Video

[mangata]

[ The number on the network seems to be the same as a certain Marina Santana that people know - including a few newbies now. It's taken from a low-quality camera phone, and the background seems desolate, and the blue-haired girl the video is looking at has shorter hair than Marina and, quite notably, has both of her eyes intact.

She sighs, and waves at the propped-up camera. ]

So it looks like we're getting new additions to this network for the first time in a while - and from what I've caught looking over the network, it coincides with a new wave of oddities.

[ Not-Marina leans in closer, eyes narrowed. ]

To everyone new, if you notice that I look identical to a certain Marina Santana, there is a good reason for it. Over a year ago, our planet created copies - doppelgangers - clones - what have you, of some of the reincarnations. Mirrored selves... and some of us are still alive. You may call me Umi Ryuuzaki, the name of Marina's past life, because I was in a hurry to be my own person and the name stuck well enough.

[ Yeah Marina, she doesn't really care how you feel about people talking about your past life. Just sayin'. ]

To everyone else, if this trend of strange occurrences continues, you'll be hearing and seeing more of me than you have for the past year or so.

It's... a pleasure. Goodbye. [ Although she'll chat with anyone who wants to.

Comments

[mangata]

Eventually I will run into... someone. If the situation gets too dangerous, I will head for somewhere safer, and likely run into others, and they are... accepting of me so far.

Call me a coward, but it's for survival.

[twobirdsonestone]

Someone? [Uh oh. Reki doesn't like that word.]

So you'll go and meet this person, and depending on if you die or not, you'll just head somewhere else.

[she tugs at her badly trimmed hair.] And.... you think this is a good idea?

[mangata]

I meant it more generally but... I do have a meeting, of sorts, with a man who wants to make an offer. My... assistance, using my powers, in exchange for the necessities at least. Food, shelter, and so on, and in a place where the Numbered are unlikely to want to go.

He won't kill me. I'm not important enough, I don't think, to be worth more than a casual dismissal should I not accept, yet useful enough to be worth the attempt.

If you adamantly refuse, however, I will decline.

[twobirdsonestone]

[Her choice. Umi was letting her make the choice.

It wasn't like Reki wasn't appreciative of the gesture - rather, she was more then happy to have the chance to think it over. Merely, it was the actually choice that was bothering Reki: a safe place to live? Someone suddenly appearing to make an offer that any sane person would take in their situation?

It was times like this where her left arm (the one that no longer existed) started to hurt. Probably just in her head, but it hurt.]

Uuuugh. Fuck, okay. You can do it if you want, just tell me how it goes, or don't. If I don't hear from you ever again, I'll know that the offer was bullshit and lay even lower.

[mangata]

He won't kill me. Keeping me captive... he knows that I have access to this network.

I promise to return to you alive and well.

[ And she manages to smile at Reki, nodding. ]

Even if the offer is... bullshit.

[twobirdsonestone]

You'd better.

[That is the closest Reki will get to being happy about this right now. Trusting people just wasn't in her heart.]

Or else I'd have to find another friend.

[mangata]

[ Being called a friend feels nice. It actually is nice to hear. ]

Oh goodness, you'd have almost as hard a time as I would. I simply have to live then.

[twobirdsonestone]

You sure do.

[She's taking that as a joke.]

But.... yeah, don't die. Okay? And kick ass.

[mangata]

Yeah.

I will send you a message when I return, or... if something goes wrong.

[twobirdsonestone]

Okay. Good.

[.....Feelings are hard.]

[mangata]

[ They are. ]

See you later, then, Reki.

[twobirdsonestone]

[One day, Reki may come to the point where she can fully control them, and bring about some good things as a result. Until then, she'd merely be who she was, someone who was hurt more then she'd ever let on. But Umi knew that already.]

See you later, and uh... good luck.

[Maybe someday she'll even learn to be happy with the people she actually cares about. It'll take time.]

[mangata]

[ And some time later, she does indeed get a message - that everything went swimmingly, and also that she's coming with some soldiers in a helicopter to meet up with Reki, asking her about her location, and telling her to stay put. ]

[twobirdsonestone]

[Reki replies with confused acceptance. She was okay! That was good!

But you wouldn't believe how easy it was to panic if you saw a helicopter suddenly appear with what were clearly soldiers, homing in on her position.]

[mangata]

[ Soldiers that Umi is sort of cowering in the midst of, trying to wave at Reki wherever she freaking is. ]

[twobirdsonestone]

[Oh god oh shit what does she do she's not doing this, she's going to fight to the last man, which is her and

wait. She sees that blue hair...!]

U-umi? Umi!

[mangata]

Um... hold on, please...

[ Umi pushes past the soldiers, holding her hands out to them, before turning back to Reki. ]

...he wanted to send his soldiers without me, but I didn't think that would be wise.

[twobirdsonestone]

"He"....

[She wrapped her arms around her midsection, eyeing the soldiers warily.]

Damn right.

[mangata]

[ Umi stepped forward, hands behind her back now. ]

Obviously, even with a warning, this would be intimidating. They're on our side - they are our side.

*arm dangit

[twobirdsonestone]

[Reki still cast a glance in the direction of their escort.]

...As long as they're not pointing anything at me, we'll be fine. [She set her hand on Umi's shoulder.] We.... we should go. Before anyone who's dumb enough decides to investigate.

REKI YOUR ARM GREW BACK?!?!

[mangata]

If they do, I'll be sure to report them.

[ No Hokuto no Ken style bandits were going to do well against this kind of force anyways. ]

Let's hurry though, yes. [ She reaches up to place her hand over Reki's, for a moment, before turning to lead the way. ]

yes and then it was cut off again in the span of one tag

[twobirdsonestone]

[And Reki follows her, saying nothing more until they were inside the helicopter. In a moment, it was gone leaving no sign that they were even there.]