[Locked to Residents]

[malnosso]

My goodness, has it really been so long since I've contacted all of you? Well, let's not be parted for so long again. I do miss our conversations, after all. You're all such terribly interesting people! But before all that, I'm going to have to ask you all to calm down first. I'm sure you all are fired up about that dreadful love business. Yes, yes, it's quite necessary, I'm afraid. I wasn't involved this time, but rest assured, the data collected will be of incredible value to those finding a way to increase the understanding of Shifts. The more we know, the less time you're here!

Now then! I do have exciting news. After all, I wouldn't prattle away about nothing, would I? Ho ho, of course not. Now then, I'm sure many of you have often wondered what becomes of people born in this world. After all, how can they return to their original world if they have none? Well the answer is: they can't! There's nowhere for them to go! Or at least, that's the problem that has stumped us all for decades! Well. That problem is no longer a concern. As some of you may recall, my last experiment of this nature was... ahem, disastrous. I do apologize for that, but I am absolutely certain it will work this time. After all, the Great One has been most generous in assisting me with my work.

Of course, I am not merely telling you all this for your own excitement. Now that I'm no longer the leader of the organization, I don't quite have the ah, resources I once had. I need volunteers to test it. Now, none of you were born in this world- save for our dear little Sophie, adorable little thing, but that doesn't matter! What I require is for pairs of people to volunteer. One person shall offer their own world as a destination. The second person shall be Shifted so that their 'anchor world' will be the same as their partners. The two will then be sent off to that world for a full day. It's not a permanent trip home, mind you. It's tricky business, that. But it shall be enough to ensure the project's success! And perhaps do a little sightseeing while you're there!

I do hope you'll be able to put behind you some of your unfortunate feelings towards me so that we might work together. This benefits more than just the many, many poor souls born to this world. There are, after all, many people within Luceti and the world outside that simply have no home to return to. Returning to be dead is dreadful business, wouldn't you say? Imagine the possibility of choosing a new life after death, in some other new and exciting world! It may very well be a reality some day! Perhaps not in our current lifetimes, but certainly within our next!

Ahem. In any case, trials shall begin next month. Please do consider it! If you remain interested, you shall be contacted then!

Comments

[fearless_leader]

So if there's more than one person from one world here, only one of them can go back home?

[malnosso]

Oh no, not at all! But, well, it's all a bit complicated. You would be returning to an imprint of your world, you might say. Once you return here, your world returns to the state it was had you never gone back. Goodness, am I even making sense here?

[notabluesbro]

...

I volunteer as someone who goes to someone else's world.

Even if it's hopeless or you fail at it, it's still better than some of us sitting around worrying about returning home for the rest of our lives here. I'd appreciate the attempt. [As long as you're genuine, anyway.]

[malnosso]

That's the spirit! I'm glad to have your help!

[immamartillo]

"Volunteers," sure. And what'll you do if people don't go along with your little experiment?

[malnosso]

Well, if it were really to come to that, I would hand it over to the Malnosso and see what they can do with it. But I would certainly hate for that to happen.

[private]

[ayu_nee]

Death is not dreadful when it's necessary. It's not your place to judge such things.

[private]

[malnosso]

Oh dear, I hardly meant to cause offense!

[wildkotetsu]

One day, huh...?

...

If it's for the good of the people who're trapped here, I wouldn't mind offering my world for that sorta' thing. But what happens if this sorta' thing fails halfway through it, or something?

[malnosso]

Well, based off my research so far, a halfway failure would cause vomiting. And perhaps hair loss.

[Written]

[dragoon_pride]

[He's not too interested in going home, but is considering that Rydia may want to make the trip for the sake of seeing her Eidolons again. But it's less a new life on some other world he's interested in- it's a new life on his own.]

Are you saying it will possible for us to one day return to our worlds- or go any other world- with the memories of the lives we've created here intact?

[Written]

[malnosso]

Indeed! Exactly that! Exciting, isn't it?

voice;

[alloys]

[Well. This is an interesting piece of news, isn't it.]

Let's say you shift us home, we have a little fun, check things off the old bucket list--will we remember everything about Luceti when we're there?

[Because he has a few people he'd like to talk to if that's the case.]

voice;

[malnosso]

Indeed you shall! Every last detail. Even the ones you aren't too fond of.

[bubblywishes]

[Norma's hands slam down hard on her desk, and anything past the mention of Sophie's name goes unread and unheard. She can tolerate experiments happening to herself, even her friends (though grudgingly), but no one is allowed to bring in a toddler that she lives with, teaches, plays with, and helps raise into the equation - especially when that toddler is the offspring of two of her very good friends, friends who were not present here, to care for their child. Not a damn single bloody person is allowed to speak about her like that.]

Don't you ever talk about Fifi like she's some kind of scientific example, you peabrained old clod! And if you or any one of your sniveling henchmen go after her, so help me I'll...! You can play your little science games on me, but you let the kid outta this, you hear me?!

[malnosso]

My my, goodness, I didn't mean it like that! In any case, there's no point in experimenting on those who were born on this world. What sort of information would that give us? Nothing! It's absurd, really.

