[Aurorita]

Horseshoes and Hand-grenades

II: 8-5-14-5-19-9-19

"It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil."

-Henry David Thoreau

In the small shop that was called Kisaragi Motors, Goro Kisaragi was boiling a pot of tea for himself when he heard the door open. Thinking that it was his grandson, he quickly opened it...only to find the sad and teary faces of Gentaro's friends staring back at him.

"Yuki," said Goro, seeing the space otaku's eyes brimming with tears. "W-what happened? Where's Gentaro?"

"It's Gen-chan," Yuki answered. "He...he's dead."

Goro stayed quiet as Yuki and the others explained that on the way home from school, someone came and fought Gentaro in a one-on-one battle. Gentaro was winning, but then was immediately stopped when the fighter planted Bruce Lee's famous one-inch punch to the heart. The effects were instantaneous; Gentaro died within a few seconds.

There was some silence as the old man's hands began to tremble. He took a deep breath and said to Yuki, "I need to be alone."

Yuki nodded her head and told the other teenagers that they would be leaving. Goro slowly closed the door as he tried to take another deep breath. He couldn't; he soon broke down sobbing.

"This can't be possible," he sobbed. "Everyone...everyone's gone..."

It was already heartbreaking when he lost both his son and daughter-in-law that night almost ten years ago. Gentaro, in the backseat of the car after his parents took him home from playing with some of his friends, was the only survivor of the fatal car crash that took his parents' lives forever. Gentaro was sobbing loudly when he saw his parents die in front of his eyes in the hospital, blaming himself for hanging out with his friends. If he didn't, then his parents would've lived was what he reasoned. Just before his parents died, his father whispered two sentences into the boy's ear.

"Go out and make lots of friends. They shall be the ones who help you when you fall."

And he did so. Gentaro no longer cried for his deceased parents—he did the exact opposite. He celebrated being alive, thanking God that his parents raised him to be friends with people and to help them when they were down. He wanted to make people smile, and their happiness was all he needed to know that he had done a good deed. Whenever someone was in danger, he was there to help them out. It didn't matter how hard it was or how long it took—seeing that person be grateful and doing his special handshake of friendship was enough. In no time, Gentaro made at least a thousand friends, each of them as precious as the first one he ever made. It didn't matter who they were in the past -in Gentaro's eyes, they were always good friends.

Goro looked at the pictures of Gentaro's parents. He remembered that funeral service. It was raining, and everyone felt so much pity for Gentaro. Gentaro didn't cry at all; he just smiled.

"Grandpa," young Gentaro told his grandfather. "I'm going to make friends with everyone, so that no one ever has to be sad again. I want to make people smile and be happy!"

The old man smiled and hugged his grandson. The two did everything together. They helped repair motorcycles, went to motor-cross shows, camped underneath the stars...every day was an adventure to the two. As long as they had each other, nothing could go wrong.

But now, Goro didn't know what to do. The last remnant of his family died too young. How was he going to live with that for the rest of his days? How would he be able to smile without his grandson being there to smile with him?

After some time staring into the pictures of his son and daughter-in-law, Goro Kisaragi slowly made his way to his grandson's bedroom and shook his head. The last time he saw his grandson, he was heading off to school. The last words Goro said to him was, "Come home safely." Now, he knew that Gentaro never would.

Goro Kisaragi of Kisaragi Motors slowly walked toward his room and closed it shut, so that no one would hear his loud and wailing sobs.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Mitsuaki Gamou, the chairman and founder of Amanogawa High, was absolutely pissed.

He lost one of the switches that he needed for the Day of Awakening and a new being calling himself Ophiuchus was responsible for this whole travesty. He knew about the constellation named Ophiuchus, but he could not figure out where this newcomer came from. Who was this serpent-bearer, and what was he up to?

He saw Virgo Zodiarts enter the room in a purple and black vortex, Yamada's unconscious body in her hands. The chairman had to admit that this whole situation was mostly his fault—he let Yamada Tatsumori carry on with his "School Wars" act, and wanted to see what the king of Subaruboshi High had in store. If the chairman just reigned Yamada in with his mind-control powers, then the Aries Zodiarts Switch would be in his hands right now, rather than been destroyed by someone stomping on it.

