SCENES FROM A HAT: This Post Will Self-Destruct in Five, Four, Three...

He's not sure what just happened, exactly. One minute he's walking along, enjoying the nice weather in the Nexus, and the next he's been grabbed and thrown roughly into a small room. It's only by some miracle of angle -- or perhaps his attacker has just been very careful -- that he hasn't landed on his left bad side.

He gets up, rushing to the door. Of course it's locked. Why WOULDN'T it be locked? You don't just chuck a person into a room unless you're trying to keep them there for whatever reason. Damnit.

A voice filters in, loud and blaring. "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU TWO HAVE JUST BEEN SELECTED TO SAVE THE ENTIRE NEXUS! ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TO SOLVE THAT SIMPLE LITTLE PUZZLE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM AND YOU'RE A WINNER!"

Phoenix looks around in confusion. [Us "two?" Save the Nexus? What?]

The voice continues. "BUT REMEMBER: FAILURE TO DO SO IN THE TIME LIMIT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE NEXUS WILL BE SUCKED INTO AN ENDLESS OBLIVION! HAVE FUN KIDDIES! YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES."

It takes a moment for it to sink in. Then...

"WHAT?!"

He looks around frantically. It's then that he becomes aware that somebody else is in the room...