kenoscomm | techalaniani. [cw: dr...ugs...]

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techalaniani. [cw: dr...ugs...]

[ It’s about two weeks after the chaos that’s hit Highstorm and Springstar both. The dust has had time to settle and people have started to pick themselves back up. And in that busy time, the Shard-Bearers of Kenos are touched by someone new. It’s a mind that gives the impression of vastness in the way that other gods and similarly supernatural creatures have. There’s dark, fragrant smoke of copal, and the humid heat of a rainforest. It probably feels faintly familiar to some, since there’s just a hint of that warmth that feels similar to a certain sun god(dess)…

But as it focuses, that warmth seems to be coming from a campfire, perhaps oddly. The logs around it offer you a “seat”, whether proverbial or not, and it’s only if you take one that the speak themselves will come into more focus. But the introduction that comes with it is much cooler (in both senses of the word) than the bubbly Quetzalcoatl. ]

Yo.

[ …Is that how the newest god is greeting the masses? Yep. Apparently so. ]

I talked to enough people when Kenos was jerking me around [ no, that was me, the player, ] that Communion is just more efficient. So, for those I’ve met and for those I haven’t, consider this a more formal greeting. You’ve removed my brother Quetzalcoatl and allowed me to descend in his stead.

[ And even though he’s identified Quetzalcoatl as his brother… The smirk in that statement is unmistakable. He’s pleased that Quetzalcoatl is dead. For those that know the mythology of the Aztec pantheon even faintly, this wouldn’t be a surprise at all, since Quetzalcoatl only has one enemy that would be glad to see the feathered serpent fall. ]

Name’s Tezcatlipoca. Tloque nahuaque. [ The Nahuatl is spoken with a sense of power that’s subtle, but still raw, even though there’s no one that would understand it. Still, it conveys the idea well enough—this is no minor god of that pantheon. ] If you know me, great, and if you don’t, well. Met your god Set one of the times I was stoppin’ by, and our whole deal is similar enough. I am conflict, so in the spirit of fairness, I’ve thrown my lot in with Zenith. Can’t have two gods that oversee war and conflict on the same side, yeah?

[ There’s humor in his tone that makes it seem like it’s a joke, but… No. It’s not. That’s a pretty significant part of his rationale for picking Zenith. Thanks Set!/Don’t worry about. ]

Anyways. All that formal shit aside, easy one to follow it all up. Ain’t often that I got a human body to enjoy getting fucked up. So, if you’ve got a preference for weed, hit me up. Workin’ on somethin’ artisanal there, but I wanna know the poisons of preference for the locals. Let me know what you get fucked up on, and I might even make it worth your while.

[ …So. You know. That’s one way to introduce yourself. ]

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[ As Amos takes his metaphor of a seat (that’s what it amounts to, at least with how Tezcatlipoca thinks of it), his appearance in return becomes clearer. It’s like that dark smoke becomes less vague—it’s not dissimilar to the sensation of your eyes adjusting in the dark. And sitting on the opposite log is Tezcatlipoca, exactly as Amos saw him last. The only thing that seems odd is his amber sunglasses, since they seem ill-fitting for the dark, but presumably they’re just a fashion statement. ]

‘Sup. Took a while to make a choice, so I’ll offer a half-apology for that. Figured I’d be Zenith, all things considered, but had to get all the pieces together.

[ He grins in a way that’s toothy, but playful. It matches the answer to more serious matters just as much as the less serious ones that follow. ]

But I’ll take anything! Smoking’s my go to out of habit, especially since I got a hell of a nicotine habit without thinkin’ much of it, but ain’t much I’ll say no to. Way I see it, not like it matters. If I grab enough blow to dissipate me, eh, limit learned for next time.

Well, as long as you're apologizing.

[ It's said with good, relaxed humour, since Amos is feeling a bit more zen these days. Or detached. Or both, or a secret third thing; it can be difficult to pin these sorts of things down with him sometimes.

The sunglasses are an interesting choice that earn an eyebrow quirk, but otherwise are unremarked upon. Guy looks like he wants to make himself at home in Kowloon. Which, considering everything... yeah, that seems about right.

He isn't one for hard-hard drug use though, so... ]

Well, you said artisanal. Ever think about infusion?

[ The relaxed humor is met with a wry grin. At least for as fickle as gods might be, Tezcatlipoca seems friendly enough. Amos is a Zenite, so Amos is his ally. Easy. They’re similar in that with how blacks and whites are applied with a broad, easy brush. For Tezcatlipoca, it’s the harsh nature he embodies, and for Amos…

Well, Tezcatlipoca figures he’ll see.

