[Something special must have happened, because look who it is!

It's Szel, finally fully accompanied on screen with Midge, the massive, three foot long cockroach lightning bug mix comfortably seated on his masters shoulders, golden red eyes the size of dinner plates locked unblinkingly on the screen.

Szel, for once, looks cheerful, all pep and energy for perhaps the first time anyone's ever goddamn seen publicly.]

What an interesting few weeks this has been!

Did we ever find Grell? I've been moderately keeping up with that, to an extent. My schedule has been very full lately, but I've done my best to stay on the up and up.

Someone tell me we found her.

I need to know who thought it would be a good plan to kidnap a Guardian. I need to know what stupid looks like, up close and in person.

I'm going to guess that, from the lack of outraged, self righteous screaming on the network, that her husband didn't actually burn anyone alive.

... Yet.

Burn anyone alive yet.

Yet.

Not that I'm making any demands here, not even a suggestion, consider this an open brainstorming session, slash poll.

Raise your hand if you think Marco should set someone on fire.

"Ordis, report." There was no response. "Ordis?" Still nothing. The only thing she could hear was the strange humanoid hologram informing her that she had been kidnapped. Though, fortunately, it didn't seem to be Alad V's doing this time. People would get a brief flash of a metal, eyeless face with a large crest before the device was quickly hung up. She didn't really want to give her presence away in a new world but- well what was done was done.

The Tenno of Naramon stepped out of the bay, device in hand, the necklace wrapped several times around one wrist. Her primed Nyx had been modeled into the Nemesis pattern and was decorated with gold and the twisted bones of Sentients along with a two pronged cape. Next to her head hovered a blue orb-shaped robot with two 'feet' dangling down below it. Armed with a shotgun, some sort of side arm, and a sword, she stopped, lowering herself a little bit as she looked out across the oddly primitive city that she was now facing. "At least transference is holding. But where am I? It doesn't look like the void..." Talking to oneself was a bad habit but it was one she had picked up a long time ago and she wasn't about to stop.

She tapped one clawed finger against her sidearm several times before tenatively straightening up. There was only one thing to do to get to the bottom of this and it would be better to not accidentally shoot someone helpful in the face.

[video]

I believe I am getting the hang of Genessia. The streets are nicely organized, but...

What is this I have heard about kidnapping? Is it safe for me to be alone here?

Mayfield did not have kidnapping, usually. Unless it was playing mean pranks on us.

... And what are subarchways? I keep hearing about them. Has anyone made one before...?

[action - general]

[Rika is generally wandering the cities over the next few days. You can find her mostly in Attleton, Nova City, Everglade, and Genessia. She sometimes stops in front of the archway to Fayren, but is too scared to pass through. She might stand out because of the way she keeps stopping in front of establishments and staring for suspicious amounts of time.]

[anon text]

Are there any witches here?

[Video]

[A young woman with red tangled red curls plastered wetly to one half of her face furrows her brow at the screen, holding it a little too far from her.]

This thing actually work?

[A beat, and her frown deepens.]

Guess I just answered my own question.

[Click! Aaaaaand she's gone. That's it? That's it.]

---------------

( The Full Story (Action Prompts) )

[she's standing in a shop filled with motorcycles because it looks cool and poses with one hand on her hip and the other pointing straight at the camera]

Hey, everyone! Listen up! Today is an important day! Do you know what that is? [she pushes down her thumb like shooting a gun and even says 'ban!' as she jerks her hand up] It's international woman's day! And that counts for this place too!

That's right, women can be anything from astronauts, to doctors, to scientists and soldiers, kindergarten teachers and even luchadoras if they want! Women, and girls, can do anything that men can do because we are strong and we are tough and we are determined.

[she flexes both arms]

Ladies, remember you can do anything you want and don't let anyone tell you you can't!

Guys, you better respect your ladies or I, Yuuki Miaka, am gonna come over there and punish you!

You got that?! Good!

Have a great day!

[and here is the massive shark man himself, grinning at the device! his smile was bright, oh so bright, and it was sparkling even! he balled his hands into fists as he started to speak up.]

Hello everyone! How are you all doing today?! I have a question, or an announcement, rather! My good friend Link and I have decided to have a party some time soon at our apartment! It's a boat of sorts, and it sometimes goes out for a little cruise!

Now, perhaps it would be better for all if we had this party when it got warmer. I understand humans cannot withstand the cold waters all that well! So... I am just letting you all know, please come to our party in the near future! I know you all will enjoy yourself! I will personally see to that!

[sidon as a host? wowow.] What sort of activities would you like to see, or do even, at parties?! I simply like to talk to people, but I know everyone is different! Let me know, please!

... Dude, where's my truck?

[This was, in fact, an accidental post. Lewis, being a bit on the peeved side, sort of might have just accidentally set off a few electronics within his general radius.

