1st Chapter [Voice/possible Action] Forward Dated to May 8

[no_compromise]

[It was raining, something that rarely happened in the arid region of the Far East on his homeworld. It was raining when he pulled himself up out of the mud three days earlier with a soreness in his shoulders and a baffling block of missing time that he could not explain. With his immortal body, sleep was optional and even unnecessary--the last time he slept was over seven years ago, just before the fall of the Spiral King and his army.

The black out bothered him more than the wings, but his inherent pride as a warrior and a beastman kept him from more than a cursory question here or there over the journals. Soaked to the bone and thoroughly irritable about the information he absorbed via the strange journal that arrived with him, Viral finally emerges from the silence he had built up around himself.

The video feed opens to the beastman sitting in relative comfort in a shabby fort he built for himself amongst the fallen branches from the winter. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time he had broken his needless exile, as the new feather pants had been traded out for his comfortable travelling gear, including a very ragged brown cloak and an equally worn red scarf. Though dry for the moment, his hair was still tangled and not fully cleared of the mud.

Clearly his isolation was more important than finding an apartment. Though, if pressed, he would explain his thoughts on that manner.]

[Very Broken Filter away from all possible members of Team Dai-Gurren]

Luceti. I am Viral. [Pronounced like the word 'virile.' There's a subtle pause, either from the inherent awkwardness of this or his noticing that the filter is terribly broken.] If any of you here have ever encountered someone by the name of Simon [pronounced 'see-mon.'], from a place called Jeeha Village, who also calls himself 'the digger' and is currently ranked at High Commander in our world, if you have met his brother Kamina or any of their friends in Team Gurren or Team Dai-Gurren, I will not ask you to disregard anything you may have heard about me. Whatever they said is likely true.

[From a certain perspective and point of view.] I only ask that you keep an open mind.

Also, is there someone on this network who can explain why the animals are talking? Does the rain normally last for this long? [Another beat.] I've been here for a few days now, so I understand enough, but this climate is unfamiliar.

[With that he ends the feed, not wanting to say much more. Though tempted to just shut the journal, his questions about the local fauna and climate are pressing enough to be a bother. He's there, in the woods toward the west. Feel free to find him.]

Comments

[Video]

[fleurdesel]

The rain will let up before the week is out. [Voice low, rough, and ever so slightly amused, Adele addresses the weather first and foremost.]

The animals...that depends on what it is they are saying.

[Video]

[no_compromise]

[It's a wisp of a blond woman. Viral doesn't bother to flip away from the video feature, but just nods in acknowledgement.]

I was hunting. You can take a guess.

[Video]

[fleurdesel]

I do not hunt, nor do I often venture outside the village.

[fierybluebird]

Animals can always talk, you can just understand them now. No, the rain doesn't usually go this long, but it's Spring, so it's more prone to.

[no_compromise]

[Certain animals he could understand, sometimes. It was dependent on the conditions they were in, but normally they were never quite so vocal about becoming dinner.

Then again, he has yet to find wood that was supple enough and dry enough to fashion into a bow.]

I'm used to more arid climates, like deserts or savannahs. Rain is very unusual there.

...if we can understand the animals more easily, how do you manage to hunt with a clear conscience?

[fierybluebird]

[Moro is really going to hate you Viral.]

Desert summer island? Okay then yeah, it rains a lot more than you'll be used to. Storms too, though nothing close to what the Grand Line gets, and in about 9 more months it'll get really cold again. Damn I will never get used to being on a regular 4 season weather system though.

[Arches an eyebrow at the question and tilts his head a bit.] You... don't. There's a grocery store if you really have to have fresh meat. Or if you're like Luffy and want a meatcake. [WEE reference he totally won't get.] In any case, that's farmed meat, pre cut, you just have to cook it.

[justicereigns]

Kamina was a bit more busy with trying to find inventive and completely insane ways to break the barrier than to talk about home.

In fact to my knowledge, you've never come up.

[no_compromise]

['The Great and Mighty Kamina...']

