Klement Devereux (
judging_eyes) wrote in
inconvincible2021-01-19 06:46 pm
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Who Are You?
Continued from here.
= = =
His pick is less of a restaurant chain and more of a smaller business: a cozy French cafe adjacent to a specialty market, far from being chic or trendy yet modern enough to encourage a variety of guests to visit. Doors are pulled open to let the outside in, or vice-versa, its covered patio seating and its brightly painted interior meeting each other halfway in the square footage it occupies.
"The reviews are always mixed, but the locals know better," Klement mentions as they're shown a table somewhere in between. He wears another suit, yes, but it's dressed down from his normal business attire: a knit sweater and jeans replace two out of the three pieces he wears, with no tie in sight to secure the collar of his shirt.
Sitting down, he gently pushes one of the menus across the table to Lucas. "I myself have tried this place a few times before and have never once been disappointed. So I hope your dining experience also goes well today."
= = =
His pick is less of a restaurant chain and more of a smaller business: a cozy French cafe adjacent to a specialty market, far from being chic or trendy yet modern enough to encourage a variety of guests to visit. Doors are pulled open to let the outside in, or vice-versa, its covered patio seating and its brightly painted interior meeting each other halfway in the square footage it occupies.
"The reviews are always mixed, but the locals know better," Klement mentions as they're shown a table somewhere in between. He wears another suit, yes, but it's dressed down from his normal business attire: a knit sweater and jeans replace two out of the three pieces he wears, with no tie in sight to secure the collar of his shirt.
Sitting down, he gently pushes one of the menus across the table to Lucas. "I myself have tried this place a few times before and have never once been disappointed. So I hope your dining experience also goes well today."
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Klement's also as dressed down as the Medium has ever seen him. It's almost shocking, except for the fact that the man is more presentable than Lucas is in his usual t-shirt-jeans-converse combination. He leans back against his chair when seated, absently still looking around.
"Oh, yeah, honestly as long as it's not crummy convenience store fare, I think I'm going to like it." His standards as far as food goes is not a high bar. "So, is this a place you come to do business or just because you like it?"
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Who are you really, though?
Despite all of the niceties, the untethered question comes to the forefront of his thoughts. While he genuinely does want Lucas to enjoy the lunch, he does mean to answer the question to the best of his abilities.
"Whenever you are ready, we can place the order and...well. Chat for a while."
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Lucas draws his gaze back to Klement and his own question comes to mind. In context a chat is exactly why he's here, but he has to wonder what he might be getting into. Nothing for it.
"Well I've got two ears for a reason," While he might be a chatterbox he's also a very good listener. "Let's get this order going and settle in. You do owe me an explanation, right?"
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Speaking of which, Kovach is ready, willing to listen to what he has to say. As for the meal itself, he beckons to the closest server so they can place their orders in a timely manner.
The Antiquary is a fair man. Deals fair. Plays fair. And it wouldn't be fair to withhold background information after a fair amount of time has passed. "You are correct," he replies to the Medium after a time, leaning his wrists against the edge of the table and clasping his hands in front of his body. "And as I have said, I may have some trouble trying to find a good place to begin. So...shall I just cut to the chase?"
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Either way he’s about to find out.
“You know, my Mom always said I’m a good listener,” He sweeps his hand out towards Klement. “So let’s just jump straight into this.”
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Hazel eyes study him for a moment before Klement leans back in his chair, one hand resting over the other. "Very well, then.
"...I remember you saying something about being familiar with the supernatural. With ghosts," he begins. "Talking to them, listening to them – just as we are doing now." His gaze drops for less than a second's worth of time, lifting again as he continues. "I see ghosts. Even from my earliest memories, I have always seen them, and it was only later in life I was tasked with guiding them to where they were supposed to go once they left the mortal plane.
"This is the part that may sound a little crazy, however. Will you believe me if I said my experiences are because of my divine heritage?"
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"...Guiding them? Wait, what?" That curiosity lands first, but it's swiftly follows by another. It's a lot to process all at once, give him a second here Klement!
"Woah, woah, woah. Back up, what do you mean by divine heritage?"
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The Antiquary lifts a hand as he clears his throat, letting that motion go into simple gestures to aid his words. "What I mean by divine parentage is precisely that: one of my parents hails from a godly pantheon." The other hand then joins in. "The god in this instance is my father. My mother is human. So by definition I am technically a Demigod."
A small smile punctuates the silence that follows, letting all of what he says sink in.
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"So are we talking Charon or Osiris or someone like that?" Klement wouldn't pull his leg this hard, so the only logical conclusion, as wild as the whole idea happens to be, is he's telling the truth. "A demigod...I'm gonna need a refresher on that one."
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"Closer to the latter of the two. I suppose the great Osiris is like a distant relative, in a manner of speaking." His hands draw together again, one resting over the other to adjust a black ring he's wearing. "More like Anubis, in this case."
