Devil in Disguise

“There haven’t been any sightings of angels since the old times,” Jonah said as he and Patricia returned to the group. Hoshi smiled at him, her grey eyes kind and like a mothers.

“Yes,” she replied. “But just because people haven’t seen them doesn’t mean angels weren’t there. Angels are very special you know. They don’t do things the way we do things. They aren’t supposed to feel emotions or regret, they aren’t supposed to fall in love and really, they weren’t supposed to be anything but soldiers. But then God created us. He created the humans and asked angels to love us more than anything. Angels had a hard time with that.”

“How do you know so much?” Gabriel asked softly, mesmerized by the knowledge.

“Lucifer.” Was her simple reply, looking down at her hands. “He fell because he did not love the humans. He could not love the humans. He was so proud, so full of himself that he was forced out of Heaven into a void. Into the place of absence, into the place where there is no light, no hope, no love. Angels had a hard time really adjusting to the fact that humans were supposed to be their love. Scores of angels were sent to earth to understand humans. Some, called the Watchers, were vulnerable to the human women and their beauty. The mighty fallen. Many fell. More fell than God wanted. Baraqel, a leader of the angels, taught men astrology. Penemue taught men art and writing. Many taught man what he knows now and for that, they fell hard onto reality.” She said wistfully, as if talking about a dream. “They were taken down by the daughters of man and created Nephilim. As Enoch so wonderfully put it, “And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’ I’m not sure whether you are an angel, my good man,” she said placing her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, “or a Nephilim.”

“Which is better?”

“Neither is better than the other. Only angels are more pure. They are not tainted by human blood. I am not sure which you are.”

“But angels are God’s greatest creation aren’t they?” Gabriel asked. “They fight for him, don’t they?”

“God loved them before he loved humans, didn’t he? He created them for his own devices. They are his soldiers and minions.” Jonah added. Hoshi smiled a little, the darkness of Knowledge seeping through her.

“They couldn’t understand that the poor humans were not only God’s greatest creation but his greatest weakness.” She looked at Herow and Jonah. “God loved angels, yes, but they were merely toys.” She felt His anger, the anger of millions of years of betrayal. Hoshi’s eyes were beginning to turn red, slowly but surely. “They were merely machines for His holiness and angels could do nothing to gain more favor with him once more. Those poor fools couldn’t comprehend that, even with all their divine greatness. We were pawns for him, playing a giant chess game with himself. We are merely instruments of his cosmic humor. Angels, no matter how hard they tried, could never fully understand humans. They could never appreciate how dangerous and how vulnerable these creatures were. They never understood their strength was in their weaknesses. The war tore apart Heaven and still does now.” Herow cleared his throat and her red eyes went to him. She sucked in a breath if to calm her temper, and cracked her neck, a few loud snaps making the three men cringe. “I think,” she said as her eyes—their steely grey once more—went to Gabriel, “you, fortunately for us, have seemed to capture the compassion of humans. You understand them more than any angel could possibly understand. You were raised with them, seen them at their worst and their best, you’ve struggled and fought, you’ve been through so much and your demure appearances are very easily overlooked. You are a good human, Gabriel, and because of that you will be one hell of an angel.” Gabriel smiled at Hoshi and nodded a little, comforted by her long anecdotal attempt to keep him smiling and calm.

“Thanks,” he said softly. Hoshi smiled down at him and placed her hand—one that was warm and full of life—on his shoulder. He let out a deep breath, a short puff of air that barely did anything for him, and looked up at Jonah. “Make sure she doesn’t cut out anything important, huh?” Jonah smiled and nodded.

“Anything to keep me here longer. That kid’s brutal.” Hoshi grinned at him and her eyes bleed into the glorious white that was almost natural for her. Quickly, Hoshi got to work. She walked through her process. She slowly lulled Gabriel to sleep with the warm, soothing touches of magic. She lulled him into a peaceful sleep where the warmth spread through his bones and covered him in a blanket of comfort. His eyes closed gently, the long lashes shadowing his sculpted cheek bones. She removed her hand and after putting on latex gloves and a smock, she asked for her surgical tools.

