[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

[terlibra]

I'm busy analyzing the dopant-like fish creature. I'm sure that, based on its tendency to dodge and sway, that it is based on a creature that is not carnivorus, but is built to escape punishment.

The presence of two Riders can only help, as it will be unlikely to be able to dodge attacks from both of us.

I communicate this to Shotarou.

[halfboiledjoker]

Fourze's gone running off after Eiji, which is all well and good except it sort of defeats the purpose of us teaming up to take this thing out.

"So a pincer attack, then?" I ask Philip. If I can get Fourze to stay still(ish), we should be able to pull this off.

Gentarou/Eiji is temporarily offline so skipping for the moment

[terlibra]

"Yes." I study the monster. This one is in so many ways similar to a dopant that it will be interesting to find out what information I can.

In the meantime, we'll have to retrieve the other rider so that I can be informed of the situation.

Talking is a free action, anyway. >.>

[halfboiledjoker]

"Right." We block a swing and I push our body to the left to spin it around, putting us between it and Fourze. At least we can buy the other rider some time to get back to us.

"Fourze! Don't take the scenic route, okay?" I call back over my shoulder.

certainly is XD

[uchuukitaa]

Eiji's upset, but accepts that he needs to stay back. I clap him on the shoulder, and turn to run back to the fight.

"Hold your horses! Your fishes! Or something!" I shout as I run back. Okay, so if I attack from the other side...

[terlibra]

The monster doesn't seem to know how to deal with this tactic. Instead, it attacks us while Fourze comes behind it.

It's quite simple to deal with it. With it distracted by us, Fourze delivers a disorienting kick, and I feel Shotarou gearing up to do the same.

[halfboiledjoker]

Fourze's kick spins the monster around right into our own, and it sends the monster twirling down to the ground. I reach towards the driver to prepare for Joker Extreme, then pause.

"Fourze - is this something you have to finish?" Aside from a matter of pride, if it's not a dopant...well, can we be sure that our final attack will really finish it?

[uchuukitaa]

Why on Earth are they asking?!

Oh. Huh. Yes, I guess. "Probably!" I call cheerfully. I gear up for a Limit Break.

[terlibra]

I have to wonder if his reply has to do with relative inexperience with fighting. I had attempted to do a search, but without the correct keywords I couldn't narrow down what Shotarou needed.

As I watch Fourze prepare to launch an attack at the monster, I wonder, as Shotarou has probably done, whether our attacks would be able to breach its armor.

In any case, there is little to do but wait.

[halfboiledjoker]

I can tell Philip's already trying to figure out how all this works, and I don't blame him. "We'll look into it later," I assure him, then take a few steps back. You never know how big a monster's explosion can be, after all.

[uchuukitaa]

I destroy the Switch, and Kengo comes running in to grab the kid.

I drop my transformation, grinning at Double.

[terlibra]

Fourze seems to be younger than me. Perhaps he'll say his name so I can start my research. It's up to Shotarou whether he wants to drop the transformation or not; I can always ask him the information I need.

My attention shifts slightly towards the student who ran in, and the person he caught. Fourze's support, most likely.

[halfboiledjoker]

I'd stay transformed, but it'll be easier to get to know Fourze if we're face-to-face. "I'll fill you in later," I tell Philip, then de-activate the driver.

"Hidari Shotarou," I say to the kid, and tip my hat.

[uchuukitaa]

"Kisaragi Gentarou!" I say happily, offering a hand. What a strange hat. Kinda cool, though! "Double's amazing!"

[halfboiledjoker]

Handshake? Okay, I can do that. I take his hand and give it a firm squeeze.

"Fourze's not too bad himself," I say back. Real nice kid, this one. "Hope you don't mind some help around here?"

y'know, I've been waiting happily for Philip to take his turn... I fail at reading XD

[uchuukitaa]

"No, any help's good," I tell him cheerfully. "Any new friends are good! I can handle the Zodiarts generally but there's been a lot more than that, lately, and I have a new Meteor, so yes, things are COMPLICATED."

XD S'all good!

[halfboiledjoker]

I think I follow what he's saying, so I nod carefully take a bit more note of Gentarou in general. His hair is ridiculous and he modifies his uniform more than Queen and Elizabeth combined. It's actually pretty impressive.

"So these things are Zodiarts?" For a moment I wonder exactly how many different kinds of monsters there are out there. "Anything I should know about them?"

Something else occurs to me. "...a new meteor? What?"

*laughs*

[uchuukitaa]

I nod, and gabble through a quick explanation about cosmic energy and becoming Apostles. "Most important thing, though, is that they're human," I finish with. "Don't kill them. Just destroy the Switch, then help them."

I laugh. "Kamen Rider Meteor. It's been... a little wild around here lately. We also have a rogue sentai team to deal with."

...okay, I'm assuming the Legendary War is canon to the KR universe as well. >.>

[halfboiledjoker]

The more Gentarou explains about Zodiarts, the more I see the similarities between them and dopants. Even the subtle mental effects are scarily close, and the thought that so many of these victims are students makes my blood boil. Even more so because kids like Gentarou are the ones having to fight them.

"A sentai team?" I ask, feeling very much like a parrot in this conversation. "Wait. Like the ones from the Legendary War? How's that possible?"

it certainly can be, and I blame/love Simon for everything ending up in Mushverse XD

[uchuukitaa]

I rub my forehead. "Things got a lot more complex in the last couple months and it's making my head hurt! We have a past sentai guy teaching at the school, well, his identity's basically not a secret any more, and the Go-Busters and the Shinkengers have been around. At least one of them's gone evil."

ALL THE TOKU XD

[halfboiledjoker]

I pull up my hands and wave them to cut him off gently. "Wait, wait, nevermind, hold on." I put my face in my palm and sigh - this is just way too much for me to handle right now. "Okay. This might be asking much, but can we set up another time to talk? After I have a chance to grab my partner? Because at this point I don't think I'm going to be able to relay all this back to him and get it all right."

There is a WHOLE lot of stuff going on here, and I'm not even sure which part of it Jinno wanted me to look into anymore.

mwahahahaha yes oh and Jou'll probably stick his nose in with Shotarou sometime

[uchuukitaa]

I grin. "Sure, grab your partner. How long have you two been together? I love seeing people in love."

I'm feeling like this entire post was just a setup for new one at the W house...

[halfboiledjoker]

My hand slips right off my face and I stumble forward in surprise. "Wait, what? No! No, Philip and I aren't..."

I fish around in my pocket and pull out one of the business cards, then scribble my mobile number and the house address on the back. "Here, can we meet tonight? Or just give me a call? We should all be set up there sometime soon, and then we can get down to business."

Not to mention, being back on a school campus is kinda giving me the willies.

EXCELLENT IDEA

[uchuukitaa]

"Aren't in love?" I say, startled, but I recover quickly and give him a supportive pat on the shoulder. "Well, every relationship has its ups and downs. I'm sure you can figure things out."

He hands me a card, and I nod enthusiastically. "I'll visit tonight!"

Wheeeee~

[halfboiledjoker]

I wince slightly but force a grin, give Gentarou a tip of my hat and start to head off campus.

There's going to be a lot to cover tonight, I can tell.

...I hope this house has whiteboards.