\nThe Adversary stared at the Messiah, frowning. The Messiah stared right back,
\nalso frowning.<\/p>\n
\n"You’re not what I was expecting," Adam said, at last, feeling that
\na Messiah ought to be wearing a white bathrobe, or have a halo, or somehow demonstrate
\nhis difference from ordinary humans (perhaps funny-colored eyes?). A Messiah most
\nassuredly should not have looked like any other teenaged boy.<\/p>\n
\n"Funny, I could say the same about you," the Messiah said, and grinned.
\nHe stuck out his hand. "The name’s Setsuna."<\/p>\n
\n"Adam." He took the proffered hand and shook it. "Nice to meet
\nyou."<\/p>\n
\n"Yeah, nice to meet you, too, I guess." Setsuna looked thoughtful. "…Wanna
\ngo get a burger?"<\/p>\n
\n"Will it have fish in it?" Adam asked, suspiciously. He’d heard things
\nabout Japanese cuisine.<\/p>\n
\nSetsuna chuckled. "No, no fish."<\/p>\n
\n"Well, that’s all right, then," Adam decided.<\/p>\n
\n"Great. Hold on a minute, willya? I’ll be right back." Setsuna headed
\nover to the two girls and the guy with the really neat tattoo, who had been watching
\nthem from a distance. The guy was giving Adam some funny looks, but the girls
\nwaved Setsuna off after he spoke to them. The guy just looked more puzzled than
\nbefore.<\/p>\n
\nSetsuna jogged back over. "All right, just wanted to let my girlfriend know
\nI was going," he said. "Let’s go."<\/p>\n
\n"You mean you never noticed that Mad Hatter was in Japan, too?" Aziraphale
\ndemanded. "Or Michael? Or Raphael? Or Lucifer?"<\/p>\n
\n"Oh, come off it," Crowley grumbled, trudging along after the angel.
\n"I was hiding, remember?" He gestured at his host’s body. "Jirou’s
\npretty oblivious, okay?" He stopped short. "Wait a minute. Lucifer?
\nI thought he’d disappeared."<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale stopped too, and grumbled something under his breath. "Honestly,
\ndo you even try to keep up with current events?"<\/p>\n
\n"Hiding," Crowley reminded him. "A person can miss an awful lot
\nof gossip that way." They began walking again. "So… Lucifer?"<\/p>\n
\n"Emerged about the same time as the Messiah," Aziraphale said, briefly.<\/p>\n
\n"And who’s the Messiah?" Crowley prompted, when irritation seemed to
\nhave gotten the better of Aziraphale.<\/p>\n
\n"The reincarnation of Alexiel," Aziraphale said. "You really are
\nout of the loop these days."<\/p>\n
\n"It happens when you get into the napping thing," Crowley admitted.
\n"So… how did you manage to lose the Antichrist?"<\/p>\n
\n"He’s gotten adventurous," Aziraphale explained, with a sigh. "I
\ntry to keep an eye on what he’s doing, but…" He shrugged. "He’s getting
\ngood. And without someone to help…"<\/p>\n
\n"Look, you deal with Hastur for me, and I’ll come back," Crowley said.
\n"That’s easy enough, right?" <\/p>\n
\n"So easy that you’d rather hide in a teenager than do it yourself?"
