A.N.: I have decided that your lack of reviews can mean only that this story has stunned you all into silence. Indeed, what can be said of its artistry, its form, its depth? There is clearly nothing that can be added, and attempting to would seem hollow, so you stand there, breathless at its majesty.

The lack of views, on the other hand, I have decided means the site is glitched.

"Contrary to popular belief," Harold was explaining to Justin, Alex and Harper as the small group astrally traveled to meet Jackal. "There was a third option besides 'rebel from God' and 'serve Him.' Well, technically not, since not serving is rebelling, but there was an option besides 'actively oppose God.' There are some angels who took a middle road, not yet ready to devote themselves to God, but not wanting to oppose Him, either."

"But I thought that angels were created to be 'perfect' in the sense that, unlike humans, they could simply choose to sin or not. How could they 'not be ready?'" Justin, the only one present who really cared much about theology, asked.

"They chose to be. I know, that seems like a contradiction. It kind of is, but I am afraid even your theology is...incomplete. To pre-empt your next question, that is also part of God's plan. It is OK that you don't know certain things, because you are not meant to yet."

"So wait, am I not supposed to know this?"

"Eh, it's probably fine for you to know. You are more spiritually advanced than most people. Many Wizards are."

"Really? But a lot of Wizards are terrible people. They're bigoted, proud, greedy, selfish, petty, quick to anger and quick to violence."

"Yeah - see, that comes with the territory of power. They are people whose souls have progressed to a certain level where they need to learn what it is like to possess such power. It's - ah crap," Harold said, stopping for a moment.

"Huh, what's wrong?" Justin asked.

"Nothing too terribly much, just that I revealed more than I maybe should have. Again, probably fine. But when Mike and I said reincarnation doesn't normally happen, we kind of misled you. I mean, we didn't lie, but more accurately we should have said reincarnation doesn't happen in the normal way."

"Wait...what?"

"It's got to do with stages of spiritual progression and multiple planes of existence. Planes you may not have ever heard of. Planes even Wizards rarely reach. Well, in the form you know them, I mean, that is, they don't reach them through magic from what you know as the 'material' plane."

"I take it this is one of those things I won't fully understand at this level of development?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I know it sounds lame, like it's a cop out, but I can't really do any more. I mean, I literally can't explain it in a way that would let you understand."

"It's OK, I'll take your word for it."

"All right. Oh, hey, looks like we're here anyway."

Indeed, out of the void and nothingness Justin saw what looked like a cabin materialize. Mike knocked on the door, and Justin swore he heard a dog barking on the other side. Perhaps he had the name Jackal for a reason.

"Down girl," a voice said as the door opened. Suddenly a husky burst out of the cabin and ran up to Mike. She (apparently) looked up at Mike expectantly.

"Nice to see you again, Samantha," Mike said, petting the dog affectionately. Meanwhile, someone came out of the cabin behind the dog.

"Mike! No wonder Sam was excited," said the other entity. He resembled a human, and looked to Justin like something of an outdoorsman. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Business, I'm afraid," Mike said. He stepped aside and swept his arm around to show everyone whom he had brought. Samantha went up to Harold, expecting more attention from him.

"You know Harry, of course," Mike continued. "And these three are humans. These two," he pointed to Alex and Justin. "Are wizards. The other girl is just a mortal."

"Soldiers of God on a mission?" Jackal asked.

"Not quite. More like...mercenaries." Mike explained. Jackal grinned.

"Ah, spiritual kin of mine, then," he said.

Mike turned to the three humans. "Jackal here frequently finds himself helping out us angels. Probably only a matter of time before he joins up officially."

"I'll get around to it some century," Jackal said.

"Anyway, we need your help again."

"What's going on?"

"The Ether Bunny is missing. Some low-rung demon let him out."

"Huh, that's a tricky one. You didn't find any sign of it in the Etheric Prison?"

"Nothing but a faint trace, clearly gone for a while."

"Tell me a bit more about the Ether Bunny. Could we trick it or trap it?"

Justin looked excited. "Oh oh oh!" he said. "What if we lured it to us? We could like, dress Alex up as a rabbit! She could have little bunny ears and a tail and a furry bikini top and -"

"Justin, I think everyone is getting tired of me dressing up in slutty costumes," Alex responded.

"Maybe not everyone," Justin muttered.

"Wouldn't work, unfortunately," Mike said. "The Ether Bunny is neither swayed by sex, nor is actually a rabbit."

Justin thought for a moment. "Wouldn't the sexualization of the Easter Bunny attract him, though? I mean, what could draw people away from God better than sex? What encourages people to do anything better than sex, for that matter? Surely he would want that, and then would want to use that somehow."

"It is a terrible idea and you should stop trying to justify it," Alex said.

"No no, I don't actually just want to dress you up in a slutty costume, I really think-"

"Tell you what, I'll dress up however you like when we're alone," she said, smiling and planting a small kiss on his cheek. Despite the fact that they were on the astral plane, and couldn't feel things normally, Justin still felt a tingle of elation and joy. Everyone else felt awkward.

"I am still pretty sure it wouldn't work," Mike said. "While the Ether Bunny might appreciate such a thing, he wouldn't actually have to come to us to take advantage of it. I think, in fact, that is an inherent problem with trying to trap him in general."

"So we'll have to go to him," Jackal said. "Not a big problem. Let's head off to the Etheric Prison - that's probably the best place to start."

With that, Mike motioned for everyone to follow him again, and they went off.

A.N.: Well, happy Easter! I am sorry this isn't done on time, but I will be finishing this one up after Easter. Don't worry, it's close to the close. (Parse as adjective, noun.)