The Magic of Ides

[saving_sound]

[Video]

Excuse me, but--

[Hibiki pauses as a small owl swoops past her, startling the girl. But in just a moment, she's back again, trying to finish her message.]

Does anyone - eek! Umm... Does anyone know what Sh... Shakespeare? I think it was Shakespeare... Ah, does anyone know which of his plays was about the ides of March? I was talking to some people and-

[Another squeak as the owl buzzes her again. With a deep breath, she tries to get the rest of it out as quickly as she can.]

--We think it might be important so any information you could have would be very helpful thank you!

[Her message delivered, she scrambles to shut off the feed while ducking away from that very same owl. It seems she's attracted the attention of this owl in particular somehow.]

Comments

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

Julius Caesar.

[video]

[saving_sound]

[It takes her a moment before she can get back to his message. There is now an owl on her head.]

Julius Caesar...?

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

The name of the play.

Are you all right, Miss Hibiki?

[video]

[saving_sound]

Does it mean anything?

And yes, I'm fine.

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

The Ides were a method of time-keeping employed by the Ancient Romans. It occurs about the middle of the month.

Julius Caesar was warned by a sooth-sayer to 'beware the Ides of March.' Dismissing the warning he was stabbed to death by a group of senators, fearful of the power that Caesar had amassed. Included among them was his best friend, Brutus.

You met the old man then, Hibiki?

[video]

[saving_sound]

[...Judging by her confused expression, a lot of that goes over her head. Well, all of it except--]

Stabbed to death-?!

[Oh gosh that does not sound good at all.]

...I did. I didn't understand a lot of what he was saying, though.

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

If we're talking about the same gentleman, and I suspect we are, then his message was simply to beware a 'great betrayal' presumably happening on the Ides of March.

[video]

[saving_sound]

But who would betray us...? I don't think I upset anyone here, but...

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

That, my dear, is a mystery.

[video]

[saving_sound]

I hope it doesn't come true. I don't want anyone here to be stabbed to death, no matter what.

[video]

[the_good_doctor]

That's quite a leap. The elderly gentleman warned of betrayal, not death.

voice;

[aggrievance]

"Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry 'Caesar!' Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Beware the ides of March.

What man is that?

A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March."

voice;

[saving_sound]

[There's a moment before she finally responds. Unfortunately, her response is very short and confused.]

...Huh?

voice;

[aggrievance]

[That's okay; Rose was mainly just doing it to amuse herself.]

The Ides of March.

voice;

[saving_sound]

So... that's from the play?

voice;

[aggrievance]

Yes; Julius Caesar, as the man above has so kindly informed you. A soothsayer warns our titular hero to "beware the Ides of March", which he ignores, culminating in his unfortunate assassination.

Under normal circumstances, I would write this mysterious man travelling through Asgard as nothing more than simply mentally unhinged, but we aren't quite under normal circumstances, are we?

voice;

[saving_sound]

Right. That's why I'm so worried...

voice;

[aggrievance]

In that case, the best idea is to take his warnings to heart, yes?

voice;

[saving_sound]

Mm-hmm. And the ides is the fifteenth... right?

voice;

[aggrievance]

Correct.

If they are indeed taking a leaf out of Shakespeare's books, then it sounds as though we shouldn't make the same mistake Julius Caesar did.

The only hitch in this plan is there's little to no clue as to what we are being wary of in the first place.

voice;

[saving_sound]

Someone told me it had to do with betrayal, but... I don't want to think that anyone here would betray me.

...I hope it's something else.

[video]

[suppressthedark]

Julius Cesare.

[Yes. The scary looking teenager knows what that is. Hide your shock!]

[video]

[saving_sound]

[It takes her a bit to get back to her messages, now with +1 owl on her head. Let's see, who all responded?

...

W...ow he does look a little intimidating. But she'll reply anyway!]

J-Julius...?

[video]

[suppressthedark]

[O-Oh no honey, don't worry. He's actually quite sweet under all the scowls.

...Case in point, his face is softening up right now!]

Ah-Yeah. That's the play that talks about the Ides of March.

[video]

[saving_sound]

Oh... Oh! R-right.

Do you remember anything about it? We think it might be a clue...