Occam's Razor

<> Demiurge says "Okay. Daimonique has just got back to the Hospice after that nice little stroll, and is being shown to her room."

Daimonique goes to her room, or wherever she's 'led', without a fight.

Her room looks nice. And clean. And quiet. But there's something slightly off about the way the mattress is settled on the bed.

Daimonique waits until she's completely alone, and then searches the mattress.

<> Daimonique types in, SEARCH MATTRESS.

<> Sephar giggles.

Tucked under the mattress is a thin packet of cigarettes, a small lighter, and a folded note.

<> Daimonique says "My life can be condensed to infocom games."

Daimonique takes the note and reads it.

<> arcangel | READ NOTE

The note says, "Hang loose, kid. Via a friend - T."

Daimonique feels suddenly slightly disturbed.

Daimonique puts the note back with the smokes, and rearranges the mattress so that it sits right. Something very bizarre is going on.

<> Demiurge says "Noooooo."

There is a light rap on the door.

<> Daimonique states the obvious.

Daimonique finishes pushing the mattress back into place. "Who is it?"

The voice of the Mercurian from earlier says, "Karellin."

Daimonique goes over and opens the door, to let her in.

The Mercurian enters. She looks a little nervous. "Are you ... feeling all right?"

Daimonique says "About normal. Come on in. Sit down."

The Mercurian enters fully, and takes a seat on the chair, folding her wings tight behind her.

Daimonique closes the door, wishes there were something she could move in front of it. Like the desk. She starts to do so.

Daimonique says "Don't mind me."

The Mercurian blinks. "But what are you doing?"

Daimonique says "I'm blocking the door."

The Mercurian twitches. "Er. I'll just go. If you don't mind."

Daimonique stops doing that. "No, no, no, that's okay. Um, I'll leave the desk right where it is." She gives it a reassuring pat, and settles on the bed.

The Mercurian resettles on the chair, still looking nervous.

The Mercurian says, "Did the presence of Novalis make you feel better?"

Daimonique says "I don't bite. Much."

Daimonique says "No, Novalis did not make me feel better. She just made me laugh."

Daimonique says "Kiddo, where do you think you are?"

Karellin says, self-evidently, "Heaven."

Daimonique says "Why do you think you're in Heaven?"

Karellin ticks off points on her fingers. "I'm Redeemed, this is Heaven, there are angels here."

Daimonique says "But can you hear the Symphony beating about your ears?"

Karellin says, comfortably, "I will when I am fully received into the service of an Archangel."

Daimonique says "You don't seem to understand. Karellin, what is Redemption? What does it mean to you?"

Karellin leans forward slightly. "It means casting off having to be a demon. It means atoning for my sins. It means being able to become something pure and clean and kind that can _help_ people."

Daimonique says "No. It doesn't. You are fundamentally wrong. Redemption is the acceptance that you are not the whole, that there is something else out there that exists; that you are part of something bigger, more magnificent then anything you ever dreamed, and it sings through the souls of millions. I'm not saying that you don't help people, I'm saying that you give up something you cling to insanely to become something more then simply yourself."

Daimonique says "I'll tell you a not-so secret. Eli had to ply me with drugs and good music before I would just let go of myself."

Karellin winces. "No wonder you've been having hallucinations."

Daimonique says "Hey, it was just some pot. It was fantastically good pot, too. And he told me that it was time for me to do what Needed to be done, and there comes a time to solo, and there comes a time to be part of the band."

Daimonique says "And I took my bass and I wanted to be the downbeat for his lead guitar; I didn't want to be a solo jazz bassist anymore."

Karellin says, "I'm sorry, and I am trying to be loving and understanding, but I've never been good with music and I don't appreciate half those terms."

Karellin says, "I've been Redeemed. I _remember_ it. I remember wanting to change. I remember Novalis. I remember it all."

Daimonique grins a little lopsidedly. "For all I've said, and all I've done, I am a Creationer, and my little brain works in metaphors sometimes."

Daimonique says "Tell me what it felt like to be redeemed, and I'll tell you what it really is."

Karellin frowns. "You aren't even listening to me."

Karellin says, "You're assuming you're right and the entire rest of the world is wrong."

Daimonique stands, and reaches out a hand. "Take my hand."

Karellin blinks, then does so.

Daimonique takes Karellin into her arms, and leans slowly to kiss her fully on the mouth.

<> Daimonique says "Forget music. :)"

<> Sephar grins. "Go with what she knows. "

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 2 6 CHECK: 1.

Karellin blushes, but doesn't actually try and pull away. She just stands there, potato-sack-like.

