The Grand Play

“ i will not be giving a statement on anything that is happening except to say hi diavolo, you piss me off. shoutout to my fuckass brother. don't forget to like, subscribe and hit that bell. ”

"I have many things to say as a response but I shall sum it up in a quickly. Hello my not so dearest greatest annoyance also known as an older brother. How's Lilia? I must say, you have a very unique way of asking him how his day was"

“ i'm literally your dearest brother. you don't have anything to pick from. dearest out of one is still dearest. hah. sucks to be you. ” pause. “ and shut up. i don't want to hear it. i was just asking, dumbass. you saw nothing. i didn't even drop anything. think i deserve applause. ” god forbid he trips over the floor and chokes on air. twice. in one conversation.

"Doesn't matter if you're the only option, I've decided none of you are my dearest. Don't go telling Zagan's ghost that though, he'll never get off my case about it" Diavolo sighed, his voice taking on a more petulant tone "I know i killed him and everything but that was over 80 years ago! He should really get a different topic"

Diavolo clapped his hands together, mockingly slow with the most sarcastic smile he had. "You are so right, my apologies Azazel. You know, you should truly be rewarded for getting closer to acting like a normal person around Lilia. What would you like? Prize money? A trophy? Perhaps they can go with a party in your name!"

“ oh, shut iiiit. wouldn't be able to blame him really. if you killed me i'd never shut up about it - you'd never hear the end of my complaints. and i've decided i'm your dearest living brother and there's nothing you can do about it. ” he sticks his tongue out.

can he shut up??? “ it's not my fault. god forbid i fuck up one time? ” ah, azazel. it is not one time. “ and yeah, i'd like a party in my name, thanks for asking. i'm going to the one later that kalim's throwing - doubt i'll be seeing you there. ”

"You've decided that you're my dearest living brother, not I. Don't expect me to treat you as such" Diavolo shook his head "Ofcourse... I could be convinced" cough bribed cough "To change my mind"

"One time? And i suppose all this happened at once?" Diavolo made direct eye contact with Azazel as he played a compilation of every time Azazel messed up in front of Lilia that he was able to capture. "Kalim's parties are nice but they get predictable enough after a bit. I have yet to decide wether I'll attend or no"

“ ...and how much would that take? or what would that take, rather? what, you want me to make another gift to give someone? ” the sarcasm is thick in his voice. and he's not stupid, but the title would be nice to have. (what? the better reputation he has, the, well - better.)

he crosses his arms. “ you need to learn when to shush. ” and what's he even meant to say to thattt? “ get that shit off, you're just making me look bad by only taking the bad bits. ” azazel sticks his tongue out. “ eh, fair. i'm going with - well. you can guess who. vanitas and cater, ” he shrugs. “ if i see you there, i'll give it my all to embarrass the shit out of you in return. ”

"A favour, perhaps?" Diavolo clicked his tounge "You know, Azazel, this is hardly a beneficial investment on your part. Investing so much in a measly title that barely holds meaning anyway? Its a good thing we aren't still competing otherwise father would have made me heir apparent if he caught wind" Dia's voice was light. He had little real issues with throwing their father's name around in conversation. He may hate him but Diavolo had hardly internalised or completely registered the fact that he was infsct traumatized.

"I am not taking merely the bad bits i am taking the average bits. Brother not-so-dearest, how could I possibly have so much footage if this wasn't a common occurance?"

"Nice try Azazel, you'll be too out of it to embarrass anybody but yourself" cue patronising headpat simply because he was tall enough to do so

azazel squints at him, and then squints harder. “ ...a favour for what, though? it all depends on what you need me to do this time. what sort of predicament have you decided you need me for now? persuading someone? an excuse to stalk someone? interesting habits you have, diavolo. ” he ignores the mention of their father, or he'll throw up, or something. different flavours of trauma! yay.

“ because you spend ninety percent of your time watching people. isn't my fault you're just filming everything and hoping for the best. ” he's saying this like diavolo isn't wholly and entirely right. “ uh, shut up and get your hand off my head. they like me cause i'm the life of the party - figures, when you're involved. ” azazel pulls a face.

Diavolo laughed lightly, insincerely, though he was far from truly offended. "I have nothing I need right now, but isn't it worth holding on to favours till the opportune moment to call upon them? I assure you, i am capable of doing the aforementioned on my own for now"

"Oh Azazel, you make me sound like a crazy stalker!" Which he sort was "I don't record people, merely observe them closely to have the delight of witnessing various reactions. The only one I really record is you when Lilia is involved"

“ fiiiine, i guess, ” azazel shrugs. enough people owe him favours for it to hardly matter - if worst comes to worst, he can just put one of those in action (although he'd rather not, if he doesn't have to.) it's awfully convenient to have people owe him things, even if he doesn't really use them. “ sure, let's say i owe you one, then. ”

azazel raises his eyebrows. “ tell me i'm wrong, brother dearest. you are a stalker, and let's not pretend you're just some average guy. and you only record me because you like to see me suffer, anyway. i'm gonna - ” somewhere in the vicinity, lilia exists. azazel chokes on his air, turns red in the face, and starts coughing loudly. “ -don't you dare - say shit. ”

"works for me, brother dearest" Diavolo didn't have much intention to use the favour anyway. Atleast, not for anything that he couldn't just ask Azazel to to. So perhaps it was a wasted deal. Oh well! It was only Azazel anyway, Diavolo didn't consider it too hard to get him to do something when he wanted it anyway.

