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Michinaga frowned, looking around the area where they’d stepped out of the aurora curtain.
The edge of a dock, or something, a big warehouse rising up on one side and water on the other.
And, nothing in sight. Nothing to justify coming, at least.
He was about to open his mouth to ask, and then there was a loud sound that had him looking up.
He jumped when the massive anchor hit the water next to them, not that he’d admit it but what else was someone supposed to do.
He looked up again to see the hull of a massive red ship, hovering in the sky above them.
Daiki reached over to close his mouth, which he only just realized had dropped open.
“Careful, Azu, you’ll catch flies,” Daiki smirked.
A dark shape descended from the ship, and eventually took the form of a man, a rope measuring his fall.
Boots hit the ground, and Michinaga finally got a chance to get a good look at him.
Well worn and scuffed boots, loose pants, white shirt partially unbuttoned. A dark vest with a gold lock on a chain around his neck. Long red coat detailed in gold, which stood out most from the outfit. Shaggy, loose and long black hair, and when he lifted his head he revealed his left eye was covered by an eyepatch.
Another pair of people landed next to him, flanking him.
A woman stood on his left, short dark hair and a bright yellow jacket trimmed in brown. Tall boots and jean shorts over tights. She stood with her weight on one hip, hands on both, and was watching them all carefully, eying them closely and curiously.
A man was on the left. Dark shirt under a bright blue leather jacket lined with zippers, grey camo pants and military style boots. Long black hair, down past his waist, was tied back in a ponytail, bangs falling in his face. He had his arms crossed, posture stiff and wary, watching them closely.
Had Tsukasa brought him as some sort of muscle to a gang meeting?
The man in red watched them for a moment, and then smirked.
“Tsukasa, long time no see,” the man greeted like they were old friends, totally relaxed. “The world’s not ending again, I hope.”
“Not quickly, at least,” Tsukasa quipped back, equally at ease. “Been a while, Marvelous. The eyepatch is new.”
The man in the coat, Marvelous, shrugged. “New eye hasn’t finished growing in yet. Freaks people out to see, so,”
“Understandable,” Tsukasa nodded. “I need to borrow your encyclopedia,”
“He has a name,” Marvelous scoffed. “But of course, it’s too much to imagine you came to see me.”
Tsukasa shrugged. “I come bother you all the time, gotta shake it up every once in a while.”
“So you’ve come to steal my sixth?”
“Not steal, borrow,” Tsukasa corrected. “I’m going to return him.”
“Are you?” Marvelous raised an eyebrow.
“Please, if anyone is going to steal a member of your crew and not return them, I’d be keeping an eye out to make sure Kaitou doesn’t run off with your blue,” Tsukasa jerked a thumb back at Daiki, who winked.
The man in the blue jacket chuffed in what might have been amusement or dismissal, Michinaga couldn’t tell.
Marvelous laughed.
“Alright, better get you all on board then, less chance you’ll run off on me.” Marvelous elbowed the man in blue, whose frown broke into a small, fond smile.
“Hold up,” the woman stopped them, pointing at Michinaga. “Newbie. What’s the deal?”
Tsukasa glanced back. “Ah, you noticed him.”
“He is here,” she shrugged.
“You picked up another one? I thought you’d stop at the actual cat,” Marvelous scoffed.
Michinaga was feeling a little nervous with all the eyes on him, and shoved his hands in his pockets to ball them into fists.
“So did I, but then I found him. He’s helping me out with my current issue,” Tsukasa dismissed.
“I thought you said the world wasn’t ending,” Marvelous teased.
“I said it wasn’t ending quickly,” Tsukasa grinned back.
Marvelous scoffed a laugh, leaning back on his heels. “Okay. Going to introduce us?”
“This is Azuma Michinaga,” Tsukasa waved a hand back to Michinaga, who pulled out a single hand and spread his fingers in greeting. “Kamen Rider Buffa. As mentioned he’s helping me stop the world from ending again.”
The three each gave him a once over, careful and investigative.
“Stray, this is Captain Marvelous of the Gokaigers, GokaiRed,” Tsukasa swung his hand to Marvelous, and then to the man in blue and the woman. “This is Joe Gibken, GokaiBlue, and Luka Millfey, GokaiYellow, also of the Gokaigers.”
Luka waved with her fingers, and Joe jutted his chin up in greeting.
