[Voice Post]

I can safely say that I am quite looking forward to never seeing that much sand again in my life. It was most unsettling, and quite got everywhere. I feel as though I've had most of myself sandpapered extremely slowly, one grain at a time. It rather takes it out of a person. And a lot out of body parts. And skin and such.

I will still do my best to keep up with the crime fighting, of course. But perhaps not so many damsels in distress with repay me, as they say, in any way they can. I believe a simple verbal thanks will do. And that is not to be confused with oral thanks.

[/Voice Post]

I'm never asking Rhys for a beach vacation. Pretty sure I never want to see sand again for the rest of my life.

I need a shower. And something for a wicked sunburn.

... a few days sleep would be nice, too.

You know, having caught the few last moments of the glass city before everything went back to what passes for normal around here, I think Buffy and I got the short end of the stick. My shower felt awesome this morning though. And luckily Buffy and I are super-pros with a first aid kit. I guess I have to add how much my sister rocks, which doesn't happen all the time so everyone should take note. She made monster slush of the desert creatures and kept me alive too. I mean, I did help too... here and there! But sometimes I got in the way too. I'm good at that. If getting in the way of all things Slayer were a super power, that would probably be mine. Anyway, my sister is awesome.

So... everyone's okay? You know... I've seen people not being dead anymore. So... Aya and Ken? Sam? Dean? Ariadne? Tony? Faith? Charlie? You know, I could keep just listing names cause we all know how much I like to hear myself talk. But I'll spare you all and just hope that everyone's... you know, okay... and alive. Alive is good.

Everyone should have a Buffy in a crisis. If I could clone her and only have her clones come out during times of impending doom, I would. You have to be careful with clones though cause pretty soon they get a mind of their own and they're all personal space invade-y. Sometimes they're bots.

What? I ramble when I'm nervous or I'm worried about people. Okay, so I ramble even when I'm not nervous or worried. But now I'm done.

...no really. Done.

[As is often the case in these things, it begins with a animal knocking the device askew, showing a cock-eyed view of a coffee table and a woman sleeping on the sofa behind it. The table is scattered with a pack of empty cigarettes and a full ashtray and a similarly empty bottle of alcohol with a glass of melted ice nearby.

As the living room around her finally reverts back to it's fully solid and non-glass state, a Prussian Blue cat jumps onto the sofa, sniffing at her mistress lightly before snuggling in next to her. Bleary human eyes open and a hand pulls out from under the blanket to scratch the cat's ears and Mara's muffled voice is heard.]

He's coming back, that's how things work, they have to.

[There's a whine off-screen from a dog.]

That goes for you, too. Don't you worry.

[She sits up a little, realizing that everything's gone solid again. For the briefest moment, there's hope in her eyes, but she tamps it down and reaches for the device, switching it to voice, not realizing it's been broadcasting video. The screen goes dark as she addresses the network.]

Ken? Are you back, love? Are you alright? Aya? Ivy?

Wow. Thanks, City. I enjoyed the sucktaculuar vacation. A real beach would've been nice, but I think you forgot the water.

OI DEITIES!

SCREW YOU!

[He does not appear to be happy as he glares at the screen.]

BRING BACK MY DAMN DESERT, YA BASTARDS!

[Yep, he did just say that.]

THAT WAS MINE!

Fuck!! [--which was followed by several other curses, from the side of the device. He may have not been in view, but Agito was making sure his presence was known. ] I’m going to fucking murder you, I swear-- fucker!!

[It was Akira's profile the video feed focused on, distracted from the original purpose of this entire broadcast by a certain screaming someone.] Stop that, you're going to scare any possible help away before I can even ask for it.

Shut up! It hurts! [ From the same side that voice was coming from-- a wrench came flying, right to Akira’s head. ]

Hey! [The video shakes when Akira lifts a hand up to block that, and it finally shows the first voice's owner-- Agito, on the ground, in all his injured glory. His shirt torn up, bruises and scratches along his cheeks, arms, and-- one of those arms, clutching at his middle. Akira rolls his eyes and finally faces in front of him.]

Anyway, he-- accidentally flew into this wall, and we were wondering if there was anyone here that could fix up a broken bone or two.

[The feed clicks on to show a room. White and sterile. Windowless. Karl paces restlessly in the center. He is dressed in a gray smock, like an asylum inmate. He looks jittery, pale - then quickly goes livid. ]

HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME?

