Monday, December 19th, The Midnight Channel

[thepull_mods]

Who: The Port's Latest Shadow Televisions Stars! And Thousands of Home Viewers!
When: Midnight, Monday, December 19th
Where: In front of your Television Sets or Streaming NV TV. (Digital Cable? You'll still get the analog effect.)
Summary: Full Plot Details Here
Warnings: Please Put 'em In the Subject Lines As Necessary, Kids?

Comments

[doeswhathewants]

[The camera pans over a smiling Serrure, clad in his typical bright yellow hoodie and baggy cargo shorts. There’s a sly smile curling up the corners of his mouth and those emerald eyes glow with an inner fire. He stands on a dark corner of a city street, a closed storefront in the background. Before him is a collapsible table with a sealed deck of cards settled harmlessly in the middle. The light from a street lamp casts a shadow behind him, tall and broad, that of a man, not a child, with great horns at his forehead that curve up and tall, then back in on themselves. Pinpricks of green glow in the blank shadow’s face where the eyes of a man should normally be situated. A disembodied voice announces as the camera zooms in, cheerful and deep-]

Now it’s time for the Magic Hour with your host Serrure!

[Canned applause and tinny, pre-recorded cheers go up as Serrure mocks a couple of little bows, to either side, then straight on at the camera. He claps his hands together and the applause track tapers off, fading]

Ladies, ladies, lovely ladies and clever gents, please pay attention; we wouldn’t want you to think me a cheat, now would we? [He winks at the camera and pushes up first one sleeve of his hoodie, past the elbow, then the other] As you can see, nothing up this sleeve, nothing up that sleeve! And these cards- [He plucks up the sealed pack and begins to unwind the plastic starter strip that breaks the seal on the deck] - a brand new pack! No chance to stack the deck- [He leans in, a not so innocent smile curling up his mouth] not that you think I would do that, of course!

[He tosses the plastic to the ground and opens the box, tapping the cards out. The box, too, gets tossed uncaringly to the ground, joining the plastic.] Now, now, do pay attention. I’d hate for you to miss the magic. [He fans the cards out right side up, across the table, one can see the deck is uncut, in order and segregated by suite.] Get it? Got it? Good. [He lifts one hand, fingers curled into his palm save for the pointer, he allows the camera to focus in on that finger, then follow it down as he hooks it under the first card in the fan and flip it over. Like a cascade, the other cards flip over in turn until only the blue backs are facing up.]

Now, perhaps a magic word? Too trite? Yes. A magic rune instead. Thurisaz. Thor’s rune. The drowning one. [Green light, like balefire, limns Serrure’s right hand, he brings that finger up to trace the thorn rune in the air. It lingers, casting a sickly green glow, then fades as Serrure brings that self same finger, still glowing with magic, down to flip the fan of cards over again. Each is revealed, a knave of spades, even the jokers and blonde knights and kings are transformed. Serrure looks up as the glow around his hand fades, though lingers in his eyes]

But this is not the trick you came here to see. You want real magic, don’t you? [A pre-recoded track of cheers goes up] No matter the consequences? [The cheers grows louder, then cut off abruptly as the green glowing eyes of the shadow behind Serrure wink out. The shadow disappears and the green glow returns to Serrure’s eyes as his form shifts and twists, growing larger, broader. His clothes change, green leather, gold mail armor. A golden helm with horns that curve up and back, eyes old, smile wicked. His voice is deep, amusement at the edges of his tone.]

The lock* has opened and the truth emerges. Lift up a prayer and perhaps I will answer. Once before I have done so, when your golden hero of Asgard [The amusement turns strongly bitter for one lingering moment] would not deign to answer your pleas, it was Loki Laufeyson that slew your enemies.

[doeswhathewants]

[He runs green lacquered fingertips lightly over the top of the table, not disturbing the cards there. It shifts shape, changes to a faceless nude human man that runs off into the night]

Or perhaps I will not. This dimension might yet have use [Loki raises his left hand, turning it over, palm up. Green fire glows and a picture forms within, it replays the siege of Asgard: Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Wolverine and others flash across the flames, fighting the Dark Avengers, Iron Patriot and Void] To ensnare those who oppose me, to leave the throne of Asgard vacant, I will bring those heroes to this island, to this inescapable prison. And as I stand on the branches of Yggrdisil, I will pierce the veil of this world- [With one finger, light catching on the dark green polish covering the nail, he sketches out the rune Uruz on the air, a sharp, upside down U, one arm longer than the other, glowing with green light.] Uruz and watch the entire dimension implode.

[The corners of his mouth curl in disdain] Mortal lives are so fleeting, consider this the one purpose in your deaths.

