[text/action]

[bashfulshifter]

[It's too quiet.]

[Rick's been wandering the Tower since Thursday, trying to help whoever he can with their shadows, checking up on them every few hours when he can catch his breath. But after yesterday, he's lost track of nearly all of them...and earlier today, he watched yet another die. After making a full circuit of all the safer floors and the stairwell, he's only now beginning to realize that perhaps Sertoria's death was just a continuation on a pattern that he's somehow missed.]

[It's evening, now, and around him the Tower has become eerily silent. Rick's staggered his way to the top floor dorms; his collar is almost as clear as it was Wednesday. He knows that the network hasn't been working well, but he's so alone, so terrified that he's failed all the people that he's tried so hard to help, and this is the only other way he can think of to try and contact them. The message he sends is short...]

Is anyone still up and around? There's so few people left...if you're still alive, I'm on the first floor of the dorms. We should stick together. Don't let the shadows win this.

[...but the message that comes out is glitched, nearly unreadable in spots. Rick paces between terminals, reloading his post to see if the problem fixes itself--and then, appropriately enough, he gives one of the computers a solid, frustrated kick, and collapses on the opposite side of the hall.]

[It's doubtful that anyone will be lucky or persistent enough to decipher Rick's message. If they do, though, he'll be curled up by the wall where he left himself. A shadow rubs his back.]

[You tried, honey...but you can't save everyone, you know. I told you it wasn't worth the effort and you just didn't listen...]

Comments

[text/action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The tower was growing quiet and Veronica didn't like it. She was seeing less and less people about, and more and more shadows. It would seem that her own had finally left her at peace after that time with Xion and Shion. Now all she could do was watch, or rather not watch, as others disappeared. Her collar had turned an extremely pale yellow by now, so she considered herself lucky that her shadows had been warded off. For now at least.

She paused and stared at the sudden text that had appeared on a terminal. It was about as jumbled as possible. She could only make out a few words so she decided to send one of her own. It would also be affected by the glitches so she sent it a few times.]

Hello? Who is this? Your text is all messed up. Are you okay?

[text/action]

[bashfulshifter]

[When Rick gathers enough strength to see if anyone's responded to his post, he's at first almost giddy with excitement at the number of replies.]

[...Then he realizes that they're all just the same message, re-sent multiple times to get past the glitching network. It works, though; the message is short enough that, after the first half-dozen re-posts, he can piece together what's being said. He tries the same technique with his reply.]

Rick. I know. No.

[text/action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Rick? She has to pause and think about that name for a moment. She nearly gasps when she remembers him.]

That guy from the morgue? It's me, Veronica. Where are you?

[text/action]

[bashfulshifter]

[He lacks the motivation to keep scrolling through messages and post dozens of his own, so Rick only gives one reply this time. Hopefully the network doesn't garble it up too much.]

Yes...dorms, first floor.

[text>action]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[The word "dorms" got through, which was more than enough for her. She leaves a simple Stay there message before darting off and it's not long before she arrives at the dorms. The halls are basically empty for the most part so she's quickly searching through them.]

Hello? Rick?

[text]

[axeforasong]

[well this is a familiar feeling; day by day people have been dropping like flies.

But they'll come back, at least, she's sure.]

It is hard to read. Did you say Dormitories?

[text]

[bashfulshifter]

[What a mess...at least a few words are showing up. "...is...to...hard...Dormitories?" is what he gets out of this, and it's luckily concise enough that Rick can guess at what's being said. She wants to know where he is, right?]

Yes--first floor.

[Come on, network, don't screw this up...]

[text]

[axeforasong]

[...all she got was 'floor'. Oh well, worth checking out anyway.]

Coming.

[though it would take her some time to ride the elevator]

[action]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick doesn't see the message, but don't worry, he's not going anywhere.]

perma action

[axeforasong]

[s'up, axe-wielding midget brigade. Mayu looks... tired, a little, but her collar is only lightly faded.]

Hello?

Helloooo?

Did someone leave a message?

action;

[fonlines]

[ 'Alive,' 'first... dorms,' and 'shadows' is all he manages to make out of the message, which has him contemplating it for a moment, as he'd not seen anything particularly out of the norm on the floor... at least, not for this week, anyway.

Still, who knows. It might be worth checking, just in case. He has the energy to do so, after all; such is the benefit of having the glamours fare so poorly.

So it is that he comes across the curled up man and affects a concerned frown. ]

Hello? Are you all right? No, I apologize; of course you aren't. Here- [ and he kneels down nearby ] I can try to help, I suppose. They don't seem to like other people much, after all.

[ But since when has Ion carried around this staff, and since when has the look in his eyes been so distant?

There is one shadow following him, standing back in glowering antipathy, but his collar is uncannily bright still.

