❪ event ❫ khalo? can you hear me?

[natha]

In normal circumstances, this would have been near the time in which you're called upon to greet the newly awakened. Unfortunately, I speak to you to inform that we must postpone that — there is trouble on your horizon. What, I cannot see for sure. We shall continue to monitor the situation, however — we - ... we — [feed cuts off.] OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION     The city of Olympia is preparing the send-off of its most prized artifact: the heart of the ancient dragon, Ysverai. In doing this, they've transformed the palace court into an exhibition detailing the centuries-old war between Wyver and Olympia. Sculptures of Nithor the Exalted and his men and women in clean, white marble, while their armors are polished in perfect gold. Among Nithor are the sculptures of stallions in all shapes and sizes that also aided in the great war. Further in the exhibition, one may also find other artifacts of much older weaponry, rusted by its time in the earth, and items found from a time when humans feared the dragons. The Royal Guard has increased its numbers in wake of such a public event, particularly because the heart will be in display also. The heart is not what one might expect it to be: about the size of an average human, the heart's core is surrounded in stone, a red glow emitting from its still beating core. If that were not unsettling enough, one might also find that lingering around this particular exhibit will have undue affects on one's inhibitions. You'll notice your heart has fallen into sync with the organ, and your more selfish desires will come forth. Things that have long been buried will rise up and place you in a state of unease, encouraging paranoia about your companions intentions. Allow it to fester, and one will carry this feeling with them long after you've left the scene. It's probably a good thing this is leaving Olympia — perhaps it's a source of so much conflict you've endured. It's easy to become mesmerized by all the historical artifacts that are present in Olympia's exhibition. Some even seem mystical or, like Ysverai’s heart, to hold unspeakable powers. Others are just a little eerie. Either way, Olympia prides itself in its generosity and their grand displays, and so refugees are urged to learn more about their artifacts by spending the night in Palace Court. Though, someone should probably mention that there are rumors of strange, almost occult things happening around these relics at night. People speak of armored soldiers casting shadows that have the ability to walk on their own, or gemstones that catch the moonlight in a certain way and show you visions. But those are just silly ghost stories, right? TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE     Because of Khalo's proximity to Wyver, it's no surprise that they would catch wind of the peace talks between Wyver and Olympia. In response, for the first time in centuries, Khalo Village has willingly granted passage to outsiders — but visitors will immediately find out that one cannot just simply walk into the village. Visitors will need to inhale the smoke of a fyrra herb in order to enter the premises without falling into slumber. Khalo is notably different than what refugees are used to. Visitors, specifically refugees, will find that they are exceedingly accommodating. The Khali are very intrigued by the outsiders, thus they're treated with much respect and given instant access to some of the best lounges and fyrra the village has to offer. In exchange, the village is interested in hearing about your journey thus far. Whether it be through a conversation with another individual or the Khali themselves, they'll very likely to have been eavesdropping and recording the tales of their exploits. Why, exactly? Perhaps it will not be immediately clear, but if you happened upon a venasou, a tamed Khali creature, it may have guided you to their Enchanted Library. Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that it is quite the happening place — but not because it's occupied by the Khali, but because there seems to be an assembly of magical quills seemingly writing on their own. The quills are mostly undisturbed by the intrusion and will not stop writing even if parchment is taken from it; it will simply produce another piece of paper and continue its tales. If you happen to read the parchment, you may notice that there is a daunting similarity between your story and the ones being written here. Tales of Thesa birthing new races and sending them from the sky, for example, are very popular in Khalo Village. They mark July 15th as the day in which the Moon Goddess, Thesa, created more people in