♔ [009] -- VIDEO - BROADCAST MIND
I.
"So this is the Campania!"
From the ground on the port, three shrill voices call out "Young Master! Take care!!" You turn away from the encouraging cries of your waving servants, and instead examine the deck of the ship you currently stand on. You'll be spending a lot of time on this vessel, and you already feel tired thinking about it. Then, the excited crowds and stressed-out workers keeping them in line fade away into a beautiful indoor scene: one of polished silver, bright lights, and first-class parties.
"It feels stupid having abandoned work to come here..."
But, the cheery face of your fiancée appears before you, pulling you off into the throngs. You allow yourself to be dragged about, sighing aloud and imagining your isolated desk back at home. There's something else on your mind. After all, you haven't really forgone work in coming on this trip...
II.
"But more importantly, young master... it's tonight."
It's ridiculously embarrassing, you think, standing amidst a new crowd of people. This is the real purpose of your mission, and you'll have to do whatever it takes to get the job done, but still...!
"Th... The complete flame in our chests... Shall not be extinguished by anyone. We are... The Phoenix!"
Ugh, it's so horrible to put on such a display. But, the strange man in front of you acknowledges the signal, and offers you the membership badges that you need. Your face red, your pride injured, things continue on course. You are introduced to Ryan, the man of the hour, and your gaze narrows ever so slightly. Turning, you match eyes with your butler, who quirks a brow at the scene. There's so much to be done, and in all likelihood, it won't be easy, or enjoyable. You make conversation as Sebastian hunts down clues, making your way through the investigation.
And the ship makes its way on, as well...
III.
Everything is wrong. The sparkle and class has devolved into blood and screams. The woman in the coffin hasn't been raised from the dead as those fools expected; it's more than obvious. As if you believed that such things could happen, anyway. You aren't fazed by her rampage, of course, and your faithful butler is there to keep things from going too awry.
To keep the nightmares away.
The Reapers have arrived, too, as things are slowly getting out of control. More so than usual. How did Sebastian's knife, driven straight into the heart of the monster-corpse, not stop the thing from moving? Now the Reaper is saying that you must crush their heads to truly defeat the walking dead. Your stomach turns, ever so slightly. This is all becoming unpleasant. You leave the scene, commanding your "piece" to follow once he's finished playing. But this is becoming much less amusing than the games you favor.
And there's still more work to do.
IV.
The depths of the ship are shadowy, the atmosphere tense. Snake's appearance, the appearance of one of your trusted servants, is a reassurance. The presence of your frail fiancée, potentially in danger, is not.
"I'll definitely protect you at least!! No matter what happens...!"
She has to be safe, you must guard her, but there are so many of those animated corpses, climbing, growling, scratching--
Splattering crimson... a dancing demon...
Of course, now he's arrived, and your spirits lift ever so slightly. You don't allow your thoughts to drift back to that day. Even though the scene is so similar, you have to remind yourself that
It''s different. I'm outside of the cage now.
I am me, and I am--
V.
I will never let this person go.
Deep in the bowels of the ship, you don't see the iceberg that approaches the Campania quickly as the boat tugs on. Besides, the information that their are ten times more of those monsters on the other side of the ship is much more of an issue at this point. There's so much to do.
"I promised that I'd protect you at all costs!"
But, Sebastian is the one protecting you from the two damned Reapers. You can't do anything... you, the strong-willed noble, the Queen's Watchdog. Your gun has run out of bullets. And the monsters are closing in on Lizzie. Your heart pounds, and time seems as if it has slowed down. As they stretch out their hands toward her, she puts on a brave smile, and says:
"I wanted you to think of me as cute until the very end."
Where did she get that strength? Her sword moves as gracefully as she does. How could have ever believed that this fierce creature, your future wife, couldn't take care of yourself? She's just saved your life, as well...
And you offer her one of your rare smiles when it's done.
VI.
There is still so much to do. The water is rising at a very fast rate as the ship sinks. And a battle is raging on inside, to complicate matters. Your chess piece of a butler is moving across the board, swiftly fighting against his enemies. Your enemies. Don't those troublesome Reapers ever give up?
And now Undertaker, the tall grinning man who was once your ally, is standing with a Death Scythe at your throat. Your eyes are wide, shocked. It's all happened so fast. Sebastian lunges at the back of the grey-haired man's head, following through with his orders to protect the Young Master that holds his leash. But that was what the Undertaker wanted, and he tosses you into the air like a rag doll. Your butler was the real target... the real danger.
And he is in danger.
"Sebastian!" you yell. You're both stretching out your hands to each other, straining to lock grips, but his expression is of complete shock. Blood spurts out of his body, of his mouth, and your mind has gone blank in response. You've obviously never seen him in such a pitiful state.
Somehow, though the air, through the chaos, your hands find each other, closing in a strong grasp. Bound together by threads of fate, by an unbreakable contract...
