01 ♥ Video

[matadorable]

[It's hard to type with little stone fingers, so he's trying to use the voice function for the first time.

Too bad he accidentally activates the video option instead. And also makes this public. Oops.

The communicator shakes, and though the image isn't entirely clear, anyone watching can see couple of dark sockets with glowing pupils and what appears to be a skull with ornate carvings and distinctive hair. Sunlight spills through what seem to be leaves in the background, and it's obvious the person on the screen is crouched down somewhere, trying to hide. He's not looking directly into the camera.]

Hey. Joaquin. It's me, Manolo. So, uhhh...[How do you even put this.]

Funny story! You know how I said my powers were music-based? That's actually half of what I can do. I can also do something else. I think it keeps me from dying, which as far as powers go? Not a bad one, if I do say so myself! [Because he's already dead in this form, but like hell he's going to say that, hah hah hahhh.....

Maybe if he sounds upbeat enough he can bullshit his way through this.]

The only downside is that people shouldn't see me. Don't ask why, it's just...a power thing, you know? So maybe you could come down here with, like, a...sheet? Just toss it in my general direction, and we'll be good to go. Everyone will think I am dressed as a ghost. Perfect disguise, yes?

[He is grinning really hard and hoping all this optimism and false confidence will be enough. But then he notices something and now he's looking at the communicator like it just ran him through with a sword.]

Oh no...

[Oh yes. And now everyone can see exactly what this power actually is. Good job, Manny!]

Comments

[ voice ]

[kicksomegrass]

I was gonna point out that the whole freakin' network could see you, but looks like you figured it out.

Good job.

[ video ]

[matadorable]

[Manolo visibly cringes. He's still not completely comfortable with the voice or video functions anyway, but now he can't figure out how to switch away from the current setting. It's too hard to think when you feel like someone's pouring buckets of ice-cold water all over you.]

I can't be the only person who's done this. [Right??]

[voice (for now)]

[medalsome]

[No. No no nonononoNO!!

This is not something Joaquin wants to ever see. Why... Why does this have to happen to Manolo? Why???

It's a few minutes before Joaquin can respond. When he does it's only through a voice message and his words come out gruff.]

Stay where you are. I, I'll find you.

[ video ]

[matadorable]

[Oh boy. Manolo can't see Joaquin's face, but he can tell by the sound of his voice that he's royally screwed things up. He'll just...position the camera away from himself.]

You, uhh, might still wanna bring a sheet or something. I'm outside of a hospital, and being seen like this would...kind of be in poor taste.

video

[abandon_hope]

[ Nico's powers may be malfunctioning, but he's still a son of Hades. And he still gets massive skeleton pings. ]

... The network is a pain to use.

video

[matadorable]

Yeah, tell me about it! [He can't blame it on the network, though. This is all on him and his carelessness.] See, this is why I prefer the texts.

PERMAVID

[htespagheti]

WOWIE!!!!!

YOU SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS EARLIER!!! I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE OTHER SKELETONS AROUND!

oops 2/2

[htespagheti]

AND WITH SUCH NICE HAIR...

[Hard to compete with that.]

Video;

[missleadingquestions]

[Another skeleton?! But wait, Maya's seen this guy before (she knows, that hairstyle is quite recognizable) and his skeleton-ness is much different than Papyrus's. She can't resist popping in to tease, but... mostly because she's nosy as hell curious and wants to know more.]

Good job, pal. On the bright side, at least you look super cool, right?

Video;

[matadorable]

I do? [He's never gotten much of a good look at himself, except for when he saw his reflection staring back at him from his sword -- but that was during his fateful bullfight, and he hadn't had time to pay much attention to it.]

text

[heavyhitter]

hahaha awww u fucked it up so bad it was cute

video;

[matadorable]

Wow, thank you.

video;

[earnedmystripes]

Ah, if turning into that form's a power, you oughta be able to use it to change back, yeah?

video;

[matadorable]

I think? [He sure hopes so.] I don't know how, though. I, uh, needed help the last time I changed out of this form.

video;

[bassriff]

So wait, what about music?

