LPN Deep Dives: HOSAB / Episode 13: CONCRETE JUNGLES WHERE ANGELS KILL YOU

Summary

LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City – HOSAB / Episode 13: CONCRETE JUNGLES WHERE ANGELS KILL YOU

Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Date: September 2, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City delivers a hilarious yet incisive breakdown of House of Sky and Breath, focusing on Chapter 22 and the shifting dynamics among the main characters. Natalie and Jackie dissect the complexities of angelic politics, power games, forbidden communication, and the ever-present undercurrents of sexual tension in Sarah J. Maas’s richly built world. With signature wit and irreverence, the hosts spotlight not only the intense plot developments but offer meta-commentary on consent, workplace power, and the very fabric of trust, all while keeping the banter fast and fiercely engaging.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Cosplay & Mood-Setting Banter

Timestamps: 02:35 – 10:22

• Natalie and Jackie riff on driving to the studio in costume, their nostalgia for teen comedies, and the quirks of public crying in LA vs. NYC.
• They unwind with meta-jokes about baby talk, millennial culture, and YouTube personalities with infantilized affectations.
• Jackie (08:08): "The infantilization of grown men is what we've been waiting for. I can't, honestly, I want more of it. I say put those diapies on, boys... Stop going to the toilet. Make on your own damn self."
• Discussion pivots to the hygiene of fantasy beings ("Fae just smell good all the time" – Natalie, 09:29), with sidetracks into Sookie Stackhouse vampires, drawing parallels between fantasy and modern mundanity.

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2. Rune's Mind Bridge: The Mysterious Agent Daybright

Timestamps: 13:36 – 22:44

• The focus returns to the book: Rune prepares to contact Agent Daybright via his mind-speak powers, with Flynn and Declan by his side for support.
• Detailed speculation about the mental visualization involved in mind-speak and Rune’s starry, night-filled astral projection.
• Rune’s encounter: Daybright appears as a flame-shrouded female figure, leading to geeky thrills and wild (sometimes explicit) speculation about the biology of magical beings.
• Natalie (17:08): Reads from the novel describing Rune’s astral form: "He found only a form of night and stars, galaxies and planets, as if his silhouette had been filled by them."
• Notable tension and code-word riddles exchanged between Rune (‘Agent Knight’) and Daybright; hosts posit about Daybright's true nature and SJM’s use of symbolism.

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3. Decoding the Riddle, Espionage, and Sphinx Play

Timestamps: 22:44 – 24:33

• Jackie shares a real-life tale of menacing her husband with riddles while in a Sphinx costume, paralleling Daybright’s cryptic communication.
• The code phrase “safe passage is granted under the cover of the waning moon” is discussed—emphasizing the spy vibes and building intrigue about Daybright’s allegiance and possible sexual chemistry with Rune.
• The hosts highlight the tension of “not supposed to understand, just deliver”—mirroring the larger theme of acting under mystery and pressure.

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4. Cormac's Obsession, the Bone Quarter, and Coping with Loss

Timestamps: 24:33 – 26:45

• Natalie and Jackie discuss Rune’s next-morning debriefing with Cormac, Flynn, and Declan, exploring Cormac’s growing desperation to locate Sophie, his search patterns, and emotional spiraling.
• Group consensus: bringing in outside help (Rune) is healthy, though Cormac’s behavior borders on unhealthy obsession.

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5. Hunt, Isaiah, & Celestina: Institutional Power Struggles

Timestamps: 26:45 – 54:08

• Cut to Hunt in the Comedium, struggling with stress and secrets as he faces a foreboding summons from Celestina.
• Description of Celestina’s redecorated archangelic office: contrast between Micah’s coldness and Celestina’s inviting touches, though Jackie notes, “You can still be a bad person with rugs” (29:10).
• Focus on the fallout from Pollux and Baxian’s violent altercation, with a deep dive into the institutional mishandling of sexual assault and the Asteri’s sinister influence in protecting perpetrators.
• Key moment:
  • Pollux: “The lady, quote, wanted it.”
  • Natalie: “Makes me want to stab and stab.” (39:01)
  • Jackie: “Just want to watch the blood slowly be let from his body.” (39:08)
• Celestina’s forced compliance with the Asteri and the distressing announcement of her mating with Ephraim:
  • Jackie (46:01): “Still on breeding horse. Awesome. Yay.”
  • The “Death’s Day” mating spectacle mirrors real-world systemic abuse, eliciting hosts’ meta-commentary and symbolic readings.
• Celestina’s subtle revelation to Hunt about her history with Shahar and sympathy for the rebellion, creating new doubt and hope for Hunt (and listeners).

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6. Trust, Cynicism, and Forced Confession

Timestamps: 54:08 – 64:45

• Celestina asks for Hunt’s trust and friendship, admitting she attempted to free him from Sandriel and regretted her lack of courage during the rebellion:
  • Natalie (57:25): “She tells him she chose not to and regrets her decision every day of these hundred years later.”
• Hunt’s internal conflict about trusting her, mirroring broader themes of trauma, trust, and manipulation.
• Hunt’s warning to Celestina about Sandriel’s Triari—especially the Hind, Harpy, and Hawk.

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7. Hunt & Baxian: Enemies, Allies, or Something Else?

Timestamps: 61:19 – 65:16

• Outside the office, Baxian approaches Hunt, both trying to feel each other out, dancing around whether they’re friend or foe.
• Baxian tries to disavow Pollux, hint at personal ethics, and build rapport, but Hunt (overwhelmed and suspicious) mostly wants to leave.
  • Jackie (64:45): “He’s not like the other boys.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jackie (09:17): "I think Fae just smell good all the time... That's why they are able to be seductors."
• Natalie (17:08): "He found only a form of night and stars, galaxies and planets, as if his silhouette had been filled by them."
• Jackie (29:10): "You can still be a bad person with rugs."
• Natalie (39:01): "Makes me want to stab and stab."
• Jackie (46:01): "Still on breeding horse. Awesome. Yay."
• Jackie (64:45): "He’s not like the other boys."
• Natalie (57:25): "She tells him she chose not to and regrets her decision every day of these hundred years later."

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Key Timestamps

• Cosplay & Banter: 02:35–10:22
• Rune’s Mind Contact: 13:36–22:44
• Spy Riddles Discussion: 22:44–24:33
• Cormac’s Spiral: 24:33–26:45
• Hunt & Celestina, Institutional Drama: 26:45–54:08
• Celestina’s Confession & Trust Issues: 54:08–64:45
• Hunt & Baxian’s Side-Eye: 61:19–65:16

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Episode Tone & Closing

The episode balances earnest literary analysis with zany, unapologetically explicit humor, laced with tangents about modern culture, relationships, and daily life. The hosts’ dynamic is energetic and irreverent, keeping even the darkest plot turns accessible and relatable while not sparing sincere outrage at injustice (both fictional and real).

Next Reading Assignment: Up to Part Two, "The Abyss."

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Transcript

[A]

Hey, lights.

[B]

Hey, Swipes. You ready for the nasty weather?

[A]

Oh yeah, that's what we windshield wipers were made for.

[B]

How about you, Lights?

[A]

You remember your training, right?

[B]

Of course. When you guys are on, so are we. We're shining a light too.

[A]

Really? On safety for Oregon's rose. Making it so everyone can see each other coming. Aw, we all go together so well. Oh, here comes the rain.

[B]

We're on. Let's go. Remember, when your wipers are on, make.

[A]

Sure your headlights are on too. Lights and swipes, it's the way to go.

[B]

A reminder from odot. Oh my gosh. Have you been to Marshall's lately? They have all the brand name and designer pieces you love, but without the jaw dropping price tags. Alright, so here's the you should never have to compromise between quality and price. And at Marshalls, you don't have to. Marshalls believes everyone deserves access to the good stuff and that's why their buyers hustle around the clock to make it happen for you. Visit a Marshalls store near you or shop [e-mail] we're excited to announce that we're going to Prythian and Valbara and Basgaeth.

[A]

If you're nasty and you can too.

[B]

Join us in spring of 2026 at the Dreamers and Readers Festival. A three day event chock full of choose your own adventures.

[A]

Multiple faeballs, fashion shows, photo shoots, hoteez, Everybody. At least 15 different events at the otherworldly Gaylord Texan resort that you can customize to make the perfect trip fit your Fantasy Dreams.

