So, this network thing's pretty cool, I have to admit. Like MySpace, only... bigger.

[ Yes, he's still from the days of MySpace. However, compared to the technology at school, Asgard's lacking.

He scratches the back of his head, unsure of what to say before he continues. ]

And I've learned a lot in the past day. [ Many terrible things to look forward to at home. However, he won't mention that now. ] Curses, gods, different worlds... Am I leaving anything out?

And, uh, I want to check something I heard. I know we get a new power while we're here.

[ It's still strange, being able to talk casually about having an ability. In his world, he was hated for being a mutant, but here... He could actually be himself. Out of everything he's experienced at Asgard, that was probably the most unbelievable. ]

But any power we might've had before... It's really true that it's gone? No way to get it back?

[ He's not asking for himself. Not really. He knows his cyrokinesis is gone, and it's a shame. He doesn't mind healing, but he misses his old ability. He'd trade back in a heartbeat.

But if Rogue arrived, she'd have a new power. He cared about her no matter what, of course, but to think that they wouldn't have to be so cautious whenever they hold hands, hug, or kiss... It's selfish to think about. He should want to return home as soon as possible, and he does. Still, he can't help but realize how nice that sounds. ]

[ The video opens in a way that one could consider sudden. There is a feel that nothing planned nor expected about the feed that opens, given that the face that appears rears back in shock at its appearance and the resulting recoil has the screen waggling about at strange and dizzying angles. For a moment there's an awkward silence as the scruffy fellow shown to be making use of his bracelet for the first time stares in wonder — before he breaks into a grin that spreads quite nearly ear to ear. ]

It truly is magic!

[ He moves backwards and the screen naturally follows, earning a raise of eyebrows... before he feints sharply to the right, then to the left, laughing joyously as it manages to keep up. ]

Even Gandalf could not create something so fantastical as this! And the maid, she has told me that this speaks to all the residents of this strange city?

[ He's already poking at the buttons surrounding his screen as he speaks, naturally at random; he doesn't have the hang of this bizarre written word at all and probably wouldn't bother to read any of it even if he could. At one point the video blacks out and becomes audio-only, then video again, then zooms in close, then back out. Satisfied that he has clearly mastered this mystical contraption, the young dwarf finally puffs up his chest and raises his chin with a smirk. ]

Kili, at your service.

[ His fists clench together, the smirk pulling wide into a cocky grin. ]

While it comes to no surprise to me that a son of the line of Durin has been called upon to serve beneath the banner of the gods themselves, it is truly an honor to stand amongst what I expect to be the greatest warriors of our worlds and to fight alongside one another as—

[ The dramatic clench of his hands does in the rest of whatever he'd planned to go on about; fists come down to table, bracelet strikes corner and the video is unceremoniously ended. Hello, Asgard. Your new village idiot has arrived. ]

Ach, a wee bit flimsy, isn't it?

[ To his credit, the blond dwarf manages to not eye the video as though he expected it to burst into a coil of snakes. You never know, it could turn him into a newt. Not that his shorter stature is immediately apparent, being seated and all. He clears his throat when it becomes apparent that the video is recording, leaning back with a proud bearing, and nods regally to the video... The noble-- nay, majestic effect, however, is rather diminished by the ever-present smirk tugging at his lips. ]

Ah...

Fíli, at your service.

To be called upon by the gods themselves is an honor without measure... though they are none that I've ever heard of. But whatever differences that exist between us matter not in this. Not when so much hangs in the balance.

[ As the speech carries on, he becomes increasingly impassioned, raising a clenched fist before him. ]

And so, let it be known that when this world needed aid, the line of Durin answered, and united, we will bring new life to this land!

[ His fist slams down on the table emphatically, and he clamps down on the urge to grin, trying to maintain some semblance of austere dignity with little success. He can't help it this is so awesome you guys.

A pause, and his brows knit together as he hesitates. ]

There is... one small matter that remains, however. I've yet to find my brother, Kíli. If someone were to direct me to him, you would have my gratitude.

[ Not that he's worried about that dumb baby or anything. Newp. With one more final nod, he ends the video. ]

[ ooc: Kili, of course, has yet to be intro'd ICly into the game here. Fili is only going under the assumption that his brother is in Asgard because, well, brothers. ]

[ There are a few seconds of silence, as Nina stares awkwardly at the screen. How does she even respond to what happened? What an awfully embarrassing week. ]

Um... As I'm sure many of you noticed, what happened last week was a curse. [ There's a slight grimace. ] Nick and I... We aren't a couple.

To anyone who thought differently, sorry for the confusion. And to all of you who tried to help, thanks.

