video.

[heralding]

[Lightning had chosen not to attend the festivities from the night before, and with good reason. While the event itself sounded charming, she found herself uncertain if she would enjoy herself. The loss of Hope had been a great one, and more than that, she's currently trying to find her place in this world again. For that reason, she comes to speak here today.]

I'm sorry for those of you who attended the festivities last night. There are many different dangers in this world, and I'm still not certain I understand all of them or the perspectives they have. [There's something in her tone that indicates that she thinks that the perspectives of the Hornets may not be wrong or right—she simply hasn't made up her mind.] As it is, I'm sorry that you all had to go through that. My lack of understanding isn't what's important, and I hope you've all received the care you need in the wake of that.

I'm here today to offer first a piece of information about a lost comrade, as well as a request and an offer in the future. The more things stack up around us, the more I find that some things are as clear as day.

But first, about that comrade. Hope Estheim has been gone long enough that I can confidently state that he's returned home. If you were his friend and he offered to help you with something, I can try to offer my help in his place. I know he knew a great many people. He likely referred to me as his sister. I can't help with any of his technological work, but I'm eager to offer it elsewhere.

[There's a beat of silence before she presses on.]

Otherwise ... the last time I spoke on here so publicly, I suggested that we should understand the effects that both gods and Fates have on us. I still confess that I don't see the difference between the two, but I think many of us have already heard the name of Lachesis thanks to that broadcast. Almost every day, I speak to someone who doesn't believe in the effects of these higher beings, and I'd like to share my experiences with others and explain why we should at least be aware of them. I know many of you come from worlds where they're a nonexistent factor. While I find that ... strange, I don't believe that's the case here. Even some of the imPorts are god-like or gods themselves. [Loki comes to mind. She hasn't seen any of the others around recently, but that doesn't mean they won't turn up again.

And that's not to mention herself, meant to be a vessel for a lost goddess.]

In return, if you'd like, I'd like to hear about your perspective on this world's politics, the impending war, and even the efforts of the Hornets. More than that, I wouldn't mind hearing about your home. I believe all of our unique experiences are extremely valuable, and I hope that they can help us move forward and look at the problems we face with the knowledge that only we imPorts have at our disposal.

[Does she finish with "right"? No, that doesn't seem right this time.]

Thank you.

Comments

AUDIO.

[selfimage]

About home? Not feeling homesick, are you?

[ there's some noise behind him, he's definitely not at home. the background voices can't be made out, but Loki turns, covering the receiver and saying something to the voices before they hurry off in their own directions. ]

My home is a little up in the air at the moment. Or space.

...

It's really in space.

[heralding]

Busy, huh?

[She's surprised he made time to speak, but then, he's Loki. He strikes her as the type to somehow manage that.]

I'd be surprised if you were actually in space.

[She'll get back on topic in a moment.]

[selfimage]

The space between the realms--it is a space. Asgard isn't exactly prime real estate right now. The decision's been made to up and move. Boxes have been passed out, valuables packed, schools changed ...

We were bad for the neighborhood.

[heralding]

[Ah, it took her a moment to understand. She does now.]

How were you bad for the neighborhood?

[selfimage]

In the obvious way that the All-Father would patronizingly say to--erm, excuse me, lecture--my brother how the gods should leave the mortals to their own devices. Luckily he's long gone for now.

Mostly it's about Asgardia and the attention it keeps attracting. Aaaaand not just from the mortal tourist end of things.

Unfortunately for the situation, we have no where else to go. The realm itself has long been closed off, used as a prison for a terrifying terror. [ there's a pause. ] Apparently we had no where else to put Uncle Cul.

[heralding]

The All-Father.

[It's repeated wonderingly.]

Was He the father of all?

[The capitalized "he" is obvious in her voice.]

The ... creator, if you will.

[selfimage]

No one could ever claim so much—the world was created out of burning and ice. Odin can only boast of planting the seed of the World Ash, fancy that.

[heralding]

Odin.

[Just a second, Loki.]

