LCB-00-38: Refracted Rainbow - Wish Fulfillment

by LCFDepartment

Summary:

This page takes a look at Document Number LCB-00-38. LCB stands for Limbus Company Bus, 00 indicates no central Sinner focus, and 38 designates this as the thirty-eighth document taken in by this specific department. ...So. This would appear to be the end of the first arc ever started within our documentation of what is now known as the Refracted Rainbow. An arc that occurred before this world was even given a name to us. An arc that many will say started the documentation of the Refracted Rainbow as we know it. The end of the ongoing war between the Heishou Rupture Society and the Old Rupture Society. But when the dust settles, how will Hongyuan's Zenith find a way out of this? How will the ordinary woman from the Devyat' Association find a way out of this? And... what will be revealed about the former Shard who had to be killed for the sake of Rupture's thriving?

(Hongyuan's Hong Lu has to deal with Devyat' Rodion's fuckass one more goddamn time. And maybe not just her...)

Arcs Continued/Finished:
The Lord of Hongyuan Arc
The Distortion of Devyat' Rodion Arc

Notes:

This account is run by 2 people. The one who did the majority of the writing and the coding Victor Frankenstein (he/him). The one who did some additional writing + everything else is Julia 1984 (they/them). Comments are appreciated.

For those who wish to use said workskin:
The Workskin Pastebin
With starter guide by LCB-oil, the person who helped us when we started the account: https://lcb-oil.tumblr.com/post/773346358256107520/limbus-company-wiki-style-for-ao3
If you wish to keep up with this Department and its documents, Join Our Discord.

Chapter 1: My, How We Love the Potency and the Count

My, How We Love the Potency and the Count

Location: The Borders of District 23
Zena	…Hmm. I cannot help but feel some sort of odd disturbance. Like I am being watched in some fashion.
Zena	…
Zena	…Oh. Wow. This is most certainly rich. Must be the audience of those up above.
Zena	Greetings. I am Zena, an Arbiter of the Head. Though you've already known this quite well.
Zena	Your mind may be wondering, "Zena, why exactly are you standing near the area within District 23 that leads directly to the Outskirts?"
Zena	And you see, the answer to that question will easily be revealed in about five seconds. Executioner, be ready.
Baral	At your command, Zena.
???	* I'm falling!
The Claw, Baral, grabs the falling man with ease before he's turned into paste on City pavement.
Baral	Hmm… A truly peculiar individual, this one. Built like cityfolk, but not so.
Zena	I believe they call this a "Darkner" in that realm we have so unfortunately come into contact with.
Zena	Though we may not be able to deal with the Taboo in W Corp.'s borders, this one… this one has no such limitation, does it? It is a collaboration that should have never existed. A stain.
???	* Hey there, Zenny!
Zena	Oh. And it provides comedy, the jesterous devil.
Zena	Do tell me your name before I have my Executioner wipe you off this planet posthaste.
Renery	* It's me! Renery!
Renery	* Yoshihide's Daughter's Best Friend.
Zena	Oh, no no no. None of that musical accompaniment.
Zena	I do not wish to play this game with you right now.
Renery	* Hmm… Perhaps I should be turning off "Zenas" in the Chapter Text for a moment.
Zena	What are you talking about? What do you mean by- …
Zena	!!!
Zena	?!?!?
Baral	Zena? What is going on?
Zena	.
Renery	* Sorry about that, princess. I just have something important I need to say before passing on. Listen carefully to me.
Renery	* You wish to talk about me as if I am someone who shouldn't exist. Perhaps… perhaps I am.
Renery	* I am neither a Project Moon character nor a DELTARUNE character. I am a living concept… that was given life. Colored with care.
Renery	* This means I can feel things others may not be able to properly parse.
Renery	* Something dangerous lurks within the borders of H Corp. A darkness beyond your imagination.
Renery	* Zena, Baral… the road ahead of the IDs is draped in shadow. But-
Zena	ENOUGH of this!
Renery	* Hang on, how did you bypass my- Mmmph!
Zena	There. How do you feel, being muted by my Lock?
Zena then turned her back to the individual named Renery.
Zena	Executioner… Do make it quick, yes? We have Workshops to visit.
Baral swiftly ripped Renery's body in half.
Baral	…He was quite the odd being, was he not?
Zena	Irritating is a better word for his sort.
Zena	I bet those individuals up there in the Light believe they're so clever, pretending they weren't watching me do this while cleaning up their house.
Zena	I bet you're asking yourself how I knew about that. How wouldn't I? I am an Arbiter. We know everything.
Zena	…Well? I do not get paid to meddle in the affairs of the IDs. Go on. Shoo.
Location: The "Light House"
How the fuck did they even break into our house.
That's the one thing I don't understand. How did Hermes break into our house?! I put up every single security measure, and yet, that dude still-... Bro broke the windows.
Of course. Of COURSE Hermes did.
...And we're live. Of course we're fucking live. THANKS, Zena. Could've spared us a few more minutes to make the place look presentable. Not like anyone can see it…
Haaaah… Hi, my children. I'm Carmen, this is Ayin, welcome back to Refracted Rainbow™.
The Head might not get paid to deal with ID stuff, but the joke's on her! We also don't. ...I think. I know I don't.
...So, uh, Carmen. You wanna talk about what the fuck you did over in Hongyuan when you were disconnected?
Listen, Ayin, you know me by now. I just wish for the best for everyone in the City. And oftentimes, the "best" comes right after having a crash-out. It's not my fault.
That issue's gonna sort itself out. I think we've got something way more interesting to look at.
Like what exactly?
Uhhh… Well, I think Callisto and Albina are gonna visit Bleed Society for the first time. That's what it looks like anyway.
Would be nice to see how they're doing after being roped into that whole House of Statuses thing.
Carmen, we can't just-... Fine, fine, y'know what? I'll let this go for now.
But only 'cause I'm interested in why Ring Sang hasn't made a move since what he said to Manager Don Quixote after Operation: Metagame. What could he possibly be doing…?
Location: La Manchaland Front Gates
Callisto	Are you sure this is the right place, Albina? Considering you say this is where all the members of the Ring have located, it is quite… different than what I expected.
Albina	In what way?
Callisto	The fact that it is an amusement park?
Albina	This is… fair. But I took Fascia's directions, and Fascia has never steered me wrong a day in my life.
Callisto	What about the time when Fascia told you to run into the same wall of our Corridor about fifty times?
Albina	Fascia has almost never steered me wrong a day in my life.
Callisto	What about the time you drugged Fascia?
Albina	Fascia has sometimes steered me wrong a day in my life. …But not this time. I promise.
Albina	Now that you point that out, however… Maestro, is it just me, or when we had awoken in that hospital, did you forget just about everything that happened in that faux House of Spiders area?
Callisto	Ah, no. I appreciate you bringing it up, because I cannot lie. I have forgotten the majority of that incident.
Callisto	I do remember there was another world's Yoshihide, and then… we had met a different Thumb Nursefather and her Apprentice with the others, yes? But the rest is unclear.
Getting to the entrance of La Manchaland, the two are stopped by Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu.
Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu	Uwa~! Welcome to La Manchaland, the home of Bleed Society. You're Callisto and Albina, yes? May I please see your Honorary Member cards?
Albina	Do you need Fascia's too?
Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu	I-... Uh… No? Technically, Fascia is you, yes?
Albina	Fascia is her own beautiful thing, thank you very much.
Callisto	A check on her will not be needed, good sir. Hang on, allow me to peruse our bags for a moment.
