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Somewhere Between the Fallen and the Damned

New York City, New York

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a part of Somewhere Between the Fallen and the Damned, by Naga's Shadow.

None

Naga's Shadow holds sovereignty over New York City, New York, giving them the ability to make limited changes.

1,054 readers have been here.

Setting

Default Location for Somewhere Between the Fallen and the Damned
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New York City, New York is a part of Somewhere Between the Fallen and the Damned.

6 Characters Here

Kazehana Fuhen [76] "Quit being a dumbass or I swear to god I'm going to staple this medical chart to your freaking forehead!"
Caspar Falls [67] "I prefer to solve problems with food. When that doesn't work, I guess violence is an acceptable alternative."
Tsukiyo Fuhen [66] "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
Morgan Alistair [66] "Shut it, As. And stop calling me Mo-mo."
Asmodeus [54] "Let's get this show on the road, Mo-mo."
Vivian Walker [1] "You will regret underestimating me."

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3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Ā§ "What? I died? Again? Good grief, you'd think I'd have learned how to dodge by now." Ā§







Everything hurt. Morgan's entire chest was torn open, blood pooling around him. Slowly, the wound was closing, but due to the size, it was taking more time than usual. Everything was dark. Morgan couldn't see. It was like his mind was detached.

Thud-thud

His heart beat once. A ragged breath tore itself from his throat. His heart beat again. He sat up, blood running down his chest. He picked at his torn clothing. He looked slightly put out. "Terrific. Another set of ruined clothes." He narrowed his eyes in the sound of the clamour. It seemed as though Caspar and Asmodeus had drawn the battle away from his corpse to give him time to heal. He couldn't even remember how he got hit in the first place. He stood upthe ruined shirt. He had more important things to take care of than clothing.

He ran towards the sound of battle, drawing a few odd looks from the random passerby who stayed out this time of night. Then again, he was covered in blood, so he supposed he gleaned those glances. He rounded the corner, just in time to watch Caspar cut off the head of a Demon. The creature looked like a small dragon. Morgan leapt over the corpse as it turned to ash and in one fluid motion, he sliced the next one in half with a blade formed of ice that he'd formed out of thin air.

"So, how many do we have? Anybody know why we've got so many in one place? As?"

The Demon snorted. "Why do you always ask me first? Good to see you back on your feet again, though." The Demon danced around the others, all but tearing his kin apart with his bare hands. "If you really want to know, these are the sons of Uthriel. Uthriel is one of the higher-ups in the eigth circle. My guess? They want to take me down." The Demon grinned, a manic look in his eyes as he slaughtered two more dragons.

Morgan had to surpress a sigh. The Demon liked fighting way too much. "You know as well as I do if they wanted to take you out, they wouldn't be bothering with me and Cass." The Demon laughed. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Can we wrap this up? I actually want to eat something before midnight tonight. That's be really nice." At this point, the Demon was just rambling, which put Morgan on edge. He hated distractions. It was what had gotten him killed in the first place.

"Would you just shut up already? Forget I even asked!"

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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ā€œWorking with you two is like dealing with a bag of cats, I swear.ā€


When Morgan fell, Cass roared his fury and redoubled his assault on the single largest of their opponents, a creature that looked very much like a dragon. It couldnā€™t breathe fire, fortunately, though ironically enough, its human-shaped opponent could, and did, inhaling and activating his pyrokinesis on the exhale, sending a jet of ruby-colored flames at the thing. It had once been white, his fire, but now is was red as his hair, red as blood. It suited him, most likely.

The demonic minion reeled under the assault, the faintest touch of holy magic still left in the fire guaranteeing that it staggered back several steps, the ground shaking minutely with each. It wouldnā€™t be particularly perceptible to the humans in the area, but then, right now he probably just looked like a man breathing fire and swinging a sword at nothing. The strangest thing was, theyā€™d likely seen more outrageous sights in their lifetimes, in a dirty back alley like this, probably under the influence of something.

Taking advantage of his foeā€™s weakness, Cass wrenched his sword around, bringing it down in a mighty two-handed slice that cut right through the scales and sinews of its neck, beheading it even as Morgan reentered the fray, taking up banter with Asmodeus as though his death had been nothing more than a short nap. Of course, that was exactly what it had been. ā€œSleep well, Momo?ā€ the other angel inquired with a feral grin. ā€œYou sure donā€™t look any prettier.ā€ The joke, of course, punned on the concept of ā€˜beauty sleep,ā€™ a ridiculous human colloquialism that heā€™d encountered only a few days ago and laughed at. Strange, how he could still be learning new things about this world, even as long as heā€™d been in it. Cass knocked nother demon aside with a bit too much force, and it cracked into what appeared to be a power line, severing several of them and getting itself electrocuted in the process. Oops. A few blocks around them went dark, but the angel compensated almost immediately, generating a light well over their heads that provided more than enough illumination. Hopefully most of the humans were asleep by now anyway, otherwise it could just be passed off as a random accident.

Of course, there was an actual question somewhere under all the banter, and he did at least try to address it while he nonchalantly tore into another servitor. Even this kind of thing grew old after a while, though small scale urban battles like this were still fresher than the clash of armies thing heā€™d been doing for most of his existence. ā€œYou know, there is a pretty high concentration of supernatural energy around here. I wonder what theyā€™re drawn to?ā€ He was vaguely aware that another of his kind made a residence somewhere nearby, but demons usually left the fallen aloneā€”trusting that they would succumb eventually and join the earthbound horde. It would have to be something particularly appetizing, but not threatening, and there was a very short list of things that fit the criteria. All the possibilities were kind of rare, to the point where it might just be a coincidence.

Hell if he liked that answer, though.




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ā€œIā€™ve got the weirdest family Iā€™ve ever met, but I wouldnā€™t trade it for anything. Just donā€™t tell them I said that.ā€


Kazehana sighed, loosing her ponytail from the band she used to hold it and shaking out the deep purple strands. It was starting to give her a minor headache from being pulled up for so long, but someone had to take the late-night shift at the clinic, and since the usual nurse was out, she and her sister had been saddled with the undesirable job. Idly massaging her scalp, Kaz leaned back in her swivelly office chair and chanced a glance at her younger sibling. She would not have been in the least bit surprised if Tsukiyo was taking the slow night as an opportunity to bury her nose in another one of those books about demons.

Kaz wrinkled her nose a little bit at the thought. Why Tsu-Tsu was so interested in all that stuff was a little beyond her. Didnā€™t they have enough problems in the real world to know better than involving themselves in the other world, too? As if in response to the thought, the clinicā€™s poltergeist flew out of a wall, passing through the older Fuhe sibling with a sensation that left her chilled. For the love of balls, that never got any less creepy. She was half-tempted to hurl a nonsensical lump of invective language at Carlisle, the ghost in question, but she knew it pissed him off more when she ignored him, so she did that instead. It was vastly preferable to pretend he wasnā€™t there.

The automatic lights shut off just as she was about to make a conversational remark to Tsuki, and with another sigh, Kaz stood from her chair and waved her arms around to turn them back on. This happened from time to time, and generally it was just a sign of a slow night. They werenā€™t exactly an emergency room, but they did take overflow from the ER or else very local emergencies when needed, even at night. The move from Tokyo to New York during the girlsā€™ teen years had been tough, but this was routine from as long as they could remember. It wasnā€™t like Kaz needed or got a lot of sleep, anyway.

For some reason, however, the lights were unresponsive. ā€œā€¦the Hell?ā€ She blinked in the darkness until the backup generator came on with a buzz. The light was much dimmer, as most of the power went to medical equipment and any monitoring devices they had working. ā€œWell, thatā€™s weird.ā€ It wasnā€™t raining or anything, so there didnā€™t seem to be a good reason for the power to have gone out. Whatever. Kaz shook her head and retied her ponytail, plopping artlessly back down in her chair.

ā€œHey Tsu-Tsu. You want to get lunch in a few? We can leave Doc Hansen and Mr. Jenkins for a while, and that twenty-four-hour place down the street should have hot waffles by then.ā€ They were technically both owed a lunchbreak, and the doctor on duty could handle things by herself. Well, plus the custodian, Mr. Jenkins, who was freaking awesome and basically like the girlsā€™ grandfather at this point.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen

Earnings

0.00 INK




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"The most important thing in my life is my family. Without them, I wouldn't be able to read in peace."




Tsukiyo stared at the book in front of her. It was a late, if the inky black of the sky was any indication. She glanced up from her book, staring at her sister from time to time before engrossing herself further into the pages. Demonic lore had always fascinated Tsukiyo, well pretty much anything supernatural did. She never understood why, but it wasn't like it mattered to begin with. She just did. She turned in time to see Carlisle, the poltergeist that loved to bother her sister, phase through said sibling. A small smile tugged at her lips as Kazehana ignored the ghost and was about to speak when the lights shut off. Tsukiyo sighed as Kazehana tried to turn the power back on. When the lights were unresponsive, Tsukiyo glanced around, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. To no avail, the soft humming of the generators pierced the silence, illuminating the halls once more.

"Did you upset one of the others?" Tsukiyo chided, throwing her sister a half-smile in the process. Of course, by others, she meant the other ghosts of the clinic. Carlisle wasn't the only one in the vicinity, however; he was the only one who liked to tease Kazehana. She chuckled lightly to herself, setting the book she had recently had her nose in, and turned to fully face her sister. The deep rumble of her stomach was more than an indication that she was indeed hungry. She sighed, closing the pages of the book fully and placed it in the drawer behind the desk. "I am a little hungry. We can go now, it's a little," she paused, glancing around the clinic in the process. It wasn't a very large one, however; on occasion, they would take in the extra people the ER couldn't afford to handle.

"It's a bit slow tonight. Plus that place serves amazing blueberry waffles. I've been craving those lately," she replied as she stood from her spot, cracking the bones in her back in the process as she stretched. She grabbed her wallet, stuffing it in her pocket along with her phone that held a small, silver charm on it. Satisfied that she had everything, including another book, she turned towards her sister and smiled. "Shall we?" she stated, hooking her arm with her sister's and began dragging her out of the clinic. She made sure to inform Doctor Hansen and the Janitor, Mr. Jenkins, of their departure before the two exited the building. She truly was hungry at the moment and waffles seemed ideal despite how late it was. Who could say no to breakfast at dinner? Certainly not Tsukiyo.

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Ā§ "And suddenly, a dragon. Great, just what we needed." Ā§







Morgan agreed with Cass, there were too many of them around for it to just be a coincedence, but he didn't like the idea of the alternatives. And then, all of the demons stopped moving. Morgan was half-way through cutting through one when it happened, and the only movement was the demon turning to ash around his ice blade. Morgan blinked. "...the Hell?" All of the demons seemed to focus their attention on one spot.

That was when he appeared. Morgan didn't recognize the demon, but it was easy to deduce that he was powerful. The lesser demons all fled from his veiw, quickly leaving the battelfield to just the large zombie dragon-like creature, Morgan, Caspar, and Asmodeus. Morgan just stared at it. The night was getting a little too weird for his taste. And then his attention turned to As as the Demon Prince spoke. But he spoke in a different language.

"Uthreil, ui batobot wux? Svabol persvek wer ominak di shio batobot ui xurwka di jello re wux tirir tenpiswo?" The language was harsh against Morgan's ears, but then, speaking demonic wasn't one of his strong suits. The demon's head whipped around, his all-red eyes focusing on As. "Asmodeus? Si mi tenpiswo ihk wer thesekar. Ui batobot svabol wux re ghent, usv tepoha wux truly deserted udoka vur sided mrith nomenoi wielgtor? Astahii geou qe ias hesi ranks soon aurthon."

Asmodeus's eyes widened. He no longer wasted time speaking demonic. "The Watcher? There hasn't been a Watcher since, what, the sixteen-hundreds? What the hell are you talking about, you overgrown lizard?"

The dragon laughed, a deep, throaty rumble. "You know little if you think there are no more around. There are two here, actually. Can you not sense them? You must be spending too much of your time up here with these old birds. They've weakened your senses, brother."

Asmodeus sneered. "I'm not your brother, and I never was. You were born a demon, I became one. There's a big difference, I'm afraid. And it's high-time you went back to your dank old cave." The dragon laughed as Asmodeus bared fangs at him, and took off, defying most rules of nature, flng with those rotted out wings of his. Asmodeus turned to Morgan and Caspar. "Did either of you know there were Watchers here? Either way, we need to find them before he does, or they'll be an extinct race again." With that, the demon changed himself, an took off, following the dragon, now high above them. Morgan stared after Asmodeus for a second, before turning to Cass. "Mind telling me what the Hell just happened?"

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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ā€œOkay, okay, Iā€™m coming! Sheesh. Youā€™d think youā€™d never had aā€”oh, shit.ā€


Kaz rolled her eyes a bit at Tsukiā€™s enthusiasm, but the girl did love breakfast food. It was pretty much the reason her sister had made the suggestion to begin with. Though it was a little too sentimental for her to ever say out loud, Kaz thought her sister was truly beautiful when she smiled, and she really enjoyed being able to make her do that. Oh sure, it wasnā€™t an ostentatious kind of pretty, but that was far from the only kind, and Kaz liked Tsukiā€™s subtlety better than most of that eyelash-fluttering crap, anyway. Making Tsuki happy madeher happy, period, and the world was honestly better when her sister was happy.

Yeah, totally not the kind of thing she would ever say out loud. She had a reputation to maintain, after all. At any rate, she went along willingly enough, only half-dragged out into the street like a reluctant cat. The city was darkened for a few blocks, meaning that the light pollution was almost lessened enough to let them see the stars in the night sky, and for a moment, she thought wistfully of their childhood home. It had been much more rural, far enough outside Tokyo that you could just walk out on your front porch and see all the brilliance of the stars. She brushed the thought asideā€”New York had its own advantages, and now was hardly the time to be waxing poetic about the wonders of the universe. Kaz tried to be more practical than that.

Though, the fact that she was looking up as they walked turned out to have an advantage of its own. A few minutes into their walk, she started feeling a little sick, and their pace slowed a bit to accommodate the fact that she was swaying a little from side to side, as though sheā€™d had maybe just half a drink too many. She didn't understand where the nausea came from, and she was opening her mouth to ask Tsuki if she was feeling it too when something flickered in the corner of her eye.

Kaz didnā€™t think, she just acted. Adjusting her arm in Tsukiā€™s, she swiftly grabbed hold of her sisterā€™s wrist and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, pulling the both of them to the ground just as something swooped by overhead with a rush of fetid-smelling air, its rotting claws raking the space the young women had been standing in seconds before. Kaz took the main impact of the fall, landing on her back so that Tsuki would mostly land on her, but she was scrambling upwards as quickly as she could afterwards, instinctively settling into the first form of a martial arts kata her father had taught her. Her eyes, narrowed with her suspicion, unerringly tracked the progress of the flying beast, which looked likeā€¦ the only way she could describe it was purple flying zombie dragon, which sounded ridiculous even in her own head.

Seriously, screw this. Sheā€™d had about enough of ghosts and shit for one dayā€”sheā€™d been harassed on her way to class, again afterwards, and then freaking Carlisle just wanted to make her life worse, the bastard. She didnā€™t need a damn zombie dragon right now. Or ever. Still, she doubted it would just go away because she told it to. Problem was, she had no idea what to do. ā€œUhā€¦ Tsuki? What the fuck is that thing, and how do I make it go away?ā€ Her sister was much more knowledgeable about these things than herā€”she was kind of hoping she would have the answer. Kaz could beat up most of the stuff she ran into without breaking a sweat, but this wasnā€™t something sheā€™d ever run into before, and she doubted a few well-placed punches were going to do it.




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ā€œOh, great. It was a Watcher. I was afraid of that.ā€


Cass understood a bit more Demonic than the average angel, so he was mostly able to follow the rapid conversation between Asmodeus and Uthreil, not that he really liked what he was hearing. The important bits were all in human English, anyway. Asā€™s question, aimed at both himself and Morgan, elicited a small grimace from Caspar, who folded his hands inside the sleeves of the sweatshirt he was wearing, a gesture left over from when heā€™d used to wear very different clothes. ā€œIt was always a possibility,ā€ he admitted. Uriel was nearby, after all, and that guy seemed to produce miracles with greater frequency than god, sometimes. ā€œBut I didnā€™t know for sure, no.ā€ He had a theory about who these Watchers might be, but it wasnā€™t one he was willing to talk about right now, especially not when there were pressing matters at hand.

Asmodeus transformed and took off after Uthreil, and Cass figured that he and Morgan should do the same. Sheathing his massive sword, he glanced back at his brother, shaking his head a bit. ā€œNot a lot of time. The short version is, the ugly one is about to go try and eat someā€¦ people who should not be eaten. Youā€™re looking for human females, probably young ones. Donā€™t let them die.ā€ With this oh-so-sage advice, he was off after Asmodeus, leaping onto the nearest rooftop and making his passage by jumping from one to the other. For such a large-looking individual, he moved with surprising speed and fluidity, but then the jumps he was making would have been impossible for a human, anyway.

He arrived in enough time to see Uthreil making a swoop for a pair of human women, who were, as his information suggested, rather young, even by the standards of their own species. One of the girls pulled the other down and away from what would have surely been a fatal attack, and they both stood again shortly afterwards. He wasnā€™t sure how strong they were as Watchers, but he wasnā€™t about to take any chances. Asmodeus was around somewhere, he knew, and Morgan wasnā€™t far behind. This in mind, Cass drew his sword again and jumped from the roof he occupied, angling his body downwards, and leading with the blade. His aim was good, and the sword plunged directly down through the demonic dragonā€™s tail and kept going, effectively knifing into the concrete street like it was made of butter, sending a large pattern of spiderweb cracks out from the point of entry. But it was in there solidly, and Cass had effectively staked Uthreil to the ground by the tail, limiting his mobility and forcing him to land.

ā€œAnytime now, guys!ā€ he called, as despite its anger and the pain it was in, the demon had not diverted its attention from the women, and it was still close enough to try damaging one of them or the other with its claws and teeth.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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"Now, now, Uthriel. Be a good little dragon and go back to your cave. You remember what it's like when I get angry, don't you?"



Morgan let out an exaspaated sigh and ran after his brothers. Sometimes he really had little clue as to what was going on. But he knew enough to know what a Watcher was, and if Uthriel was after her, then it was high time he got moving.

Asmodeus watched as Caspar nailed the dragon's tail to the ground, watching from the shadows. Uthriel was a forward, head-on type opponent. He prided himself on his brute force and strength, but was a terrible strategist. And then he watched as Morgan showed up on the scene. What happened next was one of Morgan's more impressive displays of strength.

Morgan vaulted over the women, placing hmself between the females and the demon. He placed his hands together, flat, as if he was praying. The dragon roared, unleashing a wave of rancid, poisonous ash from his mouth. And then the wave stopped, right before it reached the fallen angel. It was frozen, and the air around them suddenly grew very cold. Morgan grinned, and lept forward. He placed both hands on Uthriel's head, palms downward, and the dragon clawed at him. But the angel danced out of the way and watched his handiwork as the dragon slowly froze from the inside out.

Asmodeus grinned, and dove straight downward, driving a shadow straight through him, causing him to split and crack apart, shattering. The demon landed next to Morgan and yawned. "You know, I really thought that would be a lot harder. Old lizard is losing his touch. He wascused on the Watchers that he didn't botherworrying about us."

Morgan grimaced and then clocked As in the side of the face. "Shut up, As."

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK




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"Interesting. I never thought I'd see a demon of that stature."




Tsukiyo continued to smile as Kazehana and herself walked in silence towards their destination. Really, it was more like Tsukiyo dragging Kazehana behind her. She loved breakfast more than anything. Perhaps more-so than her books, but that would be absurd. Nothing was more important than her books. Well, maybe her sister of course. She glanced towards Kazehana, watching as the cars drove by in the middle of the night. It wasn't something she wasn't used to, after all, there was more traffic at night in Tokyo than it was here. She found that quite odd, but nevertheless didn't dwell on the subject.

The street they walked down next was a little dim, hardly any lamp posts lighting their path. If Tsukiyo had been by herself, she would have taken the long route to the small cafe and avoided this route all together. She wasn't ignorant to the possibilities a long, dimly lit road, could house, hence why she was glad her sister was with her. Before she could say anything, a sudden wave of nausea assaulted her. She knew this feeling, at least she thought she did. The only thing that kept her from swaying like her sister was the fact that she was using her sister as a form of support. Her body was suddenly shifted as Kazehana pulled her down, Tsukiyo falling onto her sister's form in the process.

"Kaze!" she stated in a startled tone. She glanced to see if her sister was alright and let out a relieved sigh. Her eyes fluttered, following Kazehana's gaze to spot a rather peculiar sight. She rose a delicate eyebrow at the creature, listening as her sister's words flew through her ears. What was that? It was a demon, something she had never physically seen before, but knew of. It was large, having taken the form of what appeared to be a dragon, or at least what society deemed as a dragon these days. The skin was a purple color, the eyes sunken in giving it a dead-like appearance. Slowly, Tsukiyo turned to her sister, her face drawing a blank.

"That, dear sister," she began, pausing as she turned her attention back towards the creature, "is a demon. As for how to deal with it," she continued before pausing once more. Before she could finish her sentence, a man with extremely red hair appeared, pinning the large demon's tail to the concrete. Tsukiyo tilted her head to the side a bit, observing the fight that was obviously going to happen. The man shouted something, as if he had comrades not too far behind him. It appeared the truth when another two men appeared, one dispatching the demon quickly before they appeared to converse amongst themselves.

"I suppose you let them deal with it," she finally concluded. "Are you okay Kaz?" she stated. Granted Tsukiyo was more accustomed to the strange than Kazehana, she was still human for the matter. She gently touched her sisters shoulder to further emphasize her concern. Under normal circumstances, she would have thanked the three men for dealing with a demon that neither she nor her sister would have known how. Ghosts, apparitions, she knew how to deal with them. But demons? They were on a different level all on their own.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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ā€œHow is this my life?ā€


Most people probably would have been too overwhelmed with joy that they were still alive or residual panic from seeing a giant zombie dragon appear in front of them to really consider how much it sucked that their life was getting more and more like this every day. Kazehana Fuhen was not most people.

Oh sure, she gaped like a fish when the guy with the blood-colored hair appeared out of nowhere and staked the dragonā€™s tail to the ground like it was nothing. She was still catching flies when a different guy, this one with long locks of flaming orange, jumped in front of she and her sister. She felt the flare of somethingā€”some kind of energy or magic or something that Tsuki would know way more aboutā€”and then it looked like the giant flying thing froze from the inside out. The situation got absolutely no more believable when the last blow was dealt by a creature with obsidian skin and red eyes that could only be another demon.

ā€œYeah, thanks, Tsuki, that was really helpful,ā€ Kaz muttered sarcastically, though the fact that she was being grumpy was a good sign that she was fine indeed, and her sister didnā€™t need to be so concerned. She spent a minute checking her sibling for injuries, and then, satisfied that there were none, glanced back at the scene. The giant zombie dragon was dissolving away into nothing, and the threeā€¦ people was a loose enough word, probablyā€¦ were standing around shooting the shit like they did this sort of thing every day. For all she knew, they did.

She, however, did not want to be anywhere near this world where people slew demons like it wasnā€™t even a big deal, and frankly, she had no idea if these three planned on killing she and her sister next. One of them was clearly demonic, and she had no idea what the other two were. For all she knew, theyā€™d just killed the dragon because it was competing for their meal. Did demons eat people? That sounded like a question for Tsuki, but she wasnā€™t going to ask it within earshot of these guys. The zombie dragon seemed like it was interested in eating them, and she had no idea if there were different sorts of demon. Thoughā€¦ that one did look different. Was that important? Dammit, she just wanted breakfast, and this was what she got instead.

Noticing that the woman with the purple hair had not relaxed her guard, Cass raised a red eyebrow in the general direction of the two of them, pulling his sword out of the ground and sheathing it at his back. ā€œWeā€™re not going to hurt you, you know,ā€ he offered mildly. ā€œThat would be both morally wrong and also counterproductive.ā€ The older one didnā€™t look convinced, and her eyes kept flicking between the three of them, her brows furrowing a bit when she locked on to Asmodeus. ā€œAs, you jackassā€”you could at least change back now that weā€™re done.ā€ Cass folded his arms back into his sleeves and sighed.

ā€œWho the hell are you people?ā€ Something broke the womanā€™s moratorium on speaking, and Cass blinked at the frank manner of her speech. She was certainly not going to take all this strangeness lying down. He could respect that. He shrugged a bit, then glanced over at the other two.

ā€œEither of you want to take that one?ā€ He asked in his rumbling bass. He wasnā€™t sure he was the best one to explain it, really.

The one with the facial tattoos didnā€™t seem so bad, and she supposed the other one had been most directly responsible for the fact that she wasnā€™t zombie-food right now, but Kaz still wasnā€™t so sure about this. She moved a bit in front of Tsuki, a protective gesture. If her sister knew anything important, she trusted her to say so, but at the moment, she was half-wired for a fight, and half just wanting her freaking breakfast for dinner. This was too weird for her, but even she would admit the need for some answers. ā€œWhile youā€™re at it, you can maybe explain what that thing was doing here?ā€ she continued, balling her hands into fists and setting them on her hips. ā€œIā€™ve been dealing with ghosts and imps all my life, but Iā€™ve never seen something like that before.ā€ She had this feeling it was their fault.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"What? Huh? Oh, right. I forgot."



Morgan shook out his hand. He really needed to think things through a little better. His hand now hurt like hell thanks to his punching Asmodeus in the face before he had reverted to his original form. After listening to Cass and the girl, Morgan turned to the two girls. His bright green eye ran the both of them over, regaurding them. The older one had a mouth. But then again, Morgan prefered that over hysterics or weeping. And the younger one seemed...excited? How odd.

He sighed, scratching at his eyepatch. The eyelid underneath it itched. "You know, when you ask someone who they are, generally it's best to introduce yourself first, you know. Either way, my name is Morgan Alistair. The guy with the red hair is my brother Caspar Falls, and the grey guy here..." He looked pointedly at Asmodeus.

The demon looked up, a little surprised. "Oh, right, sorry." He finally reverted to his human form. His white hair and red eyes gleaned odd looks from the girls, to which he simply ignored. "Name's Asmodeus, you can call me As. I'm one of the nine Demon Princes, but I'm not really bad. Just ask these two. Right, guys? Guys...?"

Morgan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Well, that is the gist of it. As rules the ninth circle of Hell. But that's actually not really important. The thing that came after you was a Demon. His name was Uthreil, a greater Demon from the eigth circle. Basically he wanted to devour your souls. I mean, you guys do know what the two of you are, right?" He was about to pause and wait for their answer when he remembered something important. "Oh, yeah. Cass and I are...er, were angels, a long time ago. I guess you could call us Fallen Angels, for lack of a better term."

Asmodeus scratched the back of his head. "You guys are what we call Watchers. You're some of the few human be can actually see demons and angels, spirits, and the like. Well, actually you guys are the only two in the world, at least that we know of. More than likely you're the only two who have actually awakened."

Morgan sighed again. "Real tactful, As. Why don't you just let me do the talking, yeah?" The demon made a rather ungraceful noise and crossed his arms, falling silent.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"Angels, Demons, watchers? Yeah, it's nothing new, but still..."




Tsukiyo cracked a small smile at her sister's remark. She would have been worried if Kazehana had answered any differently. Instead, Tsukiyo focused on the three men before her and her sister. The demon that had momentarily ago tried to attack them, was now dissolving into ash as the three saviors spoke to each other. She hadn't missed the way Kazehana stood protectively in front of her, causing Tsukiyo to take an extra step back. If it came down to it, Tsukiyo would rather aid her sister by not being a potential target. Thankfully, it didn't as the red haired man addressed the two others before speaking to the two Fuhen siblings. Hurt them? As if she would believe that. Demons, the only thing they ever thought about was consuming the souls of people, particularly rather old souls.

The ones she and Kazehana housed were exactly the kind of souls these demons would want. She would know at least that much. As to why she knew this, it was obvious. She liked to read, and it wasn't your typical fiction books either. Returning her attention towards the people, she placed a hand on Kazehana's shoulder as she spoke, more like demanded, explanations. These men had just saved them, declared they were not going to hurt them, and now she was on the defense. She didn't blame Kazehana for being so, but it wouldn't help things if these people decided to turn tail and attack them anyway. Kazehana was strong, strong enough to fight off other humans, however; two fallen angels and a demon, they didn't stand a chance.

"Kaze, don't edge them on," she whispered towards her sister before the one of the other men spoke. At this, Tsukiyo rose an eyebrow. Asmodeus was a ruler of a circle of hell? Why was he here on this plane then? It didn't make sense, but then again nothing in the life of Kazehana and Tsukiyo Fuhen ever made sense. With a shrug of her shoulders, she smoothed out her attire and remained silent behind Kazehana. She knew when she needed to speak, and if they spoke to her, then she'd reply. At the current moment though, it seemed that Kazehana wanted to deal with most of the talking.

She was fine with that, she didn't need to say something she would regret later. Ghosts Tsukiyo was used to dealing with, but this was the first time she'd ever come face to face with a demon. Granted she would have liked to have studied it, but seeing as the creature had all but dissolved into the air, that would be out of the question. There was something scratching at the back of her mind though. If this Cass and Morgan were fallen angels, how did they fall. There was so much lore and different ways for an angel to fall. How did it happen to them. Curiosity soon got the better of her and she found herself peeking over her sister's shoulder.

"I have a question. If you and him are both fallen angels, then how did you fall? Doesn't an Angel have to commit a heinous crime such as falling in love with a human or go against God in order to fall?" she found herself asking. Although Kazehana might become angry at such an out of state question, Tsukiyo was quite curious and she wanted to satisfy this curiosity. She would know one more thing about the supernatural, and she wanted to know all there is about the supernatural. Call her a nerd if you will, but she didn't mind. The saying knowledge was power only meant so much to regular people, but to her and Kazehana; it was truth for them.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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ā€œHow did weā€”oh boy. That right there is a can of worms you do not want to open, human child.ā€


Well.

These two had some serious guts for human women. For humans in general, actually. Though he and his friends were perfectly capable of manifesting visible physical forms, they usually chose not to, for obvious reasons. If news of their existence, and more importantly, news of the existence of demons they fought, were to reach the level of general public knowledge, panic and anarchy were sure to result, in that order. These two seemed moreā€¦ well, one of them was clearly annoyed, which probably wasnā€™t entirely uncalled for, and the other was, what? Curious? Nosy? There was such a fine line.

Thankfully, As changed back, and Cass nodded along with Morganā€™s introduction of him. Might as well be polite, he supposed, though of course the two got to bickering again, and Cass ran a hand down his face in obvious frustration. ā€œWe donā€™t look too friendly, Iā€™ll give you that, but theyā€™re no more dangerous than a bag of cats, though they might be just as crazy.ā€ For all these women were Watchers, he could sense that they were not yet fully awakened to their powers, though oddly the younger one seemed closer than the older one did. She also seemed more knowledgeable, which might have had something to do about it.

Unfortunately, they had apparently not had anyone tutor them, because the question she asked was rude, to the point of practically being offensive. He chose not to take it as a purposeful insult, but explaining why it was inappropriate to ask was kind of like balancing on a wire several hundred stories in the air with no safety netā€”a delicate balance, to say the least. Clearing his throat he glanced at the ground for a moment and huffed an exhale. ā€œThatā€™s notā€¦ something one generally asks,ā€ he said, a note of sadness creeping into his tone. ā€œIt would be rather equivalent to my asking you about your darkest sin, or all the secret ones you harbor in your heart. It is both difficult and uncomfortable to answer. I hope you understand why we choose not to.ā€ He shot a glance at Morgan, assuming that the other angel would no more want to answer it than Cass did. Neither of them had spoken of their fallings to each other, and they were brothers in almost every sense of the word.

This seemed to strike some kind of chord in the older one, and she must have read his voice and body language as sincere, because she frowned a little and changed the subject. ā€œSorry,ā€ she said, and it must have been the truth, because lying in Cassā€™s presence was impossible. ā€œWe're notā€¦ uh. I mean, nobodyā€™s taught us about any of this stuff. My sister reads a lot, but Iā€¦ I donā€™t even know anything about any of this.ā€ She glanced back and forth between all of them for a moment, still clearly warring with her suspicion, but then she looked at her sister, and something in the tense line of her shoulders relaxed.

ā€œFine. I guess Iā€™ll believe youā€™re not here to kill us. Probably wouldnā€™t have answered the questions if that had been what you wanted. Soā€¦ Iā€™m Kazehana Fuhenā€”Kazā€”and this is my sister, Tsukiyo.ā€ She gestured at the younger woman, and Cass smiled a bit. There was clearly a lot of love thereā€”you could see it in the way they stood relative to each other, looked at one another when trying to decide something important. Still a tad reluctant, the one who called herself Kaz continued. ā€œWe didnā€™t ask you to help us, and maybe you donā€™t even care if you did or not, but I was raised better than being ungrateful soā€¦ thanks. I donā€™t know if you people eat or whatever, but Tsuki and I were just going to go get breakfast food. Itā€™s on me if you want to come.ā€ She looked a bit surprised at herself, but the offer was genuine.

Cass personally wouldnā€™t mind, and As had been complaining of hunger earlier. So the fallen angel raised a brow at his friends, as if to inquire about what they wanted to do.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"Whatever. Forget this, I'm out of here, man."



Morgan's eye clouded dark the second the younger one, Tsukiyo, asked for details of their falling. She even gave some absurd details. Caspar then gave a slight explination as to why he wouldn't answer. Morgan, on the other hand, wasn't handling the question as well. He grit his teeth and balled his fists. And then he laughed. It was a dry, humorless laugh. "You're a little fool if you think that's what it takes to fall." His voice was bitter. He held up three fingers. "There are three ways for an Angel to fall. The first is to commit a divine sin. This is when you take up arms against God himself, or a fellow angel."

He put down a finger. "The second is to become influenced by demonic presence. This is the scenario that happens the least, but it does happen, especially with weaker or lesser angels." He put down his second finger, leaving only his index. His hand was trembling as the last one remained. Asmodeus and Caspar knew what the last one was, and on top of that, Asmodeus was the only one out the two of them that knew the details of Morgan's falling other than Morgan himself. Caspar had no idea, just as they knew nothing of his falling. The white-haired demon stood with his arms crossed. Morgan needed to calm down. If he didn't, even Cass would see something he never had before.

"The third and final way for an Angel to fall is to kill a human being. The only time this is acceptable is when a human is possed by a demon to the point that exorcism won't work. Slaying a human in that sense, we exorcize their souls so that they may be forgiven of the transgressions they commited while under possesion. Falling in love with a human being has no place to make us fall. Frankly, it was the union of the Archangel Gabriel with a human female that gave the world Watchers, your kind. And Gabriel is still up there." He put his hand down. He wanted to say something else, but a movement from Asmodeus made him think better. The demon was right, he needed to calm down. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from the females. Then he turned his head back, looking at the two of them again.

The younger one seemed to revel in her abilities, curious about it all. But the older...it was obvious to Morgan that she didn't like her abilities, and tried to act as if they didn't even exist. Stupid, perhaps, but Morgan wished he had the same luxury. Maybe then he wouldn't feel the guilt that he did. Something akin to pain flashed through his eye as he met eyes with Kazehana. He then began walking, and stopped as he met Caspar. There was a dark look in his eyes. He was about to speak when Asmodeus beat him to it.

"Enough, Morgan. You have to stay. As much as I value Caspar's power and abilities, if more Demons come to attack the girls, he's going to need your help." He raised his arm as Morgan looked at him. Well, glared at him was a more appropriate phrase. A shadowy chain appeared around Asmodeus' arm. When one looked closely, you could see tem shimmering in and out of view all over his body. "Look, quit sulking already. I have to go back, my time on the surface is up for now. If I don't go back to my circle soon, I'm going to be dragged back, and that's never a pretty sight, we all know this by now."

Morgan narrowed his eyes but said nothing. So the demon continued. "You have to stay with Cass, Tsukiyo, and Kazehana. I can't say how long it will take for me to return. So just suck it up and stay put for now. You can run off and hide when I get back." The demon turned away from the group, and raised his hand as a form of goodbye. A black portal opened up in the air, and the demon stood in front of it. Chains shot out of it, wrapping themselves around his wrists, ankles, and throat. The dragged him through the hole, and it closed behind him. Morgan stared at the spot that he had disappeared into, and then sighed. "Fine. I'll stay." He hated to admit it, but the demon was right. If something as powerful as Uthreil came to attack the two Watchers again, Cass was going to need his help.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"You forget I am but a human. I do not have vast knowledge such as yourself.




Tsukiyo blinked a few times as she processed the information the one known as Cass, spoke. She felt a slight twist of her stomach, and she almost felt bad about asking the question. It wasn't until the other one, Morgan, had spoken did the smile falter from her face. Instead, a frown marred her face as her eyes narrowed slightly at the fallen angel. She chewed the bottom of her lip as she tried to contain the words she wanted to speak. Of course, doing so just might make things a bit worse, however; he didn't have to be such a jerk about it. But then again he must have had his reasons to be so. Tsukiyo let the frown disappear from her face, and instead allowed an annoyed look to replace it.

"I am not a fool, idiot. I didn't say I believed in how that's how it happened. I only know what I read, and even I know you can't believe everything. Forgive me for not having colossal knowledge such as a pious, pompous jerk like yourself," she stated as she crossed her arms against her chest. She sighed as her sister offered to pay for the three of their meals. She supposed it was her way of showing her gratitude for saving them. She was brought out of her thoughts when the white-haired, Asmodeus, spoke of needing to return to his circle. At this, Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow. So even demons couldn't stay on this plane without having to return. Or perhaps it was because he was the ruler of a circle.

She'd investigate that later. It could prove helpful should this As might become a problem. She certainly hoped not. She watched as a creature, demon probably, appeared out of a hole and dragged Asmodeus through the portal. She seemed unfazed by the whole thing and just glanced lazily towards her stomach. She was hungry and she wanted to eat. With that in mind, she tugged at her sisters sleeve. The threat was gone, the demon was gone, and all that remained were the two angels. She wasn't so sure if she wanted these two to tag along. She, nor her sister, know them or what their true intentions were. Granted they did just save their lives, mentioned they wouldn't hurt them, but who is to say there weren't lying.

Well, if they did want to hurt them, they would have already. They had the means to do so. After all, they just killed a demon that was trying to kill her sister and herself. With that in mind, she let out a heavy sigh and released her sister's sleeve. "Can we go eat now? I hear blueberry's calling my name," she stated, rubbing her stomach as if to emphasize the point. As much as the weird intrigued her, she was hungry first and foremost. She walked a few feet in front of her sister and the two men before stopping and glancing over her shoulder.

"Well?" she stated, smiling in the process.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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ā€œAs usual, I have no idea what the Hell I'm doing, but I might as well roll with it, I guess.ā€


The green-eyed angelā€™s aggravated tone towards her sister raised Kazehanaā€™s metaphorical hackles a bit, and she frowned, the expression etching itself deeply into her face, as he explained what really caused them to fall. Franklyā€¦ that all sounded a lot worse than what Tsuki had read, and she was a bit uneasy to know that at least two of these people had done something like any of that. Well, actuallyā€¦ wouldnā€™t it have to be all three? Demons used to be angels, too, didnā€™t they? She couldn't say for sureā€”sheā€™d been just glancing at Tsukiyoā€™s books for years, and apparently some of them were quite inaccurate anyway.

Still, her irritation vanished as quickly as it had appeared when heā€”Morgan, heā€™d saidā€”make eye contact with her. There was something almost stricken in the look, like pain, or maybe even remorse. It was hard to tell, exactly, but sheā€™d seen similar looks before, in people who felt so beaten down by the world that they were holding on by their fingertips and their hope and the strength of their wills only. Kazehana swallowed, and dropped her eyes to the floor. Suddenly, the attitude sheā€™d confronted them all with seemed silly, if not outright petty. She really had been raised better than this. Sarcasm was all well and good, and so was spirit, but theyā€™d done nothing to warrant her hostility, not yet.

At first she thought that was going to be it, that theyā€™d just leave now without taking her up on the offer, and sheā€™d understand that, really, because who that knew that much hurt would want to spend time with a couple of humans whose lives, while not all sunshine and roses, had been filled to bursting with love and happiness and opportunity and things that had probably been missing for a really ling time? She glanced back up, at least intending to apologize, though for what, she didnā€™t know, when something caught her eye. The one with the bone-white hairā€”the demon, Asmodeusā€”there was something flickering in and out of visibility around him. It looked likeā€¦ a chain? What in the world?

He was talking to Morgan, though, and the other one, Caspar, simply stood there, as though he knew exactly what they were both going to say and was just waiting for it to actually happen. It was all very strange, though she did catch onto the fact that Asmodeus was about to be literally dragged back down to Hell. And then he was gone, and it was just herself, her sister, and two men who professed to be angels fallen from Heaven itself. Part of Kaz was tempted to get away from this insanity as fast as her legs could carry her, and she chewed her lip absently, a nervous gesture she did not know she had. What was she supposed to do now? Nobody had ever prepared her for this stuff, and she seriously doubted even Tsuki was entirely comfortable, given the fact that apparently some of her books were wrong. And Kaz wasnā€™t even going to touch that Gabriel business. She knew that it meant she had to have an angel somewhere in her ancestry, but that was an entire train of thought she was refusing to have right now. It was probably really far back anyway, no big deal, right?

Perhaps predictably, it was Tsuki who managed to save her from the frantic train of her own thoughts and drag her back into the present with mention of, what else, food. It was usually books or food with Tsu-Tsu. Rolling her eyes in a good-natured way, Kaz smiled down at her sister. ā€œYeah, yeah, okay. Blueberries it is.ā€ She sighed and glanced over at the two men, raising an eyebrow a bit and trying very hard not to think about the fact that they were still strangers and she still didnā€™t have the faintest idea what the hell was going on. ā€œUhā€¦ so. Can you guys like... make yourselves visible, or is this breakfast thing going to be weird?ā€ It would be very strange if she and Tsuki ordered enough food for four people and then some of it randomly started disappearing.

The one called Caspar, whoā€™d shot his friend a worried look, turned back to look at the two women and cracked a smile. ā€œWe can be visible to others if we want to. Might as well, I suppose.ā€ He concentrated for a few seconds, and seemed to flicker a bit before becoming solid again. He didnā€™t look any different to Kaz, but then, she was kind of a freak of nature. Watcher, freak, whatever. It was all kind of the same in the end.

ā€œCool,ā€ she replied, nodding to him and turning to Morgan. ā€œI mean, if you don't want to, itā€™s fine. But Iā€™d look crazier than usual talking to someone who isnā€™t there. Plus, the foodā€™s really good.ā€ She half-smiled at him and shrugged, trailing behind her sister until they reached the restaurant. There were few that were still open at this time in the early morning, but this one never closed, which had swiftly endeared it to the two sisters, who tended to get stuck with the third shift at the clinic from time to time.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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"I have a feeling that these two are going to surprise me, judging from the fact that I can't shut out their minds."



Morgan simply stared at the younger girl as she gave a retort right back at him. As Caspar solidified himself onto their plane of reality, Morgan pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one from the pack, and lit it. After taking a drag, he also became part of the human realm. He scratched at his eye patch again. And then, it hit him.

On the plane of existance between the realm of mortals and the damned, Morgan was able to control his telepathic abilities, limiting who he heard. But stuck on the mortal plane, where he was now, he didn't quite have a handle on it. He winced as a jumble of thoughts forced their way into his mind. Aparently there were a lot of people still up this time of night. The sheer amount gave him a headache. He took a deep breath and focused on his brother. Morgan never pried into anyone's mind, but to focus on the surface thoughts, was not prying. Either way, it allowed him to focus on one thing and keep up a barrier for someone else not to get in, as it were. But he had never had experience with a Watcher before, and as such, he found himself unable to block the two of them out. Soon his head was filled with thoughts of disbeliefe -which he assumed came from Kazehana- and thoughts of mutiple questions about himself, Cass, and As, and...strangely enough, blueberry waffles. The thought was so out of touch with everything else in Tsukiyo's mind that Morgan snorted once with mirth. An odd gesture, when no one had said anything, but he couldn't help it. The girl seemed obsessed with myth, lore, and food.

Either way, he wasn't too keen on telling the two of them that he couldn't help but read their minds. All he could really do was pretend to ignore them. It was one of his abilities that sometimes he wished he didn't have. It gave him more insight to people than he wished he had, and could give rise to uncomfortable situations. Morgan did his best not to dwell on the subject. He dropped the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. Then he turned back to the two girls. He directed himself towards Tsukiyo. "Jerk I'll give you, I can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. But pompous and pious...okay, yeah, I'll give you those, too. Either way, I'm sorry. Like Cass said before, we're not real big on talking about that sort of thing. Either way, let's go get you some blueberry cakes or whatever it is you believe is calling out to you with a voice that it obviously doesn't have." He then turned his attention to Kazehana, a small smiled on his face. "And I have a hard time picturing you looking crazy." He shrugged once. "Just saying."

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"It's always pleasant being with friends. I don't know if these two can be considered friends quite yet, but time will tell."




"Ever heard of an expression? An inanimate object doesn't have a voice, so of course it can't actually speak," she stated in a rather bored tone, almost as if it were the most natural thing to say. She shrugged her shoulders in the process as a snort escaped the one-eyed angels lips. She assumed it was because of her retort so she let it be. As soon as Kazehana fell into step beside her, Tsukiyo cleared her mind as best as she could, focusing just on their destination and nothing else. Granted, curiosity was bubbling in the back of her mind, but she wanted to shift through the questions first.

Although she didn't apologize, Tsukiyo didn't want to offend the two angels again. It was something she wasn't keen on doing again. Plus, she had spoken her fair share, and unless someone wanted to start a conversation, she'd remain quiet for the most part. Instead, she hooked her arm with her sisters and walked in silence for the remainder of the walk. It wasn't long before they reached the small restaurant. It wasn't too far from the clinic and the fact that it was open all day was a plus. Not to mention their food was something Tsukiyo found she could eat all day. Of course, she'd probably explode if she ate too much, so she settled with just her favorites.

Taking a seat, she waited for her sister and the two others to join her. She buried her face in the menu and began glazing over the possible choices. Although she wanted her blueberry pancakes, some of the other choices were looking rather delicious at the moment. She sighed and set the menu down, all traces of hunger suddenly leaving her. She wasn't hungry now, thanks to the new information she had just received. Her books had been wrong about an angels falling, that much she knew now. But how much of her books had she read had been wrong? Everything she ever read, seen, could it be trusted? She groaned inwardly, flickering her eyes over the two angels and then her sister.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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ā€œWellā€¦ might as well make the most of it, I guess.ā€


Waitā€¦ what? Was that a come-on? No, no way. Of course not. Kaz shook her head at her own weird train of thought, then raised an eyebrow at Morgan. ā€œThatā€™s because you havenā€™t met my father. That man can drive anyone insane. Iā€™ve definitely got a crazy setting.ā€ Going along with it when Tsuki hooked arms with her, Kaz pushed open the door to the restaurant and held it open for the rest of the party. At this time of night, it was pretty much a ā€˜sit whereverā€™ scenario, so they picked a table near the window, Kaz sliding into the spot next to her sister and across from the one-eyed fallen angel.

Wonder how he lost the eye? That would be totally rude to ask, wouldnā€™t it? Better not. Mimicking her sister, Kazehana picked up a menu, perusing through it and stealing the occasional glance up at one or the other of the men across the table. How many of these guys must there be, running around in the world? Gah, no, Kaz! Youā€™re supposed to be staying away from this stuff, remember? Youā€™ve been the freak for long enoughā€”you promised yourself youā€™d try to be normal for a change. Unconsciously, she sighed through her nose, to be stirred from her thoughts when the waiter approached and asked for their orders. After everyone had given one, there was a semi-awkward silence while they waited for the food.

Knowing Tsuki, she was probably still sorting her questions: parsing, collating, examining this or that, trying to decide if her books were really wrong or these people were lying. Maybe it was just some baseless instinct, but Kazehanaā€™s gut was telling her to trust them. Smart as she was, she tended to rely on her instincts a lot more than Tsuki did, because her sister preferred to research meticulously before making up her mind about anything. Kaz had always been more in-the-moment, improvise-the-rest when it came to her decision making. This sometimes worked out great for her; she had some awesome friends that sheā€™d made on impulse. Other times, like when she bought that lemon of a car or the time she broke her leg racing her dad down the biggest, baddest ski slope on their Hokkaido vacation, it landed her in hot water.

But right now, her gut was telling her to make friends with these people. Not that she really knew the first thing about doing thatā€”usually, she just sort of hung around people and talked at them, and somehow, the friend thing sort of happened. It was all very mysterious to her, but she could at least try. ā€œSoā€¦ that thing with the ice. That was kinda cool,ā€ she told Morgan with a wry half-smile. ā€œCan allā€¦ erā€¦ people like you do that?ā€ Probably not the best idea to call them fallen angels in the middle of a public restaurant, even if it was just the old guy in the corner, a waiter, and maybe a couple cooks in the back.

The one called Cass smiled. ā€œNot exactly. Most of us have abilities of some kind, though. For example, itā€™s impossible to lie to me.ā€

Kazehana gave him a skeptical look, but his smile only widened, as if inviting her to try it and see what happened. Never one to turn down a challenge, she started to speak, to tell him some stupid lie or another, but though her mouth opened, she found that no words would come, no matter how hard she tried. It was like they slipped away from her every time she tried. Alarmed, she blinked several times in quick succession. What the fuck? Swapping tactics, she tried a different lie, but that one didnā€™t work any better. Then she tried slipping a lie in an otherwise true sentence. ā€œMy name is Kazehana, and Iā€” ugh. Youā€™re right; thatā€™s so weird.ā€ She shook her had a bit. ā€œWhat else can you do?ā€ She tried to ask the question idly, to keep the curiosity out of her voice, but she had a feeling it wasnā€™t working. Damn them for being so interesting.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"I supose they need to know..."



Morgan listened with mild amusement as Kaze tried -and failed- to lie with Cass sitting across the table. He put his chin in his hand, a small smiled playing at the corners of his mouth. He was also listening to the two of them, it was amazing how much contrast there was between the siblings. "Cass also likes to make things spontaneuosly combust, he's good with fire. I can control ice and water. As controls shadows, it's actually really interesting to hear him explain it. Oh, I also have some minor telekinetic abilities, but I'm not that great at using them." He paused, wondering if he should tell them or not.

He figured that it would be somewhat wrong to keep it from the two of them. So, he brought his other hand to rest underneath his chin, and then looked Kazehana directly in the eyes. Yes, it would be rude to ask how I lost my eye, but you can if you want to. I really don't mind. And if you haven't noticed, I have telepathic abilities, as well. Generally I have no problem keeping people out of my head and staying out of theirs. You and your sister seem to be the exception. Don't worry, you thoughts are you own. I don't pry, I give you my word. Frankly I hate this ability. It gives me way too much insight on people than I'd rather have. Usually I focus on Cass to drown everyone else out. Sorry, I'm rambling... He leaned back, waiting to see what the girl's reaction would be.

He hadn't even looked at the menu, and all he ordered was coffee. He surprisingly wasn't that hungry, and wondered if it didn't have anything to do with Tsukiyo's sudden lack of appetite. He absent mindedly scratched at his eye patch. It seemed to be a tick that he didn't know he had. It had been a long time since he had actually intereacted with a human before, and it left him feeling a bit out of place. Then, he added, You've got one hell of a mouth on you, don't you?

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"I think we're an interesting group. Two humans and two angels, what can go wrong? Well, everything really."




Tsukiyo remained quiet, only speaking when she gave the waitress her order. She decided to go with a blueberry pancake and an omelette on the side. Even though she didn't feel hungry, it didn't change the fact that she was. Her attention was taken when Kazehana spoke of the abilities the two seemed to have. This, she was interested in hearing. The one angel, or was it the demon, she wasn't to particularly sure at the moment, showed an ability of controlling ice. The one, Caspar, was the first to speak. His ability was the fact that no one could lie in his presence.

Kazehana, strong-willed as she was, took the challenge, and Tsukiyo couldn't help but smile at her sister's attempt to lie. It proved that it was true, a lie couldn't be told in his presence. She chuckled lightly at her sisters defeat. It wasn't every day that Kazehana had shown an interest in the supernatural gimmicks of their life. As a matter of fact, Tsukiyo couldn't truly recall a time that Kazehana ever had an interest in the supernatural, at least not like she did. It was the reason why she was attending college to major in Demonology. Although really there wasn't a career that she could pursue if she chose to chase after something like that.

She sighed inwardly to herself as she watched the interaction between her sister and the two angels. Kazehana had always been like that, able to command a room with just her presence alone. It was something that differed the two sisters from each other. A wall-flower if you will, could describe Tsukiyo. She preferred to hang back, stick to the wall, the shadows, than to be noticed. It only brought unnecessary interactions that would always end up badly for the other person. Mainly because Kazehana would end up hurting them in one way or another. Not that she blamed her sister for being protective of her.

Sometimes, Tsukiyo wondered if her sister ever got tired of being the one to be the defender. It was a job that even Tsukiyo wasn't sure why her sister put up with it. But then again, she was reminded that it was because they were family. Family was the most important thing in their world, or at least that is what their father always taught them, crazy as he may be. This caused a smile to crack along her features as she watched her sister enter a staring contest with the one-eyed angel. He had stated that Caspar, the other angel, apparently liked to make things explode. What's with pyromaniacs?

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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ā€œHoly shit! Iā€™m hearing you in my head; thatā€™s so weird!ā€


This stuff was beyond weird. She could almost understand why Tsuki was so interested in it all the time, but thenā€¦ it wasnā€™t that she wasnā€™t interested in it, just that she wasnā€™t sure she wanted all the baggage that came with embracing this freaking weird heritage of theirs. It wasnā€™t like anyone was going to believe she saw ghosts or angels or demons or whateverā€”and honestly, the few people that would believe her were either insane or religiously insane, and she was pretty sure she did not want board that crazy train to Awkwardsville.

She was going to say something, but whatever it was fled from her thoughts as soon as she heard Morganā€™s voice in them. Well, hearing probably wasnā€™t the right word, honestly, but somehow it felt in her brain kind of what it sounded like out loud, onlyā€¦ a bit more something. She wasnā€™t exactly certain what that something was, and besides that, she was far too surprised to even process it properly. Her surprise,violent enough to make her start in her chair, also shattered the glass of water the waiter had left in front of Tsukiā€”a burst of telekinetic force discharging without her consent or her control due to extreme shockā€”but Kazehana didnā€™t even notice. She was too busy trying to process the word in her head, which were all kind of a jumble at first.

It was kind of like trying to tune a radio, and once she focused properly on it, the static cleared away, and she could read the thoughts that he was projecting at her clearly as crystal. She didnā€™t know it, but sheā€™d just mastered the art of creating and supporting a two-way telepathic link. Though as the more experienced telepath, Morgan could prevent her from reading anything he didnā€™t want her to, the link was equally-stable on both ends.

Kzehana locked eyes with the man across the table, running the words back trough her head in the right order this time, her facial expressionsā€”surprise followed by concentration followed intent focus followed by the slightest hint of amusementā€”clearly indicating to the other two that something was going on that they couldnā€™t tap into. Does it still count as a ā€˜mouthā€™ if itā€™s only in my head? she asked him facetiously. It was strange, this feeling of speaking directly with someone elseā€™s mindā€¦ but it wasnā€™t as unpleasant as she would have thought. Though she could as yet discern none of his specific thoughts, she could sort of feel them, moving around under the surface like fish beneath the surface of water. Likeā€¦ a pulse. Something you could be conscious of if you tried, but otherwise remained unaware of.

So you just walk around like this every day, with all these powers and that weird invisibility thingā€¦ and what? Kill demons or something? Iā€™ve been in this city for almost ten years, and nothing even remotely close to this has ever happened to me. I meanā€¦ Iā€™ve always been weird, and so has Tsuki, but thisā€¦ itā€™s never been anything worse than ghosts, and nothing hostile, you know? She wasnā€™t sure what she expected him to say in response to that, but maybe she was just looking to understand the situation she found herself in. She may have tried to avoid thing like this all her life, butā€¦ she had a feeling there was no simply avoiding this, whatever it was, and she was no coward.




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ā€œI donā€™t like setting things on fire, it justā€¦ happens.ā€


He tied to hide it, but in the end he was unsuccessful: the sudden and startling manifestation of telekinetic powers that Kazehana didnā€™t even notice was equal parts amusing and worrisome. Generally, only the strongest Watchers had control issues before they fully awakenedā€”it meant that she would be formidable once her powers did really kick in. It also meant that she could prove dangerous, for herself and others alike. He hoped it wouldnā€™t come to that. For now, he just decided to go with amusement.

Knowing what the intent look on her face and the fact that Morgan was making eye contact with her meant, he resigned himself to the fact that they would probably be having a silent conversation for at least a few minutes, so he reached across the table and picked up a handful of napkins, which he used to help collect the mess caused by the shattering glass of water by Tsuiyoā€™s hand. Glancing over, he noticed that she had a small cut from one of the pieces, and frowned. Well, it wasnā€™t anything he couldnā€™t fix, anyway.

ā€œLooks like youā€™re bleeding,ā€ he told the younger sister, as she might not have noticed given all the goings-on. ā€œGive me a second; I can fix it.ā€ Carefully, so as not to disturb the wound, he fitted his callused fingers underneath hers and lifted the injured hand. ā€œThis is uhā€¦ maybe a bit weird, but bear with me for a sec.ā€ He wasnā€™t going to not heal her, though, so he didnā€™t really mind if she protested. Cass was a stubborn man, but one whose intentions were always good, even if they landed him in trouble with some frequency. Leaning forward a bit, he brought her hand up slightly and stooped so he was level with it, then softly blew on the wound.

His breath was hot, a reminder, perhaps, that he often used it to channel fire, but it was not uncomfortably so, and oddly, it smelled more like sunshine and fresh rain and green growing things than anything normal. The cut in Tsukiyoā€™s hand slowly disappeared, sealing up as though it had never been there, and he used one of the extra napkins to daub off the blood that had escaped her. ā€œThere,ā€ he pronounced, ā€œgood as new.ā€ There was a small pause, during which he glanced over at the other two to see that they were still apparently absorbed in whatever conversation they were having, and so he shrugged and turned back to Tsuki. ā€œThe perils of knowing a telepath,ā€ he explained, in case she didnā€™t really know what was going on, which seemed rather likely, all things considered.

ā€œI know I refused to answer your question earlier,ā€ he said, looking a bit sheepish and folding his hands back into his sleeves, ā€œbut that doesnā€™t mean you canā€™t ask others. If thereā€™s something I can talk about, Iā€™d be glad toā€”I know itā€™s probably a bit unusual, meeting a demon prince and a couple ofā€¦ wellā€¦. us in one day.ā€ The waiter came by with their orders then, collecting the broken glass and placing their food in front of them. Cass went to work on his bacon, eggs, and toast, though admittedly, maybe it was the smell of his coffee that invigorated him the most. Still, he clearly wasnā€™t shutting Tsukiyo out for the sake of his breakfastā€”he tilted his head slightly to one side as if to confirm that he was still willing to talk and listen if she had queries.

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"She got the hang of it this quickly? This is going to be more fun than I thought."



Morgan was highly amused when Tsuki's water glass shattered. It was easy enough for him to pick up that it was Kazehana's energy that did it. It was even more amusing to see that she didn't even notice that she had done it. And when she began to ask him questions like this was completely natural and she'd done it for years, he actually smiled. No, I suppose it can't, can it? She would be an extreamly powerful Watcher, so long as she was trained right.

Well, yes and no. I don't spend a lot of time in Limbo like Cass does. That's the first Circle of Hell, that exists between the realms of Hell and Man. Basically it's where we are when we can't be seen by a normal human being. It's also where all those ghosts and polterghiests and the other things that you and your sister can see come from. We call Limbo the First Circle, but it actually exists outside of Hell. Demons also cannot survive in Limbo, so generally they either return to Hell, or they possess someone on your plane. At least, the lesser demons do. The one that attacked you earlier, Uthriel, was a Greater Demon. He, and others like him, can survive longer in Limbo than the others. He paused, allowing more of the information to sink in.

