*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.]

filtered from Ganondorf Dragmire 'cuz he don't need your sass

This is strange and I am not used to doing it, so you will have to settle for what you get.

I was one of the monsters last month. One of the ones in a red mask.

I attacked people.

I'm sorry.

[He's glad he decided to do this through text, because it gave him a lot of time to struggle with word choice. In the time it took him to write those 5 sentences, he laughed, grimaced, put his head in his hands, gagged, revised, and stared at the monitor blankly more times than he could count. All in all, he spent about 20 minutes typing up a message that can be read in 10 seconds.

And he still has one more thing to add, just in case the two people he's on relatively close terms with come across this post. He can't have them worried he's going soft, after all.]

filtered to Nesir Aeser and Lambdadelta

If you know what's good for you, you'll say nothing about this. Just trust me.

[Yukiko looks worried as she gets on the network. Very worried. She'd disappeared after the battles at the barricades, not been able to get back, not seen or heard from anyone...]

I owe everyone at the barricades the night of June 19th an apology. I couldn't do enough to help you, and I couldn't get back in time to prevent more damage and keep more of you from being hurt because of the way my magic was blocked.

[She gives the camera a deep bow.]

I'm sorry.

I'd also like to say something to everyone I was fighting with - from the brave, brave girl who kept pushing past her limits and kept going, to my team leader at home for showing why he's our leader, to every healer in the fight, to everyone who stepped in and replaced those who couldn't keep going any longer, to every single person there...thank you. You're very brave and very strong. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise. You're incredible.

And someone else has already said this, but to those who were turned...I don't hate you. You had no way of knowing. I didn't want to witch-hunt you, or go after you, because of something you couldn't control. Please take care of yourselves. You're not what Ruana says you are.

[She bows again, then cuts off the feed.]

[Also, the Persona-users at the barricade, SEES, the Investigation Team, Strega, Hidetoshi Odagiri, Ryoji Mochizuki, Saki Konishi, and Labrys will all get a note in their inboxes, with sharing instructions.]

I know what happened. Are you happy with yourselves? Doing things when you don't even know what you're doing, or why. Look what you did... there were people suffering, children crying. Do you know how much pain you caused? It isn't right. It isn't fair.

What gives you the right? You take other people's lives in your hands! Take their choices from them. Deciding whether we should live or die for us. Do you think that we want to die? I don't. While there's life, there still hope. We should keep on living, no matter what. We should always keep--

[After this brief speech, Kariya slumps, breathing heavily. His good eye widens, and the swollen veins in his face seem to pulse for a moment. The effort of speaking has obviously taken a lot out of him. The physical and mental shock of the worms returning has taken its toll on him. He looks as if he's having trouble standing upright at the terminal. A spasm of pain crosses his face. When he speaks again, his voice is weaker.]

I need a healer--is there someone who can help?

[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.

[...Woooow there's a lot of posts on the network today. A lot of people sound really worried about a lot of crazy-sounding things...but what she's got to say doesn't sound that crazy, all things considered.

Worried as she is, Rise is still an idol at heart, and she smiles for the camera like a movie star.]

Hi hi! Rise Kujikawa here, bringing you all an important message!

I know things are kinda crazy today, and lots of people are saying really weird stuff, buuuut this is a little different, because this one's not that unbelievable.

So everyone, be really careful if you're eating the cafeteria food! There might be poisonous plants in it...and honestly, in a place like this, I'd say you're better off safe than sorry.


[Filtered to the Investigation Team + Nanako, Hidetoshi, Luke, Tohko, and (after a moment's debate) Asch, Ken, and Frederick + EDITED (at Luke's request) TO INCLUDE TEAR]

Even if it's not true, I don't think we should risk it, guys... So...who wants to go hunting and who wants to help me see what we can find to make in the kitchen? We should meet up for meals somewhere at least twice a day, and maybe we could invite more people, too.

[EDIT: brief additional video, filtered to the same crew as above]

Senpai says to meet up in the cafeteria, and we'll decide where to go from there!

Hello to those I have not met yet. My name is Tear Grants. I am the companion of the two Luke fon Fabres, Asch the Bloody and Guy Cecil that have resided in the tower for a while now. After some discussion, I have decided to offer healing and fighting lessons twice a week in the meadow on the twenty-fifth floor. The first time will be on the 17th at 8pm. The second will be the 20th at 8pm. All are welcome to join me to learn. I'm sure that there will be other magic users and fighters, if you are not interested in learning in how to heal.

Thank you for your time, fellow residents.

Hello, everyone. This is Yukiko Amagi.

...I was one of the people that was modified last week. I wanted to apologize to anyone I hurt when I wasn't entirely in control of myself. I know that what happened wasn't my fault, but it still hurt other people. I never wanted to do that, and I'm sorry.

[She pauses for a moment, fiddling with her hair, then takes a deep breath and looks into the camera, to continue.]

