101Written By: Oni-Baka
Author's Notes: The views on religion here are not precisely my own, and are simply for the pleasure of writing a story I believe can be appreciated. I am in no way attempting to insult anyone of any religion, and am not attempting to play any part of Christian bashing. I apologize to anyone I might offend with my insane prattle. Thank you.
Chapter One
The two clung together, scaled black and feathered white wings entangled around them. The angel laid her head gently on the demon's shoulder, as the demon stroked her hair soothingly. Both trembled as they awaited the moment of their judgement.
Michael, highest of all the Archangels, regarded them with a serious gaze. Beside him, he could feel Gaabriel practically vibrating with rage as he waited for the order to carry out the transgressors punishment. He could understand his friend's fury- this particular angel was high among the Nameless Hosts, perhaps only centuries from earning a Name and a Title of her own. Her betrayal was a harsh blow to Heaven's forces.
"You have broken one of Heaven's most intimate laws, angel" he intoned grimly. His face was stern, but his eyes begged the young angel before him to reconsider her rash actions. "God is almighty, but He is also merciful. You have one last chance: repent your actions, bow down before God and beg for His forgiveness, and you shall be redeemed. What say you, young one?"
The demon clung to his love fearfully, and Michael's heart sank as he saw conviction in the angel's eyes. "I will not cast him off" the angel replied, her melodic voice firm and unwavering, if just a tad higher than usual. "All the Hosts know that love is a gift from God, to be treasured and valued above all else. How then shall I repent of that which God has given me Himself."
Michael tried one last time to save the angel before him. "Angel, what you say is true. But all the Hosts also know that demons are incapable of love. There is nothing the Prince of Lies would like more than one of God's favoured angels Fall. He has deceived you. Repent and be forgiven your sins!"
"This love is from God" the angel replied evenly, ethereal eyes flashing in anger. "If He is so unjust as to punish us for our actions, then He is a God I do not wish to serve!"
There were many shocked gasps from the watching Hosts at the blasphemy, and Michael shook his head sadly. "So be it then. You have sinned and you will not repent. Hear then the judgement of God".
Every angel in the room held their breath as they waited for the voice of the Lord they loved and feared so greatly. There was no doubt among them as to what the punishment would be; the angel would be cast out, to live among the demon Hordes, to live as a Fallen angel.
FROM HEAVEN THOU ART BANISHED, the booming voice rang out at last. The demon shrieked and desperately clapped his hands over his ears, unable to hear the holy voice without pain. He whimpered and buried his too- perfect face in the angel's shoulder as the Voice continued. TO THE MORTAL WORLD I SEND THEE, THERE TO BIDE FOR 17 YEARS. THOU SHALT INHABIT THE BODIES OF MORTALS ON EARTH, WITH NO MEMORIES OF THY ETERNAL EXISTENCE. IN THAT TIME THOU SHALT SUFFER MANY HARDSHIPS. IF THOU CANST DISCOVER ONE ANOTHER AGAIN AND PROVE THY LOVE IS TRUE, HEAVEN SHALL BE OPEN TO THEE ONCE MORE. IF IN 17 YEARS TIME THOU HAST NOT PROVEN THYSELVES THUSLY, THOU SHALT BE CAST WITH THE FALLEN, THINE SOUL TO REST ETERNALLY IN THE PITS OF HELL. THIS IS MY JUDGEMENT.
There was a collective gasp of shock as the Holy Prescence faded, and the murmurs of whispers began immediately. Unheard of! Was this an admission that it WAS possible for a demon to love? Didn't the Almighty KNOW if their love was true or not? Surely he hadn't meant to imply that a demon would be allowed into Heaven, should they prove themselves...
"Enough!" Michael finally snapped, recovering from his own shock. He could see confusion and burgeoniing hope in the faces of the two condemned before him, and gave them a moment to recollect themselves before continuing in a more gentle voice. "The Almighty has spoken; His will shall be done. Gabriel will escort your souls to your new places, and ensure the erasure of your memories. May God be with you in your trials".
The demon flinched as Michael blessed them both, the words physically painful to one who lived so removed from God's grace. The angel held him tightly, staring intently into her love's eyes. "I WILL find you" she proclaimed fiercely. "No matter what. Believe in me".
