Shadowess Posted July 17 Author Posted July 17 "I haven't changed; you merely misjudged me." He said while smirking at her. He then frowned as his eyes moved back to Ortiz, and he nodded. "There is," he answered simply, not ready yet to elaborate. "Good, I'm going to need you to keep an eye on him while I try to talk sense into the daft bastard," he said as he moved forward with the intention of lifting Ortiz, but stopped short with a groan, and his knees almost buckled as pain shot through his leg. "Great... Getting him back and tied up is going to be a pain." --- Azrael found himself at a loss. He briefly considered Life's domain, but that would put Death's brother in the same situation regarding diplomacy with Heaven. "If only Atma's bars were still open... we could have housed her in one of those..." He lamented as he recalled Atma running neutral establishments on Earth throughout time, where Angels and Demons alike could rest in safety, regardless of the wars. If only she hadn't lost her memories and become mortal... A radical idea crossed Azrael's mind, and he looked at Nate and Gabriel with an inspired expression. Why did a neutral Earth hub have to be run by Atma specifically? Why not them? What could possibly stop them? And he was certain he wasn't the only one in all the realms to miss them! "We could do it," he said slowly. "We could run a neutral pub... a neutral inn... Like Atma used to! All species welcome. No fighting or arrests permitted within its walls. Just drinks, rooms and conversations between all kinds. Sanctuary!" He looked at Lilith thoughtfully. "She'd be safe there. Protected. We could watch over her and get her the help she needs, and one day, when she's ready, use it to integrate her into a more normal life." --- Lilly watched them both floating, and she hesitated. Her thoughts lurched back to when she'd lost control of her powers, and for a moment, she dreaded attempting to use her powers. But she thought back on how she'd managed to get it under control. 'I can do this,' she thought to herself and then closed her eyes while she focused inward. Tapping into her power and ordering it to bend to her will again, she opened her eyes and found herself a few inches off the ground. She laughed but then wobbled and struggled to hold herself upright. She hadn't anticipated that floating would involve some level of balance, and suddenly found herself thankful that she'd decided to wear shorts under her dress as she ended up almost upside down. --- When the men appeared, Clementine's eyes had first landed on Adam. Upon recognising him immediately, she'd closed her eyes and turned away from him in time to miss his light. Quickly, she jumped to her feet and, while clutching the bag of groceries to her chest, she turned to run away from him. Only to be stopped by John before she'd even reached the end of the bus stop. When her eyes landed on him, she gasped and dropped the bag, which spilt its contents onto the street. "John Devine!" She stared at him with wide eyes. "No- but you- You were destroyed!" "So were you, Clementine... It looks like you've changed a lot since you came back." John answered her calmly. Clementine shivered as she realised with sickening clarity that Adam being here as well meant that this time John had managed to get much farther with his crazy plan than he had when Lucifer had been around. "What do you want with me?" "Well, first I want you to look at Adam." "Go to Hell!" "Eden." John corrected her calmly. "And don't worry, we will. All of us. Together." "You're mad! You're both mad!" "Don't you want to be part of something truly great? You always had ambition, Clementine. What's more ambitious than helping to create a new utopia and becoming royalty?" "Utopia?! More like cult! I will not be your brood sow!" "You've got it all wrong. It can work. We can build a paradise together. But we need you. You're a genuis! Don't waste your potential." John reasoned. He glanced behind her at Adam, knowing Clementine's attention was fully on John and that as long as she knew where Adam was, she would refuse to look at him. Which meant they needed to be smart as well as fast. He wondered if, while they were talking, he and Adam could teleport to switch places before she could react. --- "Yeah, yeah, nice try!" Jack rolled his eyes while still poking his broccoli with his fork. "Mom tried to tell me that before!" "It worked for the whole of ten seconds," Tia commented as she came back and sat down. "Jack, do you wana know a secret?" Layla pretended to whisper to him across the table. When he looked at her curiously, she picked up the gravy boat from the middle of the table and poured some onto her own broccoli before placing it back down. "There! Now my veggies will taste like the meat!" Jack's eyes widened as if Layla had just given him the greatest idea in the world. "Do you want me to put some on yours?" Tia asked him, but Jack jumped up to stand on his chair. "No, I can do it! I got it!" He said excitedly as he reached for the gravy boat. "Alright, but be careful and don't spill it," Tia replied and watched him carefully as he tried to aim the gravy over his broccoli. "Well done," she praised him when he managed to do it himself and put the gravy boat back before sitting down. Jack grinned proudly and eagerly dug his fork into a large bit of broccoli before taking a bite. His face went through a range of expressions. Mostly from disgusted to happy to disgusted and back to happy as he would occasionally still taste the vegetable through the gravy. But he at least seemed to find it manageable as he took another bite without any more complaints. --- "Positively epic, you mean?" Carol grinned playfully as they walked. "So, I guess this makes us colleagues now... How's it feel to be a Devil with a Demon superior?" She chuckled. "I'm just yanking your chain. We're pretty much equals in this job... although technically I kinda have seniority over you when it comes to this role specifically." --- "Thank you." May breathed, feeling a little lightheaded as she sat on the bed. "I think I just need to come to terms with it all... I knew there was an afterlife, but I guess I just never actually gave it much thought before. And now, suddenly, it's like I'm seeing evidence of it everywhere I look..." She glanced at Carter and shook her head a bit. "Uh, sorry. I-um... So, what do I owe you? For helping with this?" --- David jumped to his feet and stepped back as the visions flashed violently through his mind. "Dad?" Amelia looked at him worriedly, having not seen what Abaddon had shown him. It took a moment for David to process what he'd seen, and in that time, he held a hand up to Amelia to signal to give him a moment. He then looked at Abaddon with a grave expression. "We need to get that human out of you," he said with a hint of urgency in his tone. "I know you think we shouldn't, but consider for a moment that you are not the only one out of both of you right now who has access to your Devil abilities. All it would take is for you to lose your grip for just a moment, and we'll have a Doctor Jekyll & Mr Hyde problem on our hands! Only your 'Mr Hyde' will be capable of the levels of carnage a Devil as ancient as yourself can create." He took a step towards Abaddon again and knelt down once more. "Let me put that human into a human body. It won't have any powers, and it'll be much easier to handle. Please." "Dad?" Amelia said again. Her eyes were now fixed on Abaddon. David's words had concerned her deeply, but she didn't yet understand what had telepathically been communicated between the pair. --- "Oh, I can certainly do that." Tuzo purred into his ear. "Before we get started, I think it's best to let you know so that you don't think I'm doing it intentionally. Part of the type of Angel that I am means that my saliva can, well, act as a sort of aphrodisiac. The more we kiss, the more you'll want until both our needs are met." He smirked at him. "What do you say? Care to taste?" --- "Oh, boy..." Lang sighed as he stared at Reed on the ground. He walked over to him calmly and lifted him into his desk chair. He then sat on his desk and placed his hand on Reed's shoulder, using his powers to help him feel a bit better. "Are you alright?" he'd ask him when he'd come to. --- Lost in the whirlwind of lust and ecstacy, Damien kissed Samson over and over with increasing passion whilst undressing himself. He pushed Samson onto the bed and tossed his shirt to one side before leaning over him to kiss him again. He caressed his thigh and lifted it over his hip. His other hand caressed his cheek as they kissed before moving down his chest, gliding his fingertips over his stomach and into his pants. *Private time* Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 17 Posted July 17 Violet shrugged, "Could always get that special kid to do it. Ortiz was right about one thing. Blake is trying to impress you. You're pretty much his dad now." --- Nate raised a brow, "I guess it's not the worst idea. Still though, what would be the best spot? Europe? America? And what city or town?" Gabriel replied, "It could be a pub in a small town of Ireland. Their alcohol is excellent." --- Raven nodded at Death. Death tossed the ball to him. Raven held it tight as he spoke, "Since we aren't competing, let's have fun but be careful. And don't forget, the ball cannot hit the ground." He threw the ball before kicking it. Death floated to it with his leg out. Kicking it back. Raven then kicked it into Lily's direction. --- Adam winked at John to give him the ok. Soon, he appeared in front of Clementine with the help of John. He continued to glow as he cupped her face. Making sure she looked into his eyes. --- Xenos laughed, "As much as I appreciate that technique Layla, he can't put gravy on all his vegetables forever. It's not healthy." Nil shrugged, "Maybe he could try ranch? It goes great with most vegetables." --- Ash found himself back to his golden years. Growling under his breath as he glared at her, "Watch your tone. We may be allies but that doesn't mean I have to stick around." --- Carter shook his head, "Nothing at all. It's what friends do. We help each other. I'm just sorry you've been dealing with this crap." --- Abaddon stood, "Fine. Do not blame me when he finds a way to inflict harm. He may be human but even humanity has always been full of surprises." --- Napoleon returned the smile, "Don't mind if I do." He soon kissed him. Slowly at first before it became more passionate. --- Reed nervously looked away, "Uh yeah I'm good. I guess I never thought you would accept my words. Somehow, it feels like your rejection would have been a lot more easier than to hear you give me a time of day. I don't know. It's just....I said this too quickly. And I'm not even good at being a normal human. I never really was one. No matter hard I tried to fit in, even I as a human, can't seem to find my place." Quote
Shadowess Posted July 18 Author Posted July 18 "No," Kris said, almost a little too quickly. He didn't deny that he felt some sort of parental responsibility for all the boys he'd taken in. Blake included. If anything, he'd pretty much proven today just how far he was willing to go to keep them all safe. "It was Blake he had a problem with. I don't want him anywhere near him, unconscious or not... hmm... " He thought for a moment. "Cecil." He called out, and within a few seconds, Cecil had appeared close by, still in his pyjamas. "Yes, sir- Ortiz?" "Ortiz has lost his mind and become dangerous. I can't lift him, so I need you to be my strength. Can you do that for me?" "I-" Cecil stammered as he looked from Ortiz to Kris. "Yes, Boss. What do you need?" "Lift him and bring him back home. Then tie him up. Use the enchanted binds so he can't use magic. I want to talk to him when he wakes up." "Yes, sir." he walked over to Ortiz and moved his arm around his shoulders to hoist him up. All of them would then teleport home, where Cecil quickly went about tying Ortiz to a chair with the enchanted ropes while Kris tried to relax in a nearby chair with his injured leg elevated. "Violet, fetch me one of my drinks from the bar in my room. I think I'm going to need something strong for this." --- Azrael nodded to Gabriel's suggestion. "Northern Ireland would be perfect. From what I've learned during my work in that area, the mortals in Europe and the United Kingdom are aware of the supernatural kind and are in the process of adapting laws to keep both the supernatural and mortals safe from one another. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, so we, as well as Lilith, would all be protected and welcomed there." --- Lilly had managed to kick the ball back to Raven entirely by accident as she flipped from upside down to right side up. She was still trying to simply get the hang of flying. The spectacle had drawn a small crowd of Reapers in the castle that had paused at the windows to see what the Royal Family were doing. --- Gasping at the sudden appearance of Adam, her hands shot up to grip his wrists, intending to pull them away from her face, but she froze as she struggled to tear her eyes away from him and his light. Her pupils grew slightly as her eyes locked onto his. She wanted to tell him to stop, but struggled to form words and could feel his influence seizing her mind and diminishing any fight she'd had in her. She felt John's hands on her shoulders as he now stood behind her and realised too late what they had done. "Isn't he beautiful?" John whispered into her ear. "He is rebuilding his Kingdom, and you can be part of this great undertaking. All you have to say is 'yes'..." Clementine's mouth opened and closed as she tried to fight against the overwhelming longing and desires that threatened to overtake her better judgment. John had hit the nail on the head when he'd called her ambitious. It had been her greatest downfall in her previous life. Even now, she struggles to accept her new and very simple life as a human. "It can be yours. His love. A crown. The loyalty and adoration of your subjects. Your own legacy." John continued. "Not to mention the things you've never been able to have before. A lover. To know how it feels. The ability to have a family of your own." "Yes!" Clementine gasped. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her desires were pulled to the surface and overwhelmed her. "Yes! I want it! All of it!" --- "Veggies gone, mama!" Jack announced as he finished the last of the broccoli on his plate. He then quickly looked at Nil. "Can I have your meat now?" he asked excitedly and then added, "Please!" "You'd think I didn't feed the boy..." Tia chuckled while rolling her eyes. --- Carol held up her hands and backed up a little. "Easy, man. I was just playing around. Jeez..." --- "Ah, it's fine. I guess it comes with the job." May waved dismissively. She was surprised by him not wanting payment, though. "Thank you. Well, I guess I should get back to doing my rounds or my supervisor will give- ugh... I was going to say they'd give me hell..." she chuckled awkwardly. --- David nodded and stood straight as well. "All species are capable of inflicting harm. There's little we can do about that. But at least, in this instance, we have an opportunity to control the amount of harm that this particular being would be capable of. That has to count for something." "I'm so lost right now..." Amelia rolled her eyes, and David looked at her. "The other part of him is full of bloodlust and a craving for violence," he explained. "Great!" Amelia said sarcastically. "Just what we need..." "We're going to need a human body. A fresh one." "Ugh..." Amelia shuddered. "Can't I order someone else to do it? Morgues are grim..." "Amelia," David said sternly. "We don't have time for this." "Fine! I'll see you at the usual spot..." She vanished. David then turned to Abaddon. "Come with me... We'll need to prepare," he would teleport to the Gobi Desert. By now, the sand had completely covered up the markings from the last time they'd needed this spell. --- Tuzo kissed him back, matching his gradually building passion. As things became heated between them, his hands wandered to his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and then to the buttons of his shirt. His wings fluttered a little from excitement, sending a few stray feathers onto the carpet. --- "Wait- what do you mean? What makes you think you're not a normal human?" Lang asked him, looking confused. Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 18 Posted July 18 Violet soon came back with a bottle and two glasses. "Figured I should join the party." She set the glasses and bottle on the table. She joked, "So, should I be good cop or bad cop?" It was her way of trying to ease the tension. --- Gabriel nodded, "I know a place. It was abandoned after the foreclosure. Follow me." All of them would soon appear in a dusty old pub that had a second floor where the owner of the pub was able to live in their business. He snapped his fingers. The pub was clean. --- Raven floated a bit down to kick the ball at an angle. Sending it to Death. Death instinctively kicked it to Lily as he was getting use to the game. --- Adam said, "Do it, John!" The three of them appeared in the brothel. Adam let out a sigh of relief. "That could have been worse." --- Nil slid the plate over, "Sure thing. I need to talk to the plants anyways." He stepped out of the house. Xenos walked over to the kitchen window. Watching Nil whisper and hug a tree. "I guess Woodstock did have something after all." --- Ash sighed, "I don't understand you modern Demons. You've forgotten etiquette." --- Carter raised a brow, "Call me an idiot but was I supposed to accept payment? I've just been helping around constantly that I never asked for that." --- Abaddon looked around. Examining the desert for what it was. "He'll get the first chance to attack you when he is free from me." The freshest body that Amelia would find would be a twenty-one year old man with an emo style from head to toe. The body itself had once been a man suffering before he took his own life. --- Napoleon couldn't help but grab Tuzo. Pinning him to the carpet. He lifted his shirt up and let his hands wandered before gripping his hips. --- Reed shook his head, "Not like that. I mean I'm a nerd. When I was school, the other kids bullied me. Even when I was little, I knew I wanted to be away from everyone because no one would want to be near me. It wasn't until I signed up for the CIA that I thought I found a place. Yet, I can't even socialize with the other agents. I tried this handbook but all I got was people laughing in my face." He hugged his knees and glared at the book, "What a useless book." Quote
Shadowess Posted July 18 Author Posted July 18 Seeing her bring a glass for herself and hearing her comment, Kris let out a chuckle. "What the hell, you've earned it," he said as he took the bottle without really looking at it. He poured them each a drink, then set the bottle back onto the table and picked up his glass. Turning his attention back to Ortiz, he sighed, although he couldn't help smirking at Violet's joke. "I just need to get through to him somehow. I don't know why his jealousy is so intense. I have always treated all of my boys equally. I trusted him. I made him my right hand for fuck sakes..." he glanced at Violet. "I don't know if I can trust him again or forgive him after this," he confided quietly. "The boys depend on me to keep them safe and he-..." He shook his head with a sigh and took a sip of his drink. --- Azrael smiled up at the building. He could already picture them running it together. The idea filled him with excitement. He glanced at the hanging wooden sign. It was so aged and weather-worn that the name and image had almost completely faded. Smirking, Azrael snapped his fingers, and a design appeared. It was the back of an Angel standing in a valley of fields, with a hood covering their face and their white wings tucked against their back. They were holding a four-leaf clover up to their hood, as if smelling a flower. The name that appeared underneath it in fancy font was 'The Lucky Angel Inn' "What do you think?" He asked Nate and Gabriel. --- Just about starting to get the hang of flying, Lilly looked up in time for the ball to fly passed her. "Shoot!" she gasped and willed herself to soar after it, trying to get behind it before it could reach the ground. She managed to get her foot around it just as it was a few short inches from the ground and kicked it upwards before shooting up after it and aiming to kick the ball back in Raven's direction. She couldn't help laughing and feeling a little proud of how quickly she'd gotten the hang of flying. It was something she'd never even considered that she could do, and yet here she was, floating and zooming around like it was the most natural thing. --- Within seconds, the three of them vanished from the bus stop. Leaving no sign of their presence, except the spilt bag of groceries that littered the empty, darkening street. Back at the brothel, Clementine continued to stare at Adam in a trance. Meanwhile, John was grinning from ear to ear as he stepped away from her. "And what a catch you've got!" he laughed. "I'm telling you, in her Demon days, she was a force to be reckoned with. No other being in all the realms could compete with her alchemical skills. She was famous for it. With a mind as sharp as hers, we'll never have to worry about illnesses. I'll bet she'd even be able to find a way to make childbirth painless if she really put her mind to it." He looked from Clementine to Adam before snapping his fingers. "I know. I'll get some champagne for you both. This is cause for celebration, after all." --- "Yay!" Jack cheered as he slid Nil's meat from his plate to his own and eagerly started carving into it. By now, Layla was used to Nil's quirks with the plant life. Tia, on the other hand, looked out the window curiously with Xenos. "I don't get it..." she said quietly to Xenos, referring to his comment. After all, she did spend most of her life in a cage before he'd saved her. --- "Forgotton? Mate, the only Devil I knew before you, before Amelia and before Damien was Lucifer. The only etiquette I had to worry about was following all his orders to a T. Everyone else could suck an egg." Carol shrugged. "I was his best fighter, you know?" she then proceeded to brag. "I'd have followed that man into Oblivion, if he ordered it," she then said half dreamily. --- "I mean..." May chuckled. "You are trying to run a business, and at the end of the day, that business isn't going to last very long if you keep doing all the work for free," she told him honestly. She then smiled at him. "I'll pay you for your work today. I'd be happy to. Just tell me how much and where to send the money." --- "He can try, but he won't get far," David chuckled confidently as he started to re-paint the seal on the ground for the spell. "Got a freshie for you," Amelia said as she appeared nearby. "There are some pretty deep cuts in his forearms, though." "They'll heal when the soul is transferred into it," David said dismissively as he finished up the last few bits. "Put him in the centre, please." Amelia placed the body into the centre of the seal and then stepped well away from the spell's boundary markings. David stepped out of it as well and gestured for Abaddon to step in. "Amelia and I will perform the spell," he explained to Abaddon. "You'll need to stand at the body's feet, facing him. I'm not going to lie, this will be painful. Excruciating, actually. But it won't take long. As long as no one else steps into that area with you while the spell is active, then everything should go as planned." --- Tuzo stifled a moan as Napoleon pinned him down. He knew he'd have to try hard to keep their noise to a minimum so as not to alert the staff and tourists outside the room to what they were doing. He grinned at the additional excitement that this knowledge brought to the moment. He stared up at Napoleon with lustful eyes as he felt his hands on his hips. "So dominating, Monsieur!" he gasped in delight with a cheeky smirk. --- Lang listened to Reed and fidgeted with his hands a bit while looking at him thoughtfully. "Reed, and please don't take this the wrong way, but have you talked to a doctor about all this and how you feel?" he asked him cautiously. "Or, maybe, um, have you looked into..." he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, not entirely sure on how to broach the subject. "Neurodiversity?" Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 18 Posted July 18 Violet held her drink. She turned to him with a frown. Her hand touched his arm, "Hey I get it. I wasn't always in that brothel. You may not know this but Heaven and Hell were always at constant war. To the point where it was every Angel or Demon for themselves. Sure there were those who worked together but....a lot of people were lost. A few that I knew too." She smiled a little, "So I get it." Ortiz slowly opened his eyes. He squinted at the lights inside before getting a good look at Violet and Kris. "What's going on? I thought you would have killed me by now." --- Nate shrugged, "Not half bad." Gabriel spoke, "So long as we can let everyone else know that they're welcomed in." --- Raven smiled at her joy. He raised his leg and kicked it in the air. Soon, he began to repeat the pattern with both of his shoes. Continually going until he kicked it hard. The ball went through the goal. "Woo!" Death clapped, "Wonderful performance." --- Adam stopped glowing and sighed, "I could definitely use a good drink." He winked at her, "How about you?" --- Xenos began to explain, "Ever since humanity has existed, they have tried their best to understand the world they live in. Overtime, some humans began to live in nature. There was an event called Woodstock. A festival for those that loved nature. They all came together to listen to music, talk, and spread the love they wanted to share. What they didn't realize was fairies were already doing that. Fairies are the guardians of nature. They protect and nurture every living plant and animal. It is said that the plants can communicate with these fairies." Nil raised a hand. A branch from the tree extended towards him and handed him an apple. He accepted it with a smile before taking a bite. --- Ash smirked, "Guess I'm not the only one who misses their love. At least we have that in common." He sighed, "It's been hard since I lost her. I can only imagine what it's like to not have Lucifer around. I'll admit he was a thorn on my side but he impressed everyone in Hell. Including myself. I'll never see a King like him again." --- Carter flushed. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "Uh I actually haven't come up with a price. And I really only have my bank account I guess." --- Abaddon stepped into the circle, "Do not underestimate me. I know more pain than you may think. This will be nothing." During the process, Abaddon would drop to his knees. It seemed as though the human soul was fighting back. Yet, it was no match for the spell. The body soon opened his eyes. The new young man lifted his head up. He glared at them before running towards Abaddon. Abaddon opened his mouth. Entrapping the man with his tentacles. The man shouted, "You insolent fools! His power would have been mine!" --- Napoleon chuckled, "How else do you think I conquered France?" He bit his neck. Leaving a hickey there before taking his shirt off and straddling Tuzo. His wings vibrated as he leaned in for a passionate kiss. --- Reed said, "Ha! You don't think I didn't research that stuff? I know what I am. And I hate what I am. Why couldn't have been born a normal human? It's not fair that I have this. I may have knowledge but I rather be stupid and have friends." He stood from the couch. "I'm sorry I told you that I liked you. It was a dumb mistake. Just forget about it." Quote