her image and brought them to El Nysa as saviors. The coincidences don't end there: specifics about your home world might be found in the writings if you search deeply enough — but it's not without its exaggerations. These stories are given all sorts of poetic and literary forms, from short stories to limericks, biographies to something similar to haiku. If asked, the Khali will inform visitors that the enchanted library has access to vague parts of your memories, and thus it is duty-bound to record. The Khali have not seen stories as strange as the ones being made by refugees, which is largely why they are interested in them. NOTE: This is entirely optional! You may make up your own "stories" (fanfiction) and it could be as accurate or inaccurate, or as serious or silly as you'd like. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors of the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works — KING AND KIN. If one is willing to delve deep, they may also find parts of Wyver's past that have been removed from their own archives. These pages will recount the tales of Shanrian and Rasyc. Though a lot of the narrative seems to divide at certain points in the story, it becomes obvious with some quick reading that Rasyc is not only the son of Shanrian, but that he glorifies the Wyver of old, more bloodthirsty and brutal than it is today. Unlike his father, he does not take kindly to Olympia and the threat they will always pose for their people. He has not forgotten Olympia's past sins and he believes that, in his foolish quest for peace, the king has gone soft and no longer possesses the real will to fight. His present voice in affairs of state is not a loud one, as he chooses to speak in whispers and move in the dead of silence. In these quiet murmurings, he boasts of his unwavering belief in the power and dignity of his people. Of how they should all return to what they once were — the kingdom, its citizens, and naturally the father who he had once admired greatly. Though perhaps it can be argued that any estranged son would wish the same. It's difficult to pinpoint what becomes political and what is and always will be more personal for him. But, it hardly matters. It's clear that Rasyc will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, even if it means never returning to place he calls home. Even if it means turning his back on his own father, Shanrian, King of Wyver... DRAGONFIRE. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors to the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works. In particular, tales of Ysverai, the last of Wyver's great high dragons. Ysverai is most commonly known for being slain by Olympia’s past king and legendary hero, Nithor, but here in Khalo he is depicted in another light. Ysverai is known to the Khali people as a wise being, old as the first inhabitants that walked El Nysa. The creature spoke in the common tongue to the early settlers, guiding them to refuge when his kin began to dominate the land at the cost of its own isolation. It ultimately becomes a tale of sacrifice, for its stand with Nithor became a testament against the Olympian Empire's long reaching influence. At the bottom, there is a quotation: Your hearts will fill with greed and malice the moment my own stops beating. Take care in the Eye of the Storm. Find strength in one another, before it is too late. It seems to end there. Refugees are naturally allowed to question the natives. However, keep in mind that many of their replies will seem more like speculation than fact. But maybe that can be fun too? If you have no interest in the library and the tales they've woven, feel free to explore any of the other areas of interest. Khalo Village is thrilled to be open for you all. THOSE THAT SEEK PEACE, AND THOSE THAT SEEK --     The morning of the 20th is marked by fairly dismal weather. The sky is overcast and a downpour seems imminent. Regardless of the poor forecast, those who signed up to assist in this mission will be required to come early in order to receive their briefing. Members of Group A: ▸ Jon Snow (song_of_ice) ▸ Daenerys Targaryen (dorzalta) ▸ Loras Tyrell (triplerose) ▸ Terra (earthy) ▸ Alisaie Leveilleur (adelphoi) ▸ Solider: 76 (personalwar) ▸ Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) ▸ Mai(maipokerface) ▸ Olivier Armstrong (wallsofbriggs) ▸ Atsushi Nakajima (gekkajuu) Members of Group B: ▸ Kale (kaleorbekaled) ▸ Diana Prince (wondie) ▸ Pheonix Wright (objectionattourney) ▸ Revolver Ocelot (shashka) ▸ Frederick (pebblestone) ▸ John Sheppard (impavid ▸ Ianto Jones (torchwoodteaboy) ▸ Lena Oxton (quevarly) ▸ Allura (quintessent) Due to the rain, members of Group A will have to immediately stop by the