Logfile from Brass&Steel.


Huron Park

It is nine o'clock in the morning. The doves are cooing, the ducks are
paddling around in their little pond, and idly shaking their tailfeathers.
From somewhere hidden by bushes the sound of a guitar can be heard. The
melody sounds a bit melancholic, but sweet.

Lucian steps lightly through the grass, whistling a funereal dirge as he
strolls along. He pauses at the sound of the guitar and the bushes.

As you come closer, you can hear a soft male voice humming along to the
melody. It seems to be some kind of waltz, and it does sound European in
origin. Maybe Scandinavian, but that's really hard to say. Whoever is
playing is quite good at it, though. No fumbling or hesitation.

You paged (Charity, Lucian) with 'We are playing _Very_ nice! Well, I'm
playing at least. He's just listening. :)'.

From afar, to (Charity, Zach): Lucian hides the big rock behind his back
and smiles reeeel big.

You paged (Charity, Lucian) with 'Hey! Chuck away that rock and get out
yer violin, six-eyes!! :)'.

Lucian hmms, and begins strolling towards the bushes with a raised
eyebrow. What's this? Music? On a day like today?

To (Lucian, Zach), Charity pages: Hehe. Oh, you two. :)

To (Charity, Zach), Lucian pages: It's a Strad, too. Really it is. *smiles
and watches you roll CD 6's.* OW.

The guitarplaying and humming grows louder as you brave the path along the
bushes and step into the small, secret clearing. Zach is sitting cross
legged and playing his guitar, the case resting on the gound beside him.
He looks up and actually smiles to Lucian, but does not stop humming until
the melody has reached it's end.

You paged (Lucian, Charity) with 'There, there.. Just let me talk to my
Boss and we'll see about getting you a Strad. >:)'.

Lucian raises an eyebrow, and offers a golf clap. "A mechanic with musical
talent," he says, dryly. "Will wonders never cease?"

To (Zach, Charity), Lucian pages: Careful. You Invoke, I Invoke. =p

You paged (Charity, Lucian) with 'How many Bosses did you say you had...?
>:)'.

Zach chuckles and puts the guitar into its case. "You think my being able
to play the guitar a wonder, Professor Szabo?"

To (Lucian, Zach), Charity pages: Eep. I don't know if I can handle being
that many Superiors, especially at work! :)

To (Lucian, Zach), Charity pages: I mean, I'll give it a shot, but it
could get pretty schizophrenic. ;)

"Lower-class menials are not frequently known for their talents at arts
and culture," Lucian says dryly.

You paged (Lucian, Charity) with 'Take it easy. We'll be nice little
celestials and not bother our Bosses. Not for this, anyway. They might get
cranky. We should be able to handle this by ourselves. ;)'. h To (Charity,
Zach), Lucian pages: I should think. From afar, to (Lucian, Zach): Charity
:)

Zach raises an eyebrow. "Oh. So I'm a lowe-class menial, am I? How have
you come by this knowledge, Professor?"

"You're a mechanic, Mister Ellis," Lucian replies. "Need I say more?"

Zach chuckles softly. "I don't see what that's got to do with anything,
but suit yourself. I always thought that too much education narrowed your
mind anyway. Seems I was right. You ought to know that talent comes in all
shapes and forms and layers of society. The composers of your home area
were fond of using the music of the farmers and romani for their works,
you know.."

Lucian waves a hand dismissively. "Be that as it may," he says, "I would
certainly not have expected it... here." He waves around, encompassing the
park, the city, the country in a single wave.

Zach smiles and looks around. Sitting on the ground, all he can see is
bushes and a grumpy professor. It doesn't seem to cramp his style at all,
though. "Music is everywhere, professor. And I have a certain soft spot
for parks and the open sky. I hang out here a lot. You wanna sit? You can
have my blanket, if you don't wanna go all green on your heinie." He pulls
out a small blanket from under the guitar.

Lucian accepts the blanket with a distasteful stare, but sits down on it.
"I see."

Zach tries to hide his chuckle with some rather mediocre success. "What is
it you see, professor?" His green eyes twinkle merrily.

Lucian chuckles, and shakes his head. "Nu. That would be telling,
Creator."

