005 ☄ video

[freewill]

[Castiel isn't one to make use of the network unless he has good reason for it, but this falls squarely into that category. When the feed starts up, he's seated in the music room, which is one of the only areas in the mansion he could find that has an empty seat and isn't affected by one of the residual events.

He clearly isn't there to play the piano, though. He's got his phone pointed at his face and his expression is nothing short of grim. It's been a trying past few days.]

I've conferred with someone else about this and it looks to be a plague that's affected a number of us. I have memories that don't belong to me.

[There's already been some yelling about it over the network, whereas Castiel is much more controlled. He wants this fixed, if that's even possible.]

I may be able to put them back where they belong, if I can find their owner.

[At that point, he lifts up a piece of paper where he's sketched out some patterns from memory.] Does anyone here have tattoos that look like this, along their chest, arms, and back? [There's so much more he could say -- about being the Chosen One, or knowing the archangels Michael and Gabriel, but he would rather not air this mystery person's dirty laundry on the network for everyone to hear. Hopefully the mention of tattoos will be enough to grab someone's attention.

He lowers the paper.] And... if anyone has memories of being an angel, we may need to talk. [He would also rather not go into any further detail about what he's missing. It's hard to, when he only knows the very basics of what he's lost.]

One last warning: stay out of Dean Winchester's way. He's still dangerous.

[Castiel reaches forward for his phone and the feed cuts.]

Comments

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[sorta_cinderella]

[She's raising her hand, like a student in class.]

An angel that can burn people with their eyes?

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[freewill]

[That doesn't necessarily narrow it down. Castiel's siblings can also burn a human's eyes out with their true form, but even so, he has a feeling he's found the person with his memories. In the events leading up to that gap in his memories, he'd burned out a woman's eyes, a seer who had been too intent on calling him to her sight.]

Yes, among other things.

[He inclines his head at her.]

We would be better off discussing this in person.

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[sorta_cinderella]

It's the one that stuck to me the most, you could say.

[In other words, one of the things that scared her. There was plenty of scary, sad weirdness in there, but maybe if she focuses on the one, she can ignore... everything else.]

Where would you like to meet.

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[freewill]

[Castiel would not want to inflict his memories on anyone, let alone a young girl who he's never before met, though he has seen her face show up on the network a few times.

It must be difficult for her to understand or parse in any way, just as the memories that have been inflicted on Castiel make less and less sense the more he thinks on them.]

You shouldn't have been exposed to them. [He appears to be more regretful than angry on that count.

The areas in the mansion that haven't been altered in some way are few, but Castiel still leaves the choice to her.]

You can choose the place.

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[markedbyfate]

[ Alex had been keeping an eye on the Network ever since it became clear there was more to this event than the mansion changing. His tattoos are visible, as he's currently not wearing a shirt, a pair of insect wings fluttering behind him. ]

There are two people here with those tattoos. What do you remember?

[ On second thought, ] Do you want to meet in person?

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[freewill]

[Well, those look familiar. The wings not so much, but that can be attributed to what's happened to the top few floors of the mansion. Castiel doesn't have any need for a second pair of wings, so he hasn't spent much time there, but he'd visited for long enough to see others sprout them.

Two people, though? That still narrows it down immensely, since this man is obviously one of the two mentioned. He's curious to learn the story behind all this.

Castiel agrees that they shouldn't discuss this over the network. He'd only made use of it so that he could spread the word as far as possible, and that has at least worked as planned.]

Yes. Somewhere that isn't affected by anything would be best. The library?

[It's a favorite location of Castiel's, and even more so now that it's one of the "safe zones."]

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[markedbyfate]

Library works. I'll be right there.

[ He disconnects and heads down, grabbing a t-shirt to pull on once he gets low enough in the mansion for the wings to disappear— a very weird sensation, but he's beginning to get used to it. It takes him some time to get to the library from the tenth floor, but once he does, he starts looking around for the guy he was talking to. ]

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[freewill]

[Castiel makes it there first, as his wings can in fact be used for transport, unlike the fake ones that all of the mansion's residents have been temporarily gifted with.

When the stranger does appear, Castiel doesn't hesitate to shift away from the shelf he'd been examining and step over. The tattoos on his arms are still plainly visible, and getting a closer look only makes Castiel more certain that it's the same set.

He meets the man's eyes.]

Are you the Chosen One?

[Video/Private]

[vampdetective]

I can't help you on the memory front, but if there's anything I can do to help concerning your friend, I'd like to.

[He's not sure what he can do, to be honest, but he has to offer. Not only is it his gut instinct to investigate anyway, but Castiel has helped him on more than one occasion, most recently in a way that Angel didn't even expect from his own family.

Most people he was close to knew that they were to kill him if he ever took a wrong turn, under no uncertain circumstances-- he and Castiel had come to that same agreement some months back, and while the angel had followed through, he'd also done more than his part to help put things to rights.]

I've been watching the network. I didn't think his brother would appreciate my speaking up, but I know you know the difference between me and who I was for a few months there. If I can do anything for you, just say so. I still owe you.

[Video/Private]

[freewill]

[Castiel isn't exactly surprised to have received a reply from Angel, and it's good to see that he reverted from his puppet form without any residual problems. Angel appears to want to return a favor, but Castiel hadn't carried out any of those actions because he expected something for it.

He realizes that if he says as much, though, they'll go back and forth, an unending cycle of guilt that would honestly be a waste of time.

