So many things…beware flying objects from the left side of your monitor. Thank you. Oh yeah, I almost screwed up the laws of the angels with the laws of the people of Carteli…but they're from two different stories XD. I don't own Cyborg 009…no one but the angels, really…
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Riprendere
Chapter Six: Electric Angel
FINAL CHAPTER of Movement One: End of the Beginning-&-&-&-&-
A pair of midnight blue eyes opened. They could see a lot of metal, but not very much else. Their owner stood up and continued to observe the room. In it was a table, a set of drawers, a small closet, and an adjoined bathroom. There was also a floor-to-ceiling mirror on the wall. The person looked into it.
So, she was a girl. She had waist-length midnight blue hair with multiple silver streaks that curled into ringlets at the ends. Someone had dressed her in a pair of dark blue jeans, a black knit sweater, and black socks. As she turned around, she could see that two holes were ripped in the sweater to make room for two pale blue wings to fold outward. As she looked at her hands and flexed them, her bangs fell into her eyes.
"She's awake. Repeat, project Etoile has awakened." Something said in her head. The same thing had told her her name.
My name is Etoile, Etoile thought. But what am I?
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"For the last time, I didn't take your damn piece of cake!" Jet exclaimed, facing the death penalty from Tie otherwise. She had been hell-bent on showing Luke how to fight, and this was the perfect opportunity.
"Give me proof!" Tie demanded. That cake was hers! And plus, she would have shared it. With Luke, of course, not Jet. Maybe if he begged and pleaded, yes.
"Oh, crap. That cake was yours?" Panthos asked, entering at the exact moment Tie began to charge. She stopped instantly to look at him. "Wait, no! I didn't eat it! What I mean is…uh…the toilet ate it! Yeah!"
Seconds later, Panthos was running from Tie, flaming fists and all.
"It was about time someone ate it," Omega commented. "It's been in there for ages. And Pandora, are you sure you're alright?"
Pandora could hardly nod.
"No, you're not. This isn't a cold, or even a bad case of the flu. You have something worse." Omega snapped in reply, as if she knew this were Pandora's answer. "It's magical, I'll bet Panthos' ass on it…hey, ISV! Have you ever seen anything like this before?"
ISV walked over, carrying a bunch of papers with strange drawings and a lot of writing on them. "I've been thinking the same thing. See, these are all the details of the memory Joe and Francoise had." She waved a stack of about ten papers. "And this…" She held up the rest of the drawings and scribbles (or they were, to Omega), "Is what's been happening to Pandora."
"Uh…no offense or anything…but what's this supposed to mean?" Omega asked, turning her head to see if she could understand the pages from a different angle. However, they were still gibberish to her.
"You know how to read it," ISV said.
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"Most of the black, or as I prefer, dark, angels, are named as things. Like Death, Sorrow, Joy, Fear, and things like that." Polaris explained to a group of sad, undereducated cyborgs. Sadie was simply silent as she tapped away on the laptop.
"What's with you?" Jet demanded.
"Trying not to violate canon." Sadie grunted. "Mika's got me under laws. So shut up, and never use any zero-zero numbers higher than thirteen. The police will come after you and might rape you."
Jet just blinked. "Rape? Sure. Just stick to canon."
"I suddenly find myself happy Mika chose to make us angels," Polaris confided in her sister.
"OKAY, BACK TO THE FIC!" Mika's voice shouted out of nowhere. D.S. looked a little shaken.
"From what I've learned from D.S., most of the dark angels are in Lunapolis and the light angels are in Heliopolis, if not trying to break into Heaven. Before you ask, D.S. knows because she is half of each. On normal cases, I would do that, but I have been buried under ice." Polaris said calmly, as if this had never taken place. "Mirllyne, you once knew Death quite well, did you not?"
"Yes, but it was a very, very long time ago." Mirllyne answered. "I see what you want to know. The angels behind the glass can be revived by her touch, but only if major war had broken out. But now…" A new look dawned on her face, one of absolute realization. "There are no laws binding us now. The only problem is getting through the gates."
"They can't be guarded too well," Enx said, "From what I've heard, no one's there to protect Heaven. The angels are all planning revenge on someone or another. It's most likely that they've been pitted against one another."
