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91
Press Offices / Re: Imperial Rokkenjiman Office of the Press
« Last post by Beatrice on March 06, 2024, 09:50:32 PM »
Pyrena Castle
Chrysanthemum Throne

For Immediate Release
March 6, 2024

Following discussions which heard the concerns of Abstergo Industries that their business operations are being unfairly targeted by the Government of Mktvartvelo, notably through the use of an Act of which the text the Imperial Government has been incapable of tracking down, the First Empire is concerned at the allegations of protectionism and unfair business practices apparently being exhibited by Mktvartvelo. In response to this unfortunate situation, one which we feel could have been addressed efficiently and without such coverage in the press if officials in Mktvartvelo had engaged with Abstergo to address any existing concerns, or at least to share the passages of the Act which Abstergo is allegedly in violation of, the First Empire is forced to consider a range of measures in response to the actions of Mktvartvelo.

At present, the Imperial Government is considering a sanctions package against the following firms in Mktvartvelo:

Shengelaia Fund
Mtliani Corporation
Gunia Holding
Natali Group
Gatsval Group
Agheba

This is a preliminary list and may expand depending upon how the present situation progresses. To be honest, to date law in Mktvartvelo has been a black hole for eyes peering in from the outside; that a corporation can face punitive actions such as we've seen in the case of Abstergo vs Mktvartvelo should be of concern for any foreign firms conducting business within Mktvartvelo. The Imperial Government shall grant authorities in Mktvartvelo one week to provide evidence of any behaviour from Abstergo which justly runs afoul of the law, and for Mktvartvelo to provide Abstergo with any tools to rectify such behaviour within a reasonable period of time. As Rokkenjima possesses some of the fiercest regulations on the protection of consumer data the Imperial Government is confident that the conduct of Abstergo is above the board 100%. A failure of Mktvartvelo authorities to comply will enact snap sanctions upon the above listed entities as a response to the government engaging in blatant anti-competitive activities.
92
Press Offices / Re: Abstergo Public Relations Office
« Last post by Beatrice on March 06, 2024, 09:37:43 PM »

Abstergo Industries Public Relations Department

For Immediate Release
March 6, 2024

Another Disappointing Decision In Mktvartvelo

Abstergo Industries once again states its disappointment and objection to the actions being taken by the authorities in Mktvartvelo. To date we have not been provided with the text of the State Security Powers Act of 1974, and as such find the operations of Abstergo essentially being targeted by a mystery provision of a law which has not been elaborated upon. We are therefore seeking, under whatever equivalent of a Freedom of Information Act may exist within Mktvartvelo, the full text of said Act. We also question whether the authorities have taken the time to review the Privacy Policy of Abstergo Industries which is based on Rokkenjiman regulations. These regulations provide some of the fiercest protections for consumers and, in case they've missed it, I've attached it for their review in full.

Quote from: Abstergo Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Abstergo Industries is a multinational corporation that specializes in research and development of advanced technologies across a variety of fields. We value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and share your personal data when you visit our website, use our services, or interact with us. This policy also informs you of your rights and choices regarding your data. Please read this policy carefully and contact us if you have any questions.

Contact details

Abstergo Industries is the data controller responsible for your personal data. You can contact us at:

Abstergo Industries
1 Abstergo Way
Exuperia, Azukishima Prefecture
First Empire of Rokkenjima
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +7966546339


This policy is effective as of January 1, 2024.

What information we collect

We collect personal data that you provide to us directly or indirectly when you visit our website, use our services, or interact with us. The types of personal data that we collect include:

- Account Information: such as your Abstergo ID (aID) and related details including email address, registered devices, account status and age.
- Contact Information: such as your email address, phone number, or postal address.
- Profile Information: such as your preferences, interests, feedback, or survey responses.
- Transaction Information: such as data about purchases of Abstergo products and services or transactions facilitated by Abstergo, including purchases on Abstergo platforms.
- Payment Information: such as your method of payment, billing address, such as bank details, credit, debit or other payment information.
- Technical Information: such as your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, or location.
- Usage Information: such as your browsing behavior, page views, clicks, or downloads.
- Marketing data: such as your preferences for receiving marketing communications from us.

