Part 11

Late that night, in the Rue Morgue ...

Michael: So, here we are. Come on in, Sariel. I see the others haven't arrived yet.
Sariel: I must say I'm a bit nervous. I hope Luce won't start his paranoid ramblings again.
Michael: I'm sure we can convince him of your good intentions. If he wasn't willing to believe you, he wouldn't have invited you to one of our meetings in the first place.
Sariel: Well, let's hope you're right.
...
Uriel: Hi Mike. Sariel. So, you're joining the troop? That's great, then we'll be allowed to go on a binge together again.
Sariel: Has it ever been forbidden?
Uriel: Well ... ehm ... sort of ...
Gabriel: Heyyyy, folks, I'm ba-ack! Did you miss me?
Uriel: Hi Gabe, isn't Raph with you?
Gabriel: Ehhh, Raphy? ... No. He said he wouldn't need a wake-up call. Fuck, he's not here yet? Well, Luce hasn't arrived either, so there's still hope he might be here before him.
Michael: I hope so, it would spare us another outburst from Luce.
Gabriel: Yeah, I feel some kind of déjà-vu at the start of each new meeting. So Sariel, you decided to switch sides?
Sariel: As you can see.
Gabriel: Aw-kay, welcome to the troop then. I hope you know what you're letting yourself into. I take it you have met Luce before?
Sariel: Yes, don't worry, I guess I'll be fine.
Gabriel: Good, good. ... Shit, there he comes, and Raphy's still not here. I should have woken him up after all.
Lucifer: Hey, guys. Great, I see you have all arr... Where the fuck is Raph?
Gabriel: Ah! Déjà-vu.
Lucifer: I don't believe this! It's two minutes to midnight.
Uriel: Maybe he had an emergency.
Lucifer: I wonder what time would suit him for our meetings, so that we can be sure that he'll be on time.
Michael: He'll probably soon show up. Maybe we could update Sariel about our previous meetings while we wait.
Lucifer: You mean, there's still things he doesn't know yet? Well ... hi Sariel.
Sariel: Hello. I'm glad I can join.
Lucifer: Hmmm, good. Well, I don't want to start without Raph, so we might as well fill you in on our plan. So, listen ...

Half an hour later:

Raphael: Hmmm, hi guys. Look, Luce, I'm not saying I'm sorry, but ...
Lucifer: What's your excuse this time? You're HALF A FUCKING HOUR late!
Raphael: Well, that's not THAT much, considering ...
Lucifer: NOT THAT MUCH? Do you think we have nothing better to do than wait for you to show up? By now we could have finished the meeting.
Raphael: I'm sorry, but ...
Gabriel: HA! You said it after all, Raphy!
Raphael: It wasn't my fault this time. I didn't oversleep. In fact, I wasn't sleeping at all.
Lucifer: So, why are you late?
Raphael: Lilith ...
Gabriel: Hehe. Lilith, yeah, she is a good reason to be late. Oooh, Raphy, I didn't know that you and Lilith ...
Raphael: No ... Stop that, Gabe ... Lilith ... Rrrmmm, GABE! Stop tousling me, fuck.
Lucifer: We had to wait because you wanted to have it off with Lilith? Tell me I'm having a bad dream.
Raphael: Can you ... Gabe, fuck. No, Luce, I didn't have it off with Lilith. She felt ill.
Gabriel: Awwww, you want us to believe that?
Raphael: Yeah, I want you to believe that, cause it's the truth. You know, I had to do my job.
Gabriel: Well, maybe SHE was doing her job too ...
Raphael: Haha, very funny.
Uriel: No, I remember, she already had a headache yesterday.
Lucifer: She did? Well, ok then. No use crying over spilt milk. I'm glad you could make it here after all. So let's not lose more time and start with the meeting. As you probably already know, Sariel here has decided to join us.
Raphael: Sure, Ury told me. That's great, Sar, so now we're allowed to go on a binge together again.
Uriel: Hehe, yeah, that's what I told him too.
Lucifer: I DON'T think he joined so that you three can get drunk and make headlines again. May I go on?
Uriel: Oops, yeah, sorry. Of course.
Lucifer: Ok. So, as you probably all know, I feel very strongly about our group here. I feel, together we can achieve so much. The system is on the brink of being changed, and we are not only fortunate enough to witness it, no, we're actively working to get there.
Uriel: Well said, mate.
Lucifer: I hope and pray that you are all feeling the same about this ...
Michael: I guess we do, otherwise we wouldn't have joined, right?
Sariel: I agree with that.
Uriel: Of course we do, Luce, I hope you don't doubt that.
Lucifer: Gabe?
Gabriel: Yeah, sure, Luce. I already told you. I'm in. I'm proud to be in. I'm honoured to be in. I'm most eager to be in. I'm excessively ...
Lucifer: Yeah, yeah, ok, I got it. Raph? ... Raph?
Raphael: Huh? What was the question again?
Lucifer: Someone hold me before I kill him ... Are you sleeping while I talk?
Raphael: No, but there was so much going on here right now ... I think I forgot the question.
Gabriel: Oh, Raphy. Luce was asking us if we still want to be part of his ingenious revolution plan.
Raphael: Oh that. Well yeah, sure.
Lucifer: Hmmm, good then. Now comes the time to celebrate our bond with a special ceremony.
Uriel: Oh cool, let's raise our glasses.
Lucifer: I did NOT mean drinking, Uriel.
Uriel: Not? Would have been a good idea though.
Sariel: What DID you mean?
Lucifer: I meant, it is time for us to become Blood Brothers.
Gabriel: Eh, beg your pardon?
Lucifer: Yes, that's how it's done among conspirators. We cut our hands, join them together and swear a holy oath never to betray each other or our cause.
Gabriel: We have to cut our hands for that? So that they bleed?
Lucifer: Yeah, that's why it's called BLOOD brothers, right? A permanent scar to symbolize our permanent dedication.
Gabriel: Well, you know I never really fancied tattoos and such stuff. A bit TOO permanent for my liking ...
Lucifer: What do you mean? This isn't about some fancy little tattoo. This is meant to be a symbol of fraternity and brotherhood.
Gabriel: Isn't that the same? Fraternity, brotherhood ...
Lucifer: What's the matter with you? Are you getting second thoughts about joining? Or are you just afraid to lose a few drops of your precious blood? Chickening out again, Gabe?
Gabriel: No, I'm NOT chickening out. I just don't like rash decisions, that's all. But if it's so important to you ...
Michael: I agree with Luce, sealing the pact with our blood is a good idea. I'm all for it.
Uriel: Yeah, why not. Let's do it.
Lucifer: Sariel? You maybe didn't expect this? Are you sure you're still in? Prepared to swear an oath of loyalty and wear the scar to prove it?
Sariel: Yes, I can swear the oath and cut my hand. If that's the only way I can make you believe in my sincerity. I suspect this whole blood brother idea only came up because you wanted to test me anyway.
Gabriel: Really? Well, maybe then it would suffice if Sariel cut his hand ...
Lucifer: NO, we ALL cut our hands. Either you do it or you're out. If you cannot even make this little sacrifice, then how could we trust you to fight to the death for our cause? How can anyone be so ...
Gabriel: Ok, ok, I'll do it. Stop ranting. I just thought, considering the fact ...
Lucifer: Raph, what about you? Do you have a problem with cutting your hand?
Raphael: Hm? No, not at all. Let's do it.
Gabriel: Well, easy for him to say. He can heal himself quickly. He probably won't even feel the hurt. Also: he's used to blood. Comes with his profession. So it's not really a sign of daring if he ...
Michael: Don't worry, Gabe, it doesn't really hurt that much. Sar and me have done it before with the mates from the army.
Gabriel: Well, I'll take your word for it.
Lucifer: Ok then, let's do it. I'll go first. Will you hand me the knife that I put over there, Uriel? ... Ok, who's next?
Raphael: Well, give it to me then. ... Ok, there you go, Ury.
Uriel: Thanks, mate. ... Oops, well, one does feel it ... But it's only a tiny sting.
Michael: My turn. ... Sariel?
Sariel: Ok, well, let's do it. ... Gabe? You're the last.
Gabriel: Ehm, yeah ... hehe, well. Let's make that little incision, if it makes Lucy happy. ... Here we go. Some deep breathing, concentration: a-one ... a-two ... a-three ... Showtime! ... Uahhh, yeah, hehe, cool, didn't hurt at all. Hooo, I'm fine. Haaa, so what's next? Shall we pierce a nipple, amputate a wing?
Lucifer: Why is it that you can't just perform the ceremony in silence, like all the others? Do you have to make a show of everything? Stop monkeying, please.
Gabriel: Ehhh, hehe. Great. Now I'm a monkey. The zoo is getting bigger.
Lucifer: What zoo?
Gabriel: MY zoo. Rats, chicken, monkeys. Well, never mind. I did what you wanted, so be happy, ok?
Lucifer: Yeah sure, I'm happy. Now let's join our hands together ... From this moment on, we are truly Blood Brothers, united in our common cause for all eternity. This night will fade into the dawn of a new era. A glorious moment for all Angelkind.
Uriel: Great, I feel so excited.
Michael: Yeah, looking forward to this brave new world.
Sariel: Luce, do you realize you've have achieved something that no angel before you has done? Bringing together the six of us to fight for our own cause, set our own goals?
Lucifer: Yeah, Sariel. I know. And I'm proud of it. But I also want to thank you all, because I realize that without you, nothing of this could have been achieved. Thanks, mates.
Michael: Ah, you're most welcome.
Uriel: Don't mention it, mate.
Raphael: Gabe ... Are you alright? You look a bit pale.
Gabriel: Eh, well, hehe. I just realized that it does hurt after all. My hand feels kinda numb.
Raphael: Show me your hand. ... Fuck, Gabe, your fingers are all blue! You've cut way too deep! Man, this doesn't stop bleeding. Why didn't you say something?
Gabriel: Well, I'm not a chicken, am I? Just a little cut, hehe. Hooo, I think I'm starting to faint here.
Lucifer: Oh fuck. Why must he always make a show of everything? ... Raph, could you please ...
Raphael: Yeah, I'm working on it already. Come on Gabe, stop moaning, you're gonna be fine in a minute. ... See, just a little scar left. No more blood. Move your fingers ... that's good, you're alright again.
Gabriel: Thanks, Raphy. I owe you one for this.
Uriel: You know, that's actually a very good idea: I'm thirsty. Let's go to the Angel and the Gambler.
Lucifer: Uriel, it's 2 a.m. The pubs are all closed.
Uriel: Umph. Shit. So much for being in Heaven.
Michael: Let's go to the Ancient Mariner. It's open all night. Best fish and chips joint there is, I can tell you. And Gabe here looks as if he could use a bite.
Uriel: That's a good idea. Let's go there and celebrate our bond.