"Oh who, me? A stalker? My you make it sound as though there's something wrong with me or what i do!" Diavolo was so very quick to pull out his phone and point his camera at Azazel with a smile "I'm not saying a word"

“ turn that fucking camera - i swear to god if you're filming, diavolo, i swear to god - ” he chokes again. he's heartslabyul red, now. azazel coughs once, twice more, and then finally manages to catch his breath. he glares up at diavolo. impressive glare.

“ can you not, just once, embarrass yourself? this is really rude to me. i want to catch you fucking up too, goddamnit. ”

dramatxrgy

"There are no rules in night raven college against filming, Azazel. And even if there were, who would you take it to? I'm hardly afraid of your paltry threats" Diavolo was a tad too amused to take Azazel's glare seriously "My, my, you're such an impressive shade of red you're putting housewarden Rosehearts to shame!"

"I'm afraid not. Some of us have pride and dignity. What reason could I possibly have to embarrass myself anyway? Unlike you I am not, as the students here say, down bad"

#—Corvid Curiosity

Follow me into the darkness, walking by the sinners kneeling, in the sixth infernal circle, where their wounds are never healing.

We descend across their pyre, burning tombs of eternal fire, making your way out by killing; shooting, punching, and blood spilling.

But beware the sound you are hearing, out the pipes of organs screaming, holds a blessed code, that’s leading to the cove of the unforgiving.

Painted red or painted black, are the columns you should crack, made of hidden layered skin, holding sacred code within.

Look around there’s something odd, weigh your code because it’s wrong, pump it up and you will find all the data bytes entwined.

Now don’t fool around and sing, there’s a spectre in the swing, scanning slow from outer space, drawing signals, leaving trace.

Once you know the word to say, you may push the door asway, but before you start to blame,

INSERT COIN TO RUN THE GAME

---TRS---

PRAISE THE CODE

*Xiao examines the inscription on the tablet he’d found, trying to decipher the meaning of it. The slot shaped hole under the message must be for said coin to be inserted. Would something happen if he did put a coin in? He doesn’t have any mora on him at the moment, and he’s not sure if he should place an item of such value in a rock…

*After a few hours, Xiao eventually decides that deciphering this message will take more than one mind. He stands from his kneeling position and makes a mental note of where he found the stone tablet. This will make it easier for him to bring help. Once familiar with the location, he teleports to the house of the one person he knows is at least somewhat familiar with eldritch nonsense: @loki-ft-other-ocs-too.

Loki was rummaging through an old box of items he had stored in the house when Xiao appeared. One of his cat ears pricked up, tilting towards the doorway where the noise had come from. He couldn't sense any hostility though he couldn't tell who it was "Need something?" He called out without looking up.

*He walks inside and close enough to notice what Loki is doing.

Oh. Are you busy right now? Sorry. I can wait...

Loki looked up and shook his head, giving Xiao a smile "Oh no, I am merely whiling away my time. Nothing too interesting. What do you need, little bird?"

Ah. Well, a tablet with a strange message on it appeared in Wuwang Hill. I had been attempting to decipher the meaning of it myself, but… I can’t make sense of it.

*He sighs, crossing his arms.

I figured you have a bit more experience with the unusual than Re— Zhongli, so I came to ask for your assistance.

"Do you mean to suggest it may not be of this world? My experience in that area is quite limited, its more so that I merely go along with whatever those eldritch entities want but... it could be worth a shot" Loki began carelessly shoving things back in the box "It wouldn't hurt to take a look"

*Xiao picks up a few things to help Loki put them away.

It’s still more experience than I have. I just hope we can make sense of the text. If it means danger, I want to prepare for it.

*Once the stuff was back in the box, he leads Loki to the otherworldly tablet.

"That makes sense, I suppose. You're right, best to investiage before some disaster or the other ends up striking"

Loki stared at the tablet, trying to puzzle through all the different possible meanings. "This is but a guess and a surface level analysis, however...." the usage of the word game at the end reminded him of Eris and Khaos "These seem to be instructions- albeit phrased in a riddle format. Or perhaps a description of some sort of game... a violent one at that"

*Xiao nods, rereading the tablet in this new light. He’s never been quite this stumped before.

The instructions angle does explain a few things. Especially this last line: “insert coin to run the game.”

*He then places his hand over the hole at the bottom of the tablet.

What kind of coin would fit through this, though…

"I doubt its made for mora, or iron coins- or anything that is of this world really. It would make sense if it is designed for a currency that exists only beyond the stars" While he spoke, Loki took out a single mora coin to measure it against the little slot