[Well now William feels a little guilty. While he doesn't always have patience for those who lack ambition or intellgence, he's also accepted that not everyone is like him in that regard. And it definitely hadn't been his intention to embarrass Kazuya, not when their conversation had been going so well up until this point.
He had to figure out a way to smooth this over.]
Ah, well not everyone is able to figure that sort of thing out. It just means that your options are open. Or rather, were...
[Okay, somehow that was even more awkward. He could have said something encouraging like "everyone is good at something," but that also felt trite.]
[Kazuya sounded a little dry there, but he didn't seem annoyed at William's fumbled attempt at comfort. In fact, his embarrassment eased somewhat, and he smiled wryly]
It's okay. Don't worry about it. I mean, it was probably best I didn't have a dream job. Less disappointment when getting dragged into this Abel business.
[After all, Messiah was for life... if only because they died criminally young. No time for dreams and what not]
[Kazuya looked somewhat guarded at the question, and there was a notable pause as he tried to think of a nice way to describe his role. His role of Messiah was linked so closely to being the King of Bel, it'd be difficult to...]
...no. [His voice was subdued] I'm... I'm supposed to ensure that humanity stays on the right path. Humans get led astray by demons easily, so one of my roles is to ensure that nobody is summoning them or making contracts when they shouldn't be. God doesn't tolerate anything like that, and if too many humans consort with demons too often, he... won't be pleased.
[The looming threat of having humanity's free will revoked still shadowed him. If he messed up, or didn't keep a strict watch or control over humanity, then everyone would become as puppet-like as the angels]
So, I, er, kill demons, block their access into my world, things like that. As well... [He paused, obviously debating on whether to say something] I'm meant to cleanse any, um... 'negative influences' within humanity itself. So, if there's an unrepentant sinner, or a demon summoner, then...
[He trailed off, his expression unhappy. He resisted that command as much as he could - many people they condemned to death had only committed sinful acts out of desperation or fear - but Kazuya only had so much leeway. If he couldn't get the sinner to repent, too bad, they were dead. Vaporised, in fact, if Kazuya didn't immediately slay them where they stood (which he didn't, so far, no human blood had stained his hands, but he knew it was only a matter of time until it did). It was a sort of tyranny that stuck sharply in his throat, but humanity just had to suffer it for a while longer. Kazuya was determined to make sure that they will escape from God's shadow, one way or another, with no casualties...!]
[That was a bit... not what he was expecting and William took a moment to think on it. Truth be told, he still held now to the impression of God he had expressed to Kevin: a pitiable being whose mistaken need to control humanity was futile. Humans were capable of great and small evils. He'd experienced that himself within his own family and knew of what was out there in the world. Humans were flawed and inherently sinful, and you were not going to stop that through fear and coercion. Nay, you only made it worse.
Such tyranny struck him as inherently wrong headed, yet it was also obvious that this wasn't what Kazuya wanted.]
So you are stuck in an unfair position, huh? The divine is illogical in that way. What was it I remember Solomon saying: humans sin because they enjoy it.
[It was simplistic and stupid way to put it, but Solomon did have a point.]
What a thankless job for you.
[It made him a little angry honestly, especially when he thought of his own situation. These demons, angels and gods, that held themselves so high above humanity had the nerve to shove their responsibilities onto others. With no regard as to what that person's wishes might be. Or their suitability to the task at hand. What nonsense.]
Though honestly, it sounds like your situation is far worse than mine. They haven't demanded that I kill anyone.
Give it time. It'll probably come out that you're the "chosen one" to slay, I dunno, Lucifer or something at some point, and the hope of the world rests on you beating him at rock, paper, scissors.
[Kazuya's feeble attempt at humour fell flat, as his words came out a little more bitter than he intended. He lowered his gaze, staring at the tea in his hands blankly. Every time he had to genuinely consider what his job as Messiah entailed, he always felt this great... something. Something far too cold and hard for anger, and that weighed greatly on his diaphragm like a sharp edged rock.
Something that felt like hatred, a rancour so alien and bitter that Kazuya simply couldn't comprehend it. Was it his own? Bel's? Abel's? All three of them combined? He didn't know. It existed. It was there. It remained.]
...I. [Kazuya stopped, remembering who he was talking to. He made an odd noise, difficult to discern, and lifted his head and gaze, the shadow gone from his eyes] I mean, it's fine. To be honest, mine's more straightforward than your situation of refereeing a demon election. That sounds way more troublesome.
