Hi, everyone. This is Yukiko Amagi, and I think this is starting to be a ritual with me, addressing the network towards the beginning of the month...

[She laughs at herself for a moment, but quickly regains her composure. She has something serious to say, after all, and she can't say it if she's laughing at herself.]

Anyway, that's beside the point. I know that since Jason's death, the revival process hasn't been running nearly as smoothly. There's no need to hide it; I don't think there's a one of us left here that hasn't seen a friend come back hurt. I know this is going to sound harsh, but we all need to realize that it's probably not going to get a lot better in the short time we have left.

There's no need to suffer in silence, if you've come back and you're still injured. I have healing magic and I'm sure others here also have it. If you're hurt, don't keep on being hurt. Come find one of us, and we'll patch you up as best we can. All right?

[She pauses, blinking for a second.]

...it sounds so strange to say the words 'Jason's death'. It doesn't quite feel real to me yet. Is that just me, or does anyone else feel that way?

[She clicks off the feed with that question.]

[Veronica's face appears on the screen. She's sitting at one of the terminals, leaning to the side. Her entire right arm has been wrapped in bandages, the sleeve pulled up to show a few blood stains.]

...S-so, I woke up in a-a n-new room a w-while ago. I g-guess you a-all have too.

[At least it was surprisingly pleasant. Thanks Zo.]

I h-have to ask, d-does the t-tower feel... different? Like, n-now t-that J-Jason is dead.

[Locked to Rick Dawn]

...[It takes her a moment to collect her voice.] R-rick...? Are... a-are y-you there?

[She leaves the message open for a while, waiting to see if he'll reply.]

[Now this is unusual--the blonde man is on camera! Although it should be easy to figure out that whatever extenuating circumstances have driven him to this were not kind; unkempt, unshaven, blue eyes dead and glistening with tears, his appearance screams of a man in mourning who hasn't left his room for almost a week. And this is, indeed, the case.]

[A text apology would be the path of least resistance, but the last time he tried that people got angry at him, and he's sure that they're all angry enough with him as it is. He wants them to see how sorry he is, even if he's feeling too miserable to leave the first floor dorms. It's about all he can manage.]

[...If even that. Cameras have never agreed with Rick, and as he opens his mouth to try and speak, he realizes that they're certainly not going to be friendly with him now.]

--I-I--A-A-Ah--

[He closes his mouth and squeezes his eyes shut. Don't think about the fact that you're being filmed. Don't think about how everyone checking the terminals can watch your red face blubbering about your horrible mistakes. Which they are already judging you viciously for, by the way. Just ignore that for a minute. Right.]

...S-Some...s-s-s-something-- [Rick grinds on that first syllable a few more times through his teeth, falters, gives up.] --I-I m-m-mean--l-last--th--there--th--u-um--

[He can't do this. Rick swipes off his glasses and buries his face in his hand, taking several deep, long breaths. When he speaks again, his words are still muffled in his palm.]

...I-I've m-made...a m-m-mistake...

[The blonde man sits in front of the terminal for some time thereafter, as if he's going to try and continue, but when the words don't come he quickly reaches over and turns off the feed.]

[He doesn't stay to look at replies to his post--the idea of other people commenting on that embarrassing display almost makes him sick. Instead, he stumbles back to his quiet, dark room on the first floor and curls up in his bed.]

It's my birthday today. I'm two years old.

There's not many supplies, so I was wondering how other people celebrate things here? It's hard to make any day different from the others.

If you want, you can come by at dinner and have some cake with me. It'll have to be carrot cake, that's all we've got.

I don't mean to be a nuisance, but...is anyone good with electronics, or repairing them? I could use some help fixing something I got from home.

[Okay, so maybe adding the finishing touches on a suit of fusion-powered armor is a bit beyond the typical electronics hobbyist, but in Rick's mind anyone that can successfully fiddle with a circuit board is intelligent enough to build a jetpack. Right? Isn't that how these things work?]

[It's Lorelei. For those who haven't encountered him yet, he looks remarkably (one could say exactly!!) like an older, adult Asch or Luke. Right now he looks fairly sober.]

It might be easy, with how things have gone recently, to give into despair and believe none of us are ever getting out of this place. I have chosen to believe that we will, and that our recent efforts against one of our captors proves that where there is a will, there is a way.

We simply weren't prepared enough this time.

[He frowns faintly.]

But aside from that. There is very little I can offer anyone here as consolation. We made our effort, and we failed. ... But I can offer this. Should we ever escape this Tower, should we lose these collars and regain the power that belongs to us.. ... I can't save your worlds. I can't repair the loss of life that's happened there.

But I can repair mine.

[There's no sense of bragging here at all.]

