IN Sliders : Guns, Darkness, And Destiny

... and the world ripples and changes. And Daimonique and Zebina tumble out in front of a high police station in gold and ivory, on the streets of a busy city. High tower blocks in gold and white rise round them.

In the square near them stand an Ofanite, an Elohite, a Mercurian, and two Kyriotates.

Hitherby lounges nearby, a derby hat on her top, two mouths chewing on unlit cigars. The trenchcoat over her could, really, conceal everything, but from the eyes peeking out, you're pretty sure the rest of her is also a Kyriotate.

Chephirah pauses, glancing back and forth warily. Mostly at the police station.

Daimonique looks around warily.

Daimonique says "Hmm."

Shannen has a magazine in one hand and is alternating between looking at Hitherby and the magazine, shaking her head slightly.

Daimonique takes a long look at Hitherby.

Hitherby glances back at Daimonique. "You got a problem, Lilim?"

Chephirah stares at the police station.

Daimonique says "Hitherby?"

Hitherby says "That's my name. Don't use it up."

Hitherby grins. "How are ya, kid?"

Daimonique says "Er, fine. Doing... um, fine."

Daimonique nudges Chiphirah in that 'we're not home yet' sort of way.

Daimonique says "Nice, uh, hats."

Shannen looks up, grinning, "Daimonique!" She sighs softly, smiling "Oh.." she pats the top of her head "Hey, I'm not wearing one."

Daimonique says "Well, no you're not."

Hitherby plucks free one of her cigars and wiggles it, as if shaking out ashes. "Thought you was only duty on Earth? Looking to free Mr. Laughs?"

Mazpatiel looks up at Daimonique, violet eyes narrowed and veiled by the smoke from its cigarette.

Zebina spins over, the center of her wheel a melange of dice, gold coins, chits, cards, and, at the center, a very small roulette wheel.

Hitherby glances at Sarah. "Oh, hey, you didn't *arrest* her, didja?"

Daimonique says warily, "Mr. Laughs?"

Zebina tilts towards Daimonique, Sephar, and Chephirah. "Greetings. Come for the big bash?"

Hitherby says "I mean, it's kind of cheating to arrest a Cherub 'tuned to you."

Chephirah finally responds to nudging. She doesn't gape. Quite. Just blinks at Daimonique, then Mazpatiel and Zebina.

Daimonique . o O ( The Land Man was Not Meant to Know. )

Mazpatiel mutters, voice gravelly, "The Chief's been lookin' for ya."

Shannen smiles "I checked out the new place last night. I have to admire Eli's ability to create a place that fulfills his Word so well, yet shows respect to other Words almost equally."

Daimonique just kind of looks at Sarah, who is nice and sane in the sea of strangeness.

Daimonique suddenly... like a flash... has new appreciation for Cherub saneness.

Daimonique says "Actually, we were ordered to investigate this interesting portal over here. Mostly by passing through it a few more times...."

<> Chephirah laughs.

Chephirah gives a shaggy, grave, steady nod.

Daimonique says "Data collection, you know."

Hitherby says, seriously, "Don't recall anything about portals in the script."

Daimonique says "It's on page 15, in the small print under the footnote."

Hitherby rummages around in her trenchcoat.

<> Daimonique doesn't lie, just makes stuff up. :)

Zebina says "Script. Script script script. What *is* it about scripts?"

Zebina tilts, her voice exasperated. "If you know how it all turns out, what's the point, anyway?"

Daimonique says "It clearly says that Daimon and Sarah jump through this portal and sees where it goes."

Daimonique says "Right Sarah?"

Shannen grins and shrugs, then goes back to reading her magazine, occasionally peeking over at Daimonique and smiling almost sadly.

Chephirah says up to Zebina, gravely, "They're addictive, don't you think?" She nods to Daimon again.

Mazpatiel peers at Hitherby. "Found it?"

Hitherby suddenly frowns. "Wait," she says, puzzledly. "You tryin' to trick me? I don't remember nothin' about me reading the script, neither."

Daimonique starts backing up toward the portal.

Zebina says "Oh no, you're not getting away that easily."

Hitherby says "Well, not *now*."

There are two sharp shots, in the distance, and a squeal of brakes.

Daimonique ducks the shots, instinctively. Growing up in Shal-Mari, you know.

Mazpatiel looks over at the noise. "Damn." It stands up and pulls two impossibly large pistols out of its trenchcoat.

Zebina says "Okay, 3-2 odds it's a Malakite of Laurence again."

Chephirah does not duck. Just bats Daimon back toward the portal with a wing.

Daimonique nudges Sarah in that 'it's time to run' sort of way, and starts backing up toward the portal faster.

Zebina slips between Daimon and Sarah and the Portal. "Oh no. The big tournament's tonight. You -don't- want to miss it."

<> Daimonique says "We have a very detailed system of nudges here. :)"

<> Demiurge says "Carefully developed through experience!"

Zebina says "No limit poker. The winner gets to play against Marc himself. You guys *promised* you'd come along and watch my back."

<> Chephirah says "Indeed!"

Chephirah says gravely, "I'm sure we'll be back in time."

Daimonique says "Er, I've just remembered a Creationer Party I was invited to and it would be so just uncool if I didn't show."

Hitherby steps out into the middle of the lane, reaching into her coat and pulling out a weapon of her own.

