third minute

[clockeyes]

Hello, hello, hello, people of Asgard!

[Why, there seems to be a very cheerful-looking face peering at your screens now. And this face just happens to have eyes that are clocks. As in actual clocks. Feel free to react accordingly.]

Just wanted to give a big welcome to all the new people, a pleasure to have you all! I hope to get to know you. My name is Cheriour, and I'm an angel of the Lord.

Now, some of you may be asking yourselves, "what exactly is an angel"? [He pauses briefly, puffing his chest out as if he's really proud that he can answer this obviously vital question.] Well, let me tell you! I come from a place which contains a world called Earth. We have a single God who created this world and all its inhabitants.

Yes, you heard that correctly. One god. Not multiple. This may be hard to believe for you, but trust me, me hearing about multiple gods in your worlds surprised me because it's rather frowned in our culture...anyways, enough about that! We angels serve God with all His duties, and we look over humanity and ensure that good people are rewarded and protected and understand the way of God.

[And he holds up a couple of quickly-drawn pictures to the camera.]



This is me! And the one on the right is my good friend, Pendroz. He's another angel, just like me. As you can see, we angels don't all look the same. Kind of like human beings! And we all have different duties, too. Pendroz rules over the ninth hour of every day, and his power ensures that time flows correctly in that hour and can't be messed with by external forces. I deal with criminals and those who have hurt others- it is my job to make sure they can never hurt anyone ever again.

[Have another picture!]



And this odd-looking creature is also an angel! Wait a second, you might be asking yourself, that doesn't look anything like you or Pendroz. But honestly, this is just as much of an angel as I am. You see, when God started creating us, He hadn't created humans in the image of Himself yet...so his first angels didn't look so human in the beginning. Then he created angels like me and Pendroz, who were more in His image but not quite there yet. Our insides aren't organic, even. But then he created the archangels, which turned out to be the most human-looking of us all. I would've drawn you a picture, but I haven't met an archangel in person- they're very powerful and very busy with their phenomenal duties.

[A pause.]

So! Um. That's it, I suppose. If you have anymore questions about angels in my world, don't hesitate to ask! I'll answer them as best as I can, okay?

Comments

[clockeyes]

[He...is not sure what to think of this.]

Do you...kill others to satiate your hunger?

[madamemoiselle]

I do. [She admits it easily, and props her head on her hand. Diva is smiling like she's telling an amusing story] And if you deal with criminals, you definitely wouldn't like me! I've killed lots and lots of people. Ah, not here, of course, but where I came from.

[clockeyes]

[He continues smiling, but something in his disposition changes- it's as if the smile has become nothing more than a painted white crescent on his face that is there just to set the mood that isn't there.]

...Is that so?

[madamemoiselle]

[The change in disposition makes her excited--After all, confrontation is always fun, especially when you're so used to winning all the time. Diva hasn't really realized just how the loss of her abilities has affected her. Yet.]

It's true. After all, why would I lie to tell you something bad?

[She tilts her head with a smile that hinges closer to a smirk] Do you not like that?

[clockeyes]

No, I don't like that at all...

[He stares at the camera, his ever-present smile etched into his face. But behind that smile is a killer. He has destroyed people like her and he will again because of his duty.]

[It's the way it has always been.]

Why tell me, though? You know what I do. Why risk yourself like that?

[madamemoiselle]

[Sweetly,] Because I'm not afraid of dying. It doesn't really matter, so I don't really worry about it. You can kill me if you want. I mean, that is what you're thinking of doing, right? I know that look the best of anyone!

[clockeyes]

Not afraid of dying?

[He pauses, trying to calm himself down. Now is not the time to lash out immediately. Listen to the clocks, Cheriour, listen to the clocks...]

...Miss, are you going to hurt anyone else here to satiate your needs?

[madamemoiselle]

Well, probably! I mean, I have to eat, so I need to drink people's blood.

[She looks thoughtful] A lot of people asked me to try my best to not hurt anyone, but I don't think I can. No one volunteered to let me drink theirs whenever I get hungry, so...

[clockeyes]

...

[Perhaps there is a solution. He hopes so. Otherwise he has to do what God ordered him to do and destroy one to save many.]

Is there a way possible to satiate your hunger without killing anybody, miss?

[madamemoiselle]

Oh! Well, I don't have to kill people to be alright. I usually do just because it makes me feel full and happy, but people can definitely live and I'll be alright.

[She sighs like that is the hardest thing ever] It's not as fun, but... I guess I might have to do that, huh?

[clockeyes]

Another question, miss. Does your bite hurt them? Cause them excruciating pain? Make them suffer?

[Just because one doesn't kill people doesn't mean they can enact their wickedness in other ways. Torture is just as much of a crime as murder is.]

