I finally caved and did it! Welcome to a little roleplay blog for my ULTRAKILL oc, Ori. I am Mod TJ, main is @littlegayboyloser. This is my first ask blog ever, so please be patient with me!
All of Ori's dialogue will be in purple, with his actions being in white. It will be tagged as #ori. All OOC text will be in blue, and be tagged as #modTJ.
pfp credit goes to @lyrker !!!!!!
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Rules for Asks/Interactions:
Please be respectful of the mod! This is my first time having an ask blog, so if anything is out of character I apologize.
Shipping is alright, Ori leans more towards masculine presentation in terms of preference but is functionally queer.
Suggestive/Flirtatious asks/interactions are alright, but please be an adult if you interact in this way, as mod is 18+. All interactions that are suggestive will be tagged as #suggestive.
Ori uses he/him pronouns, mod uses he/they. If you do not respect this you will be blocked.
If I feel uncomfortable with an ask or interaction I will not respond to it.
Character info under the cut:
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Character Info:
Ori is a fallen angel, currently residing in the Lust layer. The council stripped his light from him after the disappearance of the Father, as he was insistent that he was dead, and the angels had been abandoned. He fell to Heresy, and made his way back up to Lust.
The fall changed him. Where his wings were once made of delicate stained glass, wings made of unkempt feathers have taken their place. The Father's light has been wholly replaced with Hell Energy, but the speed at which it took the place of the Father's light has left Ori with something akin to chronic pain. He may or may not have parts of his bones growing outside his body now, but it blends into his armor well enough that no one can quite tell how much Hell has changed him.
He works for Minos (husk form) doing odd jobs, because as much as he itches to have a weapon in his hand like when he was a solider for heaven, there isn't much of a need for it in the Lust renaissance. Still, he walks around in full armor, and carries two knives at all times.
Ori is incredibly jaded from what the council did to himā he was an excellent fighter, even training most of Heaven's army for millennia, and was tossed aside like it was nothing. It has made him incredibly closed off to most people, even though he can't shake the angelic politeness ingrained in him upon first meeting him. If you can get him out of his shell, he's incredibly expressive, though not communicative, and cares deeply, almost to a fault. He can also be incredibly snarky and rude when provoked (which doesn't take much).
Typically, he is shipped with Gabriel and V1, however this setting predates any of V1's involvement. He was in love with Gabriel when he was in Heaven, and Gabriel loved him back, but his love quickly fades and turns into bitter anger the longer he goes without seeing a scrap of evidence that Gabriel ever looked for him after he fell.
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Unfinished Ref on Artfight (because I haven't finished his Toyhouse page yet OOPS)
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HERE AND NOW AND THENāāāāāāāāāāāCLOSED RP EVENT
AND HERE WE GO. First time running an event, this is kinda like a test for myself to see if I can handle running something of this size
Also to show some world lore for my Gabriel-
Without further ado, I am pleased to showcase āHere and Now and Thenā
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
*Gabriel had invited you all to a hidden treasure room deep in Treachery. A huge area with dozens with beautiful items on display*
*A sword made of flames that had once belonged to the gate guardian of Eden, a shield that seemed to break time and space as it danced around itself and seemed to infinitely bend in on itself, a golden egg with pure light inside it, along with many other such treasures.*
Do feel free to wander a bit, but there are 2 rules I will hold firm on:
Do not touch or move anything, and under no circumstances should you get too close to that
*he points at the center of the room, there sat sat a simple golden sphere on a velvet cushion, encased in glass and chains made of light.*
That is what the elders called āThe tesseract.ā Itās a highly unstable little thing. Or at least it was back in the elders of heavens dayā¦best not to touch it
Even I do not dare touch it.
Any questions with any of the artifacts I am happy to answer!
*Cassiel didn't have time to dodge any of the attacks, coughing some blood at the injuries he got. Yet when he saw Bezaliel protect him, and V1 get enraged, he knew he couldn't give up. He got up and placed a hand in his brother's shoulder before materializing a star-like spear from stardust.*
āLet's do this, brother..ā
*He says and launches into the air again, camouflaging even if the star was very bright, he took the spear with both hands and murmured something in Latin before launching the spear, soon, more spears materialized and followed that one, creating a rain of spears.*
*Somehow bee had managed to get close to the bottom of the heart without the judge noticing, and by some miracle had managed to grab their tesseract without them realizing. This close they could hear them mumbling something*
Fucking invadersā¦right in the middle of humans coming hereā¦letās bug the new girl thatāll go over wellā¦ļæ¼
*she does not seem happyā¦*
*The judge is in the sky again, seemingly unaware that sheās missing something very important. When Cassiels barrage of spears come down sheās able to dodge some but not enough to be unaffected. Some hit in between her amour and made her nearly stumble out of the sky*
FUCK.
LUCKY ASS CROW.
*Hearing that Bartzabel and Bezaliel were planning something, the judge decided to attack first. They had barely stabilized in the air and they were already started hurling themself at Bezaliel*
*unfortunately for the judge one of Cassiels spears hit her square in the head, making the judge more kick Bezaliel to the ground and land feet first on top of him*
ā¦this works to.
ALRIGHT FUCKERS LISTEN UP. ALL OF YOU NEED TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BE KILLING THIS GUY.
*she summons her spear back to her hand, pointing the tip at Bezalielās throat*
Bezaliel struggled to move, even though this new Judge of Hell was not Gabriel, she still packed as much of a punch as the aforementioned Archangelā¦ something told him that they were somehow connected, but he didnāt want to jump to conclusions just yetā¦
āBEZALIEL!! YOU FUCKING DUMBASS!! GET UP!! NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE STARING DEATH IN THE FUCKING FACE!!ā
Bartzabelās voice was as clear as ever, yet there was somethingā¦ strangeā¦ the Supreme Angel just stared at the spear in the other angelās handā¦ the tip of it threatening to stab the vertical eye on his throatā¦ he could hear his heart in his headā¦ time slowingā¦ whatā¦ was he even fighting for now..?
āā¦Go aheadā¦ I have lived long enoughā¦ seen more than you can possibly imagineā¦ā
The words just spilled out of his mouth, he had no control over what he was sayingā¦ was heā¦ really this tired of everything..?
āCROW ANGEL!! GET IT TOGETHER!! YOU ARENāT DYING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS!! ESPECIALLY THE FUCKING FUTURE!!ā
Bezaliel ignored Bartzabel and deliberately leaned forward, allowing the tip of the spear to nearly break his skin, to come so close to piercing that vertical eye on his throatā¦ his senses were goneā¦ he was acting on autopilotā¦
āā¦I am but a Watcher after allā¦ is it not best to snuff out my lifeā¦ here and now..? Well..? What are you waiting for..? Judge of Hell..? Do itā¦ I will not fight backā¦ā
Ori had been tracking Bee the entire way over to the Tesseract, making sure they got there without any interruption, ready to cover them if needed. He was incredibly pleased with how easy it was to grab for them, but his hand continued to hover by his knives, incredibly uneasy at the turn that the confrontation had taken.
What was Bezaliel doing?
Was he really just going to... lay down and die? What the hell was he saying?
"Get up, Bezaliel..."
His voice was quiet, really only himself and V1 being able to hear it, but he held his position despite his mounting anxieties, picking at the handle of his knife. This was not his fight, not yet.
*Cassiel looked at what Bezaliel was doing and approached, running to the Judge, yet.. he seemed to froze when he heard what Bezaliel was saying, did he really think there was nothing left to live for?.. Did he not care about him?...*
ā..Bez..?ā
*He felt tears forming in his eyes.. fuck, this wasn't a good time to be like this..*
*The judge pauses, spear just barely touching Bezalielās throat. Bartzabels yells stopping her for now*
Crow angelā¦?
*she spins her spear around to the rounded side and used it to push away Bezalielās mask, trying to see if what she thought was true*
*pushing away the mask, she freezes up. Wings fluffing out and body going ridged.*
WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT.
UNCLE BEZALIEL?!
I thoughtā¦youāre supposed to be inā¦what in theā¦
*she got off of Bezaliel and put her spear away, very quickly getting Bezaliel on his feet. She seemed to be both extremely shocked and massively confused*
Wait wait waitā¦
*She spins around, getting a good look at everyone in the room, seemingly recognizing everyone now that she has a chance to properly look at them*
WHY ARE ALL OF YOU HERE!?
You were supposed to be with my dad I thoughtā¦is this some kind of fucked up test?! Does my dad STILL not trust me?!
I swear to fuckā¦this is NOT the time for this.
*she takes off her helm, sheās a young angel. Still old in human terms but clearly sheās less than 2,000 years old. White curly hail falling down her back, 11 eyes scanning the room, some of them even look like cameras instead of eyes, the wings on her head drooping in pure shock*
Bezaliel froze upon not only being called āuncleā but hearing the voice of The Judge andā¦ seeing her true visage under the helmetā¦ he swore he was going absolutely insaneā¦
āā¦E-Eden..? Is that you..? My child..?ā
Stumbling to his feet, the Supreme Angel ignored her other questions, his body shaking, heā¦ without a second thought he rushed forwards and embraced the Angel-Machine hybrid gently, trying his best to hold back tears while also making sure to not use his left arm, the entire time, Bartzabel remained uncharacteristically quiet
āā¦I am so sorryā¦ for not recognizing you sooner..! Is everything alright..? I know you cannot speak muchā¦ lest you cause a time paradoxā¦ but at least calm my nervesā¦ ok..?ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings wrapped around The Judge as he tried so hard to hold it together, something deep down was screaming at him to not let her goā¦ even if he belonged in the presentā¦
āā¦I missed you so muchā¦ Edenā¦ I truly didā¦ are V and Lapith doing good too..? You do not have to say muchā¦ I just want to knowā¦ā
Ori was... not entirely sure as to what was actually happening. But Bezaliel was back off the ground and not trying to die anymore, which was... good. Definitely better than he was before, at least.
He glanced over towards Bee for a brief moment, making sure that their position wasn't compromised, staying put in order to protect V1, though the threat seemed entirely gone at this point. Still, he kept a hand on his knife, just in case things went... south again.
Ori was lost, but hopefully not fighting this stranger meant that Bee would get the tesseract under control, and they could all go back to their proper timeline.
*Cassiel was shocked by how.. he recognized the child inmediately, oh god he felt so bad.. tears fell from his eyes as he came closer to hug Eden, making sure to not make her uncomfortable.*
āEden-! Im so so sorry.. oh goodness, I am so sorry for wounding you.. How is everyone doing, honey..?ā
āCAREFUL, CROW ANGEL. ANY FORM OF MISSPEAKING WILL CAUSE SOMETHING INSANE TO HAPPEN! DONāT FUCK THIS UP!ā
Bezaliel took Bartzabelās words into account, his other self was right, he had to be very cautious with this explanationā¦ saying anything wrong or out of line would cause something that couldnāt be fixedā¦
āā¦Eden, my childā¦ the most I can say without fucking with the time-space continuum is thatā¦ we are from the present dayā¦ a form of time travel has occurredā¦ā
The Supreme Angel made sure that his words were able to be understood while also dodging things that would, in fact, cause an irreversible time paradox, they needed to get back home safely after all
āā¦We have traveled to the past multiple timesā¦ and now we are in the future with youā¦ all of this insanity is justā¦ all I can say is something went wrongā¦ā
Oriās hand tightened and loosened the handle of his knife, continuing to watch. Eden seemedā¦ distracted, she hadnāt noticed the disappearance of the tesseract, and Ori hoped it stayed that way. If she didnāt notice, it would hopefully give Bee enough time to get everyone back home, safe and sound.
He glanced to V1 quicklyā the two of them would keep watch. The wings around his head fluttered at the end of what Bezaliel said, and he tried to muffle a small laugh. Was he finally losing it? It was pretty much the understatement of the damn century.
Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
āā¦I cannot disagree with you there, my friendā¦ after everything all of us have been through, Bartzabel becoming a reality should not be that surprisingā¦ but I will admit that when I first heard his voiceā¦ it felt like my head was going to split openā¦ā
Bezaliel glanced over at Bartzabel again who crossed his arms before looking back at the fallen angel, his demeanor still as calm as ever, the Supreme Angel had yet to show any signs of being upset or in distress over something
āI CAN TELL THAT YOUāRE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW I FORMED WITH FULL ARMOR, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THAT IāM A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THIS CROW ANGELāS NEGATIVE EMOTIONSā¦ IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT IāD BE READY FOR COMBAT AT ALL TIMES.ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings drooped slightly to show his annoyance at what Bartzabel had said but regained his composure very quickly, not wanting the fallen angel to think that he was at odds with his other self
āā¦There is not an hour that goes by when Bartzabel is ready to fight, Oriā¦ just keeping him contained within my shadow is a chore in of itselfā¦ but I have learned to live with his insanityā¦ā
One of Ori's wings twitched around his head, and he continued to squint at Bartzabel, though it really just looked like a slight tilt of the head. He was incredibly curious about the armor situation, nodding slightly at Bartzabel's explanation.
"I do suppose that makes sense... Being ready to fight is always a good thing, you need to make sure you are on guard at all times."
Ori certainly wasā he had to be ready to fight at all times, in order to protect himself and anyone else around him. He was always incredibly alert because of it (at least... when he wasn't falling asleep in alleyways...). He looked between Bezaliel and Bartzabel, wings stretching out once more as he shifted in place.
"It would be interesting to spar with you both... I believe it would be quite fun."
āEXACTLY! PLUS, CONSIDERING THAT THIS DUMBASS WOULD RATHER WATCH FROM THE SHADOWS BEFORE MAKING A MOVEā¦ I MIGHT AS WELL BE MORE PREPARED, RIGHT?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but facepalm at what Bartzabel said about him, itā¦ wasnāt a lieā¦ but he hated being called out like that, especially by his own shadowā¦ his other selfā¦
āā¦Watch it, Bartzabelā¦ you are well aware of what I was created to doā¦ those duties are still very much ingrained into my entire beingā¦ even to this dayā¦ā
Exhaling, the Supreme Angel turned his attention back to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side slightly, he wasnāt expecting a spar offer, but it wasnāt like heād deny itā¦
āā¦You wish to spar with both me and Bartzabel..? Iā¦ was not expecting such an offerā¦ Ori, my friendā¦ the last time I had a proper spar was back when The Watchers were still holyā¦ everything after thatā¦ they have been nothing but fights beyond my controlā¦ā
Ori's wings continued to flutter around his head happily, especially considering that Bezaliel didn't seem opposed to the idea of the spar, even if Ori himself was pregnant. He could still handle himself quite well, and had been for monthsā he could handle a spar no doubt.
"It is a shame that it has been so long since you have had a spar, but it is something that can be remedied..."
Ori glanced between him and Bartzabel, the offer clear. He... believed that they had similar fighting styles, yet with some notable differences, but he hadn't really been... paying attention when he last saw Bartzabel, admittedly. Ori had been pretty sure during the whole... tesseract debacle that by that point, he was just... hallucinating Bartzabel's presence. It was nice to know he wasn't, at least.
"Your fighting styles have their similarities and differencesā My confidence says I could take you both, it wouldn't be the first time I have sparred against multiple opponents."
āā¦It truly is, old friendā¦ but considering how feared I wasā¦ such things only make senseā¦ā
Bezaliel glances down a bit, seemingly thinking back on all the time he missed, the days where he truly couldāve been sparring and enjoying lifeā¦ but noā¦ most of what he knew was either solitude, captivity, or fights not started by himselfā¦
āHAVING A SPAR WITH BOTH OF US IS QUITE DARING! BUT IāM ALL FOR IT! CāMON! WE NEED TO GO FIND A PLACE TO DO THIS RIGHT!ā
The Supreme Angel couldnāt help but smile a bit at Bartzabelās enthusiasm, sighing, he turned to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side, truth be toldā¦ he wasnāt very familiar with places in Lust
āā¦Well, Ori..? Do you happen to know of any open grounds nearby where we can spar..? Preferably away from buildings..? I want to see just how similar our styles truly areā¦ and have fun for onceā¦ā
Ori nodded, stretching his wings and back out first, wincing slightly when his own moment caused the little one inside him to shift around, a hand nearly going to his stomach. He sighed, glancing up at Bezaliel and Barzabel like he had been caught, the wings around his head fluttering shyly.
āThere was aā¦. more centralā¦ training ground, but the further away from the city we can get, the better. It is far, but once you get outside the city, there is a lot of flat, open space.ā
It was far. Incredibly far, considering how large the city of Lustā¦ wasā¦ Ori set off in a set direction down the streets, moving quickly as to avoid the corpse of the King, on incredibly high alert.
āIt is farā the city is large and hard to get out of. But it exists.ā
It was a true shame that the training grounds in the city center, the ones Ori loved so dearly, were now pretty much unusable.
āEASY THERE! DONāT THINK I DONāT ALSO I KNOW ABOUT THE NEW LIFE YOU HOLD WITHIN! HELL, I CAN EVEN SEE THE LITTLE BEAST!ā
Bezaliel turned to face Bartzabel, an air of genuine shock surrounding him, he honestly didnāt expect for his other self to be able to see the unbornā¦ shaking his head, he extended his pitch black wings fully and took to the skies, Bartzabel following
āā¦Apologies for what Bartzabel said, Ori, old friendā¦ I did not expect him to be able to see your unborn childā¦ either way, please do show me the wayā¦ I am eager to see what Lust has to offer in this senseā¦ā
The Supreme Angel instantly caught up to the fallen angel in question, gliding like heād done this a thousand times over, which, in a sense, he hadā¦ as a member of The Watchers, his group was known for surveillance of every realmā¦ reporting back to those on highā¦
āOI! CROW ANGEL! NOW ISNāT THE TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THE WATCHERS! ITāS FUCKED UP AND YOU KNOW IT! PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRESENT!ā
Oriās wings turned pink at Bartzabelās comment, the ones around his head fluttering as he looked away, swooping down slightly even though his face was already hidden by the mask. Heā¦. really wasnāt used to people commenting on his pregnancy yet, he hadnāt talked about it outside of his partners and doctor.
āIt isā it is okay, I am justā a bit flustered, I supposeā I do not really talk about it, especially considering I amā¦ dueā¦ soonāā
A bit flustered would be an understatement. Ori shook his head, doing a few decorative swoops to try and shake off his embarrassment. This was a perfectly reasonable thing to talk about, as much as his brain wanted to shut down all mention of it in some sort of bizarre defensive mechanism.
āThe outskirts of Lust are equally as pretty as the cityā not as commonly mentioned for obvious reasons, though.ā
āNO WONDER WHY I CAN SEE THE BEAST SO CLEARLY! I GOTTA SAY, YOU-ā
āā¦Bartzabelā¦ enoughā¦ā
Bezaliel had to shut up his other self, he knew that continuing to talk about this would only make the fallen angel more flustered, and he didnāt want that, especially now
āā¦Once again, I apologizeā¦ Ori, old friendā¦ I know not of what has gotten into Bartzabelā¦ but that matters notā¦ā
The Supreme Angel made sure that Bartzabel was following as he kept pace with the fallen angel, pure white right eye widening slightly upon seeing the outskirts of Lust in the distance
āā¦I must admitā¦ there is not a day that goes by where the Lust layer continues to amaze meā¦ there is always something new I discoverā¦ something that makes me wonder how I missed it to begin withā¦ā
The wings around Ori's head fully covered his face at those comments, pink and flustered. He really, truly should get himself more comfortable talking about this, but it was just so... strange to him. After millennia of believing he couldn't carry children, being able to and finding out that he was due so incredibly soon... threw him off significantly.
"You... do not have to apologize, Bezaliel. It is an inescapable truthā if Bartzabel has questions I... do not mind answering them."
He sounded incredibly shy, flustered but not... truly uncomfortable. If Ori was truly uncomfortable, both of them would know it. He looked out over Lust, peering towards the outskirts. The buildings had been thinning out as they flew, making the grasses and hills more prominent, the foliage matching the pink and purple skyline.
"It is gorgeous...I... hope the King does not make it out here."
He knew Bezaliel would understand what he meantā if the corpse of King Minos was going to wreak havoc on Lust, he just hoped it would be as contained as possible.
You find yourself back in a certain version of the Lust layer again, things had seemed rather off and you remembered that a certain six winged Mindflayer resided here, the third levelā¦
You decide to go looking for her, only to find her resting in the air, all six wings being used as a hammock of sorts, yet something seemedā¦ offā¦ you could sense itā¦ she wasnāt okā¦
@lust-layer-mindflayer
Oriā¦ understandably didnāt want to be in the Lust layer at all. He wasnāt even really supposed to be leaving the cabin, per orders from both of his partners, but he was going stir crazy not doing something. He wasnāt sure why his feet had taken him to this alternate version of the Lust layer, but he could visit Irida while he was hereā he hadnāt seen her in too long.
He still wasnāt feelingā¦ great. Which was an understatement. Resting was no use, he was exhausted, and felt nauseous most mornings. Days were spent overthinking everything he had done in the past month, making himself so anxious he had to do something, move his body to distract himself.
Plus, he still didnāt have his armor or weapons backā forced to just wear draping fabrics similar to Minos other Lust residents. It wasnāt making his anxiety any better.
āIrida?ā
He spoke quietly, standing far from her in a bid not to spook her by accident.
She was immediately startled awake, nearly falling out of the air before catching herself, balance unstable as all six of her wings instantly moved to shield her body from view, something was definitely wrong
W-Wha?! Ori..?! Fuckā¦ you really scared me thereā¦ sorry for my reaction, I wasnāt expecting to see you back..!
After taking a ābreathā she floated over to you, wings still wrapped around her body, the ends of all six glowing a mix between light green and dark purple, a veryā¦ differentā¦ color combination
Soā¦ what brings you by? I havenāt seen you inā¦ I canāt even remember the last time we saw each otherā¦ is everything alright? No offense, dear, butā¦ you look like a disasterā¦
Ori shrugged slightly, looking at Irida with his head slightly tilted. She looked as thought she was doing as well as he was which was... concerning. He found the energy to hold his wings tightly to his back, a modicum of normal behavior from him, even as feathers drifted to the floor. He still wasn't quite back to preening regularly.
"I just... happened to be in the area. Wandering, I suppose, and I figured I would stop by... it has truly been too long."
He winced slightly when Irida questioned into his well-being, not wanting to really get... too into it. It wasn't necessary for her to worry about himā enough people already were. One of the wings around his head twitched out slightly.
"I am okay... my universe is in a bit of... turmoil, at the moment, but it is nothing not expected. Are you doing well? You seem..."
He trailed off. He wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with her, but it was clear something was wrong.
Right, we havenāt talked sinceā¦ forgive me, I canāt rememberā¦ so much has happened as of late, my memory hasnāt been the bestā¦ andā¦ things are still in turmoil for you, Ori..? Iāmā¦ so sorryā¦ I wish there was something I could do to helpā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, genuinely feeling bad about the fact that everything was going wrong for you, nothing had changedā¦ Yet the nanosecond she heard you ask if she was okā¦ her body began to tremble slightly on instinct
I-Iā¦ ummā¦ itāsā¦ I justā¦ ā¦n-noā¦ Iāmā¦ not ok at allā¦ Iā¦ so much has happenedā¦ n-none of it isā¦ goodā¦ Iā¦
Ori was just... trying not to think about everything in relation to himself. Another reason he was up and wandering around different universesā being stuck in the cabin gave him way too much time to think. If he didn't think about it, it hadn't happened, he hadn't failed, he wasn'tā
He took a deep breath, hands flexing by his sides where he would usually be fiddling with his knives, but... no dice. His wings twitched uncomfortably, clearly unhappy with the lack of armor.
"It is... fine. Okay. It has happened now and there is... nothing to be done."
The words were like pulling teeth, clearly lying. He took a step closer to Irida when she started trembling, being careful not to touch her unless she indicated that that was okay.
"Irida?"
He didn't want to push if she didn't want to talk, but... he wanted to support her if she did want to talk.
Iā¦ understandā¦ letās not bring it up more if it makes you as stressed and uncomfortable as it does, Oriā¦ sorry, for all of thatā¦ you really donāt de-
She paused when you asked if she wanted to talk about what had recently happened, as much as she wished that the trembling wasnāt obviousā¦ it wasā¦ ālookingā around, she āexhaledā shakily, you needed to knowā¦
Iā¦ l-letās go somewhere moreā¦ out of the wayā¦ I donātā¦ f-feel safe explaining everythingā¦ out hereā¦ p-pleaseā¦ follow me toā¦ my roomā¦ o-ok..?
Ori nodded, moving to follow Irida. Whatever had happened clearly wasn't good, and he wished that he had been there to stop whatever had happened... She didn't deserve any of this. Perhaps Minato was rightā perhaps it was a bad idea to block off multiversal travel to his own universe... it meant blocking off people for their safety, but clearly it hadn't worked in the slightest.
"Take your time. Only explain what you wish."
His voice was grounded, looking at her carefully in hopes that his presence was a comfort.
Upon entering her room, she floated over to her bed and sat down, all six wings still shielding her body from viewā¦ the ends glowing a mix between dark blue, dark purple, and blackā¦ sheā¦ needed you to knowā¦
O-Oriā¦ not too long ago, I went down to the first level of the Violence layerā¦ to retrieve the remains of my younger brother figure who was also the Lieutenant of my squadronā¦ Lieutenant Mindflayer āPothosāā¦ the last male Mindflayer in existenceā¦ heā¦ was slaughtered by Mannequins thereā¦ Iā¦ had Archangel Gabriel along with his V1, King Sisyphus, and Lucifer on standby hereā¦ in case things went wrongā¦ so they couldā¦ come save meā¦ a-after Iā¦ found his remainsā¦ someoneā¦ from decades agoā¦ from my pastā¦ decided to make himself knownā¦ a fallen Seraphimā¦ the leader of The Watchersā¦ a complete sadistā¦ his nameā¦ isā¦ Samyazaā¦ heā¦ ordered a Mannequin to puncture one of my fuel tanksā¦ before manifesting himselfā¦ in the darknessā¦ he burned my wings awayā¦ slowlyā¦ while holding me closeā¦ andā¦ threatened to desecrate me once moreā¦ in front of everyoneā¦ heā¦ was the one whoā¦ defiled meā¦ decades agoā¦ once The Final War was overā¦ after I took the plunge into Hellā¦ chose the Lust layerā¦ andā¦ built my bodyā¦ heā¦ held me captive forā¦ half a decadeā¦ and nowā¦ heās back..!
Ori listened, horrified with every word Irida spoke. His wings turned more and more amber as he listened to her words, furious and nauseous that she had to go through that, that the bastard was still alive.
He could kill him. If he even got close to her again, he would kill him, anything else be damned. She didnāt deserve to have to live in fear, she didnāt deserve to have any of that happen to her in the first place.
āI cannot apologise deeply enough that something like that occurred to youā Iāā
He stammered, looking for any words that could be a comfort, butā¦. what could possibly be comforting? The bastard was still out there. He shook his head, stomach turning. He wouldnāt throw up, butā¦ he felt pretty close.
āIf you ever feel as though you are in any danger, or even if you just feel unsafe being alone, please contact me. I do not want you going through this alone, Irida.ā
He put a hand on her shoulder, gentle and watching for any signs of discomfort at the touch.
She could feel fear, sadness, and shame building up inside of her as you spoke, familiar feelings when it came to thisā¦ but the nanosecond you placed your hand on her shoulder, she lost it, she couldnāt hold back, without thinkingā¦ she pulled you into a hug while trying to muffle her gut wrenching sobs
O-Ori..! I-Iāmā¦ s-so scared..! H-He haunts me..! Itā¦ n-never ends..! T-The nightmaresā¦ the phantom f-feelingsā¦ h-his voiceā¦ I-I canāt escape..! A-And nowā¦ I-Iām being stalked too..! B-By a d-damned P-Providenceā¦ that belongs to him..! N-Nothingā¦ is s-safe..!
The moment that Irida began to hug him, made it clear that she was okay with physical contact, Ori pulled her closer, holding her as tightly as she could, forcing himself to purr as loudly as possible in order to hopefully calm her slightly.
"I am so sorry, Irida, I am so sorry... You should not have to go through this. You should not feel so unsafe... I wish there was... something I could do, and if there is..."
He didn't move back at all, letting her decide when she wanted to pull back from the hug. His wings fluttered weakly, moving to drape over her as well. He hated hearing her cry, wished there was something to be done about it, but he felt helplessā there was nothing to be done but support Irida through this hell.
Unable to find the words, she ends up wrapping her six wings around you as well, the closeness and hearing your purring not only gave her a little semblance of sanity, but also made her cry more, she couldnāt control itā¦ nothing with everything going so horribly for herā¦
I-I justā¦ w-want to be f-free from thisā¦ O-Ori..! Toā¦ l-live like I-I didā¦ b-before the m-memories c-came back..! B-Before the V-Violence layer incident..! A-As Commander-In-Chief..! H-Heā¦ tore m-me apartā¦ b-back thenā¦ a-andā¦ will d-definitely do it a-again..! Withā¦ e-everyone Iā¦ l-loveā¦ as a l-live audience..! H-Heā¦ I-I justā¦
Ori continued to hold her closely, purring louder the more distressed she got, knowing it was usually a sound that grounded those he was near. Tears sprung to his own eyes at her distress, curling closer to her as if he could protect her, somehow.
"It is... incredibly understandable you feel this way, and it may feel like it will be like this forever, but you will heal, Irida. It is painful, and horrible, and you should not have to carry the burden of what he has done, what he is still doing, but you will heal. You will survive, and you will be able to live your life again."
He wasn't sure if his words were comforting in the slightest, rambling as he was, but he was trying, just wanting to provide her some comfort.
So many had told her before the Violence layer incident the very same things, and yetā¦ everything fell apart that dayā¦ she had such a hard time believing those wordsā¦ but hearing your purrs did help her more, she was beginning to relaxā¦ when her entire body seemed to jolt before shuddering uncontrollably, she immediately went to silence her sobs, knowing what that feeling wasā¦
Ori looked startled, looking around for whatever Irida was seeing, whatever was causing her to react so negatively. When he didnāt see anything, his focus went back to her, trying to soothe her by continuing to purr, continuing to hold her close.
āIrida? Iridaā you are okay, you are safeā he is not hereā no one will hurt you hereāā
He kept glancing around, in case there was something he was missing. Something that he would have to fight to keep her safeā he didnāt have his armor or knives, but it didnāt matter. He would fight to protect her, if it came to that. She wouldn't be hurt by him again.
She tried listening to your words and purrs, tried to allow herself to calm down and not focus on what she was feelingā¦ but the moment her processors began replaying those scenes along with the phantom sensationsā¦ she hugged you even tighter, her muffled sobs becoming louder as things got so much worseā¦ she needed something, but at this pointā¦ she didnāt even know what it wasā¦
Ori wasnāt sure anything that he said was getting through to her, tamping down his panic and trying to think rationally. What did he use to ground other people? Usually purring, that usually worked, and it had seemed to for a moment, but Irida was still reliving her memoriesā¦ what else could he do but hold her and keep purring?
... Perhaps.... making her processors focus on something else would help? He didn't know, he was just trying things at this point, he hated that she was having to go through this.
A small part of his brain yelled at him at his idea, a part of his brain that wanted him to keep all his blood in his body (which was... strange. Ori never really cared about that beforeā) but he didn't care, moving his mask aside with one hand to bite at his wrist, going back to holding Irida close. Hopefully the blood in her systems would help, but he had no idea.
"You are okay.... you are safe, you are not there...... you are in your home, in Lust, and you are safe, Irida...."
Her body immediately sensed the blood, even through the immense distress she was in, a pop up appeared in her processors, her blood fuel levels had dropped to 30% rather quickly, something that tends to happen when sheās reliving said memories
ā¦O-O-Oriā¦
With a shaky and glitchy voice, she called out your name before instinctively grabbing your wrist and placing it against her ācollarboneā, allowing the blood to seep into her body, slowlyā¦ the shuddering stopped and her ābreathingā began to regulate itself, yet she still held onto you like her life depended on it
Ori continued to hold onto her, purring as loud as he could as he let her take his blood, glad that it seemed to be calming her down. His brain was still yelling about losing blood in the first place, but he continued to think of the good that it was doing Irida, instead of... whatever reason he needed to keep his blood in his body.
