[video]

[idealizer]

[It is nighttime when a live video feed appears on the network. The blonde girl on the screen looks shaken and gloomy, standing in front of a terminal that is obviously in the dormitory hallways rather than in the library. Anyone from Auldrant who happens to check the network will recognize her as Natalia, though her general demeanor is less chipper than they may be used to.]

Is... is there anyone who is free at this moment? I...

[She closes her eyes.]

Someone died today. A girl younger than me, a fonist who used wind and lightning. We were lost in a maze and the sun went down, and the plants... they came alive. She used her powers to save me, but I was unable to save her. Is this sort of thing a commonplace occurrence here?

[She takes a shaky breath and does her best not to cry.]

...I never even asked her name.

[Natalia has not yet learned that those who die in the tower return the next day. She'll remain at the terminal looking lost and downtrodden, for those who would prefer to meet with her in person.]

Comments

[1/?? NOT HERE]

[bloodyashes]

[Checking the network periodically for the new arrivals to post is a habit around this time of the month, but that doesn't mean that this -

this is -

Damn you, Tower.]

[2/3 text]

[bloodyashes]

Stay where you are. I'll be there soon.

[He's freaking out just a bit just a little and so he completely forgets that the terminal will show A1827389 instead of his name.

Elevator ride y u gotta be half hour.]

[3/3 ACTIOOOOOOOOOOOOOON]

[bloodyashes]

[And by the time he reaches the dorms he's running and had way too long to think about "a fonist who used wind and lightning" and damn it why can none of the blonds in his life keep themselves from dying!

So he's totally a mess by the time he peels around the hallway and actually sees her. No tabard, his hair a bit of a mess, and flowers tied around the sheath of his sword - I'd say there's no mistaking him but we all know that's a lie.]

Natalia!

[And it's only then that he tries to take a minute to relax. She's here and that's horrible, but she's here and she's safe. If that's not a choice of two terrible options, he doesn't know what is.]

[idealizer]

[By the time Asch arrives Natalia is fidgety. She has also had too long to think and too much to think about. An arrow is out of her quiver and is strung on her bow and when he rounds the corner she raises it and takes aim at the blur of motion, only to lower it as she squints at him.]

Luke-?

[No, it can't be. Luke has short hair. She shakes her head and slips her arrow back into the quiver at her back.]

Asch. It's really you. You're really here...

[bloodyashes]

I told you not to call me that.

[Actually with the Luke here that's not a reliable guide, anyway. He twitches slightly, annoyed at the name, before trying to straighten his hair a bit.]

When did you get here? Can you describe the girl who helped you?

[Slow down, brofriend.]

[idealizer]

I apologize. It was a slip of the tongue.

[He probably wouldn't like it if she said that she expected him to be better put together. The messy hair and the assortment of other differences seem a little sloppy for him.]

I arrived this morning. The girl who helped me was shorter than I was... [She raises a hand to about Sheba's height.] With short hair, and green eyes. She wore a purple cloak with a white and brown tunic, and shorts.

[bloodyashes]

...

[There's a significant pause, and then he sighs - by this point, surely a key to Natalia that something major has changed. His expression is exasperated, but not really angry. It's hard to be angry at your best friend for saving your princess' life.]

Her name is Sheba. If you like, we can go by her room tomorrow morning - death in this place doesn't last.

[He's already internally prepped for the ensuing freak-out over it.]

[idealizer]

I would like that. Thank you very much.

[There are so many things Natalia wants to ask. She wants to ask what has happened to Asch and why he has changed so much. She wants to ask how he came to know the girl who saved her. She wants to ask what happened to his tabard and why he carries flowers at his sword. There are more pressing concerns however and the matter of death is one of them.]

How can that be possible?! What sort of place have we been brought to?

Video;

[blockspenguins]

I'm free! Did you need something?

[[He had listened to the whole recording before responding, but he figured that was the most important thing to get out of the way. Because if she needed something, someone needed to be there for her!]]

Yeah, that can be really commonplace sometimes...it's kind of scary, huh? That was really nice of her to save you!

[video]

[idealizer]

Someone to speak with...

[Natalia is distraught. Distraught, and then she's at a loss for words. She stares at the terminal's screen silently. It is a good ten seconds before she speaks again.]

How can you say it so easily? A girl died!

[video]

[blockspenguins]

Well...I'm here! And yeah but... [[Endou shrugs a little.]]

Lots of people kind of die here...but they come back. So it's okay!

[video]

[idealizer]

They do what? [Natalia shakes her head in disbelief.] People cannot come back from the dead.

[Some artes allowed for it, but only when cast immediately. By now, the girl who helped her would have been dead for many hours.]

[video]

[blockspenguins]

They do here! I guess the administrators can do it. Something about siphoning souls? I don't get it, but after a day or so when someone dies, they're found in their bed!

[video]

[idealizer]

That's..! [She wants to say such a notion is absurd. But if the administrators have truly rescued them from destroyed worlds it may be possible for them to return their guests to life.] How can they do such a thing?

[video]

[blockspenguins]

I don't know. Like I said I don't really get it. But they can! Which is good, because there are lots of monsters here. It's pretty easy to get killed if you're not careful...

Oh! You're new, aren't you!

[[He's so on top of this.]]

[Video]

[alae]

[Sup. Have an angel. A slightly exasperated-looking one, but still.]

Sheba. She'll wake up tomorrow. You're new, right?

Sorry this is late. Things got busier for me than I expected them to.

[idealizer]

I am, but how on earth am I to believe that someone who has died will simply wake up in the morning?

No worries. /o/

[alae]

Because that's the way this place works. I know it's weird, but it's true.

[idealizer]

My apologies, but I don't see how you expect me to believe that when all you've given me is your word.

[alae]

Wait until tomorrow and you'll see for yourself.

[idealizer]

You have such a cavalier attitude about this.

[alae]

Because I've seen it happen, duh.

text

[reddeadvirtuoso]

i have no idea what a fonist is but im gonna assume its some kind of specially advanced phone operator?
fone operator
natch
anyway people die around here like a lot
a lot a lot a lot :(
your operator is just standing by shell be back in the morning!
itll be ok 8)

Sorry this is late. Things got busier for me than I expected them to.

[idealizer]

No, a fonist is someone who can use fonons to perform incredible feats.

I don't understand. What do you mean by she'll be back in the morning? How can this be okay? She died.

no problem~

[reddeadvirtuoso]

is that like the british way to spell phonon
do you have magical physics powers :O

oh yeah people kinda die all the time around here
idk if its actually dying then actually?
but your heart stops or you bleed out or whatever and you wake up the next day like youre totally fine
like a super auto-phoenix spell or something
so tomorrow she wont actually be dead anymore