☿ // 001; [text; dated to 3/17]

[fionnuisce]

Now that I've collected what I'd evaluate as the basics of this place and how it's run, I'm curious enough to ask for a discussion of general opinions rather than concrete facts.

Particularly, regarding the supposedly confirmed ideas revolving around the state of our worlds. While the evidence supporting our homeworlds' destruction is considerable, I'd still like to hear what people think. It initially crossed my mind that it could be a very well-constructed lie, and while that has become a very distant possibility I'm hesitant to discard it altogether. And if it is in fact true, what happens then? Do you think there is a way to restore the places from which we've originated, or are we fighting for a Pyrrhic victory at best?

And that's not yet touching upon the more clearly confirmed matter of our souls and the replica forms we're using in place of our original bodies. I'd imagine this has caused existential crises aplenty, but let's put that aside for the moment. If the administrators possess the technology or magic to create such close copies, how is it they can't simply take out original bodies along with our souls in the first place And if there is a way to restore our worlds, would you logically assume that includes our original selves?

You're free to answer if you like, or ignore me altogether. It's your own choice. I can't really picture this as a simple matter to talk about without inciting a sense of dread and misery, so I'll hardly be offended if everyone shrugs this off and pretends they never saw it.

--Lord El-Melloi II

[Waver, honey. I'm sure signing your name like that is simply habit by now, but you might give your younger self a stroke.]

Comments

[canofworms]

If you know where to find a better umbrella than this thing they gave us to wear when we got here, that'd be great.

I'm starting to miss my old hoodies.

[fionnuisce]

Tell me where you are and I'll come help you look for one. I've got something we can use in the meantime.

[canofworms]

The first dormitory floor. If it wouldn't be too far out of your way.

[fionnuisce]

It's not a big deal. Give me a few minutes.

[It only took him about as long as one would expect to get from the third to the first floor. Waver walked as though nothing was out of the ordinary at all, and...was that a shifting form of liquid mercury arching up from the ground behind him and acting as a mobile canopy?]

[The fuck, Waver?]

[canofworms]

[Kariya's still perched on top of his terminal and draped in jumpsuit, rocking back and forth a little while he tries his best to read the text on the screen upside down.

He's still responding to a few messages before he leaves the terminal (who knows when he'll find another working one? Maybe he should leave the jumpsuit here if Waver has something that works better?), so yeah, big hoppy skeleton insects going on here.

The whole tableau freezes when he looks up and blinks, a little sheepishly but also a lot nonplussed.]

... Ah. Not a bad umbrella.

[He thinks the mercury thing looks weirdly familiar....]

[fionnuisce]

...You know, I should ask about ten different questions, but as someone whose Mystic Code can turn into a maid, I feel I would be in a glass house throwing stones.

[Yep.]

[canofworms]

[Chuckling and hopping off his terminal to come over and examine your pet blob. The Blade Wing Worms follow a little raggedly. Rain isn't their favorite weather, even if they're functional.]

I don't think I have ten different questions, but I do wish these made as good an umbrella as yours. You said it's a maid?

[Really.]

[fionnuisce]

Long story, doesn't matter all that much.

[Whatever it was, it didn't seem to take Waver any effort at all to extend the makeshift shelter to cover them both.]

Weren't we going to look for an actual umbrella?

[canofworms]

Sounds like a story worth hearing, honestly.

[Once they're better-acquainted he is totally going to ask after it. Or once he remembers exactly where that thing came from. Oh boy.

There's like, water sloshing around on the floor by now, though, from all the damn rain. The Worms would've probably had to swim or something if they couldn't fly.]

... I'm starting to wonder if we shouldn't be looking for a storm shelter, instead.

[fionnuisce]

Either they're trying to drown us--which is likely--or there'll be some floors less completely saturated.

All I know is that if this destroys the library I might break something.

[canofworms]

Ah. Let's hope there's something left for you to break, then.

[He's not particularly happy about the library, either, but he's probably not as attached to it as Waver. He can always get his information from people.]

So, umbrellas or floors?

[fionnuisce]

We may as well start simple and look for an umbrella. I'll worry when the water level hits somewhere around knee-high.

[canofworms]

... We should probably stick to the stairs.

[So, how many people hit the elevator button and got a nice shower trying to get somewhere?

Not this guy. No way.]

[fionnuisce]

What kind of idiot would take an elevator in this weather?

[Waver...]

[canofworms]

Do you usually consider the weather when you take an elevator?

[Just. Going to start toward the stairs, hopefully will be followed because he is not the owner of the mercurybrella.]

[fionnuisce]

...No, upon reflection that's a sentence I never thought I'd have to say.

[He'd just follow right behind, hands in his pockets and nary a fuck to give.]

[canofworms]

[There may be Worms trying to stick to the underside of your mercury pet. Even mindless horrors need to hang out once in a while in this weather.]

... I guess that's one way of expanding your horizons. Or, ah, learning more about the Tower.

[He's totally not laughing at all. Not even on the inside.]

[fionnuisce]

That's certainly one way to do it. Did we have a specific destination in mind, by the way? I'm not sure there's an umbrella floor.

[canofworms]

I haven't heard of an umbrella floor, either. There's no point in being picky, though -- anything that will hold up for a few days should do the trick.

[Watch your step on the stairs, they're all slippery from the rain.]

I haven't found a map so far.

[fionnuisce]

There should be some materials for a makeshift one on the fifteenth floor, if you feel like going that far.

Diarmuid mentioned he had a list of what's on most of the floors, I think.

[canofworms]

I don't mind, if you don't. It might really be a good idea to find some safe floors.

[Maybe he's just not as used to rain as you are....]

... He's pretty diligent in a lot of ways, isn't he? I'm afraid I'm not totally familiar with his legends.

[fionnuisce]

Fine with me.

[he's english, kariya. rain is really not a big deal.]

...he's a good person, to say the absolute minimum. That should be all that matters even if someone's unfamiliar with who he is specifically.

[canofworms]

Thanks.

[For all his no-nonsense, Lord El-Melloi II really is a very earnest fellow, isn't he? That much doesn't seem to have changed over the years. Kariya relaxes a little more, quickening his pace. They have a lot of stairs to cover.]

That much I could tell for myself. I wasn't doubting your knight, Waver.

[There's a hint of laughter in his voice, but since he's walking ahead he's probably safe.]

[fionnuisce]

Was that defensive? Sorry. He doesn't think much of himself, so I guess responding like that is my default response--usually I'm talking to him when I do it, though.

[Sigh--wait a minute.]

...Kariya, did you hear something?

[canofworms]

Ahh, a knight with a Master like El-Melloi...

[And Saber with Kiritsugu Emiya, and Archer with Tokiomi. Berserker with him. None of the knights or Knight classes in that War had much luck, did they?

He stops walking at Waver's question, hand straying automatically to the concealed handgun at his waist. The Blade Wing Worms stir from their vaguely sleepy perch upside down on the mercury maid.]

--Did you?