Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It has been more than a year since her grand revelation. A truth bore onto her under the light of the being that shunned her out from the heavens. She knew that the impulse trip to Italy in search of the then-third years had more meaning than simply wishing to see them again. Yoshiko looked up from long lines of text. She had an inkling then. Now, she should have known.

Under the light of the Duomo was her past thrust upon her mind. A shock like electricity. A searing heat like fire in her soul. The sign had said not to touch the ancient religious artefacts, but her curiosity and innate interest of the divine prompted her past the velvet ropes. She was an angel, after all.

A fleeting touch of spotless gold, whatever that artefact was, granted her mind a fraction of an old memory. An old life far above the reaches of man. With divine radiance and holy light, she saw herself. Yohane: An angel stood at ranks of God.

Yohane was ecstatic for she knew her words to be true. Her livestreams were now gospel, her very breath proof of the divine. It was to her great disappointment and annoyance that the rest of Aqours denied their feeble mortal minds the absolute truth of Yohane. All the way back to Uchiura, they waved her truth like a salesman at the door.

The naysayers will turn to the light eventually, she reassured herself. For now, Yohane's interest was piqued on her existence. The vision of light and fire provided little information. In fact, there was no information at all. It had been less of a vision and more of a sensation. An undeniable feeling of her presence in sacred texts. This would not be enough to convince her friend of her truth, so as early as he second year of high school, Yohane buried herself in piles of religious texts, scrolls, and YouTube breakdown videos of old tales.

Yet, her name was barely mentioned. Even now, the book in her hands never touch on the name Yohane once. She grumbled, slapping the back cover. Her efforts to read the last source in the high school library from cover to cover was met without fruit.

"Yoshiko, I'm getting worried, zura." Hanamaru, an ally to Yohane, takes the dusty pages bound in leather from the desk. Yohane put her fist on the desk, glaring her fury at her false name.

"It's Yohane, what did I tell you?!"

Hanamaru sighed, stamping a chart stuck onto the back page. "Yeah, yeah. You read this one pretty quickly. I'm impressed, if not slightly worried."

"I've no time for your worry, Zuramaru. Now, I need these checked out for the weekend!" Her enthusiasm was met with a light slap on the head with a magazine. Hanamaru brought a finger to her lips, seeping out breath in reprimand.

"Don't be loud in the library, zura."

Their exchange was mundane in its monotony. What started as enthusiasm quickly grew to concern when Hanamaru found Yohane spending time in the library, filing through its shelves for all the religious texts it could offer. What she thought to be her fallen angel persona had quickly grown to obsession.

Bidding the fallen angel goodbye, Hanamaru reveled in the reprieve before another knock on the door gathered her attention. A small stutter brought a smile to her face. At the door, Ruby waved a shy, but energetic greeting.

"Did Yoshiko leave already?" She asked, her eyes wandering briefly to the darkening corners of the library. The sun was setting, closing what felt to be a long week of schoolwork. Hanamaru sighed, answering her question.

"In a hurry to read as always, zura." She began sorting the desk, a brief interlude before her daily ritual of closing the library. Ruby sought to her help, the task finishing swiftly. "She won't listen, but I'm quite worried for her, zura."

"Is she still reading the same type of stuff?" Ruby inquired, walking at her side.

"She just checked out the last books in the religious history shelf!" Hanamaru groaned, her shoulders slouched. Ruby bubbled a shy laugh, patting her friend's back. The touch was rejuvenating for Hanamaru, all her fatigue released through a drawn-out sigh. "I'd be losing my hair if you weren't around, Ruby. Thank you, zura!"

Ruby gave a warm smile. She changed the conversation to her day working at the student council. Along with it came with talks of their plans for an upcoming live show. However, Ruby seemed occupied amidst her talk with Hanamaru. While she listened to her friend, her mind toiled in silence at the concern of another.

"Hey, Hanamaru. Could you tell me more about what it is Yoshiko is reading about exactly?"

The start of the weekend was a grueling crawl for Yohane. The pile of books stared in mocking to her arrogance on the desk. Her finger traced a worn leather spine of the book she slammed down in frustration. The older the texts she sought to research, the more incomprehensible the language got. She cursed the English language and its many confusing strokes and lines. Why could not everything be written in Japanese?

Still, her desire to know more of her history overpowered the disgust of wasting a perfectly good weekend. Yohane turned the page, reading the next chapter. The Book of Isaiah. The Bible was a hard read for her. The disdain she thought to be born from too much literature diminished as she began scoffing to herself at every passage of God's praise.

Yohane grinned. To her, it was natural to harbor hatred to the beings that casted you away from your home. Each turn of the page held a culmination of her interest, desire, and hate. The works of madmen claiming to have been bathed in the presence of the divine was humorous yet infuriating for her.

