animus_network | [video] Fourth Remembrance

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[video] Fourth Remembrance

[Ryoji switches the feed on with a small smile. He has cheered up significantly after talking to a few people and making a few friends (or at least, people he thinks are friends). He still is nervous about what he has to say, but he tries not to let that show.]

Hi everyone. It's a little late, so I don't know if anyone is still around, but I couldn't wait any longer. So many things have happened lately... which is probably why I haven't had a chance to talk to you all, but...

[He swallows, then takes on a more serious tone. He's determined to help people, though he doesn't know that he's actually doing more harm than good.]

I was in a group of people who went down the elevator again earlier this month. We were looking for a control room and an exit from the tower. It was dangerous, and... most of us didn't make it out alive.

[He feels guilty, not because he was killed, but because others on that team did. He finds a lot of them strange and he isn't sure whether he can trust everyone, but he still blames himself for not being a better leader.

He shakes his head and continues on.]

The point is, I have information. If anyone wants to know anything, just ask.

[He doesn't have any idea that he received this information through working with a group led by the one man who likely caused the most trouble in the tower this month. He may need a bit of enlightening about that.]

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[Ganondorf's words especially hurt. Wasn't that all he was good for now? Apologizing? That was all he could do when he'd found out his true nature, when he had to tell all his friends that he'd lead them to death. It was all he could do when he was brought here and caused more pain. He thought he had been strong. He'd gone down the elevator twice, and he'd been training with Diarmuid... Was it all a lie? He whimpers out a protest, but it sounds pathetic even to him.]

I-I'm not weak...

[But he did know the truth... he was foolish, and stupid, and naive, and weak. It was his fault that girl was hurt, that his friends might get hurt. He had to do something, try to salvage whatever goodness was left in him.

He shakily gets to his feet, and though he still looks down at the ground, his voice is more firm.]

I was thinking that I was going to save people.

[And then he turns to run away. He may not get far in his human form, but he has to try to get out of here, however he can.]

[ Ganondorf turned to look at Naoya when he approached and spoke, before turning to Nesir and Ryoji again when they spoke. At least it was only Naoya and not another idiotic so-called courageous hero like Tohko. And then Ryoji decided trying to run away was a brilliant idea.

Before Ryoji could get more than a couple feet away from them, a thick wall of fire would rise on his way, effectively blocking his way out. Ryoji was free to try and go through-- If ever he felt like dying in the flames, but that would really not be a good idea.

Ganondorf made no move nor spoke any words, but it was obvious he was the source of the flames and that he wouldn't let go of the boy till this matter was settled. ]

[Naoya stepped forward again, intending to go after Ryoji and grab him. The idea of fire didn't really bother him - he'd set up Shield All and he always had Anti-All on him anyway.]

Save people? Heh. Ganondorf. Let me have him. I'll show him what his weakness has done. I have some... interesting stories I can tell.

[Which all involve people dying horribly, but whatever.]

[Brilliant, first being hit with lightning, now Ganondorf was throwing fire around. Not the best day. She glared at Ryoji] Well that do be the most stupid way of saving people I have been seeing in a long time. [Her voice was snappish.]

[Ryoji slides to a halt, the extreme heat of the fire wall enough to ensure he wasn't going through that. Sure, he had Thanatos, but that didn't make him any less vulnerable. His immortality had been taken away here.

We wheels around, keeping an eye on Naoya. He hadn't met this person before, but if he was helping Ganondorf, then he couldn't trust him, even if all this meant Ryoji was forced to work for the king.

...He couldn't trust anyone anymore, especially himself. What had he been thinking? Did he honestly believe he could have found everyone in the tower that he knew before Ganondorf's team got to them? Besides, even if he did, how could he possibly protect them?

He says nothing, but judging from the slump and the broken eye contact with Naoya, he's given up. He knows he's being forced to stay obedient, but there's nothing he can do. Ganondorf has complete control now. It almost reminds him of how he felt under Nyx's power.]

