my oath shall be sped;

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? The January TDM.
WHEN? The mythic dimension of Vorspiel.
ANYTHING ELSE? Violence, as always. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence, and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13.

JANUARY TEST DRIVE MEME;

Vorspiel; a land of song.

arrival for new recruits

You wake up in a patch of verdant forest, with the birds chirping all around you. You're not in a clearing; your body lies between the trees. Near you, a frail woman with tired eyes rocks back and forth. You have none of your clothing, just black military-issued underwear, and none of your previous possessions beyond the one you chose (if you remember choosing) to bring with you.

When the tired woman notices you've come to, she speaks in a tongue you won't recognize, but somehow understand, in tilting tones that somehow always rhyme. Tired and sorrowful though she is, if you have questions as to what's going on, she'll answer: you are a member of COST, a paramilitary organization of time travelers fighting against the Regency, a tyrannous kingdom of the future who are trying to stamp out freedom and individuality in the name of peace.

She will provide you with the clothing necessary to fit in, and show you how to use your BCE implant to look up information on this dimension and its social and political mores. She won't let you leave until you're properly dressed to fit in, but once you are, she'll wish you luck. She thinks you'll need it.

And, she says as you depart, if you see the Gods, spit on them. They will do you no favors here.

ARRIVAL FOR VETERANS

While on BASE, you'll receive a message on your BCE.

URGENT MISSION: VORSPIEL UNDER MAJOR ATTACK. ALL POSSIBLE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO PROVIDE AID.

ACCEPT: Y / N ?

Selecting 'Y' will instantly teleport you to Vorspiel. Or maybe you're not the volunteering type, but your BCE glitches and signs you up anyway. Them's the breaks.

When you appear in Vorspiel, you'll find yourself in that same forest with the same woman who is ushering new recruits. She will give you clothes and wish you luck-- though luck, she says, is something true heroes have in short supply.

VORSPIEL

Regardless of how you got here, your BCE will have a short rundown of the situation once you arrive.

Vorspiel is a mythical, magical dimension rich in rare and precious resources. During the course of the war, it's been fought over by both sides. The Regency has recently allied with the leader of the misty country of Nibelheim to issue what is known as a Time Break; a sort of spell only possible in ancient dimensions such as these. Essentially, linear time has been destroyed in this dimension. Everything is happening at once, simultaneously and perpetually, a never ending cycle of lives and deaths and battles. While Vorspiel is a vast dimension, its borders have become warped; it is possible to walk from one country to another across the sea in a matter of moments, by accident. While the BCE is trying to send people to Nibelheim, it's entirely possible it misses the mark completely, or sends them to several places before they reach Nibelheim.

This chaos is meant to be a punishment: bow down before the Regency, or nothing will ever be the same again.

There is good news, though. Vorspiel is a dimension of inherent magic; singing or humming or whistling certain magical tunes will have an inherent effect upon one's surroundings. The BCE lists all the spells, though it notes that some have varying results (AKA go wild, guys, have fun), and the ones named after people will do little unless the person in question is present (a statistical unlikelihood).

As you enter different parts of Vorspiel, the BCE will sometimes give you different assignments, prompting you to take this action or that. If you have any questions about how this setting works, feel free to ask!

THE RHEIN

You come upon a giant river with clear and beautiful water. The sun shines down upon it in yellow light, and wherever the light touches it, gold floats to the surface of the water. The BCE will prompt you to fetch as much of this gold as you can-- it is an extremely powerful magical resource, rheingold-- but it will not warn you about the Rheinmaidens.

The rheinmaidens are mermaids, essentially, and at first, they are very friendly and gentle, singing nonsense songs and welcoming you to their home. But as soon as you begin to make any moves toward the gold, they will curse you, dive for you with surprising speed, and attempt to drown you. They will be vicious, and their natural element is water. You're in their territory, taking their things, as far as they are concerned. They have every right to kill you.

Killing the rhienmaidens will work... for a minute or so. And then they will rise again. Wounds will undo themselves-- whether they're inflicted by the rheinmaidens or you. Drowning doesn't seem permanent either-- you're pulled under, and all air escapes you, death befalls you... and then you wake up a moment later, standing on the shore.

Time has been fundamentally broken. Nothing done here is permanent.

WALHALL

You stand outside a fortress bathed in rainbow light atop a glorious mountain. Around you, the air is cool and still, and the roof of the sky seems terribly close. No matter how far toward the fortress you run, you can never make it inside. And thundering footsteps are coming just around the mountain pass, coming for you.

Lumbering giants wander around the fortress, searching for something they mutter and murmur is theirs. If they see anyone around, they will attempt to carry them off, kidnapping them for unknown purposes. They do not seem interested in eating their catch; they seem more interested in kidnapping it. Still, they are dangerous, brutish and sloppy with their strength. It is best to avoid them if possible, hiding in the trees.

Or perhaps you'd rather fight these fifteen-foot monstrosities on your own?

Of course, if you kill them, they just... come back. Death cannot be permanent in a place where time has been caught in an endless loop.

NIBELHEIM

The misty country of Nibelheim is located within a network of caverns dug into the side of a great mountain. It's a foggy, polluted place that brings to mind a city on the brink of the industrial revolution, not unlike Victorian London, though Nibelheim is entirely underground. There is smoke and smog everywhere, and living conditions are generally poor. The rich class is one family, ruled by a Nibelung named Alberich. He has various objects of great power that keep him enslaving his fellow Nibelung, working constantly in factories of his making. He has allied with the Regency to achieve this goal, and the time break within his home dimension is due in large part to his planning and plotting.

Human visitors to Nibelheim aren't unheard of, due to trade, though they are in a minority. Nibelungs, for the record, look and feel and act completely human, but they are ultimately alien, averaging a foot shorter in height at least, having naturally sallow skin, large eyes, hairless regardless of gender, and long, nimble fingers. They are a race of people made to live underground, and it shows; most can see in the dark, and climb nearly any surface. They are famed as smiths and metalworkers. Most just want to make a living and feed their families, though Alberich's clan keeps them in line.

Your duty here, the BCE says, is to try and befriend these people, the average Nibelung, and spark some kind of revolt. There are Regency spies everywhere, however, so be careful; you cannot call for rebellion in an open voice on every street corner. No, it's better, safer, to be subtle about it. Win the trust of a local businessman, seek out influential Nibelungs and figure out their opinions. Be tactical, be clever, be quick.

And avoid Alberich and his family at any cost.

But if you can, try and save some of the Nibelungs. Due to Alberich's machinations, Nibelheim is the only part of Vorspiel that has been untouched by the time break, but that will only stay true for so long. If you can convince any Nibelungs to join COST, they will do so willingly; you'll just have to escort them to safe places in hidden back rooms within dingy bars and forgotten libraries, the places where COST cells have been fermenting under the nose of the Regency. Don't get caught, and be careful; save as many as you can.

AT THE BASE OF A GREAT TREE

A man lays dying. He looks very much like the woman who introduced you to this place. Regardless, he lies in a pool of his own blood, a stab wound through his heart. The time break keeps him from ever truly passing into the next life; as soon as he dies, his eyes open, and he begins the process of his last painful moments once again.

Each time, he begs you to avenge him and find his love (or sometimes his sister; he seems very confused), and if you ask him his name, he will only respond that he is, "the woeful one". And then he will die again, for the hundredth time.

In the trees, warriors watch, poised to attack. They see you communing with their enemy, and they wish to defeat you as well. These warriors care little for your protest; they are locked in an endless battle that they cannot free themselves from, and you have just joined it.

IN THE FOREST

There is a serpent, larger than anything you have ever seen, sitting at the mouth of a cave. It sits upon a hoard of gold that may be familiar to you. It may not, but the BCE will inform you of what it is: rheingold, an incredibly potent and valuable magical resource.

Regardless, the serpent will attack anyone that comes near it or its hoard, even by accident. It, too, is caught in an endless loop of battle long over, for it calls you boy and foolish young man regardless of who or what you are. It speaks in a deep and sonorous voice, and will not stop until its head is cut off. The creature is obnoxiously large and highly dangerous, and battle with it will be long and painful, not least because, like everything in this place where time has been so fundamentally broken, it is very bad at staying dead.

Be careful when you fight it -- if you accidentally get some of its blood in your mouth, you will be suddenly and temporarily able to understand the language of birds. Which is cool, but also, you know, distracting.

The birds will tell you to find the Valkyries, who will bring you great fame and glory. They will also tell you to run, for Fafnir does not die so easy.

