First.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER 1. Your searching of the building won't be for nothing; in the end, it is a building, and buildings are wonderfully finite spaces. Eventually there's an exit, and the exit isn't sealed; in fact, compared to the impartial corridors of the rest of the place, the doorway leading out seems surprisingly professional. There's a reception desk and a small waiting area, and a vending machine in the corner - it looks the way one would expect the entrance to a professional corporation to look, as opposed to something housing the large number of strange people that seems to inhabit the building. The wind is cool as it hits your face when you make your way outside - because surely, you do want to make your way outside? - and you're greeted by a city enveloped in the darkness of late-night; the building you woke up in is elevated, overlooking the rest of the buildings below from the highest point in the city. There are cobbled steps leading down to street level proper, however, and if you want to turn to get a better look at the building once you're down there, you'll find that it's not particularly inconspicuous, all things considered. There are buildings once you're down on street level, several of them; almost all of them are dark. Whether they're abandoned, closed for the night, or simply housing sleeping occupants is a bit difficult to say at the moment; however, one building seems to be lit up brightly - isn't as massive as the place you just left but it's large enough, and perhaps most importantly there's a woman standing outside of it. She's standing tall and still, and were it not for the large amounts of blonde hair cascading down her back and framing her face, she might be difficult to see - she's dressed all in black, in a long duster coat and pants, and her arms are folded across her body as she watches the building. Her expression is calm; it's difficult to tell much else without approaching her, to see if she's exactly like everyone else you just left behind, but as soon as you approach and she's able to take a look at the rest of you... She smiles. The expression is gentle, understanding, though there's a hint of concern in her features; it easily reaches her eyes, and she tips her head while studying those of you she can see in the light from the building behind her. "Well! You are all a sight for sore eyes." When she speaks her voice is warm, affectionate in a manner that one might expect from a friend or maybe an older sister; she glances behind her, toward the lit-up building with its orange roof, before she turns back to you, beckoning you inside after her. The room you're led into is large and open, with a courtesy desk with a large set of machines behind it, and a woman stationed there as though it's her job; the blonde looks at her for a moment, pursing her lips as though bothered by something, and it isn't difficult to see why - the woman is one of the strange ones, one of the ones that don't seem to respond properly to much, stock-still and dead behind the eyes. She doesn't address her, though; she just gestures as though inviting all of you to sit - there are benches near the wall, though some of you may not mind taking the floor. There are stairs nearby, and that's where she takes up station herself, walking up a couple of steps before turning and settling on them, hands on her knees. She smiles again when she addresses you, though the expression is a little subdued. "My name is Cynthia. I'm sure you have a lot of questions; we have a lot to catch up on."

Comments

[factorization]

I'll take a guess at this point.

[azumods]

There was an incident several years ago, involving the leader of the group you just left. He was determined to create a world without spirit, to destroy the things that give the world life and meaning. The people here are still alive, but...you've seen them. You know how they are. What he did...it technically accomplished what he wanted, even if it was at a terrible price.

...I think it's possible that he wants to extend it to other places. Other worlds beyond this one. But I can't say for sure; it's been a long time since I've seen him.

[factorization]

[Alice puts a few things together.]

Would it be too far-fetched to say we've been here an extended period of time as people without spirit?

[Her face tenses a bit.]

[azumods]

[There we go.]

I don't know exactly when you got here. But I wouldn't say it's far-fetched at all.

[factorization]

[She clicks her tongue.]

That's unsettling.

[That's all she can really say on that and all she's willing to say. She gets the feeling that's all she's going to get of that topic, so moving on.]

So were these guys-- [She motions to her Bounsweet.] --assigned to us, then? It's been following me around like a lost puppy.

[enjoymyatelier]

...I don’t have any memory of that, though. I definitely remember feeling very off when I woke up, but I wonder if the sudden jolt to our systems caused some sort of amnesia when it comes to the time between us arriving here and tonight.

[discutio]

[don't mind him just internally losing his fucking mind over here and almost definitely plotting murder.]

[anythingforyou]

[...Oh, that's just fucking lovely. The idea of her siblings as emotionless husks, walking about with no spirit, it manages to get a smile on Camilla's face that isn't particularly nice.]

So, what exactly is our best course of action, in this case? Because if he's this far gone...it sounds like the best course of action would be to put him out of his misery before he gets his hands on anyone else. For the sake of others, of course!

[CAMILLA, NO, THIS IS THE WRONG GENRE OF GAME TO BE SUGGESTING THAT--]

[discutio]

[oh, mood.]

[eudaimonikos]

I think that sounds perfectly ethically acceptable.

[Michael's smile suddenly doesn't look quite so normal and human, too sharp and not touching his eyes.]

[semistableman]

[See icon.]

[anythingforyou]

[...that's kind of creepy, but you know what, you do you sir, you're okay.]

[niceoppai]

You're immediately jumping to that!?

[anythingforyou]

And why shouldn't I? She said it herself, that the man has been getting away with such things for quite some time, and he likely won't stop until he believes the many worlds fit what he wants.

I'm simply suggesting some...finality, to all of this suffering without spirit.

[There's more selfish intentions behind it, for sure, but Camilla is just kind of staring like. There are people who don't want him dead?

[azumods]

Absolutely not.

[Her tone is sharp there, far moreso than it has been this entire time, and her expression has gone strangely hard.]

You're going to leave him to me - what happened to you is unfortunate, but I'm going to do what I can to help get you back home to your worlds and your families.

[anythingforyou]

...Very well; by your hand alone, then.

[You know what, that is actually something she can get? She's. Admittedly getting this in a very 'this is my kill, my business, leave him to me', and that she understands. It's Cynthia's business, and Camilla finds her hand going back into Deino's fur at that.

Though, man, getting back home, that's...oh boy.]

How long do you suspect such procedures will take? ...Is there any assurance that we won't simply find ourselves back in this state?

[hyruglyphics]

[ On the one hand, terrifying...?

On the other, she's certain of one thing above all else: Link wouldn't lose. Let's see this man just try to hurt Hyrule. ]

[ventulus]

... He needs to be stopped.

[ He turns around, looking towards the exit and then back at her. He's caught between thinking of running out of here to try to stop him but also he learned he can't summon his Keyblade here, so. ]

[azumods]

Believe me, I intend to do that very thing.

Leave him to me. I can't allow the rest of you to get involved.

[discutio]

...I disagree.

We're involved whether you permit it or not, Cynthia. If this plague of sorts threatens our worlds, then it has very swiftly become our problem. Much as I admit returning as soon as possible needs to be our priority, that would not solve the root problem by the sound of things.

[ventulus]

...but it doesn't make any sense to leave this all just to you!

[ He can't let someone do all of this by themselves. It wouldn't be right.

He's decided. ]

Besides, we're all involved anyway, right?

[divinedescendant]

Forgive me, but I think it's too late for that.

[firm and steady, voice rising some maybe in hopes of speaking above the murder scramble???]

If being taken so far from perhaps our very worlds, if I'm understanding all this correctly, weren't enough to involve us, the threat all of this poses to our beloved homes certainly would be. I think we are rather past the point of permission.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

E...everyone else is right, you know?

[He twiddles his fingers nervously.]

Besides, we're here, right? We should at least do something...

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

HUUUUUUUUH!?

[What? Just...what? All of this sounds, to borrow a phrase from Taki, IMPOSSIBLEEEEEEEE.]

Wait, but...how did he even do that?! How can one guy even erase the spirit of everyone in a world? That just sounds... [Impossible. Yes. He's already thought that.]

[azumods]

...He was able to obtain great power, through means about as terrible as his goals.

[...It was. A mess.]