Chapter Five

Your name is Aradia Megido, and you've been recently been cast back into heaven after having fallen millennia ago. You've taken up your old position as a messenger, and have been assigned to speak with an old friend about his job! It's rather exciting and you can't wait to see him, but... You know he's going to get into trouble soon enough!

Aradia had fallen ages ago due to a love for someone whom she should never had fallen in love with. His name was almost forgotten to her, he had died years ago and she wished to not mention, nor think of it. Instead she spent most of her time on earth contemplating, finding out her powers and strengthening them. This led to her learning how to send messages through time... She couldn't travel, not easily. But she did know how to send subtle messages that wouldn't disrupt the timeline or if it did, it'd create a new one, either doomed or on its own different. It was a new power she had learned to enjoy, and none of the angels knew she had it, not even the Signless or kept it hidden, even as she was brought back into the heavens and reassigned as a messenger! For the first time she felt almost alive. Needless to say she wasn't, none of them truly were. To be alive meant to die, something none of them would ever be graced with.

To her death was wonderful! In a sad sense. She wished it upon herself, to be released and freed from her cage, her body. But she was a soul, a living entity without a true body that needed nutrition, sleep. She could eat and she could sleep, but it didn't prevent her from dying. If she had the choice to, she'd become a human so she could live and die with her friends, her lovers. But this was never going to happen, so she just sighed and floated towards heaven. She had to pick up her new assignment, and it involved her old friend and lover, Sollux Captor.

So she snapped her fingers and faded away into the light, transporting herself to the heavens, and more so to Kankri in order to pick up the assignment she already knew she had. It would be a new, exciting one! To be honest though, Aradia wondered if everything would turn out okay. She knew what would happen, what Sollux would do and how it would cause an odd turn of events for himself and Karkat, along with quite possibly the heavens. Now she just hoped this was something she didn't need to correct, otherwise this timeline could become a doomed one...

It was only moments before she arrived and was greeted by Kankri as per usual, he always found a way to bid his greetings to those who pop up near the gates... It was a bit annoying to most, but Aradia found him a tad bit comical!

"Hello there one of the beknownst fallen, it must be of the greatest privilege that you were able to secure your old job again! I bet you enjoy being of the ranks of a messenger, though lowly as it seems, it is of importance to get the word out for what needs to be done, and for what whom needs to guard and watch over. Surely I'd never be lowe... Erm, I'd never be one to guard them, but that is because I have to watch over the angels now that my duty on earth had been done, I am obligated to keep everyone in check and as you are aware of, it is my role to assign certain tasks when the archangels cannot. Then again, I am the one who assigns them as well, so really it all is rather spontaneous, yet organized. Now if only we could get all of the fallen to see things the way you do, maybe we'd have more guardians for those less fortunate on earth and..." And as much as Aradia found him amusing, he did tend to talk a bit too much, even for her.

"Ah! Splendid, I'd love to hear you go on more about our ranks." To which she already knew. "But I do have a job to accomplish, and as you know, one mustn't be tardy for affairs of... love... To put it lightly, correct?"

"Why yes, how did you know that the assignment for Sollux was about such things? Have you been speaking to one of the higher ups? Or perhaps as a messenger you have more knowledge than I was ever aware of... Intriguing... I must explore this more..."

"The assignment please, I must hurry and catch him while he's alone! We both know he's been caught as it is..."

"Yes! I will get right on that, you need to just take him to talk to me, and inform him a bit on the way that it is an added duty to being Karkat's guardian now that he has been seen. Such things like this rarely happen, and we must take advantage of it, I mean I'd personally just erase the humans memory and have Sollux continue to guard him but... Karkat seems to be lacking in the romance department, which I personally find this assignment to be a bit derogatory and demeaning given the fact that Signless would even choose to have Sollux act in the romance department when angels aren't even supposed to love humans, let alone able to help them with their own petty problems... and oh, sorry, was that a trigger for you? I had forgotten about your fall it's been so long, I hope that wasn't offensive in any way, and if it is a trigger, I shall refrain from ever speaking of it again."

"Please, it is no trouble at all, it was a fleeting moment! Now then, if you'll excuse me, I must get the paperwork, and head off."

"Yes, yes, don't let me delay your duties! That would be wrong of my caste in this hierarchy, and I greatly apologize for not giving it to you in the beginning, as you know you just need to read it over before informing him, and I'll leave you to your duties." With that said, Kankri handed her a white folder filled with a few statistics on the new job for Sollux, basics she'd have to repeat. So with a nod she took it and left, saying her goodbyes and avoiding any more talking to him. She was in a hurry and didn't have time to listen to his rambling! Though she did giggle a bit on her way out, he was so funny. In a somewhat annoying, long-winded type of way!

