So, "rescuees".
We've known what we really look like for the last few months. So I ask, have any of you even wondered what our so-called "administrators" look like without the glamour?

Well, now that the monthly distractions are over, I have one thing to show you. Say hello to your favorite scientist.

[Ira smirks, holding up a picture to the camera of a certain drawing that his friend drew from his sister's memories.]


Some of you may remember another person sharing this sketch, and it's true - even the admins aren't what they seem.

Now Jason, I ask you directly: How do you call yourself human?

[Can't even say that it's the way he claims to be human, either.]

[[ooc: The visible sketch is a WIP because Jason literally crashed photoshop four times when I tried to load it. Will update it later when it lets me finish.]]

With all that has happened in the last few weeks and how angry Jason is, it shouldn't be surprising he's already making changes to how things work around here. There is really no way to know what he will do next. All we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best as foolish as hoping for anything here might seem. We may be limited in what we can do to prepare, but there is one thing I have noticed we can be working on. We all know how easy it is for any of the Administrators to turn off our powers. It can happen in the blink of an eye and without any kind of warning. And power loss is not limited to just when the Administrators wish it anymore. In addition to that and the floors that cancel out powers, ever since the initial systems' failure, it has become clear that even though systems are back up, they are far from stable. While there are some in the Tower who are as skilled fighting without their powers are they are with, there are a great many who rely too heavily on something they can lose so suddenly and completely.

There have been many people who have tried to set up training classes here in the past. I knew too briefly two of them, Hei and Tear Grants. Both of them are gone from the Tower now, but I would not like to see their hard work die just because they have been sent away. This is especially important right now since things will likely get worse around here before we can make them better.

I would like to ask anyone who is willing to help teach people non-magical ways of fighting and first aid to please contact me. As a great many people also rely on magical weapons they might lose without their special abilities, I would also request the aid of all who would be willing to help make non-magical weapons for those who need them. The weapons do not need to be pretty, only functional.

Finally, I would ask anyone interesting in learning how to fight without special abilities or would like to get a non-magical weapon to act as a back up for their magical weapons, to please contact me. I don't know how quickly I will be able to get the weapons together--that will depend on how much help I get. However, as I am one who is able to fight with or without my special abilities, I can start setting up training classes right away for any who are interested.

Thank you all for your assistance in this matter. I have always believed that the stronger we make each of us, the stronger we will be overall, and the more likely we will be to find the Truth we all are so desperately looking for.


Private Video Locked To: Shion (savedbyasong ), Xion (attheclocktower ), Akemi Homura (rewindingly ), and Kirika Yuumura (carrythesin ).

( Fulfilling a Last Request )

Private Video Locked To: Waver Velvet (fionnuisce )

( Wedding Worries... )

*Enoch is holding a sheet of paper - thin plastic, really - in front of him.*

This is what started this, I'm sure you've all seen them now and know what I mean.

*He lets out a breath and lowers the paper.* And if the red-collared brute somewhere behind me doesn't see fit to attack me for this just yet, I'd like to say something. An apology. To our current administrator, for the trouble this could cause on his undeserving watch, but most importantly, to all of you. To everyone who was here at the beginning of last month.

*There's a pause while he takes a breath, steeling himself and preparing for possible attack. When he speaks, he doesn't look up at the screen, playing with the sheet of plastic in his hands.*

...I've had over seventy names in my lifetime, and I've somehow found myself with yet another alias in this tower, and I'm certain all of you have seen it. I am one who would call himself Pandora.

It was never my intent to bring harm to anyone, but if not for that incident, we would not have been able to find this, it was hidden in the glamours. I am so, so sorry for everything...true enough to my newest name, the demons must be released before we can find hope...

*He looks up at the camera again.* So let us find it together. Let us all stand strong. There is no need to be an enemy...no need to be an opponent to anyone. Ruana is a danger to us all, here and at home. Above and below.

*He glances back for sign of his retrieval unit...and warily turns back to the camera, allowing his feet to rest after the efforts to put up all those pieces of paper.*

[There's an audible chime, like a cheery voicemail tone, from every terminal simultaneously, before text appears on the screen.]

Good afternoon, Tower of Animus. My name is The Observer. I've got a special message for you today, direct from one of our beloved administrators. Please read, listen to, and memorize this message, and reproduce it wherever you can!

( Cut for long but very important message. )

Wasn't that a special little message? Now, copy it down in your notes so you don't forget it! No matter whom you're allied with, be it Pandora, Ganondorf, your friends from home, or just yourself! There will be a test on this.

And the first section of the test is this - I want you to place at least one copy of this message somewhere in the tower. No points for hiding it! It has to be visible to everyone! In a few days I'll tell you all how you did, and I'll repeat this message for you lazy people who didn't see or hear this today.

That's all for now!

- The Observer

[All characters with mailboxes will find a copy of the message in their mail as of this evening.]

( OPEN YOUR EYES )

[OOC: Signups for the MASS COLLAR BOYCOTT are here and run until the day prior til your next characters collar check.]

[There's a moment where you can see Luke, looking angry and about to cry, before his fist suddenly descents on the terminal screen, punching it as hard as he can. The view rattles angrily, and again when he plants his hands down on either side of the keyboard hard. His voice is high pitched as he struggles not to cry, but it's a futile effort, and it's not long after he starts speaking before he can't see the terminal because of the tears.]

Jason, you damn bastard!!! How could you make me do those things?! How could you make anyone do those things!? I killed my friends; I killed people I care about because of you! And then you made us tell you about everyone!? Betray everyone?! You... you...!

