I guess I should say something...I'm just not sure what. [Long pause]

I'm back. I went home. It still sucks, possibly more than this place. Obviously I have my memories of everything here. It's surprisingly intense to have a bunch of memories pound their way into your head.

So...did I miss anything interesting? Brennan, you better not have been all mopey.

[The feed comes on, showing Kenshin from the side in his living room on a couch with his giant orange cat sprawled across his lap. His right arm is still in the sling and he's awkwardly switched it on with his left--the device likely sitting on the arm of he couch.]

[He looks a bit down--big surprise.]

This unworthy one has been in this apartment almost his entire time in this City... [scratches Orenji under the chin--the cat looks pleased at least.]

He thinks... he is ready to move... but... [Moves the slung arm a bit.] he isn't entirely capable of doing it himself this time...

...

Would anyone be willing to help him?

...

This unworthy one... would like to be elsewhere by the 19th...




[ooc; Yeeeeeeeah... 19th is his anniversary of marrying Kaoru the FIRST time... and she's gone. Again. Emo!boy is emo :/]

[Video Post]
((Click--and thump! Something--probably Maria--has landed with a thud on the ground. And! Her new Network device, which was until recently tucked in her beribboned bag, has apparently been tossed aside and has turned itself on in the fall.))

((Maria lies still for a moment, looking very small and tired, tossed like a doll into the eternal summer of the rose garden of Xanadu.))

((Quietly, quietly, there comes a small sound, a little like a very strange bird's call, a little like a child crying quietly: uuu... Uuu...uuu...))

((It takes her a moment to calm down... Slowly, slowly, she sits up and looks around: trees, grass, a gentle breeze, a lake, and roses.))



((And, because children are resilient like that, in another moment, she's on her feet and dashing around, smelling every flower she can reach.))

Uuu! Roses! Mama, Mama! Come and see! It's the Golden Land! Beatrice kept her promise. I knew she would. It's because we believed in her. She took us all to the Golden Land with her.

((She turns around with a victorious grin...that fades as she realizes she's very much alone...))

... ... ...

Mama? ... Mama...? Mama, where are you?

... ... ...

Beatrice! You didn't forget Mama, did you? You were supposed to bring Mama to the Golden Land too! Beatrice! You promised! ((She starts to cry, with more of those soft cooing sounds.)) You promised... Uuu... You would take everyone to the Golden Land once you got your power back. And you did. We believed in you, Beatrice.

So where's Mama? Beatrice? Where's Mama?

((She crouches on the ground, curled around herself, still cooing and crying until the recording times out with a--click.))
[//video post ends]

[ooc: Please welcome Maria ;3; Action spam or Network post, either way. She's currently in Xanadu, near the rose bushes, in the part of the park that's forever summer. She's pretty quick on the uptake, even if she is from 1986, so she'll catch on okay to using her Network thing as a very strange phone. Also, I will try to keep the "uuu uuu" down to a reasonable level, honest. It's IC, but I know it can be completely annoying too.]

Today seems very strange. I'm bundled up, but it still seems freezing in here. I think, perhaps, this might be aided by the fact that anything I touch today seems to be freezing on the spot. I haven't ever experienced anything like this, but if anyone needs to freeze something, then I'm your man.

I suppose if I shout "freeze, scoundrel" it will have a completely different meaning. Ah-hah.

Speaking of which, any of you that knew him, Doctor Horrible is back in the City. He's laying low, for now, but I'll be sure to keep an eye on him. Horrible, today I'm like the freeze ray you always wanted to build, but never could. Perhaps I should pay him a visit.

[OoC: He's the ideal hero and perfect man in his mind, but he's just too much, and he's cold on the inside. *analyzed this too much* Also, finishing up my final paper, so backdating. /surprise surprise]

[Filtered from Diva]
It seems there is a new citizen in the City, a young pregnant woman who goes by the name Diva. I'm interested in knowing if any of you have encountered her or know of her current whereabouts. Attached is a picture of her for those who are unaware of what she looks like.[ARTEMIS FILTER]
Please refrain from direct contact if possible. I merely wish to know where she is for now.

