melodiesofkupo | 001 (How does one formalities?)

[Takeshi has been... very careful. Since the last time he replied to something on the linkshell. However, he can't help but have a feeling of dread as August rolled in. Maybe he's just paranoid. But in the middle of the night, there is a text appearing on the list from him.]

Out of curiosity, what does everyone think of this invitation to the Empire? (Also what does someone wear to those kinds of things?)

Locked to [AU] Reno
Found something interesting in the 'Width. Be visiting soon.

Locked to Nagito Komaeda
Said I'd message you when I had something. I finished the map, so I'm sending you that now. Expect the other thing before some of us accept that most gracious invitation.

[Attached is crystallismap.jpeg and wor.jpeg. It's far rougher than what the official images look like, more like outlines that have been erased and redrawn until it seemed right and then redrawn over with ink. He's no ultimate artist (or any artist, for that matter), but it's passable and isn't inaccurate.]

Locked to Kenichi Nakagawa
Hey dad. Found something of interest you should see. I'll be between Arito and Yun'Ashia for most of the month working on adding to it, but lmk when'd be good to visit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hard to plan for 'this is just generally suspicious'. But countries don't close themselves off for no reason. And they don't suddenly open themselves up. It could be a reaction to our appearance, as they imply, but given how little anyone at the Center knows about the Dream Width, for all we know, the Empire people knew this was going to occur.

[Or caused it.]

And if that's the case, that's a pretty strong lure for those of us more cautious than average.

[Oh good, he wasn't the only one who had that thought cross their mind (brackets included).]

The need to know vs blissful ignorance... It's definitely hard to resist that 'lure', that's for sure. Whether it's like they say or not.

Even worse for the adventurous.

That has occurred to me. I'm almost certain it's a trap, and yet staying out feels like a missed opportunity.

Sooo purposely spring the trap?

Assuming we can find it before we spring it. It's not a particularly sensible plan, I'm afraid, but planning is hard when all our information is 10 years out of date.

I am surprisingly OK with this.

But then

a lot of people I knew lived life in even more dangerous ways, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I see you hung out with the same sort of people I did then.

Not so much hung out as forced to coexist with for survival's sake, but yes. I guess so.

That tends to be how it starts, yeah.

Unfortunately.

It can be useful, if they keep surviving things like that.

001 (How does one formalities?)

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