checkpoint at the East Watchtower. Additionally, the Royal Guard and Knightryders are well-prepared with extra cloaks for those who may require it. They also will provide basic refreshments such as water and bread. People are encouraged to take what they need prior to their departure on this mission. The checkpoints are a bit far between, after all. Members of the envoy will also be encouraged to utilize this time to become familiar with one another. Maybe some introductions are in order? You never know who will end up having your back... For both groups, the paths will be relatively straightforward with evenly spaced checkpoints along the way. The only issue seems to be the downpour, really. The rain is unforgiving and the roads easily become unstable and increasingly difficult for the carriage to be drawn through. Hence, there may be more than one occasion where you will be expected to lend a hand in prying out its wheels from a particularly pesky (and muddy) pothole. Or perhaps you will be called upon by a fellow guard to assist in getting a particularly stubborn creature out of the path ahead of you. Seems like it may be a longer journey than you expected. Dirtier, too. While weathering the conditions may have been a bit tiring, this journey isn't too bad, right? Well, maybe not. GROUP A. Once the carriage gets through the worst of the terrain and finally manages to depart from the watchtower, it won't be long until the group is met with a physical roadblock. A large tree trunk will be set down the center of the road, acting as a blockade. But, before the group can react or begin crafting a plan around this obstruction, the carriage will be attacked without warning. At first, it's unclear where the attack comes from or from whom, but you don't have the leisure to deliberate this. You hear one of your fellow guards mention something about bandits frequenting these parts, but maybe there's more to it? Either way, your task is clear: protect the artifact, Nithor's skull, and fight the bandits off. You'll be encouraged to try and capture them so that they may later be turned and questioned by the authorities. GROUP B. With clear motives to restock and collect a few more materials for the carriage, it's evident that the envoy will appear restless to arrive at the second checkpoint. However, despite their unspoken delight at seeing the South Outpost from a distance, it's clear something has gone awry. There will be several hooded figures awaiting them right where the mud path meets the cobblestone of the Outpost's road. Soon, several more of these figures will come to flank them from both sides. While they seem like bandits, at least from their physical appearance, there is something far more polished in their movements. They will be attacking the envoy in concise, practiced formations. For those who are more perceptive, it becomes obvious that they are moving around and acting as decoy to one central figure. This member is likely the "leader" of their group, but no matter how one may try to close the distance between themselves and this mysterious leader, someone will constantly get in the way of that. The fighting also seems to act as a distraction since by the time everything is cleared up... only two things are missing. The leader of this group of bandits and more importantly — Ysverai's heart. NOTE: Those RNG'd to thread out the capture and questioning of the bandits will have starters below. For everyone else that signed up, you will still have the opportunity to capture the assailants even though they were not selected to thread the interrogation; you are free to make up your NPCs with the same basic guideline: they will not reveal their motive or their organization. You may turn them in to authorities (Wyver or Olympia or otherwise) or find creative ways to get rid of them. FINAL OOC NOTE     To reiterate: you may use this log as a general mingle for everything from the May Outline, including all Khalo Village activities. In other words, your top-levels don't necessarily have to be related to the prompts written here. An AC-eligible thread in which your character participates in anything mentioned in the May Outline and/or Khalo Village location page may be submitted for 2 REP POINT FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE OR HERE RESPECTIVELY BY June 10th 11:59 PM EST. For those who participated in this month's plot-related portion, to receive IC recognition for it, a summary of the thread must be submitted HERE by June 8th 11:59 PM EST. Please direct all queries to the question thread below. Thank you, and have fun! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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[meinwaifu]

