16594/Watcher Doing

Watcher Doing
Date of Scene:	23 October 2024
Location:	Club Lux, Melville
Synopsis:	After meeting Azazel, Nick beelines over to the Lux to let Lucifer and Sinster know what happened
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Lucifer, Sinister

---

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
If someone had told Nick the first time he set foot into the doors of the Lux that it would become another home to him. He'd probably have not believed them. And yet, now he's got a permanent room at the Lux where he ends up crashing at a sizable portion of his evenings and where his magic mirror resides 24-7.

...

Yeah it takes a few reads to even process that last part.

Either way Nick spends a lot of time here. But there are nights where he'll actually spend it at other places he could call home or where he simply has his belongings stored. Tonight was going to be one of those nights. Wade's condo and his apartment were much closer to where rehearsals had been but-

Sometimes that's not how things work out.

It's early evening. Hardly time for proper clubbers to show up but late enough for staff to be setting up. And it's with a bit of an unspoken urgency that Nick strides into the club, backpack resting on his back and head glancing around. With the general sense of purpose coming from his look around, there's definitely a message in the gaze. Something has happened.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer has, for the first time in likely a while, decided to come down to the club while everything is being set up. Normally he's known for making an entrance while the crowds have gathered but tonight he feels a little less social and a little more just making sure things are in place before he heads upstairs again. He's also not in his Unholy Best, but once again sporting the jeans and t-shirt look - which is just as well since the only other ones here are his demons.

Literally.

Oh and a Nick who suddenly is making an appearance. Lucifer's sat at the piano, not playing anything, but just having a vantage point from the downstairs to look up in case he's needed for anything. Though he does look towards Nick as the man enters, and raises a brow at the whole speed and sort of palpable aura the man has. "Evening Nick. What's got your pants on fire?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Hearing the smooth voice that speaks his names, Nick's head turns. Devil locked in his sight, his feet adjust their approach to instead move over to the club owner. Despite the general urgency to his approach, the musician doesn't blurt out the problem while still across the room.

Instead, he holds back until he comes within a normal speaking distance. "I need to speak with you privately." Nick answers before giving a slight tidbit to give a general idea to the topic needing to be talked about. "Family matters."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer raises a brow and glances around a moment. "VIP privacy or Penthouse privacy?" There is a difference. He would offer to go to Nick's room but he sure as shit isn't going to be anywhere near that volatile mirror that seems to hate everyone except Nick. Not on his own volition anyway. "I mean the only ones here now are the demons who work for me but if you'd rather speak behind closed doors, we can do that."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick frowns as he considers the options presented. There's a quick glance to his phone before he comes to his decision. "Penthouse." Nick decides. "Just in case the conversation runs long."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer tilts his head but then he nods and stands, closing the piano and motioning towards the elevator that will take them to the Penthouse. "Seems serious. Is it alright to ask you now if everything is okay?" Asking this even as they likely walk to their destination and take that elevator to the Penthouse proper. It's not the longest walk in the world, but a silent walk might be awkward.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
While the question is posed, Nick is a bit slow with a response. Seemingly considering the answer to give. "...I don't know how to answer that." Nick finally relents. It's not quite an answer, but it does cut down on the silence during the walk.

But it really SUCKS at trying to relieve any concern. Once the button to the elevator is pressed, Nick glances to the floor indicator. "I'm okay at least."

Lucifer has posed:
Well an answer like that doesn't seem to settle Lucifer in the slightest. He just nods his head to the first bit until they're in the elevator and heading up to the Penthouse proper. "Well. It's good that you're okay... but you've gotten me a little more on the side of worry than I would like to be." He offers this as they ride up and when the ding chimes and the doors open, he steps inside and heads for the kitchen. "Tea or beer?" Cause the answer might clue him in a bit on just how serious this conversation is going to be.

Sinister has posed:
Up in the penthouse, it's very clean. Spotlessly clean, mostly because making sure of such things is a good mind focus for the other resident of the penthouse.

It's been a problematic few days, because of deep thoughts occurring, so it has. He's reading a paper on a holo imager, or rather, several papers -- odd reports from all over the world, it seems, in multiple different languages. They flicker from article to article with tremendous speed, because: reasons.

