animus_network | [video]

Hello. [The person seated in front of the library terminal is a pale, white-haired woman dressed in something reminiscent of a nun's habit, though there's nothing to cover her head. One of her yellow eyes is covered with an eyepatch. She tries to smile and does about as well as one might expect of a person in her situation, the expression both pinched and weak.] My name is Claudia Kotomine. I've—just arrived.

[There's definitely some uncertainty in her voice about how she should describe the situation, but nonetheless, she carries on.] If there are any other members of the Holy Church here, I'd like to hear from them as soon as possible. Or— Anyone else I'm acquainted with. And, mm, even if there aren't...

[She trails off momentarily, her one visible eye flicking away from the terminal as she considers something. Her lips purse together for a moment, and then she sighs. Well, she doesn't want to be ungrateful—at least she's able to eat—but—]

Ah, it's just that the kitchen seems equipped to do a lot more than it currently is! [She laughs, but the sound is nervous.] Is the food always in the state that it is now? I just thought—if there are better ingredients around anywhere, I could make something nicer. I'm more than willing to share with anyone who helps me with this, so...

...Ah, in any case, thank you for your time. [She forces another slight smile.] If there's anything you would like to ask of me in turn, I'm happy to assist or answer you to the best of my ability.

[For those that would prefer action, immediately after this she can be found browsing the library (and frustrating herself with her inability to find anything of immediate use), and later on she'll be investigating the thirteenth floor/the cathedral.]

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[In some ways, Claudia appreciates this floor. It is, after all, the closest thing to a familiar setting that she can find, putting the one-hundredth floor aside. (All that one did was make her want to cry.) In others, though, it aggravates her—what did they mean to do by putting a cathedral in a place like this?]

[Still, she can't find any fault in its actual construction, even if the way sound doesn't carry here unnerves her. She makes her way across the floor with unnaturally hushed footsteps, lingering here and there to examine some detail or another. She very nearly manages to find some kind of peace before she stumbles across a familiar(?) face in the pews. She almost jumps and recoils when she does.]

Archer—?

[She blurts it out without thinking.]

[The unfamiliar voice almost goes unheard in the strange cathedral, but Gilgamesh reacts to the title much like he would his own name; he lifts his head and looks over, raising a brow at the woman he sees standing there.

Another who seemed to recognize him -- or some version of him. He wonders when it would grow so common that he would grow bored with these reactions. Claret eyes take in her particular dress before he smirks.]

Come to pray to your false god, did you?

[She stiffens at the words that come in reply, her jaw tightening and her cheeks flushing in anger. Her hands ball at her sides, and there's a second where she seriously has the impulse to slap him. She restrains herself, mostly because she knows doing so would be useless at best.]

I'm getting my bearings. [Her tone is sharp and terse.]

[His smirk widens a bit more at the reaction his question had garnered from the woman. Truly, this was not something within the norm for him and the ghostly sermon was having an effect on him; he took little pleasure in angering those who appeared to hold strong faith in their gods.

It was usually much more intriguing to watch them as their faith was shaken by forces beyond their control.]

Of course you are. A fine place to gather your bearings -- if only it was a true sanctuary.

Is there any place here that's a "true sanctuary"?

[It's half-retort and half-genuine question. Her tone only changes a little.]

Your dorm room, I suppose. Unless you happen to have unfortunately volatile roommates.

[He tilts his head this way and that before resting his cheek against his knuckles, as if that would help make the bench anymore comfortable.]

You would do well to know that I am not the Archer you seem to know.

Is that so.

[She responds to that news flatly. The truth is, she isn't sure how to feel about that. She has no real love for the Archer of her world, and she doesn't know if his interest in her would even remain in this situation, so it's not as though he's a dependable ally. But, at the same time, she feels as though she has been cheated out of having anything familiar once again.]

Well, then I suppose I should introduce myself to you. My apologies for not doing so sooner. [He hasn't endeared himself to her any more than the other, so her tone is polite but lacking in warmth.] My name is Claudia.

And you already know who I am. [He lifts his head from his knuckles long enough to make a dismissive motion with his fingers. There is a moment of silence while he listens for the ghostly sermon, and then he sighs and sits up.]

Haaah. What a bothersome place. How does anyone sit here for hours on end?

[He really should just leave. Even if the woman had not arrived, his back would soon enough be complaining if his lips would not.]

There's no reason for you to stay, if you dislike it.

[He isn't the same Archer she knows, but maybe she jumps on his words a little too quickly regardless.]

It is interesting, but not in the way you would expect.

[He smiles at Claudia, languidly stretching as he stands up and works the kinks out of his shoulders. One hand slips into his pocket, and he slides out of the pew to get a better look at the pious woman.]

Keep an eye out, if you stay here. This floor likes to swallow sound.

[Not literally, of course. But the way sound was muffled the further away you were from another person, there was some truth to his words. His smile sharpens at the corners, and he heads towards the stairs.]

[Her eye narrows slightly at his first comment, but she doesn't ask for him to elaborate. His warning is met with a nod.]

Of course. Thank you for your concern, but I know enough to be aware of my surroundings.

[She answers with the same polite formality as before. Her expression pinches slightly as his smile sharpens, but she makes no move to stop him as he heads back to the stairs.]

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