AT THE END OF THE WORLD

You are at a funeral. A golden-haired woman stands upon an unlit pyre, standing next to the man who, she sings, is her dead husband. Her song is beautiful and loud and incomprehensible, and when the pyre is lit, the fire swallows her whole. But the burning doesn't stop there; it begins to destroy the assembled mourners, the forest around it, the castle, the very river burns. The fabric of the world crackles and sets to flame.

Run from the flame all you like, but it always licks at your heels.

There is a trick, though, to saving your life. If one is truly unafraid of death, the fire cannot harm you, or anyone you touch. The BCE won't warn you of this; it doesn't know. But if you are unafraid, you can simply walk through the flames unharmed.

It will bring you to a wide field atop a mountain, where a woman lies sleeping. It's the same woman at the funeral, peaceful in sleep, unmoving, unsinged. She can be awoken by a kiss.

Of course, awakening her will begin the cycle again: the pyre, the fire, the fearlessness, the clearing. Over and over again, endlessly, until the BCE manages to pull you out.

This is the will of the Regency.

As a final note: This will not be the main mission for January. This TDM is meant as a one-off to dump characters into a setting they don't have to read a ton of infopages for, while still getting a sense of what Agoge could be (and as always, this TDM is game canon).

The main mission for January will be the Gallipoli campaign, as detailed here. Future missions for Agoge are always listed here months in advance.

NAV. NETWORK LOGS OOC MEMES PLURK

Comments

Yoshitsugu Ōtani | Veteran | OTA

[hakanai]

I. WALHALL (SANRIN)
Yoshitsugu's entry into this place, this land of Vorspiel, is just as chaotic as probably everyone else's is. After agreeing to help he's shunted... somewhere. Then somewhere else. Then somewhere else again before it finally settles down (for now) and he finds himself on a huge, imposing mountain that probably isn't his actual final destination. Apparently alone.

It's not an ideal situation to be, but taking things in stride Yoshitsugu finds a tree to sit against while he regains his composure. A large fortress, cold air, the sense of being incredibly high up? Grunting to himself, he opens his BCE and begins to search through the information it has to offer. There's no immediate danger so before trying to find a way down, out or... whatever, best to learn about what he's dealing with.

Unfortunately this lack of danger does not last more than five or ten minutes. The footsteps come heavy, fast and close, like the one making them knows Yoshitsugu is here, and he stares in their direction before promptly getting to his feet and hiding behind one of the thicker nearby trees. Whatever that is, it's big. Really big. And there aren't that many trees here for the creature to look behind.

Yoshitsugu, and anyone else nearby that he is currently unaware of, will be found if he doesn't do something.

There had been little to time to memorise more of the spells the BCE had mentioned, but Yoshitsugu remembers one in particular that might help him here. If it works how he imagines it might. So he closes his eyes and hums softly, the same set of notes over and over, hoping it really will be useful.

A giant rounds the corner, talking to itself, as the spell begins to take effect. Begins to take effect really swiftly. The mountain pass is about to get a lot greener, and any nearby allies may want to watch where they're stood because more trees basically explode from the ground and shoot upwards as grass and flowers start to spread. The giant himself screams with anger as one such tree knocks it to the side and begins to yell into the thickening, tiny but very much real forest, and Yoshitsugu himself is drawn out of his humming by a rather spiky bush sprouting up around his body. Oww.

This... wasn't quite what he was aiming for, but fine. It'd buy him time. Maybe. There's no guarantee this magic will last for long so fight, or flight, it's time to decide. Perhaps you'd like to make yourself known and help him decide? Or interrogate him about what just happened? Just remember that giant is nearby and it now knows for sure that someone is here.



II. AT THE END OF THE WORLD (SHUKUYUU)
If there is one thing Yoshitsugu can say with complete honesty, it is that he does not fear death. It's probably something taught rather than something he was born with. An orphan of war and a man with a body prone to sickness, he has long known that dying naturally of old age was something that would never happen to him. Spending the time he does have in fear of a death through sickness or battle would cause it to be wasted.

So he developed his philosophy of going with the flow, at which that knowledge of an early death sat, and lives his life moving with it. Even if that movement takes him through things like a rain of arrows, which he has literally stood in the way of several times in the past whilst causing his loved ones no small amount of worry.

Death isn't something Yoshitsugu seeks out, either. He wants to die well. But if it comes at any other time, well, so be it.

So when the maiden's fire began to spread, and absolute chaos explodes around him, he doesn't even bother trying to run. Instead he just stands and waits, watching the flame as it comes closer and anticipating the first burst of pain... except it never actually comes. Yoshitsugu is only rarely surprised but this does it. He watches the orange flames engulf his feet, his legs and more, but nothing happens to him. It's even rather pleasant, bringing nothing more than a pleasant warmth.

After a few seconds of this he hums thoughtfully, turns around, moves a few steps and grasps at the wrist of someone at the edges of the flames. Someone who should just now be feeling the fast-spreading fire's effects.

"Does it hurt?" he asks; the fire warms his pale-grey eyes, which are narrowed and intense as he gazes at this ally. Probably an ally, anyway. If it's not someone he's seen before, well, Yoshitsugu is good at spotting newcomers into the unit. Regardless, if this person was someone affected by the fire? They aren't anymore, not from the moment his fingers curl around their wrist.

Daenerys Targaryen | GoT | oldie vet

[dorzalta]

I. THE RHEIN
It seems all too unnecessary to collect gold--rheingold. Magical? Valuable. There are always things like this, viewed as such by others. So many believed her dragons to be something to collect, as well. A way to amplify their own magics. Invading one's territory to do this very thing, despite these entities (half fish, half women... much like the mermaid card in her fortune deck) being so welcoming... it seems wrong.

Second-guessing on a mission she agreed to? She promised Grothia her aid, and so she would provide it.

"We should collect it," she says to you, already lifting her skirts. Funnily, you'll catch a glimpse of pants beneath her dress. "Perhaps this will aid us back on Base."

The funny thing about something which seems so simple is that it's usually a lie. She wades into the water, ignoring how it weighs her braid down the further in she treads. Stomach. Chest. Up to her chin, with nothing to press even her toes against. The mermaids laugh and swim around her, playful and happy, and she thinks this is why COST likely assigned her this task. Befriend the natives.

A beam of sunlight settles within arm's reach, and after sharing a smile with one of the women, she turns her gaze toward the gold. "It's so--"

Shrieking. Splashes of water. She glances back over her shoulder to where you are (whether you're in the water with her, or standing upon the shore), but before she can speak, there are arms. So many arms wrapping themselves around her, dragging her beneath the water's surface.


II. IN THE FOREST
Skirts long since abandoned, Dany treks through the forest with you, her hair in a simple twist to stay out of her face. No time for elaborate braids--especially not after her drowning fiasco with those mermaids. Clothing still slightly damp, she aggressively swipes at the air in front of her, flicking through the BCE's list of spells. Dragon, one spell is named.

"They're not words." She sounds just shy of frustrated. "I don't understand the point of sharing this. They expect us to sing to protect ourselves?"

Ridiculous. It might've helped, had her mouth not filled with water. No way to sing or hum when one was in the middle of drowning.

There is a clearing ahead, drawing her focus from the melody--haunting as it is--of the Dragon and to the... "What is that?"

A large creature, lizard-like, not at all like her own dragons, sits upon a pile of--

"Rheingold." She looks to you. "We need that."


II. AT THE END OF THE WORLD
An unlit funeral pyre. A golden-haired woman and her dead husband. Dany bows her head, listening to the song the female sings. There is decidedly something unhappy about her in this moment, something haunted in her gaze as she looks to you moments later. "At least there is no witch, this time."

She stands, fingers linked together, back stiff as steel as she stares into the flames. Flames which roar to life. Flames she recalls standing amidst herself, once long, long ago as she bade farewell to her dead husband. The wound from this recent loss of him still remains. Newly scabbed, easily picked open by this scene, causing blood to flow freely once more.

Like a cornered animal, she is. Serpents and mermaids. This mission is a terrible, terrible thing.

So caught up in the thought of what's occurred--bullets, lizards, a fireball's explosion--Dany doesn't notice when the flames engulf all around it: mourners, the trees, the skirts of her dress.

Ryuji Sakamoto | Veteran | OTA

[ryuji]

i. Rheinmade-in-heaven

[Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, shame on you. Ryuji has vivid memories of walking up to the lake, taking in the environs as his BCE instructs him to gather as much magic gold as he possibly can. Seems fake, like- what would all this gold just be doing fluttering about under the water for anyone to come up and steal, and why would there be beautiful mermaids lulling you in and making you feel like a million bucks? Of course, he's already drowned twice, and although he can't remember exactly what it feels like as the last molecule of oxygen starts to leave your lungs, he knows it's definitely not a good feeling, okay?

