[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

[roombamastermind]

...Very well. I suppose we can meet in the middle.

[There's only so much she can say, anyway.]

[beariot]

[ She at least recognizes that Croix is trying... lord knows they both need to Just Try. ]

Though, I've been meaning to ask... Do you intend to find work? I can help, with that, if you want...

[roombamastermind]

Hm. Normally, I spend time on my own projects and let them speak for themselves when I want to find work...but I am at a disadvantage here, I suppose. I'd appreciate it, thank you.

[beariot]

A disadvantage? You don't have to mince words, Croix, I know the newbie stipend is basically starvation wage.

[roombamastermind]

Well, that and I have no idea what resources this world even has available. But yes, that's a problem too.

[beariot]

Well, I can at least help with the frugal living, part. I've become something of a coupon'ing expert.

As for getting some resources, I'm told the Kappa tribe, the folks that run most of the city utilities, usually have access to a lot of tech.

[roombamastermind]

So long as I can still get my hands on ramen. I'd appreciate that, though.

And I see. Can the Kappa be bartered with, then?

[beariot]

Please try to eat something besides convenience store ramen...

As for the Kappa, I'm pretty sure they can be. You may even find them willing to work with someone who knows their way around machines, like you do.

[roombamastermind]

Hey now. It's not always from a convenience store!

But I see. That's good to know! I'll reach out to them as soon as I can. Thank you, Ursula.

[beariot]

Of course. I'm always here to help...

[ It was the clearest road to healing that they had, for now... ]

[roombamastermind]

You know you can ask me for the same, yes?

[beariot]

[ ... In an ideal situation, she did know that. But the actual asking of it... if she really needed it, could she actually do that? Feel like she could reach for Croix again? That... she had less certainty about. But she could at least still answer with. ]

I know.

[ Knowing she could do so, and being able to do so, were two different things. Croix didn't need to be burdened with her hangups over it. Not right now. ]

[roombamastermind]

[If nothing else, Croix seems to get the sense that she's being a bit too forward about this sort of thing. So she'll leave it there, for now, lest she appear to be trying too hard.]