simulsimul | another thing; w/ fafnirs and skeletonenigma; cw for suicide talk

That's an excellent summary. [It is, too. There's no fault in it Skulduggery can see.] As for the Faceless Ones, they live in another dimension. A few of them are dead on this side.

How can you be a space alien angel if you don't have any wings?

The issue with Roarhaven is that it's populated solely by disillusioned sorcerers who think mortals should be slaves. More than a few of them worship the evil gods. We don't want knowledge of you getting anywhere near there.

[A few of them are dead.]

None of them are skeletons, perchance?

[Sword Dancer was something of an anomaly, but still, there's precedence. Kratos hums.]

And what do you think they'd try to do if they found out about me, precisely?

No. None of them are skeletons. Two of them are dust, and one is a shambling zombie creature we tossed back into their dimension over a year ago.

You can't just drop something like that on me and then ignore all my questions!

I have no idea, Kratos. That's what scares me. [Traditionally, no one takes the confirmation a religion they'd written off as hyperbole very well.] We're nearly there now. Just a few more minutes.

[Shambling zombie. Close enough. Kratos sits back again, thoughtful, and turns his gaze to Valkyrie.]

Yes.

Yes -- yes what? Yes, you're an alien angel from outer space? [A small gasp.] Yes, you have wings?

Edited 2017-07-19 08:50 (UTC)

[There is amusement in his eyes and on his face, for those who can see it.]

Yes. To both.

[Valkyrie absolutely cannot see it. The amusement, or the wings.] Well, where are they? Are they too big for the car?

I'd rather no one do anything in my car if they're not very sure it won't damage the upholstery. We're nearly there, Valkyrie. Be patient.

You've just told me angels exist, and you want me to be patient?

Yes.

[Valkyrie grumbles and subsides. The car pulls up on the side of the road outside Ghastly's shop, framed by the familiar run-down neighbourhood. After Skulduggery turns off the engine, he looks at Valkyrie.] See? I knew you could do it.

One of these days, I'm going to smack you.

[Kratos deliberates on answering and ultimately doesn't, since Skulduggery does it for him. Instead he waits until the car is silent before opening the door and unfolding himself from the seat, stretching.]

You need bigger back seats.

[Just an idle constructive criticism. In the meantime he looks skyward, eyes half-closed, to feel out the mana around them -- and, particularly, the mana in the man inside the shop in front of which they've stopped. He has the same four-typed cast as Skulduggery -- except for lacking the shadowed balance and the stillness of wholly-maintained undeath.]

My back seats are perfect. [Skulduggery's tone is affronted.]

[Valkyrie sighs.] And how often do you sit in them again?

Just for that, you're waiting in the car.

[Valkyrie's answer is to push open the door and step out. Skulduggery follows suit, grumbling something inaudible. He settles his disguise on his skull and locks the car behind them. Valkyrie knocks on Ghastly's door.]

[Appropriately, Ghastly opens the door, given a few moments to put down his sewing and get to the door in the first place. There's a faint smile for Valkyrie before he remembers the most recent phone call from Skulduggery.]

Hello, Valkyrie.

What's this about needing a translating artifact in the dead of night?

...and who's your friend?

[An eye for Kratos.]

[Kratos does not smile at Skulduggery's offence -- on the outside, at least. He does move around the car, slower than the other two, and examining their surrounds. It doesn't look a particularly safe area ... Hmm.

[He only turns when the door opens, and inclines his head at the wary gaze he receives.]

Kratos. You're Skulduggery's brother, I take it?

[Yes, that is deliberate.]

Brother-not-brother. [Skulduggery's quick to correct this, especially now that Kratos can apparently speak perfect English.] There was a breakdown in understanding. It's a long story. May we come in?

He's an angel. [Valkyrie's grinning.] An angel from outer space.

Brother-not-brother.

[Repeated blankly. It was that or 'an angel from outer space,' and Ghastly likes to be mildly unpredictable.]

...Ghastly Bespoke.

[Introductions are safe. He nods gingerly to the -- angel from outer space -- and opens his door further.]

Because it'll be more of a headache if I don't know what you're doing.

[... The people here aren't known for their discretion, are they? Kratos shouldn't be surprised. One of them is a skeleton. There isn't much that's less discreet than that. He does not say this, however.]

Thank you.

[Kratos steps inside, gaze sliding to take in the shop, and moving only so far as to let the others in without forcing Mr Bespoke to work to have to keep track of him.]

Does he frequently use that excuse to get you involved?

[Dryly.]

Frequently.

[This said under Skulduggery's breath, with an unmistakeable trace of amusement. And to think they were having trouble communicating their own names less than a day ago.

Valkyrie heads on inside with all the offhand confidence of someone who does this a lot, and could find her way to the back room blindfolded. Skulduggery nods at Ghastly.] You can ignore her. She's utterly wrong.

[You can't be from outer space. That's just silly.]

I did mention that I don't need the artefact anymore, didn't I?

