Video | BACKDATED to early the 11th

[soul_sister]

[It's early Wednesday morning when a new video message turns up on the network. The nun seems to have none of her usual energy and the bags under her eyes are fairly pronounced. Flynn and Fluffy have likely put up with her pacing almost incessantly since dinner time last night, and even now she fidgets in her seat, fingers playing with an ornamental looking watch hanging at her neck.]

Has anyone seen Chrono? Short, grumpy, purple hair. He's usually with me.

... He might have been in some kind of fight, so I'll take anything. Or anyone to help me look.

Comments

[soul_sister]

Hmm. So you're the hands on type, and a guardian... Still not quite enough to guess your name yet.

[senseandcecilbility]

WHA--

[There is a lot of blushing and failed attempts at speaking. Oh, Rosette.]

I-I did not realize you were trying to guess my name!

[soul_sister]

Well, it's hardly going to be 'Kevin.'

Don't give it away, though. I bet I can get close eventually.

1/3

[senseandcecilbility]

I say, sister...

[senseandcecilbility]

...

[Wait, did she mention betting!]

[senseandcecilbility]

I say, sister, your challenge has been accepted!

[soul_sister]

OHO! Your days of mystery are numbered!

[senseandcecilbility]

[DELIGHTED]

Oh? ~ Now, now, do not forget that hubris is a sin.

[soul_sister]

You haven't seen 'a proud look' yet. That'll be after I win.

[senseandcecilbility]

If I were you I would not be so certain, young lady. I am a master of concealment and misdirection ~

[Now he is just being silly and theatrical. But it is a nice counterpart to post-nuclear Britain.]

[soul_sister]

They should at least be better than your excuses for not answering the door.

[She picks up her pace a little as the apartments come into view. It's no rational thing, being told by more than one person with the power to know that he is no where on the island... but still needing to check the usual meeting spots just in case.]<>

[senseandcecilbility]

[Oh no, did she notice that he was trying to hide? She must be secretly brilliant!

Careful, Kevin. Careful.]

I was...reading a particularly good book. Quite absorbing!

[soul_sister]

What book?

[senseandcecilbility]

[Oh good, he doesn't need to lie!]

Wuthering Heights. It is very tragic.

[soul_sister]

Eh.. I read reviews on it in the Post. Something about an anniversary or some nonsense.


It sounded kind of ... Lacking adventure.

[senseandcecilbility]

Oh, you are the adventurous nun type!

[He should have guessed.]

[soul_sister]

Of course! Doyle, Wells, Baum, Burroughs and Dunsany!

[senseandcecilbility]

[Now, that is a adorable.]

I have only read Doyle, though you should introduce me to the other three.

[The fact that he doesn't know the other writers is in itself quite strange, but fortunately, not as strange as meeting a Lucifer alternate. As far as he is concerned, being able to read new books is probably the only positive side of being brought to Exsilium.]

[soul_sister]

Well, I don't have all of them with me. But...

[She opens the door to the apartment complex and waves him in.] Follow me.

[senseandcecilbility]

[He follows her like a duckling!]

Am I right to assume that you...brought books into this world?

[Good Heavens, she is lucky. Or maybe he is the lucky one.]

[soul_sister]

We have a lot of downtime between missions.. and others where it's a lot of waiting that doesn't always pan out. So, we keep a few books in the ammo box.

[It doesn't take long to scale the three flights of stairs and find room 304.

The small, three bedroom apartment has ever look of being well lived in. There are signs of recent reconstruction in the kitchen and someone's sewing rests on the couch, a torn sleeve on a dress being repaired. Most of the chairs have been dragged around a coffee table, to make an impromptu dinner table for four...

Rosette, however, makes a b-line for an enormous wooden box propped up by one of the bedroom doors.]

Make yourself at home.

[senseandcecilbility]

Ah...You are very kind, sister.

[He turns to the sewing and discreetly examines the perfectly normal and cozy household. That is, perfectly normal and cozy except for the demonic aura that makes Kevin fidget and stare behind his shoulder.]

[soul_sister]

[The demonic aura particularly powerful around the careful, neat stitching, repairing the tear and in the process of rehemming the sleeve to hide the damage. Chrono'd spent a while on it.

While Kevin's distracted, Rosette hesitates at opening the ammo box, then shakes her head vigorously and pulls it open. Finding HER money, tucked in with the cross barriers makes her mutter.] I should have known!

[She shoves it back aside, instead of taking it, sorting through the rack of handguns and rifles until...

She comes back out with a pair of dog eared, well read books.]

[senseandcecilbility]

[Does she command the demon to stitch and repair her garments? Does she use a binding seal or...?

As he turns around, Kevin's brain short-circuits as he fails to decide whether he should comment on the money, the guns or the books.]

Sister, do you use fire weapons to exorci---

[Americans, honestly!]

Ah! Hm... m-may I take a look at those, please?

[He means the books. The books!]

[soul_sister]

[BUT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GUNS. So naturally, she puts the books down and pulls out a heavy handgun with a wide barrel and a strange second barrel below. It has a ridiculously powerful holy aura.]

Of course, this one's my best one. It's called the Gospel.