kaisou | Sin 1

Sin 1

WHO: Lucifer and YOU
WHERE: Around Town
WHEN: February
WHAT: Lucifer is here, I am sorry
WARNINGS: The Devil Himself

[Labyrinth]

[Lucifer doesn’t get out much.]

[Sure, he lives in Charlie’s hotel now. But how is he supposed to leave when there’s such compelling programming??? He needs to know what happens on Days of our Ducks. Needs to.]

[But he finds himself here. Did hell always have a place this cold? He should talk to the person in charge. Well, the person in charge that isn’t him.]

[He looks at the portraits around him, vaguely aware that he’s seen these faces before.]

Okay, first thing on the agenda, I’m going to have to have a talk with the interior designer here. This? This is seriously tacky.

C’mon, just because it’s hell doesn’t mean we need to go full doom and gloom.

[Park]

[And then, suddenly, he’s not in hell anymore.]

[It’s weird. This isn’t supposed to happen. Is this supposed to happen? Did someone upstairs mess up?]

[He isn’t sure. And his thoughts are immediately interrupted when he sees the duck pond.]

[Ducks!!! Real, live ducks!!! He runs over. He spends some time among them, transforming into a duck himself (complete with a little hat). He untransforms and is obnoxious to everyone in the vicinity.]

Do you see this? Isn’t this amazing? Honestly, I don’t understand why everybody doesn’t hang out here all the time.

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[ It's been a BAD month, truth be told - no that's an understatement, it has been a festering shitting turd pile of a month. But the universe has only ever shown Husk that no matter how bad it is, it can always get worse. He'd been doing one of his usual sweeps to see if there was any trace of the missing people when he sees that big, stupid hat and just stops. To stare.

And then he decides no. Not today. No fucking thank you. And he turns around to go back from whence he came. ]

[ And then he pauses, and remembers that Alastor is here. The thought of Alastor and Lucifer doing their weird fucking... thing should be enough for him to keep on walking. He can save himself the headache. He can be free.

But then if Charlie shows up, she will make a SAD FUCKIN FACE at him if he leaves her father with only Alastor to talk to. God fucking dammit- he doesn't need this right now. He sighs, walking over.]

...Yeah, mystery of the ages. Hello, your Majesty.

[Worse? How could it be worse?]

[Charlie’s…employee…friend?…bartender was here, and that could only mean one thing. Charlie was here too, and this day would only get better.]

Oh hey, it’s—-Harold, right? Definitely Harold.

[Look at him, remembering names good.]

So, where is she?

[ He wishes he was fucking dead. He pinches his fingers on the bridge of his muzzle, exhaling sharply.]

Husk. It's Husk.

[He doesn't know why he bothered correcting him. Lucifer never remembers. The question does answer one of his own, though. Husk doesn't need to ask who "she" is. There's only one "she" Lucifer would ask him about. And if Lucifer is looking for Charlie... well, that makes it unlikely that he's from this world. Which means he's an Otherworlder.

He doesn't know if that's worse or better if he'd been reincarnated.]

Charlie ain't here. This... ain't the home you remember... or the Earth you remember. It's a different world. I know it's been a real fuckin' long time since you've seen up top, but you're somewhere else, right now. It's AN Earth, just not... yours.

[ Will he understand this? Unlikely. Fucking damnit, he's going to have to explain the reincarnation thing to someone he's not convinced can even spell it. ]

[Somewhere in the back of Lucifer’s mind, the gears are turning. There’s a lot of verrry impoetant information he keeps stored in there (such as the difference between Quacklina and her evil twin Honkderella), and Husk’s name manages to get filed away properly. For now, anyway.]

Oh, no no no. You must be mistaken. See, if I’m out here, Charlie’s out here, too.

[And he’s the actual factual King of Hell. He’s basically a god??? No one would dare to kidnap him or take him anywhere against his will.]

[Well, Vox did that one time. But that doesn’t count.]

[And then the gears in his head start to turn.]

[Heaven doesn’t really make mistakes? Well, it does (they totally over-reacted to the whole Apple thing), but not like this.]

[Something would have to go really wrong for him to get up here?]

