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heckinooc2024-06-28 06:03 pm
heckinmods) wrote in heckinooc2024-06-28 06:03 pm
TDM 003 - SUMMER
A: Garden Level - OOPS YOU DIED
[CONGRATS YOU DIED. Sucks for you!! But Abe and Lucy are DETERMINED to get paperwork done and to do that, they need to get to know YOU.
So as soon as you appear, no matter if you're going to heaven or hell, you get slapped with a "HELLO MY NAME IS ____" sticker by one of the sheep. Said sticker has two possible effects:
-The sticker may say your "True" name or a nickname you don't like, or an alias, etc. How did it get there?? Paperwork. There is a chance it's blank and you can write your own name too.
-Whenever they see a person, they will be compelled to shout "HELLO MY NAME IS [their name] AND I LIKE [something they like.]"
We speed therapying this shit. ]
B: SUMMER HELL
[Whether you're a demon or an angel, eventually you may want to visit the HellRaiser hotel below! Hell is where all the HIP HAPPENING THINGS are after all. Want a lava bath? Go to a club? Gamble?? Just get fucking drunk? Hell's your place.
However, despite being the afterlife, even hell is not immune from the heat of summer. And it's taking the whole flames of hell thing literally. So!
-You might be minding your own business, and suddenly part of your body or clothing just, fucking ignites on fire. Good luck with that!
-You may get badgered by demonic vendors, trying to push various summer t-shirts on you.
-You might get roped into some demons fucking EMBRACING THE HEAT. Ever been tied to a giant fire spit oven an open flame?? YOU HAVE NOW. Maybe someone will help you, or you can handle yourself just fine.
Or you might get lucky and none of that happens and you're just vibing. Good on you!!]
C: Heaven is Central Air Conditioning
[Heaven-side, the heavenly hotel is its normal, luxurious self except for one key different. . .A/C. That's right, only the hotels in Heaven have working air conditioning. Fucked up!! So chilling up here might be the right call. You can always go visit the beach too, or any of the delightful coffee shops. Heaven also is the only place to get caffeine. Wack.
Of course, even heaven is prone to wackiness. Newbies may be prone to:
-Like hell, there are plenty of vendors up here, but instead of cash, today they ask for payment in...jokes? Better give your best one.
-Cherubs may be especially pushy and try to get you dressed in extremely stuffy/heavenly clothing. Enjoy your corsets and such.
-At the beach, if you sun bathe too long without protection, oops! You may find your skin (fur, scales, whatever) turning not red, but another ridiculous color.
OR AGAIN, JUST DO WHATEVER. WHOMST CAN STOP YOU?? You have a phone just text strangers do what you want.]
OOC NOTES:
-"Ash this TDM seems kinda half assed" IT'S SUMMER AND I'M TIRED also with July having no themed event I wanted this TDM to be pretty generic so people can hop in without worrying about timelines!
-This TDM is open to all! For now, you do NOT need to join the comm to play in it!
-Post questions for the mods here
-Remember, playing in the TDM does NOT guarantee your entry or app being accepted into the game proper later down the line!
-Apps open!! Be sure to read the rules linked there and check the current taken list!
-For current players: TDMs count as game canon AND threads may be used for AC if you wish!
-Remember regardless of your alignment, you are free to travel to whatever level you wish!
no subject
[Greed rolls his heel along the concrete, humming.] That's the problem with people like you. You never make it a point to know 'em. Really know them. [His siblings had been the same, though on the opposite side of the spectrum. Above it all, that's what they thought. Above all the beautiful, ugly, and complicated things humans were about. And so was he, once upon a time. Then 100 years came, they passed, and he (too) found himself tangled up in the complex, too-short moments of mortal lives.]
[But that's a story for never. A story for no one save himself. Covetous, right?]
[He extends an arm to fan out his claws and as the night drinks them in, he taps them idly together. Clcka, clck, clck.] Nothing's free, friend. Not here, not before. [His tail washes over the ground; a thing of spines, as sharp and daggering as the rest of him.] And demanding anything from me would be a waste of your time. [The former homunculus brings his hand to his face and taps the side of his sunglasses at the point where they graze his temple.] I'm sure I don't have to spell it out to a man like you.
[Michael switches the gears, the conversation turns, and Greed stops dead in the street. "Be there for him," he says. Be there when something happens, when the dam breaks, when - ]
[The Sin tilts his head up, watching a starless sky. Yet, he still sees them. Just not in the physical sense. They're there, stuck in his head, in a place far from here.]
Yeah, sure. I can do that. [He talks in a whisper of smoke.] If nothing else, I take care of what's - [He cuts himself off by rolling the cigarette across his lower lip, forcing his grin as sharp a sickle.] - doesn't matter.
[Also shots fucking fired, Michael. Get a guy a drink before you call him out for filth, would ya?]
Mammon - [He starts in, finding his legs and moving.] - doesn't know a fucking thing. I don't know him personally, but I've heard enough. He's cheap. [The spines on his tail snap to attention, still and stark as soldiers in a line.] As for that other thing -
[This is a whole lot better. It's a conversation he can bite at, sink his teeth into, and pull. Less complicated, less messy, when he doesn't have to worry about other people involved.] - I'm actually pretty simple. I want everything. This world, everything it has, everyone in it. It's really not that complicated.
[The former homunculus takes a turn, slipping under a street lamp, only to slink back into the dark of it all like he was made right for it.] Ha - ! Think you've got it all figured out? You talk about me losing something like you know me. I'm here to tell you that you don't. [Again, see that avoiding thing? He's the 'Shield of the group for a reason.] No offense.
[Pry it out of his cold, dead hands. He won't confess himself here, there, or anywhere else unless he has to. And even then? He'd rather pull out his own teeth.]
[Greed bites down on his cigarette, shrugs, then spits it out of his mouth to bounce embers on the ground.] Yeah, you did. But these streets have ears, Michael. And I, for one, don't feel like having everyone and their mother listening in. Nothing's free, remember? I made my living off of rumors back home. Information's just as valuable as money.
