Scene #8933: DGP Rider Social A

Owner	Pose
Desire Stars	The first round is over--and the results are a brutal loss of the vast majority of contestants. Following a somber explanation of the contest's stakes to Odette, the concierge Girori has brought all of the Riders to the Desire Temple. Overlooking a vast desert, the Desire Temple looks all the more otherworldly for its place above the vast, arid emptiness, an inverted black pyramid, trimmed with gold, flanked by hovering ivory columns, floating over a golden sea of dunes and below a cloudless blue sky. The inside is much bigger than the shape of the Temple would otherwise suggest. There are training facilities, a gym, relaxation areas capable of imitating all manner of place on earth, and, most relevantly, a lounge. The "Green Room" as it's called is a lounge with absolutely no green in it except for a few carefully trimmed miniature trees. It's a perfect spot for taking well-needed rest after missions, especially for brutal ones like this DGP's first round. A wide open space with glazed terracotta floors, matching brick trim and soft eggshell walls is half-encircled by doric pillars in grey and a set of earth-tone curtains. Red couches in tight circles dot this little open area, while a short ste of stairs leads to a little minibar, set against a rich yellow wall decorated with the aforementioned miniature trees. Near the bar, a recess in the wall holds matching statues of birds in flight and a small collection of books. Present in the lounge: TAKAHITO TAIRA, the middle-aged HR manager for a tech company, reclining on one of the red couches and recuperating. GIRORI, the concierge, ties off a bandage on Takahito's arm. MORIO KOGANEYA, the suspiciously friendly guy who struck up an early alliance with NEON KURAMA. The two of them seated in the same little couch-circle, a little ways off from Takahito, discussing and debating the usefulness of their Buckles. Finally, ACE UKIYO, previous Desire Deity and worldwide superceleb, enjoys a rose and rhubarb soda at the little bar. KANATO SUMIDA, the perpetually standoffish high schooler on some kind of Joker arc, is conspicuously absent, although the standings show he's still in the game.
Phantom Thieves	flop That is the sound a Clover makes, after getting her rear end handed to her in the first round, as she falls face first lengthwise on one of the couches. "(Can I change my wish? I want a masseuse, a beach vacation, and to never look at a tomato monster again...)" she says into the couch cushions. CLOVER DELAMONTE, who is most certainly not the civilian alter ego of wannabe supervillain Limelight, is in low spirits. "Is there... like, a cash shop, or something? I hate gacha bullshit but at this rate it feels like whale-or-die..." she says, as she rolls over onto her side.
Hamada Haru	"The buckle matters less than you do," Hamada Haru says, stepping out of the rear corridors he had been traversing right before the round ended and interjecting into Morio and Neon's conversation. "Which is not to say that the buckle doesn't matter." He strides over to where they're sitting, his expression a blend of guarded and off-put by something. His gaze sweeps from the pair towards Ace, a question implicit in the look that he shoots the reigning champion's way. Why didn't they know how to transform? He doesn't ask it. Haru isn't slow enough that he needs to ask it. But the answer bothers him-- and he's wondering if it bothers Ace. This, too, is left unasked. //Is there... like, a cash shop, or something?// Tilting his head a little, he comments, "I believe the 'secret missions' supply bonus power-ups and incentivize extraordinary behavior. Can't say I know how they're assigned, but the one that was fulfilled before seemed self-explanatory."
Odette Raskins	Of those still remaining after the first round, Odette somehow managed to pull through! Physically, at least, as she looks to be in rather rough shape mentally if the haggard expression on her face is any indication. How could she not look messed up after finding out that so many contestants just died, and that she's stuck as a participant in this until her own demise or that of everyone else? Indeed, she's having trouble even resting in that lounge that would otherwise be a slice of paradise for her. It's still not enough to stop her from hanging out at the minibar, though, nursing an ice cream float and stealing awkward glances over at Ace and Haru every now and then. The glances are more shaken than fawning like most of Ace's fans would be, but... Well. Maybe a little bit of fawning, just mired deeply within all that shaken-ness. "S-so. Um. Mister Ace? Mister Haru? How do you...?" Odette swallows uncomfortably, helped somewhat by the cold drink. Apparently, she's gotten the impression Haru might be an old hat at this, too! Probably because of how calm he seems. "How do you.. Uh. H-how does anyone take it easy after all of that? A-are we really going to have to hope everyone else bites it before we do to win this? Or just... Forget everything if we want to get out alive?"
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna	SHINMYOUMARU SUKUNA is one of the Riders who has just been brought here, though she knew of the place before - Tsumuri told her about the Desire Temple when she accepted the invitation. The first thing Shinmyoumaru did when she got here was find something to drink. In her case it's a fruit smoothie, and she wasn't very picky about what fruit when in it. She is currently sitting on a couch. She looks particularly childlike when she does; her feet aren't nearly long enough to touch the floor, so she swings them occasionally as she takes a long drink from the smoothie. Shinmyoumaru hasn't been talking much, either. She didn't think they were dead dead, just out of the game, and she's not sure what to think about that. Well, it's not like she knew any of them, and presumably they all took the offer the same as she did... it's not like there was anyone uninvolved around in the zombie attack, as far as she knows! "You could just retire," Shinmyoumaru says, around the straw. "I mean, you'd just go home, right? But you did volunteer!"
