∴ 005 ∴ Video ∴ Backdated to the 18th

[as_you_command]

[ Guilford -- and you can tell it's him because his eyes aren't glowing -- he looks frazzled. Exhausted. He is sitting on the floor inside the temple, hair wet against his face, and eyes focused one of the many foreign religious artifacts before him

Comments

[anearlmustmarry]

Good to see you alive and kicking!

[as_you_command]

As if there would be any doubt. [ Lloyd should know; it takes more than one person to keep Guilford down for any amount of time. ]

You were not approached by it-- him, were you?

[anearlmustmarry]

No. He seemed rather intent on finding you, after all!

[as_you_command]

[ A heavy sigh. ] That much is evident.

I am aware of Cornelia's Shadow coming forth, but... have there been others that you are familiar with? [ "Close by," being the implication in his tone. Lloyd would be his closest link at the moment, if things were awry in that house. ]

[anearlmustmarry]

Mm. Yes, I've seen Her Highness' Shadow. Rather concerning.

[TEXT//PRIVATE: GUILFORD 97%]

His Highness Clovis is currently hiding in a closet while his paws at the door. Any attempts to remove either of them on my part have proved to be ineffective so far.

His Highness Schneizel seems to think that we will be seeing one of his shortly.

[as_you_command]

You mean Cornelia-- [ The surprise is difficult to mask, but the thought it cut short as he realizes that if Cornelia has met his Shadow, there is equal chance -- and high likelihood -- that hers would come for him.

This bothered him visibly, and Lloyd's follow-up message did little to settle his fear. ]

...I see. [ He sighs, typing a quick reply; the latter question is more of curiosity than anything -- he expects no worthwhile information. ]

[TEXT//PRIVATE//97%]

I wonder what makes our world so special that all of us caught the fae's attention so readily.

Do you know of the status of Mr. Kururugi, or Lelouch?

[TEXT//PRIVATE 97%]

[anearlmustmarry]

My honest, non-sarcastic hypothesis is that all but one of us is, to my knowledge, some kind of aristocracy. Of course, they've not shown nearly so much interest in the likes of Princess Zelda, so that may not be the case.

You know, I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but I do wish my knowledge of folklore was not so limited.

But I digress. Kururugi and the other lad seem to be fine.

[TEXT//PRIVATE 97%]

[as_you_command]

The difference might be in the skeletons that lie in our respective closets.

That would be beneficial, but there was no way to predict such information would ever be of practical use.

In this situation, we must trust in those with more experience.