Patricia, dressed in complete surgical attire, handed Hoshi a scalpel, and some cotton swabs. Hoshi felt around his back and spoke softly about how the feathers slowly were prying against his skin. She said she’d have to cut the skin enough so that she wouldn’t cut the feathers. So gingerly, she cut into the skin, the blood pooling up and turning red when it came in contact with the air. Hoshi called for Patricia and slowly but surely, she managed to dig deep into Gabriel. His back was almost completely pulled up and where his muscles were neatly tucked together just under the skin, was a pair of bloodied wings. Jonah and Herow stared down at them. They looked like folded up toys that weren’t real. The whole situation seemed surreal. She pealed his skin easily and tenderly with minimal cuts and she had to grip the wings tight in her hands and yank like they were old gears in a clock that had to be pulled. She had to ask Patricia for help but neither of them could get the wings undone.

Hoshi rolled her shoulders and climbed on top of the table, her feet on either side of Gabriel. She, with her bloodied hands, reached down and pulled at the long muscle that was folded and neatly packed under Gabriel’s skin. She pulled with all her might and slowly, the wings came apart. She sighed as she wiped her forehead with her bloodied hands and put her hands on her hips. The long, gorgeously snow-white wings were tainted red and were stretched upward, towering over her. Its tip touched the ceiling just barely. Hoshi smiled at them and nodded. They were beautiful. It didn’t take her too long to get the other one out as well. She had instructed Patricia to begin sewing Gabriel back up as soon as the wing was no longer on the muscles and Patricia did her best to do as she was asked. Hoshi smiled at the wings, the darkness inside of her tempting her to take them for herself.

He’s a child, a voice called to her. He does not deserve these wings.

She shook her head slightly and jumped off the table, her hands that were stained as red as the wings, working on the other side of Gabriel to stitch him up. She had to cut holes in Gabriel’s back, where his wings would be and as they stitched him up, she shook out her cold phalanges and traced runes on his back. They were large Enochian symbols, from what Jonah could tell and told Herow, and they were slowly mending the skin tightly and cleanly. She sighed and placed her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. His scream made everyone but Hoshi jump. He was screaming so loud and long that everyone in the building came to the medical center in hopes to help. He screamed and cried and tried to thrash but he was kept down by an awful weight on his shoulder and body.

Hoshi sat on her knees and stared down at him, the hatred finally seeping away. Her eyes were a bright white once more. She had to force him on his stomach so she could slowly rub the soreness away from his shoulders and his back. He quieted down a little and Hoshi sat up. The wings bent into a resting position under his back and he gasped violently. Hoshi took a deep breath to calm herself and took his hands in hers. He looked at her, though the tears and sobs still spilled from his lips. She pulled him up, his muscles tight under his sweaty skin. She pulled him to stand and as his knees buckled under him, she caught him and placed her arm under his legs to carry him bridal style. She turned to the door and he captured her neck in his arms. He hugged her tight like a child hugging his mother.

“Do you need help—?”

“No,” she said as she turned her eyes to the people who asked. TK stood in front of her, his wide shoulders and chest placing him in her view. She watched him, watched the temptation of him and wondered what she could do to ignore it. What could she do to fight away the Devil’s voice in her head? “No,” she repeated. “I don’t need help. If you could lead me to his room that’d be great.” TK nodded and look at Gabriel, who was still clutching Hoshi.

“It hurts,” he whispered against her neck. She looked down at him a little and smiled a little. His lips brushed against her neck as he spoke softly, the words falling away without meaning. She sighed and hushed him gently, murmuring to him a wordless, nameless lullaby that seemed to ease him as they walked down the halls towards his room.

“Who does he sleep with?” Hoshi asked as she looked at TK.

“I like to sometimes I mean, he’s really rough but—”

“Demon,” Hoshi snapped, her eyes turning white with power. TK stiffened and nodded.

“Right then. He rooms with Joshua. We probably should have brought him, shouldn’t we?”

“That’s okay for now. I’ll need your doctor.”

“Patricia is our only medical person. She’s just a nurse.” TK said.

