First Summons : Text

[shallbeavenged]

[She's been here a lot longer then she thought she would. Clearly whatever is here is more powerful then the Lord of Hell. So since it appears she'll be here for a while longer, it probably wouldn't hurt to learn more about the sort of people she's trapped with. And of course, you'd want to know about the most important topics....]

If you could take revenge on the people who brought you here, would you?

Comments

( text )

[busdriver]

Whose rule is that?

[To the earlier point, they'll have to end this before they can know what to want when it ends. Depending on how it shapes out, maybe fewer people will want revenge. Those are just her thoughts, and she won't volunteer too many of them.]

( text )

[shallbeavenged]

The lord of Hell.

( text )

[busdriver]

I can't read tone.

video

[shallbeavenged]

[She's not really sure how to fix that so she just switches to video. The fact that her voice is quiet and near emotionless probably doesn't help.]

Does that help?

( video )

[busdriver]

[May mirrors the courtesy, if that's what it counts as, switching modes. She didn't expect someone so young on the other end of this conversation. Her experience with deceptive appearances is still pretty limited.

She's inexpressive too, but it's the sparseness of her contributions that makes her quiet, not the volume of her speaking voice.]

It doesn't hurt.

[She sounds questioning after that, unsure if she was supposed to take the previous answer literally, sarcastically, or as a joke:]

"The lord of Hell"?

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[She nods]

Yes.

( video )

[busdriver]

[Gauging the response as far as she can, she nods acceptance. Her best option is to treat this seriously, even if it's just a perception, a belief, and not the reality. A little girl with bright red eyes, talking about revenge. This ought to be unsettling, even without bringing Hell into it. May tells herself she's past that, and doesn't rattle. She hasn't had much practice at speaking like an adult to a child, with safety in her voice, so she stays neutral.]

What's your name?

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

Ai Enma.

What is yours?

( video )

[busdriver]

Melinda May.

Is the lord of Hell here too?

[No inflection, serious question.]

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

No. Whatever brought me here is more powerful then him.

( video )

[busdriver]

That might mean new rules for you, or no rules.

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[There is a pause, because well this is something she's had running through her head ever since she arrived. She's not really sure how to process it. She only just agreed to be the Hell Girl forever and now this.]

Temporary freedom.

( video )

[busdriver]

That's the only type there is.

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[That actually gets something resembling a smile from her.]

That is true.

( video )

[busdriver]

You're not like other kids.

[Given what's been said, she's pretty aware of stating the obvious here.]

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

I've been dead for over four hundred years.

( video )

[busdriver]

[There's a stunned beat. She looks surprised, too, for at least a couple of seconds.

She recovers with:] That explains it.

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[Ai remains silent at that.]

( video )

[busdriver]

[She has questions, but doesn't reach for them to fill the silence. It's May's turn for something resembling a smile. She's usually the first to stop talking. This is new.

From her side, it isn't an uncomfortable quiet.]

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[Ai's used to being the silent one. In fact she's been more talkative here then she's had to be in a while. She remains quiet. Watching.]

( video )

[busdriver]

[And it still doesn't bother her. She holds eye contact for a while—with no pressure behind the stare—then cants her head.]

Tell me if there's anything you need help with.

( video )

[shallbeavenged]

[There's a bit of surprise in her next expression.]

....I will. Thank you.

[What are helpful people.]

And thank you for answering my questions.

( video )

[busdriver]

[She's following some of the other conversations, which doesn't seem invasive to her. If they were private, she assumes they'd be locked.]

Sure. You're easy to talk to.

[She appreciates it when people say what they're thinking, especially with contentious issues like revenge. Ai deserves credit for what May perceives as honesty. The quiet helps, too.]