He was still amazed at how easily she had picked up on this. He could even feel her exploring from her end. Granted, she didn't have any acess to his own mind, but with enough training, he probably wouldn't be able to shut her out, even if he tried. It was an impressive thought. He returned his attention to her when she commented about having never seen a demon before.

The reason for that is because up until now, your powers had not entierly manifested themselves. Tsukiyo's had, and for a while now, though she doesn't know how to control them. But the reason no demon ever attacked her was because of you. Even without your manifested powers, your sheer power as a Watcher alone was enough to shield Tsukiyo from most predators. But now that your own powers are finally showing themselves... He looked pointedly at where the water glass had been and then returned his gaze to hold her own, The two of you are basically moving targets, so long as you don't know how to handle your powers. It may very well be a touchy subject for her, he knew, but in the end, Kazehana either had to accept her powers and learn how to use them, or reject them completely and live with the fact that the decision may very well be her -and her sister's- undoing.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"Am I the only one missing something?"




Tsukiyo stared at the glass of water in front of her absentmindedly. It seemed that Kazehana was having some sort of telepathic communication with the one-eyed angel. She smiled softly to her self as she took a sip of the water before setting it back down. Not more than a few seconds later, the glass shattered, causing Tsukiyo to blink in surprise. She stared at the broken pieces, blinking still as if to process what just happened. Did Kazehana just do that? The flare, it was short but Tsukiyo was sure it came from her sister. She turned, ignoring the sharp stinging sensation in her hand as she stared at her sister quizzically.

It confused her a bit when Kazehana remained in her conversation with Morgan. She opened her mouth to say something, however; Caspar, the other angel, spoke. She glanced down at her hand, watching as the droplets of blood formed on her hand. A frown marred her face in the process as she reached for a napkin with her free hand. Instead, Caspar beat her to the punch and grabbed her hand. She raised a confused brow in his direction when he mentioned this was about to seem weird. Before she could say anything, he blew across the cut.

It felt, warm, as strange as it might have seemed. It didn't help that his breath fairly nice to Tsukiyo. She watched as the cut slowly disappeared from her hand, as if it were never there to begin with. She tilted her head slightly in awe before glancing towards the angel. He then spoke, addressing the previous situation of her mentioning their falling. Although really she hadn't directly asked them about their falling, she had mentioned about how an angel fell in general. She needed to choose her words more carefully now so that there wouldn't be a misunderstanding again.

"There is nothing to apologize for. It was a question that should have been worded more carefully, simple as that," she retorted to his apology. It was true, he had no reason to apologize, even if it was just the sake of doing so. "You two are the only angels, and demon, we have met. It's not like angels and demons are plentiful in our life," she continued, shrugging her shoulders to his last statement. While most people would consider it weird, or odd, Tsukiyo felt indifferent about the meetings. She and her sister spent most of their lives seeing the weird of life, surely meeting two angels and demon was no different.

"When you have been different most of your life, things like this hardly seem unusual," she replied, poking at her pancakes in the process. She sighed as she set her fork down and folded her hands underneath her chin. She glanced at Caspar once more, eyes tracing the tattoo's littering his body. "I do have one question for you though. Your tattoos, do certain angels have them, or do they have a deeper meaning to you?" she asked. To say she wasn't interested in the story of the tattoos would be a lie. Some people only poured ink over their body to tell a story. Some usually inked their bodies just for the heck of it. Which category did he fall under?

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œItā€™s a long storyā€¦ so why do I feel like I wouldnā€™t really mind telling you?ā€


Now that he thought about it, the question had been more general than theyā€™d taken it for. Heā€™d been so concerned about how Morgan might react heā€™d just automatically assumed the worst. Not without reasonā€”though his brother could have taken things a lot worse than he had, it definitely hadnā€™t been anyoneā€™s most shining moment. Still, he nodded to acknowledge the point, and let her continue to speak. He supposed, when he looked at things from Tsukiyoā€™s point of view, this probably would just be the latest and perhaps most interesting in a string of rather interesting happenings that grew to look normal when you encountered them enough.

Angels and demons had been the stuff of his entire existence, unfortunately long as that spanned, but humans had a remarkable capacity to adapt to anything, even over their short lives. It looked like she, at least, was rather used to the supernatural elements of her existence. She, unlike her sister, was awakened to her powers, which he was willing to bet included the Watcher standards: compulsion of minor demons, some telekinesisā€”like what Kazehana had unknowingly shattered the glass withā€”and a bit of telepathy, too. The auras he sensed from these two were particularly strong, and heā€™d met more than one Watcher in his day. Some used to hypothesize that heā€™d fathered a few, but that was not the case. Caspar had always been rather oblivious to such things, and neither the charm of his fellow angels nor the allure of the bright, temporary lives of mortals had ever held much power over him. Still, his knowledge of them was greater than most.

He actually smiled at the question she did ask, a half-cocked grin that somehow managed to be both friendly and mischievous at the same time. Setting down his fork for the moment, he pulled up a sleeve of his sweatshirt, making it fairly obvious that he had the tattoos on more than just his forehead and the back of his neck. In fact, they were pretty much everywhere on his person. ā€œNot an angel thing,ā€ he explained with a good-natured, but instructive, tone. ā€œThese are just mine. Took a long time to find an artist I trusted with the job, but there are some things that humans do better than anyone else, and art is one of those things.ā€ There was no art in Hell, and in Heaven, basically everything you saw was already in its most flawless formā€¦ so flawless it was sometimes boring, actually. Humans had that ability to just take their world, imperfections and all, and transform it into something incredible, and he was not ashamed to bear the proof of that on his skin.

ā€œIā€™m sure youā€™ve heard the saying ā€˜to earn oneā€™s stripesā€™? Wellā€¦ there came a point, after my fall, when Iā€™d finally done something that Iā€™d wantedā€”neededā€”to do for a long time, and I got these to remind myself of that.ā€ A memory danced in front of his eyes for just a moment, a flash of eyes the color of the sky, and hair like wheat in the sun, and he shook his head just slightly. Heā€™d gotten them to remember his greatest failure, and then the vengeance that had followed, and the evil heā€™d prevented by it. Cass may be the most divine of the three of them, but he had fallen for a reason, after all, and he doubted very much that his fellows would have looked kindly on what heā€™d done. He still thought it had been necessaryā€”and if heā€™d had to go back, heā€™d do it again.

ā€œSo what about you then, Tsukiyo?ā€ he asked, turning the questioning back around to her. ā€œHow did you discover what you can do? Is there anything in particular you struggle with or would like training on?ā€ He didnā€™t say it, but it was pretty obvious that he thought he and the others would be around long enough to help with that. Regardless, he would try to be. Cass never made a promise, nor even implied one, that he didnā€™t follow through on.




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ā€œI really donā€™t have much of a choice, when you put it that way.ā€


Kazehana leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms beneath her chest and tipping her head back slightly, clearly seriously considering what sheā€™d just been told. For all that she was overwhelmed, her thoughts had a clear, logical structure to them, and she parsed and collated and sorted data like a scientist might do, trying to interpret what all the information was really supposed to mean and what it signaled that she was supposed to do.

For years, sheā€™d nursed a minor resentment towards the things she could see, the ghosts and wandering spirits that would flock to her and pester her, the strange vagueness of a world that lingered at the edges of her mind and her senses, making her that much stranger in an environment where normal was cherished. Sheā€™d never outright said it, but sheā€™d always thought her sister was braver than she was, for being so willing to explore that side of herself, regardless of what other people thought. Kaz had always worn the fiercer face, the mask of battle and spirit, but in the end, it had been Tsuki that really embraced what she was. In the end, Kazehana had never been willing to fight for herself, for her own right to be what she was or wanted to be. Sheā€™d always been fighting for Tsuki.

Not that her own refusal to accept this was at all her sisterā€™s fault, of course. It was justā€¦ part of her had always hoped that it would go away one day, that she would be able to wake up some morning, and this feeling, that she was somehow meant to be doing something other than going to medical school and making something out of her life, that she wasā€”she hesitated to even think itā€”destined to be something different, would be gone. Because sheā€™d always felt like she was failing this part of her, while also being unwilling to try and succeed, because it would mean turning her entire life upside down. And now everythingā€™s gone ass backwards anyway, and thereā€™s no stopping the crazy trainā€¦ She realized that the telepathic link was still there, and hence that Morgan had probably heard at least some of that, but she couldnā€™t bring herself to care. She wasnā€™t the kind of person that usually hid her thoughts from people. Usually, she just let them know by saying it instead of thinking it at them. Same difference, in the end.

She liked the part where it had been her keeping Tsuki safe all these years, even without knowing it. That had always been her primary goal in life, ever since her little sister was born, and especially since their mother had died. She was less excited about the part where if she didnā€™t get her shit together soon, sheā€™d be putting her sister in danger. Low blow, Morgan, but I probably deserved it. Sheā€™d always known, on some level, that burying her head in the metaphorical sand as not going to solve anythingā€¦ sheā€™d just hoped to be at a better place in life before she had to handle it.

Sighing, she looked over at the broken glass, and her eyes narrowed, dark lashes shading the blue of her irises. If this kind of thing was going to happen everytime she got a shockā€¦ it could be dangerous. She could end up hurting people, and not just herself. Kaz wasnā€™t going to allow thatā€”not now, not ever. She glanced back over at Morgan, her expression serious and a bit severe, though she wasnā€™t angry at anything in particular. I donā€™t like it much, but that doesnā€™t seem to matter. What do I have to do? To get this under controlā€”to protect her?

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair

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"I suspected she was powerful, but I never thought it was already at this level."



Morgan could see the metaphorical gears and cogs turning in her mind as she thought about what he had told her. She was thinking about her life, and her past. Morgan retreated into his own mind as she did so. Unless she was willing to actually tell him herself, he wasn't about to go digging. Some might say this was kind, but it was selfish to a fault for the Fallen Angel. He knew from experience that most people, when they began to divulge about their lives, willing or no, usually expected the same returned to them. Morgan didn't want to know how the girl, or her sister, or Cass would react, should any of them find out about his own transgressions.

Retreating from her mind was for his own self-preservation, what one called the survival instinct. He scratched at his eye patch, his thoughts taking a bit more dark turn down memory lane, when he was yet again surprised. While he had stopped listening to her thoughts, the link itself was still there, mainly kept up from Kazehana's end, but in order for them to communicate again, Morgan would have to reopen his end, once he felt her push. Or at least, that's what should have happened. Instead, he heard Kazehana's thought in his head clear as a bell. She had projected her thought at him -unconsciously, perhaps, but she had still done it- and broken through whatever barrier he had constructed.

His green eye locked onto her again. He had been right, Kazehana was indeed a very powerful Watcher. The thought of what she would be like once she actually knew what she was doing was enough for even the Fallen Angel to fear her, should she be trained wrong. But fear didn't show itself in his thoughts or his expression. I must admit, I've never seen any trains that are crazy, only the people who drive them. He paused before addressing her final question. He admired her spirit and determination to protect her sister. A memory, distant and faded, flashed before his eyes. It was himself, back before he fell. He had been having an argument with his fellow angel, Remiel, at the time. It had been about protecting a human boy that was particular. The boy seemed to attract many demons, even at the age of eight, and Remiel had decided that the boy should simply be executed and his soul brought to Heaven. Morgan hadn't agreed, and with a fierceness that had made the other angel laugh, he'd sworn to protect the boy.

Kazehana reminded him of how he had been all those years ago. He drive and willingness to protect someone other than herself was admirable. He laced his fingers together and placed them in front of his mouth, his own stare becoming fierce. Most people would wince from the harshness of his gaze, but the girl didn't flinch. You have to learn, and in order to learn, you must be taught. Where you find someone to teach you is your own choice. I'm not saying that Caspar, Asmodeus, and I are the only ones, but if you wish it, we can, and will, help you. You need only to ask. I can teach you and your sister how to control your telepathic and telekinetic abilities, for example. While Morgan certainly had his own share of flaws, conceit was not one of them. Kazehana and Tsukiyo had the means and the right to choose whomever they wished to teach them. That was truly none of his concern.

Or it shouldn't have been. Something deep down within him wanted them to stick around. The realization of that feeling both thrilled and annoyed him. He was Fallen. He had no right to think that way about anybody, let alone a human female, and a Watcher, for that matter. He pushed that thought aside, for now. First and foremost, he needed to worry about teaching them, should they ask. Their mental capabilities he could easily handle. And other powers, Cass could probably help them with, and anything in regards to the Demonic aspect, and Asmodeus would be a wonderful teacher. Provided he didn't let himself get carried away. The Demon had a habit of getting rather excitable. But, he also figured that he and Cass could handle it should it come to that.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"'Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did'. A wise person spoke this once."




Tsukiyo watched Caspar with mild interest, ignoring the weird, silent, conversation her sister and Morgan were having. She glanced at them through the corner of her eye, noting the expression on Kazehana's face. She then returned her attention to Caspar when he began explaining his tattoos. At that, she rose an interested eyebrow, leaning on her hands as she listened. So he had chosen carefully who to ink his body, who would have known an angel could be...picky. Although, thinking about it, he had every right to be picky, especially when he seemed so proud of them. Or was proud the proper word to use? It seemed to be so as he continued to speak. He had earned those stripes of his. That only further made her curious as to what exactly he did to earn those metaphorical stripes of his.

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, instead, focusing on the question that was directed towards her. When had she discovered her power? She frowned, brows furrowed together as she contemplated the question. She was the first to discover what her sister and her were. It was the reason why she became interested in the supernatural world to begin with. She was still just a kid when she came into her powers so to speak. She could remember the conversation she had with a ghost and what had happened afterwards. She wasn't aware of what she was doing until her father walked into her room, and a few of her books were just floating.

"Well, it was an accident really. I was talking with a...ghost, I suppose. I've only known what I've read, but even then that can only go so far. I can't do much, just small things like," she paused, glancing towards one of the spoons that lay in front of her. She stared at it for a few seconds before it began to slowly move. This was something she had practiced at for years, however; there were still drawbacks to it. She released the spoon, rubbing the side of her temples in the process. "I still get headaches every time I do that," she confessed. It was certainly true for the most part. Every time she tried to move something, she would receive a major headache. There was one time she'd actually over-strained herself and blacked out once.

That is something she hasn't told Kazehana, and never plans to. She does't want her older sister to worry about her all the time. Plus she was afraid that Kazehana might force her to stop. This only caused a smile to crack on her face in the process. If she wanted to keep her sister from worrying about her so much, perhaps she should practice more to control her powers. After all, if she could master them, then Kazehana wouldn't have to worry about protecting her as much. Tsuki could defend herself for a change, and her sister. With that in mind, she locked gazes with Caspar, a determined look crossing her features.

"I could use all the training I could get. If Morgan and yourself are here to help us, what is the first step in conducting this training to get our powers under control?" she questioned. If there was something she could learn from these angels, or even just from both of them each, that she couldn't learn from her books; she wanted to know. After all, she could only learn so much from her books and even then she couldn't rely on them that much. Look how wrong they were already about an angels falling. The truth would be easier to digest, and she had a feeling that these two, even the missing demon, would be here to stay for quite some time.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œItā€™s a small miracle that theyā€™ve managed to come this far without formal trainingā€¦ā€


Cass watched with interest as the spoon moved around on the table, chewing over a slice of toast thoughtfully. The story about the ghost and the floating books had produced a smile, which he still wore, but it had receded to a faint suggestion as he considered the options that were before them. He rubbed absently at his jaw, a gesture that he unconsciously performed when considering something particularly troublesome or important.

ā€œWell,ā€ he mused, rumbling bass drawing out the word longer than it usually warranted. ā€œYou have options. There are always options. But if you want to master your abilities as quickly as possible, you need both practice and supervision. In your case, I think a bit of extra reading would help, too. I have a lot of books on demons, angels, and Watchersā€”Iā€™d be happy to let you borrow them.ā€ He shoes not to mention the fact that any one of them was pricelessā€”he was generous enough that things like that didnā€™t really matter to him. He suspected that Tsukiyo would learn best from books, methodical explanations of theory, and controlled practice settings. That was easy enough to provide, though trying to imagine As teaching her some of the things only he could wasā€¦ interesting.

Kazehana, on the other hand, had so much power that sheā€™d probably just learn best by doing, by getting thrown into a situation and forced to manifest the powers required. It would be hard on her, body and mind, but it would be effective. Tsuki was different. If Kazehana was to be a dam that was broken and the water forced to be brought under her sway, then Tsukiyo was a flower that needed to be encouraged to blossom. Too much force and it wouldnā€™t work. Her abilities already tended to give her headachesā€”that was something he could help with, but pushing her too far too fast was going to be a bad idea. On the other hand, she would learn the theory behind her talents, and in doing so, she would learn to do more with less. Kazehana would always be a battering ram of force, but sometimes all that was needed would be a small push, and Tsukiyo would learn to tell the difference and apply herself accordingly. Of course, he suspected her powers would also grow, and that Kaz would learn control, but at least at first, he thought it would be best to approach things this way.

ā€œNow, itā€™s probably going to take all three of us to teach you everything, but if you donā€™t object, I think at least for the first week, it would make sense for me to work with you and Momo over there to teach your sister. It already appears to be having some effect.ā€ He lifted an eyebrow as he watched the two of them. Having as much experience reading Morganā€™s expressions and body language and general moods as he had, he knew he was impressed with whatever Kazehana was managing to do. Hell, Cass himself was impressed with eh both of them. For having no guidance along this path, they were doing remarkably well for themselves. He was willing to bet theyā€™d both make quick progress. ā€œWe can start tomorrow night. If you want to choose someplace where the two of you will be comfortable, Morgan and I can come to youā€”and Iā€™ll bring the books.ā€

And that, it turned out, was exactly what happened.




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ā€œIā€™m still not sure how I feel about all this stuff, butā€¦ itā€™s important that I learn. Sheā€™s counting on me.ā€


Kazehana did not shy away from the fierceness of his expressionā€”it only served to convince her that he was serious. Her own was possessed of enough conviction to matchā€”this was a challenge being laid at her feet, and her choices were take it up, or subject everyone around her to more danger than they deserved. It was obvious what she had to do, and who she needed to help her do it. It may have been true that there were others who could teach them, but if so, theyā€™d never made themselves obvious in her life before, and obviously did not draw her to them like these strangers did. Theyā€™d stepped in to save the lives of herself and Tsuki, and they hadnā€™t had to. It looked like she was going to have to take advantage of their generosity again, but if that was what it took, then so be it. Sheā€™d find a way to repay them later.

Then Iā€™m asking, she thought resolutely, but her expression softened. It was not lost on her that he was doing her a huge favor by volunteering for this, and as anxious as she might have been about diving into this world sheā€™d tried to ignore, she wasnā€™t the kind of person who was ungrateful for assistance. Please teach us whatever youā€™re willing to.





Slightly more than a week later, Kazehana stood in the central lobby of her fatherā€™s clinic, sipping absently at some cider and watching a group of small children chase each other around the room. She and her sister were in the midst of the clinicā€™s annual Halloween festivities, thrown for the long-term patients who had no other way to celebrate, their families, and also the staff. It was a great idea, actually, suggested by their father many years ago and made a regular practice at holidays. Some of them might have been lonely without this event, and honestly, Kazehana wasnā€™t far different.

She had her father and her sister, but that was really it. That they got to celebrate with so many other people made her feel like her family was bigger, and she liked the feeling of being surrounded by warmth and energy. Though sometimes she didnā€™t show it very well, as now, when she frowned slightly at the kids moving around underfoot. ā€œThomas, you give that back to her right now,ā€ she scolded, and the little boy complied with a sigh and a ā€˜yes, Miss Kaz.ā€

She shook her head to herself, watching the costumed partygoers fill the large room with their laughter and good cheer. She couldnā€™t stay in a bad mood for very long with this kind of atmosphere, but sheā€™d needed a break from the constant socializing and chatter. She never seemed to have a shortage of people to talk to, but inwardly, she really enjoyed the breaks in activity when she could just observe. People were so hard to figure out; if these werenā€™t all close to her in some way, she would have felt uncomfortably awkward. She still felt a little weird, but that was normal by now. Apparently, it was her supernatural sense acting up. Morgan had warned her that Halloween was a favorite holiday of demons and suchlike, so it made sense that she was more on-edge today than usual. She told herself it had nothing to do with the costumeā€”her father always insisted that his daughters dress as angels for the event, since it was the symbol of the clinic, so to speak. Now, actually knowing angels, it felt a little ridiculous, or at least more than usual.

The wings would just get in the way, so thankfully she was spared that particular indignity, but the dresses she and Tsukiyo wore were still pretty elaborate. Hers was white and silver, mostly, long enough to barely brush the floor, and her hair had been elaborately braided around the crown of her head, flowers woven in by Tsuki, and it glittered faintly in the light. Speaking of Tsukiā€¦ just where had that girl gotten off to, anyway?

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"Hey. Why weren't we invited?"



Morgan stood on the roof of the building across from the clinic. There was a party going on inside, from what Morgan could tell. Most of them were staff, and their families. A party for Halloween. Due to the very nature of the holiday, Morgan was on edge. It had been six days of training, and the girls had both shown astounding progress. Morgan had gone all-out with a hands-on approach, and Kaz had excelled quickly. Her mind abilities were astounding. She could now pinpoint Morgan in a crowd and was getting better at breaking through his defenses. She was still shaky on keeping up her own barriers, which he had told her were her best defense against possesion, but she was making steady progress if nothing else.

While Morgan had known about the party, he wasn't attending. He never liked large crowds of people. If anything else, he was simply there to keep an eye on Tsuki and Kaz. It was still surprising how much he found himself enjoying Kaz's company. There were a lot of minds around, and Morgan was getting a slight headache. To keep his mind occupied, Morgan reached out, searching until he found the edges of Kazehana's conciousness. A smile smile etched its way onto his face as he met with a wall. So, she wsa taking his advice and trying to keep people out. It wasn't the most stable, but it was there. He didn't try to push through. She'd feel his presence.

While waiting, Morgans' thoughts turned to Asmodeus. It had been a week since he'd gone back to Hell. The demon had never stayed gone this long before, it usually only took him four days at the most. The angel wondered what the demon was doing. Especially on Halloween. It shouldn't be hard for him to return to the surface, with the Veil as thin as it was tonight.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen

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"Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. People won't notice how different you are if you pretend to talk to ghosts."




It had been a little over a week since the conversation at the diner. Kazehana and Tsukiyo had taken to different approaches in their training. Tsukiyo had Caspar teach her a few things, and read most of it through the books he let her borrow. To say she wasn't impressed would have been an understatement. One of the books he let her use had an extensive data collection of demons down to the very anatomy of most. Regardless, her training had gone fairly smoothly. She couldn't say the same for Kazehana though. She sighed as she tried to adjust the gown she was wearing. At her father's request, she and Kazehana were to appear as angels for the event.

She glanced at the gown, watching as the gold trimmings glistened underneath the pale light of the bathroom. She had to touch up her hair. One of the kids thought it funny to put a piece of gum in it, thus why she now had a few strands of hair missing. Pulling it out hadn't been the smartest move on her part, but regardless the deed was done. She smoothed out the wrinkles and placed the Laurel Wreath back on her head. Why she was wearing it, it was because of her father. It had nothing to do with angels really, but he thought it would make a better halo. She sighed softly as the click of the door shut behind her. Carlisle had been extremely quiet today, not even appearing before the Fuhen sisters.

This worried Tsukiyo a bit. He always made it a point and habit to annoy the older Fuhen sibling. She pushed the thought out of her mind as she turned down a corner, blinking a bit surprised when she noticed it was empty. How odd, where were the rest of the staff? A small fear bubbled up within Tsukiyo as she continued down the empty hall, the lights flickering softly in the process. Her pace quickened a bit before she pushed open the door to an exit, only to be confronted by a dead end. What was going on? She grew a bit frustrated as she turned around and went back the way she came from.

Finally, she was able to escape the labyrinth she had temporarily found herself in, however; she simultaneously found herself standing outside of the clinic, the bright moon hanging over head. She blinked owlishly as people walked by and waved at her. She waved hesitantly back as she sighed and slumped her shoulders. This night was turning out to be a bit weird for her standards. First, Carlisle was missing, and then that little maze she found herself in. Was she imagining that maze? She took a deep breath of the crisp night air and simply sat on the empty bench located by the front of the door.

Some fresh air was probably what she needed, however; she had this feeling in the back of her mind that tonight wouldn't be an ordinary night. Perhaps she should return back inside then. With that in mind, she pushed herself from the bench and re-entered the building. This time, she made sure to follow the signs to make it back to where Kazehana was sure to be waiting. Sure enough, her sister was there and had a look of confusion on her face. Tsuki smiled softly as she weaved through the crowd and made her way towards her sister's side.

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom and got lost on the way back," she stated as she sat next to her sister, pulling her gown up a bit so that she didn't step on the edges. Whether Kazehana believed her or not, Tsukiyo was telling the truth. Having practically grown up in the clinic, Tsukiyo should have known the building as well as the back of her hand, however; she did get lost. She smiled nervously as she turned her attention towards the staff as they conversed amongst themselves.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œHalloween night, when the veil between worlds is thin.ā€


Cass sat nonchalantly on the roof of a nearby building, legs dangling off the side. It didnā€™t really matter much, as he was presently invisible to anyone who wasnā€™t strongly-attuned to the spiritual, like Kazehana and Tsukiyo were. He certainly didnā€™t mind if one of them happened to see him. Morgan had dragged him along tonight, though he couldn't say he faulted the other fallen angel for having done so. Halloween was a notoriously dangerous day for the gifted, as demons often managed to escape the thinning of the veil between this plane and hell. This was largely due to a massive black magic ritual conducted on this day many centuries previous, which permanently weakened the boundary forevermore, but it was never as bad as it was on this particular night.

So it made sense to watch over the Watchers, so to speak, just in case some of those demons were lured here by their blossoming power. Both women had made leaps and bounds of progress in the short six days since theyā€™d begun their training, though as heā€™d predicted, they were definitely progressing in different ways. With Tsukiyo, it had been mostly intellectual, and heā€™d found himself fielding incredibly advanced questions as she mastered the material he gave her with almost prodigal swiftness. Her intellectual appetite was as ravenous as his, and heā€™d found himself genuinely enjoying the lessons, slipping back into the role of teacher as heā€™d been confronted with his first truly-enthusiastic student in longer than he really cared to think about. The last one had beenā€¦ well, it was better not to dwell.

He turned to glance at Morgan for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. He was wearing that face, the one he got when he was finding her mind. Cass had found himself less and less the target of Morganā€™s need to stabilize his telepathic powers, which was interesting to him. Heā€™d never much minded either way about it, so it didnā€™t bother him. Actually, it was kind of amusing. He was quite certain his brother had not looked so contented when centering himself on Casparā€™s thoughts. It may have something to do with the fact that Kazehana was a natural telepath and Cass was not, but that wasnā€™t all there was to it, not by a long shot.

But he didnā€™t say anything. It wasnā€™t his place to do so, and even if it were, he probably wouldnā€™t. Morgan had to make his own choices, just like Cass did. Who knew? These Watchers might turn out to be good for all of them, somehow, Asmodeus included. It only remained to find out. Either way, they were duty-bound to protect them, to prevent their powers from being used for some wicked end.

There was a strange spike in the aura of the building, and Cass detected the use of illusion magic. Frowning, he stood, folding his arms into his sleeves and staring hard at the clinic, eyes narrowing to umber slits. He was actually wearing all-black today, a garment that in some ways resembled traditional Japanese haori and hakamaā€”it was the closest mortal-world approximation to the common attire heā€™d donned most of his life, only not in white. He looked less the angel than the girls did, certainly.

ā€œMorgan,ā€ Cass said, and the one syllable conveyed all it needed to. Something was coming, and they both needed to go deal with it.





Kazehana felt the by now familiar pressure against the mental barrier sheā€™d erected, and she couldnā€™t help the small smile that turned one corner of her mouth upwards. Lowering the barrier a bit, she let him in, establishing the link on her end and conveying the mental equivalent of a wry smile, significantly less soft than the one she was actually wearing. You know, she thought at him, Most people would just come inside and say hello. Iā€™m sure the kids would get a kick out of the eyepatch, especially today. No small amount of their long-term patients were children, and a few of them were missing body parts slightly more difficult to do without than an eye. Even so, it would be encouraging for them to meet someone who did so well even missing one.

Or theyā€™d just think he was dressed as a pirate. It was a win-win, really. Still, she didnā€™t force the point; sheā€™d learned that he didnā€™t much like crowds, and as her telepathy developed, she was beginning to understand why. Keeping the link open like this was difficult with so many minds in the area, but she dare not close it off so it was just them, because then sheā€™d be defenseless against anyone who tried to intrude, and have no warning before they did.

It was at that point that Tsukiyo showed up, and Kaz shook her head good-naturedly at her sisterā€™s reply. Tsuki sometimes got so lost in her own thoughts that she ended up literally lost, too, but at least she was back now. Kazehana was opening her mouth to ask if she maybe wanted to go take a short break outside to say hi to Morgan (and Cass, because she was pretty sure they were together), when a high-pitched mental shriek wormed its way into her brain and Kaz staggered backwards, clutching her head and slamming the walls of her mental barrier up, instinctively cutting off everything that wasnā€™t normally there, including Morgan, and, more fortunately, the noise.

Something was here. ā€œTsuki, outside. Now. Somethingā€™s here.ā€ Unspoken was the other thought: we canā€™t let it get dad and the patients. Acting quickly, Kazehana made for the door with the best mix of speed and confidence she could muster, not wanting anyone to stop her to ask if something was wrong. She mushed open the front door and emerged out into the night, the cool air hitting her face in a wash of relief. But it was not to last.

The first demon dove in from the left, a moderately-sized, green-skinned creature that looked kind of like trolls did in fairy tales. On pure instinct, Kaz caught hold of its bicep and threw it over her hip in a perfectly-executed aikido toss that ended with the creature on its back, herself standing over it. It appeared to be dazed, but she couldnā€™t count on that lasting for long, and so she stomped with as much force as she could on its throat, crushing the windpipe, and it stilled completely.

The second one was stealthier, and it wasnā€™t until the massive sword erupted from its chest that she even realized it was there. It fell with a spray of blood, revealing Cass standing behind it. ā€œPrepare yourselves,ā€ he said, the usual easy friendliness missing from his tone, replaced by a certain kind of authority that was almost compelling in its surety, ā€œThere are a lot more where that came from.ā€ Not even he and Morgan would be able to take them allā€”a dimensional rift had opened not a block from the clinic, and demons of varying levels were pouring forth from it. The Watchers would need to protect themselves as well.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"I epxected bad, but not like this." "I guess it was time I came back."



Morgan actually winced as his connection with Kaz was severed. The girl had done it with such force that it had backlashed Morgan's mind. He had to admit, it was a very impressive attack, even if it was unintentional. He'd have to remember that, and bring it up in another lesson. He stood up and jumped off of the roof with Cass, and as his brother began taking out their adversaries and Kazehana and Tsukiyo emerged, Morgan began his own work. He was chanting under his breath, and he was building a barrier. He put up a wall of telekinetic force around the clinic, not only sheilding any demon from veiw of the humans inside, but it would also prevent them from leaving for the time being. It was so none of them inside would get hurt in the coming onslaught.

Morgan wanted nothing more than to force the girls back inside, but he knew better than to force the issue. He didn't want to see either get hurt. After the barrier was erected, he got to work dispatching demons. Morgan was amazed at the sheer number of them. As fast as they could be killed, two more sprung up to take their place. A few of them were fast enough to get off a couple of shots at Morgan, who cursed under his breath. He was losing a lot of blood, and fast. While he healed faster than any normal human being, it didn't prevent him from still fainting from blood lose if enough was lost.

Morgan saw the demon move from the corner of his eye, it was a great lizard-like thing with huge claws, and it went straight for Kazehana. Morgan wasn't surprised, she had the most power between the two of them, but she was dealing with her own adversary at the moment, she wouldn't be able to block it.

Maybe he wasn't thinking, or maybe he didn't have any other choice in the confusion, but the Fallen Angel litteraly threw himself between the Demon and the Watcher, it's five-inch claws raking over his back. Morgan felt his heart stop. He had two coherent thoughts in his mind. The first was I don't think we ever told them about how we come back...

His second was, Where the hell is As when you need him?

And as if on cue, another rift opened up, and five demons poured through it, four of them smaller than the last, and they all began to attack the first gorup of demons. The largest of the five, a great flaming cat, lept towards Kaz, it's body spreading itself over the dying Fallen Angel. A familliar shock of snow-white hair came into veiw as the Demon leaned over from the back of the cat, peering down at Kazehana. "Well, well, looks like I came just in time. Why the hell did you guys start the party without me? Kaz, get Momo out of here, he's going to need some time to heal, and with this many Demons, they'll tear him to pieces before he has the chance. Your sister, Cass, and I can handle things here. Let's go, Bas!"

The great cat let out a roar as it began taking out the demons surrounding Kaz and Morgan, giving her a chance to get the Angel out of the battle. It would take Morgan anywhere from one to five minuets to fully heal, and As intended to give him that time. They would need him to close the to between the worlds. "So tell me, Cass, what did I miss while I was gone?"

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"It's moments like these were I almost wish we were normal...almost."




Unlike her sister, Tsukiyo remained calm as she stood from her spot she was previously seated. If she were to walk out as hastily as her sister, they would surely know something was wrong and would undoubtedly follow the Fuhen siblings. Tsukiyo couldn't have that, so she smiled at the patients and staff members and quietly excused herself. She made her way towards the front of the building, momentarily missing the troll-like demon that her sister dispatched followed by a more stealthy one dispatched by Caspar. Tsukiyo could feel the growing demonic presence covering the area where they currently were. This did not bode well at all. They did need to prepare for the worst, however; Tsukiyo was worried more about the patients and the clinic.

It was no secret that those demons were after her sister and herself, but that didn't mean they could risk the lives of everyone they cared for. She turned to Kazehana, paying close attention to her expression before returning her attention towards the street. She closed her mind, took a deep breath, and began searching. It was something she picked up recently through one of the books Cass had. It was still a work in progress, but she was trying to pin-point where the rift was. If they could find out how close it was, the could avoid going in that general direction. Why run towards something that they were trying to avoid? She furrowed her brows as she re-opened her eyes. She couldn't find it.

"We can't stay here either. There are too many people here, innocent people who'll be caught in the crossfire. We need to lure them away from here. Kazehana, you and I can do that easily with Caspar and Morgan. They want us, not them," Tsukiyo stated, grabbing hold of her sister's hand in the process. Before anything else could be done, Morgan made his appearance and placed some sort of barrier around the clinic. Well that just rendered the whole statement moot. Still, that would only work for so long. Before anything else could happen, Morgan was slain by a demon after her sister. Tsukiyo's eyes widened for a second before they returned to normal.

Asmodeus, the demon, apparently chose this moment to appear to them, riding along the back of a large hell-cat. He instructed Kazehana to take Morgan somewhere safe so that the angel could regenerate. As, Cass, and herself could take care of the rest of the demons while Kazehana did as she was told. Part of Tsukiyo felt like that was a bad idea. Even if they would still be close, separating wouldn't quite the best idea, however; there really wasn't any point in protesting. If they could hold off the demons, give Morgan a few minutes to rejoin the battle, then so be it. The more hands that were capable of fighting the demons off would be appreciated. Plus, despite how well their training was going, Kazehana and Tsukiyo were no where near complete mastery of their powers.

"Go on Kaz, we can handle it," she finally stated, giving her sister a reassuring grin as she stepped to stand next to Caspar and Asmodeus. She glanced over her shoulder, locking gazes with her sister. "Time to put our training to work," she added. The first demon to attack her was fairly small, nothing compared to what had just attacked Kazehana and Morgan. She dodged it easily, capturing the creature by the back of it's head and pulled herself over it. Once she made contact, she applied a bit of pressure from the back of her mind, transferring it towards the demon before watching his head split. She winced a bit. She hadn't meant to do that, just knock him out. She wasn't one for violence, even if these demons were after her sister and her own soul. Still, there was no time for remorse, especially for a demon.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œI have to sayā€¦ I never thought Iā€™d be happy to see a demon, but life is weird sometimes.ā€


Things got crazy pretty quickly, and Kazehana was putting down demons faster than she could honestly keep track of, but the fact remained that there were just so many. Thankfully, Morgan was able to shield the clinic, but strangely, she felt a second shield from somewhere reinforce his, meaning that there was no way anything was getting through it anytime soon. She glanced at Cass and Tsuki, unsure if it had been either of them, but the angel shook his head, and she took it that he understood the question he didnā€™t have time to ask. Turning her attention back to the wolfish demon in front of her, Kazehana roundhouse kicked it in the neck, dropping it flawlessly. It looked like all of their dadā€™s lessons were really useful for something other than beating the tar out of schoolyard bullies, after all, though honestly she wouldnā€™t have expected her hands and feet to work on demons.

Unfortunately, dropping that one had distracted her from another coming in at her side, a fact that she did not realize until Morgan was between it and her, taking a painful-looking blow and collapsing onto the ground. ā€œShit!ā€ she swore sharply, biting her lip and glancing around. That wound looked really bad, and she didnā€™t know how good their healing was or what it took for it to work. He couldnā€™t be dead dead, right? Like, there was no way that was permanent. It couldnā€™t be. ā€œYou idiot!ā€ she shouted at him, distractedly punching another incoming demon so hard it flew into the wall of the building opposite. If he was dead, she was going to kill him! ā€¦wait. That didnā€™t make sense, did it?

She could hardly be bothered to care, and fortunately, Asmodeus chose that moment to show up, giant flaming tiger in tow. She was temporarily entranced by the massive creatureā€”sheā€™d always liked cats. But then she remembered where she was and what was actually happening, and frowned when the plan was outlined. She didnā€™t like the idea of leaving her sister or the others, butā€¦ if Morgan needed time, then he needed time, and sheā€™d make sure he got itā€¦ somehow. ā€œRight,ā€ she said with a nod, looking between the other three. ā€œIf Tsuki has so much as a scratch on her when I get back, Iā€™m holding you two personally responsible, and you wonā€™t like that, angel and demon or no,ā€ she promised, but there wasnā€™t much actual threat in her tone. It was her way of telling them to be careful.

Of course, it was one thing to say that she was going to move him, and another to actually do it. Relatively slim or not, Morgan was taller than her, and heavier, too, and she didnā€™t want to aggravate his wounds by moving him. She had her arms wound under his before she remembered that she had telekinesis now. Not enough to lift a whole person, yet, but enough that she should be able to move him without being forced to drag his carcass along the roadway. So she concentrated, making a strangled noise of frustration when his entire body shot ten feet in the air when she applied as much force as she dared, but she managed to get it back under control before he crashed to the ground. Note to self: practice control, ask Tsuki and Cass for tips. Her sister would not have accidentally almost killed someone she was trying to help.

Through a combination of shaky telekinesis and old-fashioned muscle power, she managed to get Morgan to what seemed to be a relatively safe dead-end alley. Okay, so dead end alleys were not super smart in general, but she had a reason for it this time. It meant she only had to defend from one direction. The clinic hadnā€™t been an optionā€”too many demons had gotten between them and the entrance, assuming the barrier would even let them in. Setting him down as gently as she could muster, she pulled his hair away from the wound, knowing that if it got stuck there it would be bad news, and turned to look back down the alley. Even if the other three managed to fend off most of the attackers, it was only a matter of time before something found them. She just hoped it was later rather than sooner. ā€œIdiot,ā€ she called him again, mostly because it made her feel better about the fact that he was unconscious and had probably been in pain and it was her fault.

Kazehana had always ben the kind of person who acted as a shield to those around her, taking the worst of the blows life had to offer so that other people wouldnā€™t have to. From the time she was under ten and had to arrange her own motherā€™s funeral because her father couldnā€™t handle it, and indeed, maybe even before then, sheā€™d been doing the hard things because she knew she could take it. She wasnā€™t against accepting help from other people, exactly, but she generally preferred to be doing the helping. It made her feel useful, and being uselessā€”like she was right nowā€”was just about the worst feeling in the world.

She scowled when another demon found them. Morgan still wasnā€™t awake, which meant that there wasnā€™t a whole lot he could do, so she resolved not to be useless right now and took up a protective stance, moving forward a few steps so as not to keep him in the danger zone. This demon looked more like a massive snake than anything, long and coiling and dark. Its fangs dripped clear venom, and it slithered towards her with a deliberateness she didn't like. She could tell right away that it was stronger than the majority of the rest that had come through the tear, and that could be a problem.

She didnā€™t have much time to think about it, however, as it struck soon after. Kaz dodged to the side, but she couldnā€™t move too much, else it would have a clear shot at Morgan, and she wasnā€™t going to allow that, not by a long shot. Its fangs sank into concrete, breaking the surface of the ground rather than themselves, and that was a bit discouraging, wasnā€™t it? Nevertheless, she darted in while it tried to wrench itself free, aiming a punch for its throat, which she had to jump to reach. The attack landed, and the creature recoiled, but she was not prepared for the quickness with which it recovered, and the second viper-like bite sank into the space between her shoulder and neck, punching deep into the muscle there. She could feel the venom entering her system, weakening her and making her muscles sluggish to respond.

Feeling herself go numb, Kazehana panicked. She couldnā€™t lose consciousness, not while she was still protecting her friend. With the sheer force of her will, Kaz lashed out with her mind, seeking instinctively anything and everything that could be a target. The snakeā€™s head exploded with the force of it, as did the craniums of a number of demons as far away as where her sister and the others were fighting. Her legs lost all feeling, and her vision flickered in and out as she collapsed to the ground, spent from the effort of exercising her power in such a way and so soon after being hit with toxin. She managed one last thought before she slipped into unconsciousness, but she wasn't aware of it herself, or if it ever reached its target.

Morganā€¦ wake upā€¦




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ā€œAs, you bastard! Itā€™s good to see you!ā€


He wasnā€™t aware that Morgan had been teaching Kazehana to channel her power through her limbs to make ordinary martial arts effective on demons. He certainly hadnā€™t taught Tsuki to do it, because it was a very high-level technique that usually took years to master effectively. That suggested that someone else had been teaching them how to do it, but both girls professed to knowing what little they did know via self-exploration. Something was very strange here. Nevertheless, it was serving them very well at the moment, and he filed the question away for later.

ā€œWell,ā€ he told Asmodeus, swinging his sword almost casually to behead a line of minor demons trying to make for the retreating Kazehana and Morgan, ā€œour Watcher friends agreed to a few lessons. This was not originally on the syllabus, but you know what they say: a good teacher can make anything a learning experience.ā€ He smiled, but his jocular demeanor did not quite make it to his eyes, which were hard and flinty. A fresh wave of demons were coming, and if they all arrived at once, even the three of them would have problems.

It was perhaps time to go a little bigger, then. Using his sword as a focus, Caspar conjured a massive gout of divine fire, stepping forward and sweeping his blade out into a broad arc, the enormous fan of flames consuming a good three dozen demons until they were nothing but ash, which blew away on the wind. There were still more even than that, however, and theyā€™d need to keep on their toes if they were going to survive. He knew better than just about anyone that on the field of battle, one slip of attention could mean the end for you, no matter how good you were.

He was surprised, some minutes later, to feel a flare in Kazehanaā€™s aura, followed by several demon heads exploding in their proximity, including the one he was currently engaged with, spattering his face and clothing with blood. ā€œThat canā€™t be good,ā€ he observed, feeling her power resultantly flicker uncomfortably, then wink out entirely. She was probably unconsciousā€”he only hoped she was not dead. They must have run into troubleā€¦

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair

Earnings

0.00 INK

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"So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Revelations 17:3."



Morganā€¦ wake upā€¦


It was the first thing that Morgan registered. His back had healed, though the pain had hardly subsided. His eyelids flickered. After a few seconds, he pushed himself into a sitting position. The next thing he realized was that Asmodeus was back. The thought almost brought a smile to his lips, until he registered something else. Kazehana's mind had gone blank. He whipped his head around, his eye widening as he found her lying not far away from him, the headless body of a demon beside her.

"Kaz!" He bolted to her side, assessing her with his mind, he probed, he felt, and he was not happy with what he found. There was a large bite wound in her neck, and a large amount of venom had been pumped into her. Morgan cursed, and immediately set to work. It wasn't hard to extract the poison. No, the hard part was fending of the anger that he felt at the demons, not for attacking, but for hurting her. And he was angry at himself for not being able to protect her.

Once he knew that she was at least in no danger from the venom, he turned his attention to the alleyway as a horde of demons came pouring in. He shouldn't have done it, but Morgan was too angry, and too exhausted to have much other choice. Without actually thinning, he changed. He only hoped that Kazehana didn't wake up to see him like this. Most Fallen Angels would either wholeheartedly accept demonic influences and become a demon, or they would fight it with every fiber of their being. Morgan had always fought, up until this point. Now, he embraced it.

He took out the seven demons in a single swipe, and he let loose a massive amount of energy in the process. Caspar and Asmodeus would know it immediately. It wasnā€™t normal for Morgan to be this angry. His red eyes scanned the alleyway, finally resting on the unconscious Watcher before him. There was a glimmer of hurt in his eyes as he picked her up. The hole in his chest opened, and it swallowed her. She would at least be safe there, and he could fight without having to worry about leaving her behind.

Asmodeus turned toward where Kazehana and Morgan had gone, swearing loudly. If Morgan had brought out his own inner demon, then things could get bad very fast. While Morgan had some control, he couldnā€™t fight his rage forever. And once he could no longer fight it, he would go on a rampage, and likely destroy half of the city. They didnā€™t have time to deal with this, and As wasnā€™t in the mood, either. He continued to take out demons, trying to stem the flow from the portal, but it wasnā€™t doing much good.

The white haired demon cursed again when Morgan leapt over him, the large white demon seemingly headed for the portal. As watched him warily, even moreso when he realized that the faint arua that Kazehana was still giving off came from inside him. That was odd. Still, he didnā€™t interfere right away, but instead watched as Morgan let out a long, shrill cry. Most of the lesser demons shrank, most of them fleeing, and Morgan grabbed both sides of the portal. Through sheer effort alone, he somehow rent it, sealing the Veil once again. Asmodeus walked up to him, simultaneously destroying some of the fleeing demons with shadows while watching Morgan, who produced Kazehana from the empty space in his chest, and then watched with slight amusement as Morgan reverted back to his normal form.

ā€You know you really can be an idiot sometimes, Kid. You do that a few more times, and one day you wonā€™t be able to change back, mark my words.ā€ Morgan didnā€™t respond, he merely stared grimly at Kazehana. Come on, Kaz, wake up. I know youā€™re in there.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK




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"If my sister is hurt..."




Tsukiyo had just twisted the neck of a demon, by accident once again, when the surrounding demons began exploding. Or, well their heads were at least. Tsukiyo blinked in confusion, blood staining the once white gown she adorned. That's when she felt it, a flare of something, and her head snapped in the direction in which it came. She ignored the white haired demon and the fallen angel as she took a step in the direction, only to stop when a demon stepped in her way. She dealt with it quickly, no longer sparing their lives. She might not have had Kazehana's spirit, but this was her sister, and Tsukiyo was terrified at the moment.

"Where is Kazehana!? What have you done to my sister!?" she nearly cried as she grabbed hold of one of the smaller demons. She didn't allow the demon much time to respond, if it could even respond before it shriveled to dust. Kazehana was in trouble, she needed to help her sister. But how could she if she didn't know where she was? Asmodeus took off in a direction that Tsukiyo was half-tempted to go after when she stopped. She glanced over towards Caspar when he spoke. It wasn't good, of course it wasn't good.

"Caspar," she spoke out before chasing after Asmodeus. She didn't like the feeling of the flare of power that surged through earlier, and then how suddenly it died out. She didn't know what that meant, at least not at the moment. Kazehana had to be alright though. She was Kazehana, the one who always pulled through no matter what. Even when their mother passed, and their father slipped, Kazehana had always been the strong one.

Please...please be alright Kaz, she thought as she fell behind Asmodeus. It wasn't long before Tsukiyo found Asmodeus and Morgan. There, between the two, lay Kazehana though. Tsukiyo's eyes widened a bit as she stumbled towards her sister. "Kaz," she whispered as she slid next to her sister. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed very shallow. At least she was still breathing. Immediately, Tsukiyo placed her index finger on Kazehana's forehead and her thumb on the side of her temple. She closed her eyes in the process as she felt around Kazehana's mind.

This was something she picked up in one of the books Caspar had lent her. It was something she was practicing on her own. If she could apply just enough force, she could reach out to Kazehana's subconscious and check upon her health and where she lay. The puncture marks in her neck were a give that she had been bitten, and judging by her appearance, had been poisoned as well. Once Tsukiyo was finished, she smiled softly, a sigh of relief exiting her. Kazehana would be fine, but just how fine that would be, would be up to Kazehana herself. She had suffered a great deal of poison, and although Morgan was successful at taking it out, she was still suffering from it's side-affects.

You can pull through this Kaz, I know you can,

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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ā€œOh boyā€¦ not this againā€¦ā€


Cass was perhaps less surprised than he should have been when Morgan went leaping by overhead, occupying the form of the demon he would become if he ever succumbed fully to the temptation of its power. Heā€™d done this a couple of times before, but never when he was anything less than perfectly desperate to survive, as far as Caspar knew. Which meant that either heā€™d been about to die back thereā€¦ or he was pissed off enough at Kazehanaā€™s condition that heā€™d changed for a different reason this time. Neither one boded very well.

Tsukiyoā€™s voice drew him from his thoughts, and he nodded, though he wasnā€™t sure what exactly he was agreeing with. Regardless, he followed her as she waded her way through the rest of the demons to get to her sister, and he busied himself taking care of the rest of them as Morgan changed back, and the three of them gathered around the prone form of the older Watcher sister.

Come on Kaz, he added mentally to the others, Youā€™re strong enough to beat something like this. But he knew well that near-death could do strange things to the mind, and everything would depend on whether, in the end, she wanted to beat it. The human psyche was more fragile than most, and there were precious few that could resist death when it came calling for them, not when it promised something so much easier and kinder than the world that they occupied while living.

The last demon fell, and Cass shook the blood off his sword with a single long stroke, noting with surprise when someone emerged from the clinic, eyes worried, and cast downwards at the two girls. Grimly, the man Caspar had known, long ago, as Uriel knelt beside Tsukiyo and placed his hands over hers, adding his power to what she was giving. He was as mighty as Cass remembered, and the resulting flare in the brightness of the auras over the area was immense. So this was where Uriel had goneā€”nobody had seen him for centuries after his falling. He doubted As or Morgan would even recognize him, but Cass and he had been close comrades back when they were both above, and heā€™d know him anywhere. Now that they were right next to each other, he could see aspects of the man in Tsukiyoā€™s profile as well.

Oh, noā€¦ That explained why the girls were so powerfulā€”they were directly angel-descended, true nephilim. This is going to complicate things. As though they werenā€™t complex enough already.




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ā€œYea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.ā€

-Psalms 23:4


Kazehana thought that unconsciousness was a lot darker than she remembered. Though, honestly, even that thought seemed a little weird. Wasnā€™t unconsciousness just supposed to be nothing? That was the point, right? That you were not conscious?

Maybe she was dying. That might explain why she was on some level aware of certain things. She could feel panic, but it wasnā€™t her own. In fact, she doubted very much that she could be panicked about anything right now. It was a little strange, but she felt so detached from everything, like it was all too far away for her to bother with now. She floated free and away from all of it, ensconced somewhere warm and safe, even though she knew she had to leave it soon. Sheā€™d been bitten, poisoned, and some of that was already working its way through her system.

She became aware that she was laying down, nothing but blackness surrounding her, and that bothered her a little. Sheā€™d never been one to take anything laying down, now had she? If this strange emptiness, this void of feeling, was death, then she was going to face it on her feet and proud. That at least was something she could do. No matter what, she had her pride. Her family had given her that. Gathering her legs underneath her, Kazehana stood shakily, still unable to see the nose on her face, but that was all right. She could feel her body now, and that was enough to do whatever it was that she needed to do. Sheā€™d been trying to do something before she came here, but what was it? There had been a feeling of fear, and then one of resolve, like how she felt when sheā€™d stood up to people bigger and stronger than her as a child. It was what happened when she tried to protect Tsuki.

Had that been what she was doing? Protecting Tsuki? It didnā€™t seem quite right to think so, but maybe it was close. Something important, then. She reached up to her shoulder, feeling some phantom pain there, though she didnā€™t know why. But from touch, the skin was smooth and unblemished as it had always been. Confused, she furrowed her brows, but the train of thought was ended by what seemed to be the sudden appearance of a light, a little ways in the distance. Somewhat curious, but still detached from her stronger emotions, Kazehana walked towards it, unsure how to measure distance but at least knowing what forward felt like. It was the only direction sheā€™d allowed herself to go, for so long.

As she waked towards it, she heard something whispering to her, and the voice sounded so much like her motherā€™s that it hurt. Not yet, my darling. There is much for you to do yet, it told her, and the light shifted, resolving into the form of Chiyo Fuhen right before her eyes. They stood within armsā€™ reach of one another, but Kazehana dare not reach out and touch this phantom being, for fear it would disappear. Kazehana, it whispered in her mind, and the touch of its thoughts over hers was so tender and gentle it almost broke her.

Mom, she replied, tears springing unbidden to her eyes. If this was death, maybe it wasnā€™t as bad as sheā€™d been led to think.

When that day comes, I will be happier than you can imagine, her motherā€™s thoughts replied, but today is not that day. Listen. Can you hear them calling out to you? They need you, my darling, and you must return to them. Kaz didnā€™t hear anything, but the spectral form of her mother nodded encouragingly, and she tried again, this time listening with her mind rather than her ears, and she could. There they were, the minds and mental voices ofā€”who? People she knew, people she cared about. Tsuki was there. Her beloved sister. Andā€¦ who else? She could feel the voices of friends, strange friends, but ones that had offered her so much. She could hear him, and that seemed important in a way she couldnā€™t quite explain.

She looked once more at the figure of her mother, who smiled at her with just a touch of sadness, and then she steeled her resolve and followed the voices.





Kazehana sat up with a gasp, her hand flying to her heart, which had, with great effort, restarted itself. It beat a frantic tattoo against her fingers, and she pulled in several deep breaths, blinking against the sudden brightness of the moon and the stars. She saw the faces she knew would be there, and though she didnā€™t quite manage to smile, the relief in her eyes was obvious.

ā€œI think,ā€ said a new voice, uncharacteristically serious, ā€œThat the six of us need to have a chat.ā€ Kazehana was more than a little confused, and she could see it echoed on the faces of more than one of the others, but her fatherā€™s face was set into a grim expression, and with a wave of his hand, the barrier around the clinic dispelled.

ā€œDadā€¦?ā€ Kaz started, but he shook his head.

ā€œNot out here,ā€ he replied, turning his eyes to the three men in the vicinity. He seemed perfectly able to see them. ā€œItā€™s been a long time, Michael. Please, all of you come with me. Thereā€™s some explaining to be done on all sides here, I think.ā€ Kaz was about to ask who the hell ā€˜Michaelā€™ was supposed to be, but she saw Cass incline his head ever so slightly, as if to acknowledge the name. He looked a bit surprised, but probably not as much as he should have been. Still, it sounded like the explanations would be happening inside.

ā€œUhā€¦ā€ she started, not really sure how to say this, ā€œThatā€™s great and all, butā€¦ I canā€™t exactly use my legs right now. A little help?ā€ If someone could just pull her to her feet, she would probably be fineā€¦

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"You have got to be kidding me."
"Come on, now, Uriel. You know I can't enter that. Or you should know, at least."



Morgan was too busy focusing on Kazehana and making sure she was alright to fully register the fact that there was a third Angel among them. It wasn't until Kazehana said the word "dad" that he actually looked up. And lo and behold, there was an angel in front of him, addressing Cass, by is true name. Morgan let out a sigh. This was going to be a very long night. As Ka said somthing about not being able to stand, Morgan silently hooked his left hand under her right arm, helping her up firmly. He held onto her as she stood, seeing as she was very unsteady due to the after affects of the poison. He didn't say anything to her, but when their eyes met breifly, but the green-eyed angel could not hold her gaze.

He was too ashamed that he had let his anger get a hold of him to meet her face to face, whether she knew what he'd done or not, whether he'd hurt anyone or not. It wasn't something he enjoied doing, and it wasn't something he was proud of. Morgan helped the elder Fuhen inside, setting her in a chair in Uriel's office. Cass and Tsukiyo had joined them, but it seemed that As had not entered the building.

Asmodeus stood at the door, heaving an exasperated sigh, and turned towards the new Angel. "You of all people should know that someone like me cannot enter a building such as that. Hospitals and Clinics are considerd graced and Holy Ground. I embraced my inner demon long ago. I'm not Asillian anymore, and I haven't been for a long time. Whatever you relay to Michael and Morrigane, they will relay it to me. I've got my own digging to do." He turned and began walking, a dementional rift opening up in front of him. He raised his hand in a way of goodbye. "See you around, Uriel." He walked through the portal, and it closed behind him.







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"So...they've finally begun to realize what they are. I suppose it is time to begin."



Vivian lounged on her sofa, languid, relaxed. She was only half listening as the snake-like creature relayed the battle that had taken place outside a small clinic, the one that had involved three Angels, two Watchers, and a Demon. It was interesting information, especially to hear that a Demon was fighting against his own kind. A small smile played on her lips. Her minions had done well to seek out the girls in such numbers. A bit showy, perhaps, but still, effective.

And then there was the bit about the one Angel that had breifly become a Demon. Perhaps he was the one she needed. But of course, the other Demon could be used as well. Vivian wasn't piky, she would use whatever was available, so long as she could complete her work. She waved her hand, dismissing the creature, who slithered away.

She stood up, walking over to her window, and looked out at the dark skyline of an illuminated New York City. Things were about to get very interesting.

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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"Dad? An...angel? Huh, well that explains a lot..."




Tsukiyo smiled when she had opened her eyes to spot her father, his hand over hers briefly. A look of confusion, however, made it's way across her features when she had felt a power surging with her own. Did her father do that? She was about to ask when he spoke, addressing a Michael and the rest of them. Who was Michael? That, was answered swiftly, figuratively speaking, when Caspar nodded his head in agreement. What did they need to discuss? Wait, Uriel? This caused Tsukiyo to snap her attention towards her father and titled her head slightly. She glanced over her father's features when he was addressed as such.

"Dad?" she found herself stating at the same time Kazehana spoke. They were both silenced by the shake of his head. She bit her tongue and nodded her head, turning back to face Kazehana. She smiled at her sister, glad to see she was still feeling well enough to complain about not being able to stand. She would have offered to help her sister up, however; Morgan beat her to the punch and was already hoisting Kazehana up. She shrugged her shoulders as she forced herself to stand. She staggered to her feet, catching her balance just before she tipped over from the exhaustion that was plaguing her limbs.

She nodded her head in satisfaction once she caught her balance and followed after her father, trailing behind slowly. Caspar, or was it Michael now, had addressed her father as Uriel. If memory serves her, Uriel had been a rather powerful Archangel of his time, next only to Michael and Gabriel. Could it be that her father was in fact the one and only Archangel, Uriel? If that were the case, then that means that he too was a fallen angel. Why hadn't Kazehana and herself picked up on that? Was it because he was their father? So many questions floated around her head that she was giving herself a migraine. For now, she'll push them to the back of her mind.

But that still didn't stop the curiosity from swimming around. If her father was truly Uriel, then that would make Kazehana and herself the offspring of a fallen angel, or rather, nephilim's, a half-breed. That would explain a lot of things, perhaps the reason why they were so in tuned with their powers from the start. Had their father been training them from the beginning? This only caused Tsukiyo to furrow her brows further. Taking a deep sigh, she rubbed the side of her temples to calm the overwhelming questions and possibilities that were now plaguing her mind. So much had just happened, and now a revelation had occurred.

