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[sanguinespell]

Is that how--yeah, okay.

[It's close to sunset and Nico is chilling in a graveyard in De Chima. Why? Because she's living her best life, that's why. And it's not that far off her usual route home.]

This thing isn't that different from the WizPhones, but muscle memory-- [She rolls her eyes.]

Whatever. Hi? I'm Nico, I'm new in town, and I've got this thing. [She holds up an intricate silver device with a gold ring at the top, hissing slightly as she activates it. Light crackles in the ring, and a four foot pole telescopes from the end of the grip. The extra length seems to be solid piece with no seams, from the looks of it. Weird.]

I had it back home, too, but I didn't know its name. Apparently, it's called the Staff of One. [If the dossier she read when she arrived is to be believed. She turns the Staff over in her hand, idly.]

Anybody handy with magic? I could use a hand figuring out what it can do.

[She's used it for some things, and seen it used for some others, but she hasn't exactly had extensive practice with the thing. Her mom would insist the Staff isn't magic, but whatever. She's kind of past caring what her mom says.]

If you don't have that--please tell me somebody in this world has taste and goth is still a thing. My wardrobe is looking pretty pathetic right now. [She twists her mouth to one side for a moment, thinking, before going on. May as well try it.] One more thing. Karolina, Gert, Alex, Molly, Chase--if you guys are here and seeing this, speak up.

[Yeah that'll work. Probably not.]

Comments

[sanguinespell]

Yeah, I think I've got the dread fate thing going fine back home. [Just, y'know, being framed as a group for murder and kidnapping, almost definitely by her and her friends' parents. No big deal.]

What's he know about magic? Besides his mystical dream makeover powers.

[fehus]

Oh, no. The other pale guy. [he starts laughing, suddenly] Holy Sif? It's goths all the way down, here. Um, the guy with the white hair. Who asked about your file. Not the sassy asshole.

[sanguinespell]

Oh, him. [Right, yeah. She cracks a little bit of a smirk when Magnus starts laughing.] So what's his deal? Hell, what's yours.

[fehus]

We're from the same realm.

[rolls his shoulders, smiling a bit back. he likes her candidness; she's being pretty strident about the New Universe deal]

Cursed and enchanted objects are kind of a big deal in it? I have one, that if I bring him out, he'll probably try to flirt with your enchanted object.

If you're asking more of a personal "what's your deal," dude, if that last bit didn't give it away, I don't have the time or ability to explain.

[sanguinespell]

[She already got her freakouts about the new universe part of this out of the way. But really, with the time she had before she got ported in? That's basically just one of those "this might as well happen" things. Really, Nico's not exactly an open person usually.]

Yeah, man, I'm getting that impression. Your object is a him?

[fehus]

Yeah, he uses male pronouns. He's a sword. His name's Jack. Theoretically we could ask him what he thinks is up with your Staff of One?

[sanguinespell]

I'm guessing you don't stop to think about how weird any of this shit sounds anymore.

[a beat.]

Yeah, we can try it.

[fehus]

[a shrug]

My afterlife here is less weird than it is where I'm from.

Okay. -- Oh, shit. I'm Magnus, by the way. Nice to meet you. I can't believe I introduced my sword first...?

[sanguinespell]

You're raising way more questions with everything you answer, hope you're noticing.

[She shrugs in return.]

Nico, like I said. And I guess the sword just really wanted to get set up with some non-sentient staves?

[fehus]

You're joking about that but I was not.

[and Magnus pulls an unimpressive rune down from a cord around his neck, which -- transforms, into golden short sword, which then proceeds to float. the runes on its -- his -- blade light up an electric blue, like a stereo equalizer, as a voice much more energetic than Magnus' resonates from it]

What's up, señor?

Hey, Jack. Try not to raise any questions for a sec, okay?

I can't help it if I get people talking, bro!

This is Nico. Do you think --

Oooh, baby. Is that what I think I don't see, since I don't have eyes? Damn, that stave's got it going on! Introduce me!

[sanguinespell]

[She watches and oh god she instantly regrets this and it's very clear from her expression.]

It's called the Staff of One. It doesn't talk.

[fehus]

[if it makes her feel better, Magnus looks mildly pained as well. especially as his sword clears the throat it doesn't have, loudly, like the sound of spoons in a garbage disposal]

-- Right. Uh, Staff of One, this is Jack. [another garbage-disposal sound] -- This is Jack, the legendary Sword of Summer, bane of frost and fire giants, sharpest blade in all the Nine Realms, formerly Sumarbrandr, the magic sword wielded by the noble Vanir god Frey, Lord of Lords, now wielded by Frey's demigod son Magnus, uh, Lord of nobody yet I guess, deathless eterna-teen einjerhar of the Allfather, forged of paradox and cunning, by some smith dude I don't know, but clearly with enormous skill and craft. Only he can cut the bonds used to secure the Wolf until the end of times, forged itself of Wi-Fi with no lag, a politician’s sincerity, a printer that prints, healthy deep-fried food, and an interesting grammar lecture.

He also makes a mean quesadilla, given enough prep time, and his foes tremble before him.

Damn right they do! Nice to meet you, can I call you Onesie?

[Jack doesn't seem to mind that the Staff of One doesn't talk.]

[sanguinespell]

[nico just... no-sells the hype man bit because she already has no patience for this sword. sorry magnus. she knows you're doing your best and not enjoying it.]

Jack, absolutely not. [next, to magnus--] Is Asgard in space in your universe, or-- [wait. the ids. give her a second.]

Oh, okay. Annabeth's cousin, right?

[fehus]

Uh, yeah. It's not in space, it's in the afterlife. [...] Not to sound like I'm trying to out-goth, but I'm like, mega dead. That's what "einherjar" means.