[He hasn’t really tried his powers yet, aside from the shape shifting. So, he tries conjuring a little fire and it works, but not nearly as well as it should.]

[And the only conclusion he can reasonably draw is that Charlie’s weird cat bartender isn’t lying.]

Charlie’s…not here?

[And he completely ignores the rest of it.]

[Sure they didn’t always talk, but she was always nearby. Without Charlie here, without Lilith here, what is he even supposed to do? What is he doing it for?]

[Not even the ducks can keep a smile on his face right now. It’s bad.]

[August doesn't usually bother with labyrinths, they're usually too far out of his way and he's just generally too busy.

But one's popped up and he's stressed and Nebiros is enforcing the "no burn out" hard today, so off August goes to check out this labyrinth. He promptly changes into his demonic form, and so there is a rather large black-darkish-blue bird demon with what might be considered a halo of stars orbiting around his head (if he wasn't demonic, that is).]

Hello? Anyone here?

[Semmelweis didn’t particularly like going out during the day but the place that had her favorite chocolate unfortunately had limited hours. As she cut through the park to get there she stopped as she sees a clown? She is unsure but they are unfamiliar and she is admittedly curious enough to withstand the sun for a bit longer. She adjusts her sunglasses and pulls her hat down a bit to shield her eyes as she approaches the man.]

Good afternoon sir, are you also new in town? My name is Semmelweis, and I thought to ask because you seem to be very interested in the ducks. Also you give off arcane energy so I wanted to introduce myself.

[ Husk waits patiently, watching as the King goes through the understanding that Charlie wasn't here. Honestly, sometimes Husk wishes she were, too. Sure she was... a lot, but Charlie was always better at this. At the talking thing. Making people feel safe and secure.

Husk was good at hard truths and a listening ear, it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same at all. His ears flick back, letting out a soft exhale. ]

Okay. Listen, this is... it's real fuckin' complicated, and messy, but it ain't forever. Not for you, anyway. I mean... shit, it usually isn't, anyway.

[ He scrubs his face with a hand. Shit. He can do this. ]

So. This is a magical version of Earth. It's connected to thus thing called the Spirit Realm. [ He points up at the sky, with it's lovely array of colours. ] That's part of it. Anyway, this world sometimes... scoops people up from their home worlds, and brings them here. That's how you got here. I dunno how you get back, it usually just... happens, but for now, you're stuck here. No Charlie, because she wasn't taken, too. You with me so far?

[Edward, tired from a long day of running around with Eagle Vision on trying to find something belonging to either his friends or their captors, blinks as he's addressed and takes down his hood.]

You mean the ducks?

[A pause.]

Well, the geese have a terrible habit of running away with whatever they can get their beaks on, so visitors tend to avoid the ponds in general. Are you new here or what, mate?

[Lucifer nods.]

[He's listening! He understands this is where he is, and this is where Charlie isn't. The spirit realm stuff goes over his head, or he doesn't care enough to pay attention in the first place. It's one of those two, anyway.]

Okaaaaay, I got it.

[He doesn't get it.]

So Charlie's still back home, and I'm here. Fair enough.

And who do I talk to about going back home?

[There's a demon. Probably? Looks like a demon.]

[Is that one of his? Which ring of hell is that from? Should he remember that one?]

[Nah, it's probably fine.]

That would be yours truly.

[He doesn't need to introduce himself. He's the king of hell, why would he need to introduce himself?]

I appear to be a little lost. [He pinches his fingers together.] Which way is the hotel?

[Oh thank god. August comes to a stop in front of the guy.]

What hotel?

[The gears in Lucifer's head begin to turn.]

[This could be a mistake. Maybe he should lay low. Not reveal his identity. Maybe if he's quiet heaven won't find him.]

[Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Even if they did find him, what are they gonna do? He's the actual king of hell.]

Pleased to meet ya. Name's Lucifer Morningstar. I'm sure you've heard of me.

Of course the ducks! They're great!

[Who's this guy? Why's he so...not sinning?]?

Awww, these little guys are terrors?

[Lucifer leans down and gives the duck a good pat.]

Who's a little terror? That's right, it's you!

You know, the hotel.

Not to brag, but my Charlie runs a pretty tight ship. She's even gotten someone redeemed and sent up to heaven!