Why does everyone believe their word and not her own? These people are dead, and here she was walking the same ground as them. Breathing the same air, yet they deny her truth.

She nodded, turning another page. Patience will reward her, and the non-believers will be first to bow down to Yohane's glory. It was only a matter of time before they exalt her name with a greater elevation of that of the Lord. She would be even higher than that of any being brought up in these old dust texts.

Yohane hummed to herself, eyes stopped at a passage that caught her eyes. Isaiah's vision of heavenly beings. One they call Seraphim.

She laughed. Yohane will be greater than they. Even without her own wings, she is infinitely greater than these mere messengers. Even she doubts their existence. Six pair of wings? Ludicrous in Yohane's mind.

Her research grew long into the day. Never once did Yohane look up from her book, the pages turned growing into chapters, then full books within the most famous religious text on this mortal plane.

"Yoshiko! Dinnertime!" A voice muffled by the walls brought her attention from the book. Yohane peered outside, she could have sworn the sun was still on that side of the apartment complex. A low growl emanated below. Demons of the nether realm come to drag her down? No, it was her stomach. She cursed her mortal shell, dragging her body to the door to consume sustenance.

A whiff of the air brought a spring to her step. A spicy supper awaits, suited to her liking. She will reward her mortal caretaker with the finest seat in her divine court, she is sure of it.

The final day of the weekend and Yohane's mortal caretaker brought a letter to her. No postal information and no return address. Just her name scribed on the front.

Her fallen angel name. Yohane gulped, hand hesitant in removing the letter from the envelope. The suspense was searing, but its contents was in front of her. Handwritten, beautifully scribed.

'Meet me at the abandoned, temple. There is something of our presence that must be addressed, Yohane.'

She mouthed the letter's words in silence, eyes doubled back on her name. Below that line was another. Just as brief, just as urgent.

'When the sun rests below the clouds, meet me in the hallowed space. Do not be late.'

Yohane packed the letter inside its accompanying envelope, setting it down on her desk. Questions raced in her mind at the possible sender. A prank from one of Aqours? Nobody could be so mischievous, and Mari is currently in Italy, though she would not completely disregard the fact she could have utilized her vast wealth in outsourcing the task.

Could it have been Riko? Her most loyal little demon scheming against Yohane's back? She checked her calendar for any event she might have forgotten. Her suspicions grew when there were none.

There was only one way to find out, and Yohane resigned herself to leaving her room. Though, before she could meet the being that finally saw the absolute truth of herself, she needed to be prepared. Besides, she had hours to spare. With a nod of affirmation, Yohane set off to her closet, inspecting clothes she would wear to the anonymous meeting.

By the time she had settled on a simple black sunday dress, pants, and her parasol, she was running late. Near collisions with traffic almost sent her back down to hell, but she was making record time to the old temple out in the mountains. A secluded area where if something were to happen, no one would hear her perilous screeches.

As she ascended old withered steps, Yohane's back shivered. Could this be something bad? It could never be, and she thought to herself that if it were, she would have no worry.

Her luck be damned, but she was still a mighty and powerful angel. She knew that for a fact. Convincing others of that fact was her work-in-progress.

Yohane stepped onto evened ground, her eyes scanned upon the temple. Buddhism in belief, decrepit in nature. Moss crawled on most surfaces, the paper windows had holes. A location isolated from any form of life. She slapped her cheeks, striding to the main door. She reminded herself that she was an angel. Whatever human seeking to trick her will be sorely disappointed.

She removed her shoes before stepping inside. The roof filtered brilliant orange light, but the corners spewed darkness. Dim lighting helped her none in dispelling her fears, but she slid the door close behind her, venturing forth inside the temple.

"I received your note," she stopped herself, coughing out nervousness before hastily throwing her composed voice. "Yohane graces your presence and honors your message."

Floorboard creaked in response. Yohane looked down to notice her feet shuffling on the old flooring. A brief survey returned with no other return. Was it a trick, after all?

"Is anyone here?!" Yohane yelled, her voice echoing from the walls. The close proximity brought a small echo to her voice. Amused, she drew a long breath, staring up at the dark ceiling. "I am the fallen angel Yohane! Whoever sought me out, reveal yourself without shame!"

No sooner had the words left her mouth did a sudden spark of fire sent her to the floor. Yohane sat up quickly, eyes glued on the piercing light. It throbbed, a beat matching her own. The fire sounded fierce, but its size remained unimpressive.

Before Yohane could find herself up on the floor, another flash of fire gathered her attention. The fire grew, descending to the temple floor. From blinding flames sprouted a pair of wings. Then another over the towering flame, and then another spark, concealing its base.

