Character Meet and Greet

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"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."

I. Exploring Main Street! Take a trip through a little town taken straight from 1890's America. Visit the shops, dine at the restaurants- but don't forget you are here on a mission. As an Apprentice, you will need to gather some supplies. A weapon, or tool for producing magic.

But we understand if that corn dog cart on Market Street is your first stop.

II. Apprentice Class 101! Practice your spell casting and weaponship on the open commons behind the Firehouse. Sparring, casting or just general confusion abound here. Try not to hit anything or...anyone, the paint on the infirmary is still drying.

III. Look out! A level 2 corroded monster has managed to get onto Main Street! Protect the citizens and defeat the cur, and please watch the damage, the paint is still wet!

IV. One Little Spark! Go ahead, show us the strength of your imagination and come up with your own scenarios. Just, stay out of the Corroded Lands...if possible.

Comments

[serpentinthegarden]

It was a common misconception that snakes had only one expression. Actually they had many and during the course of that one conversation Crowley ran through several. A fond smile as Azriaphale laughed at his hissing so near the angel's ear, another time, another place and he would be tempted to try that again. Sarcastic pity as the poor angel had to climb up those rusty rungs. And a smug smirk as Azriaphale found himself wedged in the window... if only there wasn't a bloodthirsty werewolf hunting them.

"It looks to me this window is doing more thwarting."

Snaking his way around the angel's neck he dropped into the room. Here the carpeted floor was able to break his fall and he could will himself back to his usual demonic self without risk of being eaten or crushed. The shocking pain from his shoulder returned as his arms did but he gritted his teeth against it and reached for Azriaphale's hand with the uninjured side.

"Maybe that's what we could do. Stay up here long enough with the open window and it could be his backside wedged in it instead of yours."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

With relief, he reaches for Crowley's hand, spotting the pain but not able to do anything about it at the moment.

"That's--" He grunts and wriggles. "Surprisingly well-thought out. We could" grunt. "Do that and" gasp. "Bring someone more competent from town... I should never have eaten that second helping of Blanquette de veau."

He sucks in a breath and manages to wiggle free, though not before wrenching one wing in the process and nearly tumbling to the filthy floor.

"I am going to bathe for ages when this is over." It hardly seemed fair that he was in this mess to begin with. Wincing, he reached back to massage the wing joint while looking up at Crowley.

"How are you?"

[serpentinthegarden]

He shrugged, only with the good arm, and craned his neck to look past the angel to his wing.

"I've been better."

Aside from the wing and the stains on his favorite jacket, Azriaphale seemed well but he still asked with that slight hint of barely concealed concern, "You?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes.

"I shudder to think."

But he does think, getting himself up and tugging his vest down, frowning at the great muddy pawprint on it. And the coat... Who knows? He had kept this coat in perfect condition and now it was probably a nightmare.

But there wasn't anything either of them could do about it so he took a deep breath to center himself.

"Well, we're alive, aren't we? That's a start... And perhaps... with some work... these stains-- may come out. If nothing else it's a lesson in humility and attachment... It's a good learning experience..."

Though why did it have to be on his favorite coat?

"I'm grateful to have had it." It was perfectly tailored just to him and he had gotten it just after-- Well, it was best not to think about it. His poor coat.

"Crowley, we simply must get out of this place."

[serpentinthegarden]

Crowley stayed quiet while Azriaphale went on about those lofty morale lessons, just giving him that pitying look that so often went along with such statements. A learning experience? Poor deluded angel. The only thing this experience was was a massive cock up. If he had been paying more attention that damn werewolf wouldn't have been able to touch him, Azriaphale wouldn't have been nearly killed, and his jacket would have remained as white as it ever had been. He would wish it all away if he could.

"Off this world and back to Armageddon?"

He stepped forward to dust some rust from Azriaphale's sleeve, that at least came away easily enough.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He has gotten good at ignoring that look-- or anyway, well knows Crowley's thoughts about things. They are on different sides after all. Even so he can't help but be a little fond as Crowley brushes rust from his sleeve.

