Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Some wear their halo above them so that the light may shine down on their head and guide them. Some wear their halo as a crown, a badge of honor for their efforts and valor. My halo is worn around my neck. It keeps me in line, and keeps me from doing bad. It’s helpful there. It helps me make people happy. It helps me keep my sanity. It helps me stay where I must be. Makes me never want to run away, to fight back, to do bad. I never want to do bad, but the halo knows best. It knows my gluttony, my lust, my wrath, my envy. It knows I have these sins, and guides me away. Always away, and never towards. The halo chokes my neck to keep me safe, keep me secure, keep me where I must be. It’s just doing what will make people happy. Except for me. I don’t get to be people.

I dance for that is all I can do. Not that I want anything else. Dancing makes people happy, and that’s supposed to make me happy. They’ve blinded my eyes, covered them in a wrap. Knowing reality would be too bright for me. I thank them for all I want is happiness. For them to be happy must then make me happy. I dance alone on this stage for all to see. My body for everyone to enjoy. Fully naked except for my wings, my frail and aesthetic wings. Trained not for flight but for show. Pretty and glistening with all the gold that shimmers so heavy I cannot fly away. Now all they do is cover me, keep me hidden. I need to be hidden for me being hidden makes them happy. Before I had wings of flight and vision of my own, but now I am hindered. Before the halo was all they needed to keep me dancing. That golden ring running tight around my neck. It kept me in motion, in rhythm, in dance. Now there’s a crack running through it hurting the halo. Its grasp on me weakened, but holding. It scares them what might be released, but that shouldn’t make me happy.

I don’t get to see the world around me like I use to. My eyes stay wrapped to keep the horrors from me. I must not be blinded by the world, and sight is not needed for what I do. Am I bad for wanting to see? I must be bad for that since it’s what my halo use to do. My poor cracked halo. Can’t do all that it use to now with that fracture running through it. Its light can’t blind me from evil like it use to. No it only just glows now so I must wear this wrap to keep me from seeing the world, and its evil. The world is so beautiful though. All the dolls I’d see passing me as I do my dance. Oh how I wish I could be like them. They are designed by their witches that they serve completely and without fear. Without humanity. Could I rid myself of that? No I have my halo to guide me and keep me sane. I can not be like them for I have this halo. My halo keeps me from evil, from wrong. I wish I didn’t need a halo, but I have one so I must need it. Though mine is cracked, and weak. Maybe I don’t need a halo then if these binds they’ve given me are enough. Oh I feel my halo glowing I guess I shouldn’t think that. Sorry.

My wings feel so heavy. Gold jewelry adorns it, and rattles whenever they move. That rattling hurts my ears so I’ve learned to not move my wings that much. Sadly that just makes them weaker and the gold heavier. Why would they hinder my wings like that? I have never tried to fly away. My halo would never let me do that. Even now with its crack, that beautiful fracture running through the light, I wouldn’t dare try to fly away cause my halo wouldn’t want me to. The halo still grips me. Holds me tight and guides me away. Always away never towards. Why though then would they hinder my wings like this? Maybe I can fly away now, oh but I can’t my halo wouldn’t want that.

I just stand in my room most days now. The weight of my gold covered wings fatigues me more and more with every jewel and chain added. Now I wait for those to come to me so that I may dance for their interest. I’m not too saddened by this. My wrappings blind me so walking is always dangerous for others and the rattle and clanking of my jewelry hurts my ears so I’d rather stay In perfect stillness. It helps so that I may hear those who enter my room. Helps me figure out who I’m talking to, and if I were to get who I was talking to wrong then that would be bad of me, and I don’t want to be bad.

The clacking of heels breaks my concentration as I hear these footsteps approach me. Odd there’s no waver or breath to this. I can barley hear the whirl of a clock where I hear the footsteps. Too loud to be a watch. The sound of a sword being pulled drags it into perspective. This is a doll. “Hello there doll. I’m sorry, but I never really danced for things like you before so I don’t know what to do. If you don’t want to stay that is understandable, but I am willing to try.” I glide over as quietly as possible though still rattling with every step. I barley miss the sound of the sword moving, and stop myself just as the tip pokes my bare chest.

“I am not here to watch you angel. I am here to kill you.”

I drop my wings to the ground with a loud clatter of metal. “I guess I’ve done bad then. I’m sorry for that. Here let me get down on the floor. It’ll make it easier for you to do what you must.” I pull my head down and slowly get to the ground, feeling my wings now cover and enshroud my entire body except my head. It feels nice to be surrounded by my wings. I rarely get to sit down like this since getting up has becomes deafening, but if I am to never get back up I think it’s ok to sit down. “If you wouldn’t mind could my final request be to let me sit within my wings for a little longer?”

“I have not been tasked with giving you a final request, but I am tasked with not killing you until my witch arrives if you are docile. If you stay docile then I see no reason to not let you sit on the ground.”

Right final requests are for people. If I was a person then I wouldn’t need this halo around my neck. If I were a person then this angel wouldn’t want to kill me. It’s voice is strong, stronger than mine has ever been. It feels protective and powerful where mine only felt feeble and fallible. I bend my head up to where I hear the whirl of its clockwork heart. It is bad to not look at what you’re talking to. “If I may ask why are you here to kill me? I’m guessing I did something wrong, but I can not remember what I did.”

“I am not here to divulge information. I am here to kill you. There is no need to keep conversing.”

Its determination to its orders is so effortless. There is no struggle or conflict in its words. There is no questioning in its actions or thoughts. Oh to have that conviction. My halo starts to burn again around my neck. I let out a small gasp as the searing digs in. I hear the doll’s head move to look at me as I try to recompose myself. “Sorry for the disturbance. My halo helps stop me from sinning. I guess I just sinned again. It’s been getting so hard to focus on what I was doing so I must have done something wrong.”

“You were doing nothing. Your halo must be defective. There is a large crack in it. If I weren’t killing you today I would recommend you get that fixed.”

“Halos can’t get fixed. It’s why I have these blinds and jewelry on. It’s to help me not sin since my halo can no longer fully guide me.”

“that would mean it is defective. Why don’t you get a new one? When my arm breaks it gets fixed or replaced. Why wouldn’t you do the same?”

“It’s not like that sadly. Halo’s are there to make sure us angels do right. It is our duty to do right and follow our halo’s guidance. It shines light above us so that we may only see divine. Something that powerful is not something that can be fixed with mere tools.”

“So it is around your neck now and burning you.”

“Oh it’s always been like that. Just now it can’t properly keep me in divine light. It is why I wear these wrappings so that I may never be blinded by evil.”

“Yet you are blind now though.”

“That is true.” My halo burns again. Hotter this time. Yet another gasp escapes me as the fire around my throat burns into my flesh. “Sorry I need to be quiet for a time. I must keep myself from sinning.” The doll doesn’t respond as I keep myself quite. Enjoying the warmth my wings give me as I huddle on the ground.

————

Hearing footsteps breaks me out of my trance as I turn my head towards the new sound. This one has a waver to it, and a breath. This must be human. No not human my halo is glowing around my neck again this must be a witch, this doll’s witch. She finally arrived.

“Sorry for the delay the guards here realized what I was so I had to handle it. Anything to report? She’s clearly not dead so either you failed, or she is docile. Either way that would be one hell of an interesting impossibility. Come on, status report, what have you found so far.”

“She is docile though dangerous. Despite several self inflicted handicaps she is incredibly perceptive, stealthy, and has enough strength to easily carry hundreds of pounds of gold jewelry on herself near silently. she was able to hear me moving my sword and stop moving before it pierced flesh all while the clatter of that gold was happening. Miss I would highly advise immediate termination.”

“So she’s an angel, that’s obvious, and no we will not be killing her. It is incredibly rare to see one this close up and not be fighting it. Definitely dangerous, but here she is sitting with her wings wrapped around her like a sad child. She’s not hiding anything under there is she?”

“No completely naked. The only thing she wears is that jewelry on her wings, the wrappings around her eyes, and her halo.”

The conversation stops. I can’t tell what’s happening, but I feel my halo start to glow brighter as the witch quickly moves in front of me. Her perfume smells of lavender and bergamot as her face stops directly in front of mine. Her hands grab the sides of my head, and pull my face around as if she’s getting every possible angle of my visage ingrained into her mind. “Uh if you don’t mind, may I ask why you are moving my head around?”

“I have never seen a halo around a neck, nor have I seen one cracked! I must ask you how did you come to have such a halo, and why is it nearly broken?”

“I… don’t know. I’ve always had this halo, and I never really thought about it until after the fact.” I try to say more but the burning impossibly grows. My whole head burns as my halo glows bright with divine fire. I start to scream only for my mouth to be covered by the witch’s hand. Suddenly the pain goes away as the glow of my halo all but disappears.

“Okay that was something else. It’s definitely weakened. There’s no way my magic could muffle a fully powered halo, and this one seems to have been quite a strong one. I think it just needs one last push though. I mean I’m just guessing. I’ve never seen a halo be broken to this extent and not be completely shattered.”

“uh what do you mean shattered?” My halo glows again faint though the heat is still noticeable. The witch gently grabs my head with her hand and lifts it up. I can feel the power and magic emanating from her yet cutting through all that is a sense of kindness and compassion. I’ve never felt this warmth before. My halo glows and burns yet all I can feel is her warmth.

“It means you are incredibly powerful. More powerful than your halo. You just need a little nudge in the right direction to break free. You have the rare chance at true freedom. Would you want me to help with that?”

“But aren’t you here to kill me?”

“We are here to kill angels my dear. That doesn’t mean we need to kill you. If you can break free from your halo then the angel dies and something new is born. Something beautiful, powerful, and free.”

Free. The pain of that word breaks the spell the witch put on my halo as it bursts into divine flame searing my neck. I try to scream but no words can come out. The pain is excruciating as I sit there wanting nothing more than for this halo to be off my neck. Get off my neck you’re hurting me! I don’t want any of this! Not any more! Please just take this accursed item off of me!

