No news is terrible news.

Daniel had recently finished all the worthwhile books he had borrowed, taken care of any duties he could think of that wouldn't cause more trouble if he got involved... He'd even taken a proper shower. What was there left to do??

As he exits the shower, towel around his waist, he looks around the apartment with a peeved frown. He'd had the stuff just as he liked them!

Readjustment doesn't take long due to the sparsity of his furniture, barely enough for him to dry off and get dressed. After that he checks the clock - past ten, means Smoker most likely wasn't coming... Which meant he was all alone with nothing to do! Which meant the wrong kind of food in his fridge was actually worth caring about, as he couldn't just chow down whatever was there before hurrying off on a mission.

Time for a visit to the store, then.

Wait... Where was the nearest store?
...Were there even convenience stores here?
A decade's time and he hadn't actually ever memorized the nearest place to get groceries, much less visited it. He was pretty sure there was something, though... Well, better check just in case. He turns toward the biggest screen in the apartment.

"Where's the nearest grocery store?"

His big-screen CTV flickers alive with a familiar logo:  a glass sphere with a blue flame inside.

"CORE INSIDE~~~!"  The TV chimes in an aggressively cheery manner that Daniel is pretty sure Core chose just to fuck with people.  In particular:  him.

"The nearest grocery is the Steam Market, three floors down, two floors skinward."  The CTV shows a map directing Daniel from his apartment down the hallway through a public-access turbolift and down a few other warrens.

Daniel's been to the Steam Market... once.  He had been chasing a void demon through there and trashed half the place.  His clothes had smelled like curry, chili peppers, and cabbage for a week afterwards.

"If you're looking for fresh food, you may also attempt the Hydroponics section, six floors up." Ah, yes, hydroponics, where he'd... cornered that one serial killer who'd been dissolving people into the hydroponics solution...

Daniel is half-convinced that the opening chime is louder and more annoying in his apartment specifically.

He looks through the suggested routes. He'd sort of set his mind on grocery shopping, and while fresh produce would be nice, it'd been a while since he'd had a decent meat dish. Would Steam Market even have that? Well, it was the Upperdecks, so chances were decent. He could seek out a restaurant or diner of some sort if he turned up empty, but he could use some basic supplies anyway. Supposing they got that load-bearing pillar he'd broken fixed, it was right by the meat section...

That, and now that he remembered the Void Demon he'd slain there, he realized he was past due a for a hygiene check in the Steam Market. Those Void Demons had a bad habit of leaving some bad shit brewing where they were killed - less so for those slain by him due to Ghost-Eating Technique, but still a non-zero chance.

"Steam Market it is. Send directions to my PDA."

"Sending now.  Summer Sale now active."  The CTV chirps twice and sends him the directions, then intones "Will you need anything else today?".

The Steam Market would indeed have meat, there's even a specialty butcher that lovingly raises its own animals for slaughter.  Of course the prices are astronomical but if it's one thing Daniel has, it's cash.  Whether or not there'll be any by the time he gets there is another matter.  Some of the richer, more extravagant beings on the deck also do like their high quality meat...

"Incoming call.  Incoming call.  Incoming call."

Daniel was actually very much not used to spending money; what he needed he was usually provided for free by a friend or ally, or he acquired it himself through other means. That also explained why he had so much of it just sitting around, though. He rarely had the chance to spend it on anything frivolous like he was about to, because anytime he tried to, a crisis would-

He discards his idle thoughts instantly as he picks up the call.

”Lucifer.”

"CONGRATULATIONS [lucifer]!  YOU HAVE WON AN ALL-EXPENSES PAID TRIP TO THE UPPERDECKS [spring resort] [floor five] NEAR THE [third neomah tower]!  ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO CLAIM YOUR TRIP IS RESPOND WITH YOUR CREDIT NUMBER, YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST NAME, AND COREID!  TO CLAIM PRESS 1.  TO SPEAK WITH AN AGENT PRESS 2.  TO UNSUBSCRIBE PRESS 3!"