Zach wrinkles his nose a bit and smiles. "I liked it better when you
called me mechanic. Capital C creator is like... Yaknow..the Big Dude
Upstairs..."

"From what I've heard, you've as good a claim on that title as any. Even
myself." Lucian smirks.

Zach considers this. "Last time I checked, I wasn't God," he decides. "I
think I would have known if I was."

Lucian hmms. "Are you certain? I mean, what if God doesn't know who God
is? Is that possible?"

You say, "Nope. God is kinda omniscient. Broadest mind there is."

Zach starts digging in his guitar case.

Lucian raises an eyebrow. "Are you certain?" He tenses slightly as he sees
Zach begin digging in the guitar case.

Zach mutters to himself as he digs, obviously having misplaced something.
"Huh? Oh yes, I'm certain. I'm just Zach, a humble mechanic, modern day
saddlebum and all-round nice-guy. *pause* Who seems to have misplaced
his... Oh! There it is!" He triumphantly fishes out a bag filled with some
kind of plant material, some very thin paper and a box of matches. "I
haven't forgotten my promise."

"You will forgive me, 'mechanic', if I suspect deeper things of you."
Lucian chuckles. "Then again, given the company you keep..."

Zach starts to produce the much hyped doobie. A /very/ liberal amount of
weed gets rolled up in a sheet of thin, thin paper. The sheet it quite a
bit bigger than normal tobacco-paper... The result is a big, vaguely
cone-shaped home made cigarette. Sorta. "Deeper things, eh?" He smiles.
"Well, I do have an alternative title aside from mechanic or engineer. But
I'm not so keen on that one so I never use it if I can avoid it. 's
unCool."

Lucian raises his eyebrow. "And what title is that, hm?" He looks down at
the guitar, eyeing it critically.

Zach lights up the doobie. *pfft* "King." He hands the doobie over to
Lucian. "There you go, enjoy." He smiles.

Lucian accepts it with a raised eyebrow. "King," he says dubiously.

You say, "Told you it was uncool."

"And just where did you get the title King from?" Lucian still hasn't
toked. He seems content to hold it in his hand.

Zach quirks a small smile. "I guess you might call it a birthright." He
eyes Lucian's hand. "Now, what you do is quite straight-forward. You put
the slim end of the doobie in your mouth and then suck in air all the way
down into your lungs. You might wanna give it a coupla 'dry tokes' first,
cause it's about to go out. Oh, and go gentle on the first coupla tokes if
you've not smoked before."

"Quite," Lucian says, and takes a toke like an old pro. He winces slightly
- perhaps his body wasn't expecting it. "It has been quite a long while,"
he remarks, finally.

<OOC> Zach says, "This stuff was grown by Flowerchildren, btw. It's Good
Stuff. :)"

Zach raises his eyebrows. "Oh, so you've done this before? Sixties?" He
smiles and starts rolling up another one.

Lucian smiles, blandly. "It was a good decade," he replies.

Zach grins and lights up the new masterpiece of herbalness. "Yep, it
definitely had it's moments. Both good ones and ones that we might have
been better off without."

Lucian nods approvingly at the joint. "Quite," he says. "Though I suspect
we would differ on just what those moments were, hm?"

Zach inclines his head and a slightly melancholic look enter his eyes.
"Yes... I suspect we would..."

Lucian waves his free hand, as if to dismiss the concern. "So where were
you during the Sixties?"

Zach chuckles. "Officially or unofficially?"

Lucian chuckles. "Oh, let me hear the Official report."

You say, "Officially I was born in '65 and lived happily and safely in a
small Midwest town."

Lucian raises an eyebrow. "And yet, curiously, I suspect you remember it
far better than anyone born in 1965 has a right to, nu?"

Zach chuckles and shifts a bit. "Funny you should say that, professor. And
you... You look about my age, but I have this oddest of notions that you
too are gifted with an amazing memory."

Lucian smiles, and chooses this time for a long drag on the doobie rather
than speaking.

*pfft pfft* The sweet smell of top quality marijhuana spreads out arond
them, but disperces quickly in the breeze.

