9193/Fallen petals

Fallen petals
Date of Scene:	21 December 2021
Location:	Roof
Synopsis:	Asariel meets Lucifer, finding him far more pleasant than Michael.
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Asariel
Tinyplot:	Path of Glory

---

Lucifer has posed:
~~
At first, it is black lumps. Pitch. Yet there's heartbeat in them, a pounding, that goes beyond hearing. They shudder, and start to twist, in flame, in heat, as the heartbeat of the fire refuses to be contained in the old ashes. The ashes split apart, a shower of nothing...

Until the jagged veins of thorny vines uncoil from inside the split pieces. Roses of flame, that burn red, tipped in orange, yellow. They tumble, across the graves. Gravestones, weirdly arranged on the edge of a rooftop, the city deep and burning behind them. Pillars of light from above, casting down. Each time, it creates a new gravestone.

The vision ends, in darkness, in heartbeat, with a city full of gravestones littering the rooftops beyond. Yet the place is familiar - a real place...
~~

Asariel has posed:
The last few times Asariel had prophetic visions they were linked to Michael's doings...so it is no surprise that she'd dropped what she was doing and went in search of that roof that she remembered. She'd lived in Brooklyn for a long time. Finding the way up to the roof was easy given this place didn't invest in the state of the art locks and keypasses that some apartments did.

The white haired woman is not out of shape, but five flights of stairs is a bit of a strain on short folks when they have to beat feet up them because their brain is fueled by suspicion. Maybe she'd learn how to fly or teleport one of these days, but it was not today! The door to the roof opens and she steps out cautiously, her vivid blue gaze looking to see what exactly might be going on. She could have Judo chopped her way out...but that would probably get her laughed at.

Lucifer has posed:
Something is talking. 'Thing' is the best way to describe it. It is a low, raspy tone. The language is similar to enochian in some deeper way, but is a dark, horrific twist to it. It's some kind of dark tongue, suited to a somewhat insect-like vocal range.

Because there is a huge demon centipede directly there on the roof, coiled up like a black mass of limbs and length. Hellish magma flutters in surfaced veins down it's back. It's speaking -- but immediately darts it's insect like head towards the rooftop door. It's massive - about the size of a motorcycle. Mandibles unfold, and it says something else, a question.

There IS another person on the roof, which might be overlooked due to the huge demon worm. Lucifer is there -- looking entirely human, by a glance. His body language is entirely relaxed. An assumption, if one was made in a split second, could guess this is a warlock and a summoned horror out of hell - because it is definitely not threatening the humanoid.

Lucifer is clean, immaculately so, and handsome without being otherworldy. No, he 'fits in' with humans, though he has a look thats sort of plastic-surgery perfect. Just a bit too artificial. He looks over at her, too. "Yes?" he asks, calm, curious amusement, maybe, in the tone.

Asariel has posed:
Nope. Nopenopenope. Asariel pulls herself up short when she sees the large demon centipede. Her senses get all tingly all at once and her stomach does a little flip in protest. She stops where she is, her gaze looking to the centipede from Hell...then to the man that is addressing her, "I think that I'm interrupting something that I got a bad connection to prophetically..and I'm not really interested in dealing with demonic bugs tonight." the white haired woman states as she takes a step back.

"You two do your thing, I'm..." she squints at Lucifer, her eyes curious as she tries to figure out what is the deal here.

"I'm going to be really honest, I saw this roof in a vision. It didn't show your bug friend or you." she points out as she crosses her arms over her chest.

Lucifer has posed:
"In general, I am not against threesomes if all consent. She may prefer otherwise, though," Lucifer comments, cheeky. The worm makes a sort of squishy sound, hunching the upper back in a flex that may or may not be aggression. The whole monster is aggressive.

"She's declined," Lucifer says. He's relaxed, with an ease that many find simply infectious. He's not concerned right now, so there's no reason to worry. Even with the worm. He's actually stalling just a little, to focus on her.

"A vision?" Lucifer asks, then, and approaches, with a little head tilt. He does have a rose in his lapel, orange with red. Like the vision.

"She won't harm you. Perhaps together we can untangle your mystery." And then Lucifer switches languages, as he determines her nature. He speaks to her in the voice of angels. ~What did you see, young one?~ The tone warms Lucifer's vocal chords, a flow of reverb naturally swirling there.

