003 | Video | late Friday evening

[relinquishing]

[It's taken him a great deal of time to get his composure together, after everything is said and done. He might have his body back, but the rush of memories and actions and guilt guilt guilt is enough to make him want to vomit. The images of himself, coated in women, stained in blood, saying one thing while meaning another, leading people astray while knowing otherwise - PRETENDING....

How dare they... How DARE they...

...

As overwhelming as it is, he can't just wallow. Someone HAS to know, and as much as it might hurt to hear it so soon, they have to know immediately.

So Guy slips to a terminal, holding himself composed if not extremely worn... and as strong as he tries to stay, he can't quite keep the small tremble out of his words as he starts to speak.]

If you're hearing my voice right now, then you need to stop and listen. What I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to hear, and I'm sorry. But it's important.

This week was a mess. No one can deny that. But some of you here in the Tower might have been aware of a few of us wandering around, claiming we had "control" of our minds. To some of you, we were your superiors, ordering you to do or say things for us. The few of us that had mixed colors in our collars or could maintain a conversation like normal, despite our modifications, claiming that the Administrators had failed and that we were fighting back.

We sent out a message this week, gathering people and information to try and establish what we claimed was a counter-resistance. Many showed up. Many put confidence in us.

[He pauses, swallowing hard.]

That was a mistake.

The truth is that we were just as brainwashed as anyone else... Even more so, I guess. Despite what we might have said or made people think, we were all actors. The few of us you may have talked to were sent out specifically for sabotage and information, all for the ones that did this to us. We were spies, and before coming back to normal, many of us just gave away information that...

[Another pause, a deep grimace crossing his face.]

Well, it might prove to be a disaster for quite a few people. If you spoke to a drone in what you thought was a form of confidence, especially against the Tower or in details of the resistance...

[His expression pains, grimace thinning into a guilty frown.]

Then I'm sorry. We've done something truly horrible.

[...

There's another long pause, the man at the screen tense and quiet. Either he's searching for something else to say, or his composure is about to slip from him. It's hard to tell.]

There's nothing we can do to take it back. Think what you would like of us. But we've tricked you, and you deserve to know. And right now... I'd recommend to be prepared for the worst.

[...]

If you have questions, then feel free to ask. I'm... not sure what any of us can tell you. I'm sorry.

[And with a tired, forced smile, the feed ends.]

Comments

video;

[angramaintsu]

What.

video;

[relinquishing]

It's the truth. I'm not sure what else to tell you.

[Non-reply/Action/I don't even know 1/HOW MANY]

[bloodyashes]

[So, Guy might just be back, but for Asch it's been a couple of hours. He's spent most of those halfway curled-up on his bed, still expecting his body to suddenly stop being his own again at any moment.

In the end, he makes his way down to his usual terminal in the library, which is also safely isolated. Even if he can recognize people, he doesn't want to see people, doesn't want to interact. Not without a buffer, without something blocking him from knowing who's who, who's going to betray him next.

He's got his heels propped on the supports of his stool so that he's still somewhat in a ball as he watches Guy's video.

...]

[this one action 2/? ]

[bloodyashes]

[...Oh.

Well, that buffer didn't do much good, did it?

His first instinct is to reject it, wanting to say that it's all a lie - but it's not, Asch knows better. He knows when Guy's being honest, at least.

Or he thought he did.

You could practically see what's going through his head, if you were watching. His knees pull up, leaving Asch balanced precariously on the stool he's sitting on, and it's a long moment before he does anything else.]

[Text, filtered to Guy, 3/5?]

[bloodyashes]

[He finally manages to get his hands to the keyboard, flicking on a filter, but even to Guy (especially to Guy), he doesn't want to be seen.]

So... All of that was fake? Even the times that didn't have to do with gathering information?

[Still filtered text 4/5]

[bloodyashes]

[And not long after, without waiting for an answer - ]

I'll be in the library. When you're done with this mess, I want to talk.

[Except, he doesn't want to. It'd be easier to be someone else, to be really mindless like the Tower's real drones.]

[Action 5/5]

[bloodyashes]

[And as promised, whenever Guy gets to the library when all's said and done, Asch has made himself a hiding place in the back of the romance section, fully curled up in an armchair that's clearly been moved so that it's wedged between shelves as tightly as possible.

He's not crying. That's about the best that can be said for his condition, really. He's shaking and not responding to anything that goes on outside his head, clutching his knees towards his chest... But he's not crying.

