[ He'd come to the library on a whim thanks to a conversation he'd had earlier. It reminded him of something, something he'd been considering ever since he landed in this place. Now the urge to read the entire selection itself was far too tempting. So there he was, volume in hand as he thumbed through the pages in search for that one passage.

You're in for a little poetry today, it seems, inmates. ]

The mind is in its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
What matter where, if I be still the same
And what I should be, all but less than he
Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free: the Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

[ And the volume is closed with a decisive thud. He takes a moment to set it down before taking his glasses off and wiping them with a handkerchief. ]

I can't help but wonder if any of you have considered that little passage in reference to our plight. It came to mind, earlier. Should we accept our fate as it is and make the most of the situation or should we fight to regain our freedom? It is after all, what we make of this place.

[ And the smallest smile. ]

Call me a curious man.

[ the beautiful, yet lazy boy appears again - surrounded by dozens upon dozens of butterflies. If anyone knows their locations, they'd know Dietrich was in the Butterfly Pavillion.]

I suppose things haven't been too horrific. For a jail, it isn't ... too bad. I'm surprisingly still in one piece, as I expected only brutes to be in a place as violent as it seemingly is projected.

Oh well- so I found a home but... this place is much more lovely. I tend to spend a lot of time here lately, I can lose myself here. It's safe~ right? I try to spend equal time in the library as well, I can capture a sense of something familiar there, anyway.

Well then, I guess I was wrong about this place -- but I won't hold my breathe forever. It's just as free as 'home' anyway.

[his voice is smile-smirking, hiding and in a way rather secretive. There's a hint of what could be sadness, but whether or not it's really there, false or truth, is hard to really tell. Either way, he'll just be here with the butterflies, dreaming of life.]

Good morning, everyone! Today is the 162nd day of the third generation, and it is still chilly, but will remain clear. I have a very important question for you all to think about today...

[Sentience pauses. The robot appears to be in the butterfly pavilion this morning, but you won't find it there, and in fact the pavilion is strangely calm; all the butterflies are perfectly still, as if sleeping.]

I know that Acumen has asked this once before, but I ask you again, sincerely. ...I want you to think about the importance of freedom, compared to the importance of safety. Would you rather that I give you the freedom to do what you wished, or would you rather that I protected you from each other, even if that means that I may have to deny you things you want, or interfere in your lives in ways you may not want?

[...after a beat] Think about it, and let me know your thoughts in the next few days.

Either way, today I have removed the debris from the former site of the Devil's Compass. As per request, I will be beginning efforts to rebuild it. Any inmate who is interested in helping in the reconstruction is welcome to do so!

And finally, Sasha, your requests have been installed in the handicraft room at the education center; and Snowman and PM, your requests are available at the shelter. You can ask any robot there, and they will retrieve it for you.

[At the entrance to Sector 5, several very long tables have been set up outside. Low light is provided by street lamps hung up just for the occasion, a cozy dining room in the middle of the street. There's turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and many, many other Thanksgiving favorites. A warm, printed message at the center of the table asks:

In the tradition of the holiday known as Thanksgiving, please feel free to enjoy this meal and think about all the things over the last year for which you are most grateful.

Come one, come all! Food covers the tables, enough for the prison's entire population, courtesy of the bots. Have a nice big dinner with your fellow inmates, and get your CR on!]

[today Sakura is at the park busying herself with the large drawing notepad in front of her. the large flowering tree in the park, planted by Amaterasu a while back, never fails to sooth her and has become one of her favorite places to be. she flips to a clean sheet of paper, rolling a crayon between her fingers in thought]

Ever since I came here I've seen all types of magic. How do you - practice your magic? Do you train? Or meditate? Kero-chan used to say that I should just leave that to time, but I want to improve now. [and it's not like she's really improving that much] And since he's not here, I wasn't sure who to ask... I know we're all from different places, but I'm sure magic exists in a lot of worlds.

[short pause] Oh, and cheerleading practice will start soon if the weather gets warmer. You can ask me about joining the team if you like.

