you're going to be amazing

[As those with special assignments start on their way, everyone capable of and willing to receive it receives a message over the magic mental connection that links them all in this illusion. It's the Little Mermaid's voice—Sayori's voice—loud and clear, brimming with affection. With passion and pride, as she speaks from the bottom of her heart about her friends in the Bureau.]

( The Reclaimers )

[She'll answer any responses after the CTAs have concluded.]

[Some people might've noticed a familiar (or not so familiar, depending) huge man wandering around the base these past few weeks. He's mostly been skulking around the dojo, but he's also been milling about, looking at all the Candlenights decorations with a vaguely mystified air. It's not until shortly before what many people would think of as Christmas Eve that he actually gets around to asking.]

So I've been wondering. Did those New Aspen people invade while I was gone? Why the hell's this place all covered in their sorta weird sparkly nonsense?

[He pauses, as if giving everyone the chance to absorb his absurd conclusion. And then decides to make it worse.]

Figure we gotta fight those cats if we're gonna beat them back? I'm a lot stronger now so I can definitely kick their ass this time.
[This time, he says. As if he's tried to fight the cats from New Aspen before. (He has.)]

[ Natsuki's been doing a lot of thinking after her first mission. The fact that they failed has put a lot of things into perspective, and so she decides it's time to write a poem.

... Well, re-write one, to be specific. The general meaning here seems appropriate, but it seems like a nice touch to change the words around a little bit to better suit the audience. Not that there was anything wrong with the original, of course. Why would you imply that?

In any case, one evening after they've returned to the not-so-much-on-the-moon Moon Base, a picture of some writing in a notebook appears on the network. ]



[ It's rather short, isn't it? She chooses to offer no explanation, at least up front. ]

[Sans posts a basic rundown of everything that happens during a "default" loop.]

we need to keep track of what's going to cause changes
far as i can tell, this is what happens if we don't do anything
you do something that changes it, you tell everyone here what you did and what changed and when
we're not getting anywhere if we don't keep track of this stuff

[So, this is the basic IC info sharing post! Go nuts!]

[The message comes a few loops in. At least enough for everyone to recognize that there's definitely looping happening, but probably before it's fully realized how that can be used to the advantage.

There's been a lot of waffling over whether or he should ask this. A lot of turning the bracer on and off, typing and re-typing the message.

Finally at the start of the next loop, it goes up.]

This place is real, right?

Like, Boarbumps? The Town? They're actual places that exist.

This isn't just some simulation or something that the relic created?

[If anyone goes looking for Roxas, he will probably be found not too far from whatever their starting area is.]