But that affability turns to a thoughtfulness that’s a little sharper, but it’s in a very particular way. It’s consideration that’s calculating, but with the mind of business behind it. ]

…Ah, nah, not really. I know about it, but never really tried it myself. Kinda a new thing, and long story short, don’t get opportunity to try new shit often. ‘Specially now. What were you thinkin’?

Well, wasn't thinking anything in particular just yet. Since you just got here and all.

[ And might disappear again for all he knows, but that's neither here nor there. Amos is thoroughly at ease in the face of Tezcatlipoca's godliness and apparent penchant for business both, because as far as he's concerned, he really is just shooting the shit with one of his people. ]

Might take up craft brewing, though. Figure I can grow what I need at the greenhouse, or buy some stuff off the farmers in Alenroux — [ look at him supporting the local economy! What a good guy — ] and start making my own shit at home. Which'd give me the chance to fuck around some, so, you know. Maybe infusion.

[ A beat. ]

Or if you just put what you grow in chocolate. That'd be good too.

[ Because somebody's also got a sweet tooth, ]

I mean, kinda. Besides the time we had a lil’ chat, got grabbed another time recently, so I don’t feel new or anything. Kinda the opposite. Itchin’ to get to work, but I already got some ideas for that.

[ As laid-back as Tezcatlipoca seems to be, there’s a brief pang of sharp excitement. He’d talked to Silco about it his first time around, and he’d love to get back to his arms dealing gig and up the casualties. But. He sticks with the agrarian for now.

He makes a sound of approval at the brewing, but the mention of chocolate sparks a surprise and a familiarity. ]

Ah, yeah, chocolate is all the rage, ain’t it? [ He laughs like that’s a private joke ] I’ll have to try some in the modern style. You don’t drink it, yeah?

[ Well, he may not feel new, but in Amos' eyes Tezcatlipoca is very much new. He tilts his head — as far as he can tell, all of his ideas are drug-based, since ~~he doesn't want to bother with war god shit right now~~ that seems to be where Tezcatlipoca's passions truly lie — which brings him to...

His held tilted a little more, brow furrowed because, chocolate is all the rage? Modern style?? What, ]

I mean... you can drink it. [ He is now looking at Tezcatlipoca as though he's a little slow. ] You crush it up into powder form and add liquid. Usually hot. I guess you could add weed to that too, but I was thinking more like. Brownies.

[ DOES TEZCATLIPOCA EVEN KNOW WHAT A BROWNIE IS... This is so weird. A little memory flits to the surface of his mind, Amos cuddling with Quetzacoatl and talking about waffles. And xocolatl. Does Tezcatlipoca know what that is?

And then it's gone, nevermind, memory no longer relevant because that was in the past, and this is now. ]

I know how to bake 'em, but not like I can look up how much weed to put in them, you know? Just know that they were pretty popular when done right.

[ help,,, That look makes Tezcatlipoca's cheer drop, but it's with a click of his tongue. He's getting treated like he's stupid, so there's a dismissive sort of feeling and a wave of his hand. ]

C'mon, give a guy a break. Don't exactly get to just pal around with mortals whenever I feel like it since my civilization is kinda dead. I'm a little behind the times.

[ Unlike Quetzalcoatl, he can speak of the downfall of the Aztecs flippantly, since it wasn't something he'd taken as personally as she did. He's a nihilist, and because of his own bad luck, he doesn't get attached to things anymore. Makes it easy to just shrug it off as unfortunate, but it's how the world ended up progressing unlike Quetzalcoatl's divine sorrow and rage. ]

But yeah, I heard about weed brownies! Sounds like good shit. Don't exactly know the dosing, but y'know, I'm down to figure it out. Worst things that happen you either get a pan of regular brownies or you end up going to sleep for eighteen hours or whatever.

[ The civilization of everyone here is kinda dead? That's why they're all here, so it's hardly an excuse. Still, Amos isn't so obtuse as to not recognize that he's killed the mood some, so he blinks. Resets himself. Alright, Tezcatlipoca's saying things that are kinda dumb, but he isn't dumb. That's fine — they can talk about weed brownies instead, something they might actually know an equal amount about! ]

That might be a hell of a trial and error session. I mean, are you gonna eat an entire pan that puts you to sleep for an entire day? [ Amos personally does not want to. Mellow out and vibe some, sure, but not lose days at a time. He's got shit to do. ] Next thing you know you'll end up crashing for an entire Oracle. Probably wouldn't go so great.

[ And someone would probably have to be the Tezcatlipoca babysitter if he fucked up the timing that badly... It does not sound like an appealing job. ]

Maybe the library's got some cookbooks or something that gets into it. I mean, I hope ours does, 'cause I don't think I'm exactly going to be welcome in Springstar ever again.

