animus_network | Backdated to the 14th

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Backdated to the 14th

Two orders of business:

One, who's the person I have to thank for the piece of mail I got, and all the papers strewn about the dorms?

Two, is it just me or has a good chunk of the tower gone batshit insane? I haven't exactly spent the longest time here, and even I can tell this mass boycotting of something that maintains you is a terrible idea.

[...In all honesty? She lied; there's three orders of business to take care of. But the last, she'd rather deal with privately, so she'll just filter this to a certain group of kids she knows. Two, in particular, since she doesn't know all of them -- just a pair she met when she first got here.]

Hope I'm not chiming in at a bad time. Do you have a moment to talk?

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Well, besides the letter from me, I don't know about the others.

Sure, I have time, when I'm not getting dragged off for the second collar check this week - I didn't want to risk it. What's going on?

There was another one I got on my terminal inbox, so...I guess that wasn't you, then. [She's probably seen it herself -- if not on the network, then in the papers strewn about the tower.] Sounds like I missed something important either way. I could use some catching up; feels like this place really doesn't want me around.

[A rather blatant hint of where she's been. Yup...ruined homes aren't nice to be around, especially with what she just learned.]

Yeah, that one wasn't me. I've seen it, but it wasn't me. I only just remember the whole 'Dax' thing from after I first arrived here. I take it the letter's from someone that knew him better than I did.

I take it you went home? That's awful.

No, the gist of it...from my end, anyway...well, no need to hide it, I suppose.

I actually am dating Ryoji Mochizuki, for real. That's not the Tower talking; we figured ourselves out after...well, after someone named Sephiroth made Ryoji jump off the Tower. I kind of realized the spark we had after we first met, back in April, was real. So did he, after that.

He saved my life last month, at the - oh, right, you wouldn't have seen that some people got turned into monsters at night. There was a barricade put up, and I was there. I was attacking a monster who - he didn't mean to drain my magic for 5 days after he hit me with a magic drain. Raven was being controlled by the Tower, by Ruana herself.

I got knocked back enough to hit my head pretty hard and break my leg, but fortunately, there were other healers there. I got past the physical injuries a lot faster than the magic ones, and like I said, Ryoji got me out of there in one piece after the magic drain. I'm okay now.

Probably. I'll fret over an identity later.

For a long three weeks, yeah. Can't say I'm happy with the first thing I came back to. [Which, truth be told, is a gross understatement...but while Yu could probably glance at this and guess why, Yukiko -- well, another one, anyway; this one seemed stronger than the other, mentally -- was 'rescued' well after Legion left.]

I suppose the "game" is over already, then. On a scale of 'horribly wrong' to 'completely in control', how'd it go?

[She'll focus on her and Ryoji later. That's an important matter that needs to be discussed first.]

Edited 2013-07-18 17:15 (UTC)

I put flowers on every grave that didn't have any. If you have a friend that I don't know that has one, I think I probably got them. It only seemed right.

The "game" was more like - there was a dungeon, back home, that was an old video game, made by someone's Shadow who was a creep. Let me put it this way: I'd rather be stuck in there forever than be involved in another "game" like that one. That dungeon was a pain, including the music, but I'd rather have that than anything like Ruana's "game".

Was one of those names Legion, by any chance?

...That bad, huh. Sorry to hear that, and for not being able to help when I could've.

One of them was, yes. A friend of yours?

It was that bad. It's the only way I can think of to put it. I'm glad I didn't get turned into anything - I had enough of that in April - but it was awful. Everything at the barricades, everything before...oh. There's something important that happened before and I left out.

What do you know about the glamour failure, besides what was in that letter? I don't remember exactly who I saw and who I didn't, so I wanted to check.

He's part of my crew back home. Left me a parting gift in the form of enough clips to keep me going for a few more months, give or take.

Thanks for thinking of him. He'd be glad to know. [If he was even still here, she leaves unsaid.] There wasn't much else I could gather; probably haven't sifted through the rest of the network enough, if anything else about the glamour failure was even made public notice.

Wouldn't be surprised if there was a loose end or two that I missed, though.

I'm glad I was able to do something for him. A crew member of a friend is a friend, after all, whether I knew him or not.

There wasn't a lot made public notice, just personal experience. I'd watch out for any especially loud humming or growling noises that you can't figure out the source of, though. I know that's just common sense, because monsters do that, too, but both those happened when the glamour came back on, and I would take them as signs that Ruana's awake and upset with us. She came on the network not long after it came back on and was really upset that we broke things - her words, not mine.

Someone else said on the network that they'd talked to Ruana and reported that the glamour itself was a mix of psionics and technology, but not 'magic' as they knew it. I don't know if they're still here or not, but they said they didn't know much about psionics either. I admit I don't know a ton about them myself, other than them being distinct from magic.

They also said Ruana didn't classify herself as a 'youkai', which is a Japanese word meaning something like a monster or - not quite 'demon', that's 'akuma', but things like most fairies and other magical beings would be 'youkai'. It's a hint, at least, even if it's a vague one.

Huh. I at least remember seeing that one before I got yanked back into oblivion. Any chance that this'll be a telltale sign for the months she's in charge, then?

...A mix of psionics and tech? [...Wait wait wait wait. Let's deal with this one question at a time, because that's oddly close to another word she hears often--] ...So, what, they've got something similar to biotics?

Edited 2013-07-18 22:34 (UTC)

I'm hoping it's a sign for the months she's in charge. The pattern I know so far is Jason -> Riki -> Ruana -> Zo, which means next month is going to be awful. I died twice during my first Jason month. I was modified so my arms were wings, I wasn't myself half the time - and I could never exactly control which half - and I couldn't actually speak.

