[Jin has a chair tilted back as he looks over the Go-Busters' weapons, working on repairs.]

Man, that Escape was something else. You know, it figures--you meet a pretty avatar and she tries to kill you.

[That's when the virus hits. And before he has the chance to register that he's suddenly younger, he falls backwards and hits the floor.]

OW!

[A pause as he realizes what that means.]

...That should not hurt that bad. J!

[It looks like this time Orlando is sitting in front of a campfire at night. His surroundings aren't very clear, obscured by the light and the smoke from the fire, though there is the sound of someone else snoring. Though he's in the same simulated body, Orlando himself appears to be in better shape than he was in the last video that came from his account. For one, sitting up doesn't seem to be a struggle.]

Hey, community. There's been a lot going on, so I haven't really...updated here. [He shifts, settling his weight back a little.]

We're still online, in this network. Nobody knows why we can't get offline. But there's this guy- [He almost says the name, "Sellers," but at the last moment wonders if that might be an unnecessary risk to the man.] He helped get us all here, people from all over, because he wanted people to help him stop the people in charge of the network. They're some of the most powerful people in the world and...they're not good. [His expression darkens.] They've been doing things to kids. Putting them in comas.

[His look becomes direct. Determined. Sincere.] So we're going to stop them. [After a moment, a trace of embarrassment or doubt passes over him.] Or at least we're going to try.

[He looks off to the side.] Fredericks and I got separated from the others, though, so we'll have to find them first.

Um. I guess that's it.

[Kefka isn't nearly as ridiculously dressed as usual today; he's in green, lots of green, green everywhere, from the feathers in his hair and his eye shadow to his jacket and nail polish. His make up is plainer than usual as well, giving his skin a sallow look.]

Does anyone know what kinds of foods Retasu likes? How about favorite color? Is it safe to assume green?

[ the Doctor sounds a bit... well, shell-shocked, today. and slightly out of breath, as if he'd just run into his ship from the outside and got her into the air before immediately switching the mike on. ]

Right. Well, all things considered, that could've gone worse.

[ raising his voice a little, he announces: ] Bit of advice for you all: if you ever happen to be caught in a tight spot with an Oruplasmian, whatever you do, don't let her try and solve the problem by swallowing it. You think you've seen bad indigestion in whatever your species is, let me tell you, you haven't seen anything until you've had to tangle with the Oruplasmian digestive system.

[ beat. ]

Oh, and while I'm here, has anyone else noticed that Kirei Kotomine and Goldilocks's world has been locked off? Someone might want to look into that, just a thought. Any other time the community's restricted access to a world, it's never been good.

[ another beat, a longer one, this time. ]

Oh, and all those dealing with a virused friend over the next few days, remember to stay in touch. The personality switching ones can be a bit on the hairy side.

Right, I think that's pretty much everything. Ta much!

[It's Orlando's journal, all right, but things are looking different today. For one, there's the young man lying on the sand, with a black cloak draped over him, in front of palm trees and other vegetation which suggest a tropical beach. He looks to be in his late teens, or perhaps very early twenties. His long black hair is tied loosely into a ponytail, his skin is well-tanned, and what is visible of his body seems toned enough for him to be a professional athlete, or an actor from an action flick. In fact, the general look of him says "B fantasy movie character." Anyone who has seen footage of Orlando playing the Middle Country might think that this looks like a younger version of his "Thargor" character.

But there's something off about the young man. For all that he appears to be in the prime of health, he doesn't move like it. The way his chest rises and falls suggests someone seriously ill, for whom breathing is a battle.

That's not the only thing that's off, though. There's something bigger. All of this- the sand, the palm trees, the hairs that aren't contained by the man's ponytail- they all lack that little lag in movement, that little sense of the lines and shadows being wrong. Everything looks completely real.

But it can't be, can it?

The man opens his eyes, and turns his head towards the camera. He appears confused for a few moments, frowning vaguely.]

The community? [And that is definitely Orlando's voice, though weak and strained. A small smile forms on his face, before he pulls his head to his chest to cough. It's a violent sound. But when he rests his head, he returns to facing the community, and speaks again.]

I wish Fredericks could see this. [A pause. And something behind his eyes is ignited.] Fredericks. [With what is apparently great effort, he turns, and lifts himself shakily on one elbow.] Someone has to tell his parents- both our parents, that we're...that we're here.

