Busking at the Fountain

[ginger_firebird]

Visitors to the fountain might see a somewhat unusual sight this day. Mantis is having a glorious sit next to the mist coming off of the water and has a leash wrapped around his wrist. On the other end of the leash is a catwing in a harness. It’s a happy little calico flapping his wings and batting at the water as Mantis watches. There’s a basket with long straps sitting by Mantis’ feet and from it he pulls out a bottle of water to drink from. The weather has been simply too hot for his liking, but Yaga needs his exercise.

Mantis sighs and wipes at the sweat pooling at the back of his neck. He’s dressed in the lightest cotton tank he could find and the most breathable linen pants, and still he’s overheating marvelously. The swimming heat does give him an idea, though, and he looks around him briefly before nodding. There were people in the Nexus who knew when their minds were being read. Surface thoughts that were easy enough to get through, but he’s also met those who have a profound level of influence and control.

So why not see where they are? One psychic to another. Mantis begins to hum quietly to himself, but sensitive ears and minds might be able to hear his hymn. It’s a mournful little melody born out of the remnants of childhood memories and he’s used it to amplify his powers for years. It was always meant to sink deep into a part of the brain that was easier to read, easier to control, but he’s not looking to make a puppet or even mess around all that much.

A question echoes and repeats along the notes of the music as it cycles back and forth along the vicinity around the fountain and perhaps even further: “Can you hear me? Do you know where I am? How alone are we in a place like this?”

Comments

[devilsphoenix]

"Yes. Some are rigid, even by our standards. It is a common trait among celestials, but not all of them are so rigid either."

It was a hard thing to describe to a mortal. The nature of Angelic existence wasn't easy to put in any words, let alone one that would be truly meaningful to a human.

"Then we share something in common." Phenex adds. "We were created with many abilities that we have expanded since we were expelled from the more inflexible bounds of heaven."

[ginger_firebird]

"I've been told Lucifer himself is somewhere here in the Nexus. He never seemed like a particularly bad person to me, even as a child."

He's curious about how they describe how angelic powers work. "I have a few that I can use, but there are some that are completely beyond my scope of abilities. I could read just about any mind in the world, but I have never been able to channel the dead."

[devilsphoenix]

"He is our king." Phenex confirms. "Lucifer most often reflects what he receives from others.

"Are you talking about necromancy?" The angel asks curiously. It wouldn't be the first human with abilities to communicate with the dead.

[ginger_firebird]

"I had a king, of a sort. Not so much a royal as a commanding officer."

He laughs a little and shakes his head. "No. The Sorrow could hear the dead and channel their spirits to learn about how the tide of battle had gone. Now that he's dead, he's stronger than I am. Perfectly polite, but I'm still a trouble-maker in his mind."

[devilsphoenix]

"Lucifer serves as both."

Phrnex listens to the description of this person. "There are angels that can predict the tides of war." Their smile brightens. "Are you a troublemaker?"

[ginger_firebird]

He shrugs, but that's more of an answer than anything. "I don't have the drive to be the way I did while alive, but I don't know how not to be a troublemaker. All my life and careers were about making others miserable somehow."

[devilsphoenix]

Phenex laughs quietly, covering their mouth with a hand to stifle the giggles.

"I think you have something in common with our king." They get more serious. "He once would have delighted in the misery of others but he has grown and matured past that. I don't think he will ever stop being a troublemaker though."

[ginger_firebird]

"See? Even the bringer of light can't keep it up forever, so how can I possibly maintain that kind of momentum?" He smirks to himself. "You learn to teach it to others so they can do it for you. Vicarious living isn't the most noble of ways to live, but it's an improvement over having to do it yourself."

[devilsphoenix]

"I think you misunderstand. Lucifer is still a troublemaker he's only stopped doing it for revenge and I don't think he would teach anyone else to practice the path he used to walk." Phenex smirks. "If you are lucky enough to become his friend you'll know what I mean."

[ginger_firebird]

"Oh! I have a friend who acts a bit like that. He's run out of a lot of steam he used to have for vengeful behavior, but the old energy is still there. Between the two of us, I'm more of an active poltergeist." Lucifer is increasingly sounding like an interesting person to talk to, which reminds Mantis of moving to the United States in a way he can't quite explain. "If I see him. I'm sure he'll wander my way eventually."

[devilsphoenix]

"They sound the same. Lucifer is calm and kind these days unless you give him reason to choose that old path again." Phenex could definitely see the correlation between Lucifer and this person that Mantis knew.

"I'm certain you will. Lucifer is gregarious and looks for new people."

[ginger_firebird]

"Nyoka is...not, even now. I don't think he could be someone that I like if he were any other way. That temper of his is so inherent to his being that anything less wouldn't be half as interesting. I still want to meet Lucifer, though." He laughs quietly to himself. "Maybe he can teach me how to be calmer."

[devilsphoenix]

"If calm is what you seek, then you should look for Belial or Mulciber. Among our kind they are the calmest." They grin with something that seems shy. "The rest of us only maintain calm through conscious choice, so perhaps that would be a benefit to your position. God has taught Lucifer to have unwavering control hen he chooses to."