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

[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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And you all ready know mine. Does your SOS Brigade keep you very busy around here?

I just said that, yes.

[He was starting to get annoyed with trying to talk to this girl. Breathing deeply, Viral wills himself to calm. Snapping at a resident this early would get him nothing.]

You did. How do you accomplish your goals in this village then?

Gusto, manpower, strong leadership and general excellence. We've got to help people out, so we've been doing just that!

It does sound like you have the first two down...

have you had much success?

Naturally! We've put on dozens of events that dazzled the people here in Luceti, gathered numerous clients to assist them with interpersonal problems, and generally made a huge impact in solving problems people face here.

...what kinds of interpersonal problems would people have here? We don't need to worry about food shortages or cave-ins, and its peaceful outside of the experiments and the battles on the other side of the barrier.

For a prison, this place isn't bad.

Have you ever been around people? Hundreds if not thousands of problems can pop up the minute anyone starts talking to anyone else. People dislike each other, people misunderstand each other or maybe even are attracted to each other. And that's not even getting in to the things people lock within themselves from their past.

I'm a beastman. I've fought humans, but rarely socialized with them.

What, and beastmen don't have social issues?

We do, but throwing a few punches around usually solves things.

Yeah, well, human issues are usually more complex than that.

That's because of all of the other layers you put on top of interactions. A lot of it doesn't matter in the long term, but people make it matter. That's why it gets complicated.

What are you even talking about, if people think they matter than they matter, even if they're stupid.

Of course. Complexities on the battle field are more familiar to me, not complexities in crowds.

So you're soldier who is dedicated to fighting humans.

I built my career on it.

[He still would be in his homeworld if his Enkidudu hadn't fallen in the desert, but for a very different reason than he did seven years ago.]

[...] Right, specifically humans?

...whats your point?

Mostly making sure you're not going to go psychokiller on us.

Fighting and killing are different things.

But they're related. Look, if you're not human and made your career fighting them, it's possible you're part of some sort of "human resistance force" or "human oppression force" - both of which would be problematic to your view of my species.

[Viral narrows his eyes and silently glowers at the book, knowing that the effect is fully ineffective. She wasn't incorrect, but there was more to the story...

He was ordered to be a storyteller, wasn't he.

Heaving a sigh, the beastman speaks up.]

It's not a problem. Seven years ago a small band of humans decided to change things. They...awoke. Every single general I was placed under was defeated by them and their will, including my king. I don't sleep, and the nights in the desert are long. It gives anyone time to think.

...while I don't agree with their new government, I have been helping humans. You don't need to worry about me starting anything.

[...unless High Commander Simon shows up, and even then he's not sure that he can bring himself to face more losses by the man's hand.]

Alright, then that's fine. [Seriously, didn't even need to know all that. Even if it's neat, light sigh]

-You really don't sleep though?

[Not even a question of how Simon and Kamina factored in--or anything. Clearly Viral had a lot to learn in the art of storytelling.]

I haven't slept for seven years. Why?

[voice]

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