WARNING: Sorry,
guys. No action in this chapter. (awwww!!) It's hard to juggle plot and
character development with action, at least for a novice like me -_-;;. But you
might find some interesting stuff here...
CHAPTER 3:
Legend
-----------------------
It was raining. Streams trickled down Sayoko's window. Lying on her bed, Sayoko looked out at the cloudy sky.
"Apollo..." She sighed. She stared listlessly at the darkening sky. Sayoko closed her eyes. I wonder if I did the right thing...
~~~~~~~~~~~~EARLIER THAT EVENING~~~~~~~~~~
Dark clouds churned over Piffle Princess. In an alleyway nearby, Sayoko stood over a half full garbage can. She clutched Apollo over the trash with both hands.
"How could you, Apollo?" Sayoko cried, eyes welling up with angry tears. "You didn't have to destroy Suzumu's Angel. You didn't have to humiliate me in front of all those people. Why, Apollo? Do you hate me being your Deus so much?" She squeezed her Angel tighter until her fingernails bore into his skin. His face twisted in pain.
"If that's so then... I HATE YOU TOO!" Sayoko hurled Apollo into the lumpy slime and ran out of the darkened alley, teardrops wafting from her eyes.
. It began to rain. Thunder crackled in the sky, and a sudden torrent burst from the clouds. Inside the garbage can laid Apollo, sprawled over the brown sludge, his face distraught. Rain doused his body, but he would not move.
His Deus had rejected him.
He was alone again.
Two silver drops slid down his cheeks. "Sa.. yo... ko..." his mouth seemingly twitched the word, but no sound came forth. All Apollo could hear was the loud swish of raindrops pelting his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A knock on the door interrupted Sayoko's thoughts. Hoshiru peeked his head inside.
"Hi!" he greeted in English. He ducked back outside, then fully opened the door. He lugged in a heavy package under one arm, and a small box with the other. He heaved the larger package to her desk, then sat down next to the bed.
"How's my World Champion doing today?" he asked cheerfully. Sayoko rolled over. She couldn't bear to see his face, not after what happened. Hoshiru noted her downcast face.
"Ne, Sayoko-chan? What's with the gloomy face?"
Before she could speak, Hoshiru chimed back in. "Hold that thought. I have three things that will definitely cheer you up."
He motioned to the big box on the desk. "That over there is a portable Layer. It's usual expensive in stores, but I pulled a few strings and got it for free. Now you can practice Angelic Layer here or at a friend's house. Sugoi, ne?"
"Arigatou, papa ... demo..."
Hoshiru shoved the smaller box into Sayoko's hands. "And here's another surprise. Open it."
Sayoko remained hesitant, but opened the box anyway. Inside were neatly folded bundles of clothes, about 20 outfits in all. Underneath, shoes, socks, jackets, and undergarments were packed in a smaller compartment. All the belongings had a small "A" elegantly sewed onto them. Sayoko stared blankly at the Angelic wardrobe. There were no skirts or jewelry, nothing exclusively female.
How did he know my Angel was a boy? she thought to herself. And that his name started with an A?
Hoshiru fished in his back pocket. "Like them? They're all custom made for your Angel. His weapons are at the side. You'll need them in the National Tournament. Speaking of which," he took out a small card. "This is surprise number 3."
Sayoko clapped the cover back on the box and shoved it to her father. She couldn't take it any more. All these new gifts, the pride in Hoshiru's eyes ... it made the guilt even worse.
"I can't accept these," Sayoko replied, her voice was pleading. "I don't deserve them."
Hoshiru laughed lightly. He ruffled her hair with a smile. "Humble as usual. You don't need to belittle yourself, ChibiSayo-chan. You may not need them now, but when you win the Nationals, you'll see how much this stuff can come in handy."
She slapped his hand away. Anger and guilt that were building up finally exploded.
