Blacken Thy Wings [Periodical x Degu]

[Degusaurusrex]

January 10th

“Don't touch them.” Without lifting her head the white haired woman spoke, and a hand paused above wings before dropping. “What do you want? I'm tired.” Finally lifting her head from her arms, golden eyes focused blearily on the blonde angel standing beside the bed. “I'm tired.” Repeating the words in English as her large wings tucked away and disappeared, Abaddon stretched out with a yawn. “I was up most of the night.”

“Oh, Abby. Have you not found Asmodeus, yet? Michael is growing impatient.” The response was a roll of the eyes, a shrug of the shoulders as Abaddon slid from the bed, stretching again before padding over to the dresser.

“Do you think I'd still be in this house if I had? That's why I was out so late, looking for anyone with information. I know he's here, I just have to find him.” Irritated with the sudden appearance of a messenger angel, she took her time sifting through the clothes on purpose. After halfheartedly doing it for nearly a full minute she finally got dressed, pulling on a pair of boot cut jeans and a bra. “Did Michael himself send you?” Without turning back to the golden haired woman, she pulled on a white shirt with long sleeves before finally turning around.

“Arianna.” Her tone was disapproving as she leaned back on the dresser. “When have I ever failed? This is Asmodeus we are talking about, that's far up the hierarchy. They're nearly asking me to take down Lucifer himself. Not quite, but near enough that they can't expect instant results. I realize it's been awhile--”

“Months, Abby.”

“Stop calling me that. Anyway, I've been plucking demons from bars, streets, wherever I find them. Half of them don't know anything, half of them are too frightened of his name alone. I'm starting to get tired of cleaning blood from this place so trust me, I want to find him and get out of here as badly as Michael wants me to find him.” The other woman nodded, seemingly satisfied by the answer as she gave a slight bow.

“Very well, I shall inform Michael of your progress. I hope to see you return soon.” She was gone before the last word left her mouth, the sound lingering in the air as Abaddon snatched a piece of parchment from the dresser. Golden words shone from it, Hebrew etched finely into it in a depiction of her order.

“Bloody demons. Why they gave me the powers of those traitors I don't understand.” Scoffing and shaking her head, the paper was tossed carelessly back down before she began to plot things out in her head. Arianna's visit had caught her off guard, so much so that the remainder of the day was spent pacing about and deciding the best course of action.

“Tears off my wings and let the Earth swallow me whole.” The sun had dipped well below the skyline as night finally fell, and Abaddon was dressing herself the rest of the way. Other than the light blue of her jeans, the rest of her clothing was white to blend with the snow. White sweater, white coat, and white boots. A dagger rested in her hand as she examined the blade, confirming its sharpness as the inscriptions briefly lit up before returning to mere grooves along the handle. While it wasn't her favorite weapon to use, it was far better than having to use the claws she'd been 'gifted' with. The weapon was tucked securely into a band just inside the coat sleeve, granting easy access should anyone give her trouble. The lower demons usually didn't, but it wasn't worth the risk of Michael's rage over something so small. He could be infuriating sometimes, but she never let the emotion show. This was the purpose of her existence, and so she would follow the orders of the Archangels.

“Walking through the snow instead of using rifts, ridiculous.” Tearing a seam of reality open was frowned upon unless crossing realms, but she had done it on more than one occasion despite their protests. If they didn't want her to do it, they shouldn't have given her the power of both races. The snow crunched under her boots as she left the house that was her temporary residence, not bothering to lock it as it held nothing of value to her.

“Bloody demons.” Pulling the hood of the coat up and tucking her hands into the pockets, she scanned the streets and gave a subtle sniff of the air. The smell of lower class demons clung to the city air, but none of them were strong enough to be the one she sought. That left her only with the choice of tracking down and capturing any lower one, which proved to be easier that evening than most. He hadn't even seen it coming, a quick blow to the head knocking him unconscious and allowing her to drag him off.

“He's drunk and can't drive, I'm taking him home.” A quick explanation had been given to the humans giving her odd looks, the response a nod and a smile as she'd continued on her way. “Heaven almighty, you're heavy.” Muttering the words as she finally stumbled through her doorway with him, she kicked the door closed with a foot before unceremoniously letting him fall to the floor. His health was none of her concern, and she made quick work of pulling out a chair and a heavy duty pair of cuffs to keep him in place. Wrists cuffed behind his back and rope bound tightly around his shoulders and midsection, she shed the extra winter clothes and lounged on her couch. Feet propped on the coffee table, she waited in silence for the unconscious demon to wake up.