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"So this is the new Etoile," Tsukasa said, walking around Etoile and examining her. "I want Joanna in here as soon as possible. Get Lusia while you're at it too. I want to know how well they built her. Get one of those horny guy angels."
"Isn't that going a little too far?" Zaffiel asked. "Why would one need to know things like that?"
"I wanted a perfect clone of Etoile," Tsukasa replied, playing with Etoile's hair. "The only thing false about her is that she's robotic. Joanna can spar, Lusia can test her flexibility…and who did you say was coming in? The reason I want to know is because Etoile was a prostitute."
"You called?" A thin girl with a small black braid demanded. She leaned against the doorframe with her light green eyes focused on Zaffiel. Her clothes were only a pair of bicycle shorts and a workout tank top.
"Joanna. This is Etoile. Spar with her and test how well she was modeled." Tsukasa ordered. Joanna flexed her limbs out.
"My name's Jojo, not Joanna." Jojo said, racing into the room and swiping a low blow to Etoile's knees. Instantly, Etoile returned the strike with a higher kick of her own.
As they fought, a girl with light pink hair (obviously dyed) and almond brown eyes came into the room. Tsukasa acknowledged her presence.
"Wait until they're done. I want you to see if she's flexible." Tsukasa snapped.
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"So, you mean to tell us that we're going to Heliopolis? Aren't there light angels there?" Tirzah stated.
"White angels who have committed one of the seven sins, if not more, have rallied under Tsukasa and Chaos' family." D.S. said. She pulled a piece of hair out of the way from her right ear. "See, I've committed the sins of sloth and envy. The emerald represents envy and the amethyst is sloth. You see…there are seven sins you can commit: lust, wrath, gluttony, envy, pride, greed, and sloth. Each time an angel commits one, he or she has her ear pierced with a stone the color of the sin."
"What you're saying now is that angels can be imperfect?" Tirzah asked once more. "But…I thought that angels were the ultimate form of perfection?"
"You heard wrong, and are sadly mistaken." Mirllyne said. "Angels are far from perfect. The closest ones to ever even get near perfection were Prometheus and Pandora, and even at that they were terribly far away. It's a very complicated web. I'll explain it more to you later on in this fic."
And suddenly, out of the complete randomness of this story alone, Mika appeared in her pajamas and her hair up in a towel. "God damn it, I know we're trying to kill the plot bunnies and Sues…BUT WE MUST STICK TO THE STORY! That is all." With that, the crazed teen vanished once more to leave the room, for the second time this chapter.
"If she insists," Sadie said with a deep sigh. "Anyway, I think I've just found something out. But you'll have to ask me later. I have to do something right now."
She clicked her laptop shut. With a smile and a wink, she strode from the room with the laptop and its data tucked under her arm.
"I don't want to know," Kim said. "What gave her that idea?"
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"That's as close as your going to get…as soon as you pierce those ears of hers." Enala praised Tsukasa. Tsukasa cast her gaze to the robot standing next to her, and Etoile smiled in return.
"Which sins?" Tsukasa asked. "Or do you know? I doubt we could get into the hall even if we tried…forget I said that. Lust's little brother; is he still alive?"
"You mean Epsilon?" Enala asked. "Yes, he's still alive. And with our other targets, if this reads the way I think it does. The beginning and end are travelling with him. I hate to say this, but it's like they're inviting us to come in and attack."
"Which sins?" Tsukasa repeated herself.
"Lust, greed, pride…that's ruby, emerald, and aquamarine." Enala answered directly this time. Pointing to Etoile, she said, "Are you going to do it right here? I know that I had mine done in the Forbidden Chamber of Death's Hall…"
"We can't really get in there right now," Tsukasa noted. "They're keeping close guard up until Prometheus and Pandora are either safe or dead. I've been banned because I've been a bad little girl." An evil smile spread across her face. "But with Etoile here, I think we can change things. You do remember my older brother?"
Enala's face contoured into something of surpressed hatred, but she nodded. "My sister was nearly murdered by him. We both have the same scar from it. I'm sure you're familiar with the reason?"
