Disclaimer : Tachibana Higuchi owns Gakuen Alice. Always has and always will.
Keep in mind that this is one hella long one shot.
Angels and Demons are said to be enemies of the old.
~Anonymouse
The Angel of healing. Second in command to Raphael. Mikan Sakura, fastened a dark cape around her neck, it loosely fell upon her dainty shoulders, over her long white robes. Her dark brown hair reached the very ends of her tail bone. Her large vanilla wings dragging behind as she walked forward.
"Archangel Raphael." She greeted her superior with respect and bowing her head low.
"Mikan. Oh how I wish not to send you." The Archangel of Healing merely shook his head dismissively. "But these are Michael's orders."
"I understand Angel Raphael." Mikan smiled radiantly. "It does not do well with my conscious to be against an order ordained from our God and his messenger, Archangel Michael."
"But these people you are to heal are in a town infested by Demons. Of the most lowest order." Raphael warned, blessing his most treasured pupil.
"To heal is an act of God, Archangel Raphael, how can I deny my own cause, the cause which was so generously bestowed on me by our Father himself?" Mikan questioned. Her love for healing humans and any being in need of cure was boundless.
Archangel Raphael smiled fondly as his Angel left the inner circle of heaven and descended to earth in the form of a mere human,Raphael never held affection for anyone, it wasn't possible for an Angel to love, but Mikan felt like his own daughter had he been a human. She was the most purest being in the class of Angels and an extremely God- loving creature. His best student and her affection towards humans was heard far and wide, she was, probably is, the most brilliant healer he'd ever seen, mayhap even better than himself.
And then he frowned if she were to encounter a Demon, if Mikan was defiled then she would become a fallen Angel, regardless of the qualities she bore. He hoped to God for her protection, hoping that she'd return to the Angel realm soon after she had finished her mission.
Oh if only the Archangel knew what threads the fates had began spinning.
"Thank you. Thank you so very much for healing my son. You saved his life." The old woman thanked Mikan, who merely grinned in response. "It is God who saved your son, I'm a mere doctor, a puppet of his, Kind lady."
She had healed most humans, plants anything living that required cure. Her mission had finished quite earlier than she initially expected. It was time she returned back to the Angel realm, where she belonged, under Archangel Raphael's quarters.
Suddenly, Mikan felt an ominous presence, she narrowed her eyes at the dark silhouette in the corner. A demon of low class, she reckoned, but as soon as she spun around, something was poured on her, she felt droplets of liquid on her body and wings.
"What in the name of-" She began but soon grew unconscious, her vision fading away, her body fell down and her wings retreated to her back and suddenly the entire world turned black.
Mikan woke up to a suffocating odour, she winced and moaned in protest as she opened her hazel eyes, only then did she realize where she was.
In hell. Among the presence of demons. Crucified on a wall. Her hands had been held by iron chains instead of nails, she guessed her leg was cuffed to a chain as well.
"Oh looks like you are awake. Slept for quite sometime, about three days, I think." A man with dark blue hair smiled at her. She blankly stared at him before ransacking her brain for his identity.
"Tsubasa Andou. Demon of Envy. Third in command to Leviathen." Mikan recognized softly, not meeting his eyes.
"Impressive. " Tsubasa marvelled."You keep an account."
"Yes." Mikan venomously replied. "To keep an account of how I could drag you to the inner circle and bound you there for 400 years."
Tsubasa stiffened at her threat, his eyes glowed a dangerous shade of the solemn midnight. "You might wanna keep a leash on that tongue, darlin'. Better be happy that you got me instead of Ol' Persona. He has a vile obsession with torturing Angels slow and real painful, ofcourse, you would know. " He sniggered at the end, Yes she knew, Persona was one among Lucifer's favourites, he had tortured many Angels who had come back so broken that Mikan nor Archangel Raphael could heal them and till date that was only thing which had managed to break Mikan's soul.
Not able to heal a broken person.
She clenched her teeth. "What do you want, Demon?"
"Straight into it, huh? But I ain't complanin'." He chuckled but a serious look dawned on his face."I want the essence of healing."