Zach smokes in silence for a short while. "So what did you look like in
the sixties? Did you wear your hair long or short?"

"Long," Lucian replies. "It was what young people then were wearing. It
made me more appealing to my students. Of course, I was younger then, and
looked it..."

Zach grins. "And now? Do they still dig your long, silky locks? I bet the
girls like it.."

Lucian shrugs. "There is a certain charm to them," he says.

You say, "The locks or the girls?"

Lucian arches an eyebrow. "Perhaps both."

Zach chuckles and tokes. "Yeah, I'll bet. You do look a bit exotic.
Actually you remind me a bit about that dude...what was his name... Andy
Warhol."

Lucian wrinkes his nose in horror. "Gods, no. That no-talent hack?" He
shakes his head emphatically.

Zach laughs and relaxes back on his elbow. "I like his pictures! He came
up with something new and shook things up a bit. The art world needed
that, I think. Anyway, it's just your looks that remind me of him. You
know - skinny white dude with whitish hair."

Lucian says, flatly, "Soup cans on silkscreen." He spits. "Please. If it
wasn't for the rare handful of humans with talent, I'd be happy to condemn
the whole race to another Flood."

Zach snorts. "And what would you do then, eh? Then youo would have to stay
in your own country with no places to go. No chances to get away from Big
Brother and the 'Securitate'."

Lucian raises an eyebrow. "Who said I was sparing THEM the flood?"

Zach muses smilingly. "Oh well... Now /that/ would be quite a feat... And
then what? Lucian reigns surpreme? Alone?"

Lucian smiles, blandly. "You and I know there's more 'tween Heaven and
Hell than humans, sirrah."

Zach nods solemnly. "Indeed. It wasn't the /Romanian/ Securitate I was
referring to either. I meant the original." He looks at his now
half-smoked doobie and takes another drag. "Your smoke is gonna need a new
encounter with a flaming match unless you act quickly to rescue it..."

You say, "I sincerely doubt that you wanna play with the birds and the
beasts..."

Lucian takes a resuscitory drag, and nods. "If I'm lucky, they'd get wiped
out by YOUR 'Securitate.' After all, aren't you a borderline dissident
yourself?"

Zach looks the very incarnation of innocense. "Moi? Dissident? Never! Not
even close, man. Not even close..." His face splits into a huge, wide grin
and he starts snickering helplessly with badly restrained mirth.

Lucian shrugs. "My informants, then, were wrong." He shakes his head.
"Tsk."

Zach manages to get his giggles under a semblance of control and shifts to
a more comfy position. "I suppose it all come down to the eye of the
beholder, really."

Lucian nods. "I'd heard you were working for the latest victim of the
Hyena." He shrugs. "I'll have to give a stern lecture about proper
information gathering techniques."

Zach snickers. "Oh, you heard that did you? Well, depending on how you
define victim that may be either true or false. At least /my/ boss has a
proper shape."

Lucian chuckles. "As opposed to...?"

Zach smiles and flicks some ashes off his doobie. "Yours?"

Lucian arches an eyebrow. "Just what do you mean by THAT, hm?"

Zach shrugs vaguely. "Oh... Just something I heard on the grapevine. Mind
you, vines are notoriously unprecise."

Lucian inclines his head. "I wonder where you heard THAT story from, hm?"

Zach smiles. "Yes you do." *pfft* He regards the small end that's left of
his smoke. "I'm just waiting for you to leap to your Big Guy's defense
against these nasty rumours."

"My Prince needs no defense," Lucian replies, flatly. "He is not
persecuted by a skeletal serpent in a heavy cloak, nu? Tell me, do the
Triads drop in to check up on you?"

Zach shakes his head with a smirk. "No, they don't. Do the Troikas vistit
/you/?"

Lucian smiles widely. "Who is to say that I am not with a Troika?"

Zach twitches an eyebrow. "Well.../you/.. You just said you hoped that the
Troikas would be annihilated by the Cloakies." He chuckles and finishes
the doobie.

Lucian raises an eyebrow, and takes one more toke of his own. He eyes it
with a shake of his head. "Almost gone," he says with a lingering sigh.

