audience: nico di angelo

[becomemod]

Comments

[resumed]

They're some of the best people I know. [ softly. but meaningfully. even if he's immediately moving on. ]

What kind of missions? Can I ask? [ there's a pause. ] I figure you guys are leaning into the whole "secret identity" thing because you're heroes but I was just wondering.

[becomemod]

Oh? Then I'm honored.

[ they'll give a little, teasing bow before moving on as nico likes. ]

Call it an abundance of caution. [ waves a hand through the air. ] It wasn't my idea, but I think some of the others thought it was novel, too? As long as it doesn't interfere in a fight, I don't mind it.

As for the missions... Well, you could say that I'm used to my world being endangered. I fight for it almost every day.

[resumed]

[


the worst thing is that phoenix keeps saying shit and is slowly endearing themselves to nico, and that's going to make this much harder for him to consider leaving. ]

I get it. We're not really supposed to disclose things about who we are either back home to most mortals. Messes with their heads and perception too much. [ he isn't sure how much the leaders know, but at this rate nico figures that phoenix is his so it's fine to say some things. though the mention of the world being endangered daily makes him frown. ]

...we do, too. If it's not one thing it's another. But things finally settled down for a little while back home. I don't know for how long, but I was sort of looking forward to the break.

[becomemod]

Ah, so we have that in common.

[ an understanding nod. ]

That was the same for me, too. We'd just finished up a mission and gone home to relax. [ they sigh, but still give nico a smile. ] With luck, we'll both get the vacations we deserve after this.

[resumed]

Not exactly something I wanted us to have in common. [ so understanding nod back. ]

...I wanted to ask about this whole competition thing, actually. Is there any chance things can end sooner?

[becomemod]

Maybe not, but it is what it is.

[ they cross their arms to tap their chin. ]

I'm not sure. From what we know, it was designed to last the full two months, but things don't always go to plan.

[resumed]

Right. They didn't take into account there'd be a lot of people who won't settle for playing along. So I guess what I'm asking is what do I have to do to get us home sooner?

[becomemod]

That's a good question! And one I don't have a definitive answer to.

[ while they do appear to be mildly apologetic about that, they aren't too down about it. ]

Help us look for the information we need, and maybe there's a way to finish this earlier. It's not a guarantee, of course. [ fair warning. ] But one thing we know for sure is that we are missing far more than we should be.

[resumed]

[ why does that not surprise him. ]

I think I would've been more shocked if you did. [ rude. ] It'd help if we knew exactly what kind of information we needed to find to wrap this up.

...a lot of us are missing our things or our powers and memory of how we got here to begin with. Is there even more than that?

[becomemod]

[ wow? they touch their chest to pantomime being stabbed. ]

Ah, that hurts! [ they're laughing, though. ] Sorry, sorry. If I could offer more, I would. In your case, what we're looking for is information on how you all got here, as that may give us a better idea on how to get back, and that might give some insight into your memories, as well.

As for your things... [ shrugs. ] It was the same for the rest of us. One item, and new abilities.

[resumed]

[ there's a faint smile. he's rude, but at least phoenix is taking it in stride so that helps. but ah. ]

Do you guys remember how you got here? Or are you in our position, too? I guess if you figure out how we arrived you could reverse the process, but without knowing that's more difficult.

[ there are too many similarities here and he doesn't like those odds. ]

Are your current abilities really different than your old ones? [ are they same hat on that, too? he still has way too many mixed feelings about his. ] I'm curious how our items were chosen as well.

[becomemod]

The same position. [ a nod. ] Except we didn't have anyone to help out, so we had to figure everything out on our own.

I wouldn't say that I had any special abilities to begin with. Obviously, I"m beautiful and strong and everyone likes me, but that's not really an ability, that's my nature.

[resumed]

[



okay i had a real tag but unfortunately the tag is now nico just. looking like his icon. staring straight at phoenix. really? really? ]

[becomemod]

[ they don't notice. ]

Anyway, I'm not sure how the items are chosen, either. Some of them seem like the obvious choice, but others... [ they shrug. ] The only common thing is that they seem to mean something to each of us.

[resumed]

Probably some sort of memento to remind us what we're supposed to be fighting for and everything. I can't say I mind mine, but I would have thought maybe it would be my sword or...something else.

[ he says, as his hood wiggles a little. ]

[becomemod]

A sword person, are you? Good taste. [ they're a proud phoenix! ] You could always see if Amazoom will ship your sword to you, if you want it.

What did you end up with, if you don't mind me asking?

[resumed]

Yeah. I've been training since I was ten. But I was looking at Amazoom and if we only have three tokens I figure I should save them. I don't need my sword yet. [ he will change his mind when murder starts, but he doesn't know that. ] There's a few other things I might like back anyway.

[ he sort of shrugs, but it's more that he is nudging his hood? and it means a wispy, shadow cat-like creature crawls out of the hood and up onto nico's shoulder to stare at phoenix. hewwo. he doesn't mind being asked, apparently. ]

[becomemod]

Then it hasn't been that long for you, has it?

[ judging from the profiles. regardless, they accept this reasoning with a firm nod.

shame popping out seems to surprise them, though not in a bad way. ]

A spirit?

[resumed]

We have to learn fast where I'm from. [ so no. it hasn't been that long. the cocoa puff is busy chirping at phoenix, basically going OwO at them. ]

But sort of. ...they're called cacodemons, but it's not the best name for them. You can call it a Cocoa Puff.

[becomemod]

In many worlds, you learn fast or die.

[ the idea isn't uncommon.

as for shame, phoenix will offer it a wave and a curious look. ]

Cocoa Puff. That's... a cereal, isn't it?

[resumed]

See, you get it. [ yeah! live fast, die young, etc. ]

...technically yes, it's a cereal. But it's still a nicer name than Shame, isn't it?

[becomemod]

Death is part of life, after all.

Better than Shame, yes. What kind of spirit is it, exactly? I've never seen one like it.

[resumed]

[ well. they aren't wrong about that, and the look on nico's face seems to say so. phoenix is valid actually. ]

Well...[ their origins aren't much better, actually. ] Cacodemons are the personification of negative emotions. They're bad feelings given form and life, so...they contain those emotions.

[ the cocoa puff ducks its head a little. ]

[becomemod]

Ah. I think there's something... not quite the same, but similar, where I'm from. So this is what's significant for you?

[resumed]

That would be surprising. [ idly. he once again wonders where phoenix came from. ] They're children of Nyx, but this ones--Shame and its siblings--came from me. So I guess that's why it's significant? It was born from me, and it could have been used to harm other people but once I took control of them again I gave them the freedom to choose what they wanted to do with their lives. They just...decided to come home with us instead.