\nAziraphale inquired. "Never mind, we’re here."<\/p>\n
\n"Fudoumine?" Crowley asked. "Why here?"<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale shrugged. "Michael will know where to find the Messiah."<\/p>\n
\nCrowley paled. "Michael? …Aziraphale, he kills demons, you know."<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale smiled. "Then it’s just as well that you’ve had so much practice
\npretending to be human, isn’t it?"<\/p>\n
\nIt was, Michael decided, shaping up to be a really weird afternoon. First Setsuna
\nand that kid—who looked familiar, even if he couldn’t quite place the face—and
\nnow this.<\/p>\n
\n"Lord Michael." Aziraphale was bowing, and the demon lurking behind
\nhim pretending to be one of Hyoutei’s elitist bastards was trying to bow and be
\ninconspicuous all at the same time. It was pretty funny, actually.<\/p>\n
\n"Yeah?" Michael had to admit, he was damn curious about what was going
\non. Last he’d heard, this guy’d helped stop Armageddon, which wouldn’t normally
\nqualify him for an entry in Michael’s good book (He’d had his sword all sharp
\nand ready to go, and they called the whole thing off? Bastards.), but it did qualify
\nhim for entry under the "Interesting People Whose Asses I Might Need To Kick"
\nheading. "Whaddya want?"<\/p>\n
\n"I was hoping you could tell me where I might find the Messiah," Aziraphale
\nsaid, speaking in an undertone after a quick look over at Ann, who was watching
\nthe proceedings with avid curiosity.<\/p>\n
\n"Who, Setsuna? He left here a while ago with some kid," Michael said.<\/p>\n
\nThe demon’s head came up. "Oh, fuck," he said, obviously forgetting
\nthat he was pretending to be inconspicuous. Michael gave him a look, and the demon
\ngulped. "Um. Hello?" he said, with a little wave. "You’re looking
\nwell, Michael-sama."<\/p>\n
\n"So much for that," Aziraphale muttered. "The, uh, child the Messiah
\nwas with—"<\/p>\n
\n"Who is he?" Michael asked, but if this was Aziraphale and his pet demon,
\nthen there was really only one answer. "No way. No fucking way."<\/p>\n
\n"He is," Crowley sighed. <\/p>\n
\nMichael growled. "That bastard Setsuna never said a word."<\/p>\n
\n"So," Setsuna said, halfway through his hamburger. "What brings
\nyou to Tokyo?"<\/p>\n
\n"Godzilla," Adam said promptly.<\/p>\n
\n"…okay." Setsuna waited.<\/p>\n
\n"Well, mostly Godzilla," Adam said, thoughtful. "It was a really
\nneat movie."<\/p>\n
\n"It’s not bad," Setsuna allowed, and waited some more.<\/p>\n
\n"I thought I’d come over and see if I could find Godzilla for myself."<\/p>\n
\nSetsuna raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."<\/p>\n
\n"Well, it could happen," Adam said, his tone indicating that he’d seen
\nstranger things happen before.<\/p>\n
\n"I suppose it could," Setsuna conceded. "This is Tokyo."<\/p>\n
\n"Exactly." Adam grinned. "And then, since I was over here anyway,
\nI thought we should meet."<\/p>\n
\n"And here we are," Setsuna finished, and waited.<\/p>\n
\nAdam held out for most of the rest of another hamburger before caving. "Actually,"
\nhe said, fidgeting with the wrapper, "I was wondering…"<\/p>\n
\n"Yes?" Setsuna asked.<\/p>\n
\n"Um." Adam looked distinctly embarrassed. "D’you, uh, know much
\nabout… girls?"<\/p>\n
\nSetsuna grinned and sat back. "Well," he said, "I might know something."<\/p>\n
\n"Well, they don’t seem to be fighting," Crowley reported, ducking back
\ninto the alley where Aziraphale was waiting. "If anything, they’re bonding."<\/p>\n
\n"Bonding," Aziraphale repeated.<\/p>\n
\nCrowley shrugged. "I call them like I see them."<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale snorted, and shook his head. "The Messiah and the Adversary, bonding
\nover hamburgers. Perhaps this isn’t going to be a complete disaster after all—"<\/p>\n
\nAnd then Lucifer showed up.<\/p>\n
\n"So I shouldn’t be trying to impress her." Adam said.<\/p>\n
\n"Nope." Setsuna shrugged. "I find that it usually doesn’t work,
\nand ends up making you look stupid, too."<\/p>\n
\n"And I should be myself."<\/p>\n
\n"Yup," Setsuna nodded.<\/p>\n
\n"But still be nice and pay attention to her," Adam finished, wondering
\nhow he was supposed to be himself and be nice, both.<\/p>\n
\n"Sounds like you’ve got the idea," Setsuna said. <\/p>\n
\nAdam mulled it over. "Well, I can give it a shot," he said, still harboring
\nsome doubts, although not trying to impress Pepper—who could do a better "I’ve
\nseen it all, and it all bores me" than anyone he’d ever seen—sounded like
\nit would make his life infinitely easier. "Thanks."<\/p>\n
\n"No problem—oh, crap." Setsuna dropped the french fry he’d been about
\nto bite into. "What’s he doing here?"<\/p>\n
\nAdam sat up as the sense of that presence washed over him. "Oh, God,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\nSetsuna’s grin was crooked. "Not exactly," he said, "and I wouldn’t
\nmake that comparison to his face, if I were you." He slid out of the booth.
