Fire Walks the Streets

Demiurge says "Okay, Eduardo. It is some point in the morning. Whereabouts are you and

what are you up to, and what time is it?"

Eduardo uhms. I'm in a little, smoky coffee shop, doing paperwork. It's about 10:30 am. I'm smoking. I'm drinking coffee. I'm looking grumpy.

Eduardo . o O ( Was that redundant? Doing paperwork. Looking grumpy )

As you are frowning at the latest batch of incident reports, you notice a couple of bulky men passing the door. Something twitches at your memory.

Demiurge says "Make an Int roll?"

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 2.

<> Eduardo says "Floop"

Demiurge says "You're sure that you remember them, and it was in connection with something bad, though you're not sure where or when."

Eduardo shrugs, and -- since this *isn't* paperwork, and since he's prone to it -- tucks the paperwork away in a briefcase, tosses a bunch of change on the table to cover the coffee and a generous tip, and then heads out after the men.

The two bulky men don't seem to be looking behind them. They head down the street, then turn right into a small side-alley.

Eduardo shrugs, and continues to follow his hunch; glancing at the alley sign and seeing if that is at all familiar as he makes his way after them.

The alley sign is "Weavers Alley", nothing odd that you recall offhand. The two men are striding down it, glancing from side to side. There's an edge of urgency about their movements now.

<> Eduardo says "How are the men dressed?"

<> Eduardo says "Like, do they look like they belong being urgent in an alley?"

<> Demiurge says "Both in the same style: trenchcoat, jeans, shirt, nondescript and rough."

Eduardo follows, briefcase swinging. He makes little noise, but isn't terribly surreptitious.

>From behind Eduardo, a female hand touches his shoulder, unexpected and unheralded. A thin trail of smoke drifts up from where it touches the cloth of his coat.

Eduardo stops, surprised; stepping back and around to place his back to the wall of the alley and making his best effort to keep both in view. He ignores the smoke - since, after all, wghere there's smoke, there's fire, right?

The woman removes her hand. Her black hair is fuzzed back in an aureole around her head, dark where it tumbles down her back, and her loose silk shirt and skirts are stirring as though in some wind.

The woman says, "Edward. Hush. I wanted to talk with you privately, and they do worry so about me." Her eyes are the eyes of Gabriel, clear and insane.

Eduardo pages: Is there anyway to tell if this *is* Gabriel? I mean. Paranoid Malakite time?

You paged Eduardo with 'She is ringing every Gabriel bell in your head. Though you can always try resonating if you really want.'.

Eduardo pages: Eh. Go with the hunch. I'm not supposed to be totally sane.

Eduardo raises one eyebrow, though that's about all the surprise he shows. "Lady," he says, his voice quiet, "We all do. We always have. Who else could we love like you?"

Gabriel nods, and there is a surprising clarity to her gaze. "I have heard your voice, my warrior, in the flames that you bear with you. I know of your work."

Eduardo gives a slight, pleased smile. "We serve because we love you."

<> Arcangel notes that Eduard *can* smile.

Gabriel's eyes begin to grow unfocused, as she says, "You do well." The concrete of the pavement is melting under her feet, leaving an deepening mark of footprints. "The voices have cried out to me. Shadow spreads its wings."

<> Eduardo says "You try not smiling to the one you love the most."

<> Arcangel imagines big sappy-fuzzy Malakim eyes, and melts.

Eduardo's eyebrow raises a little more, and he says. "We should walk. And you can tell me what you need of me."

Gabriel turns, and begins to walk along the street, leaving melted footprints in the concrete behind her. The two men have disappeared around the corner. She says, "The old plague comes again, and the light behind it. A culling light, a cruel light."

Eduardo walk in silence, listening. Only his eyes register the disapproval, the hatred of cruelty.

Gabriel stops again, the aura of heat intensifying around her like a blow. "You must stop it." Her hair crackles in the rising hot wind. "Crack the world asunder if you must, shatter the bonds, break the chains. Prevent it."

