video; un:curtaincall

[endcaller]

[The feed opens with a view of a metallic ceiling illuminated by blue light as the tablet is moved around; followed by the pale face of a man in a hood. The movement suggests he is crouching down to set the tablet against something. Once it is in place, apparently on the floor but propped up, he walks forward a few paces and settles himself against a wall lined with neon lights. Despite their glare, he doesn't cast a shadow.]

Good morrow to you, my dearest fellow Chosen!

On a scale from one to ten, one being "abysmal" and ten being "I've had better", how has your week been?

[A thin, joyless smile creeps across his lips as he tilts his head.]

Mine has been filled with peril and adventure! Some of you may know that we are not the only civilization on this star. There are others.

I traveled to the nearest settlement, Rumpitur, to see with my own eyes whether these... "glitches" as we've been calling them plagued them as well. Alas, I was not able to observe much. Whenever I passed the town's borders my being was warped back to the outside. At times I was warped quite far.

I did, eventually, decide to speak with the guards but--

[There is a sharp crash of thunder from nearby, the suddenness makes him wince. After a moment of concerned silence, he stands up, smooths his hands down his robe, and walks away. For several seconds the camera shows the blank floor of an empty room, and then a small, square robot whirs into frame. Some might recognize it as a welcome robot.

Its screen lights up with text, each line appearing within a few seconds of each other.

HELLO, CHOSEN.

MASTER HAS BEEN SAD.

WHEN HE COMES BACK...

WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

There are footsteps and Fandaniel's throaty lilt breaks the silence.]

I believe I just saw the ground outside boil, freeze, and sublimate all at once. Marvelous!

[His boots step into view in front of the robot.]

Hyperetes, what are you telling people?

[The robot beeps.]

I see, how terribly inappropriate. Thank you.

[Hyperetes wheels away as Fandaniel sits himself back down.]

Now, where was I before I so rudely interrupted myself?

Ah! Yes, the snake folk.

Well, my conversation with the guards was not illuminating so much as mortifying. If I attempted to broach any topic of substance they...

[How can he even explain it? He waves a hand in the air and giggles.]

This entire world is coming apart at the seams. Truly, it feels as though the Final Days are upon us. We're all going to die screaming.

[This observation doesn't seem to bother him much.]

Comments

audio; un: dawnlord

[cartridgerefill]

So many things to cover, so little time. I suppose I'll just have to be thorough.

First of all: a very Happy Birthday to you, Fandaniel. My skills at baking are much improved should you desire to celebrate in some capacity despite current affairs. Or perhaps after it has been dealt with?

Secondly: if it appears the world is coming apart, then surely there must be methods to fix it. Yet, I would daresay you have no fear of it. Might I inquire upon this further, my friend?

Last: Your robot aide is quite adorable.

[endcaller]

Inquire away, and do so with the knowledge that 'tis not my birthday...

At least not as far as I know.

I am not sure what Hyperetes is on about.

[cartridgerefill]

A shame. Well, I could make a cake anyway.

What is the Final Days, as you put it? It seems like a specific term.

[endcaller]

Ah. Perhaps it is.

It is also self-explanatory. Where I am from the Final Days mark the end of the world. "Apocalypse" would be the term in the local parlance.

And does it not feel like the world is ending?

[cartridgerefill]

Understood. It seemed as if the implication was there, but I wanted to be certain.

Similar, I suppose. It does not seem to concern you much. Do you have no desire to avert destruction?

[endcaller]

Mercy, Bondrewd, can a man not smile through times of turmoil!?

If I were wailing and gnashing my teeth I doubt it would help the situation any.

[He hasn't answered the question.]

un: lcbdante

[followyourstar]

First and second... By your scale I'd put it at around a 15. I've had better, but I've had worse. Also, Happy Birthday?

[Now the question: how do they word their questions when this guys seems plenty happy to watch the world keep falling apart?]

Is that the only piece of information you were able to get from them?

I'd also appreciate any information on this other city if that's all right. That's a first for me.

voice;

[endcaller]

Rumpitur is a city of serpents. Unfortunately, I am a recent arrival so I cannot say who they were before this...madness started.

I could not enter the town as a glitch always moved me. The guards were pleasant enough but if I attempted to ask them about anything much deeper than the weather they would...Hm, how to put it?

Their mouths opened, and a hideous, keening chord emanated from their throats. 'Twas not a natural sound. It sounded more like a broken machine.

I do apologize that I cannot give you more information. I suppose the point of my tale is that the glitches do not affect Aldrip alone. I fear the entire star is in peril.

( TEXT ) un: sephiroth

[aonibi]

Happy birthday.

[ then, about thirty seconds later: ] You don't seem unhappy about that?

voice;

[endcaller]

[A rustling of fabric and chains, then...]

I don't seem unhappy about it being my birthday?

[aonibi]

Pardon, I meant the screaming deaths. I'm not good with transitions.

I think you're meant to be happy about your birthday.

[endcaller]

Ah, I see.

Well, it isn't my birthday.

As for my reaction to our imminent demise...

Would it improve anything if I were on the floor sobbing?

[followyourstar]

It's fine. Where I come from, there was only one City, so hearing another one was around here came as a surprise.

...By the way, you don't seem bothered by everyone dying. Should I take that to mean you don't plan to stop this at all?

[aonibi]

Oh. Maybe it's just its way of cheering you up, then.

I'm not sure what the appropriate response would be, I don't think. Usually people are screaming or crying, though.

[endcaller]

You are an odd sapling, you know that?

Have you witnessed many calamities that warrant so much screaming?

[aonibi]

Yes.

No. I've seen a lot of death, I guess, but everyone was already dead by the time the last calamity I was part of happened.

[endcaller]

[A snort followed by a small giggle.]

Ahahaha...

This is the second apocalypse I've been a part of, so I suppose I've simply been wrung dry of such emotions as grief and panic.

Nevertheless, it does give the wrong impression.

I plan to fight this end of days with all I have. Unlike the fires that claimed my star, the chaos here may well be coming from the AI. Fix the AI, fix the world... Simple enough in concept, though not in execution. More lives will almost certainly be lost in our attempts to perform a "reset".

[endcaller]

Truly?

Well now you simply must tell me that tale.

[aonibi]

There isn't much to tell. Shinra was building a mako reactor, but the explosions set off a mako torrent. The Lifestream took Rhadore, collapsing it into the ocean.

[endcaller]

It sounds like the construction of this "mako reactor" did not go according to plan.

[followyourstar]

I guess you grow numb to just about anything after awhile when you see enough of it.

Still, if more lives can be saved by resetting it than are lost in the process, it's worth a try.

[endcaller]

There is also the chance that the world is fixed but at great sacrifice. Who knows what would be lost in a reset? Especially if the AI truly governs this star. These glitches plague minds as easily as the environment, after all.

Some of us may die permanently. Some of the natives may be unmade as if they were never born at all.

There is much to consider here.

[aonibi]

No. It's not really my place to comment on, though.

[endcaller]

No? You are not worried your superiors might find out, are you?

[aonibi]

No. [ .. well. a little, maybe. he's still not 100% convinced that this is all real and not a very elaborate test of some sort. ] I'm a SOLDIER. It's just not my place.