"Dammit, papa! I don't want this stuff! I don't want to win the Nationals or be World Champion. I don't even want to be a Deus!" Sayoko snapped, the rage in her voice could not be contained. "I hate Angelic Layer! I HATE IT! And I hate that demonic Angel you gave me. He's a monster! I hate it all!" She whirled around and cried hysterically in the pillows.
Flash of thunder. Lightning roared outside. As the fierce winds howled in the distance, Sayoko's father patted her head gently.
"You threw him away, didn't you?" he asked solemnly. Sayoko nodded.
"He went out of control and annihilated your opponent, ne?"
She nodded again.
Hoshiru took off his glasses and sighed deeply at the ceiling. So, it's happening again.
Sayoko raised her teary eyes. "Why did you give him to me, Papa? You knew that this was going to happen, didn't you?"
For a long moment, Hoshiru didn't answer. He was in deep contemplation, his eyes firmly set on the wall. At last, he heaved a great sigh and bent over.
"Listen to me, Sayoko-chan," he stated in a clam, grave voice. "You are his Deus now. Only you have the power to change him. But you can do that only if you are willing to understand him."
Sayoko grew more and more confused. "But I told you, I already threw him out."
"He's a very loyal Angel. If he has faith in you as his Deus, he'll come back." The brown-haired man rose to his feet and walked over to the door. He threw a glance over his shoulder. "I didn't want to put such a burden on you. But please understand, you are his only hope."
-------------------------------
Akiko slammed her beverage down. "You dumped him in the trash?!"
Sayoko made a hushing gesture. "Can you keep it down? Someone might hear you."
The two girls were sitting down on a grassy field beside the school. As they ate their lunch, Sayoko openly mulled over Apollo's strange behavior since his creation. She spoke on the bizarre circumstances surrounding his birth, his lifelike facial expressions and movements, and of course his battle with Cathleen. Akiko was sympathetic with her friend's dilemma, but was shocked at her actions.
"You didn't have to throw him away!" the long-haired girl continued, crumbs spilling from her mouth. "I mean, yeah, what he did to Suzumu was scary, but it could have been a glitch. You could have given him to your father and get him fixed."
Sayoko shrugged helplessly. "I know, I know. But he really frightened me yesterday. I couldn't handle it. And now I feel so guilty. Papa got all that stuff for me, but I really let him down."
The pair kept silent. Akiko nibbled on her cooked rice, while Sayoko with a stick drew a caricature of Apollo in a patch of dirt. A sad smile crossed her face.
"It's funny..." Sayoko murmured in the breeze. She hugged her knees to her chest. "I barely had him ... but... I miss him."
"Hmm?"
"I was just remembering the night when I made him. I tucked him beside me when I went bed. I remember staring at his chest as he breathed, and how I could feel his tiny heartbeat when I touched him, and the way his skin felt warm against mine." She hid her blushing cheeks behind her knees. "I really miss him."
Akiko dropped her chopsticks. Her hazel eyes glazed over with confusion. "Em.. Sayoko?"
"Yeah?"
"Angels don't breathe."
Sayoko glimpsed up. "They don't?"
"No." The long-haired girl straightened up and dropped her lunch. "And they don't have heartbeats, either. And unless they're in a battle, their skin isn't supposed to be warm."
The brown-haired girl readjusted her glasses. She was clearly puzzled. "But, how can Apollo..?"
Akiko stared out into the distance. Her mind was alive with ideas. "If what you're telling me is true, then you have an angel that can move and think on its own, and displays all the functions and emotions a human has. I've heard of an Angel like that, but I can't remember its name."
Sayoko gave a nervous laugh. "I never said that. All I said was that his face changed sometimes, and that it LOOKED like he breathed. Maybe there just new features on an advanced Angel like him."
Realization hit. Akiko snapped her fingers. "ArchAngels."
"What?"
"ArchAngels." Akiko turned to her. "You've never heard the legend of the ArchAngels?"