You wouldn't be my slave, if that's what you're asking. But there is a contact involved.

[He waves a hand, and as he does, the umbrella overhead spins around and slowly transforms its shape into a pink bat with its wings spread. Folding them up, it chirps and hops along the back of the couch, until it can reach Mephisto's waiting hand to nuzzle against it.]

However, unlike a typical contract with a demon, when I employ a familiar, what I offer is far more akin to a partnership! In exchange for lending me your power when I am in need of it, I offer you my own power and protection as needed, as well as my trust and loyalty. I would never betray my own familiar, nor would I expect them to betray me.

[And he adds with a snicker--] And I suppose it would be rather fun were I to require you to call me "master" all the time.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya watches with fascination as the umbrella transforms into a bat as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s not the weirdest thing he’s seen by any means, but it’s definitely strange.]

Then the bat is a familiar?

[It seems to fit Mephisto’s aesthetic pretty well.

Chuuya grows quiet for a moment, brows furrowed in deep thought.]

A bodyguard?

[Is that really so different from what Chuuya used to do? Being an executive as well as Mori’s guard dog was essentially the same thing, with dire consequences for betrayal. It isn’t ideal for him to be bound to anyone or anything now that he’s finally free, though, right? Free to do what he wants, when he wants, with whoever he wants. He shouldn’t want for anything anymore, and yet...]

Tch. You’re pushing it.

[Chuuya huffs and crosses his arms.]

What are the conditions? Besides loyalty.

[meinwaifu]

[The bat seems to answer for him, chirping with a little nod. It may be a demon, but it can still understand all what they're saying, even if it's not terribly invested in the subject itself.]

Oh, I'd say you'd be less of a bodyguard and more of an attack dog. [Which has him snickering, naturally going for any opportunity to make dog jokes at Chuuya's expense.]

But as for the conditions-- well now, that's up to you! I don't intend to strong arm you into anything you don't want to do. And I think you'll find that I'm rather open to negotiations.

So tell me: what would you ask of me, in exchange for your loyalty and service? Obviously, control over your corruption ability is on the table. But I can tell your loyalty isn't one so easily bought.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Attack dog my ass.

[That’s exactly what he’d be, but he’s still going to be huffy about it.

More than the joke at his expense, Chuuya mulls over what he could ask for in return for his loyalty. There’s not much in the way of material things that he’d bargain for, because in the end he could gain them all on his own with a little hard work. No, this needs to be something worthwhile, something that only a demon as powerful as Mephisto could provide.]

...you said you’d protect me. What about others? If I asked you to protect someone else, anyone else, would you?

[He wonders just how much he could get away with bargaining for.]

Or if I asked for you to never lie, so that you can’t hide any important details about shit. Would you agree to that?

[meinwaifu]

[He laughs, face twisting into a grin as he leans in a bit closer. He's enjoying this far too much -- it's been a while since he's gotten to bargain with someone like this.]

You're putting a lot more thought into it this time... how interesting.

[He'll get to the lie part in a second -- first, the protection part.]

Were you to ask that I protect those important to you in any given situation, I would agree wholeheartedly. Additionally, I suppose I could be convinced to look the other way, should someone harm or otherwise hurt you-- and you insisted on sparing them.

[It's probably a good thing he brought this up -- since Mephisto has very little tolerance for those who damage what belongs to him.]

However-- should anyone you deem worthy of protection become my enemy through their own actions... I would consider it the same as though you yourself betrayed me.

So do take care in who you choose.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[This is something that requires a lot of thought and consideration, even from someone as impulsive as Chuuya. If he’s going to make a deal with the devil me might as well make the most of it.]

Depends on who it is. Whether I’d spare them or not, I mean.

[Chuuya isn’t usually a very forgiving person, but circumstances could change that, depending on the person who wronged him.

It’s the second part that gives him pause. While he wouldn’t expect the people he has in mind to purposely make an enemy of Mephisto, he can’t guarantee it would never happen either.]

In that case you’d kill us both, right?

[It’s what Chuuya would do, probably.]

[meinwaifu]

Oh, I'm sure it would! Naturally, you'd be given the chance to choose in the moment.

[--unless what they do is bad enough to have Mephisto consider them an enemy. But that's more of a loophole for his own benefit, really.]

And likewise-- that too would depend on the nature of the crime committed. Lucky for you, I don't make enemies often. Why, even attempting to kill me wouldn't necessarily be enough to push that envelope! I'm sure plenty of my closest allies back home have considered it at least once or twice since knowing me.

