video | un: wolfknight

[awalkinthedark]

WHO: Artorias and y'all
WHERE: network
WHEN: early March
WHAT: a wild giant knight appears!
WARNINGS: possible discussion of death in relation to the Death Soccer incident, but Arty isn't planning on bringing it up directly


[There are already a lot of oddballs on the app, so someone showing up dressed in full armor is probably not especially notable beyond the cloak having the Black Order's logo incorporated into some of the decorative embroidery. What's maybe slightly more notable to anyone paying attention to that sort of thing is that the perspective on the camera makes the trees in the background seem... pictured at the wrong angle and almost a little too small compared to the perfectly normal distance the man looks to be from the camera.

He gives a friendly wave.]

Hello! It's nice to meet everyone. ...Or, nice to see some of you again. I don't really know how many of you were here back in May last year, or how much anyone remembers of that.

Anyhow! My name is Artorias. I'm part of the Black Order, and was just assigned here on a bit more of a permanent basis than last time, so it'll be nice to get to know everyone.

[He pauses, looking a bit down and to the side like he's thinking, then shakes his head and looks back to the camera.]

I think that covers everything for now, actually. Hope everyone has a nice day!

Comments

voice | un: kissmyash

[switchaxe]

Okay...why?!

[awalkinthedark]

[...That is an extremely broad question, so he's gonna just... guess at the meaning.]

Because most people deserve to have a nice day, unless they're very bad people?

[switchaxe]

No, why the hell would they send you here?!

[awalkinthedark]

Oh, well, I got a little cursed recently, so I'm not really as useful for missions that are considered urgent until that wears off. And I think to spite Zodiac a little?

[A pause, and then he straightens from his slouch as he remembers something.]

Oh, come to think of it, my transport did mention that the national park makes me a lot easier to hide since I can't be sent to Florida.

un: violetsmoke; video

[infezione]

[... Huh! Well.]

Nice to meet you properly, Mr. Artorias. [Somehow, this guy's not nearly as intimidating as Fugo would've thought...] I look forward to working with you.

[awalkinthedark]

[It's impossible to see since the cowl and helm obscure his face, but his voice indicates a smile.]

I look forward to working with you too. And don't worry about calling me "Mr." unless you really want to. Just Artorias is fine.

[infezione]

Oh, uh, okay!

[He just kind of defaults to that sort of politeness...]

I have to say, I'm surprised you got sent back here...

[awalkinthedark]

[To be fair, Artorias used to do that too (and admittedly still falls into the polite, somewhat archaic speech of his previous life when he's actively working), so he's mostly just allowing politeness to be an option instead of perceived requirement.]

Well, since Florida wasn't really an option for various reasons and having me on standby at headquarters for a potentially long time wasn't either for entirely different reasons, this was apparently the best option. I'm certainly not complaining.

Video, un: clovertales

[keyofelde]

It's you!

[The tall knight from soccer! The one from the Black Order! Does he remember one of his younger soccer team members?]

[Despite the bad memories that comes with thinking back to those times, Souta is happy to see him.]

I'm glad you get to visit again.

[awalkinthedark]

[The recognition in his posture is immediate.]

Oh! You're... Souta, correct? It's good to see you again. Hopefully we can have another football-- Wait, no, that's a different sport in this country... Another soccer game again, but this time just for fun.

[keyofelde]

Yes! It's Souta Suzukaze.

[As it happens, he's only been in countries that call it soccer.]

I think I could play soccer again, as just a game. But it wouldn't have to be soccer if you'd like to spend time some other way.

[Souta just wants to get to know the Black Order folks a bit better, especially Artorias. He seems like a cool fellow.]

un: noxxed, voice

[sassery]

Oh no way.

[Does that tone sound a bit familiar, Artorias? Nox is actually goddamn thrilled to see a friendly face.]

Been a long time. I dunno if you remember me, but we met in the death realm and worked together to find people. Name's Nox. [A beat, and he huffs, amused.] Good to know you're around more often in the city, even if things are gonna go to shit on and off.

[awalkinthedark]

[That tone absolutely does sound familiar! It's attached to a person who he got along with pretty well last time, after all.]

