[144.98750] RINGMASTER'S FOURTH ADDRESS (D138)

[lordofthering]

[This message will go out about fifteen minutes after arriving in the carnival, while everyone is still waking up and recovering. The Ringmaster sounds far more subdued than normal - like maybe she's tired, or sick, or perhaps just sad.]

That... wasn't what I expected to happen.

[There is a long pause, and then she sighs.]

I imagine you all have some questions. I don't have time to address all of them now, but I can attempt the most important one. Who you were there isn't who you are now. It isn't a creature entirely separate from you, either. They are a reflection of your identity - they are who you could be. Who you could have been. The reality of circumstance and choice is too complex to figure out all the factors that changed you, but in the end, it doesn't really matter.

Use these memories to guide you, not to demean you. Allow them to inform your future, but not rule it. You are, as ever, all of what you choose to be.


Please be polite to our hosts. She didn't know know I was coming. Bye for now.

Comments

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert almost, almost doesn't respond to this because the first half of that is nothing like what he wants to hear, but the last part-- ]

The hell do you mean bye for now?!

[ This would sound much more impressively pissed off and accusatory if he didn't sound so fucking exhausted, so it just comes out as an aggressive wheeze. ]

[lordofthering]

[Oh yay, it's Lambert. That almost brightens her tone.]

It means that I will be away for a while! It's inconvenient I know, but it can't be avoided.

[amusicaladventure]

Wow. That was just what I needed to hear.

[lordofthering]

I'm not sure if that's sarcastic or not - but I suppose it doesn't make a difference!

[bananaspeedrider]

Oi...!! But we're getting more answers about what the hell we got caught up in later right?

[Surprise surprise, someone else that isn't worse for wear. But still freaking out.]

[lordofthering]

Most likely, yes. Though I thought most of it was self evident, by now.

[mirrortide]

This makes none of what happened any better.

[lordofthering]

Obviously not.

[She sounds about as dry as Lapis does.]

[periphrasing]

[She manages to at least get a bit more of an articulated message out for the RM than she did for Psi's message. She sounds like she's in an immense amount of pain though.]

Um, yes, hello, boss? I think my memories are informing me to never get ritualistically stabbed ever again. Which you're welcome for, by the way. Follow up question: Why do I still hurt so much?

[lordofthering]

Spiritual damage, I assume. It should clear up in no time, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[anti_nonsense]

Is that all you have to say!? This is all your fault, you know!

[lordofthering]

Yes, probably.

[To both statements, really.]

[kingsroads]

[ heeey, guess who's not unconscious! ]

Like funhouse mirrors.

[ heeey, guess who's still groggy as heck and isn't making much sense because he was unconscious + just got debrainwashed! ]

Thank you, by the way. I'm myself again.

[lordofthering]

[Thank god for you, Strange, and how you're the only one to actually thank her for how much energy she just put into dealing with all of that! This is why she likes you.]

I'm glad to hear it! I can't claim to know what exactly happened there, but it seemed... severe.

[pipers_son]

[Joker is too tired and confused and might just lay on the floor for a while to engage in too much conversation, but he'll still blearily reach for his radio anyway.]

Not now, but ya will give us straight answers later, yeah?

[Because he doesn't think any of them are in the mood for weird fae bullshit- well, any more weird fae bullshit.]

....Ah hell, I ain't on fire.

[He just now noticed???]

[lordofthering]

I hope to. Possibly. Depending on the questions.

Were you on fire before?

[moonfang]

Ah! Good ta know that we aren't actually supposed to go all Invasion of the Body Snatchers when we get to new locales. [sarcasm??? NEVER!!]

Gotta tell ya though, boss; peoples' souls are fucked up right now. I'm not sure I've ever seen this much spiritual chaos in beings who are still technically alive. My guess? It's gonna take weeks for it to be sorted out.

[lordofthering]

Sound about right.

[She's responding, but it doesn't sound like she's fully engaging with his hypothesis, here. Not mentally, anyway.]

[fortuneglass]

[ringmaster wait-]

...if there isn't time now, I need to ask you for something later, [Carly manages to say to the Ringmaster, her voice quite soft, if not carefully held steady by a bare minimum of threads.] it's important, and...

...I need to ask it in person.

[lordofthering]

It will have to be later!

I'm about to expire.

[diamondsare]

[Oddly enough Blue sounds a little.. hesitant.]

Do you know what happened to that world, now that we aren't there? The people we were, are they still there as well or does our absence nullify its existence?

[stillwinningthehardway]

If the scouts had gone out first, would it've been just us there? Or was getting close enough to even send us out enough to catch everyone?

[destiny_key]

[He has so many questions and no idea where to start.]

Okay, but where have you been?

[periphrasing]

She was running around naked in the woods and throwing parties, actually.

[dorkypantsuit]

So, in the future if I ever need to get your attention will stripping still work?

[spaghettimonster]

It got my attention. Did it work for her too??