[The scene opens up to Ellie's face. It's dark, and there's blood on her cheeks, smeared back into her hair. There are tears in her eyes, and she's fucking frantic.]

SOS- fuck, we- we need a healer.

[Over the top of her voice is another, almost shouting 'no, we don't!']

Gelfion Park, we've got-

[Her voice breaks.]

Two dead.


( (Cut for blood and gore.) )

[The video feed sits at an awkward angle when it starts up and focuses, catching Desmond's chest and the bottom half of his face, pallid and blue-lipped as if just in from time spent in a deep freeze. The scar on his mouth is split and oozing again when he talks urgently, shivering, an ugly red stain that's dripped down into his collar, marring the once-clean white of his robes. ]

W-We need help- Thia-Thi- [ It's difficult to speak, his tongue feels heavy and uncooperative, his voice hoarse from screams that had gone unheeded. He sways in the saddle, his vision swimming in a sea of darting red and black shapes, forcing himself to find words as he grits his reddened teeth. ]

Thiazi, she...she let us g-go we're...I think...Utgard, on the road back I-I-

[ We have to make it, have to-

There's a distinct 'whump!' off-camera, and he looks over to his right sharply, crying out painfully, anguished, ]

Shit, no!

[ The feed suddenly shakes with his movement, but things go pear-shaped when the video abruptly spin head over heels, cartwheeling a dizzying view of sky, road and horse, and the camera cuts out with another, closer thump. ]



(( OOC Notes:

Okay so a few things! Altaïr, Connor, Desmond and Ezio are back from getting their asses handed to them by Thiazi. There will be a subthread for their rescuers and 4-6 character limit on those who'd like riding to their aid, just to keep things manageable. Since that's capped, if your character would still like to come by in person to tell them just how incredibly stupid they were trying to sneak around Thiazi, there's also another subthread herein for them while they recover in hospital. \o/ Whew!

There will be a delay in IC bracelet replies because the boys need some game time to heal. Rest assured they'll get to all of them when they're reasonably able! ))

 I would think this some well thought out personal attack, but it seems I am not the only one to receive....pictures of people they are acquainted with. [ Yet Malik, unlike probably most of the others to receive photographs of their loved ones, doesn't really sound all that happy about it. Actually, he sounds downright livid. A tone that he is trying with little success to mask.]

So instead of asking about the "gift" itself, I would like to know who among us thought themselves so great, that they assumed digging into the personal lives of others was an acceptable feat? [ Because as much as he loves his brother, and will likely come to appreciate the pictures in time, this was not something he wanted shoved at him so suddenly and without warning. Not when his brother's death is still a wound that needs to be healed. ] Not everyone is looking for reminders of the past, so whoever you are, you would do well to think before acting in such a way again.

[ Malik out.

Though! Anyone at the Bureau should be warned; Malik is not a happy camper, and will probably sass anyone in his vicinity. Whoops. ]

[There's silence for a long moment before Alice can find her voice.]

There's a good deal of b-blood.

[She takes a deep breath, her voice shook on that last word.]

So...

[So taking a page out of Jack and the Tardis' book, there's a clinking.]

Marigold and I are going to paint and clean up the graffiti a-and everything. [She almost said blood again but refrained. She doesn't know what else to do. She doesn't know how else to help except in a way she knows best.]

Would... anyone else like to help? I-If not that's perfectly fine.

[ caroline is sitting cross-legged on her bed, in her room at the freya house, fiddling with something the camera can't quite see yet. her eyes are downcast and she takes a long, deep breath before starting to speak, brushing a stray strand of hair from her eyes. ]

So, I found this today. I ate an apple from one of those weird-looking trees that've sprung up, like, everywhere and then there it was. Hanging from a branch, like it'd been there the entire time.

[ she shakes her head and holds up the thing she'd been playing with to reveal a silver charm bracelet dangling from her fingers. her lips twitch up into smile, but it's a gesture tinged with sadness. ]

My boyfriend got me this for my birthday last year and it - well - it made me think. Do any of you have people you love back home, people you miss? If you could, would you ask the gods to bring them here?

[It has taken Maria Thorpe a little over a month to work out how to broadcast from her bracelet. It has been an interesting and eventful month to say the least, and while she is by no means accustomed to this strange 'modern' lifestyle, she is at least attempting to adapt.

There are a few stumbling blocks, but with some ingenuity on her part she feels she is well on her way to overcoming them.

Take today for example; she is garbed in modern attire and is sitting in a modestly furnished kitchen by the looks of things, and she opens her mouth to speak.]

