[ by this point, now that they know about it, people might be starting to pick up on the differences between the two yuugis - and the one sitting in front of the camera right now is all angles, sharp-eyed and rigid. his hair is different. he holds himself more proudly. he also seems to be, despite his serious expression, kind of awkward, and he spends a while drumming his fingers on the desk, clearly unsure of what to say. ]

... Everyone got out of Kaiba's Death-T alright. [ starting was apparently the hardest part, because he shifts and continues, now in a strong and confident voice with no hesitation: ] Grandpa is home from the hospital already, and Honda-kun wasn't hurt after we lost him, thanks to Kaiba's little brother. I won the final game, and everything is back to normal. [ a small smirk. ] Well, aside from this latest virus, I guess. But it seems that I'm not affected, and I'm glad for that.

[ he picks up a piece of paper and stares at it for a moment, frowning. ] My partner... wanted me to say this, instead of him. He also wants me to introduce myself to the people of the community. I don't see much point in it, but... [ he puts the paper down and stares, dead serious, into the camera. ] I'm Yuugi Mutou. I am the presence that lives inside of Yuugi's heart. I believe my partner calls me his "other self", so if you want to call me the "other Yuugi", I don't mind. If we haven't already met, it's a pleasure. Any friends of Yuugi's are also friends of mine.

... [ he sighs, eyebrows furrowing. ] I'd like to switch back to my partner now, so that he can talk to you all again after the Death-T incident, but according to this [ waving the piece of paper ] he wants me to be the one to talk. I can't lie to him, which means I'll have to do my best with this. My partner recommended asking a question, and so I've been trying to think of one...

After our duel at the end of Death-T, I shattered Kaiba's heart completely. I broke it so that he can rebuild it himself and be free of the darkness that had consumed him. I can't say for sure that he'll recover; but while he may have done terrible things to my friends and family, I truly respect him as an opponent, and I hope that he finds his way out of the darkness to face me again. He deserves that second chance.

... What I wanted to ask was how the rest of you feel about second chances like that. Do you think that everyone is deserving of them? No one? Or only those who you can see are worthy of it?

Ah, hello community. I'm Tomoe Mami, if you haven't already met me. Soon I'll have been on the community a year--coincidentally, my birthday is also soon approaching. Not to mention most of us have been on edge due to recent events.

I've been preparing a large-scale tea party for the community. I've even managed to rent out a section of a local park for the event. There will be other things to do besides drinking tea, of course, but it would be a relaxing event for all of us to calm down.

The invitation is extended to any who can read this but good behavior is expected. I wouldn't want to have to kick someone out of the party, after all.

((OOC: I'll make a post for the party after the next virus for the party proper, it's not this post. EDIT: The party log has been posted here.))

*The room in which the video starts is definitely not Retasu's; it doesn't have much in it, but it looks very fancy and very... green. Retasu is huddled up in a corner, though, wearing a dress you might have seen before. She looks up at the source of the video, blinks, and cautiously wanders over.*

Is... is it back?

*She shivers, draws back, and looks around. Finding nothing happening, she steels herself and squeaks out another question.*

Is anybody still alive?

[ bet you thought you wouldn't be seeing this particular account name again.

oh, ye of little faith.

her surroundings may be different, from what little can be made out of them over her shoulders; they look suspiciously like a normal teenager's bedroom, in fact. maybe one that some of you recognise. Saber herself is dressed much more casually than she has ever been before; no armour, no dress, no suit, just a white t-shirt paired with a brown cardi. very average-looking. but otherwise, she looks much the same as she ever has. ]

Hello, community. I apologise for not letting you know of my whereabouts earlier, but the past few days have been more hectic than I would have expected. But please rest assured, I am completely fine, in no small part thanks to the efforts of others.

[ it's not a complete lie. she's physically fine, at least. ]

I need not say, I hope, that the Fourth Holy Grail War has ended. [ her expression tightens for a second, there, with worry and something like frustration. something smaller behind that like regret. ] I realise some of you may have questions about what has transpired in the past week, and I will do my best to answer them if I can.

[ she knows some of the events were broadcast. the events, and part of the aftermath, apparently; she made sure to go through the community and get up to speed. which is partly what leads to her next question: ]

Relatedly, would I be able to trouble anyone with a request for a world-hop? There are... a few things that I would like to check up on, if I may. Thank you for indulging me.

[...well, Oriko doesn't seem to be bothering with theatrics this time. If anything she looks completely exhausted; slumped at a table with several stained cups of coffee with that distinctly frazzled, crumpled look of someone who hasn't had any sleep in the last 24 hours. That idiot version of her has managed to create a complete and utter mess for... herself... and urgh things had been going so well. Or at least, mostly according to plan.

Personally, she considers herself just a bit too busy right now to be doing this sort of thing, but some things need to be said.]

Hello. Again.

As you probably gathered, I was under the influence of a virus in my previous announcement. Any promises made are hereby considered null and void.

That's all. Carry on with your day. Miss Tomoe, we need to discuss things.

[and yep, feed cuts out.]

[And the video clicks on to show Tsubomi at her desk, fiddling away at some drawings. Seems like she's had a bit of inspiration. However, she lets out a small sigh as she shakes her head, erasing something. She looks up, blinks, then lets a smile melt onto her face.]

It's been a little on the slow side since what happened with Hayate... then again, I could use the break! Fighting almost every day can be exhausting...

Has anything interesting happened where you all are at?

[Nope, nothing can go wrong with a simple question, yes?]

