Notes: I am very proud of this update, I must say. The writer is Shaka, so it was quite difficult to begin, as Shaka doesn't usually show his emotions, and no one's really sure what he's thinking. Also, I had to make him speak really formally and with alot of dignity, and it was just hard to write. But I did it, and it actually turned out well. So, please enjoy.

Thanks to Keiya, Phoenix-san, LegendarySuperNamek, DeathIsVirtue, and Nao-san for commenting. You guys are the best reviewers ever! Also, thanks to all of you who read and commented Bitter Remedy.

Again, if you're interested in translations and original poetry by me, go check out my blog...it's my homepage in my fanfiction profile.

Names

It has always amused me in a way that his real name is Angelo. Angelo is such a lovely name—angel in Italian, I believe. What irony that the name of angel was bequeathed to the demon of Sanctuary. I see why he changed his name to Deathmask, and why he hates his real name so much.

And yet, sometimes I wonder. Names are not given lightly. Perhaps he fit the name Angelo once. From the vaguest corners of my memory, I can still recall Angelo as he was when I first arrived at Sanctuary. He was already named Deathmask then, I'm not sure why. I say that because I once saw the angel in him. One morning, I was walking to the Aries temple with my eyes closed to practice as my master instructed. I had less experience with it than now, and did not sense the stairwell before me. As I stumbled, I felt someone grab my arm and stop me from falling. When I opened my eyes, I saw Deathmask standing beside me with a light smile on his face and holding me up.

"Angelo, what's taking you so—?" Aphrodite shouted as he peeked around the edge of a pillar of the Cancer temple. Upon seeing me, the Pisces Saint smiled a little and interrupted himself. "Oh. Good morning, Shaka." He turned to Deathmask and added in a teasing tone of voice, "I didn't expect that from you." And then promptly began to laugh as Deathmask glared at him.

"Thank you," I said, and both of them smiled once more as I continued on my way. I cannot say what changed him from the angel to the demon. But although he is a despicable, murderous Deathmask now, I remember that he was once an Angelo.

Please leave a comment if you liked it! As much as I adore my present reviewers, it is also nice to have new people review. Thanks!!

Hugs, AE