[Mushverse, open to anyone] Yet another rider joins in...

[halfboiledjoker]

This place seems just like any other city. Maybe a bit more hustle-and-bustle than Fuuto, granted, but it doesn't seem like the sort of place to be rife with crime and underground activity.

Then again, I never thought Fuuto could be that way, either.

I park the bike in a spot and pull off my helmet. It's weird, somehow, to think that those rumors of caped dopants could have drifted all the way from here. If it were any other sort of crime, I wouldn't have even been tapped. But the rumors had gotten even Jinno a little nervous, and I owed him a favor or five anyway.

Now if only I could find my way to this high school he wanted me to check out. What was the name again? I check my notes - ah, Amanogawa. It's late enough in the day...I wonder if there are any students wandering about?

Comments

it's been ages since I've used her, apologies for OOC, very glad to see you!!!

[slipperninja]

I know it's a long way from Fuuto but as the chief of the Narumi Detective Agency, it's my job to come here and support Shotarou-kun.

Except he's late.

I'm not sure if he knows I'm going to be here, or what time we're meeting, but he's still late!

Re: it's been ages since I've used her, apologies for OOC, very glad to see you!!!

[halfboiledjoker]

I finally find the place, not far from where I parked. Sure enough, there are still students wandering about, and thankfully nobody seems to be on high alert or watching out for suspicious characters.

Oh. That means me, too.

I walk up to the gate and idly watch the people meandering about. They're all in bright blue and red plaid uniforms, a fairly odd color combination, but every school has to have its little oddities. Better odd colors than dopants running rampant.

I wonder how long I can linger here by the gate before anyone catches on.

[slipperninja]

"SHOTAROU-KUNNNN!" I shriek at him from across the parking lot. I break into a run.

That man boy is going to get HUGGED whether he likes it or NOT.

[halfboiledjoker]

It's things like this, the long waiting, the silent stakeout, that make a man worth his salt. I'll stand here all day if that's what it takes to make this city safe...even if it's not my city.

...wait, what's that sound?

I get tackled from the side and slammed against the gate wall, knocking the wind out of me and my vision whites out for a second. Either I'm under attack or...

"Akiko?!?!?!?" She's hugging me like she hasn't seen me in a year. "What the hell are you doing here?"

[slipperninja]

We wham into the wall, and I finally get my hands on him.

I cling to him happily, face smushed against his shoulder. "I'm in charge, Shotarou-kun, surely you didn't forget?"

[halfboiledjoker]

Well, any hope or prayer of maintaining a cool and composed image while scoping out the school has pretty much been shattered. I peel Akiko's arms off me and and try to set her standing straight. Preferably about a foot away.

"Of course not, ah, Chief." She's always technically in charge. That doesn't mean I expected her to follow me to another city, though. "I just hadn't realized Jinno had contacted anyone other than me. Directly."

[surprisingwolf]

It's been a good day for me. No tiredness, no distractions, just going to class as if nothing ever happened.

I've managed to work on DefenseBot IV's systems for a while, though I have to admit that I worked more on my peace of mind than getting much done on it.

Sigma's left for the day. I don't mind. I need to be able to do things for myself.

I notice a man wandering about, and I tense for a moment. He looks like he's just lost.

I relax. A little.

[halfboiledjoker]

So this is Amanogawa High School? It seems fairly standard, except...there's something that's not sitting quite right about it.

A pair of giggling cheerleaders walk by in uniform, and I'm understandably distracted. Enough, in fact, that I almost realize how odd that is before I run smack dab into somebody else.

"Ah, sorry!" What a way to make an entrance, Shotarou. "I, ah, didn't quite see you there."

[surprisingwolf]

I tense up a little and remind myself that the guy that nearly bumped into me means me no harm most likely. "It's okay. Most people don't seem to notice that."

I hope that he's not looking for a place for his little brother or sister to go to high school.

[halfboiledjoker]

That's an odd response. He's gotten all tense, too. If something's not up with him, there's something up with this place.

"Now, that's hardly something anyone should be saying," I try in my best approximation of a brotherly tone. "If people aren't noticing you, it's up to you make them notice you. Stand up straight, smile, and..." I tip my hat to make the point. "...when you've earned it, wear a nice hat."

Let's see if he responds better to kindness.

[surprisingwolf]

...He seems to be randomly passing by the school. Just as long as that doesn't put him in danger. I relax a little.

"That's okay. In some places it's better not to get noticed." I look towards the school almost involuntarily. I rub my braclet, hidden under my sleeve. But I smile for him anyway. It's not his fault, as far as I know.

I hate having to guess if a random stranger means me harm.

[halfboiledjoker]

Okay, that's definitely suspicious.

I think about coming in a bit closer, to speak more quietly, but given his body language I'm not sure it's a good idea. I don't want to scare him off. I lower my voice just a little, instead.