\n"C’mon, let’s go see what he wants."<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale was doing his best to merge with the wall at his back, since an out-and-out
\nretreat would have involved stepping past Lucifer, and he wasn’t crazy. <\/p>\n
\nBeside him, Crowley exhaled softly. "It’s true. He really is back."<\/p>\n
\n"You didn’t believe me?" Aziraphale snapped, all-too-conscious that
\nthe odds were not the least bit in his favor, and wishing Michael had decided
\nto come along after all. <\/p>\n
\n"And what have we here?" Lucifer asked, sweeping an amused gaze over
\nthem.<\/p>\n
\n"My lord." Crowley bowed, deeply. It had been a good run, at least,
\nAziraphale decided.<\/p>\n
\n"Crowley." Lucifer inclined his head slightly. "I trust there’s
\na reason for you to be possessing that human?"<\/p>\n
\n"Professional friction between Hastur and me, my lord," Crowley said,
\nand there was nothing but respect in his tone. Even if he hadn’t fallen so much
\nas sauntered downwards, this was an alarming development. <\/p>\n
\n"Well, looks like quite a meeting to be having out here by the dumpsters,"
\nsomeone said cheerfully. "Didn’t expect to see you again so soon, Lucifer."<\/p>\n
\nLucifer shrugged. "I merely thought that it was high time I met my son,"
\nhe said, mildly.<\/p>\n
\nJirou was having the most fascinating day he’d had since, well, ever, and he hadn’t
\neven played any tennis yet. He’d had no idea Crowley-san knew such interesting
\npeople, and that he’d get to meet them (albeit only as a spectator).<\/p>\n
\n"Your son?" the new guy said, sounding surprised. He turned to the boy
\nwho was lurking behind him. "You never mentioned that."<\/p>\n
\n"You never asked," the other boy retorted. He looked at Lucifer. "So,
\nyou’re him, huh?" <\/p>\n
\n"I am," Lucifer said. "What’s your name, boy?"<\/p>\n
\n"Adam," he said, and Jirou had the oddest feeling that the boy was assessing
\nLucifer, and not the other way around. "And you’re not my father."<\/p>\n
\nSince he was essentially doomed anyway, even with the Messiah standing right there
\n(and the Messiah had helped kill God anyway, so his allegiances were questionable,
\nand Alexiel had a history with Lucifer), Aziraphale spoke up. "What I believe
\nAdam is trying to say," he said, meekly, "is that his father is the
\none he grew up with, not the one biology assigned him."<\/p>\n
\n"Exactly," Adam said, crossing his arms and sounding satisfied. "That’s
\nwhat I meant, only with smaller words. So I guess you came up here for nothing."<\/p>\n
\n"Hardly," Lucifer said, after barely sparing a glance for Aziraphale.