We collect personal data from various sources, such as:

- Directly from you: when you fill out forms, register for an account, make a purchase, subscribe to our newsletter, contact us, or participate in our promotions, surveys, or contests.
- Automatically from our website: when you visit our website, we use cookies, pixels, web beacons, or other similar technologies to collect and store information about your device, browser, and online activity if you have opted in during the creation of your Abstergo ID or, in the absence of an aID, via Informed Consent prompts as required by Rokkenjiman law. You can learn more about how we use cookies and how to manage your cookie settings in our Cookie Policy.
- From third parties: when you interact with our social media pages, or when we receive information from our service providers, partners, affiliates, or public sources.

We collect personal data only when we have a legal basis to do so, such as:

- Consent: when you give us your explicit and informed consent to process your personal data for a specific purpose, such as sending you marketing emails or using cookies on our website. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us or following the instructions in our communications.
- Contract: when we need to process your personal data to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, such as delivering the products or services that you ordered from us.
- Legitimate interest: when we have a legitimate business interest to process your personal data, and our interest is not overridden by your rights and interests, such as improving our website, services, or security, or conducting market research or analysis if you have opted in during the creation of your Abstergo ID or, in the absence of an aID, via Informed Consent prompts as required by Rokkenjiman law.
- Legal obligation: when we need to process your personal data to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, such as responding to a court order, a subpoena, or a request from a government authority.

Why we collect the data

We use the personal data that we collect for various purposes, such as:

- To provide our services: we use your personal data to provide, maintain, and improve our services, such as processing your orders, delivering your products, managing your account, responding to your inquiries, or providing customer support.
- To personalize your experience: we use your personal data to tailor our website and services to your preferences, interests, and needs, such as displaying relevant content, offers, or recommendations, or remembering your settings and choices as per your consent preferences.
- To communicate with you: we use your personal data to communicate with you about our website, services, promotions, surveys, or contests, or to send you newsletters, updates, or other marketing communications that you have requested or consented to receive from us.
- To protect our business and users: we use your personal data to protect our business, website, services, and users from fraud, abuse, unauthorized access, or illegal activity, such as verifying your identity, detecting and preventing security breaches, or enforcing our terms and conditions.
- To comply with the law: we use your personal data to comply with our legal or regulatory obligations, such as reporting to tax authorities, cooperating with law enforcement, or responding to legal claims or requests.

We use personal data only for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason that is compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and explain the legal basis that allows us to do so, and to allow your objection prior to such use.

How we protect the data

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss. We use encryption, authentication, backup, or other methods to secure the data that we collect and store. We also limit access to your personal data to our employees, contractors, and agents who have a business need to know. They are subject to a duty of confidentiality and must only process your personal data in accordance with our instructions.

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. When we no longer need your personal data, we delete or anonymize it in a secure manner.

Biometric data (such as that utilized for Secure Unlock and fingerprint scans) are stored and processed on-device via the Secured Integrated Memory Processor. This data remains on the device and is not accessible by Abstergo. Voice data is processed by the SIMP with speech anonymization processes being applied before voice related functions or requests are forwarded to Abstergo servers.

Who we share the data with

We do not sell your personal data to any third parties. We only share your personal data with your consent or as required by law. The categories of third parties that we share your personal data with include:

- Service providers: we share your personal data with our service providers who help us with our business operations, such as hosting, payment processing, analytics, email delivery, or customer service. We require our service providers to respect the privacy of your personal data and to use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
Authorities and regulators: we share your personal data with authorities and regulators when we have a legal obligation or a legitimate interest to do so, such as complying with a court order, a subpoena, or a request from a government agency, or protecting our rights, property, or safety, or the rights, property, or safety of others.
- Other users: When you choose to participate in our social media pages, forums, blogs, or other interactive features, or when you post reviews, testimonials, or feedback on our website or services, please note that any information that you share publicly may be seen, collected, or used by anyone, and we are not responsible for the privacy of such information. You should exercise caution and discretion when disclosing your personal data online.

