[video]

[darkshield]

[When the feed starts up, the only thing visible is a black hooded figure's head and a still-ajar door. Were it not for him speaking up, it would have been hard to tell exactly who it was. Even then, he doesn't offer a name - only a sigh of annoyance before he speaks.]

You know, for a place that tries to be so accomodating, it sure does leave a few tripping hazards.

[He temporarily tries to angle the camera to show what it was that tripped him coming in - a medium-sized package all wrapped in red paper, just inside one of the starter apartments - but considering his own little... handicap, only a corner is seen.]

I was wondering, though - is there an audio version of the reading material? While the girl's voice was helpful, I... can't read them.

[Not through the blindfold wrapped around his eyes, and he didn't want to remove it for his own personal reasons. Not that anyone could see it with his hood up in the first place, or any of his facial features beyond silver hair that escaped its confines in the tumble that was likely heard throughout the entire apartment complex with how thin the walls are.]

...Was hard enough finding my way here.

[The feed ends after a few seconds of fumbling for where the off button ought to be.]

Comments

Video

[melodiouspacifist]

[He stares at the screen for a full minute and pokes it a little, as if someone can feel him through the screen.]

Hey...did I know you and forget about you too?

[Like Xion. He wouldn't be surprised, exactly, but two of them would be something else. Maybe he should be concerned about his memory. Or he could watch clouds. One or the other.]

Video

[savage_nymphxii]

[That voice... It couldn't... Great. Juuuuust great. First she gets the flu, next THIS annoyance shows up.]

So are you the puppet or the real thing?

[She frowns, noticing the coat, and rudely blows her nose before adding her next statement.]

And why the hell would you wear the stupid coat?

Video

[darkshield]

[Too bad, he can't feel a thing. Instead he raises an eyebrow, almost as confused as the guy on the phone.]

What-? Ah... You must be one of them.

[Greeeaaat. He has no idea if this guy's going to be hostile or not, but he shakes his head.]

I doubt it. Think I'd recognize your voice if we met.

Video

[melodiouspacifist]

[He hums slightly.]

If you mean a Nobody, yeah.

[Matching coats!]

Okay, phew, good, I was worried I like hit my head or something? I don't know. There's some other girl I apparently knew but forgot and just, man, I was worried I was losing my brain and I need that to play music.

[He has a friendly enough tone.]

I'm Demyx! Where'd you get a coat?

Video

[clevermind]

I can teach you to read if you'd like.

Re: Video

[darkshield]

[And there goes any sort of possibility of impersonating a member ever again. Right out the window.]

The real deal. I take it you knew the fake?

[As for why, that secret is staying with him for now. Because if this woman knew the fake him, she was likely from Castle Oblivion.]

Video

[darkshield]

[He pauses, lowering the hood. He recognizes the voice, but he sincerely doubts she would recognize him.]

It's not that I don't know how to read. I can't see them.

Video

[darkshield]

I wouldn't know about that, but I've heard of worse memory problems before.

[If only Demyx could see the lineface he was making, but oh well. The jig was up before it even began here, so he might as well lower the hood.]

...Riku, and it was a gift.

[Obviously not from a certain someone's superior, and he's just waiting for the other shoe to drop.]

Video

[savage_nymphxii]

[She laughed and it turned into a coughing fit.]

Did I?! He was a weak little brat. I heard you were doing part of my job in Castle Oblivion though.

Not that any of it matters anymore.

Video

[darkshield]

[Yeah, that confirmed the hunch alright. Even so, he did his best to ignore the coughing fit. And the fact that his free hand was slowly forming into a fist.]

What do you mean by that?

[It not mattering. Because clearly it did if she laughed so hard she started having a coughing fit.]

Video

[clevermind]

Oh. I'm sorry.

[She feels awful for recommending it!]

I can read them to you if you'd like.

[ Video ]

[mortal_son]

[ Frowns, considering. ]

If there wasn't, there really should be.

[ Someone should suggest that.

