p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel remains wary as the demon approaches. The demon has his hands help up, in a universal gesture of peace. Not that it really meant much when one could use their powers without a weapon, but the gesture got the meaning across./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""State your piece," the angel demanded./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I come in peace," the demon offered. "I carry nothing more than a message."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel said nothing, simply staring at the demon with his eyes narrowed in suspicion./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I was chosen to deliver this message by the big boss himself," the demon claimed proudly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Again, the blue-eyed angel remained quiet and clearly unimpressed by this fact./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Our lord, Lucifer, wishes to speak with you. He promises that there are no tricks, he means no harm. Lucifer would like to meet you in a neutral place, with no expectations. He says he merely wishes to come to know more about another angel with free thought," the demon states, clearly rehearsed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel still remains quiet, although it is clear that the angel is trying to process the message./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The demon figures this must be quite a shock and allows the other time to think./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel is unsure on how to proceed, there is more information he would want before making an informed decision. It does not seem as though that information is forth-coming though and he will have to use the vague information he was given./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Why did Lucifer truly wish to speak with him? Surely there must be more reason than simply sharing stories. Maybe he thought he could turn Castiel to his side? And what if things went wrong? Sure the devil promised no harm, but there were easy ways around that. And if he had to fight? He would fight hard, sure, but Castiel knew he could not win against an archangel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Were there any possible upsides to this situation? It's not like he would be able to talk Lucifer out of the apocalypse. The only possible upside he can see is that he may get answers to some of the questions that have been on his mind. And maybe, unlikely, but maybe the devil would let something slip that could be used against him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"A part of him wants to channel Dean Winchester, to say 'No, bite me.'/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Another part, a curious part, wants to agree./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"After several eternal minutes, Castiel gives his answer./p
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/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Two weeks later finds Castiel entering a coffee shop in a small town, a place chosen for how few people live there. The coffee shop is mostly empty, a single barista is behind the counter reading a textbook, which he goes back to when he sees the customer isn't coming to the desk./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The only other being in the store is a tall man with short messy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Although dressed very casually, simply jeans, a faded t-shirt, and a worn green denim jacket. One leg is crossed over the other, one arm rests on the table, and the other is slung over the other chairs back. Despite his very casual appearance, the man exudes a sense of power and control./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Ignoring the heavy weight in his gut, Castiel walks over towards the man and very cautiously take a seat opposite him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Ah, Castiel, welcome," greets the older angel openly. "I wasn't actually sure you would truly come."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Lucifer," the younger angel says stiffly, inclining his head in a gesture of respect. "I was told you wished to speak with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Straight to business, perhaps I merely wished to have some decent conversation," the devil said calmly, leaning back./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Why track me?" Castiel asks./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Because you are helping the Winchester's," the devil answers candidly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I will not allow them to be used as vessels," Castiel defends, making his position clear./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Relax, I intend no fight today. Today I wish to know more about you," Lucifer attempts to diffuse the aggression./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Me? Why?" asks Castiel, perhaps a little to abruptly to be polite, but Satan doesn't seem bothered by the slight rudeness./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Why? I have several reasons. You have proven yourself to be quite unique. You have chosen to fight both Heaven and Hell, on your own. You have rebelled, as I did," explained the devil. "And I was close with your parents, I truly was fond of them… and of you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel blanched at the last sentence, his mind insists this cannot be true. But, his memory of his youngest years were shaky at best – he remembered nothing of his father, or his flock, his memories only began after the civil war, after Lucifer was caged./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""That's… That's not true," Castiel argued weakly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You said before that your father died in the war," Lucifer said, referencing their last conversation./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I'm told he fought bravely against you and those who followed you," Castiel said, seeking solace in that fact./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You're told?" the devil asks. "And who told you that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I don't remember my father," admits the young angel, "But everyone told me this, Michael himself told me this. My mother said so once."