Mikan who had originally turned her head away from Tsubasa, snapped it back towards his direction with widened hazel irises, the essence of healing was a gift bestowed only to Angels under Raphael, it could cure any disease which plagued Mankind and everything else living. But...but it could also have a terrible drawback if it was in the hands of a demon, they could use it to heal entire mankind, and humans would stop believing in God, or the existence of Angels. They would forget their prayers and be flocking about.
No one would believe in God anymore.
That in itself spelled Anarchy.
"No." She adamantly responded.
Mikan was beaten with whips, they scratched her porcelain skin, tried to tear her wings from her back, she was tortured maliciously to no ends. But she never screamed, never begged them to stop, never whimpered. Mikan was a strong Angel with a grounded resolve she bore everything which came her way without complaining. Her belief in God never shook ever so slightly.
She knew he was letting this happen for a reason, and her faith remained unyielding.
Even when Persona was sent to her, she didn't waver and held her head high, merely acknowledging his presence. Ofcourse, now she knew why the Angels returned so battered and bruised. Persona was a vile man with the most cruelest means of torture.
Yes, she suffered.
But her love for God was greater and therefore, she sustained all injuries and pain.
That was until they sent a particular lad.
Mikan had gotten used to being pinned to the wall because she admitted, she really didn't have an array of choices at this point. She was weary, tired and her skin had scars trailing from various places, her robes were tattered. She swallowed hard as she quietly took in the repulsive air and then immediately she felt the presence of a demon .
"Staring at me from the dark would hardly do you any good, demon." She murmured, loud enough for him to hear.
"So it speaks." The demon replied in a haughty voice but there was a tone in his voice which made her wince.
"Show yourself!" She ordered.
"Well, well, aren't you demanding?" The demon asked, she felt him take form of a human as stepped out of the darkness.
She lifted her head to see just who had they sent now for her. And the moment she did, she felt a wave of pleasure run through her at which she scowled.
"You must have heard of me." He mused with interest sparked in his eyes.
She had. She had to heal so many people who wore broken hearts just because their spouses or partners were tempted to commit a sin due to a sudden grown list inhibited in them.
And Mikan understood that this man was probably the root cause of it.
"Natsume Hyuuga." She gritted through her teeth vehemently."King of fornication. Otherwise referred to as Asmodeus."
"I'm flattered by your tone of voice, Sakura." He chuckled, and that is when she let her eyes see the demon in front of her.
He was a young lad. His long raven hair reached just above his elbows, pale white skin adorning his flesh as his orbs of dark tantalizing crimson pools met her gaze. Her lip twitched in annoyance "And now they send you, is it?" She questioned.
"Why? You sad I didn't fill in early?" Natsume smirked and it only infuriated her furthermore, this man's presence alone was feculent.
"You wish, Hyuuga. You wish." She spat back in a manner that could be called revolting.
"Well, they send me as a last try, you know." He said as he walked closed to her. "Kind of because everyone thinks you're a lost cause."
"Wonder what makes you think I'm not then." She stated blankly, now he had come close enough for her to see his massive black wings. He flew upto her and snapped his fingers. The chains on her leg vanished and so did the ones around her wrist.
"Not until I'm done with you I wouldn't think that.."
Mikan didn't like this. She didn't know what he was planning for. And she didn't like it. For this man by the most was unpredictable. Since the chains no longer bounded her she fell right into his strong arms, honestly she liked the ground better.
"What are you-"
Natsume pulled her into a searing kiss, his right arm fixed around her waist while his left hand was on the back of neck as his thumb grazed her jawline. Her hazel eyes flew wide open in shock and utter outrage.
A wave of ecstasy travelled through her veins she felt him exploring her mouth with no restraint whatsoever, she loathed the way her body was reacting, her sex ached, and then it hit her, he was purposely making her feel this way.
"No, mhmf-" She tried pushing his away but all in vain since he was currently much more stronger than atleast physically. "Stop." Mikan pulled away from him only to find herself pinned to the wall. Honestly, the pinning to the wall thing was getting old.
Tears strayed from her eyes as he stared at her in pure desire which made a shiver run down her thighs. "Tears don't affect me, sweetness, oh but one thing can.." He knew that she acknowledged what he wanted. The essence of Healing.
Mikan's eyes watered as she bit her lips so hard that it started bleeding at which Natsume's eyes narrowed, she let her head hung down, letting the tears fall to the ground. If he touched her, then she would become impure, a defiled Angel, no longer would she be accepted into heaven's realm and if she didn't and gave up her essence of Healing, then the entire Mankind would stop fearing God. It was a double-edged sword, she closed her eyes as her foreheads formed creases.