[Really, did Ryoji honestly think he'd get very far?

Even if he had managed to get away from them, it would only be a temporary reprieve. Sephiroth enjoyed the thrill of a complete victory, with all the lead-up involving stripping away all the things that the other person held dear to them first. It's not like there has even been a reason for him to resort to such a pastime in the Tower, but he might have had reason to unleash that fury on Ryoji should he have gotten away and spilled despite their very clear warnings. Sephiroth doesn't suffer such treachery, having been burned by it too many times before.

But it seemed Ganon wasn't finished with the boy to let him go just yet. And as Naoya closed in on the boy Sephiroth resorted to spectating from a distance, though not so far away, glancing at Nesir occasionally - appreciating her impressive self-control over the obvious pain she had to be in after the lightning attack. He didn't need to get involved at this point, Ganondorfs' angry display having been a reminder of exactly how he didn't need to let his anger show. Putting all cards on the table like that in front all this company -

- whom he hasn't fully decided to align himself with yet, either. Sure, it's beneficial to his goals for them to go information gathering downstairs but he wouldn't be asking permission from the troll king, to do things, to say things anytime soon. Like the way Naoya did.]

[ When Naoya spoke, Ganondorf raised a hand in a move to tell him to wait-- Naoya would do whatever psychological game he wanted on the boy, he didn't care, but he first had to make sure the boy would get his message. As much as he trusted Naoya to hack into machines, he had no insurances he could do as well with people's mind and implanting lasting fear into them. ]

Save people? There is a reasons this operation was to remain a secret! Yes, yes if we are to be successful we will de facto save countless lives.

[ By killing Ruana at least, no more universes should be destroyed if his theory was correct. Now whether Ganondorf really cared or not about this, was a secret to everybody. But at least that made for a convenient excuse and a good cover to justify everything he was doing. ]

But methods like this never accomplish anything-- No, this is not how we proceed and this is not how you will proceed. [He paused, seemingly looking now calmed down, more like his usual self] Hence boy, you will never again speak of this to anyone but us, or else...

[ Ganondorf nonchalantly looked to Tohko's remains before looking at the terminal which Ryoji used to talk to people earlier, maybe friends amongst them? No matter, as subtle as it was the implication was obvious. ]

[Fine. He can wait. Let Ganondorf do his speeches. He'll do more of the dirty work later.]

There's a policy of being on a 'need to know' basis. The rest of the tower doesn't need to know yet. They will, in time. But until we can get things in place, they don't.

People can... no be trusted to no be doing stupid things with knowledge... [It was a struggle to keep her voice and breathing steady and so she gave up on speaking and concentrated on staying upright.]

[He remains silent except for a few small, choked noises. He hates hearing the anger, he hates being called 'boy' (he doesn't know why it terrifies him, so much more than if he was just called by his name), he especially hates being told he can't trust anyone. He was trying to help the people here, and a good deal of them were trustworthy. The ones that weren't were standing right in front of him.

But he couldn't say anything like that. If he did, then that would mean rebelling, mean doing wrong, and then he'd be punished. He has to do what they say, and he's so terrified of stepping out of line that he just remains silent while being lectured, because Ganondorf said he must never speak about this, and it's taken so seriously that he decides to just not speak. He'll stay quiet and still until someone tells him to speak or move. He can't even trust himself to breathe out of line, for fear of him causing pain for the people he cares about.]

[Sephiroth isn't sure that Ganondorf's approach is working with Ryoji. Fear is a great control provided it's applied in the correct measures but lecturing can have quite the opposite effect if pushed too far. There was a sign in the way that Ryoji has gone quiet, he thought, so like the child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Though personally, Sephiroth doesn't know enough about Ryoji to be able to conjure any workable threat, any sensitive button. This clearly has to change.

