Falling from Grace

A Slayers fanfic by Majo-chan

Warnings: OOC, AU, violence, religious connotations

Rating: PG 13 or R for violence

Prolog/epilog

Heaven.

            Heaven was whiteness, purity, innocence. It was contentment and happiness so thick you could breathe it in and feel it fill you as it lifted you up high among the clouds.

            It was a castle in the sky, a far off land, a beautiful home. Heaven was belonging, laughter, absolute joy and absolute love, absolute devotion and absolute obedience.

            Heaven was home.

            Reality…earth. No, earth does not have the same brilliant colors, the almost painful clarity, the soothing familiarity. Reality is painful in its uncertainties, its atrocities, its mistakes. But…reality is real.

            Reality is smiling despite of hardship, despite of pain. Reality is laughing in the rain and catching a cold afterwards. Reality is tears and laughter, pleasure and pain, the sweet and the bitter melding together until no one can tell where the other began.

            Reality is here, where I am. Between Heaven and Earth I found the thin line between existing and living. Heaven was a beautiful dream, perfection reflecting from every facet, every angle. But perfection is not real. There is no perfection in reality. It is the price to pay for living, these imperfections. And I paid the price, because in Heaven I merely existed, on Earth I lived.

Chapter 1

            “And the projected earnings for the next quarter is expected to reach a total of…”

            I tune out the rest of the manager’s sentence, discreetly standing behind the man I was sent to watch. The blond man was sitting still, listening attentively. To anyone who sees us, I appear to be a secretary, standing by to await her boss’s commands. But on closer inspection, they will probably notice that I am not doing anything except standing there and watching his every move, and that he doesn’t even notice me. That’s assuming someone actually sees me.

A year ago I would have not been nearly as cautious, but experience and frequent visits to Earth had told me that while I am invisible to most people, there are always a few of the spiritually sensitive out there who can see me. Now, if anyone does happen to see me, they will see a perfectly normal looking woman instead of my true form.

“ Sales is reporting a 5% increase in positive customer responses…”

            “ Psst, don’t you think Anders is such a bore?” The middle-aged man to my left whispers. The platinum blond head of the young man I watched nodded barely, his large blue eyes still fixed on the man speaking but his lips quirking slightly to betray his amusement. His eyes are a beautiful color, like the sky above the clouds.

            “ I heard that, Mr. Peterson.” The one called Anders shot back and there was a general smattering of laughter. “ And you, Mr. Acton, I saw that.”

            I watched as they joked good-naturedly with each other, teasing Mr. Acton about his youth and genius. After all, he is only 20 and already vice president to this company, his worth is valued in the billions, and he is a popular and well loved representative for the province in politics. To his credit, his youth did not prevent him from throwing back a few well-placed verbal jabs that won him immediate admiration and even some grudging respect from his older and more experienced peers.

            I sighed. No matter how many times I’ve been assigned to earth, no matter how many times I actually came down here, the feeling was always the same. The same slightly sad feeling... Humans often termed it regret.

            It was too bad that Mr. Acton was fated to die today.

**

            The meeting was quickly over, and the various high-powered executives of the company filed out with offers thrown for coffee and dinner. I trailed after my charge, keeping my eyes straight ahead and trying to not bump into (or through) anyone. He was talking with another man, who was gesturing expansively. I blinked, feeling my vision waver for a second when my eyes passed over the loud one’s companion. All I could see from my position behind him was well cut figure in a black suit, with his dark hair tied back neatly…

            Wait, he had long hair?

            I frowned a bit as I considered the abnormality of the hairstyle, especially in this particular company, then dismissed it. That was not important right now. My charge was returning to his office. Someone had a job to assassinate him, and I had an appointment with his soul after it departed from his body. This was no time to worry about inappropriate hair lengths that wasn’t even really inappropriate.

            As expected, Mr. Acton wrapped up the conversation and politely detached himself to head for more work. I hurried to catch up with him, brushing past the two that were talking to him.

            To my surprise, the man with the long hair actually looked up when I glanced sideways to make sure nobody noticed me. Like I said, sometimes people can see me, especially when they’re sensitive, crazy or about to die.

            Then he grinned. And winked at me.

**

            Puzzlement over long-haired’s action continued to bother me as I followed Mr. Acton back to his office, but I shelved that thought for later as he got into his seat, the outrageously expansive leather covered kind that rotated and adjusted for height, and started leafing through papers. I leaned against the window to wait.

            He shuffled more papers and I crossed and uncrossed my legs. The clock, also outrageously expensive and chock full of useless accessories and capabilities, ticked by, marking time.

