voicetesting

[darkseal]

ACTION - I;

[Being dragged from Fódlan into an entirely new world at such a critical point in time is not Hubert's idea of a good time. Honestly, it's sheer determination and rage that fuels him to keep going despite everything, which isn't really all that different from how it is back home, come to think of it.

He's holed up in the library today, which is becoming more and more common as the days pass. It's possible you've seen him in here before, and just like every day he's been spending in here, he's surrounded by entirely too many books. He's taking up the entire desk here, with several volumes open and entirely too many notes sitting before him. He's currently checking something against whatever he's reading in the book open in one hand, glancing between the two tomes curiously.

It would be easy to write it off as "Hubert's researching this world's history again and will probably work himself to exhaustion", but a quick look at the books indicates that... well, he's gotten distracted. There are history books there, though they remain untouched at the moment. Instead he's got several books about magic open and he's keeping notes on them (though good luck reading those notes, they're in some sort of code); the books are on illusion magic and creating visions of things that aren't really there.

...In his defense, learning about other kinds of magic is fascinating and he's hit a bit of a roadblock in his current history research in that there doesn't seem to be any indication about a way home. Listen, just let him live, he just wants to study magic for a little while!!

Feel free to approach him as he's working, or as he's preparing to leave and trying to figure out where all these books go... Why did he do this to himself, it's going to take forever to put all these books back...]

ACTION - II;

[Hubert's in town today to run some errands, but as usual, there's something to distract him. He isn't nearly this easily distracted back home, but there's so much to see and do here that isn't present in Fódlan, so perhaps it's understandable to want to stop and stare sometimes.

He'd been heading through a back alley - he still prefers to stick to the shadows as much as possible, and knowing his way through the alleyways is absolutely a necessity in case something happens and he needs to escape undetected (not that anything like that will happen, but it's best to be cautious anyway) - but there's something going on out at a stall on the main street that catches his attention even from back here.

As he approaches it becomes clear that the booth is specifically for games of chance. Hubert certainly isn't fond of gambling or anything of the sort, but the current game that's being played is fascinating regardless. The woman manning the booth has a hand spread on a wooden block, and is jabbing a knife into the block between her fingers. She speeds up with each stab, going back and forth around her fingers without ever missing and stabbing her hand.

Hubert ends up drifting closer to watch, a hand resting on his chin and his other arm folded beneath his elbow as he studies it.]

Is this what people do for entertainment here? Curious.

[Though his voice remains even with little indication of it, he genuinely looks amused. Well, as amused as Hubert ever looks, given the smirk.]

NETWORK - III;

[Hubert doesn't like using the video function on the device. It's awkward, and more importantly, he doesn't like to show his face on the network unless it's necessary. Some people might call it paranoia, but he likes to think of it as being cautious. Just in case.

So today's post is audio only, without any noise in the background whatsoever to indicate where Hubert could be. Caution, not paranoia.]

I have a question for you. Nothing time-sensitive or particularly important, just something I've been wondering.

[He doesn't exactly sound relaxed, but there's nothing in his tone to indicate this is anything more than idle chatter.]

What are your thoughts on loyalty? Just how far would you go for someone you care for?

[That's a... weirdly intense question, but surely it can't get any worse—]

Would you prefer to die for them, or kill for them?

[who let this man talk]

NETWORK - IV;

[Oh boy, a network post from Hubert, surely this can only end well. At least today's is text.]

I find it fascinating that we all come from such vastly different worlds. Things that I take for granted in my world are often absent in another's world. Some of the explanations I've heard about others' worlds are nearly unbelievable.

What is something integral to your world that doesn't seem to exist in another's? I'm curious to hear about the world you're from as well.

[Well, at least this one's sane...]

Comments

[darkseal]

Of course. Have you ever met one of these beings before?

[auralsphere]

The extremely powerful ones? Not personally, though I know where one resides and I want to try to befriend it someday.

[darkseal]

[...you're just. going to befriend a god. sure, okay, sounds normal.]

I see. I imagine it would be quite the experience to meet one.

[auralsphere]

I imagine it will be, too. Highly dangerous, of course, and there's always a chance that it will reject me, which won't end very well.

But I consider it worth the attempt.

[darkseal]

Are you seeking it out because of curiosity or is there another reason for it?

[because "hey this thing could totally kill me, I'm gonna go poke it" is incredibly dumb but he wouldn't be surprised at all at this point.]