This day was just getting better and better wasn't it? Her sister nearly died, she killed a few demons without meaning to (even if they deserved it in the end), and now her father is Uriel, the Archangel. He was right about one thing, there were somethings that needed to be discussed. She, however curious she was, would remain silent and take in everything her father had to say. Coming into her power was one thing, but coming into her heritage would be a completely different story. Usually, this would have caused Tsukiyo to be happy, knowing she herself was not merely human, however; that excitement would be for another day. Now was not the time.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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ā€œIā€™d hoped to tell you some other wayā€¦ but weā€™re all out of time.ā€


Kazehaya merely raised an eyebrow at Asmodeus, shrugging. ā€œIf that were enough to keep a demon out on Halloween, then Morrigane and I wouldnā€™t have had to reinforce the barriers. But do what you have to doā€”Iā€™m not going to stop you.ā€ Seeing the way that this demon and these fallen comrades of his had protected his daughters was enough to reassure him that this was the right thing to do, and the right time to do it. Some stories could be told only once, after all.

When Asmodeus disappeared into the portal, he turned and followed the rest inside, to his office. The party still went on in the main room, the oblivious guests not really noticing the weirdly-dressed strangers passing through the hall. Today of all days, it would not garner them a second glance. Thankfully, the office was large, with enough seating for everyone, and he watched without comment as Morrigane helped his eldest daughter into a chair. She nodded gratefully, but everyone seemed reluctant to break the moratorium on silence, so Kazehaya figured that fell to him, as the instigator of this discussion.

ā€œSo what do you two go by, these days? As you must have guessed, Iā€™m Kazehaya Fuhen now, not Uriel.ā€ Michael probably could have gotten away with keeping his name, but on average, the angels could not. And he could see why even the flame-haired man would want to distance himself from what heā€™d once been called. They might as well get used to calling each other by the names theyā€™d chosen for themselves.

ā€œCaspar Falls,ā€ Michael replied simply, settling himself into one of the comfortable office chairs, arms spread over the rests. He was still a bit bloody, but the black fabric of his clothing hid that better than the white his daughters were wearing did. Kazehaya half-smiled at the name, as the pun in it was obvious, but would completely escape someone unaware of his situation. ā€œAnd thatā€™s Morgan Alistair. Or, if you prefer, Cass and Momo.ā€ He shrugged slightly, but didnā€™t spare the questions afterwards.

ā€œBoth of your daughters are trueborn nephilim?ā€ It was obvious why the question was so urgentā€”the spirits of nephilim were strong, and frequently sought after by demons. Without their fatherā€™s protection, they would both have doubtlessly been long-dead by now. He might have neglected to tell them of their heritage, but he did not leave them helpless against the trials they would face for it.

Kazehaya sighed, leaning back in his chair and running a hand through his close-cropped dark hair. It was easy to tell heā€™d once been a soldier, too, if one knew how to lookā€”he was almost as muscular as Cass was. ā€œYes and no,ā€ he replied, and when Caspar lifted an eyebrow, he took it as an invitation to continue. ā€œTsukiyo is a nephilim in the usual senseā€”the offspring of a fallen angel and a human being. Butā€¦ Kazehana was conceived before I fell.ā€ He looked over at his daughters with some consternation. ā€œChiyoā€¦ their motherā€¦ she was from a Watcher family herself, descended from Gabriel, but their powers had been inert for so long. I was surprised when she could see me, but not as much as she was, I think.ā€ He smiled fondly at what must have been a memory, but it faded into melancholy shortly thereafter.

ā€œIā€¦hadnā€™t thought things would happen so quickly. After Chiyo died, I couldnā€™tā€¦ it was hard to think about any of it. I was not myself, and my children had to grow up too fast because I was a poor father without her.ā€ The words were tinged with regret, and Kazehana shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't known how conscious her father as or was not of all of that. To hear that heā€™d known, or at least knew nowā€¦ it was a bit strange, to say the least.

ā€œTheyā€™ve always had ambient power, so I trained them without their knowing, to infuse their spiritual power into strikes, just so that if something ever happened and I wasnā€™t thereā€¦ theyā€™d be able to survive. But Tsukiyo awakened to her power earlier than I thought she would, and when I felt Kazehana starting to do so as wellā€¦ I knew it was only a matter of time before something like this took place.ā€ Frankly, heā€™d been hoping it would be later rather than sooner.

ā€œWhich doesnā€™t quite explain what you two are doing here. Care to tell me how you encountered my daughters?ā€ Heā€™d fallen after both of them, long afterwards, and had only been on this plane for a pair of decades, really. Nothing he had seen of their activities on earth before he fell himself led him to believe that they would be here, now, but he was interested as to what their goals actually were. And how they coincided with his family.

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"It makes a lot of sense, when you think about it."



Morgan sighed, drawing a hand down across his face. He wasn't sure what to make of it. "So Tsukiyo is a Nephilim, and Kazehana is one of the Annunaki, the Sacred Ones. You yourself, along with Michael, Gabriel, and Raphiel were the Seraphim. Those among us that were the highest of the high. That explains why Kazehana's power is so much stronger than her sisters." He was trying to think how best to answer his question.

"We were traveling quite a bit, ever since we fell. But the concenration of Demon activity here in New York had begun to spike, so Cass and I came here. That was about twenty five years ago. I'm guessing that was probably the first time you met their mother, and awakened her powers. A Watcher with such a strong bloodline to Gabriel would easily attract attention, but I never thought it would lead to all this."

He realized he still had yet to answer the Angel's original question. "We were out...hunting, as it were, when Uthreil attacked them. That was six days ago. Surely you've noticed the increase in their powers since then? Cass and I have been training them. Had we known that you were the girls' father, we would have come to you first." The one-eyed angel scratched at his eye patch. Frankly, he didn't think that Uriel had handled the raising of his daughters very well, but then, Morgan clearly hadn't handled his entire life very well, so he wasn't one to talk.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Yep, definitely explains a lot..."




Tsukiyo listened quietly to everything that was stated. It was weird hearing her father speak as such, and the information he had, why hadn't he told them sooner? If they were already stepping into their shoes, so to speak, shouldn't he have at least revealed what they were, as watchers? He knew of her love for the strange and things like that, so why keep it a secret? They could have learned along time ago how to control their powers. Kazehana wouldn't have been poisoned if he had done so. Then, a rather sore subject was touched; their mother. At that, Tsukiyo lowered her gaze, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse.

She knew her father was mourning their mother's loss, and had been less than parent figure most of their life. But that was okay, she had Kazehana to lean onto. They had each other to lean on. They provided the pillars of stability for each other when they were growing up, and it was something Tsukiyo would never blame her father for. He lost the love of his life, and that was something Tsukiyo would not want to ever feel. It was perhaps one of the reasons why she never sought out something like that before, instead, centering her world around her books and research.

Growing up with only her older sister as the only true parental figure in the home, Tsukiyo couldn't help but sink a bit further into her chair. She could never blame her father for that though. He loved both of them dearly and that was all she had really needed. Although it was a few years until he recovered, he became the same as he once was. Tsukiyo had been slightly grateful for that. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, now was not the time to be reminiscing.

She continued to listen to the explanation in silence, taking in the information as it seeped through her. So, this whole time they were training, their father had actually been teaching them something other than just basic defense against people. At that, Tsukiyo cracked another small smile. It seemed that watchers ran in the family, with their mother having been one herself and their father being Uriel, a fallen angel himself. Which rose the question, Kazehana had been born to him before his falling, what did that truly make her?

Nephilim, from her understanding, were the offspring of fallen angels. But the offspring of an angel yet to fall, there was nothing she had read about of such a thing. As such, she turned towards her sister and rose a brow. The silent question was quickly answered when Morgan began speaking. So Kazehana was an Annunaki. Interesting as it may be, it could be the reason why Kazehana had always been much stronger than Tsukiyo. It wasn't something Tsukiyo concerned herself with, and had at often times wished that her sister would embrace that aspect of her life. Maybe then it would have been easier to control.

"Kaz and I were heading to that diner when we were attacked by a demon. Caspar, Morgan, and Asmodeus managed to...save us?" she ended as a question. They weren't necessarily in danger as Kazehana and herself would have eventually been able to handle it, but that was probably the naive part of her talking then. More than likely, against a demon of that stature, without the weeks worth of training they have now, would have died. She glanced at her father, waiting for his reaction as Morgan stated the same thing practically, even though he had asked the angels themselves, not his daughters. At that, she just slipped further into her chair.

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œThis is all a lot to take inā€¦ and here I thought I knew the worst of it.ā€


Kazehana was reacting remarkably little to all that was being said. Honestly, at this point it was hard to believe that they were really talking about her and the people she knew. Her family was weird, sure, with their strange closeness and the dad that acted more like an older brother and a daughter that functioned more like a mother and the whole ghosts thing, but even despite that, she never would have guessed it was all like this.. Somehow, she understood why her dad kept this part from them for so long. Sheā€™d been nervous before, but determined.

Now, she was terrified, and she didnā€™t usually feel fear, even when she should.

For a while, as she processed the words, she stared hard at the ground, not really trusting herself to speak. But then she noticed how Tsuki kept sinking lower and lower into her seat, and her instincts kicked in. Even as Caspar shot her a slightly-worried glance, she reached over and took her sisterā€™s hand in her own gentle grip, taking and giving support in equal measure. Theyā€™d always been like this: when times got tough, they knew how to rely on each other. She realized with a strange feeling that their father had taught them that, too, in a way. He had shown them his vulnerability, and in doing so, convinced them that it was okay to show theirs as well. While Kaz still didnā€™t do so with anyone outside her family, she knew enough to rely in Tsuki, and be relied upon in turn. Some of her fear melted away, but the large part of it remained.

ā€œIā€™m glad you didnā€™t ask me, honestly,ā€ Kazehaya replied to Morgan. ā€œI probably would have tried to stop it, because this was never what Chiyo and I intended for our daughters. The chances for happiness down this road are few, you know that as well as I. Iā€™ve never wanted anything other than their happiness.ā€ He lowered his head into his hand, scrubbing up and down his face in a gesture equal parts frustration with himself and sadness for the situation.

Kazehana frowned. This was wrong, incredibly wrong, and she had to say something. ā€œAnd just when have we ever been anything but?ā€ she stated flatly, narrowing her eyes. ā€œWhen mom died, we were sad, sure. But anyone would be. And youā€™ve never let us forget that we have you, even when you werenā€™t strong enough to look out for yourself. Weā€™ve dealt with a lot of shit in our lives, Dad, but sometimes, thatā€™s just how it is. I never liked the ghosts or the weird powers or anything like that, and Iā€™ll tell you that I got sick of laundry and cleaning really fast, but that never made me unhappy. You should know better than thatā€”youā€™re the one that taught me that all I need in the world is the people I love and a dream, you big idiot.ā€

Her face was turning a bit red as she continued, because she was more than a little embarrassed to be saying such sentimental, personal stuff, especially in front of the other two angels, but it needed to be said, and Kazehana wasnā€™t one to pull punches. ā€œSo maybe this whole demons and Watchers and nephilim or Annu-whatsit whatevers thing isnā€™t the easiest issue to deal with, but in case you havenā€™t noticed, Tsuki, me, and these two nutjobs plus the crazy demon prince just defended the clinic from an attack and closed a dimensional rift into Hell, so I think it could be gong a lot worse! You raised me just fine, and my happiness isnā€™t so fragile that this is going to destroy it! So quit being a wimp and justā€¦ just tell me what I need to do!ā€

There was silence as her last sentence echoed a bit too loudly in the small room, and she realized that at some point during her rant, sheā€™d stood up, still holding Tsukiā€™s hand maybe a bit too tightly. She eased the pressure with a flash of apology in her eyes, but then her legs gave out again, and she fell back into her chair with a whumph of displaced air. Her expression was one of distressā€”she was sailing in unfamiliar water, and she really just wanted her dad to have all the answers. It was a bit childish, maybe, but there it was.

She noticed from the corner of her eye that Caspar was actually half-smiling, and this only magnified her embarrassment. Her father, though, looked equal parts lighter and graver, as though a weight had lifted, only to be replaced with a new one. ā€œThatā€™s my girls,ā€ he said, glancing back and forth between Kaz and the quieter, but no less intense Tsukiyo. ā€œI bet my old colleagues here had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they met you,ā€ he said, with just a touch of humor. Somewhere to her left, she heard the faint exhale of Cass snorting, a sound primarily of agreement. But then Kazehayaā€™s face darkened, and he frowned a bit, though not at any of them.

ā€œI canā€™t just tell you what to do here, Kaz. Thatā€™s something you and Tsuki are going to have to decide for yourselves. Butā€¦ whatever you decide, Iā€™ll help. If you want to continue your training and your friends here want to help, I will, too. If you want to stay away from all of itā€¦ I have ways of accomplishing that, as well. Either way, you, gentlemen, are going to be interested in some information I have.ā€

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"Well. That escalated quickly."



Morgan raised an eyebrow as Kazehaya explained the situation, and then both eyebrows raised as Kazehana went on a bit of a tangent, very much putting her father in his place, at it were. He moved ever so slightly as she fell back into her chair, his hand resting on her shoulder. He wasn't even sure why he did it. But he kept silent through all the explinations. He could understand where both parties were coming from. And it was a lot of information for the girls to take in.

There wasa sharp pain in Morgan's head, and he made a sharp intake of breath, and then his green eye turned red. "Sorry, Momo, I need in for a bit. That information you're talking about wouldn't have anng to do with some crazy-powerful Watcher that everyone down here is talking about, is it?" Morgan blinked, and was very close to swearing when Asmodeus walked into the office. Morgan stretched out his neck, glaring at the demon. "You know I really hate it when you do that. You could at least ask first."

Asmodeus shrugged and grinned. "Aww don't get your hair curled." The Demon looked overt Uriel, or Kazehaya, or whateve his name was. "There's a lot of talk running around in the Circles. Seems there's another Watcher a foot, and not the good kind, either. It seems she's become one of the Sheireen." He looked rather bored as he spoke. "Oh, and I completely lied about not being able to come in earlier, obviously. The only Holy Ground I can't step upon is a church, or Israel."

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Another watcher? A sheireen?."




Tsukiyo smiled softly when Kazehana took her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. She always felt reassured and calmer when her sister did that. It provided a sense of warmth that she needed at the moment. She couldn't explain it really, and so she allowed her sister the same comfort she was feeling. She watched as Kazehana began talking, furious at what their father had stated about their happiness. She smiled softly, of course they had been happy. Granted their life wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but they made do with what they had and what they were given.

She was brought out of her thoughts suddenly when Kazehana jerked suddenly and stood. She declared to their father of what it was she needed to do, squeezing Tsukiyo's hand tighter and caused her to wince a bit at the pressure. She gave Kazehana a reassuring smile that it was nothing when her sister flashed her an apologetic look. She then fell back into her chair with a soft thump, and Tsukiyo leaned closer to her sister, setting her head down on her shoulder and tried to scoot as close as she could to her. This was alot of information to take in, and it was something Tsukiyo would have to sort through later, but for now, this needed to be heard.

"A Sheireen?" Tsukiyo questioned when Asmodeus reappeared. "A rogue watcher. There isn't a lot of information on them seeing as they aren't exactly plentiful, but they are, in their own right, extremely powerful. If this Sheireen is truly here, then Kaz," she stated, a look of determination floating through her carmine eyes. "We have to be careful," she concluded. Sheireen's were, from what was known about them, extremely powerful watchers. Their abilities weren't exactly known but it was hinted that they could command lesser demons if they had a strong enough will. There was no telling what else they could do.

She glanced towards Caspar and Morgan, followed by her father and Asmodeus. Hesitantly, she leaned further into Kazehana before speaking. "I...I know this isn't what you and mom would have wanted, but," she paused, glancing at her father once more. "But if we choose to do this, please, help us," she stated in a voice above a whisper. She wasn't exactly sure what her father could help her with, or either of them really, but it didn't change the fact that the girls would still need their father. If she continued her training with Caspar, and Kazehana with Morgan, and possibly the both with Asmodeus, she was certain that the two of them could do anything.

"I may not know much on Sheireen's, but I do know that if they are not dealt with, there are consequences that would haunt us all, even you Kaz," she continued, looking at her sister in the process. She knew Kazehana wouldn't truly want anything with this life, but sometimes, ignoring it would only make it worse. With a Sheireen out and about, ignoring it now would only result in the deaths of countless people. Tsukiyo wouldn't want that on her conscious. And she was sure that Kazehana wouldn't want that either.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œIā€™ve never been the kind of person who can see a problem and not do anything about it.ā€


Kazehana leaned slightly into the hand on her shoulder, before realizing it was Morganā€™s and not Tsukiā€™s, which was unexpected, butā€¦ she didnā€™t make any effort to move away again. It was fineā€”right? They were certainly friends, even if theyā€™d only known each other a week and she didnā€™t know half the things about him that she wanted to. These were the times when patience was good, and she wished she had a bit more of it. But for now, it was a gesture of comfort and solidarity, and she appreciated it.

She sensed a shift, though, and that had her turning to look at him, blinking in surprise when Asmodeus spoke through him before appearing properly. Couldnā€™t he have just waited a few more seconds to arrive properly before interjecting? Well, whatever, it wasnā€™t her business, really. She was aware of a pressure from the other side as Tsuki leaned into her, and Kaz nonchalantly propped her chin on the top of her sisterā€™s head, rubbing gentle circles upon her back, a gesture sheā€™d been using to make her only sibling feel better since both of them were children.

The news about Sheireen and so on didnā€™t make a whole lot of sense to her, but her dad and Tsuki both seemed to understand what was involved, so she listened and figured out what was going on based on context, mostly. Caspar was contemplatively silent, but her father addressed Asmodeus. ā€œThatā€™s the long and short of it, yes. I have a few more details, including what I think might be the right name, but I expect from here on out you might be in a better position to gather the information than I am.ā€

Tsukiā€™s last statement drove something home for Kazehana in a way that nothing else had really been able to so far: there was a chance here for them to make a real difference, do real good for the world, and not just for each other. There was still some part of her that was reluctant, and it showed in the tentative nature of her gaze, downcast and thoughtful for several moments. Her father had laid the choice before her, and Tsuki seemed almost to be waiting for her to make it as well. She didnā€™t know what the others thought, but she could guess what their opinion must be.

They probably thought her childish for wanting to hold on to the life sheā€™d had before all this. For ignoring the obvious for so long. Butā€¦ she raked a hand through her hair, surprised when she dislodged one of the lilies that had been fitted into it. Shed forgotten that it was Halloween and she was still in costume. How many other silly little bits of life would she lose to this mission? It was true that sheā€™d never been unhappy in the largest sense of the wordā€”sheā€™d always had people she loved and things she wanted to do with her life. Now, thoughā€¦ she would be in large part giving up those goals to assume a different set, and in doing so, she would also be putting her loved ones at risk. Could she do that, for something as abstract as it being the ā€˜right thingā€™ to do? What if something happened to Dad or Tsuki? That sheā€™d been doing what she thought was right would be precious little succor if either of them ended up injured or dead in the process.

But if she did this, sheā€™d not just be helping to put them in more danger. They might well decide to go ahead without her. At least if she went, too, sheā€™d be better able to protect them, and that more than anything was what sheā€™d always wanted. She knew what the decision had to beā€”she just wasnā€™t sure she was ready for it. Ready or not, though, it had come for her, and it was time to fall or fly by the strength of her resolve and the talents of her teachers. In the last, at least, she had few if any doubts.

ā€œAll right,ā€ she said at last. ā€œWhatā€™s the next step?ā€

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Great. Three. Of course."
"Yep. Looks like we're going to have our hands full."



Morgan sighed. "The first thing we do is we figure out the identity of the Shireen." Asmodeus nodded his agreement, his eyes flickering down to Morgan's right arm. Morgna caught his gaze, placing his arm behind his back. He didn't need to be answering questions right now, especially from the Demon.

There was a chain around Morgan's arm, much like the chains that had been shimmering in and out of view on Asmodeus the week prior. The demon noted his move, and so he kept his mouth shut. "Morgan's right, and so are you, Kazehaya. I can try to gather as much information as I can on my end, but I'm not sure how much help I can be in that regard. It seems that any demons this woman takes on...don't come back. But I'll do what I can. Everyone leaves some sort of trail."

Morgna nodded. "Good idea. In the meantime..." He looked at the girls. "We continue your training. As strong as the two of you are, I wouldn't pit you against her yet."

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Training may not be enough, but it'll be something."




Finding out someone's identity, especially another watcher, shouldn't be too hard. At least to Tsukiyo, however; if this woman was a Sheireen, a powerful one at that, then it would be extremely difficult to locate and find her. Demons would try to stay away from the woman unless they wanted to fall victim to her, not try and consume her soul. This was going to take some time, however; Asmodeus interjected and said he would do what he could. Tsukiyo relaxed slightly as her sister rubbed her back, falling back into a calm state in the process.

She always appreciated her sister when she did that. Kazehana always knew how to make her feel better, and it was something Tsukiyo valued in her sister. If it wasn't for Kaz, Tsukiyo was afraid that she might have lost a piece of herself after their mother died, and when their father fell into his depression. She glanced at her sister, waiting for her reply. Part of Tsukiyo knew that Kazehana was still reluctant to agree, and Tsukiyo, although she would love for her sister to do so, didn't want to put too much pressure into accepting. Kazehana had always been reluctant into stepping into her powers, and Tsukiyo hadn't minded that.

She respected her sister for wanting to live a normal life, or as normal as someone who can see and speak with ghosts could live. Tsukiyo was fine carrying the other half of their life by herself. But still, if Kazehana was, and would be, stronger than she, they had a chance to fix things. She pulled back from her sister as Kazehana looked like she was in thought. Tsukiyo grabbed her sister's hand and held it, trying to convey her support for Kazehana regardless of what decision Kazehana made. When she did make it, Tsukiyo only smiled.

"I agree," Tsukiyo finally stated, addressing Morgan's statement. "A Sheireen would be stronger than both of us together, even with the recent training we've received. She would have come into her power a long time ago, or mastered it fairly quickly to achieve such a degree. Training would be the only way we would stand even a sentiment of a chance against the woman," she continued, glancing at the three beings in the room before finally landing on her father's form.

They couldn't go up against someone as powerful as this Sheireen, only if they were feeling suicidal. And that was something neither of them were feeling. Even with continuous training, they still wouldn't be able to stand a chance, but perhaps with the two of them, and the assistance of the two angels and the demon, they might have somewhat of a chance. With that in mind, Tsukiyo smiled at her family, including the two angels and the demon.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œTheyā€™re making some serious progress, and learning where we can get bruises.ā€


Another week found Kazehana and Tsukiyo standing in what seemed to be a more-or-less deserted section of Central Park. Not that it really matteredā€”by now, their father had taught both of them how to shift themselves fully into purgatory, and thus away from the eyes of anyone who wasnā€™t able to perceive the supernatural. There was, therefore, little chance of them being discovered here.

What was stranger about the situation was that, for once, they werenā€™t being instructed by Cass or Morgan, but Asmodeus. The other two were nearbyā€”she could sense them. But they werenā€™t here. Instead, she and her sister were lined up in front of the demon, and she had no idea exactly what he was planning. Presumably, there were some things that demons would be better at teaching, like stuff about possession or whatever, but Kaz wasnā€™t exactly certain that she was okay with being possessed, even by a friend. Regardless, sheā€™d do it if they thought it a necessary part of the training.

ā€œSoā€¦ā€ she started, shifting slightly from one foot to the other. She and Tsuki were both dressed for exercise, as lately, the thing they were learning had involved a lot of physical movement. She was still sore from the last sparring session Morgan had put her through, and she doubted Cass was much easier on Tsuki. Though maybe he was a littleā€”she hadnā€™t noticed many bruises on her sister. On the other hand, he could just be healing her up afterwards, which seemed like something he would do. ā€œWhat are we learning today?ā€





Elsewhere in the park, Cass dropped down onto a bench beside Morgan. Flinging both arms over the back of it, he tipped his head back and watched the clouds go by with a sigh. Sometimes, looking at them reminded him of things it was easier to forget. But right and easy were rarely correlated, and he needed to recall regularly. The reminder was valuable, and had changed him for the better.

ā€œYou wanna talk about why youā€™ve been moping, or should I guess?ā€ he asked neutrally, raking a hand through his flame-colored hair. Morgan had been avoiding pretty much everyone for the last week, emerging from his solitude only when it was time to teach Kaz something or other, but it was evident that he was distracted even then. If it didnā€™t improve soon, her learning was going to start to suffer from it. She was damn talented, as was Tsuki, but they couldnā€™t do all this on their own.

As for Cass, he had a few guesses as to what might be eating Momo, but heā€™d much rather the other fallen tell him of his own free will. They were friends, brothers even, but for the whole week, Morgan had been acting like a depressed person, and it was starting to affect Cass as well. If they couldnā€™t work things out and get everything straight, it would eventually bleed into everything they did. That might seem like a bit of an overreaction, and maybe it was, but that was perhaps excusable. He was worried.

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"Sorry. There's been a lot on my mind lately."
"I'm going to have too much fun with this..."



Asmodeus grinned at Kazehana. "Well, I'm glad you asked, Kaz. The two of you are going to learn how to keep from gettin possesed, and if you find yourself in a situation where you are] possesed, how to fight it off." He waved his hand absentmindedly, a small portal opening up. Two small shadowy demons came forth. "These guys will do for now. They'll try to possess you, and you guwill keep them from doing so. Think about how Morgan taught you to put up barriers around your mind, though this is going to be harder. Keeping out a deonic mind isn't the same as a human or an angel. It's going to have to be stronger. Once you two get the hang of keeping these little guys out, I'll take a crack at you, and we'll see how well you can keep me out. Then we'll move on to kicking Demons out of your mind that have found their way in."


Morgan sighed heavily. He'd known this was coming. He ujst hoped he'd find a way to deal with the problem before it came up. Sadly, this was not the case. He glanced over at Caspar. This was the last place he wanted to have this particular conversation, but they were far enough away that he wasn't worried about Kaz overhearing. He held out his right arm. The Hell chains had wound their way up to his shoulder now. He was honestly slightly surprised that Caspar had not noticed them sooner, but then perhaps he'd kept his mouth shut.

"Apparently the influences have been greater than I thought. Shifting a week ago didn't help matters. If I take it any farther, then As is right, I really won't be able to come back. "

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Possession of the body is actually a lot harder than it sounds. Repulsion is even more so difficult, but I think we can pull this off."




Another lesson, another week. Tsukiyo stood next to her sister, her eyes cast on what was ahead of them. They stood in Central Park, or what was left of it at the hours they were attending. The past week hadn't exactly been easy for either Tsukiyo or Kazehana. Both had sported bruises, although Tsukiyo's were hardly visible thanks to Caspar. She had thanked him properly, however; she had also told him to refrain from holding back on her. She might not have been as powerful as her sister, but she could still endure a lot that was thrown at her. Of course this found her with an almost broken limb here and there, something she was glad Kazehana wouldn't notice.

She rubbed her arm absentmindedly as she glanced at Kazehana. She could still see a few fresh bruises along her sisters body, however; she knew that Kazehana was more resilient and could tolerate the few bruises she sported. She sighed softly as Kazehana asked the question that had lingered on her mind. As odd as it was, Asmodeus was going to train them this time around, and apparently it was about possession. Or rather avoiding it. This caused Tsukiyo to smile a bit. Although she had never fully practiced it, she had read in a few different books, of various ways to keep a demon from possession. One had spoken of a symbol that could be painted (tattooed really) on the body somewhere that would keep a demon out.

But Tsukiyo wasn't exactly one for needles, nor was she one for marring her body with ink. She'd leave that up to everyone else, it was just her personal fancy. She didn't mind anyone else inking up, but she herself would refrain from such things. As such, learning how to physically keep demons away and out of her body seemed more like a logical thing to do. So when Asmodeus summoned two inky black demons, Tsukiyo shivered slightly. There was no need to be nervous about it, she had read more than enough to know what to do, however; knowing and doing were still two completely different levels of things. It was one thing to know something, and another to actually do it.

"So, all we have to do is keep these guys out. Doesn't seem too difficult, but then again," she stated, pausing to emphasize she knew that it wasn't going to be exactly easy. She glanced at Kazehana and gave her sister a nervous smile. She swallowed thickly before relaxing her muscles. Sighing softly, she allowed the anxiety to roll off of her as she calmed her nerves. She didn't sign up only to back out now because of some possession. She chose to do this, and if this taught her and her sister to better protect themselves, then she would do her damnedest to succeed.

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œI suppose itā€™s long past time that we learned these things about ourselves.ā€


Cass sighed heavily, lacing his fingers together behind his head and leaning back into the bench as far as his physical presence would allow. He stared hard at the clouds passing by overhead, allowing his thoughts to collate for a few minutes. Heā€™d noticed the chains of course, but like Momo, heā€™d held out the vain hope that a solution might be easily-found. Thus far, his research had yielded nothing. Not even the old texts had said much they didnā€™t already know. There werenā€™t many ways to fix a problem like that, only to prevent it from getting worse. And that could basically only be done by avoiding violence and transformations.

The first definitely wasnā€™t an option for any of them. The secondā€¦ well, that was in Momoā€™s hands, but it wasnā€™t like Cass thought it was ever an easy choice. He personally only rarely felt temptations of this kindā€”heā€™d proven very resilient against the workings of demons. Perhaps that was old residue, from fighting in the battlefields for so many eons. It may well have inured him to most of the fouler tricks. Whatever the case, he had no such chains, and the only way that any of them really knew to get rid of the things was to work towards redemptionā€”as As was attempting to do.

Thatā€¦ would be hard, especially for Momo. It wasnā€™t that he was a bad person, but that the falling event was still kept so close to his heart. It was like poison to them, to carry that weight alone. Even if As knew, there probably wasnā€™t much he could do. He wasnā€™t any betterā€”hell, as a demon, he was technically worse off. Cass was barely a help, and Morgan didnā€™t seem inclined to share with him, anyway. He could understand that.

ā€œYou know,ā€ he said, venturing the best hypothesis he had, ā€œI think those two are good for us. Have you considered talking to her about this? She might be able to help more than any of the rest of us could. You never know, with a being like that. Sheā€™s already extraordinaryā€”they both are.ā€ It was a big risk, perhaps, but it also carried the possibility of being a big help. Whether Momo was willing to do that, to tell Kazehana about the issues he faced and seek her assistance, was his own business. Cass wouldnā€™t push.

He never did.





Kazehana matched her sisterā€™s look, grimacing and eyeing the shadow in front of her warily. ā€œThis thing isnā€™t gonna try to do anything weird with me, is it? Because I swear to whomever that if I end up making a fool of myself because some demon possessed me, I am definitely not going to talk to you again.ā€ Her wry smile made it maybe halfway joking, but perhaps not entirely. In the end, though, she just shrugged. Sheā€™d do what she had to doā€”she may have been reluctant, but once she committed to a course of action, neither Hell nor high water could steer her away from it.

As though by some unspoken signal, the shadow demon moved, and she found herself without any way to prevent that, as it passed right through the instinctive punch she aimed for it. The sensation was chilling and uncomfortable, like she was being frozen to her bones, and it was then that she felt something foreign settle somewhere in her chest, as though a frigid chain wrapped its way around her heart and squeezed. She was immediately resistant, reaching up to clutch at her shirt just beneath her collarbones, gritting her teeth. She could feel it in there.

The sensation of having oneā€™s own body move against oneā€™s will was uncanny, but her right arm lifted, her fingers flexing in front of her eyes as though they belonged to someone else. Oh, fuck no. She was not going to put up with this. ā€œGoddamn amateur,ā€ she ground out through a tightened jaw, fighting to freeze her hand in place. Trash taking a demon might not be the best idea ever, but it was making her feel better about this, more like herself. Her fingers stilled mid-clench, and with an inward cry of triumph and a flash in her eyes, she dove inward, seeking the foreign presence and latching onto it, squeezing right back with as much force as she could muster, as though trying to strangle it.

With a cry, the shadow-creature fell out of her body, covering its head with its arms and apparently trembling. With a scowl, Kaz lifted her foot and attempted to stomp on it, which only sort of worked since it was mostly insubstantial. ā€œJerk,ā€ she muttered with irritation, her brows furrowing with her displeasure. ā€œNot even decent enough to let a girl punt you across the park, are you?ā€

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"They learn much faster than I imagined they would."



Asmodeus was watching the two girls as they battled with the two demons, but his attention was on Caspar and Morgan. He couldn't see them, persay, but he was bound to Morgan enough that it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. He pushed through to the Angels' mind, speaking to him, even though he knew how much Morgan hated it when he did so.Listen, kid. Cass is right. Talk to the girl, maybe she can help. Hell, even simply talking about it at this point would be better than hiding. A frown crossed Morgan's face as he listened to both Cass and the demon. And then he sighed. They were right, as much as he hated to admit it.

He also didn't want to admit that a part of him was utterly terrified that Kazehana would reject him outright once she found out what he'd done. He sat in silence for a few moments before speaking. As says p, something about Tsukiyo responding better to your methods." He didn't answer his bthers' question, but when Caspar stood up, he added, "Send Kaz over when you get there, will you?" It was a dangerous leap for him, but h also knew he was running out of time. It would be better to explain it now than wait until she had to watch as he was dragged down into the fifth circle of Hell. His fist clenched at the thought. He had to make sure she never saw that.

Asmodeus actually laughed when Kazehana tried to actually stomp on the demon, who cowered and skittered back to As in fear. The demon raised an eyebrow and grinned. The girl was good. Tsukiyo on the other hand, seemed to be having a bit more trouble, but even she was doing beter than most when presented with their first possesion. And Asmodeus hadn't even gotten to the fun ones yet. He wave the demon away, and turned to Kaz. "Listen, take a break for now. You can take me on later if you want to, or you can choose another demon, we've got plenty to choose from. I'm going to get Cass over here to see if he can't help Tsuki out better than I can Whoever wasa good teacher is nuts."

He looked sideways at Kazehana, and spoke directly to her. "I think Momo needs to talk to you. But be prepred, you may have to pry it out of him. It's not something he likes talking about, but it's something he needs to talk about, and right now, you're the person who he's opened up the most to. So I'm going to ask you a favor, I suppose. Help him for me, will you?" It was asked rather nonchalantly, but one couldn't deny that the demon truly did care for his brother. He had also asked it softly enough that Tsukiyo wouldn't overhear them. It wasn't that he didn't trust the girl, but this was Morgan's business.

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"It's really not as hard as it looks, although I suppose I should make it seem like it is."




Kazehana was the first to be possessed, the black blob of a demon charging. She tried to fend it off, but the creature was able to possess her sister, and Tsukiyo tried not to entertain herself at her sister's expense. She glanced towards her demon, watching as it stood there, it's eyes gleaming as they shared a stare-down. Immediately, and just as fast, the demon charged Tsukiyo, however; unlike Kazehana, Tsukiyo did not physically try to harm the demon, and instead felt the same pressuring sensation in her body as Kazehana had. It felt...odd. Tsukiyo allowed her mind to close, feeling her body sway slightly as the demon tried to take hold.

It looked almost as if she were doing a slow waltz with herself, her body standing in one spot as she remained possessed. She remained in this position for quite some time, appearing to have lost the battle with the demon. Her eyes flickered open as she glanced at her sister, watching as she attempted to kick the demon away. A smile lifted upon her lips as she sighed. It seems play time was over and Tsukiyo stilled her self, pushing the demon out a bit more gently than her sister had. The creature spilled forward, slumping to the ground in a tranquilized state, or appearing so. She watched as the demon scurried after Asmodeus, trembling not as much as Kazehana's demon was.

"When have demons ever been decent?" she stated softly at her sister's remark. It was then Asmodeus spoke of taking a break. Tsukiyo blinked confused, but shrugged nonetheless. If they wanted to take a break, then they could. She would spend it doing something else, perhaps reading more on demon possession. The demon that had possessed her and herself seemed to be at a harmonous possession, and it was a bit intriguing to Tsukiyo. It wasn't widely known for demons to do that, but perhaps it was because it was with Asmodeus. But even then she doubted he would take it easy on them.

With that in mind, she nodded to her sister and took a seat underneath one of the trees in Central Park and pulled out a book from her bag. It wasn't anything peculiar, just something for her to do. The book was titled "Demonology", something that she had found herself reading often. Even though there were a few obscured facts, some of the things in the book still held some truth to them. If it were not for some of the books Caspar let her read, she would have had a hard time discerning fact from fiction. She should thank him for that as she really never had.

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œIā€™m not sure I can help, but if I can, I will.ā€


Kazehana stared blankly at Asmodeus for a moment, canting her head to the side, and a look of perplexity crossed her features before she shrugged. ā€œIā€™m not sure why you think heā€™ll tell me more than either of you guys, butā€¦ yeah, okay.ā€ If he really thought it would help, of course sheā€™d give it a shot. Morgan was her friend, too, after all. It wasnā€™t like sheā€™d refuse t try something as simple as a conversation to help him out. Hell, there were few if any things Kaz wouldnā€™t do for a friend. It was one reason she tended to keep so few of themā€”it could get pretty freaking exhausting if she let it.

She passed Cass on her way to where she sensed Morgan was, and they exchanged nods, but no words. It didnā€™t take her long to find him, sitting on a bench and looking what was probably best described as ā€˜mopey.ā€™ Well, Kazehana had learned quite a while ago that moping, while satisfying on some level, did not tend to solve the problems one was troubled by in the first place. Striding up to him, she frowned and crossed her arms, scrutinizing him for a moment, then shaking her head, the swish of her ponytail audible in the relative silence.

ā€œMm, nope. Not like this. Cā€™mon, weā€™re gonna take a walk, you and I.ā€ She leaned forwards, and with both hands, grasped one of his own, pulling him, stubborn even against any resistance he might have provided. Right now, he was reminding her of a less-severe version of her dadā€™s moping, after her mom had died. She knew from experience how to deal with that. Picking a random trail further into Central Park, she pulled him along behind her until he was willingly following on his own, and then she gently let go, falling back to walk beside him.

ā€œThose guys are worried about you, you know,ā€ she said matter-of-factly, looking up overhead when something cold fell on the tip of her nose. Apparently, the clouds overhead had opened up at last, and it was starting to snow. Not so unusual, for November in New York. The snow always put her in a strange moodā€”it had been snowing the night her mother passed away. She remembered it very clearly. Wellā€”that much. It was basically the only thing she remembered at all. The rest was just a blur of color and sound and silence. Her expression gentled, and she glanced sideways at Morgan, clasping her hands behind her back. ā€œIt makes me wonder if I should be worried, too. But I figured, since weā€™re friends and all, that if I should be, youā€™d tell me.ā€

She raised a brow, as if offering him the chance to confirm or deny what sheā€™d said. The snow was rapidly thickening, falling in fat, fluffy flakes to rest in her hair, a few catching on her eyelashes. Her coat was warm enough, thoughā€”she didnā€™t mind it.




Cass wasnā€™t so sure about what heā€™d been toldā€”he and Tsuki had covered basic possession theory over a week ago, and sheā€™d grasped all the information as readily as sheā€™d grasped everything else. She may not have the exact knack that Kazehana had, for instinctually doing the right thing in a given situation, but heā€™d found that once she understood what was going on, she was plenty effective. Heā€™d had no doubt that sheā€™d be able to eject a weak demon from herself whenever she wanted, so the news perplexed him a bit. Perhaps there was something going on that they hadnā€™t gone over yet?

Either way, he clapped Momo on the shoulder in tacit agreement and stood, making his way over to the group. He passed Kaz on the way, and nodded his recognition. He hadnā€™t been lying when he said those two were good for himself and his friends, in many ways. For one, they were just interesting. It was so unusual to come across people with such direct angelic blood. It was not often that an angel gained genuine affection for a human. Gabriel, he was fairly sure, hadnā€™t actually been in love with his woman, but that was mostly because it was a dangerous feeling that his kind tended to stray away from. Love, true love, was by definition eternal, and an angelā€™s mind did not deteriorate like a humanā€™s, in a way that allowed them the sanctuary of forgetting. They would feel those emotions just as powerfully a hundred thousand years from now as they had the first time they knew. And the feeling of loss was just as permanent. Humans died. Sometimes, passing through the Gates, they forgot.

Often, they didnā€™t pass through the Gates at all. It was a huge risk, and one that most angels were not willing to take for a few spare moments of happiness. A human lifetime was an idle day for an angelā€”if not an idle hour. This was just the way of things. Most of them, if they followed Urielā€™s path, would end up as he hadā€”broken and grieving and without the opportunity to meet again the one they loved. Chiyo may well be beyond the Gates now, but Uriel never again could be. So, a child from a rare union like thatā€¦ well, those were rarer still. All of Gabrielā€™s descendants were by now almost deprived of the power the initial few had had. These young women were like a starting-over of that process.

They were also good people, friends to he and his partners when honestly, they could use some friends. Nothing that they were attempting to do was easy, but having support, even and especially from these two, was doing them some good.

As was apparently elsewhere by the time Cass reached the spot, and Tsukiyo had been left alone, apparently having decided to take up a book. He wondered how often in her life that had happened. Being far from the center of attention. To some extent, she chose this for herself, he knew, butā€¦ even in this, which had once been her specialty, Kazehana was taking great leaps and bounds. He wanted her to know that she was just as extraordinary, but he wasnā€™t sure if it was the kind of thing that he should be saying. Maybe it was none of his business. He doubted she was the bitter kindā€”she was far too kind for that. Even soā€¦

He sat down in front of her, crossing his legs beneath him so that their knees were perhaps a foot apart, and ducked his head to see the title of the book she was reading. He scoffed upon reading it. ā€œIā€™ve never understood why they have such nonspecific titles. Itā€™s not like itā€™s the only book ever written on the subject.ā€ He shook his head, then smiled at her. ā€œSo, now that youā€™re more of an expert than that author, how much of it would you say is accurate?ā€

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Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair

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"I don't know if worried is the correct word."



Morgan found himself unable to protest as Kazehana litterally dragged him off of the bench, a ghost of a smile playing at his mouth. Somehow, just being around her made his heart feel lighter, like it didn't matter what he'd done in his past. He thought about his answer for almost a minuet before answering her. "Yeah, I know they are. Cass worries too much, that's all he ever does. And I would say being afraid of me might be the correct way to term it, not worried about me." He let out a sigh. "This isn't easy for me to explain. I'm not even sure I want to. But...Cass is right. The longer I keep this in, the more it's going to destroy me from the inside out. Do you remember when I told you about the three conditions of how an Angel falls?"

When she nodded, he continued. "The third and final condition, the killing of a human being that is not possesed by a demon, has only been broken once in the entire history of the human race." He stopped walking, his hands in his pockets, looking downright sad as he looked at the ground in front of him.

"I was the one who broke it."

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"I wonder, sometimes what it would have been like..."




"If you read them all, eventually you'll realize that all books entitled 'Demonology' are roughly written by the same author. There isn't much of a difference between them all, save perhaps a few minor changes here and there," Tsukiyo responded, her eyes never leaving the book in her hands. She heard Caspar fall in front of her and momentarily, her eyes lifted to see him smiling. She placed the book down a bit and returned the gesture, a bright smile lingering on her face. "It's the only real explanation they have for titling them as such," she added with a shrug of her shoulders. She set the book down beside her, crossing her hands over her feet as Caspar asked a question. She gave him a thoughtful look before releasing a slow sigh.

"A lot of it is inaccurate. For one," she paused, picking the book back up and flipped a couple of pages into it. She pointed to a specific paragraph for Caspar to see. "This right here says that once a demon possesses you, you are no longer yourself and that you will have perished. This goes for all demons of every level. This one here," she paused, flipping through the book once more and pointed to another paragraph, "says that a demon cannot manifest its own form and that it must take refuge inside of a human in order to sustain itself on this plane," she finished, setting the book back down. There was so much of it that had been wrong, so much of it that she had read as a child and had wholeheartedly believed it to be true.

Ever since she met the two angels and the demon, everything had turned a bit upside down for her. Some of the books Caspar had lent her had so much to offer, that she had often fell asleep on top of the books left wide open as a result of trying to cram too much in in one night. Of course she had apologized for treating the books as such, but she couldn't help it. Her thirst for knowledge had often had her studying a little too much, even when it came to just regular school. Not that she had ever minded much, books provided something for her that she had found people could not. That thought, however, caused her to shake her head. While in terms of speaking, the ones she and Kazehana had met were not people, but she had learned a lot from Caspar, Morgan, and even Asmodeus.

A frown etched into her features as she cast her gaze to the floor. Her mind rarely ever wondered into the area of the choices she made. Sure, she was perfectly content at being by herself, or with her family, but she never sought the need to make friends with others. Not only did she want to prevent Kazehana from getting into more fights, but also to save herself from people who wouldn't understand. She didn't need that, nor did she want it. Her family was all she had ever needed. But now...she lifted her gaze back to Caspar and smiled once more. She found herself enjoying the company of the two angels, and oddly enough, the demon. They were slowly becoming part of her family as well, and she appreciated the efforts they were giving to help train both her sister and herself. She shook the thoughts away from her mind and leaned back a bit.

"Hey, Caspar," she started, nervousness laced in her tone. She wasn't sure how to put the question she wanted to ask for fear of insulting him again, but the question wasn't directly related to him. More-so, it was related to her father. She wanted to know what he was like in his time, as an angel. She read legends about Uriel, and the other archangels, however; they might have well been lies as well. Caspar, having been Michael once, had seemed to know her father on a personal level before their time. She sighed, perhaps another time she would ask. "Never mind," she stated softly and shook her head. She stood from her spot, dusting her clothes off in the process from any stray leaves that might have fallen onto her form. Turning back to Caspar, she folded her hands behind her back and rocked a bit on her heels.

"Will you walk with me for a bit?" she asked, glancing away a bit nervously as she did so. "I would like to stretch my limbs for a bit, but you don't have to if you have some other place to be or something else to do," she stated, muttering out the last bit in the process. She didn't want to impede on the angel if he had some other place he'd rather be. She didn't want to bother him either with such a silly request, but she felt like asking him for some odd reason.

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ā€œSoā€¦ what exactly are you trying to tell me, here?ā€


The confession was met with a long silence, during which they stood in what seemed complete silence. Snow had a way of making everything quieter, and this stuff was no exception. Kazehana lifted a hand to her scarf and tugged it a little tighter against the chill, or maybe just to have something to do, she couldnā€™t really say. Her breath still passed out of her in clouds of warmth, but it too was quiet. What heā€™d just confessed was heavy stuff, and she could tell it really tormented him. That meant it deserved an actually thought-out response and not just the sort of stupid half-assed consideration she usually gave the things she said.

Man, sometimes she really wished she were as used to being careful with her words as Tsuki was, even. Sure, her sister was honest, but not in the sense that she blurted the first thing that came into her head all the time. But she wasnā€™t Tsuki, she was Kaz, and that meant she had to do the best with what she was. A bit of a daunting prospect, when it all seemed so important. Butā€¦ in the end, it was her that heā€™d wanted to talk to, right? That must mean that there was at least something worthwhile about the way she did things, looked at them and just went with her guts.

ā€œOkayā€¦ā€ she said slowly, then nodded her head, with a little more confidence. ā€œOkay.ā€ She turned to face him and gave him a small smile. He looked so sadā€”it made her heart hurt. ā€œLook,ā€ she said, and her tone was soft, gentle, and perhaps moreso than sheā€™d even known she could get it to be. ā€œIā€™m not saying itā€™s not sad, because it is. And Iā€™m not saying it was right, because obviously it wasnā€™t. I donā€™t know the whole story, and thatā€™s okayā€”I donā€™t have to. You can tell me if you want, or keep it quiet if you want. Thatā€™s up to you. Because for me, nothing hinges on the rest of it.ā€ She tilted her head upwards, trying to think of a way to explain it.

ā€œBecauseā€¦ because whatever you did then, whatever reasons you had or whatever came of itā€¦ the only Morgan I know is the Morgan I know right now. And that person, whatever he may have done before, isā€¦ well, I think heā€™s incredibly kind. And I think heā€™s gentler than he gives himself credit for, and a better person than he thinks he is. Sometimes, he looks so sad that I feel like I canā€™t even reach him, butā€¦ā€ Kazā€™s smile grew, and she took a step to the side, bumping her shoulder into his bicep, ā€œTurns out, most of the time, heā€™s willing to slow down and walk right next to me after all. I owe him my life, and my sisterā€™s life, and at least part of everything Iā€™m becoming now. I certainly havenā€™t been easy to get along with, I know, but heā€™s helped me anyway.ā€

She sighed slightly, and the smile faded into something more serious. ā€œIf it were up to me, youā€™d be forgiven already,ā€ she said honestly. ā€œBut I think that probably, the person whoā€™s furthest away from forgiving you is yourself.ā€




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ā€œI want to tell you that nothing you could ask would offend me, but would I be saying too much?ā€


Cassā€™s grin only grew wider as she pointed out the flawed logic and arguments of the books, clearly excited about the subject, and advanced her own theory about why all of the book were called the same thing. That had him chuckling, and shaking his head along with some of the ridiculous things that were said. It was true that so much of the information out there was inaccurate, and that the really good tomes were priceless because of that, but even so, that humans had managed to learn anything at all of the places beyond was quite extraordinary.

ā€œItā€™s true that none of this is the most accurate knowledge,ā€ he said thoughtfully, ā€œbut to get any of it right at all is quite something, considering. Most of these scholars were so far away from any actual Watchers, and had to reconstruct their accounts from diaries, watered-down theology, and strange accounts of paranormal encounters. It was hard to separate fact from fiction. When you consider that, they havenā€™t done so badly.ā€ He considered it for a moment, folding his hands into his sleeves, and then nodded slowly.

ā€œI have something I think youā€™d likeā€¦ itā€™s not an academic tome, but a journal. It was written by Esther, the First Watcher. Like these scholars, some of her guesses are wrong, but I think you might enjoy her descriptions of her encounters. She actually met your father and I once, you know. A long time ago nowā€¦ā€ He trailed off and shook his head, but the offer was not made lightly. Estherā€™s journal was one of the most precious things he had, largely due to her status as the First, and also partially because of the friendship heā€™d had with her. Tsukiyo was a little bit like her, actuallyā€”if theyā€™d been able to know each other, he was certain theyā€™d have been good friends.

She asked, or almost asked, him a question, then, and he wondered if she was still thinking of the time heā€™d turned aside her inquiry into his and Morganā€™s falling. Perhapsā€¦ he could have been kinder about it, but at the time, heā€™d not known whether either of the girls could be trusted. He hoped she understood that he wasn't upset about it, butā€¦ maybe it was something he should say, just in case.

So he stood, brushing himself down for a moment, and nodded. ā€œI donā€™t have anywhere to be but here,ā€ he said kindly, smiling softly down at her and gesturing for her to pick their direction. When she had, he let the silence reign for a few minutes before he broached the topic. ā€œYou knowā€¦ I might not have given you this impression, before, but you really can ask me anything. I wonā€™t be offended by something as innocent as a question. If I canā€™t answer, I canā€™t answer, but I doubt that will be the case, and even if it wereā€¦ that would be no reason for me to be upset with you.ā€ He left it at that, though, believing honestly that it was best not to push. Sheā€™d ask what she felt she needed to, in her own time, and he would be patient.

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"Someone, somewhere, really broke the mold with you."



For a second, Morgan was so stunned he couldn't speak. Just like that, she'd just let it go. Like it was nothing at all. A part of him didn't understand it, and yet, another part of him, felt lighter, happier, more at ease than it had in years. It was like all the time since he'd fallen, he'd been waiting for this one moment, for someone to tell him that who he was, and who he is were two different things. Because it was true, he was different than when he'd been an Angel, and not nessicarily for the worse. Caspar had been more right than he knew. These girls were more than just good for them. In a way, they were their salvation.

Sthan he had in a long time, Morgan took Kaz's hand, saying, []"Thank you. You don't know how long I've needed to hear that."[/b] He then began walking, pulling her along with him. "Come on, there's something I want to show you."

He led her far into Central Park, to the base of a tall cement wall. Once there, he touched the ground with his finger, cause a smooth sheet of ice to form over the concrete, doing the same to the wall in front of them. The lamp above them hit the ice just right, projecting various colors and shades on the wall, forming a man-made form of the aurora borealis. Morgan smiled slightly. "It may not be the real thing, but you probably won't get any closer without actually going to see it."

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"Besides my sister, I really think I enjoy your company."




Tsukiyo smiled when Caspar answered. A small wave of relief washed over her, something she couldn't quite explain, but she was grateful nonetheless. She thought for a moment on his offer, of a journal of sorts. He had stated that it belonged to Esther, the first watcher. Part of her was intrigued and part of her was hesitant. She could tell that it meant a lot to Caspar, and as such, she really didn't need to. Though curious as she was, she knew when to make a call and when to close it. So, she shook her head in response. Perhaps in another time she'd enjoy reading this watcher's journal, but for now, she would feel content at just reading the books that Caspar provided or the ones she could find. His last statement caught Tsukiyo off guard for a moment, and she tilted her head to the side as she glanced at him.

"No, you didn't give me that impression at all. I just," she paused as she searched for the right words to say. "I don't think it's a proper time to ask the question. Maybe, eventually I'll ask, but I won't for now," she replied, smiling in response. She turned her attention back in front of her, lacing her fingers behind her back in the process. She watched as the snow fell in soft waves to the floor. She reached out a hand to grasp one and watched as it quickly dissolved in her hand. She frowned for a second before allowing her hand to fall to her side. She couldn't help but compare her life to that small snow flake. It was small, and would eventually dissolve into nothing.

She may have been a Nephilim, however; she was still human. And like all human lives, it would only last a few decades, depending on how that human lived their life. With everything that was going on now, Tsukiyo did not doubt that Kazehana's and her life had just been cut in half if not simply due to the fact that there were demons after them. Or rather, they were after their souls, especially Kazehana's, being what she was. A saddened smile crossed her features for a split second before a genuine smile crossed her face. She knew Kazehana wouldn't go down without a fight, and she could see her sister already swinging demons around like they were toys. That thought caused her to stifle a laugh.

"I know this is a silly question," she began, pausing to refocus on Caspar. "But did you have any older siblings? I mean, I know that you were, are an angel and you probably didn't have siblings like Kaz and I are, but," she paused once again, shifting uncomfortably in her spot. She truly didn't know what she was asking, or why she was even bothering to ask such a ridiculous question. She laughed nervously before sighing, rubbing her forearm gently in the process.

"You know what, don't answer that," she stated nervously with an awkward smile. "I'm glad we met you, Cass," she stated finally, her smile growing a bit brighter in the process. She might not have been the best with words, nor speaking with people other than her family, but she was truly grateful to have met Caspar and Morgan, and even Asmodeus. If it wasn't for them, Kazehana, nor herself, would have learned so much than what they have learned from those three.

"I don't think Kazehana would have accepted herself otherwise. She might not show it, or even acknowledge it, but she's...she's grown a lot. I am glad she's embracing that side of her, but I just wish it hadn't been this way," she continued. Which was honestly true. She was glad her sister was partaking in her heritage now, but she hadn't wanted it to be like this. She wanted Kazehana to accept herself and her gifts because she wanted to. Not because she was being forced to. Tsukiyo shook her head lightly. She couldn't presume to know what Kazehana was feeling, but regardless, they were sisters, and that bond was growing stronger all the same.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œYeah yeah, justā€¦ donā€™t go spreading it around, okay? I have a reputation, you know.ā€


Perhaps ordinarily, she would have tried to brush off the thanks. She wasnā€™t used to being sincerely thanked by anyone but her sister or a patient, maybe, and Morgan obviously wasnā€™t either of those. Honestly, the majority of the other human interaction in her life was pretty shallowā€”sheā€™d always found it hard to genuinely connect to another person. She could walk into a room and draw most of the attention in it, sure, but there was nothing genuine or lasting in that, and she really didnā€™t like the feeling all that much. Kaz could say she was used to being looked at, but not that she was used to being seen.

Maybe thatā€™s because she was looking for human interaction. Apparently, it was just that much easier for her to get along with demons and fallen angels. Go figure, right? That kind of thing had been just what sheā€™d been running from the whole time. Maybeā€¦ maybe sheā€™d had it all backwards. Even Carlisle the worldā€™s most annoying poltergeist was more a friend to her than most of the people sheā€™d ever willingly spent time with. It was like something was always missing or off. But not here, not with them. With him.

But her thoughts were turning in strange circles, and she had no idea where they were even trying to go, so it was almost a relief when it was her turn to be pulled along behind him, led deeper into the park as the darkness fell around them like the snow. Morgan did something with his particular talentā€”cryokinesis, it was called, which was honestly a pretty awesome word. Apparently, it could also do pretty awesome things. She stared at the shifting lights numbly for a second before her face broke into a smile and she crouched to get a better look, one of her hands still enfolded in his. She hadnā€™t really realized it was there, even, butā€¦ it was hard to say if sheā€™d have done anything differently even if she had.

Her other elbow was propped on one of her knees, and she placed her chin in the corresponding hand, watching the light hues shift and dance like the real Northern Lights. ā€œHuh. Thatā€™s really something. Beautifulā€”whoā€™d have thought?ā€ She paused, then tilted her head to look up at him, standing from her crouch and grinning. ā€œSomeday, Iā€™ll have to make you freeze a pond so we can all go skating. I kinda want to watch As fall down.ā€ Her eyes carried the glint of humor, though she did not quite laugh.




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ā€œWhat, I don't look like anybody's brother to you?ā€


He accepted her decisions easily enough; how could he do otherwise? They were, he sensed, made in large part out of consideration for him, something that he found unsurprising, even after knowing her for such a short time. They were both very good people, the Fuhens, and he was quite glad to have met them. Still, if in time she wanted to see Estherā€™s diary, he would be more than happy to let her have itā€”it would do more good in the hands of a Watcher who could learn from it, probably one of Estherā€™s descendants, actually, than in his. Goodness knew heā€™d had it long enough. The book was ancient by now.

ā€œYou know,ā€ he said with a raised eyebrow and a hint of playfulness, ā€œIt isnā€™t really fair to ask a teacher a question and then tell him not to answer it. Itā€™s kind of what we do.ā€ He smiled though, to show that he didnā€™t actually mind, and tilted his head slightly to one side. She was observant, especially when it came to the people she cared about, he would give her that. But he wondered if it had really passed her by, just how different she was as well. Or perhaps sheā€™d always been this way, and he was the one that was simply brushing back her layers like an archeologist trying to get at some precious artifact.

The metaphor was an apt one, he thoughtā€”the human soul was a very precious thing. He could feel a little bit of anxiety emanating from her, and heā€™d been at this long enough to guess the source. Reaching over the space between them, Cass placed a large, callused hand on her head, ruffling her hair with some affection. ā€œDonā€™t worry so much about it,ā€ he said, his tone surprisingly gentle and understanding. ā€œThese things have a way of working out in the end. It may sound unbelievable coming from me, but itā€™s possible to overthink things. Sometimes, you have to have a little faith in the people around you.ā€

That was a lesson heā€™d learned a long time ago, but he hoped dearly that her lesson would not be as harsh as his had been. Sheā€™d asked if heā€™d ever had any siblingsā€”the answer, in the clearest terms he knew, was yes. Not older ones; he himself was far too old for that, but plenty of younger ones. Morgan was predominant among them, but he was not the first, nor the source of Cassā€™s lessons in faith. That had been another, thousands of years ago now. But those lessons had resounded throughout his entire existence, down to this very moment. He only hoped they would be enough to carry him through this.

For he was no fool, and this was not going to be easy.

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"That would be an interesting sight."



Morgan chuckled. "I'm not sure if he can fall over, the guy has the equilibrium of a cat." He realized he was still holding her hand. It was in an interesting observation, and he lifted it. Her hand was almost the same size as his, though her fingers were more slender, her hand almost delicate, whereas his was clumsy. He let her hand go, allowing it to fall away. He smiled at her.

He then sat down on the ground in front of the ice he had made, looking up at the sky. It was a clear night, and you could see the stars if you looked hard enough. "Kaz...how are you feeling about all of this? I know I roped into this by baiting you with Tsuki, and I'm sorry for that." He looked at her pointedly, scratching at his eyepatch.

"However, I cannot say that I wouldn't do it again if I had to."

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"It's the small things that matter, right?"




Tsukiyo smiled at Caspar's statement and laughed lightly. She shook her head lightly and kept the smile on her face. She supposed not. She was asking a question, and then to take it back; she should re-think her questions. But then again, it wasn't quite that. That confused her a bit. She always asked Caspar questions when they needed to be ask, but that was during training. They were not currently training at the moment. It was just him, and her walking along the path of Central Park. She released a slow sigh, turning her gaze towards the sky and then ahead of her. This feeling, it was a weird sensation. She enjoyed Caspar's company as she enjoyed her sister's company. Is this what it felt like to have someone other than her sister around? She chuckled lightly at the thought.

