2nd shot | video;

[lichtregen]

[hello everyone, this hermit has finally decided to come out from hiding. he looks annoyed, really, and he just pushes up his glasses before speaking.]

I seem to have been able to avoid the current... events, as well as interact with anyone involved. It was a miracle, really. But that does beg the question- does anyone know just how people are chosen for these kinds of things?

Honestly it just seems random, and I'm probably going to just stick with that conclusion until proven otherwise.

Locked to Orihime

Are you alright? I haven't seen you in so long. I was... kind of worried, actually. Sorry. [hopefully she was alright during the event!]

Comments

Video

[whiteas]

I don't think you're wrong. This one was relatively tame. Mostly. I mean, it was odd but not disasterous.

Video

[lichtregen]

Then I definitely don't want to ever be involved in one of the more disastrous ones. I had better not be picked next time.

Video

[whiteas]

What are you telling me that for? I have no control over it, I've gone full "Mad Queen" because of this place's nonsense before.

Video

[lichtregen]

Y-you have? Oh... wow..

[even weiss has gone crazy in these events? jeez...]

What did it have you do?

Video

[whiteas]

I convinced the city council to overthrow my father as mayor and put me in place as queen of Nova City.

Surprisingly few people seemed to actually have a problem with it, but they also didn't all see the part with the mechanical cow armor and the jello.

Video

[lichtregen]

[........uhhhh....]

Do I... really want to know? About the armor and the jello I mean. And I guess that just goes to show that people respect you, even as a queen?

[or something???]

Video

[whiteas]

I don't even want to know, so I'm going to say don't worry about it. This place does weird things.

[Locked]

[leekspins]

I'm okay!

[And she's showing a video feed, so she must not be lying. Or at least, she's figured out that people who aren't okay won't use video to communicate.]

I got affected and freaked out a little, and hid my reiatsu. But it's fine now! I'm just catching up on my work! Glad you got to avoid it.

[Locked]

[lichtregen]

[okay, at least seeing her relieves him a little.]

...Are you sure? What happened to you?

[Locked]

[leekspins]

[She hesitates. She hasn't really opened up to Ishida all that much, or vice versa, so she's not sure how okay he is with taking on her problems.]

My memories were different. I thought things turned out badly, even though that wasn't the case. So I guess hiding seemed like the best option that would keep people safe. It's a little embarrassing, Ishida-kun.

[Locked]

[lichtregen]

[they never open up to one another, and that's definitely his fault. at least, he feels that way. every time they have a chance to, he ends up pushing her away. it's difficult for him, he never has opened up to one of his friends. ever.

so maybe... he just needed to try harder, and maybe this was one of those times.]

Don't be embarrassed, it's just me you're talking to after all. Maybe if you were talking to a half-wit like Kurosaki, but-... ["I'm not like him." is what he wanted to add, but he bit his tongue on that one. that was stepping over boundaries that he knew he should never touch.]

...You never have to feel embarrassed or forced around me, is what I'm trying to say. So, if you needed to hide to feel better, then perhaps that was the better option.

[Locked]

[leekspins]

Oh...well...actually I don't talk that much to Kurosaki-kun either.

[Maybe cheerful morning greetings, but about personal things, she's pretty busily engaged at trying to put on her best face, so he doesn't have to worry about her. Mentioning him puts a touch of red on her face, though. She's...kind of glad he's not here right now. Just thinking about him, knowing that he died...it's still painful. Talking to Ishida after remembering his awful death is the opposite. It's a relief, and a reassurance.]

It's kind of strange, but I guess I wound up confiding a lot to Sado-kun after everything started happening. We trained together so much, and he's a good listener! It's not very fair to Tatsuki-chan, though.

[So she's opening up a little about opening up. It's a step! She looks at his image again, then down at her hands.]

...I'm just really glad you're okay.

[Locked]

[lichtregen]

[true, he knew that she didn't talk to him much either, but he also knew that she wanted to so desperately. he didn't want to get in the way of any of that, he just wanted her to be happy. so, he decided that just talking to her and maybe opening up to her would make her much more happy- and that he can do.

as long as she's okay. as long as she can smile, he's okay.]

Sado-san is a great listener, and I bet he would give the best advice. I can see you confiding in him, definitely.

[and he knows that when ichigo was going through so much with the fullbring, orihime was always with chad.

oh. at her comment there's a definite bit of red on his cheeks as well. he glances down, nods to himself, then he looks back up at her. he put on the best and warmest smile he could for her. only for her.]

Why wouldn't I be? Besides, if anything were to ever happen to me I know you would be there to heal me right up.

video;

[hopeschild]

I would like to know this as well. This is the second one I've ended up involved in, so I wonder if there is a way they pick who gets affected and who doesn't, or if I am just plain unlucky.

video;

[lichtregen]

So far I've noticed that there's really no way to know when one will be picked. I think it's entirely random, and I think you may just be incredibly unlucky as well.

video;

[hopeschild]

Wouldn't be surprised if I was while here. But random makes this world a little scary because you never know what is going to hit and when and even if you'll be the one affected or not.

video;

[lichtregen]

So we really do have to live in a state of constant fear? Or even being on guard, I guess.

video;

[hopeschild]

Maybe being a little on guard, perhaps. But not 100% of the time.

video;

[lichtregen]

[then you just don't know ishida, takeru.]

I'll just have to be extra careful. I can sense things, after all. [he still hasn't told anyone really about his abilities in this place.]

[pianola]

As far as I can tell, it is random.

However. There may be not enough data to determine a pattern.

[lichtregen]

Random, no pattern, it just hits whenever.

We will never be ready for any of the strikes. [it annoys him.]

[pianola]

Perhaps.

We cannot prepare in a literal way.

But we can be ready to help others if they need it.

[lichtregen]

And you are the type to help others, I take it?

[so is he, but in a more "I just so happened to be walking by" kind of way.]

[pianola]

Of course.

[ Matter-of-fact.

Considers. ]

I believe you are as well.

[lichtregen]

[....oh. caught him there.]

If I feel like I need to step in, then I will. [and he realized that he really hasn't done that in this place yet. he's just been keeping to himself- but he should be going out and trying to do more for others.]