"Gamou-sama," said the pink-haired Zodiarts. "What is your plan for this fallen king?"

Gamou turned to the Zodiarts form of his best friend Kunieru Emoto and stood up. He placed two fingers on Yamada's neck and waited. After a few seconds, he stood back. Tatsumori Yamada had a pulse; the student would live.

"Teleport him to the front of his house with a note of his behavior at Subaruboshi High," the chairman answered. "Then, I want you to find the whereabouts of this 'Ophiuchus' and confront him. I wish to have an audience with the bearer of the serpent."

"Gamou-sama, are you sure that's a wise idea-"

"Emoto!" Gamou snarled. He curled his hand into a fist, his face consumed with rage as he continued. "I have worked too long and sacrificed so much to see the Presenters. I am not letting some serpent ruin my dream! Go get that serpent and do it NOW!"

"...I understand," Virgo bowed as she raised the Rhodia axe and tapped the ground. She teleported in a cloud of Cosmic Energy, leaving the Chairman to be by himself. He stared at the small pedestal on his right, seeing both Scorpio and Cancer's switches in a box lined with red velvet. If he lost those switches, or if Ophiuchus knew about their whereabouts, then the Day of Awakening would never come and his plans would be ruined.

He walked toward a mirror in the corner of the room, seeing the crow's eyes, and grey streaks in his hair stare back at him. Had it really been seventeen years since that day? It had, and he did not waste those seventeen years to see the fruits of his labor wither away.

He growled, his eyes glowing red in anger. He did not create this school, the Cosmic Energy Hole and the Zodiarts Switches for nothing. He was going to see the Presenters and he didn't give a damn as to who got in his way. They would die beneath his feet before he'd let that childhood dream die.

He could no longer sit down and watch his faithful students do whatever the hell they want; Mitsuaki Gamou had to take action.

0-0-0-0-0-

That evening, Gentaro Kisaragi sat on the rooftop of the school building, seeing the stars in the sky shine brightly. In his hands was one of Yuki's old astrological books that he gave to her prior to leaving his childhood friend in the 3rd grade. He traced the small white specks on the book's pages pointing at their heavenly counterparts with a finger, memorizing their names and placement in the sky. He now had an understanding as to why his best friend had a love for space. It was a very beautiful sight to see the stars shimmer and sparkle, trying their best to communicate with the observers of the night sky. To him, it made everything seem so peaceful, as if the past few hours were nothing more than a distant memory.

"Serpent-bearer..." A voice hissed in his ear. "I must speak to you..."

Gentaro's black eyes turned white as he stood up, dropping the book onto the ground with a clatter. He saw the shadows swarm around him, whispering words of comfort that soothed his darkened soul and mind. It soon took the shape of the serpent from earlier, its red eyes staring at the former Kamen Rider Fourze with glee. Gentaro fell onto his knees, bowing his head.

"My master," he began, his head lowered in servitude. "I thank you for giving me my new form. I shall always obey you until the day that I am of no use for you. What is your command?"

"So obedient and forward," Ophiuchus chuckled. "You are a worthy Vessel to my cause. I am so glad that you decided to side with me instead of those pathetic bonds of 'friendship' that you are so fond of. Yes..."The serpent hissed as it coiled around Gentaro's body. He gently nuzzled against his Vessel's cheek like a kitten rubbing his head against its master's hand. "You are perfect, Serpent-bearer."

"Thank you, Master," Gentaro lifted his gaze to the serpent. "I have done what you ordered me to do—I have severed all ties with my former club-members and family, except for the one named Ryusei Sakuta. Master, why do we not erase his memories? Why should he be the one who sees our grand resurrection when he was the one who killed me in the first place?"

"Because it is his reward; he is the reason why we stand here today. He is our witness; he witnessed our rebirth! He was the reason that the two of us have become one. Is it not such a bad thing? Killing him now, when we are so weak and hungry for Cosmic Energy, would be such a waste. He does not even have enough energy for me to summon a human form. No, we shall spare him. We shall make him watch our rise to power."