[auralsphere]

[don't be mean.]

There's something I need to do, but I don't want to assume that it will be happy with that decision or try to force it to help me if it doesn't want to. Consider it along the lines of asking for its blessing first.

[darkseal]

[Oh, okay, much more acceptable. Doing a crazy thing that runs a high risk of getting you killed for your goals?? Totally legit.]

Understandable. It's certainly better than trying to force it into whatever it is you would like it to do. I wonder if you'll be successful. You're certainly an interesting person to talk to, I imagine you could at least get it to talk for a bit.

[auralsphere]

Acknowledging a risk of failure doesn't mean I think that it's likely.

I think my odds are pretty good. I can't speak for it, but I'm doing everything I can to make sure I'm deserving.

[darkseal]

Very fair.

Are there qualifications it is looking for or something along those lines?

[auralsphere]

It's more that you have to prove yourself deserving of its favor. Or at least, that's what I understand. There are people who have tried and failed in the past, so it's not easy.

From what I've heard and read, it fights alongside those who are deserving of being considered a hero of our region. What that means is up to its discretion, in the end.

[It's not like he can just hand Reshiram a resumé.]

[darkseal]

Interesting. So as long as it feels that you are doing what's best for the region, it may decide to align itself with you. You were preparing for this before you were pulled here, correct? Do you believe things will be fine back home during your absence?

[auralsphere]

Of course. I have faith in the Sages to keep everything under control until my return. My father leads them, and you know I have faith in him as well.

[darkseal]

Of course, I imagine he will keep things stable until your return.

[can't believe we bad ended pokémon]

[auralsphere]

[Don't worry, somewhere out there we've got a kid with a hat and some really trashy shorts.]

He will. I'm sure he'll keep an eye on my friends as well; I didn't have any of them near me upon being brought here.

[darkseal]

[that's... a weird way to word it???]

I'm not sure proximity has anything to do with it. Several of my classmates were nearby and none of them arrived with me.

[...though he hesitates to call any of them friends...]

[auralsphere]

My friends aren't human. They're some of those creatures I was telling you about, the ones that aren't as powerful as the creators but moreso than humans.

My usual companions weren't with me, but I was still spending time with a new friend I made along the way. He's here with me now, and very confused about it... But he's managing to get along very well, he's very adaptable.

[darkseal]

[...huh.]

I see. What is he like?

[auralsphere]

Do you want to see him?

[darkseal]

I would, yes.

[auralsphere]

[There isn't a reply for a while; it takes a moment, apparently. What does come eventually is a switch to video - not for very long, and it doesn't have any of the guy sending it actually in-frame, but video regardless.

What is in the shot is a good-sized spiderweb, bright white in color, though every once in a while it seems to flicker and glow with a soft yellow light. It's up in one of the corners of the room, just kind of sparking away occasionally, and in the center of it is...well...

Aww.

The little yellow spider is just sitting there, though it's blinking and after a moment it tilts its head like it's not sure what it's supposed to be doing; it's got its legs curled up underneath it, though after another short while passes it gets up to come closer and see what the whole filming thing is all about.

So. Hi, hello there.

The video cuts out after another brief while of this, and it takes a little while for another text to pop up.]

He isn't used to being filmed.

[darkseal]

[...Well, he's not sure what he was expecting but a weirdly cute and tiny spider was definitely not it?? What the hell.]

I see. I've never seen anything quite like him before.

[what... is he.........]

[auralsphere]

[Don't worry, N is shit with people but he can recognize patterns, he knows what's coming.]

He's a Joltik. They like to cling to things and absorb the static electricity they give off. Where I'm from, they live in a cave full of magnetically charged rocks.

Most of my friends aren't quite this tiny, but he's brave, all things considered.

[darkseal]

[Thank you, he was trying not to be openly rude and just ask outright!!]

It certainly sounds like an interesting environment. How did you meet this one?

[auralsphere]

Someone was in the cave doing horrible things to them. Capturing and confining them in the name of research, with no indication that they would be safely released afterwards, or even that they would be released at all.

[Professor Juniper probably doesn't deserve this.]

I asked him to help me fight them off, and he stayed with me a while in the cave. That's when I was brought here.

[darkseal]

Were you able to save the ones that were captured?

[this is really goddamn funny without the context of pokéballs]