But Mikan was strong. She was thought and raised by Raphael, the Archangel himself. She'd be dirt on his reputation if she let this demon think he had her on hinges. Her fortitude was one which left many Angels to look upto her in admiration.
She giggled and hefted her head up to meet Natsume's confused glare and she smiled with spite which made him frown. "Do your worst, bitch."
He twitched his eyebrows. Some hard-headed Angel she was, fine then, he'd have it his way. And he did, he desecrated every part of her and enjoyed every bit of it, to profane the purity of an Angel gave a satisfaction which none could surmount to. And the fact that she was unwilling enticed him so very much. He bit her skin, leaving his marks all over her, imprinting on her and proclaming that she was his alone. For an eternity to arrive. Or until, he mused, thy kingdom come.
She never screamed nor whimpered, took it all in the tight clenching of her teeth. He was amused by her determination, such a strong love for God. He loved the fact that she was so tight and her lips were so heavenly, almost made him feel redeemed.
When he had finished having her, both of them were panting, the chains reappeared over her wrist and ankles at which he frowned but let it be.
"I'll see you tomorrow."He promised as he vanished into dark black smoke and Mikan took that as her cue to let her tears fall. She felt dirty, soiled by his hands.
And for the first time she closed her eyes and whispered
"Rapha."
The Archangel had just arrived from his months long expedition of the land of humans, something regarding the Catholic Church, he jerked back as he felt as if Mikan had reached for him. Stepping into his quarters he knew some was terribly wrong.
Oh how many emotions did the word terrible lack.
Mikan quietly dreaded the evening, she closed her eyes but suddenly felt a presence but this wasn't a demon or anything angelic, in fact it was far from it.
Mikan opened her eyes as she heard a whimper, she furrowed her brows in shock,
A human?
What in the name of everything holy was a human doing here?
"H-Hello." His shaking voice reached her ears.
"Why are you here?" She questioned immediately.
"T-They dragged me here...I don't know this place at all, it doesn't remotely look like a place ominous on earth and my compass won't move no matter how hard I try to shake it either." He shivered due to the cold in the room.
"Oh trust me, you won't get a bearing any time soon here." She drawled.
Mikan noticed his bruises, she beckoned him to come closer, he hesitantly but eventually walked towards her, she opened the palm of her hand and chanted a wish, and blew it at his direction, the scars on his face disappeared leaving his skin crystal clear.
She smiled, and then noted that she wasn't giving up her essence even if it came to the worst of worst.
"Yo-You-You're an Angel." He pointed out with wide eyes as her wings became noticed by him, she merely grinned in response.
"What's your name, human?"
"Ma-Masachika Shiki." He offered."And yours?"
"Mikan. Mikan Sakura." Mikan returned with a warm smile, it had been months since she had interacted with anyone outside Natsume or any demon.
"Why have they tied you? What sin have you committed?"
"None that I know of." She wearily looked at the male, "But I reckon they want something from me."
"Can not I help?"
She curved the corner of her lips upwards. See, this is why she loved Mankind, they had so much of hope and compassion that for the first time in many months she felt happy.
"No. It's my burden to bear but I'm sure I could help you."
Shiki looked at her with pure helplessness. She looked so tired and also he was awe-struck that one was dragged to hell and met an Angel. He was an exorcist, a trained one, which is why the demons dragged him to hell, alive. He wondered if that was allowed because one couldn't randomly drag you to hell, it would kinda piss off the Angels and all but then again from his experience demons weren't exactly the most complacent creature.
"You have anything? Like a bottle or something of that sort?" Mikan's question caught him off guard.
He recalled the small vial of water he carried, he showed it to her, and she blessed the water.
"Now, listen to me, when it strikes 3 'o'clock in the morning, there will be less demons hovering around because majority of them would descend upon human realm. You can slip away easily and should you meet a demon, make use of the holy water I blessed you with." She instructed carefully.
At the stroke of the witching hour, Shiki took a sparing glance at Mikan who radiantly smiled at him in spite of suffering so much. And fortunately Shiki reached the human realm, he met a few demons in his path but there were hardly minor ones, when Persona learnt of this he was blind in his rage.
