Disclaimer: Neither Gundam Wing nor Sailor Moon belongs to me. And please don't take me too seriously in this fic. I am a Christian and am only writing this for the sake of angst. -- So please don't take this plot too seriously. Satan is evil, okay? --
And please tell me if you think I should up the rating. O.o;
Chapter 2: A Lady in Silver
Kiwi-chan
1/23/05
I know of many references to Christianity in classical fiction, abstruse or otherwise. And yet, despite the current Western hegemony, I'd hardly ever considered the religion, hardly ever believed it to be anything beyond disillusionment, anything beyond the animistic faiths of primitive peoples.
Relena had believed in everything of the Christian faith. She had attended church religiously, followed that straight, narrow path in every aspect of her life except when it came to me. For me, she would have murdered God.
I had reassured her always that there was no hope for me. That I was agnostic at best and atheistic at worst. But she clung to me with so much hope in my salvation. She had believed in my goodness when everybody else was looking to her for goodness.
We were in our third hour of rest and already I don't hesitate to state that I preferred the hours of punishment. There was little to nothing to do during the phases of resting aside from walking around while socializing with fellow sinners and listening to each other's life stories.
"The others aren't here," Quatre had explained after we'd gotten out of the river and cleaned up to the best of our abilities. "They still live."
Several heads turned as if struck by that one-syllable word – live. As if struck for the first time by the simple beauty of it, by the gentle caress of it over an innocent tongue.
As we were led to the river again, a shiver of whispering passed through the line of sinners this time prodded along by the centaurs.
She was coming. An inspection, a moment to see the newcomers that had fallen since the last Judgment Day.
And as we stood and waited in our bath of blood, we were each left to our own thoughts again as everybody fell silent and minds turned sluggish.
But I couldn't stop thinking. Relena still lives! Relena whom the angels had kissed, Relena whom Satan feared … Relena who had told me in blatantly accusing words, in a heartbroken tone that spoke of one who had loved and lost--
Thou wast not bold! Thou wast not true! 1
The Black Man cometh and he will carry a Black Book to offer to you, you who will then forsake your faith and sign your name in blood.
That phrase floated around all through the six hours of punishment and the following six hours of rest. Hardly any of the newcomers knew who or what Satan was exactly and even fewer mingled enough with past sinners to learn it for the new and old were too heavily divided by the curtain of hope.
But Satan was not a man, I wanted to gloat. You might all think yourselves high and mighty now, each with more morals than the next, believing that somewhere in Hell you can find redemption. You might think He will forgive you if you abhor Satan strongly enough, cruelly enough. But Satan was not the Black Man of Hawthorne's or even that of Miller's age. Satan was a silvery princess and with one look at her, you will shiver and wither from sorrow.
You will love her with all your heart because she is you. Because she has suffered just as you suffer now but for so much longer.
"You will forgive me if I don't believe you, Hiiro?"
I looked up at Quatre with a start and must've looked puzzled for he continued in explanation.
"You'd just whispered that Satan was in fact a silver lady." He looked grim and bowed his head, bright blue eyes and golden hair out of place in so gloomy an atmosphere. "I'm afraid you're sadly mistaken."
I glanced once at Trowa who lifted one shoulder and let it fall, indicating that he was just as much an atheist as I.
"But I saw her."
Quatre's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. Two passerby overheard and paused to listen.
"She was an angel. Beautiful still but very tired."
People started to form a circle around our triumvirate.
"Satan is tricky, Hiiro. You can't underestimate him – her—" Quatre paused to frown and finally corrected himself a second time, "it."
I glared at the crowd of eyes and maintained, "I know what I saw – a dream in the middle of a nightmare."
Trowa sighed but didn't look up. "Even if that were true, one dream isn't enough to erase all our nightmares."
Like Christ who'd walked on water, Satan walked on blood.
She had appeared just half an hour into our third? fourth? – one loses count after a while – phase of penance and I hadn't been able to resist a glance at Quatre's startled expression.
When she'd first entered the cavern, Minako had jumped up and ran to her, throwing her arms around the surprised figure in a hug.
"How are the others?"
"Good, good," she'd replied. "Hotaru's sick again though."
Minako nodded but didn't seem disturbed. "There was another petition to Him today…" She lowered her voice so that nobody could overhear and for another half-hour, the two spoke in hushed tones that even my acute hearing couldn't discern.
I took a moment to look around and found everybody's eyes trained on that silver figure as if due to enchantment. Even the seniors among us held a look of wonder on their faces at the sight of her.
When I turned back to her, she was already at the edge of the bank and staring at me.
"A strange one," she told Minako who looked over and cocked her head in a mute question. "His eye does not follow me as it should."
"A counterfeit?"
Satan shook her golden head. "No, just strange." She strode gracefully over the scarlet water until she was right in front of me. With my chin hardly above the torrents, I noted the immaterial fabric of her trailing dress and the strands of golden hair that pooled at her feet.
She knelt and spoke clearly enough for all to hear. "What is thy name, sir?"
I tilted my head back but she shook her head and quickly admonished, "Ah, no, you mustn't do that," catching the centaur's arrow before it struck and dropping it into the river.
"Hiiro Yui," I spat out quickly but couldn't avoid a small wave of crimson that left a metallic taste in my mouth. I fought down the urge to retch and met her pitying eyes, a bit startled that she still had the ability to pity others. She took a corner of her dress and wiped the blood off my face almost tenderly before standing up and speaking with cold civility again.
"Hiiro Yui, end thy yearning for Relena Peacecraft. She will join you soon enough."