Some powers are just quite mind boggling if you think about them too deeply. "Tea is freshly made, for what it's worth." Is called from his seat in his own personal 'throne'.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"I don't mean to be." Nick apologizes in the elevator. "But it's kind of a story. And I'm not sure what happened in some places."

Once the elevator door parts ways and Lucifer offers up drink choices, he opens up his lips to answer. Lips purse but before sound comes out he turns his head to look over to Sinister as the doctor speaks.

Nick's quiet for a moment before he changes his selection. "Tea." He relents.

He flops into one of the guest seats, glancing to the kitchen, back to Sin and then to the coffee table in front of him. "So... I had a surprise visitor after rehearsal today. Although he was kind of borrowing someone from the Housekeeping department at the time. Never confirmed the name but- seems like it might have been Azazel."

Lucifer has posed:
It is a -very- good thing that Lucifer had not yet grabbed any of the mugs when Nick name dropped like that. He falters at the counter for a moment before looking over towards Nick in a very pointed way. "Borrowing someone from the housekeeping... so he is going around just willy nilly possessing people." Finally he manages a few mugs, setting everything up on a tray like they so often do so the tea can be self-served at the coffee table.

"What did he say to you?" Asking this as he floats the tray over and sets it down before settling himself upon his own throne. Flopping is more like it, and his closer hand moves immediately to touch against Nathaniel's own closer arm.

Sinister has posed:
That would be a strange sight, if this were the court of hell itself, but mirroring of such things nevertheless have their own levels of meaning.

"I wonder if that's a theme he can't escape..." -- the tea pours itself, but it is a matter of pride that it is done correctly, as each individual happens to like it; the tray is brought over so the Lord, his consort, his distant nephew and the court of these four walls, can pay privvy to it.

And then, there's a couple of dunking biscuits because there always are when tea is a necessity and not a luxury. "I'm glad he actually DID say things and didn't just act, else this would be very awkward." More articles scroll on the holoimager, whilst fingertips land upon those that laid upon his arm and Sin glances to the devil and back.

"Tangentially, I think I need to cross-reference history and obscure historical libraries. I do hope that people have dragged themselves into the twenty first century and scanned microfiche to hard drive and cloud."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"He did let her go after talking with me a bit." Nick allows, "I don't know if he borrowed her more to make it easier to talk to me or if he was hiding from who was pursuing but-"

Nick slides forward in his seat, ready to prep his drink only to find it prepping itself. A nod is given to Sinister in thanks for the forethought while he acquires a biscuit in the meantime

Once the drink is made, Nick slides back, tilting his head in recollection. "Well...the first comment was how I of all people ended up with the Dragon's tongue. And that I was the last one he'd expected."

The musician glances down to his mug, "...And that they didn't want to get interrupted before they had a good look."

Lucifer has posed:
"We're all of the mind that this is how he escaped to begin with, yes? Somehow dying and then possessing one of the ones charged with keeping the cave....clean." Which still irks Lucifer to this day that he didn't quite notice just how immaculate that cave was until it was too late. He didn't quite notice a lot of things, having gone in expecting one thing to have something else entirely happen.

"I suppose it's good he did say something and not just have some random wild tangent with a new body just because he can. But what did he mean by you of all people ending up with the Dragon's tongue? And who the hell else did he expect?" Lucifer's temperment falters a bit as he glances upwards for a moment. No. Not time just yet. Let it stir a little while longer.

"I won't meet him on his playing field. That gives him too much power. We'll have to somehow draw him into mine..."

Sinister has posed:
"It seems to be the accepted hypothesis..." changing tactic on the skimming and searching of data collected on the great and glorious interwebs, Sin ferries his tea to lips for a slow, indulgent sip. You cannot rush these things at least. "But that is a good question -- one that suggests that there's a few others out there that could've ended up with the ability to Spell. Go forth and multiply and all that..." those last words muffled as he takes a second sip, whilst sidelong glancing the mood that the devil is in. Sometimes, you have to keep a watch on that particular pot.

"Is he known for being gullible, my dearest?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick shakes his head. "...I don't know. I was also wondering if this is something he was actively looking for when he got out, or if someone told him about recently."