"Always" the demon replied, perfectly-pitched voice rife with intensity. Michael allowed them another minute together before gesturing for Gabriel and his guards to separate them. As they reluctantly let go of each other and faced their captors, Michael found himself silently wishing them luck. God alone kne they ere going to need it.
"Hisei. Hisei! Hey, Earth to Hisei..."
Hisei blinked at the hand that as being waved in front of her face, light- brown hair falling stubbornly in her eyes as she registered the figure of her older brother Kokuyo. "Huh? I'm sorry, Koku-kun, I wasn't paying attention."
"I'll say" Kokuyo replied, leaning one hip against the table. "You okay, sis? You've been awfully distracted lately."
"I just...didn't sleep well" Hisei answered, raking a hand through her hair and yawning. "I've been having weird dreams lately". A world made of nothing but white feathers...
Ken regarded her seriously. "Something wrong at school. Juniors been bullying you? Because if they are I swear i'll.."
"N-no..." Hisei replied hesitantly. "I don't really remember anything about the dreams." Flying through an endless eternity. "But they certaintly weren't nightmares, and nothing's been happening at school, or i'd tell you." She yawned again, covering her mouth with a manicured hand.
"Mm." Hisei's other brother J.J exclaimed. "Sounds like our little sister's finally growing up". Hisei blushed as she realized what he was implying.
"You jerk" Kokuyo retorted, rushing to her rescue. "How come I have to live with a little perv like you."
"Yeah" Hisei agreed. "They weren't those sort of dreams" all of time and space laid out before them. She trailed off and looked down at her hands, trying to remember her dream.. Every night for the last week, she'd spent the night tossing and turning, waking more tired than hen she'd gone to bed, all because of that stupid, nagging , persistent dream!
If only she could remember past the half-seen glimpses of feathers and the sensation of flying through the Heavens. Each morning she awoke with a sense of urgency, of the feeling of something missing, something incredibly important that she had to find...
The sound of someone snapping their fingers brought her from her contemplative thought. Kokuyo and even J.J. was staring at her worriedly. "Are you sure you're alright?" Kokuyo asked again. "I just called you five times and you didn't blink. You wanna skip school today, I can go talk to mom."
Hisei smiled at her brother's caring, and stood up straighter. "I'm fine" she assured the to of them. "Just lost in my own thoughts. I can't miss school because of that."
Her brothers nodded their heads in agreement at that, but Kokuyo's eyes stared at the space she'd been long after she'd gotten her backpack and left to catch the bus.
Hisei waved to her friend Shauna as they passed each other, and sat down as far in the back as she possibly could. She didn't know why she hadn't taken Kokuyo up on his offer to stay at home, it wasn't as if she enjoyed being here. She supposed it as the worried look in her brother's eyes.
The homeroom teacher came in, an ancient, be-spectacled woman many years gone to seed. Her wavering voice began to read off the announcements for the day, and Hisei let her thoughts wander again. There was a face. A face in her dreams she could never recall, a face that beckoned to her and made her pant with emotion and need for whoever it was. She tried to dismiss it as hormones. Dark hair spilling over her shoulder, a soft voice whispering endearments in her ear. Yeah, that's what it must be.
Hisei's attention was caught as a young man unknown to her walked in the room, carrying a slip of paper in his hand, which he offered to the ancient woman. She took it and stared at it in intense concentration for a moment, before motioning for him to move forward. "welcome to our school, er Mr. -"
"Kingsfoil. My name's Simeon Kingsfoil."
His voice made shivers run don her back, and she couldn't suppress an overwhelming feeling of distinction. I know this person she found herself thinking, and the ancient teacher blinked up at her. :Er, did you say something Miss Ralier?" the teacher asked, and Hisei noted that she must have said it aloud.
The familiar stranger's eyes caught her own, and she found herself drowning in their liquidy depths. Pale skin against black silken sheets, perfect hands grasping her own. She snapped back to reality and found the boy shaking his head dazedly, as if he's felt something as well. She shivered and looked away.