            It was more of a gut feeling than any sort of intellectual deduction on my part when I figured out where, if not when, the attack will come. I realized, belatedly, that it was a bad idea to lean against the window when the assassin is very probably a sniper. That thought occurred to me a moment before the bullet shattered the window on its way in, passed through me and headed straight to Mr. Acton’s face. Hot on its tail was a second bullet for his chest. Glass shards traveled harmlessly through me in slow motion as the young man before me jerked in his seat, sky blue eyes widening. Crimson blossomed from his neck, then his chest like a slow river, and I barely grimace. Sad, how death doesn’t affect me anymore.

            Then the glass start to tinkle as they hit the polished wooden floor and time resumed its normal course. Mr. Acton twitches a few times and his mouth works as blood and spittle dribble out, then those gorgeous sky blue eyes dimmed and he fall facedown on the table.

            I sighed. Another day, another meaningless death.

            And as unpleasant as it was, it was my job to save the dead’s soul before other, more unsavory, spirits get to it.

            My thoughts were disrupted when I heard sounds of people approaching. Probably all the better, as morbid as they were getting…It was irrelevant to me that someone was coming, since most of the living population are blissfully blind to my kind and the spirits I guide, but it was odd that this happened so soon after the event of Mr. Acton’s death.

            The voices were muffled through the door, but my ears perk up at the sound. I frowned a little as I tried to place the voice, and after a moment, I did. That sounded like Mr. Peterson.

            “Are you sure??” he was saying nervously. I’d imagine that if I could see him right now, he would be wringing his hands.

            “ Of course. Ripper wanted you to check the body. He’s a big fan of customer satisfaction and all. Security won’t get here for another five minutes, so hurry, take a peek.”

            I was definitely interested now. Ripper was on our Doomed list…Divine retribution was on the schedule for someone named Ripper, what a coincidence that I should hear about him here. But the voice was unfamiliar.

            Beside me, Mr. Acton’s spirit rose from his body. His eyes were a faded sort of blue now as he looked at me in confusion. Most souls feel disoriented and confused right after their deaths. I found that the ones that died violently suffered the most from trauma because of the suddenness of their death.

            “But if security catches me…”

            “ They won’t.” The voice was confident but something about the tone caused me to doubt his assurance. There was a particular…nasty little lilt to it that I detected, something that immediately sent my mental alarms off. Apparently it did not incur the same reaction in his companion and the doorknob turned and the door opened.

            “Wha?” Beside me, Mr. Acton’s spirit whispered. I turn to him, ignoring the other men for now. “Where? What?”

            “ You’re dead, Mr. Acton.” I told him gently, laying a hand on his arm to calm him. Since both of us are technically on the same plane of existence now, it was possible.

            “ What a mess.” Mr. Peterson said with mild disgust as he surveyed the room. He took a few steps in before gagging and covering his mouth. Mr. Acton was looking at me with those terribly confused eyes before he turned them onto Mr. Peterson. “I thought I told him to make it subtle? Wouldn’t poison or an accident be better for this type of assassination?”

            “ He…he…”

            “ Mr. Acton, we have to go now.” I said firmly but quietly. “ Your time on earth is up.” The young man shook his head, stunned, as he watched his former friend.

            “ He killed me…”

            Before I could reply to the anguished statement, someone else cut in.

            “ That he did.”

            I turned around so fast that I almost lost my balance, as another person, the long-haired man from before, walked in. For a second I thought he was answering the spirit’s question. That would have been impossible unless he could see him, or have some sort of affinity with the dead. But instead, he merely strolled in, as casual as you please with his hands in the pockets of his tailored pants, and patted Mr. Peterson on the back.

            “ You just don’t know how beautifully subtle it is.”

            I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t addressing us. There would be no complications.

            “ Ripper sends you his love.” He smiled before pulling out a gun. Mr. Peterson jumped. “ Aw, no need to be so nervous.” The smile widened as he flipped the gun and held it out by the muzzle. “This is just a present.”

            “ P-p-present?” The human was terribly confused, and Mr. Acton wasn’t much better off. I for one was completely muddled. Who is this guy?
            “ Ah. A present. He wants to thank you for giving him such a nice target. I want to thank you for making my job easier.” Suddenly, the gun disappeared, only to reappear in Mr. Peterson’s hand.  “ Security and the police will be here in …” He checked his gold watch. “ 5 seconds. They have permission to use deadly force on anyone with a weapon. Hope you had a nice life. See you on the other side.”

            “ W-W-Wha???”
            “ Look!” Mr. Acton’s spirit gasped, and I did.

            For some reason, long-haired turned his head just as my charge gasped, and I met his eyes purely by accident. I felt all the air leave my lungs in a whoosh as I stared into those brilliant purple eyes.

            And watched with numb horror as the rounded pupils suddenly contracted and became thin slits. His human guise seemed to literally melt off of him as those eyes bore into mine. Some part of me realized that he was also seeing through my disguise, but most of my mind was occupied with watching his clothes, black designer ones, melt and reform. Black leather, somehow I’m not surprised. Something ripped and I watch as black bat wings extended from his back and spread out.