"You're twins," Tsukasa answered, now holding a sharp, thin knife in her hand. "The first pair of twin angels in ten thousand years. And your designations are far away. So, I'm not very surprised. What does shock me…" She punctured the lobe of Etoile's false ear, "Sorry if it hurt. What shocks me is that Fiella isn't a black angel. Romance is a dark thing. It hurts more."
Enala was silent as Tsukasa twisted the ruby post into Etoile's ear. If Etoile could feel it, she would have screamed. But the mechanical doll was as silent as she'd been since she'd woken up. Not a single word had come from her artificially soft lips, only kind gestures of her hands and face. She was absolutely silent. Even when she'd been ruthlessly toyed with, she'd never protested. Etoile was indeed flawless – flawless as something you'd use as a toy that said whatever you wanted it to. The aquamarine and emerald posts went in shortly after. Tsukasa backed up to survey her work.
"Now, Etoile…as your last test…speak." Tsukasa ordered. Etoile looked resolutely at her, eyes set.
"You can start by giving me more sex. Then we'll move on to more piercings. And what shall I do after that?" Etoile mused. Enala shook her head.
"My sister is gonna love you, and so are all the other guys on this base." Enala brooded. Tsukasa, on the other hand, burst into laughter.
"Oh, you're brilliant!" Tsukasa exclaimed. "All I want out of you is your power to restore my brother and to gain access to Heaven. Hard?"
"No, not really. I'll hold up my end as long as you hold up yours. Do we have a deal?" Etoile said, hands moving around her hips. Within seconds, thanks to Enala's link to her, Fiella entered the office.
"My sister doesn't lie!" Fiella exclaimed. "Come with me, Etoile. You don't mind, Miss Tsukasa?"
"No, I don't. Don't break her in, though." Tsukasa said in monotone. "You can all leave now."
"Fiella…they did program her to be a slut…just don't overdo it, okay?" Enala warned her sister, who was already comparing herself to the robot.
"Oh, no…I won't. I'll just show her how the cyborgs like to be flashed." Fiella said, with a wink and a flash. Enala turned and walked the other direction as she heard her sister jump onto a random guard. She felt bad for the poor guy.
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"Hey, Sadie!" Epona called. Sadie turned to face her as she left the bathroom and waved energetically. "I need a huge favor. Could you possibly get more brown hair dye? I need it really, really bad."
Sadie put on a puzzled expression. "You mean…your hair isn't naturally that color? Well, that's nice, isn't it? Next thing you know, you're gonna tell me you're…" She cut herself off at the startled look upon Epona's features. "Epona, what else are you hiding aside from your hair color?"
The hair dye appeared in Epona's hands. She looked up to Sadie and then ran. Sadie didn't bother chasing her. She knew that in approximately…
"Where's the fire so I can burn this piece of crap!" Ra's angry shout came. Sadie smiled bemusedly. She continued her walk back to the shared room, wondering what Epona was hiding under her false brown hair. Other thoughts flitted through her mind, but none was as interesting as that.
"So, what happened this time?" Riko's amused voice asked. "We could hear Ra screaming about this damned piece of shit. Do you have any idea what happened, or did you cause it?"
"I didn't start it." Sadie stated flatly.
"That's nice to know." Riko replied. She flopped back again onto her bed. "Do you know if Omega has figured out what Pandora has yet? It's getting a little weird. I mean, all of them are changing."
"Mika hates me, so I have to be a good little girl and not know anything. And no, Omega, the last I saw her, was playing strip poker with Panthos." Sadie informed Riko. Riko kicked her legs up in the air in frustration.
"We're going nowhere. We're doing nothing." Riko said. "It seems like a death wish, but I want something to fucking happen!"
"Thought I heard voices," OV muttered, the door opening to reveal her slim frame. "As a matter of fact…Omega finally deciphered my sister's diagrams. And as it turns out…Pandora, some how, managed to get a strain of the Shadow disease. Seems a little strange because it's been gone for three hundred years. My sister, however, has other thoughts. She thinks that because Joe is Kage's son, he carried the disease. And, since most of us are only humans without the God gene, and Pandora…well…"
Out of nowhere, Eleanor appeared. Of course, nowhere was her changing from a pillow into her human form. She sat on the bed and simply watched OV.
