Fallen Angels: Book 1 The Origins

Chapter 3:

The Link

As Rika pulled into her driveway an image of the portal entered her mind; to a passerby it appeared to be nothing but a detached garage, but for the two Aso sisters it was a gateway to their true selves. Once inside, their minds and bodies would descend into the Underealms and now, in their true forms, they would receive their orders from Lord Kazumoi. When the Rika and Naoko left, they would begin their missions, carrying with them their Links.

Links are objects that would help the girls maintain their connection to the Underealms; keep them in their real forms until the mission was accomplished or transform them if they need to change back. The link for Rika was an obsidian shurikan, which was a tattoo on her shoulder when she was in her human form. Naoko's was a black rose tattooed on her ankle or on a necklace in her demon form. Tonight, Aero and Cece would receive their personalized links. Rika parked the car, turned it off, and got out; while walking to the door she sighed realizing how monumental the task ahead of her was.

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Back at HQ Shiza, Ryou and the others were putting the finishing touches on their plan.

"So we'll go over there and try to get in through a window or side door…" said Rei in order to clarify before they set the plan in motion.

"And from there we'll get to separate positions where we can watch what's going on without being seen." finished Shiza.

"You do know that eventually they'll find us" interjected Ryou, hoping to talk some sense into his friends.

"Yes, but hopefully they won't kill us on sight." replied Ayon.

"Well, I'm in," said Rei, and the other three-followed suit.

" Don't forget we have orders from Kageshira-dono, so be back here at 1:30 to prep your gear" reminded Ryou.

"We'll be here ready to go," replied Shiza.

"Good, well commence Operation: Party Crasher…dismissed" concluded Ryou.

After they'd been dismissed the Fallen core proceeded with the prep of their gear for their missions that night. Each Angel was responsible for their own gear and transportation.

Over at the Yonno house Aero was also getting her things ready for the party, "shoes, pants, shirt, bra, undies, toothbrush and toothpaste, purse, keys … good." As she packed she thought about why Rika had called for a girls night. Finally, she was ready to leave. "Bye mom, bye grandma" she yelled as she walked out the door and got into her car. As she buckled her seat belt she noticed that she'd forgotten her Demons jacket. "Shit" she said as she ran back into the house, up the stairs and into her room. Grabbing her jacket from her bed she paused to check the time and noticed that she was going to be late again. When Aero got back to her car she pulled out her dark blue katana and called Rika to let the Demon leader know what was going on.

On the other side of town Rika answered her phone and listened as a frantic Aero talked.

"Aero, relax we're not going anywhere so just get over here safely and everything will be fine." Rika said after calming the frantic Demon down enough to understand what Aero was saying.

She closed her phone and sighed knowing that something major must've happened to prevent aero from attending meetings and causing her to be late to other things. Rika noticed Naoko pull into their driveway in her '07 Chevy Camero, which was a present from the girls' father (who was usually away on business) for passing the driving test and had been at HQ getting fixed.

Naoko got out of the car, smiled at Rika, saw the look in her eyes and knew full well that quite a few things were about to change for the Demons that night. Rika returned her sister's smile and got straight down to business.

" We need things ready for the others when they come" she said.

"The weapons and uniforms will be ready, I was just about to sharpen Lena's Katana, and I also need to put the last few senbon needles in my bag," replied Naoko.

"Thanks for all your help recently"

"No problem, we're family and you'd do the same for me"

"You know it" finished Rika. And with that an engine roared in the distance announcing that Cece was on her way and that the girls needed to get to work.

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A few minutes later a green Honda CDT parked in the Aso's circular driveway and it's rider walked up to the front door and she let herself in with the spare key. As she opened the door Cece wondered where her two friends were. And as if in answer to her thoughts Naoko's voice rang out from upstairs " be there in a sec, make yourself at home as usual".

" Ok" replied Cece as she made her way to the kitchen. She sat herself down on one of the barstools situated around a mammoth island. The appearance of the housekeeper/cook Airianna dispelled all of her previous fears that something was wrong.

