It's hard to say. There's a certain level of unpredictability involved when dealing with places where the veil is thin, but I still doubt we'll pull through anything we can't handle.
[ Warren plops down the bag somewhere for now, which also makes a fair bit of noise, kicking up dust.
[She's reasonably confident it won't be a problem, regardless, but it might be fun to pull a little excitement through the veil. Still, she tucks the clapper beneath an arm and moves over to a chaise lounge nearby, pulling it back to give Warren a wide berth. Time to move this fancy furniture out of the way, which makes for a funny sight since Makima is a petite woman moving heavy items with very little effort.]
Are you about to make a big mess?
[A big, ritualistic mess. She wonders just what's in that bag.]
[ It is kind of funny to watch her schlep around whole couches like they’re nothing. Props or no, they can’t be light, and Warren is once again reminded that her appearance really sits at odds with what she is. That suits him just fine – he can leverage that to their advantage in a lot of ways. ]
I’ll need to draw a summoning circle, for starters.
[ So saying, he etches out a few runes, sending an orb of light bobbing into the air, hanging over the center of the room where presumably some kind of chandelier should have been. With light to work by, he rifles in the bag for the books and some sticks of chalk. Cliche? Maybe, but those cliches exist for a reason. ]
[There are pros and cons to looking completely human, minus the strange eyes. Making others underestimate her will definitely come in handy later for the both of them, she’s sure. A very big pro.
She continues to move props out of the way until he has more than enough room to work. The light blooming overhead helps, though it casts long, severe shadows elsewhere. Spooky.
She’ll just watch him work.]
So is this a basic wizard’s skill, too? Summoning demons?
Anyone can do it, with the right references, and the right supplies.
[ And the right amount of blood, or a possible tear in the veil. He selects one of the books – a very old-looking tome of worn leather with pages that are gilded on the edges. It looks like a bible.
It is very much not a bible.
He opens the book up to one of several marked pages, displaying a diagram of circles and symbols and strange words in latin. Without asking, he offers the book out for her to hold so he can start his drawing. For this, he doesn’t mind doing the legwork, since she’ll have to handle the lion’s share of combat. ]
That’s part of what makes demons tricky business. They're not confined strictly to magical spaces.
The right references and right supplies. You make it sound so shady.
[But they are summoning a demon, so that's probably valid to some degree. Still, Makima looks more amused than anything else, and she draws close enough to take the book and diligently hold it while Warren works; and yes, she still has the clapper tucked under one arm.]
Tricky business for those trying to keep the existence of demons under wraps, you mean?
It is shady. Human sacrifice and full moons and all. We’re taking a shortcut.
[ A somewhat less messy shortcut, though it’s clear this is a matter of convenience than any real moral quandary. Why have a quandary when one can have no morals at all? ]
Yes. Especially when the people doing the summoning lack the means to keep things under control.
[ Scratch, scratch, scratch goes the chalk on the floor. The summoning circle is taking shape. ]
[But zero morals is just so much easier. It just means maybe they can dally in a human sacrifice under a full moon some other time if they like. For now, Makima does appreciate Warren's efficacy; the fact that this will happen sooner than later. She is direly curious about the kind of demon that'll greet them.]
Well. That's what they get for dealing with things that are too far out of their league.
[Heartless, this one.
Anyway, she kills some time by carefully flipping through a few pages in this not-Bible. Doubtful she can make heads or tails of anything, but it's a passing interest.]
The people of my world would know better. But that's a consequence of Devils being a common occurrence, I suppose.
[ Here's a bit more risk involved in this method, less of a way to try and exert control over the beast once they bring it here, but Warren figures with Makima being what she is, she'll have that part well in-hand anyway. ]
Even knowing that, do people still try?
[ Like, how did so many Devils end up kicking around in the first place? ]
Sure, they can try. There are a few instances of humans and Devils getting along. Some are happy to exist beside humans; in fact, the more human a Devil looks, the likelier it is to be friendly.
[Which is funny because here stands Makima, the most human-looking Devil there is, in possession of a cruel and manipulative heart.]
But I'd say... probably ninety-percent of the time, they're dangerous. As you know, a Devil's power grows in parallel with how much humankind fears it. So it's not very beneficial to be friends most of the time.