Shadowess Posted July 18 Author Posted July 18 Violet's touch caused Kris to look at her. Her openness with him surprised him. As did her story. Before she had entered their lives, he hadn't believed in Heaven or Hell. But now, to be sitting next to living proof and hear them talk about their life beyond the mortal realm was all so fascinating to him. "I think I'd like to hear your stories sometime..." he admitted and then turned his head when he heard Ortiz waking up. Just like that, his gentle demeanour was gone. "Don't tempt me," he growled at him angrily and flicked his wrist. Swift as the wind, a phantasmal, disembodied hand appeared next to Ortiz and slapped him across the face. The hand remained floating idly in the air nearby, awaiting Kris's next order. "You threaten my boys." Another wrist flick. Another slap. "You plot to murder one of our own." Wrist flick. Slap. "You lied to me." Wrist flick. Slap. "You betrayed me." Wrist flick. Slap. "You attacked me." Wrist flick. Slap. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you!" Wrist flick. The hand grabbed Ortiz's head and held it up to look at Kris. It's pale-blue nails digging into his scalp. "Tell me!!" --- Clementine blinked a few times as Adam's light vanished and his hold on her evaporated. Slowly, she realised what had happened. Able to recall clearly what had been said during the time she'd been under Adam's spell, she knew that she had spoken out of her purest, deepest desires. Yet, she also felt she'd been tricked. She looked from Adam to John and then at their surroundings and realised they'd brought her to the heart of their plans. She opened her mouth, ready to say something, when someone else spoke and cut her off. "Another one?" Eve stepped into the room, smiling warmly at Clementine, who was so surprised that John had managed to get both Adam and Eve to work with him towards his crazy plans that her words had failed her before she'd even had the chance to speak them. "Yes!" John announced quickly and patted Clementine's shoulder. "This is Clementine! She has agreed to join our efforts and our growing family." Eve squealed happily and rushed in to hug Clementine, who stood stock still as her mind raced. She was tempted to shout at them. To accuse John and Adam of manipulation and demand to be taken home. But John wasn't lying. She might have been influenced, but she had agreed and she had spoken honestly. Part of her felt like she'd already betrayed Amelia for a second time, which meant she was now stuck with this decision, whether she had wanted it or not. She was confused, put on the spot and didn't know how to react or what to do. "I-I..." She stammered, feeling lost. "Oh, I know! I know!" Eve said softly as she pulled back and brushed some of Clementine's hair from her face. "It's so much to take in! But I promise, you will be happy here. Adam is such a loving husband. He will keep you safe!" "Hu-husband?" "Oh, yes! Well, not until you consummate anyway. Did I hear something about a drink?" John vanished and rapidly reappeared with four champagne flutes held by the stems in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. He held out his hand with the glasses for them to take one each, and then popped the cork in the bottle before pouring them each a glass. Clementine stared at her drink in shock as Eve took a sip before crinkling her nose with a smile. "I will never get used to drinks with bubbles!" she giggled and then locked her arm around Clementine's. "I want you to know how happy I am that you will be part of our family, and if you ever need to talk, you can always come to me." Clementine looked at her. She was still very confused about how she wanted to feel about all of this, but Eve's kindness seemed so sincere that it caught her off guard, and she couldn't help smiling at her. "To the future of Eden!" John cheered while lifting his glass in a toast. --- "I didn't know that was an apple tree!" Tia whispered to Xenos in surprise. Having finished his meal, Jack jumped off his chair and ran outside to see what Nil was up to. Layla followed shortly after and leaned against the doorway to watch them with a small smile. "What's it saying?" Jack asked curiously while looking at the tree. --- "He was definitely one of a kind..." Carol said while putting her hands in her jean pockets as they walked out of the hospital and into the street. "He might be gone, but while his son and my daughter are ruling Hell... I have a purpose again." She looked around them before glancing up at the darkening sky with a small smile. "I think he'd be proud if he knew what they accomplished. He'd be pissed, for sure," she chuckled. "But I think he'd still be proud. No one ever thought the war would end. They did the impossible. They really did it." --- May smiled at Carter. She took out her little notepad and wrote down a few details before ripping the page out and handing it to him. "Well, you're the first person in the US to come up with a Supernatural Detective Agency from what I know, so I guess you can pretty much come up with whatever rates you think are fair for the job. Here, when you figure it out, send me an invoice for today and I'll pay it." --- Tuzo tilted his head back and gasped at the feeling of Napoleon biting his neck. When he felt the vibrations, he grabbed a fistful of his own jacket that had fallen to the floor by now and stuffed some of it into his mouth to quiet his moans. When he saw Napoleon leaning in, he took the jacket out of his mouth and kissed him back with equal passion. He moved to sit up so that Napoleon would still be straddling him and held him close, rocking and grinding his hips against his while his own wings also started to vibrate. He toyed with the hem of Napoleon's trousers by running his fingers around the inside until both his hands were at the small of his back. All while he moved his kisses down to his chest. --- "Reed, it wasn't dumb." Lang tried. "And there's nothing wrong with being different. Different doesn't always mean bad. I'm sorry that you grew up around shitty people. That's not your fault. I'm not like that, though, so you never have to worry that I'd think any less of you for it." He offered him a patient smile. "I'm glad you told me, actually. Because now I can get to know the real you and not someone you conjured up from reading books to try to fit in." --- David and Amelia finished chanting and watched the human lunge at Abaddon. When he was subdued by Abaddon's tentacles, David chuckled at his angry shouts. "Yeah, that's kind of why we did this," he shouted over to the human. "Dad?" Amelia's voice made David look in her direction and then he followed his daughter's gaze to a hooded figure standing a short distance away from them. The figure looked like it was staring upwards. "Oh, for- Go and see what they want while I help Abaddon with 'a bad 'un.'" "Awful pun... just awful..." Amelia shook her head as she walked away from the now proudly smirking David. David walked over to Abaddon and placed his hand on the human's shoulder, then gave Abaddon a cautious nod to signal to release him while they'd both stay alert. "Now, let's all be calm about this and have a mature conversation." Meanwhile, Amelia approached Unity but held a confused look as Unity continued to stare upwards. "Um... Unity? Can we help you?..." he said, and when Unity continued to look upwards, she snapped her fingers in front of their face a few times. "Hello??? Can you hear me?" Unity's head snapped to look in Amelia's direction, which made her jump and step back in surprise. "We would prefer to wait until all are in attendance. Please be patient," they said in a man's voice before turning their head to stare at the sky once more. "Um-? O-Ok..." Amelia mumbled in confusion and looked up to try and see what the council was looking at, but could only see a clear, cloudless sky. --- They'd continue playing for a while longer. Occasionally, the ball would hit the ground, but they'd pick it up and start over again. Lilly had never felt happiness like it. But then, given she'd never had a real childhood, it meant that she'd never had the opportunity to simply play games before. She very quickly lost track of time, but also could have kept playing without a care in the world. Until she saw a strange hooded figure at the end of the courtyard, patiently waiting for them to finish their game. She caught the ball and then looked at Death with uncertainty. Although Lilly and Raven wouldn't know who the figure was, Death would recognise them immediately. The figure, was Unity. Very briefly, the figure stopped staring in their direction to look ahead and looked like they were saying something, but the trio were too high up to hear them. Then Unity stopped speaking and proceeded to stare at them again. --- "You can be in charge of advertisement, then," Azrael smirked. "Mind getting the door?" he then asked, considering his hands were currently full. Once inside, they'd get a good look at the interior. Meanwhile, Azrael would head into one of the bedrooms upstairs and set Lilith down on the bed to rest. He'd meet up with Nate and Gabriel back in the bar area. "We always said we'd run a bar together, given half the chance-" he chuckled as he walked into the room and then came to an abrupt stop when he saw Unity standing in the middle of the pub, staring up at the ceiling. Azrael would glance at Nate and Gabriel with a mixture of uncertainty and confusion. "Unity?" he addressed them, but they didn't respond. He looked at Nate and Gabriel again. "When did they appear? What're they doing?" he looked up at the ceiling, and an uneasy feeling washed over him. "You don't think they know about-?" Before he could finish asking his question, Unity cut him off by lowering their head to look straight ahead and saying in a man's voice, "We would prefer to wait until all are in attendance. Please be patient," and then Unity went right back to staring at the ceiling. For a wild moment of pure confusion, Azrael would look from Unity to Gabriel, to Nate and then back to Unity until it dawned on him. "Oh!... they're in more than one place at once... great, because that's not going to be confusing at all..." --- Unity would also appear wherever Charles, Hades, Life, Shezmu, the other Arch Angels and Jean are respectively. They would display the exact same behaviour and would likely cause equal confusion among them. Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 18 Posted July 18 Ortiz shrugged, "I'm not going to pretend like I have a case. I still want to get rid of that kid. So go ahead. You trapped your enemy and now you should kill them." Violet drank from her cup, "At least he's honest." --- Adam lifted his glass too. "Eden for life!" He downed his drink before giving everyone a group hug. --- Nil looked at Jack, "It's saying it's watched you and your family. At first, it was worried that you three would hurt the environment since it barely know you. Now, it has studied you long enough to know that you are good people. It wishes to protect your home if it's ok with you." Xenos raised a brow, "Not sure how I feel about a sentient tree." --- Ash seemed heartbroken. "I only wish they would have done it sooner. I may have a new family but that doesn't mean I'll forget my first wife." --- Carter accepted the note and slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks. Take care, ok?" He soon left her. Getting into his car and heading back home. --- Napoleon bit his lip. Holding back moans as he knew they were in a public setting. He whispered, "Make me yours." (Private time) --- Reed raised a brow, "I never made a character for myself. I do love to read books and find their information helpful so I used this book to hopefully gain friends." He picked it up and looked at the cover, "It seems to have worked somehow." --- Once Abaddon let him go, the man was about to attack again when he felt someone behind him. He turned around and saw Amelia talking to Unity. Despite not knowing who this was, he walked over to hear what they had to say. Abaddon nodded at David. Letting him know that everything was fine. He soon followed the human soul. --- Death lowered himself to meet Unity. "Now really. I understand you have something important to say but don't frighten my children. They're still learning about our world." Raven landed on his shoes. Walking over, "Father? Who is this?" --- Gabriel grimaced at the sight of Unity. Nate rolled his eyes, "Great! Like we need a wizard in a blanket right now to make things creepy." --- All those who Unity presented themselves to would have their full attention on them. Wondering what was going on and who was this being? Quote