"Yes. Obvously. Oh, I know how it sounds. But we have an obligation, don't we? And we certainly can't stay here. If we must die in fire and chaos it's better to die for something we're willing to fight for. Though..." A wince, but he doesn't finish the thought. They wouldn't die, of course. At least not right off. But be sent to fight. And there was no avoiding it this time. It was very possible they would have to fight one another and the thought chilled him to the bone.

Best not think about it.

"Anyway, now that we're here, we need to find some way to lure that monstrous thing after us. To get it stuck. With any luck, we'll be back by lunchtime. Even though every place I've hit so far has food swimming in gravy. It's a veritable flood. That's how you know it's America, I suppose. Gravy and ketchup." He makes a face, then pulls in a breath as he unconsciously settles his wings against his back, only to have a streak of pain go through that blessed joint.

Can't even heal himself.

What a disaster.

[serpentinthegarden]

"We're fucked either way, Azriaphale. Either we stay here and die or we go back there and watch the world burn... No matter which side wins we will lose."

Crowley scowled and cast a look back towards that small open widow as one of the monster's howls was carried past them on the wind.

"Think if I had to go I'd rather have it be like this."

At least they were together. His hand tightened on the angel's shoulder. It wasn't that he wanted to die, he very much didn't, but at least this was something more than he'd had a few hours ago when he felt he was alone and abandoned. Azriaphale lost to that damned ineffable plan...

The angel's eyes were the most wondrous of blues, often so full of light and joy, now they seemed more sad. Wasn't right really, for an angel to be sad. Wishing it to be otherwise lit a fire in his own golden set.

"But if we are going down, we're taking him with us! Go fill the ice bucket over there with water from the bathroom. Soak the window, the floor, the curtains, everything."

And with that he was off to collect a ceramic vase style lamp from the battered side table. He unplugged it carefully from the wall near the bed and ran it over to plug it back in to the wall just under the window.

Then he did the most brilliant thing ever, stuck his head out the window and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"We're over here you stupid mongrel! Did you really think you could track us?! What a pathetic excuse for a werewolf you are!! Your fleas could do better! COME ON! If you think you can win, we're waiting for you!!"

And the monstrous creature responded with a howl that swept through the alley and grew louder as the creature neared.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"We-- we are not. We are not! We're doing something aren't we? We've still got a chance. I refuse to give into those doubts. It's that sort of thing that gets you cast out." And he refused to give into it. Not when they still had a fighting chance.

He looks away from Crowley's blazing eyes and shakes his head at his language.

"No one is going anywhere. Certainly not here." He's muttering it to himself as he does what he's asked, trying not to look in the cracked bathroom mirror as he does so. He looks an absolute fright he knows, but that doesn't matter.

He focuses the next few moments on flooding everything he can with water, back and forth until his hands feel numb. He shivers at the howl.

"Well now, what, Crowley. Do you intend to drown him? Because if that's your plan I'm going to need a bit more time." He sounds a bit frantic only because he is.

[serpentinthegarden]

"Drown him in two inches of water?"

Crowley turned again to the window to yell some derisive about the werebeast's mother before unwinding the coils of the lamp and bringing it over so he could stand next to Azriaphale. Wing to wing whatever happened next.

"This place is a dump. Noticed it the first second we came in through that window. Hasn't been used in years!"

The beast howled again and this time there was another sound, the loud scraping of claws on the rungs of a ladder.

"But one thing it does have..."

The glass shattered sending shards spinning across the room as the creature burst in through the window.

"... is electricity!"

Crowley flicked on the lamp and threw it at the soaking wet wall, smashing it soundly, and if in the process of doing so his dark wing might brush past Azriaphale's white one... it was purely accidental and not a goodbye in case this didn't work.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Oh for heaven's--!"

He may have yelped as the wolf burst through, one hand flailing out for a miracle that wouldn't happen, the other grabbing Crowley's tightly as he closed he squeezed his eyes shut.

