[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. )

I know that many have offered fighting lessons before now. But in light of recent information I would like to offer my services as a teacher. Anyone who wishes to learn is welcome but I would like to encourage all those who rely on magic or other powers for their fighting and self defense to come and learn.

For any who wish to learn I will be on floor thirty two, that is the higher forest tomorrow morning. You may also find me in room 2-06, my name is Suzaku Kururugi.

Thank you.

OOC: He is also sending messages to a few people he knows, I'll probably put up a log for the training if people are interested.

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.

The network comes on painfully--the terminals crackle with energy like there was some sort of wild power surge going through the Tower. Every terminal turns on at once. The display is broken at first, but slowly it stabilizes, the display just behind Zo's shoulder. White-hot energy pulses from him--it looks like he’s forced the display on somehow. Monitors flicker in and out of view in the room; it seems to be some sort of control center composed of floating screens and input devices. The room is large, making it hard to see the ends from the display, but aside from Zo there are two others in the room.

Riki looks a bit worse for wear and, as opposed to his usual stoic demeanor, has an expression approaching furious. Most of Zo's energy seems concentrated around him like a barrier, and the monitors whirl around behind RIki now, following some sort of unspoken command. The world shifts abruptly, providing a different angle on the confusing situation.

The laughter that echoes around the chamber is deep, dark and somehow primordial. There’s another figure looking exactly like Riki, but the features are twisted, the indifferent disposition morphed into a terrible smirk. From his hand a wave of dark energy smashes into the room, sending whatever was still standing flying over.

"Come now! Is this the best defense system this place has to offer to one of its grand administrators? Cowering behind a child? Well, I do suppose considering everything about this world, it should not be the least bit surprising."

He took another step.

"So tell me, how did your little ants enjoy their trip into the central throne?"

The various scattered objects freeze in place as Riki draws in his screens; the screens seem to be made of the air itself, or something similar, and he alters and pulls at them as easily as if they were tied to him by a thousand strings. "Not your business," he growls. Another swipe of his screens and the objects morph, shifting into swords that fly at the false Riki. "Stop wearing my face."

Zo shrinks back against the wall. His barriers don’t fall, but he obviously doesn't enjoy the violence taking place.

"Not my business? I am darkness that makes up the Collective Unconsciousness! My primary sources of power, the three poisons that make up life, Anger, Ignorance and Vengeance are ripe in this world!"

Nyarlathotep raises his other hand and catches the swords, looking almost bored.

"Humans are strange...I came here because of the despair that fills every orifice of this tower...the desire for all of you to put an end to this, and now you would try to whisk me away?"

The swords melt into a puddle of metal on the floor, and suddenly he is besides Zo, trying to violently push him away.

Zo shrieks, clearly terrified, but his barriers cover him as they cover Riki, and they crackle with raw energy in their owner’s defense. Riki alters something on his screens and the metal rises up, forming itself into some sort of great mercurial beast that lunges at Nyarlathotep. "Leave the kid out've it, you attacked me first."

"Hahaha! What’s this? Feeling sentimental about another?" Nyarlathotep had barely even flinched from touching the other. "But is not your personal interest simply tied to the tower itself? I suppose even a monkey will brand its tools when backed in a corner..."

At his turn, the giant creature is lit aflame, crying out as the fire causes the skin to bubble, crack and expand. Soon it has enlarged into strands of burned mercury before a slap from the other Riki makes it fall into dust.

"Ha ha ha! Do you not know where the term, 'mad as a hatter' comes from? I've given humanity much fun with that element!"

At his turn, he summons forth a demon, as it moves forward, casting a spell in an attempt to poison both of the tower residents.

Zo flinches at the monster, but steps forward nonetheless--or rather leaps in a burst of childish energy. "Stop--stop it! Stop it!"

The screen turns white and crackles--it’s barely possible to make out the figures, let alone what’s going on, but whatever Zo's done tears the demon into six or seven pieces. Then the light gets brighter--there’s a different sort of crackle. It sounds like the monitor itself is breaking, because it is. The screen warps and fills with static before the video cuts out completely.

They can hear the battle still going on, however, Nyarlathotep speaking for one final time.

"Hmph! Regardless of how much you struggle, the end will be the same! Just like the worlds of the disembodied souls you siphon into recycled bodies over and over, this one will also meet its end! Now the question is, how much are you willing to risk?"

Another explosion cracks apart what sound remains. The feed cuts out.

Suzaku.

[Well, that's definitely an irate as heck emperor still recovering from his stint as a mercury-dripping Mad Hatter.]

