[What greets viewers perusing the network for the following three seconds is the fuzzy back end of an Umbreon (plus one swishing tail) but Pip soon darts aside to reveal one sallow and apparently very groggy Grim Reaper, still scrubbing the sleep from his golden eyes. Waking up is hard for young gods, it's hard and no one understands.

All three Sanzu lines in his black hair remain connected, forming a trio of parallel white stripes around his head, but Death the Kid is otherwise no different than he usually is.

Also, the pajamas he's wearing have skulls on them. Skulls everywhere, and he isn't yet aware of the device enough to be embarrassed by the less than presentable state of his rumpled clothing and bedraggled hair.]

Did I oversleep?

[The only thing more unfunny than an understatement like that is an unintentional one. Whatever he might do or say next is neatly apprehended by the enthusiasm with which the Umbreon demands his affection; the SFC is knocked off the edge of his bed as Pip lunges for his arms. The video cuts out upon the device's impact with the floor.]

[Hello Vatheon. Were you enjoying your day? Was it nice and quiet? No? Whether or not that was the case, it's sure as hell not quiet now - especially for you Villa residents - as there is suddenly the shrieking voice of a not-a-death-god-in-a-death-god's-body ringing out across the network.]

WHAT THE GODAWFUL FUCK IS WRONG WITH MY VISION?! And nobody tell me this is normal, because I have been human before, and human vision is not like this. Any vision I've had is nothing like this. What is that?

[He swings the SFC over to Liz's sleeping form in a nearby bed, but--]

Wait, of course none of you regular viewers are going to know, because you're not the one stuck with this! There's not supposed to be some weird orb stuck inside her body, and I am seeing entirely too much as it is.

[Now he turns the camera back to himself, teeth bared for all the little it means without fangs.]

For the record, because apparently going through all this crap for two and a half years wasn't enough, apparently I have been hit with yet another repeat curse. This is Karkat Vantas in Death the Kid's freaky body, I am not even close to knowing how to handle this, and Kid--

Either you contact me right fucking now, or I swear to the death god responsible for your existence that I will trash your block.

[It's late. Or too damn early. Somewhere in that ambiguous area, like 3:00 in the morning, just fine for certain parts of the alien population and a god-awful time for the rest. But here Kid is, addressing the network from the confines of a room in the island-side village.

One can just make out a few figures (Maka Albarn and Rin Okumura) behind him, sound asleep in their bed.]

I have a very important announcement to make, one that simply cannot wait until morning!

[The grim reaper, looking more lively than he has since... well, since the bubble cracked, stoops out of sight of the SFC, and reappears with an Umbreon in his arms. Beaming with the pride perhaps only a father might have for their child, he declares:]

This is Pip, and he's become even more beautiful than ever!

[It is indeed Pip, recently evolved, and he is still fat. He is also a she, but Kid never investigated that closely. Promptly forgetting about the SFC in his eagerness, Kid retreats with Pip in his arms to bend over Maka.]

Maka, Maka! Wake up! I don't want you to miss this!

[Someone is placing their SFC with great care, so that it catches a ring of people standing near the core cluster of the coral growth in the Plaza, and it's only when Death the Kid stoops to speak into it that he can be seen.]

We will begin shortly. Zelda, should anything happen, this transmission will report on our behalf.

[He almost adds something, but the grim reaper straightens up, turns precisely on a heel, and strides back to join the others -- Shirley Fennes and Shiro Fujimoto are clearly visible, and to the other side stands Marie Mjolnir. Kid addresses those gathered, but what he says isn't audible.

Apparently it means to begin, because Shirley begins employing Healing Artes with the sprawling growth of the coral as her target, while the others have their heads bowed in concentration.

One of the stripes in Kid's hair lifts off his head, gradually expanding to connect like a halo around his head. This is followed by the second. The third is the slowest to catch up, but by now the plaza has started to rumble, the image swapping now between being washed out with light and, more frequently, bursts of static.

The roar transmitted by the SFC could simply be a result of audio distortion, or the energy being poured into Lamufao by their combined efforts is so great the air itself screams.

Eventually, there is nothing but static at all to see. Those with the ability to sense spiritual energy at range may have felt a massive sphere of condensed energy gathering at the coral, and then abruptly winking out. When the image returns, the Plaza is still there, the barrier looks more reliable than it has in weeks, and nothing untoward appears to have happened to the coral.

Death the Kid, however, crumples like a puppet cut from its strings, the lines of his hair having returned to their usual, asymmetrical placement at the side of his head.]

