REBOOTING NETWORK...

[stringmods]

DATA UPGRADE COMPLETE

> Connecting to network. Current Time 1:11 1/28/10AC
> colonyzero is operational and online
> Audio playback operational
> Video playback operational
> Eruditio protocols perficiendis

LOADING 100%
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> Searching databanks
> One(1) Video Playback available
> WARNING Recording appears to be unstable. Data may be corrupted.

PLAY? この後、後戻りはありません...

Y/N
> Y

LOADING RECORDING.
T▋ME ΙΖ:ΩΙ Ι/Ζ▋/Ι▋A▋

[The feed turns on. It seems to be a recording that the nanomachines are picking up - but the sound is distorted. The voices echo and the lighting is dim at best. There's a persona lighting the the way, but most of what you can see and hear is water. Rows and rows of waterfalls are reflecting the reddish night of the 13th hour. Strange glowing mushrooms provide most of the light that isn't from the four figures walking forward.

The video stops and static causes it to skips ahead. The roar of the waterfalls is now even closer, and the camera shakes constantly to the rhythm of footsteps.


The area they are at it gigantic. More than forty feet, the giant robotic figure behind them is not having any troubles moving along with them. It is easy to guess that this is Brainstorm. The cloaked figure, Orpheus. The pointed hat, McGonagall. Someone else behind her, and it looks to be Q.

For some reason half of the Seven are here during the 13th hour...]

▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋▋ don't like ▋▋░▋░ look ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋. ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋ door suddenly appear ░░░▋▋▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░an ▋▋░▋░ of the open ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░ 13th hour ▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░ ill omen.

[That sounded like Orpheus' voice]

While ▋░▋▋░ I would agree ░▋▋▋░▋▋▋▋░, ░▋▋▋░▋▋▋▋░▋▋░▋░▋▋ cannot wait,▋▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░ opportunity will ░▋▋▋▋░▋▋░▋░. Fortune favors the bold,░▋▋▋▋░▋▋░▋░. ▋░▋░▋▋▋▋░▋░▋ perhaps another message ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░░░ ghostly fellow...

[And that was Q...]

Regardless, ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░░ carefully, lest this is a trap. ▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░ enough bloodshed ░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░░ tournaments ▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋...

[Mcgonagall]

▋▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋░▋░▋ is just one blasted surprise after another. ▋░░░▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋░░░▋░ checked to ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░░▋ fool of a mayor ▋░░░▋░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋░░░ spreading any more asinine rumors.

[If the condescension didn't give Brainstorm away, the mechanical resonation of his voice would have.]

▋▋░▋░▋▋░░▋░░░▋▋▋░ agree with Q. ▋░░░▋▋▋░░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋░░ figure out ░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋░░ being asked ░▋▋░░░▋▋▋░▋▋░░. ░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░ there are no monsters yet.

[Wait who was that voice? Those who had meet or conversed with Eiichiro would recognize him, and understand that the recording came from his own nanomachines. That would explain why the camera was shaking so much.]

░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░ Jinx the expedition! ░▋▋░░░▋░▋▋░ what ░░▋▋▋░░▋▋░░ and creatures lurk only ready to--

[And Orpheus again]

--oh do stop ▋▋░▋░▋▋░░▋░░ prattle of yours! ▋▋▋░░▋▋░░░▋ move on...

[Q rightfully interjecting.]

ERROR FEED U▩STABLE DATA INF▩RMATION.
> REPAIRING

90/100
▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋░▋

> DATA L▩AD COMPLET▩
> PRESS TO CONTIN▩E

[The video flickers off again, and suddenly the sound of the waterfalls is behind them.

There is now a large door, with strange cryptic runes that look more like a mixture of different human civilization and culture than a single entity. Greek-Egyptian pillars, writing that doesn't seem to match any language current or past on earth known. Aztec and Japanese-style paintings on the wall.

It's hard to see, and the feed seems to be getting worse and worse.

There is, however a symbol appearing before them]

> REPAIRING _

[The feed flickers again and it seems that the door was somehow opened, and they area already inside.

This time it is much easier to see. There are strange glowing crystals lighting up the room.

Looking around, humanoid figures are forming a circle, pointing to it. And in the dead front, three ten feet tall statues of strange creatures.

There is deadly silence.

Wait...

...is one of the statues starting to mov--

The feed cuts again.]

ERROR ERROR ERROR FEED UNSTABLE DATA INFORMATION.
> REPAIRING

> CONTINUING FEED
> PRESS TO CONTINUE⌛▋▋??▋

[Some time seems to have passed. Eiichiro appears to be breathing heavily with one hand being healed by Q's persona. It looks like they were locked in battle. The statues are still there, but have changed position.]

▋▋▋░░▋▋░░░▋ over?

[And now a pedestal rises from underground, the glow from the center crystal blinding even the view for a few seconds. When you can see it again, it appears to be a strange block spinning in the air.]

▋▋▋░░▋▋░░░▋ personally ▋▋░▋▋░▋▋▋▋░░▋▋░▋ want to--

[Suddenly the feed cracks and pops, and flashes of images appear in rapid succession.]

MINERVA! HOLD ▋▋░▋▋▋▋░░▋▋ HAND!

[That was Q's voice. Frantic.

The crystal has expanded. It looks like a large glowing white mass- and in another change, it seems like both Minerva and Q were pulled inside by gigantic white tendrils.]

▋▋▋░░▋▋ really, ▋▋▋░░░ all it has ░░░▋▋▋▋░? ░░░▋▋▋▋░░░▋▋░░▋▋ blasted tentacles, I swear I wonder why I work ░░▋▋░░▋▋ people ▋▋▋░░░▋ sometimes...

