They say dead men don't tell tales...

[warriorscribe]

Characters: Enoch and...a sheet of paper, I guess(locked/forward dated), Enoch and Naoya(forward dated), Enoch and anyone!
Setting: Sauna; Floor 100; Floor 101; Floor 78
Format: I'll match!
Summary: Enoch hangs out for a bit on an unlikely floor and then does something more expected. And then a week later goes to do something even more expected!
Warnings: Nothing I can think of!

A - Forward-dated to July 10th, Sauna(Locked)

Enoch had waited this long - he might have waited longer, but he thought Ruana might have exhausted herself after being up so long. She did have to sleep a lot, she'd said. He was going to do just as he'd originally planned, to hide the manila envelope beneath his armor and just walk back up to the elevator, but that changed when a group of Husks rushed him outside the sauna, pushing him inside by happenstance. The damp air conducted their attacks well, though Enoch was well-rested this time around - despite losing some armor, he fended them off, eventually closing the sauna door on the last one as he cut it in half.

After a moment while he held the envelope to his chest, he looked at the closed door, recovering from the pain. It was lucky he had his armor, considering what that electricity would have done to his muscles...

There was a worker unit just outside too (the monsters interrupted its path to actually get in there) but...well, that was fortunate, wasn't it? If he was quick about it, he could get out of there having had a glance at what Dax had wanted to show them, and make some plans. He dismissed his armor and leaned against the sauna wall, wiping off as much sweat on his jeans as he could so as to keep the paper itself as dry as possible as he reads it over.

B - July 2nd, Floor 100

Earlier that month, Enoch sat on this floor, looking at the memory of the house he and Armaros shared in Meridian. He sat facing the fireplace that he and Armaros took comfort before in the winter, eyes focused somewhere beyond as he contemplated their future should they restore their worlds. Meridian...

...Even if they went back, Sola would be killed. Even if everything was restored, Meridian would become a nightmare.

But if everything was restored... He can't leave Armaros alone with his soulless body. He would have no choice but to return...

...And then, for a split second, it was gone. Enoch's attention snapped back to reality and he looked around at the illusion. Nothing seemed to change further. But for a moment, it had changed... Or, no, become what it really was.

Enoch stood and headed for the stairs.

C - July 2nd, Floor 101

He could be found hours later wandering this floor, seeming to be hunting for something. It was a leisurely hunt; his gaze lingered on exotic flowers and his palm brushed the trunk of a gnarled olive tree. It was peaceful, if hot outside now. He could deal with heat well enough...besides, he was looking for something specific...

...And then it flickered again, and Enoch smiled as his eyes immediately sought out the one bit of green. He made his way to the sapling, and knelt beside it again.

"It's hot," he said. "I'll have to bring you water, won't I?"


D - Forward-dated to July 10th, Floor 78 (locked to crouching_sin)

Enoch could be found after the incident in the sauna, wandering the rows of mailboxes and counting the ones with names. He had a notebook tucked under his arm.

Or he might be found after that, curled up in a corner of the room and writing something in that notebook. Once he'd filled a page, he tore it out and set it aside, and began anew. Most of the papers were face-down, but absently he set one up face-up. If one were to approach, one would see it was filled with repetitions of the same thing:

We apologize deeply for the events of last month. We never wished to harm anyone, but the demons needed to be let free before we could find hope. So let us do so together. You can find a few of us on the masquerade floor - remove your mask when you enter, so we know you are truthful about wishing to seek hope with us.

Regards,
Pandora

((ooc: Replies won't be immediate and will be massively slow, as work is incredibly intense right now. It should calm down by the 4th (at which point a pair of follow-up posts will appear.) Relatedly, I'm sorry this post is so boring, my more action/horror idea just isn't feasible on so little brainpower, and besides it doesn't work with this month's food situation...))

Comments

A

[animusnpcs]

[At the top of the paper, which is more of a very thin sheet of plastic with writing on it, is the number eight in a box. Beneath is the following:]

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

[crouching_sin]

Naoya doesn't expect mail most days, but checking the mail is a little bit of normalcy in this madhouse. So it's no surprise that he finds Enoch there - and he heads over, mildly curious as to what he's writing.

"Enoch."

[warriorscribe]

Enoch looks up at the sound of Naoya's voice, immediately smiling. "Great-uncle! Your timing is perfect."

He was going to just let the mass-mail do its thing, but if Naoya can figure it out himself first they can cut out that part of the plan.

[crouching_sin]

"Is it? What are you working on?"

He sits down next to Enoch, looking over at his notebook. "You're too kind for your own good. You don't need to apologize."

[warriorscribe]

"Ah..." Enoch gathered up the paper he'd used and closed it inside the notebook. "You may not feel it, but I do. I never wanted to hurt anyone..."

He shakes his head and stands - sorry his hesitance made you sit down, but he doesn't want to show Naoya this where they can be watched. "Never mind that, come with me."

By this point, Naoya should be expecting to be led to the restrooms when anything like this happens, shouldn't he?

