( ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ) | ᴡʜᴏ ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ?

[acatastoria]

[ a message is sent out to all members of the circle -- a sudden image, projected from their wrists. and, perhaps to your surprise, it is of astoria, sitting by lake dona, staring into the water, looking as if she’s staring off into nothingness. but she seems to be talking to something -- or someone -- her voice tilting in an odd strain. ]

Alcina? [ her voice is soft, uncertain -- puzzled, confused. ] What are you doing here?

[ the only issue is that . . . there doesn’t seem to be anyone there. astoria is talking to the water, but there is nothing -- no hologram, no image, no person or creature standing there. Indeed, it just seems like astoria is talking to herself. ]

What have I done? [ her tone is immediately defensive, and her arms wrap around herself, her tone taking on a low, hissing tone -- unbecoming, really, of the normally bright and bubbly astoria. ] I am doing what we were intended to do, what we must do in order to save this universe. [ but she seems to pause, then, and she closes her eyes, murmuring to herself: ] You are not real, you are dead, there is no one here, I am waiting for them to return, they will be back soon . . .

[ there’s another gap of silence, almost awkwardly placed, before astoria sucks in a breath, looking shocked. ]

How are you speaking? [ it’s a sudden demand, as astoria lurches to her feet -- a graceless motion, from someone who typically quasi-floats through the air. ] You are dead. I am here, alone, and I was alone because of you. It lead to ruin because of you.

[ astoria’s voice sounds strained, and light dances at the end of her fingertips, digging into the flesh of her arms. vines and flowers begin to grow around her bare feet, curling around her legs, and spreading outward from her . . . a rampant sea of life, spiraling outward with every breath that she takes. the light grows as she inhales sharply, ripples emanating from astoria out into the lake, whatever energy she seems to be exuding disturbing the water. the sky darkens, a wind whipping from her fingertips, clouds abruptly rolling in . . . it almost looks as if a storm is coming, but the rain has not begun yet. ]

Leave!

Comments

[rightfully]

... your Grace?

[ A few things:

1. Lucina is coughing up dirt and sea water. It's been that sort of day.
2. Despite Astoria's descriptor as a witch, Lucina's understanding of her is much more grandoise. Tharja is a witch, and she lacks the power to tug people through time and space. No, Astoria's power rings significantly more divine to Lucina's limited worldview, and she defaults to overwhelming respectful because of it.

None of that is more important than Astoria's current agitated state, however. Lucina sits up hurriedly on her knees and kind of just smacks at her watch, because history has taught her that if she does that enough, eventually it will connect. ]

Are you in danger?

[ And 3. She's dumb. ]

[cakewitch]

Oh my. From one witch to another, you look like you could use a break.

[ Not that Zee doesn't understand, and... Well... ]

Not that I don't understand. I've had an outburst or two, just like that. After my fiancee--

[ Much like Astoria, Zee is normally quite bright, quite bubbly, and the strain shows in her mouth and the way she stops for a moment. ]

Left.

[moneytwin]

[ Alcina?

Let's file that one away for later, shall we? ]

But we just got back, darling. [tone sobers] And I don't believe we've a place to return to.

video;

[taketori]

[ That... doesn't sound good at all. Miyuki's trying to get his bearings back after everything that's gone down and after what he's seen, and this is the first image he's gotten of Astoria well and truly distraught.

It felt like there was a lot to unpack here, but that felt like something he'd have to figure out later. Instead, he decides to quietly clear his throat. ]

Is this... [ Not normal. This definitely was not normal. ] ...usual?

[ Any of this? ]

voice.

[valuedstrength]

[He's furious, but what's new? That was disaster on every level. Steve stops vomiting just long enough to pull himself together to respond to this. His voice is strained from spilling his guts and keeping his emotions in check.] I don't know what's going on with you, but we can use your help. There's people vomiting water and I can't heal them all. We've got confused merfolk who lost their home. We could really use a briefing on what the Hell went down over there.

Alcina is going to have to wait. These people need someone who has it together and right now you're in the le-

[Excuse him. He's pausing here to vomit violently as you do.]

voice }

[hackedhistory]

[Zari hasn't chosen to interact with Astoria before now mostly because she hasn't seen the point. Negotiating hadn't really done anything in terms of sending anyone home, so it was better to just not be frustrated and keep her attention focused on the thing she could change.

But this ... the way things ended ...

Her voice is teetering in that place between anger, grief and shock and she opts for the most important question first.]

What the hell was that?