“I’ll need you to get her to print up his medical records. I’ll need an IV drip, a BP monitor, a heart monitor, and more bandages for his wings.” She looked down at Gabriel, who was whimpering away like a puppy. “I’d like Herow as well. He and I can discuss the team that will watch over him and we’ll get back to your training.”

“Isn’t it a bad time to be thinking about that?”

“Demons do not wait. They do not rest. Evil does not wait for you to be ready. Now, gather my materials and send the other boys with Shadow—”

“Hoshi?” Shadow’s timid voice from the end of the hall made her turnaround from where she was walking. Shadow ran to her and looked at Gabe. “Herow told me to tell you he’ll be at Gabe’s room after he gets everyone settled. He said the whole campus was there. What’s a campus?” TK smiled a little.

“When people finish high school, they go to college, God willing of course, and this is a college. The place where a college is located is a campus.”

“What’s school?” Shadow asked. Hoshi sighed and handed Gabriel to TK, who fell to his knees trying to hold Gabriel. Hoshi bent down and put her hand on Shadow’s shoulder, speaking in her language.

“Lantor,” she said. “We are not of this place. We do not have the same things as they do. Do not feel inferior.”

“I don’t,” said Shadow, turning his head. Hoshi sighed and put her hand on his hair.

“Princess,” TK said from under Gabriel, who was almost whimpering for Hoshi. “I think we can talk to someone who can get him to a classroom, if you’re worried about his education. I’d really like to breathe again.” Hoshi sighed and turned to take the fallen angel off of TK and cradled him once more.

“For a demon, you are pathetically weak,” said Hoshi with a stead, analyzing gaze. “Go away and build muscle mass. I want you to do one hundred and thirty pull ups, one hundred and thirty push-ups, and start on a five mile run. I will join you when I finish the angel. When you are done with that, we will do more.”

“What?” TK demanded. She turned to him and the look in her dark grey eyes made him sigh. “Fine,” he snorted.

“Have the others go with you. Lantor, this way please.” Shadow nodded and followed after Hoshi, who walked towards the rooms she had come from earlier. She heard the demon mumble under his breath but chose to ignore it as the angel in her arms started to whimper. “Hush now,” she said softly. “It will be better soon.” She finally got him into bed, the wings making him uncomfortable, while the nurse was setting up some things. She was happy she didn’t need to tell her how to do her job. She had all the things that the angel would need.

“TK told me you needed me,” Herow’s voice brought Hoshi’s attention to the door. She nodded and turned to him while the nurse attended to Gabriel.

“I need someone watching him at all times. He is weak and he needs provisions. I suspect a day or two for him to recover but while that happens, I need someone with him. I would like to talk to someone about training the boys. They’ll need structure and guidance. They also need to be pushed. The incubus is far too weak for his powers. He is not fully developed and he is very vulnerable. He’ll need much more training. The angel will know nothing of his wings or how his body has changed almost completely from what it was. We’ll need to build his strength more than most. I cannot gauge the others just yet. I will need to, not only build their physical strength, but their mental, psychological and mystical strength as well.”

“They don’t have mystical powers,” Herow said.

“They do.” She said almost pleadingly. “They are just unfortunately underdeveloped. You all have yet to teach them the correct way to harness their powers. You will need to allow me some assistance. You would allow me a demon here in this place?” she asked. Patricia made a noise of surprise and the two looked at her. She looked away, her eyes intent on the IV she was placing in Gabriel. “I assume that is no,” Hoshi said. “I will not tarnish this holy place. I will bring the boys to the demons.”

“No,” Herow said. “You will not.”

“How am I to judge how well they are against demons if I have not seen them work?”

“We have simulations.”

“Simu—I’m sorry what?”

“Projections. We have pretend fights.”

“Pretend fights are useless. They will not get the experience they need to fight demons.” She said. “The only one with experience is you.”

“That’s not true,” Herow said. “TK fought one the other day and did pretty well.”

“Then why are you hesitant to let them fight?”

“In a fight with real demons, they could die.” Herow stated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Unfortunately,” she said calmly. “There will be people who will die if these boys are not fully prepared for their task and duty. We need to train them, Herow, if you intend to solve the mystery of all these demons attacking in great numbers.”

“That’s why we have you.”

“What do you expect I am to do?” she asked him. “I am one person. My life is no different than yours.”

