First Silver Spoon - Joint Post, Video/Action for New Bark

[shslasshat]

[The boy who appears on the other end of the feed is sitting outside, in New Bark Town, if the gently waving trees and the windmill in the background are anything to go by. He appears deep in thought. In contrast to this, a sharply-grinning face appears over his left shoulder, all teeth and claws and hard, cold, gemstone eyes. Since Sableye aren't native to New Bark Town, that must clearly be his starter.]

Out of one game and into another, then.

[Piercing green eyes meet the camera from behind white-framed glasses.]

I presume I'm far from the first person to come here. ...Perhaps, even, not the first from my world – since this obviously is not the world I come from. I may have catching up to do, but mark my words: Byakuya Togami does not lose. Anyone who stands in my way will fall. So remember my face, and don't waste your t—

[But then, abruptly, the feed goes wild and veers away from his face; hopefully nobody watching gets motion sickness, because if so, they might want to avert their eyes. But given the angle and direction of the camera shift, combined with the brief flash of the boy's astonished expression before it disappears completely from view, it seems that someone has just snatched the Gear right out of his hand.

Which would be an entirely accurate conclusion to draw, really. Suffice to say, the camera is now displaying a rather attractive shot of the tip of someone's boot and a fair expanse of slightly matted grass.]

Don't be so quick to sacrifice your anonymity with needless posturing. There's nothing to be gained from ceding that advantage — particularly not in a place where that name almost certainly means nothing to anyone.

[...Does somebody want to get this man some ice for that burn.]

[The aforementioned boy huffs in the background, his hand appearing on the camera as he tries to take it back like a nerd who's become the victim of a cruel game of keep-away.]

Have you even read the training manual? A place that asserts the goal of becoming "the very best, like no one ever was" is not a bastion of subtlety.

[Then, almost sulkier,]

When did you even get here?

[JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS SAFE.

Eventually, though, his superior height and reach everything manage to get control of the Gear back, and amid the shuffle, the second voice speaks again.]

About twenty minutes ago. [A beat.] I've been looking around. Haven't you?

[Even when his gear is back in his own possession, he doesn't bother aiming it at his face. However, he will flash Johto a shot of the lovely, lavender-haired girl who so rudely interrupted his arrogant pontificating.]

I've been reading the materials provided about this place and the creatures who inhabit it. [A smug, punchable beat.] Haven't you?

I wanted to see what my own investigations turned up first. But it'd be useful to see how much of my evidence is corroborated by yours; turn that off and let's compare our findings instead.

[For the first time since the girl appeared, Togami actually pays attention to the gear, and he scowls at it before flicking the camera off as requested.]

Comments

video

[readapts]

[Most of this video is actually taken up by what looks like hair at first--that would be a mane. A luxray mane. But Chihiro manages to fish his 'gear out from where he dropped it in shock right onto the pokémon that is probably far too big to just be sprawled over his lap, snoozing away.

Anyway, he's staring, eyes wide.]

Kirigiri-san... and Togami-kun too...?

You're actually here... Are you both okay? [Waaah he's pleased to see them! Er. Mostly pleased! It's good to see his classmates safe and sound, regardless of how actually close they are.]

video

[freshprints]

[Gosh, Fujisaki, the last time she saw you, you were crucified in a locker room courtesy of this asshole sitting next to her and oh, right, one more item to add to the "reasons to punch Byakuya Togami in the throat someday" list.

It's not a short list.

Still. That same unnerving feeling is lingering, the one that was clinging when she was speaking with Mondo — that sense that this just plain isn't right, because when people are dead they are supposed to be dead and even when it's horrible there's at least finality and closure and something reliable and consistent in that. The thought that death suddenly isn't all of those things is...

Well, it's...

...let's just talk to Fujisaki, then.]

You're looking well, Fujisaki-san. This place has done you good, it seems.

[In short: hello, dead person whose secret I suppose we're keeping, why yes I have spoken with Asahina about that, also did you know you're dead.]

video

[readapts]

[He watches her thoughtfully, as though he's trying to figure out something about this, something about her returned greeting. Can he guess that she knows about what happened to him? He smiles slightly, tugging at the ends of his hair and glancing away.]

Yes, that's... This place is pretty amazing. It's capable of all sorts of things that'd normally be impossible...

[That is: I know I died and am now alive but I think that I've come to terms with it, you probably know already what happened right, it's really quite nice to see you anyway.]

video

[freshprints]

[Good for Fujisaki, being quick on the uptake. She's not really inclined to just start talking as it is, much less over a connection that could very well be monitored (though by who as yet remains to be seen), but it's reassuring to have an exchange of information going, anyway.

