[ The video opens up on a woman looking somewhere between frightened and angered. Definitely conflicted between the two. The only thing really keeping her sane right now is the fact that she woke up near the koi pond, and the last thing she wants to do is destroy such a pretty place she's found herself surrounded in.

Oh. And the threat of her powers being stripped. ]

Does this 'Acumen' possess the capabilities to strip a person of their basic genetics? [ She questions now, looking a little upset.

She sighs and the anger falters a bit into what almost looks like fear before it's gone. Coldness instead. ]

My imprisonment is a mistake. [ Not claiming innocence but...


She adds this a bit softer now. ]

Where is the sun?

[A video post engages and all that is immediately visible is Roy's face - and he looks somewhere between disgruntled and slightly amused, his red hair tousled and a little dirty, a wry smirk at the corner of his mouth.]

Okay, I get it. Roy's a jailbird. Again. Thanks universe, that's really funny.

[He sighs and shakes his head a little.]

I know the basic drill about jail and all, and I got the gist of the rules from the pamphlet and stuff. This place is even one heck of a lot better than the last hole I was in, but I still got a few questions. For example, official rules are one thing. What about the unofficial ones? Anyone want to fill me in on the taboos and all that before I run into them the hard way? Knowing my luck, first thing I'd do is piss off the resident big bad and get my butt beaten in again.

Anyone want to help a guy out?

[A pause, and he looks a bit rueful.]

And uh, yeah, as a side note, I know this is pretty freaking unlikely considering where I am and probably why, but are there any ways I could get a call to the outside world? Or home or whatever? I mean, it's not like I'm in a third world country this time, don't I get a phone call?

[The video begins with a view of-- feet. Chained, bare feet with strange white lines marring the darkness of the skin. Until the camera tips back, shifts, to show a lithe man, hunched and long-eared and positively scowling at his surrounding and muttering angrily to himself.]

I will personally dissect the blighted mage responsible for this. I was unaware even the strongest of magisters could conjure such elaborate illusions, but I do not underestimate their ability to trick and deceive. But for what purpose.

[He does not kick over the welcome basket, tempted as he is, but neither does he pay it or the helpful brochure any attention. He simply glares at it then the communicator, which he found when he woke but couldn't really make sense of the script. A magical item, no doubt, and he will have nothing to do with it.]

Slavers. They become craftier the more I slay them.

[He's grumbling, completely unaware of what a recording device even is, much less that other people can see him despite being alone for now. He tries to phase through the chain, voice lowering and just barely desperate.]

Danarius is dead. He is dead. He cannot--

[ooc | If you decide to go with action, Fenris will try and attempt to phase his fist through your chest!!!]

[Making a public phone call, what is this nonsense. It seemed like the better option though, as opposed to filtering. Here we go.]

Hi. [Good start.]

I'm Dr Spencer Reid and I'm looking for either Suzaku or Lacus with the Defense Force.
I'm interested in joining. Well, re-joining, I suppose.

((ooc ETA: a quick reminder that there's a PERMISSIONS POST up on his journal! Please fill it out at your leisure!))

Card game tonight. Devil's Compass. We don't have money so you might want to dress in layers. [Were you just invited? Was this supposed to be private to someone? Am I asking questions that won't be answered?]

[Also, if you're nearby you just saw her walk through that tree without looking up. Alarming.]

[Flynn leans in close and squints a little to see the list of defense force patrols, and then. sighs. ...yeah, this isn't great. but he's reluctant to get glasses, too. because... well...]


[voice / filtered from Yuri / I wonder who he's talking about]
Have you ever been in a situation where... you don't want to do something because a friend would laugh at you -- but if they knew you were hiding it, they'd laugh even more? [awkward silence]

Belle's missing. [hello, we are not pleased.] I want her back. Whoever took her should return her to me now before something horrible happens.

[to you? to Belle? Road scowls at the camera before shutting it off.]