“You have powers! You can do things no one here can! You should be able to help us with at least something!” Herow was frantically yelling at her.

“Everyone has something.” She placed her hand on his chest above his heart, warming his chest and his cheeks. She looked at him seriously, not in the flirtatious way that she had before, nor the way that she had before when she was full of fire and anger. She looked at him like he was someone she knew a long time ago, someone she trusted and cared for. “Everyone can do something. Just because someone can’t light fires or seduce women to sell their souls, doesn’t mean they’re not important. Sometimes the greatest hero is someone who can lead a good army.”

“They’re not an army,” he said to her. “They’re young boys.”

“And you were not when you brought here?” she asked, making his stomach squeeze. Her voice was low and thick and was like velvet to his ears. “What age did you join? What age did you start fighting this war?” She looked at him and whispered, “What if they can stop it?”

“They’re too young,” he said shaking his head slightly. Hoshi sighed and let her hand slip from his chest and shook her head.

“Since you are so worried, you and I would be there to aid them against the demon. I trust you have better credentials than the boys? Or do I need to train you as well, Captain Herow?” Herow closed his eyes a little and adjusted his jaw slightly.

“I will talk Sauer Thomas. He will decide what we can do. Good day to you, Princess.” He straightened his shoulders, his face hard as rock and his gaze cold and violent. Hoshi’s face did not soften but her lips pulled into a small smile.

“You are dismissing me,” she said matter-of-factly with a laugh in her voice. She lifted an eyebrow and nodded. “I am going to meditate,” she said as she looked back at Shadow. He was staring at her and Herow in a way a child watches his parents when they are talking about something he does not understand. “Will you join me Lantor?” Shadow looked down.

“I want to train with the others,” he said softly.

“Shadow,” said Herow. “You are too—”

“Should you choose to do so,” said Hoshi, bowing low to her Lantor. “I will fight with you and treat you as one of them.” Shadow smiled and nodded.

“I’d like that,” he replied.

“As you wish,” Hoshi said as she stood and turned to look at Herow. “If they have something to fight for, even the youngest boy will be a man.”

“No boy should ever have to be a man before his time.”

“When is his time, Herow?” Hoshi asked sternly. “Tell me when a boy is to become a man so that I may tell my master he cannot fight to save lives. So I can tell my only friend that he cannot do what he wants because he is too young and too small. Tell me so that he can go back to feeling insignificant and inadequate.”

“Hoshi,” Shadow murmured, making her look back at the young child. It had been a long time since she looked at him like this—like her friend. Not her master, not her reason of fighting so hard, but her friend. Someone she would go into battle with. Herow cleared his throat and glared down at her.

“A boy is a man when he understands that his life is not his own.”

“And tell me, when did you realize your life was not your own? When did you become a man? When they took you from your family as a child? When they brought you here and made you fight?” Herow was fuming and Patricia cleared her throat, making the two of them look at her with mirroring looks.

“Captain, I hate to intrude but I think we should have someone here to watch Gabriel if you are to be leaving.”

“Go and get Gen. I’d like for you to get Heath and Heather here as well. The princess and her master have yet to be given their proper clothing.” Patricia looked at Hoshi, who was sighing and putting her hands on her hips. “Now, please, Ms. Starns,” said Herow stiffly. Hoshi looked at him as the nurse scooted past them and shook her head.

“This is a side of you I’d like to see more often, Captain Herow.” She said as she walked out of the room. Herow sighed, his hand over his eyes.

“You have to excuse her,” Shadow said gently. Herow looked at him. He was sitting next to Gabriel, his legs dangling from the edge of the chair, swinging back and forth playfully as children often do. “She’s always like that.” He shrugged. “Always has been since she blew into town a few months ago. She wasn’t always so loyal,” Shadow smiled. “It was only a few days or so that she decided I was worth the effort. Just yesterday, actually, she told me I was too much trouble to handle.”

“Oh?” Shadow smiled distantly.