Eduardo turns, steeping into the heat; clothing starting to smoulder. "I am a King. We are the breakers." His eyes hood slightly. "I need to know who."

Gabriel extends her hands towards him, fire beginning to build between them, palpable now and licking around her fingers. She says, urgently, "Take it. Take it from my hand."

Eduardo reaches forward, eyes on those of his Archangel. There is no hesitation as he plunges his hands into the fire.

There is something solid at the centre of the fire, something firm that Eduardo's hands close about as Gabriel clasps his hands in return. A moment of blinding agony, then the flames leap up into a long pale blade as Gabriel removes her hands.

Gabriel says, "In my name."

Gabriel says, "My warrior."

Gabriel says, "Smite."

Eduardo steps back, hands wrapped around the hilt of the weapon; love and pain transfiguring his face. "Always," he says, and his smile almost matches Gabriel's radiance.

<> Liz says "Great. He now has a 2 meter long flaming penis."

<> Daimon grins in a Funny way. "I thought that too."

<> Arcangel says "Males. Sheesh."

<> Daimon can be female for your reading enjoyment, too.

<> Daimon is, after all, a woman trapped in a man's body.

Gabriel smiles, fleetingly, the expression rippling across her face as her silks stir again, and the nexus of heat intensifies further till blue gas-flames dance in her hair. "The sleepers dream falsely. Awaken them."

Eduardo says "I don't understand, Lady. Sleepers?"

Eduardo still holds the sword, as if not quite sure where to carry it. Probably because he has no *clue* where to carry it.

The leaping flames of the sword die down, leaving only an ornate bronze hilt.Gabriel says, words faint, "The streets of the city are still until they are shaken. My warrior, beware..."

The flames close around Gabriel, and go out, and are gone, as is she, leaving the puddle of molten concrete cooling and black.

Eduardo mutters. "At least I don't have to explain *that* in my report" as he looks down at the molten sidewalk. "And at least *this* is easier to carry."

<> Daimon crosses his Sword of Sarcasm with Eddie's Sword of Fire, and next thing you know, there are only moans coming from the bedroom.

Eduardo drops the hilt into a pocket, not at all carelessly. Then he turns, looking for the two men who led him down the alley; eyes still bright. Too bright

The men are visible in the distance, having turned, and making their way back down the alley towards Eduardo.

Eduardo peers past them, attempting to discern if there's any kind of destination. He also steps around the brand-spanking new pothole.

One of the two men says, quietly, "Did she go in any particular direction? Or did she just vanish?"

Eduardo's eyebrow quirks again, face set back into its usual disgruntlement. "Who?" he inquires, stepping forwards.

The other man says, equally calmly, "Your mistress. We are her watchers, sent by Yves to follow. Did she go in any particular direction?"

<> Demiurge says "Eduardo, you are remembering something about this. Yves is supposed to have stuck a couple of Cherubim with the job of following Gabriel round and "tidying up" any little messes or blazes that get left behind."

Eduardo purses his lips a moment, thne gives another smile. "She just vanished." He pauses. "Sorry." He doesn't sound it.

Eduardo . o O ( She doesn't need watchdogs )

Eduardo . o O ( Much more than I do ... )

The two nod, still with that same mildness. The first man says, "Godspeed," before he turns to continue down the alley, following the line of melted footprints.

Eduardo murmurs. "Godspeed." Again, he pauses. "To you, and to her both."

<> Arcangel . o O (Now all he needs is the secret decoder ring to figure out what she told him to do.)

<> Eduardo says "Smite?"

<> Eduardo got that bit! :)

<> Daimon says "Hey, Gabe's about as straight-forward as the Boss. I can jive with that."

Eduardo turns, heading back towards the coffee shop; eyes thoughtful. He eventually heads for Pat's apartment.