[He says this so casually?? But he is a demon.]

Think of it in terms of balance -- so long as your continued service to me outweighs whatever wrongs your own associates have done, your life will be spared.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[It doesn’t even sound all that strange to Chuuya, really. Allies did not equal friends in his world, after all, and he can safely say that there were a few people in the Mafia he would’ve loved to strangle back in the day.]

Good to know.

[None of this seems unreasonable, which makes Chuuya highly suspicious that there’s some kind of catch he doesn't know about. Also, if he were to be in control of corruption, he could do a pretty damn good job of protecting his friends himself.

He’s no demon, but he’d definitely come close.]

And what about the option of you not lying?

1/2

[meinwaifu]

Ah, now that one... let's see. Were you to ask that I never tell a lie again--

[His expression darkens, though the grin remains, taking on a far more maniacal look that far better suits his identity as a demon.]

You don't have nearly enough years of your lifespan left to offer in exchange for that. Though I can't imagine any human possibly could. There's a rather high toll in asking a demon to give up an aspect of their very nature.

[Maybe that's not what Chuuya meant, but it's important to be very specific when dealing with a demon. And maybe he just wants to make sure he knows what a good deal he's getting out of all this, relatively speaking.]

That being said, if you simply asked that I never lie to you-- well, I'd say you could afford that! But in exchange...

[meinwaifu]

--you'll have to address me as "master" from now on.

[IS HE FUCKING WITH HIM]

[Maybe a little.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya might not be afraid, but he does get chills from that unsettling grin.

Oh, Chuuya would never expect Mephisto to never lie again. That’s just unreasonable, especially for a demon. Hell, even Chuuya lies on occasion, though he’s much more fond of delivering the cold, harsh truth.

His serious contemplation is ruined, of course, by that little addendum, and he shoots Mephisto a pissy little look.]

Are you fucking with me?

[HUFFS.]

How about this; I’ll agree to be your familiar if you swear not to lie to me and you protect just one person instead of everyone I give a shit about. The rest I can do on my own.

[meinwaifu]

Fufu, still trying to negotiate? You should be careful -- you almost forgot to mention the whole reason for doing this little agreement in the first place!

[Because Mephisto is definitely the kind of asshole who would assume the "rest" he mentioned might have included the whole corruption thing.]

But I'm afraid I can't budge on the lie restriction -- surely you realize just how precious my secrets are, considering that keeping those secrets would become your duty as my familiar. For instance-- telling others that I am a demon would certainly be prohibited, seeing as I do make an effort to present as human.

But I could be convinced to allow you to address me as master only in a private setting? All of my other familiars refer to me in that manner, you know. It's really not so strange.

[thetaintedsorrow]

You know what I meant.

[Grumble grumble. Out of all the things Mephisto could ask for, Chuuya supposes that calling him Master isn’t the worst thing ever.]

...fine. I won’t do it in front of anyone else, though.

[Nobody else needs to know about this deal.]

What about the rest of what I asked for?

[meinwaifu]

I have no problem accepting the rest of your terms. Shall I lay them all out?

[He snaps his fingers, and a pad of paper and a pen appears in mid-air, beginning to write down everything he says in a strange script that he won't be able to place.]

As my familiar, you will pledge your loyalty to me. You will swear to never betray me or my trust, and to assist me with all your power should I call upon you. And when in private company, you will refer to me as your master.

In exchange, I offer you a mutual allyship, and my word that I will never betray you. I will find the means of allowing you to control your corruption ability -- as well as a fail-safe to disable it once activated, should the need arise. I will never lie to you, and I will do everything in my power to protect one person of your choosing.

So long as these conditions are upheld, our contract shall remain valid. [As the pen finishes up, it should become clearer that what its writing isn't just the conditions in some bizarre script-- but a magic seal of some kind, leaving an empty circle in the center of the page.]

