#⚫🦐ob!yuna: the beast in the background

[night-raven-miscellany]

A phantom roamed the grounds of Ramshackle, like a sentry guarding the perimeter of a kingdom.

The briars that had sprung up around the dorm were tall and numerous, the sharp thorns like needles, but it seemed that the plants went no farther than the gates of the dorm itself. Whoever was in there was not interested in claiming territory for herself, and instead, it seemed as though it was a warning sign to keep out.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨YUNA OVERBLOT STUFF YAHOO!!!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany. Technically James and Lewis, too, but I haven't been adding them fhdjfj)

Kiyuu stared down at her phone with a frown as the podcast ended. She didn't say anything, prompting Aros to speak up from behind her.

"...Lucky you haven't been over there for a while, isn't it?"

He spoke, giving Kiyuu a faint smile, leaning in just a little closer while dabbing a makeup brush into the eyeshadow pallette in his hand, before applying it, making slightly quicker movements than previously, already being able to tell what Kiyuu was thinking.

They both knew the signs by now from even just a glance. With the context the podcast had accidentlly given... Something bad was about to happen. That much they could tell.

His expression morphed back into a frown as he watched how Kiyuu's face seemed to go through a cycle of conflicting emotions, confirming what he'd thought.

"...Yuuto's close by, though. And he definitely won't hesitate to head straight for Ramshackle once he suspects something's happening..."

There was more silence, only disturbed by the quiet sounds of rummaging through makeup and supplies from Aros. They'd been in the middle of testing out some makeup samples Aros had been sent for a promotion when they'd decided to tune into NRTea's podcast in the background.

"...Would you like me to quickly finish applying your makeup before we go?"

Aros offered, picking up an eyelash curler, and tilting Kiyuu's head up gently with his pointer finger.

"But-"

"Ah- Let me finish now. If you're worried about time, I'll change up our plan, do something quick, yet effective, instead. Don't stress out more than you need to. It won't do you any good."

"Mmh... Okay then. I'd- really like that. Thank you..."

Kiyuu conceeded softly, a silent exchange of gratitude from Kiyuu between them, Aros nodding in response, expression neutral as he continued.

"...Heh. I bet he's real excited right now. I worry a lot for him when he does this sort of thing, y'know. Just doing whatever he wants with no consideration to anyone else's feelings..."

Kiyuu mumbled, an underlying bitterness that she never quite felt wholeheartedly in her voice.

"That's just how he is. The only thing for us to do now is help them both out, hm?"

"Ah- right..! Yuna, I heard their name was, I think... I hope they're alright..."

"As do I."

Aro's commented as he stood, reaching instinctively for his hand mirror, handing it to Kiyuu as he hastily, yet still neatly, tidied up his supplies.

"Satisfactory?"

He asked, turning his head around to gauge Kiyuu's opinion.

"Yeah! More than, for sure."

Kiyuu agreed, handing back the mirror. She felt a little better now, the familiar feeling of her makeup calming her nerves ever so slightly.

After a few short moments she stood, hastily reaching to fix up her hair into a more practical fashion.

"Okay! Okay. Let's go! We shouldn't waste anymore time."

She announced, projecting bounds more confidence than she actually felt.

"Yes, let's. Perhaps we'll even arrive before anything too disastrous occurs on either party's end..."

Aros responded. Though somehow, they both doubted that much of a miricle would happen for them today...

[night-raven-miscellany]

In the distance, whether Alden could observe it or not, the brambles seemed to slowly encase the Ramshackle dorm in the distance, only slightly extending beyond the gates of the dorm and no farther. Not enough to be an immediate danger, but enough to raise suspicion.

Should they decide to investigate, they might perchance encounter some manner of companion? But that choice is not to be made by this narrator.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

The briars in the distance did not seem to go much further than the gates to the Ramshackle Dorm, but such massive growth was certainly a concern.

