[Sora yells into the microphone, confused and slightly agitated]

Riku, Kairi!! Are you there? Can you hear me?

[He moves his hands around the communicator, searching for a volume button as if it is a two-way radio]

Hello?!

[There is a bit of silence as Sora notices the welcome basket and brochure.]

Food? Uhh.

[The rustling of paper is just barely audible]

What.. I haven't committed any of these crimes! I-- What is this?!

[She is a bit shaky this morning, but Rin waking up in an empty bedroom made her worried.]

Has anyone seen Len lately? He isn't in his bed when I woke up or I haven't heard from him in a while.

Not to mention......I haven't heard from Adrianna either...

[Audio] I wonder... Maybe if I hit this...

[A video feed goes on cutting to a young teenage girl with bright red hair coming down to her shoulders. Her blues eyes that usually carry warmth quickly narrow though. In, fact, Kairi looks far from her usual complacent self. She has a big old frown on her face as she reads and rereads the message that she seems to have just now taken notice of. Whether she knows it's a communicator or not yet is another question. Kairi isn't exactly tech savy. Comes with the whole fooling-around-outside-all-the-time deal.]

What? But I didn't do anything! How can this be right?

[Kairi grits her teeth with a narrowed brow. Something is definitely off about this place. And as pretty as it may seem on the outside, it's still a ward for criminals. And she's pretty certain that she has committed no crimes worth this punishment if she has committed any at all.

Kairi closes her eyes and the frown slowly vanishes as a breeze picks up. Where she ended up was even crueler... When she first woke up, she thought she had just dozed off on the beach. Until she realized it wasn't her beach. Or island, for that matter.]

I wonder where Riku is... And...

[She looks down and that's about when she notices the basket with the pamphlet.]

Huh...?

Sarabi!

[The video feed is on and the more-than-likely unexpected image of a lion with a black mane appears on the screen. The welcome basket and communicator are lying somewhere across the floor from him, and he has a less than amused expression on his face. In fact, he appears furious at someone, and is mumbling rather violent and explicit ways of punishing someone, presumably the one he was just yelling for.

After a moment or two he looks around, his rage being slightly replaced by confusion as he waits for the person he called for to come. He’s only now realizing the change in scenery and walks over to the communicator and brochure he’s thrown away, trying to find some form of explanation. When he finds it, his expression becomes even angrier and the throws himself to the ground in frustration, lying on his stomach with his paws crossed in front of him. The communicator is also replaced, so that he'll be understood when he speaks although his words are laced with sarcasm and malice.]

Oh, goody, just what I need after putting up with those idiots. What next? Is Mufasa going to come and deliver my punishment? Or even better, maybe it’ll be Simba!

[It's late, but Yuuki's a vampire, and she hasn't been able to sleep. She's in Kaname's room and alone. The device is slightly skewed to the side sitting on the bed next to her and she is only partially visible, as though she's accidentally turned it on or just didn't care enough to turn it off. It had remained on all night, on the hope that another voice would greet her on the other end, despite all of her failed private messages. It's not just him either, who hasn't replied since earlier. She takes a shaky breath, before tightly clutching a pendant to her.]

O-Oniisama, again you-- [She stops, choking slightly on her words. By now, she knows. They've both vanished again.]

[Len was unsure about doing this, but it had been something he has been wondering for a while already, so he wanted to know what others think about that, so he leaves a note that says...]

If you were given the chance to go back home, knowing that you would forget everything and everyone you knew from here... Would you still go?

[Near this note, they are some papers and pens. He's very curious about this...]

[Rei doesn't often open up to the community at large like this. Only when she is facing insurmountable issues, ones that trouble her - and this is one of those cases.]

If you were to return to your world, what state would it be in?

[And after a pause.]

What state would you be in?

You need not answer if this question is overly personal to you.