There’s a moment of incredulousness. How the hell did a spam call manage to reach his number? He would be more annoyed if he wasn’t so confused.

He closes the call, shaking his head as he winds down from action mode. What was he doing again? Right, the grocery shopping.

He sets about getting his things together and gets moving toward Steam Market.

Down the hallway, first left- his pad keeps directing him down the unfamiliar corridors.  How did he get down there last time?  He certainly doesn't remember the route.

Ah, but a public access lift, now that's another thing.  He steps in and finds there's someone already there:  a teenage girl, 15 at the oldest if he's any judge, clutching a bouquet of flowers.

She gives him a friendly smile, "What floor?"

Daniel wonders why the trip seems so unfamiliar, but quickly recalls the reason to be that last time the route was a bit more direct. The right through multiple floors, everything's falling apart and/or on fire kind of direct. That'd explain it.

He looks down to the girl and her bouquet with a friendly-ish expression (he'd been trying to rein in his expressions in public after having a few too many people read into what wasn't there), slightly confused as he could just push the right button himself.

"Three floors down."

"Got it!"  She says cheerily as she presses the button.  The doors start to close and she glances over at him.  Then she really looks.

"Oh.  My.  Gawd."  Bright baby blues blink briskly.  "You're Daniel Matthews!  Lucifer!"  She drops her bouquet and starts jumping up and down, her hands on her mouth, "Omigawd omigawd omigawd!  I'm your biggest fan!  Ok maybe that's a lie nobody can be a bigger fan than my friend Cammy but I'm such a big fan and can I have an autograph!  No, wait!  Can I have some of your hair!  No, wait!~  Can I get a kiss!"  She advances on him in the elevator, "I can't believe this is happening to mee~~~!~~!"

By the time Daniel realizes the gravity of the situation the doors have already closed behind him. A part of his mind immediately begins to wonder just how bad it would be to just tear them open...

He crosses his arms in a neutral gesture, attempting to make it difficult for the smitten teen to barge too deep into his personal space. His tone is bordering on stern but not hostile; it’s just a kid, after all.

“I’m not a popstar. Being a fan is irrelevant. If what I do inspires you, though, I’m glad. And that is more valuable than any souvenir or superficial affection.”

"You're suuuuuuuper inspiring," She says with gleaming eyes, "I had the biggest- um- never mind!" She tries to give him a hug anyway, "You saved my mom, ten years ago. I think it was at Rome, at the Vatican."

Boy, that brings back memories- Lucifer and another Exalt, a Solar Catholic priest named Father Paulus, had sealed off Saint Peter's Square.  Ancient wards thrummed and held the Abyssals at bay, and the Last Refuge had begun the loading process.  Unfortunately the wards couldn't hold up to a half-dozen of Yama's Abyssal acolytes.  The wards fell, Lucifer fought off the ghosts long enough to save what was left of the refugees, and Father Paulus...

Father Paulus died trying to save a knot of demons who couldn't enter the square because of the wards.  He had felt personally responsible.

"So, like..." She tries to give him a bigger hug.

The first hug goes awkwardly as Daniel tries not to block it outright but not encourage the girl either. Then what she says sends him unexpectedly on a trip down memory lane.

His brief co-operation with Father Paulus had been something of a formative experience. The priest was a good man; too good to live long in what the world had become. His sacrifice was one part of what had made him reconsider the role of demons in Creation, as living beings rather than just necessary tempters and adversaries.

The girl would have had to be there to be here now, but she would've been what, five at most?

He uncrosses his arms, letting the girl succeed on her second attempt. He even goes as far as to pat her head and ruffle her hair a bit.

"I remember. Glad we could help."

"Well, thank you.  And thank you for keeping on saving us.  We all love you for it."  She takes a deep sniff of his hair.  "Oh, no... I dropped my flowers."  She finally breaks from Lucifer and goes to a knee to start picking up the flowers. "My mom'll be so upset, she worked so hard to put together that bouquet!"

“That’s good to hear. You’re welcome.”

He lets the hair-sniffing pass without reaction, then crouches to help with gathering the flowers.