[B]

Visit fantastiquecollection.com and use our code Faybayes at checkout to receive $10 off of any of these events.

[A]

Dreamers and Readers Night 1 and 2.

[B]

Mythical Creatures Masquerade, Fantastic Starfall Ball and the Farewell Fae Bash.

[A]

Not only that, but if you use our code fab at checkout for those events, you will receive an exclusive swag bag from the weekend.

[B]

I'll do anything for a swag bag, Natalie.

[A]

Give it to me.

[B]

Yes, that's right. Use our code Fabes F A E B A E S at fantastiquecollection.com to get your $10 off of any of these events.

[A]

Dreamers and readers. Baby, I cannot wait for this.

[B]

Gimme, gimme.

[A]

Let's r.

[B]

Welcome to Crescent City with your hosts, Natalie Jean and Jackie Zabrowski. Do you think I will, Natalie? Will I get to kiss Pierce? Ms. Brosnan?

[A]

Not Natalie.

[B]

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. You're a scary, scary agent. But are you doing Good for the cause. Are you doing bad? We think it's good. We'll never know. Or will we?

[A]

Man, I just realized I didn't paint my ear.

[B]

Yeah, or your shoulder. And I was gonna start throwing up because I was gonna say your shoulders are a little fucking cold, Natalie, and I think you need to attend to them.

[A]

Well, yeah, I am making you stumble right now, right?

[B]

Yeah, that's me stumbling down the stairs. Don't put an angel near the stairs because she'll throw herself down.

[A]

I. I technically, I don't think my mouth is that. I think you can hear my voice the same. But I'm not gonna leave this on because.

[B]

Yeah, because I feel like it probably is a little garbled. I mean, you can hear at least if you're not watching that. Natalie is shrouded in night right now, so.

[A]

I also don't think I can drink.

[B]

I don't think you can. Well, you could try. Suck it through. Come on, Natalie, suck. Oh, you're sucking it through. Suck it up. What does that feel like in your mouth?

[A]

I don't really like the sensation, I'll tell you.

[B]

Oh, now you gonna have wet lit mouth.

[A]

I think I'm just gonna take it off.

[B]

Oh, you already didn't take it off.

[A]

Beep.

[B]

All right.

[A]

It's me.

[B]

You look great, Natty.

[A]

Thanks.

[B]

You really look great.

[A]

Thanks. I always love driving to the studio in my costume because I get ready at home.

[B]

Oh, yes.

[A]

Wonder what they think. But it's la, so they're probably not thinking anything.

[B]

I don't think they're thinking anything.

[A]

Dumber stuff.

[B]

I was actively crying in the coffee shop earlier when I was getting our coffees. It was because I was listening to a sad song and I started crying. And then sometimes, you know, it is the beauty of being in Los Angeles. It's like when you're on the subways of New York, man, you can just openly cry and nobody asks.

[A]

Sometimes it's just better to not.

[B]

Sometimes I wish I had the angel wings on, though. Yeah. Because then if it's just like. Well, I don't know. Is there something wrong with her? I feel like then I'd be like Jenna Elfman in Can't Hardly Wait. Oh, my God. Why am I not currently cosplaying as Jenna Elfman in Can't Hardly Wait? Everyone would understand the reference.

[A]

I think a lot of people would.

[B]

People our age would. People listening to this? Well, yeah.

[A]

I mean, like a millennial would not a Zooms or a Gen Xer probably maybe, though.

[B]

Cause I will say we did try to rewatch it recently. Cause Jeff had never seen it. I don't know if I told you this, but we did shut it off. But I think it was just because he is surprisingly not like a huge teen movie fan as an adult man at this point. And he's just like. I don't know. He's like. He's just like, I know that, like, at the time it was all good, but he's like, I feel like now looking at it with Jennifer Love Hewitt, I feel very uncomfort. And I was like, oh, well, let's.

[A]

Just shut it off. Yeah. I mean, not that she was.

[B]

Not that he was like. Because he couldn't handle himself. No, it's just the whole thing. He's just like. I just feel like all of it. He's like, now it's kind of lost on me because I'm too old. And I don't agree. I'm like, but you remember how it feels. It's not like you don't remember being that age.

[A]

If I hadn't seen it when I was still pretending to be too cool for it, not liking it, I think that I wouldn't also be that interested. Yeah, I guess.

[B]

Yeah. I do understand. Honestly, wouldn't it. It's definitely better than him being like, hey, love it. Can we watch it again? Can I keep this copy of it? Seth Green in the bathroom.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I didn't know it's what I needed. And then we would be having a much different conversation. Yeah.

[A]

Especially if the one take. It was a Seth Green fetish.

[B]

Yeah, maybe that. I mean, I was kind of into Seth Green in that movie. Of course, I definitely would have had sex with him in that bathroom.

[A]

But your husband pinpointing only Seth Green sexually in that movie.

[B]

Did it. I was weird. Yeah, it would be. No, he would be. I have. I'd have a. I have a couple of questions. Just because, like, I'd feel so seen. Yeah. I feel validated.

[A]

Yes. Like your spouse really knows you.

[B]

Oh, my God. Thank you, babe.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I'm sorry. This is a new, like, full force of me trying to bring baby talk back.

[A]

Oh, good.

[B]

I feel like we've really lost the thread and. Please, now we.

[A]

I think this is a new market for us.

[B]

Everybody loves baby dog. It's not really annoying, especially in partnerships. Especially when you're trying to have a serious conversation.

[A]

I sincerely can't listen to. I know we act very silly and we make silly things and we wear silly outfits, but I cannot deal with I'm not going to name a person, obviously, but There was a YouTube video I was just trying to watch and the guy had such a shy affectation to his. He was going around like, oh, man. Oh, and look, I'm already watching embarrassing things about like, Disney and stuff, you know, and I like, I need you to pull yourself out of being a child. You're already doing a video about Disney World. I'm part of the problem. I'm watching you. Stop making a baby voice. You are a man. Don't you. You actually make me creeped out.

[B]

But the infantilization of grown men is what we've been waiting for. I can't, honestly, I want more of it. I say put those diapies on, boys. Come on. Stop going to the toilet. Make on your own damn self.

[A]

Make on your own damn self.

[B]

I think it's kind of nice taking your body back.

[A]

Oh, this is a sort of like a new age movement. You're, you're saying, yeah, this is going.

[B]

To be all natural. This is me entering into the world of goop. And it's going to be pro adult male identifying people. Diapers, but not women specifically. No, not, not female identified. No, no, no. Only male identified people. And I think that it's going to give them a freedom that they, that they already had, but they didn't know.

[A]

Do we really need more men smelling like ass than already do do? Is that what we need right now in culture?

[B]

That is the craziest part about these books. You also know that even in like Acktar and all that stuff, you know, back in the day or whatever it is, you know, you'd think that they would stink. But they're all Fae, so, you know, they all smell really good.

[A]

I mean, we know what they smell like thanks to SJM's.

[B]

Oh, pine and snow. Throwing a glass. I'm looking at you. You know, they must have been stinky and throwing a glass, but man, they were still getting in there and sucking and fucking.

[A]

I think Fae just smell good all the time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's why they are able to be seductors.

[B]

Yeah. And I feel like vampires smell good all the time. But I do talk about this when I'm reading the Sookie Stackhouse books. I do think about, like, let's be real. I don't think a vampire is really thinking about taking a lot of showers.

[A]

I don't think they have to. I don't think that they like, exude.

[B]

Body odors or what if they think they don't have to? They just don't smell it.

[A]

Well, they wouldn't be very good vampires if they didn't know how they smelled. Because you have to lure them in. It's like, I feel like vampires, they smell really good. And then once they're latched onto you, you smell like the raw and you.

[B]

Go like the Nosferatu becomes again the nosferat P. You. Yeah, take that, vampires.

[A]

Take that. Just pointing a lot at the camera today.

[B]

Yeah. I really. I just want everyone to feel aggressed towards.

[A]

Feel that I'm angry with them.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We are back with. And right now we're with Rune. He's drinking beer with Flynn and Deck at the start of chapter 22 when we just left a fucking actual literal spicy scene. What?

[B]

Taken away from us. How dare you take away from us.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

Bring it back, Natalie. I want it now.

