You know, Michael wasn't one to curse. In fact, he often prided himself to being above swearing. This however, was going to be the rare time where cursing was something he viewed as a proper reaction to the situation.
For once, it seemed like Micheal's plan worked too well for his own liking. While the purification had been a complete success in giving Vox(or rather Vincent as he called himself) a heavenly form...it seemed all of Vincent's memories had vanished alongside the demonic shell he once inhabited, leaving Vincent a blank slate.
Still, he wanted to check if anything else was lost…
"Vincent?"
The former sinner stared at him curiously, as if still questioning whether that was truly his name. He slowly said,"Yes?"
"Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"
Vincent shook his head,"I'm sorry...err.." He stumbled, not able to remember the angel's name.
"Micheal."
He rubbed the back of his head,"Micheal. I'm sorry but I really don't remember anything…At least, not at the moment…."
Michael bit his lip nervously,'Great. He can't remember anything, can he? Guess I really did purify his soul if the side effects are this strong. Hopefully the damage didn't spread to the rest of his head...Though I should probably check…'
He then asked,"Vincent, outside of the loss of your memory, do any of your other faculties seem to be in order? Are you able to think clearly?"
"I think so?" Vincent admitted,"I don't have much of a reference to go off of but I feel fine at the moment, just a bit light-headed that's all…"
'Probably a side effect of the purification…' Micheal thought, dismissing his statement. Still, he wanted to see if Vincent was able to function, as his memory being wiped did pose an issue that Micheal would have to find a way to fix.'Better see how bad the damage truly is…Though I can't do it outside the gate…'
"Vincent?"
"Yeah?"
"Follow me inside…" Micheal motioned for the reformed sinner to follow him, Vincent obediently going after him. He then opened the gate and let them inside, allowing them access into Heaven.
Micheal and Vincent entered Heaven, Vincent's eyes widening when he saw what was inside. Heaven was a large white metropolis sitting atop clouds, goldish and silver hues visible from every which way. The pathway was paved and there were cherubs in the background dancing with other inhabitants of heaven, all of whom were from different time periods judging by their clothes. They all had halos and wings like Vincent did, marking them as saved souls.
Vincent's jaw dropped,"Woah….What is this place?"
"This is Heaven…" Micheal said,"This is where you'll be staying from now on. Is it paradise now?"
"Yeah…" Vincent heaved, his eyes unable to focus on one singular thing. A few cherubs zipped by him, gently nuzzling him, causing him to flinch,"Woah..They're rather affectionate…"
Micheal chuckled,"Cherubs have an adoring nature. It's simply the way they are. Though they must seem to like you more than usual, Vincent…"
"I guess so…"
Eventually the cherubs flew off, leaving the two men to explore the city. Just about everything in heaven was lively as other souls were walking around. It was pretty much a paradise to the highest order as most seemed to be going about their day happy as a clam.
One of them shouted,"Hey King Michael! Haven't seen you around!"
Vincent blinked,"Wait, you're a king?"
"Well..technically yes…" Micheal mumbled,"My Father left me to attend to Heaven years ago. While he's technically the true ruler, I've been filling in for him for so long that everyone just assumes I'm the King when they see me."
"Does your Father ever come down here?"
"No. Not really. He hasn't physically shown himself in he communicates with us he usually just sends messages instead of directly talking face to face."
"Why?"
"He prefers to remain unseen, especially since he believes I have everything under control over here."
"Well do you?"
"Well up until you came along I did…"
"Was it something I did?"
"No, it was my fault. I made you like this and now I have to try and find a way to fix it. Though I need to be sure the damage hasn't affected the rest of you. Though I'd rather do it somewhere without wandering eyes…"
"Oh ok…"
Eventually Micheal located a quiet place for them to sit, stationing them at a local park. The pathway was painted gold and the trees had white leaves and brown bark. The bushes were green with blue roses on them, something that caused Vox to pick on.
Surprisingly, it seemed to bloom even more when he touched it, sporting larger and luxurious petals from his fingertips.
