InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "SPUMONI!! SPUMONI!!"

allisawwasevil (allisawwasevil) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2013-01-24 03:36:00

Entry tags:

god, john winchester

WHO: John Winchester & God
WHAT: Emmy wants to have a conversation with John. John hopes he hasn't backed himself into a smiting corner.
WHEN: January 24th; Evening
WHERE: The Roadhouse
RATING: PG
STATUS: In Progress

It would not have been an exaggeration for John to say that he was scared shitless as he stepped into the Roadhouse and quietly sought out a booth to settle down into. The thought of having a conversation with God because he'd threatened one of her kids, when he knew all too well just how angry a protective parent could get, was enough to leave him feeling sick to his stomach. A protective parent with the ability to blink him out of existence was not something that he really wanted to think too hard about. So as he slipped into the booth, John waved over one of the waiters immediately and ordered a whiskey. Beer wasn't going to cut it for this conversation. He needed something to not only steel his nerves but take away some of the barriers that might hold himself back.

He was willing to wager that God would appreciate honesty more than blind obedience, and if he was wrong, well, he would feel less pain if he was a bit drunk.

Hesitating as the waiter asked if he wanted anything else, John glanced across the booth before turning back to the waiter. What in the world did you order for God? Did he even bother? After a moment of silence, John waved him off with a quiet assurance that if the person joining him wanted anything, that he could always come back later. Better to wait and let Her order for Herself than guess wrong.

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-24 09:14 am UTC (link)

Although she was, as John had surmised, quite angry at one of her children being singled out with the intent to punish him, Emmanuelle also was able to recognize when her anger was justified and when it began appearing like too much of how she'd Once Been for her to continue. In this particular instance, because Lucifer had not been imprisoned, nor had he even been physically attacked, she knew that the situation fell far more into the latter of that category rather than the former. That fact didn't stop her from being angry, of course. It didn't stop her from all but demanding a meeting with the being who had begun the crusade to see her second eldest entrapped in holy fire either, either.

It did, however, all but ensure that said meeting didn't end in violence the likes of which no one had seen in quite some time.

Of course, having a modicum of self control in a situation where most had none wasn't a particularly amazing accomplishment. But considering that her self control tended to be less "and then the police were called" and much more "and then the world's population was reduced to eight", she was going to take what she could get. Which meant also deciding to meet with the guilty party and see precisely what he had to say for himself. And that was precisely what Emmanuelle set out to do.

Unlike most of her angels, she didn't appear in the seat across from John without any warning, though. Instead, she walked through the door just like every other patron at the Roadhouse. However, unlike the others who made their way inside, Emmanuelle managed to catch every single eye in the room while doing so. For some, it was because of the way she looked. For others, it was because of the aura of both peace and power that she exuded. For yet others, though, it was more than that. There was a sense that she simply belonged, no matter the situation, and it was that ultimate feeling of camaraderie that she could neither explain nor excuse that was the overwhelming response as she stepped into the room.

Ignoring most of it, save for a few smiles and nods here and there, the Almighty made her way to where John sat. She offered him a smile, accompanied by a slight wave, then took her seat across from him. Meeting his gaze, obviously without flinching because why would she, Emmanuelle ran the tips of her fingers across the phone she held. Less than an instant later, a clearly mechanized, yet obviously feminine, voice sounded out in lieu of her actually speaking.

"Hello, John. I'm glad you could make it," was all the voice said. Anything else could wait for a few seconds, as far as she was concerned. There was no need to rush good manners.

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-24 09:36 am UTC (link)

John would have been confused if it hadn't occurred to him a brief second after the mechanical voice echoed out of the phone that the voice of God probably would have fried him from the inside out if he heard it unblemished. At least she was being kind enough not to murder him with a simple phrase. Glancing down at the phone and then back up at the woman in front of him, John was quietly trying to reconcile the woman in front of him with the idea of God. She didn't look anything like what he expected, but he supposed the Almighty could probably take any form She wanted.

"What choice did I have?" John asked before frowning a bit as he looked up at her. "You're not what I expected. You're far more...flowerchild than my images of the Almighty." Of course, his images were almost strictly tied to the vengeful God because with the reality that he existed in, that was the only God he could imagine actually existed.

"You understand why I was trying to take the steps that I did, right?" John asked after a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's...not entirely different from this."