Callisto	…Say, don't you look… familiar?
Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu	Perhaps? I mean, there's quite a few Hong Lus that visit the Refracted Rainbow™ at any given time. I doubt I'm the first you've seen today~
Callisto	Mmm… Maybe.
Callisto hands over the cards of himself and Albina, which Tingtang Hong Lu quickly processes.
Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu	Okay, all set! Remember, this home is your home as much as it is ours.
Tingtang Gang Gangleader Hong Lu	Enjoy your stay~!
Callisto	Right… Much appreciated.
Wordlessly, Callisto walks into the park itself. Albina follows.
Location: La Manchaland - Area 1
Albina	Mmm…
Albina	Maestro. I cannot help but think there is something in the back of my head that I should be remembering.
Callisto	Like what, Albina?
Albina	I am not sure. Whilst we were in that hospital, as I was mid-slumber, I would have dreams… of a person. A person like me.
Albina	A spitting image. Someone who liked the same things as I did. Someone who had her own Fascia. But her face…
Albina	I could never properly see her face.
Albina	And the more I try to look at her, the more her face obscures.
Callisto	Oh, Albina… My dear student. Are you sure your dream was not just you trying to observe yourself in a mirror?
Albina	It could have. But her voice sounded different… I do not know how to properly describe it. Felt foreign.
From not too far away, Callisto and Albina started huffing smoke. Lots and lots of smoke.
Callisto	Cough cough cough…
Callisto	Goodness. What in the world is this odorous smoke hitting my metallic nostrils? …And why does it smell… sanguine?
Albina	I- I believe this is what Fascia was pulsating towards…
So glad we can't inhale that from here.
Covering their noses, Albina and Callisto follow the smoke and head to a small alcove-looking room.
It is in there that the Ring's Yi Sang, Outis, and Rodion are lounging on a couch, seemingly smoking out of a bowl.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Hooooly shiiiiit… Yi Sang, I doubted your supply at first, but DAMN, this is good.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Right? The Bleed Blaze is one of my favorite flavors…
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Always gets me high as fuck after using it. Outis, hit me with a Reuse.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Type shit.
Callisto	Is this what that juvenile child from the Middle Corridor calls a "goon cave?"
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	H-Huh?!
Albina	Perhaps. I am observing no other human life that is of the masculine nomenclature in here besides the sopping wet cat with the beret.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	…Oh shit, yeah, I can kinda see how odd this looks.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	The School of Corporism… So you finally dare step into the Ring's domain of Bleed Society.
Callisto	Both Pointilists and Fauvists are here, hmm? I wonder if those from other sub-sections have made their way here as well.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Nothing we've seen…
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Though on the topic of sub-factions, what's got your outdated selves coming here? Looking to get a hit of our supply?
Albina	What are you even smoking? …Are those Status-flavored drugs? Why's that feel familiar…?
Albina	Wait. Fascia, wait, hang on.
Almost uncontrollably, Fascia begins shaking. And Albina, unexpectedly, gets a memory.
Location: House of Statuses Bioengineering Research Facility - Flashback
Albina	How are you liking these colors, Fascia?
Albina	Hmm… I wonder. Would giving Fascia all of these different artforms make her versed in them? Would this make Fascia a jack of all trades?
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	Friend Albina? May I please ask what you are doing?
Albina	Well, Friend %*#@$, as you can see, I am feeding Fascia.
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	With… the Status Needles?
Albina	Yes.
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	The Status Needles needed for Project Yoshihide?
Albina	Yes.
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	ALL OF THEM?
Albina	Yes- Actually, no. …Well, maybe.
Albina	I did not give Fascia three of the needles. But the rest were fair game.
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	…
■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■: ■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■:	Well, good. Save some for me, too.
Albina	Of course, Friend %*#@$.
Location: La Manchaland - Area 1
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Huh. Your sword seems excited, that's for sure.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Tell you what. There is a small experiment I have been looking to conduct.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Every time I take one of these drugs… I pace myself. I take one at a time. Sometimes two.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	The Burn Boof, The Bleed Blaze, The Tremor Tobacco, The Rupture Rip, The Sinking Serotonin, The Poise Prozac, and Compound C… I have wondered what would happen if one were to take every single one at once.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Wait, seriously? That sounds maddening.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Some IDs green out from a hit of some of this regular stuff; it's already that potent.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	I am very much aware… However.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Let us consider that a being like Fascia may not have such a limitation.
Callisto	What are you attempting to do with my pupil's project?!
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Relax… Relax. If you have faith in your Student, then you should be up to this as well, no?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Unless you wish to tell me that your arts are a failure, much like everyone already assumes.
Callisto	You…!
Callisto	…You… are a clever wordsmith.
Albina	Maestro, are you sure about this?
Albina	My mind… it remembers me giving Fascia needles similar to these substances before. And the result was not pretty.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Hey, to be fair, what's the worst that can happen? It's not like Fascia can green out properly.
Callisto	If there is one thing we cannot let a Pointilist do to us, Albina, it is question our method of art creation. Give Fascia the substances!
Albina	Mmm… Okay, Maestro.
Albina	…How exactly do we go about this? Do we just…?
Albina slowly sticks seven cigars in Fascia, making sure Fascia doesn't swallow them whole. Each cigar represents the seven, uh… Status Substances?
Seven. Seven Status Bongs. Seven Status Bongs, and FASCIA will become a god.
Albina	Okay… Light them up with that lighter, Maestro.
Pointilists Yi Sang and Outis and Fauvist Rodya sit back on the couch while Callisto slowly lights up the Status Substance cigars.
Smoke slowly begins to come out of all seven as… as Fascia begins to smoke?
How is Fascia doing this? It has no mouth.
It has no mouth, and it must smoke.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Hoooly fuuuuuuck… I might green out, man. Look at the pretty colors!
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	I wish your Meursault were here to see this.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Riiiight~?
Callisto	Hoh… Oh, wow. This polychromatic sensation is very relaxing.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Indeed, indeed… Truly an intriguing sight…
Albina	Wow… I may need to try this myself. What was one of the flavors you had again? Rupture Rip sounds… intriguing. I like the green.
Callisto	Let me get a hit of that Sinking Serotonin, my good fellow.
Albina	Am I to assume it's because-
Callisto	Teal.
The alcove turned into a haze of the seven Sin colors. This combination of the Seven Status Substances turned the entire room into practically a greenhouse.
It's getting so potent, it seems to be… seeping out of the alcove entirely.
Ayin, are you doing okay?
I can smell blue.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Oh, goddamn it. Hang on…
...Do I have to narrate this as I'm doing it? I- Uh… I pick up a glass of Light Water™ and splash it against Ayin's face.
Agh! …Thanks, babe.
No problem.
Back in the alcove, however, it seems like the smoke is coalescing into something.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Uh…
Callisto	This may be me worrying unjustly, but I feel like smoke is not normally supposed to be doing this.
Callisto	What in the world…?
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	It's… It's all seven Statuses coalescing!
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Outis is right. The potent combination of all seven Status Substances is causing some sort of disruption within the world. Perhaps a portal of some kind?
Callisto	Why do you have drugs that do that? Drugs are not supposed to do that.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	They were created by a Yi Sang. What exactly did you expect?
Callisto	I-I don't know! He was not one of the individuals I had met during our raid on the headquarters of Limbus Company!
Albina	…From my brief impression of him, Maestro, I feel like this somehow makes sense.
And within the polychromatic haze, Ring Yi Sang's copy of the Mirror begins to shake.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	…We may need to brace for impact.
Albina	Why is your mirror shaking?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Too much usage of the Status Substances causes it to act up. I have no clue what may occur.
Callisto	I BEG YOUR PARDON?
Callisto	Albina! Behind me this instant!
Albina	Yes, Maestro.
From the Mirror, two unknown individuals quite literally pop into existence, almost as if they had always been there.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	And that's how I killed your wife and child, Yi Sang~
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	…
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Erm… Faust, where are we?
Albina	(Huh…?)
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Maestro, I don't know… That's scary…
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Oh my god. More fucking Corporists. Shit's about to turn into a goddamn techbro convention.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Oh, I don't wanna hear the furry arm woman talking about conventions, of all people here~! …Wait. Furry arm… white suit… knows Corporism.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	You're a Ring Fauvist. A-And that's Pointilists you're sitting with.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	What's good, my dude? Want a hit?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	And we're standing across from-... Faust, we're alive.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	We have always been alive, Maestro.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	No, you misunderstand! We're alive! Look! We're not in a void anymore!
Yo, wait, these guys are totally based on Callisto and Albina, aren't they…?
I'd ask how they came back from smoking drugs, of all things, but I guess weirder has happened this week.
"The Bough of Gold kidnapped the girl and stolen Heathcliff's tale…"
Anyway, the newly revived (apparently) Ring Nursefather Hong Lu had pointed over to his counterpart, who had given him an icy glare.
Albina, meanwhile, was filled with slowly gathering recognition.
Albina	(Maestro, can I stand in front of you for a second?)
Callisto	(No.)
Albina	(But Maestro, I'm-)
Callisto	(No.)
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	You wouldn't happen to be my counterpart, would you?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot last time.
Callisto	The only "foot" you will get from me is the one your metallic ass is going to get if you talk to me any further.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	You wound me, fellow Maestro~
Callisto	You wounded our daughter. You should be forgiving of the fact that I have been merciful and not said worse.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	…Friend Albina?
Albina	Hmm?!
Callisto	Albina, do not acknowledge her. She aligns with-
It was too late. Albina had peeked out from behind Callisto's back… and almost immediately dropped Fascia in very latent excitement.
Albina	Friend Faust!!!
Albina runs over to Faust and tightly hugs her, surprising her mirrored ID self before she decides to hug back, her own Fascia dropping so she can reciprocate.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	I knew you were here, Friend Albina. My Fascia had felt yours when we arrived.
Albina	It is strange, is it not? We only knew each other briefly, and yet… I missed you terribly.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Faust missed you as well.
Callisto	Huh… Far be it from me to get in between my Student's joy, I suppose.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Well, I'm glad one of you is certainly happy to see us.
Albina	I'm happy to see Friend Faust. The jury of myself and Fascia is still out on you until further notice.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Fair enough~!
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Yi Sang, are these the two idiots that were making a mess in Charge Society?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	My good fellow… I believe so.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Holy shit, wait, was that the same day when I beat up Lei Heng with them?
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	How'd I forget you two? You especially, the one in the cheese hat. You had that one move that was like… "Something, something, Tibia MEEEEELODIGA~!" yeah?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	It was moreso something like… Deulliseyo? Han ssang-ui sangwankol-gwa seumul ne gae-ui neukkor-i jaa-naeneun Tibia-ui mellodiga!
Callisto	That's not- No. You're saying it wrong. It is… Ahem.
Callisto	Deullisinayo? Han ssang-ui sangwankol-gwa seumul ne gae-ui neukkor-i jaa-naeneun Tibia-ui mellodiga!
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	That's what I had said~
Callisto	No, you were saying "Deulliseyo?" when you're supposed to say "Deullisinayo?"
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	They mean the same thing.
Callisto	It is the dramatization that comes from the extra syllable. It carries over more of the pomp and circumstance of the maneuver.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	No, you're just being petty~
Callisto	It is the power of presentation! One that you could use to stop looking like such a lethargic bum.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	I am copying your stance, you know. If it looks bumlike, that is your fault~
Wow. They do NOT like each other. Like, at all.
And in contrast, it kinda feels like Faust and Albina like each other more than normal.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	…Do you wish to let go?
Albina	No. Not yet.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Fair. I am just asking because it seems quite rude of us to leave our Fascias withering on the floor when they may have also missed each other.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	How the hell would that work? They're swords. It's not like they have minds of their own.
Albina	…Friend Faust, should I tell her, or should you?
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Huh?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	We put multiple pieces of our brains into our Fascias.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	HUH?
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	What does that mean? What does that mean you put pieces of your brains into the swords?!
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Exactly as implied.
Albina	In addition to our collective corpora, we have both collectively fed slices of our brains to our Fascias. I believe this is why Friend Faust and I have quickly gotten as close as we have.
Albina	…Ah. I probably should not get too close to you, however. I do not intend to make you an ingredient of Fascia.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Consider, for a moment, that if you take one of my organs, I can simply take an organ from you in return, and the both of us can remain friends while feeding our respective Fascias.
Albina	…You… are a genius!
Albina	But how will we obtain eachother's organs? We have both replaced our corpus, remember?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Observe.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Wait, what the hell are you about to-
Somehow, despite Albina's lack of organs, Apprentice Faust is able to puncture her ribs and pull out an organ with her hand after letting go of the hug the two were sharing.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	…Dude, what the shit?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	I must be hallucinating from the drugs. I did not just see that.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	My Skill 2 can retrieve an organ from anything, Albina. Anything.
Albina	Then this must mean…
Albina, being impressed by such a simple action, reaches out to puncture Apprentice Faust's ribs and pull out an organ with her hand in return.
Albina	Wooooow…
Albina	Friend Faust, is this what true friendship feels like? Have we been upgraded to… best friends?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	I hope we have.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	I would like to be super best friends with you, Friend Albina.
Albina	I-I… I would like that, too, Friend Faust…
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	So, wait, how does this even work? Do you two just have an infinite supply of organs to feed each other?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	For the sake of both of our collective sanities, I do not wish to question it right now. My Sanity Points are already beginning to teeter into the negatives from having to compute that.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	You guys could give the IDs from Ryōshū's Bistro an infinite food supply, holy shit.
It was at this moment that Ring Yi Sang received a phone call.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Ah, pardon me. One moment.
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and answers it.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Hello?
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	Hey, could you do me a favor?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	…Who in the world- LCE Gregor? How do you have this number?
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	MultiCrack Faust gave it to me. Listen, I need your help.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Did you think to ask your Society for help?
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	We have issues to deal with, and it pertains to Rupture Society, which I cannot help but feel like the Ring hates for some odd reason… Might have to do with me remembering shit from the House of Spiders raid.
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	Anyway, uh, our newest member went out for a moment to check on them Rupture fellas and hasn't been back since.
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	You mind sending someone over to figure out what's going on and, uh… "get him back?" In case the worst happened?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	What'll be in it for us if we do?
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	My knowledge on synthesizing Compound C.
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	Also, I know your ass is trying to make some shit revolving around the Udjat's strength for some reason. What're you callin' it, Udjat Ultracet…?
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	How the hell- How do you know that?!
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	I'm a Limbus Company employee. People who survive this shithole don't do that clean.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Look, okay, fine. There do seem to be two people I could perhaps send on short notice.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	I'll send them over or something.
LCE E.G.O::AEDD Gregor	Nice.
LCE Gregor then hangs up the phone.
...Didn't peg him as a drugmaker.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Okay, listen. You two.
Ring Yi Sang pointed over at Apprentice Faust and Nursefather Hong Lu.
