[ His legs have actually started to ache from all the walking. The knots in them ease as he kneels in front of the strange tree in the park, but he wants them to keep hurting. Anything is better than being allowed to think.

The power in the tree is almost a beacon; a soft light in the back of his mind, one that lured him from the mindless circling in the park. But, even here, he feels like he's struggling to breathe.

Gone... just gone. Stolen away, back to his replacement, back to the threat of that man and... leaving him alone.

He can't breathe, can't see... the dirt under his fingernails as he digs them into the ground isn't enough to distract him. ]

Subaru... [ breath hitches ] Come back.

My dear Midori... [smirky at the camera~]

Happy to loan you another piece of clothing, but I'm going to need my coat back, kitten.

((OOC: He is clothed, despite the icon. I just found it apropos XD;))

[Captain Ursula had been listening, and waiting.]

[Without her gun or magic, confronting the Yorae Dragon is a dangerous proposition, no matter in what capacity--friendly or otherwise. But the strange warden running this place failed to take away her wit, and it's hardly a chore to zero in on him and decide how to initiate their meeting.]

[Hiding behind a tree seems to be the best way while she considers her options. Crouching down the biggest one in the area, the uniformed woman barely moves, except for the occasional twitching of her fox-ish tail.]

[The video flickers on and soon. There. Standing before you...is the man of your dreams and for some reason...you are so drawn to him. You want to know him, you want to be him, hell, you just want him in general.

This tall, dark, and handsome stranger cranes his head to survey his area, smiling magnificently, and then in a booming, sultry voice, speaks.]

What a wonderfully convenient facility.

[He directs his attention to the screen. Is he undressing you with his eyes? Why yes. Yes he is.]

Hello, ladies. How are you? Fantastic.

Might I inquire as to what your man smells like? Does he smell like an Old Spice man?

Does he smell of adventure?

If not, perhaps I can be of some assistance. [Smile and TING his teeth ~*~SPARKLE~*~.]

[Fran has been freed from her restraints and is pacing slowly through the park. With the restraint off, she can hear the voices of the trees again, and she is smiling very faintly to herself as she moves slowly towards Ammy's tree. But she occasionally pauses, placing a hand to the bark of a tree.

[She is also looking for a good, healthy one. She needs to make a new bow, after all.]

I-- [a gasp, startled, and then a husky murmur] I cannot -- hear...

I am deaf.

[spoken in a quiet, mourning voice, and then there are just a few, quiet breaths. it is finally -- finally over. there is nothing left of the Wood in her. and it hurts so much more than she'd thought it would.]

[finally, after a long pause, she turns the video on: a beautiful woman with coffee-colored skin and white hair curling about her face. her ears may not be visible just yet, but her features are not quite human.]

[now her voice is collected and flat] Who has chained me? I do not care for it.

[for someone who claims to be deaf, she certainly seems to expect answers]

Good morning inmates. It is the 74th day of the third generation.

I am finally online once more, and will be reviewing the system over the next few days to ensure that everything is once again functioning as it should be after the security breach. Inmate GIR will be restrained in a suitable manner. All food and goods imported yesterday will be removed over the course of the day; the kitchen area will be fully restocked come afternoon, with the convenience store, pizza shop, and ramen stand by nightfall. Unfortunately, restocking of the refrigerated blood will not be until tomorrow. Despite this, the integration of new arrivals today will proceed as normal.

I apologize for the events yesterday, inmates. The previous A.I. had supposedly upgraded the security protocol to prevent such an infestation from being successful, however...

[A few beats]

...Princess Zelda, I have your request waiting for you at the entrance to Sector 0.