animus_network | [Open/text] Missing persons [Backdate to yesterday]

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[Open/text] Missing persons [Backdate to yesterday]

I'm sure some of you have noticed, but there are a number of floors sealed off from the rest of the Tower at the moment.

If someone you know has disappeared in the last twenty four hours or so, they're likely trapped in these floors. There doesn't seem to be a way in or out by normal means.

I'll share any further information I can get, but I'm reliant on my counterpart inside the area. If there's someone in particular whose disappearance has you concerned, I can try to find out their whereabouts, but no promises.

((If you'd prefer action, Asch is holed up in the romance section of the library with his terminal, and will be there for pretty much the duration of the Dark World event. Yes, he's not sleeping. Dude's dedicated that way.))

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[Having seen the post on the network, and having seen Asch in the same part of the library for a good amount of time already, Mitsuru has put two and two together. She approaches him, clearing her throat to announce her presence before she speaks.]

You're the one who is gathering information on the people who are trapped on the sealed-off floors?

[He starts very slightly at the throat-clearing, and turns his head in the direction of the voice. Huh, doesn't know this one.]

Yes, that's me.

[No point in hiding it, really. Who knows, maybe she's looking for someone who went missing.]

You've taken on quite the responsibility.

[Artemisia wasn't really made for scanning - she'd ascended long after Mitsuru had shifted her focus to the battlefield itself. But she remembered using Penthesilea to keep watch over her allies when they'd been exploring Tartarus and she'd stayed behind in the lobby, and she remembered sometimes thinking that assistance of some kind would be nice.]

My name is Mitsuru - I'm unsure of whether or not any of the people I'm acquainted with have been trapped, but I believe it will be better for everyone in the long run if we can ensure the safety of as many as possible, even if they're strangers to us. If you're able to communicate with the people in there, your safety is a priority.

If you'll allow me to, I'd like to assist you out here. There's no guarantee that this floor will remain as safe as it normally is once night falls, and it would be awful for communications to be cut off because you wore yourself out fighting in addition to keeping an eye on what's happening on those other floors.

[He looks surprised for a moment - it's been a while since he actually dealt with someone who had a background in any kind of military strategy, other than Jade.

After a moment's consideration, he gives her a nod, turning his back on the terminal to extend a hand towards her.]

Asch. It's a pleasure to meet someone who knows what they're talking about.

Unfortunately, I'm really limited only to communicating with one person and getting information from what he experiences. Still, any help you can give is much appreciated.

The pleasure is all mine.

[She takes his hand, and her handshake is firm. Mitsuru's met with enough businessmen to know what the extending of a hand means, and though she was raised to bow in situations such as this, she's long since trained herself to respond with whatever form of greeting the other person prefers.]

As unfortunate as it might be that you can't communicate with a wider group, having some line of communication is much better than none at all. We'll simply have to find a way to work around our limitations.

[The handshake done, she takes her hand back and crosses her arms.]

I can't say for certain what I'll be able to do for you, but at the very least I should be able to handle any monsters that happen to come this way.

[Bowing would just make him awkward, honestly. In his world, that's reserved for meeting royalty, which... Yes, very awkward.

He glances at the terminal, just in case anyone's replied, before answering her.]

If you can do that and possibly bring me something from the cafeteria later, that's more than enough.

I can do that quite easily.

[Perhaps fetching food was somewhat beneath what one would expect from the Kirijo heiress, but if it helped, it helped. That was what was important here - Asch would need to keep his strength up if he were to keep monitoring the others' progress.]

I don't suppose you have any preferences on what to eat? Or would you rather I simply take the first thing I see so I can return here more quickly?

[He smiles slightly, chuckling a bit at her question.]

Not carrots or octopus. Otherwise, anything's fine.

I'll keep that in mind. Let me know when you get hungry.

[Until that happens, she'll make sure nothing tries to sneak up on him. Mitsuru's got experience covering peoples' backs - this is as good a time as any to make use of it.]

[It's some time later - Asch had been rubbing at his temples for a while, when he suddenly lets out a groan of frustration, his head falling forward into the terminal's keypad.]

Idiots, you're all idiots, how stupid do you have to be that my replica is the competent one...

[He sighs in exasperation before lifting his head to look at Mitsuru.]

If you could go get me something, that would be appreciated. The cafeteria is closing soon, isn't it?

[And yeah, he's not explaining his commentary.]

[Mitsuru looks concerned at Asch's reactions to... whatever's going on out there. Just going by the way he was behaving, whatever was happening couldn't be good.

Still, he doesn't seem at all inclined to explain what he means, so when he asks her to fetch food she does the one thing she can do to be useful: She gets right up and heads for the staircase.]

I'll be right back.

[And she means that - she runs the whole way there and the whole way back. When she reappears in the library, her arms are laden down with what looks like a little bit of everything.]

Perhaps it's a bit much, but at least this way you'll have something if you get hungry again before the cafeteria opens once more.

