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002 ☄ video

[Compared to some, Castiel had managed to hold out for a while before one of the roots had gotten to him. It's only on the third day that he's caught by surprise, that his angel blade isn't enough to fight off one of the plants when it comes creeping forward.

Now he's in the exact same shape as the rest of the mansion, though Castiel's shared a body with someone else before. It's not the same, seeing how Jimmy (and any other vessels he's taken) had been more or less unconscious the entire time. This Mirror, on the other hand...

On top of being a part of him, it also becomes clear what part of his life it's meant to signify when the presence in his mind introduces itself as Emmanuel and starts asking question after question. Castiel's managed to ignore the buzz in his head, though, and eventually his Mirror had quieted down, but now he has an idea of what everyone else is dealing with.

Which also means that he's now capable of being of some help, beyond simply trying to keep the roots under control. That's a losing battle no matter which way he looks at it.]

[So Castiel does something rare and records a message of himself on his phone, broadcasting it to the rest of the mansion. His expression is as flat as always, but there might be a hint of grimness to it for anyone who knows him well enough to pick up the subtle differences.]

I haven't had much interaction with the Mirrors myself, but I've heard enough to understand how dangerous they can be. I think I may be able to offer some assistance.

[His gaze drops down to his hand.]

This is untested for the moment, but it's possible I can disable its consciousness in your mind, to give... if nothing else, a small reprieve. If you're able to arrest control for long enough, you can contact me and I'll offer whatever help that I can.

[The feed shakes and tilts as he moves to turn it off, but then he pauses, remembering something. His face appears again, though slightly closer than before, and off-center.] For those who don't know me, my name is Castiel.

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_{[There's a reason "Adam" is keeping away from the network when messages like this pop up, and why he's keeping a low profile in general. Certain people have certain sticks up their asses about Mirrors of his... disposition... holding the reins. And angelic forces, well... Neither Adam shares a love for the holier-than-thou types out there, but only one of them has a soul as black as night, if one counted it as a soul at all. If Mirror status doesn't win him any points, his nature sure won't, and he's not ready to get kneecapped for the benefit of the real Adam.

Self-preservation steers him clear of the video message. He's practically forgotten about Castiel's up and coming TKO business...

... until he rounds a corner later in the day and spies Castiel a few feet away, that is.

The Mirror comes to a stop, arms loaded down with plates of stolen food from the kitchen. Unlike Adam, he's got appetites. Actually, there's a lot of "unlike Adam" to be said about his Mirror. He looks Castiel over with a clear gaze and a appreciation for detail that his Real just can't muster, the heavy weight of history now gone from his shoulders.

This Adam's feelings for Castiel are much simpler: not his problem.

This, though? This could get to be a problem. He starts to walk backward the way he'd come, hoping to creep away before it's too late.]}

Edited 2013-10-29 19:15 (UTC)

[It became too late the moment that the two of them crossed paths and made eye contact, because Castiel can hardly ignore running into someone from home during an event like this.

Because the fact is that he knows plenty of good people back home, hunters who would lay their life down for a friend or family (and many of them have, Adam included). Which means that if they're so good, their Mirrors must be just as bad.

In theory, at least. Castiel's Mirror has been manageable so far, but then again, he's not all that good, is he?]

Is this what you'd prefer? [Castiel calls it out as Adam walks away from him.] That we not interact at all? [If that's truly what Adam wants, then Castiel will honor it. But mainly, he's trying to determine if it's actually Adam who's in charge right now.]

_{[Castiel's theory is sound, but being bad doesn't mean one has to be stupid. An adrenaline rush, that's all well and good, but a real, living body? A gift like that doesn't fall into your hands every day. He'd rather it stay that way. He could make Adam's body strong again and maybe, one day overthrow the angels from their little chicken coop kingdom they had going on for themselves in Wonderland, but not if the real Adam overthrew him first.

Personally, he'd prefer it if Castiel spontaneously combusted in front of him, but keeping him and his healing hands away from Adam's body would have to do.]}

Uh... sure. Sure, pal. _{[What's the right answer? He takes a bite of licorice as he continues to retreat, playing the casual card.]} Hakuna matata. We cool. You go that way, I'll go this way?

[No, none of this is right. Not when until now, Adam's been looking at him with wide eyes, with a mix of fear, anger, and resentment swimming in his irises. Castiel doubts that a few days would change any of that, and so it's clear what's happened here.

With anyone else, Castiel might have allowed the Mirror to go on his way, but not in Adam's case. This is far too close to possession for anyone's comfort, and if there's anyone who's bound to be sensitive to that, it's Adam.

And so without warning he spreads his wings and takes flight, landing right in front of Adam's Mirror. This close, he can confirm from sensing alone that the Mirror is in control right now, and so he reaches out, setting his hand against Adam's forehead just as he had when he'd put him to sleep after his initial arrival.