Hamada Haru	"How do you take it easy when you're involved in other high-stress, high-danger situations?" Haru replies to Odette, dully. It seems rhetorical at first, but he immediately supplies, "It's not all-or-nothing. Death isn't an inevitable consequence of participation for non-winners. I can provide a professional opinion on certain things, but they're not made from a position of authority within the DGP-- rather, I am familiar with Kamen Riders."
Angela	Yuri is allowed to participate in DGP social events as well. She was pretty confident she'd get past the slaughter of the first round but she is a little more uneasy now that she's stuck with people who are largely experts of the games. It's a good thing she was able to pass one of those 'secret missions' by accident. It might carry her farther than she anticipated. But of course, there is a whole other reason she is participating. Yuri is sitting in one of the couches, looking at a picture of Cinder in her hands. There is a flashback even though it didn't even happen all that long ago, in her head. ''Suffer longer. You did hurt Cinder, and she doesn't even know what to do about it other than keeping caring about you.'' Yuri holds her head in her hands. How is she going to fight as hard as she can like this? She lets out a long sigh before turning back to look at Haru. "Oh, you again." She says. "...Well, I didn't realize that jyamato was a particularly special enemy, but I'm guessing there has to be others." She look s to Ace for a moment, watching him quietly. "I'm guessing even if we willingly back out now, we'll still lose what we bet. Too late for something like that unless you think you're gonna die for real." She looks back to Haru and adds, "Didn't really think this was your kind of scene." Her eyes slant towards Odette. "Or yours for that matter."
Desire Stars	The buckle matters less than you do, which is not to say that the buckle doesn't matter "Mr. Hamada," says Girori genially. "A pleasure to have you here." "Well, if it wasn't for that Leffa, I'd think this thing was a dud," admits Morio. "Still," he laments, "I sure wouldn't mind having a Launcher like Mr. Personality." That's undoubtedly referring to Kanato, wherever he is, the person who seems determined to be more combative and standoffish than Michinaga. "Well," says Neon, "It took me a lot of practice to be able to use this," says Neon, holding up the Propeller buckle. "But I think I'm starting to get it. There's a... mindset, that you have to be in, more than just swinging it around. Maybe it's that way with Shield, too?" Is there... like, a cash shop, or something? I hate gacha bullshit but at this rate it feels like whale-or-die... Neon pauses from her conversation with Morio and Haru, looking over at Girori like a cat who just heard the telltale 'pop' of a food can. "Mr. Hamada is correct. Desire Money is earned throughout the competition," says Girori, procuring a tablet. Neon perks up. "It may be exchanged for cosmetic items. Buckles, I'm afraid, are out of the question," Neon deflates; Girori continues, "Precisely because the production wishes to incentivize 'extraordinary behavior,' as Mr. Hamada put it." Over at the bar, Ace returns Haru's gaze. His smug smile doesn't reach his brown eyes--something grave and determined resides there instead, and just a little bit appraising. H-how does anyone take it easy after all of that? A-are we really going to have to hope everyone else bites it before we do to win this? Or just... Forget everything if we want to get out alive? You could just retire. I mean, you'd just go home, right? But you did volunteer! "There's a difference," he says, taking a sip of his soda. "Between what happens if you're disqualified, or 'Retired,' over just losing. An ID Core..." He procures his, a white token with a red fox displayed in relief, rolling it between his fingers. "Touching one restores your memories. So as long as you don't -lose,- you live to fight another day. Fighting in the DGP means having something you're willing to risk your life for. It's not all that different from being an 'Elite.' Especially since you can earn Buckles by helping out in their neck of the woods." He pointedly doesn't answer the other part of the question. ...Well, I didn't realize that jyamato was a particularly special enemy, but I'm guessing there has to be others. "Yeah," says Ace. "Some of them are more dangerous than others." I'm guessing even if we willingly back out now, we'll still lose what we bet. Girori inclines his head towards Yuri. "I'm afraid so," he confirms.
Odette Raskins	"You could just retire," "I mean, you'd just go home, right? But you did volunteer!" "I-I know I did, but... But if I give up now, I'll get brain wiped!" Odette complains to Shinmyoumaru with a strained whimper, slouching in her seat as she realizes that her choices are looking pretty slim already. "But if I don't give up, I'll probably end up dead or something before that even happens... Nnh. But it sounded alright when we started..." Or maybe she was just selectively listening? It's hard to remember sometimes, especially in the heat of the moment. "How do you take it easy when you're involved in other high-stress, high-danger situations?" Odette opens her mouth, shuts it, then looks back into her glass and inhales deeply to just take in the aroma of the ice cream and soda mix. "Snacks and sweets, I guess. A-and shows. Or listening to station pol-um. To local news." Another inhale, and she looks back over at Haru with a curious eyebrow raise. "There's... There's even more of these Riders than the people here? Does that mean they're all survivors of this game?" She actually looks more hopeful at that thought, pauses, then quickly clears her throat. "Oh. Um. S-sorry, mister. Any opinions you've got on this would be really helpful." "Didn't really think this was your kind of scene." "Fighting in the DGP means having something you're willing to risk your life for." That gets an awkward chuckle out of Odette, and another slump and downing of sugary drink afterwards. "I didn't think it was, either. At first, anyway, but... Hearing that I could get a wish granted sounded really good, you know? Especially if it meant I could..." She pauses, then sips her drink and contemplates ordering another one. "Y-you know! Wish stuff. If I can't risk even this much..." She slows down for a moment, almost sounding like she's actually getting some of her nerve back. "I couldn't cut it in my line of work, or alongside Elites. And if touching the..." Odette peers at Ace's ID core with the fox on it, then takes her own out. She squints at the funky little creature on it, like she's trying to make out what the design is supposed to be. It's pretty obviously a mouse. "... This thingy gets my memory back, I guess... I-I just gotta make sure I never not touch these until I finally luck into a win once, right?" She laughs even more nervously at that, like she's not expecting that to happen.