"As you wish. Were you happy in how we defeated Aries?"

"I am...satisfied. He did not have enough Cosmic Energy or the Supernova like the Scorpion or Crab that you fought against, but he was enough to let me have my tangible body. I need more, Kisaragi. I need more Cosmic Energy to survive."

"And I shall give it to you, Ophiuchus," said Gentaro, lifting his left hand into the air. On the back of his hand was the Astrological symbol of Aries, the symbol of his first victory as the Serpent-bearer. "Who is our next target?"

"Be patient, my Serpent-bearer...we must gain followers. We must influence people to be our eyes and ears. You did not immediately gain 'friends' overnight; it took time. For now, hold out your left hand and say the words 'Serpens'."

Gentaro held out his left hand and repeated the word. Soon, the form of a small, white snake appeared in a burst of Cosmic Energy, sticking its forked tongue out. The snake crawled up his arm, around his shoulder, and then settled on his neck. Gentaro smiled and kissed its scaly head.

"This shall be one of your soldiers. This serpent will latch onto someone's neck and inject them with Cosmic Energy. Then, they will be under our control and obey us forever more. Such a magnificent power—better than what the Ram was capable of producing."

"Who shall be our first victim?" asked Gentaro, placing his right hand near his neck. The snake latched onto the hand and slithered across his fingers. "Who shall be the first to know of your glory and power, master?"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about, Serpent-bearer." Ophiuchus answered. "I seek the energy and power of the Core Child himself. He shall be our source of strength until we can obtain an untapped source of Cosmic Energy. Capture him and bring him to our side; let the Core Child become the first serpent."

"Yes, master. It shall be done."

"Gentaro Kisaragi..."

Gentaro turned around and hissed as he saw Virgo Zodiarts appear before him, dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold. The rose-haired Zodiarts unfurled her angelic wings, spreading white feathers into the air as she said, "You are needed for an audience with my master."

Gentaro stared at the Zodiarts and the axe she had in her hand. This axe, with its pink handle, the blade made to resemble white feathers, and the Astrological symbol of Virgo on the golden disk connecting axe blade and axe handle, was what gave Virgo her power. He remembered fighting her back at the School Festival; had it not been for Nadeshiko's help, he would've been unable to land a single scratch on her. But Nadeshiko was no longer here - she left him for the cold vacuum of outer space, never to set foot on the Earth's surface, nor to be with the person who had given her human emotions ever again. Some girlfriend she was...

"Thanks for the invitation, but I'll drop out," Gentaro spat out, his eyes still glowing white. "I don't deal with pink-haired angels or their kin. But if you want a fight..." He smirked as he pulled out the Fourze Driver and wrapped it around his waist. "I'm willing to give you one."

He flipped the driver's four tabs down and waited for the countdown to commence.

3...2...1!

"Henshin!" he cried, pulling the lever. The pillar of light shone over him as usual, but Virgo saw a multitude of snake scales form a barrier around the deceased teen. When the light dimmed down, she saw Fourze's armor change significantly. Its pointed helmet became a cobra's hood, the four symbols on his arms and legs (a circle, cross, trangle and square respectively) were all colored black, and a rattlesnake tail wrapped around the Kamen Rider's legs. The orange eyes contained two black slits and the arms and legs were covered in scales. It was if Gentaro completely fused with the snake itself.

"What are you?" asked Virgo.

"We are Ophiuchus," Fourze hissed, his voice mixed with the voice of his master. "And we shall devour you all!"

He pulled out Switch 20-Fire, a red Astroswitch em-blazed with the number 20 and topped with a yellow ring, and placed it into the far right slot. He then pulled on the circular tab.

Fire On

A red ring of fire encircled his feet before transforming Fourze into his Fire States. Fourze's white armor was now red with silver pauldrons and orange triangles over the shoulders. The serpent Fourze's eyes shimmered like emeralds. In his hands was the red, fire spewing Hee-Hack gun, which looked like a cross between a super soaker gun and a fire extinguisher. He immediately his new weapon pointed at Virgo.

