Tour Guide Needed. Apply Within.

[trenchcoatsarecool]

Who: Castiel and Crowley
Where: Entrance Hall
When: February 27th
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Cas is trying to find his friend(s).
The Story:

This place is strange. The air is strange. The sky is strange. It's not Purgatory, Hell, or Heaven. He's been wandering for what feels like hours and then he'd ended up... here. Wherever here is. It's a mansion of some sort, that's obvious, but Castiel's senses can tell that it doesn't follow the normal laws of time and space. There's something unsettling and yet fascinating about it. He thinks maybe Dean and Sam are somewhere in the area, but the way this place distorts things, it's hard for him to tell. It's really quite frustrating.

He tips his head back, looking up at the skylight that really should not be there. Strange. Just like everything else here. He's never been particularly good at these kinds of puzzles. He prefers things to appear as they are, which is saying something for a being that can perceive more dimensions than a human.

"Hello?" he calls out, craning his head around as he looks to see if there's anyone in the area. "Does anyone live here?"

Comments

[goesdown]

Crowley had been sure that Dean would return in some capacity, but he honestly hadn't given as much thought to Castiel. Strange how things change, because there had been a time when Crowley would have been much more focused on The Little Angel That Could. Hearing his voice is almost jarring and after some pause, Crowley comes walking into view at a carefully measured pace.

"No, we just have parties here on Fridays." He smiles a rather predatory smile and slows his approach.

"Hello, Cas. Miss me?"

[trenchcoatsarecool]

He swivels his entire body to face the new voice, one entirely unfamiliar to him, and he regards the man for a moment before a distinct, offensive aura invades his senses and his metaphorical hackles raise up, dark eyes turning a bright shade of blue as his grace flares.

"Demon! What are you doing here? What is this place?" he demands, hand clenching and unclenching next to his side as he debates on whether or not he should simply smite this abomination instead of giving it the chance to lie to him. "And why would I miss you?"

That's also an important question. Answer it quickly, demon. Castiel's patience for your kind is thin and he is far more used to simply smiting and then finding clues on your empty husk.

[goesdown]

Oh. Oh. The words "fresh meat" float through Crowley's mind before he can manage anything kinder or more useful and he can't help a little chuckle.

"Timelines are funny like that. You and I are old friends." Sort of. "Have you met Dean yet?"

Come to think of it, if this is a pre-Winchester Castiel, Crowley is probably playing with fire even standing here. Subtly, he takes a useless step back. Just in case.

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"Dean is here? Where is he and what have you done with him?" Castiel growls out as he takes a threatening step forward to keep the distance even. If this monster has done anything with Dean, Castiel will burn the taint right out of that strange, short, hairy little body the man is inhabiting.

[goesdown]

"I haven't done anything with him lately. Dean and I are friends. Best friends." Of course the current Dean might not agree with that assessment. Crowley's used to getting the runaround with Dean, so that's nothing new.

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"If all you're going to do is make up terrible lies, then I have no use for you," Castiel says coldly, advancing on the demon. There is no way Dean would ever be friends with a demon. Ever. So the demon has approximately five seconds to explain his way out of this, or there's going to be a Hand of Smiting coming in his general direction.

[goesdown]

"Wait a minute!" Crowley keeps backing up. "I'm on your side. Maybe you don't know it yet, but I'm going to help you stop Lucifer and save the world. We're friends."

Okay, that last part is just a desperate lie.

[trenchcoatsarecool]

Castiel stops, settling a very, very suspicious stare on the demon. What interest does a demon have in saving the world? Especially in stopping Lucifer? A demon would be on Lucifer's side. "Explain," he commands brusquely.

[goesdown]

"I'm not like most demons." He says it as if it's the most obvious thing. "I know that Lucifer would kill us as soon as he's done with the rest of you and I have no interest in serving that. I've risked life and limb for you, Feathers."

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"What do you mean? Risked life and limb for me? I've only just met you; that's not possible." Again with the lies, demon? Castiel will not be blinded by your twisting and turning of the truth.

Still, he's intrigued enough not to smite the smirk off his face.

[goesdown]

Crowley stops, all but rolling his eyes. "We're not all taken here from the same time when we're brought here."

He starts to rummage in his pockets. "Here, there are pamphlets some idiot made to welcome newcomers. You've been here before, but you won't remember that. Dean's left and forgotten this place a few times already, too." When all he can find in his pockets is a few damp matchsticks and small, clean bird bone, he drops the bone on the floor and crams the matches back into his coat. "There are probably a stack of them around here somewhere..."

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"So you're telling me that the timeline I came here from was... in your past. You've met me and the Winchesters before and that you're friends with Dean and you've helped me before? You expect me to believe this? What proof do you have?"

While the idea in and of itself isn't entirely preposterous, considering Castiel himself has been back and forth through time, but he's not going to simply believe a claim like that on word alone. Especially when it involves close relations with a demon. His future self would never accept help from a demon except in the most dire of circumstances, and even then, surely the demon wouldn't live to come back and brag about it.

[goesdown]

Crowley rolls his eyes. This is why he doesn't reach out to new arrivals. He lacks the patience of the welcome party sort.

"You know I'm not really invested in your believing me or not. You're yesterday's news, Castiel. If you don't want to believe me, that's on you."

He turns to leave. There'd been a time when he'd been a little fixated on Castiel, but that time has come and gone. Dean's been much more receptive to Crowley's friendship.

"We're both stuck here either way."

[trenchcoatsarecool]

He bows his head while he thinks, uncertain of what he should do. The demon has information. Castiel needs the information. The demon knows him, and therefore has an advantage. He also knows Dean, and by extension, Sam.

"Wait," Castiel tells him, finally letting go of the glow of his grace and relaxing his posture. "There are many things I need to know still; however, tell me the most likely place I might find Dean Winchester and I'll allow you to live this once."

[goesdown]

"Have you tried the bar? It's Dean." The man drinks about as much as Crowley does. It's impressive.

"It's on the fifth floor." He gestures towards the stairs. "And if you look around more, you might find one of those pamphlets that people made so that we can stop doing the same old song and dance all the time."

Okay, Crowley is about the worst welcome wagon possible. Sue him. This is what he gets for trying to be helpful.

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"That... makes a surprising amount of sense." Yes. Dean would be at the bar. Of course he would. The man is overly fond of beer and greasy hamburgers.

And given that bit of insight, he realizes that perhaps this demon really does know them. Maybe it's not as far-fetched as it seems. That also gives the man a dangerous advantage. He knows what to expect, but Castiel does not. Nor does he actually know the demon's name, come to think of it.

"One more thing before I go: what are you called?"

[goesdown]

Crowley rolls his eyes as if this is the greatest burden known to man. "It's Crowley. I was the head Crossroads demon before we met and unlike some demons, I wasn't playing you."

[trenchcoatsarecool]

"Crowley," he repeats. It's not particularly familiar to him.

He must admit that this demon has been more pleasant less disgusting to deal with than other demons. Castiel will thank him for his help by making good on his promise not to smite him.

"Pray you don't meet me again," he says before he turns and heads up the stairs. He'll smite Crowley next time.

Right now, he needs to find that bar on the fifth floor.

[goesdown]

Crowley waits until he's out of earshot before muttering under his breath. "Oh, I'll be praying, drama queen."