"Please… don't send me back to Earth," Wimzy whimpered, almost crying. "I… I wanna stay!"
Needless to say, the words that came out of the Cherub's mouth were something NO Demon, Sinner or Hellborn would ever think they would hear from the mouth of a denizen of Heaven. As such, it was no surprise that such a statement would be met with the most appropriate of reactions.
"You're hearing this too, right?" Desiree whispered to her sister "The Angel wants to STAY in Hell?"
"I'm hearing it, but I'm having a hard time believing it," Dominique whispered back, sharing her sister's surprise.
Johnny, of course, chose to keep his mouth shut in hopes of not upsetting anyone with any comments he may have. Meanwhile, Shank simply stood in front of his desk completely dumbfounded while Mick and Linda stared at their third travelling companion with shared looks of concern.
"Wimzy…" Linda said, the Kitsune Pup on her lap looking extremely confused as she shifted her gaze between her and the Cherub.
Feeling the gaze of all the eyes in the room fall upon her, both from the Demons AND the ones in the walls, Wimzy let out a small sigh and focused her gaze on Mick and Linda.
"I… I know it sounds weird," she admitted. "But you two are the first friends I've made ever since I left Heaven. If I return to Earth, I'll probably never see you guys again… I'll be alone again."
Hearing that, Wimzy's outburst quickly began to make sense, at least to Mick. After being kicked out of Heaven because of a simple accident, the Cherub undoubtedly had to keep herself hidden from Humans, whether it was by choice or not. True, he and Linda found her trapped by a Human, but if there was one thing that they knew for sure about Wimzy by now, it was that she was more accident-prone than Clumsy Smurf! Undoubtedly, she was only captured because she let her guard down just once. Aside from that though, despite her fascination with pop culture, there wasn't anything for her on earth. No friends to talk to, no real home to settle down in. Despite her usually cheerful personality, that had to have been a front for how lonely she truly felt… something that Mick was all too familiar with.
"I see…" the Sinner uttered, finally piecing together the whole picture.
Shank, however, only seemed to be as lost as everyone else in the room, and as such had to make his confusion known.
"Wait, wait, what do you mean LEFT Heaven?" he asked, voicing the question everyone else was thinking.
Seeing the discomfort on the Cherub's face, Mick quickly stepped in without hesitation.
"It's exactly how it sounds," he said, catching Wimzy by surprise. "Believe it or not, the fuckers up top kicked Wimzy to the curb a year ago."
Needless to say, that particular statement was met with a series of shocked expressions.
"Woah, really?" Desiree exclaimed, her face riddled with disbelief.
"Mhm," Wimzy uttered hesitantly with a soft nod of her head.
"Jeez, stick a bat up my ass and call me a popsicle… I mean, really, damn, shit," Johnny blurted out, anxiously running a hand through his pompadour. "I didn't even know that you COULD get kicked out of Heaven. What, is it like a Country Club or something? You take a crap in the pool and you're out?"
"It happens more often than you think," Wimzy admitted. "Though, I'll admit it hasn't happened for a long while before it was my turn."
"So… why'd YOU get kicked out?" Dominique asked, earning a raised eyebrow. "What? We were all thinking it!"
When that particular question reached her ears, Wimzy instinctively wrapped her tail around herself, unsure of whether or not she should answer. At that moment, however, she felt a soft hand placed upon her back, causing her to look up at Mick, who in turn gave her a reassuring glance through the eyeholes of his mask. At that moment, the little Cherub couldn't help but smile. Despite her having just met him that day, there was something about Mick that made her want to put all her trust in him. As such, she felt no need to interrupt the Sinner as he spoke for her.
"It's a long story," he said, answering Dominique's question with great honesty.
At those words, even Shank's curiosity began to pique.
"In that case, just give us the abridged version," he said, his desire not to beat around the bush evident by the serious tone he was using.
Unsure of how to respond, Mick gave Wimzy another glance, and in turn nodded her head, basically permitting him to continue speaking for her.
"Okay," he said with a light sigh. " It's like this…"
After that, the next few minutes were filled with the same explanation that Mick received from Wimzy back at the comic con, who remained mostly silent aside from making the occasional correction whenever the Sinner got a certain detail wrong. By the time Mick was finished, the shocked faces of everyone in the room were soon blended with a few solemn frowns.
"Poor little kitten," Desiree uttered, desperately fighting the urge to give the Cherub a hug.
Linda, on the other hand, couldn't resist such an urge and pulled Wimzy into a small embrace, one that she gladly returned with gusto. Even Snowflake had to get in on the embrace as she brushed up against Wimzy's torso like an affectionate house cat.