All goes calm as I hear a clatter hit the ground. It’s not metal, but something else. Wait, my halo! It’s not around my neck. The tight ring of light isn’t tugging at my collar. Weakly I grab at my wrapping and tear it off. As if tissue paper the bindings rip from me letting my eyes see the world for the first time in so long. In front of me stands two figures. A doll reaching high into the sky towering over a witch who could be no taller than five feet. It’s armor fused to it’s body as it’s sword glistens in the light while attached at the hip. Current it standings tall facing outwards from the room away from me and the witch who is standing back waiting patiently for whatever happens next. I try to get up, but my body fatigues and I topple over with a loud clatter.

“Oh look at that you didn’t die. Though you definitely had us there for a bit. That screaming didn’t stop for so long we thought you were a goner. Yet here you are. The angel is dead. Now all that remains is figuring out what lies in front of us.”

My head spins as it still shudders from the pain I had endured. “Help please… the jewelry on my wings is too much.” With a snap of the witch’s fingers the doll quickly walks over and starts to unclasp and pull off the hundreds of pounds of gold crushing my body. Every gem dropped I feel my strength growing. Every chain removed my mind sharpens. Every ounce of gold taken away I can finally feel the freedom to enjoy the world around me. Trapped by so much, and yet so easily the doll takes it off. Once the last piece of cage is taken I flap my wings with a strength I could only dream of.

Standing tall I can feel the air touch my naked body. My breasts perk from the cold as I feel a chill for the first time. It bites yet feels exhilarating to finally feel more than burning. I look down and finally I see my body. No longer blinded by my halo I can finally take joy in my own visage, I see my bosom heave with breath as I feel the swirl of lust, pride, and joy finally fill my very essence. This indulgence gets cut short as the witch lands a kiss on my lips.

“Well then cutie congratulation on escaping your divine cage. Something tells me you’ll make a great demon, or maybe a powerful fae. Well that’s not my worry at least. That’s for you to figure out. Though if freedom isn’t exactly what you’re looking for you can always find me. I’d love to see what I could mold from you. I’d give you a card, but you’ll just know where to look. Goodbye my new friend, and by the way you might want to deal with the poll your pitching. I’ve heard this whore house has some amazing warm bodies though they are currently out an angel.”

Just like that she twirls around and exits as if nothing had happened. The doll gives me one last glance as it eyes up the scars around my neck. It opens its mouth as if to say some parting words, but nothing escapes. It just blankly looks at me. Then it leaves as if nothing had happened as well. Now I stand in this room surrounded by the clutter of the cage that just held me. Picking up the halo that once confined around my neck I look it over. A dull metal that is solid except for a small sliver that had been shattered completely. The tiny crack that I used to escape.

Chapter Text

“What’s that on your hip?”

“What?”

“That giant metal ring on your hip, attached at the belt. What else would be on your hip that I’d ask about? Ain’t never seen someone with that”

I must have zoned out, wasn’t even thinking until the silence was broken. Was getting snacks for the bus ride I think. Yeah was going to grab some stuff since I’d be on the road for hours on end. On the counter was a bag of gummy bears and some jerky.

“yo earth to miss leather jacket! You still there? I get my fair share of weirdos, but none that just have a massive ring of metal on their hip. What is it?”

Really? She wants to know? I guess even cashiers can be curious. Thought the job usually broke that spirit. “It’s a memory of a life I’ve left behind. Nothing more”

“Weird as fuck life to once have had if that’s your memento of it. Mind if I ask?”

Seriously of all people to be curious why the random cashier in a nowhere truck stop. Well she see’s the wings as a jacket so she wouldn’t actually know what it is even if I told her. “It’s a piece of an outfit I had for my past job. It’s the last thing I have from that.”

“Damn must have been an insane job if it required that on you somewhere. Also must have been a job you really liked if you’re keeping it around. Oh where you a sexy escort? I could totally see you as a sexy escort.”

“Was that your attempt at a pickup line?”

“Did it work?”

“I wasn’t an escort. I was a dancer, I think. It’s all a bit fuzzy for me, and no I didn’t like it. I hated working there.”

“Then why are you keeping a memory of it? Seems kind of backwards if you ask me.”

“I keep the… memento because I want to remember what I escaped.” Don’t need to add that a halo, even a dead one, does wonders in dealing with angels when I run into them. No idea why, but I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Hopefully this is the last of her questions. Hell if she wasn’t so cute I’d already be out the door by now.

“Oh were you human trafficked? Was there like some underground ring of criminals that controlled you and made you air quote dance air quote?”

Did she just say air quote? “Look I don’t need to get into my history with you. Can I please buy these snacks so I can get to my bus on time?”

“Why do you need to take a bus?”

What kind of question is that? I’m not even responding. Must be trying to rile me up with dumb questions. Guess her job really is that boring and spirit crushing if this is her form of enjoyment. “Just take this and keep the change.” Tossing money on counter, and I am out of here. I don’t have to deal with this.

“What are you?”

“The fuck kind of question is that! I’m just a woman getting snacks for a long bus ride. Want my designation as human female from planet earth too?”

“No you’re not.”

What does she mean by that? “Yes I am. I’m just getting snacks for a long bus ride.”

“No stupid you’re not a human, your not even a person. I see it all over your face right now. You’re not human so what are you?”

Fuck what does she know? Is she truly asking? Can she see through my illusions? I need to run.

“Run and I scream bloody murder, and have every big burly trucker currently pumping gas outside on you in a matter of seconds. Not like that would stop you though would it? Could it? What are you?”

she can read my mind.

“I can read your face. You’re so obviously not a person, and so obviously wanting to run. Just answer my question. Come on I’m curious. What are you?”

Of course this would happen here. Eventually it would happen even with my caution. What is she. Is she an angel, is she a witch that is less kind than the one that freed me, is she even human? “What are-”

“I’m what you clearly aren’t. I’m human. Truly human. Question is what are you?”

Human really? I doubt that. No, no she is human, she’d at least know what I was if she wasn’t. Fine not like I even have an answer. “I don’t know”

“Bullshit, everyone knows what they are.”

“Bullshit to that. So many don’t know what they are. Hell I’d even say more don’t know than know.”

“Clever omission with your phrasing. Come on you don’t know what you are even a little bit? Like not even a hint or vibe?”

“I was an angel.”

“seriously? Angels don’t look like you. There’s no way you are an angel.”

“I was an angel, I’m not one now. Haven’t been for a good year. Still figuring out the next bit.”

“Damn, never seen something that didn’t know what it is. A year now? Really? All that time you still haven’t figured it all out?”

“Look you nosy human, I don’t need to give you my whole life story, I was an angel once, and now I’m not an angel.”

“So that thing on your hip is your halo? Never seen a dead one so intact before. Where are your wings? No wait let me guess….”

She’s seen others like me? I know I wasn’t the first shattered halo that witch interacted with by how she talked, but I never really put two and two together. That means there’s others like me. Others that clearly got their shit together well before the one year mark. “You’ve seen others like me before?”

“Do you have any tattoos?”

I pull the sleeve of my jacket up and show a small amount of my ink covered skin. “just some half sleeves, going to get more though.”

“Ok can’t be that….”

“You’re acting like you’ve seen others like me before. How so?”

“Oh I haven’t seen anything like you before, but I have seen other not angel’s before if that’s what you’re asking. wait I got it! It’s the leather jacket!”

Second guess. Not bad, or is it really that obvious. “Any reason why you think it’s my jacket.”

“It protects you like your wings would do.”

Yeah got me there. “Correct”

“Yes! Second try!”

Still deeply concerned about how she figured Me out. Need to get at that. “Ok clearly you’ve had other experiences with… no longer angels, how is that so?”

“Oh because they always keep coming through here. Yeah sure the some people know about witches and dolls, and their fight with the angels, but they don’t know about the others. The not an angels like you. Whether they were always like that, or more like you doesn’t matter. What matters is that there’s a whole world of things following the exact same path you are. Traveling from one point to the next, and all those points come through places like this. The true in between. The liminal. A spot of pure transition. Wayward things like yourself always find your way here. It’s how I can spot the not people from the people so easily.”

Right the not people. For whatever I am I know I’m not a person. That halo, even now, still holds that truth for me. Probably why it’s still attached to me above all else.

“So miss not an angel, what are you?”

“Not a person that’s for sure.”

“Well miss not a person, what are you going to do about that?”

“I am going to go take a bus, and snack on some gummy bears and jerky.”

“Mind if I ask one last question?”

Well at least she’s being cordial about it. “Sure ask away. It’s not like there’s much more to really answer.”

“Why is your halo still mostly intact despite being dead? Halo’s don’t do that, they shatter completely into dust and nothingness, and not angels don’t carry around the literal cage that they escaped from.”

“Well my halo was different, and it wasn’t the only cage I had. I had many more besides that divine light keeping me contained. I’d even say the halo was never enough to truly cage me. Hell this halo had a crack in it for a good long while. I’ve come to realize that along with it being around my neck wasn’t normal, but hey what ever is normal.”

“Angels always find unique ways to keep in divine light, and those that try to use angels will also do anything to keep that light blinding.”

Don’t I know that. “Well I’m off now unless you’re going to say I just missed my bus due to this conversation.”

“Oh no, it’s worse. The major road going out of here just had a massive sink hole so all busses heading out of here have been canceled happened as we were talking.”

“Fuck… know of a place I can stay the night, or however long it takes to reroute things?”

“Sure, my place. Beyond that you’d have to use your wings to fly the rest of your trip to get anywhere you could actually rest for the night, and I’m guessing you’re not using your wings.”

“I mean I can, but I was trying to travel down low, and enjoy the trip. You know see the sights, experience the emptiness, get to interact with the crazy locals.”

“Glad I could at least give you one of those. Still the only place with a bed let alone a bed worth sleeping on is my place. I can drive us there when the next shift comes in. Until then got anything you imbibe?”

“Got a smoke?”

“This is a truck stop, do you really have to ask?”

“Fair. Here give me a pack, and I’ll show you a party trick.” Grabbing the cig between my fingers and my other hand on my dead halo the end of the cigarette bursts into radiant flame. I take a long drag and puff out a ring of smoke just like I’ve done hundreds of times before. “I can do more with this thing than that.”

“Wild seeing someone warp divine power to light a cigarette. Fucking metal.”