Shannen lifts her head from the magazine and stands up "I wonder what happened.." and looks over at Zebina et al, smiling "Yes, you did promise. And candle-err."

Daimonique says "I just have to step through this portal, and zip, I'm there."

The sound of an approaching car grows louder.

Zebina says "Not a bet I'd be willing to take. Especially with strange portals hanging around."

Shannen looks over in the direction the sound is coming from, and begins to look for something strong to hide behind.

Mazpatiel says "This isn't a time for smart-assing, Daimonique."

The sound is, in fact, that of two cars, and growing louder.

Mazpatiel throws its back to a wall with more force than strictly necessary, and looks towards the car sounds.

Daimonique says "Hey, look, man. We were ordered to check out this portal. And all we need is 15 seconds to jump thruogh it."

Chephirah shoulders Daimonique half-aside, wing wrapping around her protectively.

Daimonique starts looking around wildly.

Hitherby says, "Oh, man. You *know* that once you say that, you only get ten."

Daimonique says "Well, then, give us ten."

Mazpatiel says "I know you're new on the job, kid. But check the handbook, alright? Imminent gunfire always takes precedence over routine investigations."

With a last wrenching sound of brakes, two cars round the corner into the square; the one in the lead is dark and sleek, the windows tinted, with the crazing of a bullet hole in the back window.

Daimonique decides to get down. Imminent gunfire and all that.

The second car is a police car, with Galadidan at the wheel, and Jordan leaning out of the window, trying to brace himself to fire at the first car.

Chephirah covers Daimon with her body, growling low.

Shannen uhohs softly and looks for something to dive behind.

Mazpatiel says "Damn! Dirty Tricks again!"

Hitherby fires calmly at the car entering the square, from the middle of the road, leaping out of the way one second too late.

The car bonnet strikes Hitherby even as her shot glances off the mirrored front window, tossing her spinning; however, the car itself loses control, going into a tyre-screeching spin across the square.

Zebina launches straight up, spinning to the top of a fire-escape. (Fire escape? Well, yeah.)

Jordan's shot is thrown off by the lurching of the second car. He yells, "Police! You're under arrest, scum!"

Mazpatiel runs forward, jumping for the roof of Jordan's car.

Shannen sits up, shaking her head and frowning "Oh no!"

<> Demiurge says "Hm. This probably means that Daimon and Chephirah could dive for the portal. If they want."

Hitherby bleeds profusely until the stain saturates her trenchcoat, and then stops.

<> Chephirah says "Daimon could dive under cover of Chephirah!"

Daimonique tugs Sarah in the direction of the portal.

Though it lurches, Mazpatiel can grab hold on the roof of Jordan's car.

<> Daimonique says "Mayhem!"

<> Daimonique says "Do you have any idea how many times in my HW notes it simply says, "And mayhem ensues"? :)"

Mazpatiel shoves one pistol into its waistband, holding onto the roof with its now-free hand, and firing ridiculously /loud/ shots at the spinning car.

A dark-gloved hand reaches out of the window of the first car, long-barrelled gun in hand. Shots stitch across the square.

Daimonique starts to move in the direction of the portal, hoping Sarah follows.

<> Chephirah says "Yes. :)"

Shannen rushes for the dark car "Focie!"

Zebina spins 'thusly', and there's a redheaded woman in an elegant evening dress perched atop the Fire Escape. "Hey, that's my *backer* you're shooting at!"

Chephirah edges back, more interested in keeping between Daimon and the gunshots than in actual escape.

Zebina whips out a pearl handled revolver (from her garter, naturally), and opens fire at the first car.

Daimonique waits until the coast is clear, and *sprints* for the portal.

<> Eduardo winces. Revolvers in garters. Ow. :)

<> Chephirah says "Yup :)"

Mazpatiel frowns at the 'Focie', and fires off a few more shots.

And, just as Jordan's car closes with the first car, and Shannen goes down with a cry of shock, and gunfire resounds through the square... Daimonique and Chephirah pass through the portal. And the world changes...

... and the world changes. And they are standing before a black, burned-out shell of a building, in a world that is dark and grey, with the smell of burned trees and fallen buildings and death in the air.

Chephirah says plainly, simply, "No. I don't like this one."

Daimonique says "Man. What happened here?"

Chephirah says "Truly, I'd prefer not to find out."

Mazpatiel's voice slides out from around a corner. "I didn't expect to see either of you here."

Daimonique jumps. Zow.

Chephirah's eyes flare open.

Chephirah says "Mazpatiel?"

Daimonique says "Um."

Mazpatiel says "Chephirah. You came back."

Chephirah paws worriedly at the amber scarf. "Was I gone?"

Daimonique squints. "What happened here?"

Mazpatiel steps around the corner. Its eyes burn with madness, and jagged, open wounds mark its torso. It spreads hands flayed nearly to the bone. "You shouldn't have come back."

Daimonique jumps back a step away from Mazpatiel, just too honest to hide her surprise and disgust. "Oh my god."

Chephirah whispers, "... Pat? What happened to you?"

Mazpatiel walks forward, its eyes fixing on Daimonique. "You ran, when Laughter betrayed the darkness. You hid with Creation, burrowed into the earth. And now, you've come back. You've made a very serious mistake."