There's a car alarm going off (clearly, not his truck) a few security cameras in the background malfunctioning magnificently in a brief shower of brilliant pink sparks, and apparently, his communicator, which had clicked itself on with a brief jolt of energy, the image on the screen tinted magenta.

So yes. There's a skeleton on screen, looking about as cross as a skeleton with no lower jaw can possibly look. He hasn't actually noticed what he's done to his communicator, shooting a look at the car going off instead.]

C'mon, I just got that truck! How do you even misplace a whole peterbuilt?

This is bullshit.

[UPDATE FIVE MINUTES LATER]

Okay, uh I didn't know this was on, uh... quick question. Let's say you're already dead, and you lived a pretty good life, and then you died and uh... stole a truck.

... Can you go to Hell for postmortem crimes?

I, Emerald Sustrai, have a confession to make.

[ This looks like such a serious video, but then she turns it on an open window. This is no normal window as, for those who don't know, Emerald lives in the SkyHouse Network located tens of thousands of feet in the sky. She moves toward it, slowly as she approaches the edge, carrying the video with her and setting it on the ledge. ]

There's a bird's nest up here and I think the babies are kind of cute so I'm going to film it as part of my "Emerald tries to be less of a jerk" campaign. People like sharing cute stuff.

[ She sounds uncertain about it, a little nervous. Which is understandable, she's stepping onto the outer ledge of the window, carefully balancing as she scoots on the edge. It's a few feet away, and she gets down to the nest and kneels down and then...

Her foot slips, and she lets out a scream, and then she falls off the ledge and the video is just of some baby birds tweeting in a nest.

(ooc note: she has a parachute and will respond with locked responses after about an hour IC time, public responses after about a day. she's just being an asshole and thought it would be funny to scare the hell out of people. anyone in Nova might see a parachute shoot up in the sky and she'll be using her abilities as a huntress to land it despite that it's in the middle of a city. it's not visible bc it's some nova city advanced super sleek parachute, which doesn't do much besides be less bulky so it's easy to hide. no emeralds were harmed in the making of this video.) ]

[Video/Action/Around the city]
[The day Claude arrived in this new world, it was chilly and isn't spring yet. After he left the bay, he studied what the hologram said and briefly read the pamphlet. He then made it his way to the main city to wander around, lost. Completely lost.]

"Hello? Is this how the phone should work? If you can forgive me for asking as I'm not familiar in using technology. A smartphone? Is that what they call it? I'm familiar in using the rotary phone, but not this kind of phone. It says the year is 2018. I think that is not quite correct. It's suppose to be 1889 if I'm not mistaken..."

[Apparently computers and technology don't exist in the 19th century as they're not invented yet.]

"Well, nevermind. I don't think it's important. Hello, my name is Claude. Claude Faustus. If anyone can help me look for lodgings, I'll be grateful. A pub. An Inn. I'm not picky and open to suggestions."

[He's not a butler anymore, so he left it at that. While he remembered vividly what happened from the duel, this world is completely different than the previous one he left behind. Afterward, he left the phone on, waiting for messages. While he's not sure about obtaining a source of income, the commonspace will do for now until he gathered his bearings and learn his way to adjust in this world.]

[Action, Genessia City, Garden Park, evening after sundown]

[After he left the message on his phone, he went to the park. The sun is setting a deep hue of orange red, which is his favorite time of the day. He found an outdoor cafe, bought a cup of coffee, and order two plates of cakes.

One for him to eat, and the other for the small song birds of the park, which he calls to them. Being a demon, his aura has a strange effect to them, like a call, and attracting his favorite songbirds to him. The songbirds flew down to his table to perch on his shoulder, while few to peck to eat his cake and a fresh roll of bread for them to eat. Apparently, the second plate is for his birds, and they vary from finches, sparrows, warbler, just to name a few. Peeping, chirping, and having cake and bread. Lovely cheery songs for him to listen to.]

"Eat to your fill, there's plenty more where that came from."

[Video/Audio/Network]

"Hello, it's me again. I couldn't find a place to stay, so the commonspace will have to do for tonight. However, I cannot sleep. I think sleeping for me is going to be difficult. After all, I feel very lost."

[A pause.]

"What must one do here in Genessia? Start a new life? Do we simply shed our old one and start over? I don't think that will be easy and it's not so simple as starting over. Do I exist in this place? Please tell me and let me know...if this is all real."

[Is it all real? Of course, it's real, he figured. Where the injury was a blow to his chest, where his heart was stabbed by a huge sword, it was healed. It hurts. Everything hurts. Like Hell. A phantom pain that scorched into his black soul, a mark of his sin for him to remember for all of eternity. His question reveals he is rather disoriented and disconnected, and maybe, just maybe...an opening for help.]