Zach nods in agreement. "Hyup. But I have more." He starts creating
another big cone of herbs and hands it to Lucian, "Here you go, man," then
rolls one for himself. The bag of goodies is now half empty. Or half full,
depending on your general outlook on things.

Lucian finishes the first, and nods at the second. "This is not some sort
of..." He waves his hand, searching for words. "It would be a
particularily curious trap, methinks," he says finally.

Zach smiles from ear to ear. "Some things are too Holy to be used for
trapping. Now, we don't have pipes and the stuff we now smoke tastes and
smells a damn great deal better that that evil-tasting stuff the natives
used. But it a peace smoke, anyway. That filthy little habby just doesn't
understand that."

Lucian chuckles, and shakes his head. "I suspect that he would disagree,
hm?" He shrugs. "Then again... given the current situation in this city, I
suspect the humans may not understand it either." He smiles, then, and
it's a cruel and arrogant smile.

Zach sighs and doesn't let Lucian's demeanor ruin the party. Yet. "Sadly,
many of them, far, far too many don't. There is a lot of work to do and
too few to do it. Still - it's worth it. Have you never wondered what it
would be like to build instead of break, Lucian?"

Lucian snorts. "Why build something when it would be wasted upon those who
would view it? Would you make music for the deaf, or repair cars for those
who would drive them off cliffs?" Lucian shakes his head. "You operate
under a delusion, Angel... that something out there is worth salvaging.
Leave the humans be, let them go back to cowering in the darkness."

Zach inclines his head and regards Lucian intently. "Oh there is no
delusion, man. Not in my existence at least... I have seen the blessed
souls - they are worth every bit of work and toil. They are beauty beyond
beauty..." He pauses. "Are you Hellborn or Fallen?"

Lucian purses his lips. "That's a rather personal question," he says,
sharply. "What is it with every blasted Angel wanting to know that of me?"

Zach sighs. "Take another toke, man and I'll tellya." He pauses to gather
his thoughts. "We ask because if you're Hellborn you have never seen the
Light, never seen the blessed souls and you've been grown in the mercyless
meritocracy that is Hell. That makes it slightly easier to understand why
you can deny the Love. If you're Fallen - well then you might remember the
Love on a good day, and there might be leverages to be found to bring you
Home."

Lucian inclines his head. "Fair enough, then," he allows. "Hellborn. I
didn't need to be deprogrammed. My eyes were open from the start." He
glares challengingly, the doobie in his fingers forgotten.

Zach smiles slightly. "Yeah, all six of them eh? Ain't it lonely down
there? and up here, for that matter? Ain't it tiresome to always keep
looking over your shoulder for the daggers that might or might not be
headed for your back?" He hands Lucian the matchbox.

"If you are NOT watching, angel, then more fool you." Lucian looks
deliberately over Zach's shoulder, and nods, twice. His eyes flicker
towards Zach, perhaps expecting a reaction.

Zach smiles and reclines back on his elbow lazily. "I do look after myself
down here, dude. But I don't have to do that back home. I have a place to
go to relax and enjoy time with friends and loved ones. You do not. You
only have yourself - all alone fighting the world."

Lucian shakes his head. "Da, and I've seen what your Heaven produces." He
snorts derisively. "Your little six-eyed hatchling. Easy meat, that one.
I'm still debating what to do with her..."

Zach eyes Lucian carefully, his green eyes intense. "If I might give you
some friendly advice on that. Over the peace-doobie as it were.. Leave her
alone. She is dear to me. I tend to take it personally when someone messes
with those dear to me."

Lucian smiles, toothily. "Take it as personally as you wish. That one
still hasn't quite figured out the realities of this War. Go ahead, rip me
to shreds. Make sure you let her know, hm? I suspect she will find it
most... enlightening."

<OOC> Zach says, "Resonating on Lucian"

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 1 + 2 = 3 . Check die: 1 

<OOC> Zach says, "If we're within 1 yard of each other, that's a CD 2 - if
not...:)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "I'll give you the CD-2. :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "Most noble and ignoble thing done last week(?) (I don't
have my books here..)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "This week... hmm. Most noble was helping to uncover
one of his seniors' laxity, thus making himself look better for the Boss;
Least noble was... this meeting. He's sitting with an angel for no
apparent immediate gain."