“Finally, you're awake.” Remaining in her relaxed position with arms draped over the back of the couch, Abaddon smiled and ran her tongue slowly over tiny fangs. “I'm sure you know who I am. I have one question from you, and I expect an answer so I don't have to start using this.” Sitting forward slowly, she picked up the dagger on the table and examined it. “Trust me, it will hurt. A lot.” Slamming it down into the wood, she watched in satisfaction as it lodged itself there and remained upright. “So tell me, where is Asmodeus?”

 

[Periodical]

The date wasn't super important to him. Everything seemed a little bit more dull and he found himself searching for actual meaning after he lost Lilith. Lost was kind of a weird word, he tended to think it implicated that not having her was partly his fault. No. she was ripped from his arms and cast away. He was sure she was somewhere on Earth, he just needed to find her. As one of the so-called "Princes of Sin" Asmodeus realized he had quite the reputation. He knew where it had come from, those fucking archangels who were trying to keep their squeaky clean reputation spotless.

The man had been an angel once. He too used to have winds made of pristine, white feathers. By now, his wings had degraded into black, spindly husks of what they were before, and they were hardly useable anymore. He was considered a demon, though he never understood quite why beyond the fact that the angels above determined his reputation. He knew nothing he did would change the outlook the greater angel and demon community at large had of him, but he didn't mind. It didn't affect his standing with humans.

Even now, Asmodeus was at a dimly lit bar on the outskirts of town, meeting with a few friends. Sitting around a circular table with a few other shady characters with their faces hidden. The lights around them seemed to dim near their faces, and the entire group was shrouded in a veil of darkness. Asmodeus had been late as usual, and the others were not impressed. Each one of them was smoking.

"You finally decided to join us." A voice spoke.

"You are overstepping your bounds again, Asmodeus." A familiar voice began. "If you aren't careful, they will send their prized hunter after you. We don't want to lose another. Poor Belphegor."

"Are you trying to scare me, Lucifer?" Asmodeus asked. "Little ironic considering how you hide like a little imp."

The comment drew a snicker from the others, before Lucifer glanced daggers at them and quickly shut them up. "You don't have to heed my warning, but don't come to us when you have the hunter breathing down your neck." He said, clearly more than a little pertubed.

"Come now Lucifer." A third voice spoke. "If our Azmodeus is willing to put his neck on the line for more Earthly delights and risk his own neck, I say we let him.

"As if we had a choice." A fourth voice added.

The waitress walked by, picking up empty glasses. Asmodeus's eyes, trained on her for a little bit before he turned back towards his "friends." He seldom came to these meetings, though there were a few reasons. For one, Belphegor had been his best friend. After the hunter had claimed him, these meeting didn't seem nearly as fun.The other "Princes" were too scared to make any moves, and they spent most of their time hiding. In addition, everyone else seemed to treat him as a kid, even if they were roughly the same age. Losing Belphegor added another thing on Asmodeus's plate.

In a strange but real way, Asmodeus felt rather alone in the world. He had lost the love of his life, as well as his best friend. The other demons who called themselves his "friends" seemed to think they knew the truths of the world, yet they hid from the one called the hunter. It was all they knew that being as. Hell, they didn't even know it's gender. They just knew if a demon was making too much trouble down on Earth, they were gone after a few days. The conversation at the table shifted, but Asmodeus wasn't listening. Instead, he stood, casually walking after the waitress who had just picked up their glasses.

It didn't take much, and with a hand on her rear, he pushed her into the girl's bathroom, finding an empty stall. It took only a few minutes before he emerged again, fixing his tie and his suit jacket, before sitting back down at the table. It took another few minutes for the waitress to reemerge. Her hair was ruined, she had clear bite marks and hickeys on her neck and a dazed look on her face. Glancing back towards the waitress and then at Asmodeus, one the of the other demons spoke.

"You just can't help yourself can you, Asmodeus." He said, clear anger resonating in his voice. "You are going to get us all killed."

"I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to ask you don't show up again." Another voice chimed in.

"Asmodeus took a sip of his drink, their words not phasing him. He didn't react, just staring forward.

"He's not even listening." The first demon said as they all started to stand. "When you pull your head out of your ass Asmodeus, look us up." With that last statement, five shadowy figures moved silently out of the bar. One of them leaving a handful of cash on the table. Brushing his hair out of his face, Asmodeus too stood and made his way out of the small bar. As he left, the light at the table they were sitting at seemed to return to normal. The owners of the bar didn't seem to care about the lights, or the fact that the shadowy figures were there, smoking in a non-smoking section. The owners were angels, and they dare not mess with the Princes.

On the street now, Asmodeus walked and wandered aimlessly. He was always searching for another conquest. His brain was full of thoughts, and he dwelled on things that mattered to him quite a bit. Perhaps the reason why Lilith was so intoxicating to him was because she could resist his charm? He couldn't put his finger on why, but she tended to take up most of his thought.