[ "Friendly" must be a matter of opinion, because while Warren would consider Makima perfectly friendly, he is aware that his idea of friendship is twisted at best. (Or whatever a man with no friends can have for an idea of friendship, anyway.) ]
That's right. Just like I was "friends" with the Japanese government.
[At this point, she's really stretching the idea of "friendship." If Warren's idea of friendship is twisted, Makima can only view it at a distance without truly ever comprehending it.
Like through the lens a movie camera.
Either way, they both belong in the Zero Friends Club.]
[ “Friends” in a contractual sense is mostly what Warren was referring to, anyway. They’re both so good at this.
He motions for her to bring the book back over so he can start etching out the markings around the circle. It’s not quite the language of Warren’s magic, though there’s a little similarity. Whatever this is and Necromancy borrow from each other a bit. ]
How did you end up in the employ of the government, anyway?
[She moves closer and holds the book out for him to use; though she doesn't mind acting as a podium for him if need be, holding it open to the right page so he can work and draw lines at the same time. It's the least she can do, if he's doing all the heavy lifting right now.]
Well... they approached me first. The use of my abilities would prove very useful to a government that wanted to hold its own against other countries employing similarly powerful Devils. But other than that...
[How to explain it?]
I guess you could say I found the idea fascinating, and that's why I accepted. To bring order and control over a country from behind a shield of legality. You can get away with so many things, you know, when you have government sanction. And bad things sometimes need to happen to bad people to make the world a better place.
[ Knowing what he knows about Makima so far, that’s not a wholly surprising answer. She did it because she could, and because she thought it would help her further her goals. Not so different from the way Warren chooses to work within the laws of wizarding society – it’s more helpful than a hindrance. ]
They approached you? How?
[ Was she just kicking around somewhere or what? ]
Not like this, if that's what you're thinking. [A summoning circle. Wouldn't that be funny?] I was on Earth for a while, so it was just a matter of time before I garnered attention from humans seeking to use my power for their own reasons.
[She supposes she should explain-]
Devils either reside in Hell, or on Earth. It's not a simple matter to move between the two. [Possible, but definitely not easy.] When we die in Hell, we are reincarnated on Earth. And vice-versa.
[She nods, confirming the non-question, besides. She should have been sent back to Hell, but something in that cycle very much did not apply for whatever reason — and now she’s here. Helping a wizard in this world draw a summoning circle across the ground to usher in the company of a demon.
Lucky him. Lucky her? Both.]
Lucky you. Out of all the people I walked up to, it was you. Imagine if I had fell into someone else’s lap! You’d be living a dog-less life still.
[Smiling, she watches as Warren rises back to his feet.]
[ He gives her a flat look as he wanders over to take the book back from her. ]
Yes, what a tragedy.
[ It does not sound like he considers a lack of dogs in his life to be a tragedy, clearly. But a lack of Makima? Well, now that would be a real shame, considering she proves as useful as she’s made herself out to be ].
Now we light some candles– [ romantic?? Not really. Fire is the important part here. ] –I recite a little incantation, and hopefully the demon doesn’t burn the whole place down in the process of showing up.
[Don't give her that flat look. It would a be a tragedy.
But such dour sarcasm is about all she can expect from Warren for now, so she just laughs lightly and shrugs, closing the book in her hands with the assumption that he doesn't require it any longer, handing it back.]
That would be a shame. This set is so interesting.
[Yes, that would be her main concern amid a blazing flame in this little fake house. Well, no matter. If Warren needs help with candle-lighting (very romantic, indeed -- no), then she'll set about helping with that, too.]
I suspect that a spell that makes someone fireproof is too much to ask for, hm?
Edited (clarification and nitpicking) 2023-08-10 20:09 (UTC)
[ He still needs the book for some things, just nothing at the moment. He tucks it under his arm as he retrieves some candles and a book of matches from the bag. ]
A decent Elementalist could make you fire repellant, probably. Though outright resistant to the heat and the threat of burning? Doubtful.
[ Warren doesn’t need to know what’s going on in other threads. ]
But it’s all a moot point if we’re talking about hellfire, anyway.