[ooc: I will be slow ;-; perhaps very]

[ angel's in the church, walking down the nave, fingers trailing along the tops of the pews as he makes his way towards the altar. curiosity about the limitations this prison places on people is getting the better of him, and despite better judgement, he feels compelled to test something. stopping before the first cross he spots, he reaches out and grabs hold of it, lifting it up off the podium.

one second, two, three, four, five-- an agonizing ten seconds and he drops it with an inhuman snarl, backing away to observe the damage done to his palm. well, that at least answered a few questions. ...ow. ]

[Hello, Marina! It's your creepy friendly neighborhood scientist-guy. He seems all smiles, as per usual.] Hello, everyone! I had a question. Or rather, I had a few.

So it's been a few days, but, um... Does anyone know where I can acquire some medical equipment? Or a telescope, or even fairly small pieces of glass and sandpaper?

If I'm going to be stuck here a while, I may as well keep myself busy.

[Plus, he has projects. Many, many projects. His smile grows a little more.]

Also, I noticed there's a hospital. I've never stepped inside their facilities, but judging from the outside, it looks fairly state-of-the-art.

Has anyone checked that out yet?

[Because Shinra's oh so curious on what's in there.] Do you know if it's possible to become a volunteer there? Or to... borrow ["steal"] fairly meaningless extras?

Just... out of curiosity. [Sooooo, anyone want to help Shinra break into the hospital? He's about to turn it off, but he remembers something else he wanted to ask.]

Oh! Also, before I forget, I was wondering if anyone knew how to create and install locks? I'm not the best at mechanics so it'd be nice if someone would be able to put a lock on my apartment door for me. I'm not sure how I can repay anyone just yet, but I'm sure we could work something out. Thank you!

APPARENTLY THEY LET JUST ANYONE TEACH A CLASS AROUND HERE.

... EXCLUDING PEOPLE WHO ARE DANGERS TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS, I GUESS.

[ pause. Um, what is he supposed to say...? Have some uncertain wibbling - he's really not good at the whole communication thing. ]

SO, I'M TEACHING A COURSE CALLED TECH SHOP I, WHICH STARTS THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT BASIC PROGRAMMING AND ELECTRONICS, AND THE FINAL PROJECT IS BUILDING A MINIATURE ROBOT. THERE ARE SOME PREREQUISITES FOR PEOPLE COMING FROM LOW-TECHNOLOGY WORLDS, BUT IF YOU'VE USED A COMPUTER OF ANY KIND BEFORE COMING HERE AND ARE OF AVERAGE HUMAN INTELLIGENCE THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY PICK IT UP.

[ ... He thinks that has it just about covered? Hopefully people will come. Um... ]

IF NO ONE COMES I'LL PROBABLY JUST SIT IN THE CLASSROOM AND BUILD AN ARMY OF TINY ROBOTS, ANYWAY.

[ So you might as well attend, because maybe then he'll give you an important position in his New Order once he has conquered Marina with matchbox-sized robots. ]

[Closed Mingle – Sanguinala Feast]
[The noontime feast was held in the house that would soon find itself under construction—tools and materials had been hastily dragged outside, as they'd been stored within for safe keeping during the shelter lock-down and, fortunately, for the snow-in. In their place, the two commisars from the Imperium of Mankind hastily cleaned and decorated the place with swaths of gold and red, while in the Shelter, Felicia and Sasha oversaw the preparation of the meal.]

[The feast itself is comprised of fusion dishes: the Imperium's cooking sense with ingredients readily available to them in the kitchens and stores. It's certainly adequate enough for themselves and their small handful of guests--a few fellow humans whom they had invited to join them.]

[And after it draws to a close, Cain will promptly suggest they all go to the Devil's Compass.]

[Open Mingle at the Bar, mid to late afternoon]

[Come and PARTY. Or just happen to come by and be swept into the party. Or resist being swept and grumble about them being annoying. YOUR CALL.]

–

((OOC: If you aren't sure your character is invited, check here or contact us. Otherwise, feel free to have threads that have nothing to do with the feast but take place at the bar here! Newbies are welcome to the bar. ♥))

((Please specify if you are at the [bar] or the [feast] in the subject line!))

HEY!

