1 - ACTION / VIDEO

[wantsnudes]

[There's a dark-haired teenager with the lost expression of a new arrival wandering around the streets, clutching what few belongings he has and staring around at everything. He... seems to be talking to someone? But he's not using his phone, so maybe the person he's muttering to is just himself.]

... If living here for the first month is free, and if I forego two of my three meals a day, this money should last a few weeks longer than intended. But how to afford art supplies... More than that, even with my art, how do I gain an income...

[Someone is a little anxious about the welcome talk and getting shunted into an unfamiliar city. Since he has to stay here for the foreseeable future, his situation has shifted from figuring out who is behind this and why (apparently nobody knows? yikes???) to the more immediate, material reality of his situation. He really has no idea what to do to make ends meet.

Spotting a passerby, he just straight up steps into their path and shoves his pendant into their face.]

You there! I would like to know the address of any place I could pawn this trinket off to. [uh]


VIDEO.

Excuse me. I was informed I could use this in order to find others from my home. [A pause... Who should he ask for first... Only his friends spring to mind, so--]

Does anyone know an individual named Ren Amamiya? He is my age, bespectacled, and often smells of coffee. Or perhaps Ann Takamaki, who is the most beautiful woman to have entered my gaze. Or there is Ryuji Sakamoto, who is loud and a bit crude, with dyed hair... [talk about descriptor whiplash]

I seem to talking on for longer than intended, so I'll stop there for now. I hope if anyone knows these individuals, they would be willing to point me in the right direction.

Comments

[wantsnudes]

[So far no luck, so Yusuke's face lights up at the response.] Truly?! Thank goodness.

--Ah, I'm not glad that they're kidnapped, please make no mistake. I suppose I am just selfishly glad to find some familiar faces... [And if there's anyone he can count on to help in a crisis, it's those three.]

I would appreciate the help, if it is no trouble. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa.

[youfool]

Eheh, "kidnapped", I think, is perhaps too cynical than we can surely say. Don't take the hologram too seriously. Well, if it were trouble, it'd be worth taking. Give me a couple minutes.

[So he can dig around for links.]

All right, here they are.

Very soothing names, by the way.

[from his cursory Kanji search they meant something like "mediate" and "northern river".]

[wantsnudes]

Soothing? Ah, thank you...

[It's an unusual compliment, not one he's especially used to hearing. But he accepts it nonetheless.]

I appreciate the help. I'll contact them at once, if they do not find me first. But if we are not kidnapped, what would you consider our current status as being?

[youfool]

You're welcome.

Strangers, arrivals, wanderers. Straws grasped? None of us are quite sure how we came to be here, so imputing a base motive on Genessia's part is mean-spirited. I know "kidnapped" is emotionally satisfying, but that doesn't quite meet the rigors of strict truth, eh?

[wantsnudes]

Hmm... That is a good observation, Ted-san. If no one truly knows, it's unhelpful to jump to sudden conclusions, isn't it?

[youfool]

Aheh, thank you.

["San", for an honorific, can't help but make him laugh.]

Glad you see the wisdom of benefit of the doubt. Indeed, doubt, or comfortably tolerating ignorance, is a too-rare currency. Well, let me know should ought else trouble you.

[wantsnudes]

Hm? [He's unsure of what's funny. Being way too formal and polite, he defaults to "san" for most acquaintances.]

A great deal troubles me, but I suppose I can only take matters one step at a time...

[youfool]

Oh? Such as? I'm happy to listen; perhaps even provide an answer. I've pored over a philosophical text or two.

[wantsnudes]

I've been pulled to another world and separated from everything I've ever known. Forgive me, but I do not think philosophical musings will be of much use here.

[youfool]

You're very wrong there; philosophy is invaluable. "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how". It's the universals that see one through particular peculiarities.

[Nietzche's not his favorite author to quote, but when you're right...]

Not that I don't understand the dear and deep love of home. Just...mind that you don't become a hothouse flower and wither.

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke stops to consider this.]

It's true that my reason for living is something I can take with me wherever I go. In fact, this place may be an opportunity for new insight... I suppose I will have to think of matters in that way until I find a means to return.

[youfool]

Aha, one would hope so! A purely local raison d'etre would do little good. Anyway, yes, you've the right of it: a novelty that might edify, provided no unreasonable ill-will's brought to bear.

[He's happy Yusuke's seems to be taking truth to heart. Either that or nodding along until he goes away, but he'll never know the difference.]

Still, you've the rare fortune to have the familiar ease the strange. I'll let you attend to the former presently. Again, let me know should aught disturb.