kaisou | video; un: riftdancer

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: Network
WHEN: January 7th, a few hours after the Libra intro post
WHAT: Amal has been tasked with explaining. Narrative magic usually assigned to silent protagonists need not apply.
WARNINGS: None so far, let me know if I should add some.

[He wrestles with how to approach this for some time, but finally in the evening, he comes to a conclusion: simple is best. Honesty is best delivered face to face, so fuck it-- he sets up the video option, tests it out, and somehow manages to get himself in the frame. Centered? Not so much. Slightly tilted, the camera is full of both his face and mostly bare chest against someone's clean, nice living room, and could use some better lighting.

He looks very out of place, all things considered: wearing barely what you'd call a vest, tattoos all over his skin, and fiery hair and eyes & big elf ears for those who are able to notice such things. His light accent is vaguely reminiscent of India, but not quite.]

Hey there. My name's Amal. Since the cat's out of the bag in a big way, certain people in this city have decided it's time to be honest, and for some reason they chose me. I can't say I'm the best candidate to explain what's going on. All I have to offer you—that is, the people who have been living in peaceful ignorance all this time—is my own personal experiences with it.

[He spreads his arms.] With what, you might ask? Well...

My story begins about half a year ago. I was minding my own business, preparing for what I thought would be a relatively normal journey across the ocean. Making sure I had all my weapons, the supplies I needed, a few changes of clothes... But I never made it there. Before we could even get the passports settled, I woke up in a maze with my things scattered everywhere.

I grabbed what I could and found my way out, since it's not my first time in a weird haunted maze, and ended up face down in the middle of a park. Here. In Kaisou. And I'm not the only one. Someone I know has been here a year, so it's at least been going on for that long.

We're not from this world—none of us transplants are. We're adventurers and... other kinds of people, with magic and without. All stripes. Zodiac approached us and warned us to be quiet when it came to people who weren't aware of the [air quotes] weird stuff going on, and they even offered us a job and a place to stay. Some of us work for them full time, some of us only help them out occasionally, but everyone who's stuck here is pretty familiar with Zodiac... as familiar as you can hope to get with a shadowy organization anyway.

[He rubs at the back of his neck.]

We never really wanted to deceive anyone. It's just that, ah, talking about where we're really from makes us sound totally crazy to you. And I don't blame you—it's hard to wrap your head around new knowledge when it contradicts everything you've ever known. I've been there many times myself.

Some of you might ask for proof, and I don't have a good answer for that. I feel like my ears are proof enough of what I am, but it seems like most people don't mention them for some reason. I can show you my weapons, but they're not super special or anything... And I'm not able to throw fireballs or summon things, since I'm not that kind of fighter.

All I've got is my word. Take it or leave it; it doesn't change what we've endured to get here.

The strange sensation that this might be bigger than you care to understand, the dread of the unknown—all that is natural and to be expected. But if you want my opinion?

Keep an eye on Zodiac. Things are bound to get even weirder from now on.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

RECORDS
CENSUS
THEY CAN VIEW PPLS INFOMATION AND CHANGE IT

oh. i guess that is kind of concerning if you're a recordkeeper or something.

OR A PERSON WHOSE INFORMATION IS ON THE RECORD

sorry i'm still having trouble wrapping my head around people actually knowing things about you and you being ok with that

where i'm from you can just... disappear. take a new name and move across the sea and no one would know the wiser

ITS REQUIRED BY LAW
WE'RE PUT ON WHEN WE'RE BORN AND REMOVED UPON DEATH

ohhhhh okay now i see the issue. it probably affects the way things are governed, right? population and... stuff. plus, the friends and family of a person in the record would be really concerned if they couldn't check if something had happened to their loved ones

i didn't really get how a bunch of new people being added was a problem, but it's the whole modification thing that's the problem. it puts into doubt the legitimacy of the whole thing

MOST PPL DO NOT LIKE OTHERS SEEING THEIR PRIVATE INFOMATION
IF THEY CAN CHANGE IT
THEY CAN SEE

yeah

that would be a problem too

of course, if you look like me you don't get to have secrets, haha

U MAY HAVE MORE THAN MOST
IF WHAT U SAID IS TRUE
U MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST MYSTERIOUS HERE

i promise you my most compelling secret is how the hell i'm still alive

and even i don't know that one

I SUPPOSE
IF YOUR LIFE IS SO DANGEROUS

adventurers are not known for dying in their sleep

U MAKE IT SOUND LIKE YOURE A FICTIONAL CHARACTER

i assure you it's a very real occupation where i'm from

WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT ENTAIL

slaying monsters, fetching things, delivering things, babysitting, uh... honestly pretty much anything you can think of that you can't do by yourself, an adventurer could do for you

THATS A VERY OPEN OCCUPATION

[Kinda neat.]

it is! it's always something different. i can go anywhere and do whatever i want, most of the time. each day is something new and i meet all sorts of interesting people, too

i'm still meeting interesting people here, but the jobs are a lot more boring haha.

HOW ARE THEY BORING
IS IT MENIAL CHORES

yup. i mean, i get it. i'm not very tall but i'm pretty strong, and i need money. it's a no brainer

but

i'd rather be... outside, doing things that better humanity or something... not moving furniture

WHAT DOES UR HEIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH IT

well if you're as wide as you are tall people usually think you're perfect for lifting things

i'm more... fast

I C

[Translation: he too is a scrawny fuck.]

SO THEY HAVE MOVING THINGS 2 HEAVY FOR UR SIZE?

oh, it's not too heavy for me, but it's just boring and tiring, like all labor is

life is so much better when you can roam where you want.

R U AT LEAST BEING PAID 4 UR WORK

(no subject)

thavnairian - 2022-01-29 23:02 (UTC) - Expand

killjoyprince - 2022-01-30 23:41 (UTC) - Expand