The demon jerks a little, disliking the holy language use.

Asariel has posed:
Asariel gives a look to the man and the demon, "I'm sure there's some multi-footed dame in Hell that can satisfy that itch for you." she purses her lips a bit. She's not trying to be aggressive, but she's on edge. It's easy to read. "Absolutely declined." she nods to that as she unfolds her arms and tries to not appear so wound up.

She focuses back on Lucifer and there's a frown, "Yes." she states. Not beating around the bush. "Honestly I thought I'd find Michael up here." she admits. There is a deep breath taken and she lets it out as she tries to find a center, but has no luck. "Sorry if I offended, I'm not here to hurt anyone." she explains to the buggy demon. Then Lucifer is speaking in the voice of the angels.

It relaxes her only a bit, ~I saw your rose in it.~ she points to it. ~And so many graves and vines.~ she whispers. She explains the rest of what she saw, hoping that he might be able to make something out of it.

After a moment of silence she looks to Lucifer, ~You do not read as a demon...nor an angel, which I'm guessing is good on one given I'm not really sure who all has abandoned sanity to join Michael's crusade.~ she frowns.

Lucifer has posed:
"You may leave," Lucifer tells the demon, with a dismissive little head motion, but nothing else. The worm doesn't wait, it uncoils and begins to latch it's way across onto the next roof, then haul the rest of it over and across. It's very eerie. Lucifer doesn't really pay it any mind, he's now thinking over the information volunteered by the girl in front of him.

He also returns fully to English, leaving the angelic tongue out in his reply. "The coincidence is too great, I do think it has to do with me. At the very least, my involvement. Is it a warning for me, I wonder." Lucifer quirks a little smile, eyes panning out over the city, as he crosses his arms.

The mention of Michael's crusade gets a slight snort, and a quick little glance to Asariel. "Your vision suggests to me his army will fall down under my assault if I stand. But will I? Hmm."

Asariel has posed:
That's going to be in her nightmares for a bit. She doesn't look after the centipede horror too much. Just hoping it doesn't go off to eat someone...or at least not her immediate friends. She turns her gaze back to the blonde man and quirks a pale brow at him, "A whole group of magic users and others couldn't get a hit in on him when we exorcised him from his host, so I'm not exactly sure what we need to kick an Archangel's ass." she frowns to that.

"All I know at this point in the battle is that Michael is loose, he wants to reset the world and get rid of free will because he thinks humanity has done it wrong." she shakes her head. "You sound like you're a key player in all of this if you can take out his army." she points out a bit.

There is a moment taken to absorb things, clues to who this man is. Her eyes go wide for a moment, taking on that angelic glow for a few heart beats before it calms, "Oh..." she whispers as she reaches up to rub her face with pale hands. "You're Lucifer." she breathes out.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer remains still, but crosses his arms, head a little tilted, looking at her. He's a little unreadable, though beyond that mask he's frustrated, the fiery little heart of resentment at this nasty judgement every. Single. Time. Angels, even part angels, and their automatic hatred of him. He can choose to be sad, or angry. Usually the fallen angel chooses angry.

"I'm aware I don't have a /win/ in my history against the Heavenly Host, but I hold my own, and have yet to be destroyed, despite lacking a whole heavenly army," Lucifer says, tone a little sharpened. He sucks his tongue once, though, and returns towards a more relaxed smile. On the surface, anyway. "Tactics, and not being an insufferably arrogant asshole. At least, not /always/. Michael is consistent, I grant." Lucifer laughs softly.

Asariel has posed:
Asariel gives a look up from her hands when she hears the sharpened note of his tone and her sapphire gaze is a bit confused for a moment, "I...didn't imply that you couldn't win? Does anyone really have a win against the heavenly hosts? Not really...or at least not in my records or dealings." she tells him. She didn't hate him...she was running on mental fumes. "I was not expecting to actually find you out in the wild just hanging out on a roof." she states.

"He's the only Angel I've met and he's making me not want to meet anymore." she admits. "Present company excluded." she adds quickly.

