[Mojave]

Sometimes, specifically in moments like this, Arcturas thought that Bezeil should have been among The Fallen. The 'angels' seemed to enjoy tormenting their God's precious mortals as much as the 'demons', the two sides only differentiated by their stance on the issue of obedience. Bezeil had never openly supported the party that was against it, and indeed they never actually broke any of the rules (meaning nobody ever died). For Arcturas, the strictures had left a bad taste in their mouth and the idea of a paradigm shift seemed to be  a good idea.

16/205

[Mojave]

Suddenly wary, Arcturas shook their head in the negative. "Nooo..." They said slowly, "I wasn't aware we could do that?" Bezeil waved this away and tapped the side of their nose with a sly grin. "Well, we're certainly not supposed to. But I've been doing some reading back home." Arcturas groaned; nothing good ever came of Bezeil's ideas that came from books. Not because they were wrong, but because Arcturas read so many different kinds of books and combined concepts in the most awful (but entertaining) ways.

17/205

[Mojave]

"Don't groan, my love!" Bezeil said happily, patting Arcturas on the shoulder, "It'll be fun, promise!" Arcturas smiled ruefully but nodded their head, "I'm sure it will be. I'm also sure we're going to be in even more trouble than we already will be just from being here, not to mention if we're found together. You really wanna risk Falling for a prank?" Not that Arcturas would mind... having Bezeil in the same dimension again so they didn't need to sneak around would be a welcome change. They just didn't want Bezeil to regret it or push things farther than they intended. "They have to catch me first, and then prove I did it." Was the angel's response, to which Arcturas indicated they were willing to listen and help.

[Mojave]

"Well?" Pogo continued to glare at the angels they'd stumbled across. The two demons hadn't gone far when Pogo heard the same sound that Xeno had heard. They had decided to investigate, backtracking through the thick cluster of trees despite the snagging brambles. The pebble being kicked into the bush had told them where to go better than following the voices and so here they were. Two demons staring in irate disbelief at two angels, obviously caught somewhere they weren't supposed to be. "Don't make him repeat himself, gals. He doesn't like to repeat himself." Xeno hissed in a mock whisper at the two angels.

[Mojave]

Pogo turned an irritable glance at Xeno, though refrained from correcting their sibling's use of gender specific nouns and pronouns. The angels were as much female as the two demons were male; neither species had genitals or more of any gender indicators than another. Flat chested, slim androgynous hips, mannequin like faces, the only way to even tell the two species apart was their coloration and, when they presented, their wings. "What are two little angels doing down in the physical realm?" Pogo asked again despite their sibling's words. "Thought you lot weren't supposed to come here unless it was Official Business?" Xeno taunted.

[Mojave]

"You're one to talk, Fallen." Mendzel snapped even as they stood, arms crossed over chest. "We're here on our own business; why are you here? Wait no, let me guess." They smirked, "Here to cause some mischief to the God's favored children?"

Castrail sighed at the obvious taunt and stood with as much dignity as possible while Mendzel and Xeno began to bicker. Seeing the crimson eyed Pogo glaring at their companion, Castrail extended a hand in formal greetings, "I'm Castrail. The mouthy one with me is Mendzel. We're looking for one of our own."

[Mojave]

Is this what they mean by kindred spirit? Pogo wondered. It seemed as though this Castrail was equally as put out by the antics of their companion as Pogo was from Xeno's nonsense. "It seems we were both cursed with childish underlings." They mused, politely shaking the proffered hand. "I'm Pogo, the obnoxious brat is my sibling, Xeno. I don't suppose you've seen any other demons around? We're also here looking for one of our own that's gone missing."

[Mojave]

Mendzel and Xeno paused in their verbal assault to look between Castrail and Pogo and themselves. "Wait..." Mendzel said apprehensively, "You don't think..." Xeno grimaced, "Bezeil-" "Arcturas-" They finished the sentence together, "Are here to see each other?" They exclaimed while looking back at the other, "Do you?!"

Pogo dropped their head into their hand with a disgusted sigh while Castrail groaned aloud, "Oh hell." "I can't believe I didn't think of this." Pogo growled and Castrail nodded. "I mean, it wasn't like their friendship was a secret before the fall."

[Mojave]

Mendzel, realizing what this all meant, gave a halfhearted sob, "Oh no... So now on top of being here without permission but now we really do have to worry about fraternization being added to the charges against us."

"Fraternization?" Xeno repeated with a raised brow, though it was Pogo who answered. "With the enemy. Fallen and Angels aren't to mingle, remember?" Xeno exhaled, "Oh." And casually stepped away from Mendzel. "So let's find Arcturas and get home before we're caught. I'm sure our side doesn't look on it any better than they do."

[Mojave]

While their siblings introduced themselves via bickering, Bezeil and Arcturas were higher in elevation looking down at the small group. The angel grinned impishly, a ball of swirling black mist in hand. Arcturas gazed at the strange substance, watching it glitter every now and then. As they continued to watch, a pair of glowing pink eyes appeared, and even without a visible mouth, seemed to be glowing in excitement. Having second thoughts too late, Arcturas motioned for Bezeil to wait just as the ball was dropped.

[Mojave]

There was no sound of falling or impact, no explosion or even a gust of wind to warn anyone around that something possibly catastrophic, definitely weird, was just unleashed onto the edge of the plains. The miasma landed upon the ground and it was like a silent, very small (in comparison to a real one) nuclear bomb going off. The cloud billowed up in a mushroom without the aid of or creating a wind, just spread in terrible silent waves from the point of impact outward, growing taller the farther it expanded.

[Mojave]

In the silence, Arcturas heard maniacal laughter and looked to their side. Bezeil was cackling, eyes glowing a radiant pink even as their fur blackened, speckled markings erupting over their pelt. As Arcturas watched, they took the form of ancient script, shapes they hadn't seen since before the War of Heaven's language proclaiming the bearer cursed, cast out, forsaken. Not that fabled First Mark, but new marks, worse, fitting for the crime committed though none of them knew just how bad things were going to get.

[Mojave]

As the mushroom cloud grew and expanded, the light changed; subtly at first and then quicker, alerting the group of anxious siblings that something was afoot. The four looked up, four various expressions of fear and apprehension were expressed, and then the mist engulfed them and everything went dark. Small clouds of shimmering miasma floated by, pinpricks of pink light at their center, and were gone. The only indication that they weren't imagined was the sheer amount of them. "What's happening?!" Someone, maybe Mendzel cried out.

[Mojave]

From close by, though it sounded far away, another voice (probably Xeno), replied, "I don't know, but it isn't good!" "Do you say so?! Here I thought this was the herald of fun and good times!" A third voice snapped, obviously Pogo. "We need to stay together!" Castrail yelled, they had noticed the others' voices were being swallowed by the mist and was worried nobody would hear them. In answer, three sets of hands bumped into them, fumbling blindly and then latching on desperately as the owner realized they had found someone in the group.

[Mojave]

"I don't suppose anyone can wisk us away to somewhere safe?" Xeno asked, glancing at the shadowy figures around them, trying to identify them by silhouette. For a brief moment there was no answer and then Pogo and Castrail sighed together. "I can." They admitted reluctantly simultaneously. "Great. I don't care who does it, just. Get. Us. Out of here!" Mendzel demanded. Neither knew which of them moved the group, but they were suddenly on a slight incline, looking down.