video, un:happyaround (forward-dated to Oct 1)

[roundandaround]

[The video starts in the reception area of the Winter Guild, where Rinku and G'raha stand amid a collection of artifacts brought in from the Hell Dimension.

Rinku looks different. She's shrinking into herself a little more, her usually sparkling eyes have gone dull, and she looks like she's struggling to hold herself together. But G'raha seems confident and serious. He lets Rinku have the first turn to speak, gently encouraging her.]

Um... [She shakes her head and pushes forward.] There was a lot of stuff in the Hell Dimension. I know it was awful, and it's not something people wanna think about... But we gotta talk about what we found. Because it looks like a lot of people died in there, over a really long time, and even if we couldn't save them, we need to do whatever we can for them.

[G'raha speaks up.]

What I discovered with E'kayan was a hallway full of treasure and an additional room with electric currents. In there was a scroll that seemed to hold information on some kind of a summoning ritual. It was in a language neither of us knew, nor was the ritual familiar to us in any way.

[Even with their experience on various summoning magics.

Rinku nods and fidgets with a piece of her hair.]

They had this... armoury? Kind of, ish. More like they just took a bunch of weapons and war banners and hung them up. It all looked like it was from forever ago, and the banners looked like this.

[She holds up a flag with wheat, two fish, and upside-down bat wings.]

Since there's wheat on it, I thought maybe it might be from the Spring Segment? Or Autumn, maybe. But I've never seen it.

Uh, speaking of wheat and farms and stuff, they also had farm tools someplace else. And camping stuff. It didn't even look used, I'm pretty sure they didn't know what it was for. There was a trap in that room that made all the dead bones arrange into weird skeletons, and they were pretty mad, but we got them to calm down when we helped put them back together the right way. The skeletons didn't seem to think the stuff was theirs either.

There's also a different flag? One with dandelions, where we found... dandelion seeds, but they were sad and had regrets? Maybe people got turned into dandelion fluff? I dunno if demons can do that.

[Rinku takes in and lets out a slow breath.]

And, uh... here in the city, like, recently, can you tell me -- can you look for any signs of a fight, anything someone might have dropped, any shady stuff or -- I know it's gonna be hard, people were obviously just fighting in the city anyway. Right. I just... I'm scared something happened. I can't do this alone.

[As Rinku talks about the happenings of the city, G'raha gently puts a hand on her shoulder to give her his support and steady her nerves, even just a little bit. She looks up at him and nods.]

Oh. Um. If you need to see any of the stuff, I stole a bunch and gave it to the guilds. ...Yeah.

[G'raha looks at the camera with a solemn nod.]

Please share any information you feel like is important, whether it's about the Hell Dimension or what happened during the expedition.

Comments

action

[cattegorical]

You did well. Here.

[He offers her a water bottle.]

[roundandaround]

[She takes it and sniffs. Her tail droops.]

Thanks. Sorry, I'm just... I'm really worried. They got into the city. And Neechan could've taken those ghouls easy, but she didn't come home last night or apparently the night before, and I didn't see her at the feast either...

[cattegorical]

[G'rahas ears are also down, worried about Rinku first and foremost but about her sister as well.]

Someone must have heard or seen something. Plenty of us remained back in the city.

video; un: psychicgirl

[yersavior]

. . . Will ya be alright?

[Just asking that before she offers the information she found:]

I also found a buncha dandelions puffs that seemed ta have recordings of things that people said; some of 'em were in a language I could understand, but there were a buncha ones that were in languages that we couldn't understand. Also, I could sense sadness and regret 'n the dandelion seeds.

I also took a buncha of the demons sea shanty song scrolls too, if anybody wants ta see 'em. Dunno how helpful that is, though.

[roundandaround]

I think so. Just -- if you see any sign of where Neechan went, please tell me, okay?

[Letting Megumi do her explanation before replying:]

Oh! Yeah, that's right. I couldn't understand their languages either, and I know a couple different ones. ...So the demons had their songs all lying around?

[yersavior]

I can do that. Is there any place ya've checked already?

[So she doesn't have to double check.]

Yeah. It was in an area where they made these weird makeshift beds.

un: g'raha

[cattegorical]

We could analyze the lyrics to see if there are any hidden messages or if the scrolls have invisible ink.

[You never know.]

These dandelion seeds. Did you bring them back with you?

[yersavior]

I didn't take 'em back, but Rinku might've...? She was with me when we found 'em.

UN: Intergalactic Baseballer 🌠video

[starwill]

[Spoken in the calmest, almost nonchalant tone:]

So apparently Hell has magical explosion powder that explodes when you touch it.

[...]

Oh, and there was a lot of loot that our group found. Some of them magical, some of them cursed. The cursed ones were really funny, though.

[STELLE????????????]