[Paying no mind to it at all, the former homunculus whips out his tail, sending the lid of nearby trashcan skittering to the ground. They're close enough to the 'Nest that it's red-pink glow hums in the distance. A beacon, bringing him home.] Ehh. You a drinker, or is not liking alcohol a shared thing between you two?
cw—death, suicide
[ he looks ahead as they walk, never once taking his attention off of the people around them. by this point, he knows they aren’t much of a threat to him, he should probably be more concerned about the Sin walking beside him. ]
Between a mother who steals food to feed her starving child and a father who takes revenge on another man for taking the life of his child because justice failed him—which would you allow to enter Heaven, Greed? Both did what they did out of desperation because they felt they were failed in their time of need. [ suddenly looking tired, he glances over and studies the Sin’s face as he awaits his answer. once he gets it a small, sad smile appears on his face. ]
The man the father killed was the husband of the woman and child who fell asleep behind the wheel after a busy work week. He was exhausted, not cruel. His child was diagnosed with a terminal illness and they could not afford treatment without the extra hours. His car struck another one and, in the chaos, the man who was struck lost his child. In the ensuing weeks, his wife could not cope with the loss and took her own life. The man was taken to trial and convicted but spent less than two years in jail. He was repentant and begged to see the man who he had caused so much grief for and, one day, the man obliged—but not for closure. After he took his life, he took his own.
Which brings me back to my original question. The answer is neither one, those children will never see the faces of their parents in Heaven. Do you know how many lives are lost daily? If you had to judge billions of souls with thousands of similar circumstances, could you do it? Knowing that one bad day could lead to an eternity of suffering? Because one man wanted a little more time with his child, six lives were lost in the span of a few months. Eventually the faces begin to blur together but there are some, like them, that stick with me. I know them more intimately than I ever wanted to by the time it’s over.
[ he looks away to take in the approaching neon glow of the sign, unable to wipe the grim look off of his face as quickly as he hoped. after all these years, judging souls hasn’t gotten any easier. a very small part of him is almost relieved that he is in a place where he doesn’t have to see those stories play out. as if he didn’t just drop a morbid bombshell, a small smile appears. ]
Yes, everything has a price, and many aren’t willing to pay it. Duly noted, I will keep my demands to a minimum. Would you prefer them in writing? [ he is loosening up a bit, at least as much as the Archangel Michael can, especially after sharing that story with him. it’s rare that he shares much of anything, maybe he just thought he would understand. if he could take in every new soul he would, but that isn’t how this works. it never will be. ]
Good. Knowing he as someone here is a small comfort, we haven’t spoken in quite some time. If you have siblings, then you will understand. As angry as you might get with them, hating them is next to impossible.
[ he lets the Mammon conversation dissolve in favor of latching onto this new topic. rather than dig further, he gestures idly. ]
All? No, but I do think I’m on the right track. People have always been drawn to Lucifer and, oftentimes, they are reaching for a sliver of light in the dark. He was my.. our beacon of hope, he was always meant to guide. If you’re certain. [ he is giving him an out on this topic, as it’s obviously not one he enjoys. ] None taken.
How chivalrous of you to think of my well-being when we’ve only just met. [ he doesn’t bother to hide his amusement, he even looks over to make sure he sees it. apparently being prone to bouts of brattiness is a familial trait. ] Being the ears of Hell would be a lucrative business venture for you, should you ever get tired of your bar.
[ when the tail knocks the lid off, Greed gets his first glimpse at Michael’s compulsive habits. he’ll find himself shy one angel when he gets to The ‘Nest and, if he looks around, he’ll find him picking up that lid to put it back on the can.
when caught he makes a face, smoothes out an imaginary wrinkle in his robes and walks back over like he didn’t just do that. shut up, there is nothing wrong with order. how has he ignored the rest of the garbage down here? very carefully, that’s how. ]
Not as much as my Father, but after everything that’s happened today, I wouldn’t refuse. [ that’s right, God is an absolute lush and everyone should know it. He single-handedly keeps the wine business afloat. ]
no subject
[So, he listens, eerie and quiet. He can hear demons further away, can smell the trash, can taste the ash on his tongue (not his, not here), and when he finds his voice again, it's when his foot meets the first step leading to the 'Nest; the metallic twang of his heel, ringing like a bell in his ear.] I couldn't. I wouldn't know. [And maybe, this is all a part of their trust. This exchange, not with alchemy, but with words.]
[What is he willing to say here? The barest of it. Enough for Michael to put the pieces together himself, should he make that choice.] There's no Heaven or Hell for things like me, Michael. I'm not a demon. I'm not a person. Homunculus. [He takes another step and it's all a little too ironic. Walking into a light, not of Heaven or its gates or anything of the sort, but of a bar. A bar ripped back into existence out of bullets, blood, and a lifetime not so long ago.] So what you're asking me is to make a choice I don't know shit about. But if you want my opinion? Both of them. No one should suffer forever for a stupid mistake. Or because someone high above thinks they deserve it.
[The Sin walks into the bar, all lit up despite no one being around. Without the crowds, without the people, it is a little bit haunted, isn't it? With the ghosts of cigarettes burned, with the smell of booze that hangs, sticky and thick. Greed pins the door open with his heel, offering Michael his opening.] See, you're dealing with absolutes. Right, wrong. Good, bad. I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell everyone: if you think it's impossible to have both options, if you think they don't exist, then take this with you.
[His smile is so defiant. Fuck every single rule of their Heaven and Hell. He'll rewrite them if he has to, even if it isn't in his power to do so. Avarice with its no limitations.] There's no such thing as no such thing.
[He saw that little compulsion with the garbage, but he keeps the card folded for now. Michael's all order, isn't he? Order, everything in its place. Of course, he's making a guess, but - ]
[The Sin barks and lets the door go with a pull of his leg.] Chivalry has nothing to do with it either. I'm giving you the same as anyone else. Don't read into it too much. [He slips through the building like a king to his kingdom. Except this one doesn't come with all the pomp and circumstance that it should, given his name.]
