citynet | video ; @thundaga

video ; @thundaga

[ hello and welcome to Boredom Hours, sponsored by one too many midafternoon beers and a perpetual inability to not immediately make his ennui everyone else's problem. today's host is... Reno!

when the video starts, it's to a shockingly decently framed shot of Reno doing the hooligan squat on the front stoop of his apartment building. he's got a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth, and once he's sure that the video is rolling he takes a long drag of it before he speaks. ]

Sup. I'm Reno. Some of ya may know me from my colorful past as "guy who got yanked into pool by tentacle monster."

[ probably nobody knows him that way but it's fine. we are not concerned with strict veracity here. Reno blows a neat smoke ring and grins the kind of grin that means he knows he's being a pain in the ass. ]

I was thinkin', y'know, there's only so many of us. Probably ain't a bad idea to get to know each other, right? [ he gestures with his cigarette as he speaks as if to underscore his words. ] We need some conversation starters. Some icebreakers, y'know? Everybody's favorite highlight from their corporate bonding retreats.

So! [ he holds up a hand to count on.

one finger. ] Two truths and a lie. Post 'em, let other people guess. I'll leave mine too. Shoutout to the blond girlie who had that party a couple months back for this one.

[ two fingers. ] Hot or not. Or smash or pass, whatever you wanna call it. Post yourself and let people vote, if you're brave. Or post your friends if you want to fuck around. You can all see my face right now so count that as my submission.

[ three fingers. ] Creativity exercise, open prompt. You can go anywhere, be anybody, do anything you want. The world ain't ending and there's no war or whatever the hell going on. Who are you and what are you doing? [ brief smoke break, and then Reno stubs the butt out on the cement, exhaling as he says, ] Me, I wanna make mediocre coffee for minimum wage and not worry about shit except makin' rent.

[ and lastly, four fingers. ] "Reno, this is fuckin' stupid and I don't want to do it." Okay, nobody's got a gun to your head. We ain't even got guns here. Do what you want.

[ his four fingers curl in so he can offer a cheerful, if a bit manic, thumbs-up before he reaches out to turn off the video.

just before he touches the button, though, he pauses as if something just occurred to him— ] Oh, shit—also, drop map pins for your favorite restaurant in this place. I'm in the market for new eats, bonus points if it's spicy.

[ okay, now he's gone. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The funny thing about talking to these two simultaneously is that they both have the same habitual way of deflecting. Quick to put the figurative ball of the conversation back into his court, without ever quite volunteering much of their own. It's a pattern he might not have picked up on in other circumstances, but side by side, it catches notice.

Thus: bait time.]

Oh, I daresay it had something to do with my calling the whole of the Convocation of Fourteen a pack of murderers, Lahabrea chief among them. I'm sure you recall that, don't you? We chatted about it a moon or two ago.

[The bait lands with all the subtlety of an entire airship full of fireworks exploding at once - not that Emet-Selch would know what either of those things are. To accuse his brethren of being a pack of murderers sets his blood boiling almost immediately, even before the mention of Lahabrea has time to fully settle.]

[Yes, Lahabrea. He too had been a key figure in the Warrior of Light's preposterous tale. That a man so well-respected, who has served the Convocation tirelessly for centuries alongside his positions as chief keyword of Pandaemonium and head of the phantomology department back at the Akadaemia--that such a man could effectively be accused of going off the deep end, responsible for the deaths of thousands, not only beggars belief but is fully deserving of harsh disciplinary action.]

[...Or would be, if this grating individual were one of them.]

Oh, did we now?

I fear I must have put such unfounded, offensive, and deeply concerning claims from my mind. That is (it goes without saying) quite a grave accusation to have leveled against the Fourteen, particularly when no evidence has been presented in support of your statements.

I wonder what manner of evidence you would accept. Firsthand knowledge, mayhap? Ah, no, an eyewitness account would needs must rely on the credibility of the witness.

Suppose I were to show you an object of his making. Would you be able to discern its purpose without my telling you? I imagine it still carries the residue of his aether.

Nay. A verbal account would hardly be necessary. If what you describe is an event you have witnessed firsthand, it would be but a small matter to witness it again through your memories of it. Such things are quite commonplace, I assure you.

