[FFML] [ORIG] Angel Dawn, Chapter Six

[Henry Cobb]

[ORIG] Angel Dawn, Chapter Six
By Henry J. Cobb, all rights reserved.

I think that the characters and situations presented here are original, but
I owe a heavy debt to my influences.  This chapter should be considered to
be PG-13 level for adult situations, in addition to the usual blasphemy.

Previous chapters can be found at
http://www.io.com/~hcobb/anime/fanfic/angel_dawn.html

Chapter Six: "Dawn of the New World"

My body slipped off to sleep and I appeared once again in the realm of
dreams.  I allowed myself one last moment to take a look around before
delivering my soul for God's judgment and my inevitable destruction.  I
was a clearly a faulty implement to be safely disposed of.

As usual I had appeared near to the dark tower, a sign of my dark soul.
As I looked away from it I saw that masses of demons were headed straight
towards me from all directions.  I summoned my wings of fire and flew straight
upwards as fast as I could and then I risked a glance behind me.

The demons weren't following me.  They were all headed towards the dark
tower.

I looked around and saw the reason they were quiting the field.  A cloud
boiled out from the tower of light.  It was a host of angels, many more
than I had ever seen at one place.

As I watched, the cloud spread out and angels split out from it to fly into
the dreams of mortals.  They didn't stop halfway between the towers but
merged into dreams all across the field.

I looked back and saw that the gates to the tower of darkness were closed.
Why would Satan allow such a thing?  Heaven surely hadn't won the war, for
the tower of darkness still stood and was not besieged.  Instead the angels
dove into dreams while a few went to watch all sides of the field, even
taking watch positions were demons would usually stand.

Not a single blow was struck between the hosts.  The powers of Light and
Darkness had somehow coordinated this action.

It was a puzzle for another time and others, for I would not be around to
see its resolution.  I flew over to the tower of light and sat by its gates
as I went over my memories and reviewed the laws of Heaven to make a list
of my infractions for my final confession.

"Aren't you going to take her too?"

I looked up.  A dead soul stood there, hand in hand with an angel, and had
stopped to look down at me.

The angel said nothing and did not look at me, but simply guided the
blessed departed into the gate.

Many more souls and angels passed me during the night.  I even saw a few of
my classmates who I had trained with for missions like this, but even they
ignored me.

Finally the angelic activities trailed off down to normal levels and the
demons emerged from the tower of darkness to grab the lost souls who had
gathered there then spread out to take up their normal duties.

In the distance I saw a point of light arc up from field then bounce and
jump again towards the tower of light.  It was Spark.  He was traveling
quickly while expending as little effort as possible.

I stood and waited until he landed right in front of me.

"I'm glad that you're the one to take me to judgment," I held out my hand.

"I have no such orders,"  He floated in place, "But thanks for keeping out
of the way.  We would never have accomplished this, except that the other
side kept out of it,"  He gazed over to the demons coming out of the tower
of darkness and then back to me.

"What am I to do then?"

"I was told that you should return to Earth, but please be more careful
this time.  It was very tough.  We even had to work around your branding
marks in human souls."

"I'm sorry," I bowed my head and awoke in my bed, "Wait!  Angels don't do
that!"

It was still dark out, but my body felt rested so I washed up then started
to fix breakfast.  As I was using Flora's gift my mind wasn't engaged in
the process so I was free to think over what exactly had happened
overnight.  At least I still had her gift, so my connection to the host
wasn't totally cut off.

I turned towards the table and stopped, "Good morning Mr. Himoto."

He stood at the doorway, "That's incorrect."

"What?"

"You should say Uncle when we are in a private setting and Principal in the
context of the school."

"I'm sorry."

"Also that masculine pronunciation of yours will have to go.  And what is
this, more Brazilian dishes?  I suppose I'll have to pay for after-school
lessons to catch you up on Home Economics.  And speaking of money you've
got to stop wearing Hakumei's old clothes.  They don't fit you very well
and it makes me look cheap.  I don't care if the boys find you exotic, but
if you don't act like a proper Japanese girl their parents will never
accept you and I'll never get you married off."

"Oh."

"It's my own fault of course.  I've been entirely too lax with you since
you arrived.  If Terashiro comes near you again I'll kill him.  He cost me
my daughter and I'll be dammed if I let him have you too."

"Was he at the auto accident?"

"He might as well have been.  Let's eat.  I haven't got all day."

After breakfast he had me ride with him to school and carry some folders to
his office, then I was sent to wait in the classroom until classes started.

"Good morning Dawn, Princess of Whales."

"What?"  I turned towards the doorway of the classroom.