Castiel homes in on the Mirror itself and renders it unconscious. It might be disorienting for Adam to suddenly be in control again, but that has to be better than the alternative.]

_{[Damn brown-nosing angels!

The Mirror tries to turn, but Trenchcoat Brigade is right there. The person masquerading as Adam drops everything without preamble, expression immediately becoming sharp and territorial. Defensive. He's halfway to raising his right hand amid the clatter of breaking plates before he remembers he doesn't have any powers, and that's the cherry on this shit cake.]}

Shit-- _{[Instead, the hand comes out to ward Castiel away.]} No, don't--

_{[But then there's a hand on his forehead and he's out. For a split second, there's no one manning the captain's seat when the Mirror goes down. Whatever shock the roots had given the real Adam, his consciousness had been close to comatose for the entire ride; for obvious reasons, he Mirror had let that sleeping dog lie, smothering it deep.

Between one personality going under and one waking up, there's a moment of nothing, and Adam hits the floor like a rock.]}

[When humans are dead weight, they fall too fast for even an angel to catch, and so Castiel's left to stand there, arms out and hands open, as Adam crashes to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

He frowns and falls into a one-kneed crouch, turning Adam over so that he's laying flat on his back. It seems like almost all of their interactions involve Adam falling unconscious at one point or another, and Castiel doesn't know if that says something about him or about Adam.

He's managed to disable the Mirror, and while he didn't touch Adam, it could be that the stress of the fake possession was too strong.

Castiel hovers over him, giving him a few seconds to recover.]

_{[He stirs in the manner of someone coming out of a deep sleep. Every time Adam drifts off into those rare moments of rest, those moments his body so desperately craves, he comes to in the same way he does now--lost, adrift, scared. Another day in the life of a tortured mind. Nothing is particularly new or surprising about this until his eyes flutter open and he notices the figure looming over him like something out of his nightmares. His intake of breath is sharp, but as he flinches back and his hand comes down on a piece of broken plate, it turns even sharper, a hiss of pain.

He turns his palm over to examine the cut. The sting dispels his grogginess like a fresh gasp of air.]}

What...?

_{[He looks around himself, but nothing is familiar. Castiel is another matter, though.

Although his lips stay parted, he falls silent at the sight of the angel. The Mirror's easy, unburdened mannerisms are gone; a sure sign that Castiel had done his work, if not a reassuring one, per se.]}

[Castiel remains still and silent as Adam comes to, deciding to give him his space so that he can regain some composure. It doesn't exactly go as planned, as all he truly does is stare around blankly and then cut himself on one of the broken plates.

With a small, barely audible sigh, Castiel crouches down and reaches out to takes Adam's wrist, carefully healing it before he releases him again.]

Your Mirror was in control. He's been disabled for the moment.

[There's no telling how long that could last. Castiel frowns and tilts his head at Adam.] What do you know about him?

_{[The last thing he remembers is--

No, this isn't right, it's day, and he's dressed differently, and the hallway isn't the same. He's too taken aback by the changes and the sudden, jagged break in his memories to realize what Castiel's up to until the angel grabs him again. It never feels as though something good will happen when an angel puts its hands on him. Although he doesn't outright fight like the Mirror had, he accepts the touch with about as much willingness.

Once Castiel lets ago, he's free to make a fist and scoot backward through the mess until he's at a safe distance to stand, unmindful of the other sharp edges littering the ground.]}

What do I know? What do I know about what?

_{[Someone should be explaining that to him, not the other way around. He doesn't know what a Mirror is supposed to be, let alone what it means to find himself on the floor at Castiel's feet.

At the twinge of pain in his abdomen, Adam pulls up his shirt, exposing gauze and bandage. He rips it away. Underneath is the stitched-up remains of the injury the roots had given him when they'd burrowed in. He presses down on it with the thumb of his other hand, confused; the pain is twice as intense as that of the cut on his palm, but it's real.]}

The grey roots--

_{[He remembers. The roots, and then the other person slipping inside...]}

[It seems like every conversation that Castiel has with Adam is going to be like pulling teeth. Still, he does what he can to be patient, which is a tall order for an angel like him.

He doesn't bother approaching or trying to heal the wound on Adam's abdomen, as he's starting to get the feeling that Adam doesn't take well to being touched without permission, even if all Castiel's trying to do is help.

He nods.] Yes. Anyone who the roots manage to attack will find themselves sharing a body with their Mirror.

[Surely someone's explained the Mirrors to Adam by now. Castiel himself hasn't gone through everything about Wonderland with him, but Adam's interacted with Dean by this point, and likely a few others on top of that.]

I've been able to disable him for the moment, but it's only temporary.

[Which means that Adam should be ready to fight, when it comes to that.]

_{[He doesn't answer at first, eyes flicking from side to side sightlessly. For once, there's something more pressing at stake than angels or the state of his soul. He remembers a sleepless night. A mirror. Broken glass. Those roots. Blood.

And then the presence of someone--something--else, different from Michael.