[A]

Nope.

[B]

Oh, man. You know, I was reading some like, review. I read like through like reminding myself when I'm making like the costumes and stuff like that, like chapter summaries. And one of the people that I read that writes their own chapter summaries. Really? Man, at this point, so angry about the cock blocking. Just so upset about like they were angry to like, to a not liking it point though I'm still edge me off. Like I'm down.

[A]

This is not an utter cock block. This is about. I call it half.

[B]

It's a. It's a half seas.

[A]

It's a half.

[B]

It's a half seize.

[A]

Yeah, somebody completes. Okay.

[B]

I think I know what you mean. Natalie, Fire up alarm. Oh, God.

[A]

I just wish we had pyrotechnics, semen.

[B]

Yeah, it's a goosh and a sploosh. So we have a little bit of a goosh.

[A]

I wonder if veneer sperms look the same as human sperms.

[B]

It's gotta taste great though.

[A]

You think?

[B]

Or would you be worried that it's gonna come out so fast it's gonna shoot through the back of your head?

[A]

Well, that's why you gotta be really strong if you're gonna take on.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

A veneer.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

Wink. So Ruhn is drinking beer with Flynn and Deck at the start of 22, calming his nerves because he has agreed to do this deal with Cormac in order to go be an underground underneath helping Opion, he has to do use his mind speak powers to reach out to this alleged Agent Daybright. We don't know who this is. We don't know what's going on. Even Cormac doesn't know who it is. And so he's decided he's gonna help. And now he's back at his home, comfy with his boys. Maybe he's wearing like some soft pants, some slippers, like a half hard going on with just his boys. I mean, listen, I don't know what happens. I don't either.

[B]

I don't know. Maybe it's like the excitement of relaxing with the boys gets you a little al dente.

[A]

It does seem like they are hard to control. I will say that you seem to have a lot of issues controlling it in life generally.

[B]

I'll help you.

[A]

And it causes a lot of problems in the world.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not to be too edgy. Whoa.

[B]

Okay. Night. All right. Go off.

[A]

Go home, Knight. So he doesn't know what's going to happen or how he's even going to be making. Making this contact. He knows that he can use his mind speak. And he also knows that he has this comms crystal just in case. But that's the only instruction he got. His bros are there to assist and basically kind of just make sure he's okay because he's about to go into some sort of fugue state, I suppose.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They are also, of course, getting high and being standardly impish 85 year old boys, because that's what they do.

[B]

Merth root is for y'. All.

[A]

Ruhn has the calm crystal in his hand as he sits on the couch in their frat house living room. And they talk about methods of potentially trying to reach do this, like reach out to this person with Flynn and Deck, assuring him that they are prepared for any emergencies that may take place. As Ruhn potentially goes into this hypnotic state, Ruhn lays back and just tries closing his eyes. Maybe like a meditation or something. He of course, already knows how to access people's minds in one form.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So that may help his Cormac hopes, a mental bridge.

[B]

That was how he always pictured the link he made between his mind and someone else's. So that was the image he summoned, funneling it through the crystal in his hand as surely as Bryce had funneled her own powers through the crystal of the Gate this spring. Cormac had said the crystal had similar properties. So why not?

[A]

He tries calling out in his mind on his mental bridge.

[B]

If I was calling out in my mind, it's gonna be a bird call, right? Or do you want to be simpler than that? Do you want to be like somebody got mad?

[A]

I always, I would imagine it like.

[B]

Just an echoey kind of cavernous chamber of mind Hello?

[A]

Hello?

[B]

Hello. Yeah, but everything's all. You know, it's all, like, foggy.

[A]

I imagine it, like, 80s, like.

[B]

Like Tron.

[A]

Yeah, like he tries calling out, and I don't know how exactly, he. Then he visualizes the comms crystal. He curses himself. In that moment, he realizes, oh, I didn't come up with a name or any way to disguise myself. I have not thought this through very well. And just as he starts to think about this, a voice rings out in the void. Yes, it's a lady. It's a lady. And he sees a light in the distance coming towards him. Realizes as she nears that it's because she seems to be a being made entirely of flame. He can distinguish enough to know that this isn't the same as a sprite, like something made out of fire from the core, but a humanoid female figure who seems to be using fire as a disguise. He references the image of a sun priest immolating himself, which is very disturbing.

[B]

I also think it's badass.

[A]

Well, it's very scary.

[B]

I love that that's what he thinks about. Not like it's like that. He thinks about immolation when seeing it. Just like the power. Oh, it's a very scary, scary, scary power.

[A]

Well, it's just something that actually happens on Earth, and it's frightening to see. I. I made the mistake of looking at the pictures of it.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Because I was just like. Because I. I knew it from. Was it the COVID of a Rage Against Machine? No. Maybe Dead Kennedy's. It was. Somebody has a priest firing himself.

[B]

Oh, because he didn't want to watch anymore.

[A]

I mean, I guess not.

[B]

I mean, who would? Yeah.

[A]

So it's upsetting to look at the pictures is what I'm saying. So don't Google it if you've never seen that before.

[B]

All right, we won't.

[A]

They eyeball one another and give their code words back and forth. Daybright seems unimpressed with Ruhn and asks who he is.

[B]

Run. Peered down at himself, swearing he hadn't thought to hide his body. But he found only a form of night and stars, galaxies and planets, as if his silhouette had been filled by them. He lifted a hand, finding not skin, but the starry blanket of the sky covering his fingers. Had his mind instinctively shielded him? Or was this what he was deep below the skin? Interesting. Night.

[A]

Okay, interesting, Interesting.

[B]

There are other things that have to do with night and other books, but. Weird. It's weird that he just finds himself swathed in night, isn't it? Isn't It. Maybe I've been deep in book talk, losing myself in book talk a little bit, finding out a couple of claims and. But that's all I'm gonna say for now.

[A]

Yeah. It made him question just who Daybright was and whether her appearance as Fire has something to do with the type of being that she is. Cormac had mentioned that they had questioned whether Daybright was they themselves in Asteri. So does this fire represent Star?

[B]

Star.

[A]

Star. Impatiently, she asks him what he summoned her for.

[B]

Her voice was beautiful, like a golden song. It stirred his face. Soul, made it perk up.

[A]

I. I hadn't gotten that far yet.

[B]

Yeah. See what I'm talking about? This is when you bring in the half yards.

[A]

Half hearts.

[B]

Yeah. Made it perk up.

[A]

Perk up. She's irritated that they. Well, that would be. I guess he'd be, like, in a meditative state, and they would see him get a half. Halfy.

[B]

I feel like a halfy. You don't usually see. I feel like. It's not like he's wearing sweatpants.

[A]

You might see it.

[B]

You're right. And in. In our dream of relaxation with mirth root, then he's definitely. He's gotta have soft pants on.

[A]

Yeah. Laying down, we'd see that.

[B]

And we're really looking.

[A]

And we're really looking. Gatorade is the number one proven electrolyte blend designed to hydrate better than water.

[B]

So you can lose more sweat and raise your game. Gatorade. Is it in you?

[A]

She is irritated that they brought someone so seemingly unprepared. So she's basically like, oh, you're. You don't know what you're doing. Why did Ophion send you to talk to me? She looks behind her as she's talking as though she's busy wherever she is, and he's interrupted her. Ruin feels the weight of her presence if she's not in a starry. She sure feels like one.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Gathering himself, he explains that he was attempting to make contact just to see if he could, in case there was an emergency later on. And he feels a bit foolish in the moment, so he turns on his charms instead.

[B]

Oh, you know, he's got that in spades.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Gets him out of a lot of predicaments. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Hit me with that fire hose.

[A]

He teases her, asking if she's so sure he's not a double agent and the code words were compromised. She retorts that agents of the hysteria would be more adept.

[B]

Ouch.

[A]

He tells her. He tells Her.

[B]

Her.

[A]

He'll work harder at oppressing her cuz he's being flirts. Cuz that's what he does.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

She says he already has impressed her and calls him Agent Knight, giving him his name since he hadn't come up with one.

[B]

And it's sexy and it's to the point.

[A]

It is. And seemingly the mirror to her hers which is interesting. Oh. So while Daybright is intimidating to Ruhn sexy though she seems to be at least willing to be tolerant of his overall rakishness.

