eyemind | time isn't real and the party is always } network + action

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time isn't real and the party is always } network + action

[hey, it’s a jack video! and she is grinning with excitement, because she has something cool to show you.]

So. Time is a construct, right? But it’s a pretty important one to a lot of us. We mark the passage of time in cycles, with celebrations, and I’m guessing most of us have missed at least one birthday, favorite holiday, or anniversary since we’ve been on this long, strange trip. For me, it’s been four birthdays since I was home. Not that I did a whole lot for my birthday, but it was still nice to take myself out for ice cream and check the box for surviving another year.

[the video feed flips around to show the observation room/lucifer’s bar, tastefully decorated with sparkly silver streamers and balloons. as jack slowly pans the camera across the room, you’ll see tables have been brought in and are loaded up with a variety of foods, an assortment of drinks, and of course a nice big cake.]

Anyway, whatever it is you’ve missed, we’re celebrating it - right now. So get thee to the observation room! If nothing else, you can celebrate an unbirthday with the rest of us.

[have a party mingle! or you can talk to jack on network, if you really want. feel free to assume your involvement with party setup, making food, etc. and have a good time!]

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[John's arrival and settling in period was marked with dramatics, fits, and futile attempts at opening portals. And then it was marked with isolation, keeping to himself while he wrote down rituals and spells in fear of losing them without the original books to guide him. And once he was done with all of that, he figured if nothing else he needed to get to know the other poor sods he was stuck with for the time being. And Jack's video provided the perfect opportunity to get out.

Constantine doesn't particularly feel like celebrating, but he's frankly tired of going out of his way to avoid people and moping alone in his room. So he makes his way to the observation room, ready to attempt to socialize for a while. If nothing else, there was food, and he's not likely to turn down a free meal.

John can be found at the party, either hovering around the drinks, enjoying a bite to eat, or observing the party with mild interest. Regardless, it feels good to be out of self-imposed isolation and with people again. Even if he'd never admit to it.]

[The duty of adding far too many over-sized snowflakes to the decorations had become an all consuming task, but not so much that Murmur wasn't going to notice and meander his way over to bother their newest resident.]

I was wondering when you might make your presence known.

[He mused quietly, sidling up not far from John as he conjured up a fresh snowflake sending it up to stick along a line of them near a light fixture.]

Overcome the initial disorientation and existential distress, have you?

[They've all been through it, after all. This one was a bit odd. When he spoke, it was in a soft monotone, no intent made clear in the lack of strong inflection. Nor did he make eye contact, wholly focused on his current task of generating icy decorations for the party. Even if he weren't, there's a strong probability he still wouldn't make eye contact.]

[John doesn't know what to think of Murmur. Besides the fact that he's instantly uncomfortable with him, and knows that something is entirely wrong with him. It doesn't hit how though at first. He's very used to the celestial energy of his home world, angels that work in a different way. Angels that feel different.]

Oh, I figured it was time to grace your lot with my company. [His tone is dry, he's still wary and irritable, even if food and drink have sweetened his mood a little.] Existential distress though, really? Sorry to disappoint, but I had a project that kept me busy. That's all.

[He's nearly angry at how long it's taking him to identify Murmur. It doesn't take him this amount of time usually, but he's still chasing the familiar, and here? That's nearly useless.]

Edited 2022-01-19 04:35 (UTC)

[Ah, now that's a familiar reaction. There's a brief show of teeth, as though John had touched upon some inside joke that only Murmur was privy to. The expression didn't last long, as quickly as the flash came it left leaving behind the usual unnaturally neutrality.

His eyes did flick briefly to John, an unnaturally vibrant green, before returning to his work. More snowflakes for the cluster.]

None of that? Excellent. The whining does grow tiresome. If I may... what kind of project?

[He fully expects to be rebuked. Mostly he's amused by the way John's looking at him. Looking for what? He wonders. Of course he can smell magic on the man, but beyond that he himself has made no effort to dig around. It would be rude, after all. With his own vessel heavily warded and his power intentionally dampened John's liable to have a harder time yet. He could ask, but what would be the fun in that?]

[And that quick flash of teeth at grace is what does it. It's a bloody angel, some sort of one anyway. He's almost certain of it. He feels different than Manny or Imogen did, John is almost certain that he's an angel none the less. And that's enough to sour his mood further, this is the last thing he wanted. He almost hopes that he's wrong.

It's bad enough having Lucifer on board with him, the big diva is obnoxious. But an oddball angel with stranger behavior than even John is used to from his kind on top of it? This is feeling less accidental now and closer to punishment. John doesn't want to even think of what he did to deserve this specifically. His list of sins is too long for casual pondering.]

Oh, I could change that up if you'd like. I can bitch and moan with the best of them. Especially when the drinks are free flowing. [There's one thing good about this situation, at least. This one has nothing to offer him, John won't have to cooperate, and can walk away when he likes.] As far as the project goes? It's nothing exciting. Just a little creative writing. [He doesn't know why he hasn't just walked away. Maybe it's because of his own bad tendencies to chase after power and the supernatural. Murmur is interesting. And John isn't entirely sure he's right in his assessment of him. So that curiosity is part of it too.]

