They looked down on him with vindictive eyes from their lofty seats, there in the court of the angels. It was among the most magnificent places in all creation, and he felt as though he would choke on the stink of its splendor. To avoid gagging, he looked down below and focused on the earth, a distant, pale blue. If only they knew down there, the way things really were.

"Lucifer." His gaze returned to the Archangel Michael, who had been his brother once, now sitting high above him. It really threw off his sense of perspective. "You know why you have been called here."

"Called?" Lucifer smiled. "Say it like that, almost makes it sound like I had a choice."

"You did have a choice," the angel reprimanded. "As angels, we do not have the freedom to act in accordance with our own wills. But you… You cast your angelicism aside long ago. Your choices are yours to make."

"Oh? So what's with the handcuffs then? You know, my wrists are becoming a bit sore."

"A precaution."

Lucifer laughed at that.

"You think it's binding my hands that's keeping you safe? Newsflash, I don't need my hands to do away with the lot of you, if I want to."

“Excuse me your honor,” interjected the balding man with the briefcase who sat next to Lucifer. “If I may have a word with my client.” Even in the court of the angels, you get a lawyer, and it had been fairly easy for Lucifer to find one. If there was one thing hell had no shortage of, it was lawyers. “Listen,” his lawyer whispered to him in a harsh tone. “You’ve got to tone it down. You’re coming across as disobedient.”

“Disobedient?” Lucifer snorted. “I’m the fucking devil, of course I’m going to be disobedient.”

“You want to be held in contempt of court? No, I didn’t think so. Now no more outbursts like that, you understand?”

“Whatever.”

I'll continue writing this if anyone likes it