greatlydares | kaisou inbox.

[Yeah, it's a brand new thing that she's just now trying to deal with too.]

I'm good to go, promise! We're closed for the day anyway to get some quick repairs done, so I don't actually have much to do.

[And she finished up the last of her hacker backlog yesterday, so she'd really just planned to boredly rewatch Taskmaster season 2 on YouTube.]

You wanna pick the place or should I? Because I was thinking we could meet up at the Crow's Nest, but I'm not going to step on your toes if you have a better choice.

Alright. Crow's Nest is fine by me. I'll meet you there in 30.

[It was where a lot of normal folks went, but it's not like they'll bat an eye at this talk. Probably think they're just talking about a movie or acting role or something like that. But Lorenzo also had standards that were kind of ass backwards sometimes.

Still, as promised he waited up for Belle having parked his ride and sitting inside. He'll stand up when she arrives, giving a two-finger salute wave.]

Hey, Manager. How's the store?

[Belle shows up quickly, only a minute or so late from having detoured to discreetly stash a couple of painted eggs somewhere hidden on the way. She waves back, then slides into the seat opposite from Lighter.]

Store's fine! Well, mostly. A pipe sprang a leak at about the same time that asshole pirate accidentally broke the door because he didn't know to rein in his own strength. [cough Edward cough] So I just closed up and got someone to work on that for the day.

[A pause.]

How's Meropide treating you? [~~Is your dad treating you okay~~ lol no she's not saying shit or fuck to Lighter about that.]

Next time you see the guy, sent him the bill for the repair. Or ask me to do it for you if you want. I can't screw up a door hinge, but I know how to remind someone to make up for what's due.

[Source: He's the guy who was forced to make up for what was due.]

I didn't know what to expect out of Meropide, but there's a good community down there. And that Wriothesley's a fighter like me and a decent guy, imagine that. [local man still Doesn't Know] I'm on a month-to-month situation in my place now but if it's free I might consider staying down there long term.

[He could stand to save money and any means to that end is better than the last. ... Which brought him to the reason he brought Belle here.]

Let me ask something, Belle.

... How much do you know about possessions and how they work?

Don't worry, I already billed his gimmicky pirate ship. [A pause as she thinks about it.] But if he forgets about it, I'll give you a call.

[A nod.]

It's free, far as I know. They do have a guild based out of Meropide called the Aides du Meropide, and sometimes I funnel work to them, but joining up's not a requirement for moving in. You can just do that at the end of the month, I'll even help. [A pause as she considers what she can realistically carry.] Eous and I will help.

[And then he mentions possessions, and she goes quiet for a long moment, as if debating something with herself. The engkanto in the back of her head stirs for a moment, then settles, content to watch like a lazy cat.]

A possession happens when someone in very, very dire straits makes a deal with a supernatural being of some amount of power for their life. [She speaks like someone with first-hand experience in the matter.] Whatever that supernatural being is varies, but what's for certain is they always demand some kind of price for the help. What price it is...depends on the being, but it's generally incredibly inconvenient for the one getting possessed.

For example. [She takes a breath. Lets it out.] I can't go more than three days without spending an hour with bare feet on soil of some kind. Even then three days is pushing their patience.

I think I met the guy who runs the Aides du Meropide down there. A real tall glass of water. And that's saying something coming from me. I might take you up on that, but I don't mind if you just keep me company during the move.

[Lighter was 6'1, he didn't expect to find a 6'10 guy that wasn't a Thiren somewhere and also he knew Belle had noodle arms. Eous could probably benchpress her. Lighter could bench like ten of her.

Twenty of Wise.

Lighter did pick up on how she spoke about possessions. Knowing she had first hand experiences, even if the price was pretty light, still made his heart sink. There's a flash in the back of his mind with the Proxy on the ground, surrounded by three different factions hurrying to perform CPR on them. It made him twitch. Even with his eyes hidden behind the glasses, there's a look of well known pain both first and second hand.]

You have your hand on the pulse of everything here too, huh? ... That saves me the time to explain the gist.

[His eyes were still light sensitive, but he did lower his sunglasses to look at Belle proper.]