The sounds grated against Yohane's ears. She dragged herself away, eyes hopelessly glued to the winged flame. A twisted cacophony of nonsense, all overlaying against one another. It only fueled her fear to flee when the fire began hovering closer. A beat of its wings startled the fallen angel, despite the silent action.

Yohane kept her steady retreat until her back met with the door she closed. She looked on in horror as the ball of fire grew closer. Six wings concealed its majority, but the exalted presence of God is searing.

"Do not be afraid, Yohane." A chorus called out to her, emanating from the flames. All at once, the dissonance amalgamated into the clear choir of voices. "Your presence is bared to a messenger of the most high."

Yohane reached up against the wall, feeling for the slit between. She yelped at the wings. They fluttered, and she felt the ground tremble beneath her feet. She gasped at the middle pair of wings. It stretched forth, but she shut her eyes tightly, prepared for the worst. Yohane knew this day would come. Her acts on earth would anger God someday and one day smite her indefinitely. She was knowing, but that hadn't sated any of the fear.

Darkness brought upon her eyes told her nothing, but she could feel the divine being draw closer. A searing, but comforting warmth. She flinched at a sudden sensation on her cheek. It was soft, warm. Most of all, it was familiar.

"Do not be afraid, Yoshiko."

"It's Yohane-!" She snapped in reflex, preparing to glare at the offender, holy being of fire be damned. Before she could, her eyes were bathed in light. A sensation similar to lukewarm water, but an impossible brightness.

Then, it was over. The room returned to a damp cold, her eyes tinged red at the instantaneous shift of bright to near-darkness. Yohane's eyes adjusted, finding a radiant glow of emerald. A familiar hue that brought a momentary comfort in her chest. A familiar feeling that left her vulnerable.

Yohane realized a second later. Standing above her, a nervous smile broke out. Stood in the place of the great divine being of light, stood a woman she never would have expected. Not in the many eons of life she forgot.

The words found her tongue, but it sputtered in absolute shock and surprise.

"Ruby?!"

Chapter Text

Back on her feet, Yohane made sure the door behind her was ajar. Her eyes betrayed nothing, but she refused to believe the girl in front of her was Ruby Kurosawa. It had to be a trick, a ploy of God to lull her into a false sense of security.

"For the Heavens to disguise as my closest friend to fool me... How deceitful!" she exclaimed to the wooden trusses above, the cold returning none of her accusation.

Ruby cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Uh, Yohane-"

"And you! How dare you put on such a dishonorable ploy!" She threw a pointed finger, earning a quiet squeak from Ruby. "I witnessed your true form. These illusions will not fool the great Yohane!"

Ruby raised a brow at the finger, moving it aside to make eye contact. She gave a small smile, giggling a moment later. "Do you prefer conversing with the previous form?"

Yohane gulped, the searing memory burned into her mind. She shook her head, turning away. "Er, maybe not. Just, don't go around calling yourself Ruby when you're not!"

"But I am Ruby Kurosawa."

"Lies!" Yohane interjected, the accusatory finger thrust against Ruby's chest. Yet, before words could leave her lips, the sudden action urged a familiar shriek.

"Pigi!" Ruby jumped back, clutching her chest. Yohane blinked at the reaction, staring with wide eyes.

"You... You dare mimic every detail of her? Do the heavens possess no shame?" Yohane raised a hand, her voice a commanding boom. Ruby flinched, her voice trembling as vibrant emerald shut tight.

The silence was deafening, both stuck in a petrifying pressure. Yohane looked down at the frail stance of the girl in front. Her eyes were convinced it was Ruby, the trembling voice in her ears reminded her of Ruby.

Was this being of the heavens actually speaking the truth?

A sharp slap resounded through the abandoned temple. Emerald eyes fluttered open, confused at the noise. "Y-Yoshiko?"

"Give me a break with that!" Yohane crouched on the floor, grumbling incoherently to the Earth that she was cursed to wander. How dare such simple tricky shake her resolve. Her mind remained unconvinced, but her heart wouldn't dare move against a friend. "And it's Yohane!"

A giggle overhead made her guilt deepen. If friendship would be her downfall, the instrument of her weakness, then-

Then Yohane thought it would be a weakness worth having.

"Fear not, Yohane," Ruby spoke softly. Her familiar tone, but the absence of stutters felt foreign. "What you see betrays none. Your heart believes me to be Ruby Kurosawa, yet you doubt yourself."

"O-Obviously I would!" Yohane spat, her eyes still glued to the weathered floor. "I know Ruby, and she wouldn't just combust into a ball of fire with wings!"

