Nocturne IV

[collector]

[The CAT feed comes on while Braxiatel is ransacking his house. His movements have changed - they're less practised and less careful. He mutters something under his breath—] —I'll have Narvin dispersed if he has anything to do with this— [—and then, in a pile of papers, he spots something. He pulls some of the papers out of the pile, irritation flickering across his face.]

Oh, joy. Notes from my enigmatic... [Then he trails off. And his face, when it falls to its default, is cold and distant, not smiling. He turns the pages, reading too quickly, and when he gets to the last page, he stops and then composes himself.]

[He picks up his CAT and sighs.] You're already on, then, are you? Typical. [He sets it down and begins the message.]

Anyone who can hear this, you have lost your memory. This is the town of Luministi and you very probably arrived here before yesterday. Those who have been here the longest have been here for two months. You were abducted and imprisoned here, no exit, and you have yet to determine the culpable parties.

A very short time ago, a 'gas leak' pervaded the city. As a result, you have lost your memories after a certain point in your life—apparently, a point prior to your arrival at Luministi, which is bound to considerably set back your investigations into the town's mystery. The likely responsible party is a man named Doctor Resarci, who is currently and conspicuously absent.

That covers the most immediately relevant information, I believe. Oh, one more thing. We received a message some time ago that warned us about losing ourselves and keeping each other safe. You may have chosen to take notes and leave them in the house for yourself to find, so if you think you're that sort of person, I'd suggest looking.

Comments

[fortune_sought]

[just gapes at him for a moment before she recovers her composure and eyes him suspiciously] I don't know what sort of game this is, but how could you have known we would lose our memories soon enough to take notes to say we would?

[collector]

As I said, we were warned never to forget who we are. The implications are fairly self-evident.

[fortune_sought]

But you said that all of us will have forgotten this town. How do you know that?

[collector]

You're Sophie Hatter, aren't you?

[fortune_sought]

[caught off-guard by that, and perhaps more suspicious than ever now] ...yes.

[grimmjerk.livejournal.com]

[looking a bit more frazzled than usual over here. but paying attention nonetheless]

Can we get 'em back? Our memories.

[collector]

It's likely. Actual memory wipes aren't easy. Our memories are very likely suppressed rather than erased.

[grimmjerk.livejournal.com]

So how do we fix 'em?

[collector]

The first step is probably to take care of this so-called gas leak. If we can't find the source, we can see if we have any psychics in the group who can work around whatever is affecting us. And we might want to borrow the medical facilities to come up with a counter-medicine. It depends on how it actually work, psychically or chemically. [He frowns at something in his notes.] Or magically, apparently.

[grimmjerk.livejournal.com]

[not much he can do for any of those options...]

Borrow?

We can just take them.

[Reply viewable to everyone]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu is looking very sleep-deprived, but triumphant.]

Everyone, I can confirm what Mister Braxiatel is saying. I also have a record of the events he spoke of. [Indicates four books in front of her.]

Even if we've forgotten everything, I hope we can continue keeping each other safe and trying to find a way out of here...

[And regular reply just for Brax]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Bright smile!] Mister Braxiatel, a pleasure to meet you again.

I read that you've helped me tremendously in the past. I- I'll do my best to be of some help. But the story about Rayearth... [she shudders softly], and about how I found the antidote, and all the rest of it... I can hardly believe it was me who did all that.

But I'll do my very best to help! Do you have any ideas?

Oh, and I know you would have noticed, but I wonder about Mister Arthur. He wasn't mentioned in my journal at all. He's been very kind and helpful and has the same items the rest of us received when we first came here, but ... Did he just have unfortunate timing to come here when the gas started, or could it be something else?
[blushes] No, sorry, perhaps I'm just thinking about it too much - it's all so very strange right now!

[collector]

I never begrudge a suspicious mind. Almost never, anyway. Keep an eye on him but don't do anything rash. Not that you're a rash person, according to what I have on you. [Sigh, he hates working from notes left from his future selves. Granted, these are some of the most direct and clear notes he has ever gotten from them.]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Grins about not being a rash person. It's true!]
Thank you. I'll do that.
If there's anything else I can do, please let me know!

[collector]

Actually, I'm not sure if you remember, but my notes say you've some abilities with the wind. Do you have access to them now?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

I- I'm afraid that I don't remember. I did read about it in my own journal though.

[Uncomfortably shifts her gaze]
I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the magic. Physically I'm the same person who can, but mentally, I'm as I was before I even went to Tokyo Tower.

[Fuu sits silently for a moment, trying to pull herself together. Suddenly, she looks up with determination.]

I'll try it. If I can't, there's nothing to lose. And if I can, I might be able to really help out. My belief is my power -- at least, so I wrote! And... I want to be that person I wrote about, even if it means remembering all the hardships too.

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that people still did these!

[Switching to text:]

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[collector]

[eyebrows go up] Silent protagonist?

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

Definitely not, no matter how much Dotachin wishes otherwise!

Seriously, does anyone have any idea where that doctor went? I wouldn't mind trying to talk to him. Then again if he's going around erasing memories and hiding, chances are he doesn't want to be talked to.

[collector]

The nurse left in charge didn't have much information. You might try the Sheriff, as I doubt the mayor will be around for questions.

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

I'd ask the Sheriff about it, but that's not really my style. I'm more of the type to try to take matters into my own hands, you know? A very wise person once said, "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!" I don't actually know who said that, but I know I've heard something like it before.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[he's dug up his apartment for the notes the man referred to, and found nothing]

You've written your own notes? I'd be interested in seeing those, if you'll let me. My name's Arthur, by the way.

[collector]

Irving Braxiatel. It's a pleasure. If there's something you have a particular interest in, I can get you a copy.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Is there any reference to how we might have arrived here?

[collector]

Vaguely. A few people have described a bright flash of light and the after image of someone in a dark coat with a hat covering his face and something or other in his hands. What force would be capable of pulling people in from across the universes is a different matter completely.