Mr. Xemnas. I'll be needing your presence at the apartment later. I wish to run out for a bit.

It's hard to believe it's only been a week after that day. Between the strange occurrences that plagued all of us through it all, it's easy to think that it might have been longer. It's hard to describe as well but everyone should know all that has happened.

Let's see... I hope my filters work properly.

[ PRIVATE TO NATALIA | HACKABLE ]

⇒ I apologize for the other day. Sincerely. Know that a second time will not happen again. I will do whatever it takes to prevent it. ⇐

[ PRIVATE TO LEON | HACKABLE ]

⇒ It's time we talked about Yuri's matter, isn't it? ⇐

[ PRIVATE TO INO | HACKABLE ]

⇒ Miss Ino, about you and Yuri... ⇐

[ Rustle. Bang bang. Bang b- sound of something popping open and then a short shriek of surprise, followed by the sound of someone landing on the ground and the network box communique thingie getting jostled. ]

Ooph!! Phew.. Finally! I thought I was never going to get out of -- huh? Where'd it....

[ Longer pause. ] This doesn't look like ... where ...where is everyone? [ Footsteps ]

Emil!? Tenebrae! ... Presea!?

[ OOC : So yes, Marta's means of arriving is falling through the freaking iron maiden she was shoved in (classic). I've had that thought in my head forever. XD ]

( Handwritten//Off-Network )

[Voice Post]

[The audio begins with a sniffle and a sneeze; when Rosella does begin to speak, the pronunciation of certain words is slightly off, which is unmistakably due to a stuffy nose.]

I suppose that mistletoe curse is something of a yearly tradition, then, isn't it? I remember it coming up last year, too. It's rather upsetting a curse, though, if one isn't prepared for it. But of course, when things like that happen during curses, we really shouldn't hold it against the person. He or she couldn't help it, anyway, being cursed.

Kissing during curses really doesn't count, anyway. Or to break curses, for that matter.

I almost wonder if it's part of the curse, though, that everyone feels compelled to be out and about on that day? Goodness knows I ran into plenty of my friends on Saturday, and it seems they'd all had mostly the same idea as I'd had--getting Christmas shopping done. And that's two years now, that I've turned out to do my Christmas shopping on the mistletoe curse day. So--

[She sneezes abruptly.]

--maybe there's something to that, after all.

Ngh.

Well, in any case, it's over now. No matter what it is, it always comes to an end eventually. And I didn't mind it nearly so much this year as I did last year, either, so that's an improvement. Though I do apologize to anyone I did end up, er, encountering that day. If I could've helped it, I would've, but I'm afraid that's just how that curse goes.

[She sniffles, then sneezes again.]

And I think there's a curse today, too? But this one seems harmless enough, as well, from what I've seen. It's something to do with the heat and the snow, isn't it? It's a good way to catch a cold if one isn't careful, I supp--

[After another brief sneezing fit, followed by a great deal of sniffling, there is a shuffle of movement near the microphone.]

That's it, burned tongue or not, I'm going to give tea a try again.


[OOC: So Rosella made a trade with the deities to get Sam's dog Mojo here for Christmas, giving up all her senses (one at a time) in exchange. The catch? Turns out she's allergic to Mojo for the week, too. So today she has lost her sense of touch, is suffering from horrible allergies, and happens to be Mister Hundred and One, so she's radiating heat like it's going out of style, too. Whee!]

[So during his tirades about what others were getting him for Christmas he had yet to do any shopping for anyone else. Granted he really... doesn't know what to get other people he figures his best bet is to just walk around until he spots something. Money isn't a problem; the fat wallet in his pocket proves this (saving his allowance DOES come in handy).]

Jeez, this is harder than I thought...


[ooc; ACTION LOG for christmas shopping and shenanigains. mingle, bother, make him angry, etc GO FOR IT. Tags may be slow because l-lol gd math review is 15 pages long ;__;]

If this is how people felt when I was sent home...

... then I'm really, REALLY sorry.

