[The man in the video looks to be somewhere in his forties, with a strong nose and dirty blonde hair. He has a puzzled smile on his face, which broadens into something genuinely friendly after a few moments.]

Ah- is this working?

[ good morning, asgard. aren't we looking lovely this fine day? today, claudia greets the network, looking a little thoughtful, and tapping a ballpoint pen against a table. the ink is pink. no, she hasn't used this one the most! gosh. (except for how she totally has.) there are more pens on the table, too: black, blue, green, red. one of those might be purple... someone sure raided an officemax. ]

Do you think, when we leave, the gods will allow us to take some things home with us? I know I have joked about the television and microwave, but the pens they have — so much more convenient! I don't have to dip. And the ink doesn't bleed or smudge!

[ most assassins hide knives in their clothes. claudia hides pens. ]

[ It's not unusual. The video just opens on a face: nose, freckles, green eyes the brightest of pretty, muted features and darting nervously back and forth. But anyone in the area may notice the trail of blonde hair leading from somewhere in the middle of the park up into one of the tallest trees where Rapunzel is sitting, relishing her surroundings and hiding at once. ]

So… Is — This is working, right? I mean - I've never really used a bracelet to talk to other people before and - [ she laughs nervously, toys with her hair ] Actually. I've never really talked to other people before in general. It's kind of — Well - [ sigh ] I just really have to ask and - [ she winces ] Sorry.

I need to know if anyone's seen a chameleon around. My chameleon. Well - my friend who is also a chameleon. His name's Pascal. And this is his first time outside too so if you could do me an amazing favor and send him to…Freyr House I think the person said? Or just - return him? My name is Rapunzel and… I would be extremely grateful.

[ And then the brilliant speech segues into a faint half-smile, a smile that eventually freezes as something occurs to her and, feigning bravery, she narrows her eyes, scowling to say loftily: ] But if anyone finds him and doesn't give him back? Or - Or they try and hurt him? I. Will hurt you. Because uh - I have a frying pan? And I am so not afraid to use it.

[ beat ]

Al…so. What's - a god?

[ooc; all-day driving, but tags will come later!]

[Out of sheer curiosity, Sebastian has stepped through the Gate of Fog, guns in tow. He never expected to be transported back home, but he expected to find something a little more exciting on the other side.

N O P E.

Sebastian is usually quite good at masking just what an angry man he truly is, but now, as he stands in the empty grass field beyond the gate, he is absolutely snarling. It isn't that he's upset that he isn't home. It's that the woods are entirely too tame and safe for his tastes and there's nothing worth shooting and he expected so much more from gods who explode peoples' heads for sport and he's so bo-o-ored.]

If you were interested in knowing, there's absolutely nothing out here. [Apparently not, because he turns and shoots a rabbit out of sheer spite. It's not what he's looking for, okay

So, the rest of you should come out and play, then. [He accentuates that subtle little threat by cocking the rifle in his hands.] Come and join me. I'll be waiting.

{OOC| No, no, he isn't actually going to shoot anyone. He'll find himself magically out of ammunition of anyone else appears. Unless you'd like to volunteer yourselves to be victims of his boredom.:|}

[After reading her letter and talking with the maid, Nina wastes no time using the bracelet. She still can't believe that she magically arrived in a new world, but she soon overcomes some of her shock.

It takes Nina only a moment to discover how to activate the bracelet and start recording. However, when the screen materializes, her eyes widen in astonishment. Although she's used to technology in her world, nothing is as advanced as this.

There's a brief pause before she speaks. She sounds relatively calm for just arriving, but she still has a somewhat strained and incredulous tone to her voice.]

Hello, my name is Nina. I was told this was another world, no matter how hard I find that to believe.

I still can't believe that this isn't some sort of strange dream... I don't even remember going to sleep. [She seems reflective for a moment, and she glances at something unrecognizable in the distance before her gaze returns to the screen.]

How did we get here? Has anyone tried to leave or left successfully? There must be a way out. [The last sentence is said with absolute determination. She can't stay. She has responsibilities at home, and she finally started her life again from where she's left it.]