\n"If I am given to understand the events of Armageddon correctly, you are
\na formidable young man."<\/p>\n
\nAdam blinked. "What, you didn’t know what happened?"<\/p>\n
\n"Of course he didn’t," the Messiah said, ruffling Adam’s hair. "He
\nwas kinda lock—"<\/p>\n
\n"I was indisposed," Lucifer interrupted, firmly.<\/p>\n
\nThe Messiah grinned. "Whatever you wanna call it, he wasn’t around. My guess
\nis that the old bastard rigged it."<\/p>\n
\n"Possibly," Lucifer agreed. "Beelzebub is more malleable than he
\nthinks."<\/p>\n
\nAdam looked to Aziraphale. "Who are they talking about?"<\/p>\n
\n"God," Aziraphale said.<\/p>\n
\n"Old Ineffable Himself?" Crowley said. "So he does have a hand
\nin all this?"<\/p>\n
\n"Had," Lucifer corrected him, absently. "He’s dead now."<\/p>\n
\n"And good riddance, too," the Messiah muttered. Aziraphale winced a
\nlittle. Definitely no help from that quarter.<\/p>\n
\n"And I missed it?" Crowley sounded outraged.<\/p>\n
\n"What rock have you been hiding under?" the Messiah asked.<\/p>\n
\n"A pretty big one, I’d say," Crowley said, "if I missed a deicide."<\/p>\n
\n"And at no small cost to your responsibilities in hell," Lucifer added,
\n"or have you forgotten that the rank of duke carries duties?"<\/p>\n
\n"Yes, lord. Um. I mean, no. Um—I didn’t kill Ligur for his job." Crowley
\nwaved his hands. "Mostly I was just trying to survive."<\/p>\n
\n"Indeed, and stopping Armageddon while you were at it, and consorting with
\nan angel." Aziraphale gulped as Lucifer made a complicated gesture, but there
\nwas just a soft pop, and then some swearing, as Jirou and Crowley’s bodies tried
\nto occupy the same space and failed miserably.<\/p>\n
\nJirou scrambled to his feet. "That was so awesome!" he enthused, and
\nif Aziraphale hadn’t reached out and held the boy back, he might have actually
\nmanaged to seize Lucifer’s hand. "What else can you—"<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale eased the boy to the ground as he fell asleep mid-sentence (with only
\na bare hint of Aziraphale’s encouragement), and the Messiah laughed at Lucifer’s
\nface. "He’s excitable, isn’t he?" he noted.<\/p>\n
\n"Very," Crowley grunted, climbing to his feet and manifesting a suit.
\n"You should see him when he’s playing Atobe." He bowed to Lucifer again.
\n"Thank you, my lord, for the new body," he sighed. "I’ll return
\nto Hell immediately to see to my duties."<\/p>\n
\n"Don’t," Lucifer said. "You’re being reassigned."<\/p>\n
\n"I am?" Crowley looked at him blankly.<\/p>\n
\n"Yes. You will be serving as bodyguard to my—to Adam," Lucifer said.
\n"Do try not to lose him again."<\/p>\n
\nAdam protested. "I don’t need a bodyguard!"<\/p>\n
\n"Of course you do," the Messiah said. "You’ve already got one."
\nHe nodded at Aziraphale.<\/p>\n
\n"What, really?" Crowley turned to look at Aziraphale.<\/p>\n
\n"Not officially. Officially, I’m watching him," Aziraphale admitted,
\nshifting under the weight of Lucifer’s gaze. "But unofficially… I’m watching
\nover him."<\/p>\n
\n"And I’m certain Crowley will be a great deal of help to you," Lucifer
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\n"I don’t want bodyguards!" <\/p>\n
\n"Tough," Crowley said, sidling around Lucifer and snapping a pair of
\nsunglasses into existence. He perched them on his nose. "Because there is
\nno way I’m disobeying a direct order from him."<\/p>\n
\n"This isn’t fair," Adam grumbled, leveling a glare at them all. He looked
\nat the Messiah. "Do you have a bodyguard?" he demanded.<\/p>\n
\n"Nope, but then, I’m in control of my own powers," the Messiah said
\ncheerfully, "and that tends to deter most would-be assassins."<\/p>\n
\n"Besides, life doesn’t tend to be fair, or so I’ve noticed," Aziraphale
\nmurmured, deciding that perhaps he was going to live after all. He placed his
\nhands on his hips. "And do you have any idea how worried I was when you disappeared?"<\/p>\n
\n"Had things to do," Adam mumbled. He waved a hand. "People to see."<\/p>\n
\n"And it never occurred to you that it might be dangerous to traipse across
\nthe globe to meet the Messiah, who by definition has every right to try to kill
\nyou on sight?" Crowley asked. Adam shook his head, sullenly. "Damn.
\nYou don’t need bodyguards. You need babysitters."<\/p>\n
\nAziraphale stared as Lucifer began to chuckle, and even the Messiah looked impressed.
