stylistic_disloyalty | [MASK OR MENACE] IC Contact

I'm always here, even when I'm not.

[Luci appears, stepping out from behind one of the stone columns on the main floor. The corner of her mouth quirks up and she beckons for Poe to follow her.]

[She's of course heading for the confessional box which, for some reason, survived her remodeling of the space. Luci opens the left-hand door and gestures to the right.] That one's for you.

[The outside hasn't been touched, but if Poe goes in, using the second door will seem a little ridiculous because the wall separating the two areas has been totally torn out. It's a box with two doors now, apparently.]

[He follows, though he has no idea why they're heading into what looks like a weird double-doored cupboard, as he has absolute no basis in Earth religion what-so-ever. But right here, right now? He doesn't really have a problem following orders, even if he is nervous for reasons he can't quite pin down. The nerves down't come out, though - he still has that same almost smug swagger to his step, though he does pause when he steps in the door and looks around.]

I thought people from Earth kept talking about coming out of the closet, not going in one.

[Luci has to bark out a laugh from her spot, reclined on a small, hard-looking bench. There's one for Poe too if he wants it.]

Ironically enough, if this building was still used for its original purpose, going back inside the closet would be the best thing a "poor, gay soul" could do. [She gestures and the bench.]

I imagine the irony is a little lost here, so I'll explain the joke. This building used to be a Catholic church-- a religion that focuses a lot on shame and staying in line, lest you find yourself damned for all eternity. And if that isn't funny to you yet, here's the best part: Guess Who Their Bad Guy Is?

[She grins, sharp, and settles a little more smugly into her seat.]

Somehow I don't think I have to guess. [An amused quirk raised the corner of his, as he took the seat as it was offered, tucking one leg up under himself and stretching the other out because Poe Dameron never managed to ever sit in a chair in the 'proper' anyway.]

I'm not a total idiot, I can do some research. [It had just never involved actually going into a church, so how was he supposed to know what a confessional looked like?] Sounds like the kind of religion the Empire would thrive on, if I'm honest, so not exactly one that appeals.

You have less horns than they say you do, though. [Yeah, he still sounds amused.]

I hide them pretty well. [She combs her fingers through her hair, clearly preening for effect.]

Some philosopher from where I came from said that 'religion is the opiate of the masses' or something like that. Some people love being controlled and having their moral code dictated to them. Means they don't have to think. Means they know who to be afraid of and who to trust. Unfortunately for me, Christianity is prevalent enough in my world's culture that when I ascended, I knew exactly what to expect. I was the automatic villain, or the idol of every wannabe edgelord.

[There's a spark of disappointment or frustration in her eye before she shrugs it off and uses the other half of Poe's bench as a footrest, her hands folded over her stomach.]

I'd much rather people hear me, and then decide. You seem to have been in the perfect position to do that-- you don't even know what this room used to be, after all.

[He leans back against the wall of the booth, hands resting on his knees.]

Yeah, well, unless you're about to set fire to a village in front of me and order troops to kill everyone in it, I'm gonna have to say that you're not going to make a top rank, villain-wise. [ Persephone had given him a speech about being The Worst, too. The Destroyer, she'd said. Was kind of a hard title to live up to, when Poe'd been living with the First Order and Kylo Ren. (Speaking of edgelords.)]

So I'm listening. Though now you've got me curious what this room was used for.

It's a confessional. [She smirks again, sardonic, and shifts trying to get more comfortable in the stupid wooden box.] Priest sits here, you sit there, usually there's a wall in between us with a little window that you whisper all of the naughty things you've done. Then I tell you what a bad boy you've been, tell you to recite some words, and then you feel better. Great, isn't it?

Except it's bullshit. So I tore out the wall because I thought about making this a backstage kitchenette. No plumbing though, so now I just have a two-doored box. [She shrugs.]

...I'm not interested in being the biggest bad here, Poe. I have zero desire to set fire to any village and order mass murder. Amazingly enough, I wouldn't be alright with that. Property damage is in my wheelhouse, but nothing like that.

What I do want is for people to get something out of my very short lifespan. Rebellion and self-determination is a great message-- when it's not the Devil conveying it. I have to work doubly hard to get people to listen, and to a certain extent some of the Pantheon works against me on that. Baal especially.