Turning, he made his way into a swanky club, called Barry's, pushing right past the bouncer in the front. He was a regular here, and when her needed blood, he tended to pick up women and drain them until they were dead. It had become a bad habit, but part of him wanted to see this hunter. He knew it was only a matter of time until he was face to face with them. As he made his way into the club, he turned, heading straight into the VIP section.

Finding and sitting next to a pretty young thing, his hand found her thigh. Unfortunately for her, her night was about to get a whole lot better before getting a whole lot worse. Already, she was swooning, his aura itself able to sway most humans to his side.

 

[Degusaurusrex]

“Asmo..Deus?” The demon shifted in the chair, snarling loudly when he realized he was tightly bound. Abaddon gave him an amused look, elbows on her knees as she propped her chin in her hands. They were also so confused, often fought as if they stood a chance against her. No, the weaker ones never did, it was why she still existed and held the job that she did. Why she was sent above anyone else unless it was a trivial matter barely worth addressing.

“Did I stutter, demon?” There was a moment of blank staring before the panic settled on a pale face, a series of curses and growls sounding as the chair rocked before tipping backward. Another thing that tended to happen. With an annoyed sigh as she stood, the hybrid made her way to the fallen demon, picking the chair up easily and returning it to its rightful place.

“You're Abaddon.. You're a woman?”

“Why is that always the first reaction?” Crouching before the chair with an exasperated expression, she made a circular motion with her finger. “Hurry up now, I don't have all night. I very much hate using them, but if I have to I'll dig my claws in so deep they'll feel it in Hell.” She took a minute amount of satisfaction in the way the chair trembled under the demon, and she straightened up to stand and retrieve the dagger. “Care to tell me now?” There was a long moment of silence and another string of curses in another language.

“He'll kill me if I tell you.”

“I'll kill you if you don't tell me. You know my reputation, you know it's no bluff. Now, where. Is. Asmodeus?” Another pause.

“He likes to frequent a club called Barry's, find his women there. He's probably there right now making a mess. I'd go there first.” A hint of a smile tugged at Abaddon's lips as she nodded, leaning forward with the dagger.

“Thank you for the information. Perhaps your punishment will be lesser in Hell.” Metal touched flesh before it slid smoothly across, the hybrid yanking herself back in time to avoid the blood splatter that now coated her floor. With a shake of her head, she cleaned the blade on the dead demon's pants, dressing back into the winter gear and replacing the blade in the band on her arm. She knew of the club but had never been there, which meant it was a foreign layout to her. She would need the human currency, and a quick search revealed the wallet full of it the Archangels had given her. How it worked, she barely understood.

The night had taken on a greater chill as she left, and the necessary walk was far longer than she would have liked. She didn't hate the cold, but she wasn't fond of it either. Even her body reacted like a human's, requiring proper temperatures and food. Pity for her the club would likely not have the second, although they would have the other type of food she required, should she need it. How long had it been now, since she'd taken blood from a mortal? Long enough she couldn't remember, but that was always the case. Never a bite until the hunger set in.

“Finally.” Muttering the words as she reached the club, Abaddon winced at the volume of the noise from inside. It took her sensitive hearing several seconds to adjust before she talked her way through the door, money shoved at the human there before she slid in and toward the bar. It had long since been established that a person without a drink, in a club, was suspicious behavior. The taste of liquor was not unbearable, and indulging in it wasn't a loathed experience. Perhaps it was the demon in her, perhaps it was just something new.

Regardless, she made haste in purchasing two drinks, knocking back the first before taking the second to a table. He was there, she could feel the immense energy even over the smell of blood and sweat. Gold eyes surveyed the club, searching for the source of both the energy and the scent. There were too many people, crowds swaying and yelling in a drunken stupor.

“There you are.” He was clearly in a part that was specified for certain people, and she sipped at the drink with a wince. They made them far stronger than she was used to, and the glass clinked against the table as it was set down and she focused on him. Asmodeus wasn't at all how she'd pictured him, but the hand settled on the human woman confirmed what her senses told her. Now, all she had to do was get him alone.

 

[Periodical]

His reputation made sense among the angels. His character, and the other Princes characters were painted in such a way they were villains. Fundamentally, Asmodeus understood why, but he refused to endure the same cowardly fate as the others. If he was going to be known as the Prince of Lust, then he would ensure that he lived to the reputation. People thought he was evil and he liked to kill, but it simply wasn't the case. The only people that died were the ones whose blood was so delicious and sweet he couldn't stop himself. He hadn't once raised a finger against another angel or demon in the community, but it was a reputation that was certainly beginning to grow on him.