Lucifer has posed:
"Well, I don't often have anyone strolling up to me with interesting prophecies. Not /never/, but not often," Lucifer answers her with a little quirk of grin, and slightly intense widening of eyes. He's watching her reaction, clocking it.

"You haven't met an angel before? Interesting. How did your whole ...situation come about, then?" Lucifer asks, with a sort of general roll of hand to her, indicating that eye glow she showed not long before. "Nobody taught you to tone down those high beams?" Lucifer teases, not unkindly, with a tap to his face near an eye.

Asariel has posed:
Asariel's eyes squeeze shut for a moment, trying to will down whatever it is that's going down in her system to stop for a moment. "I've just met my Uncle Michael." she states as she opens her eyes. "And that whole thing was weird." she shakes her head. "Otherwise no, I've never met an angel." she admits. "And I'm not entirely sure how I came about. I don't know which Angel might be my father. All of this stuff started manifesting after being so close to Michael." she grumps a bit.

"That is something I'll try to figure out when the world isn't ending." she chuckles. "Sorry about the eyes...it happens when I get anxious the most." she looks to him.

Then she gives a bit of a smile, "Hey, that sorta makes you my Uncle as well." she points out.

Lucifer has posed:
"'Uncle Michael,'" Lucifer repeats, as if it were a gross but funny idea - like she'd made a lewd joke that was amusing but he's resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Lucifer looks at her more appraisingly, and starts to move around in a thoughtful orbit, visually inspecting her. His aura starts to grow a little, as he uses more of his own abilities, sensory. Which will mean he'll be far more easily identifyable -- but oddly, also sort of does something to the area around them. The concrete roof below, the quality of the local air - his presence here, when unshielded, starts to twist the local reality.

"Anxious because of me? I've had worse reactions, don't worry about it," Lucifer smiles wryly. "Don't worry -- you aren't mine. I can possibly decipher who sired you, but. Take it from me - fathers that disown and ditch you? Not even worth it," Lucifer says, in a more gently supportive tone. But then he pauses, head tilting, a strong curiosity surfacing in his eyes. She doesn't know angels at all.... so.... "Have you never even flown, then?" Lucifer asks. He extends one hand to attempt to rest it on her shoulder. It's a sort of comforting move, and easy to dodge, but he doesn't appear to intend or show harm by it.

Asariel has posed:
Asariel gives him a look, "Oh come on, I've never had uncles before." she muses as she looks to him. She was starting to feel less like she was going to get yeeted off of a rooftop. Then she realizes that things are wonky due to his aura and she looks around him, "Alright, that is definetly not something I've ever read about...or that I've seen in research." she admits. She's fascinated.

"I mean, I don't feel anxious now." she explains. Though she gives a bit of a half smile at his comment, "I think there are a lot of fathers skipping out on their kids at the moment, I'll be fine without mine, but I guess in the end I'd like to know why he created me." she tells him. Then his hand extends with his question and she shakes her head, "No, never flown. Didn't know I had wings until Michael was murdering folks." she frowns.

She doesn't dodge his hand, she doesn't feel like he's going to hurt her.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer doesn't remark when she refers to his aura. He can be very soothing and pleasant when he wishes to be, and he's exuding that very well for now. He gives her another small smile, and directly squeezes her shoulder with his palm. Not hard. There isn't a flirt in it - at least, not beyond what he tends to exude anyway.

"Forgive me my direct questions, mmm? I always appreciate when somebody sees a bit of what I've been saying all along," Lucifer observes. He levels a more direct look on her, then. Lucifer can get really intense, with his flared, intent gaze, but he's just focused; it isn't aggressive.

"While you keep wondering and questioning -- you're better than they are," Lucifer adds, firmly. "So if you want to know certain things about this, I'll tell you what I can, little bird." Lucifer's gaze moves to her shoulder, and he exerts a little of his aura against where he's aware her wings are. Just a little touch there, with a cheeky half-smile, and starts to withdraw his hand.

Asariel has posed:
Asariel gives a smile to him, but her wings do manage to make an appearance. The first time they came out and they were not on the defensive. "Asking questions is fine. I ask them all the time really." she tells him as she chuckles. "So if it gets annoying...just let me know and I'll cut them out." she adds. His direct eye contact makes her take a bit of a breath, but she's fine. Really.

