Encampment Under the Sea [Open to All]

[applesaucemod]

Since the dreamers of Manhattan had such a lovely time at the last vaguely-nautical-themed party, the Rift has decided to step things up a notch. Tonight, the dreamers will find themselves in what appears to be a city very much like the one they inhabit in the waking world, full of towering skyscrapers, neon signs, and heavy traffic. But there is one rather crucial difference: this city is located deep underwater, and the aforementioned traffic is mostly whales and fish, with the occasional submersible thrown into the mix.

The walls and windows are heavily reinforced to withstand the pressure of the water outside, and the people who dwell in these buildings seem to be doing rather well for themselves, for the most part. Buildings are connected by enclosed walkways, so barring any horrible accidents, the dreamers should have no problem getting around without getting too wet.

Much like the city they inhabit in the waking world, some areas are more obviously affluent than others, and the dreamers are as likely to stumble upon an upscale club as an underwater pub. But while the chances of a full structural breakdown are slim, there are definitely some areas that are on the leaky side, and a general sense of claustrophobia pervades the city wherever you might find yourself.

Explore. Or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, attempt to escape. Either way, take care - it's hard to say what might be lurking in the darkness just beyond the city lights.



[ooc: Y'all know the drill. All characters are welcome, whether they are in the game or not. Characters can remember or forget the events of the dreaming at the player's discretion. And the party never stops - backtag into infinity!]

Comments

[omnomnom_feels]

He is not awake. Rashad is much quicker to figure that out this time, his mind better able to process the incongruity of the ROMAC-sponsored apartment in which he pretends to sleep versus this vast underwater city. He did not intend to fall asleep or to dream tonight, but neither did he have specific intentions to do anything else. Being here is not particularly inconvenient at this time, though the rift's ability to bring him into these dreams against his will warrants careful thought about how he might curb its power over him in the future.

He stands in an underwater walkway between buildings, gazing at the sea life swimming past and lazily feeling around himself for other dreamers. He does not dream by himself, so he is not surprised to find faint threads of emotion in the currents of the dream. Feeling someone draw nearer, he turns to watch for them.

[bibliophale]

Aziraphale stops short as soon as he feels the other presence, though he's already in Rashad's sightline, too late to turn back now.

"Oh," he says, letting the fullness of his distaste seep through. "It's you."

Can't catch a break in this dream, can he? Not to mention he's powerless for some reason. But perhaps Rashad won't notice that.

[omnomnom_feels]

The feeling would be mutual if Rashad had feelings. "Such disgust from one who consorts with demons," he comments as he casts his senses about in search of the particular demon with which this angel consorts. It can make him feel. He does not want the demon to make him feel. It is, fortunately, not here.

"You did not bring it with you?"

[bibliophale]

Aziraphale bristles noticeably, recklessly. This dream and his powerlessness within it have put him far too much on edge, he's having trouble affecting his usual calm composure. Going to get him into trouble if he's not too careful.

"I did not 'bring' him, no," he says coldly. "He's not my pet. I don't take him about with me, we go our own ways. Much of the time." Whole centuries of mostly not seeing each other! Nevermind that he feels inordinately clingy lately, and Crowley's seen fit to be present a little more than usual, for whatever reasons neither of them will examine - absence has been known to happen.

"Anyway it's none of your business," he adds.

[omnomnom_feels]

"How are you an angel yet?" asks Rashad, who is seriously still not clear on how this whole thing works. Of course it's his business. "How can you betray what you are? What has the demon offered you?"

[bibliophale]

"You don't understand," says Aziraphale, beyond exasperated. "We tried to explain this to you before and you wouldn't listen. Things are different in our universe, we - we used to be at war, but not for centuries. Times changed, we had to change with them. And, well..."

What has he offered. Well, that's a little more difficult to explain. Aziraphale stalls for a moment, looking moodily out at the oceanic skyline.

"We've been working together," he says. "Against each other. However you like. It's all the same in the end." Oh, that won't do. Rashad won't be able to follow that at all, as stubborn as he is. "It's just, once you spend that much time around someone," he says, a bit desperately, "you know, the only familiar face for centuries - it's difficult to see them as an enemy anymore. I don't expect you to understand."

And he really does it. Why he's spending so much energy trying to make it clear is beyond him.

