01 - And So It Begins.

[chalicejoker]

[A - 2239 Stevens]

[Hajime wakes up...which is not unusual in and of itself, but he becomes very aware of a few things. This is not the room he's been renting at the Jacaranda, nor are these the clothes he went to sleep in the night before. They're a very outdated style he hasn't really seen before. The room itself is more spacious than the one he's been renting, and it has windows, making it quite unsuitable for the makeshift darkroom he had going back home. Decorating the room are photographs of him and some humans he's never seen before, which confuses him.

Also, there's a woman lying next to him. Hajime sort of stares for a moment. He's now even more confused; he definitely doesn't know who she is and isn't the sort to take up with strange women. He decides the best course of action is to sneak out of the bed and try to figure out what's going on, but, unfortunately, when he starts to pull himself into a seated upright position, one of the mattress springs squeaks very loudly...]

[B - Around Town]

[Hajime is now stalking around town and trying not to look as confused by everything as he feels as he tries to get the lay of the land. He's trying very hard to pretend like he knows what's going on, which mostly means scowling and staring at things. He has now stopped to stare at something in the area, looking thoughtful and a little angry. Despite appearances, maybe he'd be up for a chat?]

Comments

A

[suicidoll]

(The last thing Kreutzer remembered was everything going black and silent. It also felt strangely cold, but it was something she was prepared to face. Something she expected...

...however, she didn't expect Mayfield. The bed was soft, warm and very unlike what she just felt moments ago. As she opens her eyes, she sees the strange room, the poor designing that went into it and the unfamiliar male so close to her. She's surprisingly calm, given the situation.)

...I suppose you're the one who greets all of the newcomers?

Re: A

[chalicejoker]

[Okay, cool. She's not screaming, which is what Hajime had been expecting. And she doesn't know who he is, either, which is...well, it's not exactly comforting, but at least he's not the only one who doesn't know what's going on.]

...what are you talking about?

[suicidoll]

Are you the one who grants the dead passage to the afterlife? I've heard many tales on how this is supposed to happen, but I never heard of this...

(She's treating this like a business transaction more than anything else.)

[chalicejoker]

...

[Well, he's never been called THAT before.]

No, I'm not.

[He kind of glances down at himself to make sure he's still human. Nope, no signs of Joker-dom!]

[suicidoll]

Then are you here to mock me as I prepare for hell?

(She's expecting to bump into people that don't like her, unaware that no one in Mayfield knows her.)

[chalicejoker]

I don't know what I'm here for.

[He kind of shrugs.]

I don't know who you are, and I don't know where this is. And I'm not...whatever you think I am.

[Unless you think he's an Undead. Then he's totally that.]

B

[stupidsexydate]

[There's a Date coming off work when he notices the familiar figure. Hey he hadn't seen him since that crazy little incident with the Imagin and time travel that he shouldn't remember about Let's Go Kamen Rider what a time snarl that was. He held up a hand in greeting.]

Hajime!

[Hopefully he recognized him. It would be awkward if he just shouted out to Chalice without him recognizing him.]

Re: B

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime only vaguely remembers the screwing up of the timeline that led to his having seen this guy before. Something about trains? His instincts are telling him not to think on it too hard. Worry about that later, now he can get some answers!]

Date, right?

What is going on here?

Re: B

[stupidsexydate]

Yep! As for where we are, the people call it Mayfield, others hell. Basically it's a place that likes to kick everyone in the metaphoric nuts once in a while.

[Date shrugged.] We've lost our powers, and in my case I'm out Tanky and my Birth gear too. We're placed into family units and expected to do some semblance of work. How much of it you actually do is pretty slack I heard though.

Man you haven't changed a bit, not since Anko-chan and Momo messed up the timeline.

Re: B

[chalicejoker]

Ah. That explains the woman...and where my cards went...what is the purpose of all of this, anyway?

[Yep, fun morning all around. Hajime's real glad to be out of that house.]

You do not seem to have changed from what I remember...although it's...unclear. What happened, anyway?

Re: B

[stupidsexydate]

Beats the heck out of me. People are saying it's just to torture us and they're trying to make sure people survive the monthly horrors that happen here. Though to be honest I haven't seen anything YET.

[He shrugged.]

Long story short, Anko-chan dropped a pile of Cell Medals in the past, and wound up altering history. It corrected itself but I had to go get every Rider I could find and shove them all into the DenLiner to bring them to that battle. The Ryuki Riders were giving me trouble so I had to smack some heads to make them cooperate. Ouja was a pain in the ass I tell ya.

[B - Around Town]

[captainofthe10th]

[ An 8 foot tall armored figure, resplendent in armor and festooned with weapons stares back at you, Hajime. What do? }

Re: [B - Around Town]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime stares right back, seeing as how social skills have never been his strong suit. It doesn't help that the fact he is now 100% non-special human hasn't quite sunk in yet, so some part of his mind is likely thinking he can totally take this guy in a fight.]

[captainofthe10th]

[ Silly mortal, even Decade wasn't that nuts. ]

Can I be of assistance? [ Booms a deep, deep voice from the augmitters of the armor. ]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime is still unfazed at the booming voice coming from the armor, as some part of his brain is still convinced he's a potential world-destroying monster.]

I'm just trying to get my bearings. This place is...unusual.

[B]

[thekingofkamenriders]

[Tsukasa Kadoya had taken to his normal practice of wandering around the town and taking pictures. He turned and focused the viewfinder on the new arrival, pressing the shutter and then winding the film. He then thinks for a second before looking up.]

Oi. You seem...slightly familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?

[He's getting a...rider ping, but he's not sure if he places the face.]

Re: [B]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime likewise finds Tsukasa familiar, though he can't quite place where he's seen the other guy before. His gaze lingers on Tsukasa's camera for a moment before he answers.]

Possibly.

[He gestures to the camera.]

Back home, I'm a freelance photographer. Might we have possibly met that way?

Re: [B]

[thekingofkamenriders]

Another one of those, eh? I don't think we did, though...if we've met, I was probably something other than a photographer, on your world.

[He walks over and holds out a hand.]

Tsukasa Kadoya. And you are?

Re: [B]

[chalicejoker]

[He returns the handshake.]

Hajime Aikawa.

[Tsukasa's name seems quite familiar, where has he heard it before?

...and then something inside Hajime's head clicks. There's a flicker of recognition.]

Decade.

Re: [B]

[thekingofkamenriders]

...Chalice? The original one, that is.

[He shakes his head.]

You, Birth, and I are all here. I wonder if we'll see any others, like Kazuma or Kurenai.

B

[bread_goes_bip]

[Death has never been reluctant to approach, well, anyone.]

Something on your mind?

Re: B

[chalicejoker]

[He turns to look at her, giving her a polite nod.]

Just trying to figure out what this place even is. I've had a few debates this morning...

Re: B

[bread_goes_bip]

It can be pretty confusing at first. Did you try to convince the drones you're not from here?

Re: B

[chalicejoker]

Ah, so that's what you call them? I gave up on that. Wasn't worth wasting my time with a conversation.

But the woman I woke up with is absolutely convinced this is the afterlife. I seriously doubt it.

Re: B

[bread_goes_bip]

I can tell you with great certainty that it's not.