And she moved on, stopping here and there, offering help, accepting comments like a Clara Barton in a field of dying soldiers.
Minako stood watching with tears in her eyes as many that Satan spoke to broke down sobbing and welcomed her as a confidante and savior. It was as if the black veil of despair had been cut away by this silver enchantress to reveal tear-streaked cheeks that spoke truthfully. It was as if many finally realized that they were in Hell and there wasn't going to be another chance.
"I'm off to the next Circle," she whispered to Minako who nodded and wiped her eyes before following her to escort her out.
There was silence absolute in the chamber. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied Quatre with soundless tears cascading down his face.
"And where is my Allah now?" he mouthed to himself and ignored the arrow that flew at him.
People started avoiding me after that incident. Quatre still hadn't recovered from the idea of Satan's possible goodness and continued to pray daily as if keeping himself above the filth by refusing to severe his connection with Him.
Trowa remained constant, and we talked of many things, reminiscing, remembering the beautiful along with the tragic.
The hours of punishment still continued to sting because that was when regret came most potently – during those six hours of thought and guilt. Quatre told us that the instant we become insensitive to the immorality of that river of blood, we will become unrecognizable and completely black, lost, and sinful. He said he'd renounce Trowa and me if that should ever happen but I reassured him, in stabbing words, that Trowa and I had morals enough to last quite a bit longer.
He apologized but continued his prayers like many others.
Even Minako still prayed, and she'd whispered to me once that Satan did so also.
And slowly I began to see the big picture. Satan and her following of fallen angels all repented deeply and continued to worship Him, it would seem. All I needed now was the original story. What had happened? And why, with so much evident repentance and sorrow, did He, of unfathomable mercy, not forgive?
A very short and religiously-oriented chapter that goes quite a bit more in depth, I hope. I'm sorry again for taking my time in updating. XD Please forgive.
Footnotes:
1. Thou wast not bold! Thou wast not true! – The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel HawthorneReplies:
Kiboo no hikari:
Thank you very much! D I feel like I pulled off first person a bit better in this chapter. It doesn't seem quite as stilted as the previous two. D
Kolinshar Benito:
Thank you, thank you! XD What almightiness? Haha.
Angel Kisses:
I don't know what to say. XD I'm glad it's intriguing. D And, of course, thank you.
NaruKami
Lol thank you much. D
Ashika
Lol, my record is getting better. D Only 2-3 months this time, if I'm not mistaken. And yes, Angel is of the laissez-faire opinion – "do it when you want to!" XD
Hikaru Yume:
Ahh, writer's block. Tell me about it. Lol. Thank you! D
Usagi Asia Maxwell:
Lol you can pick out my mistakes then. D I think I haven't incorporated much of Dante in here yet. So … if anything, it'll confuse you. XD Purgatorio and Paradisio. D Very romantic-esque titles.
Himeno Midori:
Haha! You're the type of reader I live for. XD The I-don't-mind-waiting type. D Thank you!
Heero's Bunny:
Yes, yes, let's keep that in mind. If I'm dead, I can't update. D
Platinum Star:
Aww, don't you hate it when you have something awfully intelligent to say right on the tip of your tongue and you forget it? ;; Lol. Thank you.
Silverwing1:
Thank you!
Usagigreenleaf657:
Thank you much! D
Liz:
Lol, a one-shot? I'd be cruel, perhaps? XD Or maybe I'm cruel because I continue to bombard you guys with horrible writing. ;; But yes. Not that much information on Usagi. Not much for a while. Tidbits at a time, if I can help it. D
Kris-chan:
Haha, thank you!
Kail Ceannai:
It'd've been interesting as a one-shot. O.o; But not as extensive as I'd've liked it to be. D The prologue wasn't well-written enough to stand alone.
Ja Rule:
Yes. O.o; Should I up the rating?
Momocolady
Lol thank you. D
Lasako
Haha, a lonnnng time away. ;D
YokoYuyGal
Oh, goodness, please don't take me too seriously. O.o; Thank you though … I think. --
MoonBunny615:
Yes, yes, much sooner though probably not as soon as I'd've liked it to be. -- Usagi's story will come … slowly. Lol.
Katlin Grace:
Lol, not a very unique way to come to her attention, I suppose? But adequate, adequate. For now. D Thank you much!
Mukyuu Tenshi:
Thank you very much! D
Rambling Naiad:
Lol, thank you! Dante is a lot of hype though. Lol. It definitely borders if not trespasses on dull. XD; Good luck if you ever read it!
Angelight
HAHAHA. A month? How 'bout a year next time?
Liquid Ice
Lol if chapter 2 was a surprise, you must be blown away by how quickly I updated chapter 3! Lol. JK. SAT vocabulary does occasionally come in handy. . Of course, so does the thesaurus. XD And the thinking about the scouts … is interesting. I've considered it before but at that time I was thinking baby steps and didn't want to get too far ahead. XD It makes a lot of sense though, hmm? D And yes, 'He' refers to God. Thank you for your compliments! I'm not worthy. ;;
Gackt Camui:
But it's true! ;; You are amazing. So just admit it and put me out of my misery. XD And yes more explanation later. O.o; Because I'm lazy. And and … yes … more later? O.o; I don't know what to say! I'm very, very flattered, of course. And. Yes. Hrm. Blood. --
blackAURA;sama
LOL. I don't know how to reply to that. XD Relena will come, says Usagi. And … uh … Quatre and quarters. HAHAHA. XD I think I'd much rather have your brain. Thank you! You're very … entertaining. O.o; Lol.