[Voice | LOCKED TO RESIDENTS]

[malnosso]

Rin Okumura, I require your presence in the Battle Dome.

The rest of you, kindly pay attention, as I'd rather not have to repeat myself. Tomorrow morning - that is, the morning of October 1st, going by the ever-popular Earth calendar everyone seems to favour - an Artificial Shift will occur and pull you back in time, similar to the one a number of you experienced in the Zompania enclosure. Unlike that shift, however, this time you'll be going back years, not days. A few hundred, give or take. Your enclosure existed back then, more or less, but the technology level of that era was... lacking, to say the least. A few of you might remember the old days, so just imagine them older still. Establish yourselves and get comfortable, as you may be there for an extended period. This is not your typical shift, and the Malnosso are unaware of what's happening. Keep it that way.

You'll receive instructions after you arrive. I can't give you specifics because it's really up to you to make any progress, but you're a smart group. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Bring with you only what you can carry- necessities, not luxuries. If all goes according to plan, you'll return to your homes as they are now with no harm done. I can offer you no guarantees, however trust me when I say that everything you leave behind is better here rather than there.

Rise early, be prepared, try not to throw up. It's a significant jump and I can't promise it'll be a pleasant experience. I'd apologize, but it really is for your own good. Best of luck to you, and hopefully you'll fare better than those of the past did.

Comments

[voice]

[chikaidestroyer]

[What a loaded announcement, John. Where does one even begin with the questions?]

So we will receive instructions from you, but you have no plans for a measurement of success for us.

[voice]

[ricecakes]

As much as I know of you people, and as much as I know of the past, I cannot determine with absolute certainty what you'll do there.

I am confident that you can't make things worse, however. If that is of any consolation whatsoever.

[ voice ]

[rashness]

Wait, me? [ He did have to knock last time, though... so... ]

[ voice ]

[ricecakes]

What, do you have a doppleganger now?

[Don't make him regret this.]

[Written]

[blessingone]

[Fenimore generally avoids bringing any attention to herself when it comes to people like this, even if he's not actually a part of the Malnosso. She's also 99% sure he'll know who it is even if she does try to cover the journal camera and print very carefully to make her handwriting more generic. But she's going to give it a try anyway.]

You're sending everyone?

[Written]

[ricecakes]

[How cute, she thinks anonymity matters here.]

Was that unclear?

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Wait... all of us? But... why?

[Voice]

[ricecakes]

I thought you would be the sort to appreciate a team-bonding exercise.

[voice]

[feistytrader]

[...Silver isn't comfortable with this. They'll be meddling in stuff that's happened in the past. That's not natural.

But everything in this place is unnatural, and there isn't a choice being offered here. He better make sure he gets some food and his Pokémon ready.]

Is there anything you can tell us about the past? [Or do they have to figure everything out from scratch?]

[voice]

[ricecakes]

Oh, plenty, but I believe greatly in the value of experiencing such things for yourselves.

Also, I'm busy.

[Voice]

[endgames]

[We're doing this again? His first question is why John's sending everyone. If it were the Malnosso it'd be different; they draft whoever's compatible even if it doesn't make sense. John's always struck him as being smarter about things though, so there has to be some kind of reason.

"I can't give you specifics because it's really up to you to make any progress."

Is he trying to maximize the chances for success? He's singling Rin out for something specific too; there must be multiple objectives here. This is a complicated move.]

The Malnosso aren't going to notice everyone's disappeared all at once? If we're keeping this on the down-low, you must be pulling one heck of a cover up.

[Voice]

[ricecakes]

I suppose a world such as yours wouldn't know the finer benefits of time travel.

Tell me, if you send someone to the past and bring them back to the same instant of the present from which they were taken, is it possible for anyone to notice they were gone at all?

[voice]

[theideaguy]

[Well, this is more the Luceti that Sokka's been dreading, the sort where he feels wholly justified being a pessimist in this world.]

Why is it that all of the terrible things in this world have to happen in the morning?

I don't suppose you could give us a time to be up by?

[voice]

[ricecakes]

[Why wouldn't people want to be up in the morning? It's such a nice time of the day. So many hours to do science.]

Be ready at dawn.

[voice]

[raavatars]

How exactly is this "for our own good?!"

[voice]

[ricecakes]

How could it not be? If this place is so terrible, wouldn't you like a chance to change history?

