001: first prayer, voice-video

[angelfire]

"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.

Comments

[andaway]

[Okay, you lost him. He tilts his head.]

And dear old Nick is?

[angelfire]

My vessel. His family were murdered--tragic, really. His beautiful wife, and his little baby. It was destroying him.

[andaway]

Oh.

[And then, a little louder, and a little more sad:] Oh! So that's how the porter managed to get you here? By getting the vessel here. I guess that makes a lot of sense, but I'm still impressed at the amount of power that must have taken.

[Lucifer's tale of what happened to Nick's family doesn't go unnoticed but he'll leave that for another day.]

I also wonder about the implications of you being here. Again, apparently, but I wasn't here the first time. Then again we've got literal Death here so I suppose we should trust the worlds get put on pause in the mean time.

[angelfire]

And yet here I am. Not once but twice. Twice as impressive.

[ And he's interested in that power. The Porter is a mystery to him, but the idea that he might be able to use it to pick and choose who was brought here--that was something that had occurred to him already, and appealed in no uncertain terms.

But that catches his attention. ]

Death is here? You've met him?

[andaway]

Her, actually. But she goes by Didi in this place.

[He'd feel more guilty about it if Didi herself hadn't made herself known already. Spirits, devils... theological forces like that are really outside Kal's comfort zone and usually he just lets people like Zatanna, Jason Blood or Dr Fate handle it. But curiosity, cat, you know how it goes.]

Looks like you got pretty popular last time you got here. But I suppose if you are who you claim to be it's not really surprising.

[angelfire]

Didi. Oh, he is never going to live that down.

[ Haha live it down, get it? ]

I suppose you could call it popularity. Really, though, it just pays to know which side your bread is buttered on, and then suck up. Suck up with all your might. Life on Earth is short, but Eternity is another thing entirely.

Sinners know that better than most. Sinners and Jehovah's Witnesses.

[andaway]

I'm not going to get into a theological argument with you of all people. [Seriously. He's just going to stay in his corner of alien religion thank you very much.]

It's just interesting to see people reacting so strongly to you being here. Makes me wonder what you did last time... and also makes me wonder what you're planning on doing this time.

[angelfire]

I let something in.

[ He knows that much, and he has no shame about it either. He knew the truth, such as it was, that he'd opened a door to try to go home and let something(s) in instead. Maybe it hadn't been an apocalypse, but it sounded like it had been fun. He wasn't going to do it again, though. ]

But don't worry, repetition is the silent killer, after all. I'll think of something shiny and new, just like always.

[andaway]

And I'm sure there will be people to stop whatever you come up with. Just like always.

[Subtle threat? No, not really. That wasn't subtle at all. And he's aware of the ridiculousness of a clumsy Kansas reporter threatening Lucifer of all people but he never claimed to be smart.]

The Bruce in me is just like Clark ffs but then if anyone can beat the devil it's Superjesus

[angelfire]

[ He cocks his head to one side. ]

Like always? I don't lose that way. When I fell, I was granted the chance to walk the Earth, the way none of my brothers had been free to do. When I was cast down, an entire Kingdom was laid at my feet for me to rule.

I am not something to be stopped; I exist, because I exist inside the hearts of men, and as long as men are evil, so shall I be there, a part of everything ungodly and small and selfish about them all.

come at me bro he has the power of Superblasphemy

[andaway]

As long as men are evil. [And that's all there is to it, really.]

It's not a battle to be won in days, months, or years. It will probably not be won in here and I honestly I'm way over my head in this situation: Theology in general was never my thing. [Even if he still goes to confess when he has a moral dilemma, and he has this really big urge to cross himself right now. His parents went to church almost every week, after all]

I'm just saying you're doomed to fail at the end, no matter how 'inventive' you decide to be in the meantime.

[angelfire]

You know what's interesting about Revelations? It's the End; the final book, the final prophecies. It doesn't tell anyone what happens afterward, only that billions die, and a great army will rise up and slay billions more. It assumes that God wins because it's God's book, and so it must surely have a happy ending; a happy ending doesn't make you feel so very powerless.

[ He knows he's lost, but that doesn't mean it's over. He can always find another way out of the cage. He'll be patient.

So the apocalypse was called off. This time. ]

[andaway]

[He smiles. A little incongruous considering the situation but honestly, he's always loved a challenge- and he's glad he has an answer ready to that.]

Except it's not about God in the end, is it? It's not His ending. It's about humanity. And I happen to have a lot of faith in that regard.

[angelfire]

You sound like a little brother of mine. Or two. They're both dead now.

What you fail to take into account is that faith in God at least gets you something in the end. Faith in humanity inevitably leads to betrayal. For all the times they buoy your spirit and give you hope, they will always let you down.

Faith is a butterfly that has its wings plucked one at a time.

[andaway]

[Brothers. Like other archangels? He's going to brush up on the Bible, just in case. He's pretty sure his powers count as 'magic' and thus he's vulnerable to them. He's being incredibly stupid, isn't he? This is why he needs Lois by his side.]

Isn't your job to convince me of that? You said you will be there as there's evil in humanity's heart. So as long as someone has faith He will be there, as well. I'll stick to my butterfly for now.

[angelfire]

[ His powers do count as magic. Probably some sort of soul magic. That's apart from the whole magic magic thing that he has going for him. ]

Faith in me isn't a necessity to end up in my court.

[andaway]

[Clark was told once that he had no sins. Because that's a thing that happens in comics, and because being overpowered didn't make him enough of a special snowflake. But still he knows Lucifer is right, and that makes his resolve flatter a bit.]

Is that what you're going to do here? Set up a 'court'?

[angelfire]

Don't you worry your cute little head about it.

[ If anyone gets to sass Superman, though... ]

Que sera sera. Whatever will be will be.

[ Or in other words get your nose out of his plans. ]

[andaway]

[The 'cute little head' quip makes his right eyebrow twitch, and he wonders if this is how Lois feels every time someone treats her in a condescending way because of her gender. He owes her an apology.]

Sorry, I get a little nosy when it comes to matters concerning the apocalypse, the end of all things and humanity's doom.

[angelfire]

[ He props his chin on his hand, voice distorted as he talks through it. ]

If you have something to ask me, then please, ask away. There's nothing I like better than talking about humanity's doom.

[andaway]

How do we stop it?

[That was kind of a given.]

[angelfire]

Be worthy.

Failing like that, put your faith in a Winchester--that usually seems to do the trick. Although there's typically only so much surly Ken doll you can take before it all gets too much.

[andaway]

[Winchester. Finally, a name- and wasn't that Sam's last name? Time to dig up the network and see what he can find.]

You'll have to define 'worthy' a little more than that, but I admit that was more of an answer than I was expecting.

[angelfire]

Worthy. Worthy. Worthy of my Father's love; worthy of the worship of an archangel. Be more than the crawling, sinful wastes of resources you are. Look at your planet--your beautiful home, carved by the hands of the God of Love Himself, and look at what you've done to it. Is that the work of creatures that deserve pity or redemption, let alone worship by the likes of me?

It isn't a complex concept to master.

[andaway]

Yes.

[He answers quickly, shortly. With the tone of someone who’s wondering why is that even being questioned. Humanity as fucked up, yes. He’ll be the first to admit it- even though he’d probably use less curses to do it. He’s not blind to their mistakes and he’s been painfully reminded of them quite often back home. But there’s so much they have achieved, so much they fight for. He’s proud to call Earth his adoptive family, to call humanity his adoptive race.

And now they have to prove their worthy to him?]

And the fact that you can’t see just how worthy humanity is speaks volumes about your priorities.