network } audio; un: panoptes

[sisterswitch]

Hey, everyone - Jack here. Or, I guess some of you might know me as “that evil lying bitch from Dualis who only cares about herself.”

[ahem, that’d be jane. not that jack’s still holding a grudge or anything.]

Anyway, the important thing here is that Navi asked me to pass on a message to the group, which is that they’ve picked up on a passenger who is in a great deal of distress but too far away to get a clear link of communication. In other words, one of our merry little band is missing and having an aggressively bad time way out in the woods.

So, consider this a roll call. Time is meaningless out here in the void, so nobody knows if it’s 10 o’clock, but do you know where your partner is? Who’s missing, and who wants to go rescue them from the big bad scary possibly haunted forest?

Comments

[adaptiveimmunities]

[He shrugs. It all feels a little hazy right now.] I don't think I was. I don't know why I am now. I think I should be more freaked out about that.

[But why be a creeped out by a little age regression when you can go on an actual factual monster hunt? He starts moving deeper into the woods.]

[betterhavemammoney]

[Mammon follows after, not willing to let that possible payday walk away.]

You're DEFINITELY cursed. This is exactly the sort of curse Belphie would put on a human.

[adaptiveimmunities]

First of all, that seems like an asshole move.

Second: who's Belphie?

[He's peering into the woods, hoping to see... well, he's not sure. He'd been a little fuzzy on the crrpy details, but he wants a picture of it, whatever it is. He keeps his phone ready.]

[betterhavemammoney]

It is. Curses are supposed to suck.

[Mammon's not really sure what they're looking for either, so he's not looking. He's mostly hoping they'll stumble across whatever this creepy thing is.]

Belphie's my little brother. He'd think this curse is great.

[adaptiveimmunities]

Huh. I have a sister. She'd say this curse is bullshit.

[It's clear he's taking a kid's pleasure in saying swear words without anyone telling him not to. His phone screen starts to flicker, and he frowns a little.]

That's not supposed to happen.

[betterhavemammoney]

That's what I say when I get cursed!

[Hey, knock yourself out, Shaun! Far be it from the demon to stop you doing something naughty.]

Battery dyin'?

[adaptiveimmunities]

No. [His tone is annoyed as he shows the phone to Mammon.] Look. The battery indicator is mostly full. It should be fine.

[He shivers a little, without really noticing it. It's not really cold, but he got a shiver down his spine. It's probably nothing.]

[betterhavemammoney]

Guess we have to use mine! That means I get all the picture money!

[He pulls his own device out, glee quickly turning to frustration as its screen flickers too.]

Mine ain't workin' either. What gives?

[adaptiveimmunities]

[Shaun gives him a look with bright, shining eyes.]

Maybe it's the spooky thing.

[He immediately picks a direction and starts walking deeper into the deep dark woods.]

[betterhavemammoney]

Hey hey hey stop! Where ya goin'?

[He dashes forward, grabbing at the collar of Shaun's shirt to slow him down.]

We can't get a picture of it like this! What's the point in going?

[adaptiveimmunities]

[Shaun turns to look at him like 'excuse you sir, take your hand of my shirt.']

To see the monster? Duh? Don't you want to see it? 'Cause I do.

[betterhavemammoney]

What's the point in seeing it if we can't sell the pics, huh? Don't you get it?

[He huffs and poses not unlike a kid around Shaun's apparent age.]

[adaptiveimmunities]

[He rolls his eyes obnoxiously.]

You sound like my parents. Not everything has to be caught on film! You can just have fun sometimes!

[betterhavemammoney]

It does if ya want money! No one's gonna pay us for saying we saw a monster. Who cares about that?

[adaptiveimmunities]

I care about that! Don't you want to see what they're all talking about?

[The creepy vibe is getting stronger, and Shaun is starting to get goosebumps.]

[betterhavemammoney]

Nah, not really! Who cares about monsters? They're nothing new! [The Devildom houses a variety of monsters as well as demons, and Mammon knows tangling with them is less than ideal. He is Great and Impressive but even he knows to get far out of Cerberus' way, for instance.] I only wanted to come with 'cause money was on the line!

[He huffs angrily, hands on his hips again as is his habit. The annoyance is helping him ignore the tingling in his spine.]

[adaptiveimmunities]

I care about monsters! [He puts his hands on his hips and huffs out a breath.] The closest thing I've seen to a monster is a zombie and they don't even count! They're just walking dead people!

[betterhavemammoney]

'Kay, you're right, zombies don't really count if there's just one. But still! Monsters are just bad news, why're ya looking for 'em if you aren't getting paid?

[adaptiveimmunities]

Because it's cool? Again--duh.

[betterhavemammoney]

That's not cool, it's dumb. I would never do that! Not unless I was gettin' paid to give Cerberus a haircut!

[adaptiveimmunities]

[He frowns.] That's... Hades' three-headed dog, right? [Way above the threshold for amplification. He makes a face.] That thing is real? Do you think that's what we're after?

[betterhavemammoney]

Nah, it's Lucifer's three-headed dog an' he's my older brother so trust me, I KNOW what I'm talking about!

And I don't think so, no. [He scoffs.] I think we're heading out looking for some weird thing we aren't gettin' paid for, so what's the point?

[adaptiveimmunities]

[Shaun shrugs. He believes him. It's not like he doesn't know basically everything George has too.

He gives Mammon a cheerful grin.]

Well, it's okay if you want to go to the village, if you're too scared to keep looking. I don't mind.

[betterhavemammoney]

Hey! What're ya talking about? I'm not chicken! [How dare you even suggest that, Shaun. He is a big scary demon!] I'm WAY tougher than anything you'll meet out here!

[adaptiveimmunities]

[Shaun gives him a guileless look.]

Well, it just seemed like you were looking for excuses not to come, so...