There can be as much fear applied in silence as there can be with words. Perhaps it might be in his best interest to turn the tables, to put actually some effort into knowing the boys habits, into learning his dreams. A situation like this cannot afford to be allowed to happen again.

Quickly, in the hanging silence though, he becomes impatient with the boy and steps forward to ask the question. Though by now he's clearly already resolved to make a point of keeping an eye on the boy, personally.]

Well? Do you understand?

...

[ Ganondorf said no more word. What Sephiroth had asked was the only thing he needed to know at the moment, so he would wait for Ryoji's answer. And probably have his shadow follow him everywhere throughout the tower. ]

[Naoya just watched him carefully, not saying anything further. There really was nothing else to do but to end this as quickly as possible.]

And do you be really understanding? Because if you do be having them it do be best to be asking, rather than be making more stupid mistakes.

[Her voice wasn't actually angry, more patient. Like she was talking to a small child.]

I do. I understand. I won't say anything to anyone.

[He speaks slowly and carefully, desperate not to sound scared or angry or anything else that may be seen as a step out of line. No one had used his real name during this whole conversation, and he was starting to catch on that he was being treated as less than them. He really was stuck in this. He was a pawn, and there was no escaping that. As long as he just stays quiet when they're around and avoids them after this whenever possible, he might be okay. His friends here may still be safe.]

Good. I don't think I need to tell you how foolish it would be to double-cross any one of us.

[Sephiroth steps away, warning issued. Indeed, Ryoji didn't want to be earning any more enmity from this particular silver-haired warrior - it's been so peaceful in this regard since Cloud vanished. As for staying away, Sephiroth now has to formulate how it would be best to keep an eye on the guy.

He glances around the group gathered once more, wondering if there was anything else now to be said.]

[ Ganondorf said no more word. He'd have to keep a close eye on the kid, but his task was done, for now. To do anything more he needed to know who the kid was close to, and it wouldn't be hard to do thanks to the network-- All conversations posted there were recorded, he only needed to look through the boy's past conversation and he would do it shortly.

People paying attention may see something sliding from Ganon's shadow into Ryoji's. However it happened so quickly within a split second, maybe it was just an impression?

Following this, the Darknut would take back its sword from the ruined terminal and walk away into the stairs. Ganondorf on his end would glance one last time at Ryoji with as much of a threatening glance as it could be, before disappearing from this floor in a dark wind. If Naoya, Nesir or Sephiroth had anything else to tell him, he'd let them now. ]

[Naoya notes it, and winces slightly. He'll have to be careful with contacting the boy later, if he chooses to. Ah, well. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.]

Mm. Just watch what you do from now on.

[What was that? Nesir watched Ganondorf leave and turned back to Ryoji, she didn't really have anything to say. She was angry and upset and hurt and she figured that anything any of them said would just be twisted by the boys fear. She just nodded along with Naoya.]

[Ryoji doesn't notice anything, as his eyes are clenched shut to avoid looking at the people he thought he could trust. How could he have been so stupid? He should have trusted his instinct with Sephiroth and left immediately when he saw that he was part of Ganondorf's team. But it's too late now. He just nods a bit, still not looking at anyone.]

I'll... I'll be careful.

[Careful not to run into anyone, friend or not, after this is done.]

[Sephiroth might seek Ganondorf out later to talk more in depth about this whole thing, or he might just let it all develop how it was undoubtedly going to without even lifting a finger towards either side. This is to be decided. The flickering of the shadow isn't noticed, at that time Sephiroth is keeping actually more of an eye on Nesir.

Not that he cares, more like he's curious to see how much longer she'll be able to stay upright for. Someone needed to do something about her humanity should there be any hope of a workable 'alliance' and although Sephiroth for sure knows of a way, why should he? She's not much more significant to him (she had laughed too!)than Ryoji but then what could be expected from one so jaded in his opinion of humans in general?

He doesn't even nod or smile to anyone else before walking away back towards the stairwell.]

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[video] Fourth Remembrance

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