[B]

Oh my God. I just want to. In a fugue state of like mental nothingness like that. But like when your body's not your body but it's made up of like, I don't know, some sort of ethereal, suave.

[A]

That's a lot of steps. I don't know how we're gonna get to that.

[B]

Come on. Somebody's gotta make a calm crystal out there.

[A]

I do think I've said this before. I do the future generations, there will be body mods that will be like allow you to have certain qualities of these super creatures. I do think that will happen.

[B]

Yeah. And it's probably only going to happen for the people that are really rich and it's probably not going to happen. Everybody, they're probably going to equal. Okay. Everybody's going.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

This is nice. I love this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This is going to be great for us.

[A]

Well, I don't know if we're going to make it, but we're going to get there. We're going to get there. She starts to leave as Ruhn asks if there's any news of the spine, which is the train system and Cormac needs to know about it. She tells him no for that, but tells him to tell Cormac that quotes the safe passage is granted under the COVID of the waning moon.

[B]

Oh, oh. More riddles with me.

[A]

More riddles.

[B]

I guess it harkened back to when I was a sphinx. I was acting like a sphinx to Jeff yesterday. I menace him. There's times when I, I was. I just kept like I was laying on his body pretending to hold myself as a sphinx. And I would only talk in riddles to get off of it.

[A]

What, what is marriage for if not to menace your partner?

[B]

This is who I mean, right? Everybody did, right? You're menacing, you're out there medicine Henry.

[A]

I mean you have to sometimes gotta.

[B]

Do it, you know. And it was like fun. It's like fun. Sexy, menacing.

[A]

I bet he, he loved it.

[B]

He, he liked it especially Because I have a sphinx costume on. I was just holding my arms and making a non sphinx face. And, you know, I also didn't explain that I was being a sphinx. I just laid on him and wouldn't say anything and then started speaking riddles.

[A]

It's.

[B]

It's fun being married to me.

[A]

I think it is.

[B]

Thank you. He does too. Yeah, he does like it.

[A]

I do think he does. He tells her, she tells him not. She tells him he is not supposed to understand it. See, just deliver it. So do you tell Jeff riddles that he's to deliver to his work?

[B]

Yeah, I just kept going, deliver the letter D. Sooner the better. And he kept being like, stop saying it over and over again. You didn't know what I meant.

[A]

He doesn't need to know. He needs to deliver it.

[B]

He's. It's like, he'll figure it out eventually.

[A]

She also mentions before disappearing that she much prefers this method of communication over presumably, however she and Sophie were doing it. And did we just sense some sexual tension in the vacuum of space?

[B]

Yes. Ain't empty no more. Y' all fill it up. It's like Sandra Bullock out there just being like, will someone at me and me.

[A]

She gets herself back. She saves herself.

[B]

Wow. Spoiler alert.

[A]

We've talked about that. Because that's the. The movie where the soundtrack is in.

[B]

I think about it. Yeah, I know. For a movie that really didn't change my life at all. Why do I think about the movie Gravity so often?

[A]

Well, it's really beautiful that. That scene is beautiful. When she's coming back. It's incredible.

[B]

Check it out. I guess if it. If it's stuck in my brain this much, you probably have to watch it if you haven't.

[A]

The what, 12 year old? The movie or whatever it is.

[B]

Yeah, I think it's old at this point.

[A]

So the next morning, Ruhn calls Cormac over to his house to debrief over their first mind. You know, mind to mind meeting A debrief.

[B]

What, are they taking off their underpants?

[A]

Only in your fantasy. But they're cousins and that's gross. Cormac ask her.

[B]

Removed.

[A]

Cormac asks if she had said anything about Sophie. Ruhn suddenly realizes and feels guilty he never even asked. And that Cormac is likely trying to find out for personal reasons because the woman that he loves is missing. But no, Daybright didn't say anything about Sophie. Ruhn repeats the code phrase that Daybright asked him to transmit. And while Cormac seems to understand it, he only sighs Deeply at whatever it indicates. So it's not like an exciting piece of riddle. Dec and Flynn are also in the room, to Cormac's chagrin, and they pepper him with questions about Rune's role in Ophion and what he's supposed to be. Cormac, in his barely concealed irritation, explains that Roon will wait to hear from Day or will reach out again at Cormac's discretion. Otherwise, you just go about your day. Be normal. So normal that it's dull. Don't let anybody know you're doing this by being boring. Cormac tells them he is leaving to go stake out the black dock since he had gotten word that there was a chance that Sophie is in the bone quarter and that Danika had set up a safe house there. In theory, he's becoming a little obsessed with searching for hints or of her or Emile's presence.

[B]

How could you not true. But I also. Imagination. I feel like I'd flip out over.

[A]

I feel like, though, he's doing a bit of a spiral because. What, is he just going to go.

[B]

Of course.

[A]

Go stare at the doc.

[B]

It's missing the lies. Love is missing.

[A]

I know, but how much is that actually helping? I'm saying he's. He's losing it a little.

[B]

Right. But that's why they got to bring in runes, why we need a little bit of help. I think it's good. I think it's healthy. He's asking for help yet.

[A]

Because I do think up there, like. You okay, buddy?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He said he's gonna go talk to the Reapers. In the middle of the day? You know, Corbeck, maybe we need to pull it back a little bit.

[B]

We all crash out every once in a while.

[A]

You know, we cut over to Hunt at the Comedium that day, and he is struggling mentally with the weight of all he knows and all he must hide. Isaiah is trying to calm him down because they have been summoned into Celestina's offices. While Isaiah doesn't know the goings on of Hunt's downtime, he assumes Han's tension is due to the PTSD of facing Micah in the same chambers. So they're being called into these offices that they've gone through all this trauma already, and there's like, she's being. They got like, a vague message about what was going to happen. It seems like bad news. And they're like, great, something bad has happened. We're going in. I'm sure we're not going to go get crucified. That would be Not a thing that just happened to our co workers or anything. That would be a lot of stress at work. I will say.

[B]

Oh, God, I'm so glad that we've really knocked down the crucifications here at lpn, because it's just, like, made it just like, oh, is it gonna be in the middle of page seven? They're gonna drag me away. Like, it's like, when do I get.

[A]

Slapped with deli meats? Now.

[B]

Yeah. And I thank them for it. Thank you.

[A]

And then you have it for lunch.

[B]

Yeah. So sweaty meat.

[A]

Little sweaty meat. Which is also true that Hunt's feeling. He is feeling the anxiety of these things, but he also has this other weight on his shoulders that he has to lie to all of these people about what he now knows from, you know, Therian and what Bryce is getting into. So now he's got like, six things going on in the background. Celestina. He knows that Celestina is different. And Isaiah tries to tell him that, you know, she's not gonna be putting you in a box, but if she does, we're never gonna go look for ya.

[B]

Maybe what's different is she got, like, extra Bugle fat removal.

[A]

She's like, what do you guys think?

[B]

Why do you look like a goldfish? You look weird. Aren't you supposed to be an angel? Why'd you take out all that Bugle fat? Bugle fat. I gotta do what you want. Get out of my mouth.

[A]

You put it in your. You put it in your butt.

[B]

Yeah, obviously. Where else are you gonna put it?

[A]

So Hunt notes that Archangel headquarters have changed significantly from the Micah metrosexual Patrick Bateman esque. Cold marble, hard lines, like no warmth. Kind of. It makes me think of Mary Hampton. Very Kanye west house. Very scary looking.

[B]

Very Melania.

[A]

Very Melania. She's taken all of that mica stuff out and put in, like, rugs and flowers and color.

[B]

Yes. Bitch go off.

[A]

She's trying to make it seem more comfortable and less frightening, but that don't mean a hill of beans. You can still be a bad person with rugs.

[B]

I'm just an angel. I'm just an angel that's in charge, but maybe you shouldn't.

[A]

And your cheekbones are so sharp.

[B]

I know. I'm going to cut your face with him. I. I mean, I didn't say that. Ain't just an angel.

[A]

I'm so happy a baby talk is coming in.

[B]

Yeah, you're welcome.

[A]

Excited about it.

[B]

I mean, I'm sorry. I'd already told you, Henry, that Baby talk is making a huge comeback from me only. And so I'm sorry if you ever get menaced with that in the future.