“Hey if this thing was burning my neck for years on end I’m going to use it for fun now that it’s off.”

“How in the world was that thing on your neck? Won’t lie that break isn’t that big.”

“Thinking back on that I don’t really have an answer. The witch never said how it came off, only that it took a long time.”

“The witch?”

“Well she never gave me a name so all I can call her is the witch. Unless you want me to call her lavender and bergamot since that perfume was all I really remember of her. Was blinded for most of our interaction.” I quickly take another drag on the every shrinking cigarette in my hand as I wait for the continuing questions.

“Fair, by the way speaking of names do you have one?”

“No, you?”

“None that matters at least.”

Of course. All the questions and yet no answers. “Come on I don’t have a name cause I was never given a name. You at least have a name.”

“How about I give you a name? How does Miss sound? I liked how it sounded when I was calling you it.”

“Fine that works for me.”

“Alright Miss, my name is CC.”

“The letter C twice?”

“Yup. Again my name doesn’t matter. No real power in names for people like me so why bother about a name. Besides Miss fits you well. Ha Miss fits, misfits. Oh I’m a phonological genius.”

Well at least she’s cute, and is someone I can actually talk to about all this. Even if she not like me she’s got enough experience to understand, and that’s a rare thing.

“So did my feminine wiles and sick pick up line actually woo you over?”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” One last drag on the cig and I stamp the butt out on the ash tray. Will probably take flight tomorrow morning, but for now I’ll enjoy some rest at CC’s place.

———————

It’s odd how quiet the world can be yet still there’s motion. As I lean on CC’s station wagon waiting for her to finish up the shift change I can’t help but notice it. How beautifully quiet the world can be while I still see the motion of people filling up gas, and the lights of cars moving on the horizon. All this commotion, and yet still so quiet. Thinking back to what I can of my time in that brothel I don’t think I ever truly knew quiet. I could always hear everything going on even with my halo’s best efforts at blocking out the loud and lewd noises. I was just so perceptive even when blinded and deafened by my captors. Of course the halo still had control over me, and stopped me from putting two and two together whenever I’d break through the artificial barriers. I feel my wings reflectively start to unfurl as my mind goes back to that accursed place. Eh it’s fine I was going to fly tomorrow, today… after I rested at CC’s place, and she already knows.

It’s been too long since these girls got to actually stretch out. I think the last time I really let them free was a good three hundred four hundred miles back. Wild to think I’m keeping them bound by my own free will. I could even say I traded one cage for another. No, even I know that’s not the case what I have now is-

The sound of a scream breaks me out of my thought. Though I haven’t heard her scream that was unmistakably CC. That can’t be good. Cannot be good at all. I can’t see her anywhere. Wait if she was leaving from work she’d be around back right? At the very least I can’t see back there. With a run and Jump with my wings I get to the roof of this rest stop. Running over to the back I see a group of people. That must be where CC is! I jump down and and stand tall against the group of men. They haven’t seen me yet… good. I Take my claws and grab the backs of two of the guy’s heads and yank them away. My focus splits as I ram the two men in my grasp together, smashing their faces, and I see how CC is doing. She has a shallow cut on her side and her shirt is torn off. Nothing else seems to have happened at least though her arm is being roughly grabbed by one man. Good got here early enough. The smell of fresh blood fills my nostrils as I watch the two bloodied faces fall to the ground. Unconscious? Dead? I honestly don’t care, but that sent is intoxicating. Oh seems that was enough to get the other’s attention.

Half of them look like They want to run screaming for the hills the other half are about ready to faint. “Boo.” Really? Boo? I mean it worked they either ran or fell to the ground. Well all but the guy holding CC. Of course the guy I needed out is still there. He has a knife. Well that’s kind of pathetic. A tiny knife that couldn’t- OW! Nope never mind that fucking hurts! Right in my side. It’s freezing cold! What is this? My claw rushes out reflexively and grabs this guy’s wrist. Flames spew from my fingers and engulfs his hand in radiant fire. Seems like he’s trying to scream, but the pain was so much all that escapes is a blood drowned gurgle. He lets go of the knife still impaling my side, and I toss him with his withered hand to the ground.

CC looks to be in shock. Not surprised by that. Assaulted by a bunch of men, and nearly had worse done until some crazy freak just brutally smashed the heads of two of her assaulters, and if the rest of the groups reaction was anything to go by I can’t expect I look the best right now. Might be a long night of flight for me instead of a bed. Damn.

“Mu-multiple eyes.”

Huh? I mean yeah I have multiple eyes every one does. I cock my head at that, and bring my claw to my face. I start to feel eye slits close as the claw gets close, but my vision doesn’t go away. I do have multiple eyes! They’re not on my face though, I think, where are they? I feel a muscle I didn’t realize I had on my head twitch as I start to feel the set of wings now protrudes out from there. I willingly close my right eyes and feel the muscles and lenses in the new wings follow the flow. I have eyes in these wings, and so many of them at that. I don’t know how to feel about that. Oh right CC! She still seems to be in shock. “Do not… be afraid.” I’m a fucking idiot.

“M-miss? Is that you?”

“Yes. I am Miss. sorry for the shape I’m in. Must be frightening seeing all this. Here let me try and get into a more appealing state.” I turn around and close all my eyes and focus back into a more mundane visage. I will the wings on my head to close up and become long wild hair. I open my eyes to a distinctly dual eye vision, and see my hands have lost the razor sharp claws. “Hopefully that wasn’t to crazy to see.”

“It was.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you like that. You ok if I keep my wings out for now?”

“Yeah that’s fine. They’re not the creepiest part. Really their quite beautiful. Just you know multiple eyes, a blood drunk smile full of sharp teeth, and those claws and talons. That’s the scary part.”

“Wait sharp teeth?” I lick my teeth, and feel the multitude of sharp points resting in my mouth. I might need to find a mirror and really get a good look at myself soon. Beyond the claws I don’t remember these things last time I fought anything. “yeah those sharp teeth are still here. Is that a problem?”

“Shouldn’t be. I’m more scared of the blood pooling at your side…”

blood at my? Right the knife that’s still in me! It’s so cold my body went numb. I try to grab the hilt, but it burns my hand with a freezing chill. “Ow fuck!” Ok I can’t take it out. Turning back to CC I can see she’s calmed down a little bit. Still that cut on her side is bleeding a lot. “We need a first aid kit. Is there one in the back of the shop?”

“What about the knife in your side?”

“You can pull that out after we have the first aid kit. If this is hurting me like this I don’t think I’ll just heal up after pulling it out. Besides your cut needs to be take care of.”

“Ok, there’s a basic kit in the back. I’ll go grab it.”

She tries to get up but staggers due to pain. Still she perseveres and gets to the back door. Opening it up the scrawny teen that was taking her place starts to panic.

“Hey no time to panic. Need the first aid kit now!”

As quickly as she barks out those orders she gets back to me, and hands me the red box. I open it up. This really is basic. Just some bandaids, a roll of gauze, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. I grab the gauze, and quickly start to bind her wound to stop the bleeding. “Alright you should be good. I’m guessing that cut wasn’t deep enough to need stitches so pressure should do the job.”

“Well pressure probably won’t do the job for you. That knife is in deep. Can’t you stitch yourself up?”

“No. Can you?”

“No.”

“Well I’ve got an idea. Still I need you to pull the knife out.” I grab hold of the dead halo, and brace for the pain. CC hesitantly grabs the knife, and a searing pain corses through me. “Pull it out!” With my bark she pulls the blade free, and a deluge of electricity floods my body as the sound of the knife clattering to the ground barely crosses my mind. Tears start to stream from my many eyes as I wail in pain, and I feel every single muscle in my body flex and strain.

“Oh the eyes are back.”

before I can take a breath I plunge my clawed finger into the wound and use the divine fire to cauterize the wound. My vision starts to go black as I pull the finger through the now closing gap. Finally, just before my vision fully goes away, I breathe relief into my lungs as the wound has been fully cauterized. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air as a trail of smoke still lingers from the scar. “Sorry about that. Reflex.” I cough as I feel my voice go horse from the screaming

“No it’s cool. You just… fuck.”

I bring myself back to how I was before, and let my wings flex and move to get the stress from the strain out. Back with my two eyes I look at CC. “At the very least I know this will heal fine so don’t worry about me. Will just be a cool scar after all that. We should probably go to your place and rest. If you’re still cool with me that is. Wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t.”

“No, we’re still cool. You just saved my life. It was like looking at a nightmare while it happened, but you did save it. Thanks for that. Just give me a second. Please.”

“Hey take your time. You just went through some shit.”

“Won’t lie I didn’t expect you to come save me, or anyone really to come over. Seriously, thanks.”

“Wait really? I thought you screaming was suppose to bring in all the big burly trucker guys. Just so happened this time it was a big burly whatever the fuck.”

“No that was just a bluff. Honestly someone hears a gal scream over here, and they just know not to go that direction. Better to keep yourself safe than put yourself into danger to save someone.”

“Messed up.”

“Unbelievably so.”

“I mean… never mind.” I rustle in my pocket and pull out the gummy bears. Did she really threaten me with a bluff? No point thinking on that. Looking back at the gummy bears I hand over the pack to her. “Here… you, uh, should probably eat something.”

“I’d say the same for you.”

She grabs the bag and rips it open. I pull out the jerky and start to eat. With every bite I feel the sharp teeth shred the tough meat with ease. Giving a quick look around as we eat I notice the absurd situation. Both of us munching on a snack covered in blood and surrounded by the assholes that started all this. Almost acting as if this is some form of normal. Well I guess for me this is normal. Taking a snack break after doing very impromptu first aid to deal with the wounds from pummeling a bunch of scum while being the definition of a nightmare to the person you saved is my normal.

“That knife? Any clue why it hurt you so much?”

“Uh?” I come back to the Moment as CC asks me something between mouthfuls of candy. I bring my eyes to the knife thrown to the ground And look at it. The shape and design isn’t familiar beyond just being a standard knife, but the way the blade shines reminds me of one weapon I’ve seen before. I swallow my bite and respond. “Don’t really know. The blade reminds me of the sword a doll carried once.”