Sadako Tanikuro entered and took her seat beside me, "Just a joke about how
the priest had to shut you up yesterday when you were talking about how
precious whales were."

"I did?" Her memories had been changed and she was adjusting to her new
reality, just like Zephyr had done to her earlier.

"Japan is an island nation, so you mustn't go disrespecting the fishing
industry."

"Oh,"  I didn't see the connection, but I didn't see the point of pressing
the issue.

I didn't raise my hand once during classes.  Occasionally the teachers
would look at me in confusion then they would carry on as they adjusted.

As we broke for lunch I paused for a moment to look at the desk that had
been empty all day.

"She's had a relapse,"  Sadako stopped next to my desk.

I searched my memories for the name, "Utako Jisshouji?"

"I forgot that you weren't here last year.  She was in an accident and was
in a coma for several months and then it took her so long to recover.
She's still not the same girl I knew and now this.  Would you mind tagging
along after class when I go visit her in the hospital?  I don't think
she'll notice us, but I have to go see her one last time, even if it's to
say goodbye."

Once again a human hovered on the edge of death and there was nothing I
could do about it.  Last in my class for spells of healing and perception.
Any other angel would have been a much better choice for this mission I had
appointed myself to, "Sorry, but Mr. Himoto has some plans for me today."

Sadako giggled, "Sorry, but you really should call him Uncle when talking
about him in family contexts.  And that's on top of your accent."

At the cafeteria Sakako went to stand in the line while I took the lunch I
had prepared that morning to the tables.

"Hey Dawn!", Yasuki Kawahiro waved me over to the table where she was
sitting with Ruriko Ishiao.

As I took the seat offered I wondered if Ruriko had been named after her
green eyes and why she was the only human I had seen with such eyes.

"Please reconsider!", Yasuki bowed to me.

"What?" Ruriko asked at the same time I did.

"We need your ability for the Basketball team.  If you've got a problem
with me then take my place."

"No way!" Ruriko turned to her, "Dawn's training is in Gymnastics, not
Basketball.  With her we've finally got a chance to form a Gymnastics
team."

"I'm sorry," I opened my lunchbox, "But Uncle has after-school activities
planned for me."

"Are you really Hakumei's cousin?"  Sadako took the seat next to me and put
her tray on the table, "She would never do what her father asked.  So what
is it that he wants you to do?"

"Cooking lessons."

"School principals must not make much if he's going to put you to work
already, but as far as career choices go, I must approve.  So did he say
how much he's going to charge to have you teach Brazilian style cooking so
I can ask my parents about it?"

"No, he's going to have me learn Japanese style cooking."

"That's insane," Sadako turned to the other two girls, "I have sat there
and watched Dawn cook and I still have no idea how she does it.  Here," She
took items from my lunchbox and placed them on the trays of the two girls,
"Try this and tell me if you've ever had anything like it."

Yasuki tried a bite, "It's good.  What do you call this Dawn?"

"I don't know the Japanese word for it," Or the Portuguese term either, "An
old woman from my village taught me."

I looked away and saw that Kiyoshi Takehoso was watching me from across the
cafeteria.  Did he remember?  Best not to draw attention to him while the
demon might be watching.  I turned back to the girls, "It's nothing
special."

After school I sat in the classroom and took out my schoolbooks.

"That doesn't look so important."

I looked up, Yasuki was standing in the doorway.

"If you're just going to do homework you might as well come to the gym to
watch us practice."

"I'm waiting here for Uncle."

"Oh, he'll find us there,"  She put my books back in my bag.

I followed her out of the classroom.  With Sadako's memory wiped the gym
was my only remaining lead to uncovering Zephyr's identity.  Well that and
Kiyoshi.  What did he know?

The basketball team had girls from several classes at our school and not
just our own so I hardly knew most of them.  I didn't sense anything out of
the ordinary so I sat in the bleachers, took out my history book and turned
to our assignment.  Apparently even small parts of the globe like Europe
had complicated histories, but it wasn't a problem for my angelic memory.

"Oops!"

I caught the ball with my right hand then put the book down and copied
the two handed toss the girls used as I returned the ball to Yasuki.

"You all saw that.  She didn't even look up to catch the ball."

"What I saw Kawahiro, was your deliberate attack on a bystander.  You're
sitting out the rest of the practice."

"Coach!"  Yasuki tossed the ball to another girl then came to sit beside
me, "It's Capoeira, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Your martial arts training."

"No, it's - a secret style, sorry,"  And my trainer will surely have choice
words for me the next time I see him in heaven about turning my back on
Tokujiro without first considering that he might be a threat.