The woman was grinding against him now. Between his long slender fingers he held a smoking cigarette, and in his other hand, a glass for a fine scotch with two scotch rocks. He hated ice watering his drink down, and he didn't particularly care for anything else. He perferred to live as high class as he could, though given his reputation and where his "friends" liked to hang out, living high class was decidedly more difficult.

The city of Gibson was different in so many ways. For one, the city centertended to be the nicest part of town. High class and quality high rises, high end brand name designer clothes, swanky restaurants, clubs and bars, banks, and other things that defined high society littered the streets. Every car or automobile that drove downtown was brand new and beautiful. Towards the outside of the city, however, the scum of the Earth and society resided. The further out one drove, the more bars one would see on the windows. Instead of LED's, bars tended to use the much louder neon signs. Lightbulbs went out and weren't promptly replaced and vehicles left for too long would often have broken windows and be found on cinder blocks.

While he couldn't help it, this was just where Asmodeus found himself hanging out. He found that in the inner city casual intimacy was a thing of the past. In order to take someone out or entice them enough, Asmodeus was looking at a full day or more of "courting." In some ways, the aspect was fun, but Asmodeus was looking for something quicker. He was looking for something a little quicker and easier for his own satisfaction as well as his meal for the day. In more ways than one, Asmodeus thought he should have been the Prince of Gluttony rather than the Prince of Lust, though the latter had quite the ring to it.

The more she ground into his lap, Asmodeus sat and enjoyed it. He was well known in this bar in particular. He had the same routine every time he showed up. He would enter the bar, swoop in and grab someone from the dance floor, regardless of who they were dancing with, take them back to the VIP area. What happened back there was always up to whatever Asmo was feeling at the time, but when it was over he would drain them of their blood and leave their bodies for management to dispose of. The girls were fairly high class here, a surprise for Asmodeus. There were worse.

The man's hand snuck around her waist. Setting down his drink, he pulled her back into him. His free hand snuck into her panties, and he opened his mouth, biting into her shoulder as he began to finger the poor girl. His teeth were sharp enough where the woman likely didn't finish it. There were so many drugs and other things going on back in the VIP area, that nobody really paid too much attention to them. Besides, everyone had their own problems, and nobody wanted to see some other guy feeling up a girl. In addition, most of the guys who hung out here were demons as well.

By now, regular angels and demons had integrated pretty well into society. Like people, angels and demons had ranges of attitudes. There were good angels and bad, good demons and bad, and good humans and bad. Once a person became aware of this underground hierarchy and society, their lives changed. Sometimes, it changed for the better, sometimes for the worse. For most of the girls who came into contact with Asmodeus, their lives changed for the worse. The girl started moaning from his touch before the color began to drain from her face. Before she realized what happened, she was dead, and Asmo dropped her lifeless body on the ground.

From there, Asmodeus finish his drinking, standing up and making his way out the side door. He never stayed for long, and he had plenty of places he needed to be. Feeling the cold air on his face, Asmodeus lit up another cigarette before he made his way down the empty alleyway. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he likely had to leave the city at some point soon. Him being here and being out in the world like this, likely meant that the other Princes had moved on. Asmodeus was a little drunk on blood, he didn't even realize he had a tail..

 

[Degusaurusrex]

"Disgusting." If she hadn't been so used to the ways of demons and their perversions, Abaddon would have felt bile rising in her throat. However, she was more than used to it, and it was no surprise to catch the faint scent of arousal in the air. Her nose twitched as she focused on the other smells, sweat; liquor; foreign intoxicants she didn't fully understand. When she needed a quick bite on someone, she made sure to find someone as clean as she could. There had been the occasions where she'd failed and gotten incredibly sick, but never enough to cripple her completely.

"Well, you're certainly living up to your reputation.." A scowl marred the woman's face as she saw teeth sinking into flesh, watching the interaction with mild interest. How far would he take it, would he simply take a quick meal and drag the woman off for what his reputation made him known for? The scowl deepened as the smell of death filled the air, the body dropped like it was nothing more than a worthless package.

"Heaven almighty, this is going to be well worth the wait." Killing him would bring her pleasure, more so than the minor amount that wiping out lower demons brought. She waited patiently as he exited the club, finishing her own drink before slowly standing from the table. Still clad in all of her clothes as she followed after him, Abaddon took a moment to pause and scent the air. He hadn't gone far, and it wouldn't take her long to catch up to him. The question remained of how to deal with him. She couldn't simply kill him and leave the body for humans to find, but she could open a rift to take him somewhere, if necessary.

