I need some advice on the best refractory material that can withstand extremely high temperatures and a near immediate cooldown. It has to cool white. And I need someone who can work scrimshaw on it without risking cracking or compromising the integrity. Thanks.

[Short and sweet as always.]

[Meanwhile, Smoker locks a message to Namur, Rip, Grell, and even Marco, though he basically hopes the Phoenix ignores it.]

I need to meet with you during Portgas' work hours. It's not an emergency, nothing's wrong, but it is important. Send me times, or stop by the shop, but not alone.

Further to my ongoing technical research here, I am asking for some volunteers for testing purposes.

I'm afraid that I can't offer you much information beforehand about this test since that could be detrimental at this phase of the development. Just know that it is completely safe for you to undergo this experimentation and there will be no harm or side-effects.

Let me know here if you are interested and I will send you the location to take part.

[Upon his arrival, Mysterio was in full costume, looking like Thor, Dr Strange and Iron Man rolled into one. Now he appears on the network in regular clothing - a brown sweater and tan trousers - looking elegantly casual.]

Hello again.

I have had some time to to explore and familiarize myself with this world and I'm impressed with the technology here - at least in Nova City. It's far beyond what I've seen before yet it's also lacking. That's why I am going to work for and with Aster Technologies and we can combine our knowledge to do great things.

Now, I know, I introduced myself as Mysterio when I first arrived and that is indeed a name I am known by but let's have a proper introduction now, shall we?

My name is Quentin Beck.

You may not be comfortable giving your specifics, but I would like to take a head count for magical users. Do we outnumber those who are "normal"? [If you can detect a certain bitterness to that last descriptor, well, there is a reason for it.] As far as I can see, our dear overseer or overseers like interesting sorts.

[By interesting he means "posing some danger".]

For those of you who are new, I am Gellert Grindelwald and I can claim, with a fair amount of comfort, that I am one of the most powerful Wizards in all the cities. But don't be frightened. I usually have a reason for those I strike down.

[Ha...ha...ha?]

Who: Anybody!
What: Rip wanted a moonlit beach party for her birthday, so that's what she's getting.
When: May 17
Where: Fayren beach

Mid-day May 17, a simple text message gets sent to the network:

Moonlight Beach Party
TONIGHT
Fayren
Bring Your Own Booze and Music

( The stars are everywhere, so meet us under there~ )

[An image of Marco, in his blue phoenix form, pops up on the feed. Usually this isn't out of the ordinary, except that he's tied up while attached to a stick and slowly rotating over an open fire. Although it's a bit rainy outside, all this is done underneath a canopy of sorts. The fire isn't raging, rather it's made to burn slowly and evenly. It'll probably last a while.

Fortunately, Marco looks...fine? His face the usual deadpan, it's hard to tell if he's enjoying it or not. But he's not in pain, at least.

The hand turning him over and over is well manicured with a red polish. Who else would it be?]

To those of you who have helped my husband get pumpkin seeds so he could get fattened up: thank you. [The camera pans over to Grell, who had her hair in a high pony tail and wearing a simple white shirt. Her smile is as sharp as ever.] You've been most helpful~!

[Is she going to eat him? Anything is possible with these two.]

Who: Grell, Namur, Rip, Rowan(??), Lydia for after
When: During the masquerade, but back before the fireworks end. It's nighttime.
Where: somewhere in Genessia City, a later private affair in Everglade
What: Grell really wants a book she read during her kidnapping months ago. Oh, and she wants to run out a local mob and take over their business. You know, Family Things. She also has something special for Lydia.