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-24 09:47 am UTC (link)

Emmanuelle didn't bother pointing out that John could have easily told her that he didn't want to meet. While the truth was that he could have said no, the fact was that not many would dare when confronted with a request from the actual Almighty. That, not to mention the fact that she had all but threatened him into agreeing to meet with her in the first place, meant that she really was better suited not to point out things like free will and instead to simply let the comment slide.

Which was fine, considering it gave her the ability to respond to the rest without the hindrance of attempting to bring up conversations he'd already let die.

With a small smile playing on her lips, she waved a hand toward her phone. "Of course," came the even-toned, seemingly reasonable response. "I can certain see the similarities between our having a conversation in an environment of your choosing and your intent to determine if imprisoning Lucifer was a plausible scenario." The dryness of her tone wasn't terribly apparent, but Emmanuelle liked to think she'd made her point.

Which was why, a few seconds later, the automated voice changed the subject a bit with a simply commented, "And I can change my appearance to best suit your imagined ideal of what I should look like, if you'd rather. Although it's been quite some time since I've adorned the appropriate Biblical garb. I can't promise I'll wear it nearly as well as I do this particular look."

Was she actually going to change what she looked like? No. Not unless he had a very strong objection to her current look, of course. In that instance, she might consider it. But for now? Yeah. It wasn't going to happen.

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-28 06:05 am UTC (link)

"Protecting your kid, I meant," John said, looking look her with a skeptical eyebrow raise. People always said the Lord had to have a sense of humor, but he'd never really seen it much less understood what kind of humor it was if the things that existed were allowed to run rampant in the way that they were, if injustices were allowed to go unpunished daily, and if the world was allowed to be generally as fucked up as it was by half. "That is why you dragged me here, because I implied a threat to your kid, one that I quite frankly wasn't even sure I could manage, so I need to be talked out of it. Persuaded if possible, threatened if not, if the way the angels work sticks with their creator as well," John said, narrowing his eyes at the woman sitting across from him.

"I was asking Sam to help me look up a way to manage it because my youngest is suffering. That monster you created is here, walking free, and the people who have been ground down under his heel just have to tolerate it because what? Because he's said he's sorry a couple times?" John asked, barely restraining the fury that wanted to bubble up out of him. Sure, he knew that this was a horrible idea, but whatever fear he had came in with was being wiped away by the idea that Adam's how personal feelings of safety were to be put second to the feelings of a potential mass murderer.

"He's yours, and I get it. I get wanting to keep him safe and do what you can to keep him from succumbing to darker urges. For fuck's sake, that's exactly what I did for Sammy most of his life, but that doesn't give you the right to completely ignore how someone else is hurting just to spare him."

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-30 04:13 pm UTC (link)

There were a great many things that Emmanuelle could have said in response. She could have defended Lucifer at John's calling him a monster. She could have defended herself and pointed out that she was not of the same stock as her angels, and therefore didn't operate the same way as they did. She could have spelled out, step by step, precisely why any potential attack might end badly for everyone in the entire city. She could have said a lot of things.

But she didn't. Not because she didn't think John would listen - even if she was pretty sure he wouldn't - and not because she couldn't determine the best way to say any of it either. No, she didn't say a single thing because, instead, she decided to do something that would hopefully work a little better.

She was going to show him.

With a soft sigh that translated into a light breeze wafting through the bar, Emmanuelle offered John a very small, sorrowful smile. Then she gave a slight wave of her hand into the air... and the world around them changed.

Instead of sitting at a version of the Roadhouse that was bursting with activity and had a general feel of good spirits, they were suddenly standing in a version that was quite clearly not a place of business anymore. Instead there were weapons lying about and people speaking in hushed voices. No less than five people were standing by the front doors, armed and keeping a lookout for whoever approached. There was very little in the way of alcohol present and the jukebox had enough dust on it that made it obvious it hadn't been used in years. In the distance, coming somewhere from the streets beyond, there was the sound of screaming and the occasional gunfire.

Turning toward John, Emmanuelle's expression was one of determination coupled with obvious heartache. "I knew you wouldn't believe me if I simply told you my reasons for intervening on Lucifer's behalf," she said softly. "So instead, I've decided to show you. Perhaps, after this, you'll understand. Perhaps not. Either way, welcome to one of the many potential futures for Colligo. No one can see, or hear, us, so by all means, feel free to look around."

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-31 12:53 am UTC (link)

Of all the things John had expecting to come out of this, being kidnapped to yet another utterly bizarre reality was not one of them. Hadn't the guy in charge done that enough? Why did she feel like pulling him somewhere else was going to help anything? They were discussing the here and now, the circumstances surrounding Lucifer. What did any of this have to do with anything?