[That was a horrifying thought, because much as William liked to brag, he didn't think he would ever have a chance. He couldn't even help Baphomet in the end. What would he do against Lucifer? Even in a case like rock, paper, scissors, Lucifer was probably capable of cheating somehow.
He blinks when they turn back to his own duties, but decides to go with it. Especially since Kazuya seems so bitterly unhappy.]
I do not know if it is all that troublesome. I have abstained from voting thus far and I mean to keep at it. I just wish they understood I had bigger problems to deal with than their stupid power struggle.
It is just difficult when nothing I do against them seems to matter.
[Even the few steps he took in the end were futile.]
And the few safe ones, I cannot rely on them forever...
[Would Dantalion have even came back? Did he even wish to?]
[Kazuya said this rather emphatically, punctuating his words with a sharp nod. Even though he himself used demons, he ensured that he didn't rely on them, because that was a dangerous crutch. Reliance meant you needed them, and if you needed them, you gave them an opening, and if you gave them an opening, then they had you, and that would be that. Kazuya treated his demons how they should be treated - an ends to a means, and tools to be utilised to their fullest capacity]
Which is why you should learn how to deal with demons on your own. Though... that's difficult, considering you're a mostly normal human. No offence, but even a Pixie could snap you in half, and they're the weakest demons around. Hm...
[Which was why he did think William had it worse in that respect. Kazuya, at the very least, couldn't be menaced or bullied by demons. After clawing his way to the very top of the demonic food chain, there were only a scant few who'd dare to openly challenge him. The angels were still an issue, but even then, Metatron was the only legitimate threat. William... well, William was pretty much at the demons' whims, from the sound of it. He may have an advantageous position of having what the demons wanted, but in the end, he couldn't fight them one-on-one and win]
But, maybe... [Should he? Would it even work for him?] I may have a solution. I could give you a way to stand on the same level as a demon, you know, able to fight back and win if you ever get stuck in a tight spot.
[A pixie? Well William couldn't even be insulted, because it was true. There was little he could do when he was still learning magic and hardly any sort of expert. It hurt his pride to admit, but all William could do is run, or hide behind others.
And then watch when they died.]
...a solution? What is it? Though it better be free, or else I will have to pass.
[But, if it could work...
Even in this place, what could it hurt? It might make Kevin's life easier. And if the others came, wouldn't it be something if they could see William standing on his own?]
[Kazuya felt some hesitation, but after a moment, he reached down to his belt. There, a small closed console had been hanging from where it'd been clipped to his belt loop. It was a dark blue colour, and its surface was pitted with small scratches, scuffs, and mysterious dark stains or scorch marks. Obviously battered but, definitely still functional]
This, my future husband, is a COMP!
[Kazuya held it up dramatically, before flipping it open and turning it to show William the two screens. There was a menu on the bottom screen, though some of its icons were greyed out]
It's a cheat system that allows normal, mundane humans to fight on par with the strongest of demons - indeed, you could even stand up to Lucifer with this! I know, because I did it. Anyway, what it does is... well, everything.
[Kazuya leaned forwards, over the coffee table, to make sure that William could see better as he began pointing at individual parts of the COMP's menu]
Some of the options are greyed out, because Cerelia messes with the COMP's connectivity with its server, but basically, this top middle one is the important one. "Team". Now, the COMP has a function where you can make contract with demons and make them your own, though you can only summon two at a time, look, I'll show you.
[He selected the icon, and it came up with three images. There was Kazuya's profile picture, followed by his name, and on either side of him, there were two more names: Ongyo-Ki and Metatron. Down along the right hand side was a column of an obscene amount of demons, both well known and obscure, but strangely, all of them were greyed out. Yeah, Kazuya was unable to access them, because of the aforementioned connectivity issues. Stupid Cereals...]
This is my current team. Now, I may be able to summon demons, but I make sure that if I have to fight them, I can easily crush them. You never summon a demon stronger than yourself! Most important rule ever. Anyway, that's not the important bit, I'm not letting you have any demons in your team. The important bit is... this!
[Kazuya selected himself in the team set up, and a list appeared, with words like "Zandyne" and "Anti-Most"]
The skill list. With this, you can select high level magic spells, passive and active, and use them without having to do all that backbreaking study and practice. It's right there at your literal fingertips. There're loads too, look.