[Greed makes his way across the bar, trailing one of his hands along the surface of the counter and showing off his tattoo.] The ears of Hell, huh? And what would that make me? An, ah, what did Angel call them? Overlord? [He scoops up a matchbox as he goes; like a tidal wave, grabbing all that it can.] Sorry, but I'm not interested.
[Finally, he finds the side-swinging door, and Greed slips on through, assuming his role as 'tender and host.] But let's get back to your question. You asked if I knew how many lives are lost daily. And no, I don't. But I do know one thing - [The Sin reaches underneath, grabs a pack of cigarettes, and slaps it on the counter. Then, with a turn of his wrist, he spins them towards Michael. Again, an invitation.] - I just know how many can be lost. And how quick it can happen.
[Not even Kamora is around. They're all alone, stuck in this weird purgatory of a conversation, and if the walls could talk.]
[But they can't, so he moves on. And as his tail chokes a bottle of scotch, the former homunculus pauses.]
[Weight, options, and decisions. Michael can't know the next bit without a little to go off of. And information for information, right?]
[Fuck it.]
I'm going to explain something to you. Something I haven't told your brother. And then, I'll try to give you a better answer to your question. But first thing's first - [Greed brings the bottle into his hand (blue, wax-sealed, and expensive). He slides his thumb across the lip of it, cracking the red stopper with a flick of his wrist.]
- have a seat.
no subject
Maybe not but, if I asked you, I’m sure you could describe what you imagine they would be like. A written account describes Heaven as a beautiful dream and Hell as an undulating nightmare but, as you can see, that’s hardly the case. You can be in Heaven and still suffer through Hell, just as you can be in Hell and find your paradise. It’s what you make of it. [ surprisingly, when he picks them both, Michael actually smiles slightly. ]
That’s exactly what Lucifer would say. Where he took a stand, I followed His Word. In taking a stand, he unknowingly brought Sinners hope, a chance to redeem themselves and find their way to Heaven, at a heavy cost. To give them that hope, he sacrificed everything he knew and was casted out of Heaven—by me. [ he already told him, he does not lie. when he says this, he makes it a point to make eye contact. ] Lucifer and I haven’t spoken in ten thousand years.
At the beginning, I would have argued with you. I would have told you there is only black and white, only good and evil, but lately I’ve found myself seeing things in shades of grey. I find myself questioning absolutes I’ve upheld for thousands of years, wondering if there will ever come a time when I’m judged for the part I’ve played in them.
[ he follows him in silence for a bit after that, letting his words sink in. it might have been a gamble to tell him that he is cause of Lucifer’s misery but, as they’re both being candid, he never hesitates. ]
Not an Overlord, no. Despite your rough and tough exterior, I don’t think you would take pride in owning souls. But as someone who wants to the degree that you do, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say you likely have little birds around here. He can’t be everywhere at once, having someone who can be would be beneficial to him. This may not be the Hell he’s accustomed to but people are drawn to power and hunt for sport. It’s only a matter of time before someone tries to challenge the Devil.
[ ah, lovely, another of his habits. recalling precise details. it doesn’t take long for him to crunch the numbers and give Greed an answer. ]
One of the greatest losses of life was in 1556, where 830,000 people died during an earthquake. In 2023, roughly 61 million people died in the span of one year. Since the very beginning? I believe 117 billion people have called Earth home. At the present time? There are over eight million living souls. I’m allowed a very finite amount of time with them, and never enough to comfort them for what’s to come.
[ he does accept a seat, his wings stretching out to their full length before tucking behind him. unlike Lucifer, he doesn’t seem to be able to put them away. more than likely, the fact that he has never had to hide them plays a factor in it. if he tried, maybe it would be possible, it would certainly make walking into a bar easier. sensing the magnitude of the conversation, he nods and gestures for him to continue. ]
The answer you gave me was fine, you don’t need to elaborate further.
no subject
[The one for his drink, he merely drops into the glass. For Michael, however, he offers a more gentle approach. And as the ice leaves his hand (gracefully, smooth, like dawn announcing a last call), he sets his claw on the edge of it, twisting the ice to make it spin.]
And I don't think I have to say this, but what I'm about to tell you - ["You of all people," he leaves off. Because no, Michael isn't an enemy, even if he was the reason Lucifer suffers as he does back in that other Hell. This is a history, a history he doesn't know, but a pattern he might. Of a Father (much more heavenly bodied than his own), and how it always comes down to their divine (or not so divine) plans.]
[The Sin's eyes narrow behind his sunglasses: a telling tick.] - it doesn't leave this bar. No matter who asks, no matter where you go, you take whatever happens here with you. [He shows a smile, one so forced it could crack the very ice in their drinks.] You were honest with me, so it feels only right to do you the favor. [Finally, he pulls his finger out of Michael's glass, letting the ice slow down to a crawl.] Equivalent exchange, friend. Even I can't expect something for nothing.
[Greed grabs his drink, lifts it, and retreats. He is a snake, Michael had it right on the money. Yet, even snakes have a heartbeat, don't they? As cold-blooded and awful as they may seem. The former homunculus finds his back up against the prep station, and he lifts his drink to his lips.]
[Then, Michael starts listing dates and numbers (of people, dead people). How many had been in Xerxes when it all happened? He doesn't know. He hasn't counted them, and he never could. They don't have their minds anymore, their individuality. That had all been taken as soon as the last crest of blood had been made. Their fate all but signed, sealed, and delivered that day, and now - ]
[He pulls his glass off his lip.] The answer I gave you was a guess. But I know what you mean, about detaching yourself. You could say I have some experience. [The hell (ha) does that mean? Greed sets his glass beside him, letting it click dully in the quiet of it all.] I'm not like you, I'm not like him. I'm not like any of you. [A beat, and he touches the side of his drink.] Do you know what it takes? To make a homunculus?