"And the teacher shouldn't tell the student to over-think things. That is the first thing we will do," she returned playfully, canting her head to the side to indicate that she understood what he was trying to tell her. She appreciated that more than anything really. It was nice to have someone else to converse with for a change. Not that she didn't like talking to her sister or anything, but over the last few weeks, the conversations with Caspar, Morgan, and even Asmodeus, had become somewhat of a welcomed thing. For one, she was talking more than she usually would. Tsukiyo wasn't exactly known for her social skills, however; around those three, it's as if she'd known them her whole life.

She gently brushed his hand away as he ruffled her hair affectionately, grinning in the process. She smoothed her hair out and fixed it. She tapped his arm lightly in a playful manner before a thought crossed her mind. She stopped walking, and when he did so as well, as much as she possibly could, she tiptoed and placed a chaste kiss upon his cheek. He being almost a good foot taller than her, she ended up getting the bottom of his jaw. She thought nothing of it before returning to her feet. She pulled her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels, no trace of embarrassment crossing her features.

"That's for putting up with us, so don't think much on it. Like the wise teacher told the student, 'it is possible to over-think things'," Tsukiyo stated, her smile growing. All she had to do was put a little faith into others. Somehow, as easy as that sounded, Tsukiyo wasn't quite sure how she could go about doing that. She had faith in her sister, but that was because her sister was practically the only world she ever knew. She didn't have friends like Kazehana had. She wasn't the social butterfly, nor was she the type to just go out and do things. She was the shadow, the wallflower. Perhaps back then it might have served her well, but now she wasn't so sure.

"I'll try," she stated softly. She'll try to put her faith in others as he had suggested. Perhaps she could start with the three males that had slowly become their friends. She could do that. If she could fight off a demon possession with ease, help her sister with whatever she could, take the training in stride from both Morgan and Caspar, then she could definitely try putting her faith in others. Maybe one day it'll prove to save her life. For now, she just wanted to enjoy this moment of peace with her friend.

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œIf you donā€™t think it was wrong, donā€™t apologize, silly.ā€


Kaz considered the question for a minute, hands on her hips and head tilted back to stare at the sky, or maybe at nothing, it was hard to say. New York had so much light pollution that the stars were practically impossible to see, but tonight seemed to be the exception. Go figure. Still, it was niceā€”it reminded her of all the nice things about living out in the sticks, like theyā€™d used to, back in Japan. Commuting into town for school had been a pain, butā€¦ there was a lot to be said for a sky-canvas of stars on a nice night. The snow had stopped falling, of course, and the clouds that produced it drifted away to who-knew-where. It was still, and still very quiet. If she listened, she could hear the sound of her own heart beating.

She dropped her hands from their spots and let them dangle at her side for a moment, flexing them absently to keep her fingers warm against the chill. ā€œIf youā€™d do it again, then you think it was the right thing, and if thatā€™s the case, donā€™t apologize,ā€ she said, glancing down at the seated Morgan with a half-smile. Slowly, she sank down so that she was crosslegged on the ground beside him, chewing her lip absently as she considered the actual question.

ā€œYou know,ā€ she said, a bit of wryness coloring her tone, ā€œIā€™m starting to feel a bit stupid for resisting so much in the first place. I held onto ā€˜normalā€™ like it was some great thing, and maybe that was because itā€™s what I thought I should want. But itā€™s not. Not what I do want, anyway.ā€ She huffed a sigh and shook her head vigorously, strands of dark purple lashing her cheeks as her ponytail swished from side to side with the motion. She still wasnā€™t exactly sure what she wanted out of her life, but this whole ā€˜learn to control your powers and protect people from demonsā€™ thing wasnā€™t so bad. At least it made her feel usefulā€”that was something sheā€™d always appreciated. And there was no denying that it was a good thing to be doing, soā€¦ that had to count for something.

ā€œWell, whatever. Iā€™ll be fine. Iā€™ve always tried not to overanalyze everything that happens to me. In case you havenā€™t noticed, Tsuki analyzes. I improvise.ā€ She smiled a bit at the thought of her sister, then stood up, dusting off her pants and rolling her shoulders. ā€œSpeaking of whichā€¦ if youā€™re feeling all right, we should probably head back. Apparently Asmodeus wants to try possessing me.ā€ She made a face, somewhere between speculative and creeped out, then crinkled her nose with amusement. ā€œIā€™m sure watching me make a fool out of myself will be entertaining for all involved.ā€




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ā€œUhā€¦ yeah. Ahem.ā€


Cass chuckled mildly at her response. Conversations with this girl were never boring, that was certain. Heā€™d miss them, somedayā€¦ but the thought was too depressing for right now, and he shoved it into a darker corner of his mind, to go unheeded for the moment. It was hardly the time, and best to enjoy what of it they had. She was right to an extentā€”people like them did tend to overthink just as a matter of habit; it certainly wasnā€™t something that sheā€™d just be able to stop, but he wasnā€™t asking her for that. Only that she try and believe in the people around her where she could, and let them share the burdens she carried.

The thing about wallflowers was, they were used to carrying everything alone. He didnā€™t want that for her, because what she carried was by nature so much heavier than what ordinary human beings had to deal with. He knew she had her family, and thus far, perhaps the three of them had prevented each other from being crushed by that weight, much as he and Morgan and Asmodeus had done, but just as with the three men, their family may soon not be quite enough, and theyā€™d need to learn to lean on others as well. He realized without much surprise that he wanted to be one of those people for her.

She stopped walking after her hair lay straight again, smacking him lightly on the arm. He mimed being hurt, but of course it wasnā€™t even remotely painful. She hadnā€™t intended it as such, and it took colossal amounts of pain to even register as such for him. He stopped as well, curious as to what she was thinking about, and to his credit or detriment (he knew not which), he had no idea what she was trying to do until sheā€™d done it. Cass cleared his throat awkwardly, rubbing sheepishly at the back of his neck and turning the faintest shade of pink, just across his cheekbones. That wasā€¦ well, heā€™d take her advice and not overthink it. She was a sweet girl, Tsukiyo, and it was for the best if he left it at that.

So he summoned up his customary smile from somewhere and shook his head. ā€œThen youā€™ll do just fine,ā€ he said kindly, the quietness of the words combined with the low register of his voice making him barely comprehensible, though she should still be able to understand him. ā€œHavenā€™t seen you fail yet at something you try,ā€ he pointed out, as if to back up his claim with evidence. They resumed walking for a while, perhaps a smidge closer together than theyā€™d been when they departed, but eventually they circled back around to the practice ground.

Time to get back to work.

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"Men's hearts hold shadows darker than any tainted creature."



Morgan stood up with her, shaking his head slightly. "I imagine that it will be more As trying to make a fool out of you. I doubt it will be as easy as you think. Just remember, when you feel the possesion start, don't try to force it out. Don't try to barricade your mind, it doesn't work against the Demon Princes. Go more along the lines of a brute force attack against him. When he attacks your mind, you attack his right back. You may not get in, persay, but it'll shock him enough that he'll have to focus more on keeping you out than getting into your head. It puts him on the defensive, and Demons hate that."

They walked back slowly, each one thinking of what the other had said. Morgan was slightly surprised by her answer, but he wasn't unhappy with it. He found himself wondering vaugely if the rumors he'd heard about the Annunaki. It had been rumored that they were able to purify tainted souls; namely, Demons, humans who had fallen into sin, and Fallen Angels. But there had been so few, no one really knew the true extent of their powers, just as no one really knew exactly what a Shireen was capable of. He supposed they would find out eventually.

As was sitting on the bench where the others had left him, something golden glinting in his hand. There was a far off, distant look to his eyes. You can always find me again, Asillian. I'm always waiting for you. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he clenched the necklace tightly, stowing it back underneath his shirt. "If only that were true, Yuemae." He muttered to himself. It had been a long time since he had thought of her, and it was no easier now than it had been back then.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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"This will be rather interesting."




Tsukiyo kept the smile on her face at Caspar's response. Hasn't failed at something yet. There was that word though, yet. Not that she vied herself failing anytime soon, but not everyone was perfect. She would fail at something eventually, however; when that time came, she had her family, her friends, to rely on. They could help her back up and she'd keep trying until she eventually succeeded. Was this what it felt like to have someone, other than her sister, believe in her? To say it wasn't a pleasant feeling would be a complete lie. Perhaps then she could learn to do the same. Trying wasn't something she was good at, only doing. With her mind made up, Caspar and she circled back to the training spot.

She wasn't surprised to see Asmodeus, however; it seemed that Kazehana and Morgan had yet to return. Shrugging her shoulders softly, she took a seat next to the demon, folding her hands over her lap in the process. Asmodeus wanted to try possessing them, but she would let her sister go first. Tsukiyo, not entirely an expert, could expel the lesser demon with ease, however; she wasn't quite ready to take on the demon of the 9th circle quite yet. In fact, she was a bit worried about the thought of it really. Research, reading, it was different than actually doing it and being possessed. She could learn from books, but actually applying them to battle was a different story.

She sighed softly and glanced up, allowing some of the snowflakes to fall on the bridge of her nose. Her gaze softened, and appeared to zone out as she continued to watch the snow fall. Well, if Kazehana was going to get possessed first, she could use this time to do a little bit of reading. Or she could do a bit of training with Caspar. She glanced at the red-haired angel and back to the white-haired demon. They were little alike, and yet they were both angels at one time, only Asmodeus fell to the level of a demon. She frowned at that. At least, from her understanding, Asmodeus was trying to redeem himself. That had to be a bit noble of him.

Regardless, Tsukiyo took a stand from her seat by the demon. "Be careful, As. Kaze has a strong mind, although I am sure the both of you will be quite something," she stated, offering a smile to the demon before taking off towards the other end of the field. She adjusted the bag over her shoulder before taking a seat, not exactly too far from the others, but given enough space that she wouldn't be in the way if Kazehana and Asmodeus decided to duke it out in the open. She snorted at that thought as she pictured the image. As much as she wanted to watch the scene between her sister and Asmodeus possessing her, she could get a bit more reading in.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œI don't think... that this is how the whole possession thing is supposed to work.ā€


Kazehana gave that some thought, in the end simply shrugging and deciding that offense was more her style than defense anyway. If the best thing to do with a demon Prince trying to possess you was fight back, wellā€¦ sheā€™d fight back. That was the easy part of this whole thing for her. Deciding how to do that, or figuring out the exact mechanics, were the tricky parts, but in the end, it usually came to her somehow, either through someoneā€™s teaching, something she read in one of Tsukiā€™s books, or just by pure instinct.

They found their way back to the original spot shortly after the other two, and she noted her sister reading, Cass sitting crosslegged beside her with his arms folded into his sleeves as usual. He seemed to be contemplating something or otherā€”Asmodeus himself was staring at some kind of object in his hand, lookingā€¦ a little more down than As usually did. She grinned ruefully at Tsu-Tsuā€™s warning to him, shaking her head slightly, dislodging a few fluffy snowflakes from her ponytail in the process. ā€œThanks for the vote of confidence, Tsuki, but donā€™t oversell it. Weā€™ll see what happens.ā€ For someone who walked with such swagger and bantered with such a sharp tongue, Kaz could be surprisingly uncertain of herself at times. Nevertheless, she wasnā€™t the kind of person to make excuses, so she moved from Morganā€™s side to stand a few yards in front of As, smacking one fist against the opposite palm and clasping it, bowing so that her hair fell over one shoulder.

ā€œIf I had a lick of sense, Iā€™d ask you to go easy on me, but dad always told me Iā€™m braver than I am smart,ā€ she said with a half-smile, rising from the martial artistā€™s bow and rolling her shoulders to loosen some of the stiffness the cold had induced. ā€œSo instead, Iā€™m telling you to do your worst, if you donā€™t mind.ā€ Her tone suggested that she doubted heā€™d mind at all.

Morgan shook his head with a smile, plopping down on the park bench. Kaz really had no idea the level of potential she had buried within her. Still, without being able to access it yet, even with the advice he'd given her, the girl would be in for a fight. Asmodeus was no pushover, not when it came to things like possession. He figured this would be quite the interesting battle of minds.

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow and grinned. "I do not doubt that your sister is powerful, Tsukiyo, however; she is unpracticed. That is the purpose of these lessons." He also inclined his head when Kaz bowed to him. The girl had respect, and that was important. "Bravery and intelligence rarely go hand in hand, I'm afraid. But that is not to say that those who are brave are not smart." After that, he said no more, he merely stood tall and crossed his arms over his chest. He took a deep breath, centering himself, and focused the brunt of his mental force directly at Kazehana's mind. Begin.


Kazehana took a deep breath when she observed Asmodeus settling into position, and she too raised her inclined half so that she was standing tall, and rooted her feet firmly to the ground beneath her. Approach all things with firm foundation. Only when you can embrace gravity can you learn to leave it behind and fly. Her father had told her this once, and while it had been made in reference to martial arts, she figured that, as with many of the lessons heā€™d taught her over the years, it worked just as well for a lot of other things, too.

Within her mind, she stilled, and waited, quiet and seemingly entirely serene, but it was the stillness of a predator waiting to pounce, a great cat, muscles coiled and bunched and held in place like springs, unmoving but still dynamic, and she waited for the breach in her mind that would signal the approach of the invader. She felt it first, fractions of a second before his thought sounded inside her mental landscape, and she followed Morganā€™s advice faithfully, attacking at once, the coiled springs and silent tension releasing with a metaphorical snap, the would-be predator swiping for the thing that had entered her domain, the very sanctity of her mind. Kazehana pushed back, with blunt force and sharp stabbing knives of mental energy all at once, throwing everything that she knew how to throw at the incoming mind. She would not give in without a hell of a fight.


Perhaps it was because his mind had been wandering before. Perhaps it was because he simply wasn't expecting such a brute force attack. Either way, what was supposed to be a possession of Kazehana had become a reverse situation, and in fact Asmodeus was the one who found himself possessed, his mind invaded. The force of her attack on his mind actually caused As to take two steps backward before he froze. Morgan raised an eyebrow. He had been right, this was becoming interesting.

Asmodeus found himself transported back in time. He was not a Demon, not yet. No, at this point in time he was not even a Fallen Angel. When was this? It had been so long ago...

He was standing on a sand dune, looking out over a large plane. There were many people down below him, most of them working, some of them standing over the others, whips in hand. They were building things from stone, square bases laid out in foundations. He remembered now. It was roughly 2584 BC, and this place was Ancient Egypt. The structures being built would eventually be the world renowned Pyramids of Giza. There was a woman next to him. She wore traditional long white robes, her dark hair cropped short. Her emerald green eyes shined as she stood by him, but kept her distance. His scarlet wings rustled in the wind slightly.

"Why do you come to me, Yuemae? Just because you can see me, does not mean anything other than your lineage." The woman regarded him with her feline eyes. He found himself drowning in them, and that was dangerous. "We can help each other, and you can help my people, Asillian."


-Don't call me that.-

He shook his head sadly. He'd found himself falling in love with a mortal woman, and he was now paying for it. She had been stoned by her own father, thinking she was seeing demons. Asillian had then gone after them, which in turn caused his own fall. The year was now 1587, the place, Roanoke Island. He had been a Fallen Angel for years upon counting, drifting from place to place, making ties to no one.

The colony established there didn't last. The Island had become his own refuge, and they had invaded. The original colony was never found, and in the end, Asillian had solidified his own fall, and he became a Demon. He was still not quite the level that he would eventually achieve, but he was no longer Asillian. He was now known as Asmodeus, but he wasn't a Prince, not yet. That would come about at a later date, when he took interest in another Angel, the one called Morrigane. He was very interested in the Angel, and he was formulating his own plan on how to--


Asmodeus finally managed to wrest hold of his body, but his anger was palpable. It technically wasn't Kaz's fault, but that didn't stop him from physically attacking her. Until Morgan stepped between them, a scowl on his face. The claws that had been meant for Kazehana found their way into Morgan's shoulder, a very demonic glare in his eyes. Morgan just stared down at him at his shoulder bled.


Whatever Kazehana had been expecting to happen as a result of her fight to keep Asmodeus out of her mind, this was not it. She was a silent spectator upon his memories, looking out at them through his eyes, feeling the same emotions and reservations and doubts as he had, but unable to say or do anything. It was like some kind of rollercoaster ride that she hadnā€™t asked to be on and had no ability to stopā€”the only thing she could do was hold on. And then it was simply over; she came back to her own body with a shudder and a sharp gasp, taking a step backwards as she was forced to adjust to her own parameters again. That had beenā€¦ if that was what it felt like to possess somebody, why in the world did demons ever do it? It hadnā€™t been at all pleasant, more harrowing than anything, though whether that was a function of possession itself or what sheā€™d seen in his mind, she did not know.

Her eyes widened and came back into focus, leaving her staring somewhat blankly at him, even as his eyes seemed to bore holes through her head. It appeared heā€™d lunged for her, though Morgan was in the way, and Cass was standing now as well, not alarmed-looking, but flicking his glance back and forth between the three of them with evident caution. Kazehana didnā€™t quite know how to interpret what sheā€™d seenā€”she understood it, and the implications of it, butā€¦ it seemed like something that nobody else was ever meant to know. Least of all some human girl. Well, not human, exactly, but close enough to count.

Something feltā€¦ strange. Reaching up, Kazehana touched her own cheek with the tip of a finger, looking down at it with dull surprise when it came back wet. She wasā€¦ weeping? She hadnā€™t realized it, but without her own ability to interfere, she must have simply reacted naturally to the pain and sorrow she felt in him, or felt upon learning of him, she knew not which. Swallowing thickly, she bushed away the thin tracks and met his eyes over Morganā€™s shoulder. ā€œIā€™m sorry,ā€ she said, quietly, but it did not stop her voice from cracking slightly. ā€œI never meant toā€”ā€ But she stopped there. There was nothing else to say, nothing she could say without revealing what she had seen.

And she would not do that.


Asmodeus glared silently at Morgan, who was standing between him and the source of the pain that he felt, an emotion he had not touched in over five centuries. But the more rational part of his brain began to work again as he stared at the Fallen Angel, green eye meeting red ones. He heard Kazehana's words, and something snapped. He wrenched his hand away from Morgan's shoulder, and with a low growl he turned his back on all of them. His voice was thick as he spoke.

"That's enough for today. I...need to be alone." He didn't wait for any of them to respond, he simply began walking, vanishing into thin air after five steps. Morgan let out a breath he hadn't realized that he'd been holding, and he sighed, rolling out his shoulder as the puncture wounds healed. He turned to Kaz. "Hey, you alright? I haven't seen As snap like that in a long time."


She shook her head faintly, regaining her composure and the familiar stubborn set to her eyes and mouth, but she stared at the spot where the demon had been for a number of seconds after heā€™d left it. ā€œIā€™m fine,ā€ she said, breathing a gentle sigh out through her nose, ā€œbut Iā€™m not so sure about him.ā€ That was all she seemed inclined to say about the matter, though, and Cass shrugged slightly.

ā€œAs will be fine. Whatever you saw must have shaken himā€”we all have something like that. Give him a bit of time. For now, I think we should head back.ā€ He offered a hand to the seated Tsuki to help her to her feet, and set off in the direction of the girlsā€™ home.

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"My mistress would like to meet you."



Asmodeus sat on what appeared to be a throne made of skulls, screams of the traitors surrounding him. It was very cold here in his circle, and the traitors of humanity were buried in ice, all around him. There were five layers, and down below him, in the very center, was Satan himself. The 9th Circle was the place made for traitors, and the one who had commited the ultimate betrayal, the betrayal against God himself, had reserved his own special place.

Asmodeus sat casually on his throne, his chin propped in his hand, his face placid. He no longer heard the screams, he had learned to ignore them centuries ago, when he had first come here. Treachery was the circle where most, if not all, the Fallen Angels ended up eventually. He could fel the chains tightening around Morgan, they were his chains, after all. Unless something changed, it would only be a matter of time before the orange-haired angel found himself buried waist-deep in the icy sludge of his domain. That had been his original goal, after all. But things had changed. Morgan and Caspar had reminded him of some things.

And then Kazehana had touched upon something he had buried long, long ago. He narrowed his red eyes at an egyptian male, now so buried he was completely encased in ice, no longer able to move. It was Yuemae's father, to be precise. He had ended up here because he had betrayed his daughter by unjustly killing her. He was down in the second layer, and Asmodeus allowed himself a second to curse the man who had taken his lover before regaining his composure. A movement among the giants that stood guard above caught his eye. He stayed motionles as a hexon beast made her way down to him. She looked like what a human would call a gargoyle or a harpie.

When she reached the base of his throne, she bent down on one knee. Everyone, even the lesser demons, knew the hierarchy within the circles. As the Prince of the 9th Circle, Asmodeus was one of the most powerful, as was apparent with his abilities to walk on the surface where other Princes could not. He knew this female was one of Asaroths. The question was, why was she here?

The female then finally spoke. "My Lord....My Prince, Asaroth, of the 5th Circle, requests a meeting with you." She kept her eyes averted, and she stayed down on one knee. Asmodeus remained in his poition, one leg thrown casually over the arm of the throne. "And why would I be inclined to meet with him? Asaroth and I have not spoken in decades."

"I am not privy to such information, My Lord. I only carry the message I was given."

Asmodeus waved her off. "Very well. I shall meet with him on my own time. I am not at my brother's beck and call. Now leave me." It was roughly twenty four hours later when Asmodeus left the city of Dis, entering the 5th circle, walking on the waters of the river Styx. When he came before the large winged demon. "What do you want, Asaroth?"

The demon chuckled. "Well well, my brother graces me with his presence. Tell me, are you still trapesing about with those two fallen up above?" When Asmodeus remained silent, he continued. "I currently find myself within the employment of a certian female up above on the surface. She has requested a meeting with you, Asmodeus."

Asmodeus snorted. "You know, this is an awfuly long list of messengers for one meeting. Do you have a time or am I simply supposed to show up?"


Morgan leaned on the railing overlooking the extreamly long way down to the ground belowe the Empire State Building. It had been yet another week since Asmodeus had stormed off, and they'd not heard from him since. Frankly, Morgan was worried. Whatever had happened between him and Kaz had shaken As, to be sure, but there was no denying the effect it had had on the girl as well. He sighed. There was too much happening right now for them to be divided.

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Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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ā€œShe told me once, that a heart never forgets.ā€


Kazehana sighed dramatically, hugging the pillow to her chest and sprawling backwards on her couch. It was a tad too short for someone as tall as she was, but she wasnā€™t laying on it properly anywayā€”her knees were hooked over one of the arms, her bare legs and feet dangling over the edge carelessly. The rest of her was flat against the cushions. A stack of textbooks was arranged haphazardly on her coffee table, the anatomy text on the uppermost layer leaning precariously against the empty cup that had once held her coffee. Sheā€™d just finished final exams for the semester, and was looking forward to not having to deal with class amidst all the other chaotic shit going down in her life. Come to think of it, Cass was a teacher, wasnā€™t he? Probably at her university, actuallyā€”it was the so-called best one in the area, after all.

It had used to be kind of a big deal, that she was getting her medical degree from Columbia, but now it seemed kind ofā€¦ petty, at least compared to some of the stuff she was dealing with. Loosing her hold on the pillow, she let it fall to the rug below and flung her hands up over her head. Unbound, the strands of her dark purple hair were basically everywhere, but it wasnā€™t like anyone was here in her dinky apartment, so what did she care? Hell, she probably wouldnā€™t care even if there were people here. It wasnā€™t like her new friends gave a damn how she looked.

ā€¦Did they? The entertained for a moment the possibility, then dismissed it with a scoff and a shake of her head. As far as she knew, only one of them had ever bothered with something like that, and heā€™d been in love with a gorgeous Egyptian lady from thousands of years ago. Kazehana wasnā€™t stupidā€”she knew she was pretty good-looking, as far as it went, but she wasnā€™t that kind of beautiful. Not by a long shot. Besides, there wasnā€™t exactly time for that kind of ridiculousness when they were up to their knees in blood and demon guts, some days.

Asillianā€¦ Asmodeus. I can see why he kept the nickname, I guess. I wonder if I should talk to him about that? Itā€™s not really any of my business, but it doesnā€™t seem like heā€™s told anybody about it, and that canā€™t be good for himā€¦ Repeating her sigh, she shook her head faintly and rolled off the sofa, landing on her hands and knees on the floor and pushing herself into a smooth stand. She had to say, all this training was really good for her fitnessā€”not that sheā€™d been neglecting it before. But there wasnā€™t really such a thing as skipping leg day when you had to run your ass up and down the streets of New York City chasing a demon made of what seemed to be toxic sludge. On second thought, she didnā€™t want to think about that; she and Cass had somehow wound up covered in the stuff while their friends and her sister remained relatively clean. It had been funny, in retrospect, and watching him chase Morgan around and try to smear some of the gunk onto him had been a laughing fit she hadnā€™t known she needed.

So, yeah, gross goo demons or no, her life wasnā€™t so bad right now. She had some crazy friends, butā€¦ she liked it. The only thing that had been bugging her lately was Asmodeus. Most of the time, it seemed like he was avoiding her, as though he didnā€™t want to talk to her about anything, and that hurt. Didnā€™t he trust her not to bring it up if he didnā€™t want to go there right now? On second thought, she was of half a mind to make him. If it was so bad that it could make him stop talking to someone like a normal person should, then it clearly needed to be addressed, right?

ā€œUgh, why am I thinking about this, anyway?ā€ she asked the empty air. ā€¦Maybe she should visit Dad and Tsuki soon. Talking to herself was not very helpful. ā€œI swear, none of my other guy friends were ever as much trouble as those three! ā€¦Two.ā€ She had to admit, Cass was pretty much the chillest dude sheā€™d ever met. He took everything that happened to them in his easy, big-guy stride and kept on rolling like a champ. It was good to know that someone could do that, because she seemed to be having a hard time of it lately. What was it with the other two, anyway? It was like she was always worried about them for some reason or another. Sheā€™d never been that worried about anyone but Tsuki before, and that wasā€¦ different, somehow.

ā€œThis sounds like a double chocolate brownie ice cream problem,ā€ a new voice said, startling her so bad that she jumped about two feet in the air. Caspar watched her do it and laughed.

ā€œHoly shit, Cass, you canā€™t just do that to people!ā€ she admonished, but honestly, it had no bite to it, because he was in fact holding double chocolate brownie ice cream, and that meant that all of his sins were forgiven. Wellā€¦ the ones she could forgive, anyway. Grabbing the ice cream from his hand, she opened the carton and retrieved two spoons from her silverware drawer, plonking herself down at her little dining room table and setting the carton on the surface.

ā€œI stand corrected: this is clearly a double chocolate brownie ice cream right out of the carton problem,ā€ he said, earning himself a reproachful look. She brandished the spare spoon at him and he obliged, taking the extra seat and digging in as she did.

ā€œWhatever. If I get fat, you will too, so there.ā€ This was clearly not a counterargument, and they both knew it, but it didnā€™t matter. Somewhere to their left, the television droned on with the evening news, but neither one of them was paying much attention to it. Cass seemed like he was about to say something, but Kazehana didnā€™t even notice, and it was she who broke the silence with a question. ā€œSo likeā€¦ you fallen angels and demons and so forth. How often is it that you fall in love with mortals?ā€ The question was so blunt in its delivery, and so surprising coming from her, that he nearly choked on his ice cream, but thankfully it melted in his throat. That would have been an inglorious way for an otherwise-immortal being to go: death by choking. On food. He was not keen for that to be in his obituary.

But after he recovered, he was able to consider it as an academic question, only vaguely aware that he was slightly pink. Kaz noticed, but decided that was best saved for another time. ā€œYouā€™d think it would be uncommon, butā€¦ well.ā€ He looked like he was consulting a mental reference or tally of some sort, so she let him be. ā€œUnfortunately, there are those among us who tend to relax their morals considerably after they fall, and you do get some relationships that way that have nothing to do with love, you understand. But if youā€™re asking after genuine emotional attachmentā€¦ itā€™s hard to put a percentage on it.ā€

She thought about it for a moment, but then curiosity struck her and she decided to press him. ā€œWhatā€™s so appealing about humans, anyway? Arenā€™t we just kind of, I dunno, like ants to you guys?ā€ It wasnā€™t like their lifespans were anything significant, and they could die for so many reasonsā€¦ she should know, she was studying medicine.

Cass chuckled, licking his spoon absently. ā€œYou know, I wasnā€™t so sure either, once. I thinkā€¦ it might be different for others, but I think the charm of a human being is just that. They live for such a short time, theyā€™re so small and frail when compared to us, weak in ways that we can never imagine being, and yetā€¦ their spirits are so strong. Itā€™s like a flame, you know? ā€˜Burns twice as bright for half as long.ā€™ You have such short spans in this world, and yet youā€™re able to do so much with it, at least when compared to what little you have to work with. Our kind have forever, which is so long that time itself is useless to us. You give us an insight into what it is to exist in time, to be part of something constantly moving and changing, rather than something that never alters at all. Youā€™re vibrancy and chaos and life, and it fascinates us.ā€

ā€œStill pretty sure Iā€™d rather have the awesome powers and eternity not in Hell, thanks.ā€ At this, he grinned. She was so honest, even without the influence of his powers. Kazehana didnā€™t seem to have any concern for how her opinion would make others think of her, and he found it refreshing. She reminded him strongly of Esther, that way. In many ways, actually.

ā€œYou may have a point,ā€ he conceded. Eternity was a long time, and to spend it in Hell, wellā€¦ unpleasant, to say the least. ā€œBut when humans attain Heaven, they really attain it. They get the resort houseā€”we have to be the staff.ā€ The metaphor made her tilt her head to the side, and then she chuckled, low and rich, nodding as if to accept it. ā€œBut you know, you and your sisterā€¦ youā€™re not like ordinary humans. Your divinity will sustain your lives and your youth much longer than most. I wouldnā€™t be surprised if you stopped aging for quite a long time.ā€

That stopped her for a moment. ā€œHow long? How many others like us have there been, anyway?ā€ It was one thing to ask how many of his kind had fallen in love with humans, because that was kind of subjective, but surely someone had to keep track of the kids, right?

Cass rubbed at his chin. ā€œI couldnā€™t say for sure how long your lives will be. Esther lived for several hundred years, and she was Annunaki like you. In the end, she died of unnatural means, so she may have lived longer. Nephilimā€¦ well, that depends on how powerful they are, and to what extent they develop their abilities, tap into their divinity. Some of them never learn these things, and live entirely normal human lives. Othersā€¦ Iā€™ve known a few to last a couple centuries, at least, possibly longer. Iā€™ve fallen out of contact since, wellā€¦ you know.ā€ She noddedā€”she didnā€™t need him to come out and say it. He meant his fall, and she wasnā€™t going to press him on it.

ā€œThere have been quite few Nephilim throughout history, either accidentally or intentionally, but only perhaps ten Annunaki, at least direct ones. Gabriel had three children, though only two survived for any significant amount of time past their birth, and Esther was the last to perish.ā€ His tone grew sad for a moment, but he seemed to shake himself out of it. ā€œYouā€™re the only one I know of alive right now. Most of the others were children of much lower-ranked angels, cherubim and the like. I wouldnā€™t be surprised if you and your sister, as the children of Uriel, are being watched very carefully by important people on both ends.ā€

Kazehanaā€™s face scrunched up. ā€œDammit, Cass! I did not need to know that a bunch of your old buddies have seen me in the shower!ā€ she smacked his arm, though she was laughing instead of actually offended. If you couldnā€™t laugh about this stuff, it would probably kill you.

Cass looked a bit embarrassed to be on the subject, but he wasnā€™t going to lose so easily. ā€œDonā€™t worry too much about thatā€”a lot of them are prudes. Itā€™s the creepy-crawly demons that are probably ogling you, Kaz.ā€ The face she made was priceless, and as if to punctuate it, she punched him again, in the bicep. The girl could hit quite hardā€”it actually stung, and from him, that was really saying something. Heā€™d met brick walls that did less damage, and at higher speeds.

She turned serious, though, a moment later, and he wondered where her thoughts had taken her until she spoke again. ā€œHey, Cassā€¦ if the fallen can have children with humansā€¦ can demons, too?ā€

He sighed, his good mood evaporated alongside hers, and stared hard at the hands he had placed on the table. Both had somehow clenched into fists without his knowledge. He told himself that it wasnā€™t her faultā€”Kazehana just seemed to have a natural gift for stepping on peopleā€™s land mines without any awareness of their location. ā€œYeah,ā€ he said slowly, ā€œthey can. But the thing about children like thatā€”be they demonic or angelicā€”is that the mother can rarely handle it. She often dies, and she often takes the child with her. Iā€™m guessing the main reason your mom didnā€™t was because she was a Watcher herself, and her system could handle the divinity. Even so, she was probably sick for a long while afterwards, especially when you were born.ā€

She hadnā€™t meant to hurt him with the question, but she could tell that, somehow, she had. Kazehana wasnā€™t sure she had it in her to handle this, not again, and not today. Maybe this was something she could tell Tsuki aboutā€”her sister seemed somehow better suited for this conversation than she was. Maybe she was better suited for all of them; it was becoming increasingly obvious that all Kaz ever did was stick her foot in it.

ā€œIā€™d say that sounds like a double chocolate brownie ice cream from the carton problem, but we seem to be all out,ā€ she said, tipping the carton forward a bit so he could see that it was in fact empty. That got her a smile, though, and she had a feeling that maybe, things would be all right after all.

ā€œHey Cass?ā€

ā€œYeah?ā€

ā€œThanks.ā€

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen

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Tsuki stared at the book in her hands. It was the third one that day that she had picked up in hopes of learning something new, however; everything read the same way. The information was still the same, just simplified or a word changed here or there. She sighed, setting the book down on the small, auburn coffee table and stared out the window. The day had passed rather uneventful, and she wasn't particularly inclined to training today. If anything, it was her and Kazehana's day off. Were they even allowed those? She shrugged absentmindedly to herself as if to answer the silent question. Tsukiyo watched as the noise of the city life echoed through her home, leaning back in her chair as she turned to face the ceiling.

There was still quite some time before the day was over, and Tsukiyo found herself standing from her seat and slipping her shoes on. She wanted to do something, and a walk would do her good. She needed to stretch her limbs a bit. Grabbing the house keys, she made her way outside and around the corner, passing by people she'd seen almost every day. She greeted the few that greeted her and chose to ignore the rest of the world. The occasional poltergeist would pop up, but Tsukiyo had long passed that stage to where they would try and frighten her. Now they just floated idly by and would occasionally strike up conversation with the younger Fuhen. Though people did find it a bit odd that the girl would talk to herself out in public.

Before she knew it, her feet had carried her almost around town. She was standing in front of a familiar building, one that she was well-acquainted for if the key at her side was any indication. Smiling, she made her way into the apartment complex and zoned in on the one apartment she was looking for. Opening the door, she found the place a bit empty, and frowned. Had Kazehana left? She stepped further into the apartment, closing the door softly behind her. She could hear the television still on, so perhaps Kazehana was just watching T.V.. Sure enough, Tsukiyo found her sister sitting on the couch and smiled at her.

"Hey Kaz," she stated low enough so that she didn't scare her sister, if she hadn't heard her come in. "Did I miss anything interesting?" she referred to what was giving on the television. Tsukiyo hardly watched the small box, instead preferring the comfort of the books to the noise and static.

Kazehana heard her sister enter the apartment, though she wasnā€™t immediately sure which of her friends it was. For a moment, she thought Cass might have forgotten somethingā€”for such a smart guy, he tended to be a bit forgetful when it came to the mundane items he owned. But it turned out to be her sister, and Kaz smiled brightly at Tsukiā€™s appearance. ā€œHey Tsu-Tsu. And nopeā€”I was just watching the end of the news. Itā€™s bad, as always.ā€ shrugging, she flipped off the set and drew her legs up underneath her, waving a hand in the general direction of the fridge. ā€œCass left another pot of that chili if youā€™re hungry.ā€ Kazehana wasnā€™t a bad cook, but nobody sheā€™d ever met had anything on Cass in that department. He had the magic touch with food, honestly; even things she didnā€™t normally like were delicious when he made them.

Chili was among those things, but there you had it. He regularly made food in industrial-sized quantities, too, though, which meant that one or the other sister always got his leftovers. It was usually plenty to share, even. ā€œSo whatā€™s up? Nothing new in the books today, I take it?ā€

Tsukiyo chuckled at her sister's response. When had the news ever been good? Perhaps once every few years, but even then that was pushing the luck. Still, she couldn't help but smile. She tilted her head a bit as Kazehana mentioned chili. Apparently Cass had cooked again and as per usual, there was leftovers. She smiled and shook her head. That man could cook for an army if given half the chance, but she wasn't going to complain. His cooking was something she could eat for days. He was rather good at it, but then again, living as long as he had, perhaps it was just something he did as a past time.

"No. It's basically the same thing over and over again," Tsukiyo replied, plopping down next to her sister on the couch. She sighed as she slumped into the cushions, allowing the couch to somewhat swallow her. "I think I might have to raid Cass' library soon," she half chided. Though she probably would if she saw him. Or rather, she'd ask him to borrow some books if she could. She always returned them in the shape they were given to her. He was kind enough to let her borrow his books, so it was only fair that she keep up with them. Most of them were old, really old that she was afraid half of the time to turn the pages.

"How about you? How are things going for you?" she asked, situating herself so that she was now leaning on her sister's shoulder. "You were acting weird that day Asmodeus possessed you, and you had me worried," she continued, laughing a bit at the end of her sentence. That, in itself, was the truth though. Asmodeus had almost attacked her sister, and if it wasn't for Morgan, she was sure that Kazehana might not have been here today. He had been so intent on attacking her that Tsukiyo was concerned.

Kazehana really wanted to talk to someone about what sheā€™d seen in the demonā€™s head, but it wasnā€™t any of her business. It was something she should not have known in the first place. She basically consented to the three of them doing whatever they had to in order to train her, but that didnā€™t mean she was given as much right to root around in their heads as they had to hers. That just wasnā€™t how the arrangement worked. Well, not with Morgan and As, anyway. Cass was a slightly-different case, and what they had was actually closer to a friendship than anything. Maybe that was because he mostly taught Tsuki, and generally only showed her how to do things when they were the things he was especially good at. He was also not telepathically-inclined, so they had to communicate the old-fashioned way. Morgan and Asmodeus wereā€¦ something important to her, but she was not sure friends was the right word in either case. Well, Morgan was probably her friend. Maybe. As probably still wanted to kill her.

It was all a little too complicated for Kaz, who preferred things to be straightforward whenever possible. ā€œUgh, I know,ā€ she replied to her sister, leaning into Tsuki in turn so that they were both using the other to stay upright. She tilted her head sideways so that her cheek rested on her shorter sisterā€™s crown, and sighed, slightly disturbing Tsukiā€™s brown hair. ā€œIt was weird, you know? Things went all wrongā€¦ I think I might have possessed him for a while there, only I didnā€™t know the first thing about how to do that, so I ended up just sort of randomly diving into some of his memoriesā€¦ stuff I really shouldnā€™t have seen. I feel bad, Tsuki, and I want to talk to him about it orā€¦ I donā€™t know. How is this my life?ā€ She whined with a huff. She thought she was entitled to a little bit of whining. It wasnā€™t every day you accidentally offended a demonic prince of hell.

Shit, most people would probably be scared out of their minds. But sheā€™d had the sense, even then, that Asmodeus wouldn't really hurt her. Maybe that was a stupid thing to thinkā€”he had certainly looked like he wanted to tear her apart, but she still didnā€™t believe that he would have. Well, if heā€™d tried, heā€™d have been eating her fist first, for whatever that was worth, but even her usual disposition to react to violent overtures with more violence hadnā€™t been present. Sheā€™d just beenā€¦ sad, and that was what sheā€™d thought she was feeling from him, too. Anger, sure, but sadness more than anything. ā€œI think weā€™re gonna need therapy at the end of all this, Tsuki. Theyā€™ll lock us up in padded white rooms and tell us weā€™re freaking crazy, and theyā€™ll be right for all the wrong reasons.ā€ It wasnā€™t the things they believed that made them insaneā€”it was that, even with all that knowledge, theyā€™d chosen to throw in their lot with a demon and two fallen, when any reasonable individual would likely have run as far and as fast away as humanly possible.

Tsukiyo snorted at her sister's comment of being the one doing the possession. Her expression, however, softened a bit when Kazehana continued talking, explaining to her what had happened. Well, it would explain the reason why Asmodeus tried to attack Kazehana, however; that still wasn't a solid reason to attack someone. Still, Tsukiyo remained quiet as she allowed her sister to vent, or whine. Whichever case you saw it from. Tsukiyo frowned a bit when Kazehana spoke of feeling bad. Why should she feel bad about something like that?

"You didn't do anything wrong, Kaz. It was just a possession gone wrong, that's all. But if you feel bad, maybe you should go talk to him. Just, if he tries anything..." she trailed off, glancing up at her sister to silently continue the conversation. She knew Kazehana would know what she meant without having to finish that sentence. Kazehana had always been one to take care of herself, and she trusted her sister to do the right thing. "And I would visit you every day. You'd be the one needing the therapy, I'll just be sitting in my little corner reading my books," she joked along. Though it was probably true, they probably would both need therapy after everything.

Kaz smiled at that, and chuckled. ā€œThatā€™s only because Iā€™m the loud one. Youā€™d be so quiet, theyā€™d never no how crazy you really were.ā€ She nudged Tsukiā€™s shoulder affectionately with her own. On the matter of what to do about Asmodeus, she was quiet for the moment. She did want to talk to him, but considering who he was and where he spent most of his time, she might well have to literally go to Hell in order to do so. Well, if that was what it took to make things right again, that was what she would do. But it was unlikely to be as simple as walking through the front door. It sounded like a question for Morgan or Cass, at any rate. Something to deal with later. For nowā€¦

ā€œWell, I donā€™t know about you, but Iā€™m hungry. Should I warm up some chili?ā€

Tsukiyo laughed softly at Kazehana's response. "Chili sounds good," she responded as she waited.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

Earnings

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It had been almost a week since Asmodeus' meeting with his brother Asaroth, and he finally reappeared on the surface. The white haired Demon Prince thought about staying in the shadows, keeping away from the others, but in his heart, he knew something had to be reconciled between himself and Kazehana, if only for the girl's sake. For As, the lines between friend and something else had become incredibly blurred, so much so that he found himself unable to remember what Yuemei had looked like, and instead he found himself picturing Kaz instead. That had bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Especially with his newfound alliance. It was a shaky treaty at best, but it was something. He still hadn't decided if he was going to tell the others or not. Although getting around the subject with Caspar would prove to be difficult. Asmodeus sighed, finding himself standing in front of the door to Kazehana's apartment. He hadn't remembered conciously making the decision to come here, but nonetheless he knocked on her door. He had the key she'd given him, but to him, that just made things awkward.


Kazehana had decided to be productive that day, and as a result, her apartment was now absolutely sparkling with cleanliness. Sheā€™d just shut off and stowed the vacuum cleaner, retying her long hair in the customary ponytail, and brushed off her jeans and old t-shirt when the knock sounded at the door. If sheā€™d been paying more attention, she would have sensed him coming long before he reached the door in the first place. It was, after all, hard not to notice that a demon prince was making his way towards you, unless you were completely aura-blind. Sensitive to such things as she was, Asmodeus lit up her senses like a small starā€”they all did, but each was distinguishable from the other.

She froze, for a moment uncertain of what she should do. But moments of irrational panic werenā€™t really her style, and so with a mental slap, she shook herself out of it and crossed her apartment barefoot, throwing back the deadbolt and opening the door inwards. Her first instinct was torn somewhere between punching him for being gone so long without at least letting anyone know what he was doing and pulling him into a crushing hug, probably complete with a more gentle scolding for exactly the same thing. The first one would have been like her, but she wasnā€™t really feeling it. The second would not have been like her at all, and she couldnā€™t quite bring herself to do itā€”especially not when they were on such shaky ground.

So instead, she crossed her arms under her chest and leaned on the doorframe, quirking an eyebrow and lifting her mouth in a sardonic half-smile. ā€œWell, well. Look what the cat dragged in.ā€ the words were irreverent, but the smile didnā€™t reach her eyes, clearly betraying the fact that she had, in fact, been worried about him. Dropping her arms, she stepped aside. ā€œCome on in. I was just going to have some tea, if you want any.ā€ A pause. ā€œOr coffee, if you prefer.ā€ He seemed more like a coffee person than a tea person, but now she was just pondering irrelevant details because she wasnā€™t sure what to say. Should she talk about it? Avoid it and pretend like nothing had happened? Sheā€™d do either, for him, but she had no idea which heā€™d even want.


Despite the tone of his mood, As couldn't stop the smile that etched its way across his face at her attitude. It was easy to see that she was conflicted, but she hid it well enough that she would be able to hide her inner conflicts from probably just about any human. But Asmodeus was no human, not by a long shot. He followed her inside, saying as he did so, "That's not funny, I don't even like cats. I certianly would let one drag me anywhere." He did, however, take her up on the offer of coffee.

There was a reasonable amount of time before he spoke again. When he did, he surprised even himself. "Apologizing is not something I am used to doing. It is not something any Demon usually practises. However, given the nature of our relationship, common courtesy requires I do so. But, even more than that, my conscience dictates that I do so. I understand that you have not said anything to the others about what you saw, and for that, I thank you. It is not something I am particularly proud of. Still, that does not make it right that I outwardly attacked you simply because you caused me to remember what I had thought I had long since buried. For that, I apologize."


Kaz sat across from him, hands wrapped around the hot cup of tea that rested on her table, her long legs wound around the chair limbs beneath her. She hadnā€™t been expecting an apology, reallyā€”she hadnā€™t thought of it as a situation that demanded one. Trying to show him that she had not been hurt by his actions while not directly saying as much wasnā€™t perhaps the most conventional thing to do here, but then, nothing about either of them was conventional anymore, not really. She shook her head. ā€œDonā€™t worry about itā€”Iā€™m not the one you hit.ā€ she said it with a small smile; they both knew Morgan could take a lot worse than had actually been done. ā€œAnd Iā€¦ I donā€™t think you would have, not really.ā€ She bit her lip and looked down at the liquid in her cup. It wasnā€™t like her to be so indirect, but she had to. Mostly because not even she was certain what she was driving at.

ā€œIā€™m not wrong, am I? When I look at you and see someone whoā€™d never hurt me?ā€ Sheā€™d meant to say us, there, referring to herself, Tsuki, and the other two. But somehow, it had come out as me instead, and she didnā€™t think it was better to correct herself. Maybe because this was what sheā€™d wanted to ask all along. ā€œAll that I sawā€¦ thatā€™s your business, not mine, butā€¦ you can make it my business if you want, you know. You can share it with me, if that somehow makes it lighter to bear or less painful or even just a bit easier to live with. Heaven knows youā€™ve done a lot more than that for me, and theyā€™d better be keeping track.ā€ she shot a meaningful glance upwards, though she was smart enough to know that this wasnā€™t where Heaven really was. It was more like an alternate plane of existence, and those didnā€™t have directions.


Asmodeus listened to her, his own eyes falling to the cup in front of him. "Your ability to act indifferent is an interesting one, if not always smart. Showing emotion is not always a weakness. And before you say anything, yes, I do realize how hypocritical that is coming from me." For once, the demon actually smiled. Her question about hurting her, however, took him by surprise. He was not sure how to answer that question, given his current state of mind on the subject.

As it were, he chose to put it aside for the time being. "Those were...painful memories. As an Angel I made the mistake of allowing a human too close when I should have kept her away. That was during a time when her gifts were not welcome among the general populace, and in the end, she paid for it." He regarded his hands before continuing, remembering the moment he watched her father die. It had been not by his hand, but it had still been his fault. "And in the end, I also paid for my mistakes. I am sure they are keeping tabs on me, though I highly doubt it's for the reasons you wish it to be. There are only a handful of all the Demons in Hell more powerful than I am, should I choose to use that power. That is why they watch me, because I can become one of Heaven's, and Man's, greatest threats." He stopped again, and this time when he spoke, there was a certain edge to his voice. "I cannot claim that I will not hurt you. To claim so would be no more than lying. But I can say that if somewhere down the line I do end up hurting you, it will not be intentional."


Kaz had by this point emptied her cup of tea, and set it back down on the table with a gentle clink, tilting her head to one side a bit. That was probably fair; everyone was capable of hurting others without meaning to. Herself included, probablyā€”had she not done so when sheā€™d accidentally stumbled upon those thoughts in his mind? In the end, she spoke without pretense or artifice, as was generally her way regardless. ā€œItā€™s not wrong to be close to people,ā€ she said with a certain kind of finality, ā€œAnd itā€™s not wrong to love someone, either. Sometimes, the things those feeling compel us to do are bad or turn out poorly, but I donā€™t think the feeling itself is ever truly wrong.ā€

Sighing through her nose, she reflected on what sheā€™d been told, especially the part about the reasons he was being watched. Her mouth turned down into a frown, and she glanced across the table at him. His eyes were so redā€”it really was a beautiful color. Didnā€™t that always tend to happen, though? Poisonous creatures were the most colorful, predators more beautiful then the mundane prey they hunted. But just because he could do all that damage, be that destructive, didnā€™t mean he would. If the violence was all that was in his nature, he wouldnā€™t be here right now. How was it that someone like her could see this, but those people who claimed the moral high ground and near-omniscience could not? It just seemed obvious.

ā€œYeah, wellā€¦ people have gotten me wrong my entire life too. Even I have. Itā€™s nothing so important, of course, but I guess I know the feeling, of having people watch you and be afraid of you. They look, but they donā€™t see. Iā€™m sorry it happened the way it did, butā€¦ Iā€™m also kind of glad that I got to see a little bit of you, As. I feel like if everyone did, really saw, theyā€™d think more like I do.ā€ Disentangling her legs from the chair, she brought them up to the edge of it, hugging her knees and propping her chin upon them. She wasnā€™t sure how heā€™d take that, but it was the truth, and so she couldnā€™t deny it. That just wasnā€™t the kind of person she was.


Asmodeus smiled again. "Kazehana, I highly doubt that many people would ever think the way you do. Your way of viewing the world is not a common one, nor has it ever been so. Even after all my years of existence, I have met very few who look past the surface, and when they do see past, they tend to fear it, not accept it. That is simply the warped human nature that befell them from Lucifer's influences." She truly was one of a kind, he knew that. It was also beginning to dawn on him why Morgan was feeling the things he was feeling for her. He understood, because he could feel them, too.

He was inexplicably drawn to her, like she was a flame in the midst of inpenetrable darkness. "Never apologize about something you cannot control. A reverse possession such as what you did to me is an incredible power, one that you should indeed hone. I am still willing to help you learn. Though I will warn you. Reverse possession is not something I can teach you. You will have to learn how to focus and find the information you want, and filter out what you don't want to see. You may see things of my past that neither of us wish to come to light, but..." He sighed softly. "You have already seen more of me than anyone else. I am willing to help you. You have but to ask."


She didnā€™t really understand why he thought so. To her, the things she saw when she just opened her eyes and looked were obviousā€”so obvious that she was always surprised when other people didnā€™t seem to get it. Maybe it was just the unique way sheā€™d been raised, growing up with people as good as her sister and her father and the friends sheā€™d made at the clinic. Kazehana couldnā€™t look at anyone or anything and see only the bad. She had to believe there was good in there as well. And, if one searched for something, they were more likely to find it, so she was often right about this. She wound up burned when she was wrong, but she knew of no other way to be.

ā€œWell, Iā€™ll mess up sometimes, and when that happens, I expect youā€™ll be in my head a lot, too.ā€ she pointed out. She might have caught him by surprise last time, but he was bound to be more prepared next time she tried, and if that happened, who knew what would occur? She expected that heā€™d succeed in possessing her a few times at least while she learned how to reverse it. ā€œCanā€™t promise thereā€™s anything important in there,ā€ she said wryly, smiling slightly, ā€œBut youā€™ll definitely learn a lot about me, too, in any case. I figure Iā€™m willing to accept that if you are.ā€ Granted, none of her secrets involved ancient love affairs and dark lifetimes in Hell, but the essence of a person, the sanctity of their mind, was no less precious whether they hid many things or few.

Sighing softly, Kazehana reached across the length of the table with a hand, gently tangling her fingers with his. Touch had never been shied away from in her family, and was often a way the Fuhens had of expressing what words could not. She and Tsuki leaned on one another, poked at arms or bumped shoulders or held hands or propped chins on crowns with great regularity, affirming their affections in such ways all the time. Cass was a little more reserved, but she was getting him used to the idea of being punched and hugged pretty regularly. Things like thisā€¦ they were her way of saying what needed to be said but would only sound trite in words. Iā€™m here, I accept you, I want you to know that I care. No matter what. ā€œI guess Iā€™m asking, then,ā€ she said, quietly.


Asmodeus' mouth twitched slightly. "There are always important things inside one's head. Especially human thoughts." He leaned forward slightly, his voice taking on a softer tone. "Don't ever doubt the amount of strength you carry, Kazehana. You are exponentially more powerful than you give yourself credit for. I may be more prepared for an attack from you, but that does not mean I will be able to stop you." He returned to his upright position, gazing at their intertwined fingers. The anatomy of humans did not vary overmuch, but there were subtle differences between her hand and Yuemei's hand. The odd thing he found, though, was the fact that it didn't seem to bother him.

"We shall begin tomorrow, then. You'll need your rest. Despite your stamina level, this training will take a lot out of you, so it's best that you're prepared for that."


Kaz quirked a brow, squeezing his hand for just a brief moment before withdrawing her own. ā€œIf you say so, your highness,ā€ she joked, knowing nevertheless that she would take his advice seriously. She had a feeling that her training was about to ratchet up another level, but she was ready. She knew she was. She just had to believe in herself, like heā€™d suggested.

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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Three days of training had proved to be rather intresting, and Kazehana had greatly improved, so much so that she was able to possess Asmodeus on her own. The Demon was quite impressed with her improvement, though by now, he figured he should no longer be surprised.

Morgan, however, had all but disappeared over the last three days, until today, on the fourth, his aura vanished. Asmodeus and Kazehana had been about to start another session when Asmordeus suddenly stilled, his face growing grim. Even in their states of regeneration, their auras did not simply vanish. He could tell by the look on Kaz's face that she, too, sensed something was wrong.

The day before, Asmodeus had felt it when one of the other Demon Princes had been destroyed. He hadn't thought much of it, most of them died and were replaced quite often, especially the higher circles. But the fact that Morgan disappeared right after, that got his attention. "Kaz...do me a favor and find Tsukiyo. Go to your place, and stay there. Cass and I have to find Morgan." His tone was soft, distracted even, but brooked little room for argument.

, the Demon connected his mind to Caspar's. I'm sure you've already noticed, Morgan just disappeared. I have an idea where he is, but I'm going to need your help. I'm sending the girls home, meet me in Central Park. We've got a little field trip to go on.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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Kazehana looked less than pleased with the instructions, but she knew that there was little point in arguing. If Morgan had just disappeared like thatā€¦ well, chances were that heā€™d disappeared to Hell. It was either that or Heaven, and the latter was unlikely. Hell was a place that Kaz was pretty sure sheā€™d be visiting eventually, but she knew she wasnā€™t ready to be there yet. For now, sheā€™d have to rely on her friends, and if As thought it was best for herself and Tsuki to lay low right now, then that was what they would do. Nodding quickly, she paused for a moment, evidently on the cusp of saying something, then went ahead and blurted it anyway. ā€œCome back,ā€ she said, and the words had a sternness to them, more than a request, but less than a command. ā€œAnd be careful. I donā€™t know whatā€™s going on, but it isnā€™t good.ā€

With that, she hurried over to her stuff, fishing her cell phone out of a pocket and calling Tsuki, hoping that for once, her sister would actually answer the damn thing. Sometimes, when that girl got lost in book-world, it was like nothing else existed. Assuming she even brought her phone with her at all, that is. Hopefully she understood that it was necessary, these days. More than it had been when they were just girls who saw ghosts. Theyā€™d meet up at the clinic, spend the time being productive, and, she was willing to admit, being around their dad. He still made Kaz feel safe, even after all this time and everything that had happened. Plus, he might know more about what was going on.




Caspar, as it turned out, was with Tsuki when he felt Asmodeusā€™s telepathic contact. The news was about what heā€™d expected, but he still sighed, both mentally and physically. The two of them were holed up in the library of the apartment that the two former angels shared with As when he was on this plane, digging through old tomes for more information on energy healingā€”something that Cass was very good at but had to be taught to Tsuki in the less-instinctive way. The power to heal was something she could learn, but it was part of his being. That necessitated different approaches. She was doing well so far, though, and he was trying to teach her how to deal with the most common demonic toxins.

ā€œI think youā€™re about to get a phone call from your sister,ā€ he said, closing carefully the book that he was using. ā€œPlease do what she asks. As and I have to go find Morganā€¦ take a couple of these with you if you like.ā€ He trusted her to lock up as she left, so, with a hand to her shoulder, he took his leave, passing out of ordinary human visibility and opening a window, jumping out with his enormous sword in tow and heading directly for Central Park. It didnā€™t take him long to locate Asmodeus, and he stopped beside his friend.

ā€œYou know, last time I was in Hell, everything in it was trying to kill me,ā€ he pointed out conversationally. Of course, that had been during the period of full-on war, before the stalemate that prevented either side from doing much of consequence. There was still a battle every now and then, but for now, what each side mostly did was watch certain happenings in the grey area between. Where the beings with the ability to fall on either side would end up may very well determine what came about during the end times. For now, it was pretty much a waiting game on the large scale, though other things still changedā€¦ like this.


Asmodeus gave Caspar a slight grin at his comment. He opened the portal, a great hole opening in the fabric between the mortal plane and Purgatory. "Yeah, and it was also the middle of the war, not a Convergence. Mammon, the Demon Prince of the 5th Circle, was destroyed. Now, a new one will be selected. And because Morgan just vanished, I have a pretty solid idea of who they've chosen." His voice was grim, and then two of them walked through the portal.

Numerous screams of the damned rang out to them, many of them reaching towards Caspar. Asmodeus all but ignored them, walking quickly towards the river. Convergences where always held in the 7th Circle, the second ring of the City of Dis, which was considered neutral territory. The other seven Princes were already there, the number of their circle emblazened on their foreheads. The number nine was visible on Asmodeus' own forehead. And in the center of them, chained and waist-deep in Hell's mire. Asmodeus' eyes narowed. He had been right, they had chosen Morgan. Now the only question was, who, and why. He could think of only one other Prince who had known exactly what Morgan's condition had been.

He found Asaroth, in the 6th Circle's seat. Asmodeus leveled his gaze at him, the two of them entering in a silent battle. In the end, Asaroth simply smiled. "It's usually unconventional to bring an outsider to a Convergence, Brother."

"And it is considered quite rude to make a decision when the Convergence Head is not present." The others gave Asmodeus a respectful nod. Asaroth merely smiled. "You were late."


Heā€™d be a pretty poor representative of Heavenā€™s own army if he allowed the damned to creep him out, but there was something faintly disturbing about them all the same. These had, for the most part, once been humans beings, and once, they had all held the potential for good as well as evil, just as every living being did. He was never sure if they reached for him because they were drawn his lingering divinity, or wanted to destroy him for it. There was very little difference down here.

When the oddity of his presence was mentioned, Cass crossed his arms, staring down Asaroth with narrowed amber eyes. Though the war was long over, it was hard to forget some things, and while he wasnā€™t going to fly off the handle and attack anyone here, he also didnā€™t have to like them. As was a serious exception to Cassā€™s general attitude towards demons, and it didnā€™t help that they currently held his brother. If Lucifer had been hereā€¦ he wouldnā€™t be able to promise that things would remain civil. The two of them had something of a personal grudge problem, but fortunately, Lucifer had been sealed under the ice in Asmodeusā€™s own circle for a very long time, now. It might even be the reason Caspar had initially been disposed to like Asmodeus more than other demons, but of course, he had since proven himself far beyond that initial reason.

For that, and for Morgan who had apparently been chosen for this task, he would maintain his quietude, and stood silently beside the chair designated for his friend. If he was radiating the holy light a little brighter than strictly necessary, wellā€¦ it wasnā€™t like anyone was going to call him out on it. He may have fallen, but heā€™d once made these same demons fear the places he tread, and none of them were likely to forget that.