Hi! This is the post thing if I've stopped paying attention, maybe, or for plans and questions, if you like or also if you want to poke me on characterisation.
Though it might be more likely that I will notice you via plot stuff if you email me but this post is for people who are almost as lazy as me.
Oh, and obviously for people who want to stay anonymous with their constructive criticism. Please let it be that?

Also, I may be able to figure it out and if so, I'll edit it, but someone may need to tell me how to activate Anonymous comments. You can do that for individual posts, right? If not...uhm. I GUESS I'll turn it off all over the journal? Even if that's a bit scary?

Girls, Clef, Mokona: remember I told you that artificial snow looks way too fake? I just found the easiest way around it! Why settle for less than the real thing, huh? I was so silly. Can't believe I didn't come up with this before! But now after tweaking the place with a couple of ice spells we got the perfect Christmas-y setting.

[Switch to Video]


So how's that? An authentic snowfall! Right inside the apartment! And I didn't stop at the tree! ---Aw. Just a second... Mmmhh... ready. [The camera angle shifts to show Umi using her magic to create one of these lovely things. Then she hangs it from the snow-covered tree and flashes an accomplished grin into the device.] Doesn't it look gorgeous? There: we're all set when it comes to decorations.

Aw, and... after dealing with that? I thought, why not go to town with the idea? So... we have an indoors skating rink now too! I used the second living room. Not that we hanged there a lot anyway. Come check it out!


[ooc: Guess who's a White Christmas. |D;; She still doesn't know Louise left SOB.]

[Affected by the day's curse, you'll finally get to see Nekozawa out and about! He seems to be a tad irritable, though. He needs warmth, and is going through the city to get whatever heaters and other supplies he can.]

At ease, Belzenef... We will return to the lair shortly, this light is too dim to affect us now... Oh, how you must miss the fiery pits of the Underworld to keep you warm...

I can't believe we're only a few days away from Christmas! And I can't believe I'm spending Christmas here, of all places! I've always had my Christmas with my family... but I guess I'm pretty much stuck here.

Well..! I for one, don't want to spend my Christmas alone..! So is anyone up for a Christmas Eve party? On the 24th, probably... I'm cooking Christmas dinner enough to feed a small army, so there! That'll show those Deities who's boss!

So if anyone wants free food, sign up! And no, no one is bringing any mistletoe, because those that do will get no dessert!

[ooc: Of course, the party log will be up on 22 or 23, since I'm sure everyone will be busy on 24. :D So, party, y/y?]

If anyone noticed, Shalimar's gone. No, she didn't run away or anything like that. That Hall, where they put up portraits so you know without a doubt someone's gone gone? Yeah, she's there.

It's not supposed to be like this, right? Christmas, I mean. It's supposed to be about family and...and all that crap. Who am I kidding.

None of my family's here.

[The scene is dark, save for a sprinkling of dots that turn out to be a string of lights wrapped around an elaborately decorated Christmas tree as an overhead light is switched on. An arrangement of Christmas stockings line the wall, names handwritten on them: Dad, Brennan, Zack, Booth, Hodgins, Cam, Sweets. All names of people who are no longer in the City or have never been, but Angela's a sentimental sap and she's not going to forget her family this holiday season.

Well, that and the wall looked pretty pathetic with only three stockings for her and the pets.

She stands in front of the tree, hands on hips, obviously pleased with her work both inside and outside her apartment.]

A little early, but who cares? It's perfect.

[In the corner, a grey and white cat appears, gearing up to bat at one of the lower hung ornaments on the tree. And without even turning to look down...]

Don't even think about it, cat. I'll cut you down to eight lives.

I frankly don't see a problem with making out with all the girls in this place, but then I'm that kind of sick fuck, apparently. Someone get me a beer. I hear Christmas is coming up.

I hope no one actually wants any presents.

Network's been saying things about mistletoe, but...

Heh. I can't just sit inside all day. Kanda's out of soba. Again.

So, do me a favor? If you see me around, look extra hard for the plants, unless... uh, because I can't.


[ooc: BACKDATED TO EARLIER OKAY PLZ... YOU KNOW DAYLIGHT HOURS. ... OKAY ZZZZZ + WORK FIRST THING = RESUMING @ EVENING SUNDAY EST]