“So, your encyclopedia,” Tsukasa reminded.
Marvelous scoffed. “His name is Gai.”
“Yeah, him,” Tsukasa smirked. “So are we coming on board, or,”
Marvelous rolled his eyes dramatically and waved them after him. “Come on, I’d like you out of my hair as soon as possible. Besides, Gai’s still trying to figure out how to get the new red’s autograph.”
“Having trouble?” Tsukasa asked.
“Guy works too much,” Marvelous shrugged. “Pretty sure Gai’s two seconds from stealing a hat and helping him out so he can be done and he can get the autograph.”
Tsukasa scoffed.
Marvelous wrapped an arm around one of the ropes from earlier, beckoning them.
“Come on, pair up with whoever, we’ll give you a lift up.”
“Don’t pair Kaitou with Joe,” Tsukasa grabbed the scruff of Daiki’s jacket and shoved him in Luka’s direction. “We do want to make it up there, after all.”
Marvelous and Luka laughed, and Luka grabbed Daiki’s arm and dragged him over, tugging once on the line and getting pulled up, Daiki in tow and shouting curses at Tsukasa.
“I’ll take the new kid,” Marvelous offered, eye on Michinaga.
“Aw, you don’t want to spend time with me?” Tsukasa smirked, fake hurt and hand on his chest.
“Please, I’ll be spending a lot of time with you regardless, you know that,” Marvelous rolled his eye. “I’m curious about the kid you picked up.”
“He’s not a red, Marvelous,” Tsukasa scoffed. “Secondary at best. Don’t try anything.”
“You have no faith in me,” Marvelous gasped, fake hurt.
“Not a bit,” Tsukasa confirmed, but still slung an arm around Joe, and was up and off.
Leaving Michinaga alone.
Marvelous beckoned again, and Michinaga figured he’d bite the bullet, stepping up and accepting Marvelous’ hand.
He was yanked forward, swallowing a yelp as he was quite abruptly pressed tight to Marvelous’ chest, an arm around his waist.
“Hold on tight,” Marvelous told him, and tugged once on the rope.
Michinaga barely had time to get his arms around Marvelous’ neck before the ground was gone from under his feet, and they were rocketing up towards the ship.
It was only a few seconds and then he was being deposited on something solid again, arm gone from his waist.
He stumbled, and a hand found his jacket to keep him upright.
“You okay, Stray?” Tsukasa asked, smirking at him.
“Yeah, fine,” he lied, getting his feet under him. He cast a glance back at Marvelous, the lingering feeling of the heat of his body on his front. Man felt like a furnace.
“Come on, the rest of the crew is up in the main area,” Marvelous waved them after him, and Tsukasa dropped Michinaga’s jacket to follow.
Michinaga glanced around as they headed into the ship, noticing how warm and bright it seemed. They came out into a large room eventually, a support beam in the center and a chair in front of it, a tucked away dining area and a soft couch. Probably the main living area.
He didn’t get a chance to notice most of the people because of the loud screaming when they stepped into the room, and a man in a silver jacket tripping over himself as he scrambled over to them.
He didn’t track most of what was said, considering the volume and speed it was said at so suddenly, but registered something about an autograph.
Tsukasa took the pen and pad of paper offered to him, scrawling his name across it.
“Gai, you ask for his autograph every time we see him,” Luka scoffed. “How many copies do you have now? Ten?”
The man, Gai, abruptly looked embarrassed, but then he perked up excited again when Daiki snatched the pen and pad from Tsukasa, flipping the page to scrawl out his own autograph.
Gai took the pad back eagerly, looking at both of them.
“There’s a new one,” Marvelous added, gesturing at Michinaga as he moved across the room to the central chair, sitting and crossing one leg over the other, leaning back with a smirk.
Gai’s head snapped to him, and Michinaga felt like he was pinned in place, like a deer in headlights way too bright. Or maybe stared down by a very large predator.
The next thing he knew the pad of paper was shoved under his nose, turned to a blank page. A pen hovered in his peripheral.
“Can I get your autograph?” Gai asked, blinking fast in a way he probably thought was helping him. He just looked awkward.
“Uh,” Michinaga buffered. He’d watched one of the other Riders in the DGP give autographs before, and Tsukasa and Daiki just now, but he’d never given one before. Nor had he been asked for one.