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"A strange look crosses the devils face, he appears almost sad, but the look is gone almost as soon as it appears./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""And whatever happened to your mother?" Lucifer asks, leaning forward now./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel said nothing, he and his mother had grown up in the inner circle, always watched over by guards. He believed his parents must have been important, to always have a guard nearby. But that was not information the devil needed. Nor did he need to know that Castiel had not seen his mother in millennia, that as soon as he was old enough he had been sent to training and straight to his garrison./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Lucifer looked calculating know, as though he was figuring out events in his head. Finally he broke the silence, "What you were told was not entirely true."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The younger angel looked up, confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Your father did not fight against me," continued the devil, each word carefully chosen. "He fought on my side."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""No," Castiel said softly, and then stronger. "That, that is not possible. You're lying."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Castiel, I do not lie. I have no need to lie," assured Lucifer./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""It's not true, it can't be true," muttered Castiel, refusing to believe it. Without waiting for a reply, the youngest angel flies away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Lucifer sighs, that could have gone better. Not that the result was unexpected, but it was not the one he would have preferred./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;" /p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Halfway across the country, Castiel finally stopped in a clearing in a wild forest. He shakes his wings out, span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanand curls them around himself to begin grooming them, a self-soothing behavior as he tried to get his thoughts in order. His wings are dark colored, black like obsidian, black with a beautiful shine to them. Carefully he begins straightening the feathers and smoothing the ruffled ones./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"He doesn't want to believe the devil's words – his parents weren't friends with Lucifer, they didn't fight for him. His father died to stop Lucifer, his mothers wings had been injured and she could no longer fly because she had fought to stop Lucifer and his followers. Even Michael himself had come around a few times, and shared those facts./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"But why would Lucifer lie? Castiel continues his careful grooming for several minutes before it occurs to him. Lucifer could have lied for this reason! To affect his head, make him second-guess everything, throw him off balance./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" Satisfied with this explanation, Castiel plans his next move. Maybe the Winchesters could use help on a hunt? It's been a while since he's heard from them… too long, actually, he thinks checking his cell phone that Dean had given him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""State your piece," the angel demanded./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I come in peace," the demon offered. "I carry nothing more than a message."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel said nothing, simply staring at the demon with his eyes narrowed in suspicion./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I was chosen to deliver this message by the big boss himself," the demon claimed proudly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Again, the blue-eyed angel remained quiet and clearly unimpressed by this fact./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Our lord, Lucifer, wishes to speak with you. He promises that there are no tricks, he means no harm. Lucifer would like to meet you in a neutral place, with no expectations. He says he merely wishes to come to know more about another angel with free thought," the demon states, clearly rehearsed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel still remains quiet, although it is clear that the angel is trying to process the message./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The demon figures this must be quite a shock and allows the other time to think./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel is unsure on how to proceed, there is more information he would want before making an informed decision. It does not seem as though that information is forth-coming though and he will have to use the vague information he was given./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Why did Lucifer truly wish to speak with him? Surely there must be more reason than simply sharing stories. Maybe he thought he could turn Castiel to his side? And what if things went wrong? Sure the devil promised no harm, but there were easy ways around that. And if he had to fight? He would fight hard, sure, but Castiel knew he could not win against an archangel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Were there any possible upsides to this situation? It's not like he would be able to talk Lucifer out of the apocalypse. The only possible upside he can see is that he may get answers to some of the questions that have been on his mind. And maybe, unlikely, but maybe the devil would let something slip that could be used against him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"A part of him wants to channel Dean Winchester, to say 'No, bite me.'/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Another part, a curious part, wants to agree./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"After several eternal minutes, Castiel gives his answer./p
