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[callbacks]

[Remember that one Spectre randomly accosting people for interviews on fuck all? Looks like some teenage D-bag in shades actually saw fit to entertain her questions. Oh dear. The brief interview doesn't get nearly as much unreal air as li'l Miss Invidia of poisonous fame, but it's playing here and there today. The brief clip might not merit any attention at all, except...]

...local establishment you think more Invidians should know about?

[The kid lights up suddenly without actually smiling, rising up a little on the balls of his feet with his hands still jammed in his pockets.]

Shit, dawgs, you have no idea. You got yourselves a national--or, like--at least a municipal treasure sitting like a bereft and sack-clothed widow at the corner of Ignored and Abandoned. You assholes don't know what you're missing. It's a downright indignation, the lack of patronage enjoyed by this magnificently unironic piece of shit business modeling. Hold on to your asses because I'mma need you to get 'em parked pronto-mundo in the chairs at Mr. Dudeguy's BBQ and Foot Massage-While-You-Wait.

[He takes a breath, and it's at this point the interviewer really should have moved on, but it's too late. It's always already too late.]

Got a long-standing nation in my imagination
All staycationing in line at the bee-bee-queue,
Awaitin' pork and grilled onions while Granny get her bunions
Caressed lovingly in the hands of a master in toe-fu,
By which I mean podia-shiatsu-jutsu-fu,
Though you could probably order tofu, too, I mean, I ain't the boss of you
If that's the shit you want to order smoked and spice-rubbed for you.
Uh, anyway,
All I'm sayin' is it's the sweetest jerk-and-rub of a release
Your mortal soul can experience post-cease.

[...Did he just--]

You know, if that's how you feel about it. Anyway, yeah. Check it. Cat does a sweet kebab.

[In any case, business is now booming at BBQ and Foot Massage-While-U-Wait. Lines are out the door and around the block. A full street away, a hunched, furtive-looking blond is bargaining in desperate, hissed tones with a seller of hoodies.]

Please, no, I'm begging--no. I can't give you the sunglasses, I'm on a strictly no shades-trades platform. Can't you just--holy shit.

[Sensing someone looking at him, he stiffens and turns away further. He will ollie off this entire layer if he has to, Jesus.]

Comments

[callbacks]

[Oh, shit.

...]

I dunno, idols are more of a pop thing, I'm pretty sure. Sounded more indie rap to me. Sick flow, right?

[mAYBE he won't recognize him despite having literally JUST SEEN HIM.]

[crypddyd]

...

[He blinks slowly, so confused]

No, Esme is the one that makes people sick. I think this was actually rather good?

[He legit understands 1/3 of the words he's saying]

[callbacks]

[!

Be still his... already still heart.]

Yeah! That's what I'm saying, those beats were--not illing. Very cool and awesome, is what I mean. Sweet.

What's the deal with Esme, though, I thought everyone around here thought she's the shit.

[crypddyd]

It certainly is pleasing to the ear. Very different from any singing I've heard before.

And...she doesn't have everyone under her control. Some of us are from... elsewhere, and still have our senses. Have you... hm.

[He's done this once with Phoenix, but it's still awkward]

Have you spoken to a girl named Rei?

[callbacks]

...No?

[um;;]

Are the TVs the main part of a cartoon supervillain mass hypnosis machine. Have I made the classic blunder of lowering the shield of ironic detachment for a passingly kinda attractive broad on a big screen.

[crypddyd]

Oh, no please, calm. How to explain... the people here, they seem rather flat, yes? Like they are more like unimportant characters in a story instead of real people?

Or actors in a play? That is because they are not fully aware. But there are some here that ARE aware. Like you and I.

[He pauses to make sure he's following before continuing]

[callbacks]

I mean... yeah. [He rubs the back of his head uncomfortably.] Figured that's just how it is and I'd fall back asleep eventually. Or not asleep-asleep, but... you know what I mean. Back to the whole not-thinking-about-it thing. I didn't think it was a big deal.

You're gonna tell me the size of the deal is slightly bigger than I was considering it to be.

[crypddyd]

It's... quite a bit bigger, yes.

[There's a flicker of pity on his face]

But if you wish I will walk away now. I don't know if you can return to sleep, but I would not blame you for trying.

[callbacks]

[A beat passes. The boy opens his mouth, then closes it. Eventually, he manages:]

Okay, look. Not that I don't appreciate the offer to get out of some unabated chosen ones reluctant hero bullshit free, but...

[...

Despite the obvious difficulty articulating his dilemma--let alone why it might be a dilemma to him--he finds something to say.]

