001 Video; UN: Cuddlebunny

[lightthedarkness]

[When the video turns on, Usagi looks... well, honestly downright haggard. But Usagi, when exhausted has a bad habit of masking and thus, acts even more bubbly and energetic than usual. And before you ask, no, she's not fine. But she will lie and say she is.

But don't mention the bags under her eyes, that's rude.]

HI EVERYONE!

[She's waving at the screen excitedly in some hopes to not let on the deep exhaustion she's badly hiding.]

My name is Usagi Tsukino! I uh... met some of you before when we first got here but couldn't really properly introduce myself! BUT I CAN TALK AGAIN! [And she's decided to make that everyone's problem.] Actually, I've been able to talk for AWHILE but ANYWAY! So hi!

Anywho! Do you know what I realized last night? I mean, probably a LOT of people have realized this actually but I doooon't think anyone has said it, or, at least I don't think so! Maybe I missed it! Sorry if someone already said something like this!

[She's rambling.]

Anyhow! I realized that while lots and lots and lots and lots of people may already know lots and lots and lots of other people cause ya know, so many of us came from Deerington, there are JUST as many people who have absolutely no clue who anyone else is or where we are or why we're here! I mean, I'm those last two too, but I lucked out on knowing some of you!

SO! So so so! I thought, hey! Why not introduce yourself and then we can all get to know one another and we can all help one another and it will be awesome and we can be all amazing together!

I'LL START!

My name is Usagi Tsukino! I'm originally from Tokyo, Japan! I love cats and rabbits, food, and video games and my favorite hobbies are sleeping and eating but oh oh oh! I like shopping, making all sorts of new friends, playing video games, reading manga and comics, aaaaaand well actually I can't think of anything else right now!

Now it's your turn!

((OOC Notes: Feel free to tag other people, it's essentially an open post.))

Comments

voice; un: shiro

[shiro2hero]

Hey, Usagi. You made it.

[Someone sounds just as exhausted as she does, really.]

I'll uh. Wow, it's been a while since I've done this.

I'm Shiro - I was in the dream from what we think was the first group of Sleepers to wake up. I came from Earth, but I'm a pilot, trained in space exploration.

I... know a lot about astronomy?

[lightthedarkness]

Shiro-kun! I did!

And you're doing great, Shiro-kun! You got this!

[shiro2hero]

How are you holding up? Found anyone?

[lightthedarkness]

Rei-chan, Makoto-chan, and Minako-chan are here from home and and and- Sushi-kun came back! And there's you and Varian and Fern and so many people! What about you!

[shiro2hero]

That's great. You guys are sticking together?

[What about him - ]

There's a lot of people here I'd met in Deerington. I'm relieved to see them again. [Oh, hey, new subject -] And our house. With an extra guest.

[Please find attached a photo of a tuxedo cat, flopped on its back.]

[lightthedarkness]

Well, Rei-chan is still living in her house- BUT OH OH OH! MY HOUSE IS HERE! DID YOU EVER SEE HER?

[She sees the cat and her eyes widen.]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! SOOOO CUUUUTEEEEE! I miss my Luna.

[shiro2hero]

I - wait, "her"? Do you mean Rei? Or your house?

[He's just got to check, there.]

Luna? You had a cat, too?

[lightthedarkness]

My house! You already know Rei! .... Do you know Rei? You know Rei? Right? Yes?

[She's so tired she's not sure anymore.]

I did! She is only the smartest kitty in the galaxy! [How many other cats can hack into computers and keep an entire secret base under an arcade.] She's black with a crescent moon bald spot in the middle of her forehead and bright blue eyes. I've had her for years.

I wish she would show up here.

[shiro2hero]

Yeah, I know Rei. Don't worry about that. But, no, I haven't seen your house yet.

[Oh. He would love to meet that cat -]

Oh - She sounds amazing. Did you ever try and... ask for her? That's how mine got here. Someone asked for him.

[lightthedarkness]

She's PINK, and I mean like really really really pink! It's located in Cellar Door? I think that's the name, yeah, Cellar Door.

Hmm? Oh... no... not... no. I have a pillow and kigurumi that look like her, but not... her. I didn't have the heart to bring her to Deerington, don't have the heart to do it now. I want her here but... I don't want her here either, even though I know Luna would want to be by my side.

[shiro2hero]

I'm sorry.

That's... I know how hard that is. Wanting someone nearby, but knowing it's better they aren't.

[lightthedarkness]

It sucks. But... it's okay.

You just... make do, and I am grateful she's safe.