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	Need you to do me a favor. You've been close to Rupture Society before, yeah? If what Fauvist Rodion said was accurate?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	We did kind of beat the shit out of Lei Heng one time, yeah. …And the Heishou of Rupture Society. And the Hong Lu that was with them.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	He was a Lord of somewhere, wasn't he? …I think?
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	I don't think so. None of us remember that anyway.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Well, whatever the case was, I think we might've needed to pop by there at some point to apologize to them.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	How exactly do you plan on doing that?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	It, uh… It would depend on if this place has access to technology.
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Uh-
The Ring Pointillist Student Yi Sang	You can steal one of N Corp. Faust's many laptops. She's not here right now. I'll even show you exactly where they are.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Splendid~! Faust, let us depart.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Okay. …Best Friend Albina, are you and your Maestro staying in this place for long?
Albina	I think so. We cannot exactly go back to the House of Spiders, and it's not like a Ring Gallery's going to save seats for us.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Good. Maybe we could… create a Gallery together. If our Maestros are okay with it.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	I'll be back, okay?
Apprentice Faust waves to Albina as she grabs her Fascia and follows Nursefather Hong Lu and Ring Yi Sang out of there.
Callisto	…I do not understand how you are not weirded out by your alternate self.
Albina	My sister's just another me. Why would I hate that?
Callisto	Because oftentimes, what an individual sees in the mirror isn't quite the idealization you wished for.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	Yo, what the hell did he do to the Ryōshū in his Mirror World for you to be that hostile?
Callisto	Apparently, for the sake of his art, using her as a canvas wasn't off limits.
The Ring Fauvist Docent Rodion	…Deadass?
The Ring Pointillist Student Outis	Based on how very fleshy she still looks, I think I'd have to give him a grade of D-.
So we're gonna have to go to Rupture Society now, right?
Uhhhh-
'Cause like, I dunno where else we'd go.
I dunno, man, I feel like there's bound to be way more interesting stuff to look at.
Like what, exactly?
I- Uh… Well… We could-...
Oh! Wait! Y'know what we could do? Let's go watch a Mirror Dungeon run about to happen in the LCB Mirror World.
...
Carmen, I feel like you just told me to take a sleeping pill.
No, seriously, c'mon, babe! It's been a while since we've seen Dante interact with some IDs. It'll be funny, I promise.
You are so insistent on not wanting to see Hongyuan right now…
Okay, fine. But if somehow, whatever happens next has people going to Hongyuan, we gotta go there next.
Deal.
Location: LCB Mirror World - Aboard Mephistopheles
Dante	<Hmmm… Okay…>
LCB Sinner Ishmael	What're you thinking about, Dante?
Dante	<Well, uh…>
Dante stands in front of the door to the Mirror of Names and Spiders, figuring out who they'd want to deploy today.
Dante	<Y'know? …I kinda wanna play Old Rupture Society.>
LCB Sinner Heathcliff	For real? Ain't you left that team on the shelf since, uh… the incident?
LCB Sinner Outis	We do not have to mince words on it. Yes, the Executive Manager did stop running that stratagem after the assassination of Red Sheet Sinclair.
LCB Sinner Outis	Which begs the question: Why are you thinking of running them now?
Dante	<Well, as much as I want to make it work still, Heishou Rupture without Lord Hong Lu's fancy Statuses just feels… weird.>
Dante	<Wish I knew how to get them back. At least some of the House of Spiders stuff is coming through now, though. I knew I wasn't crazy.>
LCB Sinner Don Quixote	How art thou going to run Old Rupture without the Sinclair of Talismans, Manager Esquire?
LCB Sinner Sinclair	W-Well, um… Clearly, their only other option would be to run Devyat' Sinclair in that slot, right?
LCB Sinner Outis	HAH! Don't make me laugh, Sinclair.
LCB Sinner Outis	Purposefully ruining a stack for the sake of Defense Level Down? The Executive Manager would never do that to themselves.
LCB Sinner Sinclair	…It's Mirror Dungeon. Everything works in Mirror Dungeon. Let me have this.
LCB Sinner Gregor	If we're doin' specifically Old Rupture, does that mean I gotta get into the Rosespanner ID again…?
LCB Sinner Yi Sang	And I get to return to the complicated World of W Corp., which… is funny. Because I cannot help but think that old Identity is more powerful than the new one I have for Charge/Rupture.
LCB Sinner Outis	You mean LCE? The one that cannot even fuel Dimension Shredder on its own?
LCB Sinner Yi Sang	You know what makes that difference even more insane? My previous Charge/Rupture Identity is from the era of Season 2.
LCB Sinner Yi Sang	How is it that my Mirror gave me an Identity that is arguably worse than an Identity from Season 2? I thought I was supposed to be the one who got all the good stuff.
Dante	<I-It is still good! …At… damage…>
Dante	<And I mean, that Envy Defense Skill is nothing to scoff at. Middle team's gonna love that.>
LCB Sinner Ryōshū	So, Clock, who's gonna get fielded? If you're doing O.R.S.Old Rupture Society, I can't help with that.
LCB Sinner Ryōshū	My one good R.I.D.Rupture Identity that'd count is from after the H.P.M.B.Heishou Pack - Mao Branch one I got. Authenticity would mean I stay benched.
LCB Sinner Faust	Faust believes the optimal loadout, accounting for no usage of Red Sheet Sinclair, would be W Corp. Yi Sang, Seven Association Faust, Lantern Don Quixote, Cinq Meursault, Seven Heathcliff, and then the two Devyat' Identities of Rodion and Sinclair's while keeping others such as Seven Outis, K Corp. Hong Lu, and Rosespanner Gregor on standby. Though perhaps we should bring Drifting Blade Ryoshu and Hierarch Candidate Ishmael as well, just for sentimentality.
LCB Sinner Gregor	Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to ask, Manager bud. How're ya still able to use Meursault IDs while he's being arrested?
Dante	<Lowkey, I've kinda just been hitting the Malkuth power while he's in jail, and N Corp. either hasn't noticed or is contractually obligated not to give a fuck as long as he comes back.>
LCB Sinner Gregor	Yeah, but like, you bring him in able to speak 'n' stuff. The Malkuth power doesn't do that, right? It should make us all husklike…
Dante	<It's the super special secret version that works only when a Sinner is unavailable in the main story. Used it for you, too, while you were bedridden.>
LCB Sinner Gregor	…So that's why I screamed like a banshee outta hell in my sleep.
LCB Sinner Rodion	That Devyat' ID always scares the crap outta me to wear, Dante. It ain't fun to be on the verge of exploding…
LCB Sinner Rodion	Her outfit's nice, though. Really fun to talk to, too, when she isn't on her hater grind. Haven't heard from her in a minute! She looks like she needs a hug.
LCB Sinner Hong Lu	It is quite odd to witness, no? The fact that my Lord ID has had beef with your Devyat' ID for this long…
LCB Sinner Heathcliff	Well, lad, one did kinda leave the other practically crippled on the side of the road with that whole Talisman Sinclair thing, no?
LCB Sinner Ishmael	Yeah, if someone powercrept ME that hard? I'd be hating, too. It's one thing to be better than me, but killing my friend?
LCB Sinner Heathcliff	Mhm, mhm. Some shite goes too far.
LCB Sinner Outis	The death of Red Sheet Sinclair was a necessary evil for progress to occur. That being said, however… the cockiness of the Heishou Rupture Society after the fact is what pisses me off more.
LCB Sinner Outis	They act like they are not destined to become irrelevant like the gameplan they wished to murder… Arrogant fools.