What rights you have over the data

You have certain rights and choices regarding your personal data, depending on the applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction. These rights may include:

- Access: you have the right to request access to your personal data that we hold, and to receive a copy of it in a commonly used format.
- Correction: you have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data that we hold about you.
- Deletion: you have the right to request that we delete your personal data that we hold, unless we have a legal reason to keep it.
- Restriction: you have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, for example, if you contest the accuracy or the lawfulness of the data, or if you need us to retain the data for a legal claim.
- Objection: you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, for example, if you do not want us to use your data for direct marketing purposes, or if you do not agree with our legitimate interest as the basis for the processing.
- Withdrawal of consent: you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, if you have given us your consent to process your personal data for a specific purpose. This will not affect the lawfulness of the processing that we carried out before you withdrew your consent.
- Data portability: you have the right to request that we transfer your personal data to another data controller, or to provide you with a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, if the processing is based on your consent or a contract, and is carried out by automated means.
- Complaint: you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, if you believe that we have violated your data protection rights, or if you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal data.

To exercise any of your rights, please contact us using the contact details provided above. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time frame, and in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. We may ask you to provide proof of your identity, or other information, to verify your request and to protect your privacy. We may also charge a reasonable fee, or refuse to act on your request, if it is manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive.

How we update the policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, the law, or our data practices. We will post the updated policy on our website, and indicate the date of the last revision. On aOS and nexus devices a notification will be provided prior to any updates going into effect. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed of how we collect, use, and share your personal data. If we make any material changes to this policy, we will notify you by email, push notification on aOS and nexus devices or by other means, as required by law. Your continued use of our services after we update the policy will constitute your acceptance of the changes.

Abstergo Industries shall naturally pursue its right to appeal via the Courts and is considering options via the MCUR which guarantees the principle to the right of a fair trial, a right which extends beyond criminal law. We have also communicated our concerns to the Imperial Government which is undertaking an investigation as to whether these actions are born of some protectionist policies by Mktvartvelo. We understand a statement from the Imperial Government on their intents there should be released at some point in the near future.
93
International News Networks / Re: Juglander Review
« Last post by paralipomena on March 06, 2024, 07:49:12 PM »

Juglander Review

Mktvartvelo: Prime Minister Brdzeni Kvirkvelia announces new government



Prime Minister Brdzeni Kvirkvelia announced a government reshuffle following his meeting with Brzdmtsveli Ketevan.

The national government will include seven members of the pro-government National Renovation (MKTERAG) and three ministers endorsed by the left-wing nationalist Social National Party, following discussions with both parliamentary groups. The move is viewed as an attempt to assure a wider support for the government in the National Assembly. Two independent ministers were also appointed. Both were previously associated with the Conservative block in the parliament.

Prime Minister Kvirkvelia declared that the national government will work with every parliamentary group to advance legislation. The national government is confident that it will be able to find cooperation with the Liberal and Conservative parliamentary groups, the two largest parliamentary groups in the National Assembly.

Some Conservative MPs have criticized the inclusion of what they see as "people of dubious profiles" and a "radical minority" into the national government for a first time.

A prominent commentator called the government as a "Kursdamtavrebulta Asotsiatsia" Administration or "government of former graduates", in reference of the large number of ministers who were former graduates or professors at the State College for National Security and Foreign Policy, a prestigious state university, which is well-known for being associated with graduates from the military career or the cadres of the ministries of National Defense and Foreign Affairs.



Mktvartvelo: Regulatory authorities issues commercial ban on Abstergo-developed technology

The Second Inter-ministerial Independent Council has reviewed a previous ruling of the Department of Consumption, under the authority of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information, regarding the latest aOS and Nexus technology developed by the Abstergo Corporation.

The council has ruled that "after reviewing all evidence presented by all parties" the mentioned products violate several existing regulatory norms and directives, including data privacy regulation and the State Security Powers Act of 1974. As a consequence, the council has issued a permanent ban of that technology and related products developed by Abstergo Industries, for the violation of data privacy, and their threat to the safety of both consumers and citizens, as well as their risk regarding national security, the 34-page rule states.

The rule bans the mentioned technology to be commercialized in the Unitary State of Mktvartvelo on a permanent basis. While the ruling does not strictly prohibits the use of the technology in the country, it gives the national government the right to impose sanctions to companies who may attempt to distribute it and bans the use of the technology by state employees and state institutions.

The company has the right to provide further evidence to the Department of Consumption, but this does not automatically assures a new ruling by the council. The company will retain their right to appeal in ordinary courts, but the legislation established that the suspension of commercialization will likely remain until the court of last appeal, experts seem to agree.