Yes, that Anubis.
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There's so many questions rattling around in his brain that Lucas doesn't know where to start. Maybe not in the most likely of places but the first whole question that springs to mind is what he's going with for now, "Does it help with the line of work your in? Antiquities, or whatever?"
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Although he tries to make light of it, Klement is pretty serious. He then sighs. "To be fair, the Pesedjet pantheon operates in that manner. As old as they are, their ideas are just as old-fashioned and unchanging at times. In comparison, my father is flexible depending on how situations play out. He knows human nature. He is willing to support whoever he allies himself with until things change, and in trying to do so with humans...well, you know how it goes. The smallest setback can have disproportionate effects on a working relationship."
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"We can be fickle creatures," He says with a slow nod while mulling over this new information in his mind. "So I guess the big question is...you collect these things for your father or is it all some kind of test?"
Was this one now? Eh...Lucas passes that thought over. Klement's been truthful in all their dealings so far, he feels even if the man wasn't exactly as straight-forward as most. Obviously there were reasons for that.
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Klement does notice the look, his closed-mouth smile a lessening in its previously practiced intensity now that Lucas is observing him closely. "My father sets me on tasks," he says, which basically is a wordy 'yes' to the former. "Some artifacts are too dangerous if left in the wrong hands, whether they be human, demigod, or even the gods themselves. Usually I make sure these items are properly stored away or sent to the right address. If something goes missing, I am one of the first he notifies. This also includes locating them if they somehow end up in strange places where they should not be.
"Tests I have done in the past, mostly to learn and apply my knowledge in a world I was still new to." As a waiter drops by with their drinks, a bread basket and some butter, he nods, letting his gaze shift back to the Medium. "But there will always come a time for another one, and I will either have to do it or help someone else go through the whole process."
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"So when you collect these things, where do you take them? Don't tell me there's a giant warehouse somewhere with all sorts of kooky stuff?" If so, please take him because that sounds amazing.
"You teach other demigods how to do what you do, you mean? Or am I missing the point?" And what kind of tests? Lucas bites the question back, for now, feeling like he's throwing a bunch in Klement's direction at once.
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"Hmm. You are not wrong in making the assumption. And not everything is 'kooky'..."
Which probably means there is a warehouse. Or something.
He seems to follow the jumps between questions rather well, however, helping himself to a roll. "No, you have the right idea," he laughs softly. "Each of us have our own way of doing things. Some are more independent than others, but others appreciate the company. I am mostly there to observe and offer advice whenever someone gets a little, eh, stuck. But if worse comes to worse, I – or anyone else in set in this position – come to their aid. It is like a last resort option, more or less."
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Probably.
Lucas continues ignoring his lunch in favor of listening and mulling over more questions. There's so many still that he can't nail one down to ask, not yet, not while Klement tosses out another bit of information.
"That sounds kinda lonely," He blurts out without thinking. "I mean, uh. Do you run into other demigods often?" Nice recovery...
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Maybe one day he will ask if it's possible to do a special guest visit to at least one of them. He knows it's risky, but Lucas is on a similar page with the strange and supernatural. When one understands as much, there's a lot less to worry about. But somewhere between then and the minutes following the waiter's timely arrival and departure with their meals, Klement takes the time to at least eat a small portion of his food.
That sounds kinda lonely.
The next morsel stops short along the line from the plate to his lips, hovering for a moment as the Antiquary's eyelids flicker. He then sort of laughs, breathy yet mirthless despite the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "On occasion," comes a simple reply. "Sometimes on accident. Other times due to having business that somehow relates on several different levels."
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Of course, that train of thought halts when he sees Klement falter momentarily. Sometimes it would be handy if his brain to mouth filter worked faster.
"Yeah? Do they have similar jobs or does that depend on who their...uh." How on Earth does he phrase this? "Deity...God? Parent? I mean, is it like they say in the myths? Or is that only a Greco-Roman thing?"
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There's a nod of understanding. "I suppose it depends on who your parent or legal Deity is. Much like the Greco-Roman pantheon, most gods and goddesses do whatever they feel is best for the situation, usually beginning with base-level tasks that may be related to their field of interest. From there, if one does not become overwhelmed, they can entrust them with the so-called heavier lifting. That is where things get a little more, ah, nuanced? Since not every god will operate in the same manner as everyone else."
With a short space for eating, he continues after another beat. "Demigods can follow in their parent's footsteps if they so choose. For instance, I step into the Psychopomp role whenever my father cannot. Otherwise we all work normal jobs to keep us afloat."
Which kind of lets him wonder for a second. Is your job full-time, Lucas?"
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So Klement's question catches him with a full mouth.
Nodding his head with enthusiasm he quickly swallows down his bite of food. "Oh, yeah. For sure. If you mean dealing with anything supernatural? Like, I clock out of the office but sometimes work just follows me home. Or anywhere, really. Especially the ghosts. But, it's not so bad, really. Trying to bridge a gap between worlds, so to speak, it's a pretty big job."