If the phone voice had been unsettling, the sudden and seemingly immaterial words that echoed in his ear (or in his mind, John was having trouble telling which was which at the moment) prompted him to take a look around. To be fair, this place didn't look too different from the sort of situations that he was used to. Armed to the hilt, fully prepared for whatever was thrown their way, John still wasn't seeing what this had to do with anything even less so if Lucifer was the offending entity that they were prepared for. If anything, this was merely proving his point. The angel -- ex-angel -- was dangerous. He needed to be dealt with.

"I don't see what you're trying to achieve here," John said, looking across at her for a long moment before relenting, standing to move around the Roadhouse and take a closer look at the sort of situation that was going on. "If any of this is Lucifer's doing, you're only giving me all the more reason to actually try what I was planning."

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-31 02:43 am UTC (link)

Emmanuelle didn't respond. She simply tilted her head toward the front door of the Roadhouse as it opened. A group came in, carrying a man. He was screaming. He was also missing a leg. Carrying his head, barking out directions to the others, was someone John wouldn't recognize immediately but was, in fact, his granddaughter.

"Lay him down over there," she nodded toward the table closest to where John stood. They paid him no mind, not seeing him despite his standing there. As soon as the man was deposited on the table, Meri took several large steps back. She had dirt and blood covering part of her face. Her hands were bruised a bit and slightly swollen. It was obvious she'd been fighting.

"Anybody heard from Jack?"

The question was asked to one of the men posting guard. He shook his head. Meri frowned. She was purposefully ignoring the man on the table, who was now screaming at the medic who was attempting to save his life by cauterizing the wound where his leg had been severed. It was enough to make her skin crawl, despite all she'd seen, and done.

"I don't like it," she announced. "We should have heard something, by now. I'm going back out there to look for him."

Emmanuelle glanced toward John as Meri made a beeline for the door. "Stop trying to determine what it is I'm doing and simply take in all that's around you," she chastised gently.

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-31 03:00 am UTC (link)

She wanted to teach him some kind of lesson? Fine. Fine, he could sit here and watch and try and figure out what the fuck it was that he was supposed to be learning. He wouldn't like it, but he could do it. It wasn't like he had much of a choice in the matter anyway. He was going to be here for however long she wanted him to be so he might as well get used to it. The faster he figured out what he was supposed to take away from this experience, the faster they would get back to the regular bar.

Startled a bit by the guy screaming, only a bit considering it was a sound he was rather used to, John turned his attention to the scene unfolding in front of him, blinking quietly at the sight that was his granddaughter, the girl he'd only barely gotten to know, all grown up and taking charge. He couldn't help but feel a deep swell of pride in his chest at watching her actions before it hit him. This was the exact opposite of what Dean wanted for his kid. He had raised them to have at least a relatively normal life even if they had been prepared for the other eventualities. Whatever was happening here, though, seemed like more than just a bit of city nonsense.

"What's going on?" John asked, turning back to Emmy, a thread of fear running through him at the fact that apparently Jack was MIA. He knew all too well exactly what that could mean.

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-31 03:08 am UTC (link)

Emmanuelle glanced to John, her expression revealing nothing, before turning her gaze to the bar. The Roadhouse dissolved around them, and now they were looking at a nondescript building with boarded up windows and spray painted graffiti on the walls.

"This is a world where Lucifer strayed from his path yet again. With dire consequences," she explained in a soft, sorrowful tone. "He and Loki decided to form an alliance when their attempts to redeem themselves failed." She glanced back to John.

"There have been lots of casualties, here. This place is home to heartache and grief, now. Little else." She might have said more but there was a low rumble that was unmistakable. Sure enough, a few seconds later the Impala came around the corner and rolled to a stop. Meri got out, shutting the door behind her then turning her attention to the alley beside the boarded up building.

She gave a low whistle, then reached in through the open window of the car and pulled out a large crossbow and bag of quivers. Slinging both over her shoulder, she whistled low once more before heading closer to the alley with soft, methodical steps.

Emmanuelle turned to John. "You're right. This is precisely the opposite of what Dean wanted for his children." Her eyes shone with sorrow. "However, he's no longer around to object."

