InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "feces encrusted hellhole"

Crissa (cosmo_girl) wrote in portland_logs,
@ 2014-12-13 12:11:00

Entry tags:

castiel, marissa cooper

Who: Marissa & Castiel
What: An angel and a dead girl go for a ride to hell
When: Today
Where: The carnival
Warnings: They're going to hell

Things had been weird at home ever since the night Ryan had come home with the vampire bites on his neck and no recollection of what had happened to him. He had been upset that night and Marissa couldn't blame because anyone would be upset after being attacked like that by a vampire. Because of the headache she had developed that night she didn't think she had properly comforted him but that was just fine with Ryan. He didn't want comfort. Even now, weeks later, he didn't want comfort. He was constantly distracted and didn't want to talk about it. Sadly, Marissa was kind of used to that. This was exactly why they had never worked back home in Newport. They never talked about anything. Things just happened and they let them. That was why she had written him that letter. She loved him but they couldn't be together.

And then she died.

Now she regretted writing that letter only because she regretted that they had never worked it out before she died. They were friends again and that was so important to her. Maybe she would have come back after working on her dad's boat for the summer and been able to give it another chance with Ryan but she hadn't planned on it then. Marissa was moving on from Orange County and though she loved her friends there dearly, it wasn't the place for her and probably never had been. There was no way that Marissa wanted to be like her mother or the other Newpsies. Ryan had moved to Berkeley though. Maybe Marissa would have liked it there. She thought she would have.

It was a lot to think about and Marissa had wasted a significant amount of water trying to find the answer to her quandary. How could she help Ryan? How could they make this better? Seth and Summer were of no help. Summer was a great listener but short of threatening to stab Ryan in the eye with a fork, she couldn't really do much. Seth was even less helpful. He was freaked out by the entire thing which wasn't a surprise but his overreaction was only taking away from Ryan's feelings as usual. It was how Ryan preferred it, Marissa knew that. He liked everyone else in the spotlight, everyone who wasn't him. But Marissa didn't want to see them repeat the mistakes of the past. She had already dumped out every bottle of alcohol in the house. She was done with her former life. This was her new one, she was the reincarnated Marissa, wrongly stuck in a body that should be dead and possibly still a wandering soul but not the Orange County princess she had once been. Marissa said and did the right things, she was social chair and she went to the right parties and talked to the right people but that crown had been ill fitting from the start.

She was different now. She had a mysterious healing power that she didn't understand and was afraid to experiment with. Twice now she had used it, once accidentally and once on purpose and both times had left her hurting. Although healing Ryan had only given her a mild headache and not the numbness in the lower half of her body that healing Summer from the zombie virus had done to her. Sometimes Marissa could see things reflected back at her in the sunlight in a pool of water. She had noticed it entirely by accident and now that she was trying to experiment with that, it wasn't working. She didn't know what being a wanderer meant in Portland and she was lacking the spiritual guidance she had back in her home world when she had been a ghost.

It was a day off, Marissa had a lot of those which meant a lot of shopping days for her and Sum while the boys were busy at work. Ryan threw himself into his architecture projects, some of which he was hiding in the basement for reasons Marissa didn't understand and Seth was long suffering over his comic book that Marissa remained blissfully ignorant of. Summer had told her not to read it and Marissa hadn't read it. She wasn't a comic book person anyway so it was easy to not read it, even with the temptation of her likeness being used as a character.

Summer was out looking for a job and Marissa didn't have a shoot today so she was aimlessly driving around town looking for something to do. That was when she spotted the infamous carnival and decided to check it out. A lot of people were nervous about it on the network but Marissa wasn't. She used to throw the winter carnival every year at Harbor. She smiled as she walked in and looked around. Everyone seemed to be having fun. She walked past tents offering psychic readings and a menagerie of the unimaginable, a circus. Marissa liked the rides though and that's why she got in line for the "Elevator to Hell". It appeared to just be an elevator that shot straight up into the sky and then fell just as swiftly before being caught just before it hit the ground only to throw up it's thrilled screaming riders once again. Marissa was still a thrill seeker, she was just looking for thrills outside of drugs and alcohol.

It was just her and one other rider let into the elevator. She was surprised to see there was no harnesses or seats. There were railings around the elevator to hold onto but no seats. Marissa shrugged and gave the stranger in a trenchcoat a friendly smile. His eyes were strangely blue and blank in a way that made Marissa vaguely uncomfortable.

The doors slowly closed and Marissa braced herself to be launched up into the air but instead the elevator began to descend underground.

