[[OOC: This is backdated to the 16th, after the Nyx Avatar battle. I meant to make this post earlier, but so it goes. Better late than never!]]

The video opens up on Jade Curtiss, picking up and slipping on his glasses, then looking at the camera while smiling his usual unconcerned smile and wearing his usual military uniform.

"Forgive me my abruptness, but I'd like to conduct a little survey," he says pleasantly. "My name is Jade Curtiss, and I had the fascinating experience of my first death yesterday--at, apparently, the hands of Death itself, no less. When I awoke this morning, I couldn't help but wonder, what sorts of deaths have you all experienced thus far? If you wouldn't mind indulging my curiosity, please leave a response in whatever format you prefer with as much detail as you feel comfortable with giving.

"Please be aware that I will likely ask follow-up questions. This is, of course, completely optional. For those of you who do participate, thank you in advance for your cooperation."

He nods his head politely, then reaches forward for something off-screen. The video cuts there. ...Morbid much?

[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.

[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. )

[Is that an undead woman on the video feed? Yes, yes it is. One that's still getting herself acquainted with the functions of the network terminals, judging by the fiddling and mumbling she's doing.

Is this thing on... oh!

Hello, everyone! My name is Annika Whittenberg, and I have a few things that I would like to announce, if it's no bother. To start, I've noticed that there's not much clothing in this place. I'd like to offer my services as a tailor to anyone that might need something made. This robe is one that I've made myself... [She holds up an arm to show it off, then stands, turns herself about, and sits back down.] ...but I can make many other things. I'd appreciate a little bit of payment for my time, but I'm sure that won't be hard to work out. I've always been reasonable about such things. I believe you can send me a message on this... network? Or look for me in the dorms, I suppose. I'm in room 1-05.

Ah, yes, and also... if you're out and about and trying to fight monsters, please don't attack me. I'm not one of them. I'm one of you. Honestly, we're all pretty much on the same side, let's not be too jumpy...

Oh, and... I ought to ask properly... if there's anyone else here from Azeroth? Please let me know. Thank you.

Are meaningless items the common reward for enduring the trials this place has to offer, or is there a deeper significance to these things?

My apologies if this question has been asked every time there are new people about. Please feel free to make your responses as pedantic as this question must be.

This is Minato Arisato. I’ve been absent for the past month due to being sent home. Would anyone mind filling me in on what happened while I was gone?

[He already have the basics from Yu. But what if his roommate was unaware of other things? Hence the question.]

For a lighter question, what are some of your favourite activities/hobbies?

[A seemingly innocent, useless question. But it’s a topic Minato purposely choose for this just to talk to people, either via text or audio or just face to face. As long people talks, he's happy.]

[Ryoji wasn't often seen using the network. In a place such as this, there was too much to do and too little time to spend on the terminals, unless it was to check for information. That had been Ryoji's main reason for paying attention to the network, and he hardly responded lately, after his last message went awry.

Today, though, he's gained enough confidence to turn back on the feed again. He's looking a little cheerier than usual, though that may not be completely genuine. He's not really happy... yet. But he's hoping with this message that maybe he can have some conversations that will help him cheer up, and more importantly, cheer up others in the process.

He offers a small wave and then begins to speak.]

Hi, everyone! I know this may seem to be out of nowhere, but I have a question. You see, as strange as this is going to sound, I didn't get a chance to stay very long in my original world, and because of that, there are a lot of things I've never experienced. I know here, there isn't much opportunity to try new things, but I don't mind that.

I think hearing about something is sometimes just as interesting as experiencing it yourself.

So, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask what you did for fun back home! I can understand if it's hard to get yourself in the mood, or if you don't really want to share something personal, but I think swapping stories could be a mood booster. We need some of those lately.

If enough people share, then maybe I'll even tell you a secret story of my own! It's pretty embarrassing though, so my lips are sealed for now.

[He chuckles softly, but there is evidence of a blush...]

( Read more... )

I need some assistance with acquiring a set of fighting fans - they'll only be used for defense and monster-fighting when the administration feels the need to take away our powers. I'd like a set of metal ones with either sharpened edges or hidden blades.

I've been told by Diarmuid Ua Duibhne that I should speak to a Thorin Oakenshield about this? I'm not sure where I'd get the metal, but I trust both of you on this one.

There's...something else.

[And she takes a deep breath.]

People with violet collars are quite possibly in for some trouble, because unless something happened after I -

[The long pause is probably telling. Yes, she died.]

- I failed to stop him from taking it, there's a tank of your collar fluid in Sephiroth's hands. It's probably fairly obvious what I mean by 'failed'. Considering he's not above either mind control or killing other people, I don't really think I have to say a lot more.

( filtered to the Investigation Team, Commander Shepard, and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne )

( private to Ryoji Mochizuki )

[Video]

[While seeming oddly distracted, there is a smile on Diarmuid's face when he addresses the Network.]

My thanks to all those who helped with making copies of the Tower Floor Guide in the library over the last few days. While I don't know how long the copies posted to the actual floors will last, hopefully we will more easily be able to keep copies in the libraries, cafeteria, and lounges so that when people need them, they can find them.  It probably goes without saying, but my thanks also goes out to those who have offered to watch and replenish the stacks should they get low.

As I mentioned in my last post, once the physical copies were made I wanted to put a copy of the guide onto the Network so that we have at least one permanent copy. That is what this post is for.

In the end, I decided to keep the presentation of the information simple so we could get in as much as possible. Anyone who looks over the guide and notices missing or incorrect information, please let me know by posting here.  Posts can be made anonymously since I know that the things these floors do to us are often very painful and personal in nature. I will update all information as soon as I can once it is posted.

