[she & Booker discussed her learning how to properly fight & use a weapon on the train back from Alfheim & the more Elizabeth thought about it, the more she realizes that it's something she needs to do sooner rather than later.]

I'd like to ask a favor. [her bracelet is set on her dresser & on her face is a look of concern as she pets a sleeping Jack on her lap.] I want to be more useful in the upcoming battles, so I'd like to learn how to properly fight. If it's not too much trouble, would someone be able to give me some lessons? I'd be willing to learn anything you'd be able to teach me.

[Oh look, it's your favorite girl named Brittany that lives in Asgard.]

Does anyone know what ducks eat? I think this duck I have isn't eating enough. [She holds it up and the poor little baby duck definitely looks a bit... overfed. It's poofy, but not from fuzzy downy coat... but from Brittany feeding it a lot.]

Lord Tubbington ate way more than this and I want Mr. Quacks to grow up big and strong like he was.

Also, I need a veterinarian that can help ducks.

[If only Brittany's vast knowledge of cat disease could give her insight into ducks.]

Oh! And welcome back everyone that survived the violent battle. You missed nothing important. [She looks to Mr. Quacks as if he's telling her something important.] Oh right, except something about a magical strawberry that gives you powers if you don't eat it.

[ so! Alfheim. that happened. Rachel's still pretty tired from it all, mostly because she had to flex her power's abilities more than she ever had to since she got here. so she'd gone comatose for a little bit, figuratively speaking, landing face-first on Stiles' bed ( ... not like that! which is the point of this anon transmission, but we'll get to that ) and not getting up until she was sure she couldn't physically sleep anymore.

which just left her spending a lot of time with Stiles.

which is such a- it's really, really great. it's the greatest. Stiles is pretty much the greatest! and considering everything the city just went through, she almost feels bad making a whole post about this. but she's torn, okay. her best friend from home isn't here, and Stiles is her best friend here, so she can't really ask him, so.

here's this- ]

Hello, fellow Travellers!

I hope everyone is doing well.

I have a question! Well, a request for advice, more accurately.

Let's say, back home, you were in a position of power. Minor, minor power. More like you were gifted with an ability that nobody else had. It made you valuable! But that power, and those abilities, were a gift, one that you had to make a promise to a very powerful person before being presented with said gifts, even if you were the only person qualified to receive them. A willing sacrifice! To prove that you were worthy of the gifts. And if you broke that promise, the gifts would be taken away. And you would probably be cursed, somehow, but you haven't put much thought into it because that's seriously scary. Anyway.

Part of that promise was that you swore you would never- [ have sex. lose your virginity. do anything that could possibly spoil your 'maidenhood' ] -eat chocolate covered strawberries. Ever. Now, at the time, you never actually ate a chocolate covered strawberry before. So making the promise seemed pretty simple. You could handle resisting that temptation, of all things. No big deal!

But then you show up here, and you're stripped of your powers and responsibility, and all of a sudden you're presented with, you guessed it, chocolate covered strawberries. And not just the cheap, over-processed fake kind you see on the shelves around Valentine's Day, I mean freshly grown, freshly dipped, homemade chocolate covered strawberries. They're the real deal. [ "They are being offered to you by a really, really cute guy" ..backspacebackspacebackspace let's not be TOO OBVIOUS, Dare ] Juicy and sweet and perfect. Someone is here and they're offering you strawberries and you find yourself, for the first time, seriously considering taking a bite of that forbidden fruit.

My question is - do you break your promise here, knowing that the person you made the promise to might never find out? Do you take the risk of them finding out, somehow, once you return back home, even though you don't even technically have those abilities here so the promise might not count? Or do you hold true to your promise and resist all things chocolatey and strawberry-y, because you gave your word and that's all that matters?

Help!




[ ooc: all replies from Rachel will be anon unless stated otherwiiiise ]

Damn this thing to hell—

[ This is the thunk thunk thunk sound of a device being slapped. The audio snaps on, then shuts off, then shuts on again, then off, until finally settling on the video setting.

Enjoy a nice shot of Edward's forehead, guys. ]

I see the custom around here's to introduce yourself. Never been one for customs, myself, so don't expect me to bother.

Rather, I've come to inquire about these gods-- as they see fit to call themselves. Any fellow know where I might find one? Perhaps in a castle, somewhere up in the sky, surrounded by their servants and riches? [ A laugh.] Any other time, I would've spoken in jest, but... this is no illusion. One night of drinking can't leave a man muddled up for days.

[ He would know.

And finally, after several shaky jerks of the camera, its finally positioned so that we can see edward's face . ]

And though I am capable of many feats, crossing an ocean in mere seconds is not one of them. And yet, here I am.  [ A beat. ] Could you fathom the utility of such an object? Something that allows a man to travel instantly across miles... across.... wherever this place may be.

A drink, to the one who can answer me!

