can i believe when i don't trust;

CRIT POST


Go wild. :D Anonymous enabled, IP logging off, all posts screened.

[The sound of crunching. Hojo's near a wall by the way the sound echoes, scraping his hand across the crumbling, flaking paint.]

A fascinating spectacle. Presumably this is an elaborate illusion? I find it unlikely that any material could undergo a forced degeneration at this kind of speed.

[He pauses at the sound of something in the distance. Then he adds in a low, soft tone:]

How bothersome.

I told them to reinforce the cages.

[He starts to stride towards the source of the sound, and the transmission ends.]

[The sound opens with a cheerful location ping. It's followed by an asshole talking.]

To the ones in possession of the shield, the book, and the sword, I'm sure you're tired of toying helplessly with them by now.

Deliver them to the location indicated. Given your intellectual limitations and general ignorance, it's doubtful you'll have any greater success with them without me.

... You'll also inform me when the rift in the sky is reachable. That's also a matter of interest to me.

[Click!]

[The soft click of his glasses adjusting.]

Well, now. The natives are becoming more generous with their secrets, I see.

I want any remains of those beasts to be preserved and brought to me when you're done with them.

Are you still feeling talkative, Magister?

... I can only assume there was something in that water.

[A lot of wet splashing around and heavy, sickly wheezing. Hojo's teeth are obviously chattering hard. He's an old man, damn it. He's not built for this channel-crossing Olympic swimming horseshit.]

Irritating. I s-suppose the one advantage worth noting is that these devices are waterproofed.

[There's more splashing and rambling while Hojo beats his way along in his waterlogged clothes, trying to get to safer ground. Eventually he pauses and audibly holds his breath, standing still in the water. After a good thirty seconds of silence he slowly, quietly starts wading in another direction.]

...

Natives. I have questions.

Reno, Sasuke. It's time you both fulfilled your sides of our bargain. You have a duty to protect me; at present, you're performing inadequately.

I'll die of hypothermia before I see use out of either of you, at this rate.

[More annoyed muttering follows, and it switches off.]

Then.

I wonder what's to come.

( Filtered to Reno and Sasuke // Unhackable. )

( Private // Unhackable. )


[ooc: gfopsdjfsgpf okay SEIKO I HOPE THAT'S ALRIGHT punch me if I've given too much away and I'll just slide it out. Also apologies for the MULTITUDE OF FILTERS but there was no avoiding it on this shot. )':]

Survival of the fittest, then?

All these battles are sure to identify the prime genetic material this world has to offer.

I'd be curious to see what remains.

AVALANCHE. And the Turks, presumably.

You'll undoubtedly be pleased to know that Vincent is no longer exsanguinating near the fountain. He is currently recovering at this location:

[Location ping.]

I imagine he would benefit from a visit, given that he's presently incapable of walking.

... No need to come armed, however. I was just leaving.

[Private to Reno & Sasuke.]

I came into contact with a native. A report is pending.



(ooc: I have a feeling I might have to explain this one, but trusssst me - it has nothing to do with compassion. 8) I'll write something more here after I've slept.)

[The sound clicks on. There's a considerable amount of noise over the line, but it's nowhere near enough to eliminate the excitable edge of Hojo's voice. Distantly, it sounds like he's pacing.]

WEAPONs, now? This is an interesting, if foreseeable turn of events.

Of course, it's natural, isn't it? You brought us here. There's no great surprise if you're capable of bringing others. Did you summon it? It was something I hadn't considered until recently; science has yet to shed light on the summoning process, the nature of the Materia, but perhaps, perhaps it had something to do with this environment. Perhaps it has something to do with you.

A second possibility. Was it an illusion, a false WEAPON, a clone? You can mimic our appearances, so it's natural to assume that you can also mimic - possibly even manifest other objects from our world.

[He stops pacing.]

... WEAPONs, designed by the Cetra to protect the planet.

This is the interesting issue for me. Why WEAPON.

The context is entirely correct. Designed to protect the planet, and it was precisely how you implemented it. You know us well. Given that knowledge, it's probable that you have been researching us. It's also probable that your selection of individuals is not a matter of chance.

Have you been watching?

How long?

Answer me.

It would appear that priorities amongst the current residents are vastly skewed.

A pity. I hardly expect to see any of you leaving, at the present rate.

( Private // Unhackable. )

... There appears to be an affliction of prepubescents.

An unusual ability to possess. Clearly this is a matter of reversing the aging process of the cells, but how...

( Private // Unhackable. )

Well.

One can only wonder what this little revelation will entail.

It's starting to feel cramped, isn't it?

( Private // Unhackable. )

[The sound clicks on to atmospheric noise, but it takes a long, long time before a voice filters through.]

Interesting.

... I first assumed I was somewhere off the Gaia map, but I recall no mention of such a place in my reading, and it hardly explains this device. Curious.

The specimen isn't here. Everything is still standing.

Did he fail, then? Was it all for nothing?

Such a wasteful disappointment. If anything remains on my return...

[He quietens, speaking more to himself.]

... Or perhaps this is the Lifestream, improbable as it seems. No; with this environment, it's entirely unsound. Temporal displacement? Pure theory, and what would be the trigger...

[His voice fades away to quiet muttering. There's the sound of the device being tinkered with, and the recording clicks off again.]