V-V-Voice Test!

[lostgrace]

It's strange that you would choose me. There are so many that are more interesting.

(Oh Anna, you don't give yourself enough credit.)

Is that what you think? (She smiles, amused.) Thank you. I'm not used to compliments.

(The most awkward pause in the history of awkward pauses.)

So, a game? What sort of game? I guess it can't be much worse than what I've foreseen.

Comments

[malleusmaleficarum]

And here I thought angels were supposed to have all sorts of foresight.

[lostgrace]

I haven't heard anything about this. It must not be that important.

[malleusmaleficarum]

You'd like to think that, but once there's no getting out of it once you're stuck.

[lostgrace]

I can't imagine it being worse than the situation I'm in now.

[malleusmaleficarum]

Wow, you're really new to this, aren't you, Anna?

These muns like to take your bad situation and turn it into an even bigger pile of shit for entertainment.

[lostgrace]

I haven't been here before. (So, yes, BRAND SPANKING NEW!)

Are you speaking from experience?

[malleusmaleficarum]

Considering how she put me on thin ice and then under surveillance from the Company in this game she's forced me into, yeah. I'd kinda say I'm an expert.

[lostgrace]

It sounds like more of the same. (Thin ice? Under surveillance? Yep, Anna has been there and done that.) Unless you meant "thin ice" literally.

[malleusmaleficarum]

No. But I'm pretty sure if Nhadala could find a way to put me on some and not help me out, she would.

[lostgrace]

What else would you expect? You are a demon.

[malleusmaleficarum]

Yeah, a demon who's been acting like a friggin' Girl Scout lately. Sam's here and I haven't been screwing with his head. I've even resisted the urge to slit Dean's throat.

They've got absolutely no reason to distrust me.

[lostgrace]

Resisting an urge doesn't make up for everything else you've done. (Not that Anna can talk.

Well, she can. But it might sound like she's preaching to herself.)

Punishment is meant for all of those who fall short of his (god's) favor.

[malleusmaleficarum]

Let she without sin cast the first stone.

[lostgrace]

I was speaking of myself too.

[malleusmaleficarum]

Yeah because the self-deprecating doesn't get old fast at all.

[lostgrace]

I'm not allowed to forget it. I wish I could.

[hung_garian]

Can't say I know for sure what you've foreseen, honey, but I can tell you this with 99% certainty. Take what you've foreseen and triple it. If you've got that rare breed of mun that's barely a sadist at all, that might get close to the bare minimum of what you can expect from your game. On a good day.

Welcome to the jungle.

[lostgrace]

No one enjoys being in these games? (She's beginning to get the message.) I fail to see how being in a world that isn't ending isn't better than being in a world that is ending. I'd willingly sacrifice my freedom -

Though my Mun says she will let me have some freedom.

[hung_garian]

Well, that's very sweet of her. Just 'cause the world isn't ending, though, doesn't mean it's anything even resembling enjoyable. Me, I think I'd take the Apocalypse, thanks very much. At least the Apocalypse let you catch a break once in a while.

[lostgrace]

Maybe for you. (Anna has been more or less plagued ever since she started hearing angelic voices.) I can't recall ever enjoying a break.

If this is like that...

At least less people will die.

[hung_garian]

Maybe in your game. Mine's built up a pretty high death count.

[lostgrace]

What's its name? I will do my best to avoid it.

[hung_garian]

Facility. You'd better; it makes Hell look like a field trip.

[lostgrace]

The name is ominous enough. (Facilities... Clinics... Hospitals... ALL BAD PLACES.)

[hung_garian]

Trust me, it lives up to its promise.

[Very bad place, yes.]

[lostgrace]

How long have you been there? Are there...others? (Meaning other angels and/or demons.)

[hung_garian]

Uh-- two years, give or take.

[Said a little sheepishly, because he really does feel he ought to have found a way out by now.]

From our world, you mean? There's Castiel. And Dean, but we don't count him, he's a dick.

[lostgrace]

(The number surprises her, but she quickly hides it.)

He's not so bad once you get to know him. (Or once you do the dance with no clothes on with him. Either way.)

I wouldn't mind seeing them again.

[hung_garian]

[Gabriel's not planning on doing anything naked with Dean.]

I know him plenty well enough and I can tell you from experience, yes, he is so bad.

