video; un:curtaincall

[endcaller]

[The feed blinks on to show Fandaniel leaning against a metallic wall, eyes gleaming, face set in a wide grin.]

Good morrow to you, my fellow Chosen!

[He chirps and twirls, landing on his tiptoes with one hand against his heart, the other raised in greeting.]

So much is happening of late, and I have much to say, but I promise to keep it brief. [A mischievous grin suggests this may not, in fact, be brief.]

Let us start with last month. That was quite a fun little vacation from sanity, wasn't it? I apologize for my rampage. Such devastation was not my intention.

[A pause, he thoughtfully tilts his head.]

My intention was to rain my Hell upon the Courthouse, but that structure is well protected these days. Such a pity. 'Twas my understanding we had a running gag of demolishing that place. Ah, well...

...[A longer pause as he stares into the middle distance, then remembers himself. He waves his hands.]

Ahem!

On to more important matters!

As some of you may remember, I backed up our AI to my dear assistant Hyperetes. Isn't that so, Hyperetes?

[The camera bobs as something beeps.]

A few days ago the AI finally deigned to communicate. It sent me three images, which I have attached to this feed, along with a single word...

"Help".

If anyone could assist me in finding the locations in the photos, well... Do let me know. I intend to set off on my search very soon.

That is all!

'Ta!

[He starts walking away, pauses suddenly, then whirls back to the camera with a gasp.]

Oh!

One more small detail... After the AI left its message, a countdown appeared on my device. It looks to be ticking down to the eleventh or so of next month. 'Tis fine, I'm sure. Naught to worry about!

[The feed cuts off. Anyone opening the attached files will see three photos:

-The view from a beach, facing an ocean. There’s a city on the other side of the ocean – it looks like what could be a fishing village.
-Bones on the same beach, along with some vague articles of clothing.
-The sight of a tentacle, with a golden blur that looks monstrous in the background.]

((ooc: people are welcome to threadjack in the comments.))

Comments

voice

[battlefieldbrat]

[forget the AI stuff, kakashi has a beef to settle.]

You literally said you wanted to burn the whole city down. And what kind of guy starts out setting everything on fire then starts freezing stuff too?!

voice

[endcaller]

[A low hum, then...]

Ah. I did say that, didn't I? Blame it on the madness of the moment.

[He considers leaving it there, not addressing the ice. But, well, maybe he can have some fun.]

What's this about "freezing stuff"?

[battlefieldbrat]

You tried to drop a freakin' glacier on my head. Don't play coy.

[so flat, so unimpressed.]

[endcaller]

Mercy me, such accusations!

I was a fire elemental. What sort of fire elemental wields ice? You speak nonsense, my lad.

audio; un: spartan

[melnik]

[ He should have known who was responsible for that... or so Miller wants to think, but he had absolutely no way of predicting it. Despite how glibly Fandaniel speaks of it though, perhaps he can't be fully to blame for being struck by the effects of this world...

Either way, there is way too much pressing information that follows to get stuck on that. Miller hardly manages to sound as calm as Fandaniel does. Not that he even tries. ]

Nothing to worry about, my ass! [ A frustrated sound. ] We need to track those locations down. And fast. My best guess is off the coast of Rumpitur. I wasn't here for it myself, but I was told there was a battle against a sea monster some time ago. It was emitting miasma, corrupting everything around it.

[ This isn't the time to cut corners. ]

Let me come with you.

voice

[endcaller]

Why, Miller, I would be delighted for you to join my quite possibly doomed fellowship.

[Then, with slightly less humor in his voice...]

Could you tell me aught more of this sea monster?

[melnik]

Don't make it sound so inviting.

[ Sarcasm, of course. But okay, good, he really didn't want to beg. ]

I think the problem spread as far as Aldrip. This was in the "old" Aldrip, back before it became built up like this. Toph said that the Chosen fought it off and it turned into a smaller creature and fled. I don't know much else.

[endcaller]

You know...

I believe I remember that Adachi lad mentioning something about this whole sordid affair. The people of Rumpitur kidnapped Chosen and spirited them away to an abandoned island to feed to a sea beast.