[His lips curl, and he's horrible again. Horrible, wicked, and evil. That's what sins should be, right? Humanity's disease, festering and rotting them from the moment they have a consciousness of their own. It's what he is, what he was, and what he will always be until this afterlife has had enough (enough), and he once again returns to ash.]
[Greed grabs his sunglasses and pulls them off his face to point an earpiece sky-high.] See, I know that souls have a weight here. Not as much as where you're from, but they can still be traded, swindled. It's why I decided that a deal with me would never be fair. Not unless we did it on my terms.
[He flicks a look at the ceiling and drinks it in: the imperfections in the wood, the cobwebs that have somehow survived despite the nights of heavy drinking and wild company. And for a second, for just a brief second, he lets it all go. The Shield (not the physical one) falls, and he's the pathetic creature chasing something he'll never get.] I don't have a soul of my own, Michael. I never have. [He runs his claws down his chest, tapping the spot where a heart should be for emphasis.] What you see here is artificial. A person that isn't a person.
[Oh, and if he could not be having this conversation. If certain things hadn't happened, if he hadn't carried bodies (pieces of them, his mind statics to memory) into his room and begged regeneration for hours. If he hadn't gotten himself so tied up in so much shit, they wouldn't be here. They wouldn't be exchanging secrets, swapping words, and he would be. Doing what? Taking over? Declaring himself king? He would be - ]
["This is what you always wanted - "]
[The Sin's teeth shine hot, and his expression could burn down the whole damn world.] Thousands. Not hundreds, thousands. I don't know their names, don't know who they were, but I carry thousands of human souls. And most of them have been dead for a long time. Nothing remains of them, though. They're - [Yelling, groaning, turning in on themselves and wanting for more.] - nothing.
[His claws scrape and through the fabric of his shirt, the 'Shield answers. It's an angry thing when it wants to be; the sound of his nails, of it, meeting like clashing swords.] So, sure, I don't know how you do it, but I know I've never paid them much mind. Because I can't. [His eyes naked, the former homunculus meets Michael's stare.] They've been with me for two hundred years, and I still don't know any of their names.
[Greed motions his hand away, and whatever sincerity leaves with it. Defenses back up.] But if they somehow got out, if they were allowed to die, I'd say they shouldn't be judged based on what they did before, what I did, or anything else. I don't know the whole history, but the people of Xerxes wanted immortality. And they got it, in a sense. By paying a price.
[Red shines in his eyes, a flutter, before cooling to an inhuman purple again.] What would someone like you say about that? Because now that you know me, what I am, then you can't really say I don't own souls. That's entirely what I'm made of. [He lifts his chin, showing all of his throat, and he doesn't bother covering it with his 'Shield. No, if nothing else, maybe this is his silent promise.]
[Avarice will always stick its neck out, make itself the target, without a single second of regret. He's doing it on purpose. Because that is his real job: protecting what's his, himself be damned.]
no subject
[ short, sweet and to the point. despite having been in the company of one another for less than an hour, one look at him and Greed will know that his word is his bond. it has nothing to do with Lucifer, the fact that he knows his brother is expected considering where he resides, it’s because he has been forthcoming from the start.
even if he knew nothing else about him, that would be enough. if someone told him yesterday that he would be seated in Hell today, in a place called the Devil’s Nest no less, he probably would have laughed. but here he is, regarding a resident of Hell not with a judgmental eye, but with genuine curiosity. ]
But I wasn’t hoping to gain anything or charter favor by being candid with you. I was simply satisfying the curiosity of someone who asked me to walk with them. Even if I were able to lie, I wouldn’t have in this case.
[ he reaches out to take the glass he pours for him, those blue eyes lingering on the ice cube as its dance gradually comes to halt. rather than drink from it immediately, he clutches it between his hands and listens to what he has to say first. ]
Mm. Then you understand. The last time I let my heart guide me, it left me pointing my sword at the person I loved most. Detaching sounds cruel, but I’m not sure I could do my job otherwise—at least not effectively. Not when I find myself doubting.
[ he has followed His laws to the letter, judging souls based on His design without question. but the longer it goes on, the more he finds himself reading between the lines. even if he wanted to speak up, what could one voice do in a sea of many? absolutely nothing. ] No, tell me.
[ and oh, does he tell him. as promised his expression remains surprisingly neutral and he does not interrupt him, not until the bulk of the story has been told. the read he made on him, he finds himself wondering if it is was of a monster wishing to be a man, or of a man who has become the monster. when he tells him about the souls, he finds his answer. ]
Your artificial heart, whether you’re willing to admit it or not, is more human than you know. At first glance, you exude confidence and a devil-may-care attitude, one that almost instantly charms anyone you meet. But your bravado, I think, is a crutch. The reason you covet endlessly is because of all the riches the world has to offer, it can’t give you the one thing that you want most. You could fill up an entire house with treasure but it wouldn’t fill the void.
[ now he takes a small sip of his drink, taking a moment to gather his thoughts together into a coherent statement. ]
You’re adamant that nothing is left of the souls but when you talk about them, I can’t help but feel like you mourn for them. Human souls were always meant to have a finite existence, because forcing them to live on while everyone they know and love perishes is cruel. Immortality is a curse, not a blessing, and it seems they were forced to learn it the hard way.
If there was a chance for you to learn their names and crimes, would you take it?