[Angels often think they're hilarious with their tells. He will be impressed with how quickly John got it, though, few were that perceptive. Murmur wasn't exactly hiding anymore, but he was still playing by some rules of secrecy. He still can't just out and admit it for all the universe to hear without some guess-work going in.]

Of that I have no doubt, however, today is a celebration. Hardly time for moping, wouldn't you agree?

[Don't bring down the mood, John. You can do that later. Of course he noticed the souring, but he's avoiding pointing it out. Murmur will be glad to dance around the subject for a time. Makes the game more fun.]

Writing you say? A subject near and dear to me. Tell me, fiction, non? Perhaps something more esoteric?

[What is he needling for? Nothing, really, he's actually just bad at not coming off like a creepy weirdo. John's reactions just make it more entertaining. Truth be told he found the man more than a little fascinating. His suspicious nature and scent of magic was definitely enough to draw in a curious Celestial. Much to John's annoyance it would seem.]

Edited (Better words than phone tag) 2022-01-21 21:57 (UTC)

[Angels do have a tendency to fancy themselves clever when it comes to cryptic bullshit. John is certain that Manny likes to go and have whatever the angelic equivalent of a pint with his mates is after thoroughly fucking up John's day, sharing stories of the human he guided.]

Suppose it's as good a time as any. That's the nice thing about free will, isn't it? I can be as big of an arse as I want, whenever I want. [He doesn't intend to be purposefully foul tempered today. The food smells good, and he's had a drink in him already, so even with celestial company to complain about he's alright overall.]

Is it? Didn't know that your kind were much into the creative arts. I figured that was more Luci's gig.

[Cryptic bullshit can be a delightfully fun game, and angels have very little in their existence that's genuinely fun. Unfortunately John seems to have pulled the 'Celestial's favorite toy' card in his universe. An unenviable position to be in.]

That is your prerogative, most certainly. Far be it for me to tell you how to conduct yourself.

[John's already figured it out, otherwise he absolutely wouldn't have specifically brought up free will. Still, Murmur waits. He's not one that's quick to show his hand. The surliness is an interesting shift and he's almost certain it has everything to do with his presence but he just can't help but to pry. What is it about angels that angers the man so? Not that Murmur thinks for even a moment it's undeserved, he and his brethren are not the Hallmark Card beings popular culture would have you believe after all.

Ah, and there it is. Again that flash of teeth, a smile that doesn't reach the eyes and manages to look just a little too sharp and a little too predatory.]

You're sharp, John, very good. As for your question, no, traditionally the only artform we exercise is that of war. Short-sighted if you ask me, but no one has asked. [He finally levels his full attention on John, only briefly, yet in that brief moment under those unnaturally green eyes feels for all the world like having one's very soul peeled apart and inspected.

Again, it doesn't last long, his gaze drifts away instead to roughly where Lucifer is off playing his piano.]

A pity. There's so much value to be had in the pages of a good book.

[Something his siblings aren't generally very interested in.]

[Yes, unfortunately he's found himself in that position. And with a celestial that's hellbent on a goal constantly nipping at his heels, it's hard for him to see angels with the same level of charm that some others might.

They still have a large fan following, after all. John's just not part of that group.]

Good. Now that we've got that settled. [Oh, Murmur actually is unsettling him. Not that it shows. And not in the sense he expected, either. Manny is nearly violent in his intensity, very demanding, in John's face and constantly pushing him. This is an entirely different beast, and John doesn't like how his interest and curiosity keep flaring at the very unexpected differences.] You're sure no one asked? [John feels like Murmur has peered somehow through his skin, staring into blood and bone and magic for a moment. But even more strongly than that absolutely laid bare feeling that comes with Murmur's attention, comes the thought that the angel before him most likely asked. And when angels start asking questions, of themselves or others, that's when things get interesting.

And dangerous.]

I didn't expect us to share that in common. Can't say the same about my feathered prat. He's more about getting down to business. [He's not particularly thrilled at the idea of sharing a single secret with an angel, but he also knows that they have their ways of finding things out anyway. And if they're stuck together, out of range of the things that the creator can affect, it's not like it holds quite the same risk anyway.] Since you brought it up earlier, do you have much of an interest in the esoteric? Where do those interests lie? If we've got something further in common I might just indulge you a little.

[Even Murmur would agree that the reputation and adoration angels held was not a true reflection of their nature. Instead it was the result of a very effective PR team and heavy propaganda. They could be unbearable, and absolutely at their worst when on a mission as John likely knows all too well.

Truth be told, Murmur preferred him not being a part of the fan club. They, too, were unbearable.

The smile John was met with remained unfriendly. Not necessarily cruel, or even entirely unkind. Sharp, cold, and decidedly wrong. There was just something about this angel and the way he expressed emotions. Like he was only performing them in the barest sense of the word. An act, a mask he put on because he thought he should, not because it was genuinely reflective of the inner workings.]

