video; return of the radio show (forward-dated to march 10)

[orphne]

[Okay, so when Goro Akechi asks nicely for a favor, Kotone isn't one to turn him down. People are probably more likely to listen if it's not-him saying something! Besides, it's kind of fun to pretend to be a real news anchor, sitting next to Minato at one of the desks in the club building, holding a piece of paper in both hands. In light of recent events, though, her usually-bright smile is a bit more subdued as she mouths a few words, skimming down the paper, and then immediately makes a face.

It's so obvious to anyone who knows either Minato or Kotone that there's no way what they're reading out loud are their own words. Their broadcast goes live not long after Ragna's post.]

Good evening Aldrip!

I'm certain that we all are aware of the current events. Especially since the perpetrator behind the latest explosion decided to grant us with a live broadcast and-- [She pauses, scrunching up her face, because what's written next is so passive-aggressive about "the person in question not having a plan, and how no one should be surprised that person didn't have a plan." She'll just leave that part out and skip ahead,]

Considering the nature of the Council, it'd be foolish to think this attack will be left unpunished. However, we aren't sure if they will come to us as a whole or just target the perpetrator. Honestly, both are plausible scenarios. Which is why I believe we need to gather all the information we have of The Council.

[ Why is this so long?? Minato leans over a bit, squinting at the mess of handwritten notes in front of him. ] A lot of people have theorized that they are the ones responsible for our presence here, or that they are godlike creatures. While I believe this is an important theory to keep in mind, I’m not sure that’s the case here.

The council was originally absent when The Chosen arrived here for the first time. They only became active back in October after we went through the Maze. [She makes another face, because the maze sucked.] For those who weren't here back then, here's a quick summary: One night in September the town transformed into a gigantic maze with different levels that we had to clear while facing our fears, insecurities and memories related to the crimes in our parchments. After a few days the maze disappeared and town returned back to 'normal.' That's when 'Jerry' appeared and began to act on behalf of The Council to rehabilitate the criminals.

…‘someone' suggested that we might have entered a whole different timeline after coming out of the maze. [ He takes a moment to shuffle through his papers because, what maze…? Minato glances over his shoulder at something off-screen with a puzzled expression before looking straight ahead again. ] There’s no concrete evidence on this, but we shouldn’t ignore it either. The odd behavior from the locals would suggest it. They’ve been seen freezing in the middle of action before suddenly changing their opinions and behavior, along with being… unable to offer any proper information about the world they live in.

It could be that the world is preparing for another world-altering change right now, just like back with the maze. [Maybe they should have led with that?]

We also believe that we are hardly the first group of The Chosen who have arrived. There have been mentions of previous "cycles", indicating that there were others before us. These cycles were mentioned in the graves that we came across during October's witch hunt — [ He glances at something out of view again with a curious tilt of the head. After blinking a couple times with a frown in that direction, he turns to his notes again. ] — along with… an underground grotto where we found pictures of the people from past. [ Minato frowns a bit because that’s… mildly concerning if true. Frankly, he doesn’t know whether anything in these notes is true at all. ]

The biggest indicator, however, that we are not the first ones here are the sudden images, video and audios clips we received after our expedition with the fairies back in July. [Her mouth opens in an "oh" as if she's only just realized something herself, then shrugs and continues reading,] Those clips showed people from the past discussing about their "crimes" very similarly to our own. They also mentioned dealing with similar trials and monsters like we have. So, it would make sense if we assume that everything that we have gone through has happened before, and that we are following some sort of a script...? [HUH?? Now it's her turn to stare off-screen mouthing 'what?']

Or at least, that was the case until the destruction of the City Hall. [ Finally, something he actually has firsthand knowledge about and doesn’t need to glance over his shoulder to make sure he’s reading things correctly. ]

[Apparently whatever she's looking at off-screen is prompting her to continue, because she makes a face but checks her papers again. And then makes yet another face, deciding to paraphrase what's written there.] The Council is really powerful and can alter people's memories and bodies, but maybe they're not the ones behind the maze...? 'Cause apparently we don't have any proof that they can change reality. So maybe they're just a product of maze instead of the ones behind it. [She scrunches up her face and checks the papers again, a little doubtfully,] Maybe like Jerry, they're being used as tools by someone with greater power...? [She's kind of regretting agreeing to do this... she should have made Akechi read his own hypotheses...]

