Chapter Text
Angels are not born like humans.
They are born from laughter.
Every time a baby laughs for the first time, that joy ascends to heaven.
Raf was born from Andrea's laughter, and fourteen years later—which passed in the blink of an eye in heavenly time—she was ready to become his guardian.
And where would she learn to be a fair guardian?
At the Golden School, the school for angels and demons.
The sun was beginning to rise over the paradisiacal city of Angie Town, while Raf slept soundly
“Do you want to be late on your first day, Raf?” her mother asked softly, pulling her out of her dream world.
“Five more minutes, Mom...” Raf murmured, her voice tired and her eyes still closed.
Luna, her mother, sighed. With an almost imperceptible movement, she pulled the sheets off her, forcing Raf to sit up with a groan.
“I don't want to go...” Raf murmured, depressed. I'll be all alone.
“But you'll make new friends!” Luna encouraged her with a smile.
“I don't want new friends... I want Blondie.”
“Look, you can write Blondie a letter whenever you want,” her mother replied, sitting down beside her, “but now focus on studying and enjoying your experience at Golden School.”
Raf sighed deeply.
“Okay... I'll try.”
Luna patiently helped her choose what to wear for her first day.
And so, a few minutes later, Raf left for the station.
-o-
Raf boarded the train and settled into one of the gleaming carriages that floated. Through the windows, the sky looked like an ocean of light. Around him, other young passengers—also future students at Golden School—talked among themselves with enthusiasm, nervousness, or pure curiosity.
Raf, on the other hand, avoided eye contact and walked silently down the aisle until he found an empty seat. She sat down gently and stared at the floor, hoping no one would talk to her.
Next to her, a curly-haired brunette angel gave him a warm smile and introduced herself enthusiastically.
“Hi! I'm Urié,” she said with contagious energy.
“Raf,” she replied, barely looking up.
“Nervous about the first day?”
Raf nodded silently.
“Miki says it's easier than it looks,” Urié commented, as if to reassure her.
“Who's Miki?” Raf asked with slight interest.
A voice rose from the back seat.
“I'm Miki!” said a girl with blue hair, resting her arms on the backrest. “And this is Dolce.”
Another girl with pastel pink hair raised her hand in a friendly greeting.
“Miki is from second grade, so she knows how things work.”
“Too well,” Miki added with a crooked smile. “Don't worry, Raf. You'll survive.”
-o-
The train pulled into the heavenly station with a soft whistle and a gentle jolt. The doors opened, and a warm breeze—laden with sweet fragrances and golden light—caressed the students as they stepped out.
Raf hurried downstairs with Urié, Miki, and Dolce, trying not to lose sight of them amid the crowd of wings, laughter, and hurried footsteps. But in her haste, she bumped into someone.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, taking a step back.
In front of her, an angel with brown hair and green eyes looked at her, surprised. They stood in silence for a few seconds, both motionless, as if time had frozen between them.
“Hey... are you okay?” Raf asked, breaking the moment.
“I... uh, yeah, sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going,” he replied, still a little dazed.
Their eyes met again for a moment longer than necessary, until a voice snapped them out of their trance:
“Hey, buddy! Hurry up!” someone shouted ahead.
The boy looked away toward his group.
“Ah, I'm coming, Ang-Li!” he replied, quickly bending down to pick up his things from the ground.
Raf watched him walk away, without moving from her spot.
“Raf!” Urié called, pulling her by the arm. “We have to hurry or we'll miss the initiation ceremony!”
“I'm coming!” she said, shaking off the spell of the moment.
-o-
Together, the four angels hurried along the floating path that connected the station to the gleaming doors of the Golden School.
The golden doors opened with a soft glow, and the four angels crossed the threshold together. Raf's eyes scanned every corner, admiring the floating architecture, the arches that seemed to be made of solid light, and the crystals suspended in the air. But what caught her attention most was something she hadn't expected so soon.
The devils.
It was the first time she had seen them in person. They were easy to spot: bat wings, curved horns, dark clothing... but they weren't scary. In fact, they didn't look that different from angels. Some were talking to each other, others were laughing. Some looked unsure. Like her.
“It's a little sad that they are born from the tears of children,” thought Raf, remembering what she had always been taught, “while we are born from their purest laughter...”
But even so, they didn't seem like monsters. Just... different.
A powerful voice broke the murmur of the room. In the center of the large floating hall, Director Arkhan—tall, majestic, with golden wings—walked toward the podium, accompanied by his counterpart: an elegant devil with red eyes and a firm demeanor. It was Director Temptel.
Both stood in front of the students, and Arkhan raised his voice:
“Welcome, new guardians! Today begins a path of learning, responsibility, and, above all, balance...”
Raf tried to pay attention, but Miki, next to him, began to speak in a low voice:
“They give the same speech every year,” she murmured boredly. “Angels are trained to guide humans toward thoughtful decisions, while devils urge them to act on instinct or desire. When an angel and a devil are born from the emotions of the same human, they will be paired as their guides,” and blah, blah, blah...
Urié looked at her with a frown.
“That sounds important to hear.”
“Yes, but I say it better,” replied Miki, shrugging her shoulders.
The speech continued until Temptel solemnly announced:
“We will now call the first pairings!”
A flash of light crossed the air, and the names were projected into the sky, written in letters of light.
“Born of Sara's laughter and tears: Mephisto and Ang-Li.”
Two figures took the stage. Ang-Li, an angel with glasses and yellow wings, smiled cheerfully. Mephisto, her demonic counterpart, had dark brown hair and a somewhat nervous laugh.
Raf watched the scene in silence.
“It's a little scary, isn't it?” whispered Dolce, crossing her arms.
“Not when you already know your devil,” replied Miki, standing up. “I have to go with the second-years. I'm sure you'll be fine. See you later!”
Raf barely had time to process the ceremony when another announcement flashed in the air:
“Born from Alessia's tears and laughter: Gabi and Blu.”
The boy from the train—the one with green eyes—walked awkwardly to the stage, gathering his things along the way. There, his counterpart was waiting for him: a devilish girl with bright blue hair and an intense gaze. They greeted each other with some caution.
Raf barely had time to look away when he heard the unthinkable:
“Born from Andrea's laughter and tears: Raf and Sulfus.”
Raf's heart skipped a beat.
SHhee climbed the podium slowly, his wings a little tense with nerves. In front of him hovered the portrait of his human: Andrea, a boy with a mischievous smile. Raf recognized him immediately. He was her reason to exist
And then she saw him.
Tall, messy black hair, sly look.
And that smile.
Did he...had he just winked at her?
Raf froze for a second.
"Devils are weird" she thought