There's a pause as Nick takes a sip of his tea. "...He wanted to know if they hunt me. Think he might have caught a glimpse of the Hydra problems before I remembered to kick in the concert."

To the mention of playing fields and drawing him forward... the musician hurms. "Uh. About that...He did ask me if I had any questions for him. I asked him if he would consider it if there was a way where things could be ended peacefully where he didn't have to go back to where he was. He didn't outright reject the idea."

To Sinister's query about Azazel's gullibility, Nick frowns. "...He also said for me to tell my uncle to choose his words carefully and that he won't be duped again."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer listens to Nathaniel, and then to Nick. Especially because Nick chimes in on some things before Lucifer can try to think them through. He stands then, not abruptly, but there is a sort of quickness to it. "Can't track him if he's not actively possessing someone...and he can move just as quickly from one spot to another like I can. So while he was near Nick earlier, that doesn't mean he's still anywhere in the city any longer..."

Then he looks to Nick a bit more. Knowing that Nick would be acting entirely different if Azazel was possessing him but that doesn't mean...

"Nick. Empty out your backpack."

Sinister has posed:
"Huh, well now." Sinister frowns, his head tilted on one side a might, whilst Lucifer gets aggressive about searching equipment for stow-aways. Maybe the very ancient take 'bugs' quite seriously and literally, but maybe they don't. He watches whether this is obeyed or not, sipping again with a frown 'twixt the brows that forms a nice little steeple there. More tea is sipped, observations ensuing.

Absently: "I wonder which uncle he meant. Come to think on that, I wonder how he was caught in the first place, other than overwhelming force."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick tilts hie head at the request from Lucifer. "What? He wasn't anywhere near-"

Giving a sigh, Nick leans forward to set his tea and biscuit upon the table. Shifting to the side closest to where Lucifer sits, he proceeds to open his bag. Reaching in, Nick pulls out some fabric wrapped items and sets them down on the floor, uwrapping them to show the ornately covered Escrima sticks. Soon after a bound folder is pulled out and set beside the sticks. And then comes out a set of drumsticks. Then another set. Then another. Then another. Then another...

To Sin's query Nick pauses, "...You know. I had assumed he was referring to Lucifer- I didn't take into the account the others."

Lucifer has posed:
"I would have assumed he was referring to me as well. No other archangel fell...so the other brethren wouldn't have been involved...I don't think." Can't be true though, but it's not a lie if Lucifer is unaware. Of all the memories he has, when he tries to search for the one imprisoning Azazel... it's not there. Was he too busy figuring out hell and wasn't the one who initially captured and sentenced the General?

His eyes go to the piles that Nick begins to pull out of his backpack. "Exactly how -many- drumsticks does one actually need? Surely you don't break THAT many..." He asks and still continues to watch. As if he expects any of them to jump out of the pile and begin whacking him in the head.

Though, after a moment, he turns his attention to Nathaniel. "...I may have to compell her...I don't -want- to...but there's no other way...I hardly think Azazel will answer a call to come and talk...." Then again. Lucifer hasn't TRIED to be simple about it.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister watches the abundance of sticks. "Oh, you weren't there were you. Sometimes, he burns through those things quite literally -- they're a focus for enspelling. Particularly useful on vampires," the doctor finishes his tea whilst the thoughts are winding their way out of the head. "Though transcription of history is by nature rather biased to the writer of it, I'm sure there's a couple of impartial accounts lost in the annals of time. All I know for certain though, is that it did not appear to involve Lucifer at all, the first go around."

Gesturing at thin air with his empty tea-cup, a scanned document of an excerpt of the dead-sea scrolls and book of Enoch are brought up. "Very few extant copies can be found or analyzed of the latter. Not many survived in the first place and they were expurgated from the revisions of the bible for heretical reasons..." paragraphs here though, appear to be written in latin. It DID take a while.

"Gabriel, Raphael, Michael and who knows how many others...it took at least three archangels to take down one that wasn't. Oh my."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick glances to Lucifer. "Depends on what one uses the drumsticks for."

Nick was vague. But when Sin spells it out, he shrugs, nodding. "They're also street legal and no one questions why a noted drummer has drumsticks. And I can argue away the Escrima Sticks as well under a similar vein."

