'--the way the streets were made, it was like charcoal on paper. Grey, bland. The city had been ill for such a long time, that many didn't believe that it could ever be cured.'

[The feed cuts in on what sounds like Alan talking, and if you listen close, it's a familiar story.]

'With little hope but to bring in others, the ones who ran the city pulled them from their times. It was a conundrum waiting to happen. To give them a specific request: "Paint the city, or lose your home worlds in the process."

What they didn't want to tell was the great war that was coming.'

[A long pause. Alan sighs. And then, suddenly, you hear him throw things off a table nearby, frustrated. There's a few kicks and some frustrated shouts of anger before he says something that's coherent.]

No. No no no! It doesn't sound right! That's not... no, it should be easier after Bright Falls! Alice--! [More papers being shoved, more violent sounds, more angrily tossing things. He might've just flipped a table too. WHOOPS.

Someone help pls. He needs to be calmed down, badly.]

[There's only so long Euri can stay cooped up in her room before she starts getting antsy. But she's torn between superstition about large amounts of water and the urge to go wander around outside, maybe even past the gate. She's made short trips, but there was no dilly-dallying with those.

Eventually she makes the decision to go out. It's been a few days with no incidents mentioned over the bracelets, surely the water is nothing to worry about.

About an hour later she's finding herself standing on a bench, eying the water with more suspicion and caution than one would expect. Her tone is no different.]

So....

No one's seen anything in the water, right? No fish or turtles or - anything bigger?

[Namely, something about human-sized but on the fishy side.]

I'm just checking! I know the water isn't that deep, but it can't hurt to be sure.

[And it would be nice to know she's just being paranoid about that dark shape she thought she saw several feet away.]

I saw a lot of people objecting pretty strongly to the idea of forced physical affection, and it still happened. I guess that shows how much our opinion matters in the end.

[Yeah, she's still a little bitter, even if that event led to her relationship with Roxas. She heard Hanako's reply to Heimdall's post, and all the pain and anger vibrating through her voice, and it's set her off all over again.]

For future reference, gods: we don't like being forced to do anything. Not die or be stabbed, and not sing or hug people, either. Remember the opt-in events? They were better. Even if I was angry about the scavenger hunt after a war had been announced, it was better.

We're doing our best here. You don't have to force things along by removing our free will. You never know what will upset someone, and upset captives don't lead to the best situations. [Is that a threat against the ruling powers? Someone really has changed since she arrived here.] So if you're honestly asking for opinions, here's one: don't take away our free will again.

[And she briskly cuts the feed.]

[The man in the video looks to be somewhere in his forties, with a strong nose and dirty blonde hair. He has a puzzled smile on his face, which broadens into something genuinely friendly after a few moments.]

Ah- is this working?