[When the feed flicks on, Serph's standing outside the base, one of the orange rose bushes in the background. His expression is serious. This isn't the first time a curse has resulted in someone else with an Atma. This keeps happening... these things that are out of his control. These things that compromise the secrecy of their hunger. But he'd said to the Tribe that he'd speak to the entirety of the bubble of their hunger some day. It's unfortunate that he won't have the support of Signless for this, but now is as good a time as any.]

My name is Serph, leader of the Embryon.

[And a leader of the Defense Force, too, but he certainly isn't representing the Defense Force with this announcement.]

Many of you are our friends. Many of you know we are also part demon. However, we have kept one thing from you.

[Serph will be frank.]

Our demons require us to devour a person once a week. If we do not, our demons rampage, attacking everyone indiscriminately.

We do not hunt foreigners, only locals. We still wish to live here in peace.

[He dips his head in a small nod. He's sad he's kept this from people, but he's not apologetic over what they are and what they have to do.]

If you have questions, I will answer them.


[Filtered to Roxy and Xion|Voice]
[These are the people who've woken up in the base with bodies not their own. They're not part of his Tribe, but the bodies they're in are, so...]

You do not need to stay with us for the duration of this curse, but we would prefer it if you did. Let me know what your decision is.

[Here's one(1) vampire currently leaning against the railing of his apartment's balcony, looking a little contemplative today. He takes a moment to puff on the cigarette he was currently working on before acknowledging the SFC.]

People always say 'all of the colors in the rainbow' and assume those 8 are it. But, in reality, the number of color possibilities are endless. Even Black and white, which might be considered the end-points of the color spectrum, have different shades to them.

[He looks thoughtful a moment and smirks.]

And, to avoid the debate on whether black and white are actually colors, let's just go with the assumption that they are, just for this one question.

Anyway, with all of these colors out there, there's bound to be a few that represent one thing or another. People like association, so it's bound to happen that one particular color will mean something to a society or a group of friends or, even, a single person.

Are there any colors like that for any of you? Any that mean anything in particular?

Serph is nowhere to be found. People don't just disappear, ( can you tell its his first time losing someone, vatheon? ) and it's impossible to get answers out of these "locals" or whatever the hell you want to call them! And he wouldn't just die that easily, even he's better than that.

Just because he isn't around though, don't think that means we're defenseless. I'll be taking over as leader in the meantime, so if anyone has any business with the Embryon, you take it up with me. ( look at how he jabs himself in the chest. that means he's serious... )

Everyone else, report in.

[Asbel clears his throat.]

Could I have everyone's attention please.

My name is Asbel Lhant and I'm a friend of Sophie's from back home. Cheria and I would like to talk to everyone about some of the things Sophie has said over the Network.

[He looks off screen as if expecting a cue to continue.]

Sophie is... Really impressionable. She takes everything she hears literally and she doesn't understand the meaning behind some words or that some words and phrases can mean different things.

We're trying our best to educate her but we would really appreciate it if people didn't wouldn't teach her things that would be considered rude or vulgar.

If you have any questions, Cheria and I would be happy to answer them.

Thank you for your time and understanding Vatheon.

Was that okay, Cheria?

[OOC: Asbel and Cheria will both be responding to tags in this post :D]

[A strange, fuzzy image comes over the SFC. Some may recognize this hazy green glowing dot as Issun! But he's not entirely present, it seems - it looks more like a projected image. His voice is a little distant, but that little guy's got some lungs, so his words come through loud and clear.]

Long time no see, Vatheon. But we don't have time to chit-chat too much, so let's just get right to the point! That thing up there is called Yami, and other big baddies Ammy and I have knocked out call it the "Emperor of Darkness". It's bigger than any myths. Orochi's story was one thing, but this thing's a bit of a bigger scale - what's going on right now is a battle between light and darkness. Not between a god and a demon, but between the forces of nature as it is.

You're all putting up a great fight, but you're missing the crucial element here! You need the sun to come out! Chibi's there, last I heard, but he won't be able to do it, he's too young to fight Yami's darkness. It's Ammy! Ammy needs to snap out of it and get back in there.

But she can't do it alone. She needs the help of everyone here, in Vatheon. I'm sure a lot of you at least know the strange white wolf that roams your city and helps people out - that's the great goddess Amaterasu! In fact, I think it's important you guys see her for what she truly is. Here's the latest thing I whipped up, as her Celestial Envoy!

( Cut for image and more words )

---

( Meanwhile on the island... )

D --> 158 humans (or those that can pass)
D --> 30 other beings
D -->(including various animal-like individuals or those different in notable ways from a regular human biology)
D --> 19 trolls
D --> This is not an exact number
D -> But I thought it was slightly interesting

D --> Also

[Horribly filtered from other trolls]

D --> What do you do when an apology is not enough?

[Action]

[He'd chased Vriska out of the house to finish up on some last things, despite how warm and dizzy he feels. Now that it's all done with, he pushes himself up onto his feet- only to stop as the world spins and he wobbles in place for a bit. He squeezes his eyes shut until the feeling mostly passes except for his stomach, and then he goes to the door. The whole world feels like it's going to push out from under his feet, but he just leans against the doorway.]

Vriska?

[Remember that anon who first sent messages shortly after the first of April? Well, guess who's leaving a nice little message on your network?]

I see that there are plenty of new faces, each as confused as the rest when we too arrived. I do hope most of you are well-met? Especially since it has been raining so very often this week. Such a soothing sound, the rainfall...

Though it would seem that a few are not so fond of it? It has me curious if it is simply personal preferences or because the human body is more susceptible to illness...

[...Weird. Nothing even vaguely threatening and a lacking mention of death. But then, that is likely because someone else already brought up that topic this week. For most, it ends there. But for a certain former detective...]

( Heavily encrypted/anonymous to Tohru Adachi. )

[Roxas normally doesn't have a problem using video on these things, but... Well, for some reason he doesn't feel like broadcasting his face right now.]

Is it weird to feel connected to someone you've got nothing in common with? Personality-wise, I mean. Like maybe you're in a similar situation, but you turned out completely different...

Guess I'm thinking too much lately.

[Filtered to Sora]
This is kind of stupid, but... Have you turned sixteen already?

[The video turns on to bright, light grey, clouds; the only barrier between the sun and the beach. Raindrops fall onto the camera, but they're wiped off by the owner of the SFC, one vampire who's currently standing dressed only in an open button-down and loose, low-hanging jeans that are rolled up to above his knees, calf-deep in the ocean as the rain falls steadily from the sky.

Apparently, he likes to live on the edge with those clouds.]

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.” Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

Back home, I've heard it said that God is in the rain just as He is in the sun's rays...

[So, then, why is it only the sun that burns?]

Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life...and yet, people hide away from the rain and seek shelter inside and curse nature for ruining their bright and sunny day. Why?

[Finally he turns a small, vaguely sad, smirk to the camera.]

What about all of you? What are your qualms with the rain? Does it have any sort of significance for you personally or back home? Or is it just the thing that hides the sun from your face~?