The broadcast itself, meanwhile, cut in and out past a certain point, interspersed with its hosts' messages of concern, but no idea what to be done. The hosts seemed to pop back in though, momentarily, to mention note of a large, inky beast roaming about, but no further information was known.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I'm Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨I didn't know which muse to send to but. ik even tho Coven and Yuna have interacted like. Maybe .5 times? I still thought they would be silly!!!

-✨mod (ft Lewis and James), @night-raven-miscellany)

(No worries! I love just being involved with the fallout. Plus, infirmary person.)

[Listening along idly to the broadcast, Coven moves their gaze to a nearby screen. Instead of even slight investment, the news only felt dread-setting. This growth crowding in one area is enough to cause some worry.]

[Maybe checking on the first-aid supplies might be a good idea right now.]

[night-raven-miscellany]

A loud, thumping pair of footsteps could be heard as Calypso approached closer. It was curious, how something could possibly be walking around amidst the briars that spread throughout the property of the dorm, but the footsteps still echoed.

"Hated... Is there no one...?" A deep, booming voice called out amidst groans, and around the corner of the dorm, a pool of ink could be seen growing in size.

"show them*... How to win the world's forgiveness..."

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit instead of immediately cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨it's HEEEEEERREEEEEEE!!! It's just a setup message but yk! Gives a lot of room for freedom hehe)

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

(OHHH SHIT OHHH SHIT!! A GHOST!!/ref I’M SO EXCITED EEEEEEEE)

As soon as Calypso listened to the podcast, she knew something was wrong. Very wrong. She had a gut feeling she knew what it was, and she hated it. She hoped she was wrong. But her gut never failed her before.

She swallowed heavily as she grabbed a small backpack, before grabbing her purse. (She never used this purse to carry anything. Why? It was filled with rocks. A girl’s gotta be safe.)

Whatever was out there, she’d be damned if she didn’t have some way to protect herself. Better safe than sorry.

“I gotta find her…” Calypso mumbled to herself, before exiting her dorm.

As she walked closer to the courtyard, she couldn’t help but feel a chill of unease move up her spine. It was…empty, for lack of better words. Not like a late night stroll empty, just…no one. No one at all.

“Yuna?” Calypso called out, trying to keep her voice down just a little. Wherever her friend was, she hoped to find her.

“I hope she’s okay…” she muttered as she continued to walk.

[night-raven-miscellany]

Lewis and James both seemed surprised by the sudden intrusion, but it looked like they were already prepared to take some course of action.

"Shiyuu? Where in the name of the Sevens did you come from?"

---

Yuna sat up from the bed, stretching her limbs.

She felt... Odd. Her head felt so much clearer than before. It was like she could see the world around her for what it really was - Cold. Cruel. Unforgiving.

She walked around her room, a prison cell of vines and roses that fell around her. While most people would have felt restrained, she thought, she felt liberated in her newfound isolation.

There was no one who could help her now. She was pleased with her thorny defense.

The presences in the hall would not be there to invade her territory for long. And anyone who tried to follow suit would likely meet similar fates.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨sorry for the delay after that message I sent I had to. Drive. Hshdjf. Anyways ITS HEEERE!!!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

[Shiyuu IMMEDIATELY bursts in through the door.] “WE GOTTA GO CHECK ON HER.”

[meanwhile, at Ramshackle, Chase has been engulfed in brambles, the thick vines wrapping around his body and making it too painful to move. Inno is flying where he is, desperately trying to pull them off.]

“C’mon, C’mon! Why isn’t my magic working?!”

“Inno!”

[Inno startles to a halt.] “Chase, I have to get you out of—”

[Chase cuts him off, shaking his head slightly before wincing.] “No…go find the others. I know you can help them…”

“…b-but…” [Inno squeezes his eyes shut as he clenches his fists, tears flowing down his cheeks.] “Fine! I-I’ll be back, okay?”

“Go.”

[Inno stretches out his scaly wings and flies off to find Shiyuu, Lewis, and James.]

[night-raven-miscellany]

(Yahoo! The silly that I am the most familiar with!!! And also Klen!!!! Yippee!!!)