[Action: locked to Namur, Rip, and Rowan] On a rooftop overlooking a rather plain building, Grell is dressed in all black, yet won't even bother tying back her length of hair. It just felt odd to keep it neat after all this time of fighting with it loose. Below she can see a few of the people she's been keeping tabs on for most of the night. A smirk shows on her face, glad to know that some things are going according to plan. "They're running their operations in the baasement of this office building. It's a smart move, really. People stay inside after hours, so no one questions their comings and goings. Plus, you can easily see inside their windows. Who's going to bother looking underneath?" She turns to the rest of the crew, grinning at the possibility of some real action that has nothing to do with her job. "No one escapes the building alive. I'll take a few elsewhere. I've got a deal to make. We need to be back at the masquerade before the fireworks end. Any questions?" [Later, in Everglade: locked to Lydia] [Voice message] Lydia, dear. Could you come outside? I have a gift for you~! [Indeed, outside wherever the door to her wonderland is, Grell will be standing in the forest clearing with a few goons tied up and gagged, wriggling to try and get free.]

[That rasping threat sends chill through Bulla’s body. Heart pounding rapidly, she takes out her device and turns on the video feed. She’s doing what she can to control her breath. Maybe if she times things just right, she can grab Shigaraki’s wrist and snap it before his powers rapidly decompose the flesh on her neck. The camera shows her at an odd angle for a moment, and the view is shaky, despite her best efforts to hide how frightened she is. Her voice, however, is defiant as she hands her phone over to him.]

Tomura Shigaraki lost his phone and thinks threatening to kill someone is a super awesome way to fix that problem. Here. Whatever. Knock yourself out.

Don’t flatter yourself kid.

[Shigaraki hands the device off to someone else that’s never seen on camera as the focus comes to settle on the hand-obscured face of the blue haired man.]

In my world, society is propped up on the backs of heroes. People with powers and abilities that society has deemed good and useful, while those not so lucky to be born gifted in ways that society accepts are expected to languish in the scraps of the chosen.

[As Shigaraki talks, Bulla starts looking for the opportunity to throw him off. Her eyes are darting around the room as she weighs her options. With those powers of his and his hand on her throat, one wrong move could kill her in a matter of seconds.]

And at the center of it all is the ‘pillar of peace and order.’ All Might. Because of All Might, the masses can go about their days, content in the feeling that if anything bad were to happen, All Might would save the day. People turn away from those that society tramples down, labeling them as villains. Well, I’m here to remind you all that nobody is safe.

[He pauses, gesturing to the camera that recenters on Bulla.]

In my time here, I’ve done my homework. There are a few people that have powers rivaling All Might, and this girl is one of them. As you can see, though, she doesn’t look too eager to fight me.

[He flexes the one finger next to her neck that isn’t quite touching her yet. Bulla eyes that finger warily now that the attention is back on her.]

But don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not out to kill anyone. Yet. No, I just want to drive home my point… To all you heroes out there; you’re not going to be able to stop me.


( Content warning for violence using decay powers )

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade
Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you
Masquerade! Every face a different shade
Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you




Welcome
Though the evening outside is chilly, there’s nothing but warmth and lively atmosphere inside. The room itself (the ballroom atop the self proclaimed ‘most romantic and luxurious’ Genessian getaway) is almost blinding, glittering with gold from floor to ceiling, save for the towering framed windows that provide a beautiful sight of the city below. Tables are scattered here and there around the perimeter should attendees wish to rest their feet, but the centerpiece of the evening seems to be the massive, sparkling chandelier casting its warm, golden glow over a rather extensive dance floor. One end of the room is reserved for the band, poised just near the hearth featuring a roaring fire, while the other showcases a grand staircase on which one may make their entrance, should they choose to explore the upper lofts that surround the room beforehand.

Early in the evening, once the room has begun to fill, a couple steps up to welcome everyone on behalf of Genessia’s Performing Arts Center and the cast of their most recent musical. While the event is free, and they are delighted to be able to share a magnificent evening of splendor with everyone, they do wish to make everyone aware that should they choose to donate tonight, be it through benevolent gift or through the auction or gambling tables, all proceeds will be donated to the Red House Foundation- more specifically, Genessia’s branch, located in the heart of the city herself.
The call to enjoy the masquerade is punctuated with a deep bow and the swell of the band picking up once more to lead everyone into a night of majestic merriment.


