[video]

[oceanicbreak]

[Miharu's curled up in an alley somewhere, absolutely depressed as he looks into his phone.]

There was another attack. I couldn't do it. I know how to henshin now, but I can't. I can't make myself get close enough to the water to do it. The monsters almost killed me.

[Someone walks up—in an obscenely sparkly suit, holding a henshin belt with medals inside it.]



This is the pride of my Kougami Foundation. A Rider who uses the Medal System. With this, you can become a Kamen Rider.



[Miharu hesitates for a moment before taking the Driver.]

I can do this. I can finally be the Rider I should be.

Comments

[archicheck]

Um...what's a Kamen Rider?

[oceanicbreak]

They're heroes of justice--warriors who appear when my world needs them. It looks like I'm supposed to be the one for this generation, but I wasn't strong enough.

[archicheck]

Well that does sound like an awful lot of pressure. Can't you just train to become stronger?

[oceanicbreak]

I can now that I have this. No more worrying about powers I'm not good with.

[archicheck]

What does it do?

[oceanicbreak]

I'm still figuring it out. It came with an instruction manual, at least. Looks like increased strength and a weapon to start.

[archicheck]

But what is it?

[kendoleaf]

... Kamen Rider?

[Yeah, she's confused as all heck.]

[oceanicbreak]

They're heroes from my world, special warriors who fight whoever threatens the people. I was chosen to be one, but I was too weak.

[kendoleaf]

... Because of the whole water thing?

[Also this sounds like a bad kids show. But it makes sense with the monster thing he mentioned.]

[oceanicbreak]

...Yeah.

But the Medal System is different! The powers are based off aquatic animals, but I don't need to be close to the water to transform!

[kendoleaf]

... Wait, you actually needed to be near water to use it? I just thought that was because that was where they all came from.

[oceanicbreak]

Water has to cycle through the Driver itself. And it works best underwater. And I still can't swim.

[aquaticrush]

Um, congratulations!

[oceanicbreak]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I finally have the power to save people--to really do a good job.

[aquaticrush]

I'm really glad that you're happy about it.

[oceanicbreak]

It looks like it's a lot better than Aqua's power already. It doesn't...it doesn't need me near water.

[aquaticrush]

Sometimes things happen, but if you're happy with your power, it's better than if you aren't.

[oceanicbreak]

Yeah. And if I have the Kougami Foundation on my side, then I've got resources I didn't before. I've been researching the Riders before me. They created their own Rider once--there's technology that might be able to do a lot more than I can.

[not_that_lockon]

Good news, I take it?

[oceanicbreak]

Yeah. I have something better to fight with, something I don't have to be afraid of.

[not_that_lockon]

That belt thing, right?

[oceanicbreak]

Yeah. It's got a whole different power source.

[not_that_lockon]

What's it run off?

[oceanicbreak]

Well, the original ran off of water. But this new one uses its Medals--it looks like they've got a lot of power in them, and there's three.