Should the book club members look out towards the dorm, sure enough, it was enveloped in briars and brambles, like a sharp, vine-covered fortress meant to block out the world. The vines did not seem to stretch out far beyond the dorm, and were relatively small in the distance, but it was enough to be at least a tad alarming.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨finally dropping in with Yuna stuff lol! Very excited hehehe

-✨mod @night-raven-miscellany)

*Klen looks up at the announcement*

That’s not normal, right? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s not normal at all

*Azalea chews on the end of his pen, nodding*

As far as I’m aware, it’s far from normal… I hope she’s ok, it sounds dangerous..

I really hope that she’s ok. Never interacted with her but something about this feels wrong

Yeah, something isn’t right..

(Woe, surprise azalea be upon ye! Honestly i just wanted to include them, cause the silly)

[night-raven-miscellany]

Home...

It was a wonderful thought.

Yuna used to dream when she was younger of a fantastic, adventurous life... But now?

She just wanted to return home.

"What I'd give to return to that life from before." She murmured, "But I know that I can't... It's not possible... There would be so many hoops to go through..."

She blinked back tears.

"I...-"

It seemed her magical assault had taken quite a toll on her, and she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Two more petals dropped from the staff, and the vines keeping it attached to her arm adjusted themselves tighter.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

Yuna's face turned cold once more, her eyes gaining a steely glint to them.

"My story? You know NOTHING of my story! It was supposed to end MONTHS before I found myself here because there was absolutely no point to it."

She raised her staff, and the phantom bashed against the building once more.

"I chose my ending, but other people decided that I should be forced to endure for their sakes, not caring about my own! And that choice that had been made for me? Threw me somewhere where I did not belong- where I will NEVER belong!"

Ink-colored tears began streaming down her face, as her breathing began to hitch and she thrust the staff, commanding the creeping briars to move suddenly, lunging out in all directions.

"There's no point in continuing a story that was content with a closed ending. I can't choose my own story because my entire story had been chosen for me. Even when I thought I had a choice, I didn't."

So why?

Why did she feel such a nagging pain in her chest?

This wasn't fair. Not to her, not to her friends, not to anyone...

And yet the anger only grew stronger.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

"And what of a husk that will be dead to the world?" Yuna asked, tilting her head to the side. "It still meets the same fate as anyone else. So what would be the point in considering it worse than death? If I simply shrivel up as a husk of myself, I'd be dead, and no one would remember it. It'd be the same difference, to me."

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

"Well if I burn myself out, I'll just exist as a husk of myself... I suppose I already am, though, at this point...? It's not like I have anything else of my world here, aside from myself and my memories... I did have a friend... But..."

Friend. Yuna did not want to associate such a word with that person anymore... Perhaps she was overreacting, but at the same time, she believed she had every right to be angry.

"We aren't. Friends anymore." She said simply, not talking about that topic any further.

A rose petal on the staff fell, and it seemed to cause Yuna to flinch, and she started to tense up again.

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

Yuna bit her lip.

'someone... Is interested. In learning about me?'

When she spoke, her voice had softened once more, feeble and unsure, ready to crack at any moment. It was though there was another voice in her head vying for dominance over this state of here.

"It's... Beethoven. His 5th symphony... Some people believe he wrote it at a point where he was... Angry with the world."

She had always loved Beethoven; how could she not? Her father had instilled a love of the composer into her head at a young age, an appreciation for his music.

Her... Father?

She grimaced, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter, though. Pretty soon I think it will be the only thing left of my world that I have..."

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

"I... Don't know." Yuna said. "I could just blame everyone else for it... But... I dunno. Again. At least I'm going to give them all something to remember..."

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

Yuna's face darkened and a scowl formed across her face.

"I know how overblots work, Lynx," she spat, though her tone seemed uncertain. "And I don't need you attempting to pity me or understand me, either..."

She took a step back hesitantly, raising the staff up slowly in front of her face in case she needed to fight.

"You say it isn't my fault. But how could someone without magic overblot like this? Unless something went horribly, horribly wrong?"

Briar vines began to rise up behind her and in front of her, forming a sort of cage or shield around her.

