[Video/Backdated] A Hollow Understanding

[koishi_komeiji]

WHO: Koishi and you
WHAT: Public Video about the spirits (mainly directed at those affected by them)
WHEN: Early 4th day of the spirit incident
WHERE: Old Hell
WARNINGS: Pretty damn dark

There was a small crackle of static and the video feed flickered on showing a girl with green hair illuminated by the phone and another faint light-source somewhere off screen. She was dressed in full uniform, resembling the three star outfits worn by those associated with the guardian of Nova City, though she wasn't wearing her usual hat. She was unusually serious, her third eye open quite a bit; a testament to her focus. There was a glowing, semi-translucent, and half-frozen lake behind her, the glassy surface rippling occasionally as creatures moved about. Everything else was a curtain of unbroken darkness.

"Ah... Hello there. I think its broadcasting.... Yes! Yes it is!" she took a step back from the screen and gave it a small bow. "To anyone watching, hello. For those unfamiliar with me, my name is Koishi Komeiji. I'm the younger sister of Fayren's guardian Satori Komeiji and the head of magic and supernatural investigations for the Nova City Guardian, Miss Wh-" Pause. "Satsuki Kiryuin. I am a voided satori youkai, or youkai of 'consciousness' capable of reading and manipulating the subconscious minds of those around me."

A deep breath. "I was reluctant to make this video for awhile, but with the escalating problems in both Everglade and Genessia I believe I should before things escalate further. As you are all well aware, a rip in Everglade's barrier has allowed numerous hostile spirits enter unchecked. What you may or may not know is that they are after the emotions of sentient life-forms. It is for this reason I urge anyone left to retreat to Fayren, Nova City, or Attleton for safety reasons and be ready to move again should another archway become occupied."

"Now..." She lowered her head. "Addressing those who have already been... affected by the spirits. No two minds will react to trauma of this level in the same way so do not hesitate to contact me. I have... lived without my own emotions for over a century. They were destroyed along with my mind reading when my third eye was disconnected. It has only been through hard work and a bit of good fortune... and thievery if I'm to be completely honest, that I have re-discovered several scraps of my own emotion and learned how to reflect the emotions of others. Hence why I picked such an isolated spot to call from. It would be a disservice to address this issue while reflecting and acting out the emotions of others."

Gently she reached up to massage just under her scar. "You mortals don't have centuries to work at reclaiming your emotions so if a reliable method of restoring them is found, I will ensure that word travels. Until then, I have made my contact information public so if I can quiet any restless thoughts you have on the subject, I would be happy to oblige. I can't stay lucid forever, but I've done my best to make conditions ideal for my mind. I should be able to maintain clarity for some time. If later you have a question you wish me to answer I will do my best then as-well. But I can't promise I will make perfect sense."

(OOC: If you want to talk to Koishi at a "later date" just make a note of it in your post or in your header.)

Comments

[Video]

[lookprofessor]

Another video that Luke didn't even listen to entirely--when he recognized Koishi's voice he worked himself into a frenzy in his rush to reply--so much do that when his face fills the screen it's upside down.

No hat at the moment. There's a fingerprint, bloody and smudged, on his face. And he looks almost like he could cry--because he's seen her on the video feed and that means she's okay.

"K-Koishi!"

He rubs his eyes. "A-are....are you hurt? Or s-safe from those spirit t-things? You're ok-kay enough t-to p-post..."

Luke acts like an adult sometimes. But when push comes to shove he's still 13 and homesick and scared.

[Video]

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi's eyebrows raised some as Luke suddenly popped up on her communicator and, a moment later, a small smile. Sorry Luke, it's the best she can do given the circumstances."

"Hello Luke. I'm glad to see you're okay." She kept her voice calm and level. "Don't worry. I'm safe right now. I'm resting in Old Hell. Once I've got my energy back I'm going to go back out and fight the spirits again. I know how to handle them as well as myself. And because of that I need to be out there trying to fix the hole in the sky."

"For now though, I'd like you to see something." It was time for a subject change if she could manage. Luke certainly needed the distraction... She gestured behind her, turning the camera a bit. "This is the glowing lake. It glows because fragments of spirits have bonded with the water and plant life. It's where we fish out those eels that sis cooks. It's not really good for humans to swim in. It's very murky. Especially near the surface. About... five or six meters down or so it clears up and becomes like glass."

[Video]

[lookprofessor]

No he doesn't want to look at the lake. He doesn't want to look at the little spirits and plants and eels and such--he wants to see Koishi and know that she's safe, and she's moved the camera away and he doesn't like it. But he's tired and he just doesn't have the energy to argue the point.

So his head sinks behind the screen, chin resting on a pillow, bags under his eyes as he watches Koishi's little tour of the lake. He sniffles slightly before replying.

"It looks kind of scary."

Just like all of Old Hell. And all of outside. And all of everything. Koishi's calm attitude, her formal speech--it's all very unfamiliar to him. In many ways, it scares him more than not knowing how she's doing. He starts to sit up so it's easier for him to watch and address her, and freezes mid-movement with a bit of a squeak. Because ow.

He knows she's trying to help him calm down. "B...but, it looks p-pretty. Even if s'not s-safe." Half sitting up, he rubs his eyes.

Luke is quiet for a long few moments, recoiling into himself and guarding the wound in his side. The sniffling increased slightly, and he hiccuped. "I'm s-scared you won't b-be safe, Koishi," he trails off, his voice small. "Do you have t-to go b-back out?"

[Video]

[koishi_komeiji]

Koishi didn't respond to Luke's question, turning the camera back toward her face a little, smiling. It was a bit more genuine this time. She turned it down next, a hand appearing on the corner of the screen, summoning an orb of light. She drifted along the shore, the tips of her boots occasionally visible before, stopping, she landed and picked up a smooth, flat stone.

"Alright. Now watch." she took several steps back, placing the camera on a large rock and propping it up so it was pointed at the lake. she checked and double checked to make sure it was stable.Once she was satisfied she drifted to one side, half off screen. Shifting the rock in her hand she coiled and released it across the surface of the water.

It must have skipped ten or twelve times, and each time it touched the surface the water would grow brighter and churn like metallic glowing mist, the neutral blueish hue breaking into a multitude of colors. She moved quickly back over to the camera and lifted it, flying up a short ways. Each glowing ripple moved across the entire lake. A bright ring leaving dimness in its wake. The ripples hit the near edge and rebounded gently, colliding with others creating an almost kaleidoscopic effect.

"It connects to a large underwater network of tunnels that run under both the hot and cold sections of old hell. There are several lakes like this, but this one is the biggest. I've never discovered how deep it goes though. My eardrums start to hurt too badly before I get to the bottom."

"There is a water beast too. It's longer than four buses with large horns and a beautiful white mane. It's quite mild too provided you don't agitate it... or get in the water. I was hoping to see it swimming about but it's probably asleep right now."