Rated: PG-13
For?: Mild-Language, Sexual References
Status: Complete
Series: Angel Sanctuary
It was dark and cold. A woman stood alone on what appeared to be a cliff, wearing a large hooded cloak in the rain. Her head was tilted down and she stared down at a river, a blood red river. Her skin was rather pale, and her eyes were a bright shade of blue against her blood-red hair. She was silent and her face bore a look of utter disappointment. "A shame.." she whispered without ever moving her lips. Out of her back spread two wings, large and black. Her face remained expressionless. Between two long, skinny fingers, she twirled a single black rose, with two bright green leaves sprouting from the short stem. She turned around quickly to see the face of Astaroth, expressionless. She blinked at him casually, and tilted her head, then whispered. "Astaroth-dono, what brings you here?" her voice was the same but this time she moved her lips. "The Demon Lord-sama wishes to speak with you, Belial." Astaroth's voice was rather shakey, unlike his usual calm yet somewhat psycho tone. "Shh..only he may call me that." She put her fingers against Astaroth's lips slowly then turned to walk off. Astaroth watched her, still expressionless, then looked at what was once the blood red river, which turned back to a crystal blue once Belial had left.
Standing infront of a large throne was Belial, but she was wearing a pinstripped suit, with a large hat, and her face was painted white with two black tear-like shapes under her eyes. She bowed, and whispered softly, yet confidently. "How may I serve you, Lord?" Out of the shadows, a tall man, with black hair of purple tint and a tattoo under his eye, stood. "I need to ask a service of you." His voice was calm, and Belial closed her eyes, still bowed. "Anything, my lord." "Raphael, The Archangel of Wind, and the Great Virtue, has been rumored to be plotting to start a war with us. I need you, my loyal follower, Belial, to exterminate him. We cannot risk out power being shook." Confident as always, Lucifer looked away, waiting for Belial's words. "It would be my honor, my lord." She bowed again and ambled off. Lucifer watched her curiously, then sat back down.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Michael sounded outraged, and his fists were clenched, and infront of him, Raphael with his blonde hair curled between fingers, mumbled. "Mika-chan, calm yourself. It is but a rumor, am I such a fool as to attack on my own? I'd need an army, and you know you'd be my first choice, everyone's favorate Angel of Ass-kicking." Raphael sounded slightly amused. "Really?" Michael's attitude brightened at the idea of a war. "Who would be such a fool as to say that you, of all people, would create a war, Raphael? You'd rather be off..." Uriel's voice was soft, he was sitting on a table near the other two. "Shut up, Uriel." Raphael's tone was playful and he looked at Michael, who looked confused, again. "It's also rumored that the Demon Lord is sending one of his highest to come and exterminate you, Raphael." Uriel sounded slightly worried at the tone of that. Michael got angry again. "No one will hurt Raphael if I have my way, and I ALWAYS have my way!" Michael's eyes narrowed, and Raphael smacked him upside the head. "I'm a big boy now, daddy, I can protect myself and everything." Raphael mocked Michael, then smiled. "Glad to know you care though."
Uriel turned his head, watching Michael. Michael looked angry, and Raphael sad. "Why the hell would this be happening? It's christmas!" Barbiel sounded rather distressed. Raphael put an arm around her and smiled. "Why, so they can ruin our holiday." Michael looked down, still obviously angry. "Mika-chan...calm down would you?" Michael stomped off, no longer able to control his temper. Raphael sighed. "Mika-chan.."
Meanwhile, back in Shoel, Belial was rolling up the sleeves of a black shirt, and she took her hat off. "Hm..shirt and pants v.s. black dress...Asmodeus?" she turned around now, a look of utter annoyance on her face. Asmodeus was standing behind her, and he tilted his head. "Black dress over skin tight black shirt and really short black shorts, boots to mid-thigh." he responded simply. She blinked at this. "Good idea. Now get out of my room before I shread you." Asmodeus grinned and slipped away.
After a few moments Belial slipped out of her room, and blinked again at Astaroth and Asmodeus who were, bickering per say, Asmodeus had Astaroths hair wrapped in his hands and Astaroth was strangling one of Asmodeus' heads. Belial snickered. "Stupid men. I'm going now, if anyone asks where I went..tell them to their house, and to hurry home." she slid off silently after her final announcement.