[A]

You're like the trendsetter. You're like the goop for degenerates.

[B]

Ooh, I love that. Yeah, I guess I'm like, I'm sludge and you're sludge. Yeah.

[A]

That's good.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Yeah, you're sludge for sure. So there are. They are to assess the situation that has occurred involving Pollux and vaccine. That is why Celestina has called them into the office. And they know that they got a message about it, but they are unsure of whether they will be held accountable because they're supposed to be their accountabuddies or accountability buddies, whatever they're called. But also they are grown ass adults. Why would they get in trouble for Pollux and vaccines? Bad behavior. That is ridiculous.

[B]

Because they know that they can't control them. I hate. They shouldn't be working for the fucking Drury in the fucking first place. Like they shouldn't be.

[A]

They. I will say that sometimes guys seem to have this more easily given to them in the workspace where they are known to be helpless. And you go like, well, you knew that he couldn't do it. Like, then everybody else gets in trouble around the person. So I mean, ladies. It happens for ladies too.

[B]

So that's why they should start baby talking. Yeah.

[A]

Weaponized incompetence is one of the most infuriating things. I'm angry a lot to this morning. I don't know why.

[B]

Maybe it's because you're swallowed the night and like you just feel differently when you're in the fugue state.

[A]

I cannot stand weaponized incompetence. Yeah, it's like one of the top pet peeves in my like, just.

[B]

Oh, but how do you feel about malicious compliance? Because that's also been.

[A]

I don't remember what that means.

[B]

It's like, oh, I keep making jokes that I'm being malicious. Well, I said that I'm being compliant. I get my word for the summer is compliant. I'm trying to be relaxy Taxi.

[A]

I'm client, like kind of aggressive though.

[B]

I know. But then that's why I was talking with Marcus and he's like, I feel like the way that you're saying it, technically you're referring to malicious compliance, which is like, oh, I will follow your every rule. I will be so easily moldable for you. I will just be whatever you fucking need me to be.

[A]

Wait, who are you doing that?

[B]

At life. Why?

[A]

Why?

[B]

Because it keeps coming at me, bro. And I just want to be like, I'm flippy flappy. I'm flippy flappy life, Natalie.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

My mental health, Natalie.

[A]

Oh, you're doing that. You're.

[B]

It's all against me. Oh, yeah. No, it's all me. It's me in many forms. I am the Spider man meme. Except it's all me. I'm maliciously compliant, though.

[A]

Oh, man. Do we need to talk?

[B]

No.

[A]

Okay, great. Good, good, good, good, good. Hey.

[B]

Especially when you come in, it's like I've been dressed like an angel for hours. Because I recorded earlier dressed as an angel. And I just. I think there's something about being in a starry state of mind that really just. I don't know, I think it just. It's good. It just. It disrupts.

[A]

That's what it does when you're in Midgard.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Concrete jungles where angels kill you.

[B]

Yeah, they do. There's nothing you can do.

[A]

Okay, so we're in this office. We're in this office. We are trying to find out what happened between Pollux and Baxian. Celestina greets Isaiah and Hunt, looking unhappy but radiant. And pale purple robes.

[B]

Yes, but it is pink. Because I have this pink dress. I mean, pale purple. Kind of close.

[A]

A little.

[B]

It's a little purple esque.

[A]

It's pretty. She tells Hunt and Isaiah.

[B]

Also, I will say there's a couple things different between me and Celestina, but, you know, that's okay. In cosplay, you just. You make your own kind of music.

[A]

You have to. Sometimes it's okay. Celestina greets them looking unhappy. She tells Hun and Isaiah she didn't want to explain too much over the message she sent. They needed to speak in person because this is very sensitive material that's about to go down. They spot Pollux and Baxian. They're already seated in the office, ignoring one another.

[B]

Pollux and Baxian stared ahead at nothing. Or Hunt assumed that was the case, given that one of Baxian's eyes was swollen shut and Pollux's face was one big, magnificent bruise. That it remained this way after 12 hours suggested the initial damage had been impressive. He wished he could have seen it.

[A]

Uh oh.

[B]

But it's just like, ugh. Can you imagine walking in, seeing this and be like these fucking. Can you adjust? Like, can we throw them at the bottom of the ocean in a box?

[A]

We can't, but we'll find out why. So Vaccine and Pollock seem to have gotten into a bit of a scrape. Aroused about.

[B]

Oh, sorry. I was choking on my own fake hair.

[A]

Oh, I thought that was you just.

[B]

Doing a. Oh, no, there was just me. Like, I thought I was actually. Yeah, I was going down the back of my throat. The long strand.

[A]

Cool. Celestina proceeds to interrogate Baxian and Pollux in a manner reminiscent of a middle school principal.

[B]

I'm disappointed in you.

[A]

Because they're man children, I guess. Tell the class what you've done, boys.

[B]

And I'm gonna bring in the other boys to make sure that you don't do it again. But we all know you're going to do it again.

[A]

And I'm gonna blame them for it for some reason. So I don't think she is, actually.

[B]

No. See?

[A]

Let's find out.

[B]

We don't know. We don't know. We don't know.

[A]

She tells Pollux to go first and explain what happened, which makes Pollux bristle because he doesn't like being told what to do. I have my bet. Bite chicks, especially.

[B]

I'm your boss. Get used to it.

[A]

He knows he can't really do anything about it. And Hunt is giddy. Seeing Pollux mad, seeing Pollock seething. But unable to lash out at Celestina.

[B]

Oh, but you want to, don't you, baby? You want to lash out so badly. Concrete jungles where angels kill you not.

[A]

Realize that he's more relaxed being so Pollux is, like, on edge. Because Honda's, like, realizing Pollux wants to be a tormentor. He thrives being a torturer, which is a. An unfortunate, I guess, biological thing going on there.

[B]

Yeah, it's, like, not everybody's favorite thing.

[A]

No, it's not. And serving under Celestina, who's more fair, where he's unable to dish out his administrations, is like his own personal punishment. Like a violent sociopath would hate having to be polite to people and, like, not torture them. And everybody has to have their own little, you know, favorite things in life. And some people's favorite things is torture.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Perhaps that's why he behaved in the way that he has. That has gotten him in this trouble.

[B]

Not that he's thinking about it like that.

[A]

He doesn't give a no. He describes going to a quote, tavern, which Hunt happily corrects him that they're called bars in Lunathean.

[B]

Get used to it. As I wish Hunt said.

[A]

Yeah, wish. And having fun. Pollock says he's having fun and describes forcing himself on a female.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Celestina gets Dangerously calm upon hearing this turn of events.

[B]

She don't like that.

[A]

Pollux exclaims that the lady, quote, wanted it. Gross.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Baxian chimes in, growling that she said no such thing. Thing. Hunt and Isaiah looked at each other, surprised to find that their two keepers seem to not care for one another. Because Hunt always knew backing and Pollux as a team of psychos that, like, were his tormentors.

[B]

And so, yeah, they're like the Burton Ernie of torture. Right?

[A]

And so they're fighting or they don't like each other. It's weird. To him, he thought they were like a team all the time. They live together, they play together, sleep.

[B]

In the same bed, or at least.

[A]

In the same room. We don't know what goes on in there. But he's like, oh, they're fighting. Okay. The girls are fighting. They exchange heated words about their masculinity until Celestina stops it, demands a description of this entire interaction that caused this fist fight. Pollux claims that he was going to a hookup in the back alley behind the tavern.

[B]

Oh, that's what you're calling it, huh? Yeah, I mean, the hookup, not the tavern.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. When Baxian barged back there, barged out of the bar and attacked him. Baxian furiously points out that the female had said no over and over. Pollux, being utter trash, does the old no means yes song and dance of some. Some gentlemen, not all. Many great men out there. They're not like that. Anger erupts in the room because Pollux is basically saying he assaulted a woman.

[B]

And that he was right in the fight because she wanted it.

[A]

He could tell. Makes me want to stab and stab.

[B]

What? I just want to watch the blood slowly be let from his body. Ah.

[A]

So anger erupts in the room. Of course, Naomi starts freaking out, and Pollux calls her a hag. Oh, my God. Get new material. Isaiah accuses Bat vaccine of never caring before. So basically, Isaiah is suggesting to vaccine that he's witnessed many horrible things being done and he's never cared before. Why are you defending a woman now? And Baxian shouts back at Isaiah, saying he doesn't know what he's talking about. Celestina sends her power through the room and to silence everyone, which I guess was whatever that was.