Facts are much easier to contend with than the alternative, which is that she's speaking with a dead person who is well aware they are dead and yet somehow are alive here anyway.]

Asahina-san mentioned something about that. Also that some of our friends are here — Naegi-kun, Ishimaru-kun. Oowada-kun.

[Thus: Why, yes, I know what happened, and how exactly are you feeling about your murderer being here too.

...Oh, and the asshole who desecrated your body just showed up and whoops there goes that throat-punching thing all over again.]

video

[readapts]

[Chihiro nods at that, no immediate flicker of distress or unpleasant emotion showing on his face when Mondo is mentioned. Nope, he's still got a smile, even.

He's had the chance to have a chat, it's all aces, Kirigiri. As aces as it can be.]

That's right... We're all in Violet right now. Asahina-san was the most recent to arrive, and Oowada-kun, Naegi-kun and Ishimaru-kun had already been here for a bit when I came, I think...

video

[freshprints]

So ten days away from our current location, by foot.

[MAYBE TOGAMI WILL DIE IN THE WILDERNESS BY THEN except no, that's really mean given the whole murderschool thing, so maybe he will just get an unpleasant rash or something. Yeah. Unpleasant rashes everywhere.

But when she smiles here, just a fleeting hint of one, it's not because she's thinking about Togami with an unsightly rash; it's something a little more serious, and meant for Chihiro in particular.]

I'm glad to see you, Fujisaki-san. It gives me the chance to thank you properly for the gift you left us. It was...thoughtful.

[...Okay, that one really doesn't need a translation as an aside, does it.]

video

[readapts]

Mmhm. Unless you have a pokémon to ride or fly with...

[But he doesn't think so. They are just in New Bark, after all. The luxray over his legs gives a yawn, stretching herself before settling again. He's occupied smiling wider, though, flushing a little with happiness.]

Y-you're welcome! I'm just happy that it was able to be of use at all...

video

[freshprints]

How would we get our hands on one tamed and capable of carrying passengers that way?

[She flicks a glance offscreen a minute, and when she returns, she's got a Nincada chilling along the length of her forearm, munching on a blade of grass. She also seems not to notice that THAT IS A GIANT BUG and she apparently has absolutely no problem with the thing just kind of hanging out on her that way.]

This is the one I was given. Togami-kun's isn't much larger.

[That Luxray, on the other hand...hmmm. There's something vaguely appropriate about Fujisaki with a big ol' lion, to be sure, but. How precisely are they going to get and tame something like that when their available options are a little gem-eyed gremlin and an albino ninjabug.]

video

[readapts]

[Uwah. What a cute bug oh noooo. Chihiro's distracted for a moment kinda smiling at it...and then he pays attention. Complete attention!]

Eheh... I guess it'd be impossible for it to carry you, mm.

I know a few of mine have gotten a lot bigger since they've evolved... If you wanted, I think I could send my zebstrika to you... He's... He's pretty much like an electric zebra.

[Electric types!! And with Naegi's sawsbuck you guys would be set for a mount apiece.]

video

[freshprints]

An electric zebra?

[...Fujisaki-kun with electric types, why is she entirely unsurprised.]

Speak to Naegi-kun, then. He's sending us a care package by air, he said.

video

[readapts]

Ah, that's a good idea!

[As expected of Naegi-kun!! is what his expression says.]

It is a little hard starting off... Luckily I had company, and then everyone came to meet me... At least it's you and Togami-kun?

[Chihiro does in fact understand what Togami is like. However. Chihiro is also the type of guy who can't...think badly about someone for the life of him. So.]

video

[freshprints]

We'll be able to handle it.

[Hey, if it's got to be somebody handling Togami Vs. Wild, it's probably best that it's her. She's equal parts indifferent tolerance and having absolutely no time for any of his shit.]

If you're sure the loan isn't an inconvenience?

video

[readapts]

[If anyone can handle Togami, that would be Kirigiri... She's calm and cool and collected, after all. So cool, uwaaah.]

I'm sure...! Just look after him. Though, Aldis is well-behaved, so he shouldn't give you any trouble...

[shslasshat]

[Finding out that Fujisaki was here and actually getting an incoming message from Fujisaki were two completely different beasts, it seemed, for however much he tried to retain his composure, his back stiffened and his green eyes widened and a surprised intake of breath hissed through his teeth nonetheless.]

Fujisaki?

[He swallows and closes his eyes to recover his composure - but looking at Fujisaki's face on the screen of the 'Gear is also eerily similar to talking to Alter Ego, because this situation needed another complicating layer.]

We're as well as can be expected for having just been brought here against our wills.

