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[From the first moment the video is on, it's clear Reeve hasn't had NEARLY enough sleep. But isn't that just his way? Still, he looks positively exhausted today, and the video includes Mini-C pushing a cup of something steaming to Reeve's hand. The man doesn't even seem to notice as he lifts it and takes a hearty sip before starting.]

Good afternoon all. I would like to let everyone know that through the diligent work of several individuals here, power has been restored to a larger portion of the city. Please extend your thanks to Tony, Echo, and Cal for all their hard work.

[Reeve himself does not wish thanks. He just wishes to keep working.]

There have been some issues, of course. There are, as always, issues with breaks in the power supply network. Therefore we ask for your help and feedback. If there are buildings you are finding have issues with power supply, please advise me, or drop a physical message at the Restoration Committee building, just south east of the fountain. There are likely areas we still need to work on power lines to, and it will take time for us to survey to figure out where they are.

Also, I would like to offer myself as assistance to anyone whose ship currently lacks an engineer. I've been trying to do what I can for the damage in our crash landing, however I've only been able to deal with external issues on the ships I cannot access.

[Another long sip of his water.]

Of course, with water and power in a better place now than it was when we arrived, my question becomes what projects of comfort we might turn to here in Temba. Yes, I know our greater goal of returning home, but I find myself in need of projects.

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[Warmth is good. And Reeve has often found sipping at a drink a good way to stall for time to answer things.]

I see. So it was through connection with them that what you were has been corrupted. There were no few men like that in my world. It was troublesome indeed. Still, you clearly have more control over yourself and your will than Sephiroth ever did.

Well, I try.

[ Which us said with a somewhat stubborn exhale, hands closing around the mug. ]

I may not always be successful, but I- I want to believe I am getting better at it. Because I refuse to become someone’s tool to destroy my world. I- I refuse to become an actual monster.

If I might ask, Jon... Is your greater power still in touch with you here, so to speak? Or are you more free?

[If it's the latter it's a situation where Jon can come to be in more control. Which could give him power control back home, make him stronger. Perhaps even help his world survive a bit longer.]

[ Jon glances up from his tea, and looks around for a moment, eyes searching until he spies the recorder on a nearby shelf, dutifully recording away and clearly not having been there a few minutes ago. ]

It... Keeps an eye on me, even here, yes. I assume it wants to make sure I don't die while away from the Archive.

[Oh Jon, you poor thing. Reeve, of course, doesn't even notice the thing.]

Does it feel closer, or more distant? Perhaps if it's more distant, you have hope. You deserve hope.

[Everyone needs hope.]

Oh, it never felt particularly close. It's just... A nagging. At the back of your mind. A distinct feeling of being watched.

[ He gets up from his seat, leaving his tea for a moment to head over to the shelf and pick up the recorder, almost carefully, then carry it back to the table and sit back down before putting the softly whirring device down between the hot mug and the gauntlet. Jon doesn't bother to turn it off, simply returns his hands to the tea. ]

That's what it is... The Eye. Beholding. The Ceaseless Watcher.

[Reeve looks at the recorder and makes a curious sound.]

How strange. Where did that come from? I don't remember any old devices like that here. I wouldn't even know how to make the cassette.

They show up because of me. Follow me around, in a way. Have been doing so for a few years now. Here? It's actually come in pretty handy.

[ And he reaches over at last to turn the recorder off, then remove the tape from the deck. ]

Kind of need these for my own recordings.

Intriguing...

[Reeve reaches for the recorder and then freezes. No. That would be rude.]

If there are those that you do not require the recording device of, Might I have them? The wires and other parts can be useful.

[ Jon simply nudges the recorder towards Reeve. Go ahead. Take it. ]

If you wish to scavenge anything from them, you will have to do so before they disappear again. The recorders never stay around for long. This world may be limiting the Eye's reach after all, just in its own way. Any tapes I took from them are sill around, however.