So for the fifth cycle, he's completely fine with not getting himself killed, instead, waiting by the embankment of the water, leaning on his back as a cooperating Rheinmaiden sings to him, his head in her fishy lap- and he's almost sure that this particular one has killed him in one of the cycles previously, but hell, this is good and he's not about to give up on being doted on by fantastical, impossibly beautiful fish women.

You approach the water, intent on fulfilling the mission, and Ryuji waves a hand up in your direction, precautionary and, yet somehow, bored.]

Dude, don't even try it. They'll kill you.

ii. How to train your dragon

[This is straight out of a scene in one of those MMORPGs that Ryuji's played before: World of Battlecraft. The concept is kind of overdone by this point- a large, ferocious creature is busy protecting the treasure that you want to abscond away with and you're left with a few options: SLAY THE HELL OUT OF IT (eh, he looks at Fafnir from a distance and practically sees the red skull marks over his head), evade it and stealth through, or trick it somehow.

After a few respawns, he turns to you-]

Let's try somethin' else. I don't think we can kill it.

[He opens up the spellbook.

Hell yeah. Maybe there's a sleep spell in here.]

Let's figure out what some of these do.

iii. The tree giveth and the tree taketh away (featuring: the Metaverse)

[Ryuji's last skip in this time series- he never actually makes it to Nibelheim (thanks, COST), he's seen this man die way too many times for it to be comfortable. This time, he's a little bit wiser (a miracle), as he looks upon the addition of another COST member to the scene. Finally, someone with better senses than him to keep playing out this motif over and over again. Just as you approach the tree, Ryuji springs forward and tackles you to the ground.

See, the thing is, those warriors in the branches have shot arrows at him more times than he can count- they shoot before asking questions, they murder without contemplation. Ryuji's trying to save the both of you, but it's too late- errant arrows fly straight into the both of you just before the mocking bony hand of fate resets the hourglass and the both of you are at an enclave just a short walk away from the tree. Ryuji lets you have a moment or two to compose yourself, let you realize that the wounds aren't there anymore, before he debriefs.]

I'll give you the sparknotes version. That dude over there dies, over and over again. He asks you to avenge his love, and then eventually the warriors in the trees attack. [Ryuji activates his BCE, hovers his finger over the Metaverse app.] I was hopin' someone else would get here.

[He smirks, confidence bleeding out of him the same way arrows had defeated the both of you a few moments ago.] I ain't got enough time to explain this outright. So let's steal the warriors' hearts. You in?

Primrose Everdeen | New Recruit (ota)

[littleduck]

I. Songbird
Music wasn't always a part of Primrose's life growing up. Her father used to sing a song that she can barely remember, and her mother's never been fond of anything that might get her family noticed by the Capitol. It was her sister that taught Prim how to listen for the notes of the mockingjay, and how to sing to them if they should ever be around. Katniss was always the brave one that ventured outside the District walls. Prim had to learn melody and song in hushed whispers in the bed she shared with her sister at night. Still, she knew how to replicate sounds she heard because of what Katniss taught her. Here, she was able to put that skill to good use.

Magic wasn't something that existed in her world. Here, all she had to do was be brave enough to sing out loud. It took her some time to feel up to doing so, of course. She had to observe others for a while and wait until she saw an opening where there weren't many others around. Standing off to the side, she sang, and was gifted with an explosion of light that splintered off into fragments no larger than fireflies. It was beautiful, and she spun about to try and see them all. Her pigtails spun outward as she did, catching a couple of the little balls of light in the process.

She quickly learned that these lights, while seemingly beautiful, were also incredibly dangerous. The end of her pale hair caught fire, making Primrose gasp and use her bare hands to put it out. She had just unleashed hundreds of little fireballs upon unsuspecting people. Gulping, Primrose looked around to watch them flutter around other people and buildings. This might end terribly.

III. Nibelheim
Being here reminds Primrose a little too much of District 12. It's unsettling at first, but she quickly adapts. If the appearance of the people here bother her, she never lets it show. Instead, she blends in as best as she can. Her small stature and slight frame help, even if her hair stands out among the crowd. Having grown up starving and poor, Prim knows exactly where to look for those that crave rebellion the most. She looks for the children who are suffering and befriends them, then goes back to speak with their family. After having lived in District 13, Primrose understands the importance of recruitment. She knows how to speak quietly and act like she's speaking about looking for a dagger with with which she can protect herself. For a girl that's never been good at lying, she's able to craft her story easily.

She's not Katniss, she'll never be able to spark an entire revolt on her own. But she can lead good Nibelungs to join COST. Whether it's because her words are convincing or because they feel sorry for the little wisp of a girl that comes trying to motivate them to make a change, Primrose is able to sneak several groups into one of the cellars where veteran COST members are waiting. As she parts ways with her new friends, she brings her fingers to her lips and gives the three fingered salute that's well known in her world. It means goodbye to someone you love, but beyond that it's become a symbol of gratitude and admiration.

Her hand drops away when their attention shifts away from her and onto the future. The older, more experienced veteran takes over recruitment and Primrose falls back. "How many more do you think we should attempt?"

There's only so much they can do here before she ends up getting caught.

IV. Great Tree
Primrose happens upon the dying man entirely by accident. She never has been given the freedom to wander before, and now that she has it, of course she winds up in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time. Her training as a nurse and medic are more important than caution when she first spots him, and she presses her hand against the kit she's put together and keeps on her belt. She may not be a fighter, but surely she can make a difference here. Forgetting about the issue of time that exists in this place, Prim takes off at a run to crouch at his side. She begins checking his vital signs, listening to his pleas for revenge. He dies and Prim looks just about ready to cry. She's failed him.

When his eyes open and he gasps to life only to begin the cycle of death anew, she understands she can't save him. Her hand goes to his and she listens, nodding as he asks her to find his sister. She thinks of Katniss and grips his hand a little tighter, and promises she'll do what she can.

He dies several times with her right there with him, and she isn't sure what to do. Her heart doesn't want to let him just stay there alone, but she understands that's what must be done. She could get a group together to move him, maybe, and so she stands in order to pull away and do that. But as she takes her first steps she hears the sound of others nearby. Years of watching the Hunger Games help her know she should always stop and look around to critically observe her surroundings if time allows. Cautiously, she stops and looks around.

The sight of warriors in trees with weapons horrifies the girl and makes her face go pale. She needs to be brave, even if she's trembling. Her hands raise up in the air to show she's unarmed as she calls out, "I'm not here to fight you. I'm a healer. I only meant to help."

The weapons are pointed at her, and she swallows a lump that forms in her throat. She may not be a fighter yet, but she suddenly is filled with an urgency to learn. All she can do now, however, is hope that someone who might assist her is nearby.

V. End of the World
If there's one thing she can thank Panem for, it's ridding her of the fear of death. Primrose is terrified of many things. She's afraid of pain, afraid of watching people she loves dies. She doesn't have the heart to hurt others. But she doesn't fear her own death. The fire around her reminds her too much of the explosions in the Capitol, and at first Prim cowers off to the side and watches the chaos unfurl around her. It's a pity that such a beautiful funeral would turn into something like this, she thinks.

She eventually runs, but never seems to escape the flames. They're always surrounding her, causing her to have to move through them. Each repeat of the cycle is the same, Primrose growing more angry each repetition. When she finally stops attempting to run, she moves through the flames, and finds that she's unable to be burned. Understanding that no harm can come to her here, she takes to learning the woman's song, and starts to try and save the other mourners. In this strange place where everything moves in circles, she takes advantage of the repetition to attempt to break the cycle.

It doesn't work, of course, and she just ends up walking through flames again only to end up near someone. Coughing deeply from the smoke inhalation, she looks to them with concern.

"Are you hurt? The fire, did it burn you?"

She can at least try to help them, even if she can't fix anything else.

Augustine Gheorghe Vlad Tepeş | New Recruit | ota

[immortalrose]

Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴄʀᴜɪᴛ

[There's nothing like waking up in between nowhere and tomorrow. The bitter chill in the air gets to Augustine first before he even opens his eyes. This is the first time in a long time that someone got the "jump" on him like this. Vampires are typically acute and shrewd. Augustine is no different in that regards even as a dhampir but someone managed to catch him completely unaware and in his skivvies no less.

All mental swearing and cursing aside, Augustine notices the old crone as soon as she spoke. The tongue she uses is unfamiliar to him but somehow he knows it. It almost sounds like Gaelic to him, one of the old tongues. He listens to her for a time, not immediately going on the offense but not exactly trusting. Whatever nonsense that's been thrust upon him now takes precedent over the personal battles.