Somewhere else, beside a tree, Setsuna and Sara were having a picnic, and Sara was watching her brother gobble multiple sandwiches at one time. "You really are rude, Aniki, we're going to have to civilize you." she blinked a few times, and Setsuna, with bread crums on his chin, looked up with an innocent grin, and whispered through a mouthful. "Uncivil? Me? Couldn't be." Sara giggled and swatted playfully at him. "H-huh..? Wha--?" she suddenly stopped and stared at the clouds. "Raphie-kun..?" Setsuna stared at her for a moment before looking at the skies.
Belial crept around several men, busily attending to their duties. She was surprised at how easily she was able to get past them. After all, shouldn't Heaven be more strictly guarded? She stopped to watch how Michael and Raphael bickered in the middle of a room. Quite funny, those two were. She had forgotten the release it gave her, to find amusement. Long since had her games lost their former appeal. Once you've done it all, what is there left to do, afterall? She watched still.
Raphael gave Michael a scowl while the other just glared in response. "Why do you have to be so damned childish!?" Raphael spat. Michael looked away, his eyes flashing with anger. "Why do you have to be such a damned pervert?" it seemed like their arguement was pointless from Belial's perspective but it seemed to have meant quite a bit to the two of them. She blinked, twice, watching them still. Behind them Uriel sat, watching, annoyed. "Would you two grow up? If the rumors I told you of are true, do you realize what great danger you may be in?" he hissed, watching Michael throttle Raphael who was pulling on Michael's red hair.
Belial found this terribly amusing and had to bite the inside of her cheeks to hide her laughter. Best friends strangling each other. How terribly cute. A thought entered her mind. "What could The Black Angel be talking about? Rumors?" she mused, eyeing them intently. To her displeasure, the matter was dropped when Michael blurted out, "THERE IS NO CHANCE OF THE RUMOR BEING TRUE!" in an exceedingly angry tone. She watched him stomp off, breaking random things in his anger. "How funny," she thought, "he acts like Astaroth." She blinked twice, then shook her head. "Only less sadistic."
Meanwhile Setsuna was blinking at his younger sister, who seemed lost in her gaze at the clouds. "Raphie-kun.." she muttered. Flaming red, Setsuna's face twisted into a jealous scowl. "What about him?" he hissed, eyeing Sara jealously. She smiled a bit at her brother's obvious frustration, then frowned deeply. "I'm worried for him.. I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen to Raphie-kun.." she whispered, looking up at the sky. It had only been two weeks after Raphael had woken from his coma, afterall. His strength was nowhere near back to normal. Setsuna blinked a few times. "Eh, I don't think Michael will let anything happen to Raphael," he started but was silenced by a glare shot from Sara. "I want to go and make sure myself!" she hissed, and instantly Setsuna melted. He could never tell her no, and as of late he had quit trying to. He stood up and brushed himself off. It was going to be a long day, and his life was beginning to return to normal.
Belial curled about random things, keeping her exsistance hidden. After all, she was a demon, and if she was spotted, someone would surely try to kill her. Not that she was truly worried, but better to take all the necessary precautions. Slipping around and not being seen was easy, but of course the hard part was to come. How the hell did she plan to kill Raphael without getting killed by Michael? This assignment was going to take a clever and quick-thinking mind. No wonder her lord had chose her to do it. Being clever and sly was her specialty. She was, after all, Mad Hatter.
Setsuna and Sara were talking now, standing under a large tree's long arms. Sara looked terribly frustrated and Setsuna looked embarassed. "Setsuna! Why can't you take me to Heaven?" she growled, eyeing her older brother, knowing her anger was probably upsetting him. She could always get her way when she needed to. Especially with him. "I don't know.. I can't.. I just.." Setsuna looked down, flustered and upset, a look of betrayal in his eyes at his unresponding powers. How come now, of all times, he thought, did his powers have to fail him?
Raphael lay sprawled out on a bed, making faces at the patched roof. Michael was always so violent, and he always ended up destroying something. "Next time," he reminded himself, "break something of Michael's." He sighed softly, turning over. He was alone. Rare as of late, when Barbiel and Michael were stuck to him like white on rice. He couldn't blame them, he had been unconscious for awhile, and worried them terribly. But he was glad for the silence, and the time to privately brood. He thought for a few moments over Uriel's words and found himself looking about his room in paranoia.