And I don't understand what this letter means... "You have been chosen by the gods to bear the honorable task of restoring colour and life"? Everything looks quite colourful to me. Is it a joke?

I would appreciate any information. Thank you.

[OOC: During her conversation with Zack, Nina learned how to use the video function, which she will use in her responses to everyone. :)]

( [Added later:] )

[When you open up this particular video feed, for a minute there's nothing but the sound of shallow, panicked breathing. Though her situation was explained to her and this is by far a better outcome than what she was certain awaited her in the orphanage, this was still a deeply troubling experience for her. She's spent too long waking up in unfamiliar places to feel completely at ease with this sudden change in events. Spending the past few minutes fumbling with her bracelet didn't appear to calm her down from her near-hysterical state.

There's several more deep, steadying breaths, as if gearing herself up to talk. After a moment, the soft voice of a young British woman comes out in a trembling, feminine pitch.]

H-hello? Can...can anyone hear me? [The maid said this was how it worked, but...she's been purposely given faulty directions before. It takes a toll on you after a while.

But never mind that, there are more important matters at hand. Such as-]

I...I'm not certain who can hear this, but...has anyone seen my dog? He answers to Brown and he's really quite friendly, so...I'm sorry if he troubles anyone, but...please, don't hurt him.

I beg of you.

[Waking up in an unfamiliar place? No problem. That's what she's been doing in more hostile environments for....god, it feels like months.

Waking up without her dog anywhere in sight? That's a cause for panic.]

Um...I'm Jennifer, so...if you see him, just...tell me, please. [The poor girl sounds like she's setting herself up for an execution by giving out her name]

I'm sorry for the trouble. And, um...

...Thank you.

[When the video clicks on, a woman with vibrant red hair (no, seriously, it’s red. The colors of Asgard look pale compared to this woman's hair) and a matching dress (if you can, you’ll recognize it as the height of fashion from ’88. 1888) comes into focus. She smiles a bit, at once friendly and slightly dangerous]

Well! This certainly isn’t what I expected upon waking up to a bright light. I don’t suppose someone would be willing to help a lady out, hm? That maid—if you could call her that—was most unhelpful and not at all polite, to say nothing of the fact that she's apparently a horrible liar.

[Seriously. Does this world look gray to you?]

And if someone could direct me to this “Loki” gentleman, that would be lovely. I have some questions for him that I believe need answering.

[For someone who was just taken from her home, she’s alarmingly calm and composed, beyond that normally expected of Englishwomen of the time.]

[ hello, asgard! Have one anonymous post! ]

Who is the most attractive person in Asgard?

Discuss.

[ feel free to threadjack, anon, ect. Irene will be replying to everyone! Probably anonymously. ]

[ The video feed cuts in on a blur of something flying at a wall, and promptly shattering. ... was that an eight ball?

There's a very angry teenage alien behind it. Vriska ... usually manages to keep her cool. If she does get angry, she'll cool off pretty quick, or hide it, or ... do something about it. But there's nothing to do. Not after something like this.

And isn't that always the case? Vriska does something wrong, Vriska says something wrong, someone gets hurt, someone starts crying, someone starts pointing fingers, and all her good intentions mean fucking nothing when some weakling wiggler starts vomiting up feelings about how meeeeeeeean she was! How awful! How cruel! What a bitch!

With a shout of rage Vriska throws more breakable shit at the wall, and it cracks and ruins very nicely. Shards fly everywhere. She doesn't seem appeased.

The view is strange -- it seems like she tossed her bracelet on her bed, and it contacted something hard and switched on. And now all of Asgard gets to see her furious rampage, the moment when she's finally had enough. Months of being on edge - months of trying so, so hard to change, to actually do something right for maybe the first time in her life - months of scorn, of ridicule, of abandonment from people she cared about, trusted, thought of as friends - months of holding it all in, trying not to care, trying to be fine, pretending to be great and strong and perfect, have finally come to this. ]

Why the fuck is it always my fault? Every single time I try to help someone! Oh no, Vriska, you're being so cruel again! WHAT A BITCH! Like we expected any less!

