Echoes of Mercy

[Proteus]

(ooc: Takes place June 5th, just before sunset. Open to all fallen angels.)

Proteus sighed as he stared out at the setting sun. Placing his hand on the railing of the balcony to watch. He wished that he had something to do, fly away from here. Make sure that the storm that took his life never happened. Something told him that it was impossible. Yet, it never hurt to dream. Another day was disappearing, so far the world had been at peace.

It was a good day, there was something in the back of the fallen angel's mind that made him worry though

[Ion]

As much as Ion wanted to test out his wings at that moment, especially with the beautiful sunset acting as a background, he still felt uncertain of what was happening to him. He didn't know where he was. His home seemed to be nothing but a fading memory, and for all Ion knew it really was gone. No Anise, no Arietta, and no Daath. He was seemingly lost. As he made his way toward the balcony Proteus had positioned himself near, Ion felt himself growing lost in thought. He didn't pretend to understand what was going on. For all he knew he was trapped in a dream world or something silly like that. He didn't know. Ion wanted to find out what had happened, but at the same time thought he was better off not knowing.

At last, Ion found himself walking right toward where Proteus was. The green-haired boy slightly tilted his head to the side as he looked at Proteus. What was the other winged human thinking about? "Thinking about something?" Ion asked.

[Proteus]

Proteus turned to his advisor with a small smile. "No, not really. If Angels could turn back time i would gladly use it. I mean i knew i would die eventually but i wasn't expecting this to happen." he said. With any luck there would be peace for awhile. "There's been something nagging in my mind that this new world of ours is too peaceful, i can't help feeling that something bad will happen."

Brown eyes glanced back at the sunset before returning to look around their new home.

[Ion]

"Angels?" Ion repeated. He supposed the terminology made sense. They had wings, and they weren't in any place that seemed to imply anything negative... so maybe they had gained wings because they were good people. Angels, in other words. Anise's mother had always called him a little angel. Ion couldn't help but think the wings were taking it a bit far, though. He didn't think they necessarily needed them. "I guess that's a good way of referring to us. I had been wondering why we had wings." Ion said. Proteus' statement about a nagging thought in the back of his mind did cause Ion to wonder just a little, though. What was he talking about? Was there really something bad on the horizon that they couldn't see? Not knowing bothered the green-haired boy. Maybe there was something to worry about, after all.

Ion decided to join Proteus by the balcony, resting his hands against it once he had reached it, and contemplated the statement. What would there be to worry about at that moment? "I will admit, it does seem a bit too calm for the time being. Almost... dreamlike." Ion told him. He had always known that it always got calm around the time a big storm would start. Would there be a big storm coming? Ion let one hand go to his chin and closed his eyes, appearing to allow himself go deep into thought for a bit. "It would only make sense for something bad to happen. I've heard it's always calmest before the storm." he murmured.

[Proteus]

"In a way i think our wings represent how great we can be. Obviously we were given them for a reason." Proteus replied. Though he was sure that he had drowned on that incident on the ship but maybe fate had given him a way to live. Calmest before the storm. That was a good way to put it.

"That's a good way to put it, if there is a storm coming though, we will have to be ready when it does." he said with a sigh. Deciding it was best to change the subject, he turned to the green haired boy. "Have you tried flying yet?"

[Ion]

"Flying?" Ion honestly hadn't thought much about it. He had considered trying it, but never actually had gone through with his wishes to test his wings. At length, Ion shook his head. "I haven't really tried it yet. I wasn't even sure if I could use my wings or not." Ion admitted. It seemed a bit silly now that he thought about it, having wings but being afraid to try them, but that was the way it stood. He hadn't tried his wings out yet. "Do you think we should? Try flying, I mean. Just us two?" Ion asked. It really did seem to just be the pair of them at the moment. Who would object to them taking a chance and flying? No one that Ion could think of. There were no people around to object to it, and there definitely weren't any elders around to tell him to stop being childish. Usually Ion was rather mature, but even he had his rare moments of slipping up.

"I really don't have anything else to do, and if neither of us has tried out our wings then maybe we could... try it?"