Sayoko shook her head. Akiko lifted her head up to the clear sky. "I don't know the whole story. But I'll tell you what I know... Years ago, scientists from the Angelic Layer company wanted to create a more humane Angel. It would be more than a simple toy or doll. This 'Angel' would in fact be an artificial intelligence, a cybernetic lifeform more powerful than any supercomputer. It would be programmed to move and feel just like a human. Of course, no one really knows if this is even possible, so this is all just theory. According to urban legend, this Angel had special capabilities not even heard of at the time, like self-recovery and self-evolution."
Akiko stretched her hands and folded them over her head. "But the most amazing ability it had would be the ability to control over machines. That's what really gives it its power. If this Angel existed, it could easily hack into government files and destroy them. Or take control over advanced weapons and use them to its wishes. Or order satellites to crash to Earth. It might even make all Angels turn on their Deuses. Who knows what this Angel would do?"
Sayoko frowned. Slight fear crept in to her voice. "But if this Special Angel was more humane, then wouldn't it have a conscience? I mean, it wouldn't want to cause people pain, ne?"
Akiko nodded. "Yeah, that maybe true. But the scientists wanted this Angel to be a human as possible. So it might have human flaws, like insanity or greed. Could you imagine that? Having an angel that powerful AND insane? I'd feel sorry for its Deus. His Angel would have the power to destroy mankind in a whim, and there's nothing he could do about it."
Sayoko turned back to her dirt picture of Apollo. Her hands quivered suddenly in fear. Yeah, poor Deus..
Akiko sighed and relaxed on the soft grass. "These Angels are beyond ordinary Angels. They are the highest form of Angels that exist. They are... ArchAngels."
---------------------------
Along the tree-lined avenues, Sayoko treaded slowly. Akiko's words stuck in her head.
ArchAngels... she wondered as she crossed the street. Why would scientists create something so powerful? And if Apollo really is one, why would Papa give him to me?
She wandered aimlessly down long, winding streets, paying no attention to her surroundings, and found herself in the same alley when she threw Apollo. Sayoko peered over the trash can's rim. No sign of him. Only his imprint remained. Sayoko frowned and spun around, pondering.
Well, that's weird.. she thought as she headed home. Why would anyone take an Angel from the garbage?
She didn't notice the small footprints heading from the trash can to her house.
()*()*()
The doors swung open.
"Taidama," Sayoko yelled as she walked in. No one was there. The clock ticked in the unusual silence. Sayoko kicked off her shoes and looked around.
"Oh right. Papa and Michiru are at work. I guess I have to cook dinner tonight." She shrugged off her book bag and headed to her room. But as she reached the staircase, the young girl stopped. Shock froze her face.
At the top step sat a slime covered Apollo. His tattered dress was smudged brown. Half a banana peel stuck to his head, and his filthy stench lingered in the air. But to Sayoko, he was the most beautiful thing imaginable. With overjoyed tears, she leapt up the stairs and swept her Angel off his feet.
"Apollo! You came back!" she laughed through her tears. She smothered his stained face with kisses, and held him close to her heart.
Did Papa do this? She questioned, looking down at him. Apollo's face shifted. relief and joy shined through his features. His warm smile calmed her down, but also brought up a puzzling question.
Apollo... Sayoko crossed over to the bathroom and washed the Angel clean. As she toweled him dry, wiping all the grit and slush off his body, the question lingered in her mind. :: I wonder, are you really one of those legendary ArchAngels?"
()*()*()
Daemon and Raven watched the joyful reunion from a neighboring roof.
"It brings a tear to your eye," Daemon joked with a sarcastic grin. "If I watch anymore, I may need tissue."
Rage twisted Raven's face. It sickened her. The way that naive girl showed affection to that THING.. disgusting. Raven grappled her prosthetic arm in fury. "That bastard," she hissed.
Daemon glanced down at her. "Push your emotions aside. You can't let a personal grudge get in the way of our mission."
Raven shot him a death glare. "This goes far beyond a personal grudge. That girl ... caring so much for that demon ... doesn't she know she's holding her mother's killer is her hands?" The black-haired spy stood up, anger rattling her slender frame.