Good day to you all. I have been wondering for a while now what I should say on-

[Whatever it is she might have to say is immediately interrupted by a sudden and unmistakable:

BOOM

[ When the video flips on, it is to Altaïr barely masking his disdain. ]

It would seem that these bracelets are a necessary trinket.

I have been... absent, for some time. What little I remember, the outcome of Asgard's battle looked bleak. It seems that this was overcome. What else have I missed?

[ It has been a while, a long while since she had shown her face on the network. Mainly because she had nothing to speak about. Today she is in the library, a stack of books near her elbow while she is quite lost in the writings of Machiavelli. ]

Better to be feared than love, if one cannot be both.

[ A crooked little grin as moves to sit up. ]

If there is one book in this library the Nine must have read. I am not inclined to name them Gods. Such had been a mistake to begin with.

[ Gods create and destroy. These Gods have not created anything as much as she's concerned and even destruction comes from the outside and not from them. ]

Eight, now. Unless Freya shall succeed in her mission, wherever she might be. Perhaps that shall be the first creation truly seen here.

[ to create life from nothing. Lord knows where Freyr is. ]

And yet while their kin is searching for he whom she lost, the others celebrate, if to judge by the pretty lights.

[ a smile. ]

I hope this finds you well, Asgard. A last question if I may - I have read Lord Machiavelli's words yet I will have your own.

Do you believe lies bear a color? Black, grey. Some would say, white.

[ she inclines her head, a farewell greeting. ]

Perhaps a walk in the city would do. The lights are pretty.

[ She will be found in the library, for those who wish to find her. For now. It is time for some filters. ]

(  Princess Mithian  )

(  Mordred  )

[The best thing she could do at this moment was brace herself against a wall, somewhere in the Thor district. The bandage around her leg isn't working very well, as blood is very well evident along the bandage of her thigh. So she breathes.]

... Create color. Yeah, right.

[She applies more pressure to her leg, hoping that helps, no matter how painful it is.]

I don't have time for that shit. Find someone else, I've got better things to do with my time. What are you going to do with me? Mow me down with your goats? I think not.

[Watson's bow is crisp and professional -- no messing about here. He's clearly keen to get down to business.]

To all newcomers, welcome. I'm Dr. Watson, the owner of the Yakuzen clinic in Heimdall. To those of you I've already met, good day.

This is just a quick message to let anyone interested know that the first aid classes will resume at the Clinic, starting from Day 187. For directions or to register interest, please reply or leave me a message at my 'voicemail.'

[And now that's out of the way, Watson's picking up his walking stick. Down to the real business here.]

In more serious matters ... I believe I owe some of you a drink. I'm not a man to leave debts unpaid any longer than I can, so if you're free tonight, I'd be obliged if you'd join me.

Until then, Asgard.

[Video]
[The camera is cut off halfway, only to show a young woman with dark hair looking a portrait. A family. Their faces are cut off and Alice gazing at it. A clank of something out of her hands when she realizes this has been recording. Her precious dog walks into view as Alice scratches his chin before cutting it off.]

[Voice]

We won't be discussing it. I have things to attend to; it seems I am behind a few days of work.

[A good morning to you, Asgard! Somewhere in Needle in a Haystack, there's a soft yelp, followed by the pillows in the back of the store being tossed around. A little girl no more than seven with bright green eyes and a normal blue, pinafore dress. If it looks familiar it should.]

Ahh!

[She screams, suddenly taken aback by the golden retriever behind her.]

Oh, no! What on earth- oh, my goodness...!

[Panic. Maybe. Or maybe panic, the little girl seems to calm down and plops down with the pillows throwing a blanket over her head as if it that will calm her. Deep, deep breaths.]

I don't remember the white rabbit or looking through the mirror. Oh, no, Lizzie will be so furious with me, wandering off again.

[She pokes her head back out and to the dog, clutching his face.]

Is this Wonderland, fellow? It looks like something Hatter would have, but it's not. Oh, what am I to do?

[She looks around one more time, burying herself against the dog. The little girl seems at a loss here, huffing against herself. As strange as this is, she's calm down enough not to be bothered. He's soft, the pillows are soft, and so is the blanket over her head.]

No, it has to be something from Hatter, it smells like... like tea! And much more. Please tell me, dog, which part of Wonderland is this? Did I go through the looking glass? Where is the White Rabbit? Perhaps I can find my way to the White Queen or... or Caterpillar...!

[ooc; alice has been cursed! action for the folks at needle in a haystack :3c]

[Kadar looks a little confused when he appears on the network, rubbing at his eyes as though he's been asleep. What's going on?]

I don't remember... being here a few moments ago. [He sounds a little puzzled. Okay: a lot puzzled.] I was just at the store... wasn't I?

