[Video] -- May 20th

[infinite1up]

[Sato looks very serious when he appears on the screen, and at first he's close enough to the camera that it's hard to tell exactly where he is. What is clear is that although he seems uninjured, there's a bit of fairly fresh looking blood on the collar of his shirt.]

Hello again, everyone. Sadly, I have sobering news to relay. You see, for several months now, I've been followed. Wanting to assume the best, I had hoped that whoever was simply too shy to approach. Or curious, perhaps.

Unfortunately, today the creature following me decided to make his move. I was viciously attacked in the streets of this very city. Of course... he was not successful.

[Sato changes the angle of the camera enough that the scenery is familiar to those who've been to Rage's temple to trade bodies for bullets. Except this time there's a small (and also familiar to some) figure dumped in an unceremonious heap of black and red spiky fur - and blood - on Rage's altar. Shadow is, quite certainly, dead.]

I would like to say simply that the Guard should spend more effort on trying to protect the citizens from dangerous creatures like the one I fought off today. I really would.

But I can't, because from the few words I heard, he was clearly sent by the Guard.

Is this fine with you, fellow citizens of this city? That you could be followed, attacked, perhaps even held hostage or killed, at the whims of a terrible organization like this? [He shakes his head sadly.] Please, tell me what you think of this. And be sure to tell them as well. For all of our sakes.

Comments

[voice]

[circumitus]

[SIGH. It was only a matter of time...

[Rey is less troubled by a dead Shadow and more concerned with Sato's message, however.]

You're neglecting the part where you'd attempted a full on assault on the Guard. Am not defending the decision to send someone to spy on people, but it isn't like they didn't have probable cause.

[Audio]

[infinite1up]

[For a change, Sato's response is also audio only. A bit unusual, since he clearly prefers video.]

Oh, did I forgot to mention it? I don't think it's really that important. [Seeming largely unconcerned by that little factoid.] Tell me, Rey, have you ever had any issues with the Guard?

video

[skelebro]

[Shit.

He should'a expected this, really. Shadow had a habit of tailing people; Sans was one of 'em, he knows full well. He'd shadowed him, appropriately so, and maybe he should say Shadow was lucky that Sans ain't overly inclined to put any undue effort into much of anything.

It was inevitable, in its own way.

Sans's look, when he responds, is in a word - steely.]

Not like you didn't throw the first stone, attackin' the Guard and all. Can you really blame 'em for wanting to keep an eye on you?

video

[infinite1up]

I suppose I can see that. But an outright attack out of the blue, well, I didn't realize that the Guard employed assassins as well as footsoldiers.

[voice]

[synthedick]

[It takes Nick several moments to find his voice; his tone is flat once he does.]

He's not one of ours, as hasn't been for some time.

[voice]

[infinite1up]

Oh? That's interesting. I'm quite sure I heard one of your officers mentioned by name.

[Video]

[elegant_and_proud]

[While she's not exactly a paragon of virtue, nor is she really someone who has any qualms with killing, she is friendly with several people in the Guard, and she knows a blatant smear campaign when she sees one. Plus, she recalls Sato suggesting the caverns and the Silent Hill zone to a young girl quite recently. She's getting the impression that Sato is the sort who just likes to see the world burn.]

Somehow, it seems a little disingenuous to claim that you really would like to make suggestions on what and who the Guard should be protecting people from if you attacked them some time ago. Clearly, your problems with the organization go further back than today's incident. Care to elaborate?

[Audio]

[infinite1up]

Ah, it's true that I have a few issues with them. The presumption of authority over the rest of us here certainly is a problem. Of course, myself and just about everyone else in the city was riled up more than usual the day of the attack. The gods, you know.

video

[sweariff]

[Bigby doesn't need to know the identity of the animal on the slab to recognize a mess when he sees one, though even that pales in comparison to the little speech accompanying it; this shitshow has a lot of components to it, a lot of layers. It's something that warrants more of a response than a text-based one, though, but luckily he has a good enough handle on the way his phone works by now to be able to manage a video reply.

So, hey, stranger. Here's another displeased face to add to the pile.]

How clear is "clearly"? Do you have proof he was working for them?

audio

[infinite1up]

Now that I'm hearing from members of the Guard proper, it seems like things might be a little more complicated than expected. Maybe the fellow will explain himself once he's revived.

video;

[hotspurred]

[If he were back home, Henry would be feasting with family and opening gifts. Instead he is staring at a video of Shadow's corpse being traded for ammunition, watching his student's murderer gloat.

