[network] @ADMIN; Arrival [open]

[snowblindmods]

Welcome to Norfinbury. The time is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R and the date is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R. This network has been provided for your use. Please interact politely with everyone else on this network.
E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫
E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫ E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫
E҉̨̢͎͎̗̦͈͎̘R̨̘̦̙̖̳͈͟R̢̞̺͖̩̟̻͙͕̩͜O̢̢̼͉͔̟̯̝͇̙͜͠R̴̛̗̝͕̣̘͙̪͖̀͟:̢̢͉̙̥̝͖͉̯̟͇̖̱̖͓̲̳ ͏̴͉͈͈̦̝̦͉͖̖͉̪̝̠̭I͡҉̣̼̜̩̻̜͓̻̳̼̥̭̯̭̫͉̭ͅL̶͖͖̯̝̥̬̖̤̥̹͎̟̬̻̦̜̝̻̗͟͞Ļ̸̸̸̥̺̝̜̭̘̞͈͎͚͉E̶͍͍͈̬̕͜͟G̳̬͉̙̥̩̼̭̦͔͘͜͡À̴͟҉̤͔͇̩̳͝ͅL̟͉̯̥̝̀͢͝ ͏҉͈͎͇̞̪̬͓͎̖̥̜̦̖̜O̺̹̺̜͉̠͉̠͇̭̣͔͡͞P̢͘͜҉̺̝̥͎̜Ḙ̢͔͇̰͇̯̺͇͓̜Ŗ̦̝̫̯̻̰͍͙̼̮͎̕ͅA̸̬̯͉͓̥̕͢͞ͅT̷̡͎̻̳̥Ḭ̵̡̥̭̥̀͞O̴͈̤͚͇̜͘͘͞N̢̬͕̙̫̦̳̫̭͖͙̤.̧͢͜҉̩̼̬̞̟̻͇̭͖ ̳̝̺̯̣̠̣̲͎̝̞̣̭̫͘͠S̡̧̼͈̱̳̰̰̳̻̺̫̝͈͖͎ͅH̦̖̣̦̱͓͙͓̣́͜͠͠Ù̸͎̹̼̱͈͇̼̼̕ͅͅṰ̤̝̦̞͍̮̦̞̼̪͕̹̬͈͝T͞͏̟͖͔̯̼̫̞̥̣̘͉̫̟ͅI̢͖̪̮̺̰̟͎͈͇̻͈͔͉̱̯͓̻͞N̢̨̮̱͕̣͟Ģ̸̝̟͚̩͙͖ͅ ҉̴̝̭̩̯̫̤̼̬͇͡ͅD̨͏̺͎̝̟͔͉͕̲̮͎̦͓̥͕̹͓̮̖̘̀͠Ǫ̵͍͇̝̱̖̳̦͖͡W̸̧̩͕̹̹̬̰̻̣̣͓̞̼̮̦̺͟͞͡N̡̛̫͙̠͚̠̲̙̟̤͔̦͙ͅ.҉̢̻̝̦͓̀̕͠

Comments

ID: Zelda

[sageprincess]

A. Day 001, Morning, video
[It is through pure luck Zelda manages to navigate her way to the network. If the tablet hadn't been so insistent on being 'registered', she might not have even bothered with it at all. Perhaps on a good day, she would be genuinely curious about the strange little slab that is unlike anything she's ever seen before, but this is not a good day.

She has no idea where she is, and she cannot feel the Triforce of Wisdom.

The tablet prompts her for a username, and, ignorant of it's purpose and desperate for answers, Zelda selects the default option. A few moments of semi-random button pressing later, she comes across... this. Even with her complete lack of experience with modern technology, she can tell that this is not the writing of something that is at all sane. Eventually, a video feed of a young blonde woman with long, pointed ears pops up in response to the admin message.]

Who is this? [She demands. Her voice, carrying the slight tremble of someone who is frightened but doing her damnedest not to let it show, echos a bit off of the walls of the entirely empty room she's found herself in.] Where have you taken me? What have you done to my magic?