When she looked up again, he was seated on the opposite side of the room, smiling slightly as the girls nearest him immediately asked him for his phone number. Even shy, completely introverted Sheila, who'd never talked to a boy in her life as far as Hisei knew, was breathing down his neck, looking for some way to worm herself into his life.
Hisei frowned absently. He was handsome she guessed, although a total opposite from her looks, which her parents described as 'pure' and 'delicate'. He was still a little delicate, slender anyway, and his long, shoulder-length black hair should have given him an effeminate look. But it didn't. He radiated confidence and masculinity like strong perfume, and Hisei snorted.
He must be a real lady killer. He looked the type who's never satisfied, and has the libido of an alley cat. She should stay away from him if she knew what was good for her. But...that vision, that whatever-it-was, seemed straight from her dream, and though she couldn't admit it to herself, it bothered her to b seeing him flirting with that horde of man-crazed banshees. Hormones, she insisted. I'm being as bad as those girls down there, getting worked up over some boy I've never talked to in my life.
After class had finally let out, Hisei staggered exhausted to find Kokuyo, so he could drive her home. She didn't feel like taking the bus. HE would definitely be there, and she'd had enough of the giggling, and pleading, and more giggling that seemed to follow him everywhere. She was at the point where she wanted to wrap her hands around that beautiful neck and squeeze, to drown him in a river somewhere, bury him under Mt. Fuji like in all the mystery movies J.J. was addicted to . To...kiss him. She shook away the thought with an angry shake of her head. Damn being a teenager, she thought to herself. I won't let myself be taken in by some playboy-primp.
Giggles from behind a corner, accompanied by an amused male voice. Hisei cursed under her breath. Aw shit, it was him. He rounded the corner, a small pack of girls following behind and chatting excitedly. He stopped when he saw Hisei, his grin almost faltering. She gritted her teeth angrily, and began to walk away, but stopped hen a hand put itself on her shoulder. "Hello" Simeon breathed in her ear. "We've met but I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm.."
"Simeon Kingsfoil right?" she asked sarcastically, cutting in. "We're in the same homeroom. I'm Hisei Ralier. Nice to meet you. Now, if you'll let go I have to go find a ride home from school." She tried to ignore the feeling of electricity his hand was sending through her body.
"You don't have a ride?" he asked congenially. "I could take you home if you show me where to go". Oh my God Hisei thought to herself. He's actually hitting on me. Who does he think he is? "
"No thanks" she responded coolly. "My brother offered earlier. I don't want to offend him" She began to walk away, and unexpectedly, Kingsfoil broke away from his groupies and began walking next to her. "Don't be like that" he cajoled. "I'm just trying to be nice." Hisei began to walk faster, a little freaked out now. What if he dragged her into his car and- His arm slipped herself in hers, and Hisei almost screamed. She eyed the opposing limb nervously, promising herself she would scream as loud as she could if he didn't take his arm away in ten seconds. "Come on, look. I'll treat you to something. Ice cream okay? What girl doesn't like ice cream." He began leading her away, half- dragging her, and Hisei took in a deep breath, ready to let out a long wail. She jerked her arm away from him and began to run away. It didn't matter where she went, as long as it was as far away from him as possible. She ran, and heard a loud beeping noise. She was blinded by a bright light and looked up dazedly to see what it was. A car, coming right at her. She screamed and held her hands in front of her face, sure she was going to die. She felt a force hit her and shrieked somemore, imagining her body being blown to pieces.
After a moment, she noticed that she wasn't in any pain. A body was breathing on top of her, and she opened her eyes immediately, ready to thank whoever it was who had saved her. Simeon lay over her, panting for breath, gritting his teeth as blood flowed freely from a wound in his left bicep. "What were you doing?" he asked furiously, green eyes flashing. "Why were you running away?"
Hisei sniffed and turned away from him, trying to sit up and get him off of her. He gave her the creeps. She didn't ant to be saved by him. He pushed her back don. "Answer me!" he demanded. Hisei narrowed her eyes and didn't answer. She searched for a way to get out of his grasp, but her arms were pinned under her.