"Burn in Hell!" he screamed pulling the trigger. A gout of fire flew toward Virgo, the Zodiarts shielding it with her feathery wings. She raised her axe into the air as a multitude of blue orbs circled her. She then threw them at Fourze, the Kamen Rider dodging out of the way as they landed on the rooftop. With his hands still on the Hee-Hack Gun, he continued to fire streams of red flames at his opponent with no success.

"You may have defeated Aries, but you are still weak compared to me," Virgo boasted, flying in the air. "I shall make quick work of you and take you to my master so you can pay for the destruction of the Aries Switch."

"It was necessary to get rid of that blue devil," Fourze replied. "He was a giant eyesore."

He pressed the tops of both blue Switch 2-Launcher and white Switch 4-Radar that were in the Fourze Driver.

Launcher/Radar On

The blue missile launcher and white satellite communicator appeared on his right leg and left arm respectively. He raised his arm into the air as the monitor on the Radar module locked onto Virgo Zodiarts. When it read the words "Lock On!", Gentaro stomped his right foot and five white missiles flew into the sky while he continue to shoot fire from his gun. Virgo successfully weaved through three of the missiles, but as she tried to dodge the fire, she was hit with the renaming two. She fell onto the rooftop, using her Rhodia axe to support herself. Gentaro then switched out the Launcher Switch for the powder blue Switch 32-Freeze and replaced the yellow Switch 3-Drill for cyan Switch 23-Water. He turned the tap-like top for Water and the top hat topper for Freeze.

Freeze On/Water On

A powder blue mini refrigerator replaced the blue launcher and a cyan faucet appeared on his left leg. He lifted his left leg as a jet of water sprayed across Virgo's face, immobilizing her. Then, with the Freeze Module on his right leg, a gust of icy wind froze the Zodiart in her place. Gentaro smirked as he pulled the Fire Switch out of the Driver and into a slot on the Hee-Hack Gun. Pulling the lever on his Fourze Driver, the siren on top of the gun began to blare.

Limit Brick!

"Rider Exploding Shoot!" he screamed as a large orb of fire escaped the gun. It hit Virgo dead-on, the Zodiarts summoning a shield to protect her at the last second. The Zodiarts, knowing that she was defeated, slammed her axe onto the ground, teleporting out of sight. A few feathers fell from her wings and settled onto the rooftop. Gentaro approached them, took them into his hands and crushed them in his fist. When he uncurled it, the feathers dissipated into Cosmic Energy.

"This Zodiarts contains so much Cosmic Energy." Ophiuchus hissed. "Let us watch this one for a while...she will be a worthy meal when the time arises."

"Yes, master," Fourze turned to the door and saw his reflection in the glass. He smiled and placed a hand to his cheek. "I am proud to be renamed the Serpent-bearer and to bear your image."

Our fusion is nearly complete, Serpent-bearer; your armor reflects your loyalty to me but...

"I know," Gentaro finished, lifting up the tabs of the driver. When he returned to his normal form, he continued. "If I am to be the Serpent-bearer, I must be the one who tames the serpents." He looked at the innocent snake still wrapped around his neck and smiled. "And when I do, no one will ever hurt me again."

0-0-0-0-0-

Gentaro Kisaragi's funeral was held a few days later.

On that cold and wet Sunday, hundreds of people that Gentaro befriended over the years—women with their children, girls in frilly skirts, old women with their cats and baskets of yarn, young boys and girls with their families—were all dressed in white as they heard Goro tell them all about his grandson's life. The Kamen Rider Club, including Chuta Ohsugi, sat at the front row, their eyes red and puffy from crying so much. Ohsugi was wailing the most, feeling guilty of giving Gentaro accusations of being a bad person just because he wished to be friends with teachers.

"I'm so sorry, Kisaragi!" He sobbed, dropping to his knees. "I never meant to antagonize you! I would've let you wear your clothes instead of the traditional school uniform. Just come back to life so we could all be friends!" The rest was lost as Ohsugi began to blow his nose.

