"Technically no laser guns, although we have do plasma arcs, which are probably just as impressive. I've met him. It was a memorable occasion. Clone-progenitor relationships vary, but Miles considers me his brother."

"Plasma arcs sound cool. Also, awwww. Siblings are cute. Is he gonna wonder where you are, should I pester all my witchy friends about ways to return summoning victims to their native worlds?"

"I'm sure he'll wonder where I am. So will the intelligence service he works for. They can go on wondering for the time being. I like Miles, but as of my summoning last week I wasn't sure I ever wanted to talk to him again. It's complicated."

"Your complicated clonebrother, the spy. Are you aware that you live an interesting life?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"I'm sure I don't. Did you live in space? Because space is cool, and living in space could make anyone more interesting."

"No, I missed that one. But I was created for a substitution plot against Miles aimed ultimately at assassinating key members of his family and becoming emperor of his planet, that's got to count for something, right?"

"Sounds adventurous! Though probably not very pleasant. I'm glad you didn't assassinate your complicated clonebrother, that sounds even less pleasant."

"Yeah. I wouldn't have liked it. And the man behind this plot also secretly meant for my coup to result in a long and bloody civil war ending ultimately in my assassination or public execution, which I wouldn't have liked either."

"Gah. You're well out of that, I think."

"Yeah."

Ari continues walking. Idly, he counts the graveyards. Presumably Mark's crypt is in Danforth Cemetary IV, off at the far side of town. He wonders which crypt it is? Uncomfortable... Maybe the Ashworth mausoleum? That one's been empty ever since K'z'yx passed of chitin rot, and it was quite a mess for a while. Plus the windows face the sunrise, and you can board them up but you don't want to have to.

So: an extended silence in which to contemplate his choices. Exactly what Mark didn't need.

Ari is blissfully oblivious! However, Mark may have noticed that he is always willing to prattle on about nothing in particular if prompted to do so. Ari is currently, for some reason, under the impression that Mark seems like the kind of "speak when you have something to say" person who is bored by idle chatter.

After a minute or so, he comes out with, "So what sort of creature is a Kal'Shakk demon?"

"Very big, for one thing. Well, they look very big, actually they're sort of a fleshy oyster-thing in a massive rock suit. Peaceful society, for the most part, they live in cavern-palaces on their home plane and eat crystals. They have power over earth and stone, which I get a bit of-" he picks up a rock and, concentrating, turns it into a picture-perfect robin- "and human crosses get strength and toughness and that whole package. That's true of most half-demons, human blood plays very nicely with demonic."

"Nice trick. Very pretty."

"Do you want it? I can make it colorful and sparkly and things with a bit of effort, it could spruce up your crypt a bit. I've got shelves full of rocky sculpture stuff, this would probably just get slagged anyway."

"That would be very sweet of you."

Ari turns the bird over in his hands. "Tell me what colors you want it, I can go authentic red and brown or black and purple or however you like. For that matter, I can make it a whole different thing, though if you want a unicorn or something I'll need a few more rocks."

"Authentic, why not."

Mark giggles. And pets the bird.

"It's adorable." And totally made of rocks. But he is scooping it off his shoulder and cuddling it anyway.