\n"I’ve chosen well, I think," Lucifer murmured, finally.<\/p>\n
\n"They’ll do," the Messiah agreed, and then he checked his watch. "Crap,
\nit’s getting late. I’ve got to get going. Nice meeting you, Adam."<\/p>\n
\n"Yeah, you too," Adam said. <\/p>\n
\nThe Messiah looked at Lucifer. "Will we be seeing you at Nationals?"
\nhe asked.<\/p>\n
\n"I wouldn’t dream of missing it," Lucifer said. <\/p>\n
\n"Thought so," the Messiah said. "Remember what I told you, Adam.
\nSee you around." He waved and headed off.<\/p>\n
\n"Should the Messiah be giving advice to the Antichrist?" Crowley asked
\nAziraphale.<\/p>\n
\n"Are you going to be the one to stop him," Aziraphale asked.<\/p>\n
\n"Well… no."<\/p>\n
\n"Then the Messiah can give the Antichrist all the advice he wants,"
\nAziraphale said. "It’s up to Adam whether he takes it."<\/p>\n
\n"Gentlemen," Lucifer said, politely. "If I may have a word with
\nAdam?"<\/p>\n
\nAdam glared. "Don’t wanna talk to you," he grumbled.<\/p>\n
\n"You don’t have a choice," Crowley said, as Aziraphale woke Jirou up
\nand dragged him out of the alley. "We’ll just be out there," he said,
\nand followed Aziraphale.<\/p>\n
\n"So… you must be Aziraphale," Jirou said, apparently perfectly at
\nease with his narcoleptic fit.<\/p>\n
\n"Yes," Aziraphale said.<\/p>\n
\n"So you’re an angel like Kantoku?" Jirou pursued.<\/p>\n
\n"I should hope," Aziraphale said, slowly, "that I’m not very much
\nlike Sakaki at all."<\/p>\n
\n"Fair enough," Jirou said. He looked back into the alley. "So that’s
\nreally the devil?"<\/p>\n
\n"And the Antichrist," Crowley said, helpfully.<\/p>\n
\n"He’s really cool," Jirou said, eyes shining.<\/p>\n
\n"A lot of people think so," Aziraphale grumbled.<\/p>\n
\n"A lot of people are right," Crowley said sharply.<\/p>\n
\n"Hmph." Aziraphale shut up.<\/p>\n
\nAdam crossed his arms and sulked against an alley wall. "Well?"<\/p>\n
\nAt least, Lucifer decided, he could be grateful that he’d had experience dealing
\nwith prickly teenagers. "Why not destroy the world?" he asked.<\/p>\n
\n"Because I like it," Adam said, with an eye roll for emphasis.<\/p>\n
\n"And why not rule it for yourself?"<\/p>\n
\nAdam frowned. "Too much work, for one thing." He shrugged. "Sure,
\nI could rule it myself and fix everything, but then people would be coming to
\nme all the time and asking me to fix stuff for them. It’s better that they learn
\nto fix things themselves."<\/p>\n
\nLucifer nodded. "Very good," he said.<\/p>\n
\nAdam rolled his eyes. "My turn for a question," he said. "Are you
\nreally my father?"<\/p>\n
\n"That’s what they tell me," Lucifer said, frowning. "I wasn’t exactly
\nconsulted beforehand."<\/p>\n
\nAdam’s eyebrows went up. "Then how…?" He flushed.<\/p>\n
\n"Demon magic and a laboratory, I believe." Lucifer looked him in the
\neye. "It was a shock to return home to find I’d been gifted a son in my absence."<\/p>\n
\nAdam frowned. "Then who was it who nearly showed up back then?"<\/p>\n
\n"One of the higher-ranking demon lords," Lucifer said. He examined his
\nnails. "He has since been relieved of his duties."<\/p>\n
\n"Good," Adam said. He made a face. "You aren’t really going to
\nmake me put up with them, are you?" he said, jerking his head in Crowley
\nand Aziraphale’s direction.<\/p>\n
\n"So… I guess this means you’re leaving, huh?" Jirou asked, when it
\nseemed like neither Crowley-san nor Aziraphale-san was going to speak.<\/p>\n
\n"Yeah. Duty calls, and all that." Crowley-san waved a hand. "Kid
\nbelongs in England."<\/p>\n
\n"That means you’ll miss Nationals, though!" Jirou protested, horrified.<\/p>\n
\n"Uh… yeah, I guess I will," Crowley-san said, looking uncomfortable.