Shadowess Posted July 19 Author Posted July 19 Kris growled and balled his hand into a fist. As he did, the phantasmal had swooped down to strangle Ortiz. Kris's hand shook as he kept the pressure until he could see Ortiz begin to change colour. Emotion flickered across Kris's face, and before Ortiz could pass out, he released his grip. He waved his hand, dismissing the ghostly hand, which promptly vanished. Kris stood with a grunt and limped over to Ortiz while glowering at him. "Don't mistake my mercy for weakness. That was just a warning. I won't kill you, Ortiz. But I will banish you from my home. From our clan. I'll be adjusting the runes so that if you set foot in this sanctuary again, you will be stricken with such pain and sickness that you will wish I'd killed you. If you so much as go near any of my boys, I will flay you myself. Do you understand?" --- "To our new family!" Eve cheered and also took a sip. Clementine said nothing, but also drank her champagne very quickly. She flinched at the movement but stood still as Adam brought her into the group hug. "Now, Clementine, I recall you being very skilled when it came to alchemy." John began, and Clementine's eyes shot to him. 'Of course,' she thought, that's why they'd targeted her specifically. "You needed me for something." She said numbly. "We've chosen Adam's wives very carefully. You should feel honoured." John said lightly before taking another sip of his drink. "You know what we're doing isn't going to be easy, and without you, it could take years to pull off... I was hoping you might know a way to, you know, speed up pregnancy?" Clementine said nothing but merely stared at John for a moment. Meanwhile, Eve seemed thoroughly excited about the question. "Oh, that would be marvellous! Imagine! Little ones running around so much sooner!" "I was also hoping you might know a concoction to reduce or eliminate childbirth pain," John added and smiled when he saw Eve's eyes widen hopefully. He barely had to do much convincing. Eve's innocent excitement seemed to be doing it all for him as she quickly turned to Clementine, hugging her arm. "Oh, is this possible? Can you do that for us?" "I-..." Clementine looked from John to Adam and then to Eve. Once again feeling cornered and put on the spot. "I-I had made notes in my old home of some potential pain relief elixers. Pregnancy is a matter of germination and incubation. There might be a way to accelerate the cells' growth, but it's risky and would involve a steady hand and precise calculations." "But it's possible?" John pressed. "I-I suppose it could be-" "Wonderful! Let me know what you need. Write me up a list. I'll fetch you books, ingredients, whatever is required." John beamed and took another sip of his drink. "How lucky we are that we found you!" Eve said excitedly and kissed Clementine's cheek. She then hopped over to Adam and kissed his cheek, too. "I will tell the other wives, it will make them so happy!" She then practically skipped out of the room. "I suppose you two will want to spend some time together. Help you settle in." John said with a smile to Clementine and Adam. He picked up the bottle of champagne and topped up their glasses. "I'll see what I can find from your old home and will prepare a room for your work, for when you're ready to begin." He said before vanishing and leaving Clementine alone with Adam. "What am I doing?" Clementine whispered to herself as she took another sip of her drink. None of this felt real to her, and she was still trying to process what was happening. --- "I hope it didn't mind the lights we put on it for Christmas..." Tia commented. Jack smiled and ran up to the tree, wrapping his arms around it. "That's ok with me, Mr Tree!" he said happily and then looked at Nil curiously. "Does Mr Tree have a name, or can I call it Mr Tree?" --- Carol looked at Ash with a frown and took one of her hands out of her pocket to place it on his shoulder. "We all lost people, and I'm sure a lot of us have some regrets about things that were said and done... I know I do. I know it doesn't make it hurt any less. But now we have an opportunity that we didn't have before. We can maintain this peace. Protect it. Prevent another war and our future children from ever feeling the grief we've had to deal with. That has to count for something." --- "Or I like you for you, regardless of the book?" Lang suggested with a chuckle. He stood and stretched. "So, are we getting that drink?" --- Cautiously, David followed the human to Unity and watched the council person as they continued to stare upwards. Eventually, Unity's eyes and head slowly moved downwards as if watching something or someone descend from the sky. "We thank you for joining us. Apologies. We did not intend to intimidate." Unity said in an aged woman's voice this time. They then looked slightly to the left and in the same voice explained, "Our vessel is Unity. We are the Spirit Council. We govern the realms and safeguard The Balance." "We know who you are..." Amelia rolled her eyes. "Well, most of us do." David glanced at the human warily. "Indeed." Unity replied in a younger woman's voice. Their eyes now turned to look slightly more to the right, then their eyes stared just a little to David's right. "You have taught these children well in the short time that they have been in your care." David and Amelia looked at each other in confusion, and then David tutted as he realised, "They're talking to other people somewhere else at the same time!" "I totally knew that!" Amelia folded her arms and glanced away with pink cheeks. She totally hadn't known that at all. Unity's eyes then snapped to the left. "This matter is of the utmost importance, and we would appreciate more professionalism from an Arch Angel," they scolded someone in an older man's voice. "Why do I feel like Nate is behind that?" David mumbled. "Excuse me, Councilman? But this is getting awfully confusing. Would it be possible to hold this meeting all together?" Unity looked at David and nodded. "We are awaiting one more, then we shall relocate everyone to a council room in Heaven." They answered in the same man's voice. "Wait, Unity. Now really isn't a good time for us. We need to get this human to a safe-" Amelia started, and Unity cut her off as they looked in her direction. "We are aware of your current predicament. We see and hear all. Upon relocation, your human will be moved to a secure location until our meeting has concluded." Their eyes then flicked a little more to the left, and they continued, "My comment was to Queen Amelia, but we must insist that your mortal also remains on Earth." "Huh, someone else has a human with them, I guess. Wonder who it is..." Amelia commented. Unity was silent for several seconds as they continued to stare at the same spot. Finally, they said in an older woman's voice, "Very well, but your pupil's words and actions will be your responsibility." --- Lilly followed Death and Raven while eyeing the stranger with uncertainty. She stumbled when her feet found the ground and she had to readjust to gravity once more, but she quickly picked herself up and jogged after them until the three of them stood in front of the cloaked figure. "We thank you for joining us. Apologies. We did not intend to intimidate." Unity responded in an aged woman's voice this time. They then turned their eyes to Raven and in the same voice explained, "Our vessel is Unity. We are the Spirit Council. We govern the realms and safeguard The Balance." "The Balance? Azrael told me about that. The safety of everything in all the realms depends on it not being broken." Lilly commented. "Indeed." Unity replied in a younger woman's voice. Their eyes now turned to look at Lilly before bringing their eyes back to Death. "You have taught these children well in the short time that they have been in your care." Unity's eyes then snapped to the left. "This matter is of the utmost importance, and we would appreciate more professionalism from an Arch Angel," they scolded someone in an older man's voice. Lilly glanced at Raven, slightly amused and wondering why Unity was talking to someone who wasn't with them. Or what that person could have said to warrant a scolding. Unity looked between Death and Lilly, then nodded. "We are awaiting one more, then we shall relocate everyone to a council room in Heaven." They answered in the same man's voice. They then turned to look at the space between Death and Raven. "We are aware of your current predicament. We see and hear all. Upon relocation, your human will be moved to a secure location until our meeting has concluded." Their eyes then flicked a little more to the left, and they continued, "My comment was to Queen Amelia, but we must insist that your mortal also remain on Earth." Unity was silent for several seconds as they continued to stare at the same spot. Finally, they said in an older woman's voice, "Very well, but your pupil's words and actions will be your responsibility." --- Eventually, Unity's eyes and head slowly moved downwards as if watching something or someone descend from the ceiling. "We thank you for joining us. Apologies. We did not intend to intimidate." Unity said in an aged woman's voice this time. They then looked slightly to the left and in the same voice explained, "Our vessel is Unity. We are the Spirit Council. We govern the realms and safeguard The Balance." "Who doesn't know who Unity is?" Azrael tutted quietly as he folded his arms. "Indeed." Unity replied in a younger woman's voice. Their eyes now turned to look slightly more to the right, then their eyes stared just a little to Nate's right. "You have taught these children well in the short time that they have been in your care." "Oh..." Azrael's cheeks turned a little pink as he realised who else they were talking to. Unity's eyes then snapped to Nate. "This matter is of the utmost importance and we would appreciate more professionalism from an Arch Angel." they scolded him in an older man's voice. Unity looked at the space between Gabriel and Azrael. They nodded. "We are awaiting one more, then we shall relocate everyone to a council room in Heaven." They said in the same man's voice. They then turned to look closer to Azrael, but as if looking over his shoulder. "We are aware of your current predicament. We see and hear all. Upon relocation, your human will be moved to a secure location until our meeting has concluded." Their eyes then flicked a little more to the left, and they continued, "My comment was to Queen Amelia, but we must insist that your mortal also remain on Earth." "Amelia's involved?" Azrael glanced at Nate and Gabriel. Unity was silent for several seconds as they continued to stare at the same spot passed Azrael's shoulder. Finally, they said in an older woman's voice, "Very well, but your pupil's words and actions will be your responsibility." --- In the German castle, both Jean and Shezmu would happen to be in the dining hall when Unity made their appearance. Shezmu had recognised them immediately, and while Unity had been staring at the ceiling, after they had asked for patience, Shezmu had quickly explained to Jean who they were, that they were important but that they were not a threat. He had then turned to look at his mortal student and had gestured for him to stay close while they waited for Unity to deliver whatever message that they had. Eventually, Unity's eyes and head slowly moved downwards as if watching something or someone descend from the ceiling. "We thank you for joining us. Apologies. We did not intend to intimidate." Unity said in an aged woman's voice this time. They then looked slightly to the left and in the same voice explained, "Our vessel is Unity. We are the Spirit Council. We govern the realms and safeguard The Balance." "Ah, I can only assume that the council are also speaking to others elsewhere. This must be of dire importance," Shezmu commented. "Indeed." Unity replied in a younger woman's voice. Their eyes now turned to look slightly more to the right, then their eyes stared at the empty space between Jean and Shezmu. "You have taught these children well in the short time that they have been in your care." Unity's eyes then snapped to the left. "This matter is of the utmost importance, and we would appreciate more professionalism from an Arch Angel," they scolded someone in an older man's voice. Shezmu said nothing and merely waited for Unity to continue. Unity looked slightly to the left of Jean's shoulder and nodded. "We are awaiting one more, then we shall relocate everyone to a council room in Heaven." They answered in the same man's voice. Their eyes then turned to the space at Shezmu's right, but almost appeared as if they were looking at Shezmu. "We are aware of your current predicament. We see and hear all. Upon relocation, your human will be moved to a secure location until our meeting has concluded." Protectively, Shezmu placed a hand on Dariel's shoulder. "My student will accompany me. I will not debate this," he said sternly. Unity's eyes flicked just slightly more to the left, to meet Shezmu's. "My comment was to Queen Amelia, but we must insist that your mortal also remain on Earth." "As I have stated," Shezmu replied with the same sterness. "This matter is not up for debate. My student is to join me in all matters to learn." Unity was silent for several seconds as they continued to stare at Shezmu. Finally, they said in an older woman's voice, "Very well, but your pupil's words and actions will be your responsibility." "As I would have it, counsilwoman," Shezmu said with a nod. He then gave Dariel a quick look. "You are representing me and must behave well. Watch and listen carefully. As my protege, you might one day have to attend meetings with the council yourself." Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 19 Posted July 19 Adam frowned once everyone left, "Clem? I'm sorry I brought you here but I was worried about my wives. I've learned that pregnancy and birth isn't exactly as great as some people might say. I just don't want anyone to die. I care about these people." --- Nil replied, "The plants never really have names. So yes, it doesn't mind if you call it that." Xenos glanced at Tia, "I'm pretty sure we would have received a clear message by now if that was the case." --- Ash thought for a moment, "Would you like to see them? My family. I'd be honored if you were to meet them." --- Reed nervously smiled but nodded, "Although I never drank before. Do you know what I should start with?" He followed Lang to his car. --- The human glared, "Give me power. Your pathetic meeting and strange ways mean nothing to me. I will bring you down." Abaddon growled, "Hold your tongue mortal." --- Death blushed. Having not expected a compliment from Unity. "Oh! Well thank you. Might I ask who are we waiting for? Perhaps I could fetch them." --- Nate motioned his hand to mock Unity before being backhanded by Gabriel like a child. Gabriel smiled at Unity, "My apologies." Nate crossed his arms and silently glared. --- Dariel nodded, "Yes sir. I will listen and be quiet." Jean walked to Unity, "Does this concern my people?" --- Insanity appeared in the castle. Inside his new home. He caught his breath before saying, "I'm here! I was busy but everything's alright!" Exhausted and weak from overusing his powers, he collapsed into Niko's hands. Quote
