[PUBLIC CHANNEL] Day 11

[npcarnival]

[ The first one to speak is the Ringmaster, sounding a bit guarded and reluctant, like she's not sure if she wants to deliver this message or not. ]

We have... a visitor at the carnival today, who is asking us for assistance. She comes from a group called the Star Guardians, who I've aided in the past, which is why I'm been sought out this time. They have this entire 'saving the universe' style gig going on.

It can be an enormous hassle, however, and I feel like we've had a few too many disasters as of late. So... I'm going to leave this up to you. You can help her as she asks, or you can stay in the safety of the carnival. I won't force your hand, either way. Just know that whatever she asks you to do will be dangerous, even if it's for a good cause.

Here. I'll let her explain herself.

[ The public channel of the radio clicks off and then on again, but there’s a few seconds' pause before anyone starts speaking. The young woman’s voice that comes across the radio won’t be familiar to anyone at the Carnival, but her voice is clear, with only the barest hint of a waver to it. ]

My name is Noa Minette. I’m from this world — from Wismuth — and I’m speaking to you now because I have something to ask you.

[ She takes a breath. ]

Wismuth needs your help. ...I need your help. [ She makes the more honest correction half a beat later, sounding a little more subdued, before she finds the strength in her voice again. ]

I’m a Star Guardian. The Ringmaster said she hadn’t met one in quite a while, and we usually come as a team, but here, it’s just me.

If you’ve seen the posters around the city, you know that CY-Ren is going to be holding a concert. No matter what happens, I have to stop that concert from happening. If not… [ She hesitates. ] I don’t think it’s going to be something this world can recover from. I don’t know exactly what she has planned, but I know it’s something Void's never tried before.

I can’t face CY-Ren, not on my own. I don’t expect people to help without knowing what they’re getting into, so I’ll try to answer what I can.

Comments

[hippocarnival]

The Void? [He remembers those posters and her music... she's not just some pop star? ] What's going to happen if there's a concert?

[npcarnival]

[ The second question is easier to answer than the first, so she'll go with that first. ]

I don't exactly know. We received a warning from Creation, but it wasn't very specific.

[ She sounds apologetic about that. And now the hard part, where she takes a breath: ]

The Void is the power opposed to Creation. It's ... nothingness. Nonexistence. It wants the end of everything.

[hippocarnival]

I've never heard of those things before. [He sways it a little helplessly. She sounds genuine about being help, however. And the Ringmaster is trusting her, so would she lie...?]

So CY-Ren's part of void and wants to destroy everything, and she'll use her concert to do it? How do we help?

[npcarnival]

Whatever she's planning, her performance will probably be the key to it. She channels her power through her music, so we need to find a way to interrupt that, or keep people from hearing her...

[hippocarnival]

You'd have to stop the whole concert, right? Or stop her from playing.

[There's people probablt better suited for that than Yuya, but...] If I can help, I'll do it. What's she like? CY-Ren?

[npcarnival]

That's right. Confronting her directly is an option, but there will be a lot of people around, so I'm not sure that's going to be possible.

[ But as for the question of what she's like? That catches her off guard. ]

CY-Ren? Um, it's not like I know her personally, if that's what you're asking.

[hippocarnival]

No, I mean... you know she's working with this Void, right? Has she done something before? With her music?

[npcarnival]

I don't really know if she's working with it. [ Wow, she sure seems to be saying she doesn't know stuff a lot, huh? That's a little embarrassing, which is why she's quick to follow up on his next question with something she's more sure of. ]

She's used her music to summon Void creatures and influence people's minds before. It's been happening more frequently lately.

[hippocarnival]

[It does seem a little unprepared, doesn't it? Maybe that's why she's asking for help.]

I guess I don't know enough about this Void and Creation to know the difference... but if she's hurting people, it needs to be stopped.

[npcarnival]

To be honest, I've been doing this for a few years and it's still a little hard to wrap my head around ... and I've never had to explain any of this to someone else.

But I feel the same way. [ She sounds surer of herself when she says that, conviction unwavering. ]

[hippocarnival]

... Oh! My name's Yuya, by the way. I guess If I'm going to help, you should know...

[Wait.] Have you been doing this alpine that whole time?

[npcarnival]

I wish we weren't meeting like this, but thanks for being willing to help!

[ Her tone falters a little, but she recovers quickly. ]

I've been in the only Star Guardian in this world for the past two years. If there was anyone before me, I've never met them. Con says Creation only picks as many guardians as it needs at a time, so maybe it didn't think it needed more than one.

[hippocarnival]

So if it doesn't think a world needs any, it won't pick them? [There's so many big concepts Yuya had no idea about, and he wonders for all of five seconds why they don't appear to impact his own set of dimensions too much. And then he remembers all the fucking trouble they are and, honestly, they're dealing with enough.]

That sounds kind of lonely, but you don't have to do this by yourself. Are you coming to the carnival to make a plan? Or do we find you?

[npcarnival]

That's right. Most worlds never have Guardians at all, or at least that's what I was told ... I've never been to another universe.

And I'm already here, actually. I was watching the performances earlier. That was an amazing show.