Secundus [Video]

[walksonrooftops]

[The first time the video clicks on, the feed is extraordinarily distorted. Did Asato do something to break his communicator or jam its signal somehow? He raises his voice to speak and sounds alarmed, to whatever extent he could be heard to people viewing this transmission. The sound is mostly garbled nonsense and sometimes it cuts out altogether, hissing into static before returning to the previous glitchy message, over which the Ribika's voice can be heard steadily rising, as if yelling louder might make the transmission more clear.

Among what one might possibly make out from this transmission are the words "help" and "not right".]

Don't believe--

[And then it cuts out again, for a rather long period of time. When Asato transmits his next message, the quality is once again crystal clear, permitting a view of a Ribika who is obviously quite disconcerted by what he's just experienced. His fur is still standing on end, but his voice, when he speaks, is back to its usual, low timbre--though he can't hide a tinge of fear from creeping in when he speaks.]

Something is very wrong.

Comments

[walksonrooftops]

So...there aren't any commies here?

[But but but America said--]

I'll tell him he doesn't have to worry.

[handelaar]

There could be. Haven't met any though.

[He snorts at that.]

He won't listen.

[America never listens.]

[walksonrooftops]

He'll listen to me! I'm his sidekick.

[handelaar]

No he won't. Fucker'll just try to convince ya he's right.

[walksonrooftops]

Is that so...

[He's not questioning him. In fact he may even take that statement as the truth.]

What if you tell him?

[handelaar]

Uh. [He's used to people bickering back, what is this.] Usually.




Nah, don't think he will. He's still got a grudge against Russia.

[walksonrooftops]

Russia is...a commie?

Holding a grudge against commies is bad?

[handelaar]

He used t'be. [He gives a small shrug.]

...

[Well when it's put that way. Hm. Understandable, maybe, but - ]

If you let it get in the way of gettin' shit done, I guess.

[walksonrooftops]

So if we wouldn't get something done otherwise, we shouldn't hold grudges against commies.

I understand.

[Seeing how he has no strong opinion one way or the other just yet, he follows along rather easily.]

Capitalists too?

[handelaar]

... somethin' like that.

[He is kind of floored, man. Since when is anyone so damn agreeable. And uh. Gullible, maybe.]

Yeah, sure. [Nope still floored.] Uh. I guess any grudge that gets in the way is bad.

[As much as he likes his grudges, he likes getting things done more. He just, uh, rarely has to state that outright. Weird.]

[walksonrooftops]

I see. I'll remember that.

[He really is trying his best to make sense of things like governments and social issues and things of that nature, but most of them are just too complicated for him.]

Should I know anything else?

[handelaar]

[A slight tilt of his head, maybe a nod - either way it's some sort of acknowledgement that he heard.]

About, uh - countries?

[walksonrooftops]

[He leans in to peer more closely at his communicator, eyes wide and curious.]

Yeah, about countries!

[handelaar]

[All he can think is that Japan must love this guy.]

...we're all kinda crazy.

[That was useful knowledge, right?]

[walksonrooftops]

Is that so...

[He'll remember that!]

Austria is nice, though. So you're not too crazy.

[handelaar]

Mm... dunno about compared to everyone else on here.

["Bro", Austria is totally crazy in his book.]

Y'can be both.

[walksonrooftops]

You don't seem crazy.

[He means that in the friendliest, most innocent way possible.]

[handelaar]

Uh.

[He likes to consider himself pretty sane comparatively, but. Well.]

Maybe weird, then.

[walksonrooftops]

Weird.

[Is there an echo in here?]

That's okay, though. We can still be bros, alright?

[handelaar]

Yeah.

[This echo doesn't phase him. "Bros" does. He's not roping himself into anything without knowing his parameters.]

Maybe. Depends on what ya mean by "bros".

[walksonrooftops]

Bros!

[Which means he's not entirely sure what it means or what it entails.]

If you ever need help, I'll help you. Isn't that what a bro does for another bro?

[handelaar]

Hm.

[He..can tell.]

Within reason, I guess.

[walksonrooftops]

Right.

[He nods. It's not like has any reason not to help the Netherlands, even without the ridiculous 'bro' thing America put in his head.]

I'm going to see if I can find Austria. Will you let me know if you see him?

[handelaar]

Mm, yeah. [A nod for emphasis.] An' uh, if you see one of the Japans...




[He just sort of shrugs and leaves it there.]

[walksonrooftops]

[A pause before he nods again, a bit more solemnly this time.]

Understood.

[He turns and heads back where he came from, the feed clicking off a few seconds later, as if he nearly forgot about it.]