"Dawn!" Mr. Himoto was standing in the doorway to the gym.

"Coming Uncle," I put away my books.

He held the door open for me then followed, "You weren't where I told you
to wait."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry has nothing to do with it.  Japan can be a confusing and dangerous
place for strangers.  You've been wandering around far too much since you
came here.  What if something happened to you?  Just consider how it would
make me look."

The drive back to his house went silently then after I entered he closed
the door and reached from behind me to grab at my chest.

I was startled.  This was so much like what Terashiro had done, but I could
feel just a fraction of the same hunger from Mr. Himoto.

He stepped back, "Yes, even my wife's old bras don't fit you very well.
Change into your casual clothes and then we'll go shopping."

I rushed to the stairs then stopped and turned to watch him casually walk
into his study.

He was waiting at the stairs when I came down after changing out of my
school uniform.

"Hakumei never did dress like a proper young lady."

"I can go back and wear something else?"

"We've wasted enough time," He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the
door.

The first place we went to had women's undergarments on display in the
window.

The sales lady led me to a small room with a large mirror and took my
measurements, "What style would you like Miss?"

"Plain, white," Mr. Himoto answered from the main shop.

I tried on the panties and bra the lady brought me, then she helped with
the adjustments to the bra.

"This is a much better fit.  Would you like to see Uncle?"

"No need for that.  She'll be wearing those out and we'll buy three more
sets please."

He paid the lady while I put Hakumei's blouse and skirt back on over the
new undergarments.

He walked silently to the car and waited for me to buckle in, "Do not say
such things again.  Around other people."

The next store we went to had all sorts of clothing for women and again
Mr. Himoto made the selections for me.  His choices seemed to cover more
skin than Hakumei's had, with more muted colors and the few patterns were
abstract repeating geometric shapes.

As we drove away from the store he pointed to a distant sign, "Read that
please."

I read off the words on the sign and the number at the end.

"And you have no problems reading close up?"

"I like to hold books at this distance," I held my hand 20 centimeters from
my face.

"Good.  Any health problems?"

"With my body?  I don't know of any,"  And I doubted that Father would have
made available for my use a body that had any.

We stopped at a traffic light and he turned to me, "How are your teeth?
Show me."

I opened my mouth and he looked.

"Perfect.  Whatever they're doing for dental care in Brazil should be
adopted in Japan."

His cellphone rang and he answered it, "Hello.  Yes, tonight?  We'll be
there in 20 minutes."

"Where are we going?"

"Apparently your New World faith healing techniques left quite an
impression on young Shinnosuke.  He insists that you must be his
babysitter."

"Isn't he older than a baby?"

"You know how rich kids are."

"What do I need to do?"

"Just look after him for a few hours.  His father will drive you home when
he gets back."

I recognized Shinnosuke's house from his dream.  I stepped out of the car
and looked at it for a moment.   He hadn't exaggerated the size at all.

"I'll see you tonight.  Don't cook him anything weird," Mr. Himoto drove
off.

I walked past the open gate and was halfway down the driveway before the
front door of the house opened.

"Dawn!" Shinnosuke threw open the front door, ran down the driveway and
jumped at me.

I caught him and held him up so we could talk face to face, "How have you
been doing?"

"Much better.  Thank you!"

"It's strange," Shinnosuke's dad was standing in the doorway, "I could have
sworn that he was unconscious the entire time you were there."

His wife walked up and took his arm, "No Dear, she talked him down from one
of his episodes.  You were the one who was napping.  How else could he
recognize her?"

"I suppose you must be right.  Shinnosuke!  That's not the proper way to
behave."

Shinnosuke unwrapped his arms from around my neck and I lowered him to the
ground.

"I'm sorry Father.  I was just happy.  You two can go to your dinner
presentation.  I'll behave."

"Go inside for a moment please."

"As you wish."

Shinnosuke's father turned to me, "Just make sure that he gets to bed before
ten pm and if he should suffer a relapse then my cell phone is speed dial
seven."

"Don't worry.  The spirit that possessed him has departed."

"That's an odd phrase, but it does seem to fit.  We'll be back in a few
hours and thanks for looking after him."

The couple drove off and I stepped inside the house.

Shinnosuke grabbed my hand and led me upstairs to his room where he got out
his painting supplies.

"Are you going to make a painting?"

"Would you mind posing for it?"

"Just please don't drawn me in armor."

"Armor?  I think I had a dream like that once, but okay, I'll try a
different concept.  Just turn a little more towards me.  Perfect!  Hold
that pose,"  He dabbed his brush in the paints then applied it to the
canvas.

He worked rapidly for half an hour then stopped to look at the painting.