Pat rides the escalator up from the metro station, a sizable duffel over one shoulder.

Eduardo's car is parked outside of Pat's place, with Eduardo inside it.

Pat notices said car when he comes within sighting distance of it, and walks up alongside the driver's window.

Eduardo rolls down the window. His clothes seem to have been smouldering at some time in the not too recent past. And his hands are burnt.

Pat nods. "Edward."

Eduardo says "Mazpatiel," as he opens the cars door. "We have a problem."

Pat says "This comes as absolutely no surprise. A new one, or another aspect of an old one?"

Eduardo straightens, flakes of ash falling off of a trenchbcoat that only vaguely resembles it's even it's battered original state. "My Lady visited me." His eyes are clear, and his face bland. But even so, the excitement is unmistakeable.

Pat looks Eduardo up and down. "That would explain it."

Eduardo nods. "A small price."

>From afar, Hitherby doesn't want to interfere in the scene, but there was no particular reason to stop patrolling the house while Daimon and Sarah are still inside. So she breaks off a small bug to drift over and listen. If that's okay.

You paged Hitherby with 'Sure.'.

Demiurge says "Pat, Eduardo, both make Per rolls, please."

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 1 3 CHECK: 5.

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 2.

Demiurge says "In your paranoid states, you both notice an insect swooping down towards you with suspicious accuracy and intention."

<> Pat says "Just one?"

Demiurge says "Just one."

<> Pat attempts to Dodge the insect!

<> Hitherby says "She didn't mention that it's Mothra. :) No, wait."

<> Demiurge snickers.

<> Eduardo attempts to catch it in one hand. Not harm it, mind you.

<> Demiurge says "Okay: Eduardo, do a Precision roll, and Hitherby an Agility."

Hitherby pages: Oh, heck, style is everything. I try and land on his thumb as opposed to being caught :)

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 1 3 CHECK: 3.

<> Eduardo giggles manically.

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 6 4 CHECK: 2.

Demiurge says "While Eduardo's grab misses by inches, the insect lands neatly on the back of his thumb and fans its wings."

Eduardo stares at the insect a moment, then looks up and over at Pat. "Hnh."

Pat tracks the insect with narrowed eyes.

<> Eduardo says "This is when *not* to do that hands of flame thingie."

<> Pat tries to find out how the insect feels.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 3 1 CHECK: 2.

<> Eduardo is *not* resonating on an insect.

<> Pat did! What is the insect's emotional state and strongest emotion!

The bug's general mental state is "thoroughly occupied." Its single strongest emotion, just that instant, is smugness.

Pat blinks.

Pat says "Smug?"

Eduardo echoes, with raised eyebrow for added effect. "Smug?"

Pat continues to track the insect. "It feels smug."

Eduardo says "It's a bug, Mazpatiel."

Pat says "Yes, but it's a smug one."

Eduardo squints. "You resonated on a bug?"

Pat says "The bug drew my attention. I'm not often strafed by them.'"

<> Eduardo says "Lucky I'm not cruel even to bugs. Else I would fry it."

<> Demiurge says "This is surreal. ;)"

Eduardo shrugs.

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 6 3 CHECK: 4.

>From afar, Eduardo fails his resonance.

<> Pat says "Anytime we resonate on bugs, it's bound to get surreal."

Eduardo says "It strafed you. It landed on me."

Pat leans forward to give the bug the hairy eyeball. "Even more unusual."

The bug flutters off and lands on the nearby car.

Eduardo shrugs and turns away. "It did no harm."

Pat shakes his head. "Where were we?"

Eduardo says "My Lady."

Eduardo says "She had a message."

Pat says "Yes."

Eduardo says "That the light is returning. A cruel light. A culling light."

Eduardo says "And that the sleepers are seeing wrong."

Pat lifts an eyebrow. "Light?"

Eduardo's lips curve, but the result is not a smile. "Light. She commanded me to wake them, if it broke the world."

