ohu_amane:

It wasn't expected.

Ohu Amane received an unusual phone call today. And now his room is empty.

It's abrupt, but Ohu Amane has never done anything in half-measures.

He goes from room to room, seeking out the Defenders one at a time to say his goodbyes.

marlow:

Downtime after the Defenders/Offenders war gave Marlow plenty of time to think about the spells she'd used and their effects. She'd knowingly overreached several times for magic she didn't think she should be able to wield and had done so easily. It was something she had to figure out before their next battle. She tried to contact Clea but those particular spells weren't working so well. Perhaps it was something she could talk to Matt about since he was the only other magic user she knew that might not get agitated when she said power surge.

Sure, there was Dawn...or was it Aslief? Who knew anymore. One was nice but untrained, the other expert and dismissive. While the others merely overlooked her, Aslief literally did not see her until there was a need for another sorceress.

Barefoot, wearing a boy's black tee shirt and faded to nearly white jeans, she made her way from the bungalow to the main house for a late breakfast. A ball of pulsing light hovered a few inches above her open palm.

ng_offenders:

Hrothgar Hoganson had spent a considerable amount of time preparing for this moment, looking for just the right people to join his cause.  Ever since he had learned the cursed son and daughters of Thor were being sent to Midgard.  The honors that had come to them, the gifts they enjoyed, were all denied to him.  And if he could not have them, then they would not either.  He had made dark pacts, followed them to Midgard, recruited people with as much cause to hate Thor's children as he did.

And when the Grandmaster had approached them about the opportunity to battle and slay them... well, who was he to say no?

The Radioactive Man and the Element Man were with him.  He gripped his axe tightly.

He was going to enjoy this.

Hel.  A fitting place for those he hated most to meet their end.

nextgen_asgard:

Once the players had all been gathered, Loki transported himself, along with Ardis and Halbjorn, the spider-god Ohu, the mortals Grace, Griffen, and Dawn, and the mysterious woman called Marlow, to Asgard. It was a desolate, abandoned region, where few would ever traverse. He himself had only been here to make certain that the Norn Stones had still been in place, should he require them for a future plot. He had discovered the Grandmaster only by chance.

The Grandmaster, the being who stood before them now.

"Greetings again to thee, Elder," Loki said, feigning humility and feeling disgust at doing so. The Elders were older even than the Asgardians themselves, possibly the one set of beings in the universe who might yet give them pause. He it galled him to know there were beings truly his superior. "And again, mine thanks for thine leave to gather mine champions. T'will make for a most entertaining game, I doth assure thee."

shessomarvelous:

Bendy-timed to before a couple of days before Loki showed up

Grace fidgeted with the sleeves of her black robe. The gold tassel from her cap dangled in front of her face.

She was graduating from high-school. Sure, it wasn't the school that she had started out at, but she did it. She'd put in the hard work, and she'd soon have the diploma to prove it.

The speeches having been over and done with, Grace stood in line with the kids from her row to get her diploma. As long as she didn't trip, everything would be perfect. Dad and the Defenders were somewhere in the crowd. She'd even told Zoey to invite Avery along. Her Mom had flown in from Boston to see her daughter graduate.

Grace could feel her heartbeat start to speed up, as she got closer to the platform.

"Grace Elizabeth Danvers!" Her name was called out by the vice-principal and she walked across the stage, taking her diploma from the principal, a wide grin on her face.

When all the names had been called and all of the seniors had officially graduated, Grace tossed her cap into the air along with the rest of the students. Then, picking it up, she rushed off to find the Defenders and her Mom. Mom had booked a room at a local restaurant for them to have all of them to have a nice dinner.

nextgen_asgard:

He appeared before the Defenders compound without fanfare or signal, without any of the usual lavish displays he attempted when wishing to make a point. Instead, it was simply as though he was not there one moment and there the next. His features--he would never be called handsome, though some might have called them regal--contorted slightly. Why was so much of Midgard so insufferably warm? A proper place was cold enough to freeze the marrow from unworthy bones.

Well, you know what they say. You can take the giant out of Jötunheimr, but you can't take Jötunheimr out of the giant. He resisted the urge to change the climate to something more to his liking.

