wrapped around his hand, and his other arm was leaning above Keiwa’s body.

Then a soft kiss was pressed to Keiwa’s fingers, and he felt his throat tighten up.

“Why do you feel so bad?” Ace almost purred. “You just did your best to win, like everyone here. And you won. And look at it - it all worked out fine. So what’s the problem?”

Ace’s voice was so low, and his words made a shiver run down on the back of his spine.

He hated this, and he hated not hating it.

“Stop it,” Keiwa whispered. “Just— stop. Don’t— I’m used to you just playing tricks on me, but—”

But not this. Do not play this trick on me.

“You are still gripping my hand, though.”

Oh.

Oh, he really was.

“Well that’s one way to confront someone who killed you.”

Michinaga’s voice shook Keiwa out of his daze, as he looked to the side, but Ace didn’t pull away at all.

Michinaga looked annoyed, if anything else.

“He let me,” Keiwa’s voice was weak, so he quickly cleared his throat. “He let me. Not like I beat him.”

“That much is obvious,” Michinaga sneered.

“What’s wrong, Buffa?” Ace smirked. “Jealous?”

“...huh?!”

“Makes sense,” Ace mused. “But I wonder which one of us you’d like to switch places with?”

Michinaga’s eyes widened, and he looked at them like he was about to bite Ace’s throat out, and Keiwa just pushed Ace away from himself, making him stagger a bit.

“Guys—” Neon’s voice cut into the tension between them, as she also caught up with them. “We don’t know when the next round will start. We need to figure some things out.”

“Right,” Ace said cheerfully, stepping away from Keiwa, hands in his pockets. “Have you noticed Girori hadn’t been around?”

“Girori?” Michinaga frowned.

“He’s the Game Master,” Neon explained. “At least… he was. I’m not sure—”

“You are back,” Ace pointed at Neon. “And so is Tycoon. So either he doesn’t care that we know that he is the Game Master… or the sponsors didn’t like the last game, so it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It feels like Tsumuri is unsure as well,” Keiwa took a deep breath, before looking up at Ace, ignoring the way his heart was beating in his throat. “You wished for them to be your family, didn’t you? Is Girori missing from there too?”

“Yup,” Ace nodded. “Before I remembered, I thought he was just busy at work.”

“It doesn’t matter at the end of the day,” Michinaga frowned. “We just need to keep going with the game.”

He clearly seemed like he just wanted to get a move on, and Ace was grinning.

“Exactly.”

Keiwa didn’t want to go home. He was sitting on a bench, looking over the city, but it didn’t feel like he was seeing anything.

He didn’t want Sara to see him like this. She had been worrying - and he was running out of excuses.

“Why are you moping?”

He was kind of expecting Neon. Maybe even Ace. This wouldn’t have been the first time they were talking here.

But it was Michinaga’s voice.

“...it just had been… a lot. And it all happened so fast. Ace got eliminated, you died, and then Ace came back, and then—”

“And then now everyone is back,” Michinaga’s voice was sharp, as he walked to Keiwa’s side. “You are the current God of Desire. If you keep moping, you won’t be able to keep that title. And Geats won’t lie down and let you win again.”

“I know but—” Keiwa trailed off.

“My friend was a participant,” Michinaga interrupted him. “He died because of Kamen Riders, so when I was chosen, I kept wishing for the power to destroy all Kamen Riders. That was my wish. And now my friend is back. Because Geats let you win for his own gain. And I’m also back for that reason.”

The words got stuck in Keiwa’s throat, and he looked at Michinaga’s face illuminated by the streetlight.

“...did you wish for it again, now that he is back?”

“Don’t ask me stupid questions,” Michinaga looked back at him.

“That could really mean both yes or no.”

“I don’t know what happened to those people who caused his death,” Michinaga continued. “I don’t even know who they were. If there’s someone who knows it, it’s only Geats. And if nothing else, they need to be crushed. Whether they died since or they were eliminated - I will get my revenge on them. But for that, I’ll need that power. And that didn’t change.”