[She isn't even going to comment on the whole skeleton thing, but she's grinning a little. Dude's getting enough ribbing as it is, though.]

video;

[matadorable]

Music is my other power, yes. [He looks visibly relieved to talk about something besides his epic fail.] My file called it "Heartsong".

Video

[bindsthedead]

Manolo? If you still need help, I can make people... not notice you.

Video

[matadorable]

Really? [He raises his eyebrows.] Is that something you can do with your bells?

[orions_shadow]

You been eating okay?

You're lookin' a little thin there bruv. You're all bones!

[matadorable]

...Hilarious.

[glowsferatu]

Oh. [ So he's...a skeleton? Is that kind of like being a zombie, but less gross looking? ] I suppose that's one way of being undead.

Welcome to the club, then.

video;

[matadorable]

[A nervous chuckle. Oh god, is that what he is now? A zombie?]

Dead, undead...still dead in the end, right? I mean, where do you even draw the line?

video;

[defensebonds]

[ You know what the worst part about all this is? It's that there is a skeleton — an ornate, somewhat-ridiculous looking skeleton — chattering away like something straight out of Silly Symphony, and Steve isn't even the least bit taken aback. That's what this place has done to him. It has out-weirded home. ]

Doin' all right, buddy? Looks like you're... having some trouble.

[ In just about every sense of the word possible. ]

The tech here can take some gettin' used to.

video;

[matadorable]

[A dry smile.]

I have definitely seen better days, but thank you for asking.

[He's heard other people say similar things about the technology here. Manolo doesn't know whether they're just saying that to make him feel better or not, but it's helpful to think he's not alone in dealing with all these new gadgets.]

Yeah, no kidding! Sometimes it feels like I'm on a different planet.

[video]

[driftsintobuffetline]

So YOU'RE Joaquin's Manolo. Nice look, dude. No wonder your buddy sees dead people. [But your sugar skull look definitely isn't why he's here.]

Do you have that Eagle Eye sight-of-the-undead Joaquin has, or do your eyes just look similar?

[video]

[matadorable]

Uh, thank you? This wasn't exactly the look I was going for when I got out of bed this morning, though.

[Understatement of the year.]

No, I can't do the Eagle Eye thing like Joaquin does. He seems to be a...special case.

video ; STROLLS IN LATE for a fifth thread with you

[khajidont]

...Did Joaquin get to you okay, Manolo?

voice; ALL the Jaime threads!! also, I'm assuming he got this after Joaquin found him

[matadorable]

Yeah! Yeah, he did. [Manolo sounds relieved about it, too.]

I'm safe and in my room now, so everything's fine!

[He tries really hard to make that last bit believable, but just ends up sounding a little too sure of himself.]

Voice | /smushes the cute ones together

[megabytes]

A-are you...are you o-okay?

[It's not a ghost, it's a person who might need help, there's no need to be scared and WHY. WHY THIS.]

Video | <3!!

[matadorable]

[Oh no, that sounds like a child! Manolo immediately launches into reassurance mode.]

Yes, I'm okay, I promise! There's nothing to worry about.

...My face probably looks pretty creepy right now, though, huh. Sorry about that, I'll turn off the video as soon as I can...figure out how these buttons work... [He gives a feeble laugh.]

[whitequeens]

Oh!

Are you... actually a skeleton? I'd thought it was a costume!

[matadorable]

Kind of? I don't always look like this, though. If it makes you feel any better, señorita, you are certainly free to think of this form as a costume.

[Actually, this would be a great look for a superhero! If he'd actually registered, anyway... ]

text; comm tag is "Tadashi"

[tadeadshi]

[He won't make a comment on the. Everything. Happening here.]

If someone hasn't yet, I can help show you how to send private messages on the comms.

video;

[matadorable]

[A sheepish smile.] I thought I knew how, but it looks like I could really use the refresher.