Somehow time's synced up here with the Community, I dunno how, I'm not even on my first time rewind.

Kanade's drafted as many of us into helping out the bakery. It's kind of exhausting, and I'm the athletic one. There's dozens of orders every day and I don't get to eat any except on break.

It could be worse though: I could be working at a chocolate shop like Waon is.

THEY MADE ME EVEN YOUNGER.

[Physical regression virus. Imagine you're talking to a physically five-year-old Nagisa, who is even more done with everything than usual.]

Something's... something's wrong. No matter what I do, I can't sleep, and it's starting to get to me. [She sounds frustrated, at least.] It wouldn't be so bad if everything we worked with didn't have the potential to explode, but... ugh. Dammit, Retasu, we jinxed it.

I'm going to lay down for a little bit and see if it fixes itself. If not... at least it's warm. Damned snow. Maybe I can ask Efreet to help me draw up something to keep the house warm. [A beat.] Which is something I really should have thought about a long time ago.

so i'm training these beetles for fighting so i can earn prize money right and it turns out i'm the best beetle trainer in the entire fucking world, thank you, and my beetle becomes king of the ring or what the hell ever and this guy dumps this huge wooden box thing that makes a bunch of weird airy noises on my lap instead of cash and what the hell am i supposed to do with it i ask him and this bitch i travel with tells me "mugen that's a computer" and i'm like yeah, okay, what the fuck is a computer, and so she pokes around and the computer takes me here and i'm talking to people? who are you people where do you come from and do you know how to use swords

bitch keeps telling me i need to learn how to use punctuation but what is that

[ Of course, I do plan on having Mugen learn how to punctuate and all that eventually! I just hope a post like this is okay meanwhile as he tries to learn both it and technology? Guy isn't the smartest crayon in the box, after all. ]

-and then if I set this glyph like this, then... did that do it?

[This is a face that hasn't been on the community in a long, long time, it feels like. Rita's leaning over something as the feed comes on, but as it stabilizes, she waves a hand over it and grins.]

Ha! I knew I could replicate that damned blastia if I worked on it long enough. Uh... hey, everyone. Sorry I've been gone a while. It's kind of a long story. Long enough that Estelle is writing a book, and most of us have moved on to bigger, better things. Or whatever Yuri does... I'm getting ahead of myself.

I can talk about what happened to me if anyone really wants to know, but what's important now is that we had to give up all blastia on our world in order to fight something that was going to end our world. That included little things like the blastia I used to connect to the community, so I've been trying to figure out how to reconnect without it, and it looks like it works. As annoying as it is, there are some people I liked talking to, and now that I don't have to worry about saving the world every damned day, maybe I'll have some free time for that.

[She scratches the back of her head nervously; up until now, it's basically been a status report. Now she's got to actually talk about herself, and that's not exactly something she's ever been good at.]

If there's anyone on here that's new since I was here last... I'm Rita Mordio, genius mage, consultant to Brave Vesperia, savior of the world, and researcher at the Imperial Blastia Research Laboratory. I guess I should apologize in case I say something weird; I tend to talk first and worry about ruffled feathers later. [With only a little bit of a sullen expression:] Pleased to meet you.

Anyway, that's all I wanted to say for now. It's weird, but... [Rita smiles again, and it's honest for once.] I'm glad to be back.

Okay, what the hell? I know I was gone a few days, but a month? That's a little much, even for this place... Anyway, I'm all right, nobody panic too much. The fallout from the whole thing in Nordopolica was a huge mess, so I've been trying to work through that - there's not a whole lot to be done when the whole city's going crazy trying to find answers, let alone Pallestralle.

On the upside, I had time to actually work on my magic in a relatively safe place, and I got my hands on a map, so I can get an idea of where I'm going next. I don't have a whole lot of clues for where to go, but there's one really suspicious place on this continent. Well, more than one, but only one that's suspicious in the way that's important for what I'm looking for.

There's a big desert in the middle of the landmass, and there's weird stuff all over the place. The desert itself is one thing, but there used to be a little town by it - I want to check out the ruins and see if there are any clues there. There's a big cavern on the way, and those are always suspicious, so I'll be spending some time down there, too. Plus there's a mountain pass on the other side of the desert, and since I'm already here on my big fancy Imperial mission, I might as well take a look.

...Okay, that's more than one suspicious place. It doesn't really matter, since I need to check them all, anyway. So, uh, before I get going... how is everyone? Maybe I'm getting soft, but I missed this place a little.

