Is--mething ppening again? M--ight is acting ierd again. And there as the quakes. Everyone is okay, right?

[ Toph's leaning back in her bed, resting on the pillow she's propped against the headboard. She's looking ... unimpressed. ]

Wow, you guys have gone reeeaaaally quiet all of a sudden. Except for depressing announcements about people disappearing. Try living in a Welcome Hall all by yourself! Now that's empty. But I'm not letting that get me down, so I thought I'd break the gloom.

I have someone to introduce to you!

[ There's a moment's pause, and then a lemur comes into view, wrapping around her neck and tilting its head at the screen, chirping. ]

This is Momo! Technically he's not mine, but for some reason I got him during this Christmas thing. He actually belongs to my friend Aang, so maybe they're just making up for the fact that I'm the only one from my world here or something.

Momo, this is everyone. Well, not right now, but I hope some will show up and say hi to you.

[ She puts a hand on Momo's head, scratching lightly. ]

But that's actually not the only thing I was gonna say.

There's probably gonna be some ultimate showdown soon, right? I may not look like it, but I'm actually pretty good at packing a punch, and I've seen that a bunch of people have offered to train others. I used to teach Aang back home, and I just realised how much I miss teaching!

[ Ordering people around. She means ordering people around. Even though she's smiling very innocently. Very innocently.

Or maybe there's a slight mischievous crease to her brow, if you squint. ]

There's not really any time to make any of you masters in martial arts if you aren't already, but if you'd like me to show you a thing or two, I'm bored.

Or we could just do some sparring. That'll work too!

Name's Toph. Let's blow some life back into this place.

[ She punches her own palm, before she cuts the feed. ]

[Altaïr is dressed in normal, 'modern' clothes when he appears, making a rare occasion of addressing his fellow Travelers directly. Because he isn't wearing a hood, it's that much easier to see the annoyed and slightly perplexed expression on his face.]

I would like to know what this is doing here.

[At that, the view tilts to show this statue from the mid-chest up.

It's actually a fairly good likeness.]

Is this a joke?

[No one said gifts from home had to be from the time Travelers came from.]

[Castle is restless. And kind of depressed because he noticed recently that Hawkeye is gone. He didn't know why the gods didn't see fit to have a war doctor stick around until the end of the war, but he guesses that would make too much sense. He needs to do something fun, and with that in mind he comes to the network.]

Hey. So I've been thinking. We've got kind of a break in the fighting right now. What say we organize a game or something?

[It'll help boost morale and hopefully get everyone's mind off the war for a bit. Lord knows they can all use it.]

My personal favorite is laser tag, though I'm kind of aware that's not really an option at the moment, supplies being what they are. But I would love to hear your suggestions.

[Today Riley can be found hanging out in the back of Needle in a Haystack. She's sitting on top of a pile of boxes, leaning back on one hand as she smiles at the recording she's making. Today she's feeling pretty good about things. Especially about the thing she wants to ask about.]

Okay so people in the past of my world used to celebrate birthdays a lot. They apparently had parties and all that to go "whoo hoo! I lived to see another year!" Now, where I'm from we've pretty much lost that because, well, reasons.

[She shrugs like "Apocalypse. What are you gonna do?"]

But here's a question for all of you. How do you celebrate your birthdays? Parties? Presents? Food? Nothing? I wanna know because I want to know all that stuff that I've been missing out on all these years because like hell was anyone going to be celebrating the grand existence of me. Even if they totally should have.

[That makes her laugh a little.]

Tell me about your birthday stuff. It's time to share again!

It seems I missed quite a bit of excitement in my absence. The city is certainly a much brighter place now, so I trust that everything went well in the fighting.

Regardless, I think I am returned for the foreseeable future now. If there are those who wish to regale tales of the battlefield I would be glad to hear of them, someone should write an account down and I would not mind the work.

[Ignoring the fact that he's now technically dead? Of course Giovanni is. He doesn't want to bring the mood down after all.]

( awkward moment of realizing she's never actually posted to the network, only replied to other people. well, no time like the present. oh well. here you go, asgard: scrawny teenage girl of surely no more than 16, looking only slightly sheepish while attempting "friendly". )

So uh, question. Who here's gotten tattoos? In Asgard or before. If anyone could point me to a studio, that'd be great too.

[Riley is sitting in the middle of her room at Loki. She's got a candy bar in one hand and a sheet of paper in the other. Grinning, she takes a bite of the candy then shifts about to lean back against her bed. There's boxes all over it.]

Okay... [Yes, Mags. She's talking with her mouth full again.] Fo. We've ha' fum... [She swallows.] ...shit storms recently. I think it's time to lighten the mood and ask a really fucking serious question.

[She puts on a serious face and points at the paper with her candy.] Would any of these... [She points at the world at large with the candy.] ...work on any of you?

[With that, she clears her throat and looks over the paper before giving everyone her sexiest look.]

Hey, baby. That's a nice shirt. Can I talk you out of it?

[Her lip trembles as she tries not to just bust up laughing.]

If you think you feel good, you should feel me.

