010 | Private Audio to assorted residents | Day 117

[tryingitall]

[Things suddenly got complicated. Crowley is a manageable annoyance, as far as Balthazar is concerned. He's been here before. Michael, though...

Honestly, he'd rather have Lucifer back, and he feels just a bit guilty for it.

The net result is that he's on edge and worrying what this means for certain friends and acquaintances around town.]

Private to Donna

I'd like to visit as soon as possible, if I may. Some of the new arrivals are...look, let me come and set up some warding for you, please, love?

to Ellen

Do you know how to angel-proof? Might want to consider it. We've got a volatile situation.

to Raphael

Have you met the boy with Dean's face? Alec. How close to Dean's genetic makeup is he, do you suppose, and what, if anything, ought we to do about cutting off potential trouble there before it starts? [Because he can't see Alec being anything but obnoxious toward Michael, and probably rather incautious, as well.]

to Castiel

[A brief, simple audio:] Cassi? Do me a favor and don't do anything foolish.

to Mina and Fortescue

Hello! I've been distracted by our new arrivals. If you're not worried, you should be. But I've promised to introduce you to one another. Would you be available to meet at the library after dusk? I can explain more then.

Comments

[VOICE; LOCKED]

[primogen_vampirate]

That's a rather ominous greeting, darling.

Everything all right?

[VOICE; LOCKED]

[tryingitall]

Not exactly. I've exceeded my limit on archangels. Michael is here. I'm not sure how much he'll care about anyone here who's not a sibling or his vessel, but...

[He pauses, confidence audibly shaken.] Well. If you haven't spoken to him yet, I'd recommend holding off on it.

[primogen_vampirate]

Another archangel?

[She's been lucky so far. Gabriel's a ball and Raphael is...tolerable. But her luck can only go so far.]

Balthazar, why do you think it is that these scientists are so fascinated with members of your family?

[tryingitall]

The eldest, yes. [Perhaps they've all been lucky. And to think, he was worried when he arrived and found out Raphael was here.]

I'm sure I don't know. I wish they'd stop bringing us in. One more archangel and we've got the full bloody complement for the Apocalypse.

[primogen_vampirate]

All that power and yet we still can't escape?

Something seems fishy to me.

Private

[justrunsasaloon]

[She's SO THRILLED that Michael has appeared. Let her tell you!]

No. You willing to do it, even if it keeps you out?

Private

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar can't tell for sure whether even Raphael is happy to see Michael. He'd think he would be, but there's so much potential for things to go wrong, maybe the stress outweighs the affection at this point.

Anyway, Balthazar's alarmed, whether he's ready to admit it or not.]

I'll give you instructions, but in return I want you to promise if things go wrong you'll make sure Donna and Rat get a safe place to lay low while the dust clears.

[Because they've got no magic or special powers to help defend themselves.]

And also, if any of my brothers ask, you didn't get the information from me.

Private

[justrunsasaloon]

I don't know Donna, but I can promise that. And don't worry, I know how to keep my mouth shut.

Private

[tryingitall]

Consider it a deal. [You're lucky, Ellen! Last deal he made was for a soul. But he won't be mentioning that, since the last thing he wants is to give his brothers reasons to smite him.]

I'll come by late tonight.

[ voice - private ]

[noblexcompanion]

You know you can always come by any time. Is this anything to do with Crowley showing up again?

[ voice - private ]

[tryingitall]

I'm less worried about Crowley than about Michael. As long as you don't make any deals with Crowley you ought to be all right.

I'll be over in just a minute.

[ voice - private ]

[noblexcompanion]

I'll be here. Feel free to just pop in. [ Quite literally. ]

Re: [ voice - private ]

[tryingitall]

[And so he does! When he appears, though, he looks more serious than usual, even anxious. He has a smile for her, though, and reaches to kiss her cheek.]

Hello, love. Let me explain...it's not that I think anyone will deliberately try to harm you. But the more of my family shows up here, the more likely it is there'll be fighting, and that's never safe for innocent bystanders.

[audio]

[blackmagus]

I'll be there. I'd say with bells on, but that would be rather noisy. What do I need to worry about?

[Guess who really has no idea who the new arrivals are. Other than cheesed off, but that's every new arrival.]

[audio, locked]

[tryingitall]

My eldest brother seems to have arrived. Quite apart from it being yet another alarming example of the power this place wields, he's...extremely single-minded. And not all of us have agreed with him in the past.

[audio, locked]

[blackmagus]

When you say single-minded, I assume you don't just mean peeking under skirts and hitting on the fellows with big arms. [That would be far too convenient, Fortescue.] As much as I adore you, Balthazar, our captors do seem to have an unusual taste for angels.

[She really hopes that they don't switch to the Guides and Behemoths from back home, or else the Cape is going to become uninhabitable.]

Do you think he'll try to put the place under his, ah, 'jurisdiction'?

[audio, locked]

[tryingitall]

No, darling, that's me. [For just a moment, there's a hint of laughter in his voice, but he's quick to grow serious again.]

But thank you for the adoration, and likewise.

[He takes a breath, considering.] I'm genuinely not sure. I imagine he'll expect the angels here to follow his orders, and possibly lean on the humans from our world. [As for the demons...Balthazar doesn't envy them.]

Those of you who come from different dimensions, though? He might not bother.


((Link to log post for Bal and you and Mina.))

[ video - private ]

[servingmichael]

I have met him, and I don't think he shares enough to be an issue in the same way Dean is. Not that there aren't other problems.

[ video - private ]

[tryingitall]

That's a relief, at least. Should I warn him not to mouth off at Michael? Honestly, I'm not sure whether he'd listen to me or take it as a challenge.

I rather like him; I'd prefer he not end up smote.

[ video - private ]

[servingmichael]

You should, Michael's getting a good deal of heavy news.

[ There's a pause, a moment. ]

I need to talk to you in person. Where are you?

[ video - private ]

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar makes a mental note to message Alec as soon as possible. Hopefully he's not already too late.]

My garden. Where I usually am.

Although I can meet you elsewhere, if you want me to.

audio; locked;

[happytobleed]

I'm not sure what you would qualify as foolish.

audio; locked;

[tryingitall]

[About 99% of everything you do these days, Castiel.

But that's not diplomatic. Balthazar takes a deep breath.]

I don't have a list, darling, sorry. I don't...you just...

There's no way this isn't going to blow up in our faces, you know.

audio; locked;

[happytobleed]

I know and my priority is keeping the people who matter most to me safe.

[ He loves the angels, even Raphael and Michael in some way, but if they make him choose, they won't like the choice he makes. ]

That includes you.

[ Because Balthazar has made his feelings clear and snark or not, he doesn't ask Castiel to turn his back on the Winchesters or Meg. Just that means a lot to Castiel. ]

audio; locked;

[tryingitall]

It shouldn't. Include me, I mean. Don't risk yourself for me, under any circumstances.