"You are safe, Irida, you are here. In Lust, not there, we are both here and you are safeā"
He continued to repeat the same words until she showed signs of calming fully, pulling back slightly just to look her over, make sure she wasn't hurt. He knew that nothing had physically happened, but he still needed to check, for his own sanity.
Her fuel tanks had finally returned to 100%, āexhalingā, she carefully moved your wrist back, making sure to use gentle heat to close the wound, something she discovered worked on beings imbued with Hell energy, ālookingā at you, she hummed softly
ā¦I-I didnāt know thatā¦ m-my fuel tanks were thatā¦ l-low on bloodā¦ O-Oriā¦ andā¦ s-sorry for freaking outā¦ l-like thatā¦ I-I hate itā¦ when others have toā¦ s-see me inā¦ such a-a stateā¦
Ori shrugged, continuing to stay close to her just in case something else happened, but letting go in general, still looking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. He just wanted to make sure that she was... as okay as she could be, in this scenario.
"It is okay, there is no need to apologize. I am glad that your tanks are closer to full now, and I am glad that I could help you in any wayā there is no need to feel ashamed for your reactions to what has happened in your past."
He kept his voice evenā he truly wasn't judging Irida for what happened, and he wanted to make sure that she knew that, wings fluttering slightly. He wanted to help her, and wanted to continue to help her in the future.
"Are you comfortable here? Would you rather move somewhere else?"
ā¦I-Iām fine hereā¦ i-itās the best place for me to beā¦ a-at least for nowā¦ I-I justā¦
Her six wings move to shield her body once more, you can sense the shame emanating off of her in that moment, so much had happened since youād last seen herā¦ and it was easy to tell just how unstable she had become
ā¦O-Oriā¦ thank you forā¦ g-giving me bloodā¦ I-Iā¦ know how intense my processors can beā¦ w-when Iāmā¦ so lowā¦ a-are you doing ok..? Nothing hurts..? P-Please do tell meā¦ I-I owe you for this..!
Ori feltā¦ probably as okay as he could be. Irida was more important in the moment than he was, anything that he was going through was small in comparison. The wound was healed over where he gave Irida his blood, and that meant he was perfectly fine.
āI am fineā are your tanks full? Do you need anything else?ā
He, admittedly, feltā¦ not very great. A bit lightheaded from the blood loss, which was strange considering how often he gave his blood to his own partners. Butā¦ he hadnāt done so since before Lust fell, so he supposed he wasnāt used to it anymore. That, and the ever-present nausea he couldnāt seem to shake, no matter how calm he was.
She didnāt answer, instead, she brought her left hand up and nearly placed it against your forehead before a soft green light formed, her six wings fluttering slightly as she seemed to concentrate, the light enveloping your entire body
Donāt move, Oriā¦ andā¦ just relax to the best of your abilityā¦ ok..? This wonāt hurt youā¦ I promiseā¦
Ori was not very good at relaxing, tensing up instead as his wings flicked around, and his tail thumped a few times. He started to stammer a question to Irida, namely what was she doingā
Butā¦
He felt. Better.
Not perfect, no. There was still thatā¦ weirdness about how he had been feeling. But he no longer felt nauseous, and like he was one wrong move from passing out.
He feltā¦ odd. But better.
āā¦Thank you, Irida. Iā¦ did not realize how ill I was feeling.ā
She tilted her āheadā to the side and āsmiledā slightly, trying to lighten the mood, even though her processors were trying to make things worse, again, she wouldnāt give in
Itāsā¦ a hidden healing ability us Mindflayers have, Oriā¦ I wanted to repay youā¦ is everything else alright..? Iām always willing to listen, you knowā¦ especially after you heard me out like thisā¦!
Ori sighed slightly, glancing away. Heā¦ didnāt want anyone to worry. He was fine.
But he still felt nauseous the longer he thought about anything that had happened, whenever he thought about the fall, about Minosā death, about being coddled by his partners because of how he was potentiallyā¦
He was fine.
He was fine.
āI amā¦ fine. I have been busy, and have not beenā¦ travelling around much, mostly staying in Lust, Greed, and my partnersā version of Wrath. They coddle me intensely, so I have beenā¦ wandering.ā
Wandering wasā¦ a word for it. Pacing through the floor of the cabin until he had to make a break for it to walk around the anywhere he could think of in a bid to not rest was another way to put it.
I seeā¦ being coddled so intenselyā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how suffocating that must be for youā¦
She had a feeling as to why your partners were doing such a thing, although just a hunch, she wouldnāt be surprised if you truly were carrying a new life withinā¦ but it wasnāt her place to pry, nor call for Airmed to check, not to mention the whole āFall of Lustā thing in your universeā¦
Ori, has wandering through Lust and Greed been of any help to you by chance..? Because, and please take no offense at this, it seems like youāre still stuck in your mindā¦ I can sense your stress and anxietyā¦ is there anything I can doā¦ to help ease your mind..?
āIt is suffocating and infuriating, especially considering they are doing so in error. Hence why I go out walking, toā¦ let myself breathe.ā
But Ori feltā¦ slightly caught. It felt as though Irida could see through all hisā¦ ignoring of his own problems, pushing everything deep down in hopes that he wouldnāt have to acknowledge any of how he was feeling. Because wandering around had not made him feel any better, it just made him more exhausted, and gave him something else to focus on other thanā
Minosā head rollingā
He felt sick again. It was nice to not feel sick while it lasted, he supposed, wings twitching in discomfort as he sighed.
āItā Iā It gives my brain something to do. To focus on, instead ofā¦ other recent events. And by the time I get home once more, I am exhausted enough that I can attempt sleep, if I otherwise feelā¦ okay. But I amā¦ okay. Surviving, I suppose.ā
Heā¦ didnāt think that was probably comforting to Irida, but it was all he had. He justā¦ didnāt think about it. Any of it.
She put her left hand beneath her āchinā and began to think over everything you said to her, things were starting to connect, and she didnāt like what you were doing to distract yourselfā¦ āsighingā, she shakily got up and beckoned for you to follow her
Ori, please follow me, Iāmā¦ getting a strange feeling andā¦ want to help you relax a bitā¦ I know accepting help from others isnāt something you enjoy butā¦ trust me on this, ok..?
Ori lookedā¦ doubtful, but stood as well, stretching while trying to hold up his wings so they werenāt dragging on the floor as he followed Irida, only being moderately successful. He wasā¦ fine, as relaxed as he probably could be.
āI am fine, Iridaā¦. I am relaxed I promise.ā
Yet he still followed her, his natural curiosity winning out over his exhaustion and general stubbornness.
She responded while floating just a foot in front of you, soon the scenery changed and a familiar heart shaped pool came into view, āexhalingā softly, she floated down into the water then turned to face you
Come on in, Ori, I had Airmed turn up the temperature in the water, itās warm and comfortable in hereā¦ please, trust me, ok..? I promise youāll enjoy this..!
Ori looked at the pool, sighing softly as Irida talked. Heā¦ did love water. Although he couldnāt breathe underwater like some angels, he still loved being in it, and especiallyā¦ if it was warmā¦ it would probably soothe how achy he felt recently.
āā¦Okay. Okay.ā
He shyly took off his clothes, leaving him in his undergarments, wings and tail wrapping around him to hide how bloated he looked as he tentatively got into the pool, relaxing visibly the second he sat down. His wings and tail relaxed as well, falling back to their normal places.
Isnāt it? I can see how much youāre relaxing now too..!
She āsmilesā and swims over to join you, resting her six cabled wings on the surface of the water and she āexhalesā, feeling a lot of her pain and anxiety melt away, this definitely needed to be done more often
I should probably do this more tooā¦ oh and donāt worry, Ori, Iām immune to water, so you wonāt get electrocuted by me being in here, I promise..!
Ori laughed slightly, letting his head hang back as his eyes closed under the mask, moving to lazily take it off and put it to the side, wings fluttering around his head. This was so much better than anxiety and pain and nausea. It was all still buzzing in the back of his brain, but it feltā¦ a little better. A little less prominent.
āI was not even concerned with the thought of you electrocuting me, Irida. There are bigger thoughts in my head than that.ā
Plusā he had two machines as partners that he regularly went in water with. He just assumed that Irida would be the same way.
Heh, well thatās good to knowā¦ often times I need to tell a lot of beings that, so they arenāt afraidā¦
While resting in the water beside you, her six wings rise up and take on an odd stance, almost like their regular positions when sheās idleā¦ you can see them sparkling with a holy white light as they dry
Gotta say, Ori, seeing you without your mask onā¦ itās strange butā¦ your face is very charming to observeā¦ oh, donāt take this as me flirtingā¦ Iām just stating what I seeā¦
I wouldnāt dare allow myself to find a partnerā¦ not after everythingā¦ my heart and bodyā¦ shall never be toyed with againā¦
Ori continues to melt into the water, beginning to purr the further he relaxed, resting one of his arms on the ledge of the pool as the other one played absently with the top of the water. He cracked his eyes open to glance at Iridaā he was much more expressive than the mask usually suggested.
āYou flatter meāā
The wings around his head went pink, even as he laughed. The water was clearly doing him a whole lot of good.
āI know you are not flirtingā trust me, and I mean no offense saying this, but you are not exactly myā¦ type, Irida.ā
He grinned, knowing sheād know exactly what he meant by that. He didnāt reallyā¦ swing that way much at all.
Haha! I can tell, no offense, but you donāt seem like the type to be interested in women!
She couldnāt help but ālaughā and jab back, as if the obvious pregnancy bulge wasnāt a dead giveaway for her already, she practically knew from the day she first met you, some say she has a built in Gaydar
Iām glad youāre feeling much more relaxed now, Oriā¦ this was a gamble, but it was one I was willing to takeā¦ especially sinceā¦ wellā¦ I hope this doesnāt sound weird butā¦ I kinda see you as a brotherly figure..!
The wings around Ori's head fluttered as he laughed, shaking his head as his eyes squinted shut. He was in a much better mood than he was before, continuing to purr as he looked back up at Irida. He... was expecting to feel self-consciousā he had felt self-conscious when he first got in the water, that Irida could see how bloated he was, but he was just... so much more relaxed now.
"It does not sound weird. I... did not have any siblings in Heaven... you are the first sister I have had..."
He purred louder as he continued to talk, even as the wings around his head curled shyly around his face, used to having his mask on during any moments of vulnerability, as few as there were.
Thatā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how lonely such a thing was for youā¦ not having any family isā¦ it just feels horribleā¦ no, itās just horrible in generalā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, remembering how things were like for her after being released from captivity before raising the Lust layer armies, taking a ābreathā, she ālooksā back at you
Waitā¦ you really donāt mind? Andā¦ you see me as a sister..? Thatā¦ Ori..! Thank you so much..! It truly means a lot to hear such a thing, especially from you!
Ori shrugged slightly, looking away as he sank further into the water, shy and not... used to talking about any of his time in Heaven. His wings continued to twitch and flutter, curling around his head.
"It was not... too horrible... I was not entirely alone, I trained Heaven's armies so I was... constantly surrounded by other angels. Plus I..."
His voice had taken on something softer, going quiet as he... tried to figure out how to phrase what he was going to say. Or rather, to try and figure out what he was even going to say here. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Well... I had Haamiah, he was a... young blacksmith who looked up to me... and...... Gabriel... and that was enough for me."
He smiled at Irida, though it was a little weak and wobbly. He... didn't talk about Heaven for a reasonāĀ it always brought back not so good memories... but that was what Hell was for, he supposed. Making better memories then when he was in Heaven.
"Of course I see you as my sister, that is a... given, in my mind. And I will protect you as such."
I seeā¦ so you helped in training Heavenās armies, I must say thatās- wait a secā¦ thatās just like me, how I took the reins and trained the Lust layer armies..!
She understood everything you said to her, taking it all into account, but she couldnāt help connecting your job in Heaven with what she does in Lust, even if the comparison wasnāt the best, it gave her a sense of familiarity
Oriā¦ thank you, so much for saying that..! It really does mean more than you thinkā¦ to know that someone someone like you is willing to be there for me, andā¦ sees me as his sister..!
Ori grinned, glancing back up at Irida. They truly were incredibly similar, he had never sparred with her but he bet sheād be an excellent sparring partner.
āWe are incredibly similarā¦ I suppose it is just more merit as to you being my sister, I bet you would be fun to spar withā¦ā
He hadnāt sparred anyone inā¦ quite some time, and he missed it desperately, even though he had spent most of the past monthā¦ fightingā¦ in his own universeā¦
Perhaps it would be better to wait to spar, especially with this strange sickness he was dealing with.
Oh? A spar between you and me? Now THAT would be a lot of fun! Iāve always wondered how youād fare against my speed and powersā¦ and how Iād fare against your battle prowess!
She couldnāt help but āsmileā back, thinking about the time she sparred with Sisyphus and just how much fun it was, however, she had yet to spar with an angel of any kind, which is what excited her a lot
Though, letās wait on that, Ori, something tells me you need a good amount of time to restā¦ doing things that are pretty extreme wouldnāt be the best idea, at least not until everything is solved, yāknow?
Ori continued purring, content and excited by the idea of sparring with Irida. He truly was itching for a sparā he'd spar with her now except he would... most likely lose. Though, he was incredibly resilient, he wanted to be at his best when they sparred for the first time.
"I am much faster than I look with the armor on, I used to not be allowed my wings in spars because of it! I think your speed and powers would be incredibly fun to fight against..."
He, admittedly, was already brainstorming ideas to use against Irida in combatā it was what he was made for, and a comfort to return to that idea once more.
"I could... probably still spar now, I have been fighting regularly even while ill, but you deserve me at my best. Though I am... not the best at resting."
I donāt doubt that one bit! Despite my appearance, Iām able to reach Mach 5 speeds with ease, something that I take great pride in, along with my knowledge of how the battlefield works. Iām not a Greater Blood War Machine for no reason after all!
She couldnāt help but boast a bit while also complimenting you, it was practically coded into her to be very respectful of opponents who she deemed to be stronger than her, but that coding seemed to be added a few months ago
Well, if you think a spar would be worthwhile, Ori, then we can, although I do agree that fighting you at your best would be much more exhilarating! Then again, itās all up to you!
Ori wasn't surprised that Irida was fast in all honestlyā other Mindflayers he had sparred with in the past were always quick, though perhaps not as quick as Irida herself was. She'd be such an interesting sparring partner.... but he should fight her at his best....
He groaned, sinking under the water dramatically. He didn't want to rest, he wanted to fight. It was more interesting than resting through whatever was wrong with him. He popped his head back above the water, flicking his wings out to shake off the water.
"I am... admittedly torn. A spar sounds incredibly fun, but I know I am not at my best, and you deserve that... but I would quite enjoy a spar..."
He also didn't have any of his weapons, but he could and did regularly fight without them, his knuckles and arms were still slightly scarred over from where Virtue glass had embedded there and his healing hadn't fully removed it.
Hmmā¦ maybe thereās a way to compromise? Cause I can definitely tell that you wanna have fun and not restā¦ something I understand fully..!
She tilts her āheadā to the side slightly and begins to think, what other options were there for you that didnāt include pushing yourself too farā¦ thatās when she remembered something that might work
Oh! What about the training grounds right outside my lair, Ori? Sure itās not sparring in the traditional sense, but I can get a sense of how you fight! How does that sound? Though before we do any of thatā¦ letās remove the glass in your skin, ok?
Ori visibly perked up when Irida suggested the training grounds, even his wings beginning to flutter. He had truly missed lighthearted, training combat with someone he was close to. His tail began to flick underwater as well.
āThat sounds like an excellent ideaā!ā
He pushed himself up onto the edge of the pool, stretching out after getting there, including rolling out his knee. The warm water really had done everything good.
āThe glass isā¦ not much of a bother, my body will absorb it eventually. Unfortunately without my knives I amā¦ only really left with my hands and my hell energy to fight.ā
So, youāre really up for it, eh? Heh, fine by me! Iāve been meaning to do a bit of training now that I think about it!
Sheās plunges herself into the water then bolts out not even 10 seconds later, her six cabled wings flutter to dry off as she floats back down next to you, an air of confidence and excitement surrounding her the whole time
Thatās not a problem Ori! I mainly use my speed and electricity, but I can dial it back to just speed and close combat if youād like, make it more fair, yāknow?
Ori grabbed a towel nearby to dry off more fully, before slipping the cloths that he had been wearing back on. It wasā¦. flowy, more than you would probably want for combat, but he didnāt seem concerned or phased, equally as confident.
āProbably best to not use your electricity, I will not use any of my energy eitherā not that I use it very often, anyways.ā
He grabbed his mask from where it was sitting on the side of the pool, hooking it to a piece of fabric near his waist, choosing to leave it off instead of putting it back on. He grinned at Irida as his wings fluttered.
Sounds good to me! At least this way weāll be on equal grounds, no room for unfair attacks or anything! Heh! Oh this is gonna be fun!
She floats up a bit and stretches her body, wings fully dry, her heating and cooling systems turned on to dry off everything else before she zips over to a nearby open door, āsmilingā
Over here, Ori! The training grounds are just outside this corridor! Iām sure youāll find everything it has to offer very interesting! Ah, and youāve got Minerva to thank for setting it up to begin with! Hehe!
Ori followed behind Irida happily, wings fully held up and no longer droopy. He rolled out his wrists as he walked, equally as excited as she wasā he just hoped he wouldn't fall ill for any reason during their fight.
"I am quite excitedā please give my thanks to Minerva in advanceā"
He continued through the corridor, stepping outside with Irida into the training grounds, feeling a bit more relaxed stepping out into them. It... almost reminded him of the ones in Lust, the ones he spent so much time in. He wandered around, looking at all the details.
Oh, sheāll definitely hear about this! Donāt worry! Minerva takes great pride in having built such a place, so knowing that itās being used so much makes her very happy!
She zips over to the main portion of the training grounds, the concrete there looked dented and had some obvious signs of recent activity, which only made the area look so much more interesting
Oh right, apologies for the impact dents you see here, Oriā¦ they were caused by uhā¦ I recent spar I had with Sisyphusā¦ it was a lot of fun though! Anywaysā¦ ready when you are!
Ori smiled at the impact cratersāĀ he could see how a spar with Sisyphus would cause those. Sisyphus would also be fun to spar with, Ori sparred with his universes version often.... No, he had to focus. He shook out his wings, glancing over at Irida as he rolled out his wrists again, cracking his knuckles absently. He didn't get into a visibly defensive or offensive stance, just... waiting for her to make the first move.
"I am ready, Irida."
He was grinning, visibly excited. He never made the first move in a spar, especially against an opponent whose fighting style was unknown to him. A leftover habit from his angelic days, he supposed.
āSmilingā with confidence, she zips up into the sky at surprising speeds, āeyeingā you from her position, she darts around in a strange pattern before diving back down and grabbing ahold of your shoulders while still flying fast
Ori let himself be carried up into the air, not thrashing or panicking with the airtime, keeping his wings tucked in tight to his back. He gently grappled with Irida while in the air, laughing as he tried to push her hands off his shoulders, gauging how hard she'd go during a spar. He didn't really land any solid hits, not wanting to hurt her in the slightest with any of his actions.
Eventually, he pushed her hands off of one of his shoulders, which was enough to fling his wings out and catch the air, slowing them down though not as much as he was expecting. He pried her other hand off his shoulder, and let himself fall into a straight dive towards the ground.
"Better catch up if you want to land any good hits!"
He was laughing the entire time he fell, wings tucked tight to his back.
She immediately regained her composure and dove after you at surprising speeds, upon being within three inches of you, she kicks your legs from beneath you before bringing you back up into the sky, now moving at Mach 5 speeds, easily reaching the highest points of of Lust
You wanna dive bomb that badly, eh, Ori? Fine by me! Letās do this! Hahaha!
Ori let himself be grabbed once more, not stumbling as much as he could of when his legs were knocked out from underneath him, wings once again tucked to his back. It was hard for him to do much once he was grabbed, but he still fought back loosely, giggling as he wrapped a leg around hers to throw off their balance in the air, freeing himself and letting his wings keep himself at the same level.
"Come on, Iridaā hit me!"
He swooped in close to her, not actually landing a hit but knocking into her shoulder to jostle her in the air before continuing to fly, wanting her to hit him first. He laughed as he continued to fly away, quickly working up speed as he dived and swooped evasively.
"Come and catch meā!"
His voice was singsong and teasing as he flew, knowing Irida would catch up.
Oh? You wanna play that badly, huh? Alright! Donāt blame me for any of this!
āSmilingā, she dove after you once again, but this time instead of grabbing you to bring you back up in the sky, she grabs your right shoulder, spins you onto your back, and pushes you onto the ground, remembering to be careful, she holds you down and locks both of your legs with one of hers, all six wings fluttering
Think you can get outta this one, Ori? Iām trying not to hit you TOO hard, but if thatās what you wantā¦ Iāll gladly do it!
Ori moved quickly, grappling to roll them both back over, freeing his legs up quickly. It was a move that took much more energy than he wanted it to, considering Irida had him at a full standstill, and he had no momentum, but he still managed it. He quickly got back to his feet, wings tucked to his back as he darted back at her.
"I can take it! Do not worry about hurting me!"
He got close enough to land a light hit on Irida's side, ducking under her to get behind her in the hopes that it would disorient her enough that he could sweep her legs out.
She couldnāt help but laugh at your attempt to disorient her, now having been given permission to hit harder, she took to the skies once more, dove down at you full speed, practically picked you up with ease, and hurdled into a nearby wall, only to bolt upwards with you still in her grasp and toss you down to the ground, making sure that youād land on your back
Ori landed on the ground hard, the air rushing out of his lungs even as he continued to laugh, the sound more of a wheeze than anything else. He was not disoriented for very long, though. He got himself back up, taking off into the sky and aiming directly for Irida's legs, tackling her down to the ground with a few hits to her shoulders and arms, avoiding anything critical.
When it looked like she was going to attack back, he took to the skies again, diving at her at full speed to pick her up instead, the same way she had been doing to him.
"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of this move?"
He laughed, before diving back towards the ground, keeping his hold tight on Irida.
HERE AND NOW AND THENāāāāāāāāāāāCLOSED RP EVENT
AND HERE WE GO. First time running an event, this is kinda like a test for myself to see if I can handle running something of this size
Also to show some world lore for my Gabriel-
Without further ado, I am pleased to showcase āHere and Now and Thenā
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
*Gabriel had invited you all to a hidden treasure room deep in Treachery. A huge area with dozens with beautiful items on display*
*A sword made of flames that had once belonged to the gate guardian of Eden, a shield that seemed to break time and space as it danced around itself and seemed to infinitely bend in on itself, a golden egg with pure light inside it, along with many other such treasures.*
Do feel free to wander a bit, but there are 2 rules I will hold firm on:
Do not touch or move anything, and under no circumstances should you get too close to that
*he points at the center of the room, there sat sat a simple golden sphere on a velvet cushion, encased in glass and chains made of light.*
That is what the elders called āThe tesseract.ā Itās a highly unstable little thing. Or at least it was back in the elders of heavens dayā¦best not to touch it
Even I do not dare touch it.
Any questions with any of the artifacts I am happy to answer!
*Cassiel didn't have time to dodge any of the attacks, coughing some blood at the injuries he got. Yet when he saw Bezaliel protect him, and V1 get enraged, he knew he couldn't give up. He got up and placed a hand in his brother's shoulder before materializing a star-like spear from stardust.*
āLet's do this, brother..ā
*He says and launches into the air again, camouflaging even if the star was very bright, he took the spear with both hands and murmured something in Latin before launching the spear, soon, more spears materialized and followed that one, creating a rain of spears.*
*Somehow bee had managed to get close to the bottom of the heart without the judge noticing, and by some miracle had managed to grab their tesseract without them realizing. This close they could hear them mumbling something*
Fucking invadersā¦right in the middle of humans coming hereā¦letās bug the new girl thatāll go over wellā¦ļæ¼
*she does not seem happyā¦*
*The judge is in the sky again, seemingly unaware that sheās missing something very important. When Cassiels barrage of spears come down sheās able to dodge some but not enough to be unaffected. Some hit in between her amour and made her nearly stumble out of the sky*
FUCK.
LUCKY ASS CROW.
*Hearing that Bartzabel and Bezaliel were planning something, the judge decided to attack first. They had barely stabilized in the air and they were already started hurling themself at Bezaliel*
*unfortunately for the judge one of Cassiels spears hit her square in the head, making the judge more kick Bezaliel to the ground and land feet first on top of him*
ā¦this works to.
ALRIGHT FUCKERS LISTEN UP. ALL OF YOU NEED TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BE KILLING THIS GUY.
*she summons her spear back to her hand, pointing the tip at Bezalielās throat*
Bezaliel struggled to move, even though this new Judge of Hell was not Gabriel, she still packed as much of a punch as the aforementioned Archangelā¦ something told him that they were somehow connected, but he didnāt want to jump to conclusions just yetā¦
āBEZALIEL!! YOU FUCKING DUMBASS!! GET UP!! NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE STARING DEATH IN THE FUCKING FACE!!ā
Bartzabelās voice was as clear as ever, yet there was somethingā¦ strangeā¦ the Supreme Angel just stared at the spear in the other angelās handā¦ the tip of it threatening to stab the vertical eye on his throatā¦ he could hear his heart in his headā¦ time slowingā¦ whatā¦ was he even fighting for now..?
āā¦Go aheadā¦ I have lived long enoughā¦ seen more than you can possibly imagineā¦ā
The words just spilled out of his mouth, he had no control over what he was sayingā¦ was heā¦ really this tired of everything..?
āCROW ANGEL!! GET IT TOGETHER!! YOU ARENāT DYING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS!! ESPECIALLY THE FUCKING FUTURE!!ā
Bezaliel ignored Bartzabel and deliberately leaned forward, allowing the tip of the spear to nearly break his skin, to come so close to piercing that vertical eye on his throatā¦ his senses were goneā¦ he was acting on autopilotā¦
āā¦I am but a Watcher after allā¦ is it not best to snuff out my lifeā¦ here and now..? Well..? What are you waiting for..? Judge of Hell..? Do itā¦ I will not fight backā¦ā
Ori had been tracking Bee the entire way over to the Tesseract, making sure they got there without any interruption, ready to cover them if needed. He was incredibly pleased with how easy it was to grab for them, but his hand continued to hover by his knives, incredibly uneasy at the turn that the confrontation had taken.
What was Bezaliel doing?
Was he really just going to... lay down and die? What the hell was he saying?
"Get up, Bezaliel..."
His voice was quiet, really only himself and V1 being able to hear it, but he held his position despite his mounting anxieties, picking at the handle of his knife. This was not his fight, not yet.
*Cassiel looked at what Bezaliel was doing and approached, running to the Judge, yet.. he seemed to froze when he heard what Bezaliel was saying, did he really think there was nothing left to live for?.. Did he not care about him?...*
ā..Bez..?ā
*He felt tears forming in his eyes.. fuck, this wasn't a good time to be like this..*
*The judge pauses, spear just barely touching Bezalielās throat. Bartzabels yells stopping her for now*
Crow angelā¦?
*she spins her spear around to the rounded side and used it to push away Bezalielās mask, trying to see if what she thought was true*
*pushing away the mask, she freezes up. Wings fluffing out and body going ridged.*
WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT.
UNCLE BEZALIEL?!
I thoughtā¦youāre supposed to be inā¦what in theā¦
*she got off of Bezaliel and put her spear away, very quickly getting Bezaliel on his feet. She seemed to be both extremely shocked and massively confused*
Wait wait waitā¦
*She spins around, getting a good look at everyone in the room, seemingly recognizing everyone now that she has a chance to properly look at them*
WHY ARE ALL OF YOU HERE!?
You were supposed to be with my dad I thoughtā¦is this some kind of fucked up test?! Does my dad STILL not trust me?!
I swear to fuckā¦this is NOT the time for this.
*she takes off her helm, sheās a young angel. Still old in human terms but clearly sheās less than 2,000 years old. White curly hail falling down her back, 11 eyes scanning the room, some of them even look like cameras instead of eyes, the wings on her head drooping in pure shock*
Bezaliel froze upon not only being called āuncleā but hearing the voice of The Judge andā¦ seeing her true visage under the helmetā¦ he swore he was going absolutely insaneā¦
āā¦E-Eden..? Is that you..? My child..?ā
Stumbling to his feet, the Supreme Angel ignored her other questions, his body shaking, heā¦ without a second thought he rushed forwards and embraced the Angel-Machine hybrid gently, trying his best to hold back tears while also making sure to not use his left arm, the entire time, Bartzabel remained uncharacteristically quiet
āā¦I am so sorryā¦ for not recognizing you sooner..! Is everything alright..? I know you cannot speak muchā¦ lest you cause a time paradoxā¦ but at least calm my nervesā¦ ok..?ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings wrapped around The Judge as he tried so hard to hold it together, something deep down was screaming at him to not let her goā¦ even if he belonged in the presentā¦
āā¦I missed you so muchā¦ Edenā¦ I truly didā¦ are V and Lapith doing good too..? You do not have to say muchā¦ I just want to knowā¦ā
Ori was... not entirely sure as to what was actually happening. But Bezaliel was back off the ground and not trying to die anymore, which was... good. Definitely better than he was before, at least.
He glanced over towards Bee for a brief moment, making sure that their position wasn't compromised, staying put in order to protect V1, though the threat seemed entirely gone at this point. Still, he kept a hand on his knife, just in case things went... south again.
Ori was lost, but hopefully not fighting this stranger meant that Bee would get the tesseract under control, and they could all go back to their proper timeline.
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Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
āā¦I cannot disagree with you there, my friendā¦ after everything all of us have been through, Bartzabel becoming a reality should not be that surprisingā¦ but I will admit that when I first heard his voiceā¦ it felt like my head was going to split openā¦ā
Bezaliel glanced over at Bartzabel again who crossed his arms before looking back at the fallen angel, his demeanor still as calm as ever, the Supreme Angel had yet to show any signs of being upset or in distress over something
āI CAN TELL THAT YOUāRE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW I FORMED WITH FULL ARMOR, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THAT IāM A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THIS CROW ANGELāS NEGATIVE EMOTIONSā¦ IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT IāD BE READY FOR COMBAT AT ALL TIMES.ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings drooped slightly to show his annoyance at what Bartzabel had said but regained his composure very quickly, not wanting the fallen angel to think that he was at odds with his other self
āā¦There is not an hour that goes by when Bartzabel is ready to fight, Oriā¦ just keeping him contained within my shadow is a chore in of itselfā¦ but I have learned to live with his insanityā¦ā
One of Ori's wings twitched around his head, and he continued to squint at Bartzabel, though it really just looked like a slight tilt of the head. He was incredibly curious about the armor situation, nodding slightly at Bartzabel's explanation.
"I do suppose that makes sense... Being ready to fight is always a good thing, you need to make sure you are on guard at all times."
Ori certainly wasā he had to be ready to fight at all times, in order to protect himself and anyone else around him. He was always incredibly alert because of it (at least... when he wasn't falling asleep in alleyways...). He looked between Bezaliel and Bartzabel, wings stretching out once more as he shifted in place.
"It would be interesting to spar with you both... I believe it would be quite fun."
āEXACTLY! PLUS, CONSIDERING THAT THIS DUMBASS WOULD RATHER WATCH FROM THE SHADOWS BEFORE MAKING A MOVEā¦ I MIGHT AS WELL BE MORE PREPARED, RIGHT?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but facepalm at what Bartzabel said about him, itā¦ wasnāt a lieā¦ but he hated being called out like that, especially by his own shadowā¦ his other selfā¦
āā¦Watch it, Bartzabelā¦ you are well aware of what I was created to doā¦ those duties are still very much ingrained into my entire beingā¦ even to this dayā¦ā
Exhaling, the Supreme Angel turned his attention back to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side slightly, he wasnāt expecting a spar offer, but it wasnāt like heād deny itā¦
āā¦You wish to spar with both me and Bartzabel..? Iā¦ was not expecting such an offerā¦ Ori, my friendā¦ the last time I had a proper spar was back when The Watchers were still holyā¦ everything after thatā¦ they have been nothing but fights beyond my controlā¦ā
Ori's wings continued to flutter around his head happily, especially considering that Bezaliel didn't seem opposed to the idea of the spar, even if Ori himself was pregnant. He could still handle himself quite well, and had been for monthsā he could handle a spar no doubt.
