16514/Interlude : What lurks in the shadows...

Interlude : What lurks in the shadows...
Date of Scene:	31 August 2024
Location:	Lucifer's Penthouse, Melville
Synopsis:	Lucifer invites Nick for lunch to discuss previous matters. Sinister arrives in Sinister fashion. The trio discuss several matters over tea and curry.
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Phantasm (Drago), Sinister

---

Lucifer has posed:
It's a few days after the trip to Hell, and only the early end of late afternoon hours. Lucifer has been working in the Penthouse, cleaning and trying to keep everything as neat and tidy as possible. He's also been cooking. Nothing fancy, but with the meal comes a text message sent to Nick. <<Hey. Got some food cooking up in the Penthouse if you're hungry. Come on up whenever you want. ~L.M.>>

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
In the course of a few days, Nick was busy. First. He slept. Then, he slept some more. And then-

Thought I was going to say more sleep, didn't you? Wrong! Then he left to go to a rehearsal and get some training in.

And then he slept more.

The most recent time wasn't intentional. Milie was in the middle of a drama marathon and Nick had just been sitting next to her, dozing off. But the little buzz of the phone causes for his eyes to open and for him to look to the cracked screen of his phone.

He really needs to take better care of his phones. But at least today the screen is still readable.

The dinner invite gets a small smile and a texted response back.

Be right there.'

It takes a few minutes but eventually the doors to the elevator parting ways announces the rocker's arrival. "Afternoon!"

Lucifer has posed:
As the elevator dings the arrival of Nick, he's greeted with a charming smile. "Hello! Glad you could make it. You want something to drink? Beer, whiskey, tea, water..." By this time Nick knows what all Lucifer and Nathaniel keep in the house drinks wise, but Nick is also the sort to never really have a 'regular' while visiting the Penthouse. The club? He has a favorite beer that the entire staff knows and always serves when asked.

The scent of food is a bit of a mixed back. Fresh and vibrant meeting umami and hearty. "Was feeling a little... I dunno what I really want... so there's greek salad and I've got some curry finishing up. How spicy can you handle, if at all?" Of course the man has other questions on the mind, but he's not going to just attack Nick with them. No no. Get him a drink, some food. Settle in. Then hit him with the hard stuff.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick briefly glances over to Lucifer as he's working on the food. "...Not too spicy for me." He responds before coming to join the devil in the kitchen. As the host is otherwise engaged, Nick sets about heating up the water needed to make tea.

Having had time to figure out where things are, he moves about to acquire the tea and mug. "Thanks for the invite. I hadn't even started thinking about dinner."

Lucifer has posed:
"Not to spicy for you. Got it." Lucky for Lucifer, he can add spice to his own separate dish later, leaving what's in the pot mild enough for most anyone. Unless someone thinks pepper is spicy. Glancing over as Nick begins to make himself tea, a little smile crosses his lips. "Good to see you're comfortable enough here now to help yourself. Takes a bit of pressure off me playing the perfect host." He grins at that.

"Not a problem. I don't really ever need to eat but.. I figured if I had something cooked up I could ask you to join me and we could maybe have a talk." At least letting Nick know there may have been a slight ulterior motive to all this. "How much of the other night do you remember? When you joined me and Spawn for a trip to Hell."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick glances back to the comment, sharing in the smile he sees upon Lucifer's face. "Well, it's less guest and host and more family visiting family. Isn't it?"

The smile strengthens. "And you don't need to have food prepped to have a talk with me if you want." Pale eyes look over to the pot, "Although, I will admit that it does make it easier to fill in the moments when you have to think of a response."

The cabinet clunks shut as the mug is tugged out. Part of the blame could likely be attributed to the question posed.

"That night? Huh..." Nick doesn't have food yet so the pause may be borderline awkward. "...I remember getting woken up by yelling downstairs, A spawn flying through the ceiling of the hotel room, me tapping into my powers and getting dragged down to Lux."

There's another pause. "...Up to closing the portal and you suggesting I go back to dream mode. The rest of it's... more bits and pieces."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer listens and nods along. He hadn't quite known about the getting dragged by Spawn bit, but that part does make sense. Things are finishing up on the cooking side now, so he grabs plates to dish up rice and top it with curry and then bowls of salads are done and all taken out to the table.

"I didn't think I was yelling that loudly. Sorry about that..." Cause he knew he had been the one yelling for sure. There's a pause as he goes to grab silverware to take to the table also.

