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[selfconducts]

Woden's dead.

[ By now plenty of locals and imPorts alike have probably seen the viral bluetube footage of Baal and Inanna crashing Woden's big show, beating on him before teleporting him away. What is far less public, though, is what happened after. ]

It's been a hell of a week. I'd apologize for all the havoc he managed to wreak before now, but that damage is already done. All I'm sorry for is that it took so long to put a stop to it.

To set the record straight: yes. I killed him. I did what I had to do and no, I don't regret it. He needed to be stopped and this was the only way to do it. He hurt too many people already and stood to hurt a hell of a lot more even if we managed to contain him. Taking that chance wasn't an option. [ He pauses, expression both solemn and guarded, before it hardens slightly. ] I'm not taking further statements or answering questions about this, but you still all deserved to know the truth about what happened. That's all I'll say about it.

Hey.

[ Says someone off screen, and then the camera shifts over- it's Cassandra Igarashi, sitting at a table behind Baal, not looking like she was mentally prepared for this. In fact, compared to her spitting panic in her last post about Atropos, she looks absolutely drained. Particularly considering how blunt she gets about this: ]

Woden is Professor David Blake.

[ She takes a long sip of coffee. ] I can give you all the proof you want. So keep a wide fucking bearth when the Porter plucks him from hell. [ And then- for once- she seems finished. ]

[ The camera shifts again, shakier than before, and comes to rest on a rather ragged looking Inanna. Like Cassandra, Inanna looks in desperate need of a good, long nap. Even their voice sounds strangely worn down. ]

We know this is a serious matter, but please try to understand that everything we've done has been to try to protect you and the natives of this world. We can't erase anything Woden has done to you or your friends, but we will be doing everything we can to keep him from doing anything like this ever again.

I'm here if you have any questions that aren't about proof of Woden's identity.

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[setmatch]

[ David’s heart has just about dropped into his stomach. Cold creeping through his veins as he plays the video once. Twice. Thrice.

David Blake had been someone he considered a friend. Someone to talk to about the comparisons of their gods, even if David himself had been reluctant to reveal his own divinity to Blake.

To find out that was the very man that had used him, had turned him into the monster known as Apep.... ]

Give me. Your proof.

[ He doesn’t know if these gods recognize him, and frankly he doesn’t care. He’s too angry. Shaking with barely contained rage. ]

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[queenofseers]

[ Well, who's this? Did David make more friends? Of course. She recognizes David Klein, but not especially well.

If she sounds annoyed, it may have to do with the fact that she was shaking with rage herself when she found out. Not the world's best topic. ]

Do you want the flash drive of things I ripped from his computer, the boatload of quote-unquote circumstantial evidence that amounts to something far more than circumstantial, or the packet of cocaine I found in his goddamn office? Because I think they paint a pretty fucking shitty picture, all around.

[Video]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi's curled up on his bed when he gets this news, finally free and cuddling Riza-chan like his life depends on it. His sanity does at the very least, and the little Poochyena is more than happy to be resting heavily against him, anchoring him. ]

Could have saved some for the rest of us.

[ He may sound bitter, and he still wants to beat the hell out of Woden for what he did to him, but hearing that someone killed him was a relief all the same. ]

[Video]

[selfconducts]

If he comes back...

[ Because that's the frustrating part, isn't it. Not that Baal is a big advocate of murder -- not that he's an advocate of it at all if and when it can be avoided -- and not that Baal doesn't usually see the fact they don't stay dead here as a good thing, but in this case...

It'd be bad enough, if any of them as gods were to go rogue and not stay dead. But Woden? David fucking Blake? Baal doesn't even know where to start with that. That guy as never even one of them, what more could he possibly want? ]

Do what you want to do. I'm not going to be the one to stop you.

[purple_reign]

[ For a moment Inanna is looking off screen—presumably in Baal's direction—brow furrowed with worry and a concerned sort of disapproval. They sigh heavily and turn their attention back to their own screen, fixing Adachi with a somber, tired look. ]

You were put through enough without adding the burden of taking a life to everything you're already carrying. [ A beat. ] Are you... Do you need anything?

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[drivesadesk]

Good. Because there's nothing to regret. He deserved what he got.

[For doing all...that after people were still recovering from the horrors of the Shimmer.]

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[selfconducts]

[ Baal expected a little more controversy in reaction to this news, and it's somewhat of a relief that it's not the case. Not because Baal is afraid of controversy, but after the last couple of months, it's nice that for once things can just be easy. ]

He did. And probably worse. [ Baal pauses. ] At least it's over. He may never have been one of us, but we'll still clean up the mess he made.

