aefenglom | 002

Name: Rich Goranski
Date: Backdated to Oct 14
Format: Video for initial post; various in comments

[Without so much as an introduction, a video plays. It's a little shaky with the recorder's nerves, and occasionally, a long talon partly covers the view of the scene, but it still shows what it needs to quite clearly.

Eventually, even with the struggle still continuing, the camera is turned away from the action, towards Rich. He has to hope what he just got will be enough to get the Coven to actually believe him this time, but right now, he doesn't have time to wait around. Direct action is needed, so he pings the friends he trusted: Michael Mell, Myr, and Niles. The message is still sent to everyone, however, so everyone can view the video and the panic in Rich's eyes when the camera is turned back to him.]

The SQUIP has lost it. It's going full villain again and I need back up. Meet me near the inn, I think it's trying to take Heere there.

[Without an explanation of what entails the SQUIP going full villain or who 'Heere' may be, he continues.]

Everyone else, please stay safe and-[He's cut off by something happening off screen, which makes him swear and stuff his watch into his pocket. There's about a minute more of muffled yelling and darkness before the recording eventually ends.]

~*~

[Hours later, there's another video tacked on to the earlier one, once the mist has finally started to fade away. Rich is back inside, his changes from before calming down enough that he isn't at risk of burning down Justine's whole cottage. He looks tired and worn, a few nasty scrapes on his face, but... there is a sort of relief in his expression, some sort of certainty that, no matter what happens next, he did what was right.]

Hey everyone. Sorry about that... I know I promised to be less of a downer the next time I posted on here, but... shit happens.

I'm just letting everyone know the SQUIP is knocked out. It had been using magic to charm and mind control several people, including someone I was bonded to, Justine, and a friend from home, Jeremy Heere.

Two of the people it was Bonded with, Linden Tailor and Connor, are also unconscious... guess some sort of trauma went through the connection when we stopped it. Since it was actively using mind control magic, I used Mountain Dew Red to deactivate... the part of it that was still a supercomputer, I guess. It should recover fine, and while it's passed out, I'm going to bring the recording to the Coven so they can see I wasn't lying when I told them what it did in my world.

If any of you were being controlled by it, let me know. It got to quite a few people when I saw it, but its powers should have worn off by now. It can be... a little traumatic, though, so my door's open if you wanna talk. Hopefully now that the SQUIP was... de-SQUIPped, somehow, this shouldn't happen again.

[With another tired wave, Rich signs off. He'd love to stay and chat but... he's pretty sure his roommates are still going to need a little more help in the fallout.]

((Everyone is free to respond! Rich will respond when he's done dealing with his roomies, who are likely either a) dealing with mind control withdrawal or b) having panic attacks over the SQUIP. Other players on Team Anti-Bastard Computer Man will also be responding a few hours after the events of the battle, providing information on what went down and vouching that yes, Shit Was Bad.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I heard y'all talking about me, what's up? We're all staying at Rich and Justine's, so if you're a friend of theirs you're a friend of mine.

[Happy wiggle goes here! But he did promise Rich he wouldn't embarrass him, so he's going to try his best.]

Michael, I presume? I am delighted to get to know you, dear. Rich has told me wonderful things about you.

I'm Aziraphale, and I'd like to think I'm a friend of his indeed.

[Cute...]

That's my name, don't wear it out! Oh jeez, has he? Now I'm nervous. I'm just some dude, really, don't get your hopes up too high.

Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Aziraphale.

A 'dude' is all you have to be, dear. I'm just happy to meet Rich's friends. I feel bad you have ended up here, considering, but forgive me if I'm happy Rich isn't lonely anymore.

Just Aziraphale is fine, I promise.

Nah, I get you. I'm glad he isn't alone here, either. I mean, he's clearly been doin ok in the making friends department, so that's cool, but I think he's feeling a lot better now that me and Jeremy are here, too.

Yo, that's a sweet name, though. Not your usual boring american fare. What's your heritage?

I lived in London, back home. My bookshop was in SoHo, to be more specific.