Shadowess Posted July 19 Author Posted July 19 Clementine looked at Adam, and for a moment she said nothing. She turned and walked over to a nearby table to put her glass down. She then gripped the back of a chair tightly as she tried to make sense of her emotions. Then her grip on the chair loosened. She let it go and turned to look at Adam seriously. "What you're attempting here... you know this is all a massive risk, right?" she asked him. She gestured to the door that Eve had left through. "Those women, your wives, they're all in danger here. If they don't die by complications in childbirth, then it might be at the hands of a rogue Demon wandering in! I used to be the type of Demon that would have shredded them to bits without a second thought, so I know there are still Demons like that out there!" she said while keeping her voice low so as not to frighten the other women in the building. "And if, by some absolute miracle, this works? You'll be fighting Devils for the right to rule! Had you even considered this? Or are you banking on them just handing over the throne as soon as Hell starts sprouting grass?" She ran a hand through her hair and looked away from him. "Your little light show was pure manipulation, and you know it. But... it made me realise something. Something I thought I'd forgotten... or something I had been trying to forget. I've tried to make a move for Hell's throne myself in the past. As you can probably guess..." she gestured to herself. "That didn't end well for me. So, when I was granted this second chance at life, I swore that I would try to be a better person. To be kinder. To be 'good'. But then you turned up, showed me your light and I realised that I STILL want the damn throne! ... And then, just now, as I was watching Eve... I realised I also still want to be a good person. I want both. Maybe this is what I was brought back for?" She looked thoughtful as she lifted her hands to look at them, and then she lifted her eyes to Adam's. "So, I've made my decision. I'll work on those elixers for you. I speed up pregnancy and eradicate childbirth pain. I'll look into ways to reduce complications in pregnancy. I'll even help you plan your eventual rise to the throne. In return..." She picked up her champagne flute and took a sip. "You'll make me a Queen!" --- "Yay!" Jack cheered as he hugged the tree a little more. "Alright, say goodnight now, Jack!" Tia called out to him. "It's almost time for bed!" "Awww!" Jack complained, but knowing better than to disobey his mother, he ran over to Nil and hugged his legs. "Will you come and play again sometime?" he asked. --- Surprised by the offer, Carol hesitated to answer. "I uh- I'm not usually the family type," she admitted and gestured to her mostly leather and punk style of clothing. --- "Maybe something light so that you don't get hammered." Lang chuckled as he got into his car. "Maybe a low percentage beer or something to start off with?" --- "That is enough from the mad one." Unity said in a younger man's voice. They waved their hand, and the human who was standing next to Abaddon froze in time. With another hand wave, they were transported to one of Hell's Cells. "The mad one will awaken when one of you retrieves them from their cell," they informed Amelia. "O-Oh, ok... so you can just freeze people... Just like that... that's cool... cool, cool, cool, cool, cool......" Amelia rambled nervously. "This concerns all," Unity answered Jean vaguely. Now turning to Death, Unity shook their head. "The offer is appreciated, but not necessary. They are ready now," they said in the same voice. At a click of their fingers, they were all transported to a council room in Heaven. A large circular table was in the centre, with enough chairs for all of them. Shezmu gestured for Dariel to sit in the chair next to him before taking a seat himself. Lilly glances around at all the strange faces. She briefly caught Dariel's eye and noted he didn't look much older than herself. She then took a seat between Death and Raven. Azrael looked around the room. All the Archangels had been summoned. Uriel sat across from him and was surrounded by Shubael, Raziel, Cassiel, Zadkiel, Camael, Haniel, Raphael and Jophiel. The Arch Angels who were notably missing were Machael, who had been slain a few years ago with Atma's help, and Raguel. Curiously, Azrael noted, Uriel now had a sizable scar down the left side of his neck that he was certain he'd never seen before. But then, he caught sight of Death and the children and was so distracted by their presence that he didn't look into it any further. Smiling, he walked around the table to sit next to Death. Amelia grinned at Charles, relieved to see he'd been called as well. She ran over and threw her arms around him before sitting next to him. David sat on the other side of her and nodded for Abaddon to join them. He glanced across the table and felt his heart seize at the sight of a familiar face. One he never thought he'd ever see again, and they were sitting next to Unity! "Lucifer?!" A hush fell in the room. All eyes were focused on the man that David had addressed. The tired-looking, blonde-haired man sitting next to Unity immediately looked at him with a pained expression. "I'm not-..." He began in an exhausted tone, but Unity cut him off. "Samael was created with the same genetics as Lucifer, but they are not the same person." "So, technically, you're Lucifer's brother?" Amelia asked curiously. The man's eyes moved to Amelia and lingered for a long, tense moment. "Please. Never say that again," he said in the same exhausted tone. "I might look like him, but I have no affiliation with him whatsoever." --- Niko stared at the strange creature that had flown to him and collapsed into his hands. He hadn't yet recognised that this was Insanity, but given his past trauma, that was probably for the best. He stared at it curiously and gently set it down on a nearby couch. "Um... are you alright? Little creature?" Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 19 Posted July 19 Ortiz nodded at Kris, "You're too soft but I'll go." --- Adam replied, "Eve is the first woman so I don't know how that's going to work." --- Nil gently pushed him back and knelt down to his level, "If your dad is ok with that then yes. Now, get some rest." --- Ash suddenly laughed, "That's hilarious!" He touched her arm. They appeared in the living room of his home. Sara stood from the couch and held Ophelia in her arms, "Oh hello! Who is this?" Ash said, "This is Carol. She works for the Queen of Hell." Ophelia babbled happily before suddenly flying towards Carol. Giving her no chance at rejecting the idea of holding her. Sara smiled, "Forgive her. Ophelia can be very curious." --- Reed buckled himself in, "Sure. I can categorized what topics we should discuss in the bar as well." --- Life rolled his eyes at the table, "Oh for pete sakes! Why are we here?" --- Insanity blinked. Trying to understand where he was, "The family here. There is a Insanity? Where is his family? I am part of it." He decided it would be best to pretend that he was a different person. Quote
Shadowess Posted July 20 Author Posted July 20 Kris gestured to Violet. "If not for her, you'd be cinders now. Just remember that the next time you want to call me soft." He growled and then waved his hand, causing Ortiz to be teleported from the chair and flung to the ground just outside of the sanctuary, which would now bar his entry. Emotion came over Kris, but he buried it deep as he marched over to the table to snatch up the bottle and take several long gulps of the strong liquid to drown his sorrows. He lowered the bottle and took a few breaths, seething. "Asshole..." --- Clementine rolled her eyes. "Regardless, all of your wives would technically be Queens in your new Eden, would they not? I don't care if you make Eve the Queen Superior out of all of us, as long as I have a throne of my own!" She stepped towards him. Her eyes fixed on his with a look of cold determination. "Or should I call for help and bring your plans crashing down around you before your Kingdom even has a chance to flourish?" she asked him darkly, quietly. They had attempted to manipulate her into helping, so as far as she was concerned, turnabout was fair play. --- "Ok!" Jack beamed, immediately taking his answer for a 'yes' before bolting back into the house. He'd started stripping down and throwing his clothes behind him as he ran, deciding he wanted a bath before bed. Tia ran after him, scooping up his clothes as she went. "Jack!" she called after him, and Jack's giggles could be heard as he reached the top of the stairs and rounded a corner. The patter of his feet was rapid against the floor above. Layla chuckled and looked at Xenos. "Thank you for letting us meet your family. We should probably head home now," she smiled at Nil. --- "Oh, ok, we're here..." Carol mumbled as Ash brought her to his family anyway. She then caught Ophelia and timidly held her a little away from herself with a look of fearful uncertainty. "Um! Hello there! Tiny Devil child!" She tried her best to sound cheerful, but her voice shook from nerves. "Am I holding her right?" she asked Sara, frightened she would hurt the little one by holding her wrong. --- "Sure, why not?" Lang chuckled as he turned on his radio and kept the music low enough that they'd still be able to hear each other talking. Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' started playing. --- "And why was I pulled out of retirement?" Samael asked in an equally frustrated tone. "We would have patience from all of you." Unity addressed them in an older woman's voice. "There are several important matters which need to be brought to your attention. First and foremost will be Commanding Archangel Raguel's replacement." Several Archangels leant forward in their seats to give Unity their undivided attention, except Samael, who looked as if he couldn't care less. "Excuse me, councilwoman. It was believed that the Superior Archangel's replacement would be decided via votes?" Uriel asked. "Correct." Unity answered. "But not from the civilian Angels." "Then who-?" "The spirit council does the voting among themselves." Samael rolled his eyes. "To remain impartial and unbiased so that you assholes can't rig the system because the council can't be bribed or tricked. Honestly, read a scroll sometime..." "We would ask that you refrain from using such language in this meeting." Unity snapped at Samael. "But your crude explanation is correct." A lot of the Archangels at the table, Uriel included, looked troubled by this news. It would appear that Uriel hadn't been the only one trying to earn the trust and loyalty of Civilian Angels in the hopes of being voted into power. "With regards to why you are here, Samael." Unity continued, "Before our votes can commence, the position of Archangel Michael needs to be filled.-" "Nooo..." Samael stared at them. "And as you have prior experience-" "No!" "We have decided to reinstate your title of Archangel-" "No, no, no!" "Until such time as you can find a suitable replacement." "Fuck!" Samael slammed his hand against the table. "Samael, please control yourself!" Unity scolded him. Shezmu leant a little towards Dariel and whispered, not meaning to sound as sassy as he came across, "Take note, how not to conduct oneself at such a meeting." When Samael sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, still visibly furious but seemingly not wanting to argue, Unity turned to face the rest once more. "As this decision will also affect relations between Heaven and the other Realms, we have selected among you those who best represent their respective realms, also to submit their votes in this matter. These are as follows. King and Queen of Hell, Charles and Amelia." Unity gestured to them. "Hello!" Amelia sang to the group while giving an awkward little wave. "King of the lifeless realm, Death." Unity gesture to Death. "King of the creation and survival, Life." They gesture to Life next. Then they paused before continuing. "As representatives of the diverse nature of Earth, we have also selected the following to submit their votes: the ancient Blood God, Shezmu. The King of Vampires, Jean. And the Leviathan heir, Hades." They gesture to each in turn. "Each Arch Angel will have the opportunity during this meeting to present to us and the chosen leaders or representatives with their reasons to earn their votes. Voting will be concluded at the end of this meeting. Are there any questions before we move on to the second topic of today's meeting?" Unity paused and looked around the room expectantly. --- Niko stiffened at the name. His features grew cold and hardened. He looked away from the creature and gestured to his door. "Warren lives in his own home. Theron has been adopted by Bianka and her wife, Larissa... You should stay away from Insanity," he then warned him. "He's-... he's not safe." Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 20 Posted July 20 Violet set her drink down and stood up. She walked over to Kris, "Don't drink too much. I use to do that all the time. Just to forget the war I was in. It wasn't enough." She touched his hand, "What I needed was a friend." --- Adam rolled his eyes, "Relax. I just didn't know you could have more than one Queen. So go ahead. The title of Queen is yours now." --- Xenos replied, "You're welcomed in our home if you ever want to visit again." Nil stepped back inside. Bringing Layla close, "I think I should go back to the castle. I want to check on everyone there." --- Sara nonchalantly waved a hand, "Come now. You're too hard on yourself." She maneuvered Carol's arms so that she could hold Ophelia close and safely. Ophelia shook her rattle as her eyes sparkled like the stars in space. Ash smirked, "I think she can tell that you're one of us. She seems to like you." --- Reed raised a brow at the music, "What's this? I don't listen to music." --- Dariel nodded at Shezmu. Hades interrupted, "Whoa whoa whoa! With all due respect, your uh wiseness. Most of us don't exactly know how Heaven works. At least I don't." Jean awkwardly smiled, "Unfortunately, I think she's right." --- Insanity forced himself to perch on the couch. He frowned, "Not anymore. For I am Insanity. I decided it would be best to take most of my powers away after all the suffering that I caused. Especially towards you. I'm so sorry. I know my words can't take back what you've been through. However, I still wanted to apologize instead of just letting you think I was still the monster you remembered." He turned away, "Please. If you won't take me there then at least let me leave your home." Quote
