[ video ]

[seolearo.livejournal.com]

[ There is a faint, warm light flickering nearby - a candle, trying and failing to further illuminate the distinctively dreary, gray light that accompanies a storm. Ray looks like she only just woke up, eyes blinking owlishly from sleep. When she speaks, her voice is slow, solemn, with a tinge of something else just beneath the surface that she doesn't want to show. ]

The plan is working. It's slow going. But we expected that, you know? [ She smiles. ] Can't cure poison instantly. It takes time to heal. We were doing it, though. We were making it happen. [ Ray looks away for a moment, smile faltering. When her eyes flick back to the screen, it has faded completely. ] But there's something you guys need to see.

[ The camera whirls as Ray picks it up and turns it around. It settles on a view of the tops of buildings, and the sky beyond. Strange, dark clouds are roiling up there, and lightning flickers from far off. They are eerily reminiscent of the storm that struck Earth and Destiny Islands years ago. ]

[ Ray's voice is soft when she speaks again, almost a whisper. ] Look familiar to anyone? They just rolled in the other day, but the storm hasn't begun just yet. They were on the horizon for a few days before that. Everyone thought it was just another storm, a hurricane out of season or something. I hoped they were right, but this... [ She pauses, taking a deep breath. ] It brought more Heartless with it. More than Atlantica's been seeing lately, and that's a lot already. We've lost more people to them and the Miasma, and it... It doesn't look good. Not at all.

I don't know if we should even bother trying to neutralize the Miasma anymore. I think we're running out of time for that. At this point, I think it's time to just give up on saving Atlantica, and rescue who we can before it's too late.

[ There is a shaky sigh. ] All this, right when we found a way.

Oh, and I haven't seen anyone that looked particularly suspicious, as per Margaret's suggestion. Not that that means much anymore, around here. Everyone's looking suspicious, and we've been busy.

So, um. Yeah. Atlantica's basically lost, now. I don't suppose it would be feasible to ask for help in rescuing who we can? I know Lesley and Eliphas and I have our various Corridors, and I don't know about them, but I can only open mine for so long. I've gotten better at it, but it isn't enough for a rescue of such a large scale. Not to mention that I've been feeling pretty shitty lately, but that's probably exposure to the Miasma.

[ Ray goes quiet for a few moments. Lightning flickers, and yells float up from the streets, quieted a second later by an echo of rolling thunder. ]

I'm going to go talk to Ariel and Eric. Maybe King Triton, if I can get a hold of him. We have to get rescue efforts underway as soon as possible.

[ The camera shuts off. ]