[Action:

Kyouya is no stranger to earthquakes. Growing up in Tokyo, he's experienced his share. Enough that, honestly, he's a bit jaded. Most of the time, he doesn't do much. They're tremors that go away as soon as they start.

But here... Nothing here has ever been minor.

So the moment the shaking starts, he's down. The desk in the room he's rented in his preferred inn is right by the window, so he doesn't take shelter there. Instead, undignified as it is, he's on the ground and under the bed in an instant.

His journal falls off the desk as the shaking upsets it entirely, and he reaches out far enough to tug it under. He sends out one message and emerges about a minute after the shaking stops, just to be sure it's actually over. The window's cracked, but it didn't shatter.

He'll just... be staying there for a little while. Collecting himself.]

[Voice:]

Tamaki! Kaoru!

[It's the message sent over the journals while the earthquake goes on. They might not have their journals on them, might not be paying attention to them, but... If they are, he wants to be sure they're alright.]

[Written:]

[After the earthquake, he's able to write again, though his hand isn't entirely steady.]

I'm going to make a wild guess and say that the earthquake and the voice are related. Because that seems to be how this place works.

Which means something -- probably something very dangerous if it can cause that -- has access to the journals.

I suggest we all show caution about what we share over them.

- Otori

[around noon there is a flash of red light that covers the entire world in the blink of an eye. Afterwards the the sea is like a still mirrored pool, on the islands even the birds have stopped singing.

And then the rumbling starts. On the sea, the waves grow choppy and then huge, threatening to overturn smaller ships completely. On land a large earthquake sends objects shaking off shelves and crashing to the floor. This lasts about five minutes.

In the sea at a certain point in the east, a black cloud, thick and roiling rises up out of the ocean floor, crackling with thin red lightning. It rises a hundred feet into the air before solidifying, looking like volcanic rock. But the smell is sweet. Almost floral. Ships that try to approach the towering object will be pushed back as if by some invisible shield. Cannon balls will be bounced back. Any kind of magical attack will be absorbed by the shield and leave the caster feeling weak.

About half an hour after everything has settled to normal, a whispering angry voice will sound over the journals]

Whooo areee youuu?


[and after the last decibel of the voice fades away, the birds begin to sing again]

[Red flash in the sky and the water so calm. Yeah that wasn't ominous at all. Then without warning the waves pick up and Harlock barely has time to reach the wheel and turn the ship into the waves before they wash over the Mistress.]

[Action]

[Harlock wipes wet bangs out of his eyes. He looks around to make sure that the masts are still standing.]

Sound off if you're still alive, then start assessing the damage. I swear this boat is nothing but trouble.

[Voice]

You'll hear the wet smack of pages and the journal is shaken to rid if of excess water. Harlock's good and soaked.]

The last time I saw a flash of red light like that was right before that Halloween mess happened. First a gust from the east with petals died black and now killer swells some new year this is.


[After the laughter comes in over the journal.]

There's that Witch again. Life sucking comets, the flame stream prominence, even evil queens always sound exactly the same.