[backdated private action]

[ Eliot had just invited Rip to come stay with him at his apartment. There is little worse to Eliot than leaving a lady without a roof over her head, or proper curtains to block out the sun. He was busy moving his belongings from the bedroom that he was loaning Rip: Important things, like books he still needed to read and a notebook with his pocket watch melody written down. You know. All his belongings... which he really doesn't have much of.

When he hears the apartment door unlocking, Eliot suddenly drops the books he was holding and spins around. Now in a fantastic mood, he waits with a big smile and shining eyes for the door to open. There's only one person it could be, after all. ]

Augustine~!!! Welcome home!

[present day video]

[And now, for something completely unrelated. Eliot wondering what to call the feeling of enjoying Augustine's presence in the apartment. Anyone who knows of normal relationships might realize that Eliot thinks of Augustine as a father.

For Eliot, however, the comparison is very different.]

So... I've never had someone nice to live with me before... Is there a word for this kind of relationship? I feel like a dog who is happy to have someone to sit with on the couch. Is there a name for that? [Yes, Eliot is comparing himself to a dog.]

[ Though Oswald's network posts are usually on the formal side with a professional sense to them, this time it's a bit different. He's not sitting at his desk or standing to make a speech, the background instead implying that the video is being taken from inside his own home. The atmosphere is a bit more personable. ]

Hello, Genessia. I realize it's been... well, a while since we've spoken. It seems that, on occasion, the dream docks like to take their time. [ He smiled, but if you looked close enough you might see just a flash of how frustrated he really was about it. That tell was gone in the blink of an eye, though. ] Regardless, I would like to apologize for my absence. I'm aware that I've missed quite a bit, which is in part why I've only now announced my return though I've been back for a short while.

Waking up after such a time away was, as you might imagine, an incredibly disorienting experience. I felt that in complete ignorance would be an unfitting way to address all of you, though there is still plenty I'm not yet caught up on. While I am informed of the many issues surrounding Everglade currently, including Miss Sutcliff's disappearance, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask for your patience while I work to properly and accordingly take action. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope to be seeing more of all of you from here forward.

[The video opens with a myriad of dizzying images: a few quick, blurry shakes and then the floor, as the owner is turning the video on but not caring too much about the details. Kay is trying to make a home video, so he will edit and cut the extra parts later...or so he thinks. There's a hissing sound to his side, the image changes again and Kay's voice can be heard. He's lost the metallic echo to his voice that all droids have when they talk.]

Fest! Put down that poor Fairy, this is why the others are on strike.

[Kay sighs when the white cat finally listens to him and drops the poor sprite...only to start chasing after Hoth, Cassian's Vanillite, who just happened to be in the room with them. The temperamental cat more than anyone is the reason why their pokemon level up, the poor things do it to survive living with her. Kay, still behind the camera, starts to walk around the house. A house that looks more like some sort of crazy zoo.

Cassian's Swablu is trying to clean the mess that is the pokemon playroom while Kay's Oricorio follows her around trying to help and court her in the process, dancing all around. There's a real cheetah sleeping next to a giant aquarium with a Mudkip playing in it, a Duosion floating around the room chasing a Jigglypuff and a corgi, all of them playing tag. Kay doesn't even bother telling them to stop, since this is a normal occurrence.This isn't even half their pets.

He speaks up again as he enters the living room, where Cassian is sitting on the floor with his back to Kay, an Eevee chasing a Sylveon in front of him, while he keeps trying to gain their attention. He’s rolling around a squeaky ball. Too bad the best he can get from them is a very cute tail waggle.]

Cassian~! Earth calendar is all wrong but I ran some calculations. Today is technically the day I tried to strangle you for the first time. [Which would sound creepy if it weren't for the fact Kay's voice is full of fondness.] Oh, and the first time you couldn't keep your hands off me, too. [It's clear by his tone alone that Kay is snickering. They had had a really unconventional first meeting.] I guess it's my birthday too, 13 years.

I’m still saying it was a good plan, and would have worked if your shut off button had been where it’s supposed to be!

[Kay can be heard snorting.] Yeah, yeah...I told you I was giving the android body some upgrades, so....turn around.

[Still grumbling about the pokemon, Cassian turns his head. His eyes widen, jaw dropped, and a flush is quickly spreading on his face.] You… You… [He swallows hard.] …look very… [He coughs awkwardly, gaze turning away but quickly returning to feast on the sight before him again.] You look nice. [He licks his lips.] More than nice.

[The camera finally shifts, showing a very human looking K2So, smiling. And the mentioned upgrades are...the android body having a scruffy beard. Ey, Kay thinks this is very nice and he doesn't look half bad with it. He looks to Cassian.]

The other 'upgrades' I can't show on camera, babe. [There's a glint of a wolf smile on Kay's face before the video shows the floor again and then turns off.]