Wings and Tears: Part Five

 

            “Well…to be honest, one day, after we had lived together for so many years, Heero just came up to me and said, ‘Let’s make it official.’ And that was it, and then before I knew it we were married.”

            Solo was looking at his father, one eyebrow raised, “Really?”

            “Really.” Duo sat back. They were in one of Quatre’s small themed rooms. This room was dedicated to the Gundams. It was a small shrine to old, long-dead, friends. Articles on the Gundams were framed on the walls, and the room was simple, like something they would have found on reminiscent of the Gundams’ control rooms. Duo was resting on the couch, arms spread on the back, head tilted, his eyes looking to the ceiling. Solo sat on a gray block-like chair, leaning towards his father.

            It had been three weeks since Solo had come to meet his father with his mother’s blessing. They had taken him to the mountains, the desert, the city. Hanna had guided him around the gardens behind her house. They had even gone to a night-club. Solo had flashed an “ID” to the bouncer, only to reveal later to his father that nothing was in the wallet, he had played an angelic mind game. Wufei had introduced Solo to the Preventers: Millardo, his wife Lucrezia, Sally, and their leader, Lady Une. Heero had introduced him to Relena and the President of the Nation, who was up for re-election. He had met Hilde and her new boyfriend over the view-phone. It had been a busy three weeks.

            Duo and Solo sat in Quatre’s many rooms and had conversations that lasted for hours. Sometimes others would come and join them. Heero made a point to join in many, thinking it was important he get to know Solo as well. Quatre also liked to talk with Solo; he loved to learn more about the angelic realm and God and other things that Solo knew. Trowa would come with him sometimes. Wufei would usually just hang out in the corners of the rooms, listening to the conversations. But now Wufei had gone into the city because Sally had asked him to come in and help the Preventer units for a few days, an important conference was being planned, and they needed the extra security checks. Heero was taking a nap in his and Duo’s room. Quatre and Trowa were playing a board game with Hanna.

            The conversations had moved from room to room, but today they were in this room because Duo wished to tell his son about the Wars. He told his son about Oz, the Gundams, the scientists that created the mechs, the pointless battles. Then he moved to his comrades and that’s how they were in this present topic.

            “That is so weird. Don’t you two do anything romantic?”

            “We’re romantic.” Duo lifted his head to look at his son, “Just not as romantic as Quatre and Trowa…and usually when we are alone…” He smiled.

            “I wouldn’t know. There are even fewer gay angels than humans and most of them are already paired off. I have to wait ten thousand years to even begin to hope to find someone new. You and Mom had it easy.” Solo’s eyes moved to his hands that were folded between his knees.

            Duo laughed, “Yeah, I guess we did…hey, maybe you’ll get Michael to get over Lucifer.” Solo looked up at Duo, eyebrow raised, they looked at each other a moment, “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t have to be angel any more to read that thought.”

            Solo laughed, “Anybody could pick up on that one.”

            Duo laughed as well “Yeah I guess.” After a short pause Duo stood and walked to a framed picture of Deathscythe Hell, caught by a hotshot photographer during the war. He took it off the wall to hold it in his hands. “You know there were times when I thought this machine had more soul than I and at the time, I was right. I was very wrong, however, by calling myself the God of Death.” Duo swiped a finger on the cool glass of the frame.

            “Michael said that when you went to Earth there was a secret bath of mortal blood that you and Mom bathed in daily.” Solo said quietly.

            Duo snorted with bitter laughter, “My theory is Michael spends the eternities thinking up elaborate metaphors.” His eyes were still focused on the picture, but they were thinking of his past, the past before the Gundams.

            “He says that God Himself was so horrified he sacrificed one of His angels, my Grandmother. He says that the White Chapel Murders were the climax of your lust.”

            “They tried to scream, but I wouldn’t allow it…” Duo’s mind was buried in old, painful memories, “She would laugh at them. Turned on by the pain I gave them with my hands…my hands.” He could see his reflection in the glass of the picture, he even tilted the frame a bit to view himself better. “When I started to cut those girls, they were still alive…and she loved it…then her mother died…we returned home…everything changed…everything was different…”

            Before he could continue Quatre came into the room. “Duo! Solo! Michael’s here!”

            Solo and Duo turned to look at the blonde for a second then quickly followed him back into the main sitting room, Duo frit slipped the picture back on the wall. Sure enough Michael was standing there and turned towards them when they entered.

            “Michael?” Solo asked.

            “Solo! Has your mother contacted you?” Michael looked worried.

            “No…why?” Solo took a step closer to him.

            “She’s…I don’t mean to worry you…but she’s missing.”

            “WHAT?!” Solo asked and turned to look back, panicked, at his shocked father.

 

~~

 

            A dark-cloaked figure stood in the middle of the room, the soft delicate feminine fingers of this figure held a long silver blade. In her other hand she held a sliver goblet. She held out the goblet and poured deep red blood onto the concrete floor of the room. A black smoke rose from the blood. She stepped backward, let the smoke twist its way into the room. Her back met the wall and she watched as this smoke thickened and became more of an entity looking mass than simple smoke. It twisted and flowed towards the high ceiling. A flash of red blasted to every corner of the room, tossing her hair and the hair of the humans in the room, two her followers, one her unconscious captive.