[ She throws more shit. A chair, this time. Much to her dissatisfaction, it doesn't break. ]

Why doesn't anyone ever get it? Why is it always me? Haha, I fucking know why! Because it's EASY! Because I'm the target! I'm always the awful cruel stupid troll who does everything wrong and everyone hates me because-- because who better to hate, right?! The stupid idiot who maims her friends and-- I didn't do anything wrong! For once! But it's still going to be my fault! I try to do something nice and it backfires and it's going to be my fault again! No matter what I do I'm always wrong, always bad, always selfish, always fucking up somehow!

No one ever believes me.

[ She finally, finally stops, seemingly exhausted, dropping to her knees and just staring at the floor. There's a cut on her cheek slowly dripping blue blood down her skin.

... wait, she's not done. Because she picks something up -- another eight ball? where is she getting these? -- and chucks it at her window, hard, and the glass cracks. ]

Stupid Terezi. Stupid Aradia. Fuck this.

[ ... and then, finally, having raised her eyes, she notices the holographic screen. And her eyes widen in horror. No one, no one, not ever, not while she still breathed, was ever supposed to hear anything like that.

Because she's Vriska Serket. And Vriska Serket doesn't lose her cool, and doesn't get upset, and never shows weakness. Not fucking ever.

Three seconds later the feed cuts with a sharp crack! of sound as she throws her bracelet at the window, too. ]

As things are proceeding smoothly, this seems as good a time as any. How unfortunate that I wouldn't be able to open sooner, with all of the fuss about the Ides. Ah, well.

[The shrug is evident in his voice, clear that he doesn't actually care at all, so he continues without much of a pause] In roughly two to three weeks time, I will be opening a bar and lounge, called Lux. It will be a more pleasant alternative to Sky's Prize, which is entirelly too Norse for my tastes. Besides offering a wider variety of drinks, it will also offer live entertainment nightly. Naturally, this means that I'm seeking employees.

[And the feed switches to text]
( cut not IC )

( private to Johan Liebert )

((ooc: Basically, you can respond to this post with questions about Lux, or if a character fills out an application, he'll interview them/have them audition. If you have any questions, let me know! If your character applies for either, please fill out an OOC application! The regular employee's is here and the entertainment's is here. This is just the IC equivalent, but I need the OOC one to keep track.))

[Nakama's just entering her room when she turns the video feed on, looking pretty well neutral. She's got her cloak on, so she was just outside, and her work bag is slung over one shoulder.]

Hello, everyone. I just wanted to ask -

[And then her voice gets caught in her throat as her gaze lands on the desk in front of her. It's impossible to see what's caught her eye with the current angle of the video, but her eyes quickly widen and well up with tears, and her voice is a hoarse whisper when she speaks again.]

...mom...

[She drops her bag and runs over to the desk, grabbing an ornate silver picture frame too quickly for viewers to see the picture inside and clutching it to her chest, her knees giving out under her. She periodically holds it away to look at it, then clings to it again, as though terrified it might disappear just as it appeared. Then she turns her bleary, tearstained face back up to the camera, wearing a watery smile.]

I - I don't know who did this, or how, but - thank you.

There's been talk amongst my coworkers at the carnival that the ghosts have been gettin' restless as of late. A dangerous one in particular, I've heard, has decided to come out of hiding, too.

Have any of you guys ever heard of the urban legend about the Face Snatcher from the locals? I suspect it's only been brought up as of recently since strange things have been happening... Anyway, this is how the legend goes, for those of you who have yet to hear the tale!

( non-ic cut for an original Claire Stanfield urban legend! )

So, with that bein' said, I think this warrants a little warning to all of you. Be careful going to the Carnival at night and make sure to cover your face when you sense a dark presence afoot, all right? And remember, if you so much as peek, you'll be torn to shreds before you can even shut your eyes again! [His tone takes on a more light-hearted air.] I'm around sometimes on the job, but I can't promise I'll always be there to help when help's needed!

Hope this excited you guys just as much as it did me!