[hasnobeats]

Is something like that even safe? [Otonashi's definitely pinged, but... potential side effects..?]

[malnosso]

Absolutely.

[most_unwanted]

What's the catch to all of this? Side effects, horrific imbalance in the universe... anything?

[Oh, god, the possibilities! Mulder would love to see another world for the sake of exploration... or maybe, just maybe if he figures this out right, he'll be able to go somewhere to find some of the answers he's looking for. But he won't go through with this if the down sides outweigh the benefits.]

[malnosso]

Well, I mentioned the bit about being anchored to other worlds, didn't I?

[NOTHING]

[trueknight]

[Now, when Yuri hears all this and realizes 1) children born in Luceti can't go anywhere and 2) his son wasn't mentioned, he is understandably pissed in ways words can't describe. Did something happen to Jonah? Is he going to have to use his powers as a Lead Protagonist to reach through the journal and strangle Bil? If anything happened to his boy when he's currently powerless to do anything about it, so help him, he'll--

But right as he's about to make his reply, some Malnosso bots appear in the background, catch him off-guard, and proceed with kidnapping him. His last thoughts before being knocked out revolve around swearing that Bil knew he was going to flip out and therefore had this whole thing organized. He's on to you, man. He's totally on to you.

YOU'LL GET YOURS SOME DAY, BIL. Just ... not today. Or for another two weeks, at least.]

[NOTHING]

[malnosso]

[... oh dear. That's not good. Hopefully Yuri didn't hear anything important first.]

[tolivefortoday]

[Choosing life after death, is it...?]

So you're saying those in Luceti who have died would no longer be anchored to their world, just like those who born in this world?

[malnosso]

Oh, you're still anchored now. It's simply a matter that you could be anchored elsewhere with no ill effects. A benefit of being dead, you might say!

voice;

[dragoneer]

I-I volunteer.

[His answer comes automatically. The chance to see another world...this is exactly what he's wanted to do since he came here.]

That is--to go. To go somewhere else. [His voice is thick. He's nervous. But...the Malnosso are incredibly powerful. He wouldn't let worrying keep him away from this chance.]

voice;

[malnosso]

That's the spirit! Think of the places you might see!

[ voice ]

[penstabby]

...If this will help others stuck here in the long run, then I... I'll volunteer to go to another world.

[ His voice is shaking. He's not scared, nor is he nervous--he's trying to mask it by keeping a steady voice, but more than anything... this is too exciting for him. ]

[ voice ]

[malnosso]

Glad to hear it! That's what I was hoping to hear!

[thenightmarebegins]

Would it be possible to travel to a different time in our own world?

[malnosso]

Oh dear, no, not at all. This isn't time travel!

[corrinesbell]

So you really - really - get to go home for a day? ...Are we gonna remember here while we're there?

[malnosso]

Indeed you will! Think of all the astonished and disbelieving faces you'll see! Personally, I wouldn't muck up a good visit talking about all this rubbish here.

[fleurdesel]

...would one be returned to the exact moment in their world they were taken? [Were that the case...it would be for nothing. She'd be dead for a day.]

[malnosso]

Indeed! In the very same state you were before.

[tinyhealer]

[... this is a lot to take in, and she's not even certain if she's processing it all correctly.


There doesn't seem like there's anything in the message that could benefit her situation, anyway. The 'progress' might be more appreciated once she's older again, but.

She'll just peruse the entry quietly, and take note of what the others are saying. There's a lot to be learned from just doing that.]

[markofthebrave]

So... we'd be returned at the same time we were taken, and we'd remember everything about Luceti, along with whoever came with us, but... what about the people that we talk with back home? Would they remember what we had to say?

[If she had a chance to talk to Sokka about Azula already knowing about the invasion...]

[malnosso]

No, not at all. Once you've returned here, your world shall return to how it was before. A temporary imprint, no more!

[Voice]

[mistlegacy]

[One day, at home. One day to see her Eidolons. Whatever the risks, whether or not she can even trust this idea, that notion is too powerful for her to ignore. Homesickness hits all at once.]

...I volunteer my own world. That's the only place I need to see.

[Voice]

[malnosso]

Glad to heart it! The more the better!

[mischiefbreeder]

[Sending people to other worlds? So Gold could take his friends home with him?]

You can really pull that off?

[malnosso]

Of course I can! It's all math, really!

[Video]

[seakingbait]

...A chance to go back home.

[Keimi looks down at her hands, folding them into her lap. She does her best to hide it, but she's so terribly homesick. Being the only one of your species is a terribly lonely fate. If she could go home for even a day, it would make her feel so much better.]

[Video]

[malnosso]

Indeed! And for one traveling companion, of course.

[notshadowfever]

You are, of course, considering me for this experiment.

[malnosso]

Naturally! Everyone is being considered!

[presumablyalone]

I volunteer! [There's no hesitation on his part. He wants to go... he needs to go. As long as the world he goes to isn't his own]

[malnosso]

Wonderful!

[Filtered]

[ledbythewind]

And if something were to go wrong during this experiment?

[Filtered]

[malnosso]

It would be unfortunate! Also unlikely. But why is it a secret?