001 | video.

[permit]

[ when the feed flicks on, it’s to the simple image of a sharply dressed man adjusting his glasses upon the bridge of his nose. or rather, it’s the lens glare that strikes the view first, a flash of blue that obscures the friendly(?) way he eyes the viewer, the practiced way he smiles. ]

My apologies. [ the tone, too, is terribly kept, composed and precise. ] If I may, I kindly request that you lend me your brief attention for but a few minutes of your time.

First, allow me to introduce myself: I am Munakata Reishi. You will have to forgive me, I’m afraid, as my recent arrival will mean my lines of inquiry will run along the road of repetition.

[ it’s formality and ease in idle, clear-cut motions; he laces his fingers together and rests them neatly on the table set before him. his smile hasn’t moved. ]

There is, I understand, a . . . certain freedom to living in the time before we are called to action. Training is -- was mandatory, was it not? I don't suppose all of you have been keeping up with your weekly regimen during this temporary state of confusion.

But I digress.

Let me cut straight to the chase, then.

Certain concerns come to mind. Minimal organization though we may have, I admit I’m rather lost. [ there’s a breath of laughter, possibly meant to curb the tension… not to create it. ] With so many people in a state of little to no enforcement, is it safe there on Earth, I wonder?

. . . And what kind of activities, pray tell, have you found to be the most beneficial use of your undoubtedly limitless spare time?


PRIVATE; TO SARUHIKO FUSHIMI

[ it's a text, simple and innocuous. ]

I trust I find you well.

Comments

video... ish...

[clansman]

[ this feed reflects an empty sky. blackened bare, and completely devoid of any living beings whatsoever.

the silence goes on for a while.

eventually a finger taps the tablet twice, just to be sure the post's ended. a ring winks silver. ]

You finished?

[ tl;dr ]

... video it is

[permit]

[ . . . there is, he acknowledges, for a span of time indulged for no longer than a moment, a feeling akin to deep offense.

not, of course, for the cold reception -- that much is expected, just as this much might be expected, too. he's scanned past the other entries made to the network, after all, and the possibility didn't elude him. there are stranger things, there are people pulled from different dimensions, he's on the moon -

. . . and still, he simply stares at the screen unblinking, a video feed set to pause. a second passes, then three - ]

[permit]

[ -- and then, someone presses play, and the feeling is gone. ]

Ah. [ a smile, all pleasantries and none of the sympathy. ] Did I disturb your rest?

[clansman]

[ the faint crunch of snow breaking as someone rolls over -- but he laughs, anyway. ]

Sorry you couldn't do it up close.

"private" texts to your employee, what will people say

[scepterho]

( fushimi's response is a little delayed. extremely delayed, actually. he read it as soon as it came through but spent a small amount of time in that futile headspace of "if i ignore it i don't have to deal with it."

plus, it seems like a trap. )

As well as anybody could be. ( he already doesn't want to know where this is going. )

""well no wonder he's the favorite"

[permit]

I wonder.

[ what cruel and baseless suspicion -- he's only checking in to see that they didn't lose pieces of fushimi in transit. ):

and anyway - ]

Will you be reporting in soon?

[voice]

[ringthenoise]

Safe?

Nope, not at all.

But that's what makes it fun, yeah?

video;

[permit]

The appeal is lost on me, I'm afraid.

[ a slight cant of the head, but it's less bemusement than it is humoring. ] I take it you're taking advantage of the freedom?

video

[inhumanity]

[Adding to the amount of red responding to Munakata is one red-eyed, shark-mouthed monster. He raises his hand like a partially well-behaved high school student.]

Question!

video;

[permit]

[ . . . the question is, does he really believe the well-behaved part. ]

Go on.

video;

[senseandcecilbility]

I am afraid I cannot vouch for the whole planet, sir, though this city does seem to be as safe as most. [Truth be told, in his version of London, that Jack the Ripper fellow is still roaming the streets.] ...T-Though one could say there is always room for improvement, I suppose?

It is quite true that we have a little too much time to spare. Bearing that in mind, a friend and I have been attempting to improve the local cuisine, particularly beverages such as coffee and tea. We have also established a knitting circle of sorts.

video;

[permit]

Well-behaved aren't we? For a collection of people pulled from all over, I admit it's almost anticlimactic to see daily life carry on as usual. [ but he smiles and he seems... glad enough for it, at least. ]

Are they usually so free about what we do with our rations?

video

[battering]

[ are you ready, munakata. are you ready for the lamest piece of video so far?

because you have Yata, just... quietly staring at the screen through that monologue. and for a few seconds afterward. just squinting at the screen in a sort of glare, sort of disgusted looking expression, until finally-- ]

... Fuckin' blues.

[ it's even mumbled. that's it, that's all he has to say before his side of the tablet feed gets tossed aside. ]

video;

[permit]

[ honestly, he's seen worse than the dark view a flipped-over tablet provides him.

(for example, one of you homra could actually be on screen.) ]

Ah, yes. [ p.s. your video's still running, dear. please enjoy this disembodied voice, then. ] Yata Misaki-kun, was it?

[phaseshifted]

[...He sounds way too business like for her tastes.]

It's pretty safe, in my experience of it so far.

[permit]

[ . . . so goes the general consensus. ]

Is it. [ there's a chuckle, low and warm(?). ] Might I ask what your experience has been?

video......

[skilful]

I've been meeting new people. It's been very interesting!

[ Except there is nobody in this video! It's a nice wall ... or ceiling.

Someone from behind the camera chuckles. ]

It's been a while, Munakata-san.

1/2 video;

[permit]

[ . . . it isn't -- stalling, per se.

although he's already discerned through the network that he's here, it still... feels like an awful waste of a lot of effort.

but he continues smiling, doesn't think very much of it (for now). the extra second he spends in silence is easily blamed on delayed recognition, even if he'd recognized the voice from the very start. ]

So it has.

[permit]

Totsuka Tatara-kun.

video.

[unmasking]

It's better than sticking a lot of volatile people in a tight place and expecting them to get along.

[Meaning: So far, so good, but he isn't going to say that outright.]

video;

[permit]

I wouldn't doubt.

[ frankly, he's of the mindset that it's unusual that the moon was still in one piece when he arrived, but... well, he's not going to give anyone ideas. ] Have you met many of that particular disposition?

Ah . . . volatile, as it were.

video;

[lafouldre]

I don't think anything bad has happened down here yet, but I don't know if 'safe' is exactly the right word. Even if you're just talking about all the animals.

video;

[permit]

"Yet."

What a safe stipulation.

[ but that, at least, begets a pause. ]

Is the local fauna really so unusual as the reports state?

video;

[getoffmyearth]

Can't we just be done with baby's first attempt at government already? You're a little late to the game, buddy.

video;

[permit]

My apologies.

Fortunately, in this case, I'm not too keen on "attempting" anything at the moment, when it seems we're getting along pleasantly enough. [ that's half a lie, but no one needs to know that. ]

Although it looks as though you're content to leave things be.