fellden | [video, un: billy & un: clary] open to stars & moon

- does this really go out to everyone? Okay. Anyways, hey, I'm Billy.

Sure does! ( Helpful, Clary! She turns to the video feed properly, giving a not-very-cool-at-all half wave. ) And I'm Clary. I know I've talked to some of you before, especially about the branded and what they're up to. And... there's seriously no good way to say this, but we have some updates on that.

They were involved in the attack last month, and probably the famine, too. At least, the monster that killed me had that same brand. [ And the whole 'it killed me' business is as good of a segue as any to the topic of Death itself. ]

I was brought back by Death. It told me that the branded had something to do with Temperance. Death used to have her soul, but it was stolen a few months ago.

Which is probably around when the branded started showing up during harvest. ( The takeover between them is smoother than it has any right to be; an easy back and forth as the information is shared. ) As some of you know, a few of us got blank tarot cards from a guy named Vuzor after he said 'balance comes for us all'. Well- ( Clary holds up her tarot card. Temperance is displayed across the front in all its glory with gold writing over it saying TEMPERANCE RETURNS. ) Temperance stands for balance, usually. Keeping it. Which is sort of the theme that the branded have been running with. ( As though needing another ominous piece, Clary turns the card around to the back where a countdown is happening. ) And now we might have a deadline.

Death says we need to prepare ourselves and from the sound of things, it was dead serious. [ Okay, he covers his mouth to stifle a laugh. He didn't mean to make a death pun, really. This is very important information. ] So we've got less than a month to get our shit together, find out what we can, and either try to stop this from happening or get ready to face something that makes everything else we've fought so far look easy.

So if you know anything, or find anything, you better cough it up. [ He stands with his fists clenched like he's about to steal everyone's lunch money, before he clears his throat and his stance relaxes a little. Maybe threats weren't the best way to go about this. He's still getting used to being nice. ] I mean, shit, this doesn't sound like something any of us can face on our own, so it'll be better if we work together.

( And Clary has to turn away from the screen to hide her dumb smile at the bad joke, gaining her composure back in time for Billy to finish. ) Which we've all been doing a lot already, so we should be getting pretty good at it! But like Billy said, if you know anything we haven't mentioned, or find anything out, please let everyone know.

( With that, Clary will reach forward in order to turn the video feed off. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Are they... here? ( Last Clary knew they were gone and no one knew what had happened to them. Which complicates things a lot, not having them here! ) I just don't know if an audience will happen if they're still gone.

If it does still happen and they're not back yet, I really hope whoever is running things knows some advice to help us get ready for whatever is coming.

I... don't know. [this is a good point to think about wow!!!] Um, I heard that they were gods as well, so...

[marianne just like assumed they'd be around??? that's what gods do!!!

...]

Wait, by Temperance... Is she a god too?

[if temperance was gone.............................. the pieces are... COMING TOGETHER!!! for marianne at least who doesn't know much about tarots beyond what Coraline helpfully told her.]

If we're going by the deck of tarot, then... in theory, there would be twenty-two Gods, which include the High Priestess, Emperor, Warlock, Death, and Temperance.

( Which means a God is coming back and that's... not the greatest thing to think about. )

[twenty-two..... gods..... Marianne knew there were a lot of Arcana but like... whew]

...And it's a problem now because the Branded are involved with her -- revival. [slowly, okay. she thinks she understands.] ...Does Death want us to fight her or to free her? If her soul was stolen from him, then maybe... she might be in trouble?

[look she's just not very familiar with FIGHT GODS as the #1 option here. maybe temperance is trapped in a way? maybe she's like the professor]

( Clary actually feels really silly for not thinking of that. She's so accustomed to just leaping into things and thinking that everything needs to be fought that... well, rescuing Temperance hadn't even been a thought. She was too involved, hated the branded too much for what they did.

But it would make sense, wouldn't it? That her soul was stolen, that she'd need to be saved from potentially fanatical followers. )

That actually makes a lot of sense. ( After all, if Death wanted her dead, couldn't it just. You know. Kill her? Saving her would require help. ) If Death needed to, it could probably just kill her. It would make more sense to have to save her from whoever stole her soul away.

[this just in marianne IS a god/goddess sympathizer... but if she'd see what the branded did firsthand like Clary had, she'd also be a lot less inclined to think anything associated with them would need help. As it is, her face brightens a little with relief. the problem here is that they don't know anything for sure.... maybe someone can chime in with more evidence of Temperance being Bad, but for now.]

Um, I'll try to find out if that's the case...! Or, I'll just try to find more information that could help. [...somehow!!! she'll do it!!] Either way, we still have to prevent her revival, right?

[let them rescue temperance in time Please.]

Agreed. I think stopping anyone from bringing her back is the best thing we can do right now. ( But!! It's encouraging, to know that there are options other than 'let's kill a god' floating around. Clary prefers that course of action, ultimately. )

I'll do the same, and let you know what I fine. If anything at all.

Yes! I'll do my best too, [her un says clary so...!!] Clary...!

[DID SHE SAY THAT RIGHT...]

Um -- is it alright if I call you Clary? I met someone on the network who didn't want to be referred by the name on his Compass, so if not, then please feel free to correct me.

[rip freddybear]

Clary is great! It's my name, so I guess I lucked out. ( She knows there are others who aren't so lucky in the network name area... )

Is Marianne right for you, too? (God she hopes so. Clary has yet to have any awkward conversations about the compass being wrong, please don't let it be her first with someone that's really nice- )

[clary and marianne simultaneously sweating over whether or not they might offend the other... but it's their lucky day!!]

Oh, yes! That's my name too. [obviously marianne.... is it too late to get embarrassed in a conversation!!!] I -- I mean, yes, you can call me that!

[it's not too late to get embarrassed after all!!!! let her gently expire into the good night]

Well, it's nice to meet you, Marianne. Although... better circumstances would've been nice. ( You know, rather than talking about the raising of a God and its really awful followers. )

Yes... [better circumstances would be really nice!!!!!! Though...] Um, but I am grateful that you and Billy shared this with us.

[especially billy because... he died???? would Marianne be as quick to help if she had died... she does not think so. Still, Clary and Billy's willingness to discuss and share information reminds her a little of how Claude and Hilda would lead discussions before and after battle. It's a relief to see that again, even if they are perhaps from other factions.]

We can only work together now because of the both of you. So, thank you.

[video, un: billy & un: clary] open to stars & moon

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