[Proteus]

Proteus smiled. "I have yet to try the experience but i think it would be great to finally test them out." he said. "if you would like to try it then i would gladly do so as well." Stretching his arms over his head, he let out the white wings. It was almost as if they were relieved to finally be opened. THe question in his mind was how to go about doing it.

[Ion]

Admittedly, Ion didn't quite know if he was ready to try flying. His wings seemed ready, but did he have the proper instincts for it? He was just a kid. Would it be easier for him? "I... I don't know..." Ion said softly. He was nervous. However, he could feel his wings beginning to stretch in preparation for flight. It wasn't as if he would be attempting it on his own, though. Proteus would be coming with him. That way the two of them could test their wings at the same time. Just to be on the safe side, Ion decided that he would stick close to Proteus in case something went wrong.

"You'll catch me if something goes wrong, won't you? I... I've never tried this before. Not outside of my dreams, anyway." Ion explained. But... wasn't this a dream? It felt so dreamlike. Ion was beginning to have his doubts, though. How could it be a dream if he could still go to sleep at night like he was awake? Was it just one long dream? What would happen if he dreamed within a dream? It was all beginning to make the poor greenie's head hurt.

[Proteus]

The man turned to smile at the young boy. "Of course, i wouldnt let anyone happen to you. If you fall, i will catch you I promise." he said. "Though i doubt you'll fall, you have something in you that tells me you will be a great flyer."

He looked at the horizon again. "All you really have to do is get a good running start and then push off as hard as you can. Your wings will do the rest." Proteus placaed a hand on the boy's shoulder before pushing into the air.

(ooc: crappy post, post is crappy)

[Ion]

Ion watched as Proteus pushed off, emerald eyes wide with awe all the while. He'd never had a big brother before, or anyone to instill him with such confidence. Sure he had had Anise and Arietta, but that was different. The two of them always fought over who was his best friend. He hoped they weren't fighting wherever they were. He had made them promise to stop fighting before drifting off into this dream. That's what it was, wasn't it? That was why he and Proteus had wings, right? They were just good people having a very good dream, right? Ion hoped that was the case. He couldn't think of what else it could potentially be.

Twisting one finger around a strand of emerald green hair, Ion took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself. He was ready to try it now. The extra confidence boost had helped. "Okay... here we go." Ion said at last. He took a couple of steps back and let his wings stretch out wider. He could feel the wind blowing a little against him now. At the same time, he could feel his heart beating quickly. Whether it was anticipation or excitement was difficult to tell, but Ion knew he needed to get that running start. He needed to fly.

One foot moved forward. Then the other. He picked up his pace so that he moved more quickly, feeling his hair push back with the wind as he picked up more speed and extended his arms. He didn't know what he was expecting to accomplish by holding his arms out, but Ion thought it was a good idea. Get a good running start and push off. You can do it! Ion told himself. At the last possible second, Ion bent his knees and propelled himself into what was possibly the highest jump he had ever performed. As he leapt, he felt his heart drop into his stomach. What if it didn't work? What if he plumeted to his doom in the water below? Ion squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to look.

...Nothing happened. One eye opened, and then the other, and finally Ion realized why he hadn't fallen. His minty green wings were flapping. Keeping him up in the air. "Whoa..." Ion barely breathed. Was this how a bird felt? Free as the sky and able to do anything they wanted? He barely dared to look down, but when his emerald eyes caught sight of the water below sparkling in the sunset it was near impossible to tear his eyes away. It was beautiful!

"This... this is amazing!" Ion exclaimed. He wasn't the best flier, obviously since it was his first time, but he felt his wings flapping and keeping him in the air. Proteus had been right. His wings really were taking care of the rest. "Oh, if only I could show Anise and Arietta this view. They would love it!"

[Proteus]

"It is quite amazing isn't it?" Proteus said with a smile. "When i was a kid i always dreamed of flying but i never thought it would happen, now that it has, well, i kind of take being human for granted." the prince floated on his back and stared at the sky. "Though, i am glad that i got wings. I want to know how."