Some of those supernatural beings are so strong they ask for two prices. Usually that means a god's shacked up in your head. If you're lucky, you make it out with a decent one just making you pet all the dogs you see and win every fight you're in. But even something like that could end up really screwing you if you don't plan for it or you're not a fighter like me.

Keeping you company might be the only thing I can do.

[She's big enough to admit when she has limitations, because her arms are made of noodles and Eous can easily benchpress her if it really wanted to, even without the new bunny form.

Belle doesn't have to wonder what he's recalling, because it floats up from the back of her brain: swimming back to consciousness to see the Cunning Hares, the Sons of Calydon, and Section 6 surrounding her with deep anxiety, and lingering pain in her chest and her head. ~~Or being on the other end of the line waiting waiting waiting—~~

She blinks. Shakes her head a little to clear it.]

Mm-hmm. I keep track of things—though I'll admit to a personal interest in possessions in particular. [She looks him in the eye, and it's easy enough to guess he's talking about himself. Petting all the dogs he sees is fine and all, but winning every single fight he's in...she trusts Lighter and she knows well his record when it comes to winning fights, but. That had been in a past life. She wonders about this one, and worries anyway.]

The inconvenience is a common trend when it comes to possessions, yeah, but I hadn't heard of a being requiring two prices. I'm not surprised that someone or something of divine power would require that, though. [It makes her engkanto's demand that she spend an hour with her feet on the ground positively quaint.] Can I ask who's possessing you? You don't need to tell me, but I can keep it a secret, even from Zelos.

[She's an old hat at keeping secrets from her loved ones. After all, nobody else has ever heard from her about Zelos's true origins.]

Edited (html fail) 2025-04-24 16:05 (UTC)

It's a good thing that's all you need to do to keep me going.

[And that was strange for Lorenzo. For Lighter, it was another day. For Lorenzo, it was weird to already be this close when he never stood in one place for long or wanted to make deep connections even if he did have the chance.

His record was as perfect as his past life. The difference was that having someone divine in his head gave him a leg up when he was pushed to a corner.]

It's a trade off. You get their power and their inconvenience. And of course, you get to keep your life. I'll say I got lucky with who I've got living rent free in my head. We're usually on the same page.

[He knew most people weren't so fortunate. Ash told him about possessions going haywire. God only knows what happens in a Spirit Realm like the ones he and whoever else got dragged into.

As for Belle's question, he hesitated.

Lorenzo... I know you trust her, but.

"I know."

He and Tyr had their own silent agreement on what to keep quiet. And on what to say.]

Ares.

[The hesitation's expected. The god...her eyes go wide for a moment, before she huffs out a breath. Well. As far as Greek gods go, it could be worse—it could be Zeus or, god (hah) forbid, Helios. Perhaps the specter of Phaethon himself. But Ares is someone that—fits, she supposes: a god of war, who ensures victory no matter what the cost. She nods, after a moment, trusting Lighter at his word.]

Okay. There's other Greek gods around—Persephone and Hermes are here from another world, and I know there's at least one more possessing someone. [Apollo and Harumasa, but that's not her secret to out.] So, just be careful and tread lightly with them, Lighter.

[Greek gods are the most drama-laden gods to get stuck with. She doesn't want her friend to get caught up in that mess.]

For me, I never got their name. I know they're an engkanto, but that's...pretty much it.

[Shit. If there are other actual Greek gods around here, that might make things complicated. Lighter already hated lying to Belle, so to know there are people he literally can't lie to or he'll get snuffed out immediately was a problem.

And with one of them possessing someone else, it could be anyone. He'll just need to make do. If it meant preserving Tyr's honor, he'll do what was needed.

Thank you, Lorenzo.]

Don't worry, I know when to keep my head down. I've done more of that in this life than being anyone's "Champion".

[That stung, honestly. Being unable to remember faces of people he knew were everything to his past self. The Sons of Calydon...]

I see. That's not something I've heard of before. But you don't really have to know someone's name to live beside them.

[Lighter knew that well. And while he's sounded a bit somber up until this point, he tried to fit a little playfulness in his tone.]

I know it's gotta be tough for the homebody Proxy to touch grass barefoot for a whole hour, but they're not hurting you as badly as they could. I'm at least glad you've got that.

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