If ... we can't find a way to restore all worlds lost, but find a way to escape, then Auldrant will be open to any and all survivors of the Tower. You don't have to take up the offer, I will not force you. There will be those who would prefer to have their native homes or nothing at all. But for those of you who feel otherwise ... I offer what I can. And I can offer my world. It won't be your first homes, but it will be a home, somewhere to return to that won't ask who you are or what you are or even what you did. Everyone deserves a home. Everyone.

We just have to survive long enough to get there. Don't give up.

Okay, somebody tell I'm not the only one who saw stuff down there.

And if that's true, now can we please talk about it? I don't care if it's on here or wherever but can we not wait a month this time? Someone at the meeting said we might be seeing the "reality of-" or... hallucinations- Ugh, this psychoridition stuff is what the people in the past used to see. I want to know what it is that I saw.

[Beat, and then Dani holds up her tarry hands to be clearly visible to the screen]

And does anybody know how to get this stuff off?

[Added a half hour later]

Okay, since nobody wants to talk about it on the network, there's gonna be a meeting on the lowest lounge floor on Wednesday to talk about what we saw.

[Her tone says outright that if people don't turn up she's going to be super-annoyed]

Is everyone okay? I went down to the carnival this morning and it wasn't looking very good. Did something happen? Is anyone hurt?

Filtered to midgarhorizon

Can I talk to you about something, in private? I'm sorry for being so abrupt, but it's important.

--Patrick Dawn

I've been thinking. It's getting to be almost winter, and I know a lot of times, especially during Jason and Ruana's months, there's no real heat.

[Either they lost power or someone turned it off or... something]

So I think that those of us who can sew should get together and try to make as many clothes as we can that people can use. Especially people who don't have a lot of warm clothing from home. We can't really do anything [read: mount resistance efforts against crazy administrators] if we're too cold to move.

Anybody who's interested could meet on floor 51. The fabric there isn't too good, but we don't have much else and I've read about how to survive in the cold; layers should still help. And we should pick a place where people can get the clothes as they need them.

[If nothing else, her room would probably work in the short term. There were two empty beds in there, though there was also the problem of people not being able to get them if there wasn't somebody in the room]

Could anybody help me with this? I'm getting better but I can't do too much by myself.

A-alright t-then. So the danger seems to have p-passed for t-the most part, but c-can you r-really tell in a place like t-this?

Ugh, this is what this place is always like, isn't it?

[Veronica vents a small groan. This place wasn't very fun anymore.]

A-anyway, while we're in d-down time, I-I'd like t-to m-make a request.

Does anyone know how to repair clothing? I-I got a p-package a long t-time ago of torn clothing that I'd l-like mended.

I know nobody feels like a party, but it's important to keep spirits up.

The Tower is a sack of shit like always, but the bombings are out of the norm even for this place. It's about time the people of the Tower got together to discuss these developments or just hang out, like we used to.

Cafeteria at Noon, Thursday. Bring your friends. If we could get music down there, that'd be great.


[OOC: Copies of this message can be found in the mailbox if your character doesn't network instead, except for Sephiroth and Ganondorf.]

[Please humor him, Tower. The man was clawed to death by a shadow and has missed some days. He's very worried!]

...Is the game over? Did anything happen in the past few days? Is everyone okay?

[The rest is filtered to Veronica Madaraki.]

I'm so sorry for pushing you away over the last week...it's not the first time I've been out of my right mind in this place, unfortunately, and I'm ashamed for having lost myself again. I just hope you weren't hurt at my expense...and if you were, I definitely don't deserve your forgiveness. I'm sorry.

[The feed blinks on to a close-up of blond hair. The mic just barely picks up the sound of someone muttering in a thick French accent.]

How do I get this stupid thing to-- Augh, I hate these-- [The shot of hair is replaced by one blue eye, which quickly blinks in surprise.] Aah!

[France moves back until he's in the frame properly, and, contrary to how he just sounded, he looks vibrant. Sparkling eyes, pink cheeks, bouncy hair; it seems he's finally getting over his stint on his dead world (as much as a nation can get over something like that, anyway). What's more, there's a small white bird fluttering around his head, chirping noisily.

France greets the viewers with a flourish.]

Bonjour, mes amis! How are you feeling? Well, I hope! The chill of fall is setting in, and big brother France wishes to keep you all warm, ohonhon~

[He hugs himself and sways side-to-side in his seat, filled to the brim with energy. His bird seems just as cheerful as France does, its high-pitched chirps overlapping with his (very stereotypically French) laughter. After a moment of that, they both seem to tire themselves out, and France lets out a long sigh and purses his lips. The bird lands on his shoulder.]

Though I am afraid that is not why I am fiddling with this ghastly computer, friends. You see, these clothes of mine have gotten terribly dingy. I know how to make my own, of course, but... [He looks off to the side and shudders, like he's remembering some frightening memory.] The floor with all the sewing supplies does not have a very, euhh, shall we say, hospitable air to it..