A high pitched whine of wolf and electricity filled the room, but in a second it was over and there was nothing. No sound at all but the smell of burning fur. Cautiously opening one eye, he saw the creature very much dead, slumped on the windowsill.

"The poor thing. You know, I bet he was just hungry."

[serpentinthegarden]

"Poor thing!? Have you forgotten he wanted to eat us?"

Azriaphale had't he knew. The silly angel was able to find some measure of compassion for every living creature, even those that now reeked of burned fur.

But speaking of hungry...

"We should leave," Taking advantage of the angel's hand he starting leading them towards the apartment door, "Let some one else clean this up. We'll look for a good dry cleaner, maybe a few ice packs, and find a good restaurant... there has to be one here some where or this dump never would have any guests.
Besides... before we decide anything we should have a look around, shouldn't we?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Yes, well..." He doesn't know what to say about any of it. He's a bit out of sorts. Enough so that he takes a bit of comfort in Crowley leading the way, thinking up all the practical things to do. He can only nod. Ice packs. Dry cleaning. Definitely. Restaurant.

"Surely there must be somewhere worth eating at. Though honestly, what I want most is a stiff drink and a bath? Care to join me?" He's trying to be flippant and jovial but sounds a bit strained, adrenaline still going through him.

[serpentinthegarden]

Both eyebrows shot straight up his forehead and a wicked smile spread across his face... and before he could stop it he found himself foolishly saying.

"A long hot soak would be good for this shoulder."

It had been an invitation to join in but some how he doubted the angel had really heard the way that had come across. Booze, bath, and some one to share that with... come on! He had to know! Even Azriaphale couldn't be that naive!

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He clicked his tongue, deciding to completely ignore that smirk and all it implied.

"I meant with the drink, obviously." A bath... well curiously that concept had gotten rather intimate. It didn't used to be. But things were different now and feelings as well and it was just best to not.

He realized he was still holding Crowley's hand and let go as if it had burned him, straightening his vest.

"But I'll let you have first go at the bath."

[serpentinthegarden]

He did try not to look disappointed. There was still the wine and dinner to look forward to.

"Obviously."

Crowley reached out to open the door, just to allow Azriaphale to proceed ahead of him into the hall so he could look for that elevator of his. He would take that first go at the bath. Take it and never apologize for using most of the hot water.

Wait.

"That does mean we have to find a room first. They have to have places better than this one?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"I hope so," he murmured as he moved out into the dim hallway ahead of Crowley. "There must be."

But even if there was, as it turned out, there wasn't much they could afford. Even together, the most they could come up with was a cramped little hotel room with a single bed. In all honesty it felt a bit like a set up from a very lurid novel-- but the less thought about that the better. Anyway at least it's clean and at least what is displayed on the room service menu looks edible if not refined. There's hardly room to turn about and spread ones wings in but... well... be grateful for the small miracles he supposes.

He missed his shop and Soho and everything about the world that made it so delightful. But now, he winced slightly as he tried to massage his wing joint again, he was feeling decidedly more-- well-- human than he felt comfortable with.

[serpentinthegarden]

That was hurting him. Crowley who had plopped himself into the nearest, and only, chair in the room had noticed Azriaphale wince. What was it humans did when they had a pain? The bath idea had been vetoed but... He stood and made his way over to stand just behind the angel, a hand coming to rest on the sore joint as he tried to work the soreness out of it with a few well placed squeezes. Massage they called it. Another wonderful human invention! They could actually be quite brilliant.

"We should rest here for a few hours, use the time to get cleaned up," he bobbed his head towards a small table that had several leaflets on it and a touch of snark slipped into his word, "Read the brochures."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

One of the best human inventions bar none. Neither heaven nor hell but wonderful just the same.

"Harder, dear, I'm not spun glass, you know. I can take quite a pounding." He chuckles at his little joke. "A little to the left.. Just a smidge more... oh yess." He closes his eyes, humming softly at the sensation, it hurts a little but it feels so very good.