[ There isn't much else to say. She fights a sigh, feeling increasingly annoyed by the gods' antics. ]

[ ooc: Aftermath of Nick and Nina's love curse! :) ]

[ Today's video finds two faces (familiar to some) sat beside each other at the corner of the kitchen table in the New Camelot household, Arthur's hands folded comfortably across the wooden surface. He's done this a million times before, though it's been awhile since his last formal address. ]

Travellers to Asgard - friends, allies, and strangers alike - a good day to you all. It has been some time since we first stepped foot on Asgard's soil, and given the recent ... changes, in population, I feel an introduction may be in order. [ A smile, cordial. ] I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot, and to my right is my idiot manservant -

[Merlin leans in toward the screen, temporarily blocking Arthur from sight.] Friend. He meant to say "friend."

[ And Arthur shoves him right back into place with a hand to his face, still smiling. ] - my completely imbecilic and utterly useless manservant, Merlin. Recent times have found us in a rare period of relative peace within the city walls, giving us time enough to find our bearings and breathe a moment's tranquility.

[Arthur gets a jab to his side for his troubles, Merlin smiling all the while.] That's why we thought this might be a good time for us to hold a tournament. Well, two, actually. One for magic and one for non-magical combat. According to Arthur, the knights back in Camelot would use the tournaments to hone their abilities and keep their senses sharp - I think it's all just an excuse to bash each other around - when they aren't waging war. And, well, since we'll be expected to fight when the Giants recover...we could probably use the practice.

[ Arthur inhales deeply through his nose, shaking his head just a little, smile gone tight. He mutters something about 'should've written a damn script' before knocking Merlin's knee with his own beneath the table and grinning charitably once more. ]

Which makes it my distinct pleasure to announce the Tournament of Worlds, your opportunity to stand amongst your peers and let your abilities shine to their fullest. The tourney will commence on Day Two-Hundred and Nineteen; you have until the day beforehand to register your name for combat. Further information can be found attached at the end of this message.

Oh! And-- [He'll just be nudging Arthur out of the way again, thank you very much.] There'll be a festival of sorts outside the Arena the day before the tournament starts. The Natives are going to be setting up some booths again, and you're all welcome to join in, too.

[ ffs this time, Arthur's just going to grab Merlin's head and shove it under his arm, driving his knuckle into his scalp while grinning at the feed. ] So! Give us your best, Asgard. We hope to see the whole lot of you there.

[ And somewhere amidst Merlin's flailing and Arthur's noogeying, the bracelet gets knocked off the table to show their feet kicking at each other until they both fall out of their seats, still wrestling with each other, and the feed ends. ]

attachments: tourney.doc; tourney2.doc

[ ooc; yay, tourney announcement! mod post is here, and sign-ups are at the linked posts. blue is Merlin, responses may come from either or both of us as we're available. cheers! ♥ ]

What do you do for work when you need extra money?

[He asks quietly but confidently, without pause. Today he isn't as cheerful at the last time he made a post. He's still worn out, but somehow he looks even more exhausted than he did before. He's scruffy, and there's something about him that seems haunted and hollowed-out despite the mild-mannered calm in his voice.

He's pulling his coat on as he talks, and heading out from his room into the hall.]

What's given freely is good, but it doesn't count for luxuries, so--

[Once in the hall he stops, looking confused. He turns around to look at his door: number 307 in Sigyn's Welcome Hall.]

...It moved.

[Here's a smirk you haven't seen in a bit, Asgard. Kon's been working hard, getting himself organized -- and the fruits of his labour are about to mature.]

Hey, Asgard! It's me, your resident super guy and my happening room-mate, Roxy -- say hi to the nice people, Roxy.

[The feed is directed to focus on Roxy. She holds up a hand, giving an idle wave]

What's up my Asgardian fellows? The residents of the newly-named 'Super Science' apartment have got one totally great offer for you,valid only for the coolest of the cool, aka. those of you that are our friends!

[The feed gets somewhat jostled as Kon tries to scoot himself into view without taking the feed off of Roxy. Tricky, but you don't become a teen-sensation without learning a thing or two about cameras (the being able to float himself upside down into view helps too).]

Friends of friends are cool too. We're flexible like that. Anyway, to this once in a lifetime chance my partner in crime here alluded to. We're introducing tecnophobes and those from worlds without the joy of daytime TV and other cultural institutions the chance to view highly rated visual media in the presence of two entertainment pros. AKA, movie night at ours.

Right! And for your viewing pleasure we've already selected a bunch of really great classics, full of suspenseful storylines and enough eye candy your eyes are gonna go diabetic, like, that will be a thing that actually happens. So what do you say?

When and where my instructors in the glorious art of tube surfing? The paid housing in Baldr 104, no fashionably later than tonight at 7. Remember, Asgard. There is no fail -- there is only get the hell over here to watch greatness in DVD format.

[Roxy leans forward, giving the camera a peace sign and a quick wink.] Be there or be square!

((ooc: Mingle Log! All welcome!))

[Here is a brown haired, blue-eyed teenage boy looking rather bored as he fiddles with the bracelet he is wearing.]

This is nothing like a computer. I can't even take this thing apart.

[He sighs longingly, still playing with the bracelet.]

Is there anything in the way of technology that I can play with? Perhaps...something not grey?