"You'd ignore me to ask this stranger how they are. What did I do wrong? Why did you leave me alone? Why would you pay attention to this man? Why do people keep taking you from me?" ]

[bashfulshifter]

[Oh...a pleasantly familiar voice. Rick cranes his neck and blearily smiles when he recognizes who it is...mistakenly, of course. In his right mind he would have noticed this Ion's detached, affected mannerisms and placed them as "uncanny", but right now he's just happy to see someone he (thinks) he knows can comfort him.]

[As such, Codi shadow leans back, silently and wearily watching him.]

...Ah...Th--Thanks, Ion... [He squints slightly.] Y-You um...h-holding up okay?

[fonlines]

Well enough, thank you. I've been with good company.

[ Indeed, for all her words, his pet is rather faithful.

The skull she carries around might be a little off-putting, though. ]

I would ask you the same, but I suppose the answer to that would be rather obvious. [ He leans back against the wall and chuckles a little ruefully, adjusting the position of the staff across his lap. ] Forgive my prying, but... is something the matter? More than it has been as of late, I mean.

[bashfulshifter]

[My, Ion, you are acting...a lot more formal than usual. Rick wonders if he should be worried. Maybe he's just tired, too. And where did he get that staff? It's probably not worth worrying about.]

[Rick rests his head and closes his eyes, relishing in the coolness of the floor against his cheek. Quietly he murmurs: ] ...S-So m-many d-died...

[fonlines]

... So I've noticed. [ Ion is slow to reply, and his voice is soft and quiet when he does. His eyes shutter and his head bows, slightly, as if in prayer for the dead.

After a moment, his eyes open, and he stares down at his hands. ]

I know they'll be okay, eventually, but... it's far too empty right now, isn't it?

I can't imagine... it must have been awful for those who died alone. [ Or- perhaps they weren't alone, not really.

And perhaps that's worse than if they'd truly been alone. ]

[action]

[fionnuisce]

Will you bugger off already--

[Waver swatted at Rick's shadow like it was an annoying fly or a cloud of smoke, seeming remarkably casual despite the four shadows with him and his own remarkably lighter green collar.]

Christ, they're annoying. Are you alright?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick's shadow hisses and hops to her feet, though she quickly stands her ground, quietly defiant. Codi was never one to be easily intimidated; she might back away, but rest assured a non-shadow version of her would not have taken this without words.]

[On the other hand, Rick seems very happy to see Waver, once he recognizes him. It's been a while, but the blonde has a remarkable memory when it comes to names and faces, even when he's exhausted and slightly delusional.]

Oh? Um...I...I h-hope so. [He gives a small, grim chuckle.] E-Enough h-have...d-died al--already... [Rick frowns, letting his head drop to the floor. Thud.] ...A-Are you...?

[fionnuisce]

[Waver was largely unfazed by the lingering shadow; his own had gone mostly quiet after persistent ignoring. Ultimately, they ranked very low on his list of things to be concerned about. The lecturer leaned over and held out a hand, sighing.]

Better than you, I'd estimate. Can you stand?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick hesitates only to nod, then sluggishly reach out to grab Waver's wrist. It's not the most convenient hand available, but the other one has a pretty nasty cut on the inside of the palm and doesn't seem to move very well. At least it's been washed (following Sertoria's persistent nagging).]

Th--Thank you. [Following Waver's lead, he gives the fellow's hand a tug to try and right himself--which hopefully doesn't take the other man with him. That being said, between neglecting food, hiking the stairs and stress, Rick's lost a noticeable amount of weight.]

[fionnuisce]

[Waver wasn't the most physically strong individual, but it wasn't necessarily easy to knock him over. He pulled Rick to his feet with a disapproving look--he knew what not taking care of oneself looked like from years of experience.]

Don't worry about it. You're not looking all that well--are you sure everything's alright?

action

[vermicompost]

[Kariya comes shuffling by. It's clear that he can barely walk, but he's smiling, although his expression shifts to one of concern when he sees Rick.]

Are you all right? You shouldn't be lying out here...

[There are shadow children gathered around his feet, but he doesn't appear to be paying them any attention. The largest of them clings to his leg.]

[bashfulshifter]

[The company is at first met with a tired smile--and then Rick remembers who he is, and his face falls into an expression of sadness and just a hint of panicked fear. Thankfully he's too drained to fumble around and apologize with as much awkward passion as he has to the others...]

I...I d-deserve it...

[...but he'll make a good effort!]

[vermicompost]

No, you don't. No one deserves that.

[Kariya kneels beside him, and sinks to the ground with something like relief.]

What's wrong? Can I help you?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick opens his mouth to argue, but he can't seem to bring himself to say anything. He's too...the word of the day...]

...tired...

[...Yeah, that's the one. Rick closes his eyes, apparently unaware that he's said anything at all, and nearly dozes off.]

[Then they flicker open again when he thinks of the real answer.]

...Th--They're a-all...d-d-dead...

[vermicompost]

[Kariya stares at the man, uncertain. The liquid in his collar is partly faded, but it's still a discernible sky blue.

He's alarmed by Rick's answer, his eyes widening.]

Dead? Who's dead?