"So, Joe is carrying a deadly disease. We're all going to die. Time to get out the booze and celebrate." Eleanor said.
"No, no! It's nothing like that!" OV added hastily. "We're not even certain yet! It could be something entirely different! So…don't get your hopes up yet."
Eleanor stood up. "I've never had any real hope. So, how could I get something up that I don't already have?"
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"Come on, Pandora. One or the other, or both are coming." Poseidon said.
"I hate you." Pandora snapped weakly. "Why, pray tell, do you have to have them come? Why not your sisters?"
"My sisters are more obsessed with other things," Poseidon mumbled. "Besides, those two know every kind of illness there is. I'm not very good with those things. So, which one? Zeus or Hades?"
Pandora rolled over. "I really, really hate you, Poseidon."
"Thank you, love. Now an answer, if you wouldn't mind." Poseidon said, rolling her back over and tying her braid into a knot.
"Hades." Pandora muttered. In a flash of light, another male was in the room with her. To be specific, two were. "I said one, you idiot! Not both!"
"Awww, come on, Pandora!" The boy with silvery hair and deep blue eyes laughed. "I'm not that terrible! In bed, at least…"
"Po-sei-don…" Pandora hissed.
"So this is the Pandora that stole our little brother's heart," The other one, the one with black hair and the same blue eyes noted. He, too, laughed. "I was wondering which one it was."
Pandora fumed silently to herself as the two brothers laughed.
"I'm sorry, but Zeus and Hades are a package deal." Poseidon sighed. He, too, began to laugh.
"What is going on back here?" Polaris asked, poking her red eye in on them. "Oh…Zeus and Hades. I beg your pardon, sirs." She curtsied gracefully.
"Hey, Polaris. We're out and so are you, so no need for any of that shit." Zeus said, waving the angel off.
"You, too, then…times are horrid." Polaris answered, rising and flicking her hair away from her face. "Tell me something. Are the sins still there?"
"All seven of them, still frozen. Now tell us: where's your sister?" Hades asked.
"Oh, she's here." Polaris said.
"Really? I thought the job Arien and Albireo did was permanent…unless…" Zeus said, scratching his head. ((hey look, it rhymes!)) "Pandora, I know what's wrong."
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Etoile slashed her way through the jungle. Her breathing was harsh, as her various cogs and workings needed oxygen to function properly. Tsukasa watched happily from the cameras around the island, pleased with what this experiment had yielded. She was still too young to have met some of the other angels, but with Zaffiel, she could create more like Etoile. They could be like superpowered cyborgs…only better.
"She's impressive, that she is." Zaffiel confirmed, also watching. "With her, we'll have what we need in no time. Do you still want your brother back?…"
Tsukasa's head snapped to look at the angel. "Of course. That's the whole reason we built her, correct? I have an idea on how to test her."
"What is it?" Zaffiel asked.
Tsukasa gave a final glance to the screens. "I want Excalibur. That sword has more power than Mirllyne thinks it does. Albireo knew what it could do, but he never took it to use."
Zaffiel shifted her position in the chair she was seated in. "You won't be able to. It knows its mission. I think Mirllyne does, too, and Arthur did as well."
"Bite me." Tsukasa said, tossing her short hair over her shoulder.
"With pleasure."
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"BOTH of them?" Omega asked, looking quite shocked. "Zeus and Hades. Hide me far away."
"How far?" Panthos asked, rolling over on the couch to face her.
"You shut up." Omega snapped. "You know what happened last time."
"You shut up." Panthos mimicked, poofing into a weird-looking Omega.
"We're so screwed," Epona groaned. She had the dye in her hair and was letting it set. "And I agree with Omega, Panthos. You shut up first."
"Neither of you are any fun." Panthos complained, returning to his normal look. "I've never doubted the fact that you two were twins."
"SHUT IT BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" Epona screamed, kicking Panthos. In a furious whisper, she added, "There's a reason I dye my hair. There's a reason I wear black and always use plants with my magic."