A thoughtful hum. "I suppose that much would leave you skeptical if you were a mortal." Ruby giggled, a joyful noise that brought calm to Yohane's chest. "However, you are not of this world, Yohane. You know this yourself, do you not?"

Yohane craned her head up, finding familiar eyes glint in faint rays of light filtering through gaps of old thatch. Ruby offered a warm smile, offering her hand. "Yohane, your presence is required for a message by the most high."

She gulped, eyes trained down at the hand smaller than her own. Despite her reluctance, Yohane took her hand, standing up. "Then, relay your message. What does the beings that cursed the great Yohane have for me?"

Ruby blinked at the eloquence, chuckling nervously as she rubbed her neck. "Uh, if it's all right with you, Yohane. May we speak like we always do?"

"...Excuse me?" Yohane returned the coy expression with confusion. "Then what was all that five minutes ago?!"

"I mean, you wouldn't believe me if I just dropped from the ceiling and said, 'Hi Yoshiko, Ruby here!' now would you?"

Yohane crossed her arms, glare narrowing. "Your other form sure as hell did a good job convincing me. Also, it's Yohane!"

"Follow me." Ruby motioned a hand, beckoning her to follow. Although cautious, Yohane followed, stepping further inside the dark temple.

"Can I ask something?" Yohane watched every movement of the being in front of her. If she had forgotten everything that had transpired five minutes ago, then she would be convinced this was her friend. However, that sight would be a memory forever seared in her mind.

"What is it?" Ruby turned to look, offering an inviting smile. Yohane flinched, her eyes narrowed to a glare.

"Of all places, why meet me here?" She looked around the dilapidated temple. Water dripped from holes in the ceiling, the tatami mat rough on her shoes. Eyes looked to Ruby who was also looking around. The smile on her face was something calming, but unknown to Yohane.

"A place of worship away from the ears of mortal men," Ruby answered, finding Yohane's gaze. "Messages of angels shouldn't be heard except for those meant to hear it."

"I guess that makes sense," Yohane returned, shrugging her shoulders. "Would've preferred somewhere like a park. Or maybe the beach."

Footsteps caused the floorboards to creak. Ruby's feet produced no noise. Yohane always thought it was because the girl was so light. She watched Ruby stop at the far end of the temple. In front of them stood the shrine, old and partly covered in moss.

Ruby faced Yohane, hands hid behind her back. Their gaze held for a tense moment before Ruby giggled, breaking away.

"W-What's so funny?"

The wary question was met with a gentle wave of the hand. "I was just thinking how bizarre all of this is."

"You think?" Yohane raised a brow. "Yet, you act like it hadn't happened."

She expected an answer, but Ruby only shook her head, raising a finger to point at Yohane. "No. I'm referring to the excited look on your face, Yoshiko."

Yohane touched her face in reflex. She looked around, finding no suitable reflection to know for herself. "Excited? What do you mean?"

Ruby tapped her own smile, then pointed back at her. "Your voice and demeanor are apprehensive, yet the excitement in your eyes cannot be hidden."

"M-my eyes?" In response, Yohane shut her eyes tight, looking away defiantly. How dare her exalted presence be read ungraciously and be interpreted like some corner street art? Yohane scoffed, sparing a quick glare. "So, this message?"

A silence thickened the air. Yohane felt her feet shuffle, but she maintained pressure on her lips. Ruby returned the leer, gentle eyes flickering in the filtered light. She brought both her hands out, guiding the fallen angel's gaze to pearl-white palms. "Your memories of an existence is untimely, Yohane."

"M-memories?" Yohane repeated, quirking a brow. "You mean, it's real?"

Ruby nodded, vibrant red flowing free in momentary wisps of wind. Yohane looked to the ground, her thoughts wrestling confusion on what she had known so far. "What do you mean by untimely? Did I get hit over the head somehow and forgot all about it?"

Her question was left without answer. Ruby turned away, hands brought over her chest.

"Hey Ruby, answer me. Why am I know only remembering?"

"God has reached out to you, Yohane. Now, your connection to the heavens have been restored. Your true identity has been bared."

"That didn't answer my question," Yohane spat, taking a step closer. "Why did I forget in the first place?"

A certain detail sat uncomfortably in her mind. Why now? Was the significance of Florence's cathedrals a pivotal role in her recovering such memories? Was it all an odd coincidence? Or perhaps, was it really untimely? From her short, but strenuous research, God has shown to work in mysterious, but pre-planned ways. Mortals of history have been left in awe of a being of such power and organized long-term planning.

Amidst all that, Ruby was also a subject of interest. Had she always been an angel? Skepticism if she actually was one was quickly discarded. There was no way in hell to forget what she had just seen. Yohane wondered if she closed her eyes tonight, would she still see the outline of the wings engulfed in flames.