[He starts to cough again, and the video ends.]

[Those of you who have spoken to Kirei in person before may have noted that he sounds very flat and monotone.

Well.

He doesn't now.]

If a superior made a mistake, would it be your duty to correct them? Or would you let them flounder in their own errors? I suppose it would depend on how severe the error is, if nothing else. Some mistakes are just small missteps in judgment, after all. It's almost impossible to know everything all at once.

But there are some mistakes that can only be made once. Ones so large that they can't be taken back. You become stuck upon a path, winding outward from the consequences of your actions. Inevitably, those consequences must come back to us.

If the person above you made a mistake of that magnitude...

Well.

Would you be one of those consequences?

[Casually, in the background:]

It appears that Kotomine Kirei is rather long-winded, today.


(OOC: gold = gilgamesh. Also, people trying to worldhop into fate/zero verse will now find it worldlocked! nobody's coming in or out. We runnin' this!)

I want to know about the different kinds of "worldhopping."

Do some of them work when others don't?


(( OoC: Her world is sealed off, for the safety of all not already there. ))

[shinji breathes into the microphone, static erupting through the speakers in short bursts.  he sounds as if he's been pushed past the verge of tears and onto the brink of absolute panic, but he has to do this.  he has to.]

Kaworu-kun...he's gone.  It was strange that he was gone so early this morning, but I didn't think about it.  Now it's been hours and he's not back.  I called his job and his phone.  They haven't seen him and he won't answer.  All his things are here.  Even his violin is here.  He'd never leave without it.  I can't find him.  He disappeared.  Kaworu left.

[an audible gulp, a shaky sigh.] And I can't find him at all.  Tell me you've heard from him.

Please.

So, it would appear that our mysterious campus super-thief has struck again. By which I really mean they've gone and struck me, so whoever it was that snuck into my office through the window that was locked, reset the trip wire they set off, rifled through all of my stuff, and then put it back in almost exactly the same places as they were when they found it before nicking off with my book about ancient Chinese medicines - well, in all honesty I'm impressed at your persistence and your commitment to a job well done, actually. But if it's all the same to you, I'd still like my book back. Just a friendly warning, I'll get it back one way or another so I'd really rather we do it the easy way rather than the hard one.

Oh, and people taking my history class this semester, don't forget your papers are due in noon on Tuesday. Right, I think that's more or less everything. Ta!

[ Hey look everyone, it's the (tenth) Doctor! He's got his sleeves rolled up, his screwdriver in his mouth, his brainy specs on and... well, let's be honest, grease on his face. Attractive. He also seems to be inside the cockpit of a futuristic-looking spaceship, whose lights are glowing attractively blue, red and green at varying points on consoles all around him. He waves brightly and takes the screwdriver from his mouth, beaming. ]

Hello everyone, it's been a while! Isn't she beautiful? [ "she" would be the ship, evidently. ] Took me months to get to this point but you're looking at a fully-refurbished, world-hop capable ship! Well, almost fully-refurbished, there's still a few tweaks that need to be made, tiny parts that need installing, but she's almost ready for a testrun and honestly, I can't wait. Needed to show her off to someone so why not the entire multiverse, hmm?

Anyway, that's not the only reason I was posting, I also have two other points. [ he leans back a little on his hunkers and holds up a finger. ] A! Other-me, can we have a chat? Someone gave me a bit of an idea not too long ago but it's slipped my mind till now, and now I'm almost world-hop capable again it could be the perfect time to start trying it out if you're willing.

Two. [ pause. no, that's not right. ] B, whatever. This is a message for all the rest of you, public service announcement if you like. [ suddenly, he's not smiling anymore. actually, he looks deadly serious. ] The bloke who turned up recently asking everyone if they missed him? You know, arrogant, terrible sense of humour, questionable morals, really, you can't miss him. He's an old enemy of mine and an even older friend - trust me, you don't wanna ask questions, it's complicated - and while I'm fairly certain there's not much harm he can do here outright, at least not at the moment, he's still pretty hypnotic and a lot more dangerous than he looks and you lot need warning. 'Course, if you really wanna talk to him there's not much I can do about it, but for all our sakes don't do anything too pig-headedly stupid when you do, alright? If you trust him you almost deserve everything you get. [ wow ten rude ]

... oh wait, I lied, there is one more thing. It's Setsuna F Seiei's birthday today and you should all wish him very many happy returns if you see him. [ winning smile! yep, he fully expects to get killed for that one, Setsuna. |D ]

Anyway, I think that's it. Ta much!