"After you took down the portal and I suggested you go back to dream mode cause that's what had been protecting you in Hell to begin with... you went more... bad juju nightmarey. You even killed an angel...." He offers this much and then watches Nick - perhaps to gauge reactions.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick nods, glancing down to the floor. "I kind of remember that."

The water's going to take a minute to heat up so Nick follows Lucifer to help with setting up the table. It doesn't take long being there's two to do it and just two place settings.

"My sleep had been interrupted and I just expended a bit of energy to close a portal. If we'd have been anywhere else, I probably wouldn't have switched back." Dishes set, Nick moves back over to tend to the tea making process.

Pale eyes consider the kettle, "I'm not sure how to explain it. But- Dreams are not always the happy type. If I'm well rested, I tend to keep the form more-pleasant. But...the more tired I am, the more that is let loose. Stronger...but typically a bit more violent."

As the kettle starts to make noise, Nick starts prepping the tea. "...I try to keep on top of it by getting rest but sometimes I just overdo things."

Lucifer has posed:
"Ah. So it was more a reaction to your own self and...nothing that was brought on by the environment per se..." Lucifer says this in a voice that almost sounds relieved. "To be honest, I was worried that something in Hell triggered you...but explaining as you did makes a lot of sense..."

He actually walks over to the bar to fix himself a glass of whiskey which he carries over to the table. "I suppose the other reason to bring you here is because I'm fucking lonely. Never knew how much I would miss that son of a bitch until he actually left for a longer than normal time..."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
There's a hesitation to the assessment before Nick shrugs slightly. "More or less." He allows.

Tea now in hand, he moves back over to the table to join Lucifer.

"I could say I wasn't myself...but it was more like another self."

He slides into his seat, "One reason I ended up going to therapy for awhile."

An assessing glance is given to the food before him before he glances up to Lucifer. "I get the lonely feeling. You don't realize how much of an impact someone has on your environment until they're suddenly not in it anymore."

Lucifer has posed:
"I get it. You expended energy, there was a present threat, and you needed to phantasm to stay safe. We just saw the nightmare instead of the dream." Lucifer smirks, forking up some curry to consume and then chews thoughtfully. "I'm just glad the nightmare was on our side. Though I wonder if that would always be the case. Do you have control over it even if it's a more... dark side... of your phantasm'd self?" Basically a round about way of asking if there needs to be any worry of the Nightmare being -against- him or anyone else in the group that would otherwise be deemed friendly.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick is quiet as he considers Lucifer's question. The nightmare... Yes. Dreams have several forms to them. Much like people. Gentle and calm. Peaceful. The side one generally prefers to show the outside world. But it takes effort. And energy.

But when one's back is against the wall-

"..." Nick's lips part but sound doesn't come out. Seemingly second guessing what he was going to say.

When things get to the point where that other side of him has to come out. It can be hard to stop. And those moments can be hard to remember.

"Not always."

Sinister has posed:
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, no?

They certainly say so, that's a fact. Loneliness in mind might be a different matter than the physical, as Sinister is usually only a thought away, a constant presence in the back of the mind and occasionally a tickle behind the eyeballs. But even then sometimes, he can be quite quiet in thought, present but not really saying all that much. There's usually a reason for it, not that that matters at the end of the day.

He's also a man that occasionally has to walk the world not with a grandiosity, but with panache. That goes for making an entrance, too.

On the heels of Nick's reply, there's a humming, oh-so-brief, like a dynamo spinning far too fast and creating its own sonics -- and then, a pinkish purple circle of light at the ceiling, followed by a vertical drop of a body crackling with electrical charge and a minor amount of burned hair sizzle. It lands with a clonk, because the entire of the physical frame is currently metallic and JUST as the portal above begins to close, an incredibly powerful concussive blast fires from both eyeballs and forehead, shoving SOMETHING back and unfortunately... also the plaster. They'll have to get the interior decorator in again to fix that.

"I'm /ok/..." says the deep, slightly huskified voice of Essex from the floor. "I'm fine. Everything is fine."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer frowns at the bit stated by Nick. Who said two words that may carry a whole lot more with them at the end of the day. Still, something to look into maybe? Or just keep an eye out for? Admittedly even he has moments where the Devil is a bit more in control than his full self would like to be. In the moment after Nick replied, he was about to say something to be effecitvely reassuring when the ceiling opens up.

In another moment, there's a metallic Nathaniel on the floor, blast rays hitting the ceiling and causing plaster and random other debris to fall from the ceiling. Lucifer looks for a lingering moment, giving a blink, staring, and then blinking again.