Henry cares about Shadow; his outrage in this case has little to do with the Guard — though the attempt to frame them certainly doesn't help. He is seething. But while a chair might play victim to his anger, he knows better than to address Sato until he has his emotions under relative control.

So Henry is composed when he responds to the network, donned in his armour. There is intense focus in his eyes and his voice has an edge sharp enough to cut to bone.]

Shadow left the Guard long ago. By choice.

[And as far as Henry is aware, it was a complete severance. It's absurd to suggest that Shadow is acting their orders.]

We will see justice done.

audio;

[infinite1up]

[By way of contrast, Sato sounds quite relaxed, maybe even just a little bit playful. Now that he's leaving the vicinity of the temple though, running video might give away a few too many hints as to where he's going.]

Justice has already been done. At least... in this case.

[Video]

[foundafamily]

[Firo's surprised to find that he's actually angry when he sees Shadow's corpse. He's not supposed to be, because they're not friends anymore and they left on pretty bad terms. There must be something wrong with him that he couldn't just squash any feeling of attachment, so he forces himself to brush it aside.

Besides... at the same time, he knows that Sato might very well be telling the truth about being followed; Shadow was doing the same thing to Firo, and that's how they had their falling out.]

Looks like you're making sure you get something outta this. You drag him to the temple after he was dead or before?

[That detail seems just a little odd to him, to make a dramatic pitch with clear evidence of the potential for material gain in the background. Still, he can't deny it's practical.]

[Audio]

[infinite1up]

After. It seemed better than leaving him lying in the street. He'll be able to pay me back for the bullets I spent, too.

[Video]

[mismanagement]

[Damn it, damn it, she told him to be careful. It was supposed to be a contingency, something she could pull in case of emergency. Not this.

Maketh's face is perfectly stony.]

You have made your point perfectly clear.

[She's going to destroy him.]

[Audio]

[infinite1up]

Have I? What's strange is that the other guardsmen don't seem to know anything about this in the end. Are they just playing games... or are you taking a personal interest?

[Shadow had definitely mentioned 'Tua' before he'd passed out that first time, he was quite sure.]

Voice

[blessedmaiden]

[Well, she doesn't like what she sees and not only because her friend Kain *is* part of the guard, Rydia met the hedgehog before and he seemed... okay, even if a bit hostile, it's not a good feeling to look at his corpse.]

With all the respect, you bring us no evidence of him being part of the guard nor of their involvement, all I see is what looks like a human showing a corpse around to prove his point uncaring of the fact that we have kids in this city.

We shouln't promote division and suspect between each other, sir, nor we should kill another member of our already small community.

Voice

[infinite1up]

Of course it would be nice if we lived in a world where that was possible. Unfortunately, sometimes it's kill or be killed.

[Of course Shadow wasn't trying to kill him, but... it's close enough, and nobody knows that yet anyway.]

text

[unfollowing]

what the fuck is your problem!?

[Shadow may be a little shit, but Emily hasn't seen him outright attack someone. Like with anyone else, she assumes he wouldn't do such a thing unless provoked.]

audio

[infinite1up]

I'm sure you wouldn't take very well to being attacked on the street.

[Video]

[thechoiceisyours]

[There are a whole lot of things Chris could say to this, and he feels like he's missing something important as to how this all occurred, but that as well as his general feelings are pretty easily summed up in his simple response to this post.]

Dude, what the fuck.

audio

[infinite1up]

My feelings exactly. Being attacked out of nowhere is always shocking.

video;

[occupiesvitalregions]

Whoa, whoa whoa whoa. I'm in the Guard and I have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe start at the beginning or something?

[Secretly Prussia is somewhat jealous/impressed by the old video game playing guy managing to take down Shadow, who he could barely land a hit on.]

audio;

[infinite1up]

[Oh no, not his video game compatriot! Before they even got to play any games, too. Well... *video* games, anyway. But keeping the story going for so long (really not that long) is getting tiring.]

I'm sure your fellow guardsmen will get you up to speed. Though on the other hand, it doesn't seem like everyone is on quite the same page, from what I'm hearing so far.