"It is a shame that it has been so long since you have had a spar, but it is something that can be remedied..."
Ori glanced between him and Bartzabel, the offer clear. He... believed that they had similar fighting styles, yet with some notable differences, but he hadn't really been... paying attention when he last saw Bartzabel, admittedly. Ori had been pretty sure during the whole... tesseract debacle that by that point, he was just... hallucinating Bartzabel's presence. It was nice to know he wasn't, at least.
"Your fighting styles have their similarities and differencesā My confidence says I could take you both, it wouldn't be the first time I have sparred against multiple opponents."
āā¦It truly is, old friendā¦ but considering how feared I wasā¦ such things only make senseā¦ā
Bezaliel glances down a bit, seemingly thinking back on all the time he missed, the days where he truly couldāve been sparring and enjoying lifeā¦ but noā¦ most of what he knew was either solitude, captivity, or fights not started by himselfā¦
āHAVING A SPAR WITH BOTH OF US IS QUITE DARING! BUT IāM ALL FOR IT! CāMON! WE NEED TO GO FIND A PLACE TO DO THIS RIGHT!ā
The Supreme Angel couldnāt help but smile a bit at Bartzabelās enthusiasm, sighing, he turned to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side, truth be toldā¦ he wasnāt very familiar with places in Lust
āā¦Well, Ori..? Do you happen to know of any open grounds nearby where we can spar..? Preferably away from buildings..? I want to see just how similar our styles truly areā¦ and have fun for onceā¦ā
Ori nodded, stretching his wings and back out first, wincing slightly when his own moment caused the little one inside him to shift around, a hand nearly going to his stomach. He sighed, glancing up at Bezaliel and Barzabel like he had been caught, the wings around his head fluttering shyly.
āThere was aā¦. more centralā¦ training ground, but the further away from the city we can get, the better. It is far, but once you get outside the city, there is a lot of flat, open space.ā
It was far. Incredibly far, considering how large the city of Lustā¦ wasā¦ Ori set off in a set direction down the streets, moving quickly as to avoid the corpse of the King, on incredibly high alert.
āIt is farā the city is large and hard to get out of. But it exists.ā
It was a true shame that the training grounds in the city center, the ones Ori loved so dearly, were now pretty much unusable.
āEASY THERE! DONāT THINK I DONāT ALSO I KNOW ABOUT THE NEW LIFE YOU HOLD WITHIN! HELL, I CAN EVEN SEE THE LITTLE BEAST!ā
Bezaliel turned to face Bartzabel, an air of genuine shock surrounding him, he honestly didnāt expect for his other self to be able to see the unbornā¦ shaking his head, he extended his pitch black wings fully and took to the skies, Bartzabel following
āā¦Apologies for what Bartzabel said, Ori, old friendā¦ I did not expect him to be able to see your unborn childā¦ either way, please do show me the wayā¦ I am eager to see what Lust has to offer in this senseā¦ā
The Supreme Angel instantly caught up to the fallen angel in question, gliding like heād done this a thousand times over, which, in a sense, he hadā¦ as a member of The Watchers, his group was known for surveillance of every realmā¦ reporting back to those on highā¦
āOI! CROW ANGEL! NOW ISNāT THE TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THE WATCHERS! ITāS FUCKED UP AND YOU KNOW IT! PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRESENT!ā
Oriās wings turned pink at Bartzabelās comment, the ones around his head fluttering as he looked away, swooping down slightly even though his face was already hidden by the mask. Heā¦. really wasnāt used to people commenting on his pregnancy yet, he hadnāt talked about it outside of his partners and doctor.
āIt isā it is okay, I am justā a bit flustered, I supposeā I do not really talk about it, especially considering I amā¦ dueā¦ soonāā
A bit flustered would be an understatement. Ori shook his head, doing a few decorative swoops to try and shake off his embarrassment. This was a perfectly reasonable thing to talk about, as much as his brain wanted to shut down all mention of it in some sort of bizarre defensive mechanism.
āThe outskirts of Lust are equally as pretty as the cityā not as commonly mentioned for obvious reasons, though.ā
Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
āā¦I cannot disagree with you there, my friendā¦ after everything all of us have been through, Bartzabel becoming a reality should not be that surprisingā¦ but I will admit that when I first heard his voiceā¦ it felt like my head was going to split openā¦ā
Bezaliel glanced over at Bartzabel again who crossed his arms before looking back at the fallen angel, his demeanor still as calm as ever, the Supreme Angel had yet to show any signs of being upset or in distress over something
āI CAN TELL THAT YOUāRE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW I FORMED WITH FULL ARMOR, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THAT IāM A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THIS CROW ANGELāS NEGATIVE EMOTIONSā¦ IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT IāD BE READY FOR COMBAT AT ALL TIMES.ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings drooped slightly to show his annoyance at what Bartzabel had said but regained his composure very quickly, not wanting the fallen angel to think that he was at odds with his other self
āā¦There is not an hour that goes by when Bartzabel is ready to fight, Oriā¦ just keeping him contained within my shadow is a chore in of itselfā¦ but I have learned to live with his insanityā¦ā
One of Ori's wings twitched around his head, and he continued to squint at Bartzabel, though it really just looked like a slight tilt of the head. He was incredibly curious about the armor situation, nodding slightly at Bartzabel's explanation.
"I do suppose that makes sense... Being ready to fight is always a good thing, you need to make sure you are on guard at all times."
Ori certainly wasā he had to be ready to fight at all times, in order to protect himself and anyone else around him. He was always incredibly alert because of it (at least... when he wasn't falling asleep in alleyways...). He looked between Bezaliel and Bartzabel, wings stretching out once more as he shifted in place.
"It would be interesting to spar with you both... I believe it would be quite fun."
āEXACTLY! PLUS, CONSIDERING THAT THIS DUMBASS WOULD RATHER WATCH FROM THE SHADOWS BEFORE MAKING A MOVEā¦ I MIGHT AS WELL BE MORE PREPARED, RIGHT?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but facepalm at what Bartzabel said about him, itā¦ wasnāt a lieā¦ but he hated being called out like that, especially by his own shadowā¦ his other selfā¦
āā¦Watch it, Bartzabelā¦ you are well aware of what I was created to doā¦ those duties are still very much ingrained into my entire beingā¦ even to this dayā¦ā
Exhaling, the Supreme Angel turned his attention back to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side slightly, he wasnāt expecting a spar offer, but it wasnāt like heād deny itā¦
āā¦You wish to spar with both me and Bartzabel..? Iā¦ was not expecting such an offerā¦ Ori, my friendā¦ the last time I had a proper spar was back when The Watchers were still holyā¦ everything after thatā¦ they have been nothing but fights beyond my controlā¦ā
Ori's wings continued to flutter around his head happily, especially considering that Bezaliel didn't seem opposed to the idea of the spar, even if Ori himself was pregnant. He could still handle himself quite well, and had been for monthsā he could handle a spar no doubt.
"It is a shame that it has been so long since you have had a spar, but it is something that can be remedied..."
Ori glanced between him and Bartzabel, the offer clear. He... believed that they had similar fighting styles, yet with some notable differences, but he hadn't really been... paying attention when he last saw Bartzabel, admittedly. Ori had been pretty sure during the whole... tesseract debacle that by that point, he was just... hallucinating Bartzabel's presence. It was nice to know he wasn't, at least.
"Your fighting styles have their similarities and differencesā My confidence says I could take you both, it wouldn't be the first time I have sparred against multiple opponents."
āā¦It truly is, old friendā¦ but considering how feared I wasā¦ such things only make senseā¦ā
Bezaliel glances down a bit, seemingly thinking back on all the time he missed, the days where he truly couldāve been sparring and enjoying lifeā¦ but noā¦ most of what he knew was either solitude, captivity, or fights not started by himselfā¦
āHAVING A SPAR WITH BOTH OF US IS QUITE DARING! BUT IāM ALL FOR IT! CāMON! WE NEED TO GO FIND A PLACE TO DO THIS RIGHT!ā
The Supreme Angel couldnāt help but smile a bit at Bartzabelās enthusiasm, sighing, he turned to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side, truth be toldā¦ he wasnāt very familiar with places in Lust
āā¦Well, Ori..? Do you happen to know of any open grounds nearby where we can spar..? Preferably away from buildings..? I want to see just how similar our styles truly areā¦ and have fun for onceā¦ā
Ori nodded, stretching his wings and back out first, wincing slightly when his own moment caused the little one inside him to shift around, a hand nearly going to his stomach. He sighed, glancing up at Bezaliel and Barzabel like he had been caught, the wings around his head fluttering shyly.
āThere was aā¦. more centralā¦ training ground, but the further away from the city we can get, the better. It is far, but once you get outside the city, there is a lot of flat, open space.ā
It was far. Incredibly far, considering how large the city of Lustā¦ wasā¦ Ori set off in a set direction down the streets, moving quickly as to avoid the corpse of the King, on incredibly high alert.
āIt is farā the city is large and hard to get out of. But it exists.ā
It was a true shame that the training grounds in the city center, the ones Ori loved so dearly, were now pretty much unusable.
You find yourself back in a certain version of the Lust layer again, things had seemed rather off and you remembered that a certain six winged Mindflayer resided here, the third levelā¦
You decide to go looking for her, only to find her resting in the air, all six wings being used as a hammock of sorts, yet something seemedā¦ offā¦ you could sense itā¦ she wasnāt okā¦
@lust-layer-mindflayer
Oriā¦ understandably didnāt want to be in the Lust layer at all. He wasnāt even really supposed to be leaving the cabin, per orders from both of his partners, but he was going stir crazy not doing something. He wasnāt sure why his feet had taken him to this alternate version of the Lust layer, but he could visit Irida while he was hereā he hadnāt seen her in too long.
He still wasnāt feelingā¦ great. Which was an understatement. Resting was no use, he was exhausted, and felt nauseous most mornings. Days were spent overthinking everything he had done in the past month, making himself so anxious he had to do something, move his body to distract himself.
Plus, he still didnāt have his armor or weapons backā forced to just wear draping fabrics similar to Minos other Lust residents. It wasnāt making his anxiety any better.
āIrida?ā
He spoke quietly, standing far from her in a bid not to spook her by accident.
She was immediately startled awake, nearly falling out of the air before catching herself, balance unstable as all six of her wings instantly moved to shield her body from view, something was definitely wrong
W-Wha?! Ori..?! Fuckā¦ you really scared me thereā¦ sorry for my reaction, I wasnāt expecting to see you back..!
After taking a ābreathā she floated over to you, wings still wrapped around her body, the ends of all six glowing a mix between light green and dark purple, a veryā¦ differentā¦ color combination
Soā¦ what brings you by? I havenāt seen you inā¦ I canāt even remember the last time we saw each otherā¦ is everything alright? No offense, dear, butā¦ you look like a disasterā¦
Ori shrugged slightly, looking at Irida with his head slightly tilted. She looked as thought she was doing as well as he was which was... concerning. He found the energy to hold his wings tightly to his back, a modicum of normal behavior from him, even as feathers drifted to the floor. He still wasn't quite back to preening regularly.
"I just... happened to be in the area. Wandering, I suppose, and I figured I would stop by... it has truly been too long."
He winced slightly when Irida questioned into his well-being, not wanting to really get... too into it. It wasn't necessary for her to worry about himā enough people already were. One of the wings around his head twitched out slightly.
"I am okay... my universe is in a bit of... turmoil, at the moment, but it is nothing not expected. Are you doing well? You seem..."
He trailed off. He wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with her, but it was clear something was wrong.
Right, we havenāt talked sinceā¦ forgive me, I canāt rememberā¦ so much has happened as of late, my memory hasnāt been the bestā¦ andā¦ things are still in turmoil for you, Ori..? Iāmā¦ so sorryā¦ I wish there was something I could do to helpā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, genuinely feeling bad about the fact that everything was going wrong for you, nothing had changedā¦ Yet the nanosecond she heard you ask if she was okā¦ her body began to tremble slightly on instinct
I-Iā¦ ummā¦ itāsā¦ I justā¦ ā¦n-noā¦ Iāmā¦ not ok at allā¦ Iā¦ so much has happenedā¦ n-none of it isā¦ goodā¦ Iā¦
Ori was just... trying not to think about everything in relation to himself. Another reason he was up and wandering around different universesā being stuck in the cabin gave him way too much time to think. If he didn't think about it, it hadn't happened, he hadn't failed, he wasn'tā
He took a deep breath, hands flexing by his sides where he would usually be fiddling with his knives, but... no dice. His wings twitched uncomfortably, clearly unhappy with the lack of armor.
"It is... fine. Okay. It has happened now and there is... nothing to be done."
The words were like pulling teeth, clearly lying. He took a step closer to Irida when she started trembling, being careful not to touch her unless she indicated that that was okay.
"Irida?"
He didn't want to push if she didn't want to talk, but... he wanted to support her if she did want to talk.
Iā¦ understandā¦ letās not bring it up more if it makes you as stressed and uncomfortable as it does, Oriā¦ sorry, for all of thatā¦ you really donāt de-
She paused when you asked if she wanted to talk about what had recently happened, as much as she wished that the trembling wasnāt obviousā¦ it wasā¦ ālookingā around, she āexhaledā shakily, you needed to knowā¦
Iā¦ l-letās go somewhere moreā¦ out of the wayā¦ I donātā¦ f-feel safe explaining everythingā¦ out hereā¦ p-pleaseā¦ follow me toā¦ my roomā¦ o-ok..?
Ori nodded, moving to follow Irida. Whatever had happened clearly wasn't good, and he wished that he had been there to stop whatever had happened... She didn't deserve any of this. Perhaps Minato was rightā perhaps it was a bad idea to block off multiversal travel to his own universe... it meant blocking off people for their safety, but clearly it hadn't worked in the slightest.
"Take your time. Only explain what you wish."
His voice was grounded, looking at her carefully in hopes that his presence was a comfort.
Upon entering her room, she floated over to her bed and sat down, all six wings still shielding her body from viewā¦ the ends glowing a mix between dark blue, dark purple, and blackā¦ sheā¦ needed you to knowā¦
O-Oriā¦ not too long ago, I went down to the first level of the Violence layerā¦ to retrieve the remains of my younger brother figure who was also the Lieutenant of my squadronā¦ Lieutenant Mindflayer āPothosāā¦ the last male Mindflayer in existenceā¦ heā¦ was slaughtered by Mannequins thereā¦ Iā¦ had Archangel Gabriel along with his V1, King Sisyphus, and Lucifer on standby hereā¦ in case things went wrongā¦ so they couldā¦ come save meā¦ a-after Iā¦ found his remainsā¦ someoneā¦ from decades agoā¦ from my pastā¦ decided to make himself knownā¦ a fallen Seraphimā¦ the leader of The Watchersā¦ a complete sadistā¦ his nameā¦ isā¦ Samyazaā¦ heā¦ ordered a Mannequin to puncture one of my fuel tanksā¦ before manifesting himselfā¦ in the darknessā¦ he burned my wings awayā¦ slowlyā¦ while holding me closeā¦ andā¦ threatened to desecrate me once moreā¦ in front of everyoneā¦ heā¦ was the one whoā¦ defiled meā¦ decades agoā¦ once The Final War was overā¦ after I took the plunge into Hellā¦ chose the Lust layerā¦ andā¦ built my bodyā¦ heā¦ held me captive forā¦ half a decadeā¦ and nowā¦ heās back..!
Ori listened, horrified with every word Irida spoke. His wings turned more and more amber as he listened to her words, furious and nauseous that she had to go through that, that the bastard was still alive.
He could kill him. If he even got close to her again, he would kill him, anything else be damned. She didnāt deserve to have to live in fear, she didnāt deserve to have any of that happen to her in the first place.
āI cannot apologise deeply enough that something like that occurred to youā Iāā
He stammered, looking for any words that could be a comfort, butā¦. what could possibly be comforting? The bastard was still out there. He shook his head, stomach turning. He wouldnāt throw up, butā¦ he felt pretty close.
āIf you ever feel as though you are in any danger, or even if you just feel unsafe being alone, please contact me. I do not want you going through this alone, Irida.ā
He put a hand on her shoulder, gentle and watching for any signs of discomfort at the touch.
She could feel fear, sadness, and shame building up inside of her as you spoke, familiar feelings when it came to thisā¦ but the nanosecond you placed your hand on her shoulder, she lost it, she couldnāt hold back, without thinkingā¦ she pulled you into a hug while trying to muffle her gut wrenching sobs
O-Ori..! I-Iāmā¦ s-so scared..! H-He haunts me..! Itā¦ n-never ends..! T-The nightmaresā¦ the phantom f-feelingsā¦ h-his voiceā¦ I-I canāt escape..! A-And nowā¦ I-Iām being stalked too..! B-By a d-damned P-Providenceā¦ that belongs to him..! N-Nothingā¦ is s-safe..!
The moment that Irida began to hug him, made it clear that she was okay with physical contact, Ori pulled her closer, holding her as tightly as she could, forcing himself to purr as loudly as possible in order to hopefully calm her slightly.
"I am so sorry, Irida, I am so sorry... You should not have to go through this. You should not feel so unsafe... I wish there was... something I could do, and if there is..."
He didn't move back at all, letting her decide when she wanted to pull back from the hug. His wings fluttered weakly, moving to drape over her as well. He hated hearing her cry, wished there was something to be done about it, but he felt helplessā there was nothing to be done but support Irida through this hell.
Unable to find the words, she ends up wrapping her six wings around you as well, the closeness and hearing your purring not only gave her a little semblance of sanity, but also made her cry more, she couldnāt control itā¦ nothing with everything going so horribly for herā¦
I-I justā¦ w-want to be f-free from thisā¦ O-Ori..! Toā¦ l-live like I-I didā¦ b-before the m-memories c-came back..! B-Before the V-Violence layer incident..! A-As Commander-In-Chief..! H-Heā¦ tore m-me apartā¦ b-back thenā¦ a-andā¦ will d-definitely do it a-again..! Withā¦ e-everyone Iā¦ l-loveā¦ as a l-live audience..! H-Heā¦ I-I justā¦
Ori continued to hold her closely, purring louder the more distressed she got, knowing it was usually a sound that grounded those he was near. Tears sprung to his own eyes at her distress, curling closer to her as if he could protect her, somehow.
"It is... incredibly understandable you feel this way, and it may feel like it will be like this forever, but you will heal, Irida. It is painful, and horrible, and you should not have to carry the burden of what he has done, what he is still doing, but you will heal. You will survive, and you will be able to live your life again."
He wasn't sure if his words were comforting in the slightest, rambling as he was, but he was trying, just wanting to provide her some comfort.
So many had told her before the Violence layer incident the very same things, and yetā¦ everything fell apart that dayā¦ she had such a hard time believing those wordsā¦ but hearing your purrs did help her more, she was beginning to relaxā¦ when her entire body seemed to jolt before shuddering uncontrollably, she immediately went to silence her sobs, knowing what that feeling wasā¦
Ori looked startled, looking around for whatever Irida was seeing, whatever was causing her to react so negatively. When he didnāt see anything, his focus went back to her, trying to soothe her by continuing to purr, continuing to hold her close.
āIrida? Iridaā you are okay, you are safeā he is not hereā no one will hurt you hereāā
He kept glancing around, in case there was something he was missing. Something that he would have to fight to keep her safeā he didnāt have his armor or knives, but it didnāt matter. He would fight to protect her, if it came to that. She wouldn't be hurt by him again.
She tried listening to your words and purrs, tried to allow herself to calm down and not focus on what she was feelingā¦ but the moment her processors began replaying those scenes along with the phantom sensationsā¦ she hugged you even tighter, her muffled sobs becoming louder as things got so much worseā¦ she needed something, but at this pointā¦ she didnāt even know what it wasā¦
Ori wasnāt sure anything that he said was getting through to her, tamping down his panic and trying to think rationally. What did he use to ground other people? Usually purring, that usually worked, and it had seemed to for a moment, but Irida was still reliving her memoriesā¦ what else could he do but hold her and keep purring?
... Perhaps.... making her processors focus on something else would help? He didn't know, he was just trying things at this point, he hated that she was having to go through this.
A small part of his brain yelled at him at his idea, a part of his brain that wanted him to keep all his blood in his body (which was... strange. Ori never really cared about that beforeā) but he didn't care, moving his mask aside with one hand to bite at his wrist, going back to holding Irida close. Hopefully the blood in her systems would help, but he had no idea.
"You are okay.... you are safe, you are not there...... you are in your home, in Lust, and you are safe, Irida...."
Her body immediately sensed the blood, even through the immense distress she was in, a pop up appeared in her processors, her blood fuel levels had dropped to 30% rather quickly, something that tends to happen when sheās reliving said memories
ā¦O-O-Oriā¦
With a shaky and glitchy voice, she called out your name before instinctively grabbing your wrist and placing it against her ācollarboneā, allowing the blood to seep into her body, slowlyā¦ the shuddering stopped and her ābreathingā began to regulate itself, yet she still held onto you like her life depended on it
Ori continued to hold onto her, purring as loud as he could as he let her take his blood, glad that it seemed to be calming her down. His brain was still yelling about losing blood in the first place, but he continued to think of the good that it was doing Irida, instead of... whatever reason he needed to keep his blood in his body.
"You are safe, Irida, you are here. In Lust, not there, we are both here and you are safeā"
He continued to repeat the same words until she showed signs of calming fully, pulling back slightly just to look her over, make sure she wasn't hurt. He knew that nothing had physically happened, but he still needed to check, for his own sanity.
Her fuel tanks had finally returned to 100%, āexhalingā, she carefully moved your wrist back, making sure to use gentle heat to close the wound, something she discovered worked on beings imbued with Hell energy, ālookingā at you, she hummed softly
ā¦I-I didnāt know thatā¦ m-my fuel tanks were thatā¦ l-low on bloodā¦ O-Oriā¦ andā¦ s-sorry for freaking outā¦ l-like thatā¦ I-I hate itā¦ when others have toā¦ s-see me inā¦ such a-a stateā¦
Ori shrugged, continuing to stay close to her just in case something else happened, but letting go in general, still looking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. He just wanted to make sure that she was... as okay as she could be, in this scenario.
"It is okay, there is no need to apologize. I am glad that your tanks are closer to full now, and I am glad that I could help you in any wayā there is no need to feel ashamed for your reactions to what has happened in your past."
He kept his voice evenā he truly wasn't judging Irida for what happened, and he wanted to make sure that she knew that, wings fluttering slightly. He wanted to help her, and wanted to continue to help her in the future.
"Are you comfortable here? Would you rather move somewhere else?"
ā¦I-Iām fine hereā¦ i-itās the best place for me to beā¦ a-at least for nowā¦ I-I justā¦
Her six wings move to shield her body once more, you can sense the shame emanating off of her in that moment, so much had happened since youād last seen herā¦ and it was easy to tell just how unstable she had become
ā¦O-Oriā¦ thank you forā¦ g-giving me bloodā¦ I-Iā¦ know how intense my processors can beā¦ w-when Iāmā¦ so lowā¦ a-are you doing ok..? Nothing hurts..? P-Please do tell meā¦ I-I owe you for this..!
Ori feltā¦ probably as okay as he could be. Irida was more important in the moment than he was, anything that he was going through was small in comparison. The wound was healed over where he gave Irida his blood, and that meant he was perfectly fine.
āI am fineā are your tanks full? Do you need anything else?ā
He, admittedly, feltā¦ not very great. A bit lightheaded from the blood loss, which was strange considering how often he gave his blood to his own partners. Butā¦ he hadnāt done so since before Lust fell, so he supposed he wasnāt used to it anymore. That, and the ever-present nausea he couldnāt seem to shake, no matter how calm he was.
She didnāt answer, instead, she brought her left hand up and nearly placed it against your forehead before a soft green light formed, her six wings fluttering slightly as she seemed to concentrate, the light enveloping your entire body
Donāt move, Oriā¦ andā¦ just relax to the best of your abilityā¦ ok..? This wonāt hurt youā¦ I promiseā¦
Ori was not very good at relaxing, tensing up instead as his wings flicked around, and his tail thumped a few times. He started to stammer a question to Irida, namely what was she doingā
Butā¦
He felt. Better.
Not perfect, no. There was still thatā¦ weirdness about how he had been feeling. But he no longer felt nauseous, and like he was one wrong move from passing out.
He feltā¦ odd. But better.
āā¦Thank you, Irida. Iā¦ did not realize how ill I was feeling.ā
She tilted her āheadā to the side and āsmiledā slightly, trying to lighten the mood, even though her processors were trying to make things worse, again, she wouldnāt give in
Itāsā¦ a hidden healing ability us Mindflayers have, Oriā¦ I wanted to repay youā¦ is everything else alright..? Iām always willing to listen, you knowā¦ especially after you heard me out like thisā¦!
Ori sighed slightly, glancing away. Heā¦ didnāt want anyone to worry. He was fine.
But he still felt nauseous the longer he thought about anything that had happened, whenever he thought about the fall, about Minosā death, about being coddled by his partners because of how he was potentiallyā¦
He was fine.
He was fine.
āI amā¦ fine. I have been busy, and have not beenā¦ travelling around much, mostly staying in Lust, Greed, and my partnersā version of Wrath. They coddle me intensely, so I have beenā¦ wandering.ā
Wandering wasā¦ a word for it. Pacing through the floor of the cabin until he had to make a break for it to walk around the anywhere he could think of in a bid to not rest was another way to put it.
I seeā¦ being coddled so intenselyā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how suffocating that must be for youā¦
She had a feeling as to why your partners were doing such a thing, although just a hunch, she wouldnāt be surprised if you truly were carrying a new life withinā¦ but it wasnāt her place to pry, nor call for Airmed to check, not to mention the whole āFall of Lustā thing in your universeā¦
Ori, has wandering through Lust and Greed been of any help to you by chance..? Because, and please take no offense at this, it seems like youāre still stuck in your mindā¦ I can sense your stress and anxietyā¦ is there anything I can doā¦ to help ease your mind..?
āIt is suffocating and infuriating, especially considering they are doing so in error. Hence why I go out walking, toā¦ let myself breathe.ā
But Ori feltā¦ slightly caught. It felt as though Irida could see through all hisā¦ ignoring of his own problems, pushing everything deep down in hopes that he wouldnāt have to acknowledge any of how he was feeling. Because wandering around had not made him feel any better, it just made him more exhausted, and gave him something else to focus on other thanā
Minosā head rollingā
He felt sick again. It was nice to not feel sick while it lasted, he supposed, wings twitching in discomfort as he sighed.
āItā Iā It gives my brain something to do. To focus on, instead ofā¦ other recent events. And by the time I get home once more, I am exhausted enough that I can attempt sleep, if I otherwise feelā¦ okay. But I amā¦ okay. Surviving, I suppose.ā
Heā¦ didnāt think that was probably comforting to Irida, but it was all he had. He justā¦ didnāt think about it. Any of it.
She put her left hand beneath her āchinā and began to think over everything you said to her, things were starting to connect, and she didnāt like what you were doing to distract yourselfā¦ āsighingā, she shakily got up and beckoned for you to follow her
Ori, please follow me, Iāmā¦ getting a strange feeling andā¦ want to help you relax a bitā¦ I know accepting help from others isnāt something you enjoy butā¦ trust me on this, ok..?
Ori lookedā¦ doubtful, but stood as well, stretching while trying to hold up his wings so they werenāt dragging on the floor as he followed Irida, only being moderately successful. He wasā¦ fine, as relaxed as he probably could be.
āI am fine, Iridaā¦. I am relaxed I promise.ā
Yet he still followed her, his natural curiosity winning out over his exhaustion and general stubbornness.
She responded while floating just a foot in front of you, soon the scenery changed and a familiar heart shaped pool came into view, āexhalingā softly, she floated down into the water then turned to face you
Come on in, Ori, I had Airmed turn up the temperature in the water, itās warm and comfortable in hereā¦ please, trust me, ok..? I promise youāll enjoy this..!
Ori looked at the pool, sighing softly as Irida talked. Heā¦ did love water. Although he couldnāt breathe underwater like some angels, he still loved being in it, and especiallyā¦ if it was warmā¦ it would probably soothe how achy he felt recently.
āā¦Okay. Okay.ā
He shyly took off his clothes, leaving him in his undergarments, wings and tail wrapping around him to hide how bloated he looked as he tentatively got into the pool, relaxing visibly the second he sat down. His wings and tail relaxed as well, falling back to their normal places.
Isnāt it? I can see how much youāre relaxing now too..!
She āsmilesā and swims over to join you, resting her six cabled wings on the surface of the water and she āexhalesā, feeling a lot of her pain and anxiety melt away, this definitely needed to be done more often
I should probably do this more tooā¦ oh and donāt worry, Ori, Iām immune to water, so you wonāt get electrocuted by me being in here, I promise..!
Ori laughed slightly, letting his head hang back as his eyes closed under the mask, moving to lazily take it off and put it to the side, wings fluttering around his head. This was so much better than anxiety and pain and nausea. It was all still buzzing in the back of his brain, but it feltā¦ a little better. A little less prominent.
āI was not even concerned with the thought of you electrocuting me, Irida. There are bigger thoughts in my head than that.ā
Plusā he had two machines as partners that he regularly went in water with. He just assumed that Irida would be the same way.
Heh, well thatās good to knowā¦ often times I need to tell a lot of beings that, so they arenāt afraidā¦
While resting in the water beside you, her six wings rise up and take on an odd stance, almost like their regular positions when sheās idleā¦ you can see them sparkling with a holy white light as they dry
Gotta say, Ori, seeing you without your mask onā¦ itās strange butā¦ your face is very charming to observeā¦ oh, donāt take this as me flirtingā¦ Iām just stating what I seeā¦
I wouldnāt dare allow myself to find a partnerā¦ not after everythingā¦ my heart and bodyā¦ shall never be toyed with againā¦
Ori continues to melt into the water, beginning to purr the further he relaxed, resting one of his arms on the ledge of the pool as the other one played absently with the top of the water. He cracked his eyes open to glance at Iridaā he was much more expressive than the mask usually suggested.
āYou flatter meāā
The wings around his head went pink, even as he laughed. The water was clearly doing him a whole lot of good.
āI know you are not flirtingā trust me, and I mean no offense saying this, but you are not exactly myā¦ type, Irida.ā
He grinned, knowing sheād know exactly what he meant by that. He didnāt reallyā¦ swing that way much at all.
Haha! I can tell, no offense, but you donāt seem like the type to be interested in women!
She couldnāt help but ālaughā and jab back, as if the obvious pregnancy bulge wasnāt a dead giveaway for her already, she practically knew from the day she first met you, some say she has a built in Gaydar
Iām glad youāre feeling much more relaxed now, Oriā¦ this was a gamble, but it was one I was willing to takeā¦ especially sinceā¦ wellā¦ I hope this doesnāt sound weird butā¦ I kinda see you as a brotherly figure..!
The wings around Ori's head fluttered as he laughed, shaking his head as his eyes squinted shut. He was in a much better mood than he was before, continuing to purr as he looked back up at Irida. He... was expecting to feel self-consciousā he had felt self-conscious when he first got in the water, that Irida could see how bloated he was, but he was just... so much more relaxed now.
"It does not sound weird. I... did not have any siblings in Heaven... you are the first sister I have had..."
He purred louder as he continued to talk, even as the wings around his head curled shyly around his face, used to having his mask on during any moments of vulnerability, as few as there were.
Thatā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how lonely such a thing was for youā¦ not having any family isā¦ it just feels horribleā¦ no, itās just horrible in generalā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, remembering how things were like for her after being released from captivity before raising the Lust layer armies, taking a ābreathā, she ālooksā back at you
Waitā¦ you really donāt mind? Andā¦ you see me as a sister..? Thatā¦ Ori..! Thank you so much..! It truly means a lot to hear such a thing, especially from you!
Ori shrugged slightly, looking away as he sank further into the water, shy and not... used to talking about any of his time in Heaven. His wings continued to twitch and flutter, curling around his head.
"It was not... too horrible... I was not entirely alone, I trained Heaven's armies so I was... constantly surrounded by other angels. Plus I..."