[There is no video to go along with this post, Asgard. Though some of you may recognize the voice that is speaking already. Some of you may even be lucky enough to know the name and even the face that goes with it.]

Um... hi Asgard?

[Geez, how do you even greet people like this?]

Listen... I finally got some alone time with the TV in the Heimdall welcome hall, and I found something out.

[Any hesitancy or nervousness the voice had before vanishes to be replaced by something else: Annoyance.]

It doesn't get any channels.

[The voice pauses as though realizing just how silly that seems to get annoyed about before continuing in a more apologetic tone.]

N-not that I'm complaining. Considering everything I've been told about this place, not being able to watch TV is the least of anyone's worries right now. I just want to know if there's any way to hook up some cable on the TV and maybe get some programming. And if not, does anyone know if there's a store in the city that sells the Space Heroes Season box sets on DVD?

[Yep. He did just ask that. Out loud. No regrets.]

That's all I wanted to know. Again, not a huge deal, but we all have our own way of unwinding right? And you can't train or be depressed all the time.

[He's about to end the recording, but he pauses as a thought occurs to him. His last thought is verbalized in a tone where it's hard to tell if he's joking or serious.]

But if this place doesn't have pizza, all bets are off.

[End feed.]

[The video turns on and Will is sitting outside. His jaw is set as he sighed softly.]

Death isn't easy to think about, especially if you've experienced it. I can't be the only one in this situation.

I have some questions for anyone who has died in their own world, or for anyone who knows someone who has come back from the dead.

( tl;dr under the cut! :) )

Ah, hello. I know it's been a while since I've used the network, so I'd like to introduce myself again. I'm Nina Fortner.

I know you've probably heard this warning before, but... please make sure to always wear your bracelet. I recently lost mine, and everything that's been said is true. [ Like a deep sleep, no feelings or awareness of her surroundings. It sends a chill down her spine. ]

I want to extend an invitation to everyone. If you ever need anything or if you'd just like someone to talk to, let me know. A lot has happened lately, and I'm sorry that I wasn't here to help. [ Her brow furrows with regret before her expression grows more determined. ]

But I'd like to change that now. I can be reached through the network, and I can also be found at the Hrafn Tea Room in the Odin District most of the time.

Thank you.

[ With that, she smiles gently and disconnects the video feed. ]

[ OOC: And I've finally returned from my hiatus, haha! D: Nina's recovered her bracelet and has been back from being lost since Day 182. She's researched the network to learn about what she's missed, and please feel free to assume that, if your character is friends with her, she contacted them to explain her disappearance and ask how they're doing before this post. If you'd like to rp this part, please respond here! :) Also, if anything important happened with your character that Nina should know about, could you please PM me or leave an OOC note? Thank you! ♥ ]

[ Hi, Asgard. I'm not sure how odd this picture is for most of you, but have some skinny guy with the most glorious mullet you will ever lay eyes on. Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie would be the best description, right down to the poor wardrobe choice. It doesn't help that he's already found Crowley's old bar and is posting from there, but at least he looks to be cheerful and well-settled. ]

Buenos dias, bitches. Now, apparently, if you're gonna go by Jo Harvelle's watch, I'm pretty damn late. I say her watch is a couple months too fast. Gods, man. No real sense of Earthly time.

[ He pauses to drain his glass of beer in a long, seemingly endless gulp. ]

No worries, though. Doctor Badass is in now. Party can really get started.

{OOC| That is, assuming Crowley's old bar is still in operation? It was on the list okay I do what I want.}

( introspection/set-up )

[ ANONYMOUS TEXT ]

What do you think it means to grow up?


[ Sometime later, audio: ]

( Locked to Sollux )

Hey. We should talk!


( Locked to Sam Winchester )

You around?

S'up, Asgard? Still 'Garding' that 'As'? I got good news for you -- Superboy, card-carrying superhero, here to help.

[The kid in the bright red-blue and yellow grins. He has a confidence all out of proportion to his spandex-clad frame, video feed positioned so that the 'S' on his chest is very obvious.]

Yeah, you're welcome.

Okay, granted I might not be exactly 100% super right now but it's cool. This kind of thing's happened to me before. It's usually either losing my powers or getting sucked through time and space, but we figure something out. Part of the gig, right? Day-saving, bad-guy beating, sheer un-adulterated panic -- you know the drill.

Anyway, looks like I'm a little late to the party so I'm going to skip the Q & A and leave the freaking out till later. Instead, let's get down to business and kick this party into high gear -- with an actual party.


WELCOME PARTY!

PLACE: BALDR WELCOME HALL IN BALDR.
TIME: NOW UNTIL LATE - WELL IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING ANYWHERE, RIGHT?
INVITED: YOU AND ALL YOUR HOT FEMALE FRIENDS.

Come on down, meet your fellow abductees, hatch an escape plan, hook up with someone new and exciting or simply give the noobs the benefit of your experience in As-garding. See you there!