Phantom Thieves	"... Yeah?" Clover twists around and sits up. "Secret missions?" "Well, I'll have to keep an eye out for those..." She looks newly invigorated. "And I'll just have to make up the points somehow..." "... Oh! Cosmetic items!" Clover purchases several sparkly chameleon stickers for her Desire Phone, and then makes a show of showing them off to everyone. "Don't they look cool!" "Look, this is one of those lenticular ones..." ... and as she has everyone's attention, a tiny computer chip bug sneaks out from where she was sitting on the couch, heading off to explore the rest of the building... There's got to be a list of those 'secret' missions somewhere, after all.
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna	Shinmyoumaru chews the end of her straw for a moment, feet swinging. "But you knew that before you agreed! So you can't really object to that now," Shinmyoumaru points out. "Anyway, you're not going to win, so you'd better get used to that." She considers Odette for a moment, then shrugs. "I wouldn't be trying to kill you very much though. But it's not a real competition unless it's dangerous!" Her grin is broad. "See, he gets it. You have to be willing to risk something to win something, ha ha ha!" She seems... enthusiastic, at least. To Clover, she says, seriously, "I can't tell you about the secret missions, because they're secret. But I did one. What animal did you get, anyway?" Shinmyoumaru changes the topic quickly. She can see Odette's; it's a mouse, an animal that Shinmyoumaru is more familiar with than she wants to be. "Ooh, what's lenticular?" How do mice even get into the Castle to annoy her? It flies. The world may never know.
Hamada Haru	"I'm not a participant, I'm a sponsor," Haru explains to Yuri, gesticulating vaguely with his left hand while pocketing the right. "As somebody who has occasionally asked for a pittance of consideration for engaging in heroism, and been denied, a structure for the deployment of heroes with extremely high value pay-out and general provided care..." His gaze sweeps around the Green Room. "Is of significant personal interest to me." "Girori," he responds to the concierge, nodding in acknowledgment. The look Haru gets back from Ace... doesn't raise his spirits. But he gets it. Or at least, he thinks he does. His eyes slide from Ace towards Morio, and then towards Neon. But he's side-tracked before he can address her. //There's... There's even more of these Riders than the people here? Does that mean they're all survivors of this game?// "I'm a former member of Tokyo Metro Rider Services, Kamen Rider Tetra. I am neither a survivor or winner of this game," he explains, but he does indicate a buckle hanging vertically from his belt that looks VERY much like a broken Desire Driver. "There are multiple stages of injury through Kamen Rider equipment. The first stage occurs when you take minor damage, which causes showers of sparks as the armor you're wearing ablates the injury down to a more manageable form. Once you reach the end of that, what we call a 'belt out' occurs. It is when your transformation is cancelled because you've suffered too much damage. Usually, re-belting immediately risks true injury or death. As near as I can tell, the damage buffer on a basic entry form is relatively light. Players dying and being eliminated is a consequence of taking too much damage, or being attacked too fiercely without transforming." By the way," he surveys the room, "some of you de-transform too casually. Be slower to get back into civilian clothes." His attention swings back to Neon-- he draws his transteam gun and toggles a few settings on it before spraying to his left, constructing a fascimile of the propeller she was using. Grasping it by the handle before it falls over -- it isn't actual rider equipment, after all -- he holsters his transteam gun and raises the propeller into a soft ready-position, his arm lifted shoulder-height and wrist canted so that the blades are diagnol to him. "Weapon is awkward. Practically speaking can't be swung horizontally without spinning. Hypothetically predictable, but not as limited as it actually looks. As a Kamen Rider, one of your ideal attack vectors is..." he raises the fascimile propeller over his head and shifts his weight, "... kicking. When using armed propeller, remember to think three-dimensionally. Not just in terms of yourself, but in terms of others. Also..." He brings it forward, into a position he conveyed as 'effectively impossible' to use, the blades fully horizontal and the rotation point directly in front of his body. "Whether you can do this or not depends on the terrain, and where you are. The soft dirt of the forest you were in would've been fine, for example, in which case you could use it as a shield or to disrupt the terrain." Haru places the fascimile propeller on the ground beside Neon's booth. "Use this for practice. It won't rotate with the appropriate force, but it will help you get a handle on angles and the general physical properties."