"This is your last warning," she said, voice and hands trembling. There was a look in her eyes that seemed starkly different from the sharp gaze that she had had before, but it lasted only for a moment. "Leave now, and I might spare you..."

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[nrcsfavoriteshrimps]

[Chase is still awkwardly dangling in the brambles, lol. He can’t talk anymore because one of the branches is covering his mouth.]

[Elsewhere…]

“I came over because i got this really bad feeling and your announcement confirmed it! Yuna might’ve overblotted, we need to get to her as soon as possible!”

“aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—” [Inno crashes onto the floor in front of them. Shiyuu flinches, their eyes widening in shock.]

“Inno?! What are you doing here?!”

[Inno looks up, breathing heavily.] “Chase is trapped in Ramshackle with Yuna!”

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨sorry for the delay after that message I sent I had to. Drive. Hshdjf. Anyways ITS HEEERE!!!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

[Shiyuu IMMEDIATELY bursts in through the door.] “WE GOTTA GO CHECK ON HER.”

[meanwhile, at Ramshackle, Chase has been engulfed in brambles, the thick vines wrapping around his body and making it too painful to move. Inno is flying where he is, desperately trying to pull them off.]

“C’mon, C’mon! Why isn’t my magic working?!”

“Inno!”

[Inno startles to a halt.] “Chase, I have to get you out of—”

[Chase cuts him off, shaking his head slightly before wincing.] “No…go find the others. I know you can help them…”

“…b-but…” [Inno squeezes his eyes shut as he clenches his fists, tears flowing down his cheeks.] “Fine! I-I’ll be back, okay?”

“Go.”

[Inno stretches out his scaly wings and flies off to find Shiyuu, Lewis, and James.]

[night-raven-miscellany]

Yuna seemed hesitant at that.

'He's RIGHT!' The voice in her head repeated. 'Listen to her...'

"And why would you care about a stranger? Especially one who has taken such a... Monstrous form?"

Who could ever learn to befriend a beast?

Hadn't she done that before, though? Why was she an exception?

Yuna didn't know anymore...

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...

[night-raven-miscellany]

The vines had not progressed too far beyond the confines of the dorm itself, but concern about further spread was all within reason.

"Hm... It seems another trespasser approaches us... The Beast outside can sense it..."

(✨ @nine-lives-lynx got the infirmary on speed dial Yahoo)

A notification flashes across phone screens everywhere throughout NRC. The radio podcast, NRTea has gone live once more!

"Hello, hello, dearest listeners! And welcome to another episode of NRTea, the hottest tea party on sages island! I'm your host, Chamomile-"

"and I am Earl Grey"

"And oh boy do we have a story for you today! Take it away, Earl!"

"...alright.

As of late, there have been brambles spiralling up and encasing parts of the Ramshackle dorm. The brambles themselves seem generally harmless, as do the roses that fall from them, but if you prick yourself on the thorns, it would be quite an unpleasant sensation, so I'd suggest exercising some extra caution when visiting for now."

"Yup, yup! If you've got a friend or two living in the dorm out there, go check on em and make sure they're doing okay!"

"I know I myself must check in on my dearest companions soon..."

"Well that's it for now! We've been your hosts, Chamomile-"

"And Earl Grey,"

"And this has been NRTea. Stay thirsty, dear listeners!"

The stream continues on for a bit before cutting off, though.

"Hey... James?"

"Yes?"

"Y'know how Yuna has been locking up lately and stuff? Says she's been super sick recently."

"Mhm... It's quite concerning, if I am being honest. I haven't seen her for a while..."

"...I wonder if Yuna is alright. I hope she doesn't get hurt with all those brambles."

"...Me too, Lewis. Me too."

(✨Yuna OB arc starter time!!!! Ft. Lewis and James!

-✨mod, @night-raven-miscellany)

Alden tilts his head curiously, listening closely. The brambles definitely couldn't be a natural occurrence; something was up. He frowns, thinking deeply... it probably wouldn't be smart to check it out himself, but she could always inform a teacher about his suspicions...