[Meredith appears. She makes her announcement without stalling.]

Your friends have changed. There is one certain way to save them. Those who die will return to what they were.

[Does that make you angry? Too bad. The hooded figure has already vanished.]

[Some of you have known this moment before.

The stars have started going out. For those on the Plane as it begins, they can see Meredith Sault alone among numerous holographic monitors, windows into all their different worlds.]

You have to prevent harm to the people.

[The Machine listens.

Every resident not already on the Plane is brought there immediately; the moment they arrive, Meredith closes down the monitors. She gives them one reassurance.] This should be brief.

[Their only warning before she disappears. The stars are going out faster now, and soon all that is left is the soft luminescence which each subject emits. Then that is gone too. Those whose powers come from their environment are without any power.

Those with good hearing might even notice that the distant sound of machinery that haunts this place and all their dreams has stopped. For once, the Astral Plane is silent.]

[ooc: The plot begins! It is in detail here. One day of a power-out to be followed by two weeks of reality-warping from those who took up the library challenge. We'll have the schedule up today.]

[A cloaked woman - Meredith, from the voice - steps onto the Plane.] Roe.

[Roe is currently seated on one of the pillars near the black hole. She is unaffected by the gravity of it and just tapping away at the screens floating around her.] You're not going to ask me to stop it, right?

[Meredith tilts her head up to get a better look, and in the light of the stars below her, you can almost see her eyes.] Can you?

Probably not. The Machine is unpredictable when it gets into these 'moods.' [Roe shrugs.] It's not my problem.

[Meredith lowers her head again.] Is there anything you can tell us about what will happen?

[Roe pauses and waves her screens away, laughing.] Sure. What goes around comes around. Do you get it?

Yes. You make yourself sound very cruel. [Meredith's blank expression is just visible under the shadow of her hood. But for just a moment, she sounded sad.] It seems an odd way of dispersing energy. If you find a way to stop it, we would appreciate you doing it. If not...

[With a sigh, Roe pushes off the pillar - though she never once touches it - and lands next to Meredith.] See what happens when you're as old as me. [But she does pause.] I'll think about it. You know how the Machine gets when it has you, though.

Not personally. Thank you for speaking me. [And instead of offering a hand, Meredith bows.]

[Roe waves it off, which is actually polite for her. Then she turns and walks into the black hole, disappearing. Meredith vanishes a moment later.]

[ooc: Explained here. No hosts will be responding to this post.]

[Meredith appears in a little-used area of the Plane with what appears to be living Plane metal in her hands]

Someone suggested that this is a social experiment, so...

[Kneeling, Meredith lets the metal down onto the floor. Some of it slithers away from her and other pieces vanish, but quickly enough, her hands are empty]

...we will fulfill expectations.

[Then, she is gone]



((ooc: Plot start! The plot post is here and the pairings are here! For reference, Plane Metal is cool to the touch and almost liquid feeling, like brushing your finger over the top of water. It is a deep gray which appears to be speckled in the light but in other lights the metal seems ghostly and translucent. Feel free to start up your posts, get your partners together and go for it!))

[Everyone is here.

Every inhabitant is brought together all at once, no matter what they were doing prior. The Twins and Meredith are standing together, not looking to their test subjects, no - their eyes are on the stars.

Slowly, at first, then faster and faster, each star turns off, every light, ever luminescence vanishing, until the only light that remains is that vague glow which each subject emits.

And then those lights go out, too, and all are left in darkness.

The first voice heard in the dark is the cool, calm voice of Meredith Sault]

We appear to be experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by.

[ooc; Sorry for lateness! We, er, just woke up. On threadhopping for this post: if someone tags directly to the post, hop in as you like. In threads created from tags to the post, ask permission to threadhop, as you would normally! And if your character does something big - like, say, lighting up all the lamps in the Colosseum - but you don't want to make an IC post for it, note it in the OOC comm so that other players can keep track of everything.]

[Meredith is seen in the midsts of multiple pretty holographic screens. She looks entirely unphased that several people have nearly been killed because of the experiment. That's because she is unphased. But the Twins do so hate to bring people back all the time, and Meredith must accommodate. After some random tapping on the screens, they all disappear, and Meredith vanishes with them]





[ooc: Plot end]

It has come to our attention that some of have assisted our colleagues.

Those who have fought may wish for a reward. We shall permit you to choose one.

If you desire, you may make one request of us. Perhaps it is possible and we shall grant it. Perhaps it is not, and you may make another request.

It seems that answers are also sought. You may ask a question. It may be answered honestly and directly, or perhaps it cannot be, and you may ask another question.

You may select that which you wish for.

[The twins are holding their clipboards and checking off things. They look up at Meredith] They're all beginning to access the plain of their own accord now, so it's time to officially begin the experiment! This one should produce better results than the Chimera experiment.

[Meredith stand still, voice light and careless] Perhaps we should explain some things to the subjects. It seems this may facilitate the progress of the experiment.

[The twins frown and tuck their clipboards under their arms in unison] Why do we need to do that?

I have previously given my justification. [Meredith gazes across the plane] We may find it beneficial.

'Beneficial'? [The twins give long, somewhat dramatic sighs] Fiiiine. If they really need to know...

[Turning away from the Twins, Meredith sets her gaze on those nearby] If you are inclined to ask questions of us, we may elect to answer them. Please direct all queries here.