((ooc: TL;DR Claire will be working at the carnival at night from now on and will be fulfilling the role of the Face Snatcher. He won't necessarily kill anyone, but he'll be trolling the shit out of groups/loners who like to go to the carnival at night. I'LL BE SETTING UP A LOG SOME TIME NEXT MONTH???))

[She noticed a while ago that Asuka's name was gone from the contact list. And she's even tried sending messages to her regardless of the fact that they don't really go through.]

( [Asuka; technically private] )

[The bracelet is a harsh mistress and is turned on without Hikari knowing. And its not a really good moment for her. She's looking kind of numbly at the door of a room in the Baldr Welcome Hall There's no name on it anymore, so that fills the silent moment with over a thousand words worth of an explanation.

When she notices her bracelet is on and recording, ahhhh starts and freaks out a bit because she didn't know and she didn't want- But she can't do anything about the situation, the bracelet's recording and she's got to turn it off now. But first, apologize, politely!]

Ah... I'm sorry! [bows with a pretty far-away expression] The bracelet turned on without me knowing. I'll turn it off now.

[At that, shuts it off.]

...Looks like the natives're getting restless.

[It's an odd thing to open a conversation with, and unfortunately Vanitas isn't going to fully explain what he means. After a small pause, though, his voice picks back up.]

So, question. How do we know they're not all flipped-out crazy, and that by 'bringing life back' to this place, we aren't just waking them all up?




Lastly, where can I get small grubs? [This last part's said slightly begrudgingly, 'cause he knows a certain someone might be listening.]

I have a proposal for all of you.

[Lucifer is seated casually, his hand propped up lightly by his hand. Immediately, any sane person should be wary, because a proposal for the Devil sounds like a danger. Yet, after a deliberate pause, what he says will likely be a surprise.]

This city is poorly lacking in a bar and lounge up to standard. Sky's Prize seems to be the main venue, yet it's far too Norse for my tastes. And I imagine most people who haven't already drunken themselves into a stupor.

I'm interested in establishing a bar and lounge here. One that is, as you would imagine, suited to higher tastes. I'm gauging interest in this, but also in potential employees and entertainment. The bar that I ran in Los Angeles was notable for its live entertainment, and I would like to continue the tradition. Jazz would be especially suited to the atmosphere, though I am willing to hear auditions from all sorts of performers.

How does the saying about idle hands go?

[He sits back with an uncharacteristic smile, as if this is just an idle amusement to him. He has a greater picture in mind, but for now, a place to establish himself in the city is a good starting point.]

Surprisingly, your feedback is appreciated.

[When the feed starts there are two people visible, Euri and Shu. Euri has a forced look of determination on her face, even though she's fidgeting slightly. She's never used the video option before due to her appearance, so this is uncomfortable. Even moreso considering the subject they're going to be focusing on is one that terrifies her.]

Hey, all you assholes! Listen up! We've got something important we need to tell you all!

[Unlike Euri, Shu looks uncertain. He's over complicating things in his mind and he's second doubting himself. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.]

Assholes? Euri, you should be more polite. You can't go around calling people assholes.

[She does have a point though.]

I apologize for her behavior everyone. [Pause.] Um...I would appreciate it if you all took the time to listen to us speak.

There's something dangerous out there that I think you all deserve to be aware of.

[Euri rolls her eyes and hisses back quietly.]

They won't listen if we don't get their attention!

[Then she raises her voice.]

Yeah! There's a vampire out there named Diva who's been attacking people! [She nudges Shu in the side expectantly.]

That doesn't mean we should be rude about it.

[He thinks he's the last person people would listen to. At least Euri is here to bail him out.]

I know it sounds a little scary and sudden, but what Euri is saying is true. I was one of her victims.

[As proof, he'll show the injuries he received from Diva that night. They're bite marks located around his neck. Gross.]

I'd like it if all of you took the time to consider what we're saying. Really think about it.

[Good boy, Shu. Having evidence really helps their claim.]

Not just that! If you see her, kill her! At this rate she's going to kill someone.

Everyone, please be careful. This isn't something you should joke about.

We're talking about innocent lives here. Diva is far from innocent. That's all we need to say. Excuse us.

[The feed turns off.]


[ooc: the red font is euri and the green font is shu o/]