[crouching_sin]

Ah, well. Fine then. He stands, tucking his hands into his pockets and nodding to Enoch to lead on.

[warriorscribe]

And Enoch will lead him up to the nearest floor with an elevator.

"There was hope to be found, after all of that..."

Come to think of it, did he ever show Naoya the note that led him to this?

[crouching_sin]

Depends which note. There's been several. Aka the mun has had no sleep again.

"Heh. There tends to be that in the strangest of places."

Even if it's just watching someone grow, even if it's just watching the sun set... there's hope somewhere.

[warriorscribe]

The one that had come with the research, the one that said there was research everywhere and warned them ahead of time they had a year left - and said the protection on pre-disaster information was now gone.

Of course, Enoch doesn't entertain that thought for very long, excited at the prospect of freeing everyone from the tower.

He just smiles at his ancestor's words, refraining from making a comment about his own faith in humanity, and leads him to the men's first floor restrooms, speeding up to lose their stalkers if they'd caught up somehow from the elevator ride. Once there, he dismisses his armor, letting the manila folder beneath it fall into his free hand, and he hands it to Naoya.

"We should be able to read it now...though I didn't understand a word of it."

[crouching_sin]

Naoya raises an eyebrow at the paper, before grinning.

"I know exactly what this is. Let me see your pencil and notebook."

He flips to a blank page and starts writing down the message, and then again with proper grammar and capitalization.

"... Well then. This is... quite interesting. I'll need to make some fresh copies of this. We need enough to fill all of the mailboxes several times and enough to post at least one on every floor and in every room. I'll take care of broadcasting this to the network."

[warriorscribe]

Enoch takes the completed message from Naoya, reading it over. Souls being torn out had happened before? Before them? By what necessity? Was it what this tower had been researching? And souls splitting...no, that wasn't as horrifying as Ruana eating them. Had it been Dax's soul she'd eaten with his heart? Was their former host not at rest?

And then it got worse. All those names in the graveyard weren't just people stranded in that horrible loneliness. If it wasn't enough to face that torture for a year more, now they would be drained of their very existence...

There was nothing now that could convince him Ruana was not a demon.

Enoch swallows and continues reading with shaking hands. Not...not everything was as fake as it seemed? Surely he meant their powers. There was something odd about them - that powers supposedly illusion could kill proven real monsters...

Finally, he lowered his hand and addressed Naoya, voice carefully even.

"I'll write copies, myself... I have one more notebook with five hundred pages inside."

The network, though... he would have to show the original paper to the terminals too, like it said. And if he could explain that there have been results produced...

"I...perhaps my apology should be over the network." He looks at the original paper, running his thumb over the last line of code.

[crouching_sin]

"There's a mimeograph in the library. All we have to do is find supplies. If nothing else we can use monster blood for ink, and making a stencil should be... well. I'll see what I can find."

He thinks for a moment, and then grins.

"I'll take care of broadcasting it to the network. You can show the paper to the terminals on your own, but I'm pretty sure I've got a way to make this work. It won't be the first time I've done this kind of thing."

[warriorscribe]

"A mimeograph?" Enoch doesn't have any idea what Naoya is talking about. He's seen that strange machine- oh.

"So is that what it's for?" And they need ink for it... "I think there's paint in the workshop, that might be safer to use as ink if we can find none."

[crouching_sin]

"Yes. It's a... well. In my time it's a bit outdated, but it's still fine to use. Paint would work better though, probably. It can make a large number of copies quickly."

He looks back down at the message and hmms thoughtfully.

"This information is quite important. We need to distribute this as soon as we can."

[warriorscribe]

Fast. Right. He can act quickly - his response is immediate.

"How quickly can we gather the materials to use the mimeograph? Would it be faster for me to write copies for the mailboxes while you work on that?"

He needs to know how he can be of most use. They both have retrieval units following them, even if they have outrun them for the time being, so the faster they get this out, the better.

[crouching_sin]

"I can rewrite it in a mostly neutral hand. It's important that we keep that part as unidentifiable as possible. We're going to need a great deal of paper - how many notebooks do you have? Clean white paper would be best, but we'll make do with what we have. I have some notebooks as well."

The biggest problem though... hm.

"We also need a piece of rubber about so big."

He indicates the dimensions with his hands. "Too small and we won't be able to fit all of the words on it - too big and it won't fit the machine. I'm not sure where we can find a solid piece of rubber that big - maybe from the workshop. We'll also need the paint. We'll probably have to dilute it with some water to get it thin enough that it won't clog the machine."

[warriorscribe]

Rubber...?

*He's seen it but doesn't know what it's called. Guess what region didn't have latex-producing trees?*

[crouching_sin]

It's a bendable material. It can be many different colors, but traditionally it's dyed black.

[warriorscribe]

Oh... I think I've seen it from time to time in the workshop, but not very often. Must it be rubber?
*In case they can't find any, that is...*

[crouching_sin]

It would be ideal, but any flexible material that we can carve into will work.

[warriorscribe]

Good...I'm certain we can find something in that workshop. We should get to work quickly.