Keiwa sighed, before kicking himself on his feet.

“Something is really wrong about this whole DGP. I wonder if we’ll even see those transforming Jyamato again, because… when they were talking… and we know there are sponsors for the game now… something is wrong. And the Game Master went so far to stop Ace from getting his last wish. If he wished for that again…”

“Well then you just have to kill him again.”

Michinaga tilted his head back, and his face was unreadable, and the casual murder advice shouldn’t have been attractive, and yet here Keiwa was.

Oh wait.

Should have been appealed by that suggestion.

“Some part of me thought it’d be cathartic,” Keiwa started.

“...huh?”

“You were about to ask me how it felt, right?” Keiwa smiled to himself. “He yanked me around so much, made a fool of me so many times. One would think it’d be somewhat cathartic. I told myself it’d be.”

“Was it?”

“In the same way an adrenaline rush is,” Keiwa closed his eyes. “I say he let me kill him, and it’s true. But he wasn’t going to make it easy for me either.”

“And you still feel guilty about it.”

“Because as much as he played with me, he helped me just as much. And it’s…”

“Maybe that’s also just playing you,” Michinaga’s voice was sharp, and Keiwa opened his eyes again - and Michinaga was standing right in front of him. “Just a fox playing with us, like we were toys to get what he wants.”

“I wonder…”

Michinaga scoffed, turning away, but there was something in his expression—

“...you do wonder about it as well, don’t you?” Keiwa asked, and Michinaga looked back at him with burning eyes.

“It doesn’t matter how much Geats means what he says. I’ll beat him. That’s all that matters.”

And with that, Michinaga turned away, starting to walk into the night, and Keiwa just wanted to grab him, and shake him, and tell him to stop it, they needed to work together because things were very, very wrong, and—

“Michinaga!”

Michinaga stopped, but didn’t turn back.

“...don’t die again.”

—and Keiwa didn’t want Michinaga to die again either.

Michinaga looked back, his gaze unreadable - then there was a small smirk on his face.

“Then better pull your weight as well, Tycoon.”

It was still such a Michinaga thing to say, but Keiwa couldn’t help but smile a little.

Maybe things weren’t all bad.

Michinaga didn’t thank him. Not with words. That wasn’t what Michinaga was like.

(But during their fight in the round, Michinaga listened. And that was always something.)

“You should really catch some sleep.”

“So should you.”

Keiwa really didn’t need to walk far to find Neon kicking her feet on a low fence, looking into the distance.

“Michinaga came this way a bit ago. He even told me to go to sleep. I think that was his way of saying hi.”

“Probably,” Keiwa agreed, sitting next to Neon, also looking out into the distance.

“...are you alright, Keiwa?”

How does one answer that question? Especially in this situation?

“...I don’t think I am Neon.”

“Neither am I.”

Neon shifted a bit next to Keiwa, their arms touching, their hands brushing together.

“...Do you remember what you did while brainwashed?”

“Yes,” Neon replied in a soft voice. “...he didn’t make me do a lot, to be fair. Mostly just sent me after Ace. And Ace didn’t want to hurt me, so he just… stopped me.”

“He stopped you because he wanted me to kill him. Not you.”

“Because my wish wouldn’t have helped his case,” Neon sighed. “It makes so much sense, once you break it down. And such an… Ace thing to do.”

That’s what it boiled down didn’t it?

Such an Ace thing to do.

“I’m pissed Girori isn’t here either.”

“...really?”

“He took away my choice,” Neon’s voice was shaking with anger. “Ace is right. We shouldn’t be pawns, and yet he treated me as one. And I want to knock him off his feet for it.”

“Makes sense. Maybe we should find him so you could do that.”

“Willing to bet a wish on it?”

“Are you?”

Neon laughed.

“I don’t think I want to strangle Girori is a viable wish.”

“You won’t know unless you try!”

Keiwa looked at Neon, and Neon was smiling, even if her eyes were watering.

