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There's not a shred of hesitance about Diana, at first she reaches against the side of her gown, as if there was supposed to be some kind of weapon there, but her instincts is merely a result of ages of experience. Tonight is a different setting, and therefore she will have to go about it in a more personal matter. Wearing a steadfast look of determination, she immediately sets out after Michael and his prey.
It's startling to Michael, but it doesn't seem to do him much damage, that little shock from Elmo. He turns an affronted look on the human, but doesn't relinquish his grip on JP's collar. The angel drags the human into relative privacy - the hallway out back, cold from the fact that it's got a door that opens on the outdoors. "Mortal," and while his voice is low, no longer a shout, he's still glowing like several different shades of neon….and that voice has strange basso undertones. "Tell me. How do you know that name?" He's not out to hurt JP, that's clear.
It's like you owuld think this chap was used to getting in trouble, dragged around, and arrested! Hey everyone's got to be good at something. JP grimaced like an alley cat that's been scruffed and knows he's presently outgunned. So we play this canny, sure. THough if the medal of St. Nichilas around his neck was any indication that he was a good (if not wayward) Catholic. THere wasn't a lot in this world that could scare him, but Michael wasn't of this one. The look glanced to the striking, and classy Amazon, and to Elmo spoke of appreciation and maybe this wasn't something he was trying to tangle them in. Finally he said, "I… I dunno… It was from a job. Okay? I didn't know what they were askin me t'do until we's there! Pardon!" Only things mortals lay hands on whouldn't have that sort of intel. It really answered … not a whole lot to most.
Elmo follows, still staticky and causing the local ionic balance to tip wildly back and forth. He halts when he sees Michael isn't trying to pound JP's face into the concrete, and wavers on whether to let JP talk or try again. He looks at Diana in relief—he's going to have help, if things go wrong.
"You do the Divine you serve a great insult," Diana calls after Michael, her path a direct one towards him and the hapless JP. Unlike Michael, she's not wont to reveal her true divine nature willy nilly, so she doesn't reveal her Amazonian Battle Armor, and she doesn't draw divine weaponry. Instead, she just brings herself up close so she can absorb any punishment meant for JP, and tries to use words and appeal to a hopeful modicum of virtue in one who by his own account should be of a divine nature. "To take a godly creation, and to bully them with divine power, is the work of a coward." Perhaps not a direct insult, but the inference is there, anything to draw Michael's attention from JP because by her perception, he was about to smite him, putting on that divine glow of a display at the party.
The angel's still keeping a grip on his temper, albeit a slippery one. But Diana's chiding has him pausing, and giving her a thoughtful look….then looking back at JP again. Still glowing, but the wings are folded behind him. "Lady," he says, and it's a term of grave respect, very unlike the way New Yorkers usually use it, "The knowledge he has …..it can be used against me in the most terrible ways, to destroy or enslave me. I must know how he has a Word that mortal tongues should not be able to say, and apparently come by it by accident. Something is terribly wrong, for ….for him to know that, someone has usurped that which belongs to the Presence I serve."
JP was talking now if he wasn't before, though the French Creole was a beautiful slurry of words, "It's why I put it back. Some people hired me onto a job to take something? Fine. I didn't mean to take -that-. I didn't know what it was until it's to late. Forgive me I didn't know, alright? I saw… it… I don't even know what it was, and now I can't unsee it." The Cajun took a deep breath and looked to teh three of them. Was he guilty as hell? Sure, of lots of things, but offered Michael, "I took the job t' try and help out m' lil girl. Had I known what they asked me t'take belonged to you? I… guess?" He was uncertain, but apparently he was… what boosting divine artifacts? Pop tarts? Michael's copies of TV Guide from his mailbox? "Now I got them after me, you after me… I jus' wan'ed t' take care of my lil girl and they said they could help me out. Job went south. Whever that book thing was, I don' have it." JP's eyes squeezed shut and said, "Look, if we can not worry everyone in there… I'll… help however I can. Just , do' let it come back on her okay?" It was a father's plea bargain for certain. A hand lifted but he made no attempet to run. "These nice folks are jus' tryin t'help. They didn't take nothin from you." Yes, Elmo, when JP said he was in a lil truouble that was code for cosmically deep shit. He sighed and mused to no one, "Ya know I just wanted to dance, get knocked off my ass, and accidently get laid t'night in spite of my best efforts t'be myself… this is not goin' that way."
The static tension drops as Elmo lets it go. Listening to JP's story, he grimaces. "I didn't think you meant /that/ kind of trouble," he mutters. Trouble with the law, sure. Trouble with mobsters, maybe. Trouble with literal angels of God? Not so much.
Diana remains in quite the close proximity to Michael and JP, she doesn't make a move against Michael quite yet, but any who can read intent, would find it easy to guess she will jump to JP's aid with her full volition. "That may well be…" she replies, apparently appreciative that Michael took to answering her instead of fighting her. She's faced all sorts of Divines, and most lose themselves to overinflated egos. "But are you a frightened child, or a proud servant of the Presence you serve?" She borrows his own terminology to better relate her words to him. "I would suggest a less harsh, and better mastered response to his surprising knowledge. One that would better honor yourself, if not at the least, the one you serve."
When JP elects to talk, Diana follows along quite well, thanks to the Divine Allspeak. Getting a better understanding of the situation at hand. Looking from JP to Michael, Diana offers, "would a satisfying resolution be for JP to forget the word he must not know?" The question is aimed at Michael, apparently the Amazon thinks she can offer help in that capacity. After all, if JP truly regrets gaining the knowledge of Michael's true name, and all that Michael is after is for JP to not know it, a peaceful solution consented by both parties seem the most reasonable approach for her.
Frightened. He doesn't immediately bristle and deny it. Diana's question only makes his brows knit again, and he echoes the word, as if trying it on for size. "Frightened," he says, slowly. "I suppose I was. It has been so long since I felt that… But even if you could take that from him…..the thing that gave that information to him is abroad in the world. I must find it, it is terribly dangerous. More than those atom-splitters they've created so recently." Because 1945 is very recent, when you're an angel. He turns his gaze back to JP. "I mean you no harm, nor any of yours," he says, softly, slowly loosening his grip on the mortal's collar, then brushing down his front, as if it were merely a matter of getting angel dander off of JP. "But please, help me. It must be found."
JP was…breathing and playing it cool. BUt still, a grateful look was given to Diana cuase, well that was actually pretty ballsy, then then to Elmo suggesting /yes I owe you I suppose/. In the end he fuddles withthe small icon on the chain around his neck letting the Fonzie-essque composure come back and answered honest, "You're… an angel. How I tell you no?" Steal from thugs and biggots? Already there. The mob? Meeeeeybbe. Angels? Fuuuuuck that. "If you can help me put in a good word for her… yeah. Sure. Whatever it takes t'sort this out." He looked at everyone and said "Kai's um… Kai's prolly worried." To DIana he offered a hand. "Jean-Pierre. You're really somethin else, chere. This' Elmo." See? We were being groovy and he was about to go just find Kai's good shit and smoke down and forget he jsut got threatened by an angel for a moment. Aaaaall good.
Diana looks at Michael again, and any sense of anger or propensity to act against him if only to help JP has waned. She looks at him with a calm smile, "it is not a sin to be frightened, but it is a surefire way to falter. If you seek the one who has your name in the first place, it is not JP that you want…look to the real target and be focused." If anything, Diana is glad that JP didn't die today.