Zack had been piling food onto his plate - basically finishing off anything that wasn't going to get eaten - when Joseph went to get his milk. He watched with an unmeasurable curiosity as Joseph went into the fridge behind his fridge, and stared in awe at it when Joseph went to sit down with the beverage. "Holy crap!! You have secret passages in your house!" He was back to being six years old and reading books with spies in secret laboratories and creepy old houses with ghosts and monsters. Some of the greatest memories of his childhood were being left to those books. "Oh, man, I can NOT believe you gave up this house!!"
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Soulless Soldiers
- Thread starter Nyakuni
- Start date
Joseph played around with his food for a moment before standing up and heading up stairs. He walked down the halls until he came to the walk in closet and entered into the one the was locked after all he just had to touch the door knob and it recognized his finger prints. He walked in and picked out something that he hadn't worn in awhile. It was a completely black suit with a black dress shirt no tie. He changed into the pants and stared at the shirt for a minute he sighed and picked it up he would just keep the top two buttons undone. He finished changing and look at himself in the mirror it had been awhile since he was in a shirt, he fixed the coat and sat against the wall for a minute. He knew they would freak out as soon as they saw him. He sat there for awhile debating to go out in this or not.
Zack frowned when Joseph walked out without bothering to answer either of them, but quickly got over it. Well, they were here now, and might as well enjoy it while it lasted. Zack sat down at the nearest table with his breakfast and began to chow down. He had not had properly cooked food since the last meal his mother had prepared for his family the night before they all went away. This was delicious. "So, when do you think-"
"Right about now." Ekvail interrupted, recognizing the question before it was asked, and having received a warning from Kodri. He nudged Da'are awake verbally using the wavelength they shared.
Da'are pricked up her ears and tried to get herself fully awake as quickly as possible. Kodri and Ekvail were warning her that their new standing orders would be received soon, meaning that a low rank demon possessing a host - in other words, someone a little more seasoned than themselves - would be arriving soon to declare their scores, rewards, and/or punishments. She passed on the nudge to her host. "Hey. Better get back to the others soon. We're finished up here."
"Right about now." Ekvail interrupted, recognizing the question before it was asked, and having received a warning from Kodri. He nudged Da'are awake verbally using the wavelength they shared.
Da'are pricked up her ears and tried to get herself fully awake as quickly as possible. Kodri and Ekvail were warning her that their new standing orders would be received soon, meaning that a low rank demon possessing a host - in other words, someone a little more seasoned than themselves - would be arriving soon to declare their scores, rewards, and/or punishments. She passed on the nudge to her host. "Hey. Better get back to the others soon. We're finished up here."
She looked at Zack, then to where Joseph had disapeared off to, and sighed, fixing her tshirt so it didnt rid up past her belly button, and pulled the jeans up a bit... it felt like they were too low, but i guess thats what hip huggers were afterall... She sat at the table after her tea was finished, and stirred in the sugar, sipping at it.
Joseph stood up at the sound of Da'are "Morning there, sleep well?" Joseph fixed his clothes and made his way down the stairs and leaned in the door way "I'm guessing everyone got the message? Tiny take some candy for the road your gonna need it because there's no guarentee were gonna end up around here again." Joseph gave a little sigh around the place "Sorry buy it looks as if were gonna have to leave before you get to see there rooms but im sure we'll end up back here eventually." Joseph spoke to Da'are in his head as usual "Anyways are we all ready to go?" Joseph still leaned in the door way still dress as if he was going to a gay club. "And I dont even wanna hear one word about what im wearing." Joseph gave them a stern look after he finished speaking.
Da'are groaned in response to Joseph's question. She definitely had NOT slept well. Joseph seemed to be in a good enough mood today, though, and that was something to take advantage of. He also had not yet mentioned anything about the night before, so it appeared that they were safe, for a little while.
Zack looked Joseph up and down, then stared at him questioningly. This was a little... out of the ordinary. Not that he didn't like the look.
"-mething more important to be contacted for than newbies? I mean, really, you'd think- oh, hold on." A man in his late twenties or early thirties had just stepped into the room, talking as if he was on a phone, but without one visible. He wasn't even wearing a headset. "Well, that was efficient. The guys upstairs always are, Beckett." The second half of the statement was in a deep, gravelly tone, and the man's face had the telltale marks of a demon taking partial possession. He had his hair cut short and flat, a few piercings, and a goatee. His clothes looked as if he were about to enter a business meeting.