[ as if on perfect cue, the moment Greed waves away the remnants of their emotional conversation, Michael stops analyzing him. with as many souls as he’s met over the years, reading people has become habitual. sometimes he is wrong, but most of the time? he is perceptive. ]
I would need more information for it to be definitive but, as I’m not going to pry, I’ll do my best. If you’re asking what Heaven would do, He would weigh their sins accordingly. Human souls living forever was never part of His plan and, with what you’ve told me, I can’t say whether any of them would be allowed to pass through The Gates. If you’re asking me as I am now.. [ he idly taps a finger against his glass, turning his attention to the wall of alcohol behind the bar. ]
Then I would agree with you within reason. Everyone wants more time, it doesn’t matter whether you are an angel, a demon, a human or a homunculus. I’ve seen people go to extraordinary lengths to cheat death, but to create something out of thousands of souls? Even if they wanted to chase eternity, they likely would have been unwilling to if they knew the real cost. That their eternity would be spent in limbo with no gratification.
no subject
[Because what would they think? Would they be so understanding, or would they mark him as the monster he is? He doesn't know. So, he doesn't think about it. Deflection: another great aspect of having a built-in shield.]
Y'know - [Greed sinks his sunglasses into the collar of his shirt.] - it's funny. Out of everyone I've met, I didn't think I would have something in common with you. I don't lie on principle, Michael. Call it a rule of mine. [Except for that one time. But he's already given away one of his secrets. He won't let another one (a big one) like that slip by.]
[No, let them all think he's also an error. It's the truth in a way. A little black truth instead of a white lie.]
[And then there's more. More common ground, more spots where they intersect, and the former homunculus grabs his drink. He doesn't down it like he usually does, but he takes a healthy pull into his mouth and swallows. No, he'll skip the details again. Gloss over it, or keep quiet entirely.] Someone you love, but something tells me you didn't have much of a choice in the matter, did you. [Again, not a question. And how many times is he going to be dragged back to that moment? That moment in a sewer, where someone he loved begged for his mercy, and he gave him none.]
[The Sin searches his glass for a answer. He'll never get a single one here, it seems.]
[Ah, but Michael is so sharp, like a weapon, like they all are, and Greed lowers his chin. Because he has to laugh. Laughing means he doesn't give a fuck. And as his shoulders shake, the noise that comes out him claps every inch of the bar it can reach. A thunderhead trying to be a threat, but it's got no lightning to give.] Gahahaha! Is that what you see? That I - [Then he gets a look at Michael and ah, he wouldn't be saying this to someone else, would he?]
[He hates how much they look alike.] - sorry, but you've got it all wrong. [Does he? Does he really? No, he doesn't. He's got everything right, down to the very T, and what does a homunculus do when it's face with its own hubris? It tries to bite.] Ha, fuck. You sound so much like him, it's ridiculous.
[Not Lucifer this time, oddly enough, but a human. A human who flipped his whole world upside down when he stared him right in the face, demanded his power, and gave his body up in the exchange.]
[Greed's tail shivers and quakes, bothered, troubled, and on edge.] A void. [He stretches his lips.] Yeah, well. That's just my avarice for you, isn't? There's never enough -
[Ah, but talking about things that are a little outside him, outside of the choices he's made, of the reason he does what he does: that's easier. Remember simple? Simple is just that.] I don't think most of them were looking for it. A ruler was. And he destroyed all of his people to get it. But not in the way you're thinking, ah - [The former homunculus rolls his wrist, making the ice in his drink circle like a drain in reverse.] - God is what you call your Father, right? Well Father is the only thing we call what made us. And, from what little I know, he made an offer. A rotten one.
Immortality. But it wasn't that at all. He stripped a country of their souls, gained a body, and that was that. [Hohenheim had been so kind to fill in the details. About Xerxes, the Dwarf in the Flask, and what started the centuries-long game of dominoes no one had a clue about.]
But oh, how I wanted immortality. Real immortality. [Whoops. That slips out, but Greed is quick to pick up the pieces.] Doesn't matter. Because I don't mourn them, Michael. Why would I? There's nothing left to mourn. That's the point. They're just nameless faces, and barely that. But if I could? [If he could? If they were the people he knows, people he remembers and wishes he could see again?]
Maybe, but not in the way you do. [And that is his answer.]
Humans, no matter what you and I may think, are always going to be more complicated. What's bad to someone may be good to another. What's right to a solider is wrong to the civilian on the other end. [He's talking in terms he knows. Heaven, God, Hell, and all that? It's beyond him, and he is (sometimes) self-aware. Greed peels himself off the back of the bar, reaches forward (almost seeming like he's about to start a fight), then grabs the pack of cigarettes.] It's the same with greed. And you, everyone else, they put this whole hierarchy on it when there shouldn't be one in the first place.
[The Sin pulls a cigarette out, puts it into his mouth, then leans back into the prep station again. And he's smiling to himself as he always does.] Hope, Michael. No one said there was anything wrong with too much hope, right? [He strikes his claws along his wrist, meeting the carbon of his skin, and bearing sparks.] The rulers of Xerxes may have been selfish, but the people in Amestris? Well, I can tell you, they had a lot of hope. I'm just - [He barks again, hissing at his own words.] - hoping it was enough.
[And now, they've come down to it. The creation of a homunculus.] One person made a homunculus. Me? I'm what dear ol'Daddy sir shed off. His greed. All of us are the sins he purged to be the perfect being. [Greed's really staring at Michael now, trying to read him with eyes that expand and shrink as sure as a hunter in the dark.] The people never knew the real cost, because he thought he was above them. Insects, he said once. What does something like that care, about a price it doesn't have to pay?
[The tip of his cigarette turns orange, burnt, and the former homunculus hums.] I hope that doesn't sound familiar. For your sake, if nothing else.
no subject
Didn’t I? [ for the first time since their conversation began, he finally sounds unsure of something—himself. the confident edge in his voice strains as ten thousand years worth of memories come pouring in. he looks down at his hand, the one that struck the blow before he sent Lucifer through a portal into Hell. ] There was no weapon trained on me, and no one made demands. I followed our laws even when the one who made them chose not to be present. I looked into his scared, tear-laden face and, when he called my name, I struck him down. For a single moment in time I didn’t see my brother, I saw an enemy of Heaven.
[ blinking, he urges himself out of his trance and lets his hand fall. ] I sacrificed one to save many, even though it broke my heart to do so. In my anger I felt righteous, you see, because it never even crossed his mind to tell me what he was planning. From the time we were created, we were a constant presence in one another’s lives. To know that my other half couldn’t trust me with that knowledge.. hurt.
