bravenewworld | Backdated to a few days before the logs

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Backdated to a few days before the logs

[VIDEO]

I've just been given approval by the Seekers to investigate the earthquake-affected areas near Union. I'll be the first one to admit I'm a little worried about the whole thing, considering no one's made it back yet, but I'm trying to be optimistic. They wouldn't send anyone if they didn't think it was safe, right?

[ At least that's what she told herself. ]

Anyway, I've been assigned a group to work with among the volunteers around Union. Let's see...

[ She picks up a piece of paper and reads from it a bit. ]

Oh, Lenna's on this list! Usagi too. I don't think I recognize any of these other names. Thorin, Kili and Domri. Maybe they're new around here?

In any case, I'd love to meet who I'm working with, if I haven't already.

That reminds me, is there anyone else who has been given permission to check things out? What do you think we'll find down there? Hopefully not another one of Team Evolution's machines.

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Oh, I know Thorin and Kili. Not well, mind you, but having travelled with Thorin now I think I can at least say that regardless of anything else, he's the sort you'd want with you on the sort of trip you're going on.

[ Kili......... well, the lad seems to mean well, at least? ]

In any case, you keep yourself safe down there, won't you.

[ Lux nods. ]

That's good to hear. I'm used to working with a certain team, but we got split up, so knowing that you think so highly of him sets my mind at ease a bit.

[ "Mean well," is that what they called it nowadays?

She looks surprised, then smiles a bit. ]

I know I'm still a teenager, Bilbo, but I've been travelling a lot the last year or so. I've grown up a lot, I'll have you know! This isn't my first expedition.

But thank you. I will. I'm confident in my team, and in my own knowledge and abilities. Although I would love to pick your brain about what you think might have caused the disappearances down there. That bit has me a little on-edge.

[ think highly? of Thorin? Bilbo would have a lot of things to say to that, except that... actually, he finds that he can't think of a single thing. bit discomforting, that. he'll just move right along. ]

I am glad of that, at least. Though - just for the record, I honestly don't doubt how capable you are, but with those disappearances... something's clearly not right down there. I'd be telling you to stay safe even if you were an adult grown.

[ he frowns, equal parts worried and annoyed. ]

Of course the problem is we can only really guess at what it is. I mean, last time the cause of all the bother was that machine you mentioned, wasn't it? But I simply can't think of any machine that could cause people to just up and - well, vanish, like that. Surely not even Team Evolution would be that foolhardy.

[ She smiles a bit bashfully at the bit of praise. Saying that she was good, and having someone who was her intellectual superior on multiple levels felt really nice.

She shifted quickly, nodding a bit. ]

Wouldn't that be something? I've heard about bending light to camouflage things--I've even experimented with that a bit myself. But to make people vanish, actually vanish...

Maybe it's something like the Dream World? That's the only thing that I can think of. Even still, it doesn't feel quite right.

Something like the Dream World? [ he considers that for a moment. ] Hm, perhaps, I mean, it's certainly not impossible. But then that would make those new caves some sort of - of portal of some kind, wouldn't it?

It's just a theory, of course. There are stories of portals to other worlds, you know. None of them are founded on fact, mind, but the gods seem to exist outside of normal conventions.

Mm, quite. Wouldn't be gods otherwise, I'd imagine, though it does make it devilishly tricky to really test any of those stories. [ there's a beat, and then he adds, somewhat flustered. ] Well, that is until mysterious fissures start opening up in your back garden, I suppose.

Your back garden? You actually have one near you?

[ Bilbo do you have a portal to some strange and magical unknown world in your backyard?

And you didn't invite her over?

Are you holding out on her? What kind of friend are you anyway?! ]

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Backdated to a few days before the logs

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