"All right, then, let's get this over with. Sirs and madam, my name is Taylor Beckett, and if you'd be so kind let's keep this short and simple. Your first mission is a success, you've achieved a dominating rank in your generation as a whole, and as individuals, none of you did too badly. I'm supposed to give you these -" Taylor handed them each a card that shone silver with black writing on them. They each had a number. "These are your under-1.5m cards. They state that you are still in the lowest most numbers as far as ranking goes, and the numbers will change periodically as others and yourselves complete missions with various scores adding to your total and lifting or dropping your number. You want to get up to number 1 ideally, but as you can tell, you're far beneath that-"
Zack snuck a peek at all of their numbers. His own was 1 753 829, while Joseph's was a much more impressive 1 728 873. Ani appeared to be straggling with a 1 769 284. Even as he watched on, the numbers danced around. Only the lower two, really, but once in a while the higher digits would change.
"-but as you go along, you'll eventually break that 1.5m mark, and you'll receive your upgrade." The business-like Beckett continued, holding up his own hand to show a thin metal bracelet with numbers running across it. "Don't worry, nobody sees your numbers unless they've got a demon, too. Moving on! Here comes the fun bit. Since you were all in the top ten of your grouping, we give you a special prize of sorts. Woo-hoo." Beckett gave a mocking sort of cheer, checking his watch to see how much time he'd wasted here. "Now, you get to make a simple choice, so don't drag it out on me. Would you like new quarters with your demons in the Hierarchy station in Hell, or would you like a placement on the surface?"
Zack looked Joseph up and down, then stared at him questioningly. This was a little... out of the ordinary. Not that he didn't like the look.
"-mething more important to be contacted for than newbies? I mean, really, you'd think- oh, hold on." A man in his late twenties or early thirties had just stepped into the room, talking as if he was on a phone, but without one visible. He wasn't even wearing a headset. "Well, that was efficient. The guys upstairs always are, Beckett." The second half of the statement was in a deep, gravelly tone, and the man's face had the telltale marks of a demon taking partial possession. He had his hair cut short and flat, a few piercings, and a goatee. His clothes looked as if he were about to enter a business meeting.
"All right, then, let's get this over with. Sirs and madam, my name is Taylor Beckett, and if you'd be so kind let's keep this short and simple. Your first mission is a success, you've achieved a dominating rank in your generation as a whole, and as individuals, none of you did too badly. I'm supposed to give you these -" Taylor handed them each a card that shone silver with black writing on them. They each had a number. "These are your under-1.5m cards. They state that you are still in the lowest most numbers as far as ranking goes, and the numbers will change periodically as others and yourselves complete missions with various scores adding to your total and lifting or dropping your number. You want to get up to number 1 ideally, but as you can tell, you're far beneath that-"
Zack snuck a peek at all of their numbers. His own was 1 753 829, while Joseph's was a much more impressive 1 728 873. Ani appeared to be straggling with a 1 769 284. Even as he watched on, the numbers danced around. Only the lower two, really, but once in a while the higher digits would change.
"-but as you go along, you'll eventually break that 1.5m mark, and you'll receive your upgrade." The business-like Beckett continued, holding up his own hand to show a thin metal bracelet with numbers running across it. "Don't worry, nobody sees your numbers unless they've got a demon, too. Moving on! Here comes the fun bit. Since you were all in the top ten of your grouping, we give you a special prize of sorts. Woo-hoo." Beckett gave a mocking sort of cheer, checking his watch to see how much time he'd wasted here. "Now, you get to make a simple choice, so don't drag it out on me. Would you like new quarters with your demons in the Hierarchy station in Hell, or would you like a placement on the surface?"
Zack was hardly going to argue against the challenges and freedoms as well as scenery provided by the surface when the alternative was a stuffy place in Hell where everything was just there. It was no fun. And you couldn't kill anyone in your spare time. "I'm definitely up for a change of pace, as well."
The businessman looked a little surprised by their decision, but then it appeared that work was all that mattered to him. He'd probably never thought of anything but his numbers since he'd arrived in Hell. "Then it's up to you. What'll it be? A new team, or a surface residence?"
The businessman looked a little surprised by their decision, but then it appeared that work was all that mattered to him. He'd probably never thought of anything but his numbers since he'd arrived in Hell. "Then it's up to you. What'll it be? A new team, or a surface residence?"
Joseph thought for a second hell would be ok but he like it much better here "I would like a surface resident and this place we're in now is for sale so if we could have this place that would be great." Joseph remembered the look he had gotten from Zack he would bring it up later.
"Very well. It'll be arranged. Keep up appearances, though... go to school, find a place to work, do something..." Taylor sighed. Damn, more of this lame work. Oh, well. "Figure the rest out yourselves. Your demons can change the cards to form any kind of identification card you need, and any papers you may also require will be sent in the mail, along with some cash to start you off. Don't waste it."
"At this point I'm expected to ask if you have any questions that you wish to have straightened out, but I've got to get going quickly, so if there's something important, ask it now. One question only."