Ah, yeah. You don't know when they pop up, do you? Heard about that.

[ Tezcatlipoca hadn't thought about that part, and that does make it more complicated, since apparently one is on the horizon, following the kind of schedule he'd heard about... ]

Well, fuck. I guess it's either that or being the best neighbors ever and setting up a freebie stand and askin' for reviews. [ He'd hand out extremely potent weed brownies. Sounds fun. ] But if our secret recipe is over in Springstar... Yeah, no, figure you're out. But no one's got beef with me yet. So I guess I better go lookin' before they do.

Yeah. They kind of sneak up on you, and then it's go time.

[ And when Amos says go time, he means it. If there were ever any doubts about his loyalty to Zenith, there shouldn't be anymore — which means during an Oracle trial in particular he expects everyone on his side to be giving their all, not stoned out of their minds.

Which, at least right now it sounds like Tezcatlipoca isn't going to be a problem on that front, so... good. Any little burst of intensity dissipates as he turns his attention back to the pivotal subject of weed brownies. ]

But y'know, I figure some people here might be into it? I mean, who doesn't like free shit? [ Plus with Highstorm's vibe... yeah, there's almost certainly a decent-sized cluster of residents here who are down to get fucked up on free samples. (Let alone if a T4 Zenite is endorsing them...) ]

But hey, that sounds like a good way to divide the labour. I look into cookbooks here; you check 'em out over there. Either we come up with the answer or we get a bunch of people here stoned out of their minds.

[ It's a win-win? ]

[ He wasn’t worried about Amos’s reaction, exactly, but he’s much more pleased to feel the guy relax. No surprise that he takes this whole deal seriously, considering, but he almost jokes about Amos maybe needing one himself to chill. But, no need! They’ve arrived at a fun conclusion. ]

Yeah, exactly. Give people somethin’ free and it chills them the fuck out? Hell, crazy as this month seems to have been, they might be downright appreciative.

[ He snickers ]

So, we’ve got a plan. I’ll scope out Springstar’s reserves, no problem. Anyone tries to give me shit, I’ll just tell ‘em I’m Set, tryin’ out a new style. We look similar enough that it’ll fool someone, probably.

[ Oh yeah that one earns a frown from Amos. ]

... I mean. If you want. [ To tell them that he's Set, which strikes Amos as kind of gross and bad, just on principle. ] I dunno if anyone'd buy it, though. Guy's been around long enough he's probably got his own rep over there, and I doubt anything about it would hint towards him chilling the fuck out. So, might not work.

[ A beat. ]

But thank you for at least being normal.

[ He barely knows Tezcatlipoca but he will take this war god over the other one, thank you very much!! ]

[ Amos's distaste doesn't bother Tezcatlipoca in the slightest, since, yeah, he'd expect people to dislike Set. He's a prick and a little shit. He barely knows the other god, but to say he makes a strong impression is an understatement.

Normal, though. He's not sure how to take that. He knows Amos means it as a compliment in this case, but that makes him sound boring... He's not sure if he wants to be normal. It's a little insulting?

...Anyways. ]

...He's that bad, huh?

[ Like. He knows. But he wants to hear it from someone else too. ]

Yup.

[ If Tezcatlipoca is feeling insulted then Amos sure isn't picking up on it. As far as he can tell everything is normal here? And normal is a good thing. A very much not-like-Set thing. Amos may be kind of intense about Zenith, and a lot intense about Yima, but otherwise he's fairly chill, and there's an appreciation to the boringness of normal — and with it, an appreciation for Tezcatlipoca. ]

Think he's determined to make everyone hate him. Which, you know, everyone's got their strengths, but his is a shitty one.

[ He dips his head. Puffs out a sigh. ]

Almost permanently got rid of him. Oh well.

[ ~~Maybe next time,~~ ]

[ Tezcatlipoca had missed all of the fun villain speeches, whether Set or Silco, but he’s at least heard about them both secondhand. And in that, he can see Set’s strategy, or rather, the role he wants to take. ]

Yeah, probably. It’s ‘cause he’s practically a kid, so far as gods go. That’s my impression, at least.

[ It’s hard to know with any certainty, because the concept of age… doesn’t really apply to them. It’s more a matter of maturity and experience and in that, Set reminds him of himself just when the cycles of the Sun were beginning. Gods were strange beings, but they weren’t totally separate from humans in how they learned. Sometimes, you have to lose and lose a lot to gain wisdom.

