Day 56: Morris Park

[poorexample]

It was disappointing that the sheriff's office had been closed for some reason, but many humans rested on Sunday for what they considered good reason. Castiel himself didn't understand the thought behind it. God may have rested on the seventh day, but that didn't meant that the rest of them were allowed that luxury. He'd certainly never followed

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[no_dont_go]

Aigis looked up, eyes widening at the strength behind his question. So he believed as well. For the first time since Heat had disappeared, Aigis felt a strange kinship between herself and a fellow patient blossoming. And this time he knew not only of the world's end but understood it to be approaching.

"Yes!" she replied with more vehemence in her voice, her eyes hardening. "In fact, it is almost upon us."

His other questioned required a bit more consideration. Aigis slowed her breathing, which had begun to pick up just moments before, and closed her eyes, thinking back on her time before the institute.

"There have only been two recorded times of great Shadow activity; they have been increasing exponentially in the last year, and they had done the same only ten years before that. When amassed, they are used to call down the Goddess Nyx in order to enact the end of all mankind. How they are brought together," and here she paused, wincing, "is through humanity's own wish for death, or so it is believed."

She shook her head. Why a flourishing race like humankind would wish for their own destruction was beyond her. She could not believe it. "It was the work of one man during the previous close call. The one happening now back home is due to the spread of 'Salvation through Death,' the preachings of the Doomsday cult." Aigis shivered again, this time not from only the chill of the air.

"To prevent it, I have tried using the same means as when I attacked you." She removed one hand from her pocket, holding it out; a clenched fist. "My original model can handle many forms of ballistic weaponry. When that was not effective, I would use the power of Athena, my Persona. She would always come to my aid."

[poorexample]

It was close to surreal at this point to be faced with someone who understood what threat they were faced with, and Castiel almost wondered if there was some sort of catch. Aigis seemed equally surprised and exhilarated to have discovered someone else who knew the truth of that was going on, and yet Castiel still had his reservations. This seemed too sudden and too simple.

Nyx, the goddess of the night. Castiel had only heard of her as myth, but he realized full well that most myths were real in one way or another. Was she a demon, then, or simply working with them? Or was this another angle to the Apocalypse that had nothing to do with his own part in it? Their stories seemed to differ, but that did not necessarily mean that they were speaking of separate things.

However, the more she spoke the less he understood. The work of one man -- which man? And what was this Doomsday cult that she spoke of? Castiel realized that he and the Winchesters may have missed certain aspects of the end of days while rushing to stop what they were aware of, and yet having a new element of the Apocalypse added in only increased his troubles.

Either way, it seemed that Aigis was aware of some aspect of the end of the world and was doing what she could to fight against it. As far as Castiel was concerned, that made them allies. "I am not as familiar with those details that you just gave, but it seems that we are fighting for the same cause nonetheless." He had no idea what a Persona was either, but it seemed like they had far too many questions to work through.

"I am trying to stop the rise of Lucifer and the Four Horsemen," he explained. "There is a war between angels and demons that is quickly approaching unless I can do something to prevent it." Which meant getting rid of Lucifer, essentially, but that was nearly an impossible task.

[no_dont_go]

Aigis saw their meeting as a fair share of luck, despite the strain their first encounter had left them under. Everyone else had their own worlds to return to; Carter had his war, Scar had the savannah. She and Castiel shared a world of little time. Together, they understood a swelling end that would soon overtake them if they did not return soon. In this sense, Aigis felt comforted in having found another comrade in arms.

She nodded emphatically. It was possible he understood the implications the end of the world held, but if he didn't understand all she said then it was fine. Normal even.

His words about Lucifer and Horsemen gave her pause, however. Minato had the ability to summon Lucifer as a Persona, as well as the Pale Rider. Angels and demons were also various forms of Persona, and neither was inherently bad or good. Why they would be on opposing sides was beyond her understanding. But then again, Heat, a demon, had treated Nyx as though she were a low level demon herself. Somewhere, a few wires had gotten crossed.

"It seems like a dire predicament on both our ends. I am unsure how closely our goals intersect, but it is obvious we are both on the same side of things. If we can pr-pr--ahhh!" Aigis sneezed, and a shocked look crossed her face. Having never sneezed before the involuntary action caught her a little more than off guard. She started Castiel for a moment, unsure of what his reaction would hold and hoping to see what a proper reaction to that would be.

She reached up and touched her nose gently. "That was..." Strange.

[poorexample]

Seeing how she gave no direct response to what he said about Lucifer and the Horsemen, it was difficult to know if she recognized that as part of her Apocalypse or not. Castiel's guess was that she would have somehow reacted to it if she had, which meant that the details didn't match up on both ends. Nonetheless, she understood the urgency, the need to get back that was more than simply escape.

It was odd, to think that an "attack android" could be experiencing the same thing that he was, and Castiel wondered how it was that she had gotten involved in it. She had said she was made for that purpose, but who had made her? He doubted it would answer his own questions about the Apocalypse, but he was curious despite that.

He was distracted when the girl sneezed, startling slightly and then speaking the words "bless you" before he had even thought about it. Uttering that phrase in response to a sneeze was a completely human construct, having no true connection to Heaven or his Father. The fact that he had adopted it unsettled him in a way he couldn't entirely explain.

Still, it was the polite thing to do, so perhaps it was best that he had said it. "It might be best for you to head inside," he advised. From what he'd gathered, humans could catch a cold simply from staying outside in cold weather for too long. Seeing how Aigis appeared as human as he did (which was an odd thought on its own), she was likely susceptible to that now.

[no_dont_go]

"Ah, th-thank you?" Aigis muttered confused, fingers still touching her nose lightly. The words 'bless you' meant nothing to her except they were words said at a temple or shrine. But what did it mean to be blessed, really? She couldn't rightly imagine.

She nodded at his suggestion, struggling to breath through her nose. Something seemed to be causing an obstruction to her airflow, though she could still breathe well enough. She sniffled.

"I will be on my way then." She bowed her head to her new comrade and offered him a parting smile. "I would like to speak again, Castiel-san. Please, feel free to approach me at any time." And with that she took her leave of him, thinking perhaps to find something to warm her from the inside out.