He was not, technically, supposed to travel to Midgard these days. But when had he ever cared for the rules? Besides, who would deny him the opportunity to see his niece and grandchildren?

Loki, Lord of Lies, God of Mischief, adopted son of Odin, had come to Earth.

ohu_amane:

Ohu Amane does more with his time than just eating, reading, playing video games, watching movies, and sleeping. Today, he's gone out to help live up to the name of his team. He will Defend people!

So it is that he's sitting in the back seat of a car, smiling quietly, while the two carjackers in the front seat swear and fire back at the police chasing after them.

"I don't think you're going to get away," Ohu says pleasantly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" the one riding shotgun declares, leaning out the window, firing at the police behind them.

"Noisiest damn hostage we've ever fuckin' taken," the driver declares, spinning the wheel to take a corner at top speeds, hoping to lose the cops.

"I think you're supposed to use your turn signal," Ohu comments.

"Shut UP!!" the gunman declares.

Ohu smiles quietly. He hasn't seen yet any potential danger to any civilians or policemen yet, or to himself of course. But eventually, he'll put an end to the whole thing, when it's gone on long enough to make a good story.

team_mascot:

Zoey loved spring! It was her favorite season after summer. Though winter was good because winter had Christmas in it. Christmas was the best and this year she had met Santa Claus! She even drove his sleigh! But now it was spring. Spring meant a lot of good things and one of those things were the Asgardians birthday.

Zoey was a little confused about how they didn't know the actual day they were born and Mom couldn't really explain it either, but they were okay with just spring as their birthday. Birthdays meant parties and Zoey had decided that there HAD to be a party.

A party was her favorite thing right after Christmas. She LOVED parties and this would be the bestest birthday party ever!

She knew she couldn't do it alone so she went seeking help. Mom. Grace. Ohu. Any of them, or all would help her. They HAD to.

ohu_amane:

Ohu Amane wakes early on April First. He comes out to the kitchen, brews the coffee, makes pancakes -- plenty for everyone -- and then moves to the living room with a stack of pancakes, a large cup of coffee, and a massive smile perched on his face.

He sits... and he waits. Smiling broadly.

godlierthanthou:

Dawn Roberts, librarian, had not been having a good week.  There had been the abduction, and then there had been the nightmares and freakout at work, along with a very perplexing change in her eye color.   And now, after a night of even stranger dreams, she'd discovered she'd sleep-walked all night and found herself in front of the Defenders' Compound, just as the sun was coming up.

She looked around nervously, feeling pain in her feet and calves from having walked so much without even knowing it.

Should she?  Something had brought her here.  But what on Earth would involve a nobody like her with a team of super-heroes and gods?  She was probably well beneath their notice.

She hesitated, then reached out and touched the buzzer on the gate.

shield_maiden:

Svalin was always a bit disorientated after one of Asleif's teleportation spells. She shook off the nauseous feeling and looked around. This was the realm of the Celtic gods, but more importantly the lair of Manawydan. Somewhere inside one of the buildings up ahead, her sister was being held prisoner.

Svalin hoped they had arrived before the wedding.

She drew her sword and readied her shield.

"For Asgard!" she yelled and held her sword aloft. Talking was not an option at this point.

sydney_ashcroft:

It was a perfect winter day to be out and about in Los Angeles. The sun was bright and the air was a very mild seventy two degrees and more importantly, Zoey was in school for the day. It was perfect for shopping and Syd wasn't going to pass the opportunity up.

With her substantial increase in salary she could afford to treat herself to some new clothes. She asked if anyone wanted to go along and Aridis had taken her up on the offer. Syd also called her sister Bryn because if anyone loved to go clothes shopping it was Bryn. The woman lived for clothes.

Right now they were taking a break and grabbing a bite to eat. It wasn't anywhere fancy, far from it, but Pink's did have the best hot dogs in the entire city. Possibly the United States. Syd worked on a chili cheese dog as they sat outside at one of the tables.

nextgen_misc:

There's a piece of paper and a pen attached to a bulletin board. Across the top is written:

New Year's Resolutions
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Anonymous entries accepted.

nextgen_deviant:

The brides were clad in white and lined up in front of the altar. A semi-circle of priests stood behind the brides and were chanting. The magic in the air became more powerful as the priests chanted. A small circle appeared in the air before the brides and started to get bigger.

