[video]

[animusnpcs]

The network comes on painfully--the terminals crackle with energy like there was some sort of wild power surge going through the Tower. Every terminal turns on at once. The display is broken at first, but slowly it stabilizes, the display just behind Zo's shoulder. White-hot energy pulses from him--it looks like he’s forced the display on somehow. Monitors flicker in and out of view in the room; it seems to be some sort of control center composed of floating screens and input devices. The room is large, making it hard to see the ends from the display, but aside from Zo there are two others in the room.

Riki looks a bit worse for wear and, as opposed to his usual stoic demeanor, has an expression approaching furious. Most of Zo's energy seems concentrated around him like a barrier, and the monitors whirl around behind RIki now, following some sort of unspoken command. The world shifts abruptly, providing a different angle on the confusing situation.

The laughter that echoes around the chamber is deep, dark and somehow primordial. There’s another figure looking exactly like Riki, but the features are twisted, the indifferent disposition morphed into a terrible smirk. From his hand a wave of dark energy smashes into the room, sending whatever was still standing flying over.

"Come now! Is this the best defense system this place has to offer to one of its grand administrators? Cowering behind a child? Well, I do suppose considering everything about this world, it should not be the least bit surprising."

He took another step.

"So tell me, how did your little ants enjoy their trip into the central throne?"

The various scattered objects freeze in place as Riki draws in his screens; the screens seem to be made of the air itself, or something similar, and he alters and pulls at them as easily as if they were tied to him by a thousand strings. "Not your business," he growls. Another swipe of his screens and the objects morph, shifting into swords that fly at the false Riki. "Stop wearing my face."

Zo shrinks back against the wall. His barriers don’t fall, but he obviously doesn't enjoy the violence taking place.

"Not my business? I am darkness that makes up the Collective Unconsciousness! My primary sources of power, the three poisons that make up life, Anger, Ignorance and Vengeance are ripe in this world!"

Nyarlathotep raises his other hand and catches the swords, looking almost bored.

"Humans are strange...I came here because of the despair that fills every orifice of this tower...the desire for all of you to put an end to this, and now you would try to whisk me away?"

The swords melt into a puddle of metal on the floor, and suddenly he is besides Zo, trying to violently push him away.

Zo shrieks, clearly terrified, but his barriers cover him as they cover Riki, and they crackle with raw energy in their owner’s defense. Riki alters something on his screens and the metal rises up, forming itself into some sort of great mercurial beast that lunges at Nyarlathotep. "Leave the kid out've it, you attacked me first."

"Hahaha! What’s this? Feeling sentimental about another?" Nyarlathotep had barely even flinched from touching the other. "But is not your personal interest simply tied to the tower itself? I suppose even a monkey will brand its tools when backed in a corner..."

At his turn, the giant creature is lit aflame, crying out as the fire causes the skin to bubble, crack and expand. Soon it has enlarged into strands of burned mercury before a slap from the other Riki makes it fall into dust.

"Ha ha ha! Do you not know where the term, 'mad as a hatter' comes from? I've given humanity much fun with that element!"

At his turn, he summons forth a demon, as it moves forward, casting a spell in an attempt to poison both of the tower residents.

Zo flinches at the monster, but steps forward nonetheless--or rather leaps in a burst of childish energy. "Stop--stop it! Stop it!"

The screen turns white and crackles--it’s barely possible to make out the figures, let alone what’s going on, but whatever Zo's done tears the demon into six or seven pieces. Then the light gets brighter--there’s a different sort of crackle. It sounds like the monitor itself is breaking, because it is. The screen warps and fills with static before the video cuts out completely.

They can hear the battle still going on, however, Nyarlathotep speaking for one final time.

"Hmph! Regardless of how much you struggle, the end will be the same! Just like the worlds of the disembodied souls you siphon into recycled bodies over and over, this one will also meet its end! Now the question is, how much are you willing to risk?"

Another explosion cracks apart what sound remains. The feed cuts out.

Comments

[Text]

[withak]

Whatever 'help' you'd offer, Nyarlathotep, we don't want.