94
Convention Centre / Re: Bride of the Emperor - IC Thread
« Last post by Achkaerin on March 05, 2024, 09:12:25 PM »
If truth were told getting their hands dirty so to speak was just about the best thing that the Achkaerinese pair could have hoped for, this was what they were trained for to think, to craft, to come up with something different. Catrin headed straight for the warehouse with fabrics to pick up what would amount to being her canvas and then went in search of the art supplies she required, she was certainly in for a long few hours of work. Finding the silk was fortunately straightforward, getting it to the correct size was a little trickier but the advantage of being a medical student was that she had developed the necessary attention to detail to get the fabric to the correct size and shape. That was the easy part, the hard part, the time consuming part was about to begin - first the dyeing process to get the silk to the right texture, once it had dried she went to work with the silk paints she'd acquired, it was always going to be colourful and have a pattern after all the process pretty much guaranteed both of those things, carefully she marked out the outlines for the shapes and made sure to neatly mark where the colour would change. Next Catrin filled in the blocks of colour, her movements with a paintbrush were not too dissimilar from how she'd wield a scalpel in medical school, cleanly, neatly and precisely. She smiled when it was done, the finished article looked as bright and stylish as she'd hoped it would.

Poppy may have relished the principle behind the challenge but she wasn't what would be called a fashion follower, yes sure she had some very fashionable dresses for when she played the piano in a concert or went to an official event, but she wouldn't have ever described herself as a fashionable individual. Still the point here was to showcase her skills, to show who she was and for that she was drawing primarily on all the times she'd watched her father doing his work, he was a watchmaker, and while what Poppy had in mind was different the skills were transferable. Notebook in hand she first sketched out and planned what she was going to do, then she went in search for materials first the precious metal required to make the chain and the casing, once she'd found those in a warehouse she went into crafting mode and forged the casing, the shape she had in mind was that of a pocket watch case, though ever so slightly bulkier than the norm because she was being a little more ambitious than just a simple pocket watch. While the metal cooled Poppy went in search of the tools she'd need and the further materials, some like the metal and glass were easily found, the hardest things to find was a metal cylinder of the right diameter, but she eventually found that hidden away in a small storehouse and the sheet music which she found in a secluded shop.

The next step was perhaps the hardest because in the twenty first century what she was going to have to do manually was more usually done by a computer, first things first she got out her laptop and inputting the variables of the cylinder and the music notes she mapped where she needed to place the pins on the cylinder, putting on her safety goggles she went to work, positioning pins on not one but five cylinders. She took a breath before placing each cylinder in turn into the mechanism and listening as the sound came out, she'd designed each cylinder to play a different traditional folk song of Neu Uburzis and a small door on the back of the casing would allow the owner to easily swap the cylinders around if they wished, for the moment she fitted one cylinder in place and put the other four in a small silver case lined with velvet on the interior. Now she carefully crafted the partition layer of the item, making the sound holes look elegant before placing it over the music box element and fixing it in place. She was back on better known soil now as least as far as her knowledge went, putting together with great care the mechanism for the watch, piece by piece she put the timepiece together making sure it kept the right time, that it could be wound and that the sound from the music box floated through from the back and was triggered when the front of the watch opened. After finally fitting the transparent cover over the hands she fixed the lid in place and tested the catch making sure it could flip open and stay securely shut. She etched a small poppy onto the clasp, it was her makers mark, and then engraved a pattern onto the outside of the lid. Sliding the safety glasses up onto her forehead she smiled, it was done.
95
Convention Centre / Re: Association Fest 2024
« Last post by Beatrice on March 05, 2024, 08:26:25 PM »
Name of Act Babymetal
Nation of Origin Rokkenjima
Track One Babymetal - BxMxC
Track Two Babymetal - Megitsune
Track Three Babymetal - Doki Doki ☆ Morning
Track Four Babymetal - Headbanger

Name of Act hanabie
Nation of Origin Rokkenjima
Track One hanabie - we love sweets
Track Two hanabie - Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now
Track Three Limp Bizkit with Yukina - Break Stuff

Name of Act Nemophila
Nation of Origin Rokkenjima
Track One Nemophila - Revive
Track Two Nemophila - Zen
Track Three Nemophila - Orian

Name of Act Evanescence
Nation of Origin Rokkenjima
Track One Evanesence - Yeah Right
Track Two Evanescence - Bring Me To Life
Track Three] Sweet Sacrifice
Track Four Evanescence - Sweet Sacrifice
96
Press Offices / Re: Press Office of the Great Kingdom of Asadal
« Last post by paralipomena on March 05, 2024, 07:44:59 PM »


Press Office of the Great Kingdom of Asadal



The Official Press Office of the Great Kingdom of Asadal announces the full recovery of His Grand Majesty Grand King Wonhyo, who will restart his agenda with an address to the State Council later this week.

