[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

[redsea]

Really? [ She looks happy for a moment! ] ... But it wasn't very dignified.

[ It wasn't the way Judar, Ka Koubun or family would expect her to act in public. ]

[skilful]

[ remember her reluctance at explaining the "royal court", he leaves this as an open question: ]

Dignified?

[redsea]

Yes, dignified! I did not have any presence...

[ She certainly didn't look as elegant as Hakuei or as strong as Kouen. ]

Ka Koubun would say so.

[skilful]

[ thoughtfully... ] Is that what you want?

[redsea]

[ She's still in the process of figuring that out, but if she could give an honest answer, she would rather do whatever she wanted without consequence. And yet she doesn't want people to look down on her...

Kougyoku avoids Tatara's gaze. ]

I, I do not know.

[skilful]

Most people live their lives looking for something they want. The ones who find it, they live the happiest and most fortunate lives. But, there are also people who live happily even if they don't live their lives as freely as they could have.

[ He's thinking of -- someone in particular. Even though it's something serious, Totsuka doesn't stop smiling. ]

...I believe, whatever you decide, you have the potential to fulfil it, Kou-chan.

[skilful]

...So! Don't worry, don't worry, everything will work out!

[redsea]

[ She chuckles. ] For someone so young, you say many unexpectedly wise things.

[ Unexpectedly... ]

I hope I find what it is I want to do. Perhaps I'll even find it here. Well, that's just wishful thinking.

What about you, Tatara? Did you ever find what you wanted?

[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.