[B]

I mean, if that happened in front of you, wouldn't you stop talking? Is there something she having a fit of some sort?

[A]

That's true. I think it would.

[B]

It's like the kind of like, Carmi, when she, like, gets into, like, Some ground beef that she's found on the floor. I was thinking specifically of, I think Memorial Day or Labor Day when she. Last year, she got into the ground beef.

[A]

Yeah. It was on the ground. Wasn't cooked ironically.

[B]

We'd forgotten it. We'd forgotten it was in a bag, like. And we just.

[A]

It's okay. She's okay. It was last year. She was fine, but she was excited. We didn't know that it was literally ground beef, so.

[B]

Ha. Ground.

[A]

Ah.

[B]

It's like a. It's like a cow with its legs cut off. Ground beef. Oh.

[A]

That's what it is, though.

[B]

Is that sad for you as a vegetarian?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm sorry, Natalie.

[A]

Cows are so smart.

[B]

Is that what. Is that what they're known for? And why we're not supposed.

[A]

They are like dogs when you. When they are left.

[B]

I know, I know. And lots of people have very, like, fond connections with cows. Yeah. I've just never really gotten close to one. I don't think I'll bring them home. I feel like they're big in the way that horses are big. But are they?

[A]

Well, they're actually the ones that you are used to seeing are pumped with hormones and so cool. Cows that are not. Cows that are, like, natural are not actually that big.

[B]

Natty. Natty cows.

[A]

Yeah, they are. How big are they on the hrt? Is that what it's called? Yeah, whatever Joe Rogan takes, sure.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It does, I think, make their nipples bigger.

[B]

I imagine it affects the nipples.

[A]

You can go see the difference if you go to Gentle Barn in Los Angeles every, I think, once a month, Sunday.

[B]

Difference of nipples between a natty dude and someone that takes roids. Well, you.

[A]

I mean, there's.

[B]

Are they there, too? At the Gentle Barn.

[A]

So at the Gentle Bar.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

No, but the cows there, you can see they have both. Both rescues.

[B]

I like the fuzzy ones. Yeah, I like the fuzzy ones.

[A]

I like the fuzzy ones, too. So.

[B]

Okay, we have to go back to.

[A]

This horrible scene that everyone hates.

[B]

They hate. I know. All right.

[A]

A part of this scene, too many of us have this traumas. So Celestina sends the power through doing that thing. She is angry and informs the room that while Pollux likes. Likely deserves to be attacked from this action.

[B]

Love that from her.

[A]

There's now a video of two of her triari going at it being spread everywhere, which cannot happen just in public.

[B]

People are supposed to. Supposed to respect you and. Wow. That all comes tumbling down, huh?

[A]

The defiant part of me says, I don't give a. Who sees if you're being. If you're saving a woman, like, I don't care who sees it, but I understand her as the leader of the city. She has to make it look like she's in control of her employees, essentially. And so she's like, we can't have people having this video going around. She says that she asked the female who was attacked if she would like to press charges. And Hunt gets a glimmer of hope. This finally must be what it takes for Pollux to be punished, to be thrown out. But Celestina, seemingly ashamed, says that the woman declined and notes that it's likely due to knowing what she was up against, which is something we see all the time in Earth.

[B]

Yeah. So happy that Midgard is just like us in that.

[A]

Yeah, just like us. Because if you go up against powerful people, a lot of times you get shut down. So Hunt's hopes are being dashed when an unhappy looking Celestina says that she has been enlightened with the idea that Pollux deserves another chance. The room is aghast. But Celestina makes it clear, without saying so, that it was the Asteri who have moved her hand and will not allow Pollux to be ejected and punished, which is infuriating. So she, as the archangel, she has to do the bidding of the Asteri. And the Asteri does not want Pollux to be punished. Interesting. Why would that be Asteri? Is he some sort of pawn in some game you're playing?

[B]

Pollux bowed his head in a mockery of gratitude.

[A]

The Asteria, benevolent masters.

[B]

A muscle ticked in Celestina's smooth cheek.

[A]

They are indeed.

[B]

I'll put you in the ground myself. Very upsetting. But unfortunately, yeah, this is a lot more like Earth.

[A]

Yeah. Isaiah seems to note the impossible situation that Celestina has been put in and gently asks her what they can do to help clean up the media mess. With a sadness in her voice, she tells them that there is already a media distraction put into place. A blessing, she calls it. But her face tells a different story.

[B]

Her face is Rob de Nero.

[A]

What?

[B]

Oh, my two brothers in the world. She got up.

[A]

Say hound. Botox.

[B]

Yeah, she got backwards.

[A]

Botox.

[B]

She got frowny face. Celestina smiled, and Hunt saw it for the forced expression. It was.

[A]

I am to mate Ephraim. With two archangels now dead, there is a need to replenish the ranks on the autumnal Akunachs. We shall have our mating ceremony here in Lunatheon.

[B]

Yay. Oh, Sounds like it's gonna be great.

[A]

Yeah, that sucks. It seems that this wouldn't have been what Celestina wanted. Hunt realizes that the ceremony is slated for only a month from this point in time.

[B]

Isn't it great? She's so powerful and yet still is strapped down to be used as a womb. And this is awesome. And just, you know, this is really. It's fun because, like, even a woman at that level still can't stop this from happening.

[A]

Still on breeding horse.

[B]

Awesome. Yay. Sorry. Makes me think of the womb farms, you know, Beyonce and Jay Z's womb farms, which I know aren't just separate uteri that are pumping, throbbing in a room together with babies inside of it.

[A]

Well, they're very tragically has been several places that have been discovered that are filled with women being forced.

[B]

Oh, yeah. No, no, I know. It's a real thing. I am making the joke that there's a conspiracy theory that beyond.

[A]

Oh, you don't want to talk about horror.

[B]

No, I know. Oh, I know. It's real. I was just making the. A bunch of uteruses all plugged up into little batteries. And look, look at them chugging, making them babies. Nobody gets hurt. It's just the uteruses where stem cell making echoes extras like the pussy hats. And then I feel like you just make extra and then you just shove them in there. I feel like that's what a uterus farm should be. You're welcome. See, as Celestina, I really. I'm bringing ideas.

[A]

Yeah, you're great. You're doing Good job.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

So Hunt describes in his thoughts, their version. So he. This mating ceremony is supposed to take place in the autumnal equinox. And he describes that this is essentially their. Their world's version of Halloween or dia de muertos.

[B]

It just sucks because I feel like it's taking away any love she might have for spooky season.

[A]

I know, right? It really just ruins it for me.

[B]

And then like every year, it's always a reminder. It's like, oh, great, now I can never, like spooky season ever again. It's like, at least you know what? Marry me in the middle of July. Can we please? We'll all be sweating. We'll all be upset we're over something.

[A]

Like, I mean, we don't need Valentine's Day that much. Like something that's not as fun with decorations, you know?

[B]

I mean, you know, that's why Holden got married on St Patrick's Day. It was cheaper. And it's not like he had any affinity for St. Patrick's Day?

[A]

Yeah, he just barfed at his wedding.

[B]

Hell, yeah.

[A]

So he describes that this is essentially their Halloween, their Dia de muertos, and he calls it Death's Day, which is like their colloquial term for it. And it sounds like what we do. It's part of parties Offerings to the bone quarter in Lanathian. They send food and drink in lanterns over the river. He, of course, can't help himself wondering what Bryce might wear, even in this moment.

[B]

Well, because they just think of the. Just block it, you know, it's like.

[A]

I mean, he didn't get.

[B]

He didn't have one. Yeah. But he's thinking about. But at the same time, you know, he's also just as obsessed with getting her off. Like, wants to get her off because she's a good male.

[A]

I just like that there's, like, this huge, like, horrible news. Sammy's just like, I wonder if she wore, like, top of your tits are.

[B]

Gonna hang out or ass is gonna hang out or what?

[A]

So focus, Hunt. He hears Celestina tell the room that Ephraim and her will alternate visits back and forth, essentially describing conjugal visits.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Between the two lands, which is fitting since Ephraim is an important biblical name, and it means I will be fruitful in Hebrew.