"At this point I'm expected to ask if you have any questions that you wish to have straightened out, but I've got to get going quickly, so if there's something important, ask it now. One question only."
Joseph thought for a second "So since we only get one question, how would we get in contact with someone who could answer most of them like how to get missions, living arrangements and what not?" Joseph stood up straight fixing his jacket and gave a quick wink to ani with a little laugh not trying to disrespect the demon in front of him.
Taylor seemed to be expecting no less from new hosts than for them not to take anything seriously. "If you want the answers to every silly question you thin to ask, try your own demons. They can tell you the basics. For questions they can't answer, but that aren't of any real immediate threat if you cannot answer them, try getting in touch with some of the higher level demons they know, preferably family. Those demons have an obligation to them, anyway. For anything and everything else, you should contact Rax'kin directly. Make sure it's worthwhile, though, he doesn't have much time for stupid questions." Taylor reeled off, sounding as if these three should know all of this by now. "Doesn't anyone read he pamphlets anymore? Geez..."
Zack blinked. Pamphlets? He had never heard that there were such things. What the hell kind of Hell handed out pamphlets on any topic, let alone how to cause mayhem on earth?
"Exactly what Rax'kin said, and why there aren't any anymore." Ekvail answered vaguely.
Zack blinked. Pamphlets? He had never heard that there were such things. What the hell kind of Hell handed out pamphlets on any topic, let alone how to cause mayhem on earth?
"Exactly what Rax'kin said, and why there aren't any anymore." Ekvail answered vaguely.
"This may sound stupid Taylor but do you happen to have a copy of one of these so call pamphlets? I would like to read through it." Joseph looked at him with a serious expression, if he happened to have one they would probably learn alot of things at least some things they would need to know.
She raised an eyebrow, sharing the same sentiment as Zack... pamphlet? She pulled up her pants again, her thong straps hanging out... stupid hip huggers... but none of the other pants had such nice plain look... she tugged the shirt down again as well, muttering that he shuld get a better selection of clothes....
Taylor groaned. "You've got to be kidding me! No, I don't have one! The pamphlets are exclusively handed around in the newbie and training phases. To test how seriously you take all of this. If you didn't bother reading up before, then I can't help you now. So if you don't mind, I have more important stuff to do than mess around with kids like you." With that said, Taylor retraced his steps, and vanished back into whatever he had come out of.
"Well, that was almost completely useless as far as information goes..." Zack mumbled in disappointment. How was it fair that they should be punished if Rax'kin had decided to get rid of this informational tool? He held up his card. It had gone up and down while they had been talking, and he was now roughly a few hundred lower than he had been previously. It was the only thing they'd really gotten from the man that could be of any use.
"Well, that was almost completely useless as far as information goes..." Zack mumbled in disappointment. How was it fair that they should be punished if Rax'kin had decided to get rid of this informational tool? He held up his card. It had gone up and down while they had been talking, and he was now roughly a few hundred lower than he had been previously. It was the only thing they'd really gotten from the man that could be of any use.
Now that the man was gone Joseph looked over at Ani "This is one of the reasons I call you jail bait you shouldnt be wearing those kinda clothes at this age, all your doing is just asking someone to stick it in your hole. As for you Zack quit getting ideas even I can dress normally and look sexy all at the same time." Joseph walked out of the kitchen a little annoyed and headed out to the back and sat on one of the chairs that he could lay down in. "So Da'are how much do you know that you can tell me? Do we still get to pick what kinda missions we do, how do we get our missions, how do we find out where we stay and what the hell do we do if someone finds out who we are?" Joseph sighed and calmed himself down, he didn't believe it was fair that the information they needed was taken away so they had to act like idiots.
She glared at him and stomped into the next room to sit and plot his demise, knowing it would never actually happen, but the thoughts made her feel better... she took a look at that card the guy handed her and turned it around and such. "Kodri.. what happens if we get found out? What kinda things would happen? Or worse yet, How would we get found out...?"
Da'are held up the number of fingers equivalent to how many questions her host was asking for the answers to and folded them down into her palm as she answered. She had to agree that this was hardly fair, but then again, what was? Especially in Hell.. and in any case, she was brushing up on her basics, which may not have been the best use of her time, but it was not harmful to her, either. "No, they are chosen by others above Rax'kin, and he hands them out. We'll be summoned the same way that Beckett person was summoned to us, only we'll be sent back into a room similar to the one we left to come here for briefing. We'll probably be fine staying here, since it's still on the market, and Rax'kin is at least - if nothing else - very good about getting surface dwellers their preferred quarters..." One. Two. Three... and four. "If we get caught... it depends on what the circumstances are. If we can get away with it, we quiet the source of the disruption. If it is on a grander scale, you can prey all you want, but chances are you'll get dragged back into Hell to be dealt with before any professional exorcist or something gets to you up here. They'll punish me as well as you if I can be found in any way at blame... meaning they'll rip me out of you while we're still attached. It's an immensely painful way to die, and then they'll send your soul to the lowest pits of Hell. I will cease to exist. So just don't get caught, all right?"