            There was a thud, as heavy as a body falling on the ground and a grunt. The blackness cleared. The body that lay on the ground lifted his head. “Wha--?” he asked dimly.

            “Help him up,” ordered the female. Her two followers hurried to aid the man in the center of the room. “He hasn’t used his legs for over a decade.” The humans helped him stand. She walked over to him, his face was red and dirty. He smelled strongly of body odor that hadn’t been washed away for years. His blonde hair was shining with oils from his scalp, and stuck out in odd directions.

            He looked up at her, his green eyes confused and miserable, “You,” he said.

            “Yes, Sweet Devil, me,” Lorelei smiled at him. “We will help you wash up and then we will talk. First you must hide your wings; they can be a little…startling…for human beings.”

            “What’s happening?” Lucifer asked, interrupting her, “Am I forgiven?”

            “Oh no, Satan. Not you,” she wasn’t phased by his interruption. Lucifer bowed him head, ashamed, leaning on the arms of Lorelei’s followers, he had not yet stood completely. “Hide you wings.” She repeated. He looked up at her, more tears flowing down his face. He closed his eyes and his wings sucked into his back. He looked back at her, she nodded, “Good, very good.” Then she turned to the humans, “Take him to get washed up.”

            “What about him?” asked one, nodding back to the captive tied to a chair.

            “I’ll take care of him.”

            They nodded at her and half-dragged Lucifer from the room. Lorelei strolled to the chair, untied the bounds and lifted the head. Wufei’s black hair fell from his face.

            “You will wake up, walk out, and remember nothing,” she told him. His black eyes opened then he stood and walked to the door. She watched him leave.

 

~~

 

            “She’s been missing for three days. We thought it was just, you know, her way. But…but there are little things I’ve been noticing. She’s…she’s been acting strangely since you left. I…I can’t explain it really.” Michael, Duo and Solo were sitting on chairs in the room. Michael tried to explain what had happened the last three weeks in the angel realm. “I’ve only seen this type of behavior once before.”

            “What type of behavior?” Duo asked.

            “Well, she insisted that her house was a mess and scrubbed it clean for four days straight, till she finally passed out with exhaustion. Then she was always mumbling to herself. She stopped caring about personal hygiene a few days ago. Then she was gone, without a trace.”

            “Who else has acted like this?” Duo again proposed a question.

            Michael paused before answering, “Her mother.”

            “What?” Solo asked, “What are you saying.”

            “Solo, you know I’ve kept many secrets from angels. You know it. You’ve asked me about it before. You said once that I am the only angel that had will enough to hide something from you. You said that you had been looking for a way around my mental walls, but could not find one. Well, one of those secrets was what exactly happened to your marital grandmother. She didn’t ask to be a sacrifice for God, she went insane and found one of the two ways we can die. One is by the knife of God, the knife your father used to merge your mother back together. The other, the way she found, is with a special potion. She didn’t pray till God killed her, she committed suicide and asked me to lie for her.”

            There was a moment of silence as this was digested by father and son.

            “What a minute! You don’t think Mom would? Oh God!” Solo said and placed his head in his hands. Duo reached out to touch his back.

            “I don’t know Solo, but it is a possibility. I don’t mean to worry you, really I don’t. I have to go back, I’m sorry. But we are looking everywhere for her. She hides very well, like you and her have done before, Duo.”

            “I want to help!” protested Solo.

            “It would be best if you stayed here, you know, in case she comes to speak with you.”

            Solo looked at the archangel for a second then nodded, agreeing.

            “Good. Truly Solo, I’m sorry to bring this news, but please keep an eye out for her.”

            “Don’t worry I will!”

            “If we find anything I will come and tell you.”

            “Thanks.”

            “I should be going,” he stood and bent down to give Solo a hug, then he nodded at Duo and disappeared. Solo looked at his father, miserable, and Duo swiftly reached out to hold his son.

 

~~

 

            Lucifer come out of the bath room dressed in new clothes Lorelei had given him, a green satin shirt and blue jeans.

            “I was right, you look good in green, it brings out your eyes,” she commented when she looked at him. “I figured you were tired of black.” Lucifer looked up from the clothes.

            “I guess.” He’s body and voice were scared, uncomfortable and innocent, not at all like he had the first time she had seen him, and neither wanted to remember the last time they had seen each other. “I still don’t understand what you want from me.”

            “Well, actually I’m just starting the course of events that will lead to the greatest war in history.” Lucifer looked at her curiously, but she did not expand. “You need only do as I say and you will never, ever have to return to Hell.”

            Lucifer nodded, “Ok. I’ll do whatever you ask…within reason.”

            “Don’t worry I won’t ask you to do anything that will harm Michael,” she smiled and stood from the seat she was sitting in. “I will ask you to wear this.” She handed him the sliver blade she had used to bring him to Earth, it was held inside a brown leather sheath. He took it and hooked it to his pants.

            “Why?” he asked.

            “It will hold its purpose.” She said and turned to sit back in her chair. She relaxed into it, crossed her legs. He smiled.

            “Our roles are reversed,” he noted.

            “Ah, but unlike you, I will not go back on my deal. Now…please sit down.” She gestured to another chair besides her. He sat down. “My plan is simple…” she began.