Until the very end... until the last piece falls. Right?
"So this is the Campania!"
From the ground on the port, three shrill voices call out "Young Master! Take care!!" You turn away from the encouraging cries of your waving servants, and instead examine the deck of the ship you currently stand on. You'll be spending a lot of time on this vessel, and you already feel tired thinking about it. Then, the excited crowds and stressed-out workers keeping them in line fade away into a beautiful indoor scene: one of polished silver, bright lights, and first-class parties.
"It feels stupid having abandoned work to come here..."
But, the cheery face of your fiancée appears before you, pulling you off into the throngs. You allow yourself to be dragged about, sighing aloud and imagining your isolated desk back at home. There's something else on your mind. After all, you haven't really forgone work in coming on this trip...
II.
"But more importantly, young master... it's tonight."
It's ridiculously embarrassing, you think, standing amidst a new crowd of people. This is the real purpose of your mission, and you'll have to do whatever it takes to get the job done, but still...!
"Th... The complete flame in our chests... Shall not be extinguished by anyone. We are... The Phoenix!"
Ugh, it's so horrible to put on such a display. But, the strange man in front of you acknowledges the signal, and offers you the membership badges that you need. Your face red, your pride injured, things continue on course. You are introduced to Ryan, the man of the hour, and your gaze narrows ever so slightly. Turning, you match eyes with your butler, who quirks a brow at the scene. There's so much to be done, and in all likelihood, it won't be easy, or enjoyable. You make conversation as Sebastian hunts down clues, making your way through the investigation.
And the ship makes its way on, as well...
III.
Everything is wrong. The sparkle and class has devolved into blood and screams. The woman in the coffin hasn't been raised from the dead as those fools expected; it's more than obvious. As if you believed that such things could happen, anyway. You aren't fazed by her rampage, of course, and your faithful butler is there to keep things from going too awry.
To keep the nightmares away.
The Reapers have arrived, too, as things are slowly getting out of control. More so than usual. How did Sebastian's knife, driven straight into the heart of the monster-corpse, not stop the thing from moving? Now the Reaper is saying that you must crush their heads to truly defeat the walking dead. Your stomach turns, ever so slightly. This is all becoming unpleasant. You leave the scene, commanding your "piece" to follow once he's finished playing. But this is becoming much less amusing than the games you favor.
And there's still more work to do.
IV.
The depths of the ship are shadowy, the atmosphere tense. Snake's appearance, the appearance of one of your trusted servants, is a reassurance. The presence of your frail fiancée, potentially in danger, is not.
"I'll definitely protect you at least!! No matter what happens...!"
She has to be safe, you must guard her, but there are so many of those animated corpses, climbing, growling, scratching--
Splattering crimson... a dancing demon...
Of course, now he's arrived, and your spirits lift ever so slightly. You don't allow your thoughts to drift back to that day. Even though the scene is so similar, you have to remind yourself that
It''s different. I'm outside of the cage now.
I am me, and I am--
V.
I will never let this person go.
Deep in the bowels of the ship, you don't see the iceberg that approaches the Campania quickly as the boat tugs on. Besides, the information that their are ten times more of those monsters on the other side of the ship is much more of an issue at this point. There's so much to do.
"I promised that I'd protect you at all costs!"
But, Sebastian is the one protecting you from the two damned Reapers. You can't do anything... you, the strong-willed noble, the Queen's Watchdog. Your gun has run out of bullets. And the monsters are closing in on Lizzie. Your heart pounds, and time seems as if it has slowed down. As they stretch out their hands toward her, she puts on a brave smile, and says:
"I wanted you to think of me as cute until the very end."
Where did she get that strength? Her sword moves as gracefully as she does. How could have ever believed that this fierce creature, your future wife, couldn't take care of yourself? She's just saved your life, as well...
And you offer her one of your rare smiles when it's done.
VI.
There is still so much to do. The water is rising at a very fast rate as the ship sinks. And a battle is raging on inside, to complicate matters. Your chess piece of a butler is moving across the board, swiftly fighting against his enemies. Your enemies. Don't those troublesome Reapers ever give up?
And now Undertaker, the tall grinning man who was once your ally, is standing with a Death Scythe at your throat. Your eyes are wide, shocked. It's all happened so fast. Sebastian lunges at the back of the grey-haired man's head, following through with his orders to protect the Young Master that holds his leash. But that was what the Undertaker wanted, and he tosses you into the air like a rag doll. Your butler was the real target... the real danger.
And he is in danger.
"Sebastian!" you yell. You're both stretching out your hands to each other, straining to lock grips, but his expression is of complete shock. Blood spurts out of his body, of his mouth, and your mind has gone blank in response. You've obviously never seen him in such a pitiful state.
Somehow, though the air, through the chaos, your hands find each other, closing in a strong grasp. Bound together by threads of fate, by an unbreakable contract...
Until the very end... until the last piece falls. Right?