[By the time she comes back, he's sighing and rubbing at his forehead again - okay, they're being less worthless now, but these dragons had better stay dead. He stands to take the plates off her hands, setting some beside the terminal and the rest into the bookshelf where they won't spill on anything.]

It's more than enough. Thanks.

You're welcome.

[She observes him for a moment or two, thinking back to his mutterings before she'd left and the rubbing of his forehead when she'd arrived.]

...I take it things aren't going quite as smoothly as we'd all no doubt prefer?

[Her comment draws a bit of a snort.]

When do things ever go smoothly around here?

[Admittedly, he has no idea how long she's been around, but he's heard enough from other people to indicate that this kind of thing is par for the course. After a pause, he bites a bite of a chicken nugget and swallows before continuing.]

The group I'm able to observe is currently fighting a trio of dragons. Most of them are doing a horrible job of working together.

[Mitsuru makes a slightly aggravated noise in the back of her throat. Imbeciles, she wants to say. When your survival depends on cooperating, you ought to just cooperate.

But she doesn't voice that. Thinking before she speaks is something she's learned over the years.]

Perhaps it will simply take time for them to adjust to fighting as a group.

Well, I suppose we can hope.

[He's settling back into his seat, picking at a fish stick when - ]

Augh...

[He ducks his head and automatically curls up for a moment - the pain is Luke's, but for the moment, it's all too real, until he can more successfully extract himself from his replica's senses.]

Damn...

...!

[When Asch ducks his head, Mitsuru's expression becomes one of alarm, and she leans forward in her seat.]

What's happened..?!

This does not seem like the work of our hosts. From the letters, the one watching us is Zo, and I doubt he would act like the ones remaining that we know.

You said you have a link to the inside; is there any evidence as to who has caused this?

Someone named Ganondorf is apparently taking credit - I don't know him personally, so I can't attest as to whether that's true or not. There's at least one other person involved as well.

I don't think I recognize that name. If it's at all possible, could you or someone provide a description so that I may avoid this person and tell others to be wary of him?

Asch-kun, is everyone alright?

[Hi, Orihime, don't mind how tired he looks in the video, or the way he's rubbing his head.]

As far as I can tell, but that's not saying much. They all seem to be split into separate groups.

[But, she has to mind that!]

I hope everyone will be okay, but...

[She scrunches her face really close to the screen.]

Asch-kun, are you okay too??

[Whoa, hey, hello close-up of Orihime's nose.]

I'll be fine. I've been overtaxing my connection to Luke, and it's giving me a bit of a headache, that's all.

[It's more than a bit, really, but he's getting good at hiding pain.]

[and she's still right up there in the camera.]

Are you hungry? I could bring you something!

[...That, at least, earns her a bit of a smile.]

If it's no trouble, that would be nice.

[Incoming oddball Orihime cooking y/y]

Okay! Ah, Asch-kun, do you like mint flavor?

[Blink blink.]

Not particularly, but I don't really mind it either.

Alright. Please wait a little while.

[She leaves her video at that, and a short time later, enters the library, carrying a few dishes wrapped in towels from the kitchen.]

Asch-kun?

Over here.

[The voice comes from over in the romance section. There, Asch is curled up in a more comfortable chair that he dragged over to the terminal a few hours ago. He gives the food in her hands a questioning look.]

Mint?

Well...

[She starts over, and drags one of the smaller tables with her after setting all the food down on it.]

I made one without mint, just in case!

[When she gets closer, she unwraps the food. One is a large bowl with a mix of chicken nuggets and fish sticks (enough for several people for some reason), and the other two smaller ones are chocolate goo sauce, lovingly squeezed from waffles. One has mint juice flavor~]

[...Well, it certainly is a lot of food. Don't mind him as he reaches over for a chicken nugget.]

Thanks.

[And now she drags a chair over, and flops into it.]

You're welcome!

[Don't mind her as she grabs a fish stick and absently swirls it in minty chocolate... A lot of minty chocolate.]

Asch. Where's Luke? Is he alright?

[Cue protective mom mode. Sorry, man.]

[It's a good few minutes until the reply - ]

He's fine for right now. He was injured earlier, but there was a healer on-hand who took care of the worst of his injuries.

[As for where... Really, Guy, how do you think he's getting this information.]

[Shut up and let him be in denial for a few seconds.]

Are you sure there's no way they can escape? What have you heard?

[No, that's stupid.]

I know as much as anyone inside does at this point. As far as I know, no one's gotten out, but I'm limited to what Luke experiences.

[Because, you know, that's how the connection works.]

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[Open/text] Missing persons [Backdate to yesterday]

perma-action;

[hell yeah perma-action]

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Sorry for being late. OTL

//late too

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one of these days I'll manage to not be late, but today isn't that day.

hahaha

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[text] Sorry I'm so late

[Text] naw it's cool bro

[Text]

video;

[Video right back]

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-> ACTION PARTY

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[text/private] FOREVER LATE

PRIVATE RIGHT BACK

PRIVATE FOREVER

Re: PRIVATE FOREVER