Video; forward dated to the 6th

[angelfire]

[ Okay, he's bored. Where are the tumbling heroics? Where's the challenge? Lucifer is here - back - whatever, taking time out from recording his show to hang out on the network with you fascinating examples of God's greatest mistakes. He sets up his camera, which shows off the back of a chair that reads 'Lucifer' in broad black writing. The background is a handsome looking church, with stained glass windows, long red carpets, and hanging red drapes that tumble down the broad pillars. Huge bouquets of summer flowers decorate the altars and tumble out of the planters beside the pews, and light pours in through the round feature window. For once, Lucifer - when he takes his seat - is groomed, dressed in a neat black on black suit, and finished with silver fish shaped cufflinks and everything. He looked the part of the villain, the businessman; the schemer. A charismatic cult leader. Or well...like a guy in a sharp suit. He counted off on his fingers: ]

Pestilence. War. Famine. [ And he touched his fourth finger, then looked puzzled at the camera. ] Well, would you look at that. Four horsemen, not three. No prizes to anyone who guesses the last one.

[ He reaches into his breast pocket, removing a simple silver ring very carefully, propped it on his thumbnail and then flicked it. Flicked Death's ring clean into the air, then snatched his hand up and caught it. ] One left.

[ He leaned very slightly forward, speaking as though he were sharing a secret. ] Don't worry your head about it, my darling. I wouldn't dream of giving this thing to just anyone, but its multiversal owner really will have to come fetch it back before I'm tempted. To do what? Who knows? I'm mercurial like that. Sammmmy, come on out to play. It's been forever.

[ Lucifer's attention was broken by his accepting a clipboard and signing off on something on it. ] Chicken soup again? [ A nod from the assistant. ] Good. It's wonderful for the soul.

[ And then he's left to continue with his video, and he rolls his eyes pointedly. ] The fault really lies with you, kiddos. All that anger and repression, it'll mess you right up. But for the sake of argument, I think it's fair to say 'I predict a riot'. Accurate? Why don't we talk it out, hm?

Comments

[ahappyending]

In your care, yes.

But given the circumstances I'm a little unsure about 'safe.'

[angelfire]

I'm hurt. What do you think I'm going to do?

I suppose I could melt it. Wear it. I am become Death.

[ahappyending]

You haven't exactly been engendering much confidence here with your actions in the past week.

[angelfire]

No more than usual. Let me guess, it was the talk of taking over the world that put you off.

But don't mistake me, Didi, these are human acts. If you open the gate and the horse tramples someone to death--what are you going to do?

[ahappyending]

What makes you think I'm put off? I don't judge, Morningstar. It's sort of my thing.

But there are forces in this world that should not be abused.

[angelfire]

And they're not being abused, dear heart. I kept this little trinket to myself. I know what it can do.

[ahappyending]

Just like the War, Famine and Pestilence ones weren't?

Hoping to scare the mortals into submission or what?

[angelfire]

Far too many of them need to find God, my love.

Or simply learn respect.

[ahappyending]

I get the feeling this plan isn't going to turn out like you're hoping it will.

[angelfire]

It's already turning out all the players I wanted to see. You're here, aren't you?

[ahappyending]

I come out to get ice cream with teenagers, Morningstar.

Besides, you know my policy is to not interfere.

[angelfire]

As you keep insisting. But interference and inference aren't so far apart, now, are they?

[ahappyending]

Maybe alphabetically.

[angelfire]

No. You don't throw yourself into the fray. You don't take sides. But you have motivations of your own, in the greater scheme of things. If you truly didn't interfere, then it wouldn't matter who held this ring. But you can infer to Sam and Dean that it would be safer in their possession--that doesn't break any rules; the universes or your own. So long as you never insist.

[ahappyending]

It strikes me that letting an artifact from my realm go freely into the mortal plane would be interfering, wouldn't it?

Don't misunderstand me, Morningstar. I like humans well enough. But all I want is the ring. And since I can't bring it back to the Sunless Lands myself, giving it to people who won't ever use it is the next best thing.

[angelfire]

And yet a human brought it here. A human lost it to me. That would be fate wouldn't it?

[ahappyending]

Destiny's rarely quite so straightforward. I would know.

Does it matter how it got here? It slipped through the cracks in reality. Sometimes that happens. The how or why isn't too important to me.

[angelfire]

It should be. Do you not think Dean and Sam were fated to come here? That I was? Then here we are.

Here you are.

And here are the rings.

[ahappyending]

The setup might be fated, but what happens next is ours to write. All I want is the ring out of the hands of those who might use it, Morningstar.

My realm is not for mortals to harness.

[angelfire]

No mortal harnessing, I promise. Look, as soon as Sammy and Dean get here, I'll hand it over without a word. Would that make you happy?

[ahappyending]

If you can, yes. Behind magical wards is as safe as it'll be before the real me can come back for it.

[angelfire]

As you insist.

[ Although to be fair, his respect for her is thinning. It's the trapped as a mortal and liking it thing.

But he'll make a concession on this, if only because it was already part of his plan. The ring is only meant to be bait. ]