[The video begins showing an elegant, though clearly very powerful woman, who is looking at the camera quite seriously. Those in the know with pop culture should recognize her immediately, but even if you don't, she has a serious address for Asgard.]

I have found myself in alternate dimensions, upon other worlds, and standing amongst the gods, and this seems to be no different. That's not to say I do not accept the responsibility which these gods have asked, but I have learned far to often to never take things at face value. Especially when it concerns new and strange places.

This device will hopefully reach others in the same situation. To those of you that hear my message, I am Diana of Themyscira. I do not know from which world you hail, but perhaps you may better know me as Wonder Woman. I request information. I cannot be more specific, but I would gratefully accept anything pertaining to this situation beyond what was mentioned in the letter I received. This is especially pertinent since there seems to be... [She actually pauses, sounding slightly unsure] some contradiction. Regardless, I thank you for your time and for any help that you may be able to provide.

If this message reaches those who have brought us here, I would like to speak to you as well. I offer only good will and hopes for a peaceful meeting, as a champion of Kane Milohai, and formerly, as the champion of Athena.

[She bows her head, respectfully, then offers as a final note,]

May the wisdom of the gods guide us all.

[Bike-riding aside, Castiel usually only posts to the network when he has something important to say. He's about to break pattern, because while there are various things to address--like people exploding--none of that is currently as pressing as the situation he's found himself in.

Castiel had been napping at the kitchen table, minding his own business, until he'd been suddenly awoken by being generally uncomfortable. It had taken a moment to figure out why, but it's very obvious as he turns on the bracelet, looking not at all amused.

Massive black wings are partially visible in frame, folded against his back; the wrist joint is arcing almost a foot over his head, and though it's impossible to see at the angle, the tips of his primary feathers are just above the floor. His wingspan is probably a good fourteen feet.]

This is not amusing.

[He is so incredibly displeased. How had this even happened? He still looks just as annoyed, but slightly more uncertain as he asks his next question.]

Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

[Oh, hey, Asgard. Remember this girl? She may look eeriely similar to the one whose skull blew into a million pieces earlier in the day. Though, thankfully, her head seems to be fully functional and intact this time around.

You really wouldn't think she had any sort of traumatizing, life-threatening experience at all. She appears to just be sitting outside in Odin district, enjoying the late afternoon, perhaps during a rare dry spell, though one couldn't precisely tell which district it was unless asked or they happen to come across her. Once again the bracelet appears to be perched on some sort of surface; maybe a crate or something she dragged over. Rose herself seems to just be sitting on a bench, a body brush in one hand and what appears to be a washcloth in the other.

And why? Simply to care for her beautiful pony, it seems. It's docile enough to stay still as she runs the brush through its coat, particularly over several blotchy, pinkish spots on the otherwise unblemished hide.

After a moment, she turns to the camera. Smiles, like the entirety of Asgard didn't witness her death only that morning.]

I hear soap and cold water are effective measures in reducing the discolorations bloodstains bring. Do any of you think such attempts would prove fruitful on horsehide, or shall I open the forum to other propositions?

Also, suggestions as to where I may shelter this fine equine specimen would be appreciated. As convenient as it is, I don't imagine I can leave her tied to a post outside the Odin house until the remainder of my days within the confines of this city have been spent.

[The location of this feed is instantly recognisable. You'd think Asgard had seen enough of the hospital for one week ... but no, here we go, another hospital post this time courtesy of one tiny detective, still stuck in bed albeit looking decidedly better than he has been.]

Ne ... you know if you talk to the new arrivals that the gods haven't changed the letter they give us any! It still is all about restoring colour, nothing about Ragnarok, or cupcakes or possibly being attacked by faeries or friends. And Wendy-san said maybe we should have a welcome wagon. And since my books got confiscated and I'm stuck in bed still, I thought I'd get that started! It's not an actual wagon of course. That would be weird. It's a guide to Asgard kind of like the document Sam-san compiled about the gods!

I want to make sure I don't miss anything so let me know if there's anything you want to be certain is in it! I'm going to compile it all here As you can see, it's just an outline right now ... so let me know if you want to write about a certain part or you have an idea for something I should add!

Um ... I think that's all ... oh, if the nurses ask, I'm being really good and resting, okay? Okay.

[Well hello, everyone! At about noon, one of your Gods has appeared in front of you again, cheerfully addressing the network from a nicely furnished living room somewhere (the decor matches the castle, perhaps?) Loki is completely chill about this, nowhere near as uptight as Odin was.]

Hey there, Travellers! This is your captain speaking. One of them, anyway. The name's Loki.