Standing behind the priests was a large group of deviants. They were witnessing the rebirth of their god into the mortal realm. It was an honor and privilege to be witness to this historic moment.

ohu_amane:

It's early Christmas morning.

Sleeping on the living room floor are Ohu and Zoey. Several cookies remain on a platter on the coffee table nearby. One half-eaten cookie lies on the floor. A glass lies on the floor, with a puddle of now-warm milk around it.

A hand-made doll that looks like nothing so much as Aslief is tucked under Zoey's arm, while another that looks like Yoda is tucked under Ohu's.

They sleep a deep, exhausted sleep.

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill, even in Los Angeles, arguably the most superficial city in the country.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

The Defenders Manor has been decked out with lights, as has most of the grounds. Ohu has made hanging lighting a top priority, and every tree on the grounds -- including the palm trees -- is well lit with multi-colored lights. Despite the warm location, Ohu has made sure that there's plenty of snow on the grounds, too, with a bit of magic. As for the gods themselves, and their mortal keepers...

ohu_amane:

Halloween was incredible, of course, but Ohu is having a hard time thinking of a better holiday than Thanksgiving. There is food! And there's more food! And then dessert... and all kinds of more food.

Ohu has been very careful not to eat all the food as he helped cook dinner and dessert for the Defenders, and worked hard to make certain everything was ready. This would be a feast fit for gods and their favored friends. After everything that Sydney did for the main course, it was the least he could do to make certain dessert was taken care of.

"Dessert is served!" he declares to the base as he places the last pie on the table.

ohu_amane:

It's taken much of the day to prepare. Thankfully, Griffen's been in his lab for the entire time. And now it's time to get him.

The spell keeping too much sound from reaching the lab has held. The webbing on the door to the lab remains sturdy -- he hasn't tried to leave the room yet.

He adjusts his beret, pulls the two tiny triangles of his temporary mustache out to fine points, and tucks the old-style megaphone under his arm.

He dispells the webbing, then opens the door to the lab, ducking his head in with a big smile.

"Friend Griffen!" he calls. "Are you in here?"

nextgen_misc:

In Los Angeles, the stretch of Wilshire Bvld between Fairfax and La Brea Avenues is known as the "Miracle Mile".

In the early 1920s, Wilshire Boulevard west of Western Avenue was an unpaved farm road, extending through dairy farms and bean fields. Developer A.W. Ross saw potential for the area, and developed Wilshire as a commercial district to rival downtown Los Angeles. Ross's insight was that the form and scale of his Wilshire strip should attract and serve automobile traffic rather than pedestrian shoppers.

Wilshire saw a few firsts in American automotive traffic flow; dedicated left-turn lanes, the first timed traffic lights in the United States; he also required merchants to provide automobile parking lots, all to aid traffic flow. Major retailers such as Desmonds, Silverwood's, May Co., Coulter's, Mullen & Bluett, and Seibu eventually spread across Wilshire Boulevard from Fairfax to La Brea.

As wealth and newcomers poured into the fast-growing city, Ross' parcel became one of Los Angeles's most desirable areas. Acclaimed as "America's Champs-Élysées," this stretch of Wilshire near the La Brea Tar Pits was named "Miracle Mile" for its improbable rise to prominence.

Although the preponderance of shopping malls and the development in the 1960s of financial and business districts in downtown and Century City lessened the Miracle Mile's importance as a retail and business center, the area has retained its vitality thanks to the addition of several museums and commercial high-rises. The Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, (LACMA) A+D Museum: Los Angeles, and La Brea Tar Pits museums, among others, positioned "Museum Row" on the Miracle Mile.

A sculptural bust of Ross stands at 5800 Wilshire, with the inscription, "A. W. Ross, founder and developer of the Miracle Mile. Vision to see, wisdom to know, courage to do."