[He selected "Zandyne", and another list appeared, a large one with all sorts of spells. He went back, then selected the other one, "Anti-Most", and another list with different spells appeared, with names like "Repel Fire" or "Null Phys", or "Elec Amp"]
So you see? With this, you can stand on par with a demon. It helps that the COMP has a Harmoniser system, so if a demon comes at you? Nooo problem! The Harmoniser, erm, how to explain... I guess you can say it weakens the demon to the point where a killing blow just gives you a bruise. So if an Ogre comes charging at you, swinging his cleaver at you, it'll hurt like fuck if he gets you, but he won't be able to sever limbs or anything. Just cut you badly. Also, also!
[He went back to the main menu, and selected something else: Demonic Compendium]
This is pretty useful too. A list of all the demons, their lore, and their weaknesses. It'll tell you which spell you need to destroy them completely, and which ones they're strong against, as well as giving you a low down on what skills and spells they'd have. The COMP automates this too, so if you find yourself ambushed, it'll bring up the demon's profile and tell you mid-battle what it's weaknesses are. Hell, it even does it for angels and humans, so it might do it for anything here.
[He lowered the COMP then] And I'm gonna lend it to you, since it sounds like you need it more than me.
[And, more importantly, Kazuya didn't need it when he went back home. He could use magic without the COMP, thanks to Bel, and he could summon demons without it too, also thanks to Bel. Cerealia was different, since it felt like something was stifling Bel's influence to the point where Kaz had to rely on the COMP to summon Ongyo-Ki and Metatron, as well as cast the very high level magic spells, but so far he hadn't encountered anything in Cerealia that required him to need them. So, yes, sentimental value aside, the COMP was better off in William's hands than his own]
[William listened to the explanation intently. So it was a computer that functioned the same as a high level magical grimoire and could turn anyone who had it into a high level sorcerer? That was incredible, beyond anything William could imagine. What would Mathers think of this? Did Kevin know about this?
When Kazuya offered it to him though, William blinked.]
You are offering to let me borrow it? Me? But it's so powerful...
[He wanted to take it of course, because it looked incredible, but this? This was too much for a first meeting.]
Are you sure that you are okay with lending it to me? With some of the things that happen here, it might be better in your hands. I do know some magic after all, so I am not completely defenseless.
[He just couldn't stand up to an actual demon, angel or demigod, or anything else like that.]
Ah, but that's why I'm lending it to you: because of some of the things that have happened here.
[Like "The Jungle". A few people had died there, and the predators that had prowled beneath that thick, green canopy had been dangerous enough to give even himself pause, and that terrible accident that claimed Ket's life... then, there was the volcano, or - wherever it was everyone else went to. This place was safer than the lockdown, true, but it was still dangerous. Kazuya could survive easily without his COMP, but William? The only person he met who was truly and honestly a kindred spirit? Well... it was a no brainer, really]
I can take care of myself perfectly fine without it, but you... [Kazuya gently closed the lid of his COMP] I understand your feelings, you know? To feel helpless while surrounded by creatures that are older and more powerful than you. I just want to give you a bit of a leg up, like I was given. It's only fair when your opponents are demons and angels.
[He smiled and held the COMP out, giving it a tempting little wriggle;]
Besides, I've outgrown this. If I face a high level demon without it, chances are I'll crush it underfoot without breaking a sweat. [Bold, but true. Mostly. If Lucifer popped his head back in, Kazuya would be destroyed, but against the likes of Beldr or Belzaboul or anything like that? Psh. He'll come out of it battered and bruised, but very much alive and on top] It'll serve better use with you. If it'll make you feel better though... just think of it as being a temporary loan. If I ever need it, I'll come and claim it back off of you. Sound fair?
[After a moment of consideration, William takes the comp and looks it over and smiles a little, because he is moved by this offer.]
Very well then, a loan. I will make sure to take good care of it in the mean time.
[Despite how dinged up it was, it looked expensive. Terrifyingly so, like all electronic devices were.]
And it is appreciated. I should ask Kevin what he thinks of it to make sure, since he might have his own ideas about it.
But, it might be nice to have on hand. Or even to study for a bit.
[If only Isaac was here. He would have delighted in this and probably have even been jealous. It would have evened the playing field between them. Though, when he thought about it, that wouldn't have given William much pleasure in the long run. He wanted their next magical duel to be one of equals.
Though for now, this was fine. Monsters didn't play fair after all.]
So does it need to be charged or anything like that?
It's got a decent battery life, but yeah, make sure to keep it charged. I've got a hand charger back in my apartment for it... I'll, er, give that to you later.