"Well" he asked again, and Hisei noted that his Face was far too close to hers. Scared, she abruptly surged up, forgetting her near-death experience, kicking her feet as she tried to get this disgusting person off of her. Their limbs tangled as he fought back, and Hisei was horrified to find herself thinking that he was beautiful when he was angry. This wasn't the time, the place, and definitely not the person.
Going wild at the thought of being trapped under him, Hisei tried to bite him, distract him so she could run away. Their faces collided. It was very nearly an involuntary kiss...their lips both brushed along each other's jaws, and both of them gasped at the contact. Hisei felt like she'd grabbed a live wire. Shocks of electricity ran through her skin, similiar, she thought bemusedly to herself, as when he put his hand on your shoulder...
Wings tined around them in a protective cocoon They both drew back and stared at each other, their struggle forgotten. The warmth of a body so close, just a breath away Their dazed gazes met as they tried to sort out what was happening to them. the thrill of knowing they were doing something on dangerous impulse leaning forward slightly, as if in a dream, their lips brushed together forbidden touch from a forbidden love and a strange energy crackled between them, holding them helplessly in place never leave me, promise you'll never leave me until the sound of the stopped traffic sent them jerking away from each other frantically. "Believe in me!"
Hisei sat panting in the street, unable to believe she had just kissed the man she'd spent all day wishing she could kill, and saw Simeon doing the same a few feet away. They stared at each other wordlessly, and Hisei felt the same strnge tugging that had led her to do it in the first place.
A honk from an angry horn brought them more or less back to reality, and they dragged themselves out of the line of traffic. "Crazy kids" one of the cars shouted. "Get a room" another yelled. A voice yelled out to Hisei.
"Sis!" the worried voice of Kokuyo exclaimed , and she could see him running down the street towards them, followed by a panting Shauna. "Are you alright?" he cried out, seeing the blood stains on her clothes, not recognizing that none of it was hers.
"You bastard, what did you do to my sister" he yelled, and punched Simeon in the stomach, grabbing hold of his arm to keep him standing up straight. Unfortunately, it was the arm that had been trapped under the car. Simeon hissed, and promptly passed out in Kokuyo's arms.
Kokuyo looked at him in confusion. "I didn't hit him that hard, the pansy." Hisei ran over to him, yanking Simeon from his grasp. "We have to take him to a hospital, quick!" Kokuyo grunted dazedly, a sound that could have been either an affirmative or a negative. Hisei tok it as an affirmative and rushed the unconscious boy, her brother, and her confused friend into the car, ordering him to drive.
"I'll explain what just happened later. For now it's more important we-"
She froze, feeling malevolent eyes on her, a feeling not unknown to her over the past few weeks. Wildly, she searched the area around her, trying to find the unseen observer, but was unsuccessful. "What's wrong, Hisei?" Kokuyo asked in concern, starting to pull out of the school's parking lot.
"It's...it's that watcher again," Hisei replied nervously, voice thin and high with tension. At school and at home, almost every day, she had felt this strangely hostile gaze on her. It filled her with an unreasoning fear, making her want to take hold of the steering wheel and press on the gas pedal as far as it would go. None of the people around her noticed it, and she'd never been able to see the person watching her. "It's closer this time" she added, shivering with fear.
"Should I stop?" Kokuyo suggested, slightly creeped out by this mysterious watcher that had haunted his sister over the past few weeks. Hisei erupted violently. "NOO!" she shrieked. "Keep driving, as fast as you can."
She didn't manage to shake the feeling of being watched until they were at the hospital, waiting for the doctor's verdict on Simeon- and she didn't stop shivering until hours laterwhen she was safe in her own bed.
-The Two Trees Beloved, gaze in thine own heart. Gaze no more in the bitter glass The demons, with their subtle guile. Lift up before us when they pass, Or only gaze a little while; For there a fatal image grows That the stormy night receives, Roots half hidden under snows, Broken boughs and blackened leaves. For ill things turn to barrenness In the dim glass the demons hold, The glass of outer weariness, Made when God slept in times of old. There, through the broken branches, go The ravens of unresting thought; Flying, crying, to and fro, Cruel claw and hungry throat, Or else they stand and sniff the wind, And shake their ragged ings;alas! Thy tender eyes grow all unkind: Gaze no more in the bitter glass. -W.B. Yeats