IIII
When Gabriel was summoned to Pandæmonium, he went. Pandæmonium was the High Capital of Lucifer and his peers; the main city of Hell. A decadent place of marble and gold and stone, fire and heat. An extravagant place that was certainly fit for its proprietor, king and mayor, Lucifer. Lucifer, who had always been counted as a being with style. He ran his business of sin from that city, lived in that city, and reveled in all the depravity and filth surrounding him in that city. The downtown area was like every red light district in the world on steroids. The lavish uptown had magnificent palaces for every prince, duke, and high demon in Hell.
Gabriel certainly was not used to opulence of this kind; Heaven was a much different place. But it was growing on him each time he went to visit his brother. This time, Lucifer summoned him for very superficial reasons, or at least they seemed superficial when Gabriel arrived. His brother stood in his vast closet, surrounded by mirrors and admiring the cut of a brand new suit. "Gabe! Come here, brother, come here."
The newly appointed prince, who had arrived in a flash of fire (his teleporting, he noticed, was much more flashy in Hell), walked over to Lucifer. He tried not to look at his reflection in the mirrors; crown, horns, black wings. "I'm pretty sick of your old duds. You have no fashion sense, you know. That jacket doesn't even fit you correctly. And white. White, dear brother, has never looked good on you. Lose the wings for now."
He stowed his wings and stood before his brother with his hands out. "What now?"
Lucifer smirked, and snapped his fingers. Gabriel found himself stumbling a little as he was re-clothed, and when he looked up his old suit was gone. For the first time since gaining his horns, he looked in the mirrors. And he couldn't help but admire what he saw.
The black double breasted jacket fit him perfectly across the chest and through the waist; the lapels were peaked, giving the jacket an even sharper look and the sleeves were topped off with surgeon cuffs, meaning he could roll them up if he needed to, an ability not usually found on most ready-to-wear suits. "For the dirty work," Lucifer said with a grin, walking over and showing Gabriel the function. The pants were black as well, with the traditional two pleats; their cut was slim, fitting him exactly right, and even making him look a bit taller. They were held up by suspenders, which were of course hidden by the jacket. The black silk Oxford shirt beneath the jacket was very comfortable; his cuff links were silver, with onyx and mother of pearl. The thin tie was dark grey rather than black, offering some depth of color there. The shoes, black shining wingtips, looked very smart.
Perhaps the most surprising thing (for Gabriel at least) was the shoulder holster heavy with guns that he felt but couldn't see in the mirror due to the jacket. He looked imploringly at Lucifer, and shrugged out of the jacket, handing it to him. "What...?"
"Weapons, Gabriel. I'm done with the flaming sword and the bulky armor. I have been for a while. These guns are part of your updated attire. They aren't flashy, sexy Colt .45s or Pythons or Lugers. They're SIG Sauers. The P226, to be exact, and they're for work. They're sturdy and accurate and pack one hell of a punch. I have no doubt that with your extensive knowledge of combat, Chief, you'll be able to use them." He winked, holding Gabriel's jacket over his arm. "Go on, take them out, give them a look over."
Gabriel drew the guns and aimed them at the mirror, mismatched eyes taking in his appearance. Cold death. Agent of Lucifer. Prince of Hell. Lucifer set the jacket down on a nearby chair, and then wrapped his arms around Gabriel from behind, his hands splaying on his brother's chest. He smirked, resting his chin on Gabriel's shoulder and looking at both their reflections. He turned his head and placed a kiss behind Gabriel's ear, and spoke, his voice low. "Look at you, dear brother. Quite sexy with those guns, I must admit. The devil is a good looking man and so his princes must be as well. Now listen, I have an assignment for you..." Gabriel dropped his guns in their holsters and listened. Here it was, the real reason he was here.
Lucifer proceeded to tell him everything about Tyler Jack, about the things that the boy had been through, about his powers and the people the boy knew. Told him about Billie and Alex, about Frank and Grimm. About Spike. He let him in on the delicate matter of the boy's soul and the fact that he wanted it. Told him that he had an agent already on the case, Atilla, but that he wanted Gabriel to help her. Because Gabriel had once been an angel, and the boy was very devout. And Gabriel could slip in with the utmost finesse and make the operation that much easier. "Make the boy need you," Lucifer purred, "make him want you. Gabriel, make the boy love you. Make him love you more than he loves Raphael. And keep Zee out of it as much as you can, I'm not sure he would approve."
And so, Gabriel was given his first real orders from the Devil. He put his jacket back on and adjusted the crown on his head, looking over at his brother. "Anything else?"
"Yes, actually!" Lucifer was once again admiring his own new suit in the mirrors. "Go visit Astaroth before you leave. Little blondie's been asking when you were coming back for a visit..." He smirked devilishly, leering over at his brother. "I daresay he's become fond of your mouth..."
