preybeforemeals | 006. [VIDEO, ALSO TWO OTHER THINGS.]

[VIDEO]

Ah, good afternoon, messieurs et mesdames!

[Holy shit, it seems somebody's in a great mood today – particularly when compared to the last few times he's been around on the network.

It's not exactly the greatest out there, weather-wise, but he seems to be going...somewhere outdoors as he broadcasts, filming as he goes; it's overcast but it's above freezing, and he's got that one bright blue coat on and over it he's got the most godawful scarf in the history of anything (it's got way too many colors and it's about two feet too long and basically it was made by a knitting bug and it looks it – so we can all thank Fujisaki-chan for unleashing this monstrosity on the world, cheers to you Fujisaki-chan), and his face is a little flushed due to both the cold and Tsukiyama just generally being worked up for god only knows what reason, and clearly it's a good day all around.]

It's been an excellent day so far, a good day for pursuing one's passions, for seeking out the ultimate experience...pleasure is the greatest reward one can give oneself, and if you haven't rewarded yourself today – ah, the only question left is why you haven't!

[And from the sudden aggressive blur of colors in the background, that was accompanied by the most enthusiastic little twirl because of course it was.]

So listen to me – I want you all to pursue something for me today! Something new, something you already enjoy - anything you want, just as long as it's something that pleases you. And tell me about what you've decided to do! I want to hear your voices today, mes amis – so make it good for me, all right?

[And with that the feed cuts off; at least he's having a good day today.

Happy birthday, you crazy bastard.]

[TEXT; PRIVATE TO MERIDIANA]

While I know it's short notice, would you mind going out to dinner with me tonight? I'm inviting Banjou-san as well; I would appreciate it greatly if both of you would join me.

[TEXT; PRIVATE TO BANJOU]

Do me a favor and pretend to tolerate my presence tonight; I'd like to take both you and Miss Everett to dinner with me this evening. Don't worry about payment; I'll handle it. I'm just asking for your company, that's all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, good to know, monsieur - I'm not going to judge however you choose to seek your own happiness today, as long as you do it in the first place.

[Kevin, you're a damn weirdo but you're a decent damn weirdo, weirdness in Night Vale aside.]

As for the occasion...well, you only turn twenty-three once in your life, and I see no reason to not celebrate it as I see fit.

I am always happy, ever smiling! I assure you this will not be hard to do.

[Some would disagree with you there, but if he heard you say that...he would feel very grateful.]

Oh! Ohhhhhhh! [Was the noise he just made even human?] Happy Birthday! What an exciting day and do be aware of the dangers that lurk in the streets on this day. It would be unfortunate if something were to happen to you. I've heard some very interesting things happen on birthdays. I myself do not have one, it's not necessary to have a day to celebrate my birth.

Oh, I don't look at it as celebrating my birth, amore - it's celebrating another year in which I managed to not die.

[...THAT CERTAINLY WAS A THING HE JUST SAID.]

A one-year anniversary of not dying is a bit more important than something you had no control over, at any rate.

[...APPARENTLY HE HAD NO IDEA YOU MEANT THAT! Well you make him feel good about himself Tsukiyama, he's keeping you around.]

[He is silent, just staring at the other with his wide smile. You could see the gears turning in his head.]

That makes sense. Viewing another year with such an accomplishment...being alive.... I never thought of it that way.

[It's...not explicitly what he's here for, but you know what, he is all for comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable, as it were.]

I've come close to dying several times in my life; each time, there's always been too much to experience for me to content myself with lying down and giving up.

I won't go so far as to say all life is to be cherished or valued by everyone, but if you don't see your own as worthy of celebration, then what's the point?

I'm not sure if my life is valuable or not! Certainly I find value in my work and I will never give up but seeing ones life as a celebration.... I'm not sure how to decipher that.

[...That...is either very interesting or profoundly depressing, and he's not entirely sure which it is.]

Why wouldn't your life have value, amore? Even if the only thing giving it value is your work - which you apparently do find valuable - then I don't see why that wouldn't extend to you as well...?

[Kevin isn't really sure either.]

I am an employee, productive and without a care. I have a family, parented by Strex of course and I get to speak on the air which is something I wanted to do since I was young...I think? I certainly think so, but my past is dark, dank, and there is no blinding light within it, no plastered smiles upon my face so why think on it.

[He pauses.]

My life is Strex! So if Strex has value, it would equate to my life having some value.

[And that...he sort of understands that, in his own way; his life was more or less nothing but shallow pleasure before the alliance back in Tokyo, and while he enjoyed it - he'll never say he didn't - it still feels strange to look back on it. It's cold, and there's a hollowness to it, and the alliance changed that. Kaneki changed that, and while Tsukiyama's made something halfway resembling a life for himself here, back home he has his own One Sole Thing to live for that's giving him some sort of value (as a knight, as a sword).

Maybe Kaneki is Tsukiyama's equivalent of Kevin's Smiling God; who knows.]

There you go, monsieur - as long as you're living for something, there's value in continuing to live. At least, that's how I've always seen it.

Some just don't live for themselves, and that's fine.

Of course...Strex isn't here.

[He doesn't want to think about that.]

I'll just have to build Strex from the ground up and start a new.

Is there nothing else that interests you? Just for the time being, I mean, until you can achieve what you want.

[He thinks for a moment and realizes...that no. Strex was everything. He did like his Strex pet...but that was Strex and the whispering forest was nice. Nature...? No.]

My Strex pet...back home. However that is involved with Strex.

[A pause, his smile dropping to a normal resting position as he thinks harder.]

I enjoy....being around my pokemon.

[You know what, he'll accept that.]

...Well, that is something. They're lovely creatures, n'est-ce pas? I've found that I enjoy mine more than I thought they would - very unlike my own pet back home, that much is certain.

[...Tsukiyama, your "pet" back home was a human being.]

Your pet back home? Aren't pets wonderful, always so obedient and willing to please their master.

Ah, mine is a little contrary sometimes, but I prefer her that way, honestly.

What's yours like...? This...Strex pet you've mentioned.

A new model actually. It was a round matte ball of brown fur with two beautiful obsidian eyes sticking out that were standard for that model. It was affectionate in it's own sort of way, by disposing of feline nuisances that weren't needed. Jealousy was a trait of it, wasn't wise to have another pet around when a Strex pet was active.

Mine was different...after awhile. I trained it to eat mice and have sticks thrown at it! I just wanted it to be different from the others.

[...He's not sure what he should be picturing, but the resulting mental image is more or less a Totoro that eats small furry animals, um.]

Ah, that would explain what you were doing with the Espurr as well...you wanted your pet to be different, then? May I ask why, or was it just personal preference?

[Exactly that.]

To be different...I think. Pushing the bounds of what the product could do as well, that seems more likely!

006. [VIDEO, ALSO TWO OTHER THINGS.]

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