009 | Video | Day 115

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar appears in the feed looking bored and restless. He's run out of alcohol, in point of fact, and he's stressed about it. The cure, obviously, is conversation.]

Kore. I've decided to follow in our dear Castiel's wingprints, albeit belatedly. Believe it or not, I'm an angel of the Lord. And the handful of you who didn't already know that are welcome to ask questions.

For everyone else: did you know that the meter of 'Amazing Grace' is such that it can be sung not only to the traditional tune, but also to the tunes of both 'House of the Rising Sun' and the theme song from Gilligan's Island? [How does he know this? It may be better not to ask.]

I'll prove it if someone insists, but you'll be sorry. This vessel isn't built for singing.

Comments

[servingmichael]

No, I don't know. Castiel just declared war, in my case.

[ Which is probably why he's willing to bend - he didn't want a war and really, the reality that a little brother he loved was waging war on him hadn't really sunk in.

There's nothing there, or at least nothing that looks out of place. Nothing at all, until Balthazar actually sings the hymn. ]

[tryingitall]

Oh. [He pauses briefly, uncertain.] I'm sorry, I had forgotten.

[Then, feeling just a bit awkward, he scans the page and clears his throat. When he begins, it's with the traditional tune, just to remind himself what it's meant to sound like. True to his word, his vessel's vocal chords don't produce terribly impressive noises, but he's roughly on pitch.]

[servingmichael]

It matters less here.

[ Not 'doesn't matter' - because it does. The Host is full of Rebels and traitors, more Michael could ever understand, more than Raphael had thought, even if they didn't rebel in ways different from himself, and it mattered, mattered because they had given so much to Earth already and he was loath to give more. But it mattered less, and Raphael was going to hold onto that.

And nothing happens right away, or at least appears not to - not that Raphael's face gives anything away, he's listening to Balthazar sing, even if he's not completely on pitch or impressive, because he likes music, quiet and apprecative - but by the end of the hymn, there's a halo hanging over Balthazar's head, glowing faintly, cycling through the visible light spectrum. In bright sunlight it won't even be noticeable! ]

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar doesn't notice much until he's well into the last stanza. Then the change of colors flickering across the paper, combined with the tingle of power unfolding makes him slow, pause, glance up...

And then he finishes the last couple lines anyway, through grinning. When the notes fade, he looks at Raphael.] What, no glitter?

[servingmichael]

[ Oh Balthazar. Raphael and Gabriel are getting along, you need to step up your game. ]

It didn't do that to me.

[tryingitall]

You've got magic hymnals lying around? What happens if I sing 'Onward Christian Soldiers'?

[Tentatively, he reaches up as if to touch the colored lights.]

[servingmichael]

[ He can touch them. They might be a little warm but nothing else. ]

I don't know, do you know all the words?

[tryingitall]

Not offhand. It is going to hit me with lightning or something if I forget the lyrics? [Dropping his hand again, he raises an eyebrow at Raphael. How much trouble is he in here?]

[servingmichael]

No, it won't.

[ But it might glow brighter. And not missing words might make it glow dimmer. Get enough right and will vanish. ]

It won't harm anyone.

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar hmms skeptically, but he's far more amused than offended. As practical jokes go, this one is downright sweet. Then again, the fact that Raphael's seen fit to prank him in the first place might not bode well in the long term.

Ah, well. He flips through the hymnal until he comes to 'Low in the Grave He Lay', and gamely begins to sing again. This one, he doesn't know as well, but he seems to enjoy the chorus.]

[servingmichael]

[ It's testing the water, more than anything. Give him a bench mark for when he and Gabriel get bored.

No, no, this doesn't bode well at all.

But at least knowing this one dims it a little. Raphael wonders how long it will take Balthazar to get the game. ]

You enjoy that one.

[tryingitall]

The chorus sounds like trumpets. It's very...I don't know, hearty? Or something like that.

[He eyes the halo speculatively, then holds out the hymnal toward Raphael.] Aren't you going to sing one?

[servingmichael]

[ He doesn't disagree with Balthazar's assessment.

Then glances down at the hymnal. ]

No, I'm not.

[ Did you get set up little brother? Yes yes you did. ]

[tryingitall]

You planned this. [It's the mildest of accusations. He's actually flattered. And he didn't realize Raphael had it in him to play a joke. Maybe this place isn't all bad, after all.

Still, he has to at least pretend to be annoyed, so he shakes his head and clicks his tongue as he flips pages again, looking for another hymn he can live with. Eventually, he pauses on 'Steal Away', though he has to take a minute or two to remind himself how the tune goes. It's a safe bet it was the mention of thunder and lightning in these lyrics that made him pick them.]

[servingmichael]

Oh yes I did. [ At least he's honest in his scheming? Even if it's a very minor joke, simple in what it is, but creative in how he managed it, which is the huge difference between him and Gabriel - Gabriel was over the top and flashy, Raphael subtle and quiet.

He ducks his head as he listens, a faint smile spreading across his mouth, eyes closed contentedly. ]

I like that one.

[tryingitall]

Frankly, I'm amazed you can enjoy my singing, mediocre as it is. It's rather flattering. [He looks up for the progress on his halo.]

You ought to choose the next one.

[servingmichael]

It's the emotion behind it. [ There's some progress at least! ]

All right.

[ He takes the hymnal, turning it to Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night - there are others he favors, but there is some thing about calling for peace, for the return of the Star of Morning, of the lost son to come home - Raphael is fond. ]

((Ha, that's one of my favorites.))

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar's not familiar with this one, and he takes a long moment to scan first the lyrics, then the music, humming slowly through the tune. It takes him two tries through the hymn to feel comfortable with actually singing, but once he does, he thinks he can tell why Raphael likes this one. He gives a wistful little smile as he winds through the second verse.]

((I forgot the name of it and had to google))

[servingmichael]

[ It's a risk, to show this side to Balthazar - it's close to disapproval of The Plan, to wanting to change what is supposed to be, but he's more discontent with things than he's willing to admit. ]

You're getting better.

[tryingitall]

[Maybe he should be alarmed by the hints that Raphael is as lost as the rest of them. At the moment, it's almost reassuring. Maybe Balthazar isn't crazy, after all.]

I'm enjoying this more than I'd have thought. We ought to all get together for a singalong. [Okay, that last bit was flippant, but he does seem to be settling in.

He closes the book now, though, and takes up a different song, something between hymn and lullabye.]