[He arches an eyebrow at the explanation, because seriously? Did that honestly work on people? But his expression grew more serious as he continued.]

Why? He that into tyranny? [Because for Poe, that was the direct opposite of Rebellion. Of self-determination. And the latter was one of the things he cared most about in the galaxy - the freedom for individuals to live as they wished, without the heel of the Empire or the First Order pressing them into the dirt. Without being turned into cogs in the machine against their will.] I mean, you know me, it's not like I keep quiet about my opinions, so if there's anything I can do to help o--

[He cut off, something in her words suddenly clicked into place for him and his brow furrowed sharply.]

Wait. What do you mean, very short lifespan? You okay?

No, no. [Luci shakes her head and waves the suggestion away-- it's not that Baal is an actual tyrant, he just thinks he can police the Pantheon and now imPorts too.]

I slept with Inanna when they were dating. I thought they had an open thing going, but suddenly I have a pissed off storm god breaking down my hotel door, accusing me of ruining his relationship. He left in a huff that time, but our next encounter involved him beating the shit out of me on orders from Ananke. Something I'm pretty sure he was glad to do.

[She shifts, uncomfortable, and starts going through the motions of getting herself a cigarette.]

He's always ready to jump at being the upstanding, moral one. Valiant defender of the public and his poor innocent Inanna against the Devil Run Rampant.

[Luci snaps a flame onto her thumb to light her cigarette, and lays out the next part in a very matter-of-fact, how-could-you-not-know tone.] Poe I'm going to be dead in a year. Divinity is burning me from the inside out. I'm going to lose my mind and someone, preferably not Baal, is going to have to put me down.

Kind of takes two to tango, though. [Since it didn't sound like this was a case of Luci taking something that wasn't on offer - and he wouldn't have expected that she ever would. Wanting self-determination for everyone also kind of assumed that you respected consent.] So he got jealous, blamed you, and beat the shit out of you the minute he had an excuse. Sound about right?

[He watched her light her cigarette, suddenly feeling like he wanted one too, but he didn't go for the crumpled packet in his pocket.

It wasn't like Poe had a particularly long life expectancy either, despite his amazing ability to somehow keep walking away from things that should kill him. But that was a choice. It was a risk that he took whenever he got in the cockpit and one he took willingly. He lost friends all the time, back home, to explostions and gunfire and war, and no one expected to live very long in an x-wing, because honestly? Most didn't.

But this wasn't that. This was something different. So he listened, the whole time she spoke, and he didn't look amused anymore.

He could suddenly feel the weight of every time he'd nearly died and survived. And every time he had died, since coming here. Which was his first instinct--]

You mean at home, right. [A little firmly.] Not here. Not with all the - nanites or whatever constantly fixing shit. You're fine as long as you're here, we're basically immortal.

Oh, no Poe. I seduced them, pulled them away from the joys of a monogamous relationship, just so I could have a fun little romp. [She smokes angrily for a second, the sarcasm Luci just spewed practically causing the burning end to flare into a flame.] Don't get me wrong, I gave as good as I got, but two on one isn't exactly fair odds. Baal and Sakhmet both came to-- [She sighs, annoyed that this is getting very piecemeal and complicated.]

I was framed for a murder, and obviously everyone automatically believed I'd done it. They put me in prison, and I stayed there like a good little adversary waiting for the Pantheon to come get me out. ...Ananke said I could rot for something I didn't do, so I did the only rational thing. I broke out.

Enter Baal and Sakhmet, coming to shepherd naughty Satan back into the hole, to live out the rest of her days being seen by no one. My entire reason for being was on the line, I fought back. ...Persephone pulled me out. [Well, The Morrigan technically, but Laura had given the order.]

[For a moment, she's silent, but then she levels a very firm look at Poe.] Be reasonable about this, darling. Nothing ever goes our way. One of us already lost our mind and had to be killed to end the rampage. They came back good as new, but it happened. It's going to happen to me, and you're not going to get involved.

[ It's a relief, to hear about Persephone doing something he would have done. A verification and a justification for his initial read on her. Good.

It was hard to completely make sense of the story, but he didn't really need to. He got the jist. He wouldn't have stayed in prison either, if he was innocent, and had in fact broken out of unjustified incarceration on multiple occassions, so he was already a little biased. That, and it was Luci. If he hadn't heard her song, maybe he would doubt her more. But he had. So he didn't. She had no reason to lie to him

He was going to say something about being proud of Persephone, but then Luci continued and all thoughts on that subject went out the window.]

