[The image is very staged, as if the teenager had rehearsed and settled himself carefully. He's sitting down, with a notebook on his lap, and he smiles at the screen with his best friendly look. He's dressed very neatly, a sweater vest with a tie visible in the picture. A very plain metal bracelet hangs on his wrist, opposite the one with the communicator bracelet on it.]

Excuse me. This is a little awkward, but I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a strange situation.

[He holds his pen above his notebook, as if he might be about to doodle to help himself think.]

I've heard that I've been here before? I don't remember, so I want to talk to anyone who has had a similar situation, or those who might have known me before. For those of you who don't, my name is Gau, I live at Sigyn House, and I would love to hear anything useful you can tell me about people coming and going this way here.

[He clears his throat, unsure how to end the video, and finally settles for a small bow toward the screen, which if anything looks awkward.]

So, I trust we all had fun with our animal friends a week or so ago?

[Hey Asgardians, long time no see. Jacob smiles, looking amused in his new sweater that was given to him, along with six other sets of winter clothing, due to the fact that he was nice to a sheep. Asgard you sure do surprise him sometimes.]

I've even seen a few sticking around...which makes me wonder, are they appreciated? Animals in human lives, I mean. I know most children nowadays want a cat or dog to keep them company, but parents would probably shirk at the thought of keeping a more unusual animal, like a snake or raccoon.

Which is interesting really...in Egyptian times, animals were great symbols of powerful deities who shaped the world they lived in. Most of them even had animal heads- Anubis, god of the dead and embalming, had the head of a black jackal. Thoth, god of writing and knowledge, had the head of an ibis, which is a type of bird. Horus, the god with the head of a hawk, Bastet, a protective goddess with the head of a cat...I could go on and on.

But it is interesting how animals, on my world, are not held as sacredly as they were back then- except for examples like the Hindu treating the cow with reverence and other such cases, most people would not look at an animal and think "that is something I need to pay respect to."

How is it in your worlds, I wonder? Are some animals held in higher respect than others? And for what reason? I know that even some worlds have mythical creatures like dragons and unicorns...are those even considered special in a place in which a person sees them in their regular habitat.

[A pause, as his smile widens.]

I'm curious, Asgard.

Hi!

[Lyra is sitting in her room, judging by the neat bed just barely visible in the corner of the shot. Once she speaks, she straightens a bit more, conscious of now being recorded. Those who know Lyra may notice her more serious demeanor; she's smiling, she's cheerful, but her usual exuberance is reined in.]

I'm Lyra. I'm a Pokémon trainer, I live in Sigyn district, and the gods chose me to be in charge of making sure the it's protected. And I'll definitely do my best! But I can't do it all by myself--we're going to need a lot of people to help out to keep it all safe, especially since we've got the hospital in our district and that'll be really important, I think.

[Lyra shifts a little in her chair; she's never been one for sitting still for too long. Still, she continues.]

I'll take anyone who wants to help, even if you don't live in the district--as long as you can get here to watch over it, that's fine with me! Once we get some people together, we could all meet up and get to know each other so we can work together and sort out how we're going to do everything. If you don't want to use the bracelets to talk to me, I'll be outside of Sigyn house today. I hope I get to talk to a lot of you!

Oh--and the healers and people who work at the hospital, even if you guys don't want to work right in the watch, I'd like to talk to you guys to work something out with you to keep you all protected. If things get--really serious, you guys will be really important. Thank you!



[Lyra can also be found outside of Sigyn house as promised, if you would like to approach her in person. Aside from being recognizable from the video, she is also accompanied by her Lugia, which will certainly help her stand out in a crowd.]

[When the video starts, there's nothing more than the sharp rustling of leaves and labored breathing. Then, Rue's face appears, and even in the weak light of the early morning, her worry is visible, almost tangible through the screen.]

You should stay away from the park. [Her breath condenses in small wisps as she whispers.] The new animals in the city are normal...but I think they brought mutts, too.

[She fumbles with the bracelet until the screen shows the source of her panic: a few eight-legged horses pulling a carriage behind them.]

Be careful. What if they brought other kinds? [With that last warning, and another rustle of leaves, the video ends.]