"Does everything just come to life up here?"
"Just the way Heaven operates…" Micheal said as he summoned a golden flower,"Everything is far more lively up here."
Vincent then sat down on a nearby bench before asking,"More lively than what?"
"Hell…Do you know what that place is?"
"Am I supposed to?" He asked.
"You don't remember that either, huh? Micheal tensed, wondering how much worse it could get from here.
"Was it something I said? You look upset…"
"It's nothing, just listen to me. I'll explain everything,"He sighed, trying to maintain his composure,"Hell is a place of suffering where people who are not worthy of Heaven's gates go. Often these people are incredibly flawed at best to downright depraved at worst. You...or rather Vox used to be one of those people until this incident occurred…"
Vincent flinched,"Are you saying that I was...evil?"
"Well Vox was…" Micheal admitted,"He was far from the nicest individual in Hell. There were many worse than him, but he wasn't exactly someone you'd want to be around for long periods of time. Though I'm not certain if you two are even the same person anymore."
"What do you mean? I thought you said we were the same person…."
"I thought that it at first, but the longer I'm with you, I fear perhaps I did more than just wipe your memories. By placing Vox's soul in a heavenly vessel, the side effects must've warped your mind as well. You still behave similar to Vox, but you don't possess the knowledge that he had. All the life experience and memories seemed to have vanished along with the Demonic Husk his soul once inhabited."
"Why do you think that is?"
"If I had to guess, the purification was so effective that it either erased or suppressed the memories that Vox obtained over the years. While I'm not certain if they are gone forever, it is unlikely you'll ever be able to retrieve them on your own. Maybe you'll have tiny snippets of the life Vox once lived, but without proper help it's unlikely you'll be able to regain access to your memories…"
"That's...probably a good thing," Vincent mumbled, causing Micheal to stare at him in awe.
"What? You believe it's a good thing?"
"I don't want the memories of an awful person constantly swarming my mind," Vincent said,"Despite originating from his soul, Vox and I are hardly the same person at this point. You said it yourself, you placed his soul into a holy vessel and the result of all the evil being purged was me, a completely new being with no recollection of Vox's time in Hell. Are we really the same person anymore? Because while I have only existed for less than a day, I do like being Vincent over Vox."
"Why?"
"Because it's the first thing you called me...I don't know where you got it from, but I do prefer it."
"Well it was Vox's human name, it's just that he hadn't used it since he fell down in that pit."
"I still prefer it. Vincent has a better ring to it than Vox anyhow. I may be a fish out of water but I won't let that stop me from functioning as a person. I do not need someone else's memories to live and I'll form my own life. Vox and I may have once been the same person but that is not the case anymore. We're completely different people and I have no desire to fill in the role of someone just because we once shared the same vessel."
Micheal's expression became weary, worry growing in his eyes,"But Vincent, don't you care about the people Vox left behind? Wouldn't you want to meet them?"
Vincent raised an eyebrow,"What about those people? I don't know them and I've never had any experiences with them. The ties Vox made have nothing to do with me so I don't get why I'd have the obligation to pursue them, especially since they're in Hell and I'm in Heaven. And no offense, but I'd rather not spend my time in a place like that. From what you described it as, Hell doesn't sound all too pleasant and I value my safety enough to stay away…"
"Oh I see…" Micheal muttered, averting his gaze."Are you certain? Vox left a lot of people behind and it would be unwise to not give them some sort of proper closure."
"Are you suggesting I go down in Hell and confront them myself? Because we both know that's not happening. No thanks. This place is far safer than Hell and I'd rather not leave to a worse area. Speaking of which...where should I go from here?"
"I need to keep an eye on you so you should come with me. Don't worry, I have a palace that would be able to suit your needs as you see fit. While souls up here do not require food as they did while they were alive, I'm certain getting you to adjust by doing 'normal' things would at least be a step in the right direction…"
"So how are we going to get there? By foot?"