... Tripping hazards. Thinks that through. After going through it, weighing options: ]

The welcome center might have a copy in Braille. If you wanted one.

video;

[whiteas]

If I'm not mistaken, you can ask the CPU to read any written language out loud through your device with voice commands.

Video

[melodiouspacifist]

Yeah, I guess probably, I'm not that worried about the stuff I don't remember, because I don't remember it.

[He smiles, shrugs, he's very deep isn't he?]

Weird gift. I mean it's a nice coat and all, but it gets kinda boring after a decade. For Christmas I got some new clothes, so that'll be weird.

[What shoe is going to drop?]

Video

[youfool]

Tripping hazards? Oh, you mean...haha, I guess the box didn't make it in your lap like usual. I hope it didn't get too wet.

Anyway, welcome to Genessia! I'm Ted; what's your name? And what ails you? Illiteracy or blindness?

[Very perky and to-the-point.]

Video

[darkshield]

[Don't mind him, Demyx. He keeps forgetting no one can see his deadpan stare save the incredulous line his lips take with this thing on. :| He can't believe he's finally met someone who is more flippant over forgetting things than his best friend and one of the others in his constant company. Or, was.]

Yeah. The guy wasn't the most original. could have been worse, though - one of those gaudy Christmas sweaters.

[The Arelen-shaped one. Obviously.]

Video

[darkshield]

Don't be. I'm the one who was hiding my face.

[Plus, he felt horrible for even having to do this to himself... but better this than the alternative.]

Thanks, but I was more curious for future reference.

[ Video ]

[darkshield]

Maybe someone should suggest it.

[If only he knew, but he isn't a mind-reader.]

I'll take a look later, if I can't find a way on this.

video;

[darkshield]

[...Huh.] Didn't know that. Thanks-

[He thinks about it a moment. Her voice sounds familiar.]

Miss Schnee, right?

Video

[darkshield]

It didn't, surprisingly.

[...It was a different box, one that he hadn't sensed with his foot when he entered the temporary apartment he'd been assigned, but he wasn't going to correct him there.]

Riku, nice to meet y-

[Oh light, Ted, you don't just ask that of someone you literally just met. Still, to answer the question, he just.... lowers the hood. He's starting to think he should have just done that from the start at this rate. Does the whole blindfold thing answer it?]

Video

[melodiouspacifist]

Totally boring right? Black, all black and the whole stupid castle was white.

[He grumbles, it's so so boring.]

I didn't get that, but my friends want me to wear something different. It's weird. Do you want something different? They have clothes stores here!

[What's a welcome speech? And if Riku needs Demyx to go over and smack her he certainly could. Don't worry about Arelen.]

Re: Video

[youfool]

Oh, that's an interesting name. Let me see if I can find the reference...

[He's getting better at Japanese onomastics. Some thirty seconds later...]

Ah! Means "land". Fair enough; you seem like a grounded individual.

[Oh, blindness. How terrible! But that does answer one question. It also raises another.]

Oh, I uh, see.

[Terrible phrasing, Ted. Just awful.]

But if it is blindness, what purpose does the blindfold serve? A signal? Fashion?

Video

[darkshield]

[He doesn't know which is worse. The pun, or how this guy doesn't seem to have a filter. And by worse, he means trying to stifle a chuckle.]

You know, you could have just asked. [Like he has about the whole eyesight thing.] The reason is my own. I guess you could say I'd... rather no one see it, either.

Video

[darkshield]

Hopefully not nearly as bad as Castle Oblivion. That place was blindingly so.

[Yes. The irony is not lost on him.]

Haven't decided yet. Still trying to adjust to this whole thing, you know?

[You're the first Organization member who hasn't tried to use or kill him. He doesn't know if he should let his guard down or not.]

[Audio]

[specialist_snowflake]

[She studies his video carefully. Reading the other responses confirms what she suspects.]

I see. Understood.

Are you opposed to the offer of a seeing eye dog to assist with navigation and protection?