Anyone who wishes to repost this information as new people arrive, please feel free to do so. I want it to be kept where as many people as possible can see it.  My thanks goes out to those who have volunteered to watch over this post to keep it from being tampered with.

Please feel free to contact me about the guide if there are any questions, comments, or concerns.  I can be reached through this post, my mailbox which is #0091, or by stopping by my room which is #4-16.





(OOC:  As mentioned in his other post, if anyone has questions about what can and cannot be done with the guide, please see this OOC Post.  Because of events that will happen in game after this post, while I will be tagging responses right away, please consider none of them having ICly come until late on the 21st/early on the 22nd.  Thanks!)

[She's been reading without commenting so far, but she sees disharmony and can't resist prying at that gap a little bit more.]

So a mass protest? It will probably fail, we will probably all die, anyone who joins in without knowing that is a bigger idiot than the one who started it.

But so what? We only have a year left, we have no plans, we don't even know how to prevent these people from turning us into mindless monsters, or drones, or whatever they wish to do to us next. Never mind working out a way to defeat them all and restore our own worlds and our own bodies and our souls and walk out of here alive.

It sounds like the ending to a rubbish children's tale.

So what if we don't know Ruana's true power? She has proven that she is loathe to destroy our souls. And what are our bodies but wireframe and illusion, death doesn't matter here and crying about dying doesn't help anyone.

It doesn't matter if we fight or don't fight. Nothing is going to change, they will still hold all the power, we will still be puppets with no free will. But we still have choices, and if the choices are fight or not fight, even when fighting means dying, then so be it.

If that means we are split then so be it, because in a year we will all be dead, and there is no use in harmony or friendship.

Nothing we do matters anymore so with that in mind.

Let chaos rule.

( OPEN YOUR EYES )

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

[He has to face it. He can do it. But other people need to know. He'd looked for her... and then checked the graveyard. Sure enough...]

For anyone who cares, Nanako Dojima is gone from the tower.

... That's all.

[On one hand, he could keep quiet. But after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to make a post to the network.

It’s best if people are aware of this.]

Avoid reading the message on the 31st floor, or else you will die. Try to avoid the floor for the time being. Or leave as soon as possible without reading it.

If you did read it, I’m sorry.

(OOC: IMPORTANT. Minato can die on the spot mid-thread. Let me know when it's okay for him to leave the thread.)

[Yukiko has seen the writing on the wall, and she feels like she has to say something about it. She thinks she's hit 'voice' on the terminal. But because the terminals themselves like to play tricks at the worst times, of course, it's coming up as video.

And she has no idea.

Her face is approximately the color of her sweater as she starts to speak.]

A-ah, hello. This is Yukiko Amagi. Um, I think everyone's...probably seen what's written on the dorm walls.

[She still doesn't realize that this is video, so her little sigh and toss of her hair and added blush? All perfectly visible.]

...that whole 'Amagi Challenge' thing? It's kind of embarrassing, but that's how people referred to trying to actually get me to go out with them back home. I was always really busy with working and school, and, well, I didn't always read the situation well. So I pretty much wound up always saying no to everyone that tried asking me out on a date.

[She giggles, then, playing with a bit of her hair and smiling.]

But, well...I guess there's no sense in hiding it anymore, is there? I was going to say something to my friends privately, but since everyone can see it for themselves, I really shouldn't deny the truth. I'm dating Ryoji Mochizuki. And I'm really, really happy.

I think I might even be -

[She claps a hand over her mouth, shaking her head furiously.]

No, no, I can't say that much, not in such a public space! It's one thing to say the truth, but I can't tell everyone everything that I feel! There are things in a girl's heart that she just can't say in such a public space.

I just - it's not moving too fast, okay? Maybe we do spend a lot of time together, but that's perfectly normal! It's fine to want to be around someone you're going out with! Sheesh, saying things like that is way too much.

So that's that, all right? That's the truth of the situation, nothing more.

Hey.

[Lancer takes a deep breath before speaking.]

So I'm gonna be throwing my brother a birthday party. Who wants to come? And do any of you know what people do for birthday parties in this day and age?

[A pause.]

Oh yeah, Archer, stay away from the party if you know what's good for 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?

[Ryoji switches the feed on with a small smile. He has cheered up significantly after talking to a few people and making a few friends (or at least, people he thinks are friends). He still is nervous about what he has to say, but he tries not to let that show.]

Hi everyone. It's a little late, so I don't know if anyone is still around, but I couldn't wait any longer. So many things have happened lately... which is probably why I haven't had a chance to talk to you all, but...

[He swallows, then takes on a more serious tone. He's determined to help people, though he doesn't know that he's actually doing more harm than good.]

I was in a group of people who went down the elevator again earlier this month. We were looking for a control room and an exit from the tower. It was dangerous, and... most of us didn't make it out alive.

[He feels guilty, not because he was killed, but because others on that team did. He finds a lot of them strange and he isn't sure whether he can trust everyone, but he still blames himself for not being a better leader.

He shakes his head and continues on.]

The point is, I have information. If anyone wants to know anything, just ask.

[He doesn't have any idea that he received this information through working with a group led by the one man who likely caused the most trouble in the tower this month. He may need a bit of enlightening about that.]

[After she turns on the video, V/V picks up her guitar. She looks a little nervous.]

I thought, since everyone is kind of hurting after what the administrators did, that I would try to cheer everyone up by singing. So, this is a song I wrote.

( Cut for video and translation. )

[While she's singing, she's clear and strong, but after she's done she goes back to fidgeting as she speaks.] I hope that some of you liked it. Um, that's all I had to say.