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-31 03:23 am UTC (link)

Dead. Dean was dead. Having been a reality he'd faced once before, it didn't sit any better in John's stomach now than the possibility had been when Dean had last been on the brink of death. And even as this place were little more than an illusion in this moment, he felt the hole that the very idea left in his heart. He wanted to ask. He wanted to ask so badly about Sam, but the possibility that they were both gone was almost too much for John to bear, so instead, he turned his attention to his granddaughter only to watch as a scruffy looking teenager popped out of one of the doorways in the alley.

At least, he could only assume it was a doorway. As far as his eyes could tell, she had appeared strictly out of thin air, either passing through solid wall or teleporting into the spot, and considering this place, either was a possibility. The mop of dark brown curls on the girl's head were made even dirtier by the various substances that coated them. Motor oil, he could only assume, was among them, but it was hard to tell what other assorted gels and lubricants she'd been using -- either purposefully or not so -- in place of shampoo. There were parts of her hair that looked almost green in the light that was making it through to the alley.

"What's the sitch, Meri Berri?" A disturbingly chipper voice rang out at the call, lifting a pair of seriously outdated wielding goggles from her eyes and shifting them to crush the already mangled curls down onto her head. "Rescue, reconnaissance, or do you just need me to create a distraction?"

Wow, John thought, frowning ever so slightly at the new arrival. Someone was having a little too much fun with this.

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-31 03:31 am UTC (link)

Emmanuelle didn't speak. She simply let John observe what was taking place, hoping perhaps he would see what was so terribly obvious to anyone who bothered to look. These children had grown into capable young adults, yes, but at what cost? It was enough to make her heart break.

"Jack's not answering on the radio, Gabi," Meri replied to the question from her younger sister. "He said he was following up on a lead on Sammy, before I headed out on a supply and rescue run. That was this morning." Although there was a definite worry to her tone, for the most part she sounded hardened. As though part of her half-expected him to already be dead because that's just how it was. Which was true, as far as she was concerned.

Emmanuelle glanced to John once more. "He isn't dead," she said quietly. Simply. With a pause, she elaborated. "Neither Sam or Jack." There was a sadness in her voice when she spoke next. "However, in Sam's case, it might be best if he were."

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allisawwasevil
2013-01-31 03:47 am UTC (link)

The hard truth made his stomach turn. There had always been the chance that he would end up faced with that possibility one day, that Sammy would end up so far gone that he was better off dead than clinging on to any semblance of life that he was living. But to have it happen, to actually be faced with it, John didn't know how to react. So he didn't. He just stood there, pale faced and intent, as the scruffy little raggamuffin who scowled at Meri's information as his youngest granddaughter, to one who he hadn't really spoken with yet, who seemed to be smart enough to keep out of the insanity that had been going on so far.

"His tracker's still active," Gabi said, a slight tilt of her head to the side as if she was listening to someone on an unseen earpiece holding her captive for a moment before her gaze shifted back to Meri. "He's in the heart of the viper's nest." Worry etched every feature on her face, one that had been positively carefree for the environment she was in when she had appeared in the alleyway. "It looks like Loki wanted to have another chat with him."

There was a mixture of concern and something that almost looked like annoyance that flickered over Gabi's features before she reached up and dropped the goggled back down over her eyes, hiding whatever reaction they might be betraying. "I wish he'd just give it a rest already. I've never seen a pair so fucking desperate to keep their 'friends'. I'm surprised Loki's not just mindfucked him by this point."

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skeeballfanatic
2013-01-31 03:57 am UTC (link)

Meri's jaw tightened at the news Gabi gave her. "Sonofabitch," she muttered, scrubbing a hand down her face as Gabi ranted. Drawing in a breath, she exhaled slowly and straightened up. The moment of worry had passed. Meri was fully in charge of herself, and everything around her, once again.

"Set up a distraction a few blocks south," she told her sister. "See if you can get past the security feed long enough for me to slip inside. I'm going in through the roof so I'll need a way out ready for us once I have him. I'll make contact when we're on the move." Making her way to the car, she glanced back at her sister as she tossed her crossbow and quivers in through the window.

"If you don't hear from me within the hour, let Clint know what's up," she added. Then she offered Gabi a smile that was much more smirk, and far more dangerous, than any expression had a right to be. "In the meantime, have fun with that distraction. Make it count." Then she was climbing into the car and starting the engine. As she drove off, Emmanuelle turned her attention to John.

"It wasn't until Lucifer met this particular version of Meredith that he truly began to attempt to change for the better," she explained. "It also wasn't until Dean and Claire met both twins from this reality that they, too, realized the error of insisting Lucifer remain out of their lives." She tilted her head a bit to the side. "Are you prepared to see more?"