Zach smiles back just as toothily. "She knows already."

Lucian shakes his head, still smiling. "Nu. She understands the abstract.
She's not been in the trenches with you and I," he says with a dark
chuckle. "By all means, educate her."

Zach nods slowly and crosses his legs again, sitting up. "She is quite
capable of educating herself. Not many of that choir would be able to
handle Earth as well as she does, so short a time out of Heaven."

Lucian laughs, and leans back, preening just a bit. "I take part of that
credit. The school of hard knocks, as it were."

Zach mulls this over. "Indeed. That's one school that we all attend to,
regardless." "You should have seen her when she first got here..." Lucian
shakes his head, smiling. "Seriously, what fool let her out without a
Mercurian and a Cherub? She could well have been killed."

Zach laughs out loud. "Funny you should name those two choirs..." He grins
from ear to ear. "Who says they let her out without supporters?"

The current time in Kansas City is 1:37 PM, Wed Sep 04, 2002.

Lucian arches an eyebrow. "The fact that she's been the plaything of half
the demons in this town, from Andre's brood to myself, at some point?" He
smirks. "It was truly entertaining, watching her rip into one of her
little Soldiers..." He shakes his head with a chuckle.

You say, "And yet she holds true. Yet she maintains her innocense, even if
you have hurt her. Do not mistake youth for weakness, Lucian. It takes
more strenght of soul to be mercyful than to lash out. Hachilah has both a
cherub and a mercurian looking out for her. Several, in fact. And a
malakite as well."

Lucian shrugs, and snorts. "I would be surprised. They seem particularily
lax." He waves the unlit doobie.

Zach chuckles. "Yes, you /would/ be surprised. Now, I should tell you this
an all fairness: Youre peacedoobie is unlit. If I unlight my own as well,
then the pow-wow is over."

You say, "Just so you're informed."

Lucian chuckles and shakes his head. "I was not aware there was a Ritual
of the Peacedoobie."

Zach smiles and hands over the matchbox. "There wasn't until today. I just
created it."

With mock solemnity, Lucian lights the doobie. "Very well, then." He
sighs. "I presume if yours extinguishes, then we would have to settle into
some sort of scuffle, hm?"

Zach nods slowly. "Yes, that would indeed be the classical outcome. Unless
you would consider a change of career, that is. We have good benefits
upstairs, and our Bosses don't cream us for making mistakes or getting
outgunned or outsmarted by the opposition."

Lucian shakes his head. "Nu, I do not believe that is in the cards. I like
my present benefits package. Excellent job security, and no
self-righteousness."

Zach snorts. "No self-righteousness? Oh man! You lot are every bit as bad
as our worst pokerspines! That whole 'we are better that humans', 'we were
wronged by Heaven and unfairly treated', 'my cause is the only True
cause'... Honestly!"

Lucian shrugs. "We are. We were. It is. What more need be said?"

Zach shakes his head sadly. "Than how can you claim no self-righteousness?
You rebelled against God and turned away from the Love. Even the angel of
Love walked away and became a mockery of the glory that she was....
Tragedy. Just tragedy."

"Sooner that than the cloying sweetness of constant simpering," Lucian
says, practically without thinking.

"You've learned your mantras well I hear. If you're not into sweetness,
and very many angels ain't, then all you gotta do is stay out of the
Glades, man," Zach gently notes.

Lucian shrugs. "Suffice it to say, angel, that I am quite content with the
path I have chosen. Have you ever considered the alternatives?"

Zach shakes his head. "No. There is no alternative."

Lucian purses his lips. "There's always an alternative..." He pauses, and
looks over Zach. Perhaps something's just occurred to him, like a piece of
a puzzle finally assembled. For one very brief moment - one that Lucian
will no doubt deny 'til the end of his days - his eyes widen just a bit
with fear.

Zach smiles pleasantly, but there is a tiny glint of....something in his
eyes. Something very, very determined.

You paged Lucian with 'Well you did get the secondary choir-name straight
out:) 'King' :)'.