[When he remembered. You may need to send him reminders to go snag it - it was a pretty important piece of kit, after all! Electricity and plug sockets weren't going to be around everywhere you went!]
Anyway, open the COMP up. It'll need to register you, since you're a new user. It creates some sort of mental link or... something. I'm not sure, I don't really understand its inner workings all that much. Far too complicated and technical for me. [Oh... hold on...] Ah, but, when you do, be on guard. I'm not sure if the COMP completely reboots if someone new starts using it, so it miiiight spit out a demon as a "test". Don't worry, if that happens, I'll take care of it. It should only be a Kobold or something equally pathetic. After that, the COMP should work normally and you'll have unlimited power at your fingertips!
[Yeah he's gonna have to nag the living daylights out of you to get that vital piece of equipment, isn't he? Fortunately William is a pro at that sort of thing.]
...yes that would be useful to know, about a demon possibly appearing.
[William said dryly as he opened it up. He wasn't exactly afraid anything small like a Kobold though. He was fairly used to sprites and fairies by now. Granted, this probably wasn't the same thing.]
[Kazuya coughed, admittedly embarrassed at nearly forgetting that very important titbit]
Ahah... um, yeah. [He pushed up from the sofa, circling around the coffee table to boldly perch on the arm of William's chair, peering at the COMP. So far it was showing the menu that Kazuya had up before] Huh. That's strange. It should be- oh, there we go.
[Mid-sentence, the COMP's screens went black. This was quickly followed by a stream of nonsensical code spitting itself across the bottom screen at a speed too fast to properly read, while the COMP let out a bizarre, high pitched noise reminiscent to a computer fan]
Yeah, it's making the connection now and...
[Kazuya paused, and the moment he did, the code stream stopped and a coherent sentence appeared, which drew a rather exasperated noise from him:
Peaceful days are over. Let's survive.]
That still shows up? [Geeze, Naoya, could you be any more dramatic?] Okay, so, now, it should boot up the demon summoning programme. Or, er, attempt to. Hopefully nothing'll pop up and it'll go to the menu like usual.
[Sadly, that didn't happen. Instead the COMP began making a rather peculiar noise. It was like listening to a ye olde dial-up trying to connect to the internet, quietly screeching and making eldritch noises as it - presumably - attempted to connect to the server that was more than a world and a dimension away. After half a minute of this-
ERROR. COULD NOT CONNECT TO SERVER. COULD NOT CONNECT TO SERVER. REBOOTING. REBOOTING. REBOOTING... REBOOTED. INITIATING PROGRAMME IN OFFLINE MODE. SOME FUNCTIONS WILL BE UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE CONNECT TO BABEL SERVER TO ACCESS THESE FUNCTIONS.
And with that... ding. The menu from earlier reappeared, only with a few icons greyed out and inaccessible]
Yes, it worked! Hah, looks like you can't summon demons anyway even if you wanted to. Perfect. Well, go on then, explore it a little.
[Kazuya watched William familiarise himself with the COMP, genuinely impressed. He was digging into it almost as fast as Atsuro, and considering he was from ancient England or whatever...]
Go to the folder labelled "Team". Your profile should be there. If you select it, it'll come up with your skill list, and you can equip them. When you do that, you just... know the spells. It's like... it's like the incantation pops into your head, and that's enough, you don't need to chant anything or prepare a circle or whatever. You just flick your fingers and the spell's cast instantaneously. It makes battles go really fast.
[Honestly, it was part of effort when it came to William using technological devices, and part genuine interest. He usually understood the mechanism behind such things or at least felt he might come to in the future. Unlike stupid, unwieldy magic.]
Very well..
[He selected it and began to tap on some skills. Hmmm, well he felt something change.]
This is almost frightening in it's simplicity.
[Yes, he was going to have to watch this COMP very carefully to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.]
[Kazuya paused, his expression becoming unreadable. The COMPs, while a massive advantage against demons, were dangerous. Especially during the lockdown, where everyone and their dog had one and society completely broke down. So many people murdered each other, for food, from fear, for ideals...]
Back home, they were mass produced and distributed to the wide public. It... it didn't end well.
Good. And, hey, if need be, you've got my permission to destroy it. It's a veeeery dangerous piece of kit you've got there, so treat it accordingly.
[Kazuya forced a smile, and clapped William on the shoulder briefly before sliding off of the chair's arm. He felt rather satisfied with himself, yet at the same time, he needed to be without company for a bit. Too many old wounds were poked in this conversation. But like hell Kaz would say that outright. No, time to make a dignified exit without rousing suspicion!]