[shiro2hero]

Yeah. That's the way we have to think about it, isn't it?

At least they're okay, they're safe.

voice | un: lyreplayer

[themuseabandonsyou]

Wow, that must have been a while ago. What was the dream like, when you first showed up? It changed so much in the time I was there, and I think I got there towards the end.

[shiro2hero]

It was. It's more than three years ago now.

Would you believe me if I said it wasn't that bad? Not for the first few months. It was weird, hard. But... nothing like how it ended.

[themuseabandonsyou]

No, that makes sense? What with, um. With things getting worse for Julia all the time. It makes sense that maybe things would've been a bit easier, back at the start of things.

[ When it could've been more of a dream and less of a nightmare. ]

[shiro2hero]

[For Julia]

[His heart twists in his chest. Thinking about her. About the words she'd said. What she'd felt... he'd promised that poor kid, so many times...]

Yeah. They were. She'd... talk to us, sometimes. Back at the start. Or other times you'd wake up, and she'd have left you something to help.

She gave me a honey jar, never gets empty. Heals just about anything - even scars.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods before remembering that Shiro can't see him. ]

Right. She left me a few things too. A lyre. A jacket. A lantern. But I only ever heard her talk a few times in the memories scattered around town, and... at the end.

[ He goes silent for a moment, thinking. Remembering. ]

She tried really hard, for all of us, [ is what he says, finally, unsure of what else there is to say. The guilt is apparent enough in his voice that it's not really necessary to spell it out. Whatever their intentions, whatever the actual outcome, they convinced a little girl that she was a monster, and not worth saving. ]

[shiro2hero]

I...

I know she did.

[Excuse him if the words come out a little thick. He hasn't spoken of her to anyone but Peter, and even then, it had been brief. Shiro's opinion of the girl was definitely not shared by the whole town, and he knew it. But here... maybe it is.]

I promised her... sometimes. That we'd save her. [Whenever he could. He'd written to her. Called out to her. Yelled down apparent demi-gods for her. A kid, caught up in something she hadn't meant.] I hope - I still hope she knew, somehow, there were people who cared.

[themuseabandonsyou]

I... I guess I can't speak for everybody, but I don't think any of us really meant for it to go that way. People were just doing what they thought was best for her, and it wasn't obvious what the right choice was. We were trying, too. Just... sometimes you try, and things still go wrong.

[ He's talking to himself as much as anything else, here, just thinking out loud. ]

I'm sure it mattered to her, knowing you were looking out for her.

[shiro2hero]

I know there were people who hated her. Who all blamed her... so I hope you're right. I really do.

[He doesn't want to think poorly of the rest of the Sleepers. He really doesn't - really, really hopes most people had tried to do the right thing.]

Thanks - me too.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Right. I don't think I talked to many people who felt that way. I guess... I guess I could understand it? But...

[ It just seems a little beyond him. She was just a kid. A demigod, too, or maybe a goddess in her own right, but one whose powers were far beyond her. Maybe it's his own heritage swaying him, but he can't help but think of how terrifying that must have been for her, first and foremost. ]

Anyway, it's good to meet you. I'm Orpheus. I was in Deerington for about a year, I think?

[shiro2hero]

They had a target. Angry people, they found someone to blame. I can't agree with it, but - I see why they were angry.

[He just thinks they were angry at the wrong person. Maybe he sees too much of his own situation in Sodder... too much to blame her for anything she'd done.]

It's nice to meet you. Better here than in the dream, we're hoping.

[themuseabandonsyou]

There was a lot to be upset about, there. Hopefully that won't be as true here, though? The people seem much nicer, at least!

[ And he personally has the most important thing he could possibly think to ask for here in the form of a second chance with Eurydice, so he's not-so-hesitantly optimistic about things here. There's a bit of worry, of course, that comes with knowing that things could go bad, and that now that means she could be in danger as well, but he's having a hard time being too upset about the notion just yet. ]

Have you had much time to settle in? My wife and I are still trying to figure out a place to live, but people don't seem to mind too much if you stay in the empty buildings as long as you don't get in anyone's way.

[shiro2hero]

Yeah, they do. I'm happy about that, don't get me wrong - it's just going to take some getting used to.

[It's absolutely not bad. It's a much needed change for a lot of them. Especially the most ostracized among them. Which would end up being a lot of the people he cares about. He hopes this will be better. Hopes the locals' attitudes won't change.]

A bit, yeah. I found the house I was staying in, in Deerington. Just... waiting to see if my teammates and partner show up. [He hopes - oh how he hopes...] Your wife is with you?