He was taken advantage of and punished for his kind and generous nature. None of us were aware of what would happen, that any one of us could be casted out at the drop of a hat. Had we have known, things would be very different today. It harkens back to what I said earlier about the laws. He chose to make an example out of Lucifer to ensure no other Angel would be bold enough to defy Him. In this case, the punishment did not fit the crime and yet—
[ it still happened, with him being an accomplice to it. having shared more than he meant to, he cuts himself off there and tilts his head to look up at him. rather than alarm, the laughter elicits another soft smile. understood. ]
Hm. A pity, that was the portion of you that I found myself the most fond of. Arriving here so suddenly must have thrown off my assessment, perhaps I can make another one once I’ve settled in. [ and that’s it, he never tries to call him out for lying through his teeth. some secrets are kept close for a reason and he is entitled to that. ] Him?
[ solemnly: ] The actions of one in power often shape those below them, like a ripple in a pond. That’s what happens when someone takes the other path, choosing the few over the many. As long as their needs are met, no one else matters because they’re a means to an end. A stepping stone on the way to greatness that, after being used, will turn into little more than dust on the wind.
[ he knows a great deal more about that type of person than he will ever admit. when their belief waned and they stopped caring about living sinless lives, Father created The Plages and The Flood in order to encourage them to make better choices—to no avail. ]
Nameless and shapeless as they may be, the fact that you exist is already a testament to their lives. Everyone wants for what they don’t have, that’s just nature. Have you ever thought that your souls may play a part in your avarice? They also wanted once upon a time and, whatever remains of them, could want still. In return for experiencing the best that life has to offer through your eyes, they provide you with life. Or perhaps I’m reading too far into it.
[ he hasn’t known him long and he knows nothing about his world, but he is trying to understand. ah, what a subject to linger on. ]
The fact that they’re so complicated is the reason they were never supposed to consume the forbidden fruit. Humanity was in its infancy, all they knew was Eden, they weren’t prepared to go from a simplistic life to one full of unknowns. It all came about because one of them wanted more in life, anyone could be forgiven for wanting that. But in consuming it, evil took root and never let go. Even now it feeds, waiting for the right time to strike.
[ tap, tap, tap goes his nail against the glass. ] Hope is a double edged sword. The people of Amestris. You care for them, don’t you? For what it’s worth, I hope it was as well.
He already made a mistake when he tried to achieve perfection. There is no such thing as a perfect being, not in Heaven, Hell or anywhere in-between. Flaws can be beautiful, anyone who says they don’t have any is lying to themselves. [ he meets his gaze, looking thoughtful. ] Unfortunately, there will always be people and beings alike that take the place of a fallen dictator. Often times, they are even worse than their predecessors.
[ a light teasing, even as his expression gives him away: it does. ] If it will help you sleep tonight, I can deny it.
no subject
["Didn't I?" he asks, and the Sin breathes forms of smoke from his nose. No, despite whatever protests Michael is making to the contrary, he doesn't really think the man (not man, no, he's beyond that) had a choice. Much like most of his kin didn't. They were puppets on a string, commanded by something above them. He just had the ambition, the want, the clarity, to cut the chords. And he'd paid for it.]
[Perhaps, that's the reason his face finally drops. That smile tries, and it fails.] You did what you were told to do, or what was expected of you. Am I getting that right? [Then, he tries again, and in this empty bar, he's like a ghost. Like a specter offering a little back and forth before it's time to send them both of their separate ways.] It's what you are, what you were made to be. Nothing I say here will change what happened. Words are cheap, Michael.
But I'll tell you this - [The former homunculus yanks his cigarette away, replacing it with his drink. He finishes it off, cutting the ice with his teeth and swallowing the sting in one go. Greed tosses the glass onto the bar and as it skates on its own sweat, he brings his cigarette back to mouth and holds it there.] - there's always a choice. Maybe not then, but now. This isn't your Heaven or your Hell. There's a whole, new world out there for the taking. [Greed offers a grin, not pitying, but acknowledging.] Whatever you were before won't matter.
I don't know how you feel, couldn't really, because I don't give a shit about any of mine. They never made a point of changing, not in the 200 years I knew them. [He shrugs, even as he feels a creep of something up his back.] They continued to think they were above humans, even at the end. So for all I care, they can stay where they are. As nothing.
[The Sin's face sets somewhere between viciousness, anger, and that casualness he's so known for. He hates authority, but he hates a figurehead even more. God and Father are one in the same in his opinion. Men with decrees to follow, orders to march to, and if you step out of line? Down, down, down, you go.]
[The former homunculus drops his cigarette into the sink behind him, forgetting about it for now, as he closes the gap between him and Michael.] And do you think that was fair? That any of that was fair? It's bullshit. [His teeth are showing, naked when his lips pull back, and quivering. He'll have tusks if he isn't careful.] You were told to follow someone's idea of right. Someone else's rules. But you weren't given the fine print. And because of that, you lost your brother, and he suffers for it. For what. For fucking what.
[Yeah, that creep is getting stronger. It's his core. It's his core, beating into his chest, slamming into his ribs, demanding a better option. Lucifer didn't deserve what he got. Michael didn't deserve it. None of them did.]
Do me a favor. [He's close now, far closer than he realizes, and when he reaches out, it's to touch his nail along Michael's glass, making it shiver with a sound both deadly and musical.] If you stick around, and I mean that as a big if - [Greed lets his eyes settle on the man, heavy with a different sort of weight.] - live. Really live. Take this afterlife, and be your own person for once. If you can do that, anything that happens from this point on, I'll consider a fair bargain.
[He doesn't elaborate, and some part of him hopes that he doesn't have to. He doesn't know Lucifer and Michael have spoke, doesn't know what's been said, but it'll all come out eventually, won't it? The devil's got an ouroboros in his eye, one that doesn't belong to their world, but a mark that's as clear as fucking day on his hand. They made a deal. And Michael isn't stupid.]