Very frequently.

[That's very considerate of the angel, if he's doing that on purpose. Ghastly shuts the door behind him and motions them through, toward the back room.]

So he's not an angel from outer space, then?

[It would really make Ghastly's day if he wasn't.]

Why did you need the artifact in the first place?

[It really doesn't sound like anyone in this room actually needs translating for. It's a shame he can't snub Skulduggery by not offering him tea any more]

[Kratos bows slightly, obeying the motion to follow Skulduggery and Valkyrie. His gaze continues to take in the surroundings in that subtle way of a warrior, and he stands behind one of the armchairs without sitting.]

When I landed last night I didn't know any of the languages here. Skulduggery assumed he would need the help.

[His face is so blank and he says it so blithely that it's hard to tell whether he means it or not.]

He's... [Skulduggery hesitates.] Presumably, he wasn't born in outer space.

[Kratos then ruins any remaining pretence completely, and Skulduggery sighs.] When you're dealing with aliens, you don't assume they'll learn your language with a few hours and a dictionary. Of course I thought I'd need the help.

Yeah, but he's not just an alien. [Valkyrie's grinning. She always feels better when she's not the one floundering with the least amount of information.] He's an angel.

Yes, but I didn't know that at the time.

[Ghastly honestly cannot tell how serious Kratos is. Last night. Last night. That has to be a new record for learning English.]

Try him on Gaeilge next, why don't you.

[He'd like to see Kratos learn that fast. Ghastly runs a hand back over his scars, thinking. Trying to figure out what the hell he's supposed to do with them, for one.]

Alien angel from outer space. ... Right. You can sit, Kratos. There aren't any threats here, and if there were it'd be the host's responsibility to get up first.

[He hates you, Skulduggery.]

Tea?

I would appreciate it, thank you.

[Kratos is at least cognizant enough not to remark about the lack of needing food or drink, though given Skulduggery it's probably not entirely unusual. He does move around the chair to sit, straight-backed and resting his elbows on his knees.]

Skulduggery inferred we would need your help, and that my presence here may well be cataclysmic. Given some of the decorations I've seen about, I'm inclined to agree.

[Very deadpan.]

[Skulduggery nods, but doesn't take a seat himself.] You should have seen him when he first saw an angel ornament. I thought he was having a stroke.

[Valkyrie laughs.] What, you don't like being exonerated?

If I found myself on a planet where skeletons were used as decorations for a global holiday, I doubt I'd be much happier.

But skeletons are already used as decorations for --

No they're not. [Ahem.] Ghastly, leaving aside how the mortal world at large would react, can you imagine the fights that would break out between Sanctuaries? Ireland's already on shaky ground with everything that's happened recently. The last thing Corrival needs to deal with is explaining the existence of angels.

[Ghastly puts the kettle on. The kettle is easy. He knows what to do with tea. Tea is not angels.]

[He shakes his head at Skulduggery.]

I'm not convinced I'm on solid ground. You're right. No public angels.

[This with a helplessly stern look at Kratos.]

You've already solved the language issue. What... else brings you here?

[Angel. In his house.]

Not particularly, no.

[This is grave and in answer to Valkyrie. Being worshipped is -- well. It's happened. He hadn't liked the idea beforehand and he still doesn't like it after the fact.]

I'm not sure about Skulduggery, but for me -- I command a ...

[Car planet makes his mouth pull up in amusement, but he opts not to use the phrase in light of Mr Bespoke's daze.]

... ship of explorers. This is the first planet where we've found life-forms able to communicate with us, let alone ones that are human, so I came down to investigate. It would be a pity to have to leave before we discover answers, but if our presence is truly so much of a danger, then we can.

[It's not something Skulduggery had brought up, yet, beyond 'chaos and cataclysm'. Perhaps they could use the help. Perhaps the angels would be more harm than not. It's difficult to tell, without Kratos meeting a few more people. ... How odd, though, that a detective and his brother-not-brother should be the people who decide such a thing.

[No less odd than an exiled knight, a half-elven commander and two half-elves from Heimdall being the saviours of Aselia.]

Skulduggery insisted we come to you first and foremost.

[Skulduggery gestures at Kratos, in a listen-to-him-he's-got-this sort of way, and then adds:] They're a danger, but they could also help us. We haven't figured out what to do about Darquesse when she arrives. It might help to have some angels on our side.

[It takes everything Valkyrie has not to flinch.] Sure. Neat and tidy solutions have never blown up in our faces before.

[A deep, slightly pained breath.]

Exactly how many angels are currently in orbit around Earth?

[Ghastly hates that this is a real question that he's having to ask.]

I'm sure it could help. We're just going to have to be very careful about it. Most sorcerers probably won't care as much, but when it comes to everyone else...

[He'd pay actual money to avoid being the one breaking the news. He pours hot water into a teapot and sighs again.]

another thing; w/ fafnirs and skeletonenigma; cw for suicide talk

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