"Of course not. Why walk when you can teleport?" Micheal then transported himself and Vincent out of the area, putting them right in front of the palace. Micheal's palace was large, even by Heaven's narrowed his eyes, finding something familiar about the place. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't exactly put his finger on it.
"Are you amazed at the build?"
"Errr...sort of. It just feels that I've seen it before. Or at least, seen something similar to it in design…"
"Old memories resurfacing perhaps?" He urged.
"I... I don't really know. I just know it looks familiar but I can't really think of what it resembles specifically."
Micheal sighed before letting Vincent inside the palace before saying,"You'll be staying here for the coming months until I can find a way to fix this. Normally I'd let you run off with the other souls but Father especially told me to keep an eye on you and since things got complicated, I believe keeping you here would be the best decision on my part."
"All day?" Vincent asked wearily.
"I understand your discomfort, however this is more or less for your own safety. I didn't anticipate your memories being lost and until I can find a way to fix things, you staying put would be in both of our best interests. I've been keeping peace and order up here for years and I don't need you causing any blemishes by making the situation worse."
"You're acting like it was my fault that this happened."
"I'm not, I just don't need you running off."
Vincent huffed, folding his arms across his chest,"Even then, what do you suppose I do until you have this 'figured out' exactly?"
"I wouldn't know, I'm not exactly an expert on mortal souls, though I do believe there are things you can do around the palace to entertain yourself. Just go around making any messes while I'm away? I need to tend to things alone and I'd appreciate things to remain intact."
"Fine…" Vincent replied.
The moment Micheal took his leave, Vincent took a deep breath,'Well...looks like it's just me again. I guess I'm stuck here for the time being…' He took a look at the interior before saying,"This place looks pretty amazing, though I'm a bit overwhelmed with everything going on at the moment. I wonder if there's a place I can stay specifically…"
He began looking for a room to stay in, heading upstairs. The hallways were long and truthfully, he felt as if the mansion was never-ending with the way the hallways acted. Eventually, he spotted a door that was slightly ajar and decided to open it
Inside, he saw a bedroom that looked as though it had been untouched for years. While it did fit in the overall aesthetic Heaven had, it was obvious that nobody had been inside it in decades, if not centuries even.
"Huh? What is this place?" The blonde took a closer look at the area. He noticed there were several pictures hanging on the counter. When Vincent examined them, he saw that it was a younger version of Micheal and another person similar to him in appearance standing beside each other with large smiles on their faces. Curious, he looked at the back of the photo and noticed someone had written on it.
On the back it read: Mic and me(Luci).
"Who is Luci?" He asked himself, raising an eyebrow at this. It felt oddly familiar to him...but he decided to dismiss it as he continued digging. Some of the photos had several other angels in them and someone who Vincent didn't recognize at all.
He didn't have much of a face but he did have a large smile and eyes that floated in the air. He towered above everyone around him and when he looked at the back, he saw the names of everyone in the photo.
Family Photo #234: Dad. Me(Luci). Micheal. Gabriel. Ariel. Raphael. Jophiel. Azarel. Chamuel.
"I assume that 'Dad' is the one with the creepy eyes…" Vincent mumbled before putting the photo away.
When he got further into the photos, he noticed how damaged they became. Pieces of glass were messing and faces were as well. It seemed that 'Luci' was tearing up most of the photos, cutting up the parts with the faces of his siblings. Micheal seemed to have his face torn off the most outside of 'Dad' from what he could tell…
"Something tells me they aren't on speaking terms anymore…" He tensed, looking at the last photo that had been almost torn to shreds. He decided he had enough for the day and put them all back in a random drawer, as he knew he wasn't supposed to even be in there.
When he opened the drawer, he noticed there was a golden necklace inside with the words 'Best' written on it. It was formed in the shape of a heart and appeared to be missing a piece.
"Huh? What's this?" Curious, he decided to go and try and ask Micheal what it was and if it was able to be completed. When he managed to locate him, he saw that the angel was walking in circles, hand under his chin as he muttered incomprehensible words in frustration.
"Micheal?"
