(no subject)

[deloreandriver]

Characters: Waver, Marty, anyone else that stayed topside
Setting: Hidden Floor
Format: Any
Summary: Let's figure out that exhaustion thing!
Warnings: TBA

[The Hidden floor is probably the safest place in the Tower right now, but "safe" is relative when everybody is starting to feel the effects of the new threat.

The infiltration team has a dangerous job, but how well can those who stayed behind prepare for the aftermath when they have their own crisis to deal with?]

[This is a mingly log! Feel free to post your own subthread!]

Comments

[deloreandriver]

[Marty's sitting on the floor, squinting at some blank papers he had taped to the wall. Some have scribbles on them, others just a mark or two.

Trying to figure out what's going on, really. What he needs is data... but that's in short supply right now.

With a yawn, he rubs his hands over his face and flops over on his back.

Poke, pester, annoy?]

[fionnuisce]

...Are these supposed to make sense?

[Waver frowned at Marty's papers--his own exhaustion was beginning to manifest as annoyance.]

[childhero]

[Link is originally just passing by, but upon seeing the mess he has to stop.

... and he has to ask.]

What are you doing?

[oathshackledbird]

[Once the infiltration team is on their way to look into things with Riki, Diarmuid sets his own plans in motion. Since they have no idea how things are going to go or how Riki will react, he still wants to move as many people and supplies as possible to the hidden floor. He's not going to force anyone, but he can't help but think it best to prepare for a worst case scenario. It's the Tower. They all too often happen.

However, he has only covered a few floors when he realizes that something is wrong. He doesn't feel...right. It's like his energy level is not what it should be. Immediately, he checks his bond with Waver and everything is fine there. So...what is going on?

It's only after a second pass through the Tower that Diarmuid realizes some floors cause the weakness to grow worse faster. As he arrives back on the hidden floor after his third round...he has to give in and take a break. To be honest, Diarmuid realizes as he sits down against a wall to watch those who have come up, that he probably should not make anymore rounds. He doesn't know how many total went down to infiltrate, and he can't just keep wasting energy when he has no idea what is coming next.

After he rests for a moment, he will make sure Waver and whoever else wants to know, knows about the fact that the drain gets stronger on some floors. That has to mean something, right? Even if he can see no real pattern in which floors cause it...]

[deloreandriver]

Everything okay downstairs?

[Marty noticed the resting and broke off from what he was doing to wander by.]

Need anything? Some girl left tea up here.

[provenworth]

[Elena has been a quiet, silent figure in the background, assisting people as they come onto the floor, giving them helpful instructions or information. There's an anxious, pressing feeling that she ought to have joined in the infiltration team - ought to be with Reno and Xion and Shion. But she's also very aware of her own inabilities - perceived or otherwise - and that she would more likely get in the way She's worried about them, terribly so, though she's careful to keep her expression neutral.]

....You look exhausted.

[Or something close too it. Elena is squatting beside him, arms resting loosely atop her knees.]

[fionnuisce]

I didn't expect you back this soon.

[Waver knelt down in front of him, not bothering to hide his own tiredness and concern.]

How are you doing?

This ok?

[frilliance]

[And a familiar man kneels down in front of Diarmuid and holds a glass of water to his face. Edgeworth himself looks exhausted himself too but his priority is other people. And gosh, he even looks concerned for you, Diarmuid!]

It looks like you'll need this. I can also get something else if you wish.

This is Super Late, but I Super Wanted to Tag you!

[chevalier_mal_fet]

[He has all but lost his ability to appear at Will, or as a Mist. At the moment, it is an effort of Will to pull himself along the Hallway, his shoulder bearing on the Wall. The Nightmares, the waking Dreams of-- his Master, of Guinevere, of Arthur, were sickening enough. This-- awful, draining,loss, is another thing all together.

He raises his bowed head only to see Diarmuid ua Duibhne abandoned against the Wall. In his path. He comes to a swaying stop before the other Servant.]

An ill-favored day, Diarmuid ua Duibhne.

[provenworth]

[She's certainly not topside because she actually wanted to be, but Elena is serving as the unofficial Turk leadership presence for those who chose to stay behind. There's not much she can do on the hidden floor save pace around and worry about those who went to infiltrate the lower levels.