BB	"Well, if it wasn't for that Leffa, I'd think this thing was a dud," admits Morio. Leffa, AKA Jinako Carigiri, had been around in the Desire Temple prior but had stepped out momentarily after the 'memorial' desplay had turned red with names. Having excused herself with a quiet 'bathroom' and ducking into the hall, the tank-topped and jeans'ed woman returns with a shuffle of feet to stare, elephant-in-headlights, at Morio's statement. Haunted, Jinako just stares for a moment, and then swallows, and then tries to explain: "It's because... Shield doesn't give you points for dealing damage. It's still a 'game', and some enemies. . ." Jinako gives a hollowed-out look towards the scoreboard. ". . . take more than one player to beat. I noticed my score went up when I blocked hits, and I got a lot of points for getting in front of Ochiba and Gin-Pen's danger. It might even give you a multiplier for saving people, just like Propeller gives you more points for aerial attacks." Despite her analysis of the game's nickel-and-dime point system, her statement reveals how a 'useless' Player-Rider like her managed to scrape enough points together to not be Retired without even taking down one major Jyamato. "So... Even with Shield, don't give up. It just means you need to handle what you can, for yourself, and others."
Angela	Yuri isn't sure she really has entirely figured out how her own 'special buckle' works. She tosses it in her hand and looks at it, squinting thoughtfully. A cash shop? Whale-or-die? ... To be spent with Desire Money. "It's just for cosmetics?" Yuri says skeptically. "Hardly pay to win if it's just cosmetics." She glances at Ace again, mulling quietly. ''Some of them are more dangerous than others.'' "Just like the players," Yuri quips without much umor. She doesn't seem to be in the best mood even if this is going to be one of her few chances to relax. She gets confirmation she's in this for the long haul but, frankly, she'd be fighting here even if she bet nothing. There's more going on now than just the Desire GRand Prix--not that there isn't obviously more going on with the Desire GRand Prix that she can see. ''I'm a sponsor,'' "Sponsor..? What does that mean..?" She asks. "...Yeah, I can see why. I think it's of a significant personal interest to a lot of people. Miss Angela ... ..." She cuts herself off, biting her tongue. ''Some of you de-transform too casually'' "eheh...Well, I unfortunately am not allowed to hide my identity here, Haru... But you've got a point."
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna	"Hello, Leffa!" Shinmyoumaru is pleased to see her here (and doesn't know what else to call her, so Leffa it is). "...oh, is that the only reason you got in front of it for me?" Well, she supposes, that's fair. They are competing. And it's not like Leffa owes her anything, even though Shinmyoumaru said she'd support her when she looked panicked at the beginning... Well, okay, they're even now, at least. "I wonder what Armed Chain gives you bonus points for?" Shinmyoumaru wasn't watching the scoring that closely while it happened. She pulls out her phone and starts poking at it to see if she can get some kind of points breakdown, which will keep her busy for a few. 'Some of you de-transform too casually. Be slower to get back into civilian clothes.' "Why?" she asks Haru. "I mean, it's important and all for the game, but is actually not staying in it dangerous?" Shinmyoumaru glances over at Yuri. "I mean, it's not secret to us. Or did you mean you can't hide it from anyone?"
Desire Stars	There's even more of these Riders than the people here? Does that mean they're all survivors of this game? "It's rare that winners of the DGP compete again, as Mr. Ukiyo does," says Girori, with an usherly sweep of an open palm towards a smugly smiling Ace. "This world in particular has another group of Riders, not affiliated with the DGP. Their interactions with our Riders have thus far been almost entirely antagonistic, with one notable exception. For this reason, we will award bonus points for subduing or capturing these 'Mirror Riders,' as they're called, if they should appear." Ace flashes Haru a look. Use this for practice. It won't rotate with the appropriate force, but it will help you get a handle on angles and the general physical properties. "Wow... thanks, Haru. I'll hit up the practice area before I head home today." Shield doesn't give you points for dealing damage. ... It might even give you a multiplier for saving people, just like Propeller gives you more points for aerial attacks. "Oh, does it now?" His examination of his Shield Buckle turns a shade more appreciative. "Guess I'll have to be more of a team player, then," he says, with a car salesman smile. "Thanks for the advice, Ms. Leffa!" I guess... I-I just gotta make sure I never not touch these until I finally luck into a win once, right? "Sure," says Ace sarcastically. There's got to be a list of those 'secret' missions somewhere, after all. The bugbot makes it fairly far into the complex, finding an isolated... 'server room' deep in the cloisters of the Temple. Cold, blued steel walls and floors house racks of servers at the bleeding edge of what should be available for a world in this era. Is there a list of secret missions? No. Not current ones, anyway, no matter how far Stagehand pilots it. A few recents include 'break a cavalry charge,' awarded to Shinmyoumaru Sukuna, 'destroy the helicarrier,' awarded to Ace Ukiyo, 'rescue civilians,' awarded to Michinaga Azuma, 'assist a Rider in trouble,' awarded to a rider not competing in this tournament. The further he searches through the records, the more clear the pattern is--heroism, put simply. Sponsor..? What does that mean..? "Operating on the scale that the DGP does, while also maintaining secrecy for public order takes a significant amount of money, to say nothing of logistical demands. One pertinent example is the transportation we offered Mr. Ishirou and Ms. Soroka," explains Girori. "Sponsors help the production run the DGP smoothly in exchange for a say in how it's run. Unfortunately, I'm not privy to the finer details of the arrangement, but you can think of them as backend support." You have to be willing to risk something to win something, ha ha ha! "Mm... that's true. What did you wish for, if you don't mind me asking, Shinmyoumaru?"