Notably, Gamou himself came to the funeral. He took a glance of Gentaro's photo: a young teenage boy with black bangs covering his eyes and a big smile on his face. This was the face of the same person that threw a monkey-wrench in his plans. He had to stop the boy before it began to spread, and he needed to find another vessel for Aries Zodiarts as soon as he can. However, at the rate that Libra was handing them, Gamou might as well resign from Amanogawa High by now. If Libra Zodiarts didn't obtain new Horoscopes soon, then Gamou would have no choice but to enlist Virgo to send the Zodiarts of the Scales into the Dark Nebula for all eternity.

"Gentaro Kisaragi..." The chairman snarled, seeing the mourners pay their respects to the deceased teen. His eyes began to glow red in fury. "I will have my dream come true, and you will pay for what you have caused."

Ryusei stood underneath the shade of a tall tree, a far distance away from the funeral service. It was for the best: he knew that explaining what really happened to Gentaro would end with failure. The Kamen Rider Club had their minds wiped to forget that Gentaro saved their lives, and the only thing that the recalled about the whole situation was that he killed Fourze. He didn't even bother to talk to them as he came to class and seated himself in his usual spot near Kengo and Yuki for the next couple of days. Instead, the two glared at him before turning away. Ohsugi didn't antagonize him until school was over, screaming as to why he decided to kill a student under his jurisdiction. Ryusei knew that the answer he gave to the Club on the day he killed Gentaro ("Sometimes, there are things that only the devil is capable of doing") wasn't going to bite it.

As he watched the funeral service finish and the hundreds of mourners—Gentaro wasn't kidding when he told Yuki that he made a thousand friends since they last met—began to walk home, Ryusei was about to do the same. A voice stopped him from going past five steps.

"Sakuta," said the voice. "Why are you here?"

The former Kamen Rider Meteor turned to see Kengo and the rest of the Kamen Rider Club, along with Ohsugi, walk up to him. Ryusei didn't say anything, but rather replied with a glare of his own.

"What are you doing here, Ryusei?" asked Miu. "Are you going to pay your respects to Gentaro?"

"I don't need to pay him anything," Ryusei replied, clenching his fists. "I owe him nothing."

"You could at least tell him you're sorry," said Yuki, cradling her Hayabusa Plushie in her arms. "You didn't mean to kill Gen-chan, right?"

"If he didn't mean to kill him, he wouldn't have done so in the first place!" Shun snapped. He snarled and lifted Ryusei in the air by his collar. "What do you have to say for yourself, Ryusei?"

"How about 'I know you're brainwashed and you won't be able to hear anything I say, but I'm going to tell you the truth either way?'" Ryusei thought to himself. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he heard the sound of a hiss. He looked around, trying to find the source until he saw it. It was a white snake slithering across the grass and slowly approaching Kengo's leg. He wanted to say something, but he was shoved into the tree thanks to Shun. He gasped as his back slammed against the trunk before Shun pinned him down.

"You sick bastard!" the former king of Amanogawa High screamed, tears falling down his eyes. "Gentaro accepted you as a friend! He let you into the Kamen Rider Club even though he knew you were hiding your true intentions from us! He opened up to you even though you never would! You helped us fight off the Zodiarts and saved students from the darkness in their hearts! And for what?! It was all for your greed, wasn't it?!"

Shun was about to tackle Ryusei into the tree when he was stopped by a cry of pain. Everyone turned to see Kengo on his knees. He had a hand to his heart and his face was sweating. JK and Tomoko were immediately at his side, slowly getting him onto his feet.

"We have to get him to a hospital!" said JK. "Quickly!"

"Everyone, to my van!" said Ohsugi, motioning the club to follow him. "Hurry! We have no time to waste!"

Shun turned to Ryusei and dropped him before he departed with his friends. Ryusei stood up and growled; he caused all of this suffering, but no one would listen to him. It just wasn't fair! Was this karma paying back for killing Gentaro? Would he fail to save the Kamen Rider Club just like he failed to save Jiro?