To keep herself busy, Elena is taking notes on anything she learns about what is happening to the Tower, keeping tabs on the state of those she comes across and the varying degrees that they present themselves. The feeling of exhaustion, which was nearly a constant for Elena given her increased insomnia, is felt but not given much consideration.

The fact that during a few rounds of the Tower she's not come across any monsters, though, is concerning. And her expression as she reads over her notes is enough to tell anybody she's got concerns.]

[fionnuisce]

...Elena? [Waver leaned over her shoulder intending to glance over her notes as well. Something was on her mind, and Waver was aware that any little bit of information they could scrape together would help.]

I'd like to ask if you have anything, but the look on your face tells me I won't like what I'll hear.

[neverbeamemory]

[So it seems that someone has decided that he's going to collapse if he doesn't at least pace a little. Sephiroth still feels like he could sleep for a week but that dark-circled look about his eyes even he is starting to get used to seeing in the mirrors.

He catches that expression out of the corner of an eye as he walks past where Elena is positioned. He should just leave it, and her, well alone - but weren't they even -keel once more at least? Ignoring his attempt to escape, of course.]

Concerned?

[He utters lowly, keeping distance from the Turk, as if the very fact he's asking someone else for their opinion is unnatural.]

[witchoftheweek]

[Patchouli has been busy, despite feeling tired. She's been back and forth between looking at various notes that have been scattered around and gathering a slowly, but steadily growing pile of library books to use as references. They're all random, and none of them seem to be doing her much good, but there's got to be something, right?

She sighs as she slams a large medical textbook closed. Trying to match symptoms to what everyone's experiencing and tie those to the Tower overall was a good idea in theory, but in practice? Not that she likes admitting it, but she's quietly cursing Outside World medicine for being too complex.]

...it can't be something like a sickness. It doesn't make sense. Nothing matches.

[wrigurun]

[The noise of the book slamming startles Wriggle awake, who was sitting on a nearby table and starting to doze off]

Well what were you expecting? It's just dumb tower stuff again.

They just wanna make people super tired so they'll stay on the dangerous floors and get trapped forever or something I bet!

TEAM 'POKE STUFF WITH A STICK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS'

[cullscuttlefish]

[Patience is not Feferi's strong suit. After a while of being around the hidden room and picking enough enough bits and pieces to get an idea, Feferi clears her throat and stands on a chair.]

Hey! We can't do everyfin just sitting here. We need to do some exploring.

[She claps her hands.]

I'm going top-down. What's that list of floors to watch out for again? 16, 26, 43, 44, 56, 59?

Anyone that wants to come with, you're welcome. I'm planning on using the 'poke it with my trident and see what happens' approach, though.

[athousandcurses]

[Grainne's nearby, listening for the most part quietly in her corner. When Feferi gets her attention though, she stands. Maybe she can be useful here?]

If we search the same floor several times over, it will waste the energy we have left. [She pauses, playing with a lock of her hair that hangs over her shoulder.] Maybe we can do it in sections?

What are we looking for?

[fionnuisce]

I'm coming as well.

I think we should split up and search those six floors as quickly and efficiently as possible. Staying on them for too long is sounding like a risk none of us should take.

/slides in here?

[neverbeamemory]

[They could sit here until they all die from exhaustion, but it wasn't going to do anyone any good. Sephiroth has his altered-collar fluid state of being to think about and is somewhat glad someone else has stepped up with some initiative; it's hardly as if people gathered here were going to listen to him.

His collar might be a bit more faded than most others but if this is the only way to get it to stop-

The tall silver haired man pushes himself up from the table he's been reading at. Physical activity would keep his mind more active, as well.]

I'll come too-

[Now, to wait and see if any one has a problem with that.]

[floreatnoctem]

You're going to get hurt, if you do that.

[Which is why Chidori is standing and straightening her clothes, dusting her skirts off in idle, practiced movements.]

I can't in good conscience let you go without someone who can heal you.

[Or try to, as the case may be.]

Re: TEAM 'POKE STUFF WITH A STICK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS'

[clumsyjesus]

Hey, Feferi! I can help out. I'm not quite sure what I can do yet but I can at least fight and carry people!