"Hey, that hurt." Panthos said. "I'll keep silent if neither of you hit me. Promise?"
"Look, it's Panthos!" Zeus called, entering. "And Alpha and Omega. I didn't know you two would be here.
"IT'S EPONA!" Epona and Omega screamed together. Zeus looked a little surprised.
"You're right, Panthos. They must share a telekinetic bond or something." Zeus said. "Whoa, incoming. We've got company."
Two seconds later, Lily screamed. She came flying down the hall and ran straight into Zeus. Looking up at him, she shoved him away.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Zeus demanded, holding a finger with lightning crackling from it toward her. Lily screeched.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" She squealed. By this time, Ra had emerged from whatever Ra did to look at the scene.
"This looks like a scene from a really gross lemon," She commented before striding down the hall. "Oh yeah, I heard that whole thing. Sisters, huh? That'd make an interesting drawing…" And mindlessly, she began to hum Kokoro.
"Who are all these people?" Zeus asked. "What are you doing here, and where are you going?"
"I can answer that." Deak said. "We're rebels from the Black Ghost Organization. You're on board a hijacked warship called the Dolphin. Fate tells me we're currently headed toward Lunapolis. Now, who in fucking hell might you happen to be?"
"My oldest brother," Poseidon said. "He's Zeus, and the other one is Hades."
(Someone's coming. We're landing.) Tie said.
"So…where are we landing?" Zeus asked, expecting a reply. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"
"She can't hear you like that, idiot." Poseidon said. "You have to talk in your mind. Being around them isn't like being around normal people."
"No, it is not." Deak commented amusedly. "We're cyborgs."
"Then why do I get your messages?" Zeus asked. "It's like text messaging. Only the person you want to gets the message, but this is just crazy."
"You'll get used to it," Poseidon mumbled. "Eventually."
"And when would that be?" Zeus asked, giving his youngest brother a skeptical look.
(Never, if you don't shut the hell up.) Mirllyne said happily. Zeus grumbled something, then stalked off.
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"Are you sure that was wise, Miss Tsukasa?" Zaffiel asked. "They have Zeus and Hades with them now. Etoile will be wiped out in an instant, that she will."
"Not if we are controlling her, and you're there with her." Tsukasa replied. "Now go, we don't have very long before they get to the gates of Lunapolis. I'll keep talking to you, and don't worry, Xiaka's already waiting with Etoile."
"If you insist," Zaffiel said. "But I expect something when I get back, that I do."
"It'll be worth your while," Tsukasa promised as Zaffiel vanished into a vortex of gray.
"Change, they're coming fast." Xiaka said. Her full angel uniform didn't do much to calm her ferocious spirit. The sleeves started off clinging to her thin arms, but widened as they fell. Spread over the entire blue-green main body of the top was a pale blue "X", but the shirt ended at her navel. A thick, soundly blue belt crossed down and held up a layer of thin, translucent blue fabric. Beneath it was a short deep blue skirt. The shoes of the uniform were only knee-high black lace-up boots with perfectly blue laces.
Etoile wore nothing special for the occasion. Zaffiel sighed. She hated her uniform with a passion. But nonetheless, she held a hand above her hand and let the magic rain down on her body.
"Remind me why I even bother," Zaffiel muttered. Whatever angel had designed this was stoned, she decided. But in reality, it was really quite lovely.
Zaffiel's hair was tied back into a ponytail and allowed the shortest rose strands to hang in her face. The sleeveless dress she wore was white, but a thin layer of gray material floated above it, like a shawl, since it ended at her waistline. The skirt had swirling patterns of purple and blue, and shot through them were jagged lines of yellow. To cover the bare chest of the uniform were shimmering spots of blue, and under the gray, looked like rain. Since the length of the skirt was so long, Zaffiel's feet were covered simply by bluish-colored three-inch stilettos. Her arms were decked by tattoos, and her ears had been pierced for the sins of lust, gluttony, envy, pride, greed, and sloth.
"Do you have any idea why Tsukasa chose this dump over Heliopolis?" Xiaka asked, flicking her hair behind her ears. "All the black angels are here. It bugs me."