Asmodeus snarled softly at Asaroth, who had the grace to flinch. Down in Hell, Asmodeus was stronger, and Asaroth knew it. "Just why is it you chose him?"

Asaroth's eyes flickered over Morgan, whose chains had slowly been working inward, covering him. When they were finished, the transformation would be complete. As it were, there was little As could do now to stop it, and everyone present knew that. Now, it was merely a battle of wills to see who would walk out the victor. No Demon Prince was safe at a Convergence, especially not a new one. Asmodeus would have to move quickly in order to protect Morgan, and that was exactly what Asaroth was waiting for.

"Because he was available. You of all people know it's easiest to make a Prince out of a Fallen Angel rather than a Demon. After all, it's what I did to you all those years ago, remember?"

"And you would do well to remember who I am now." In response, many feline-like creatures came crawling through the shadows in response to their masters' silent call. The other Princes began to back away. None of them dared challenge Asmodeus, but Asaroth didn't budge. Morgan's transformation was almost complete, and As knew they were running out of time. They needed to get Morgan out as soon as possible, if for no other reason than to protect his mind. Once you became a Prince, it was hard to remember who you were before. Asmodeus could only speculate that Asaroth had wanted to take Morgan away from them as an ally, and make him one of his own.

The muscles in As's back clenched as he stilled himself. All of the Princes became still, they could all sense the transformation completing. A few of them even seemed eager to welcome the new Mammon. When the chains fell away from Morgan, revealing him in his demonic form that he had always tried so hard to keep at bay, the clamor began. In short, it was utter chaos, and Asmodeus found himself locked in combat with Asaroth.

Morgan, or perhaps Mammon, was holding his own against the others. Despite only just waking up, the 5th Prince was doing well against the others. Asmodeus was desperately trying to reach Morgan in the recesses of his mind. Morgan had to still be in there. He had to be.


Cass, never one to stand by when there was a fight to be had, found himself locked in a two-on-one with Abaddon and Merihem, neither of whom had any particular reason to like him, or indeed to let him out of this alive. In all the years heā€™d spent doing this very thingā€”battling the legions and Princes of Hell, heā€™d managed to grow tired of nothing but battle, but that was not to say that he grew tired of battle itself. The thrill of a fight was one of the purest feelings in the world, arrayed against a force you should not be able to stop, knowing that the right was on your side, but that it would not help you survive. Survival was earned by the strength of oneā€™s arms and the strength of oneā€™s will. If there werenā€™t something much more important going on, it would almost have been fun. Abaddon slammed a massive fist right into his midsection, but Cass just grinned, shaking off the damage with perhaps less ease than he would have when he was Michael, but relative ease all the same.

His sword, alight with radiance, cut a bright swath through the dim gloom of this place, flaying into Merihemā€™s side. It was far from a fatal woundā€”the Prince was an old-enough hand at this sort of thing to know how to move, and in the end the hit was not the devastating slice it could have been, but more a bite of the blade. Merihem still hissed, perhaps not expecting the burning that followed as the fallen angelā€™s divinity flared with the righteousness of his cause, and the demon staggered back. Still Abaddon pressed, and that was really the advantage of numbers, Cass supposed, setting his stance, a half-wild grin plastered to his face.

ā€œIā€™ll never say I missed you, bastard, but Iā€™m going to enjoy this, for old timesā€™ sake.ā€ He was still worried about Morgan though, but he lacked the capacity to do as As was doing and reach him directly through the mind. The best he could do was offer a suggestion. ā€œAs, donā€™t tell him, show him! The recent stuff!ā€ He referred, of course, to the set of memories they all shared, corresponding to their most recent endeavors, the ones that, for Cass at least, had been making him feel truly good again, like he had a place in the world and a job to do and people who were worth the sacrifices that came with that. Kaz and Tsuki had become an integral part of their lives, and just because the past was older didnā€™t make it more deeply-rooted. If it were Cass in there, struggling against the worst parts of his nature, he would need to be reminded of what was present, not what had been.


Something clicked in Asmodeus' mind at Caspar's words. He had to admit, he had a point. And Morgan's biggest connection was with Kazehana. He focused on that simple idea, flooding Mammon's mind. It was not easy, locked in combat with Asaroth at the same time, but he was trying his hardest. Mammon ceased his attack and instead looked at Asmodeus, and then at Caspar.

The temperature in the 7th Circle was incredibly hot, as one would expect, when suddenly it dropped. It wasn't just a few degrees, either. The ground underneath Mammon turned to ice, and the demons around him began to freeze from the inside out. Asmodeus let a triumphant grin spread across his face when he realized what that meant, an focused all of his attention on Asaroth, whose own face was twisted in a snarl.

Asaroth leaped away from Asmodeus, panting slightly. The other Princes also began to withdraw. "Well, I'm impressed. You managed to bring him back. My mistress will not be very pleased, not at all. Especially not with you, Asmodeus."

Morgan, who had reverted back to his human appearance, narrowed his eyes at As. He wanted to press the issue, but at the moment it wasn't the time. He cracked his neck, looking at Cass. At first glance, there was almost no change, but in fact, there was a few subtle changes. His lone eye had turned red, and the number 5 was emblazoned on his forehead. He rolled out his shoulders. "Come on. Let's get out of here. I'm sure Kaz and Tsuki are worried."


Cass, who had just finished bodily throwing Abaddon into one of the other princes, straightened to his full height and shrugged. ā€œSure. I mean, donā€™t get me wrong, this was fun and all, but it smells awful down here. Have you guys ever considered hiring an interior decorator? The whole ā€˜damned for eternityā€™ thing gets a bitā€¦ repetitive.ā€ He was not oblivious to the changes in his brother, but that was very obviously a conversation for another time. The chains that bound Morgan to Hell were just as permanent as Asā€™s, now, which was to say that while there might be a way out of them, it would not be easy.

ā€œOh, alsoā€¦ Iā€™m not calling you Mammon. No offense, but it kinda sounds like ā€˜melon,ā€™ and Iā€™d prefer it if my best friend didnā€™t share a name with a fruit.ā€

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls Character Portrait: Vivian Walker

Earnings

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When Tsukiyo left Kazehana's apartment, she had found herself wandering the streets of New York. She wasn't quite ready to go home yet, and she wanted to stretch her limbs. Sometime during her escapade, she ran into Caspar and followed him home where they began a light session of training. If reading books on poisons could be considered training at least. On the bright side, he was also teaching her how to heal, something she had been practicing recently. Her attention was taken slightly when Caspar spoke, tilting her head to the side in confusion. She grabbed her phone and stared at it for a second. She had no missed calls, or any messages. Frowning she placed it back in her pocket.

"Be careful then," she called out after Caspar as he left. Sighing, she placed the book down and stood, browsing through selection of books before taking two of them, packing them carefully in her bag. With one final glance, she left the apartment room that the three males shared, and not moments after stepping into the hallway, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She blinked softly before pulling it out. "Guess he was right," she stated as she watched Kazehana's picture appear. She smiled before clicking the button and pulled the phone to her ear.

"I take it something is wrong and that Morgan is involved?" was the first response out of her lips. She still walked, perhaps a bit slower, down the hall and stood outside of the apartment building. "I was with Caspar, if you're nearby," she added, glancing at her surroundings in the process.


Kaz breathed a sigh of relief when her sister picked up immediately, apparently not currently so lost in reading or thinking that sheā€™d not noticed that her phone was ringing. In fact, her statement was so on point that her sister smiled before responding, only returning to her frown when she remembered just how correct Tsukiā€™s supposition was. ā€œGot it in one, sis,ā€ she replied, though honestly, when did things not involve him, anymore? Those three had dragged her and her sister into so many messes it was almost hilarious. Not that theyā€™d resisted or anythingā€”in fact, they went quite willingly, these days.

ā€œIā€™ll be there in five,ā€ she said, checking her watch and breaking into a jog. Sheā€™d half-expected Tsuki to be there, so sheā€™d fortunately already started walking in the right direction. Fortunately, the apartment the guys shared when earthbound was also on the way to the clinic. Birds, meet stone.

As promised, she was in front of the building five minutes later, meeting Tsuki and both of them headed back to the clinic. ā€œThing isā€¦ Iā€™m pretty sure heā€™s in Hell right now, and that Cass and As have gone after him. Beyond thatā€¦ I have no idea whatā€™s going on, but As was pretty adamant that we lay low for a while. I figure we could also update dad while weā€™re at it, in case he doesn't know whatā€™s going on yet. He might know more than we do, I dunno.ā€


Vivian watched from the bench she was sitting on as the girls passed her. A small smile appeared on her face. Asaroth had succeeded in his mission by the sounds of it. She stood up, her long blonde hair swaying slightly. The girls were only a few paces from her when she spoke to them. "He's not Morgan any longer." A slight smile traced over her face when they turned to look at her. "The Fallen Angel you're speaking of. He's Mammon, now. The Demon Princes chose him as the next Prince of Hell's 5th Circle. I wouldn't look so surprised. I have had quite a few more years of practice when it comes to this sort of thing than the two of you have. I could help you both with that, far more than the three you've befriended can."

"Figured as much," were the only words to escape Tsukiyo's mouth at Kazehana's response. Caspar did say that he and Asmodeus were going to go find Morgan, and over the passing weeks she'd spent with them, something always involved one or the other of the three. She sighed softly as Kazehana mentioned she'd be there in five minutes. Glancing at her watch, she counted as the minute hand moved, smiling when her sister appeared exactly five minutes later. They broke into a walk, heading towards the clinic in the process. It would be safer there at least, with their father.

"When it comes to those three, hell always has something to do with it," she replied with a soft shrug of her shoulders. "Besides, they can handle themselves, I believe," she added. Which was a bit true, she believed that they were able to conduct themselves well and keep each other safe. The three were probably about as close as Kazehana and herself were and she was certain they'd figure whatever it was, out. Her thoughts were interrupted when a voice called out, pushing everything else to the far recess of her mind. She turned to spot a woman, blonde hair, scar covering her face, and a strange glint to her emerald eyes.

Tilting her head sideways, Tsukiyo fixed the newcomer with a confused glance. "Not so much confused as to why you would even offer something like that," was the quick reply Tsukiyo gave. "Morgan is still Morgan. You cannot simply become something else, even if they change you physically," she continued. Though something did catch Tsukiyo's interest. The woman just offered to help Kazehana and herself with their ability, but Tsukiyo just frowned. This woman may have had years, but she had already chosen Caspar as her teacher. She didn't want another simply because they had more experience. That was what she had enjoyed about learning from the three of them. They each learned something from each other, and not just one alone.


A small smirk crossed Vivian's face. "That, Tsukiyo, would be where you are wrong. You see, in Hell, you can simply become something else, and forget everything else. Becoming something like Asmodeus, where he simply managed to retain his memories from before, is a very rare thing indeed. This means that the one you call Morgan simply no longer exists, unless he somehow managed to retain the memories of what he was before. This, however, is highly unlikely. Becoming a Prince is not an easy process, and from what I understand is also a very painful process."

Vivian turned head slightly as two large lizard-like creatures flanked her. She noted Kazehana and Tsukiyo looking at them warily, and she said, "Don't worry. They are not here to hurt you. They are under my orders. Messengers, if you will." The demons made an odd, guttural sound, and it seemed as though Vivian understood what they were saying, if they were saying anything at all. "How interesting. It would seem that he retained his mind after all. That does not bode well for Asmodeus."


Well, this was weird. And stupid. Kaz was slowly learning to tolerate and possibly even like weird, but stupid was just never gonna do it for her. ā€œLook, lady,ā€ she said, perfectly aware that she might be picking a fight she could not win and doing an excellent job not giving a shit about it, ā€œI donā€™t know who you think you are, or where you get off just showing up out of nowhere and dropping this on us like some kind of propheticā€¦ demon-mistress person, but clearly, nobody told you that insulting someoneā€™s friends is not a good way to make them listen to you. I donā€™t care what usually happens, Morganā€™s not going toā€”ā€ Of course, then the woman just had to go and mention that Morgan still had his mindā€”told you so, bitchā€”but what she said after that momentarily halted Kazehanaā€™s tirade.

Didnā€™t bode well for Asmodeus? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Of course it boded well for Asmodeus: his best friend hadnā€™t lost all his memories and personality. How could that not bode well? ā€œTch,ā€ Kaz muttered, clearly ready to be gone. ā€œWe donā€™t have time for this. Come on, Tsuki, we need to be where theyā€™ll be expecting us to be when they get back.ā€


Vivian really did smirk this time. "So neither of you are even remotely curious as to how I know your names? Or why I know where your friend is and what's happening to him? I suppose it truly doesn't matter. Whether you care or not is none of my concern." Two more demons had slithered up, blocking the girls' path. "You can tell your little angel friend that nothing will stop what is to come. Kami Hakari will come about. The time is nigh, and the sacrifices have been chosen. Now we simply need the time. You and your sister can either join me, or you can die with the others. The choice is yours." Vivian turned from them at that point, the demons receding into the shadows, and something glimmered on her forehead. It was a word, and it read M-Y-S-T-E-R-Y.

Tsukiyo shrugged her shoulders at Vivian's retort. Wrong or not, it was obvious that this woman was, in a way, just like her. She didn't have many friends, or perhaps none at all, but Tsukiyo did not allow anything to bother her. The way she saw it, Morgan was still Morgan regardless of the name he had. Even if someone were to be extracted, there were still ways a person could still be the same. Perhaps she was being too optimistic about that. She content herself with a soft sigh and glanced towards Kazehana, having sensed the flare of her aura.

Apparently Kazehana had not responded kindly to someone talking about her friends. Clearly Kazehana was more than upset as she addressed the situation. Tsukiyo merely remained in her spot, her eyes showcasing nothing but boredom. She scratched the shell of her ear, flicking of what she thought to be wax before Kazehana abruptly ended the conversation. Tsukiyo nodded her head as they both made to leave, but were blocked by two demons. Tsukiyo furrowed her brows as Vivian spoke once more, causing something in Tsukiyo to stir.

"A choice? That is where you are correct. We do have a choice, but it's neither one you presented," Tsukiyo stated, her voice becoming a bit stronger than its usual lackluster. She had just threatened not only her life, but Kazehana's life as well. Though Kazehana may have always been the one to protect, Tsukiyo did not like other's threatening her older sister, especially with death. "How you know our names, how you know anything about our friends is of little relevance. It just means you are what we are, a watcher. Though years you may have, it means nothing to me. But," she stated, her eyes narrowing. "We do not falter so easily under threats," she ended, watching as Vivian turned from them.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Morgan stepped out of the portal first, taking a deep breath as he did so. He glanced around, and noticed something different almost immediately. "Um....As, is this really how you see things?" The white-haired demon clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Yes it is. Congratulations, you can now see exactly when every human on the planet is going to die. Only Princes have this ability, because back when we were all able to walk on the surface, we were originally supposed to decide whether or not a human was ready to die when their time came, or whether we should give them longer. That kind of fell off though, as I'm sure you can imagine."

Morgan looked Asmodeus in the eye. There was an unspoken question there, and Asmodeus looked away from him, sighing softly and rubbing the back of his neck. "You'll find out when you see them, Momo." He glanced back to see Cass had also joined them, and with a flick of his hand, he closed the portal. Come on, the girls will be waiting for us."


Cass brushed some loose debris off his sleeves, catching the exchange between his two friends and frowning slightly. Thatā€¦ was knowledge he wouldnā€™t really want to have, honestly. He could imagine it making his interactions with humans a bitā€¦ strained. He wasnā€™t sure if the same would apply to the likes of nephilim and annunaki, but he was glad that he at least didnā€™t have to find out. Life should retain some mystery to itā€”he didnā€™t think heā€™d enjoy it as much, otherwise. Regardless, it certainly wasnā€™t their fault that they had access to that information. He sensed both girls nearby, in the sanctuary of their fatherā€™s clinic, as it went. Oddly, he could feel another presence, similar but not identical in kind, leaving the area. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he shook off the feeling and led the way to the clinic.

When the three men came through the door, it was to discover that Kaz had been staring intently at the door. She stood, crossing the lobby to stand in front of them. Cass recognized the look on her face by now, the even mix of frustration and hidden concern that well-characterized her by this point. There was a hint of residual anger as well, though, but he didnā€™t think it was directed at any of them. ā€œI told that bitch youā€™d make it,ā€ she said, but there was a faint quaver in her voice that was most unlike her. Without much by way of warning, she hooked an arm each around Morgan and As, pulling the two into an odd three-sided hug. ā€œCass, you bastard, you donā€™t get out of this; come here. Tsuki, you too.ā€ She wished she had more arms, but this would have to do.


Tsukiyo had been sitting in one of the chairs, a book in hand, as Kazehana stared at the door. They had been like this for the past few minutes, and Tsukiyo released a small sigh. She turned the page once more when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. A smile lit her face when the three males entered. A sound of relief escaped her lips in the process as she closed the book softly, unfolding her legs from underneath her and stood. She paused momentarily, blinking as her sister hooked an arm with Morgan and Asmodeus. She heard something in her sister's voice, causing her to frown slightly but removed it quickly.

"I'm afraid there isn't enough room for such a group hug," Tsukiyo stated, shaking her head in the process though the smile brightly lighting her face. Instead, she walked over to Caspar and threw her arms around his torso, hugging him tightly in the process. "So this will have to be from both of us," she stated, though like Kazehana, something along the lines of a cracked voice escaped her. She was truly worried about the three of them, even though she knew they would be okay. Still, she couldn't help but feel that small bout of fear to creep within her when Vivian approached them and spoke of what was happening to Morgan.

Morgan and As both let out a surprised yelp when Kaz hooked her arms around their necks, bringing them down to her level. Morgan let a slight look of relief pass over his face. There was no number over Kazehana's head. Tsukiyo, however...Morgan chose not to think about that, instead focusing his power on smiling when she hugged Caspar. He frowned slightly, when something clicked. "So, uh...who is this bitch?"

Asmodeus gave a slightly indecent grunt. "Allow me to hazard a guess. Tall, blonde, and scarred, right?"


Kaz breathed out a relieved sigh, her head turned such that her breath ghosted over Morganā€™s neck, but she was unaware of it, and stepped back thereafter, releasing both of them and smiling over at her sister, hugging Cass, who was faintly pink in the cheeks but otherwise apparently quite content with the situation. He ruffled her hair gently before releasing Tsuki, and turned a questioning glance to Asmodeus, his hand lingering, unnoticed, on Tsukiyoā€™s slender shoulder. Kaz frowned, then nodded slowly, placing both hands on her hips. ā€œYeah, thatā€™s the one,ā€ she said, eyes narrowed to dark blue slits. ā€œHad a bunch of lizard-things, too. She was a Watcher, I think, but I didnā€™t know any of themā€¦ usā€¦ commanded demons. I certainly exert no influence over you two.ā€

She was aware, of course, of the difference between a demon prince, as two of her friends now were, and a low-level servitor, but the point still stood. Cass snorted his amusement at the comment about a lack of influence. If only she knew, really. Neverthelessā€¦ ā€œShe seemed to know a lot about you guys, and she wanted us to pass on some kind of warning, like we were messenger pigeons or something.ā€ The thought rankledā€¦ a lot more than it should have, really. ā€œTsuki?ā€ Kaz figured her sister would know more about the stuff the woman had been referring to than Kaz didā€”sheā€™d only understood that maybe there was an end times reference going on, and the thing about sacrifices sounded bad.


Tsukiyo glared playfully at Caspar as he ruffled her hair. He seemed to do that a lot, however; she didn't think anything else of it as she smoothed her hair back out. She glanced towards Asmodeus and nodded her head at the same time Kazehana answered. It seemed Asmodeus knew her to some extent, at least he appeared to if he knew what she looked like. Did the two meet before? She pursed her lips together at the thought, but didn't openly state the question. Instead, she focused on Kazehana when she turned and spoke Tsukiyo's name in a questioning manner. For once, Tsukiyo shook her head.

She knew nothing of what Vivian was referring to, and she hadn't stumbled upon it when reading. "Sorry, Kaz," she apologized, glancing down at the floor. "I haven't seen anything about what she was referring to. The Kami Hakai wasn't in anything I've read," she replied in a soft whisper this time. Somehow, not having the knowledge that her sister was seeking caused Tsukiyo to retreat inside herself. It was like a numbing feeling just took hold of her and she felt her body go limp.

Morgan had to fight not to blush when he felt Kaz' breath against his neck, and he straightened up with a an awkward cough. He did, however, narrow his eyes when two words caught his attention. It had him slightly confused. "Kami Hakai is Japanese. It means Divine Destruction. It was a phrase coined by monks and samurai to justify their actions when killing. In later years, it came to be considered their name for what you might call the Apocalypse."

Asmodeus' mouth thinned. Was Vivian truly so confident to confront the girls this way? She was starting to get sloppy. "The woman's name is Vivian Walker. She was a Watcher, but is no longer. She has become what we call a Shireen. Lesser demons are under her control, and she prides herself on thinking she can control even the more powerful ones. I believe however, that she herself is being manipulated. What else did she say to you?"[/b]


If the situation had not been as grave as it seemed, Kaz would have laughed. She and Tsuki knew what the words meant literally, just not what they referred to. They were Japanese, after all, and had lived near Tokyo for the better part of their lives. But still there were implications to this phrase that she had not known about, though her guess regarding the Apocalypse was clearly on-target. She smiled over at her sister, as if reassuring her not to worry. It wasnā€™t as though sheā€™d known anything, either. Cassā€™s hand steady the shaky Tsuki, and he murmured something to her that Kazehana didnā€™t quite catch.

ā€œThat is my fault, not yours. I did not expect it to come up so soon.ā€ He squeezed her shoulder gently, then let go, returning his attention to the rest of the discussion. Kazā€™s eyes drifted up to the ceiling as she recalled the conversation, her hands still balled into fists and propped on her hips. She rocked back on her heels a bit and grimaced.

ā€œShe said that Kami Hakari was nigh, and the sacrifices had already been chosen, whatever that means. All she had to do was wait, or something like that. There was a word on her head: "mystery," I think.ā€ She paused, and tilted her head back down, blue eyes locking with Asmodeusā€™s red as she remembered something weird. ā€œShe also said that Morgan retaining his mind was bad for you, As. What did she mean by that?ā€


Morgan's eyebrows shot up. Mystery? It that was true, then...things might be worse than they thought. His attention was taken, however, when As suddenly stiffened. Red eyes met red eyes as the two Princes looked at each other. Asmodeus also glanced at Cass, silently wishing the Angel was not present. Still, he'd known this had been coming from the moment he'd met with Asaroth. He sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "It meant that I wasn't supposed to interfere with her plans. Or rather, with Asaroth's plans. Asaroth has that woman under his thumb completely, enough so that she think she is in fact manipulating him, and she doesn't even realize it's the other way around. I was supposed to be the good little stand by and do nothing. And I didn't."

Morgan studied him. He really was not liking where this was going. How was it that As knew so much about the situation?


Caspar frowned for a moment, trying to process what was being said. His eyes narrowed slightly, and unconsciously, he drew himself up to greater height. The tattoos on his face gave him a certain aspect of contained anger, like he wasnā€™t mad yet, but could be, very soon, if the wrong thing was said. Whether that was the truth or not was hard to tell, because his tone was neutral, exploratory, when he asked his question, and he was no louder than his usual bass rumble. ā€œAs, did you strike a deal with that woman? Or with Asaroth?ā€ Demonic bargains were dangerous things, for both parties involved, and heā€™d been fairly sure his friend was smart enough to avoid entering into such contractsā€¦ until now.

Asmodeus's eyes narrowed. "Only that I would not interefere. He didn't tell me exactly what he had planned, but..." He sighed, waiting for Morgan to put it together. The way his face looked, the gears were definately turning. And then it clicked. Asmodeus's form flickered when Morgan stuck his hand through the other Demon's head. He dissolved into shadows, and then reappeared a short distance away. His jaw clenched at Morgan's accusation.

"You knew!"

Asmodeus glared at him. "Yes, I knew he had chosen you, even before he took you. And the same threat hung over my head that was over yours to make you go willingly."

Morgan hesitated at that, his crimson eye flickering over to Kazehana. Morgan scoffed, turning away from Asmodeus, who did not continue.


Cass caught on at the same time Morgan did, and though he didnā€™t know what threat had been used, it wasnā€™t at all hard to guess. The lines of his face seemed to grow sharper, his eyes hardening, but it wasnā€™t any of his friends that was responsible for the ire. For a moment, it was possible to imagine the power he must once have exuded, for the air in the room shifted, something at once frightening and holy stirring with his righteous rage, but it dimmed the second Kazehana looked at him with surprise. He hadnā€™t realized he was doing that. He hadnā€™t been able to do that in a long time, actually.

ā€œWhat now?ā€ he asked, in a tone that suggested to the both of them that the discussion was not over, but would continue a little more privately. He was certainly willing to grant them at least that much. He wouldnā€™t make them say out loud what had compelled them to actā€”as the cause would probably take it poorly. ā€œYou just reneged on a dealā€”that doesnā€™t go without consequence.ā€ Frankly, he thought theyā€™d both been a little hasty in their decisions, but the important part wasnā€™t to blame them for this, it was to prepare for the consequences.

Kazehana, whoā€™d entirely missed what Caspar had figured out quite easily, glanced back and forth between all three of them. Her lips pursed, and she shook her head. ā€œThis isnā€™t going to get any better any time soon, is it?ā€ she asked, half-rhetorically, but then, almost to her own surprise, she smiled. ā€œWell, Shireen or no, Asaroth or no, I donā€™t think itā€™s going to be terribly easy for them to manage this plan of theirs. Not with two demon princes, a fallen angel, and their Watchers to contend with. Seems to me like we do what we always doā€”fight them when we can, train when we canā€™t.ā€ Sure, it was a simple plan, but what else could they really do? She believed in the strength of her friends, and in hers and Tsukiā€™s strength as well. This Vivian person might know a lot more than they did, but her friends were better than Asaroth any day.


Both Asmodeus and Morgan flinched at Caspar's surge of power. Morgan now understood a bit more why his mere presence tended to make demons uncomfortable. It wasn't that, it was that physically, it hurt. "I know exactly what I did, and what it means." His eyes narrowed at Morgan. "I was hoping you were going to be too stubborn to take the bait. I suppose I should have known better. You always were too sentimental. I had at least some idea of what I could do to stop this, and you went and blew it. Don't blame me for what's happened to you Mammon. That was your decision, just as it was seven hundred years ago when you killed that boy."

There was a lot Morgan could take, especially from Asmodeus, but this...his form flickered, forms of white shimmering into view and then flickering out again. He stood still for a sceond, and then As was slammed against the wall. "You were the one who possesed him!"

"And you knew exactly when I left him!"


It was Casparā€™s turn to flinch as certain uncomfortable truths came to light. He was a bit disappointed, really, that the tension of the situation was resulting in this conflict. It should have tightened their ranks, not slowly started tearing them apart. He moved from Tsukiā€™s side, intending to intercept his friends and pry them off each other with force if necessary, but he saw that someone was well ahead of him on this, and he stopped, allowing her to take care of it. Besides, it seemed that Uriel had just poked his head out of his office, and came to stand beside his old friend and his younger child.

ā€œSo I was rightā€¦ā€ he muttered, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. Cass sighed slightly, simply nodding his agreement. ā€œTheyā€™d better not destroy my clinic.ā€

Cass snorted. ā€œI think sheā€™s got it under control.ā€ And indeed, Kazehana looked livid, marching over to the two fighting demon princes and attempting to shove them armsā€™ length apart with all the strength she could muster. One of her hands rested over each manā€™s beating heart, and she didnā€™t move them, for fear theyā€™d just lunge at each other again.

ā€œWould you two knock it the hell off?!ā€ She snapped, glaring first at one, and then the other. ā€œWhat is wrong with you? We know that some seriously messed-up freaks are out to start the apocalypse, and all you can argue about is whose fault it is that something happened centuries ago? First of all, that was an asshole move, Asmodeus, and you should be ashamed of yourself. How would you take it if I told everyone what I know?ā€ She never would, not in a million years and not if Lucifer himself was tormenting her for the information, and she wasnā€™t even threatening him with it. She just hoped her point was clear.

ā€œAnd you!ā€ she rounded on Morgan. ā€œI donā€™t know what they threatened you with, but did you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, you had friends who could help you with this? Or did you just go all noble sacrifice the moment the option was presented to you? In case you havenā€™t noticed, Morgan, you do have friends. People who care about you, whoā€™d do anything for you. Half of whom actually went all the way to hell and broke a contract to save your sorry ass when you could have just relied on us earlier and saved us all a lot of problems!ā€ Hadnā€™t he even considered that they would help him? That she would help him? It made her feel like they didnā€™t believe in her the way she believed in them, and it hurt.

She released a shaky sigh. ā€œNow. If we can all please stop arguing about whose fault this is and focus on how weā€™re going to deal with it, then I think we might actually be able to get somewhere.ā€ She let her arms drop back to her sides, and then stepped back. ā€œPlease?ā€ It was suddenly evident how much strain sheā€™d been under that day, not really knowing what was happening to them, and then during the encounter with Vivian, which had shaken her more than she cared to admit. She didnā€™t think she could deal with anymore conflict right now, and coming from someone as naturally combative as Kazehana, that was saying a lot.


Tsukiyo only allowed her eyes to drift upwards to Caspar when he spoke, saying it wasn't her fault. Still, it didn't help the empty feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't understand why, but it felt as if she let her sister down in some way or another, though Kazehana's eyes told her otherwise. She smiled softly towards her sister and glanced back at the two demons. Her lips pursed together when an argument broke out. She flinched at the tones they were using. Though not necessarily shouting at each other, it was evident in their tones just how much rage and anger was behind each word.

Her eyes traveled to Caspar when he put himself in it, watching as the three debated amongst each other. She turned towards Kazehana, then back at the three males. Weren't they family? Were they technically brothers, though not bound by blood? Sure, she knew siblings often fought, though it was very rare that they didn't. Kazehana and herself had been an exception. The two only seemed to bond deeper after their mother's death, and even to this day there was not an ounce of quarrel in their bones. She could feel something at the back of her eyes burning, however; she turned to face her father when he poked his head in. She frowned at him before turning her attention back to Morgan and Asmodeus who seemed intent at yelling at each other now.

Before much harm could be done, Kazehana intervened, separating the two in the process. A smile wormed its way onto Tsukiyo's face as her sister yelled at the both of them, or rather, held a very stern scolding. She didn't quite understand what had happened, but from the pieces of information gathered, she understood that it wasn't a good situation. Kazehana was right though, they had friends, and Tsukiyo wanted to count herself amongst those friends. She had never really thought much about having friends, and at one point, thought she didn't need them. It appears that after all these years, she was proving herself wrong. She was learning so much, even if it wasn't related to being a Watcher, by just interacting with the three of them, and her sister.

She sighed softly, walking over towards her sister and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. She pulled Kazehana to her softly and rested her head on her sister's shoulder. "It's okay Kaz. Remember what mom used to say? 'Boys will be boys,'" she stated, trying to imitate her mother's voice and failing in the process. Though she was seven when her mother passed, she remembered her mother saying that to Kazehana when they were children, and she and her sister would come home after a days teasing in elementary. She didn't understand her mom then, being only a child, but she knew somewhat now what she had meant. Tsukiyo smiled brightly at her sister.

"Can we go get blueberry waffles?"


Asmodeus glared from Morgan to Kazehana, but Morgan flinched slightly when he saw just how stressed she really was. His right arm twitched slightly, as if he were contemplating touching her in some way, and then he stilled, as if he thought better of it. A soft sigh escaped his lips, and there was a hint of a smile as Tsukiyo asked about waffles. In fact, he chuckled slightly. He shrugged slightly. "I'm game. And really hungry, now that you mention it."

Asmodeus shoved his hands in his pockets. "You just underwent a transformation into something you were never meant to be in the first place, of course you're hungry." He muttered, but there was a hint of a smile all the same.

Raphiel hovered in the air above the city the humans had named New York. His wings, a soft golden hue, radiated soft light in the darkness as he crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes narrowed as he zoned in on the presence he was looking for, but he pursed his lips. His target was surrounded by others. That would not do. He had no wish to engage the others, all he wanted was the Prince. The 5th Prince, to be exact.


ā€œI hope you lot werenā€™t planning on going without me,ā€ Kazehaya whined, causing his daughter to laugh her relief. Even Cass chuckled, and they agreed to wait until the doctor had thrown on his coat before they departed for the restaurant. Kaz wrapped her arms around her sister and hugged, just barely missing rib-crunching territory. It was unavoidable: when she loved, she loved aggressively, and would not be dissuaded. She loved her sister, and her dad, and her friends. It was the reason they could make her upset as they had: she was vulnerable to them because of how much she cared. It was not something she did often, making herself weaker in front of someone, entrusting them with a little part of herself. But it had happened so naturally with these people that sheā€™d almost not noticed it at all.

ā€œSounds to me like dadā€™s buying,ā€ she said, loud enough for him to hear her from the office, and something cranky but affirmative followed. Relaxing a little through the line of her shoulders, Kaz allowed the smile to overtake her face. ā€œAll right. One thing at a time. First thing: waffles.ā€

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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It was later that evening when the two demon princes and the fallen angel at last made their way back to their own lodgings, parting with Kazehaya and his daughters to let them rest and recover. Not that none of them needed to do the same, because they did. Morgan especially, given what had happened to him. As usual, the place was immaculately clean, a result of Cassā€™s habit of tidying whenever he got bored. Yanking the tie from his hair, Caspar stifled a yawn and made his way to his usual armchair instead, identifiable as his for the neat stack of books on the floor beside it. They all knew what needed to happen now that the others were out of earshot, and while he expected that none of them were looking forward to it, that didnā€™t change the facts. The discussion needed to be had, and preferably now.

ā€œWell,ā€ he said, running a hand down his face, ā€œIā€™m not really sure where you guys want to start here, but now seems like the best option for when.ā€


Morgan's red eye skimmed over Caspar, resting on Asmodeus, who pointedly looked away. "Beginnings tend to be the best place to start. You know the stipulations that cause one's fall just as we do. I'm sure you also know that no one has ever broken the third stipulation, aside from one time. I was the one who broke it." He jerked his thumb back at As, who crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "He's the one who was doing the possession at the time, and then fled before the boy was killed. Yes, I knew exactly when he left, and yes, I still killed the boy." It was almost eerie, how little it seemed to bother him now. In the larger scheme of things, with what they were going to face, it really did matter little.

Cass nodded. It hadnā€™t been too hard to infer this much from the words tossed back and forth between the two at the clinic earlier. Rubbing at his jawline with his palm, he sighed a bit, shaking his head, which, given its present unbound state, sent fire-colored strands off in a number of directions. ā€œYou guys both know by this point that Iā€™m not going to judge you for this stuff. I lost that right a long time ago, honestly.ā€ His smile was wry for just a moment, and something passed over his face like the flicker of a shadow. One day, heā€™d tell them. But there was something else he had to do, first, and the whole story was not his to tell.

ā€œIā€™m more worried about the future than the past. How much do we know about Asarothā€™s plans?ā€


Asmodeus sighed. "He plans to use either myself or Morgan as a sacrifice to be able to rise from Hell again. His original plan was to use Morgan, but that was only if he didn't retain his mind. That's why I took you with me, Cass. Because I knew that I wasn't going to be able to do it alone. Now he has to choose between one of us. I was hoping you wouldn't take the bait in the first place, Morgan. That wouldn't have given him any other option than myself."

Morgan's eye widened, but he didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what to say.


Well, this was an ugly situation, if thereā€™d ever been one. Cass knew the general principles of sacrifice, and while in a situation like this, some small fragment of what either of his friends were might be able to survive, they would be nothing like themselves at the end of it all. Strongly tempted to curse, he settled for mumbling something unintelligible and pinched the bridge of his nose. ā€œAnd that would have made it better how?ā€ He asked As, raising an eyebrow. He approved, of course; it was a noble thing to do, to be willing to go in anotherā€™s place to something like that, but it didnā€™t change the fact that they were both his friends, his brothers, and he wasnā€™t inclined to let anything happen to either of them.

This had, unfortunately, the flavor of fate to it. Cass had been a servant to fate for a very long timeā€”heā€™d even fallen in the preservation of what must come to pass. Needless to say, he was sick of giving things up, of watching people get hurt, because that was what seemed destined or inevitable. ā€œWell, it looks like our options are few. We canā€™t let him have either of you, since either of you would do.ā€ He paused for a moment. ā€œWhat are we going to tell them? I can't lie, you know that.ā€ If absolutely necessary, he could remain silent on the matter, and if they asked, he would. But all the sameā€¦ he wouldnā€™t like it.

Not that he liked anything about this.


Asmodeus sighed. "I'm going through with it, Caspar." Morgan finally seemed to find his voice.

"You're what?"

Asmodeus looked at him with a rather amused look. "Last time I checked, you had both of your ears. Asaroth has to have a Prince who was once an Angel for the ritual to work. You and I are the only two out of the eight of us. The reason he turned you in the first place was because he knew I would not willingly go, not to mention I am a hell of a lot more powerful than him, at least right now. If he gets resurrected, then...well. We're going to need a lot more guys like Cass to bring him down."

Morgan shook his head, "What the hell, As? So you solve the problem by allowing yourself to be this sacrifice?"

As shook his head. "No, I solve the problem with a ritual of my own that binds us both down in Hell." Once again, Morgan had no idea what to say.


Cass didn't like it, but he didnā€™t see many other options. He shook his head. There had to be another way. He wasnā€™t going to lose either of his friends to this. ā€œYou sure we canā€™t just go back down there and kick his ass again?ā€ he asked, though it was mostly rhetorical. Things were never that simpleā€”sometimes, he missed the days when they were, but then he reminded himself of why heā€™d left them behind, and knew it was no solution at all. ā€œStillā€¦ there has to be something else we can do.ā€ Cass crossed his arms over his chest, noting that neither of them had answered his other question. Maybe that was part of the problem.

ā€œAndā€¦ itā€™s not just our strength we have to match up against this, you know?ā€ He didnā€™t want to put them in harmsā€™ way, but there was no denying that the girls were incredibly powerful and talented. And where they went, their father would go. Uriel was no mean combatant himself.


As stretched his neck back, looking up at the ceiling. Though he couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face. He had known discussing this wouldn't be easy, but he should have known that they would both be this adamant about it. He sighed again, though this was more in good humor than anything else. "Fine, fine, we'll see what we can't figure out. We've got three months. Believe it or not, the guy plans to resurrect on St. Valentine's Day."

Morgan snorted. "The guy always did have a flair for the dramatic."

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Morgan found himself going over what he, Caspar, and As had spoken about the night before once again as he lay on the grass in the middle of Central Park. He sighed, threading his fingers together as he stuck his hands behind his head, staring up as the clouds slowly rolled by. The sky was incredibly clear for the beginning of December, but the weather was a far cry from what was on his mind. Without really noticing, he realized his mind began to wander, and while he wasn't completely against his train of thought, it wasn't exactly smart, either. He scratched at his eye patch, thinking about Kazehana. He hadn't tried to link with her telepathically since his transformation, and frankly, he was a bit scared to. He wasn't sure he liked this whole "Prince" thing, but there was little that he could do about that now.

Kaz woke the next morning with the thought that it would probably be a good idea to speak to Morgan, make sure he was okay after the whole ā€œdragged to hell and turned into a demon princeā€ thing. It was bound to be jarring, in more ways than one, and she regretted that theyā€™d so quickly become embroiled in the consequences of it yesterday that there hadnā€™t been any time for her to properly check and see how he was doing. It didnā€™t help that her own nerves had been a bit frayed yesterday, given all the not knowing sheā€™d been doing. It was exhausting, worrying about people and being unable to do anything for them. She hated that feeling of uselessness with a serious passion.

Morgan may not have telepathically linked with her recently, but she still knew how to find him. Casting her mind out over the too-wide network of humanity that was New York City, it didnā€™t take too long to single out one of the two demonic presences. She knew what Asā€™s mind felt like by now, so the way Morganā€™s had changed didnā€™t surprise her much. She didnā€™t attempt a link, just noted where he was, so that when she struck out from her apartment, she knew where she was headed. The air was chill, but the day was clear, and though her breath clouded out before her as she walked, Kaz didnā€™t mind it much. She was fairly tolerant of temperature, and had never seen the point in whining about it. If you were cold, get a coat. If you were hot, find some shade. It wasnā€™t rocket science.

It took her a bit, but she eventually made it to Central Park, and once she was close enough, finding him wasnā€™t a challenge. She smiled when she saw him laying on the grass, and shook her head a bit. ā€œYou know, thereā€™s something not very princely about daydreaming and looking at the sky,ā€ She said lightly, not that it stopped her from dropping to the grass next to him, folding her own arms over her legs and bending her knees so that they formed triangles with the ground. ā€œShouldnā€™t you be wearing more black and looking broodier or something?ā€ She crinkled her nose with amusement. Not that the only other demon prince she knew was that broodyā€”though he did seem to wear a lot of black.


Morgan couldn't stop the snort that escaped him. Broody? "I think you just described a goth, Kaz. And it's a good thing that I'm not really a Prince then, isn't it? The Demon Princes were nothing more than an attempt to spurn the true Prince, aside from the Antichrist." He shut his eye. It was uncanny, how good her timing was. "I'm sorry if I made you worry yesterday, Kaz. And from both me and As, we're both sorry about the ah, display yesterday."

He sat up, mirroring her posture. "And I gotta say, I never thought I would see the day someone out ate As. Where do you put it all?" He smirked at her slightly, refering to the night before and what was now considered the "Blueberry Waffle Incident".


Kaz laughed, the sound free and unrestrained. Like with many other things, she didnā€™t have much concern for what was considered dainty or ladylike, and her laugh was neither. There was too much happiness in it. Like life, laughing wasnā€™t something worth doing only halfway. ā€œIā€™d tell you, but then Iā€™d have to kill you,ā€ she said, placing her index finger over her lips in the universal sign for something secret. She felt much the same about food as she did about laughter and life, which was to say, she enjoyed it a great deal. That challenge had been one As was never going to win, and sheā€™d told him as much, up front, with Cass sitting right there. Somehow, he still hadnā€™t believed her.

The rest of his words earned a bit more thoughtfulness and she sighed gustily, shaking her head. Offhandedly, she thwacked him in the shoulder with her fist. ā€œYeah, wellā€¦ I know you guys just do what you think you have to. But next time, letā€™s keep Kaz and Tsuki in the loop, okay? Weā€™re your friends and we care about you. The least you could do is let us help out a little.ā€ She smiled a bit, just a subtle tilt to her mouth, then huffed a breath, deciding it was her turn to lay in the grass and look at the sky. ā€œAnd well, even friends fight sometimes. Itā€™s okay. Iā€™m not mad. Iā€™m just glad things are all right with you two.ā€

There was a bit of silence, then: ā€œHey Morgan? Do you ever feel likeā€¦ things are a little too big for you to handle? Like thereā€™s something youā€™re supposed to do or someone you want to be, but youā€™re not quiteā€¦ enough?ā€ Her sigh was softer this time, and she closed one eye against the brightness of the sun, fixing him with the other. ā€œDon't mean to go all confessional on you here, but I guessā€¦ meeting that woman made me wonder about a lot of things.ā€


Morgan turned his head to look down at her when she laid back, a soft look of concern tinging his eye. There was a slight playfulness to his eye when he finally did speak, as he had remained silent for a while, looking thoughtful. As an after thought, he picked up her hand, studying her fingers. "The day that Kazehana Fuhen is not enough will be a sorrowful day, indeed. You and your sister are more powerful than even Cass and I know. There is no limit to what you can do. Just look at me. Two months ago I was just some wandering Fallen Angel, now look at me. Granted, I could do without the whole Prince thing, but that's not your fault." He sighed softly. "You're a hell of a lot more powerful than that Shireen, I know that. So what's with the self-doubt all of a sudden?"

She snorted, waggling her fingers as if to thwart his examination of them. ā€œI guess,ā€ she said with a shrug. ā€œIt justā€¦ threw me off, some of the stuff she said, like she knew everything about us. I uhā€¦ might have lost it a little when she implied that you werenā€™t going to make it, though. May have burned that bridge before I really knew where it led to.ā€ She rolled her eyes, and this was largely a self-directed gesture. She really was such a hothead sometimes. This wasnā€™t the first time it had gotten her into a mess and it probably wouldnā€™t be the last, but she didnā€™t really know how to be any other way. Tsuki was the rational one; Kazehana tended to think with her heart first and her brain later. And nobody insulted her friends without getting an earful for it.

ā€œNo limits, huh? Maybe I should march my own way down to Hell and beat up some demons? Iā€™ll take Tsuki with me. Then we can have a picnic in Asā€™s circle. Sing kumbaya with some betrayers and talk about the good old days.ā€ It was clear that she knew how ridiculous she was being, because the smile spread slowly across her face, and her shoulder shook with her laughter. ā€œYou should be careful, saying no limits to someone like me. As you can see, I have weird ideas.ā€ She nudged his knee with her foot as if to emphasize the point, but then her expression sobered.

ā€œYouā€™re okay, though, right? No sudden demony impulses or whatever? I donā€™t really know how it works, but let me know if I can help.ā€


Morgan snorted. "If you didn't have your weird ideas, you wouldn't be Kaz. Though that hurts a little bit, you lost faith in me so quickly?" He put a hand over his heart, acting wounded. Her last sentence, however, made him smile, and he shook his head. "I don't think that's exactly how it works. Besides, you've already helped me with that, Kaz." He told her softly, and it was the truth. As had flooded his mind with a million differnet images, but nothing had gotten through until he had shown him Kazehana. Everything in that moment had suddenly clicked, and Morgan had remembered. He had known then, that he couldn't surrender to the power that had taken over, that he had to fight. Above all else, it had been the memory of Kazehana that had allowed him to retain who he was. It also made him wonder just what had helped As, since he had been alone at his convergence. But that was a thought for another time.

ā€œI did no such thing, ā€œ she protested, pouting a bit just for the silliness of it. ā€œI told her you wouldnā€™t lose, and she didnā€™t believe me until it happened. Iā€™ll always believe in you, Morgan, I justā€¦ā€ she paused, and her eyes took on a slight hint of conspiracy. ā€œDonā€™t tell anyone, but Iā€™m basically a perpetual worrier. I just cover it up by punching things and yelling a lot.ā€ Kaz grinned, then used his hand to leverage herself back up.

ā€œI have no idea what I did, exactly, but youā€™re welcome. No come on, As cut my training short yesterday, so weā€™ve got time to make up for. What am I learning today?ā€ She tugged gently on their joined hands, indicating that he should stand up as well. It was a return to normalā€¦ or rather, to normal for them, and right now, it was what she had to give. She was glad he seemed okay with it, but it couldnā€™t hurt to help him think about something else for a while, right?

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Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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Cass glanced up at the clock and blinked in surprise. He hadnā€™t realized it was that late. Glancing over to Tsuki, her nose still buried deep in a book, he smiled to himself and quietly left the room. Heā€™d let her have a bit more timeā€”it was a rare text on beings like her, on nephilim. He wondered if, by reading it, she would realize what he already knewā€”that even among her own kind, she was special. Making his way to the kitchen, Cass pulled down the utensils that heā€™d need to make dinner and selected some ingredients, seemingly at random, from the fridge. Theyā€™d done this quite oftenā€”both of them tended to lose track of time when either studying or training, and so he made her dinner so she didnā€™t have to manage something for herself when she got home. By now, heā€™d learned pretty well what she liked and what she didnā€™t, so he decided on a bit of a surprise.

It had been a while since heā€™d made an actual traditional Japanese meal, but he was still quite capable of it, and it wasnā€™t long before the rapid sounds of a knife chopping through several varieties of vegetable could be heard in the otherwise quiet apartment. Morgan and Asmodeus were both elsewhere, as they often were during this time of the day, and of course, she didnā€™t make any noise reading, unless she decided to take notes or something like that.

Tossing a bunch of things around in the wok over one of the gas burners, Cass hummed quietly to himself. It was a very old song, one made up by someone heā€™d once called sister. That whole affair was still a mess in his head, and honestly, in his heart as well, but he knew heā€™d done what he had to, and perhaps one day, she would understand, and forgive him for it. Perhaps he would, too. Shaking his head, he killed the heat and spiced the dish, setting it aside and starting on something else.

About forty-five minutes from the time heā€™d left the library, he poked his head back in, noting that she did not seem to have moved much, if at all. ā€œHey Tsuki. Dinner,ā€ he smiled and jerked his head towards the kitchen, where heā€™d carefully set out the ceramics and utensils on the dining room table. It was a full breakfast, including mackerel, dashimaki, and tofu in a paper pot. ā€œOr rather, breakfast for dinner, I suppose.ā€

Tsukiyo furrowed her brows as she read the next line of text. She was reading a book on Nephilim, and what exactly that meant for her. There were several interpretations of what a Nephilim was, and she couldn't exactly pinpoint which one was particularly true. She shook her head silently. There was only one she could be; the offspring of an angel, or in this case, a fallen angel. She didn't glance up from her book when Caspar left, instead, keeping her eyes glued to certain passages before steadily turning the page. When she tired of it, she placed the book down, closing it gently before returning it to its proper place. She chose another book, this one on the previous lesson she was learning. Poison extracts and the various types of poisoning a demon could do.

She had witnessed a type of poisoning before, when Kazehana had been bitten back on Halloween. She still hadn't found that poison quite yet, though she didn't exactly know which demon bit Kazehana. Since she didn't have that information, she couldn't find an antidote. Before she knew it, Caspar stuck his head in through the door and mentioned something about dinner, or breakfast, she couldn't tell. She blinked, taking her eyes from the book to stare at the red-haired fallen angel. He jerked his head towards the kitchen and Tsukiyo smiled. Standing from her position on the floor, she placed the book down on the shelf and made her way towards the kitchen area.

"I hope it's not chili again, and I'd like to use the term Brinner" she stated, the smile turning into a grin, however; once she spotted what was on the menu, her eyes lit up. "Sometimes I wonder what Morgan and Asmodeus would do without you and your cooking," she stated. In a way, it was true. From what she had seen, when she was around training, Caspar had been the one cleaning or cooking while Asmodeus and Morgan either lingered around or disappeared. Though she will admit, she truly did enjoy his cooking. It was a lot better than her dad's, and admittedly Kazehana's as well. Though she would never tell her sister that for fear of breaking her heart.

ā€œAre you suggesting that somethingā€™s wrong with my chili? You wound me, Tsukiyo,ā€ Cass replied, laying a hand over his heart in jest. Still, though, he didnā€™t miss the fact that she was pleased, and it made him smile He took the seat across from her, picking a bit of rice from his bowl and starting in on the food. He was polite enough to wait until heā€™d finished chewing before he answered the question, though, and he rolled his eyes. ā€œYou knowā€¦ Iā€™m not sure. As is hopeless with anything that even smells domestic, and Morganā€™s not much better, honestly, though I expect he could survive if it really came down to it. Heā€™s the one who has to wash the dishes, so I know he can do that much.ā€ There was a fondness to his tone when he spoke of his brothers, but also a heavy dose of humor.

ā€œMe, well, I just like it, strange as that seems. Thereā€™s something satisfying about being able to accomplish something, instead of all the waiting.ā€ Cass was extraordinarily patient, but even he had to actually complete a task, however small, sometimes. He liked to think of it as keeping himself in balance. The Zen of household chores, or something.

"Oh? I didn't know words could wound you so deeply," she retorted back before shaking her head. She almost snorted at Caspar's statement about Asmodeus. "That's probably one of the reasons why he hangs around Kazehana so much," she muttered truthfully. Though she couldn't smell her sister, she knew Kazehana had a certain appeal about her that she couldn't help but feel a bit, smaller. It never really bothered her that much, and it was something she never really thought about. She smiled at the tone of Caspar's voice, noticing the fondness he had for his brethren. She knew that feeling all too well. She sighed softly as she quietly ate her food, picking at the left overs as she did so.

"Hey Caspar?" she started, lifting her eyes slowly to meet his. "I've been meaning to ask. You don't have to answer if it's too much of a personal question, but," she began before pausing, fidgeting in her spot a bit. She played with the hem of her shirt as she glanced away from him. He knew the first watcher, or at least that is what she recalled him saying, and she wanted to know a little bit about her. "What was the first Watcher like?"

He was inclined to laugh at her comment about her sister, but he could sense the unease underlying it. It was small, but present, and it made him a little sad. The funny thing was, if Kazehana had even the slightest hint that Tsuki felt that way, she would have been tripping over herself to correct it as quickly as possible. Maybe it was better that she didnā€™t, then, as that was definitely part of the point. He tried to think of something to say to soothe the worry a little, but before he could speak, she was asking him about Esther, and he smiled, nodding. It wasnā€™t the easiest subject to talk about, given everything that had happened, but he was more than willing to talk about it with her.

ā€œEsther wasā€¦ a lot like Kazehana, I suppose, if a bit less violent. She was also more confused, I think, because she was the first of the Annunaki, and her siblings, those with whom she might have shared her challenges, were unable to survive long past their births. She was a vibrant person, and had a way about her such that one knew that something about her was going to change the world. A little like you and Kaz that way, I suppose.ā€ He leaned an elbow on the table, using the hand to prop his chin up, and studied Tsuki quietly for a few seconds before he continued.

ā€œI suppose she would have to be. Itā€™s not just anyone who can find something to love in the devil himself.ā€ He sighed softly. ā€œEsther was one of those people who let her love of everything that lived guide her more often than her mind, which was sharp, to be sure. Gabriel worried about her, and so the rest of us would check in on her pretty frequently. We became friends, and looking out for her somehow turned into the best part of my job. I learned a lot from Esther, and did what I could to help her figure out what it meant to be a Watcher. She met Lucifer when I wasnā€™t around, and by the time I knew about it, she was head-over-heels for him.ā€

Tsukiyo smiled a bit when Caspar decided to indulge her question. As he spoke, she remained quiet, taking in everything that he stated with ease. So, it seemed that Esther was just like Kazehana in a way. That seemed to cause Tsukiyo to smile. She wondered, for a brief second, what it would have been like for her if she were more like her sister. What would it be if she were more confident, more opinionated, more open? Would she have accepted her heritage as she had, accepted the things she could do, could see? Or would she have refused them such as her sister had? These thoughts were crushed almost instantly. She knew better than to think such things. Not everyone was the same, and not everyone could be.

The world would be a dull and boring place if everyone was the same. She laughed softly at something Caspar stated. "I think Kaz has more of a chance of changing the world than I do. She's never one to give up and I admire that about her," she replied in a softer tone. Though something did catch her attention. Esther had fallen in love with Lucifer? Wasn't Lucifer the angel who was cast from heaven because of his jealousy of humans? "I suppose for some people, love really doesn't have to have a reason to choose whom they choose. It just happens. I mean, look at most of the people in the world. Some of them don't have to have a reason to be with each other, other than the simple fact that they enjoy each other's company," she responded.

She couldn't say much on that because she's never been in love herself. Not that she hadn't due to choice, but simply because she never really sought it. Love was something that never lingered too long on her mind, and quite honestly, she was afraid of it. Afraid because if there was a person out there she would love, would they love and accept her for who and what she was? She was rather content on being by herself for the majority of her life, no matter how long that would be, just as long as she had her family. And now, her friends were slowly becoming a part of her life that she really hadn't felt so alone. Caspar had taught her so much over the last few weeks, months, that she was happy to have them in her life.

"But I am sure everyone has their own opinions on it. I love you all just so you know," she stated with a light shake of her head. And she meant it. She really did love all of them with everything that she was. Asmodeus, Morgan, and even Caspar had a little place in her heart that was occupied with her father and Kazehana, however; her face tinged a bit pink when she thought about it. Caspar had always been easy to speak with, to train with, and there was something in the back of her mind that was trying to tell her the reason why, but she couldn't understand it. She wanted to, but she couldn't.

That was an interesting way of looking at it, he supposed. There was something of the flavor of destiny to the whole thing, honestly, and heā€™d certainly thought so at the time. Foolish as heā€™d been, heā€™d assumed that Esther would somehow redeem him, the lost brother. But some people were beyond redemption. He did not doubt that some part of Lucifer had loved her, but it was not enough. And it did not extend to his child. The child had been the catalyst for so much, and still would be, he knew that much. So much of what they did, what they all did moved in circles of fate that could never be chance, and he wondered if that weave of destiny would ever leave a hole wide enough for a little happiness to crawl through.

ā€œYou may well be right about that,ā€ he said, ā€œand sometimes, it is tragic.ā€ He could not help but chuckle at her proclamation, and the hint of color dusting her cheeks. She really was an innocent, and frankly, he wondered if it made him a horrible person that he found it so adorable. He was tempted to poke fun at her for it, but he sensed that it was not the easiest thing for her to say, for someone who had thought herself generally free of superfluous attachment. Sheā€™d had her family, and in effect, the three of them, her friends, had doubled and half again the number of people she cared for in such a way. In a sense, it was very humbling, to think that they had managed to do so. Tsuki was guarded, and a bit reservedā€”such people did not always readily open up to others.

ā€œAnd I you,ā€ he replied with a smile, she words soft. Their meaning was ambiguousā€”he could not lie, but that did not mean he had to be explicit in the truths he told, after all. ā€œIā€™ll not speak for my brothers, but Iā€™m sure they do as well. Fate is an interesting thing, Tsukiyo, but I do not think that everything is determined by it. I think in us, there is always a choice about love, and that is whether or not we accept it. That can make all the difference, sometimes.ā€ Esther had accepted it. Lucifer had not. He knew well just how much of a difference that had made.

The smile returned to her face as the heat resided, allowing her face to retain it's natural rosy hue. She nodded her head slightly. She'll sort through these feelings eventually, but for now she was content at what she had right now. Her friends, her family, it was all she could really want at the moment. In a moment, Tsukiyo stood from her spot, collecting her plate and going around to collect his as well before she paused beside him. She smiled before leaning over, swiping her lips softly against his cheek in the process before standing back to her full height (which wasn't very much).

"Thanks Cass," was the only thing she spoke as she left to the kitchen, washing her dishes before returning to the library. She could feel her heart beating faster against her chest and she wanted to take her mind off of it by doing the only thing she knew how: reading.

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Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

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About a week later, it was Kazehanaā€™s day off from training, and so she could have spent it anywhere. Naturally, she chose to spend it in her apartment, like a loser, watching nature documentaries and trying to pick her classes for next semester. She honestly didnā€™t know why she was doing itā€”chances were, things would only get worse for them in the future, and she probably wouldnā€™t have time to even go to class, let alone keep up with all the work. Sure, sheā€™d done well in her classes this semesterā€”her grades were stellar as theyā€™d always been, but sheā€™d been able to feel the weariness creeping up on her at the end, and suddenly, whether she went for a third semester of p-chem or used the time for a genetics lab didnā€™t seem very important anymore.

Though she did kind of wonder what readings sheā€™d get if she put some of her own DNA into one of the machines. Did Annunaki have extra alleles or something, or would she just look like an ordinary human being? What genes encoded her powers? It was an interesting question. Checking the box for the genetics lab, she sighed and tossed the paper onto the table. It was clear she wasnā€™t going to find any real rest sticking around, so she headed for the bathroom, loosing her hair as she went. Sheā€™d shower, then just wander around for a while, maybe.

Another hour found her on the roof of her apartment building. It was totally deserted up here except for a few potted plants and some chairs, since it was really too cold for most sane people to bother enjoying the vista. Kaz, as she had accepted about herself, wasnā€™t really all that sane, so it was probably fine. There was something about looking out at a whole city full of people that made her feel like maybe, it would all be worth something in the end. Hell, she didnā€™t even like most people that much, but that didnā€™t mean they werenā€™t worth saving, right? Sheā€™d always thought so. Maybe it was just her dad getting to her or something. ā€œYouā€™d think with all the fancy powers, someone would have thought to include flying,ā€ she muttered, looking down. She wasnā€™t afraid of heights; quite to the contrary, she liked the altitude, but flying would have been pretty cool.


