afterliving | [Video]

[The video opens to a very nice view of Umi's right shoulder and the bookcases in the library behind her. Technology of this level is completely out of Umi's grasp, given the time she came from. The most modern pieces of technology she had access to were a landline telephone and an old tv.]

Good morning! I think I've finally managed to work out how this computer works. If I'm right then I should be recording a message to all of you right now. I hope you're all doing well today. I have a few questions to ask, if that's alright.

[Though most of Umi's face can't be seen from the position of the laptop, it's possible to catch the corner of a smile on her face before she goes on with her questions. She's aware that acting too normal might result in her disappearing, so hopefully this first question won't seem all that normal to most people.]

Would some of you be interested in helping me build a flagpole? It could go just outside the dorms so everyone could see it coming and going from their rooms. I've never made one myself before, so I'm not sure how much help I would be, however I'd be more than happy to make lunch for each person that helps out. [...] It would be a good way of skipping class and saving up your meal tickets, if you want to look at it from that point of view.

[Hopefully phrasing it like that will get a few people interested. If not she can always settle for going to the gardening club, borrowing a few canes used for growing climbing plants and then fashioning her own miniature flagpole that can be put up outside her dorm window.]

Secondly, I... Haven't made much of an attempt to use my phone yet. I had no idea phones could be so small, or that they could work without a cord attached. Whenever I try using it a message comes up asking me to pick an application for it, but there's so much to choose from I'm really spoiled for choice. Could anyone more experienced with these sorts of phones give me a few suggestions on what to get? Thank you very much.

[With her message finished, Umi moves forward in her seat and nods her head to the laptop. Even with the awkward position of the laptop its possible to catch Umi dropping her head forward for a moment before it goes back to a view of her shoulder again. Aah, technology.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I... I see.

[She's not sure what to make of that. While she's been filled in on how most of the afterlife works the existence of the programmer is something she has yet to hear about.]

So you're a gang then, a rebel gang that wants to fight. [...] And you're the vice president?

Well, it's not really a gang. That's why it's called a battlefront and not a gang. I'm not the vice president of the SSS, but of the school. The reason why I'm part of the SSS still is because I want to get rid of the programmer.

He's messed things too much with that Angel Player of his.

Calling it a battlefront doesn't make it sound any better.

[She knows what Haruhi is the vice president of, but to know the vice president of the school was also a member of a gang or 'battlefront' struck her as a little odd. That can't be setting a good example for students... Though the NPCs probably don't care much anyway.]

I'm not sure what the programmer or the Angel Player are, so it's a little hard for me to understand why you're a part of a battlefront against them.

It's... hard to explain. He's the one who created a program to make sure the concept of 'love' doesn't exist in this world; the one that makes all the glitches and shadows show up. Actually, hold on a second, I think I have a better explanation...

[ And she whips out her phone and this starts playing. Thank goodness for the network and smart phones. ]

[She's about to cut in with a few questions, but the entry Haruhi plays stops her from doing so.

While Yuri's voice plays out, Umi sits quietly and does her best to digest everything she's hearing. It's a lot of information to take in at once though, even if she's heard some of it explained to her before. She pays special attention to the part detailing love and how it's a dangerous thing here.]

... That's so upsetting, hearing that the programmer went through all of that over the person he loved. [She can't help but think of Shun at that, though she can't seem him being driven to insanity.] I don't know what to think of Angel Player, but I can't help but feel sorry for him.

Even though I agree, it's still wrong to use that program to forcibly turn other people into NPCs. Or possibly even make them disappear. I don't like that idea at all.

[ Even though she did almost want to become an NPC at one point, now, it's a different story entirely. ]

Oh no, of course it is, I don't agree with that happening at all. But even so... [A sigh.] It goes to show how far some people are willing to go for love, even if what they end up doing isn't necessarily right.

That much is true, at least.

It's too bad that he couldn't find another way to cope or express himself, though the environment he was in here couldn't have done much to help him.

Well, that's why people have to learn to move on.

Sadly that isn't the easiest of things to learn. It's something you only really get experience with when it happens.

Experience is hard to earn in this world.

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