[A pause, her voice quieting a bit as righteous anger loses its steam and confusion takes its place. Her eyes glance about the screen, clearly looking more at the tablet itself than anything it's depicting in that moment.]

And... what is Nayru's name is this...?

B. Day 001, Afternoon, video
[At first, it seems like someone has created an audio log, with nothing but a black screen being displayed over the sound of footsteps crunching snow and little else. Someone still isn't quite sure how the network works, and might have left it on as she explores, but stick around long enough, and eventually Zelda speaks up.]

It is... like a battlefield, almost...

Ah, can I--

[The tablet is tilted up, revealing her face; turns out she had the thing held to her chest all this time. She stares at the screen for a moment before flipping the device around, revealing the large piles of rubble she's been traversing.

It reminds her too much of Castle Town, ruined and quiet aside from the moans of the redeads who populated it in the wake of Ganondorf's rise to power. She speaks up again in order to focus on something else than memories that won't help her now, though she can't quite keep her teeth from chattering from the cold.]

Is it much the s-same elsewhere?

Afternoon video

[vaultexile]

[Oh hey video function. Hope looks at the scene. Battlefield, eh it's not as bad as the wasteland.]

It seems pretty destroyed in some places, less in others. I think the snow might have had some hand in it.

[sageprincess]

... There is q-quite a lot of it, where I am.

[The video blurs as she turns, stopping with the focal point being a giant wall of the stuff in the distance, easily reaching up and past the camera's view.]

Though, you would think, the weather would destroy indiscriminately. Unless the buildings we awoke in are made of something remarkably sturdy...

[Like that door Zelda found but can't open for the life of her.]

[vaultexile]

[Hope thinks that over.]

They might be. Or they just haven't been destroyed yet. I suppose it depends on how long these storms have been happening. A strange place to build a town though.

[sageprincess]

[Zelda flips the tablet back around to face her. The longer she stands still, the colder she feels, so she starts walking around the rubble again]

Of course, this is all assuming some event took place, and not that everything here was somehow created intentionally. [The implied for us hangs in the air, but she doesn't give those words voice just yet.] Unfortunately, I have yet to find much of anything to lend more weight to one theory over the other.

[vaultexile]

I did find something that shows a video of the house I woke up in, in better condition and with more technology....in the kitchen at least. There were people in it. It could be faked but its a point towards people being here in the past.

[sageprincess]

[Her brows raise at that.]

'Video'... That is what this-- [A nod of her head, indicating the tablet's display] --is called, correct? ... Forgive me, I am not entirely familiar with this 'tablet' yet, but is it possible for me to see what you found from where I am?

Video/Text

[vaultexile]

Yeah I uploaded it. Just a second.

Here

Video

[sageprincess]

... Hm.

[It's not the bastion of answers she had hoped for, but it's something.]

It seems... different from ours, somehow. Aside from there being other people and such, that is. ... The woman would need to be holding the tablet near her face to have such an angle, would she not?

[And that seems a bit silly to her.]

[vaultexile]

Maybe. It could be a different sort of recording device maybe....

day; video

[figureitout]

[... wow, okay, so clearly someone doesn't know how to use the video function. Currently standing outside house 83, checking his tablet and the network before he starts the trek to the next building he can see, Stiles stares at the video with his nose scrunched up, eyes narrowed, until there's actually someone talking--

and, oh, okay, there it is. Actual video, congratulations! He watches it until the end, before recording his own response.]

Yep, same thing going on here. Snow, and wow, look, more snow. [He turns the tablet around so she can see all the snow around the building (a single-story house, but not really a destroyed one, like the ones she's seeing).] But less like a war zone, I guess.

[sageprincess]

[She'll learn eventually. Maybe not this week, or the next, but y'know. Eventually. She's glad to see another face, though. Using the text function is just too unwieldy for her right now, and she feels a little less like she's gone mad talking at this magic slab when she can see and hear the person on the other end talking back.