Daimonique starts stepping backwards away from Pat, hands up in a sign of warding. "Pat... I don't... look, we're just gonna go..."

Hitherby paces into view quietly on four hands. Her eyes twitch asynchronously, looking the scene up and down. On the positive side, she's a Kyriotate.

<> Demiurge says "Those attempting guilt trips - roll, please. :)"

A shadow detaches from around another corner, spreading soot-black wings. "The only true cleansing is done with fire," hisses the four-chained Malakite.

<> Mazpatiel rolls the d666 and gets 3 4 CHECK: 3.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, Will roll?"

<> Daimonique says "AHHHH! Habbie!"

<> Daimonique rolls the d666 and gets 4 6 CHECK: 1.

<> Chephirah says "Flayed hands were a clue. :)"

<> arcangel cracks up.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, Pat succeeded with a higher CD than you."

<> Demiurge says "You are swamped with feelings of horrendous guilt."

<> Mazpatiel says "Suck guilt, tainted one!"

<> Daimonique falls over, laughing.

The Malakite's hands light up with green flame, and she lunges for the Habbalite.

Daimonique starts to get wide-eyed, and the look of guilt spreads across her face. "I... I didn't mean... I didn't want to hurt anyone..."

Shannen peeks out from behind a corner, narrowing her eyes a bit, and quickly takes a drink from a silver flask, before stowing it in a pouch and continuing to watch.

<> Daimonique digs around and comes up with 100 or so things to feel guilty about.

Hitherby leaps or lopes neatly into the spot on the opposite side of Pat from the Malakite, in case he runs the obvious direction.

Mazpatiel snarls, turning away from Daimon to raise bloody hands at the Malakite. "Your Mistress is mad! You all carry her taint!"

Shannen slips out from around the corner, cluting stiletto tightly and edging along a wall toward the scene.

Jecamiah spits out, "You are the mad one, *DEMON*!"

Jecamiah lashes out with green-flaming hands.

Hitherby's eyes glitter. She growls, soft and low.

Chephirah gives a low growl, and paces forward, wings spreading. Not interfering with the Malakite, oh no. Only blocking Mazpatiel from Daimonique.

Mazpatiel screams with the sound of deep, primal anger, and throws itself at the Malakite's throat, some nasty Song rising out of its lungs.

Hitherby leaps, ten hands extended, at the moment of Mazpatiel's greatest distraction.

Daimonique still is sputtering, guiltily. But has no real good solid place to channel the guilt.

Jecamiah stands and meets Mazpatiel's rush, hissing a Song of her own!

Chephirah beats wings and braces, watching Hitherby and the Malakite, ready to aid.

Shannen looks at the double-teamed Habbalite and then rushes off towards Sarah and Daimon, looking around for other beings.

Jecamiah rips at Pat with sudden Claws, flaming green, tearing more gashes in its torso.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 1 1 CHECK: 5.

<> Jecamiah rolls the d666 and gets 5 1 CHECK: 4.

Mazpatiel's scream is choked off as a stream of bilious green liquid launches from its mouth, slowly turning black as a gout of blood joins it.

Daimonique decides now is a good time to start making for that portal.

Jecamiah jerks away, her wings flaring out, finishing her Song.

<> Jecamiah rolls the d666 and gets 1 3 CHECK: 1.

Chephirah does /not/ make for that portal. Not yet.

Celestial Light lances out from the Malakite's hands.

Hitherby bites at Mazpatiel's neck in a way that would break his neck, except that he's a Habbalite and not a mouse.

Mazpatiel falls back at the combination of the bite and the Light, the acid burbling from its mouth and etching away the flesh of its skull.

Jecamiah continues to strike at the Habbalite with flaming green claws, a not-so-sane grin on her dark face.

Mazpatiel struggles for a few moments more, before it is reduced by claw and fang to nothing more than a mass of celestial gore.

Daimonique stands there on the side, looking ill.

Shannen smiles weakly at Sarah and looks over at Daimonique strangely before whispering "Hi." and looking back at Mazpatiel being turned into chopped demon before turning back to the Sliders. "Fancy..meeting you two here."

Hitherby nibbles thoughtfully at the corpse.

Jecamiah stands over the traces of demon, wings flaring with the excitement, calming herself as claws and flame vanish.

Daimonique looks away, sickened.

Chephirah steps back from where she'd been braced, prepared in case the Habbalite proved the stronger, and gives in to folding her wings about herself and shivering.

Jecamiah turns to the Lilim and Cherub. "Well?"

Hitherby turns away, finally, and paces over to Chephirah. She makes sniffing sounds, even though she has no noses.

Daimonique is turning a neat color of green.

Jecamiah looks pained. "Daimonique, I'm sorry, but you know we don't have time for clean kills. He could have called others."

Hitherby bumps her head against Chephirah, quadruple-winks, and pads happily over to Jecamiah.

Jecamiah adds, "And you don't have time to Fall again. Now, are you here for the mission, or bringing new orders?"

Hitherby bumps part of her mass against Chephirah, anyway.

Jecamiah absently pets Hitherby as she comes near.

Chephirah rubs her head against Hitherby's fringers, shivering.

Shannen looks back at Jecamiah tiredly and shrugs a little "Don't ask me." and returns to looking Sarah and Daimon, perking up slightly "New orders? We.." She shrugs "Whatever."