Because flying, my dear, is something reserved for the angels, which you are only half of, I'm afraid. As cynical and blunt as ever, Asmodeus' voice brushed the edge of her mind, lightly. They had seen enough of each other's minds and pasts that there was actually quite little that they didn't know about each other anymore. Kazehana knew his involvement in Morgan's fall, just as he knew about the time she beat the crap out of a girl because she had called Tsuki a snob. That particular memory had made the demon laugh. It was nothing less than he expected from her.

It was because of this that the two of them now shared such a close link in their minds as they did. While Asmodeus was well aware that it wasn't smart, he had found himself caring less and less, until it reached the point that he no longer needed an excuse such as training to initiate something as simple as a conversation with her in order to hear her voice. Screw it not being smart, it was downright dangerous. But Asmodeus was not like Asaroth. He would not pursue anything unless given a push in said direction; especially considering he knew Morgan's own feelings for the girl.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't indulge himself from time to time.


Kaz smiled mentally, communicating as much over the link without any words. She could do that, now, send images or feelings rather than words as such. It was easy, especially with him, just another sign of the progress theyā€™d been making, she supposed. Well, half and a bit, she pointed out. Her mother had been a Watcher, after allā€”she supposed that meant there was angelic blood back there somewhere. She slowly let down the rest of the barriers that protected her thoughts, so that he could just be in her head, even see the view through her eyes, if he wanted. What do you see, when you look at something like this? At all those people, moving around and living their lives, without the faintest real idea that you exist, that thereā€™s this whole thing going on that could affect their very existence? She couldnā€™t decide if she was jealous or not, actually.

There was so much about this, about everything, that she loved. Sheā€™d come to know some seriously amazing people, and sheā€™d always be grateful for that. But knowing what she did had also opened her eyes to the fact that there really were things out there to be afraid of, even for the people who spent their time fighting off the threats. There was a real and present danger that at any time, something bad could happen to any of them. That was what the incident a week before had shown her. And now, when she looked at the world, it looked a little more like glass. So when she saw all this, more than anything, she saw something to be protected. Sheā€™d used to think that people went about their lives selfishly, and that they should be forced to see things as they really were. Butā€¦ now it was more likeā€¦ the ability to be selfish was a gift, and a choice that she shouldnā€™t want to take away from anyone. Because the fact that they had it meant they were safe a little longer.

Where are you, anyway? she asked through the link. He seemed to be masking his location from her, whether intentionally or not, she didn't know. Heā€™d know where she wasā€”she wasnā€™t hiding anything from him at this point. Well, almost. There was a little tiny bit of what she was that was still closed off, but it had always been such. It might be the one place in her head heā€™d never been.


There was a slight chuckle from Asmodeus' mind. She was so open now, and blunt, always so blunt. Kazehana asked the questions that she knew needed to be asked, regardless of the fact that most other people would be unwilling to, just to avoid offending someone. I used to be quite the demon, I suppose...after my fall I saw nothing but hatred, greed, the sins that make demons exactly what we are. I was a hypocrite and often blamed them for my own mistakes. It lessened slightly, after reuniting with Caspar and Morgan, but to me, it was still quite an ugly place to me. I couldn't let go of my rage, my anger, and instead, I buried it. There was a flicker of a smile, along with something of a caress from his end, like a finger across a cheek. And then a certain someone came along and turned everything I thought I knew upside down. Demons are supposed to be exempt from certain feelings, yet you have proven that wrong. You made me remember, and for that...I am grateful. The world is once again a beautiful thing to look at, and for that I thank you.

The shadows on the roof behind her swelled, and with a soft hiss, Asmodeus stepped out of them. He was wearing his usual get-up, dark jeans, a black sleeveless shirt and a black sleeveless leather trench coat. It off-set his white hair, and often earned him quite a few strange looks, considering it was December and he was walking around sleeveless. But then, his whole realm in Hell was ice, so the cold was something he thrived in. "Shadow travel warps the fabric of the time-space continuum. That's why you're not able to figure out exactly where I am." He grinned toothily at her, his red eyes ablaze.


It was strange, how a touch that wasnā€™t even there could feel so much like it was. Kaz shivered slightly, then shook her head, pulling her coat more tightly around her. She turned the thoughts over in her mind for a while, nodding over the link. I suppose if what happened to you had happened to me, I would have thought much the same. She knew she was a lucky person, really, to have been given the life she had. It was far from perfect, but the thing about it was, sheā€™d never been truly alone in her entire existence. Sheā€™d always had someone there for her who loved her, even if, like her dad, they hadnā€™t always been in the best position to show it. She supposed that maybe it was being loved that made her able to see things the way she did.

When she shadows shifted behind her, Kaz turned, leaning back against the roof railing, and crossed her arms over her chest. She may not be able to locate him exactly, but she did know when he was near. She returned the grin, and it occurred to her, not for the first time, how beautiful his eyes were. Of course, unlike the last time sheā€™d thought so, he was presently in her head, so there was really no escaping the fact that he knew that now. Oh well. It wasnā€™t like she shouldnā€™t think so, right? ā€œHello, stranger,ā€ she said with a heavy dose of irony. ā€œWhat a coincidence, meeting you here.ā€ She was glad to see him thoughā€”their conversations, idle or otherwise, were something she always looked forward to.


Asmodeus smirked slightly, walking over and leaning against the railing next to her. "That's a dangerous thing to think, about a demon's eyes. Do you know why we all have red eyes?" It was a simple question, as was the answer. His breath evaporated into clouds of smoke as he talked. He wondered, and not for the first time, why he had come. He always found the answer when she smiled at him. Just seeing her always made him feel better somehow, and he also no longer thought of Yuimei. Every time he tried, he always pictured Kazehana. In every essence of the word, she had replaced her, completely.

Kazehana quirked an eyebrow at the question, casting back over her memories of things sheā€™d learned about demons. While she had a lot of information about how to fight this or that type, or how to stop herself from being possessed, she realized that she actually knew relatively little about the details like this one. Humming a contemplative syllable, she leaned slightly to the side, so that her shoulder connected with Asmodeusā€™s bicep. She was tempted to lean her head on his shoulder, but for the moment refrained. That might be a bit too much, all things considered. ā€œI don't, actually,ā€ she admitted freely, shrugging her free shoulder a bit. There were, of course, a lot of color associations that could be made. Red was the color of blood, of fire, and in some representations, of sin, but she doubted it was something so simple as that.

Asmodeus found himself chuckling again. He thought about how to explain it. "Red is normally considered the color that represents sin and the soul. Demons are largely considered to be soulless. This isn't exactly the case, but our eyes represent just how far we've fallen, to show as a reminder that we can never go back to what we once were. So to say that they are beautiful is rather...not normal." He leaned into her shoulder, his cheek connecting with the top of her head for a second while he spoke. "Though I thank you for the compliment."

Kaz took in a deep breath, then released it in something like a contented sigh. It was a sound that she was honestly somewhat surprised to hear coming from herself, but it was there anyway. Demon or no, he was warm, and her cheeks may have pinked slightly from the familiar closeness. It was something a little different in kind, from the proximity she shared with any of the others. These were all thoughts that happened in that little part of herself that she kept closed away, though.

In the end, though, she pulled away a little, if only to readjust. The arm closest to him sought the lapel of his trenchcoat, and she gripped it firmly, looking up at him. Her eyes were at once fierce and tender, her brows furrowed and a small frown on her face. ā€œJust so weā€™re clear,ā€ she said, her tone serious, ā€œNothing about any of us is normal, and I donā€™t believe that anyway. It sounds to me like the same kind of bullshit thinking that makes everyone assume that demons are evil just because theyā€™re demons. Morgan isnā€™t evil, and neither are you, As. Anyone can changeā€”just look at me. And frankly, Iā€™m not sure you even should. I kind of like you the way you are, for the record.ā€ She released his coat, clearing her throat and dropping her eyes to her shoes for a moment. That hadnā€™t come out exactly the way sheā€™d intended it to sound, butā€¦ well, it probably made her point anyway.

She could be kinda stupid, sometimes.


Asmodeus looked down at her, his face one of surprise at her comments. When she was finished, the demon began to laugh. It was a warm sound, one that was powerful, and hinted a slight undertone of danger. He lowered his eyes to her face, smiling down as she stared down at her feet. The demon hooked a slender white finger underneath her chin, so that she had to look up at him. There was an odd kind of warmth to his eyes as he smiled softly. "Just as I more than kind of like you the way you are, Kaz."

With a sudden impulse, he leaned down, placing a kiss on her forehead. The height difference made it easy for him, he didn't have to bend very far at all.


Kazehanaā€™s eyes fluttered shut at the gentle press of his lips to her forehead, and she swallowed thickly. Oh, screw it! Sheā€™d never been one to beat around bushes, and the not knowing was killing her a little bit. Slowly, and with a hesitance that was not usually in her repertoire, she allowed the barriers around that last little part of her mind to dissolve, flooding their shared consciousness with all the parts of herself that he did not know. The fear of losing one of them, of losing him. Of failing to do what she needed to do to protect them. Her affections for each of themā€”and the way that her affection for him was different, laced with a crimson thread of desire. Her reservations, because she knew he had given his heart once before, and it had ended badly for him. She could not, would not, expect him to give it again, and that laced her emotions with a certain kind of melancholy. The way something beneath her skin, in the very core of her person, heated to a burn when he touched her, even a little.

These were Kazehanaā€™s secrets, and they were few, but they were mighty. She gave them to him, then, because she did not want to keep them to herself any longer. Or rather, because she did not think she could. It was her reservations, about what she might not be to him, that had held her back before. But he was giving her a little bit of hope, and she had to know if his words, if his gestures, meant what she wanted to believe they meant. Opening her eyes again, she forced herself to look up at him, the expression in them raw and bare. She was vulnerable, oh so vulnerable, and sheā€™d just given the ability to exploit that to a demon. But he wasnā€™t, to her. A demon or a fallen or anything else. He was just Asmodeus, someone she cared about enough that it scared her.


He had not been prepared for the sudden flow of feelings and emotions that the simple action he had performed elicited from her, but he was not overly shocked. There was something in his eyes when she looked at him, something akin to sorrow and longing, of years of being alone, and something else. His own response was one that showed her the inner turmoil that he had been going through, of not knowing where they stood, of not knowing what he meant to her, while he would gladly give the last shred of his humanity if it meant it could save her.

He couldn't recall what Yuimei looked like any longer, they were just hazy images of something long ago, replaced by ones of a girl who had more spunk than sense, and it was that attitude that was exactly what drew him to her. The looks, the gestures, the conversations in the middle of the night when she couldn't sleep, everything that meant so much to him, was relayed silently through the link they shared. No words were needed, and none were spoken.

Each of his hands were placed on her shoulders as he stood in front of her, and with slight trepidation, as if he was afraid he might break her, his arms encircled her, drawing her to him as he lowered his face to her, their lips brushing softly, hesitantly.


The images and thoughts that he reciprocated did manage to floor Kazehana. She had never imagined that any of those things had mattered to him at all, and yetā€¦ relief flooded her system, some of the tension draining from her visibly, only to return in a very different fashion when his hands slid from her shoulders to twine around her back. His lips brushed hers, and she sensed the hesitation in it. Well, she wasnā€™t having any of that. Not when theyā€™d come this far.

She pressed herself more firmly against him, running her hands up his chest, over his shoulders, and spearing her fingers into his hair. She stood on her toes to approximate his height, slanting her mouth over his with much more certainty. Her nails scrubbed over his scalp just lightly, and she smiled against his mouth. Youā€™re not going to hurt me Asmodeus, she murmured lowly into his mind, At least, not in any way I donā€™t like.


That really was the only invitation the Demon needed as he captured her mouth with his. He had long since given up on anything even remotely close to this, that someone, anyone, could love him, truly, with no reservations. The longing, loneliness, and desire was conveyed through touch, as well as a sense of belonging. He was no longer just drifting through the world, he had a reason to do what he would do, a reason to live. And it was her.

Pain lanced through the demon's body, and he abruptly pulled away from the woman in his arms. A mixture of shock and confusion crossed his face as he stepped back, away from her, holding his head. A soft grunt escaped him as he fell to his knees. An upsurge of energy exploded from somewhere deep within him, and without warning and with even less of an explanation, two wings of midnight black sprouted from the demon's back. The look of utter sorrow only deepened when Asmodeus looked up at the sky. He was crying.

It wasn't a complete form of forgiveness. He knew that. He was still a Prince, but...some part of him, his transgressions, they had left him, a great weight being lifted from his shoulders. And he had his wings back.


Kazehana was initially very worried when he seemed suddenly to stiffen and push away from her. She could feel his pain, rebounding through their mental connection. It was a little like she imagined being flayed must feel, but there was something else, too, like a weight was being removed from herā€”his, she supposedā€”chest. ā€œAs?ā€ she asked, frowning and kneeling beside him. She was halfway to reaching out for his shoulder when she was stopped by the sudden eruption of energy, which forced her to shield her face from it with the arm sheā€™d been using. When it was over, she lowered it, blinking.

For a second, she couldnā€™t really think of anything to say, or what to do, because this was so far out of the range of what was normal, even for them, that she found there simply were no words. Then againā€¦ maybe words werenā€™t really necessary. Scooting closer, she wrapped her arms around him, mindful of the extra appendages, and rested her head on his shoulder. It was obvious that this was as much, or more, of a shock to him as it was to her, and she could think of no other way to help.

After a few minutes, she pulled back a little, her own eyes not entirely dry, and tried for a small smile. ā€œReserved for the angels, huh?ā€ she asked, a trace of playfulness reentering her tone.


Asmodeus found himself laughing through the tears, his own arms encircling her again. "Hey, don't ask me. This is all new territory for me."

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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As didn't return to the apartment he shared with Caspar and Morgan until the following day. He knew immediately that Caspar was there, and Morgan was not. He was, honestly, slightly relieved. While he was sure that Morgan would understand, the white-haired Demon still was not looking forward to that conversation. He let himself in, his appearance much as it normally was, if albeit slightly more bright than he normally was. His wings he had veiled, materalizing them into his soul in order that he could move easier. He'd forgotten just how cumbersome they could be. He had been thinking about the events of the day before, and he was fairly certian that he had at least a slight understanding of what had happened.

He walked into the apartment and sat down on the sofa across from Cass's chair, the other man reading a book. Asmodeus had to smirk slightly, the red-haired angel was so predictable. He laced his fingers together as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Cass." was all he said. This was his usual start to a conversation when it was something serious.


Cass had been able to sense Asmodeusā€™s approach, and he was also sensitive to the fact that something was different about him. Actually, he might have been able to hazard a guess as to the what, and perhaps even the why, but the how was something he definitely would need to ask about at some point. But he had learned that overall, it was best to allow other people to approach him with matters like this one, because if he was the one doing the asking, it could start to feel like an interrogation fairly quickly, even if he did not intend it so. That was what truth-compulsion powers got you.

So when As sat down on the sofa and allowed the one syllable out, Caspar lowered the book he was reading, marking his spot carefully and setting it on the stack behind his chair. His arms rested casually on the corresponding parts of the chair, but his eyes flickered with obvious curiosity. ā€œAs.ā€ The change wasnā€™t just in his aura, apparentlyā€”there was something different about the rest of him, too. The fallen angel might even be willing to call it happiness, which was unusual, for any of them. At least, happiness of this kind was. They had their moments, but this seemed like something more than a temporary amusement.


As saw the flicker of curiosity in Caspar's eyes, making him smile slightly. He reached up and removed his shirt, not really willing to ruin another set of clothes. There was a second where nothing happened, and then, the wings unfurled from his back. They were large, at least six foot in their span, and made of feathers that were blacker than the sky with no moon. The demon looked at the angel. "We've had a bit of a revelation."

Cassā€™s eyes widened, and he leaned forward somewhat in his chair, reaching up to rub at his jaw with one of his palms. That wasā€¦ heā€™d wondered. The change he felt in Asmodeus was one heā€™d expected to return something lost to him, but he wasnā€™t quite sure heā€™d thought it would be this. ā€œSo it seems,ā€ the fallen angel replied, shaking his head with something resembling wonderment. Heā€™d missed his own damn wings something fierce, but it had never been the case before that anything short of an untainted angel had them. ā€œHow exactly did this come about?ā€

Asmodeus brought his wings back in, pulling the shirt back over his head. "It was Kaz. I used to think that my fall was because I indirectly caused the death of a man, and yesterday made me realize that I was wrong. I loved Yuimei, but in the end, I rejected her. And were we not always told that love is the reason for all? That was why I fell. And..." He looked down at his hands, a small smile on his face as he did so. "Ever since I became one of the Princes, I had long since given up on being forgiven. After hanging around you and Morgan, I began to get that hope back, but...I never believed that anyone could truly love me. But she does. I got my wings back because this time, I accepted her. I allowed myself to love her back, just as she loves me. I cannot fully claim to understand why this came about, but...all I know is that it did."

ā€œHeh. Imagine thatā€¦ā€ Something like a sigh passed from Cass, but it was more relieved than anything, and he relaxed back into his chair. Hadnā€™t he just told Tsuki that sometimes, the choice people had about love was whether or not to accept it? And that sometimes, the outcome of that choice made all the difference? This seemed rather like a case in point, but then, there was something about this that had the flavor of fate, too. It seemed to surround those women, their friends, like a thick, impermeable veil. They were important, vitally important, and it became more and more clear that if the three of them never succeeded in anything else ever again, they needed to protect the Fuhen sisters, and support them as they reached the precipice of that fate.

A thought struck him, and the smile heā€™d been wearing died on his face, dropping into a frown. ā€œI meant it earlier, As. Sacrifice canā€™t be an option for us.ā€ His eyes were hard, a glimmer of fraternal protectiveness in them, for Kazehanaā€™s sake. She would not take it well if any of them threw themselves at a ritual like that, unsure of what the outcome would be.


There was an almost mourful look in Asmodeus' eyes. "Unless we can find someway to stop him before hand, we may not have any other choice. Asaroth is Satan's right hand, and is the one who will be the herald of the Four Horsemen. He cannot be allowed to rise to the surface. I stopped him from rising the first time, solidifying my own place in Hell, but I miscalculated. It's only been eight hundred years, yet he's amassed enough power to try it again. He's more powerful this time as well. There aren't many options open to us." That was true, Asmodeus had stopped Asaroth the first time, dragging both of them into Hell, chaining the 7th Prince and taking away his ability to walk on the surface. As a result, As himself had been trapped in his own Circle for well over one hundred years, becoming its Prince in the process. Now, Asmodeus couldn't help but feel that no matter what they tried, it may very well all be futile.

Cass knew this, and yetā€¦ perhaps it was just a residual instinct from who he was before, but he could not bring himself to give up. An angel sees darkness and is compelled to create light. Cass saw doubt and was compelled to bolster the person affected. It may all be futile in the end, but there was no point in assuming so right now. ā€œHe may very well be,ā€ the flame haired man replied, fixing his friend with a notoriously-stubborn stare, ā€œBut so are you. And you have us now, people who will quite literally go to Hell and back to help you, As. Itā€™s like you said: we have three months. With the progress Kaz and Tsuki have made in the past few, who knows what theyā€™ll be when all is said and done? Even Asaroth should fear them, if heā€™s smart.ā€

He pinched the bridge of his nose, then dropped his hand back to the armrest and shook his head. ā€œSpend three months with her. Love her, and let her love you, for that long, and see if you can really think theyā€™ll win after that. I canā€™t see the future, As, but itā€™s brighter with them in it, I know it.ā€


Asmodeus shook his head with a soft smile. "He does fear them, that's why he took control of Vivian, to try and intimidate them, as well as make sure he had all of the surface preparations done in time." He let out a soft sigh. Something took ahold of his senses then, and his head jerked up, his eyes narrowing. Sometimes he wondered, why Morgan always seemed to be a target. "Morgan didn't happen to say where he was going when he left, did he?"


Morgan was staring with a stoic expression at the golden-winged Angel who stood in front of him, a sword of fire in hand. "You know, for not having seen each other in almost millenium, you'd think your greeting would be a bit more courteous, Raphiel."

Raphiel only smiled grimly before replying, "You have been marked as the herald for the oncoming nightmare, and I have been charged with elliminating such threats. It is not yet time for this world, and it shall not succumb before its time. I ask that you stand and face judgement."

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Kazehana ran as fast as her legs would carry her, Tsuki only half a step behind. It hadnā€™t been more than a few minutes ago that they, both at the clinic for a shift, had felt the presences in the area change, and a flare of something completely unlike any of the people they knew shifting the balance of auras in the area. It was a bit like Cass, but while his aura was warm and bright, this one was so light it almost seemed to burn, and it felt hostile. There were a small number of things that could mean, and none of them were good for Morgan.

When they got there, it was to see that their friend was on the ground, heavily wounded. ā€œTsuki!ā€ she said with urgency, ā€œYou can heal him, right?ā€ It was something her sister had been learning from Cass, she knew, and Kaz herself had not been. So if anyone was going to patch him up until they could get him to Cass, it would have to be her sister. Kaz, on the other hand, was mad as a hellhound, and quite nearly snarled like one, stepping between her friend and the golden-winged angel, cracking her knuckles experimentally and shaking her hands out. Her eyes were narrowed to dark blue slits, and her mouth dropped into a scowl.

Confronting an agent of Heaven? Not the smartest thing sheā€™d ever done, by a long shot. But it was the only thing to be done, because it was obvious this jerk had hurt her friend, and she wasnā€™t having that. Not in a million years. ā€œHey asshole,ā€ she said, blunt in her mannerisms as usual. ā€œI donā€™t know where you get off picking on my friends, but Iā€™ve always had a problem with people like you. Back off, or pick on me instead. Your choice.ā€ That stupid, thrill-seeking, danger-loving part of her was actually kind of hoping heā€™d take a swing at her. She kinda wanted to punch an angel in the face, since heā€™d messed Morgan up so badly. Actually, yeahā€¦ she really wanted a piece of this guy for what heā€™d done.

Tsukiyo wasn't far behind Kazehana when the flare appeared. It wasn't too far from where she and Kazehana had been, and both of them had taken off quickly when it happened. No more than a few minutes later, Kazehana was telling Tsukiyo to heal Morgan, who lay on the ground battered and bloody. Immediately, she was by Morgan's side, settling on her knees and coaxing her fingers over his wounds. They were deep, that much she could tell. Her head snapped in Kazehana's direction when her sister started talking to the angel. She frowned, however, and returned her attention back to Morgan.

If Kazehana could buy her a few minutes, she could stitch up the wounds to the point where they were no longer threatening. Immediately, she flexed her fingers over one part of his wound, twirling her hands in the process in a knitting motion. She could see the wound already mending itself and began work on the other ones. He was seriously injured, and Kazehana was pissed, if the tone of her voice was anything to go by. Tsukiyo herself was actually rather livid. Morgan was her friend too, and this person had just harmed him, badly. Though she may not be much of a fighter like Kazehana was, she could still do something to help out.

"Hey Morgan, are you alright?" she asked once she had finished patching him up. Though he was still slightly bleeding, his wounds were not as grave as they once were. She was still learning how to heal properly, and doing so had taken a bit of energy from her.


Raphiel's eyes narrowed. It was already taking longer to destroy Mammon than it should have, and the presence of the two females did nothing to help the situation. He had no orders against the two of them, his business was with the Demon Prince, and no other. Raphiel's form shimmered slightly, and in a movement faster than the human eye could see, the Angel was now standing over Morgan, glaring down at the man and Tsukiyo. He hesitated slightly and turned back halfway to Kazehana.

"You two have no place here. I am here for Mammon only. It is not yet time for this world to reach tribulation. He is the one who will herald its coming if left unchecked. I ask that you stand down."

Morgan pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, glaring up at the Angel who had once been his comrade. "My name...is not Mammon....you son of a bitch. You're the one who has no place here. The last time I checked, God no longer checked in on those of us who have fallen. Why is he doing this now?"

Raphiel sighed. Such arrogance. It was pathetic to see how far his brother had truly fallen. "I am not the son of any woman. Like I said before, this world is not--"

"I know what you said!" Raphiel simply sighed, swinging his sword once more, intent on cleaving the other man in two, however, he was stopped by tendrils of shadows. Raphiel's eyes narrowed. "Since when does one Prince save another?"

Asmodeus landed, his wings fluttering slightly. "We have our moments. What the hell are you doing here, Raphiel?"


ā€œApparently, heā€™s trying to stop the advent of the end times by killing Morgan,ā€ Cass replied with a shrug, having appeared in a slightly less-dramatic fashion alongside Asmodeus. He sighed, crouching next to his injured friend, noting the healing Tsuki had already done with approval, and finishing the work himself, before clapping his friend on the shoulder. ā€œYou, Momo, are a magnet for trouble, you know that?ā€ Despite the gravity of the situation, he was smiling slightly, and extended it to Tsukiyo, with a nod of approval for the job sheā€™d done. It had probably taken quite a bit out of her, but it was good work. Most nephilim wouldnā€™t have been capable of that much, even with years of training.

He was turning to address Raphiel when he saw something he probably should have expected, but didnā€™t. Kazehana, pink in the face with anger and clearly seething, jumped in a graceful arc, executing what had to be one of the most beautiful roundhouse kicks heā€™d ever seen, and her foot hit the angelā€™s jaw with enough force to snap his head back. He obviously hadnā€™t put together what she was yet, and Cass had to try very hard not to laugh. It was only fair, honestlyā€”Raphiel was being a bit of an idiot, and had Morgan been more seriously harmed, Cass would have been tempted to do something similar himself.

ā€œHey, you know what I think?ā€ She said, tones unmistakably enraged. She wasnā€™t yellingā€”yetā€”but her voice was just about shaking with anger. ā€œFuck that, is what I think. You donā€™t just get to kill people to make things easier for you, dumbass! You come down here, try to kill my friend, swing a sword at my sister, and want me to stand down? Doesnā€™t sound terribly angelic, now does it? And for the record, I donā€™t. Like. Being. Ignored.ā€


Momo sat up, groaning. "Oh, shut up, Cass." He grumbled. He did, however, grin at Tsuki. "I'm better now, thanks to you." He, also, was trying not to laugh as Kazehana literally kicked the angel in the face. She had great form, that was for sure. Still, considering who she had kicked, it wasn't very smart. He also noted the difference in As, but he said nothing about that right now. That could be addressed later.

Raphiel, on the other hand, looked almost amused. His head had moved slightly when Kaz had kicked him, not expecting her foot to connect. Clearly, she was more than she seemed to be. After a few moments, he spoke. "I see...you are Annunaki, daughter of Uriel. You, on the other hand..." He narrowed his eyes at Asmodeus. How had the Demon procured wings, of all things? Raphiel chose not to question it. If he needed to know, he would be told. Right now, however, these people were just in his way. "The girl would not have been harmed, but I cannot say the same now. I have orders to eliminate Mammon under any circumstance, and that includes if you get in my way. It is never smart to challenge an Angel, Annunaki."

Asmodeus' eyes blazed at that. That was not a threat he would allow. He grit his teeth, the shadows holding the angel's sword writhing in response to his anger. Feline eyes began popping up in the shadows. Raphiel swept everything with a glance. Did the Prince truly mean to challenge him? Well, he would deal with the girl first, he supposed.

He let go of the sword, a spear materializing in his hand as he moved, sweeping Kaz's legs out from under her, the spear staking through her shirt and into the ground. She had not been harmed, but she would no longer be able to interfere. He sidestepped in order to dodge a clawed sweep from Asmodeus, the demon more than furious. This intrigued the Angel. Was it possible that the Demon was actually close to the girl? Raphiel sighed again, blocking a series of blows from the Demon. "You really should not be interfering, Asmodeus."


Tsuki watched the exchange between Raphiel and Morgan, the two spitting fire at each other with each word. She glanced up in time to see Caspar arrive with Asmodeus when the Angel had attacked Morgan with his sword. He was being restrained by tendrils of shadows created by Asmodeus, and Tsukiyo only rose an eyebrow at the exchange. She smiled as Caspar nodded at her and stood from her spot, dusting off her pants in the process as she turned to see Kazehana. Her eyes widened a bit, as Kazehana kicked the Angel in the face. Her hand flew across her face, a look of pure and utter shock crossing her features in the process. Did her sister seriously just kick an Angel in the face?

If the situation had been different, Tsukiyo would have probably laughed and waved it off, however; they didn't know who this Angel was. It was evident by the tone of his voice when he spoke that his orders were to destroy Morgan any way possible. Kazehana had just interfered, and Tsukiyo found her feet glued to the spot when the Angel summoned a spear to his hand and pinned Kazehana down. Her eyes widened slightly as the Angel continued talking to the Morgan. She didn't understand what was going on, and was furious when the Angel had attacked her sister, however; Tsukiyo knew a fight she couldn't win when she saw one. And taking on the Angel as Kazehana had would not be a wise decision.

The only thing she could do was hope Asmodeus, Morgan, and Caspar could do something about it. If they couldn't, Tsukiyo might be inclined to doing something she wouldn't have otherwise. She would fight for her sister. Her hands clutched tightly together as she spotted Asmodeus attacking Raphiel, and silently hoped that he smashed the Angel's face in. She wasn't one for violence, but this Angel was hurting people she cared about.


Kazehana struggled to get ahold of the spear, but very time she tried, her hands just seemed to pass right through it. It was absolutely infuriating, because she wasnā€™t the kind of person who let other people fight her battles for her, ever. Granted, she understood that there were limits to what she could do, and she may have just met one of those limits, but that didnā€™t mean she was going to give up. She hadnā€™t mowed her way through schoolyard punks and much older kids picking on her sister and demons picking on her planet to just roll over when some holier-than-thou jerk came along and decided to pin her soul to the concrete. Hell no. Moving was kind of a no-go, but she wasnā€™t helpless even prone on the ground, and she proved it, forming a sphere of energy in her palm and shooting it for Raphielā€™s back. Her ergokinesis was still unstable at best, but it did tend to pack a wallop.

Cass, on the other hand, was trying a different tactic. ā€œKazehana,ā€ he said, noting that she was trying to form another sphere. To manage even one under the effects of a soul pin was impressiveā€”and he had no doubt that sheā€™d be able to manage more. But this wasnā€™t really getting them anywhere, and she had to see that. With a hiss and something that sounded suspiciously like a word he wasnā€™t surprised she knew (but probably would have been for anyone else), she killed the second orb rather than releasing it. ā€œRaphiel, As, stop. This isnā€™t the way to go about this.ā€ He crossed his arms over his chest, hoping that the man heā€™d once called brother would level with him here. Cass may not have all his power from his time as an angel, but there had been a time when he wielded even more than Raph did, and more than that, they had been comrades in the truest sense, those who relied on one another to stay alive.

ā€œWe all know how this ends, and it achieves nothing.ā€ A prolonged fight here would be a stalemate. Raphiel was stronger than any of the individuals here, perhaps, but as a group, they would have him backpedaling.


Asmodeus somehow managed to stop himself in mid-swing, and instead gracefully moved so that he was now kneeling next to Kazehana. He was still, however, glaring at Raphiel, who was also frowning. While he would be the first to admit that the red-haired angel was the second most divine one among them, he was still Fallen, and therefore had little place speaking as such. Still, he knew that at this point, he was out-manned unless he called for reinforcements, especially with Asmodeus's pets lingering in the shadows. He could humor an old comrade, for now.

"You have something you wish to say, Michael? Then say it. I have little time and less patience." Asmodeus snorted, and snarled slightly when the angel once again moved towards Kaz, an arm sliding protectively around her shoulders. But it was only to remove the spear. If Michael called a truce, then for the moment none of them had to fear the angel. But time was short, and he had a job to do, unless some sort of agreement could be reached. Of course, he seriously doubted that.


The spear slid out, and with a bit of help from As, Kazehana sat up, still clearly grumpy and none-too-pleased that they were apparently going to talk it out with this guy rather than beating him into the concrete. But she was smart enough to understand why, even if her heart protested it as fundamentally unfair. Did they just ignore what heā€™d tried to do to Morgan? She supposed there was no other choice, and her lips compressed into a thin line.

ā€œWe know whatā€™s going on, Raphiel, and weā€™re not just going to let it happen,ā€ Cass said reasonably, his arms still crossed but his posture otherwise relatively relaxed. It was essential to the nature of an angel that they were good, even when they were hard people. ā€œThereā€™s more than one way to stop Asarothā€™s plans, and our way doesnā€™t involve killing our friend simply because of what they might use him for. That makes it an alternative worth considering, and you know that.ā€


Asmodeus' eyes flickered to Kazehana again, sensing her anger. He wasn't surprised, his own anger crawled just underneath his skin, barely contained. He understood where Caspar was coming from, but he would still rather rip Raphiel's head from his shoulders. But for Cass's sake, as well as Kaz's, he kept his mouth shut, for now.

Raphiel, on the other hand, allowed an amused smile to grace his lips. "There is no might about it, Michael. Mammon is the one to be the cause of Asaroth's ressurrection, it was foretold centuries ago. Still..." He paused, looking at the others slowly. "If you are so insistent on sparing this one's life, then fine. You have your three months. If by the end of this time you have not succeeded in your goals, I will destroy him, along with anyone who gets in the way, including the females." He swung the spear up, striking the ground with the butt of it. A radiant golden aura spread out from the ground where he struck, a tendril of gold hitting each of them in the forehead. A small, golden diamond shimmered on their foreheads for a second before disappearing. "The covenant has been made. You have three months." Raphiel then shimmered, disappearing from veiw entirely. He would be amused to see just how close they would come to their goal.

Morgan snorted. "You know, I seem to recall he used to be a lot more pleasant." Asmodeus rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, the last time you talked to him, you weren't a Demon." He folded his wings in, the feathered appendages disappearing.


Cass shook his head as Raphiel disappeared. ā€œNot exactly what I had in mind,ā€ he murmured, sighing through his nose. Well, they had three months to work withā€¦ whether that would be anything of substance or just a delay of the inevitable remained to be seen, but heā€™d felt obligated to try all the same. It wouldnā€™t do any of them any good to kill an angel, if indeed they would have been able to manage it. He glanced over to where Kazehana was regaining her feet, still scowling.

ā€œSeriously,ā€ she huffed. ā€œAre all angels such assholes? No offense guys.ā€ She shrugged. Cass was really the only one of them that was angelic in any sense of the word sheā€™d heard, unless one counted Asā€™s wings or something. Still, black wasnā€™t usually the color one went for with that. Rolling her shoulders, she cracked her neck in both directions and shook her hands out. ā€œRemind me about that weird thing he did next time I go to kick him, yeah?ā€ She might forget otherwiseā€”jerks tended to hit her berserk button faster than anything else. ā€œAlso, Morganā€¦ you seem to attract more trouble than I do.ā€ And that was seriously saying something, all things considered.


Tsukiyo listened to every word that was exchanged, watching as the level of stress and anger subsided just slightly. Raphiel removed the spear from her sister and Tsukiyo released a sigh of relief seeing that her sister was unscathed. She glanced back towards Morgan, glad that he was okay, and that everyone else was. She rubbed at her forehead absently, frowning slightly in the process. There was no harm done, however; she couldn't help but feel as if something irritating was pulsing through her forehead. Of course, it was just her imagination. Whatever it was that Raphiel did, it was of no concern nor danger to them. She wasn't going to inquire about it if it wasn't causing any harm...yet.

"You shouldn't have kicked him in the first place and he wouldn't have done that," Tsukiyo replied blandly. She shrugged her shoulders in the process as she walked over to Kazehana and checked her sister over, grabbing her face with her fingers and tilting her head side to side before circling around her and nodding in satisfaction. "And well, I don't think dad was an asshole," Tsukiyo replied bluntly while frowning. Their dad had been an angel once hadn't he? It was how the two of them came about to be as they were. Maybe he had been, but that didn't really matter. She shrugged her shoulders again before sighing softly.

"Some three months this will be."


Morgan sighed, offering Kaz a quirky smile. "Gee, thanks Kaz. And, no, your Dad wasn't an asshole. Raph didn't used to be. As on the other hand--" The white haired demon glared at Morgan, grabbing the red-head in a headlock. "Go on, say it. I dare you, kid." For a few minutes, the two of them struggled, Morgan eventually calling uncle.

As then straightened up and sighed. "Are we done now? I need a shower."

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK



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Another few weeks passed, and the holiday season was suddenly upon New York City like some form of infectious disease. Kazehana was inclined to look at it with a bit of cynicism, all things considered, but there was no mistaking that she enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with her family. And this year, her family was twice the usual size. So she might have even been smiling to herself as she wound a glittering string of lights around the massive tree in the clinic lobby.

Of course, she was less-than-pleased about the fact that she was wearing a green sweater-dress and striped knee-highs with her false elf-ears, but her dad was an idiot who insisted on costumes, and so she and Tsuki were both elves today, garland in their hair and all, and their dad was dressed as Santa Claus, which was by turns hilarious and horrifying, really. But the kids seemed to enjoy it all, and that was really the important thing, she supposed. Stepping back, she appraised the arrangement of the lights, deciding it was satisfactory, and nodded her approval, which caused a stream of little people, most waist-height or below, to run forward clutching ornaments to affix to the tree. In order to get some kind of height balance, she started lifting some of them to higher spots, though where she acquired the one that never hopped off her back, she wasnā€™t sure. Jack was a sneaky one like that.


Tsukiyo had been inclined to stay in bed, refusing to move when the sheets were torn from her. She reluctantly woke to the day and groggily shuffled through as she usually did, however; today wasn't just another day. The weeks had flown by carelessly and they found themselves embracing the Holiday season. Her father had decided to throw something at the clinic, and he had dragged both Kazehana and herself to it as well. Though she couldn't say no to her father, she had been reluctant to dress what he had stated they dress as. Elves were not her particular flare, and she wasn't even sure if she put the ears on right, however; it did not matter.

Kazehana helped her out with her outfit and soon enough, Tsukiyo was standing by the front door and surveying Kazehana as she held some of the kids up to place ornaments up high. She shook her head softly as she spotted Jack hanging off her sister's back but did nothing to remove him. He'd only go back and cling to her more. He enjoyed doing things like that, and Tsukiyo was content to let him be. She was taken from her reverie as something tugged at her shirt, blinking as she glanced down into a pair of deep brown eyes. She smiled, picking up the child as she placed him on her hip.

"Let's go see if Santa needs help," she stated as she walked away to find her father, the child still on her hip.


For perhaps the hundredth time in about an hour, Asmodeus wondered just how he had been talked into this, and Morgan got off "hovering" around outside, at least for a little bit. He blinked rapidly, the contacts bugging him, but as Cass had pointed out, Jack Frost had blue eyes, not red. "There is something unnatural about having thin pieces of plastic stuck in your eyes." He grumbled as he and Caspar entered the clinic. He immediately caught sight of Kaz, who was not only dressed as an elf, but also had a young boy clinging to her back. He watched her for a few seconds before walking over, gently plucking the boy off and putting him on his shoulders.

"Sorry, Kid, this elf's mine."

The boy pouted, looking down at the demon. "And just who are you?"

"Jack Frost." A mischievous smile lighted his face as the boy's eyes lit up.

"No way!! My name's Jack, too! But I don't believe you, you gotta prove it!"

As looked at Kazehana with a coy smile, and took Jack over to the window, and touched the window pane, the glass instantly coming alive with intricate swirls of ice in patterns of christmas trees, santa claus, reindeer, and other things. Shrieks and peals of laughter were heard as most of the kids began begging As to do more, to which the demon, surprisingly, obliged. It was well over an hour before the children finally grew bored and left him for other things, and he sat down chuckling. "Kids." he muttered.


Kaz snorted, knowing full well who was actually behind the ice patterns, and thanked Morgan with a thought and a mental smile. Something odd struck her, though, watching As interact with Jack, and she frowned slightly, shaking her head. Now she was being stupid. What a weird thing to think, anyway. ā€œThey seem to like you all right,ā€ she replied to his muttered comment, thwacking him affectionately in the shoulder. ā€œCome on, Jackā€”you can help me hang these lights from the ceiling.ā€ She quirked a brow with a faint hint of mischief, and then, because she could, she leaned in close to his ear and murmured her next words well out of anyone elseā€™s hearing.

ā€œBlueā€™s a good color for youā€”but I still like red better.ā€ But she darted away and grabbed a string of lights before there was time for a proper response. Theyā€™d really not had much time with each other since that day heā€™d gained his wings, and her reminder of it was very intentional. She wasnā€™t inclined to let him get away with just polite company and an appearance at the party, after allā€”she wanted him to herself for a while.

Cass, meanwhile, was quite enjoying himself. He sported a pair of antlers, lodged in his crimson-colored hair, a few bells jangling from them and his wrists. As usual, children seemed to be drawn to him like they were magnetized. Heā€™d never really understood it, but he didnā€™t mind. He liked them anyhow. He managed to catch a break, however, when As succeeded in distracting them with Morganā€™s assistance, and so he made his way over to Tsuki, not hiding his amusement.

ā€œIā€™m pretty sure your ears are on upside-down,ā€ he said, tugging at one of the false aural organs with a smile on his face. They were tilted in such a way as to make her look comically sad, like a droopy-eared puppy. It was, dare he think it, adorable.


Tsukiyo had left the child with her father, checking in every now and then on some of the patients to see if they were doing fine and enjoying themselves. She was standing by the tree when a voice called out to her, causing her to turn and spot Caspar. She tilted her head in confusion a bit, her lips pursed together when she noted his expression. Her eyes lit up with acknowledgement when he finally spoke. She touched one of her ears and sighed. Kazehana was the one who helped her put them on, maybe she hadn't noticed them falling down during the day? She swatted his hand away as she tried to re-adjust the plastic ears.

"This is why I don't dress up for things. And Kazehana helped me, or at least I thought she did. I'll just not wear them," Tsukiyo replied as she pulled the ears off. She didn't want to wear them in the first place to begin with. She rubbed her ears, smiling as they cooled down a bit before noticing Caspar's outfit. "Well, your hair's red, did dad want you to be Rudolph?" she stated, a light smile tugging at her lips.


Asmodeus grinned. "Why do I feel we're not going to be doing much actual decorating?" he asked with a slight undertone in his voice. "And I think it's finally safe to take the contacts out, the kids seem to be bored with that trick. You can have your precious red eyes back." He wasn't entirely sure why the kids liked him so much, but he rarely questioned it. They were, after all, children. What they chose to do they chose with the purest intentions. He couldn't fault anyone for that.

Morgan, on the other hand, also finally entered the clinic, gaining his own crowd of kids, many of them asking if he was confused about the holidays, telling him it was Christmas, not Halloween. Morgan could only laugh.


Kazehana only glanced back over her shoulder at him, the look subtly tinged with a very heated sort of intent, but she said nothing. The work dad wanted them to do first, and thenā€¦ maybe they could ā€œclean the janitorā€™s closet.ā€ She honestly wasnā€™t terribly picky at the moment. Theyā€™d perhaps have a bit more time together when the party was over, but she wasnā€™t the most patient person in the world, to put it mildly.

Cass rolled his eyes upwards, as though trying to look at the antlers, then lifted his shoulders in a shrug. ā€œYou knowā€¦ Iā€™m really not sure. He kind of just shoved them at me and told me to wear them.ā€ He shook one of his wrists, producing the jingling sound of silver bells. ā€œI drew the line at the nose, though. I donā€™t have a lot of pride, but I do have that much.ā€ He winked playfully and shook his head. Uriel was definitely a character. Heā€™d always been a bit silly, even in the old days. The others had used to speculate that it would get him killed, but Cass had known better. His skills were formidable, and nothing to underestimate, even if his demeanor made it seem otherwise.

Morgan appeared then, and Cass smiled at his interactions with the kids. ā€œThe costumes donā€™t seem like such a bad idea now, do they?ā€ he asked his friend with a grin.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

Earnings

0.00 INK

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It took another hour or so, but all the decorations did eventually get put up in the right places, and to broad smiles all around, the party was started. Unsurprisingly, Cass had been asked to provide most of the food, and as usual, heā€™d cooked in industrial-sized quantities, which would perhaps be helpful here. Kaz placed her hands on her hips, satisfied with her work, but when she turned to say something to As, she found him gone. He was still in the area, so she just shrugged and went to go talk to the other three for a while.

Asmodeus had, in fact, been pulled aside by Kazehaya, or as the demon knew him, Uriel. ā€œA moment, if you would, As?ā€ he said, and his tone was unusually serious. Leading the demon back to his office, he tossed a few of the trappings of his costume onto his desk, and rolled the right words around in his mind for a moment before speaking them.

ā€œSheā€™ll kill me if she ever finds out I said this,ā€ he prefaced, and from the wry smile on his face, it was obvious who he was talking about. ā€œBut I feel obligated all the same. Iā€™ve seen the way you look at my daughter, Asmodeus, and Iā€™ve not missed the way she looks at you, either.ā€ He leveled a knowing stare at the demon, the deep blue eyes his daughter shared meeting bright red. There was something hard there, and unrelenting. It may ordinarily be easy to forget that this man had once wielded power as great as Raphielā€™s, but in this moment, the reminder was very potent indeed, and the air shifted slightly. Uriel had regained quite a lot of what heā€™d lost when he fell, more even than Cass yet had. That was the doing of his Chiyo, and his children.

ā€œI wonā€™t tell you not to pursue her, because that would be stupid, and honestly probably impossible besides.ā€ He grinned, the expression tinged with paternal affection. He knew well how wonderful and bright his daughters wereā€”they had saved him, too, after all. ā€œBut I am going to tell you to be careful. Kaz is tough, and more than capable of meeting her problems head-on, but thereā€™s a part of her thatā€™s surprisingly fragile. So Iā€™ll only say it once: donā€™t fuck this up.ā€


Asmodeus had very much felt like the young teenager who was picking up his girlfriend for a first date when he entered Kazehaya's office. Frankly, he felt absurd. But with the shift of power, it was very easy to forget all of that in an instant. Wings or no, presences this powerful made even him uncomfortable. Still, he could completely understand where the man was coming from. That in mind, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. There was a half-smile on his face when he spoke.

"After what that girl has done to me, there's no way I intend to fuck anything up." His wings unfurled. "She's saved me this far, the least I can do is love her as she deserves."


If anything, Kazehayaā€™s smile grew wider as he observed the obvious change in the demon prince. ā€œSo, you got them back, did you?ā€ he asked, nodding in answer to his own inquiry. ā€œThey make miracles, those girls. Theyā€™re the best thing that ever happened to me, and that includes everything that happened before. Iā€™m glad you understand what thatā€™s like.ā€ His face softened, and this time, there was nothing stern in his tone, though it was serious all the same.

ā€œYou do that, Asmodeus. And never forget to let her love you, too.ā€ He stood, crossing the office, and opened the door, gesturing for the demon to precede him out. ā€œBut thereā€™s a party weā€™re missing, so letā€™s go back before weā€™re missed, shall we?ā€


Asmodeus chuckled, shaking his head. Being on earth had changed the angel, for certian, but it was also for the better. "I think the more proper saying is that they are miracles." he said as they rejoined the group. The demon's eyes lit up as he honed in on Kaz, linking her arm with his as he approached her. "You know, as scary as your father is, he can be a bit hard to take seriously half-dressed in a santa suit."

Kaz smiled brightly at his sudden reappearance, but then his words registered properly, and a look of horror crossed her face. ā€œOh, for the love ofā€¦ he didnā€™t.ā€ Her tone was flat, and she shook her head, resisting the urge to run a hand down her face. ā€œIā€™ll kill him one of these days, I really will.ā€ For all that, though, her hand found his, and she laced their fingers, squeezing gently. She was at least relieved that As seemed to have taken it humorously. She got a lot of her traits from her father, deep down, even if he generally acted like an idiot, and it was important to her that they got along.

ā€œSorry about that. He sometimes forgets that Iā€™m an adult and can make my own decisions.ā€


Asmodeus chucked. "He did, but then, he is your father, I think he has the right. I'm just as old as he is, you know. Meeting your mother turned him into a giant teddy bear. Of course," His eyes danced as he glanced above them. Either Kaz had stood there under it waiting for him, or she hadn't been paying attention. Either way, they were both under it now, and that meant only one thing.

His hand brushed across her cheek softly as he cupped the side of her face, bringing it close to his own. He kissed her softly, smiling the whole way through, probably even moreso when a few of the younger kids nearby errupted in fits of giggles, 'ews's', and made faces sticking their tongues out. "You've done the same to me, so I guess it's only fair."


Sheā€™d never been the kind of person with a lot of shame, but Kazehana kept her end of the kiss well within standards of public decency, and it was something sweet and light and soft. She had not known she was standing under any such plant, and she was actually pretty sure that stalk used to be elsewhere, but it would seem like Carlisle the clinic poltergeist was up to his usual shenanigans. Sheā€™d have to thank him, this time. Poor guy probably wouldnā€™t know what to do with himself. ā€œMm, I hope not entirely,ā€ she said softly. ā€œIā€™d feel guilty, thinking what Iā€™m thinking about someone defenseless.ā€ Her eyes flashed, belying something much less appropriate for public settings, and the next part was thought and not spoken for that very reason.

Youā€™re lucky there are other people around, Asmodeus. Someday, there wonā€™t be. A suggestive pause. Now, letā€™s go find some mistletoe to shove Cass and Tsuki under.


As's eyes lit up and he chuckled slightly. "Oh, is that a promise?" This was one of the many reasons the Demon had fallen in love with the girl. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, or with it, either. Hopefully sometime rather soon there won't be people around. He grinned and let out a laugh at her suggestion. "I like where this is going, I'll go find Reindeer Games. You find the mistletoe."

4 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Tsukiyo sat with a circle of kids surrounding her, she in the middle with a book in her hand. She was reading to them, a book she knew all too well. It was one her mother used to read to Kazehana and herself when they were children. She was fond of the book, and the children had grown bored with Asmodeus' display of ice and had stopped hounding Morgan about his eye patch. Though she will admit, it was a bit laughable when the children had pestered him about it. Kazehana and Asmodeus had retired to putting up the rest of the ornaments, and Caspar had been taken and charged with cooking.

She allowed a smile to cross her features when they had charged him with that. He was, after all, a great cook, and she was sure everyone else would enjoy it as much as her sister and herself did. Over the last few weeks, Tsukiyo had found herself thinking more and more about the red-haired angel, wondering if he was okay or if something had happened to him when they weren't together training. It had unnerved her a bit since the only person she had ever concerned herself with was Kazehana, and her father of course. But Caspar had managed to worm his way into her thoughts on more than on occasion.

Apparently she was doing it again as one of the children tugged at the sleeve of her arm. She had stopped reading, and she blinked down at them. She offered an apologetic smile before resuming what she was doing, however; images of red still flashed through her mind, and she frowned. She wasn't sure what to make of it, and she had been inclined to talk to her sister about it, but she had never talked to her sister about her feelings before. At least not what she was feeling now, and boys had never been a subject Tsukiyo had touched with her. It was all so confusing.

Well, about two hours after heā€™d been dragged into the kitchen, Cass was at last free of it, the baked goods and savory Christmas dinner-foods having been set on the buffet tables that had been set up in the lobby. Of course, the sudden appearance of delicious things to eat drew most of the attention in the room pretty quickly, and he found himself beating a hasty retreat before he was overwhelmed with hungry children looking for sugar and their parents trying to get them to eat more healthy things first. He managed to slip out of the crowd without running anyone over, which was good, or being assaulted by a pile of children, which was also good, but somewhat less fun, admittedly.

The circle surrounding Tsuki had largely dissolved, but he picked a spot on the floor beside her anyway. Doubtlessly, sheā€™d prefer to wait until the mob had subsided before getting her own dinner, but he had managed to secure a couple of warm chocolate chip cookies in a napkin before he departed, and these he now handed over. ā€œWhat were you reading them?ā€ he asked by way of conversation, tilting his head at a weird angle so as to read the title on the cover of the book. It surprised him a little that both of the sisters were so good with kids, considering that he mostly saw them in contexts where they were fighting or training, but the ways in which they interacted with the children werenā€™t surprising at all.

The crowd of children all but disappeared when the aroma of food filled the area. She smiled as they all clamored for the kitchen, intent on grabbing sweets before their parents could restrain them. She shook her head lightly, but was brought out of her thoughts by the one who had currently plagued them. Though she had sat next to him plenty of times before, this time felt a bit different and her face tinged a very, almost unnoticeable, light hue of pink. She glanced back down at her book and blinked somewhat. She pulled it up for him to see, covering her face in the process as she let him read the title.

"Where the Wild Things Are, was a favorite book of mine," she stated behind the book. "Mom used to read it to us all the time, though I think I enjoyed it more than Kazehana did," she added, pulling the book away from her face with a light chuckle. Kazehana would always fall asleep before the story ended, however; Tsukiyo had always remained wide awake, staring intently with wonder and awe at her mother as she read. She took one of the cookies in her hand and stared at it for a moment before placing it in her mouth, savoring the flavor with a smile.

"You should open up your own Bakery. These are really good and you'd make a lot of people happy," she stated in a light hearted gesture, but shook her head. "But then we would miss you because you wouldn't be around as much," she added as an after thought, not really paying attention to the words she spoke.

Casparā€™s bass chuckle was light, and he shook his head with a smile. ā€œBelieve it or not, I used to run one. Back in the fifties or so, in Belgium.ā€ His journeys with his brothers had taken him all over this world, and heā€™d honestly grown rather fond of it. His general occupation had not always been teacher, and they did need somewhere to operate from, which meant that someone had to produce the money for rent. He chose to be the one that bothered about thatā€”after all, As had been around only about half the time, bound to his circle in the rest of instances, and Morgan, wellā€¦ Cass wasnā€™t really sure. His friend seemed to prefer not living that much like a human, which was fine. Everyone had their own preferences about things.

ā€œIt was an adventure,ā€ he admitted, recalling hiring others to work for him and trying to coordinate all of them. Adventure was putting it mildly, maybe. ā€œBut you know, so is this, and Iā€™d miss it, too.ā€ He smiled down at her, halfway to ruffling her hair again before he aborted the motion and made it look like heā€™d been intending to scratch the bridge of his nose instead. He really had an odd habit of touching her hairā€”he probably shouldnā€™t. Sure, it had started as something simply affectionate, like she was another of his friends or the angels heā€™d thought of as his younger siblings, butā€¦ that wasnā€™t what it was now, and he refrained from sighing only by long practice.

She was truly a sweet person, and something in her quiet, unassuming nature (and her occasional touch of very evident weirdness), drew him to her, but he shouldnā€™t let it. She deserved better than what he was capable of giving her, and besides that, he dare not presume that she was even interested. He was an observant man, and he hadnā€™t missed the occasional awkward moment between them, butā€¦ that kind of thing wasnā€™t what he could content himself with. Best to let her let it go on her own. He didnā€™t know where or who or even what heā€™d be in a few months, let alone a few years or a lifetime. Stability was important, and he couldnā€™t offer that.

So, to move his mind from it, he offered a question. ā€œWhat about you, Tsuki? What are your plans? Or what were they, before a couple of defunct angels and a demon dropped onto your doorstep?ā€

"Well, it was a good thing I wasn't born yet then, because I would have missed you," she replied nonchalantly, leaning a bit so that her head rested on his shoulder. She hadn't realized how tiring it was to keep up with a bunch of children and helping out with decorations. She yawned mildly, searching her mind for the answer to his question. She let out a Hum, and chewed the bottom of her lip. Well, in all honesty, she still wasn't particularly sure what she wanted to do. She was currently studying demonology, but now, it seemed kind of pointless with the three of them around, teaching her things that she couldn't have learned otherwise.

"When you put it that way, my plans were nothing short of, 'I don't know'. I was studying demonology, but that just seems pointless now. I have learned a lot from all of you, more than I could have ever learned from my teachers," she replied, letting out a slow sigh. "And after every thing that's happened, I am not sure if I'd have any plans for the future that don't involve either you or the others," she replied truthfully. It was true in every sense of the word. A future with out them didn't seem like a future at all, one that she didn't want to be a part of if that were the case. These were her friends now, and her family just as much as Kazehana was her sister.

"For a being who has nothing but time, what are your plans for the future?" she stated, tilting her head so that she was staring up at him.

She certainly wasnā€™t making things easy for him. Cass suppressed a groan when she leaned back against him. The urge to pull her into his lap and just hold her there was a powerful one, and it took a fair amount of self-control to remain as nonchalant as he was. Curse anyone who asked him for his thoughts right nowā€”for heā€™d be forced to silence or embarrassment. ā€œI try not to plan too far ahead,ā€ he said, looking down at her and trying very hard to imagine that he sounded unaffected rather than the sentimental tone he knew he was actually using. ā€œI generally prefer to be surprised by life. I think itā€™s worked out rather well, thus far.ā€ Oh boy. He sounded like an idiot, he just knew it. Momo and As were never going to let him live this down, if they found out. Not that heā€™d mind, if there was any truth to it. Alas.

ā€œBut there are things Iā€™ve always known Iā€™ll have to do. Angels and demons arenā€™t like humans or nephilim, in some ways. Much of what we do, what we become, is ordained long before it happens. Sometimes, we have to make major sacrifices for that. But youā€¦ you get choices, and those are really what changes the world for the rest of us. Fighting what we know is coming can be a bit daunting, for us. But with people like you and your sister in the mix, thereā€™s something unpredictable at work again, and we really can be surprised.ā€ He smiled slightlyā€”without a doubt, it was driving certain people crazy. The presence of Tsukiyo and Kazehana was like a small supernova of chaos energyā€”it was throwing some plans and prophecies out the window, and rewriting others, even as the girls grew and changed. He had no doubt that Raphiel had felt it, too, in their confrontation. The way they could change everything, the way that fate suddenly seemed so much less clear. Perhaps some things would come to pass as predicted, but there was no longer the same iron certainty about the world.

He was rather growing to like the feeling.

"One thing I've learned, planning too far ahead often causes us to have to change those plans. You're right, things change so I guess it's not a bad thing to not plan that far," she replied with a light smile to her lips. She readjusted her head so that she could pull further to him, suddenly feeling a bit warmer than usual. Was she cold? She might have been since she wrapped both of her arms through his left arm and tried to catch the warmth he exuded. "You should be careful though. Not all surprises are good," she resorted to state. Which, in a way, was true. The surprises Kazehana and herself endured weren't always so pleasant, however; the three of them had definitely been a good surprise.

"Though the three of you showing up out of the blue could be considered good," she voiced aloud. She frowned slightly though. They had choices? Perhaps, but that wasn't always so. They hadn't chosen to have the abilities they had, and she knew for a fact that Kazehana had resented her abilities. She wasn't so sure if she did now, but back then, Kazehana wanted nothing more than to be rid of them. Tsukiyo, on the other hand chose to accept her abilities and learned as much as she could about them. She shook her head from those thoughts and smiled.

"I think as long as I have you and Kazehana, I don't think anything could surprise us," she stated, missing the tone in her voice when she spoke, and unsure as to the reason why she left out Morgan and Asmodeus.

Cass adjusted his internal temperature basically by reflex when she wrapped herself around his arm. The fire he bore in his soul could and was often used to heat his person, and it wasnā€™t any bother to ratchet his internal temperature up a few degrees, so that he was giving off heat a bit like a radiator. Only less likely to burn. ā€œYouā€™re right of course,ā€ he replied. Not all surprises worked out well for him in the end, and he certainly knew it. ā€œBut itā€™s a risk Iā€™m willing to take, for the good ones.ā€

He wasnā€™t given the chance to reply, however, because it was at approximately this moment that Kazehana, having had just about enough of all this sweetness and nothing coming of it, appeared, clearing her throat conspicuously and pointing over their heads to a piece of mistletoe that had suddenly appeared there. She knew Carlisle would be willing to help, given his propensity for meddling, and that ghost was damn stealthy when he wanted to be. Cass followed the direction of her finger and blinked. When he realized what he was looking at, his left eye twitched and it was his turn to look a little pink around the edges.

ā€œThat wasnā€™t very nice, Kaz,ā€ he said, but she only gave him a fox-like smile.

ā€œDon't look at me. I didnā€™t put it there,ā€ she replied, and of course he knew it for truth. She would have been able to say it, otherwise.


As could barely contain his humor as he watched Kaz enlist the help of the clinic's Poltergiest to trap Caspar and her sister, and he was chuckling as he stepped up behind Kaz, wrapping his arms around her waist with his chin on her shoulder. "Well, well, Reindeer Games, lucky you."

