[video] July 11th, morning.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[The video on the PDA flickers once or twice. A hand blocking the screen moves away to reveal a corner of blue sky and an extremely tired face. The face in question belongs to a young woman with short black hair. Naoto looks beat up, worn, as if she had just come out of a fight.]

Is...this on?

[She blinks at the screen a couple of times, hesitating a little bit more before plunging on.]

I'm sorry, but I won't fight your battles. That's something the people in this city should do. I have to do something back home and...I have to get back. I have to save them.

[A pause. Her face is darkening now and her mouth is set into a hard line.]

Please. Return my katana to me. Now.

Comments

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[And here she pauses because she's not exactly sure herself. Why did Giovanni attack the city?]

[Then bitterly]...Someone thought it would be funny.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

To start a war? [miffed-sounding, a bit disbelieving.] Then why does it continue to go on?

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

It just started.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

I see. Then who are you figh--

[- pause.] ... Ah. You should read [- switched to text -] this (http://community.livejournal.com/soul_campaign/14671.html) [back to voice.] before moving any further, aru.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[W-what. Naoto reads it silently. The fact that he sent this to her probably implied that she wasn't going to be able to go anywhere any time soon.]

Thank you...for the guide.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

[slight pause.] I did not make it - you should thank Kujikawa and Lavi, aru.

What they say in that are the facts.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

Are you - are they civilians here?

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

No. Most of us have been taken, like you.

And none who arrive are allowed to be a civilian.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

...So we're prisoners.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

...

Yes. Fighters for them. It is how we may return.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[She's angry at this, but doesn't want to take it out on this man. It's not his fault, but it is hers.]

Has...anyone been able to leave?

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

Never. The desert is endless. You may say their souls have left, but I do not know of that, either.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

Ah.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

Some have died here, aru. But, yes- souls are the... focus of this place.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[it's terse and short] Died. While fighting for them.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

While brought here by them, yes. Another one of us [- slightest pause, switch to text -] killed them. This is he (http://community.livejournal.com/soul_campaign/94285.html?mode=reply).

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes narrow at the sight of the words murder and sexual assault but then-]

Soul consumption?

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

[longer pause.]

That is why I said some may not have moved on, if they believed in that.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

So they kill people by eating their souls.

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

Yes.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[Buhhhh-]

How...can someone eat a soul?

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

They should not be able to.

... But... by swallowing, it would seem possible.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

[Disturbed.] Is the soul...corporeal?

voice.

[closedmarket.livejournal.com]

Here, it seems so.

voice.

[canis-blade.livejournal.com]

That's...[crazy, weird, slightly disturbing, but Naoto doesn't say any of the following.]