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001 ♪ Video Post to the Public Network

[When the feed comes on, not only is it unusual because it's being broadcast on the public network, viewable by practically everyone in the city, but it's also tilted down at someone who is laying on the floor, wincing in pain, clearly coming from the watch on his wrist.

For those of you who have met the other Joshua, this one would look familiar... However there were two distinct differences. One, most noticeably, there's a large scar going down the left (his right) side of his face, from above his brow down to his chin, over his eye; that eye is also very clearly blind. The other difference was the black metal collar around his neck, bearing some numbers on it. And it was... smoking?? Were those black scorch marks on his skin underneath the collar.]

Well, I've decided that perhaps now is a good a time as any to give out a public service announcement to anyone from Alpha Omega... do not try to tamper with your collars. We may be universes away and yet I'm certain that Val is still laughing at us.

[He gives a bitter smile which quickly fades into an embarrassed scowl as he turns his gaze away from the camera with his next admittance.]

... Also, I can't move.

[Major electrocution kind of took a toll on him... On top of locked up muscles he thinks he might have sprained his ankle, maybe his other wrist too. Everything was simultaneously numb and throbbing painfully...]

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Perhaps you should divulge what you know before I start repeating information then...?

[And also so he can carefully tiptoe around any topics Kairi might not have mentioned, for good reason.]

While you're at it... perhaps you can tell me if whether or not my assumption that you happened to have come here from Shibuya is correct?

[ joshua puts his teacup down to rest his chin on his thumb, hand curled. ] Let's give that a quick "yes" and move on. You know the drill. [ alternate timelines, alternate universes. old hat for both of them. ]

And as far as what I know... I am to be gentle and not my usual self around Neku due to circumstances that were exceedingly difficult for him and beyond your control. I am not to imply that he is a copy of any sort. Not that it ever crossed my mind, but it's good to have a head's up, mm? Besides that, I'm in the dark, although I've been happily spinning theories since then.

[Well... on one level, it was a comfort to know that his entire genetic makeup, his powers, and his memories weren't all fabricated from nothing. They had all belonged to someone at some point, someone real who had actually gone through all of the experiences he remembers.

And they just so happened to have been stolen from the person talking to him right now.]

Hmm... I'm curious to hear your theories, though I'm sad to say that the explanation isn't all that creative. It's really quite an obvious conclusion...

To be honest, I'm not sure what is safe to divulge; I do want to respect the others who came from the same place as me, and I don't know how comfortable they are with me spreading the knowledge about the place we came from. While I myself have grown quite used to what our circumstances prior had been... others are still sensitive about it. [Such as Neku.]

... So I'll tell you what, why don't we play a guessing game instead? Twenty Questions, all yes or no, to guess what I am and what my purpose is. If you get it right... I'll tell you everything.

[ Joshua gives the camera a catlike grin. ] Read my mind. Figuratively, of course. Before we begin, though, just to make sure... No holds barred, right? Everything is permissible?

[Joshua just gives a dismissive shrug in return.]

What fun would there be with all of those restrictions? As long as the questions are yes or no questions, you may ask whatever you like...

After all, knowing you, you're plenty clever. You'd find out much of this one way or another without me telling you.

Oh, I do like your style, good sir. Much appreciated.

[ he picks up his cup with both hands, rolling it around between his fingertips as he thinks. ]

Wherever you were... Were you there of your own will?

Of course.

[Joshua closes his eyes and shakes his head.]

No. I wasn't. [A small, somewhat bitter grin. Seems like he's not going to be too specific with his answers besides a simple confirmation.]

[ of course not. to take him from shibuya would be to kidnap him; to force him to stay would make him a prisoner. and to kidnap him would mean... ]

Two questions about your darling hosts. Did they make the reasoning behind your detainment clear? And regardless of the reasoning, were their intentions at all benevolent?

Hmm... [Joshua struggles a bit to put one hand behind his head as he looks at the camera in deep thought.]

Mm... to an extent, yes. And no, I really doubt their intentions could be described as benevolent in any sense of the word.

[ ... hm. that could also imply that his captors had enough ego to reason with. joshua slides that possibility into another corner of his mental map. joshua smirks a little. ]

Just to get the possibility out of the way, you weren't in any form of limbo or purgatory, were you?

[He gives a bit of a dry laugh, and furrows a brow at him.]

Limbo or purgatory would be at least a partially benevolent reason for my imprisonment, wouldn't it~? No.

Edited 2013-04-05 15:30 (UTC)

[ joshua giggles a bit at that. ] Depends on if we have some blatant flaw that begs for some atonement, doesn't it? Oh, don't. [ he waves his own question off. ] We both know the answer to that one.

Let's see! The place that imprisoned you... Were you pulled to a parallel dimension?

Interesting to think that you would believe we belong in some sort of purgatory...

[He won't get into that right now, though. He wasn't trying to question his counterpart, after all. Joshua thinks for a moment before answering his question.]

... Not exactly. I wasn't pulled there.

It would be interesting, wouldn't it? [ rhetorical questions all up in here. ]

You're being awfully generous. Isn't this a game of yes and nos? [ Joshua is absolutely not complaining, of course. ] Count that one, if you like.

[ He drums his fingers against the table before asking his next question with a neutral expression. ] We've already established that you were there against your will. Were you required to do other things against your will?

Edited 2013-07-22 23:49 (UTC)

It really isn't my fault if your questions are becoming so detailed that they constantly become partially true. If you'd like, though, I could be rather brutal and answer with simple yes's and no's but I'd get bored quite easily.

Just to be fair, I think I will count that question as one.

[When Joshua asks his next question, he answers almost immediately. There was absolutely no room for doubt with this one.]

Yes.

Well, then that's on you. I personally appreciate it, really.

[ he swirls his tea cup thoughtfully, digesting that reply. "why" would be too broad of a question, of course, and this would be less of a game if that was all it took. still... it was tempting, especially at times like these. ]

Were the things you were coerced to do almost entirely malevolent in nature?

Almost. Though I can't think of any exceptions at the moment.

That makes eight questions. I do hope you're at least a little bit closer to discovering what my purpose was, you're almost halfway through your answers~ And you still have to answer 'what' I am on top of which.

[He gives his counterpart a bit of an innocent grin.]

Very nice of you to remind me. [ Joshua matches that grin with a muted one of his own. ] I've come to certain conclusions, don't you worry. I'm just fishing for details at this point.

[ The smile doesn't disappear during his next question. ]

Has your memory been tampered with? On a permanent basis, not as a part of one of your coerced activities.

[Joshua gives a bit of a frown at that question, thinking about it for a while as he touches one hand to his forehead.]

... If my memories have been tampered with, permanently, I'm not aware of it. I suppose if I was aware, they wouldn't have done a very good job of it, would they?

I apologize, I can't answer yes or no to this one, I simply don't know. Would you like to ask a different question for your ninth?

Edited (html fail) 2013-08-14 02:43 (UTC)

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001 ♪ Video Post to the Public Network

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