[He shakes his head a little, then shrugs and brightens.] It cannot be that unusual to lose track of time here. I remember it happening to others before. I hope that I was not gone long? I think... a few days is normal, is it not?

I hope I did not miss anything important! [and then, faintly, as he reaches out to end the feed;] Brother is going to be upset if I have missed my shift...

So, I'm back. I guess? [Desmond still sounds -- and looks -- a little dazed.] I didn't realize the bracelets were that important. I'll have to keep that in mind.

[He grins, a little, his confidence returning.] So... what did I miss? Did this turn out to be a surreal fever dream while I was out of it, by any chance?

[Alexis is sitting in the middle of the library, with a sizable stack of books sitting next to her. There's books about all kinds of things, from mythology and magic to history and philosophy. It's pretty clear that Alexis is in her happy place, though even this can't really replace what she left back home: that is, going to college and starting a new chapter of her life.

But as far as she is concerned, this could be worse. She has her dad, and he's got his friends (namely a certain detective), and at least they can be together.

After awhile of turning pages, Alexis closes the book she's reading and she stretches and yawns. A thought comes to her as she surveys the shelves upon shelves of books.]

Am I the only one here who actually misses school? [She knows she'll have to stop thinking about going to Columbia, at least for now. And maybe this will help her make new friends who think along the same lines that she does.]

[The tone of the voice that speaks is collected, and his questions calmly asked, but those familiar with him may be able to sense the thread of urgency barely there in his tone and frankly one only need listen to the questions he is asking to suspect there is something up.]

I am looking for a man. He is Syrian, has dark hair and skin, and one arm, his right. He keeps his left sleeve always pinned.

He answers to Malik.

[He pauses here, silent, before adding sharply;]

Malik, if you hear this I request your immediate attention.

[The masked face is not the only thing appearing on the video feed - Tali is sitting in what some may recognise as the dining room of Odin's Welcome Hall, and in her other hand is a glass of orange juice. She's had long enough time here and experience that what she's going to treat as a holographic interface is easy enough to work with naturally by now.]

Well, I've been here for a couple of days now and.... I don't know, I guess I'm past the denial stage, and I should just introduce myself - [She decides at the last possible moment not to include 'Admiral', and pauses for a split-second.] Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. Call me Tali. I'm in the Odin house, not that I know much about what that means to me yet.

I mean, I'm still not convinced this isn't some kind of simulation, or I've been indoctrinated, or... although, if we've been harvested for some kind of Reaper experiment, it's a lot more benign than I would expect - less horrifying liquidisation for genetic material and more... gods and... magic and 'honourable tasks', and I still don't get how I'm supposed to-- [She cuts off. Rambling. Nervous habit. She lets out a breath and changes the subject rather awkwardly.]

I guess I'm still dealing with the denial. Anyway, I wanted to ask something. I've never eaten human food before, and this juice hasn't killed me yet. [She holds up the glass.] What would you recommend I start with? [And despite that she's still not sure it won't kill her, she sounds almost as excited as nervous. Probably partly because she's been subsisting on water and orange juice since she got here.]

[A bearded man who seems to be in his mid-forties fiddles and taps the bracelet, appearing--if nothing else--bewildered and bemused by this strange device. He is, honestly, but wouldn't anyone? Panic will do him no good at all!

This man is dark-skinned and, to anyone from Earth, appears to speak with a particular accent--from the near East; a Turk, dressed somewhat colorfully over what skilled eyes would see as protective armor--and he's armed as well. At the moment though, he may as well look harmless.

Yusuf rubs at his chin, tapping a finger against his jaw.]

I hope this is not a magnificent ruse of some kind, but I was not aware this is where I would walk-- No, no, vakitsiz oten horozun basini keserler, eh? Important matters first--the rest will happen in time.

If what I am told is true, this message can be heard by others as well. Perhaps an answer would serve to put my mind at ease? [Because the grin on his face says he's really trying, but if this turns out not to be true he will feel pretty foolish in the end. Nothing ventured nothing gained though.]

I am afraid visiting a city of gods is beyond my past experiences, and trust me, I have seen many strange things in my lifetime. Unfortunately, I have little to offer in materials in exchange for information. If I may intrude upon the graces of any generous travelers I promise I will offer good conversation in return.

[Yusuf nods and waves an idle hand.] Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var.

[And after more fiddling, off goes the transmission.]

[Oh, look, Asgard. Alan's decided to actually grace you with his own voice today. Pay attention, it's one of the only times you'll ever get to hear it. Unless he comes outside and you meet him.]

Question.

Fiction, or non-fiction?