Are you having a good time? How about a miserable one? Either way, we hope you're not bored. The whole point is to keep you going, isn't it? The more you laugh and cry, the better the city gets. Have you noticed yet? It's working. Some things are getting pretty colourful by now, so we really have to thank you a little.

Good thing it's a special time anyway. See, it's the first day of Spring, so for our little world of Yggdrasil, it's the beginning of a new year! Welcome to year 416 of the Last Era, everyone!

To celebrate, to get the year off on a good leg, and to thank you, we'll be allowing another little Q&A here. You can ask us whatever you want as long as you follow a few rules.

One, we don't have to answer repeat questions. We might, but if you're all asking us the same thing we aren't going to explain it over and over. That's boring, and I'm sure you're all perfectly intelligent enough to look at the answers we give other people.

Two, we don't have to answer stupid questions. Self-explanatory, right? If you're repeating a stupid question you're breaking two rules, so don't do that. You might end up regretting it.

Three, you're not entitled to answers we aren't ready to give you. If you can't handle hearing "no", we just won't argue with you.

Simple, right? Now for one last thing, here's a couple of questions you can answer for me, if you want to.

How would you like it if we socialized more? Would it make you more or less comfortable?

Also, what's the #1 thing you think this city is lacking?

Ready? Go.


[OOC NOTE: The mods will OOCly be following the gods' IC rules. This means that if your comment gets skipped we aren't mad at you, it's just that we are all people with limited time too. ;)

This is also the post that will trigger the proving a point plot. If your character was chosen (the list is below), they should comment here asking about their powers. If you don't have time to do so, you're welcome to handwave that they asked and it was ignored, but characters who didn't ask won't be punished. If you were chosen and changed your mind about participating at all, it's fine to just not do it (it doesn't have to be an exact 10 that die), but if you want us to find an alternate, PM us asap so we can do so.

Now for the 10 victims, we chose 5 with more mental powers and 5 with more physical, and tried to pull from the biggest variety of canons as possible. The characters chosen to die are as follows:

Dying from physical powers: Buffy Summers, Cheriour, Dante, Rin Okumura, & Ririchiyo Shirakiin

Dying from mental powers: Charles Xavier, Kainé, Rose Lalonde, Shiki Ryougi, & Sweden

Characters chosen can die anywhere from now til March 31. It honestly doesn't matter if it all happens in the next few hours or if they're all at once on March 31, so don't agonize too much over timing. Just have with it. Check the linked plot info for more details! :)]

[Zack's sitting in his room, and on the desk, close to him are some potted bright yellow flowers. They almost seem to glow with warmth, though there's nothing magic about them. They're exactly what they seem.]

Back where I'm from, we don't have this "Ides of March" story I heard some people talking about. Sounds like it's about a leader from some other world.

I sure am grateful to the gods for the history lesson, but I don't care to play games with people's lives and safety. To get loyalty, you have to give it. I'll gladly fight for a good cause, a good leader. If we're supposed to be fighting a war for them, why would they stab their own soldiers? [He laughs. The sound's a little rueful, a little cold, but a moment later, he glances briefly toward the flowers, and then his expression softens.]

That's a rhetorical question. It's not that I don't know that happens all the time, but I don't want to be a part of it. Do the "right" thing, you get a reward, do the other, you get it in the neck. [He's been there.] Are we not feeling enough emotions for them on our own, so they have to stir us up more?

Now look, I like getting presents from home as much as the next guy, but not at the cost of someone else getting hurt. I don't think the people we've left behind, the ones some of us got mementos of, would want that either.

Doesn't sound like the gods are out there listening to us, but if they are, I wish they'd at least explain, whether they're responsible or not. What do the rest of you think about it?

The events of the last few days have made it rather clear to me that we need to sharpen the survival instincts of some of our people. All the better to avoid injuries like the ones we've had, lately.

[Johnny is currently broadcasting from his window, looking out into the night. He stops for a moment to take up his shikomizue, opening the scabbard just enough to show a hint of the sword within.]

As successor to the Unchou Shihan Iai style of swordsmanship, it's my duty to offer my services to those that need them. Training that will consist not only of basic self-defense, but the exercises necessary to cope with pushing your body through a long haul of combat or physically taxing labor. I'll even break my rule of only teaching girls, and open the offer up to the far less fair gender. I'm sure some of you have already engaged in least some kind of open training, I know I'm not the only polished fighter here.

Those of you who CAN fight and choose not to pass on your knowledge, I suggest you get over your issues and get to it. To have the power and knowledge, yet not be willing to help others survive is an egregious sin, and I'll be more than willing to pound that fact into your thick heads.

