Second Engage ► video

[hateswizards]

[Feed clicks on to a probably somewhat familiar gray-skinned, yellow-horned seatroll with a purple streak through his hair. He looks equal parts extremely irritated and frantic, mouth tight but eyes wide. When he speaks, his voice is level, but it's clear he's distressed.]

And here I'd thought the fun part of this was over with the grand larceny. This is Haruto Souma, even though I look like this. I'm looking for my body--brown hair, tall, extremely good looking. Belt buckle that looks like a hand, lots of rings. Whoever's in there, I need to talk to you. Considering where I've ended up, it's probably Eridan Ampora in there, but just in case it's not...

Please get into contact with me. For your own safety.

Comments

video; 1/2

[letmetellyouabouthope]

[SON OF A BITCH.]

[letmetellyouabouthope]

[But this is actually kind of handy because the damn belt won't stop singing at him after he accidentally flicked it into standby mode.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS]

Hey, Souma, how the fuck do I get this thing to knock it off??

video, then private video;

[hateswizards]

[Haruto can't help but laugh, starting low and then bursting into full-fledged snickering. He has to lean off-screen, holding his scarf to his face, before he manages to lean back with anything like composure.]

There's a slide on the corners. Slide it, and the hand will move back. That should turn it off.

[At least that answered that question. He changes this video's feed to private, face firming up again.]

On to more important matters. You've heard the voice, right?

[Privately, he wonders if the Dragon has buried himself down to find whatever Eridan's Underworld might be, but first thing first.]

private;

[letmetellyouabouthope]

[Wait...wait, wait, wait, wait, waaaaaaaait yep there we go, it's stopped. Finally.

Anyway-]

So I'm not goin' crazy after all, huh?

What's the deal?

private;

[hateswizards]

[Of course he was active. He probably saw this as a golden chance to take advantage of someone who hadn't defeated him once. He sighs aloud, reaching up to rub at his temples.]

That's Dragon. My Phantom. He's where I derive my magic, but he's always waiting to take advantage of a moment of weakness. Phantoms prey on the despair of their Gates--my body is a Gate--and eat them from the inside out.

[He pauses, thinking. He's not particularly interested in prying, but this is a matter of survival. Just because he wasn't the one in his body didn't mean he could stop fighting Phantoms.]

Whatever the source of your hope for the future is--whatever memory or thing or resolve that is. If you lose that, you'll break, and then you'll die. And if you die, the Dragon will use my body to kill everyone here.

private;

[letmetellyouabouthope]

Oh, for the love of! This is even worse than bein' stuck as...ugh.

[RUNNING HANDS DOWN FACE...]

Well what if I don't got nothin' like that?

private;

[hateswizards]

Yes, I'm sure being trapped in my body is so awful.

[Eyerolling.]

Everyone has one of those. Even if they won't admit it.

private;

[letmetellyouabouthope]

It is. I'd be a highblood over some dirtscrapin' human any day.

[A pause, tho]

I really don't, Sou. I got nothin'. No future. Nothin'.

private;

[hateswizards]

Wow, nice racism there. Besides, you're a wizard. Oh, sorry, wait, a wwizard. Isn't that good enough?

[He looks annoyed now. Goddamn idiots denying hope.]

If that were true, you'd already be dead. I don't know what you're living for, but there's something. You don't even have to tell me. You just have to keep it in mind.

[Audio]

[auxiliary]

...I thought Eridan was Rin, so isn't Rin Eridan? Or things changed again?

audio;

[hateswizards]

I assume things changed again when we got back. I was in my own body for the mission, after all.

audio;

[auxiliary]

No, I've been in this shitty fucked up body since the mission. So they did change again. Wow, awesome.

audio;

[hateswizards]

Awesome is about the opposite of the word I'd use. The last thing I want is to be stuck in here. Have you seen this guy's outfits?

[Yes, that's what you need to be focused on.]

audio;

[auxiliary]

I was being sarcastic, but yes, I've seen that guy's outfit. He's my roommate.

audio;

[hateswizards]

Good to know we're on the same page, then. On both counts.

audio;

[auxiliary]

... Hey, could you do me a favor while you're in that body?

audio;

[hateswizards]

Depends. What?

[text]

[acosmist]

"Extremely good looking?"
That's laying it on a little thick
Isn't it

audio;

[hateswizards]

Actually, I thought I was downplaying it just enough.

[acosmist]

I don't think you could be more wrong
At least right now you almost look interesting
Maybe.
It's a bit of a stretch
And I don't know if purple actually suits you

[audio]

[hateswizards]

See, that's just no fair! You can't stay on text and not show me if the treatment is mutual.

[A bit of a scowl, though.]

Every color suits me! Just because red is my favorite doesn't actually mean anything.

[acosmist]

Maybe I'm on text because
It doesn't matter
And I always use text
Why the fuck would I switch now

Red doesn't suit you either

[hateswizards]

I was just asking! Touchy...

[An eyeroll at these WRONG COLOR OPINIONS. Somehow he's not surprised.]

And what does, then?

[acosmist]

I'm not touchy
You just ask shit questions.
Like that one, for example
How should I know what looks good on you
When I've only seen you in shit that doesn't

[hateswizards]

You're the one who started in about colors. Anyone with that many feelings about my wardrobe had better have some opinions about how to improve, that's all.