Today, you're seeing Rita standing in the middle of a coliseum - it looks like she's gone through with her bid to fight. The place looks spectacular, ancient marble and stone forming an image of a classical Roman structure in a world where Rome never existed. The din of the crowd is deafening, and the announcer is raising everyone's fire even further, the grin on Rita's face only helping his cause. "Well, it just keeps getting better! Now, it's time for the main event! Allow me to introduce... the current and undefeated champion of the coliseum!"

( Oh, what the hell!? What are you doing here? )

"What did I just say, damned knight? I will not bow to your demands just because you say so!" The ground at her feet darkens with a spell circle that seems to suck in light, before everything starts to shake, Rita losing her spell and the crowd starting to panic. She hears... something in the distance, before creatures she's never seen before swoop down toward the arena from on high. The emcee seems to be trying to work it into the act: "What do we have here!? Has someone arrived to steal the spotlight from the stars of the show?"

Flynn stands, all trace of intent gone. "It seems another power has stepped in. We have to get everyone out of here. Please, escape now, and let the Knights take care of-"

"NO!" It comes out as a roar, the spell circle appearing again. "I don't care what happens, I'm the strongest damned mage here, and I'm going to prove it, whatever it takes! Spread Zero!" She knocks one or two of the unknowns out of the sky, but before long she's drowning in Combatmen, along with whatever else came through the gate. "Dammit... there are too many for me to take alone, and who knows how long it'll take Flynn to get back into the city with his backup..." Grasping the duck charm she wears around her neck, unaware she's already being recorded, she shouts to the air, "If any of you can hear me, I need help! I refuse to die here because the damned community wanted to mess with me at the wrong time!" Spells fire off left and right, but she's getting overwhelmed, fast.

((Rita will be using her blastia to review comments while she fights, but anything that isn't urgent will be replied to some time later when she's not neck-deep in trouble.))

Have I ever mentioned I hate boats? I can't work on my spellcraft, I'd light the damned thing on fire. We need to make the things out of metal or something...

Anyway, that's not important right now. I made it to Nordopolica, across the ocean from where I was before. From here my next lead is heading inland to look for these aer krene I'm supposed to be searching for... but I'm trying to take it easy. By myself, I'm not so sure I'm going to get far if I'm reckless.

For now, though, there's something else about this place - a coliseum. It's run by a guild, Palle... something. I don't remember the name. They're promising a prize if you can win a few matches, and it's just fighting some local scum floating around, and maybe some monsters - I'm gonna go for it. I can always use pocket money. Or gels. Or... whatever they're giving away. [She grins.] I've even got an all-new set spell or two cooked up just for the occasion.

Anyway, that's in a day or two, so I'm going to relax and get my legs under me for now. Has anything big happened while I was on a boat and not really checking in?

((For anyone familiar with Vesperia canon, yes, I'm sending Rita in to fight Flynn in the coliseum. But there happens to be a virus in the way this week, which is what I'm aiming for. Part two will be in a few days' time.))

( Cut for length. )

[After a moment's struggling, Rita brought herself to face Hayate's mirror, sitting up in the bed. Her expression is supremely depressed, and she looks exhausted as she wills the mirror to broadcast her, not realizing it's been watching since shortly after she woke. The grimace on her face is far too defeated to be Hayate, but...]



[...clearly it is, and the girl herself seems to get even more depressed for a second when she sees it for herself. Soon enough, though, she shakes her head.]

Hey... Hayate, if you're out there, we need to talk. As soon as you get a chance.

And, uh... the rest of you... what the hell's going on? I feel like I got hit by Barbos a few dozen times.

Hey. Have any of you heard from Yuri- sorry, Yuri Lowell? I haven't seen him in a while, and there's no other way inland except through Heliord, where I've been for a while now. I didn't see them, so...

Anyway, I'm done with my follow-up research on the barrier blastia in Heliord, so I'm heading back to Capua Torim to find a ship. I've got to follow up on all that aer krene business before Alexei comes calling, and I highly doubt there's another one on this continent. It'll be annoying traveling alone, but... nothing I'm not used to.

And before anyone asks, I'm not sure why, but the whole zombie business missed me. Which is for the better - my artes don't work well on things like that for some reason. ['And I'm pretty bad with them overall,' she neglects to add.] Is everyone all right?

[When Rita finally wakes up after going really seriously overboard, she's disoriented for a moment. Because she's not incapacitated in the forest, or dead. She's... lying in a bed somewhere. A not-unfamiliar bed in a not-unfamiliar inn. Most of her wounds are bandaged, including several that are visible even wearing the remains of her cloak, and the rest seem to have healed over the last few days, though moving her arm gingerly results in a little pain, and she hisses at the motion. Still, though...]

Heliord...? How did I get back here? I was just in the forest a minute ago... wasn't I?