Today the Miracle Mile saw a different sight. Two very large individuals faced off against each other amidst the stopped LA traffic. It was one of the busiest streets in America and today the traffic was at a standstill. People fled their cars as they sought shelter and safety in the various surrounding buildings.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

In Los Angeles and Hollywood it could be said that every day was like Halloween. People were always dressed up and most were costumes. On Halloween just about everyone dressed up, not just the normal ones.

sydney_ashcroft:

Movies and curled up on the couch with her daughter was a great way to spend a Saturday night in Syd's book. Dinner for Syd and Zoey consisted of pizza (cheese of course) and soda (it was a treat since they hadn't had movie night in awhile) and a huge bowl of popcorn with lots of extra butter on it.

Movie night started with Beauty and the Beast, which was Zoey's all time favorite movie, and moved on to Monsters vs. Aliens. Syd hadn't the chance to take Zoey to see it in the theater, so as soon as it came out on DVD she purchased it and they planned a movie night. It was a cute movie and Syd had the feeling they would be watching it many times in the near future since Zoey enjoyed it so much.

It was just a little past nine pm and Zoey was asleep next to Syd. Syd looked down at her daughter and smiled. Cuddling with her daughter was always a good thing. Syd was dozing as Independence Day just started.

sydney_ashcroft:

Nothing was more enjoyable to a parent than the first day of school after a long and interesting summer and today was no exception. Sydney was enjoying the peace and quiet that came with a child at school. Zoey wasn't a bad kid, she just had a lot of energy and Syd could barely keep up to her daughter some days.

Once Zoey was off to school for the day, the whole day to boot, Syd went to her morning class and then hit the grocery store on her way home. Someone, she had a sneaking suspicion who, had eaten the last of her not so secret stash of Ben and Jerry's Brownie Batter ice cream and Syd was craving chocolate. It had to be PMS and if she didn't get some chocolate ice cream even the gods would be fearing her.

Class was done, ice cream was acquired, and Syd was now sitting quietly at the table in the kitchen eating her ice cream and reading her assignment for her class in sociology. The house was eerily quiet and a small part of her brain wondered what the godlings were doing, or more likely getting in to. Naw. She didn't want to do know. The day was going too well and she didn't want to ruin it.

It wasn't to last. Instead of the peace and quiet being ruined by something crashing, getting broken, or demons showing up at the front door, her cell phone ringing shatter the quiet reprieve.

"Hello."

"Yes. This is Sydney Ashcroft."

"She did what?" A heavy sigh. "I'll be right there. Thank you."

Syd disconnected the call and sat there for a long moment. Well that was unexpected, sort of, not really. She really shouldn't be surprised. Not in the least. Of course she had to go in and talk to Zoey's principal on the first day of school.

She closed her book, grabbed her phone, grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.

nextgen_misc:

The sun was starting to sink on the Western horizon and into the Pacific Ocean as another day was ending. A few miles south of 1800 Palos Verdes Drive the ground erupted in a spray of dirt. One by one soldiers came forth from the ground. Some were Spartans, some were Roman legionnaires, and some were Norsemen. A total of three thousand eventually stood in the dying light. They moved into formation and started marching.

ohu_amane:

Ohu is in the living room, playing one of the latest games. And he's grinning widely even as Zoey is trouncing him completely.

He doesn't think it would be fair to use his magic to beat her. And he's used to using cheats when playing these games, so he's finding that, using his natural talent, he's utterly inept.

But this doesn't stop him from enjoying the game with little people in go-carts, with occasional turtle shells floating around.

He waves the controller about. "Look out! Here I come! ...oh, wait. I'm going backwards now. You just lapped me again."

pym_kitten:

Chris smiled to herself as she watched the tarmac approach, feeling the familiar grinding and bumping of wheels as they met the ground, her flight finally setting down at LAX. Mom living on the other side of the country may make it a bit of a jaunt to visit, but she loves coast-hopping. Mom and Dad's separation wasn't easy for her to deal with, but she'd never held it against either of them. She'd made it blatantly clear, even with how young she was, that she wasn't going to be bounced back and forth in whatever custody agreement. It was why she'd wound up with the X-Men; Avengers-Hank had talked to X-Hank, who talked to the Professor. So, Xavier's; best place in the world for a kid to grow up learning how to master their freakish ways.