"Would you like anything Ms. Cece?" Airianna asked.

"Could I have a Sprite please Air?" Cece replied.

"No problem" Airianna said as she got the soda from the fridge. "How've you been?" she asked placing it in front of Cece along with a glass of ice,

"Pretty good, and you?"

"Not to bad, but those two worry me sometimes" she said motioning to Rika and Naoko as they walked down the stairs deep in their whispered conversation. "Something you'd like to share with us, girls?" Air asked as the two entered the kitchen.

"All in good time " replied Naoko, hugging Cece in greeting. They were interrupted by the arrival of Aero and Lena.

"Hey y'all" said Aero as she greeted her friends with hugs and smiles.

" Aero, I think the core has a right to know what's been keeping you from meetings recently??" asked Rika, once again getting straight to business.

"My Grandma moved in and she doesn't like the thought of me being in a gang, so naturally my mom goes along with whatever she says."

" Well they have no say in the matter. Besides, we're not some gang that goes around mugging people; sometimes we actually help the community. Does either of them know that?"

"Yeah they do but they don't care. And I'll continue being a Demon with or without their permission." Said aero triumphantly.

"Good for you" said Lena

"That's just what I wanted to hear from you Aero," replied Rika. "Now who wants to know the real reason I called a girls night?" she asked.

In unison Aero, Cece, and Lena replied, "I do"

"Well, first I need you to go up to my room with Naoko one at a time, and she'll give you your weapons and afterwards I will meet you in the 2nd garage to explain everything. Dismissed. " And with that last word the girls knew that this was going to be a girls night like none before it.

The first to receive her weapon and link was Cece. The weapons were blue snowflake shaped shurikan, and her link was a single black snowflake earring that she would be required to wear at all times. For Lena, the weapon was a deadly giant katana with sound waves etched along the blade and her link was a black angelic trumpet tattoo on the top of her wrist. The final person to receive their gear was Aero. For her, the choices of weapon were senbon needles which, when thrown a certain way could stop time. Her link was a simple sundial tattoo on her stomach.

Once they'd all gotten the gear they joined Rika in the garage. "If any of you want to back out, know would be the time to do it" she paused waiting for one of them to move but when nothing happened she continued.

" What you're about to see has been the Demon core's secret for centuries, it's also the reason that our name is the Night Demons, Ladies I'd like you to meet Kasumoi-dono, the leader of the Demon legions, and our boss."

The three girls were awed and terrified at the sight of a demon so powerful he could kill them with a single thought and look. Yet, something inside of them bowed down before this powerful demon acknowledging that he was their lord.

" Girls, you have decided to accept your fate and become true Night Demons," said Kasumoi, looking into Aero's eyes he saw a flicker of confusion. "I say TRUE Night Demons because the gang is just a cover for what you five will truly do. And that is to keep the Demonic/Angelic war from being brought to the notice of humans such as the other Demon members."

"But Kasumoi-dono, aren't we humans anymore?" asked Cece.

"Yes, however, from the moment you decided to stay, you decided to become demons" he replied. "And your presence will be expected at various social occasions as befitting your new titles as Vampire Demon Princesses."

" What do you mean by princesses?" Lena asked.

" For demons, princesses are first and foremost warriors but they are also royalty, when you're turned we will have seven of them in existence, for now we have only four," he replied. "Two of them you know as Rika and Naoko Aso, but their true names are Obsidian Dusk and Luna Rose."

" Why would you two hide this from us?" asked.

"We did so to save ourselves and those around us from the Angelics" replied Naoko hoping that she wouldn't have to tell her family's past.

"When you change into your true form your faces stay the same but you acquire demon abilities that will help you complete the missions. For that reason, you five will be wearing masks when on missions so that the angelics can't discover your human identities." continued Kasumoi as he looked at his wristwatch. "Are all of you still willing to be turned?"

"Yes" replied three of the five in unison.

"Good then lets get started"

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