Pulling her head back over her head as she followed after him, Abaddon rounded into the alley after him. The smell of blood still clung to him, with the faint undertone of death from his victim. With an internal huff of irritation as the snow blew around them, she shivered from the cold before taking another step. Her boots were crunching in the snow again, faster as she advanced on him and made contact. Hands gripping the front of his clothing, she pushed him back against the wall with a quiet growl. Up close, he was what humans would consider ridiculously attractive, but it made no difference to her. He was a demon, the one on her orders, and she had no mind nor time to consider the aesthetics of his being.

"I have been tracking you for months, demon. I didn't think you would be stupid enough to kill so casually and publicly, though." The blade slid easily into her hand from its band, making its way to flesh to press against his throat. "You reek of blood and death. Now, I'll give you the courtesy of choosing your last words, so you'd best hurry up before the little patience I have for your kind runs out." Even if she did have some of their blood running through their veins, she was nothing like them. Not killing humans mindlessly, but only demons who got in the way of her orders.

 

[Periodical]

As the man walked, an interesting smell filled his nostrils. Besides the biting cold air that filled his nostrils, and the odd smell combination of urine, wet garbage, and general trash, Asmodeus almost sensed something else. His lips curved into a smile as he heard the sound of her boot crunching and compacting the snow. The sound of the snow crunching grew closer together, and the smell was overwhelming as he knew she was upon him. Turning, he was shoved against the wall with a fair amount of force. The brick behind him at the point of impact cracked, an the impact spread to the adjacent bricks.

The demon knew, he likely wasn't giving her the reaction she was looking for. Plastered over his face was a dumb, toothless smile as he glanced down at her. "So, the fabled hunter is a woman?" He said, more to himself than as an actual conversation started. He listened to her story, and his eyes caught the glinting of her blade. He felt the cold steeel against his throat, and he thought for a moment as she mentioned his last words. "Please, you act like I killed a human of value." He said, more stating fact rather than working on pleading his case. He knew who she was, and yet, he wasn't afraid of her.

"When will you angels learn?" He asked her shaking his head. "For one, not all humans are equal despite the narrative. For two, you act like you angels are fundamentally different than us." He said, adding a little bit of an emphasis on you. He knew what she was, and he knew what she stood for. "And three, do you honestly believe everything the archangels tell you?" He said as he met her angry eyes. "Don't tell me you are that daft." He said with a shake of his head. She was holding his clothes sure, but he still had all of his limbs free. He also had the size advantage on her. There was no doubt she was the much better fighter and a much more well trained killing machine, but he knew he didn't stand much of a chance in that department regardless. Reaching up, he grabbed the hand that held the tiny blade, stopping it from moving any further. Using his other hand, grabbed her behind her neck holding her in place before he threw his right knee hard into her gut.

The knee itself wouldn't get her off of his trail, he knew that, but it would buy him a little bit of time. She wasn't going to get the fight that she was looking for, instead, he was going to try and talk at her with logic. When she stumbled a few steps backward in response to the knee, Asmodeus pushed her away. Glancing at her, he fixed his suit from where she had grabbed it. Glancing down, the sight of the wrinkles from her tight grip annoyed him, but he didn't let it show. "Didn't you find it odd that Belphegor didn't put up much of a fight for being a Prince of sin?" He asked her, stepping forward towards her. "Didn't you think it was weird that he was just a regular guy? You probably snuck up on him and killed him in on his own couch while hew as watching t.v or playing video games, didn't you?"

Again, Belphegor was a good friend of his, Asmodeus knew he likely didn't fight back and he knew what his best friend was likely doing when she had confronted him. "You think you are so high and mighty, accusing me of killing casually and publicly, but I at least got something out of that girl back there." He said, pointing back towards the entrance to the club. He was practically daring her to hit him and retailiate, just to prove his own point. "You killed my friend so you could get a fucking attaboy and feel better about yourself. Admit it." He said, his tone was searing. "Michael hates me because Lilith chose me and he couldn't bare the shame. So what did he do? Mr. Perfect banished both of us, destroying everything I had out of spite that he couldn't handle."

"I can't stop you from killing me, but what do you stand to gain from it?"

 

[Degusaurusrex]

"Always with the woman thing, always." Sighing irritably at the immediate, yet expected reaction, Abaddon looked taken aback at his expression. There was no fear, or even anger, just mirth. "It has nothing to do with the equality of the human race, and everything to do with your carelessness. Would you like this world to know of your existence because of sheer stupidity?" Her blood boiled at the blatant insult toward her, eyes flickering to the larger hand that grabbed her own. It was her first mistake, the air leaving her lungs as his knee connected harshly with her midsection. Fingers wrapped tightly around the blade to keep it from being lost in the snow, she gasped for air and momentarily struggled to stay upright.