Angel is a vampire, from a world full of supernatural rules slightly different from Castiel's own. It's possible he could help, and at this point Castiel needs any assistance he can get to return Dean to normal. This situation, it's far too similar to what Angel himself went through as Angelus.]

I don't know if there's anything you can do. We need to cure him, much as your soul needed to be restored. The ritual requires purified human blood and sacred ground, both of which are scarce in this place. That's all assuming we can restrain him, which has proved to be more difficult than expected. He's well-armed.

[Video/Private]

[vampdetective]

You're right. Human blood is the easy part, purifying it will be hard. What does it take?

[He assumes they need someone with the capacity to bless it, someone with some kind of channel to the divine-- which, he thinks, Castiel might be able to swing himself if he knows what he's doing, but any kind of ritual comes with its own set of specific rules. Sometimes even the slightest deviation from what's called for can throw everything off, bring forth undesired results.]

The restraining, I can help with. I've dealt with demons from your world before. We're not the same, but vampire strength where I'm from is comparable to theirs. [Thank Meg for bringing that to light.] I know brute force alone won't do it. Dean's a good hunter. I'm assuming that hasn't changed just because he's without his soul.

[The situation is all too familiar.]

[Video/Private]

[freewill]

It would take a man of God, like a priest, to purify the blood.

[Which they might have actually had help with, if William Whele hadn't disappeared from Wonderland at the worst possible moment. Castiel almost wants to blame the man himself for that, but he realizes that it's this place's fault. It feels purposeful.

Strength isn't all that they need. Castiel's strength technically outranks Dean's, and yet he still hadn't been able to capture him. Then again, he has weaknesses that go beyond the physical when it comes to Dean Winchester. Maybe it would be easier for an outside party like Angel to handle him like a monster.]

No, that hasn't changed. He has all of his memories, he simply doesn't feel anything about them anymore.

[All too familiar is correct.]

[video; private]

[meatsack]

[There's an involuntary sense of relief that washes over Meg when she sees Cas on the network. She's been paying more attention than usual recently, for the sake of keeping tabs on Dean and keeping an eye out for Sam. She opens a locked feed, and there's no pretense in her wildly curious expression and breathless tone.]

You're back. [She steadies herself and her voice takes on the same calm manner that she perfected while she was looking after him, but her question is matter-of-fact. To the point. She knows well enough that he's no stranger to death, but a betrayal like that... she's concerned, sue her. Whatever. Meg is fairly sure she knows the answer he'll give regardless, but she asks anyway.] Are you all right?

[video; private]

[freewill]

[It's not as if Castiel had spread news of his death, not seeing any reason to get people worked up over something that was already over and done with. He's given out his warning, that's all that most people need to know. But Meg doesn't make it any secret that she found out somehow, most likely from Sam.

This isn't a conversation that he's that interested in having, but he also can't outright ignore her. His memories of her all seem to be in place, at least.]

I'm fine. [It's a lie he's witnessed other people tell so many times that the words come out of his mouth with no hesitation.] Who told you?

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[meatsack]

[Meg rolls her eyes and gives him an exasperated look. No damn way is he "fine" after something like that, and she'll let him slide on the details - for now - but gaze has yeah fucking right written all over it.]

Sure you are. [Friends or whatever or not, she can see right through that BS. Clarence pls. Her brows furrow and her tone shifts to incredulity, as if the answer is obvious.] Sam?

[video; private]

[freewill]

[Castiel has to wonder why Sam would take the time to inform Meg of all people, but he is aware of the odd bond between them. It may be that they'd already been in conversation and so it had come up as a matter of course. Either way, he shouldn't dwell too much on it. Meg already knows, the damage has been done, and the sooner they shift from that the better.]

Have you run across Dean yet?

[It's hard to imagine how that would go. In some ways, Meg might get along better with Dean the way he is now, as unpleasant as that thought might be.]

At the rate he's been going, he'll make his way through all of us.

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[itwouldbeatragedy]

This has really been...inconvenient.

[Inconvenient, here meaning "terrible," "nerve-wracking," and "depressing."]

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[freewill]

To say the least.

[Castiel finds it more unnerving than anything else. He's had his memories toyed with enough times at this point that he's grown sick of it -- but this is a whole new level of bothersome.]

You've been affected too, then?

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[itwouldbeatragedy]

Yes. I haven't figured out whose memories these are yet, but at least I was able to get my own back.

[...]

Hopefully, no one figured out I'm the one Rocket-san was taking about in his message.

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[ganking]

[♫ ] Look who's back, back again. Cas is back, tell a friend. [ ♫

okay, so cas has been back a few days now, and dean hasn't even said hello. ]

Did you enjoy your time off?

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[freewill]

[Is Dean (or the demon who used to be Dean, that's a better way to think of it) honestly singing to him?

Castiel really shouldn't be surprised.]

I wouldn't call it time off, given that I wasn't aware of time passing.

[Much as he tries to contain himself, there's anger flashing behind his eyes.]

What do you want?

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[ganking]

[ did you like it? only for you. ]

Gees, that's an awfully negative way of lookin' at it, man. Could at least pretend to be rejuvenated...

[ but dean only shrugs, smiling. cas can be a stick in the mud all he wants. ] And come on, I'm checking up on my bestest pal in the whole word, of course. Heard about the horrible incident on the fifth floor. Something about a stab victim.

[intelligently]

I didn't know you could draw.

( Look everything else was already covered okay )

[freewill]

I have experience drawing out sigils for warding. These symbols are in a similar vein.

[It's an odd thing to comment on, but then again, they've already discussed their mismatched memories.]

[intelligently]

Are they the only things you draw?