It took several minutes for Aradia to begin her descend towards earth, and a few hours before she'd actually make it. Usually it was instantaneous if one had the proper means of getting back and forth, which she did... But she had to read over the assignment and simply gave it a small raise of her fine eyebrows... It was definitely an odd one, and generally not something any angels were meant to do, even the myths were wrong on this category... Of cupid... Her full lips curved into a small smile. Sollux would have a handful with this task, and she knew what would happen... But she'd need to give him warning anyway, for the end-result wasn't something he'd take lightly. In fact he'd probably throw a fit and wind up doing several frightful acts and eventually winding down to realize his mistakes. She just wished she could help him through those times! but her duty was to keep order for now, and so she went on with her assignment.

Time was of the essence, and hers was perfect as she caught Sollux off guard and spoke up. "Sollux, I hope I'm not intruding, but I have new orders for you dealing with Karkat Vantas... and a word of advice." The advice was more or less a way to goad him into doing just that. But at the same time it was a fair warning... She had learned from experience that getting attached was a bad idea, heartache and pain... It still saddened her, but not enough. She was able to feel again, and that was exciting!

"What ith it...?"

"You need to talk to Signless... and as for my advice? Don't get so attached!" With that being said her smile creeped up on her face at his look of confusion and she took his hand to lead the way. "Before I brief you on the added addition to your job, I need to take you somewhere secluded! It would be bad if anyone overheard. You know how regulations are these days! Strict since the fall."

"Yeth, one in which you had not joined until yearth after if I recall correctly. How you...even managed to make methhenger again ith beyond me..."

"Do a few deeds here and there and it's easy enough to be forgiven... But not trusted!"

"Eheheh... You've changed a lot... Latht time I thaw you your hair wath short and thpiked in the back, methhy... clotheth more torn... Now your hair ith really long, and your attire ith much... more unique. Ith that a time thymbol on your chetht?"

"Yes! It's quite nice given my position I thought I should wear something that symbolizes me... and I wore my hair short before since my marking was my pride back then..."

"And now it'th jutht a curthe?"

"They can't know I still have it even after rising again. Or it's not allowed to be seen I should say since they think if I show it off, I'll simply betray them again and fall... It's really bothering! But who cares, I'm back and happy!"

"If you thay tho..." He sighed and shook his head. Most angels who fell were given a marking on their body, a tattoo during the fall that was burned onto their bodies during it. Those of maroon were given a sign humans associated with Aries, Sollux who was golden-winged would be given the Gemini symbol... and so on so forth. It was burned in their color too, Aradia's a maroon right below her ear on her jawline and neck. If he were to fall it could be located on his shoulder, shoulder blades, or even wrists. It was all a matter of time, and how serious it was for the specific angel.

It took awhile but eventually Aradia had led them in silence to a vacant lot, pulling on a small handle attached to the floor and opening a room to allow him in. There were stairs, and the hallway was dark upon entering. This was a place where most angels went to, or a similar style, when they fell or were given news. Several were located in the area and could be enforced with powers to make sure no one could find it, or overhear what was being said. He was led to a room on the left of the dirt hall, she glanced around and smiled. It was definitely small but held a certain charm with its satin red carpet, and a few candles that she lit up with her own unique abilities. Once both could see better, though they already could see fine, she turned to him and grinned, her full lips practically reaching her eyes.

"The information I'm giving you will come as a shock! So please don't be too upset when I tell you, Kankri and the Signless were the one to create it... If I had then you'd certainly be doing something more productive with the human." She raised a hand to prevent him from speaking up, then tossed him the documents that lied on the small wooden tabletop, which he caught before she continued. "You're playing the role of cupid! He has been severely lacking in the love... department so I'm told, and as strange as it is to be assigned this, it's more of a punishment for him seeing you than it is an actual assignment given the fact love is... All but taboo for us in the respect of human relations... That is to say you need to tell him what to say, how to act, even influence a female, or male, to talk to him and potentially fall in love. Granted we can't influence them to fall in love, you and I know that you'd be able to have them talk to him at the very least. You've watched him for two years now? Or however long it's been, so you know a decent amount about him and had seen his relationship with Terezi Pyrope. This information, the knowledge you know you'll be using to find someone who is compatable with him, and have him fall in love, same with them, both to each other... If you fail to do so within the next few years, or more preferred month, you'll be watched closely and effectively forced to go down a rank at worst. All in all, they'll be keeping an eye on you if you fail in order to ensure you aren't going to convert and fall."

His face would have been described as priceless to her, he looked dumbfounded and granted last time she talked to him she wasn't in the right state of mind... He was shocked by the amount she spoke, almost competing with what Kankri said, and the fact he had to play the role of cupid for the human he guarded over. It made her giggle a bit as she waited for a response.

A/N: I am so sorry this is taking me forever to update! I've still been caught up with work, and school, so it may take ma a month to get another one out or so. I'll try to get at least two done so then I'll have something to update if I take too long to. .'