"Are those the questions truly on your mind, Yohane?" Ruby's voice broke Yohane from her reverie. Their eyes met for a moment. She raised an eyebrow.

"I beg your pardon?" Were angels always so cryptic and puzzling with their words?

"You look troubled," Ruby explained with a soft exhale. She took quiet steps, the floorboards stationary from her movement. Yohane shuffled her feet, the lone action enough for a singular creak to echo between abandoned walls.

"It's just uh, a lot to process. And yes, that's a question I want answered."

Ruby nodded. "I wish I could tell you, Yohane."

Yohane blinked, not expecting the lack of an answer. "What? Aren't angels closest to God himself? How in hell do you not know?"

"Only God is all-knowing. His generosity is unmeasured, and he only pours enough to fulfill his creations of their mission. On this Earth, and in Heaven." Ruby brought her arms to rest at her sides. She gave a quick glance at Yohane, whose eyes only narrowed.

"And that means?"

"It means He didn't tell me, Yohane."

"Figures," Yohane remarked with a scoff, looking away. It seemed like no one is above God's tendency to be cryptic as all hell. "Goddamnit."

"Hey," Ruby cut in, her tone sharp. "Do not taint the most high with such vain slurs."

Yohane watched the sudden leer directed at her. She cooed, surprised at this unknown side of her friend. Being an angel was a surprising fact in itself, assertiveness was a trait she could never pin on someone like Ruby.

"You've been sent here by him but you're in the dark just as badly as me?" She watched how Ruby took a deep breath. Her shoulders were stiff, a hard line on her face.

It gave a strange cockiness to her words. "Heaven seems to be in a disarray with such secretive being, wouldn't you say?"

A smirk tugged at her lips. Ruby closed her eyes, taking another deep breath. "He is magnanimous, and will forgive your prideful slight against him, Yohane."

Laughter broke out from the fallen angel. "What's he going to do, smite me?"

Her laughter persisted, returned with nothing but a silent glare. Ruby took a step forward, silencing the offending noise. When she kept silence and took another, Yohane responded with a prideful stance. "Ruby?"

She took a breath, her throat tightening at the sudden dry air. Another step forward caused her feet to shuffle. Another stride sent her taking a step back. "H-hey, Ruby-"

"God is magnanimous. He is forgiving," Ruby muttered, her voice an invading chorus in the depths of Yohane's ears. Arms reached forward, then sideways and up. No, those weren't arms. "Seek his forgiveness and be forgiven, for His mission onto me is not one of contrition."

Wings engulfed Yohane's vision and she felt the hard surface of the temple's wall. Emerald eyes burned, causing her to flinch away. Hands blocked her vision, but the lack of sight was only a temporary abatement.

"Fine!" Yohane shrieked, her body pushing up against the wall as much as she could. Her skin screamed at the searing sensation, the brightness forcing her eyes to close. "I'm sorry! It's just been a long day, all right?"

Voices assaulted her ears, an amalgamation of sounds she couldn't figure out. Yohane could only scream out a louder apology to try and drown out the noise.

Then, her world was suddenly quiet. Yohane guessed that she had died, but she found herself still in the abandoned temple, her own arms shielding her sight. She lowered them, checking skin. No burns, the searing pain from earlier replaced with a comforting warmth. Tears flowed freely down her face, eyes blinking clarity as she looked forward.

"See, Yoshiko?" Ruby met her gaze, offering a gentle smile that did nothing to calm her. "Forgiveness comes to everyone that seeks it."

"Really? Because that felt more like being threatened. Didn't think you had it in you, Ruby," Yohane said nervously, pushing herself off from the wall. Ruby took a step back, allowing them room to breathe. "Also, it's Yohane."

"I'm only annoyed if you're talking badly about somebody." Ruby placed hands on her hips, huffing in content. She reached forward, causing Yohane to curl into herself in fear. "I'm trying to get the door, Yohane."

Yohane whipped her head around, noticing that she had backed all the way back to the door. She let out nervous laughter, stepping aside to let Ruby slide the temple doors. "S-so, what? We're done here?"

Ruby gave a sidelong glance, gesturing for her to continue. "That's all? God basically sent a message and you're telling me to sit tight until he calls me back?"

"A rather crude way of summarizing it," Ruby remarked, her tone a cold brevity. "But you are correct."

She stepped outside, Yohane following behind her. "And what about you, Ruby? Where do you fit in all of this?"

Ruby giggled, skipping ahead before looking over her shoulder to meet Yohane's eyes. "All will be revealed to you in due time, Yohane. Keep faith and patience, and you will be rewarded!"

