AUDIENCE: SHIRO

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

It was there when we got here. We ... instinctively knew what it was for.

[ there's something in their tone that implies that it's weird for them too ]

[lionson]

Yeah? The boss didn't tell you guys about it?

[Carefully prodding with innocent-sounding questions to get information.]

[retellers]

If you mean the Realm, that's how we know things in the first place. The knowledge is given to us.

[ they know that's not what shiro meant, but that is clearly their boss. apparently. ]

[lionson]

You're gonna have to explain the Realm a bit better, because when I hear the word 'realm' I think of a location, not a person.

[retellers]

It is. The Realm is a place with a will of its own.

[lionson]

[Ah, a situation like that. Shiro can accept that answer, at least, things like that happen in his canon.]

Fair enough.

Has the Realm elaborated on why we're here at all?

[retellers]

[ right, that. at this point, wolf sounds a bit like they're reciting from a script. ]

The Realm is a place connected to all worlds using something called nova. Nova is what memories are made from. Everything has memories, worlds and people alike. But recently, something's been disrupting the Realm. Nova is getting scattered and displaced, which affects... everything. So the Realm brought people here to try and attempt to stop the destruction of the universe.

[ that escalated quickly. ]

We're working on figuring out the source. Until we can, you guys will be collecting nova.

[lionson]

The universe is about to be destroyed again? Che! It should stay saved for once, saving it all the time is such a pain in the ass.

[He rubs at his forehead.]

Right. We collect nova, we help the Realm, we save the universe. How do we collect nova?

[retellers]

The universe needs a better babysitter.

[ it's an agreement. there's a sigh ]

We don't know how exactly. There's this... knowledge now, that we'll see our first nova in a day or two, so we should know more by then, but whatever you need to do, all the nova you collect will pass by your PHS. [ he takes out his own in case. they don't know what that means. ] If you come near nova, it'll be grabbed and tallied by this automatically.

[lionson]

So keep this on me, and I'll get plenty of nova. Sounds simple enough.

Which means there's a catch in here somewhere. So what's the catch?

[retellers]

Being here at all is the catch. Nova's fading fast, and we're in the epicenter of whatever's happening. We're doing our best to slow it down for you guys, but the longer you stay here, the more you'll lose memories.

[lionson]

[He's nodding along with all of that, until Wolf gets to that last part.]

-excuse me? 'you'll lose memories'?

[retellers]

Did I stutter?

[ wolf, you know why he's asking, don't be a bitch ]

[lionson]

You can't just say "you'll lose memories" all casual-like! That's probably the first thing you should have said here!

[retellers]

I thought you knew. It came up yesterday.

[ it's not their fault that they're all terrible at their jobs, which is entirely giving information, ]

[lionson]

Obviously some people missed it! You don't think more people would be freaked out about losing memories if they had all heard it?

[retellers]

[ shrugs ]

I thought everyone hugging each other was the freak out.

[lionson]

No, I'm pretty sure that's something else entirely.

...could that be the nova?

[retellers]

... Could be a side effect...

[ they have no idea. ]

[lionson]

...

Do you feel like you wanna hug people?

[He gets the feeling that Wolf is not usually affectionate, which is why he's asking them.]

[retellers]

No.

[ thank god. ]

We're not affected by the same things you guys are, though.

[lionson]

So it's affecting you all differently?

[retellers]

We're connected directly to the Realm. Probably if it breaks down, something bad will happen to us.

[ don't say that so casually. ]

[lionson]

Che! Have a little more regard for your life, yeah? We'll save all of you, but you don't have to accept doom so nonchalantly. Attitude matters.

[retellers]

[ the mask doesn't make it easy, but they do look taken aback regardless ]

That's not... [ hm. ] It's what could happen. It won't, so it doesn't matter.