[ good afternoon, Asgard! in a change of pace from Hilda's pattern of posts where bad things happen to her, she's actually sporting a large smile to the network. in fact, the girl looks like she couldn't be happier. why?

well, sitting down next to her is one (1) very large, blue otter-type thing. it gives a few sniffs to the screen, getting close to the camera before falling through the hologram. Hilda laughs and gives the creature a pat on the head as it sits back up, since it's shy smile makes it look like it lost just a bit of pride. ]

Guys, I want you to meet Samurott! He's a Water-type, and my starter Pokémon back in Unova. That means we've been partners since I started out as a rookie trainer - isn't that right?

[ Samurott nods, giving a low grunt of confirmation. ] He showed up in my room inside his Poké Ball the other day... do you think that means the Gods are gonna start letting us have more stuff from home? It'd be so amazing to have the rest of my team here with me! 

[ she wraps her arms around Samurott's neck, and it gives her a little nuzzle before she clicks off the feed. ]


( PRIVATE TO ALL POKÉMON TRAINERS; )

How 'bout you guys? Did any of your Pokémon show up, too?


[ACTION]

[ if you're hanging out by the lake in Gefion Park, you'll see Hilda and Samurott out on the water. she's riding his back quite contently, but he looks like he's enjoying the swim as well.  call out if you're curious! ]

Oh dear.

[ Lucy's face flickers into view, and of course, she is smiling. Though somehow she's covered in flour and a myriad of other baking supplies. She coughs, not realizing the bracelet is showing every comedic mishap she has gotten herself into.]

Why does this always happen?

[ She blinks up, flour smudged across her nose and she laughs, almost pathetically. ]

Does anyone know how to bake very well? I thought it would be nice to try and make something sweet to cheer everyone up with but... well.

If my brothers see this, they'll be so upset!

[ But she's grinning about this, and that may have definitely been a giggle and not a cough. ] I'm not sure who is up to the task, not after these long days but I just... I wanted to do something.

[Video/Action for Sigyn]

[The background is already shifting as she walks, her pace brisk. There are definite signs of crying - she's still sniffling, and hard as she may try, a few tears keep slipping down her cheeks - but she's trying hard to hide it as much as possible while she addresses the network.]

...I'll be at the hospital. If anybody... If you need to be healed, I'll heal you as soon as I can. And if you can't get to the hospital, I can come find you.

...I'm so sorry.

There's -

[ A cough. Not what he'd intending. One day, Arthur will appear before the city without looking horrible, I promise. Today is not that day, though he's looking considerably better than any that might've caught sight of him the day before or earlier this morning. Still pale and flushed, voice rough with soreness, but Arthur's a fighter through and through.

He's on the mend. He got better. ]

There's a cure - a treatment, rather. Both Dr Watson's clinic and the hospital have been working together to produce it; what we need now is to see it brought to those afflicted.

I have already asked much of you, and I fear I will do so again before this is through, but you are needed once more, Asgard. I ask any well enough to travel to meet me outside of the hospital. We must move swiftly, before it is too late.

[ A beat, and he looks at something just beyond the camera's feed for a brief moment. ]

It may also be - wise - to come armed, if you have them. While there's no immediate danger, we will always be met with conflict in a time of crisis. We have stood strong through every other; this one will be no different. Let Muspellheim know their petty tricks will not defeat us.

[ Or something like that. He has to stop and inhale deeply, try to steel himself. ]

For those of you that will join me, we depart within the hour.

[ ooc; this is the position three milestone post! the distribution log is ready and waiting for you over here, and it has handy dandy links to all of the other relevant posts for this plot!

for those of you that saw my ooc post (turned recruitment post awwyis) RE: building a formal army, this would be a good "in" for Arthur involving y'all in this DIY home project! but also not necessary. do whatcha do, asgard. ♥ ]

[ It's afternoon, Day 148, and people are dying.

Jasmine looks harried, eyes ringed with purple bags. One is bruised and blackened from a rock a native threw. But as she addresses the network from the quietest corner of the Yakuzen Clinic, she takes on the most authoritative, focused air she can muster and talks calmly and concisely, though not without obvious concern. ]

Asgard, regarding this illness. You've heard already it was from the canisters, but we can dwell on the motive later...what's important now is curing it.