“It’ll be fine. What’s the occasion?”

"It was a special order, for-"

The doors open.  There's a crowd of paparazzi outside, taking dozens of pictures of Lucifer starting to crouch to help a teenager picking up flowers, kneeling in front of him- the camera flashes start strobing faster.

"Mr. Lucifer!  Mr. Lucifer! Look this way please!"

"Miss what's your name!  What's your name!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:33, Thu 26 July 2018.

There’s a sharp inhalation but Daniel keeps a nonplussed expression. This wasn’t his floor yet, right? Please say he wasn’t supposed to get off from the elevator here.

He quickly gathers what he can while addressing the girl with a lowered voice. “Please ignore the carrion eaters. This isn’t how you want to become famous.”

Oh god.  This is his floor.  His indicator is directing him out the door and towards the Steam Market.

The girl blushes hard and turns away from the door as soon as she gathers up the flowers.  This only makes the paparazzi more desperate.  It's like throwing blood in the water.

"Sir!  Over here sir!  What are you doing in the Steam Market!  What's her name!  Sir!"

A frown crosses over his features as the piranha swarm gathers and the only way is through. He throws a glance at the wall to check if the poor girl was going to another floor, then gives her a little apologetic smile and nod as goodbye before turning to command the swarm’s attention elsewhere. If she’s going to another floor he makes sure the doors close without paparazzis slipping in; if she’s getting off here he gently nudges her forward and to the side as he makes a grand, sweeping gesture toward the Steam Market to draw eyes off her.

“Routine checkup. Killed a Void Demon here some time ago, double-checking for any taint left over. Now if you’ll excuse me...”

He starts making his way through the crowd. Might be a good time to test his newfound ability to mask his presence soon, but not before the girl was away from the spotlight.

She doesn't make a move to leave, instead moving to close the door. Daniel manages to keep the horde away as the door closes, though they keep on trying to take pictures over his shoulder.

"I remember that!" One of the horde shouts.  Oh Sol, this one isn't just a paparazzi... he's a reporter.  "Lucifer, can I have a few moments of your time!  Can we talk!"

The crowd starts parting for him, but only grudgingly.

Ah, journalists. Where paparazzis were perpetual bottom-feeders, always a pain but rarely more than a nuisance, reporters had the potential to be much greater in either direction.

After the door closes, he takes off toward the Steam Market at a brisk pace, not quite fast enough to be considered running away but still enough to make following a chore for a geared-up member of the media.

"About what?"

"Mark Gravine, Underdecks 52A News Network,"  The reporter can barely believe it, "Is it true that you assaulted another Exalt after a successful operation?" He holds his smartphone up towards Lucifer, "Is it also true this was the impetus for the creation of an Admiralty Board?  What do you have to say about the Born King movement?"

As the reporter gets his phone out, Daniel finally finishes the subtle ritual to mask his presence from non-living things such as cameras. With that reassurance in mind and the questions somewhat striking a nerve, he ends up giving a bit more than he probably should.

"Brahe was being a dick as always, so under the stress of the situation I stooped to giving him some direct feedback. I have no doubt the craven worm is using it to further his schemes, just like everything else."

He raises a brow at the last part.

"The Born King Movement?"

"Direct feedback?" The reporter brings his mic closer to Lucifer, walking backwards through the market, "And it was Brahe?  Interesting!  Ah, yes, the Born King Movement says that instead of the Admiralty Board and the Senate we should be giving all the power to the Exalts who've kept us alive.  As a senior Exalt you would be one of those in direct charge.  What do you think?"

Daniel pushes the mic away from his face gently but firmly, giving a quick glance of warning at the reporter. "A single punch in the face. No more, no less."

He keeps walking in long strides, making it a struggle for the reporter to keep up walking backwards.

"Exaltation is power. It may be strength, speed, cunning, intelligence or magical abilities, but it is not necessarily wisdom or ability to govern. Some among us might make for brilliant rulers but just as many would be egotistical tyrants. I say leaders should be selected based on their wisdom, benevolence and ability to work for the betterment of the Living as a ruler, not their power."