Is this really how time works for normal people? You know... everything going by slowly, in the right order, with big long periods of nothing?

How on earth do any of you cope?

[The video is switched on - actually switched on as opposed to turned on by community means - and for a second all you can see is a large hand obscuring most of the camera as whoever the hand belongs to adjusts it.]

There, that's better. [That voice might sound awfully familiar to you all - a little hoarse still from disuse, but still familiar. And then the hand is drawn away to rub awkwardly at the back of a very familiar looking neck. It's the Tenth Doctor, finally awake and undoubtably very much alive. And, incidentally, wearing a red shirt and a pair of jeans that are at least one or two sizes too big, draping off his skinny frame and giving him the look of a man wearing his dad's clothes. He sucks his lips in a little, looking incredibly awkward.]

Erm. Well. 'lo there, everyone. It's been a while. [His lips quirk up in a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.] I'm - well, I'm not really sure what to say in this situation. Not that I haven't done the "surprise, I'm not dead" speech before, but that was always - [he sighs] - well, it was always a bit different to this.

[He props his chin in his hands as he speaks.] Long story short, I'm alive - well, obviously - and I only just woke up a couple of hours ago so I'm still sorting through a lot of the details myself. It's all a bit fuzzy, to be honest, and can you believe that I was out cold for over a month? [He suddenly sounds scandalised, indignant, as if the idea of him being out of action for that long is unthinkable. It's the closest to normal he's sounded for this whole message, but he sobers up quickly.] Anyway. I'm still not entirely sure how, I think the TARDIS and the community both might've had something to do with it, but I'm alright, safe and sound on Tieria and everyone's world. Just thought you should all know.

[There's a pause, and then he asks, voice sounding innocently curious:] So did I miss anything good while I was out?

[The feed appears to be coming from a security camera. A library security camera, no less, although there aren't many books about in this particular section. Just a large computer core overhead, and nearby, a set of computer banks dotted about. The area is brightly lit with all sorts of light sources, things that the various volunteers have brought along to keep the shadows at bay. Speaking of all the volunteers, you can see them in the video too, all looking at one thing with various expressions on their faces; of shock, surprise, relief, or even just interest.

What are they looking at? Well, it might just be the form of the not-quite-so-dead Tenth Doctor, standing there with a dazed look on his face.]

.... Hi.

[And that's all he manages to get out before he collapses into a dead faint on the floor, and the feed cuts out.]


((ooc: If your character was one of the volunteers who went to the Library, feel free to assume that they were here in this video and/or action spam to your hearts' content if you so desire! The Doctor will be taken to the G00 world to recover and that's what world he will be on until further notice. c:))

Hey, community. This is important, so listen up.

I know a lot of you were friends with the Doctor. Well, I've got good news and bad news.

The good news is, his death might not have been so permanent, and for once the community might have worked in our favour. He's in the code. He's data right now, saved onto the community, and believe me I know how crazy that sounds. It means, though, that we can get him out again, like printing off a new file. We just have to go to a planet on his world called the Library. There's a computer system there that can do it.

Then there's the bad news. The Library's infested by something called the Vashta Nerada, and by the sounds of it they're pretty deadly. Carnivorous, fast, live in the shadows, and we'd have to get past them all the way into the core of the Library. Talk about a dangerous mission, right?

Anyway, that brings me to the point of this post. I'm looking for volunteers; people to bring bright lights and keep the shadows at bay, people to distract them somehow, and people to help connect the community to the computer system of the library. It's a big risk, and I won't lie - for anyone who goes, there'll be a real danger that you'll get hurt or worse. These things don't sound like they play nice. But I know I'm not the only one who wants to see the Doctor alive again, and I know we've got some powerful people on this place, even if conventional weapons won't work against the Vashta Nerada.

And if you can't come, you can still help. Suggestions for how you distract deadly carnivorous shadows, anyone?