Phantom Thieves	> The further he searches through the records, the more clear the pattern is--heroism, put simply. Stagehand, sitting in an abandoned storage unit that's worlds away from here, makes a note of this - with a little bit of distaste. > "I can't tell you about the secret missions, because they're secret. But I did one. What animal did you get, anyway?" "I got a chameleon! Which is sneaky and hide-y, which isn't like me at all... maybe it's some sort of opposite thing. Which means, if you got a mouse..." She snaps her fingers. "You're actually strong and brave, right?" she says to Odette. > "some of you de-transform too casually. Be slower to get back into civilian clothes." "Sorry - why?" Clover's used to very quick transformations, often in as little time as it takes to duck into a bathroom or a phone booth. "Or is this - some show thing? Should we be doing it more dramatically?" She circles back on some other things Haru said. "I imagine heroes have it rough, you're right... the villains get to keep whatever they steal, while heroes are usually... freelance?" It's not something she's put too much consideration into before. She's also not about to admit that as a villain she's had it rough, and she and Stagehand are lair-ing out of an abandoned self-storage facility.
Hamada Haru	//Sponsor..? What does that mean..?// Haru starts to answer, but Girori supplies one that permits him to keep his mouth shut. He nods in acknowledgment of the exchange. //eheh...Well, I unfortunately am not allowed to hide my identity her, Haru... But you've got a point.// Glancing a little more sharply at Yuri, he replies, "So make a name tag you can put on while transformed." //I mean, it's important and all for the game, but is actually not staying in it dangerous?// "If you're natively tough it doesn't matter as much, he answers, meandering over in the direction of the counter at the far side of the room. "but it's still a bad habit, and sets a bad example. Armor is armor." The statement Girori makes about mirror Riders, and Ace giving him a Look over it, draws a curious expression out of Haru. He tries not to show much more than that, but his attention turns inward enough that he probably fails. That's an interesting twist, to him. Maybe a little bit of a concerning one. "Yeah," he says, to Neon.
Odette Raskins	"Desire Money . . . may be exchanged for cosmetic items." "Don't they look cool!" Odette can't not look over at Girori, then Clover when the topic of cool swag comes up. She doesn't even know how much Desire Money she has at this point, and she's a little too busy drinking to look. She's also too busy gawking at Clover's lenticular thingy to notice the computer chip bug, although it's not as though she'd even know what to look for if she did. "Oh, that's neat... Um. Also, yeah! What's that mean?" "Anyway, you're not going to win, so you'd better get used to that." Another impotently anxious noise comes out of Odette. "I could! E-eventually. I mean, maybe not while all the veterans are still winning, but... After they're done and stop joining in?" Even she doesn't sound very convinced about that, and she starts on her second drink: Milk tea with mango pudding. "I.. Um. Thanks! For not wanting to... Yeah. B-besides, you'd lose points trying to do that, anyway. And like Mister..." She gestures at Haru while holding out her ID core so Shinmyoumaru can get a better look at it. "He said. It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing." "I am neither a survivor or winner of this game," ". . . showers of sparks . . . a 'belt out' . . . " Just in time, too, as Haru displays his own buckle and explains far more about his own history as a Rider and Kamen Rider belts than Odette could have possibly hoped for. She starts taking notes partway through, too, jotting notes into her PDA rapidly just to keep up. "So we're... Oh! So we're probably safe as long as we stay in our suits, and then just don't... Um. Get back into them right away if we get knocked out of them." This much, at least, seems to really be keeping her mind off the more depressing matters. She even studies his explanation of the utility of Neon's propeller weapon and the power of the Kick, eventually raising her hand like she's a proper student or something. Odette even waits for him to call on her before actually saying anything further on the topic of kicks. "Does this mean I could use my spear to... Um. Do that thing all those knights in the shows do and jump real high first?" "I noticed my score went up when I blocked hits, and I got a lot of points for getting in front of Ochiba and Gin-Pen's danger." "So... Even with Shield, don't give up." That actually gets Odette's spirits up, and not just because Jinako's noises from the previous round actually have her feeling like she finally has a kindred spirit here. "I wonder if that's a way to winning this whole thing, then... Enough teamwork, plenty of life-saving and defensive stuff, maybe even secret missions involving doing field surgery..." Even Odette knows it's a bit of a stretch, but she does seem to be out of that funk finally. "No giving up... R-right!" "For this reason, we will award bonus points for subduing or capturing these 'Mirror Riders,' as they're called, if they should appear." That, too, has Odette looking slightly curious. "Just stopping or capturing them, then... B-but not killing, right? So maybe... We could get some good practice in facing off against them. A-and we wouldn't even have to worry about anyone dying, because they're still Riders instead of the Jyamatos." Now she's really feeling good about all this. Odette does mull over the Mirror Riders for a little while longer (and chug down half of her milk tea) before finally chiming in again. "Do they.. Um. D-do they have their own sponsors and stuff, too? Or are they just messing with this for some reason?" "Sure," Fortunately for Ace, Odette can't really detect sarcasm all that well, and she even giggles a little at that bit of 'encouragement'.
