001 | Video/Action for New Bark

[codeforhope]

[A video appears on the feed with the sound of a Pokemon crying out happily, slightly muffled and at a bit of a distance. ”Goon! Gooon!” The feed shudders a bit, the surroundings shifting until whoever is on the other side finally gets their PokéGear angled toward themselves. Coming into view is what appears to be a young girl, and from the way their voice sounds in addition there’s nothing that could lead anyone to believe otherwise. This is in fact not the case, and rather she is a he. Still, the outfit he’s currently wearing seems to be made specifically for girls...]

Hello. ..Um. ...

[The child on the other end hesitates, pausing before trying to start again.]

My name... is Chihiro Fujisaki. I’m…not sure where I am...or what is going on, exactly.

[There’s a pause as the feed shifts once again, Chihiro moving to carefully sit in the grass instead of standing. The second he does a Zigzagoon climbs into his lap, nudging his head fondly against the underside of the boy's chin. He's not entirely sure what to do, obviously slightly unsure of the furry creature in his lap, but he seems friendly at least. After a pause he gently pets the Pokémon who continues to sit happily in his lap. Chihiro has arrived slightly overwhelmed by...well, everything, so it’s a moment before he’s able to continue.]

Or...how I got here, but.... Naegi-kun, Oowada-kun, Ishimaru-kun...um...Asahina-san...

[He quickly prattles off all the names of his classmates that he can remember off-hand, before realizing that a huge list of names won’t probably mean much if they...aren’t actually around. That thought strikes him hard for a moment before he takes a breath and continues, his grip on the ‘Gear tightening.]

...and everyone else. If any of you are here, from Hope’s Peak, please answer. Something...something must have happened. I mean, I’m outside again...and not...

[Chihiro seems unsure of what else to say, whatever he was saying dying on his tongue with his voice wavering slightly towards the end, so he dips his head a bit before cutting the feed.]

Comments

video; | private

[freshprints]

[Well, gently caress, is this another influx or what. First Asahina-san, and now Fujisaki-kun...people who'd been here once before, and then left, and as hoped are now returning.

Hmmm.]

Fujisaki-san. Have you figured out how to secure your conversations on this device and make them private yet?

If you're going to be talking to everyone from Hope's Peak, that's something I expect you'll want to work out, first and foremost.

video; | private

[codeforhope]

[There's a short stretch before Chihiro responds to the video as he works out exactly how to do that. It doesn't take long at all before he starts up a video and answers.]

Yes, I think so.

...Is...everyone here, then?

video; | private

[freshprints]

No, not everyone. This channel is secure, so I'll inform you of the basics as succinctly as I can. I understand you're probably overwhelmed by other aspects of your experience and arrival here, but it's better to get some of the important things out of the way first. Please pay close attention — and forgive my bluntness in doing so, Fujisaki-kun.

Not everyone is here; by some means we haven't yet been able to identify, we've been brought to another world — one that isn't the world waiting outside the school at Hope's Peak. Others will fill you in more on this, so I won't waste time on it here.

From our school, there's Naegi-kun, Togami-kun, Hagakure-kun, Ishimaru-kun, Oowada-kun, Celes-san, Asahina-san, and myself. Kuwata-kun was here once; he's departed now. Somehow, people are brought here from different points in time, so the people you speak to will remember different things about our experiences at Hope's Peak. That's natural, and becomes easier to get used to with time.

...The survivors of our class at Hope's Peak are Naegi-kun, Togami-kun, Hagakure-kun, Asahina-san, and myself. Fukawa-san also survived, but she isn't here, and hasn't been before.

Somehow, there are also students who claim to be from Hope's Peak here — a different class than ours. From what we've been able to figure out, they were the participants in a subsequent murder game to ours, one that took place on an island. Of those students, the one of most particular note is Nanami Chiaki. Nanami-san is...

...

I expect she'll tell you herself, when you speak with her. What I will say is: you should believe what she says. Most of us do.

......

The final thing is...we're safe here. We know the identity of the mastermind and she isn't present here. For the time being, there's no need to be afraid. Somehow, this is a world where death has no hold, so...

...

It's good to see you, Fujisaki-kun.

video;

[superordinary]

Fujisaki-san!

[ It's very brief but there's the slightest pause between the name and the honorific; from what he can tell, Fujisaki doesn't seem to remember being here before. That means he's unaware that the others know his secret, so Naegi has to switch back to using -san instead of -kun. ]

I'm here. Several of the others are here, too.

video; private

[codeforhope]

[The pause is short enough that he doesn't pick up on it, instead very visibly relieved to see Naegi.]

Oh...h-hello, Naegi-kun. Um..

[Hold up, switching to private because what is even HAPPENING HERE.]

What's going on?

video; private

[superordinary]

Um, you've been brought to the world of Pokémon. This region is known as Johto, and you're in New Bark Town...

video;

[justkeptswimming]

[OH HEY, THIS SURE IS ANOTHER FRIEND SHE WAS NOT EXPECTING TO SEE. At least now she's had a week to process things so she's not internally screaming nearly as much as she was with Ishimaru.