Tsuki nodded her head, only brought out of her sleepy spell when Kazehana showed up. Confused, she followed her sister's finger towards a piece of floral decor hanging above their heads. Tsukiyo blinked once, then twice before it registered that it was something rather intimate inducing piece of arrangement. It took her a moment to register that she and Caspar were underneath said ornament, and immediately, her face flared a color to match her eyes. She turned to face Kazehana, her eyes wide with bewilderment before turning towards Caspar.

"I...well," she stuttered before glaring at Kazehana again. Sighing with defeat, Tsukiyo puffed out her cheeks and leaned up to place a chaste kiss upon Caspar, however; she closed her eyes, her lips brushing the tip of his nose in the process. She pulled back, her face now the same color as Caspar's hair.

Cass had gone faintly cross-eyed as she got in closer, unsure if he wanted to say something in protest here. On the one hand, he obviously didnā€™t, but on the otherā€”well, never mind. Apparently heā€™d taken too long thinking about it. Her lips brushed the tip of his nose and she pulled back, red in the face. He was pretty sure he matched, and sent a belated glare in Asmodeusā€™s general direction, only to find him fairly tightly wrapped around Kaz, who was laughing lightly at his and her sisterā€™s obvious predicament. You knowā€¦ just because you are sexually frustrated right now doesnā€™t mean you have to take it out on me, he thought at his demonic friend grumpily.

Kaz, not privy to this particular exchange, snorted. ā€œWell, it hardly qualifies, but I guess Iā€™m feeling generous today, so Iā€™ll let it go.ā€ She noted their facial expressions with some interest, though. Sheā€™d have to have a little chat with her sister about this at some point in the near futureā€¦


As mentally snorted, replying almost cynically, Right now? Technically I rule the Circle of Lust as well as Treachery, so it's more like I'm always sexually frustrated. Now I just have someone to be frustrated with.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

Earnings

0.00 INK



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Christmas came and went, bringing New Years along with it. Somehow, miraculously, Asmodeus had managed to get Kazehana alone. As much as he cared about Caspar and Morgan, it was almost infuriating how he never seemed to be just with her. It had become painfully apparent first at the Christmas party at the clinic, only getting worse throughout the holiday. Still, he would never say that he hadn't enjoyed the time spent with the entire group. He was already formulating a plan to do something about Cass and Tsuki, as the girl had become very awkward around Caspar since the mistletoe inccident, and both he and Kaz agreed that something needed to be done about it, seeing as neither her sister nor the angel seemed likely to take any initiative.

Currently, however, Asmodeus had his mind on other matters. The purple-haired girl wrapped in his arms with her lips locked on his, to be more precise. They were on the roof of her apartment building, surprisingly being the only place they ever seemed to get some privacy. It was New Years' Eve, and it was about seven in the evening, meaning that they still had a few hours to themselves before they would join the others for the party. The Demon would have it no other way.


The holidays were in fact packed with events and activities and family, as they always had been for her. Sheā€™d thoroughly enjoyed herself, able to leave the apocalyptic implications behind for a while and forget that there were persnickety angels and irritating demon princes out to get them. Instead, she got to laugh at how her sister turned red every time Cass came within her line of sight, and to plot with the other two regarding what to do with them. She was constantly surrounded by people: if it wasnā€™t Morgan and Cass here, it was Tsuki and her dad there, though honestly, As didnā€™t often seem to leave. That was all right thoughā€”she quite enjoyed having him around.

Even if it was absolutely maddening that they were never by themselves. She hadnā€™t even had any time to be by herself since before Christmas, and sheā€™d finally found a block of time that she could devote to this purpose today. They were all going to Times Square for the big stupid new year thing that always happened, but she would be lying if she said she wasnā€™t looking forward to it. Usually, the promise of drunk people and crowds would be enough to keep her away, but it really was something that everyone on earth should do at least once. Having discovered via Cass that none of them had ever bothered to be there at that time, she had immediately declared it a plan. The opportunity to do something for the first time with these friends whoā€™d lived so long (and her dad, but he didnā€™t count) wasnā€™t something she was going to pass up.

So sheā€™d made her way out onto her roof, intent on at least chilling out for a little while, when sheā€™d been surprised by the sudden arrival ofā€¦ well, to call him her boyfriend seemed stupidly-trivial, honestly. Getting into life threatening danger and overcoming years of suffering with a person tended to jolt one past that weird not-quite-sure-of-each-other phase that people went through. She was sure of a lot of things about As, actually, and one of them was that she was totally okay not getting any time to herself today as long as he kept kissing her like that.

Without breaking the hold binding their mouths together, Kaz advanced forward, backing him up until he hit the wall on the apartment-side of the roof. Her hands fisted in the collar of his jacket, and she only pulled back when breathing became really necessary. ā€œFinally,ā€ she muttered darkly. ā€œI was beginning to contemplate killing our friends, you know.ā€


As chuckled slightly as his lungs burned from a combination of a lack of oxygen and the frigid air. His back was against the wall -quite literally- with Kaz pressed up against him. His hands ran the length of her back, tracing odd little circles here and there. He smiled down at her. "Somehow I don't think you could have pulled that off. Morgan probably would have come back to haunt you. Still, I completely agree with where you're coming from. Now try spending eight hundred years with them..." He ducked his head, kissing along her jaw and down her neck. His fingers played in her hair as he did so.

Kazehana rolled her eyes, though honestly, it wasnā€™t easy. He was incredibly distracting, with his lips on her neck like that. Reaching up, she tugged out the tie holding her hair up, because yes, fingers through it was a very nice feeling. The strands loosed, falling down to her waist. ā€œNo thanks. I love them dearly, but itā€™s hard to imagine much worse than being constantly frustrated by their presence.ā€ Speaking of which, why were they still talking about them? It was like they were successfully thwarting her even without being present. She didnā€™t think so, thank you very much.

Putting all such unnecessary thoughts form her head, Kaz exhaled a sigh, running her hands repeatedly through the snowy strands of his hair. It was softer than it looked, and thick. Her fingers trailed from his nape forward over his shoulders and down his chest. She parted his trenchcoat and snuck her hands underneath, pressing cool fingers to the warmth of his torso, breathing a hot gush of air over his ear and the side of his neck. ā€œAsmodeus,ā€ she purred lowly, the sound entirely unlike her usual no-nonsense tone. It was designed to invite and to tease at once, because after all, this was entirely nonsense. Nonsense that didnā€™t logically compute. He was a demon, she was the child of an angel and a human, and whatever they were was probably explicitly forbidden and disallowed by everyone who knew enough to have an opinion.

Kazehana, however, did not give a single damn. Because the things he made her feel were completely irrational, illogical, and maddening. And she loved every second of it.


It was like little electrical wires were shocking him everywhere Kazehana touched him, even through clothing. Which was quite annoyingly in the way, now that he thought about it. He shed his coat while keeping his lips occupied on her neck and ear, his hands deftly finding their way underneath her coat and shirt, his long fingers splaying across her bare back.

There were plenty of things he knew he wanted to do to her, to do with her, and perhaps six hundred years ago, he wouldn't have thought twice about doing it. But as he had pointed out to both her and her father, he wasn't that person any longer. In time, he would most assuredly ask if she did not take the initiative herself, which somehow he knew she probably would.

There was something dark and allluring in his eyes as he pulled away from her slightly when she said his name. She didn't say his full name very often. He kissed her then, parting her lips with his own before murmuring against her skin, "Kazehana..."


The sensation of his flesh on hers made her shudder, and not because it was cold. She smiled against his mouth at the echoing sound of her own name, sliding her tongue over his. It figured that heā€™d taste like chocolate and spiceā€”there was something decadent and the slightest bit indulgent about it, which matched the languid heat coiling in her belly quite well, actually. Not that she was thinking about it overmuch. She shrugged out of her coat, appreciative of the extra range of movement this allowed, and using the freedom to twine her arms around his neck, nipping his lower lip.

What was between them was electric, and a bit dark, and entirely unlike everything she knew. For all her bravado and seemingly-boundless confidence, Kaz wasnā€™t really sure how to handle that, and the way it threatened to drown her. It was slowly that she pulled back, her breaths coming in short bursts, exhaling little puffs of steam into the winter air. ā€œHey,ā€ she said, and for once, there was a little bit of uncertainty and worry in her tone. ā€œI dunno if maybe itā€™s obvious or doesnā€™t need to be said, butā€¦ā€ her hold on his neck loosened, and she stroked her fingers through his hair, regarding him with a contemplative look. ā€œIā€¦ love you, As, and thatā€™sā€¦ thatā€™s completely new to me.ā€ She sighed, resting her forehead against his collarbone.

Kazā€™s interactions with men had been limited to three fundamental kinds: mentors, like teachers and most obviously her dad, friends who remained strictly friends, like Cass and Morgan, and asshole boyfriends who really werenā€™t interested in much other than what was under her clothes. Thankfully, some combination of herself and Tsuki had always figured this out before they actually got there, but it had gotten to the point where she stopped trying to love anyone that way. Then this happened, and she knew he was different, because heā€™d been her friend first and she loved him, but suddenly that seemed like one of those things that was too big for her. ā€œWould it bother you, if I wanted to be careful with this?ā€ To be slow with it? She was afraid that if she ran headlong into a relationship of this kind with her usual stupid recklessness, she might inadvertently ruin something, and this was one thing that she could not afford to fuck up.


The Demon wondered if she had any idea just how much she was driving him crazy. It was like he was slowly drowning, and if he wasn't able to touch her, he'd sink down into the darkness. He'd been there once. He had no intention of ever going back. That being said, the worry in her tone was more than enough to make him still, slipping his hands out from underneath her shirt. He slid down the wall, sitting cross-legged on the roof, and he pulled her down with him, situating her in his lap. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple before speaking. "I think it's obvious to some people, but that doesn't mean I don't like hearing it."

He stroked her hair softly, thinking over her question a bit before answering. "You have done things to and for me, far more than someone like me deserves, than I even thought possible of ever attaining. I gave up on concepts like love a very long time ago." He stopped, allowing a small humored sigh to escape him. He was rambling. Morgan was right, he did like hearing himself talk, it would seem. "What you want is the only thing that concerns me, Kaz. I love you, as well." He played with a strand of her hair, allowing it to slip through his fingers before looking into her eyes and asking, "Say it again, with my name?"


She relaxed into him, the tension seeping out of her like water from a sieve. Her forehead fell against his shoulder, and she sighed, smiling ruefully. It was definitely nice to hear, and nice to know that she wasnā€™t being a complete idiot here. Well, okay, maybe she wasā€”because part of her was railing against her own stupidity and wishing that the things sheā€™d really just said was ā€˜my bedroom is two floors down, letā€™s goā€™ā€”but it was at least good that she felt comfortable enough with him to express her reservations, right? All her life, sheā€™d worn her confidence and sass like a cloak, and while it was a very real part of who she was, it wasnā€™t everything that there was to her. Sheā€™d never let herself be vulnerable in front of anyone who wasnā€™t family before, and even those moments were very few and far between. Sheā€™d had to be the strong older sister for Tsuki growing up, and the composed daughter for her grieving dad. It was no wonder she didnā€™t like shedding that cloak like this. It would have ruined everything, before.

But not now, it seemed. Moving slowly, she pressed a tender kiss to the spot where his jawline met his neck, just beneath his ear. That much, she could do. ā€œI love you, Asmodeus,ā€ she whispered, and she said it in his mind, too, letting a little of that warm, delicate feeling filter over the connection. ā€œAnd Iā€™m afraid youā€™re entirely stuck with me now. Iā€™m very, very bad at letting things go once I have them, you see.ā€


Asmodeus sighed contentedly at the feel of her lips on his skin. He'd had his share of lovers over the many centuries he'd spent on earth, and now, they didn't even pale in comparison to this, they merely vanished altogether. It didn't matter any longer. He knew in his heart that she was the only thing that mattered. God help him, he didn't even think the end of the world would bother him, so long as she was safe.

Her last sentence almost gave him pause. He should have expected it. This was Kazehana, after all. She held very tight to the things she cared about. But their time was running out. They had less than a month and a half left.

No. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. They were still working, they would find someway to stop him, and all of them would survive. He had to believe that, for her sake, if nothing else. So, instead, he chuckled sightly.

"My dear, I can think of nothing better than being stuck with you."

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Tsukiyo had, for once, decided to visit Central Park. The air was crisp, the snowflakes of the dying winter still falling, and she felt herself content. After the Christmas Party, Tsukiyo hadn't attended her sessions with Caspar. She was too embarrassed by what happened to even face the red-haired angel. Not that she cared much per se, but it was still something that made her feel...odd. She pursed her lips together, glancing at the watch on her wrist in the process. There was still plenty of time before she was to meet her family for the New Years. She glanced up at the sky, watching as the snow fell in small flurries. She allowed a content smile to spread across her lips as she tilted her head slightly.

She thought she saw something, but shook her mind of it. Anything to occupy her mind, though, was welcomed. Kazehana had not stopped poking fun of the way her face would turn red every time Caspar was around, and she could feel her cheeks burning at just the notion. She pursed her lips together as she rubbed her face with her hands. She really needed to think of something else, otherwise she wouldn't be able to attend the gathering. This would be the first New Year's that they wouldn't be alone, and had in fact added three more members to their family. It was something Tsukiyo had been looking forward to...until the Christmas incident.


As wasn't really sure what drew him to Central Park, but there he was, his feet leading him there. Kaz had shooed him out after another session, and so he had decided to take a walk. Distantly, he picked up on Tsuki's energy, and was a bit surprised to find her here. He also wasn't sure he liked the fact that she was alone, although he knew that for the most part, she could take care of herself. Still, he wasn't just going to linger. He walked up to her, his eyebrows rising in amusement when he saw just how red her face was, and he doubted the cold had anything to do with it.

"You look like some little kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Still thinking about what happened at Christmas, huh?"


Tsukiyo pursed her lips and frowned at Asmodeus when he appeared. Thinking would have been an understatement. It felt as if she were still reliving it, and it didn't help that her mind kept wandering in that direction. She had Carlisle to blame, and of course Kazehana because the poltergeist of the clinic would not have went to his own trouble of putting Tsukiyo in the predicament she had found herself in. She sighed softly, watching as a cloud of white smoke appeared from her lips. She turned to Asmodeus and tilted her head slightly.

"A metaphorical cookie jar? Perhaps, but then again there isn't anyone around besides you, and you don't count so," she stated with a light shrug of her shoulders. "But if you must know, yes" she added. She wasn't going to lie about it, but she wasn't going to go in further detail about it with Asmodeus. He lived with the angel, and anything she said, he might relay. That was something she wasn't going to trust him with, though he was still her friend. She allowed a smile to tug at her lips though.

"I hope you are being nice to my sister, As," she stated, using his nickname for once. She had not found it odd, not once, to call them by their full name. Nicknames were reserved for friends, but now, she felt that they were on the level of such intimacy and wouldn't hurt to call them as such. They were friends after all, right?


A placid smile crossed his face as she diverted the subject elsewhere, turning the tables and making it about him and her sister. How amusing, Caspar did the same thing when confronted. The two were both so blind to their feelings that it was almost painful to watch, and Asmodeus and Kazehana had both agreed they had hand enough painful watching. Still that was for later, and he still had a question to answer.

He offered her a smile before speaking. "If I am ever anything but nice to Kazehana, I dare say you and your father reserve the right to utterly obliterate me from existence, if you can beat Kaz to it, of course. I'm sure she'll be the first one to let me know if I do something wrong."


"You are a wise man, As," Tsukiyo stated with a small smile. "I wouldn't do anything because, as you said, Kazehana would obliterate you...though she may torture you first," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. Kazehana wasn't one to easily forgive someone once they betrayed her, and Tsukiyo had been inclined to stay out of her sister's affairs when it came to things like that. Besides, as observant as she was, Tsukiyo could tell that Asmodeus had genuine intentions. Kazehana's previous friends were not always so pure in their thoughts, and Tsukiyo had been inclined, then, to tell her sister.

She didn't want anyone to harm her sister and she would protect her the only way she could. "You'd be surprised though. Sometimes, Kazehana can be a bit blinded by love so she won't realize that you've done something wrong until it's too late, but that's why she has me," she replied, shoving her shoulder next to Asmodeus' before straightening back up.


As let out a laugh. "Tsuki, she's already torturing me, of that, I can assure you. And I highly doubt that will end anytime soon. I have come to realize though that she is more vulnerable when she actually lets her guard down, but then, that's the same with everyone, and that includes me. She now holds a part of me that I have not freely given to anyone ever before, and frankly, it's terrifying." Yuimei had never held his heart so close as Kaz did, and even Caspar and Morgan, whom he considered his brothers, were kept at a distance. But with Kazehana, those borders and walls had been utterly shaken and destroyed, leaving both of them raw and unshielded by anything.

The girl could very easily destroy him just as she could save him, and the fact that he was willing to risk it all was enough for him to realize that he could never, and would never, do anything to hurt her. So why did he have that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach like he was lying to himself?


"I assure you As, that that torture would not be nearly as pleasing. She tortures you in a good way, or at least I think she does. I've never really been good with those emotions," she replied nonchalantly, which was true. Anything that dealt with love, or things like that, Tsukiyo had zero experience with. Kazehana was the one who had boyfriends, and things of the sort. Tsukiyo was too much of a wallflower and a nerd, as one person had put it, to deal with things like that. Of course Kazehana had almost pummeled the kid for saying such a thing, but Tsukiyo only shook her head.

"It's a good thing sometimes, to not give something so freely. When you work for it, it makes it all the more sweeter to finally have it. I am sure she feels the same way, but still...be careful with it," she stated, the smile she once wore now turning into a serious thin-lipped expression.


Asmodeus may have been a demon, and at one point, an angel. He may prance around acting like things didn't bother him. But no one could ever say the man did not have a sense of humor. He made a sweeping gesture with his hands, bowing to Tsuki like a butler. "So the little lady says, and I assure you, I intend to treat nothing else with so much fragile care." His eyes gleamed mischievously as he looked at her when he straightened up. "Come on, the others will be expecting us soon, and for once, I think Momo actually beat me there. Something is not right with that situation."

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair

Earnings

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It was about half an hour or so before they were scheduled to meet, and for perhaps the first time in his life, or longer than he could remember at least, Morgan found himself at the clinic. Well, actually, he was standing outside the building. Asmodeus was off somewhere, he wasn't sure where, and Cass was still at the apartment. He had to admit, he wasn't quite sure what to make of this idea. But then, this group was far from normal, so he figured they would do some rather unexpected things. Perhaps this was some way of grasping at something that at least seemed normal, if only to help keep their lives stable.

A few passersby gave Morgan some rather odd looks. Then again, when it was only about twenty degrees out, seeing a guy standing outside in the open air with nothing on but a pair of jeans, converse, and a t-shirt, it probably did look a little weird. But ice was his element. He loved the cold, and it was apart of him as much as the shadows were apart of As. Without even really thinking about it, Morgan lit a cigarette. It suddenly struck him it had been weeks since he'd had one. He had to give a smirk. For something that had become such a habit over the years, it didn't seem to bother him when he didn't smoke.


Kaz sighed her exasperation and decided to walk away before she punched her dad. He was being insufferable as usual, and Tsuki wasnā€™t back from wherever sheā€™d gone yet, so dealing with his antics as a team was out of the question for the moment. She was still muttering to herself with exasperation when she left the clinic for the time being, but the thunderous expression on her face melted away into a smile when she noted Morgan standing there. Making her way over to him, she leaned on the wall of the building next to him and raised an eyebrow.

ā€œThereā€™s something a little bit ironic about smoking right in front of a doctorā€™s office, you know,ā€ she said good-naturedly, shoving a fist into his shoulder enough to jostle him a bit. ā€œYouā€™re not usually this early. Bored?ā€


Morgan grinned, taking the hit she gave him, exhaling before he shot back, "So says the Annunaki who fell in love with a Demon. Now if ever there was irony, that is definitely it." He shrugged then, rolling out his shoulders. "Eh, it's more the fact that I'm restless. I finally understand why As never really liked to sit still. Demon Princes aren't meant to. Our original purpose was kinda like being a Grim Reaper, and now....all we do is fight. It's kinda depressing, when you think about it."

Kaz laughed. He certainly had her thereā€”whatever of her life had been conventional was entirely out the window now. Thankfully, it was for the betterā€”she preferred things this way. ā€œAnd donā€™t forget that my best friends are yet another demon prince and a fallen angel. And my sisterā€™s a nephilim. Who knows? Next, weā€™ll have to stop the apocalypse. Iā€™m not ruling anything out.ā€ She shook her head. That much was true. Given how much her life had changed in the last eight months or so, it might well get there in another few. Who could say? At this point, she was willing to roll with it. As long as they were all here, together, they could see even that through. She really believed it, and more than that, sheā€™d fight for it.

ā€œEh. Iā€™m like that too. Only Iā€™ve got no excuse. And heyā€”itā€™s all what you make it. At least thereā€™s no shortage of fighting to do.ā€


Morgan snorted. "Ain't that the truth. Sometimes I wish they'd take a holiday. We're no closer to figuring out how to stop Asaroth than we were a month ago." He sighed, dropping the butt and crushing it under his heel. "Still, no point in lamenting over it. Gotta keep moving forward." He then grinned at her again. "You know, for someone who wanted absolutely nothing to do with this when we met, you've certainly adjusted well. And this may sound really, really backwards and weird, especially coming from me, but, be careful with As. He's never been this close to anyone, not even Yuimei. And before you ask, yes, I do know about that, and no, he doesn't know that I know."

Kaz cut a sideways glance at Morgan, smiling wryly. ā€œIā€™m not going to ask how you found out about that, but I donā€™t think itā€™s weird. Heā€™s your brother. I know Cass is a good guyā€”a way better person than probably most everyone. That doesnā€™t mean Iā€™m gonna let him off the hook without a serious big-sister talk when the time comes. We have to look out for the people we care about.ā€ She sighed softly through her nose, looking down the mostly empty street. The clinic had been doing really slow business over the holiday, which was nice. They all needed a break, but even she could sense that time was running short somehow. She couldnā€™t describe it properly, but it was just a feeling she had.

ā€œBut for the record, Iā€™m being careful with this. Iā€™m kind of stupid and reckless with a lot of things in my life, Momo, but I at least know that sometimes, thatā€™s not good enough, and I have to be better. I want to be better, for him, for all of you. Iā€™ve never had this beforeā€”this feeling that there are people in the world who really see me and like me. It was always just the three of usā€¦ and as much as I love them, I donā€™t want to go back to those days again.ā€ Not when these ones were so worth the effort. Demons and fallen or no, sinners and condemned or no, theyā€™d taught her so much, and not just about her powers. Grinning, she slid and arm around his waist and pulled him into a sideways hug, pressing her cheek to his shoulder.

When she looked up at him, her eyes were lit with mischief and amusement. ā€œBecause these days, I have brothers, too.ā€


Morgan let out a short laugh. "I have no doubt that you will give Cass what for, and just like always, he'll sit and take it. And we have to be the oldest brothers on the planet. But, I daresay none of us would have it any other way. We make one hell of a dysfunctional family." He slid his own arm around her shoulders, smiling down at her before releasing her. "Come on, it's almost time to meet the others."

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen

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Tsukiyo laughed lightly at Asmodeus when he bowed before suggesting they return to the clinic. He was right, they should be returning soon. Kazehana was a bit of a worry wart when Tsukiyo didn't show up on time, and she didn't want Kazehana to worry about anything today. It was almost the end of the year, and so many good things had happened along the way. They learned more about their heritage, who their father really was, and had came to gain three friends who meant more than anything to the two of them. She followed Asmodeus to the clinic, greeting the patients once more and doing a quick round to make sure they were all comfortable. They were smiling for the most part, and wearing those cone-shaped hats labeled "Happy New Years!" on them. Tsukiyo had been tempted to grab one for herself, but she resisted.

She continued walking through the clinic, finally setting on heading towards the roof. She had a feeling Kazehana might be up there to get some fresh air. And her thoughts were hardly ever wrong. There, leaning against a railing, was her older sister glancing out into the sky. "Hi Kaz," she called out, making her way to stand next to her sister. She was still slightly mad at Kazehana for the stunt she pulled with Carlisle, however; she couldn't really be that mad with her sister. Well, she could, but it would prove a useless thing. Her face tinged a bit pink as she remembered the event, and shoved into her sister's shoulder in a playful manner. "That's for Christmas," she stated, smiling up regardless.

Kazehana smiled when her sister appeared on the roof. There were probably only a few more minutes before the group left for Times Square, and if her plan was to go off without a hitch, this talk needed to happen now, so that was a good thing. She took the shove with mock hurt, rubbing her arm where Tsuki had hit it, but her smile was enough to give her away, and it turned sly quite quickly. ā€œHey, you should be hugging me for that. Not every girl gets to kiss her very own angel,ā€ she teased, eyes alight with mischief.

It was kind of funny, actually. In all the years theyā€™d been growing up, Tsuki had never really shown interest in anyone, male or female, in that sort of fashion. It had reached the point where Kaz was fairly certain that her sister must just not be interested in any of that, friendship or romance. Where Kazehana had tried and failed to find that kind of connection, it had seemed as though Tsuki never even went looking. But she and Caspar were so similar that they molded into each otherā€™s lives like the most natural thing in the world. It was easy to see, from the way he looked down towards his elbow every time he thought to make a statement or ask a question, because that was where she could usually be found. From the way she sometimes looked up in the middle of reading something as though someone might be there to talk to about it. That was something sheā€™d never done before. They both looked a little perplexed when it turned out that the other wasnā€™t there.

Given her sisterā€™s near-constant blush from the last week or so, it would seem that she also thought about him when he wasnā€™t thereā€”a lot. ā€œAnd whatā€™s so wrong with it? You do like him, donā€™t you?ā€

Tsukiyo laughed at Kazehana's feigned hurtful look, however; she quickly shut her mouth when she commented about the kiss. Her face burned a little hotter at the statement, the confession, that she wasn't sure if her body was starting to feel warmer due to it. She didn't like Caspar, did she? She pursed her lips together as she thought about it. Sure, she felt comfortable when he was around, enjoyed his company, and perhaps thought of him as something of a brother, but like him? The more she thought about it, the more her face seemed to burn and turn color.

"Well, yes I do like him, just as I like Asmodeus and Morgan," she replied, unsure if that is what her sister was trying to imply. "He's a really good teacher, and a great friend...I don't know what else he could be," she murmured, the heat in her face residing just a bit. It was true, Tsukiyo was never one for the love department. She never openly sought a relationship, nor was she particularly looking for one. She was content with her family, her books, and now, the three friends she had. Her father never had the talk with her, not that she needed it, but it was just something she wasn't really focused on.

That was more Kazehana's forte, and Tsukiyo was content with that, however; there was always something strange blooming in her chest every time she saw Caspar, every time they trained, every time they were together. It wasn't something she found unpleasant, and had in fact enjoyed his company more so than anyone else's in the last few weeks, however; she had been avoiding him a bit because of the stunt that Kazehana and Carlisle had pulled. She was a bit too embarrassed about it to truly talk to him. It was somewhat hindering her training. "You know I've never really been good with this sort of stuff Kaz, I don't know."

Kazehana sighed, rolling her eyes a little. Clearly, this would have to be spelled out for her little sister. Tsuki was, in some ways, quite the innocent, for all that she often understood more of peopleā€™s intentions than Kaz did. Well, that wasnā€™t to say she was reluctant to explain; in fact, it could be quite fun, now that she thought about it. So Kaz raised an eyebrow, and looked her sister in the eye. ā€œThereā€™s not a lot to get, Tsu-Tsu. Do you start to feel weird when you think about him? In here, maybe?ā€ She poked an index digit just below Tsukiā€™s collarbone, where her heart was. ā€œDoes it feel different than it does with me or As or Momo?ā€ She smiled knowingly.

ā€œDo you sometimes, kind of maybe, think that it might be nice to kiss him again? Properly, this time?ā€

Tsukiyo blinked owlishly at her sister, glancing at the spot where she had poked her before laying her hand over her heart. Did it feel different? In a way, yes, it did. It felt as if her heart would start beating an unsteady rhythm against her chest, though it was never unpleasant. Her ears were burning slightly at the second sentence out of Kazehana's mouth. She stuttered out a no to her question, however; she sighed in defeat. Though she really didn't think of it much, she had thought of what it would have been like if it was done properly the first time. It would have been her first kiss.

"Well, yes and no. Yes, it does feel different with him, and no, I do not think about doing it properly again. I think about how it would have been if it was done right the first time," she muttered the last part, glancing away from her sister and pulling her jacket closer to her face in the process.

Kazehanaā€™s smile did not falter, though she shook her head. ā€œAnd here I thought I was hopeless,ā€ she murmured, cutting a side glance at her sister. ā€œIā€™m sure heā€™d agree to a do-over, if you just asked him,ā€ she said slyly, noting the way Tsuki tried to hide her embarrassed face. ā€œAnd you knowā€¦ we are going to Times Square tonight. Itā€™s pretty traditional to kiss somebody when the new year rolls inā€”it might as well be him, right?ā€ She decided she was just going to let that idea sit there. Tsuki was a thinker, sheā€™d not quite be able to get it out of her head now that it was there.

What Kaz hoped was that for once, her shy sister would get sick of sitting in the background in her own life and take a little initiative to reach out for something that she wanted. Of course, she had to actually realize that she wanted it first, otherwise, things would never get anywhere. Hence the words earlier. ā€œYouā€™ve got a crush, Tsuki. Thereā€™s nothing to be embarrassed about there. Iā€™d put money on the fact that heā€™s got a crush on you, too.ā€ Actually, she was pretty sure he was in love with Tsukiyo, but she didnā€™t want to give her sister a freaking heart attack by dropping that one on her. Baby stepsā€¦ or more like, shoves forward from well-meaning friends and relatives.

Agree, to a do-over? Tsukiyo gave her sister a quizzical look and violently shook her head. She couldn't just out and ask him that. Wouldn't that be considered rude? It didn't help that Kazehana added that extra bit about it being New Years. Sure, it was tradition to kiss someone, but Tsukiyo wasn't sure she was ready for something like that. Clearly she hadn't been ready when the mistletoe hovered over her and Caspar that night. A crush? That caused Tsukiyo to pause in her thoughts. She had a crush, on Caspar? Weren't crushes something that started off small and innocent? What she felt was something completely more than just that.

Tsukiyo was never one for such thoughts, but there were some that had plagued her, like how warm he had been that night and how warm the rest of his body would be if she were to touch it. Her face only grew in color at that thought. "I don't know if you'd consider it a crush though," she finally murmured. "And I highly doubt an angel would have a crush on something like me," she threw out casually with a light shrug of her shoulders. That thought didn't bother her as much as she thought it would, because it was partially true. Her father had been an exception, loving the woman he had, but Caspar had lived for years, been places she could never dream to visit. Surely there was another who held his heart, and she could never be that woman. She was fine with that...right?

She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she slowly smiled. "I think it's almost time to go to Times Square," she stated, glancing at the small watch around her wrist to note the time. She liked Caspar, she knew that, but...perhaps she should just keep that fact to herself for now. She wasn't like Kazehana, she didn't want to take that risk. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to take it if Caspar didn't reciprocate her. And that thought terrified her more than anything.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

Earnings

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Tsukiyo blinked, the snow gently falling into her dark lashes as she stared out into the crowd. Her eyebrow twitched lightly as she tugged her coat closer to her body, blowing warmth into her hands to get her blood flowing again. Kazehana disappeared the moment Tsukiyo turned her back, and all it took was two seconds. Two seconds, and Kazehana was gone. She had a feeling her sister was up to something, and that was never a good thing. She sighed softly, glancing at the people as they walked by and chated animatedly to each other. She smiled and greeted the ones who greeted her and kept mainly to herself.

"I swear, Kaz," she stated through her teeth, laughing lightly to herself. Well, she could always meet them where their normal meeting spot was. With that in mind, she began walking, albeit slowly, towards her destination. Her mind briefly flickered to Caspar, and her lips pulled into a frown. She was seriously going to kick her sister when she saw her again. She didn't want to think about their conversation while lost. At least it did bring a little warmth to her though, her cheeks flaring lightly and her heart beat increasing with every thought.

Cass hadnā€™t been in the Square more than a few minutes before heā€™d managed to somehow be separated from everyone else. Frowning, he sought out the auras belonging to his friends, noting that Kaz and As were together, meaning he should probably not bother them, and Uriel and Morgan appeared to be moving towards a building on the outside of the Square. He thought about going to see what they were up to, but it was then that he noticed that Tsukiyo was by herself. Computing that, adding the crowds and the fact that a lot of these people were drunk or would be soon, he figured that the best thing to do was make sure she was okay. Or at least that she intended to be alone and wasnā€™t simply inconveniently separated like he was.

The crowd parted easily enough for himā€”that tended to be a pleasant side effect of the residual holiness to his aura. Still, it was tightly-enough packed that he felt slightly awkward moving through itā€”crowds had never really been his thing. Still, he managed to locate her easily enough, looking slightly pink. Perhaps from the cold? Ah, that reminded him! Reaching into his pockets, Cass withdrew a pair of dark blue mittens much too small for his own hands. They were stitched with silver snowflakes. For some reason or another, theyā€™d reminded him of Tsukiyo when he saw them, but in all the bustle around the actual holiday, heā€™d completely neglected to give them to her.

Ratcheting up his internal temperature, he heated the yarn until it was pleasantly-warm, then covered the remaining distance to the girl. ā€œCold?ā€ he asked with a smile, holding up the mittens. ā€œI uhā€¦ actually meant to give you these for Christmas, but I kind of forgot. I hope theyā€™re the right sizeā€¦?ā€ He held them out to her anyway.

A pair of gloves entered her field of vision as Tsukiyo's gaze traveled the arm to the person it connected to. It took her a moment to realize it was Caspar, and her face tinged a bit darker as she took the gloves in her hand. She noted they were warm, and a smile spread across her features. She slipped them on, immediately grateful for the warmth, and let a content sigh escape her. She pulled her hands up to her cheeks, resting them there for a moment as the warmth seeped through her gloves and to her cold face. She would have wrapped a scarf around her face if it didn't look silly, for her, to wear the article of clothing as a face mask. Instead, she opened her eyes and smiled brightly at Caspar, forgetting momentarily what she had been previously thinking about.

"Thanks Cass," she stated before she frowned. He was going to give these to her...for Christmas? Her frown deepened at that thought. She didn't have anything to give him in return, and she felt bad. "I'm sorry, I didn't get you anything," she muttered, removing the gloves from her hand and laying them back in Caspar's. "I don't want to accept these until I can get you something," she continued before taking a step back. Odd, she wasn't as cold as she was before, and she stepped back closer to Caspar. At that, she glanced around nervously before clearing her throat. She might as well apologize now that she had him near.

"I'm sorry I ... um kissed your nose," she stated, tapping her own nose while rocking on her heels a bit. "I...it was..." she began, trying to formulate the words into her mouth, but they were refusing to cooperate with her. She settled, in the end, for silence while keeping her gaze off of Caspar.

If he were being honest with himself, Cass wasnā€™t really sure what to do with that. She wasā€¦ apologizing to him for kissing him, and giving his Christmas present back? He had to admit, even if only to himself: that stung a bit. He didnā€™t want her to regret the whole mistletoe incident, and heā€™d not brought it up partially because of his own embarrassment but mostly because he sensed that sheā€™d be uncomfortable talking about it. Butā€¦ apparently she did regret it, and he flinched internally. Wellā€¦ heā€™d never had the expectation that she might be feeling the things he was feeling, so it was probably better to know this way rather than by making her come right out and say it, right?

ā€œKeep them,ā€ he insisted kindly. ā€œAt leastā€¦ at least for right now, you know? Thereā€™s no use freezing your fingers off or anything.ā€ If she was really that uncomfortable, she could give them back at the end of the night, he guessed. But he wasnā€™t going to be okay with her going around bare-handed when there was a perfectly serviceable pair of mittens in his pockets. That was justā€¦ courtesy. Or decency, or something.

Was it really necessary to stand so close to him? It was distractingā€¦ but then, if she was as cold as the redness of her face suggested, maybe it was more instinctive than anything. Rubbing somewhat awkwardly at the back of his neck, Cass heated himself a bit more, so that he was giving off waves of it like a radiator. It wasnā€™t like it cost him much energy to do so. ā€œAnd I mean, you donā€™t have to apologize. I didnā€™t mindā€”er. That isā€¦ uh.ā€ He closed his eyes and hissed a sigh out from between his teeth in frustration. He was, without arrogance, one of the most articulate people there was, and yet he could not find the words to say what he wanted.

Perhaps because, he realized with some surprise, he was trying to lie. He was attempting to spare her the awkwardness by making some comment about the spirit of the season or something, and it just wasnā€™t coming, because he would have been telling a damn lie to pass it off as such. Heā€™d never really regretted his inability to do that until this very moment. Cracking his eyes open again, he observed that they were readying that big shiny mirror-ball thing for the drop. A new year, a new startā€¦ heā€™d never understood the human attachment to time until heā€™d lived among them. All this chaos allowed for change, to make things better. He wondered, idly, what she wanted to improve in the next year. If she thought about things like that.

What was he supposed to do now?

"Are you sure?" she asked, raising a questioning brow. Her heart beat was quickening its pace, drumming loudly in her ears as it drowned almost everything out save for his voice. She slipped the gloves back on, the smile returning to her face, and she turned to direct it back at Caspar. It wasn't that she didn't want them, but it felt odd for her to receive something without giving something back. That was just how she was. Even when she was a child, she often hand made crafts (which were never really good to begin with) to give to her sister and her parents when it was her birthday, or during the holiday's such as Christmas. Giving something always made her feel better, as if she was trading for her gifts, however; she pushed those thoughts away.

"I do like them though, they are really pretty," she stated softly, glancing back up. She could feel the warmth radiating from him and she couldn't stop herself from grabbing his arm, slipping it through so that she was hooked to it. "Kaz thinks I have a crush on you," she stated, softly at first and a bit hesitantly. "But I don't think having a crush on someone makes them feel a certain way," she stated, vaguely aware that she was partly confessing, but thought nothing more of it. For her, love and crushes stood on neutral ground, never really blending into her life until she met them, more specifically, him. Her grip on his arm tightened a bit before relaxing, chancing a glance at Caspar's face before removing her eyes from him.

"Besides," she stated, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "Caspar has someone special already, doesn't he?" she stated, pulling away from him as something in her heart broke at that statement. She felt an urge to run now for what she said, to hide herself in her pillows and bury the embarrassment and shame she felt at this moment. Shame because she felt something for an angel who perhaps belonged to someone else, and deserved him wholeheartedly. She didn't want to be that girl, the homewrecker, and as she told Kazehana, Tsukiyo was fine with not being that special someone to him, as much as it broke her heart to know that.

It really was unfair, his life. He wanted nothing more than to pull her against him when she latched onto his arm like that, but this was a boundary that one did not cross with oneā€™s friends. Her words, however, threw him for a serious loop. Heā€™d suspected that Kaz thought as much, though he hadnā€™t been too sure on her reasoning, himself, supposing that perhaps the older Fuhen sister was seeing things that were not there. And what did that mean, doesnā€™t make them feel a certain way? He had to admit, he wasnā€™t sure what she was referring to. Could she beā€¦?

But it was the last question, more than anything, that confused him. ā€œSomeoneā€¦?ā€ he repeated, wracking his brain for anything he might have said to give that impression. Did she mean Esther? It occurred to him that she didnā€™t know the full story there, and that maybe what he had told her had given her some kind of mistaken ideas. But why should she look so sad about that, unlessā€¦?

He had to know. Moving swiftly, Cass placed a hand on either of Tsukiyoā€™s shoulders, bending down a little to look her directly in the eye. If he had to know, he wanted her to know, too. Unambiguously, come what may. Maybe he was misreading the situation here, but even if he was, it would be better to clear the air, though he really hoped he wasnā€™t, or he was about to look like the biggest idiot in all the realms. ā€œTsukiyo,ā€ he said quietly, lips pursing as he tried to figure out just how he wanted to phrase it. ā€œI do, you know? I do have someone special, someone whoā€™s more important to me than anyone else, and sometimes I donā€™t really know how to feel about that.ā€

He shook his head, a wry smile ghosting just briefly over his features. ā€œItā€™s pretty maddening, actually, because Iā€¦ Iā€™ve never really had to deal with that before. But I like it, because in all my life, in all the time Iā€™ve ever had, in this world or any other, Iā€™ve never known anybody who makes me feel the way she does. And Iā€™m afraid to tell her, honestly, because I donā€™t know if it will ruin everything or not.ā€ He took a deep breath. ā€œTsukiyo Fuhen, the most important person in my life, the one I donā€™t want to be withoutā€¦ itā€™s you.ā€ He paused, aware that his own face was heating to a scarlet hue that nearly matched his hair.

ā€œI, uhā€¦ I like being close to you, and I donā€™t want you to apologize for kissing me because, wellā€¦ I would very much like to kiss you, also. Kind ofā€¦ now, actually. If youā€™re okay with that, I mean.ā€ Self-consciously, he dropped his hands from her shoulders and took a half-step back, in case he was making her uncomfortable. A very real possibility, he supposed.

There was something strange, something odd, pulling against her chest when Caspar reacted. Maybe she shouldn't have told him, maybe she was just making things worse on herself, and she was fighting back the tears she was unsure of why they'd be coming out to begin with. Her throat lodged when he finally spoke, answering her question. When his hands landed on her shoulders, when he spoke that he did have someone special to him, Tsukiyo only offered a small, sad smile. She knew it, she knew he did. Why wouldn't he? He, in every sense of the word, was amazing. He was always so nice, so kind, and yet dedicated enough that he was willing to, literally, go to hell and back for his friends. He wasn't without his flaws, but who didn't have them? However, Tsukiyo couldn't seem to find them.

Every word he spoke felt like something was stabbing her heart, wretching it so that it felt as if it were being pulled out with the daggers. Her throat hitched, her breathing stopped, and then he spoke. She blinked once, his words echoing through her mind. Her? She, was his special someone? Why? Why was she so special to him? She was just his student, someone whom he was teaching to control her powers. She couldn't recall anything significant she may have done that would have left an impression on him that way. He might have been precious to her, however; what had she done to be that special someone to him?

When he stepped back, after confessing he'd like to kiss her, she immediately reached for his hand, the reaction quick and subtle all at once. She glanced at his hand in her own, pulling herself closer to him before glancing up and noting how red his face was. Her's was perhaps a matching color as she placed a hand on the side of his cheek, touching it tenderly before the sounds of a bell chiming echoed behind them. She could hear the people begin the countdown. It was only ten more seconds before the ball finally dropped. "Caspar," she began, her voice soft, laced with an emotion she never knew she could be capable of. She wrapped her arms around his neck, which was a bit difficult since he was a bit taller than her, however; his posture was leaned over to begin with.

"Of course," she replied, however; she brought his face closer to hers and allowed her lips to gently caress his just as everyone started shouting a "Happy New Years!" to each other.

His hands, large and callused, cradled her jaw as gently as though she were made of glass, though of course, what she was was infinitely more precious. Despite his embarrassment, he was grinning like a fool, smiling into the kiss, light and dainty as it was. He pressed his forehead to hers, drawing back just slightly.

ā€œHappy new year, Tsukiyo.ā€

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

Earnings

0.00 INK

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Kazehana smiled to herself, a secretive one of amusement and no small amount of victory. Oh, theyā€™d be fine. Cass was just grabbing Tsukiā€™s shoulders, and she could tell by the way that he was starting to turn red that he was finally going to suck it up and admit his feelings for her sister. So there was no need to interrupt them, as sheā€™d been about to do if they somehow managed to screw up the perfect setup. Only the two of them would even be capable of such a thing, but thankfully, it seemed like things would work out just fine after all. So she slipped back through the crowd, seeking out her demon prince by following the thread that bound their minds together, to some extent, at all times.

She, after all, had no plans to usher in the new year alone, either.


Asmodeus could feel her moving through the crowd. It was a bit strange, he'd always been aware of her in one form or another, but now it was like he always knew where she was, what she was feeling, and the like. He wasn't one to complain about it, either. He slid his arms around her waist as she approached, kissing her softly before murmuring, "And here I thought you'd run off and left me. I was getting lonely."

She chuckled as she twined her arms around his neck. ā€œHmā€¦ poor you,ā€ she lamented, but she was teasing him, and they both knew it. ā€œBut I had a sisterā€™s job to doā€¦ and honestly, it was about time.ā€ It still amazed her, the way he fit in her life like heā€™d always been meant to be there. The way they all didā€”like this was the person sheā€™d been trying to find all those years sheā€™d spent looking for herself. It certainly had been the place she least expected. She didnā€™t think Hell was on anyoneā€™s list of possible residences of future lovers.

With a theatrical sigh, she pulled back a little, eyes flashing with mischief. ā€œI suppose I could find some way to make it up to you, if you ask nicelyā€¦ā€ There was probably some kind of public decency law that generally prohibited biting at the column of oneā€™s significant otherā€™s throat in public and then licking the spot to soothe it after, but if so, it was a stupid law and she wasnā€™t interested In following it. Besides, it wasnā€™t like much in the way of ā€˜public decencyā€™ was generally observed on this day.

ā€œHey As,ā€ she asked, nuzzling into his chest, ā€œThis time next year, what does the world look like to you?ā€ She was curious as to his plans, his aspirations, his goals. She knew that often, they had to take things one step at a time, because there was no telling where the next threat would come from, but surely the question wasnā€™t impossible to answer, was it?


Asmodeus chuckled at her comment. "Is that a promise, then?" He shivered when she licked him. Her question, however, took him by surprise and he felt his heart stop. Oh man, how was he supposed to answer that? He had to force hmself to breath, concentrating on moving air in and out of his body. He had no idea how to answer that. He hadn't planned on telling her anything about the ritual and what it required until there was nothing she could do about it, and he had no doubt she'd still try. Telling her now was not an option.

He swallowed thickly, realizing that he was taking too long to answer, so instead he ducked his head, nuzzling into the side of her neck. "I don't see the world. I just see you, Kaz. It doesn't matter what I look at, my mind always inevitably returns to you." That, at least, was true. But that didn't make the sinking feeling in his stomach any easier to bear.


She blinked owlishly at the time it was taking him to answer, having heard the irregular stutter in his heartbeat, but when he did speak, her face slowly turned pink. Kazehana was not someone who blushed a lot, as a rule, but it was kind of hard to hear that from someone and not feel a little flattered, especially when that someone had known so much of the world before you. She was torn between a horribly warm, mushy feeling and something else, some kind of odd worry that had settled in despite the reply. In the end, she dealt with it the way she usually dealt with things she didnā€™t understand: she punched him.

Not hard, exactly, just out of reflex, hitting him in the stomach. ā€œGod, youā€™re such a sap, As,ā€ she mumbled, turning up the sides of his jacket and using them to hide her reddening face by pressing her forehead to his chest. It was really hard to decide between pulling him into some unnoticed alley and kissing him senseless and just retreating for a while to get her bearings. Kaz wasnā€™t the kind of person who usually felt things like self-conscious, orā€”dare she say it?ā€”lovesick, but he was doing a damn good job of changing that about her.

ā€œFor the record,ā€ she said, still muffled by her positioning, ā€œyou do make it pretty hard for me to concentrate. But I see something a lot like this, you know? You and I, and the others, and whatever that makes us. I didnā€™t ever think I wanted this, but now Iā€™m pretty sure I donā€™t want anything else, ever.ā€ And now she was a sap, too. She ventured to sneak a glance at his face, pretty sure that hers was still stupidly crimson.


As groaned softly when she hit him in the gut. To be honest, he probably should have seen that coming. He looked at her, a bit surprised to see her blush. He couldn't recall having ever seen it before, and he had to admit it, hell, he'd be the first to admit it, it was probably one of the most adorable things he'd ever seen. Of course, if he told her that, it'd probably just earn him another punch. So instead, he allowed her to bury her face in his chest, his arms wrapping around her shoulders as he perched his chin on top of her head.

He was a liar and a hypocrite, and if he wasn't already damned, he would have been now. He had been so sure of his decision before now, and now...he found himself torn between going through with it and staying with her. But if he did stay, there wouldn't be a world for them any longer. It was a devastating decision, and an impossible choice. He'd meant it when he'd said that she had turned everything he thought he'd known upside-down, and she was doing it again.

He smiled down at her when she peeked up at him, sliding a finger under her chin. She was still a light shade of pink, and he said, "You're incredibly adorable when you're flustered, did you know that?" He ducked his head down, capturing her lips with his before she had time to answer him. If there was one thing he knew, he knew that he wanted to spend every moment he could before his time was up. And the clock was ticking.


And at present, it was ticking quite literally, as the countdown to the new year began. Kaz wasnā€™t honestly mindful of it though, too busy relishing in that strange, electric heat that seared her up and down when he touched her. She was of half a mind to hit him again, for a comment like that, but it suddenly seemed like a much less promising idea when she could be kissing him instead.

The clock wound down to zero, and a new year began. She started it in his arms, melting her form against his, wishing that they could be closer, but contented with the way things were as well. It was still foreign and unusual to her, to be in love, but then, maybe she didnā€™t want to get used to it. Things would be fine if they continued to feel this new every time, anyway.

3 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair

Earnings

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With everyone else off doing who-knew-what (well, okay, he had a pretty good guess, but nobody liked to think about their daughters that way), Kazehaya found himself in that miserable party of single people on New Yearā€™s Eve. Well, it wasnā€™t really a bother to himā€”he still loved Chiyo now as much as he had the day he married her. Knowing that she resided somewhere in paradise, waiting for the day when he would once again be allowed to ascend, brought him comfort now that he had accepted it. Indeed, over the years, the selfless love of parent for child had brought him much closer to his own divinity once more than any fallen had yet attained.

His daughters were, as he had relayed to Asmodeus, the makers of miracles. Once heā€™d learned to see past his own nose again and remember what he still had in this world, heā€™d devoted himself to them, and his work as a doctor. It had slowly been healing what in him was broken ever since. ā€œYou know,ā€ he said conversationally to Morgan beside him, as the two watched various drunken humans wander around, most of them with company of some sort, ā€œwe probably should have thought this through a little better, you and I.ā€ There was a pause, and the man once known as Uriel rubbed at the short beard coating his chin.

ā€œI know a guy who runs a bar not far from here. You wanna go watch some humans get wasted, maybe see which one of us can last the longest before passing out? Loser foots the tab?ā€ Just because he knew she was waiting for him didnā€™t mean he ever stopped missing her, of course, but he wasnā€™t an alcoholic or anything. Heā€™d never do that to his girls. But hey, it was a time of celebration, and he hadnā€™t overindulged in a while. Plus, he had a feeling Morgan could use the distraction.


Morgan was a liar, to himself most of all. It hurt, watching Kazehana with Asmodeus, almost as much as he was happy that they were happy. He shook his head slightly, chasing the thoughts away. He had other things to worry about. Like the fact that he needed some plan to stop As. He knew As still planned to go through with being the sacrifce for Asaroth's ritual and then reverse it on him, and Morgan would be damned before he let his brother do that. Not after what had happened to him with Kaz. His red eye swiveled over to Kazehaya, listening to his proposal. He'd never been one to watch humans drinking, but he had to admit, his interest was peaked at the contest. A smile played on his lips.

"Should be interesting, you're on."


Kazehaya smiled, and it was a bit odd, actuallyā€”the mischievousness in it could be likened quite a lot to the one his daughter wore, sometimes. It was easier to see the resemblance when they were intent on trouble, though physically, he looked much more like Tsukiyo. ā€œYeah, all right. Iā€™ll even carry your ass home when you pass out.ā€ That being said, he led the other man through the thickening crowd, until they hit that bar in question. It was packed, but fortunately, the owner was a regular patient of Kazehayaā€™s, and immediately cleared room for the doctor that had delivered his twins a few years before. It had been quite nearly a disaster, but with some work (and a little bit of angelic healing), the boys were safe and sound in the end.

ā€œHey, doc,ā€ the bartender greeted warmly. ā€œThe usual?ā€

ā€œMm, best not, Hakim,ā€ Kazehaya replied, just as friendly. ā€œIā€™ve got a kid to school tonight, yanno? Start us off with a couple pitchers, and keep the tab open till one of us isnā€™t moving.ā€ Hakim laughed, but nodded, serving up the requested items and setting two each in front of Kazehaya and Morgan. ā€œMozeltov, Momo,ā€ the doctor said with a wry grin, lifting his pitcher and inclining his head. ā€œTo the things we canā€™t have and the things weā€™ll always care about, yeah?ā€


Morgan almost snorted. "School me? Come on, I wasn't born yesterday." He did nod to the bartender, though, clicking his glass against Kazehaya's, chuckling slightly. "You're too perceptive for your own good, you know that?" He took a long drought, the alchohol burning the back of his throat. It had been years since he'd drank, in actuality, the last time had been back when the three of them were in Germany, and As had taken him along to go to Beerfest. Morgan still couldn't remember most of that week. "But there is no denying that we'll always care about them."

Kazehaya was, indeed, a very perceptive man, more than most people gave him credit for. This was intentional, of courseā€”he preferred it when people didnā€™t realize that he knew the things he did, and honestly, for a large number of years, it had been safer for his daughters that way, anyhow. He didnā€™t usually see the point in being all that serious, but there were occasions that just called for it. ā€œSo Iā€™ve been told,ā€ he replied simply, drinking deeply from his own container. He set it back on the counter with the thud of heavy glass on good wood, and sighed heavily.

ā€œI was always a big believer in fate, destiny, all that stuff,ā€ he said conversationally, staring into his beer for a moment before shrugging and taking another quaff. ā€œIn some ways, I still am. I think that in the end, some things just are unavoidable. That some people will always draw you in, like gravity.ā€ He smiled wryly, then shook his head. ā€œHappens to the best of us just as surely as the worst. But I learned the hard way that such things donā€™t ever leave unscathed.ā€ Unbidden, the image of a woman, golden-eyed and smiling, rose to the forefront of his consciousness. Damn, he missed her still.

ā€œSometimes, theyā€™re taken from you too soon. Other times, they were never yours at all. But it never goes away.ā€ Heā€™d had a fair share of other options, being who and what he was, but the girls had never had a stepmother, nor anything remotely like one. Because it had been right the first time, and would never be quite so right again. Polishing off his glass, Kazehaya refilled it from the pitcher. ā€œBut in the end, I wouldnā€™t change a thing about it, you know? It made me better, ironic as that sounds from someone who was once what I was.ā€


Morgan smirked again, staring down into his own beer before draining it. "We've all turned out the better for it, really. You may not have them yourself, but it's enough to know that they're happy, and that your actions can keep them that way." His face pulled into a frown, thinking slightly. "I know you talked to As, and I take it you know what's going on and what's going to happen. I've got a sword over my head. But do you know what As plans to do?"

Kazehaya was halfway through his second beer by the time he responded. ā€œI know enough,ā€ he said with a shake of his head. Heā€™d always believed in fate, but over time, heā€™d come to hate parts of it with a serious vehemence. ā€œAnd I can guess. But I can also guess other things, Morgan.ā€ He glanced meaningfully at the one-eyed demon. ā€œIā€™m never sure whether Iā€™d prefer to be right or wrong, honestly. Sometimes, there are no good solutions.ā€

"Then you know I'm not letting him go through with it. Not after Kaz. There is no good solution to this problem. We're no closer to stopping Asaroth than we were a month ago. I'd say I'd be damned if I let As take the fall for me, but then, I'm a little late to call that. Still, As is being an idiot if he thinks he's just going to leave her." By now, Morgan had drained his fourth beer. It became noticable that he was slurring his words slightly. "You know the guy took my eye? Just ripped it out. Hurt like hell too. We regenerate from almost anything, but we can't regrow stuff. But I never hated him for that. But I also know that I will never forgive him if he does this."

If Kazehaya could have taken on that burden of sacrifice himself, he would have. But he was no demon prince, and, with any good fortune at all, he never would be. He shook his head mournfully and chugged the last of his pitcher. He wasnā€™t slurring quite as much as Morgan was, but he wasn't unaffected, either. ā€œThenā€¦ā€ he pronounced ponderously, turning the idea over and over in his mind, as though looking for a loophole. ā€œI guess you know what youā€™ve gotta do. Worst case scenario, anyway.ā€

He glanced over at the other man and sighed. ā€œProbably everyone else would be too mad at you to even consider it, so Iā€™m gonna do it: thank you, for that. For thinking about them, and being willing to give up that much, for them. For her.ā€ There werenā€™t many people in the world whoā€™d ever seriously consider a sacrifice like that for another person, let alone go through with it. But he knew Morganā€™s resolve was strong enough to take it. ā€œWell, come on then. Weā€™re not near wasted enough yet.ā€ He set into his second pitcher much faster than the first. Some things, after all, didnā€™t really bear much thinking about.


Morgan grinned, grabbing the beer set in front of him. "We all got shit we don't wanna do. Gotta do it anyway. But the idea of getting wasted is looking better and better. And I'd do it again, if I had to." By the time he'd finished the sixth one, he was swaying where he sat. He looked at Kazehaya with a rather goofy grin on his face, and said, "I love you, man. I love you all."

ā€œThatā€™s the spirit!ā€ Kazehaya replied, clapping Morgan on the shoulder with enough force to smack him into the bar. He was something of a boisterous drunk himself, and it was hardly surprising to his daughter when she dragged As along to find the two miscreants to note that he was wearing a huge, goofy smile. Rolling her eyes, Kaz peeled her flame-haired friend off the bar and shot an apologetic smile at Hakim, who was just chuckling to himself more than anything. ā€œDad, youā€™re such an idiot. Hey Momo, you okay?ā€

Morgan groaned at being slapped literally into the bar, and blinked confused-like when he was pulled off it. He looked bleary-eyed at someone with purple hair, his face splitting into a huge grin. "Kazy!" He threw his arms around her, hanging off of her like a child would a parents' legs. Asmodeus sighed. "Oh good grief. It's Beerfest 1876 all over again..." The white-haired demon peeled his brother from his lover, scowling at him as he realized suddenly that Morgan was snoring. "Yep, definitely Beerfest 1876. Come on, let's get these idiots home."

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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Days passed by rather peacefully, but not without it's purposes. The New Year was upon them, already well into the second month, and also a day before the day of love. Tsukiyo had, before, thought the day a silly notion. It was something that never made quite sense to her, nor had she really thought it important. People were given one day out of the year to show their affection for each other, and they usually went overboard with things like that. Why was one day out the year so special? Shouldn't they show their love for each other everyday? Tsukiyo liked to think she did when she was around Caspar. When no one was around, or looking, she would steal a kiss, or two (sometimes three) from the angel and had taken to always be holding some part of him. Whether it was his arm, his hand, or even (oddly) his hair, she had.

Tomorrow would make no difference for her. It could possibly be the reason why they were all gathered today, training. The three months Raphiel had given them were drawing to a close, and for the last few days, they had all met and trained, preparing for the inevitable. She didn't know what exactly would happen, but she had a feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. And her instincts were hardly ever wrong. She paused, stretching her limbs and allowing them to pop. Her brow was covered in sweat, her body a bit sore, and her mind exhausted. She didn't think that she would be so tired from all of this, and over thinking the situation. Maybe...she shook her head softly, plopping down in the spot she was standing.

"I think we should take a break and grab lunch...I'm starving," she stated, falling back in the process. Her appetite wasn't as big as Kazehana's, but lately it was starting to grow on her. She thought nothing of it, only assuming it had to do with the training picking up and her body needing more energy to keep up with it.


Cass chuckled, shaking his head and sinking down to sit next to her. ā€œSomehow, Iā€™m not surprised,ā€ he said, taking hold of one of her hands from where it was flung down by her side. She seemed to enjoy being in physical contact with him, and he certainly wasnā€™t going to complain about that. Not even when she braided his hair into weird patterns. The feeling of her warmth at his back and her fingers in his locks was absolutely worth it. He glanced over at the others, Kaz just finishing something of a complicated maneuver with her soul-spheres that pinned Momo to the ground in several places before she waved a hand and they disappeared.

ā€œFood works for me,ā€ she replied simply, offering her friend a hand up. ā€œDonā€™t want to be too tired when our charming angelic friend shows up tomorrow, after all.ā€ She scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue at nobody in particular, expressing her continued distaste for Raphiel, and he couldnā€™t help but laugh at that, though it died quickly. Cass had caught onto what Momo planned to do, even if Asmodeus had yet to do so, and the girls still thought that their biggest problems were Raph and Vivian. But their months were up, and no matter how many books he searched for alternative solutions, there simply were none. The knowledge weighed on him, and it made him restless. Only the presence of Tsuki seemed to remind him to be himselfā€”otherwise, he was frustrated and frankly more irritable than either of the other two had known him to be. Each took it to be because of the knowledge of their impending sacrifice. Only Morgan was right.