Seems that Karmilla and her twelve malevolent sisters will have to wait. Bummer. After battling Raevelyn in the district city of Winshire, Augustine hoped to kill the vampress and consume her ability over shadow. While he posssesses his mother's command over illusions, commanding the shadows would've been a great boost to his powers but that's neither here or there. Faced with a predicament that honestly left him out in the cold in the middle of an icy forest, Augustine gladly accepts the clothing.

The thick fur shawl drapes nicely over him adding a hint of warmth to his chilled flesh but the pale blue and gold tunic and other accessories clash a little too much for his liking. Instead, he keeps his thoughts to himself and listens to the rambling old woman. What catches his attention immediately is when she starts explaining the BCE. Seems that he's an unwilling recruit of this mysterious COST organization. While this wouldn't be the first time some strange cult tried to recruit him, this is probably the first time he's ever been kidnapped by one.

To be frank, he doesn't quite know how to feel about that.

Now off on his own, Augustine decides to test the BCE out after that quick tutorial. You would think he would've recalled someone implanting this thing inside of him but lo' and behold! This kind of technology is rare even in this realm but it doesn't surprise him that it exists. The world he's from was a very different place prior to the Great War. Tech likened to this could still be snagged from the ruins of the old cities but the risk of enduring radiation poisoning usually scares off most salavagers.

Nevertheless, does it really work? Time to find out.]

-
@CALDERA | ALL

If this is nothing more than some elaborate ruse, I'll be impressed.
Is anyone out here in this forest?

Tʜᴇ Rʜᴇɪɴ

[Despite how much Augustine admires the celestial warmth of the sun, he doesn't immediately race out there to embrace it. Sunlight weakness him significantly despite being a halfbreed. Old vampires like him don't fear it too much but the sun's rays do weaken him. Fatigue comes much easier to him now than under the cloak of night. This is a bad set up, especially since it seems his mission is to steal the rheingold from the shimmering sirens that protect it.

Augustine always liked gold but he would be a fool to try and tangle with these rheinmaidens here and now. While they indeed seem welcoming and beautiful, Augustine knows the beauty is only skin deep. This is why he lingers by the trees near this river, his silhouette hidden by the shadow of the canopy above.

Just what is he suppose to do now? They'll tear him to pieces of he helps himself to their gold. While some of his magic still works here in Vorspiel, Augustine knows he's at a great disadvantage. Had this been the dead of night, he would use the moon's grace to weave his illusion but out here during the day, he's damn near powerless. This wouldn't be too much of problem if he could rely on his other powers but Augustine doesn't want to awaken that beast.

So, he waits. He waits for the opportunity to arrive. Maybe some idiot will waltz over and brazenly steal the gold. If so, Augustine could use their interference as a distraction.]

Nɪʙᴇʟʜᴇɪᴍ

[The Nibelung are an interesting race. They appear humanlike in their general appearance but there's certain differences about them that makes Augustine think twice about them. They're almost elfin-like in appearance, nearly gaunt too. While they seem no different than most, their inhumanly large eyes make the dhampir cringe some. The lack of hair is also a tad unsettling but as a people, the Nibelung seem Inquisitive but kind.

Augustine wins a few curious glances from some of the busy workers before a handful of them wander over to him. He hesitantly greet them with the most awkward smile before attempting to speak with them. That's the precise moment that his BCE chimes in and tells him of his objective. A slight scowl settles upon his face.

Is he to spark some kind of revolt here by befriending these odd looking people? Seems like it.

The ones who've gathered around him admittedly don't seem too bright but there's another nearby who stands away from the crowd. One who hasn't taken his eyes off him since he arrived. Augustine gives this Nibelung a brief glance before turning towards the other "agent" nearby.]

What's your make one that one over there?

[He might as well ask. Seems like they're being watched.]

i

[chariotry]

[ He does not approach the water with the intent of taking the gold, but something far less precious.

The rheinmaidens have gathered around the bank of the river, watching him as he treads over the mud with fixated gazes, like they're waiting for him to suddenly make a lunge for the precious resources floating in the water. Instead, he's yanking the arm of the boy who's made himself comfortable on the lap of one of the maidens, lifting him up forcibly and dragging him behind him as the mermaid retaliates. The singing has stopped abruptly and she's making a lurch for Achilles, seeing his interference as a prelude to an attack.

He's too quick, especially with the advantage of being on land, and all he has to do is step out of the range of her trajectory to avoid her. ]

Move. [ To Ryuji from over his shoulder... Get outta here, boy. ]

princess allura | voltron | new recruit

[juniberries]

1. ARRIVAL | NEW
[It's a different awakening than before. Still cold as it had been in cryostasis, but unprotected as though out in the open. She wakes up with her eyes snapping open, feelings of dread, of a battle lost still set in her bones, but she's no longer in the Blue Lion, no longer wearing her armour, and instead there's a natural calmness that feels remarkably out of place when compared to the dangerous vacuum of space and a planet set to blow.

At first she believes herself to be dead, and that the ancient belief of an afterlife a reality. But as there had been before, there is someone here to greet her as she wakes in a panic, to explain everything in an unfamiliar lilt; time has passed, she was recruited to a cause and agreed to it (for peace...why wouldn't she agree to such a cause?), and the fact that she remembers nothing about it is not an uncommon occurrence.

As she leaves the woman and heads onward, Allura takes a moment after changing to try out her BCE, trying hard to ignore the familiar pang of loneliness and confusion.]

@ALTEA | @ALL
This is Princess Allura of the planet Altea. I have been informed of the situation and, while difficult to believe I have somehow forgotten so much, I understand that we are here to fight against a tyranny for the sake of peace.

I am looking to see if my teammates are here. If the Paladins of Voltron mean anything to you, please respond.

[And as she looks to her BCE before sending out the message, under-breath she utters another 'please.'

She cannot imagine being here alone.]


2. AT THE BASE...
[A dying old man with a familiar face. Seeking vengeance and asking for her to find his lost sister...or love? (Hopefully not both) Allura is desperate to help him, ignoring the churn in her stomach at all the blood and resting his head in her lap, attempting to draw a familiar energy into her, feeling that familiar glow of energy, trying to heal him and keep him from dying but it's to no avail.

Her hands are stained red from having tried to pour her healing quintessence into him, the bottom of her skirts dyed red as well. And while ordinarily she is trained and ready to fight at a moment's notice, she's too caught up in the familiar tale of death and vengeance to notice those in hiding, waiting to attack.]

I promise, I will help you. [She speaks quietly to the dead man, setting him back down on the ground. But it's then his eyes open once more, and this being her first encounter with a time loop thus far, she stares down at him in confusion as he begins to repeat himself again. She had been told of this, even has experience with being caught in a timeloop, but...it's just as befuddling now as it had been before.

A warrior some ways away prepares to draw his bow, the familiar pull of a drawstring just barely audible.

Allura, still unaware of the danger behind her, tries to make sense of the situation, standing above the once more dying man, wondering just what the quiznak to do.

So someone should...probably help her before she finds herself embedded with an arrow.]

[ryuji]

[Fingers softly interwoven into his (mixed bumblebee colored) hair, Ryuji is pretty much at peace with the world. They're singing to him, giving him a plethora of affection that he hasn't had in the longest time, and




then it's all ruined.

Ryuji's mouth opens wide as he starts to protest.]

Don't take this away from me!

[One day he's going to read the Odyssey and learn how to stop himself from being dragged in by beautiful sirens, but fuck, he doesn't even have a ship, and they didn't look like they were trying to hurt him.

Well, the other 4 times the absolutely did hurt him, but Ryuji is a forgiving man.

One who looks like he's about to weep.]

B-but... We're in a friggen' time loop! Anything you do is gonna be reset anyway.

Shinobu Jacobs | Just barely a vet | HOPE YOU LIKE FIGHTING (OTA)

[rippedoff]

FIGHT 1: THE RHEIN

[Thievery wasn't exactly Shinobu's idea of a good time, as it seemed to be a bit of a step down from what she was more used to in her former job as an assassin. However, if that's the orders she was given, she had no problem with complying – even if the quick and flashy was more her style, she had plenty of experience in doing more stealthy kills on contracts too, so she could adapt to that if that were required.

So, she decides to try to stalk the perimeter of the river, trying to keep to the areas with boulders to take cover behind. However, no order given to her was able to prepare her for the eventual sight of what appeared to be mermaids, who were already in the process of entertaining another intruder. Shinobu stares on, for a couple of seconds, just to take in the purely bizarre sight of them singing to their guest. However, she's quick to try to take advantage of the situation, figuring that if they were distracted that she could try to make way with some of the gold gathered nearby them.