Anyway, I better shoot off. I feel like I've overstayed my welcome. [He gave William a rather dramatic bow, with a great flourish of his arm - it was obvious he was attempting to imitate the Western bows of historical films (dramas)] Thank you for hosting me, future husband! The tea was good!
[Kazuya taking his leave was a little abrupt, that William would have questioned it, but well, a lot of import had been said. Enough as it was. He rose and nodded.]
For someone who breaks and enters, the conversation was rather enjoyable. Though speaking of that...
[He sighed, because really.]
You can just knock the next time you visit and come in through the front door. Neither I nor Kevin will mind.
Visiting someone by going through the front door? What a novel concept...
[Joking, of course - but, seriously, he was so used to breaking in through the window, that going through the front door did seem almost strange. He even entered his own apartment via the window sometimes!
...
Okay, thinking on it, that was kind of weird]
But I'll give it a try sometime, maybe. [He waved vaguely in William's direction, and moved away - towards the window of all things] See ya around, future husband! Say "hi" to Kevvy for me!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He had to figure out a way to smooth this over.]
Ah, well not everyone is able to figure that sort of thing out. It just means that your options are open. Or rather, were...
[Okay, somehow that was even more awkward. He could have said something encouraging like "everyone is good at something," but that also felt trite.]
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[Kazuya sounded a little dry there, but he didn't seem annoyed at William's fumbled attempt at comfort. In fact, his embarrassment eased somewhat, and he smiled wryly]
It's okay. Don't worry about it. I mean, it was probably best I didn't have a dream job. Less disappointment when getting dragged into this Abel business.
[After all, Messiah was for life... if only because they died criminally young. No time for dreams and what not]
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So, if you are the Messiah, what does that entail? I assume it is not the same as Christ.
[And what did that mean for Kevin? That's what he was really itching to know.]
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...no. [His voice was subdued] I'm... I'm supposed to ensure that humanity stays on the right path. Humans get led astray by demons easily, so one of my roles is to ensure that nobody is summoning them or making contracts when they shouldn't be. God doesn't tolerate anything like that, and if too many humans consort with demons too often, he... won't be pleased.
[The looming threat of having humanity's free will revoked still shadowed him. If he messed up, or didn't keep a strict watch or control over humanity, then everyone would become as puppet-like as the angels]
So, I, er, kill demons, block their access into my world, things like that. As well... [He paused, obviously debating on whether to say something] I'm meant to cleanse any, um... 'negative influences' within humanity itself. So, if there's an unrepentant sinner, or a demon summoner, then...
[He trailed off, his expression unhappy. He resisted that command as much as he could - many people they condemned to death had only committed sinful acts out of desperation or fear - but Kazuya only had so much leeway. If he couldn't get the sinner to repent, too bad, they were dead. Vaporised, in fact, if Kazuya didn't immediately slay them where they stood (which he didn't, so far, no human blood had stained his hands, but he knew it was only a matter of time until it did). It was a sort of tyranny that stuck sharply in his throat, but humanity just had to suffer it for a while longer. Kazuya was determined to make sure that they will escape from God's shadow, one way or another, with no casualties...!]
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Such tyranny struck him as inherently wrong headed, yet it was also obvious that this wasn't what Kazuya wanted.]
So you are stuck in an unfair position, huh? The divine is illogical in that way. What was it I remember Solomon saying: humans sin because they enjoy it.
[It was simplistic and stupid way to put it, but Solomon did have a point.]
What a thankless job for you.
[It made him a little angry honestly, especially when he thought of his own situation. These demons, angels and gods, that held themselves so high above humanity had the nerve to shove their responsibilities onto others. With no regard as to what that person's wishes might be. Or their suitability to the task at hand. What nonsense.]
Though honestly, it sounds like your situation is far worse than mine. They haven't demanded that I kill anyone.
no subject
[Kazuya's feeble attempt at humour fell flat, as his words came out a little more bitter than he intended. He lowered his gaze, staring at the tea in his hands blankly. Every time he had to genuinely consider what his job as Messiah entailed, he always felt this great... something. Something far too cold and hard for anger, and that weighed greatly on his diaphragm like a sharp edged rock.
Something that felt like hatred, a rancour so alien and bitter that Kazuya simply couldn't comprehend it. Was it his own? Bel's? Abel's? All three of them combined? He didn't know. It existed. It was there. It remained.]