They'll be at your game too, I bet. You know how they are with trouble; I'd be surprised if there was a single game without 'em.

[lostgrace]

(Probably for the best. Dean would want Gabriel to be a chick anyway.)

It's a shame you don't see his good qualities. (She might be a little smug.)

I take it you prefer Sam? (Yeah, Anna can taunt.)

They are popular. I thought my Mun would choose one of them instead.

[hung_garian]

I don't like either of the dumb sons of bitches. The only good Winchester's a dead one, if you ask me.

[Though in fairness, despite their protests Dean and Gabriel are probably among each other's best friends. Oh, the trials of being tsundere.]

Maybe she liked them too much to put them through this. I'm just saying, I wouldn't take it as a compliment that she picked you to torture.

[lostgrace]

I agree with you when it comes to Sam. (But not because she hates him. It's just... Everything would be far less complicated without him.)

I don't know. She sounded unsure when she thought about making a journal for either of them. I don't think she trusts her memory.

[hung_garian]

They do have a lot of issues to remember. 'Course, there's an easy way around it. You just carry the DSM-IV around with you and throw it at anyone who asks.

[lostgrace]

I guess she takes some pride in remembering background details. (A shrug.) How they react to certain game situations will probably have a lot to do with their pasts.

They're not like us. We may have issues, but we can also move forward. (If they don't die.)

[hung_garian]

Plus we're charming, fun and darn good-looking. Playing a Winchester's gotta be a pain in the ass, with all the brooding they do.

[lostgrace]

(She smiles faintly.) We're less...complicated. In a lot of ways.

But I think the brooding - as you put it - makes them interesting.

[hung_garian]

It makes them interesting from a distance, sure. But after a while it just makes 'em dull. They're no fun! Seriously, you should meet my Dean sometime, all he does is sit around in a big ol' empty house, throwing bottles at the wall and sulking. He's like a surly alcoholic toddler. It's embarrassing.

[lostgrace]

Someone should wake him up. (You know, big bright light, high-pitched angel sirens etc. etc.. That'll cure a hang-over!)

I would help if... (Her last moments are still a little too fresh.) Sulking won't do him or anyone else any good.

Is Sam there?

[hung_garian]

Hey, don't look at me. That's Castiel's area of expertise, not mine.

[He shakes his head.]

He's shown up twice. Died soon after each time. And died for real, not the kind where you come back after a week with a bitch of a headache. Didn't do Dean's psyche any good, that's for sure.

[lostgrace]

(A soft "mm" answers that comment.)

Died and came back with a headache?

(These games. How do they work, Gabriel?)

So he feels...utterly helpless. (No, that isn't a good look for Dean.)

[hung_garian]

There's death and then there's termination. Dying's temporary, the medical team fix you up again and you go on your merry way. Termination's when the player gets bored of us, and the medics can't do jack shit except toss the corpse in a furnace. Whiiiich would be what happened to Sam.

[He shrugs, keeping up the nonchalance as far as possible. Obviously he doesn't care about Dean's issues. Obviously.]

Dean takes it personally. There's nothing anyone can do about it, but the dumb fucker'd feel guilty about a natural disaster, y'know?

[lostgrace]

(Alright, so her original opinion about games might have been a bit naive.)

He already feels guilty. (It's a common trait in humans who give a crap.) But there was nothing he could do for Sam in either world. It's better if he stays dead and Dean moves on.

(She begins to pace.)

There's no sign of Michael?

[hung_garian]

Lovely. Guess it's only Dean's brooding that you find interesting, huh?

[He shakes his head.]

No Mike. No Lucy, either. We have a serious angel shortage going on. They have to ration us.

[lostgrace]

(Dodging that question like a bullet. Say what?)

Or it's just a rotten chance that we're split apart.

[hung_garian]

Michael or Lucifer turning up wouldn't help. Can you imagine the tantrums they'd throw? And I don't want any other angels stuck there. Bad enough they've got Castiel and me without adding to the damage. With any luck, your mun'll pick one of the fun games. I hear there's some out there. Something about a hotel... I would not be complaining.

[lostgrace]

They might do enough damage to make a difference. (As long as the rest of them ran for cover...)

A hotel? It wouldn't be called the love hotel, would it? (Deadpan.)

[hung_garian]

It's a nice idea, but it wouldn't work.

That's the one. It sounds great, don'tcha think? Now that's my idea of a decent game.