Hitherby gets a little blood on Chephirah's head.

Daimonique says "I um.... we came through the portal."

Jecamiah's eyes narrow, and she starts over to the pair. "Portal? What do you mean?"

Hitherby gets a little blood on Jecamiah, too, but she already had a lot. :)

Daimonique turns to look behind, at the portal she and Sarah came through.

The portal disk spins there, faintly luminescent if one regards it.

Chephirah does not make the faintest attempt to groom the blood away. She sits on her haunches, regarding the gore sadly.

Jecamiah's eyes narrow further abover her cheesewire nose as she squints at the portal. "What is that? Something of the Lightbringer's?"

Daimonique points at the portal. "That porta-what???"

<> Hitherby says "Hey! A magical portal! I wonder if we can use it to open something. Or, IC, "Grw.""

Jecamiah looks back. "Or Eli's?"

Daimonique says "I don't know."

Shannen regards the portal quietly, before sitting down next to Chephirah and attempting to give her a hug "There there."

Daimonique says "What the heck happened here?"

Jecamiah stands in front of Daimonique, wings still flexing somewhat, the scent of soot and blood upon her. "You came through it, and you don't know?"

Chephirah leans her head against Shannen's shoulder, then nudges gently.

Shannen decides to hold Chephirah and smiles a little less weakly.

Daimonique says softly, "No.... I don't know."

Jecamiah pinches the bridge of her thin nose. "Did you come from the Lighthouse or not?"

Shannen takes a moment to put her stiletto away "Sorry."

Daimonique says "No, we came through the portal."

Daimonique says "Lighthouse?"

Jecamiah looks at Daimonique and sighs again, then reaches out a wing to rest it across Daimonique's shoulders. "Did the Habbalite do something to you, Daimonique?" the Malakite asks gently.

<> Demiurge says "Soft wing. Real Malakite wing."

<> Mazpatiel says "Never mind the fact that she just tore me apart."

<> Jecamiah says "Wing of Malakite who just tore into a Habbie, so a bit of blood, though."

Chephirah strokes her scarf wistfully with a paw, once or twice.

Hitherby paces around the area, looking for possible hidden demons.

There are no hidden demons in sight.

Daimonique starts getting the shakes. "You... just killed... my partner. And I just stood there..."

Chephirah says, quietly, "That wasn't your partner, Daimon."

<> Daimonique says "Is the habbie resonance still working?"

Jecamiah wraps her arms and wings around the Lilim in a hug. "Shhh, shhh, he'd Fallen, he wouldn't have wanted to stay a demon."

<> Daimonique says "I mean, considering the habbie is dead."

<> Demiurge says "It's wearing off, Daimonique. Now he's dead."

Daimonique allows herself to be hugged because, well, it's a Malakite and Malakite hugs are the best in the known universe, until that statement works its way into her skull and she says, "What?"

Jecamiah reminds Daimonique gently, "He Fell, with Dominic. He was trying to cleanse you."

Chephirah says, sad and quiet, "His hands, Daimon."

Daimonique relaxes into the hug. "Oh."

Daimonique . o O ( Wait. )

Hitherby pokes part of herself back into view, and whines softly, before going back to pacing.

Jecamiah asks, still gently, "Now, do you bear a message for us? From Eli or Lucifer? Yves?"

Chephirah extends one wing toward Hitherby, invitingly.

Daimonique says "No, I don't. I... we're not from here. We came through the portal."

Jecamiah frowns, but continues to hold Daimonique gently. "I don't understand."

<> Jecamiah rolls the d666 and gets 4 2 CHECK: 1.

<> Jecamiah makes her resonance!

Hitherby springs up onto a roof, swivels her eyes in all directions, and then hops down and walks to Chephirah. She looks curiously upwards.

Daimonique says "We came through the portal. Sarah and I, we're lost."

<> Demiurge says "Hm. What is the most noble or ignoble thing that Daimon has done in the last week? :)"

<> Daimonique says "Hmmmmmmmmmm. Most ignoble was to totally just jump through the portal. :) The most noble, erm, get this really good jazz saxophonist to have enough confidence in himself that he was able to perform in front of crowds."

<> Daimonique says "That would be, jump through the portal the first time."

Chephirah strokes Hitherby's fringes with a wing-tip.

Jecamiah frowns quietly to herself.

Jecamiah repeats, "Lost?" in a whisper.

Daimonique nods, Daimon-like. You know, the big eyed goofy look. "We're lost."

Daimonique just becomes a puddle of Lilim goop in the arms of a Malakite.

Jecamiah chuckles sadly. "We're all lost, really. But we'll make it right, we'll throw the demons back out of Heaven..."

Daimonique says "No, no, no. This isn't our world."

Jecamiah draws back enough to look at Dai. "But this is the only world we have left. The Higher Heavens are closed."

Hitherby strops Chephirah's wing carefully.

Daimonique says "This isn't our _universe_. We came through the portal."

<> Jecamiah says "Dai is speaking celestial angelic?"

Chephirah purrs at Hitherby, soft and very gentle, reassuring.

<> Daimonique is!

Jecamiah blinks several times.

Jecamiah says "Other... universes?"

Daimonique nods.

Chephirah murmurs, "Yes. I'm afraid so."