[He doesn't say the name of the hotel. Why would he need to?]

So, chop chop.

Well, they're better than the geese.

[Said with the air of someone who has fought a goose and narrowly escaped with his life. Anyway. Edward glances around, then steps closer to also very carefully pat a duck on the head. Good birdie. Good birdie. No pecking.]

I haven't seen you around here before, are you all right? Do you need an extra coat, or perhaps some food?

[Yeah okay, the weird vibes were right. This is some kinda demon. Nebiros is laughing.

August sighs, rubbing his temples.]

Wherever you think you are, you're not. I can show you the way out of here, though.

[She politely shakes his hand while nodding.]

It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard of you though I am unsure which version is correct. I have heard many different stories and theories. Either way I am sure your arcane abilities are very impressive. So what brings you to Kaiso Mr. Morningstar?

[Yasuho looks kinda funky. She's dressed for the weather mind you- it's February, it's cold...but. Yeah, she probably stands out.

Or maybe not at all. There's some pretty funky Sinners out there as well after all.

Yasuho lives in this area. Blue Fish Lake is an expensive area of town, but when the Goodwill man hands you a coupon that says 'you live here now', you don't argue. Not when the property taxes have been voided too, that's for sure.

It makes things easier though, especially now that her duck hutch is home to three whole ducks. A crested, a runner, an ancona, all of them waddling along and swooping over to the duck pond to join the fun as if they don't have their own pond at home.

She holds her coffee. They get one hour, and it's back to the house. It's cold, exhausting, she has other shit to do, she wants it to be Spring already, and.

............Oh one of the ducks turned into a...guy? That's a guy.

...Oh he's talking, the guy is talking-]

...It's more popular when it isn't cold, [Is what her poor, poor seasonally affected brain manages to get out as she slowly blinks at who she has no clue is the literal devil.]

[Hermes of course feels guilty about being in the park today. Like they should be working with everyone else. They should still be trying to help. They can't sit still and relax, so... a jog around the park. That's the best plan.]

[They're expecting ducks at the pond. Of course they are. The little hat is new, and it's kind of cute. But it's Kaisou, and weird things happen -]

Whoa!

[There's a dude. There's a dude in their path. Hermes hits the metaphorical brakes and ends up about a foot off the ground. They still have not totally mastered that part of air walk.]

Holy crap! Dude! Where'd you come from!

[ This isn't fair. This is a cruel twist of fate. Husk is used to being one of the sanest voices in the hotel. That ain't nothing new. But he at least usually has Vaggi to help him out. Sure, she's stabby, but she gets things done. And she's considerably better at herding Lucifer around.

It's fine. He can do this. He just needs to channel an angry lesbian fallen angel. He can do this.

(He cannot do this). He closes his eyes, counts to ten.]

So that part where I told you I don't know how you get back? That means I don't know how you get back. There ain't anyone in charge to talk to about this. When it's your time to go, you just... go. Could be weeks, could be years. It's... at the whims of the fuckin' universe or something.

But apparently time stops while you're here? Like. I don't remember you ever going missing in my past life except for that part with Vox, but we definitely got you back from that so- Probably fine.

[ It's not fine, none of this is fine. Everything has gone to shit, and now he has to think about what to do with the King of Fucking Hell prancing about. He can't even foist this issue on Jun, which was his original plan should this ever happen. ]

[Unfortunately, horrible crises and missing coworkers doesn't mean that the animals don't need to be taken out for walks every now and again.

So here Riku is, stressed and worn out from teleporting all over the city for days on end searching for hide or hair of literally anyone, but still so dutifully taking his dogs for a walk.

"Dogs", of course, being an Absol, Furfrou, Noibat, and a brainless rainbow puffball of a bat wobbling through the air after his much more agile sister.

Either way, he's taking a moment to just breathe near the pond, keeping an idle eye on his pokemon and Komory Bat when... a duck in a hat becomes a man.

Because of course it does.

... at least he doesn't sound like Donald Duck. Maybe there are some good things in the world, still.]

Uh. [He blinks, hands in the pocket of his sweatshirt, looking at the duck man with absolute confusion on his face.] Probably... because they have jobs?