[In the morning, residents of Marina will find Ukitake deep in meditation beside the koi pond. He has a slender katana resting across his lap, and his hands are draped lightly over his knees. Sitting perfectly still, he seems almost a statue, save for the faint stirring of his long white hair in concert with the movements of the air.

Later, he can be seen on the network, wearing a contented smile, the same katana sheathed at his side.]

It is always good to see an old friend after a separation. [He leaves unspoken that, for the first time since he arrived in Marina, a part of his soul feels whole again, the shard that was Sogyo no Kotowari no longer missing since the sword was returned to him.]

If there were one thing or person you could ask to be brought to this place, what would you choose?

[Hisoka is not happy in the slightest.

He's stuck in a dress, because Break - HE KNOWS IT WAS YOU - stole all of his clothing somehow and replaced everything with female clothing. Of course there was nothing modest or plain, not even a yukata which he would have been used to from when he was still alive, so he was forced to put on something like this.

You'd think he would stay indoors to save himself from the embarrassment, but Hisoka is determined to find Break and kill him tell him off before demanding to have his clothing back. Besides, that's where invisibilty comes in handy, right?

He'll be out and about, invisible for the most part, but hey, he can't stay like that forever since it uses energy (and people with strong spiritual powers or senses will see him even when he's using this ability) so outside the library and around the shelter he'll be visible, and wandering around the rest of the dome as well.

So, naturally people and bots will be where he is to take advatage of this yes/yes?

BREAK, YOU ARE SO DEAD WHEN HE FINDS YOU]

[ His own hand reaches up, fingers lightly stroking the cloth patch that had affixed itself where his right eye should be. A momentary look of irritation and a furrow to his brow appears but he soon dismisses it, lowering his hand as he does. With a single breath, he considers every bit of information rather abruptly force fed to him before he finally glances at the device he has.

So it's come to this. While he had been careful in covering his tracks, only leaving clues obvious to his beloved, it seemed the law came for everyone. No matter how twisted its sense of justice was. However, it doesn't surprise him. It would have taken an extraordinarily sophisticated system to have captured him. So much more to have been able to tend to his burns (minor stings now, not so much that it bothered him) and seal him off.

But there was still a trickle of power remaining.
One tiny string he could pull that seemed so familiar. Connected to a certain... doll.

Wonderful. A small message drifts through the ether in hopes to hit a particular blond shinigami. Just two words. Simple and in a familiar voice to Hisoka's mind: Hello, boy.

But there would be time for a proper hello. For know, the matter at hand. ]

Incarceration. Quite the interesting situation I seem to have landed myself in.

[ A pause as he considers what else to say. But the thoughtfulness is replaced by a rather small smile. ]

I suppose it would be only proper to introduce myself to my fellow inmates. I am Kazutaka Muraki, a doctor by profession from where I was taken from specializing in cardiology and pediatrics.

Perhaps Acumen has a twisted sense of justice to bring a man such as myself to prison.

[There's a chuckle, because Muraki is watching everything from the background, not bidding on anyone, but seeing who wins. Rido has been amusing so far, but it's obvious he doesn't have everything he needs.]

[To Rido]

You seem to be having some trouble, tonight. Would you like to have more breathing room?

[Xion's got her kimono on again (she finds it comfy) and has a big smile on her face.]

Hi, everyone! I hope you all had fun at the auction! Now that it's over, does anyone want chocolate? Minako and I made lots yesterday, but I don't know where all my friends live. If anyone wants some, we live in Sector 3.

[OOC: Takes place after the auction~ ♥]

I've been here for two weeks now... I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing... Winry and Ed are here and I've got Tama! And I've made a lot of new friends!

But I really miss Teacher... She's really strong though so I bet she's just fine. Nobody can beat her!

How long has everyone else been here...?

[ It would seem that the Master is outside the library -- it's not clear whether he's just come out of it or is just about to go inside but apparently, he is one to pay attention to the fact that one shouldn't talk inside a library. Manners: he does have them, he just doesn't always make use of them. Feel free to pester him in person.