The only thing that shocked everyone more than hearing about how Wimzy was treated, was the fact that she and most of the other residents of Heaven didn't even KNOW about the annual Exterminations. True, some suspected the Cherub to be lying but those were immediately refuted by Mick and Linda pointing out the Honesty Crest on Wimzy's chest. Taking a moment to absorb everything he had heard, Shank could only let out an exasperated groan as he slumped into his chair and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and a scotch glass out of his desk drawer.
"Well… fuck," he exclaimed, immediately pouring himself a drink and downing it on one gulp before pouring another. "This complicates things doesn't it?"
"It does?" Johnny asked, somewhat curious about his employer's change of mood.
"No shit it does," Shank retorted. "Can't send her back now, can we?"
Hearing that, everyone, Wimzy included, stared at the Clawed Sinner with their biggest looks of surprise yet. However, in the latter's case, she also had a smile practically riddled with a mixture of hope and relief.
"Really, sir!?" she exclaimed, her little wings practically fluttering like a butterfly.
In response, Shank could only sigh again and give the Cherub an indifferent shrug.
"Hey, I may live in Hell, but that doesn't mean I don't have a conscience," he said, downing even more bourbon. "Welcome to Hell, Squirt."
Despite the initial shock, Wimzy was nonetheless giddy as can be when she heard that, her wings fluttering faster than ever. As for everyone else in the room, the decision made by the Clawed Sinner was immediately met with looks filled with intrigue and, surprisingly, amusement.
"That's our Shank for you," Desiree whispered to her sister with a light giggle.
"Mhm," Dominique whispered back, nodding her head in agreement. "He just can't ever ignore someone in need."
Even Wimzy's two friends couldn't help but stare at Shank in awe and gratitude. And while Mick's mask managed to hide his smile, Linda's was on display for all to see. Alas, Shank wasn't quite done speaking yet.
"But as much as it pains me to say, she still can't stay HERE," he pointed out, causing all smiles to immediately fall from any faces in the room. "I'm sorry, but if anyone else were to find an Angel in the Peppermint Puss, we'd all be-"
"Hey, it's okay, I understand!" Wimzy quickly said, waving her arms like a jittery little monkey. "You have to think about everyone else… I'm just sorry about putting you through this."
Hearing that, everyone couldn't help but give the little Cherub a small gaze of admiration.
"By Asmodeus, she's just a little Cinnamon Roll," Dominique commented, earning an agreeing nod from her sister.
Admiration aside, Shank DID raise a good point, however. While the Clawed Sinner and his three employees were understanding as reasonably possible, anyone else in the Peppermint Puss… anyone else in HELL would more than likely try to skewer Wimzy on sight, if only to see if they could take out their fury on her for all the years of Exterminations. Knowing that, Mick and Linda both gave each other a baffled look as they tried racking their brains for an idea.
"What about the Heaven Embassy?" Johnny spoke up, throwing in his idea. "We take her there, and then boom! She's their- YIPE!"
SMASH!
Alas, that idea was immediately met with Shank throwing his drinking glass at his head, forcing him to duck as it shattered against the wall behind him.
"Absolutely NOT!" Shank snapped, instantly shooting the idea down. "If word got out that any one of us even stepped foot in that place, our rep would immediately go down the shitter… besides, if what she says is true, those assholes wouldn't lift a finger to help her anyway."
At those words, everyone else in the room looked at the slithery Greaser with an irritated glare.
"Moron," Dominique commented.
"Come on, sis, be nice," her sister berated her, quickly coming to the defence of her new boyfriend.
Despite being taken aback by Shank's reaction, however, Wimzy couldn't help but take note of the key detail of Johnny's idea.
"There's a Heaven Embassy down here?" she asked Mick curiously, earning a small sigh for her trouble.
"Yeah, but none of us Sinners like to acknowledge it if we can help ourselves," the Cat Demon answered honestly. "It just reminds us that we're always crushed under Heaven's thumb every year."
"Even the Hellborns can't stand the place," Linda added, Snowflake nodding along in agreement. "Given the way it looks, it's like Heaven's trying to rub their own propaganda in your face."
Hearing that, Wimzy's curiosity faltered in favour of shame. Ever since hearing about the Exterminations straight from the mouth of one of its victims, it wasn't difficult to see that such a bombshell left a small impact on the Cherub's conscience. True, she may not have taken part in the event itself, but naivete and obliviousness weren't a good enough excuse as far as she was concerned. Seeing such a look on Wimzy's face, Mick quickly took a mental note to talk to her about this particular subject in the near future. After all, antics aside, she did keep her word to help find Octavia, so the Sinner at least owed her that much.
"Okay, focus, everyone!" Shank spoke up, once again snapping everyone back to attention. "Ignoring the whole embassy idea, let's try shooting some more, okay? There's gotta be a way to-"
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Hearing his Hellphone vibrate in his pocket, Shank suddenly let out an exasperated groan. The last thing he needed right now was a surge of unimportant interruptions. Rather than ignore it, however, the Clawed Demon let out a small huff before pulling out the phone and bringing it to his ear.