As for this hypothetical object of yours, if it is truly a work of Lahabrea, then yes, we would be able to determine his signature from any residual aether that may yet cling to it. Mind you, that would not necessarily reveal the object's true purpose, but it would be a start.

I'll be damned to all seven hells before I let anyone go rummaging around in my memories. Out of the question.

I'm more than happy to let you poke at his blasted crystal, however. It's not as though I'm pleased to have the wretched thing.

Oh please. Even amongst our kind we don't simply go prodding about in others' headspaces without their permission. I will respect your vehement refusal.

[And it isn't as if his position offers him any sort of authority in this place - a point of which he is most keenly aware.]

That being said, and if you have no further objections, I should like to have a look at this crystal of yours. (Or his, rather.)

That is, if you believe such an arrangement can be made amicably?

[There is a powerful, aggressive sort of irony in the message that "Hythlodaeus" sends. Because of course the likelihood that this is, in fact, Emet-Selch behind the keys is so high as to be almost certain, and the notion of someone always so insistent on his own correctness suggesting that Ascians don't go "prodding around in others' headspaces"

to the former unwilling vessel of Lahabrea

is just so contrary that he really does almost find it funny. It's so far into the absurd that it's genuinely almost humor.]

I don't see why not.
'Tis not as though you've ever given me cause to doubt you.

Hythlodaeus.

[Oh bother.]

[If it were anyone else, he'd simply ignore it and let things sort themselves out. However. It's Hythlodaeus; and he'd rather not bring his friend's integrity into question since these two appear to know one another already.]

[That sort of a mess isn't anything he has any desire to sort out.]

This is Emet-Selch. Though if you'd prefer that I bring Hythlodaeus along as a neutralizing party or elsewise send him in my stead, that too, can be arranged.

really?
i'm speaking with emet-selch?

twelve above i never would have guessed

got curious about what all i know of you, did you?

[Emet-Selch's eyes are rolling in his head. Yes, yes of course you knew, "Archon". No need to rub his face in it.]

Oh please. You act as if I planned this for some illicit and nefarious purpose.

The reality of it is that Hythlodaeus "borrowed" my device and began responding to others as "me" long before I returned the favor.

Though if it must be said, I believe I have more than enough reason to be interested in what others know of me - particularly those who would claim that myself and my peers are "a pack of murderers".

there, you see
that's the bit you do that he could never hit quite right
a distinct synthesis of impatience, disdain, and lofty superiority

a blend i daresay i'll not forget no matter how much i might try

regardless
if you can think of a better word for thirteen bastards willing to slaughter millions to achieve their goals
then i'll stop using "murderers" and switch over at once

Well, of course not. 'Twould be difficult for anyone to perfectly embody traits they themselves aren't known to possess, wouldn't you agree?

As for your grievances, I've been led to believe that there is already a word in play for the organization towards whom you would spare no amount of venom. They are known to you as the Ascians - those without shadow. Or have I been inaccurately informed?

a valid enough point i suppose

[The absolute herculean effort of personal will it took to admit that yes, Emet-Selch had a valid point. Give this man a medal.]

regardless
you were told rightly

i expect you have some questions about it
lucky for you i'm something of an authority on the subject

[He is known (occasionally) to make valid points, after all.]

Whether that fact is "lucky" or no remains to be seen.
I would hear what you have to say, however.

[Oh hells-that-don't-exist-yet, Hades took the bait. Now he's going to have to respond too, isn't he?]

*Excuse me?* You and Hythlodaeus may have had such a conversation but *I* certainly don't recall hearing any of this. I have no idea *where* you've come up with such an absurd idea, but this is nothing short of slander, and I will hear nothing of it!

[Oh he should definitely have sounded angrier there, he can already tell. But at least no one can say he didn't try.]

Well, of course you didn't. He wouldn't have wanted to tell you, would he?

[Read like a book]

I should think he would tell me something as important as *that.* [And that might also be an admission of guilt on his part. In multiple senses of the word.] Or perhaps he wished to keep these lies from being disseminated any further.

Oh, I daresay it's almost certainly the latter. Hythlodaeus knows better than to bother you with the ravings of a madman. Why should he bother repeating them?

[If Emet-Selch is going to (mostly) drop the act in this situation... Barest pretense it is.]

I would argue it would be because I've already heard a version of it before. From an individual we both are presumably acquainted with, but *he* is not.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video ; @thundaga

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject