Azazel-The Falling Angel

2-Heaven

A red distended crack in the sky spitting sparks and giving off a dim reddish-yellow light suddenly appears about ten feet off the ground in the skies of Heaven, right inside of the main gates. There are two Heaven Guards standing on the inside of the wall for added protection watching the spectacle.

"What the heck is that?" One asks.
"No Idea." The other says.
"Should we do something? That doesn't look right..."
"Let's keep watching. If something really bad happens, we'll call command, but I just don't want to get yelled at for yet another false alarm."
"Honestly, I can't blame you."

The crack starts growing in size until it is about 6 foot by 6 foot wide. Then with a loud unnatural cracking sound, Azazel and her suitcase flies out of the ominous opening, currently on fire, and lands hard on the squishy cloud-like ground, doing several tumbles before coming to a full stop. Her suitcase lands next to her with a 'thump'. The fires now out with surprisingly minimal fire damage, just leaving her smoking. The unnatural crack in the sky closes behind her, disappearing from existence.

"Ughhhh...." She groans, having the wind knocked out of her by the impact.
"Someone just freaking flew out of that ominous crack! What the frick?!" One of the guards exclaims.
"You don't see that everyday." The other guard says.
"I think we should probably help her up, see what's going on, she at least looks to be an angel like us... This clearly is far out of the ordinary."
"Oh fine."

Azazel slowly gets up on her own, regaining her breath, and grabs her suitcase. "Yes! It is good to be back! Even if my landing was less than optimal." She says to herself.
She turns around and sees two burly guards walking towards her, already very close. She probably should have expected as much. It's been quite some time since her last visit and she had made quite the entrance. Thankfully her hat hadn't come off.
"Hello ma'am. May we ask what just happened?" One of the guards asks.
"I was teleporting back to Heaven after being aways for a while." Azazel responds. It was technically the truth. Omitting details isn't lying! It's just being clever.

"Okay then... We have seen many angels teleport back here after their work has been done, but we have never seen one appear out of an ominous reddish crack in the sky to fall onto the ground for a rough landing, while also on fire. Can you explain that?"
"No, I really can't sorry. But hey, at least I'm here right?"
Thankfully they don't seem to recognize her or notice the fact that her halo is damaged or that some of her hair is greying, they must be rather imperceptive.

"Anything else you would like to tell us?"

"Not really much to tell. I'm just back in Heaven now, is all."
"Okaaaay then..." One of the guards says skeptically. "I'll let you go since you technically haven't done anything wrong, but we will be filing a report on you. Make sure to stay well-behaved."
"Okay!"

That went rather well! While she did have to omit some details, she did not lie, or get in trouble and that's what matters! She walks away from the wall, deeper into Heaven. It feels good to be home. Her real home, not Mr.Taker's home.
She can see the community gardens in the distance along with several buildings and other infrastructure, with other angels milling about.
She doesn't particularly know what her goals are now that she's back in Heaven. Definitely going to cool down like she told Lucifer, maybe reconnect with some friends and get her demonology papers and research turned into her superiors? Maybe also find a way to get rid of her more demonic features.

First though, she just wants to relax. She walks towards the Gardens.
She can see perfectly manicured grass, beautiful flowers and large, strong oak trees along with sculpted shrubbery and a nice fountain in the middle, along with some benches here and there.
There are many angels here, including some youths running around giggling.
She sits down on one of the many benches and finally starts to relax, feeling the gentle breeze waft against her uncovered graying hair.

The headache she had developed earlier is finally starting to go away as well.

She sits there, enjoying the serenity of it all, watching the youths playing in the lush fields, when an angel sits next to her on the bench.
She looks at the female angel who just sat next to her and sees what is basically the model physique of an angel. Dark black hair, bright purple eyes, shining halo, outfit in perfect condition, a smile on her rosy face.
She actually feels a little envious.

"How are you doing today ma'am?" The angel asks her.
"I'm doing pretty good. Just hanging out in the gardens, relieving some stress."
The angel looks her over, noticing the stray gray hairs, slightly burnt uniform, cap and dim, cracked halo.
"Are you sure you're okay? You look pretty rough to me."
"Yes I am okay. Trust me."
"I don't know if I trust that. I think... I'm just going to go." the angel says nervously, gets up and jogs away.
Azazel gets up to look at some of the flowers closer, to smell their sweet scents. They smell amazing. She then gets up and leaves the Gardens.

"It's time to go." She says to herself. She's going to try and find a bite to eat before she gets down to business. At some point she'll also have to check in, since all angels are required to do so when they come back from a mission unless stated otherwise. Her superiors haven't seen her for a while so that is doubly important.
She walks around aimlessly, vaguely heading towards an area where they might sell food, basking in the sunlight. It feels so good to be back, away from those demons. While they had overall been kind to her and made for amazing research, it's nice to take a break.

While it does most definitely freak her out that she's been corrupted, at least she is here now back in her homeland. Besides, she got some amazing research done and she managed to stop the corruption before it got too bad, right?
"Some gray hairs aren't all that bad..." She says to herself. "Yes that cross may have burned me but I can make it better! It doesn't have to be a devastating world- shattering realization if it can be fixed!" Azazel says, ever hopeful, not knowing that she's just deluding herself.

She keeps walking forward, getting a few odd looks from some more perceptive angels, but people mainly just ignore her. Honestly she's fine with that. Just like old times. She is really happy that she remembered to wear a cap though, or else she would be getting way more odd looks and even stares or fear if everyone could see her short horns in plain view.

After walking for a while, she reaches an open food court area with surprisingly few angels in it. There are many different picnic tables situated near some trees with a few food vendors here and there that have been allowed to operate here. There is no need for money, as money leads to greed, so she just walks up to one of the vendors and takes a salad and some fruit then goes and sits down.

As she starts eating, a female angel walks by her, but suddenly stops.
"Azazel, is that you?" The angel asks.
"Hmm?" She swallows her food. "What?"
"I knew it! I recognize that voice! It's me, Azreal! Remember me?" Azreal asks, sitting down at the picnic table.

"Yes, I do remember you! We had some good times back in the day. It's been a while."
"Where have you been Azazel? It's been forever since I last saw you!"
"I've been...places. I've collected a lot of good research and information though!"
"You didn't really answer my question. I was seriously wondering where you went." Azreal looks her over. "Also I have to ask, what happened to you? You most certainly look worse for wear. Your halo looks cracked and I've never seen an angel with greying hair before."

"I don't really want to talk about it." Azazel skirts around the question.
"Come on, you can tell me! I'm your best friend! Plus this looks like a matter of personal health. A healthy halo should not be so dim and have cracks, chips and scratches spread throughout it! Your hair shouldn't be greying either!
"I, uh, tripped?" She says. She really doesn't want to tell her what is happening, because then that would make it real. What if Azreal dislikes her for it?

"I don't believe you. Can you at least tell me what's up with the hat? I've never seen you wear one before."
"I'm trying out a new fashion." Azazel lies to her. She doesn't feel good lying...
"HA! That is hilarious! Really though, why?"

"Since when did you get so interested in my well-being?" Azazel asks her.
"I am your friend! Also I haven't seen you in forever and when you finally show up, you look like this!" Azreal pauses for a few moments. "Fine, if you won't tell me, surely you won't mind me plucking that hat off for a moment." Her friend says deviously.
"Wait no!" Azazel panics, but it is too late.

Her 'friend' plucks her hat off before she can do anything, revealing more splotches of greying hair along with two short black horns jutting out of near the top of her skull.
Azreal's face goes slack with surprise and disbelief at what she is seeing.
"What in the name of God..."
-TO BE CONTINUED-