I - Day 68, Evening | Video

[The video opens up with a certain redhead walking away from the device, stopping only when he's pretty sure his entire body is in clear view. He's knee-deep in show with a freezing wind blowing at his hair, yet there's an unmistakable smile on his face.]

Hello, lovelies~ The Great Zelos here, asking for a liiittle help with something! It's easy, really, all you gotta do is watch and tell me what you think!

So, since actions speak louder than words, let's get to the point, yeah?

[And with that, he tugs at his belt, as if about to start undressing--]

II - Day 68, Evening (like, two seconds later) | Video

[-- and he does, as you'll notice if you didn't jump in to interrupt before he got that far (no one would blame you)! It's just the outermost layer though, no worries. He's still got proper pants and a shirt, at least, even if his jacket is gone and his arms and shoulders bare.]

You'd think I was cold by now, huh? Well, I'm not sure if it's because I'm just so damn hot - [he doesn't even flinch at the joke, and that alone probably says a lot about him.] - but I don't really feel anything.

[A dramatic way to convey a simple thing? Suuuure, but at least he's got proof to show, now! That, and he always did have a flair for the dramatic. And, yeah, he is pretty freaked out by the whole thing - especially considering how close it is to Angel Toxicosis, which apparently didn't end all that well for Colette - even if he's approaching it with humour, as usual.]

Now, maybe it's just me, but I doubt the Admin's givin' us any cool new powers to combat the cold, so... [His brows furrow the slightest bit.] Any idea what's up? Anyone got anything weird going on? I was feeling super sick earlier today, if that sounds familiar to any of ya.

[And, of course, he forgets to put that jacket back on.]

III - Day 69 - Morning | Audio

[Which leads to him popping up on the network again the following day, sounding miserable.]

... Kids? Don't go out in a top when it's snowing. Not even for an experiment for the common good. [A loud sneeze, which would probably send a shiver of pain over his frozen arms - if he could actually feel them. Sure, he's laughing about it now because it's pretty much all he can do, but if he ever gets his senses back, he'll probably cry. If not from the injury itself, then at least from Sheena scolding him for being so reckless.]

Ah, if only I wasn't such a good Samaritan... [There's a round of sighs and grumbles of self-pity before his voice can be heard again, this time a bit less dramatically pathetic. Serious, even.]

Also-

[He stops mid-sentence, hesitating. Should... should he tell people about his worsened hearing and the strange, eerie sounds he keeps hearing whenever he spends a second in silence? Should he not? He's all for sharing information - hence why he did his little experiment earlier in the day, even at the risk of freezing - but...]

... If you use audio, could ya speak loud? I think the sickness has blocked my ears~

[A hopeful laugh.

Maybe keeping himself busy with talking to people helps with the sounds haunting him. If not, well, crap.]

[For those who are still awake and lucid halfway or so through day 69 might hear the voice of one of Norfinbury's kids come crackling across the network. Their voice is shaking, breathing heavily like they've just surfaced for air after nearly drowning, or fled from something chasing them, or gone through some kind of horrifying shock. Or maybe some mixture of all three.

The way they start talking, though... is not the same as a public address. Almost like they're talking at someone in particular.]

Um... are you there? You... you never pick up. I know you said... to not come back when I left, but... before that you said to call if I needed you and...

[Their breathing has graduated from shaking to little hiccups now.]

Toriel... [A soft sob escapes them] Mom, I- I'm sorry you were right I shouldn't have left I'm sorry I don't want to d- [They catch themselves just in time. Even if she isn't picking up, they still can't say it aloud, not yet.] Please pick up... Please...

[And after a few moments silence the tablet drops to their lap and they do start crying proper fingers fumbling before they hang up.]

Evening

[It's getting late. The evening is winding down with maybe two hours left at most before lockdown. Quark's video turns on--but it's not facing him. It's swinging lightly as he walks through the snow, as if having done so was a mis-click. There's a building visible in the distance, easy enough to get to--but Quark isn't heading toward it. He's not heading away from it, either. Just pacing, like he's lost in multiple senses of the word.

Something becomes quickly clear: Quark is alone. At some point during this strange sickness that's been inflicting everyone in Norfinbury, Quark wandered off, away from his equally-incapacitated traveling party. The tablet falls from his hands and lands on the snow beneath him, showing an odd angle of Quark standing there, looking dazed. He clutches his head.]

I see it. I can see it. I have to die. No...I'm supposed to die. It's the only way I'll be free. The only way...for any of us...

[His breathing is labored, his voice edged with steadily rising panic. Quark falls to his knees, trying to support himself on his backpack. In a second of clarity, he seems to realize that he's dropped his tablet and gropes around until his hand touches it and he brings it toward his knees. Even then, his eyes are unseeing as he stares down at the screen.]

It would be so easy. I just have to stay here, outside, and it'll all be over. [A flash of recognition passes through his face. His eyes go wild.] Wait...what am I saying? Where am I?

Post-Lockdown

[Miraculously, despite his apparent desire to lay down in the snow until lockdown and let himself freeze, Quark manages to make it into a safe building in time. Perhaps someone talked sense into him, or he snapped out of it long enough to realize where he is and the things he's saying and seeing aren't him and he runs the rest of the way inside before he can let himself think anything else. But that's not to say he looks like he's doing any better. In fact, Quark looks more panicked than ever.]

I should have done it. I should have died. Everyone's going to die anyway when the bomb goes off. There's no point in waiting!

[He puts the tablet down at his feet, reaches for his backpack, and produces a steak knife. His eyes stare at it with an obvious sense of purpose, and he slowly turns it around toward his chest, but doesn't make a move to actually plunge it inside. Under the panic, there's reluctance and confusion. His words start to repeat the things he was saying earlier, outside, like he's a broken record playing on a loop.]

Escape. My soul needs to escape.