[locked to sutoku alliance] video, un: levirage

[fibrillate]

Hello, everyone!

[on the screen is a polite-looking person with messy green hair and purple eyes. they give a wave and smile with their whole face from behind their white-rimmed glasses.]

My name is Leviathan Astrape—Levi, if you'd all like—and let me be the first to welcome you to the Sutoku Alliance! What we do here is a little more up in the air than other factions, but I think that just gives us the freedom to be who we are. If you're not sure what to do next, just keep your ear to the ground and get to know as many people as possible! It really can't hurt in the long term, and it's always better to know more than to know less.

[they don't sound stiff as they're saying it, like they have some practice with public presentations like this, but anyone watching the tracking of their eyes could probably tell that they're reading off cue cards.]

And on that note, we have a few names to know. They'll spend some time introducing themselves, I'm sure, but please keep an eye out for Artemy, Kim, Xingqiu, Yuri, Ydris, Marie, and Cloud. [a pleasant smile as they get to the end of the list.] Please also look out for Emily Dyer, especially if you need any kind of medical assistance or you're interested in helping out there. And our lieutenants within the alliance are Matoba Seiji and, of course, the death-defying Sakamoto Ryouma.

[they gesture in front of them with an open palm towards the person behind the camera.]

You're coming in during exciting times, everyone. We just had a bit of a shake-up at the Tanabata festival. The daughter of an important financial magnate has been kidnapped by an enemy of Toraguma, and though we haven't heard any orders from the Daitengu quite yet, I think we all know how things like this play out.

[and bringing both their hands in front of them, at waist level, they smile and give a polite little bow.]

So please, take this time to get to know your fellow alliance members. [they look towards the camera, then glance at their lapel, where they have a pin with the kanji for sutoku. they laugh like they knew they were forgetting something, and look back up towards everyone else.] And don't forget to pick up your official faction pin from most places within our area if you're interested.

[they wave goodbye, then stand there for a couple seconds. without the feed cutting, they walk forward towards the camera and start talking much more casually.]

Was that okay? Getting those names right was harder than I expected, and I even cut out a lot of the last names. I don't know how you did it the first time.

Hehe, y' know, I wondered about that "death defyin'" part on paper, but hearin' ya say it like that makes it sound pretty heroic! And honestly, I'm pretty sure ya did way better with those names, now that I'm thinkin' about it...

[ anyone who isn't new here will recognise the voice that responds to them from behind the camera, especially with that accent. ryouma is pretty sure he botched a couple names last time, mostly for that same reason. he might be able to fake it and cover it when he's speaking his own language, but when it comes to foreign-sounding words all bets are off. ]

So that was perfect! I think ya gotta real knack for this sorta thing!

[ which... hmmm, take that with a grain of salt because this man long predated show business, but still!! judging by his tone, ryouma is very pleased since all his coaching and cheerleading and cue card holding paid off, in his opinion! sure the rest of the faction will agree... right? ]

((this is a mingle post! feel free to threadjack and get to know everyone within the faction. and thank you again to min for contributing ryouma here!))

Comments

[nightcalled]

Maybe, but I want to be a vampire.

[ Rather matter-of-fact, isn't he? ]

Holding me back from being a vampire? Or in general?

[fibrillate]

Oh, well, I meant to ask about what's holding you back from doing all these things right now—you know, why you would need to be a vampire for them. But if you just want to be a vampire?

[they smile, and they don't necessarily think kou needs more blocking him, given...]

I can't say I blame you. The world in daylight really is closed off to people your age. I might have wanted the same thing, if I knew it was a possibility.

[nightcalled]

I guess. But it's not just that. Even adults have responsibilities. They have to work. They have to take care of everything else. And to just live in the night, to always have the freedom to do what you want, to be able to walk in the middle of the road... I'd miss that. I'd want to go back to it.

[ He shrugs. ]

That's it.

[fibrillate]

Mm. We do. And some of us are trying to have it both ways, you know? The responsibilities that keep the lights on and the world running, and the buzzing neon and runny condensation of late-night convenience store coolers and drinks that kids can't have.

[they don't quite know what they're aiming for, other than trying to present themself as a kindred spirit.]

When I was younger, I didn't have to do the responsibility part quite as much. It's a freedom that you miss pretty hard once you realize it's gone.

[nightcalled]

It's not about the beer or the alcohol or even anything like that. It's the places you can go where you're not supposed to be, because the night allows you to. It's the feeling of having the whole space as something for you to explore. It's that feeling.