However, even as she keeps a steady eye on the rheinmaidens, as soon as she's able to lay a hand on the rheingold, the scene takes a dramatic shift. Turning sharply toward her, even Shinobu's quick reflexes only give her enough time to draw her blade before a couple of rheinmaidens dive toward her, as well as whoever was there before her.]

So much for that idea. [It's all Shinobu's able to get out before she's brought under the water. She drew her blade, she was probably going to be okay, but you might have your own problems to deal with.]


FIGHT 2: WALHALL

[No matter where Shinobu turned to, it was starting to get frustrating that she could never really seem to make way to the fortress that was clearly there, in plain sight. However, her attempts to scale the mountain come to an abrupt stop as she hears the booming of footsteps advance toward her. Knowing enough to know that's probably a good cue that she should probably hide, she's quick to find some cover behind a rock formation in the area. To her surprise, it seemed that someone else was hiding there was well.

She's initially quiet as the lumbering figure passes by them. However, as she turns her head around the rock, she finds that there's another one just standing there from the side she just came from – essentially, they were being pincered in the area by two giants that were (as of now) unaware of exactly where they were.

Turning her head to the other person there, she finally speaks in a quieted tone.] Looks like we have no choice, guess we're gonna have to fight at least one of them.

[The smile that spreads on her face is evident of how she was entirely too happy about this prospect.] Can you give me a boost? I might be able to jump one of them.


FIGHT 3: FANFIR

[At least this time when the BCE tells her to go steal some more rheingold, Shinobu goes in fully expecting to run into some kind of fight. And honestly? That was more her style than just plain theivery anyway.

As she enters the cave, though, she notes with a little amusement in mind that the way this giant snake berates and tries to put her down before an inevitable fight is almost cut and paste to how other assassins (particularly the male ones) would try to break her down before a rankings fight (but hey, at least this one seemed to somehow get the gender confused, it was at least a step up from the misogyny). By now, she learned that the best way to deal with that, though, was to just stand there and listen to it, not bothering to argue back.

However, allowing this thing to go on and on might give your character the chance to strike first or to try to take the gold for themselves. Though they might find that that Fanfir wasn't quite as arrogant as it seemed, quickly trying to entangle your character with its tail, leaving Shinobu a little peeved, in the process.]


[Feel free to make adjustments to this prompts as you see fit! I'm not all that picky.]

iii B)

[parttimesoldier]

[In retrospect, Suzuha should have seen the attack coming a mile away, and it's evident in the short curse she mutters as Ryuji collides with her. It was an obvious trap, the wounded in plain sight to lure out suckers like her who would be all too eager to help. It all happened in what felt like an instant. Crashing to the ground, the quiet whssk of the arrows firing and in the next instant finding their mark, the blossom of sudden pain at being struck. And then suddenly, without fanfare, the world shifts. Like the whole thing had never happened.

Suzuha takes a second to get her bearings after time reels everything back, rubbing her arm in response the the ghostly pain of an arrow wound that was now conspicuously missing. She glances around, finding they were no longer near the tree, but she could just faintly make out the calls of the dying man in the distance, the same sound that had drawn her here in the first place. Still close. To her credit, Suzuha bounces back from the shock of it all quickly, her face a mask of grim determination as her fellow COST agent gives her the rundown of the situation.]

That's one hell of a grim time loop. Great.

[While time travel was par for the course with her, it had always been in carefully controlled situations. Mostly. (We don't talk about the roof of the Radio Building, alright?) This though? Unpredictable repetitions of the same event, same exact worldline... She suddenly finds herself with a whole new understanding of the hell Okabe put himself through back in Akihabara.

She's glad to see he's got a plan, but of all possible suggestions for tackling this problem, 'stealing hearts' wasn't quite what she was expecting to hear. She gives him a flat look.]

You want us to... woo the enemy?

[A unique suggestion, she'll give him that.]

iii;

[hakanai]

[It's another attempt by the BCE to get him where he should be that brings Yoshitsugu here, and the whole experience adds yet another rare surprise to a day turning out to be full of them. He walks towards the tree, young Ryuji tackles him, pain blossoms in his chest and then, as if none of that happened, they're elsewhere again.]

[Yes, he's been through something similiar only a short time ago, but it doesn't make it less disconcerting. This time loop nonsense is messing with his sense of the flow in a way he's never known and he knows that this is the Regency's work, knows they've done... something here. Perhaps magic of a kind realised by the songs, but on a greater scale. Yoshitsugu is not one to throw around the word 'evil' without great cause but the more he sees of their tactics, the more he learns about their methods, the easier he finds it to apply the title to them. What did the people of this world do to earn such a cruel fate? Was it punishment?]

Fine. [He says to Ryuji, after a short few breaths.] Do what you must.

[If there's not enough time, why fight the erratic and unnerving flow and ask pointless questions? If Ryuji thinks he has a solution of sorts here then Yoshitsugu will go with it. Gratitude can wait as well. He trusts the young man enough to place his faith in him.]

In the Forest

[frogfractions]

"Song has an inherent sort of magic," Prelati says as they walk, reaching down to heft her skirts up over a branch. They've had their share of misavdentures, so far, so in a way she's almost enjoying the forest. She won't say it isn't inconvenient to trudge through, but at least there's nothing to try and kill them. Yet.

She raises one of her fingers, points up to her own lips. "Singing is communication, and understanding and communication are the one power humans have. We can express ideas far more complicated than any beast can. Singing's a distillation of that, so of course, it has power."

She's sung before, to enhance her alchemy, though she's nothing compared to the Relic wielders - warriors who fought using weapons that only activated when they sang. She isn't familiar with the full mechanics of how those girls did their work, but she got beaten up by them enough to get the gist.

... But then there's a giant lizard sitting on a horde of gold, and Prelati's pausing mid-lecture to lift up her glasses, rub at her eyes. "Would you like to come up with an actual plan, this time? That thing will eat us alive if we let it. Even if death isn't permanent, it's hardly a pleasant experience. Basically, let's not rush into things."

2

[horsepowered]

[Vorspiel was a place that in many ways, reminded Chiron of his own home. Not because of the landscape or the animals or the buildings, but because of the feel of the place. There was magic, yes, but there were also things of legend present. The Rheinmaidens were sirens if he had ever met them and...

...and the man at the tree, dying time and again, that put him in mind of Promethus. There was no bird eating his liver, but the cause of pain was still there, and the threat of death was there as well. Not from the gods this time, but from other men. (Perhaps not men? They were hidden, and Chiron was willing to entertain the possibility that others might also have such excellent aim.)

Likewise, Chiron was willing to guess that the other figure now at the tree was not aware that she was being watched. Or if she was, she had underestimated her enemy. A healthy mix of curiosity regarding the man at the tree and not wishing for someone else to become injured along with a dying man propeled him forward towards Allura.

His feet were swift, and he made little noise as he darted out from his own cover. There were no words to announce his approach. In theory, the movement would cause arrows to be fired, thus alerting the two at the base of the tree that there was a threat of attack.]

un: @MINIMALCAT (I)

[hakanai]

Welcome to the unit. To be blunt, the chances of someone you know being here are not particularly high; it may happen, but do not count on it. Act as though it will not and be pleasantly surprised if it does.

I'd like to add that you should not use your full name and title when on missions. You may or may not be safe doing so on this network but will definitely not be so in front of others. Use your title alone, a nickname or something else until you know for sure someone is a fellow member of COST. Our enemy, the tyranny you speak of, can and will use such information against you in horrifying ways if you prove to be someone they should worry about.

The one I use is Gyoubu, Princess.

I.

[horsepowered]

Chiron had not been intending to investigate the matter of rheingold itself. He was far more interested in Nibeleim, but the path there meant going past the river. It wasn't a strange topography - cities ought to be near water sources - but it was a long walk. One that winded through forests he never knew existed, one that brought him along river banks that were wild and unfamiliar, yet had a touch of something he knew once.

One thing he could tell for certain was that there was a figure in the water, and then far too many limbs. There was singing too, and that meant one thing to Chiron's own mind. Sirens.

The victim was immaterial. He couldn't make out the figure anyway from the distance he was at. Besides, he had to first find a way to stuff his own ears, lest the same watery fate threaten him. Looking around from river bank to forest, there was nothing available that would work. No bee hives for wax. Nothing. It was regrettable, and it left him to tear his own shirt in order for something to work.

With cloth in his ears, Chiron started to run. In the time he had looked down to put the proper protections in place, he worried that whoever it was in the clutches of the watery monsters might be well under the river.