[Greed thinks, for a flicker, about the basement. About ripping through books, talking to as many people as he could, seeking his answer. About a man who came to him with the guilt of the universe on his shoulders, and how he'd let his own emotions (whatever they were) force his hand.]
["I've held onto guilt for eons, Greed, it's what I do best. No one's been able to break me of it. It's just who I am."]
[The former homunculus plucks his claws away, but he doesn't leave. No, instead he stays stuck in that limbo between closing himself up and opening the gates, and ah. He wasn't wrong about stepping in shit, was he?] I don't know. [It's an honest answer: he doesn't know. He doesn't know if the souls inside him are powering his want, or if he's the one strangling them with it.] That's not an answer I can give you. Sorry.
[There's smoke coming out of the sink. It isn't a fire, just a light spin of smoke; a whimper of silver, curling up and up and up. Greed feels out his torso with two of his hands.] Absolutes again, Michael. You're forgetting about the in-between(s). Maybe, they needed it. To actually experience life for what it is. But what the fuck would I know? [When he shrugs this time, it's slow; like every inch of him is stiff and he can feel the knots in his muscles ache one at a time.] There's no Heaven or Hell where I'm from.
Sure, I cared for them. A king is nothing without his people. [Now, that earns a smile. A real one. And he's got no teeth this time, just general fondness.] I wanted to rule the world. But I guess, even that - [He huffs out a sound, ageless and tired.] - never mind.
[For now, he decides to drop it. His history isn't one Michael needs. His world and all of its problems and accomplishments aren't his cross to bear. Instead, he moves on, grabbing the bottle and plugging it with his finger.]
If it helps, I don't need to sleep. And denying yourself anything doesn't sit right with me. So don't. [He winks, cheeky piece of shit that he is, and drags the bottle away with a lonely thud of glass.]
You're going to see it. If you find him, it'll be obvious. I gave your brother something. I don't know how - [Magic?] - abilities work where you come from, but it'll keep him in one piece. And if that doesn't work? Well. [The tips of his claws scrape as his knuckles turn white around the bottle. And here it is, his confession:] I won't let anyone take him. Not anyone here, not anyone you know, no one. My little guarantee, from me to you.
[Then, he takes the bottle, lifts his head, and pulls from it. Really pulls from it. He's thirsty, and he needs to drown himself. Because he's a creature of wanting, of having, of needing. And he'll always be left unsatisfied.]
i said two tags before nap and clicked on the novels
[ since he’s been around for a few billion years. at the final surprise, the corner of his mouth quirks up into a smile that he hides behind his glass with another sip. by the time he sets it back down, the smile is gone. ]
I did what I thought was right to protect my home and those living in it. For what he did, Lucifer was always going to Fall, there is no scenario where he would have been forgiven. No good deed goes unpunished, as they say, even though there wasn’t an ounce of malice in his heart. He became the sacrificial lamb, so that no one would follow in his footsteps. It was effective. [ his emotional state is difficult to read due to years of unintentional practice, he looks something between indifferent and almost blank. ]
But I was also angry because, in that moment, I felt he chose them over us. Over me, when I was there for him no matter what time of day it was, because I would do anything for him. In time, I was able to understand that he was just scared, knowing what he was doing was wrong. My judgment was clouded by my inability to remain impartial and, for that, he has been alone.
[ idly, he drags his fingertip along the rim of the glass, producing a soft hum. ] I was never meant to take, Greed, only to give. My judgment, my hope, my love, and my guidance. I’ve done the same tasks for as long as the Earth has sustained life. To show up in a new Heaven where none of those things matter, where do I stand? Idle hands are the Devil’s tools.
[ there is a flicker of understanding as he glances over to search the Sin’s face. ] Humans may have been Father’s creation but we loved them then and I love them still. It’s the fact that they aren’t immortal that truly makes them shine. Many of them seek out beauty knowing their time is limited and live their lives to the fullest, while others only live to hurt. They take until there is nothing left to take and leave them broken. Even so, I judge them with respect. Those that do wicked things give into their dark desires, oblivious to the fact that He never wanted that for them. But they will be the first to use His name in vain, despite the life He has given them.
[ the prospect is an exhausting one to think about, but has had nothing but time to think. lately, it seems that is all he is ever capable of doing. when Greed appears to get worked up, he leans over when he is close enough and strokes his cheek. a tender and comforting gesture with nothing else behind it, slow and deliberate as if he were soothing a savage beast. when he begins again, his tone is quiet and his smile soft. ]
Free will. The Laws of Heaven have kept us safe until now. Putting the blame on anyone else won’t undo what’s been done and, in this, I’m not blameless. Even I’m aware of that. But thank you, Greed, for thinking of us. I think I’m beginning to understand why he was drawn to you.
[ he draws his hand back and reclaims his seat, his wings shifting to find a comfortable spot to drape over the chair. it might be an easy fix for someone with two wings, try doing it when there are six. eventually he will learn to hide them. ]
I can’t, and won’t, lie to you. Making promises that I’m unable to keep has never been something I’m partial to, but will it suffice if I say that I will try? [ he tips his head off to one side in a peculiar manner, one also shared by his brother. ] Did you give Lucifer this talk as well, or am I the first one to hear it?
Equivalent exchange, is it? Maybe so, it doesn’t seem like either one of us will learn our truths. Oftentimes, Heaven and Hell don’t have to be a place, they can be a state of mind.
Then, is that what you do with your loved ones? You covet, yes, and you may not possess a soul of your own but you are still a King looking out for the well-being of your subjects—your friends, and more. [ the smile sent his way is a thoughtful one. ] You couldn’t rule the world, so you allowed them to become it. No matter the size of his kingdom, a ruler is still a ruler. Your avarice has nothing to do with how you treat others, I believe it’s much more than that.
