paradisa | FORWARD-DATED TO... ???

[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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Crowley slow claps in response]

...Wow. Great idea, angel.

... that was easy.

I... turned it into a pillow, dear boy.

[He gives a helpless shrug.]

At least it's not longer dangerous.

[Not pleased at all. He advances on Aziraphale, just out of frustration.]

I wanted answers, not a pillow!

In my opinion, this is a good thing. We can look into it without it going off.

[A pause]

Assuming it can be turned back.

Okay, a little warning would have been nice, in retrospect. Let's not overreact, here.

[Who knows if they're already past that point. We'll go with assuming it can be turned back...]

It starts ticking, then you can pillow-fy it. If no one can figure it out, Ezio's got a nice--but uselessly foreboding--new desk ornament.

'I'll agree with Jorge. This at least means it can be touched by magic without attempting to explode or otherwise. Though anything offensive might be a bad idea still.'

[raagh, temper]

I needed to know what it does!

Don't be rash now, Mr. Auditore, it's probably better this way. After all, nobody can get hurt with a nice pillow, can they?

You could smother someone with it.

[Not helping, Jorge.]

Don't tempt me.

It may be harmless, but I wanted answers, so that I could know how Borgia intends to use it! [He approaches Aziraphale, threatening.] Either reverse it or spare me of your presence.

[Is he being threatened? He's not entirely used to this, shooting an agonised glance to Crowley - he can't fight back, he might hurt the poor chap.]

There's no need for this, old boy.

[Crowley's response was immediate. The temperature in the room raised considerably, while growing darker at the same time, as if all the light had been chased away, leaving only darkness and a heat which seemed to radiate from nowhere.

Ezio has unwittingly stepped into the one thing Crowley would not abide by. Threatening the angel.

Crowley's tone remained calm however. For now]

If you value your continued existence, I'd rethink a better way to ask that if I were you.

[He knows he doesn't stand a chance against servants of God, so he's not sure what he intends to do beyond talk. He looks between Crowley and Aziraphale, and takes a step back again.]

I just want the Apple back, so that I might know what it does.

'And to do that is a slow process. Instant results are impossible with something so unknown and potentially powerful.'

[It was nice to know he had Crowley on his side; although, he couldn't help but feel a mild twinge of guilt, he was fairly sure there was some sort of rule against accepting aid from a demon.

Stepping to his friend's side, he rested his hand on Crowley's shoulder for just a moment, smiling around at everyone in a way that made those oppressive shadows seem to recede slightly.]

No harm done, perhaps we can change it back after a little more research is done on what it might do. There may be some books in the library on the subject.

I agree with Aziraphale.

[Jorge sounds like he's not being affected by those shadows, and the threatening demeanour, but that's just his training talking.]

I'd rather not nuke this place just because we were too hasty.

[Contact form the angel seemed to calm Crowley somewhat. He folded his arms, huffing a little]

Until you know what it does, don't mess with something that could be apolitically dangerous.

[He feels so riled up about the whole thing, but how can he argue with that logic?]

How am I supposed to find out what it does if I don't have it? Do I just dig through every book in the library hoping even ONE of them mentions it? The Apple may not even be its real name.