\n"Hyoutei’s sure to win, though," he added.<\/p>\n
\n"But don’t the other schools have angels? Or demons?" Jirou asked.<\/p>\n
\nCrowley-san blinked. "Oh, no," he said, firmly. "No chance. Your
\ncoach does not want my help, trust me… though he might not turn down Aziraphale."<\/p>\n
\n"Absolutely not," Aziraphale-san said, and sniffed. "I can’t work
\nwith him."<\/p>\n
\nJirou didn’t really see a problem, but since one apparently existed, he went back
\nto a less touchy subject. "You really think we’ll be okay on our own?"<\/p>\n
\nCrowley-san grinned. "You’ll be fine. There’s more to Hyoutei than meets
\nthe eye. Promise."<\/p>\n
\n"I still wish you were going to be there for Nationals," Jirou said,
\na trifle wistfully.<\/p>\n
\nCrowley-san coughed. "Well, um. Oh, looks like they’re done," he said,
\nquickly, as Adam-kun slouched out of the alley, followed by the devil.<\/p>\n
\n"Gracefully done," Aziraphale-san murmured.<\/p>\n
\n"Oh, shut up."<\/p>\n
\n"Gentlemen," the devil said, "I believe I’ll leave things in your—"
\nand Jirou wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard an infinitesimal pause there "—capable
\nhands."<\/p>\n
\n"Yes, lord," Crowley said, and bowed.<\/p>\n
\n"Still don’t think this is fair," Adam-kun muttered.<\/p>\n
\n"Duly noted," the devil said, sounding the faintest bit exasperated,
\nand vanished.<\/p>\n
\n"Cooooooooool," Jirou sighed.<\/p>\n
\nThe boy spent the entire trip back to Hyoutei expounding upon the wonders of tennis
\nto the Adversary, and if Aziraphale wasn’t mistaken, there were a lot of tennis
\ncourts pending in his near future—assuming, of course, that Adam didn’t just
\nbounce on to a new interest once they were safely home again. Judging from the
\nway Adam was hanging onto every word Jirou had to say (currently, something about
\na player who could make the tennis ball roll along the net, which surely wasn’t
\npossible, right?) though, it looked like tennis could hold his attention for at
\nleast a week. <\/p>\n
\nAt least tennis was wholesome.<\/p>\n
\n"Looks like we’re even returning him before the end of practice," Crowley
\nsaid, with some satisfaction, as they strolled into sight of Hyoutei’s tennis
\ncourts. "So, is it as much fun for you as it is for me to see Sakaki this
\nbaffled?"<\/p>\n
\n"Well…" Aziraphale paused, "one does wonder how he managed to
\nlast so long without being demoted."<\/p>\n
\nCrowley snickered, and waved to Hyoutei’s coach. "See, here he is, safe and
\nsound! World didn’t need saving after all!" <\/p>\n
\n"For a change," Aziraphale added, under his breath. "Adam! Time
\nto go."<\/p>\n
\nAdam-kun made a face at Aziraphale-san. "This completely sucks," he
\ncomplained to Jirou.<\/p>\n
\n"It does," Jirou sympathized. "You really have to talk them into
\nletting you come back for Nationals. I mean, if the devil is going to show up,
\nyou should too, right?"<\/p>\n
\nAdam-kun considered it. "Practically a family obligation, when you look at
\nit that way," he said. He grinned.<\/p>\n
\n"Adam!"<\/p>\n
\nHe rolled his eyes. "I’ll see what I can do," he said, with a grin.
\n"Nice meeting you, Jirou."<\/p>\n
\n"You too. See you around." Jirou waved him off, and turned to find his
\nteammates eyeing him curiously. "So, did I miss anything while I was gone?"\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Messiah and the Adversary chat, and Lucifer drops in. Aziraphale and Crowley sweat.