Time!

[ the screen flickers onto a scene in the training rooms; there's a complicated systems of fabricated heights and landscapes, all metal, but changing. it's for terrain training; so people can understand and utilize the things around them. it's simple and made of clean metal, and riku stands on one side of it, breathing heavily, eyes focused ahead. the camera itself is wobbly as intense flapping can be heard--it's most likely that the device is in the hands (well, claws) of one stellaluna the dream eater, especially in the way he glances towards the camera with a little smile.

the timer blinks on a screen above him; he turns his head to watch it blink 2:03, and he narrows his eyes, obviously displeased with that. the terrain changes again, and he yells start before he's set to run.

he just... doesn't run normally. he jumps from edge to edge where he should probably topple over the edge, tucks into a roll when he makes a slightly clumsy fall so he doesn't injure himself, climbs back up, slides and pitches himself suddenly forward, grabbing onto a ledge and hurtling himself backwards onto another one. nothing is purely decorative, not even the flips he does that seem a bit like showing off, some aspects purely gymnastic. either way, if he isn't doing an essential move, he's booking it straight to the other end of the course, head dropped low and tucked against his chest.

when he finally hits the flashing button on the end, he turns sharply. ]

Time!

[ loading. loading.

loading--

the same voice from before crackles. 1:49. he grins, and glances to stellaluna, raising his hand. ]

Hey, high-wing--

... hold it. [ squint. why do you have his tablet. why is the red light flashing--

fzzt. end feed. ]

[It's rare that she addresses the network at large, but today, Kyouko is perched on a far-off rooftop. The remains of the domed ceiling and the slightly bent, scorched cross atop it suggest that this place, wherever it is, used to be a church.

She is dressed as a Puella Magi for this, and with a care that belies her usual behavior, wraps the chains of her separated spear around the bent cross, and begins to pull, slowly. The comm device catches bits and pieces of this work — her boots, the strain and squeaking of old metal and wood. Eventually the cross is righted as much as it can be without tipping over and crashing to the ground below, and apparently satisfied, she leans against it, unwraps a candy bar, and places her comm device in her lap, staring down at the screen.]

[She turns away a little, and speaks in a contemplative tone of voice.] Y'know, the people who live here have hard lives.

[She takes a bite out of her candy bar, and continues to speak. Seems she's in an introspective mood.] Not you guys, [rude.] the people who lived here before we got here. When those bombs hit, a buncha of these buildings didn't make it. A lot of the people didn't either.

[A grin, but there's little humor to be found in it.] Heh, and this place is still here. It's a dump, but people come in here anyway. There's no priest and no books, but they leave junk here at the altars, even though the rain leaks through. They bury people without givin' 'em their rites. [...] I wonder if they even remember 'em. Betcha they don't, huh?

[She continues to chew.] I got here almost a year ago, and this building's still the same as the first time I saw it. I used to think nobody gave a damn about it, but I see them coming in and out of here all the time. An' even after the bombs, and what just happened, they always smile at you when you walk by. People give me stuff for no reason. I used to think that kinda attitude was stupid. Who smiles in a shitty place like this? Why give a buncha strangers anything? It's better to just care about yourself. They'd live better lives if they did.

[The wind is soft. Still. Kyouko's expression appears to close off, becomes difficult to read.]

Maybe. I don't know what I think now.

[Loki is on his knees, wincing in pain as Balder clenches his ear.]

Ah....As they say on Midgard: April Fools! I would hardly be Loki if-YAAARGH!

[Balder twists his ear]

I....

.........apologize.....

[He bares his teeth, snarls, and reaches up to grab Balder's forearm]

I merely intended to prove a point: You would have no chance in an actual war!

[Balder ignores Loki's outburst, addressing the camera without any expression.]

My apologies as well, on behalf of my brother. I will try to do better in the future to curb his behavior.