+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[Today, the sun is shining, the weather is perfectly nice and calm, and it's a perfect day to go outside and get active!

Are you jogging early in the morning? Swimming across the lake? Practising some swordfighting with your friends? Doing some magic training? Or maybe practicing elemental bending? If you'd been missing your daily practices, today you'll be sure to remember to get to them!

Or at least feel guilty if you skip them anyway and choose to be lazy instead.]

[The video begins to reveal a young Japanese male in a high school uniform, staring intently at the journal as though he expects it to literally blow up in his face. The sight of the Welcome Center is clearly visible behind him. He stares at the journal for nearly thirty seconds, turning it one way, then the other, before tossing it up into the air and then catching it.

The boy scoffs at the device, muttering to himself in a flat and unemotional voice.]

This is stupid...

[With that, the feed shuts off.]

[action]

[If anyone happens by the Welcome Center, they'll find a very confused and skittish Souji out front. Despite how unfazed he seemed on the video, he's circling the immediate area, unable to stay still while he tries to figure out what's going on. Sure, the Welcome Center ladies tried to get him up to speed, but who's to say there isn't something more at work here? Staying calm is not one of Souji's strong points.]

[It starts when the sun goes down. The first sign that something is wrong is the water pipe in the hotel lobby breaking and flooding the floor. This, in and of itself, wouldn’t be much of a problem… except it looks like someone has cut the electrical wires that are now sparking dangerously, only a few feet above the floor. There are similar instances of sabotage all over the island: doors locking behind you, wire traps in the park that’ll fire an arrow at you if you accidentally trigger them, the bolts in bicycles loosened so they’re in a danger of falling apart if you drive them – little things that might cause you to be hurt.

And if you’re really unlucky… you might hear something move in the shadows, and when you turn to look, they’re materializing around you; human-shaped, black-clothed warrior spirits, holding a katana and hiding behind a demonic mask. Or perhaps you will hear an incessant buzzing sound that just won’t stop until you give in…

For the next few days, dear Kiseki residents, it’s best to be extra careful, because there’s a fox spirit around to cause chaos, and he won’t be easily stopped.]

[[Stiles is back, and with him, the nogitsune and his Oni are wreaking havoc around the islands! For event details, go here. The event will last through the weekend, and there will be an aftermath post around the 29th or so.]]

[The story so far: Lilo told Daigo he should read more. Therefore, he recruited Ucchi to go with him to the bookstore, where he acquired a book he could write a report as a proof he had. However, he picked up the first book that caught his eye without bothering to read the back cover. Because if your name is King, you can only be a good author and this is fate, right?

Unfortunately, Daigo waited until it was late at night to read it, not realizing how bad the idea was until it was too late. Even if he closed the book and hid it in the closet, the images lingered in his head and prevented him to sleep for a long while. And when he finally fell asleep... well, he had nightmares and woke up again two hours later, all covered in sweat and his heart racing.

Not wanting to wake up anyone, and reasonably sure it wasn't Luckyuro this time, he went to what he calls the living room of the Kyouryuuger base, where he remained sitting down at the table until morning, looking miserable and forcing himself to keep his eyes open, since every time they close, he sees the gruesome images he read about. Not only that, but he sees them maximized by his own imagination.]

... I could use some of that drink from Rin-chan right now...

[So, would helping him to get distracted or to forget about it and sleep count as a good deed? What do you think?]

[Yeah he could just write all this, but then he'd be denying everyone a view of his pretty face. Everyone is welcome for his consideration.]

Hello, Miracle Country~ [Sure is a kiss he's blowing to the journal with a smile.] For those who don't know me yet, I'm Ian; I've come here from the same world as Ucchii and King.

[The smile drops and he leans forward to rest his chin on his hand to stare at the journal intently. A black pen is being gripped loosely between his middle and ring fingers, and it gets tapped against his lips occasionally as he considers his words carefully.]

I've been wondering, everyone... How long have each of you been here, exactly? Do you remember what the date here was, and if it was different to what it should have been for you? And what were you doing just before you woke up? If there's some sort of pattern to all this, then those the best places to start looking for it.

[Some of the residents of Kiseki - the female ones, specifically - may not have seen him looking so serious before this. But there are questions to be answered about Kiseki, ladies and gentlemen, and Ian is determined to fill in the gaps in everyone's knowledge.]