"Am I going to have to start putting safety mats on the floors both here and in Lux?" Asking this before he stands and moves over towards Nathaniel. "Hell of an entrance, my dear. I bet this comes with an amazing story that just barely top our own adventures."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
To the admission, Nick's eyes shift down to look to the plate before him. While he's no mind reader and doesn't know all the reasoning behind such a question. It's not a fun thing to admit that sometimes you're not in control of your own actions. Or...at least the side you want to be in control.

Considering now that he knows how much of that issue was the result of Stuck's manipulations -that made it work. May that bastard rot in hell.

Nick's hand flexes briefly into a fist. But the action is short lived as Sinister inadvertently recreates Nick's entrance into the Lux a few days ago. Only with more fire and less Hellspawn doing the dragging.

Eyes wide, Nick tilts his head to the side of the table to get a better view of the Sizzling Somewhat Sardonic Sinister.

Nick looks over to Lucifer as he brings up safety mats. "...I was Phantasmed when I fell through. Wouldn't have felt it."

There's the sound of his chair sliding back as he goes into the kitchen to make the doctor some tea.

Sinister has posed:
"Methinks that it's mostly the floor he's thinking about. I'm solid bio-steel at the moment, similarly lacking in sensitivity..." The Somewhat Sardonic Sinister replies, in a droll, dry tone. "I suspect mine is not all that exciting -- High astral pariah, a minor snag with a clever group of individuals laying a trap for something else and voila. In the void of space between there and here, the physical and the psychical rules twist a bit. I think I hit it into next week."

He sits up slightly, watching the tea being aimed at and sits up, dusting off sleeves he doesn't currently have, glancing down and up and around with the clinical eye of an aftermath assessment. He clucks his tongue at the ceiling.

"Your turn on the TL-DR adventure front."

Lucifer has posed:
"My turn on the? Oh.. well... nothing has really.. that is to say..." Bollocks and all that. Lucifer cannot lie, nor can he skirt the truth even if he wanted to. He respects Nathaniel too much. "TL-DR. I was going to try and go to Hell to talk to the demonling that dealt with Spawn. Spawn felt drawn to Hell so he came here. Drug Nick through the floor with him. So the three of us went to Hell. Got attacked by angels who had apparently opened a portal into my throne room. Closed the portal. Dispatched the angels. Then returned here..." He explains. Short and sweet.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"I'm...mostly weightless when Phantasmed." Nick responds back. Which might make more sense as a counter argument if he explained the part about Lux. He grabs another cup, taking advantage of the already hot water to get the tea prepped.

As Lucifer brings up the adventures bit.

"It looks like Azrael's song works on closing portals." He offers up, bringing out the cup to offer over to Sinister.

"And in lighter news it turns out they figured out which of the characters I'll be playing in the movie."

Sinister has posed:
All of that is taken in, as Nathaniel gets himself upright with minimal effort involved, examines the floor then restores himself to a more fleshy kind of fellow. There is however, a period given to looking at Lucifer beneath brows, then to Nick as one might when one is trying to pull on a sock whilst balanced on one leg, rather than in incredulity.

"Definitely not topping that one, battles in the throne of Hell, closing portals with a song, Hellspawn and such..." he clucks his tongue to the proffered tea, taking it with a flourish of one wrist and floating it over "...capital..."

Pause.

"...because non-sequiturs are all the rage and logical follow-up is a definite thing, I have to say that's a /damn/ quick turn around on a screenplay of adventure-time and I'd certainly hope you'd play Spawn. Playing yourself is odd in the credits."

Lucifer has posed:
"Well. Spawn did delight in taking out most of the angels that bombarded us. I believe there was a dozen in total before we were able to get the portal closed?" Lucifer says this much and then shrugs. "I was in full devil form too. The angels spat their mouths off. Renegades who wanted to make names for themselves by taking over Hell. As if Father would approve of such." He scoffs a bit and then gives a grin. "Spawn did most the killing. I dispatched a couple. Nick's phantasm'd form killed one as well." He gives the numbers then before standing - finally it would seem - and moving over to where Nathaniel is.

Now that Nathaniel is all fleshy and such, he can at least offer a proper kiss of welcome for the man's returning. He'd do more but, violating a man's cuppa is a crime punishable by no sex for a week and sleeping on the couch.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick blinks to Sinister's response. Is he teasing?

"...That would be a turn around but no. I meant the movie I'm taking Fencing for..."

The cup is offered over to the Doctor.

"Either way, we're sitting down to eat. Have you eaten yet?"

