Next Post »
« Previous Post
Permalink
It turns out that Adana's space station is not in Bartalamos' jurisdiction. She wouldn't be inclined to care much, except that means that in her new jurisdiction, she does not have a license. Since she is very much a summoner, and would not like to be an illegal summoner - she will take their test. She's fortunate in the fact that this particular government plays fair with foreigners that have summoner's licenses. She does not have to go through the grueling paperwork process, or wait ages in line, or take a test she knows all of the answers to, anyway.

What she does need to do, though, is demonstrate a capability to summon and bind a daeva, securely. Their definition of secure is different from hers. Theirs involves binding a daeva to two phrases and a task. This isn't the kind of thing Adana likes to do to her summons. It's mean, and it feels like she's reducing them to being less than people. There is one that she knows of that's used to it, at least. She doesn't know if that makes it worse, or better. So she will ask, first.

This circle is quite a bit neater than the last one, and is missing the 'no talking' clause. Calling friendly neighborhood demon, want to get summoned?
Total: 273
Posts Per Page:
Permalink
Here he is!

"Hi! I wasn't expecting you again so soon. You want your name in shiny letters on your space station?"
Permalink

She giggles. "Hi! No, actually, I would like to ask your permission for a thing before I do it!"

Permalink

"What's the thing?"

Permalink

"Basically, I am not in Bartalamos's jurisdiction anymore, so I need to get the license for the people I now legally fall under. But since I'm foreign, I don't have to take the test, I just have to show them I can summon a daeva securely. Sounds easy, right? Except their definition of 'secure' is different than mine."

Permalink

"And you want somebody who's used to being obliged to shut up, is that it?"

Permalink

"... I was kind of hoping it would upset you less than other daeva I can think of, but this is why I am asking permission first. I won't do it to you without permission, now that you've proven you're not going to hurt me when you had a very good chance to. If you're - insulted or angry or... Something I'm honestly extremely sorry and will put you back right away."

Permalink

"Nah, it's fine, I'll play as long as it's not going to take too long. Especially if you'll get me a good list of music, I'm getting bored of what I have in the music department. But have you ever actually summoned a daeva without letting them talk, before?"

Permalink

"I can get you a good list of music! But uh - yeah, haven't. It kind of bothers me a bit, I think I know how, it's pretty straightforward. It just seems really - rude. Or some other words."

Permalink

"Okay, well - you know when we can't talk we really can't, right? I have on one occasion been blamed for the death of a summoner who I desperately wanted to tell to duck. If something happens, I will not be able to say anything about it. I can't warn you if you're about to make some kind of misstep on your certification thing, I can't finish a sentence for you if you forget a word, and I cannot shout at you if there's a flaming beam of wood coming for your head. And if they want you to bring me in on a narrow-scope task that doesn't improve any of that, if all I'm there to do is follow you I'm not going to be able to give you a blood transfusion if you get hurt or - whatever. I'm not saying any of this is likely, I'm saying you're not used to having someone that crippled around. I am indestructible and you are not."

Permalink
Wince. "Got it, so I should -... Ugh, this is vile, but I should act like you are - not... there... and react accordingly? Essentially, because you will be made crippled and there's nothing you can do without me breaking the binding entirely?"

She looks honestly kind of horrified at this unpersonhood. It freaks her out.
Permalink

"That'd be safest, yeah. I can get a little mileage out of comically exaggerated facial expressions, and that's pretty much it."

Permalink

She manages a little giggle. "This is disgusting, are you sure you want to? I won't be upset if you're not willing to."

Permalink

"Your next port of call is some twee angel who's never been gagged since a bell rang and they got their wings, I'd imagine. I really don't mind, I'm used to it, it's not like having me there will make you less safe, and you need somebody to accompany you, right?"

Permalink

"I'm not worried about feeling less safe, I'm worried because gagging people like this freaks me out. But - yeah, next port of call is a 'twee' angel. Who has probably never been gagged." Wince.

Permalink

"And I'm not freaked out by gagging, because you're literally the only summoner who hasn't done it to me and I pick up summonses whenever I can," shrugs Cam, "but I am freaked out by the dead guy whose apprentice thought it was my fault that I had narrow instructions and no voice and his teacher was dead. That's kind of my first complaint about gag orders and everything else is a distant second."

Permalink

"Which - no one is likely to do, since it would just be us in a shuttle off for the certification. Okay. Uh - do you have preferences for the task I ask you to do?"

Permalink

"...Please be careful about the details? Don't ask me to stay exactly five feet from you at all times and then wander into the ladies' room, that kind of thing. I trust your judgment and if you surprise me with terrible judgment at the time I will roll my eyes and say 'no, summoner' and you will have to start over."

Permalink

She nods. "Right, uh - wait, can you do - not necessarily sign language, but can you, say, tap your nose twice as a way to get my attention, or something?"

Permalink

"I can sigh loudly, I can stomp if I'm already walking for task-related reasons, I can yawn, I can crack my neck, and I can do any of those things and similar with an extra dose of theatricality - clearly delineated communicative gestures like that are out though."

Permalink

"Damn. That's annoying."

Permalink

"Yep."

Permalink

"Well. Want to try and agree on a task now while you can talk?"

Permalink

"Sure. They don't specify something?"

Permalink

"Nope, they just - want me to prove that I can. I think they're going to be snippy about the gagging part, though. If you want I could give you a hilarious task, or something altruistic."

Permalink

"Presumably it has to be something that entails going to the cert with you, though. Where is it, anywhere interesting?"

Total: 273
Posts Per Page: