FORWARD-DATED TO... ???

[assassino]

[Ezio has had a bad feeling about this Apple for weeks now, and the feeling has only intensified as the days go by. It's clear the Apple is dangerous or powerful in some way, or else Borgia wouldn't have wanted it. The question is whether it's powerful in its own right, or if it just gives access to whatever is in the Vault –– and whatever is in there Ezio can't see in Borgia's hands.

Part of him still wants to believe that the Apple is harmless. He knows it's not a literal piece of Eden, but is only so in name. He knows that Altair thought and philosophized over it extensively, and felt that humans shouldn't have it, or something along those lines. What Altair thought actually troubles him most; he hasn't read the Codex pages in eight years, and when he did read them, he had dismissed them as some sort of fairy tale. Those same "fairy tales" have kept him up at night as of late, and whenever he isn't, er, preoccupied, he's staring at the ceiling, straining to remember what, exactly, the Codex said.

He just hadn't taken this seriously enough, and now he has to figure it out himself.

So here he is, relying on strangers for help. Jorge, Colonel Jade Curtiss, Stephanie Brown, Aziraphale the Angel, and his sister.

Ezio has the Apple perched on the top of a candlestick, as a makeshift stand, and he's now waiting for his motley crew of "experts" to arrive.]


Hmm.

Comments

[thwarting]

Precisely.

[He lapses into awkward silence for a moment, looking at the closed door, before stretching a hand out to her.]

Aziraphale, it's a pleasure.

[secondchances]

[That's a familiar name. She shakes his hand.]

Stephanie. Are you in the "hope it's nothing" or the "hope it's something" boat?

[assassino]

[Ezio opens the door suddenly, looking broody. He's worried.]

It had better be nothing, but that may be too much to hope for.

[thwarting]

[Jumping a little when the door opened, he flashed an awkward smile at the other man.]

I should think nothing would be much preferable to something, dear boy.

[secondchances]

[Jumped a little herself. Awkward smile over here, too.]

Fingers crossed over here.

[assassino]

[Revenge for the toaster, really. He stands back for them to come in, not smiling.]

Given who wants it, it's not likely that it's "nothing."

[thwarting]

Borgia, I assume you are referring to?

[And in he comes, though he does step aside to allow the lady in first as is mannerly.]

[secondchances]

Borgia. [Ezio's getting an eyebrow raise as Stephanie steps in past him.] Lucrezia's family is tied to this thing?

[Well, some of his earlier questions now make a little more sense.]

[assassino]

[Whoops. Forgot to tell her that part. He just waves them in and closes the door once Aziraphale's in.]

Not her family -– just her father. I will explain later.

[thwarting]

[Looking around the room with interest, he looked at Ezio questioning.]

Will Crowley be joining us?

[secondchances]

[That father whose death he was so curious about. Definitely getting that explanation after this. For now, she nods and leaves it at that.]

He'll make this a real party.

[assassino]

[He glances at Aziraphale.]

No... should I extend the invitation now?

[thwarting]

I should think that, for anything involving the potential Apple, it would be rude not to have the serpent here. Don't you think?

[assassino]

[Right. Sheepish.]

I'll message him.

[onlyanapple]

[And then, eventually, the Serpent of Eden came to join the party]

I take it we're still going on about your magical apple thingie.

[thwarting]

Ah, Crowley!

[He beams at the demon, raising a hand in greeting.]

I rather thought you should be here too, considering.

[assassino]

[Angels and demons are actually dudes, and now flowy-robed baby-men and hooved goatlings. That's cool.]

Yes, and we'll see if Borgia is crazy or not.

[He gestures at the Apple, which is chilling on its makeshift stand on the table. Not glowing, not doing anything outstanding. It looks almost innocent, except for the whole "subtle compulsion to touch it" thing.]

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley squints at it from behind his shades]

Wow. You weren't kidding about it were you?

[secondchances]

[Absent wave of greeting from this one, she's been looking at the Apple for a few moments.]

It's like someone spray painted a tennis ball...

[thwarting]

[He isn't tempted to take it himself, that would be silly, but he can feel something distinctly off about it.]

...Actually, I think you all better leave this to Crowley and myself.

[assassino]

[eyebrow raise]

Why?

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley gave an idle wave Stephanie's way, before giving Aziraphale a pointed look]

Yes, why do we have to play with the potentially uber destructive object which has definitely not been in OUR Garden of Eden all by ourselves? Do I have to remind you how much I like not dying?

[thwarting]

[He knows he needn't explain that this was precisely why they should do it, as it was significantly harder to kill them than it would be to kill the humans.]

Because I doubt Mr. Auditore would appreciate if we dealt with it any other way than the safest.

[assassino]

The person who intended to use it is a man, just as I am. If it would have been safe for him, it is safe for me.

[Don't deny him answers, man :(]

[secondchances]

[Pauses in her circling of the Apple.]

Assuming it can be figured out, here. It really does look like it goes into something.