Casualty of War, Return to Thy Place.

[Felix Falora]

(Music for the occasion
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6NzGihItZI
Epicness is epic.)

Masahiro sat there on a bench, looking at the altar. His wings were curled around him and he just stared at the ground. He seemed to be asleep. To him, the Church, instead of being old, seemed refurnished and new. People were around, sitting and talking quietly in respect to the Pastor. They silenced when he walked up. He pulled out the Holy Bible and began to read to them passages while preaching the true word of God. Love, faith, hope, a world of kindness and peace. All an illusion. He opened his eyes. The people vanished. The Pastor and his holy book faded away. The chuch looked old and rundown again. In the end, it was just Masahiro, alone again as he used to be. He looked up to the ceiling and took in the design.

It wasn't like the Sistine Chapel, honestly speaking, but Masahiro hadn't ever looked up at the ceiling before and he was enthralled to see such marvelous depictions of God's work. He sighed, closing his eyes softly again. He heard Perceval beside him. He felt Percy's warmth as the small body snuggled up against him. He opened his eyes, hoping to see Percy was really there. All an illusion, nothing more. He had lost Percy forever. At first, he was angry and hateful. He had tried to hunt Felix down at first and discovered that Percy knew he was alive. From there, he had flew around, in denial, hoping that Percy may show up in some secluded place and find him again, if he was looking. He never found the boy. Most likely he was being protected by King, Trevor, and the others who found him utterly repulsive now.

But in this Church, he had gotten past that spiteful phase. He had calmed down now and had seen the error of his ways. After actually taking the time to think about what he had been doing, he realized that, if he went back to Percy, it would only kill Double D. King had been trying to explain that before, but Masahiro had not been able to comprehend it. But then again, Masahiro also knew that King utterly despised angels and everything to do with them. True he did not give King such a good first impression of him when they first met, nor did Felix. The two did not help King's hatred in any way, shape, or form, and the world he came from... he could understand the boy's hatred, but figured that he wasn't being logical, but emotional when trying to throw Masahiro out.

Out of his own ignorance, he had failed. "Will I be punished the same as Felix, despite my own good intentions?" Masahiro asked. "Scorned, hated... cast away and despised?"

The doors closed. The man walked towards Masahiro. He did not look. He knew it was Him approaching. "It will disgust you to hear this, but you and Felix are alike. Selfish, ignorant, foolish... both of you had good intentions, yet really poor execution of your plans. But, Masahiro, you will not be punished. In the end, you did accomplish a greater good then Felix has. All Felix has caused was pain and devastation. Even with the pain you have caused, your actions led to Edd's salvation. The pain you suffer now will suffice as punishment. You make an attempt to learn, Masahiro... but trying is not enough." The man nodded. "As for your question, there will be people who hate you. King's behavior is regretful, but understandable. So long as he is given foolishness to see, he will continue to hate everything tied to me, including you. Kyle and Crow, both having seen the ignorant side of you, will also most likely hate you for all time. So long as you exist, Masahiro, there will be those who hate and despise you, as well as wish to cast you out. Even King would very well much like to see you dead."

"... ... ... I see... I suppose that does make sense, logically," Masahiro said. He did feel disgusted, but more so at himself. He had been cursed. Well before Felix's stupidity, he had been chosen to suffer this pain, he knew. He could only hope there was something to learn out of all of this. "But... my Lord... even if I must suffer... does Perceval deserve to suffer as well?"

He shook his head, giving a soft sigh. "In every war, no matter how big or small, there are casualties. You and Perceval were such casualties. Due to the very force of Felix's betrayal and Double D's heartbreak, you were also forced to split apart. But in the end, Masahiro, you are partly to blame. You were supposed to be dead. You used the Pheonix Rune. You've known, every time you've used it, that it is forbidden. Now you are forced to break your promise to Perceval. Unless fate otherwise wills it, you will be alone and he will have to start over."

"I see," Masahiro said softly.

The man looked at Masahiro, His eyes unwavering. "I will let you be alone with your thoughts for a while. I can only hope you will truely learn the value of friendship from this loss." With that, He walked towards the altar and vanished, dissapearing into thin air.

[B gal]

Dippy walked in the church, her classic ring outfit a simple gray color as well as her tie. The others shall arrive momentarily, but for now it's just him and her.

She sat in the back of the church, took off her black top hat, and relaxed a bit. She would be detected eventually, but for now, she'll let him has his thoughts to himself.

[nintendonut1]

(who do I bring in for what purpose, then, if Masahiro can't have Percy back? XD)

[Felix Falora]

(It's not that he can't have him back, but rather that God isn't telling him he can to make him think. Bring anyone you want in there.)

[nintendonut1]

"I think I feel him... close by."

In truth, in his story earlier, Double D had lied about 'sensing Masahiro's presence.' It was a way to keep quiet about his meeting with Felix and learning the truth from him. His own aura had been so out of sorts during that time he would've barely been able to feel a person standing next to him.

But now he was himself again, he reopened his aura door and felt about for Masahiro's indescribable presence as he and his willing group ventured out of the Eastern region. It didn't take long once entering the city to truly since it.

"...there." He pointed forward before opening his eyes and realizing he was directing towards the church. Of course.

Honestly? Double D began to grow anxious. He didn't have many good memories in that church. Finding Shinichi and learning of his forbidden love... encountering the Wizard... in all cruel irony, it almost seemed like this place was cursed for him. He hoped and prayed this encounter with Masahiro wouldn't be as souring as the rest.

"...let me talk to him first," he more or less pleaded as they all stepped inside.

[Felix Falora]

Masahiro did not look back. It was hard to not sense Dippy, as if she wanted to be detected. That all-knowing, all-encompassing, godlike aura could be detected from anywhere. He didn't want to really bother with people he did not know. However, he realized that might sound rude. He felt other auras outside and decided he might as well turn to speak to someone before Edd came in. So he turned his head, managing to show his face to Dippy's, and frowned. "You were there in the alleyways when I attacked Felix... Who are you, ma'am, and what is it you want from me?"

[B gal]

Dippy looked towards Masahiro, giving a simple look of indifference.

"So now you decide to be polite?"

She looked at her stick she always carries around.

"Since I haven't got a chance to give a proper introduction to you, my name is Dippy Riddler, but you may call me Dip for short. And I have no interest in you, I simply came to watch."

She brushed some of her hair with her fingers.

[gantzgun74]

Back with the gang just arriving.

"Of course." Otto easily understood, after all, he was among those that had thrown Masahiro out. When it became clear that Masahiro was here, a few members of the gang had came to the church to look into it. Along with Otto and Wally, there was Kosumu and Talim, as the two had said. However, what had become apparent was that Gantz had moved into the mansion estate that the gang had talked to him at, and was now living there with his other friends.

With that in mind, they were joined by Metal Sonic, whom had been fixed up some more by Gantz and Nutcase. His form now looked a tad bit more sleek but still retained his original form. Along with him was Climber, whom was now wearing the Aviators outfit that Beatrice had made for him during the whole plot with Him.

Really Metal would've liked to join in trying to talk Masahiro into coming back (He was a people person sorta), but admitted he knew nothing about the situation. So he decided to sit back. "Good luck Double D." So instead of joining in, he opted to give the boy a passing encouragement.

Climber nodded quickly, deciding to do the same thing.

[nintendonut1]

Double D nodded, swallowing a painful lump in his throat before strolling down the aisle. His steps were quiet, but though Masahiro had his back turned to him, he knew the angel could feel his presence. His caution was more to preserve the stillness of the air, and also reflected a small uneasiness within him.

"...Masahiro?" he eventually ventured, his voice echoing through the chapel. Where could he start? "...I'm... glad we found you."

[Felix Falora]

(Song for the moment
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5NMakAUE_0
Beauty in the essence of the church... and revelation)

Masahiro felt the presence of light flow in the church and knew that Double D had come. He stood up softly and walked to the church altar. He was not ignoring Double D, rather he lit the two candles on the altar with his eye, a narrow beam touching the candles and causing the flames to form, before turning to face the angel. "I see you have found me," he said. "You are looking better, I see. Maybe not fully recovered, but much better off then a weak, unworthy soul such as I. I keep forgetting, each and every time, what it means to be a servent of God... even through these hard and decadant times, you have, in a short amount of time compared to the numerable years I've lived, proven yourself worthy of divinity and courage. You have managed to recover yourself from your loss, something I am still in the process of doing."

Masahiro looked at Double D, trying to keep a stoic look. In the end, his head fell and the sadness and despair was easily evident. "I have lost count of how many times I have wronged the world. From my early years of life to my betrayal before rebirth... to the destruction of my own brother's soul, to the ruthless burning of the forest, and now this. Like him, who destroyed your very heart, I have acted with good intentions at heart. But those intentions get lost in the very act of the moment, in the very heat, and all that is left is... destruction and chaos." A heavy sigh escape his throat as he turned back around and sat down in the bench, but he had not finished talking yet.

"I keep asking myself why I do these things, how I become this way. I search for answers inside myself, looking for ways to better myself. In the end, I have not found anything yet. He told me He had remade me to be nothing but good. So why is it, oh noble Angel of Light, that I continue to commit evil acts in the name of good? If I am to protect your treasured daughter, am I not supposed to better myself morally?" He sounded sincere. All of this for a stupid mistake, for walking in during Edd's depression. "I am supposed to know better of such an accord, yet I continue to walk guillably towards it, manipulated by my own stupidity. After all is said and done, I am left with only one question... how does one like me beg for forgiveness from those that he has wronged?"

