Helping a friend (54)

Neon Kurama wandered the streets aimlessly, simply taking in the sights around her. She caught sight of a family, laughing and cheering on one of their kids, one of them holding a paper

"You did really well on the exam! You want that tempura for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah!"

Seeing the kid being praised and receiving affection made the scene poignant to her. It was hard enough with her own life's challenges, and being a Rider, but the scene left her with a reminder of what she didn't have.

"When was the last time anybody gave me praise like that?" She muttered.

Throughout her life,  she couldn't remember a time when she received little more than passive disinterest. Would she ever get that sort of praise and love?

"I don't know if I ever will..." She muttered, before walking off

Neon Kurama stood before a glass window, her reflection superimposed over the figure of a young child in a school uniform. The child's eyes bore a curious innocence as they locked onto Neon's gaze. It was a moment of eerie self-reflection for Neon, who couldn't help but wonder what she was.

The child's expression was free from the burdens of adulthood, devoid of the weight of responsibilities, expectations, and the complex web of human relationships. Neon, on the other hand, felt like a puppet in the grand design of her mother's desires.

As she stared at her own reflection, Neon questioned her existence. Was she a creation of divine powers meant to serve a purpose, or was there more to her identity than being the embodiment of a wish? The child's eyes seemed to beckon her to remember what it was like to be unburdened, to rediscover her inner self.

"Yow,Only-fan Chan where are you going"Aaron asked as he watched Neon walking away

"Leave me alone Aaron, I am not in the mood for your teasing, "Neon said with a sad expression on her face.

"And that why I am here,to be exactly fair with you,I frankly could not give two fucks that you were made using creation power"Aaron said bluntly.

"I am just a wish, "Neon said looking a bit down.

"Aren't all baby in a sense a wish from their parents wanting a kid"Aaron said nonchalantly.

Neon's expression shifted a bit but before she could say anything about the fact she was literally made by a wish, Aaron interjected saying.

"Do you feel any different from any other people, do you feel like you don't belong, that isn't because of the wish, that just because you just have horrible ass parents that physically don't know how to express their love" Aaron said nonchalantly.

"I feel like I don't belong, and it's not because of the wish. It's because I don't know who I am. I don't understand where I fit in this world, or if I'm even meant to fit in it. I feel like a replacement" Neon said while looking at Aaron.

Aaron sight a bit to himself before looking at Neon,a figure of a small girl standing right next to her;, he could see it.

"Neon look at me,trying to blame yourself for that won't fox anything,I can tell you that,it will only swallow you and make you feel more guilty rip you from the inside and destroy what you were"Aaron said as his voice became softer.

"What do you know about that" Neon asked to which Aaron replied.

"Because I have been there"

Neon looks shocked at the revelation but Aaron continues saying.

"I don't like the fact that someone like you is in there, it's a depressing place so please put your smile back up and become the easily teasable Neon,"

Neon stayed quiet and said nothing while Aaron stare at at her.

He then came close to her before he pinched her hard.

"Why did you do that for" Neon said holding her arm.

"Oh, so you felt that, "Aaron said upon looking at Neon.

"Of course I did, you pinched me" Neon shot back looking at Aaron.

"Did it hurt you?" Aaron said upon seeing her expression he got his answer.

"Yes.."Neon said catching on to what Aaron was trying to do although with little success.

Aaron approached Neon before saying.

"Just be happy and stop caring about whatever other people think when they look at you, stop caring about it, You are Neon Kurama and no one else, if anyone has a problem with that they can go suck a dick"

Neon chuckled a bit at that, she never really expected Aaron to be the type to care about how she felt considering how he used to call her the only-fan girl.

"Even if I wanted to come back..my parents don't ever consider me as their own," Neon said looking down a bit.

"Oh they do by a long shot..your mom was balling her eyes out and everything, she want you back badly and all it took for your dad was a well-placed left hook before he came to his senses," Aaron said with a small smile on his face.

Neon stood there flabbergasted as she stared at Aaron, did he really do all of that?

She was at a loss for words.

"And if they mess up again, you can always go with the bland boy from the future," Aaron said with a smile on his face as Neon stood there in complete silence.

To think that he went through all of that for her...

"I don't deserve all of this. I am not e..." Neon tries to say but Aaron cuts her off saying.

"Shush, just enjoy the life, that 'you' were given"

As those words his mouth, he started to gently pat her head.

His expression seems a bit more gentle than usual...He didn't mind that she burst into tears afterward.

He just gently patted her head as she balled her eyes out.

After that Happened Neon looked at Aaron before saying.

"Thank you"

"No problem, now that you are back to normal when the only-fan pic going up and will I get a kiss" Aaron teased to which Neon sight.

There was truly no changing him and to be fair, she wouldn't have it any other way.

As She smile a bit while looking at him.

A small portal appeared under as a Jamato kidnapped her in order to make sure she participated in her round.

Pov change.

Berona's grin faltered as she observed Neon's unexpected reaction. The usual despair she had anticipated was replaced by a strange, calm smile on Neon's face. The intense anticipation for her scheme to unfold began to unravel.

Confusion clawed at Berona's thoughts. Her plan had revolved around exploiting Neon's emotional turmoil, but the girl's unexpected composure left her at a loss. Neon, the target of her cruel intentions, seemed strangely unshaken. Berona couldn't help but wonder how her scheme had gone so awry, and who might have played a part in derailing her sadistic intentions.

The name that echoed in Berona's mind was one she had grown accustomed to: Aaron. That teenage troublemaker, a thorn in her side from the moment she had crossed paths with him. Berona couldn't help but recall the countless times he had thwarted her plans or simply gotten under her skin with his relentless teasing and audacious demeanor.

It was Aaron's mischievous and unpredictable nature that had frequently thrown her schemes into disarray, and now, it seemed he had somehow disrupted her latest wicked endeavor as well. Her thoughts swirled with frustration, contemplating how to deal with this persistent nuisance.

Although she did not seem as angry as usual and seem to be rather calm about it all, she would break his spirit using the latest piece of info she had on him.

It may have been sent by a mysterious person but what was contained in there was more than enough to break him.

Meanwhile with Neon

Neon stood her ground against the Jamato with the unique ability to phase into objects. The Jamato grinned and began to merge with a nearby wall, disappearing into it. But Neon was ready for this challenge.

She was no longer a weak girl, she would fight till the end.

With a determined look in her eyes, she raised her driver and activated it by saying.

"Henshin"

Her body was enveloped in a dazzling, electric-yellow light. In a matter of seconds, the light dissipated, revealing her new form. She was now Kamen Rider Naago.

A new and reborn Kamen rider Naago.

Her armor shimmered with a sleek, metallic texture, and the helmet crowned her head, displaying a cat visage.

Jamato, now emerging from a water portal to strike again, was met with Naago's precise movements. She moved with fluid grace, dodging its attacks and countering with powerful streams of water.

She continues to fight the enemy in front of her, the weak facade completely gone.

Her parents watching this were very proud of their daughter and only wanted to hug her tightly and never let go.

While Aaron was making his way back to the Kamen rider headquarters.

"I have a bad feeling about this" Aaron said with one hand in his pocket as he walked away.

A/N Long ass chapter, anyway what do y'all think about it, I spent quite a long time writing this and rewatching Geats to make sure I get an accurate Neon.

Fun fact did y'all know Neon is not actually one of the characters I would say I like....I don't hate her either though I mainly feel neutral about it.