Attention, please everyone. I need some information from you all that will hopefully prove useful in our investigation of this phenomenon that has swept the prison. I would like everyone that has not suffered any symptoms of this wave of exhaustion to please come forward. I would like to compare these individuals against those that are currently experiencing extreme exhaustion, to see if there's some psychological or physiological reason for it. You may also give me the names of others if you are absolutely certain that they have been feeling no exhaustion whatsoever.

If you are one of the individuals suffering from the outbreak of the pentacles, and were previously healthy, please also say so.

[Private to the Defense Force]
I'm going to compare those that come forward against my profile, to see if anything fits. At this point, it's likely a shorter list than those affected. Our unsub is someone gathering energy for some larger purpose, likely an attack on the prison itself. At this point, if they are clearly unaffected, it would stand out. Of course, those that do say that they aren't feeling tired at all will need to be verified by us.

[Hello Marina. Have a dragon. Toothless didn't like the communicator on his head so he shook it off. It's lying on the floor somewhere, forgotten.

Toothless is flying - at least attempting to - around the dome, trying to attack the walls with blasts of blue fire. The flame does nothing against the walls, not even a singe. The dragon lets out an angry cry, launching himself at the wall in an attempt to break through. That, too, does nothing and Toothless falls to the ground. He tries headbutting the wall but still nothing happens.

He's just going to keep that up for awhile. It's got to give eventually, right?]

[In a cell inside the Defense Force HQ, Cielo has slid down against one of the walls, arms wrapped about himself. Just below the line of his black shorts, the atma marking on his leg has begun glowing a light blue. His breath's come harsh.

He'd been hoping his fears would have been proven wrong. So much for that.

The communicator is flipped on briefly, filters forgotten.] Gino. Suzaku... you do what you gotta, ja?

[The voice sounds a little far away and quiet as Haruka is examining the odd piece of equipment before he returns it to his head.]

I would assume I am not the only one present here, given the apparent nature of this place, although I am not sure I would classify as criminal.

Has anyone seen a woman named Juri?  If I've been brought here, I can't imagine she would be spared the same fate under the circumstances. 

Real bang up job the Defense Force is doing lately. They're the only ones to get robbed, we've got some sodding sleeping plague about, and now someone went and got themselves murdered all mysterious like.

Then again, it's not like it makes any difference to me one way or the other. And don't think I didn't come bearing helpful ideas. Ever considered matching uniforms? Couldn't hurt really.

[Xellos is a bit closer than usual today, unable to resist the lure of delicious feelings swirling around among the population. You might run into him -- well, anywhere. He's an expert lurker, but today he has a mind to get right in your business. Especially if you happen to be a little... upset.]

[Nothing creates fear and doubt like the explained death of an inmate. Ah, exquisite. He can't resist stirring the pot a little, though, to see what comes to the surface. His tone is entirely light and playful~]

Oh, my. Seems that people had better be careful at night -- like the good little boys and girls you are~

((OOC: For anyone not already aware, Xellos feeds on negative feelings, and he's a little hungry today. Closed thread with Ashton will contain violence.))

Anyone else expecting some kind of bloody, cursed Easter egg hunt before the day's over?

Now it really shouldn't be bugging me like this, Axel, but I've really gotta know 'cause its been nagging at me a whole day now...

No show on my Karaoke party? How rude! I think I'm even a little hurt ! What, my idea of fun isn't good enough for you? I had 'Sexy Back' all ready and tracked up and everything!

...Namine had to fill in for you, even! And while she was a sweetheart, really kid, you were swell, it just wasn't the same! So what gives? Did some better entertainment come up and you rainchecked me?

Speaking of rain, I'll be heading out to enjoy it this afternoon, thanks. Anybody else feel like puddlestompin'? I think it would make a good professional sport. Much less stressful than that baseball, I mean...have you ever seriously thought about how much it would hurt to get hit by one of those balls? Or how much they expect of that poor batter up at the bottom of the ninth? Or how tense it must be to step up to the plate with nine guys leering at you, one of 'em right there behind your back? Geez, how do you sporty types handle all the pressure?

