accidental(?) video; un: angels

[hevenly]

[ The video comes on to show the floor of Communal Housing level 12. The camera moves every so often, as though the person handling the phone isn't being too steady with it. After about a minute of shuffling, the view is reversed, bringing instead a face into view-- that of a tall redhead woman in silver armor with distinctive red markings around her eyes. She frowns in concentration, evidently unaware that the phone is recording.

She is muttering to herself, ] No, that is not-- That is not right. How do I change it?

[ She's attempted to follow the instructions she was given to enter a custom username, but she fatfingered the keys and misspelled her own name. This is a disaster. Where are Sera or Leah when you need them? Back on Earth, of course.

Angela growls in frustration, poking at the phone ever more vigorously. Eventually, she realizes the damned thing is recording, and she slaps an embarrassed hand over her face. ]

...I require assistance.

[ Obviously. ]

Comments

video » @LOKIOFASGARD

[ikols]

What fearsome beast causes the warrior to tremble so and quiveringly call for aid? Verily, Loki will answer ASAP-ity!!

[ Yeah, totally ignoring that she's technophobic and pushing her to admit it. ]

@angels

[hevenly]

[ This face, Loki. It is not a happy, nor a patient one. ]

The name is wrong.

[ She does not wish to claim to be "angels." ]

[ikols]

Ah, I see now. You seem to represent an entire army's reply that implies a force to be reckoned with is backing your opinion each time you answer. Is that not working in your favour? No one around to intimidate?

[hevenly]

[ There's plenty of people around to intimidate, and Angela is her own force to be reckoned with. That's not the point. ]

I am no Angel.

[ That much was made very clear to her. By the Queen of the Angels. By Meresyn. By Freyja and Odin. ]

[ikols]

[ Aww, those sads. ]

You know, 'LokisSystir' is still very much free and a truth that will never change.

[hevenly]

I would rather my own name.

[ Not that she denies being Loki's sister. If anything, Loki has been kinder to her and seems to understand her better than the rest of her Asgardian kin. ]

But the point is moot. I still do not know how to change it now it's set.

[ikols]

[ He knows it's not really a brush-off coming from Angela and doesn't hold it against her, she's just being practical as usual. But it still hurts a bit. A pinprick. ]

You could ask Anthony for help, he does prove to be a useful sort of technopath now and then.

[hevenly]

Your Anthony could fix it? And... restore it to its natural condition?

[ She may have cracked the screen in her frustration. ]

[ikols]

He's our Anthony, from our universe.

[ Just to correct that distinction off the bat, gosh. ]

And yes, he could, as well as make it more to your liking. He's almost as good as if he were a dwarf in his special field.

[ Almost. ]

[hevenly]

[ She doesn't know him. Not her Anthony. ]

You will take me to him, then?

[ikols]

Er, sure. You don't just want directions? You could drop in on him ...

[ Scare the shit out of Tony, pls. Best entrance ever made by an armed woman demanding a better iphone knockoff. ]

[hevenly]

Very well.

[ Though if the directions he gives are on this device, she may have difficulty following them. But she wasn't leader of the hunt for nothing. She can track down Anthony Stark. ]

[ikols]

[ Privating the feed, luckily for Angela she gets a vocal set of directions to Tony's workshop at R&D Defense for the wall. ]

[hevenly]

You have my thanks.

[ And she'll owe him one small favor. But that does not need to be spoken. ]

[ikols]

[ She can add his number and always answer when he calls, that's a favour enough for him. ]

You can also take pictures on the camera and add comely artistic filters. That's good fun.

[hevenly]

[ She will, once Anthony shows her how.

Speaking of, does Loki honestly think Angela will be able to figure out Instagram when she can't even figure out how to change her username? ]

To what end?

[ikols]

[ He will teach u, big sis. ]

To attract an army deemed 'followers'. [ And because it's Angela, he chooses to phrase himself selectively. ] This army will defend you in the digital world and in return require your photograph from time to time.

[hevenly]

[ She considers this. She can defend herself in the physical world just fine, but this digital world is unknown to her. If she is under threat, surely she will require this army of followers to protect her? And photographs of herself seem a pittance to pay for such protection. ]

Very well. You will show me how to use these filters?

[ikols]

[ Solemnly, he nods. He loves her; this is so real when he says, ]

I swear to assist you in rooting out the best filters that work for you, sister.

[hevenly]

[ Then she'll owe him two favors. ]

I will repay you.

[ikols]

Take some selfies with me, that'll help drive up my own followers. Alas, I only have a couple of million.

[ #asgardiansuperstar #actualgod ]

[hevenly]

[ She looks taken aback. ]

Your army is so vast?