Morgan groaned as Kaz pinned him to the ground, Asmodeus laughing in the background. He'd warned Momo, he really had, but the red-haired man just had to insist that Kazehana couldn't pull off more than four soul-spheres at once. She had succeeded in making seven. As slid his arms around Kaz's waist from behind. "I warned you, Momo. You should learn to listen to me sometime."

Morgan rolled his eyes, sitting up and popping his neck back into place. "Shut up, As." He grumbled. He stood up, pulling his hair back and up as he did so. "So, lemme guess. Blueberry waffles?" As laughed.


Tsukiyo laughed lightly at Caspar's comment, her stomach giving an uncharacteristic growl in the process. She sat up, holding his hand still and wrapped her free arm around his waist. She glanced at Morgan and Kazehana, wincing slightly when Kazehana pinned Morgan down with her light spheres. She had to admit, Kazehana had come a long way from when they first met the three of them. She had grown into her powers more-so than Tsukiyo could have ever imagined, and a part of her was proud. Proud that her sister had taken to her heritage finally, but also proud that she hadn't completely rejected everything that was thrown at them. She turned to face Morgan when he took a guess, and she almost laughed.

"You know me too well, but no, not Blueberry Waffles. I was thinking along the lines of lasagna. Haven't had that in awhile," she mused. She had been craving it lately, but she always forgot to ask Caspar if he'd cook it for her, and half of the time she'd forget. Not this time though. She really wanted lasagna.


ā€œThe lady wants lasagna, so lasagna she shall have,ā€ Cass pronounced, earning himself a laugh from Kaz when he stood, picking up Tsuki in the process as though she weighed little more than air and setting her gently down. ā€œI suppose weā€™ll do this at our place, since itā€™s closer.ā€ He waited for general agreementā€”or really, just a lack of protestā€”before leading the way there, heading immediately to the kitchen as soon as they arrived to get the cooking started. The apartment was arranged such that the others could sit around in the living room and still be within easy sight and hearing of him, as the floor plan was rather open.

Because he was Cass, he had ingredients laying around for a seriously-deluxe lasagna, and it wasnā€™t hard to prepare the veggies and mince and sauce mostly from scratch. He wasnā€™t particularly inclined to start this conversation, but it seemed Kaz held no such reservations. ā€œSoā€¦ tomorrow. Whatā€™s the plan?ā€ Cass kept his mouth shutā€”he couldn't lie, and because he was standing there, neither of the other two could either. But he was also really bad at bending the truth, so heā€™d leave it to somebody else. He, after all, still thought that they should be informed of what was really going to happen, but it wasnā€™t his decision to make, either way.


Morgan sighed through his teeth. Kaz always did know how to shoot to the heart of the problem. He had no idea how to answer that. He silently tried to wish Caspar away. It didn't work. He was spared, however, when As spoke. "We kick my brother's ass, that's the plan. Oh, and Vivian's. Hers, too." He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, like usual. Morgan looked up at him from his cross-legged position on the floor. Something seemed to pass between them, but nothing else was said. Morgan was well aware that As had no idea that he planned to stop him. He was alright with that. He also had no intention in telling the girls. They'd only try to stop him. He wasn't even sure if they knew that Asaroth required a sacrifice.

Tsukiyo grinned brightly when Caspar mentioned (though not literally) that he would make the lasagna. She had no problem with that, and neither did any one else as they made their way towards the home shared by the three fallen. She sat quietly, taking a seat on the couch towards the far end of it while they waited for the dish to be prepared, and as always, Caspar made more than enough for them. Not that she was going to complain, she could eat leftovers later. Assuming there were leftovers given the fact that all of them could eat at the moment. Once everyone was settled, Kazehana broke the question lingering on both of their minds, watching and waiting for a reaction. She could see Caspar tense a bit, as well as Asmodeus and Morgan, however; Asmodeus was the first to answer.

"Uh-huh, and how do you propose we go about 'kicking' their 'asses'?" she questioned. It sounded simple, and easy, but Tsukiyo knew better. Sure, they'd come a long way in their training, but they've only been training for what? A little over a year? Vivian had years on them, and there was no telling exactly how strong Raphiel truly was. She didn't want to be the one to bring everyone down, but the question still needed to be addressed. "Charging head on doesn't exactly sound appealing," she concluded, picking at her plate.


ā€œActuallyā€¦ it kinda does,ā€ Kaz admitted with a grin. But she saw Tsukiyoā€™s point all the same. She knew they were going to be contending with some demon guyā€”Asaroth, she was pretty sure his name wasā€”and Vivian on the one hand, but Raphiel would probably make a nuisance of himself at some point, as well. ā€œIf this guy wants to ascend to our plane or whatever, Iā€™m willing to bet he doesnā€™t come alone. Thereā€™s usually, likeā€¦ demon hordes or whatever, right? If heā€™s got minions, weā€™ll have to clean them up.ā€

Cass admitted to himself that sheā€™d have a point, if Asaroth did indeed make it topside. Even if he didn't, Vivian could command lesser demons. ā€œI donā€™t expect that your father intends to be idle, either,ā€ the fallen pointed out. ā€œUrielā€™s more divine than I am, at this pointā€”I suspect he could handle them by himself if that became necessary.ā€


Morgan shrugged slightly. "Vivian may be strong and a lot older, but she's over confident. Not to mention delusional. She thinks she's got the divine on her side when in fact, she's the one being manipulated by Asaroth. That can be taken advantage of, especially if Raphiel makes an appearance. Uriel isn't one to just sit by and watch. I'm sure he'll be lurking. We've trained you two to the best we could manage in less than a year. If we thought you weren't ready, we wouldn't let you go. You're ready. We all are."

As nodded. "We have to be."

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Morgan sighed, leaning on the window sill. Night was falling fast, and it did little to improve Morgan's mood. Because nightfall meant that morning was aproaching, and that meant only one thing. The follwoing day, he would face a fate worse than death itself. In all the years that he'd been alive, both as an Angel and then as one of the Fallen, he'd never imagined that this was how it would all end. But this was how it was, and it was what he had chosen. Asmodeus had left earlier, with Kazehana in tow. Morgan wasn't surprised. As far as As knew, he would be the one vanishing tomorrow. Morgan could only hope that his brother would be able to forgive him. "Fate has a terrible sense of humor."

ā€œHasnā€™t she always?ā€ Cass asked, sitting in the armchair not far from the window. As it happened, only the two of them knew what Morgan was planning to do, though he had the sneaking suspicion that Uriel had figured it out as well. That guy always had been smarter than anyone gave him credit for. Regardless, As was cluelessā€¦ and so were Tsukiyo and Kazehana. The last especially had to be killing Morgan right now, and Cass frowned. ā€œI know it wouldnā€™t make any difference at this point, really, but have you considered justā€¦ telling her? Writing a letter or something? Hell, Iā€™d pass on anything you wanted to say to anyoneā€¦ā€

It was a very strange feeling, sitting here with his morose friend, knowing that he would never again be able to do so. Over the years, the countless long centuries, the two of them had become brothers, closer than blood and thicker than water, and it seemed that for all that, there was nothing Caspar could offer Morgan now but this one small thing: someone to talk to, and someone to speak through, when he could not longer do so himself. How had it come to this?


Morgan turned away from the window, looking at Caspar. "And what good would that do? She loves As, just as he loves her. There's no sense in getting between that when after tomorrow I won't even be here. Besides, you know as well as I do that if Tsukiyo or Kazehana knew what I'm going to do, they wouldn't stop until they stopped me. We both know this has to be done. We're talking about the fate of an entire world. Personal feelings can't get in the way here." There was a hard gleam in his eye, but even so, he looked tired. There was a weight on his shoulders, on his very soul, and it would not let him rest.

ā€œYou think I donā€™t know that?ā€ Cass asked, a bit more sharply than he intended, but then he shook his head, forcing himself to relax back into the chair. ā€œSorry, Morgan. I justā€¦ this is reminding me of things I donā€™t often think about. Iā€™m useless as ever, it seemsā€¦ā€ he trailed off, a bitter smile twisting his features for a brief moment before he sighed and smoothed it over, his expression softening. This wasnā€™t about him, after all. ā€œI justā€¦ I donā€™t want you to regret anything, Momo. I know you probably wonā€™t, because thatā€™s the kind of person you are, butā€¦ fate of the world or no, itā€™s still your fate too.ā€ And that mattered, damn it.

Morgan offered his brother a small smile. "You're right, I don't regret it, and I won't tomorrow, either. As for fate...we can say it all we want, but in the end, the only reason I'm doing this is for her. It's selfish and it's stupid, but I know how she'd feel if As were the one to go through with this. At least this way, I can protect that, I can protect her, even if it's just a little while more. She needs As more than any of you need me."

Caspar sighed, a deep sound, from somewhere in his soul, perhaps, one which was still burdened with things long past and things yet to come. ā€œDonā€™t sell this short, Morgan. Giving this upā€¦ doing what youā€™re doing for the people you love, for the woman you love, thatā€™s not selfish at all. Thatā€™s sacrifice in its purest form. And Iā€™ll personally take it up with anyone who says otherwise.ā€ His eyes narrowed slightly, but he wasnā€™t able to hold onto the anger. All he really felt was sorrow. And, okay, a little bit of anger, but this directed at fate, and perhaps at Heaven that ordained it so. But there was really no point grasping at it and forcing it to stay. Anger would help his brother no more than sorrow would.

So Cass smiled instead. ā€œRemember that time Uriel tricked Gabriel into picking a banter fight with Metatron? Voice of God is rightā€¦ā€ He chuckled at the memory of Heavenā€™s most famous angel getting literally shouted down by Metatron. Even Sephiriel had cracked a smile that day. Cass and Morgan had been laughing over it for weeks, and they hadnā€™t left Gabe alone about it, either.


Morgan laughed for the first time in days. He'd forgotten about that. "Oh man. I'd forgotten about that. I thought Metatron was actually smite him that day." He shook his head slightly. There were so many memories, so much he behind. But after listening to Cass, it didn't seem to matter much anymore. It was what he had to do, after all.

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus

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After taking their leave from the guysā€™ place, Kazehana and Asmodeus had walked around the city for a while, both seemingly consumed with their own thoughts. It was oddā€”she could sense that there was some part of his mind that he was closing to her, and though she didnā€™t understand it, she didnā€™t ask. Heā€™d tell her if she needed to know; she trusted him enough not to insist. Besides, they were both entitled to think things that the other didnā€™t know aboutā€”she just didnā€™t usually bother. When she said most of the things on her mind out loud anyway, that was hardly a surprise, perhaps.

Eventually, their path took them around to her place, so they went inside, still mostly quiet, and she made them both some tea, sitting next to him on the couch close enough that she was pressed into his side. ā€œHey,ā€ she said, nudging him more gently than she usually would have. ā€œWhatā€™s wrong, As? Worried about tomorrow?ā€ It didnā€™t seem like him, to worry about a fight. She was a little anxious, but she also knew that theyā€™d made a lot of progress, and that every last one of them would give everything they had. How could she believe that theyā€™d be anything other than successful, with that to account for?


As gave her a half-smile. "We're only going up against one of the most powerful demons out there aside from myself and Satan. Nah, I'm not worried. I'm looking forward to it." He sighed through his nose. Even without Cass in the room, it was difficult for him to lie to her. A part of him wanted to tell her what he planned to do, so that she could talk him out of it -or more likely, beat the crap out of him for even contemplating it- but that was also why he knew he couldn't tell her. And it was slowly killing him inside. "Sorry. I'm just restless. It's like there's something I'm forgetting about, but no matter how hard I try, I can't remember what it is." He laced his fingers with hers. He wanted more than anything to simply freeze time, so that he didn't have to leave her. But he couldn't do that. Time was untouchable, and no matter how much anyone would wish otherwise.

Kazehana smiled wryly, rolling her eyes. ā€œWe can handle it,ā€™ she replied with her usual bravado, but her eyes were serious as she turned in her spot, setting her tea down and throwing a leg over his so that she was straddling his lap, her hands braced against his chest. ā€œI know I donā€™t always think things through, and there are probably a million ways this can go wrong that I donā€™t even know about, butā€¦ I usually leap before I look, and this is why: sometimes, entertaining the doubts gives them strength they donā€™t deserve.ā€ There came a time when a person just had to stop thinking and act, or else theyā€™d just be paralyzed by those doubts, however rational they might be.

ā€œForgetting isnā€™t always a bad thing, you know,ā€ she said, a trace of mischief reentering her tone. She seemed incapable of being completely somber for extended periods of time. It just wasnā€™t in her nature. She could be brash and proud and silly and temperamental all by turnsā€”hell, probably all in the same breath if the situation was rightā€”but morose didnā€™t really suit her. Gently, she brushed the pads of her fingers over the planes of his face, as though memorizing the way he was put together, this man that she loved. She followed the paths she traced with gentle little kisses, until she brushed his lips. Then she half-smiled, the expression just a touch wicked, and leaned in, hovering about an inch from contact.

ā€œShould we forget tomorrow, for a little while?ā€ she breathed softly, glancing up at him through dark lashes.


He shouldn't be doing this. He knew that. Forgetting could be dangerous. He knew that from experience. But her touch was all it took, and he did forget. He didn't care. The only thing he was aware of was her. Her touch, her scent, her taste. He had to swallow thickly, especially when she looked at him like that. It was actually a rather humorus situation, that he, the Demon Prince of Lust, would be rendered helpless by a mere woman's touch.

But then, this was no mere woman. No, not by a long shot. He ran his hands slowly up her arms and over her shoulders. Her leaned forward slightly, bridging what little space there was between them. There was something buried in that kiss, something between want and desire, some carnal hunger, like a beast that was starving and only one thing could sate it. When he seperated from her slowly, he breathed softly, "I would be willing to forget tomorrow forever if only it meant I could spend all of eternity with you, Kazehana."


The route his hands traced was stippled in gooseflesh as his touch passed, and Kazehana shuddered, though whether from his words or his kiss, it was hard to tell. Maybe it was both. She swallowed when he pulled back, searching his face for something she didnā€™t know exactly how to find. ā€œEternity is a long time, Asmodeus,ā€ she said sadly, running her fingers through his hair and pulling back the few strands that fell near his eyes. His beautiful, beautiful eyes. Actually, pretty much everything about him was beautiful, so much that it sometimes hurt her a little bit to look at him. ā€œI thinkā€¦ā€ she hesitated, most unlike her but inevitable all the same.

ā€œI think anyone could be excused for being sick of me by then.ā€ She smiled wryly, but it didn't reach her eyes, and what she tried to pass off as a joke was clearly very serious for her. She hadnā€™t wanted to mention it, not tonight, and possibly not ever, but it was there all the same. That doubt, the one she was having more than a little trouble ignoring like the rest of them. What if one day, he woke up and realized that, in the end, she wasnā€™t that special after all? Sure, she was a Watcher and an Annunaki, but as a person? Her whole life, most of her relationships of any kind had simply been someone taking a brief, if intense interest in her, drawn perhaps by her seemingly devil-may-care attitude and disdain for being told she couldnā€™t do something.

But underneath that, she really did care, and so in the end, when the interest was sated and gone, she was left reaching for something that had never been there in the first place. How could it be different with him? He wasā€¦ he was so perfectly extraordinary. And deep down, somewhere inside herself, Kazehana knew that she was not.


Asmodeus sighed softly, an almost sad look in his eyes. He didn't like it when she was this way. She truly had no idea the effect she had on him. He leaned back, turning her head so that she was looking at him. He ran his thumb over her cheek, carressing it softly before speaking. With his other hand, he laced their fingers together, taking the time to study their hands, her flawless skin with his almost alabaster. Compared to her, he was almost white, truly pale. He looked at her, his eyes burning. "I spent an enternity in one of the worst places imaginable, alone. I have both dealt out death and wished for it myself, handed out punishment and served it for my own sins. I was cast out of Heaven for rejecting love. I loved Yuimei, but in the end, I refused to accept what she offered. I rejected her because I was afraid. I was afraid of being broken, and by my decision, I became more twisted and broken than I thought was possible." He leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I was confused, and angry, and instead of trying to figure out what I'd done wrong, I simply gave up. And then you came along. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you turned everything I thought I knew upside-down and threw it out the window. I've spent an enternity alone, and I don't ever plan on doing so again. An eternity is all I have, and I would destroy this world at its very core to be able to spend it with you. I love you, Kazehana, with everything in my being, everything that makes me who I am. In some form or another, I will always be with you, until the day comes that you decide that you no longer want me. It may very well kill me, but if you should ever wish it, I would leave." He had moved so that their foreheads were touching, his eyes slipping closed as he spoke.


By the time he was done talking, she was weeping. There werenā€™t any sobs, just tears down her face so silent she barely even noticed that they were there. For a few moments, all that there was were those tears, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto her shirt, and the sound of her breathing, measured but shaky at the edges. She looked at him, then, really looked, and something inside of her broke. All her resistances, all of her reservations and her doubts. She wasnā€™t sure how heā€™d done it, but somehow, along the way, heā€™d undermined all of them, chipping away at their firmly-entrenched foundations, until they were weak and shaky, and then heā€™d simply shattered them.

She believed him. She trusted him, because how could she do anything else? And so when he told her how much she mattered, even if only to him, her doubts could not stand up against that trust. ā€œThank you, Asmodeus,ā€ she said in a barely-audible whisper, cradling his jaw in her hands. ā€œThank you, for coming into my life and taking me away from everything I thought I wanted. For letting me see you, and letting me love you. For loving me. If thereā€™s really an eternity out there for me, youā€™ll be in every moment of it.ā€ She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. As far as kisses went, it wasnā€™t terribly heated, nor even all that unchaste. But it was, without a doubt, the most intimate thing that had ever passed between them.

ā€œBut if there isnā€™t, then at least letā€™s have right now. Forget tomorrow, forget forever, okay?ā€


Asmodeus opened his eyes when she said that, some deep, longing want in them. But there was still some type of hesitation in them. He ran a thumb over her cheek again, wiping away her tears. He was trying to understand what she was asking, to make sure he knew, that she was alright. He wanted this to be her decision. "You're welcome, but I'm the one who should be thanking you. You saved me, remember?"

He kissed her lightly then, moving from her mouth down her jawline, her neck, and ending at her collarbone. His right arm was wrapped around her waist while his left hand was wrapped up in her hair. Only if you're certain.


She sighed softly, smiling gently at him when he asked for confirmation. It wasnā€™t hard to give. ā€œIā€™ve never been more sure of anything in my life than I am of you,ā€ she murmured. Her smile morphed, and there was mischief behind it again. ā€œNow come on, demon prince of lust. Show me what youā€™re made of.ā€ She grinned and kissed him fiercely, pushing him back and sideways on the sofa until she hovered over him. It became rather a tangle after that, and somehow eventually made it to the actual bedroom, but if there were a few temporary stops along the way, well, who was she to complain?

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Asmodeus was all too aware of the woman who lay in his arms. Her breathing was even, her purple hair splayed across his bare chest, where her head lay. As much as he knew he should regret what they did because of what he planned to do now, but he couldn't. It made no sense. But it didn't change his decision. He knew what he had to do. He slid out from underneath her, making sure not to wake her.

With some hesitation, he placed a kiss on her temple, afterwards turning on his heel and vanishing in the shadows before he could think twice. But that didn't stop his heart from breaking. He was going to break his promise. "I'm so sorry, Kazehana. Please...forgive me."

He was walking briskly towards Central Park, his sleeveless trench coat billowing out behind him. There was a hard expression on his face, but tears were silently falling from his eyes.

"She's not going to forgive you. She's not going to have a reason to."

Morgan's voice rang out through the night, the frigid air around the white-haired Demon suddenly turning even colder. The concrete below his feet froze over, the ice slowly crawling up his legs. Asmodeus tried to move, but he couldn't. The ice held him in place. His lips pulled back in a snarl. "Morgan! What are you doing?"

The red-haired demon emerged from the shadows. "I'm saving you, brother. I cannot let you go through with this. You have to be here for Kaz. She's going to need you. If I have to freeze you through, I will. This ends with me, Asmodeus."

As he spoke, the ice had made it's way to his chest. Asmodeu's eyes widened. "Morgan, no. Don't do this. I said it would be me. Morgan! Don't!"

Morgan only smiled sadly at Asmodeus, and turned away from him as Asmodeus was completely encased in ice. It wouldn't kill him, but it would keep him out of the picture for a while. Long enough for him to do what he had to do anyway. Asmodeus's eyes widened even below the ice as he watched Morgan walk away.

Morgan!

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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Kazehana woke alone that morning, but not so long alone that some trace of his warmth did not still linger on the other side of her bed. She feltā€¦ different, but there was no time to contemplate what that might mean, because she was immediately confused. She hadnā€™t expected As to just leave, honestly, and she reached for his mind, only to find that she couldnā€™t access itā€”at all. This had happened only once before, and heā€™d been in Hell at the time. Sitting bolt upright, Kaz swore in a colorful string of invectives that would have made her father blush and pulled on some clothes as fast as she could find them.

Caspar, you son of a bitch! she shouted mentally, forming a mental connection with the only one of the three that she could even sense. Where the fuck are As and Momo?! She knew that their disappearances could not mean anything good. She could still feel him, just as a vague sense at the back of her mind, so she knew he wasnā€™t dead. But she didnā€™t know how much longer that was going to be true. Heā€™d better be in mortal danger, leaving her cold in the morning like that.

Elsewhere, Cass jolted upright in his chair. Heā€™d dozed lightly after Morgan left, knowing well that there was nothing else to be done until one of the girls figured out what was going on. It turned out to be Kazehana, and much sooner than he expected. Sighing, he asked her to open a mental connection with her sister as well, and he spoke to both of them through it, explaining the situation as he understood it. After another long chain of indecent words from Kazehana, he was relaying directions for them to meet him where he suspected Asmodeus was.

When they arrived, it was to the telltale sight of the demon prince encased in ice. Kazehanaā€™s eyes were hard, and she narrowed them to twilight-colored slits. ā€œLeave him there. Just take us to Momo.ā€ Her tone was as chilly as the prison encasing her lover, though she wasnā€™t really inclined to describe him as such in this moment. Casparā€™s explanation of the various iterations of this fucking stupid plan made her feel like sheā€™d been played more than anything. Cass, however, was much more merciful, and sighed, heating first himself and then the area, melting away the ice encasing Asmodeus.

As soon as he was free, Kazehana marched up to him, glared without saying anything for several seconds, cocked her fist back, and nailed him in the jaw with it. Huffing, she turned away and addressed Caspar. ā€œI owe Momo a serious beating, too. How do we get to him?ā€


Tsukiyo had been at home, reading a book when her mind was invaded by Caspar and Kazehana. Apparently Asmodeus disappeared on Kazehana, and judging by the pretty words her sister had chosen to use, Tsukiyo could only imagine she was angry. She sighed, setting the book down in the process. Like I said, always something with those two, she relayed before pulling her coat on. She made sure everything was in place before leaving her home and made to meet her sister and Caspar. If the situation were different, Tsukiyo might have laughed at Asmodeus' situation, however; this was obviously not the place, nor time to do so.

She winced when Kazehana brought her fist back and smacked Asmodeus in the jaw before huffing. Her sister was furious, more so than she had ever been before, and Tsukiyo hid a bit behind Caspar. She knew the situation, now that Caspar had explained it (which she would have to address him about later), and she could understand why Kazehana was furious. Tsukiyo had honestly been a little hurt that Caspar, Morgan, and even Asmodeus had not spoken to them about it. Sure, Kazehana might have been entirely against it, even tried to stop them, but so would have Tsukiyo, however; she wasn't still a naive child. If it were her, to protect her sister, Tsukiyo would have done the same thing.

"Kaz," she called out softly, reaching out to touch her sisters arm. "I know you're mad, but...let's keep a level head about this. It will not do us any good if you are angry. It'll only put yourself in unnecessary danger," she spoke just as softly. She then glanced towards Asmodeus and nodded her head.

Asmodeus took the punch to the jaw with little more than a flinch. He deserved it, he knew, and there would be more to come, he was sure, but they had other things to worry about. He stood up, having been knocked backwards by the force of Kazehana's punch. He shifted forms, taking on the form of his inner Demon, and looked to the others. "I know where he is."




The first thing one noticed was the scent of blood. It hung heavily in the air, the musty dankness of the empty church resonating with some type of evil aura. While normally a Demon would not even be able to set foot on Holy Ground, Asmodeus walked over the grounds with no problem. Simply put, the grounds were no longer sanctified. It had been tainted by murder. Caspar and Asmodeus pushed open the heavy oak doors, the sight that met their eyes nothing short of horrific.

Vivian Walker sat on the steps in front of the altar, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she smiled at the four who entered. There was a large pentagram drawn on the floor around her, mainly out of powdered silver. There were lit candles, and a large amount of blood smeared at various points of the circle.

Behind the woman, on the large wooden cross, hung what was left of a man. He'd been gutted, like an animal, and his throat was slit. His red hair hung in front of his face, the body giving no sign of life.

"Welcome, to the beginning of the end." Vivian smiled at them grimly, taking in each of their reactions. The Demon's was the most amusing. He snarled, his true demonic form taking over his appearance. "It will do you little good. The Prince is gone, and He is rising. The sacrifice has been made. I told you before, there is nothing you can do to stop this."


Kaz had forced a smile for Tsukiā€™s sake, but it was clear she wasnā€™t really in the right mindset to be calm about anything, though she managed to contain her frustration and worry long enough to follow As and Cass to the location theyā€™d picked out as containing Morgan. Onlyā€¦ she didnā€™t feel him. That familiar connection, the feeling of his mind near hers, it was still missing, almost as if it had never been there at all. A feeling of dread knotted hard in the pit of her stomach, and she started to feel faintly ill, though that could just be the aura this place was giving off now.

At least, she might have been able to tell herself that, if she hadnā€™t seen what was inside the building. She didnā€™t need to look for long to understand, and several realizations hit her at once. First, that Morgan, her brother, her best friend, her teacher, was dead. Second, that woman from before was responsible for this. They were too late. She was too late. And her brother, her silly, sweet, ridiculous friend, was the only reason she wasnā€™t staring at her dead lover right now. Kazehana swallowed, initially silent, but it didnā€™t take long. Something inside of her snapped.

ā€œYou bitch!ā€ she shouted, already weeping for the second time in the past two days and the second time in more than ten years. ā€œMurderer! Defiler! Abomination!ā€ By the last few words, she wasnā€™t really speaking in her own voice anymore. It was as if something was speaking from within her. The air shifted, the desecrated ground trembling faintly beneath her feet, and loose pieces of debris started to rise into the air, as if gravity had stopped applying to them. In a sudden burst, the area around Kazehana illuminated, as if the radiance was issuing from the woman herself, shining right out of her skin in a dazzling gold, the color of sunlight at dawn.

She, too, rose into the air, though not by any conscious choice, and the soul-spheres manifested about her in a circle from her head to her outstretched arms to her toes, a strange mimicry of the posture her friend had been forced into. ā€œGive him back!ā€ She was asking for the impossible, and she knew it, but her grief did not care. Her pain demanded recompense, and it was obvious in this moment that, partly human or no, her father was a Seraphim. She spoke with force enough to tremor the stones of the building, and from her shoulderblades sprouted ghostlike visages of wings, not solid, not real, but somehow close. They, too, were that glorious gold of the first light of day. ā€œGive. Him. Back.ā€ With each word, another quintet of soul spheres shot towards Vivian, glowing bright and exploding upon impact, but the circle of them surrounding her did not seem to diminish in number.

She knew nothing but the agony of loss.


That smile wasn't Kazehana's, but Tsukiyo knew better than to continue. She left her sister be as she stared at the group, waiting for Caspar to take them to where Morgan should be. Much like her sister (perhaps not as strongly though), Tsukiyo could not feel anything from Morgan. It was as if he were gone and a sense of fear and dread welled up inside of Tsukiyo. Her hand immediately sought comfort from Caspar's, however; she stopped and withdrew her hand to her side. They entered the building, something like anticipation circling around Tsukiyo's something with a hint of dread. It hurt. Whatever the feeling in her stomach was, it hurt.

And then she found the reason why. Tsukiyo blinked at the scene before her, her eyes remaining glued to the body on the wooden cross. Crimson dyed hair blended with the blood spilt from the open wounds, and Tsukiyo felt the urge to vomit. She could feel it in the back of her throat as her hand covered her mouth. Kazehana reacted much faster than Tsukiyo ever could, and she fell to her knees. Her eyes, once bright, were now dull. It was odd. They said when you were going to die, your life flashed before your eyes, however; Tsukiyo wasn't the one about to die. Her mind, it played images, memories of all three of them, of Morgan. It felt...odd. He was dead.

He was truly dead. He wouldn't be around to teach them, to eat with them, to enjoy blueberry waffles with them. He was gone. One of her friends was gone. Forever. Her eyes burned, her vision blurry. And all she could do was cry, and scream.

6 Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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As was somehow able to keep a straight face throughout Kaz's tirade. He didn't try to stop her, even though her very prescence hurt. He glared at the scarred woman. Vivian, on the other hand, merely grinned at the woman who was screaming at her.

"Give him back? I think not. The ritual is not complete, my little Watcher. The Great One needs his body."

She simply blocked most of the girl's soul-spheres, deflecting some of them. The ground below her split, a great rending sound ripping through the air. A large black shadow in the shape of some strange, twisted creature snaked its way up from the crack. It seemed to hover in the air for a second, before honing in on Morgan's body. As the shadow entered him, his wounds closed. There was a horrendous snapping sound as his body shifted, everything broken snapping back into place. His arms tore themselves from the wood on which they were nailed, dropping him to the ground.

He snapped his neck back into place, grinning wickedly when he opened his single red eye. "That's no fair greeting, brother of mine." It was Morgan's face, and Morgan's voice, but it was anything but Morgan. A low, gutteral growl ripped itself from Asmodeus' throat.

He had expected Asaroth to rise, but the last thing he had expected was for him to desecrate his brother's body. He snarled, "You are no brother of mine!" He lunged, but Asaroth was faster. Their bodies clashed in mid-air, claws and fangs tearing at each other. Vivian watched them for a second before returning her attention to the other three.

Demons began cropping up out of the shadows, most of them running amuck. Vivian frowned at Tsukiyo. The girl was annoying her with her wailing. With the flick of a wrist, she sent a high-powered energy beam straight at the girl's heart, with another one aimed at Kazehana. The Angel, she knew, would be a different matter altogether. "I warned you both that this was coming. I see no reason for you to be so upset about what you knew was inevitable."


Kazehana screamed her rage at the creature who wore Morganā€™s face but did not speak with his voice, did not feel like him at all, but she was prevented from doing anything about it by a beam of energy shot directly to her. The state she was in did not consider blocking part of her repertoire, and it struck her square in the chest, sending her flying back against the wall. She hit it hard enough to splinter cracks in the stone, sliding to the floor and landing on her feet by dent of reflex. She could taste her own blood in her mouth where sheā€™d bitten her tongue, but it only stoked her fury. She was angry, she was righteous, and she would have justice for what had transpired here. She could not leave, could not rest until sheā€™d attained it.

Snarling, she warped her spheres until they were shortswords in either hand, glimmering and radiant. Without a second thought for her own safety or the logic of her plan, she launched herself for Vivian, slashing in a mad fury of blows more instinct than calculation. She always had been at her best when she allowed things to happen as they felt to her. ā€œI donā€™t believe in inevitable.ā€ The only thing inevitable here was that this woman was going to pay the toll for stealing what was never hers to take.

The second bolt of energy was deflected when a shining sword slammed into the stone directly in front of Tsukiyo, simply absorbing the energy of the blow. The air around Caspar shimmered like waves of roiling heat, and indeed, he was running like a furnace at the moment. In support of Kazehanaā€™s charge, he lit her blades with his own holy fire, the yellow-white of the sun at noon, but his primary concern was the fact that the one he loved was still not moving. ā€œTsukiyo,ā€ he said, lashing a fire-whip for a line of demons that advanced upon them. ā€œTsukiyo, look at me. You have to stand up. You have to fight. We all do. Morgan is gone, but more will be lost if we do not stop it.ā€ He couldnā€™t keep the worry out of his voice, not given that deadened look in her eyes.


Tsukiyo did not flinch when Caspar's sword blocked the blow that was meant for her. Her eyes were still dark, still red from the tears spilled, however; his voice pulled her back to reality. Morgan was dead, there was nothing they could do about it now. Even as this thing inhabited Morgan's body, he was still dead. Vivian's words sent a cold chill down Tsukiyo's spine. They had known that this was coming. They had known. Softly, she took a deep breath, her lips moving in sync to the battle cries of her sister. Tsukiyo may not have been like Kazehana, but she was her sister, birthed from the same parents, both who were extraordinary. She made to gaze at Kazehana, offering her sister a smile.

"Kill the bitch, Kaz," for the first time, Tsukiyo was angry. She focused her energy to her hands, the light molding, twisting into a peculiar shape. Archery was always something she favored, and so it was no surprise that the weapon she chose would form into that of a bow. Her body trembled, the anger, the hatred rolling off of her body, producing an aura that would have matched the raging furnace that was Caspar. She brought the bow, swung it over her shoulder as she smacked a demon away from her, pulling back on the bowstring before releasing it. The arrows found their mark, hitting the center of the demon's heads as she twisted to evade a set of on-coming claws, rolling over the demon's back and placed the bow under it's neck.

She twisted as hard as she could, snapping the creatures neck before glancing at the others, all in their own battle. She had felt no remorse as she had the first time she killed the demons. What they have done was unforgiveable, even to Tsukiyo. Whatever they were dealt, they deserved it. And this other Watcher, this Vivian, this bitch, deserved to rot in hell and tortured for all Eternity. She would make sure of it one way or another.


Asaroth and Asmodeus were still locked in combat when something bright exploded in the air above them. Asmodeus took a second to look up, and did not like what he saw. It was Raphiel. Of all the times, the guy just had to show up now. And as the angel appeared, so did the marks on their foreheads. This was bad. This was very bad. Asmodeus gave Asaroth a savage kick, sending the other demon flying backwards, and then launched himself a Raphiel. He'd taken out his spear, holding it above his head.

Asmodeus knew what was coming next, and he'd be damned if he let Raphiel kill them all just to stop Asaroth. As Raphiel brought the spear down, Asmodeus met it in the air, the Holy weapon searing his skin, but he didn't let go. "Raphiel! Don't do this! Not yet, it isn't over!"

"It was over from the start, Asmodeus! You knew as well as I did that this would happen! And now you will all die for the transgressions you made!"

Asaroth, on the other hand, was amused. Raphiel's timing could not have been better for him. He looked around at all the others fighting, and zoned in on Vivian. The ritual was not yet complete. He still needed the blood of a Watcher. What he'd failed to tell the woman was that he needed the Life Blood of a Watcher. He moved, stepping up behind Vivian as she backed into him in order to avoid one of Kazehana's blows.

The woman turned to look at him, and he said, "So sorry, my Dear, but I now require your life." The woman didn't even have time to scream as he severed her head from her body with one clean swipe of his hand. It was overkill, really, as all he needed was a drop of blood, but then, the woman had been annoying.

After licking his hands, he grinned at Kazehana, a cruel mockery of the face that had once belonged to Morgan. "Oh my, do I get to play with you now? What fun." He stepped up close to her, catching her wrist in his hand. "You smell delictable."

Asmodeus had not missed Vivian's death, nor Asaroth's intent. "Kaz!" It was only a split second lapse in concentration, but it was enough. Raphiel punched him, and then wrenched the spear from his grasp. He then threw the weapon, skewring Asmodeus through the stomach, pinning him to the wall where he hung twenty feet from the ground. A pained hiss escaped him as the Holy Weapon came into contact with his soul.


Cass couldnā€™t quite manage to smile, considering, but seeing Tsuki pick herself up and wade into the fray almost did it. He was proud of herā€”it was clear that her training had paid dividends. He wasnā€™t overly worried about her ability to survive this; she was plenty strong enough to do so. But all the same, he kept an eye on both sisters, and on the brother that remained to him, though he did not allow his concern to distract him too much. He knew his way around a battlefield, even if he tried not to live on them anymore.

So he caught sight of the spear intended for Asmodeus at the same time as he noted what Asaroth was attempting to do to Kazehanaā€”namely, kill her, though probably not before heā€™d made her suffer. It was a tendency of demons. Kazehana pulled at the wrist he held, but his grip was strong. Her aura flared in response to her frustration, and she brought one of her flaming light-blades up to sever the connection, by cutting off his hand, if necessary. He managed to twist away from it, though touching her surely burned him by this pointā€”she was giving off almost as much divinity as Cass.

At least until the massive flaming broadsword appeared to part them. Asaroth had to let go, then, because Cassā€™s aim was perfect. ā€œHow dare you wear that face before me,ā€ he rumbled, his voice like thunder. His own divinity surged forth, the contained levels it usually exuded broken off in favor of doing this bastard as much damage as possible. ā€œKazehana, leave him to me for now. You have to save As.ā€ She hesitated for just the barest moment before she nodded, and Cass settled back into his stance, taking a two handed grip on his sword.

ā€œA little like old times, isnā€™t it?ā€

Kaz reached Asmodeus in enough time to convert one of her remaining spheres into a shield, which cracked and shattered against the blow Raphiel used to smash through it, but it gave her what she needed, and that was time. She hadnā€™t been able to do it last time, but this time, the spear felt different to her hands, and the phantom wings on her back flared brightly in response to the holy energy of it. ā€œLet me be clear here,ā€ she told him, voice low and vibrating with anger. ā€œYou donā€™t get to die until I give you permission to leave me, and I donā€™t recall doing that.ā€ she pulled, sliding the spear from his body, and whirled to face Raphiel.

ā€œAnd you will not touch him again. Angel or no.ā€ Her jaw set, her mouth in a grim line, Kazehana leveled the spear at the angel, a shortsword still flaming in her other hand. She didnā€™t move to attack, but stood protectively in front of Asmodeus, glaring her defiance at the radiance that was one of the Seraphim. One of her fatherā€™s kin.


Asaroth scowled when he was forced to let go of his prize, but he grinned again at Caspar's comment. "Like old times? No, I'm afraid not Michael. It will not be like old times, because this time, I'm going to win." A black blade appeared in his own hand, smaller than Caspar's, but it was no one-handed blade.

"Let the games commence."

Asmodeus groaned, sliding to the floor when Kazehana removed the spear. Despite the situation, he had to grin. "And I don't recall asking." Until he healed, there was little he could do, physically, and the wound would be slow to heal because of the type of it. Holy Weapons were like a poison to Demons, spreading through their soul. The only reason As wasn't dead yet was because through Kaz, he'd been able to regain some of his divinity.

But he wasn't helpless. He still had his own demons, and his shadows. Felines of all shapes and sizes, all with blazing red eyes, began to creep out of the shadows, everywhere. Some of them began to engage the other demons, but the four largest, including the large flaming one that As had once appeared riding on top of, flanked Kazehana.

Raphiel scowled. The woman had certainly improved greatly, in order to wield the divinity of her father. His great sword materialized in his hand, as she now held his spear. "I do not recall taking orders from you, woman. I am willing to let you, your sister, and my brother live, however; the Princes must be destroyed. You have no place to interfere with this."

Asaroth charged dead ahead, sword meeting sword. Demon and Angel clashed again and again, the demon laughing like a maniac most of the time. During one of the times their blades met, Asaroth leaned forward slightly, his dark aura flaring. "And I thought you would be happy to see this face again. No? Oh well. You can't say I didn't try."

During the fight, Asaroth had dodged or blocked all of Caspar's attacks with considerable ease, except for one. It was a flicker of a second, and the demon halted, as if something had grabbed him. Red eye connected with deep brown, and for a fraction of a second, Asroth's eye flashed green. The split second was enough for Caspar to land a blow, and the demon lurched backwards, blood running down his arm from the deep cut on his shoulder. His lips pulled back in a snarl.


Tsukiyo managed to shake off another demon that had attacked her thanks to one of Asmodeus' own demons. She turned to spot Caspar fighting with Morgan, and a flicker of worry crossed her features. She shook her head, this wasn't the time to be worrying. She rolled over a demon that had lunged at her, flicking it in the head with her bow and allowing the other demons to take care of it. Asmodeus was hurt, and he needed help. Caspar was engaged with Asaroth, and Kazehana was engaged with Raphiel. She silently hoped her sister knocked some sense into that angel as she finally reached Asmodeus.

"You look like crap As," she stated softly, recalling her bow so that it was just a mere ball of energy in her hand. She hovered it over his wounds, once again circling her fingers so that his wounds began stitching themselves together almost immediately. She had come a long way in her healing capabilities, so much so that she was not so nearly as fatigued as she was the first time when she healed Morgan. When her work was done, she let a satisfied sigh escape her. "There all...," she began, her sentence never finishing as a splatter of blood flew across Asmodeus' face. Her eyes widened, her body trembled, and in a flash, she was ripped from his side.

Her body flew through the air, falling harshly against the ground as a spike-tailed demon snarled in her direction. Her body twitched, her mouth coughing in fits of blood. She pushed herself up, arms trembling as she rolled, avoiding the demon's tail. Her breathing increased to panicked breaths as she tried to dodge the oncoming blows. Her body was still fatigued, and that was slowing her reaction time down. The demon roared angrily as he swung his tail, nipping Tsukiyo in the shoulder as she fell to her knees. She tried to form her bow, but the energy would not come. She glanced up in time to see the tail aimed straight for her, no time to react.


For a long while, the two of them seemed evenly matched. Asaroth was definitely stronger than he had been last time the two had skirmished, and Cass was weaker from his fall, but it was kind of hard to tell, given all the divinity in the air. His own was rising as he fought for the same reason heā€™d always foughtā€”for the right and the just. But this time, he also fought for another reason: to protect those that he loved. Still, he wasnā€™t able to land a blow on Asaroth, at least not until something about him changed, his eye turning colors to what Morganā€™s had once been. That earned him a gash on the arm.

Morgan was still in there. ā€œI see you, my friend,ā€ He said, swinging again, only to be blocked. He was deflecting a retaliation from the shadow-sword when he felt itā€”the uncomfortable drop in her life energy. It froze him, distracted him in a way the death of allies never had. Tsukiyo! He was ready to abandon the fight, to drop everything else to go and help her, but he didnā€™t get the chance. Asaroth took advantage of his distraction and hit him hard, impaling him through the chest with the demonic sword, and kicking him off it with enough force for him to leave a crater in the wall he hit.

There was a certain kind of ominous wetness to his breathing, signaling the presence of blood in his lungs. Forcing himself upright, Caspar leaned on his sword for a few moments, breathing hard as his natural healing factor closed and repaired the wounds. With a deep breath, he pulled the sword from the ground, the flames starting at the hilt and licking their way up the blade, sun-white and fierce.

Kazehana, meanwhile, simply scowled at Raphiel. ā€œBelieve me,ā€ she ground out between gritted teeth, ā€œAsaroth is going to die for this, for what he did to my friend. But you will not have Asmodeus. Iā€™m making it my place to interfere.ā€ Spear still in one hand, she swung astride the fire-tiger sheā€™d seen once before, trusting that it wouldnā€™t burn her, and it didnā€™t. Shaking her fringe back out of her eyes, she held her head high, and as if by unspoken signal, the beast beneath her charged, the spear-tip leveled for the angelā€™s chest.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Tsukiyo Fuhen Character Portrait: Kazehana Fuhen Character Portrait: Asmodeus Character Portrait: Morgan Alistair Character Portrait: Caspar Falls

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Asmodeus forced a laugh out of his mouth. "Thanks, Tsuki. I bet I look just peachy." He winced as his flesh stitched itself back together, and was going to thank her, when she was suddenly just gone. He stared at the spot where she had been, at first, too shocked to understand what was going on. He felt something wet run down his face, and he automatically licked it. It's blood... He thought.


There was a dazed expression on his face as he slowly took in what had happened. Suddenly something clicked, and he snarled. The demon was about to hit Tsukiyo, and the blow would have killed her. But As got there first. He moved with a grace that belied his speed, scooping the girl into his arms and moving her out of the way of the blow, the demon's tail leaving a small crater where the girl had been. The beast roared, and then charged after As. He didn't even turn to face it as he held up his hand.


The beast rammed his head against As's hand, but it did nothing. As didn't even move. The beast froze, a dazed expression on his face as Asmodeus' fingers suddenly clamped down, and he finally faced the creature, sticking his other hand in its mouth. He used his hands to physically rip open the beasts' jaws, killing it, the body turning to dust.


Asmodeus had had enough of this. He noted that Tsukiyo was still gasping behind him. With a wave of his hand, a small shadow turned into a small dragon, which then curled up onto Tsukiyo's chest. The creature specialized in healing, an odd concept for demons, but it could help her. She woud need more help later, of course, but this would at least keep her from dying.


Asmodeus closed his eyes, focusing. A tremendous wave of black energy surged from him, gaining the attention of every demon in the room, Asaroth included. The demons ceased their fighting, some of them even bowing to As. He opened his red eyes.


"You're up, Momo."


Asaroth smirked. "Morgan is gone, my friend! What is it you intend for him to do? He can do nothing, I destroyed his very soul!"


It was Asmodeus' turn to smirk. "See, this is where you're wrong. Souls are something that can never be destroyed, they can only be sacrificed by themselves. That is Morgan's decision. By binding himself to you, he'll be trapping you back down in Hell, and this time, you won't be getting out." There was a vehemence in Asmodeus' voice as he spoke.


With each word, a symbol appeared on the ground, and soon, the floor was covered in a large pentegram, stars and circles and demonic shapes and symbols everywhere. Asaroth looked down, realizing what most of them meant. His eye widened, his face contorting into a twisted snarl. The ground arouns him cracked and split, chains shooting out of them, wrapping around Asaroth.


"I told you once that you are no brother of mine. I meant it. You killed one of my brothers. I'm not letting you get away with it."


Asaroth snarled at him as a huge doorway shimmered into view, a hooded skeleton standing before it. The demon glared at Asmodeus, before suddenly grinning. "I'll admit, you've caught me. But what exactly did it cost you, old friend? This kind of ritual takes a lot out a Demon, even one as powerful as you." The reaper in front of the door lifted a bony hand, and the chains began dragging Asaroth towards the opening door.


Asmodeus's eyes hardened. "I've surrendered what little divinity I'd obtained. Not that it really is any of your business. But I'd surrender my soul if it meant keeping you off of this earth." Asaroth laughed like a maniac, shouting something at Asmodeus, but the door was now closed. It shimmered back out of view, but the reaper remained. The creature glided over to Asmodeus, staring silently at him. Asmodeus gave a nod.


The skeleton swung the scythe at his side, the blade passing through Asmodeus, leaving no trace that it had even been swung. However, a small orb of shining white light came away with it. Asmodeus felt oddly...empty. Still, it was the price to be paid. The reaper then caught the orb, and vanished into a wisp of smoke.


Raphiel had watched the entire scene with little more than disinterest on his face. So, in the end, they had managed to stop Asaroth. Still, Asmodeus was a Demon Prince. Raphiel had no intention of letting him walk away, no matter what his part in it was. He glanced back at the woman astride the feline. She was still in his way. His face hardened, blocking the blow she made with his spear, parrying it and making a swing of his own.


But, the blade was stopped. Raphiel's eyes widened when he saw just who -and what- it was that stopped his swing. The blade had been coated in ice. Morgan, pale and oddly shimmering, stood between Kazehana and Raphiel, one finger against the edge of Raphiel's blade. "That's enough, Raphiel. It's over." He turned and offered Kaz one of his goofy trade-mark smiles. "I'm sorry for what I've put you through, Kaz. I'd say you can hit me, but, uh...you can't actually touch me like this."



As soon as Morgan regained control of his body, Cass was at Tsukiā€™s side, his own healing taking over where Asā€™s dragon creature was no longer able to help. His free hand stroked through her hair, keeping it back from her face, as he murmured things mostly unintelligible to her in a rumbling bass. The chorus of it sounded suspiciously like ā€œDonā€™t leave me, my love, donā€™t leave meā€¦ā€


Kazehana blinked at Morgan, the valkyrieā€™s own scowl on her face softening as she looked at him. Her lower lip trembled, but she would not cry. Not anymore. She wouldnā€™t dishonor his sacrifice like that. It was the choice heā€™d made, and heā€™d made it to save them all. Her smile was tremulous, but it was real. ā€œIdiot. Itā€™s fine.ā€ She swallowed, shaking her head as her grip tightened reflexively into the catā€™s fur. ā€œI justā€¦ you could have said goodbye, you know?ā€ Her voice cracked on the last words, and she blinked furiously. No tears. No more. She took a steadying breath.


ā€œIt was you, for the record,ā€ she told him shakily, chewing her lower lip. ā€œYou were the reason I decided to give all of this a chance. Why I decided to train my powers, find out who I could be. Iā€¦ā€ she had to pause for a moment to steady her shaking limbs, and when she looked back up at him, her eyes were clear, her carriage proud. ā€œIā€™ll never forget that. Iā€™ll never forget you. And one day, Iā€™ll tell my children about youā€”and Iā€™ll make sure they never forget, either.ā€ A tentative hand reached out as though to rest her palm on the side of his face, but he was rightā€”she just passed right through.


ā€œI hate you, for leaving me,ā€ she said with a rueful smile. ā€œBut Iā€™ll get over it. Do what you have to do Morganā€¦ my brother.ā€



Tsukiyo's vision had blurred by the time Asmodeus showed up and killed the demon that had attacked her. For a moment, she almost thought it was Caspar, but their essence was completely different, and she offered a cracked smile. She could feel a warmth on her chest, something small, keeping her grounded to the living. The demon's tail had punctured her chest, barely inches from missing her heart, however; it was still grave including the one on her shoulder which almost appeared to be dislocated. She couldn't feel anything though, her mind focusing on the warmth. Then, he came, and she smiled through the hazy visage. She reached a hand up, brushing his cheek with the back of her index finger.


"I'm...I'm not going...anywhere," she stated through shallow breaths. She was vaguely unaware of what was going on, but she could feel something. "I...told you...it doesn't matter. Momo will always... be Momo," she managed to get out, closing her eyes to take a deep breath. She had spoken those words to Raphiel when he had stated that Morgan would no longer be himself the first time he was taken, but Tsukiyo, for once, believed in Morgan. She had believed in him, in Asmodeus, in Caspar. And that was enough for her to know that they would be fine.



Morgan smiled kindly at her. "And if I'd said goodbye before now, we both know you would have tried to stop me. But I'm saying goodbye now." He touched her cheek softly. He turned to Asmodeus, who looked more sullen than normal.


"That was stupid. And I thank you for it, Brother." Morgan nodded at him, and moved on to Caspar and Tsukiyo. Morgan knelt down next to them, a hand on the angel's shoulder. "She's going to be alright, Caspar. Tell her bye for me, okay?"


He stood up then, smiling at them. "I can't stay any longer, and you're not going to see me again. But, it looks like you have another visitor." At this, Morgan turned around, raising his hand as a form of goodbye. "Take care of them, Pops. And try not to be too cryptic, yeah?"


Raphiel's eyes widened, and he immediately fell to his knees. A golden light radiated from the center of the room, a small form taking shape in the form of a lamb. Asmodeus slid to his knees as well. This was so not happening.



Caspar smiled down at her, closing up the last of her wounds in enough time to take her into his arms and stand to say goodbye to his brother. He nodded solemnly at Morganā€™s words, promising without his own to do just that, but the second statement caused his eyes to go wide, and then he could feel it, the change in the air, and it could only mean one thing. As the others did, he knelt, looking at a fixed point on the floor, still holding Tsuki to him. His grip tightened, just a bit, and he just avoided the urge to shake his head in wonderment. If He was here, then things were more momentous than even Caspar had guessed they would be.


Kazehana on the other hand just looked confused. She was emotionally exhausted, and physically winded as well, and all she really registered was that Morgan was gone and this divine aura, much more powerful than even Raphielā€™s, was radiating fromā€¦ ā€œA baby sheep?ā€ Confused hardly covered it, and then the revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. ā€œSweet holy Jesus! Are you telling me thatā€™sā€”ā€ Her brain caught up with her mouth, and she was silent for a moment, before she proceeded a little more sheepishly herself. ā€œEr, wellā€¦ is that actually uhā€¦ sweet holy Jesus?ā€


Next thing you knew, it was gonna be the Devil and a herd of unicorns or something.



The lamb shook its head. "I do hate it when he calls me that." He then cocked its head at Kazehana, something akin to a smile on its face. "Is my appearance truly so surprising, young one?" He did not, however, give her time to answer, and instead turned towards Raphiel.


"Raphiel. Stand." The Angel did as he was told. "You are to return to Heaven. Immediately. Your punishment will be dealt with later."


Raphiel looked surprised. "Punishment, my Lord?"


"I do not recall giving you the order to attack on this day. Your orders were on standby. You disobeyed them. Now go." The Angel made to speak again, but the lamb stomped a hoof, and he vanished.


He then turned to Asmodeus. "My Son. Why do you weep?" Asmodeus took a shaky breath. He hadn't even realized he was crying. "I never thought to be in your presence again."


"You were always welcome. You simply need make the choice. So, what is your choice?" Asmodeus stared at him. Was he truly suggesting...? But he did not hesitate with his answer. Morgan had given everything so that he could stay with her. He wasn't about to leave her now. "I would stay."


The lamb seemed to smile. "And so you shall." He touched his nose to the Demon's forehead. Without another word, he moved on to Caspar. "And your choice?"



To go backā€¦ he had dreamed of little else since he left. He had undertaken his falling for a burden no one else should have to bear, for a task that would always be thankless and condemned, but necessary. The task was done, almost, and the burden could fall now to others. He could return whence he had always belonged. More than most, Caspar had felt a fish out of water here, in this world. It was as obvious as the divinity that still lay, sequestered but powerful, somewhere inside his soul. Butā€¦ he took a breath, looking down at the young woman he still held protectively close to him. Being here had changed him, and he could not think that it was all for the worse.


He had a place here, as heā€™d once had a place there. But those hereā€¦ they needed him still. Heaven could function without him, as it obviously had been doing for quite a long time. With the pad of his thumb, he brushed a smear of dirt off one of her cheekbones, then faced his Lord the Lamb. ā€œI would stay,ā€ he said. The choice was not easyā€”he would always feel the longing in his bones, the ache in his very soul, to return to what he once had been, those he had once known. But thisā€¦ he could not leave, for to leave now would tear him asunder, surely. He was wanted, he was needed, and he was loved. ā€œIf it is not too much to askā€¦ would you tell her that I am sorry? That I miss her? That she is my sister still?ā€ He would know to whom Caspar referred.



The Lamb also touched his nose to Caspar's forehead. "She already knows, my Son." He stepped away, making his way over to Kazehana. "The road before you is not an easy one, for the one born of you will bear the weight of this world, and all of its sins. But do not forget that you are not alone."


He turned back to Caspar and Asmodeus. "The Seals have been opened, the Horsemen ride. The time is upon us now. The fate of this world will rest on the child's shoulders, and the path that he chooses. Guide him, but never take away his ability to choose. It is our choices that make us."


With those words, the Lamb vanished. Asmodeus blinked, and then, with all the frustration he could muster, he scowled and groaned. "Didn't Morgan tell him not to be cryptic?"






The months passed slowly. It was now April, and spring was beginning to show itself. Caspar and Asmodeus put their heads together, but they were no closer to figuring out who the child in question was. It was obvious that he meant the first horseman, Conquest, but...there had been no sign of him.


Wounds healed, turning to scars, both physically and emotionally. It wasn't easy, living without Morgan, but it was something they had to do. Besides, they weren't alone, not anymore. Sure, Asmodeus had gotten the cold shoulder for a few days, but it was nothing he didn't understand.


The Demon currently found himself at Kazehana's apartment, his nose buried in the news, searching for any sign of what might be considered the child. He sighed through his nose. "How are we supposed to help this child if we can't even find him?"



It had been a long and emotionally exhausting reconciliation between herself and Asmodeus, but in the end, Kazehana had managed to forgive him, though this was not to say that she didnā€™t occasionally hold it over his head to manipulate him into doing things she wanted, which honestly usually were also things that he wanted, so it was working out relatively well. Theyā€™d settled into life without Morgan, and though it wasnā€™t easy, and they all felt keenly his missing presence, they had dealt with it by leaning heavily on one another. The four of them, plus Kazehaya, were closer than ever, as they continued to work towards finding the child, as he was called.


Kaz was rather enjoying knowing something that nobody else did, but sheā€™d waited the usual time for confirmation all the same. Sheā€™d received it just that morning, from her father. The expression on his face had been hilarious, and then of course heā€™d cried and gone on about how proud he was and all that sort of thing. Really, he was hopelessly sentimental. But his knowledge of both human medicine and supernatural biology was going to be absolutely essential in the months to come. So she breezed into her apartment, observing that the other three were all present, Cass adorably wrapped around her sister as they searched through a tome of some kind together, his head propped on her shoulder as they both read the pages.


Setting her keys on the counter, she made a noncommittal noise and shrugged. ā€œThatā€™s the easy part, As. I know where the child is.ā€ She smiled to herself, something secret and sly but not at all uncommon on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the sofa, raising an eyebrow as she scanned what he was reading.



It took a few days for Tsukiyo to fully heal from her wounds, mainly thanks to Caspar's healing and a bit of her own when she was strong enough. It was still hard, adjusting without one of her friends, and perhaps it was just her, but she had a bit more difficulty adjusting to his disappearance. He wasn't there, he was gone. And that thought stung her for a few weeks. If it wasn't for her family, she would have slipped into depression, blaming not only herself for not being able to do anything, but her own weakness. Thankfully, that was not the case. Instead, she waited inside Kazehana's apartment, waiting for her sister to come back from wherever it was she left to.


Caspar had his head on her shoulder as they read a passage, his breath warm on her neck, causing a light pink to tint her cheeks. It was last month they...she shook the thought from her head, her face growing a little pinker due to the memory. Kazehana decided that moment to appear, stating that she knew where the child was. Tsukiyo blinked dumbfound at her sister before tilting her head to the side, reading her sisters expression. Something about it, though not uncommon for Kazehana to wear, caused a light smile to cross Tsukiyo's features. She wasn't an observant person for nothing, and she knew her sister better than most.


"Congratulations Kaz," she stated, almost appearing to be in a mocking tone, but she smiled in a way to let her sister know that she knew. Oh she knew alright. Her eyes traveled to Asmodeus, and for a brief moment, she wondered how he would take this news. It was an exciting thing for most people, however; they were not most people.



Asmodeus perked an eyebrow at Kazehana. They'd been looking for months with no success. What did she mean she knew where the child was? "Okay, and where is it, and what's the hard part?"


He also looked confused at Tsukiyo's comment. Congratulations for what? "Okay, what am I missing here?"



By this point, Cass had figured it out also, mostly thanks to Tsukiyoā€™s hint. He could only chuckle with good-natured amusement at Asā€™s obvious confusion. It seemed like he was the only one who hadnā€™t caught on. A bit ironic, perhaps. Kazehanaā€™s eyebrow ticked further upwards. ā€œ Thank you, Tsu-Tsu. And well, As, I have it on good authority that the child is going to be my child,ā€ she said loftily, winking across the room at her sister and Cass. ā€œAnd since Iā€™m not interested in having a child with anyone else, that means heā€™ll be ours.ā€


She leaned down behind Asmodeusā€™s chair and whispered the rest into his ear. ā€œIā€™m having your son, you silly man. Around November, I should think.ā€ The implications of that were obvious, as far as timing went. She straightened, placing a finger over her lips in contemplation. ā€œI like Kirito for a name.ā€ A small pause. ā€œAnd Morgan.ā€



Asmodeus could only stare at Kazehana for something like a full minute before it finally sank in. He blinked owlishly at the woman who was his lover. "I'm having a kid?" Something must have given, because the next thing he knew, he was on the floor. When he finally managed to right himself and wrap his head around the situation, he pulled Kaz over to him, kissing her softly. "Both of those names sound perfect."