( ɪ ♛ ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ )

[girlybruiser]

[ Opting for the text function is definitely a less daunting prospect compared to airing a live video for strangers to see, but to Haru, first impressions are important. She can feel her hands and chest warming up, though a part of that could be attributed to the fact she's wearing that thick pink sweater. Still... she's not unused to addressing a large audience, it's just finding yourself in a world that isn't the cognitive one even with your friends here is somewhat unnerving.

But that's why video it has to be. She needs to convey a friendly approach and demeanor, otherwise it will be much harder to ask anyone for help should she ever need it.

There's no fumbling of the communicator once the feed starts up. Haru is seated close to the table it's propped up on, her hands laid neatly in her lap. She smiles at her unknown audience, a touch shy, but it's warm and friendly. ]

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Haru Okumura. [ A beat. Does she mention her family? No. ] It is very nice to meet you all. I've heard there are many of us who have been brought to this world. Um, I suppose some of you have been here long enough to hear the same questions over and over, but if you would indulge me I would very much appreciate it.

[ She shifts closer, speaking a bit more clearly. ]

I have heard that superheroes are real in this world ― something that government actively encourages. [ It's difficult to mask the intrigue. Her eyes seem to light up. ] There must be superheroines, yes? I can hardly believe it myself... but that sounds amazing! I wonder if they are anything like the ones I admired on TV as a child.

[ An abrupt pause, followed by Haru's shoulders rolling back and a whimsical smile settling onto her face. ]

Ah, my apologies. I seem to have gotten a bit distracted for a moment.

Comments

[halloflamer]

Ahaha, really? [He blinks in surprise. Woah, what a girl! Well, he'd never shied from a battle with any trainer just because they were a girl before, so why should he now?]

[Although, considering how Akira had been after he fought Arsene...] And it's okay, right? Even though you guys can get hurt when your uh, ..Astarte? That's the name of your Po-- Persona, right? I'd like to see it anyway, even if it's not in a battle!

Don't worry about Eevee, though. He's a battle-hardened veteran! [Eevee fluffs himself up with an emphatic] Vui! [of agreement]

[girlybruiser]

Hmm...

[ She considers it, wondering if it's safe to do so. ]

If I were to show you, it would have to be in a safe and secluded area. I don't want to harm anyone, after all.

[halloflamer]

Yeah, sure! [Blue brightens, agreeing easily.]

..Haha, if you saw some of my other Pokémon, you know, I think you'd get it. Most of my team aren't as little and cute as Eevee. I'll let you meet Gyarados, too!

I collect data on creatures... um, it's like a computer encyclopedia of Pokémon, except I decided to continue it here with the new animals and stuff I encounter in this world.

[girlybruiser]

A Gya...rados? I think I will have to see them after all. I've never heard of such things before.

[ It's crazy to think there's so much beyond her world that exists. Personas, Shadows, Palaces, the Cognitive world... it's all she knew until here. And she thought those alone were mind boggling. ]

You must be encountering new things everyday, then.

[halloflamer]

He's like a giant sea serpent, but he's really friendly! I raised him myself, he's good with people.

[It was nice to know there were more people who wouldn't be put off by his Pokémon- it made them pretty lonely sometimes...]

Yeah, it's pretty fun. My boyfriend works at the zoo so I can usually have a pretty good excuse to go there and study new animals... It's been months and I still haven't learned about all the animals they have there! And that's not even the largest zoo in this region. It's pretty crazy to think.

[girlybruiser]

Wow, an actual zoo? That sounds like so much fun! Does he get to tend to and play with animals all day?

[halloflamer]

[Blue brightens up considerably, trying to look like talking about Red isn't his lowkey favorite subject (other than talking about himself, of course)]

Pretty much exactly that! He's a trainer like me, so tending to huge animals is pretty much our full-time job already. This time he's just getting paid for that instead of the battles, hah!

[girlybruiser]

What zoo is this? I would like to visit it one of these days. I just need time to get more settled into this place.

[halloflamer]

It's the one in De Chima! If you see a tall guy in a baseball cap with a yellow rat on his shoulder, that's Red. Tell 'im I told you to say hi!

--Ah, he's ...quiet. I mean, he's not very chatty. But it's okay, you'll get the gist.

[girlybruiser]

A yellow what?

[ UM. ]

[halloflamer]

Hmm, is that not the right animal? Here--

[He posts a selfie with himself, Red, and the little attention seeker in question.]

That's Pikachu, his lil' brat of a partner.

[girlybruiser]

[ Damn Blue, you got Mike Wazowski'd. ]

Oh.

[ She looks less unsettled by the "rat" now. ]

That creature is adorable, too! Is it friendly?

[halloflamer]

[DON'T REMIND HIM 😭]

[Blue gets a sort of exasperated expression at the question.]

If he thinks he's getting attention from you, so yeah, probably.

[There is, shall we say, a tension present?]

[girlybruiser]

Cute!

There is so much to see and learn about in this world. I can hardly almost wait.

[halloflamer]

It's pretty exciting, right!?

I hang out with the guys from your world now and then, so I bet I'll see you around sometime soon! Are you guys all from the same town or something?

[girlybruiser]

Most of us are, yes. Akira-kun actually came from a different town.

[halloflamer]

Oh, really? Well I guess most of you probably knew each other a while, then?

[Or maybe not. Growing up in such a tiny town, Blue doesn't exactly have the best sense of scale when it comes to these things...]

[girlybruiser]

Actually, we've all only known each other a few months. It feels like a lifetime, though.

[halloflamer]

...That's kinda how things are with people you meet in this place too, I guess.

I mean, sometimes. I've been here... over half a year now, I think, so maybe I can't really judge yet.

[girlybruiser]

Do you miss your own home?

[halloflamer]

[Blue's expression softens; he's trying not to let his cool demeanor break too much in front of Cute Girl, but it's clear her question has dredged up feelings.]

...Yeah. Even if I wasn't here, I mean, I've been away from home for a long time, now. I travel a lot and I work abroad from the region where I grew up...

That and, well, this world is completely different from mine, in a lot of ways.

[girlybruiser]

[ She pauses, noticing the slight shift in demeanor. ]

I apologize for all the questions. I won't pry anymore if it's hard to talk about.

[halloflamer]

[He blinks, cheeks pinking slightly; he raises a hand to rub over his mouth, an embarrassed tic in attempt to hide it.]

Uh-- no, it's fine! [An awkwardly forced laugh. Yeah.] It's just-- yeah, I haven't seen my family in a little while now. I mean, we still videocall all the time, you know? But it's different from seeing them in person.

[girlybruiser]

I understand.

[ If her friends weren't here, she would feel similarly. ]

I know it must be hard being away from our loved ones, but at least we have each other here, so we're not really alone in the end.

[halloflamer]

[Blue grins sheepishly.] Yeah, you're right, huh? ...'least there's friends here, or something.

[Making friends was... a difficult subject for him, but he could fake it just fine. It was just that, he'd never really had other people he considered real friends besides Red, not until he began to get to know the Phantom Thieves.]

It's a good thing you got all yours here. Me, there's some people here from the same world I come from, but no one else I really knew back at home, 'sides Red.