+1

[acceptedoblivion]

[Yeah, silently agreeing because he is sick of being just a pawn and this thing is giving him bad vibes even more than a few people back home.]

[Not a video since he can't use terminals being a guest, just a reaction]

[deathboss]

[Wait this place had WORKING terminals? He just thought they had been a decorati--

THAT PIECE OF CRAWLING CHAOS SHIT

Wait, what did he mean by everyone being siphoned souls?]

[shh eikichi shh...]

[pitiedthefool]

[Not!Death bro you really don't want to know.]

[reaction]

[fuhgeddaboudit]

...

[And this is Labrys getting the fuck out of dodge and hiding in her room.]

[Battle programming be damned, that is some terrifying stuff.]

action

[puppy_lancer]

[And here's Lancer, trying not to get run over.]

Woah there! What's going on?

[Text, Animus Kanji]

[get_bent]

The hell just happened?

text;

[pitiedthefool]

It's Nyarlathotep, the one the visitors were after. Why do I have the feeling he's who caused most of this?

[At least for this month. ...Should have known it was too easy (if he could he would be thanking Tatsuya for the info right about now).]

text;

[pitiedthefool]

[...So. That's Nyarlathotep without his capabilities nerfed. No wonder they had done so while he was here. Help? Please, he heard enough of that complete BS when he was confronting Izanami back in the other world.]

If you think that we will allow the crawling chaos to completely destroy what these "siphoned souls" have left, then you're mistaken. We may not see eye to eye, we may argue and grow weary because of what happens here... but we will never... never lose to despair or simply give up.

We've proven it time and time again, and we'll continue to stand until the very end.

[Kick his ass a hundredfold for all the Persona users and others in this tower, Admins.]

text

[puppy_lancer]

wht the fcuk are they talking about
what the fuck are you talking about
siphoned souls
crawling chaos
collective unconsciousness

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

[Well, someone looks bored.]

Honestly, Nyarlathotep. Is it so hard to behave, at least for a little while?

[Video]

[friendlyfiend]

[A'kin, in contrast, looks frazzled- the terminals seem to be drawing a higher concentration of monsters than usual right now, and he's had to keep on the move to avoid them.]

You're familiar with that being?

video

[puppy_lancer]

...What the fuck!

[The fight is chaotic enough by itself, but the false Riki's lines at th eend really shakes him.]

[Video]

[technologic]

[What.

What.

What.] ... What the hell?

[Video]

[culbutiri]

[She'd been watching silently, but oh look someone not completely stupid, Nesir hits video] What do that be meaning?

[Action, naturally]

[warriorscribe]

*There is a swarm of very loud bullfairies and some very annoying miniblins (the damn things are attracted to him or something) around this terminal but Enoch is actually doing a decent job of fending off the attackers and tuning out the bellowing to watch what's going on - all he needs to know, really, is that there is something sinister attempting to take over the tower and he'd rather help the admins than whatever that is.

Finally the last of the miniblins is slain as the feed crackles out and Enoch stares at the screen. He looks down the length of the hallway at the closed-off, always inaccessible admin elevator. Back at the bullfairy-swarmed terminal. Down at his own half-tainted Arch. He purifies it.

And then dismisses his armor and with a single movement, flips it so he's holding it blades in, hand on the body.

He had to get down there. And now he knew the fastest way.

But he hesitates, as one in a sound(-ish) state of mind often does before taking one's own life.

And realizes in that moment of instinctive hesitation it won't work. It would pull Jason away if he's trying to come to Riki's aid at all, and on top of that, it takes a day to return - he would surely be too weak...

The Arch is righted, and lowered to his side. He backs away from the terminal to avoid any more monsters and leans against the wall, shaking, pale, and undeniably angry.*

Another invader we cannot fight......no.

*He goes straight to the admin elevator and tries to force it open, his Arch sending sparks flying as he inevitably resorts to attacking the unmoving doors.

Eventually, he falls to his knees and looks back at the hallway, obviously thinking, thinking furiously. How to get down there...*

[perma-action!]