Oh, that's right. A lot of good that would do, anyway.
[She taps her chin as though to consider this, but there's really not much to consider at all; really, the best they can hope for is that they're not standing amid a conflagration when the demon comes knocking.
And if they are? Well. Makima's sure she can get both herself and Warren out of the way in time. It's probably fine.]
[ Warren breathes out a small laugh. It’s not a lot, but it seems to be genuinely amused. ]
You’d be the first.
[ To both volunteer and very likely follow through. A man like him doesn’t often need protection – but then, demons are a special case. Even a Destroyer as skilled as he is will have a hard time with the flames of hell.
He hands the book of matches to Makima. ]
If you’d be so kind.
[ Said as he begins placing the candles at key points around the circle. She’s free to follow along and light them as she goes. ]
[Wow, a genuine laugh! And she wasn't even trying to be too funny.
But she just smiles and nods, taking the matches and striking one alight. She follows about, lighting candles one by one. It's a hilariously simple, cooperative effort for what they're about to do.]
I take it you're more of a lone wolf type in the field.
[Even Makima occasionally worked with others at her old job. She very rarely needed protection, of course, and it was unusual for her to lend her abilities to any operation at all, but the idea of someone else having your back isn't so foreign to her.
In practice, at least. In every other way? Well, that's another matter entirely.]
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finalflight2023-03-24 06:21 pm
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I think so, too.
[And their thoughts also run parallel.]
I wonder if that means we might actually be facing an actual challenge?
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[ Warren plops down the bag somewhere for now, which also makes a fair bit of noise, kicking up dust.
He motions to the furniture with a hand. ]
We'll need to get all this out of the way.
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Are you about to make a big mess?
[A big, ritualistic mess. She wonders just what's in that bag.]
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I’ll need to draw a summoning circle, for starters.
[ So saying, he etches out a few runes, sending an orb of light bobbing into the air, hanging over the center of the room where presumably some kind of chandelier should have been. With light to work by, he rifles in the bag for the books and some sticks of chalk. Cliche? Maybe, but those cliches exist for a reason. ]
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She continues to move props out of the way until he has more than enough room to work. The light blooming overhead helps, though it casts long, severe shadows elsewhere. Spooky.
She’ll just watch him work.]
So is this a basic wizard’s skill, too? Summoning demons?
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[ And the right amount of blood, or a possible tear in the veil. He selects one of the books – a very old-looking tome of worn leather with pages that are gilded on the edges. It looks like a bible.
It is very much not a bible.
He opens the book up to one of several marked pages, displaying a diagram of circles and symbols and strange words in latin. Without asking, he offers the book out for her to hold so he can start his drawing. For this, he doesn’t mind doing the legwork, since she’ll have to handle the lion’s share of combat. ]
That’s part of what makes demons tricky business. They're not confined strictly to magical spaces.
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[But they are summoning a demon, so that's probably valid to some degree. Still, Makima looks more amused than anything else, and she draws close enough to take the book and diligently hold it while Warren works; and yes, she still has the clapper tucked under one arm.]
Tricky business for those trying to keep the existence of demons under wraps, you mean?
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[ A somewhat less messy shortcut, though it’s clear this is a matter of convenience than any real moral quandary. Why have a quandary when one can have no morals at all? ]
Yes. Especially when the people doing the summoning lack the means to keep things under control.
[ Scratch, scratch, scratch goes the chalk on the floor. The summoning circle is taking shape. ]
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Well. That's what they get for dealing with things that are too far out of their league.
[Heartless, this one.
Anyway, she kills some time by carefully flipping through a few pages in this not-Bible. Doubtful she can make heads or tails of anything, but it's a passing interest.]
The people of my world would know better. But that's a consequence of Devils being a common occurrence, I suppose.
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Even knowing that, do people still try?
[ Like, how did so many Devils end up kicking around in the first place? ]
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[Which is funny because here stands Makima, the most human-looking Devil there is, in possession of a cruel and manipulative heart.]
But I'd say... probably ninety-percent of the time, they're dangerous. As you know, a Devil's power grows in parallel with how much humankind fears it. So it's not very beneficial to be friends most of the time.
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Unless you're friends with the right people, hm?