We've been studying the patients' blood along with anything else that could help, and have started developing an immunisation. It should be ready later this evening, if all goes well, and enough patients begin recovering safely...

[ She looks down and up again, drawing in breath behind clenched teeth. She coughs once. ] I will not lie to you...this illness can be fatal. But if one gets through the worst stages they may yet live. This is why distributing this immunisation will be so vital. Quick treatment is needed!

Anyone with any transport at all, can you be counted upon to help distribute this to the travellers? I may have to go out myself...

And, uhm, please, if you feel any of these symptoms: a severe cough that may contain blood, dizziness, fever, nausea, a burn-like rash, or internal burning sensations, get to the hospital or clinic immediately. [ She stares for a while, very firm on that point. ]

I'll be here to answer any questions while Dr. Watson and the others work on healing and finishing up the immunisation.

[ Jasmine coughs again, and covers her mouth, obscuring the screen slightly. She looks at her hand. There's a trickle of scarlet. Her eyes widen and the broadcast ends. ]

(( ooc: this is the position two milestone post! ))

[ the bracelet feed clicks on to Hilda (as it should), but anyone who knows her or has even just talked to her once will know that something isn't right. aside from the surgical mask she has around her nose and mouth, her usual bright blue eyes that are filled with pep look much more downcast and tired. her brow is furrowed in worry, and she's not making much of an attempt to hide it from the network. ]

I know it's probably too early for it, and a lot of people are in the hospital and clinic trying to get better... but has anyone started to work on a cure for this yet? My healing powers are pretty strong, but they still aren't doi-

[ she's cut off by a weak rumbling noise coming from off screen. it's definitely something living, and whatever it is, it's in pain. she turns the camera away for a moment, only showing her boots and a strange patch of white feathers, though the audio still remains: ] I know... It hurts a lot. Just hang in there, I promise I'll find a way to make you better. 

[ and back to the feed. now she just looks distressed and just a bit panicked. ] Um... yeah. My powers aren't doing anything, no matter how hard I try. The hospital isn't really an option, because... the thing that's sick isn't human. But if anyone knows about any sort of medicine that might help, tell me! Even if it only works on people! Since-

I think I'm running out of time.

[ just the thought makes her go pale, but she turns off the feed before anything else happens. ]

[Alexis is sitting in the middle of the library, with a sizable stack of books sitting next to her. There's books about all kinds of things, from mythology and magic to history and philosophy. It's pretty clear that Alexis is in her happy place, though even this can't really replace what she left back home: that is, going to college and starting a new chapter of her life.

But as far as she is concerned, this could be worse. She has her dad, and he's got his friends (namely a certain detective), and at least they can be together.

After awhile of turning pages, Alexis closes the book she's reading and she stretches and yawns. A thought comes to her as she surveys the shelves upon shelves of books.]

Am I the only one here who actually misses school? [She knows she'll have to stop thinking about going to Columbia, at least for now. And maybe this will help her make new friends who think along the same lines that she does.]

[Video]
[So, there's a new face in Asgard who hadn't even bothered to do a bracelet post until now, which is apparent when the feed turned on.]

...

[Yeah, he's staring at it for a second or so, looking pretty awkward since what is interacting with strangers.It took him a few more minutes before he turned the feed off and didn't even bother with an explanation.]

[Action]

[Some of you might find that the stranger from earlier on is just loitering around the Thor District with a bored look on his face, looking at the buildings without even noticing anything else apart from their architecture, clearly this is grounds for someone to bother him at this time of the day...]

[At first Bianca wasn't sure if she was using the bracelet correctly. She was sure she followed the instructions but nothing is happening. After staring at it intensely for a couple of seconds, she figured it probably was working. If not, ...oh well]

Um...now that everything is over, I was hoping that maybe we can use something to make everyone happy! So I thought that we can play a game! I want to learn more about other people's worlds and in return, you get to know about mine!

One person says a word and the next person must say another word but the first letter must begin with whatever the last letter was! For example, if person one says "Psychic" the next person must say something that begins with the letter C. It could be anything ranging from Cat or Color or...something!

So I'll start off by saying Grass! Now you go!

[Pause] Um...if it's not too much trouble, I want to ask if there's anyone here who knows how to use a weapon...