Now, if you were a full demon, this agreement of ours would be far more binding. But seeing as you're mostly human, it's more of a symbolic gesture. [The paper floats over to Chuuya.] If you agree-- stamp the center of the page with a drop of your blood.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[As Chuuya watches the pen write down all of the terms and conditions for their agreement, Chuuya’s expression becomes unreadable. What is he doing? There’s no backing out of this. It’ll be just like pledging his loyalty to Mori, only permanently binding.

...]

I guess I really am selling my soul here, aren’t I?

[If he ever had one to begin with, considering his origins. But he likely forfeited any chance of salvation long ago, the moment he took his first life.]

One more thing. I get to keep my freedom. As in, I go where I want and do what I want until you need me or I seek you out, as long as it doesn’t involve giving away your secrets or betraying you. Is that right? Being by your side 24/7 isn’t part of the deal?

[meinwaifu]

[It's an interesting look for sure -- and too see it makes all this hassle worth it, as far as Mephisto is concerned. While the stakes are certainly real for Chuuya, for Mephisto, he's just out to have a little bit of fun.]

I never said it was, did I? For a libertine like myself to restrict the freedoms of another would be downright hypocritical! And far less interesting, for that matter.

[At least as far as this agreement with Chuuya is concerned. Hypocrisy is practically Mephisto's middle name otherwise.]

Think of it less that I'm tying you down, and more that I'm tearing down the walls holding you in-- lifting you up and allowing you to truly shine to the best of your ability! And to see just how far you can go with someone like me supporting you.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Well then. There’s really not much reason to refuse, is there? With the promise of being able to truly harness his power, Chuuya will be better, stronger, less volatile. This is a chance for him to never have to ask anyone to kill him should he lose control ever again, and to not have to worry about making an enemy of Mephisto. It also gives him a purpose much like he’d had in the Port Mafia; to protect, and to serve.

The master may be different, but the purpose is the same, and that’s good enough for Chuuya.]

You’ve got a deal.

[Chuuya takes one of his gloves between his teeth and tugs it off before pulling his trusty knife out of his inner jacket pocket and pricking his index finger until a bead of blood appears. The pain doesn’t even register, and he quickly presses it to the page before he can change his mind.]

[meinwaifu]

[As he presses his blood to the paper, the blood spread out to fill the rest of the circle, leaving a perfectly level surface once he pulls his hand back. The paper then rolls itself up, before floating back to Mephisto's waiting hand -- at which point it disappears with another poof of smoke.]

Fufu, a pleasure doing business with you. Now then-- to settle the first part of our little deal, allow me to teach you a little lesson about demons.

[In the meantime-- he snaps his fingers and a little tea kettle appears, already steaming with hot tea (does time pass in hammerspace?? we just don't know) as it starts to pour out into a set of tea cups that appear just in time to catch the stream.]

[...he really is too Extra™.]

Many demons can be summoned using chants. Although often long-winded and in ancient and complicated languages, when used in combination with a magic circle, one can instantly call a demon to their side.

And for every demon who can be summoned using a chant, there is an accompanying fatal verse for that demon as well. And when a fatal verse is spoken aloud in that demon's presence, it's forcibly returned from whence it came. They're often the first line of defense used by exorcists when facing a known demon.

But in your case, given the chant you use is both short and requires some other pre-requisite beyond simply being spoken aloud-- to me, it's obvious that the chant itself was artificially created and imposed on Arahabaki, either through its own will or the will of another. A spell carefully designed so only you can use it, and only in the circumstances in which you want it to work.

If we assume such a thing exists-- then so, too, does the opposite exist. A spell designed for the sole purpose of returning Arahabaki to its dormant form.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Sure, Chuuya will take some conjured demon tea, why not? He takes a careful sip of the hot liquid as he listens to Mephisto’s explanation, and honestly? He’d half-expected evil laughter and a villain song as soon as he’d signed the contract, but he’ll take tea instead.]