[He's been paying attention to Fujisaki and Kirigiri's coded conversation, taking place about a foot and a half to his side, and he feels like he should do something similar, but there's this roadblock of "You didn't find out about the corpse-manhandling, did you?" that stonewalls any attempt at inserting a different meaning into anything he can come up with to say.

So instead he plays to Fujisaki's talent and field of knowledge. Flattery? Playing nice???]

What should we expect from the technology level of this place? Are these handhelds hackable? How protected can these video transmissions be?

[readapts]

[Oh... That reaction has him stilling, uncertain. Um. His immediate thought is something along the lines of ah, I shocked him? rather than what Asahina told him about Togami having messed with the crime scene of his death to try to frame someone else... Not that he knows everything about that hhhhaha.

But really, why wouldn't it be a shock, seeing your dead classmates coming back to life.]

Eh? Technology? [Hello, Fujisaki's chatty switch has been switched on.]

Well, the technology isn't too far off what we're used to. It might be a little more advanced, actually. The PC system is able to store pokémon in it, after all, and they've managed to do something like program a "virtual pokémon"... [Chihiro pauses. Oops. He was blabbering on and getting off topic so he fidgets.]

If someone's skilled enough, they'd probably be able to hack them. Making a conversation private is possible, of course...though I think it's better to talk about especially private things face-to-face if it's possible. Just in case... I'm not sure how many skilled hackers there are in this place. I've modified and reprogrammed my own to make it better but, um, if you need me to set up a stronger filter for your transmissions, I can...

[shslasshat]

[Yes, Fujisaki. Yes you did. But it's fine, he's recovered now, it's cool.

Still a little awkward, but he can get past that. He doesn't regret what he did - Fujisaki wasn't using his body anymore, and it's not like he maimed it further or obfuscated the cause of death. However much less awful it would've been to not touch the corpse at all, he could've been more awful.

He listens attentively and thoughtfully to the technology report - fangirling (er, boying) aside, it was rather informative.]

I see.

Are you in Violet City with the others? It may be a good precaution to arm ourselves with - if anyone is up to the task of reinforcing our devices, it would be you.

[AWKWARD COMPLIMENT??? Also statement of the obvious.]

Have you modified anyone else's?

[readapts]

[Quiet as he lets Togami soak in all his tech chatter... But then Fujisaki nods once more.]

Yeah, that's where I am. [Also WHOA stop the presses was that a

compliment???] T-thank you...

But not yet... I've only finished this recently.

[It's admittedly rather difficult to concentrate wholeheartedly on programming and tech when you have lots of little (not so little anymore) critters depending on you. Also wanting your attention. Constantly.]

[shslasshat]

[Well it would just be rude to outright demand request Fujisaki to modify his gear, and for some reason that level of rude sits wrong with Togami for the first time in his life.

It doesn't help that Kirigiri would probably stank-eye him so hard it would bore a hole in his head.]

I see.

Out of curiosity, how long have you been here?

[readapts]

[It's okay, Chihiro would offer to do it anyway... Because he's nice like that. Taking a minute to think about just how long he's been here, he hums.]

It's been about...two months for me now.

[shslasshat]

[That's the worst part, Togami knows that.]

Two months?

[Funnily enough, that's almost the right amount of time since, you know. He died.]

And I assume you received some sort of creature when you arrived, as well?

[readapts]

Oh, yes... He's in my gear right now but, um...

[Chihiro pulls said 'gear back from himself slightly and there's a second's delay-- and a porygon appears next to him. Presumably from the tech itself.]

It's this. A porygon. He's able to help me with my programming...

[And then he's amassed quite a few other creatures oops how did that happen.]

[shslasshat]

[Togami catches on quickly to where the creature supposedly came from.]

So that's what you meant when you said 'Virtual Pokemon,' earlier.

[He adjusts the screen to show the purple, gem-eyed creature who's been trying to peer over his shoulder.]

This was the one I received. A 'Sableye', I think.

[readapts]

Y-yes, that's right. They can freely travel in and out of computers and tech...

[He wants to see their programming... One day he'll get his hands on it. Without having to bother a porygon to show him.]

Oh, it looks like...a ghost type?

[It has gems for eyes... Somehow it fits.]

[shslasshat]

Interesting. Can you communicate with it while it's merged?

[That is to say, does it go full Alter Ego and respond to things you type to it?]

Ghost and Dark. It's proven itself very eager to please.

[A little like Fukawa.]

[readapts]

Yes! He's able to communicate with me. Or anyone, really... He doesn't understand some human concepts yet, but that's probably natural.

[They're working on it. But oh. Poor Fukawa-san.]

T-that's good, isn't it? That it likes you...