No need for baggage claim, since everything she needed was at Mom's, and there would be shopping. Chris was still struggling with resisting the urge to bolt down the hallway on all fours when she spotted the familiar face.

"Mom!" She waved, but didn't bother sprinting the rest of the way down the hallway to the welcome area. Last time she did that she accidentally clocked someone with her carry-on.

ohu_amane:

Ohu sighs happily as he drops a bag of groceries on the counter and begins to unpack it.

"Well! That was quite an adventure retrieving groceries, was it not, Syd?" He smiles to his shopping companion. "Purchasing groceries doesn't always involve armed robbers in the store, nor a naked prophet running through the streets, nearly causing accidents, to warn us of a 'clothing armadeggon.'" He grins. "I suppose we are just lucky. Though he seemed to be unaware that Armageddon isn't an event, but a location..."

team_mascot:

Summer vacation was about half over and Mom had yet to take her to Disneyland. It was the one big thing they did each year and Zoey wasn’t going to let the summer go by without going to Disneyland. This year it could even be more fun. She knew her new friends had never been there. They hadn’t been anywhere on Earth which was really weird. She also knew that Ohu would love Disneyland. It was the happiest place on Earth after all and Ohu was always happy. He’d fit right in. Maybe Asleif would smile if she went to Disneyland.

A plan began to form in her mind. It was probably even better than her last plan and that one had been awesome. Zoey couldn’t wait to tell her friends at school about the fighting and how Svalin and Aridis beat up the knights. Even the dragon wasn’t scary now. She bet the kids in her class had never seen a real dragon before or a flying horse for that matter.

Thinking of flying horses, Zoey had to remember to grab some carrots and sugar cubes for Tryggvi and take it down to him. The two dogs got treats all the time because they were allowed inside and their treats were kept in the cabinet near the sink in the kitchen. It was Zoey’s job to make sure they had fresh water and to give them a treat every evening at six. She liked the dogs. They were nice and they liked to play and they made her giggle when they licked her face. They licked her face a lot.

Right. Disneyland. Mom had said they would go and Zoey would make sure they did go. She wanted to bring her new friends with them.

Zoey looked up from her book (not having read any of it in the past five minutes) and looked at her mom who was sitting across from her reading a book. Mom always set time aside each day for the two of them to read. Today they were in the library where it was quieter than the rest of the house. Zoey was still amazed she now lived in such a big house. It was A LOT bigger than their last house.

“Mom?”

ngmastersofevil:

The attack on the Young Avengers had been successful. The Stark girl, the Rogers boy and the Rhodes girl were all successfully taken. Temujin would be along shortly to pick up the Starkling. Hadelinde would deal with the Rhodes girl and the Rogers boy would be executed. It had been a good day and was about to get better.

Egghead had set everything up in Times Square while Hadelinde and the others retrieved the three young Avengers.

Hadelinde and the rest arrived right after their successful attack on the Avengers. She dropped the Rogers kid in the middle of the hovering platform and turned toward the crowd in the streets below. Enforcer held the Stark girl. Stark would have a front row seat at her brother's execution. Frenzy held the Rhodes girl. Hadelinde would deal with her after this.

"Attention world," she said, her voice amplified by a small device attached to the neck of her suit. The event was also being transmitted around the world via satellite thanks to Egghead.

"Years ago Captain America killed my father. Today justice will be served as his son pays for his crime."

Hadelinde motioned for Enforcer to ready the Rogers kid. Egghead had constructed a modern guillotine. Hadelinde had always been a fan of be-headings.

sydney_ashcroft:

Zoey had a plan. It was a good plan. No. It was a great plan. No. It wasn't just a plan. It was THE Plan. The plan of all plans. She just had to find a way to get it done.

The idea came when she saw her...Mom called them housemates...but they were really her friends.... Very tall and very strong friends. She was the only girl in her class who had a friend who could lift a boulder and throw it very far. Zoey had watched Svalin and Halbjorn do it. It was awesome!

She couldn't wait to go back to school to tell her classmates about her newest friends. None of them had friends like she did. Maybe Asleif would go to school with her one day and show Zoey's classmates real magic. Not the stupid kind that Jessica had at her birthday party. Zoey had totally seen the man hiding things in his hands and sleeves. The man was lame compared to Asleif.

