throw_stone | first mission - video/action for new bark town

[There may have been a few blasts of a few seconds of broadcasting before this one, but that was just Ramza being taught how to use this.

By. Trying and reading the manual, and trying what it said. He thinks he gets the video now... don't mind his sort-of perplexed face filling the screen, before he pulls back. He's heard a few things already, but he's still thinking of it. When he does see it's working, though, he looks a little relieved - before putting on his most serious face.]
A 'trainer', they call me... [What it seemed to call him on this thing. A keeper of these monsters?] It almost seems I have become an Orator, given a monster and told to travel these paths for such a strange purpose.
But, I have questions that this booklet could not answer. Is there anybody else here from the land of Ivalice? [Or who've heard of his family... it all depends on the answer to this, to what he'll choose for himself. What he'll do with himself.] Or, if that is not the case, is there a weaponsmith in any settlement nearby? I seem to have lost my sword, when I awoke. [His protection against these creatures. A slight pause.]
My name is Ramza. If you have information, I shall listen.
[And, off it goes - Ramza turning back to his new companion, his... Stunfisk. If this is what he were given, this is what he shall learn to use.
Even if... it seems odd, like nothing he'd seen before.

A few moments later, however, he does click it back on - another thought came to him.]
Where is the closest church? [He wants to pay tribute to those two...] Or, if there is no church nearby, is there a graveyard of some sort?
[Okay, now it ends, Ramza getting ready for replies. They should come though as other bits of video, correct...? This is quite strange, having this sort of device.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If you have lice, take care of that first.

Around here, there's no swords, no guns, nothing. Just animals you can tell to bite things for you. Looks like yours...

[Blake peers at the screen for a better look.]

You're out of luck if you stepped on it already.

[...It's okay, somebody else already mistook the name of the only land you've lived in for your whole life, Ramza. Plus, he's your elder! Even if he looks odd.]
No. Ivalice is the name of my home land - the country, at the least.
[But he does give pause, as he looks from his new partner to the camera. Controlling beasts was something he had heard of, but...]
This is how he awoke. It appears it's normal for his kind to be so... flat.

[Damn right he's your elder. He's practically everybody's elder. That makes him wise, right?]

Now that's some bad luck with names. What's next door, Cockroachvania?

[Blake eyes the thing.]

If that's what it's supposed to look like, you might be even more screwed. I've never even seen one of those before.

Is that what you're looking for a church for? To pray for a better one?

Edited 2013-08-20 13:34 (UTC)

[...Ramza is not going to touch the name thing, Ivalice is a perfectly fine name. No, he's going to pay attention to that second statement - though he is looking a little cross.]
That is not it, Sir. I wish to pray for some of my friends. [His dead friends.]

I don't know what to tell you there. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen much of anything religious around here at all. Maybe having magic animals around is all the supernatural anybody needs.

Even with beasts like this, there is truly no religion?
[That sounds off to Ramza. His world had monsters, and also religion!]
Perhaps the people of this land just have their churches hidden from us invaders. [In case they would ruin them... no Ramza isn't going to believe there's a world with no religion at all okay.]

[Carter shrugs] I can't say I've really been looking. Nobody's called me Satan lately, and that's good enough for me.

Can't you pray wherever you feel like?

[...He'd ask what a Satan was (gosh he has ivalice weird religion geeze not anything from earth), but... he has so much more on his head.]
Not if I am to let my departed friends rest easy. [He can't help but not want to say they're dead. Even if they are. (well technically only one of them is dead but whatever.)] It would not feel right.
[Though he may need to. The slightest of pauses, and then.]
...What is your name?

[Blake tries to make his voice less sharp. It's not real good at that, but he tries.] Gone's gone. Praying wrong isn't gonna make it any worse.

[That's an easier question.] Carter Blake. [He adds, out of hometown loyalty} Philadelphia police.

[True. Gone is gone... death is final. Unless you come back as a vampire-zombie or are brought back by the Zodiac Stones or are in battle and a Phoenix Down is used before you become a crystal to have your abilities stolen okay I'll stop now. With the slightest of sighs, Ramza looks straight at the camera, at the screen. It wouldn't, would it. It'd just be something to calm himself.
A policeman...? Ramza doesn't know what that is - they don't call anything that back home. So, he does just ask with his serious face.] What do the police do?
[ramza
ramza no.
But he does add, a little quickly,] Myself, I am a sellsword. [Yes, it's another child soldier, Blake.]

[If Blake turned into a crystal, somebody could steal the invaluable ability YELL AT SCHIZOPHRENICS.]

What do-- are you screwing with me?

[A look at the kid's serious face says he isn't.]

[With the obvious strain of someone who is not real used to being patient] Po-lice. You know, the boys in blue. We uphold the law and arrest bad guys.

[He looks confused at the kid's own job.] You sell swords?

No - I suppose you could call me a... mercenary...
[That word still sits wrong with him, clearly. That's what he is, though. No beating around the bush here. But, the police... ah, they must be the Guard of whatever land Philadelphia is part of, taking on the bad guys. But he has quite a few questions about it. Those will come later, when he feels he can question this mans morals, when he figures out his own a tiny little bit.

A pause, before he adds, though, with a slight thought.] A respectful job you have, Sir Blake. I've not heard that term for it before, but it is still something good to be.

Mercenary? Come on. What are you, fifteen?

[Blake gets a sinking feeling. Not another one.]

[Yep, he's a guard. A real noble knight of justice. But if you start questioning his morals, well, that could be a long conversation.]

[He blinks, and finds himself straightening a little.] Sir? That's a new one.

[The hint of pride in his voice is battered and dented, but there.] Yeah. It's ugly and it's a pain in the ass, but somebody has to do it.

Sixteen. [As if it makes a difference.] 'Tis the path I chose for myself. [Because the noble path of a squire was anything but... Ramza feels his heart sink a little, just pondering that tiny thought. No. You're currently getting information, Ramza! This is no time to ponder what happened at home.
He does nod, though. A 'noble' one like him is a sir.] That is right - somebody must take that job. Or else accidents could happen, in any land.

You know what I want? Just once, I want to run into somebody here who's too young to buy cigarettes and hasn't killed anybody. Just for a change.

Accidents. Hah. It's the on-purpose stuff that's the problem. We're supposed to do things like keeping anybody from having kids shoot people.

first mission - video/action for new bark town

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