[ Though directly addressing the network isn't her strong point, Jasmine appears on the feed today to try and get over her awkwardness towards doing so. She starts off a little quiet, however. ]

Good day, Asgard. It's me...Jasmine...again. Um, well...

[ She straightens up and looks directly into the camera. This has been getting easier recently. ]

I have two questions to ask. One is more serious than the other. So I'd like to do that first...

One. The curses affecting the city: does anyone remember them all? And if so, what order they were in, and how long they lasted? Also, some of them were definitely more wide-ranging, so we'd have to chart the severity...oh, I ask because mapping out all of the city-wide curses might help us predict when the next one occurs. It's just a thought.

[ She seems lost in thought for a moment, before almost shaking herself out of it and taking on a more cheerful tone. ]

And two...would anyone be interested in dinner or lunch? As a group, my treat. But, ah, not dozens and dozens of people! A reasonable size. I think we need it after these recent curses and body-switches. If you're interested, please let me know. Okay then...thank you.

[Rory appears on the screen for the first time in a long time, looking puzzled and a bit disoriented. And he's clearly just woken up, if the state of his hair is any indication.]

God, I swear I just lived an entire year of my life in one really complicated dream.

[He pauses, tipping his head thoughtfully to the side.] ...I died again. Twice. [Good god, Rory, again?] I punched--did I punch Hitler? I think I punched Hitler.

And Amy and--and she was--and River Song...[There's that distressed face, because it all felt so real, and he can remember every moment of it, and surely there's no such thing as an ordinary dream being that vivid.] Doctor, I think I need to speak with you. Bowtie you, not leather jacket or trainers you. Sorry.

{OOC| And Roranicus has now been canon-updated to the end of the 2011 Christmas special. He's a walking spoiler if you haven't seen series 6.:|}

How many of you knew of an "Asgard" before arriving here? Be it a place, a land, a person, a book, an animal race or something else. Fictional or real both apply.

To rephrase: Did the word "Asgard" exist and mean anything in your world, and if yes, what? Or did you encounter it first after being drafted to this place?

[Testing the waters and theories.]

[ It is, at first, unclear what is happening on the video feed. The picture is dizzying as the options are tinkered with, and a soft, hesitant voice can barely be heard. ]

...This bracelet...it's cold. I like it. The mechanics aren't that difficult to understand...

Oh...it's recording already? That's -

[ It switches off briefly. A few seconds later, a young woman in simple, demure clothing comes into focus, now looking more composed. ]

Hello...I was told this place is named Asgard. It seems many people have been taken here against their will. If there is anyone is from the Johto area out there, please let me know as soon as possible.

[ Her gaze drops. She's finished her prepared speech, and looks unsure what to say next. ]

Er...that is...I'm getting rather worried. I only have Rusty with me right now.

[ A W K W A R D pause. ] And, um, my name is Jasmine. A Gym Leader. By the way. Thank you.

[ The last words are cold and stilted, and she almost cringes at the change in herself. Way to make an impression! Standing up straight again, she shuts off the feed quickly. ]

This might sound sudden and I'm not really sure how many of you would take this, but...

[He needs to ask due to urgency.]

I would appreciate it if any of you could donate a spare pair of pants to Odin 102.

It's not me who needs it...it's just..

[Certain people should wear pants when they're being asked to.]

There's someone....[Not someone, it's Gai but he's too embarrassed to say.] Someone out there who doesn't know how to dress up properly and-

[Now this is just dragging on.]

They won't listen to me when I ask them to wear pants. I thought I might have the wrong size here and they aren't being cooperative.

In fact this person is..Inori's brother.

[That's a lie too.]

He's new here and if you could lend him a pair of pants it would help, so please.

[All of these lies.]

I've got a question for the people-countries here. Or the country-people. Is there something you prefer to be called? I don't want to be rude, but I still don't really understand everything about it yet.

[An urgent look.]

But Spain said that sometimes, when a country is gone, the person just disappears! Is that true? Is it like dying, or do they go somewhere else? It doesn't seem right, for a person to just disappear into thin air after existing. I mean, I know no one lasts forever, but that's different from going 'poof.'

If you could answer me, I'd really appreciate it. I want to understand more about this.

And do any of you know Japan? What's he like?