His voice had taken on something softer, going quiet as he... tried to figure out how to phrase what he was going to say. Or rather, to try and figure out what he was even going to say here. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Well... I had Haamiah, he was a... young blacksmith who looked up to me... and...... Gabriel... and that was enough for me."
He smiled at Irida, though it was a little weak and wobbly. He... didn't talk about Heaven for a reasonāĀ it always brought back not so good memories... but that was what Hell was for, he supposed. Making better memories then when he was in Heaven.
"Of course I see you as my sister, that is a... given, in my mind. And I will protect you as such."
I seeā¦ so you helped in training Heavenās armies, I must say thatās- wait a secā¦ thatās just like me, how I took the reins and trained the Lust layer armies..!
She understood everything you said to her, taking it all into account, but she couldnāt help connecting your job in Heaven with what she does in Lust, even if the comparison wasnāt the best, it gave her a sense of familiarity
Oriā¦ thank you, so much for saying that..! It really does mean more than you thinkā¦ to know that someone someone like you is willing to be there for me, andā¦ sees me as his sister..!
Ori grinned, glancing back up at Irida. They truly were incredibly similar, he had never sparred with her but he bet sheād be an excellent sparring partner.
āWe are incredibly similarā¦ I suppose it is just more merit as to you being my sister, I bet you would be fun to spar withā¦ā
He hadnāt sparred anyone inā¦ quite some time, and he missed it desperately, even though he had spent most of the past monthā¦ fightingā¦ in his own universeā¦
Perhaps it would be better to wait to spar, especially with this strange sickness he was dealing with.
Oh? A spar between you and me? Now THAT would be a lot of fun! Iāve always wondered how youād fare against my speed and powersā¦ and how Iād fare against your battle prowess!
She couldnāt help but āsmileā back, thinking about the time she sparred with Sisyphus and just how much fun it was, however, she had yet to spar with an angel of any kind, which is what excited her a lot
Though, letās wait on that, Ori, something tells me you need a good amount of time to restā¦ doing things that are pretty extreme wouldnāt be the best idea, at least not until everything is solved, yāknow?
Ori continued purring, content and excited by the idea of sparring with Irida. He truly was itching for a sparā he'd spar with her now except he would... most likely lose. Though, he was incredibly resilient, he wanted to be at his best when they sparred for the first time.
"I am much faster than I look with the armor on, I used to not be allowed my wings in spars because of it! I think your speed and powers would be incredibly fun to fight against..."
He, admittedly, was already brainstorming ideas to use against Irida in combatā it was what he was made for, and a comfort to return to that idea once more.
"I could... probably still spar now, I have been fighting regularly even while ill, but you deserve me at my best. Though I am... not the best at resting."
I donāt doubt that one bit! Despite my appearance, Iām able to reach Mach 5 speeds with ease, something that I take great pride in, along with my knowledge of how the battlefield works. Iām not a Greater Blood War Machine for no reason after all!
She couldnāt help but boast a bit while also complimenting you, it was practically coded into her to be very respectful of opponents who she deemed to be stronger than her, but that coding seemed to be added a few months ago
Well, if you think a spar would be worthwhile, Ori, then we can, although I do agree that fighting you at your best would be much more exhilarating! Then again, itās all up to you!
Ori wasn't surprised that Irida was fast in all honestlyā other Mindflayers he had sparred with in the past were always quick, though perhaps not as quick as Irida herself was. She'd be such an interesting sparring partner.... but he should fight her at his best....
He groaned, sinking under the water dramatically. He didn't want to rest, he wanted to fight. It was more interesting than resting through whatever was wrong with him. He popped his head back above the water, flicking his wings out to shake off the water.
"I am... admittedly torn. A spar sounds incredibly fun, but I know I am not at my best, and you deserve that... but I would quite enjoy a spar..."
He also didn't have any of his weapons, but he could and did regularly fight without them, his knuckles and arms were still slightly scarred over from where Virtue glass had embedded there and his healing hadn't fully removed it.
Hmmā¦ maybe thereās a way to compromise? Cause I can definitely tell that you wanna have fun and not restā¦ something I understand fully..!
She tilts her āheadā to the side slightly and begins to think, what other options were there for you that didnāt include pushing yourself too farā¦ thatās when she remembered something that might work
Oh! What about the training grounds right outside my lair, Ori? Sure itās not sparring in the traditional sense, but I can get a sense of how you fight! How does that sound? Though before we do any of thatā¦ letās remove the glass in your skin, ok?
Ori visibly perked up when Irida suggested the training grounds, even his wings beginning to flutter. He had truly missed lighthearted, training combat with someone he was close to. His tail began to flick underwater as well.
āThat sounds like an excellent ideaā!ā
He pushed himself up onto the edge of the pool, stretching out after getting there, including rolling out his knee. The warm water really had done everything good.
āThe glass isā¦ not much of a bother, my body will absorb it eventually. Unfortunately without my knives I amā¦ only really left with my hands and my hell energy to fight.ā
So, youāre really up for it, eh? Heh, fine by me! Iāve been meaning to do a bit of training now that I think about it!
Sheās plunges herself into the water then bolts out not even 10 seconds later, her six cabled wings flutter to dry off as she floats back down next to you, an air of confidence and excitement surrounding her the whole time
Thatās not a problem Ori! I mainly use my speed and electricity, but I can dial it back to just speed and close combat if youād like, make it more fair, yāknow?
Ori grabbed a towel nearby to dry off more fully, before slipping the cloths that he had been wearing back on. It wasā¦. flowy, more than you would probably want for combat, but he didnāt seem concerned or phased, equally as confident.
āProbably best to not use your electricity, I will not use any of my energy eitherā not that I use it very often, anyways.ā
He grabbed his mask from where it was sitting on the side of the pool, hooking it to a piece of fabric near his waist, choosing to leave it off instead of putting it back on. He grinned at Irida as his wings fluttered.
Sounds good to me! At least this way weāll be on equal grounds, no room for unfair attacks or anything! Heh! Oh this is gonna be fun!
She floats up a bit and stretches her body, wings fully dry, her heating and cooling systems turned on to dry off everything else before she zips over to a nearby open door, āsmilingā
Over here, Ori! The training grounds are just outside this corridor! Iām sure youāll find everything it has to offer very interesting! Ah, and youāve got Minerva to thank for setting it up to begin with! Hehe!
Ori followed behind Irida happily, wings fully held up and no longer droopy. He rolled out his wrists as he walked, equally as excited as she wasā he just hoped he wouldn't fall ill for any reason during their fight.
"I am quite excitedā please give my thanks to Minerva in advanceā"
He continued through the corridor, stepping outside with Irida into the training grounds, feeling a bit more relaxed stepping out into them. It... almost reminded him of the ones in Lust, the ones he spent so much time in. He wandered around, looking at all the details.
Oh, sheāll definitely hear about this! Donāt worry! Minerva takes great pride in having built such a place, so knowing that itās being used so much makes her very happy!
She zips over to the main portion of the training grounds, the concrete there looked dented and had some obvious signs of recent activity, which only made the area look so much more interesting
Oh right, apologies for the impact dents you see here, Oriā¦ they were caused by uhā¦ I recent spar I had with Sisyphusā¦ it was a lot of fun though! Anywaysā¦ ready when you are!
Ori smiled at the impact cratersāĀ he could see how a spar with Sisyphus would cause those. Sisyphus would also be fun to spar with, Ori sparred with his universes version often.... No, he had to focus. He shook out his wings, glancing over at Irida as he rolled out his wrists again, cracking his knuckles absently. He didn't get into a visibly defensive or offensive stance, just... waiting for her to make the first move.
"I am ready, Irida."
He was grinning, visibly excited. He never made the first move in a spar, especially against an opponent whose fighting style was unknown to him. A leftover habit from his angelic days, he supposed.
āSmilingā with confidence, she zips up into the sky at surprising speeds, āeyeingā you from her position, she darts around in a strange pattern before diving back down and grabbing ahold of your shoulders while still flying fast
Ori let himself be carried up into the air, not thrashing or panicking with the airtime, keeping his wings tucked in tight to his back. He gently grappled with Irida while in the air, laughing as he tried to push her hands off his shoulders, gauging how hard she'd go during a spar. He didn't really land any solid hits, not wanting to hurt her in the slightest with any of his actions.
Eventually, he pushed her hands off of one of his shoulders, which was enough to fling his wings out and catch the air, slowing them down though not as much as he was expecting. He pried her other hand off his shoulder, and let himself fall into a straight dive towards the ground.
"Better catch up if you want to land any good hits!"
He was laughing the entire time he fell, wings tucked tight to his back.
She immediately regained her composure and dove after you at surprising speeds, upon being within three inches of you, she kicks your legs from beneath you before bringing you back up into the sky, now moving at Mach 5 speeds, easily reaching the highest points of of Lust
You wanna dive bomb that badly, eh, Ori? Fine by me! Letās do this! Hahaha!
Ori let himself be grabbed once more, not stumbling as much as he could of when his legs were knocked out from underneath him, wings once again tucked to his back. It was hard for him to do much once he was grabbed, but he still fought back loosely, giggling as he wrapped a leg around hers to throw off their balance in the air, freeing himself and letting his wings keep himself at the same level.
"Come on, Iridaā hit me!"
He swooped in close to her, not actually landing a hit but knocking into her shoulder to jostle her in the air before continuing to fly, wanting her to hit him first. He laughed as he continued to fly away, quickly working up speed as he dived and swooped evasively.
"Come and catch meā!"
His voice was singsong and teasing as he flew, knowing Irida would catch up.
Oh? You wanna play that badly, huh? Alright! Donāt blame me for any of this!
āSmilingā, she dove after you once again, but this time instead of grabbing you to bring you back up in the sky, she grabs your right shoulder, spins you onto your back, and pushes you onto the ground, remembering to be careful, she holds you down and locks both of your legs with one of hers, all six wings fluttering
Think you can get outta this one, Ori? Iām trying not to hit you TOO hard, but if thatās what you wantā¦ Iāll gladly do it!
Ori moved quickly, grappling to roll them both back over, freeing his legs up quickly. It was a move that took much more energy than he wanted it to, considering Irida had him at a full standstill, and he had no momentum, but he still managed it. He quickly got back to his feet, wings tucked to his back as he darted back at her.
"I can take it! Do not worry about hurting me!"
He got close enough to land a light hit on Irida's side, ducking under her to get behind her in the hopes that it would disorient her enough that he could sweep her legs out.
Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
āā¦I cannot disagree with you there, my friendā¦ after everything all of us have been through, Bartzabel becoming a reality should not be that surprisingā¦ but I will admit that when I first heard his voiceā¦ it felt like my head was going to split openā¦ā
Bezaliel glanced over at Bartzabel again who crossed his arms before looking back at the fallen angel, his demeanor still as calm as ever, the Supreme Angel had yet to show any signs of being upset or in distress over something
āI CAN TELL THAT YOUāRE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW I FORMED WITH FULL ARMOR, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THAT IāM A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THIS CROW ANGELāS NEGATIVE EMOTIONSā¦ IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT IāD BE READY FOR COMBAT AT ALL TIMES.ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings drooped slightly to show his annoyance at what Bartzabel had said but regained his composure very quickly, not wanting the fallen angel to think that he was at odds with his other self
āā¦There is not an hour that goes by when Bartzabel is ready to fight, Oriā¦ just keeping him contained within my shadow is a chore in of itselfā¦ but I have learned to live with his insanityā¦ā
One of Ori's wings twitched around his head, and he continued to squint at Bartzabel, though it really just looked like a slight tilt of the head. He was incredibly curious about the armor situation, nodding slightly at Bartzabel's explanation.
"I do suppose that makes sense... Being ready to fight is always a good thing, you need to make sure you are on guard at all times."
Ori certainly wasā he had to be ready to fight at all times, in order to protect himself and anyone else around him. He was always incredibly alert because of it (at least... when he wasn't falling asleep in alleyways...). He looked between Bezaliel and Bartzabel, wings stretching out once more as he shifted in place.
"It would be interesting to spar with you both... I believe it would be quite fun."
āEXACTLY! PLUS, CONSIDERING THAT THIS DUMBASS WOULD RATHER WATCH FROM THE SHADOWS BEFORE MAKING A MOVEā¦ I MIGHT AS WELL BE MORE PREPARED, RIGHT?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but facepalm at what Bartzabel said about him, itā¦ wasnāt a lieā¦ but he hated being called out like that, especially by his own shadowā¦ his other selfā¦
āā¦Watch it, Bartzabelā¦ you are well aware of what I was created to doā¦ those duties are still very much ingrained into my entire beingā¦ even to this dayā¦ā
Exhaling, the Supreme Angel turned his attention back to the fallen angel and tilted his head to the side slightly, he wasnāt expecting a spar offer, but it wasnāt like heād deny itā¦
āā¦You wish to spar with both me and Bartzabel..? Iā¦ was not expecting such an offerā¦ Ori, my friendā¦ the last time I had a proper spar was back when The Watchers were still holyā¦ everything after thatā¦ they have been nothing but fights beyond my controlā¦ā
Ori's wings continued to flutter around his head happily, especially considering that Bezaliel didn't seem opposed to the idea of the spar, even if Ori himself was pregnant. He could still handle himself quite well, and had been for monthsā he could handle a spar no doubt.
"It is a shame that it has been so long since you have had a spar, but it is something that can be remedied..."
Ori glanced between him and Bartzabel, the offer clear. He... believed that they had similar fighting styles, yet with some notable differences, but he hadn't really been... paying attention when he last saw Bartzabel, admittedly. Ori had been pretty sure during the whole... tesseract debacle that by that point, he was just... hallucinating Bartzabel's presence. It was nice to know he wasn't, at least.
"Your fighting styles have their similarities and differencesā My confidence says I could take you both, it wouldn't be the first time I have sparred against multiple opponents."
HERE AND NOW AND THENāāāāāāāāāāāCLOSED RP EVENT
AND HERE WE GO. First time running an event, this is kinda like a test for myself to see if I can handle running something of this size
Also to show some world lore for my Gabriel-
Without further ado, I am pleased to showcase āHere and Now and Thenā
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
*Gabriel had invited you all to a hidden treasure room deep in Treachery. A huge area with dozens with beautiful items on display*
*A sword made of flames that had once belonged to the gate guardian of Eden, a shield that seemed to break time and space as it danced around itself and seemed to infinitely bend in on itself, a golden egg with pure light inside it, along with many other such treasures.*
Do feel free to wander a bit, but there are 2 rules I will hold firm on:
Do not touch or move anything, and under no circumstances should you get too close to that
*he points at the center of the room, there sat sat a simple golden sphere on a velvet cushion, encased in glass and chains made of light.*
That is what the elders called āThe tesseract.ā Itās a highly unstable little thing. Or at least it was back in the elders of heavens dayā¦best not to touch it
Even I do not dare touch it.
Any questions with any of the artifacts I am happy to answer!
*Cassiel didn't have time to dodge any of the attacks, coughing some blood at the injuries he got. Yet when he saw Bezaliel protect him, and V1 get enraged, he knew he couldn't give up. He got up and placed a hand in his brother's shoulder before materializing a star-like spear from stardust.*
āLet's do this, brother..ā
*He says and launches into the air again, camouflaging even if the star was very bright, he took the spear with both hands and murmured something in Latin before launching the spear, soon, more spears materialized and followed that one, creating a rain of spears.*
*Somehow bee had managed to get close to the bottom of the heart without the judge noticing, and by some miracle had managed to grab their tesseract without them realizing. This close they could hear them mumbling something*
Fucking invadersā¦right in the middle of humans coming hereā¦letās bug the new girl thatāll go over wellā¦ļæ¼
*she does not seem happyā¦*
*The judge is in the sky again, seemingly unaware that sheās missing something very important. When Cassiels barrage of spears come down sheās able to dodge some but not enough to be unaffected. Some hit in between her amour and made her nearly stumble out of the sky*
FUCK.
LUCKY ASS CROW.
*Hearing that Bartzabel and Bezaliel were planning something, the judge decided to attack first. They had barely stabilized in the air and they were already started hurling themself at Bezaliel*
*unfortunately for the judge one of Cassiels spears hit her square in the head, making the judge more kick Bezaliel to the ground and land feet first on top of him*
ā¦this works to.
ALRIGHT FUCKERS LISTEN UP. ALL OF YOU NEED TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BE KILLING THIS GUY.
*she summons her spear back to her hand, pointing the tip at Bezalielās throat*
Bezaliel struggled to move, even though this new Judge of Hell was not Gabriel, she still packed as much of a punch as the aforementioned Archangelā¦ something told him that they were somehow connected, but he didnāt want to jump to conclusions just yetā¦
āBEZALIEL!! YOU FUCKING DUMBASS!! GET UP!! NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE STARING DEATH IN THE FUCKING FACE!!ā
Bartzabelās voice was as clear as ever, yet there was somethingā¦ strangeā¦ the Supreme Angel just stared at the spear in the other angelās handā¦ the tip of it threatening to stab the vertical eye on his throatā¦ he could hear his heart in his headā¦ time slowingā¦ whatā¦ was he even fighting for now..?
āā¦Go aheadā¦ I have lived long enoughā¦ seen more than you can possibly imagineā¦ā
The words just spilled out of his mouth, he had no control over what he was sayingā¦ was heā¦ really this tired of everything..?
āCROW ANGEL!! GET IT TOGETHER!! YOU ARENāT DYING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS!! ESPECIALLY THE FUCKING FUTURE!!ā
Bezaliel ignored Bartzabel and deliberately leaned forward, allowing the tip of the spear to nearly break his skin, to come so close to piercing that vertical eye on his throatā¦ his senses were goneā¦ he was acting on autopilotā¦
āā¦I am but a Watcher after allā¦ is it not best to snuff out my lifeā¦ here and now..? Well..? What are you waiting for..? Judge of Hell..? Do itā¦ I will not fight backā¦ā
Ori had been tracking Bee the entire way over to the Tesseract, making sure they got there without any interruption, ready to cover them if needed. He was incredibly pleased with how easy it was to grab for them, but his hand continued to hover by his knives, incredibly uneasy at the turn that the confrontation had taken.
What was Bezaliel doing?
Was he really just going to... lay down and die? What the hell was he saying?
"Get up, Bezaliel..."
His voice was quiet, really only himself and V1 being able to hear it, but he held his position despite his mounting anxieties, picking at the handle of his knife. This was not his fight, not yet.
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It was... perhaps not the best use of his time, but Ori needed to figure out a way to sneak into Heaven. How he was supposed to do this when on imposed bed rest from his partners, he had no idea, but here he was anyways... trying to sneak into Heaven.
He wasn't even in his armor, still in Greed as it was, barefoot and cloaked in cloth garments instead of the usual marble, trying his best to blend in without a traditional helmet.
He needed to not be seen, but he... clearly didn't belong upon even a first glance. So he stuck to the shadows between buildings, hoping to not be spotted.
-@hellsfavoritefallen
Azrael was on edge.
Why? He wasnāt so sure himself. Everything had been alright as of late, the children had been safe and taken care of, Gabriel was recovering smoothly and was taking plenty of time to restā¦.so why was he so tense?
Many days, after his work was finished, Azrael found himself pacing through the halls, walking in an attempt to clear his head. This didnāt work often, but he supposed it was better than nothing.
He found himself passing between two buildings on one of these walks when he noticed something moving in the shadows. Azrael froze at first, assuming it was just a trick of the light until he made out the silhouette of a familiar fallen angel.
Ori hadn't been looking at Azrael when he spoke, hands flying to where his knives would usually rest as his brain processed who was actually talking. He turned to look at him, wings barely having the energy to perk up so he could hold them against his back.
He was... clearly exhausted. Wings and tail droopy, and just general demeanor screaming exhausted and too in his head. What the hell was he doing in Heaven?
"Azrael, hello... How have you been? It has been quite some time."
He took a few steps closer. Even his voice betrayed exhaustion.
Once Azraelās shock had faded away, it was immediately replaced by confusion, which quickly turned into concern.
āI- Iāve been alright, but- if I may ask, why are you here?ā
He quickly looked around, trying to make sure nobody was nearby. His concern only grew upon realizing just how exhausted Ori looked. He looked as if he was going to pass out any minute now.
āAlsoā¦are you alright? You donāt seem to be doing so well yourself- no offense.ā
Ori hadā¦ not thought this far ahead. He hadnāt thought he would get caught, and especially not by anyone who knew him. He stammered for a moment, trying to get his exhausted brain to come up with a lie that didnāt soundā¦ entirely fake.
āIā uhā I had to get something for aā for a friend.ā
Nailed it.
He tucked himself into the shadows a little further when Azrael looked around, trying to make sure he wasnāt seen, especially considering his garments were a light color as well. He leaned against the wall of one of the buildings, trying to seem casual and collected like usual, but stumbling slightly.
āI am fine, everything has been fine, I am justā¦. out on a walk.ā
Didnāt he just say he was doing something for a friend?
Azrael did not believe Ori for one second. Just the fact that he had come back to Heaven, let alone this Heaven, was questionable enough. And now he was stumbling over his words trying to cover it up?
āI know you donāt have any friends here. And you wouldnāt be here for just a normal walk. Somethingās wrong.ā
Azrael stepped forward a little bit, not wanting to alarm Ori but wanting to get a better look at him. He didnāt have his armor on, raising another red flag alongside his disheveled appearance. None of this was doing anything to quell Azraelās worries.
āItās not safe for you to stay here eitherā¦ā
Ori glanced away when Azrael stepped closer, knowing his mask was covering his face but also knowing that the way his wings were practically dragging on the tiled roads was damning. Even his tail was drooping, just... too exhausted to hold it up like normal. He just couldn't... rest after everything. He needed to keep moving and at least... trying to sneak into Heaven kept him moving.
"Are you not a friend? Perhaps I was just... visiting yourself and Seraph. And your children, of course."
Another desperate bid for a lie, tail twitching as the wings around his head fluttered. He knew Azrael was going to dig further, but Ori... hadn't talked about it. He couldn't talk about it.
"I am perfectly fineā I have my fists, I do not need my... armor. Or weapons."
It was clear in his tone of voice, however, that he was not upset by any means, just worried about Oriās mental state.
āItās alright though, I will not press further. My office is nearby, it is probably safer for you to stay indoors rather than out here. Unless you have somewhere else you must beā¦?ā
Azrael had finished his work for the day and was originally planning on heading home soon, butā¦he didnāt want Ori to be left out in the open. It was too big of a risk for him to take.
Ori stammered for a moment, trying to figure out a way to get out of going back to Azrael's office, but he couldn't find a good excuse, eventually sighing and taking a step out from the shadows.
"Iā okay. Thatā sure. I have nowhere else to be, was just... wandering. Getting in here is the harder part than finding a single building..."
The last sentence was kind of mumbled under his breath, assuming Azrael wouldn't hear him, looking up at Azrael and waiting for him to lead the way. He truly could fight without his weapons, but... it was probably better for him to not pick any more fights.
Azrael sighed, nodding as he heard the last of Oriās words. He turned and motioned for Ori to follow him, slowly walking down the street while he kept an eye out for any surrounding angels. It had been a while, to say the least, since the two had conversed. He had so many questions, so many worries dwelling in his mind but he tried his best to not let it show. Even if his tail whipped behind him nervously.
It didnāt take long for the two to reach the building where his office resided, the marble hallway seemingly stretching out forever. Luckily it was a quiet day, leaving the two angels to be the only ones occupying the hall. They passed by multitudes of offices along the way, a few belonging to various archangels, while many others were previously inhabited byā¦members of the Council. Why Azraelās office would be besides those would be unknown to Ori, and Azrael hoped deep down in his heart that the fallen angel didnāt put two and two together. That Azrael was previously part of that wretched group of angels.
Eventually they made it to his office, Azrael opening the door and walking in. It was a relatively small space, a somewhat ornate desk entirely covered in various forms and paperwork sitting to the left while a few chairs lay to the right. He could tell just how exhausted Ori was, motioning to the chairs to try and get the other to sit.
āI know itās small, butā¦ itās better than being out in the open.ā
Ori was paying much less attention than his normal hypervigilance, barely sparing anything around them a glance, including the other offices. It was... strange. He was behaving strange. Usually Ori was so deeply distrusting of angels that it would make sense to be hypervigilant, but instead he just... tucked his head down and followed Azrael. His wings dragged on the tiles the whole way.
He only really looked up once they stepped into the office, looking around but not making any move to sit. Stubborn.
"It is larger than my office in Lust is..."
He trailed off, getting quieter. That wasn't right anymore. He glanced away from Azrael, mumbling.
Azrael felt his blood run cold as heard the last of Oriās words. Oh. It had happened.
He stepped forward, not giving Ori a hug just yet but making it clear that he was offering one.
āIām sorry, I hadnāt realized thatā¦.it had happened already, Iā¦.Iām so sorry.ā
His voice was quiet, the concern in his voice mostly being replaced by grief. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. He remembered the day he left the hall of the Council in fury, never returning ever again. He had grieved that day, and it was nearly debilitating for him, so he couldnāt even begin to imagine how Ori felt. Ori was close to the king, he had spent so much time in Lust, he called the city his homeā¦.Azrael knew it mustāve been decorating for him. No wonder he was in such a bad state.
Ori wasā¦ numb. He truly was avoiding thinking about it happening, shoving everything down in the hopes that if he kept moving, he could justā¦ not think about it.
It worked incredibly poorly.
He paced holes in the floor of the cabin, snuck out when his partners were asleep, worked himself to the bone in anxiety and nausea about everything that had occurred. No rest for him, even after everything. If he rested, he would rememberā
The screaming. The chaos. Minosā head rolling across the floor, his body terrorizing the cityā
He took a breath, swallowing back the urge to throw up all over Azraelās office as he looked away. Not like he could, anyways, his body wouldnāt allow it. Only the nausea.
āIt isā fine. Everyone was evacuated safely down to Greed or to the other layers, itā we are fineāā
Minos wasnāt fine. Sisyphus wouldnāt be fine.
He stumbled over his words. How was it that Lust falling was only a third of his problems right now? His head was a mess.
Azrael quickly shook his head, taking his helmet off and setting it down on the table beside him. His concern was even more obvious now that his face was visible.
āItās not fine, you donāt have to pretend itās fine. Itās ok to be afraid, to feel hurt. Itās only natural after what happenedā¦.ā
He started to fidget with his hands a bit, but he wasnāt nervous, just trying to get his mind to focus on things other than his worries. Azrael could see the shape Ori was in, he could tell just how shaken up Ori was, so he couldnāt help but be concerned. But he didnāt want to show it, he didnāt want Ori to feel as if he was a burden, so he tried to keep his mind busy, even as his foot tapped against the floor a little.
Ori sighed deeply, running both of his hands over his mask in exhaustion. He was fine. He truly couldn't think about it if he didn't want to have a full breakdown, and he didn't have time for a full breakdown right now. Whether his partners wanted him involved or not, Greed was at risk next.
"I knew it was going to happen, Azrael. I have had months to prepare for it, and prepare for the feeling. I am... numb to it."
That was... kind of a lie. He was forcing himself to be numb, to not think about it, because thinking about it at all usually send him spiraling into a panic attack, or he would break down sobbing. Any time he did sleep it was restless at best, and haunted by what he had seen at worst. He was nauseous more often than not, a combination of intense anxiety and... the other thing.
"What is there to do other then keep moving? It is all I can do."
āJust because you knew it was going to happen doesnāt mean it would not affect youā¦ā
Azrael went quiet for a moment, sitting down on the chair beside his desk. He understood Oriās thought process, but he could tell that he was barely holding himself together.
āAnd, you could rest. Better yet you should rest- even if you may feel alright physically, something like this still takes a toll on you. If you donāt take time to rest and repair, then youāll only feel worse. I know from personal experience.ā
His tone was stern, but clearly expressed from a place of concern. He knew how it felt to try and shove his emotions away, expecting himself to power through for the sake of others. And he knew just as well that those emotions didnāt stay hidden away for long.
Ori shook his head slightly, continuing to pace around the room, looking at all the little things on the desk, on the walls, definitively not sitting down and resting.
"All my partners want me to do is rest, practically forced me into the bed when I saw them again, and now you as well? Why is it so difficult to believe that I am processing the fall of Lust perfectly fineā"
His wings flicked and fluttered in agitation tail slowly lashing, wishing that Azrael would believe him but knowing that, somehow, Azrael would walk out of this room knowing everything about Ori and his multiple predicaments. He huffed slightly, even as his wings dragged behind him while he moved.
"Not feeling the best physically or mentally does not mean I cannot keep moving and working. It is the best way to keep going instead of getting bogged down by a single event."
He was trying not to think about it. Trying not to think aboutā
Minosā
The screamingā
The chaosā
He felt sick, hand twitching slightly as he looked away from Azrael.
Azraelās thought process froze for a minute upon Ori mentioning his partners. That wasā¦new. Not bad, but new. This notion reassured Azrael slightly, but he could tell just how resistant Ori was to the idea of resting. Not that he was much better himself.
He watched Ori pace across the room, picking up just how exhausted and tense his body was. The way his wings dragged across the floor, the way he diverted his gaze. He needed a break way more than he thought he did.
āOri, Iā¦I apologize if I am pushing or overstepping, but it must be said. Youāre exhausted, I can tell. If you donāt rest, at least a little bit, you will collapse. I can guarantee that.ā
Azrael could give a guarantee because it was an experience he himself had lived through.
Ori sighed, running his hands down his mask before looking over at Azrael once more, tail continuing to lash. He wasnāt pissed off at Azrael specifically, justā he was sick of being coddled. Being told to rest when it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wasnāt a creature that enjoyed restingā he was better at continuing to move.
āI am fineā Whenever I am at the cabin, I am resting. My partners insist on it ever since they realizedāā
He cut himself off with a small sound, clearly not meaning to continue with what he was saying. Azrael didnāt need another reason to worry over himā And Ori didnāt need to think about it either.
Azraelās thought process halted once again. Was Ori referring to the Fall of Lust, orā¦something else? This situation was getting more and more concerning by the minute.
āI donāt mean to pry, butā¦is there something else going on?ā
He fidgeted with his hands a bit, not wanting to upset Ori but unable to fully hide his worry for the other. If something else was happening to Ori alongside the Fall of Lust, he couldnāt even begins to imagine the immense amount of stress the fallen angel was underā¦it would be far too much for him to handle. And if he was going to keep pushing himself like this, he could collapse, or even worse, become ill.
It was just a single item on a long list of things he wasnāt thinking aboutā Minos was dead, Lust was destroyed, his partners were in danger, and he might beā
No. Minato was wrong. His and Bugās fretting was just thatā fretting. Fretting that was for no reason whatsoever because Ori was fineā
āNo it isā I am fine, there is nothingāā
He was tripping over his words, trying to find the correct combination of words to reassure Azrael that he wasnāt sick, he was perfectly fine and healthy and there was nothing else happeningā
āMy partners justā they believed something in error. And are now coddling me because of it. But it is not true or possible, soāā
He shrugged, busying himself with poking around Azraelās desk for anything interesting, really just looking for something to do with his hands since he didnāt have his knives to fiddle with.
Azrael didnāt believe that for one second. Ori was clearly not alright, but Azrael realized that pushing Ori to share would not lead to anything productive. So he had to provide as much support as he couldā¦despite how difficult it would prove to be.
āIf your partners suspect something may be wrong, it may be best to at least hear them outā¦ even if it ends up being nothing, resisting help and support will only cause more trouble.ā
Azrael sighed, his foot tapping against the floor a bit. Part of him wanted to ask Ori again about his situation but he couldnāt, the risk of upsetting the other was far too great. It had been so long since the two had spokenā¦the last thing he wanted was to make him mad.
Ori shook his head. He was not hearing them out, thank you very much. They were lucky he even scheduled an appointment with Raphael, but that was more to prove them wrong than anything else. He knew it physically wasn't possible for him to be... pregnant... no matter what Minato and Bug thought.
He continued looking over Azrael's desk, suddenly going tense as his hand almost moved up to his stomach. It almost felt like something hadā That he had been kickedā
He felt so nauseous at the thought, putting his palms flat against Azrael's desk as he tried to breathe through it.
Azrael tensed up, panic setting in again before the familiarity of the scene hit him. He stood up for a moment, gently resting his hand on Oriās shoulder before speaking.