"THE FUCK DO YOU WANT!?" he snapped, only for his scowl to instantly fade away as a light gasp escaped his throat before he suddenly let out a nervous chuckle. Clearly whoever was on the other end of the call must have been someone of great importance for such a sudden mood change. "OH! Y-your highness! W-what do I… uh huh… yeah. Yes, he's here. Yeah… please hold one moment!"
As if Shank's sudden mood change wasn't strange enough, it was nothing compared to him quickly taking the phone away from his ear without hanging up and offering it to the fellow Sinner sitting in front of his desk.
"Prince Stolas for you, Mick."
The instant his former employer spoke that name, Mick immediately froze in terror. Granted, Octavia might have said she'd talk to her father about his dismissal, but she couldn't have been back home for that long, so he sure as fuck didn't think he'd be hearing from him so soon! And besides that, the last conversation Mick and Stolas had didn't exactly end on the best of terms if the pile of ashes that used to be Mick's Hellphone was of any indication. That said, he couldn't just ignore the phone call. Not only would that be considered rude, but it would also put him in a worse position than he already was. Plucking up his courage, he nervously accepted the phone and brought it up to his ear.
"Uh… Hello?" he said, dreading the response he was about to receive… only to be moderately surprised almost immediately afterwards.
"Ah, Michael, I'm so glad I've managed to track you down," he heard Prince Stolas say, his tone sounding a lot friendlier than Mick had anticipated. "Are you well?"
Needless to say, Mick was a little befuddled by Stolas's response. What? Was he calling to invite him to brunch? Mick thought he had been fired earlier that day. But even so, if this meant what he thought it did, then he needed to remain professional.
"I'm… doing as well as I can be, sir," he replied, trying to keep his tone just as polite as he normally would while addressing the Goetia Prince.
"Ah, good," Stolas replied, sounding almost relieved for some reason. "I'm glad to hear that. Given how difficult it was to contact you, I had almost feared the worst."
As glad as he was to hear Stolas appeared concerned for him, however, Mick could only give the phone a deadpan glare at that.
"That may have something to do with the fact that my Hellphone is now a steaming pile of ashes at the bottom of your fountain… sir," he replied, earning a brief moment of silence before he heard Stolas clear his throat at the other end of the call.
"Ah… yes, well I suppose I should apologize for that… along with everything else."
The moment he heard those words, Mick's hopes immediately began to skyrocket. Did this really mean what he thought it did!?
"I'll get straight to the point, Michael," Stolas continued. "How I reacted before was both unfair and highly unprofessional, and as your employer, I am deeply ashamed of how I took out my frustrations on you."
"Well, given the circumstances, I couldn't even imagine the duress you must have been under at the time, sir," Mick pointed out, trying to sound as understanding as possible.
What Mick didn't realize at the time, however, was the fact that Stolas was currently looking even more nervous than he was at the moment. The main reason being that while he tried to sound like his regal self, the Goetia Prince was currently sweating through his feathers due to his daughter glaring daggers at him as she stood beside him, just outside the hole he made in their house.
Given how close his daughter was with Mick, it wasn't really all that surprising to Stolas to see her so angry after finding out that the Sinner was no longer employed at the mansion. As such, she certainly didn't waste any time in scolding her father and ensuring he corrected his mistake. While Octavia thankfully may not have inherited her mother's extremely short temper, she certainly could fool anyone into thinking she did inherit her ferocity if she were ever to lose it. Of course, given how quick Octavia was to yell at Stolas after they got back, the latter couldn't help but suspect that she had been angry for a while. If he didn't know any better, he would have believed that she had already known about what happened to Mick before she even came home!
"Y-yes, well, regardless of my reasons, I still wish to extend my deepest apologies," Stolas said, carefully making sure he chose the right words so that his daughter didn't scold him again. "Since you were technically off duty and had no control over my daughter's actions, your dismissal was both unwarranted and unjust."
Hearing that, Octavia gave her father an approving smile, one that was also filled with a little relief. Had the circumstances been a little different, having to scold her father immediately after she had returned home from running away would have made her sound like a spoiled child, that much she would gladly admit. However, seeing as how Mick literally travelled to Earth and back to find her, and his termination was partially on her, she had to pull out all the stops to make sure he got his job back… she did promise after all. Thankfully, Stolas was also of the same mindset as soon as he managed to calm down and let relief wash over him the moment his daughter was back in his arms, so it didn't take much to convince him to make this phone call.
"Given your character and previous service for my family, if you would like to come back to the mansion, I'd love to have you reinstated as soon as possible," Stolas continued, his voice almost sounding as if he were about to get on his knees and beg. "I'll even increase your pay if that's what it takes."
At those words, the Goetia Prince could have sworn he heard the Cat Demon chuckle on the other end of the call.