"What's that supposed to mean- Hey!" Her questions were left unanswered as Ruby ran off. Yohane could only watch the form of her closest friend nearly stumble on uneven pavement, barely catching herself before disappearing down the long stairs.

Left with room to breathe, Yohane looked up to the skies. Clouds drifted lazily, the vast expanse filling her vision. Past the blue was her true home. A home that she was never sure had existed until now. Truth be told, she had never believed that she was a fallen angel. How did she even start believing that she was, anyway? A TV show with such tropes was her main guess of influence, but she was never sure. Her parents were stumped, that's for sure.

Perhaps, deep in her heart she always knew. Even in her youth, she knew of the truth.

Yohane groaned, kicking a pebble at her feet. Being kept in the dark was annoying. Her research was full of dead ends, but now it mattered little. Now, she had an active source of knowledge. One she never thought to expect.

"Well," she hummed out in thought, crossing her arms as she began walking down the temple's steps. "She surely looks like an angel."

Yohane was unsure if she was referring to Ruby's human form or the mass of fire and wings.

Chapter Text

Her normality was shattered forever, even more evident as she got prepared for school in the morning. Smoothing down her skirt, Yohane caught a glimpse of a book on her desk beside her school bag. She walked over, tracing the weathered leather with a finger.

It would be best not to incur the wrath of Hanamaru by forgetting to return a book on the due date. One time was enough for her.

She removed her bookmark. There had been little headway for this particular text, anyway. Besides, she already had acquired a more personal account of the Heavens.

"An angel." Her words left in a ruminative whisper, the memory of flame and feather seared into her mind. It was difficult to forget, even if she tried. The night after the revelation about herself and her friend, Yohane spent it in the comfort of darkness flinching at even the smallest ray of light. She kept her phone under a plush, its screen an illuminating threat.

She took a breath, shaking away the tense pull on her shoulders. "It's just a normal day in high school."

Yohane set everything in her bag, taking a moment to slip in a few charms advertised to ward off the supernatural. It led her to think if celestial entities counted as supernatural. It certainly was out of the ordinary, but religion was a concept embedded deep in one's culture and everyday life.

So, why did the knowledge of real angels unnerve her? She, herself, was an angel as well.

Magenta eyes trailed the pale complexion of her arm. She looked normal.

Normal. The very word made her scoff now. With what she knew now, her life was anything but. Such was her luck as a Fallen Angel, her thoughts up in the clouds as she began the commute to school. Her mother was in the living room, a briefcase in her hand. She muttered a quick goodbye, the first out the door. The interaction felt uncanny, as if she had not been doing it for the past years of her life.

Nearing two years of the monotonous routine, but the bustle of Numazu painted a stark contrast to the reposeful Uchiura. She remembered quiet streets, uneven paths different to concrete slabs beneath her feet. Its tranquility held a familiar air to the hallowed grounds where she first laid witness to her true self, beneath holy light in the most sacred of sites.

Yohane was never the religious type, but symbolism brought an extra flare to its importance.

Releasing a sigh, she stood at a bus stop, body balanced on the balls of her feet. The turn of the corner heralded the arrival of both Ruby and Hanamaru. They often walked together to school, allowing the close friends a brief conversation before the day would begin. It was often filled with light nothings, joyful chatter that often escaped Yohane's memory. She enjoyed the momentary reprieve, but now she could not cease the erratic pacing of her body against the gray sidewalk.

The bus pulled in, hissing to a stop before the doors opened. Stepping off was Hanamaru, bowing in greeting. Behind her was Ruby, who processed an energetic hello. Yohane returned both gestures, the latter with a slight stutter. In a line, they began their short walk to the school gates, Hanamaru first to fill the air among them.

"So, Yoshiko-"

"Yohane!"

"Did you find anything interesting in the book you lent?" Hanamaru quirked a brow, not missing a beat to the sudden outburst. Yohane rolled her eyes, dark blue silken hair swaying as she shook her head.

"From the book, nothing." There was a pause, her gaze jumping past the brunette to the curious emerald across. "However, I have indeed discovered something interesting."

Ruby blinked, shutting her eyes before turning to the path ahead. "Does that mean you'll finally stop lending out weird books and read your lesson material?"

"I read them. Just, y'know... at home." Yohane pushed the words through her teeth. It wasn't a lie, the truth was somewhere beneath nervous words.

"That's good, zura!" Hanamaru smiled, humming to herself, "I was getting worried, but now you'll be back to your normal self, Yoshiko. Well, as normal as you usually are, zura."

