Audience - Jacopo

[holyspirits]

Comments

[obdure]

Good... Afternoon.

[ You know when cats see new people, but they know they aren't new people, but it's still like who is this. What happened here.

That's him. ]

[configurer]

[ pursuing her lips trying not to laugh because she does, in fact, think he looks exactly like a startled and suspicious cat ]

Afternoon. Your eyes have adjusted.

[ surprise... ]

[obdure]

[ Wondering to himself what is the likelihood they're all women and once again he's cursed to be griefed by women even in the afterlife. ]

I had assumed that whatever form before was what we'd end up like later.

[configurer]

[ :) ]

Well, it could be. You can basically pick your own physical form in heaven. The glow wasn't part of it, though.

[obdure]

[ its just like home ]

That's convenient.

[ He thinks he wouldn't do that himself, but sure maybe there are people who want to be different than how they lived. ]

This is a court?

[configurer]

It's heaven, isn't it? You can be who you choose to be.

[ thinks. about it ]

For some measure of it. Everything in this place is a little topsy-turvy, but it's a lot more traditional than, say, a church.

[obdure]

Divine punishment at the church not thematic enough?

[ Well, ]

I'm sure some people would enjoy a change of setting, but not so much that this repeats itself.

[configurer]

The protocol didn't specify it needed to happen in a church, but we don't have a lot of big potential meeting places in the neighborhood. It sort of designated itself.

[ hums as she looks around the courtroom, and, candid; ]

I'm worried about it happening again.

[obdure]

Then the stars aligned that way where the location with enough seats is the church.

[ A shrug. He grows quiet at that. ]

... No progress on any of the phenomenon?

[configurer]

[ nods at that first part, but. ]

Not anything that's useful or tangible. We know it doesn't affect your souls directly, so we know we're not looking for some kind of... mark. On heaven or yourselves. God's looking through all of heaven to make sure there's not a hidden extra presence that shouldn't be there in case they're hiding outside this area, so that's taking a while too.

[obdure]

Nothing about the tree and how it got here, either?

I don't want to joke around that the Devil is having a heyday.

[configurer]

The tree being part of the neighborhood isn't the issue, it's the part where it whispers things to you guys. We didn't not plan a tree around here, that's why we weren't surprised when it showed up.

[obdure]

Yes, I meant the concerning parts of the tree—miracle apples and a voice of temptation.

Was it meant to have a different purpose?

[configurer]

To... be a tree? [ wow. what purpose. incredible. ] There wasn't anything in the church backyard, and on Earth those have... graves, and obviously that was out of the question. So. Tree. I don't remember why we settled on a fruit tree.

[obdure]

... Just a tree... What a mess.

[ jesus christ ]

[configurer]

I know. I know. Who knows what would've happened if we'd decided to put in a vegetable garden or something.

[ evil whispering carrots ]

[obdure]

Do you think it being vegetables would make it less enticing, actually?

[ do people eat enough veggies, it's a joke. ]

[configurer]

Oh my god, why didn't we make it broccoli.

[ very serious reply (no) ]

[obdure]

Right, right. Who could tolerate broccoli for a miracle? Certainly not me.

[ obviously. ]

Workload has been manageable, otherwise?

[configurer]

No one would damn their soul for a piece of magic broccoli. But it's a good thing we didn't do beans.

[ jokes aside; ]

It's fine. Honestly, no matter how hectic things get here, it's less work than I'm used to. It's just more stressful because I've got less control over it.

[obdure]

Your project that you mentioned would have maybe taken eight weeks to explain to me, I remember.

[ Thinks about it because it sounds insane to compare, but then he moves his head side to side before one shoulder draws up for a half shrug. ]

I suppose I'd find this less work as well... And be as frustrated by the same reasons as you.

[configurer]

Yeah. It's not personal; even with people who understand the technology I use on the same level I do, it can trip them up. Takes a while for them to even wrap their head around the scale of what I did. Without that basis, it becomes... just throwing out terms at you you've got no chance of understanding.

[ and she sighs ]

If it wasn't for that interference... It's insidious and I swear it's taunting us.

[obdure]

I didn't take it personally, don't worry. Usually, at that point, I think explaining the intention and result makes it easier.

[ Shortcuts. ]

Fortunately, the souls are simply lost, you all said. It's not comforting for us, but... Better than exterminated.

[configurer]

That's what I think too.

It's pretty much impossible to fully exterminate a soul. It's just a matter of the soul taking longer to heal itself, depending on the damage. It's something, at least.

[obdure]

Then, in a way, there's all the time in the world. [ Nothing? Too urgent? ] Still frustrating nonetheless.

Would you be up for a game, then? Think of it as a break.