Pat frowns. "I mean no disrespect, Edward, but I detest prophecy."

Eduardo frowns.

Eduardo says "Prophecy? Or just a different viewpoint."

Pat lights a cigarette before gesturing with it. "Prophecy. The vagueness of it. The energy spent interpreting it could be much better spent acting upon it."

Eduardo nods. "I could have wished for clearer instructions. But She had Her reasons." The capitals are audible.

Eduardo says "Perhaps we can puzzle it out together."

Pat frowns. "I'm forced to consider this a new problem, until a meaning becomes clear."

Eduardo says "I think it's serious," digging in the pocket of his trenchcoat. "New or not." He pulls out an ornate brass hilt. "She gave me this, again."

Pat closes his eyes and looks pained.

Eduardo returns the hilt to the pocket. "She has her reasons," he repeats, face not changing despite Pat's expression. "What are the old problems?"

Pat says "Civil war in Hell. Repentant demons crawling out of the woodwork. Lunch with Balseraphs."

Eduardo says "The Lilim. The disturbance."

Eduardo says "And ..."

Eduardo stops, dead. "Lunch with Balseraphs?"

<> Liz says "Smite smite smite!"

Pat nods.

<> Daimon says "Not until I get some info out of him."

<> Pat says "only if he misbehaves."

Eduardo says "The first two don't seem to be a problem. The second?"

Eduardo says "You let him *go*?"

Eduardo sounds disgusted.

Pat says "I haven't met him yet."

Pat says "Lunch is not for an hour yet."

Eduardo stares at Pat, shaking his head; some of the disgust fading from his face. "You're not planning on letting him go, then."

Pat says "That depends on his behaviour. I intend to have him watched closely."

Eduardo frowns. "He's a Balseraph. He'll have no honour."

Pat says "Entirely likely."

Eduardo's face sets. "Where is the luncheon?"

Pat says "Sistine's."

Eduardo pages: Do I know anything about that place being a tether, or whatever it is?

You paged Eduardo with 'You might have heard of it as a restaurant, but possibly not, up to you: you do not know that it's a Tether.'.

Eduardo says "Why there? It's too public."

The corner of Pat's mouth twitches upwards. "It's a Tether to the Wanderer."

Eduardo says "Interesting place to take a Fallen."

Pat says "I found it amusing when I was told."

Eduardo says "You didn't choose it?"

Pat says "The Lilim did, inadvertently. I intend to keep it inadvertent."

Eduardo's eyes narrow faintly. "The Lilim."

Pat nods. "The Lilim who has sworn service to the Most Just."

Eduardo's eyebrow lifts again. "Today is full of surprises," he says. It's not really clear from his tone if he approves or not.

Pat says "Mm. Yes. But for the most part they are being handled."

Eduardo says "I think that's a matter of definition," and then shjifts his shoulders. "But we've had that argument before, you and I. And will again."

Pat nods. "Quite likely. There is another Fallen, as well. A Destroyer."

Eduardo's face sets once more. "And that, too, is being 'handled'?" His hand drops intothe pocket of his trenchcoat.

Pat says "Yes. By a Virtue."

Eduardo nods, hand coming back into view once more.

Eduardo says "Good."

Pat says "I have been assured that he will handle her as appropriate to one of your Choir."

Eduardo's flat "of course," leaves no doubt that he had already assumed as much.

Pat nods. "Very well. I think that covers everything, then."

Eduardo nods. "We should talk again. And see if we can bring light to my Mistress's words." He turns away, then back. "Soon."

Pat nods. "Soon. Be well, Edward."

Eduardo says "Meanwhile, I have another to track down."

Eduardo says "Godspeed, Mazpatiel."

A bug lifts from the car and flies off erratically towards the house.

Eduardo steps back into the car and adds "And a change of clothes to find."

Pat nods, turning to walk up to the house.

---

Fiat Justitia