[ooc; Marie and Stein's presence still needs to be confirmed by their players, but please feel free to respond to Shirley and Shiro! The barrier appears to have been restored, and the coral's energy readings will be disclosed by Zelda.]

[ The video starts up in Alpha House, and behind Roxy's head there's all sorts of streamers hanging from wherever she could get the damn things to hang. And she's grinning so, so much. ]

So most of you aren't aware, but today is the birthday of my best damn friend in this entire world and beyond, miiiiiiss Janey Crocker! So I'm throwing her a party!

[ She would have enlisted Dirk's help but his give-a-fuck-ometer seems to have broken. ]

So if you know her, or me, or Dirk, or just wanna show up and grab some free cake, come on over to number 6 in Coral Corral for a bitchin' ass time!

[ BLIP ]



((ooc; feel free to use this post for party action threads, too!))

[When the SFC turns on, Angelo can be seen dressed in a well tailored suit. This is the first time he's done something important, so he wants to make a good impression. Taking a brief moment to clear his throat, he's smiling at the camera. Or at the very least, he's faking that smile. For whose familiar with the accent as well, it will be one of the British/English variety.]

Good day citizens of Vatheon, I have two announcements. The first is an important announcement on behalf of our Golden Victory Host Club. As many of you are aware, our former president Zelos departed and recently returned to the fair city. However despite this situation and prior to Zelos' return to the city, we still made the decision to go forward and change management. The new heads of the host club are the former vice president Peony and I, the great Angelo, am its new vice president. In regards to the rest of the club, no changes will be made and we are in fact looking for more people to stop by. So if you're interested in either stopping by or becoming a member of the club, do feel free to come by or let us know. Furthermore, with the changing of management, any questions about our club can be directed to myself or Peony either by SFC voicemail or in person.

[He keeps up that smile while making the second announcement, even if deep down, this is hurting way more than it should.]

The second announcement is more of a personal one. For those who knew my adopted daughter Ib, I'm afraid to say she's been taken away from the city back to her home. I personally believe she'll be much safer there than here, so I'm glad she was able to make it home. Though I'm sure she will be deeply missed by those who knew her, so please remember her for the time she was here.

(Death the Kid in black, Maka Albarn in green, and Rin Okumura in blue.)

Did you really have to make her do it eight times?
I needed the foam to coffee ratio to be absolutely perfect.

[Three (familiar) teenagers are headed back to the Villa, carrying white take-away cups with green starfish prominently printed on them, backpacks hanging from their shoulders; Maka and Rin are walking together, close in that way that speaks of comfortable intimacy. Kid is leading the way by a stride or two, and it's his SFC that's recording the trio of friends.

Yep, they're one week late returning from their camping trip, bringing Star(fish)bucks. If you look closely enough, you might spy his Eevee, Pip, capering around in their wake. Someone's tied a ribbon around his neck, because he's just so cute.]

Maybe next time we should warn them about Kid's uh... 'habits'.

[Rin would have used air quotes, if his hands weren't full. Maka answers next, sounding resigned enough about their friend's antics, but it seems as though they survived the camping trip without any trauma.]

A warning can only do so much when it comes to him.
Heheh... that's true. He's kind of a handful isn't he?
Well yeah, that's just the way Kid is. I never told you that he actually has two Weapon partners, did I? Obviously it takes two people to reign him in.
Seriously? Geez, they got their work cut out for them, don't they?

[Oh man, lovey dovey couples and their conversations. Kid butts in, changing the subject, because GOSH HE CAN HEAR YOU TWO JUST FINE. Loftily:]

We are recording, you know. Hello, everyone. We're almost to the Villa now, and we're interested in an update on anything important we might have missed--
...Why did this need to be recorded.
Yeah, seriously. We woulda just got home and been like "hi, we're home". Are you really that impatient?
[Without hesitation:] Yes.
... you're somethin' else, Kid.
Whatever at least we're home.
As pleasant as it is to get away now and then, it's always a relief to return ho-- oh good heavens no.
... what the hell happened here?
...

[You know that moment in a movie where the parents went off on vacation and the kids threw a party of truly epic proportions? This is Ground Zero of Party Central. The Aftermath. That is the level of mess visible in the foyer of the Villa, now that they've arrived at their destination. Rin is mystified, Maka looks like she might just break the party responsible in two, and Kid?

Well, just be glad the video ends with his blood-curdling shriek of horror.]