"Hey, is everything alright? I know I'm just a stranger, but I..." Oh, hell, words. I'm not finding the right ones. "Here, let me treat you to a snack, and we can talk." I nod my head back towards the gate, and the city beyond. "Off campus."

[breakthelimit]

I'm a little early when I arrive at Amanogawa to pick Miu up from her cover as a student teacher, so I wait outside the school grounds, leaning back against the gate.

This whole thing is far too nostalgic of the days when she was actually still a student, and I try my best not to get sentimental. It's not a good state to be in when there's so much unexplained danger happening lately.

I light up a cigarette, pleased that I have a few moments to myself where neither Miu nor Sousuke can nag me for it. I take a happy drag and sigh, the faintest hint of a smile even gracing my lips.

[halfboiledjoker]

It's not long before someone wanders up who isn't a student. He's far too old and, more importantly, not in uniform. He seems completely unconcerned as he leans against the gate and starts smoking a cigarette.

Hrm. Maybe I should set him straight.

I readjust the brim of my hat and take a few steps over to lean against the gate beside him. "Not exactly the best example to set for young, impressionable students," I say in my best I-know-what-I'm-talking-about voice.

Hey, it works sometimes.

[sparklingworld]

I'm smiling as I leave the school. It was quite a good day, considering I don't really know how to be a student teacher. The other teachers were pleasant, not too familiar with me, and the students were, on the whole, lovely.

I'm near skipping as I follow the last of the students out the gate.

Look at him. He looks good like that.

Terrible habit, though.

"Ani," I scold, marching up to him.

[halfboiledjoker]

I'm not even halfway through my gentle reprimand when a beautiful young woman marches up to the man. Ah - she's his sister?

"I know, right? Hardly the right thing to be doing right outside a school." I take a step forward, remove my hat and give a polite bow. "Hidari Shotarou, at your service."

...I wonder if there's anything I can help her with?

[breakthelimit]

I'm just about to tell this stranger off - honestly, what's it his business to tell me what sort of example I want to set? - maybe give his stupid hat a good flick and knock it off his head, but then Miu walks up, and I can't help smiling at her.

Of course then she scolds me too. Sigh.

I ash, then take another purposeful drag, speaking on the exhale. "I'm not a teacher, I'm not really trying to be a role model."

Oh, I can hear Sousuke's voice screaming in my head. He's halfway around the world, but it's like he's right next to me. Posing.

[sparklingworld]

I give the man in the hat a polite smile. "Sutou Miu. And is there any particular reason why you might be loitering outside a school, Hidari-san?"

I will deal with Ani later. Really. Smoking!

[halfboiledjoker]

Oh crap, she's a smart one. I never look as good to the smart ones.

I flip the hat back up onto my head and stand up straight. "I'm visiting, here from Fuuto. My cousin's looking at this school and I, well..." I shift my eyes to the school and back, in what is hopefully a natural-looking bit of worry. "...wanted to check it out for myself first."

[hinooo]

I know I don't have my belt any more. I can't be OOO.

But at the same time, though, I can't let things go unanswered. It's driving Ankh crazy, and if there are other things coming back, other powers, that aren't Greeeds now wanting to live normal lives... I have to investigate.

I'll have a talk to Gentarou-kun later and see if he's noticed anything. He's at the epicentre of it all at this damn school.

Huh.

Speaking of other Riders.

"Double?" I call.

[halfboiledjoker]

It's not my name I hear called out, but something close enough to it that I almost stumble where I stand. I look around and eventually see a familiar face in ridiculous clothes. I know I've seen him somewhere before...

Ah!

"OOO?" I take a step forward and squint a little bit. "What are you doing here?"

The asking is a bit of a formality at this point. If anything would clue me into something odd going on here, it'd be the presence of another rider.

[hinooo]

His clothes are so silly.

I'm grinning ridiculously hard. We're not best friends or anything. I don't know him that well. But I know he's a good man to fight alongside.

However, his presence makes it that much more likely that big things are happening here. Well, beyond the big things that Gentarou-kun's already dealing with.

"I'm not really sure," I admit. "There are some really weird things happening, Double!"

[halfboiledjoker]

So he does know about what's going on. Jackpot!

"Yeah, the rumors have traveled all the way out to Fuuto. Even the police are nervous, but there isn't much they can do, so I got tapped instead."

He's smiling pretty big. I'm hoping that's just his normal smile, and not a oh-yeah-by-the-way-I'm-a-bad-guy smile. Those tend to turn out badly. "It's good to see you, though. Can you fill me in with what you know?"

[hinooo]

"That doesn't sound good," I sigh. There are always disturbances all over our country, but if what's happening here has made it that far...

"You too! Well. Fourze's fighting Zodiarts, but there are various powers being resurrected too, which have nothing to do with Zodiarts." I swallow. "Like Greeed."

[halfboiledjoker]

The Greeed I...vaguely remember. But the other one is completely new. "Zodiarts? What are those?" I shake my head and cross my arms. "The rumors we heard were of dopants, but...maybe these monsters are different after all."