[video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[At first, there's nothing visible on the feed, and the only thing audible is two moogles conversing.]

He looks dead if you ask me, kupo.

Maybe we should poke him with a stick and see if he moves, kupo?

Kupopopo! Not me! He looks shadier than a Treno pickpocket. You want a knife through the gut? Look at the weapons he's carrying!

I don't think he can attack anyone in that condition, kupo. I'm amazed he made it this far.

[Then the camera cuts the banks of the healing spring in what had formerly been Evil Forest. There's a trail of blood from the edge of the water, leading to a body entirely in black nearby, motionless and ravaged by multiple wounds. There's even a tear in his face mask, though it's not enough to reveal his identity. The only thing indicating the man is still alive is the shallowest rise and fall of his chest.]

Does anyone know this guy, kupo? I think he's a new arrival.

I think he's crazy, pulling himself out the healing spring like that. Does he have a death wish? We should shove him back in, kupo.

[Finally, the figure speaks. His voice is hoarse and fainter than is normal from blood loss, but his meaning is clear enough.]

Leave me...

Kupo! He's alive! Run! [The two startled moogles scurry to hide behind a tree, one of them still clutching the Sky Phone, and the feed ends.]

Comments

[Video]

[heavenslament.livejournal.com]

[A stretch of stunned silence, then....]

Shadow?!

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[There's another surprised 'kupo!' as the moogle fumbles with the Sky Phone to respond.]

Do you know him, kupo?!

[The other interrupts.] I told you, even his name's shady-sounding, kupo! We should leave him here.

[Video]

[heavenslament.livejournal.com]

[Wince.]

He's not a bad person.

[Well...not really. Cold, detached, interested in money, but...he did do his part to help them fight Kefka and she can't forget that.]

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

Then what should we do with him? It doesn't look like he wants to be disturbed, kupo.

[Video]

[paintbrushes]

The dog! Where's the dog?!

[Relm's priorities, people.]

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[The moogle pans the camera to show her a full view of the clearing.]

There isn't a dog with him, kupo. He arrived here on his own.

[Video]

[paintbrushes]

There is so a dog! If he's there, there's a dog. Go find it! It might be hungry or something.

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

People who arrive here always show up on their own, kupo! They don't bring pets with them.

[Still, if only to humour the girl, one of the moogles flits off on its tiny wings to scour the edge of the clearing, calling for the dog. The moogle still with the Sky Phone continues speaking with Relm.]

What should we do with the shady-looking guy, kupo?

[Video]

[differentxbeat.livejournal.com]

[The video flickers on, the picture is a bit fuzzy at first though with a few taps of the sky phone this seems to correct itself.]

Piece of junk...
[He mutters quietly before realizing that he's broadcasting.]

Hey! You look like you had a rough arrival, where are you? Are you alright?

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't respond; the moogles continue to take custody of the Sky Phone instead.]

This is Evil Forest, kupo! Or used to be. Now they call it Macalania Woods.

[The other moogle interrupts.] I dunno what happened to him, kupo, but he's lucky he landed in the healing spring here or he'd be a goner!

[Video]

[stragothemagus.livejournal.com]

[Strago's eyes widen in surprise as he sees who's on the screen.]

S-Shadow?!

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[One of the moogles replies.]

You know him too, kupo?

[stragothemagus.livejournal.com]

[Frowns.]

Of course I know him! We traveled together in our world!

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

Really? Was he always this craz--?

[The second moogle puts a paw over the other's mouth.]

Ssh! What if he hears you?

[notathiefcole.livejournal.com]

[Locke shakes his head.]

Shadow? What are you doing?

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[Shadow remains motionless nearby. It's the moogles who respond.]

That's what we want to know too, kupo!

[notathiefcole.livejournal.com]

[Locke frowns.]

Shove him back in for us.

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

[One of the moogles looks doubtful.]

He won't attack us or anything, will he, kupo?

[Video]

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Vincent, unlike some of the others that responds, realizes pretty much instantly what Shadow means to do here. He isn't sure he agrees with it any more, though. So he addresses the moogles.]

Let me talk to him.

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

Maybe you can talk some sense into him, kupo!

[One of the moogles flits over to Shadow with the phone. For all intents and purposes, he looks awful. What little skin is visible beneath the mask has a deathly pallor, and blood still trickles along one side of his face. He wasn't in the spring nearly long enough for it to make much difference.

But it doesn't seem to concern him much. When the moogle approaches he stares at the Sky Phone, sizing up Vincent on the screen. Even through the haze of pain, he can tell it's no one he recognises.]

[Video]

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

[Vincent stares without speaking for a moment, observing the injuries and whatever else can be seen of Shadow through the video feed. Eventually, he gestures toward those injuries, an glances past Shadow toward the spring.]

You have a choice.

[Video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

I made my choice...

[There's a barely suppressed wince. It's painful to talk, much less move.]

[video]

[wanderlusting.livejournal.com]

[...Yep, that's Shadow alright.]

A death wish, is it?

[video]

[tachikiru.livejournal.com]

I don't know, kupo. Maybe he got hit in the head and can't think straight.

[Despite that, though, Shadow does look pretty alert and in his wits. As much as a half-dead man can.]

[video]

[wanderlusting.livejournal.com]

Do me the favor of putting him back in? I can't imagine he'd enjoy learning about some of this world's quirks quite so soon.