[Daneca's decided today is the day she makes her first post to the network. Frankly, she's still unsure about a lot of this. But she hasn't managed to find her way back home somehow yet, so that means she's going to have to pull up her bootstraps and figure this place out.]

So, I'm not really sure who I'm supposed to ask about this if there's anybody I'm even supposed to ask, but these powers we have here...

How exactly are we supposed to learn to use them? Just by doing it? Or is there some kinda of manual on it that I'm not aware of?

[Because that's the way her usual abilities work. But they were illegal, so she never really got all that skilled at it.]

[But please, if there's a manual, don't let it be like that welcome message. Loki pls.]

Also, is anybody looking to hire anyone for anything? I don't really have any previous job experience, but I used to run a... [Daneca pauses a moment.] ...political group back at my school where I'm from. [She's still not entirely comfortable with getting in the specifics.] So, I've got some experience with organizing and managing and my people skills aren't that bad. I'm pretty much up for anything though if there's something I need to learn first.

[ time for philosophy ~]

Tell me, what do you believe freedom to be?

[ and for the less philosophical ones ] I have adopted another cat recently, which means I have now three cats. Though I've never had contact with animals before arriving here, I find the bond between an animal and a person fascinating. What sort of animals can someone keep as a companion and how do you decide what would fit you best?

[She had nightmares again. Screaming, bloody things that leave her tearing at her mind, crying out and pleading with whatever god will listen to make them stop, make it all top.

But when she opens her eyes, she finds herself calmer, grateful even to be where she is, despite not having her crew, her family, with her. At least not most of it.

So she's awake and perched on her window, watching the sun. She smiles a little bore turning on her bracelet and staring into the recording device]

This place is strange. It gives us the people we love, then takes them away again. It gives us great gifts but at the price of some of the gifts we had...

But I think about where I could be. All the places I could be, one of them being dead, and I'm grateful that I'm here. Not every day, not most days, but right now I'm just grateful I can see the sun.

My father once told me a story of a knight who was skilled in hunting.  Who was loved by his people for winning in... [a pause to remember the word for it is not a druid culture] ...tournaments. Games.

Father said one day this knight went into the forest to hunt and killed all the animals he found. As he slaughtered them, he killed a doe of silver, and then her fawn of gold who he found hiding in fear in the brush. The last creature was a large stag of all white, with horns like branches of a great oak tree. As the knight and the stag faced one another, the stag cursed the knight for killing his kin and swore as long as the knight should live he would know only suffering each time he knew love. Then the knight slew him as he had the others. 

[He stops there, since the story itself is not really what he is getting at]

If the knight knew that slaying the stag would bring a curse upon him....why then would he still do it? In our stories, knights do such strange things... 

 

[So the practical jokes are all in good fun, and Sam is a fan of laughing. But Sam is not really a fan of gods playing tricks on other people, because you know what?

Gabriel is a fucking asshole, that's what.

So instead of taking part, Sam is stoutly refusing to be affected through being a stubborn asshole and is instead being a do-good spoilsport, because that is what Sam does best.]

You know, the last time I was on the receiving end of a practical joke, I was put into daytime television hell where I was forced to be in a sitcom, a Japanese gameshow, a hospital drama, and a genital herpes commercial.

[There is a slight pause.]

Anyone who tries to do anything to me, harmless or otherwise, should remember that I have guns and I know how to use them.

[Don't touch his shit, losers. :') But on a more serious note:]

I collected data on the spirits that attacked recently -- but I'd appreciate anyone else's experiences to add to what I saw personally.

[And the feed ends.]

Anybody else ever wake up with a crazy headache and a whole yikesitude of shiny, new memories? 'Cause I just got mega-slammed with like a year and a half of my life. And I feel --... Different. I feel different. Stronger. And? Totally commandery. Army of Teenage Girls, ahoy.

Seriously, though -- do the Gods think it's funny to just randomly grasp at straws and shove stuff into our brains while we're sleeping? Thor, I'm talking to you. Is this your idea of fun?

[There's a lot of flickering. The Doctor's face is in shadow, defined by the small specks of light wherever he stands. His eyes are cold, but there's something almost sad and weary if it can be seen in this light.]

You tell us to make friends. You tell us to play nice. And if we behave ourselves and brighten up the place, the city will be saved and our fragile little worlds will stand a chance. It's like a fairy tale right out of a storybook. Make friends, give yourself stronger powers, kill the nasty giants, and save the world. So easy a child could do it, right?

Sure. Until the people you've bonded with vanish without a trace one after another like they're being picked off, slipping away into the ether like they never existed. Poof. And there go those bonds you keep telling us to make.

[He makes a violent separation gesture with his hands]

I'll be a good little soldier and fight the giants, if only because our stable little worlds might warrant some saving. But that's all you're getting from me.

[ When the video starts, Gunn will just seem surprised that it's working at all. ]

Man, I am getting pretty tired of fighting other people's wars. Is what they said true? There's gotta be some sort of portal or spell or - something. I mean, as far as 'other dimensions' go, this one ain't half bad, but I've got shit to do in mine, thanks.

There a magic shop anywhere? Or just books of.. spells or whatever.

[ Which would be nigh incomprehensible without Fred, but he'd muddle through it if that's what it took to get home. ]

-- right, uh, thanks in advance, I guess.

Well--

[Eight's image flickers, goes to static for a moment, then blinks back to him looking distinctly frustrated.

He needs clear communication right now. This shoddy lash-up of the network couldn't come at a worse time. If they'd only asked for help instead of thinking the Travelers are too stupid to give them assistance.

Sigh.]

If you get this, I'm [static]

I'm not dead anymore, which is a relief. I didn't see [static] so I hope that meant I was the only one.

[The image steadies long enough to get a ghost of a smile from Eight, before it switches to private...or so he thinks. Filtering, like everything else, is hit or miss right now.]

( Meant to be, but not at all, filtered to the DW cast. )