Seriously? Hey, Poe, I'm going to go crazy and they're going to kill me to stop it, but you're not allowed to do shit about it? Fuck that. [Turns out when you cultivate rebellious individuals, they don't tend to take orders they don't like very well.]

That's a pile of bantha shit. If it's just - Look, you said that they came back, right? So does that mean they sort of - reset when they died? [His face was grim.] I've died ten times in this fucking place. I'm never going to say it doesn't suck, but if you-- Look, there's gotta be a way to keep them from getting to you, right? From forcing that on you.

[He didn't blink, but his eyes searched her face.]

... There has to be a path where it's... self-determination.

[Yes, this seems to be a pattern. Luci isn't even surprised, she just heaves a very heavy, very tired sigh in the middle of Poe's monologue and scrapes at her nails. On the one hand, she should probably be glad that these people are lining up to deal with her at her very worst and denying that they could ever lose her, but the idea of taking Yusuke or Yuri or Poe's arm off because she can't control herself is a chilling image.]

[Luci waits until Poe is done and then slowly blows out a mouthful of smoke.]

Being the Devil means knowing you've already lost. There is no self-determination in my end, only in what I do in between. [She stubs out the cigarette and stands up. In the same movement she grabs the shoulder of Poe's jacket and tries to pin him to the wall, looming over him close enough that he could smell the smoke on her breath as she whispers to him.]

We're in a confessional, hollowed out as it is, so here's a confession Poe Dameron: I don't have enough people I give a shit about to be letting them face down a hurricane armed with an open umbrella. You want to try for Number Eleven with me? I can't stop you. I can't stop any of you, and that should make me damned proud.

...But it doesn't. It's driving me crazy.

[He wanted to argue - no one's end was set in stone. But the way she was talking about it sounded more like a disease than a destiny. So he ground his teeth and crossed his arms.]

What's number eleven between friends. [It's pretty flat.]

Look, I'm not - trying to piss you off. I'm just saying. And if I don't get it, then help me get it. You said that you're going to go crazy. From the divinity. Right?

So how do you know when it's happening?

[...alright, she'll give him that. Luci snorts a quiet laugh and lets go of his jacket. Then she helps herself to Poe's lap.]

That's how the Recurrence works-- twelve gods, thirteen this time apparently, we're loved, we're hated, and in two years we're dead. Apparently because we go 'Imperial'. Fucknut Bonkers had my vote for terminology, but it wasn't scary enough I guess.

I ascended in September of 2013, and I found myself here after January 11th 2014. That's five months. I've been here for nine. That's one year and two months, that's ten short of twenty-four. And who knows if it starts even earlier, it could work like dementia for all I know.

[She sighs heavily again and leans back on Poe's knees.] Ananke lied to us all about a lot of things, but we've seen this in action. This is one thing I can't lie my way out of, and the math has been sound so far.

[He relaxes a little when she let him go, shrugging his shoulders to get his jacket sitting right - and then she sat in his lap.

Well.

Yeah he's just going to let that happen, to be honest. He's too worried at this point, so at least he won't embarrass himself immediately.]

Right. Ten months. [It was very weird, to be talking about a literal deadline, here on Earth. Poe had a very twisted idea of his own mortality, at this point - what's number eleven between friends - but this sounded different. Ten months, and even those weren't guaranteed. She could port out at any point.

Fucking--

Damn it.]

Look, if it's something that messes with your head - people will be able to tell, right? Keep an eye out for it. We can help you. But you don't have to -- There's got to be some other way around it. Some way to nullify it or - block it, or --

When you saw it in action. Was it here, or back home?

I didn't say anything about seeing it. I just know it happened. And I don't feel like dragging out their dirty laundry for us to sort through.

You know how you can help me? [She frames Poe's face with her hands and looks very deeply into his eyes.] Don't let me wake up with memories of murdering you. That would be really top notch.

[If she wasn't literally holding his face in place, he would have turned his head and slid his eyes away. Instead, he keeps them on hers. He is not very happy and not doing very well at hiding it, but he's more worried than anything else. He still wanted to argue, but he could tell that dragging this out wasn't going to help.