"He's not my frend or anything," he lies clarifies LIES. "He's just, you know. A natural part of my existence by now. I can't very well function without him. He's like a shadow." An unfair assessment, but maybe it'll soothe the bothersome eloim. "We're a part of each other's ecosystems, or whatever."

He draws himself up slightly and fixes Rashad with a stern look. "And if you try to hurt him again you will have me to answer to."

[omnomnom_feels]

"I do not understand," confirms Rashad. He's actually trying, though, as the demon itself isn't present to provoke him to action and Aziraphale has caught him in one of his rational non-moods. "Are you saying that he provides...balance? I cannot imagine that a creature of Entropy would willingly do so."

And the idea of balancing Order against Entropy doesn't sit well with him, even if doing so could arguably be a form of Order.

[bibliophale]

Aziraphale blinks in surprise at the comparative reason in the eloim's tone. It seems he's capable of not being a complete ass, perhaps only under a very specific set of circumstances.

"Wellll, it's sort of different, in our universe," he says. "This whole Order and Entropy thing. That's not so much how we look at it. There's a balance between the two, yes, to keep one from overpowering the other... to make sure the field is level when the final War finally occurs. Which we'll win, of course. When it does happen. I mean. If it happens. I suppose."

This dogmatic sort of fellow is the exact type who would NOT understand his and Crowley's motivations for doing what they did. Better steer clear of that.

"Do you have a name?" he asks, frowning. "Can't go around just calling you 'that stuck-up eloim' all the time."

[omnomnom_feels]

"When the world is destroyed," supplies Rashad. He says it dispassionately, as though he doesn't care, but in truth that is another concept to which he objects. Heaven alone would be perfect Order, yes, but without the existence of the mortal plane he cannot see the purpose of it.

He considers telling the angel his name, then decides against it. "I am called Rashad," he replies after a beat. It's not a lie. It's also not his real name. Little good comes of sharing one's true name outside one's true brethren. "How else can you look at it?"

[bibliophale]

Rashad doesn't sound particularly angelic, but he'll take it.

"Well..." He is really not cut out for this. Crowley would be much better at it, ironically enough. "It's complicated?" he offers awkwardly. "I mean, it's not really up to us, how Above and Below runs things. Entropy, as you call it, it's... we're against it, obviously, but it's not about... stopping it. I mean that's just such a simplistic way of looking at things, and ineffability is, well, it's more complicated than that.

"Personally," he goes on, somewhat energized, "I'd rather the world wasn't destroyed. Quite like the world, myself. Life's a lot easier to enjoy when you're not out to kill your enemies all the time. Take it from me."

[omnomnom_feels]

Would Nhodd be any better?

"It has little bearing on my enjoyment," states Rashad flatly. "And my enjoyment has little bearing on the world. I do not want it destroyed, either, but allowing creatures of evil free reign will not delay that fate."

He blinks at Aziraphale, expression unreadable. "Your demon also claimed he did not want the destruction of the world. I assume he meant that he would rather see it a lawless place for him to do as he wished."

[bibliophale]

"Ah - well..." Aziraphale waffles for a moment, not quite sure what to say. The truth would probably be the most helpful, though Crowley does hate it when he points out the demon's inherent goodness, as he's come to recognize it over the centuries. But Crowley might also prioritize not being lit on fire next time he encounters this creature.

"What Crowley and I did, stopping Armageddon, it wasn't strictly... above board," he says. "Crowley likes the world just as it is. Just as I do. We, er, both wanted to see it... continue. He's not a bad demon at all, really. He's... well. He's quite good, in his way. He's, erm."

Is he really about to say this? It seems he is.

"He's my friend."

An afterthought; desperate to move away from that: "And he's not my demon," with some irritation. "I've said as much. Terrible habit you've got there."

[omnomnom_feels]

Rashad is silent for at least a minute as he simply stares at Aziraphale. A demon that likes the world as it is. An angel that not only tolerates the presence of a demon, but claims it as a friend. The two should be diametrically opposed in all ways. Two complete opposites do not make a single whole.

Disregarding the criticism, he tries to clarify, suddenly doubting a basic assumption he's made about the being in front of him. He knows angels and demons and devils, of course, but it's finally getting through his thick skull that he may not be able to immediately identify those of a different world.

"You are not a devil, are you?"

Because at least a demon and a devil together would make some sense, and a devil might claim to like the grievously imperfect world in its present form.

