[video]

[oceanicbreak]

[The video opens up to a dark, waterlogged city, and a teenage boy with goggles around his neck and a streak of blue in his hair is shaking.]

Good. My iPhone's still working. I hope someone can help.

The monsters flooded everything. There was this scientist, Tachikawa--he helped me out of the water before I could drown, took me to his lab. The monsters had us trapped, so he pulled some kind of belt and stuck it on me. Said I was a Kamen Rider now. He bought me some time when the monsters came in, and I only just managed to run...

[He holds up the belt]

What am I supposed to do with this?

Comments

[Video]

[of_many_treasures]

[the scene looks in on Kaitou but he's dressed in the G3 outfit. He seems to be off duty, but hasn't removed the helmet yet.]

You transform. Be a hero or villain. Your choice.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

Wait, are you a Kamen Rider? Can't you do this instead?

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

Ah... I don't belong in your world. Not yet anyhow. I'm in a different world entirely.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

Different worlds? I heard once that there were others, but I thought it was just a story.

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

It's all true. There's a vast Rider Multiverse out there.

[Permavid]

[everything_is_dangerous]

[Solemn-looking Leila is solemn. The poor kid's just gone through a lot, after all.]

I suppose you put it on and be a Kamen Rider. Don't ask me how the transformation works, I never actually asked.

As far as what to do next... do you have any clues as far as where the monsters came from?

[Leila, if you're going to try the bureaucrat act again, you're not making the greatest start.]

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

Why are they separate? Can't someone just go to another world and take care of the problem there?

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

You'd think so, but each world has a different Rule to it. Sometimes it doesn't work like it should.

Re: [Permavid]

[oceanicbreak]

I can't! I'm not a fighter--I can't even swim. That's how I got in this mess!

All I know is they seem to have come from the water. I'm too scared to check for myself. Tachikawa probably knew more, but he... [It was pretty obvious to him that the scientist had died.]

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

At least someone who stand a chance against these things...

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

Having issues with your powers then?

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

The driver's powered by water! I can't go anywhere near the water without panicking!

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

... you're kidding.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

[He shakes his head.]

I was the only person around. Tachikawa said he was too old to fight--Kamen Rider had to be someone younger. Once he made this thing bond to me, it only recognized me.

[everything_is_dangerous]

... I suspect you'll find you suddenly become a lot better if you transform. Just at a guess. Or at least you'll be better armed. I can see you're already talking to someone who knows more about Riders than I do.

Mm. If he's a scientist, he'll have notes, right? Any idea where they might be?

[oceanicbreak]

It's the transformation that's the problem...

Not yet, but I'm going to try to look as soon as there aren't as many monsters. They're starting to retreat now that the sun's rising. I think they're nocturnal.

[everything_is_dangerous]

As I understand it they're somewhere between magic and science... perhaps if you think hard enough it will activate?

Ah. Well that gives you a window of safety, at least. Maybe find a light of some kind as well; if they're nocturnal, you might be able to blind them and buy enough time to get away.

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

No I mean, that's hilarious. You're scared of water and the driver is powered BY water. [trying not to snicker here.]

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

It's not like I asked for this.

[He almost seems defensive here.]

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

Sorry, but that's what most Riders say anyhow.

[oceanicbreak]

I have to be around water for it to activate. And...I'm afraid of the water.

I'll try that. Thanks.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

I almost got killed by a monster, some scientist gives me the result of his research and says, "You go fight now," and I'm stuck having a panic attack, and it's my fault?

[everything_is_dangerous]

... Ah. Yes, I can see how that would be a problem.

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

What do you know about Riders anyhow? Any history? Dates? Legacies?

[iwannabethegirl]

[Have a video of a dark cave, Miharu!]

... You said monsters? What kind of monsters?

[oceanicbreak]

I'm the worst possible candidate for this.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

A lot of them were more urban legends than anything else. But they first started appearing 80 years ago. The Legendary 7 are the best known ones: Ichigo, Nigo, V3, Riderman, X, Amazon, and Stronger.

[oceanicbreak]

The kind that attack and kill people. They might live in the water, I don't know.

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

[80 years. That puts him about as far away as Den-O Strike then...]

That's a good start. I would suggest looking into it.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

The Riders? You think they might know something about this?

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

That would probably be the case.

Re: [Video]

[oceanicbreak]

Okay, thank you. I'm Minato Miharu.

Re: [Video]

[of_many_treasures]

Kaitou Daiki.

[iwannabethegirl]

... All the monsters I'm familiar with probably do nothing by kill people too. Or at least try.

[oceanicbreak]

Where are you? You're not in the city, are you?

[everything_is_dangerous]

Is there really any other at this point, though?

[oceanicbreak]

I don't think so, which is even worse.

[everything_is_dangerous]

I suppose it sounds like the options are trying to work past your fear or going without a Rider.

Having it only activate near water seems a bit unhelpful anyway.

[oceanicbreak]

Maybe if we can evacuate, avoid the monsters completely, I won't have to.

[everything_is_dangerous]

I suppose so, but if you don't know where they came from, how are you going to keep them from spreading?

[oceanicbreak]

I'll...have to figure that out. Find Tachikawa's main lab.

[everything_is_dangerous]

Mm. I probably don't have to tell you this, but be careful.

[oceanicbreak]

Thanks.

[everything_is_dangerous]

For telling you to be careful, or for assuming you're not an idiot?

[oceanicbreak]

Both, I guess.

[everything_is_dangerous]

Well, you're welcome to both, then.

[iwannabethegirl]

No, I'm in a cave. I'm in a cave until Sena can come and world-hop to me.

... And there are monsters here too. Scary things that're crawling on the floor. At first I thought there was just one... but then I saw another! And even groups of them!

[oceanicbreak]

They're not flooding it, are you?