“Real name and then your Rider name,” Tsukasa clapped his shoulder once and moved past him. “He’ll be happy for a week with just that.”
Michinaga blinked at the pad, and the man holding it.
He carefully took the pad, a bit taken aback by how blinding the smile he received for it was. Blinding and wide enough to hurt.
He turned away from that and down to the paper.
His name and his Rider name, huh? Okay, he could do that.
He scribbled down the names and handed it back.
Gai somehow lit up even brighter at that.
“Seemed a little lost there,” Daiki grinned, the specific one that Michinaga had long come to associate with trouble. “You’ve never given an autograph before, have you?”
Michinaga eyed him cautiously. “Noooo, why would I?”
There was a sharp squeal, and Michinaga winced.
“This is the first you’ve ever given?” Gai asked, eyes sparkling.
“Uh, yes,” he confirmed.
Gai clutched the pad to his chest, looking at him like he’d just handed him a winning lottery ticket.
Marvelous laughed again, pushing off the chair to grab the hood of Gai’s jacket.
“Alright, down boy,” Marvelous chuckled. “Don’t overwhelm the kid, he’s new.”
Daiki was also laughing.
Marvelous left Gai standing next to the couch, which is when Michinaga was finally able to register the woman sitting on it. Hair pulled back, a sparkly silver headband standing out against the black. The skirt of her dress had several layers, in a soft pinkish off-white colour, lined in lace. She had a teacup in her hands she was sipping out of.
She seemed at least mildly amused.
Marvelous turned back to his chair, pausing as he found Tsukasa sitting on it.
“That’s my chair.” Marvelous pointed out.
“I know.” Tsukasa grinned.
“So move.” Marvelous prodded.
“I don’t think I will.” Tsukasa replied, pointedly making himself more comfortable.
Everyone seemed to be watching them.
Marvelous huffed, shoved Tsukasa’s knee to uncross his legs and plopped himself down in Tsukasa’s lap. Tsukasa seemed entirely unfazed. Everyone else chuckled like this was normal.
“Oh, right, new kid,” Marvelous turned back to Michinaga. “Rest of the crew,”
Tsukasa made a point of leaning around Marvelous to point.
“The guy whose year you just made by providing your first autograph ever is Ikari Gai, GokaiSilver, the only human member of the crew,” Tsukasa explained. “Nervous guy in green over there is Don Dogoier, GokaiGreen,”
“We call him ‘Doc’,” Marvelous added.
They gestured to a guy near the dining set, who’d been doing some hovering and watching. Plaid shirt, wild curly blond hair, and an apron over the rest of his outfit. He had a tea towel in hand, like he’d just emerged from the kitchen. He waved. Michinaga lifted a hand to him back.
“And this is,” Tsukasa paused. “Is it still princess or are you queen now?”
“Still princess,” the woman on the couch smiled. “My cousin is ruling.”
“Right,” Tsukasa nodded. “This is Princess Ahim de Famille, GokaiPink. Congratulations on getting that colony set up, by the way.”
“Thank you, Tsukasa-san,” she dipped her head to him politely. And then she turned to Michinaga. “And it is a pleasure to me you, er,”
“Right, Gokaigers, this is my apprentice, Azuma Michinaga,” Tsukasa introduced. “Kamen Rider Buffa.”
A few nods as Ahim and Don looked him over.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Michinaga-san,” Ahim smiled, dipping her head politely to him.
“Uh, yeah. Er, you too, your majesty,” he gave an awkward half bow, not sure what was polite here. He’d never met a princess before, or any royalty for that matter.
A few people chuckled, and Ahim waved him off. “Oh please, no need. It’s alright. I don’t expect special treatment.”
“And this is Navi,” Marvelous waved at the little mechanical bird sitting on the back of his chair. “Our navigator.”
The bird lifted a wing. “Hello!”
Marvelous elbowed Tsukasa. “Awful rude to forget her.”
“I didn’t forget, I just hadn’t got there,” Tsukasa defended.
“So, what brings you here?” Don asked, peeking around to look at Tsukasa.
“Needed to borrow your encyclopedia of a husband,” Tsukasa shrugged. “Wanted to compare notes.”
“Me?” Gai pointed at himself.
“Do you see someone else who fits the description?” Tsukasa asked.
“So what’s up with the entourage?” Marvelous asked, leaning back and turning to look at Tsukasa.