            Feathers.

            A few white feathers were drifting down lazily around us. I realized that I had instinctively reverted back to my angel form, my two pairs of giant white wings fully flared.

            “ FREEZE!”

SWAT and security slammed through the doors. Mr. Peterson jumped and instinctively moved, bringing the gun he still held into view. That was not a wise action and they proceeded to rain bullets into the room. Mr. Peterson jerked violently, again and again, as the pellets tore into him, out of him, through and around him. The carpet was treated to another dye job.

            I stared at him. He stared back.

            It was as if the ensuing chaos was somewhere far, far from us. And in a way, it is. Things had indeed, froze for us the moment our eyes met. We are on the mortal plane, but at the same time, not on the same level as the rest of its inhabitants. The going-ons are essentially nothing more than background noise.

            It might have been only a few seconds, it might have been forever that we stared at each other. Belatedly, I realized just sitting (or crouching) there wasn’t exactly a productive way to go about things. Warily, I drew my wings back from the angry flare they had been in and straightened. That seemed to snap him out of his own immobility and he likewise stood down. I took one step forward and firmly placed myself between the demon and Mr. Acton’s spirit. I had a job to do, and no malignant force of evil was going to get in my way.

            “I do not know why you are here.” I said coldly. “But I will not allow you to take this man’s soul.” Behind me, I heard Mr. Acton start, and I had to fight to keep my attention on the demon in front of me.

            “L-Look!”

            I refused to look.

            The demon smirked, suddenly, his amethyst eyes holding mine with more confidence and less surprise now. “An angel from Heaven…what an honor for a damned creature like me to actually see one in person.” He made a little bow, but his words were a direct contrast with his tone. I wouldn’t be surprised if he considered meeting a dead rat more honorable than meeting me. The feeling was mutual.

            “T-that’s….”

            “I’m not here for Mr. Goody-two-shoes.” The demon snorted as I tensed when his eyes focused past me. “It would’ve been a pain to escort him to hell anyway.”

            “Wh-what’s going on?”

            This time, I did look, and was not surprised to see Mr. Peterson’s spirit gazing down at his bullet-riddled body in horror.

            “The wages of sin is eternal damnation.” The demon offered helpfully. “Anyway, I’m here to get him. You can have Angelic boy.” With that, he crooked a clawed finger at Mr. Peterson’s spirit and turned to leave.

            I wasn’t about to have it. “You can’t have him either.” I told him.

            That stopped him in his tracks. Very slowly, he turned around to face me, and I can tell by the little twitch in his wings that he wasn’t entirely pleased by my outburst. “Excuse me, Miss Angel?” He asked carefully. “I don’t think I heard you right.”

            “It is my duty to save the souls of the Dead.” I told him firmly. “This man,” I pointed to the late Mr. Peterson, “ deserves the judgment and punishment of Heaven. I will not let you take him to Hell.”

            There was a pause as the demon digested this. “So, what you’re saying is that I went to all this trouble of actually coming to work today, for nothing?” He tilted his head a bit and his hair fell a bit into his face. He blew at it the strand, and then shook his head. “You’re GOT to be kidding me.”

            “I’m not.”

            I glared defiantly at him as I held out and arm, refusing to move from between him and the two souls. The demon bared his teeth at me in a parody of a grin.

            “ You don’t want to mess with me, Pretty angel.” He hissed.

            “ You don’t want to mess with me either.” I retort. “And call me ‘pretty angel’ again and I’ll tear out your wings.”

            The tension hung between us and sent the air crackling. The humans were oblivious in the background, checking corpses and reporting in the details, but all that was faded. I poured every ounce of determination I could into the gaze. I didn’t want a fight…I had managed to do my job so far without actually having to battle one of Hell’s minions to the death…but I would do it if I had to.

            All of a sudden, his expression lightened. Or rather, his expression turned enlightened. “YOU’RE the new Angel of Death, aren’t you?”

            It was my turn to blink in surprise. The Hierarchies of Heaven and Hell are complicated, and it was unheard of for the other side to know of the recent news…or even to be familiar with the status quo. How in the world did this demon know of my rank??

            Now his anger and irritation dissipated, I almost backed off as he came closer and looked at me with curiosity. It was through sheer willpower, and the fact that I actually couldn’t sense any hostility from him, that I managed to stay where I was.

“You are.” He finally pronounced with satisfaction. “No wonder…And here I thought my senses were going haywire.” The confused expression must have been pretty obvious on my face, and he smiled impishly at me. “All right then. You can have the guy.” He waved negligently at the two spirits behind me. “Consider it…a ‘nice to meet you’ present.” I jerked as he grabbed my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “Next time we meet though, you’d better watch your back, angel.” I pushed him away angrily as he laughed. Already, his aura was fading from this realm. “Tell Milgasia that Xelloss says ‘hi’.” He called before he disappeared.

**