Of course I remember you. You were so helpful even though it was such a stressful situation for everyone, and I really appreciated that. Good to see you've been doing well in spite of... well, everything. [He chuckles a little.] I'd offer to buy you a coffee as a thank you, but I'm afraid that's going to have to wait until I can become a size where ceilings are less of a problem again.

UN: Velvet | Voice

[gotbadblood]

[No way, what the fuck?]

Art? [She isn't saying his full name. Never in a million years]

I thought the Order liked you. What'd you do to get yourself sent here?

[awalkinthedark]

Hello Velvet. Nice to see you again.

[It's real easy to tell that he's smiling warmly from his tone.]

I'm a little cursed at the moment, so they needed someplace less high risk to put me at the moment, and they didn't directly say it, but I think it's partially to spite Zodiac.

[gotbadblood]

In other words, your value went down and so you got thrown in with the rest of our sorry lot.

[What she knows damn well none of them are considered the Order's top dogs ok]

Video | UN: jalbarea

[noblerise]

[...Well. This is a surprise.]

Artorias. I would've thought you'd still be with the Vanguard. That said, I'm glad to see you're doing well.

[How much of this reassignment has been fueled by spite, he wonders.]

Welcome back to Kaisou.

[awalkinthedark]

[Artorias might not be near as sharp as his sword, but he's at least canny enough to know that his reassignment is probably about half fueled by spite.]

Ah, Jusis. Still hale and hearty as well, I see. Good to see you too. And glad to be back, even if I had to get a little cursed for it to happen.

[He chuckles like it's nothing to really worry about.]

[noblerise]

[Jusis can't help smirking in slight amusement.]

Despite my team and Kaisou's best efforts, I'm fit as a fiddle.

[At least it'll be hard to tell if he goes grey earlier. Anyway, this talk of Artorias being cursed does get a small frown.]

What curse have you been afflicted by?

voice; un: eunietheboss

[medicgunner]

[Oh fuck, the murder hobos are coming to town. But here is a voice Artorias may not recognize.]

They really pullin' all the stops sending you again or did you do something to get thrown back here?

[awalkinthedark]

[Oblivious to being considered a murder hobo by association, Artorias just smiles at the prospect of meeting someone new.]

Ah, hello. Are you also one of my new teammates? And I wouldn't really say it's either thing, really. This is just the most convenient place to put me while I'm stuck being too big to take a bus anywhere.

[medicgunner]

That right? Well, you came in just in time for the faeries to mess things about. Anyway, I'm Eunie. Been with the Order a couple years. Kaisou team needed a healer, so here I am.

video; un: riftdancer

[thavnairian]

[Is it just Amal or is this guy like, really tall? That or his camera's fucked up. Either way, he looks intimidating as hell.

Thankfully the attitude is anything but.]

I'd say nice to see you again, but I slept through all of that. I heard about what happened, though. If it never happens again it'll be too soon, if you know what I mean.

I keep telling people that your teammate's not kidding about the cannibalism and they don't believe me.

[awalkinthedark]

Oh, you mean Velvet? Yeah, no, she definitely eats people sometimes. Still the nicest cannibal I've ever worked with though. Which, you know, two nickels, but. Yeah.

Wow, now that I think about it, it really is weird that happened two lives in a row...

[He sits with that realization for a second before remembering he's in the middle of a conversation.]

Um, anyhow, I'm glad I get to meet you now. Back then was a really bad time for everyone.

[thavnairian]

I can't judge her, anyway—I've got a pact partner that eats bad guys in exchange for helping me fight them. Usually monsters and demons, but still.

[It is weird, but Amal doesn't poke him out of his reverie.]

Even Zodiac took action after that. They haven't done anything like it since. That's how bad it was.

Anyway, since I assume you're a real person underneath that armor and not three children stacked on top of one another, I'll let you know that as a whole we try to watch out for the younger ones. It's more than feeding them—though that helps. We don't want something like death soccer to happen ever again. If you see a kid in a bad situation in the Spirit Realm, grab them and run. I don't expect you to be able to interfere directly since you're Black Order, but if you ever need us to step up in your place so we can keep another power-hungry god from murdering kids... we'll do it.

[We might even kill that shitty god. Though he doesn't say that out loud.]

Think you can handle all of that? I like Jusis, so I'm extending you the same courtesy.