āIf you donāt mind me asking, areā¦are you pregnant?ā
He was afraid Ori wouldnāt take this question well, afraid he was intruding, but after caring for Gabriel over his months of pregnancy, Azrael could see the signs immediately. He hated to assume, but if that was the case, Ori needed the rest even more than Azrael originally thought he did.
Oriās tail was lashing back and forth, but he practically leaned into Azraelās touch with a, frankly, pathetic-sounding whimper. He couldnāt be pregnant, it was physically impossible, but he spent more time feeling sick than notā but it was from his anxiety, notā
He shook his head, desperate.
āNo, Iā It is not physically possibleā Iā Minato was wrong when he said I wasāā
It was clear the thought, what his partners believed, was distressing to him, still in disbelief even though they were coddling him. He was fine.
Azrael turned to face Ori fully, looking at him āeye to eyeā.
āIt is possible for angels, you know this just as well as I do. And if it is the case, if you donāt rest, you are risking not only your own health but your childās as well.ā
His tone was stern, making it clear he was not going to debate this. Ori was taking a huge risk remaining active in his condition, and it deeply worried Azrael. But he could also see just how distressed Ori was about the whole situation, especially with this all happening not long after the Fall of Lust. It was only reasonable that he would react this way.
āI know you do not want to rest, but you need to be practical. You cannot continue like this.ā
Ori shook his head again, looking away from Azrael even as he glanced back to meet his gaze looking slightly like a kicked puppy. Azrael didnāt understandā just because Gabriel had been pregnant, didnāt mean Ori could.
āI am from a different universeā angels do not get pregnantā there are no angelic children in my version of Heavenā I cannot beāā
He took a step back, turning away once more to look around the office. Minato was wrong, Azrael was wrong, it wasnāt possible. Ori didnāt need to rest, he just needed to keep movingā
āI do not need to rest, Iā I get nauseous when I get anxious, that is all, I am not pregnantāā
Azrael hadnāt meant to raise his voice, but he was getting more and more frustrated by the minute, his tail whipping behind him. Azraelās wings had flared out a bit as well, but once he noticed he immediatly stepped back, his wings settling down again. He looked away as he regained his composure, looking back at Ori after a moment.
āIfā¦if it is true that you are pregnant and you do not rest, you could die. In the middle of flight, if you are hit with a bought of weakness, you could fall. If you absolutely insist on combat, what do you think will happen if you get struck by pain mid battle? You will die. No matter what it is, whatever youāre dealing could cost you your life. Are you going to risk that?ā
While he was mostly composed, his hands shook a bit, still clearly tense. His voice was blunt and to the point, somewhat unusual for him.
Ori startled back slightly, but his own wings flared out, tail lashing. He... didn't really want to argue with Azrael, but... what he was experiencing wasn't anything new. Even without his armor, he still drew himself up, head tipping to the side almost threateningly.
"It will not cost me my lifeā It has been this way for two months. I fought through Lust being invaded by angels, with and without my armor and knives, I evacuated the entirety of Lust to the other layers, I watched Minos' head roll and I am still standing, so something as inconsequential as not resting or being ill will not be the thing to take my life."
His voice got progressively louder as he spoke, wings ruffled up as he took a step closer to Azrael. It was... almost comforting, that he wasn't as scattered and distraught as he was, even if it was because he was in an argument. He... truly believed he was right.
"Besides. I am resting whenever I am at the cabin. My partners insist on it."
Azrael flinched when Ori stepped closer, moving back a bit. His wings pulled tight against his back, his tail almost tucking itself between his legs. His body language made it seem as if he wasā¦scared. He knew he was safe, he knew there was no way Ori would hurt him, and yet it felt as if his body hadnāt gotten the memo. His instincts told him to back away even further and hide away, but he stood his ground, trying his best to keep himself composed despite the clear agitation. He didnāt even know why he was reacting this way.
Some time passed before Azrael was able to speak again, letting out a sigh.
āI cannot force you to do anything. But please at least try to listen when I say that that what you are doing now is not healthyā¦I just want the best for you, as do your partners.ā
His voice was noticeably quieter, his hands trembling a bit.
Ori stopped approaching when he noticed Azrael flinch, looking him over in the silence that followed. His tail continued to lash, wings moving to tuck tight to his back as well. Azrael looked... scared. Terrified of Ori.
He felt sick. He didn't want Azrael scared of him. He didn't want him backing away, clearly nervous and agitated by the way that Ori raised his voice and approached. He hurt everyone that he cared about. Everyone.
Slowly, Ori took a step back, turning away from Azrael for a moment as he tried to breathe, tried to calm himself down so he wouldn't continue to argue, nauseous enough that he sat down in one of the chairs, tail whacking the leg of it.
Eventually, he responded, voice quiet.
"I... did not mean to scare you. Iā I should go."
He needed to protect Azrael as well. His partners had been trying to convince him that he wasn't hurting the people around him, the people he cared about, but this was proof. He stood quickly, not really looking at Azrael as he moved for the door of the office.
Azrael stepped forward, following Ori towards the door. His hands were still trembling but he took a deep breath to try and keep himself controlled.
āIām not- you didnāt scare me, itās- I donāt-ā
He stammered, struggling to get a proper sentence out. He had no idea why this was happening, why he was reacting this way despite there being no threat.
āI-Iām sorry- I didnāt mean- I donāt know why-ā
He choked up as he spoke. The last thing Azrael wanted was for Ori to think this was his fault, when in reality, the problem came from Azrael himself. His own mind was betraying him in the moment, his body still tense and trembling.
āI donāt know why Iām acting like this.ā
His voice went quiet, finally managing to control his breathing enough to properly speak.
Ori didn't want to stop, yet he did, unable to just... keep walking as Azrael was trying to explain himself. But... he didn't really explain anything, Ori's own head tilting as he tried to make sense of what it was that he was saying. He still felt sick with anxiety, dread that he hurt Azrael swirling through his mind, but he was also... incredibly confused.
"What do you... mean? I... I was acting threatening, there was... there is reason for you to be frightened of me, I... I do not wantā"
He took a breath, clearly upset even just thinking about the fact that he upset Azrael, that he hurt him in a way he was trying to protect those close to him from. The wings around his head fluttered uncomfortably.
"You can say that I scared you, you do not have to... try and make excuses for my sake. It was... my... fault..."
Azrael let out a deep breath, finally managing to gain a better control of himself. He stepped back, remaining silent momentarily as he tried to recollect himself.
āI know you pose no threat, so there is no reason for me to be afraid. It is not an excuse. It was an argument, it is normal to argue, and it is normal for arguments to escalate, so it was not your fault. I do not want you to take the blame for my own lack of emotional self-control.ā
His body relaxed a bit, all besides his hands which still continued to tremble ever so slightly.
āIā¦I am not sure why I reacted the way I did. It was as if my body acted on its own, going into āfight or flightā without listening to logic or reasonā¦. I know you would never hurt me, and yet it seemed like my body did not. I do not know why that would be the case, itās not as if I have any past traumas that would rationalize it..ā None that he remembered, at least.
He practically psychoanalyzed himself in the moment, sitting back down at the chair beside his desk. His voice was less shaky but still somewhat quiet, his rambling being mostly understandable but somewhat scattered. He wasnāt as collected as he thought.
Ori looked at Azrael critically, watching as he spoke, noting the way his hands continued to tremble even as he seemed to calm. It was... strange. Ori remembered, briefly, Azrael mentioning that he had... problems with his memory in the past, in one of their last conversations. Could his reaction be from something he just... didn't remember?
Ori moved towards the other chair in the office, sitting tentatively. He... didn't fully believe Azrael that it wasn't his fault, still feeling horribly guilty and sick for the reaction he indirectly incited.
"I... still did not wish to frighten you, even if it was a reaction that you did not understand. I..."
He looked away, not really sure where he wanted to take his next words.
"I do not want to hurt those I consider close to me, as predisposed to it as I seem to be. That includes you."
It felt vulnerable in an incredibly uncomfortable wayā not many people were aware of that specific train of thinking that had haunted Ori, and only his partners were aware of the lengths he tried to go to in order to protect those he loved. He sighed, wings fluttering slightly as he changed the topic back to Azrael, trying to get attention back off of him once more.
"Is it possible you... just do not remember? Whatever happened to incite such a reaction?"
āIt isā¦alright. I understand it was not on purposeā¦my reaction was an overreaction as well. I promise, if I was truly worried that you would be a threat, then I would not be sitting down and continuing to speak with you. In factā¦you are one of the kindest individuals I know. You are not predisposed to hurting others, quite the opposite actuallyā¦ā
Azrael leaned against the back of his chair, a heavy exhale escaping him. Part of his was relieved to see Ori sitting down and giving himself a bit of a break, but Oriās words still alarmed him a bit. The last thing he wanted was for Ori to blame himself for Azraelās reaction. That wasnāt fair, not in the slightest, especially with all that Ori was dealing with at the moment. The possible pregnancy, alongside witnessing the fall of Lustā¦that was too much weight for one individual to carry.
However, Oriās last statement made Azrael pause once again. The possibility that something had happened to Azraelā¦.something that would have affected him this badlyā¦.and that he had no recollection of it. The sudden realization that the century worth of memories he could no longer recall could he because of this. Something so intense that it would incite such a reaction, and he didnāt remember a moment of it.
It felt as if Azraelās whole world was crashing down, as if the walls were caving in on him. As if his entire worldview had been violently shattered. He practically froze, unable to respond at first after hearing this. It couldnāt be true. It couldnāt be.
āIā¦it canāt be true, itā¦it couldnāt beā¦ā
He murmured, his voice quiet and uncharacteristically small.
Ori's wings curled around him at Azrael's words, shielding him from his kindness. What he was saying probably... wasn't true, he was just being nice, and Ori knew that. He... knew he was not the kindest person, not in the slightest, hell, he had threatened Azrael when they first met! Ori was not... kind. He was protective, but not kind.
He glanced up at Azrael, wanting to protest, but the words died in his throat at the way that his body had tensed up, at the way he was trembling like he... truly hadn't connected the dots before now. It seemed like a reasonable jump to Oriā Azrael had memory issues, therefore a seemingly out of character reaction could be caused by something that he had forgotten. Though, it was probably a distressing thought.
Ori sat up straighter, shuffling forward in his chair so he was closer to Azrael without getting up yet. He didn't want to crowd him, especially while he sounded so... small. Ori's own voice dropped into something quieter, trying to not make his distress any worse.
"It... is a possibility, with not being able to recall memories..."
But Azrael clearly knew that. Was clearly realizing that for himself as they spoke, that broader scale difficulties with memory could cause full amnesia. The wings around his head fluttered as he looked at Azrael, trying to figure out based on body language alone if there was anything he could do to comfort him, starting to purr unconsciously. He didn't want to say it was okayā it clearly wasn't, not in the slightest.
You find yourself back in a certain version of the Lust layer again, things had seemed rather off and you remembered that a certain six winged Mindflayer resided here, the third levelā¦
You decide to go looking for her, only to find her resting in the air, all six wings being used as a hammock of sorts, yet something seemedā¦ offā¦ you could sense itā¦ she wasnāt okā¦
@lust-layer-mindflayer
Oriā¦ understandably didnāt want to be in the Lust layer at all. He wasnāt even really supposed to be leaving the cabin, per orders from both of his partners, but he was going stir crazy not doing something. He wasnāt sure why his feet had taken him to this alternate version of the Lust layer, but he could visit Irida while he was hereā he hadnāt seen her in too long.
He still wasnāt feelingā¦ great. Which was an understatement. Resting was no use, he was exhausted, and felt nauseous most mornings. Days were spent overthinking everything he had done in the past month, making himself so anxious he had to do something, move his body to distract himself.
Plus, he still didnāt have his armor or weapons backā forced to just wear draping fabrics similar to Minos other Lust residents. It wasnāt making his anxiety any better.
āIrida?ā
He spoke quietly, standing far from her in a bid not to spook her by accident.
She was immediately startled awake, nearly falling out of the air before catching herself, balance unstable as all six of her wings instantly moved to shield her body from view, something was definitely wrong
W-Wha?! Ori..?! Fuckā¦ you really scared me thereā¦ sorry for my reaction, I wasnāt expecting to see you back..!
After taking a ābreathā she floated over to you, wings still wrapped around her body, the ends of all six glowing a mix between light green and dark purple, a veryā¦ differentā¦ color combination
Soā¦ what brings you by? I havenāt seen you inā¦ I canāt even remember the last time we saw each otherā¦ is everything alright? No offense, dear, butā¦ you look like a disasterā¦
Ori shrugged slightly, looking at Irida with his head slightly tilted. She looked as thought she was doing as well as he was which was... concerning. He found the energy to hold his wings tightly to his back, a modicum of normal behavior from him, even as feathers drifted to the floor. He still wasn't quite back to preening regularly.
"I just... happened to be in the area. Wandering, I suppose, and I figured I would stop by... it has truly been too long."
He winced slightly when Irida questioned into his well-being, not wanting to really get... too into it. It wasn't necessary for her to worry about himā enough people already were. One of the wings around his head twitched out slightly.
"I am okay... my universe is in a bit of... turmoil, at the moment, but it is nothing not expected. Are you doing well? You seem..."
He trailed off. He wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with her, but it was clear something was wrong.
Right, we havenāt talked sinceā¦ forgive me, I canāt rememberā¦ so much has happened as of late, my memory hasnāt been the bestā¦ andā¦ things are still in turmoil for you, Ori..? Iāmā¦ so sorryā¦ I wish there was something I could do to helpā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, genuinely feeling bad about the fact that everything was going wrong for you, nothing had changedā¦ Yet the nanosecond she heard you ask if she was okā¦ her body began to tremble slightly on instinct
I-Iā¦ ummā¦ itāsā¦ I justā¦ ā¦n-noā¦ Iāmā¦ not ok at allā¦ Iā¦ so much has happenedā¦ n-none of it isā¦ goodā¦ Iā¦
Ori was just... trying not to think about everything in relation to himself. Another reason he was up and wandering around different universesā being stuck in the cabin gave him way too much time to think. If he didn't think about it, it hadn't happened, he hadn't failed, he wasn'tā
He took a deep breath, hands flexing by his sides where he would usually be fiddling with his knives, but... no dice. His wings twitched uncomfortably, clearly unhappy with the lack of armor.
"It is... fine. Okay. It has happened now and there is... nothing to be done."
The words were like pulling teeth, clearly lying. He took a step closer to Irida when she started trembling, being careful not to touch her unless she indicated that that was okay.
"Irida?"
He didn't want to push if she didn't want to talk, but... he wanted to support her if she did want to talk.
Iā¦ understandā¦ letās not bring it up more if it makes you as stressed and uncomfortable as it does, Oriā¦ sorry, for all of thatā¦ you really donāt de-
She paused when you asked if she wanted to talk about what had recently happened, as much as she wished that the trembling wasnāt obviousā¦ it wasā¦ ālookingā around, she āexhaledā shakily, you needed to knowā¦
Iā¦ l-letās go somewhere moreā¦ out of the wayā¦ I donātā¦ f-feel safe explaining everythingā¦ out hereā¦ p-pleaseā¦ follow me toā¦ my roomā¦ o-ok..?
Ori nodded, moving to follow Irida. Whatever had happened clearly wasn't good, and he wished that he had been there to stop whatever had happened... She didn't deserve any of this. Perhaps Minato was rightā perhaps it was a bad idea to block off multiversal travel to his own universe... it meant blocking off people for their safety, but clearly it hadn't worked in the slightest.
"Take your time. Only explain what you wish."
His voice was grounded, looking at her carefully in hopes that his presence was a comfort.
Upon entering her room, she floated over to her bed and sat down, all six wings still shielding her body from viewā¦ the ends glowing a mix between dark blue, dark purple, and blackā¦ sheā¦ needed you to knowā¦
O-Oriā¦ not too long ago, I went down to the first level of the Violence layerā¦ to retrieve the remains of my younger brother figure who was also the Lieutenant of my squadronā¦ Lieutenant Mindflayer āPothosāā¦ the last male Mindflayer in existenceā¦ heā¦ was slaughtered by Mannequins thereā¦ Iā¦ had Archangel Gabriel along with his V1, King Sisyphus, and Lucifer on standby hereā¦ in case things went wrongā¦ so they couldā¦ come save meā¦ a-after Iā¦ found his remainsā¦ someoneā¦ from decades agoā¦ from my pastā¦ decided to make himself knownā¦ a fallen Seraphimā¦ the leader of The Watchersā¦ a complete sadistā¦ his nameā¦ isā¦ Samyazaā¦ heā¦ ordered a Mannequin to puncture one of my fuel tanksā¦ before manifesting himselfā¦ in the darknessā¦ he burned my wings awayā¦ slowlyā¦ while holding me closeā¦ andā¦ threatened to desecrate me once moreā¦ in front of everyoneā¦ heā¦ was the one whoā¦ defiled meā¦ decades agoā¦ once The Final War was overā¦ after I took the plunge into Hellā¦ chose the Lust layerā¦ andā¦ built my bodyā¦ heā¦ held me captive forā¦ half a decadeā¦ and nowā¦ heās back..!
Ori listened, horrified with every word Irida spoke. His wings turned more and more amber as he listened to her words, furious and nauseous that she had to go through that, that the bastard was still alive.
He could kill him. If he even got close to her again, he would kill him, anything else be damned. She didnāt deserve to have to live in fear, she didnāt deserve to have any of that happen to her in the first place.
āI cannot apologise deeply enough that something like that occurred to youā Iāā
He stammered, looking for any words that could be a comfort, butā¦. what could possibly be comforting? The bastard was still out there. He shook his head, stomach turning. He wouldnāt throw up, butā¦ he felt pretty close.
āIf you ever feel as though you are in any danger, or even if you just feel unsafe being alone, please contact me. I do not want you going through this alone, Irida.ā
He put a hand on her shoulder, gentle and watching for any signs of discomfort at the touch.
She could feel fear, sadness, and shame building up inside of her as you spoke, familiar feelings when it came to thisā¦ but the nanosecond you placed your hand on her shoulder, she lost it, she couldnāt hold back, without thinkingā¦ she pulled you into a hug while trying to muffle her gut wrenching sobs
O-Ori..! I-Iāmā¦ s-so scared..! H-He haunts me..! Itā¦ n-never ends..! T-The nightmaresā¦ the phantom f-feelingsā¦ h-his voiceā¦ I-I canāt escape..! A-And nowā¦ I-Iām being stalked too..! B-By a d-damned P-Providenceā¦ that belongs to him..! N-Nothingā¦ is s-safe..!
The moment that Irida began to hug him, made it clear that she was okay with physical contact, Ori pulled her closer, holding her as tightly as she could, forcing himself to purr as loudly as possible in order to hopefully calm her slightly.
"I am so sorry, Irida, I am so sorry... You should not have to go through this. You should not feel so unsafe... I wish there was... something I could do, and if there is..."
He didn't move back at all, letting her decide when she wanted to pull back from the hug. His wings fluttered weakly, moving to drape over her as well. He hated hearing her cry, wished there was something to be done about it, but he felt helplessā there was nothing to be done but support Irida through this hell.
Unable to find the words, she ends up wrapping her six wings around you as well, the closeness and hearing your purring not only gave her a little semblance of sanity, but also made her cry more, she couldnāt control itā¦ nothing with everything going so horribly for herā¦
I-I justā¦ w-want to be f-free from thisā¦ O-Ori..! Toā¦ l-live like I-I didā¦ b-before the m-memories c-came back..! B-Before the V-Violence layer incident..! A-As Commander-In-Chief..! H-Heā¦ tore m-me apartā¦ b-back thenā¦ a-andā¦ will d-definitely do it a-again..! Withā¦ e-everyone Iā¦ l-loveā¦ as a l-live audience..! H-Heā¦ I-I justā¦
Ori continued to hold her closely, purring louder the more distressed she got, knowing it was usually a sound that grounded those he was near. Tears sprung to his own eyes at her distress, curling closer to her as if he could protect her, somehow.
"It is... incredibly understandable you feel this way, and it may feel like it will be like this forever, but you will heal, Irida. It is painful, and horrible, and you should not have to carry the burden of what he has done, what he is still doing, but you will heal. You will survive, and you will be able to live your life again."
He wasn't sure if his words were comforting in the slightest, rambling as he was, but he was trying, just wanting to provide her some comfort.
So many had told her before the Violence layer incident the very same things, and yetā¦ everything fell apart that dayā¦ she had such a hard time believing those wordsā¦ but hearing your purrs did help her more, she was beginning to relaxā¦ when her entire body seemed to jolt before shuddering uncontrollably, she immediately went to silence her sobs, knowing what that feeling wasā¦
Ori looked startled, looking around for whatever Irida was seeing, whatever was causing her to react so negatively. When he didnāt see anything, his focus went back to her, trying to soothe her by continuing to purr, continuing to hold her close.
āIrida? Iridaā you are okay, you are safeā he is not hereā no one will hurt you hereāā
He kept glancing around, in case there was something he was missing. Something that he would have to fight to keep her safeā he didnāt have his armor or knives, but it didnāt matter. He would fight to protect her, if it came to that. She wouldn't be hurt by him again.
She tried listening to your words and purrs, tried to allow herself to calm down and not focus on what she was feelingā¦ but the moment her processors began replaying those scenes along with the phantom sensationsā¦ she hugged you even tighter, her muffled sobs becoming louder as things got so much worseā¦ she needed something, but at this pointā¦ she didnāt even know what it wasā¦
Ori wasnāt sure anything that he said was getting through to her, tamping down his panic and trying to think rationally. What did he use to ground other people? Usually purring, that usually worked, and it had seemed to for a moment, but Irida was still reliving her memoriesā¦ what else could he do but hold her and keep purring?
... Perhaps.... making her processors focus on something else would help? He didn't know, he was just trying things at this point, he hated that she was having to go through this.
A small part of his brain yelled at him at his idea, a part of his brain that wanted him to keep all his blood in his body (which was... strange. Ori never really cared about that beforeā) but he didn't care, moving his mask aside with one hand to bite at his wrist, going back to holding Irida close. Hopefully the blood in her systems would help, but he had no idea.
"You are okay.... you are safe, you are not there...... you are in your home, in Lust, and you are safe, Irida...."
Her body immediately sensed the blood, even through the immense distress she was in, a pop up appeared in her processors, her blood fuel levels had dropped to 30% rather quickly, something that tends to happen when sheās reliving said memories
ā¦O-O-Oriā¦
With a shaky and glitchy voice, she called out your name before instinctively grabbing your wrist and placing it against her ācollarboneā, allowing the blood to seep into her body, slowlyā¦ the shuddering stopped and her ābreathingā began to regulate itself, yet she still held onto you like her life depended on it
Ori continued to hold onto her, purring as loud as he could as he let her take his blood, glad that it seemed to be calming her down. His brain was still yelling about losing blood in the first place, but he continued to think of the good that it was doing Irida, instead of... whatever reason he needed to keep his blood in his body.
"You are safe, Irida, you are here. In Lust, not there, we are both here and you are safeā"
He continued to repeat the same words until she showed signs of calming fully, pulling back slightly just to look her over, make sure she wasn't hurt. He knew that nothing had physically happened, but he still needed to check, for his own sanity.
Her fuel tanks had finally returned to 100%, āexhalingā, she carefully moved your wrist back, making sure to use gentle heat to close the wound, something she discovered worked on beings imbued with Hell energy, ālookingā at you, she hummed softly
ā¦I-I didnāt know thatā¦ m-my fuel tanks were thatā¦ l-low on bloodā¦ O-Oriā¦ andā¦ s-sorry for freaking outā¦ l-like thatā¦ I-I hate itā¦ when others have toā¦ s-see me inā¦ such a-a stateā¦
Ori shrugged, continuing to stay close to her just in case something else happened, but letting go in general, still looking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. He just wanted to make sure that she was... as okay as she could be, in this scenario.
"It is okay, there is no need to apologize. I am glad that your tanks are closer to full now, and I am glad that I could help you in any wayā there is no need to feel ashamed for your reactions to what has happened in your past."
He kept his voice evenā he truly wasn't judging Irida for what happened, and he wanted to make sure that she knew that, wings fluttering slightly. He wanted to help her, and wanted to continue to help her in the future.
"Are you comfortable here? Would you rather move somewhere else?"
ā¦I-Iām fine hereā¦ i-itās the best place for me to beā¦ a-at least for nowā¦ I-I justā¦
Her six wings move to shield her body once more, you can sense the shame emanating off of her in that moment, so much had happened since youād last seen herā¦ and it was easy to tell just how unstable she had become
ā¦O-Oriā¦ thank you forā¦ g-giving me bloodā¦ I-Iā¦ know how intense my processors can beā¦ w-when Iāmā¦ so lowā¦ a-are you doing ok..? Nothing hurts..? P-Please do tell meā¦ I-I owe you for this..!
Ori feltā¦ probably as okay as he could be. Irida was more important in the moment than he was, anything that he was going through was small in comparison. The wound was healed over where he gave Irida his blood, and that meant he was perfectly fine.
āI am fineā are your tanks full? Do you need anything else?ā
He, admittedly, feltā¦ not very great. A bit lightheaded from the blood loss, which was strange considering how often he gave his blood to his own partners. Butā¦ he hadnāt done so since before Lust fell, so he supposed he wasnāt used to it anymore. That, and the ever-present nausea he couldnāt seem to shake, no matter how calm he was.
She didnāt answer, instead, she brought her left hand up and nearly placed it against your forehead before a soft green light formed, her six wings fluttering slightly as she seemed to concentrate, the light enveloping your entire body
Donāt move, Oriā¦ andā¦ just relax to the best of your abilityā¦ ok..? This wonāt hurt youā¦ I promiseā¦
Ori was not very good at relaxing, tensing up instead as his wings flicked around, and his tail thumped a few times. He started to stammer a question to Irida, namely what was she doingā
Butā¦
He felt. Better.
Not perfect, no. There was still thatā¦ weirdness about how he had been feeling. But he no longer felt nauseous, and like he was one wrong move from passing out.
He feltā¦ odd. But better.
āā¦Thank you, Irida. Iā¦ did not realize how ill I was feeling.ā
She tilted her āheadā to the side and āsmiledā slightly, trying to lighten the mood, even though her processors were trying to make things worse, again, she wouldnāt give in
Itāsā¦ a hidden healing ability us Mindflayers have, Oriā¦ I wanted to repay youā¦ is everything else alright..? Iām always willing to listen, you knowā¦ especially after you heard me out like thisā¦!
Ori sighed slightly, glancing away. Heā¦ didnāt want anyone to worry. He was fine.
But he still felt nauseous the longer he thought about anything that had happened, whenever he thought about the fall, about Minosā death, about being coddled by his partners because of how he was potentiallyā¦
He was fine.
He was fine.
āI amā¦ fine. I have been busy, and have not beenā¦ travelling around much, mostly staying in Lust, Greed, and my partnersā version of Wrath. They coddle me intensely, so I have beenā¦ wandering.ā
Wandering wasā¦ a word for it. Pacing through the floor of the cabin until he had to make a break for it to walk around the anywhere he could think of in a bid to not rest was another way to put it.
I seeā¦ being coddled so intenselyā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how suffocating that must be for youā¦
She had a feeling as to why your partners were doing such a thing, although just a hunch, she wouldnāt be surprised if you truly were carrying a new life withinā¦ but it wasnāt her place to pry, nor call for Airmed to check, not to mention the whole āFall of Lustā thing in your universeā¦
Ori, has wandering through Lust and Greed been of any help to you by chance..? Because, and please take no offense at this, it seems like youāre still stuck in your mindā¦ I can sense your stress and anxietyā¦ is there anything I can doā¦ to help ease your mind..?
āIt is suffocating and infuriating, especially considering they are doing so in error. Hence why I go out walking, toā¦ let myself breathe.ā
But Ori feltā¦ slightly caught. It felt as though Irida could see through all hisā¦ ignoring of his own problems, pushing everything deep down in hopes that he wouldnāt have to acknowledge any of how he was feeling. Because wandering around had not made him feel any better, it just made him more exhausted, and gave him something else to focus on other thanā
Minosā head rollingā
He felt sick again. It was nice to not feel sick while it lasted, he supposed, wings twitching in discomfort as he sighed.
āItā Iā It gives my brain something to do. To focus on, instead ofā¦ other recent events. And by the time I get home once more, I am exhausted enough that I can attempt sleep, if I otherwise feelā¦ okay. But I amā¦ okay. Surviving, I suppose.ā
Heā¦ didnāt think that was probably comforting to Irida, but it was all he had. He justā¦ didnāt think about it. Any of it.
She put her left hand beneath her āchinā and began to think over everything you said to her, things were starting to connect, and she didnāt like what you were doing to distract yourselfā¦ āsighingā, she shakily got up and beckoned for you to follow her
Ori, please follow me, Iāmā¦ getting a strange feeling andā¦ want to help you relax a bitā¦ I know accepting help from others isnāt something you enjoy butā¦ trust me on this, ok..?
Ori lookedā¦ doubtful, but stood as well, stretching while trying to hold up his wings so they werenāt dragging on the floor as he followed Irida, only being moderately successful. He wasā¦ fine, as relaxed as he probably could be.
āI am fine, Iridaā¦. I am relaxed I promise.ā
Yet he still followed her, his natural curiosity winning out over his exhaustion and general stubbornness.
She responded while floating just a foot in front of you, soon the scenery changed and a familiar heart shaped pool came into view, āexhalingā softly, she floated down into the water then turned to face you
Come on in, Ori, I had Airmed turn up the temperature in the water, itās warm and comfortable in hereā¦ please, trust me, ok..? I promise youāll enjoy this..!
Ori looked at the pool, sighing softly as Irida talked. Heā¦ did love water. Although he couldnāt breathe underwater like some angels, he still loved being in it, and especiallyā¦ if it was warmā¦ it would probably soothe how achy he felt recently.
āā¦Okay. Okay.ā
He shyly took off his clothes, leaving him in his undergarments, wings and tail wrapping around him to hide how bloated he looked as he tentatively got into the pool, relaxing visibly the second he sat down. His wings and tail relaxed as well, falling back to their normal places.
Isnāt it? I can see how much youāre relaxing now too..!
She āsmilesā and swims over to join you, resting her six cabled wings on the surface of the water and she āexhalesā, feeling a lot of her pain and anxiety melt away, this definitely needed to be done more often
I should probably do this more tooā¦ oh and donāt worry, Ori, Iām immune to water, so you wonāt get electrocuted by me being in here, I promise..!
Ori laughed slightly, letting his head hang back as his eyes closed under the mask, moving to lazily take it off and put it to the side, wings fluttering around his head. This was so much better than anxiety and pain and nausea. It was all still buzzing in the back of his brain, but it feltā¦ a little better. A little less prominent.
āI was not even concerned with the thought of you electrocuting me, Irida. There are bigger thoughts in my head than that.ā
Plusā he had two machines as partners that he regularly went in water with. He just assumed that Irida would be the same way.
Heh, well thatās good to knowā¦ often times I need to tell a lot of beings that, so they arenāt afraidā¦
While resting in the water beside you, her six wings rise up and take on an odd stance, almost like their regular positions when sheās idleā¦ you can see them sparkling with a holy white light as they dry
Gotta say, Ori, seeing you without your mask onā¦ itās strange butā¦ your face is very charming to observeā¦ oh, donāt take this as me flirtingā¦ Iām just stating what I seeā¦
I wouldnāt dare allow myself to find a partnerā¦ not after everythingā¦ my heart and bodyā¦ shall never be toyed with againā¦
Ori continues to melt into the water, beginning to purr the further he relaxed, resting one of his arms on the ledge of the pool as the other one played absently with the top of the water. He cracked his eyes open to glance at Iridaā he was much more expressive than the mask usually suggested.
āYou flatter meāā
The wings around his head went pink, even as he laughed. The water was clearly doing him a whole lot of good.
āI know you are not flirtingā trust me, and I mean no offense saying this, but you are not exactly myā¦ type, Irida.ā
He grinned, knowing sheād know exactly what he meant by that. He didnāt reallyā¦ swing that way much at all.
Haha! I can tell, no offense, but you donāt seem like the type to be interested in women!