"I promised him on his grave.. I will kill the beast that destroyed our lives... I will not rest, Daemon.." She clutched her fist hard, blood trickling from her fingers. "I will not rest, until that murderer and his creators are dead."
Legend
-----------------------
It was raining. Streams trickled down Sayoko's window. Lying on her bed, Sayoko looked out at the cloudy sky.
"Apollo..." She sighed. She stared listlessly at the darkening sky. Sayoko closed her eyes. I wonder if I did the right thing...
Dark clouds churned over Piffle Princess. In an alleyway nearby, Sayoko stood over a half full garbage can. She clutched Apollo over the trash with both hands.
"How could you, Apollo?" Sayoko cried, eyes welling up with angry tears. "You didn't have to destroy Suzumu's Angel. You didn't have to humiliate me in front of all those people. Why, Apollo? Do you hate me being your Deus so much?" She squeezed her Angel tighter until her fingernails bore into his skin. His face twisted in pain.
"If that's so then... I HATE YOU TOO!" Sayoko hurled Apollo into the lumpy slime and ran out of the darkened alley, teardrops wafting from her eyes.
. It began to rain. Thunder crackled in the sky, and a sudden torrent burst from the clouds. Inside the garbage can laid Apollo, sprawled over the brown sludge, his face distraught. Rain doused his body, but he would not move.
His Deus had rejected him.
He was alone again.
Two silver drops slid down his cheeks. "Sa.. yo... ko..." his mouth seemingly twitched the word, but no sound came forth. All Apollo could hear was the loud swish of raindrops pelting his face.
A knock on the door interrupted Sayoko's thoughts. Hoshiru peeked his head inside.
"Hi!" he greeted in English. He ducked back outside, then fully opened the door. He lugged in a heavy package under one arm, and a small box with the other. He heaved the larger package to her desk, then sat down next to the bed.
"How's my World Champion doing today?" he asked cheerfully. Sayoko rolled over. She couldn't bear to see his face, not after what happened. Hoshiru noted her downcast face.
"Ne, Sayoko-chan? What's with the gloomy face?"
Before she could speak, Hoshiru chimed back in. "Hold that thought. I have three things that will definitely cheer you up."
He motioned to the big box on the desk. "That over there is a portable Layer. It's usual expensive in stores, but I pulled a few strings and got it for free. Now you can practice Angelic Layer here or at a friend's house. Sugoi, ne?"
"Arigatou, papa ... demo..."
Hoshiru shoved the smaller box into Sayoko's hands. "And here's another surprise. Open it."
Sayoko remained hesitant, but opened the box anyway. Inside were neatly folded bundles of clothes, about 20 outfits in all. Underneath, shoes, socks, jackets, and undergarments were packed in a smaller compartment. All the belongings had a small "A" elegantly sewed onto them. Sayoko stared blankly at the Angelic wardrobe. There were no skirts or jewelry, nothing exclusively female.
How did he know my Angel was a boy? she thought to herself. And that his name started with an A?
Hoshiru fished in his back pocket. "Like them? They're all custom made for your Angel. His weapons are at the side. You'll need them in the National Tournament. Speaking of which," he took out a small card. "This is surprise number 3."
Sayoko clapped the cover back on the box and shoved it to her father. She couldn't take it any more. All these new gifts, the pride in Hoshiru's eyes ... it made the guilt even worse.
"I can't accept these," Sayoko replied, her voice was pleading. "I don't deserve them."
Hoshiru laughed lightly. He ruffled her hair with a smile. "Humble as usual. You don't need to belittle yourself, ChibiSayo-chan. You may not need them now, but when you win the Nationals, you'll see how much this stuff can come in handy."
She slapped his hand away. Anger and guilt that were building up finally exploded.
"Dammit, papa! I don't want this stuff! I don't want to win the Nationals or be World Champion. I don't even want to be a Deus!" Sayoko snapped, the rage in her voice could not be contained. "I hate Angelic Layer! I HATE IT! And I hate that demonic Angel you gave me. He's a monster! I hate it all!" She whirled around and cried hysterically in the pillows.