The former Kamen Rider Meteor could constantly ask himself these questions, but he knew it wouldn't do any good. All he could do now was head back home, get himself a hot cup of tea, and empty today's events from his mind. There was nothing he could do to convince the Club that Gentaro was a zombie that came back from the dead. They'd only believe that it was just a lie, and that he spread it to make them believe in some 'false hope'.

He heard Ohsugi's van drive off to the nearest hospital. Ryusei just watched the van drive off into the distance before shaking his head in disgust.

"Idiots," he muttered under his breath. "That stupid snake Gentaro summoned is responsible for their memory loss. They would've remembered had it not intervene." He paused and turned toward the spot where the snake appeared. "Wait a minute..."

It was if a siren blared in his ear. The snake that bit Kengo...could it have been...

Ryusei raced toward the Meteostar, a customized motorcycle made to resemble an artificial satellite, and started the engine. He sped off, hoping to catch up with the Kamen Rider Club and warn them before it was too late.

0-0-0-0-0-

After running some tests, the doctors were able to get Kengo some anti-venom and other medicines to help cleanse the snake venom out of his blood. He would have to stay in the hospital for a few more days, enough for his body to gain some color back from having the venom almost kill him. Kengo just nodded his head in reply; this wouldn't be the first time that he had to gain color back.

Stuck in that hospital bed, Kengo Utahoshi was given a photo album by Yuki. He was looking over it, seeing all of the adventures the Kamen Rider Club had. From the picnic they held near the lake—which somehow had everyone carrying groceries and the Massiguler driving by itself—the Cultural Festival when everyone was dressed up as the Legendary Seven Kamen Riders—with costumes made from slippers, bowls and construction paper—and the Galaxy Hot Pot they had back at Kisaragi Motors, the only emotion he could feel was sadness. These were the only memories he had left of Gentaro...he lost his best friend, and he couldn't save him. Tears splashed onto the photographs of the smiling Gentaro, making him remember how he was unable to revive his best friend from death.

"I'm sorry, Gentaro..." Kengo whispered, shaking his head. "I couldn't save you...I failed..."

After letting out a few more tears, he closed the album and put it on his desk before lying on his pillow. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and let those memories become real, even for a short while. He thought he heard a soft hiss somewhere across the room. Maybe it was a blast of water from the bathroom, but he paid it no mind. He covered himself with some blankets and squeezed his eyes shut. Blocking out all outside distractions, the so-named 'King of the Infirmary' fell asleep.

The room was quiet. No one was there except Kengo himself. The soft hissing was now a lullaby to him that lulled him to sleep. He was too absorbed in his sleep to see someone enter the room. It was Gentaro. He entered the room, his footsteps quiet and his smile wicked and cruel. Because he was dead, he had no heartbeat, no pulse, and no reason to breathe.. That was a total benefit to him; if he had any of those, Kengo would've immediately woken up and it would spoil all the fun.

Once he was at his old friend's side, he brought his left hand out and whispered, "Serpens". A white snake materialized in his palm and leapt toward Kengo's neck. It opened its mouth, revealing black fangs that dove deep into the neck. Gentaro watched as the snake injected a dark substance into the Kengo's neck, waiting until the fangs were a pearly white color. Then, the serpent wrapped its tail around the neck and clamped onto it, resembling the legendary Ouroboros biting its own tail. Ouroboros represented a cycle of things being born, dying and being born anew. To Gentaro and Ophiuchus, it represented their eternal control over their lowly servants.

"Master shall be pleased," said Gentaro, seeing Kengo fidget and toss in his sleep. "The Core Child shall be ours."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

Gentaro turned to see a fist fly across his face. He stumbled back before turning to see Ryusei in front of him, panting for breath. Ryusei's scarf and jacket were singed, and his face was twisted with anger. Gentaro briefly rubbed his hand over where he was punched before smiling.

"Ah," He said, slowly clapping his hands. "I see you've come by for a visit. What other plans do you have today, Sakuta?"

"I'm going to make sure you stop hurting people," Ryusei snarled. "He's your friend! Kengo worked hard to revive you from death!"

"He did work hard, but Utahoshi failed to revive me. I was saved by Ophiuchus; he gave me a better reason to live. I can do so much now that I'm dead. For example, without a limiter in my head, I don't worry about doing this!"