[After a moment, Rita rummages through her things for her spare cloak and moves everything from the old one to the new, keeping her motions minimal, then fishes for the duck she's been wearing around her neck for the last few months, and with a frown, turns it on. Her voice is a little scratchy and a bit soft, both from disuse over the last few days (and her screaming), but she seems... happier.]

Hey, ducks. Does... anyone know what happened to me? I've been out for a little while, I think, and somehow I got to the inn in Heliord - the next city over from Dahngrest, where I was last; this is where I was when that blastia exploded a while back.

['I nearly died then, too... I think I should take Sena up on being a little less reckless.' She sighs, remembering some of the concerns that were the last things she remembered.]

Sorry... if I worried anyone.

[Ducks, the camera feed opens on... a forest. In a clearing, Rita's standing and looking at a single tree separated from all the others. She's taking deep breaths with her eyes closed, and she's got a long scarf drawn, coiled in her hand. Around her lie several small, empty bottles that used to contain gels, and a few more marked to be cures for things like being poisoned. In short, it looks like she's been overworking herself again. Perhaps more than usual, as there's no sign of Yuri and the others. Truth be told, she'd been working on theory for more extreme magic than she'd been using up to now; some of her really big stuff was yet to come together, but with everything that had been happening, plus her status as a researcher and mage of Aspio, it was her duty to push herself.

But as if at some unseen signal, Rita's eyes snap open and her hands come up in front of her.]

Time for something with a little more sparkle...!

[And the sky seems to darken, as she starts winding up for something big, starting to chant at a shouting level. ((0:07-0:17))]

I, who stand in the full light of the heavens, call upon thee, who openeth the gates of hell! Come forth, divine lightning!

[The very air seems to crackle with energy, though something seems... wrong. It's clear she's aiming at the tree, but the whole clearing is shimmering. All the same, she's this far in. Can't stop now...!]

This ends now! Indignation!

[A brilliant light fills the clearing as lightning roars down from the heavens... but even with the terrible flash, Rita seems to have mostly missed the tree. And as a piercing scream fills the air, it's clear that it wasn't the tree she hit.

Rita, self-proclaimed genius mage, missed and hit herself. With something meant to take on a god. And as she collapses to the ground, clothes and hair smoking slightly, you can make out a faint condemnation:]

Dammit... I messed up...

[She's still conscious, as made apparent by the occasional even softer swearing, but she's not going anywhere under her own power for a little bit. The camera cuts out after a short time.]

((Rita's still quite alive and will be responding to comments.))

Okay first my TV showed a duck and wouldn't go away so I unplugged it, next my cell phone wouldn't work due to the same duck showing on its screen so I had to turn it off, then I went outside and found that you asses posted a duck on any flat surface you could find, now I'm back on my phone and I want to know some things.

First: What is your fucking problem?
Second: How the hell are you doing this?

[You may have noticed that Rita's been a little quiet the past few weeks. The truth is, she's been making preparations for a certain little girl's birthday. Privately, she was afraid when the whole thing had gone down at the Myoudouin mansion a little bit ago, but it looked like the Precure had the situation under control, so she'd left it to them and finished up.

Now, the time had come. Organizing all of this was difficult, and truth be told she only managed it because of the time dilation between Terca Lumireis and Hayate's home. But it's just about done. Just a few things left to finish...

And everything's come together. Hayate's house has been turned into the venue for a birthday party that could only be made possible by intervention from various worlds. It's not a huge affair, but it's definitely something you can tell effort went into; the house isn't huge itself, but there's enough space for the guests. There's food set up over by the kitchen, though she had to ban Hayate from doing any work today. She found some space to set up a few games to keep everyone occupied, and of all things she scraped together some fireworks. Nothing big, but it's summer here, and what better in summer than sparklers at night?

Rita's standing by as people arrive in case anything goes wrong, but mostly she just wants to make sure this goes off without a hitch. For once in her life, she's really nervous, and there's nothing she can do about it. So she's keeping herself busy and trying to make this work out. There haven't been any major problems yet, but she's got a few gels in her pocket in case she needs to take action in an emergency. And the whole time, she's keeping a careful eye on Hayate; happy that they made this work, but there's an undercurrent of worry that's hard to miss.

Unbeknownst to Rita, though, something is stirring inside the house... and anyone with magic may or may not be able to sense a very slight drain. It's barely noticeable, just the slightest tug on their power. But it's there. Anyone that notices won't be able to figure out where it's coming from, though.]

((Rita's going to be flitting around doing basically everything, if you're looking for her. Threads are going up to keep things organized, but if you're just looking to socialize feel free to start another and/or threadjack.))

