To Choose [Finished]

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi had decided that it was time for him to pick his side and find his alignment. He was so far into his choice, and yet he knew he had one last thing to do. In order to see himself clearly he had only visit the birthplace of his father. He was sure that this would be the last thing that would be required of him to fall or stay upright. His wish count had grown to six and his wings had dulled from the brilliant white they normally took. Now was the last step in his decision and he would not be caught with regrets.

Arashi stepped out of the living portrait that was the result of his herethere ability. The ripped out frame of his bent space behind him as he walked into the garden of heavens sixth layer he was dressed in a white uniform. He was repressing the chaos in his wings so that it was pulled inside his body. He knew that not all cherubim had wings, and that his would only show his falling status. He wore a black traveling cloak draped lightly over his white shoulder and his eyes wandering his surroundings.

"So this is heaven..."

You should be careful Arashi. You may appear to be an outcast here. Watch yourself.

He started walking about with no regard to his onlookers. He didn't think he' be attacked so he worried little about Ranmyaku's words.

[Upright Angel NPC]

Yumi walked down the streets of Rokusou with a heavy heart. Her mind wandering, focusing on memories past, filled with joy and happiness. A pleasant distraction from the events as of late, filled with so much pain and loss. Her cheeks still wet from fresh tears, Yumi clutched a photo album close to her chest, continuing to look downward as she walked into town. Yumi had recently been to the memorial gardens of the 6th layer, which had recently been made to accommodate the tragedies in the Nisou, where she lost several relatives.

Distracted by these thoughts, Yumi unintentionally bumped into a young dark haired man as he walked down the street, dropping her album onto the ground. "Gomen na sai!" She said in a startled voice, and her cheeks began to blush at the sight of the swarthy young man, his black cloak off setting her white garb, yet accentuating his dark penetrating eyes. The young Mercrium knelt down to gather her scattered pictures.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

The gaze that held his inner demons, along with all of his kindness shone clear over the female he'd run into. She quickly apologized, which in turn made him feel a slight bit guilty. He was so easily annoyed when in heaven, he had felt a twinge of anger in the moment she's bumped him. He saw though that he wasn't dealing with someone so brash as to annoy him further. Instead he was greeted with the blushing face of a now kneeling angel. Her stunningly white wings and her pretty face brought a warm smile to his lips. without a moment's hesitation he knelt across from her to help her pick up her pictures.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. If I was I most surely would been careful not to knock down such a sweet angel."

He smiled handing her the small pile of pictures he'd picked up. He noticed after closer inspection that she seemed to have been crying recently. He hadn't any thought as to what would make an angel cry really. Most people only cried for death's or breakups, and angels didn't die so easily. He looked at her with a charmed interest in what she was doing. He felt sure she was blushing because of him, so maybe if he asked she would tell. It was common to try and comfort someone right?

"Are you okay? My name is Mishiranu Arashi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He stood and offered his hand to bring her to her feet. his black cloak flitting lightly off of his shoulders as he stood. His short dark hair doing the same as her brushed a strand away from his eyes and smiled at Yumi. He hadn't the faintest idea what she was, and as such wasn't so careful with her words. At the same time, it wasn't in ranmyaku's field of expertise. In this way, Arashi was foolishly speaking freely to an unidentified upright. the risk of his murderous deeds being known were now great.

[Upright Angel NPC]

"I... Anno, thank you." Yumi said sheepishly, trying hard not to stare directly at the young man who made her blush so. Hearing his voice, she began to listen as she gathered her pictures until she felt a cold spike in the very pit of her stomach. With every word he spoke with his soft and soothing voice, he gave off an air of fear and pain, something very peculiar for what appeared to be an Upright so young. Shrugging these feelings off as bashfulness, Yumi gathered her remaining pictures, shoving them into her album. "I am Tashisuru Yumi, Dozo Yoroshiku Arashi-kun." She said standing up from the ground.