His Grand Majesty Grand King Wonhyo offers his gratitude to all subjects who have expressed their loyalty through their prayers and messages of solidarity.


97
International News Networks / Re: Juglander Review
« Last post by paralipomena on March 05, 2024, 05:59:13 PM »
Juglander Review

Mktvartvelo: Tamaz Eksanishvili elected as Speaker of the National Assembly



Tamaz Eksanishvili, from the Coalition of the True Right, was elected as Speaker of the National Assembly after defeating Tinatin Chelnokidze, from the Liberal Democratic Party, by 266-248, in the final voting round in the National Assembly.

Despite the three political parties and coalitions emerged from the traditional blocks of the National Assembly (the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Moderate Alliance) having more than half the seats in the National Assembly, they had failed to leave aside their differences following the recent legislative assembly, held ten days ago.

Then, the pro-government National Renovation obtained a 37.9% of the vote, obtaining 42 seats in the National Assembly, and becoming the third largest parliamentary group in the National Assembly, with 90 MPs of 599.

The Liberal Democratic Party came second with 21.9%, and despite losing 19 seats, they will become the largest parliamentary group in the National Assembly with 135 of 599 seats.

The election of Orivegza Mgaloblishvili  as Speaker of the Liberal Democratic parliamentary group, seemed to increase the chances of understanding between the majority of the National Assembly toward an alternative government to Prime Minister Brdzeni Kvirkvelia. Mgaloblishvili himself, after all, had been affiliated with the Moderate faction of the National Assembly before being appointed First Deputy Prime Minister in Bidzina Samkharadze's Liberal-led 2022-2023 government.

The move was heavily contested by Levan Mikaberidze, General Secretary of National Renovation, who argued that the voters had openly rejected "the old majority" in the polls. Instead, he proposed that the 479 seats who were not contested in this year legislative election to resign immediately so voters have the right to decide on a parliament majority which "truly reflects the will of the people". The proposal was met with both opposition and ridicule, but chances for a understanding seemed to collapse following the withdrawal announcement by the incumbent Speaker of the National Assembly Ramaz Kintsurashvili after he only received 66 votes in the first round of the vote last Friday.

Although Eksanishvili only received 65 votes in the first round of the vote last Friday, he successively gained the support of the traditionalist Heritage coalition, the pro-government National Renovation, as well as the nationalist Social National Party, as well as a large number of conservative MPs in the last round, as the Conservative Party parliamentary group did not impose a vote preference as the Conservative Party candidate lost in the eight round.

Tamaz Eksanishvili will meet the Prime Minister and the leaders of the nine parliamentary groups in the coming hours, before meeting Brzdmtsveli Ketevan tomorrow. It is expected that he will communicate he Brzdmtsveli the ausence of an alternative majority to Prime Minister Brdzeni Kvirkvelia's government, as it has been reported by main Mktvartvelian newspapers.


98
Vignettes / Re: Lifetimes of Change (Historical Vignettes set from 1891 - 2011)
« Last post by Daitō on March 05, 2024, 03:11:52 PM »
Dawn of a New Age
Hiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 5th, 1945
8:10 AM


   Ever since that day, Yuna’s desire to return home had waned; she still planned to visit, even if she hadn’t ultimately made up her mind if she would stay in Hatsukaichi or not. Her father had put it best, in a letter he’d sent, and all the way from Shinkyo, no less. ”Running will only make the pain worse in the end.” He’d said. A man with his experience would know. After all, that’s why he’d come to Hatsukaichi all those years ago. Supposedly, he’d been summoned to the capital by some important figure in the government, but to what end, he never said. What mattered was that when she crossed over the mountains, back to the town of her birth, he would not be there. It would just be her mother and Ikuko, and of course her cousins across the bay.

