VIDEO -> TEXT. UN: DAGNY.

[dagnyology]

[ Dagny's face appears on the network. Behind her are snowy plains, where small gnomes are jumping and playing. Her face is flushed from the cold, but she smiles. ]

Hello! I hope you're all doing well! The Timeline has finally computed your mission objective — sorry it took so long! Sometimes he gets a little slow. Now, I know he may seem— different, but he's always been correct! Just... ah, be careful when talking to him? He's a learning machine, and all he really knows is about missions, so sometimes he says some strange things when he goes off topic. But don't worry! He tries his best. I'll connect you to him now.

TIMELINE.EXE IS PROGRAMMED TO RELEASE MISSION PARAMETERS. MISSION OBSERVATION IS COMPLETE AND RESULTS FOR MISSION: Nalawi ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Hello World ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ Take the hassle and confusion out of the
Mission,
Try this One Weird Trick!

To help NALAWI, you will need to DEFEAT the GODDESS NALANNI so the energy can return to the world.* In doing so, the people of NALAWI will LOSE THEIR POWERS but the world will continue on. If this objective is not reached, NALAWI will BURN OUT PREMATURELY.

*NOTE FROM TIMELINE.EXE: Giant squid of the Sea, too
2 or 0 Not 1! Thank you

[OOC NOTE: This will serve as an IC discussion post. The OOC discussion post is here!]

Comments

[selfimage]

[ he has nothing left: no powers, no sorcery, dulled senses and what's slowing becoming a migraine. all that's left is his wit.

well ... ]

We can't even find another source of energy for ourselves, let alone enough to fuel a goddess.

[ he's tapping his fingers against something. ]

Unless ... if they're aspects—both sea and earth—perhaps can we ask them to return? Like a pretty please with a cherry on top.

[ this energy thing still rubs him wrong, but it's a solution, even if he feels stupid saying it. ]

[winces]

Ask them... to return?

[ she blinks, feeling a furrow form in her brow. ]

Like — become the sea and earth again?

[selfimage]

Gods aren't like mortals, they may still have some consciousness left linked to their roles.

After all, they did have to come from somewhere, didn't they?

[winces]

[ it sounds so crazy... but maybe it's crazy enough to work?! ]

Do — Do you think they would be okay with that? [ she pauses, thinking about it. ] I wonder if they even wanted to be goddesses in the first place...

[selfimage]

Ah—who knows? It seems like the less die-y alternative, on both ends.

Becoming a bully of the multiverse isn't high on my to-do list.

[winces]

Last time — some of our number were able to go down to speak with Ryba. Maybe it can be done again?

[selfimage]

Perhaps.

Though it may also tip them off if there are those that insist on taking the more violent route.

[winces]

And there are definitely those, [ olivia finds herself murmuring, though she speaks with resignation, not judgment. ]

[selfimage]

[ he's never against the violent route, he just doesn't seem to think it's the smartest, especially not with ALASTAIR backing it. ]

You know what they say: less violence is always more.

[ Loki, no one says that. ]

[winces]

What do you think we should do...?

[ she worries her bottom lip a little, glancing sideways as if that might somehow make this conversation a little more private. (soemone doesn't know about privacy channels, it seems.) ]

I mean — it probably isn't wise to go against orders, right...?

[selfimage]

[ Loki finds himself caring little at this point. if ALASTAIR wanted to hear their conversations, he's certain that they'd find a way. ]

This is a suggestion—we weren't given any orders other than to help, remember?

[ he says it all a little carelessly, like he has this whole excuse thing figured out. ]

[winces]

[ she blinks at that, ready to say that she somehow does not think it is as simple as that...

but there is a tone in his words that give her pause. slowly, she thinks she starts to get it.

olivia had never really been in the business of indulging in loopholes before — but suddenly she finds herself feeling just fine with it. ]

...right. "Help" is so subjective, too.

[selfimage]

[ there's a little hm! of approval once it clicks, and a smarmy look that she can't see on the other end. semantics and implications was how he functioned, wiggling into the space between words and meanings. ]

Oh, you're right. It can mean a lot of things, can't it?

[winces]

[ her smile is small and tentative, but gradually, gradually, a light of hope begins to shine in her eyes. ]

Yes... We are given quite a lot of freedom, too, aren't we?

[selfimage]

We are. There's wiggle room.

[ give Loki and inch, and he'll take a mile. ]

And from my experience, that leads to there being "always a way."

[ that last bit is added a bit wistfully. ]

[winces]

[ wistful though it may be, it is still one of the more encouraging things she's heard that day. she cannot help the way her smile widens, and her cheeks warm, finding herself grateful, for once, that loki doesn't like to play by the rules. ]

...thank you, Loki.