...I. [Kazuya stopped, remembering who he was talking to. He made an odd noise, difficult to discern, and lifted his head and gaze, the shadow gone from his eyes] I mean, it's fine. To be honest, mine's more straightforward than your situation of refereeing a demon election. That sounds way more troublesome.
no subject
He blinks when they turn back to his own duties, but decides to go with it. Especially since Kazuya seems so bitterly unhappy.]
I do not know if it is all that troublesome. I have abstained from voting thus far and I mean to keep at it. I just wish they understood I had bigger problems to deal with than their stupid power struggle.
It is just difficult when nothing I do against them seems to matter.
[Even the few steps he took in the end were futile.]
And the few safe ones, I cannot rely on them forever...
[Would Dantalion have even came back? Did he even wish to?]
no subject
[Kazuya said this rather emphatically, punctuating his words with a sharp nod. Even though he himself used demons, he ensured that he didn't rely on them, because that was a dangerous crutch. Reliance meant you needed them, and if you needed them, you gave them an opening, and if you gave them an opening, then they had you, and that would be that. Kazuya treated his demons how they should be treated - an ends to a means, and tools to be utilised to their fullest capacity]
Which is why you should learn how to deal with demons on your own. Though... that's difficult, considering you're a mostly normal human. No offence, but even a Pixie could snap you in half, and they're the weakest demons around. Hm...
[Which was why he did think William had it worse in that respect. Kazuya, at the very least, couldn't be menaced or bullied by demons. After clawing his way to the very top of the demonic food chain, there were only a scant few who'd dare to openly challenge him. The angels were still an issue, but even then, Metatron was the only legitimate threat. William... well, William was pretty much at the demons' whims, from the sound of it. He may have an advantageous position of having what the demons wanted, but in the end, he couldn't fight them one-on-one and win]
But, maybe... [Should he? Would it even work for him?] I may have a solution. I could give you a way to stand on the same level as a demon, you know, able to fight back and win if you ever get stuck in a tight spot.
no subject
And then watch when they died.]
...a solution? What is it? Though it better be free, or else I will have to pass.
[But, if it could work...
Even in this place, what could it hurt? It might make Kevin's life easier. And if the others came, wouldn't it be something if they could see William standing on his own?]
But, I am interested.
COMP TUTORIAL
[Kazuya felt some hesitation, but after a moment, he reached down to his belt. There, a small closed console had been hanging from where it'd been clipped to his belt loop. It was a dark blue colour, and its surface was pitted with small scratches, scuffs, and mysterious dark stains or scorch marks. Obviously battered but, definitely still functional]
This, my future husband, is a COMP!
[Kazuya held it up dramatically, before flipping it open and turning it to show William the two screens. There was a menu on the bottom screen, though some of its icons were greyed out]
It's a cheat system that allows normal, mundane humans to fight on par with the strongest of demons - indeed, you could even stand up to Lucifer with this! I know, because I did it. Anyway, what it does is... well, everything.
[Kazuya leaned forwards, over the coffee table, to make sure that William could see better as he began pointing at individual parts of the COMP's menu]
Some of the options are greyed out, because Cerelia messes with the COMP's connectivity with its server, but basically, this top middle one is the important one. "Team". Now, the COMP has a function where you can make contract with demons and make them your own, though you can only summon two at a time, look, I'll show you.
[He selected the icon, and it came up with three images. There was Kazuya's profile picture, followed by his name, and on either side of him, there were two more names: Ongyo-Ki and Metatron. Down along the right hand side was a column of an obscene amount of demons, both well known and obscure, but strangely, all of them were greyed out. Yeah, Kazuya was unable to access them, because of the aforementioned connectivity issues. Stupid Cereals...]
This is my current team. Now, I may be able to summon demons, but I make sure that if I have to fight them, I can easily crush them. You never summon a demon stronger than yourself! Most important rule ever. Anyway, that's not the important bit, I'm not letting you have any demons in your team. The important bit is... this!
[Kazuya selected himself in the team set up, and a list appeared, with words like "Zandyne" and "Anti-Most"]
The skill list. With this, you can select high level magic spells, passive and active, and use them without having to do all that backbreaking study and practice. It's right there at your literal fingertips. There're loads too, look.
[He selected "Zandyne", and another list appeared, a large one with all sorts of spells. He went back, then selected the other one, "Anti-Most", and another list with different spells appeared, with names like "Repel Fire" or "Null Phys", or "Elec Amp"]
So you see? With this, you can stand on par with a demon. It helps that the COMP has a Harmoniser system, so if a demon comes at you? Nooo problem! The Harmoniser, erm, how to explain... I guess you can say it weakens the demon to the point where a killing blow just gives you a bruise. So if an Ogre comes charging at you, swinging his cleaver at you, it'll hurt like fuck if he gets you, but he won't be able to sever limbs or anything. Just cut you badly. Also, also!