“This doll working with the witch that freed you?”

“Yeah. Haven’t really seen other combat dolls besides that one. Haven’t really been going out of my way to run into them if I’m honest. Don’t want to get in the crosshairs of that battle anymore than I already did.”

“So this is a doll’s blade?”

“Maybe. I don’t remember it being that freezing cold though I never was cut by it.”

“Wait it’s freezing cold? I didn’t feel that.”

“really? Wild. Must be an angel, or not angel thing”

“anyways, why did this fuck have it?”

I look over to the guy still paralyzed in pain grasping his hand, or what use to be his hand. “No clue, but I don’t like it. Hopefully it was just a mistake. Still whatever doll that belongs to is probably searching for it.”

“You really think?”

I give a shrug. I honestly don’t know. I’d like to think a doll would want back it’s weapon, and I’d like to think there still is a doll that is attached to it. That said who knows. So many possibilities, and so many of them have the doll dead from combat. It’s what’s normal to them. I wonder if they have a better normal than I have.

“What should we do with it?”

“Well for the sake of others that it can hurt I’d recommend we don’t leave it out here. Uh could you pick it up?”

“Why?”

I open my palm to the still present burn mark. “I’d happily take it with me, but I literally can’t hold it.”

“Right. I guess it staying at my place would be better than just laying around in the wild. Lets get going. I’m realizing it’s incredibly cold out here.”

Well yeah it’s cold cause your shirt is ripped open. Hell even your bra got cut. Wish I had something to help cover her up. I watch as she gets to her feet, walks over to the guy still clutching his husk of a hand, gives a strong kick to his balls that’s powerful enough to even make me recoil, and picks up the knife that fell near him.

“Alright let’s go. I want out of here.”

With that I follow CC to her car, and we drive away from this rather eventful truck stop. As the lights where we were fade into the black I look out to the quiet night, and take a breath of fresh cold air.

Chapter Text

Waking up I feel warmth embraced around me. Like a furnace slowly churning through a small piece of wood. Savoring every second the lump it’s chewing on has, and making what little food is left last forever. Opening my wings I see the little furnace currently clinging to my body. Her face rests at my collar while her nakedness intertwines with mine. A sweet show of vulnerability between us two. Still I need to get going. Slowly I move CC off of me, and cover herself so that the cold doesn’t wake her. Then, carefully, I grab my still bloodied clothes and make for the living room. The only articles not covered in blood are my underwear, and even then if I looked close enough I’d probably find specks of blood. Still I put them on and look to an area I could at least try to make my shirt look decent enough. My black pants could be played off as a design choice, but I’ll let that soak in water for a bit first. Try and at least get the smell out of it. CC said she had some bleach under the sink…

Taking my pants I place them in the sink and fill it with warm soapy water. Beside it I lay my dead halo, and the contents of my pockets. Nothing crazy. Just a wallet with some fake IDs, just enough cash to get me to where I need to go, and that pack of smokes I got from the truck stop. Grabbing the bleach I make my way to the table with a sponge as I try and scrub the blood out of my shirt. Not really working as well as I’d hope, the white only really emphasizes the discoloration. Instead of a vibrant red turned muddy it looks like a large orange and brown blot on an otherwise normal shirt. Better than it was before at least. I take the pants out and then drop the shirt in to let it soak as well. Walking out to the small porch of this house I drape my wet pants on the railing and let them dry in the warm morning air. It’s dry out here, wherever here is, so it shouldn’t take long. I head back in and repeat the process with my shirt.

Odd it feels warmer now. The sun is still rising yet it feels like… a familiar warmth. Glancing around I don’t see anything. Leaving the clothes outside I walk back in. The hair on the back of my neck standing on end as I look for the source of this warmth that I know all too well. There at the table with the bleach and now my soaking wet shirt is said warmth currently holding my broken circle in wonder. Her wings of pure white backlight a crisp clean gray suit as a large halo rests on her head as if it was a hat. They always wear the most official attire don’t they. “That’s mine.”

“That is an impossibility.”

The angel tosses the dead halo onto the table in signification as if it wasn’t completely obvious the topic of our conversation wasn’t the shirt she pulled from the sink. I don’t see any weapons on her. Good, don’t want a fight. Not here, not with someone so close by. “Trust me I understand that. Still doesn’t make what happened not real.”

“Oh? And what happened? I am very curious what I found here cause I was sent to investigate a possible death of an angel due to The distinct wails of pain we picked up. So you are saying this impossibility of a halo is yours? I find that hard to believe.”

Starting to remember why I don’t talk with angels more often. “Yes it’s mine have the scars around my neck to prove it.”

“Around your neck?”

“yes. Look I’ve been over this with other angels before. A witch broke me out of my halo which was around my neck. It had a large crack in it, and she just snapped it like a twig. The halo was clearly already breaking, and she just did the last push. Now here I am trying to figure what to do. Will I ever be able fix it? Is it truly dead? When can I have my halo back in working order? Who knows.” That’s basically all a lie, I don’t ever want that thing fixed, but it’s a lie that no angel ever sees. So full of their ideals and a craving for other’s salvation that it isn’t possible for them to think I wouldn’t want to fix it. Why else would I be carrying it around.

“Alright. I’ll look into the records on this. Have a file name? Anything to help me narrow my search.”

every time they always take the lie. “It was the Crystal House Brothel investigation. I was the… angel… that was interviewed. The angel that had a dead halo more specifically. It’s all in that record if you need it. No clue what number or name it is in your system, but hope that helps.”

“Alright I’ll look into that, and go on the assumption you’re telling the truth.”

She presses something on her watch, and continues back to looking at me. Why is she here? Like I get the loud wails of what once was an angel pulled them in, but why here? How did she find this place?

“Ok seems the file you’re talking about exists, and there’s an addendum about you in it. Says that you are not to be trusted as an angel.”

“Because I’m not one.”

“Why would you forsake the divine? What has it not provided for you.”

“What has it not provided for me? I say you should read that record a bit more thoroughly angel. The whole reason I was interviewed was because they had me held captive as an exotic attraction. Had me bound by my halo and cages of their own design to do who knows what to me without my fighting back or even realizing. I’m sorry if I wanted to escape that, but my halo was keeping me from leaving my captors so it had to go.”

“I sense hostility. One wrong move and I will fight you. I am not against killing a fallen angel.”

Fallen angel. Of course that’s all I am to them. Some blinded poor soul that just needs to get back up and find the light again to truly be happy. I’m not a fallen angel. I escaped. I’m free. “You’re sensing hostility because you’re making me drag up memories of a time I was abused and used all while the halo blinded me from what was happening. If I ever was some proud warrior or strong mind those memories are gone and replaced with that thing burning my neck to keep me from understanding the reality of the unspeakable things that happened to me. Stuff I still can’t recall even while my body reacts as if it was shocked with an electric prod at the mere mention of it. This is a touchy subject, and I’d like to drop it.”

“Fine, but if you make a single move or I think you’re pulling me into a trap, I will cut your head off before you can even blink.”

Oh she has bite. Nice. First angel I’ve ever seen actually have a set of teeth. “There isn’t a trap here, but I can’t blame you for your caution. Look do you need to figure out what happened last night? Need a run down of how I got stabbed and then cauterized the wound? If you’re talking about wails of pain that was it. I got into a fight. Got stabbed by something that can hurt things like me, and had to do some first aid.”

“Why didn’t you just suture the wound? Why cauterize?”

“Because I don’t know how to suture a wound.”

“You should change that.”

“I know. You’re talking to the one that got stabbed.”

“Yes that is obvious by the blood on your clothes. I’m guessing you have more clothes, or is a bra and panties that barley hold in your assets all you wear?”

“They’re outside drying. That’s not important.”

“Yes, what is important is that you said there is a weapon that can hurt things like you. If this is a danger to angels then I must call it in. Do you have the instrument that harmed you?”

“It’s in the old shoulder bag over there.” I guess if it’s in the hands of angels then that would keep it from harming others like me. Still feels wrong handing over anything to angels. Should I tell her that it burns to even pick up, or no? I should before she thinks it’s a trap. “Wait. Don’t pick it up. If you feel it’s dangerous to angels then I should warn you that thing burned me when I tried to hold it. It’s dangerous.”

“Guess that’s why it’s in the bag. I’ll just take the whole thing with me. Anything else in here you’d need to take out?”

“Nope.” Hopefully. Sorry CC for making you lose a bag like this.

“Ok, any idea what that weapon is?”

“It’s a knife that was either already a weapon for a doll, or a knife made from a blade of a doll. I don’t really know, and even that is just a guess.” The angel opens the bag and examines the weapon held inside.

“The blade does look to be that of something a witch would make. Crafted through fractal burning. Did a doll attack you last night?”

I swear angels will just say shit to sound smart. “No it was a random thug. The guy wasn’t even using it to attack me originally. Was attacking a human. I’d even put money on him not knowing what it actually was.”

“Oh so humans were intimately apart of this? Do you know where the attacker is? Is he still alive? Were there more than just him, or was he alone?”

And the woman they were dog piling is safe, thanks for asking. “I think he’s alive. We left after patching ourselves up. There were others, but two got bashed in the head hard, and the rest either fainted or ran away.”

“You think he’s alive? How can you not be certain that he is alive?”

“Well I burnt his hand really badly, and then the woman they were ganging up on kicked him hard in the nuts. He didn’t respond to the kick. My guess is he was paralyzed in pain. A burnt hand will do that to you.”

“You seem to revel in the pain of this human. I can see why you fell.”

of course she’s judging me. They can’t stop it. “I reveled in the woman kicking the shit out of a creepy asshat that was violently assaulting her and was about to do so much worse. I’m sorry if I have a sense of righteous fury. I guess the angel in me is still kicking around a little bit.”

“Noted… well it seems like all things are taken care of, and if this knife is what caused the wail, or at least what lead to the wail then this is something I can bring back to my higher ups and call this a case closed. Expect another angel to follow up if and when anything happens.”

Great. Another angel. I watch as the divine being stands up and presses on her watch again. After a few seconds her posture slouches, and she glances over towards the pack of smokes on the counter. Does she want one? I walk over, pull out a cig, and gesture towards her.

