005 [Video]

[ofthursday]

[Prepare, Asgard; another of the Supernatural cast is on your screen and there's no car involved, which means seriousness and general nerding is to come.]

So it seems the stabbings were related to the Ides of March, as Sam and several others have posited, which coincides with the warning of the man that had been wandering the city. This raises several issues beyond the simple consequence of injury.

One, which is the most minor, is that time seems to be passing differently here. The time between the Valentine's Ball and the Ides of March was perceived as only half of what it should have been. This could be a simply difference in this dimension, in that what would normally be twenty-four hour periods are forty-eight, or a trick of how we are measuring time in our minds. It is something to be aware of, if not particularly consequential as of this moment.

[And though his tone has been generally just factual so far, it shifts to more serious now.]

The other, however, is why there would be attacks on us to begin with. Either this is work of another outside kingdom or the gods themselves, and the latter seems most likely as some have been receiving gifts instead of injury. As the pattern emerging so far is that those who listened to the man were rewarded and those who did not were harmed, it's a clear enough warning from the gods about what they expect us to be doing, which to believe in what we are told without skepticism or questioning.

[And this is the part Castiel is most focused on, because his warning bells have been going off since the moment their 'purpose' here had been told to them.]

To several, my stance in the matter of this war we are supposedly here for has been made clear, but I will state it for the others. There are great parallels in what is happening here and something that occurred in my world, in which doing as asked and fighting in the required war caused exactly what it was supposed to prevent, because the leaders had orchestrated it in that way. Questioning was not allowed, and doubt or refusal to do as told had severe consequences.

[There's a faint flicker in his neutral expression for a moment at that, before he covers it.]

It seems a risk here as well, but it is those situations that require doubt the most.

Comments

[Video] private

[dragonspeak]

You'd mentioned a lot of fighting in your world before. It was a war?

[Video] private

[ofthursday]

The Apocalypse.

[Video // Private // Unhackable]

[smartwinchester]

[It's times like these that Sam is actually kind of struck by how far Castiel has come since they had first met him. Or, well -- 'met' is kind of putting it lightly, more like 'crashed into their lives'. Regardless, in a span of three or so years, Castiel had gone from a programmed soldier of Heaven to a rather well-spoken free thinking individual. Not very many other angels can say that.

The thought only crosses Sam's mind because he only truly catches half of what the angel said, distracted by his pounding headache and the creeping sleep deprivation that is starting to become eerily normal. He hasn't slept since this all started. A day and a half -- two?

He'd like to say he was busy, but in actuality, it's just getting harder to sleep for longer than half an hour at a time.

So Castiel gets a locked feed -- and a sleepy Sam Winchester in a large chair in the library.]

You're in one piece.

[Which -- Sam is kind of surprised about, actually.]

Re: [Video // Private // Unhackable]

[ofthursday]

I am. I was not harmed.

[But even Castiel can tell Sam isn't looking well.]

You are not sleeping.

[And by that he means Sam's not sleeping even more than usual.]

voice;

[sicarius]

You are not the only one to notice, messere.

[Ezio pauses as he thinks about Castiel's words.]

If they want us to cooperate, I do not believe this is the best way. To harm those who do not listen is not going to win any more favors than they already have.

Re: voice;

[ofthursday]

Fear can be an effective tactic, particularly when one believes they're alone in dissent.

[Which had been part of the reason for this; someone making a very public stand can embolden others, though he's indeed noticed there have been some not buying into the gods' words already.]

video;

[stakes]

Sometimes risk is better. I almost ended the world by listening to prophecy and doing what it said, once. I found out doing what I'm meant to? Not exactly the smartest move. You're right to tell everyone to doubt.

video;

[ofthursday]

All too often prophecy and fate are nothing more than manipulation.

[deadlock]

What happened with your war?

[ofthursday]

A small group of us decided to rebel and fight back, and we won.

[cutlass]

Even if you doubt, what's the difference, huh? It's obvious these gods are shady kidnappers! They're suspicious and it's all just a big trap. It's always a trap, but...

What's worth saving in this world?

[ofthursday]

The main issue is what the gods claim will happen to our own worlds.

[video]

[watsowned]

Nice PSA. What you're saying about doubt is a step in the right direction -- you gotta hope for best and plan for the worst in situations like this.

So, uh, thanks for putting the word out. People need to hear this kind of thing from someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about. Otherwise they might end up drinking the Asgardian Kool-Aid or something.

[video]

[ofthursday]

Many of those here simply lack the experience or knowledge to consider all options in a situation like this, particularly with the threat the gods have given about our worlds.