[When you first see Asch's face, he is mad. Teeth grit, fists clenched, face as red as his hair in rage mad. He's trying to stand straight and intimidating but his shoulders are shaking in anger and, without his sword and hampered by the restraints, he's little more than a furious rooster at the moment.]

[His restraints definitely do show signs of trying to be chiseled off with whatever he could have grabbed upon arrival - chipped bits of flashlight can be seen in the chain - and it's only his failure to do so himself that's prompted him to try this damn device and network for assistance.]

Whoever's sick, twisted, damn idea of a joke this is, you have less than thirty seconds to get this thing off of me before I make sure you wish you were in prison yourself, because I have much better ideas for what to do with you than any of the fonbots in this forsaken pit!

[The transmission starts, light dim and musty like the books lining the walls behind the young man that appears on the screen. He seems confused, nervous even, eyes darting from one end of the room to the other and tongue flicking out every so often to lick at his lips. A nervous tic, perhaps, just like his voice grows more rapid with every sentence, pronunciation remaining surprisingly clear despite his fervor.

The situation is familiar. He's trained for this. He's been here before and although he doesn't know who he's talking to, he's talking to someone. Keeping an open feed gives him a greater chance of someone hearing him than not talking at all, and so he talks. Someone will hear him.]

Acumen. First used in the 1530's, the word stems from the latin acuere, to sharpen, hence giving it the meaning of sharpness and in extent shrewdness, keen insight. Another synonym is "the ability to judge well" which alludes that the person using this word as their moniker believes themselves to be the ultimate judge. This in turn points to some sort of God complex with the creator of this AI, although not your typical narcissistic personality disorder - by using the construct as his or her spokesperson the individual behind it can remain hidden much like the Wizard behind the curtain.

And just like in that story the suspect may be feeling inadequate and insecure about him or herself, thus hiding behind a construct in order to keep their appearance flawless - it's the only way they can act as an absolute judge without being hindered by their humanity. A similar logic lies behind the hoods of executioners in the past - by making them virtually faceless the guilt of taking another persons life or in this case their freedom can be absolved into a disembodied concept of justice…

[Pause. Brows furrowed in thought he worries at his bottom lip. This isn't helping. He's not even sure who he's talking to, to be perfectly honest, but that has never stopped him before and if anything doing the math may help clear his head.]

One point six zero nine kilometers under the surface… that translates to roughly a mile. Pressure equals depth times fifteen divided by thirty-three… so at 5280 feet that would result in a pressure of 2400 psi which in turn equates to over a ton per square inch. Right now the limits for commercial diving is roughly at 500 feet, one tenth of the assumed depth we're at now…

[This would be a good time for someone to interrupt. He'll go on forever if you don't.]

[OOC He's restrained and as such bots will take him away to the salt mines work before long! I'd also really appreciate if those interested could fill in this PERMISSIONS POST so we can get some profiling done here.]

[Here is a new, pretty face for you, Marina, and he's not at all freaking out about ending up here. It was only a matter of time, anyway, because he's always causing trouble.

He's as calm as can be. In fact, he thought this was all very amusing.]

There's something funny about a cop ending up in prison. I kind of wish I had the option to arrest and restrain myself. This could make for some sort of good joke to tell someone in the future.

Looks like I have to be a good boy so that I can play with you all, but until then, please treat me kindly.

[He is trying to be as pleasant as possible. Whatever it takes for him to lose his chain.]

Okay, Hijikata-san, you win this round.

[He's not even sure if Hijikata is here, but if he were? He's got it coming to him for sure.]

[Tim wasn't worried at first. Or, well, he was but he was confident it would just be a matter of getting out of this place one way or another and then deal with the consequences. He wasn't going to just sit and cry because his secret identity might have been compromised. It could also be a joke... come on- cloning? Really?

When he realized he couldn't just hack the network or the communicator to get in contact with Bruce or O or anybody... well, then he would be lying if he didn't admit to be slightly worried. Still, not freaking out for Robin. There were still options, there was always something to do, so he opted to get in contact with the other inmates of this so-called prison.]


Yo. Not to be annoying or anything because I know the machine already told me the basics but call me slow on the uptake, if you must.