Biotics? I'm afraid you lost me on that one. Unless you mean it's something like what the person on the network was saying? A mix of - are psychic powers like psionics? - and technology? It would explain a lot...

I must have a swig of the devil's luck then, though I wager it's going to run out fast now that I've brought it up. The last Jason month I remember was full of dealing with problems other than my own.

I haven't done much reading on it myself, but I've experienced it plenty, and tech's at least partially involved in it where I'm from. Biotics are, by my galaxy's terms, people exposed to eezo who actually developed powers from it. Basically a fancy word for people who can control matter with their heads.

I'm one such biotic--though my powers are pretty limited compared to that of some of my crew.

Or it means you're spreading it to other people while keeping some of it for yourself. Let's hope that's the case. Though I think Jason months are just bad for everyone except Jason himself, the jerk.

That actually sounds pretty awesome. I mean, not that I'd give up my Persona for anything, not after all we've been through together, and she's a part of me, so even if I wanted to? That would be a problem.

I know I'm going to sound like a kid saying this, but we all have our own talents and powers for a reason. You've got yours for a reason, and so does your crew. It doesn't matter that they're different.

Hah, I'll give you that. There's no month worse than a month with him or Ruana in charge.

Doesn't sound like it's coming from a kid to me. Thanks either way, Amagi; I appreciate it.

Knowing what she might be capable of, though, leaves one hell of a cause for concern...if her psionics are anything like the biotic powers I've seen, it's not hard to find a worst-case scenario.

I keep seeing people want to punch Jason, and I can't say I blame any of them. I can also see why they wouldn't want to punch Ruana, though. I can't say I'm as familiar with 'biotics' as you are, but even with my limited knowledge, it's not a stretch at all to find a worst-case scenario. Or a dozen.

You're welcome.

1) That would be The Observer who graciously gave us the message and encouraged us to spread it around for those who would have remained uninformed.

2) They have gone crazy, but apparently it has worked in our favor as of late. I am still skeptical for various reasons, however.

Someone who doesn't even give out their own name. Perfect.

Name any one of them; chances are, we'll actually share it.

I will admit I found it suspicious, but I was not about to ignore information like that.

Very well. [ She will take anything literally, Shepard. ]

What would the administrators eventually do to us with that information?

It's not just you; the whole boycott idea is one of the dumbest ones I've heard in a while. You can probably start with anyone associated with Pandora, and work your way through the rest of the Tower about the letter. The original came from Dax.

I'm actually a little afraid to think of what could be stupider than a tower-wide boycott. It can't be good for anyone involved.

Pandora, huh? Any particular names I should look for?

You're better off not knowing. But, no, it can't be. Especially considering who will be in charge next month. A few of them outed themselves on the network after the glamour went back up and everything was running again.

[The feed suddenly switches to private here.]

Why? Thinking of joining up? [Considering it was something he's been pondering for a bit, it's a fair enough question.]

Edited 2013-07-19 01:00 (UTC)

What a shock. Except that I'm all out of shocked reactions to give.

That makes my life a lot easier. [She'll have to double check that one post later...there were names she couldn't recognize, but there has to be at least one she's familiar with.

When it switches, though...she considers for a moment.] It's the first I've heard of them that I can remember, but...yeah, I'm thinking about it. They probably need an extra hand for what's ahead.

You say this as if we were not already considerably less than sane as a body. A dangerous assumption.

Yeah, well, this is a whole new low. Even a krogan wouldn't think this was a good idea.

I am certain it had nothing to do with being a good idea.

Dare I ask what a Krogan is?

Gee, I can't possibly guess what it had to do with, then. [...Shepard, sarcasm doesn't carry over well through text. :|]

Big brutes with a race-wide penchant for taking the worst problem-solving routes possible. That give you an idea?

They sound like creatures I've met called Oni. The idea, however, is easily enough understood. Pity there's none here. That would at least be entertaining.

Did you read The Observer's post? About the drugs?

I'm thinking maybe the drugs and the collar are related. I'm not sure, so I'm testing it out.

...I know it's dumb. If nothing - or bad things - happen, I'll go right back to maintenance. I do want to live, after all, but for now I've gotta find this out.

Edited (typo o9) 2013-07-20 17:59 (UTC)

I got it in my inbox; s' pretty hard to miss that detail.

You sure your cousin isn't gonna drag you out for this later?

Well, there you go, then. I swear I'm trying to use my brain these days.

Pretty sure he already knows. The jerkface is on the network all the time. Net addict~

The distribution of the physical copies of that message were my doing, at first, though I saw writing in many hands by the time I reached the lowest levels of the tower. I've explained some things the Observer did not in my network post not too far behind this one.

I'll have to give that a once over then; it's been a while since I looked around.

Sounds like he's left plenty for us to fight back with, either way. [Had Dax been prepared for the inevitable aftermath helping the 'saved' would bring? She can't help but wonder.]

He has. We will be able to overcome what we have faced, so long as we keep our eyes and minds open.

it's like the polio and tb vaccine boycotts all over

rest assured the people who are being this loud and causing all of this commotion will learn to not do it again

mayb

Edited 2013-07-20 21:02 (UTC)

You say that like they're going to piece that lesson together within the first few minutes of things going wrong.

No, the chances of them learning from the teh info dey haz gatherd is very smll

dat is y I said mayb

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Backdated to the 14th

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