Even if the voice is more sarcastic than she's accustomed to.]

Perhaps... the destruction is kept to one area? [And Zelda ended up on the wrong side of town.] I cannot think of much logical reason as to why some buildings have been left untouched while others lie in ruins.

[figureitout]

[Sorry, sarcasm is a default setting with this one, as it would happen. Though it seems she's actually managed to get that default setting change into the "let's think about this difficult thing and try to think of possible ideas as to why it is" setting, as Stiles' expression grows more serious.]

Yeah, maybe. Something that destroyed the buildings happened in only one part of this place and that's why the others aren't all rubble...

[Hrm. He crosses his arms.] But the place I woke up in, half of it was sort of caved in. I don't know if it was just because it hasn't been lived in for ages, or something else.

morning, video;

[croi]

[Wow, she reminds him a little of Saber. It's the basic...same hair color, same eye color, slightly imperious righteous anger deal, like the two of them would either get along or hate each other immediately.]

I don't know, missy, but if you find out where they put your magic let me know. They took mine as well.

[Not that he had much left given containers and class restrictions and the like, but still.]

[sageprincess]

[And he doesn't even know about the crossdressing!

She purses her lips a bit at the term of address he's chosen to give her, but decides against arguing it for now. More important things to worry about at the moment.]

I hesitate to image what kind of power has that ability. [Her magic, at least, is fairly impressive. Or was, as the case may be.] I will tell you, if you will do the same.

[croi]

[Whereas an ambiguous 90%+ of his was taken away already, so this is basically just like a second mugger showing up after the first, kneeing him in the groin, and robbing what little he has left. When you're robbed of your last fifty cents it's easier to take it philosophically.]

Why not? We can at least pick the people we work with, and if you're a mighty mage then maybe you can do something about the situation if we get you your power back. [Granted, he's more expecting a...to put it in JRPG terms, a level 5 mage when she's more a level 20 mage, but still.

And she's also hot and might be fun to troll, so it's a total win no matter how things go. Worst plausible case, he's got a network trolling target who's aesthetically pleasing. Best implausible case, she fixes everything, finds Gae Bolg for him, and the entire group can move onto somewhere warmer.]

So. Where did you wake up? [Video flicks outward, to the house for a moment, long enough that she can get a decent look at his location...it's fairly boring in terms of dystopian snowbound hellholes.]

[sageprincess]

[Such lovely priorities, Lancer.]

I... That would be ideal, yes, but likely easier said than done, especially if whoever has taken our powers from us has decided to keep them in their possession.

[She could explain the issues with Lancer's plan in detail, but that would involve lengthy stories about gods and wish granting holy relics and destiny, and aside from being taught since childhood to keep those legends secret, she's far too anxious to bother with storytime at the moment.

Dooming herself to attractive trolling target it is!]

I woke somewhere less furnished than that. [She follows suit, flipping the tablet around to show Lancer the entirely empty room she's found herself in. Seriously. There's nothing there except for a door that might look like it leads to a basement, and--] The door resists any and all attempts to be opened, as well.

[croi]

[Probably for the best, as there doesn't need to be a Seven Sages/Servants ultimate wish granting holy relic crossover because that'll just lead to bad places.]

We could bring over some large furniture. Try ramming it open. But I have no idea where you are. [And she doesn't know where he is. And it doesn't really look like they'll be conveniently located a short distance away from each other and the environment such that he could just walk over in five minutes.

It's Complicated, caps intended.] I haven't found a map. Yet. I'll call you if I find one.

morning - video - ID: claytonator

[dr_unconscious]

[The face that answers Zelda is very calm, very deliberately gentle in the wake of her confusion. There's no point in being equally dire or panicked, Clayton figures, even if he also has no idea what's going on here. Any kind of support he can offer is likely better than nothing.]

I can answer in order, little lady. [He puts on a smile. It's about as natural as can be expected when you've just woken up in a strange, empty house in the middle of nowhere.] I'm Clayton Epps. I ain't the one that took us and I wish I knew who done it. If they're listenin', they probably ain't interested in tellin' us who they are or what they done.