Just a big lie - no, it's not Guy's fault, he didn't have any choice in it - but it burns him anyway. From Guy, of all people - it's a scenario that's so familiar, an old wound ripped back open because he'd wanted someone he could trust. He'd wanted to not be alone.

What a mistake.]

video, private

[prayed]

[She turns on the feed, not quite looking at the camera, but doesn't speak immediately. She thought she knew what to say to this, though she could play it off, but...]

...Hah. They really got us good this time.

video, private

[relinquishing]

A game well played on their part. Use us as the vessels for our own demise. It's pretty clever.

[He pauses, staring down at his hands with a thin frown.]

The sacrifice of trust shouldn't have been worth it.

[Anon Text]

[great_king_of_evil]

Weak-minded fool.

People like you are the very reason the administrators' hold over this tower has lasted so long and will last again for a long time.

[Text]

[relinquishing]

[Anon or not, he'll just take that as nice slap of blame like he was expecting.]

Perhaps. I wouldn't have wished my position on anyone else.

Weak-minded or otherwise, it's not my choice now. It's the people's decision on what to accomplish with what has been done.

[video]

[doesnotgetit]

[Hey, Guy. Have a group buddy who looks just as exhausted as you must be feeling.]

... Thanks, for being the one to tell them about this. I wouldn't even know where to begin talking about something like this.

[video; private]

[relinquishing]

[He manages a weak smile in response, carefully adding a filter to the video.]

Someone had to say something. I feel it would be wrong to wallow when there's a lot at stake based on... what we did.

Text

[tentacletrainer]

...thank you for telling them this.
If you need any help convincing them, or talking to them, or anything, I would be happy to lend my assistance.
I don't believe you should bear the weight of their possible anger alone.

[[Because Rose was just as responsible as any other member of the group. Even if it wasn't explicitly their fault.]]

Text

[relinquishing]

You're welcome.

...And thanks.

Interject when and where you think it's necessary. I know I don't have all the answers. I don't think any of us do. But they deserve to know something.

[Video]

[gradosfinest]

[For a moment she's just staring at the screen, her left hand gripping the hilt of her sword so tightly her knuckles are white under her gauntlets. Of course. Of course the people in charge would do something like that and it's hard not to feel like an idiot for having not even considered it.

She doesn't want to even think of the potential consequences right now, somewhere deep down she has to admit the admins certainly know what they're doing...]

... well shit. [Usually she doesn't swear much at all, let alone like that. But right now she can't think of anything else to say and just standing there staring at the screen like an idiot isn't going to do anything.]

[Video]

[relinquishing]

[There's an apologetic attempt at a smile, but little else from the blonde.]

I'm sorry if it's a lot to take in.

[Text]

[no_longer_a_king]

I see.

Thank you for telling us. I understand how hard this must be.

[Even if it means that a lot of them are in trouble now. Then again, Arturia knew from the get go she would be in trouble, giving how they infiltrated things down below repeatedly and the groups slowly forming in the Tower. She'll have to keep an eye out for this.]

[Text]

[relinquishing]

You're welcome.

What matters most is that we get our feet back underneath us. Which... I know is easier said than done. But it would be stupid to say that there are not people in severe danger because of what's happened.

Not here; open to action I guess?

[justabignobody]

[...What.

...

...

They should have expected something like this sooner or later. They really should have... given the circumstances of Dax's death, given the events that lead up to it.

Still. Dammit.

He burrows his hands in his scalp, a sigh of frustration and anger escaping him as he stares at the post on the screen. He supposes there is one question remaining... just how bad is the damage done by this?]

video

[puppy_lancer]

How much? What the fuck did you tell them?

video

[relinquishing]

[He visibly steels himself at the intensitiy of Lancer's reaction, swallowing dryly.]

Whatever we could find out. Names. Locations. Anything that might resemble a resistance was reported, pretty much.

[terreifying]

WHAT
WHAT THE FUCK

[relinquishing]

Sorry. It's true.

[hellacious]

well
we're well and thoroughly fucked, I guess

[relinquishing]

Very likely, yeah.

action;

[sageprincess]

[Zelda doesn't bother with the network.

Dress still torn and brown with dried blood, she finds Guy herself. If what he said was true... alongside that note she received, it doesn't take a genius to realize how bad things are about to get.

Her tone is tired, but stern.]