[B]

Yeah, we all fucking knew that. We're all like, yes. Spew it into that fucking throbbing, man. If they. Again, if they had the uterus farm, they could just keep it over there and she wouldn't have to do any of this.

[A]

It's interesting layering, though, because I'm sure that SJM knew that and put his name in there, but.

[B]

Oh, yeah, because she always says all of the name choices are very specific.

[A]

It's interesting because he got. He was a part of the story so far back, and now he's being introduced as the, like, seed bearer.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So she knew that already. It's crazy. That's crazy. Naomi tries to ask her whether she's happy about this or not, but Hunt knows. Celestina has no choice but to smile and say that Ephraim is a good archangel and will be good seed.

[B]

That's all we're looking for. We're just always looking for seed.

[A]

Well, she does seem to genuinely have affection for Ephraim. She seems like they are actually friends. It does not feel as though there are romantic inclinations abound. And there. And she is being forced into this probably also Ephraim's. Celestina glares at Pollux, who essentially at Fault for this because the. The Asteri needed something to distract from the, quote, media frenzy of their fight.

[B]

Yeah. I'm not happy.

[A]

And also, she can't do anything about a literal artist in her employ.

[B]

Cool.

[A]

Which is great. But at least we know Pollux is not a morally gray character. You're not coming back from that.

[B]

No. So. No. And it just a full on hatred. And don't worry, the hatred's only gonna grow.

[A]

Yeah. Don't worry. No spoilers, but you ain't gonna like them.

[B]

So it would be so weird if he's just like, you know what? I do need to change like after a hundred, you know, however old he is, just like, this is gonna be. Natalie's here. Okay. I'm glad it's not your real ear.

[A]

Oh, well, that would be. That would be very upsetting.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know why. I feel like. I don't know why I just was like, try to like, do like little like. Like corn on the cob like dogs do on. On toys. But on your. On the extra fake ear.

[A]

I feel like that is a sensory thing.

[B]

Tiny bites.

[A]

Tiny bites. Yeah. It's like spongy.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So when she finds out, you know, Pollux, of course, is shameless. He doesn't care. He doesn't feel bad or anything. But she. In explaining what's going on, she tells the room that, you know, there's going to be all of this distraction. So media is going to be at this party because the dignitaries in the. All of the elite of Midgard will be making an appearance in town for this party, including all of Ephraim's employees. Employee. All of Ephraim's, I guess, employee.

[B]

Employee.

[A]

Ephraim's, I guess just Triari. I don't know what they're called. So Pollock's face lights up at the notion that the Hind will be arriving because she was put in Ephraim's camp. Behind the Hind is his. I don't know what you'd call property. Proper property.

[B]

I feel like it's like, like also a different kind of Burton Ernie, but a different kind of property.

[A]

Yeah. A cohort. He likes to. I guess.

[B]

Yeah. But yeah.

[A]

And she seems to also very much enjoy.

[B]

And she's evil and he's evil. So I guess let's call the whole thing off.

[A]

You know, they've like, met each other long ago when, like, you're evil. I'm evil too.

[B]

I'm gonna go forever. Yeah. You want it to be bad and scary? Sure. Hell yeah.

[A]

I Love that. So Celestina dismisses them all, but asks Hunt to stay behind. Dread fills Hunt's body as the others walk out of the room. He panics. Assuming that he will be punished for not reigning in Baxian, he does his best to maintain a cool exterior as he awaits his fate. It turns out she seems to be wanting to commiserate. She tells him that she's learned of Bryce's engagement to Cormac. She also wants to know how she should interact with the two of them, since they will be expected to go to the celebration to party together.

[B]

Oh, my God. Is this communication?

[A]

Yeah, because we know that Celestine already kind of knows that they're a thing. She hasn't said it as exactly, but.

[B]

Like, I ain't an idiot.

[A]

And she's told Hunt that he, you know, can continue to live with Bryce and all that stuff. And so there's obviously a relationship there. And she's like, hey, I heard about Cormac's engagement. Like, how you doing?

[B]

But I also feel like part of it, even though I know that this is not presented, but I feel like if. If I were Hunt, I would be scared that she was even paying attention to me. Like, I feel like I'd rather her not even know. Right. All the. Like, I'd rather. It's like, I know that the communication is so good, and it does. Obviously, you know, you. Celestina's character will. Will expand. But it is at this point, since Hunt, like, doesn't trust. And I wouldn't trust either. Yeah. I'd just be like, can you please just don't think about me ever? You know?

[A]

Yeah, for sure. I think that would be ideal.

[B]

But that's not gonna happen. And we don't know why she's saying this. All right. Okay. You're commiserating.

[A]

Yeah. So he is, like, a little bit hesitant to just believe this.

[B]

Right. Or to just dismiss it too, you know? It is.

[A]

But in this moment, he's relieved that she's not like, hey, I'm going to, like, cut your hand off and you have get to eat it or whatever.

[B]

Right. So any other kind of fun thing I could come up with, you know?

[A]

Yeah. So.

[B]

Especially because she's being put through the ringer. And often times when somebody higher up is getting put through the ringer, they force everybody else to go through the ringer too. So. Yeah, it is. I also. I. I feel that is also very telling of her. This whole scene is. So. It really does.

[A]

Unless she is playing 40 chess and she's evil. Evil.

[B]

We don't know.

[A]

We don't know. But he is relieved in that moment. But then immediately processes the fact that, oh, Bryce will need to appear with Cormac at this party. And the thought of her being touched by another male sends a ripple of anger through him. He's just now thinking about how he's going to. How is he going to stand seeing that? Like her being paraded around by Cormac. Celestina further surprises him when she asks how he's feeling. He tells her, honestly, they're taking it day by day. She knows that it's like a forced engagement.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then she drops the real bomb on him. She cares because Shahar was her friend.

[B]

Hunt's heart stumbled.

[A]

She never said anything. Celestina almost nervously goes on to explain that she and Shahar were secretly very close and that she supported her actions.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

That is dangerous. She basically admits to Hunt that she was also supporting the rebellion in small ways.

[B]

What? Okay.

[A]

Then she tells him that she tried to buy him back in the day. After some attempts, she had to stop, lest she raised some suspicion, but the Asteri would never allow it. But she tried to get Hun's out of Sandriel's grasps. He is shook by this, but also very hesitant to believe that it's real. For all he knows, this is a psyop to get him to spill all his little secrets. And I mean, he has a right to feel that way. He's spiraling in his mind in this moment. But I don't blame him. There's a lot at stake. He's been lied to, manipulated a million times.

[B]

How does he ever trust anybody ever again with what he's been through? Like, it's hard enough us as humans with a mortal lifespan. Like it. Like a short mortal lifespan, we can't even do it. It's like imagine hundreds of years of it. Man, I would have stopped trusting people a long time ago.

[A]

Yeah. And beyond that, he's. He has a hard time wrapping his mind around an archangel. Actually admitting there against this theory.

[B]

Yes, yes. And especially in her office. That's very.

[A]

I know. Like, why are this seems you should not. I don't trust say in this, but in that moment, he's feeling a lot of things at once. And he asks her why didn't she join the battle if that's how she felt? She tells him she chose not to and regrets her decision every day of these hundred years of years later.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

Basically saying she wasn't brave enough. To do it. He asks why she's telling him this, and she reveals that he did the thing that she fantasized about doing ever since Shahar was killed, essentially murdering Sandriel, and that she knows what he did.

[B]

Bitch. You should not be saved.

[A]

Yeah, I don't think you should be saying this in the office.

[B]

I'm very scared because, like, we know you're very powerful, but obviously still, there's a lot of shit that you don't have any control over, so.

[A]

So maybe she knows some way inherently when the Asteri are paying attention to her or not. Who knows?

[B]

Who knows?

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is all talk, and all of it could be fake. He doesn't want to believe this, and he actually tells her, so I have a hard time believing you, Celestina. She seems ashamed of this, but understanding of why he wouldn't believe her, she asks if they can be friends. He's genuinely touched by this, but is also spiraling through all the secrets he holds, whether she knows them. If she doesn't and. And she turns out to be good, what will it mean for him to betray her? Blah, blah, blah.

[B]

Poor brain. Yeah.