Shadowess Posted July 21 Author Posted July 21 Kris looked at Violet for a moment. In that moment, he forgot himself and leaned a little closer to her while tilting his head toward hers. Then he caught himself and hurriedly turned away from her, figuring the drink had already started to affect him. "You should get some rest, Violet. It's been a hell of a day." He glanced over at Cecil, who was awkwardly standing by and looking away from them, pretending not to have been paying any attention. "Thank you, Cecil. You can go back to bed now." "Yes, sir." Cecil nodded and looked a little relieved to be dismissed as he hurried back to the bunks. --- Clementine smiled. Content with his answer. "Good." She took a sip of her drink and glanced around at the brothel. "How is it your little plan hasn't been discovered yet, by the way? I'm actually impressed that you've gone this long without any trouble." --- Layla smiled as Nil brought her closer to him. "Alright, I'm ready when you are." --- Carol had hoped Sara would take the child off her, but she felt too awkward to complain when she merely fixed it so that Carol was holding Ophelia correctly. She looked at the little one and felt a rush of something she hadn't felt in a long time. Holding her like this reminded her of when she used to hold Amelia when they had hidden her away in the Library. How small and helpless she'd been back then. So innocent and with so much potential ahead of her. "Uh..." she stammered, feeling her eyes becoming misty as she hurriedly passed the child back to Sara. "I'm sorry. I just- I need a minute..." She flustered and looked around quickly, feeling her face turning a little red from embarrassment. "Um- bathroom?" --- "You haven't heard Queen? They're a classic." Lang glanced at him in surprise. "This is one of my favourite songs." --- "You don't need to know the ins and outs of how Heaven works," Samael answered Hades. "You're just here to vote for whichever Angel you think would best represent Heaven when conducting business with your own realms." "So, it's more who we would feel to be trustworthy if we needed to work with Heaven for anything?" Amelia asked. "Pretty much." Samael shrugged. "That's why we each have to make our case to you before you vote. Not that I'll be doing that." He then shot a glare at Unity, who either didn't or simply chose not to notice. "Quick question- sorry to interrupt again- but I'm just really curious-" Amelia started again while looking at Samael, and he sighed, already seeing where she was going and figuring it best to get it out of the way. "When Lucifer fell, I had to go into hiding. As you can imagine, looking identical to a tyrannical, psychopathic Devil can cause a lot of problems. Not to mention the odd accidental fight with fellow Angels looking to make a name for themselves," he explained quickly and then looked at Unity again. "Can we please get back to why we're here? You said we'd deal with votes at the end, and you had other things to bring up." "Correct." Unity nodded. "So, item two on today's agenda is...?" "The Balance is at risk." The room became silent for a moment until it was broken by David. "You couldn't have started with that?!" "What exactly do you mean, at risk?" Azrael asked, trying to be respectful but also looking alarmed. "Destroyed beings have been returning to the material plane from Oblivion through a cosmic rupture." Unity explained. Amelia timidly raised her hand like a student in a classroom. "We kinda already knew that. That's how Donnie came back and caused havoc. Damien and Clementine returned, too." "We are aware of those beings. We are not concerned that they have returned. We are concerned about the damage that they caused in the process of their return. With each being that passed back into existence, the rupture grew. Now, destroyed beings are falling out of Oblivion and back into the realm of existence. If the rupture continues to grow, The Balance will fail, and all will cease to be. This could potentially become the catalyst for Armageddon." Amelia lowered her hand with a sombre look. "Armageddon?" David repeated the word. "Humans did a poor job of chronicling The Word Of God..." Samael said while staring at the table. "But that one they got mostly right..." "Dad?" Amelia looked at David anxiously. She'd learned a lot from Hell's Library growing up, and she was hoping this wasn't what she thought she'd read that one time. David didn't respond and gave her a look she hadn't seen before. Somewhere between sadness, worry and despair. "For those unfamiliar," Unity began. "Armageddon is a prophecy of a great and final war that will become the end of all things." "B-But, the war is over." Amelia stammered while glancing at Charles and taking his hand nervously for comfort. She looked back at Unity. "We saw to that." "Not the war between Heaven and Hell." Unity clarified. "The Great War. Between all that is good and all that is Evil." David was trembling, and he placed his hands onto the table as he slowly rose to his feet and stared at Unity with a grim expression. "He's back, isn't he?" Samael stiffened in his chair and stared at Unity, as did they all, while awaiting Unity's answer. "Satan..." David glanced at Amelia, who stared back at him with the same look of dread. The last time they'd faced him was before Amelia had become a Devil. She had changed herself just to be strong enough to bring him down, and even then, it had been a very close fight. Back then, Satan had merely been interested in taking Hell's throne for himself while Lucifer was missing. He'd been such an angry and brutal Devil that if he came back, David was certain he would try to destroy everything out of spite or revenge. Unity didn't answer immediately, which only increased the tension in the room. Instead, they lowered their head and stared blankly at the table for several minutes. Those who knew what Unity was recognised this immediately as the council discussing the matter among themselves before they'd give an answer. Finally, they looked up and towards David. "We do not sense his presence in the material realms," they said in a man's voice. With a sigh of relief, David sat back down. "But as the rupture continues to grow, it would only be a matter of time." "Well, I guess I'll ask what everyone else is probably thinking then," Samael said and looked at Unity expectantly. "How the fuck do we close something we cannot see, sense or locate?" "We will not warn you again about your language, Samael." Unity snapped. "Oh, no. I do beg your pardon, oh great and powerful council!" Samael responded sarcastically. "I'm just a little on edge, you see. By the potential destruction of all things that you dropped onto our laps as if this is a casual fucking business meeting!" Unity had raised their hand to snap their fingers when Shezmu stood. "Counsilman," he addressed them in an urgent tone whilst straightening his jacket. During his time living in the German castle, and with a little guidance from his student regarding modern attire, he'd managed to update his wardrobe quite a lot. "As you can understand, this news has troubled us all greatly. Please," He looked around at everyone else. "Let us be calm. I do not believe the council would have begun our meeting by discussing Archangel votes if they did not already have a solution for The Rift." "Thank you, Shezmu." Unity said in a woman's voice as Shezmu took a seat once more. "There is a way to close the Rift." "Which is...?" Samael asked impatiently while raising a brow. Unity's glassy eyes wandered slowly across the table until they landed on Lilly and Raven. Lilly felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "This brings us to the next matter of this meeting to be addressed," they said carefully as their eyes moved to Death. "We understand that you have adopted these children as your own. That you have begun training them to harness their powers? Our solution will require them both to become fluent in the use of their powers. Therefore, we would request that you spend the next month training them thoroughly. In return for their aid, we will grant them both permanent residency within this universe." "A month?" David asked, glancing from Death's children and then back to Unity. "What about The Rift? Won't it continue to get bigger in that time?" "Our lives and the sake of everything in existence... and you're hoping two children can fix the problem?" Samael guffawed in disbelief. "I'm not doubting their abilities, but Samael has a point. They're just kids! This is a lot to place on their shoulders!" Zadkiel said worriedly. "I was no older than Lilly when I fought Satan." Amelia pointed out. She glanced at the children. "I don't doubt they'd be capable, but I have to agree with... uh..." She stared blankly at Zadkiel for a moment. "Zadkiel." He introduced himself quickly. "Right, -thanks-, I have to agree with Zadkiel that this is a lot to put on them. It doesn't seem fair. Is there no alternative?" "As of yet, there is not." Unity replied. Lilly had been watching this conversation tensely, and when Unity had said there currently wasn't an alternative, she looked at Raven, Azrael and her father with a resolute expression before looking at Unity. "I will gladly do what I can." --- Niko looked at the creature with a mixture of shock and fear. He heard his words and didn't know how to react. He was shaking with a combination of rage and grief as he turned away from him. He felt sick. "Please leave. Please... please just leave," he said in a trembling voice, on the brink of tears. He could feel his fangs lengthen as a dark desire to get retribution began to grip him. "Get out!" he growled. Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 21 Posted July 21 Violet hugged herself as she thought about what would have happened. She frowned, "Don't let the bed bugs bite." She walked straight into her room. Locking the door behind herself and silently wondering what to do with these mixed emotions. --- Blake stepped forward from the shadows. "Why do you still let her be free? She may have that bracelet but you treat her like a guest. I know you said a Trickster doesn't hold grudges but...I can't help it. Salem was so scared. I never want to see her like that. And every time I look at Violet, I'm only reminded of that." --- Adam smiled, "John has been a real help. His powers work wonders. No one will find us unless we let them." --- Insanity bit his lip. Trying to hold back tears. Nil and Layla would soon appear. Insanity turned to them. He tried to say something but he was so tired from teleporting that he passed out. Nil caught him in time with a vine. He handed Insanity to Layla, "Take him to Warren. If you're not sure where he is then just ask around. I'll be here." Nil walked over to Niko, "Hello there. My name is Nil. I'm not sure if you remember me." --- Ash frowned. Ophelia reached out as she was held by Sara. She began to cry when Carol stopped holding her. Ash touched Carol's back, "Please don't worry. You don't have to hide tears anymore. You're safe here." He nodded at the doorway, "If you need to go though, the bathroom is down and to the left." --- Reed shrugged, "I never listened to music. I didn't see a reason to." --- Death clenched his fists at the table. His body soon tensed. For the first time, he was scared. He turned to Lily when she promised to help. "But it's dangerous!" Raven stood up, "I know you're scared for us father but we have been through so much in our own worlds. Worlds that we're taken from us. We want to help this one and its people. For our new home, we will stop The Rift from ending The Balance." Dariel couldn't help but feel Raven's spirit. He raised his axe, "I'll help too! I may not have magic but I still want to help!" Quote