Angela	"...From anyone." Yuri explains to Shinmyoumaru. She quirks her head at Haru, frowning. "Okay, I get it." She says, though she really doesn't. Leaning back on the couch and closing her eyes, she slides the photo back into her pocket. She flnches at the mention of 'Mirror Riders' but doesn't comment. She doesn't seem to be inclined to get too chatty with the others. Odette is a capable healer, should she try to stick by her? Haru's presence is weirdly unnerving for her, even well before that look that she feels speaks volumes. Of course, the smart money would be to stick with the champion but you can't stick with a champion too closely if you intend to win, right? ... What about helping others, though? "Have...any Outsiders ever broken into the games before? I guess the MIrror Riders, but--anybody else?" She asks. Despite acting nonchalant, her shoulders do tense as she asks this particular question.
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna	"Oh." Shinmyoumaru sounds slightly uninterested. She doesn't have armour without - well, the armour, Kamen Rider style - but it's never bothered her before, and if the only advice is 'keep your armour on so you don't get shot -' Well, one, she can figure that out on her own, and two, she can decide whether she needs it or not! Shinmyoumaru apparently gives up finding She cranes her neck around to look at Odette's mouse token. "Mine's a koi," she says, pulling out to show: blue, with the orange-gold relief of a koi's face (without the lower lip). Having figured out Odette probably isn't Japanese: "Ochiba means fallen leaves, but it's a kind of pattern on koi too..." She rolls the token along her knuckles, flips it up, and catches it. "I want to know about the Mirror Riders too," she says, afterwards. "And - yeah! Has anyone else ever joined the game before? I don't know how they even found me at home to give me the package, but they really did, so they must be used to that..." She tucks the straw back into her mouth again, takes a big drink - 'What did you wish for, if you don't mind me asking, Shinmyoumaru?' Shinmyoumaru inhales wrong and spends a few moments sputtering. It takes her a few moments of recovering before she can actually speak, but speak she does: "I didn't think you could ask other people!" Shinmyoumaru waves her finger in a kind of negative, 'nuh-uh' gesture, side to side. "You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine!"
Hamada Haru	//Does this mean I could use my spear to... Um. Do that thing all those knights in the shows do and jump real high first?// "Probably. You should practice things like that before you attempt them," Haru says, distractedly. //Have...any Outsiders ever broken into the games before?// "I could," he offers, "whether the DGP has dealt with that problem previously, I don't know." //Oh.// Haru turns pointedly towards Shinmyoumaru, his focus returning for a moment. "If the advice isn't helpful tutorializing for you, that's fine. Do what you want. I should've tutorialized more thoroughly for the broader group, so I'm no longer assuming any of you aren't greener than grass."
BB	Jinako, hands clapsed before her with right hand around left, has a lingeringly spooked-fretful look about her eyes, looking too fully at people or shying away depending on who looks at her, how intensely. She shuffles to a couch and sits down, knees together and feet apart and even Morio's general agreement with her doesn't really get more than a disingenuous momentary forced-smile back, dipping to frown again right after. She's in a death game and they might kill her if her armor breaks too hard. Even if--! Even if. And so, ... "Girori." The scaredy-leffant's diction warbles and wobbkles, teetering and chattering in her mouth, but escapes mostly-clear all the same. "You just run the lounge, but, even you should think that people should be pointed at the training rooms more. Thirty five people... Thirty five people died and you could have helped!" She's raising her voice, by the end, turned to look at the lounge's sharply-dressed attendant.
Desire Stars	I imagine heroes have it rough, you're right... the villains get to keep whatever they steal, while heroes are usually... freelance? "Personally," says Takahito from his couch, "I think Mr. Hamada and the DGP have the right idea. You won't get anywhere in life if you do everything for free. There's something to be said for altruism, but if you're not taking care of yourself, you won't be able to protect what's important to you. Heroes have to eat." After they're done and stop joining in? Takahito frowns at Odette and looks away, but doesn't say anything. Oh! So we're probably safe as long as we stay in our suits, and then just don't... Um. Get back into them right away if we get knocked out of them. "No. If you get knocked out of DGP armor, a Jyamato isn't going to be as kind as a human opponent would. Some of them are even strong enough to finish you off through your armor." Ace says. He takes a sip of his soda. "The safest play is to watch your HUD, know your limitations, and be familiar with your Buckle's strengths." Have...any Outsiders ever broken into the games before? I guess the Mirror Riders, but--anybody else? Has anyone else ever joined the game before? I don't know how they even found me at home to give me the package, but they really did, so they must be used to that... "It depends on how you mean," answers Girori. "The final round of the previous tournament was the first time Elites have assisted. We felt allowing them in to assist would be the best decision in many regards. However," he says, working on something with his hands concealed by the bar, "We have occasionally selected 'Outsiders,' as you call them, for membership in the DGP." Thirty five people died and you could have helped! Girori frowns and sets aside his work, inclinding his head. "I understand your anger, Ms. Carigiri, and I deeply regret the loss of the other contestants." He steps out from behind the bar with a tray of tea, apparently ordered by Takahito. Laying it on the little ottoman before him with a nod, he continues. "Our Navigator Tsumuri is instructed to inform Riders of the Temple's training facilities upon their invitation. Beyond that, the inserts included with your Desire Drivers and the information on the Spider Phone, we are not permitted to 'point' Riders anywhere." The less charitable way to interpret that is 'read the fine print,' and she probably knows it.