Gentaro lifted the giant vase that stood at the corner of the room and raised it above his head. Ryusei immediately pulled out a staff with jingling rings connected to it and swatted it aside. It fell with a clatter, soil spilling everywhere and the arrangement of baby's breath landing on Ryusei's shoe. Gentaro chuckled.

"I thought my warning as Fire States was enough to warn you not to mess with me...Libra Zodiarts."

'Ryusei' snarled as he was covered in a blue aura. When it died down, Gentaro was face to face with Libra Zodiarts. Libra, dressed in similar robes just like Virgo along with a pair of insect wings on the back, and antenna on top of his head, glared at Gentaro with his single eye.

"I have been sent to bring you for a conversation with my master," said the Zodiarts. "You are needed for your destruction of the Aries Switch."

"It was an adequate meal of Cosmic Energy, but not enough," Gentaro replied, his eyes glowing white. "My master needs more energy so it can regain his true form."

"My master needs all the switches to enact the Day of Awakening, but it looks like we all aren't going to get what we desire, are we?" Libra twirled the staff into the air and said, "Fight me, Kamen Rider Fourze."

"This will be too easy," Gentaro charged forward throwing a punch at his opponent. Libra blocked it easily with the staff before using it to push Gentaro away from him. Gentaro crouched down and went for a leg sweep that tripped the Zodiarts up. Whispering "Serpens", a large cobra wrapped around his left arm and hissed at his opponent before flying toward him. Libra fired a bolt of electricity from his antenna that caused the snake to dissipate into Cosmic Energy. Gentaro snarled.

"You'll pay for that," he said, pulling out the Fourze Driver. "Master doesn't like it when his kin die; neither do I."

He pulled the tabs down and let the countdown initiate once more, transforming into Kamen Rider Fourze in a pillar of light. Libra snarled as he looked into the eyes of the Kamen Rider Fourze snake hybrid. Fourze just pulled out two switches.

The two switches, silver Switches 30-N Magnet (notable for having a large red N on the side) and 31-S Magnet (which was similar to N Magnet except it had a large blue S on the side), were inserted into the Fourze Driver. Fourze pressed the buttons on top of the switches once more.

N/S Magnet On

Fourze transformed into his destroyed Magnet States, two golden snakes wrapped around the Magnet Cannons mounted on his shoulders. The Kamen Rider hissed as a storm of Cosmic Energy escaped through the gaps of the armor.

"If you don't leave now, I'll devour your soul," Fourze declared at the Zodiarts of the Scales. "Or better yet, I'll use you as my personal puppet and set you against whomever summoned you here. I'd like to know what made you so singed, though. I know for a fact that Ryusei Sakuta would never play with fire."

"I'm not this 'Ryusei Sakuta' you keep talking about. I am-"

"Rider Electromagnetic Bomber!" Gentaro cried, pulling the lever on the Fourze Driver. The Magnet Cannons on his shoulders fired, the snakes' eyes glowing in a purple light. Libra grunted as he was hit with two beams of electromagnetic energy, causing him to feel like a trash compactor had crushed his body forcefully. Fearing for his defeat, the Zodiarts of the Scales disappeared in an orb of blue light. Fourze snarled and flipped the tabs of the Fourze driver up, reverting back to his form of Gentaro Kisaragi.

"Coward," he spat out, turning to Kengo. Kengo's breathing calmed down, and the snake's scales shone with the color of gold. Gentaro smiled at his handiwork. The first step of the conversion was complete.

"Master," he whispered, running a finger across the golden snake. "What shall I do next? How do we make this puppet do our bidding?"

Name him, and he shall be ours forever, Ophiuchus hissed. And you know what, Serpent-bearer? The necklace reminds me of an old friend of mine.

"And who was that?" asked Gentaro, seeing Kengo slowly open his eyes.