[A]

And he's not dumb, but he's not, like, a genius.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, and so it's probably a lot to be pondering at this all the same time. And he's thinking about Bryce's boobs.

[B]

I know. Yeah. He's a soldier. Himbo. That's not. This is too much. Too many complicated thoughts. I feel like once being a bit.

[A]

Of a Travis Kelsey in the moment, he's like, yes. Oh, don't go.

[B]

But I like the girl. Yep. Just throw the ball. All right. Get off the podcast. Throw the ball.

[A]

Took our money.

[B]

No, they. They are. It seems it's. It's cute.

[A]

No, it's cute, but they got a lot of that money from podcasting.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he just.

[B]

I don't know if we're right up against the ball boys. You know, there was. Oh, I meant this show in particular. Yeah. I meant, though, I meant Romantasy in general.

[A]

A lot of swifties.

[B]

You're right. Especially SJM is a big swifty. We know that. Oh, I bet she's happy this week. Happy SJM Week for everybody. I guess it's a Taylor week for.

[A]

Everybody, but I wouldn't call myself a swifty, so I don't know that much.

[B]

No. Oh, no. Certainly you're not a swifty. No, I don't hate her.

[A]

I just.

[B]

No, the swifties are the ones that, like, go through and, like, are finding all the Easter eggs that she's been laying. I do love an Easter eggs. And.

[A]

Oh, yeah, I do love an Easter egg.

[B]

It's very. It's thick.

[A]

So he tries to steady his breath as he gets up to leave her office and decides to give his honest feelings about Sandriel's Triari to her because she has sort of maybe opened up or is lying.

[B]

Open the door. Yeah. But even though, like, no matter what it seems like she at least is.

[A]

Concerned about him and is opening conversation. Opening the door to conversation. And so he says, reach out your hand.

[B]

You take the hand back.

[A]

He reached out again. Take it back. And so he says, I'm gonna tell you the truth. I know this. Sandriel's Triari is bad news through and through.

[B]

They're bad.

[A]

The ones that are here are bad. And he cautions her to be very wary when the rest of them arrive for the party. The Hind, the Harpy, the Hawk, all H's, sjm.

[B]

You're killing us.

[A]

And they all have separate names also.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So he tells her that they always have bad intentions and to be very aware of them that you should never trust. Even if it's Ephraim's people, they're always up to some business.

[B]

Honey, I don't even think you need to tell me that, but I appreciate it.

[A]

Yeah. And she's like, thanks, baby.

[B]

Thanks. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm pretty aware.

[A]

He tells her to call upon him for whatever she may need for the party to go off safely. She thanks him, and he departs. Moments later, Hunt is walking down the hallway outside of Celestina's office and finds Baxian leaning against a wall, waiting for him.

[B]

He tries to show that's the good one. I feel like in when I first was reading this because they both have X's in their names. I. Even though they both begin with two separate letters, I would confuse which one was the good one and which one was the bad one. And even though. Because then Baxian is not the bad one. And I really, weirdly, I kept even though drastically different characters. Yeah, I just would. I just would confuse them every once in a while.

[A]

I keep them separated in my mind by plot points that we haven't gotten to yet. We can't say so that I can't give the advice.

[B]

The advice. Thank you. Thank you.

[A]

So Baxian's there waiting. Hunt's, like, trying to shake him off, but Baxian is trying to get information out of him, wondering if he. Warren Celestina of his old colleagues, essentially saying, I also think the Triari are bad. I'm sure you mentioned that to her, right? And as Hunt walks towards the launch edge of the building, which I find so fun, like, the side of the building just has, like a thing on the side because all the angels have to fly off.

[B]

But also so cool to leave a meeting to be like, all right, gotta go, and then just jumping out. I know that that doesn't excite them because, like, they've all had, like, wings and everybody's got, like, wings and stuff, but, man, it would take me a minute to get used to it.

[A]

Yeah, it's cool. So Vaccine's following him to this launch ledge, and Hunt's mind is elsewhere. He's trying to find Bryce for lunch and he's like, maybe we can do it. I'm thinking about her boobs again, but Baxian and probably her feet.

[B]

Oh, yeah, how sweaty she is. You know, it's like, what's going on? Yeah.

[A]

So Baxian follows him anyway, being basically annoying, and he's like, yeah, I did talk to her about you guys putting Baxian in the group. Telling him he's a part of that sadistic group of freaks. And Vaccine seems to be trying to distance himself from like, I'm. No, I'm different. I'm not them. And as Hunt stretches his wings up, preparing to leave, Baxian casually insinuates that he's glad he doesn't have to pretend to like Pollux anymore. Hunt's not buying it and is about to take off when Baxian tells him that he is not trying to Hunt over.

[B]

I just feel like this is such a back to back that I feel like that right then I'd be like, okay, now I really don't trust none of this shit.

[A]

Okay? Lying to me.

[B]

All y' all being crazy. All right. I'm just. I got a throbbing cock, if you'll excuse me.

[A]

Let me milk first and then I'll think about this.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

However, the tone in Baxian's voice is enough to give Hunt pause. And he broaches the idea of this fight that Baxian had earlier about females with Pollux. He wants to know, what were you talking about? Because they were kind of fighting about women stuff during the argument and asks if he had some love affair with a hind. Is that why there's like, bad blood? Baxian laughs. And they sort of bond over hating the hind. The Vaccine's like, I would never touch that.

[B]

Hell no. That fucking crazy bitch. No.

[A]

So Baxian challenges Hunt to share his secrets and Vaccine will share his. You know, so there's this sort of, like, Vaccine is being a little. He's. It seems like he's trying to reach out to Hunt, but he's still kind of being a little sarcastic and, like, standoffish. But also he is trying to convince Hunt that he is not one of the Triari that he hates.

[B]

He's not like the other boys, that.

[A]

He'S not like the other boys. And he doesn't know how to feel about him. He's having these mixed feelings about Vaccine, so he basically just gives him the finger and flies off the side of the building. Hot.

[B]

I feel like it's also like, at this point, I feel like you could probably smell the, like, the cogs whirring in his brain. It was like, oh, I just. Whoa. Oh, I can't. It's too much.

[A]

Cogs are worried somewhere.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

So he just gives him the finger, flies off the side of the building. That's very hot.

[B]

Yes. But he couldn't shake the sense that Baxian continued to watch him as if he'd left something vital hanging in the balance. Seemed only a matter of time before it returned to bite him in the ass.

[A]

There was a. That's a big chapter. Chunk 22 is a lot of information.

[B]

Especially it's a lot of character development. This is like. This has been a bit.

[A]

Yeah, we have. We have Ruhn's new tasks. New characters are coming in.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

He's now working for Ophion. He is dressed up like stars.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And I guess is the night sky inside of himself. And he's learning this stuff from this person. Agent Daybreak. We don't know who that is. Then we also have Hunt's new burdening maybe relationship with Celestina and maybe Baxian. And we're learning Pollux is straight up artist, so that's cool. And also that Celestina is being forced to breed and they're gonna have a big old party for it.

[B]

And also she's a baddie that was gonna buy Hunt and was wanted to be a rebel, but she was scared.

[A]

Yeah. I'm like, I don't know how to feel about her. I'm a little pissed that she never.

[B]

Why did she do it? Why didn't she?

[A]

But at least she is maybe trying to make up for it. Who knows?

[B]

We're gonna have to find out in time.

[A]

But.

[B]

Oh, I'm scared to trust. I'm scared to love.

[A]

I just wanna come as Celestina.

[B]

Yeah, I'm scared of love. I'm scared of trust. And he's gonna fucking put his seed in me. Aggressively. Awesome. Great. I hope it's fun.

[A]

Maybe she can use like a turkey baster or something.

[B]

Oh, if only I got to.

[A]

This ear wants to run off. We got to go.

[B]

Please read up until part two, the Abyss, for next week. I don't mean to interrupt your meal, but I saw you from across a cafe. And you're the Geico Gecko, right? In the flesh. Oh, my goodness. This is huge. To finally meet you. I love Geico's fast and friendly claim service. Well, that's how Geico gets 97 customer satisfaction. Anyway, that's all. Enjoy the rest of your food. No worries. So are you just gonna watch me eat? Oh, sorry, just a little starstruck. I'll be on my way. If you're gonna stick around, just pull up a chair. You're the best.

[A]

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