[seekinganswers]

[Seeing those things on the network had unnerved her. She was trying not to think about the details too much - what she did know was that while the Administrators of the Tower were awful in general, Riki and Zo weren't that bad, and they didn't deserved to be attacked. Not like that.

Sure, Zo was dangerous - or at least he seemed to be to her. But he was a child... Sheba finds herself in front of the admin elevator not too long after Enoch's fallen to his knees. She looks a little surprised to see him, but shakes her head and lets a determined expression settle on her face.]

There has to be some way to get in there...

[imperialsun]

[It has been a while, hadn't it, Nyarlathotep...the last time Naoya had seen you, it was when you had forced yourself inside Kandori. Trying to control both him and Maki...your gamble to end the world had been thwarted in the end. So you continued with your next plan...

...Just like the worlds of the disembodied souls you siphon into recycled bodies over and over...

That should send him raging, and yet he finds himself utterly calm. In a way, it made the piece of the puzzle fit better. He'd visited the collective unconsciousness before with Maki, seen the souls as bubbles, floating in a sea of space.

What mattered here more was that he seemed to be fighting the admins with the intent of destroying everything.]

We need to find out where they are.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid's face is very, very pale.]

Does this mean our worlds really are gone?

[Servants already are souls placed into false bodies so the other part of the statement doesn't really throw him. It's the possibility that their worlds are really gone that has him so upset. Too many people have things they still need to do for that to be true!]

action

[puppy_lancer]

[Cu Chulainn, stepping up behind his friend, places a hand on the other Lancer's shoulder. If one were to look at his face, he would look quite grim himself. He has no answer for Diarmuid. He doesn't even dare to ask the same question that the other Servant asked.]

[text]

[stalemates]

maybe if you guys weren't jerks and made off with bern I'd come help

actually I think even then I could probably find it in me to help

but then there was that hanged cat

good luck with the crawling chaos

[blackwitch]

Hanged cat? Hey, what's up with that?

[text]+[action if you wanna catch him splitting from the computers]

[morituramfides]

[He's admittedly a little worried about Zo, but...]

That's sure a whale of a problem you've got. Not even you guys can take it on on your own.

Pity. We almost could've helped.

[And then he's gooooooone from the terminals goodbye friends he's not that dumb. He's already got enough of it noted down anyway, see ya suckas.]

[acceptedoblivion]

[A+ would almost laugh again.]

text

[terreifying]

WELP. Ware iz da button for AW SHIT

:DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[stalemates]

+1

action;

[notayoungkitten]

[She's seen enough. She's not going to risk sticking around and being attacked by monsters. Right now she wants to put as much space between her and the terminal as possible.]

[pinnaculum]

[Not too far away, Sephiroth is moving also, although he is admittedly more interested in fighting monsters than in avoiding them, which is why he has his large (sheathed) sword with him. Someone might need his help. When his gaze happens to meet hers as they pass, he pauses and nods politely, giving his usual brief greeting.] Hello.

[He's seen the video, and he's processing it. It's interesting.]

[video]

[altitonant_emperor]

[...

...

...

Really. Really. Anybody can be treated to a video of Hidetoshi staring at the feed, his face absolutely unreadable eyebrow twitching before letting out a long, slow sigh.]

... So that's how it is.

[And then in an uncharacteristically crude outburst on his part, which wouldn't have occurred if he hadn't already put up with any shit from the Tower;]

Please go fuck yourself, Nyarlathoteq.

text

[stalemates]

this guy knows how it is

[action+video]

[seekinganswers]

[The screens suddenly turning on gives her pause, and she can't help but stop and look. By now she knows that things that aren't expected are usually... well... dangerous, but generally the risks are worth taking. She watches the events unfold onscreen, calling down a Spark Plasma or two to deal with any stray monsters that happen to be attracted to the terminal, and when the video finishes she fumbles with the keyboard to try and bring something up.

Sheba looks irate when her video feed finally flickers on. She smacks the screen - it doesn't really do much but make her feel better, because she knows the creature she just witnessed onscreen won't feel it - and leans in, her eyes narrowed.]