Shadowess Posted July 22 Author Posted July 22 Kris frowned, hearing Violet's words, and he turned his head to watch her leave. His sunglasses hid the hint of regret in his eyes. He then heard Blake's voice and sighed irritably as he took another long swig from his bottle. "You should be in bed," he scolded him. He then turned to face him. "Salem is safe and alive. Violet is no longer a threat. Would you rather I beat her? Belittle her? Humiliate her? Hmm? Does that sound good to you? Does it sound like it would be the right thing to do?" he asked him in a stern tone. "Does that sound like it would be justice? Would it make you feel better? And what if that doesn't make you feel better? What if that's not enough and you want to take it further? At what point would you stop yourself from becoming the very monster you accuse her of being?" he paused and took another sip of his drink. His eyes were fixed on Blake. "It's a slippery slope, Blake. Once you're on it, it's very difficult to get off before you hit the bottom, and once you're there, there's almost never a way back up. I want you to think about that very carefully. Now, go to bed." --- Clementine swallowed her drink hard as Adam explained that John's powers meant that no one could find them unless they wanted to be found. She realised immediately that her attempt to blackmail him wouldn't have worked regardless because Adam and John still had the advantage. She managed to hide her surprise and realisation by taking another sip of her drink. "Is that so? How clever you both are." --- "On it." Layla hurried out of the room with Insanity towards Warren's room. Meanwhile, Niko continued to seethe and shake as he stared hard into his fireplace. He didn't answer Nil straight away. He waited until his heart wasn't beating so hard before he spoke. "You're the fae that helped us when part of the castle collapsed," he answered with a small nod. His voice was still trembling. His entire body was tense and rigid. "I remember." When Warren answered the door, he'd been hoping to find Shezmu there, and his shoulders dropped in disappointment when he saw it was Layla. "Oh... I was hoping you were someone else," he tutted, then looked at the strange creature in her hands. "Can I help you?" "I hope so..." Layla said uncertainly. "I was told to bring him to you. Apparently, you know him." --- "I-I'm not crying!" Carol blustered as her face grew a little redder and the tears threatened to fall even more. "Why would I cry? It's just a baby. Nothing sad about that. Just a baby that's small and cute and helpless and relies on you and calls you mommy and then one day she'll grow up, call you mom, or sometimes she'll call you by your first name if she's being sassy, and then before you know it she's off ruling hell, acheiving peace, getting married and having kids and a life of her own and she never needs to be held or protected anymore...." she rambled and then stopped and felt her cheek with her hand to find it was now wet with her tears. "Huh..." --- "A reason?" Lang glanced at him with mild confusion. "You don't need a reason to enjoy music. Just listen to the lyrics. The beat. The rhythm. Sometimes certain music can feel like it's talking to you. Like, you hear it and immediately identify with it. It can even alter your mood." --- Lilly looked at her father. "I know what's at stake. I've lived through what happens when a world has no Balance, remember? I don't want that to happen here. I would do anything to protect our homes." She then looked up at Dariel in surprise at his offer to assist them. As did Shezmu, who, for a moment, bristled before relaxing. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity for him to build some rapport with Death and his kingdom? He turned his head to look at Death. "Perhaps my student and I can offer some form of protection for when your children attempt to seal the void. Should the worst happen and Armageddon comes to pass, you will need every ally by your side to defend your efforts." "Anything you need, we can help too," Amelia added while also looking at Death and his family. "You don't have to be alone in this." "Then it is settled. You will have one month to prepare. We will not be able to grant you any more time than this." Unity nodded to them. "Speaking of," David began. "How can we afford to wait a month?" "We are utilising what resources we can to delay the rift as much as possible." Unity answered. "But even our combined energy is not enough to reseal the rupture and will eventually be depleted. We have evaluated our options and, with the help of Raziel-" The Archangel sitting next to Life shifted uncomfortably in his seat while averting his gaze from the others as Unity gestured to them. "-we have assessed possible outcomes. The unique circumstances of Lilly and Raven's arrival into our universe provide us with the best solution. Now, are there any more questions regarding this before we move on?" Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 22 Posted July 22 Blake tensed. He was seething with anger but held his tongue. "Yes sir." He walked away. Finding himself silently getting undressed and laying under the covers. Needing some alone time to think. --- Adam shrugged, "Eh! I can't get all the credit. John is the real hero here." He drank some more. "Also you don't have to sleep with me. So far, I've done that with everyone else but it's really up to you. I don't like forcing people to do anything but John told me how important you were for this new Eden." --- Nil's wings appeared. He touched his shoulder. Allowing his calm aura to flow through him. "I came here to see if anyone needed help. I want to help you if you'll let me. By being your friend." Insanity groaned, "Warren? Please help. I used my power. So tired...." --- Ophelia stopped crying when she felt like something was different. Sara and Ash silently looked at her before getting close. Wrapping her into a group hug. Sara lifted Ophelia to her view, "I can't imagine how hard things must have been for you. If it helps, we would trust you to babysit our child when we are busy. We still have our own deeds to take on for Hell." Ash added, "That's right. We wish to help Amelia for the way we behaved." --- Reed's ears perked up, "Alter your mood? Can music be used as a mechanism of torture for the CIA?" --- Hades raised a hand, "I think we need to set up a small social gathering. A party where we can talk to the other Archangels. Get to know them and their politics. We hardly know Gabriel and Raguel. Of course, Raguel's out of the list but you get what I mean." An Archangel spoke up. His form was that of a tall slender owl humanoid. When Insanity had his form, it was nothing but reds and purples. But for an Archangel like this one, he was all white and sky blue. Wearing a matching dress that exude his purity. He held a confident smile, "I can simply arrange a ball in my mansion. After all, I think we all know who will get the position anyways." Life rolled his eyes but shrugged, "Guess it wouldn't hurt." Charles raised a brow, "Who's the oversize pompous chicken?" The Archangel scoffed. (you can decide which Archangel is this one going to be so I'll be sure to use his name) Quote
Shadowess Posted July 25 Author Posted July 25 Kris watched the boy leave. For a few minutes, he stood where he was and took a couple more swigs from his bottle before throwing it at a nearby wall. He stared at the broken glass. At the red liquid that was already starting to stain the carpet and the wall. Sighing heavily, he marched to his own room and closed the door behind him. He paced a bit before lighting up some of the lavender incense and then sitting on the cushion in his designated meditation space. Crossing his legs and resting his wrists on his knees, he closed his eyes and took some breaths while trying to process his emotions. Mostly, his regret at the way he'd spoken to Blake. He couldn't help wondering if he was as hard as he had been because of something Ortiz had said. He wondered if perhaps he'd been too harsh, but then again, he also didn't want any animosity between Violet and Blake to grow, so perhaps this was his way of attempting to nip that in the bud? And Violet... Kris had no idea where to even start with processing those emotions. --- Clementine looked at Adam. At first, she gave him a look of surprise. Then her eyes softened. "Thank you," she said, sounding relieved. "If I'm going to be your wife and Queen, then I suppose we'll have to be intimate at some point. But it's nice to know that there's no rush. I've never... well..." She glanced away while smiling shyly and took a sip of her drink. "Maybe, one day. When we've had a chance to grow closer," she told him with a small smile. She then tilted her head with an amused but thoughtful look. "Eve said we're not married until we... so I guess that means it's more like we're engaged, for now?" --- Niko involuntarily flinched at Nil's touch but soon relaxed when he felt his aura. He sighed as he felt his anger ebbing away. Then he lifted his hands to his face and sobbed. "I wanted to hurt him," he confessed. "I wanted to tear him apart." --- It took Warren a moment to realise who it was that Layla had in her hands, and as soon as he did, he hurriedly took him into his arms. "Insanity!" He gasped and looked at him sadly. "Oh, what did you do?" Tears filled his eyes, but his question wasn't just about him being exhausted. He also meant about his appearance. When Warren thought back to the Insanity he'd become enamoured with, he remembered him being radiant and beautiful. He looked up at Layla and nodded to her. "Thank you. I'll take care of him from here..." Layla nodded back and turned to leave. --- "Oh..." Carol sniffled and wiped her tears away. She smiled at Ophelia and held her little hand. "I'd love to, but I tend to get super busy too, being a Royal Guard and all... but maybe I can visit from time to time?" --- Lang didn't answer Reed immediately. The question had made him wildly uncomfortable. "To be honest, that's not something I'd ever considered before, Reed," he said while keeping his eyes on the road. "I like to listen to music to lighten the mood or make me feel a little happier." --- Amelia chortled at Charles's comment. Then, with very pink cheeks, she tried very hard to cover it up as she lifted her hand to her mouth and pretended to cough. "Um, that's a very generous offer, thank you." She said to the Archangel between laughs that were half disguised as coughs. Meanwhile, although Samael never looked in Charles's direction, he barely contained a smirk at his remark. "I beg your pardon for my daughter and son-in-law's behaviour." David began and turned her head to smile at Hades. "That was a good idea," he told her proudly. Unity paused before asking in an older woman's voice. "Is it to our understanding that you would prefer to get to know the Archangel candidates in a more informal setting before votes commence?" "I believe it is, councilwoman." David nodded while turning to look at her. "This is not usual. We must deliberate." Unity responded and then went straight to staring hard at the table. While they were occupied, a thought occurred to Azrael, and he decided to seize the moment and rose to his feet. He cleared his throat as a polite way to get everyone's attention. "Pardon, I do not mean to intrude on your already generous offer, Shubael," he said whilst turning to the owl-shaped Archangel. "But if the council agree to this gathering, then I propose that it be done in a more neutral setting, rather than in a candidate's home," he turned to Death and gave him a short bow. "With your permission, Your Grace, perhaps we could use the coronation of the Prince and Princess?" he asked while gesturing to Lilly and Raven. Quote
Denix Vames Posted July 25 Posted July 25 The man was still frozen in place by Unity. Yet, his mind wandered. His eyes were bleeding as he had tried to forced himself to move. In his head, he shouted, "Free! Somebody free me from this prison! Help me!" His thoughts and rage would radiate throughout Earth. Letting Kris hear it all. --- Adam poured some more for himself and her, "Engaged yes. Although, it still feels wrong to me sometimes. That I have to gain my freedom from God by disobeying him again. You know, I never meant to eat the fruit. I was just curious. Sometimes I wonder if God purposely left that tree there just to fuck with us." Bitter tears peeked out from his eyes. He downed his drink. --- Nil replied, "I think that's understandable after all you've been through. Keep in mind that there is Redemption for everyone. Even for him. You saw what he did when he came to you. Did he attempt to hurt you in anyway?" --- Insanity was now laying in Warren's hands, "I'm sorry. Forgive me for everything I have done to you. I couldn't bear the thought of having those powers after the horrible actions I committed. But now, I feel powerless. I need to get my powers back. At least some of them in order to protect my family. Warren, please help me find Eris. She is the key to finding my powers." --- Ash smiled, "Of course." He held out a hand. "You're welcomed always in our home." With a firm handshake, he took his hat off and planted it on her head. His form reverted back to its original appearance, "I think I've learned enough from Amelia and you to know that there's no need to hide who you truly are." Ophelia suddenly flew up and circled around before Sara caught her. Sara giggled, "Looks like we've resolved another issue." --- Reed frowned, "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to....It's just work is all I really do. I don't actually hurt anyone. I only research and suggest...." He turned to the window. Biting his lip as he was holding back tears. "It's ok if you hate me for it. What I do in the CIA." --- Death blushed, "Oh! Uh...Of course. I don't see why not. It does appear to be a sound idea. I can see if the village in my realm would be willing to create a variety of dishes for the banquet." Shubael replied, "Hmph! A neutral setting yes but surely I can provide better food?" Life glared at him, "Watch your tongue. My brother does a pretty job at helping out." Shubael crossed his arms like a spoiled brat, "I'm at least going to bring the ice sculpture of myself for the decor!" Death nodded, "By all means go ahead." Hades slid down a bit in her chair, "Ugh! Why was I ever invited to this meeting? I'm talking to the stuck ups of Hell and Heaven." Quote