   When she’d announced her plans, back on the evening of the 28th, everything had changed once again. For her and Iwao, it had been… complicated, suffice to say. They’d hardly spoken, if only to make their parting somewhat easier, but they both knew they’d miss one another, no matter how long it might be. The house had changed in other ways, too; on top of the five of them—Daisaku, Natsumi, Azumi, Iwao, and herself—they were now also hosting her father-in-law’s sister and brother-in-law, at least until they could afford to rebuild their own home or move somewhere else. It had certainly been an adjustment, having the seven of them under one roof, but soon, that might not be her problem anymore. And of course, Azumi had slowly but surely come back around to her, though they still didn’t exactly speak too often. She couldn’t really blame her, though.

   It was a difficult time, no matter how you spun it.

   Even so, life had to go on. And just because she was to leave for Hatsukaichi soon didn’t mean she didn’t have work to do. Far from it, in fact. So here she was, sweeping the floors since that didn’t require her to have two hands to do. She could see Azumi sewing something out of the clothes that Ikuko had gifted them, though she wouldn’t say what it was she was using them for. And of course, outside, it was a peaceful, summer day; the cicadas were chirping, and a gentle breeze was blowing in the treetops. It was, simply put, ordinary. The kind of day you’d forget at first, but look back on fondly as you got older. Certainly, it was more peaceful than Hatsukaichi during the festival that was supposed to happen today.
   “Say, when are you supposed to be leaving?” Azumi asked her, though her gaze was still fixed on her needlework. “Y’know, for your appointment?”
   “Oh, that’s… About ten?” Yuna replied, placing the broom on the floor before grabbing a dustpan. “I don’t need help getting over there, if that’s why you’re asking.”
   “That’s fine.” Azumi smiled, though Yuna likely didn’t catch a glimpse of it. “I’m just glad to see you’re doing alright.”

   That was the first time she’d heard her say that since the accident. Back then, she’d blamed her, but this was… something different. And once again, someone was telling her they were glad about something. But this time, in a way, she could at least share the sentiment. It was something to be glad about, she supposed, even if the circumstances were not.
   “Come to think of it, isn’t today your hometown’s festival?” Azumi asked. “Yeah. I was gonna go home on the second, but I couldn’t get an appointment until today.”
   “You’re not going to make it in time.” Azumi said, seemingly finding a way to rain on her parade even now. “Besides, the doctors are all very busy, especially after last week, and of course, you’ll probably just get a referral to a hospital in the city. And that’s before we get to how hard it is just getting a train ticket these days.”

   Perhaps she was right. If it had been easier for Ikuko to get here in the back of an army truck, then what hope did she have of getting a ticket? But getting a referral wasn’t really an issue to her; as it happened, that was the plan seeing as she was going to be in Hatsukaichi for a long time by the look of things. Still, it was disheartening that she wouldn’t be attending the festival, which had celebrated the start of the harvest season in the region since forever. She remembered how she’d often help out her grandparents, her aunts and uncles, and the families of her friends with preparations in those olden days, now gone. But her thoughts were soon interrupted when she heard something land next to her; the clothing which her sister had brought her, taken apart and fashioned into something new.
   “I went ahead and turned the clothes your sister brought into a pair of trousers.” Azumi said, taking a seat next to her. “I sewed an elastic band in so you could put them on yourself.”
   “Oh, thank you.” Yuna said quietly as she looked down at them. Somehow, they’d managed to go from looking like a bundle of rags into something that looked almost brand new. A testament to her sister-in-law’s skill with a needle, she thought.
   “Yuna… I’d like to apologize for, you know… blaming you for Kahori’s death.” Azumi said after a moment.
   “It’s no problem.” Yuna responded; she’d come to internalize it to an extent, but she understood that what had been said was born from grief rather than any anger towards her. She’d been desperate to get her daughter back, even if it were impossible, and frankly, that was something they’d shared.
   “Yuna, listen. The man I loved died at sea, long before his time. His family’s shop—our home—was torn down in the pruning last year...” She hesitated for a moment. “...And now, I can’t see either of my children for a whole host of reasons. Is all of that unfair? Yes. Sad? Yes. But I wouldn’t dare say I’m unhappy, seeing—”she continued. “—as this is the life I chose for myself, after all.” She added, looking at Yuna for a moment. “You’re different, Yuna. You came so far, moved into a distant and unfamiliar home to marry someone you didn’t know. You always did what you were asked, always carried yourself with a smile. It must’ve been hard.” Azumi said, taking her hand. “I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that you want to leave, that’s up to you. But so long as you don’t hate it here, you’ll always have a home here, Yuna.”