I'm Alvin Draper. Could somebody fill me in? The hell is this place? And how and why did I even get here to begin with?

[The first thing she notices is the sharpness of Ba’ul’s absence. It’s with a bit of will that she evens out her mood in response. The communicator is easy enough to figure out, even if she doesn’t particularly enjoy the weight of it.]

Strange. I used to think it was harder to catch me.

[She’s without her spear, too. A mild grimace is there and gone in an instant.]

I suppose while I’m here, I might as well make myself comfortable. [ -- because she won't be here for long. This is what she’s decided. The first opportunity out, she’s taking it.]

Maybe one of you can help me. My shoes are all muddy. [And that’s terrible.]

[Today is quieter around the shelter -- and there's less food. It's getting kind of cramped in here, isn't it? And boring. There are plenty of games and entertainments left over from the party, but everyone is gathered together and... finding things to do.]

[So what are you doing?]

Good morning, Marina! [Have a very smiley pink haired girl on your video feed!] For anyone I haven’t met, I’m Lacus Clyne and I’m very glad to meet you.

It seems as though we’re all going to be in the shelter today, so we should make the best of things. I was thinking that we should get together and have a big winter banquet! Anyone who wants to help cook should please feel free to come to the kitchens and assist, and if not you should still come and enjoy the food with us.

Dinner will be served at 5 in the main cafeteria, and after that maybe we could have fun playing games and watching movies together. I hope everyone has a good day, and I hope to see everyone at the feast!

[A few minutes later]

I just learned that today is also Ritsuka’s birthday! To celebrate there will be a cake and some special desserts and decorations. [as many decorations as they can find without access to the store.] Everyone please, stop by to wish him a happy birthday!

***
((OOC Notes: Mingle post, open to all! Reply to Lacus by [video] or there are several action options: [cooking] any time before 5pm ICly, [dinner] a huge buffet of almost anything you could want, or [after dinner] for card games, board games, and movies throughout the cafeteria and nearby common rooms! Your character is in no way obligated to be at all of these, but they could be if you want~

Also! A link to Ritsuka’s birthday party will be added once it goes up. There will be cake and lots of special desserts and pretty decorations in one area of the cafeteria.

If anyone wants to intentionally or unintentionally sabotage the food, please contact me OOCly before you do so. Thanks and ENJOY!))

[So they're being herded into the Shelter, no getting around that. But just when you get "more" access to your limited freedom, it gets cut down even further. But at least the ball and chain are gone. That's the good thing... if only Shaun hadn't disappeared too. It's unnerving and also kind of lonely.

Solo. She can do this. Nothing new.

With really only three possessions, she's taking a tour around the Shelter to map out the place a little. Her headphones around her neck (because she hasn't rigged the device to play her music for her just yet,) singing out her playlist at max volume, she's got her laptop under one arm and her snowboard under the other. Totally normal--annnnd she's watching where she swings it... most of the time.

Feel free to run into her in the kitchen or common room, or anywhere in between as she tries to open a package of twinkies with her front teeth.]


[Later: voice/video]

I kinda guessed there wasn't going to be any sort of internet here, but it's still a strange disconnect. No cute kitten videos, no news updates.

[Total disconnect from a world she used to live in, the information she used to soak up... well, she's managed before.] I gotta find a movie to watch...

Oh, and hey Yuta! I uh, [here-- shaky camera work, she turns it to her snowboard propped against the wall of her chosen Shelter room] got my board!

Kinda bad timing though, yeah? I'll show you how to board though when we get out, like I promised. [and camera off!]

Hey. [Always weird starting these.] So, the Devil's Compass has a pool table now if anyone is interested. There's a dart board too, [Thinking] and we still have drinks. It's the only place outside of the club you can get alcohol.

Sasha is here tonight too, so we've got pizzas, quiche, and pie. ["Pie" might have come out slightly sighed.] So, stop in. [Should he say bye? Awkward pause. Click.]

(OOC: It's a mingle! If you want to reply directly to the video you can. Please use Sam's comment, because I'm turning off comments!)