[bowandblade]

[Archer spends his time on the hidden floor silently thinking, arms folded across his chest as he sits against one of the walls. The exhaustion is more than an irritation this time, reminding him strongly of the time when those shadow children had been prevalent and gathering around them in great numbers.

It wouldn't help his situation to run around and grow more tired trying to chase down what might not be there; the disappearing monsters had taken away one of his more constant forms of entertainment, leaving him to ... well, sit around like this. But he actually has to think about this. That exhaustion had drained him utterly, and he wasn't about to have that happen again.]

[athousandcurses]

[Grainne is looking at him strangely from across the room, as if she recognizes him but can't place why. After a minute, she gives up and approaches albeit a bit hestitantly.]

You are... Archer, aren't you? From the Fourth War?

[miseris_socios]

[Ken has been trying to examine the floors with the draining effect, but he quickly realizes he's not getting anywhere with how fast he's been feeling it. He makes his way up to the hidden floor, flopping into a corner, not bothering with a chair.]

[He'll speak if spoken to, but most of the time while he's recovering he's trying not to move very much. He's not really a big planner. He's not sure what he can do. He wants to help, but he's just so tired.]

[oathshackledbird]

I don't know how much this will help, but here...

[Diarmuid sits down next to where Ken is sprawled and holds out a small plate of food.]

They are talking about going down in a little while and searching the floors where the drain seems the worst. I don't know if you feel strong enough to go with them, but they would be glad to have you if you do.

[neverbeamemory]

[Between this week, the week of powerlessness before it, and the week of living with perpetual exhaustion in the week before that Sephiroth has somewhat adjusted to 'getting by' on lower energy levels than he prefers. What's concerning though, the returning energy that he recognized returning only a few days ago he can nearly feel being drawn out of him like through a straw.

Those floors that make it worse, Sephiroth has already briefly looked in over the last few days - it was extreme the difference they made and he doesn't want to die like that last time his energy had been sapped like this.

It's similar to those phantoms, as any trip to the bathroom can tell; by this point Sephiroth's collar is dulled to an almost-lilac rather than the vibrant violet that it's supposed to be. It's at this point he's only recently come up onto the Hidden Floor at all, hoping it might lessen his creeping feeling of being watched elsewhere -they all referred to this floor as safe, right?- but all the workers still up here, they are all watching too...

At least he brought his notes? Bits of loose paper bound together within a hard-back book that hasn't been read at all yet used to jam other bits of paper within it. Most of it is extensive notes and theories on what he knows of the Glamour system, which has until very recently been of the most importance to Sephiroth.

Not that he's reading them, currently. He's sat at a table with a few scatterings of notes around, and a large fold out sketch underneath mostly his arms and head as he sleeps. It doesn't last for long, the nightmares bring about cold shivers quickly and Sephiroth starts awake to glare at whomever might be watching him; it might even be just a worker unit lingering too close for comfort.]

[fionnuisce]

So.

[One word could hardly be loaded with more contempt, but at the same time it was paired with the complete apathy that stopped Waver from doing anything about it.]

Looking to ruin something else, are we? Impressive job of that you did last time by the way, really fucking stellar how you could have killed us all.

[colorfulbrilliance]

[The lack of monsters at first had been a slight comfort. Nothing roaming around to attack always led to good things right?

Well the more and more she explored, the more tired she got and after a while, it looked like back when she was ill. She leans against the wall and rests, trying to figure out what was going on. She didn't want to go on the network and ask..She'd feel silly..even if she might learn of things..but for now..She's just resting.

[wrigurun]

[If that resting involved any form of falling asleep Meiling can just forget it as there's a sudden, strong thump on her shoulder]

Hey, you awake?

[Wriggle didn't seem as energetic as she used to, if the bags under her eyes are anything to go by but she still has the energy to keep airborne and kick innocent passersby it seems]

[idkworldruler]

[Mitchell currently has a back against a wall as he sits on the floor, wordlessly scrawling notes in his book.

A quick swap of a pen, and he is back at it. His faithful bee sat, perched on the top of his head, nestled within his hair for those curious. He was waiting, plotting and thinking as per usual. While a large book sat in his lap, closed, and a nearby rifle was propped against the wall as well.

He could tell, nothing was going to end well. And so, was resting for the next, cataclysmic, eventuality. Another mess to clean up, breaks to repair and mental notes to take.]