[B gal]

Dippy looked towards the two. She silently put her hat on, and walked up near the altar shortly afterwords. She looked towards the two with her ever so silver eyes.

She looked at the two angels. She only knew one way to prove himself, but she'll await for the angel of light to answer.

[nintendonut1]

Double D sighed, remaining quiet for the duration of Masahiro's monologue. Honestly? He had expected something like this. He had felt the same self-loathing aura given off by Felix, and he felt it just as strong in Masahiro right now. Hell, even HE had gone through a phase like that earlier. Did all angels innately despise themselves?

Either way, the angel looked reletively broken, and hopefully safe. He shot a glance to the entrance, giving the signal that it was alright for the others to enter, before sitting down on the bench beside Masahiro while he thought of how to respond. "...some people tear through thorny bushes longer than others before they begin to understand it all. Part of me feels Felix is coming to terms with it as well."

He ventured a hand on Masahiro's shoulder. "...the best you can do is take the consequences and learn from your mistakes." A pause. "...take it from me, at least, wallowing in self-loathing won't accomplish much of anything, really. But just because you live and let live and move on, doesn't mean you have to forget." A weak smile. "Instead of regret, take knowledge from your past mistakes and learn not to repeat them. In the end, that's the best response, I suppose. Not... even angels can be perfect."

[gantzgun74]

"That goes without saying."

Metal took the hint and walked up to the two, followed by everyone else. He figured he'd offer some philisophical advice; despite his lack of knowledge on the situation at hand, he figured his very big mechanical brain would be of some help. "Nothing's perfect short of God almighty. There have been many cases of angels going against their lord's wishes throughout history. Many of them in different worlds."

Wally nodded, knowing that was true from playing Video games. From what he had learned from Gantz, many times, Games and other media had their own world out their among the stars. Games like Riviera, Disgaea, and others, for example. Climber decided to speak his mind there... Not there was much mind to speak, but he was willing to give it a shot. "E-everyone makes mistakes, Mr. Masahiro."

"Even ourselves." Otto took a seat in the pew behind the two. "Listen. You know we had our reasons to kick you out of the house earlier. The reasoning behind it has been rendered non-existant though. Basically what I'm saying is, we've put it behind us for not just for Double D's sake, but for yours as well." He took a breath. "You are more then welcome to return."

[B gal]

Dippy silently took her attention towards Mashiro. His answer to all the advice to not beat himself like this would decide if she give her suggestion or not.

After Gantz's characters went in, another walked inside as well. It would be very most likely be spotted by either the angels, or this circus leader that seems to know about everything going on. But it shrugged it off as it fixes its fadora hat.

[Felix Falora]

Masahiro looked at Edd softly as he spoke. He just absorbed pretty much everything that was being said. When he had finished, he nodded softly. "... I see... I was hoping you'd say that. Felix has been cursed, I know... for He told me. Such a thing would've explained my unprecedented, unexpected hatred for him. However, I would not like to think that my time spent to myself has been in self-loathing, but rather as... self-reflection. I have acted unjustly many times, out of order in incidents where order might have been needed. I paid the ultimate price for your salvation, but I do not blame myself for a fatal error that was uncaused by me... only for the error of not thinking beyond those present term consequences. I figured everything would go accordingly. I did not calculate such treachery from... needless to say, I was unprepared to deal with the consequences of my actions as I was not expecting them."

"Well you did kinda go all sacrificial on us," Trevor said, having had walked in when Double D signalled the ok. "I can understand a bit on why you didn't tell us, I'm sure a lot of us would've protested and demanded on finding another way, but at least we would've been prepared, you know? But... yeah. None of us were prepared for Felix. We've all been hit hard by his betrayal, Double D the most obviously. But he's gotten... mostly over it, we can see. I can't say he's fully over it, I do not know, but he's the one who told us we had to come looking for you, that he sensed you. He took himself out of his 'self-reflection' as you put it... to come find you."

"No, you're not so correct," Masahiro said softly, "for I remember something from before. During the... first moments of my exile, it is true that I was highly distressed and thus, as expected, infuriated at Felix, but I did corner him in the allyways once. There were all sorts of other people there though. Shockingly, one of them let him escape, a rabbit, but..." He decided not to rat Dippy out. "One of them, another one, shouted to him that the only way for him and Double D and Felix to truely be free from their dispair was for them to return soulnames. This means that there would've been a... personal meeting. But there is no need to worry. Despite his anger from before, I know Felix would never intentionally harm Double D. As many other people he would harm, Double D would never be one of them. I guess the reason he feels better is because he figured this and did not flee were Felix to find him."