maskormenace | 001: first prayer, voice-video

001: first prayer, voice-video

"If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Poor baby.

The prophets wrote that Jesus, having resurrected, first presented himself to Mary Magdalene, who did not recognize him. Well, that's a classical telling. 'The women' is a more accurate translation. So I did that. They had cookies. [ A thoughtful clucking sound is attached to the disassociated voice. ] Then he came down upon his disciples, and broke bread with them. Would you be surprised to know just how many Satanists there are in Florida? They were very accommodating.

[ The camera is turned upwards. Here, at last, is an (unfortunately) familiar face for those who have been here for a while. Lucifer doesn't look like much otherwise, just another steely eyed, rough featured imPort making his introductions. There are wounds healing on his - admittedly pale - face that look like they might have been some kind of deep tissue radiation burn. Still, he doesn't seem to be in any pain--he looks kind of cheerful. ]

I really don't know what I did to deserve a military escort, but I'm more than happy to know that I've engendered such respect in the human population here. Well--respect; fear; one is so very much like the other.

Now then, why don't we start with some introductions. [ He tapped his lip with one finger, considering where to start. ] I have a number of names, most largely unnecessary, but Lucifer will do. For the uneducated amongst you, that means I'm an archangel. For the heathens--well, sucks to be you; you have fun with that. [ The amusement is clear in the crinkles about his eyes. ] Furthermore, I'm delighted to announce that very soon I'll be usurping the airtime of a televangelist near you. Television exposure, a sponsorship from DRV Games, the adoration of my fans-- [ He drawls, it's difficult to tell whether or not he's being sarcastic: ] It's like a dream come true.

Oh, and Dean? Hello darling. Let's have a little chat, shall we? Happy belated Easter, chickens.

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That's nothing; you should see what they do to things they think are beautiful. If they could behold my true form, they'd probably stick a pin through me and display me in a musty, airless glass case somewhere.

[ His sense of humor is way off, but then thousands of years alone in the cold will do that to you. ]

And for the record I killed some people--that always riles them up, even if in this case the dead don't stay that way.

[ Not humorous, but amazing, incredible, breathtaking. Damnit, he's striking all the right chords with her with this talk about true forms. She wants to see it. ]

No matter how much you try to fight it, death is inevitable. No one should fault you for speeding along the process. After all, are they not yours to take?

[ Her lips quirk. Even if they didn't stay dead here. Even if death wasn't permanent in this world. People are just too sensitive these days. ]

Most of them are. Heaven's rejects. So few of them will admit it, even to themselves, until they see that stairway leading down into the flames.

I mean, get real. What do you expect? I didn't make the rules.

[ He is feeling pretty smug right now, as if that wasn't obvious. He does so love to have his ego stroked. ]

I can see a certain appeal in walking down into the flames if you're the one to lead the way.

Such a flatterer. Where do your motivations lie, I wonder?

[ He might just pay a visit, if he can. Suspicious behavior warrants investigation. ]

Motivations is such a conclusive word. Can't a girl just be curious?

[ Raina leans forward, playfully teasing. ]

Can't a girl just admire someone so fascinating?

That really depends. Is it worship or avarice? I don't mind either--but then, I won't be the one who's wondering, will I?

[ OOC: Mind if he drops in on her? ]

Awe and terror...

[ Raina practically whispers her answer about what this is, eyes alight as she studies him. ]

And unwavering curiosity. I want to see what you are at your core.

[ OOC: not at all! Go right ahead. :D ]

Who am I to refuse a lady what she wants?

[ The video feed crashes as he takes flight, like it simply can't take the overload, and then there isn't a video feed at all, there's Lucifer using his Grace like a battering ram on reality, blowing all the lightbulbs in a shower of sparks as he lands. She wants impressive, and he has no intention of letting her down. The wind rushes in toward him as he raises his wings - luminous, brilliant wings like condensed sunlight - as though drawn into a vacuum, and he raises his hands to either side, as though lifting the world with them.