[Voice]

[yourfononsarewhack]

[Time. Of course it all comes back to time.]

Oh? So this is what you've been working towards for all these months?

[It's something that doesn't sit right with Jade in concept. It flies in the face of the permanence of one's actions, how concrete the past is. But then again, so much in this world has defied that already. What's one more?]

[Voice]

[ricecakes]

Was I too subtle?

[And here he thought you'd appreciate the concept of defying one's fate.]

[goldenglasses]

So, being sent to the past with a: You'll know what to do when you're there message? Sure we can't get more of a hint than that? [He's not really expecting an answer he'll be happy with.] If you're sending the whole place back in time it sounds like a lot of risk and effort. Well, with what little I know of time travel it at least sounds like it would be. I'd hate to waste the effort.

[ricecakes]

I have a failsafe in place, should things go awry. Hopefully you all won't manage to muck that up as well.

Just follow the instructions and you'll do alright.

[misterbrief]

What's the big idea?! We are NOT yours to throw about as you please just because you think we would "benefit"!

[Vegeta shhhh John saved your life]

[ricecakes]

[Vegeta shhhh John doesn't care]

I believe in your world the appropriate response would be something along the lines of, "Just try and stop me."

Accompanied by an evil laughter, perhaps?

Voice

[the_dead_pool2]

So, by essentials I assume you mean weapons. So I should strap a bunch of weapons on myself and then go to bed.

[Well that was... ]

So pretty much like any other night then?

Voice

[ricecakes]

Sounds as if you have the right idea, yes.

[Maybe a candy bar or two for the road.]

Voice

[tea_lover64]

Did you have much tea in the past here?

[He needs to decide if he should bring his supply, or if it would be safer in the past]

Voice

[ricecakes]

You may want to bring some as a precaution, if you feel the need. I know that the coffee supply was woefully limited back then.

...Actually, if you bring coffee as well, I know a great number of people who will be extremely grateful to you.

[tsundroid]

What's the big idea? I didn't sign up to go time hopping.

[Hell, she didn't sign up for any of this to begin with.]

[ricecakes]

As a matter of fact, it's my understanding that a poll was circulating the Malnosso offices last week, and your name was at the top of the list for "most likely to be sent back in time".

[aerialassault]

Oh, great. More time jumps.

[After the last one, Cliff was a little skeptical...but, it did work out for the best overall.

He was game to play, even if he wasn't one hundred percent sure that he liked the idea. Flicking through the other conversations left with him with an uncomfortable sensation about how familiar it sounded.]

Are there any warnings you can give us before you send us jumping into whatever timeline you're thinkin' about? I'd prefer not to walk into a fight.

[ricecakes]

Only one warning: don't start any fights. The natives you'll find when you first arrive should be quite welcoming, if wary. Also, they'll be your neighbours for a while, so play nice.

[magicalesbian]

[Well this certainly is a thing that's happening. The concept of time travel isn't exactly foreign to Kari, and given what a crapshoot this world has become, maybe going back in time to try to fix things would be for the best? But she still can't help but feel wary. Especially since this world really doesn't seem to follow the same "rules" that other worlds do.]

So, uh, I've got a question. If you're about to send like a hundred people back into the past, obviously that's gonna mess with the future, right? So how are we going to be affected by all this? I don't have much experience with time travel myself, so I'm not sure if the ones actually doing the traveling would change if the world that was their past suddenly did.

[Just like all those animes with the kids from the future just fading out of existence and stuff when they accidentally make their present-day parents break up. Time is weird, man.]

[ricecakes]

There are safeguards. Your concerns are reasonable, but if our combined efforts succeed, as they often have in the past, your future will be safe. At the very least, your memories of what you experienced will remain intact, even if the world around you changes. As a rule, my Shifts don't affect one's memory.

[Voice]

[lostinmyway]

My, this sounds like so much fun! I can't wait to go!

[Grune....]

[Voice]

[ricecakes]

How... refreshing.

[Voice]

[voidseeing]

So you're still playing around with time travel. Guess we owe you thanks for warning us ahead of time for this one.

[Voice]

[ricecakes]

It wouldn't do any of us any good to send you there unprepared. Myself included.

( Voice )

[padme_amidala]

What tools would you suggest we carry with us? Is there any guarantee they will travel with us? ( This sounds like a nightmare, truly, but at least she can prepare? )