IV

[hakanai]

He's seen this happen enough times now to know exactly where each warrior is and what they will do to anyone they spot; the brutal, bloody cycle here is a true reflection of the cruelty of the Regency and Yoshitsugu will be glad to leave it behind. Glad to step away and pour himself into the efforts to fight back against the power that is messing with time, with the flow, and free this poor soul from his agony.

But he has lingered here despite that for a purpose. It's obvious by now that plenty of newcomers to unit are trickling into this land and in each and every spot he's been to at least one has showed up. Remaining to ensure he doesn't miss one who can't get themselves out of the situation had seemed wise, and right now that decision is proven to be so.

Those warriors in the trees? Primrose may spot the soft purple glow flickering between the leaves before the explosion of light happens and some kind of power knocks the attackers over in one huge wave; Yoshitsugu himself, scarf wrapped around his face to conceal his mouth and with a long baton held tight in his right hand, runs between them towards the unarmed young woman and grasps one of her wrists with his left.

"We need to leave."

There's no room for argument, and though he lets her go after a second there's obvious expectation that she will follow when he begins to run again. Behind them one of the warriors groans and tries to pull himself to his feet. Sure, no death here will be permanent as things stand, but that doesn't mean they should welcome it.

Suzuha Amane | Steins;Gate | New Recruit

[parttimesoldier]

A. THE RHEIN

[After three attempts at snatching some gold and three near-drowning-experiences, Suzuha finally takes the wise course of action and retreats farther up the riverbank to reassess her strategy. Tussling with the creatures on their own turf was a terrible idea, who'd've thought?

The rheinmaiden she fought with was watching her carefully as she sat down on a nearby hill with a sigh. It didn't look like it was out for blood, but it definitely didn't have that same serenity to its features that had been there when Suzuha stepped into the water the first time.

She didn't really know much about fairy tale creatures or how to handle them. Time to put that BCE to use and seek out some advice or backup.]


@TWINTAILS | ALL
Man, why couldn't all this fancy gold be guarded by nice mermaids? Like the ones from kids stories, and stuff.

...And in case anyone is wondering, I definitely wouldn't challenge these guys to an underwater wrestling match. Just, y'know. Putting that out there.

B. NIBELHEIM

[Subterfuge. The quiet, slow build of revolution. Careful movements right under the enemy's nose. Forget the mermaids and magic and gold--this is where Suzuha felt right at home. How she knew she made the right decision in joining up with COST. She's lived this life before, struggled day in and day out under the thumb of one too-powerful and too-controlling ruling force. Throwing herself headlong into another struggle hadn't exactly been her original plan, but she couldn't sit back and let a threat even worse than SERN come into power. That meant there was work to do.]

i.
[Most of Suzuha's work in the past had been through fighting, direct attacks and counter-attacks against SERN forces, though recruitment work like this still fell into familiar territory.

Encouraging rebellion in a run-down society like this was tricky business, akin to nurturing a sapling in rough, rocky soil. It took time, a keen eye, and equal measures of gentle and stern encouragement. Time wasn't necessarily on their side in this case, and it made stirring up trouble into risky business. So Suzuha did what she could where she could, taking on the role of a downtrodden trader-turned-laborer and mingling with the locals. It was an easy role for her to take on; the situation here reminded her far too much of scenes from back home.

Her work eventually pays off, and she manages to catch word of a meeting tonight in one seedy bar at the edge of town where some of the more lively rebellious factions in the city were supposed to gather. A legit tip or a trap laid by Alberich and his ilk? Time to find out.

You've paired up with Suzuha to stake the place out and attend the supposed meeting. The bar is dimly lit and somewhat crowded, but the two of you have managed to snag a table for yourselves off to one side of the room. Suzuha catches your eye and nods slightly toward one of the Nibelung hanging around a table across the room where some sort of card game was being played. He'd been the one who tipped her off about the meeting. She speaks quietly, masking her words by feigning taking a sip from her mug of watered-down, slightly sweet ale.]

I recognize that guy, the one wearing the gloves. Not sure about any of the others.

[Not an encouraging sign, but she hadn't had much time beforehand to get more familiar with the radical elements of the populace.]


ii.
[Not every plan works out the way it's supposed to. Suzuha's managed to get a few of the locals looking to join up with COST to the safety of the hideouts without too much trouble so far. That sort of luck wouldn't last forever.

You and Suzuha find yourself escorting a pair of frantic Nibelungs to the safety of another COST base. It should have been a simple mission; the base tucked away in a half-collapsed old library wasn't terribly far from your rendezvous point. Only the pair being escorted neglected to mention that they'd been under suspicion from the authorities for a few days now.

And that suspicion came bundled with a pair of guards watching their every move.

Suzuha rounds the corner, returning from her brief reconnaissance to where you and the two Nibelungs waited in the shadow of a run-down bakery. There's an urgency in her step as she approaches.]

We need to move. Now. A few of Alberich's thugs are right behind us.

C. WILDCARD

Toss me anything else you might come up with, or PM me if you'd like to plot something specific.

Chiron || veteran || ota

[horsepowered]

1. In the Forest
The birds are speaking of Valkyries and Chiron cannot help but begrudge the birds. To speak but give no indication of where to go to locate them is a frusteration that he can't put into words. Well, that he doesn't have time to put into words, as the great serpent he has been drawn into a fight with is making to attack him again.

It is with an astounding amount of force that the serpent slams itself into the ground, only a few feet away from where Chiron was. Was. He is now flying through the air due to sheer force, and he lands a ways back in the forest. The bow that was in his hand is now far flung from him, and that is an issue.

"Ugh," he manages, getting up and onto his feet again. "Where did that thing land?"

2. Nibelheim
It was not easy to move through Nibelheim. Chiron was too tall, too obvious, too made for a forest. The city, as wonderous at it was to witness, was also the anthiesis of his home and the life he lived.

That obvious element also made it harder to escort the defecting Nibelungs to the safe havens that COST had set up. There was no reason to show a tourist an ancient and unused library. Yet that was the destination that he was heading for, Chiron and two of the city residents.

The winding roads that lead to the safe haven were an advantage, to be certain. Thick smog and roads that were more like a rabbit warren meant that locations were harder to find, and easy to escape from if need be. But it also meant that that same thick smog could cause an issue for anyone who had legitimate reasons to access the same safe haven.

Not one to panic, or to even think himself lost (just finding the smog an issue, even for his eyes), Chiron looked around. A familiar face would be more than enough to find the correct path.

Jaina Solo | Star Wars Legends | New Recruit OTA

[twojedisticks]

I. Arrival
[There are stranger things than waking in a forest, clad in military-style underwear. Don’t judge, the life of a Jedi can be very strange. Really, the only hard part is being briefed while in this state. There’s very little confusion about her presence here, as the choice to join COST would be easy for a woman with a hyperbolic destiny of always being on the front lines. At the moment she’d rather be studying the implant itself rather than actually using it to research this. . . dimension. She keeps tracing fingers over the implant, and only practiced restraint keeps her from focusing her senses on exploring how the miniature machine interacts with her own body. It’ll have to wait. For now, there’s work to prep for.

There’s always work.

Ah, but the local fashion is a far cry from the utilitarian jumpsuits she prefers. She’d consider crossdressing if the men’s wear was any more likely to involve trousers. As it is, Jaina is willing to take the heavy skirts as a good opportunity to hide her pick for the one weapon she could bring with her. It would be a dead giveaway to walk around openly wearing technology, wouldn’t it?

It’s the comment about gods that finally gets her to snort as she departs. She’s already spent a campaign impersonating a trickster goddess.]

It’s a little late for me to start being respectful about anyone’s pantheons. I’m going to get myself labeled a heretic no matter where I go in the universe.

It's good to have life goals.

II. Walhall
[Even as short as she is, Jaina is confident in her ability to face down a giant. To borrow an old cliché, size mattered not. But time isn’t behaving, and she knows it is better to avoid killing normally – it might make it better that the giants get back up within a few minutes, but then, it might make it worse to kill a being several times. So she tries to get an op together, makes a custom mailing list so they can coordinate without giving their positions away. Maybe that’s going to be a karking mess, too, but she must try something.

Take to the trees. Observe. Try to distract the giants from potential kidnap victims. Out of habit, Jaina lifts her chin to try toggling the microphone switch of a pilot’s helmet, before remembering to access the BCE instead.]

From: @STICKS
To: custom list “Wompa Patrol”

I have eyes on a giant near the west wall. Maybe we can get tall, dark and ugly stuck trying to search a well. Convince him there’s something he wants in there. What do you think?