<> Daimonique says "Luckily, I can't use essence, so what the hell if she sucks some."

Daimonique takes her, caring and tender, into her embrace, lips trailing from Karellin's mouth back along her jawline and down the side of her neck.

<> Pat covers his innocent eyes.

Karellin finally reacts, and stamps hard on Daimon's foot. "Let me go!"

<> Sephar giggles at Pat.

Daimonique lets her hands free, holding them up, and backs away. "For me, it's a holy rite. It's a way to express our wonder and joy in God."

Karellin says, between sharp breaths, "Look. It's, that is. Okay, so you kiss really well. And it's very sweet of you. But this is Heaven."

Daimonique cocks her head to one side and blinks. "Wouldn't you think a true Mercurian of Novalis would joy in the embrace of a Creationer who wants to express love?"

Karellin hangs her head.

Karellin says, "I'm sorry. It's my fault, and I need to work harder at loving people and accepting them."

Daimonique smiles kindly, takes a step forward, and kisses Karellin on the forehead. "It's okay. It's alright. You don't have to work on anything. You just have to _be_."

Daimonique says "And if you don't want to get all hot and sweaty with me, I understand. Heck, we just met. Who knows where I've been!"

Karellin says, trying not to flinch, "But I just did something wrong. You said so."

Daimonique frowns a little, and tries to take Karellin in her arms, like a friend, not a lover. "No, no no no no. You didn't do anything _wrong_ at all. I violated your space. I was thinking with my hormones. It's JUST FINE."

Karellin says, nervously, "Okay." She is still somewhat sacklike in Daimonique's arms.

Daimonique tries to steer her to sit her down. "There is nothing wrong with saying no."

Karellin lets herself be steered. She says, barely audible, "I was just glad to leave a lot of that behind."

Daimonique says "Man, you never just go with it. It isn't the Lilim Way, well, not if there isn't something to get out of it. You never let someone just take you if you don't want it. Not here in this messed up back assed funny farm, and not in Hell. You hear me? Sex without love is nothing."

Karellin says, thinly, "I know. I'm working on loving better. I'm sure I'll be able to do it."

Daimonique takes her by the shoulders, and then reaches out to lift Karellin's chin so that their eyes are meeting. "You do not work on loving better. It does NOT work that way. Whoever told you that was lying."

Karellin refuses to look Daimonique in the eyes. "I think I should go. You're disturbing my faith."

Daimonique says "Faith is not something that can be disturbed by a mere few words."

Karellin says, "You're asking me to believe things that contradict my memories, that contradict everything I can see around me."

Daimonique says "Everything you see around you is a lie. Even your memories are lies. There is very little truth in this place."

Karellin says, "Am I supposed to sit here and enjoy that?"

Karellin shakes her head.

Karellin says, "No. No, I remember what happened."

Daimonique says "The truth is not for you to enjoy. The truth is there to be _the truth_. Demons spend their entire lives running away from the truth."

Karellin's head comes up sharply. "Fine. And you expect me to believe you. How do I know that you aren't just running from the truth and this isn't all some sort of fantasy to make you more comfortable?"

Karellin says, "Why should I be the one that's wrong and you be the one that's right?"

Daimonique sighs. Man, they're going to get what they want. They suck so much.

Daimonique . o O ( I hope I can put myself back. )

Daimonique takes a step back, and drops her human form, and resumes her full celestial form.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon - it doesn't work."

Daimonique says "Oh hell."

<> Demiurge says "It just flat refuses to work."

Daimonique says "This is just stupid."

Daimonique fumes for a moment.

Karellin says, tentatively, "What is it?"

Daimonique says "You don't know. I have no way to deliver proof to you. I'm sorry."

Karellin sighs.

Karellin says, "It's okay."

Daimonique says "I cannot resume my celestial form."

Daimonique says "The form which has, oddly enough, pants."

Karellin says, "Isn't that your celestial form like that?"

Daimonique says "There's a big pants oriented conspiracy going on."

Daimonique says "No, this is my female vessel. I usually tool around in my male vessel, but I might need to die, and it has a role attached to it."

Karellin says, "You have an obsession with pants."

<> Daimonique is suddenly convinced of the pant conspiracy.

Daimonique says "It's one of my stranger quirks."

Daimonique flops on the bed next to Karellin, lays on her back, and stares at

the ceiling. "I wish I could explain to you what the Symphony SOUNDS like."

Karellin says, "It's very strange, certainly. Your pants obsession, that is."

Daimonique says "I'm very bizarre, in general."