"If I didn't know any better, your Highness, I would say that you actually miss me," he heard him say, almost cracking a smile at the joke himself.
"Well, more so my daughter than myself, it would seem," he retorted, giving Octavia cause to roll her eyes. "But… I will admit that the idea of you not working here does sound a little… boring."
Now Stolas was SURE he heard Mick chuckle at that, so much so that he allowed the Sinner a minute to catch his breath before speaking again.
"So, what do you say, Michael?" he finally said. "Will you come back… please?"
The moment he heard the Goetia Prince practically beg him to come back to work, the grin under Mick's mask seemed to match the one carved into it. True, any other self-respecting Demon would have taken such an offer and told their former employer to shove it up their ass… But honestly, given everything he'd be missing out on, there really was only one answer Mick could give to a request like this.
"As if I'd say no, sir," he said, his voice filled with both pride and respect. "I'll be right over as soon as I can."
The moment he said that, Stolas's tone of voice instantly sounded a lot more elated.
"Splendid!" he declared, a distinct sigh of relief not going unnoticed by the Sinner. "I am SO glad that there are no hard feelings between us, Michael."
"Wouldn't dream of it, sir," Mick replied without the slightest hint of hesitation. "I look forward to coming back."
"In that case, could you be here within the hour?" Stolas asked in response. "Oh, and if you happen to see Miss Linda, bring her back too? I'm sure Octavia would love to have you both back at her side post haste"
Hearing that, Mick's excitement practically grew tenfold.
"Oh don't you worry, sir, she's here with me, Snowflake too," he answered, unknowingly bringing another smile to both the Goetia Prince's face and his daughter's as he looked over to Linda and the Kitsune pup in her arms. "I'll be sure to make sure none of us are late."
"Excellent!" Stolas exclaimed, sounding happier than ever. "I'm looking forward to seeing you back, Michael, Ta Ta for now!"
With that final word, Stolas hung up the call, allowing Mick to let out a small sigh and finally acknowledge all the eyes in the room staring at him.
"So… got your job back, huh?" Shank chuckled. "Congrats."
"Yeah, nice going, man," Johnny added, giving his fellow Sinner a thumbs-up around the same time Dominiqe and Desiree gave him a proud grin.
"Good for you," Desiree commented.
Even Linda couldn't help but sigh with relief upon overhearing that particular phone call. Given the fact that the very idea of her dear friend not being able to work with her anymore was something she did NOT want to accept if she could help it. Hell, the only reason she wasn't dwelling on such an unnerving thought all day was because Octavia's safe return was taking priority. Now that she knew she was safe, however, she had to admit the faint hint of dread did seem to rear its head when Prince Stolas made the phone call. That being said, she was just glad things managed to turn out alright… however, there was still one particular issue that needed to be addressed before anything else.
"Um… that's all well and good, but what about Wimzy?" she asked nervously, gesturing to the confused-looking Cherub. "It's not like we can just take her back with us."
"Well… why not?" Wimzy asked, causing everyone to raise an eyebrow at her, much to her confusion. "What?"
"Okay, no offence, honey, but you realize you're talking about staying at the home of Demon ROYALTY, right?" Dominique stated, voicing everyone's concern on the matter.
"Yeah, as far as Angel-hating Demons go, the Hellborn bigshots running the place are the ones you'd want to avoid the most," Desiree added. "If you were to go anywhere near their homes, you'd basically be walking straight into the lion's den."
"Which is an accurate description considering some of the Hellish Nobility are LITERAL lions," Johnny pointed out, adding to his girlfriend's point.
As for Shank, all he could do was nod in agreement, believing no other words could possibly add to such a strong argument. Mick, on the other hand, wasn't quite so convinced. True, the potential danger WAS there… but that would have been the case no matter where in Hell Wimzy went. During the last few years in Hell, he had only known a small number of Demons, both Sinner and Hellborn alike, and he couldn't possibly ask a single one of them to take Wimzy off his hands. Shank was pretty clear on how he felt about a Cherub in his club, Johnny, while a standup guy, was nowhere near responsible enough to keep an eye on her. Add in the fact his place was a dump and that was a no-go.
There was no way in Hell he was going to pawn off a Cherub on his mother, either, whether it was in her home OR her workplace, especially considering the latter would be just as big of a risk as the Peppermint Puss would be. Despite the obvious risks involved… there really was only one choice left.
"I'll take her," he said, causing almost every jaw in the room to drop. "I know it sounds insane, but Stolas is an understanding bloke and I think I can convince him to let us take Wimzy in. Maybe we can even get her a job on the staff."
The moment those words rang in her ears, Wimzy's eyes instantly grew wide and began to sparkle.
"REALLY!?" she exclaimed with an excited gasp.
"Yeah, really?" Linda added, both she and Snowflake gazing at Mick with utmost concern.
