The message comes by carrier pigeon actually, which is a pretty weird way to deliver a message but of course, it's thematic. A very pretty looking brown pigeon swoops down out of the sky to wherever Hannibal just so happens to be that afternoon and holds out its leg. The message is short and simple:
Got a job for you. Meet me in front of the sheriff station at dusk. No show, no job. Keep it a secret, rewarded very well.
- Hal
P.S. Burn this.
And that's it. Of course, if Hannibal chooses to listen to the message, he will find the Sheriff in front of the station at dusk. He'll be greeted with a tip of his hat and one word:
"Deputy."
And then he holds out a small notebook. Looks like Hannibal's been chosen for one of those roles that were mentioned. Good luck.
[ That surprises him, but unlike the Sheriff, it doesn't seem like as thrilling of an answer to Hannibal. Murders for something like ritual never quite appealed to him, but he doesn't contest or argue it. He can at least leave that difference as a matter of taste. ]
Interesting. What do you mean by "won't be so great"? What would be the consequences of a refusal to participate?
[ The Sheriff considers this for a moment, tries to figure out how to explain before ah, he understands now. ]
Y'know how some people, have these tiny little villages, just a handful of folk helping each other. Usually farm for their food, keep things going, etcera. End of the season, have all this food to harvest so they do and prepare it to store away over winter. Sometimes in these villages, folk get together to celebrate their harvest, put the food together and share it around before they pack it all away for the winter. If it was a good harvest, the celebration will be joyful and merry. If it wasn't, well. Ain't a lot of people have much to celebrate then.
So, this is sort of like that festival. My employers are about to turn in for their "winter". The more this festival is full of life, the more they have to sustain them during "winter". The less... enthusiastic the festival is, the less they have anything to sustain them, you see? If they don't have their festival, bit of a bad omen for the winter. Maybe won't survive it. Maybe won't have anything to keep them whole these upcoming months. And for beings such as my employers, ain't a very good thing. Could cause something bad, like, metaphysically. I mean, I know I'd certainly die but you could too. All different versions of you, across all the different universes. I guess you might call it a sort of universal implosion.
[ Considering how the Sheriff seemed to prefer brief answers, Hannibal is inclines his head in curiosity when he starts into a longer one. He tucks his hands into his pockets idly, since this is a longer explanation than he expected, but also... A very odd one. Hannibal liked to think abstractly, but this was a bit outside of that. His ideas of abstract tended to be limited to metaphor and memory palaces, and it's why his first response is fairly simple. He looks surprised, even incredulous, but not quite disbelieving. ]
That sounds quite unbelievable, I hope you realize.
[ He makes a thoughtful noise and looks away, but after a moment's thought, Hannibal shakes his head. He decides that he believes it, at least in the sense that there's no real harm to play along. But he does laugh, because much more importantly: ]
[ Look. Look. At Hannibal's incredulity, the Sheriff just sighs and looks aptly pained before pinching the bridge of his nose. ]
Because it's dumb. Every time I gotta explain this crap, it's dumb. Y'got some beings, stuck at the center of some universal knot and having to pick them apart to get their fill. So, what do they do? Throw a game or whatever for their survivin'. I like the game, think the reason for the game is dumb. S'why I don't tell people the whole truth here 'cept the Deputy.
[ Sighs! ]
Ain't poetic, sir. Honest. Just nonsense, don't pay any attention to it really.
[ Well. He was trying to be polite about it, but Hannibal smiles like he's holding back a laugh. If even the Sheriff finds it ridiculous, Hannibal feels slightly better in barely understanding it. He's essentially just fine with the prospect because the work required to that end amuses him. ]
If you insist. I won't pay it any mind at all.
[ he's gonna have a good time regardless, so ]
Though, out of curiosity, will other people learn the whole truth?
I can only imagine. It's why I ask, since the explanation would surely be unsatisfactory.
[ To say the least, because Hannibal finds it pretty unsatisfactory, and he barely even gives a shit. But he nods agreeably, since otherwise, this works for him. ]
But that is all, I believe. Thank you for answering my questions. [ He pauses, then adds wryly: ] By the tone of this conversation, I almost feel tempted to say "it will be a pleasure working with you."
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sheriffexe) wrote2017-01-13 11:05 am
no subject
Interesting. What do you mean by "won't be so great"? What would be the consequences of a refusal to participate?
no subject
Y'know how some people, have these tiny little villages, just a handful of folk helping each other. Usually farm for their food, keep things going, etcera. End of the season, have all this food to harvest so they do and prepare it to store away over winter. Sometimes in these villages, folk get together to celebrate their harvest, put the food together and share it around before they pack it all away for the winter. If it was a good harvest, the celebration will be joyful and merry. If it wasn't, well. Ain't a lot of people have much to celebrate then.
So, this is sort of like that festival. My employers are about to turn in for their "winter". The more this festival is full of life, the more they have to sustain them during "winter". The less... enthusiastic the festival is, the less they have anything to sustain them, you see? If they don't have their festival, bit of a bad omen for the winter. Maybe won't survive it. Maybe won't have anything to keep them whole these upcoming months. And for beings such as my employers, ain't a very good thing. Could cause something bad, like, metaphysically. I mean, I know I'd certainly die but you could too. All different versions of you, across all the different universes. I guess you might call it a sort of universal implosion.
no subject
That sounds quite unbelievable, I hope you realize.
[ He makes a thoughtful noise and looks away, but after a moment's thought, Hannibal shakes his head. He decides that he believes it, at least in the sense that there's no real harm to play along. But he does laugh, because much more importantly: ]
Death saving the universe. That's quite poetic.
no subject
Because it's dumb. Every time I gotta explain this crap, it's dumb. Y'got some beings, stuck at the center of some universal knot and having to pick them apart to get their fill. So, what do they do? Throw a game or whatever for their survivin'. I like the game, think the reason for the game is dumb. S'why I don't tell people the whole truth here 'cept the Deputy.
[ Sighs! ]
Ain't poetic, sir. Honest. Just nonsense, don't pay any attention to it really.
no subject
If you insist. I won't pay it any mind at all.
[ he's gonna have a good time regardless, so ]
Though, out of curiosity, will other people learn the whole truth?
no subject
Shoot, I hope not. Imagine how tedious that'd be to explain? Hate when they learn it as a group, it's just a whole mess there.
no subject
[ To say the least, because Hannibal finds it pretty unsatisfactory, and he barely even gives a shit. But he nods agreeably, since otherwise, this works for him. ]
But that is all, I believe. Thank you for answering my questions. [ He pauses, then adds wryly: ] By the tone of this conversation, I almost feel tempted to say "it will be a pleasure working with you."
no subject
Would be right nice of you to say. I feel the same, at least.