“Kaitou wanted to come steal some of your blue’s time, and I figured it’d be good to introduce the stray to a few more folks outside his bubble.” Tsukasa shrugged.
“His bubble?” Ahim inquired.
“Found out other Riders existed when I met him, he’s a bit behind,” Tsukasa explained.
“That’s not my fault,” Michinaga butted in, feeling a bit defensive and crossing his arms. “The DGP didn’t want any of us to know about anyone beyond each other.”
A few curious looks.
“I stole him from the other guys,” Tsukasa elaborated. “They clearly didn’t want him so he’s mine now. We’re working on filling him in and taking down the guys who kept him in the dark. It’s why I wanted to compare notes.”
“Oh! Lemme go grab my notebooks then,” Gai was off in another direction, presumably to wherever his notebooks were.
“You planning to move?” Marvelous asked.
“Not for the moment,” Tsukasa replied.
Marvelous shrugged, settling in. “So it looks like your secondary stole my blue.”
“That he has,” Tsukasa agreed.
Michinaga glanced around, finding that, yes, at some point both Daiki and Joe had disappeared.
“Where-”
“Probably either fighting or making out.” Tsukasa shrugged.
“Most likely fighting and then making out.” Marvelous shrugged.
Michinaga made a face, opened his mouth to ask, and then decided that actually, he didn’t care that much. Sure. Why not.
“So one of your guys is entertained for the moment,” Marvelous hummed, eyeing Michinaga. “You planning on subjecting the kid to Gai’s rambling?”
Tsukasa didn’t get a chance to answer before Ahim had stood and walked over, slinging an arm around one of Michinaga’s.
“Wha-”
“Do you like tea?” She asked.
“Uh, yeah?” He glanced between her and Tsukasa, hoping for a cue on what to do here.
A princess was hanging off his arm. This was new.
She nodded firmly, turning to Marvelous.
“I’m making tea,” she announced, and Michinaga found himself dragged along after her in what he assumed was the direction of the kitchen.
He glanced back helplessly at Tsukasa, who just smiled and waved at him.
Bastard.
Tsukasa watched Michinaga get dragged away, offering him a wave as Ahim dragged him off to get his tea preference.
“So there a reason you dragged the kid along when you could’ve come alone, or just felt like introducing him?” Marvelous asked.
Man was almost as stubborn as he was, which was likely how they often both ended up in the captain’s chair together at least once when he stopped by.
“I’m socializing him.” Tsukasa grinned, poking Marvelous’ side.
Marvelous snorted, shaking his head.
Gai made his return, skidding to a stop with a huge armful of notebooks.
“I don’t have as much on Riders as I do Sentai, but I’ve got a few things. Dunno how much it’ll help, but,” Gai shrugged, fumbling with his notebooks to pull one out and offer it.
“What you have will help.” Tsukasa assured, taking the notebook and flipping it open.
Gai got his things set up on the small table by the couch, and Tsukasa reluctantly got up to join him over there, with much teasing from Marvelous.
Michinaga and Ahim appeared again at some point, and the group shuffled so they could join them, Michinaga, Ahim and Tsukasa on the couch, Gai on the floor next to them and shuffling papers.
Tsukasa was skimming over a record on one of the Reiwa Riders when he noticed Gai positioning himself directly across the table from Michinaga.
“So, what’s your story?” Gai asked, pen hovering over a blank page in a new notebook.
Michinaga looked up, blinking at him.
“Huh?”
“Your story.” Gai repeated. “I like making a record of all the other heroes we meet, and it’s been a while since I’ve met another Rider. I’d like to ask some questions.”
His eyes were sparkling, and Tsukasa knew how excited the guy got.
He elbowed Michinaga slightly. “Humour him. Besides, it means you get to tell the story yourself.”
Michinaga eyed him, and then shrugged. “Alright, I can answer a few questions I guess.”
Gai beamed, and Tsukasa couldn’t help but smirk at the look on Michinaga’s face.
“So, you’re a Kamen Rider, right?” Gai grinned. “Buffa.”
“Yeah, Kamen Rider Buffa.” he nodded, setting down the teacup for the moment.
Gai scribbled something down. “So you’re fighting to save the world like Tsukasa-san, right?”
“Well, now I am,” Michinaga frowned. “I guess.”
Gai frowned back. “Now? What were you doing before?”
“Mostly fighting other Riders,” he shrugged.