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shieldofgod
2014-12-14 02:42 am UTC (link)

It was strange being part of the world once more. Less than a week ago Castiel had been God, or at least a replacement for the Almighty that had Made him. No, that wasn't quite right. Dean had told him he'd lost his memory in the aftermath of his ascendance and had spent time on Earth as a mortal man, with Meg as his nursemaid. Very little of it made sense to him. He knew an angel could Fall, he had seen it happen many times since Lucifer had turned his back on their Father, but if he, Castiel, had Fallen, how was it that he was now an angel once more?

If he thought about it too much it hurt his head and trying to talk to Dean about such matters was like trying to convey the complexities of advanced mathematics to a cat. 'Because that's how it is' wasn't an answer the angel could live easily with, however comforting it might sound. There were no simple explanations when it came to matters of the soul and Castiel was old enough to understand that if he was not destined for eternal damnation for his arrogance then there had to be reasons of which he was unaware.

Perhaps in his own world he would have found a way to find the answers but here he was alone. He was reminded of that every time he closed his eyes and tried to commune with his fellow angels. For as long as he'd existed the gentle buzz of what Dean liked to refer to as Angel Radio was a constant comfort, but in this world there was only silence. That, if nothing else, was what had convinced Castiel that this Oregon was a Universe away from the one he had been Created to inhabit.

There were no answers here.

He didn't require sleep and long after the Winchesters (Sam had failed to be the vampire promised by his brother and he had therefore ceded to Dean about the smiting) had gone to bed, Castiel let himself out of their house and began to walk. He had quickly worked out where the borders to the town began and ended when his phone began their incessant countdown and so he simply turned and headed in a different direction, causing the beeping to stop. It was meditative, which was as close to prayer as he was likely to get until he found a way out of this accursed dimension.

Time passed. Slowly, at first but as he walked to the rhythm of the newly-started day and the humans began going about their day, it went quicker. Without choice or intention he found himself walking through colour-blocked tents filled with smiling people and games Castiel couldn't begin to see the point of. He knew humans had a fascination with small, stuffed toys, but to play endless games to win them when they could simply buy them bordered on insanity. He was looking for answers, though, wasn't he? A sign, even?

A small smile passed momentarily over his lips as he saw what was directly ahead of him. Oh yes, a sign, indeed. A little more literal than Castiel was used to, but it was too clear to ignore and so the angel walked towards the Gates of Hell. Yes, this would be where he found answers, if not Heaven then the nether-realm could always be relied upon to exist. After all, were there not more sinners than saints?

"You should not be here," he greeted the girl who tried to accompany him on this journey, but already the metallic doors were closing behind her. The angel gave a soft sigh of resignation and thrust his hands deeper into his pockets. "Your soul is precious," Castiel said simply, "do not barter it to the highest bidder," he warned as they began to descend towards the pit. "Also, try not to let Lucifer out. Last time it wasn't pretty," he explained.

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cosmo_girl
2014-12-14 04:09 am UTC (link)

Marissa was confused and she furrowed her eyebrows at the stranger in the trenchcoat before she realized what was going on. Suddenly she smiled.

"I get it. You're part of the act. Hmm. Evil lawyer?" She pointed at his outfit. The trenchcoat and outfit were an interesting choice for the actor. She supposed it was only a carnival but he might have wanted to reconsider his choices in wardrobe for a haunted attraction. He didn't look very scary. But she didn't want to make him feel bad so she didn't offer any advice on wardrobe. Fashion was a strong suit of Marissa's. Not that she was up on what was in fashion for carnies.

"I thought this thing was supposed to go up.... Is that after?" She had watched a few other people ride it. Then again it wouldn't be much of an elevator ride to hell if it didn't go down. She couldn't see under ground but she was surprised at how far the drop was. It seemed to her that they were traveling down at a medium rate for at least a couple of minutes now. Her fingers curled around the railing and she looked around. The elevator shook a little as it made it's descent further and further. How on Earth did they make this happen in just a day or two? Marissa was perplexed but willing to ride it out.

"Don't worry," she said to the trenchcoat guy. "I won't let Lucifer out." She had to stifle a giggle at that last bit. Marissa didn't even believe in hell. She didn't believe in heaven either. She considered herself an expert on the after life as she had actually died from injuries sustained in a car crash. She had died at eighteen years old in the arms of her first love and then her soul had been sent to wander.