Giggling filled the air, paired with a protesting whine from Yohane. At the corner of her eye, she saw a smile play up Ruby's features. It was akin to most days before school, when her knowledge was nothing more than speculation and faith. Now, faced with facts, it left a different tone when they all separated for class.

"I have some student council work to take care of, so I'll go on ahead!" Ruby said, shutting her shoe locker before waving goodbye at the others. A pent-up breath left Yohane's lips when she saw red hair disappear past the corner. It reminded her of the other day when she came in the form beyond simple understanding. The very memory still had her flinch at direct light.

"Yoshiko, what's wrong, zura?" Hanamaru was in front of her, staring up with wide eyes of worry. Yohane licked her lips, noting how dry her throat had become.

"U-Uh, it's nothing Zuramaru. Let's just get to class." Yohane walked, Hanamaru right behind through the mass of students in the hallways. Sunlight filtered through the curtain of glass, each ray offending her very being.

Today, Yohane resolved. She'd deal with this newfound insecurity today after school.

Lunch time was a blur, the ennui of class periods deluding her senses with subjects she could not muster commitment to listen. Yohane ran her tongue along the roof of her mouth, tasting a vague sweetness familiar to her. Candy, its syrup still stuck in her teeth. She knew only one person in this entire school would shamelessly bring candy.

Yohane looked down, noticing the sparse notes on her notebook. Glancing up, she watched the hands of the clock tick the hours away in a painful crawl. Since when did she meet with Ruby after they separated in the morning?

Cogs turned in her head, thoughts concluding with blanks the moment she sat down for first period. Could this be the doing of forces beyond her own? In her extensive research, the angels of old were nothing like the romanticized beings people had come to associate today. They were soldiers of God, dispatched to perform his deeds, be them blessing or curse upon the mortal realm. In this domain and her current form, Yohane was just as vulnerable as any mortal. She would even catch colds if heaven was not through with dealing misfortune.

Under her breath, she read the time. School was at an end, its students free for extracurricular or to just freely head home. The dreaded stress of preparation for college applications would soon be upon them. She realized this as she spotted a poster in the hall. She looked down, watching the distinct hue of her bow tie.

She was already in her third year. Had her focus on research delude time that much?

Shaking her head, she made steps towards the student council room. It mattered not if time slipped her mind. This life mattered little, for her true self had lied shackled beneath the amnesia of her mind. She will remember her destiny, be it at the cost of the time on Earth.

Stood at the door, she gave a strong knock. Without a moment of waiting, she burst in the room. Eyes scanned down the long table, stopping at the plaque displayed at the end. Behind it, a watchful hue of emerald tinted with orange light.

"Yoshiko? Is something wrong?" Ruby asked, setting down papers on her desk. Hands shuffled with the paper, but Yohane paid little attention. She crossed the distance, slapping a defiant hand on the varnished wood.

"You!"

"Pigi!" Ruby stared up, wide-eyed at the sudden force behind her tone. The look of concern shook Yohane's resolve for a moment. It was fleeting. Had the angels no shame in their ways to deceive?

"You were with me at lunch, weren't you? Confess your crimes to Yohane this instant!" Wrapped fingers punched the desk, her body leaning forward. Ruby shrunk into her seat, creating as much distance as she was permitted. "I can still taste the candy in my mouth. Your material temptations? Perhaps, poison?"

Ruby blinked, easing herself away from the lean. "That's... The lollipop I gave you after lunch earlier."

"Aha! So you admit it!" Yohane jut a finger at the redhead's chest, a proud smile worn proudly at her deductions. "Is amnesia another of your powers, Ruby? What did I know that you had to wield heavenly power?"

"...Because you couldn't get the taste of salt out your mouth?" Aggression was met with utter confusion. Ruby sighed, leaning further toward the gap between them. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Yosh- ...Yohane. You were spacing out when I met you and Hanamaru for lunch. Don't you remember?"

"No, I do not." Yohane crossed her arms, looked away with an indignant huff. "Your spells had worked too well that my memory spans only up to the moment we arrived at school together."

"Angels don't wield spells, Yoshiko- Yohane!" Ruby clicked her tongue, catching herself a tad too late. "That's going to take some time getting used to, huh?"

Yohane quirked a brow at the carefree giggle leaving small lips. Was she being mocked by a being of the heavens? Was her plight humorous from her very perpetrators? Such thoughts crossed her mind, and it would have vexed her.

That, or Ruby was telling the truth and her mind had stayed too long in the fog of her thoughts. She leaned back, sitting on the corner of the desk. It creaked, earning a narrowed stare from sharp emerald eyes.

"Look. I still think about it, okay?" Yohane started, suppressing a breath of frustration. "Yesterday was a lot, and here we are like nothing had happened."

