[001 -- Video] By Way of Introduction

[akatsukivampire]

[The camera clicks on, but for the moment, the view is partly obscured by the cuff of someone's grey silk shirt sleeve as the operator adjusts it. The angle yaws back and forth several times and in so doing, we get a glimpse of a narrowed grey eye squinting at it. Mozart's "Voi che sapete" can be heard playing in the background.

[Finally, the camera stops wobbling and the hand encased in the sleeve withdraws; we get a view of a tall, slender man with a pale complexion, peering at the camera through platinum blond fringe that obscures one eye. He's rather expensively clad in a grey silk shirt, open at the collar, with a white linen waistcoat, also unbuttoned. The bookcase-lined room behind him suggests a Victorian gentleman's study, though a few ukiyou-e prints can be seen hanging on the walls as well.]

There we go: you'll have to excuse the camera abuse, as I would be the first to admit, I'm not as adept with a web camera as I am with a scalpel. [Said with a bit of a smirk]

[He clears his throat delicately]

Please allow me to introduce myself: I'm Kazutaka Muraki, a surgeon working out of Tokyo, residing in Tokorozawa City, though I've worked on and off as a private physician to some wealthy families here and abroad. This site was recommended to me by a young colleague of mine, who suggested that the younger physicians might learn a few things from another professional who's a little bit older and more experienced than they, but not quite old enough to be considered a seasoned physician.

I'm looking forward to chatting with you, barring technical glitches and human errors: perhaps I can learn a trick or two from you.

Comments

[Video]

[material_guy]

Your colleague or whatever. He secretly hates you a little, don't he?

[Video]

[akatsukivampire]

[He raises one eyebrow: this is a rather unusual-looking young personage...]

Eh? Have I typed in the wrong address? He did warn me to make sure I linked the video conferencing software to the proper server...

[Video]

[material_guy]

[Conferencing software, server, it all goes over his head; so he'll do his best to keep from having his eyes visibly glaze over while waiting for the silence to jump in again.] So yer not hated, yer just lucky!

This place's more fun than that one, anyway.

Re: [Video]

[akatsukivampire]

[Taps the camera, types on the laptop, trying to figure out what the yell is going on]

Might I ask just what 'this place' is? [A little confused and clearly wondering if he's been taken for a ride on the information super highway]

permavid

[goddamnshit]

[have a blindfolded guy sitting in a dark prison cell]

Hey, Muraka or whatever your name is, you got any better music?

Re: permavid

[akatsukivampire]

[He glances over his shoulder, as the music has shifted to Puccini's "Va, Tosca".*]

Hmm? Is there something wrong with it? [A little grumpy now and he's typing something on the notebook PC that the web cam is perched on]

[goddamnshit]

Nah. Classical just isn't really my thing.

[makewayforroze]

I think you may have the wrong site.

[akatsukivampire]

[Jiggery-poking with the webcam, so the view might be bouncing a bit]

I regret that I've come to the same conclusion. Unless the young man in particular gave me the wrong address on purpose.

What, may I ask, is this site?

[makewayforroze]

[Purple eyes follow him until it's settled.]

It's a site where people from a lot of different worlds can come to meet one another.

[mightletyouknowme]

Eh? [Have a blonde girl looking more at the background than at the man.] When are you from?

[akatsukivampire]

[A little puzzled at the question, but with a flicker of a gentle smile for the young lady]

I was born and raised outside of Tokyo, though I lived in Kyoto for several years. Might I ask why you ask?

[mightletyouknowme]

Japan, then. You're clothes are modern but everything else looks like it was from an old movie.

Video

[cooledition]

I prefer hunting knives myself. [Yes, this cute girl lifts up a big, gleaming hunting knife to the camera.]

It's nice to meet you, Doctor Muraki. My name is Ryoko Asakura!

Re: Video

[akatsukivampire]

[Oooh, this seems like a girl after his own heart, and he'll try to hide the smirk that flicks across his face]

It's a pleasure to meet you. [Bowing his head to the camera] Might I ask, are you a huntress of some sort?

Re: Video

[cooledition]

Not at all. I'm a student at a highschool! [She smiles cheerfully at the camera.] But you never know what you're going to run into. I keep several with me all of the time!

[Video]

[thekidsare0kay]

What'th a thurgeon? I think you were mithinformed. [Not only is this kid grey-skinned with horns and weird eyes, but he's got a terrible lisp. Sorry about that, Muraki]

Re: [Video]

[akatsukivampire]

[Well... This sight gets a flat out perplexed look from Muraki, who shakes his head as if to clear it. What *are* the youngsters up to now? Or was he born like that?]

I'm a doctor, a healer, though it usually involves sewing up injuries or...hm...tinkering with organs that aren't working as they should.

Re: [Video]

[thekidsare0kay]

[He was born this way, Kazutaka.] Oh... you're a thcienterroritht or thomething like that? You methh around with people'th bodieth?

[Video]

[candace_flynn]

Why would a doctor want to come to this place?

Re: [Video]

[akatsukivampire]

[He's sitting back in his chair, smoking a cigarette, clearly resigned to, even somewhat accepting of the fact that he's connected to the wrong network]

Hmm, I didn't exactly *want* to come here: it seems to have taken me by surprise. But, my grandfather taught me to make the most of the unexpected.

I'm rather enjoying the company I've found.

[Video]

[candace_flynn]

So you meant to go somewhere else? I'm not surprised. This community just pops up on people!

[Her expression turns from disappointed to more cheerful.]

So you're in Tokyo? My best friend has relatives there.

[drjackal]

It's a pleasure to meet a fellow colleague.

[akatsukivampire]

Ahhh, it's a pleasure as well. And whom do I have the honor of addressing over this...peculiar means of communication?

[drjackal]

You can call me Akabane Kuroudou or Dr. Jackal.