Chapter 01 - A hero start his journey
As I lie down on my pool of blood, a man approaches me. His face was hard to make, but he was clearly wearing a distinct golden crown on his head.
"Why are you doing this?"
The man asked, his voice echoed in my head.
"You who live in a time of peace, why are you sacrificing yourself for a stranger?"
My eyes were wandering to a small girl who cried beside me. She is alive. She looks fine. Meanwhile, not too far, a man was currently apprehended by security. He was originally holding a gun, trying to rob a bank. But then he aimed his weapon at the small girl.
Why do I sacrifice myself to the stranger?
My consciousness was blurring, but at my last moment, I reply.
"Those who can save no one...do not deserve to live..."
Then I lost my consciousness.
My name...I can't remember my full name. As far as I remember, I was just an ordinary boy living in regular Japan. As far as my life goes, it wasn't very interesting.
But in that dull life, a beacon shines through Kamen Rider. Since I was small, a television show about transforming man fighting evil has inspired me to keep. And from there, I enjoy the life I lived in. My story may be dull, with no ability, no time-traveling shenanigans, and no dimension-hopping evil empire. But I can access those kinds of the story easily just by switching on my TV.
But all of that is just fiction, a fantasy. But regardless, the value of heroism lived through my heart, and every time I did something, I will ask: what will a Kamen Rider do?
Today, I am going to the bank. I just got a lot of money from unexpected works, and better keep it safe in the bank least my hand will waste them in a day. But today was also a day a man brings a gun, a real-life gun, to rob the bank.
Japan was a peaceful country, so the existence of guns was pretty surprising. He was just one man, but the effect of firearms on peaceful society was apparent. Everyone was frozen in fear.
The robber probably feels pretty powerful right now. He has power in his hand. He didn't use it, and yet everyone obeys him.
And then he used it.
A small girl near me was crying, scared of the robber. Her mother tries to calm her down, and yet the cry didn't stop. The robber gets impatient and then shot the gun.
My body move by itself. I have no belt that turns me into a masked man. I have no brace that turns me into a giant of light. I have no sword that gives me the power of a ninja. And yet, my body moved. Protecting a child was what a hero does.
And the bullet pierces through my chest.
You may ask me, how does getting shot feel? Well, I was surprised. I was mostly surprised that I moved to shield the small crying girl. Also, it is hurt like hell.
The blood gushed out of my body; the bullet punctured my chest. And as my consciousness, I still do what I loved most...
"Those who can save no one...do not deserve to live..."
I was quoting from an anime.
I woke up. It pretty unbelievable, but I woke up.
Is this heaven?
I sat in the train car. The chair was comfortable and fluffy, but the train car was plain otherwise—the machine's rumble and a familiar whistle from a distance.
Unless heaven is actually a train, I doubt this is heaven.
"Uh..."
I stood, checking my body, and found out I am gunshot-free. No blood, no wound. Even my clothes are clean.
"You seem confused," a voice called.
I find myself staring at a young girl with green hair tied into a ponytail. She sat in front of me, wearing a lovely black and red dress with a smile plastered on her face.
Green hair...yes. Real-life green hair. Did this girl dye her hair?
"Uh...well, I remember getting shot and dying...am I dead?"
"You are dead in your world," the green-haired girl nodded. She then continued, "The newspaper currently writing about your heroic sacrifice," she giggled, "King finds you interesting, so he gives you a second chance."
Ah...that man with a blurry face?
"He finds your action admirable," the green-haired girl smiled, "And well, he sent you to a new world where a person like you needed."
"Is this where this train goes?" I asked, "Wow...is this like...Den-liner, but across dimension?"
"No, no," The green-haired girl denied, "This place is actually a manifestation of your soul?"
I looked around. A manifestation of my soul? Really? This car looked like it was made of woods. The sound of the train that can be heard from afar suggests that this is a steam train.
But I never ride a train like this before. Is this my soul?
As in reading my mind, the green-haired girl continued, "It does not come from your memories. It is more of symbolic places, and while memories affect this place to an extent, it is not decided by that."
"You lost me," I replied, "Well, I will just call it my Velvet Room..."
As in on cue, the car suddenly shifted. The light dimmed, the furniture changed into a more luxurious one. A velvet decorated the car here and there and then...I heard a piano's tone. It was very familiar music.
"Welcome to your velvet room," the green-haired girl said, her clothes now changed into a familiar hotel room-like uniform, "My name is Mel, and I will be your guide in this journey."
What?
"I said your memories could affect this place to an extent," the now-introduced Mel replied, "You are still in a train, but now we have a velvet room decoration inside it. Neat, right?"
"Then, who are you?" I asked.
"As I said, I am Mel, your guide," she suddenly shuffles a tarot card, "You are born in January, right? Then I will pull one card for you."
When she finished shuffling the deck, she pulled one card, and suddenly it floats in front of me. It reveals itself as the tower.
"Oooh~! First time and you got terrible reading already. The Tower card symbolizes disaster, you know? But it also represents a change, a fresh start on equal footing."
"Uh..."
Something terrible will happen to you, but if you overcome it, you will start a new. I learned a long time ago that running from bad luck is not always a good thing, so face the disaster, okay?"
The train whistles can be heard, and the train was now slowing down.
"We reach our destination," Mel finally said, putting back the tower card from the deck."
"The Train will arrive shortly on Kamihama. Please be careful when exiting," an announcement suddenly can be heard, and soon the train comes to a halt.
"Kamihama?"
"Your new home," Mel answered, "You will be given memories as if you lived on another world your entire life. You will have a parent, a family. A new background. The moment you step out of this train, you will get all you need."
"That very convenient," I said.
"The King even gives you one gift," Mel said, "He said that a man like you need the power to match. But while he gave you a gift, it is not guaranteed that you can use that gift."
"I wonder if that was what you mean in your reading," I mouthed, "The Tower...A terrible thing I need to overcome."
"Who knows," Mel smiled, "Now, hush-hush."
I stood and finally stepped out of the train, to a new world, to a new life. Hopefully, I will not get shot by a robber this time.
As I stepped out, the sunshine hit my face.
Author Note: I am deleting the old story and rewriting them from scratch. I am just not satisfied with the old one. But this time, I enjoyed writing this so hopefully you also enjoy reading this re-write. This story also posted in the AO3 but don't bother searching my account there, it was full of lust and sin.
Revision: 4/29
Turn out, Mel Anna's first name is Mel. So I will use that from now on.