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[At this point, she's really stretching the idea of "friendship." If Warren's idea of friendship is twisted, Makima can only view it at a distance without truly ever comprehending it.
Like through the lens a movie camera.
Either way, they both belong in the Zero Friends Club.]
Or just like I'm "friends" with you.
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He motions for her to bring the book back over so he can start etching out the markings around the circle. It’s not quite the language of Warren’s magic, though there’s a little similarity. Whatever this is and Necromancy borrow from each other a bit. ]
How did you end up in the employ of the government, anyway?
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[She moves closer and holds the book out for him to use; though she doesn't mind acting as a podium for him if need be, holding it open to the right page so he can work and draw lines at the same time. It's the least she can do, if he's doing all the heavy lifting right now.]
Well... they approached me first. The use of my abilities would prove very useful to a government that wanted to hold its own against other countries employing similarly powerful Devils. But other than that...
[How to explain it?]
I guess you could say I found the idea fascinating, and that's why I accepted. To bring order and control over a country from behind a shield of legality. You can get away with so many things, you know, when you have government sanction. And bad things sometimes need to happen to bad people to make the world a better place.
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They approached you? How?
[ Was she just kicking around somewhere or what? ]
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[She supposes she should explain-]
Devils either reside in Hell, or on Earth. It's not a simple matter to move between the two. [Possible, but definitely not easy.] When we die in Hell, we are reincarnated on Earth. And vice-versa.
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[ It’s not really a question. It’s more that Warren is putting the pieces together for himself and musing over it out loud.
He stands finally, sparing a moment to brush the dirt and bits of chalk dust from his pant legs. ]
Lucky me.
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Lucky him. Lucky her? Both.]
Lucky you. Out of all the people I walked up to, it was you. Imagine if I had fell into someone else’s lap! You’d be living a dog-less life still.
[Smiling, she watches as Warren rises back to his feet.]
So what’s next?
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Yes, what a tragedy.
[ It does not sound like he considers a lack of dogs in his life to be a tragedy, clearly. But a lack of Makima? Well, now that would be a real shame, considering she proves as useful as she’s made herself out to be ].
Now we light some candles– [ romantic?? Not really. Fire is the important part here. ] –I recite a little incantation, and hopefully the demon doesn’t burn the whole place down in the process of showing up.
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But such dour sarcasm is about all she can expect from Warren for now, so she just laughs lightly and shrugs, closing the book in her hands with the assumption that he doesn't require it any longer, handing it back.]
That would be a shame. This set is so interesting.
[Yes, that would be her main concern amid a blazing flame in this little fake house. Well, no matter. If Warren needs help with candle-lighting (very romantic, indeed -- no), then she'll set about helping with that, too.]
I suspect that a spell that makes someone fireproof is too much to ask for, hm?
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A decent Elementalist could make you fire repellant, probably. Though outright resistant to the heat and the threat of burning? Doubtful.
[ Warren doesn’t need to know what’s going on in other threads. ]
But it’s all a moot point if we’re talking about hellfire, anyway.
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[She taps her chin as though to consider this, but there's really not much to consider at all; really, the best they can hope for is that they're not standing amid a conflagration when the demon comes knocking.
And if they are? Well. Makima's sure she can get both herself and Warren out of the way in time. It's probably fine.]
Well, don't worry. I'll protect you.
[ain't she kind]
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You’d be the first.
[ To both volunteer and very likely follow through. A man like him doesn’t often need protection – but then, demons are a special case. Even a Destroyer as skilled as he is will have a hard time with the flames of hell.
He hands the book of matches to Makima. ]
If you’d be so kind.
[ Said as he begins placing the candles at key points around the circle. She’s free to follow along and light them as she goes. ]
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But she just smiles and nods, taking the matches and striking one alight. She follows about, lighting candles one by one. It's a hilariously simple, cooperative effort for what they're about to do.]
I take it you're more of a lone wolf type in the field.
[Even Makima occasionally worked with others at her old job. She very rarely needed protection, of course, and it was unusual for her to lend her abilities to any operation at all, but the idea of someone else having your back isn't so foreign to her.
In practice, at least. In every other way? Well, that's another matter entirely.]
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