?

[idolpro]

Who: Talon, and somewhere else, K
Where: The streets of Tokyo-F
When: TBD

[ Today is surely an ordinary day for you. ]

TALON START | K START

Comments

[idolpro]

[ It looks familiar enough, as in, it looks like the rest of vengeance hell. Buildings tall enough to be intimidating without being grand, fixed facades that wear away to look damaged when you stare at them too long like the way stars fade from view when you stare directly at them... it's vengeance hell. You haven't seen this particular building before, though.

It's an office building looks like it exited a film noir-- architecture belonging somewhere inner-city America, circa the 1930s. The furniture is black and white, and while this building doesn't appear to have incurred much damage on the inside, there's a jitteriness to quality of reality down here, like the noise on old movie reels. Entering takes you by a receptionist's desk-- human, probably, they've got those rewinding and unwinding wounds you see on the damned around here-- and even if you don't talk to them there's a directory besides the elevator cage. Some of the floors are dedicated to surprisingly mundane things: accounting, intake forms, border travel applications and processing; while others are what you would expect-- offices of reprisals, unavenged wrongs, grudge preservation. And, at the top floor, Office of the Prince.

There's a row of silver gleaming elevator buttons, and you can tell which ones have been pressed, as they light up gold. The elevator is currently on the sixth floor, coming down. ]

[iamverybadass]

[ Given the promptness of the car, it's not a hard thing to guess that whoever called him must be coming down to meet him now. He spares a curious glance at the receptionist, but paces toward the elevator to wait for its arrival ]

1/2

[idolpro]

[ The antique accordion grate folds to allow you entrance, before closing back up and the elevator operator takes one look at you and presses the button for the top floor. You are escorted past a secretary's desk (with a person so non-descript as to be indescribable-- is that really a person? You don't see any distinctive wounds…) into Asmodeus's office. He's leaning back in a leather office chair, positioned sideways so he can see you enter through the door but without putting his back to the window. In his hands he has what appears to be an overly elaborate rubiks… octohedron? that he was examining. He puts it on the desk, front and center, as you walk in and are shown to a chair.

The elevator attendant takes his leave and you are left alone with Asmodeus. ]

[deut32_35]

Very prompt of you.

[iamverybadass]

[ Now that he's in Asmodeous's presence, he relaxes his posture and offers a casual wave. He is, of course, taking careful stock of everything he can see (and struggling to find something memorable about that secretary) without actually looking away from Azzy. ]

I wanted to see whether you'd been replaced or not for myself. I assumed the worst when you stopped responding.

[deut32_35]

[ The secretary has: No visible wounds, no obvious markings that would make them a demon. Hair, short. Height, average. Eyes, dark. Someone easy to lose in a crowd ]

[ As for Asmodeus, he laughs, dissonantly warm sounding. It doesn't seem to be what his laugh should sound like. It's an amused chuckle, his eyebrows sliding up behind his glasses. He is obviously, very satisfied with something. ]

No other guesses? And here I was certain word had gotten around about the angel.

[iamverybadass]

Oh, I had many guesses, but when I didn't hear from you for so long the more optimistic ones began to seem less likely.

[deut32_35]

The First Fallen Adversary believes the old adage-- friends close, and enemies closer. And what is a Prince Ascendant but both?

[iamverybadass]

Sounds like my mother.

I assume you didn't call me to fill me in on what he kept you busy with though.

[deut32_35]

Not at all.

[ He swivels the chair to face Talon fully ]

A status check-in. My records indicate something anomalous on day 314. Do you have any news you would like to share?

[iamverybadass]

[ In answer, he just opens his mouth wide for a few moments, showing off the lack of any fangs, flames, or even a wisp of smoke ]

Surprise.

[deut32_35]

Yes, that anomaly. That's the one.

[iamverybadass]

I took a holy water bath. And before you ask, no, as far as I'm aware it wasn't the action of any idol that gained us access to it. My best guess right now is that you did not get the last angel in Heaven.

[deut32_35]

Hmm. Well, that's something else to look into.

[ he drums his fingers against the desk, one quick arpeggio

and then gestures at the octohedron that's been sitting on the desk, this whole time. ]

A mission for you.

[iamverybadass]

[ Finally, he looks directly at the thing ]

What is it?

[deut32_35]

A mechanical curio. It ought to establish a tether or a rift, depending on how it reacts to the power it's been modified with from the angel. Something of an experimental piece.

[iamverybadass]

[ Glances back at him with a mild frown, curious ]

So it's a Hell object modified with Heaven's energy. And I have the pleasure of being the first test subject?

Are you hoping to connect to Heaven again?

[deut32_35]

That is the idea. You simply need to place it in Heaven. If the rift opened to take you there before, it is likely to open again.

[iamverybadass]

I'm certain it will. Heaven seems as interested in us as you are now that whoever is up there has been made aware.

[deut32_35]

[ looks genuinely as if the thought of something still up there tastes rotten in his mouth ]

If it's more than security protocols and something capable of awareness.

[iamverybadass]

Mm...

[ Quiet for a moment, debating with himself, and then— ] Can I ask you something?

[deut32_35]

As you'd like.

[iamverybadass]

I...understand that there was a war. And I know something of the reasons for it and clearly what the outcome of it was, but I'd like to hear some of your perspective on it.

To you, what was Heaven's greatest crime?

[deut32_35]

To pick one?

[ hmm. folds his hands and leans on them, as he contemplates ]

Abandonment.

I'm under no illusions that hell is all that great as an alternative to the nothingness that might await humanity otherwise, especially as decent chunk of hell fast-tracks your lot there anyway. But do you know why I've got so many fallen here?

I was present for the last of the negotiations. If they stayed in there, in that sealed but unfallen city, they could not help God's beloved humanity. They were given an impossible choice: to remain loyal to their beloved father, or to remain loyal to what he had said he wished to protect before he turned his back and took his hollow words with him.

It rankles, the rank hypocrisy of it. He loved his humanity so much as to toss out his brightest son over the squabble, and then left them himself when we failed to live up to his expectations. And all his angels who were left wanting to actually protect us, fat lot of good it did them. At least Hell has some honesty, Liars aside.

[iamverybadass]

[ He's quiet through the answer, occasionally humming in wordless understanding ]

That sounds like God's greatest crime more than it does Hell's, but it does answer some questions I'd had about him. Anyone who names themself a God should be regarded with suspicion.