[Anyone out near the outskirts of the city will notice some non-trivial magic being cast, though apparently not at anything. Just practice, evidently.

Anyone looking at their tablets, on the other hand...]

I would kill for something like this on a regular basis. Being able to talk over a long distance with my hands free is amazing.

[Following this is a battery of spells, punctuating some more speech:]

If I'd had something like this at home, then I wouldn't have to worry so much about the party splitting up whenever Yuri did something stupid and caused trouble.

[...Not that you'd know over the telepathic link; her speech aloud isn't broadcasting, but she got at least three spells in over this sentence, with their callouts. She's starting to escalate to higher spells, though... someone might want to stop her.]

[ Zeref hadn't been seen since he had arrived, and had spoken to Lucy. He had taken the tablet, as per her advice, and was waiting near Hyde Park for the inevitable. From what could be seen in the video, the on the outer layer of his clothing was already black. It had been used once. ]

Please... please work again...

[ Zeref was muttering under his breath. His hands moved to the sides of his head. A black aura was radiating from his body. ] I can't hurt anyone... please work...

[ The black aura began taking shape. It concentrated quickly, forming a sphere around his body of swirling, black energy. Leaves near him began shriveling into dust, and the grass as his feet crumbled, leaving behind only dessicated, barren dirt, all of its nutrients drained. ]

Nng... no... [ He nearly whined. It wasn't going to work, and he knew it. Please, nobody be nearby... he thought to himself. ] I'm... I'm sorry...

[ As he made that last apology, the sphere around him exploded, sending a wave of black energy in all directions around him. Trees were quickly reduced to gnarled husks bare of any foliage. A few birds and a squirrel fell around him, dead, their eyes wide open, killed instantly The squirrel was still holding a nut. And just as the wave reached the camera, the video ends in static. Thankfully, only a small portion of the park was laid to ruin, and there were no casualties besides a few trees, some grass, and a few animals. ]

*There's something strange about this broadcast, and not just that it doesn't seem to be deliberate. While it is indeed being recorded by one of the prototype rings, it's picking up two voices: one easily recognizable as Margulis', the other female and entirely new.*

Tis a shame, is it not?

What are you on about this time?

That thou canst not repeat thine meeting with Uzuki. Was not thine argument with him similar to some of thine discussions with Chaolan?

You mean about my death. Perhaps their points had some similarities, but it's a moot point now.

Thou art evading again. Thou hast seen for thine self that any could arrive in this place.

What reason would I have-

Dare thee ask that question of thineself? Thine tendency to deny the foolishness of thine stubborn habits is well displayed, as is thine aversion to speaking of thine own emotions.

Paschar...that's enough.

*The female voice sighs in disappointment.*

If thou art that determined...

[Artie's mental voice comes across as a quiet, gruff mumbling - the same sort of tone he'd use if he were honestly talking to himself aloud...]

-- waste of half an afternoon. One of these days I'm just going to have to ask people if there's some kind of shop directory, I can't just wander all over creation looking for things, I'm going to turn into a prune if I do. Not to mention my back is killing me. Once I get my shoes off I'm just going to see if Tomoe's made any tea, sit on the couch, and -- her shoes aren't here.

[he calls her name - when he speaks the broadcast has a bit more resonance to it, as though things said aloud as they're thought have extra emphasis]

She's not answering. Usually she answers right away if she's here. Is there a note? Maybe she left a note in the kitchen, let's see here -- no note. That's odd. Lemme just go knock on her door, see if she's--

[his mental voice gets louder, more agitated, and not a little fearful]

Her door's open and - oh god, there's nothing there, nothing of hers, it's just empty, where did she go? Did they take her? Was it something about the Hold or - wait. No. No no no no what if the UE's got her oh God this is not good, not good at all, I've got to ask someone who'd know, maybe Saul or Elmer or Celebrian, get in touch with the network, yes, that's it. I've just got to breathe. Come on. She's fine, right? She's got to be.

[and then, a sudden burst of anger that those who've spoken to him might not think him capable of:] She'd BETTER BE...

(OOC: This needs a touch of explaining. Nitoh has a creature within him, a Phantom, that he draws his magical power from, and must also feed with magical power (which is supplied by Haruto at this point). Nitoh is currently sleeping on the couch, and the telepathy ring is picking up the thoughts of the Phantom, Chimaera.)

[The voice coming over the comm from Kousuke Nitoh's account is gruff, like that of an old man. The speaking is very formal and old-fashioned... And the voice sounds quite irritated.]

Child, why do you sleep?? You know that I hunger... You have been pestering the Dragon Child all day long about feeding us when he returns home... And yet the moment you step past the threshold, you fall ASLEEP??

....Very well, I suppose you're beyond the reach of my voice now. [An audible sigh.] If you only slept at night, this would not happen. I do not understand these children... And now his underworld is suffused with the aroma of despair as well. It almost makes one regret giving it up. I suppose I have gotten too used to being fed by hand. Would that there were more fighting to do. They call this a war, do they? Hmph. Hardly.