[He just can't anymore; he sinks down against the terminal, just barely in view as he curls his arms around him, sobbing so hard it feels like his chest is going to burst. It's a moment before he can say anything more, and when he does, it's barely more than a whimper.]

...I hate you... I hate all of you...

[ Greetings people of the tower, have the King of Evil who cursed the tower this month appear on the terminals, for the first time in over six months. He looks fairly neutral, with a very light smile. ]

So long as it been since I last posted here, and yet I see nothing changed. The same cycle has been repeating over and over again, both here and where we come from. Higher powers play with those they see as inferior... Cruel and pointless games meant to satisfy their own amusement. From the tortured crowds sometimes a voice arise, then many--

But at the first bone tossed their way, the mindless masses go back in rank behind the higher powers they chose to venerate as deities. At the first occasion to forget, they chose blissful ignorance. Yes... In the end, complacency reigns. People always return to their meaningless preoccupations and lose of sight what should matter most.

[ He pauses and shakes his head in disapproval before continuing. ]

Have voice even been heard in this tower? Many entertained -and without a doubt still do- the idea that following certain golden haired women would bring them what they longed for. Yet, nothing happened. All they did was replace a deplorable situation with another, build a false hope they could comfort themselves with. All they did was turn a blind eye on reality.

Not a voice arise to stand against the status quo. [A very short and deep chuckle.] How pathetic. Tell me, Tower of Animus, do you not believe time has come for you to awaken and bring about an end to this?

[The feed clicks on. Hunched over the terminal is a haggard, shivering man in a Nazi uniform with snow still dusting his body, who's glaring at the camera as if he's trying to burn a hole through whoever is watching. He's silent for a moment, just breathing heavily, until he finally speaks in a voice that's as gravelly and uneven as a cobblestone road.]

...That's it. [His German accent is thicker than ever, as if he's not even trying to speak properly anymore. He sounds strangely serene underneath it all, eerily so.] I've had it. I can't take it anymore. I don't want to live here-

[He cuts himself off sharply after his voice rises in volume, and he draws in a ragged breath, shutting his eyes. A violent shudder runs through his body, and a strap of leather slides down his shoulder as a result. He shrugs it back up, and the glinting metal of a large gun can be seen behind his back.]

...I don't. You are all- [A look crosses his face like he's just thought of a funny joke. He gives a chuckle, and the sound is light and airy, but it's weak, too.] You're all laughing, aren't you? You're laughing- [He slams his fists down on the terminal, all traces of good humor gone from his face and his tone.] -und you're happy that I am suffering like this! Well, I'll give you all another reason to hate me, ja?

[He straightens up, and for a moment, a pained expression crosses his face. He puts a hand to his head, mutters:] Shut up, shut up!

[And then he tugs his gun off its strap and over his shoulder. To those who are familiar with WWII-era weaponry, it's an MP 40 sub-machine gun, and Richtofen's holding it with a vice grip. He gives the camera a lopsided grin, then shouts at the terminal, at the viewer.]

Why don't you all try to give me one reason why I shouldn't knock on every door in this hallway und blow the brains out of whoever answers? Hmm? Come on, I know you have it in you! Convince me, heroes. [He spits out that last word like it's poison.

Speaking up again, his voice is bitter. There's an almost mournful edge to it.] Give me a reason to try und be a good person.

[And then he leans against the terminal again, eyes darting to and fro over the screen, gripping the gun tightly in his trembling hands.]


((ooc: Richtofen is at one of the terminals on the 2nd dormitory level. action replies are welcomed! just beware that an action reply also puts you at risk of being attacked by Richtofen. he has no supernatural abilities, but he has a knife and an itchy trigger finger.

warning - replies may include violence, dark subject matter, and possibly suicide if Richtofen isn't calmed down. as always, he has a permissions post that you can use to let me know what you are and aren't okay with, or you can just let me know in your tag.))

[See: One Riku seated at a terminal, his head propped up by one hand while the fingers of his other hand tap against the edge of the keyboard.]

Just want to give everyone a quick heads-up. If you see somebody who looks like me, just a bit younger and with a black coat, he's my Replica.

Problem is, he thinks he is me, thanks to his memories. Can't say I know all the details, but what I do know is that he thinks I'm the copy and that I somehow managed to ruin his life.

[He sighs, leaning back in his seat.]

So, I guess what I want to know is, what should I even do about that? His memories must feel real if he believes in them so strongly. I can't just push him until he accepts the truth. That'd be too coldhearted for my liking.

But at the same time, I can't just keep him in the dark. If I do, he'll probably keep trying to take me out. He's... pretty stubborn, after all.

Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.

[ He's really sorry to make another post so soon, but this is truly intriguing and he does not want it to end. ]

[It's taken Dark Pit a while to find the network, and even longer to give enough of a damn to put something up.]

[It's not exactly a priority in anachronistic Greco-Romanland okay.]

most people are born with names right

what about people who aren't

how do they get names

or at least ones that don't suck

and if you weren't born with a name or a purpose and you found your own but you can't do it here

what the hell are you supposed to do

[He'll find something... but it's been gnawing at him lately.]

[This kid's been here for a little less than a week, and he's just now decided to try out the network terminals. Specifically, one of the ones on his dorm's floor. The face that appears in the video feed isn't a very happy one.]

So I've been here for about a week, and I forget how many people I've never met that seem to know my name.

...What I'm saying is that basically, there's at least one guy around here who shares my face and has been pretending to be me. Maybe two. But if you're looking for Riku, that's me.

[There's a pause while he tries to decide whether to end it or not, then he does. He'll stick around the terminal for a while, then he'll go prowl the lower levels of the tower.]