Everybody's got viruses and anon posts and stuff and that's great BUT MY ARM'S STILL BROKE FROM THAT STUPID SKI TRIP

I'M BORED

How do you make somebody happy when they're convinced that they don't deserve it, probably because there are some people out there who want them to believe that?

I don't usually like talking about such depressing things but I've heard talk about transporting a certain kind of creature from my world. Quite frankly, it's rather disgusting for me to even think about but I feel that I have to say it.

There are certain beings in my world...we call them witches. (Please note that I'm not talking about actual witches - people who perform magic. I have no right to judge on that sort of witch. However, the witches I'm talking about are monsters.) They feed off negative emotions. Hate, despair, fear. They feed off the negative emotions in a person until the victim is eaten or killed. They're the source of different crimes without motive: suicides, murders, violent assaults, hate crimes... Even fatal accidents aren't unheard of. They'll even leech off the sick in the hospitals if they can.

They have some ability to think - they don't show themselves to humans, for example, and hide deep within mazes. Yet it's more like an animal-like cunning. I've heard of a few cases of them talking but that seems to be more like a recording or a trick to lure in prey. Talking to a witch doesn't work.

The only way to save the victims of a witch for sure is to kill the witch. They aren't pets. You can't tame them. They're monsters, cruel messengers of despair. Don't try to take one from this world. To do so means certain death for innocent un-involved people.

It's best for everyone if these creatures are destroyed.

I entered my home today and found, to my surprise, a friend had entered it while I was out. It's not everyday you find someone showing up in your house that you weren't expecting. And no, they had no ill intentions. They just wanted to greet me when I got home.

It was very sweet. This thing isn't common, is it?

( Unanonymous, Locked to Karen Minazuki )

I would like your opinion on something, community. Let's talk about justice for a moment.

( cut for talk of murders; theoritical murders, anyway )

Was there some kind of virus lately? Frankly, this was a bit distracting to say the least. Showing up randomly in another world, with no memory of how I got there...

My studies can't be postoned for too long. So, I would like a worldhop back to my apartment. If that's all right with my generous host.

[And for Lancer, Mami is moving the temple looking for him to get information before she leaves. This is posted from her phone]

[The video comes on with a small click, showing Mami walking around a park at night time. She's looking at the camera--and she doesn't look well.]

If a person dedicates their life to saving people, helping them... If they do this, people assume they must be doing it for the better. They don't think about if they are just doing it for themselves.

[To people that know Mami, Mami doesn't quite sound like herself. Her voice lacks any enthuasism--strained and quiet.]

A person in the end has to think of themselves first. It's a selfish part of life. To 'save' people to make yourself feel better... What sort of cruel, selfish person would do that? To ignore the suffering such acts do...

That is something that can't be made up. It can't be forgiven.

[She stops, taking a deep breath.]

This loneliness I feel, I brought it on myself through such selfishness. I became a magical girl to save my life--a weak, greedy act. [There's a small flash of light and a crystal appears in Mami's hand. She holds it to the camera, showing the deep amber color of the gem.] Now I don't even have that.

To fight for others... is such a lie.

This may sound like an out of the blue question, but who likes tea? I do promise there is a reason why I'm asking.

[The video camera shows Mami's apartment--richly furnished but empty. Nothing but a few dishes on a glass table and the light coming from a sliding glass door are seen. Nobody's home. That is, until the noise of an opening door. Lights flicker on as someone flips a light switch.]

Mother, Father... I'm sorry I was out later than usual.

[Mami walks into the view of the camera. She doesn't look around and instead just puts her schoolbag near the table with a heavy sigh, looking a bit more ragged than usual.] I understand that I could probably have returned sooner but not tonight. It was busy.

[As Mami talks, she picks up the dirty dishes and moves out of sight of the camera. There's noises of someone putting water into a pot.] I believe I've made a couple of new friends. I'm sure you would have gotten along well with them.

I hope you weren't too mad at having a strange man in the apartment. He was very cordial, as you remember. I used your recipe, Mother. [Mami re-appears as she sets the table again: for one person.] Don't worry about me, I promise I've been taking care of myself.

[Mami sits down at the glass table, pouring herself a cup of tea. She continues talking to herself but the video cuts out.]

Today I overheard some of my classmates talking about what they were going to do after school. Going for coffee, I believe. They had asked me earlier if I wanted to go with--sadly I had to refuse. I thought of the community, though. It's odd to think that there are people so unaware that such a place exists; that they go about their life like before.

Mm, I don't know what I'm talking about. It's just an odd thought I had.

[The camera opens up on a well-lived in penthouse, there's stairs leading up to a second floor in the background and numerous trinkets on shelves and tables. The camera, however, is focusing on a wedge-shaped table in front of a couch at the moment. There's a pot of tea with a teacup beside it but nobody to be seen. That is until the camera moves a bit and a girl walks into view and sits at the table. She smiles politely at the camera.]

Normally I'm not interested in such things--school and other such activities take most of my time--but I have heard through the grapevine that some underclassmen of mine have been frequenting this site and I simply had to check it out. What sort of senpai would I be if I didn't try to keep tabs on those that look up to me?

[The girl pauses to pick up the teacup and drink deeply; those who watch closely will notice a silver ring on one of her fingers and a yellow flower mark on that finger's fingernail. She sets it back down.] I'm Tomoe Mami, a third year in middle school. There's really not much to say about me, I'm afraid. After school there's really not much time to do anything but study.

This place looks interesting enough and, yes, I've heard about those viruses and such. It wouldn't do to go into a place without knowing the lay of the land, after all. I do hope Kaname-san and Miki-san haven't been giving you much trouble.