“Were they evil Riders?”
“Not really.”
“Oh,” Gai notably deflated, on the edge of getting sad and upset.
Marvelous noticed too, and sat up, giving Tsukasa a look that clearly said ‘fix this’.
Tsukasa was already on it, reaching out to pat Gai’s shoulder. “The DGP is pretty fucked up. Doesn’t exactly breed Riders willing to work together.”
“DGP?” Gai echoed, hesitantly.
“Desire Grand Prix,” Tsukasa said, leaning back and getting back to the pages and pages and pages of notes. “It’s what I scooped the stray up from.”
Gai scribbled that down. “So, what is the Desire Grand Prix?”
Tsukasa didn’t answer, figuring his part was done.
Michinaga looked at him, and then sighed. “The DGP is a sort of tournament for Riders. We fight against the Jyamato in a series of games, each round competing for points. They kept saying we were fighting to save the world, but I’m pretty sure most of us didn’t look at it that way. I didn’t.”
“Why not?” Gai asked, glancing up from writing.
“The prize,” that hunger was back in Michinaga’s eyes, though it was thankfully a little quieter than it had been before. “If you manage to win the DGP they’ll grant whatever wish you want, remake the world to whatever you want it to be.”
Gai’s pen froze on the page. Ahim stiffened mid sip next to them. Marvelous’ jaw locked, eye on them all. Doc looked up from where he was messing with the control panel, wires in his hands. Navi turned to them from where she’d been hovering above him and pressing requested buttons. Luka also paused from what she was doing, glancing between everyone at the table.
“Remake the world to grant whatever wish you want,” Gai echoed slowly. “And, how does that work, exactly?”
Michinaga shrugged. “Like they’d ever tell us. They didn’t even tell us there was an audience.”
“Audience?” Ahim asked.
“It’s a reality show for interdimensional tourists,” Tsukasa explained. “Saving the world as entertainment, with the promise of designing the world you want to entice participants.”
“So, you don’t know how it, okay,” Gai swallowed, jotting that down. “So what happens when someone wins?”
“They get their wish, the world rewritten to fit it.” Michinaga answered, picking up on the sudden tension.
“What about the other Riders?”
“Memories wiped and returned to their normal lives. You know, if they survive to the final round.”
There was a clink as Ahim set her tea cup down. She took a deep breath with her eyes shut, but didn’t say anything.
Silence as the Gokaigers stopped pretending they weren’t listening.
“Your memories are wiped?” Gai asked.
“Yeah?” Michinaga frowned, glancing around the room.
“And, civilians?”
“Yeah? It’s, no one is supposed to know about the DGP except the Riders competing and the audience.”
“So, you’ve been competing.”
“Yeah?”
“Have, you uh, had your memory wiped?” Gai tapped the pen to the page, eyes glued on Michinaga much like the rest of the crew.
“Yeah, a few times,” Michinaga nodded. “Around, I’ve played maybe, around a dozen times? Haven’t won yet, so every time it ends,”
He shrugged, like this was normal. And, Tsukasa supposed, to him it was.
Silence reigned.
“Did I say something?” Michinaga eventually asked, turning to Tsukasa.
Tsukasa looked up from running over Gai’s notes, turning to Marvelous.
“I feel like this happens to hit home for you all, for some reason.” Tsukasa frowned. “Mind explaining why you’re all staring at my stray in horror?”
“We ran into a treasure that could do that once.” Marvelous explained. “Remake the universe in exchange for the memories people had of the heroes of this world.”
Well, that explained a lot.
“We destroyed the treasure.” Ahim added. “The price was too high. No one should have that power.”
“So this is a personal issue,” Tsukasa hummed. “You’ll be happy to know that we’re working on taking these guys down.”
“That is good to hear.” Marvelous nodded, leaning back in his chair. “And I’m hoping that your kid being here means he’s outta there.”
“Of course,” Tsukasa grinned. “They didn’t want him anymore, so now he’s mine.”
Everyone shuffled a bit awkwardly around the room.
Gai cleared his throat and shook his head, bracing his pen again.
“Right! So!” He turned back to Michinaga, a bit forcefully bright now. “Do you, uh, remember any Riders you competed against?”
“Yeah, of course,” Michinaga nodded. “You get your memories back when you get picked to compete again.”
A bit of relief around the room.
