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[syckophant]

This is Tenshouin Eichi, His Majesty the Emperor, also known as Bordeaux. I'm so terribly sorry I couldn't get to you in time, but if you leave a message I am sure to get back to you~ ♪

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[innerdaemons]

Absinthe: For ease, I'd prefer to speak with you in the dorms.

[syckophant]

Bordeaux: Then you shall.
Bordeaux: I'll meet you in the common area.

[innerdaemons]

[ there's not another reply but if Eichi heads to the common area Absinthe will be sitting at the bar with a glass of wine. ]

[syckophant]

[ He'll come out eventually, then take a seat next to Absinthe. ]

Already up to no good, is it?

[innerdaemons]

[ he chuckles. ]

And why is that your first assumption?

[syckophant]

You called me, didn't you? So what is it?

[innerdaemons]

I've received a tip from Asmodeus - - that there's a backdoor into heaven, that requires a ritual to open.

[syckophant]

Oh! That one, right. Do you know the ritual, then?

[innerdaemons]

I do! So it's only a matter of finding willing volunteers.

[syckophant]

And what are these volunteers supposed to be willing to do?

[innerdaemons]

Assist with the ritual, and a more thorough investigation as to what is inside heaven.

[syckophant]

[ Eichi shifts a little then, placing his elbows on the bar as he pulls off his white gloves, revealing the silver-white scales and claw-tipped fingers underneath, then reaching out to grab an empty glass, admiring it. ]

Absinthe.

I am a busy man, and our gracious host has already informed me of his intentions after this door, as well as another goal of his which I am to be working toward.

Now would you please stop insulting me by beating around the bush and describe what this ritual entails? Am I expected to sacrifice? Will it detriment me? If it should, how will I be compensated?

I am a businessman, not a gambler.

[innerdaemons]

[ his gaze goes to the claws and then back to Eichi's face, with a little knowing smile, settling back in his bar seat some. ]

You must forgive the vagueness. It's a habit I've gotten from speaking with those who seem to have far less knowledge than you on what our dear host could desire.

May I first start by asking what he requested of you? I'll be more inclined to put some cards of my own on the table.

[syckophant]

How very annoying. You're asking me to volunteer for something vague and yet you think I should offer information for you? Do you intend to help me with my mission too, if I should tell you about it, or are you just being paranoid?

[innerdaemons]

In the interest of fairness, I'd be more than willing to assist. If it's within my capabilities, of course.

[syckophant]

I need someone's head on a platter.

You tell me what is necessary for this ritual, and I may deign to tell you who.

[innerdaemons]

[ he shrugs, an expansive lift of his hands; ]

Well, the funny thing about that is -- I haven't quite decided yet what this ritual should entail.

[syckophant]

[ Eichi doesn't look amused. ]

...Go on.

[innerdaemons]

From what Asmodeus tells me, the contents of the ritual don't truly matter -- as much as the belief of the people conducting it. I do want to make it convincing, of course.

[syckophant]

I see. That is simple enough, I suppose. Of course, Heaven would rely on a system of "belief", so flimsy and unreliable, as some sort of gateway. And something self-sacrificing would be best for something like that too, considering the dogma of most modern religion being all about the lowering of oneself and lifting up of a useless, archaic idea of a benevolent divine being.

In any case, my target is one of our hosts- not the host of the production, but the games. You saw her before- the angelic-looking one who was in charge of our auction game~

"By any means necessary". And I've information on her abilities, magical and non-magic, as well as some tendencies that may help locate her.

[innerdaemons]

[ laughs, swirling his glass ]

Asmodeus was feeling awfully chatty, wasn't he? Does she have any particular places that she frequents, or are you referring to other sorts of tendencies?

[syckophant]

If you know the right things to ask and the way to ask them, I am sure he would be fairly chatty with you as well! It just turns out that perhaps he is not interested in basted angel, which is truly a shame, but I can make due with Exael. No genuine angelic parts, but I'm sure her wings would do just as well fried or baked with the right spices~

I haven't heard of any places in particular, but I have heard that she likes to break the rules by popping over here to our side from time to time, and I must just... find out where.

[innerdaemons]

[ there's another soft, bemused sort of laugh at the first part; ]

I must confess, I am a bit surprised. You would think that a demon would have more interest in consuming an angel than we would, considering their origins.

[syckophant]

No, it makes sense. If you think of it, they are at war, aren't they? From what I hear, only one single agent of Heaven has been found. The rest are mysteriously missing- and where could they have gone? Are they planning anything? In war, this is much more important than feeding your appetite, no matter the sweet scent of the flesh of your enemy. This isn't about anything so simple and animalistic as predator versus prey, it is about domination.

And so we are going to be sent in as agents of Hell in the stead of the demons who probably could not manage to step foot on the hallowed ground. The single angel there would be a much more valuable prisoner than platter.

As for my assignment- A soldier who disobeys orders is as much a danger to the operation as numerous enemy soldiers, and so silencing her traitorous tongue by any means necessary is an understandable undertaking.

Now, while my particular tastes have gotten me a reassignment, I was not forbidden from undertaking a task other than my own, and I was told that it was up to my discretion on how to get my job done, and so. I can stem my monstrous appetite for long enough to do as you need me to, should you agree to assist me in my undertaking as well.

[innerdaemons]

I see, I see -- so the task I did accept was suited for my ... discretion, with regards to my dietary habits. I do think it would be interesting to taste an angel, but I'm not so eager as to compromise my objectives for the sake of that. In the end, though, it seems that we've been given tasks that would suit our own personal styles.

I do believe we have an agreement, then. Asmodeus specifically directed me -- as you mentioned -- to either find that singular angel and retrieve them, or find some other sort on evidence on whether or not the "heaven" the others went on a field trip to was false or real.