[Riku Kingdomhearts you can't just accidentally call the devil unemployed.]

[ somewhere Dante feels a disturbance in the force. the Devil from the Bible is here and he can't enjoy it.

what the fuck man. ]

Ohhhhhhh.

[He says it like it’s the most novel thing in the world.]

[A job. That thing he technically has. Where he foists all his work on other people.]

[Does Lucifer even know anything about the inner workings of hell? Doubtful.]

They should just delegate their work better. Like me! I run the tightest ship around.

[Sometimes, when people ask questions they’re asking metaphorically. Or in a general sense.]

[You don’t always need to answer them directly.]

[That doesn’t stop Lucifer.]

Why, I came from hell, of course!

[Look, Lucifer couldn’t tell the difference between Yasuho and one of the sinners from hell if he tried.]

[Mostly because he has no idea what any of them look like. There’s Charlie’s friends. Alastor. And the guy with the TV for a head. That’s it, that’s all the people he knows.]

Oh, that’s right! You pesky mortals and your regard for temperature.

[But now that she mentions it—-]

[He is feeling weird. It’s not a tickle, but it doesn’t feel good. Is this the cold?]

[He sneezes.]

Don’t mind that.

Need anything? Haha, you don’t seem to know who I am. I—-

[His stomach starts to rumble. Is this normal?]

[This is new.]

Huh, is this what being hungry feels like?

Which version? All of them!

All of them that say good things, anyway. You can ignore the rest.

[he is a very powerful and nearly a god]

[but he likes the duckies]

I’m here on very important business.

[he has no idea what that business is yet, but it involves him, so it’s probably important]

Wow, you’re a riot. Of course I know where I am. There’s only one place I can be!

[Affectionate but also derogatory.]

But if you insist, I can humor you.

Okay, first things first. Vox didn't trick me. [Husk didn’t say he did.] That was all a misunderstanding.

Yeah, yeah. And those cosmic entities had no idea who they were dealing with. See?

[Lucifer attempts to teleport.]

[It doesn’t work.]

[So he spreads his wings and attempts to fly.]

[But he doesn’t leave the ground. He does flap them pretty hard, though.]

Huh, that’s new.

[Boy, is this guy in for a shock.]

Yeah, I insist. Come on, I don't like staying in this form for very long but it's risky in the spirit realm otherwise. [Onwards! Towards the exit.] August.

Edited 2026-02-11 22:37 (UTC)

August, huh? I’ll have to remember your name.

[Don’t worry Ambrose, he’ll put in for a promotion for you.]

[Lucifer follows.]

Of course, you know who I am.

Nope. I don't.

[Hmm...take a left here.]

So who are you?

Has the place really fallen apart that much? You can’t recognize your own king?

[LUCIFER YOU NEVER LEAVE YOUR ROOM]

Lucifer Morningstar, at your service.

[Well, really August was at his service, but. Y’know.]

[He starts to say something about not living in a monarchy, but then this clown says that.

And like. August can't really doubt him, can he? He has Nebiros in his head and is (probably) the son of his last host. His past life was the son of the demon, directly. His best friend is a Holy Knight with actual holy powers and shrouds and swords he can't touch because it could seriously fuck him up. There is a demon (of a past life, at least) with the actual fucking archangel Michael in his head. He's pretty sure Husk is a demon but he's not asking.

So for this guy to claim to be Lucifer Morningstar, the big fuck-off devil himself...well, it'd explain why he seems so confident.

But with Nebiros in his head...yeah, okay, he's gotta at least ask.]

Prove it.

[Lucifer is the devil himself.]

[Lucifer has powers. He might not be able to use them against the residents of hell, but he has them. And they’re cool!]

[He’s spooky, so spooky.]

[So when August asks him to prove himself, Lucifer takes a deep breath and—-]

Nah, not going to.

So you're either a liar or you're so confident you don't think you need to prove yourself. Which, y'know, given that you think this is hell, either one's possible.

[And a right!]

Who's Charlie?

[Hermes stares.]

[They blink. Their brain cell starts to run on the treadmill.]

What... like. Michigan?

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Sin 1

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Labyrinth

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Park Park Park-

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park!

not here

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