You already let the hell on that something's up with this Esme chick. Zoning out while she's using her powers for evil or whatever isn't my idea of a good untime. So just spit it out, I guess.

[crypddyd]

[He nods, seeming to respect the logic at least]

Very well. Then I will go straight to the point. You are dead.

[callbacks]

...

Well, yeah. Who isn't.

[crypddyd]

... well fair enough. We're all dead here.

[He huffs]

But this is not the way the afterlife is meant to operate- some of us have regained our sense in order to restore it to its natural order. Where souls can pass on and be reborn. For a long while, there was only one of us, Lady Rei. But many more have awoken now, and we are making our way down to the source of the problem, the Cogs, to try and discover what is blocking them.

But this Esme girl is blocking us from getting further.

If you wish, I can take you to Rei and she can tell you more. Those that agree to help gain abilities to fight and defend themselves... so it is not a completely rewardless option.

[callbacks]

[Once again, the conversation seems to put the boy vaguely ill at ease. He shifts his weight to one foot and glances away, watching this layer's Envy-soaked Spectres mill by.]

It's a problem for everyone, huh. All these brainless zombie ghosts should be moving on down?

[He tucks his chin lower, still avoiding eye contact.]

Guess it'd suck mildly to be stuck macking on someone forever who isn't even that hot. Don't get the feeling fighting's, like, one hundred percent my bag, though. Those abilities this Rei girl gives you, you have to use them?

[crypddyd]

No, no not at all! Lady Rei is a very kind girl, she does not force us into anything. I don't think she has the ability to make someone an Executor unwillingly even if she did want to.

It would protect you from reverting to your sleeping state, and there would be others to... exist... with. But you do not have to fight if you don't wish.

[callbacks]

Huh.

...Well, not like it's gonna kill me-- [He says with an exaggerated, eye-rolling shrug.] --to hear what your girl's got to say. And I got nothing better to do until the massive hype re: my ass dies down to the normal, acceptable levels of fannish devotion.

So, you know. Okay. I guess interested's a thing I can sort of be right now.

[crypddyd]

[He smiles, looking pleased]

Very well, then I will escort you... in case of more excited fans.

[Yeah he totally recognized him earlier. He's not STUPID]

I go by Lion.

[callbacks]

Oh, uh. ...Clocks. That's what I remember.

[Clocks joins your party! Clocks frowns.]

Should I hide under your cape or--no, that's stupid.

[crypddyd]

Clocks. Understood.

[he ponders]

You're tall enough that it would be a bit awkward.... oh, here-

[He dismisses his Executor armor, it turning into slightly more modern looking clothing- including a blue hooded fur-lined jacket. He takes it off and offers]

Will this work?

[callbacks]

...

This is the sweetest shit anyone's ever done for me in my whole damn unlife.

[Or, you know, as long as he can remember. But yeah, he takes it and sticks his arms through the sleeves and who CARES if maybe it smells like unwashed boar, IT'S SO BIG AND FUZZY AND BLUE. He flips the hood up and actually grins under the fur.]

Hell fuckin' yes. Man, you're a gentledouche and a scholar.

[crypddyd]

I will admit I... only understood half of what you just said. But I'm glad it's acceptable.

[It does smell a little boar-y, but it is very warm!]

Let's head off then, it should not be hard to find Lady Rei...

[callbacks]

[Clocks is evidently happy enough to follow in his highly un-emotive way.]

You really dig her, huh? Calling her 'Lady' and all. Or are you actually like for real an oldschool knight, with all that plate?

now in the right place

[phantasmagorial]

[ And sure enough, it's not! She's still not feeling one hundred percent after The Esme-ing but she's well enough to be sat in the park, pouring over what feels like her five hundredth idol magazine of the day. She is STUDYING.

She glances up when the two of them approach though, looking relieved to have an excuse to put the magazine aside. ]

Ah, Lion... [ and then she notices Clocks. ] And a friend...?

[crypddyd]

Well, I am certainly fond of her, but do not mistake it for anything... untoward. She is quite a bit younger than me. I simply have much respect for her... and I do recall something like knight training. So you might be correct there.

[Oh, there she is!]

Lady Rei! Yes, this is Clocks. I found him in the... Entertainment District?

[he's still unsure about the names of things here]

[callbacks]

[Oh holy shit, yeah, she's tiny. Even Clocks looks faintly embarrassed by his own suggestion. Still, he rallies and nods.]

'Sup. I hear there's a problem with some gears downstairs?

[phantasmagorial]

[ That gets a weary smile. ]

I guess you could put it like that. ... You're awake, like the rest of us, right?

[ Presumably why Lion brought him here. ]

How much do you know so far?