"It's the best option we have," Mick pointed out. "She won't go back to Earth and she can't go anywhere else in Hell. At least this way, we can keep an eye on her."
Taking that into account, Linda had to admit that Mick had a fair point. Plus it would be nice to have another friendly face around the mansion even though said face is attached to a pair of fluffy white wings. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed.
"Uh… no offence, guys, but that is the DUMBEST idea I have ever heard!" Johnny blurted out, "I mean seriously? What are you gonna do? Walk right out into public with an Angel on your arm without a care in the world? And then I suppose you're just gonna waltz right up to the mansion, right?
"I can't BELIEVE you are waltzing right up to the mansion!"
Needless to say, to see Mick, Linda, Snowflake and Wimzy actually follow through with such an idiotic plan certainly gave the Snake Sinner cause to voice his disbelief after Shank had him take everyone back to the Goetia Mansion in his van. Now here he was, parked just outside the front gate, with Mick in the passenger's seat, Snowflake on his lap and Linda currently checking on Wimzy, who had been stowed away in one of his old duffle bags, hiding away in the back of the vehicle.
"Oh, relax, will you?" Mick snapped, growing increasingly annoyed by his friend's complaining. "Look, I don't like this either, but this is the best option we have. We just need to put Wimzy in our room for the time being, and then I can talk to Stolas and try to convince him to let her stay."
"And THIS is your big idea to keep her hidden until then!?" Johnny retorted, pointing his thumb to Linda and Wimzy in the back. "Dude, stuffing the pink kitten inside a duffle bag and pretending it's your dirty laundry is not gonna fool anyone!"
"It was the only way to get her out of the club without anyone spotting her," Linda pointed out, remembering the awkwardness of the whole escapade quite vividly.
"Something like this works all the time in the movies," Wimzy added, causing Johnny to simply roll his eyes.
"Yeah, hate to burst your bubble, but this AIN'T the movies," Johnny argued. "If anyone catches you guys doing this…"
Alas, Johnny just couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence, the very thought of the potential consequences being too much for him to take. At that moment, he suddenly felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, courtesy of Mick.
"Hey… I get it," the masked Sinner said, his voice oozing with a calm gratitude. "Thanks for worrying about us, mate."
Feeling that no other words could be said to change his friend's mind, all Johnny could do was let out a defeated sigh.
"Just… just be careful, alright?" he said, giving Mick cause to chuckle.
"When have I ever done otherwise?" he joked, bringing a light smile to the Greaser's face as Mick scooped Snowflake up in his arms, opened the door of the van and jumped out before doing the same for Linda and Wimzy.
"Thanks, Johnny," Linda said gratefully as Mick scooped up the duffle bag and closed the door behind her.
"Good luck," Johnny spoke up, getting one final word in before his friends walked too far out of earshot.
As he watched the small group of Demons walk through the Goetia's front gate with their Angelic guest all bundled up in their bag, the Snake Sinner couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh as he once again started up the engine of his van as certain thoughts began filling his head. Just as he began to drive away, one particular thought stood out among the others.
"So that's a Cherub, huh?" he said to himself, almost smirking at how different he had expected such a being to be. "I wonder what the OTHER Angels are really like."
Little did Johnny realize, around the same time he was driving away from the Goetia Mansion, there were those residing in a different realm who were the prime example of such an answer. High above both the Demonic realm and the realm known as the Living World, resided a realm surrounded by a pearly Golden Gate… a realm simply known as Heaven. And deep within the center of one of its sparkling cities, beneath a golden sky and surrounded by buildings that sparkled like diamonds, and streets that shimmered like polished gold, was a lone tower that housed one group of Angels in particular. That particular group's title… the Seraphim. High Angels that had six wings instead of two to indicate their rank and power among their peers, who ruled Heaven and its citizens with grace and fairness.
Sitting at a polished marble desk in their office, one such Seraphim was currently in the middle of a meeting with two other Angels. A tall and slender woman with six pale-periwinkle and white wings on her back, cedar-brown skin, white freckles and a white streak going down her nose, and hip-length, silvery curled hair. She was also dressed in a two-layered, periwinkle-gray gown with a high-frilled pale-periwinkle collar, and a crown-like halo that shimmered above her head. This was Sera, the High Seraphim of Heaven and the Angel in charge of Heaven's protection and order. Though she may usually carry herself with regality and grace on a good day, right now, her face was riddled with irritation and unease.
"Adam, as much as I appreciate your efforts over the years, I'm afraid this is a request I simply cannot grant on a whim," she said sternly. "Your arrogance has already gotten us into trouble with the Goetia during the last Extermination after one of your Exorcists attacked a member of their household, so suddenly changing the schedule for the next one will undoubtedly be pushing our luck with the other Hellborns."