Arms waved at air, an autumn chill that signaled the shifting climate. Yohane stared past the window, watching students walk in peace. "It's like I'm just a human."

"Is that so egregious, Yohane?" Ruby's words was a snapped clarity, a tone she had never heard before. When its meaning set in, the fallen angel steeled her gaze.

"Of course! I'm not human, and this world is not my own! I've been cursed here by the twisted demiurge that deemed my existence too mighty to be in the presence of His court." The words fell out in an unrestrained enervation, as if a damn had broken after filled to the brim for so long.

Yohane paused, magenta cast to meet emerald melded in orange glow. "It's like I'm feeling lost with no way back home."

Silence fell between them, the air filled with nothing but the echoes outside. Yohane felt the atmosphere weigh heavy in her heart, a realization crawling to the forefront of her mind. She was truly alone in all of this, her labors one of solitude. As expected of her luck, she remarked to herself as she stepped away from the desk.

"You wouldn't understand huh, Ruby?" She had looked away to the memorabilia on the shelf, afraid of hidden emotions the angel may read without her consent. "I didn't expect a servant of my torturer to be on my side."

Those words left a bitterness in her mouth, the candy stuck in her teeth anything but sweet. "Yet, I had thought—" she bit her lip, silencing herself. "Y'know what? Forget it."

Yohane turned to the door, her steps slow. She debated stopping by the school library on the way home, hoping there would be useful text left for her research. Metal of the door handle glistened in the afternoon sun. After a moment, it burned a bright glow that caused her to turn away.

"Is your personal mission so important to you, Yohane?" A million voices tore at her mind, all familiar yet unrecognizable in its chorus. She opened her mouth, remembering the certain dryness in the air.

"Yes!" Her feet stood firm, pivoting against the tile in preparation to turn around. Eyes trained along the ground, avoiding any flawless surface that reflected the searing light. "I fear no man, demon, or angel that dares stand against me."

Convictions left Yohane before she had realized, yet she resolved not to falter this time to the light. She snapped her eyes up, prepared to face whatever would be in front of her. "The Great Yohane fears none!"

Her vision swam in brightness, the room vanished in the vastness of white. A disorganized string of voices rang at her ears, coalescing into the tone most familiar to her. Every intonation shook her body, but she held firm.

"His Holiness is great, but is your cause greater to yourself?" Words barely made sense, but its meanings were listened not by ear. Yohane found the hardness of the tiles beneath her knees, the warm trickle of tears cascading down her cheeks. Choruses in her mind continued, a singular yell that threatened to break the spirit of any lesser being. "Against the word of who is most Holy, is this desire justified in its burdens, its misfortunes, blessings, and curses?"

Yohane grit her teeth, forcing her words out. "A Fallen Angel makes her own blessings, eyes of God be damned!"

Suddenly, she felt herself blink the room into view. She found herself knelt on the floor, tears in free fall down her face. Her chest felt light, hitching breath and shaky hands responding to her senses. She bit back the raw emotions, her eyes staring up to a silhouette cast by light filtering through the window.

"Honestly, can't you be anything but stubborn, Yoshiko?" Ruby shook her head, a motion Yohane almost perceived as disappointment, if she hadn't accounted for the concerned gaze. Her lungs took in air, wincing at the burning in her chest. Every movement wrought pain, yet it was the only thing familiar.

An unwavering stare of magenta was the sole light in the tall shadows where she sat. her words were a hoarse growl, her conviction breaking the dry silence.

"It's Yohane."

Ruby expelled a quiet breath. Yohane winced at how far it sounded as feather-light strides closed the gap between them. She watched their gazes level in height, Ruby on one-knee in front of her.

A singular tone. A hushed comfort that eased her glare. "Do you trust in the mission placed by Him?"

Yohane scoffed brokenly. "Not a chance in Hell."

"Do you trust me?"

A moment of silence stretched into what seemed like an eternity. Yohane felt her body shiver in uncertainty. "I... I don't know if I-"

Hands reached out, rays of sunset slipping through. Ruby took her hands, holding tight. Yohane blinked, wondering why her body hadn't flinched. Her grip was light, an unspoken comfort that curled around her fingers. Beneath it, a familiar warmth she couldn't forget.

"Will you place your faith in me, Yohane?"

Ruby's voice only filled her ear. An intimacy that disarmed her, if not for a moment to think. Yohane gripped back, wetting her lips for a response.

"I want to, Ruby."

A tug led her back onto her feet. Yohane met the calm gaze of emeralds, cast with a slight dim due to her turned away from the light of the window. Ruby traced an unseen pattern on her hands, and she wondered if it was a type of magic only angels could perform.

"Then, allow me to guide you, Yohane."