Flash of thunder. Lightning roared outside. As the fierce winds howled in the distance, Sayoko's father patted her head gently.
"You threw him away, didn't you?" he asked solemnly. Sayoko nodded.
"He went out of control and annihilated your opponent, ne?"
She nodded again.
Hoshiru took off his glasses and sighed deeply at the ceiling. So, it's happening again.
Sayoko raised her teary eyes. "Why did you give him to me, Papa? You knew that this was going to happen, didn't you?"
For a long moment, Hoshiru didn't answer. He was in deep contemplation, his eyes firmly set on the wall. At last, he heaved a great sigh and bent over.
"Listen to me, Sayoko-chan," he stated in a clam, grave voice. "You are his Deus now. Only you have the power to change him. But you can do that only if you are willing to understand him."
Sayoko grew more and more confused. "But I told you, I already threw him out."
"He's a very loyal Angel. If he has faith in you as his Deus, he'll come back." The brown-haired man rose to his feet and walked over to the door. He threw a glance over his shoulder. "I didn't want to put such a burden on you. But please understand, you are his only hope."
-------------------------------
Akiko slammed her beverage down. "You dumped him in the trash?!"
Sayoko made a hushing gesture. "Can you keep it down? Someone might hear you."
The two girls were sitting down on a grassy field beside the school. As they ate their lunch, Sayoko openly mulled over Apollo's strange behavior since his creation. She spoke on the bizarre circumstances surrounding his birth, his lifelike facial expressions and movements, and of course his battle with Cathleen. Akiko was sympathetic with her friend's dilemma, but was shocked at her actions.
"You didn't have to throw him away!" the long-haired girl continued, crumbs spilling from her mouth. "I mean, yeah, what he did to Suzumu was scary, but it could have been a glitch. You could have given him to your father and get him fixed."
Sayoko shrugged helplessly. "I know, I know. But he really frightened me yesterday. I couldn't handle it. And now I feel so guilty. Papa got all that stuff for me, but I really let him down."
The pair kept silent. Akiko nibbled on her cooked rice, while Sayoko with a stick drew a caricature of Apollo in a patch of dirt. A sad smile crossed her face.
"It's funny..." Sayoko murmured in the breeze. She hugged her knees to her chest. "I barely had him ... but... I miss him."
"Hmm?"
"I was just remembering the night when I made him. I tucked him beside me when I went bed. I remember staring at his chest as he breathed, and how I could feel his tiny heartbeat when I touched him, and the way his skin felt warm against mine." She hid her blushing cheeks behind her knees. "I really miss him."
Akiko dropped her chopsticks. Her hazel eyes glazed over with confusion. "Em.. Sayoko?"
"Yeah?"
"Angels don't breathe."
Sayoko glimpsed up. "They don't?"
"No." The long-haired girl straightened up and dropped her lunch. "And they don't have heartbeats, either. And unless they're in a battle, their skin isn't supposed to be warm."
The brown-haired girl readjusted her glasses. She was clearly puzzled. "But, how can Apollo..?"
Akiko stared out into the distance. Her mind was alive with ideas. "If what you're telling me is true, then you have an angel that can move and think on its own, and displays all the functions and emotions a human has. I've heard of an Angel like that, but I can't remember its name."
Sayoko gave a nervous laugh. "I never said that. All I said was that his face changed sometimes, and that it LOOKED like he breathed. Maybe there just new features on an advanced Angel like him."
Realization hit. Akiko snapped her fingers. "ArchAngels."
"What?"
"ArchAngels." Akiko turned to her. "You've never heard the legend of the ArchAngels?"
Sayoko shook her head. Akiko lifted her head up to the clear sky. "I don't know the whole story. But I'll tell you what I know... Years ago, scientists from the Angelic Layer company wanted to create a more humane Angel. It would be more than a simple toy or doll. This 'Angel' would in fact be an artificial intelligence, a cybernetic lifeform more powerful than any supercomputer. It would be programmed to move and feel just like a human. Of course, no one really knows if this is even possible, so this is all just theory. According to urban legend, this Angel had special capabilities not even heard of at the time, like self-recovery and self-evolution."