LCB Sinner Sinclair	Honestly? I'm scared of a long while from now when one of their IDs gets an E.G.O or something like other units that buff the rest of them. We'll never hear the end of it.
LCB Sinner Yi Sang	They would host an unceasing parade within the Refracted Rainbow™ for seven days and seven nights…
LCB Sinner Ryōshū	And somehow, it'd still be less annoying than that S.E.X.Swordsman's Explicit Xcapades I sometimes have to hear when visiting P.S.Poise Society. Yeesh…
Ryoshu's scabbard shutters after hearing that.
LCB Sinner Rodion	Yeah, that's weird. I mean, not a Meursault getting play specifically. I can imagine that. It's more the fact that he's so… open with it? I didn't expect that from him. I don't think ours would ever be like that.
LCB Sinner Gregor	Yeah, I don't think I could've expected that either.
Dante	<...I don't know what to expect from any Meursault anymore after that whole One Who Nails bomb. Lemme just summon the IDs here.>
Dante then proceeds to slot in the IDs that Faust advised.
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	…Dante? Have you decided to utilize our skillsets…?
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	How long has it been?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Faust	Way too long. Faust does not think we've been consistently fielded since the discovery of Red Sheet's nerfing.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	I dunno about you, but the break's been a neat lil' vacation. Gettin' to worry about what I'm actually contracted for has been cool.
Lobotomy E.G.O::Lantern Don Quixote	That makes one of us, good sir! Every time Manager Esquire doth decide not to call on me is another time back in the torture labyrinth of doom and despair!
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Oh yeah, right… LobCorp. Well, I mean, it ain't that bad. Just memorizing information and applying it. I'd be right at home there.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Faust	We here in the Seven basically get paid to do that all the time.
Lobotomy E.G.O::Lantern Don Quixote	Everyone thinks they can do it until they have to.
Cinq Assoc. West Section 3 Meursault	I see you have taken the opportunity to temporarily let me out of jail, Manager.
K Corp. Class 3 Excision Staff Hong Lu	Ahh~ This gives me so many good memories! Dante-nim, how are you~?
Dante	<Doing alright. Felt… nostalgic.>
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	S-Some of us aren't that old, Dante.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	…Please tell me the Heishou aren't here.
Cinq Assoc. West Section 3 Meursault	They do not seem to be.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Mmm. Good.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Means I don't have to worry about seeing my Y.A.Yandere Ass B.F.Best Friend from another world.
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	他的狀況越來越好了。He's been getting better
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Has he? Has he truly?
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	他正在找回自己的人性。He's finding his humanity
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	他的舉止彷彿有人將他的一切都奪走了He moves like someone took everything away from him
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	…Uh, where is Devyat' Rodya? I assume you're gonna field her too, right?
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	Must be wanting to field her last to give her an ego boost.
Rosespanner Workshop Fixer Gregor	Lord knows she needs it. She has been struggling.
Rosespanner Workshop Fixer Gregor	I dunno what it is with Russian women who feel like they have to be the center of the universe and me, but hoo boy, am I a magnet for them.
Dante	<Uh… Well, actually, she should've been with you guys by now, but…>
Dante	<I keep getting an error.>
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	…What?
Dante	<Look.>
On Dante's PDA, the words "ERROR: ID CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE." can be seen.
Dante	<This has never happened before. Like- Like what do you MEAN it's not available? The whole point is that I can use them whenever unless the Base Sinner is indisposed. HOW IS THE ID NOT SHOWING UP. I HAVE RODYA RIGHT HERE???>
LCB Sinner Rodion	Oh, that's definitely not concerning in the slightest~
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	我上次見到她時，她正處於精神亢奮的狀態。Last I saw her, she was tweaking out
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	其實，我聽說所有黑手都在為……某件事而焦頭爛額。Actually, I hear all the Heishou are tweaking over... something
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	Huh?
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	That isn't new. They're always tweaking over something.
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	Should we try to figure out what ails our good fellow, Miss Rodion of the Devyat'?
Dante	<Probably? I mean, there's not much else I can do while I wait for Railway 2's Bokgak…>
Dante	<If this is something stupid like her just not wanting to show up to work or whatever, I'm gonna be a little peeved.>
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Oi, I doubt that's what it is.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Got a hunch that somethin' real bad is going down, Clockhead. Real bad.
Cinq Assoc. West Section 3 Meursault	If you all intend to depart, note that the moment we leave these confines, I will be returning to prison given that I am not needed for a Mirror Dungeon at this time.
LCB Sinner Rodion	So… Wait, what's going on? We just goin' to the Refracted Rainbow™?
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	Seems like it. To arms, men!
Wait. Wait. Oh no.
Dante, LCB Sinner Rodya, and the Old Rupture Society (minus Cinq Meursault, who teleports back to the jail cell) all proceed to walk through the Backdoor housing the Rainbow. They're most likely going to Hongyuan.
Which FINALLY means we can see what the hell is going on over there.
U-Uh, uh, UHHHHHH…
...Listen. We can talk about this. We can talk about this, Ayin. We can talk about this.
Oh no you don't! You promised.
Nah, dude, c'mooooon… It's not THAT interesting over there. We can go check on Sinking Society or something!
Charge, maybe? Don't you wanna go see Aqua from Deltarune?
...
Aqua from Deltarune? Wanna see Aqua from Deltarune?
Aqua from-
We're going to Hongyuan.
fine okay we're going to Hongyuan ._.
Location: Daguanyuan Gates
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	So as you can see from this slide, because of the fact that we're from the House of Spiders Mirror World, we oftentimes like to resolve our differences with people by ripping their spinal cords out and turning their loved ones into chairs.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	We don't mean anything personal by it. It's just business~
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Faust, could you move on to the next slide?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Of course, Maestro.
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Yes, this absolutely needed to be 35 pages long. How else would Rupture Society know we would like to apologize otherwise?
Wait. Is this a PowerPoint presentation?
...Why is their PowerPoint white text on yellow background?
Why are all of the images compressed?
Is that font Comic Sans? Are they using Comic Sans and Papyrus on the same slides?
I'm gonna just pray to God they're not using Wingdings on top of that.
...Uh… Which one? 'Cause technically, you could pray to me. Or yourself. Or the Wishmaker. Or Hermes. Or-
ANY OF THE ABOVE.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Ah, yes, here we go. The perfect summary.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	The reasons why we are sorry.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Number One: Making art happens sometimes. And it truly does, you know? As a Maestro of the Ring, I see opportunities for art all the time.
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Are you telling me to keep going? You seem to be a fan of this, Yinglong~
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Ah. I can see tears falling down the majestic dragon's face. We are doing such an excellent job, Maestro.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…What are you two doing?
Hongyuan's Hong Lu, with Devyat' Rodion's Poludnitsa on his back, walks up to the two, raising an eyebrow in recognition.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…Hold on a minute. You two are the ones who broke into Daguanyuan.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Ah, wait! Faust! It's him!
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Are they giving you a hard time, Yinglong?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	We were actually demo-ing our apology PowerPoint presentation to your bouncer so that he would let us inside.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Would you-
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Would you like to-
Yinglong	*SCREAM.*
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Would you like to see for yourself?
Yinglong	nah you good 👍 nah you good 👍 nah you good 👍 nah you good 👍 nah you good 👍
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Look, Maestro. Yinglong is giving us his overwhelming praise.
Yinglong	*DISTRESSED SCREAM.*
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Perhaps I should just escort you two inside, yes? And please, do turn that laptop off.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	But how will we apologize without-
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I believe you have done me a favor I am not sure I will ever be able to repay.