Eventually the drumsticks run out. All that's left is a very worn looking copy of the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe to be gently added to the stack.

"Perhaps not answer a call. But. Maybe when they are ready they'll swing by to see what you have to offer."

Nick leaves the items on the floor for the time being, shifting back in his seat while Lucifer takes the time he needs to study the belongings.

Nick frowns, "...When he was talking to me. Time had stopped. But it sounded like someone was trying to get in the room while we were talking. That's when he left the housekeeper. The booth I was in was locked at the time but it sounded like he got into a fight with whatever was out there."

Eyes close, trying to piece together what he saw from within the sound booth. A bright flash of light from under the door. Then a glimpse of scorch marks when the outermost door was opened for the eyes in shadow and smoke to give a quick apology to him.

...

Come to think of it. That look seemed very similar to his shadow man form.

Lucifer has posed:
"He's powerful where it counts. I think he's more upset with me because I get to walk around free while he was contained in a prison he could not escape." Lucifer offers and then shifts to sit down again. "The thing is... things have changed. Otherwise, I surely would not have actually been able to leave Hell on such a permanent basis as I have. Though they did try to make me go back..." He offers. "Which is why I want to talk to him. Just talk. And I figured of all of us, he might actually be okay with talking to me considering."

He's still glancing to the piles on the floor every so often. Just waiting for them to move. "I would say there's no way he could get into Lux or the Penthouse, but I'm beginning to wonder if that's true. If he really wanted in...he'd find a way. If he really wanted to talk..."

Then, there seems to be a lightbulb moment. Standing again, Lucifer quickly disappears down the hall and into the bedroom. After a bit of scrambling, he comes back into the living room and sets those rings he acquired down onto the coffee table. "Maybe the trick is finding a way to reach him. To wave the white flag of peace and just get him to come here and talk. Though. If he's got no coporeal form... that might mean....having Asrael bring back his skeleton? And have Constantine give back the skull?" Did John take the skull? Lucifer can't remember off the top of his head as it swims with countless ideas and ways that this could all go really good...

Or apocalyptically bad.

Sinister has posed:
"I feel as if I came in the Epilogue of Lucifer leaves Hell and its subsequent chronicles. By the time I arrived on the scene, things were a little smoother. How bad was it when you first left, Luci? I've had snippets, we've had visitations, but... as noted..."

Though then, there's more to listen to and to consider, all of which requires a modicum of thought chewing.

Funny how coincidences happen, isn't it, Nick?

Sinister leaves his own thought out there for consideration though, whilst glancing to the rings. "Maybe they -are- tethers. Psychoplasm has a habit of latching onto things and forming sub-atomic bonds." A pause "I suspect he's still not going to want to walk right into the lion's den, no matter what you promise."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick looks to the elder beings. "Considering how much things have changed. Do you think it would be possible to work with him a bit? Assuming you guys find a neutral territory you can hash things out at, that is."

Lucifer has posed:
"I mean the occasional visit to Earth happened... like it was written on those pages... but if we're talking about me getting achingly bored and coming to Earth for a permanent vacation...let's just say....it didn't go over well at first. Everyone tried to get me to go back... even Azazaphel..." Who isn't an archangel by any means, but a prominent name if one looked into things hard enough. "There were fights, a lot of them...Maize even had her doubts every so often until she buggered off..."

There's a shrug then. "We finally came to an agreeable - albeit loosely conditional - set of terms and things have been rather...." He wiggles fingers in the air. "Tolerable since. Aside from more...recent...upsets. But there has been growth. For most."

Sinister has posed:
Sinister nods to that. "I wonder how much of that was also name recognition? If you're going to make your entire thing infamous, you can't easily replace a mail character with an extra or a brand new character and have the audience buy it. And when the audience is the biggest religion in the world, that might be problematic. I don't know that Azazel realizes his name isn't entirely unknown..." Sin muses on that, then finishes his biscuit, because he -did- take one. A fresh tea is poured.

"Maybe a cross-roads would work well?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick listens to the description of what happened when Lucifer pushed out. "...Ok. So what I'm hearing is there's a reasonable chance something can be worked out. That's good."

A glance is given to the pile of items outside of his bookbag. "...Are you guys ok with me packing up the bag again?" Surely they got a look already.