He constantly hopes he lives up to the role.
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The Antiquary is patient, nodding as the Medium shares a bit about his own occupation. There's an understanding in place, especially when it comes to taking work with you or having ghosts follow you home. "It is indeed," he agrees. "How long have you been at it? Not everyone can comprehend the scope of that weight. Not many can handle it, either."
If Lucas is able to speak about it like he's talking about an office job, then Klement assumes he has quite an aptitude for it.
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“Oh, gosh, uh. Almost two years now, I’m still pretty green, actually!” Lucas remarks with a bright smile.
“But I guess it helps that I sort of grew up in the office. Well, I visited a lot. My Mom really wanted me to go into anything else for my own sake, but I couldn’t stay away. It’s hard to when just about every day I run into a spirit or something odd going on.” So he does come across like an old hat at it all, but really he’s still new enough not to have been worn down by excessive paperwork and the trappings of how IOPSA expects their casework to unfold.
“That and the Academy trains you up pretty well.” He chuckles, shaking his head slightly. “You should have seen how I botched my first case without any training wheels on, honestly. Like, I really couldn’t have messed it up more aside from running the ghosts into the resident demon...Whew. But! We did go back and get things sorted, it just took about a year.
The best part is...the families, honestly. It’s hard talking to them, especially if it’s a missing persons case or something like that, but giving them some closure is. Important. Really important, I think. So it’s a job worth doing, you know?”
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Klement finds Lucas' choice interesting – the Medium's history runs far deeper than he originally assumes, which makes sense when his mother was originally involved in the work long before then.
"Not every first mission goes smoothly," he commiserates. Messing up can make or break a person's career. He's lived through it. He's seen others go through similar experiences and has seen the effects thereafter. "It is good you were eventually able to resolve the problem. Demons, indeed..."
Demons are a whole 'nother ballgame. It's better he doesn't think too much about it.
Thankfully Lucas continues, crossing into familiar territory. A different perspective. It's here the Antiquary's expression shifts, albeit slightly – the smile still holds, but tinged with sadness. "...Yes. I believe I understand.
"Not everyone can do the job you are providing, Lucas, and those who are able to have such closure are fortunate to have had you speak with them."
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"Sounds like you're speaking from experience?" Not even a demigod is immune to being a greenhorn, huh?" It makes sense in an odd sort of way. The first thing that springs to mind about any sort of god or goddess is some supreme all-knowing being. Everyone has to start somewhere.
"Well, I'd like to think if people had the means they could, but I won the lotto on these abilities, I guess." Lucas tries to temper that praise a little out of sheer habit, a reflex born out of the need to fit in. "Might as well do something useful with them. But, I guess we're kind of in the same business sometimes, so if you ever need a helping hand...?"
Count Lucas in.
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He still remembers it well: the floundering between the mundane and the phenomenal; the slightest bit of instruction on the abilities he gained, brief and brisk and nearly non-existent until he's had a chance to fail at it; handling difficult tasks he had very little time to prepare for.
"I was still under some form of supervision at least, but dear lord," he adds with a light gesture, dismissing the thoughts just as quickly as they first appeared.
But he studies the Medium, noticing the way he takes compliments. At a glance, Lucas is a man who's just getting by – easy to amuse and amaze perhaps, but doesn't try to take credit or let him ego become inflated. To fully understand how Lucas operates, he'll need to see how he actually does out in the field.
And such an opportunity crosses his path when he willingly offers his help.
"Joining forces, you mean?" The smile comes through again, its meaning unknown at first. Then, it softens. "...I see what you mean. I do not see why not."
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He nervously picks at his food some more, hoping that the offer isn't overstepping anything. Is it taboo to team up with a demigod? Who cares, as long as Klement is cool with it.
"Yeah!" He replies too quickly, perking up in his seat. "...Wait, really?"
Honestly, he expected to be gently rebuffed, but this is way better! "I mean, I'm definitely curious what kinds of things you have to deal with and if I can help out, why not?"
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"Yes, really," Klement replies. "Some of it you may find familiar, given your background. Others will give you a chance to, how you say, stretch your legs. Perhaps see something new."
And maybe a field trip to a warehouse. Who knows.
"To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I am looking forward to it."
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What could it be? His mind is instantly filled with images of mystical locations while knowing full well that is probably furthest from the truth. Hollywood does the same thing glorifying his job in ways that Lucas wishes was actually true.
"Good, me too. Just let me know when and I am so there," Doesn't matter how he has to change the schedule, he's not missing this chance! "And if you want to drop in and see how we do things, you're always welcome at my office. Okay?"
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Klement nods. "A fair trade," he says. It only feels right to offer his hand to seal the deal. "I rather like this arrangement very much."