un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ Marcos shows his face on screen for the first time in what feels like a long time. The last couple months have been hard on everyone, and he's no exception. There's a small white dragon settled beside him, trying to get into the frame, that he pushes back. He knows he shouldn't have it, but it still follows him around like a puppy. It hurts his heart to think that it doesn't know it's dead.

Not what this is about. ]

Hey there. [ He clears his throat. ] Listen, we need to talk. It's... been a rough few weeks. It was hard enough keeping track of everyone when we were separated between the two cities, but now. Now I think it might be time to take stock of survivors. Maybe make a list of who we've lost and who we need to look out for.

[ He remembers all the skeletons in the tower. They didn't seem like an illusion to him. ]

Kaneki is missing. Has been for a while. I wasn't worried until I found something he wouldn't have left behind if he had any choice in the matter. Luckily I got to it first. [ Which is why — ] I might need a hand with a beating heart in a box. I don't know if it has any other power, but the Merchant called it leverage, and I don't think I'm the right person to keep it safe. If anyone wants to take a look I'll send you my location.

[ The dragon makes a noise, and he rubs its head to keep it quiet. Sometimes he feels helpless, but it's important to remind himself of what he says next. ]

I know why most of you wanted to stay, to help these people, but be careful out there. Remember you're not alone.

Comments

video ☆ un: bluebird

[cairhien]

I fear there may be others we're missing that haven't been accounted for previously.

[soloritur]

[ He has the same worry. The tower was brutal, and he didn't even see everything that happened there. And with the attacks in the streets... ]

So do I. [ They're too spread out. Kahl has a point in making it easier to hide, but he can't shake the feeling that death is spreading all around them. ] Our strength doesn't account for much if they can compel us to do whatever they want. People can just disappear.

[cairhien]

I knew few of those that were here to begin with, though over the months even some of those have disappeared from our numbers.

[soloritur]

[ It's the not knowing that kills him. Like something just whisks them away as quickly as they came. Too many things could have happened. ]

Kaneki isn't the first who left something behind. That's how I found out Eleven disappeared. [ He somehow knows that he gave him that money as a parting gift. Which means he had enough time to think about it. ]

They might not be related, but this isn't the only time we've been somewhere dangerous. There has to be some way to find out where they went.

[cairhien]

Then you believe they exist here still somewhere?

[soloritur]

Maybe not all of them.

[ It bothers him that he's prioritizing the heart over searching for a friend, he just doesn't feel right leaving it unprotected. ]

I'll go back to ask around to see if anyone saw something later. I don't know what else to do.

[cairhien]

Would they have attempted to leave intentionally? Those most recently, at least.

[soloritur]

I wouldn't blame anyone for trying, but this last one looked sudden. Kaneki wouldn't let anyone touch this box, and the way I found it unprotected makes it look like it all happened suddenly.

[ He can't help but think the worst and blame himself for not checking on him sooner. ]

Are you somewhere safe?

[cairhien]

I am.

( she pauses, concerned )

Did you know what was in the box already?

[soloritur]

Yeah, I did. [ It's pretty hard to forget something like that. ]

He didn't find out until after we tracked it down and insisted on handling it himself. I don't know what kind of leverage it is, but I wouldn't want it falling into the wrong hands. Especially if it really belongs to who they think.

[cairhien]

Then we should help you to safeguard it.

[soloritur]

I'm open to suggestions.

[ He's also open to not being the one in charge of it, but he feels badly for inflicting it on someone else. ]

[cairhien]

If we did not move so frequently it would be easier to safeguard it. However, there are methods of making the box unlockable to others.