Cheeky piece

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Its a video call of one Anthony J. Crowley stepping out of a posh building eating a vanilla and chocolate swirled cone. ]

When you think about it sixty-five million isn't really so much to ask for a place like this in the middle of New York. Especially with all those terraces. Parking space for two cars. Concierge. More bedroom space than I'll ever need. And... ha! This might be the best part!

[ He laughed and attached a quick image to the post. ]

They don't want to take that painting with them so it would come with the place! You're an art restorer, what do you think of it, Mr. Fell? Cheeky piece. It's a bit like that play we saw last week, the one where you got all annoyed with me for magically upgrading our seats. I didn't hear you complaining when we ended up with that private box though did I?

[ He paused for a thoughtful lick of chocolate before it ran down the cone. ]

I never even dreamed of owning a place like this one before so of course I signed. What is the point of magic if you can't indulge?

Comments

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Mulling this over he paused for a long while himself. ]

Maybe it was more like 70% off this real estate? I'm not sure something like that is very easy to quantify.

You aren't going to give me the lecture now are you? 'We should use our powers for good,' 'why do anything for personal gain,' blah, blah... I've heard that a few times already.

[traceofeffort]

I... it's complicated. You're not murdering people in the streets or anything, so I'm not super put out by it. And even if it's not a power, I'm doing the same kind of thing stealing my other self's music so I'm not gonna complain too much. It's kinda just... I have enough problems with my self-control sometimes without being able to just make things happen. It's bad for my heart to know there's stuff like that out there.

[serpentinthegarden]

I'm not into murderer people in the streets... I'm not sure I would want to meet anyone who was either.

I also don't see it as stealing to use something our past selves could do. Its still ours, it just happened before and we are only now remembering it. You ought to be able to use the songs without feeling guilty about it.

[traceofeffort]

Mm. We have enough problems without something like that, yeah?

[She pauses, hearing his thoughts on Roselia's music, and thinks it over for a second, before she sighs.] Yeah, you're probably right, I just... I dunno. It feels weird to me somehow. I love playing it, I love singing it, but it feels like I skipped all the work of making it. If that makes sense? I dunno, maybe I'm just being too sentimental like I am with everything else.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ His nose scrunched as he agreed to that with a nod. Last thing they needed in all this mess was a murderer. ]

It feels like a short cut, I get that. I still don't see the problem in taking that short cut though. You might not remember the struggle to write all of those songs now but over time I think you will. I think we might end up remembering everything our past selves did.

[ Which was exciting and terrifying really. ]

Besideeees, if you don't sing these songs who else is going to remember them?

[traceofeffort]

I probably will. I just... yeah, you hit the nail on the head there. I spent all that time struggling on my own, and now I'm gonna find success because I'm cribbing my setlist from another me? I complained about it before, so I'll spare you the rest of it. Just weird hang-ups. I'll probably get over it sooner or later.

[Lisa smiled after a moment, though.] But at the end of the day... mm! Someone's gotta sing it. And if Yukina isn't gonna do the work, I guess I gotta step up.

I think you're gonna have a little more excitement coming to you, though. Something like what you have is a one-way ticket to a lot of crazy stuff, and who knows what else you'll find in your back pocket?

[serpentinthegarden]

It's fine, I get it. We're all dealing with a lot of baggage from our past selves.

[ But at least she would carry on singing. He sorta hoped she would after hearing her at that beach party. ]

Yeah, probably will. I'm a bit worried about that...

[ He stopped and glanced around, wishing to say more about it but at the same time worried that maybe he should keep more of this to himself. ]

No telling what could happen.

[traceofeffort]

Some more than others, I think, but yeah. We'll get through.

[He seems... a little hesitant? She frowns just a bit, concerned and not sure whether to push.]

What, worried that you'll have a lot more excitement? Or that your pockets will turn out to be deeper than expected? [A beat, before she remembers what they were initially talking about.] In, uh, the figurative sense, not the literal one. We kinda established that already.

[serpentinthegarden]

Eeeeh, excitement is fine I like excitement. I'd really like to get that car I keep seeing in my dreams! I would need those deep pockets to even look at a car like that. Bentleys are not cheap.

Its everything that comes along with those deep pockets I'm worried about. More powers, more downsides to having those powers, what if... I suddenly have this incredible urge to go suck out some one's soul?

[traceofeffort]

Hey, I feel you. Custom bass guitars aren't cheap either. So hey, maybe it'll just be parked in the garage one day? If I can get an instrument, you can totally get a car.

What if someone has an urge to drink? To vandalize? To burn something to the ground? I would presume it's like any other vice. Willpower and discipline are the order of the day. It's not like the other you would walk down the street and just- [She reaches with her arm a little bit behind her, and mimes grabbing something, making a small popping sound with her mouth.] -do the thing, right?

[serpentinthegarden]

Now THAT would be some magic! Wake up one day with a car!

[ It was a thrilling prospect that had him smirking before this faded with the more difficult topic. ]

I don't really know how it works. I never did anything like that in any of my memories, but one does hear the stories... sees the movies. Maybe real life demons are different than those.

[traceofeffort]

Sure, but do you see any credits for demons in the special thanks? I don't think they consulted the real thing. Not that they may have been able to find one, but still.

[serpentinthegarden]

Can't say I ever thought to even look at the credits let alone actually read them searching for demonic names. That would be something though, special thanks goes to Lucifer for his consultation and pyrotechnic support. Never get that past the MPAA!

[traceofeffort]

Eh, shove enough money at them, they'd let it pass, right? Imagine the endgame of that, though. "No demonic entities were harmed in the making of this motion picture."

[serpentinthegarden]

[ A wide and slightly evil tinged grin blossomed across Anthony's face. ]

Now there is a tagline! I'd love to see a movie that had that in the end credits!

[traceofeffort]

Well, you also have to have it be true. Can't have demonic stunt doubles if you want the certifying body to give you their... not a blessing. Hmm. Give you their curse?

[Help, she's devolving into puns now.]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ A few puns never hurt anyone, even if Anthony groaned as if it had... He did enjoy the way she thought! ]

How would you even hire some one for that position, want ad in the paper? Wanted: demonic overlord to watch over production of movie, bonuses to be paid for actual feats of possession.

[traceofeffort]

I'm sure there's a Facebook group that'd help you. That thing is the devil, if a necessary evil.

[serpentinthegarden]

You think Facebook is of the devil? I always thought it was twitter.

[ A shrug. ]

Or... selfies. I'm sure some diabolical agent came up with the selfie.

[traceofeffort]

Why not both? There's no need to limit the Internet to a single source of demonic energy.

...selfies... ooh, that's a strong contender. Those too are a necessary evil!

[serpentinthegarden]

When you really think about it it's amazing how many of life's everyday annoyances could be demonically influenced. Alarm clock goes off at the wrong time, your tire has a flat... the entire cell network going down for two hours...

It's inspiring.

[traceofeffort]

Noooo, don't tell me that, I already make enough excuses! "A demon ate my homework" isn't going to fly with my professors! [She's laughing, so it's clearly not bothering her too much.]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ She is laughing, he is laughing, clearly this is how you bond with a demon. ]

I'd pay to see that though. The look on their face when you gave the Professor that line! It tops some of my old ones...

[traceofeffort]

It'd probably be paired with my look of despair as I get laughed out of the music program, though. I might have to come up with something more creative, y'know?

[serpentinthegarden]

Yeeaaaa but do you really need to go to school for music anyway? If you already read music what else could they possibly teach you that listening to a few MP3s couldn't?