[roundandaround]

Explode?! Are you guys all okay?

un: g'raha

[cattegorical]

Do you mean to say the curses were more like pranks rather than anything serious?

un: goated;

[splittingheadache]

Lucifer, Oma, and myself found a book containing old photos of a kingdom not too unlike the merpeople and the sirens - however, the book itself was in an unknown language.

Not "foreign", mind - unknown. Despite speaking many languages myself, and despite Lucifer's much larger repertoire as King of Hell, it was not a language any of us have ever seen.
Notably, it was not a language one would find in several universe's versions of Hell, either. Another thing that surprised Lucifer and myself... understandably.

I also have several samples of the living coral that lined the walls of that cave. I will be keeping the large majority, but I wouldn't mind providing a sample for the Research Center, if they would like.

[...

No, he is not going to mention the Literal Pirate Treasure Map, thank you for asking.]

And as for the rest... I will keep my eyes open for you, though I can't say I'll know what I am looking for.
But I wish you all the best. Truly, I do.

[roundandaround]

I wonder if it's the same language that we heard from the seeds...

[Rinku looks up at the camera almost pleadingly. The sparkles burned into her eyes have dulled, but that enduring hope, that sounds like it's still there, trying to crawl out from under what happened over the past two weeks.

She sounds tired, too. But is getting any sleep expected?]

...Neechan didn't make it home last night. Or even the night before, it looks like. I didn't see her at the feast, either, and her phone's not registering. She didn't even come on the mission, and I know she could take those things that were possessing people easily. She wouldn't just let them kill her. But if someone had a grudge and the city was in chaos, then...

There -- did anyone warn you about the people who don't like nonhumans?

un: g'raha

[cattegorical]

It would seem that it's a running theme of finding text that isn't any kind of language we know. It would seem the Hell Dimension is connected to more than just this world.

Did you, by chance, save a sample of the book? I would be very interested to see it.

un: kantera, video

[happydreamed]

You're worried about the Humane Society capturing someone again?

[Gently.]

[roundandaround]

[Rinku gulps. She gives a little nod.]

I know they go after nonhumans, but if the time they tried to kidnap me and not just MK-san says anything, they might try experimenting on their enemies no matter what they are! I mean, their own scanner said I still count as human, technically.

un: fullmetal

[heartofmetal]

This might be nothing, but I'll just say it, just in case someone is missing.

There was another flower in a bud in the Summer Flower Yard while I was there.

[roundandaround]

[Rinku freezes. After talking to Kantera, the seed of doubt is already in her mind, but...]

One that was already there?

[Evangeline's died once before this, after all...]

Do you know what kind?

Video : UN : FireStarter [I'M SORRY RINKU. He knows she's your sister. And he's scared.]

[foxfireheart]

[ Ishkode looks exhausted but his eyes are bright with what looks like anger, too. ]

I didn't go on the expedition but I got into a fight in the city. One of those... things... had Zoey. So I've been trying to check in with people and...

[ A pause. But he's GOTTA ask. He's worried sick. He takes a deep breath. ]

... have you heard from Evangeline?

[roundandaround]

[When Rinku replies, she's left the guild and Frostreign entirely, leaning on a wall in a back alley in Nightwake. She shakes her head.]

No... That's what I'm scared of. I know she's strong enough to beat those things, but she's been gone since... she wasn't at the feast last night and didn't come home, and Misu-chan and Frills-chan seem like they've been alone since the night before that.

So if it wasn't the ghouls, then... I'm scared.

Video; UN: GIVETHANKSTOTHEWORM

[worshipmytruename]

Demons rarely act without the behest of a master. Those mortals tried meddling in powers they failed to grasp and failed to understand. Do not let the schemes of the past weigh your heart, warrior.

[This is him being comforting.]

If it is one close to you, allow me to seek them for you.

[roundandaround]

Leshy-kun... It hurts. They killed so many people. Maybe even whole settlements, those flags and languages were nothing any of us ever saw before. And this is all we can do about it.

...can you help me find Neechan? And tell us anything you know about what just happened with the demons and stuff?

Voice - UN: The One Who Waits

[the_one_who_waits]

Within one of the cages, the Goat and I discovered other mortals who had been mostly transformed into demons. Their consciousness was gone. Inside the same prison was a pool of black ooze. It devoured bone and fire. We did not risk contact.

We killed those within the cells. Those with a sliver of themselves left were relieved. I collected and brought back their personal belongings for burial.

I also found a skeletal chain of rats that is alive. I have been chosen as their master. None may have them.

[roundandaround]

[Rinku winces at the description. She can't bring herself to swallow down the fear.]

Transformed? And they couldn't be cured, just like with Darkness corruption?

un: g'raha

[cattegorical]

Thank you for bringing back their belongings with that in mind. That should help their souls rest in peace.

[He normally would say 'return to the aetherical sea' but that's not the case here.]