“She and I met back when she first arrived at Nodame.” He explained. “She was always telling me that I was a bother but when it came down to it, she’d always find me at night and make sure I was safe without letting anyone else know. She liked keeping an eye on me but she hated to do it at the same time. You know that feeling you get when you have to do something even though it goes against all who you are? That is how Hoshi feels. She apparently has been running from all that she is and does things these things that just are not her.”

“What do you mean? How do you know?” Shadow chuckled softly.

“Do you see her? She’s a princess for Peter’s sake. She wants to ignore the fact that she is and wants me to ignore it as well but I really can’t. All that she is has taught her differently. And yet she left her family and her home, she left her people to do what? Be an orphan at sixteen? She goes against all that she is just by being here. All of these things she’s doing, all the things she says to you, things she does for those boys and for you…that’s not what she is supposed to do. When was the last time you heard of a princess taking in an orphan and going to a small town to help a few rag-tag demon hunters stop some monsters?” Herow nodded a little and smiled softly. “Herow, you won’t really let the boys go out and fight those demons will you?” Herow sighed and shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he said softly. “Something tells me I’m going to have to fight to keep them from going.” He looked at Gabriel, who was peacefully breathing next to him. The breathing was normal and it sounded regular. “He seems to be alright.”

“He’s wonderful!” Shadow replied. “He was really cool last night! We played cards and stuff!” A loud crash and crumbling made the two of them look up. Herow knew where he needed to go without even asking. He knew that princess was too difficult. Too hard headed. He had his gun drawn as he looked down the hall to try and see the commotion.

“Stay here, Shadow. Watch him for me. I’ll be right back.” Shadow jumped down his small frame erect and saluting. Herow nodded with a small smile and ran down the hall to the gym where he kicked open the door and aimed. Everyone froze and turned to look to him. In the middle of the room was a woman who was just a few inches shorter than Hoshi standing on a pile of rubble that was the gym ceiling. She had long, elegant wings the color of snow, just like Gabriel’s while her hair was a delicate shade of gold and her skin was the color of alabaster.

“Row, come here! We’ve got an angel in the room! A real one not like Gabriel!” Herow stood up and Hoshi had her hands on her hips while looking at him. It always amazed him to see her so serious. Close up she was so tempting, so real but far away, from a distance she looked like a dream. She looked like a figment of his imagination.

“This is an old friend of the family, Maion.” Hoshi introduced. The angel nodded to Herow and turned to Hoshi to talk in a language no one understood. Hoshi replied quickly and quietly. They spoke for a few minutes, mesmerizing everyone in the room. Herow moved closer, despite the fact he didn’t want to ruin his image of Hoshi, and looked at the boys. They were sweating and trying to catch their breath. He wondered what Hoshi had made them do since she suggested she was mediating. Hoshi finally sighed and looked at Herow. “She’d like to see Gabriel. Perhaps she can help me train him. He’d be better off with a real angel teaching him.”

“I would just like to assess what he needs so I may tell Hoshi what to do. I will not be staying for long.” Herow nodded, telling Jonah to bring her to Gabriel. Hoshi was going to follow along but Herow placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I’d like to talk to you,” he said softly. She looked up at him, holding his gaze for a long moment before nodding. He saw in her eyes something he wished he didn’t. He saw a woman, a temptress, a seductress, and a sinner. He saw in her the very thing he took up his oath against. He felt like he was sinning just by talking to her.

“Anything, Captain.” The way her voice sounded made him doubt. He wanted to badly to rebel but he couldn’t.

“Who is she?” he asked her stiffly, trying to push away his doubts.

“She is an angel,” Hoshi replied with a frown as if to question why he asked such a simple question.

“Why is she here?” he asked. Hoshi sighed and looked at the other boys.

“She is here because of Gabriel. She and the other angels sort of…how do you say it…felt his wings appear. They came looking for the new angel they did not authorize.”

“So they want to take him…?”

“No,” Hoshi said. “They just want to see him and meet him and make sure he’s not going to hurt anyone by being here. She is an old friend of the family so she’ll pull some strings for me. I can have him authorized to be down here with a badge of approval for your director if that is what you’d like.” The doors opened again and the angel stood there, stern and serious unlike she had been before. She had been serious before but now, now she looked like something was wrong and she didn’t know how to fix it.