Hitherby perks up slightly. The word 'Universe' sounds pretty.

Jecamiah swallows. "And... and did we, the angels, win Armageddon there?"

Daimonique says "Armageddon?"

Chephirah says quietly, "Armageddon, there, has not yet come." She nuzzles Hitherby delicately.

Jecamiah nods solumnly. Needlessly, her mouth in a wry smile. "We lost, here."

Daimonique says "Oh, that's terrible."

Jecamiah nods again, a tear streaking down her cheek. "Yes. But we are not dead. We still have hope, even if Blandine has vanished."

Daimonique reaches a hand up, to wipe the tear off of Jecamiah's cheek.

Jecamiah smiles faintly at Daimonique. "And we are here to see if we can get into the Library. They could not destroy it, but they boarded it up. There may even be more angels hidden there." She pauses. "Though... though you are not of this universe..."

Chephirah twitches an ear. "I wish I knew for certain," she says quietly, "that we /weren't/."

Jecamiah looks at Chephirah, still cradling Daimonique in her wings. "I don't understand."

Daimonique sighs. "I don't know. In my universe, Mazpatiel is my partner - and my friend."

Shannen sniffles and blinks her eyes a few times "Excuse me..", and turns her body to face away, digging through a pouch for some things.

<> Demiurge says "Perhaps a hundred years have gone by, and you're back in your own universe...."

<> Chephirah says "Bingo! :)"

Jecamiah sighs. "Here, he is at peace now."

Daimonique says "Dominic is not fallen, and there has been no Armageddon."

Chephirah closes her eyes tightly, and leans her cheek down against her scarf. "Daimon - we do not know how long we have been away."

Jecamiah asks, "And Lucifer has not reclaimed the Word of Light, then, either?"

Daimonique closes her eyes. "No."

Jecamiah looks around, wings rustling against Daimonique's shoulders. "If you are not the Daimonique and Chephirah that I know, then this likely is not your universe. They were back at the Lighthouse, or perhaps in Austin, last I knew."

Shannen pulls a small bottle out and out of that shakes a lone pill, which she pops in her mouth before replacing the bottle and turning back to the others.

Daimonique says "I've, um, never been to Austin for any real length of time."

Jecamiah says, "Then likely your future is yet to be written." She gently unfurls her soot-black wings, though still holding Daimonique. "We must be about our mission quickly. Fate and Death patrol here, as does Cleansing."

Chephirah glances at Shannen, visibly concerned. "Then this is not our place - and your Daimonique and Chephirah will likely return soon."

Daimonique nods.

Shannen nods to Jecamiah "Yeah. Well, here's hoping that your world is better than ours." She closes her eyes for a second.

Chephirah says quietly, "Perhaps I might lend some small assistance. We did delay you somewhat; it would be but fair."

Jecamiah laughs, like a woodfire crackling. "Anything would be better than this..."

Jecamiah asks, "Could you aid us in our mission?"

Daimonique chews her lip. Chew chew chew.

Chephirah nods. Firmly.

Jecamiah looks between Chephirah and Daimonique.

Daimonique says "Sure."

Hitherby stretches. Her eyes narrow to hunter's slits.

Jecamiah smiles broadly and released Daimonique. "Then we should be on our way. And -- our thanks."

Chephirah straightens, and pads over protectively beside Daimonique. "The Library."

Daimonique looks a little bummed to be released. Malakim are so amazingly keen.

Jecamiah turns, alas, not noticing Daimonique being bummed, her wings dusty ebony. "It was this way, last I was here," she murmurs, heading for a street.

<> Sephar hears, in Chephirah's Heart, "Free the Library!"

<> Chephirah blinks innocently. :)

Chephirah paces after, alert.

The street is empty, though dotted with broken masonry. Chephirah would recognise it, and know that the Library is close.

Daimonique follows, not knowing the way through this demolished Heaven.

Jecamiah looks around and up, ever-alert. She, too, seems slightly unfamiliar with the streets.

Chephirah rumbles, albeit softly, "This way."

From the distance comes the sound of many voices, like some large rally. Not quite on top of where the Library should be, but close, very close.

Chephirah pricks an ear, and adds, "Unfortunately."

Jecamiah slows. To Chephirah, she says, "You know the way? Yes, of course. Destiny's Cathedral, before." She indicates that the Cherub should lead.

Chephirah does this. With exquisite care, and a sharp ear out for that 'rally', and most specifically for avoiding it no matter how thorough the necessary detours.

Jecamiah follows, silent as ash.

Daimonique searches her pockets for UnnoticableMan glasses.

The glasses are there.

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

Hitherby paces soft and gentle, and then glances upwards, to Jecamiah, then upwards again.

<> Mazpatiel says "Eek"

<> Chephirah says "EEEEEEEEEEEEE"

<> Jecamiah dies.

<> Hitherby says "Meep."

<> Jecamiah just dies.

<> Chephirah says "You might well :)"

<> Jecamiah knows!

In the direction of the Rally, there is the deep, deep disturbance in the Symphony that accompanies the arrival of a Superior.

Daimonique slips on her glasses.

Hitherby's eyes widen, her hands dig into the earth, and she hisses very softly.

Jecamiah halts and her wings hunch slightly as she stares in that direction.

Chephirah freezes, folding her wings down.

<> Daimonique rolls the d666 and gets 2 3 CHECK: 3.

