❧ Flashback

[luministimods]

[After getting dug out, Nathan makes his way over to the general store, limping as he walks. He looks quite the sight with cuts, scrapes, and gashes all over his body (the worst of it is on his legs), and his suit is scorched, tattered, and just plain non-existent around his calves. He's even missing a shoe and looks a bit thinner than he was the last time he was there. But for a man who was crushed under so much debris, he doesn't seem in pain or anything; just inconvenienced.

Once he's inside the general store, he walks over to the vid screen, activating it so he can contact everyone's CAT devices and all of the other vidscreens around town. When he speaks, he doesn't sound strained, not like he has in any of his other appearances in the town and spacestation.]

I hope everyone can hear me and none of you were caught in that blast. I'm sorry it even happened, but--[He falls silent, his eyebrows knitting in concern.] There is much I need to tell you now that I'm here.

Please, meet me in the White Rabbit pub in half an hour. All of you. It's time you had some answers.

[The video transmission ends.]


Plot Details: Flashback

That was a close one! But thankfully, Nathan was found! Good job! Not only that, though, but something else was too. This is Nathan's CAT and it revealed a very, very interesting fact to Sophie and Fuu.

Yep, that is indeed the man in black. It's taken him a couple years to finally show himself--or rather, accidentally get recorded.

But you know what? Instead of me just sitting here explaining things, I am going to let Nathan do that for me. No doubt once everyone hears the transmission from him--and when they hear everything Sophie and Fuu have learned--they'll probably have questions. So! What a better way to discuss things than over dinner? The pub is unharmed, and Nathan is starving, and no doubt some people may need a drink or two.

All action and stuff will, again, happen in this entry. I'll make a starting comment with Nathan and we can go from there. This is kind of like a mingle/party post, so if people want private conversations with each other, you can make threads in this entry. In Nathan's thread, everything he says can be overheard, so people can bring things up again to him or threadhop, whichever works best. (Just in case, I would recommend tracking your threads if this does happen.) Also, if your character wants a private conversation with him, definitely say so in the subject heading! (And if your character wants a conversation with Ten or Wash, please say so too.)

What else... Oh yes! Those who lost powers should have them back in full now, and those gained them, well, you're back to normal. Balance is restored and all that. As for the town itself, the townspeople have started to clean things up. Oddly, things haven't been reset yet as they have when odd things happen. By the way, if people want to continue their other threads from the previous entry, you are more than welcome to do so! There just won't be any more searches for Nathan.

This plot will only last a week, so don't waste any time in getting to asking him questions! The sooner you ask, the more you can find out. When a week has passed (so until Tuesday evening), unfortunately, I won't be continuing those threads.

If you have any questions/concerns/etc, I'm making an OOC comment in here so everyone can use that! Or ping me through the usual channels~

Comments

[luministimods]

I think they're in another lab in this spacestation. Caligin mentioned there being another at some point. I could have sworn there was at least one more than what's here.

[He nods] That's...the beauty and scary truth of the technology he uses. He can make them seem real when they're really not. Remember that phonebooth Audrey had set up a couple years ago? That worked on a similar principle. It was only tangible and visible to you--but not anyone else who wasn't meant to see it.

[worldsapart]

It's Lab #3 all over again...

[Xion continues to frown.] Memories are tied to the heart, though... How do we know for sure they haven't become their own people?

[luministimods]

Labs do have an unfortunate habit of doing that here, it seems. [From the look on his face, he's not too pleased about it either.]

[He sighs, but not out of exasperation. He knows what Xion is getting at and why--he knows everyone's past as it's been part of his job to learn and observe them to better care for them while he's tried to help them escape] You have to trust me, Xion. I've wondered the same and I've inspected them in the past. I'll do so again when all this is through, but I have not seen any signs of sentience beyond what they've been programed to have. Regardless, they will be cared for no matter what. I won't let them be deleted.

[worldsapart]

[At that, something in Xion finally relaxes. She exhales slowly and eases back in her chair, giving Nathan a small smile that is grateful, apologetic, and a little embarrassed, all at once. Quietly:] Thank you.

[When she speaks up again, her voice is at a normal volume.] The other questions I have, they're... Everyone else covered the things I was wondering, so all I have left are some questions that are... more personal, I guess.

How... [Her brow furrows again.] How was I brought back? Is the technology Ferran uses really that powerful? To bring someone who doesn't... [She stiffens and hesitates, glancing at the others.] To take something out of someone's heart like that?