[He understands why people might 'drink the kool-aid', in other words. But it's encouraging that some seem not to be.]

[not here]

[burntviolet]

[Hanako listens to the stranger with attention, alternating rounds of wincing and startling as his words hit her like a slap.

Was it really as he said? Were the gods responsible for the people getting hurt lately? Were they this cruel to those who didn't listen?

She feels a pang of guilt. She had listened to the old man because of her wary nature telling her to be careful about everything- about whatever he was warning her about, and she was rewarded for it by receiving the object she felt the most attachment for. But if that also caused so much pain for others, her happiness has been dropping almost completely. Hanako doesn't know how to feel now, but fear creeps into her as doubt rises. And then more fear.

It's true she has to doubt these gods, but it's also true that she doesn't want to get hurt, or have Hisao hurt either. So for now she'll have to act as if she heard nothing of this, and continue living this surreal life in here... while still hiding from everyone else. No difference, except now she's more afraid than before...]

[etoaktagamat]

War is only one human association that was and still is hard to see.

How is it that humans try to destroy the very things that they create?

This war here is the same, but different... kidnapping soldiers to partake in it against their will.

Your parallels sound foreboding.

[ofthursday]

It isn't just humans. Gods, demons, angels; all intelligent beings destroy.

[He's never found it all that fair a thing to pin on just humans, when other beings are as much if not more so capable of destroying anything that crosses their path just because they can.]

[luckythirteen]

Maybe for the people here that actually have standing in things like this, but for the rest of us that are normal we're not as interested in prodding the assholes that brought us here.

I'm just hoping to get back.

Of course I doubt, but I'm doubting everything here.

What else is new?

[ofthursday]

You needn't take action against the gods, or provoke them. You needn't oppose them at all, should that be your choice.

But you and all others should be aware that it seems they are not above bringing harm to us themselves, should they desire to. They should not be considered allies in any way.

[pontiac]

You still don't have tact.

[ofthursday]

[This face, Jimmy.]

Tact was unnecessary in this.

just spamming you with everyone.

[girlskickass]

You're telling me people are actually blindly going along with this?

I love spam~ 8D

[ofthursday]

Some, yes.

voice;

[magnificat]

So people are blind with emotion. This isn't anything new.

voice;

[ofthursday]

It is a normal response among beings that feel emotion.

video/private; most pointless tl;dr ever award?

[minifridge]

[Generally speaking, every time someone from her world starts talking, it makes her want to back away slowly. Now, though, Mary finds herself captivated by him, even in all his Vulcan awkwardness. Something about the way he talks, the sense of age and tiredness that underline his words, give his little speech a sense of urgency and weight even Sam doesn't have when he gets all leader-y.

Maybe she's just looking at him differently because he's an angel. She knows that's probably part of it. But when an actual angel opens his mouth and starts talking about tyranny and winning a war in Heaven, she's going to goddamn listen.]

What can we even do?

video/private; all the awards to you~

[ofthursday]

As of the moment, there is little.

[But he doubts that will last.]

However, simply refusing to be complacent is likely enough for now.

[video | private]

[damnidjits]

[Listening causes him wonder if this is what the angels saw while Castiel led his side of the civil war.]

There were only two weeks between Valentine's Day and the Ides of March? [Why the hell would the gods throw a ball for Valentine's Day? Not that it was very important...it was just weird.] Damn alternate dimensions.

Treatin' us like their bitches. Nothin' new.

[He had already arrived to the same conclusions himself. All it did was renew his determination to make the gods suck it.]

Nice job motivatin' the masses there.

[video | private]

[ofthursday]

[It's his secret leader side, which he prefers not to have to use, but is indeed surprisingly effective at times.

It dissolves completely back to normal when responding to Bobby, though.]

Yes, though I'm not entirely certain why these gods seem interested in marking holidays to begin with.

[He glances away for a moment at that last comment, then back.]

Few here have the experience necessary to recognize and speak of this issue.

[audio]

[faints]

Wait...time's moving faster here?

[audio]

[ofthursday]

The reverse; less time is passing here than should be.

[video]

[oresamazing]

So you've noticed the strange passage of time as well, a~n?

[video]

[ofthursday]

The holidays made it somewhat obvious.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

They mean to earn our favour - trust their word or be punished for it.

[ An observation, agreement. ]

They are clever, you've to afford them that much.

[ video ]

[ofthursday]

They are not that clever. Anyone can use this tactic, and many do.

[He's dealt with it for much of his existence.]