[He smiles again and claps his hands together, bright and eager. The bird flutters in surprise.]

So! If any of you are bored, or longing for companionship while the weather grows oh-so-cold, I would love to have some company while I work. You see, my poor Pierre refuses to go back to that floor with me. Isn't that right, Pierre?

[He nuzzles the bird and tickles under its beak with the tip of his finger, and it chirps in affirmation. France gives a solemn nod and turns back to the computer.]

I would even be willing to make some clothing for you to show my gratitude. The quality of the fabric in this place leaves much to be desired, but rest assured, once I am finished, you will look like you have just stepped off of a runway in Paris!

[He leans forward and flashes the camera a softer, flirtier smile.]

Well then, how about it~? Any takers?

( La peur et l'espoir sont deux notions inséparables. )

...Is there anyone around tht can woknows how to work glass or something? Say, to make a pair of lenses for glasses?

[The man basically has his nose to the screen right now and he still can't see what he's typed. Oh well, hope it's legible!]

 I know this month isn't going to be a very nice one....

So, I was wondering - perhaps some of us can get together and make cookies and cakes and stuff? I think we can only make pumpkin ones, sadly, but we can still make them as delicious as ever! Unless some of you guys have other fruits that we can use? That would be wonderful, too!

Zelos, Feferi, Diarmuid, Kyoko and Cu, maybe you wanna help! Both the Rikus, too! And what about you too, Ryoji? And if you've got friends, bring them along too!

I think if if we all do something fun together, it might be a nice distraction from what might happen this month and....[And she brushes her hair behind her ear, trying not to be too sad about what happened to Diarmuid recently] well, what's been going on lately...

[Tetra's sitting at a terminal, playing a few notes on her recently acquired Spirit Flute before looking at the screen.]

So, um... It's a Ruana month. And she can be pretty awful sometimes.

[A lot of the time but Tetra's not saying that where Ruana, Jason or Riki could hear.]

There's really no way to get ready for anything that happens here so just everyone should be careful, okay?

[Losing Mami, who he viewed as an adopted daughter, last month had been hard, but Diarmuid had worked his way through his grief by focusing on the happy times they had spent together.  However, when three more people he is close to are sent home--two of which he cares for like his own children--those happy memories become a source of pain instead of a route passed the grief.

When he appears on the Network, Diarmuid looks more lost and empty than he has in a long time.]

Usually, when I address everyone, I am asking for help on a project that will benefit the whole Tower.  Today, I am asking for help on a more personal level.

How does one handle losing a child?  Not just one, but several over a short period of time?  Nothing I try seems to work, and I am...

[His voice trails off here, shaking and uncertain.  A short time later, the feed ends.]

( In our arms for a little while, in our hearts forever. )

Hi, everyone! I wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me out last time I was on here. Anyway, uh...

[She pauses awkwardly and stares pointedly at the screen.]

Sheba, if you're watching this, go do something else right now, OK? I'll explain later. Just don't watch the rest of this video!

[She waits about twenty seconds or so before smiling brightly.]

So, I still don't know exactly how the dates here translate to the dates on Weyard, but the weather is about right. Three days from now, when the dates on the terminal say "12," I want to have a party to celebrate Sheba's sixteenth birthday. We didn't really get to have one for her fifteenth because we were in the middle of some stuff back on our world when it happened, so I want to make up for that.

You're welcome to come as long as you know her even a little! And you don't have to bring anything either, I know it's kinda short notice. I've been reading a book about something called photography in the library and I think I'm going to try and find a camera so I can give her a collection of pictures of everyone who shows up, so just being there would be a really good gift.

For now I'm thinking it'll be at the meadow with the flowers and the nice weather, but if anyone has any better ideas, I'm all ears. If you could let me know if you plan to come, that would be awesome! I'm going to be cooking and I want to try and make enough food for everyone. But, uh... [And now she looks a little sheepish.] Same as last time. I've gotten better at making cakes and stuff, but I'd really appreciate the help if it looks like I might be getting in over my head.

Be sure to keep this a secret! [She brings a finger to her lips in a universal "Shhh!" gesture.] It can be really hard to surprise her because she's good at finding things out, but I don't think she's ever had a surprise party before, so I really want to make this work. ...and it'll be good to have something nice and normal before that Ruana lady starts messing with us, right?

Thanks a lot!

Ugh, hi, I guess they found me again. If anyone's wondering, being alone in a destroyed world might just be worse than the tower, but it's a tough call.

So, what did I miss?

[Feel free to action it up and find Waver in person too! Aside from at the computers he's likely to be found in the cafeteria, media room and library.]