   Yuna was silent as she spoke; in a way, Azumi was correct, though not entirely. Everyone chose the path they took in life, to some degree, and she’d agreed to get married, to come here, a city she didn’t know. But even so, she hadn’t chosen to lose her hand, to see Kahori die before her eyes. She didn’t choose to live in a city which was now merely a pile of ash amid ruins. And it was sad, all of it, but that was just life dealing her a bad hand. Not like she could go back now.
   “Don’t worry about what everyone will say. That choice is yours, and yours alone.” Azumi said. “But just so you know, doing chores and helping you when you need it isn’t a problem for me. In fact, I like doing it. And besides, it’ll help me keep my mind off… You know.”

   And in that moment, at 8:15 according to the clock, there was a bright flash which filled every nook and cranny of the house. Though they didn’t know it, it spread beyond the horizon, all-encompassing in that instant. It was like… Well, no, it was like nothing they’d ever seen before. Whatever it was, it was gone as quickly as it came, and it had left Yuna and Azumi confused. And evidently, not just them.
   “Azumi, Yuna, did either of you see that flash?” Natsumi called out to the two of them.
   “Yeah, we both did!” Azumi answered before saying “Was it lightning, maybe? But it’s such a nice day out…”
   “I… I changed my mind.” Yuna said after a moment. “Do you… Do you mind if I stay, after all?” She asked, her voice almost fragile as she held onto Azumi’s arm.
   “Of course, of course. I said as much, didn’t I? Now please, let go, it’s already hot as it is.” Azumi replied, but she wouldn’t be trying to get her off, not a moment afterwards when the shaking began. In fact, it led to them holding one another tighter as the day just became stranger and stranger. It felt as though it were an earthquake, but an earthquake didn’t usually follow a bright flash like what they saw. Some of the tiles fell off the roof, shattering as they hit the ground, and it felt as though the glass panes on the windows might break as well, but soon enough, at most ten seconds later, the tremors stopped, and everything returned to normal.
8:18 AM

   For nearly two minutes after the “earthquake” had hit the house, Azumi had been trying to get the family radio working, but to no avail. YOFK was silent, as were all of the other local stations, and any of the more distant ones like the station out of Toyono, a city about a hundred kilometers up the coast from them, were just as confused. But soon, they’d have their answer as to what had happened, at least in part. For from the yard, Daisuke, having just returned from work after spending the night on duty, called out to them.
   “Come out here, take a look at this!” He shouted, pointing out towards the mountains—towards Hatsukaichi—as everyone rushed outside. And before them, rapidly rising into the sky, a cloud like none they’d ever seen before. It looked almost as if it were a thundercloud, but something seemed off about it. It had a strange glint to it as it soared to greater and greater heights, and they all just stood there in awe and terror.

   One thing was certain: the world would never be the same again.
99
Sporting Hub / Re: Cycling season 2024 OOC
« Last post by paralipomena on March 05, 2024, 02:48:28 PM »

A Database/Ranking of Riders in the current season has been added.



The month of March will have the folllowing Mundus Cycling Cup events:

Meridiem Classic, Ardia - March 13
Lacuna Classic, Ardia - March 17
Albrektberg Classic, Jugland - March 24
St. James Classic, Achkaerin - March 31


To register/introduce changes in your squad for each of these cycling races, you have until 2 days before each event.

100
10000 Islands / Re: Monthly Updates
« Last post by Wille-Harlia on March 05, 2024, 02:21:34 PM »
Hello all, I come bearing a double issue (because I forgot to deliver the January update, published in early-mid February)! First is the January version of our foreign affairs update which can be read in full here.

Second is a special update: our Chief Executive Markanite has announced that he will be stepping down. He has invoked Article 2 of our Constitution and named Lenlyvit (Former Delegate) as his successor. The transition has begun and will conclude by mid-late March.

Read Markanite's statement in full here: 10000islands.proboards.com/thread/44793/time-new-chief-executive

We hope you have a great day!
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