“Well. Maybe I should listen to Michinaga and go home to sleep. My family will be confused about me going back on my own.”

Keiwa smiled a little, and when Neon bounced to her feet, and smiled, Keiwa both felt suddenly like the weight in his chest eased a little, and also missed her next to him instantly.

“It seems like you are avoiding going home.”

…he really should have gone home.

But he stayed on the fence, still looking over the distance, and now, there was Ace next to him.

Keiwa let out a frustrated sigh.

“Sara is already worried about me. If I go home, she’ll ask questions - questions I can’t answer.”

“Of course she does. She cares for you.”

“Yeah. And she doesn’t remember any of… this anymore either.”

“And it’s better this way. This is not a happy life, Tycoon. You know it.”

“You still let me remember, even though you think this way.”

“Well. You were already back in the game, and wanted to fight. This is not a happy life - but if you choose to keep fighting, that’s your choice.”

Keiwa laughed a little, looking down to the floor.

“A choice… Tsumuri showing up is not really an informed choice now, is it?”

It really wasn’t. And yet, at this point, Keiwa would have picked up the Driver on his own as well, over and over again.

…until he figured it all out, at least.

Ace’s fingers were under his chin, tilting Keiwa's head upwards, forcing him to look at him.

Michinaga and Neon at least were a bit tired and ragged, and Keiwa himself felt exhausted, but Ace seemed like he was just walking out from a photoshoot.

It was unfair.

“This is not a fitting expression for the winner, Tycoon.”

Keiwa snorted, rolling his eyes.

“You know damn well this isn't that kind of a win. It doesn’t feel like—”

“It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. You won. That’s all that matters.”

For a few moments, they were silent, and Keiwa just pushed Ace’s hand away, and stood up.

He had no idea what to say. What else to say?

“What’s your new wish?”

“...huh?”

“Everyone was brought back. What became your new wish?”

Keiwa could have answered many different ways.

He could have told him it didn’t really matter - after all, there were deaths again. He could have wished for the same thing again, after all.

He could have told him he won’t tell it to Ace again - after all, he could just use Keiwa’s wish for his own gain again.

But instead, he smiled a little.

“Maybe you’ll find out when I win again.”

And Ace smirked - a pleased, smug half-smirk, and god, Keiwa wanted to wipe that smirk off his face so badly.

“You can certainly try.”

Keiwa couldn’t stop himself - he grabbed Ace’s jacket, yanking him closer.

“You think I can’t defeat you on my own?”

“Can you?”

“Maybe I will.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Ace looked so, so smug, and Keiwa just pulled him closer again, and just kissed him.

He wasn’t thinking, and Ace just kissed him back - Ace’s hands were around Keiwa’s waist, pulling him closer to himself, and—

He may have imagined kissing Ace before. Or being kissed by Ace before. It was… softer than he imagined. Ace’s kiss was confident, his hands on Keiwa’s waist firm, but it felt like he was trying to ease the frustration that Keiwa was kissing him with, taking the lead.

And it worked, frustratingly.

He felt the tension almost melt away from his body, and for a bit, things seemed very simple.

Then Keiwa pulled back, and his eyes met with Ace’s again, and suddenly things felt complicated again.

“You should sleep today off,” Ace said, eyes as unreadable as ever. “You had a long day.”

“...yeah.”

“You can come over if you don’t want to go home~”

Keiwa rolled his eyes, and pushed Ace again, and Ace just staggered back a bit, with a grin on his face.

“Good night, Ace.”

And with that, he turned away, and started to walk home.

“Good night, Tycoon.”

He heard Ace’s voice, but he didn’t look back.

Maybe he wouldn’t dream of Ace’s broken body this time. Maybe he’d dream of Ace leaning over him by the wall. Maybe he’d dream of Michinaga’s half-smirk or Neon’s warmth next to him.

They were all back.

Things were not going to be easy, there were so many mysteries, so many questions, and so much still ahead of them, and just—

Keiwa stopped himself, and took a deep breath.

No point in thinking about those things for now.

Time to get home.