Karellin says, "I suppose that those of Creation often are."

Daimonique says "And I'm just not a flowing robes sort of person, unless we're talking toga party, and I've tie-dyed them. Then we can talk robes."

Karellin says, "What's wrong with the colour of purity?"

Daimonique says "Er, white and purity are just not my thing."

<> Rorschach says "Got that right, Dai."

Karellin nods forgivingly.

Karellin says, "Actually, several people have had Redemption hallucinations."

Karellin says, "So I suppose they're not that strange."

Daimonique says "Tell me about the Redemption hallucinations."

<> Daimonique types, KARELLIN, TELL ME ABOUT HALLUCINATIONS.

Karellin twitches a limp wing. "Well," she looks embarassed, "Usha's the only one who's actually mentioned hers. But she says she's getting over them."

<> Pat says "I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HALLUCINATIONS"

Daimonique sits up. "Usha?"

<> Daimonique says "Do I remember this from Aron's blatherings?"

Karellin blinks. "Yes. Do you know her?"

<> Aron mentioned her name, yes.

Daimonique blinks several times. "Yeah, I've heard her name. Is she the, ah, ba-, er Seraph that was out in the reading room?"

Karellin smiles. "She was! Your memory must be improving."

Daimonique says "Oh my god. This is such a trap."

Karellin says, "I'm sorry?"

Daimonique blinks several times, and then swears only the way Daimon can swear.

Karellin looks shocked.

Daimonique swears like she's been raised in the Groves.

Karellin looks very shocked.

Daimonique says "Oh man, oh hell."

Daimonique looks at Karellin. "Who did you serve?"

Karellin's eyes lower. "Malphas. The Prince of Factions."

Daimonique says "So we have Gluttony and Factions and ... I'd drop in me, but I don't think I count, interred in a Media based concentration camp. Karellin, do you remember dreams?"

Karellin shakes her head. "No, I don't dream. I _am_ a celestial."

Daimonique says "How did you meet Novalis? Was it in a happy gauzy place where she told you to come to her and love her any everything would be wonderful?"

Karellin pauses, and stares at Daimon. "That was what Redemption was like. Yes. And it was."

Daimonique says "Karellin, my Sister had the exact same dream when she was strapped into a machine created by Nightmares. We're in the Marches, we're not in Heaven. This is a prison. They MADE you believe you were Redeeming. But it wasn't, it was just a hallucination you had while you were their prisoner. and now they're going to mess with your head further. This whole place is like a bad Shal-Mari movie."

<> Aron says "rage rage rage"

Karellin says, "That's stupid. Besides, why would they do something like that?"

<> Daimonique wants to be a Malakite. :)

Daimonique says "I. Don't. Know. I was trying to find out - that was my JOB, before my so-called best friend decided to kidnap me and a few others and drag us through Hell. And it's still my job."

Karellin says, slowly, "Daimonique, have you ever heard of Occam's Razor?"

Daimonique says "Why yes."

Daimonique says "Whatever is the simplest explanation, when everything else is cleared away, must be the true one."

Karellin says, "So either I believe I'm Redeemed and an angel and in Heaven - or I believe that this entire experience has been faked."

Daimonique says "If you had redeemed, you would hear the Symphony. Plain and simple."

Karellin says, "And you're the only person who says that here."

Daimonique says "I had noticed. And it's because it is TRUE."

Karellin says, "No. This is true. This is what the stories talked about, and I _have_ it at last. I have a place where nobody is forcing me to be cruel."

Daimonique says "Your wings are all wrong."

<> Pat laughs.

Karellin squints at them over her back.

Karellin says, "No they aren't. They're perfectly good wings."

Daimonique says "They're idealized. They're what you believe Mercurian wings should be. Tell me, tell me my social interactions with my friends. Resonate on me."

Karellin says, "I - I can't. We haven't been taught how yet."

Daimonique laughs.

Daimonique says "Resonate on me to charm me, then."

Daimonique says "When you were born, did anyone have to TEACH you how to be an Impudite? No, of course not. You just knew."

Karellin stands bolt upright.

Karellin says, "I don't have to sit here and take this." She stalks for the door.

Daimonique says "Occam's razor has a sharp blade, my dear."

Karellin says, "Using a demonic resonance would make me Fall. You are *sick*."

Karellin slams the door behind her.

Daimonique ponders. Yup, I am sick. It's true. And I'm mean.

Daimonique slowly gets up from where she's laying on the bed, and opens the door to the room.

The corridor beyond is empty.

---

Fiat Justitia