[video]

[shortwired]

[So there's a half- naked, bewildered kid with tears streaming down his face in the square. WAS HE ABUSED, YOU ASK? DID SOMEONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM? OR PERHAPS HE'S ONE OF THOSE CRAZY MASOCHISTS WHO ENJOY PAIN because there's still a ghost of a smile present.

In any event, he's going to continue to appear bewildered for a few moments more.]

Shit-

[He hastily scrubs the tears away with both hands. WHOOPS.]

This isn't an illusion, I can already tell. [SWIFT RECOVERY!] So. What's going to happen next? I'll only be patient for a little bit. Two minutes, maybe three. The clock is ticking.

Comments

2/2

[errandry]

[ well, at least they aren't going to have to go through the "this isn't a dream, no, really, it's not" bit. ]

Yeah—it's gonna keep doing that!

YOU LIAR

[shortwired]

You-

[give him a little credit bro.]

What is?

[hold up a sec-]

There's a clock somewhere, isn't there. I hear it. But...it sounds like it's in my head.

ALL DAY EVERY DAY

[errandry]

Fifteen levels under the city, yeah. Welcome to the cursed land of psychic clocks.

....at least you admit it

[shortwired]

You went looking for it, huh. Psychic? Is it sentient?

I'm very graceful that way.

[errandry]

Nah, the tick just gets in your head and sticks. Unless you've got people around, anyway.

I'm almost moved to tears.

[shortwired]

[....deadpan]

The psychic clock wants us all to be a big, nauseatingly happy family.

that's right, appreciate me more.

[errandry]

And that's still better than some of the other stuff this place wants.

on second thought, no thanks.

[shortwired]

Well, go on then. Tell me. And while you're at it, how long have you actually been here?

[errandry]

Hooooold up—if we're doing status checks, you're up first!

[shortwired]

[more deadpan]

Black Crow has defected to Kogarasumaru. If what I've heard about time and this dimension is true, maybe that's news.

[errandry]

Kind of! Just wanted to make sure it wasn't gonna be news to you. How much'd you get about the curses?

[shortwired]

Wait. Are you ahead of me? You must be. Don't start holding out now.

As for curses- just that I need to be wary of them and that they're random in nature.

[errandry]

I'm not holding out, the boss told me! And nah, being wary's probably not gonna get you anywhere, there's way too many of 'em.

[shortwired]

This is annoying. [MUTTER MUTTER]

How many, would you say? Ballpark it.

[errandry]

You're telling me! I dunno—over a hundred different kinds? It's only one at a time and once a day, though.