[ Kou isn't sure he's explaining it correctly, but he's doing his best. ]

Nazuna says it's something you can taste.

[fibrillate]

[they nod slowly and think of—well, even when they'd first arrived here. pitch dark night, lit only by neon and halogen, where they'd fled an alleyway and grabbed a hard seltzer from the convenience store and just sat in an empty playground talking to friends. there had been a special kind of magic in the air, in those places.]

I think I understand the appeal. Either way, it isn't something I get the chance to do much anymore... or it wasn't, until I met Nazuna and she started explaining it to me the same way you are. It's tempting, isn't it? And if you have someone there with you... that makes it so much better, doesn't it? [another smile.] I can see why you and she would want to do this together.

[nightcalled]

Mmm. We're friends. There's no one else I want to do this whole thing with.

[ Kou sighs softly. ]

So in a way I guess she and I are already kind of used to a place like this. Even if it's different in a lot of ways, too.

[fibrillate]

Yeah. I'm surprised with how much Hell has in common with where I'm from, but maybe that's not exactly the most shining endorsement of where I'm from.

I'm sorry if I started things on the wrong foot, Kou. You seem like you have a lot of things under control. It's just that... well, when Nazuna told me she had taken up a middle schooler, I got a little concerned with what exactly she was up to.

[nightcalled]

I asked her to make me a vampire, you know. Wasn't like she talked me into it or anything. It was something I chose to do - she was probably going to ditch me until I pulled that out.

[ He grimaces a little. ]

You don't need to worry about me.

[fibrillate]

Oh, I fully believed that it was something you chose. Nazuna is... she's got a forceful personality, sure, but she's very good at backing off if someone is uncomfortable.

It may take her a second to realize when she's done something that's a little beyond someone's boundaries, but she does at least always walk it back. In my experience. [are they tugging at their collar? no, it's fine.]

[nightcalled]

In your experience? I guess so, but we've only been here a few days, right?

[ HMMMM. ]

Did something happen with her?

[fibrillate]

We... all right, well. We met in an unexpected place. [they start that way because they don't want to explain the actual circumstances of their introduction to nazuna to a fourteen-year-old.] And she took the place we were meeting as an indication that I... made a habit of the things that usually happened in that place.

It was a wild misconception and she and I came very close to not being friends after all, is the only thing I'm trying to say.

[nightcalled]

...I guess that makes sense.

[ There's still a bit of a side-eye there. ]

My first meeting with her was pretty unexpected, too. Glad I stuck around to find out more about her, though. She can definitely be a little rough around the edges...

[fibrillate]

She is...

Well, I didn't really put it together until now, but she reminds me of my roommate, back in the organization I taught with. Our conversations would go from talking about candy and video games to wondering what we would do to dismantle capitalism in the same sentence. [they put a hand behind their neck and laugh just a little nervously.] It's really much closer than I thought it would be. But I guess that keeps things interesting for you.

[nightcalled]

Yeah, honestly... that's about how it goes with her. But... I wouldn't want to see her gone from my life, you know? She's a good friend and we've gotten a lot closer over the last few months. It's hard to imagine my life without her.

[fibrillate]

Then I'm glad you were able to come here with her. And if it isn't particularly strange or anything, I hope to call you a friend of mine as well along with her. I'd be glad to help get you used to some of the... self-direction that being part of this alliance needs.

[nightcalled]

I'm pretty good at setting my own direction by now, but... sure. If you have advice, I'm happy to listen!

[fibrillate]

Haha, well, it would all be generic advice until we start getting actual orders. But while we have the downtime, I think it would be best to try to meet as many new people as you can, within the Alliance and outside of it, too.

We thrive on information in this faction, and it's always better to have more of it than less. I'm not saying keep tabs on everybody at all times, but... it's good to have wide social networks, I suppose.

[nightcalled]

I can definitely make more friends. Feels a little weird; I was kind of a loner as a kid.

[fibrillate]

[was? as a kid? they keep those thoughts to themself.]

Oh, so was I, actually. It took being thrust into a situation like this one to really help me come out of my shell, and now here I am, introducing myself to my entire alliance.

[nightcalled]

Yeah! And here I am, uh, joining the alliance.

[fibrillate]

I guess there's probably more typical ways to make friends than being forcibly assigned them... but at least you're willing to make the most of it. I think you'll do well here.

[nightcalled]

Thanks, I guess.

[ He shrugs. ]

I figure that's what I signed up for, you know?