The moment Ta'lhqejk set foot in the science center, they couldn't help but sense a feeling of desolation. Remnants of displays and technologies once deemed the future, faded memories of better times, they were a poignant reminder of the dangers and delicacy of life and humanity. It would have been nice to visit the science center in its heyday. Having missed out on many important historical eras and events, Ta'lhqejk would often find themself wondering what it would have been like to experience these moments firsthand as opposed to through photos and films. This building was merely another reminder of what happens when exiled to a hinterland for over a century.
Sensing the change in gravitational force, there was a moment of panic. Of all the things Ta'lhqejk had planned for, a gravitational anomaly had not been accounted for. But it wasn't an inconvenience, and so they pressed on, towards the statue. Clearly, a scientist and possibly the founder of the facility (or at least someone very important in the realm of sciences in New Franco), a moment of admiration was given to the spiritual symbolism the statue symbolized before proceeding towards the building and its enormous car park.
The courtyard would have perhaps once been a pretty spot to visit. But now, it simply was abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. Widespread battle damage both inside and outside of the building shocked Ta'lhqejk insofar as nobody had bothered to clear it out. Then again, it seemed that the science center had been neglected for the last thirty or so years. Meanwhile, the interior followed a similar trend. Some things were picked over, others left mostly in fact, and others in various states of neglect and disrepair. It seemed that there was no willpower left in the city to keep a semblance of order and cleanliness, and that had the effect of making Ta'lhqejk question the very basis of the society that composed New Franco. Why were they so callous and ignorant as to let the city sink this far? Aside from the remote charging system, the city seemed to have not been properly ruled in decades.
Meanwhile, the voice took Ta'lhqejk aback. Sounding deranged, chaotic, incoherent, and dramatically debauched simultaneously, it wasn't so much a reason for concern as it was a reason for perplexion. After glancing about and locating the source of the voice, Ta'lhqejk rolled their eyes. The man had the appearance of a sickly being, somebody who spent all their money on substances both legal and illegal. With random baubles and belongings sticking out of every pocket, the man was less of a threat and more of a charity case in the eyes of Ta'lhqejk. His grammar especially left a lot to be desired. Either the language was not his native tongue, or something had caused him to speak in such a strange manner. And his white irises, well, they were seemingly less "normal" than Ta'lhqejk's red irises. Nothing about this man inspired confidence in the eyes of the Varlokiri deity.
After receiving confirmation that this indeed was--regrettably--Alex, Ta'lhqejk let out a silent sigh while enduring his mostly incoherent speech. Indeed, this would have been a tolerable situation if Alex hadn't decided to sniff out Ta'lhqejk. As a byproduct of a rigid society with many specific rules of etiquette, sniffing somebody outside of a very narrow and intimate set of circumstances was considered deeply uncivilized. And then his rambling comments which seemed like a word game for the mind began to set Ta'lhqejk on edge. Perhaps they could have forgiven the sniffing if Alex hadn't proceeded to act in such a way that every moment became immensely painful to endure. Each and every word he uttered caused Ta'lhqejk to mentally demand him to shut up. They needed silence before Alex's words grated further on them and drove them mad.
Despite Alex's relatively nice and mostly coherent questions at the end, Ta'lhqejk couldn't take it anymore. The last thing they wanted and needed was a migraine. Alex suddenly found himself floating as the Varlokiri deity rubbed their temples in frustration. He would note an inability to speak, and an inability to escape despite being no more than several centimeters off the ground. Ta'lhqejk wasn't in the mood for foolish games or humor; there was a task at hand and it had to be completed.
"I am not your friend. But, I'm also not your enemy. Now, I also need you to be silent. Otherwise, you might well space out on me and prove to be useless." Ta'lhqejk firmly said while staring Alex in the eyes from behind their glasses. "And don't go around calling people old, it is very rude. Plus, I still look f****** fabulous after all these millennia. I can still make mortals jealous with my mere looks."
"Now, let us talk business. I am a very busy person with a schedule to follow. I don't have to time exalt my own achievements and appearances. Now, shall we proceed? Yes, we shall." Rhetorically asked Ta'lhqejk as Alex still found himself in his aforementioned predicament, unable to protest. "Do you know who Iblion is? Perhaps a photo will refresh your memory."
Summoning a photo, they showed it to Alex. It was a still photo of Iblion marked as being the property of the SIM, implying very heavily that either Erich gave Ta'lhqejk the photo, or they "borrowed" it from the Monsonian government.
"I need to find this Celestial, and I do have reason to believe that you know where he may be. Knowing that there are two paths we can follow. Either you tell me exactly what I need to know, and this all comes to an end in a swift and calm manner, or, you refuse to cooperate. If that ends up being the case, you will not want to know what I am capable of when enraged. Thus, I strongly suggest you cooperate. Understood? Good."
At that point, Ta'lhqejk unmuted Alex and unbound him after lowering him onto the floor.
"Go ahead, speak. You're free to talk." They told the man. "But don't try anything stupid, or you will find yourself bound and silenced once more."
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