<> Daimonique says "And... huzzah! Activation. They do me no good, but I feel better. :)"

<> Demiurge grins.

Jecamiah swallows and backs away, towards Chephirah.

Round the corner is the small door that leads - led - to the Library. Two Djinn are sitting there, lacksadaisically, and the one on the left banters with an vesselformed Zebina who floats in front of them.

Chephirah peeks around said corner, low to the ground. When she pulls her shaggy head back, her eyes are amazingly wide.

Jecamiah whispers in Chephirah's ear, "Has Zebina got the guards distracted?"

Daimonique just tries to look invisible.

Zebina steps a touch closer to the Djinn, lightly stroking it under the muzzle, leaning her head close to murmur to it. She sort of nods over to the side to a nice, quiet corner where the others won't -quite- be able to see.

Zebina's vessel is subtly changed. Her red hair is longer and rather less practical, and she's slightly curvier. Built for more, ah, contained activity now, particularly where the bedroom is concerned.

Chephirah recovers, her ears unflattening, and nods silently.

The guard eyes its colleague, then Zebina, and inclines its muzzle with a grunt. It begins to move in the direction she indicates.

Jecamiah whispers, "*How* distracted?"

Zebina smiles, then turns back to the other Djinn, giving him a, 'Boy, don't you wish you were as lucky as *this* one is?' look.

Daimonique raises an invisible eyebrow, not too sure what the heck is going on.

Zebina lets her hand drop to stroke the rump of the Djinn as she accompanies him over towards that nice cranny.

Jecamiah beckons Shannen and Hitherby in close, then whispers to them and Chephirah, "Shannen, you and Hitherby go take Zebina's Djinn. Chephirah -- will you aid me against the other?"

Zebina is wearing gloves, not -quite- touching him with her 'bare' skin.

<> Jecamiah knows Daimonique doesn't like violence.

<> Zebina says "Not that it's going to matter for this sod in a moment."

Chephirah gives one more silent nod, showing teeth.

Daimonique looks invisibly slightly repulsed.

The Djinn sidles into the cranny with Zebina.

Chephirah fails to notice Daimonique's repulsion.

Shannen nods to Jeca and slowly draws her stiletto, a blank looking coming over her face "Gotcha." Motioning to Hitherby to come with her.

Jecamiah points upwards and spreads her obsidian wings, intending to come down on the Djinn from slightly above, around the corner.

A low, regular chanting drifts from the direction of the Rally.

<> Hitherby says "Ways to approach the cranny without coming into sight of the other Djinn? I was imagining amoebaing up a wall and along the roof and then down nearby, but I don't have a good picture."

<> Demiurge says "That's feasible, Hitherby."

Chephirah beats wings and rises, choosing an angle to complement Jecamiah's.

Zebina begins to slip out of her (rather tight) jacket just as she passes into shadow.

Daimonique- being Daimon and all - starts to sneak over just a little teeny bit to fulfill her Lilim curiosity and see what all the chanting is about. She is invisible - or at least very unnoticable.

Hitherby bumps against Shannen, and then slips over to a wall, presses herself flat, and begins to crawl up it like a Kyriopancake.

The Djinn still on guard seems entirely bored by the job. As ever.

Jecamiah hovers, waiting for Hitherby and Shannen to get into position.

Shannen grins at the Hithercake and works her way over to the cranny, keeping as many obstacles as necessary between her and the Djinn.

It is easy enough for Daimonique to creep unnoticeably towards the Rally. The sound is a beacon.

Daimonique creeps. Creep creep creep.

<> Demiurge says "Okay. People are all near enough to strike. And Zebina's Djinn is very distracted at the moment."

Chephirah joins hovering, and calmly plans several ways to un-bore the Djinn, not pleasantly.

Daimonique can't help it. Somewhere, somehow, it's wired into her Trouble brain.

Jecamiah, as Shannen and Hithercake get into position, gives Chephirah a nod and flaps her wings once, diving around the corner to come on the Djinn from above, at an angle.

Hitherby eddies flatly along the roof to watch the cranny. When Shannen is where she can reach the Djinn, she springs, attempting to wrap completely around the Djinn's head if she gets the right angle; otherwise, she just bonks it.

Shannen listens for flapping sounds, and tries to drive her stiletto into the demon's back, down at an angle.

Hitherby and Shannen take the Djinn at precisely the right moment; it rears up, muffled by Hitherby, and Shannen's stiletto goes in deep, penetrating some vital organ. Dark fluid oozes out.

Chephirah stoops more than dives, claws-first, rending.

Jecamiah tries to grab the other Djinn around the muzzle, keep it from crying for help.

Shannen drags the stiletto out, trying to do as much internal damage as possible.

Jecamiah's hands are flaming green, of course.

Zebina gasps and finishes -her- bit of the distraction, until she feels the sweet tang of essence.

Hitherby grabs its tongue with one hand, if it dares to open its mouth, and pulls hard. Since, naturally, some of her hands are inside.

The Djinn at the gate looks up just too late to manage to avoid Jecamiah's plunge, and so is struck fully by Chephirah's attack, going down with a grunt of pain.

Zebina then whips out a dagger (from a garter sheath, natch) and helps finish off the Djinn.