Lucian pages: I recall them being Virtues, not Kings... ;p

You paged Lucian with 'Yep, that's the more common name. King is a wee bit
archaic, but you /were/ complaining about me being a plebeian... ;P'.

You say, "No. There is not."

From afar, Lucian laughs. Well done, sah.

Lucian raises an eyebrow. "Thou shalt not suffer..." He shifts slightly,
and arches an eyebrow. "Not that I am complaining, mind you," he says -
perhaps a bit quickly - "But isn't this... ahm... suffering?"

Zach nods solemnly. "Yes. Seeing a soul lost in darkness, fear and hate
always hurts. You could be so bright..." He sighs and tokes. The doobie is
nearing it's end yet again.

Lucian shakes his head. "That was not what I meant. I have heard the
stories. Thou shalt not suffer an Evil to live. By your misguided
standards..." He gestures at himself with his doobie. His reduced toking
has kept it alight for just long enough.

Zach smiles slightly. "Yes, you have heard the stories. And they were
bloody stories. But 'an Evil' is a lost soul. Killing or even soul killing
such a lost soul is only second best. Returning the soul to the Love is
far superior. And it ends the Evil life."

Lucian raises his eyebrows. "So you're going to try to Redeem me first,
THEN kill me. Charming." He takes a long toke, reducing a bit more of the
joint to ash. "Well, then."

Zach shrugs. "I give you a choice. I spell out a possibility. You can
choose to stop hurting people around you, or you can choose to continue
hurting. It is up to you to think this through or not. It is up to you to
/make/ the choice."

Zach blows gently on the remains of his doobie, its embers dying out
slowly.

Lucian nods, slowly. "Once the choice is made, inevitably, there are
consequences to it." He shrugs. "Be it as it may, Malakite. Tell me..." He
rises to his feet, smiling. "Are you normally so careless with your
bedpartners?"

Zach also rises and faces Lucian. "As long as there is life, there is
choice. And my lovers... Well, they come in all shapes and colors. As they
should."

"Including the demonic." Lucian shakes his head. "Sleep carefully,
Malakite." He looks down at the remnants of his doobie, and flings it into
a handy patch of shrubbery.

Zach snaps his away into the same shrubbery and slips off his jacket. "I
don't sleep, Balseraph."

<OOC> Zach resonates on his jacket:)

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 2 + 5 = 7 . Check die: 3 

<OOC> Zach says, "Defunct Jacket Error.. :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "NOT a full metal jacket, hm?"

<OOC> Zach laughs.

Lucian cocks his head. "Pity. I'd think you'd be dancing through
Blandine's Marches when not toying with the Flowers," he says with a hint
of contempt.

Zach shakes his head. "Nope, I follow my dreams right here on Earth thank
you." He straigtens and drops his jacket to the ground.

<OOC> Zach says, "Ok. Who goes first? My agility is 7."

<OOC> Lucian says, "Eep. It's all you, man. Agility 4."

<OOC> Charity coughs. :)

Zach's arm snap out, his fingers stiff and headed straight for Lucian'
windpipe.

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 5 + 2 = 7 . Check die: 4 

<OOC> Charity says, "So, potential dmg is 3..."


<OOC> Lucian says, "Okay. So I roll dodge, now? :)"

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 5 + 6 = 11 . Check die: 2 

<OOC> Charity says, "Ouch."

<OOC> Lucian says, "Agil 4, Dodge 1. Um, I think that didn't work."

<OOC> Charity covers her eyes. <:)

<OOC> Lucian says, "NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE! :p"

<OOC> Zach says, "Of shaddap! You're not Andre! :) Your turn. :)"

Lucian chokes and stumbles back, coughing. Blood flows from his lips.
"That," he gurgles, "smarts." Casting his eyes about, he spits some blood
to the ground, and closes his eyes.

<OOC> Lucian says, "Attempting to go Celestial. :)"

AutoJudge:  Lucian spends 2 essence.

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 4 + 6 = 10 . Check die: 3 

<OOC> Lucian says, "Will 11 + Celestial Forces 5, I pass, right?"

AutoJudge:  Zach spends 2 essence.

