[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

[anti_nonsense]

A Pillar of Creation... I'd been wondering what that meant. [This explanation is vague, but not quite as vague as the Ringmaster's had been.]

You mentioned a 'Con'. Who or what is that?

[npcarnival]

It's hard to explain. [ She did try with Zangetsu but she isn't sure if Rita heard that explanation, never having used a magical walkie-talkie before, but she'll make another stab at it. ] Try to imagine this world, and others like it, are the beams supporting a roof. Except the roof is the multiverse, and if enough of them collapse...

[ Well, she doesn't actually know exactly what that could look like, but the consequences were made to sound pretty Dire. ]

Con -- um, Constantine -- is my familiar. He appeared when Creation chose me, and he's connected to it somehow, too.

[anti_nonsense]

[That definitely paints a clearer picture than before. This all sounded kind of like a joke at first, but now Rita's starting to see the importance.]

And a familiar is...?

[Evidently, Rita isn't familiar with the term.]

[npcarnival]

You could call him a spirit guide, in a way. He's the one who told me what was going on and explained how my powers work. And he lets me know when he senses CY-Ren might be causing trouble.

[anti_nonsense]

[A spirit guide... Interesting. It sounds like the kind of thing Rita would like to study, but... maybe another time.]

What kind of trouble has she caused before?

[Knowing that might clarify what kind of threat she is, and what her goals could be.]

[npcarnival]

Summoning monsters, or influencing people to act strangely ... it feels like she's been doing it more often, and like she's been doing it in more places, but I haven't really kept track.

[anti_nonsense]

Don't you think you should, you know, keep track of that sort of thing?

[npcarnival]

I realize that now. [ She sounds embarrassed. ] But I do have a life outside being a Guardian.

[anti_nonsense]

Hmph... [It definitely sounds like Rita's judging her, but in the end...]

Sounds like you're pretty much hopeless, so I guess I can lend a hand. I do a lot of the backstage work here, so I know how it all works. If I can run a show from behind the scenes, I can sure as hell sabotage one.

Or I could just blow up the stage, if that's easier.