At those words, one of the two Angels standing on the other side of Sera's desk stepped forward. Adorned in a demonic-looking masked helmet with long, smooth horns with a golden ornamental attachment on the tips, as well as a golden hue upon the visage of his mask, he also wore a smooth white and golden cloak that appeared to have a large 'A' symbol emblazoned on the front, a pair of golden wings on his back and a bright golden halo with small spikes protruding from the front. This Angel's name… Adam: Leader of the Exorcist Army and the first Human to exist in the Mortal Realm.
"Oh, please, that dumb owl bitch shouldn't have been out in the first place," he said arrogantly with a scoff. "I mean come on, do you know how many Sinners and Hellborn look alike?"
Irritated even further by Adam's attitude, Sera had to resist the urge to slam her hand on her desk.
"That is beside the point, Adam!" she snapped. "Refraining from attacking the Hellborns was one of the few conditions Lucifer managed to agree to, and blatantly ignoring that condition is only going to bring more trouble to our doorstep. Besides, we've already pushed our luck by attacking Hell a week early this year, do you honestly think it's a good idea to attack again after only a few months?"
But again, Adam only scoffed in response.
"Hey, my girls are suffering too, Sera!" he pointed out, though rather unconvincingly. "Some Sinner actually had the balls to throw a brick at Gabby this year and gave her a concussion!"
However, Adam's words did next to nothing to earn either Sera's sympathy or her consideration, rather this merely gave her cause to roll her eyes.
"Adam, unless you have a VALID reason to accelerate the timetable so quickly, I'm afraid this meeting is over," she said sternly, turning away from the two Angels and choosing to look out the window. "Now if that is all, I must ask you both to leave."
However, it was then that the second Angel, Adam's First Lieutenant, Lute, a white-skinned woman with pale yellow eyes and a white asymmetrical bob haircut, wearing dark grey Exorcist attire and a shimmering white halo, stepped forward and placed her horned helmet on the desk before pulling out a small, golden device.
"You wish for a valid reason," she said, trying to sound as professional as possible, more so than Adam appeared to be. "How about the fact that one of this fuckers managed to have a little vacation… in the Living World?"
Hearing that, Sera's eyes snapped wide open in shock before she turned back towards Adam and Lute with a serious glare.
"Please tell me I've misheard your lieutenant, Adam," she said, keeping her tone as calm as possible while addressing the two Angels in front of her. "Because I am not in the mood for any jokes."
Alas, she was only met with a serious shake of Lute's head.
"I assure you, your Highness, this is no joke," Lute insisted, her tone stern and filled with a light bitterness as she placed the device on the table and pushed one of its buttons. "If you would care to take a look?"
As soon as Lute pushed the button, a large hologram rose out of it, projecting a screen-like visage in front of Sera that started flashing certain images from Earth… images depicting Mick and Linda's exploits! Starting from the man Mick had left hanging over a bubbling tar pit, to Jerry's bus still currently lodged in the side of a building to the disaster at the Comic-Con held at that very same building. Upon seeing the look of horror on Sera's face, Adam couldn't help but smirk.
"As you can see, Sera, the damage is pretty bad," he stated with a hint of snark. "Not exactly something we can ignore, am I right?"
Hearing that, Sera couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh as more images of Mick's mark on L.A. left her somewhat befuddled.
"And you're certain this was the work of a Sinner?" she asked with a serious tone. "Because despite my reservations, our agreement with Lucifer in allowing certain Hellborns to roam Earth still stands as far as I'm aware."
"I still can't believe Heaven actually agreed to that condition," Lute muttered in irritation, trying desperately not to lash out in front of her superior.
Adam, however, only smirked at such a question.
"You bet your ass we're sure!" he stated almost smugly. "Trust me, Sera, this wasn't one of Ozzie's little whores causing trouble. If it was, we wouldn't have brought this to your attention."
"Our instruments picked up a surge of Demonic magic that no Succubus to our knowledge has ever been capable of," Lute elaborated, pointing out to one particular image on the screen that depicted the van Mick had blown up still currently in blue flames. "As you can see, the culprit managed to use pure Hellfire to cause this destruction."
"Hellfire?" Sera repeated. "Then could it not have been one of the Goetia? "
"Yeah, that's what we thought too… until we sent one of our girls down there to analyze the blaze," Adam pointed out. "Turns out those particular types of flames haven't been seen for a couple of centuries… and the last time they were was when a bunch of Sinners found themselves on earth through… certain demonic means."
At those words, a flood of memories began to fill Sera's head and she immediately felt the need to rest her head in her palms as she leaned her elbows into the desk.
"Yes, I remember those days," she said solemnly. "It was one of the darkest moments in Human History. But I was certain all the remnants of that time were wiped out and the means of creating more were dealt with."
"Clearly, someone down there managed to get their hands on something that slipped through the cracks," Lute pointed out.