Kodri began to explain similar scenarios to Ani, adding in many other lesser forms of their being dealt with and trivial facts about how to deal with each individual smaller type of reveal. "We have never had a 'big reveal' yet. Something where massive amounts of people become aware of our workings among people. The worst we've ever had it is a little thing you might have heard of called the 'Salem Witch Trials'. There was a little mix-up, and the demons involved did their best to patch together a story that would draw away suspicion before more damage could be done to others involved. Luckily, the majority of those involved were simply unlucky mortals, and the time passed without spreading entirely. All you have to do is keep everything demon-related about yourself under wraps, and when possible, clean up well after you've made a mess."
Zack was left alone in the kitchen with his plate still half full of food, but somehow he wasn't hungry. How had everyone gone from being relatively relaxed to having all kinds of pent-up frustration all over again? Hadn't they just fixed that problem? Scraping his food into the garbage, he had a quick exchange with Ekvail, the purpose of which was to discuss what Taylor had briefly gone over. The others were learning, but as far as Zack was concerned, if he was already behind and managing to do just fine, he didn't need to know that stuff. He'd deal with it when it came, and until then... he was going to make plans.
Kodri began to explain similar scenarios to Ani, adding in many other lesser forms of their being dealt with and trivial facts about how to deal with each individual smaller type of reveal. "We have never had a 'big reveal' yet. Something where massive amounts of people become aware of our workings among people. The worst we've ever had it is a little thing you might have heard of called the 'Salem Witch Trials'. There was a little mix-up, and the demons involved did their best to patch together a story that would draw away suspicion before more damage could be done to others involved. Luckily, the majority of those involved were simply unlucky mortals, and the time passed without spreading entirely. All you have to do is keep everything demon-related about yourself under wraps, and when possible, clean up well after you've made a mess."
Zack was left alone in the kitchen with his plate still half full of food, but somehow he wasn't hungry. How had everyone gone from being relatively relaxed to having all kinds of pent-up frustration all over again? Hadn't they just fixed that problem? Scraping his food into the garbage, he had a quick exchange with Ekvail, the purpose of which was to discuss what Taylor had briefly gone over. The others were learning, but as far as Zack was concerned, if he was already behind and managing to do just fine, he didn't need to know that stuff. He'd deal with it when it came, and until then... he was going to make plans.
Joseph relaxed a little hearing the more important matters right now but there was still one thing left on his mind "One last thing Da'are on the night of our mission after Zack had killed the kid mostly, why did you freak out on him? Something tells me it wasn't for any ordinary reason so I want to know the truth." Joseph laid back in his chair waiting for an answer thinking of a possible job he could take up and he only knew one after all its all he did all his life and if he was lucky his secret would still be locked away in the house after all only he knew everything about the house, he designed it after all.
"I think it's a ridiculous risk, but absolutely delightfully so, and as such I encourage you to undertake this task!" Kodri was laughing inside, even if he didn't show how dreadfully amused he was by the sheer idea.
"I did not...! -sigh- I simply noticed he wasn't focused, and stepped in to complete the task in a more competent manner. I'm sure it won't happen again... after all, it was only the fact that he was new at it that caused the problem in the first place. He would be completely useless if he couldn't, and we'd be one team member short. Don't mention it to anyone, okay? Much as I dislike the boy, he will prove to be an asset if he can properly train himself."
When Zack had cleaned up after himself, he went to search for Ani. He would need to speak to her about what she was planning on doing, and help her get a start on whatever she chose to do. Then he and Joseph would have more free time to themselves to worry about how they would get work without any qualifications.
"I did not...! -sigh- I simply noticed he wasn't focused, and stepped in to complete the task in a more competent manner. I'm sure it won't happen again... after all, it was only the fact that he was new at it that caused the problem in the first place. He would be completely useless if he couldn't, and we'd be one team member short. Don't mention it to anyone, okay? Much as I dislike the boy, he will prove to be an asset if he can properly train himself."
When Zack had cleaned up after himself, he went to search for Ani. He would need to speak to her about what she was planning on doing, and help her get a start on whatever she chose to do. Then he and Joseph would have more free time to themselves to worry about how they would get work without any qualifications.
Joseph listened to the tone of her voice and what she was saying. "Da'are somethings not right here and I want to know what your hiding from me or by gods I will talk to any one I have to in order to find out." Joseph sat up a little "Why are you even hiding this from me don't you think I deserve to know if somethings wrong with my teammates?" Joseph was being to sound a little upset.