His gaze fixes back on Castiel, hot and suddenly very much aware.]}

My what?

_{[If Castiel's expecting Adam to have a firm grasp of Wonderland's inner workings, he's going to be disappointed. Adam's heard bits and pieces, of course. People have tried to tell him things. But they've been competing with nightmarish memories and imaginary voices since the beginning, and a month in Wonderland hasn't yet stuck as well as a few hundred years in Lucifer's Cage.

Children's stories, most of it. They were taking on a new dimension the more Adam settled back into his body, though.]}

[Speaking about this out in the hall seems unwise, when any roots or Mirrors could come after them. It's quiet for now, but that could change at any moment. Sensing that he's in for a long explanation, Castiel nods Adam toward the closest room.

There isn't any need to cover up the mirrors now, so instead he leans against the wall near the door, waiting for Adam to settle.]

As you should know by now, this place is based on the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Which means that across the Looking Glass, there is another version of the mansion.

[Castiel nods to the mirror to make a point.] I haven't been there myself, but what I've heard is that it's an exact copy of this side, except reversed. That includes the people here, which means that each of has an opposite that normally lives on that side.

[He's about to continue, but realizing that he's already said a lot, he pauses, peering over at Adam.] Do you understand so far?

_{[He'd been less intimidated by the giant, discolored roots than he is by Castiel beckoning him forward. Without thought, he lets his shirt drop, calves flexing in his legs. He doesn't want to go--every bad experience with creatures like Castiel tells him not to.

But there's him, and then there's them. The Mirror has the will to fight, but Adam's fresh from defeat.

He moves toward the room with all the gravity of someone awaiting their execution, staying as close to the exist as he can without coming in arm's reach of Castiel. Truth be told, even as he stills in the manner of someone listening, anything to do with Wonderland has a tendency to go in one ear and out the other. A part of Adam doesn't want to listen. He can see it even if no one says it--the chagrin in some of their faces when he's not doing well enough or not getting better fast enough. How is he supposed to understand? No one's told him how to do that yet.

And now there's something inside him again.

There's a pause after Castiel asks him a question.]}

Like Michael. _{[Possession, he means. That at the heart of this is that something, whether human, or angel, or a talking animal, or some kind of mirror clone had found its way inside him again.]} Something from behind the mirror came over here.

_{[That's it, isn't it?]}

[The fact that Adam's able to make a leap in logic that goes that far is impressive when it comes to his cognition, and that in itself is a relief. Then again, Castiel can only imagine that it would be the first thing Adam's mind would jump to, considering what he's been through.

It's not quite the same as possession, but it's close enough that it must be tearing open wounds that are still fresh, widening them and placing salt inside.

Castiel's quiet for a few seconds before nodding slowly.]

Yes. Many somethings. My own Mirror is also sharing my body with me, and that seems to be the case with most of the others.

[Which means that Adam's not alone in this. It's hardly that much of a consolation, but it's something. At least he doesn't need to feel like he's been specifically targeted this way.]

If you can you should try to fight, whenever it becomes conscious again. [Castiel isn't sure that Adam has the strength for that, but he'd like to think that his tenacity would do him some good in this situation.]

_{[It's something, all right. He has a ticking time bomb waiting to go off inside him, and apparently so does everyone else.]}

An angel possessing a guy gets possessed by a monster? _{[He laughs in his throat, a hollow sound.]} You guys don't quit, do you?

_{[Adam wants out. Of this body just anybody seems to want to crawl into, of this cosmic joke of a life. With a tight smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, he steps back toward the door, keeping Castiel in his sights as he does so. Maybe the angel's not the biggest threat around right now, maybe he is, but in the end it doesn't really seem to matter. If the very plants are out to get them, then there's not much difference between one pitfall and another, is there?]}

I need to go.

_{[He's got something inside him again and Hell is just around the corner. He's ready to run. There's no winning here.]}

[It is a ridiculous concept, especially with the way that Adam's phrasing it, but what he doesn't know is that Jimmy hasn't been around for some time now. That's not a detail that Castiel plans on sharing, either. He doubts it would help anything.

Besides, Adam is ready to bolt now, and Castiel has no reason to stop him. He should have a good couple of hours without his Mirror, which is about the best that Castiel can offer him at this point. He's informed now, too, so maybe he'll have a better chance at fighting the Mirror off when it regains consciousness.

Castiel didn't expect any thanks. All he does is nod, standing still in the empty room as he waits for Adam to take his leave.]

_{[He walks backward all the way out the door, taking measured steps. Backing away from the angel doesn't bring with it solace; he's got something just as bad as an angel, if not worse, riding in the passenger seat and he feels without needing to be told that it can grab the wheel at any opportunity.

Adam swallows, but he can't think to say anything so he just turns and starts down the hall, slip-sliding through the mess.]}

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002 ☄ video

ACTION BECAUSE I'M A REBEL.

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