Desire Stars	"As for the Mirror Riders," continues Girori, "What we do know is that all of them barring two have attacked our Riders without provocation, and that they all have the ability to escape into any sort of reflective surface present. Hence, both the name and our policy. Rider armors still have people beneath them, and we would of course greatly prefer subduing them."
Hamada Haru	"Mr. Ukiyo-- is Tsumuri a competent fighter?" Haru asks. He seems to have picked up on the reality that Girori is limited in how he can answer, and expects that if Ace has information on the topic, he'll be able to answer more clearly. Whether he will or not is murkier, but evidently Haru trusts a potentially sketchy veteran Rider more than a concierge who might have his hands tied.
Odette Raskins	"Ochiba means fallen leaves, but it's a kind of pattern on koi too..." Indeed, Odette doesn't look the slightest bit Japanese, so it's easy to catch her attention with all sorts of explanations about things named in a language she isn't familiar with. "Oh, that's neat... Yeah, those red spots do look like they could be leaf shaped on a bigger fish. Or even a cat. Or... A cow?" "Probably. You should practice things like that before you attempt them," She nods rapidly at that suggestion, already letting her thoughts wander to the gym. "If they have long sticks in there, I could... I think I could figure it out!" She chimes in hopefully, perhaps even delusionally. "Thirty five people... Thirty five people died and you could have helped!" " . . . we are not permitted to 'point' Riders anywhere." It's only when Jinako says it out loud that Odette's mood starts to mellow out considerably, and she finally seems to realize something once Girori explains his and Tsumuri's roles in getting people here. "That's... Nn. I-is that part of the selection process, too? To get people that have more..." She comes dangerously close to putting herself into a slump again, then chugs the rest of her milk tea at once before continuing. "... More drive to compete in this, even if they're not ready for a fight at all?" She looks at her own buckle and ID core, slumping after a few more moments. "I barely even got my thing working in that first round..."
Desire Stars	You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine! "Mine? Sure. I want true love," she says with a dreamy smile. Mr. Ukiyo-- is Tsumuri a competent fighter? "I doubt it," says Ace.
BB	The discussion of the beautiful root of Ochiba's name - and her wish in reflection, this for that - had distracted Jinako quite a bit, but her emotions had run hot, and her mouth had outpaced her thoughts. "I want... The most important person to me to come back. There's people who want their own true love, or saving their kids or helping people. World peace. Beautiful dreams, wonderful wishes." Jinako speaks, swaying, sick and well past the point of sense or reason. "It's not about drive. It can't be. Not allowed to, but, you greatly regret it? I can't believe you. That regret." Jinako's hands clasp around the band of her bag, closed around either corner, and jitter when she brings them off to push her wide-framed glasses further back up her nose. They droop back half the way after, bangs shading the sides of her eyes, glasses now reflecting slightly - at least to Girori. "You pointed them to that forest, Girori." Jinako states, looking down at the tea service and then away, across to the empty bar. From the side, it's hard but not impossible to see her blinking rapidly and then squeeze her eyes shut. "And now thirty-five people are dead. How many do you 'deeply regret'? It's not thirty five. You're too used to it."
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna	Shinmyoumaru is pretty green... in some ways; less in others. She should probably listen more, but she hates being spoken down to so much that Haru can see her bristle at it being assumed she doesn't know enough to come out of the rain. Or whatever. "It's not cow-patterned!" Shinmyoumaru sounds somewhere between taken aback and offended at Odette's response to that. "And I don't think I would have accepted a cow Kamen Rider either. They'd probably put horns on the helmet and that would just look silly..." Those are bulls. And buffalo is already taken, anyway. Rather than whine about it some more, Shinmyoumaru says, smugly, "I practiced." She did! Admittedly not very much, but she was eager to at least make the armour go. She clearly didn't practice very much with the Armed Chain... but then again, she got that later, so maybe she just didn't have any time for it. She was fine with just the armour, after all. 'I want true love,' Shinmyoumaru isn't quite sure what to make of that, but one thing she doesn't do is laugh. Honestly, it makes her feel a little better about her own wish... "Oh? Well... I hope you get it even if you don't win!" Shinmyoumaru nods, firmly. "Everyone deserves something like that." "I wished... to be taller! Humans don't take you seriously if you're this small. They keep calling me a child! And I'm not." Shinmyoumaru has some heat in her voice - there's feeling there. "So maybe, if it wasn't so easy to just look past the little inchling and ignore everything she has to say..." She looks over at Jinako, though, who has a much ... nobler wish, perhaps. And is still upset about the deaths. Shinmyoumaru regrets them, of course, but it's not a challenge without risk and it's not real power if it isn't meant to kill. She kicks her feet again. Now she's angry again and she doesn't even know at who. Not herself, of course. She didn't do anything wrong. She goes at her smoothie, and makes the annoying bottom-of-the-cup straw noise with vigour.