Hongyuan's Hong Lu walks past Yinglong now. Nursefather Hong Lu and Apprentice Faust, confused, follow him.
Apprentice Faust also turns the laptop off.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	How exactly did we do you a favor by beating the shit out of you? Do you perhaps have a taste for masochism?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	No, it's-... Why does it feel like everyone assumes a Hong Lu is inherently masochistic?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	No, you see, I needed to be consumed by my brief hatred for you two so that I could be led down the path to lose everything.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[It's a fancy way of saying he owes you for his character development.]
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Oh? Is that so?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Well, it was nothing, really. A colleague of ours had wanted us to send a message, and the dramatic irony given by myself and my Faust having a work relationship similar to you and your Faust made it all the richer.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Right, I can imagine.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	The strange thing is that I am… forgetting who exactly said colleague was at the moment.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	I was able to recall them moments ago. Is this the power of that weapon Yoshihide wields…?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I believe so. The Tiansha Star's Blade - Arayashiki [天殺星刀阿賴耶識], yes…? It is the very same weapon that severed something very important to me.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[Kinda odd to believe, but for the majority of the time he's had me in his possession, he's been pretty chill.]
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	…Why are you carrying a Poludnitsa?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	I was going to ask the exact same thing.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[Long story.]
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	One I doubt we'll have time for right this second.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	We should probably make sure he hasn't gotten immediately demolished in there.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	He?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	He who?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…
Location: Daguanyuan - Heishou Houses Assembly
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Unbelievable. Genuinely unbelievable how useless you are.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	Miss Faust of the Mao Branch, I-
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	SHUT IT.
Mao Faust throws a brick at DimShred Sang's head.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Can't fuel your own fucking E.G.O because you don't have Sloth, can't provide for the Rupture stack with Count, can't gain Charge properly for your Skill 3-2 unless you bother to Evade forever 'cause you KEEP EATING IT with your Skill 2, and we all know nobody's gonna want to spam Skill 1 forever, you need 4, 4 Charge Potency to get 2 Haste when your ID brother from Season Two can get 3 HASTE at 15 Charge Count…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I-I don't even understand. That Korean Ishmael that showed up weeks ago can generate Haste for existing!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	You can't fucking portal in battle aside from cosmetically for Skill 3-2, you can't temporary Retreat, your Skill 3-2 is Unfocused Volley and NOT EVEN COMPLETE AOE, what do you-... What can you even do? What do you even do?!
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	I-... I, uh…
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	Well, I provide adequate to even exemplary damage numbers.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Cool. Congratulations. When I asked that, it was more of a "what can you do for Rupture" question.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	Well-
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I'll answer for you. You do fucking nothing.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I-It's quite baffling to me how you're able to be outclassed by an ID from Season Two. Season Two.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Genuinely, what is the point of you? A Heishou could have done your job better.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I think you're somehow worse than Shi Faust. I did not think that would be possible, but there is an argument to be made that you're worse than Shi Faust.
That was when Hongyuan's Hong Lu and the two Ring IDs walked in. The Heishou and Dimshred Sang did not notice yet.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Do you think people want to actually READ? Do you think people gain satisfaction from paying attention? No! They wish for instant gratification. A moveset with minimal understanding for maximum fun.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	You require ASTROPHYSICS while also being ASS to play and a PHYSICAL pain for my eyes while providing barely any payoff AT ALL.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Do they not need to read for yourself, also?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…Oh. Oh, THIS is rich.
That's not good.
Mao Faust walks past Dimshred Sang, who has been kneeling on the floor, to get to Hongyuan's Hong Lu and the two Ring IDs behind him.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Great. I suppose we're just letting in any common riffraff now.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Ryōshū	That theory of yours is holding more weight every second, man.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Maestro does have a point, however.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	In order to get the best use out of Mao Adept Faust, one would have to manage their speed on top of the enemy's, which also requires reading.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Oh, please. I play myself after one turn of set-up. That's the whole point.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	How many people do you assume know when and how you get your Tianjiu Star's Blade Status?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Do you even know how you get it?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I- Uh, well… I…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	The Manager orders us to do a Gluttony chain, and we get five resources of Gluttony from Gluttony Resonance.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Mhm. And then what?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I have my fellow Heishou here activate their Deathrites.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	The Deathrites we haven't had on any of our Heishou since you killed them as a gimmick?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	H-Hey! I CANNOT be blamed for that!
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[You absolutely can and will be blamed for that.]
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	What the hell are you two doing here anyway?!
Heishou Pack - You Branch Adept Heathcliff	Prolly about to try to kick our asses again.
Heishou Pack - You Branch Sinclair	Ass kicking? Asses being kicked? Fighting?! WAR?????
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	They wished to apologize for the incident from before.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	And you just… let them in.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Yes.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	We have a PowerPoint, if you wish to see it~
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Oh. Oh, they have a PowerPoint.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	You hear that, everyone? They have a PowerPoint presentation.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	What do you guys think? Should we look at their PowerPoint?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	Eh, I don't think I'm particularly interested.
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	Perhaps if they had not made their first impression killing us, I would consider it. Right now, I am just wishing to send them back from whence they came.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	My thoughts exactly, much superior Rupture Yi Sang.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	I slot better inside of a Charge te-
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	SHUT UP.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	Okay.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Why are you angry with this Yi Sang in the E.G.O suit?
Heishou Pack - Wei Branch Don Quixote	Well, erm…
Heishou Pack - Wei Branch Don Quixote	…Actually, I also am not sure. Mao Faust had told me to retrieve him without particularly explaining that it would be for this reprimanding.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I invited him here because he sucks and he needs to know that he sucks.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	I thought I would be able to poach him from Charge Society so that W Corp. Yi Sang can take the hint and stay fucking home already, but his Rupture application sucks ASS.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Why is it that the Charge-Rupture Yi Sang is better at Rupture and the Rupture-Charge Yi Sang is better at Charge???
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	So, what, you just brought him here to yell at him to his face?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Oh, don't be so sanctimonious and angelic with me right now, you hypocritical bastard.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Did you or did you not do the same thing to that Reindeer Rodion before you went on this "holier than thou" redemption tour?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	The difference was that I was in her home when I did that.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	You're doing it on the comfort and safety of a throne, with our very own hit squad surrounding you.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Wha- Huh?!
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made a Great Point.]
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	T-That wasn't a "great point" at all!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	What, so we're just not allowed to call shit bad now? I thought we were supposed to be having fun, Hong Lu.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I-Is this… is this fun to you?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	When I was awaiting new IDs, none of it was ever "fun." It felt like a chore.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I spent hours upon hours upon hours analyzing frames, looking up data, trying to datamine numbers before they were even released.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	When I said an ID was garbage to you, I may have sounded jovial and like I was trying to let off steam from a minor annoyance, but in my words is genuine agony over something that could've been good. My sorrow is the Wishmaker's sorrow.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	You, you're just… getting fun from bullying someone who otherwise should not even oppose us.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	How is this enjoyable to you?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	What the hell happened to this guy?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	One stray encounter with that Ryōshū capstone, and he turned into the fun police.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	It's kinda weird, yeah.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	He makes fun of the methods he once employed, he brings unwanted visitors into our home, and he STILL has the audacity to claim he is not planning betrayal?!