[He half turns, then pauses, glancing at the camera over his shoulder] If you intend to live, weaver of webs, invoke your favor before I bring Ragnarok.

[OOC: *Serrure is French for ‘lock’.]

reaction :

[makes_asteroids]

[Lovely. So glad to know his suspicious where right. Though not who.]

Call | Action if you want it! ♥

[boundbytreason]

[ How many evenings would she have to run through the same practice? ]

[ Normally, Caster was fine with repeating the same thing, night after night. She called the person's NetVice with hers, but at the same time, she stepped out into the Darkness to search for their location. ]

[ However, after her own theatrics, she started to grow weary. The Core already had enough audacity to subject them to its whims. Did she really have to deal with evidently witnessing her hidden persona on screen as well? ]

[ Nevertheless, she sent the call to Serrure, and she headed straight outside, extending her perception to search for his presence. ]

Call | Action

[doeswhathewants]

[He answers the NV, just voice, not video and with the slightly breathless strain to his tone, the light sound of quick footfalls and occasional grunts and flat smacks of sneakers landing on pavement, it's obvious he's running]

Hey Caster. I .. uh.. guess you saw the ... show.

Call | Action

[boundbytreason]

[ Given the background noises in his audio, Caster judges that she doesn't have time for pleasantries. The sound of her own heels as they click crunch lightly against snow and pavement are evident as she speaks. ]

I won't ask you to turn back, and I won't ask you to stay at home. If you're already outside, then your determination is clear. [ Her voice grows gentler: ] I only ask that you tell me where you are.

Call | Action

[doeswhathewants]

[He can hear her running and pauses, ducking behind an alley wall to speak to her. The gentleness of her tone draws the corners of his mouth down as he tries to smile. This place is so different than those memories of Midgard and Asgard.]

I...thank you. For caring. But this is one of those things, I think, that a person has to do alone.

Call | Action

[boundbytreason]

[ It was a sentiment that she understood well. After all, Caster had to face her own Shadow yesterday. She had preferred to deal with it alone rather than have an unwanted guested, even though it likely included an entirely different reason than Serrure's own. Nevertheless, she hesitated, before her steps slowed and she spoke again. ]

Then, I'll wait. If you need anything, I will be right here. And when you're done, we can walk back home together. [ So, don't die, was the silent insinuation. ]

[doeswhathewants]

[He nods, realizes she can't hear him, then says aloud] Just be careful out there waiting, okay? There's still other monsters about.

[Unfortunately, he does not yet realize that those shadow doubles transform into monsters once defeated.]

[boundbytreason]

Of course. [ None were stronger than her, though she wouldn't tell him that. ]

Take care, Serrure.

[ Yet, she can't bring herself to hang up first. She considers asking him to keep his phone on, but she knows that it's an unreasonable request. ]

[doeswhathewants]

[He smiles at that, tone cheerful.]

See you in a bit! [Then hangs up, the idea sparking to voice document the entire affair.]

[ reaction ]

[drinkthebleach]

[What.

What the hell? Seriously?

Pickles wasn't sure what he was going to see when Serrure's shadow popped up on his television set; he had no preconceived notions. But he wasn't expecting the fourteen year-old kid to morph into a jolly green viking from one of their music videos. He could practically hear Skwisgaar in the background approving in his low, broken English. Even the names Serrure used--Thor, Loki...that fucking tree that he couldn't pronounce to save his life--he knows he heard them before.

And wait. Wasn't he supposed to be from France?]

la la la la action ;;

[reginagloriae]

[He was right. The monkey was saying the truth all this time. All her refusal and denial have been silly. Youko squeezes her eyes shut in an attempt to block have she has seen.

That's the sound of dishes crashing down from the kitchen.]

20 years later T__T

[doeswhathewants]

[He's watching this play out on the NV and he... he knew. He always knew. It was always right there but now he can't push it to the back of his mind and when he hears those dishes crash he knows Youko knows.

Moving from his room, he calls out softly]

....Youko?

[reginagloriae]

[She's on the floor, picking up the pieces of the shattered china. Even if her hands should be cut by the way she grips at the shards. They don't bleed. They don't even nick her skin.

How could she judge if she's a monster?]

I...It's lying, right? Serrure-kun? It's lying.

[He was lying too. She has to cling at the denial of normality.]

[doeswhathewants]

...Youko. [He hesitates, voice small. Loki lingers in the doorway, fingers grazing numbly over the painted wood of the frame.] I- no. It's not lying. [He's going to tell the truth. He has to. If she hates him, then it is no less than he deserves, but he will not live as he did before.]

I used to be that person. But it- it isn't who I am now. It isn't who I want to be. [There's a desperate edge to his voice, willing her to believe him.] I don't want to hurt people or destroy things.