tampered | (no subject)

(no subject)

When; May 24, at noon
Rating; PG
Characters; Lyra Silvertoungue and "Abby Smith"

not_priestly
Summary; The two have lunch, and a discussion.
Log; Lyra relaxed in a chair outside the small cafe Mr. Smith had suggested for the meeting. While Pantalaimon's weight on her lap was reassurring, she knew that what she'd told the man had been the same thing that had previously given someone a desire to kill her, and counting on the same bit of luck happening again would be suicidal. But this place was public, and filled with people, so that wasn't as much of a concern. Now all she had to do was make sure she found out more than she told him.

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In all honestly, though he had been here a couple weeks, Abby was STILL having trouble finding his way around the City--so it was with a sigh of relief that he spotted the little cafe before heading toward it, the books borrowed from the library tucked under his arm.

It was a small, quiet place, but busy enough to see why people liked it. He glanced around, pushing his spectacles up farther onto his nose and peering through them, letting out a slight 'ah!' in satisfaction as he spotted her.

"Miss Silvertongue!" he waved as he moved closer, smiling cheerily.

"Mr. Smith!" She said excitedly, waving her arms wildly. While there was a cheery, carefree smile one her face, inwardly, she was carefully scrutnizing every detail of the man.

"Sit down, I'm eager to learn more about your world!"

He did so, setting his books down on the table to the side, pulling his chair up under him. "As I am about yours."

If his smile was anything but sincere, well, that was anyone's guess. "Have you ordered yet?"

Lyra shrugged, "Yeah. But my world en't that interesting anyway... And I've told you a bit, but you en't told me anything about yours."

Lyra looked at him with an expression that was almost too innocent.

Abby laughed, a light, genial sound. "Very true! Well, alright. In my world, there are three places. Heaven, Earth, and Hell. When I left, I was living on Earth, doing God's works and guiding lost souls to heaven." He spread his napkin in his lap, before signaling a waiter, who came over instantly.

"Ah, yes, I'll have a pot of tea--the English Breakfast--and a plate of madelines, if you please." He turned his attention to Lyra. "Would you like anything?"

Lyra didn't bother to hide her dissapointment. "And how do you know it exists?"

Apparently not. He waved the waiter off, before turning his attention back to Lyra. "Simple really. I've been to all three." And this was said with a rather gentle smile.

Lyra blinked, rather slowly.

"Ah. So what are you?"

"Well...I was an angel, first of all. Then I was a demon. Which I still am, however...I'm currently working for Heaven instead of Hell." Abby laced his fingers together, resting his hands on the table top.

"So you double crossed them? Don't let my father find out about that... Hell doesn't exist as a place in my world... But he leads the resistance in our world against god. Or did, since the Kingdom of Heaven has fallen, thankfully," Lyra rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"And apparently, I was the one who killed the Authority himself, even if I can't recall anything of the sort."

"Double crossed?" Abby tilted his head to the side slightly. "How do you mean?"

And an eyebrow raise. "You killed God?"

"That's what it's called when you switch sides twice, right?" Lyra shrugged, before leaning forward.

"I dunno. But I did, apparently. Although in my world, he wasn't really the creator, he just said he was. So what made you decide to switch back to heaven?"

"Well...sort of?" He rubbed the back of his head, before folding his arms to think about her second question.

"Hmm...well, how can I put this? Imagine you have a home that you were once a part of, and it was a place where you were happy. However, you chose to leave that home because you were young and foolish and made a bad decision. Later on, you decide that you want to go back to that home, however, the only way to do that is to do charity works in order to prove to the others living there that you're really sorry for what you did." He shrugged. "It's something like that."

Lyra made a face. "What's so great about Heaven?"

"But when you put it that way... Even if I don't agree with you, because I'm on a different side, I can understand it. But how come you've been keeping it a secret here?"

Abaddon blinked. "What's so great about Heaven? Well...first of all, it is my home. And it is peaceful there, and pleasant. In Heaven, you take care of all the good souls and you are treated with respect and dignity. Hell is...very different in that regard, as is Earth..." He sat back a little. "As for why I'm keeping it a secret well--" Abby chuckled, looking a little sad. "--how many people would trust me as a priest if they also knew I was Abaddon, the Demon of Destruction?"

Lyra contemplated that, and then said, "Ah. Didn't work like that where I'm from... That kind of place... Is what Lord Asriel was trying to build. What I'm supposed to build whenever I get home."

Lyra couldn't help it, she laughed. "You- You have seen the other clergy here, haven't you? That en't too much worse than any of them."

"So...in other words, you'll build your own heaven, sort of?" However, at her laugh, he cocked his head to the side, slightly. "Er...no? I honestly really haven't had the chance to get to know many people..."

Lyra nodded, and explained, "Heaven... Or any place you go to after you die... that doesn't exist. They claimed otherwise... but really, the world of the Dead was a- It wasn't hell, but it wasn't nice either, and everyone went there. But we let them all out... Now everyone's souls just become a part of the living world again... So since we have only one life... Shouldn't we make make the best go of it?"

She sighed, "Between the violent maniac nuns and the... well, Father Nightroads sort of weird... So are the rest of them... Well, stranger than what's normal for around here, at least."

"Violent maniac.....oh my." Abby huffed, looking a little bewildered as the tea and the madelines were set down in front of them. "That's certainly...unconventional, that's for certain."

Lyra blinked, "People who're supposed to kill all enemies of the Church? A bit old fashioned, maybe, but hardly unconventional. You've been around long enough to see it, en't you?" The idea of a Church that wasn't somehow oppressive didn't manage to enter into her mind.

"True...but not for several hundred years."

Lyra scowled. "Rather more recent, for some of us. In some worlds, they've never stopped, apparently."

"I...see. That's rather particular."

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