3rd Song // Video (Webcam) // forward-dated to about 2am on the 14th

[wordsgate]

[Sam doesn't look very good. Actually, he looks downright exhausted. He's sitting in his room with a desk lamp giving just enough light to make the video clear and is propping up his chin with his hand. He clearly hasn't slept all night, between his bloodshot eyes and the dark circles underneath them. It could be that he's been visited by that "ghost" that seems to be following people around...

But if it is, he's not going to say anything. That's not how he rolls. Of course, after staying up for this long he's frankly bored, so he's turning to the Network for entertainment.

He speaks in a slightly hushed tone, probably trying to avoid waking up his mother.]

Hey, so. I've mentioned this to a few people, but I haven't really shown it off yet. Thought it might interest you guys. It's good for a laugh anyway.

[He holds up to the camera a wooden cup-and-ball sort of toy. The ball is painted purple, and it looks a little worn.]

This is a kendama. It's a toy that's popular in Japan. My grandfather got this for me as a kid--said it would be good for me to learn concentration. [He snorts and shakes his head.] I guess I was too energetic for his tastes.

I've never been very good at it. I mean, I can catch the ball in one of the cups...sometimes. Maybe one out of ten tries. But the pin here? [He lifts the ball up to show a wooden pin at the top.] I've never been able to catch the ball here in my LIFE.

But...

[He stands up and moves far enough back from the camera so that his movements can be seen. To warm up, he first drops the ball and then catches it in one of the bigger cups. He does this a few times and succeeds every time, before switching to alternating the ball between the two cups on the side. After a few rounds of that, he tosses the ball up in the air--and catches it on the pin. He bends down to look at the camera and points at the ball with a look of disbelief.]

Isn't that strange? But this gets better...

[He straightens back up again, then starts to juggle the ball between the big cup on the side and the smaller cup on the bottom, humming a song softly to himself as he does. He keeps it up for about two minutes, never losing the beat or missing the ball. At that point he seems to get bored, so he tosses the toy up in the air, catches it by the handle, and once again catches the ball on the pin. He walks back over to his computer chair, points at the ball on the pin with a look of amusement, and then sets the toy aside.]

I think I'm in the running for "most impressive unimpressive Extra ever." Maybe I should start training to be certified. I bet my grandfather would be pleased.

Comments

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime hasn't been sleeping much either, but he doesn't need any hauntings for that. The memories are enough, thanks.

And see this face? This is not his impressed face.]

How did you even realize you could suddenly do that?

[Video]

[wordsgate]

[What, not even a little impressed? But he landed the ball on the rod TWICE!]

I don't really know...I had a few of those weird heart beats, but I couldn't figure out what they meant since I didn't see a vision when they happened. The next thing I knew, I just started thinking about the kendama again, so I tried messing around with it, and...well, you see the result. The Extras are the only reason I can think of for why I'd suddenly wake up one day with the ability to do something like this.

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, that makes sense, at least as much as any of this does...suddenly I feel a little better about having a useless language.

[Being able to scare people by yelling at them in tongues is comparatively useful in comparison, really.]

[Video]

[wordsgate]

Heh, yeah. That's probably a more impressive party trick, at the very least. Besides, maybe someone else will get the same language?

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

I'm not sure I'd wish this on anyone else.

[Because then that would make them a monster like him, right?]

It's kind of hard on the throat.

[Audio]

[formermagicalgirl]

[Yep, Tamara is still up at this ungodly hour since her being tired all the time switched over to being awake most of the time.

She's not saying anything in response quite yet. She hasn't stopped giggling at this quite yet.]

[Audio]

[wordsgate]

[He'll probably be bugging her for why she's awake in a bit, but for now...]

Hah! Who cares what Hajime thinks? The ladies love me!

[Audio]

[formermagicalgirl]

[Of course he will.]

This lady is laughing at you, not with you. Really, of all things skill with a kendama?

[Audio]

[wordsgate]

[He chuckle.] Yeah, I know. Useless, right? I'm still waiting for when I get to fly.

[Audio]

[formermagicalgirl]

I only hope that one comes with a manual. But maybe you could go skydiving one weekend?

[Texted]

[espigeonage]

[Julien noticed the tiredness when he saw this at around ten am the next morning.]

Oh, that's what they're called! Well, looks like someone's gotten much more dextrous. I've never been able to get those well.

[Private]

You okay?

[Texted]

[wordsgate]

lol I don't blame you. Like I said I used to be pretty bad at them.

[Private]

Do I not seem okay?

[espigeonage]

I never even made much effort! Now, if you want to talk about learning to tie a cherry stem into a knot in my mouth...

[Private]

Well, it's not like I see you much late at night. But there's been stuff happening, and you look worn. Got any sleep since then?

[wordsgate]

You can actually do that? I'm jealous! I tried to do that in high school but all I manage to do was accidentally swallow the stem.

[Private]

Oh, that. Yeah I've been sleeping off and on since around 5. I actually just woke up again.

[espigeonage]

I can! Kind of takes a while if the stem's not flexible, and sometimes it's just too soft and I accidentally bite it into pieces. But, that's how it is sometimes, in nature.

[Private]

That's something, at least. Hope I didn't wake you.

People are saying this stuff is hauntings.

video;

[angelskills]

Wow! That was amazing!

[ She certainly couldn't do anything like that - her hand-eye coordination was too poor. She'd probably end up punching herself in the eye with it. ]

video;

[wordsgate]

[He's pretty pleased by her reaction.]

I'm glad you think so! It's a pretty useless skill, but I guess it is a little fun.

video;

[angelskills]

Who knows? Maybe one day it'll really come in handy.

video;

[wordsgate]

Ha! Maybe. I guess you never know when we'll have to infiltrate a kendama championship.

video;

[angelskills]

Exactly!

[ She grins, laughing a little. ]

I bet you'll find a use for it someday.

text|phone later that day

[exloserspromise]

That does give my fantastic frisbee aim a run for its money.

[also text!]

[wordsgate]

Well, if we're going for "useless" then yeah. A frisbee sounds like a more useful weapon!

[exloserspromise]

I don't know, you get in close enough with that kendama thing you could really clobber somebody, but unless I find a case full of Vanilla Ice cds I don't see myself doing a whole lot of damage throwing frisbees at people.

[wordsgate]

"If I get close enough" is probably the hard part. If the enemy has a gun or even a long sword, I wouldn't get very far.

But if you could get some sort of cool ring blade or something...

[exloserspromise]

You could always be a distraction, or never get into a fight with the enemy in the first place.

I'm warning you now I don't have the moves to pull of Xena: Warrior Princess, but for everyone's sake I'll try.