"I have no idea, that I do," Zaffiel confirmed. "Etoile, what did Tsukasa send you on this for? Xiaka and I can handle this on our own."
"Miss Tsukasa sent me for reasons known only to herself." Etoile gave the final answer. She gave no hint that she was hiding anything.
"If that's all, then fine." Xiaka pouted.
"Watch, someone's coming." Zaffiel noted. She raised a finger and pointed to the landing Dolphin. "Oh, it's only them. Well, Etoile, feel free to help."
"Well, I can give you a damage report already. Zaffiel, Xiaka, and something that appears to be Etoile are here." Poseidon said. "No time like the present. Ready?"
"No need to invite me," Mirllyne said, bounding out. She and her sword moved as one body, bending and twisting at the same time. Zaffiel was a little surprised that she be unleashed so soon, but nonetheless called out her own weapon. It was simply a bo staff, five feet long, bound with cloth for better grip, decorated with patterns for increased ability. She counteracted Mirllyne's strike.
"Those two get along well." Etoile remarked. "Shall I scare the rest of you that are hiding in there, perhaps Pandora, or as a grand prize Prometheus?"
"Fine, fine, I'm out!" Poseidon shouted in response to the protests beneath him. As soon as he jumped out completely, Fate was out followed in short order by Joe.
"We don't even have to go fishing," Xiaka smirked, drawing a dagger from each boot. "They've brought what we need to us. Let's hurry it up and have some fun after we get what we came for."
In seconds, Xiaka and Zaffiel had swapped opponents and Etoile had submerged herself with attacking those still on board the Dolphin. The false blue-haired angel caused quite a reaction, and varied ones at that.
"Look, it's the fake Etoile. Tell me, who in the base is trying to fuck you right now?"
"How nice, they've sent us something to practice with."
"I'M GONNA FUCKING MURDER YOU FOR INTERRUPTING MY YURI!"
"I must really be dead…"
But outside, as one by one the occupants of the Dolphin unloaded, Mirllyne continued to slam her weapon against the agile blades of Xiaka and the thin and powerful staff of Zaffiel. However, with each blow Excalibur made or took, the blade and its little facetted stones would glow brighter with a light purely their own. With Mirllyne's own movements, she and the sword moved as if dancing, and with Poseidon's waves crashing to try and help her, looked staged at the gates of Lunapolis for a film company.
"That makes all of us," Hades said finally once Etoile had completely cleared the ship. On his back was Pandora, looking sad and utterly lost in this whole mess.
"Nice work. I can take over from here. You take the bitch, I'll take the two." Zaffiel commanded, twirling her staff. "I'm not sure if you remember me, but I remember you, yes I do. Let's get straight to the point this time, shall we?"
With that, she jabbed her staff forward to point toward Joe. "We fight first for Miss Pandora, then Francoise, then your life. Is this acceptable?"
"It is." Joe agreed. Zaffiel put away her weapon.
"Yes, I agree. But I find it unhonorable to have an unfair advantage. You can use magic, giving us equal ground. However, I am an angel in a skirt and heels, and you are a cyborg. I think things will balance out once we get the sparks flying." Zaffiel added.
"It's not fair anyway," Kim said. "I'll take one of the fights."
"It is not your fight. Fight Etoile." Zaffiel replied before whirling around and kicking Joe. Etoile smiled at Kim.
"I'm not a helpless little child," Etoile said. She lunged for Kim with a pale blue glow around her left hand. Kim rose her own hand and fired an orange-red light toward the oncoming robot. Several others could understand that in seconds the fake angel would be nothing but a pool of unreactive liquid.
"Missed me," Etoile sang. "But I won't miss."
Kim clicked her acceleration switch just in time to avoid Etoile's attack. Now that she had the advantage of speed, she could get this piece of crap done away with. Kim slowed only for a second to watch Joe and Zaffiel, as well as Mirllyne and Xiaka.
Joe whirled and attempted a kick at Zaffiel, but she ducked and rose in time to give him a blow to the stomach. He registered it, but nonetheless, continued moving. At least it hadn't been her shoes, and he was thankful for that much.
(Use your magic,) Pandora advised. (And give the bitch hell from me.)