[madamemoiselle]

Ahh... [She pauses, putting a finger to her lips to consider it thoughtfully] I think it depends! It seems like it hurts, but I don't know if they scream because it hurts really bad or just because they're scared.

[She moves her fingers, then giggles, biting her lip lightly] Some people really like it, though.

[clockeyes]

[He stiffens. How is he supposed to go around this? This girl has killed people and hurt them and caused them to feel terror...isn't she a criminal?]

I...

[A frown as he rests his hand upon the sword in his scabbard.] Miss. Why are you so sure you won't die?

[madamemoiselle]

I didn't say that. I just said I'm not afraid.

[Brightly,] I've died a lot more than I've ever killed anymore. So I'm not afraid anymore It's kind of nice, since it's just a darkness where all the pain goes away.

[clockeyes]

[How strange. He has never encountered somebody who has embraced death so willingly.]

If you've died many times, how do you keep coming back to life?

[madamemoiselle]

Well, because I'm immortal, of course. [Diva hums lightly, a small, idle gesture] Or... I guess I was. I don't think I am here.

[clockeyes]

Even immortals have to die someday. Death awaits us all.

So, if you don't think you are here, why tell me? That's like giving away your weakness, miss.

[madamemoiselle]

[She shakes her head] Not really. I mean, it just makes me the same as a human, so it's not even a secret.

[Coolly,] Now, if I were to tell you what kills me as an immortal, that would be giving away my weakness. But you wouldn't be able to, no matter what.

[clockeyes]

Yes, but making you as same as a human being means you have the same weaknesses of a human being.

[A smile.] Let me put this all into place. You used to be immortal. You may or may not be immortal here, and considering what I've heard, it is highly likely that you are mortal. All powers are stripped away here. Whether I know or not your weakness as an immortal has no consequence here. You can die in this place, and you may die for good.

[And the smile opens up, revealing a row of shining white teeth.] You are very foolish, miss, to play with your predators in hopes that they won't realize that you are prey.

[madamemoiselle]

[The smile is returned in equal, though amongst her teeth are two fangs. She doesn't seem frightened by the prospect at all--in fact, she seems excited.]

Then we're just playing a game, right? I like games, you know.

[Her bared teeth are gone, her smile saccharine sweet once again.] Besides, you're saying all of that assuming that I care about dying at all. If I died for good, so what? Honestly, who would care? You can kill me if you want.

[clockeyes]

Killing is never a game. I take it very seriously. And what you and I are going to be doing is not a simple matter of seeing who wins, you know.

[His tone is level, polite, as it has always been.] The people who you were going to hurt would care. I will save their lives with your death. Destroy one to save many. It's simple mathematics, you know.

[madamemoiselle]

[The smile finally disappears, turning into a frown.]

Now you just sound like my sister. [It's clearly not a good thing in her eyes, since her tone is icy and terse] Hey, I have a question, though. If our game isn't seeing who wins, then what is it? Just killing me for the sake of some humans? Because of math? That's stupid.

[clockeyes]

[His smile charmingly unsettling that it practically stands out like the redness of blood on a gray wall when he speaks words which define him as the spirit of retribution, the terrible angel he is known as back home.]

What is it? Well, it's about eliminating the rotten apple from the basket before it spoils the others. It's about killing the plague that feasts on the people around it. Many things, really.

No, not because of math, though people like you think so. To me, killing a human being is the worst possible crime you can do. It is an ugly act, and it impacts so many...death is not such a simple thing when it comes to me. Although it may follow me wherever I go, I kill because it means that innocent lives will be spared and continue to live on the beautiful world they live in for longer.

[madamemoiselle]

[Diva practically rolls her eyes at his little speech. It's not the first time she's heard something similar, but it's never any less annoying. Killing as the worst crime... That was ridiculous, as far as she was concerned. Keeping someone alive while constantly getting them so close to death—torture—that was definitely the worst. But no one ever thinks about that crime.]

[But she runs a hand through her hair, though now she's avoiding eye contact completely. Her tone still says that she's not bothered or intimidated by the conversation at all... Just annoyed. Rather childishly so.]

Is that so? Well, I think you're wrong about that. [There's no elaboration on just what she means, and she's fine with letting him think she has an objection to the whole idea, rather than just his opinion of the worst crime.] Then I guess you'll just have to kill me eventually.

[She does glance back towards the screen, a dark smile coming to her] I'm not going to stop because of idle threats, you know. But that's pretty obvious, isn't it?

[clockeyes]

[Cheriour thinks about that crime too, and he's taken care of many torturers. But killing comes first. Because he knows that his brethren have to look those newly departed souls in the eye and know that they could have done nothing to stop their deaths.]

Wrong? Many criminals have told me that I am wrong. It never changes anything, though.

[He just smiles back, face unchanging.] Oh, believe me, miss, I do not threaten unless I have intention behind it. And if you aren't going to stop, then I will stop you. That is that.