[video] forward dated to 9/13

[appraiser]

Ryoji Mochizuki shared a video.
09/13 near Apprassage

[ The video starts up, dark, silent. A bedroom, if an empty desk and neatly made bed and too many cardboard boxes count as a bedroom, and then the view flips over with a soft ] Oh. [ as the user finds the front-facing camera instead of the rear that he always uses on his phone. ]

Hi... It's been a while.

[ The bottom half of the screen blurs as Ryoji draws his knees to his chest where he sits on bare floorboards, phone in his hands. He doesn't introduce himself— doesn't need to, when his name is up there for people who don't know him, his face right here for people who do: the people he's recording this video for, whispers in an empty room. ]

I'm back. I know there are probably questions as to why, or how... and I can't really explain it well myself. But I'll answer the best I can, if you want to ask, texting or in person.

[ Ryoji sits up a little straighter now, looks a little more serious. This is what he meant to say: a confession. ]

But before that, I want to say that I'm glad to be back, however it happened... a second chance like this. I also want to be more upfront about myself, and there are things I want to say to a lot of people.

There was a time in the past where I was a monster: I'd hurt a lot of people, and I ran from all of that, hid myself away, and pretended it hadn't happened. The memories I've been experiencing, I kept the good ones close, the bad even closer, pretending they weren't real and that they have nothing to do with me. I thought... that it would be better to forget about all of that and return to a simpler time. Unconsciously, I think that's what I did. I went back to before everything happened, to start over, and do better this time. But I got it wrong. I made myself forget, but I wasn't forgotten...

[ He's rambling now, a little, so he turns his eyes away from the screen, staring off at something in the distance- it's the moon reflected in his eyes, only half. ]

There's somebody I still need to say goodbye to, but after that... I want to see so many of you. I owe a lot of "thank you"s and "I'm sorry"s and "I love you"s, and I want to be with people again. I don't want to leave this world or its people ever again.

So... I'll see you guys soon.




( ooc: forward dated to 9/13 to give myself a buffer. replies can be via text, or an in-person if you want to fast-forward to ryoji showing up at your character's house/class/chance meeting at some cafe/hi roommates/he'll be finding people around town somehow. for his cr, please assume he checked up on them, whether it's handwaved or not! )

Comments

[fiddlestick]

[ You guys suck. YOU CAN'T HIDE ALL THE DEATHS FROM HIM. ]

A little, though it's really nice! It's just...when I asked about you, the landlord said you were just on vacation.

But none of this sounds like you were on vacation...

[appraiser]

oh
yeah, the vacation was... an experience
but it wasn't very fun, and i'd love to be able to put all that behind me and just be glad that i'm home

[fiddlestick]

[ ???? ]

Okay...well, welcome back?

[appraiser]

thanks, it's good to be back
oh! speaking of the landlord, sorry i didn't follow up on all the housing stuff with you- the vacation lasted longer than i thought it would
i'm glad everything's settled now though

[fiddlestick]

Huh?
Oh, no it's okay!
It sounds like you had a lot on your plate...it's all taken care of.

[Including people ATTENDING YOUR FUNERAL, thanks Terra for that. Elliot is now very Suspicious.]

Are you still moving in?

[appraiser]

[ mistakes were made and this is why ryoji wanted to meet up with people in person instead of text ]

yeah, i still plan to
tomorrow, probably, after i catch up with those i promised to
everything's already packed and ready to go on my end, so it shouldn't take long

[fiddlestick]

[Many mistakes. It's safe to say Elliot Craig will Remember This.]

Alright.
I'd offer to help, but I have classes tomorrow.
But I am cooking dinner- so what would you like?

[appraiser]

oh. i'd forgotten all about classes...

[ he hopes minako didn't go and cancel all his classes like i read she did??? there is so much to he needs to fix, help ]

i'll just deal with that as it comes
let's have porkchops with apples and red onions?
i think the apples out back are just about ripe

[fiddlestick]

Yeah. But it's only been a week and a half, so you haven't missed much.

[Yeah good luck with that Ryoji.

And crap. Porkchops are not only kinda expensive, but not something he's good at making. Something about slabs of meat proved troublesome for him. But who was he to deny someone of their meal of choice after their deathcation?]

Porkchops with apples and red onions?
Okay.
I don't know how good it'll turn out...
But I'll do my best.

[Enjoy your adamantine porkchops Ryoji]

[appraiser]

i'm sure you'll do well, especially if you're confident enough to offer cooking dinner
i meant to, but i never really learned how to cook
i watched others a bit, but then things got in the way, as they do
do we have all the ingredients you need in the fridge? otherwise i could make a grocery run

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot...confident....yeah that's two words that never go together, but ok Ryoji]

It's not much really, I just want to help out. [I don't want to be a burden]
I taught myself how to cook, but I wouldn't say I'm that great.
Don't worry about the ingredients. You're busy as it is.
I can pick them up on my way home.

[appraiser]

cooking would help everybody a lot
as a way to bring everybody together in the evenings
and we can get to know each other better
like family

are you coming home from school, or work?

[fiddlestick]

[Weird...that strange kid said that too. But Elliot's train of thought ends on that one, because his mind also wanders to that memory he had of that group of students. A week later...he still didn't know who they were.]

Yeah, that's the idea.
And it saves us money instead of eating out all the time.

School, I have music theory today.

[appraiser]

haha you're responsible
i would eat out all the time, so i could meet with people
but now i can do that at school instead!
i wonder if i signed up for music theory?
there were a lot of classes and i forget what i chose

[fiddlestick]

[on his end, a sweat drop appears behind his head. Yeah. Not trusting this guy with the budget.]

I'm not really that responsible, not compared to Tuuri.

[Her charts are something to marvel at.]

You don't remember...? [Okay...] What were you going to school for?

[appraiser]

haha i can believe that about tuuri
i'm going to school mostly for fun

[ don't trust this guy with anything ]

[fiddlestick]

[.......]

Please tell me that doesn't mean
You plan to drink and do drugs all the time.

[appraiser]

oh that's part of the college experience isn't it?
but no
not all the time

[fiddlestick]

[...Yep. Sure has a bad feeling about this one. But whatever, it's this guy's life not his. At least they aren't going to be sharing a bedroom]

...Just please don't burn anything down?

[appraiser]

why do you think i would burn something down?

[fiddlestick]

[Because for some mysterious reason Ryoji, you're coming off as a very irresponsible person. Except he guesses that would sound like a weird request, and Elliot is far from confrontational so-]

Sorry. Nevermind.

[appraiser]

no, it's okay, it's a reasonable request and i'll do my best to keep any fires i start contained

[fiddlestick]

[how about you not start any- you know what just take what you can get]

Thanks.