You don't suppose this isle could be the location in the images?

video; un: tsuna27

[theskyaccepts]

[There are so many things he feels he has to worry about here. But also, there's something normal for him about that. But he is making note of those locations. And he is going to do something about it. The AI asked for help after all.]

Are you...doing alright? Now?

video

[endcaller]

[Fandaniel grins.]

Well, well! The little hero is checking in on me! How wonderful!

As you can see I am hale as ever. Nary a spark of flame on my person!

[But there is mania in his eyes. He is not doing alright. He is never doing alright.]

What about you?

[theskyaccepts]

[He is just that kind of guy, checking in on the people he's fought with.]

That...that's good. I'm glad to hear that.

[Dying Will Ice is no joke after all.]

I'm doing alright. Recovering.

[endcaller]

Ah yes.

I daresay this entire city is in a nigh constant state of recovery. We average, oh, at least one catastrophe every moon or so?

I worry about that.

voice; un: grimreaper666

[rebellions]

[ There is so much wrong with the tone of this message, it's almost hard to decide where to start. ]

First off, destroying the city hall, the courthouse, or whatever we're calling it these days is sooo last year. Get on with the times.

[ Never mind he's the one who started the trend... Anyway, there's a more pressing matter to address. There's been a lull in terms of communication with the AI for a while now, so any new piece of information is worth looking into. Especially when it's a call for help. Having been there for the whole past ordeal, Ragna recognizes Rumpitur immediately. ]

Oh, hell no. These look like the snakes place... that's the last place I thought I'd be going back to.

[ Huh, he makes it sound like it's already decided he's coming along... looks like Ragna has joined your party! ]

voice;

[endcaller]

You are the second to think this place is Rumpitur! I have been to the town but I admit I was...mmm...unable to get a good look. The whole star was falling apart at the time.

[Rustling.]

Were you around when the scalekin were kidnapping Chosen?

[rebellions]

Sure was. And if it was up to me, we wouldn't have left 'em with just a warning.

[ He's all about that an eye for an eye life, so he's never felt quite satisfied with the resolution of that conflict. And if they need to go over there again... he can't help but wonder if it won't come back to bite them in the ass now. ]

[endcaller]

Might you tell me aught more of it?

All I know is what I heard from Miller and... Akaji? Adachi? Atsuji?

[Long pause.

He means Akechi.]

'Twas a Doman sounding name, and the lad talked nearly as much as I.

voice; un: altius

[chimericalclaw]

You as well, hm...

[He doesn't know that hearing from others who damaged the city makes him feel much better about it, but he probably doesn't feel worse.]

The one guess I'd have to offer would be based on the map we've been given. That island in the east would be the only place to match, but it seems you've already been given the idea.

[A brief pause as he considers.]

Do you have any thoughts about what you might find there?

[endcaller]

Aye!

But thoughts are all I have.

Mayhap we will find another terminal. What we'd be intended to do with it, however...

[chimericalclaw]

Restore your backup would be the most obvious answer, but things in this place rarely seem to be so simple. And the fact that these were accompanied by an apparent distress call of all things is... concerning.

voice; un: principal

[nuraridouman]

Hmm. Seconding the ruins with the sea monster. Back when I visited there were a couple of bones and other debris from a sacrificing cult gone wrong still cluttered around.

What's your take on the image with that tentacle and that blur?

[endcaller]

My take?

Why, my dear Nurarihyon, have you never seen a terrible sea beast before?

[nuraridouman]

Yeah. Some of them tend to be a seasonal plague along our beaches.

[Should he say that he recently found out that his whole home island is actually on the back of a giant sea monster? Nah, too risky.]

Besides, I'm not the Chimeraologist.

un: viktor

[runeing]

A countdown?

[ the voice that comes through is thoroughly exasperated, tinged with annoyance. ]

Surely this is a matter to be treated with at least some measure of seriousness. Though I suppose you did share the pictures... that is something.

[endcaller]

Oh, my sincerest apologies!

If I were wailing and gnashing my teeth over yet another imminent apocalypse, would that help matters aught?

[runeing]

Yes, because obviously the only two ways to deal with anything are with unnecessary levity or wailing and gnashing your teeth.

[ sighing... he's not sure what he expected. ]

Keep your insincere apologies. I am glad you shared your knowledge, regardless of the way you did it.