OO1; ( VIDEO ) backdated to early noon 146

[sloths]

[ Having a good day today, Asgard? Well, it doesn't really matter if your answer to that is a 'Yes' or a 'No' because if you like the distant sound of couples arguing in the morning...

Okay you're actually out of luck because all that's going on is a debate. Something to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and... psychostimulants?

But now we'll have the feed clicking on to reveal this new beautiful girl with long black hair that some people might have already spoken to a little. Newer still is the messy-haired young man reading idly nearby and looking - not unhappy in his corner of the screen, but certainly like he'd be happier in a warm bed somewhere. ]

Oh, Oreki-san! It looks like it's running now!

Not a chan—

Good day, everyone! Since we are both newcomers here, I just thought it might be a good idea to introduce ourselves to everyone! My name is Chitanda Eru, currently a member of House Freya. It's nice to meet everyone!

[ She'll lean forward to turn the feed towards her companion... Only to find his face closer than ever to the book and decidedly not facing the camera. --Which naturally prompts her to give the young man beside her a nudge. ] Come on, Oreki-san, it's your turn!

[ Can't you just leave me alone?

... forget it he's going to be a champion and zero in on the vagueness of those instructions. ]

Oreki Houtarou. Or-e-ki—

Oreki-san.

[ And she chides him much like a mother would her misbehaving son... The misbehaving son, then, volleys back with the most put-upon sigh. ]

Currently a member of House Odin. Please be gentle. [ he commits okay ]

Looks like we'll have to cut that out later, Oreki-san. [ She laughs a little at the end of that. Unfortunately (or maybe not?), it looks like neither of them realize that this is a live recording... ] That being said, we are in your care! If we may be of help with anything, please don't hesitate to ask.

Oi, Chitanda! Don't make decisions like that on your own! What is it you expect to be helping with anyway? We're still high school students. [ Come to think of it: inter-dimensional city aside, isn't the offer itself a little broad!? ]

Oreki-san, everyone's in this together. It's precisely because we're high school students that we should help others if they are in need! Otherwise, who would help us if we ever needed it?

[ Only you would wind up in a situation needing everyone's help. ]

In any case, thank you for your time, everyone. [ It was at this point that she would be reaching forward for the feed source, only to pause and lean back again when she seems to have been reminded of something.]

Oh, if anyone has any mysteries or problems you would like solved, we would like to hear about them! While a little lazy, Oreki-san here is quite brilliant at deduction in his own right. If you have heard or met Sherlock Holmes-san, both Oreki-san and I are both big fans of--

[ Excuse Oreki-san while he throws himself across the table in whatever the sluggish equivalent of a dive jump is and shuts off the bracelet thanks. ]

Comments

[sloths]

[ Predictably, it's only when he's tugged a bit on the fringe over his forehead that he answers like a respectful young adult. ]

You said "vaccine" right?

[lassos]

[But Diana just waits patiently since she's used to rude people...]

That's the word they've used to describe it, but I don't find it entirely accurate. It's more of a... ward, I would say.

1/3

[sloths]

...Are you even sure there's a reason for concern?

[sloths]

The understanding is that the gods need us and we need them as far as I've learned. As two groups in agreement, we benefit mutually. However, we also rely on one another whether there's cohesion or not. Gods included. The illustrated pamphlet [ and that word is used so loosely here ] mentioned immortal souls --and recently someone brought up the point that it must take a hell of a lot of energy just to bring one person through space-time. Even for gods.

But the bracelets are important here for one reason: because Asgard's gods have limits.

We know they have the ability to bend reality, but we also know they aren't gods as most understand the word; they're hardly omnipotent, after all. Getting us here means tying us to their souls. And that means using energy.

So not only are we useless without a bracelet, but as long as we're tied to this world, one of the gods is still lending out his or her energy to keep us here. Ah, think of it as someone accidentally setting their mobile phone to roaming mode. It isn't common for people to lose their bracelets on purpose, I'd guess.

In the end, the two most likely outcomes are the accepted one - whereby someone inevitably fixes things - and the one where we're sent home to... [ is that a quirk of the lips? non. ] Conserve energy.

[sloths]

[ Finally, he lets out a sigh and scratches the back of his head, adopting the slumped, unassuming posture again. ]

...What I'm saying is that even criminals aren't negligent of their investments. The gods might not care what happens to us on a personal level but Travelers are a critical enough part of their mythology that we can assume certain consistencies in policy and behavior across the board. They aren't going to do anything that would cause Asgard more harm than good, for one. And they won't allow themselves to be weakened unnecessarily. Not when there's a simple solution.

Rather-- it's impractical to think the gods would allow room for an error like the one you described. Even in the event of war, we'd be tied to our patron. I doubt anyone is going to be permanently lost or infected. And as for treating the sickness itself by other means...

[ s h r u g ]

Considering all that, why bother?