…And there’s also the sort of threads of fate that entangled them more than any human, but those were harder to understand, so he doesn’t touch upon them. If Tezcatlipoca were to call Set an evil god, he wouldn’t mean it quite in the same way as Amos would hear it. ]

Wouldn’t advocate gettin’ rid of him permanently, but that’s just my own bias speakin’, I’ll admit. [ Quetzalcoatl, part of him just recoils from the premise. He’s a protector of souls too, so he likely would never be able to take that one last step. ] But I get it. I can already tell he’s a real pain in the ass. Fucker broke my spine immediately when I crawled outta the ground here for real. Dick.

[ …yeah, tezca has already been dissipated and revived and he just got here. thanks so much set. ]

[ Practically a kid is a hell of a saying to use to describe Set, for so many reasons. Because as far as he can tell, Set is very much grown. Amos might not be as old, but he's grown, so what in the hell is that actually supposed to mean...

If anything, his confusion should be evident. Just a whole lot of ??? vibes being sent Tezcatlipoca's way, even if Amos isn't elaborating on any of them.

And there are a lot of reasons for them. ]

He already killed you? The fuck for? [ Amos sounds less offended at the concept of Tezcatlipoca dying and more at the concept of Set, in general. ] How're you biased against crushing his shard in that case?

[ Because Amos figures like. Yeah. He could still do that, easily, as long as he got a chance. ]

[ That confusion is fair, and Tezcatlipoca even expects it. It wouldn’t make much sense to most mortals, since it’s a way where they just work totally differently. There’s a feeling in response that’s like a thoughtful kind of a grumble, a “ah, shit, how do I explain this,”, but because Amos doesn’t ask and moves on, Tezcatlipoca is suitably distracted by the other topic. ]

Tch. By accident.

[ He doesn’t mind the lack of offense, since it’s not like he’s that pressed over it either. Death is a much more present part of his pantheon, so dying doesn’t bother him. It hadn’t even ticked up his Discord, really. ]

Like I said, he’s like a kid. So, fucker wanted to tussle for fun, but just snapped my spine first thing after I popped out of the damn ground. It’s a long story, so don’t worry about the how or why, but short of it is that I’ve got a human body that I gotta reinforce if I want to take big swings.

[ He actually wouldn’t mind explaining, but. If this guy is confused about him calling Set a kid, he’s not sure that the circumstances of the summoning are going to make any more sense. But, still. He’s annoyed just remembering it. Even in Communion, he wants to smoke? That’s the Set Effect™. ]

…It ain’t him that’s the bias though. Just souls in general. Part of my role in the world is bein’ a psychopomp. So, I got a fondness for the dead and a responsibility for souls. Think of it like a job, but I take it seriously.

[ By accident—

Amos stares at him, flat and almost irritated. Because Set is being Set, which is somehow being a kid, which makes no sense but whatever. Fucker's immature enough, he can see it. As long as he doesn't think about it too much.

But also because, ] What, are you gonna need a bodyguard or something?

[ Because Amos has tussled with Set a couple of times, and it's turned out... okay? He's done an alright job in each of them. (And then there's the time he dissipated him, like, two weeks ago, but that was less a tussle and more an annihilation. He's still not sure what to think about that.) He hasn't had his spine snapped at least, and so, it might seem as though Amos is offering to be Tezcatlipoca's bodyguard.

Because he is, albeit under a veneer of being put upon. Because yeah, he'll look out for fellow Zenites. ~~Especially if Set is involved.~~

What Tezcatlipoca follows up with makes him quiet down, though. So much so that Amos might as well not be there at all but for the way his form stays present, if still, and the depths of his sealed-off thoughts settle in the air around communion.

And very, very quietly: ] There're some souls that can stand to be destroyed.

[ And at this point in time, he still believes Set's to be one of them. ]

[ …Amos’s earnest and blunt nature is making him feel just a tiny bit offended again. So, he’s very quick to address that. ]

No! Fuck no! He just caught me by surprise! [ He is NOT fragile (he is) (sometimes), thank you very much!! ] Look, I think it’s reasonable to not expect that fucker to come flyin’ at you first thing crawling out of the damn ground. Next time we’re seriously fighting, I’m going to rip his spine outta his asshole, don’t worry.

[ Is that literal? Who knows. I don’t. While he might get back to the much more serious topic of which souls do and do not deserve to be destroyed, for now, he’s solely focused on defending his own honor and prowess. ]

[ Amos' eyebrows shoot up as Tezcatlipoca protests too much. ]

Out of his asshole? [ It's a visual he's trying to imagine before deciding... nah, he's good actually. ] Damn, Smoky, can't you just kill him like normal?