She couldnāt help but ālaughā and jab back, as if the obvious pregnancy bulge wasnāt a dead giveaway for her already, she practically knew from the day she first met you, some say she has a built in Gaydar
Iām glad youāre feeling much more relaxed now, Oriā¦ this was a gamble, but it was one I was willing to takeā¦ especially sinceā¦ wellā¦ I hope this doesnāt sound weird butā¦ I kinda see you as a brotherly figure..!
The wings around Ori's head fluttered as he laughed, shaking his head as his eyes squinted shut. He was in a much better mood than he was before, continuing to purr as he looked back up at Irida. He... was expecting to feel self-consciousā he had felt self-conscious when he first got in the water, that Irida could see how bloated he was, but he was just... so much more relaxed now.
"It does not sound weird. I... did not have any siblings in Heaven... you are the first sister I have had..."
He purred louder as he continued to talk, even as the wings around his head curled shyly around his face, used to having his mask on during any moments of vulnerability, as few as there were.
Thatā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how lonely such a thing was for youā¦ not having any family isā¦ it just feels horribleā¦ no, itās just horrible in generalā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, remembering how things were like for her after being released from captivity before raising the Lust layer armies, taking a ābreathā, she ālooksā back at you
Waitā¦ you really donāt mind? Andā¦ you see me as a sister..? Thatā¦ Ori..! Thank you so much..! It truly means a lot to hear such a thing, especially from you!
Ori shrugged slightly, looking away as he sank further into the water, shy and not... used to talking about any of his time in Heaven. His wings continued to twitch and flutter, curling around his head.
"It was not... too horrible... I was not entirely alone, I trained Heaven's armies so I was... constantly surrounded by other angels. Plus I..."
His voice had taken on something softer, going quiet as he... tried to figure out how to phrase what he was going to say. Or rather, to try and figure out what he was even going to say here. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Well... I had Haamiah, he was a... young blacksmith who looked up to me... and...... Gabriel... and that was enough for me."
He smiled at Irida, though it was a little weak and wobbly. He... didn't talk about Heaven for a reasonāĀ it always brought back not so good memories... but that was what Hell was for, he supposed. Making better memories then when he was in Heaven.
"Of course I see you as my sister, that is a... given, in my mind. And I will protect you as such."
I seeā¦ so you helped in training Heavenās armies, I must say thatās- wait a secā¦ thatās just like me, how I took the reins and trained the Lust layer armies..!
She understood everything you said to her, taking it all into account, but she couldnāt help connecting your job in Heaven with what she does in Lust, even if the comparison wasnāt the best, it gave her a sense of familiarity
Oriā¦ thank you, so much for saying that..! It really does mean more than you thinkā¦ to know that someone someone like you is willing to be there for me, andā¦ sees me as his sister..!
Ori grinned, glancing back up at Irida. They truly were incredibly similar, he had never sparred with her but he bet sheād be an excellent sparring partner.
āWe are incredibly similarā¦ I suppose it is just more merit as to you being my sister, I bet you would be fun to spar withā¦ā
He hadnāt sparred anyone inā¦ quite some time, and he missed it desperately, even though he had spent most of the past monthā¦ fightingā¦ in his own universeā¦
Perhaps it would be better to wait to spar, especially with this strange sickness he was dealing with.
Oh? A spar between you and me? Now THAT would be a lot of fun! Iāve always wondered how youād fare against my speed and powersā¦ and how Iād fare against your battle prowess!
She couldnāt help but āsmileā back, thinking about the time she sparred with Sisyphus and just how much fun it was, however, she had yet to spar with an angel of any kind, which is what excited her a lot
Though, letās wait on that, Ori, something tells me you need a good amount of time to restā¦ doing things that are pretty extreme wouldnāt be the best idea, at least not until everything is solved, yāknow?
Ori continued purring, content and excited by the idea of sparring with Irida. He truly was itching for a sparā he'd spar with her now except he would... most likely lose. Though, he was incredibly resilient, he wanted to be at his best when they sparred for the first time.
"I am much faster than I look with the armor on, I used to not be allowed my wings in spars because of it! I think your speed and powers would be incredibly fun to fight against..."
He, admittedly, was already brainstorming ideas to use against Irida in combatā it was what he was made for, and a comfort to return to that idea once more.
"I could... probably still spar now, I have been fighting regularly even while ill, but you deserve me at my best. Though I am... not the best at resting."
I donāt doubt that one bit! Despite my appearance, Iām able to reach Mach 5 speeds with ease, something that I take great pride in, along with my knowledge of how the battlefield works. Iām not a Greater Blood War Machine for no reason after all!
She couldnāt help but boast a bit while also complimenting you, it was practically coded into her to be very respectful of opponents who she deemed to be stronger than her, but that coding seemed to be added a few months ago
Well, if you think a spar would be worthwhile, Ori, then we can, although I do agree that fighting you at your best would be much more exhilarating! Then again, itās all up to you!
Ori wasn't surprised that Irida was fast in all honestlyā other Mindflayers he had sparred with in the past were always quick, though perhaps not as quick as Irida herself was. She'd be such an interesting sparring partner.... but he should fight her at his best....
He groaned, sinking under the water dramatically. He didn't want to rest, he wanted to fight. It was more interesting than resting through whatever was wrong with him. He popped his head back above the water, flicking his wings out to shake off the water.
"I am... admittedly torn. A spar sounds incredibly fun, but I know I am not at my best, and you deserve that... but I would quite enjoy a spar..."
He also didn't have any of his weapons, but he could and did regularly fight without them, his knuckles and arms were still slightly scarred over from where Virtue glass had embedded there and his healing hadn't fully removed it.
Hmmā¦ maybe thereās a way to compromise? Cause I can definitely tell that you wanna have fun and not restā¦ something I understand fully..!
She tilts her āheadā to the side slightly and begins to think, what other options were there for you that didnāt include pushing yourself too farā¦ thatās when she remembered something that might work
Oh! What about the training grounds right outside my lair, Ori? Sure itās not sparring in the traditional sense, but I can get a sense of how you fight! How does that sound? Though before we do any of thatā¦ letās remove the glass in your skin, ok?
Ori visibly perked up when Irida suggested the training grounds, even his wings beginning to flutter. He had truly missed lighthearted, training combat with someone he was close to. His tail began to flick underwater as well.
āThat sounds like an excellent ideaā!ā
He pushed himself up onto the edge of the pool, stretching out after getting there, including rolling out his knee. The warm water really had done everything good.
āThe glass isā¦ not much of a bother, my body will absorb it eventually. Unfortunately without my knives I amā¦ only really left with my hands and my hell energy to fight.ā
So, youāre really up for it, eh? Heh, fine by me! Iāve been meaning to do a bit of training now that I think about it!
Sheās plunges herself into the water then bolts out not even 10 seconds later, her six cabled wings flutter to dry off as she floats back down next to you, an air of confidence and excitement surrounding her the whole time
Thatās not a problem Ori! I mainly use my speed and electricity, but I can dial it back to just speed and close combat if youād like, make it more fair, yāknow?
Ori grabbed a towel nearby to dry off more fully, before slipping the cloths that he had been wearing back on. It wasā¦. flowy, more than you would probably want for combat, but he didnāt seem concerned or phased, equally as confident.
āProbably best to not use your electricity, I will not use any of my energy eitherā not that I use it very often, anyways.ā
He grabbed his mask from where it was sitting on the side of the pool, hooking it to a piece of fabric near his waist, choosing to leave it off instead of putting it back on. He grinned at Irida as his wings fluttered.
Sounds good to me! At least this way weāll be on equal grounds, no room for unfair attacks or anything! Heh! Oh this is gonna be fun!
She floats up a bit and stretches her body, wings fully dry, her heating and cooling systems turned on to dry off everything else before she zips over to a nearby open door, āsmilingā
Over here, Ori! The training grounds are just outside this corridor! Iām sure youāll find everything it has to offer very interesting! Ah, and youāve got Minerva to thank for setting it up to begin with! Hehe!
Ori followed behind Irida happily, wings fully held up and no longer droopy. He rolled out his wrists as he walked, equally as excited as she wasā he just hoped he wouldn't fall ill for any reason during their fight.
"I am quite excitedā please give my thanks to Minerva in advanceā"
He continued through the corridor, stepping outside with Irida into the training grounds, feeling a bit more relaxed stepping out into them. It... almost reminded him of the ones in Lust, the ones he spent so much time in. He wandered around, looking at all the details.
Oh, sheāll definitely hear about this! Donāt worry! Minerva takes great pride in having built such a place, so knowing that itās being used so much makes her very happy!
She zips over to the main portion of the training grounds, the concrete there looked dented and had some obvious signs of recent activity, which only made the area look so much more interesting
Oh right, apologies for the impact dents you see here, Oriā¦ they were caused by uhā¦ I recent spar I had with Sisyphusā¦ it was a lot of fun though! Anywaysā¦ ready when you are!
Ori smiled at the impact cratersāĀ he could see how a spar with Sisyphus would cause those. Sisyphus would also be fun to spar with, Ori sparred with his universes version often.... No, he had to focus. He shook out his wings, glancing over at Irida as he rolled out his wrists again, cracking his knuckles absently. He didn't get into a visibly defensive or offensive stance, just... waiting for her to make the first move.
"I am ready, Irida."
He was grinning, visibly excited. He never made the first move in a spar, especially against an opponent whose fighting style was unknown to him. A leftover habit from his angelic days, he supposed.
āSmilingā with confidence, she zips up into the sky at surprising speeds, āeyeingā you from her position, she darts around in a strange pattern before diving back down and grabbing ahold of your shoulders while still flying fast
Ori let himself be carried up into the air, not thrashing or panicking with the airtime, keeping his wings tucked in tight to his back. He gently grappled with Irida while in the air, laughing as he tried to push her hands off his shoulders, gauging how hard she'd go during a spar. He didn't really land any solid hits, not wanting to hurt her in the slightest with any of his actions.
Eventually, he pushed her hands off of one of his shoulders, which was enough to fling his wings out and catch the air, slowing them down though not as much as he was expecting. He pried her other hand off his shoulder, and let himself fall into a straight dive towards the ground.
"Better catch up if you want to land any good hits!"
He was laughing the entire time he fell, wings tucked tight to his back.
She immediately regained her composure and dove after you at surprising speeds, upon being within three inches of you, she kicks your legs from beneath you before bringing you back up into the sky, now moving at Mach 5 speeds, easily reaching the highest points of of Lust
You wanna dive bomb that badly, eh, Ori? Fine by me! Letās do this! Hahaha!
Ori let himself be grabbed once more, not stumbling as much as he could of when his legs were knocked out from underneath him, wings once again tucked to his back. It was hard for him to do much once he was grabbed, but he still fought back loosely, giggling as he wrapped a leg around hers to throw off their balance in the air, freeing himself and letting his wings keep himself at the same level.
"Come on, Iridaā hit me!"
He swooped in close to her, not actually landing a hit but knocking into her shoulder to jostle her in the air before continuing to fly, wanting her to hit him first. He laughed as he continued to fly away, quickly working up speed as he dived and swooped evasively.
"Come and catch meā!"
His voice was singsong and teasing as he flew, knowing Irida would catch up.
Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
āā¦I cannot disagree with you there, my friendā¦ after everything all of us have been through, Bartzabel becoming a reality should not be that surprisingā¦ but I will admit that when I first heard his voiceā¦ it felt like my head was going to split openā¦ā
Bezaliel glanced over at Bartzabel again who crossed his arms before looking back at the fallen angel, his demeanor still as calm as ever, the Supreme Angel had yet to show any signs of being upset or in distress over something
āI CAN TELL THAT YOUāRE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW I FORMED WITH FULL ARMOR, RIGHT? CONSIDERING THAT IāM A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THIS CROW ANGELāS NEGATIVE EMOTIONSā¦ IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT IāD BE READY FOR COMBAT AT ALL TIMES.ā
Bezalielās pitch black wings drooped slightly to show his annoyance at what Bartzabel had said but regained his composure very quickly, not wanting the fallen angel to think that he was at odds with his other self
āā¦There is not an hour that goes by when Bartzabel is ready to fight, Oriā¦ just keeping him contained within my shadow is a chore in of itselfā¦ but I have learned to live with his insanityā¦ā
One of Ori's wings twitched around his head, and he continued to squint at Bartzabel, though it really just looked like a slight tilt of the head. He was incredibly curious about the armor situation, nodding slightly at Bartzabel's explanation.
"I do suppose that makes sense... Being ready to fight is always a good thing, you need to make sure you are on guard at all times."
Ori certainly wasā he had to be ready to fight at all times, in order to protect himself and anyone else around him. He was always incredibly alert because of it (at least... when he wasn't falling asleep in alleyways...). He looked between Bezaliel and Bartzabel, wings stretching out once more as he shifted in place.
"It would be interesting to spar with you both... I believe it would be quite fun."
HERE AND NOW AND THENāāāāāāāāāāāCLOSED RP EVENT
AND HERE WE GO. First time running an event, this is kinda like a test for myself to see if I can handle running something of this size
Also to show some world lore for my Gabriel-
Without further ado, I am pleased to showcase āHere and Now and Thenā
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
*Gabriel had invited you all to a hidden treasure room deep in Treachery. A huge area with dozens with beautiful items on display*
*A sword made of flames that had once belonged to the gate guardian of Eden, a shield that seemed to break time and space as it danced around itself and seemed to infinitely bend in on itself, a golden egg with pure light inside it, along with many other such treasures.*
Do feel free to wander a bit, but there are 2 rules I will hold firm on:
Do not touch or move anything, and under no circumstances should you get too close to that
*he points at the center of the room, there sat sat a simple golden sphere on a velvet cushion, encased in glass and chains made of light.*
That is what the elders called āThe tesseract.ā Itās a highly unstable little thing. Or at least it was back in the elders of heavens dayā¦best not to touch it
Even I do not dare touch it.
Any questions with any of the artifacts I am happy to answer!
*What seemed to be a scream left Cassiel's throat, it was very squeaky and painfully low, since.. he couldn't scream, he was unable too, as soon as he was left in the ground he started shivering, clinging to the wet sound, his eyes were watery, the pain was too much.. He was breathing quickly, even if the pain disappeared, the fear was still there.. He never thought it would hurt that much.. Since he had his mask off it was easy to tell how hurt he was. Even through the pain, Cassiel looked for the child and crawled to him, hugging Gabriel and sobbing.*
*The moment the child hit the deck of the ship he culled into a ball, still coughing up water. Shivering from the cold of the river.*
My name is ARCHANGEL MICHEAL you heathen.
And what the hell do you mean DROWNING, he is perfectly fin-
*Itās only now does Micheal realize his brother was just pulled from the River Styx. Itās only now does he hear the soft cries of a terrified child.*
*was he really that inattentive to his own brotherā¦*
ā¦.oh shit
*He rushed over to the child, having no clue how to console him*
I have all the time in the world. Explain. What in the world caused archangel Gabriel to start drowning in the River Styx.ļæ¼
Who are you people.
*Cassiel embracing the child calmed him down a bit, not by much though. He still couldnāt get air in his lungsā¦*
Shit shit shit Gabriel Iām so sorryā¦.
*The tesseract was perfectly fine, rolling across the ships planks to bees feet.*
*bezaliel was near Cassiel and Gabriel, itās only now does Micheal realize that he was the one to pull them from the depths*
Bezaliel didnāt respond, he couldnāt respond, he was barely even consciousā¦ all of his energy had been completely sapped away, the Supreme Angel couldnāt even move his own pitch black wingsā¦ despite his status, Bezaliel could still experience the closest things to deathā¦ and this just so happened to be one of themā¦ water in his lungsā¦ the inability to do anything upon reached dry landā¦ exhaustionā¦ the last time he felt like this was whenā¦ rightā¦ the forced murder of Abaddonā¦ but he wasnāt actively dying that dayā¦ it only felt like itā¦
Ori was focused on his conversation, not paying much attention to the commotion happening near him. Forcing his brain to focus on something, at least, got him to act more normally, gave him something to do other than spiral.
"We are from the future. That thingā"
He pointed to the tesseract as it rolled across the deck of the ship. Wretched thing.
"Keeps teleporting us places we do not want to be in. We would like to go back to where we are supposed to, but either the damn thing gets lost, or stuck to someones hand, or in this case, mistaken for a toy. I suppose the Archangel Gabriel went overboard into the river trying to retrieve it."
Should he be telling all of this to someone in the past? Was he causing timeline issues as he spoke? He wasn't sure, but he looked back to Hopper and V1 for a moment.
"That is everything, right?"
He had been... not exactly the most coherent the whole time. He probably missed something.
*Cassiel felt panic kick in as he noticed how both Bezaliel and Gabriel were struggling to breathe, he should have too yet he didn't take too much water, being now able to recover from the water. He tried saving the kid first, hitting the child's back with strong yet gentle movements, doing the enough strength and pressure to help him. He moved near Bezaliel, still holding the child, and he tried saving Bezaliel too, doing the same yet with more strength. Since he saw Bezaliel struggling more than Gabriel to breathe, he started doing the mouth-to-mouth maneuver, shaking while doing it yet trying to do it as best as he could.. He didn't even know if this would help enough, he was doing his best, he was stressed, panicked.. and.. he couldn't think straight..*
*the ferryman seemed in a state of absolute disbelief, probably because he didnāt believe Ori in the slightest!*
Yes I was once upon a time humanā¦
Wait hold onā¦my brain could scramble like eggs?! Ok you people are BEYOND saving. Iām just about to throw you people over board!
All this talk about TIME TRAVELā¦
ā¦wait a moment. I thinkā¦I think king Minos has spoken of something like this THING you claim is tormenting you. I would recommend speaking to him, I think only the judge of hell is knowledgeable about this sort of thing.
I still do not fully believe you however, donāt get it twisted.
*Micheal was absolutely losing his mind, his little brother had started DROWNING on his watch. Raphael was going to absolutely KILL him.*
*thatās for later though, for now Micheal got over to his brother and started practically cradling him in his arms*
Gabriel Iām so sorryā¦Iām sorry I shouldāve watched you better. Please be ok.
*Gabriel was breathing properly thanks to Cassiel, but his eyes seemed foggy, distant. Gabriel was ok, just not there right now.*
Gabriel pleaseā¦please come back to me
*Michealās pride and arrogance was gone, gone like the wind. He was reduced to begging over his brothers nearly lifeless body*
*he knew Gabriel would live, angels donāt die that easy, but he could be in a coma of sorts from that ordeal*
*The tesseract, seemingly annoyed at being ignored, decided to slam into bees face-*
*Not enough force to crack their helm, but enough to make them topple back a bit if they werenāt prepared for such a strike*
Bezaliel still didnāt respond, something wasnāt right with him, yes the water in his lungs had finally drained, what Cassiel did completely helpedā¦ butā¦ he wasnāt okā¦ his left arm was sending a horrible amount of searing pain throughout his entire bodyā¦ something that never happensā¦ the Supreme Angel was being attacked by his own bodyā¦ was somethingā¦ changing within him..? Had this constant time travelā¦ awoken something..? He couldnāt tellā¦ his mind was a disasterā¦
Ori's wings flared out at the mention of throwing them overboard, slightly shielding Hopper and V1 from potential attack. He may not be fully recovered from the last location they were teleported to, but if this Ferryman tried harming any of them, he would sincerely regret that decision. Ori didn't care whether he believed them or notā he was telling the truth, and his reaction to that information was none of his concern.
"We are telling the truth, I assure you."
Ori tensed at the mention of Minos. He... wasn't sure if he could face the king again. Not after what had just happened, with his death, he wasn't sure he could face him without breaking down fully once more. He tucked his wings in close to his back, taking a step away from the Ferryman.
"...Is Minos... the only one with such information? It comes with his status as Judge of Hell, yes?"
Though... that did make sense, he supposed. Gabriel was the one who originally brought them to the artifacts room, and he was the Judge of Hell...
*Cassiel looked at Bezaliel, crying as he didn't woke up, he couldn't risk doing the same thing again, so instead, he hugged his brother, he listened to his voice, yet as he noticed how.. broken it was, it hurt his soul directly.*
āB-Bez.. I- I am here, d-don't leave m-me..ā
*He didn't understand what was happening to him, why was he so broken?.. What was causing him so much pain..?*
I can only assume the one the heavens appointed to watch over hell knows this. It would be a good idea to speak to him, or really just a high ranking angel if you are able to find one. Just maybe not Archangel Micheal and Gabriel..they are just children compared to other angels I've seen.
Also I cannot consume pillsā¦so
*Gabriel actually started to move around again, blinking and breathing properly.*
Gabriel?? Gabriel are you there?? Come on please talk to meā¦
*Michael was completely overwhelmed, he was just supposed to check on the ferryman here. All these other people completely throwing a wrench in his plans. His little brother DROWNING, some kind of ARTIFACTā¦his head was spinningā¦*
What the hell is going onā¦
*The tesseract seemed to become more and more impatient as time went on, continuing to be a nuisance for bee*ļæ¼
*It was NOT holding still at ALL. It was as if it was trying to get bee to do something with it*
Every voice around Bezaliel was barely audible, he couldnāt hear anything or anyone overā¦ something else in his mindā¦ something thatā¦ wasnāt there beforeā¦
āARENāT YOU TIRED OF CONSTANTLY BEING MADE A FOOL OF?ā
A different voiceā¦ loud andā¦ aggressiveā¦ it sounded like his own but much more gritty and echoeyā¦ he didnāt know what was happening, but by God did everything hurtā¦
āDONāT YOU JUST WANT TO UNLEASH YOUR RIGHTEOUS RAGE? EVERYTHING YOU ENDUREDā¦ LET IT OUT!ā
His body achedā¦ his head felt like it was splitting openā¦ the Supreme Angel had no idea on what any of this wasā¦ it scared himā¦ how long had this been trapped within..?
āUPON THE NEXT INSTANCE OF TIME TRAVEL, YOU SHALL UNLEASH ME, BEZALIEL! NO MORE HOLDING BACK! NOWā¦ SAY MY NAME! FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH WHO I TRULY AM!ā
Bezaliel didnāt know who or what this entity wasā¦ had he somehow become possessed? No, that was impossible! Yetā¦ he felt as though he knew the nameā¦ it was in his mind for eonsā¦ but just now decided to awaken
Ori glanced over at Hopper as the Tesseract began acting up once more, sighing before glancing back to the Ferryman. They all really couldnāt catch a break, could they? The Tesseract was clearly close to throwing them all somewhere new soon, and then it would just beā¦ another shitshow.
āI suppose we canā¦ try that. See if it gets us any information considering howā¦ unruly it is.ā
Unruly was probably an understatement. Actually, it was definitely an understatement. He glanced at Hopper, then V1, then Helios, then back to Hopper, voice going quiet.
āThere isā¦ no way they are going to stabilize that thing.ā
*Cassiel did not give up on his brother, hugging him tightly and starting to sob, clinging onto him, never hearing that name.. never hearing anything.. they wanted Bezaliel to be okay again.. to be alright.*
āStay w-with me.. Bez.. can you hear me, brother?..ā
*The spark from beeās suit is all it took, the tesseract started to glow and float again. Seemingly brighter than before, looks like it WAS impatient.*
What the HELL is that thing DOING?!
*While Helios was seemingly freaking out, Micheal was much more concerned for his brother. Gabriel was actually starting to open his eyes and whimper a bit*
Michealā¦?
GABRIEL!
*He was okā¦by everything his brother was ok. If he was any weaker Micheal wouldāve started cryingā¦but he didnāt. Instead he turned to where Bezaliel was laying and simply said*
Thank you.
*That was the last word anyone was able to get out before the light of the tesseract took you all*
*This time, the amount of time spend in the light was longer. Almost concerningly so. Usually it was quick but this time it took almost 3 minutes. But it passed*
*The light from the tesseract died out, it returning to a dim ball and falling into beeās hands*
*This time, you all are in what looks like gluttony. The arena portion of it, the eye of hell staring intensely at you*
*The floor was squishy and soft, almost like grass after a heavy rainfall. Unpleasant but walkable. The area smelled of iron and raw meat, the intestines of hell doing no favors for your senses*
*It looks pretty much the same as it is in your original time, if anything, the heart floating in the void seems to be beating stronger*
*Thereās a quick rush of wind behind you all, gone as fast as it came, then it happened again, and againā¦*
Bezaliel struggled back up, still in pain from nearly drowning, the voice in his head had caused a splitting headache, but through it all, the Supreme Angel stood tall, breathing heavily, he went to reach for his golden swordā¦ only to realize how shaky he wasā¦ weakā¦ heā¦
āLOOK ALIVE, SOMETHING IS HERE, WE ARENāT IN THE PRESENT, THIS IS THE FUTURE.ā
The voice was back, commanding and loud, yet no one else but him could hear it, Bezaliel gripped his head with his right hand and hissed in pain, thisā¦ was going to be hardā¦
āREMEMBER WHAT I SAID? UPON THE NEXT INSTANCE OF TIME TRAVEL, YOU SHALL CALL UPON ME! NOW WOULD BE A VERY GOOD TIME TO DO SO!ā
The Supreme Angel stumbled more, out of the corner of his pure white right eye, he could see how his own shadow was twisting, distortingā¦ almost like it had a mind of its ownā¦ it, worried himā¦
āYOU NEED ME FOR THIS, YOU ARE FAR TOO WEAK TO FIGHT ALONE, UNDERSTAND?ā
Bezaliel stumbled more, his pitch black wings puffing up while also fully extending at the same time, the voice was right, he lost a lot of strength, fighting on his own would be a death wishā¦ he needed this entity to help him
āā¦Iā¦ understandā¦ you shall be called uponā¦ā
Ori was significantly less out of it when they landed this time around, drawing his knives immediately and turning in a small circle, looking for whoever or whatever was clearly near them. He was unphased by Gluttony, one of the few layers he didn't have a personal trauma in, it seemed, uncaring of the way his feet squished into the floor with every step.
"Is... the Tesseract stable? Is everyone...?"
Well. Okay probably wouldn't be the best word to describe it, after Bezaliel and Cassiel nearly drowned, and V1's systems started going haywire.
*Out of nowhere, someone appeared in front of the group. Not in any dramatic blast of light, it looked more like they were just moving extremely fast
HALT. YOU WILL NOT BE ALOWED FURTHER.
FACE THE WRATH OF THE JUDGE OF HELL, INTRUDERS.
*They were clad in angelic armor, it looked a bit different. More shaped to fit its wearer, it covered more than Gabrielās armor. Their helm had rams horns on it with a spiral in the middle*
*Their arms and legs looked a bitā¦odd. But that could just be be the speed at which their moving*
*They pulled a spear from their back and started charging*
āā¦A new Judge of Hell..? Didā¦ Archangel Gabriel retire in the future..?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but think aloud, however upon realizing how quick this angel was, he knew he had to act fastā¦ to summon his living shadowā¦
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
With his pitch black wings outstretched fully, the Supreme Angel chanted something in Latin, his pure white right eye glowing fullyā¦ the shadow behind him rose up and an entity emerged, it looked more like a demon than a shadow or a different version of him
āALRIGHT, LETāS DO THIS BEZALIEL! THINK FAST! IāLL COVER YOU UP FRONT, BUT DONāT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, UNDERSTOOD? WE WORK AS A UNIT!ā
Bezaliel nodded and allowed the entity known as Bartzabel to jump in front of him, he just had to follow his leadā¦ work as a unitā¦ and trust in the physical manifestation of his rage and unfiltered powerā¦ he could do thisā¦
āLOOK ALIVE, CROW ANGEL! HERE THEY COME!ā
The Supreme Angel followed his shadow, getting into the same stance as him, it feltā¦ so strange, but at the same time, so familiarā¦ this was a fight he wasnāt going to lose!
āā¦I shall follow youā¦ Bartzabelā¦ let us do this..!ā
Ori's head whipped around when the other person appearedā another Judge of Hell? Gabriel was... no longer the judge? He wasn't fit for another fight, brain scrambled from the entire experience, yet he still drew his knives, taking a protective stance in front of the others. He hoped that this new judge would be an easy match, but he seriously doubted it.
"Let us make this quick so we can get home."
His wings were drooping slightly, exhaustion setting in but still determined to fight and defend everyone to the best of his ability.
*Cassiel wipped away his tears, seeing how Bezaliel and.. Bertzabel were ready for battle, he had to question that later, now all that mattered was keeping everyone safe. His six wings fluttered before he launched himself into the air, his whole being disappearing with a loud caw, he was camouflaging in the darkness, scythe materializing from stardust into his hand.*
*Bees shot ended up completely disarming the judge in a miraculous stroke of good luck. Spear hitting the ground moments after the shot was fired*
ā¦
Excuse me what.ļæ¼
*halting their charge, the judge loops back up into the sky and summons a different weapon. This time itās a long sword made of light.*
*The sudden appearance of a new person absolutely startles the judge, jumping a bit and murmuring something under their breath*
Where the hell did they come fromā¦ļæ¼
*The judge brushes it off and starts to charge again, targeting Bartzabel. This time being able to make a direct hit to his chest, a loud clanging sound ringing out at the impact.*
*This close up, the Judge seems to have a gun holdester. Itās holding a single green gun. One that looks very familiar to the right eyes*
SHOW ME WHAT YOUVE GOT.
*After striking Bartzabel, they turn and fly over for Cassiel. Making very swift fly byes that would disorient even the best of fliers if they arenāt careful*
HOPE YOU CAN KEEP UP OLD TIMER.
*They seem to be followed by something else, a glowing yellow ball of fire.*
āFUCK, THIS ONEāS STRONG! HOLD IT TOGETHER, BEZALIEL!ā
Despite being hit with such a heavy attack, Bartzabel only stumbled a bit, Bezaliel on the other hand seemed to take more of the attack, breathing heavily, the Supreme Angel jumped up and took to the skies, immediately summoning his shadows
āā¦I know not of how well this shall go over for usā¦ but the gamble is worth itā¦ cover meā¦ Bartzabel..!ā
With pitch black wings fully outstretched, Bezaliel orders his shadows to restrain the angel flying around, commanding them and puppeteering them, he couldnāt attack in this state
āCROW ANGEL! YOUāD BETTER KNOW WHAT YOUāRE DOING! IāM GONNA PIN THIS BITCH DOWN!ā
The rage in Bartzabelās voice reverberated all around as he reached for the incapacitated angel, pitch black hip wings fully extended to protect Bezaliel from any further damage
āā¦I know exactly what I am doingā¦ Bartzabelā¦ and I know you will not fall easilyā¦ so go crazyā¦ we work as a unit..!ā
Ori slowly, slowly ducked down, creeping back towards V1 in the hopes that the new judge wouldn't target either of them. He kept his knives out, still ready for a potential attack, standing slightly in front of V1 and glancing back periodically.
"They will not touch you. You are okay, if they come over here you will not be hurt."
Ori... wasn't sure how confident he sounded, but he'd just... continue hoping the judge wouldn't turn in their direction. And if they didā Ori would just fight like hell.
He squinted at the figure, taking in everything about them. The tesseract was definitely the most concerning, but there was something... specific it felt as though he was missing about them. He wasn't entirely sure what it was, though.
*Cassiel decided to start flying and follow the judge, doing his best to keep up with him, when he was close, he tried to pierce him with his scythe, Cassiel looked down at everyone else and sighed, he needed to do this for everyone..*
*The judge saw Cassiel start to trail them, they were prepared for that to start happening. When Cassiel tried to pierce them with his scythe they dodged last minute*
YOULL HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT.
*They turned their attention back to Bartzabel, going in for another strike. It was weaker than the last one, but still packed a hell of a punch*
WHY ARE YOU HERE. WHAT REASON DO YOU ALL HAVE TO DISRUPT ME.
*Looping back into the sky, the judge goes for Cassiel next. They nearly missed but managed to just clip him with the sword*
*They saw Ori, Bee, and V1 just staying there defensively. Deciding to leave them alone, the werenāt attacking. They should be easy enough to handle later*
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU TRY AND PIN ME DOWN.