The fireworks on the Fourth of July were just awesome. Totally awesome. She was glad she had the idea to ask Asleif to make fireworks.

Idea. The idea for today and for The Plan came to her while she watched Svalin practicing with a sword. A REAL sword and not some lame fake one. Svalin had one, so did Aridis and Halbjorn. Asleif didn't seem to like them for some reason. Zoey thought they were really cool and Mom had said she was not allowed to touch them. Ever. She wondered what Mom had against swords. Svalin said that she had a sword when she was Zoey's age. She wanted one too.

Right. The idea. Mom had taken her out to dinner to a place with swords and horses once. Middle Times or something like that. Zoey knew it would be a great place to take her new friends. They would love it. They had to.

She ran and asked Mom if they could go. Mom said yes, but Zoey had to ask the others if they wanted to go. Mom went on about how she couldn't talk or speak for others. Zoey only heard the first part of it.

She skipped around the grounds looking for Asleif or any of the others.

madscienceman:

The other two men of the group probably would have noticed how Griffen reacted around them. It wasn't so much in awe as he was more than a little intimidated by them. He would retreat carefully when he thought he could get away with it and often he did since he was a crafty man. But his dog had been begging for attention all day.

The beagle Zelbar had wiggled and squirmed all morning so Griffen had gotten a base ball bat and a bucket of tennis balls. He would toss one up into the air and hit it with as much force as he could. The ball would go flying and Zelbar would chase after it and sometimes he would bring it back sometimes he wouldn't.

The point was this was the most relaxed he had been since the fourth. Sydney somehow had been a soothing presence for him that day and he had been unguarded that day. He liked how professional she could be as well as how she was with Zoey. It was nice. Now he was very relaxed through with his dog around so it was unlikely there would be any carefully planned retreats from the two godling men if they happened to seek him out.

nextgen_misc:

It had taken a little effort and a lot of talking and explaining, but the Asgardians, Ohu and Griffen O'Niell were moving to California. They were going to act as the Avengers' west coast team and would go by the name of The Defenders. Their headquarters would be at the former West Coast Avengers base Avengers' Compound located at 1800 Palos Verdes Drive just outside of LA.

The 15 acre estate featured one main building, five bungalows, garage, hangar, tennis courts and a private beach. It would be a good base for the Defenders and keep the collateral damage out of city.

Today was moving-in day.

shield_maiden:

Teleporting was always disconcerting and disorientating. One moment they were in Oklahoma and the next they were in New York City right outside of the Avengers mansion.

Tryggvi reared and pawed at the air. Svalin put a hand on his neck and tried to calm him down. "Easy! Calm down Tryggvi! Please."

A second after their arrival the alarm started sounding.

ohu_amane:

Ohu Amane means "Sees Danger" in Twi, the modern language of the Ashanti, and the name is quite appropriate. The eldest son of Anansi, Ohu was gifted with the ability to see danger. He used this power to help save his father from a giant river monster (with a little help from his siblings, he supposes). He knows when there's serious trouble.

But he's never had a chance to really explore the realms of mortals before. He's always been kept at home, in the realm of the Ashanti gods. Which was boring. His father being the keeper of all stories, Ohu has heard all the stories from the mortal realms, and he finds them fascinating. Of course, these days, there are more stories coming into his father's realm than ever before -- a person can't keep up! So Ohu finally convinced his father to let him come to the mortal realm*, accompanied by other gods, the children of Asgardians.

This should be a most exciting expedition! They've already shown up in Oklahoma, surrounded by wheat. If they can just find a cornfield, he's sure there will be evil there. There's always evil in cornfields in the stories.

But the field gives way to a road, and Ohu, the guide for his friend Asgardians, choses a way and begins walking it. They are heading for New York, and certainly all roads must lead to New York eventually.

The occasional car or truck passing by, Ohu leads them down the road, over two bridges, and into the city apparently named "Kingfisher." Around them, the populace gives the gods strange looks.

"You see, my friends? I have lead us to a place where we may acquire transportation to the glorious city of New York!"

*If, by "convinced his father," one means, "ran away without telling him."