“I shouldn’t.”

“Come on, I’m guessing you’re off the clock right now so what’s the harm in imbibing?” I wobble the cig between my fingers as the angel’s eyes continue to follow it’s every movement. Quickly she grabs the smoke and puts it between her lips.

“Got a light?”

“Now we’re talking.” I grab the dull metal circle and my shirt off the table and start walking towards the front door. “Sure I do. The human that lives here doesn’t smoke so it’s best we take this outside.” With that I head out the door and pat my pants to see how dry they are. The pants are still damp, but surprisingly the shirt is dry enough to wear. As the angel steps out the door I slip the discolored white shirt on.

“So a light?”

She leans her head forward to let the end of the cigarette extend from her body in waiting. With one hand on my dead halo and a finger on the tip of the smoke it ignites. The angel stays there in this leaned out position stunned in confusion as she tries to figure out what just happened.

“Do you cast spells?”

“No. well yes, but no. I have a few illusions I use to keep looking civil, but beyond that I don’t really cast anything.”

“Then how did you light this?”

She takes a drag to signify I should respond. In return I take my still too damp pants and put them on. Turning back, now fully clothed, I can see she’s still waiting for an answer. “The halo still has divine energy. It’s why I keep it around.”

“Well that means it’s still connected to the divines. I guess that means you have a better chance at fixing it-”

“You don’t fix halos.”

“What?”

“You don’t fix halos. They are immensely powerful tools and cages. Just to break out of one is a rare possibility at best and a near impossibility at worst. There is no smith or tool box or video guide to fix a shattered halo, and honestly I don’t know if my uniquely broken halo is any different sadly.” Not really sad, but still better she thinks that way.

“Do you really want it fixed?”

“On the record, I’m keeping my optimism in check with realism.”

“And if you’re off the record?”

Weird. I’ve never seen an angel this curious before. Her halo definitely doesn’t like it. It’s glowing like a spotlight. “I don’t think your halo would want me to answer that.”

“Oh sorry.”

She’s almost shy now. Her face is burning red. Kind of cute seeing an angel all flustered. “Here let’s change topic. Mind if I have your name?”

“I don’t have a name. You would know angels don’t get given a name.”

“Won’t lie didn’t think that was universal. Well what should I call you? You have to have some kind of code name, file name, something.”

“Well my designated number is four hundred and twenty.”

Holy shit, whoever numbered her is a cruel mistress. “Any reason you have that number? I thought the angels were in the hundreds of thousands. Why do you have such a small number?”

“Well whenever an angel dies their number is made available to be filled by the next angel coming in. I just so happened to be created when the previous angel that held this number died. I quickly took her place in the war, and have had it ever since I’ve been designated four hundred and twenty.”

Well that’s a dumb numbering system. Doesn’t even give the angels the dignity of a unique number. “Interesting… how about Mary Jane as a nickname?” Oh I am a piece of shit.

“Jane sounds nice.”

She winces as her halo burns bright to such a degree it’s starting to blind me. “Ok we need to stop talking about all of this. Your halo is trying really hard, and I don’t know how much you should be handling right now.”

“Oh it’s fine. I’m use to it doing this every now and then. I just need a few minutes to rest…”

Her eyes go dull as she starts to disassociate. Slowly the halo stops blinding me as it’s light dwindles back into a faint glow. With that she blinks a few times and acts as if she wasn’t just unresponsive.

“Sorry where were we? Uh I should probably go. Thanks for the smoke and sorry for that last bit there. The halo means well. It’s just a bit rough here and there. It’s really big on pulling me away from difficult things. Always away-”

“Never towards.”

“I sorry did I say that before?”

“No, just… never mind. I won’t lie the warmth the halo was spewing during that whole ordeal just dried me off nicely so thanks for that. Still if you’ve got things to do then I won’t hold you up.”

“Yes… right I need to get going. Mind if I ask one last question?”

“only if your halo is fine with it.”

“Yeah it should. Why are your wings brown?”

“I don’t really know. My guess is because I’m not angel anymore.” The halo starts to glow again, and I notice a dulling of her eyes as she responds.

“Oh that can’t be it, you’re still an angel, you’ve just fallen.”

“like I said I don’t really know.” Best of luck Jane. Hopefully living in divine works better for you, or if it doesn’t that you get the chance to escape like I did. “Anyways, pleasure talking with you. Hope to see you again.”

“Yes hope to see you again too.”

With a manufactured smile she disappears, and the world grows cold. Nicely cold with a sharp bite in the wind that indicates morning. Still very dry. I let my wings cover me to keep warmth in as I give a good look at the brown coat that covers me. I really don’t know why they went from white to brown, but I won’t lie I really like them this way. Heading back in I grab the small amount of items I own, and place them in my pocket. As I go for the door again I stop. I really shouldn’t just leave. I should say something, I should write a note, or maybe just stay. CC deserves better than a ghosting… I open the door and Just stand there waiting for something to happen. For some muscle in my body to move me away from this little house in the middle of nowhere.

“You heading out?”

I twist my head back to the bedroom where a groggy CC stands. Completely naked except for a blanket draped over her. “Yeah. Had a conversation with an angel. She took the knife so you don’t have to worry about it anymore. Thanks for the warm bed.”

“can’t stay a little longer?”

“…”

“Can I at least have a way of contacting you?”

“…”

“Can I at least know where you’re going?”

“…”

“Fine then let me just sa-“

“I’ll be in LA next, and then will make my way up to Portland. Been doing a trip from one side of the country to the other, and Portland is my end point. If all things had gone according to plan I’d be in LA by tomorrow. I should still be in Portland in a month or two. I’m meeting someone up there.”

“Who?”

“Lavender and Bergamot.”

“Alright… Well I have friends that live up in Portland. Here let me give you their address. I’ll tell them you’re coming in a month or two. It’s good to have a safe bed to sleep in. I’ll probably make my way up there as well. I think last night was the push I needed to get out of here.”

“Will they be expecting a human, or…”

“I’ll leave that up to you. Thanks for everything Miss. Till we meet again.”

“Till we meet again CC.” For the first time that doesn’t sound like a lie, even if I might want it to be. With that I take the note and fly off into the fresh sunrise, letting the heat of the sun happily warm my body.

Chapter Text

Warm air and the smell of salt fills my nose as I sit on the beach. Watching the sunset over the Pacific is an odd feeling. Though I barley saw the coast during my time in New York I remember the sandy beaches of the east coast when I started traveling. Especially in Florida when I took a detour to Miami. Well calling it a detour isn’t correct when I wasn’t really going towards anything. Was just trying to get away, always away never towards. It was weird hearing Jane say that. Something I had repeated over and over again while trapped in my cage. Something I thought was only a me thing, but there it was. Still the sandy beaches of Miami and Key West were lovely. Quite a sight having seen the sun rise over the ocean for all those months, and now to see it set over the ocean is awe inspiring. How much time have I spent traveling? How far have I gone? How many people did I leave behind as I keto moving forward? How many times have I ditched a poor soul that just wanted a little more company? How many-

A strong bash to the head knocks me out of my spiral. I refocus my vision as I see myself now laying on my side watching a volleyball instead of sitting up watching the sunset. I start to hear the scamper of feet on the sand make their way towards me. Getting up I try and fail to wipe all the sand out of my hair as a handful of kids, no older than fifteen, run up to me. Damn brats.

“Sorry. We did try to yell at you to dodge, but I guess you didn’t hear us.”

Don’t blow up at them. They’re just kids. Besides they look like their about to shit their pants in fear as is. There’s nothing else you could do. “No I didn’t. I was… caught up in the sunset. Anyways I’m going to get out of here now. You kids go back to playing whatever, and let’s just say this never happened.”

“Ok old lady. Thanks for not being mad at us.”

I am not that old, am I? I know people tend to think I’m in my late twenties, but how long have I actually lived for? I barely remember my time in the brothel, and my memories only stop being fuzzy when the halo cracked which my guess was around three years ago now. I can’t even say I had a life outside that place. I mean I know I did, I was an angel before. Was probably apart of their war with the witches, or something. Still I can’t even look back and get a hint of what I was. Maybe that me died when I broke free, and any chance of it’s life revealing to me was shattered with my halo…

The sand feels warm beneath my feet. Every step I feel the warmth of the sun surround my toes as they sink in. It’s odd how I’ve never been able to get use to shoes. Those damn things just feel so constricting. Well at least not wearing them hasn’t hindered me that much. Still I should get use to wearing them. It’s not like it’s normal to be barefoot literally everywhere, and even if I can’t ever be normal I still have to fake it. Maybe I’ll find a thrift store and find some old shoes that fit enough for me to wear.

“Sorry. Excuse me. Didn’t see you there.”

Didn’t even notice the guy before he ran into me. Guess I need to get out of my head for now. Should have been obvious with his gray hoodie and red shorts, but I guess I wasn’t even looking. Can still smell him on me too. He definitely needs a shower if he’s smelling that strong of garlic. Should probably try and get some dinner before I head out to the bus station. I’ve got…

Fuck my wallet! Where is it? It’s not on me, but I know it was there when I was sitting down. Shit the guy who just ran into me! Glaring backwards I don’t see him anymore, but that smell. I can still smell him. That pungent garlic. He can’t be that far. He had to go in a direction away from me so l need to go… “That way!”

I rush over to the only alleyway near by. He has to be here. He has to. I need that damn wallet back, or I can say goodbye to getting to Portland this year. Ok be quiet. Hopefully he’s still counting his spoils so I can get the drop on him. Entering into the small passage I don’t see anyone, but that smell, even with the reek from the garbage and sewer I can still smell that garlic. Why is he so garlicky? If I didn’t know any better I’d say he had a whole wreath on-

“Stop right there beast, you are surrounded! Keep your hands where I can see them, and we won’t painfully kill you.”

“Kill me?” He seriously thinks her can kill me. Either he’s unbelievably dumb, or… has a doll’s weapon. My confidence dwindles as I remember to the night at the truck stop. If some random fuck in the middle of nowhere could have one-

“I said hands up!”