Joe focused his mind back to when Omega had told him how to access that tiny quadrant of magic he had. Once he found it, he pulled from the far corner it was buried in. Zaffiel took notice of the sudden change.
"Using magic now, are we?" The angel asked. "This makes things more fun. Be prepared, boy, to have your ass kicked by a girl."
A miniature storm cloud brewed above her hand. On her face a wicked smile was painted, and around the slim fingers of the other hand, lightning danced around. She fired the little storm cloud at him, and when he ducked, it didn't miss. It hit him straight on. In spite of his thoughts, a small rain cloud hurt very much. Zaffiel's smile widened.
"Some people choose to refine their magic into something more powerful. Some focus it into a certain area. It's hard, yet not impossible. Your magic has hardly been touched." Zaffiel said, observing the spectacle around her fingers.
Joe thrust a hand forward, and it was engulfed in a fiery red. Even after he stopped his hand, the red continued forward to Zaffiel. She barely had time to narrowly avoid it, so most of the blast hit one of Xiaka's wings. Xiaka screamed, turned around, and hit Joe with a focused shot of water. Joe stumbled back, but didn't let it get to him. He instead went straight for Zaffiel once more.
"You're an annoying little boy." Zaffiel said. She swirled around, kicked Joe, and hit him with a blue bang. "Didn't your parents ever teach you manners? Oh, I forgot! You don't have parents!"
"God…damn…you." Joe hissed. He charged toward Zaffiel and punched her in the face mercilessly. He kicked her. This time, it was Zaffiel's turn to stumble back. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. They were not on Earth, but storm clouds were gathering around Zaffiel.
"You will not," Fate whispered, running from behind and seizing Zaffiel. "You owe me, you bitch. You…it was you all along." Creamy beige light gathered at her fingers. "You were the one who lied. YOU KILLED MY MOTHER! YOU HURT MY ANGEL! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
The light erupted from her fingers and sent Zaffiel flying against the wrought iron gates. Zaffiel lifted herself away, panting.
"Etoile…I know they built you for something…now…do it…" Zaffiel stammered. Etoile, completely forgetting everything else, seized Xiaka and sprang away. Fate, who was watching her, missed Zaffiel's disappearance.
"FOLLOW THEM!" Fate roared, already flying on her battered wings.
"Don't waste time. You can run, I'll make it possible." Zeus said. Omega took off with Epona right behind, and Epsilon next to them. Sadie turned, wanting to know if this was worth it, then sprinted away into the haze Zaffiel created.
-&-&-&-
"Miss Tsukasa, it's time." Arien said, bowing. "We're ready to leave as soon as it happens and they call."
"All will be well, Arien." Tsukasa said, repositioning herself. "I am ready as soon as they're all packed. It will be nice to live in Heaven again, don't you agree?"
Arien smiled. "It will be."
"Miss Tsukasa…she's about to do it." Fiella said, dashing into the room and racing back out. Tsukasa stood up and smiled.
"Tell Pierre and Marco that I'm leaving in under five." Tsukasa said, leaving Arien alone in her office. She strode briskly down the hall.
"Tsukasa. We're all loaded up. The angels are ready." Jessica said, joining Tsukasa in her walk.
"Good. I'll see you there, Jessica." Tsukasa said.
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"What the hell are you doing to me?" Xiaka screamed, writhing against Etoile's hold.
"Good question. What the hell are they doing?" Poseidon asked, leaping down. "We're at the…oh…my…"
As the rest of the cyborgs ran up, they saw what he was marveling at. They were gates of pure gold, and behind them were rolling fields of tall grass and huge waterfalls cascading out of perfect mountains.
"Pity it's an illusion." Mirllyne said. "ETOILE, LET HER GO!"
"No…I won't be doing that, traitor." Etoile smirked, clenching a dagger. "I'm bringing Albireo back. We're returning to Heaven."
Xiaka fell still. Etoile smiled a purely evil grin.
"I may have issues with her, but Etoile, LET HER GO!" Mirllyne ordered. Xiaka laughed this time. It was an insane, panicked laugh, but one that knew its purpose.