[selfimage]

[ mimics her tone. ]

Odin. All-Father. My father.

[ it still comes out a little strange, but he does say it with a little hint of conviction. ]

[heralding]

I had a friend called Odin. He was my eidolon, but I can guarantee there's no connection.

[selfimage]

[ he sounds curious with a little "hm." ]

Of course there's connection.

Hope never did get into the nitty gritty of the mythos from your universe.

Resonance is strong here.

[heralding]

Hope ... you spoke to him about this? What did he have to say?

[She asks partly because she's curious, and partly because it's likely that he had some insight that she doesn't have.]

[selfimage]

Nothing of interest. He got a bit to prickly to drop much of anything.

It could be because I'm so shady.

[ don't say that with a smile, Loki. ]

[heralding]

[Impatiently:]

What did you do?

[selfimage]

[ trying to look as innocent as possible. it doesn't work at all. ]

Why did I have to do something?

[heralding]

Because I know Hope.

[Really, Loki.]

[selfimage]

I didn't do anything!

[ Hope just got super exaggerated with the wordplay. ]

Regardless ... he didn't say much of it.

[heralding]

[She sighs, not entirely believing him.]

When the fal'Cie choose ... proxies to fight in their place, these proxies, the l'Cie, get a little help from these creatures called Eidolon, who arrive in times of emotional strife. Mine was called Odin.

[selfimage]

"Eidolon" is an interesting use of the term.

These Eidolon, do you know where they come from?

[heralding]

They're housed in Valhalla until it is time for us to call upon them. And when they are called upon, they are housed in eidoliths until it is time for us to have their help.

audio;

[databoner]

[And, entirely ignoring a good majority of this post...]

You were present for the incident that happened yesterday, then. Please, explain it to me in detail. I wasn't able to attend myself.

audio;

[heralding]

[After a beat, she replies:]

I was not, actually. That's largely the cause for my condolences.

audio;

[databoner]

... Ah. I misunderstood, then. I apologize.

audio;

[heralding]

It's fine. I'm hoping to find more information myself. I ... regret not going.

audio;

[databoner]

[Sigh.]

As do I.

audio;

[heralding]

If I find anything, I'll let you know.

[Since he was determined enough to ask in the first place. It's only ... natural to offer, in her opinion.]

audio;

[databoner]

Please do.

[He appreciates it, seriously.]

[Text]

[bloodonthestones]

People attack us for being imPorts and the government argues over what to do with us.

It worries me. Bad things start small like this.

[Text]

[heralding]

It's encouraging an atmosphere of fear.

[Text]

[bloodonthestones]

Exactly. When governments encourage fear, they make people into targets. It starts small and grows.

Something like that happened in my country before, to my people.

[Text]

[heralding]

I've witnessed it, too. Would you like me to share?

[Text]

[bloodonthestones]

Yes, please.

[Text]

[heralding]

The government in my world encouraged ... tenuous relationships between my world and another world, so much that the other world became something that we could only think of as full of people to fear. Even after those people left and died out, we still feared them, unaware of that fact.

Because of that, they were able to prey upon our fear. When they wanted to "purge" us off to that world ... and what they really meant was obliterate a large portion of our population, they used that fear to justify their actions, and most of the world approved of it. And why not? That portion of the population had been contaminated by that which they feared, and it was wise to be done with it.

Even as a group of us fought back against that, it was difficult to pull the veil off everyone's eyes. Ours was a culture that was caught up in its superiority, especially with how much we were led around like sheep. If we were told to fear something, we would fear it. And we couldn't handle anything for ourselves.

i meant to reply to this so much sooner i am so sorry

[bloodonthestones]

I would say I am sorry to hear it, but no words are good enough for these things.

What happened to my grandfather is the same. The government makes a scapegoat, blames problems on them, and makes everyone else stop to see them as people. What the government did was so horrible people didn't believe it really was happening until they see it themselves.

But it starts small.

My question is, if you can see it start, how to stop it before it grows?