"Are you done?"  I was feeling a little stiff from standing in the same
pose.

"Oh sorry.  Yes, you can sit down.  I've got the basics of it now and can
finish up later."

"Can I see?"

"If you like, but I warn you that it is incomplete."

I walked over to him and studied the painting.  Instead of the black armor
I was wearing a white robe that was held together by a silver chain just
below my neck.  The hood of the robe had been pushed back and I wore Aunt
Flora's crown of roses on my head.  My face hadn't been filled in yet and I
wondered if he'd make the eyes red instead of golden again, for the first
time.

"What is this place?"  He pointed to the background.  It was Aunt Flora's
garden from her dream.

"You painted it?"

"It's a garden of some sort, but the plants... I've never seen anything
like them."

"Perhaps you're just hungry?"

"I am.  I guess I should call for pizza?  What kind do you like?"

"I can cook."

"Oh!  Well then let me show you the kitchen."

Shinnosuke watched my hands move back and forth as I allowed Flora's gift
to work her magic.

"I've never seen anybody cook like that."

"You seem to have picked a rather fanciful subject for your painting?"

"It's just that when I'm with you I get these visions of things and
places.  I guess you're my muse."

I checked my memory.  I had not reappeared in Shinnosuke's dreams since
making the crown of roses, but he even had the number of roses correct.
The Counter Revelationary Operation angels would not have leaked that sort
of information to him, so I must have done it somehow.  I needed to be very
careful with this second chance as I certainly did not deserve it.

We ate in silence then Shinnosuke looked up, "Teach my Mom to cook."

"My Uncle says that I need to learn how to cook."

"That's rubbish.  You live with your uncle?  Where are your parents?"

"They are - not with us," Less than an atom's width away, but in a
direction my physical body could not point.

"Sorry about that, but would you mind telling me everything about you?"

"Sure."

We went back to his room and he had me sit while he worked on his painting.

I told him my fake life story in Brazil that Ana had written and managed to
deal with his questions.

After a while he put down his brushes and came to sit in my lap while I
continued the story.  Then I noticed that he had nodded off so I carried
him to his bed and tucked him in.

I took one moment to look at the painting.  The eyes were golden.  Then I
turned off his lights and went downstairs.  I noticed that they had a TV
and a I found a remote for it and turned the volume down while I watched
the news.  More killings.  When would humanity learn?  Well it had been
made quite clear to me that I wasn't the right angel to teach them the
errors of their ways.

I heard a car in the driveway so I turned off the TV and opened the door
for his parents.

"Where is Shinnosuke?"

"Sleeping in his room."

The father went upstairs and looked in Shinnosuke's room then came back
down, "It's almost unnerving how peaceful he's been lately.  He wasn't a
problem?"

"No problems at all."

"Great.  Let me take you home then."

We stopped in front of Mr. Himoto's house and Shinnosuke's father handed me
five thousand yen.

"This seems a bit much for a few hours work?"

"It's a tiny fraction of what we spent on other cures before you relived
Shinnosuke's suffering.  Whatever you did, it's a godsend."

Back in my room I considered the term as I drifted off to sleep.  Did
Father send me on this mission?  Did he set up my entire trip to Earth,
firm in His knowledge that my actions would take me exactly where He
wanted?  Why in Heaven's name would He do so?  If He did it then what was
His plan?

I found myself in a dream back in the convent from Ana's hometown, but this
time I was only a few years younger than currently, a girl of perhaps
thirteen.   I was sitting in a classroom with a dozen other girls of around
this age.  I turned towards the window and saw in my reflection a younger
version of the face I had acquired only a month ago.

The nun teacher let the class out and I walked along behind the other girls
then took a sudden turn into a small alleyway.  A hand grabbed mine and
I was pulled onto the lap of a girl who was a few years older than my
regressed age.  It was Ana.  Her spirit was here and this was her dream.

She leaned down to kiss me and I found myself once again held by the
curious hunger that these humans had for me.

She broke the kiss and looked down at me, "My father's party won the
election."

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?"  In this dream we were both speaking
Portuguese.

"He asked me which ambassadorship he should ask for and I told him Japan.
You know that it's always been my dream to go to Japan.  I even learned the
language."

"So what is the problem?"

"I can't take you with me, but I swear that I will find a way.  Even if I
have to make fake papers for you we will be reunited.  So wait for me, my
love,"  She bent down to kiss me again.

Had the angels not replaced my forged documents with divinely perfect
cover?  Was Ana projecting half-forgotten guilt back into her own past?  I
lost my train of thought when she started nibbling on my earlobe.

Next: "The girl who saw shadows"