But that doesn't mean she doesn't look a little like she's seeing a ghost.]

F-Fujisaki-chan!

[Wait, should she still be using -chan? Is that okay? Honorifics are hard when you're not sure if you should drop them or not for the sake of someone else's secret.]

video;

[codeforhope]

[Correct honorific or no, the fact that Chihiro doesn't know that basically everyone knows said secret at this point is still a thing, so it's better that everyone's being cautious about it anyway. The last thing he needs is to have THAT sprung on him before he can actually figure out what's going on.

Her look of shock does take him by surprise, but...well, he's rather surprised to be here too.]

Asahina-san! I was worried I...was the only one outside.

video;

[justkeptswimming]

A lot of our class is here actually! Naegi, Kirigiri-chan, Ishimaru, Oowada, pretty much everyone except Sakura-chan, Fukawa-chan, Kuwata and Maizono-chan!

[Asahina's expression quickly breaks out a wide smile.] It's...really nice to see you again.

SDR2 SPOILERS ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE

[lullabytes]

[ !! SERIOUS ABOUT THE SPOILERS, YO, FINAL CALL TO BAIL BEFORE THEY HAPPEN !!

All of Nanami's sleepiness goes away the second the video goes on. For a second she thinks big brother? with a shocked sort of silence, before she spots the differences, and thinks no. She can't think anything after that, even up to the point when Chihiro gives his name. It's all just blank surprise, and Nanami can't figure out what to say, or think.

Her eyes are glued to the screen, though. She couldn't move them if she tried. She's spent her entire life hearing about Fujisaki Chihiro, and now, for the first time...he's right there, waiting for her to say something. Or - well, he won't know that she's here, or who she is, but...

...Nanami has the chance to say something, for the first time ever. A chance she never would have had before. Even so, it's hard to know what to say. What can she say? She watches the clip again and again, trying to decide.

She doesn't even start to reply until a few others have done, because she simply can't process it, and by that time, her hands are shaking a little. And anyway, she has to text some friends for advice. And maybe even gets someone to sit with her for moral support, who knows.

Breathe in. Breathe out. ]

2/3 SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

[lullabytes]

[ The first thing that comes through on the secure transmission is a few lines of text. They don't say anything. Not "hello" or "how are you", at least. Instead, it's pure code and protocol. Nanami can't code, not really, but these few lines she knows. Her brother passed them on to her, to her sister, a long time ago. The original access codes to a certain program, before he'd been unlocked and left to be found. It hadn't been passed on to her for this purpose, but...

...it might work.

After she sends those, she gives herself a moment to think, before switching to video. ]

3/3 SDR2 SPOILERS I'M NOT KIDDING also PRIVATE LOCKED VIDEO

[lullabytes]

[ ...Just take a breath, Nanami. When she finally switches to video, Chihiro is greeted with a smile. It's a little weak and nervous (will he be proud of her at all?), but still sincere. ]

...Hello, papa. If...it's okay with you...I'll come straight away to pick you up.

[ Kirigiri told her not to share information with uninvolved people. Hinata and Kuzuryuu and Souda are keeping her secret and they'd decided not to tell the rest of their class, and Nanami won't go against that, but...this is Fujisaki Chihiro, and it'd go against everything she is to tell a lie here. So she won't. Nanami doesn't even want to. She wants to talk to her father. ]

1/2 Video | Private

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro hasn't moved an inch since he left the house of the woman claiming to be his mother and found a spot just outside of New Bark to just....exist. Really, that's all he can be expected to do right now. Everything is happening at once all too fast, and it's been rather hard for him not to just break down where he is. ....but no, he can't do that. Not here, not now.

He promised himself he would be better than that.

Either way, having the Zigzagoon sitting in his lap nuzzling his hands every so often has managed to keep him relatively calm. He's afraid to ask people too many questions over the 'Gear, if only for the fact that he's still not fully convinced that this is really happening right now.

That's when he suddenly gets another message, and is surprised to find it not to be a response to his previously made video persay, but lines and lines of code. None of it is familiar to him, but....he can understand it. He reads over the lines several times, trying to piece together what it's exactly for and why someone would send him this. The sender? ....Nanami Chiaki. Kirigiri told him to believe what she says, but....

He doesn't have much time to think about that as he then receives yet another video response.]

[video]

[ardent]

[It takes Ishimaru a moment to respond, simply because for quite some time he isn't entirely sure how to; he's fully aware that tears aren't the right response, but that's all he has for a good while after he sees the broadcast. He tries to calm himself eventually, however - just because he had a particularly nasty canon update with regards to exactly what happened to Fujisaki doesn't mean he needs to have some sort of episode now.

So he takes a while to compose himself, and eventually he manages; he isn't sure what to think of the fact that he was asked for specifically but you know what, he's going to do this thing. At least he doesn't have to do the awkward honorifics dance; yay for using the same term for everybody.]

Ah, Fujisaki-kun! There are several of us here, actually - it's good to see you!