"Do you ever see the angels as misguided children sometimes?" she asks him. "I mean...I know that they don't possess unless it's a willing host. But taking advantage of it entirely to start killing people, that doesn't sound like Michael." she frowns. "Unless I'm completely out of my depth here." she adds.

"Have you met other Nephilim? Do we have a very long lifespan or do people up there sorta hate us?" she asks as she points towards the heavens.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer shrugs a little, "Misguided children? No. I see it more like a cult. A culture of mind control, perception warping," Lucifer says, with a flick of his free hand in a toss-away motion of wrist. "Which is /funny/ since I get blamed for doing that on one hand, but in the other hand blamed for the free will issues. Hmmmmm." Lucifer laughs, but doesn't stick hard to the topic. "And no, usually they sit up there and don't interfere in much. So yes, this is bizarre. They haven't updated me on all they're doing." Of course not.

"Others? Yes. I attract a lot of anyone from above that doesn't fit into the cult. Both general nephilim, and 'fallen' angels of different kinds. They generally are aimless, afraid, alone -- lacking their cult leader telling them what to do is a scary situation. But I'm not a replacement for all that. No thank you."

Asariel has posed:
The white haired woman looks at him, "A cult sounds a lot more like it the more I see." she states with a sigh. "Eh, if God is so omnipotent then all of what has went on seems to be something he knew about. So they shouldn't blame you." she points out. Or that is what Uriel would explain to her after this. "Michael's on the warpath over something. Not sure what triggered it. But...I'd rather figure out how to stop it." she comments.

Then she quiets and listens to him, "It sounds like a pain in the ass job really." she shrugs. "Or it sounds like it is something that will most assuredly go poorly. Either way...I'm not sure if I can get up there. Or where one might start to look for a stairway to heaven." she chuckles.

Lucifer has posed:
"Most nephilim are just bloody insufferable, or attack me on sight in righteous wrath, so.... yes, big pain in the ass most of the time. But sometimes theres a decent one or two," Lucifer gives her wing a little tap and then pulls his hand back, stretching a little bit. He's reaching into his coat, idly drawing out something that looks like a cigarette but probably isn't. It's abruptly and casually lighted and he enjoys a draw on it. It smells thick and pungent but not bad - more like some kind of heavy incense.

"Rather than going up there, it's probably better to talk to one of those that are /sympathetic/ to humanity's plight, at least. Appeal to their idea of salvation, forgiveness, and so on," Lucifer explains. "If one decides to pay me a visit I'll inquire."

Asariel has posed:
"Maybe it's a good thing I've not been in the loop on that until now. Because I'm already a bit nerdy on the angel and demon information...I'd hate to have a meltdown at the sight of others." Asariel chuckles to that. "Awww, I promise I won't try to throw rocks at you." she tells him with a genuine smile as she lets her wings relax and then they disappear. "Also, really glad the wings don't ruin clothes like you see in all these shows." she muses softly to him.

"Do you know of other angels here on Earth?" she asks him. "Or I guess I could save some questions for next meeting. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around." she tells him. Then her hands move, a little blue shimmer of light before she produces a black card and offers it to him, "Not unless you automatically know phone numbers." she grins to that.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer looks at the card in amusement. "Nah, lacking a phone number, I'd just send a demon to rap on your window," Lucifer 'teases', accepting the card. He does a small, entirely non-magical sleight of hand that flips her card into his own one, and offers it back in two fingers. It's a simple black card for LUX, the nightclub. Lucifer Morningstar.

"But I prefer to text. Who actually /calls/ anymore?!" scoffs the Devil. He's palmed her card now, and continues to smoke. "I do know of some down here, yes. But my little black book of those isn't open. Just like I won't chat to others about discovering you." He's honest, but also honest in what information he won't give.

Lucifer puts out the snub of cigarette then under his shoe, releasing the steaming breath. It curls in a flutter of reddish embers out of his lungs. "If you want to aim those rocks - or better yet, weapons-- at angels and actually do /damage/, I have a ritual for that. If you're decent at magic, I'll lend you a scroll." Lucifer starts to turn away, smiling.

"I have another rooftop to haunt now, though. Good luck with your questions, little bird."