[ There is a young boy, just barely past his twelfth birthday. He seems to have a monster of a red rolling luggage behind him that's nearly as tall as he is. He also has a young dog with him, some kind of a blond Labrador mutt. In one hand, there is a small clear cage, with a hamster in it. He seems vaguely thoughtful, but it is hard to tell. Jesse has always had muted expressions, even when he is with people he is the most close with. A small, warm smile shows his happiness and a cold frown reveals his terrible fury, and his face now is his typical neutral expression.

He looks up to his upper right, clearly mulling things over before he speaks. Normally he doesn't think so much on talking to people - it's not like he's shy or anything - but he feels like a little hands-off approach should be warranted.

And if you think boy's tablet is hovering, you are totally right. It is hovering. Kid's got his hands full, okay? ]

I just got off a Canadian island that had monsters at night. I just got on a boat and now I'm told that I'm in Exsilium or whatever and I have to fight a war?

[ Another pause, this time heavily weighted. ]

I'm not sure if I'm up to that.

So what we do here, exactly?

I hope that everyone will make the best of their new housing arrangements. The meeting of two personalities is like the mixing of chemicals: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.

[soft piano music begins.]

Of course, "home" is not a place, but people. Seeing the face of a loved one brings you home. Likewise, the presence of an enemy brings you back to the conflict you have with him, regardless of your physical location.

[he pauses, letting the piano fill in the empty, unstated spaces around his words.]

...No matter who else may come, I'm fortunate to have that good part of my home here with me.

[Unlike many technologically-disinclined people, Mokou actually sits down and goes all the way through the tablet tutorial before trying to use it. She is nothing if not patient.]

[Accordingly, when she starts up the video, she's carefully looking correctly into the camera, although at least at first her speech is a bit more formal than normal. New things are strange.]

Hello. My name is Mokou, and I'm quite a long way from home, although I believe that's true for a lot of you.

If you are, as you say, in the business of heping innocent people live more comfortably, then I don't mind helping however I can. For now, I might need some time to get used to the change of scenery.

[[JUNKO: You and Mokou appear to be roommates, but it'll be a few days yet before she shows up. She's gonna be living like a hobo for a while first, because it's what she does.]]