You can have power, wealth and want for nothing and still be a poor man. In the whole of the world, no one is richer than a King who is beloved.
[ he considers him quietly, paying extra mind to moments when it looks like he might jump out of his skin. what a complicated man, this is proving to be an insightful meeting. another angel might have balked at such a claim simply because of what Lucifer has become, but Michael?
Greed was doing what he should have done all those years ago. a tension that he was unaware he was carrying seeps out of his shoulders, causing the tips of his wings to scrape against the floor. for someone who appears to have a love affair with words, he is surprisingly brief when it comes to his reply. ]
Thank you.
we both go down together bud
[But just like Michael, when that story continues, the Sin's bravado collapses in on itself again. He's left silent, left to listen, and it all, oh it all, leaves such a sour taste in his mouth. It's another thing to add to his growing list; his growing list of names and debts, becoming longer by the day. And he doesn't know it completely, but he's already made his decision. His choice.]
[He's going to collect one of these days. On all the wrongs done, on all the unfairness, with claws, teeth, and a sneer so absolutely unforgiving.]
[However, that day isn't today. And truth is, it may never come to pass. But that's never fucking stopped him before, has it?]
No good deed, huh. Sorry, but that's not how it fucking works. [The anger in his tone may be mild, but his face is cold, snarling.] Or at least, it shouldn't be. He was made to be, what, a lesson to the rest of you? Keep you in line? [Greed lets his words simmer off, turning into a wheeze at the corner of his mouth. Oh, he knows that lesson all right. His had done the same, hadn't they? Thrown him up on a cross, pinned him down, and when he barked, they bit.]
[But this isn't his story, and as such, he doesn't take it personally. Lucifer's fall isn't his own, the devil doesn't need to know his details, and neither does Michael.]
[No one does.]
[For a second, Greed shuts his eyes.] I can imagine you did. That's the thing with wanting, Michael. Sometimes you want something you can't have. You thought people were worth more than you. And that's jealousy. Envy. But no one person is worth more than the other. [He peels open his eyes to trace out whatever he can. It's better than thinking too hard about it, than turning it inward towards people (family) he knows.] You let those emotions of yours take control when you should have - [Should have what? Like he fucking knows a damn thing. He's nothing when measured out against this divine plan. Of these powers that be that are so beyond him.] - forget it.
I've seen humans do a lot of things over the years. Not as much as you, mind. But - [The former homunculus sags into his shoulders and tests his neck by rolling it on bones that are definitely feeling the heaviness of this conversation. He knew there would be more to it, more details, but this. All of this - he hates it. He hates every single piece of it, and only if he could - ] - they're always more complicated. More than you, more than me. Can we really hold it against them? [He feels out his lower lip with his teeth, then his tongue, before releasing it again.]
He - [Greed hisses.] - may not have wanted it for them, but that's not really up to him, is it? To any of us. We were made to last. They weren't. And I happen to be a big fan of choice. So, and don't take this personally, but He can go and fucking choke on it for all I care.
[Then, Michael touches him, and he doesn't have the time (or the mind) to stop it. Like a reflex, the 'Shield quickens up his jaw, stretching the teeth on one half of his face into tusks. Greed visibly bristles.] Don't give me that. [His second skin trembles, staggering between staying right where it is and dropping again.] You're just - ["Seeing it all wrong," is what he wants to say, but decides now's not the time to argue.]
I'm Greed, the living embodiment of it. I can't abandon what's mine, just like you can only give instead of taking. Let's leave it at that.
[Still, he does linger for a second, before pulling away again. The 'Shield drops, and his expression returns to his status quo: of a creature so egotistical and full of itself.] No, you're not the first. I've said the same thing to a few here. You, Alastor, Velvet, Kento. [He pauses.] Luce. You people and your lack of self-worth. [Well, maybe not Alastor and Velvet: they're different.] Least two of you get it. But the rest? It's like you forget who you're talking to.
[Finally, as he breathes a space between himself and Michael back into existence, something real passes him by. And it isn't avarice, isn't want, isn't even desire. No, it's that thing again, that nameless thing he can't quite wrap his mind around yet. It shows itself in the creases of his eyes as he squints them: defeat, acknowledgement, and acceptance.]
[He is so absolutely, without a doubt, fucked.]
[Of course, it doesn't last. He won't let it.] Call it a favor, Blue Eyes. [The Sin snaps his teeth, sliding sneer Michael's way. Like he's daring the man to challenge the nickname.] If I catch you denying yourself anything though, you'll find I'm pretty convincing. We'll just have to see how ambitious you can be.
[The former homunculus turns on his heel, showing his back as he reaches into the sink for his smoke. There isn't much left of it now: just the barest hint of paper teasing from the filter. Greed brings it to his mouth and inhales until he can feel the heat on his lip.] People are worth a lot more than most give 'em credit for. [He flips the stub through his fingers before shoving the lit end against his tongue. In an instant, it extinguishes, and a lick of red electricity meets it at its end.] But that thing I told you, about a king and his people - that didn't come from me. That came from a man named Ling Yao. A little 15-year-old pissant who knew better than both of us.
[He drops the butt of the cigarette into the sink, turns the dial, and watches it soak in the drain.] Oh ho. Beloved's a strong word, Michael. [The Sin chirps, and there goes his sincerity. Back to the basics.] I wouldn't say I'm that either. I'd say I'm - [What? Is he loved? Maybe. He's still not sure about that.]
[When Greed finds his words again, it's with his reflection in a hundred bottles and under the gaze of yellow, tar-sticky bar lights.] I'm just me. And they're mine. Not much more to it than that.
[With a jerk of his hand, he cuts the flow to the sink. It drips for a few seconds: a hint that this place could still use some work.] Save your thanks for someone who deserves it, hmn? What I did for your brother was because I'm selfish. What I'll do for you will be the same thing. [He splays out his hand, lazily touching the air and getting not a thing in return.] Simple, Blue Eyes. Stop complicating it.