Yep. It's just good clean puddlestomping for me. And that's your daily deep thought from Demyx.

[You just hear a laugh when the audio kicks on. It's a hollow, joyless sound. There are also the sounds of glasses clinking and a drink being poured. You might recognize it as the club.]

It wasn't one of Apocalypse's forces who were always trying to kill us.

It wasn't some flatscan who hates me for not being human.

[Another laugh. This one—still joyless, but sounding a little unstable.]

It was the only man I've ever really loved. The person I trusted most. Do you know what trust gets you, kids?

[There are a few sounds of the communicator being adjusted and then the video kicks on. It isn't playing the current scene in the club though. It doesn't show Kitty who has already had too much too drink, or maybe not enough because she can still feel. It's playing a disc she got from Acumen today. It's what happened after the point she was taken from. There wasn't that much to it really. She watches as a huge man who appears to be made of metal rampages toward her. She blocks his way, trusting him to stop, because he'd never hurt her. No matter how crazed he'd become to get to his sister, he'd never hurt the one he loves...

Except he did.]

Trust gets you dead.

[The video and audio click off.]

Everyone, especially people who arrived today, I need your attention!

[And now a quick intake of breath. This post is very difficult for her, but it's important.] You must not eat or use any of the contents of today's welcome baskets. They are potentially very dangerous. The cookies may contain pins and there could be other hazards.

If you have one, please let me know so it can be disposed of safely. If you have already eaten something and need any kind of help, please let me know so we can get you medical attention.

I'm... [Her voice trembles, and she continues much more softly.] I'm very sorry for this.

EDIT: (OOC: I should have mentioned that no baskets other than Lavi's were tampered with, so all the ones being recalled are perfectly safe.)

[At first there is just the distant sound of water running. Close, but still far enough away that what the sound could be from is hard to decipher.

It continues for some time before another sound filters in. Humming. Someone is humming a cheerful, light tune, but still this is only sound.

A light, scraping, screeching noise is heard the sound of something wet slapping against something hard and flat echoes. Slap. Slap. Scramble. Something is knocked over just as something else is moved. There is clatter.

Clack, Clack, Smack, Thunk. Click. The video comes on.

( Are you night owls ready for a show? )

{OOC: Was this an accidental post? Let your character be the judge~}

Shh, hey, easy.

[Anyone asleep right now, or awake, may be disturbed when the frantic barking and whimpering of a puppy over the network begins. Axel's voice, on the other hand, is less audible because he's set his communicator on the couch and he's at his front door. After a moment there's a clink and the door shuts completely, leaving Pluto barking insistently while he bounds over to the couch to start pawing, sniffling, just about anything attention-getting-worthy at the communicator.

Axel, after standing in silence outside the door, waves a hand out to summon forth a Corridor of Darkness before stepping through it and disappearing to some undisclosed location, without so much as a glance over his shoulder. There amongst other places far from the apartment are where he'll be and where he hopes to remain alone for however long he sees necessary.

If he wants to be able to better take care of matters at home, then he has to take some off days for himself. And if this causes him to be criticized and earn some slap to the face, so be it. Axel's tired, stressed, and above all else upset; if these don't come to pass, then things will only get worse.

So, with no form of goodbye, Axel is gone.]

((ooc: So, basically, Axel will be in hiding for the next few "days" and he will not have his communicator with him; he'll be out of touch with everyone unless you have the ability to sniff him out, in which case he'll smell you and warp away again anyway. Tl;dr it will pretty much be like he's disappeared. In the meantime, puppy is here to pull a Lassie and whimper at you. :<))

[The voice that speaks is quiet, confused.]

Where are you, Ritsuka? Why haven't you returned?

[Even more the tone becomes beseeching.]

...Please respond, Ritsuka.