[Evening of July 7th] [Text]

[freedom_engineer]

Okay everyone. I'm going to need some volunteers.

Ozuma's still nowhere to be found, and investigations have turned up some unusual gatherings of Shadows.

I'm going to take a small team to check them out. Rin? ... Not cook-Rin, other Rin. Your scouting picked up the details, you're obviously in if you want.

I'll be willing to take a few more people, but not too many. This is still just an extended search, not an attack. Plus, I don't want to get too predictable in the face of possible queenly shenanigans.

Check in here, I'll assemble a team from whomever volunteers.

Comments

[Text]

[helborn]

I'm in. I'm good at tracking and investigating things.

[freedom_engineer]

What sort of qualifications we talking?

[helborn]

My senses are really sharp. I can see in the dark, I can see and touch spirits, I can track by scent, and I can find small hidden clues pretty easily. ... As long as we're talking physical clues.

[He is aware of his own social failure, at least.]

[freedom_engineer]

A handy skillset. Let's see if I get any other volunteers, but I like the sound of what you bring to the table.

[heritrix]

["Other Rin", please.]

Tohsaka will do.
Naturally, I'll take you up on that.

[freedom_engineer]

Tohsaka, then.

I'll remember that.

[He has no idea what to nickname her yet, but he's fairly certain that anything he does come up with, she won't like.]

[heritrix]

[YOU PEOPLE AND YOUR NICKNAMES. Colin, your best friend is just as bad. Even then tho, she'll probably take it over "other Rin". If it were just her given name it would be fine, but adding the "other" makes her feel extra.]

Let me know when all the volunteers are ready. I'll get anything useful together in the meantime.

[freedom_engineer]

People should get a full meal first. If this is trouble, we need people primed and ready.

Video

[glowygreendeath]

[A rather unsettling face, much like that of a possessed mummy, comes on the screen.]

We can sense the souls of the living and the dead, and we are an expert in combat.

[Text]

[freedom_engineer]

[Good heavens, that is a very bizarre countenance. He's going to be sticking to text for this one until he's sure he can react well.]

Handy skills to have. I don't believe we've met before, may I ask your name? Or names, if applicable?

[Singular and plural. This guy's bound to be a pronoun nightmare.]

[glowygreendeath]

We are Ermac, and we are many.

[He flexes his powers a bit to demonstrate, turning one hand palm up and allowing a spirit to manifest there as a glowing green sphere. It has vaguely resembles a screaming skull.]

[freedom_engineer]

You must be amazing at a seance.

Okay, if you can do what you say you can, we could definitely use your help on this.

[Royal we, in his instance.]

[Text]

[daughterofursa]

[Why is she talking to Colin twice in the span of a week.]

What do you mean, unusual gatherings of shadows?

[freedom_engineer]

Tohsaka has indicated that there are clusters of shadows in the tower, and near the top of the spiraled staircase. Just... lingering there. Not attacking, not moving. Just there.

Given the proximity to the altar room, and the fact that Ozuma's still missing, it needs to be investigated.

[daughterofursa]

It could be a trap. The Queen must know we're looking for Ozuma.

[freedom_engineer]

If it's a trap, it's a damn good one. Those are cleared areas. We can't just ignore shadows there.

[satanslash]

Rude.

But I get it. Good luck out there. I hope Ozuma is okay...

[freedom_engineer]

I didn't know her surname!

[satanslash]

[Rin is laughing on the other end.]

You do now.

I know, I was mostly kidding. ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ It's all good.

[freedom_engineer]

Yeah, yeah...

Hey, I think we're going to check it out tomorrow morning. I realize this is asking you to do what you do anyway, but could I get you to have a hearty breakfast prepared for us? Something good to fight on, or run on, if necessary?

[phoenixstrut]

[Well, of course she's going to volunteer.]

I can help, if you're still looking for people.

[freedom_engineer]

We've got a couple of people, but... Hang on, let me see if Zuko is willing to do something about this too.

[four_quarts]

It may not be an attack, but I'm sure everyone could benefit from having a medic along. We both know the value of caution, after all.

[freedom_engineer]

If you want in, I'll be more than happy to have you along. The less I have to worry about patching up potential wounds, the happier I'll be.

[four_quarts]

And the less I have to worry about someone making the problem worse by limping back.

[He's so glad you're on level with him with this, Colin.]