text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

WHO: Mikleo and you!
WHERE: The network
WHEN: After the Zodiac mid-month post
WHAT: POKEGO's beleaguered first representative has arrived.
WARNINGS: I'm expecting language and violent threats at a minimum.

[text;]

Greetings.

This is Assistant Wisteria, though you can call me Mikleo if you want.

I'm a researcher with POKEGO. I've been studying religious sites and their relationship with gods for ten years, more or less, which makes me something of a paranormal archaeologist. Most of my work involves preserving and detailing ancient ruins, especially those that might serve as a focal point for Spirit Gates.

I'm not expecting a warm welcome for anyone affiliated with POKEGO for what I feel are obvious reasons. If it makes you feel better, the organization has been gutted with the downfall of Willow and his faction, and the remnants are more scientists than fighters with a shoestring budget and limp leadership. Unlike certain other people on this app I won't pretend that I was sent here as a... beacon of goodwill, because I wasn't. They put me here because I was being "difficult" by refusing to take another partner.

As if that's so easy...

[The disdain is almost palpable despite being text.]

... I know you don't trust me. I don't trust anyone either after everything that's happened. We still need to find a way to get along if this is gonna work. (Though I'm not sure if all of you can even perceive me, which would make that complicated.)

[Hm.]

Let's start with this: I'll answer any questions you have honestly and to the best of my knowledge.

Go.

Comments

text | un: blackbirdtarot

[drewthetower]

at least you're honest

perceive?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

I don't see the point in lying. It's hard enough for me to get my point across as it is.

I'm a seraph, which in my past life was something like a nature spirit. Seraphim can't be seen or heard by normal humans— they have to have some kind of magical resonance.

[drewthetower]

holy?

un: velvet | text

[gotbadblood]

Can I just eat him and save us all some time?

text | un: kissmyash

[switchaxe]

easy Nibbles

[gotbadblood]

nibbles?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

Excuse me?!

[THE MISSION REPORT DID NOT MENTION A CANNIBAL]

[gotbadblood]

What? Us "beacons of goodwill" need to sustain our energy somehow.

text; un Libra

[monklookslikealady]

Religious sites and relationships with gods, you say?

How, exactly?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

Temples and other places of worship tend to accumulate some kind of energy. Or at least, that's my hypothesis...

There are countless stories through the ages of people glimpsing or even crossing over into the realms of gods near such places.

[monklookslikealady]

I see.

Besides the stories, have you seen anything yourself? Or had your own crossing over?

un: violetsmoke; text

[infezione]

I can't say I like this any, but as far as getting along (or close enough to it) goes, the phrase "don't start none, won't be none" comes to mind.

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

Sounds good to me. I don't see any reason in interfering with your work. I think our goals might even overlap in some cases, since I'm trying to preserve sacred religious sites all over the world.

Most people see an old temple and think it's a great way to make a quick buck. I've heard you guys are different.

un: silverrose

[fionnuisce]

Oh my god, are we the last-ditch assignment before Florida?

Actually, never mind. That doesn't surprise me like it should.

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

If they'd told me to go to Florida, I would have just quit.

Un: Shroud

[whiteshroud]

Why the interest in the gods?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

[That's a good question.]

I visited the Hokkaidō shrine a lot when I was growing up. It was less about the gods themselves and more about the history, if that makes sense.

But...

When my powers awakened, I became a seraph. We're pure spirits born of nature, for lack of a better phrase. For example... a mighty mountain might have an earth seraph dwelling there, who's had offerings left to him through the ages.

Text | UN: jalbarea

[noblerise]

[This seems really goddamn familiar. Jusis already has some respect for this guy's attempt, and for simply being brutally honest.]

I'm Jusis Albarea, part of the Black Order. I have two questions to start with for you.

How much cooperation are you willing to give to Kaisou's current situation? As in, are you an active participant or are you simply here to observe?

Are POKEGO's recruitment efforts business as usual or are they looking to other avenues to refill their ranks?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

[Sometimes honesty is the best policy.]

Nice to meet you, Jusis.

[He gives off an air of gentle authority. Mikleo doesn't dislike it.]

I'm not the kind of person who stands by and does nothing while people get hurt, but I'm not going to take an active role in the power struggle going on here either. As an outsider, I'm aware that people will have their eyes on me to make sure I'm not manipulating everything behind the scenes like Willow was. Between that and the waivers they had me sign at Zodiac headquarters, it's a miracle they're allowing me to help at all.

I was recruited when I was sixteen so I can't really speak to their practices as of late. As far as I know, they're sticking to their usual methods... which is probably why I haven't seen any new people in a long time. After all, who wants to join an organization with zero funding and zero support? The Black Order could offer nothing and look like the better option.

Text | UN: will_solace

[arrowtotheheal]

[Hope Mikleo's ready for a ray of sunshine.]

Nice to meet you Mikleo! I have some questions for myself

1. I know Willow was sent to Florida but how has he been health-wise since?

2. What do you need a partner for? Is it normal for POKEGO to assign research partners?

3. How much information are you allowed to share with us about Spirit Gates?

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

[He's not, but he has no choice in the matter, apparently.]

I'll do my best to answer them.

1. Putting aside that everything I hear about my former teacher is against my will, I know that he's alive. I don't know details.

2. You're right, it isn't. I have to be assigned a partner due to my specific situation. As a nature spirit, I'm imperceptible to most people unless they have some connection to the Spirit Realm. I was assigned a partner so that I could still carry out my duties and live alongside the others as a POKEGO member, with them serving as a translator of sorts. [If people lived with their translators.]

3. I wasn't aware that I was supposed to keep quiet about anything related to the Spirit Gates. [But if he has, you can bet he's ignoring those directives.] Is there something specific about them that you're looking to have answered?

text: un: trienemybest

[droptheious]

[Had this post come even a month earlier, Varian would have been on this like a rabid animal. But since he's been working in Zodiac, he's realised that the people working for the corporation re just that...people. Not faceless monsters. It's a lot harder to be judged and angry at people once you realise they have lives they're trying to lead and aren't just cackling in a dark corner somewhere.

He's not welcoming Mikleo with open arms, he's still...cautious. But he's a lot less angry than he would have been otherwise. ]

That helps a little, I guess. Have your people been working to fix the mess Willow left behind? A lot of us got trapped in this world because of what happened. I can understand making mistakes, but it's important to make them RIGHT again, too.

text; un: wisteria

[reenforces]

[He can handle small children and rabid animals. It's fine.]

The ones that are left have been working as hard as they can, but without much funding or outside support I can't say they've made a lot of progress. As for me, it's important to have someone keeping an eye on the Spirit Gates that we know of just in case something tries to come through or someone tries to meddle. Normally Willow would have been in charge of this department, but... it kind of falls to me right now. I don't know who they have covering me while I'm assigned here.

[Oh well, not his problem.]

... I'm sorry that Willow started all of this. What he did was heinous. By the same token, I'm not sure that we can put things back exactly as they were.

You've been taken from a time before your world ended; that doesn't mean we can prevent your world from ending.

There's a difference.

[aspectsofblood]

...I'll be honest, that whole thing leaves me with enough questions to not know where to start.

[but he's open and curious, so.]

Why're they so mad about not having a partner, anyway?

voice;

[reenforces]

[Congratulations, you've unlocked Spooky Voice Recording (it's not spooky at all). He sounds a little young with a sharp edge to his voice.]

Sorry, [he murmurs, and there's a sheepish note to it.]

It's because I need one for my own safety. Life is slightly more complicated when you're invisible to most people.