[chariotry]

[ Sorry, Ryuji. But Achilles is too livid to sympathize with your hormone-driven outburst.

He's starting to drag him from the bank, leaving the maidens to hiss in their direction, ultimately giving up on chasing after them on land.

Achilles is going to be shoving Ryuji in front of him, none too gentle. He might even stagger a bit and land on his ass if he isn't careful treading over the uneven, root-tangled ground. ]

Shut up. Do you think I care about the time loop?

Actions still hold weight. You put yourself in danger without any regard for those who care about you.

You're selfish and you're foolish. Do you not have any sense at all? [ Achilles is triggered. Ryuji should understand the extent of his severe mood swings after reading the Illiad. ]

spike spiegel | cowboy bebop | new recruit | ota

[tigerstripe]

i. arrival
[ Spike’s been here before. Waking up on his back on the ground, half naked, staring up at the sky, someone looking down on him. Well, maybe it’s not always a copse of trees and it’s not a creepy, sad looking woman, either. But here he is, contemplating the weird state of his life and desperately needing a cigarette. He doesn’t even know where his own clothes are, so the cigarette’s a no go. A real shame.

He thinks for a moment it might all be some dream, that maybe he ate one too many weeks-old vegetables on the Bebop, or he’s finally taken one too many hits to the head. The chilled air and the clothes the woman offers to help him “fit in” don’t really give him confidence, either. He is surprised to see she nudges his handgun over with a foot after she’s answered his barrage of questions. Where he is, what this place is, how he’s somehow a member of a group he’s never heard of before, the implant…

None of this makes sense. But the cloak around his shoulders is warm (but does nothing for his bare chest), the gun feels heavy and real in his hand, and when he checks the clip, it has 15 rounds. 15 chances to make his way out of his place and get back to the Bebop, if that’s where he was snatched from. The woman seems tired, sad, and though he should threaten her and use her for the information she may not have shared with him, he doesn’t. She won’t have any useful answers. He knows.

So instead, he tries accessing the BCE implant. ]

@SWORDFISH | ALL
Anyone got a cigarette?

ii. in the forest
Nice to meet you, too! [ A giant, legged snake. As if waking up in the middle of the forest wasn’t bad enough, he’s walked right into the path of the strange serpent. The strange serpent who tries very much to take a bite out of him. Gunfire cracks through the forest in quick pops – one-two-three – but the beast doesn’t go down. Twelve rounds left. Never mind the thing’s sprayed him in the face with its blood.

He can’t afford to waste his bullets, he’s not been in this place long, and there aren’t exactly other weapons around. So he takes a few steps back, putting distance between him and the weird creature, when he hears the voices. Birds? He’s losing his mind. ] I’ve already got all the wealth and fame I need, thanks!

[ Getting rich fast never works, and neither does shooting a giant serpent-beast. So, Spike heeds the birds and turns tail, running through the forest, hoping the creature doesn’t pursue him. Twelve bullets left. Death by giant serpent would be an exciting way to go. ]

iii. spell time
[ The BCE holds a wealth of information, and try as he might, Spike can’t seem to crack it. He wants more information than the thing is willing to give, and in his tinkering, manages to wind up listening through some of the spells and reading the descriptions of others. Some remind him of the dramatic and expensive shows one could see in the brightly lit streets of Mars, some a little too dissonant for his tastes.

He’s just made it into a small part of the town when he begins to whistle absently, hands behind his head in a careless stretch when the ground suddenly disappears underfoot. He lets out a grunt of surprise to find he’s floating. Not of his own accord and without control. ] Hey!

[ He’s used to navigating through zero gravity, but whatever this magic is, it has its own ideas. Sorry, he’s just going to casually float by you, upside down or sideways, looking bored and unamused. He might even run right into someone. He’s whistling up a storm though, hoping some tune will stop the spell. It might just make it worse. Or better yet, sweep others off their feet, too. He’s charming that way. ]

iv. nibelheim
[ The cavern erupts with noise, people scattering and stumbling in the walkways. One merchant cries out for help, and the sharp hisses of Thief! Where? What? ripple through the crowd.

For all that Spike enjoys staying under the radar, he knows there’s benefit in chaos. He’s new to this mission, to COST and whatever it is he’s supposedly done to be roped into their ranks, but he can understand saving innocent lives. Who is he to turn down a good distraction? If it draws eyes away from the few civilians being lead to safety by veterans? Why not. So he tears through the crowd, nudging and dodging people, some kind of fruit clamped between his teeth, his pockets stuffed with a few other food items. Best not to ask. ]

A guy's gotta eat! [ He waves a fisted handful of something – some kind of nuts, maybe? – to the vendor, laughs, and rounds a corner as the huffing and puffing man tries to come after him. Which means that any poor veteran relaxing nearby? They’re going to get a visitor who stumbles up and drops some fruit into their lap, and he’ll steal any head or eye-wear they have, too. Sorry! ]

How do I look? [ A grin. It’s a bad disguise, but he plops down beside his poor victim, crosses his legs and leans back into the cavern wall, taking advantage of the darkness. He’s still chomping away at the fruit. ]

Natasha Romanoff | MCU | new recruit

[tothefly]

{1. whispers in the shadows-nibelheim}
This is what she was made for. The role she was born to play, or one of many, really, so it's not much of a surprise at all when she reads the mission statement her BCE delivers. And really, what else does she have to do? She's got nothing but time to kill until she can go have a conversation with the organization that supposedly recruited her--figuratively, if not literally, who knows with the way time is broken in most of this world--and Natasha has never been a woman accustomed to idleness. So, inciting rebellion it is. Quietly. A whisper here, a veiled implication there. Rumors and stories filled with allegory.

It doesn't take her long to find the right place to start. The bar is dark and dingy, like most of its kind here in Nibelheim, the kind of place you go to drown your sorrows in drink or tell them to a sympathetic barmaid who always has a smile for you. That barmaid in a lot of cases over the next few days happens to be her: Rauda, they call her, red, and she doesn't argue with the name. It's apropos, after all.

Despite the close quarters in the dark and cramped rooms, she doesn't seem to have any trouble navigating the crowd of chairs, avoiding hands reaching for her with a smile or a scolding word as she makes her way close to a recently seated table. Looks like she's not the only human here, though there's not really any foolproof way she's determined to weed out the genuine humans of this place from those displaced like her. Yet. So the conversation is fairly innocuous, to start.

"An ale for you?" she asks, voice a confident lilt. "The smoke from the factories is terrible today, I'm sure you'll want something to wash it from your throat."

{2. deja what-a great tree}
She's no stranger to a trap, and the tableau before her is far too perfect to be anything but. One lone warrior dying from a stab wound to the heart, no sign of blood anywhere but directly around him, no sign of anyone else nearby? Every nerve ending she has is on edge as she watches from concealment in the bushes deep on the far edge of the clearing. And her caution pays off, she sees, as she watches another hapless adventurer spot the dying man, running to his side and kneeling, only to be swarmed by what looks to be a sizeable regiment of other warriors as the wounded man dies. The adventurer runs, but judging by the agonized screams not far off, his story ends just as painfully.

And probably just as permanently, thanks to the ruined and collapsing structure of time, she thinks, as the dead man suddenly gasps, gulping for air, a wheezing sound that almost echoes. His groan of pain does echo, and she's about to turn and move away when another hapless passerby is drawn to the sound. She should probably let this one die, too. It's not her concern, not part of the mission statement. But it's bad form to let a potential ally die, even if it isn't permanent, and who knows when they might return the favor?

A hidden warrior bursts from the bushes with a yell while the newest arrival kneels beside the undead man, but that yell is cut short by the sudden appearance of a knife sprouting from his chest. She's already in motion, drawing the short sword at her belt. It's not her best weapon, but it's the one she has, and she'll use it as well as she can. "Hope you're armed," she says to the stranger as she makes her approach, eyes fixed on the trees and the swarm of men erupting from them all over again.

{3. those who favor fire-end of the world}
She's never been a sentimental woman. There's no room in her world for regrets and sympathies, no place for it in the spheres she travels in. At least, this is what she tells to the people who get close enough to merit an explanation. But this doesn't mean she's immune to emotion, despite her tendency to choose practicality, what's in her head over what's in her heart. The woman's song doesn't elicit tears, but there's a certain look in her eyes as Natasha watches her, something bleak and distant. Like she's seeing something a thousand worlds away.