Any information further than what the Welcome Ladies can provide would be welcome, too. I'm not entirely sure I buy into the explanations they've been giving. All of the locals seem a bit too... Stepford to be entirely genuine.

[Have they always been like that? Another question for another time, and the hand holding his chin moves away from his face. A quick movement and the pen is flipped into a more correct position for writing, and he scribbles that question down out of view of the journal.]

Well, that's all I can ask for right now. [The smile returns.] I look forward to having everyone's answers soon!

[Because if he acts like he expects it, then he's more likely to get them. A wink and a smooth 'shooting' gesture later don't point out he forgot to put the pen down first, he totally intended it and the video ends.]

{ This wasn't the first time Lacus had to step in front of a camera and it certainly wouldn't be her last. That was probably part of the reason why she hid how afraid she was so well. The video clicks on and a Lacus appeared. Despite circumstances, she looked very calm and was even slightly smiling when she began addressing to any person watching. }

Hello, it is very nice to meet you all. My name is Lacus Clyne and I have recently arrived. I can't help but admire your beautiful world. Your architecture and technology is nothing I have ever seen before. { And her world's technology is nothing to be laughed at either. } It is quite amazing! And your people have all been very kind.

While I don't mean any disrespect, I would very much appreciate information to return to my home.

{ Suddenly she is interrupted by the appearance of a pink robotic sphere jumping on her shoulder. Its arms flapping frantically. }

I DON'T ACCEPT!

{ Lacus gives another amused smile and hushed it gently. }

Now, now, do not be rude, Mr. Pink. I apologize for my little friend. I am sure he is simply as anxious to return home as I am. { She gives a respectful bow. }

Please, can you help us?

[The video opens on...a hand. That quickly moves out of sight to reveal a slightly scruffy, extremely fluffy man. He grins excitedly when he realizes he's recording himself.]

Ah! That's how you do it!

[The view moves out - he's holding the book at arm's length now, you can see the Welcome Center behind him - and the man bows]

Hello everyone! I'm Nobuharu Udo, and I just arrived! [looks at the eggy building] The beautiful women gave me this journal, but I didn't really understand them - they all kept talking over each other. [exaggeratedly runs one hand through his afro] I guess the angels have their heads in the clouds. [jazzhands!]

[Cheesy lopsided grin] Anyway! This place is pretty great and all, but I'm wondering if my friends are here too. If anyone sees my sister Yuuko or my niece Rika, could they let me know? Or any of my sentai, it'd be good to know they're all okay. Our leader is Kyoryu Red, but everyone calls him King.

[Bows again] Thank you for listening! Hope to ear from you soon! [uses one hand to make his ear stick out and waggles his fingers. The video ends on that shot]

[Since Torin doesn't know how people might react to his looks, he's going to keep his first journal entry as text only.]

Greetings, Kiseki. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Torin, and I have just arrived.

The staff at the Welcome Center have already explained the basics about this strange place… or at least I think I could catch most of what they said. But I have a more specific question. Are there any others from my world here? I am looking for Kiryu Daigo or his friends. I believe there is a good chance that at least some of them are present, given that we seem to have a base.

If any of you are here, please contact me.

[It's time for candy! All around Kiseki, for the following three days, Welcome Center ladies will be offering samples of candy for people to give away. And everyone will receive a little pamphlet, explaining the idea behind this - when someone gives you a piece of candy, you should thank them through a kiss! Kisses on the cheek, hand, etc. are perfectly fine, of course.

But what if you're a grump who refuses to participate, or too shy for it, you happen to not trust Kisekians with anything, or simply don't care? Well, don't worry, because this tradition is just awfully tempting. Your character may find that they simply can't resist giving away candy to others, maybe even to their worst enemy! And sometimes they simply won't be able to stop themselves from thanking this gesture through the necessary kiss.]

[Rejoice, Kiseki residents, as today the massive flood finally comes to an end. Starting early in the morning, the water levels will slowly start to go down, faster and faster, the extra vegetation that had grown all over the place receding with it. Eventually, the usual Miracle Country will reappear, just the slightest signs of rust remaining for a while. The tree houses will gradually disappear in the following days, once its inhabitants go back to their usual lodgings.

Not all the water will disappear, however. Now, near the Sakura park, a small lake will show up, and connected to it, a narrow stream that will go all the way up to the ocean, widening as it approaches it and becoming large enough to allow people to swim in it or travel it by boat or other means.]