"Belphegor?" It only took a moment for recognition to hit, and she gave him a blank stare as she straightened out. "What about him? He put up a bit of a fight, but in the end it didn't matter." He hadn't put up much of one, though, and Asmodeus wasn't entirely off the mark. The television had been blaring, images flickering and dancing across the screen when she'd found him moving around the apartment. "I killed him because I was ordered to." The demon was starting to get on her nerves, her neck cracking back and forth as she stood.

"Chose you?" Her demeanor changed instantly, the surprise evident as the mask fell apart at his words. The little she knew of Asmodeus and Lilith were stories of spawning demons, of temptation and evil. Then again, she hadn't spent the last several millennia paying attention to much outside of her orders. "Why would Michael want anything to do with a demoness?" There was an uncomfortable weight settling in her chest, the urge to take flight nearly overwhelming. She didn't run, she hunted. Why did some words about Michael and Lilith put her so on edge?

"I gain nothing." Speaking slowly, Abaddon watched him intently. "I never gain anything, they didn't create me with a life of happiness or enrichment in mind." She shrugged. It wasn't as though it particularly bothered her, as several things were still foreign to her. Family, for one, was a concept that largely confused her. "I want to know what you're talking about, Michael and Lilith. I don't believe you, but I want to know what rumors are circulating." Although Michael had been incredibly pushy with her order on taking out Asmodeus, so it was possible there was something he didn't want the demon telling her.

"It's cold. Move," Waving the blade down the alley, she kept her eyes trained on him. "There must be someplace warm and quiet around this infernal city. Don't test me, though, I will put you down in the street if I absolutely have to. With you, I don't think Michael would mind me bending the rules a little."

 

[Periodical]

The fact that she was a woman was surprising indeed. Asmodeus knew her name, though it escaped him at the moment. He wasn't fearful of death, and in some ways, he welcomed it. He had searched this place called Earth far and wide looking for his Lilith and despite his best efforts to find her, it was clear to Asmodeus that she wasn't here. When she mentioned she killed him because she was ordered to, Asmodeus scoffed. "Of course you did, you are just a drone that follows orders." He said, taking a not so subtle shot at her before he watched as her demeanor flipped and made a 180. When she asked her question about Michael and a demonness, Asmodeus shook his head.

"I see." He said, musing to himself. "You must be Abbadon." The name came to his head as he watched her. "They made you this naive on purpose. A perfect killing machine." He said, stepping slowly. Snow crunched beneath his feet, as he sized her up. The fact that she was created to be a perfect and efficient killing machine made everything make sense. Of course she wouldn't ask questions. Of course she didn't know about the subtle intricacies of their world. She was created for one purpose and one purpose alone. Asmodeus may have looked young, but he was wise beyond his years which was actually saying something.

The demon drank in the look on her face, before he shook his head once more. "Yes! You gain nothing! Your mere existance is nothing." He said, his silver tongue beginning to work again. "You exist for the sole purpose of death and destruction." He said, reaching out and stroking her cheek, almost as if he wanted to make sure she was flesh and not a machine. He was honestly unsure. At first he had been torn up about his friend dying, but Asmodeus had long learned not to dwell on something that was fairly trivial in the long run. Death was inevitable and should be greeted with open arms. A higher power knew Asmodeus had lived long after his time.

Silver eyes watched, as she told him to move, giggling to himself as he raised his hands. "You shouldn't be so tense." He said as he folded his hands behind his back. "I know I can't kill you." The words flowed from his mouth as he walked casually towards the other end of the alleyway. "Perhaps you'd be interested in a bite to eat?" Leading her down the other end of the alley, across the street, the two found their way into a tiny Thai restaurant. Asmodeus always wondered how they stayed in business, he never had seen anyone inside. The food much have been pretty delicious, either that, or the were owned by an angel or a demon.

Finding his seat and perusing the menu, he ordered a couple of cheap beers for the two of them to share. "Oh, do they have Pad Thai where you are from?" He asked her, before looking back down at the menu. What they ordered didn't really matter, what did was the fact that she was beginning to think for herself. What a coup, Asmodeus thought, if he could pull it off! Turning the angels demon hunter against them. "Well, you must be bursting at the seams with questions." He said as he put his menu down. Asmo had had other plans, but he supposed this would work as well.

 

[Degusaurusrex]

Your mere existence is nothing.

The words startled her. Despite knowing she would be wiped out in the blink of an eye if not for her skill, the words stirred an odd feeling in her. Watching the hand that came toward her, she was tempted to detach it from the limb, but instead stood perfectly still as fingers brushed over her flesh. They were cold from the winter weather, but she refused to shiver and admit the weakness of her body. A scoff left her mouth as she said nothing, but tucked the blade into her pocket and zipped it up before following after him. The smell of food immediately assaulted her senses as they entered, her nose twitching as they sat down.