And then the lights go out; the wings are a black shadow etched onto the walls; they fold behind him, and vanish into the darkness, and there's just Lucifer standing there; two arms, two legs--a man. ]

[ Raina can't even hide the eager smile at the rhetorical question, but it quickly vanishes when the feed seems to go dark. She stares at the communicator in confusion before leaping up to her feet at the sudden entrance into her home. She stares on in doe-eyed fear, too terrified to scream and too in awe to make an exclamation of joy.

Her eyes are on the wings -- magnificent to behold and its as though he's taken her very breath away. This is Lucifer, standing in a rain of glass and sparks -- and once the light is gone, just standing there in humanoid form.

She takes a single, meek step forward to start closing the distance. She manages a brief, awed smile now that her mind was finally able to catch up to what she just witnessed. ]

Let it never be said you don't know how to make an entrance.

Well, there are some people who would disagree with you, but raining fire and brimstone is really more Uriel's thing.

[ He falls still and quiet, watching her. Terrified, but awed, approaching none the less, like someone who wanted to reach through the bars to pet the tiger beyond them. Except Lucifer isn't a tiger. A tiger would run away from him and hide.

But he waits, to see where her approach will lead her, if she'll come all the way up toward him, or if her survival sense will kick in before then. ]

[ Survival instinct? What's that? Raina has made it a habit her whole life of flirting with danger, allying herself with the dangerous and creating monsters of her own. He could hurt her. He could kill her. But Raina is confident that he won't.

So she closes the distance between them, just a few feet apart as she reaches out and takes his hand, laying it on her chest. Her heart is beating so quick, fear and excitement pumping a delightful cocktail of adrenaline through her veins. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at him. ]

If you are who you say you are, then you must know what I am at my core.

[ A horrible monster covered in thorns, and even though the other inhumans called her beautiful she could only see the thing she transformed into, the beautiful thing her grandmother told her she would ascend to be, as hideous, deformed, and so far away from her human beauty that the only thing she felt she could do was die.

Her fingers are trembling on his hand, hopeful and terrified. ]

What will I become in this world? I know that one of my powers is to, is to turn into that thing. But I feel as though there has to be some greater purpose for me than simply that. A reason why I'm here right now.

[ Her voice trails off and she looks coy, her words even a little suggestive. ]

A reason you're here right now...

[ Well, there's flirting with danger and then there's whatever this is. Flirting with danger. Lucifer doesn't move, allows his hand to be taken, cool as it is, laid against her heart. He could feel her fear through that trembling, and yet it wasn't fear the way it ought to be. The way it should be.

He ought to snap her neck. Maybe it'd be the wake up call she needed. His hand snapped up when she finished speaking, closed around her delicate throat, and his strength--it was beyond human. Stronger than one shabby little blond guy ought to be. His eyes were steely and utterly unforgiving; they belonged to the kind of creature that could kill without reason and consider it the natural order of things. He'd killed for less than being touched before.

But he didn't. He pulled her toward him, until their faces were but inches apart. His eyelids lowered, leaving only a slither of blue cutting through from underneath his lashes.

Oh, he could see the monster, but it wasn't the thorny creature inside her that was so monstrous. No, it was her soul, a twisted black thing that responded eagerly even to his distorted light. Broken ugly thing. Beautiful because it was so corrupted. How could my Father possibly love this more than me?

He raised his other hand, petting her cheek with the cup of his fingers. ]

If a greater purpose is what you want, Raina, then there's no need to look any further. Your wait can end with me.

[ All she could manage was a single sound of surprise when his hand reached out and grabbed her throat. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he would kill her. And in that case, good. Do it. She left her world wanting to die, and although she didn't necessarily want to die here, it would mean an end to the monstrous thing inside of her. She wouldn't have to be that creature any longer.

But then he pulled her close. Then he stroked her cheek. Then he whispered those sweet and promising words. Raina shivered in spite of herself and her breath hitched, airway hindered but not closed off entirely by Lucifer's fingers. ]

What would you have me do?

