Each AU why not

[thirtybits]

[Judas is actually the biggest of all losers. Rather than try to learn magic or climb the ranks, he's moved out to the countryside to work on a farm outside Treun. And maybe do some rabble rousing and charity work.]

Farm
Hey! Yeah, you, I see you!

[It's dark and someone's stumbled into his field. Either he's worried his crops will be trampled, or stolen. Both? Either way, scrawny, sickly, 5'2" Judas is marching out there, full of purpose, he'll fight to defend his crops, they're for the natives in need!! Strange how his work clothes are distinctly not appropriate to the area, more like something out of ancient Rome - ancient Judea, actually. But what shardbearer in his right mind would be working a field, right?]

Protest
[Might as well get both things he's good at in! There's a rally being held in the square, full of Drabwurld natives as it's largely anti-shardbearer. But there's sentiment against the courts as well - after all, they're the ones who are bringing the shardbearers in to mess up their home, and the war is not helping that either. They're not given defence against roaming raiders and hostile soldiers, or shardbearers doing whatever they please.

And who's in the centre of the crowd giving a speech full of those sentiments? Obviously it's Judas. There's some jeering from some members of the crowd over the fact that he himself is a shardbearer, and in the end when he leaves, it almost seems that he's been run out. He sighs heavily, flopping down on the stone street, back against a wall. He pulls the over layer of his robes off, balls it up, and throws it to the ground.]

Station or castle library
[He comes here solely for the sake of maths. Looking for books of tough problems to solve, maybe something accounting related if he's lucky, but anything will do. He just likes numbers. And frankly, it's absurd how quickly he goes through any material he pulls out. But it's a rare time of excitement and honest happiness.

Please be a nerd with him. (Or maybe make fun of the nerd, that would make sense too.)]

[or make up something else. I'm also down with doing crau from Box/Forest flavour so let me know if that's the way you want it, otherwise it's a fresh start]

Comments

farmboy b/c protest would be forestdorian laughing at him and petting his hair

[depicted]

[Wait, Dorian? He looks over to this person calling to him, wide-eyed and confused.] Yes?

[He was just looking for Emil!]

dlsdg DON'T TOUCH HIM, ROMAN

[thirtybits]

Don't just stand there looking dumb, what do you think you're doing!

[Judas gestures to the crops, only just starting to sprout out of the ground. Don't make this go the way of BoxJudas, don't make him move his entire farm indoors to keep it safe.]

[depicted]

I was looking for a friend? [He looks down. OH NO!] I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your work. [He quickly steps back. THIS POOR NATIVE...]

[thirtybits]

You're not interrupting, you're trampling.

[He sighs heavily, shaking his head as he gets down on his knees in the dirt to fix it.]

Who are you looking for?

[depicted]

Emil Castignier? Or—sometimes he is known as Aster. He's blond, about this high [a gesture] and he wears a scarf.

[Um . . .] Can I help you? Undo the damage I've done.

[thirtybits]

Oh. [He thinks about it for a moment, but shakes his head.] I've seen him, but not around here.

[Then he looks back up at Dorian, a bit surprised by the offer. It's a more honest question than it sounds.] Really? You don't exactly look used to this kind of work.

[depicted]

Well, no, but—I did help with yard work, once! When I was younger. [a pause] As punishment. I don't think I did a very good job of it.

But I should like to apologize for trampling on your harvest.

[thirtybits]

Well...as long as you don't do more harm than good.

[He watches Dorian warily, but in the end, offers the smallest of smiles, shy as usual, despite his words having a bite to them.]

protest. post protest. postest??

[individualist]

You certainly are trying, I'll give you that.

[WHOA HEY WHOA did you think you were alone, never. He's here now that he wants to be but he saw everything.]

[thirtybits]

[He jumps, pressing his back closer to the wall, staring up at the person who's suddenly just appeared. But- wait, something is just plain unsettling about him, and that's not to mention the wings. Judas doesn't figure him for the devil, considering how different his looks, but an angel? That's just as frightening to him. He tenses up, forgetting even to breathe.]

I- yeah. Um, thanks.

[individualist]

[It's honestly a first for here; most people don't care, so the reaction is a little surprising.

Not that it shows.]

Why so nervous? I'm not here to cause you harm, you know.

[thirtybits]

[No, of course not, angels don't harm people for no reason - even if they might have good reason with him. But he killed the Son of God, he's the worst sinner, why would one want to talk to him. That itself seems worrying, but mostly, his own feelings of inadequacy.]