"Slap me in a room with hands like yours and I would fall in seconds." He stretches his wing to give him slightly better access and sighs again in bliss.

There was hardly room enough in the shower to turn around, let alone cleaned up. And as for the brochures, well... he was sure they would be entertaining. But just for this moment, none of that mattered.

[serpentinthegarden]

Safely hidden behind the angel's wings he allowed the smile to take over his entire expression. He could have pointed out that Azriaphale was in a room with his hands, alone even, instead he snickered through the smile.

"Fall in seconds?"

If only!

"I doubt anyone's around to keep score on that anymore."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He sighs, with a faint smile. Oh, Crowley.

If only he hadn't said anything. If only he hadn't repeated that because it makes Aziraphale tense all over again, sending a hasty thought to whomever may have heard it that he hadn't meant it and especially not when a demon was giving him a heavenly massage.

Yet what is said is said.

"But they will... Eventually." And he is not going to get into something that it will be too hard to get out of.

"Thank you that was quite nice." He moves away, folding his wings behind his back and it does feel much better.

"Well! I suppose one of us ought to rinse off. Why don't you do that and I'll fetch something to eat? I'm getting a bit rumbly myself and could use a little nosh."

[serpentinthegarden]

"I don't see why," Crowley frowned after the retreating angel. "I'm not going to tell them and I doubt any one followed us out here. We didn't even know we were coming!"

Though as he thought about it abandoning Earth and taking up on some other world with Azriaphale did sound like a good idea. No more angels, no more demons, no more Antichrist... just the two of them.

He didn't push it further than that however, just lumbered back over to the chair to lean against it as he pressed a hand to his shoulder. Doubtless it sported a large purple crescent shaped bruise where the can had struck him and it had hit with such force that it was swelling very nicely now. He snarled as he realized he could barely lift the arm at all.

"You'd better use it."

He would just flop back into this chair for the evening and try not to wince. With such a limited movement there was little chance of his taking a shower as he wasn't about to with his jacket and shirt on and he couldn't exactly remove them.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"We're going back eventually. I am any way." But he won't force Crowley back into that situation. "So it's better to keep things as they are. The good old status quo as it were." A smile. "Isn't that what we do?"

The balance was essential. Too much of either and things...things went horribly.

And then that. That big pained brooding flop in the chair moment. Honestly. It made his heart ache.

"Absolutely not. Listen-- I'll go out and get food and then I am helping you-- So you may as well get out your resentment now because I'm not giving you a choice in the matter."

It was his fault he was in pain after all, and even if it wasn't--! Even if he couldn't-- even if they couldn't-- He could at least look after Crowley without having anyone breathing down his neck.

[serpentinthegarden]

Resentment came with a snarl. Status quo was what they had done but they had nearly died today! They had never done that before... And as it turned out it was true what humans said about the experience, it did make you question the course of your life.

Well, it made him question it, apparently it made Azriaphale run back to the status quo.

"I don't need your help, angel."

He did. He even wanted it.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Good. That's a great start. Keep going with that and I will be right back."

He went out the door in a flurry, annoyed that he was annoyed. He expected it, of course. And Crowley didn't need his help perhaps but he needed someone's help and given that Aziraphale was the only someone around, God help him, he was going to help Crowley get better even if... even if something!

[serpentinthegarden]

How deeply he rolled his eyes then returned to his sulking. Sulking about sulking.... sulking about lashing out... sulking about not being clever enough to find some way not to sulk...

And finally sulking about not having any plants to talk to about all this sulking!

There was a television in the room, one of those huge older models that the hotel had been too cheap to ever replace. Crowley grabbed the remote and turned it on. It was one of those TVs... where every single channel was static except for the one where there was a lot of screaming and moaning. Not really an angel-friendly sort of channel.

He decided to flick it off before Azriaphale returned. The angel did have to... this was the only room they could afford.