004 | Castiel | [video]

[happytobleed]

Has anyone seen Sam or Dean Winchester in the past few days?

[ He's actually concerned that Dean hadn't really come back at all. What if he'd been hallucinating? ]

Are--[ He's not sure of the best way to word this next question. ] Are Lucifer or Meg or Crowley really here?

[ How much of that had been in his own mind? How much had that drug affected him? ]

Comments

[villainized]

For what? Hm? What possible use could I have for someone like you?

[happytobleed]

You've missed a lot. You were right, though. You and I are very similar in a lot of ways.

[ He's not happy to admit that, but it's not something he can entirely deny at this point. He's killed so many of his brothers and sisters and for what? He had better intentions, of course, but that doesn't undo any of it. It can't.

He slaughtered his own family, betrayed his friends. It's no wonder that the only friend who will stand by him is Meg. He doesn't even deserve that. ]

[villainized]

Once, maybe. Even then, I doubt it. Not many angels have the power, the will, to overcome their conditioning and live for themselves.

Not many have the courage.

[ Especially when the reward for becoming an individual, an autonomous unit capable of exerting free will, is a cage in Hell. Lucifer can't blame anyone for not wanting that. He didn't either. ]

[happytobleed]

[ That strikes a chord in him. He thinks of all the angels who died, the ones he killed. He thinks of Rachel turning on him and how he had turned on Balthazar. So many of them hadn't even understood what they were fighting for. ]

It's not courage. They don't understand. They can't figure out what to do without orders. Many of them find death easier.

[villainized]

So why hasn't anyone stepped up and explained it to them? Give little free will seminars to the Host? I'm not saying they'll listen, but it might be better than giving up and letting them die.

[happytobleed]

I tried. They just... followed me instead of the others. They weren't thinking or agreeing with me. They were following orders like they always had. I don't think it's something you can teach them. They have to want to figure it out. [ He thinks of Balthazar. ]

[villainized]

Well, that's always been part of the problem, hasn't it? No one wants to think for themselves. And those that do...

[ Shrugging, he lets the sentence trail off for a moment before picking it back up again. ]

You've seen where we go, haven't you? Ah, but you got to waltz in and waltz right back out again.

[happytobleed]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I know exactly what happens to us, Lucifer. I was trapped in Purgatory before I woke up here. It's been years for me from whatever you last remember. Things didn't stop just because you were trapped again. They got worse.

[villainized]

[ It doesn't surprise him. Heaven's a mess. Of course it got worse. It always gets worse. ]

And let me guess. Everyone blames me.

[happytobleed]

No, that would be difficult, even for you. You've been trapped in your cage again or a while now.

[villainized]

[ His expression hardens at the mention of the cage. ]

Guess winning wasn't really winning, was it?

[happytobleed]

We all still came out of it better than you and Michael did.

[ A pause. ]

Michael is in there with you, by the way, and Raphael is dead.

[villainized]

And there's Heaven's mercy at work again.
[ Well, they were on passably civil terms. Nothing lasts forever. ]

I would kill you for that, Castiel, but unlike the rest of you, I understand what mercy truly is and you don't deserve it.

[happytobleed]

I don't see what you could do to me that our Father hasn't already done.

[ Being brought back, again and again. He sees it for what it is. It's punishment. ]

[villainized]

Oh, I can think of a few things. That's one of the perks of being idle for millennia. You get to hone your imagination.

[happytobleed]

[ Castiel doesn't quite resist the urge to roll his eyes. Lucifer is powerful and cruel, yes, but he's seen Crowley use far more creativity in his torture. It doesn't matter anyway, because Castiel is hardly an innocent. He'd much rather Lucifer come after him than someone else. ]

Then what would you do?

[villainized]

[ Lucifer laughs. It isn't a pleasant sound. ]

Ah ah ah. That would be telling, and where's the fun in that? But don't you fret, Castiel. You'll find out eventually.

[happytobleed]

I'm waiting with bated breath.

[ He knows better than to antagonize Lucifer, but he honestly can't make himself care. Sam and Dean are missing and he doesn't think Lucifer with go after Meg. He's more than welcome to come after Castiel. ]

[villainized]

Enjoy it while it lasts.

[ He lifts his other hand into view of the camera and wriggles his fingers, giving Castiel a little wave. That's all the warning he gets before Lucifer terminates the connection. ]