The angel tensed, clearly not anticipating him. He turned around and quickly became annoyed when he saw Vincent standing behind him,"Vincent, didn't I say for you to leave me alone? What have you come to bother me about now?"
"I just wanted to ask…"
He rolled his eyes,"Can you make it quick? I'm still trying to figure out what to do about this situation…"
"I just wanted to know what this was?" He pulled out the necklace. Micheal stared at it in shock,"H-How did you find tha-"
"I found it in that 'Luci' person's room," Vincent shrugged,"He had buried it in his drawer. I know I wasn't supposed to go in there but I saw that the door was open and I couldn't help myself. If you're gonna lecture me, you can do it now and-"
"Hand it to me."
He blanked,"What?"
"Hand the necklace to me…"
"Why? Is it important?"
"More than you realize. Hand it over…"
He gave Micheal what he asked for, the older male staring at the necklace for the longest time. He then turned around and said,"You may go, Vincent."
Deciding not to question it, Vincent ran off and gave the angel his privacy. Once the coast was clear, Micheal looked back at the incomplete necklace before pulling out something from his sleeve. He pulled out a heart necklace of his own that had the words 'Brothers' on it. He locked them together and read out the phrase.
"Best Brothers…" He chuckled dryly,"At one point that was the case...But not anymore. Oh well, at least Vincent managed to find something for me...Normally I'd be angry but I suppose this is a win of some kind. I thought Lucifer took his piece with him during the fall up until now…"
They hadn't touched Lucifer's room in years, simply because Micheal preferred to leave that chapter of his life behind for the most part. Out of respect, he left it alone, believing that everything inside was likely not worth his time looking through.
He then placed the necklace above his head and sighed,"Now what do with Vincent?"
Truthfully, Micheal wasn't quite certain what to do. The situation was clearly his responsibility, but he didn't know how to handle the situation. Not only did Vincent have little to no memories from Vox's time as a Demon, but he expressed no desire to go after those left behind by Vox's demise.
Hell, it was debatable whether Vincent and Vox were even the same person anymore and Micheal was having a hard time believing they were. Not only did Vincent himself say he and Vox weren't the same being, but Vincent seemed to act like more or less a blank slate in comparison. He had an undeveloped personality and lacked the life knowledge that Vox possessed.
And even ignoring those issues, the reason that Micheal was so stumped on what to do was because it wasn't like he could take Vincent to Hell if he was willing. At least, not right now.
You see, after Lucifer's fall, there was a treaty signed between them to not directly fight each other again.
For instance, Lucifer wasn't allowed to wage war against Heaven and in return, those of heavenly origin would not enter his realm. The only exception granted was during the Extermination which was a month away, where exterminators(all of whom were specifically selected reformed civilians) went down and took care of the population problem.
Meaning the only way for him to go into Hell legally was through acting as an Exterminator.
Though there was just one problem…. Exterminators were only allowed to go in a group of five. He couldn't exactly disguise himself or Vincent as either of them without anyone noticing. Micheal didn't want to attract unwanted attention, so perhaps manipulating the strings would be necessary to do what he wanted…
'I doubt anyone will notice if a few costumes are borrowed…' He thought to himself,'Especially just the day before the Extermination takes place…'
With his plan in mind, the King smiled,"This should work. If I play my cards right, nobody will suspect a thing..."
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Chronosign: Tbf, Micheal basically just did Charlie's job for her. Vox/Vincent basically got redeemed on accident, he just has amnesia and that makes shit worse. Vox legit only asked for a new body and he got more than what he bargained for with Micheal doing what he did. Still, they're gonna need to fix this.
Mitsuru6: Uh yeah, Vox came back...Just not the way everyone hoped for...
Enigmus-288: Hey, cut Mic some slack, neither of them knew the purification process would end like this. Yeah, being reincarnated probably would be preferable but Vox felt he had came too far just to sit back and watch himself fade. Mic was offering him one last shot and he said 'fuck it, what do I have left to lose?' and accepted it without knowing he'd lose his memory.