"This may not be my choice, but I want it! I am the sacrifice to bring back Albireo!" Xiaka said. Etoile pulled the dagger across the angel's throat, and in seconds, her insane laughter drove the blood out of her body. Seconds later there was a fantastic flash of green, out of which stepped Tsukasa.
"Nicely done, Etoile." She said, smoothing the hair of the dead angel. She looked at Joe, then Pandora, then Francoise. "A pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Tsukasa, and I am the youngest daughter of Chaos. Soon you will meet my elder brother, Albireo. Zaffiel?"
Zaffiel appeared next to Tsukasa, fully healed of everything Fate had done. Etoile released Xiaka, and Tsukasa clapped her hands twice. Pale green light encircled her and Xiaka. Etoile's mouth moved in silent whispers, and a blue light was building itself up around her. The two lights grew so wide; they finally touched and mixed together.
"Albireo," Both voices whispered. Xiaka's body disintegrated, leaving only a necklace behind. In her place appeared a male. The blue and the green light rose further into the heavens and exploded in bang of black.
Albireo had returned.
Tsukasa laughed as Etoile burned a hole in the golden gates. "I hope you have fun in hell," She smirked and hugged her older brother. The entire group on onlookers was suddenly back at the gates of Lunapolis. Polaris and D.S. held one another, too scared to cry.
"He's back," Mirllyne said breathlessly. It wasn't because of the teleportation; it was because of him. Angry tears fell from her cheeks and her shoulders hitched as she sobbed.
"Why was he so bad, tell me." Lily asked in a kind voice.
"He…he's the one. He killed Arthur. He killed…all of them." Mirllyne answered. Excalibur withdrew itself back into the hilt.
"Them?" Lily asked.
"Them…his…ohhh…Epsilon, you understand?" Mirllyne offered. Epsilon nodded.
"I wouldn't say killed…more like froze. Locked their souls in the candles of the church and sealed the doors. He tried to throw me in there, all of us in there." Epsilon said, looking up.
"Who were they?" Jet demanded finally, patience having snapped.
"The seven sins." Pandora, Polaris, D.S., Epsilon, and Mirllyne explained in unison. "Lust was my oldest sister." Epsilon concluded. "Albireo didn't want them to disturb him, so he locked them in a Gothic church in Heaven. I remember her screaming at him, trying to convince him not to…"
"He tried to kill us," Polaris said. "He and Arien sealed Dal's soul into the watch and froze me beneath the ice. He was after Fiella and Enala, but he spared them."
"Who's Dal?" Riko asked.
"I'm Dal. Dal Segno." D.S. supplied.
"Dal Segno…D.S.." Sadie said, as if trying to piece everything together. He eyes widened. "Of course. You're the angel of time."
"What do you understand now?" Ra asked.
"I'll explain later." Sadie said. "I'm not even sure about it. D.S., your soul was in a watch, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. It always swung back and forth, back and forth, no matter what. It always went at the same pace, never speeding up or slowing down." D.S. said.
"Then I'm right." Sadie confirmed.
The huge gates to the destroyed city creaked.
"What the hell…" Zeus said, casting a straight line of fire so he could see. There was nothing but rubble in the destroyed streets. "Did anyone else hear that?"
"Yeah," Tirzah said. "It was a gate. It creaked open, or maybe shut. But that's impossible, there's no one here…right?"
"No, the dark angels…they're here." Pandora whispered.
Something glinted in the darkness of the city.
"H-hello?" Kim called, her tone wavering. "Please don't hurt me!"
A curved silver blade appeared, as did a pair of black wings.
"Come with me." A girl's voice said. "Come with me, unless you'd like to meet me elsewhere. Come with me, I can help you. If you do not, you will not be able to return to Earth, or to Heaven or any of its suburbs. Not even with pardon. So come with me, into the darkness, where I can help you. Come with me…and Oblivion will save you. Come with me, and Fear will not harm but help you. Come with me, and your emotions will be helpful. Come with me, and I will save you. Come here, do not fear me. I cannot hurt you now. They are with you. Come with me, because with me, I will save you from myself."
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END MOVEMENT ONEWe will return with Movement Two after the Interlude. Thank you!