[ a young man - eighteen, if barely - sits on the boardwalk, prosthetic arm in hand. it's mechanical, though hardly advanced, a simple system of gears and pulleys configured for specific gestures. he's taken it apart, down to its inner workings; he takes each gear out, one by one, gently cleaning it on the arrival robe he's been given before slotting them back in.

if approached, he doesn't notice. if spoken to, he starts, nearly dropping the arm before delivering a stumbling apology: ]

Sorry! I'm! Sorry?!

[ he's not even sure what he's sorry about. but he's pretty confidently sorry nonetheless. ]

[ venus brings the light.

it's not the most impressive of powers. his skill with a radio's always been... well, his skill with a radio's alright enough, it's actually fighting that's the problem. he doesn't like it. tries to avoid it at all costs. and if it were just him that was being targeted, he could leave it at that - get beaten to hell and back and grin and bear it like always.

the problem is that it's someone else. so even though he knows this might do nothing - god's not answering, after all, that special frequency brings nothing but empty static - he grits his teeth, holds the receiver in hand, and stabs. his radio whines, wriggles, throbs; a pillar of light erupts from the tip, searing and golden and hot. he murmurs scriptures under his breath, feverishly- our father who art in heaven, and as i walk through the shadow of death, and hear not the devil, for he is but shadow cast by god's light-.

and when the light fades, and he opens his eyes, the wasps are gone - reduced to ash before him. a hook flies by his cheek, cutting just deep enough to bleed; he stumbles, crying out as he reaches up to cover it. what is this? what's happening? he turns towards the now-freed victim-

and freezes as another hook shoots towards him.

this is too much. this is something for the real scouts - the real heroes. someone like him never had any place being out here to begin with. ]

hey! um. this is venus
i guess that probably doesn't mean much to most of you but. that's just who i am, so. you know. haha.
uhhhhh
this is probably going to sound kind of crazy? and maybe a little heretical. idk i hope it doesn't at least

is anyone else... having trouble getting in touch with God?
like. not like our pastor used to talk about, getting lost in sin and stuff like that.
like literally unable to hear Him speak.
that's not just me, right?
because i double checked my radio and even though some of it got wet it's dried out and the saline content shouldn't have messed with the circuit THAT much
and i thought it might be the crystal, but i checked, it should still be getting enough reach, so

sorry. just ignore all that it's probably not relevant.
all i need to know is...
is God listening?

He's still here, right?

[ ooc: first things first, venus is a trans girl by the end of canon but has not reached that point in her development yet! as such, i'll be using he/him in-character until she comes to her epiphany. second, we know the devil is a weird and esoteric canon, so if you ever have any question about what something means don't hesitate to let me know! finally, as always, i'm open for customized starters if you want one. just reach out to me at beelzebae and i'm happy to help out!! ]