Something else that I wanted to say is that I understand what it's like to look at what you did when you weren't entirely yourself and be shocked. It really hurts, and it makes you look at yourself differently. But I want everyone to remember this: we all have our shadows. Those shadows may not be pleasant, and they might hurt sometimes. But they shouldn't hold you back, either. The best thing to do is to find a way to accept your shadows and then move forward.

It isn't the easy path to take, but it's the one where you'll find the strength to go forward. I know, because I've been there, and I'm stronger for it.

[And her expression softens, and she manages a little smile.]

The last thing I wanted to say here is that I'm not angry at anyone who was ordering me around or anyone that hurt me. I know that wasn't really you talking, and I know people do things when they're afraid that they wouldn't normally do. I forgive you. I understand if you don't want to be friends, but if you ever want to talk or anything, you can come find me.

Inaba folks, check-in? Are you okay, after all that?

[ 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?

It has concerned me greatly of late as to what "Losing your Soul to the Tower of Animus" may mean. And I am afraid we may be witnessing the first symptoms of such a loss...

[ It's to say the ridiculous amounts of sheer foolishness that can be witnessed all around the tower, especially as of late. It is the first time since May that Gandalf posts something on the network- Nothing surprising considering his dislike of such communication means. But here and now, sending this message is absolutely necessary. ]

( Throw yourselves out of the tower next time and rid us of your stupidity )

[Luke's holding up that evening's dinner, making a face as he pulled a piece of candy out from his hamburger.]

...definitely a Ruana month. I hated candy after October, I really hate it now.

[He flicked the candy down the hallway.]

I'm going to miss being taller...

[She hesitates for a moment, looking like she wanted to say more... before she turned a brilliant shade of red and reached forward, fumbling with the computer.]

[Private: Yu and Rise]
[And she settles back once it's private to her brother and his girlfriend.]

U-um... onii-chan, Rise-chan... I need to ask you something...

[Almost as soon as Ryoji awakes and finds himself back to normal, he searches for the nearest terminal and switches it on. It's late, it's unlikely that anyone will hear this but... he needs to get it out somehow.

His face is pale, and for a moment, he almost looks like he's still wearing that terrifying mask. His bloodshot eyes, though, are there, are real eyes, not empty holes of darkness.

It takes him quite a few minutes before he gets up the courage to speak, and he doesn't have that booming voice anymore, either. This voice is just shaky... and sad.]

... Nyx is not a malevolent being. She only exists to give mankind what they all desire, deep in their hearts. She believes any man keeps this want a secret, hidden from the rest of the world and even himself.

B-But it's still there. The want for death.

It seems that this Tower is indestructible, and therefore Nyx could not bring down the Fall... I think she thought that there must be a way to end it, that she just wasn't seeing it. She thought that... maybe if people didn't want to die yet, then she'd make them want it...

[Ryoji lowers his head for a moment, eyes scrunched together as he lets out a pained sigh.]

That's not an excuse. I shouldn't be defending her-we...

I shouldn't be defending myself. I'm truly sorry. If anyone was harmed, please let me know. I'll do my best to make it up to you.

( Private to Persona users he has met-Labrys, Yu, Ken, Minato, Naoya. )

[Action]

[Those who live in room 4-12 (if there are any) or people simply passing by will be surprised to find a new arrival here, dressed in that bodysuit, and purple collar latched snugly around his neck. Not that Ryoji seems to notice, he's still peacefully dreaming away...

For now.

As soon as he wakes up, all hell will break loose, once Ryoji realizes he's alive, his world has been ended, and he's stuck here, unable to escape and keep the residents safe.

...Wake him?]

[Video]

[A few hours later, Ryoji makes a post to the network. The video feed reveals his face, still pale from all the distress, that collar, and his shoulders, which are stiffened. He works his lip for a long while before speaking, not really knowing what to say.]

I... ended everything. The Fall happened, and I was right, no one could stop it. N-Not even Minato-kun.

[He sighs shakily, lowers his head. There's a few moments of silence, but observant listeners will hear sobbing and a whispered mantra: "I'm so sorry, so sorry..."

Then he looks up, smiling weakly, all signs of sadness desperately hidden.]

So... would anyone like to h-help me out? I'm lost...

[Well lately has been an utter roller coaster of feelings. To say the least. It'd taken a few days musing (some of those days being distracted by a certain book of notes she'd recieved) to realize that maybe she needed a little help with this.]

So... can anybody tell me about weddings and getting married? Just... different things about it. A friend explained some of it to me but... [A lot of it seemed way over her head.] It was really confusing.

[Maybe hearing a few different thoughts about it would help.]

[Majora's been doing a lot of thinking since talking to Ruana. Well, she's been doing a lot of thinking, period, lately, but mostly since Ruana. So she'd spent all evening and today working on some pictures for a story.]

Hey, Tower? I want to tell you a story.

( Following is image heavy, this is a warning )

[The feed cuts there, though Majora will still be waiting at the terminal. She's moping now, tracing fingers over the images.]