We don’t know who or what that powerful being may be. It could be the ones that locals call Those Who Were Here, but they seem to be deities only to Aldrip. None of the other towns have shown any signs of religion as far as we know. They might be a red herring set out to mislead us. [ He speaks flatly with an impassive expression. Minato clearly doesn’t actually believe or agree with anything that’s coming out of his mouth right now. He maintains his focus though, eyes trained on the notes in front of him. ] Whatever it is, we believe we can all agree that their excuses and explanations about wanting to rehabilitate us is bullshit, along with our 'crimes.' [ Minato looks off camera again and gives definitely-not-Akechi-Goro a thumbs-up. ]

[Kotone puts down her papers and sticks out her tongue a little as if trying to figure out how to talk normally again after all that formal language.] Anyway, that's just a summary, so if anybody has any other information, go ahead and let us know! How was that, Goro?

[ ooc: Replies will mostly be from Akechi, but possible peanut gallery-ing from Kotone and Minato!

Also please feel free to tag each other too! Hop on in and let’s start cooking some theories \o/ ]

Comments

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[melnik]

[ On one hand, he's appreciative to know that there are others here who are prepared to throw everything they've been theorizing about the situation right out onto the table. On the other... this video message really throws a lot out there. ]

If we're really gearing up for another shift... does anyone have a suggestion on what we should do?

[ Yes, they've established that blowing up city hall likely has them royally fucked, but now what? ]

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[entreats]

That depends, how optimistic are you?

[ .. look, yes, this does sound kind of useless, but Ange is going somewhere with this. She sounds serious enough, anyway, her voice kind of flat and emotionless. ]

[melnik]

[ It does sound like the leadup to a fast letdown, but he's going to go with it for now. ]

Not very, but I don't think we can just give up either. It sounds like we're still working with theories right now, nothing totally concrete.

[entreats]

Well, regardless of theories, it's at least clear that we're dealing with something powerful here, right?

[ If anything, she views the theories as mostly being about what said something could be. Whether it is the Council, or something beyond them, just like was spoken about just now.. ]

Even if we don't know its nature, it does mean the odds are against us. Clearly none of us are powerful enough to try and deal with it on a similar level. That means we need to find some sort of loophole instead. [ Hence the question about optimism.

Since it's not like Ange hasn't heard people deny the possibility of said loophole existing in the first place before. ]

[melnik]

[ No matter how many people seem to have fantastical powers here, the fact of the matter is they were all abducted by this powerful whatever they're dealing with and they ended up here. So she's with her so far.

It's about finding it. ]

Oh... so that's where the optimism comes in. Yes. I agree with you.

[ The path to figuring it out could not possibly be so direct as launching an attack on City Hall. ]

It was mentioned that locals have been seen acting odd. And there was the part about the whole location shifting and changing. I haven't been here long enough to see it for myself, but it does make me wonder if trying to poke holes in the weakest parts of this place wouldn't yield some answers.

[ Of course, that would be assuming there's something to the theory that this is scripted, or a simulation, or something of that nature. ]

[entreats]

[ Judging by the way the girl hums, she does seem some merit in that idea. Especially since she definitely has seen some stuff that could point towards it during all these months she's been trapped in this place. ]

That does bring some risk with it though.

[ Something she's sure he already realises. He sounds like a rather sensible person so far, after all. ]

So that makes the question how much risk we're willing to accept in order to find out more.

[melnik]

That's true. We may have had our chance to remain inconspicuous torn away from us, too.

[ If there isn't just a complete omnipotence in effect, at least, they're really going to be under scrutiny after the City Hall thing. ]

But seeing as we're basically just sitting ducks for whatever comes next, I don't see that we have much choice.

[entreats]

Yeah, I guess you've got a point. If we're in for a penny, we're in for a pound. That sort of thing, yeah?