[Well. Rita sure looks like she's seen better days... There are a multitude of small cuts on her arms, her clothes are slightly shredded, and she looks a little tired... but she's grinning.]

Things have been a little crazy here... after we went to investigate the aer krene - basically a spring of aer, and we almost died while we were there - then when we got back, we got caught in the middle of barely-averted war between the guilds and the empire, and then we finally tracked down Yuri's aque blastia... and we had to take on the Blood Alliance, one of the master guilds, to get it back. But now...

[She takes a deep breath.] But now it's all over. I can get back to my research - I have an assignment from the Empire to find and research the rest of the aer krene. So I get to keep traveling for now; Yuri'll take Estelle back to the capital, since I'm going a different way.

[A moment passes, and she frowns.] So why am I so... unsatisfied? The aer krene could be what finally advance blastia research by years. But... as much as I want to do it, I... kinda don't want to, at the same time.

Hey. I know I don't normally ask for help, but... this is a little bit of a special case. A few of you have met... oh, where's... there. lil_tanuki, Hayate Yagami. Little brown-haired girl. She's in a wheelchair because her legs are paralyzed... and it's getting worse. Without some kind of intervention, she's not going to last a whole lot longer. Six months, maybe a year. I don't think anyone has the kind of medical capability or healing magic she needs, either.

[There's a long pause; she looks a little off-balance. She told herself she wouldn't cry...]

Anyway... Hayate's birthday is coming up. I know it's a weird thing to ask, but... I want to make it a good one. Because she might not get another one. But I don't know anything about parties, or any of that stuff.

[Rita's face is pleading.] Can... can anyone help me?

[The video feed opens in what looks to be a common room, possibly of some kind of inn, with everyone (save Estelle) gathered around.]

( OOC cut for video, Rita being bullheaded, and nobody listening to reason. )

[The camera seems to be sitting on a desk inside Peach's bedroom. Bowser bursts through the door. Neither Peach nor Bowser seem to be aware of the camera.]

Bowser: (cheerfully) Hey, darlin', how about a tour of the castle? It's had a lot of changes since you were here last.

Peach: (huffily) I think I'll stay here, thank you.

Bowser: (gently) Aw, c'mon. You're already here, and Mario's not going to be able to reach us now. Besides, it'll let you get out of your room for a while.

Peach: (angrily) I don't want to see your dank, gloomy castle! You're just trying to make me a more agreeable prisoner, and I won't stand for it!

Bowser: (offended) Fine! Stay in here, then! (then somewhat more gently:) But if you change your mind, I'll be waiting.

[Bowser turns away to leave but stops for a moment. The camera clearly picks up a saddened expression on his face. He rubs his eyes a moment, then continues offscreen, closing the door hard behind him.]

[The slamming door causes Peach to jump, and her previously angry expression collapses into sadness.]

Peach: If only someone could help me...

[A tiny knock is heard on the glass door leading to the balcony. Peach walks over to investigate. The moment her hand touches the curtain to pull it aside, the video ends.]

[Bowser reenters video chat shortly afterward, unaware that the above has been posted.]

[ The video feed opens up to what looks like the inside of an abandoned ruin. Yuri, Rita, and the rest of the party can be seen walking in. ]
( Cut for video, guys running up walls, and Karol almost peeing his pants )

[[She attempted to lock this from Yuri, but it didn't work very well.]]

[There's an unsure-looking girl on the community today. She's sitting on a stump in the late afternoon sunset.]

So... I kinda have a weird question. I've spent all my life devoted to research. I like it, but... it makes me feel weird when the others talk about the things they do in their free time, and I just read books and come up with magical theory. What do I-

[There's a rustling in the background and Rita's expression is replaced with a glare.] Pardon me. I need to take out some trash! [And there sits a single Polwigle, a large tadpole, hopping toward her; Rita's response is to stand and explode with energy.] Get out of my way! Splash! [A pot filled with water rises from under the Polwigle, knocking it down, before the water falls in a column. Rita, meanwhile, seems to be calling energy for something with a huge grin on her face.] O resplendent mystery! Mystic Drive! [And a huge glyph appears under the thing, seeming to do some real damage before blowing the thing into the horizon. The grin fades after a moment, though, as she realizes she's just proved her point. She draws a large red book out of a nearby bag as she sighs and sits back down, starting to write in the book.]

This... is kinda all I'm good for. Yuri aside, all the others have things they're good at that aren't directly involved in hurting things. I feel like I missed something when I was younger, and I'm not sure what to do about it. I could... [The girl's face runs hot and she averts her gaze from the camera. Pride issues?] ...use some help figuring this out.