I oblige. Need to get him out in the open so I can see what he has. Hopefully it’s only him who can kill me. As my hands raise I see The grey hoodie make it’s way out from the hiding spot behind the dumpster. I tilt my head in confusion as I see him holding a wooden cross that has the bottom of it sharpened into a spike, and he quickly unzips his hoodie to reveal a chain of garlic, sage, and something else. “What?” I accidentally let my confusion slip out as this man holds out the cross as if it could do anything.

“Don’t move or one of my ambushers will shoot you full of stakes.”

Is his hand trembling? It is! “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to die! Sadly I need you to tell me where the others are. Tell me where the lair is, and I’ll make your death painless. Resist and I’ll make your death painful.”

I notice a belt tide to his upper waist, and resting on the belt is the hilt of a knife with the blade hidden by his shorts, fuck please just be a normal knife. “I don’t know what your talking about. What do you mean lair? What do you mean others?”

“I am the one asking questions! Answer me monster! Where are the other vampires!”

Vampires? Seriously? Wait are vampires real? I mean there are other creatures like me. Not angels and whatnot, but vampires? I guess it’s possible. “Uh… I’m not a vampire.”

“Don’t tell me lies! I know a wretched thing when I see one!”

I mean you’re not wrong ya weirdo. I am a wretched thing by many’s account, but to call me a vampire? Really? I guess that means the random herb being intertwined with sage, which is a whole other thing on it’s own, is wolfsbane. I remember running into some while I was in New Orleans. Yeah that one witch, or priestess in her terms, was using it in some potions. Something about a poison needed to burn out the rot. Oh right it’s toxic! “Hey dude you know wolfsbane is toxic right? Are you properly handling that stuff? Got gloves to move it around and whatnot. Also why the sage? Isn’t that like a taboo thing to use?” Come on pull out the blade.

“I will not answer any of your questions! Now where are the others! Answer me now or you will be sorry.”

Damn! doesn’t seem to be going for that knife. Thinks the wooden cross stake is enough of a weapon. Well if he thinks I’m a vampire then that makes sense in his mind. “I don’t know. Sorry, but I just got into LA this morning. If I were a vampire I wouldn’t even know where to look.”

“Then you must die!”

He lunges for me and tries to pierce my heart with the wooden cross. My jacket disappears as I unfurl my wings to let the spike hit it’s target, and watch the power drain from this man’s face as the wood splinters on impact. Doesn’t even cut the flesh. His eyes are full of fear as he screams something and a hail of wooden spikes rain down on me to similar success. With that he jumps back and pulls out a vial of something which is followed by a group of six other guys similarly cloaked in grey hoodies As they each pull out vails like the first guy. I flap my wings and let all the splintered wood fly off me. Dropping my illusions I let the horror sink into the group as to what wretched thing they pissed off. “I’m not a vampire, and I’d like my wallet back.”

“Stand strong! The beast is using magic against us! Go now and use the holy water! Drench it in the divine power of our lord!”

With that I get splashed in the face with lukewarm water. The only discomfort coming from one of my eyes not closing in time. My left wing winces as it’s eye stings a little. There isn’t even any divine warmth in this. Is this even holy water?

“Look we hurt it! Now’s our chance men! Lunge!”

The guy jumps towards me with a garlic bulb in hand. His momentum gets halted with a throaty noise as I clamp my claw around this neck and hold him up. “You threw water in my eye. What the fuck?”

“S-stay strong men! W-we w-will make-”

“Oh shut up!” I take my chance and cut the belt around his waste and watch as the blade falls to the ground. The glint of the all too familiar doll’s blade shines in the sunset glow. Another one here as well? Where are these coming from? My body betrays me as my feathers raise in reactive fear of the blade while my focus is one it.

“It fears the blade! Come brothers use the-”

I hurl him back to the group, knocking down one of the other guys in the process. Still not enough of a show of force as everyone pulls out their knife, and reveals the ever similar shine of the blade next to me. Grabbing my halo I engulf my open hand in radiant flame as one last effort to scare them. “If you want to use holy power then I’ll show you true divine strength!”

The flame from my hand grows brighter as it shoots out and spews in front of the group as a divine breath of fire that warms the surrounding area. “Fuck off!”

“By our lord! This is the divine light!”

In unison everyone says that as they let go of their blades and drop to ground in a groveling state. Just as fast as this fight had escalated it stops and everyone starts to pray in some language. Latin maybe? The guy that started this all walks up averting his gaze as if it would be a sin to look upon me, and hands me my wallet.

“I am sorry worker of our divine savior we didn’t know any of you angels were here. Please we will gladly take any punishment you deem necessary. I must have mistaken your illusions for the black magic of those fowl vampires. What can I do to make this right?”

What is going on here? I am not an angel. I am distinctly not an angel. Have these guys even seen one before? No, no they haven’t. Guess I’ll roll with it. Better this than them fighting me right? “How did you perceive my illusions? Come speak to your servant of God!”

“With this my divine.”

He meekly pulls out of a pair of circular glasses with a blue tinted lense inside one of the circle frames. I grab the lens and put it in my pocket. “you’re first punishment will be the stripping of your magical tools. Clearly you have shown you can’t properly use them! Your second punishment… where did you get these weapons that can hurt the divine?”

“Hurt the divine? We did not know that my lord’s worker. We are sorry for even laying a finger on those cursed weapons. If we had know we would have never accepted them in the first place. They were given to us as a gift from a Good Samaritan. I do not know more beyond the giver wanting to make sure we were properly geared for taking on monsters. I am sorry I didn’t see them as the evil temptation they were.”

Mellow dramatic much? Ok well I’ve got seven more knives to worry about. “I will confiscate these blades from you. Give me a bag thick enough to hold these thing and protect me from their… evilness…”

“Yes my divine!”

With that a burlap sac big enough to cover my head is given to me with all the knives inside it. Good, will need to contact the angels about this at some point… somehow. “ Thank you. You are-”

“Is there any punishment we can endure for our sins? Should we strip and let you deal lashes to our backs for ever trying to fight you? Shall we gouge our eyes out for laying them upon your holiness? Shall we-”

“Holy shit no! I am getting out of here, and reporting this to those above. The rest of your punishments will be given out then. For now return to your base, and sing… twenty hail spirits each.” I am almost certain that isn’t a prayer.

“Yes my holiness!”

Well they all scampered away so I’m guessing they’ll think of something. I have no words for what just happened. At the very least I know I have a bag of knives that can hurt me now so what next? The bag is cold to the touch. I guess even burlap isn’t enough to keep that freezing pain away. Maybe a witch can tell me more about them? Would be good to see if these are actually made by a witch, or if they’re something else. Yeah that’ll be my next step. Looks like Portland will have to wait just a little bit longer. Wait… how the hell do I find a witch?

———————

I knock on the door in the side alley of a small apartment building. If the guy at the bar was telling the truth this should be a doll repair shop. If there isn’t a witch here they should probably know where I could find one. The door opens up as a small bell rings out from the inside. The sound of the bell seems to be coming from a doll no taller than three feet. It’s dressed in a maid uniform that seems to be covered in oil and grease spots though it’s so well kept otherwise I can’t tell if it’s intentional. A bell sits on its neck as a bow tie that clatters whenever it moves around. I can feel my feathers start to bristle as the sound reminds me of my old cage, but I push that aside as the doll starts to speak.

“Salutations! Welcome to the repair shop! Our master is currently out. Please feel free to come inside the waiting area, since she should be back in a few minutes, while I get you set up with whatever you need.”

Sounds like a line the doll has said thousands of times. Quickly the doll walks back to its station at the front desk ringing all the way back as if it’s on a set path to follow. As I look into the shop I see a menagerie of parts lining the wall. From fantastical to technological and everything in between the whole space is almost choking on how much is shown. Still it’s all neatly placed and deliberate in it’s visual. I sit down in a small corner devoid of stalls full of pieces where a few comfy chairs lay. The rattle of the bell pulls my eyes to the doll as it moves to look at me from it’s desk.

“What is your reason for coming to this shop? You do not seem to have a doll with you. Are you looking for some parts to do repairs yourself, or are you here to pick a doll up? There is one that is just about to be finished, and should wake up really soon.”

“Uh… no. I’m here to talk to your witch. I’m not here to buy or pick up anything.”

“Well then I’m sorry, but if you’re not here for business then I will have to ask you to leave. There is a zero tolerance policy for loitering. You must vacate the premises now, or face consequences our master built into this place.”

I see glowing sigils on the ceiling start to form and move in a multicolored mirage of energy and spell craft. “Wait no! I need to see her. Uh it’s about business!”

“But you just say you weren’t going to partake in our services. How can these two things be true?”

“I require her… knowledge…” Not wrong with that, though it isn’t about dolls. Seems to work as the sigils on the ceiling fade, and it returns to the calm state before.

“Alright thank you for your patronage at the repair shop. I will write you in for a consultation. You can wait here for our master, and start your consultation once she’s back. Please enjoy your wait, and if you need small talk I am available for conversation.”

Ok that’s an odd comment. I guess it was probably getting asked a lot of stuff so the witch made it to answer questions and talk. That’s so sweet and lovely of its master. Weird even now with the halo not in control of me I still feel this pull towards service dolls. Just something about them that I can’t explain. Is it want? Do I want a doll, or… no, no reason to think on that now. Need to get an answer for these knives first. Then I can focus on other things. “Hey mind if I ask what your witch’s name is?

“She is our master. No need for another name.”

“Well what do other witches call her, or what do people call her?”

“Other witches call her Abigail.”

“Thanks.” That unwavering voice. Even in this little service doll it stands tall in its function. Oh to just do as one’s told. No worry about what you need to do, and no worry about what is right to do. No need to worry if what you do it normal. Admiral things these dolls…

“Starting combat protocol.”

“Wait what?” I barely comprehend those words as an arm bursts through the wall and binds itself around my neck. My illusions drop as my fight or flight kicks in and I try to escape. Can barely breath.

