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[theunsmiling]

An angel clad in a denim jacket, torn blue jeans, and a white T-shirt with a crashed red rocketship and the words Science Fiction is Dead printed on it steps into the bar. She does not appear very happy, thin lines drawn around her mouth, arms crossed over her breasts, shoulders rigid.

This is what comes of attending parties in Hell. Though far more troublesome than devils has been the renewed violence between Faerie and human in New York. One boy is dead, and the Magus wounded. For all Michael's aid, there are limits to what may be worked through borrowed human flesh, even with prayer.

And if the Cat Anna is on the move -- what will be next? Shall there be deals with Dragons as well?

These concerns, among others, are what drives Michael to throw herself into a nearby booth, raising one hand to summon a waitrat so that she may keep herself occupied with coffee. Plain black coffee. And a doughnut. And several old books, among them a copy of Paradise Lost and several versions of the story of Faustus. Licking sugar from her thumb, Michael sets to work.

[ooc: Post open until it falls off the front page.]

[tinytag: Michael the archangel]

Comments

[parkerlee]

Coffee. Junk food. Lots of books. An unhappy expression.

It's a pretty familiar scene to Parker.

She pauses on her way past, her own books tucked under her arm, a small bouquet of bright flowers in her hand.

"Big test coming up?" she asks, sympathetically.

[theunsmiling]

Michael lifts her head, pausing to tuck a few strands of hair out of her face.

Forcefully.

"You could put it that way, I guess."

She looks Parker over, shifting position to rest her chin on one upraised hand.

"Is that something that's on your mind?"

[parkerlee]

Parker grins a bit and shrugs.

"In my world, midterms are looming. I thought I recognized the look."

The Foregoing sleep while trying to make brain stretch like Gumby, and not at all happy about it look.

"What class?" she asks, nodding to the books on the other girl's table.

[theunsmiling]

"Ah. Midterms. Finals are worse, or so I hear."

She turns the stack of books so the spines are facing Parker.

"Independent study, in a way. Are you familiar with literary devils?"

[parkerlee]

"Usually. If for no other reason than that the exhaustion has become well and truly entrenched."

Parker tilts her heads to looks at the books.

"Literary devils, huh?" Parker does have a passing familiarity. She'd had a teacher in high school who seemed to seriously crush on Milton.

"Sounds like an interesting study topic. You're an English major?"

[theunsmiling]

"I might have been," Michael says. "If I'd attended college."

She's always had other things to do.

"But I do think there's a great many truths in popular works of fiction. Particularly those that have withstood the test of time."

There's a weight to those words, for all that they are easily said.

"And you? What do you need to study for these midterms of yours?"

[parkerlee]

Parker is surprised for a brief moment. She had just automatically leaped to the assumption that the other girl was a college student. She certainly talks like one.

"I think there's a lot of truth in that," she says, nodding. "Especially, like you say, the ones that remain popular and relevant. They keep telling us things about ourselves, I guess."

Parker hefts her books slightly.

"Right now? Jane Austen. No literary devils, I'm afraid. Unless you count Caroline Bingley."

[theunsmiling]

"No, that one is none of Hell's."

Funny how Michael doesn't crack a smile at that one, isn't it?

"Nor is Wickham, surprising though that may be."

[parkerlee]

"Personally, I don't think Wickham was bright enough to be evil. Even given the greed and lying. But that's just me. Caroline, on the other hand? Totally manipulative."

Parker personally finds manipulative people to be worse than the ones who are outright obnoxious.

She looks curiously at the books again.

"So, you're not taking a course? Just reading up for fun?"

[justasaleswoman]

How about deals with demons?

Well, not deals, but . . .

"You seem to have survived the party in hell."

Hell ain't what it used to be, apparently.

(For one thing, Verity's hell is not big on parties.)

[theunsmiling]

Michael's expression goes flat, and she closes her copy of Paradise Lostwith an audible thump. It does not relieve any of her tension.

"Devils are too craven and too canny to take the offensive where I may get at them directly."

See: Verity for just one example!

[justasaleswoman]

"You are seriously nearly incomprehensible at times, Michael.

"Milton?"

[theunsmiling]

"Satan is very well-defined," she says, taking the high road and ignoring Verity's jibe.

Even if her chin tilts upward just a little.

"Much as thou might be, were thy position one of greater consequence."

[justasaleswoman]

"My position is of consequence enough, really."

Get much above her level and there's just too much management involved.

Verity likes to be more . . . hands on, where humanity is concerned.

[theunsmiling]

"A demon with modest ambitions. How unexpected."

Michael's voice is bone-dry, her expression one of barely-concealed disdain.

Much as it ever is, with Verity.

[justasaleswoman]

And yet Michael keeps lowering herself her talk to Verity.

How very puzzling.

"Never presume to understand the forces of Hell, Michael.

"You'd have fallen from your high and mighty perch if you could understand the way demons think."

[theunsmiling]

"Understanding does not predicate agreement. Or acceptance. Or fellow-feeling."

Really, now.

"Else thou wouldst find thy given task unpleasant, indeed."

[onceareaper.livejournal.com]

"Oi oi oi, so serious." The man in the bucket hat drawls, scooping up one of the books in one elegant hand and thumbing through it, idly.

[theunsmiling]

"A common affliction," Michael replies, reaching up to take the book back.

Her expression remains pinched.

[onceareaper.livejournal.com]

Nnnnnope, you can't have it back, Michael. Urahara is surprisingly agile as he slips away from her reach, still thumbing through the stolen book.

"That is what makes it so tragic. I can't imagine this book is helping."

[theunsmiling]

"You would find the Divine Comedy more appropriate?"

Michael is not laughing.

Not that she ever does. It's another of her afflictions. Thousands have complained.

It avails them nothing.

[onceareaper.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps - I have never read it." Flip! Urahara has decided that the book is not fit for cheering up of pretty ladies, and has thrown it... somewhere else.

And then he steals another one.

[theunsmiling]

He can try, but Michael is quick, too. And she can exert a lot of force for such a skinny girl.

(Or maybe it's a simple exercise in angelic power. The world may never know.)

"Do you often read books?"

[onceareaper.livejournal.com]

He pouts, before flaring his fan and retreating behind it.

"You wound me, pretty lady. Do I see an illiterate lout to you?"

[theunsmiling]

"As you threw one of my books across the room -- "

She spreads out both her hands, tilting her head very slightly.

"--Should I be seeing something else?"