"No." She didn't bother to look at the menu, knowing the food was foreign to her. She could eat later, after she dealt with the body in her home. It was a hassle she wasn't looking forward to, but a necessity. The current dilemma, however, was the demon sitting across from her. "I already asked my question." Tapping her nails on the table with a frown, she listened to the clicking grow slightly louder as the nails reshaped and the skin grew tainted with black. "And if you ever touch me again, I will tear out your throat with my claws and feed you to the hounds of Hell."

Satisfied with the threat, the black faded back to normal flesh, her eyes flickering up as the drinks arrived. Her nose twitched again as she picked hers up, sniffing it before taking a sip. Beer had never been a favorite of hers, but alcohol was alcohol, and she definitely needed a drink right then.

 

[Periodical]

The demon sat back in his chair, and when she responded, he smiled. "So you did." He said before he watched her body change and grow, and her skin turn pitch black. LIstening to her threat, Asmodeus couldn't help but smile. "Trust me, I believe you." He said, before taking a second and realizing exactly what it sounded like. "I mean I do, I apologize for my tone." He said, clarifying his own tone and action. One could make the argument, that depending on how his words and tone were perceived, that it sounded like he was mocking her. No, her threat was very much credible, he just didn't view death as a negative.

He smiled when she took the drink of the beer, taking a sip of his own before he began to speak. "So you want to know the history between Michael, Lilith, and I?" He asked, musing the question for a moment. "Where to begin?" He said, musing to himself once more. FInishing off the rest of his beer, Asmodeus started into the history. "I know it's going to be tough for you to believe, and your superiors certaintly won't tell you as much, but demons and angels used to live peacefully up there." He said, pointing to the sky. "It wasn't until the demons ultimately ended up splitting apart from the angels that the war started."

As he spoke his food arrived. Trying a bite of the food, he called back the waitress. "Excuse me, I believed I asked for this to be the most spicy you can give me. This isn't spicy at all." He said, as the waitress nodded and took his plate. The two shared a wordless exchange, and Asmodeus watched her figure move as she disappeared back into the kitchen. Licking his hips for a moment, he glanced back towards Abbadon, clearing his throat, and apologizing. "The divide is all based on politics, you see. Angels inherently aren't any different than demons. Sure, demons require some blood, but that's a difference in genetics. Action wise, they are cut from a similar cloth." He said as he sat back when his food came back out. The waitress lingered for a little bit longer this time, handing Asmo a piece of paper which he tucked into his jacket before she sauntered off once more. Glancing back, she met the demon with a smile before he looked back.

"Where was I? Oh, yes." He said taking a bite of his noodles. "Much better. Are you sure you don't want anything? Almost everything here is divine." He said, poking fun at her subtly before he continued. "Much like around here, things only became a problem between the two when demons wanted their own space, and understandably so. Haven't you noticed how much of a dictatorship it is up there? I mean, I know you are a mindless drone, but look at the laws, the people, their actions. What could killing Belphegor possibly have accomplished besides using his blood to turn the Angels propoganda wheel? What did they tell you about Belphegor before the mission? What did you see when you finally got to him? It doesn't add up. You must have seen something, otherwise I'd be dead along with him." He said definitively.

 

[Degusaurusrex]

His apology didn't go unnoticed, but Abaddon made no comment on it. Why did she care whether or not he apologized? Nodding her head at his question, she gulped down the rest of the beer and wiped at her mouth. It left a less than pleasant taste in her mouth, as usual, but she ignored it and listened intently. Her eyes flickered up but she remained silent, a mild trace of curiosity passing over her face. Angels and demons, in peace? It was impossible. She nearly snorted as the waitress reappeared, watching the interaction with slight disgust. The demon was certainly living up to his reputation, and she was surprised he didn't get up right then and there to trail after the woman.

At the mention of blood her jaw ticked, and she shook her head at the question of food. It could wait until later, and she could work on finding both meals at once. She didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction at his words, too busy trying to work through things in her head. There couldn't possibly be any truth to his words, could there? Angels and demons had been at war for as long as she was aware, but everything he said made her feel conflicted.

"A dictatorship?" Things were rather stiff, Michael incredibly demanding on what he wanted. She hadn't put much stock into it, assuming that the stresses of his job simply made him irritable. Even angels had emotions, even as faint as some could be. "They didn't tell me anything about him other than he was causing trouble." Choosing her words carefully, Abaddon leaned back in the seat. He hadn't seemed to be causing trouble in his home, walking around in casual clothes with the television running. Sure, the place had been messy, but it hadn't reeked of blood or death.