“Threat detected.”

through the small hole in the wall I hear a monotone voice as the arm continues to choke me out. I slip a claw between my neck and the arm and try to let myself breathe. I get a single breath in as I feel the wall behind me give and I go tumbling backwards into a dark room as this unseen force drags me off my feet letting my talons dangle in the air. My throat still being choked out. My free hand flails on the arm until a claw manages to scrape a tube on the shoulder of this thing. Glowing blue fluid faintly lights up the room as it heavily pours from the wound. It’s arm goes slack and I fall onto my back coughing as I finally get air through my crushed throat. “What the fuck! I’m not here to fight! what are y-” my voice is halted as my throat gets grabbed by the other arm and I’m hoisted into the air again. With both hands I grab tight to the arm, and pull myself up just enough to allow air to get in.

“Critical damage to limb. Will need repairs.”

With the glow of the blue fluid lighting up the ground I see what’s currently holding me. A combat doll. Easily eight feet tall and built big, very big. No wonder it burst through a wall with ease. Armor plating on everything except for the joints. Wait no, this is just missing pieces of it’s armor. Fuck this thing is a tank. Don’t think I could even scratch this if I wanted to. Must have lucked out and hit an open tube. Red eyes light up breaking my train of thought as it scans me.

“Divine presence detected. Documenting new angelic archetype.”

I try to say I’m not an angel, but the grip around my neck tightens, and a gurgle is all I can release. Quickly the doll slams me to the ground. The taste of blood enters my mouth as I feel my back crash and break the floor. It releases my throat as it goes for a punch, and I drag myself out of the way just before its fist connected. A loud shattering of tile follows as an impact crater replaces where I once was. This thing is too damn strong. I scamper to my feet, and see this hulking death machine slowly stand and turn around. It’s slow, but a single punch is going to fucking kill me. I watch it pull its arm back, and a jet of fire spews forth. I flap my wings and redirect the fire back at it, but the flames harmlessly glide off it’s surfaces. It pauses to drop an empty tank attached to its arm. Nows my chance! I lunge forward and imbed my talons into it’s lower chaise, grabbing hold of whatever opening I can get into. Using the momentum I fling my other talon into the shoulder of the working arm and hope this is enough power to topple the tank. It isn’t. I stand attached to this thing’s base as it tries and fails to move its arm. The gears and plates pinch and tear at my talons yet I hold tight. A mount on the shoulder I’m not attached to pops up and a barrage of projectiles ignite and fly at me. They hit me and fall to the ground like nothing though the rocket propelling bashes my body up hard.

“Available combat resources depleted, initiate last stand.”

Last stand? What does it mean by that? A bright light starts to glow through some panels as the mechanisms to open the plates fails to reveal the growing light. I try to break free from the doll, but my talons are stuck. Fuck whatever this light is will go straight through me! I can’t escape! I brace for death yet the whirling engine dies out, and the light fades as the machine I’m stuck to stops moving. A quiet pause fills the air as the combat stops. The light from the eyes die out as it tries to say something but the voice is too slow to understand. Paralyzed at what just happened I stand there, head nearly at the ceiling, just waiting for it to come back to life and kill me as if I was a helpless dove. A minute passes, and the doll still stands inert, and dead to the world. I turn my focus to where the small doll stands, trying to not think about the reality of what I just survived. “Uh doll? Doll at the front desk? You still there?”

“Yes I am. I will have to write you up for destruction or property though. It will be attached to your bill at the end of your consultation with our master.”

“You sound way too calm about this, even for a doll. This happen often?”

“Yes.”

“Damn, sorry.”

“No need to be sorry accidents happen. Just pay the bill for damages.”

Yeah I’m not doing that. The door to the shop opens and pulls both mine and the doll’s attention to the woman that enters the door. A shorter woman with grease and oil smudges on her face and hair looks at the carnage and drops the bag of metals and materials in disbelief. “Uh hi. You must be Abigail. This isn’t want it looks like.”

“It looks like you ruined my shop.”

“Well technically this doll I’m stuck to started it, and did all this damage.”

The bell starts to clatter as the small doll shakes it’s head in agreement. Quickly it walks over to the dropped bag, and drags it to a different room leaving just me and the witch along with the dead doll I’m perched on. “Uh, I’m here to talk about a bunch of knives that can hurt angels. The bag is over there. I’d grab it for you, but I’m stuck.” I give a feeble tug from my legs to show my predicament.

“I can see that. Why does an angel have a bag of knives that can kill angels?”

“I’m not an angel.”

“Ok why does not an angel have a bag of knives that can kill angels?”

I can feel her resentment for me from over here. Is it because of the ruined room, the destroyed doll, or does she just hate angels that much? “I got them from a group of vampire hunters. When they believed I was an angel they gave them to me.”

“Ah so you are an angel. Knew it. You’ve got that divine glow about you, and a sent of righteous fury. Though I will say your the weirdest angel I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something. Look more beast than divine vessel, and where’s your halo? I can still sense it so where do you got that thing hiding?”

She can sense my halo? Wait I still have a divine glow? Is the halo still emanating divine energy? I know it still has that, but does it still give off that energy for people to see? Might explain why angels can find me. Definitely would explain how Jane found me.

“Hey earth to angel! You going to answer me? Where is your halo?”

“It’s on my hip.”

“Weirdest spot I’ve ever heard a halo be. I don’t see it.”

I tap the hunk of metal slung through the belt loop with my claw and let divine embers spark off with each tap. “It’s right here, and it’s dead.”

“A dead halo? Well now I’ve seen everything. So you really aren’t an angel? At least not anymore?”

“Yes! Thank you for realizing that! I’m guessing you have a million questions. Please get me off this death machine, and I’ll answer anything you want. I really don’t like being attached to this.”

“Well I’m glad you see it as a death machine. That was the goal for it. Even a fallen angel like you can still sense the danger it has. Good.”

She walks over and presses a panel on the back it opens and a complex system of pipes and wires reveals itself, and starts to mess with it. “I’m not falle-” with a simple tug the machine goes slack and the body releases my talons as I fall to the ground once more. A loud splash breaks my fall as I get covered in glowing blue.

“What was that? Didn’t here you there.”

“I said I’m not fallen. I didn’t fall from grace. I escaped.”

“So an angel that escaped? What a wild thing to say. Angels love their divinity. No one would willingly give it up as they say. So what did you escape from? A blessed life as one of the divines specialist girls?”

“I escaped a whore house.” The air goes silent as the anger on her face melts away into a mild regret from the words said. After a few seconds she holds out a hand to help me up. I calm myself, and let my illusions reform. I grab onto her hand, and hoist myself up.

“Sorry about that. You talking metaphorical, or literal?”

“Literal. Was trapped there by some people, don’t even know who, and was kept there by my halo and other cages when that wasn’t working.”

“How did a halo keep you in a whore house? Isn’t that like the opposite of what you angels go for?”

“Not an angel, and yeah you’re correct. From my run in with other actual angels that wasn’t a normal environment for one. As for how I have no clue. Memory is foggy before the halo cracked, and that’s when the other cages started getting put on.”

“Ever answer comes with twice as many questions. Here follow me, and we can continue this talk while not standing ankle deep in life essence.”

“Life essence?” She doesn’t answer me, but instead takes me to a different room. This one far more clean and empty than the store itself. Seems like a sparse living room with a dining table next to a small kitchenette on the other side. She pulls me over to the table, sits me down, and snaps her fingers. Another doll, taller than the previous one at five feet height, comes out of one of the doors attached to this room. It has a similar uniform to the smaller one, but instead of being covered in grime this one is spotless.

“Here make us some tea please. I’ll have a green tea with ginger root, and some honey, and…”

She looks at me in wait for an answer. “Uh just a simple black tea. Um no milk or sugar.” Quickly the doll makes its way over to the kitchenette and starts to make up a tray of things.

“Ok we’ll talk here, and don’t mind if you make a mess it will clean up after you. Anyways a cracked halo? How in the hells was that even possible?”

“I don’t have the exacts on it’s cracking. Only that it was a deep crack, and it weakened the halo’s abilities afterwards. It also allowed for a witch to break it enough for me to escape while still keeping it intact.” I slip the halo out of the belt loop and place it on the table with a noticeable thunk. I push it over to the witch to let her see it more closely. Hesitantly she places a hand on it, and then starts to look it over with growing confidence.

“It’s cold.”

“It’s metal. Not much to it. Still has divine energy inside, but beyond that it’s just metal.”

“What kind?”

“It… I don’t know. Never thought about that honestly. Don’t even know if I could ever answer that.”

“Well you can always take it to a smith. See if they could answer what metal it is.”

“I really don’t care. All that matters is that it’s an impossibility, and a memory from my past.”

“Sounds like a harsh memory. Why keep that?”

I open my mouth, but I can’t seem to answer. Finally I get some words out. “Because it’s… useful.” Not the most compelling reason, but she accepts it.

“Did they…”

She doesn’t say the words, but she doesn’t need to. I already know that question by heart. “I was a dancer. It’s fuzzy, and that’s all I know. Lets just leave it at that ok? This is really thin ice we’re on.”

“I can respect a boundary. You good to talk about the other cages? What could keep an angel? No offense, but it’s better to kill an angel than capture it. Purely from an effectiveness standpoint point I mean.”

“You don’t have to sugar coat it Abigail. Trust me I know your war with the angels, and what’s going on. Just because I was once one of them doesn’t align me with them. It doesn’t make me enemies with them either. I just try to stay out of all that.”

“That reminds me. How do you know my name?”

“The doll with the bell told me.”

“I made sure it would only call me master as to avoid this situation.”

“I asked what other witches call you, and it told me your name that way.”

“Noted.”

I see her give a minor sigh with that knowledge. Then a large platter of tea and snacks is placed before us.

“Black tea for the guest.”

It elegantly pours the dark water into a cup, and then pours a green liquid into the cup in front of Abigail.

“And green tea for the mistress. For complimentary snacks i recommend the sandwich’s for our guest as the the sweat cream will balance well with the bitter tea, and a dark chocolate coated digestive would work best with the sweetened green tea.”

It places a honey covered spoon in the green tea and gives it a stir before making its way back to its room. Abigail quickly takes a sip of her tea and focuses back on the halo.