For someone who had been raised in the WASP-y uppercrust Newport Beach, Marissa's soul had somehow strayed towards Hinduism. She always knew that she didn't belong there but she had no idea just how much. She was just better at faking it than say Seth was.

The elevator finally came to a stop with a ding and the doors slid open. Marissa's gray eyes grew wide as she saw the cavernous space open up in front of them. She immediately began to sweat which was a surprise considering how damn cold it was in Portland lately. But it was really hot in the attraction. She guessed they were trying pretty hard to sell the whole hell routine.

"So are you my tour guide or what?"

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shieldofgod
2014-12-15 04:47 am UTC (link)

He gave the girl a look of unmitigated confusion as she began to speak to him as if he understood her frame of reference. It was a position Castiel found himself in often, when he came into contact with humans, anyway. There was so very much going on on Earth at any given moment that he couldn't possibly be expected to know it all, could he?

"Hell is always down," he was fairly safe in that pronouncement, he felt, and feeling on slightly firmer ground he added, "and all lawyers are evil." They were usually one step away from the process of soul-bartering, particularly those in contract law. Castiel suspected Crowley had invented contracts for the singular purpose of destroying the lives, and souls, of the human race and he had, in this instance, been particularly successful. Lawyers had much to answer for.

For someone who had chosen to take a trip to Hell the girl seemed particularly cheerful. Perhaps she was expecting to see an old friend or, something. Her behaviour was deeply perplexing and Castiel chose a tight smile and a nod at her comment regarding Lucifer. This was starting to feel like a very, very bad idea indeed, though it was always possible one of his minions had stolen the girl's - what was the term the Winchesters used... ah yes - meat suit and taken the ride with him. The angel hoped, very much, that it wasn't the case, though he was keeping the observation close to his chest for now, at least.

The heat that hit Castiel when the Doors to Hell opened was unsettling. To think that both his Earth-bound friends had endured such extreme temperatures during their exiles hurt his very soul a little. At least he had brought Dean back, which was little relief, given all he had endured.

This was probably not the right time to ruminate on such matters, knowing that Hell's minions would use any weakness to wear him down and keep him here. It would feed into Crowley's plans all too well to have an angel's soul to control and Castiel would never give him that kind of satisfaction.

"Your what?" The angel looked over at the girl once more, in the cold light of Hell she was different than she'd appeared previously. "I am Castiel, Angel of the Lord," he pronounced carefully, "and you are the one that is dead. Take me to Him, I am here seeking answers," he said meeting her gaze solidly and unblinkingly.

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cosmo_girl
2014-12-15 05:58 pm UTC (link)

She had to stifle a snicker. This guy needed to go back to acting school but then again this was just a cheesy carnival. Marissa just didn't expect this kind of an act at a Christmas Carnival. She had thrown the Winter Carnival every year at Harbor. Maybe it was a joke since it never actually snowed in Orange County but Marissa had taken it seriously. It was all about fun and candy and fake snow and elves and Christmas cookies. There was no elevator to hell or some angel actors.

"Okay, Castiel. I'll lead you to "Him". I really hope he's Santa Claus. I've had my eye on this sweater dress at the mall."

Not that it mattered. Marissa was compensated very well by Elite Photogenics and Marissa had been taking on a lot of Serena's jobs lately. They were roughly the same build and both blonde. Marissa didn't quite have the natural charisma that Serena usually did but since Serena was usually drunk these days, Marissa had to do. She was happy for the extra work though because it meant extra money to support the household where her and Ryan were the only ones with real jobs.

Marissa stepped out of the elevator first, fashionable boots one in front of the other as they walked into the dark cavernous space. Finally Marissa had to unzip her coat because it was way too hot in there. They were really going for realism here. Marissa raised an eyebrow at the river through the cave that they immediately set upon. There were skeletons floating around in the river and it wasn't until Marissa hopped into the small boat that she realized the skeletons were moving like people, swimming through a red river of blood.

"Very spooky. God, this ride looked a lot different from outside. How did you guys build this so quickly?" she asked "Castiel" like that was even his real name.

The boat jerked forward down the river of lost souls into hell. The further away they got from the mouth of the cave, the more a feeling of dread sank in. Marissa had learned to trust her instincts a little bit more in the years after her death and she felt uneasy.

"You know what? I'm not sure I want to keep going. Can you take me back?" she asked Castiel.