[She lets out a snort.]

Hey babe! There's a party in my pants and you're invited!

[Okay no. She's done. Riley busts up laughing because all of these are so bad!] Who the hell uses this shit? It's more likely to get you punched in the face!

( oh, look! it's natasha in the bar. as usual. it's kind of where she hangs out (which might be a moot point, considering the rations). she's standing behind it, leaning on the counter, throwing a knife up and down in one hand. she doesn't seem to be paying a lot of attention to it, but the hilt keeps thwacking into her palm, so she's clearly paying enough attention to not lose a finger or two. )

Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner have been returned home.

( her voice is quiet. dangerously so. she's not brooding the way she was when tony left, but she's definitely .. not ok.

just before the video turns off, her face twists slightly and when the knife comes down in her palm again, she throws it, right at the camera - or just off to the left where it buries itself in the table, quivering slightly.

the video cuts. )

( ooc: all replies will either be text or voice. feel free to have your character be concerned and come to the bar (in loki district) to confront her directly, particularly if they have prior cr. )

[ This is Odin's first real public appearance since the martial law was first instated, an intentional move after the whole traitor fiasco, and despite his standard crisp black suit and ramrod straight posture, the King of Asgard is still looking a little rough around the edges. A muscle jumps in his jaw right before he begins speaking. ]

There's a decision to be made. You handled the last with a surprising amount of grace and reason, and for your hand in both getting us to this point and in the war at large, we'll give you say in this one as well.

You returned from Mimisbrunnr with the information we needed to recover Tyr's soul from Thiazi's grasp, but we've been waiting for the right moment. We need to be prepared, because as soon as we make our move, she's going to know, and she's going to be pissed.

[ At least for that much, he almost looks pleased, insofar as the only change in his demeanor being a sort of fire in his eyes. It's short lived. ]

So. Before we perform the ritual, we need to decide what to do with Tyr's soul once we have it. This is where you come in. My colleagues and I will be around to answer any questions you might have, but seeing as this is a largely personal matter for many of us, I'll remind you lot to either keep it professional or keep it to yourself.

[ Looking @ u, Freyr and Loki and any other bleeding hearts in the audience. ]

We need to act fast, so you have until sundown. And one last word of caution - [ As personal as Odin will get for this post, with an imperceptible glare. ] - do not take this lightly.

[ OOC NOTES: This is the IC discussion regarding whether or not to resurrect Tyr! The poll is still open until Oct. 16 at 11:59PM CST, so hash things out and make sure to vote!! Let us know if you have any questions or if you'd like to request an NPC in specific for your thread! ]

[Alastair is sitting on a roof, looking out at the city. He has a couple of blades next to him. It looks like he might have been in the process of sharpening them when he took a break.]

The change of seasons here is pretty dramatic, isn't it? One moment we still have green, the next...

[He nods out to the suddenly awe-inspiring fall colors of the trees.]

Did it happen like this before? I'm ashamed to say I didn't notice if it did, I was... [He wets his lips and ducks his head a moment,] ...preoccupied. [Preoccupied with being corrupted. Oops.

He lifts his head and smiles.]

Regardless, it's lovely, even if it's a bit sudden. Back home... [A distant sort of look comes over his face as he remembers.] Back home it was always very slow. There was never any one day you could say "now is the end of summer," because when things were Balanced, or at least close to it, it was a slow transition from one season to the next. Maybe our seasons were longer, it's hard to tell.

[He sighs deeply and is quiet for a long moment, then smiles again.]

There's beauty in the world, everywhere. Sometimes it's hard to find it, but every now and then you have to stop and look around and remind yourself why you're fighting.

[His grin turns sheepish and he shakes his head.]

It may seem silly, and believe me, I sound a little ridiculous to myself sometimes, but do me a favor and take a moment out of your day to just appreciate the beauty around you, and remember the beauty of home.

[ The morning of day 505, a message from the gods is broadcast over the network: ]

Greetings, Travelers.

Some of you may know already that there was a breach of the castle barrier. We apprehended an individual using Thiazi's magic to attempt assassination of the Queen, and have confirmed that he is Thiazi's informant inside Asgard. This man has been actively assisting her in making attacks on the city as well as misleading our own intelligence efforts.

[ Heimdall is understandably quite cross at this. He gestures offscreen and the feed shifts from Heimdall to a wider shot of the room, where there is a man being held in place between Thor and Loki, who also look quite cross. ]

His name is Satan and he pleads innocence by corruption -- that all he has done while sabotaging Asgard was Thiazi's influence. While he lives we cannot tell his intent, only that he is indeed the perpetrator.

Since he is one among you, we leave his judgment in your hands. What would you have us do with the traitor?


(( The poll is to be filled out ICly and once per character! This will decide Satan's fate. Please feel free to threadjack at will to discuss the trial! ))

[HELLO ASGARD. THIS IS YOUR RESIDENT ITALIAN ASSASSIN SHOPKEEPER ON THE LINE. And said resident Italian looks as if he has a question- or would if he currently wasn't having his attention directed to something on his outfit. Something like a grey hair.