Looking down at him, Yumi was torn. She wanted to stay and talk to someone, to help ease the pain of mourning she did today, but at the same time, she was uncomfortable with Arashi's peculir aura. Driven by her communicative nature, she decided to stay and converse with him, he was very cute to her and he seemed aloof of his surroundings, something she noticed as they bumped into each other and from his spoken words. But things concerning where he was from seemed hazy, and Yumi couldn't discern why. "Eeto, you seem to be traveling, where are you heading?" Yumi said, forcing a smile to not appear rude.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi momentarily straightened his back and stretched out his arms to his side. He felt a slight bit uneasy here now, the longer he stayed her the more the feeling of unease seamed to be increasing. Arashi felt that he had subconsciously decided already what he was to become. This was his last look into the fact, a test to see where his loyalties should rest. The chance that he was not meant to be one of the infernal persuasion still existed, and Arashi wouldn't want to throw away his chances in heaven. there was not likely to be a return from hell once he fell, and this would prove to him that that was the right choice for him. Blinking a few times as the angel spoke, he glanced down her frame once to see just what part of his interest she would hold.

"Traveling?"

He had absolutely no idea what to say to that question. If he was to say anything he was traveling to nowhere, or to hell. there was no way to say exactly where he was going as he had no idea where he would be heading. Arashi was soul searching in many ways..

"I'm going nowhere in particular. Soul Searchingif you will."

There it was for the second time in his span as an angel. He was soul searching, and he always seemed to emphasize the point. the same phrase had made Tomoyo look at him strangely, though he doubted this woman would think too much of it. Arashi was too young to be what he really was. In any other case he should have been at home playing catch with his dad still or just getting out of school. Though, in Arashi's case he had killed his father. He had lost the ability to live as a child the moment he binded with the sprite. His innocence was gone and now he stood as a tragic figure of destruction and sorrow.

"How did you guess I was traveling? Unless I'm mistaken we are in my home layer."

His voice had a very slight touch of worry as he spoke. He questioned her hoping to know if he had set himself apart in some way. She had so easily seen that he did not belong that he wondered if she knew he wasn't exactly from around here. There was a chance that something about him told that he was foreign to this place. If that was the case then he would be in trouble later on. Arashi didn't think it so wise to cause anymore big uproars at the moment, the last incident hadn't likely been forgotten just yet.

[Upright Angel NPC]

Hoping to not offend him, but seeing that her attempts were in vain as a twinge of nervousness was in his voice, Yume still continued to look upon the young man. Every word he spoke gave her a better perspective into who he was, as she was drawn to his natural good looks, and soothing voice. She was enamored by his subtle gestures, until he uttered the words, "I'm going nowhere in particular. Soul Searching if you will." to her.

The air felt chill to the touch after, and she was not sure if speaking to him was a good idea. The fog the clouded his background became clearer, as she saw several horrific images, all featuring this handsome young man before her at the epicenter of the carnage. Men, women, children, the blood lust spared no one in the gruesome depictions. Feeling sickened, she backed away frightened, her mouth trembling. "You're... You're... a monster!" Yume shrieked, stumbling into a flower cart, the owner rushing to aid her up. Several people heard the clamor and gathered around to see the commotion.

Yume leaned on the cart's owner, gasping as more images became present. "Why, why did you do such things?" Yume cried, more tears replacing the happy moments that just previously occurred. Many of the angels were puzzled at her revelations, but continued to focus on the young man the frightened girl directed her words at.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi froze at the look she'd given him, he knew that look, it was a look of terror. A look that meant his darkest truths were known. The look that he'd seen on the survivors of his wild transformations, he hated that look. The woman gasped and she seemed to now despise him, he had no idea what she knew, it annoyed him. Arashi wasn't even sure of what she knew that disturbed her so much, there were so many things he'd done in his past. Arashi got the feeling that whatever she knew may not even have been all of what he'd done in his few years. The annoyance in his heart and mind made him wish she was alone with him. Arashi wanted to know what she knew.