“Hgnafta,” said the angel. “Za uunda lanbor andgel Mhimatc.” Hoshi’s face fell as she started over to the angel.

“Za trawnt impusyle.”

“Aerunt za seoomnt.” Hoshi swallowed hard and look at Herow, who was as confused as the others. Hoshi began to speak faster than Herow could comprehend or understand. Hoshi was suddenly violent and angry, her actions brash and unprincess-like. The angel was hesitant to continue the conversation so she decided it was a good time to leave. She said something softly to her, an odd sense of authority over Hoshi apparent, and left with the simple words, “Andgel Mhimatc”. In all honesty they were not simple at all and she disappeared with the rustle of a few feathers. Hoshi frowned, the bare skin of her shoulders suddenly shimmering like a mirage.

“It appears,” she said stiffly. “The angel in our mist is one with whom I am already accustomed.” She turned to the others. Her eyes were a deep, rich red color and she was radiating heat and almost looked like she was going to explode. “I will return,” she said as she clenched her jaw. “I want everyone running laps.”

“Where are you going?” Herow demanded as he followed her out of the training area, grabbing his coat and her cloak.

“How come Herow always gets to spend time with the pretty princess?” Joshua said with a pout.

“Get running,” snapped Herow, his tone so serious and firm it made their skin shiver. TK watched as he quickly ran after Hoshi, who was fuming and grinned. The authoritative tone he took meant he was nervous and was faulty. He wanted to gain control of something so he controlled his tone. TK knew Herow much better than most and though Herow would never admit it, the princess frightened him. The princess worried him. The princess interested him. TK knew Herow and he knew that when he was interested in something, he’d fight tooth and nail to be uninterested in it. TK turned to the boys and smiled.

“I think we have a situation on our hands, boys,” Joshua turned to him and frowned.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? I’ll get Patty. She’ll need some tea after this morning.”

“No, Joshy, no. Herow. Our little boy is growing up.” TK said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t understand,” said Kaito. “What are you talking about?”

“Remember when we first got here,” TK said. “and we were told we couldn’t date anyone? Remember when they told us that the Communion was solely for men?”

“Yeah,” said Lucas. “Sauer wanted it that way. There’s another Communion I think in Rhode Island that has all females.”

“Well,” TK said. “I heard from a little birdy that not too long ago, this was a co-ed Communion house.”

“Oh?” asked Parinum. “Pray tell, TK.”

“Heather was a Communion member and she had to leave when she married Heath. Can anyone tell me who her sister is?” He looked around the group.

“Demitria,” Jonah announced. “They’re like five years apart or something.”

“They are six years apart,” said TK. “And so when Heather became a Sinner, she got Demitria a job. Demitria used to work for a training gym over in Baltimore and when she got a chance to teach a few special kids some real skills, she jumped at the chance. Now guess who also was a Sinner back in the day.” They boys shook their heads. “Avon, my good men. And who does Mr. Avon like to spend his time with?”

“Demitria!” shouted Kaito.

“The Chief didn’t want anyone distracted so he made it all males a few years ago after putting V and Herow on the job. Did you know back in Herow’s days, when you walked in through those doors the first time, you had to take an oath of celibacy?”

“Really?”

“The only person who got out of it was Wakely. He was already married when he entered the force.”

“So it was those six?” asked Jonah.

“There was a seventh,” TK announced. “There always has to be seven. Just like us. Now rumor has it that this Missing Seven went rouge. He and Herow were tight—brothers till the very end and all that—and one day….he just snapped. V was totally upset by the fact that Missing Seven went splits but Herow was devastated. I don’t know exactly what happened but I’m hoping Herow will open up later. He’s got a loose tongue when he’s tired.”

“I bet,” Lucas snorted as he looked at the clock.

“Waiting for a date, Luke?”

“A date with God,” he replied instead.

“I hope Gabe’s alright,” Joshua said as he looked at the ground. “He’s such a good kid.”

“I don’t think that constitutes as running.” TK turned to Demitria, who had her arms crossed over her chest.

“Yes ma’am,” TK said as he started running. The boys followed in suit and Demitria and Avon glanced at each other before turning their attention to the boys who were closer to solving a few more mysteries than most had intended.