Sinister has posed:
There's not going to be a reply just yet. There's a different hunger being slaked and the wonders that are telekinetic skills stop there being any kind of spillage. But all good things must end, even if 'tis with a linger -- tea DOES win. For now.

"My, my, a few less of the host, rebellious or otherwise and there's no mass production line on them. Perhaps they'll pop back into existence at some point, feeling horrendously embarassed..." Sliding a look to Nick, there's a shake of the head. "Not for a fortnight, but that's the last of my concerns." Pluck tea, sip, sigh in satisfaction. Priorities. Devil first, cuppa afterwards, then maybe a nice light snack.

"Ahh, the period piece of derring do and dramatic silences." He nods, sage and slow, walks fingers up Lucifer's chest and chin-bops him with an index flick, on account of nothing other than 'hello'.

Lucifer has posed:
"Didn't even get any of their names, and Spawn was a little upset that they would not become cretins of Hell that he could use for whatever his lot in life is. I think it's something about storming Heaven. Which makes it even more important that I figure out just what this actual deal was he made..." Lucifer says this much before receiving that chin-bop flick of fingers. Nathaniel is very loud in his head now and this makes the Devil very obviously happy. He's even smiling but not his Devil Smile, no. This is just a loopy I'm-in-love-and-I-like-it smile.

It takes a moment, but soon he turns and walks himself back to the table only to pause before sitting. "I can fix you a plate if you'd like..." Which translates to I'm going to fix you a plate either way so deal with it and sit down. Cause after he offers, he moves towards the kitchen to do just that. One more bowl of greek salad and plate of rice and curry to be swiftly then delivered to another setting at the table.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Not sure how much dramatic silence there's going to be in a musical with Frank Wildhorn compositions but...yes. Period piece." Nick sort of confirms.

Nick doesn't go into further detail beyond that as the topic of choice is most decidedly on angels invading hell and Lucifer making goo goo eyes at Sinister.

While Lucifer sets to get Sinister's food prepped, Nick slides his place setting over, surrendering the seat closest to Lucifer to Nathaniel.

Sinister has posed:
Oh, that look is worth all the tea in china AND india combined -- one doth not expect the devil himself to grin like a mooncalf fool, but such is the case and evidence speaks volumes about how this archangel just /isn't/ what people think he is. At least not in his most private moments.

It brings out the dimples on Sinister's return grin, the one that could occasionally charm the hide of the Snake himself...

And thusly, the doctor takes a seat, tea in hand and singed smell slowly fading. "Thank you," is said to Nick, then tea is sipped, the smile continuing in the folds of his eyelids and lift of cheeks. And from behind that cup: "Never underestimate the power of poignant silence, even in a musical. That pregnant anti--" sip, silence, sip "--pation."

Then, with the service done of food gathered, he eases into the seat, considering the other topics at hand. "Should I also be concerned? After all, I have yet to meet this Spawn fellow and although I have my own means of acquiring answers to things, I do not know if I should... cross his path?"

Lucifer has posed:
Plate, bowl and silverware placed in the seat made for Nathaniel - Lucifer finally re-takes his own seat. His smile is still present. He's just happy that Nathaniel is hope and while there is now a gaping hole in the ceiling - if that's the price for Nathaniel's safe return. So be it.

"Spawn has all the respect for me. I think. Some for Nick. I do not know what he would make of you. He might think that you're an evil being all in all, and therefore something he would need to rid the earth of. Then again, you're with me. So that might gain you some leverage. I believe the telling moment will be - should you meet him - is if he asks if you're going to Hell or not." He reaches for his whiskey to take a sip of it and then he glances to Nathaniel. "At least you can honestly say you've been there. Literally."

Then he looks over to Nick, and likely hopes to perhaps change the subject a bit. "You said you'll be training? What training does this role need you to take?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick cracks a slight smirk. "Of course you'd quote from one of the ones with a doctor in it." He comments as he settles into his new seat. "I met Spawn a few years back." Nick supplies, "Buffy related stuff."

Blinking to the question about training, Nick glances over to Lucifer. "Oh I need to get better versed in fencing for a fight scene. And now that I know what character I'm playing, that practice is going to have to involve dual wielding at a point too. Hopefully the escrima practice will help out with that change."

Sinister has posed:
"Well, there is that. And technically speaking, I am the queen of Hell, for what that's worth, which is probably not the price of the paper it isn't written on," he 'mwahs' the air to Nick at the mention of Frankenfurter, thusly ... and tucks into the salad with an impale of fork. "It might legitimately be one of those edge in sideways situations," -- a thoughtful look shot to nothing but thin air and he reaches a hand to rub the back of Lucifer's for a moment with the ghost of a wink.