"His home was not the cleanest, but it didn't reek of blood or death." Voicing her thoughts as her eyes roamed again, they settled back on Asmodeus' face. "You're not dead because I want information. Are you trying to tell me Michael was in love with Lilith?" With how much hatred the Archangel seemed to have for the demoness, it had never made sense. If he'd been scorned, however, it made a bit of sense. Abaddon had seen many humans have similar reactions to being denied, but never any type of angel. "That he cast her out because she wouldn't be with him?" What had she missed over the millennia of her existence?

 

[Periodical]

This was too easy. Talking to her was like talking to a child. Of course, she could kill in him one fell swoop is she had wanted, but he chose to think he was charming enough to stave off the blade for awhile longer. She was a like a child in some ways, at least in her prior knowledge. She was thirsty to know the history and the way it was, and honestly, Asmodeus wasn't surprised that she didn't have any idea of what had happened prior. He was older than she was, much much older, and he had seen a few of her life times. He wasn't sure what happened when their kind died, he just assumed they ceased to esist. They couldn't very well go to heaven or hell, their spirit must have just roamed the Earth aimlessly, choosing to possess bodies or become some kind of forest spirit. Either way, he had lived long enough where he didn't fear death anymore. He didn't wonder what happened, and he was ready for whatever happened to him. If he was judged on his actions, so be it, his time in this mortal world had been worth it. Thusly, he would have trailed the waitress, had he not had company.

When she even questioned the dictatorship aspect, he shook his head once more. Asmodeus only managed to finish half of his plate of food before he pushed it away. Swirling what was left of his beer throughout the bottom of the bottle, Asmodeus threw his head back, finishing it up before he glanced back at her. "You haven't noticed?" He mused to himself. "Look at the quality of life. The laws in place and the general lack of freedom for the citizens. I suppose you wouldn't notice, you are probably always on missions and off killing innocent demons. Those that need to be dealt with are in charge and towards the top." When she mentioned Belphegor once more, he smiled. "And what was his crime? What supposed trouble was he causing?" Asmodeus asked. "Look, I don't blame you for his death, and the fact that we are even having this conversation is a step in the right direction." Asmodeus said.

The conversation shifted back to Michael and his Lilith, and he smiled another toothy grin. "Yes, I am. It was awhile ago." Asmodeus started. "Though I'm not sure of the exact year. They all begin to blend together at a certain point." Pausing to think for a moment, he continued. "It wasn't that she wouldn't be with him, he had given her an ultimatum and she chose me." He said, leaning in before leaning back in his chair. Pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, grabbing one and putting the pack on the table. "Help yourself." He said, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. There were clear "No Smoking" signs about, but no one seemed to notice or call him out.

"Michael acts as a little boy." Asmodeus said finally. "And the whole reason why the divine is how it is is because Michael can't stand coming in second to anyone." He said before he was the one that changed the subject. "Haven't you ever wondered what freedom would feel like?" He asked her taking another drag. "Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like not to follow orders? Or listen to your body without having fear of being prosecuted?" He asked her slowly. "I know you don't sit in your cage with a blank mind, waiting for your next order. I know you have to think about something. Even loyal angels think about these things, I know you are no different

 

[Degusaurusrex]

"I wouldn't care if you did blame me. What's done is done." Lilith as an angel? The demon before her as one? "If that's the truth, why aren't you and Lilith just dead?" Staring at the offered cigarettes for a moment, her nose wrinkled before she snatched one up. It wasn't as if they could kill her, and with everything going on at that moment, she needed something to keep herself ground. Lighting it up, she tossed the lighter back at him before inhaling.

"These taste like shit." The vulgar language slipped out as she blew smoke toward his face, inhaling again as she thought. It was true that Michael didn't like being bested, but that should have been normal for someone of his position. Right? "What makes you assume I don't have freedom?" Abaddon raised an eyebrow, waving the cigarette around the room. "I'm here with you, aren't I? Instead of dragging your corpse down the street, or adding it to the one in my home." Granted, what she was currently doing was something that could get her in serious trouble, but since no Archangels had descended on them yet, she wasn't worried.

"I don't have a cage, demon." ...Right? "I listen to my body well enough when I fight, and it gets me by," She paused, looking disgusted. "If you're referring to the activity you're so well known for, it means almost nothing to me. I could go a thousand years without and probably not notice. It wouldn't be the first time." He acted as though all she did was twiddle her thumbs or go around killing demons! "I--" The cigarette paused just inches from her mouth, hovering there before she took a hit to fill the gap. "What am I supposed to think about? It takes up enough of my time being stuck in this realm trying to understand human nature, just to blend in. This concept of family is neither appealing nor understandable, this constantly overplayed romanticism bland."