post-impocalypse: a field trip

[farfromgrace]

Vengeance is a Hell that cannot forget the past. Places of violence sometimes waver and reveal their old scars, bullet holes reappearing in fixed tables. It hasn't even forgotten the fall-- white chalk outlines in some of the alleys show bodies bent and crumpled at fatal angles, bodies that if stared at long enough show the pale shadow of wings at their backs. Some of the damned have claimed these angel bodies, hoping for a patron in hell or a weapon against it should they ever stir-- or a favor from Asmodeus, if they bring a waking one to him.

Beyond that, the cramped jumble of a city has the look of a place that belongs in a film noir, the light that's cast from the sky here washes out colors, and at night the fog comes in across the dark water and envelopes the city. So, in opposition to that, the occupied buildings are garish and loud on the inside and with their neon advertisements on the outside, demanding attention and refusing to bow to an environment that seems to want them silenced.

Space suddenly shifts, in a jarring, nauseating way, and you're falling into a landscape that's definitely a city, but not your Tokyo-F.

And land, unceremoniously, in an alley, the portal closing behind you. Nothing special about it, covered in peeling advertisements, full of shadows, littered with broken bottles and crushed cans and other kinds of garbage.

No one seems to have noticed you yet...

Comments

[backstory]

[ Oh

. . . . . . . ]

. . . I don't think I'm allowed to say.

[ No he was definitely told he's not allowed to say. ]

Umm... since you are a married man now, it is probably not good to drag you into anything...

[bevoted]

Are you seriously trying to use my marriage as an excuse to avoid telling me what potentially dangerous bullshit you're up to?

[backstory]

[ S W E A T S ]

. . . Yes...

[ . . . . . . . . . Whisper voice: ] If it gets really bad and we have to battle to the death do you want to be invited? Surely moth-- Miss Amaranth will be okay with that.

[worthathousand]

[ drags a hand across her forehead ]

Levi, put me on the phone with him, if you must.

[backstory]

[ Oh no...

To Loki: ]

Miss Amaranth wants to speak with you. I am going to hand you over.

[ Handing the phone...over... ]

[bevoted]

What I WANT is for you to stay out of any "battles" altogether-- Levi!! [ SHOUTING AS HE'S HANDED TO AMARANTH ]

[worthathousand]

[ smoothly ] Hello Loki.

This is Amaranth, from LiliS. I don't think we ever got the chance for a proper introduction before you graduated.

[bevoted]

[ ... in a much more guarded tone than he used with Levi ]

No, I don't think we did. Are you the one leading them on this "secret mission"?

[worthathousand]

I didn't plan on bringing a squadron of youths to this part of Hell, if that's your implication.

But now that we're here, I'm looking after them, yes.

[ a pause ] Hiryuu and Leviathan both trust you a great deal.

[bevoted]

And you don't. [ that really goes without saying, but just so we're on the same page here. ]


I don't know who else is with you, but Hiryuu and Levi are important to me. If you can't trust anything else I say, you can trust that I don't want them to get hurt. The address I gave Levi leads to somewhere safe. If you're looking after them like you said then you'll take them there.

[worthathousand]

[ not unkindly ] I trust their judgment of your character.
...But you have other obligations now, which none of us can fully control.

I will guide us to your safehouse. And I will give everyone here an opportunity to go directly there.

However. [ a pause ] We also have some mapmaking we have the opportunity to complete, and for everyone's sake, the less detail we give you, the better.

[bevoted]

..... you said you didn't plan this. Now you want to make maps? [ it's more confused than incredulous. this sounds like a stupid plan. ]

[worthathousand]

It's a project we started when the so-called "maintenance" put us here last.

I didn't expect a chance to complete it, but I am here now, and I very much doubt there will be a third opportunity.

[bevoted]

A "project". [ Now he sounds incredulous. but mostly frustrated. ]

... fine. Hand me back to Levi.

[worthathousand]

I'm sorry I can't give you more specifics.

But here he is. [ and she passes the phone back over ]

[backstory]

[ Mom lied and he can't tell how that went. ]

Hello...? This is Leviathan again.

[bevoted]

I'm going to send you something. Use it if you're in trouble. You remember my demon name, right?

[backstory]

. . . Yes. I remember it.

[bevoted]

[ sighs out ] I don't know what hairbrained scheme you've got, but I can't stop you. I just hope you know what you're doing.

Keep an eye on Hiryuu. Take care of each other. And don't get in over your head.

[backstory]

[ IMMEDIATELY ]

I will protect her with my life. You have my word on it.

[ And gentler, in an effort to be reassuring. ]

I promise that we will be as careful as possible. I am thankful for your help and concern, Loki. All of us miss you, and so I am sorry to have caused you to worry now. Please be well and I wish you the greatest of happiness.

[bevoted]

All of you? [ with a little scoff, yeah sure ]

Loosen up a little won't you. You sound like you're about to march off to war. [ which you're NOT doing that RIGHT

... right. ]

I'll see you again soon. Promise.

[backstory]

[ When in hell... =')

Also, how does one loosen up? ]

Then I look forward to it greatly. I will see you when next we meet. Goodbye for now.

[ Annnddddddd. He will hang up. ]

. . . There.

[bevoted]

[ also like two minutes later levi gets a text

it's just straight up a cellphone picture from the page of some book

]

invoke my name when you need me

[worthathousand]

What did he say?

—And I'm sorry about the lie. I thought it was a better explanation for our activities than just trying to talk around it.

not here

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ Ah... he's making the face right now, isn't he? ]