Dio mio, does he really need a reminder about his age on top of fighting a war. Ezio makes a face at that, brushing off his sleeve and finally turning to the camera again.]

Buon giorno, Asgard. A question. [A pause, and then-] At what age do you start to consider someone as "old?"

[No, this has nothing to do with his novices telling him he needs to be more careful because of his age, or ghost pangs of old wounds when he moves the wrong way, what are you talking about. This is just normal conversation.

Right.

Right.]

[[FYI: Some characters might have the (mis)fortune of Ezio conking out in the middle of their conversation, as he's going on a canon update! Enjoy.]]

Before you start complaining, [ said with a Look, because he knows some of you probably already have ], let me set things straight.

This is not a punishment. I've been content to let you guys roam about and track mud through my house like misbehaving toddlers since Day One, and I'd be content to continue doing so until our business is done here. But isn't, and we don't have time to dick around anymore.

Thiazi's attack wasn't random. It was desperate and sloppy, which means one thing: she knows we're coming for her.

[ He wants to be viciously pleased with the idea of her panicking, but he is nothing close to amused right now. ]

The only way she could know that is if someone on the inside told her. We don't know who, and we don't know how, but we can't afford that kind of liability. These laws are in place to protect you. We can't fight a war on both sides of the wall.

Be vigilant. Look after each other. It's going to be down to you to keep each other safe.

[ A pause, a blink. The ever eternal silent sigh. ]

You have questions. Ask.

[ OOC NOTES: This is the official kickoff for the new martial law! Ask your IC questions here, and let us know if you want any god in specific, as they'll be hanging around this post. The log for weapons registration, rationing, and Red Scare flavoured shenanigans is over here. Let us know if you have any questions! ]

[The feed shows Castle laying on his bed, looking half-asleep or maybe just bored. He could probably be doing something productive, something that could benefit the war effort in some way, but would rather ask the population at large a question.]

Hey, Asgard - What's your favorite book?

[He's not doing research of any kind, just purely curious. But if anyone asks, this is somehow related to the Welcoming Committee. Don't worry, he'll make it work.]

[Riley’s giggling can be heard even if her face can’t be seen. It seems she’s currently sneaking through Needle in a Haystack to where there are a bunch of voices. With a snort, the giggling stops as she aims the view around the corner to show…

A bunch of shirtless Assassins in various stages of irritation over the fact. It’s so funny to her that she has to share this with the world.]

( [Six Assassins learn they're shirtless below cut] )

They just disappear? Nothing will stay on any of us?

[An Italian accent chimes in, and Ezio turns his head towards the group, back to the camera, and actually trying not to smile. Okay, so in between all of this war, it’s funny to him, despite the irritation he may feel.]

I have only tried once- and as much as I wish to see if it would work, I am not certain I wish to sacrifice more of my clothes if Asgard demands we remain this way.

[A second equally Italian accent chimes in, far less entertained sounding.]

Is this a regular occurrence in this city then? People’s decency revoked for… amusement?

Come now, padre, you make it sound as if we are treated like barbarians. [Ezio can’t really hide the smile he’s wearing. Oops.] I do not mind the attention so much.

Your madre will have me up by my thumbs for parading about in public!

So will my wife. [Altaïr hesitates, as if he’s not really sure.] Most likely.

[ In the midst of the Assassins' kerfuffle, Desmond hurries in from the summer heat, equally shirtless and equally vexed. ]

Does anyone have a spare- oh.

[ If he wasn't bewildered before... ] Really?

[ It seems like Natasha is always last to know these things - but it was really inconvenient, to be honest. She’d been at work at the bar when her shirt had suddenly decided to take a vacation to god-knows-where. Now she’s come to join the cavalcade, hands propped on her hips once she spots the predicament of everyone else. Her bra has decided to stick around for the party, at least so far. ]

I liked that shirt. And I liked the rest of you with shirts, no matter how .. interesting .. the view. [ She sighs slightly, not ashamed of being sans-shirt but definitely very far from pleased. What’s next? Their pants? ]

[Connor wanders by Riley’s hiding spot about that point, utterly unruffled by his current state. He pauses briefly and glances in her direction.] Good morning, Riley. [And moves on with his day. These boxes won’t unload themselves!]

[Immediately everything falls silent as everyone but Connor turns to look at the Novice Assassin with looks that say she had better run.]

You should be impressed I was here this long without you noticing? She does look better than all of the rest of you though.

[That doesn't help the problem and she bursts out laughing as the angle changes to show Riley laughing her ass off as she runs as fast as she can because she is in SO MUCH TROUBLE.]

FUCKING WORTH IT!

[ooc: Welcome to the shirtless curse brought to you by Altaïr, Giovanni, Ezio, Desmond, Natasha, and Connor. It's an Assassin shirtless party! Well, most of the Assassins. Riley, for example, did not get hit and made the most of it.

Network responses very welcome but there will be an open thread for people to visit Needle in a Haystack if they want to see all the shirtless Assassins in person! Enjoy!]