[ it had been a just one night since oz's departure and alice had more or less kept quiet. after spending a night searching fruitlessly, she spent the rest of the dark hours sulking with (1) gilbert nightray until they eventually fall asleep, buried in the sheets like sad children who have lost the dearest thing they held at night.

in the morning alice wakes up and her first instinct is to cry, but the second is something more violent... and of course she goes with that instead.

THERE'S A LOUD BANG. something appears to have fallen and shattered, although it's hard to say when things are happening off-screen. and before anyone can attempt to understand what just happened, they get an earful from one angry looking young girl shouting into the tablet. she never did care for this thing, but at least she knows now that someone will be able to hear her. ]

THEY TOOK OZ AWAY! I WON'T FORGIVE THEM. [ her head's clear but it's hard to stop yelling when you're so upset. if someone could hear her, feel threatened by her,

help her

then she might actually have time to think and calm down. ] How dare they take him away without my permission? Don't they know its the master's job to take care of their servant? How am I suppose to do that when he's not here? Huh? SOMEONE GIVE HIM BACK! NOW! I'm waiting!

[ don't be fooled by her tough exterior, she's gonna burst into tears any minute now.

oh. there you go. the tears roll down. ]

This is all your fault, idiot! [ blames the ne..twork... ] Bring him back... useless! Useless....

[ The camera cuts on, and Jude stares at it for a few seconds. He hesitates, before leaping right into what he wanted to discuss here. ]

I realize because of our actions while we were stuck on the moonbase that we've changed things here on Earth, but just because the environment in Exsilium is different I think the chances are pretty high that the United Earth will come after us again now that we're back on the planet. And as far as I know we don't actually have any reliable means of uncovering any plots against us. There's no telling when and how they'll strike, and even if there was... do we even have any plans ourselves on how to deal with it? Unless we have advance warning and several days to move people back up to the moon I haven't heard about any ways to protect the Transports from the United Earth.

Besides that, I can't be the only one that would like to think of a defense plan that would protect the citizens of Exsilium as well.

[Yuri turns on the feed, greeting everyone with a lopsided smile. Almost telling that he has a really smartass remark to make...]

Am I the only one waiting for something bad to happen? Not that I wish it, but it's actually kinda nice right now. The calm before the storm, right? We're all working together, almost as if forgetting there was a civil war among us on the moon about sides and everything. Now, suddenly everything's sunshine and rainbows. [The last part is overly sarcastic. Of course, he knows not everything's going well, but for him and the journey he was on in his world, this is pretty damn chill.]

Though, gotta thank the place for supplying monsters. Kinda missed fighting regularly, and they're strong too. Gets me excited to actually do stuff now here. [Instead of moping around in his room about how much he hates this damn place, but ah, well, beggars can't be choosers.]

If anyone ever cares to join me, I wouldn't mind. Maybe I could find a few sparring partners that way. Gets boring with Flynn all the time. [He chuckles once at the end before turning off the feed.]

Hello everyone,

My name is Flora, for those that might not know. It's nice to meet you. [Yeah her posts are tagged as such, but propriety etc etc] I know that there is a lot going on right now, so, if anyone needs anything--fruits, veggies, or other things--we could work out an...exchange perhaps? [She suddenly looks mildly uncomfortable, almost wincing at the word "exchange" in particular, but then she is smiling again, with gentle sincerity] If you don't have anything to offer, please don't worry about it, just try to pay it forward to someone else that might need help, if you can.

Secondly, Christmas is coming up, and other holidays too, it seems? We don't have them where I'm from, and while Christmas, at least, means the world to someone I know, I'm still learning about it, I suppose.

There is something I have been wondering, though?

[Flora's eyes sharpen with intellectual curiosity, and as she cradles her chin between her thumb and forefinger, it's obvious that the next words she's about to utter have been given the utmost, perhaps even reverent, consideration.]

Could someone please tell me more about Santa Claus? He sounds like a really powerful man with his Christmas magic.

[is she joking is she not we just don't know]

Thank you.

[Anyway, she cuts the feed.]

[The video flickers on, showing nothing but a darkened room before the camera adjusts to reveal the surroundings of a bottom bunk and a short haired teenager sitting on the edge. She remains silent for a few minutes, not moving and breathing-- a quiet, steady rhythm. Eventually she reaches over and pulls the tablet a little closer so her voice will be heard.]

I want to learn to fight. [Anyone who's encountered her so far should be familiar with her cheerful and upbeat attitude. Her current tone is possibly the farthest from that it could be. Cold, distant and perhaps unemotional. Or it could be well contained anger. It's hard to tell.]

My weapon is a knife I brought from home. I want to know how to use it better. Punches and kicks, too. Anything... Anything to help.

[There's a long pause before she adds in a quieter tone.] Please.

[He has nothing he wants to say about the fate of Exsilium over the network. Sure, he definitely has a lot of thoughts and feelings about the whole subject, but it really wasn't like him to share those with people. And so when his voice comes on over the usual alias of "Kaneis Major", he gets straight to the point]

Hey. If anyone's in need of a distraction, I need training.

You see, I don't know how much word's spread, but it sounds like the United Earth found a way to copy the abilities of the people they nabbed. Don't know the details of it, buuut it sure is gonna make facing them an even bigger pain.

So anyway, because of that I'd like to learn some new stuff so I can have some tricks up my sleeves. New weapons, abilities, strategies- I'll take whatever I can get. Well, except swordsmanship. I know that one already. But anything else I'd at least...hear them out!

Oh yeah- if you teach me I'm a pretty fast learner, and I'm sure I can figure out a way to compensate you somehow if you're looking for that.

So...yeah. Thanks, I guess!