*The judge perched on the heart in the arena, still very much ready to attack if someone came for them.*
*They pulled the gun from its holster, it was a marksman gun. V1ās marksman gun.*
*They flicked a coin into the air and completely missed it when they tried to shoot it. Trying again, this time they hit the coin dead on, sending the coin hurdling at Cassiel.*
Despite whatever Bartzabel was currently doing, Bezaliel flew over to his brother and shielded him from the coin, he refused to allow the other to get hurt any further
āBEZALIEL?! ARE YOU INSANE?! WE WORK AS A UNIT YOU DUMB FUCK! ATTACK!ā
The Supreme Angel shook his head, ignoring his other self, instead he stayed where he was, but he knew he couldnāt detach himself, so commands were in order
āā¦Bartzabelā¦ help me protect Cassiel..! He is my brother..! Cover meā¦ I shall tank the hitā¦ but no harm shall come to him..! We work as a unit..!ā
Bezaliel remained firm while addressing his other self, as much as Bartzabel wanted to argue, to continue attacking, he knew to follow the Supreme Angelās commands, and so he did, turning back to cover the two angels
āYOUāD BETTER KNOW WHAT YOUāRE DOING! THAT COIN SHOT IS GONNA HURT LIKE A BITCH!ā
Bezaliel nodded, he knew, oh how he knew
āā¦I know, Bartzabelā¦ which is exactly why I cannot allow Cassiel to get hit by itā¦ā
Ori sighed, and nodded. He was truly as fed up with everything as Bee was, and he hadn't even had to handle the tesseract yet. All he wanted to do was get home at this point, wings twitching and fluttering uncomfortably as he watched the judge move around.
"That sounds good to me..."
He trailed off as he squinted at the gun the judge was holding, head tilting slightly. That was... not their gun. Ori recognized that gun quite well, both of his partners had that gun, so how did this person... get that...?
He shook his head. It probably wasn't an incredibly important connection. He looked between Bee and V1.
"Should someone try and... grab it?"
He was eyeing the tesseract like he was... considering it if it sped up the process of going home.
Ori had found out he was pregnant, and wasā¦ not taking it the best. Despite pleas to rest fromā¦ pretty much everyone, he still wasnāt resting, was still pushing himself to exhaustion every day that he could get out of the cabin.
Today, he had been wandering through Lust, looking for any stragglers after the fall, trying to avoid the corpse of the King shambling around the city. Heā¦ hasnāt lasted very long though, eventually tucking himself into a secluded alley to fall asleep, curled into a little ball with his arms over his stomach, and his wings over him.
He hoped no one would find him, or disturb his nap.
- @hellsfavoritefallen
āā¦ā
Bezaliel had been watching from the shadows the entire time, feeling like a disappointed and exhausted parent, but he couldnāt blame the fallen angel for being so restless, sighing, the Supreme Angel stepped out of the shadows and sat beside a wall
āā¦Oriā¦ you are unfortunately not very good at thisā¦ā
Ori was softly snoring, not even stirring when Bezaliel came closer. He had been sleeping like a rock for the past few months, instead of the usual insomnia he faced regularly. It was probably something to do with the pregnancy, whichā¦ he still hadnāt told people about. Other than his partners, and Raphael, he just hadā¦ kept it under wraps.
But falling asleep in an alleyā¦. it was clear something was wrong with him, whether you knew him or not.
āā¦Apologiesā¦ but I need to understand your current conditionā¦ this is unusual behaviorā¦ even for youā¦ā
With a flick of his right wrist, Bezaliel managed to summon a wispy shadow, he silently ordered it to examine the sleeping fallen angel, and thatās when the Supreme Angel heard a secondary heartbeat from within, he understood and recalled the shadow
āā¦So that is the reason, Oriā¦ a new life resides within youā¦ that secondary heartbeat is all the proof I needā¦ I shall remain hereā¦ and keep watchā¦ restā¦ you need itā¦ā
Ori slept for quite a while longer, only moving slightly as he rested to curl tighter, protecting himself and the child in his sleep. But, eventually, he slowly began to come to, mumbling as his eyes opened under his mask, looking around blearily as he sat up, keeping his wings and arms tucked around him.
"...Bezaliel?"
His voice was quiet, still exhausted sounding even though he was just waking up from a nap, looking around at his surroundings once more. He... hadn't really meant to lay down for a nap in an alleyway, but the exhaustion just... hit him suddenly.
āā¦Welcome back to the land of the livingā¦ and I say this in jestā¦ yes, it is meā¦ we have not spoken in quite some timeā¦ my friendā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt get up from his spot, still keeping watch, but he did respond however, the fallen angel needed to know that it was him, that the Supreme Angel was there
āā¦I have only been here for 15 minutes at most, Oriā¦ keeping watchā¦ as per usualā¦ passing out in an alleyway is not the safest optionā¦ but I know you could not help itā¦ considering your exhaustionā¦ā
Ori continued to wake up, seemingly more confused the more he woke up. He shuffled around until he was sitting more normally, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as he looked at Bezaliel. It... had been quite a long time since they had last seen each other.
"It has been... quite a while. How have you been? Better than myself, I hope."
Especially since he passed out in an alleyway, and was probably only safe since Bezaliel was watching over him... he really was fed up with the exhaustion already.
"I did not... mean to fall asleep, I was just... a bit tired. Rest has never come easy for me."
A bit tired was probably an understatement, considering he... passed out in an alleyway.
āā¦I have beenā¦ losing itā¦ I guess that is the best way to put it, my friendā¦ it seems as thoughā¦ I have another meā¦ but not in my mindā¦ā
Bezaliel sighs and rubs his forehead before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the fallen angel, the Supreme Angel knew he needed to remain calm
āā¦Oriā¦ passing out in alleyways does not usually account for normal exhaustionā¦ and I think I know why you are as tired as you seem to beā¦ā
Ori tilted his head as he tried to make sense of what Bezaliel was saying. Anotherā¦ himā¦??? Thatā¦ didnāt make sense in the slightest. Ori wasnāt sure if it was justā¦ his brain scrambling things out of exhaustion, or whether that truly made no sense whatsoever.
āIā¦ what do youā¦ mean?ā
He looked slightlyā¦ caught when Bezaliel mentioned how he had passed out in an alleyway, glancing away as the wings around his head fluttered. He was stillā¦. notā¦ sure how to approach the topic, even as his wings went pink with embarrassment.
āAhā yes, I amā¦ fine. No need to worry, it wasā¦ a fluke.ā
āā¦It seems as though my own shadowā¦ is aliveā¦ has a mind of his own, my friendā¦ though I am unsure if calling him out for you to see hisā¦ true form isā¦ wiseā¦ especially considering your current conditionā¦ā
Bezaliel didnāt once take his gaze off of the fallen angel, he wanted to make sure everything was ok, that nothing went wrong, the Supreme Angel couldnāt help but feel protective
āā¦Oriā¦ this exhaustion of yours is no flukeā¦ you carry a new life within yourselfā¦ it is no wonder as to why you collapsed hereā¦ I truly am glad that I was keeping watchā¦ who knows what would have happened if I was not around..?ā
Oriās head tilted again when Bezaliel spoke of thisā¦.. shadow being alive? It still didnāt entirely make sense to him, but he was not fragileā he wouldnāt implode if Bezaliel called him out.
āYou can call him outā I am not made of glass, Bezaliel.ā
Even though he had fallen asleep in an alleyway. The wings around his head went pink as Bezaliel called him out on beingā¦. pregnantā¦ tucking his arm tighter around his abdomen as he looked away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
āā¦I can sense these thingsā¦ my shadows were the ones who alerted me to the secondary heartbeatā¦ but do not fear, I shall not tell anyone about thisā¦ alrightā¦ my friend..?ā
As Bezaliel spoke his pitch black wings extended outwards, he knew that the fallen angel wanted to see his other self, his shadow, the one that lives and breathesā¦ exhaling, the Supreme Angel got into a kneeling position and began to focus, his head loweredā¦ inhaling, he began to chant something in Latin
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
Bezaliel lifted his head back up, his pure white right eye glowing as the shadow behind him began to twist and warp before rising up, and what appeared wasā¦ the Supreme Angelās shadow..? It looked more akin to a demon
āā¦Oriā¦ since you wished for me to call out my other selfā¦ I didā¦ this is Bartzabelā¦ he is the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ be not afraidā¦ he only attacks when I give him the commands to do soā¦ā
Ori stood when Bezaliel began to chant, stretching out from his position on the ground and ignoring the horrible cracking sound at least one of his joints made as he stood, hand drifting closer to his knife when Bartzabel appeared. He wasn't planning on attacking, but... he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Hello, Bartzabel...."
His voice was strong and firm as he stood his ground, quickly masking his exhaustion and letting his wings flare out slightly in intimidation to make sure that Bartzabel understood he was not someone to be fucked with, even if Bezaliel found him asleep in an alleyway. He turned back to Bezaliel, letting his hand rest fully on his knife.
"And you said he is alive... did you just discover this recently?"
āā¦Yes, Bartzabel is very much alive, my friendā¦ his main purpose is to fight along side meā¦ and to defend me in battleā¦ but only when I call upon himā¦ beyond thatā¦ he is just my living shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel takes notice of how the fallen angel takes on an aggressive stance, showing that he isnāt one to be fucked with, glancing behind himself, the Supreme Angel sighed silently and nodded to the being behind him
āā¦This is indeed a recent discovery, Oriā¦ I know not of what brought it on butā¦ knowing that he will not act out unless given the orders toā¦ brings me a sense of both relief and controlā¦ would you like to speak with him..? I shall warn you nowā¦ his voice is loud and distortedā¦ which is to be expectedā¦ā
Ori's wings flared out before tucking against his back, taking a step closer to Bartzabel and Bezaliel curiously. He kept a hand on his knife, though, despite what Bezaliel said. He had to be ready, just in case, especially if it came to protecting himself or... the child.
"It is... incredibly interesting how recent the discovery is, and how long we have both been alive.... very strange..."
He wondered if there was any information about Bartzabel in any of the archives in Heaven or Lust, it just seemed too... specific to be something random that happened to Bezaliel.
"I would like to speak with him, I will not be startled by something loud."
He lived in Hellā loud and distorted was just another day.
āā¦It is, you would think I would have known about him earlier, my friendā¦ then again, a lot of my negative emotions had been suppressed for eonsā¦ so maybe that is the reason..?ā
Bezaliel spoke with a laid back voice, he didnāt seem all that bothered by how recent Bartzabelās existence had become, upon hearing the fallen angel request to hear him speak, the Supreme Angel nodded
āā¦As you wish, Oriā¦ Bartzabel, go ahead and communicateā¦ he is no threat to either of usā¦ā
The being behind Bezaliel nodded, his pitch black hip wings flapped once before coming to the Supreme Angelās side, definitely ready to speak
āSO, YOUāRE ORI? IāVE HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU, QUITE THE INTERESTING BEING, I MUST SAY. HOWEVER I WASNāT EXPECTING TO MEET YOU SO SOON.ā
Ori looked calm and collected, a perfect mask hiding any other emotions that he usually had. The mask was doing most of the heavy lifting, but his demeanor reflected that, looking every bit the usually intimidating fallen angel that he was. Not the... mess that Bezaliel found sleeping in an alleyway.
"Hello Bartzabel, I am... surprised that you have heard about me, though I assume it is from Bezaliel...You are a... manifestation of his power, yes? Were you formed recently?"
Ori tried to keep himself from being too nosy, but he was incredibly curious, keeping his voice even and not giving anything away. His tail was still, but his wings still flicked and fluttered occasionally, unable to keep himself fully still.
āYOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING SUCH THINGS, ORI. ALL OF WHAT YOUāVE SAID IS COMPLETELY TRUE.ā
āā¦Bartzabel is indeed the physical manifestation of my rage and unbridled powerā¦ my friendā¦ a recent formation from my own shadowā¦ā
Bezaliel makes sure to keep Bartzabel at his side, not wanting the entity to make any moves that would scare the fallen angel, the Supreme Angelās pitch black wings drooping, showcasing that everything was alright
āIāM HONESTLY IMPRESSED THAT YOU DONāT FEAR ME, ORI. IāD IMAGINE MY PRESENCE WOULD BE MET WITH EITHER FEAR OR VIOLENCE, SO THIS IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE.ā
Bezaliel shook his head and patted Bartzabelās left hip wing before exhaling, turning his attention back to the fallen angel, relieved that fear and violence werenāt part of the equation
āā¦I must thank you, Oriā¦ for not showing any negative reactions towards Bartzabelā¦ I tend to worry about summoning himā¦ for such reasonsā¦ā
Ori's head tipped slightly, wings fluttering around in his confusion. Why would he be frightened of Bartzabel? He wasn't exactly frightening, his voice was slightly loud but that was about it, there was... nothing that Ori could even really understand to be frightening. He kept his hand resting on his knife, but it was much looser now that he was more comfortable.
"Why would I be frightened? Violent I can understand slightly more, you know how I can be, Bezaliel, but frightened? You are not... frightening."
Even though he was carrying a child as well, he still was not frightened of Bartzabel. Perhaps he was just... not very frightened in general of most people. He had to have that sort of temperament throughout his life.
āTHATāS HONESTLY A RELIEF, CONSIDERING HOW MY NAME IS TIED TO A VERY POWERFUL AND VIOLENT DEMON, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CORRELATIONS.ā
Bezaliel nodded along, he wasnāt the one who named this physical manifestation of his negative emotions, if anything, Bartzabel shouted his name himself
āā¦Of course I know how you can beā¦ my friendā¦ as I share similar traits, albeit more rooted in shadow manipulationā¦ my guess is that Bartzabel might be a little self consciousā¦ā
The Supreme Angel glanced up at his other self before glancing back at the fallen angel, demeanor calm and non threatening, the same could be said for Bartzabel, minus the calm part
āā¦I am surprised that you do not find it strange how my negative and violent emotions have become a real entityā¦ Oriā¦ I feared that most would look at me like I was insaneā¦ā
Ori shrugged slightly. Perhaps his brain was a little fried from... everything that he had been going through, from the fall of Lust to his pregnancy, but this just seemed like... a slightly strange but otherwise fine situation. The wings around his head fluttered as he glanced between the two.
"If I had to guess, I would say that stranger events have occurred in both Heaven and Hell, Bezaliel. Bartzabel becoming a real entity is... not that strange, overall."
He stretched out his wings, shaking them out, trying to get them to lay right to ignore the slight discomfort he had while standing. Frankly, it was stranger to him that Bartzabel seemed to form with all his armor than anything else. He peered slightly closer at it for a moment, before looking away.
"It is fascinating... but not strange in my eyes."
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HERE AND NOW AND THENāāāāāāāāāāāCLOSED RP EVENT
AND HERE WE GO. First time running an event, this is kinda like a test for myself to see if I can handle running something of this size
Also to show some world lore for my Gabriel-
Without further ado, I am pleased to showcase āHere and Now and Thenā
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
*Gabriel had invited you all to a hidden treasure room deep in Treachery. A huge area with dozens with beautiful items on display*
*A sword made of flames that had once belonged to the gate guardian of Eden, a shield that seemed to break time and space as it danced around itself and seemed to infinitely bend in on itself, a golden egg with pure light inside it, along with many other such treasures.*
Do feel free to wander a bit, but there are 2 rules I will hold firm on:
Do not touch or move anything, and under no circumstances should you get too close to that
*he points at the center of the room, there sat sat a simple golden sphere on a velvet cushion, encased in glass and chains made of light.*
That is what the elders called āThe tesseract.ā Itās a highly unstable little thing. Or at least it was back in the elders of heavens dayā¦best not to touch it
Even I do not dare touch it.
Any questions with any of the artifacts I am happy to answer!
*What seemed to be a scream left Cassiel's throat, it was very squeaky and painfully low, since.. he couldn't scream, he was unable too, as soon as he was left in the ground he started shivering, clinging to the wet sound, his eyes were watery, the pain was too much.. He was breathing quickly, even if the pain disappeared, the fear was still there.. He never thought it would hurt that much.. Since he had his mask off it was easy to tell how hurt he was. Even through the pain, Cassiel looked for the child and crawled to him, hugging Gabriel and sobbing.*
*The moment the child hit the deck of the ship he culled into a ball, still coughing up water. Shivering from the cold of the river.*
My name is ARCHANGEL MICHEAL you heathen.
And what the hell do you mean DROWNING, he is perfectly fin-
*Itās only now does Micheal realize his brother was just pulled from the River Styx. Itās only now does he hear the soft cries of a terrified child.*
*was he really that inattentive to his own brotherā¦*
ā¦.oh shit
*He rushed over to the child, having no clue how to console him*
I have all the time in the world. Explain. What in the world caused archangel Gabriel to start drowning in the River Styx.ļæ¼
Who are you people.
*Cassiel embracing the child calmed him down a bit, not by much though. He still couldnāt get air in his lungsā¦*
Shit shit shit Gabriel Iām so sorryā¦.
*The tesseract was perfectly fine, rolling across the ships planks to bees feet.*
*bezaliel was near Cassiel and Gabriel, itās only now does Micheal realize that he was the one to pull them from the depths*
Bezaliel didnāt respond, he couldnāt respond, he was barely even consciousā¦ all of his energy had been completely sapped away, the Supreme Angel couldnāt even move his own pitch black wingsā¦ despite his status, Bezaliel could still experience the closest things to deathā¦ and this just so happened to be one of themā¦ water in his lungsā¦ the inability to do anything upon reached dry landā¦ exhaustionā¦ the last time he felt like this was whenā¦ rightā¦ the forced murder of Abaddonā¦ but he wasnāt actively dying that dayā¦ it only felt like itā¦
Ori was focused on his conversation, not paying much attention to the commotion happening near him. Forcing his brain to focus on something, at least, got him to act more normally, gave him something to do other than spiral.
"We are from the future. That thingā"
He pointed to the tesseract as it rolled across the deck of the ship. Wretched thing.
"Keeps teleporting us places we do not want to be in. We would like to go back to where we are supposed to, but either the damn thing gets lost, or stuck to someones hand, or in this case, mistaken for a toy. I suppose the Archangel Gabriel went overboard into the river trying to retrieve it."
Should he be telling all of this to someone in the past? Was he causing timeline issues as he spoke? He wasn't sure, but he looked back to Hopper and V1 for a moment.
"That is everything, right?"
He had been... not exactly the most coherent the whole time. He probably missed something.
*Cassiel felt panic kick in as he noticed how both Bezaliel and Gabriel were struggling to breathe, he should have too yet he didn't take too much water, being now able to recover from the water. He tried saving the kid first, hitting the child's back with strong yet gentle movements, doing the enough strength and pressure to help him. He moved near Bezaliel, still holding the child, and he tried saving Bezaliel too, doing the same yet with more strength. Since he saw Bezaliel struggling more than Gabriel to breathe, he started doing the mouth-to-mouth maneuver, shaking while doing it yet trying to do it as best as he could.. He didn't even know if this would help enough, he was doing his best, he was stressed, panicked.. and.. he couldn't think straight..*
*the ferryman seemed in a state of absolute disbelief, probably because he didnāt believe Ori in the slightest!*
Yes I was once upon a time humanā¦
Wait hold onā¦my brain could scramble like eggs?! Ok you people are BEYOND saving. Iām just about to throw you people over board!
All this talk about TIME TRAVELā¦
ā¦wait a moment. I thinkā¦I think king Minos has spoken of something like this THING you claim is tormenting you. I would recommend speaking to him, I think only the judge of hell is knowledgeable about this sort of thing.
I still do not fully believe you however, donāt get it twisted.
*Micheal was absolutely losing his mind, his little brother had started DROWNING on his watch. Raphael was going to absolutely KILL him.*
*thatās for later though, for now Micheal got over to his brother and started practically cradling him in his arms*
Gabriel Iām so sorryā¦Iām sorry I shouldāve watched you better. Please be ok.
*Gabriel was breathing properly thanks to Cassiel, but his eyes seemed foggy, distant. Gabriel was ok, just not there right now.*
Gabriel pleaseā¦please come back to me
*Michealās pride and arrogance was gone, gone like the wind. He was reduced to begging over his brothers nearly lifeless body*
*he knew Gabriel would live, angels donāt die that easy, but he could be in a coma of sorts from that ordeal*
*The tesseract, seemingly annoyed at being ignored, decided to slam into bees face-*
*Not enough force to crack their helm, but enough to make them topple back a bit if they werenāt prepared for such a strike*
Bezaliel still didnāt respond, something wasnāt right with him, yes the water in his lungs had finally drained, what Cassiel did completely helpedā¦ butā¦ he wasnāt okā¦ his left arm was sending a horrible amount of searing pain throughout his entire bodyā¦ something that never happensā¦ the Supreme Angel was being attacked by his own bodyā¦ was somethingā¦ changing within him..? Had this constant time travelā¦ awoken something..? He couldnāt tellā¦ his mind was a disasterā¦
Ori's wings flared out at the mention of throwing them overboard, slightly shielding Hopper and V1 from potential attack. He may not be fully recovered from the last location they were teleported to, but if this Ferryman tried harming any of them, he would sincerely regret that decision. Ori didn't care whether he believed them or notā he was telling the truth, and his reaction to that information was none of his concern.
"We are telling the truth, I assure you."
Ori tensed at the mention of Minos. He... wasn't sure if he could face the king again. Not after what had just happened, with his death, he wasn't sure he could face him without breaking down fully once more. He tucked his wings in close to his back, taking a step away from the Ferryman.
"...Is Minos... the only one with such information? It comes with his status as Judge of Hell, yes?"
Though... that did make sense, he supposed. Gabriel was the one who originally brought them to the artifacts room, and he was the Judge of Hell...
*Cassiel looked at Bezaliel, crying as he didn't woke up, he couldn't risk doing the same thing again, so instead, he hugged his brother, he listened to his voice, yet as he noticed how.. broken it was, it hurt his soul directly.*
āB-Bez.. I- I am here, d-don't leave m-me..ā
*He didn't understand what was happening to him, why was he so broken?.. What was causing him so much pain..?*
I can only assume the one the heavens appointed to watch over hell knows this. It would be a good idea to speak to him, or really just a high ranking angel if you are able to find one. Just maybe not Archangel Micheal and Gabriel..they are just children compared to other angels I've seen.
Also I cannot consume pillsā¦so
*Gabriel actually started to move around again, blinking and breathing properly.*
Gabriel?? Gabriel are you there?? Come on please talk to meā¦
*Michael was completely overwhelmed, he was just supposed to check on the ferryman here. All these other people completely throwing a wrench in his plans. His little brother DROWNING, some kind of ARTIFACTā¦his head was spinningā¦*
What the hell is going onā¦
*The tesseract seemed to become more and more impatient as time went on, continuing to be a nuisance for bee*ļæ¼
*It was NOT holding still at ALL. It was as if it was trying to get bee to do something with it*
Every voice around Bezaliel was barely audible, he couldnāt hear anything or anyone overā¦ something else in his mindā¦ something thatā¦ wasnāt there beforeā¦
āARENāT YOU TIRED OF CONSTANTLY BEING MADE A FOOL OF?ā
A different voiceā¦ loud andā¦ aggressiveā¦ it sounded like his own but much more gritty and echoeyā¦ he didnāt know what was happening, but by God did everything hurtā¦
āDONāT YOU JUST WANT TO UNLEASH YOUR RIGHTEOUS RAGE? EVERYTHING YOU ENDUREDā¦ LET IT OUT!ā
His body achedā¦ his head felt like it was splitting openā¦ the Supreme Angel had no idea on what any of this wasā¦ it scared himā¦ how long had this been trapped within..?
āUPON THE NEXT INSTANCE OF TIME TRAVEL, YOU SHALL UNLEASH ME, BEZALIEL! NO MORE HOLDING BACK! NOWā¦ SAY MY NAME! FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH WHO I TRULY AM!ā
Bezaliel didnāt know who or what this entity wasā¦ had he somehow become possessed? No, that was impossible! Yetā¦ he felt as though he knew the nameā¦ it was in his mind for eonsā¦ but just now decided to awaken
Ori glanced over at Hopper as the Tesseract began acting up once more, sighing before glancing back to the Ferryman. They all really couldnāt catch a break, could they? The Tesseract was clearly close to throwing them all somewhere new soon, and then it would just beā¦ another shitshow.
āI suppose we canā¦ try that. See if it gets us any information considering howā¦ unruly it is.ā
Unruly was probably an understatement. Actually, it was definitely an understatement. He glanced at Hopper, then V1, then Helios, then back to Hopper, voice going quiet.
āThere isā¦ no way they are going to stabilize that thing.ā
*Cassiel did not give up on his brother, hugging him tightly and starting to sob, clinging onto him, never hearing that name.. never hearing anything.. they wanted Bezaliel to be okay again.. to be alright.*
āStay w-with me.. Bez.. can you hear me, brother?..ā
*The spark from beeās suit is all it took, the tesseract started to glow and float again. Seemingly brighter than before, looks like it WAS impatient.*
What the HELL is that thing DOING?!
*While Helios was seemingly freaking out, Micheal was much more concerned for his brother. Gabriel was actually starting to open his eyes and whimper a bit*
Michealā¦?
GABRIEL!
*He was okā¦by everything his brother was ok. If he was any weaker Micheal wouldāve started cryingā¦but he didnāt. Instead he turned to where Bezaliel was laying and simply said*
Thank you.
*That was the last word anyone was able to get out before the light of the tesseract took you all*
*This time, the amount of time spend in the light was longer. Almost concerningly so. Usually it was quick but this time it took almost 3 minutes. But it passed*
*The light from the tesseract died out, it returning to a dim ball and falling into beeās hands*
*This time, you all are in what looks like gluttony. The arena portion of it, the eye of hell staring intensely at you*
*The floor was squishy and soft, almost like grass after a heavy rainfall. Unpleasant but walkable. The area smelled of iron and raw meat, the intestines of hell doing no favors for your senses*
*It looks pretty much the same as it is in your original time, if anything, the heart floating in the void seems to be beating stronger*
*Thereās a quick rush of wind behind you all, gone as fast as it came, then it happened again, and againā¦*
Bezaliel struggled back up, still in pain from nearly drowning, the voice in his head had caused a splitting headache, but through it all, the Supreme Angel stood tall, breathing heavily, he went to reach for his golden swordā¦ only to realize how shaky he wasā¦ weakā¦ heā¦
āLOOK ALIVE, SOMETHING IS HERE, WE ARENāT IN THE PRESENT, THIS IS THE FUTURE.ā
The voice was back, commanding and loud, yet no one else but him could hear it, Bezaliel gripped his head with his right hand and hissed in pain, thisā¦ was going to be hardā¦
āREMEMBER WHAT I SAID? UPON THE NEXT INSTANCE OF TIME TRAVEL, YOU SHALL CALL UPON ME! NOW WOULD BE A VERY GOOD TIME TO DO SO!ā
The Supreme Angel stumbled more, out of the corner of his pure white right eye, he could see how his own shadow was twisting, distortingā¦ almost like it had a mind of its ownā¦ it, worried himā¦
āYOU NEED ME FOR THIS, YOU ARE FAR TOO WEAK TO FIGHT ALONE, UNDERSTAND?ā
Bezaliel stumbled more, his pitch black wings puffing up while also fully extending at the same time, the voice was right, he lost a lot of strength, fighting on his own would be a death wishā¦ he needed this entity to help him
āā¦Iā¦ understandā¦ you shall be called uponā¦ā
Ori was significantly less out of it when they landed this time around, drawing his knives immediately and turning in a small circle, looking for whoever or whatever was clearly near them. He was unphased by Gluttony, one of the few layers he didn't have a personal trauma in, it seemed, uncaring of the way his feet squished into the floor with every step.
"Is... the Tesseract stable? Is everyone...?"
Well. Okay probably wouldn't be the best word to describe it, after Bezaliel and Cassiel nearly drowned, and V1's systems started going haywire.
*Out of nowhere, someone appeared in front of the group. Not in any dramatic blast of light, it looked more like they were just moving extremely fast
HALT. YOU WILL NOT BE ALOWED FURTHER.
FACE THE WRATH OF THE JUDGE OF HELL, INTRUDERS.
*They were clad in angelic armor, it looked a bit different. More shaped to fit its wearer, it covered more than Gabrielās armor. Their helm had rams horns on it with a spiral in the middle*
*Their arms and legs looked a bitā¦odd. But that could just be be the speed at which their moving*
*They pulled a spear from their back and started charging*
āā¦A new Judge of Hell..? Didā¦ Archangel Gabriel retire in the future..?ā
Bezaliel couldnāt help but think aloud, however upon realizing how quick this angel was, he knew he had to act fastā¦ to summon his living shadowā¦
āā¦O tenebrae, tenebrae, quae dormitant in crepusculo... umbrae odii... ex animo meo involuto, clamo... veni ad me, o Bartzabel..!ā
With his pitch black wings outstretched fully, the Supreme Angel chanted something in Latin, his pure white right eye glowing fullyā¦ the shadow behind him rose up and an entity emerged, it looked more like a demon than a shadow or a different version of him
āALRIGHT, LETāS DO THIS BEZALIEL! THINK FAST! IāLL COVER YOU UP FRONT, BUT DONāT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, UNDERSTOOD? WE WORK AS A UNIT!ā
Bezaliel nodded and allowed the entity known as Bartzabel to jump in front of him, he just had to follow his leadā¦ work as a unitā¦ and trust in the physical manifestation of his rage and unfiltered powerā¦ he could do thisā¦
āLOOK ALIVE, CROW ANGEL! HERE THEY COME!ā
The Supreme Angel followed his shadow, getting into the same stance as him, it feltā¦ so strange, but at the same time, so familiarā¦ this was a fight he wasnāt going to lose!
āā¦I shall follow youā¦ Bartzabelā¦ let us do this..!ā
Ori's head whipped around when the other person appearedā another Judge of Hell? Gabriel was... no longer the judge? He wasn't fit for another fight, brain scrambled from the entire experience, yet he still drew his knives, taking a protective stance in front of the others. He hoped that this new judge would be an easy match, but he seriously doubted it.
"Let us make this quick so we can get home."
His wings were drooping slightly, exhaustion setting in but still determined to fight and defend everyone to the best of his ability.
*Cassiel wipped away his tears, seeing how Bezaliel and.. Bertzabel were ready for battle, he had to question that later, now all that mattered was keeping everyone safe. His six wings fluttered before he launched himself into the air, his whole being disappearing with a loud caw, he was camouflaging in the darkness, scythe materializing from stardust into his hand.*
*Bees shot ended up completely disarming the judge in a miraculous stroke of good luck. Spear hitting the ground moments after the shot was fired*
ā¦
Excuse me what.ļæ¼
*halting their charge, the judge loops back up into the sky and summons a different weapon. This time itās a long sword made of light.*
*The sudden appearance of a new person absolutely startles the judge, jumping a bit and murmuring something under their breath*
Where the hell did they come fromā¦ļæ¼
*The judge brushes it off and starts to charge again, targeting Bartzabel. This time being able to make a direct hit to his chest, a loud clanging sound ringing out at the impact.*
*This close up, the Judge seems to have a gun holdester. Itās holding a single green gun. One that looks very familiar to the right eyes*
SHOW ME WHAT YOUVE GOT.
*After striking Bartzabel, they turn and fly over for Cassiel. Making very swift fly byes that would disorient even the best of fliers if they arenāt careful*
HOPE YOU CAN KEEP UP OLD TIMER.
*They seem to be followed by something else, a glowing yellow ball of fire.*
āFUCK, THIS ONEāS STRONG! HOLD IT TOGETHER, BEZALIEL!ā
Despite being hit with such a heavy attack, Bartzabel only stumbled a bit, Bezaliel on the other hand seemed to take more of the attack, breathing heavily, the Supreme Angel jumped up and took to the skies, immediately summoning his shadows
āā¦I know not of how well this shall go over for usā¦ but the gamble is worth itā¦ cover meā¦ Bartzabel..!ā
With pitch black wings fully outstretched, Bezaliel orders his shadows to restrain the angel flying around, commanding them and puppeteering them, he couldnāt attack in this state
āCROW ANGEL! YOUāD BETTER KNOW WHAT YOUāRE DOING! IāM GONNA PIN THIS BITCH DOWN!ā
The rage in Bartzabelās voice reverberated all around as he reached for the incapacitated angel, pitch black hip wings fully extended to protect Bezaliel from any further damage
āā¦I know exactly what I am doingā¦ Bartzabelā¦ and I know you will not fall easilyā¦ so go crazyā¦ we work as a unit..!ā
Ori slowly, slowly ducked down, creeping back towards V1 in the hopes that the new judge wouldn't target either of them. He kept his knives out, still ready for a potential attack, standing slightly in front of V1 and glancing back periodically.
