Oh! Hullo, everyone!

[Pippin is grinning, proud of himself for figuring out how to make a mass message, instead of just responding to one.]

I hope I'm not bothering anyone, but I was curious if anyone could tell me about the taverns here, such as which are the best, which are the worst, and so forth. You see, we Hobbits enjoy a fine ale just as much as the Big Folk, and it's been a frightfully long time since I've had one.

[He's exaggerating. It hasn't even been a month yet.]

So you see, I'd be most grateful if I could have this information, and perhaps we could even go together? Ehm, thank you for listening!

[He waves at the camera and then puts on his concentrating face as he tries to figure out how to end the message. But then suddenly he thinks of something and looks startled.]

I'm not offering to buy anybody a drink, mind you. I'm sure you're all lovely people, but I don't want to spend all my pocket money in one go. You understand, I'm sure.

[hey so Arthur's been practicing with this infernal device. so this post has more of an air of a Public Service Announcement than his shaky uncertain previous attempt. it will be slightly ruined by all the complaining he's about to do, but for the first few seconds he is a prince, composed and regal and everything.]

No matter what stupidity this city is visiting upon us, there are still matters that I have to take care of. I need to know, first, if there is any who comes from a place where sorcery and age are such a problem. How long can we expect people to be children? It's ridiculous. And with that, if there is anyone that sought training from Haruno Sakura, she is-- [this is so stupid and a pained look crosses his face momentarily.] --Well. Her defense program continues. I will be helping with the instruction of this training.

Though not everyone enchanted is a child, some have only-- forgotten being in this city. [or other, more serious things, and his expression sudden sobers and darkens for a moment. Morgana, she is a perfect example of this latter condition, but he doesn't say that.] How long can we expect for them to remain? Is this change to be permanent?

[if some part of him wishes it to be so, he ignores it. a tiny glimmer of hope, maybe, and then--he squashes it, and moves on.]

And I also need-- [and he's practically counting off these demands on his fingers now, one after another--] --anyone that has any experience in hunting outside of this city, and anyone that knows of any horses that are here--I will need two of them, for several hours. And I need anyone that could teach swordsmanship to a young woman. Fairly, and properly. [no louts or lecherous weirdos need apply; that's evident in his suddenly stern expression.] There will be several rounds of interviews for this latter position.

That's everything for now. [and somewhat irritably, he adds:] There. And all of it accomplished on my own.

[so now certain people can stop implying that princes can't do anything for themselves, thanks.]

Color me curious, my fellow captives! The holiday season may be over, but it's still very much winter. What winter-like activities were your favorite back home? Playing in the snow? Curling up in blankets? Drinking something warm and delicious? If you feel like sharing, I'll listen!

[She's looking for any distraction she can get--January hasn't been a good month for her in a long, long time. This is something more obvious in person, however. Should her roommates interact with her or someone ask to hang out, it'll really seem like something more is on her mind.]

Arwen.

[He mutters her name quietly in hopes of taming both his disappointment and relief.]

She is gone. There were no other quests for her to have joined. Nothing that would require her time nor presence.

[Silence grips him now as he thinks about the rare moment they spent before she just suddenly vanished. ]

For those who knew her, I'm certain she's well.

[ After much hesitation on his part to address the situation towards those who hold some sort of power here, Aragorn finally decides to step forward and do just that. He honestly believes himself ill fit for such a public role, but he shan't step back and watch from the sidelines anymore.

This may come as a shock for his companions who hail from Middle-earth. Aragorn was hardly the type to step forward and lead, but usually the one forced to lead when no others would. ]

I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and like many of you I've been drafted by the Initiative. Like you and countless others, we've been taken from our realms in order to fight a war not our own.

[ He finally stated once he realized that the tablet was recording. Aragorn possessed very little love for this means of communication, but for now he'll stomach it. Over time he'll realize just how useful these complex devices truly are but until then, he'll simply think of it as a nuisance. ]

We fight for a nameless cause, yet we're given very little initiative to fight on their behalf. While the rebels had been more than...adequate hosts; it would seem that many of us haven't fully explored this world or understand the reason of our plight. Our realms are in jeopardy by a force greater than our own, yet we know very little about our objective.

Therefore, I seek to know more about the efforts taken to achieve the Initiative's goal, and hopefully form a way for us to further our quest.

[ He paused briefly. ]

Is there anyone here willing to speak openly?

[Viki's been here a week or two by now, but in all that time she'd totally forgotten about this communication tablet thingy she got when she arrived. So...is this thing on? It's on. Just in case though, she pokes at the screen a few extra times before talking.] Hello? Hello hello? I'm talking to a lot of people with this, right? I think that's right.

Um, it's nice to meet you all! Even though I'm not sure this is really meeting. Is it? Wow, it's really hard to think of what to say when I'm not sure who I'm talking to...does everyone use these here? It seems a lot more useful than messengers, though I'm used to talking to people who are actually here with me. This is like writing letters, only I'm talking! I think that's how it works. Is it? [A pause: she's contemplating something.] ...I wonder when it will stop raining.