"You witch!" He slapped Mikan's cheek hard. She laughed happily at his rage. "I understand that he successfully made it through."
Persona grapped his staff and was going to hurl it towards Mikan before Natsume stepped in between. "Hyuuga. Move. I won't repeat it twice."
"She's merely trying to rile you, Persona." He coolly stated.
"Damn right." Mikan piped in and Natsume's jaw tightened. "You have no idea how satisfying it is."
Persona looked offended but Natsume managed to send him away without any harm done to him or Mikan.
"Someday, your pretty little mouth will get you in trouble,Sweetness"
"I can't imagine anything worse than this frankly."She indicated by moving her shackles,which made an unpleasant sound.
Natsume stared at her with something she failed to decipher what it was and soon after that he left the room.
Shiki couldn't shake off the image of the Angel he had seen. He looked her up, and a priest said that Mikan Sakura was the name of an Angel under Raphael and by the paintings humans made of Angels when they appeard in mortal form was exactly in sync with the Angel he saw crucified to the wall. At one point, he couldn't believe what had happened to him, he tried as he could to think of a way to help that heavenly creature but alas he was a mere human,how could he even hope to help a divine creature as her, but one fine day, he couldn't take the helplessness anymore. The nightmare irked him to do something of it.
Enough was enough.
Father Shiki approached the Altar at the dead of night and knelt in front of the crucifix, since he knew he couldn't do anything supreme, he did what he dif best.
He prayed.
Only if he knew that his earnest prayers did much more than he had hoped for the Angel in hell.
Prayers are the most powerful way of conveying and making fate spin a new yarn of thread. Laced with hope and earnesty, his prayers reached Mikan.
Something was wrong were Mikan's immidiate thoughts, she felt a warm relief spread over her skin and then she realised that someone was sincerely praying for her.
She opened her eyes with a jerk, as she felt the chains wither into ashes, she had energy still, her wings which were stained now flew open, she rated a sense of freedom before gliding up and beyond to the place she rightfully belonged.
Natsume who was squandering aways his time in another apart of hell jerked up in surprise when he saw something up in the skies.
Fuck.
He opened his black wings but stopped, he narrowed his crimson eyes, had he wanted he could've easily chained her down again but he didn't want to which surprised even Natsume at that.
Mikan flapped her wings and they took her past the human realm into the Angel realm.
She fell down at the gates of Heaven and was immediately taken in by the guarding Angels. Archangel Raphael was furious, for the lack of a better term. He had been ordered by Michael not to go after Mikan and sadly he succumbed to it.
She was trialed in the Court of Heavenly orders. Although praised for her fortitude, she was declared impure and was condemned to earth as a fallen Angel which Mikan had already prepared herself for. Mentally.
"You can't possibly blame her for what has happened. This is unjust." Raphael hovered over head of Archangels, Michael.
"It's in God's will, Raphael." Michael said in a way which indicated he wasn't happy with the decree either.
Mikan smiled at the Angel in front of her in a brighter light than the heavens had seen, she has accepted her fate, but parting with her teacher was something she couldn't bring herself to.
"There must be something you could do." Raphael protested.
Michael blinked. He furrowed his brows. Perhaps he could. He stood rigidly and looked down at Mikan who had been kneeling before him.
"Fallen Angel, Mikan Sakura." He called out her out and Mikan grew stiff. "Even though you have been committed a sin on and have been casted away from rays of Heaven. You will still retain your powers of healing, do you swear to never misuse?"
Mikan blinked as a rush of happiness filled her. That was an extremely generous gift bestowed to her. "I swear."
Her last few moments were spent with Raphael, they were cherished the most. Her wings began turning a shade of grey indicating she had to leave though Raphael had seemed in reluctance to let her go, he didn't have a choice.
And Mikan fell from the skies, a fall she ought to remember, the process was painful but her body remained strong even when she collided with the earth.
They would know her story.
How she was made to fall from her grace.
How treacherously she was committed a sin upon.
But above all she will be remembered for her unshaken resolve till the end.
Though for a strange reason, even when no one was watching her Mikan always felt a pair of eyes observing her.
A pair of tantalizing crimson eyes.
Yeah, so well, that happened.
Don't ask how. It just did.
Bleh, I just feel weird after writing it.