[Clayton almost considers reassuring her that his powers are gone, too, because surely that's what she meant. But that would involve admitting on a public network that he has abilities, and Clayton's gone his entire life being careful about who knows what he can do. The risk isn't something he's willing to take.]

[Maybe they can talk about it in private later, if she insists.]

And the thing you're talkin' at is a "tablet." We all got one, 'parently. You ain't alone. [His smile quirks up at the corner, turning from reassuring to an attempt at light humor.] Can I ask who you are, now, little miss? Or do I need to answer more questions? I don't mind it.

[sageprincess]

[Zelda narrows her eyes at the man who appears on the tablet, a bit wary of the calm response and, admittedly, slightly peeved at the terms of address he uses. But it's not entirely unfamiliar - he speaks a bit like how the ranch owner would - and after hearing nothing else from the one who 'welcomed' them, she has to admit he has a point when he says their kidnappers are unlikely to show themselves if they haven't already.]

My name is Zelda. [She answers eventually, but keeps her title to herself for now.] You are familiar with these "tablets"?

[Obviously, she isn't in the slightest.]

[dr_unconscious]

Zelda--like the username, then. Gotcha. Glad to meet ya, Zelda.

[Clayton would assume that she's the direct sort, if not that most of the people he's seen on the network so far with just their full names don't know how tablets work. Must be the default option.] Yeah, mostly. Lotta people where I'm from have somethin' like this. Ain't a model I ever seen before, but... [He shrugs.] ...eh, they come up with new ones every month. Can't hardly keep track of 'em sometimes.

Where're you from that you ain't familiar with tablets, if I may ask? [Anticipating either some medieval setting, because apparently time travel is a thing, or based on those...rather extravagant ears, someone's LARP club. He'll give her some credit, they are very convincingly realistic.]

[sageprincess]

[There's that word again: username. She glances to where her name is on the screen, then to Clayton's. A sort of alias then? Suddenly she's regretting her haste in starting up the tablet.]

My country is known as the Kingdom of Hyrule. Aside of some forms of magic that few are capable of, such... instantaneous communication is currently outside of the realm of possibility, let alone creating new versions in such rapid succession.

[Those ears even droop a bit as uncertainty takes hold once more, and she admits quietly:] I do hope you are truly a person on the other end of this...

[dr_unconscious]

[Kingdom of...no, that's not familiar. Then again, Clayton's hardly a historian. But he is a doctor, he's pretty confident in his ability to recognize and understand the human body, and he's fairly sure that ears aren't supposed to do that. Some kind of...really advanced genetic disorder? How odd.]

[Well, it's hardly Clayton's place to point it out. Zelda's ears can just do whatever they please. The magic, though...]

[First things first: ] Don't you worry your pretty little head. I'm here. I promise I'm here, I know I am. [He chuckles sheepishly.] You ain't alone. Alright? We'll meet up and I'll prove it to ya.

[sageprincess]

[At least someone here has manners. Still, she shifts a bit under his kind words. Not that she's necessarily made uncomfortable by them, but she's not accustomed to them coming from anyone but Impa years ago, either.]

Thank you. [A short response, but she should show some amount of gratitude at least. Things become more comfortable for her as she shifts the conversation back to figuring out their situation.] Do you have any idea where you are? I fear I cannot be certain, myself.

[dr_unconscious]

Don't mention it.

[Clayton's smile quirks at the edges for a moment before he sobers. He doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. Back to the situation it is.]

Ain't sure...there's a balcony over yonder. [Clayton glances over his shoulder. He's sitting on the edge of the mattress in the master bedroom; behind him are a set of double doors with frosted windows, presumably leading outdoors.] View ain't great, but looks like there's a buildin' a ways off. 'Sides that, ah... [He lets out another nervous chuckle.] ...ain't much, I'm afraid. Real empty out there.