Angela	"...I see." Yuri opens her eyes again. "Not so different from my job." The term 'Mirror Rider' is just kind of making her a little anxious. She hopes she never sees a mirror anything again right now. She rubs at her eyes, hoping she can rub out the vision from her eyes. ''Is Tsumuri a competent fighter?'' Yuri glances back to Ace. Training facilities would be helpful especially since she still isn't quite sure how those big clown fists work. Using the weapons the game hands out seems like they'll be particularly helpful. But she knows real damn well that Angela has some kind of interest in Tsumuri. Maybe acting as HER source of intel will ... help ease off some of the blow of what she's done. But she doubts just asking will help much. Paying attention, though... She doesn't even think twice about Girori saying he deeply regrets the loss of contestants--it's Wingspeak. Normal. Asking others what their wish is will just invite questions about her own but she does look to Shinmyoumaru, clearly curious about what it is. 'I want true love'' "Oh...that's a wonderful wish. Can the organizers grant even a wish like that?" Yuri asks, amazed.
Hamada Haru	"It's unacceptable for the one in charge of basic instructional duties to be unable to give instruction on the most vital element of the operation," Hamada Haru says, fishing a chunky flip-phone out of his left pocket. He turns it over in his hands, and continues, this time towards Girori, "I'd like Tsumuri to contact me at her earliest convenience. If she isn't interested in learning to fight we're still going to arrange for better operational training. I think everyone present has the basics down, but I assume this won't be the last DGP." "My number is 011 81 1111 1113. No, that isn't a joke. No, it isn't my personal line. If you need the geographic code, it's 3," he says, clearly expecting Girori -- or somebody -- to take it down accurately enough to make this happen. Haru runs his free hand through his hair, sighs, and looks actually pretty stressed out. "If nobody needs anything..." He turns and begins to leave, heading back to the VIP areas. He'll hold up at-request, but otherwise draws his transteam gun and disappears through a wall shortly after.
Desire Stars	Oh? Well... I hope you get it even if you don't win! "Gosh... thank you," she says with a slightly bashful bob of her head. So maybe, if it wasn't so easy to just look past the little inchling and ignore everything she has to say... "Well... I hope that you get yours, even if you don't win, too. I know... a lot about not being taken seriously, and treated like a child. So I promise I'll always take you seriously!" Oh...that's a wonderful wish. Can the organizers grant even a wish like that? "Why not?" "They let her write it on her Desire Card, didn't they?" asks Ace, giving Girori a pointed look. The question implies there are wishes that can't be granted. Neon looks askance at him, but receives no elaboration. You pointed them to that forest, Girori. And now thirty-five people are dead. How many do you 'deeply regret'? It's not thirty five. You're too used to it. "I most certainly did not. You are correct, at least, that I'm 'too used to it.' I wish that I weren't," says Girori solemnly. "There are tournaments -without- Desire Deities. My power as concierge is limited, and I must satisfy certain responsibilities. Composure is one of the latter. I'll therefore thank you to refrain from casting aspersions about my feelings. If you've never had to endure the intolerable without recourse, then you've lived a very fortunate life." My number is 011 81 1111 1113. No, that isn't a joke. No, it isn't my personal line. If you need the geographic code, it's 3. "...yes, of course, Mr. Hamada," says Girori. "If you'll excuse me, I'll clear it with the production staff right away." He does appear to be relieved. Whether that's because a sponsor has made an actionable demand that improves the safety of the Riders or because he just gets to not be grilled anymore is up to your personal interpretation. Either way, he politely excuses himself, disappearing behind the door at the back.
Odette Raskins	"It's not cow-patterned!" "It.. It could be, though? Cow's are cool!" Odette replies earnestly, seeming almost confused by Shinmyoumaru's offense. "I-I mean, they were really important for a lot of people way back then, right? For food, clothes, tools, home defense... A-and the horns could be really good for scaring away intruders." "I want... The most important person to me to come back." "You pointed them to that forest, Girori." "You're too used to it." Although Odette doesn't have anyone like that in her own life she could imagine bringing back so desperately, hearing that Jinako does have such a wish in mind makes her feel a little more self-conscious about her own wish. Hearing those heavy words leveled at Girori has the EMT once against being reminded of her own mortality, too, especially in the context of that many people like her just... It almost makes Odette reconsider the option of just leaving now, losing her memory be damned. Seeing Jinako swaying like that, though, does have Odette getting up to approach her with a hand and shoulder offered. "E-easy... We'll... We'll get through this, okay? Even if it takes a bunch of tries, we'll get this... We'll get our wishes granted. And then..." She looks over at Ace, then at Jinako with something resembling focus in her eyes. Anxiety, too, but she's definitely trying to put on a brave face. "... Mister Ace won't be the only repeat winner. Once I'm the fastest person in the universe and you get your person back, okay?" "If nobody needs anything..." "Oh! Um... Thanks, mister! F-for all the information and the suggestions." ODette makes sure to call out before he leaves, gawking in wide-eyed awe at the disappearing act. "My power as concierge is limited, and I must satisfy certain responsibilities." "If you've never had to endure the intolerable without recourse, then you've lived a very fortunate life." "I-I see. Your hands are..." Odette frowns slightly, likely not getting the extent of Girori's limitations, but still looking sympathetic regardless. She doesn't comment on what he says about the fortunate, but it does have her grimacing just a bit as she casts a troubled gaze towards the opposite wall again. "I... Kinda get that, at least. N-not all of it, or even most of it, but..." She looks back over at Girori. "A-as long as you're still trying, right?"