"A monster? I haven't done..."

He paused and looked at her with a look completely different from the one before it. His eyes cold and calculating. His face betrayed nothing, and he seemed strangely malicious all around. He was oblivious to those around him, in fact, he was sure that his face was already know to all of them. He couldn't kill this woman without attacking all of those around him, nor could he allow her to continue if he wished to stay in heaven. Though, if this woman could tell his past, then he need only meet another like her that would do the same. His sins weren't safe in heaven apparently, he understood this. He sighed and looked at her without the remorse a man should have for the massacre he'd committed. He had done nothing wrong in his eyes, only lost control for a moment. There was no reason for him to consider it an issue. This fact alone was a direct contradiction to the celestial race. The cherubim were kind and compassionate, and Arashi's thoughts were not at all fitting of that pattern.

"I'm not a monster. I'm just another angel. No different then you. My wings are white just as yours are?

Arashi... I doubt your wings are white anymore.

Why? I have done nothing wrong. Why should I have fallen?

That is something only a Djinni would say after the bloody life you've led. Any upright would repent for their sins. At least, they would need some form of forgiveness. But you... you have stripped the soul of one of heavens kings and slaughtered many of her people. You've been a demon under the protection of never understanding yourself. You knew before that your action was wrong and had a bit of guilt.

The words of his sprite fell on Arashi with an enormous weight. Arashi felt his insides twist and his soul turn over. In his heart he knew that he was changed, that he no longer felt regret for all of his past evils. Where before he had felt guilt, he now felt nothing for the family that had taken him in. For the merchants wife and children, there was nothing. For the many he'd slaughtered in a random fit of rage. He wasn't even allowed to consider his actions humane, let alone those of an upright. His mind was grasping the fact now, and he felt the feathered wings burst from his back, tearing his jacket away. The feathers were white still, but now the white feather began to fall. Arashi fell to the ground, along with the shift in alignment the chaos in his body was forced to shift and correct itself to match him. The white feathers fell away from him and Arashi held his chest, his shirt in shambles and his jacket floating away. Arashi himself clutched himself and groaned, his body-heat rising.

oooo. My dear Arashi has finally decided to fall.

Arashi felt the flood of memories roll through him again, his own this time, and his fathers. His fathers upright days, and his fall flashed before him. Arashi's own body quivered and shook, a dark haze covering him again. His body heat increasing as his energy shifted and
settled, and shifted and again resettled. The chaos inside of him was so deeply fused that falling for him meant something more then a change or wings. His magical energy had to fix itself in accordance with his fall. Then, just as suddenly as the now dissipated white wings had sprung out, his back produced a set of black blades. The tight leathery sleek wings hung over him and told him his mind was made up. Arashi slowly struggled to his feet and looked at the angels around him, and to the female who'd helped him choose his truth. He had his wings out behind him, and the arched blades created a wicked shadow over her.

"Thank you."

No matter how much of a monster he was she had helped him and should be thanked. He closed the distance between them quickly and bowed to her with all of his gentlemanly grandeur. Holding out a hand to her to shake.

"Thank you for helping me see."

[Upright Angel NPC]

Every word the boy spoke to her was like sweet agony, every sentence giving more insight to his lurid deeds.

"I'm not a monster. I'm just another angel. No different then you. My wings are white just as yours are?

When the youth known as Arashi said that, Yume's mind was torn asunder by the images she saw. Indeed his wings were most unlike hers, a dark haze they were, and he used them viciously murder and maim the guards of Haruhi's estate. Yume's face was soaked with tears the ran from her unblinking eyes as her mind was opened to the sight of so many horrid thing, as she shook terribly, her affinity with the element of Mind in conjecture with her racial abilities as a Mercurim torturing her slowly.