"They will not touch you. You are okay, if they come over here you will not be hurt."
Ori... wasn't sure how confident he sounded, but he'd just... continue hoping the judge wouldn't turn in their direction. And if they didā Ori would just fight like hell.
He squinted at the figure, taking in everything about them. The tesseract was definitely the most concerning, but there was something... specific it felt as though he was missing about them. He wasn't entirely sure what it was, though.
You find yourself back in a certain version of the Lust layer again, things had seemed rather off and you remembered that a certain six winged Mindflayer resided here, the third levelā¦
You decide to go looking for her, only to find her resting in the air, all six wings being used as a hammock of sorts, yet something seemedā¦ offā¦ you could sense itā¦ she wasnāt okā¦
@lust-layer-mindflayer
Oriā¦ understandably didnāt want to be in the Lust layer at all. He wasnāt even really supposed to be leaving the cabin, per orders from both of his partners, but he was going stir crazy not doing something. He wasnāt sure why his feet had taken him to this alternate version of the Lust layer, but he could visit Irida while he was hereā he hadnāt seen her in too long.
He still wasnāt feelingā¦ great. Which was an understatement. Resting was no use, he was exhausted, and felt nauseous most mornings. Days were spent overthinking everything he had done in the past month, making himself so anxious he had to do something, move his body to distract himself.
Plus, he still didnāt have his armor or weapons backā forced to just wear draping fabrics similar to Minos other Lust residents. It wasnāt making his anxiety any better.
āIrida?ā
He spoke quietly, standing far from her in a bid not to spook her by accident.
She was immediately startled awake, nearly falling out of the air before catching herself, balance unstable as all six of her wings instantly moved to shield her body from view, something was definitely wrong
W-Wha?! Ori..?! Fuckā¦ you really scared me thereā¦ sorry for my reaction, I wasnāt expecting to see you back..!
After taking a ābreathā she floated over to you, wings still wrapped around her body, the ends of all six glowing a mix between light green and dark purple, a veryā¦ differentā¦ color combination
Soā¦ what brings you by? I havenāt seen you inā¦ I canāt even remember the last time we saw each otherā¦ is everything alright? No offense, dear, butā¦ you look like a disasterā¦
Ori shrugged slightly, looking at Irida with his head slightly tilted. She looked as thought she was doing as well as he was which was... concerning. He found the energy to hold his wings tightly to his back, a modicum of normal behavior from him, even as feathers drifted to the floor. He still wasn't quite back to preening regularly.
"I just... happened to be in the area. Wandering, I suppose, and I figured I would stop by... it has truly been too long."
He winced slightly when Irida questioned into his well-being, not wanting to really get... too into it. It wasn't necessary for her to worry about himā enough people already were. One of the wings around his head twitched out slightly.
"I am okay... my universe is in a bit of... turmoil, at the moment, but it is nothing not expected. Are you doing well? You seem..."
He trailed off. He wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with her, but it was clear something was wrong.
Right, we havenāt talked sinceā¦ forgive me, I canāt rememberā¦ so much has happened as of late, my memory hasnāt been the bestā¦ andā¦ things are still in turmoil for you, Ori..? Iāmā¦ so sorryā¦ I wish there was something I could do to helpā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, genuinely feeling bad about the fact that everything was going wrong for you, nothing had changedā¦ Yet the nanosecond she heard you ask if she was okā¦ her body began to tremble slightly on instinct
I-Iā¦ ummā¦ itāsā¦ I justā¦ ā¦n-noā¦ Iāmā¦ not ok at allā¦ Iā¦ so much has happenedā¦ n-none of it isā¦ goodā¦ Iā¦
Ori was just... trying not to think about everything in relation to himself. Another reason he was up and wandering around different universesā being stuck in the cabin gave him way too much time to think. If he didn't think about it, it hadn't happened, he hadn't failed, he wasn'tā
He took a deep breath, hands flexing by his sides where he would usually be fiddling with his knives, but... no dice. His wings twitched uncomfortably, clearly unhappy with the lack of armor.
"It is... fine. Okay. It has happened now and there is... nothing to be done."
The words were like pulling teeth, clearly lying. He took a step closer to Irida when she started trembling, being careful not to touch her unless she indicated that that was okay.
"Irida?"
He didn't want to push if she didn't want to talk, but... he wanted to support her if she did want to talk.
Iā¦ understandā¦ letās not bring it up more if it makes you as stressed and uncomfortable as it does, Oriā¦ sorry, for all of thatā¦ you really donāt de-
She paused when you asked if she wanted to talk about what had recently happened, as much as she wished that the trembling wasnāt obviousā¦ it wasā¦ ālookingā around, she āexhaledā shakily, you needed to knowā¦
Iā¦ l-letās go somewhere moreā¦ out of the wayā¦ I donātā¦ f-feel safe explaining everythingā¦ out hereā¦ p-pleaseā¦ follow me toā¦ my roomā¦ o-ok..?
Ori nodded, moving to follow Irida. Whatever had happened clearly wasn't good, and he wished that he had been there to stop whatever had happened... She didn't deserve any of this. Perhaps Minato was rightā perhaps it was a bad idea to block off multiversal travel to his own universe... it meant blocking off people for their safety, but clearly it hadn't worked in the slightest.
"Take your time. Only explain what you wish."
His voice was grounded, looking at her carefully in hopes that his presence was a comfort.
Upon entering her room, she floated over to her bed and sat down, all six wings still shielding her body from viewā¦ the ends glowing a mix between dark blue, dark purple, and blackā¦ sheā¦ needed you to knowā¦
O-Oriā¦ not too long ago, I went down to the first level of the Violence layerā¦ to retrieve the remains of my younger brother figure who was also the Lieutenant of my squadronā¦ Lieutenant Mindflayer āPothosāā¦ the last male Mindflayer in existenceā¦ heā¦ was slaughtered by Mannequins thereā¦ Iā¦ had Archangel Gabriel along with his V1, King Sisyphus, and Lucifer on standby hereā¦ in case things went wrongā¦ so they couldā¦ come save meā¦ a-after Iā¦ found his remainsā¦ someoneā¦ from decades agoā¦ from my pastā¦ decided to make himself knownā¦ a fallen Seraphimā¦ the leader of The Watchersā¦ a complete sadistā¦ his nameā¦ isā¦ Samyazaā¦ heā¦ ordered a Mannequin to puncture one of my fuel tanksā¦ before manifesting himselfā¦ in the darknessā¦ he burned my wings awayā¦ slowlyā¦ while holding me closeā¦ andā¦ threatened to desecrate me once moreā¦ in front of everyoneā¦ heā¦ was the one whoā¦ defiled meā¦ decades agoā¦ once The Final War was overā¦ after I took the plunge into Hellā¦ chose the Lust layerā¦ andā¦ built my bodyā¦ heā¦ held me captive forā¦ half a decadeā¦ and nowā¦ heās back..!
Ori listened, horrified with every word Irida spoke. His wings turned more and more amber as he listened to her words, furious and nauseous that she had to go through that, that the bastard was still alive.
He could kill him. If he even got close to her again, he would kill him, anything else be damned. She didnāt deserve to have to live in fear, she didnāt deserve to have any of that happen to her in the first place.
āI cannot apologise deeply enough that something like that occurred to youā Iāā
He stammered, looking for any words that could be a comfort, butā¦. what could possibly be comforting? The bastard was still out there. He shook his head, stomach turning. He wouldnāt throw up, butā¦ he felt pretty close.
āIf you ever feel as though you are in any danger, or even if you just feel unsafe being alone, please contact me. I do not want you going through this alone, Irida.ā
He put a hand on her shoulder, gentle and watching for any signs of discomfort at the touch.
She could feel fear, sadness, and shame building up inside of her as you spoke, familiar feelings when it came to thisā¦ but the nanosecond you placed your hand on her shoulder, she lost it, she couldnāt hold back, without thinkingā¦ she pulled you into a hug while trying to muffle her gut wrenching sobs
O-Ori..! I-Iāmā¦ s-so scared..! H-He haunts me..! Itā¦ n-never ends..! T-The nightmaresā¦ the phantom f-feelingsā¦ h-his voiceā¦ I-I canāt escape..! A-And nowā¦ I-Iām being stalked too..! B-By a d-damned P-Providenceā¦ that belongs to him..! N-Nothingā¦ is s-safe..!
The moment that Irida began to hug him, made it clear that she was okay with physical contact, Ori pulled her closer, holding her as tightly as she could, forcing himself to purr as loudly as possible in order to hopefully calm her slightly.
"I am so sorry, Irida, I am so sorry... You should not have to go through this. You should not feel so unsafe... I wish there was... something I could do, and if there is..."
He didn't move back at all, letting her decide when she wanted to pull back from the hug. His wings fluttered weakly, moving to drape over her as well. He hated hearing her cry, wished there was something to be done about it, but he felt helplessā there was nothing to be done but support Irida through this hell.
Unable to find the words, she ends up wrapping her six wings around you as well, the closeness and hearing your purring not only gave her a little semblance of sanity, but also made her cry more, she couldnāt control itā¦ nothing with everything going so horribly for herā¦
I-I justā¦ w-want to be f-free from thisā¦ O-Ori..! Toā¦ l-live like I-I didā¦ b-before the m-memories c-came back..! B-Before the V-Violence layer incident..! A-As Commander-In-Chief..! H-Heā¦ tore m-me apartā¦ b-back thenā¦ a-andā¦ will d-definitely do it a-again..! Withā¦ e-everyone Iā¦ l-loveā¦ as a l-live audience..! H-Heā¦ I-I justā¦
Ori continued to hold her closely, purring louder the more distressed she got, knowing it was usually a sound that grounded those he was near. Tears sprung to his own eyes at her distress, curling closer to her as if he could protect her, somehow.
"It is... incredibly understandable you feel this way, and it may feel like it will be like this forever, but you will heal, Irida. It is painful, and horrible, and you should not have to carry the burden of what he has done, what he is still doing, but you will heal. You will survive, and you will be able to live your life again."
He wasn't sure if his words were comforting in the slightest, rambling as he was, but he was trying, just wanting to provide her some comfort.
So many had told her before the Violence layer incident the very same things, and yetā¦ everything fell apart that dayā¦ she had such a hard time believing those wordsā¦ but hearing your purrs did help her more, she was beginning to relaxā¦ when her entire body seemed to jolt before shuddering uncontrollably, she immediately went to silence her sobs, knowing what that feeling wasā¦
Ori looked startled, looking around for whatever Irida was seeing, whatever was causing her to react so negatively. When he didnāt see anything, his focus went back to her, trying to soothe her by continuing to purr, continuing to hold her close.
āIrida? Iridaā you are okay, you are safeā he is not hereā no one will hurt you hereāā
He kept glancing around, in case there was something he was missing. Something that he would have to fight to keep her safeā he didnāt have his armor or knives, but it didnāt matter. He would fight to protect her, if it came to that. She wouldn't be hurt by him again.
She tried listening to your words and purrs, tried to allow herself to calm down and not focus on what she was feelingā¦ but the moment her processors began replaying those scenes along with the phantom sensationsā¦ she hugged you even tighter, her muffled sobs becoming louder as things got so much worseā¦ she needed something, but at this pointā¦ she didnāt even know what it wasā¦
Ori wasnāt sure anything that he said was getting through to her, tamping down his panic and trying to think rationally. What did he use to ground other people? Usually purring, that usually worked, and it had seemed to for a moment, but Irida was still reliving her memoriesā¦ what else could he do but hold her and keep purring?
... Perhaps.... making her processors focus on something else would help? He didn't know, he was just trying things at this point, he hated that she was having to go through this.
A small part of his brain yelled at him at his idea, a part of his brain that wanted him to keep all his blood in his body (which was... strange. Ori never really cared about that beforeā) but he didn't care, moving his mask aside with one hand to bite at his wrist, going back to holding Irida close. Hopefully the blood in her systems would help, but he had no idea.
"You are okay.... you are safe, you are not there...... you are in your home, in Lust, and you are safe, Irida...."
Her body immediately sensed the blood, even through the immense distress she was in, a pop up appeared in her processors, her blood fuel levels had dropped to 30% rather quickly, something that tends to happen when sheās reliving said memories
ā¦O-O-Oriā¦
With a shaky and glitchy voice, she called out your name before instinctively grabbing your wrist and placing it against her ācollarboneā, allowing the blood to seep into her body, slowlyā¦ the shuddering stopped and her ābreathingā began to regulate itself, yet she still held onto you like her life depended on it
Ori continued to hold onto her, purring as loud as he could as he let her take his blood, glad that it seemed to be calming her down. His brain was still yelling about losing blood in the first place, but he continued to think of the good that it was doing Irida, instead of... whatever reason he needed to keep his blood in his body.
"You are safe, Irida, you are here. In Lust, not there, we are both here and you are safeā"
He continued to repeat the same words until she showed signs of calming fully, pulling back slightly just to look her over, make sure she wasn't hurt. He knew that nothing had physically happened, but he still needed to check, for his own sanity.
Her fuel tanks had finally returned to 100%, āexhalingā, she carefully moved your wrist back, making sure to use gentle heat to close the wound, something she discovered worked on beings imbued with Hell energy, ālookingā at you, she hummed softly
ā¦I-I didnāt know thatā¦ m-my fuel tanks were thatā¦ l-low on bloodā¦ O-Oriā¦ andā¦ s-sorry for freaking outā¦ l-like thatā¦ I-I hate itā¦ when others have toā¦ s-see me inā¦ such a-a stateā¦
Ori shrugged, continuing to stay close to her just in case something else happened, but letting go in general, still looking her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. He just wanted to make sure that she was... as okay as she could be, in this scenario.
"It is okay, there is no need to apologize. I am glad that your tanks are closer to full now, and I am glad that I could help you in any wayā there is no need to feel ashamed for your reactions to what has happened in your past."
He kept his voice evenā he truly wasn't judging Irida for what happened, and he wanted to make sure that she knew that, wings fluttering slightly. He wanted to help her, and wanted to continue to help her in the future.
"Are you comfortable here? Would you rather move somewhere else?"
ā¦I-Iām fine hereā¦ i-itās the best place for me to beā¦ a-at least for nowā¦ I-I justā¦
Her six wings move to shield her body once more, you can sense the shame emanating off of her in that moment, so much had happened since youād last seen herā¦ and it was easy to tell just how unstable she had become
ā¦O-Oriā¦ thank you forā¦ g-giving me bloodā¦ I-Iā¦ know how intense my processors can beā¦ w-when Iāmā¦ so lowā¦ a-are you doing ok..? Nothing hurts..? P-Please do tell meā¦ I-I owe you for this..!
Ori feltā¦ probably as okay as he could be. Irida was more important in the moment than he was, anything that he was going through was small in comparison. The wound was healed over where he gave Irida his blood, and that meant he was perfectly fine.
āI am fineā are your tanks full? Do you need anything else?ā
He, admittedly, feltā¦ not very great. A bit lightheaded from the blood loss, which was strange considering how often he gave his blood to his own partners. Butā¦ he hadnāt done so since before Lust fell, so he supposed he wasnāt used to it anymore. That, and the ever-present nausea he couldnāt seem to shake, no matter how calm he was.
She didnāt answer, instead, she brought her left hand up and nearly placed it against your forehead before a soft green light formed, her six wings fluttering slightly as she seemed to concentrate, the light enveloping your entire body
Donāt move, Oriā¦ andā¦ just relax to the best of your abilityā¦ ok..? This wonāt hurt youā¦ I promiseā¦
Ori was not very good at relaxing, tensing up instead as his wings flicked around, and his tail thumped a few times. He started to stammer a question to Irida, namely what was she doingā
Butā¦
He felt. Better.
Not perfect, no. There was still thatā¦ weirdness about how he had been feeling. But he no longer felt nauseous, and like he was one wrong move from passing out.
He feltā¦ odd. But better.
āā¦Thank you, Irida. Iā¦ did not realize how ill I was feeling.ā
She tilted her āheadā to the side and āsmiledā slightly, trying to lighten the mood, even though her processors were trying to make things worse, again, she wouldnāt give in
Itāsā¦ a hidden healing ability us Mindflayers have, Oriā¦ I wanted to repay youā¦ is everything else alright..? Iām always willing to listen, you knowā¦ especially after you heard me out like thisā¦!
Ori sighed slightly, glancing away. Heā¦ didnāt want anyone to worry. He was fine.
But he still felt nauseous the longer he thought about anything that had happened, whenever he thought about the fall, about Minosā death, about being coddled by his partners because of how he was potentiallyā¦
He was fine.
He was fine.
āI amā¦ fine. I have been busy, and have not beenā¦ travelling around much, mostly staying in Lust, Greed, and my partnersā version of Wrath. They coddle me intensely, so I have beenā¦ wandering.ā
Wandering wasā¦ a word for it. Pacing through the floor of the cabin until he had to make a break for it to walk around the anywhere he could think of in a bid to not rest was another way to put it.
I seeā¦ being coddled so intenselyā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how suffocating that must be for youā¦
She had a feeling as to why your partners were doing such a thing, although just a hunch, she wouldnāt be surprised if you truly were carrying a new life withinā¦ but it wasnāt her place to pry, nor call for Airmed to check, not to mention the whole āFall of Lustā thing in your universeā¦
Ori, has wandering through Lust and Greed been of any help to you by chance..? Because, and please take no offense at this, it seems like youāre still stuck in your mindā¦ I can sense your stress and anxietyā¦ is there anything I can doā¦ to help ease your mind..?
āIt is suffocating and infuriating, especially considering they are doing so in error. Hence why I go out walking, toā¦ let myself breathe.ā
But Ori feltā¦ slightly caught. It felt as though Irida could see through all hisā¦ ignoring of his own problems, pushing everything deep down in hopes that he wouldnāt have to acknowledge any of how he was feeling. Because wandering around had not made him feel any better, it just made him more exhausted, and gave him something else to focus on other thanā
Minosā head rollingā
He felt sick again. It was nice to not feel sick while it lasted, he supposed, wings twitching in discomfort as he sighed.
āItā Iā It gives my brain something to do. To focus on, instead ofā¦ other recent events. And by the time I get home once more, I am exhausted enough that I can attempt sleep, if I otherwise feelā¦ okay. But I amā¦ okay. Surviving, I suppose.ā
Heā¦ didnāt think that was probably comforting to Irida, but it was all he had. He justā¦ didnāt think about it. Any of it.
She put her left hand beneath her āchinā and began to think over everything you said to her, things were starting to connect, and she didnāt like what you were doing to distract yourselfā¦ āsighingā, she shakily got up and beckoned for you to follow her
Ori, please follow me, Iāmā¦ getting a strange feeling andā¦ want to help you relax a bitā¦ I know accepting help from others isnāt something you enjoy butā¦ trust me on this, ok..?
Ori lookedā¦ doubtful, but stood as well, stretching while trying to hold up his wings so they werenāt dragging on the floor as he followed Irida, only being moderately successful. He wasā¦ fine, as relaxed as he probably could be.
āI am fine, Iridaā¦. I am relaxed I promise.ā
Yet he still followed her, his natural curiosity winning out over his exhaustion and general stubbornness.
She responded while floating just a foot in front of you, soon the scenery changed and a familiar heart shaped pool came into view, āexhalingā softly, she floated down into the water then turned to face you
Come on in, Ori, I had Airmed turn up the temperature in the water, itās warm and comfortable in hereā¦ please, trust me, ok..? I promise youāll enjoy this..!
Ori looked at the pool, sighing softly as Irida talked. Heā¦ did love water. Although he couldnāt breathe underwater like some angels, he still loved being in it, and especiallyā¦ if it was warmā¦ it would probably soothe how achy he felt recently.
āā¦Okay. Okay.ā
He shyly took off his clothes, leaving him in his undergarments, wings and tail wrapping around him to hide how bloated he looked as he tentatively got into the pool, relaxing visibly the second he sat down. His wings and tail relaxed as well, falling back to their normal places.
Isnāt it? I can see how much youāre relaxing now too..!
She āsmilesā and swims over to join you, resting her six cabled wings on the surface of the water and she āexhalesā, feeling a lot of her pain and anxiety melt away, this definitely needed to be done more often
I should probably do this more tooā¦ oh and donāt worry, Ori, Iām immune to water, so you wonāt get electrocuted by me being in here, I promise..!
Ori laughed slightly, letting his head hang back as his eyes closed under the mask, moving to lazily take it off and put it to the side, wings fluttering around his head. This was so much better than anxiety and pain and nausea. It was all still buzzing in the back of his brain, but it feltā¦ a little better. A little less prominent.
āI was not even concerned with the thought of you electrocuting me, Irida. There are bigger thoughts in my head than that.ā
Plusā he had two machines as partners that he regularly went in water with. He just assumed that Irida would be the same way.
Heh, well thatās good to knowā¦ often times I need to tell a lot of beings that, so they arenāt afraidā¦
While resting in the water beside you, her six wings rise up and take on an odd stance, almost like their regular positions when sheās idleā¦ you can see them sparkling with a holy white light as they dry
Gotta say, Ori, seeing you without your mask onā¦ itās strange butā¦ your face is very charming to observeā¦ oh, donāt take this as me flirtingā¦ Iām just stating what I seeā¦
I wouldnāt dare allow myself to find a partnerā¦ not after everythingā¦ my heart and bodyā¦ shall never be toyed with againā¦
Ori continues to melt into the water, beginning to purr the further he relaxed, resting one of his arms on the ledge of the pool as the other one played absently with the top of the water. He cracked his eyes open to glance at Iridaā he was much more expressive than the mask usually suggested.
āYou flatter meāā
The wings around his head went pink, even as he laughed. The water was clearly doing him a whole lot of good.
āI know you are not flirtingā trust me, and I mean no offense saying this, but you are not exactly myā¦ type, Irida.ā
He grinned, knowing sheād know exactly what he meant by that. He didnāt reallyā¦ swing that way much at all.
Haha! I can tell, no offense, but you donāt seem like the type to be interested in women!
She couldnāt help but ālaughā and jab back, as if the obvious pregnancy bulge wasnāt a dead giveaway for her already, she practically knew from the day she first met you, some say she has a built in Gaydar
Iām glad youāre feeling much more relaxed now, Oriā¦ this was a gamble, but it was one I was willing to takeā¦ especially sinceā¦ wellā¦ I hope this doesnāt sound weird butā¦ I kinda see you as a brotherly figure..!
The wings around Ori's head fluttered as he laughed, shaking his head as his eyes squinted shut. He was in a much better mood than he was before, continuing to purr as he looked back up at Irida. He... was expecting to feel self-consciousā he had felt self-conscious when he first got in the water, that Irida could see how bloated he was, but he was just... so much more relaxed now.
"It does not sound weird. I... did not have any siblings in Heaven... you are the first sister I have had..."
He purred louder as he continued to talk, even as the wings around his head curled shyly around his face, used to having his mask on during any moments of vulnerability, as few as there were.
Thatā¦ I canāt even begin to imagine how lonely such a thing was for youā¦ not having any family isā¦ it just feels horribleā¦ no, itās just horrible in generalā¦
She ālooksā down slightly, remembering how things were like for her after being released from captivity before raising the Lust layer armies, taking a ābreathā, she ālooksā back at you
Waitā¦ you really donāt mind? Andā¦ you see me as a sister..? Thatā¦ Ori..! Thank you so much..! It truly means a lot to hear such a thing, especially from you!
Ori shrugged slightly, looking away as he sank further into the water, shy and not... used to talking about any of his time in Heaven. His wings continued to twitch and flutter, curling around his head.
"It was not... too horrible... I was not entirely alone, I trained Heaven's armies so I was... constantly surrounded by other angels. Plus I..."
His voice had taken on something softer, going quiet as he... tried to figure out how to phrase what he was going to say. Or rather, to try and figure out what he was even going to say here. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Well... I had Haamiah, he was a... young blacksmith who looked up to me... and...... Gabriel... and that was enough for me."
He smiled at Irida, though it was a little weak and wobbly. He... didn't talk about Heaven for a reasonāĀ it always brought back not so good memories... but that was what Hell was for, he supposed. Making better memories then when he was in Heaven.
"Of course I see you as my sister, that is a... given, in my mind. And I will protect you as such."
I seeā¦ so you helped in training Heavenās armies, I must say thatās- wait a secā¦ thatās just like me, how I took the reins and trained the Lust layer armies..!
She understood everything you said to her, taking it all into account, but she couldnāt help connecting your job in Heaven with what she does in Lust, even if the comparison wasnāt the best, it gave her a sense of familiarity
Oriā¦ thank you, so much for saying that..! It really does mean more than you thinkā¦ to know that someone someone like you is willing to be there for me, andā¦ sees me as his sister..!
Ori grinned, glancing back up at Irida. They truly were incredibly similar, he had never sparred with her but he bet sheād be an excellent sparring partner.
āWe are incredibly similarā¦ I suppose it is just more merit as to you being my sister, I bet you would be fun to spar withā¦ā
He hadnāt sparred anyone inā¦ quite some time, and he missed it desperately, even though he had spent most of the past monthā¦ fightingā¦ in his own universeā¦
Perhaps it would be better to wait to spar, especially with this strange sickness he was dealing with.
Oh? A spar between you and me? Now THAT would be a lot of fun! Iāve always wondered how youād fare against my speed and powersā¦ and how Iād fare against your battle prowess!
She couldnāt help but āsmileā back, thinking about the time she sparred with Sisyphus and just how much fun it was, however, she had yet to spar with an angel of any kind, which is what excited her a lot
Though, letās wait on that, Ori, something tells me you need a good amount of time to restā¦ doing things that are pretty extreme wouldnāt be the best idea, at least not until everything is solved, yāknow?
Ori continued purring, content and excited by the idea of sparring with Irida. He truly was itching for a sparā he'd spar with her now except he would... most likely lose. Though, he was incredibly resilient, he wanted to be at his best when they sparred for the first time.
"I am much faster than I look with the armor on, I used to not be allowed my wings in spars because of it! I think your speed and powers would be incredibly fun to fight against..."
He, admittedly, was already brainstorming ideas to use against Irida in combatā it was what he was made for, and a comfort to return to that idea once more.
"I could... probably still spar now, I have been fighting regularly even while ill, but you deserve me at my best. Though I am... not the best at resting."
I donāt doubt that one bit! Despite my appearance, Iām able to reach Mach 5 speeds with ease, something that I take great pride in, along with my knowledge of how the battlefield works. Iām not a Greater Blood War Machine for no reason after all!
She couldnāt help but boast a bit while also complimenting you, it was practically coded into her to be very respectful of opponents who she deemed to be stronger than her, but that coding seemed to be added a few months ago
Well, if you think a spar would be worthwhile, Ori, then we can, although I do agree that fighting you at your best would be much more exhilarating! Then again, itās all up to you!
Ori wasn't surprised that Irida was fast in all honestlyā other Mindflayers he had sparred with in the past were always quick, though perhaps not as quick as Irida herself was. She'd be such an interesting sparring partner.... but he should fight her at his best....
He groaned, sinking under the water dramatically. He didn't want to rest, he wanted to fight. It was more interesting than resting through whatever was wrong with him. He popped his head back above the water, flicking his wings out to shake off the water.
"I am... admittedly torn. A spar sounds incredibly fun, but I know I am not at my best, and you deserve that... but I would quite enjoy a spar..."
He also didn't have any of his weapons, but he could and did regularly fight without them, his knuckles and arms were still slightly scarred over from where Virtue glass had embedded there and his healing hadn't fully removed it.
Hmmā¦ maybe thereās a way to compromise? Cause I can definitely tell that you wanna have fun and not restā¦ something I understand fully..!
She tilts her āheadā to the side slightly and begins to think, what other options were there for you that didnāt include pushing yourself too farā¦ thatās when she remembered something that might work
Oh! What about the training grounds right outside my lair, Ori? Sure itās not sparring in the traditional sense, but I can get a sense of how you fight! How does that sound? Though before we do any of thatā¦ letās remove the glass in your skin, ok?
Ori visibly perked up when Irida suggested the training grounds, even his wings beginning to flutter. He had truly missed lighthearted, training combat with someone he was close to. His tail began to flick underwater as well.
āThat sounds like an excellent ideaā!ā
He pushed himself up onto the edge of the pool, stretching out after getting there, including rolling out his knee. The warm water really had done everything good.
āThe glass isā¦ not much of a bother, my body will absorb it eventually. Unfortunately without my knives I amā¦ only really left with my hands and my hell energy to fight.ā
So, youāre really up for it, eh? Heh, fine by me! Iāve been meaning to do a bit of training now that I think about it!
Sheās plunges herself into the water then bolts out not even 10 seconds later, her six cabled wings flutter to dry off as she floats back down next to you, an air of confidence and excitement surrounding her the whole time
Thatās not a problem Ori! I mainly use my speed and electricity, but I can dial it back to just speed and close combat if youād like, make it more fair, yāknow?
Ori grabbed a towel nearby to dry off more fully, before slipping the cloths that he had been wearing back on. It wasā¦. flowy, more than you would probably want for combat, but he didnāt seem concerned or phased, equally as confident.
āProbably best to not use your electricity, I will not use any of my energy eitherā not that I use it very often, anyways.ā
He grabbed his mask from where it was sitting on the side of the pool, hooking it to a piece of fabric near his waist, choosing to leave it off instead of putting it back on. He grinned at Irida as his wings fluttered.
Sounds good to me! At least this way weāll be on equal grounds, no room for unfair attacks or anything! Heh! Oh this is gonna be fun!
She floats up a bit and stretches her body, wings fully dry, her heating and cooling systems turned on to dry off everything else before she zips over to a nearby open door, āsmilingā
Over here, Ori! The training grounds are just outside this corridor! Iām sure youāll find everything it has to offer very interesting! Ah, and youāve got Minerva to thank for setting it up to begin with! Hehe!
Ori followed behind Irida happily, wings fully held up and no longer droopy. He rolled out his wrists as he walked, equally as excited as she wasā he just hoped he wouldn't fall ill for any reason during their fight.
"I am quite excitedā please give my thanks to Minerva in advanceā"
He continued through the corridor, stepping outside with Irida into the training grounds, feeling a bit more relaxed stepping out into them. It... almost reminded him of the ones in Lust, the ones he spent so much time in. He wandered around, looking at all the details.
Oh, sheāll definitely hear about this! Donāt worry! Minerva takes great pride in having built such a place, so knowing that itās being used so much makes her very happy!
She zips over to the main portion of the training grounds, the concrete there looked dented and had some obvious signs of recent activity, which only made the area look so much more interesting
Oh right, apologies for the impact dents you see here, Oriā¦ they were caused by uhā¦ I recent spar I had with Sisyphusā¦ it was a lot of fun though! Anywaysā¦ ready when you are!
Ori smiled at the impact cratersāĀ he could see how a spar with Sisyphus would cause those. Sisyphus would also be fun to spar with, Ori sparred with his universes version often.... No, he had to focus. He shook out his wings, glancing over at Irida as he rolled out his wrists again, cracking his knuckles absently. He didn't get into a visibly defensive or offensive stance, just... waiting for her to make the first move.
"I am ready, Irida."
He was grinning, visibly excited. He never made the first move in a spar, especially against an opponent whose fighting style was unknown to him. A leftover habit from his angelic days, he supposed.
āSmilingā with confidence, she zips up into the sky at surprising speeds, āeyeingā you from her position, she darts around in a strange pattern before diving back down and grabbing ahold of your shoulders while still flying fast
Ori let himself be carried up into the air, not thrashing or panicking with the airtime, keeping his wings tucked in tight to his back. He gently grappled with Irida while in the air, laughing as he tried to push her hands off his shoulders, gauging how hard she'd go during a spar. He didn't really land any solid hits, not wanting to hurt her in the slightest with any of his actions.
Eventually, he pushed her hands off of one of his shoulders, which was enough to fling his wings out and catch the air, slowing them down though not as much as he was expecting. He pried her other hand off his shoulder, and let himself fall into a straight dive towards the ground.
"Better catch up if you want to land any good hits!"
He was laughing the entire time he fell, wings tucked tight to his back.
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