[ it's early morning, and the air's winter chill isn't even a bit merciless; somewhere among the districts, eren is setting out-- sleepless ( he couldn't sleep-- head was too agitated, thoughts running miles per hour-- he kept having dreams-- ), the sky still a darkish hue of blue and orange to signal a sun tempting to rise. he's in short-lived mid-flight, wires and a single burst of compressed air spouting from his gear ( he had to use as little of it as possible, and luckily, his gas cans have been full since he got here ), taking him up to the edge of the wall surrounding asgard. to be a bit more precise, now, he's near asgard's border to the outside, and perhaps careful eyes have seen him swing to his current position from down below. once he turns on the bracelet, the teen takes a moment to stare out beyond the towering barrier, quiet ( the sunrise . . . was pretty nice ), his expression disgruntled. he turns back to the city below. it was the same, in this aspect-- asgard and home-- looking down over the opposite edge, he sees no titans. to his side, he sees no cannons, no weaponry. he mutters something akin to "why the hell", with a mixture of flapping material in the wind, before words trail off. he begins to lift his arm now, holding his wrist just below his face where the screen can see him better; no older than sixteen ( although he's fifteen ), bright ( determined ) eyes and dark brown hair, sporting a uniform with two wings on his chest, bundled with what extra clothes would keep him warm under his scouting legion cape. lips part before he says anything, a puff of visible air leaving his mouth-- he's doing this right, yeah? it says it's recording-- despite the early hour, he seems like he's been awake for a lot longer than just one hour or so. ]

Can anyone tell me about the Titans here? [ "giants", same difference-- just the word himself makes him seethe a bit, and it's probably noticeable, even if it's quick. ] How long has it been since they've attacked last? Anything you know-- It's important.

[ what they eat, how they eat, how they sleep, die, fight, shit ( actually if that's possible for asgard giants keep it at a minimum . . . )-- whatever, he'll hear it. his brows furrow, and he looks off again. there didn't seem to be a single one in sight . . . it can happen, but still-- ah, one more thing. ]

Is there a place where I can refill these? [ for a moment, he's shuffling, trying to unscrew something by his side, then holding up a small metal cylinder, giving it a tap. ] with air.

[ now that that's said and done, he returns the item to where it was. there was something on his mind now too, now that he looked at it. ]

It's weird-- Why are the wall's sides unarmed? Wasn't-- Isn't there a war? [ if they were the soldiers-- shouldn't they be, you know, ready all day everyday? also haha yeah war with celebration ok he thinks that's funky too, looking down at all the remaining decorations he could see from here. ] And the gates, they're . . . [  open. both awing and confusing. in one direction he seems to be looking at is the gates of fire. his dislike for walls is there too-- because, while he's irked with being taken from walls only to be put in well, more walls, there's also a slight longing as he looks out. just to live onee daaay ouut thereee . . .

then, as his eyes shift in direction to another gate, the gates of fog ( he squints, it's a bit far-- ) but his lips press into a thin line, gaze hard and expression inquisitive at best. weird mechanics, they had. they had walls to keep the city open-- while at possible war? which is where the look of question drops into an obvious frown. not that he's in favor of lock down and livin' it fierce like uncooked steak, he's never been-- he looks forward to changing that personally. but it's a matter of safety, of some sort of back up. it's probably because he hadn't understood everything there was to understand, but-- honestly, it wasn't making sense right now! ]

It doesn't make sense, what-- [ he can't be the only one here who thinks this, can he? ] What the hell are they for, then? [ not that he's getting angry just yet-- eren's not very gentle to start; what comes to his mind goes out the mouth, and hardly do they go through and pre-checks before being said. he just really doesn't know why there are walls with gates open in a place at war! a state of "what is this i dont even know" if you will. 

there's a pause between here,  then he bristles visibly enough. ] For us to graze, is that it? [ graze, yes. like livestock. he hated the feeling, and somehow, he's still feeling like he's being had. like there wasn't really a war at all. all this talk of christmas and happy times of celebration when they could attack at any moment? wasn't that irresponsible? this place was crazy. y'all are crazy. it takes a good deal not to snap out anything else-- ]

Just-- [ he gives a sharp inhale, hand in his hair, calming down enough that was needed, letting the boiling simmer down to a more desirable level. he needed answers. he was a soldier. he needed to act like one. ] -- I need to know. [ to clarify which one took importance-- he gestures. one answer would probably clear all the rest up like the domino effect. they were all related. ] About the Titans.

[ the gods need to make a guide to asgard: for eren yeager. because some of these things!!!  perhaps he just needed a bit of answers to clear things up. there's silence, and before long eren looks ( a bit frustratingly ) for which button he needs to press to end the feed, scanning the screen. preview, update date, no-- post, there we go. he clicks a button to end it, and off it goes. ]

Mm, hello again, everyone! Ah. . . This is a little weird for me. Even standing on stages and being on television until now, a message like this is really worrying! A lot could go wrong.