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Oho! Oh! You know, that's why this Society's in the damn shape it's in. Because of bullshit like this.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Let me tell you something. The last Rupture ID that actually gives a shit about Rupture that released wants nothing to do with us.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Ryōshū	And exactly whose fault is that again?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Mine. I am aware of that.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	But us only getting Charge Rupture with Rupture as a secondary since is not just my weight to bear. …It is time to acknowledge that we, as a group, have been the exact type of thing I've been looking to avoid.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	We are no better than the Elders of Hongyuan that I had us fell.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…You do not truly mean that.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I do.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Look at us! Struggling to remain within relevancy, CLINGING onto every glint of hope we get!
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	We are suffering within our own tedium, Faust. And within this suffering, we're using this City as our entertainment.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	We. Are. No. Better. Than them.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	WE ARE! All of us told you we would be! We promised when-... when we organized this group!
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	(Mmm… It sounded like she was about to say something else for a moment.)
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	(I had assumed I was the only one who caught that slip.)
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	If… If all we're doing is perpetuating a cycle of violence, then what does it mean for us? How do we move forward? What are we…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	What are we doing with our lives?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	You, perhaps, may be the worst example.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	You were a core reason as to why Red Sheet Sinclair had to perish. You abolished Deathrites as a concept. The Wishmaker is so scared of what you can do that no other Rupture ID after the Mao Branch's completion has positive Rupture Count.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Your existence in this game completely disrupted the course of everything in terms of powercreep. People genuinely get worried when cool units come out because they're thinking about what they have to be able to do to top YOU.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…I hate to say it, but perhaps you would benefit from being bricked next.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…You don't actually mean that.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I do.
A tear slowly falls down his remaining eye.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…And I hate it, because even with all that known…
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I still deeply, deeply appreciate you, Faust.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	J-... Jia Baoyu…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Do NOT let this traitor get into your head, Adept Faust.
Something tells me this is only about to get worse.
Mao Outis stands, pointing swiftly at Hongyuan's Hong Lu.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	That man carries the device of a vagrant and hangs around the very same people who murdered us without remorse! He has a stench of guilt written all over him.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Had a milksop like him been in the Smoke War, he'd have been utterly decimated!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Hmm… As a matter of fact, how strong is this man without us, anyhow? His whole strength had revolved around us, didn't it?
Heishou Pack - You Branch Adept Heathcliff	Yeah… Despite 'im never havin' our leashes, I'm pretty sure he kept mouthin' off. Usin' us like attack dogs.
Heishou Pack - You Branch Adept Heathcliff	Who's he other than some third-rate Zigong, eh?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	T-Third rate Zigong?!
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	He probably wouldn't last long if we all ganged up on him, would he?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	Whoa now, wait. Hang on.
Heishou Pack - Wei Branch Don Quixote	Perhaps we should not be too rash- AH!
In a moment's notice, Wei Branch's Don Quixote and Si Branch's Gregor felt their heads piercing.
Shit, it's almost like they're being punished for speaking against the common goal here.
...Oh. Oh no.
Is it just me, or are they all slowly turning to face our mismatched trio now?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Uh…
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	A brief question, sir. Are your friends usually like this?
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Maybe they want to see the PowerPoint for real.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[I doubt that's why.]
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[...You ready to fight your own, Monarch Man?]
Hongyuan's Hong Lu pulls Devyat' Rodya's Poludnitsa over his back and wields it defensively in front of him.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I'll try… Suppose having you will make up for what I am still lacking.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	Do not worry too hard about that, my brother.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	My disciple still has the thing which all of these units do not like.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Ah, right…! Iron Maiden - Spikes.
Hastily, Hongyuan's Hong Lu pushes Apprentice Faust to the front.
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Please do watch the merchandise. The gallery is not meant to be touched in this way.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	HEY! Back off! I know you all dislike her passive!
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Don't make me do this to you!
The Heishou IDs	…
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	…Mister Hong Lu of Hongyuan, I do not think they're stopping.
Carmen, I think they learned that their somewhat irrational fear of Iron Maiden can be mitigated by just bumrushing Faust.
It's a good thing they're taking the time to menacingly aurafarm over instead of running at Mach 3.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[...Might need a second plan.]
The House of Spiders: The Ring Nursefather Hong Lu	I'm hearing a lot of people approaching from behind, too…
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	More Heishou cutting off our escape, I assume.
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[Hold on a second. Picking up a Courier Trunk Poludnitsa signal…]
The House of Spiders: The Ring Apprentice Faust	Oh?
Looking behind themselves, the Ring and the fallen Monarch can see cavalry arrive.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	The 'ell's going on 'ere?
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	The Rupture Society of Olden Days!
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	…You can just say Old Rupture Society, man.
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	And it's not just us.
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	你好，大哥。Hello, big brother
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Ishmael! And… Driftshu.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Jia Baoyu.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	You did not call me by your deceased friend's name.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…I don't know why I did that the first time. My apologies.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Eh. Can't be helped. I do look like her.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Faust	We brought the first Rodion here too, by the way.
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Wait, huh? Why?
LCB Rodion cheerfully waves while eating popcorn.
LCB Sinner Rodion	Don't mind me! Just here to watch the show~
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	Uh-... Okay. Sure.
The Heishou end up pausing in their approach, Mao Faust in particular clearing her throat and looking confused.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	A-Ah. Yes, Dante. Hello. Uh… what are you doing with them?
Dante	<Uh… I mean, look, this is gonna kinda be awkward to say, but sometimes, I just wanna be able to, erm… switch things up?>
Dante	<I-It's nothing against you guys, I was just->
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	You were about to go into a Mirror Dungeon with these dregs.
Dante	<No! I wasn't about to-...>
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	他們確實是。They were
Dante	<Okay, yeah, I was.>
Heishou Pack - Wei Branch Don Quixote	FORSOOTH?
Heishou Pack - You Branch Sinclair	Manager… You don't wish to send us to fight today???
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	This is… unprecedented.
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	Not once have you decided to simply not field us since our team was given almost all of its members.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Yeah, well, everyone needs a change of scenery every once in a while.
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	It is not that big of a deal, is it?
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	…Wait, is that Dimension Shredder Yi Sang? What did you do to him?!
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	They gave me several death threats, W Corp. Yi Sang.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	I think it had to do with my apparent quality against yours.
W Corp. L3 Cleanup Agent Yi Sang	That is… that is ridiculous! Why would anyone care about that?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Why WOULDN'T I care? He's Season 7! He should be better than you by every conceivable metric, and yet, he can't even do his JOB right, because YOUR Charge ass continues to be allowed inside of fucking Daguanyuan borders!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	How did you guys even get past Yinglong?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Faust	Dante is the Manager. …Of course Yinglong would allow the Manager and whoever they walk with in.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Okay, yes, this is fair.
Rosespanner Workshop Fixer Gregor	Were y'all seriously layin' into that guy only for not bein' as good as, like, a Nursefather comparatively?
Heishou Pack - You Branch Adept Heathcliff	Lad, honestly, we didn't even need him to be at Nursefather strength. We were just hopin' he'd have ANY sauce at all. Lad is sauceless. Devoid of sauce.
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	So is half your team.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	T-That is NOT true! I have Attack Weight! I have sauce!
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	You consider the lack of an identity of your own only so you could have Skill 3 Attack Weightslop sauce?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	Genuinely, what the fuck are you talking about? Who complains about killing more people at the same time?!
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	Hey, I'm not complaining about efficiency. All I'm saying is that it doesn't have sauce.
Drifting Blade of Hongyuan Ryōshū	Bet you can't even flip without falling flat on your face. Fatass.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	Wha- I- HOW DARE YOU!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	This… this transgression done by our very own Executive Manager…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Hong Lu, you vile, vile man. You've poisoned the well from within!