A fatal verse? Then that’s your weakness? Does anyone know yours?

[He’s gonna go with no.]

How would you ever figure out what it is, though? My world doesn’t exist anymore. You’d just have to guess.

[It sounds hopeless, but if anyone can figure it out...]

You were supposed to tell me other weaknesses too, remember? For telling you the name. Don’t think I forgot.

[Unless that just so happens to be a demon’s only weakness, but if exorcists used to exist, then he doubts it. Surely they had weapons effective against demons as well.]

[meinwaifu]

Oh no, I'm not a demon who can be summoned using a simple chant! Thus, I don't have a fatal verse-- but rest assured, I haven't forgotten about telling you my real weaknesses.

But the point I'm trying to make is that if one can artificially create a summoning verse, then same can be true for a fatal verse. As a matter of fact, one of the exorcists who worked with the Vatican in my world was capable of creating custom fatal verses for all the demons he summoned! It was rather impressive... for a human.

[He takes a moment to sip from his own tea, frowns at it, and then summons about five cubes of sugar that drop down into it. Jesus.]

For someone like me... give me two weeks, and I can have a similar failsafe prepared for you.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Goddamn that’s a lot of sugar. At least demons probably don’t have to worry about tooth decay.]

An artificial one, huh?

[It could work. Probably. It’s worth a shot, right? Especially since the deal is done and sealed. Chuuya has no idea if Mephisto would suffer any kind of consequences for failing to keep his end of the bargain, but it’s not like he has much of a choice but to trust him.]

Fine. Two weeks. Then we’ll try it.

[Given that Chuuya’s normal ability still works just fine, he assumes that Corruption is still intact as well. Without having tried to use it, he has no idea whether it’s been weakened or sealed in some way.

If so, then things are bound to get interesting.]

What if this doesn’t work and you can’t do it? What happens then?

[meinwaifu]

Now now, this is merely the failsafe! It's hardly a matter of whether or not I can. [His ego is too big to even consider that he can't do it tbh.] However, to come up with some means for allowing you to retain your wits when actively using corruption, I'll need to be able to research it firsthand. And naturally, to do that, I require a failsafe! I can't have my cute little familiar dying on me, after all.

[GONNA REACH OUT AND PINCH HIS CHEEK]

But if whatever method I come up with doesn't work-- well, we'll simply have to try another one!

[And heeere's the evil grin.]

After all, it's not as though you gave me a timeline to work with, yes? As long as I accomplish it sometime within your lifetime, I'm still abiding by the rules of our contract, aren't I?

[thetaintedsorrow]

Right.

[GONNA SMACK HIS HAND AWAY. HUFF.]

I knew there was some kind of catch.

[There’s no telling how long this could take...

But if Mephisto wants a cool familiar then he’d better hurry it along while Chuuya is still young.]

I would think you’d want to figure it out as fast as possible, but whatever.

[A suspicious look.]

You’re not going to tell anyone about this deal, are you? That would expose you too, you know.

[meinwaifu]

Fufu, but of course! To me, you're rather like a puzzle, itching to be solved. Rest assured, regardless of my success rate, I'll be working day and night to find a workable solution for you for as long as it takes.

[He says this all plainly, like it's not a big deal at all. Which might make it sound like he's lying but--]

[Well, assuming Chuuya trusts that he's upholding his side of the deal, he'll know that Mephisto can't lie to him anymore.]

But I can't say I'd have a reason to tell anyone, no. There may come a time in the future in which I'd like to be able refer to you as one of my familiars to those I consider my closest allies-- but if this is something you wish to keep secret, I will honor that to the best of my ability.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya squints at Mephisto, like that’s going to help him determine if the guy is lying or not.]

...fine. I’ll wait.

[Waiting isn’t his favorite thing to do, but it’s not like he can do all this on his own, so.]

Depends. Who are your closest allies?

[Look at Chuuya.already testing whether Mephisto will spill the beans when asked.]