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 2 + 5 = 7 . Check die: 3 

<OOC> Lucian changes Desc. :)

<OOC> Charity eee. :)

<OOC> Zach has to change as well...

In a matter of moments, Lucian's body begins disintegrating, strips of
flesh and tweed peeling away like a shattered binder. "Another time,
Malakite," he hisses, just before disappearing.

Zach lets his vessel fall away into Possibility and rises in the air,
black wings spreading. Grinning...

A malakite, a shadowy, dark angel with burning green eyes and big, black
wings. He is dressed in what he last wore in Heaven: City camo trousers
and an armless, black t-shirt. Up his arms snake the Oath-chains, tightly
wrapped and shining with an inner glow.

Long and sinuous, this demon - for surely, this winged serpent can only be
creature of Hell itself - moves with an unholy beauty. Its scales, each a
shimmering chip of emerald, shine as though wet. Six vibrant,
sapphire-blue eyes gleam brightly from the creature's pale green skull.
His jaws flex, and the rows of polished white fangs gleam. A bony ridge
runs down the creature's back, translucent white skin stretched between
the spines. His broad, draconic wings stretch out and flap silently,
sending the creature slicing through the air with a diabolically
entrancing grace.

<OOC> Zach says, "Celestial combat: Higher perception moves first. Mine is
6 :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "9."

<OOC> Charity covers her eyes. <:)

<OOC> Lucian says, "And we still have to percieve each other, I think. :)"

<OOC> Charity says, "Hey, that's a good point :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "Per + target's cel forces?"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Yup."

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 6 + 1 = 7 . Check die: 5 

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 1 + 4 = 5 . Check die: 4 

<OOC> Zach says, "We Percieve!"

Lucian beats his wings, leaping up from the ground at very swift speed.
Turning his head back, he hisses. "Care to play now, misguided child?" His
six eyes sparkle dangerously - perhaps this was his plan all along?

<OOC> Zach says, "Are you speaking celestial or hellspeak?"

Zach beats his wings and rises to face the serpent. "Let's dance..." His
green orbs shine coldly, furiously.

<OOC> Lucian says, "Ooh. Good point. I'd forgotten that. :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Hellspeak, I guess."

<OOC> Zach says, "Ok. Then my ears hurt and I don't understand:)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Pretty much. :)"

<OOC> Zach speaks celestial of course:)

Lucian hisses, and banks around, before streaking in at Zach, mouth open
to take a savaging bite.

AutoJudge:  Lucian spends 2 essence.

<OOC> Charity says, "Will+CF to attack, Perception+dodge to dodge."

<OOC> Lucian says, "Attack run, spending 2 essence to boost the roll."

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 4 + 3 = 7 . Check die: 1 

<OOC> Lucian says, "Great hit. Crappy damage... :p"

<OOC> Zach says, "Dodge. per 6 + dodge 3 -> 9"

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 1 + 2 = 3 . Check die: 6 

Zach rolls with the blow and manages nimbly to avoid the brunt of it,
cheerfully letting Lucian bite his trousers rather than his thigh.

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok. Figthing is applicable on all planes..."

<OOC> Charity says, "When your'e in celestial form, you use Will +
Fighting instead of strength +Fighting..."

Zach grabs hold of one of the balseraph's wings and twists mightily.

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 3 + 2 = 5 . Check die: 2 

<OOC> Lucian tries to dodge. Will 11 + Dodge 1.

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 5 + 2 = 7 . Check die: 6 

Lucian nimbly snatches his wing out of the malakite's hands and is clear.

Lucian hisses, in broken Celestial, "You run, you live." Twisting about,
he tries to clamp his jaws on Zach's offending grabbing arms.

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 6 + 1 = 7 . Check die: 1

<OOC> Lucian says, "Gods, my check die sucks tonight."

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 2 + 6 = 8 . Check die: 2 

<OOC> Zach says, "Ouch! That's 3 soul hits on me!"

<OOC> Lucian says, "CHOMP! :)"

Zach doesn't quite manage to get his arm out of harm's way in time and
grimaces as the demon's teeth sink in. He punches Lucian on the snout.