"Main gauche and rapier or twin rapier? There's a difference in the styling of course." Of course. "Stage fighting is... significantly different though, isn't it?"

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer lets his eyes close faintly whilst he feels that hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, yes, you are Queen of Hell... and it's worth the price of words. A thousand will get you a picture." He says this much and grins before looking to his dinner once more. "He's not a bad person. He's just blindly following what very well might be a shit deal...I still need to try and get to the bottom of that."

Then the conversation turns and Lucifer nods towards Nick. "You mentioned you have training set up for that right? Something local I think?" Just trying to keep this part of the conversation going. Cause they're regular people, having regular conversations. Drinks. Food. Nothing weird about this night at all. Nope.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
To the question, Nick closes his eyes in recollection. "Twin rapier if going by source material. Kind of a one on one fight turning into an unplanned two on one situation." He pauses, "...And yes it is. But with the movie treatment there are new angles to consider when trying to make it look realistic. People will have footage they can play back over and over again."

Nick nods to Lucifer's question. "Reasonably close to here." He agrees, "Since the two parts they were considering me for were dueling each other, I was able to start on that before they settled on the casting."

Sinister has posed:
"I did study several actors in my day, but..." Sinister trails off there, reaching again for the back of Lucifer's neck, playing a bit with the hair and then reaching once more for the tea. How he hoovers whilst being decorus is a thing to wonder over, as the salad's all but gone.

"I think the most challenging swordfight I had was on the crossing of the atlantic, back a century or so. That was indupitably taxing on balance."

Lucifer has posed:
"I think fencing is an elegant style of sword fighting, but I do not understand any practical nature it would have outside of boarding school or something. It just does not seem the first choice of fighting should one use swords." Then again, Lucifer's more of a broadsword type. Sure he can fence with the best of them, but he's never really witnessed anyone ask for a challenge of sword and pick fencing.

"Well. I'm glad for that. Is it somewhere dedicated for like actors and such, or is it more of an open venue?" Curious, he is, for reasons.

And ever so enjoying still the touch against the back of his neck and hair.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It seemed like an open venue. Although the studio made arrangements for my lessons." Nick answers back. The mention of a fight on the sea causes for Nick to look over to Sinister, "While there are ships in the story, the sword fight's on land."

Sinister has posed:
"Wouldn't have counted anyway, I was fighting to kill, not for show..." Sin gives a sidelong look to Lucifer, tilting his head faintly at the devil's commentary on rapiers. "Bartitsu myself, but the principles are very similar to rapier fighting... it's not about the sheer trauma, it's about finessing the blade to be a pressure point and severing arteries and causing bleed damage."

The curry is eaten far more sedately and with one hand. The other after all, is occupied.

"It favours agility over force, but I suppose that's why it's so popular amongst humanity, for the lightness of the weapon."

Lucifer has posed:
"Arrangement for lessons seems like that'll lighten the load for the studio..." Lucifer says this while consuming more curry, some salad, and whiskey. "Are rapiers used for fencing? I thought the only sword used were those tiny little pin-like swords. People dressing up in funny looking bee keeper type outfits..." He says this much more with a smirk as he finishes his whiskey off.

"I mean, it only takes a pound of pressure to cut flesh. Also, swords are fun. Guns are too quick and often quite messy.."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"When not using sticks, knives and machetes are common for Escrima." Mike offers up. "The grip used for one tends to be used for the others." He pauses, "...though I prefer using the sticks."

The musician pauses before coming off of his tangent to go back towards the rapier versus foil discussion. "...Best example I can think of to think of a Three Musketeers movie. Look at the swords that the Musketeers have versus what the King is carrying. Both use Fencing."

Sinister has posed:
"I never underestimate the usefulness of a nice bag full of guns. Occasionally, I accept no substitute..." Sinister says, rather darkly. There's a brief silence, in contemplation of a massacre he recently engaged in, then a cluck of the tongue as inner dwelling is abandoned. "But they really aren't gentlemanly. They weren't when duelling was commonplace, either."

A click of fingers and a point of the index at Nick says volumes.

"You may have to practice styling against those you cannot muchly injure or kill, to find out how close you can pull off your strikes and ripostes, Nick."

Lucifer has posed:
So the conversations likely continue about swords, swordsmanship, duals and movies. They're an odd bunch but for some reasons these conversations just make sense. Tea, whiskey, and likely dessert are also consumed while the trio talk. All in all, not a terribly bad afternoon/evening. And Lucifer is doubly glad that Nathaniel is finally home.