...Because I shouldn't be allowed to speak to you.

[individualist]

[...that's also a first.

He can figure why rather easily, but Judas has his interest now because of it.]

I don't think that's a decision you get to make, but I'll humor you...why?

[thirtybits]

[He looks at Lucifer as if he should know - isn't that why he's here in the first place?]

Because I killed him. I'm supposed to be tortured by demons, not talking to angels.

[individualist]

An Angel...I see. Few understand the notion of an Angel in this world - it runs rampant with ancient things, things conceptualized before God was known as He is today. Before He became the God you're familiar with and existed as something else.

But lay your concerns to rest, for I cast off the title of Angel a long time ago.

I am he whose light shines brighter than any other. The radiant son of dawn and prince of the world.

Surely you know my name - so speak it now, and understand.

[thirtybits]

[The radiant son of dawn. The Morning Star. This isn't at all the Lucifer he knows. But maybe the horns should have been a tell. It doesn't matter, because the fact isn't any comfort to Judas. Now he's worried for a different reason.

His eyes widen, he slowly pushes himself up the wall, palms pressed against it, shaking. He hardly sees what's before him, just a memory of being chewed and clawed. His answer is hardly more than a breath once he manages it.]

--Lucifer

wait I wanted to add more, don't judge me 2/2 now

[thirtybits]

[He stares for what feels to him an eternity, but can't have been more than a couple seconds in reality.

But he doesn't take his back from the protection of the wall against it. Teeth and nails shredding his back, devouring him for centuries, millennia. Until there's no skin or muscle left to shred, only bone to slowly cut into and break. And then to start all over again. He doesn't want his back exposed to the devil again, he doesn't want to spend eternity in the beast's jaws.

Or does he? Heaven was a mistake. He shouldn't have left Cocytus. It's where he belongs.]

...D-do you know who I am, then?

[It occurs to him this Lucifer might not after all. If they come from different worlds and he looks different from the Lucifer Judas remembers, then maybe the Judas of that world is different too.]

[gehennawind]

[Paloma follows his trail, looking as though she's seen a ghost but isn't quite sure. The picture Judas cut during his speech called to something in her, invoked a memory she wouldn't have said to be her own before tonight.

There he is. On the stone, robe on the floor, and she doesn't know why seeing him is an ache. She peers around the corner, not hiding herself.]

You're Judas. [She says it with wonder.]

[thirtybits]

[Even if there's some amount of awe to the proclamation, it's awfully blunt, and sounds to him more like an accusation. How can it not, when he's so trained to think of himself as an automatic negative? He drops his head, breathing out with a sigh.]

Yes. I know, 'I don't look like it'.

[But then he lifts his head to actually look at her, and a name springs to mind.]

-Paloma?

[gehennawind]

[She remembers holding his hand, and asking him to see if the violets he gave her are growing strong, but these memories are so fogged and isolated she hasn't the faintest idea what to do with them. And he remembers her name!

Paloma wants to understand why her eyes are pricking with dampness, why seeing this man named Judas can make her so happy. She moves with careful grace to the wall opposite, never looking away.]

I--I don't think I could imagine you looking like anyone else.

[thirtybits]

No...? I'm 'supposed' to have red hair and a beard, and...a lot taller.

[This is too strange. It's like some sort of déjà vu. Somehow he doesn't feel that she is judging who he is at all - maybe she doesn't even realise. What's really strange is that he wants to hug this random person. But all he can do is stare, not even get up.]

[gehennawind]

[Too strange for words.

Paloma sits, too, slowly. As if near a prey animal, but he could never be prey, although her fingers itch to preen his hair. Her eyes never leave his face.]

You look just fine without red hair or a beard.

[thirtybits]

[He can never be prey because he tastes horrible!]

But I'd look better if I was tall, huh.

[Why does he feel so comfortable around her? Judas actually laughs with that comment. But that seems too odd, so he quickly turns his eyes down.]

No it's not about that, it's how they paint me, so that's what people expect. Do- do I know you?

[gehennawind]

[An elevator, a hand on her back and on Judas's, picking him up and then falling. Paloma puts a hand to her temple, dazed by the onset of another not-memory.]

I feel like I do. You knew my name. How did I know yours?

[thirtybits]

Looks aside, I'm Judas. [He says it perfectly bluntly. It's not that weird that she knows his name.] I don't know how I knew yours, though...it was just there. But I...feel like I do too.

[He looks down at his feet as a memory strikes him - to make sure they're not covered in blood. weird.]