[ Even though it wasn't necessarily their collective decision to be in for a penny.. Ragna just made that decision for all of them. But exactly because it's Ragna who did that, Ange is having a harder time complaining about it, instead just brushing it aside. ]

Maybe if you wanted to try and poke more holes into this entire thing, you could try talking to the locals about it. The way they react to stuff happening here is often pretty.. weirdly extreme. Maybe they'll let something slip that would give us more information in this case.

[melnik]

Exactly.

[ On the other hand, since the perpetrator is a stranger to him, he is pretty mad about it — but he also realizes it's completely useless to just stew in that outrage. It's already happened and now they have to deal with it, one way or another. ]

I was thinking something like that myself. Even if they can't really offer anything useful, it's possible that we might be able to dig up something by seeing how they react.

[ Like if they're freezing up, as the information presented here suggested, or suddenly making a behavioral switch, it could serve as another clue of some kind. Anyway, pour one out for whichever poor saps get Miller grilling them with twenty questions. ]

I'm going to give it a shot.

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[memori3s]

...none.

[ He's helping!!! ]

But someone told me we should stay with people we trust.

[melnik]

Great.

[ Not!!! ]

That's assuming we can actually remember who the people we trust are.

[memori3s]

You don't remember...?

[ Shouldn't that be an easy question to answer? You either trust a person, or you don't. ]

Did you lose your memory, Mister?

[melnik]

No, I haven't. [ At least... he doesn't think so? ] But didn't whoever wrote that document you were reading say that the Council can alter our memories? If we just sit back and let things play out, how do we know we'll be able to keep all of this straight?

[ It's making him paranoid to say the least. ]

[memori3s]

[ There's a thoughtful pause before Minato proffers another theory. ]

Yeah. If that's the case, maybe we've forgotten the fact that we can't remember things.

[ On a less alarming note, the sound of paper shifting can be heard from his end of the conversation. ]

Maybe if we write everything down... We could bury the papers in something. Like a time capsule.

[ He's shrugging a bit, even though the man can't see. ]

[melnik]

[ His point is very true, and honestly, one that would be easy to start spiraling over if he let himself. But if there's no way to be sure, to get anywhere, they have no choice but to trust that they have at least the presence of mind to theorize like this.

Still, the uphill battle of it all makes him groan. Internally.

He gives a thoughtful hum. ]

It's a decent idea. Even if it sits there under the ground, it's at least insurance the information wouldn't be completely lost. [ By the way, since they were reading this info off, he is wondering -- ] Did you compile all of this together?

[memori3s]

[ They do run into the potential future problem of having their memories altered and, therefore, forgetting the location of the time capsule. But maybe that's a conversation for another day.

Minato shakes his head before remembering the other person can't see him. ]

No. ...I'm part of the newest "wave."

[ No legwork done here at all. He's just here to make the information more... presentable... ]

Akechi put it together. I was just reading it.

[murderingjustice]

unfortunately there isn't a much we can do, I think. other than try to pay attention to any kind of changes that we might occur with our surroundings.

[melnik]

That's not very encouraging. It sounds like we've just lost our only means of communicating with them, too.

[ This Jerry guy, that is. Did he get blown up in the explosion? ]

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[solitarysoul]

I'd guess make sure any armor and weapons are ready.

[melnik]

No argument there. I only worry this is a battle that weapons can't fight.

[solitarysoul]

...yeah. There's been some weird shit here, but my bullets have worked against a lot of it.

[melnik]

That's good... [ It doesn't guarantee anything, but it's worked so far, right? He sounds hesitant. ] Were you here for this maze they were talking about?

[solitarysoul]

No, that was before me. I was here for the kidnappings and the sea monster the Rumpitarians were trying to feed us to.

[melnik]

I see. [ He was asking because he was hoping for someone else's opinion, so he'll just share his own. ]

I don't know if we can really start believing this conspiracy that the whole world is being manipulated, that we're just replaying something that's already happened, just because people have been brought here like this before us. But it would also be foolish to discount all of the strange things happening right before our eyes.

[solitarysoul]

I try not to worry about it. I'm not smart enough to figure any of this shit out, so I just worry about how I get through the day. And if I'm ready for the next crisis or not, whatever that is.