5 summons | Audio

[deal_withthe]

[The audio clicks on, but it's still several long moments before Belial actually speaks up.]

A small test for you, ladies and gentlemen. I want all of you to look outside right now, and tell me what you see.

[And tell him if he's really going as crazy as he thinks he is.]

Comments

[diamondsare]

[Audio]

[There's some clear hesitation in Emma's voice. She's seen some very odd things lately.]

The Rich District, as always. Seems to be about the same as it's been since the plants receded.

[Except for the giant statue of the Incredible Hulk that seems to be right outside her window now.]

Why do you ask?

[deal_withthe]

....simple curiosity, I suppose. Keeping an eye out for the next natural disaster. Good to hear everything's well on your end.

[Because the less glassy desert and fiery wasteland in the city, the better. This is probably a sign he needs to sleep for a change....]

[diamondsare]

Couldn't be better.

[There's a long delay before she speaks again.]

How are things where you're at? Anything out of the ordinary?

[She can't be the only one seeing these things.]

[deal_withthe]

[Long delays all around? How does he try to explain this without sounding like he's losing it.]

Well, I'm starting to get the sneaking suspicion that I'm in Hell, but that's rather par for the course in this place lately.

[....he probably didn't mean to sound a little homesick, though.] That may be the question though, isn't it? At this point of the game, where exactly does "ordinary" even stand for us anymore?

[diamondsare]

I doubt that. Not that I've seen Hell, but if I were to end up there, I'd imagine there'd be at least one familiar face.

[...is that building on fire? She's not even sure what she's seeing anymore.]

I suppose a better way of phrasing it would be have you seen anything that reminds you of home? Anything that seems more at home there than here?

[deal_withthe]

That would depend entirely on your Hell.

....would you believe me if I said we suddenly have soul jars decorating the trees out here?

[diamondsare]

That depends. Would you believe me if I said I saw a dinosaur dancing on top of one of the gates this morning?

[She is completely serious.]

[deal_withthe]

[....he tries not to. He really does. But whoops, there's a short laugh.]

I think I want to move out to where you're staying.

[diamondsare]

It's the Rich District, but trust me, not everything I've seen has been quite that amusing. Luckily, I've put up with worse before.

When did this start for you?

[deal_withthe]

About a week ago. Maybe two. Soul jars, grendels, my sister running naked and bloody through the streets.

There's usually more bodies following the latter cases, however, so that may have been my first tip off.

[diamondsare]

Well, I for one hope that if any of my family has the poor taste to show up, they would at least have the decency to keep their clothes on.

[Seriously. They're terrible enough as it is. Let's not make things worse.]

For what it's worth, I don't think we're being drugged. I wonder if that blasted woman is trying to drive us insane.

[deal_withthe]

[Aww, Emma. Where's your sense of adventure.] Now where's the fun in that?

And I wouldn't be too surprised if she were. The majority of the city already is, after all.

[diamondsare]

Nothing involving my family is ever fun, dear.

[But enough about that for now.]

If she is, I would hope that she's not expecting us to continue helping with anything afterwards