Taking Responsibility.

[transmittable]

Despite the lack of a body this week, you've had more than enough to explore and investigate; some of it may have answered some questions, while the rest...well, the rest may have just raised more. However you feel about it, the fact remains that as soon as you all step out of that new section above the third and make your way back toward one of the primary hallways, the lights quite suddenly go out, casting the hospital into complete darkness. Several seconds pass before something seems to happen and what sound like backup generators kick back on; the lights struggle their way back to life, only to immediately flicker and die again. It happens twice more before the power seems to stay on for good - they're feeble, but they're on, and at least it's enough to see by. It seems the power is stronger in one place in particular, however, and it shouldn't be a surprise which it is; the courtroom remains just as illuminated as ever, the seats ringing the old operating theater remaining as starkly unoccupied as they always do, and the podium circle that awaits you seems to have been set up in its final configuration. Sakura Kashima's portrait has joined the ranks of the deceased, her podium draped in black cloth. A final reminder of all you've lost here. Perhaps it's upsetting. Perhaps it'll only serve to make you more determined. The public-address system remains eerily silent, even after you've found your places in the circle; once in a while the quiet is broken by soft bursts of static, by a heavy, electric-sounding humming noise. Occasionally, whispers can be heard; whatever they're saying, it's probably not for you. Regardless, however, one thing is obvious: this is the end of the line, wherever it may have taken you. Eight Patients remain. Good luck.

Comments

[georgeous]

Radioactive ghosts more like it.

This seems to be side effects of their reactor imploding?

[journalname]

I do not understand the nuclear parts of this. [shrug you tell him] Were it a powerful source of magic, I suppose that would certainly have effects. Like if the Core were to explode.

[georgeous]

Judging by the terminology you use, this might be comparable.

A nuclear meltdown is exactly that - a core combusting and setting free extreme levels of energy waves. Too extreme for the human body to handle normally.

[journalname]

A Core meltdown could have catastrophic effects on space and time in the Underground.

[georgeous]

A nuclear meltdown poisons its environment for decades to come.

I haven't heard of anything affecting timespace, but well... the Risen are right here, huh?

[journalname]

I doubt it was anything related to our Core, but...yes. Something has clearly happened to them beyond poison.

[georgeous]

It seems to have... turned them into a kind of radioactive hivemind, from all the sounds of it.

[journalname]

...why, then, have their powers increased since we have been here? Their voice is clearer now; they can touch us, or make us feel heat from their screens. I thought it was the deaths, but that does not seem to relate much to radiation.

Is it because we have soaked - they are not stronger, but we are more susceptible to their effects?

[ossifragant]

[.........]

Are we in the Void?

[journalname]

The outside of this place has always been rather questionable...

[lol qq and mikoto never mentioned going outside like two hours ago did they]

[preciousking]

[ Mikoto is lazy. ]

Ah, that. I actually found a way outside.

[ossifragant]

Yeah? What'd it look like? More snow?

[journalname]

...the restriction on our powers was meant to be confined to this building, was it not? Do you have any to regain?

[georgeous]

Soaked in... radionic treatment, maybe?

[journalname]

Not for a disease, but to...what was it? Adjust our waves?

[georgeous]

So we're receptive to their radioactive wavelength.

They're not growing stronger, we lose our defenses against them.

[journalname]

.....George. Do you remember the week when they spoke to us of the traitor? My head felt strange when they showed my picture on the computers - light-headed, almost.

Did that happen to you as well?

[dangerousfool]

I don't think a nuclear meltdown would have effects on space and time...at least where I come from.

[But who knows what kind of nuclear meltdown happened to them. Maybe it was a magical nuclear meltdown]

[ossifragant]

It might not be completely analogous to our current situation.

[....Unless it is.]

Wait. Ryoji's notes. He had something about time in them.

[Greed pulls them out and sets the paper on the podium, along with Ryoji's letter.]

It looks more like notes he wrote to himself to remind him of discussion topics, but "time" is written on the list of points.

[cthulwho]

[Hmmm. With time as the topic...]

Sakura's notes mentioned that the Risen's exact age was difficult for the Transmitter to describe- they must not age as humans normally do? But they may be very old. Older than most of us even, was her hypothesis.

[And some of them are incredibly old by human standards. So...this seems odd now, with everything that they know.]

[ossifragant]

...I wonder how that could be.

There must be something we're missing.

[journalname]

If they are many people, then they have lived many lifetimes. Perhaps it is no wonder they have difficulty with memory.

[georgeous]

Or they timetravel? Exist outside timespace? Something about pocket dimensions with time being weird was mentioned...

[ossifragant]

...Time travel.

Maybe that's what Ryoji wanted to talk about.

[journalname]

...ha. Of course it is time again. Humans are the only ones I have ever known to do such things.