[Forward-dated to after dark.]

--kidding? It's been a year and that woman--

[There's a seething hiss then, the Vine opening the mirror after the sun has set, and the profile of a familiar young woman with long dark hair can been seen in the shadows, the moonlight reflecting off of the white shift she's wearing.

Akiha tilts her head back, turning it up toward the sky, and closes her eyes. She counts to ten, calming her temper. Reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear, a gold bangle on her wrist, she lets out a slow breath before looking around for her clothes. A cat skitters away as Akiha turns from the mirror muttering.]

Bring me back-- Don't even know if that idiot and brute are still here-- Ridiculous.

If the mansion isn't still here, I'm going to...

[Her voice trails off as she finds her clothes and walks out of view of the Vine, not even realizing it had been on. The Vine and Akiha still don't get along.]


[Eventually, Akiha finds the mansion, glad to see it's intact. She heads inside and immediately goes upstairs to her bedroom. Better catch her before the door is closed or she won't be seen until morning.]

[ooc: Akiha is back from her canon update.]

[Good morning, Ladyguardens. Hope you were awake, because if you weren't, you certainly will be, as you're about to be greeted by a shriek going off through the vines.

A good, long, ear-piercing shriek, followed by this message:]

RUBY! IRIS! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS? HELP ME, I'M NOT GOOD AS A SOLO HERO! WE ARE SO MUCH BETTER AS A TRIO.

[There's a pause, the speaker seemingly taking a breath.]

My diphtheria is acting up again. And I don't think these flowers are hypoallergenic. This isn't safe. Everything is too sunshiney here, there's cats that aren't dead and singing birds and...and...it's like Friday the 13th all over again.

Either I've truly been kidnapped against my will, or this is an incredibly vivid hallucination brought on by consuming too many of Skullboy's home-made pierogies. And they all said I was the bad cook.

[Another pause, this one a tad bit longer.]

If you two actually aren't listening, then...if anyone who is sees a doll-girl with red hair or a tiny cyclops with a hyperactivity problem, please find them and tell them Misery is here and needs her first-aid kit.

[The video comes to life. It shows a young woman, arms crossed and scowling like someone just picked up her kitten and dropped it in a well.]

This is the Republic of Belarus. I have been captured and am being held against my will. I will not allow anyone to keep me away from my brother. Whoever is responsible will be mutilated and killed.

To any fellow nation that receives this: Tell my beloved big brother that I will be back with him soon. Not even these video tentacles will keep us apart for long.