[ Her eyes met his, staring into them. She was mesmerized by his monstrous beauty because like the books said, Lucifer was a beautiful angel and his fall, perhaps, made him even more so. Her senses were screaming at her to get away, and yet the fascination kept her pinned in place -- that and his strong grip on her throat because that had a little bit to do with it. ]

[ His grip didn't abate. It was a reminder of what he could do, what she'd allowed. She'd come right into his space without asking, and the punishment should last long enough that she remembered her manners thereafter. ]

What you do best, of course. No hesitation. No moral questioning or yearning for something better. You turn your face toward my light, and I will help you grow. I know you can do that. You can see inside the hearts of Men, just as I can, you can twist them and bend them.

[ She could undermine him too, he knew that, and that was why it mattered. If their intentions and purpose matched up toward his greater purpose, then fine. But if she stepped in even accidentally and jeopardized something he'd put time and effort into, he wouldn't be pleased. He could already feel Chilton on her, even if for now their purpose was the same.

He released her throat, but stilled her with a hand against her temple, stroking back a strand of hair. His other stayed against her cheek, practically an embrace; like a lover might. ]

All I want is to help you flourish, and in return I demand loyalty, and absolutely nothing more.

[ Raina looked up at him, eyes wide. These tender gestures could so easily turn monstrous. The same hand that stroked her hair could just as easily crush her head under its strength. She knew this. Her heart pounded in her throat and she finally tore her gaze away from him, closing her eyes and knitting her brows together, conflicted. ]

Loyalty? And nothing more?

[ No deals. No bargains. No soul-binding contracts? Raina could be loyal. She had it in her to do it if it was the smart thing to do; it was ultimately her own self interest she had in mind, her own survival, but if loyalty bought her more time....

She finally looked back up at him, wanting to step back but afraid the punishment her next question would bring would be even worse if she did. ]

And what happens if I refuse?

Loyalty, obedience, a gesture or two in all good faith. I want to expose your full potential-- [ His hand lifted away, tenderness denied at the same time as he implied his doubt: ] You do have potential, don't you?

[ No soul binding contracts. Demons collected souls, and while Lucifer was tempted to try and tap into that strength, repower himself back up to his former glory, it was yet to occur to him as a necessity. He was the most powerful creature here, as far as he was concerned. That hadn't changed--yet. When he did work it out, it may or may not prove to be impossible anyway. Besides which it was good to break with expectations now and again, especially when most monkeys wouldn't know what their soul was if it rose up and slapped them in the face...

He folded his arms behind his back, cocking his head to one side. ]

I'm not remotely interested in threatening you, no matter how much you might enjoy it if I did. God gave you free will so that you could make your own choices, no matter what those are.

If you want to flee, then flee, but then you will stay out my way. If you cross me, I will destroy you. Or stay, and be a part of it. Those are your only options.

[ Raina felt his hand move away and felt a certain loss at the same time as she felt relief. She drew in a deep breath, lips setting together in thought. The offer was so tempting. The promise to shine, to have her full potential realized and all she had to do was offer her loyalty. She needed allies here. She needed powerful allies here. Especially with the threat of SHIELD hanging over her head.

A smile slowly took place on her lips -- coy and flirting. ]

I think I can agree to that little arrangement.

[ This was, of course, before she knew he had Frederick Chilton in his sights and before she would be poisoned by Chilton's particular brand of charm and would want to keep him for herself. ]

I can build you up to the common and uncommon people, Lucifer. Make sure all the world over recognizes your greatness. The power of convincing people -- that is my potential; my gift. I don't have much more to offer other than that.

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001: first prayer, voice-video

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video; this clearly happens to Raina a lot if I have an icon for it....hahaha

There are safer ways to get a date, Raina. I suggest therapy. OH SNAP.

;x the therapists are some of the most beautiful monsters here, ngl

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