Photos
With numerous celebrities about and the event in full swing, it’s to no one’s surprise that there are photographers practically crawling the place. Fortunately for all, quite a few have been hired by the event planning team and will be snapping moments (both candid and posed) of everyone in attendance. There’s even a designated area with various props to play with and a lovely backdrop doused in gold. These photos can be downloaded from the network later, so take advantage of these professionals, should your heart desire! After all, did one really look their best if there’s no photo to prove it?


Dancing
While there’s certainly no pop star performing and the music is much more classically suited, one will hear a familiar tune more often than not, spun by the tuxedo clad musicians to suit a more modern crowd. It’s upbeat and energetic for the most part, but every so often, they're likely to switch the mood to something much smoother (dare they say, romantic?) to sway to. Instructors are scattered throughout the crowd, should those unfamiliar with the ballroom style wish to learn something new!


Food
A party without food is absurd, regardless of the occasion. Drink flows readily from the bar, and an impressive variation of hors d’oeuvre has been laid out in a brilliant spread on the long tables along the edges of the room. Partake as you will, and leave a donation to show your appreciation if you’re so inspired!


Costume Parade
What’s the point of a masquerade without an outfit promenade? Show off your inspired attire to all who will gaze upon you. The more flamboyant, the more attention your costume will draw, and the more in-character one seems, the more believable the evening will be- Embrace the masks and let loose! Tonight is the night to be whoever (or whatever) your heart desires.


Gambling/Auction
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, there are multiple donated items on which to bid, ranging from weekend getaways to baskets of sweets to… rather peculiar fashion and odd home decor.
To the right of the auction display, there are multiple gaming tables with waiting croupier, ready to assist those with heavy wallets attempt to woo Lady Luck. The winnings (should there be any) can be kept or donated- the choice is yours.


Gardens
If one finds a need to escape the swirling of dance and swell of the music, the gardens below may serve you well. There’s a lovely courtyard, and just beyond the fountain, a garden maze, well lit for the season with the gentle glow of dazzling lights. Take a stroll alone, or hide away with a lover or confidant, or snag a seat for the fireworks- the choice is yours.


Fireworks
No grand gala ever ended without a burst of excitement to round out the evening. Toward the end of the evening, the sky will be lit with a brilliant display of silvers and golds, all timed perfectly with the band’s final performance. One can watch from the gardens or the rooftop, or, if in need of something more ~private~, the balconies throughout the hotel.



Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds
Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you

((ooc: Questions? PM this journal or poke dovefire on Plurk! Have Fun!))

 Recently, I've acquired a razher beautiful gun from a friend~. I've been dying to try it out und I zhink tonight might just be perfect.

[When Rip comes into view she has this beautiful musket resting across her shoulders. She gently slips it into her arms and effortlessly loads the powder and shot with  ease. While doing so, she's humming gently before hefting it up and aiming at a target stuck to a tree with a knife. From the looks of it, Rip miiight just be somewhere in the Everglade. She kept humming to herself as she raised the gun, holding it with one hand as she braces her body and then fires.

A loud crack echoes through the trees as she just grins as the shot hits the target dead center and punches through the tree. That very same bullet arcs around to keep punching holes into the very same tree and zig zagging around the little grove Rip was in while she is giggling with delight. Now this.. THIS is exactly what she'd been missing! 

By the time the bullet finally stops, several trees near her might have various bullet holes in them and there might... be a few dead squirrels or other small creatures on the ground. All from one bullet.]

It's about time I had a decent gun again. Zhe Huntress has her veapon back~. 

[She just smirks into the camera before leaning in and turning it off.]

[Since Espio's arrival on the 3rd, Marco has been unwilling to put the chameleon down or let him out of his sight. Even worse than he gets with Thatch and Ace. After all, he might have trouble holding onto them, but he can usually FIND THEM again, Espio, on the other hand, was in a place Marco had troubles going, and almost no way to pull Espio out. So he'll be damned if he doesn't throw his all into keeping Espio here as long as he can. Probably at the expense of everyone's sanity including his own, however. Someone stage an intervention.]

