caughtinanetwork | [video] log 1

[A flurry of blurred images whip across the screen as the SFC's camera whirls around in a slender pair of hands, finally settling on the worn face of a young man, about 25 in appearance. His eyes are scanning something above the edge of the phone as he surveys his surroundings, his wet clothes giving off an attractive squelch as he moves. He brushes his dripping bangs off his forehead before turning his attention to the communicator.]

Video log one. Date... [Shinra lifts up his wrist and sighs at his now-useless waterlogged watch. That was a gift from Celty, too. He'd have to find a replacement once he got out of this place...if he got out of this place.] Let's go with day one.

I'm trapped in some kind of static bathysphere with no connection to the surface world. While my phone was damaged beyond repair at some point between being in Ikebukuro and...wherever this is, I found this star-shaped cell phone in my pocket that has some kind of connectivity to the rest of this place. I also still have my scalpel, which was nice of whoever landed me here. [He pulls the slim surgical tool out of his pocket and smiles fondly at it.]

If there's anyone out there who knows anything at all about the Black Rider, please contact me as soon as possible. It's of the utmost importance that I find out if she's okay or not.

...Additionally, if anyone knows where I am, [He turns the communicator and rotates in a slow circle, panning across several buildings and the shadowy outline of the Great Lamufao.] I'd appreciate the intel.

{video, text, action, whatever floats your boat! or should I say bubble...}

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A demon or two, it seems. Beings from other planets, other worlds...

[ And something a rather drunk Izaya had mentioned to him a while back. ]

And I've heard the presence of a headless creature in the city as well.

Oh, you don't say?

[Demons were remotely interesting, but still several large notches below his main interest...

...A headless creature!
He must be talking about Celty!]

A headless creature? Have you seen her-ah, have you seen it yourself?

[Slow down, Kishitani. Act casual. Don't want to blow any covers Celty might have in this place.]

[ Pffft. Shinigami are way more interesting. ]

Her...?

[ So much for covers. But what he knows is limited to what Izaya's told him. Suffice to say, just the barest details. There were other pressing matters that night. ]

A rider, as far as I recall. But no. I've yet to see her for myself. I have little time socializing, I'm afraid.

But you seem quite interested in this creature.

[While Shinra's new colleague seems polite enough, there's still a lingering apprehension that quiets his tongue when it comes to spilling any valuable information on Celty. At the very least, he could probably buy it off of Izaya if he really wanted to know.]

Interest might be a bit of an understatement. Though, if you're curious about the black rider, I'll leave it to her to speak for herself.

[Which is a bit ironic, considering the fact that she can't talk.]

[ Izaya had told him much but his true interest lies in grafting a head back onto an eternally regenerating body. It just so happens there's a supernatural creature wandering about with a body that has no head. ]

Perhaps its best. I find that information can get so misconstrued when not handed from the source.

And we all have our eclectic hobbies, don't we, Kishitani-san?

I can only imagine what kind of ridiculous rumors could crop up about something so extraordinary to begin with.

[He'd heard his share of ridiculous theories back in Ikebukuro...Celty's favorite by far had been that she's an alien life form sent from Mars.]

We certainly do, though you don't seem to have mentioned any of yours yet.

You'd be surprised. The people of Vatheon seem to have a fairly open mind about such things.

[ A moment to lean against his chair, pressing his fingertips together with the smallest smile. ]

We share the same interests, you and I... except my focus lies in something less charming than a headless rider.

Surely you know of shinigami.

[Shinra leans forward in turn, resting a hand against his cheek with a curious grin. He's heard of shinigami before, but that's about as far as his experience reaches. His true interest in the supernatural has always focused on Celty and Celty alone, after all.

This Muraki was proving to be just as interesting as he'd first thought.]

It rings a couple bells, but feel free to educate me.

[ Hello, kindred spirit~

Ah, Vatheon. You never really disappoint with the company you bring in.]

In the west, they're referred to as Grim Reapers. Those who bring souls to judgement.

As a doctor, surely you must understand how we ourselves strive to protect our patients from death.

An interesting idea.

[He raps his fingers against the surface of his desk as he considers the thought. The fate of the dead doesn't concern him too greatly; it's the living that land under his jurisdiction, after all.]

So are you protecting your patients from death, or from these shinigami?

[ He doesn't really care about those who die. It's the fact that shinigami have regenerating bodies that interest him so. ]

The prevention of death... perhaps in a way, a flighty search for immortality.

A search for immortality, eh? I see why you and Izaya get along.

[A mixed expression twists across the doctor's face. Avoiding death seems to be a recurring theme in his relationships with others — the search for a head, the quest for Valhalla. An unavoidable facet of human, and even inhuman, nature, it seems.]

You don't seem to have a series of increasingly disturbing complexes quite like he does, or am I mistaken?

[His lips curve into a wry grin: he honestly wouldn't be surprised either way, judging by the way this conversation has been going.]

He'd mentioned that during a rather long conversation we had.

[ How about reviving your brother? Just so you can kill him again? Of course, this is just kinda masked behind the mere hope to save people from dying.

Like any good doctor. ]

Every man has his secrets, as I'm certain you have yours. Name me a person who doesn't have a complex they wouldn't consider disturbing at the very least.

It's funny how extended conversations with Izaya always seem to lead to interesting results.

[Who could forget the infamous what-would-you-do-if-I-told-you-I-was-in-love-with-a-headless-woman-whose-body-never-changes conversation of their high school days?]

True, true. I guess we're all a little messed up, granted some more so than others.

[Shinra's a bit of a lost cause as far as that's concerned: raised by a Celtic fairy and an eccentric doctor, his chances of turning out normal were close to nil. Staying inside and hanging out with the likes of Izaya and Shizuo probably didn't help too much, either.]

Interesting results indeed.

[ Ah, Izaya. Even sober your conversation topics were always a turn for the strange. ]

The human condition. But I find we'll get along famously if this conversation is any indication.

I'd say you're right. It's been a while since I've had another doctor to bounce my ideas off of.

[He chuckles lightly at the feed.]

Say, do you think you'd mind giving me a tour of the medical facilities here? I'd like to know about everything this place has to offer, if you catch my drift.

[He has a feeling a run-of-the-mill tour might not cover the extent of his interests; old underground habits die hard, after all.]

[video] log 1

video; SO LATE.

[video] TIS NO PROBLEM AT ALL. :D

video; ;w; you're the best.

[video] n-no, you! ;/////;

video; daaaaaaaw so cute~ <3333 Come into my arms.

[video] Awkward hugs all around! ;w;

video; All the awkward hugs! <3

[action] <3 <3 <3

action; ...how old is Shinra...?

[action] 24, I do believe. Pourquoi?

video; ...muraki has new kouhai. 8D

[video] OSUP MURAKI SEMPAI. xD

video; 8D He can teach the fine art of creeping~

[action] Because Shinra's /so/ lacking in the creeper department. Cx

video; we can fine tune the creeping~

[video] creepy doctor tag team forever! <3