[He hops to his feet, removing his sunglasses dramatically and gazing intensely into the camera.]

I see that some of you lament your lack of power, thinking your ability is "useless". Never think that you're useless, or that your power can't help others. All of us have been blessed with unique gifts. This place has taken from us with one hand, and given with the other. Refine your control and show our captors that you're determined to forge a path, no matter what the circumstances are!

[ The video turns on, and a delighted-looking young girl in a flamboyant show outfit appears on the screen. She appears to be somewhere in Freya district, lions prowling in the background. ]

This bracelet is soooo prettyyyy! [ She jangles it back and forth, apparently jumping in place, shaking the screen. After a while, she composes herself. ] Asgard, right? I hadn't heard of an 'Asgard' before. It's kinda grey...could do with some razzle-dazzle!

But the lions are so adorable. I saw some people running away from them; are they always here? Silly-billies, you just need to know how to handle them. I'm Regina, by the way! If you need a lion-tamer, just call me and I'll be really, really happy to help! [ A giggle. ]

And if anyone's seen a circus in town, let me know. They'll be waiting for me. Moe's making stew for dinner, and you know what they say...it's stew-pendous.

[ She wanders around a bit more, looking more than a little lost and cooing at the lions, before the video flickers out of life. ]

[Hello, Asgard. We interrupt your creepy old man, owl and lion woes to bring you this.... thing. This trolling thing. Vanitas has had a few days to peruse the educational material Euri lent to him--enough time to get to the first sex scene and promptly laugh himself hoarse.

Oh, but this is too good to keep to himself. Way, way, way too good.

It's hard to miss this video of Vanitas sitting calmly in a chair somewhere in Hel's house, one leg crossed casually over the other with a book in his hand. There's an eerie little smile on his face, as he opens it with no lead-in, and starts reading aloud in a very even tone.]

The Treasure or the Trophy, Chapter seven. Page sixty three.

( Cut for NSFW of the trashy romance novel variety )

[He makes it through without a hint of laughter, or flinching. Just dry, and a little amused. Once he gets there, Vanitas abruptly stops, and closes the book.]

So, this is what it's all about? Stupid... How do you guys keep from laughing yourselves to death?

I tried to tell the doll lady without the face that if the “gods” - air quotes go here - want services they gotta submit a request to the office or at least turn up to look through pamphlets and get forms stamped and the first of those ain't really my job. But eh. Whatever, I have a question.

An important question.

If we're guests do we get free amusement park tickets, or do we have to pay?

[When Sazh starts up the video feed, he's walking around the Freya welcome hall's main floor, trying to get a good look around now that's he's finally fully acknowledged the fact that he's here to stay.

He absentmindedly rubs the back of his head as he searches for something to say.]

This place isn't all that bad. [Which is true, even though his expression is less than cheerful as he says that. So far it looks like trying to be positive about this whole thing really isn't going to work out for him. He's in the middle of a sigh when a small yellow bird emerges from his afro and flies out of view of the feed.

Sazh follows the bird with the camera by turning the bracelet as it flies towards the spiral slide.]

Don't get any ideas now. There's no way I'm going to use that thing. [The bird chirps in response as Sazh shakes his head.] Yeah, yeah. I get that you think it'd be fun, but can you really see an old man like me making it down that thing? [There's another series of chirps from the bird and this time Sazh nods.] Right. Can't be getting sidetracked now, can we?

[Sazh turns his attention back to the screen, looking at it intently as he focuses the camera back on him. Now it’s time for the real reason why he started this broadcast.]

Now, have any of you out there heard of a kid by the name of “Dajh”? Whether you have or not, let me know. Dajh is my son, and if he’s out there I need to find him as soon as possible.

[He rubs the back of his head again.] … Thanks in advance.

[The feed goes black as Sazh shuts it off.]

[The video clicks on with a blond hair girl wearing a black school uniform, looking rather perplexed. A bracelet that could record things? She might be a living weapon as it were, but a magical bracelet like that is rather preposterous!

It's a moment before she says anything, as if trying to remember her reason for turning the bracelet on.]

I seem unable to bring up any data on this city on my own. The streets and buildings look nothing like what was in Iwatodai. [The locals, the maids back in the Welcome Center didn't seem all that informative to Aigis. Helpful and strange with their lack of faces, but not in the way she was hoping for.]

If anyone could offer some information, or... [Her thoughts immediately fly over to SEES. Would they be here? But why would they be here?] knows of an organization called SEES, or even about these owls here... please. I'd be grateful to know where I am.

[And her reason for being here.]