We need to talk.

Now.

[This would've probably worked better as a locked entry? But he was too annoyed to even lock it so,yeah.

Have fun, guys.]

Since you all seem to be so eager to talk to me, and I have some free time, I'll open the floor for questions.

For those who want to know of my whereabouts:
I would appreciate it if you did not find me.
So far this month has proved extremely unpleasant, all thanks to that labyrinth game.
I also f33l that I have become very unstable, especially after having a horrible nightmare replaying in my mind.
I do not think I am safe enough to be around.
Therefore, I am isolating myself until I f33l I am strong enough.
I also pray that your nightmares were not as awful as mine was.

On a lighter note, does anybody know what Popplers and Slurm are?
I have no clue what those are but that was my last meal before I died, and it tasted really good.
Somebody help me figure this out!

[Filtered to [au3] Disciple, but has accidentally filtered to Signless as well.]

Hello!
I was very surprised to know that there was another like me, but it seems like you came just in time.
You s33...I had a vision where I failed to protect everyone I cared for.
This also included the Signless...
I failed so hard not saving any of them, that he was extremely disgusted with me.
So since you are me, I feel I can trust you to protect the others, while I disappear and train to get stronger.
I trust his protection in your hands, so please do this for me!
Thank you.


[For anybody curious, Disciple's Nightmare]

OOC: So we don't wind up spamming the Network Comm and because some people just want to write: comment here to post your nightmares/punishment as you have written them. Please specify if it's a nightmare or a punishment in the subject line.

If it's a punishment, please also put in the subject line if it's viewable and on what day(s).

Remember to add your character's tag to the post.

Thanks guys!

--Random

[Ratchet, being technically inclined as he was, had little issue trying to figure out the tower's network - so when the video does come online, there's the view of a adult-but-not-quite Lombax sitting in a chair, ears bent slightly backward and looking apprehensive.]

This letter's a joke, right? Please tell me whoever's running this place just wants a good scare.

[If it was, then... Clank. Alister. Talwyn. They were all gone. Dead. Ironic, considering what happened to him shortly after his own arrival. Maybe it was just some kind of Purgatory and it was an attempt at driving him crazy.

Whatever the case was, the Lombax was clearly shaken by these events one after the other.]

I wanna know everything, even if I've gotta come down and shake it out of every one of you.

[Hello, Animus. Today you have a man in stiff posture standing in front of the terminal.]

Hello. My name is Major John Perry, former Administrator of Roanoke Colony. Sorry, I don't have a uniform with me, so no fancy costume for you to laugh at.

[He grins a bit, and seems to relax a little.]

I haven't been here as long as many of you seem to have been, but in the interest of both knowing who's here and learning more about each other's worlds, I've made up a little survey for those who are interested in sharing some information. Don't worry, it's not too long or too painful, I promise. I hate forms just as much as you probably do.

And if anyone wants any of my answers to these questions, just ask.

( Form. )

[Aradia's in front of one of the library terminals, clutching her brand new teddy bear which is her reward for losing a game she was never signed up to play in the first place. This somehow translates as a win for her, which is why she's carrying it around with her rather than tearing it apart or burying it at the bottom of a trunk never to be seen again.]

So, these little guys are kind of cute when they're not trying to kill us. I feel like I should give him a name but I can't decide...I'm sure it'll come to me.

Is everyone okay, though? I didn't last long into the evening so I'm not really sure what happened for a lot of it but it sounds like things got pretty messy. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.

[A worried and exhausted looking Suzaku appears on the screen] Has anyone seen Anya? She's small, has pink hair, doesn't talk much. She often carries a phone around with her, and takes pictures a lot.

I haven't seen her since we were attacked... [And he is worried, worried that she had disappeared for good like so many others.]

[Minato frowns. In his mind, he's quickly going over all the information he heard so far and comparing them to past information from the Underworld.

Is this yet another game between the gods? Or a trick of the Apportioners? He can't rule out the possibility of other reasons for his world's destruction (assuming it's true, of course) even when Hades is finally killed.

First, he need to confirm who is here. As well as asking some important questions. The slight frown went away in favour of a more neutral expression as he turns on the video. It took him a moment to learn the basics, but it's not that hard for him.]

My name is Minato Arisato and I just arrived here. If my friends are here, please tell me you're okay.

[SEES, report in.]

And for those who have been here longer than I am, please take a moment to answer my question.

What happens if you die here?

[A rather morbid question, but it's still important.]