Once they arrived, the voice spoke again. "Floor 101. Main Floor. Please hold. Still. For your scan. For Weapons--"
"Override." Ciel spoke up. "Understood. Thank you for your. cooperation. Please. Have a nice. Day."
From one desk to another, but a woman this time and she seemed a lot more cheerful than those before her. She stood up, walked over and bowed slightly.
"Welcome Visitors! My name is Suzuki Momoi and on behalf of the Wise Men, I welcome you into the M.A.G.I. Research Department. We've been hoping you would come here. As you no doubt realize there haave been problems, so let me quickly brief you on what's been happening."
She began to walk into the corridors, leading them into a room some might remember from their return from the Tower earlier this year...
"The Trape-zoh-ed-ron (the way she said it sounded like she’d been practicing saying it correctly for a while) has been activating again in short bursts. This morning at 1am, it began to fluctuate wildly. We had to divert power to keep it from damaging the facility, but the energy caused a blowout and interference to the network servers. Power should be restored in about thirty minutes from now, as far as the city knows. As for what it is doing now...well...you’ll all see very soon."
She pressed a button, which opened a door.
Inside it, the strange crystal was glowing ominously. However, out of all the things, that wasn’t what grabbed your attention. No, rather it’s the giant portal that swirling in the middle of the room. You couldn’t make out anything from it apart from stars, but there was a large cable that was passing right into it.
"Ahh good, you’re all here." Another scientist looked up as the Magi were busy working in the corner. "We’ve sent out a scouting robot to see exactly what’s happening. Miraculously, we’re still able to get a video feed." He pointed to a large screen that mostly showed sand dunes more than anything else. "We’re still not sure where it leads...but we’re not risking anyone’s lives going in right away. It could even be from outside the city here. You’re all free to look around, but please don’t touch anyth-"
A sudden, piercing scream stopped his explanation..
"The hell was that?"
"It sounded like someone screaming!"
"I KNOW THAT! I mean.." The scientists pushed away and returned to their posts as the robot struggles to look around so they can get a video source of the noise.
It sounded like heavy breathing.
Heavy breathing that got louder and closer to the video feed until the camera was violently pushed and grabbed by...something?
"...Well I’ll be damned! It’s one of ‘em contraptions straight up from the skies! I can see a portal over there! I think we got permanent contact!"
Well that was certainly...unexpected. The entire room went silent as a few jaws opened in surprise. As the video feed started to catch up they could finally see who was speaking. It looked like a half humanoid, demonic lioness, if they wore saloon makeup. The black outfit constrated with the dark red dress she wore.
"Hey robot! You gonna answer me or somethin? We’re you from?" "Greetings. I am. Created by. Citizens of. Hinoto-ri..."
"Well isn't this just darn' toot'n adorable? Alleluia! Greetin’, Hinoto-Ri! We've been havin' problems the last few days with this blasted machinin' tryin' to make the distress beckon' work! Y'all the first group that ain't just thrown' 'round in here!" There was much excitement in her voice at the prospect as she moved an eye closer to the small machine. "It's been terrible! We've had creatures n' visitors' from 'round the universe show up, and we ain't sure why it's happenin'! No portals to get ‘em back to their world either!"
Someone behind her coughed before pushing up his glasses and adjusting his necktie.
"That might be a little too quickly my dear. I apologize for her...excitement. We realize that our method of communication is tedious at best, but you appear to be the first world that we have been able to communicate with on a mutual basis. Allow me to introduce myself. Name's Allard, and this is my daughter, and current mayoress of the city, Kiora." The manul cat tried his best to look digified despite his advanced age, as the fur spilled out on all sides of his overcoat.
"So what's you place like?" Kiora asked, tapping on the machine. "Are you the scouting robot? You sendin’ this video to your leaders’, right? The Old Ones never set us wrong, I bet it’s a great group of heroes like the ones you met twenty years ago, Pops!"
"Well, we’ll see in due time. To whomever is viewing this, perhaps a meeting face to face would be a preferable method. If you were to so kindly join us here, we promise that no harm will befall you. We are in need of your aid."
"Y’all come on over here and I promise to make it worth your while!" The mayoress added. "Just gimme a sign, robot, once your leaders agree’d on somethin’!"
The scientists looked at each other, confused, not just because of something that had been thrust upon them, but also with all this new detail. Most eyes, however, turned towards the Visitors.
"Uh...I supposed we could go…" "Maybe it’s safe." "It could be a trap...?"
Reading between the lines, it sounded more like, If you guys go, it would probably be better. Please offer yourselves for this. You’re the Visitors, after all.