She saw as her own beloved mother was utterly and completely destroyed by a vile and viscous liquid, impaled as it turned into spears that killed so many others in Haruhi's former estate. Unable to bear anymore, Yume fainted as she was unable to hear his sick attempts to thank her, as the sound of his laughter while he killed her mother and so many other rang through the deepest reaches of her mind.

"What in Seiryuu's name did you do to her boy?"

"Look at his wings, oh my Gods, he's a fallen?"

"Suzaku no, run, he'll kill us all."

"He must be stopped."

"Get out outta here you wretched curr."

"Go back to Hell with the rest of the damned." the small mob of people clamored, spewing obscenities at the youth who haughtily stood in their mists. Several women came and helped the flower cart's owner move the girl to safety, while several others fled.

Not all the Uprights in the small area fled, as several were running off of the emotions of the recent tragedies. Blinded by pain, confusion and anger, they looked at the youthful Arashi with seething hatred. "Get him." One man called out, grabbing a stone from the ground, hurling it at Arashi. Soon to follow were several other tossing rocks at the boy, while a group of 3 men advanced toward Arashi, angry and thirsting for a fallen's blood, desperately looking for someone to blame.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi saw quickly the prejudice of the heavenly people, there eyes showed him all the hatred they held for him in that instant. Arashi was aware that the woman had fallen before him and was no longer conscious, he wondered what she was hurt by himself. Arashi was in no way sure why the woman had fainted. His eyes looked over the shouting uprights and he knew he wasn't welcome here. There was no reason for them to hate him, they had no way of knowing he was the monster that he was. For all they knew he was a misguided youth born to hellion parents and led to fall. Arashi felt a slight indignation in their shouts and then a powerful wave of rage when he was suddenly struck by a rock. Arashi felt the blood trickle from the cut just above his eyebrow and looked up, his eyes covered in the same psychosis that had destroyed Haruhi's estate. He wanted them dead now, a sudden hatred filling his veins as the blood from the cut flowed at an abnormal level.

Arashi. Go Home. NOW.

Arashi heard the voice of his sprite and felt the rush of chaos that felt like a bolt of electricity blast into his body. The blood flowing from his face flowed back into the scar and the wound healed in a visibly accelerated rate. The blood turning to a scar then to flesh once more in an instant. Arashi spread his great black wings and in one powerful beat of his blade-like wongs he was launched into the air. He held his hand out above him and a rift opened to the seventh layer of hell. The portal looked as a moving portrait and it rippled as the Djinni ripped through it. The portal wavered for a moment and vanished completely for in the moment afterwards. Arashi flew through the subspace he'd created slowly as he thought of what had just happened. He spoke openly to the sprite.

"So I..

Yes you've fallen. Tomoyo will be happy to know you've chosen.

"I will never be able to change back?"

This is a fall none can get up from. But Arashi, it is not like you have actually lost anything. You haven't actually fallen as in to drop. Falling is to leave from the grace of heaven. You are better now, you are what you were meant to be. Fallen and upright are simply two sides of one race. Just as the choirless are those who exist one neither side. There is no shame in coming to terms with what you really are.

But I...

Face it Arashi. You've never had the pleasure of a serene life. You've struggled and dredged through shit for near all of your life. You were forced to kill your own father. You watched the people who cared for you die at the hands of the mother that discarded you. You have no reason to feel guilty, no reason to feel remorse. You have suffered enough Arashi. Now you are free, free from the pains you've lived your life under.

"Thank you Ranmyaku."

Arashi smiled as he glided through the other end of his subspace tunnel and arrived in the seventh layer. He swooped to the ground and folded his wings as he looked around. He had never been in the town before, he usually teleported to the castle or to the gates. He was sure he could see the castle in the distance though and decided to go the long way and walk. He slit his wrist with the bladed edge of his left wing and let the blood flow freely as Ranmyaku slowly materialized as he walked.

"I guess this is my home..."