[There's the sound of an energy weapon discharging a few times, then a pained noise from Brainstorm.]

▋▋▋░░░▋ Stop that! No! I'm ▋░░ smart to die ▋░░ ▋▋▋░░░▋▋░!

[It grabs both him and Orpheus and they disappear.

The camera flickers again, as another tentacle comes closer to the view, and then violently grabs Eiichiro by the leg before dragging him into the white light--]

ERROR LOST CONTACT!
ERROR LOST CONTACT!
ERROR LOST CONTACT!
ERROR LOST CONTACT!

[...and then the feed shuts down completely.]

> ...REPLAY? _

[Note: This video will be available in the databanks, so if your character is still out cold, they can find out about this later.]

Comments

[forceofnature]

Hm......

I don't know about that. Arlon did most of the planning when we put it up a kajillion years ago, but there was an awful lot of divine power being thrown around. What could a mortal possibly do?

[notifwhen]

we're going to figure out if they're still alive

That's my priority anyway.

[NOT HERE]

[primordial]

[HE'S STILL TOO HURT TO TALK but this is either very, very good, or very, very bad.]

[Hopefully leaning towards good because HEY IT'S LIKE HIS FAMILY HE NEVER THOUGHT HE HAD APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE]

[family reunion times please except not really]

[stolemylook]

I'll pass on that. I'd rather put it toward some weaponry if you brought any of that with you.

[Text]

[blitzkriegzwei]

I concur. Who else can be relied on to find them? My injuries will heal quickly. I will be more cautious than I was in the arena. [And if he's injured again, so what? Nation powers gooooo... as long as he doesn't die.]

[text]

[greatseal]

[Normally, one or two comments in poor taste Minako could ignore, but this is her best friend's father. Her best friend who isn't here to worry about him. And after recent events... that kind of thing stings more than it should.]

Could we all please stop making light of this situation? Four people are missing and in serious danger. That's what we need to focus on.

[Voice]

[whereibelong]

It might've just appeared too.

A little while back, a bunch of places from our homeworlds appeared. We don't know why or how, they just... did.

[So... adding locations that just appeared recently to the search list would be a good idea, except...]

It looks like some of the people who've been here longer don't want us to go yet.

[She can sort of understand the reasoning. She knows how Sora would probably react if he saw this and knew where to go.]

text

[notifwhen]

the best way to fight an enemy is knowing them

So.

Do either of YOU know what just happened?

[ voice ]

[gforceinmyfaaaace]

What did I just watch...?

[ Pit still sounds very groggy and tired, and he probably shouldn't be dallying on the network in his condition, but, hey. A hero's a hero no matter how badly beaten up he is.

That, and Pit is nosy and bored. Laying around in the hospital is not his idea of a good time. ]

[text]

[prototype_blues]

They're probably being light about it to keep themselves from freaking out.

[Just a wild guess, since Blues has no idea what the hell he just watched, Minako.]

[forceofnature]

My weaponry is exclusively for me to flaunt in your face and not actually for sale, sheesh. Besides, you can customize much better ones yourself.

...The shop's closed right now, anyway.

[text]

[greatseal]

[She can understand that, but... Even Junpei usually understands when a joke is okay and when it isn't. This qualifies as "isn't."]

Maybe so, but it's still really not the time.

Voice

[ontheirside]

Thaaat doesn't look so good.

Good thing this city's full of Superheroes who'll just jump at a chance to fight off Oswald the Octopus there and carry out an epic rescue mission.

[Not him, of course, noooo.]

text

[blitzkriegzwei]

I was just suggesting that I'd be ready for the task when we were prepared.

The problem here is how to get more information without losing more people. It's vexing, knowing there's a problem but not how to solve it.

[text]

[prototype_blues]

Well of course it isn't. But there isn't much any of

[He almost types "you" there, almost.]

us can do right now. What with everything that just happened, Miss Arisato.

text

[meaningdies]

Stop trying to be a noble idiot and spit it out already.

If you don't I may be forced to have Behemoth sit on you.

[Voice]

[sageprincess]

Goddesses help the poor soul that place belongs to, if that is the case...

[She mutters her idle commentary under her breath before sighing.]

There are good intentions, I am certain, but... [No one told them what they were to face if the Anoli were to appear during the tournament, and yet they were expected to be ready anyway. How is this any different? ... She keeps her thoughts to herself, however, not willing to speak so long as she knows someone relevant is listening.] Regardless, once we are healed, I see little they can do to stop us from looking.

text

[notifwhen]

if you think now of all times is a good time to threaten and insult my brother then you are sorely mistaken.

[SERIOUSLY DUDE???]

[text]

[greatseal]

[She sighs, but of course the text doesn't pick that up.]

I know that, too. But there are still actual people in danger.

[stolemylook]

Can't customize much with two weapons.

Hn... all right then. I'll figure something out.

[gforceinmyfaaaace]

You can use one of my weapons. I have one of every type.

I think my room's unlocked. If it isn't... 'm still in the hospital.

[ Obviously, since he still sounds like crap. ]

[forceofnature]

The, um, mysterious and divine and highly incredible means by which I get them are inaccessible to me at the moment.

You wouldn't believe the hearts you can make reselling things from Dyntos's scrap heap.

video

[von_schweetz]

Is that supposed to happen? That looked like it wasn't supposed to happen...

[itsfromtheshow]

My grandfather created a Space Colony back in his hey day. [No need to talk about all the illegal experiments.] I modeled mine after his and made, oh, about three or four of them. They were fully operational and everything! Ohohohoh!

[text]

[prototype_blues]

That can apply to everyone, really.

And do you know what kind of danger they are in? Or how to save them without ending up just like them?

... Just don't do anything rash, okay?

[Ironic coming from him.]