vibrafinal | 1st moon [accidental video]

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1st moon [accidental video]

Did... did we fail? Did that being somehow kill us all?

[The video post must accidental, because it shows a naked, pale male chest. It looks like someone is holding his journal against himself in a desperate attempt to ward off the cold.]

I cannot remember him attacking... Perhaps I hit my head? But would the afterlife not heal such wounds? [The sound of rustling hair.] No blood, and no swelling. Perhaps the wound can be healed, but the amnesia cannot? ...I suppose it matters not, in the end.

[His feet barely make any noise on the ground, but his body is obviously moving, even from such a close range.]

I should be thankful I appear to be the only one present at least. Perhaps Ceodore and the others have survived... As long as this crisis is averted, my death is an acceptable price to pay. But still, I’d hoped...

[But whatever he’d hoped, he does not say.]

...I should try to find my sword and shield. This afterlife might not be as pleasant as it appears to be.

[[ooc: As a reminder, tags will come from

puppet_paladin.]]

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Let's go to the kitchen, then. I can explain and get out food at the same time.

[She leads the way, opening the door for him. It doesn't resemble familiar kitchens at all, given that the technology is highly upgraded from what they had at home; an electric oven, sink (yay, indoor plumbing) and so on. Rydia heads over to a cabinet to fetch a glass.]

It is unstable, true. There's no way to predict how long one will remain here; people disappear at any time, though they arrive only once every two months. I'm not sure why us, though, except that maybe our powers interest them.

[Sorry, Rydia, he's kinda poking all those interesting appliances as you speak. But he's listening, promise.]

If our powers interest them, that means they might tire of them. Could that explain why people disappear? Is everyone who disappears replaced by someone else?

[Rydia turns on the sink, eyeing Cecil warily as she fills the glass. Sorry, Cecil, but one past you is part of the reason why they don't have a 'magic cooking box' anymore.]

No, though at first I thought that. However, last summer, a great many people disappeared and they weren't replaced. Our population dwindled significantly. Now the cycle is at the pattern I described to you. Before then, it was once a month.

Here.

[She hands over the glass.]

[He takes that glass with a smile and gratefulness.]

A change of pattern prefaced by multiple disappearances? That sounds rather alarming, if you ask me. Did you ever receive an explanation for that? And what exactly is that machine used for?

[He's pointing at the oven, by the way.]

That cooks food, and I'll show you how to use it later. It takes some getting used to, and we had trouble with it, at first.

As for explanations...no, we didn't. They almost never explain anything to us.

[She begins to root around the kitchen, checking to see what they have in the way of snack stuff.]

Hm...we have fresh fruit, muffins from the bakery, a salad I cut up earlier, and there's leftover pizza....

We have pizza?

[Ceodore's developed a fondness for the stuff and junk food in general. Also, hi there family! Have Dad's armor if you please. He'll just be rummaging the fridge for the pizza.]

It does look much more advanced than the technology we have at home. But are we truly expected to start a fire in such a restrained metal container?

[Yup, opening and closing and opening that oven door.]

In other words, we are beneath their consideration. I suppose this means we'll have to fight to regain our freedom.

...Fresh fruit. I've not had any in days, perhaps even weeks.

[And did Ceodore just show up? Why yes, Ceodore just showed up. Hopefully he's not holding anything, because he's getting the biggest hug he's had in years.]

Ceodore. You truly are here, and unharmed!

[Rydia's about to hurriedly explain why starting a fire in the oven would NOT be a good idea when it sinks in that Ceodore is here. She smiles warmly as Cecil embraces his son.]

He's been so helpful while here. You would be proud of him.

[More than he is anyway.]

[Well not anymore he's not. The armor had to go on the floor for the pizza... which is also now on the floor. He's thrilled to have his dad back but this hugging thing? WHAT IF SELPHIE SEES?! And Rydia is right there. Time to be squirming away.]

F-father! I'm fine.

[C'mon, let gooooooooo! This is so not manly.]

[Fine, fine, he'll let Ceodore go, though he still stays pretty close. Rydia's words words make him smile a little, too.]

I apologize. I simply... I was worried we'd all been killed...

[Rydia winces at that thought, though she covers for this by going about the kitchen to fetch food and place it on the table.]

I would hope not. We're made of sterner stuff than that, all of us.

[Except Kain, who died three times so far, but...still not mentioning that.]

[Ceodore cringes too, but doesn't do such a hot job of covering it. He'd known the moment Cecil had been killed in the one draft, and had been the unfortunate soul to find Rydia with her wings ripped off. And if that weren't enough, got saved from it himself by Kain.

He shoots Rydia a look like what do I say?! because he's almost certain she's going to be angry if he blabs.]

Considering the enemy we were facing, death was not that farfetched a scenario.

[But he sees that wince. And he sees that look. And he feels terrible, terrible dread.]

...Ceodore, is there anything you are not telling me?

[Sigh. Dangit, Ceodore, why did you have to do that?]

It's nothing, really. Nothing permanent.

[Because he's incapable of lying and he still feels guilty about the whole thing.]

Uh, w-well, um...

[Looking between the two of them because even a small fib about the matter is impossible for him.]

Sometimes people die here and are revived.

...Revived? That would take more than a Raise spell...

[He's staring a little. He might need a reboot.]

But if there are no monsters here, does this mean that there exists a spell that can reverse natural deaths?

[He's not a magic expert, but he knows that would be an important discovery.]

[Rydia shakes her head.]

No, there isn't. And there aren't monsters here, exactly, but sometimes people are drafted to fight battles outside the barrier.

[She glances to Ceodore, letting him know that she's not really annoyed...just was hoping to spare Cecil from the details for a bit.]

[Ceodore just nods in agreement, although if he looks a little angsty, there's a reason for that.]

Edited 2011-03-09 20:00 (UTC)

They kidnap us, take away part of our powers, and after all of that they force us to fight for them? Who do they think they are?

[His hands are clenched so tightly his nails almost draw blood. It's easy to tell he'd truly like to put the Malnosso to the sword.]

[Rydia doesn't look as though she would protest that at all. If it was possible, she would have Meteored them all long ago.]

The ones who hold the most power here, though don't think we aren't looking to change that. I'd love nothing more than to break their hold on us. Even if we can't return, we still deserve to live a life free of experimentation and forced battle.

[Leave it to Ceodore to inject some of his mother's kindness into the situation.]

But better us than the civilians or children. They don't belong out there.

...Yes. Yes, you're right. Someone has to fight in their place.

[He calms down, slightly. But he's still angry, and it shows.]

Have their been any attempts to overthrow them? Do we have anything they might want or need?

[Rydia takes to pacing, answering the second part.]

They want us for their experiments and as fodder...that's all I know for sure, really. I can't even say they want us for our powers, since they have plenty of people here with none. If there's a viable pattern, it has yet to be revealed.

I don't believe that one that says they can't help it.

[Ceodore doesn't like the Malnosso or their methods any more than the other two do. It takes a lot to break the boy's trust, but he'd just as soon end their captors himself. He's pretty fed up with having the people he cares about messed with.]

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