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

If you could take anything... well... any one thing from here back home... something that isn't a memory or a person. What would you bring back home with you? If you would bring back anything at all, I suppose.

I've just been thinking, now with Thiazi... gone [She doesn't really want to say dead.] that things feel like we're far more likely to be getting close to the end of things. It's a terribly serious thing to talk about, which is why I suppose such a serious question...

[She tries to brighten herself up, offering a smile, though it is half-hearted.]

It doesn't have to be, though! I'm sure... well, perhaps it's best to think of something fun and lovely instead.

It is winter again. We had the wonderful festival last time. Perhaps we should do something smaller but something like it? [She wasn't sure that anyone would be in such a mood for a thing, but maybe so?]

[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!

We keep losing people. We did well against Thiazi but people still died, or have disappeared at some point.

( And that's sad. Sometimes they get mentioned publicly but not always. Sometimes it hurts too much )

They should be remembered. Everyone that's been here has helped us somehow to get ready for this war or has been in it. We should thank them, and hope that they're okay back home.

( She knows from talking to some that not everyone will be but hope and remembering a friend is nice )

Maybe the park? If someone could draw up candles or people just got together it would be nice. You could talk about them or just leave their name somewhere. Tomorrow, before curfew.

I'll be there early to wait.

... ugh.

[Ellie sounds... out of it. Not herself. Distracted, like she's been hit a few too many times in the head, or is somehow drugged up. She's finding her way but she's slow, like she's having to think about every word before she says it.]

So. Question -- how many of you guys have been in two places at once?

I think I was back in my... my world. For a while.

But I was here, too.

Anybody?

[ It's not been often lately that any of the gods have seemed outright celebratory on the network, but here you have it now: Thor's face is lit up with a brilliant and almost triumphant grin. ]

Polish your armor and sharpen your swords. We've taken Tyr and his power out of Thiazi's hands, and we know now for sure: she will not stand a chance against us and our dragon friends.

We will leave at sunrise in two days' time, and know this, Travelers - she is afraid, and with good reason. In two days, we march to victory.

[ ooc notes: He'll be hanging around a while if anyone has any questions, but feel free to use this post for ic discussion/planning too! The ooc event post will go up detailing all of the minutia in the morning. Thanks! ]

[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!

[He's standing in the middle of a living room, not one of the common areas in the God Houses. Despite being pretty spacious, it's equally empty. Maybe even recognizable for anyone who's been here a while and seen some of the Guardian posts of the past.]

Here again, huh? Alice are you still here? [Yeah, talking to both Alices.] Ellie, Hibiki, Ritsuka? Doctor?

Looks like the gods didn't want to get rid of me so they brought me back to help. That means that 'G' Ice Rink is in business again and I'll find some way to make it useful in the war effort. Maybe it can be a shelter for anyone whose homes aren't safe or something.

[Jamie flops on the couch.]

What's been happening since I left?

[ 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! ]

[ even in war there is time for philosophy. maybe. Kaworu comes to the video, smiling. He is sitting in his room; on the walls, there are MANY photos of many different people he has met while in Asgard. In his lap there is Zadkiel, an adult orange cat, who is purring loudly (surprisingly, because this cat is the devil) ]

Of all the things you have learned through your life, which is the one you praise the most, the one you think of the most about, the one you are most glad to have learned, met or seen? And why?

[ and because he learned it's better to answer your own questions in order to help others answer, Kaworu will do exactly that ]

I'd say mine is rain. Since this body was created, I have lived inside a laboratory and I was not allowed contact with the outside world. When I first arrived to Asgard, it was around this time of the year and it rained. It was the first time I had seen and felt it, during an afternoon when I shared with someone who is no longer in this world. I suppose that's why I came to love it. Rain reminds me of him. Rain reminds me of many things, and each is very dear to me. [ his hand reaches to pet the cat's head as he looks down at him ]

Ever since I arrived, I was allowed to learn much and see much. I was allowed contact with others, and I was allowed to learn about others. [ yes, "allowed". Because before, he was more of a labrat, not allowed much.

He smiles softly and after he turns to the bracelet again ]

I'm very glad for the time I have spent here. And I thank you for it. I thank you for all that you showed me and taught me, and I thank you for being there. It made this extra time I was allowed much more meaningful.

[ and he is talking about himself which is weird for those who know him, but the war is ending and it's time ]

[ It shouldn't be too noticeable, but this particular incarnation of the Doctor is appearing just slightly rattled right about now. The whole experience of whatever happened to him is just weird. Of course, he's learned more about what happens to people who have lost their bracelets, but experiencing it for himself is another thing entirely.

And, on top of that, he's just come back to his house, only to find that it's completely empty. The feed will show him standing in an empty room, circling twice, and then shrugging. ]

Right, so, it seems I've lost some time, which is something, coming from me.

[ No point in saying anything about Ianto and Jack. He knows what this means; they're missing, and not only from the house. He doesn't trust himself to speak on that subject, so he goes for another angle. ]

What've I missed? I don't need a long speech, but a summary is alright.

It has come to my attention that in light of recent events, we have had little enough time to ourselves. Naturally, this is only to be expected in a time of war. However, we must not lose sight of ourselves in the midst of all this havoc, and I therefore have a proposal for the women of Asgard.

Would anyone, perhaps, be interested in joining me for an evening of light entertainment? We have precious little time before everything comes crashing down around our ears, and I wish to attempt to use some of that time to get to know my fellow ladies-in-arms a bit more.

[ 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! ))

[There’s a close-up of an eye first, topped by a bushy eyebrow, and then the image pulls back to reveal the stern-looking face of an older man. When he speaks, it’s brisk, with a Scottish accent.]

Interesting communication device you’ve got there, definitely not like any technology I recognise. It obviously broadcasts a signal - or else I’m talking to myself, which is one of the signs of a severely disturbed mind - but how? And, more importantly, to whom?

What I’m really interested in here, though, is how you’ve managed to muck around with my biology. I’ve been human once or twice, but the change involved is a bit complicated and messy. Here I am, though, human again, no scars, all my memories intact, and I’d quite like to know how you’ve done it.

[A pause, and then he narrows his gaze.]

And then I’d like you to change me back.

I think it's....a year now. Or, close to it. Time is still kind of weird to figure here. Especially when I've been back home a couple of times too. I know there are others that have been around longer but....for me, since everything back home, being anywhere this long is. Kind of a big deal.

[Always traveling. Always trying to avoid the walkers, find somewhere to hole up the night if possible, find more places to scavenge for supplies. The idea of remaining anywhere for this long would be unthinkable when supplies would eventually run out unless they had seeds to plant, animals to provide meat.]

I'm not sure if this sort of thing is really something to celebrate or not. I know things are...getting more serious with the war and everything. I'm just glad to be here and to have met everyone. And even with the war, I'd rather here than back home. I just recently got back, so....sorry for worrying everyone. I'm okay.

[Mostly. It'll take a bit for everything to properly register and for her bullet wound to heal, but overall she is managing.]