[By a few hours after the battle, there's been time to start redistributing everyone's recovered belongings - including and maybe especially radios. Maybe not all of them, given only a few people have access to the egg space and there's injured people holed up in the makeshift medical center of the once-shop, but enough.]

Ahem. Hi, everyone! I just want to remind you all of an old, unofficial, but relentlessly mandated rule...

- Bring a buddy when you go exploring. -

Or researching, or fighting, or making friends, or... whatever you're doing. It's dangerous to go alone, and all that. Be safe and recover well!

[The radios will glow green as the Ringmaster begins a broadcast.]

Welcome back to the carnival, everyone. Things may look the same as before, but I assure you, there is no stone that has been left unturned or tree that hasn't been uprooted. We'll have no more stalkers from here on out.

There are a few things of relevance that I have to tell you about. Firstly, Ignatius is no longer in the moon. Instead, he's been relocated to a small island in the middle of the lake. He can't leave it, and you aren't allowed to visit it without my permission. If you do, and he wounds you, you can consider it your own fault.

In a related matter, I've decided to invest my magical energies into granting each of you a ressurection egg, as we clearly can't anticipate any peaceful resolutions from this. If you don't know what that means, it's essentially a ritual spell I'll need your help in completing - once it's done, it will bring you back to life if you happen to perish, but only once. Also, you will have to be in the egg long enough to regrow and hatch. This is no small favour on my part, and it won't work unless your soul can make it back to the egg.

Thirdly, after calling in several favours, I think the location of Eden is almost within view. A few allies will be joining us over the next week and giving us more information. Until then, carry on about your business, as there are some new things you'll have to get used to.

We're going to be organizing the Supervisor guided departments differently from now on. I have explained the details to the Supervisors, and they can fill you in on what will be expected of you. There will not be only six categories: Militia, Acquisitions, Engineering, Management, Administration, and Medical.

Supervisors, feel free to sound off with what group you are leading and what it is for.

Anybody ever had a dream about dyin'? But it feels so real that it's less like a dream and more like... a memory? An' it's not you dyin', it's somebody else, but yer seein' it like it's you.

[That is so specific Doll. Surely nobody has had this same experience. There's some awkward tense air before she continues.]

Normally I don' dream much, but this was right unsett'lin. Couldn' sleep much after.

[Honestly, it isn't his fault he doesn't have hammer space or fancy magic to use for hiding stuff. Tyki didn't have to suggest he should contribute some other way like he had something to make up for when the topic of assuring the rest of the Carnival that the situation was under control came up; any one of them could have done that! But in the end there wasn't a graceful way to weasel out of it, so here Shima is, sighing and clicking his radio on to the public channel once they'd made it back to camp and had some rest.

The aggressive cheer in his voice poorly disguises the put upon tone to his announcement.]

Mooorning everybody~

Shima again. I'm sure some of ya've been wondering what's been up with that fae that our last team captured 'n got the Ringmaster ta eat. Well, good news, she's fine now 'n the eating was temporary.

Iggy-san is doing less hot, but he's alive 'n we've got him inside, uh... I guess it was a beach moon? Not sure how that works. But yeah, for whatever reason, since I fit the Ringmaster's criteria for a person suitable ta bring along for a chat with him, here's a first hand account that his powers have been stripped and he's successfully contained 'n not leaving the Carnival for a while.

Take a sigh of relief, or brace yourselves. Whichever!

This is late, but... I wanted to apologize to the people I put in danger with my reckless behavior.

At the library I acted without thought. I don't know the details of what happened afterwards, but some of it was probably my fault.


I'm sorry.

((OOC: Since Ginko and Tanyuu are both going to be talking in here, Ginko’s voice is indicated in green and Tanyuu’s is purple for readability.

For more details on the plot, please look at the OOC post!))

Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt the camping trip, but we’ve got something of a problem.

You might have noticed some odd-looking flowers popping up around our campsites; those aren’t native to this world. They’re a type of mushi that have found their way here.

[And now that Ginko has a semi-captive audience--] Specifically, they’re kaoriyoroboki; these mushi blur the lines between people’s minds while they sleep, allowing them to experience and share each other’s dreams. Their presence allows people to sleep more peacefully, as well, which some of you may have noticed.

Unfortunately, long-term exposure to kaoriyoroboki while you sleep will cause the borders between your minds to blur more and more, until your identities and memories start bleeding together irreparably. Tanyuu and I are working on keeping that from happening, but the mushi purge isn’t quite ready yet.

[No one can see it, but rest assured that Tanyuu is shaking her head fondly at GInko’s rambling. Her brother...] It shouldn’t take more than a few days to gather everything we need, but in the meantime try to avoid napping too much. Symptoms usually only start appearing after a week or so, but let us know if you start to feel confused or misremember things.

[Silence, for a few seconds, as though someone is holding down the talk button without saying anything. It goes away for only a moment, only for the Psionic's voice to spring out the next second, at only about half of his usually positive tone.]

Well, normally this is when I'd make the labor department check-in... But, since some of you may be incapacitated in some way. I'm going to be seeking you all out individually so we can have a good long talk face to face.

Since you already know there's no escape you might as well make this easy for all of us and tell me where you are now.


If you aren't in labor... I'd still like a chance to check in with you, in person or otherwise, but I can't make you if you don't work under me.
Just know that I can be very persistent.

[Ask anyone. Really.]

(Not many will have their voice accompanied by mouse squeaks. Hades is special.)

Do not fear the Darkness. All begin within it and all reenter it upon death.

(Is this in bad taste? If only he cared about such mortal conventions.)

Therein lies my domain and thus... (He shifts his mouse friend to his other hand.) I would know it best.

(Then there is a sudden shift in subject.)

Who is Papyrus?

[He really didn't want this to happen, but...]

I think it's time we start keeping a list of those who's disappeared, been taken, or is otherwise indisposed.

I'll start.

Lauren has been buried in the ground, somewhere, and Steven Universe has been taken by the Rose Queen.

[He says all of this blankly, matter of factly, and there's only the sound of a shaky breath at the very end.]