[Ion]

A soft 'hmm' escaped Ion as he listened to Proteus. He was so caught up in the view of the water and the sky that he didn't quite know what to say anymore. Anise had always talked about how she wanted to fly, how amazing it would be, and Arietta had been right there agreeing with her. Ion had been there too. They had all wanted to touch the sky. Now that he could... well, Ion just wasn't sure anymore. The poor boy was still convinced he was dreaming. He was oblivious to what had really happened to him... and what had happened to Proteus. Somehow it didn't seem to matter as much now that they were floating so high above the water, flying with beautiful feathery wings, but at the same time... it didn't feel real. Proteus had mentioned something before that Ion was only now remembering. He had mentioned something about dying.

"It really is wonderful... I just wish my friends were here with us. They really would love this." Ion said. He bit his lip slightly as he thought about it. This had to be a dream. A lovely, lovely dream that he and Proteus were sharing. He would wake up sooner or later and be back in his bed with Anise and Arietta nearby... right? Right? It... it had to be that. Ion couldn't think of what else it could be. But Proteus seemed to have some idea. The older of the two seemed just a bit wiser.

"This... isn't real, is it? The flying, the view... we're only dreaming this, aren't we?"

[Proteus]

Proteus hestitated. This was going to be harder to explain than he wanted. He at first hadn't wanted to do it at all. But now he really didn't want to do it. "Uh. I'm afraid it's not a dream." he said flying down towards the sanctuary. "What was your life like before you gained your wings?" he asked. "Do you remember?"

The man did not want to look the boy in the eye, but it was hard not to. He couldn't lie to his own advisor. Could he?

[Ion]

Ion stared wide-eyed at Proteus, almost as if he was uncertain of what to say. What did he remember before he got his wings? He remembered growing up in Daath, being told he was to be the next Fon Master, his friendship with Anise and Arietta, the training, and his fourteenth birthday. He remembered that day very well. He, Anise, and Arietta had had a grand time that day. It was the last day Ion would be able to spend time with them before his training intensified. His brow creased a bit as his wings flapped and he thought. After that...

"I remember getting sick. It... wasn't that out of the ordinary. I tended to get sick fairly often. Mother always said I was rather sickly." Ion said. He was hovering a bit lower, mostly because he was thinking, and had brought one hand to his chin. Could the young adviser really remember what had happened? "I... I can't remember much after that. It's kind of blurry. I had to spend a lot of time in bed..." what had happened to him? He couldn't remember. He vaguely recalled the voices of the doctors tending to him. They had said something about a cure. What was it...?

"Wait... there was something else. I remember one of the elders of Daath. She said... she said I needed to call anyone I had anything important to say to. I... didn't understand why." what was it? What had it been? Why had it been so important that he talk to someone that night? "So... so I called Anise and Arietta. They came... and they stayed with me for hours. We didn't talk much... I remember they were... crying..."

Crying... why were they crying?

"I... I asked them not to fight anymore. I didn't want my friends to fight while I was sick." Ion's voice was growing shakier. The flaps of his wings seemed to be shakier, too. Uncertainty of the memory was making it difficult to grasp completely. Now that he thought about it, Ion really didn't understand. He was just sick, wasn't he? He had only drifted off to sleep. It wasn't anything serious. He would be okay. He... he had to be!

"They... they agreed. They said they wouldn't fight anymore. I... I told them I was glad. After that, I... I fell asleep." that was all Ion could remember. After that he had woken up with wings. He had met Proteus. Become his adviser. But Ion knew it wasn't home. He wanted to go back to Daath at some point. He could... couldn't he?

"What... what does it mean, Proteus? I... I don't understand."

[Proteus]

Proteus hated this, things were going well. It took him forever to realize that he was no longer alive. Not in his father's life anymore. "I'm afraid...that when you...when you fell asleep. You actually died." the brown eyes were sad. "Somehow, you were brought back and got your wings." the man said before sitting on a cloud. "We were sent here for a reason but for what...I don't know yet."

He shook his head. "I am even still considering hte fact that we aren't even dead...maybe we are just in a dream..."