[video] backdated to 3rd December!

[skilful]

[ The feed opens up to one girl recognisable to be Kougyoku Ren looking into the camera, clearly held up by somebody else. ]

So when it starts recording, I should speak to it?

[ From behind the camera, a voice chuckles, sounding amused. ] Kou-chan, it’s already started.

[ The girl gasps and blushes, covering her mouth in surprise. ] I’m sorry, I didn’t... Oh, how do I begin? Um, h-hello... everyone. I mean, greetings! I mean...

[ A whisper from behind the camera: ] Introductions, Kou-chan, introductions~

Yes, you’re right. It’s not like I haven’t introduced myself before. [ She turns her head a few degrees away from the camera. ] I am Kougyoku Ren. I am… eighteen years old. I am from the Kou Empire, and I, I like fashion, fighting and… um... Anyway, I. I am looking for friends.

[ Again, from behind the camera: ] So, if you’d like to be her friend, please reply to this video!

[ Kougyoku immediately smiles and faces the camera after that line. It’s as if her personality did a complete 180. ] Did I do good, Tatara?

[ And, once more, the voice behind the camera chuckles as the feed shuts down: ] Very well done!

[ note; Tags will be coming separately from Kougyoku and Totsuka separately! ]

Comments

[skilful]

[ He nods approvingly, then chuckles too. ]

Mmm, I found it! [ He says this with pride. ] Eight years ago.

[redsea]

[ Ohhh, because of the way he says it, she's now curious. ]

What happened? Won't you tell?

[skilful]

[ He is always happy to tell this story! Flashing a victory sign, he beams. ]

Eight years ago, I met King!

[redsea]

King? King Mikotosan?

[ She really thinks HOMRA's a country ruled by a king named Mikotosan. Anyway, she's interested! ]

[skilful]

Yeeep! Of course, back then, he wasn't a king yet. But when I first saw him, I thought I was seeing a lion roaming out on the streets...!

[redsea]

A lion... [ She's imagining it. A gruff Sinbad walking around town. Ah, but he controls fire, so... He'd be more like her Kouen, wouldn't he? Hm. ]

Does he have a goatee? [ Please say no. ]

[skilful]

[ Ah-- ] He shaves.

[redsea]

[ ... He didn't see that sigh of relief. ]

How did your first encounter go? I mean, how... why did you become his follower?

[skilful]

[ He totally saw it. ]

"This man would become a king!" That's what I thought when I saw him. So when I went up to him and called him King, he stared at me and told me to go away!

[ He's laughing, remembering this. ]

[redsea]

Anyone would do that! [ She's laughing, too. ] But I suppose you didn't go away.

1/2

[skilful]

How cruel, Kou-chan!

[ Yet, he doesn't sound offended at all while he's laughing. ]

[skilful]

Mm, I didn't. But King he came to visit me at the hospital even though he didn't know me that well.

[ Because the guys who beat him up had something against Mikoto, apparently...! ]

Kusanagi-san was there too! He's the mothering type so he started looking out for me. When King became the Red King, we were both there.

[redsea]

So he's that sort of king... [ Her tone carries some admiration for the man. But Kusanagisan and Mikotosan... Why do their names both end in -san!? ]

The Red King? What do you mean? I thought he was the king of HOMRA.

[skilful]

They are one and the same! The Red King is the King of Homra and Homra is the name of our clan.

[ Also, a bar. ]

[redsea]

Oh! My apologies, I thought it was a country... So the Red King, he was—he styled himself as such?

[skilful]

[ He chuckles. But, no, the King of Japan ... would be the Gold King, probably. ]

Nope. He was chosen.

[ There's a lot of history here and it's a lot to take in, so he decides to ask in order to clarify. ] Did you hear about Homra from Yata?

1/2

[redsea]

Yes! He said HOMRA does whatever they want, whenever they want, and if people don't like it, they take care of them.

[redsea]

... That's strange, it sounds like a... [ what's that word, it's on the tip of her tongue ]

1/2

[skilful]

[ He laughs. ]

That's not totally untrue! The streets were dangerous back then and there was a lot of fighting going on. King fought to make make the city a safer and better place for everyone!

[skilful]

...Well, it's not entirely safe yet but that's what we do!

[ They also play baseball and go fishing on whims. ]

[redsea]

Ah...! That sounds romantic. [ Look, she doesn't get out much. ] Do you fight, too, Tatara?

[skilful]

Not at all!

[redsea]

Huh!? Why not?

[skilful]

Because I'm not a fighter!

[redsea]

... What do you do, then?

[ What is a gang member, if he is not a fighter? ]