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shieldofgod
2014-12-24 01:04 am UTC (link)

He flashed her a serene smile, which faded the moment she mentioned Santa Claus. Was she teasing him? Or perhaps she had been sent here to distract him and keep Castiel from his mission. Unfortunately there was no way to know for sure until the girl revealed herself to him, in whatever way she chose. It left him nervous as he began to walk out of the elevator and towards the River Styx.

"It is warm here," Castiel agreed, "the better to torture the souls of the dead," he informed her with a knowing nod. Summoning Charon would be the difficult part here, as the angel had not 'died' and was not paying for safe passage to Hades for only his soul.

"Errm..." the girl spoke most strangely for one so aware of her surroundings. "I suppose, technically, this world was also built in the six days before God rested," Castiel supplied, "though I had not been born then." And it would be disingenuous to suggest he had had anything to do with its creation.

"I'm sorry, but we can't go back," Castiel hated to break the news to her, but as there was no one else around, the job fell to him. "So long as you don't barter your soul to these demons, we will find a way to get home, though the journey may not always be easy. Do you have a coin?" he asked as the boat pulled up and Charon starred through them dispassionately, simply holding out his hand for their payment.

"He doesn't talk much," Castiel was unable to hold back the glare, after all, the Ferryman was the first contact most souls had with the underworld. It wouldn't kill him to be a little more friendly. "It is quite safe," he stepped into the boat and held out his hand to the young lady, "come. We will find Lucifer and then leave, as quickly as we are able," he said forcing a smile.

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cosmo_girl
2014-12-27 06:20 pm UTC (link)

"God, you really get into this, don't you?" she asked as she fished around in her purse for a coin. She finally pulled free a nickel from the bottom and handed it to Castiel. She had already paid for the carnival so she wasn't sure why there was another fee down here. Although she doubted that she would be turned away if she couldn't produce a coin.

Marissa gave Charon a tentative look as she allowed herself to follow Castiel. Everything got exponentially warmer for her until she could feel little beads of sweat gathering at the nape of her neck. Marissa grew up in California but she grew up in one of the most expensive areas to live for a reason. It was a monumental occasion if the weather did anything except for shine sun and be a lovely and temperate seven five degrees. Every day. She wasn't used to this kind of heat. She was downright uncomfortable as she followed Castiel. The minute she was on her feet steadily she let go of his hand. What if he wasn't an actor and he was just some weirdo she got stuck with? Marissa was very weary.

"You know," she started as they walked into another cavernous area. "I don't even believe in hell. I don't know why I got on that ride." Untrue. Marissa knew exactly why she had gotten on that ride. Because she had thought it was a completely different ride on the surface. Now she saw it really was an elevator to hell.

She believed when she heard a horrible shrieking sound. There was nothing quite like the sound of a man in pain. Something about a man in absolute pain, so awful that he had no choice to scream at the top of his lungs was the most terrifying thing Marissa had ever heard.

"What's that?" she asked in an urgent voice. Suddenly she drew closer to Castiel. He might be a weirdo but he was a weirdo that she knew from the elevator. Suddenly he felt like the only friend she had down here.

Because Marissa was in hell.

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shieldofgod
2015-01-03 04:03 am UTC (link)

He frowned as he helped the girl from the ferry. Castiel may not be the most compassionate angel when it came to human emotions but he could tell that the general sense of depression and anxiety was beginning to taint her. He may be required to take action far sooner than he had planned to get them back out of here. He vowed to monitor her closely lest Hell leave a lasting impression on her soul.

"I don't think Hell cares if you believe in it," Castiel answered with a gentle smile that held the wisdom of ages. "Why, pray, did you wish to visit a place you didn't think existed?" he asked out of pure curiosity. He couldn't imagine why one would choose to see this place, without a mission. Unless... "...were you tricked?" Was that why there were so many flashing lights and people in costumes? Humans, like magpies, were attracted by shiny things and what better way to lure them into Lucifer's lair than that?

His head shot up at the first scream, the echo of torment shuddering through his very being. Castiel had known what to expect of this place, it was the story angels whispered to one another around camp-fires. To Fall was to fail. To be here was to loose God's light and give up their Grace forever.

"I have not Fallen," Castiel whispered to steady his nerves, "I seek only answers." Had Eve not thought the same as she'd tasted from the forbidden fruit? It was almost a mercy when the human child forced him to focus his attention on her.

"That is the sound of eternal torment," he told her solemnly. "If we move further in, the sounds will only get worse," and now, as the reality of what they both faced here dawned on the angel, he wondered if he was strong enough to make this journey. Perhaps it had simply been arrogance that made him think he would survive here.

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