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	I did no such thing! I have not conferenced with the Manager for a while now!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	BULLSHIT! Who else could have-
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Rodion.
LCB Sinner Rodion	…Eh?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Not you. The one who does Rupture.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Rodion	Eh?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Not you. The OLD one who does Rupture. The one our ally is carrying the Courier Trunk of.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	If our Hong Lu is telling the truth, which… no matter how harsh, I am inclined to believe he is… then it had to have been her.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	So for the sake of everyone, Hong Lu, I must ask.
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…Where is she?
K Corp. Class 3 Excision Staff Hong Lu	You know, the funny thing is that we were about to ask you all the same question.
K Corp. Class 3 Excision Staff Hong Lu	Manager Dante had needed her to complete our loadout, but… she's not available for being deployed.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	Not available for… bein' deployed?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Ryōshū	Ridiculous. No ID is ever M.I.A.
Heishou Pack - You Branch Sinclair	Y-Yeah, what she said! IDs going missing in action doesn't make sense!
Heishou Pack - You Branch Sinclair	Usually, that'd be because the Base Sinner's unavailable, right?
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	Indeed. But as you can so clearly see, LCB Sinner Rodion is safe and sound.
Rodya cheerfully waves once more.
...Carmen, babe? You've gone quiet.
I know. Don't worry about it.
What do you mean, don't worry about it?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Faust	Which, on the way here, has led us to believe in a separate theory. Heathcliff, care to explain?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Right. So, we're under the belief that somethin' happen to the Devyat' lass that…shouldn't prolly be possible for us IDs. Whether that be goin' out of bounds of the game itself, or…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	Or? Or what?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Well. There is the other option people don't like to consider which is still readily available.
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	而且，若處理不當，可能會導致事態發展到無法挽回的地步。And if not managed properly, it could lead to a point of no return
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…No. No, you're not trying to imply she's undergoing… that, right?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Undergoing ain't entirely accurate. Depending on how long she's been left alone, she could've already gone through it.
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	A Distortion.
A visible chill overcomes the packed room.
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	…Can… can an ID even do that?
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	I cannot see why not…
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Outis	Despite us being merely overlaid on top of the Base Sinners when we're called upon by the Executive Manager, we still have our own thoughts, wishes, and dreams. That being exploited is within the realm of possibility.
Lobotomy E.G.O::Lantern Don Quixote	This may not be the best time to ask this, but as someone from the era of Lobotomy Corporation, I need to ask…
Lobotomy E.G.O::Lantern Don Quixote	Is this Distortion Phenomenon similar to when someone attunes to an E.G.O gear a bit too much and goes crazy?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	No. Worse.
Dante	<...The act of Distortion occurs when your psyche shatters. When what you believe in has been shaken so thoroughly that a door opens into your mind… a door that the Voice of the Distortion walks into.>
Dante	<It occurs specifically when you are at your worst. And going off of the fact that one of the last times I spoke to that specific Rodion was when I had to let her down easy months back in terms of team composition for Rupture moving forward…>
Yinglong	*DISTRESSED SCREAM.*
Before Dante can even finish that thought, a loud scream from Yinglong can be heard.
Heishou Pack - Wei Branch Don Quixote	What in the world was that about?!
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	I do not think I've ever heard Yinglong scream that high…
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	Miss Ishmael, come forth. We must investigate.
Wu Yi Sang quickly goes into his horse form.
Family Hierarch Candidate Ishmael	小馬……是匹好馬嗎？Horsie... Good horse/rt>
Heishou Pack - Wu Branch Adept Yi Sang	Quickly! Come forth! I do not know how long my head will stay unailed by those Voices that haunt this very building!
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	…Wu Yi Sang has the right idea. Everyone, come quickly. We must figure out what is going on.
LCE E.G.O::Dimension Shredder Yi Sang	Does that mean I am-
Heishou Pack - Mao Branch Adept Faust	YES, you are allowed as well! Now move!
Location: Daguanyuan Gates
It did not take long for everyone to start making their way to the Daguanyuan Gates.
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	Y-Yinglong?!
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	…What the hell happened to Yinglong?!?!?
Seven Assoc. South Section 4 Heathcliff	Hooooly shite. Whoever found this lad must've packed 'em up real good. He ain't even turning into an Abno Egg yet.
Yinglong was decimated in a way that the IDs have never seen before.
The perpetrator of the action had left him hanging at the gate's entrance by jumper cables, his screams fully muffled.
Dante	<...Honestly? Based. Did not like that boss fight.>
Seven Assoc. South Section 6 Director Outis	Restrain your ever-so-obvious joy for a moment. …We're being watched.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	Haaah… I sense it, too.
Lobotomy E.G.O::Lantern Don Quixote	How art thou aware of this?
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	After war, your sense can heighten for these things.
Heishou Pack - Si Branch Gregor	There's eyes on us. Can't tell from where. They feel like… from everywhere and nowhere all at once.
Dante	<I can sense a Distortion nearby… But I can't tell where.>
???	OH, MY BAD. GUESS I'VE [[Phantom Trace]]d INTO THE BACKGROUND TOO WELL!
Dante	<...What was that?>
???	AH, C'MON, DANTE.
A figure slowly fades into the foreground. Like, literally fades in.
???	DO YOU REALLY NOT RECOGNIZE ME BY NOW? OR, NO. MAYBE YOU'RE JUST IN [[Denial [不許]]] OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
???	DID YOU HAVE FUN WITH YOUR [Mook Workshop] OF BARGAIN BIN ANIMALS FROM [[Hongyuan]], BUDDY?
???	I HOPE YA DID, 'CAUSE WHILE YOU'VE BEEN AWAY FROM ME, I'VE [[Sharpened]] MY [Tears] INTO A WEAPON THAT'LL BE SURE TO [Dazzle] YOU TO NEXT WEDNESDAY!
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	…Hang on, why…
Devyat' Assoc. North Section 3 Sinclair	Why does this person sound like…?
Fully fading in now, everyone can see the person who once was Rodion of the Devyat' Association- Wait. Wait, why the fuck does she look like that.
Oh, so THAT'S why you've been quiet.
No, wait, I-... I didn't...
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	…You-... I…
The #$&# of Hongyuan Hong Lu	What the hell happened to you?!
Courier Trunk Poludnitsa (Devyat' Rodion)	[...Rodion?]
Devyat' Rodion, the Powercrept Lamenter	YOU WISHED TO [Watch me take my steps], DIDN'T YOU?
Devyat' Rodion, the Powercrept Lamenter	SO TELL ME… HOW'S MY CLOSE-UP LOOKIN'?

Notes:

Holy FUCKING shit. So, okay, hi. V here. Welcome to Wish Fulfillment. Another long ass Refracted Rainbow? Yes. We love this series sue us.
First things first, hello, Mega! Renery jumpscare. BOO!
The Ring is back! This originally was not how we planned to bring back the Ring Duo but the joke was too funny so we pivoted. I love the dynamic of Albina and Apprentice Faust being the bestest of friends while Callisto and Nursefather Hong Lu do not like each other it just makes so much sense to me.
Then we've got the ongoing character arc of Lord Hong Lu. Originally, I don't think we planned to give him this much depth, but... I'm glad we did. A lot of people in our Discord seem to like it, too. And it only gets better in later chapters!
...You may be asking why Devyat' Rodion is having a very Spamton time in her life rn. Uhhhhhhh... blame the Deltarot - V

the joke of devyat rodion spamtong has existed since v started playing limbus in late 2024. we refitted it to this. thank god she gets to see the light of day...
onwards to the next chapter! - J