Shadowess Posted Friday at 06:44 PM Author Posted Friday at 06:44 PM Kris had been deep in meditation by the time the vision of the trapped man would thrust itself jarringly into his mind. He'd caught a flash of the man's face. Blood seeping from his eyes. The man seemingly frozen in what looked to be an ancient dungeon. And how real it seemed! Kris had felt such oppressive heat around them that it was a little difficult to breathe. He felt with absolute keenness the man's fury and heard, clear as a bell, the man's thoughts as they echoed in Kris's mind. All of this had happened in just a matter of a second, and as soon as the vision was over, Kris had jolted back from the cushion, practically jumping to his feet as he gasped. Stumbling, he reached out to grip the post of his bed and knelt by it as he caught his breath. His heart hammered in his chest, and sweat rolled down his face. He wondered for a moment if he might've dozed off and it had been a nightmare. But it had felt too real. He could still see the man's face whenever he closed his eyes, as if the image had been imprinted in his mind. He could hear his words still ringing in his ears. What was that?! He'd never experienced anything like it. As his heart rate returned to normal, he slowly lifted himself to his feet and wiped the sweat from his face. Still shaking a bit, he walked over to his bar and began fixing himself a drink to ease his nerves. --- Clementine avoided his eyes. There was a hint of guilt in her own. Not from anything she'd done, but from what she knew. She took a sip of her drink and walked over to a nearby oversized cushion. Carefully, she eased herself down to sit on it, finding it surprisingly more comfortable than it looked. "I used to be a Cherub, you know." She told him. "God liked the infants that you and Eve created so much that he created Angels to resemble them," she trailed off. Her eyes misted for a moment, and she smiled bitterly while blinking them back. "When I realised that I would never grow like your children did... I was so angry. My existence felt... like a cruel joke. A novelty to be paraded around and cooed over by Angels who were supposed to be my equals... but would always look down on me, literally and figuratively." She looked down at herself. "This is all I ever wanted... To grow into the woman that I felt I was deep down. And all it cost me... was everything." "I got cast down for my rage. For my 'ungratefulness'," she took another sip, starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. "And then I spent millennia in Hell trying to be more than just the 'Demon Child'... until I was destroyed. Even on Earth, as I am now, I look at my friends and I just know that all they can see is the little girl version of me... The pity they have for me. It sickens me." She took another sip, almost draining her glass. "So fuck Heaven. Fuck Hell. And fuck Earth," she looked up at Adam thoughtfully. "Maybe this was why I was brought back? To help you build something new. Something entirely our own, without Him." --- Niko shook his head and lowered his hands to stare at the tears which now covered them. "I-..." he started, but found his words catching in his throat as he tried to speak. "Oh, God..." he said in disgust and covered his face again. He realised with sickening clarity that he was a hypocrite. He'd spent the last year or so working to prove that he was a better man in the hopes of earning Rachael's forgiveness for what he'd done to her... yet, now that he was a victim of similar circumstances, he found himself unable to forgive his attacker when presented with the opportunity. --- Warren was conflicted. He frowned as he carefully set Insanity down on the couch and pulled up a small stool to sit in front of him. He looked at him seriously and with some concern. "I want to help you... But you need to promise that even with your powers back that you'll try to be a better man. Please promise me." --- Carol smiled at the little family. "Well, I should probably get back to my duties... Ash, congrats on the job by the way. I'll call you when we get another mission." --- "Look, I'm not going to pretend to understand your job or what the CIA do... I hear stories, but like all stories, I'm sure more than half of those are fabricated and the other half are embellished in some way." Lang said after a minute of thought. "I don't hate you, Reed. But just a suggestion? Maybe you need to find a hobby outside of work. Something fun. That you do just for you." He pulled up to a bar and parked nearby. "We're here," he said, turning to give him a smile. "C'mon, let's unwind a bit." --- "Wait, like an actual royal coronation?" David blinked. "Yes." Azrael nodded with a smile. "To officially and legally welcome Princess Lilly and Prince Raven to Death's Kingdom as his heirs. A ball will follow the ceremony." Lilly blushed as Azrael had suggested their coronation to host the gathering and explained to the others the purpose behind it. Feeling all eyes on her and her brother, she lowered her gaze and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Meanwhile, Azrael had turned back to Death to give him another polite bow. "I have already planned most of it and will be happy to carry out the final preparations whilst everyone gets ready." "Oh, wow! I think we might need some time to pick out an outfit and things." Amelia said excitedly. "Do you think Elliot and Vincent would mind watching Oliver a bit longer?" She asked while turning to face Charles. An idea struck Lilly, and she looked up at Azrael. "My friends are in a band," she then turned to Hades. "Do you think the guys would want to play at the coronation?" "Uh-! Oh!" Azrael flustered. He'd arranged a more classical approach to music and hadn't considered anything else. He looked between Lilly and Hades. "I suppose if they can, we could host them." "Boy, they're really talking it out in there..." Samael commented, noting that Unity hadn't made a decision yet. Quote
Denix Vames Posted Friday at 07:38 PM Posted Friday at 07:38 PM Having found that spark, the man yelled in his head again. Hoping to get the same response. 'Help me! Free me from this prison!' --- Adam shrugged, "Maybe? Who knows? Honestly, things don't make sense. They never have. But if this is it then I think I'm glad I have you guys by my side." He held out a hand for a handshake. "And I can let you know now, you're a woman to me." --- Nil continued, "We've all done horrible things but in the end, we can change. Even my boss stopped his tyranny. The fact that you feel this bad proves that you're different from what you were before. You're a better person." --- Insanity shouted with tears running down his cheeks, "What did you think I was doing?! I saved a life! I learned that my beloved perished! My own children hate me!" His voice lowered as he sobbed, "Oh Warren. You should hate me too. I don't deserve your kindness." --- Ash smiled with those razor sharp teeth but this time, it wasn't an insane look. It was a happy smile. "Looking forward to working with you soon." --- Reed held a small smile as he followed Lang to the bar, "Maybe you could tell me about your hobbies? It might give me an idea of what I can do as a hobby." --- Charles replied, "I don't think they would mind." Death looked at Lily, "You must understand Lily, it has been eons since an event like this. Typically, classical music is played. However, if you would prefer your friends to play this rock music you speak of then I shall let it be. If it makes everyone else uncomfortable then I unfortunately will have to end the performance." Hades turned to Unity, "Hey guys! Samael's right. Unity hasn't exactly given us their stamp of approval." Jean blushed, "A party? I guess it wouldn't be different from my welcome party in the castle." Quote
Shadowess Posted Sunday at 07:19 PM Author Posted Sunday at 07:19 PM Kris spilt some of his drink when trying to pour it into the glass. He hurriedly set the bottle down and gripped his head, groaning. He stumbled to the wall and leaned against it. His eyes shut tight as the image of the man was thrust into his mind once more. "Who are you?" He breathed. "Where are you? How are you doing this?!" --- Clementine took his hand and shook it, but her eyes were fixed on him with a mixture of surprise and newfound respect. "Thank you, Adam. That-... That means more to me than you know," she said softly. --- Niko sobbed openly. His shoulders heaved as he gasped. His thoughts spiralled. His already depressed state threatened to pull him to the brink once again. Jessica appeared near them, having felt Niko's turmoil. She pulled her maker into a hug and held him tightly. The only person in the entire castle that Niko would comfortably allow to touch him. She looked at Nil sadly. "I know you're trying to help." She said to him. "Niko, he's right. You are a good man now." "How? How do I come back from this? What I did? I am no better than he is, and if I can't forgive him, then what hope do I have for myself?!" Niko sobbed. "You keep trying," Jessica affirmed. Tears hung in her own eyes. "Try and try. Don't ever give up trying." "Even if forgiveness is impossible?!" "Yes," Jessica said firmly. "Especially if you don't believe you will be forgiven. Try anyway. Because you're not him and because you're not the same you anymore. So, you might as well keep trying. Even if it's just for you." Finally, Niko's breathing slowed down. He held on to Jessica. Simply breathing and holding on. "I don't want to feel like this anymore." He breathed. "I know." --- Warren bit back his own tears as he stared at the floor. "I meant... when you get your powers back. Please... I don't think I could lose you again." Tears rolled down his cheeks. He lifted his eyes to look at him. "I always knew that you were good, you know... deep down." --- "You too." Carol nodded. She gave Sara and Ophelia one last smile before vanishing. --- "My hobbies?" Lang grinned as they walked into the bar. "Believe it or not, the police force is my hobby. My real job is a Guardian Angel. Or- is it the other way around?" he chuckled and shrugged. "I'm a simple man. I just like to help people." He sat on a stool at the bar and nodded to the bartender. "I'll have a rum and Coke..." he then turned to Reed. "Do you want to pick something from the menu, or do you want to try the same as what I'm having?" --- "Your what?" Shezmu looked at Jean in confusion. Welcome parties hadn't been a thing until well after he'd gone into slumber. "What about an after party?" Amelia suggested after overhearing Death's words to his daughter. "An after-?" Lilly looked at her, perplexed. "After party. So, you do your ceremony and ball as you would traditionally and then right at the very end, if there are still people wanting to keep the party going, then they let their hair down and have an informal after-party. Maybe that's when your friends' band could play?" Lilly's eyes lit up hopefully, and she immediately looked at Death. "Please, Father? Could they play at an after-party?" Unity suddenly looked up and, in a man's voice, said, "We have agreed that an informal gathering could be beneficial to relations between realms. However, we would request the leaders and representatives of each realm to bear in mind the purpose of this gathering so as not to let personal relations or biases interfere with your decisions." "Who could've seen that coming?" Samael mumbled sarcastically. He then looked across the table with an easy smile. "Well, you all know I have no interest in trying to get your votes, so I'm just looking forward to a decent party." "Councilman, we have already discussed a potential venue-" David started, but Unity cut him off. "Do you think we do not hear your discussions when we converse with each other? The Coronation of Death's children will be suitable." Unity looked towards Azrael. "How long will you need to prepare?" "A few hours, councilman," Azrael answered. "Then it is agreed. We will return you all to where you were called from. Please ensure you are dressed and ready for the event-" Unity paused. Amelia had her hand up. "Queen Amelia?" "Uh, yeah, sorry, before you randomly throw us all back... What's the dress code?" Amelia asked while turning to look at Azrael. "Formal," Azrael answered. "Traditionally, for Death's realm, it would be black tie." "Can we bring a plus one?" David asked. Amelia turned to look at him in surprise. "What? I'm sure others are thinking it, so I thought I'd ask." Quote
Denix Vames Posted Sunday at 10:41 PM Posted Sunday at 10:41 PM The man thought again, 'A desert! Stuck in pain! Help!' --- Adam blushed, "I'm glad I could help. I think I'm gonna get rest now. I need to be alone for a minute to think." He headed to his room. --- Nil took out the book of fairies from his satchel. He opened it up and flipped through some pages. "That's it!" He showed the opened journal which had a drawing of a pond. "The healing water. It woke me as a fae but it can also heal anyone. Usually it's for physical injuries but maybe it might work for mental ones too?" --- Insanity's lips quivered. "Oh Warren!" He flew to his shoulder and rubbed his head against his. "With my powers, I shall rebuild our relationship. I wish to make my own home where we are close to our friends yet can still have our privacy. I wish to not have you as my servant but as my equal. A friend." --- Reed nodded, "I think I'll have the same drink." As he waited for both of their drinks, he picked at the corner of anl napkin. "I guess our jobs are our hobbies. Neither of us ever had a chance to stop and smell the flowers." --- Death cleared his throat before standing, "This band Lily has spoken of will be allowed to play. As for inviting another person, they will only be allowed if they are to vote. This is not a casual picnic. This ceremony holds great meaning. The fact that we are getting to know these Archangels and choosing a candidate to take Raguel's place makes it even more important. I will not let anyone be distracted when we have so much at stake." Dariel groaned, "Does this mean I have to wear a suit? I think I rather wear armor at this point. At least I'll look cool." Quote
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