I've only been here a few days, but I'd like to think I've talked to a lot of people already. I thought introducing myself as "Atsuko Maeda the Fourteenth" might be easier because that's who I am now. . . but it seems to just cause more confusion! So please call me Acchan if you'd like.

Until a year ago, I lived on a planet with a strict entertainment ban. There was a lot of things I never got to see or do until I joined 00. Of course, I was always so busy training that even though Akibastar didn't have the same ban my planet did I didn't get to see a lot of wonderful things. We performed mostly on places with entertainment bans, so even then there were a lot of sad people!

That's why for me Asgard is a really wonderful sight. It's still gray in some places, but the people here are all welcoming and care for each other. Not only that, but they openly express what they feel or like! It truly is an amazing sight. Although we all come from different worlds and places, every one here is still able to get along when it counts! Or it seems you try to at least.

[A smile.]

I tried to think of a lot of things I could do for our holidays. What can I, who still doesn't know a lot, give to everyone? 00 has a few songs about Christmas, but I didn't think that was fair knowing how different everyone is. But. . . for me songs have always given me hope and courage. To all of us in 00 they're what inspired us to do what we do, so I thought if it's something that inspires someone it's okay. Right?

Mm, that's what I hope anyway. Its all I can give to you, but please enjoy it! Hana wa saku, A flower will bloom!

I smell the pure white snow trails in the spring wind
I nostalgically remember
That town

There was a dream I wanted to come true
The self I wanted to change was also there
Now I just nostalgically remember
That person

I can hear someone's song
It's cheering someone up
Someone's smile can be seen
On the other side of sadness
( not an in character cut for text! )

[She smile through the duration of the song. This version of the song is sung by her voice actor! This song isn't technically an AKB48 song, but it was released on one of their singles and was done by a member of team k. 00 would have a record of it as it appears any song done by AKB48 is in existence in their time.]

[ whoa, look who is actually showing her face! it's not a very happy face, though. definitely not. actually, natasha looks positively livid - and for good reason. once the video pans back a bit, you can see her sweater; nice and warm, but not even close to stylish. she can only surmise that the gods are behind this, but that won't stop her from letting her displeasure be known. ]

No.

[ yeah, just no. in general. no to this sweater, no to the weather (which was cold even by her standards), no to this being funny, no.

the look she gives the camera is stern - as though she's addressing a small child. no. in actuality, her intent is to reach whoever thought this was a good idea. it just happens that everyone is fair game. ]

I'm burning this thing once I can get it off.

How do you lot get on like this so long? I've barely been walking the streets here for a week and already I'm feeling cramped outta my damned mind. [ There's a shiver and if you can't see his teeth chattering, you can definitely hear it. ] Not to mention, freezing my bloody arse right the hell off.

[ There's a thick accent in the young man's voice - some mash-up of nothern English, pushing on Yorkshire, but with a distinct character to it that people from modern Earth, or familiar enough with pirate movies, would recognizes as pirate-y. Piratey fits his look too, given that he's got scars here and there on his face, beads in the loose pieces of hair that hang down, and a red bandana wrapped around his forehead. Clothes are either light linen or a worn leather that's seen many better days. And given that he's huddled under a tree with those worn fabrics tugged around him, it's apparent this kind of climate isn't what he's typically outfitted for. ]

I'd go hide away in the posh quarters they've assigned me, but livin' in a box, even cushy as it is, gets to driving me mad after a time. [ He gives a disgruntled huff, a puff of fog raising out of his mouth, and the last couple sentences are muttered ] It's captivity is what it is. You're men, not cattle, aren't you? It may be a nicely trussed up corral, but still a corral.

[ It appears he's crouching down near the lake at Gefion Park, looking particularly put out as he picks up a stick and starts idly tracing things in the snow, eyes surveying out over the rowboats. ]

All we've got in the way of water's this sad puddle, and it's ratty little dingheys. And as for wilderness, it don't really count if you've a man coming in to trim at it every other day, keeping it nice and pretty and civilized. [ The man shakes his head, a laugh coming but with a touch of incredulity in it. This is ridiculous. ] Do they at least take you out've the gates for a walk every now and again, if you've minded real well and not messed on the carpets?

[ While it may look like nothing to others, certain people familiar with it may notice that the symbol he's carving into the snow with a stick is actually the Assassin's emblem. It's a sort of call to those he'd consider friends to check in, without explicitly shouting out for any Assassins in the area. He clears his throat, looking back to the screen. ]

So where's the best place 'round here to get a warm drink, hot meal and decent conversation?


[[ ooc; so big spoiler, james kidd is actually a woman named mary read. she's been dressed up as a boy since childhood and passes as a man among a fuck ton of pirates and a military, so there shouldn't be anything apparent making her seem like anything but a young man, however she does still identify as a woman, so pronouns here-after are going to be 'she/her'. i put him/he in here mainly just for descriptiony effect, really. but yeah, it'll be 'mary' and 'she', but as a heads up, for all intents and purposes, she'd be pretty obviously a dude /o/ thanks bbs ]]