[bibliophale]

"I beg your pardon!" Aziraphale squawks, utterly aghast at such an impertinent, baseless question. "What on earth are you - no! I'm a principality!" Seriously, the nerve.

He takes a healthy step back from the eloim, re-evaluating the relative merits of trying to 'get to know' him. "What do you mean asking that?" he demands.

[omnomnom_feels]

And that just confused matters more. "Is a principality a kind of fallen angel?" asks Rashad, noticing that he's upset Aziraphale but not minding it. "It would explain why you are willing to associate with a being of entropic evil."

[bibliophale]

"No!" Aziraphale is practically vibrating with impotent indignation now. "I am not fallen at all! I'm a proper angel, a principality is a kind of angel, just - where are you getting this?! Crowley's the one who's fallen. And he's not evil, he's-"

Oh dear. Crowley would hate him saying that. Aziraphale's not sure how he feels about it either.

Aziraphale pinches back his annoyed babbling with pursed lips and a moment of silent consternation. "He's complicated," seems like the best way to split the difference.

[omnomnom_feels]

"He is a fallen angel?" Rashad suddenly has to reevaluate a lot of assumptions. He pauses as he processes -- yes, that explains why the 'demon' was manifested in a body of its own, perhaps even explains the ongoing association between these two, though Rashad himself is no more willing to associate with devils than with demons.

The good news is that Aziraphale might finally be getting through to him a tiny bit. The bad news is that it's the part Aziraphale tried to take back that really got his attention. "He seems evil," he replies dubiously, inviting further explanation.

[bibliophale]

"Well, he... I mean, he's meant to be," says Aziraphale, frowning and stuffing his hands into his pockets. "But he and I, we've both... gone native, as it were. Spent enough time around the humans that, well, we've grown to rather like the Earth. In our own ways. And... that's what happened."

He's not sure how much more he wants to share with this creature. Since it's already been well established just how little Rashad actually understands or respects boundaries. This is starting to feel too personal. He shifts his weight awkwardly, wanting to escape, not for the first time tonight, and not for the last either.

[omnomnom_feels]

"So you are both corrupted -- him twice over." Rashad seems oblivious to Aziraphale's discomfort. "I have spent several centuries on the mortal plane myself, but I have not been corrupted."

Such a lie, but his face betrays no sign that he believes anything other than what he's just said.

[bibliophale]

Aziraphale rolls his eyes. "Yes, you're the picture of purity," he says dryly. "Fine, yes, we're 'corrupted', if you insist, but at least we don't bloody go around picking fights with anyone. We just want to get by, is that so awful?"

He's running out of stamina for this debate. Starting to sound just a bit petulant.

[omnomnom_feels]

Rashad still finds something lacking in this explanation, a core fault he is unable to resolve. "Are you truly without purpose, the both of you?" he asks, thinking that this might be what the angel and demon devil have been getting at this whole time. The implications are staggering. "You are saying that like mortals, you just...are?"

[bibliophale]

"No, of course not," he says without thinking, automatically indignant. "We were both assigned to the Earth, we had our jobs to do." He hesitates, chewing his lip. "And now... well, it's different now, isn't it? We're cut off from the Authorities, there's no sense wasting our energy on all that when it's not even our world." He scowls to himself. He supposes it's too much to hope that makes sense to someone like Rashad.

[omnomnom_feels]

"You don't think this world's mortals are worthy of your angelic protection?" asks Rashad. One world or another, it seems much the same to him. That his own brethren aren't here is perhaps an advantage, a respite from their unending wars and rivalries, but that is no reason to cease in his own purpose. "Or is it that you are unable to act without your Authorities?"

[bibliophale]

"It's not that - not either of those things," Aziraphale says, flustered. He can't seem to explain anything to Rashad's satisfaction. He suppose he'll just be interrogated all night long. "I protect people, I - you know, I help them, but it's different, I mean it's... well, it's my choice now."

Free will rears its head again. He winces slightly at the thought of it, and how Lucifer is trying to take it from Crowley. Free will is complicated - he doesn't want it, but he also doesn't want anyone to take it.

"It's just not Crowley I need to protect them from," he says finally.

[omnomnom_feels]

Rashad could keep this up all night, yes. Impatience is an emotion, after all.

At last, however, Aziraphale has hit on something that might interest Rashad more than the question of himself and Crowley. "You mean the thing that came through the rift?" he asks. "Is it known to you?"