Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride

What the hell happened to the crabs? They look like Legion!

Normally I'd say don't anyone go out there without a weapon, but...don't anyone go out there alone, I don't care if you're armed or not. Just don't do it.

Hey, Harry? Kind of a weird question, but-

Why don't you ever make eye contact with anybody? I mean, I've noticed you do with Riza and Thomas, but no one else.

-yeah, it's a weird question. I'm just curious.

[It's obvious this is accidental. There's silence for a few seconds, then a sharp gasp followed by shaky breathing. She's obviously not taking the news very well...for good reason]

...that...Oh God that could have been me...

[The shaky breathing goes on for a bit but finally calms down as the recording times out]

[Private//Easy]

[She sounds...distressed. Very distressed. There's a reason for this.]

Harry...Harry's gone. He's disappeared, just like- like- God damn it!

Sora too- other people...the same ones we talked about,and more...

...I hate being right sometimes.

[/Private]

[She sounds a bit more resolved, but she's definitely still upset - again, there's a reason for it]

Look. I know it's bad. Running into Central Park is not the damn answer. Last time someone tried that, we wound up with our homes run over by an angry monster. Now there's two of 'em. Like hell do we want that again.

Everyone calm the hell down. Search parties are forming. If you're that damn desperate to help someone, join one and help them.

[Screened to Riku, Chrno, and Spin//Easy]

Riku. Chrno. Spin. Tell me you're alright.

[/Screen]

[Screened to Terra//Easy]

Terra, I'm going searching with Thomas and Riza. Come with me?

[/Screen]

[Screened from Zetta//Easy]

Hey, Harry? Remember the book? The really annoying one?

It's back.

...it's not exactly a book anymore, either.

I think I might be in trouble. It remembers the stickers.

[The following is a note pushed under Harry's door. She wants this to be a bit more private than the network]

Harry,

I need to talk to you. I don't know how Something ha Riku It's Let me know when you have time.

Rosette

I'm guessing everyone's seen this by now:

Processing...channel open

Special section CFP-TCI
Requesting civilian identification
Limited timeframe: respond immediately

Repeat: requesting civilian I.D and location

What the hell is going on.

[Voice Post - cuts out intermittantly with bursts of static]

I'm guessing ever-

[SSSSSSSSST]

-ost on the network. Any idea w-

[SSSSSSSSSSST]

-m going to wri-

[SSSST]

-ys, just in case. Th-

[SSSSSSSSSST]

-e nervous. Twelve hours 'til-

[This time the static is followed by a popping noise, and the post ends abruptly due to massive technological failure]

[She sounds harried, but she's not freaking out - there's quite a bit of intensity, though]

Jesus Christ why are there two of them-

If you're not okay, tell me. I can come help.

If you are okay, tell me anyway.

[Screened from Rolo and Zero//Easy]

Rolo's acting pretty damn suspicious. I'm pretty sure he's working with Zero somehow.

Is there anyone else from their world, or anyone who knows about them? I want this figured out.

[/Screen]

[Private//Easy]

...pitchfork-wielding mob, huh...

...Just because he sounds like Aion doesn't mean he is.

[/Private]

So there's a masquerade tomorrow night. Is anyone going?

Axel, you're taking Freudia, right?

[Screened from "Zero"//Easy]

While we're at it, is anyone going to the speech this Zero guy is giving? It's been a while since I've seen a melodrama, so I want to know when to laugh and boo the bad guy.

[/Screen]

Harry.

There's a ring on Riza's finger. Her left ring finger.

Is there something you'd like to tell me?

Hey Axel! What's going on between you and Freudia? She's not telling me a thing, so I thought I'd ask you instead.

[Have a voice post with a very upset Rosette. Somebody is not happy at the recent turn of events]

What happened.

No heat. No water. Sunday's gone again.

What the hell is going on.

[Sigh]

We should probably stay together, at least. More people for warmth and all that.

Does anybody know how much water is left at the supply centers? We'll probably have to tighten up rations on that...

[Have another voice post, and while you're at it have a reeeeeeally angry Rosette. She's ranting and making furious incoherent noises, though her language (when understandable) is foul enough to turn the air blue. Needless to say, she's really not happy about this turn of events]

Rrrrrgh dammit you have got to be KIDDING ME! They killed that thing! It was DEAD! I went down there and saw it myself! How on- How the hell did it-

And we're missing another day! Great! Just GREAT!

[A bit more rambling and swearing, and then a "flump" - she's probably thrown herself on the couch. After a minute or two of semi-successful attempts to calm down, she gets up and heads back to the computer. She's not yelling anymore, but she's definitely still terse]

...so.

What do we do now?

[Voice post - she's completely stunned]

It...it's dead. They actually killed it.

...

[heh] Guess we really will have something to give thanks for tomorrow.

[/post]

Looks like the poison idea's in place, then. Let me know if I can do anything.

And Riku everybody...be careful.

First of all, anybody have any idea what the hell that message was or where it came from? It's gotta be someone pretty high up if they took over the whole network for an hour.

I wrote it down (though I didn't think it'd just disappear like that, jeez):

This message is classified
Unit H85244
Special section CFP-TCI
Priority one request coordinates/status re:
CV-102
CV-108
CV-109
Transmission in the blindzone: I.D. required
Request immediate response
End transmission

I don't know about anybody else, but I couldn't reply to it. It looks like somebody's looking for something - three somethings, actually. It sounds pretty important...I get the feeling we weren't supposed to see it at all, though.

So the monster dropped a whale. Whose bright idea was it to eat the thing?

Think about it. It's been dead for a while, the monster's been chewing on it, and like everything else the monster touches, it's probably covered in crabs.

How the hell is any of that worth it?

[Screened from Zetta//Easily Hackable]

Does anybody know where the book is? I...owe it a favor.

[/Screen]

[Voice post - there's pretty deep exhaustion audible in her voice, and it's much weaker than normal, but she's pretty determined to get back on track. At least she's not sick anymore~]

Hey...been too long since I've done this. [weak laugh]

I know it's been a while...October, right? What did I miss?

And Sora...thank you. I really owe you one.

[recorder clicks off]

[Guys, this is also kind of a chance for me to get caught up too. XD]