[He went back to the main menu, and selected something else: Demonic Compendium]
This is pretty useful too. A list of all the demons, their lore, and their weaknesses. It'll tell you which spell you need to destroy them completely, and which ones they're strong against, as well as giving you a low down on what skills and spells they'd have. The COMP automates this too, so if you find yourself ambushed, it'll bring up the demon's profile and tell you mid-battle what it's weaknesses are. Hell, it even does it for angels and humans, so it might do it for anything here.
[He lowered the COMP then] And I'm gonna lend it to you, since it sounds like you need it more than me.
[And, more importantly, Kazuya didn't need it when he went back home. He could use magic without the COMP, thanks to Bel, and he could summon demons without it too, also thanks to Bel. Cerealia was different, since it felt like something was stifling Bel's influence to the point where Kaz had to rely on the COMP to summon Ongyo-Ki and Metatron, as well as cast the very high level magic spells, but so far he hadn't encountered anything in Cerealia that required him to need them. So, yes, sentimental value aside, the COMP was better off in William's hands than his own]
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When Kazuya offered it to him though, William blinked.]
You are offering to let me borrow it? Me? But it's so powerful...
[He wanted to take it of course, because it looked incredible, but this? This was too much for a first meeting.]
Are you sure that you are okay with lending it to me? With some of the things that happen here, it might be better in your hands. I do know some magic after all, so I am not completely defenseless.
[He just couldn't stand up to an actual demon, angel or demigod, or anything else like that.]
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[Like "The Jungle". A few people had died there, and the predators that had prowled beneath that thick, green canopy had been dangerous enough to give even himself pause, and that terrible accident that claimed Ket's life... then, there was the volcano, or - wherever it was everyone else went to. This place was safer than the lockdown, true, but it was still dangerous. Kazuya could survive easily without his COMP, but William? The only person he met who was truly and honestly a kindred spirit? Well... it was a no brainer, really]
I can take care of myself perfectly fine without it, but you... [Kazuya gently closed the lid of his COMP] I understand your feelings, you know? To feel helpless while surrounded by creatures that are older and more powerful than you. I just want to give you a bit of a leg up, like I was given. It's only fair when your opponents are demons and angels.
[He smiled and held the COMP out, giving it a tempting little wriggle;]
Besides, I've outgrown this. If I face a high level demon without it, chances are I'll crush it underfoot without breaking a sweat. [Bold, but true. Mostly. If Lucifer popped his head back in, Kazuya would be destroyed, but against the likes of Beldr or Belzaboul or anything like that? Psh. He'll come out of it battered and bruised, but very much alive and on top] It'll serve better use with you. If it'll make you feel better though... just think of it as being a temporary loan. If I ever need it, I'll come and claim it back off of you. Sound fair?
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Very well then, a loan. I will make sure to take good care of it in the mean time.
[Despite how dinged up it was, it looked expensive. Terrifyingly so, like all electronic devices were.]
And it is appreciated. I should ask Kevin what he thinks of it to make sure, since he might have his own ideas about it.
But, it might be nice to have on hand. Or even to study for a bit.
[If only Isaac was here. He would have delighted in this and probably have even been jealous. It would have evened the playing field between them. Though, when he thought about it, that wouldn't have given William much pleasure in the long run. He wanted their next magical duel to be one of equals.
Though for now, this was fine. Monsters didn't play fair after all.]
So does it need to be charged or anything like that?
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[When he remembered. You may need to send him reminders to go snag it - it was a pretty important piece of kit, after all! Electricity and plug sockets weren't going to be around everywhere you went!]
Anyway, open the COMP up. It'll need to register you, since you're a new user. It creates some sort of mental link or... something. I'm not sure, I don't really understand its inner workings all that much. Far too complicated and technical for me. [Oh... hold on...] Ah, but, when you do, be on guard. I'm not sure if the COMP completely reboots if someone new starts using it, so it miiiight spit out a demon as a "test". Don't worry, if that happens, I'll take care of it. It should only be a Kobold or something equally pathetic. After that, the COMP should work normally and you'll have unlimited power at your fingertips!
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...yes that would be useful to know, about a demon possibly appearing.