AutoJudge:  Zach rolls: 6 + 2 = 8 . Check die: 1 

AutoJudge:  Lucian rolls: 2 + 1 = 3 . Check die: 2 

<OOC> Lucian says, "Now STOP that."

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok, so let me clarify. There have been three 2 point
disturbances... that's it, correct?"

<OOC> Lucian says, "3 2 point disturbances, plus my 10-point disturbance
for going Celestial, and Zach's disturbance for whatever forces he has."

<OOC> Zach says, "9 forces:)"

Lucian snaps his jaw back, then darts away, increasing the space.

<OOC> Zach says, "Are you treading air and waiting?"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Pulling back... oh... say 50 yards, and waiting."

Zach flaps his night-black wings and follow Lucian, but doesn't manage to
reach him yet.

Lucian darts away, again at 50 yards, heading out of the park.

Zach beats his fists in the air angrily as he realises that the balseraph
is much faster than himself. He tries to follow, but is quickly
outdistanced.

Lucian pauses at the edge, hissing something in Helltongue. While the
words are incomprehensible, the mocking character of them is perfectly
clear. The Balseraph turns with a flick of his tail, and beats his wings,
flying off at rapid speed.

Zach soon gives up the pursuit and looks for a nice, secluded alley where
he can get back into his vessel again. And does so, upon finding said
alley...

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok, Zach just poked me with the prescient info that I
ought to make some random perception rolls for, uh, innocent bystanders
:)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Good point. "Visions of Dragon and Angel in Huron
Park. End Times Nigh!" :p"

<OOC> Charity says, "Hehe :)"

<OOC> Zach HEE!

<OOC> Charity says, "I'll make three rolls for each of you :)"

<OOC> Charity says, "I will roll for their perceptions now. D666."

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 3 + 6 = 9 . Check die: 2 

Zach stalks back to the park to retrieve his guitar and his jacket from
the bushes where he and Lucian had their little pow-wow.

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok, that's 3, 6, and 2. In that order. :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Wow. 6 perception? On a human??"

<OOC> Charity says, "It's a miracle! A potential soldier in your mists,
and you didn't know it! :)"

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok, these are for the three people perceiving
Lucian:"

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 1 + 4 = 5 . Check die: 2 

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 5 + 4 = 9 . Check die: 4 

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 5 + 2 = 7 . Check die: 6 

<OOC> Zach says, "Oops..."

<OOC> Lucian is stealthy like a cat. Or something.

<OOC> Zach says, "Not."

<OOC> Charity says, "Like a rhino! :)"

<OOC> Lucian belts out, "WITH CAT-LIKE TREAD..."

<OOC> Charity says, "Ok, this is for Zach:"

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 5 + 2 = 7 . Check die: 1 

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 6 + 1 = 7 . Check die: 6 

AutoJudge:  Charity rolls: 5 + 5 = 10 . Check die: 6 

<OOC> Zach says, "They /all/ bloody saw you!"

<OOC> Zach says, "One for me..."

<OOC> Charity says, "Miss, Saw, Miss. :)"

<OOC> Charity says, "Alright, I'll package that up and give it to the
Staff BB :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "Well, mister flashy-scales... Seems we got spotted. :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "ALL of them? With a 3, 6, and 2... I thought they all
failed..."

<OOC> Charity says, "+ your CelForces :)"

<OOC> Zach says, "You have 5 cel forces. :)"

<OOC> Charity says, "Mr. Flashy scales :)"

<OOC> Lucian says, "Oh. Right. D'oh."

As the two adversaries proceed across the park, unmindful of who or what
might perceive them, they may or may not notice a woman strolling a child
down the lane. The child is asleep, but the woman's mouth is open with
shock! She has clearly perceived the form of Lucian, and she follows it
with her eyes, turning paler by the second.

Meanwhile, under a tree nearby, a couple of teenagers are hanging out.
They aren't doing drugs, they aren't drinking... they're playing cards, in
fact, as best they can. Poker it looks like. Anyhow, as the young
impressionable face of the teenaged boy turns, after catching a glimpse of
a great green serpent flying through the park, the teenaged girl looks
up... their eyes go wide with amazement, and they stare, much like the
woman, as if they are in complete shock.