[His shout echoes through the cell. Snarling, he dashes a fist against the walls. Despite the blow's force, there's not even a dent. Somehow, this only makes him angrier. He throws himself at the wall, fists pounding- and suddenly finds himself knocked back on an electric wzzzt. Smoke curls from his singed hands. ]

You worthless bastard!

[He trembles all over, emitting a growl. Nothing in his eyes beyond a banked wildness. ]

I know your game, Solomon! But I won't play it! Drugs and tricks won't keep me here! DO YOU HEAR ME?! NOT NOW! [His lips peel back around gritted teeth.] I'll find you. I'll find you and kill you myself! You'll BLEED AND BEG for keeping me from MY SAYA!

[Suddenly his face crumples, like a lost child's. He sinks to the floor, his head cradled in his hands.]

God. What have you done to me? Why does it hurt so much? WHY WON'T IT STOP TICKING?

[He squeezes his temples. As if, with enough pressure, his head will go pop. No more sounds. No more pain. But the Clock's ticking is like a metal band wrapped around his skull. Tightening bit by bit. His eyes flash red. ]

Where is my blindfold, esteemed executioner? Where is my last meal? I'd like it warm and bloody, please. Preferrably with a cigar. Better yet, why not feed me from the fount? FROM MY DARLING SAYA'S THROAT!?

[His ghoulish laughter fills the room. But there's an edge of agony just beneath it. The sound of someone whose nerves have snapped. Where's that liberating plunge into psychosis when he really needs it? Laughter subsiding, Karl falls back. Eyes blank. Lips parted. His words are a raspy aspiration.]

...I just wanted to die. Why is that so hard? Why... when this is all living feels like? I'm supposed to be through with it. I'm supposed to be FREE!

[His smile is haunted. A bizarre mix of adoration and despair.]

Free. For eternity. With her.

[In an eerie singsong litany, he chants Saya, over and over. The feed cuts off.]

[OOC: As per this, Karl had a duel with his fed up elder brother, who summarily whupped him and hauled him back to a containment lab. Thus endeth Karl's spree of mayhem. For the moment >D. Come cheer the poor lunatic baby up :| He's been given a cocktail of meds to calm him down, so his moods/speech will fluctuate rapidly. Also, private filters won't work/will be subject to threadjacking by the warden Solomon!]

Oi. Deities.

I have a trade I want to make with you.

Who wants to talk to me?

I never, ever want to see sand again. Never.

Did everyone else get like, kicked out of the desert place and end up here? And did everyone find everyone they were looking for?

Because if so I'm gonna sleep for a week.

I've never done one of these before, so I hope I'm doing this correctly. I wanted to contact the deities for a request. You see, it seems that Yuri acquired Tyr's rune, and it's active and dangerous while on him. My request is that you would return that rune to Tyr and seal it once more, like Rita did before it transferred to Yuri.

Whatever price you ask of me, I shall pay it! Anything to make sure that everyone is safe once more and doesn't have to fear the power of that rune.

Thank you very much for your time in listening to this.

I...am so glad to be out of the desert...I don't think I ever want to see that much sand in one place again!

It's good to...be home...


...hey, Toph...? I know it's a bit sudden with things only having just gotten back to normal, but...I need a few days off, if that's okay...there are some things I need to work through...

[PRIVATE TO SELF // ACCIDENTALLY MADE PUBLIC DUE TO EMOTIONAL ISSUES]

...I guess I just wasn't thinking about it back in the desert. I mean, there were more important things to worry about, but now...

I can't believe she lied...for 19 years, I thought...and it was all a lie...

I don't know what to do now. How to feel. Does Mother even really love me? Or is it just my stupid hair? What about...about my real parents? I don't know anything about them, really, and...I'll probably forget this all when I go back home...

...what do I do now...I still can't...she raised me, but everything she said and did...I hate her but...

I don't know what to do about it. Nothing, I guess. What can I do?

[ooc: So, somebody figured out that her mother isn't really her mother and that her whole life is a lie while in the desert city...]

[ A nice pair of classy shoes with wheels were shoved up into the device’s camera for a few seconds, before the device was shifted to point at Agito, instead. ]

Hey, shitheads! Whoever traded for these, show your fucking face so I can kick it into the ground!