What did I tell you.

action;

[relinquishing]

[At her initial approach, he rises, shoulders squared but face blank. He'd expected to see her, just not this soon... Perhaps that was his mistake.

There's an awkward pause before the blonde is lowering himself to one knee, unable to meet her eyes as he speaks, voice low but unwavering.]

You told me you knew of the resistance.

You told me you were one of the leaders.

You gave me a list of names, told me where you met and why you met there.

...

[He curls in on himself slightly, staring stiffly at the ground. He could hear it in her voice. No apology would be enough for this.]

video;

[cullscuttlefish]

...no. No, no, no, no, no.

[And then her face crumbles, and she breaks down into tears.]

video;

[relinquishing]

[Being yelled at or sternly scolded was one matter. Guy had been ready for that

But this?

This is something he can't handle. He never has been able to. Not a woman in tears. He doesn't know what to say or do - not when he sees it's her, the stranger who'd already endured so much...

He can't say anything to her, even though he opens his mouth in an attempt to several times. An apology would be empty... and he himself doesn't know entirely what to do anymore. So he simply stays quiet, staring at anytihng that wasn't the screen.

God damn it.]

[imperialsun]

So this may all have been a ploy for information.

[This does complicate things a lot...but at the same time...]

[relinquishing]

That's what it appears to be, yeah.

It's... hah, well, you have to admit, it's clever of them to disguise it among so much chaos. When half the tower's out of their mind, no one would suspect more strange behavior like that...

video

[warriorscribe]

Regardless of what that vile man says, you are strong, for coming forward to admit this.

*Enoch pauses, clearly reading over and listening to the conversation so far.*

So, then...they have our names. Could you...send a note to mailbox fifty-eight telling me who you revealed?

*He needs to know whether Lucifel and Sola were mentioned or not. He is nearly certain he himself was, but is holding out hope for them. They weren't leaders. They didn't even know about the resistance until Enoch dragged them into it...*

video

[relinquishing]

Strong? Mmm.

I wouldn't say that. I just did what I felt was necessary. That's all.

[He hesitates at the question, before giving a curt nod, his eyes wary.]

I could. But what do you plan on doing with that list?

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Are you alright?

[It's almost unexpected. Jade hadn't really been intending to ask, and he shouldn't have really cared. The point was that Guy was a comrade and Jade would rather he find the boy in a good state than... What he was in now. But, it was unfortunate. Jade had tried to stay away from the event, making sure to lurk int he shadows and gain information on the augmentations. He worried the Admins, without Dax, were getting more forward, somehow.

This was hardly the place he wanted to be if Auldrant truly was gone.

Regardless, Jade was silent for a long time, studying Guy.]

video

[relinquishing]

Yeah.

[No.

It's a completely automatic response, and the smile that wants to accompany it is lost fairly quickly. He can't. He's too tired. It's too much.

There's a long pause, Guy shifting in his seat with his eyes slightly out of focus on some nonexistent point past the camera.]

It's just been a long week.

[video]

[detecting]

[For someone who just found out she's been compromised due to the actions of a very close friend, Naoto seems pretty calm.]

I appreciate you taking the time to make us aware of the situation.

[video]

[relinquishing]

[He swallows, chuckling weakly. It's a barely-veiled attempt at hiding just how shaken he is.]

You're welcome. I felt that at least some of you deserved to know. Just in case.

video

[the_word_is]

It wasn't your fault.

video

[relinquishing]

Depends how you ask. But thanks.

...

[Guy's features soften, recognizing the girl as one he'd slaughtered. How unbelievably awkward... He clears his throat.]

I'm... I'm sorry. That wasn't the best way to be introduced, huh?

video (fixed!)

[thiscloakisgreen]

Answers, indeed, Guy Cecil. I expect many. But those shall be later, once you in a better state of mind.

There is much to glean from this, after all. One answers for their crimes only once their judge had decided. And I daresay that Doom shall be far from punishing you for now so long as some use can be gotten from this myriad escapade of mindlessness.

I would consider it fortuitous that I tell you little of what it is that I plan most of the time. Do you know why?

video

[relinquishing]

[He doesn't bother with the usual ragged sigh that accompanies a talk with the doctor. He seems far too tired for it. Instead, he just observes with a bit of a clouded expression, shaking his head at Doom's question.]

...I guess not. You seem to have far too many plans for me to try to keep with in the first place, Doctor.