[video]

[undefines]

[There isn't a person seated in front of the terminal. Instead, there's a pair of shadow children, grinning in their typical eerie way. What makes it worse is the way the video on screen doesn't seem to want to display properly, meaning they appear twisted and strange. Nue's voice sounds from somewhere above the camera's range, though, so she must have been the one who turned it on... Her words might not be entirely clear to a listener, and especially with how she isn't facing the terminal directly, but Nue doesn't know how these things work, so.]

I've seen these things before. [Specifically, she saw them when she...woke up in the lower levels, she supposes would be the way to say it. She has been writing off the sense of familiarity as being thanks to that—maybe they're the same ones that tried to carry her off?] Am I the only one?

Comments

video

[terreifying]

I think you are.

[Behind Rei, several shadow children can be seen bouncing around.]

They're kinda cute, aren't they?

[voice]

[undefines]

I saw them while that...weird "time suspension" [she repeats the phrase uncertainly] thing was happening. They tried to carry me away.

[There's a pause here, while Nue looks at the things that have been tailing her.]

I guess so. They don't seem like they're bothering anyone, anyway.

[She doesn't really trust them, but they seem harmless so far... She just wants to know what they're following her around for.]

[terreifying]

Really? I didn't catch sight of them at all until today.

[She turns and waves her hand, having it pass right through one of the shadows.]

Where do you think they were carrying you to? And how come they could touch you?

[undefines]

I don't know. I don't think it was up on the normal floors. All I remember seeing is a red door.

[terreifying]

Yeah...there's no doors painted red here, are there?

[A pause.]

Maybe you went down a secret passage? Or into some extra floor?

[undefines]

Well, who knows? Someone chased them off before they could take me through it. [A pause.] It was weird, though. I couldn't move at all while they were carrying me.

[terreifying]

That does sound weird.

[She frowns.]

I've never heard of people being completely unable to move. Unless it's right after you come back to life.]

[undefines]

[She hums.]

Maybe it's an ability they have. [Not that Rei can see, but Nue looks back at the shadows behind her again.] There was a man, too. He said something about losing more of us to these things.

[She would probably at least recognize his voice if she actually paid attention to the network 90% of the time! But no, she only does when she wants something (like now) or is bored.]

[terreifying]

That sounds a little ominous. But maybe they won't be able to take us if we stay away from red doors?

text

[invisible_friendship]

so im not the only 1?

[Jonouchi didn't like this at all, and it felt like there were so many of them.]

[undefines]

[Ugh, typing... How does she even do this. (She hunts for each letter with one index finger, her brow furrowed in concentration, that's how she does this.)]

no youre not where did you see them

[invisible_friendship]

evrywher, they follow

[undefines]

did you see them before now though

[invisible_friendship]

not til this morning

[If he saw them last night some of the others, he wouldn't have been able to sleep.]

[text→voice]

[undefines]

i saw them in another pla

[UGH THIS TYPING THING IS REALLY IRRITATING so she switches to voice! It just...takes her a minute to remember/figure out how to do so.]

I've seen them before, but I don't know exactly where. I just know there was a red door that I haven't seen on any of the normal floors.

[voice]

[invisible_friendship]

[Oh, there's the voice option!]

Red door? What red door? [News to him.] What makes you think this?

[undefines]

I don't know. [She says so bluntly.] I mean, I haven't seen it anywhere else, and I don't know where I was when it happened. That probably means something, right? Either it isn't here, or we can't see it normally, or something.

[video]

[bowandblade]

[Because of the instability of the network, his voice seems to warp as he replies.]

They are familiar. I have seen-- them around. Somewhere.

[As he had no idea where he had been when he had woken up, that was as specific as he could get. A shadow child is visible over Archer's shoulder, smiling its toothy smile silently.]

[voice]

[undefines]

Yeah, me too. "Somewhere." [A pause, and then:] There was a red door, but I haven't seen anything like that around.

[forever video]

[bowandblade]

[A thoughtful hum. A red door. Considering he couldn't look away from the door at the time, it strikes a chord with him.]

But it must exist -- I have seen it as well. These shadows were around it.

[permavoice]

[undefines]

Did they try to carry you toward it, too?

[bowandblade]

[He tilts his head, a brow raised curiously.]

No. They seemed to approach the door, but would run away before entering it. Like they were playing a game only they understood.

[undefines]

Huh... I remember them picking me up and carrying me, before someone chased them off.

[She isn't sure what that means, but it seems...relevant? They both saw them near that door, and in both cases they seemed interested in it...]

[bowandblade]

[The first part of his reply is thoroughly garbled.]

--radiation. I have heard no talk about radiation in this place.

[undefines]

—Huh? What about "radiation"?

[She says the word like it's completely foreign to her, which it pretty much is.]