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[knaval]

Ugh, I hope he comes back. Murder him again when he does? For me? Thanks.

[anyway, onto more pressing matters:]

Can one of you knock out Cass so she sleeps for once?

[queenofseers]

[ Cass just puts up her middle finger at Riptide like a mature, adult human being. ]

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[selfconducts]

There's already a queue forming in the event of that. We'll see what happens, but you'll probably have some competition.

[ No on-the-record promises, but... that will something to figure out, if and when it's a problem again.

And: ]

We don't do that.

[ ... Usually. ]

[purple_reign]

[ Inanna manages a tired smile, a flicker of amusement breaking through the exhaustion. ]

After all this? I'm booking everyone a spa day.

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[pummelgranite]

thanks

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[selfconducts]

It'll be all right.
So will you.

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[girlybruiser]

[ Haru's tired, still a bit shaken from recent events. Her skin continues to crawl at the idea she wasn't herself, memories of "Pachamama" floating about. It's eerie, like being a prisoner of your own mind. ]

... thank you.

[ It feels wrong, especially where murder is concerned, but she doesn't know the whole story. ]

Will Woden not retaliate once he returns?

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[selfconducts]

[ Of the three of them Baal probably looks the least weary, but that's not to say he isn't as equally exhausted as the rest of them-- he's just trying not to show it.

Still, he sighs. ]

Retaliation is already the whole reason why this happened in the first place. If we let that influence our decisions when it comes to dealing with him there'd be nothing we could do.

But it'll be us he retaliates against anyway, if he does try again. Not you. Don't worry.

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[queenofseers]

I thought I saw you.

[ She doesn't know Haru especially well, but she's still saddened that she didn't catch that Haru may have been on Woden's radar. For a number of reasons. ]

Oh, he probably will. But he doesn't have the advantage of a civilian identity anymore, and now the number of people pissed at him has increased exponentially once again...

[ That sounds like it should be reassuring, but her tone doesn't show it. In fact, she sounds defeated. ] We have advantages we didn't have. But it's not like you can really stop anyone in this shithole.

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[purple_reign]

I'll see him if he returns. Perks of being a seer. He won't be taking anyone by surprise if he tries anything.

[ It's not the best of reassurances, but there's little to offer in a place where death is just a temporary inconvenience. Inanna is glad they can even say this much. ]

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[cassassin]

[she plays the video back another time, watching baal's face carefully. cass is in a seat on a private jet right now, hair pulled back into a messy bun. she looks... extremely tired, and not happy about any of this.]

Lying, Baal. [not hard to guess why. covering for someone else. she takes a breath.]

Cassandra. Send me a copy? Of everything.

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[selfconducts]

[ The accusation surprises him, which probably also shows on Baal's face-- he's not always especially great with a poker-face.

Then his expression sets again, guarded and firm. It doesn't bother him if she knows, really, even if he has no intention of changing his tune on what their new version of the truth about this is. ]

It's what happened. [ He pauses, then allows for the more honest elaboration of: ] That's the story.

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[queenofseers]

[ Huh, what the fuck. She knew Cassandra was sharp, but not that sharp. She's got her eyebrow raised when she responds, both surprised and, admittedly, interested. ]

Yeah, I'll send it over. Good to know you're on the side of the non-brainwashed again.

...Why do you think Baal is lying? [ She nearly had to stop herself- she almost said how do you know, inherently realizing this girl has picked up on their ruse. ]

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[purple_reign]

[ Inanna is too worn out to have much of a reaction, only just lifting their eyebrows in surprise. How could she tell so easily? They hadn't thought she was another seer. ]

What makes you think he is?

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[deathboss]

[He had a feeling something like this would happen, but after speaking with Woden.]

So do you guys really blow each other's heads off?

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[selfconducts]

[ ... Awkward. ]

Where did you hear that?

[ Which is not a "no," but-- ]

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[lesterzeppelin]

[ well that makes two people - first being Dooku, and now Woden – who Lester talked to that had far more nefarious plans than he anticipated. So much for being a former god of truth. ]

That explains why he knew so much about you guys. [ he pauses, ] Guess that means his show was literally a killer concert.

[purple_reign]

[ That quip earns a weak laugh from Inanna, and they slump forward over their desk, propped up on their forearms. ]

It really was, wasn't it? ...What did he tell you about us?

[granddevil]

An Ambassador of imPorts admitting to murder without any regrets. How inspiring.

[queenofseers]

Only you would say that.

[ She doesn't seem the most excited to see him, but she's intrigued by what Satan may have to say. ]