<> Shannen says "Zebina and her garters :)"

The Essence rushes into Zebina. The Djinn below her and the others is torn apart.

Jecamiah wraps her flaming hands around the Djinn's muzzle and yanks back, trying to expose its throat to Chephirah's claws and fangs.

Zebina looks dangerously still for a good thirty seconds, savoring the essence. Then she gets up, wipes off her dagger, and resheathes it. "Thanks. That was good."

Hitherby waits a little bit to see if the Djinn is faking, and then flops to the ground on four hands.

Meanwhile, Daimonique reaches the edge of the Rally. Perhaps a thousand demons are gathered about a central auditorium, and a dark figure is dimly visible at the centre. It is impossible, from here, to tell who it is, but the waves of *presence*...

Shannen wipes her stiletto on a spare cloth, sighs a little and makes her way around to Jeca's fight "Let's go.."

Daimonique starts to sneak a little forward, just to get a better look. They had so many of these in Shal-Mari, some Factions TV Prophet decrying a new God and a new Light, and it always drove crowds.

Chephirah tears at that exposed throat, forcing herself not to growl.

The Djinn's throat is torn out in a spray of blood, and it collapses totally, going limp.

And at that moment, Chephirah feels the sound of her attunement. Danger. DANGER.

Jecamiah pants and picks herself up.

It is easy enough for Daimonique to sneak forward. The demons are chanting some hymn of loyalty. Nobody looks twice at him. Nobody notices him. Just a little further...

Zebina walks out of the shadow, putting her hair back in order, her high heels clicking on the stones. >tap<>tap<>tap<>tap<

Daimonique is just trying, so hard, to get a better look, to see who it _is_....

Chephirah hisses, "Daimon!" And /races/.

<> Daimonique is always getting into trouble.

<> Daimonique requires a Cherub. :)

Chephirah does not so much as think to tell the others what she's doing.

Oddly enough, the Direction of Danger is directly towards the Rally.

Jecamiah looks up and rolls her eyes. "Hitherby," she hisses, "Go after them -- help them. Shannen, Zebina, you're with me for the Library."

Zebina blinks. "Daimon? Daimon!"

Zebina says "You take Hitherby. *I*'ll take Daimon."

Zebina zips off after Chephirah without a second thought.

The figure at the centre of the auditorium - finally visible - is that of an elderly man, with glasses. He turns. He seems to be looking directly towards Daimon.

<> Daimonique sees the sign that says, "Big Danger, Don't GO!" and makes a point of looking at what the danger is. :)

Jecamiah grabs for Zebina, "It's not the Dai you know! I'll explain in the ...damn."

Daimonique just freezes.

Jecamiah shakes her head. "Hitherby, Shannen, let's get going."

The chanting seems to die away, leaving a great heavy stillness in the auditorium.

Jecamiah starts prying the Library door open.

Daimonique starts... backing... up.

Shannen nods to Jeca "Gotcha." and helps Jeca with the door.

As Chephirah and Zebina hasten, they come across the edge of the auditorium, and the crowd of demons. Fortunately, nobody is looking behind them.

Chephirah searches frantically, by eye and resonance.

Hitherby lends her strength to the effort.

<> Demiurge says "Try a roll, Chephirah."

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

Zebina has, somewhere along the line, removed her high heels for better traction. She's keeping an eye on Chephirah and holding one shoe in either hand. (Oh look, stilettos.)

<> Daimonique says "It says, "Your Attuned One is an overly sentimental goofball who can't stop getting into trouble.""

With sudden clarity, Chephirah perceives Daimon a hundred yards ahead of her in the crowd, just there, frozen by fear - and perceives _Kronos_ at the centre of the auditorium, and the weight of his attention moving towards Daimonique.

<> Demiurge says "Zebina, your knowledge of Current Affairs and your keen Ofanite eyesight identifies - Kronos."

Zebina says "Oh, no..."

In that same moment, Chephirah realises the possible consequences to her own world - and so many others - if Kronos should take her or Daimonique, and investigate.

Zebina hisses tightly into Chephirah's ear, "Get her out of here!"

Daimonique is trying to move backwards, but she has a bit of 'deer in headlights' syndrome.

Chephirah does not stop to think. If she did, perhaps she might do something more effective. She just *moves* - anything necessary to get to Daimon. Wings, pushing through crowd, *anything*. Flight almost preferable.

Fortunately, all the demons in that area are suffering the same effect, pretty much, so the crowd is easy enough to force one's way through.

Zebina spins sideways, driving the stilletos into the eyes of the nearest demon (preferably a balseraph) and then goes *up*, spinning into a streaking wheel of fire across the crowd.

The dark figure at the centre of the auditorium seems almost mild, utterly unhurried, as he begins to walk towards them - but the crowd is not in his way, and his passage is so, so swift.

Zebina lashes out her resonance towards everyone in range, a sort of universal, 'C'mon Big Boys... let's go play!' towards the far exit.

Daimonique really WANTS to run.

Chephirah reverts to instinct - gently taking Daimonique by the scruff of the neck and dragging.

Daimonique gets pulled back by Chephirah.

The attention of the dark figure moves to Zebina, for a moment, and the swirling pattern of demons in the crowd as she moves through it. For a moment. And the weight of presence on Daimonique eases.

<> Demiurge says "Daimonique, you can now run. If you want to."

