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[bluescreenwhitedragon]

"This is Intensity. Leave a message."

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[crossmyheartandhope]

You already did a lot, dude. S'like every time I talk to you, you get stuck cleaning up my mess.

So... I'm gonna handle myself. I mean, if I'm gonna be like this, I should handle myself.

Just gotta try harder, this time.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

So you're making this decision for me? Without my input.

Do you think me weak? A coward?

[crossmyheartandhope]

What? No.

You're -

You got it together more than like 99% of anyone I ever met.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Then trust my judgement of when I should or shouldn't help you.

From the first day, I was prepared to bet everything I had on overturning this production. And my resolve hasn't wavered in the slightest.

Don't think this setback means anything to me other than that - a setback that is to be learned from and overcome.

[crossmyheartandhope]

I'm just saying -

[Hesitates.]

You help me all the time, an all I ever do for you's make more trouble.

I messed up bad. It wasn't even your mistake, and you got stuck picking up the pieces.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You and Nemesis also get into the kind of trouble that sheds more light on the situation than anyone else.

I'm not faulting you for that.

I am faulting you for not knowing when you're in over your head.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...yeah. Sounds about right.

Breaking stuff and getting in trouble too deep - those I'm pretty good at.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

...

If you want to throw all the progress out along with the rest of the trash, that's your prerogative.

But know that you're not helping me or yourself by keeping me out of the loop. And not accepting my aid.

[crossmyheartandhope]

What progress? We took three steps forward and like eight steps back.

Everyone's full of holes patched with demon goo to keep em from disappearing, and I got the only person who's wanted to help us since everything started kidnapped and tortured.

[His voice is not entirely steady? It's shaking a little, and edging higher the further he goes on, kind of breathless, the words all cramming together.]

We can't go to heaven cause I handed hell the key to get in, and I asked what's-his-name about the chances on the make-a-new-place thing to see if it was even on the table, and the dude who wiped the floor with us in like .5 seconds has been trying to pull it off for however many hundred years and thinks it's a no go cause he's not powerful enough.

Plus a TPK. Plus now you owe that - [His voice breaks, a little.] - now you owe her.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And what did we learn because of this little excursion?

We learned what the Lady of Lies is really after. What the chip is on Azzy's shoulder. We learned what happens to transferred idols. And about important players that we had no way of even knowing about before. And about fallen angels.

Was the ending fucked up?

Obviously.

But your angel friend made a choice, as we all did. And now we all have to live with the consequences.

If we weren't willing to accept them in the first place, then we had no business doing what we did.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...when you lay it all out side by side like that, it just... seems like a bad trade, is all. Couple trivia points ain't a whole lot, next to what I put you guys through.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Did you really think I was going to be able to make it to the top without making unsavory deals with demons at some point?

As for the others---

That was their choice as well. They knew the risks.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Not the ones who lost parts of themselves when the city broke.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

...

[Touche]

So what are you plans to repay those people?

[crossmyheartandhope]

...

...I dunno.

I keep trying to think of something, only nothing seems big enough.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

The best way to repay them is to purify them.

So either we get your angel back. Or we find a way to get to get to and from his spaceship.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...you think the spell Absinthe used would work again?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Not without whatever powered it behind the scenes. And I don't think it was just that ritual.

That was just part of it, I imagine.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...yeah.

There's gotta be other people that can get us in and out, though, right? Exael brought us to Azzy's place the once. I bet some of the other demons around here could, too.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Hurricane...

Give it some time first. Everything is still fresh.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Longer he stays there, the more they're gonna hurt him.

...I'm gonna go tonight and see if I can't talk to the Manager.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

...

[Sighs]

We have a policy for this now.

[Pulls out this form and looks like he's going to start penciling things in]

You going by yourself?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Leaning in a little, to look at the form.]

[He goes quiet, for a second or two, then shakes himself out of it enough to say:]

...yeah. S'the plan.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And what are you looking for? Trying to just get out of Tokyo-F?

[crossmyheartandhope]

Get a lift to Azzy's place, I guess. Get the angel somewhere safe.