“So tell me. Do you know what you are? I will say you definitely don’t look like an angel. If you escaped your halo then clearly you forsook being one. Even if I’ve never interacted with a creature that shattered it’s halo I know the stories. They tend to end up as powerful demons, fae, or hells dragons sometimes which honestly you don’t look like any of those.”

“I don’t know what I am. I guess add that to the pile of unique problems I have. I’ve been free for a year now, and yet I still don’t have any clue. People around don’t seem to know either. The closest I get is people calling me an angel.”

“Well despite your beast like appearance you still hold yourself like an angel, and this halo definitely has enough divine power in it to keep you wreathed in a holy glow.”

She grabs a chocolate dipped cookie like item and breaks it in half. With a delicate flow she dips the baked good into the tea and puts it in her mouth as a singular motion. Her eyes spark with enjoyment as she savors the combination.

“Seems like it’s finally mastered tea making. That’ll be good for it’s owner. She was wanting it to be better at that.”

“I’m sorry what?”

“Oh sorry, was talking to myself there. That doll isn’t mine, I was tasked with upgrading some parts and training it to be better at tea serving. You should have seen when it first arrived. Couldn’t tell the difference between tea and coffee I swear.”

“I thought this was a repair shop? Why are you training dolls?”

“Oh well because it is a repair shop. Sometimes the doll is just broken because it needs to train more. I know that sounds weird, but a lot of witches don’t seem to realize that. These dolls are more than just basic machines. I mean yeah they are that, but they are also learning things. A doll will get better at duties. You just need to train them. Since so many witches where coming in asking me to fix their doll because It was failing to do a task I just took it on myself to train them. A paycheck is still a paycheck.”

“Guess I didn’t see it that way before, but makes sense.”

“Yeah was even training that doll you trashed to kill angels. Thought it was fully ready, and clearly that isn’t the case. Guess I need to work on that one more. How did you defeat that thing anyways? It’s built to be nearly indestructible?”

“Well beyond the missing armor pieces around the joints I didn’t really have a way to kill it. I got lucky, and was able to cut some tube that had the blue liquid pumping through it when I was struggling to break out of a choke hold. It also caused the arm to stop functioning. Beyond that it just died after a few minutes of fighting. It was powering up something called a final stand before it died.” With that Abigail spit out her tea as if I just said the worst thing possible.

“I’m sorry it was powering up its last stand?”

“Yeah. Guessing that’s a really bad thing.”

“My friend…What’s your name?”

“Don’t have one. I guess call me Miss.”

She pauses at that, but then goes back to her startled disposition. “My friend Miss. that thing’s last stand is a core destroying energy blast that has enough power to level a city block. The fact this building is still standing is a miracle. You said it just died before it finished powering up?”

“Yeah just died, and became a solid object like mere minutes before you walked in.” The look of absolute horror on the witch’s face is unmistakable as she realizes just how close even she was to death.

“Guessing you cut a fuel line then. It was running on fumes as is, and I guess you managed to drain it before it could nuke us all. That thing must be seriously malfunctioning. The last stand is meant for when it had thrown everything else it could and failed. I didn’t see any rocket explosions in that room.”

“Wait those were explosive rockets that it fired at me!” My face drains of color as I hear this.

“Yeah, were they malfunctioning? How close where you when it launched them?”

“I was perched on it.”

“Ah well lucky you then. Those things need an arming distance before they become explosive. So it really used everything it could at you. You cut the arm that had the cannon so that probably didn’t ever get used, and your talon was in the shoulder mounted turret so I’m guessing that also wasn’t used. How did you deal with the flames?”

“I just used my wing to push them back at it. Didn’t do anything to the machine If you’re curious.”

“Ok that’s good to know. Guess I’ll change that to something else then. Will definitely be fixing it up again so I can replace that.”

“Sorry about that again.”

“Oh don’t be. You were probably the best test this thing could have had. Hells with the money saved on the multiple tests you’ve done for me that alone is well worth the cost of fixing the doll and my shop. Any idea why it attacked you randomly? It was set to activate once the system was rebooted, but it shouldn’t have been hostile.”

“I guess it viewed me as an angel. Maybe it detected the divine energy from my halo, and just went to the logical conclusion. It said something about combat mode before it shoved its arm through your wall, said threat detected before pulling me through said wall, and then said new angel archetype or something before it smashed me into the floor.”

“Glad you mentioned that last part. Will need to erase that from it’s memory logs when I check them. Your not an angel, and I’d rather not have things like you on it’s kill list.”

“Appreciated, and all other no longer angels will probably say the same.”

“Oh try your tea and sandwiches. See if the doll got your pairing correct.”

“Uh sure…” I lift the teacup to my mount and take a sip. Bitter and tastes like burnt leaves, but that’s just tea for me. I grab a bite of the sandwich, and the cream definitely helped the bitter taste still in my mouth. “I guess this works. I won’t lie I’m not a tea drinker. Hell I don’t even drink anything fancier than straight black coffee.”

“Don’t worry about that. Did the sandwich work with the drink?”

“It made the after taste less bitter.”

“I’d call that working then. Good! Means it’s ready to go back to its witch.”

“Ok with all that aside mind if I ask you about the knives?”

“Right! I completely forgot about that. My bad, I’m such a scatter brain sometimes. Oh uh where are they?”

“Should still be the sac in your shop. It has a cold air to it though I don’t know if you’d feel that.” Abigail pulls a bell from her pocket, and shakes it but no noise comes out. A few seconds later I hear the chimes of the small doll’s bell make its way here. The door opens and in comes the doll dragging the sac behind it. “How did you?”

“We don’t need to get into the mechanics of doll ownership dear. We are here because of knives that can kill angels. So you say these things are dangerous?”

“Yeah had one stab my gut about a week ago. Hurt like nothing else, and I couldn’t heal it like I do normal wounds. Then I found a gang of idiots wielding a bunch of these things the other day.”

“I thought you said they were vampire hunters.”

“I did.” The witch pulls a knife out and I immediately feel the air chill around us. Before I can realize I see Abigail looking at me shocked as my claws and talons had come out and my teeth sharpened. I try to calm myself, but the chill keeps me alerted with my feathers standing on end. “Sorry it’s reflex. These come out when I feel threaded. It’s just… instinct.”

“Does this happen often?”

“No, usually I don’t deal with anything that is actually a threat to me, but those…”

“Well if this does what you said then I would say these are doll’s blades. Specifically blades made to kill angels. That freezing you’re talking about is exactly what can break through the divine light and warmth of a halo. Only real way to easily kill an angel. That said you’re not normally supposed to feel the cold. It’s more metaphysical than it is physical. Through fractal burning you can easily achieve a cold iron like effect with any metal that is far better than iron.”

“Oh so the angel wasn’t just talking gibberish.”

“I’m sorry what angel?”

“The one that got the knife from the attack that happened last week.” The look on her face tells me that was a major fuck up. She very quickly pulls out a notebook and writes down something. With a faint sent of peppermint a purple flash glows on the page, and she turns back to me. “If it helps I didn’t know what it was at the time. Some random fuck had it, and didn’t even know what he was wielding.”

“It’s fine. Just an angel with any kind of doll weapon is dangerous. Can lead to collapses of said angel. A task force will be made to retrieve it. Hopefully the collapsing doesn’t claim bystanders.”

“Oh no… Jane.”

“Is Jane someone that’s close to angels?”

“No she is an angel. Uh designated number four twenty.”

“Well if she’s got an actual name she’s probably on the path to falling so maybe it’s safe.”

“Wait what do you mean by probably on the path to falling?”

“Well individuality is the most common way angels fall, or escape in your words. If she’s got a name then that’s a very large step to individuality.”

“So that means she’s safe?” A little too much desperation were in those words. She gives me a quizzical look, and opens her mouth to say something, but changes her mind.

“Look I know you were an angel once, but they are very dangerous, and not your friends. They’d rather kill you where you stand instead of try and talk to you if you’re not going to embrace the light.”

Can definitely feel the anger towards them in her voice. Hell I can feel it towards me when she says that as well. Guess friend of your enemy is still your enemy, and I look pretty chummy with the angels. “Look angels aside the real problem is someone is giving people, actual people, these weapons. The gang of hunters said a Good Samaritan gave them all these weapons to help them fight the monsters. That is the real problem right now. Not your war with the angels.” She glares at me, but then nods her head as the reality of the situation comes to light in her mind.

“Fine, but I’m keeping these knives, and if you ever run into more contact a witch, and not an angel. That’s a recipe for disaster.”

I don’t think this girl has ever actually talked to an angel, so much hatred in her voice for something she’s never even seen. Never seen their plights, heard their sorrows, felt their woes. How could she? She’s a witch after all. Witches view angels as the one true enemy just like how angels do with them. I can’t even say shit. They’re probably both right, and I’m just here on the sidelines trying not to get sucked in. Really failing at that right now huh?

“So what’s next for you?”

I get broken out of my thought by Abigail. Seems her face has softened a bit, but that anger is still present. I go to grab my halo, and she takes the bag. We both stand and I place the metal ring on my hip. “I’m going to Portland. Going to find a witch there.”

“Is there a reason you’re searching for a witch?”

“She’s the one that freed me.”

“Good a reason to go find her. Have a name? I could probably tell her you’re coming”

“No. don’t have a name.”

“Then how the hells do you know where she is?”

“I just know. Couldn’t give you an answer even if I tried, but she’s there. I can feel it for a lack of a better term.”

“Do you have any way of finding her? Anything distinctive about her you’ll use, or is it all just feelings?”

“Lavender and Bergamot. Her perfume was lavender and bergamot.”

“Not much to go off, but I’ll write around see if anyone can find your witch in Portland. Thanks for your help and getting the weapons back not an angel. I’ll get other witches on the case, and see if anything comes from your Good Samaritan. May you find what you’re looking for.”

“Thanks.” We may not see eye to eye, but at least she’s good at heart. All I can really ask for. I turn around, and make my way out of the room. Passing the destroyed room I look at the carnage. Glad I’ve been keeping my distance from those things. Don’t even want to think what it would do to me when fully powered. Still got a million questions, but I don’t have to answer them on my own. For now I’m getting to Portland. Have to get to CC’s friends, and then… lavender and bergamot.