"Is the Sinner still on earth?" Sera asked worriedly, only for Lute to shake her head in response.
"I'm afraid not, ma'am," she said regretfully. "By the time we managed to figure out that a Sinner was involved, the filth had already fled back to Hell. We used our instruments to try to pick up on his demonic signature but he was already long gone."
"And without knowing his identity, we can't very well just send someone down to Hell and make demands," Sera added, feeling a migraine coming on. "I'm assuming that IS the case?"
"Yeah, sorry, Sera," Adam replied with an indifferent shrug. "Hell, even if anyone did manage to catch a glimpse of the fucker, I highly doubt he'd be stupid enough to walk around in his old skin suit. Probably stole one of those frilly Human disguises"
It was at that moment that Sera felt the need to rise from her desk and glide over towards the nearby oversized window. Looking down at the Angelic City below, she found herself resting her forehead against the glass as she allowed the seriousness of the situation to seep in. If a Sinner actually managed to slip through the borders of Hell without anyone's notice, then who knows how long it'll be before another follows their example? And if anyone else in Heaven were to find out about this, it would surely lead to chaos among the citizens. Whatever decision she makes now, the matter must be dealt with promptly and discreetly.
"Sooooooo… given all THIS," Adam spoke up, picking up the device from Sera's desk and shutting off the hologram. "Perhaps this is enough to convince you to accept my… hehe… proposal about the next Extermination?"
Sera, of course, couldn't help but groan at that. She always thought that Adam was a little TOO enthusiastic whenever it came to the Annual Extermination in Hell. More than likely it was because of his bias brought on by the Queen of Hell herself. That said, ever since he took over for Azreal as the leader of Heaven's army, he has proven capable of getting results and there and there haven't been any signs of Demons uprising from Hell because of that… aside from that dark time centuries ago when Sinners found their way to Earth… a time that forced many Seraphim to practically erase a large chunk of Human History just to keep the peace… NO! That cannot happen again! Not while she was in charge.
"Very well, Adam," she eventually said with a heavy sigh. "In light of this evidence, I'll consider your proposal to… move up the next Extermination."
The instant those words left Sera's mouth, Adam's grin increased ten-fold.
"FUCK YEAH!" he bellowed, practically dancing on the spot. "Love ya, Sera! You fucking rock!
"It's only a consideration, Adam," Sera elaborated, her tone strict as she turned and gave the Golden-winged Angel a firm glare. "Do NOT make me regret it."
Feeling Sera's hardened gaze stare deep into him, Adam's smug demeanour immediately dissolved into a sheepish grin.
"Right, got it," he replied with a light chuckle.
"I mean it, you two," Sera insisted. "Regardless of what decision I make, we can't let this information get out under any circumstances. I don't care how it gets done, but this situation has to be nipped in the bud before it can get any worse."
Lute, of course, bowed her head in respect at that.
"Understood, your Highness," she said, allowing Sera to let out yet another sigh.
"Good," she uttered, once again making her way to her desk. "Now, if you both will excuse me, I still have work to do."
With that final word, the two lower Angels bowed their heads and made their way towards the exit of Sera's office, leaving Sera by herself to deal with the pile of paperwork she begrudgingly had to return to even after receiving such stressful news. Around the same time, Adam and Lute made their way through the double doors, however, another individual made themselves known to the Seraphim by appearing in a small flash of white light.
"Hey, Sera!" they said, causing the Angel to suddenly look up from her paperwork.
To her surprise, she was greeted by the face of a young Human girl with tan skin and long dark hair, specifically, the same Human girl Linda had bumped into while she was running from the Mingeworthy's back on Earth… a Human girl that Sera appeared to know quite well by a different name from the one she gave the disguised Imp earlier that day.
"Emily?" the Seraphim exclaimed, looking upon the Human from head to toe. "Why are you-"
"Hmm?" Emma, or rather, Emily uttered, her gaze lowering down to her own body before she suddenly smacked herself in the forehead. "Oh right, duh! Sorry!"
With that, Emily snapped her fingers and was suddenly enveloped in yet another flash of white light. When that dissipated, where once stood a Human Girl named Emma was yet another Angel. A young lady with silvery skin, white freckles beneath her eyes and bright mid-thigh-length hair with bangs styled in a somewhat messy way. Like Sera, she also sported six white-feathered wings on her back and had a light blue halo decorated with small, tiara-like spikes hovering above her head. Attire-wise, her simple shirt and shorts were now replaced with a light periwinkle gown with a light blue sash wrapped around her waist and a set of fingerless pale-periwinkle opera gloves which covered most of her arms. Upon seeing Emily in her true form, another sigh escaped Sera's throat.
"I see you've been visiting Earth… again," she commented, causing a bashful blush to appear on Emily's face.
