[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

[goldenglasses]

[His heart leaps. Even if it was small, he couldn't live with himself if he did anything that would put Noah at risk.] We shouldn't do anything that could end those lives. It's not our choice that we should be making for them.

[ricecakes]

You shouldn't have to. That isn't the mission.

[goldenglasses]

But there's still the risk. If we go back and change things. [The ticket to the future is always blank. What about going back to the past, Rem? What about rewriting the past to change that blank future?] How many people could get hurt with the actions we're about to take? [He's still not saying he won't try. There are too many things he would jump at the chance to redo in his own life, but he's still feeling pretty uneasy over the slim chance of hurting Noah.]

[ricecakes]

It's impossible to guess. People will be hurt whether you do this or not, just as they are being hurt now. Perhaps the question you should be asking is which people will be hurt by doing this.

[goldenglasses]

[A long slow sigh is the response. Shortly followed by a small tired, groan.] Couldn't there be a way so that no one wound up hurt?

[ricecakes]

Hah. Your idealogy clashes with the desires of the world itself. No such way exists.

[goldenglasses]

I have trouble believing that any world desires people dying.

[ricecakes]

Then you know very little about this world.

[goldenglasses]

Or maybe neither of us know enough yet.

[ricecakes]

If that's what lets you sleep at night.

[goldenglasses]

Well, any other way to think of it would be rather depressing. I think it's important to hang onto hope that there can be a good outcome for everyone. [That may not be just said for John's sake. Sometimes Vash has to hear his own stance on life out loud to keep going.]

[ricecakes]

On the contrary, I don't find it depressing at all. But it is important to acknowledge an enemy.

[goldenglasses]

Acknowledge, yes. I'm not saying to be too trusting and caught unaware by someone, but still, people can change and do.

[ricecakes]

You aren't dealing with people, however. Nature itself in this world is what we are fighting, at the core of it.

[goldenglasses]

If it's nature then there's no reason for the people to fight among each other. So what's wrong with wishes for everyone to survive the change that's coming?

[ricecakes]

There's nothing wrong with wishing for it. I'm sure we've all wished for that, at some point.

Realistically, however, it isn't possible.

[goldenglasses]

It's only impossible if you give up trying for it.