[Video]

[lifetothefullest]

[Although he saw this announcement right when it was made, Lance took a bit of time before responding for several reasons. The first is that he's pretty shocked by the sheer... Everything, about this post, from Sato's lack of remorse--no surprise, but still eerie--to the body--someone Lance doesn't know and who clearly isn't human, but he's getting used to that here--to the audacity of trying to use the situation for his agenda. Everything about it is just kind of horrific, and so he needs the time to get his thoughts together.

He also uses the opportunity to watch others' reactions and the conversations that are had, trying to glean any useful information from them and figure out the right way to handle responding himself. He doesn't want to antagonize Sato, and honestly thinks that giving him all this attention isn't helping, but he also feels like the situation seriously needs to be defused before anyone does anything else crazy.

He's just not completely sure how to go about that.

But from the responses he's seen before, most people are going with the direct questioning--or anger--routes, and so he should pick a different tactic. He carefully makes sure both his expression and tone exude uncertainty, as if he hasn't made up his mind yet about how he feels about the situation.]

Why do you think he was sent to follow you?

[The question is vague, able to be interpreted as either what reason Sato has for thinking Shadow was following him or as what reason there would be to follow him.]

[Audio]

[infinite1up]

Considering what we'd spoken about before, I'm surprised you have to ask.

[His voice is calm, but there's a hint of something a little lighter and knowing in his response. Sato's patience for playing the obvious-answers game is pretty low.]

I think the real question should be why he decided to attack now. Or perhaps why the Guard are denying any involvement. Trying to keep their names clean, wouldn't you say?

[Actually for all his calm facade, he's a little excited about this new development. A little bit of guerrilla warfare in the ruins of an ancient city... that sort of thing always made for a good game, too.]

[hasitsthorns]

What the absolute fuck, dude. Was murdering him really necessary?

[ Even if he did attack, which. Rose wouldn't put it passed Shadow. He's attacked her albeit for a reason. Still, she could see how his intentions might be misinterpreted.

It still doesn't sit right with her though. ]

I don't buy that kill or be killed bullshit either. I've lived that. It doesn't have to be like that here.

[infinite1up]

Would you have waved a white flag when the monsters from the tunnels invaded the rest of the city and let them eat you? Unfortunately... sometimes you can't reason with the enemy.

[text]

[readytobe]

[He knows neither of them, so his interest in the situation is purely analytical. And it is an interesting situation. He's too untrusting to believe that Sato's recollection is the whole story, but neither can he assume Shadow's innocence.

He is super stalking all of the responses to this.]

Perhaps one or both of you are acting under the influence of the "gods".

[audio]

[infinite1up]

It's possible. Usually there's a few more of us affected when one of the gods decides it's time for a game though.

Voice

[ushahin]

You bastard.

[He'd felt it, the moment he could no longer touch Shadow's mind. Something had happened to his best friend. But he'd never imagined anything like this. No one in Hadriel has ever seen Ushahin truly angry. Sure, he's thrown the equivalent of temper tantrums before, but those peter out fairly quickly. Now he feels rage the likes of which hasn't coursed through his veins in hundreds of years. It's there in his voice, a note of fury that raises his voice up from his usual soft tones to something far harder.]

I will make you suffer for this.

[That's not a threat. Ushahin has always said he doesn't make threats. He only issues promises.]

Voice

[infinite1up]

[Sato isn't quite sure why Ushahin is so mad. They'd had some interesting conversations that he thought went relatively well. So honestly, while this response isn't a problem, it is puzzling.]

Why?

[Text/Private]

[manofmettle]

What evidence do you have that the Guard sent an assassin after you?

[Danse wants to know. For Reasons. Namely that, you know, it's kinda strange that he'd been feeling stalked and trailed for awhile now. And then suddenly it all stopped, and now this message gets broadcast to everyone.

Coincidence? Probably not.]

audio

[infinite1up]

[A private message? Now this is more like it. Maybe someone with some common interests. Maybe not. Too early to say.]

I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for it, but he mentioned one of the officers by name.

[But he'll share one thing that he didn't mention elsewhere in the comments:]

I know that they've given some thought to what to do about a man who can't stay dead. And this fellow seemed to have the same kind of plans in mind.

(Video)

[handofsilver]

(That fur is most definitely familiar! Celebrimbor winces at the sight, confused.)

We do all we can, but we are individuals. What reasoning did Shadow have for pursuing you and attacking you?

(The words sink in and he glowers suddenly.)

We most certainly did no such thing!

(Audio)

[infinite1up]

Perhaps you should have a chat with the rest of the Guard about why this happened.