No one that matters.

[He replied flippantly, almost sing-song in the dismissal. That didn't mean he didn't ask, and by that sharp unsettling smile and the way he eyed John like a puzzle he'd very much like to solve, it's very likely this angel was asking questions.

And just as John surmised, that was always dangerous.]

Procured for yourself your very own shoulder-angel? How unfortunate. Indeed, for immortal beings, patience is not always a virtue we embody. [Is he being honest or sarcastic? The monotone made it impossible to say. Maybe he's being completely honest.

However, that final question brought something more of a spark to the strangely icy being. A subject of genuine interest he was always delighted for the opportunity to share... it was just that very rarely did anyone actually care to ask.] Oh yes, you could say that. I am a scholar you see, a collector of all knowledge. [A scholar among warriors is definitely an odd position for an angel.] Magic is one of my preferred subjects.

[And philosophy, but he's not about to drop too many hints right out the gate. Please, entertain him, he finds you fascinating John.]

[This isn't John's first rodeo. He's used to creatures that don't act right, things that look human enough but act like they've got second hand knowledge on human behavior rather than actual experience. But it's especially odd here, there's something in Murmur's behavior that's a little harder to pinpoint. He feels off in a way that no angel John has come into contact with before has felt like.

He kind of hates it. It's exciting, in a way that usually ends with John hurt or in trouble.

The no one that matters is all the confirmation he needs. Not that he won't get more soon, every word that Murmur shares with John is information worth having, but damn if it's not a pain to try to translate it. Even speaking the same language, it's like Murmur is still using another tongue to communicate.]

Oh, you know how it is. Some great world-ending bullshit starts up, and halo crowd has to get moving. And that whole free will thing means they can't do it directly. [There's a bit of a bitter tone at the end, he has his doubts entirely about just how much angels can interfere.] So they pick a miserable sod to torment, in hopes of getting their work done for them. [He feels like Manny is up to no good, honestly. But that could just be that John is untrusting. Then again, who could blame him for that? He has little faith in celestials or their creator.

The talk of the angel being a scholar has John raising an eyebrow. That doesn't make sense for them. But it also has him drawn in further. Especially when Murmur claims magic as a preferred subject.] Magic as a whole? That's something. Usually a person only claims a couple of favored areas, and leaves the rest. [John isn't one of those people, though.] How do you feel about necromancy, squire?

[John isn't entirely wrong in his assessment. To Know a language was one thing, to speak it with enough precision to pass convincingly in brief conversation. But to understand the nuances, the slang, the metaphors was something else entirely. Especially when attempting to translate from a language that was generally so overwhelming to the subject you were speaking to they often lost their hearing.

Normally Murmur found conversation pleasant enough, sometimes even interesting, but with John it was something else. A game of cat and mouse, toeing just within the line of dangerous. It was clear John knew what he was dealing with, and that was a thrill, very rarely did Murmur have the pleasure of encountering someone who knew about angels. Really knew. Enough to pick apart the carefully placed hints, enough to understand the weight of his words. Most understood that being a scholar was isolating, but they didn't quite grasp just how anomalous that really was for an angel. Nor likely how dangerous that would be to admit.

This one waltzed the line of Blasphemy so close he'd been cut by the edge far more than he'd like to admit.]

Few realize just how often that takes place. [He murmurs, his voice soft. He closes his eyes and tilts his head up and faintly to the side, as though trying to listen for something. After a deep breath, only one, and at that moment pinpointing that up until then he hadn't been breathing at all, he let it out slowly. When he finally looks back down at John, never quite making direct eye contact, he seems more centered. He has to pick his words carefully here.] You disapprove of their methods. [It isn't a question.] Would you have them pick another?

[There's no comment on the free will thing. It's a delicate subject, one that must be handled with the utmost care. The bitterness is clear in John's tone, there's a story there, one Murmur might attempt to tease out. Just not right at this moment. His studies were a much more interesting topic than Celestial law and politics.]

I have my specialties, [He raises a gloved hand cupped as though balancing something on the copper claw-rings he wore on his first two fingers and thumb. Then, a snowflake formed in the space between, growing far beyond what nature would allow until it was approximately the size of a hand with the faintest of light within. This was the first time he'd taken to using his magic for something other than practicality or combat... and frankly he was rather proud of his work.] But I find all areas of interest.

[The question about necromancy earns something of an almost conspiratorial look.] Officially? [He already looks bored before he even begins to speak.] An abomination in His eyes, all that defiles shall be eradicated, so on and so forth. [Apparently he didn't care much for the "official" stance.] Unofficially it is an art I cannot experiment with directly. Diametrically opposed, you see. That said, I find it fascinating that it exists at all. What with the reverence your kind holds for empty vessels. Are you a practitioner?

[He's not going to do anything about it. Murmur is a Throne, not a Virtue. He has a lot of wiggle room to Not Get Involved.]

Action | OTA

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finally i come for you :3

Worth waiting for!