Hey! If we wanted your help we would have asked for it - let us deal with them!

[The Administrators are not her favorite people, and she doesn't expect a reply, not really. She just doesn't feel like she can sit by and say nothing at all.]

What kind of coward attacks an architect and a child?!

[not here]

[doublechecks]

[/stares at the terminal.

turns off and walks away.

yeah he's not in the mood for this kind of shit.]

[Text and Action]

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko, being a librarian, had a lot of time to access the network. However, she was not expecting this. She wasn't expecting this at all. The lines the false Riki spat out were..worrisome..but not confusing. She understood the general idea..but she wanted more of an explanation, something to help her put some hope in the fact that this false Riki might be lying about the fate of their worlds.

So, she typed up a very, very foolish text.]

Riki and Zo: Be careful! If you need the residents help, I believe most of us will aid you. We may not always like you, but we're not going to let someone murder you. At least..I imagine most of us won't.

To the residents reading this text: Could someone please either meet me in the library or reply to this and..further explain in detail about our recycled bodies? I..I really need to know more about this. Please.

[You'll find Tohko sitting by the terminals, holding her head in her hands, thinking..and trying to hope.]

text

[stalemates]

is this actually new to you guys I kind of figured from day one but okay, let the great lady lambdadelta fill you in~☆

they don't patch up your body it's a new one, nbd

Video

[mask_of_suffering]

[No words from Madoka, she just stares at the carnage and sits in front of the terminal on the verge of tears.

Gretchen, sitting quietly in the seat of her host's soul, would have smiled if she had a mouth to do so with.]

action 5ever

[sawthelockdown]

[She WAS watching the terminal.

Emphasis on 'was'.

Then everything went to hell and she's running out of the library as fast as she can.

The last few...well, ever since the visitors turned up things have been worse than normal, so FUCK THIS SHIT.]

Action

[adorably_evilish]

[Veigar was one of the few who decided to witness the entire thing happen. A smug grin plastered over what could be seen from the shadows that perpetually covered his visage at all times.

He was sucking in every bit of information he could out of what he was seeing for his benefit and he couldn't help but cackled a little as the fight progressed.

Yes... Yessss, if he only had to deal with one supremely powerful presence, his work would be multitudes more simpler than having to deal with the machines and the administrators... he mused to himself.

This 'presence's' show of power was delightful. It made his digits tingle as they crackled with energy. Just the taste of sending something that strong spiraling into oblivion with his favorite ability and then devouring the left over essence was enough to make him swoon with desire.

Yes, this show was definitely one to put the evil Yordle in good spirits.]

[action]

[earthshards]

[... Well. As luck would have it, Terra happened to be near one of the terminals on the dorm floors when this went out.

This is one Keyblade Master that is trying to keep it together after that interesting network post. He feels strangely numb, that remark by Nyarlathotep ringing in his ears.

'...disembodied souls... siphoned into recycled bodies...'

This body felt like his. Moved like his, reacted like his... but it wasn't...?

... After a decade of trying to get his body back, and the one he's in isn't even his?] Damn it...

[A few minutes later, there's a smoking terminal near dorm room 3-04, electrical energy crackling around it and the scent of ozone in the air.

The source of that electricity is standing nearby, the white-hot energy still surging and crackling around his outstretched right hand and clenched left fist. The look on his face is... very carefully neutral.]

[Not Here/Action]

[risingshepard]

[...And this is Shepard, letting out a wry laugh. This is just rich, just wonderful. Disembodied souls siphoned into recycled bodies, huh...

Brilliant. Just what she needed in her life.

Shepard shuts off the terminal and gets out of bed, as if this was just another day in the woods for her.

Oh, she could only wish that was the case now.]

not here;

[carabina]

[ Even after the video ends, Mami blankly stares at the screen. Of course she's gone through the whole "having-your-soul-taken-out-of-your-body-without-actually-knowing" song and dance but no one else should go through this, they don't deserve it!

She slams her fists against the terminal, her body shaking.

She couldn't stand by the sidelines anymore. ]