The song reaches a crescendo and she turns to leave, her eyes meeting those of the person standing nearest her. She opens her mouth to speak, but whatever words she might have intended are swallowed by the cracking of the pyre as it roars to life. Roars, and then roars louder, and the veiled look in her eyes turns to one of inquiry as she turns towards the blaze. The flames are too close to run. There's no point, even as the adrenaline pounds in her veins, and Natasha has never been one for futility. Instead, she takes a breath that she's sure will be her last, closes her eyes. "This isn't exactly how I thought I'd die," she says as the flames swallow her, and there's no fear in the words, only resignation and--perhaps--a deeply amused irony.

a2 | nier: automata | new recruit

[recommission]

((Just gently voicetesting atm. I'm always happy to match brackets/prose!))

i. nibelheim;

She isn't built for subtlety, so none of this doublespeak and sneaking around is in her repertoire. Upon successful arrival in Nibelheim, with nowhere else to go, A2 is a visible visitor, carrying on meaningless conversations and inserting herself into larger groups of locals, a superficial and noticeable, cranky, but harmless outsider come to push no harmful subterfuge.

She knows to look for quiet places, dark places, holes in the wall. Of course, everything down here is dark, everything small and dark and utilitarian. She settles on a sort of half-tavern, sharply scaffolded, where these hardworking people tend to congregate once their jobs are complete. That said, if there are any younger Nibelungs, she'll be shooing them on their way before she approaches the door.

"Let's go." If you weren't planning on entering this bar, that's too bad. You've just been voluntold you're accompanying her. But if you don't follow her, it's not like she'll care. She can do it on her own just as well.

ii. in the forest;

Don't care.

[At first, it seems this android's lost it. She's not talking to anything else human-shaped, because nothing human-shaped seems to be around her. She's dropped against the forest floor some yards round the back of the cave, a sword easily taller than her and at least twice her width pierced into the ground and resting at her shoulder. Her legs are folded beneath her, doll-like, as she recovers on the forest floor, preparing for a second round with Fafnir.

Of course the damn thing bounced back.

The target of her barbs becomes apparent with closer inspection, when she raises one forearm to scrub the monster's blood from her mouth. Undeterred by her attitude, the birds keep tweeting advice to her, about staying safe, making good choices, thinking her actions through....]

Do I look like I'm not busy? [This time, there's an edge to her voice, and A2 gesticulates angrily as she hurls a pebble and the peanut gallery. The birds quiet, but probably not for long. In that silence, A2 quietly whistles a bar or two of music for no reason she can discern. Stops abruptly. Rolls her eyes util they close.]

This is stupid.

iii. at the end of the world;

[A2 doesn't seemed moved by the song. It would even seem like she was ignoring it entirely, except she stands still and watches all of it from start to finish, eyes fixed, one leg cocked to the side as she waits. She only moves when the fire grows, bent leg taking a step back as the flames from the fire blossom and spit up in unexpected, burning gusts.

Without further flinching, without hesitation, she walks into the flames and through them. Maybe it's a disappointment that it doesn't burn, but she keeps going, walking through the snarling heat until she emerges in the meadow, cold wind at the peak of the mountain disheveling her jaggedly-cut hair. She stands above the sleeping widow, head bent and expression unreadable.]

Some dream, [she scoffs. It reminds her of some story, some old fairytale that no longer belongs to anyone, meaningless and empty.

But A2 won't kiss the sleeping woman, so she'll be here...for a while.]

B-ii

[lonelywar]

[Sifting between the various objectives that they were given in this bizarre world, what he found in Nibelheim suited him best too. Not because he was particularly good at infiltration. Actually quite the opposite, Ashitaka always seemed to stick out just a little bit, an unfortunate symptom of generally being a foreigner in a foreign place. Some of the more subtle elements of what the mission called for were also lost to him, for he was far too blunt and straight-forward to be able to handle such finesse. But it was something he could find heart in. He still had his questions about COST and their methods, but they were less and less nowadays as other things took up the forefront of his mind. What was happening in this world was clearly dangerous, and the people of this city were scarcely more than slaves. If they could liberate some and get them to a place of at least relative freedom, it was a cause he would feel better dedicating himself to.

He had met up with the other agent some time ago; so far they had worked together fairly well as she had the kind of know-how and intuition Ashitaka natively lacked. In return, he followed directions swiftly and reliably. It was about all he could do, but things had been going well. They had managed to spirit away a small number of the native Nibelungs to other cells of COST operatives, but, well. It's only a matter of time before things go south.

The conditions of the city were deplorable, constantly choked with a noxious smog that made his stomach churn. At some point he obtained a short length of cloth that he could wind over his nose and mouth as a makeshift mask, largely ineffectual but at least helpful in making him believe it had some effect. Ashitaka remains crouched, carefully watching the two they were escorting, before the quick staccato of footsteps across the stone ground alerts him to Suzuha's return.

Ashitaka doesn't pause, having thought that this would be the case. He had the feeling of being followed - someone who hunts usually could recognize it from experience on the other side.

He shepherds the two Nibelungs in front of him, falling into step alongside his companion.] What do you think we should do? [What is visible of his face harbors a severe expression as he considers options.] Is it worth it to split up? One of us could draw their attention away as the other gets them to safety.

Jeyne Westerling | ASOIAF | New Recruit

[goodandtrue]

I. The Rhein

It seemed a simple enough task, collect the rheingold that floated to the surface, plucking it like daisies from the fields. With the warm sun gleaming against the water, she could clearly see the large pockets of gold, but not the waterbed below. It didn't seem to matter. Everything was beautiful and quiet, which any warrior might know spoke of trouble, but for Jeyne, it only meant a simple and easy to complete mission. For her first time collecting for the BCE, it was almost a relief.

There were even maidens singing in the water. Mermaids? Not only were they beautiful, but they seemed friendly and kind. It was only as Jeyne approached the water, slowly wading from the shore that everything shifted. The wind seemed to turn cold against her skin and the singing stopped all at once. The heat of the sun changed as the maidens dove forward, calling her a number of names in their language.

Before she could reach the shore, they were tugging at her skirts, pulling at her and dragging her back into the deep water. Jeyne struggled to keep hold of the ground, digging her hands into the soil as she screamed for help, if there was anyone nearby to hear her.

'They are going to drown me!' It was a sickening realization. Instinct and adrenaline reared up as she fumbled around, reaching out to grab a large branch in the mud. Her hands circled around it and brought it back, striking at the women with all of her strength. She kicked and struggled, hitting and fighting back against them. She was not a violent girl by nature, but she would be as fierce as the wolf she married.

There was someone coming, she could hear their footfalls buried under the screams of the women. She couldn't risk looking up and letting her guard down as she continued to hit and swipe at the maidens. Instead she yelled at the figure, "Pull me up! Help pull me up! They will drown me!"

II. Nibelheim

The Nibelung were no different than the other men and women Jeyne had come across in her husband's war. They were people tired of oppression, wanting only to survive with their family and to find better conditions. Perhaps it was her sympathy that aided her the most? Or her experience under the Lannisters, being sold and shipped away as though she were little better than a stockyard animal. Whatever the reason, she was able to reach some of the families. It was a blacksmith that first responded to her appeal and agreed to follow her to a safe house. There was little that needed to be said to convince him, the exhaustion was already in his eyes.

Collecting his family, she lead them through the alleys, back towards the abandoned library that COST gathered. It was only when they passed through the doors that the blacksmith's wife realized that one of her children had been separated from them along the way. With a quick reassurance, Jeyne hurried back out into the streets, searching for the child.

She was easy to locate, as small as she was. Once she was in Jeyne's arms, she hurried back along the route she came from. That was the mistake. Alberich's men were patrolling the area and the look of fear on her face would be easy to recognize, something would be amiss about her.

Holding her breath, Jeyne ducked behind one of the bars, trying to search her mind for another route. "Which way do I go?" She asked out loud. There was another person passing, wearing the same issued clothing she was. "I need to get back to the library. Do you know another way?"

III. At the End of the World

The song is beautiful, for as little of it as Jeyne understands. She could see herself in the woman, bearing the loss of a husband but searching for strength in something, looking for a way to be as brave as he was. She watched as the pyre was lit, allowing herself time to mourn as well, never having had the chance properly before. There was always someone interrupting her or pushing her about, acting as though Robb's death was something she should be pleased with. 'I loved him,' her heart whispered into the wind. 'I should have been allowed this.' But her mother refused to let her.

In the flames, there was peace and quiet, a chaos of its own against the pain and sorrow. She didn't notice the fire spread or reach beyond the pyre, she didn't feel the heat until it was next to her skin. Her body responded first, jumping backwards as it seemed to follow. There was nothing to do but to run, but even that seemed hopeless. As fast as she could be, the blaze was directly at her heels.

"Where do we go?" She called to the person near here. "This fire is going to burn the entire field!"