“So, can you tell me about them? Names, goals?”
“We cycle through Riders so often it’d be a waste to remember or list them all.” Michinaga frowned. “There’s been a lot of us.”
“Anyone notable? People who return like you do?” Ahim suggested.
Michinaga frowned. “Well, there are a few who stand out.”
Gai shuffled forward eagerly, some of the excitement returning.
“Geats is the big one.” Michinaga sighed. “He’s been competing and winning since long before I ever found out about the DGP. Been making all sorts of wishes over the years. It’s impossible to guess at his actual motivations, he says whatever it is he thinks you hearing will help benefit him. At least it seems the staff have finally run out of patience with him too.”
Gai nodded along, writing this all down. “Real name?”
Michinaga frowned. “Ukiyo Ace.”
Gai hummed, making the note. “Anyone else?”
Michinaga sat back, seeming to consider.
“Na-go,” he eventually said. “Kurama Neon. I think her dad might have some in with the administration based on how she got back in. Sheltered kid, desperate for some freedom. Wished for love, or, I guess a world where she could find love, or whatever.”
“That’s sweet.” Ahim smiled. “She seems nice.”
“She is.” he agreed. “She also kicked a can into my head once.”
“No wonder she left an impression.” Marvelous smirked.
“Yeah, the impression of a can on the side of my head.” Michinaga scoffed, reaching up to rub at his temple.
Gai tried, not quite successfully, to hide laughter, writing that down. “So, uh, any others?”
“Tycoon, Sakurai Kiewa.” Michinaga sighed. “Thinks he can save the world, and is convinced that Riders should be working together. Guy’s lucky that thinking didn’t get him killed, only manipulated. Wants world peace, but now he’s focused on bringing back all the Riders who’ve died in the DGP.”
Gai nodded, writing that all down.
“Then, last round we had Punkjack too. Hareruya Win. Pretty sure he was actually staff, but uh, shit happened and I never got that confirmed,” Michinaga hummed.
“Things happened?” Gai asked.
“Among other things, I died.” Michinaga put rather bluntly. “And then after I woke up I got roped into all of his bullshit,” he jabbed a thumb at Tsukasa.
“So, the Riders who die, don’t actually die?” Ahim asked.
“No, they die.” Tsukasa corrected, not looking up as he flipped a page. “Stray’s an anomaly.”
Nods met that.
“That’s everyone?” Gai asked.
“Everyone I bothered caring about.” Michinaga shrugged.
“So what did you wish for?” Gai asked.
Tsukasa glanced up, ready to jump in if he needed to.
“The power to crush every Kamen Rider.” Michinaga informed him.
Gai dropped his pen.
Tsukasa reached over to ruffle up Michinaga’s hair. “He’s still a bit street-wild, we’re working on it,” he said quickly, hoping to de-escalate as best he could.
Michinaga instantly began complaining, trying to duck away from Tsukasa’s hand.
Tsukasa removed his hand, Michinaga turning to glare at him.
“What made you want that?” Luka asked, apparently now at least curious as well.
“Not important.” Michinaga dismissed.
“Did something happen?” Ahim asked.
“Nothing you need to know.” he huffed, picking up his cup again, probably to try and get out of the questioning.
“Are you sur-”
“Let’s just say I happen to be one of the only people who realizes the Riders in the DGP mostly aren’t good people.” He cut Doc off, deciding to end the conversation. “Everyone’s fighting for themselves there. And that means sometimes people get hurt who don’t deserve to.”
Tsukasa made a note to press on that, but later.
“Maybe move on,” he suggested. “I don’t think you’ll get much with this topic.”
Gai nodded, and moved on, different questions being asked as he wrote down everything he could.
Tsukasa in turn made a few copies of some things in Gai’s notes, things that might be useful to reference later.
And, well, if he had to come back on his own later, he knew at least Marvelous wouldn’t end up complaining much.
Michinaga was reminded why he liked being ignored in daily life.
If he thought Ace was insane for wanting to be famous before he was convinced of it now.
Gai was, easily excitable. And very eager to learn. And full of questions. So many questions.
He was actually pretty relieved when Tsukasa decided they had what they needed and could go.
Daiki and Joe appeared at some point after that, both a bit disheveled now. Joe’s ponytail was loose, and Daiki only had his jacket half on (possibly on purpose). They were both sporting bruises, including a collection on their necks.