[He doesn't mean to hide who he is, what he is. If Michael asks directly he will tell him about being an Angel, as he has told Rich already. But 6000 of years of hiding who you are don't get erased overnight. Particularly when talking in a public posts like this.

He's not good with technology, but he's heard enough of Crowley's schemes to know that you do not share important details about yourself like this.]

Could you please, reassure me that you are all really okay? It's not that I do not trust Rich, but he does have a tendency to hide his own pain, and I myself have a tendency to worry too much so that would put my mind at ease.

Oh, okay. I guess it's just an unusual name then, huh? I mean I guess I don't know a lotta people from the UK but I sure don't know anyone else named "Aziraphale". That's cool.

Oh. Yeah, of course. I won't lie to you entirely we're kind of a pile of stressed out kids, I mean me and Rich and Jeremy, but we're safe, now. From mind controlling hivemind machines. Just not entirely safe from our own wild brains, you know? We're trying to take care of each other.

I am the only Aziraphale I know.

[That... is not a lie, so he'll stick to that for now. Some angels have their names used by the humans, like Gabriel and Michael, but that mostly happened to the archangels.]

Teenager brains can be particularly wild, indeed. [Or so he's heard.] I may not be able to help with certain things, as I'm sure I wouldn't understand them. But if you ever need anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to come to me. My door is open for all of you, dear kids.

That's what I've heard, yeah. I don't really have anything to compare to, except my pre-pubescent brain which was weird in its own way.

Thanks, though. I know us teens can be weird about going to adults with stuff, but personally speaking it's nice to have a stable adult figure existing on the sidelines, there to be a voice of reason among raging hormones and out of control self-image ideas.

Thanks again for takin' care of Rich. He especially deserves having a cool adult around.

I am afraid I may be the farthest thing from 'cool' you shall ever meet, and Rich himself could tell you that. He says I'm like a 'grandpa', though I have chosen to take it in an affectionate way.

If you ever need an ear, I may not be the best at advice but I am certainly good at listening. You could tell me more about Rich, as well, I'm interested in getting to know him through his friends as well.

[This is the closest Aziraphale gets to gossiping, honestly, since he's... so curious about Michael and why Rich has such a cute crush on him.]

Trust me, compared to his usual adult figure, you're cool.

[And that's all he's gonna say on the matter. the rest is Rich's story to tell.]

Good at listening is a skill in and of itself! I should know, I've cultivated it on purpose. Ain't nothing wrong with a little grandpa energy in it either.

I get it, you want the deets on Rich that he won't spill on himself. I'll brag on him if he won't do the honors, sure. You know where we live. Come over for tea or something. That's what british people do, right?

That is, indeed, what British people do.

[And Aziraphale may not be British, but he enjoys tea like the best of them, so he's more than happy to go with the stereotype in this case.]

I'll let you know when it's a good time, then. Or you could come over to my bookshop? It's still not open to the public but I spend most of my time there, anyway.

[Az's gone native enough to count as british to Michael.]

Hot beverages are a good time. So are books! I'd love to visit your bookshop. Does it have that old paper smell? Love that shit.

[Gasp! That language!]

Oh, it most certainly does. I love that smell myself. I didn't let my bookshop back home have that smell because I was afraid it would encourage people to actually buy the books, but since I'm not selling them in this place I can just enjoy it.

Rich knows the address already, but I'll send it to you anyway, and have tea and pastries ready for when you arrive. I always enjoy meeting people who enjoy a good book.

If you're not selling them... isn't it more of a personal library, or a collection, than a bookstore?

[Insert thinky emoji here]

You have any books on world history or latin culture? Or conspiracy theories? Those are my favorite.

I suppose it would be, but that would just be semantics.

[Look. He wants a bookshop, don't ask him why he insists on calling it that even though he doesn't plan on letting go of any books.]

I do have books on world history, and I was lucky enough to have people who have volunteered to write about their own worlds and experiences so it's quite diverse. I would have to check if I got any books about latin culture from my world, since I wouldn't find any in this place. For obvious reasons.

Conspiracy theories, though. That's an interesting one, I'll make sure to have some ready for you if you come over. I'm partial to prophecies, myself.

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