[William said dryly as he opened it up. He wasn't exactly afraid anything small like a Kobold though. He was fairly used to sprites and fairies by now. Granted, this probably wasn't the same thing.]
So do I just wait and it'll do this registration?
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Ahah... um, yeah. [He pushed up from the sofa, circling around the coffee table to boldly perch on the arm of William's chair, peering at the COMP. So far it was showing the menu that Kazuya had up before] Huh. That's strange. It should be- oh, there we go.
[Mid-sentence, the COMP's screens went black. This was quickly followed by a stream of nonsensical code spitting itself across the bottom screen at a speed too fast to properly read, while the COMP let out a bizarre, high pitched noise reminiscent to a computer fan]
Yeah, it's making the connection now and...
[Kazuya paused, and the moment he did, the code stream stopped and a coherent sentence appeared, which drew a rather exasperated noise from him:
Peaceful days are over. Let's survive.]
That still shows up? [Geeze, Naoya, could you be any more dramatic?] Okay, so, now, it should boot up the demon summoning programme. Or, er, attempt to. Hopefully nothing'll pop up and it'll go to the menu like usual.
[Sadly, that didn't happen. Instead the COMP began making a rather peculiar noise. It was like listening to a ye olde dial-up trying to connect to the internet, quietly screeching and making eldritch noises as it - presumably - attempted to connect to the server that was more than a world and a dimension away. After half a minute of this-
ERROR. COULD NOT CONNECT TO SERVER. COULD NOT CONNECT TO SERVER. REBOOTING. REBOOTING. REBOOTING... REBOOTED. INITIATING PROGRAMME IN OFFLINE MODE. SOME FUNCTIONS WILL BE UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE CONNECT TO BABEL SERVER TO ACCESS THESE FUNCTIONS.
And with that... ding. The menu from earlier reappeared, only with a few icons greyed out and inaccessible]
Yes, it worked! Hah, looks like you can't summon demons anyway even if you wanted to. Perfect. Well, go on then, explore it a little.
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But still it seemed to be working now and William began to explore the menu.]
...it looks simpler than the Cerevice at least. But it seems like it also might be more of a pain to use.
[But, he's already beginning to understand it a little, being a genius and all. Still, he had better make sure he knows what's what.]
So which one would allow me to use magic?
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Go to the folder labelled "Team". Your profile should be there. If you select it, it'll come up with your skill list, and you can equip them. When you do that, you just... know the spells. It's like... it's like the incantation pops into your head, and that's enough, you don't need to chant anything or prepare a circle or whatever. You just flick your fingers and the spell's cast instantaneously. It makes battles go really fast.
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Very well..
[He selected it and began to tap on some skills. Hmmm, well he felt something change.]
This is almost frightening in it's simplicity.
[Yes, he was going to have to watch this COMP very carefully to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.]
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[Kazuya paused, his expression becoming unreadable. The COMPs, while a massive advantage against demons, were dangerous. Especially during the lockdown, where everyone and their dog had one and society completely broke down. So many people murdered each other, for food, from fear, for ideals...]
Back home, they were mass produced and distributed to the wide public. It... it didn't end well.
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[And the shift in Kazuya's expression said just as much. It was tempting to ask, but William didn't wish to force him either.]
I promise I will keep it safe. And I will definitely let Kevin know, so he can do the same, should anything happen to me.
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[Kazuya forced a smile, and clapped William on the shoulder briefly before sliding off of the chair's arm. He felt rather satisfied with himself, yet at the same time, he needed to be without company for a bit. Too many old wounds were poked in this conversation. But like hell Kaz would say that outright. No, time to make a dignified exit without rousing suspicion!]
Anyway, I better shoot off. I feel like I've overstayed my welcome. [He gave William a rather dramatic bow, with a great flourish of his arm - it was obvious he was attempting to imitate the Western bows of historical films (dramas)] Thank you for hosting me, future husband! The tea was good!
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For someone who breaks and enters, the conversation was rather enjoyable. Though speaking of that...
[He sighed, because really.]
You can just knock the next time you visit and come in through the front door. Neither I nor Kevin will mind.
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[Joking, of course - but, seriously, he was so used to breaking in through the window, that going through the front door did seem almost strange. He even entered his own apartment via the window sometimes!
...
Okay, thinking on it, that was kind of weird]
But I'll give it a try sometime, maybe. [He waved vaguely in William's direction, and moved away - towards the window of all things] See ya around, future husband! Say "hi" to Kevvy for me!