Akiko stretched her hands and folded them over her head. "But the most amazing ability it had would be the ability to control over machines. That's what really gives it its power. If this Angel existed, it could easily hack into government files and destroy them. Or take control over advanced weapons and use them to its wishes. Or order satellites to crash to Earth. It might even make all Angels turn on their Deuses. Who knows what this Angel would do?"
Sayoko frowned. Slight fear crept in to her voice. "But if this Special Angel was more humane, then wouldn't it have a conscience? I mean, it wouldn't want to cause people pain, ne?"
Akiko nodded. "Yeah, that maybe true. But the scientists wanted this Angel to be a human as possible. So it might have human flaws, like insanity or greed. Could you imagine that? Having an angel that powerful AND insane? I'd feel sorry for its Deus. His Angel would have the power to destroy mankind in a whim, and there's nothing he could do about it."
Sayoko turned back to her dirt picture of Apollo. Her hands quivered suddenly in fear. Yeah, poor Deus..
Akiko sighed and relaxed on the soft grass. "These Angels are beyond ordinary Angels. They are the highest form of Angels that exist. They are... ArchAngels."
---------------------------
Along the tree-lined avenues, Sayoko treaded slowly. Akiko's words stuck in her head.
ArchAngels... she wondered as she crossed the street. Why would scientists create something so powerful? And if Apollo really is one, why would Papa give him to me?
She wandered aimlessly down long, winding streets, paying no attention to her surroundings, and found herself in the same alley when she threw Apollo. Sayoko peered over the trash can's rim. No sign of him. Only his imprint remained. Sayoko frowned and spun around, pondering.
Well, that's weird.. she thought as she headed home. Why would anyone take an Angel from the garbage?
She didn't notice the small footprints heading from the trash can to her house.
()*()*()
The doors swung open.
"Taidama," Sayoko yelled as she walked in. No one was there. The clock ticked in the unusual silence. Sayoko kicked off her shoes and looked around.
"Oh right. Papa and Michiru are at work. I guess I have to cook dinner tonight." She shrugged off her book bag and headed to her room. But as she reached the staircase, the young girl stopped. Shock froze her face.
At the top step sat a slime covered Apollo. His tattered dress was smudged brown. Half a banana peel stuck to his head, and his filthy stench lingered in the air. But to Sayoko, he was the most beautiful thing imaginable. With overjoyed tears, she leapt up the stairs and swept her Angel off his feet.
"Apollo! You came back!" she laughed through her tears. She smothered his stained face with kisses, and held him close to her heart.
Did Papa do this? She questioned, looking down at him. Apollo's face shifted. relief and joy shined through his features. His warm smile calmed her down, but also brought up a puzzling question.
Apollo... Sayoko crossed over to the bathroom and washed the Angel clean. As she toweled him dry, wiping all the grit and slush off his body, the question lingered in her mind. :: I wonder, are you really one of those legendary ArchAngels?"
()*()*()
Daemon and Raven watched the joyful reunion from a neighboring roof.
"It brings a tear to your eye," Daemon joked with a sarcastic grin. "If I watch anymore, I may need tissue."
Rage twisted Raven's face. It sickened her. The way that naive girl showed affection to that THING.. disgusting. Raven grappled her prosthetic arm in fury. "That bastard," she hissed.
Daemon glanced down at her. "Push your emotions aside. You can't let a personal grudge get in the way of our mission."
Raven shot him a death glare. "This goes far beyond a personal grudge. That girl ... caring so much for that demon ... doesn't she know she's holding her mother's killer is her hands?" The black-haired spy stood up, anger rattling her slender frame.
"I promised him on his grave.. I will kill the beast that destroyed our lives... I will not rest, Daemon.." She clutched her fist hard, blood trickling from her fingers. "I will not rest, until that murderer and his creators are dead."