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/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Two weeks later finds Castiel entering a coffee shop in a small town, a place chosen for how few people live there. The coffee shop is mostly empty, a single barista is behind the counter reading a textbook, which he goes back to when he sees the customer isn't coming to the desk./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The only other being in the store is a tall man with short messy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Although dressed very casually, simply jeans, a faded t-shirt, and a worn green denim jacket. One leg is crossed over the other, one arm rests on the table, and the other is slung over the other chairs back. Despite his very casual appearance, the man exudes a sense of power and control./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Ignoring the heavy weight in his gut, Castiel walks over towards the man and very cautiously take a seat opposite him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Ah, Castiel, welcome," greets the older angel openly. "I wasn't actually sure you would truly come."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Lucifer," the younger angel says stiffly, inclining his head in a gesture of respect. "I was told you wished to speak with me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Straight to business, perhaps I merely wished to have some decent conversation," the devil said calmly, leaning back./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Why track me?" Castiel asks./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Because you are helping the Winchester's," the devil answers candidly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I will not allow them to be used as vessels," Castiel defends, making his position clear./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Relax, I intend no fight today. Today I wish to know more about you," Lucifer attempts to diffuse the aggression./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Me? Why?" asks Castiel, perhaps a little to abruptly to be polite, but Satan doesn't seem bothered by the slight rudeness./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Why? I have several reasons. You have proven yourself to be quite unique. You have chosen to fight both Heaven and Hell, on your own. You have rebelled, as I did," explained the devil. "And I was close with your parents, I truly was fond of them… and of you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel blanched at the last sentence, his mind insists this cannot be true. But, his memory of his youngest years were shaky at best – he remembered nothing of his father, or his flock, his memories only began after the civil war, after Lucifer was caged./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""That's… That's not true," Castiel argued weakly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You said before that your father died in the war," Lucifer said, referencing their last conversation./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I'm told he fought bravely against you and those who followed you," Castiel said, seeking solace in that fact./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""You're told?" the devil asks. "And who told you that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""I don't remember my father," admits the young angel, "But everyone told me this, Michael himself told me this. My mother said so once."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"A strange look crosses the devils face, he appears almost sad, but the look is gone almost as soon as it appears./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""And whatever happened to your mother?" Lucifer asks, leaning forward now./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Castiel said nothing, he and his mother had grown up in the inner circle, always watched over by guards. He believed his parents must have been important, to always have a guard nearby. But that was not information the devil needed. Nor did he need to know that Castiel had not seen his mother in millennia, that as soon as he was old enough he had been sent to training and straight to his garrison./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Lucifer looked calculating know, as though he was figuring out events in his head. Finally he broke the silence, "What you were told was not entirely true."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The younger angel looked up, confused./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Your father did not fight against me," continued the devil, each word carefully chosen. "He fought on my side."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""No," Castiel said softly, and then stronger. "That, that is not possible. You're lying."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Castiel, I do not lie. I have no need to lie," assured Lucifer./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;""It's not true, it can't be true," muttered Castiel, refusing to believe it. Without waiting for a reply, the youngest angel flies away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Lucifer sighs, that could have gone better. Not that the result was unexpected, but it was not the one he would have preferred./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;" /p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Halfway across the country, Castiel finally stopped in a clearing in a wild forest. He shakes his wings out, span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanand curls them around himself to begin grooming them, a self-soothing behavior as he tried to get his thoughts in order. His wings are dark colored, black like obsidian, black with a beautiful shine to them. Carefully he begins straightening the feathers and smoothing the ruffled ones./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"He doesn't want to believe the devil's words – his parents weren't friends with Lucifer, they didn't fight for him. His father died to stop Lucifer, his mothers wings had been injured and she could no longer fly because she had fought to stop Lucifer and his followers. Even Michael himself had come around a few times, and shared those facts./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"But why would Lucifer lie? Castiel continues his careful grooming for several minutes before it occurs to him. Lucifer could have lied for this reason! To affect his head, make him second-guess everything, throw him off balance./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;" Satisfied with this explanation, Castiel plans his next move. Maybe the Winchesters could use help on a hunt? It's been a while since he's heard from them… too long, actually, he thinks checking his cell phone that Dean had given him./p