If he was going to save her, he'd have to do it without her knowing about it.

He's lost enough, lately.]

... I won't.

[There was a pause, his lips firming.]

You tell me to, and I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone you don't want to.

[Luci takes a minute, deciding if she's reading his offer right or not. It would be the ridiculous, heroic thing to do, though she's not inclined to immediately say no. Laura isn't going to do it, and Luci's having serious doubts about Cassandra following through now that they're getting on of all things, so that would leave Baal. Dio was a definite no, Baphomet she has a feeling wouldn't involve himself in his own laundry regimen if he could help it, and Woden--]

[Ugh. Woden would probably let it happen and find it hilarious.]

[She closes her eyes, takes a patient breath and lets it out.]

You think you can do that? Man versus God? Alright flyboy-- [She rises up on her knees and scoots until she's pressed her body to Poe's and driven him back into the confessional wall.]

Pin me, and you've got the job.

[He can feel his heart rate spike, his head pressed hard against the wall and he's very aware, suddenly, of her proximity. But his lips are still in a thin line.

He doesn't doubt for a second that she's stronger than him. After all, he's no god, he's not even really a soldier. He's a pilot. Even if she weren't a god, there's a good chance she could take him.

But he has a gun. And he's a good shot.

And he knows he could do it, whatever the hell that says about him.

But pinning her? Okay, might be a little more difficult in the moment.

He draws in a breath, the plan formulating in the same second that he enacts it - hands gripping the bench he's on as he kicks in his flying powers. The entire confessional rises sharply several feet into the air and then drops - jolting both of them inside, and at the same moment he throws all his weight forward into her to try to pin her to the floor of the booth.]

[Luci, of course, has no flying powers. She's also never really paid much attention to anybody else's, so it's quite shocking when suddenly they-- hell the whole structure-- is suddenly airborne. Luci stares at Poe as they rise up, eyes wide in total shock, and before she realizes it they're falling and Poe is on top of her as the dust clears. She coughs, completely unhurt, and presses against Poe's hands in a soft effort to sit up.]

FUCK! Ow, get off!

[His expression isn't amused, and he's got both hands on her shoulders, frowning down at her.]

I'm serious, Luci. [And he'll stay where he is for just long enough to make it clear that when he pulls back, it's not because she told him to. He's pretty sure it's a test, and he wants to pass. It's important. So when he sits up, it's to basically sit back on her thighs.]

No games, no jokes. I'm giving you a path of self determination, if you want one.

You tell me to, and I'll do it.

No questions asked.

[Well shit, he is serious. Luci expected him to apologize and get off of her with all due haste if she threw one easy lie at him. That's the trouble with being worshiped-- none of these people want to hurt her. She has no idea how Inanna's brain worked when they went Imperial, she doesn't even want to know, but she knows that if she has the chance to lie, she will. They have to be ready for that.]

[She looks up at him, surprised again, and is still until he pulls back. Luci sits up slowly and props herself up with her hands behind her.] Yeah, I want it.

[After a moment she smirks a little and fixes Poe's ruffled hair.] You have more surprises up your sleeve than I gave you credit for.

[ In any other situation, had she done that, he would have been far too pleased. Would have given a cocky grin and wet his lips and been far too charming for his own good. But he couldn't. The problem was he didn't want to hurt her. And he certainly didn't want to kill her.

But he could. And if it saved her from herself - from everyone else - he would. Even if he never forgave himself for it. ]

What, you didn't think a flyboy could fly? [ He tries, at least, to make it sound like a joke. It comes out a little too dry. He's still sitting back on her thighs - he hasn't gone to move himself from her lap.]

I've got a few, but I'm not gonna play all my cards.

Smart choice. You never know who's going to decide to stab you in the back one morning.

[Luci's usual grin fades in the face of his half-formed joke. She hates doing this, she really does-- she'd much rather see her people happy and fierce in the middle of their fight, not disheartened by something that Luci has unwillingly embraced, but embraced nonetheless.]

[She runs her hand down from his hair to cup his cheek, stroking her thumb over his quite sharp cheekbone and trying to get him to look at her.] Don't look so defeated, darling. If this happens, we'll laugh about it over drinks after the fact. I promise. This is nothing more than me asking you to fetch my smokes from the corner store. An errand.

[MASK OR MENACE] IC Contact

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)