[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

[recluserose]

Er... Yes?

[Amelia supposes that speaking so flippantly about her powers would surprise someone, but Peter seems especially enthusiastic. She tries to parse his various expressions (he's so lively, very typical of a teen, but there seems to be a context she wouldn't be able to figure out).]

I have... Had? I do have it. Magic. I'm a witch.

[The redheaded witch gestures with her hand lamely.]

I've no access to it currently.

[maturedecisions]

[ a witch, huh? there's scarlet witch and doctor strange, and he knows all about witches from (checks movies) harry potter and the like. he's pretty interested in seeing what sort she is, considering there's all sorts of magic types out there... according to cinema. but he's honestly got his mind on way more important things, and he'd prefer to keep it that way so as to not get off topic when he's finally got something important within his grasp. he may be easily impressed, but he focuses when it counts.

he does, however, cock his head to the side a little and smile, speaking under his breath. ] Okay, that's awesome.

[ moving on, though. ] So that's... how it works here? You have to work to get it back?

[ unfair, but okay. he seems a little in his own head while he says that, looking downward and clearly thinking about more than just the conversation. ]

[recluserose]

That's the idea.

[Amelia leans back in her seat (she's at one of the fast food restaurants though it's quiet and not at a busy hour) crossing her arms.

Peter's a pleasant kid. Scatterbrained(?) perhaps, but pleasant and not bad to bounce thoughts off of.]

The yokai would have too much to deal with if everyone passed through Hell fully equipped. We wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. So we "die"— [Exaggerated finger quotation marks here] — and are beholden to them. We want anything back, we work for it. Simple, but an effective way of control.

[maturedecisions]

[ god, that's right. he hasn't had much time to mentally deal with the fact that this is 'hell' yet. it's kind of been a lot to take in, but so many others here have seemed kind enough, and this lady clearly doubts the validity of the whole hell and being dead thing. which puts his heart a little at ease, when the idea of being 'dead' suddenly makes his heart beat faster for a moment. biting his cheek to keep himself from going too far into that thought process (it's admittedly really scary), while he gazes downward suddenly to let his brain churn through it, before looking back at the camera.

keep yourself on track. ]

So, you're thinking a lot of our situation here is forced, to keep us in line? [ a short pause. ] Yeah, sounds pretty effective to me. But what if — what happens when enough of us can finally fight back?

[ he knows he was offered that whole... reward thing. it's been in the back of his mind every second. but he's not willing to be compliant for his own desires while others suffer for it. he's too good hearted for that. his personal needs are secondary. ]

[recluserose]

That's a good question.

But then you'd have to ask another pertinent one; there are many of us here some who have been here long enough to rise up through the ranks and others who have gained back their powers. Why haven't they tried yet? Or rather, who has tried and what happened to them?

[And that's not even getting to their contracts yet; whatever some Souls are being offered, it may or may not be enough to serve their assigned leader in the hopes of gaining that most covetous prize, exclusive to them.

(She doesn't dare hope that it's possible, but if, just what if—)]

[maturedecisions]

[ yeah... she makes good points there. ones he wouldn't be able to answer without talking to people. ]

It... probably has to do with that contract thingy, right? Oooor maybe they know something we don't? [ a small pause. ] You know, kinda like the government or those cults where you learn a lot of secret stuff when you gain a higher rank?

[ cocking his head to the side, furrowing his brows. ]

Or, I guess something happened to them, but... I'd rather not think about that.