Belial, on the other hand, had snuck into Raphael's room with unusual ease. She was leaning on the wall watching him with curiousity. "How cute, he's become paranoid. I wonder what that damned Uriel said to him.." she thought, eyeing him once more. To her surprised, Raphael turned over and saw her, but didn't say anything. She half expected him to call for Michael's aid. He made no gesture of that sort, though his eyes showed confusion. He was surprised to see her.
"Raphael," she whispered, a gently coo to the young man who simply stared blankly at her. "Heh.. I did leave him in quite a state, didn't I?" she thought proudly. The damage she did always amused her. Oddly enough, Raphael sat up rigid, and replied. "Beli--" he started but was quickly corrected, "Mad Hatter," she muttered. Raphael nodded in understanding. "Long time no see..what are you doing here.. does this.. have to do with the rumors Uriel told me of?" he quietly replied, watching her, searching her for an answer. He was terrified. She was amused.
"Perhaps. What were those rumors?" she questioned, not expecting him to reply. But he did, "That Lucifer is out to have me killed," he muttered, somewhat afraid, trying to hide it however. She always made him uncomfortable. Even thinking about her. However, Belial looked struck. "I heard you wanted to kill him!" she replied, startled. Could she have been lied to? The thought began to twist in her mind---what if it wasn't even her lord who ordered her on this mission? She scowled. It was very unlikely that Raphael would lie to her, especially to her face, as she had cleverly taught him to fear her. She was glad she had.
Raphael blinked a few times, startled as well. "I'm no moron, Lucifer would win in a heart beat," he whispered in gentle reply. Belial nodded, "What do you think are the chances that one of the other satans lied to me, and took on geika's form, to trick me into coming here?" she asked sincerely, desiring an answer. She sat on the bed in silence, looking sad. Raphael glared at the floor, "Probably pretty high. From what I've heard, Asmodeus wants to rebel," he replied to her question with genuine innocence. Innocence she had tainted, she remembered as she gazed at him. He was still quite adorable at times. Even now, though his naivity had long since perished under the stains of time. She nodded and stood up.
Startled at her sudden movement, Raphael jumped defensively back. Belial snickered somewhat at his reply, "I'm leaving. I found out what I need to know, and I have a feeling Asmodeus is going to lose one of his many heads soon enough," she cooed, sadistically grinning at the angel. Raphael blinked, twice, then nodded. "Uh..er.. have fun then.. I think.." he started, unsure of how to reply, but when he looked up Belial had exited the room, leaving only a few scattered rose petals and an open window to remind him of her former exsistance. He sighed, relieved.
Belial stomped up behind Asmodeus in a quick fashion, having returned only minutes before doing so. She was sure she'd end up killing him this time as she twined her fingers around one of his necks. Glaring defiantly, he threw her off. "What the hell?" he asked, angry. She glared, "Raphael isn't up to a damned thing," she spat. Asmodeus sniggered, "I know. Geika was testing your loyalty to him, fool," he replied. How very like him! She glared darkly at him and stomped off, making sure to hurl a large rock at Astaroth's head as she passed. She was going to hurt someone if they lied to her again.
Defiantly stomping right up to Lucifer's throne, she glared at him. "Raphael would not lie to me, and he is not up to something!" she hissed, watching her lords amusement. He was mocking her anger, and she was ready to kill. Something had to be done about that mockery, she thought with bitterness. "I suppose I am mocking you too much," he grinned, watching her eyes widen at that. "I'm amused. You were ready to kill your little toy, for me, the only loyal one left. Go do whatever it is you do, Belial," he whispered coldly, with a hint of amusement in his voice, black wings spread lightly around him causing a single feather to fall. Belial caught it tight in her fists. She was sick of being mocked, but in the same token, her lord was the only thing interesting in her life. So with a sly grin, she walked out of the throne room to throttle Asmodeus.
Setsuna and Sara stood under the sakura tree, bitterly arguing amongst themselves, each accusing the other of being ungrateful, until Setsuna grabbed Sara and silenced her with a kiss. Kurai, an upset on-looker, turned away from her spot within a near by tree. Why did she have to love such a moron? She glared darkly. She was always angry nowadays. But rare moments between Setsuna and Sara still made her smile. She, of course, was happy to see him happy, though jealousy always made her bitter. She still smiled, watching the sunset fall over the rocks above, fading the scenes around her into a shadowed image, and she closed her eyes for a moment's serenity in her own heart, as memories of past-times over took her in a flood of emotion..