[video]

[codeforhope]

[All the apologies for however long it takes for Chihiro to respond, here....he's really struggling under a huge weight of information. Staying calm is the main objective until he can get to wherever the rest of his classmates are. Seeing them is calming at least, so he'll eventually answer Ishimaru.

Though...another reason for the pause is the sign that he knows, as well. So now Ishimaru and Kirigiri....

Questions later, Chihiro.]

..It's good to see you too, Ishimaru-kun. ...I'm....sorry it took so long to...to answer.

[video]

[ardent]

[And that's...interesting, isn't it; aside from Fujisaki's usual inclination to apologize, that's something he would have yelled at him for back in the school, isn't it, not answering in a timely manner.

God, it seems like so long ago.]

It's fine - for the time being, what matters is that you're here now! Are you all right? Has the situation been explained to you?

[shslasshat]

[...Mmmmgh. Great. First Oowada, then Asahina, and now Fujisaki. Apparently, he isn't allowed a week's peace without being forced to acknowledge someone who has every right to want to punch him in the face.

He opts for text, not particularly wanting to see Fujisaki face to face until he absolutely has to. He doesn't hide his identity or his gear number.]

I take it that you've been provided with plenty of information already.

[codeforhope]

[.....Ah. Togami-kun. Rest assured, the last thing you need to worry about is Chihiro Fujisaki punching you in the face. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. ...Because he's Chihiro, come on.

He's definitely going to have an easier time responding through texts, though, so you won't be forced to suffer through the long pauses of Chihiro trying to puzzle out what to say.]

Yes, I have. I'll be at Goldenrod in a few days.

[shslasshat]

[Well, he will still have to suffer through the pauses, but at least they won't be accompanied by agonized or otherwise tearful expressions.]

That's fine.

Tell me the last thing that you remember before arriving here.

[...because it would be untactful to be like "hey do you remember being murdered"]

video;

[ghostytrainer]

Chihiro!! [OH HEY LOOK IT'S NOT A DANGAN. IT'S SOME WEIRD KID WHO APPARENTLY KNOWS YOU? John missed his programmer buddy, okay?]

I'm sure your classmates will catch you up on everything you need to know as far as who's here and who isn't and all that crap, but in the meantime I can assure you that there's no reason to be so scared! Promise! [Not that...he's really sure why you're scared...for as many Dangans as John knows, he's not actually in the know on the whole murder school thing yet.]

[...or the Chihiro is actually a boy thing.]

video;

[codeforhope]

[Thankfully, by the time Chihiro gets John's video he's had a little while to let everything he's been given to think about sink in for a while. By now he's finally in a PokeCenter instead of outside, sitting in the farthest corner on a small couch with his Zigzagoon partner, newly named Isamu, curled up by his side. He'd been tossing around the idea of texting someone just to keep himself from being trapped in his own thoughts when John popped up.

He takes a moment to answer, mildly surprised by the fact that this boy seems to not only recognize him, but is eager to see him. ..Hmm.]

U-um....thank you. It's...it's not this place I'm...afraid of. ...But please, it's....nothing for you to worry about.

...

Do....do I know you?

[He means this in the most frank and literal of ways, John. He only asks because you act like you're talking to a long lost friend here. Sorry he doesn't remember :C]

video;

[ghostytrainer]

Uh...yes and no. We met the last time you were here which...you don't remember for reasons nobody has an answer to yet. It just kinda happens, people come and they go and sometimes they remember things and sometimes they don't. [He shrugs.] So don't worry about it too much, it's completely normal for you not to remember this world.

[Or, by extension, him.]

All it means is that we just have to reintroduce ourselves! [He beams.] I'm John Egbert.

[soundmind]

Hi! [Well that's an abnormally friendly face all up in this feed.] You know Ishimaru and Asahina? Oowada, too? Did you go to school with them?

[Ishimaru mentioned something about school, and there's the implication that Serious Shit went down there, but she realizes she's asking too many questions and dials it back a little.]

My name's Maka--[no surname she will not allow anyone to call her by her surname.] It's nice to meet you...ahh...do you like Fujisaki or Chihiro? [No question of gender because, well, she's American and wouldn't know if a Japanese name is gender-specific or neutral offhand and...one of her best friends is very gender ambiguous, so she doesn't care.] I mean...I don't want to call you something that makes you uncomfortable when we've just met like this.

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro hadn't been expecting to meet others who knew his classmates. It's really telling as to how long they all have actually been there, ahead of him....he'll have to remind himself to ask about that when he gets to the house later.]

They....they're my classmates, yes.

[He pauses for a brief moment at the second thing Maka asks, tilting his head slightly. The fact that she mentions wanting to make sure he's not uncomfortable is a bit...surprising, to say the least.]

Ah....You can call me either...but Chihiro is fine.

P-pleased to meet you, Maka-san.

[soundmind]

Cool. Ishimaru's a good friend of mine, it's always great to meet one of his classmates.

[Let's just say she has a thing for shy people of indeterminate gender.]

I like Chihiro, so I'll call you Chihiro. Umm--you don't have to call me "-san" though, I'm nobody special.