[2.] video | un: 2cool | february 19th

[glitterpants]

_{[ The feed clicks on and shows not one, but two-almost-Karamatsus. The difference between them is easy to see once you find it: Karamatsu’s confident posture and Ichimatsu’s slouch— Karamatsu’s bold eyebrows and Ichimatsu’s stubby ones. Yes, this is one out of the five other identical brothers that Karamatsu has. Some of you have met them both and maybe have noticed the difference right away, others may still be struggling to tell them apart. Here they are, side by side, though, and it may be hard to make out good details of them in the dim light. Karamatsu clears his throat, looking rather serious for a change. It takes him awhile to speak, running one hand down his face and curving it around his chin, obviously distressed by all of this. Ichimatsu? Not so much. ]}

Ah, good evening, everyone. It’s I, Karamatsu.
It’s been.. awhile since I have spoken with you all, but I come baring some tragic news. Yesterday, me and my brother took a walk through the atrium to find better sources of light. What we found was something else. In the trees, we found the gruesome display of organs thrown over the vegetation in a horrific showcase. A—ah, that’s.. not all that we have found..

_{[ He looks a little pale just talking about this and for a moment he has to pardon himself out of the camera. ]}

...You’re still sick about that? Pansy.

[Ah, there’s another difference. While they both speak in deeper voices than one might expect from their looks, Ichimatsu speaks much less clearly, barely opening his mouth and mumbling as opposed to Karamatsu’s clear enunciation. Nevermind the fact that Ichimatsu looks approximately like he’s not used a hairbrush in a week. He rolls his shoulders and takes over, scrunching his face at his brother off-screen.]

There was a boot in the trail, dunno what happened to the other one. The viscera was all up in the trees, like he said, but it was too dark to really tell what was where and if any of them was still intact. There was also a heart in a gold box-- we surrendered it to find out who it belonged to, so I guess there’s not really anything for a burial.

_{[ Karamatsu returns to the feed, wiping his lips across his sleeve. ]}
….For those of you who are friends and family of a passenger named “Rey” … my condolences go out to you. Please keep close to those people you love. Thank you.

Comments

[glitterpants]

I don't understand.. it does not make sense. Whatever got to her was capable or arranging everything the way it was. Was it a warning of some kind?
Miss Carolina, what would you do? What are you going to do?
_{[ He knows you're gonna do something. ]}

[leaderboards]

[ there's some hesitation before she responds, mostly because she's not sure what she's going to do yet, outside of being on her guard and checking in with the people she thinks she needs to check on. ]

I wouldn't call it a warning as much as a scare tactic. We don't know what we're dealing with here so I'm assuming the worst. And I'm prepared for the worst but I'm not an investigator or anything like that. Just a soldier.

[glitterpants]

A soldier is probably what we need once we know what caused it.
_{[ Not anybody like him, or anything. Apparently all he can do is scream and puke when stuff like this happens. That's why he's insisting on staying in his quarters with Ichimatsu. ]}

I know you'll protect us...
Right?

[leaderboards]

[ the delay is longer this time because carolina can't remember the last time anyone phrased anything quite like that at her. usually it's just an expectation, a complaint about how she does things, or no acknowledgement of what she's done because it doesn't really matter in the end, does it? but god, that's the sort of thing she first enlisted in the military to prove and all this time, she's not sure she's ever really gotten to do it. ]

I will.

Or at least I'll do my best. Take care of each other until we know more. If you think you're in direct danger let me know and I'll come by.

[glitterpants]

Of course.
Having reliable people like you and Wash around is comforting.

I have faith in your work.
_{[ Karamatsu, you haven't even seen them in action. ]}

[leaderboards]

If we're ever both out of commission, Maine will help you too.

[ not because he'll want to, probably, but because namedropping teammates usually means something with freelancers. ]

[glitterpants]

I am speaking with one named maine right now..
I knew by his behavior and integrity that he belonged to you.

You all seem like people i can look towards with things like this.
_{[ he feels.. safe. ]}

[leaderboards]

[ if her heart worked like a normal person's it would be swelling with pride and affection for that. as it is, carolina's expression just relaxes as she reads it. not that anyone would know either way, of course. ]

We're keeping an eye on things. We'll keep things as safe as we can.