[ikols]

I took shower pics with strategic steam.

[hevenly]

[ Angela isn't certain what to make of that. The lurid desires of these followers is not something she is certain she wants to dabble in. But she has to admire Loki's deft handling of them. ]

video @cdr.ebbisaryn

[greyjane]

[Oh boy. Shai just leans on her elbow and cups her chin with her hand.]

You get your troubles sorted, sweetheart?

» voice, @kara

[clobbers]

Uh—hi again. It sounds like you mean a setting on your device, right?

I can help.

@angels

[hevenly]

[ Angela would destroy this device were she not certain she would then have to ask for a new one. ]

I have been given the name a of a man who will correct the issue.

still video, @angels

[hevenly]

[ Angela does not know how to change the setting to respond in only voice, so from her end she remains on video. ]

The name is wrong. I entered it incorrectly.

[greyjane]

[Short, sweet. She digs it, tbqh.]

Well, if he doesn't work out feel free to drop me a line.

[This stuff is hella primitive comparative to what she's used to, but at least she can navigate it.]

Name's Shai, for the future.

[clobbers]

( Wanting to show some solidarity, Kara changes her own setting to video. Her smile is calm, almost soft. )

Hey, it's okay. You can try going into your settings to change it—do you remember how? I can come over and help if you want.

But I kind of like it. You've got a larger than life presence, so if you decide to keep it? It fits.

[hevenly]

[ Angela nods in greeting. ]

I am Angela.

[hevenly]

[ She doesn't remember how, and that's the problem. But Loki has given her directions to Anthony Stark who is an expert on such things and will correct the problem for her. ]

I am going to see a man who will show me how.

[ He's also going to repair the screen that she cracked from holding it too tightly... he just doesn't know it yet.

Angela frowns harder at the assertion that the name fits. ]

I am no Angel, let alone a group of them.

[greyjane]

Pleasure's all mine. Well, good luck with that and all the rest.

[She gives a little salute, intending to end the conversation on that note. She knows a lot of folk to whom small-talk is tantamount to torture, and this woman sort of pings her as belonging to that category. She won't keep her unnecessarily.]

[hevenly]

[ She is absolutely right about that. With another nod, Angela ends the communication. ]

[clobbers]

Ah, that's good! Hopefully that all works out for you.

( Oh boy. Well...

Kara's frowning back at her, and shaking her head. )

I kind of meant that as a compliment, because you're really nice! And pretty, so. Yeah. Sorry?

[hevenly]

The Angels are not "nice." [ They may be beautiful, but they are a race of fierce warriors. They raised Angela into who she is now, and she owes them everything, but the Queen of the Angels made it clear Angela, with her Asgardian blood, is no longer welcome in Heven. ]

[clobbers]

Ah. They exist. ( Really, she should have figured on that one. ) Um, sorry about that.

If they're not nice, are they terrible? Or somewhere in between?

[hevenly]

They are... [ She pauses, at a loss as to how to describe the Angels as a whole. ]...strict. They live by a code, and never deviate. Their women are ruthless warriors, and their men live in silent prayer. Anything outside of that is... unacceptable.

[ It is why Sera had fled. Why Angela is exiled. Their code still defines how Angela lives her life, even if she is somewhat more accepting of others. ]

[clobbers]

( Well now, that sounds rather familiar. Kara sighs, nodding her head as though she knows what that means. )

Not exactly peachy to live with then, if you don't fit in, I know. Can I assume from the way you talk about them that you didn't, somehow? Though you seem more than just 'capable' to me.

I'm glad you're here, one way or the other, Angela. It's honestly an honour.

[hevenly]

[ Angela's mouth goes into a line, and she looks a bit uncomfortable. But honesty would get her farther than deceit. There is no hiding her past. ]

I am not one of them. I never was, even when I thought-- [ She trails off. She'd thought she was just a wingless Angel. Just an anomaly, who had to work twice as hard to get half as far in their society. She'd never dreamed she was actually the daughter of Heven's greatest enemies. ]

It is an honor to meet you as well, Kara. Though I do wish the circumstances were different.

[clobbers]

Hey—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried like that. ( She knows that feeling all too well. After thirteen years of trying to be human, it's hit or miss some days. Knowing how that feels, how lonely and frustrating—she really feels terrible for having been so callous as to pry.

She smiles faintly. )

So do I. If there's anything I can do, please let me know.

[hevenly]

It is nothing. [ It's about time she learns to accept the truth of her past instead of running from it or pushing it to the far corners of her mind. ]

I would not accept your help without doing something in return. I may be no Angel, but I was raised to always repay my debts.