Tch. That does sound like him. What did he try to do, send a horde of pigmoles barreling toward it?

[Yes, he is well aware of Kamina's misadventures, no thanks to several stragglers from Jeeha Village that he's met over the years.]

[justicereigns]

Actually... yes. Well, "bears" anyway. [So this guy definitely knows Kamina.]

And he was you know, loud in general. He left a long time ago. Almost a year now I guess? I don't even know who his friends here were.

[thebellthatbinds]

From what I've heard this place goes through all of the seasons and sees a variety of weather. I can't say I'm all that familiar with the speaking animals though.

[Then again maybe she hasn't stuck around long enough to really listen to them.]

[no_compromise]

[Its dependant on the location, time of day, and circumstances. Those slim, four-legged ones don't take to being tied up as passively as Viral would have anticipated.]

Open your ears sometime, you'll notice it.

What else have you heard about this place that is more than the general need-to-know that is talked about all over the place?

[Voice]

[thefinaljedi]

The rain, Viral, comes in cycles the same as most worlds. Are you from a desert world, or an icy one?

[Luke pauses for a moment, chuckling softly]

As far as the animals are concerned, that you can blame on the Malnosso. I assume you've encountered that name already. For whatever reason, our most auspicious hosts allow the translations we enjoy to affect the animals too. Basically, you now understand the speech of the wild creatures here, the chirps and cheeps, growls and whistles.

[Voice]

[no_compromise]

A desert region, although there are oceans and different climates further away. I personally have never made it to them.

[Fighting was too important to take any leave. As a being designed to be a soldier, the thought never crossed his mind until it was too late.]

I have. Their 'gift' makes hunting very difficult.

[voice]

[mydearapple]

The people here tend to be pretty understanding. Unless you try to murder someone, you'll probably be okay.

[voice]

[no_compromise]

[Not in his experience--and he did participate in the 'murder' of one of the people he mentioned. It was war, and he didn't know for weeks...but it was no excuse. Kamina's death by Thymilph's hand did nothing to restore his honor.]

Is that so? What else is there to know?

[Voice]

[de_bel_survivor]

Kamina-san...?

[That's a name he never thought to hear again.]

Last time he's here, he usually talk about getting out of here or doing crazy stuff like trying to fly.

[Voice]

[no_compromise]

Of course he did. Tried to send a mob of 'bears' to rush the barrier too.

[The beastman doesn't laugh, but it is amusing.]

He didn't succeed. Not if it still stands. [And not if no one knows Simon, whom he realizes now was the true driving force behind Kamina's madness.]

[Voice]

[mountain_sage]

I've not heard anyone speak of you. Regardless, I am not one to judge based solely on a reputation.

The weather changes throughout the year, so you'll get a sample of everything. The animals are still speaking their own language; we are just now able to translate it.

[Voice]

[no_compromise]

So it seems.

[It was why he released that slender, four legged creature after he snared it--he didn't want the pleas of his prey resting on his conscience.]

I'm more familiar with an arid climate, where the days are hot and the nights are cold. There's nothing comparable here? Also, are the rest of the residents as open minded as you?

[It was important. He wasn't going to bother with the village very much if they weren't.]

voice;

[laceratings]

And what is it, exactly, that I am keeping an open mind about?

voice;

[no_compromise]

That there are two sides to every story, just as there are to every war.

[voice]

[godbent]

[A few people have mentioned Kamina, but...]

There did used to be a Simon, but not by that title. He was, what, maybe thirteen or fourteen at most? Younger. He dug holes though.

[She's going through her old, old memories. She didn't know him well, but]

[voice]

[no_compromise]

That young, huh?

[Before Kamina died as well, if the conversation was anything to go by. The revelation earns a wry chuckle from the beastman.]

You wouldn't recognize him at all then.

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Simon and Kamina? They were both here for a while, but they went back home a long time ago.

[Voice]

[no_compromise]

So others have said. They also said that Kamina was a little insane, but very few have said anything about Simon.

[It did make him curious. Did the residents not realize that Simon was means behind Kamina's words?]