[Around Attleton, Marco takes his best friend and baby bro to see the sights.]

[And mostly to show off his terrible crow and seagull posses. As you do.]

[Nova gets a short tour because ew skyscrapers are only good for haircuts and landing on.]

[And the Everglade... well.]

So I burned down the building I owned, and you'd have been proud of everyone else. They threw a fit, and deposed me from being a deputy. And now it's a rose garden in Kitten's honor. [Hence the fucking skulls and bloody swords. :|] Turnip farms probably make better sense in Fayren though, yoi.

[The one time Marco lets go of Espio and actually flits away, is to go do illegal shit that Espio would give him a hard time over. As you do. Besides he's hoping Ikki and Leanne can distract him with justice shit so he can go be a pirate okay.]

[TEXTS:]

[OTA:]

My bro from another world just got here from everything-is-an-illusion hell. [Be glad he left out the rest of the details.] Turnip party at the beach! Normal party at the beach this weekend you already know about, but someone throw presents at Namur's face, it's his birthday! ♥

And before you buncha losers whine about the heat, good. Stay home. Volcanic hibernators only! :P

[Locked to Grell]

Pinkie's here, but in a bad way. Go easy on him for a few days. No idea how to handle Ash and him yet. Or even pokemon.

[Cassian and Kay's house is often lively and, while Kay is trying to keep what is happening behind him mostly out of frame, Cassian and some pokemon can be spotted.]

Does anybody know a good blacksmith that can weld my wedding ring into place? [Kay raises his left hand and sure enough, there's a white gold ring around his finger.] It keeps falling off because my frame's too smooth and I don't want to lose it by accident.

[Any attempts at seriousness are ruined when there's a yelp, a shout of] Galantea! Get back here right now! [and then there's a Sylveon wearing a tiny tuxedo throwing herself at Kay smugly crowing Sylveon! Sylveon! Cassian appears a moment later, plucking her from Kay’s shoulder. If you look closely, you can see a matching wedding ring on Cassian’s hand, worn along with the gunmetal-grey ring made of Kay’s frame he’s been wearing since Christmas.]

That’s it, you’ve been wearing this tux since the wedding. Enough now. [For his troubles, he gets his cheek licked– slowly and slobbery and with great relish. He finally notices the phone in Kay’s hand.] If you’re going to announce it, you might as well tell them we’ll be unavailable for our honeymoon.

[This was not the first time in Bulla's memory that she's ever been sent to a place she didn't even know existed. It's enough that she's able to get over the basic mindblowing concept relatively quickly.

What has her confused is the conflict between some of her memories of when she was last on that other world, and her appearance now. While she hadn't changed her appearance drastically in the two years she spent there, she'd grown her hair out to waist length and now it was back to mid-back. Other physical growth that she'd undergone was absent, too. For all intents and purposes, it was as if she'd been rewound to age 15 all over again. And yet, the memories remained.]

Hi! My name is Bulla Brief and I just got here. After I get settled in, I'd love to meet everyone properly no matter where you come from, but for now, I'd really like to see if anyone who I might know is here.

If any of the following sound familiar to you, give me a shout: Capsule Corp, Saiyan, ki, Balamb Garden, SeeD, fashion club...and that's it for now.

Thank you!

[ Everyone's TVs will flicker on and to the Genessia News Channel for a Live Special Report. The Show Host pops out from beneath the podium, a cool tenor voice coming straight from him as he addresses the camera. ]

Well heeeeello there everyone! We interrupt your day for a very special report! This is the hostess with the mostest, your favorite Show Host, here with the City Guardian Election Debate, coming at you LIVE! This debate's a little smaller than normal with two City Guardian positions being uncontested, so Genessia City and Fayren will both be sitting out this time around. Congratulations to their continuing Guardians, David Haller and Mavis Vermillion!