"He is known as Apep, the Egyptian entity of all that was evil. It was said that he fought Ra, his long-sworn enemy and god of the sun, during the night in an attempt to make sure day never came. Sometimes Apep was successful and that was when he created the solar eclipse and the storms that covered Ra's power. It was only temporary, however; Ra always managed to cast Apep back into the Underworld and their fights would continue forever. Good always triumphed over evil. Pathetic."

Kengo's eyes opened all the way, the pupils contracted into small slits. He sat up, his face empty and devoid of emotion. Gentaro hissed in delight, his teeth a set of venomous fangs.

"Arise and awaken anew, Apep," he said, a hand cupping Kengo's face. He turned his ex-friend's face toward him, his eyes glowing red as he whispered, "Trust in me."

Kengo, having the venom seep into his blood and brain, just lifted his gaze toward the red depths of Gentaro's eyes. Just like before, he was completely drawn in. He heard voices in his head, telling him to obey and submit. He couldn't fight it, still drowsy from the venom and sleep. All he could do was nod his head.

"Excellent," Gentaro whispered. "Now, Apep, my little fledgling of shadows...what say you come with me and I shall tell you more about Master's work?"

"Yes..." Kengo replied in a sleepy tone. He slowly got out of bed, wobbling and swaying a bit and collapsed into Gentaro's arms. Gentaro smiled, sensing the Cosmic Energy wafting through the boy. Master was right in choosing Kengo as the first Serpent. This Core Child, as Ophiuchus affectionately called him, would be the key to unlocking Ophiuchus from his seal.

Gentaro licked his lips and opened his mouth, revealing a set of snake fangs. Without hesitation, he plunged the fangs deep into Kengo's neck, draining his former friend of all the Cosmic Energy within him. Kengo didn't react to it at all; all he knew was that he could trust in his former friend's actions and fall into a deep, dark sleep that he would never wake out of.

0-0-0-0-0-

Ryusei Sakuta, the real one and not Libra Zodiarts disguised as him, was supposed to catch up to Ohsugi and the Kamen Rider Club. The only thing standing in his way was a figure in a blue spacesuit, black gloves, shoes and a silver helmet covering its head who teleported in front of his path toward the hospital. Its yellow eyes gazed into Ryusei's soul as Ryusei pressed on the brakes of the Meteostar. The motorcycle slowly came to a stop just inches away from the mysterious person.

"Ryusei Sakuta," the man began. "At last we meet, face to face. I am Tachibana, your benefactor."

Ryusei dismounted from the Meteorstar and approached Tachibana. He snarled, rolling the sleeve of his left arm up to his elbow.

"Get out of my way!" he yelled. "I need to see Kengo and warn the Kamen Rider Club about Gentaro!"

"You will see Kengo, but you will not 'see' him as you thought you would. I am here to tell you something; something that will help you on your mission."

"Like how you said I was supposed to hand you Aries Switch so that Jiro wouldn't make it?! Or how about Gentaro dying and being resurrected by Ophiuchus? I-"

"That was your fault," Tachibana interrupted, his voice stern. "You sided with Aries Zodiart and you made that deal to save Jiro Inseki. You made the choice to kill Gentaro Kisaragi, not me. You decided to turn your back on the Kamen Rider Club and it is you who must pay the price of your actions! I know the punishment you must endure...I shall send you into the Dark Nebula where you can waste away for all eternity!"

Ryusei's eyes widened as his benefactor pulled out something from his pocket: it was a red and black cone-like switch marked with the Astrological symbol of Virgo on top. With a press of a button, a cloud of Cosmic Energy marked with the constellation of Virgo came forth and the former Kamen Rider Meteor was face to face with Virgo Zodiarts.

"You!" Ryusei gasped. "Virgo?! Y-you're..."

"Taking you on a one way trip to the Dark Nebula," Virgo Zodiarts replied, raising the Rhodia Axe into the air.

A dark and purple vortex appeared above Ryusei's head. Ryusei had no time to react as a powerful force sucked him into the sky. All he could do was scream in terror as the portal vanished into thin air, taking him into the cold and dark prison that was the Dark Nebula. Virgo Zodiarts looked up, seeing the empty sky looking down at her.

"Ryusei Sakuta," she whispered. "You are our only hope."