(no subject)

[hellburger]

Kazuhira Miller has made himself at home at a cozy Nexus seating group. He pores over a spread of newspapers and magazines covering a plethora of universes and alternate Earth timelines. To one side, a text book on theoretical physics is opened to a chapter on string theory and a cup of black coffee has formed a puckered ring over Donald Trump's leering face on an issue of Time Magazine.

He lays his current paper flat on the adjacent coffee table, leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees, and loosely clasp his palms. "What's the strangest news you've ever heard? Or, if you'd rather: what world event would you say has affected you the most?"

Miller's head turns and points to a four-inch stack of glossy flyers. He sighs. "And ... while we're at it, when did newspapers become seventy-percent ads?"

Comments

[hellburger]

"Huh! How many of those summoner types abuse their powers? The temptation would have to be there. Hell, I'm sure the military would be all over a unit of devil summoners! Imagine that."

He reflects on that idea and snorts. "Or at the very least, it'd make the basis for a good pulp novel."

[sumarusfinest]

"Some do. I've definitely had to get involved with situations like that in the past." The temptation for many things in Sumaru is high. It makes a civil servant's job never ending.

"It's probably for the best the government hasn't gotten hold of demons though." He's seen how fast corruption spreads firsthand. "If a person would be tempted, imagine a bureaucrat. "

[hellburger]

"Who knows, though? Maybe demons would be great for special ops? Just send them in to do the dirty work, save yourself some losses? Definitely great for psychological warfare..." Kaz may have just convinced himself that demons would be awesome.

Suddenly, a derail: "Say, I've gotta ask ... where'd you find that suit? Looks real slick. The glasses are a nice touch, too."

Someone's a big fan of men's wear, even if his only visible efforts are the aviators, some great hair product, and a fancy watch.

[sumarusfinest]

"If they could be trusted to carry out the mission, certainly. It's a possibility. Though I'd rather rely on drones than the whims of a demon." The ones smart enough to follow orders might also not eb the sort one would want to trust with their life, or the lives of civilians.

It's something to ask the detective agency about though. As Sumaru's resident Devil Sumnmoners, they might know something about the subject.

"The suit? Ah, Rosa Candida--it's a specialty department store back in Sumaru. It's...not your average clothing store." Not anymore, at least. Hurray for rumors changing reality? "Thank you for noticing, though. i do try to maintain a professional appearance. As a civil servant, I should look the part."

[hellburger]

"Fair enough. Drones mostly don't don't turn on their operators. At least, I hope not, given how many consumer-grade drones I see on sale in these advertisements." The future is wild.

"I miss having an excuse to wear clothes that aren't olive drab," he says wistfully as he leafs through a Nordstrom's ad. He frowns after a few pages; the offerings are a little bland for his 70's sense of style. "I landed in the wrong line of work, at least when it comes to robust wardrobes."