Daimonique runs.

Chephirah guards her running, and runs herself as well.

Zebina makes sure her flames trail enticingly. Particularly for the Calabim in the crowd.

Kronos' attention moves away from Zebina, and back towards the pair of fleeing figures. His step is the quiet pulse of a metronome, audible even through the hubbub of the crowd in the beating of their hearts.

<> Zebina rolls the d666 and gets 3 4 CHECK: 4.

Demons swirl and rise into the air to follow Zebina, the thrall of Kronos' presence broken. Dark wings throb in the air, shadows chasing her.

Daimonique just runs like a crazed frightened Lilim who is in the wrong universe.

<> Demiurge says "Hitherby, you and Shannen and Jecamiah manage to get the Library door open. It opens almost eagerly. And allows you in."

Chephirah yanks Daimonique back by her sleeve, once or twice, on the straightest route to the portal. If they go through - if she remembers the predictions right - it will close. Perhaps safely.

Daimonique goes with Sarah, whereever she leads. She reaches up and rips off the Unnoticable glasses.

Shannen stumbles in, expecting more resistance, and turns around, waiting for the others to go through "Where are they?"

And as Shannen and Hitherby stumble into the Library, lights flicker and go on, candles catch fire and start to burn, and the place is *alive* again.

Zebina ducks and dodges and flees, teasing on the hordes of demons as she goes.

Chephirah leads. Quick as she can. Desperate.

The streets are dark and cold, the screaming of the broken Rally drifts through Heaven, and the remains of the Spires of Judgement... are there. And the Portal Disk still spins. And a dark figure stands beside it.

Kronos turns, slow as a hand against the living heart, and regards Chephirah and Daimon with a long, mild stare.

Hitherby looks around. Books. Sadly, they taste almost as bad as Habbalite.

The demons pursue Zebina, but none has as yet caught her.

Daimonique skids to a halt.

Chephirah does much the same, growling, and interposes herself between Daimonique and Kronos. She does not look toward the dark figure's eyes.

Shannen blinks for a second, as tears begin to well up in her eyes "Oh..my..", smiling "It's .. .." she just shrugs.

A thin figure steps out from between the Library shelves, and smiles at Hitherby and Shannen, and all the warmth of an Archangel is in Yves' eyes.

<> Daimonique says "Woah."

<> Sephar says "Woah."

<> Chephirah picks her jaw gently up off the floor.

<> Daimonique says "See, even Twin Sister Sephar is all boggled. :)"

Kronos says, voice cold and forged of lead, "Other worlds. Other Symphonies. And you the keys to them."

Hitherby chirps happily.

<> Sephar says "Totally."

Shannen stares, happy tears on her face "Yves.." and begins to grin "Yves..!"

Chephirah tucks her chin against her scarf. "Worlds of their own, not of yours."

Daimonique says "Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrum."

Hitherby flops up and clings sideways to a shelf, like a Kyriogecko. This being Heaven, her weight is no danger.

Kronos says, "Fate holds them." The darkness begins to spin around him like a living thing, reaching out towards Daimon and Chephirah. It tastes of despair, of the loss of hope, and of the inevitable end.

Hitherby glances back curiously to see if the others are back yet.

In the Library, light begins to pulse round Yves. He murmurs to the angels, kindly, "Just a moment."

Daimonique starts to step back, away from the darkness.

Shannen nods dumbly "Sure.."

Chephirah steps back, one wing about Daimonique, and - however pointless it may seem - Sings her claws.

Daimonique decides... for no real reason at all.... to abracadbra up a cubic foot of happy, cheery, flowers.

The darkness overshadows Daimonique and Chephirah, falling to claim them. The flowers dissolve in it, fading to dust and decay, lost, lost, lost.

<> Daimonique sniffs.

Zebina doubles back, dodging around a building, keening to see if Daimon and Sarah have made it to the Library.

But in the moment between one breath and another, a spear of light flares outwards from the Library, searing through the shadows that enshroud Heaven. It arcs through the air, blinding against the dim sky, and it casts aside the darkness.

Daimonique gets closer, within cuddle range, of Chephirah.

Kronos' attention lifts. His head turns, slightly, towards where the Library stands.

Chephirah begins to whisper, to Daimonique, "Forgive --" And as the light strikes, she rears her head back, eyes torn away from Daimonique's throat. And darts in the moment of the Prince of Fate's distraction to cover Daimon's route to the portal, if at all she can.

Zebina sees the light in the Library, gives a little cheer to herself, and peels off in an opposite direction, drawing off every demon she possibly can.

Daimonique starts to make for the portal, under the distraction.

Kronos makes no move to hinder Chephirah or Daimonique, his eyes still held by the sudden dazzle of light.

The demons pursue Zebina, and some are getting uncomfortably close... till in a breath of warm air a pair of dark wings close round her, and the universe *warps*, and a familiar voice murmurs, "I hope you realise I was quite *busy*, dear."

Daimonique _runs_.

The portal vortexes - and receives Daimonique.

Zebina coos and spins happily against the sweet embrace of her, ah, Superior.

Chephirah whispers, "Thank you," to the air. And lingers just long enough to provide distraction were Daimonique noticed - then darts through herself.

The portal spins around Chephirah, and closes behind her. And is gone.

And the world changes...

---

Fiat Justitia