Well, that went about as well as it could've. Bit disappointed I was late for the party earlier with Kouga and Leo, though my other theory about the little present I got ended up being true. Too bad - doesn't suit me to have a matching set.

Enough of that, though - I'm curious, since people do mention it from time to time:

Do you prefer working alone or in a group when you're asked to do something?

[The video cuts in on an agonized grunt as Rei's got a hand at his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt so tight that his knuckles are white. He takes a few breaths, and despite the fact that his chest is on fire and it feels like there's a vice tightening around his heart, he gives the camera a grin, though it's quickly overtaken by pain. As a guy that does dangerous things for a living, to see him this visibly pained means that whatever's happening is fucking horrible.]

Looks like it's come sooner than later. Sorry I didn't really tell that many of you about this, but I thought we'd be able to track down the person responsible for this first ...

[Luckily he's been sitting during this, because now the pain's gotten so bad that if he were standing, he would've easily collapsed to his knees, but given the circumstances, now he's just doubled over.]

I'm still alive. The pain is proof I'm still alive ...

[He repeats this softly, like a mantra, and is able to at the very least look back up, face pale and drawn tight in pain, but he's still trying to make the effort to smile.]

But I guess I'm joining Shizuka sooner than I thought.

[He pauses, as if someone were silently asking him something.]

I've got no regrets, I'm just a bit disappointed.

As much as I might appreciate the hospitality here, I have a job to do, and I don't think my bosses will be very happy to know that I've been gone for the last few days considering the nature of my work, so if anyone would mind giving me a ride out of here and back to my world, it'd be appreciated.

((Heeeeeey Kefka, now's your chance to kidnap a Makai Knight.))

[Our feed today cuts in on the new apartment Rei's settled into - after everything that happened with Kourga and Barago, Rei's relocated to his proper place in the city for the time being and with a new apartment to make up for it.


Anyway, the feed's recording from the kitchen table as a figure in silver armor (Rei in his attire as ZERO, for those of you new to this) comes in through the window. He does a double-take for a moment before shutting the laptop to cut the feed -


And a few minutes later, it comes back on again, Rei now in his normal outfit and with a plate. He's already digging into the cake, but his expression's between amusement and annoyance.]



The cake is a nice bonus, but I think we can do without the glitter.

[Rei's voice is lowered when he speaks, rushed. Well, probably doesn't help he's trying to keep Kouga from overhearing him.]

I've got a favor to ask - I need ways to try and calm someone down who obviously isn't listening to reason.

[Shut up this might be hypocritical but this is kinda more important right now.]

(Quickie canon move - ep. 23, prior to Kouga going berserk. HELP A MAN OUT.)

I'm known as a Makai Knight. I've been trained to fight off demons known as Horrors since I was taken in by my mentor. Horrors possess people with strong negative feelings, and once they're possessed, they cannot be saved, no matter how hard we've tried to separate them in the past.

That man in the silver wolf armor you've sometimes seen on the community? That's me.

Up until recently, I've been obsessed with trying to kill another Makai Knight - I thought he had killed my mentor and my girlfriend, but I found out that wasn't the case. The man that killed them also killed Kouga's father, and we're both getting ready to go after him.

I put innocent lives in danger in order to try and uncover the truth, and I didn't regret it. Now, though, we have a clear idea on who's responsible for what's been going on in our world, and both Kouga and I are willing to do whatever it takes to set things right.

Funny thing is, I'm actually starting to see him as a friend. Strange how things turn out, I suppose.

[sup DDD, have your resident Makai Knight popping up on the feed, looking ... actually pretty serious this time around. Recent events have sobered him up pretty quick, though there still is a hint of mischief in his voice when he speaks:]

So I guess I got a few things to say real quick.

[text]

Remember this post a while back? ... well, some of you were right - that was me. And ... [This is definitely hard for Rei to admit - that he was wrong. But it's now or never, considering the urgency of recent circumstances.] You guys were right. The guy I was after - Kouga - well, he wasn't the one that I needed to go after. Learned that the hard way.

[/text]

Though now? Now we're going after the real culprit. Seems we have a common enemy. And honestly? The odds aren't looking so good right now. [At this, though, there's a grin on his face.] Doesn't mean we're not going to go out without a fight.

[Rei reaches behind his back and pulls out his short swords, twirling them a couple times in his hands before nodding at the camera.] Kurt, you guys stay out of trouble - don't want to come back and hear something else's happened. Though after this, the Watchdogs should give us a nice long vacation.

[And for the first time, that female voice you hear with Rei sometimes? You actually see the source of it - the pendant around Rei's neck.]

Zero, we need to go meet up with Kouga - you know how impatient he gets, and it will probably be worse now because of what happened to that woman.

... yeah, yeah. On the way.

(Last post before I start the finale run of the series [episodes 22-25] - and the development that goes with it. HE'S GROWING UP, YOU GUYS. ;3; He'll be replying voice-only in this post!)

[The video is being shot in a dark, abandoned warehouse, and shows a very irritated-looking Rei, complete with a pair of short swords.]

You know, that was in pretty bad taste. You should learn to be more gentle with the ladies.
( Cut for video and tl;dr - GO REI GO. )

( semi-tl;dr ooc note )

For once, these little chat websites have proven useful to me. I have discovered that my dearest brother has started a demon extermination business... Devil May Cry. Does he really believe an insect can conquer the demons of this world? To make a stand for what he believes in? Well, as the saying goes: it's better to have tried and failed than never to tried at all.

... only not, because I do not believe in failure, something my oafish brother often suffers from. Defeat and large amounts of life-fail. So this doesn't apply to him.

[ooc: tags will be slow because my bed-time is very soon and I have work over the next two days, SOB.]

Guess this place has some uses after all. I'm bored, so I have a hypothetical situation for you, community-chan. Say that you're trying to get revenge against someone. At first, you were sure that it was them, but as you started hanging out with him more (by the way, he's incredibly boring to be around most of the time – takes his job way too seriously), you start to have some doubts.

Do you continue, or do you start over again?

Remember, this is only a hypothetical situation, don't think too hard on it~

(all responses implied anon unless he's called out on it. o7)

[The video's fuzzy at first, but you do eventually see what looks like a mostly-abandoned bar area. I say mostly-abandoned because there's a bed sitting at the far end, and some of the bottles sitting on the counter has different-colored liquid in it. So someone's definitely living there.

The camera focuses a bit more, to a young Japanese man wearing black and with a strange pendant around his neck. He leans forward, staring at the camera for a moment before he smiles]

Well, this is definitely different. I'm fairly sure that I didn't get a laptop anytime soon... unless it's a gift from some secret admirer. [He chuckles a bit before a female voice pipes up-]

Zero, this isn't a laughing matter. What if someone planted this here?

Silva, you worry too much. Besides, don't you think we would've noticed? [He straightens, shaking his head slightly, his smile dwindling down to a mere smirk, though he's still fairly amused]

Though I do have to ask about the ducks … personally, I'm the kind of guy that prefers wolves. Though I suppose that ducks can be cute, too.

So, computer-chan, what do you have in store for us?

(Actually, ooc note before I forget - that girl that talked? Is actually Rei's pendant - buuuut he's probably going to wave it off as someone else in the room. Not that he'd really get in trouble for telling, but it's still considered a big no-no.)