A call for heroes?
"Floor 101. Main Floor. Please hold. Still. For your scan. For Weapons--"
"Override." Ciel spoke up.
"Understood. Thank you for your. cooperation. Please. Have a nice. Day."
From one desk to another, but a woman this time and she seemed a lot more cheerful than those before her. She stood up, walked over and bowed slightly.
"Welcome Visitors! My name is Suzuki Momoi and on behalf of the Wise Men, I welcome you into the M.A.G.I. Research Department. We've been hoping you would come here. As you no doubt realize there haave been problems, so let me quickly brief you on what's been happening."
She began to walk into the corridors, leading them into a room some might remember from their return from the Tower earlier this year...
"The Trape-zoh-ed-ron (the way she said it sounded like she’d been practicing saying it correctly for a while) has been activating again in short bursts. This morning at 1am, it began to fluctuate wildly. We had to divert power to keep it from damaging the facility, but the energy caused a blowout and interference to the network servers. Power should be restored in about thirty minutes from now, as far as the city knows. As for what it is doing now...well...you’ll all see very soon."
She pressed a button, which opened a door.
Inside it, the strange crystal was glowing ominously. However, out of all the things, that wasn’t what grabbed your attention. No, rather it’s the giant portal that swirling in the middle of the room. You couldn’t make out anything from it apart from stars, but there was a large cable that was passing right into it.
"Ahh good, you’re all here." Another scientist looked up as the Magi were busy working in the corner. "We’ve sent out a scouting robot to see exactly what’s happening. Miraculously, we’re still able to get a video feed." He pointed to a large screen that mostly showed sand dunes more than anything else. "We’re still not sure where it leads...but we’re not risking anyone’s lives going in right away. It could even be from outside the city here. You’re all free to look around, but please don’t touch anyth-"
A sudden, piercing scream stopped his explanation..
"The hell was that?"
"It sounded like someone screaming!"
"I KNOW THAT! I mean.." The scientists pushed away and returned to their posts as the robot struggles to look around so they can get a video source of the noise.
It sounded like heavy breathing.
Heavy breathing that got louder and closer to the video feed until the camera was violently pushed and grabbed by...something?
"...Well I’ll be damned! It’s one of ‘em contraptions straight up from the skies! I can see a portal over there! I think we got permanent contact!"
Well that was certainly...unexpected. The entire room went silent as a few jaws opened in surprise. As the video feed started to catch up they could finally see who was speaking. It looked like a half humanoid, demonic lioness, if they wore saloon makeup. The black outfit constrated with the dark red dress she wore.
"Hey robot! You gonna answer me or somethin? We’re you from?"
"Greetings. I am. Created by. Citizens of. Hinoto-ri..."
"Well isn't this just darn' toot'n adorable? Alleluia! Greetin’, Hinoto-Ri! We've been havin' problems the last few days with this blasted machinin' tryin' to make the distress beckon' work! Y'all the first group that ain't just thrown' 'round in here!" There was much excitement in her voice at the prospect as she moved an eye closer to the small machine. "It's been terrible! We've had creatures n' visitors' from 'round the universe show up, and we ain't sure why it's happenin'! No portals to get ‘em back to their world either!"
Someone behind her coughed before pushing up his glasses and adjusting his necktie.
"That might be a little too quickly my dear. I apologize for her...excitement. We realize that our method of communication is tedious at best, but you appear to be the first world that we have been able to communicate with on a mutual basis. Allow me to introduce myself. Name's Allard, and this is my daughter, and current mayoress of the city, Kiora." The manul cat tried his best to look digified despite his advanced age, as the fur spilled out on all sides of his overcoat.
"So what's you place like?" Kiora asked, tapping on the machine. "Are you the scouting robot? You sendin’ this video to your leaders’, right? The Old Ones never set us wrong, I bet it’s a great group of heroes like the ones you met twenty years ago, Pops!"
"Well, we’ll see in due time. To whomever is viewing this, perhaps a meeting face to face would be a preferable method. If you were to so kindly join us here, we promise that no harm will befall you. We are in need of your aid."
"Y’all come on over here and I promise to make it worth your while!" The mayoress added. "Just gimme a sign, robot, once your leaders agree’d on somethin’!"
The scientists looked at each other, confused, not just because of something that had been thrust upon them, but also with all this new detail. Most eyes, however, turned towards the Visitors.
"Uh...I supposed we could go…"
"Maybe it’s safe."
"It could be a trap...?"
Reading between the lines, it sounded more like, If you guys go, it would probably be better. Please offer yourselves for this. You’re the Visitors, after all.