Before we get into things, I'd like to introduce our sponsors for the City Guardian Debates this summer: Schnee Company Welcoming Services and Paw Paws and Props. Paw Paws and Props: You bring your pet, we'll take ridiculous model-level pictures of them as superheroes, celebrities, sports players- you name it, we'll make your pet into a star. I got a photo of me with my pet the other day, take a look!

[ Yes, this broadcast is being interrupted by a photo of Show Host as Robin cheek-to-cheek with his caped crusader, Bat-Llama. The photo spins out of the way cartoon-style back to Show Host and starts the show! ]

We are broadcasting live from right here in Genessia City. Many folks are in attendance, including our very own GCPD who are here to monitor and keep the peace. Let's begin the live debate-slash-Q&A you've all been waiting for. Here's how it works: You all come up with questions to ask each of the Guardians, and each Guardian will have the opportunity to answer it to help you decide which of your candidates is the right one for your city. You can submit your questions via text to the CPU and it will beam them to our stage, or if you're here in the audience, head on up to the podium and ask in person! Now to introduce our candidates.

A huge fight is brewing in Attleton with fiery contenders! Dante Sparda: current deputy, suave musician, professional pizza-lover, and badass is our first candidate but don't think he's the only one here. His opponent is EXPLODING onto the stage with plans to be the very best, like no one ever was! Katsuki Bakugo is ready to tell Dante to get back and go! Who will Attleton choose to be its new hero!?

Attleton isn't the only hot-button topic around though. Everglade may send a chill down your spine, but things are getting ready to heat up as Lydia squares down with Hikaru Takeda. One's a passionate protector of undead rights, the other the entrusted as acting City Guardian. Who will Everglade choose to deal with the spooky task of trying to keep everyone happy as City Guardian!?

Last but never least, let's make some hoopla about the high-tech city that programmed its way into our hearts and shot them into the sky, Nova City! Nova City's got two candidates with us today. He's sexy, he's cute, and popular to boot, he's bitchin', great hair, we all love to stare: Gale Reinhardt! But don't let that great intro fool you, Android 17 used to be a park ranger, and our hearts are in his range now! ❤

So park yourself down, take a seat, and let's get started folks! Get into the town hall for this live debate, starting in 30 minutes! You've still got time to pop in, let's go, and don't forget to cast your votes this June 24th at the polls!

{ OOC NOTE: Anyone can reply to this post with a question they want to ask the potential City Guardians. Each City Guardian candidate is tasked with answering any question on this post. No candidate is required to, but lack of participation may affect public opinion of the candidate! Lack of any activity during the election season will disqualify your candidate, however.

On June 24th, the polls will officially go up and each character will be afforded one vote for each city. So if you play 5 characters, you will need to submit 5 IC vote choices; if you only play 1, then only that character will vote. This means you as the player are voting on your character's behalf because it's going to be in the OOC comm just so that we can include instructions. There will be further information at that time as well as a link to a "booklet" with candidate information. For now though, the debate is here! }

[Text]

Does anyone know for sure that we don't have explosive implants in our bodies? Unrelated: for those that would like to donate blood to the Everglade Blood Bank to help restock what was stolen, that would be greatly appreciated. Blood donations can be made on a voluntary basis or you can be monetarily compensated. -Grell | [Closed Action] [Her housemates may have noticed that Grell doesn't exactly stay in one place at home, except when she's testing out her modified technology around the home. After weeks of tinkering on top of mentally recovering from the kidnapping fiasco, Grell sends a message to everyone at home, as well as Rip, Namur, Thatch, and Ace: Family meeting in an hour in the living room. Please be prompt. | Knowing better than to prepare food (she's been out of practice...), Grell makes tea and has food ordered in earlier. Mostly just seeded snacks and fruit filled pastries. There's blood for Rip in the fridge, but with Namur around...she's keeping it there to let Rip decide if she'll drink it or not.]