[ You know, like Amos did?? He's having to reevaluate that whole Tezcatlipoca is normal stance. ]

I mean, y'know he ain't exactly going to play nice with you, right? So if you get ambushed again...

[ The bodyguard thing is not entirely off the table. ]

[ At least the offense is just turning into exasperation, but that’s a more familiar feeling, at least. He’s well used to it thanks to his weirdo of a Master who could also be… quite literal in a similar way. ]

Tch, it’s hyperbole. Ain’t actually gonna do that! [ (Probably.) ] Yeah, I know he’s not gonna play nice. I don’t either. That’s pretty much what it means to be a god that oversees things like conflict and war.

[ …That said. Set is definitely worse about this than Tezcatlipoca for multiple reasons. Most notably, he’s decidedly competitive whereas Tezcatlipoca is more laidback, even when it comes to war. ]

Look, I appreciate the offer, but it’s not gonna happen a second time. Lesson thoroughly learned that Set’s a little shit that "plays" as hard as Quetzalcoatl did.

[ He brings up the whole god of war thing again, and Amos' mouth twists into a frown. Not that he disbelieves Tezcatlipoca on what he claims to be — and accepting it right out of the gate is a new one for him — but something about it makes Amos feel distinctly uncomfortable, a deep and heavy feeling from his side of the communion that he can't let go of entirely.

But at least he can puff out a breath, wave his hand off in a yeah, yeah gesture. ]

Alright. [ Why does it sound accepting and disbelieving all at once... ] Look, I played with Sunny once before. She was holding me back from killing Set, actually. So I get it. You can look after yourself.

[ The but hovers in between them for a moment. ]

But just in case it happens a second time I ain't gonna judge, okay? Whatever you need. I try to at least be reliable for folks on my side.

[ The feelings are just as confusing to Tezcatlipoca, so there’s the kind of confusion that comes with a furrowed brow in return. But whatever it is, it doesn’t seem urgent for him to know. Though hearing that Amos has had his own tussle with Quetzalcoatl (Sunny? Another nickname, and it’s cute, he has to admit), the feeling turns to sympathy. ]

Damn. Don’t know which is worse in that case. I guess Quetzalcoatl ain’t as pro-killing as I assume Set is, but still. She got into that lucha shit and it made her ten times more annoying to fight.

[ It’s a big part of why he wasn’t keen to go check out her temple until now. Those wrestling moves are supposed to be for show, but they’re absolutely not to her... ]

But yeah, yeah, heard. You the team big brother? [ There’s a joke lightly in his tone, but no, he’s actually right, ]

[ He laughs a little at the lucha shit, because it sounds like her. Fun, and kinda annoying when they weren't on the same side — though that minute they were was great.

He's just going to take a moment to sit with that, a little wistful feeling he's feeling more inclined to nurture these days, before looking back up at Tezcatlipoca, full attention on him once again. ]

You could probably call me that, yeah. [ Amos picks up on the joking tone, but also gives Tezcatlipoca a straightforward answer (because why would he answer any other way when it's the truth?). ] I wanna be there for my people, you know? Just the way I ended up wired.

[ And he could have ended up wired in substantially worse ways, so him taking on a ferociously protective streak towards the people he considers to be in his tribe is a pretty good outcome. ]

I get it, you being a god and all. I ain't stepping on your toes there. [ Well. Maybe a little. ] But I've been here a long while now, which means I got more experience than you. That's where I'm coming from is all, so I figure that shouldn't be a problem.

[ If Tezcatlipoca isn't so prideful as to concede to an honest desire to help, ]

[ Tezcatlipoca laughs a little when Amos says he has more experience. It’s a quick little bark, a half-arrogant hmph, but there’s approval with it all the same. On one hand, the damn nerve of people of the modern day! Or Kenos or whatever… He’s not used to anything but exaltation, but luckily, he’s been well-humbled in that regard by his Master. If there’s anyone who was willing to fearlessly point out Tezcatlipoca’s flaws no matter the consequences, it was Daybit.

So, sure, maybe it stings his pride a little, but he respects the resolve in the words. And maybe just a little bit of the gall of it too. Conflict also includes this, doesn’t it? ]

Nah, I can’t argue with ya on that point. And if you’re the kinda guy that’s looking out for his people, I respect that. Ain’t an easy thing.

[ He shrugs, and his smile at least tilts towards more amiable and friendly at this point. He’s more pleased at Amos pushing for it than the opposite, after all. ]

Plus, I guess Zenites are my people now too, strictly speakin’, so they’re under my care. We got the same idea in mind there, at least more or less. I’m more on the “tough love” side of things, but you could say that’s how I’m wired too.

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