Gabriel blushed and gave a half-hearted 'shut up' to his brother. But when he left Lucifer's closet and reached the street a few moments later, he did make his way over to the demon prince's palace.
Gabriel certainly was not used to opulence of this kind; Heaven was a much different place. But it was growing on him each time he went to visit his brother. This time, Lucifer summoned him for very superficial reasons, or at least they seemed superficial when Gabriel arrived. His brother stood in his vast closet, surrounded by mirrors and admiring the cut of a brand new suit. "Gabe! Come here, brother, come here."
The newly appointed prince, who had arrived in a flash of fire (his teleporting, he noticed, was much more flashy in Hell), walked over to Lucifer. He tried not to look at his reflection in the mirrors; crown, horns, black wings. "I'm pretty sick of your old duds. You have no fashion sense, you know. That jacket doesn't even fit you correctly. And white. White, dear brother, has never looked good on you. Lose the wings for now."
He stowed his wings and stood before his brother with his hands out. "What now?"
Lucifer smirked, and snapped his fingers. Gabriel found himself stumbling a little as he was re-clothed, and when he looked up his old suit was gone. For the first time since gaining his horns, he looked in the mirrors. And he couldn't help but admire what he saw.
The black double breasted jacket fit him perfectly across the chest and through the waist; the lapels were peaked, giving the jacket an even sharper look and the sleeves were topped off with surgeon cuffs, meaning he could roll them up if he needed to, an ability not usually found on most ready-to-wear suits. "For the dirty work," Lucifer said with a grin, walking over and showing Gabriel the function. The pants were black as well, with the traditional two pleats; their cut was slim, fitting him exactly right, and even making him look a bit taller. They were held up by suspenders, which were of course hidden by the jacket. The black silk Oxford shirt beneath the jacket was very comfortable; his cuff links were silver, with onyx and mother of pearl. The thin tie was dark grey rather than black, offering some depth of color there. The shoes, black shining wingtips, looked very smart.
Perhaps the most surprising thing (for Gabriel at least) was the shoulder holster heavy with guns that he felt but couldn't see in the mirror due to the jacket. He looked imploringly at Lucifer, and shrugged out of the jacket, handing it to him. "What...?"
"Weapons, Gabriel. I'm done with the flaming sword and the bulky armor. I have been for a while. These guns are part of your updated attire. They aren't flashy, sexy Colt .45s or Pythons or Lugers. They're SIG Sauers. The P226, to be exact, and they're for work. They're sturdy and accurate and pack one hell of a punch. I have no doubt that with your extensive knowledge of combat, Chief, you'll be able to use them." He winked, holding Gabriel's jacket over his arm. "Go on, take them out, give them a look over."
Gabriel drew the guns and aimed them at the mirror, mismatched eyes taking in his appearance. Cold death. Agent of Lucifer. Prince of Hell. Lucifer set the jacket down on a nearby chair, and then wrapped his arms around Gabriel from behind, his hands splaying on his brother's chest. He smirked, resting his chin on Gabriel's shoulder and looking at both their reflections. He turned his head and placed a kiss behind Gabriel's ear, and spoke, his voice low. "Look at you, dear brother. Quite sexy with those guns, I must admit. The devil is a good looking man and so his princes must be as well. Now listen, I have an assignment for you..." Gabriel dropped his guns in their holsters and listened. Here it was, the real reason he was here.
Lucifer proceeded to tell him everything about Tyler Jack, about the things that the boy had been through, about his powers and the people the boy knew. Told him about Billie and Alex, about Frank and Grimm. About Spike. He let him in on the delicate matter of the boy's soul and the fact that he wanted it. Told him that he had an agent already on the case, Atilla, but that he wanted Gabriel to help her. Because Gabriel had once been an angel, and the boy was very devout. And Gabriel could slip in with the utmost finesse and make the operation that much easier. "Make the boy need you," Lucifer purred, "make him want you. Gabriel, make the boy love you. Make him love you more than he loves Raphael. And keep Zee out of it as much as you can, I'm not sure he would approve."
And so, Gabriel was given his first real orders from the Devil. He put his jacket back on and adjusted the crown on his head, looking over at his brother. "Anything else?"
"Yes, actually!" Lucifer was once again admiring his own new suit in the mirrors. "Go visit Astaroth before you leave. Little blondie's been asking when you were coming back for a visit..." He smirked devilishly, leering over at his brother. "I daresay he's become fond of your mouth..."
Gabriel blushed and gave a half-hearted 'shut up' to his brother. But when he left Lucifer's closet and reached the street a few moments later, he did make his way over to the demon prince's palace.