Regardless, he glances up at the entrance to the building for a brief moment, before turning his attention back to the headset; he speaks clearly and calmly, his tone level. ]

And yet more join us. It's almost as if Sentience doesn't want us to get lonely. It really is cute, isn't it? Thoughtful, even. Or maybe quaint would be the better word. (There's a slight pause and he seems to brighten for the briefest of moments, as if remembering something.)

--Oh! But it's children's day. Next thing we know, Sentience will be arranging a prison wide game of hide and seek. I wonder what we'd find, what secrets are hidden here. (He smiles for a moment.) Because, you see, I get the feeling that there are a large number of skeletons being hidden (his tone switches to something bordering on sympathetic and compassionate) and skeletons like those are going to be woefully detrimental to the rehabilitation Sentience hopes and believes we're all capable of.

Maybe story-time would be better than hide-and-seek -- what do you think? Oh, and sleep tight. I'm sure all bed bugs have been taken care of.

Isn't she pretty?~ Her name's Beatrice!

[And Road holds up a cute doll to the screen. She looks almost exactly like a certain Golden Witch~ Except dressed in a completely different and extremely cute outfit.]

Thanks mama~ For helping me dress her! We should play again soon~ [and a smile for the camera, for those who don't know Road is referring to Jennifer~.]

( Private to Allen; )

[Private to Road]

Miss Road, are you ready for our tea party? I admit, I'm rather looking forward to it.

I have all the preparations complete for our enjoyable afternoon. I even got my doll a brand new dress just for the occasion.

{OOC: If other members of the Noah Clan want to join, just let myself or Yaywon know.

Warnings: Torture will be happening in this thread. And as always with Muraki...possible sexual content.]

This is basically a lot like Conrad's hospital post. Only people that know her / that know that she's injured can access action, but feel free to access voice! Also, for action, I'm perfectly fine with Gino / one of the defense teamers coming in to talk to her as long as they don't - uh - try to break her head open? And lmao, as much as I don't want to, exorcists can't visit her - I'm sure the bots would not take strangling as a good visitor's excuse people. But Allen can come. So it's all good.

She's still restricted to the bed, meaning she can't walk just yet and her arms are still extremely sore. Not fully recovered atm. Also lots and lots of bandages.


Huh. There's so many new people...I wonder what'll happen once Sentience runs out of room.

[soft laugh] Maybe it'll start executing us~ I mean, there's already a graveyard and all, so it's a possibility - isn't it?

[OOC:backdated]
Characters: Muraki, Xion
Location: Just outside the shelter
Time: Just after nightfall
Warnings: Muraki getting what he wants.
( Read more... )

AH HA! [You might hear subtle hints of things exploding in the background—small things! It's really more like popping. Nothing at all to concern yourself with!]

Now that the prototype is done, I'd like to—what was that phrasing again? Ah yes!—wish you all a Merry Christmas. My gifts for everyone should be making their way around.

((OOC: See this post for details on the randomized kissing couples and how Mistletoe-kun operates. Feel free to comment here directly to Anissina or to play out your random kissing—just make it clear in the subject please!))

[Tama, Al's cat, has turned the video on somehow, playing with Al's communicator. She gets bored with it soon and scampers over to Al, pawing at him and meowing a bit.

Al doesn't even acknowledge her. He's sitting up in his bed, leaning against the wall, a blanket wrapped around him. He's just... staring at the wall across the room, blinking every so often but besides that, not moving. The door to the room is open to let in what little light from the emergency lights there are.

Tama meows at him again but when he still doesn't do anything, she burrows under the warm blanket to curl up underneath it and take a nap.]

[Riku puts his communicator on in the early morning, thinking of asking anyone if they had seen Sora. He doesn't care if it's still morning, he's bothered that his best friend failed to return last night.]

( That's when he notices the breathing... )

[Riku's voice comes over the network, loud and trying to hide his panic.] Is anyone a Doctor?! It's Sora he...I don't know what's wrong. Is there a doctor or a healer or anyone?

[Muraki is in one of the commons rooms, holding a kitten in his hand, petting it.]

I found a small black kitten with green eyes wandering outside the dome. Would it happen to belong to anyone?