Michinaga decided he didn’t care and so didn’t think about that too hard.
“You look like you had fun.” Tsukasa smirked, giving Daiki a look over.
“I did.” Daiki grinned, eying the notebooks that were being organized again. “Probably more than you did.”
Tsukasa shrugged, not seeming to care.
He tucked a few pages of notes into an inside pocket of his jacket and stood.
“Ready to go, Stray?”
“Yes.” Michinaga confirmed, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate or relieved as he was.
He’d already spent over an hour listening to Gai ramble about Sentai teams after making the mistake of asking what that was.
Plus, if he thought the Riders in the Photo Studio were weird they had nothing on the Gokaigers. Marvelous felt like a furnace, and Ahim seemed to work in the opposite way in that she felt cold all the time. Plus everyone else on the ship being their own brand of nuts, and not even counting the robot bird.
Tsukasa led the way back to the front of the room, pausing to shake Marvelous’ hand.
“Sorry we couldn’t be doing something more fun.” Tsukasa said.
“Eh, I’ll get you back for it next time you show up.” Marvelous shrugged, and then went on, more seriously. “And if you need a hand taking down this thing you’re fighting, we’re willing to help in whatever way we can.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Tsukasa nodded.
Michinaga blinked as his attention was drawn by Ahim setting something in his hands. Upon inspection it was revealed to be a small box of teas.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Michinaga-san.” Ahim smiled sweetly at him. “Please feel free to visit again.”
“Uh, yeah,” he nodded. “It was, uh, good to meet you too.”
Her smile got a bit wider, and she stepped back.
“Kaitou!” Tsukasa shouted, drawing attention back to him. “Are you coming or are we leaving you here?”
Daiki rolled his eyes, crossing the room to join them, twisting once on his heel to make a finger gun motion at Joe. Joe made a catching movement, and when Daiki twisted back around he was grinning.
The aurora curtain shimmered into existence behind them, and Tsukasa saluted.
“A pleasure as always, Gokaigers.” he grinned. “Let’s do this again.”
And then he turned and headed through.
Michinaga lifted one hand to them as he followed, shivering slightly from the feeling of walking into another dimension.
They were outside the Photo Studio, and once Daiki was through the curtain vanished.
It was already getting dark, so they could see the lights in the windows.
Michinaga paused at a passing thought, frowning slightly. When had he started thinking of this place as home?
“Come on, Natsumi and Yusuke probably have supper ready.” Tsukasa headed up, opening the door for them.
Michinaga followed.
“You’re back!” Natsumi entered the room, grinning. Then she noticed the teas Michinaga was holding. “Are those from Ahim?”
“Yeah,” Michinaga nodded, and didn’t protest as Natsumi crossed over to grab them from him.
“Remind me to make some cookies or something to send with you next time you go bother them as thanks.” Natsumi said, disappearing back into the kitchen. “Also, supper’s on the table!”
Daiki made a beeline to said food, and then they could hear protests from Yusuke as something was apparently stolen from his plate.
“So, how’d you like the Gokaigers?” Tsukasa asked, not having moved from next to Michinaga.
“They’re, weird.” He decided after a moment. “A different weird from the way you four are.”
Tsukasa chuckled. “Yeah, about expected that impression. Sentai happen to each be their own brand of weird like that. Probably doesn’t help only one of those guys is human.”
“Yeah, about that,” Michinaga frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
“Hm?” Tsukasa turned to blink at him. “Oh, right. They’re aliens.”
Michinaga felt it as his jaw dropped this time.
“Aliens,” he said, to confirm.
Tsukasa nodded. “Aliens.”
“Just what the fuck is happening outside of the DGP?!” He asked. Aliens. That was too much, even with everything he’d already seen.
Tsukasa smiled, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Oh you have no idea just how weird it gets,” he grinned, his eyes sparkling with something almost mischievous.
He then headed off into the dining area, also stealing something from Yusuke, who complained again and began whining to Natsumi that he was being bullied.
Michinaga huffed, fighting away a smile.
Damn, when had he gotten so comfortable here?
He shook his head sharply, banishing those thoughts. This was all just a means to an end, after all. A safehouse away from the DGP where they couldn’t find him.
He stole a carrot off of Yusuke’s plate on his way past, sparking another complaint and getting bonked gently by Natsumi as she chided them all to stop causing problems.