[ A small mercy. They contain the majority of his food. ]

Oh dear. Not long?

[That worries Reeve, and he's immediately going to grab some tools to start taking it apart.]

Have you ever tested to see if they stick around if they are in pieces? Or might they disappear too?

[ He shakes his head. ]

Never tried. Might be that this place lets us keep what we can gather in what time we have. We... Never checked if these have batteries, by the way. No one at the Archive ever dared to open the compartment to avoid that particular answer. But given that I never had to change the ones of the recorder I came here with, I... Doubt there are any.

So I might be crazy here.

[Which Reeve has no problem with taking an improvised screw driver to the device to start taking it apart. This is exciting.]

We can test it empirically. I can't wait to see what happens.

[Yes, Reeve might be a very stupid smart person.]

[ Well, Jon won't stop him. He will just take a slow sip of tea while watching, feeling a rather familiar curiosity setting in and raising a single brow at a crackle of electricity running over the recorder. Which is definitely more than a pair of batteries would be providing. Is the Eye being... Dramatic? ]

I feel like- If it were not fine with us looking, the recorder had already vanished by now.

Oh dear, if it approves, this almost feels horrible.

[And yet, scientific minds must know. He lifts the cover off, now that he has screws out. Please let the screws stay, those would be hard for even Tony to machine.

[ Another sip of tea and Jon shrugs, still watching.

His eyes widen a little however, when the recorder gets opened. The first thing he notices are the screws, their heads blinking open where they now lie on the table to look up at Reeve to observe the man's reaction once he gets a look at what he has just uncovered: The entire inside of the device consists of nothing but lidless eyeballs of all sizes and shapes, who all turn to look at the man.

To Jon's credit: He doesn't scream. But he isn't exactly surprised either. The tense set of his jaw at least lets one guess that he also isn't very amused by this discovery. ]

For the record: I am not responsible for this outcome.

[Reeve yelps, jerking away from the horrors presented to him. Had he materia, he'd burn the damn thing. His breath catches and he looks away.]

Uh, I believe you. And I wish this would go away.

I apologize.

[ Jon sighs, setting the mug aside to draw the recorder towards himself. He picks up the screws watching his every move and drops them into the accumulation of watchful gazes before closing the device again. More or less, at least. ]

And I admit that if it were not for the calibrations, I would be more put off by these.

[ But he spent those weeks stuck in his small office and surrounded by watching eyes. ]

Still doesn't mean I enjoy this particular result. I will take it with me. Hope it disappears once properly ignored.

[Reeve still shudders.]

I thought I was used to eyes in weird places. I admit, I was not prepared for that.

[But with the thing closed Reeve lets out a relieved chuckle.]

Looked like something Hojo would love. And before you ask, he was a mad, evil scientist back home who is responsible for most of the suffering that myself and my friends have gone through for a while.

And you got rid of him.

[ A simple conclusion easily drawn by Reeve speaking about this man in a past tense. Also from the fact that he has mentioned before having been involved in saving his world. ]

I did not directly. That was Cloud. For all that he looked small and was weak from his illness, Cloud was stronger than just about anyone I've ever met.

But... Hojo really did make a mess of us.

He didn't exactly strike me as weak when I met him...

[ If Cloud is considered weak by the standards of Reeve's world, Jon is afraid to try and imagine a strong person.

And then there is the obvious presence of commonly available magic, of course. Magic even an architect can wield. Which makes Jon wonder at lest a little what Smirke would have done had he access to actual magic... ]

[Only Sephiroth bothered to think Cloud weak.]

I've had some people here sound shocked, because of how Cloud had to hold back from his illness.

...Jesus Christ.

[ Yes, that's a mutter. ]

I may not meet him again, but I do hope he gets better.

He does. Aerith uses the Lifestream to bless waters and it heals everyone with his condition.

[Cloud just... he needs to get the rest of the way there.]

I hope he never returns here. This isn't his place.

Network | Video

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