"Well… maybe," she admitted, glad that Sera wasn't even choosing to acknowledge the numerous tote bags of merch she brought back with her.
"At least tell me it wasn't in Las Vegas again," Sera asked, almost pleading with yet another heavy sigh. "It IS called the City of Sin for a reason."
At those words, however, Emily merely responded with a light giggle.
"No, no, of course not," she replied. "It was L.A."
Though she never showed it on her face, Sera was instantly horrified upon hearing that. If what Lute and Adam had just told her was true, then Emily had been in the same area around the same time all these incidents involving the Sinner were occurring.
"What!?" she exclaimed, almost letting her emotions get the better of her. "Are you okay!?"
Emily, of course, only raised an eyebrow at that.
"Of course I am," she answered honestly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Given Emily's reaction to her question, it was pretty clear that she appeared completely unaware of everything Sera had learned. After all, as far as she was aware, even without an Honesty Crest, Emily wasn't one to lie and considering how much she wore her heart on her sleeve, she couldn't really keep a secret to save her life. That said, Sera still felt like she was at her wit's end.
"Sorry," she said, trying desperately to calm herself down. "But you know how much I worry about you, Emmy. And L.A. of all places? You know what that place is really like."
"Well yeah, but I was only visiting the Comic Con," Emily pointed out. "It's not like I was visiting one of those Human Night Clubs or anything."
"Maybe so," Sera admitted. "And I know your job is to bring joy to our residents but still, I wish you'd find better places to do your research."
Emily, of course, could only roll her eyes at that. As a fellow Seraphim, she had just as big a role to play in the structure of Heaven as Sera did. To be specific, she was one of the few responsible for keeping Heaven as blissful and cheerful as it's meant to be. To that end, she had to keep up to date with what Humans of all generations enjoyed while they were alive. Nothing Sinful, obviously, but to keep up with the latest trends, now and then, she would don a Human Disguise and visit Earth to see how modern Humans found the slightest bit of joy. Whether it was from spending time with their favourite animals, enjoying movies, or even a simple day at the beach, in order to fully understand how to bring happiness, she had to experience the reasons for such happiness for herself. That being said, it did get a little annoying whenever Sera would point out the numerous flaws in the places she would visit… Luckily, she had learned how to calm her fellow Seraphim over the last few years.
"Oh, you worry too much, Sera," she said, before reaching into one of her tote bags and pulling out a small figurine. "Besides… I got you a souvenir."
Seeing Emily place the figure depicting a winged knight riding a unicorn on her desk, Sera's worried expression slowly faded in favour of a small smile.
"You know me too well," she said bashfully, unable to keep herself from feeling giddy as a mother getting a gift from her child.
Seeing that Sera appeared to be sated for the time being, Emily allowed herself a smug grin before saying her farewells, picking up the rest of her merchandise and heading towards the door. However, before she reached for the handle, a small surge of curiosity compelled her to suddenly turn around and ask one final question.
"By the way, what did Adam want?" she asked, once again causing Sera to freeze up. "I thought I heard his voice when I teleported in."
"Oh, um…just some inquiries he wanted to take care of," Sera answered quickly. "It's nothing to worry about."
Sera's abrupt answer, however, only gave Emily cause to raise an eyebrow again.
"Riiight," she replied, choosing not to question her fellow Seraphim any further and stepping out of the office.
Once she was certain Emily was gone, Sera couldn't help but stare at the gift she had placed on her desk and feel saddened. Having grown so close over the years they've known one another, she felt terrible for lying to her like that. But even so, she couldn't know the horrible truth about what was going on both in Heaven and on Earth. If Emily, or any other denizen of Heaven were ever to find out the truth about what Adam's true role was, then there would be an uproar from the more sympathetic Angels and that in turn would cause chaos that would disrupt the order she was meant to protect. Such is the burden of being a High Seraphim.
Stepping into his own office, Adam couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he and Lute made their way over to his desk and once again activated the golden device. This time depicting a certain image that he and Lute "conveniently" forgot to show Sera during their meeting… an image of Mick both before and after removing his Human disguise.
"Was it truly wise to keep information from the Seraphim?" Lute asked. "We know who this Sinner is. We should head down there right now and-"
"No, no," Adam said, cutting her off. "If we told her everything, then Sera would only have us go after HIM instead of the whole lot of those disgusting freaks."
Hearing that, Lute couldn't help but smirk, her superior's reasoning sounding both sound and delightful for her bloodlust.
"That being said, I want you to make THAT particular Sinner your primary target," Adam continued, pointing towards Mick's image on the projection. "If he thinks he can just pull this little stunt and NOT suffer the consequences, I want to make sure a real example is made."
"Oh, don't you worry, sir," Lute stated, looking upon Mick's unmasked face and giving it a hateful glare while at the same time gripping her left forearm. "That piece of filth WON'T escape… not this time."