It starts, as it will end, with a garden. In this case, the Garden of Eden. And with an apple.

A huge white scaled snake with golden eyes came up from the muddy ground, and slithered up and along a tree branch. The snake whispered into a woman's ear, Eve's ear, "go on... Take a bite, it'll give you..." It kept whispering

Eve moved forward, and picked a bright red, shiny apple from a large, apple tree, before taking a big bite, then she grinned. She passed it on to Adam, who took a bite as well. No sooner rather than later, the two stumbled out of the Garden of Eden, with plants and leaves covering their bodies, into the discomforting sandy heat, with Adam holding what looked like a sword, or stick with large flames of fire on.

Eve looked Adam, who took her hand, as her other hand held her slightly large, pregnant stomach. He was assuring her. The two slowly walked forward, Adam ready for a fight, and Eve holding her stomach.

It was a nice day. All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet. But, the storm clouds gathering east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on it's way. And it was going to be a big one.

The angel, with his (as he preferred to present himself as a man) wings out, watched the two first humans leave the Garden. His hazel, yellow like eyes carefully watched them, thinking about his choice; if he made the right choice, or the wrong one, should he have tempted Eve to eat the apple? If She ever finds out who tempted them, She'll banish him, make him Fall. He brushed back his long, curled, red hair.

Suddenly, another man landed next to him, and immediately, the angel noticed the black wings, and black robe. A demon, a fallen angel. The demon's hair was blond, and curled, though it was nearing white, and his skin was just as white as his hair. His eyes, however, were a greyish blue, with black rectangles in, as if they were goat eyes, or a sheep, (is that what those animals are called, he's still learning). With a mark on the side of his face, black, it was a like a goat with a large horns... (Or, was it a sheep?)

The demon grinned, looking to the angel, "well, that one went down like a lead balloon."

The angel smiled uneasily, and chuckled, nodding. Then he frowned, "sorry. What was that?" He hadn't really been listening, more nervous thinking then listening.

"I said," he repeated. "Well, that one went down like a lead balloon."

The red haired angel nodded, "oh. Yes, yes. It did."

"Bit of an overreaction, if you ask me." Shrugged the white haired demon. "First offence and everything."

The angel nodded, it did seem harsh. He looked over, "what's your name?"

"Azira... At least, I think... And you?" The demon, now known as Azira, answered.

"Crowley..." The angel, Crowley answered. It fell silent as they watched the humans walk through the sand, tense in a way. The two could feel the others presence, and both were wary that the other would do something. Finally, Crowley looked to Azira, "if I'm being honest, sir..." The demon looked to him, as if waiting for him to continue. "I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil, anyway."

Azira smirked, "it must be bad. Otherwise they wouldn't have been kicked out. Who did that anyway, I was about to do it. It's why I was sent here, they told me to get up here and make some trouble." He shrugged, "someone beat me to my plan..."

"I did that..." Crowley mumbled.

Azira's eyes widened, staring at the angel, shocked and almost starry eyed, "I beg your pardon?!"

"I did that! I tempted them into it..." He said, the demon was curious. "Like I said, I don't see the issue!"

The demon frowned, and shrugged, "well, it's not very subtle of the Almighty. Fruit tree in the middle of a garden, with a don't touch sign. I mean, why not put it on top of a high mountain? Or on the moon?" Azira smirked, "it makes you wonder what God's really planning."

Crowley looked up, as if seeing why not. As if seeing the moon, it made sense. "Best not to speculate. It must be all part of the Great Plan. It's not for us to understand... It's ineffable." He winced, as if those words weren't his own. As if they were someone else's.

Azira frowned, "the Great Plans ineffable?" He asked in disbelief. He was sneering in disgust, shaking his head.

"Exactly..." Though Crowley was just as unsure as the demon. I mean, he did tempt the poor humans into eating the apple. "It is beyond our understanding, and incapable of being put into words."

Aizra just looked at the angel in disbelief, Crowley saw, and so hurried along. Thinking of something else to say when he paused, "didn't you have a stolen Flaming Sword?" He asked, seeing the lack of sword. It was then he realised, maybe he should be smiting the demon down, do something or other, but he found himself not wanting to. Not really.

"Er..." Azira swallowed, looking forward. He seemed tense and uncomfortable.

"You did. It was flaming like anything. What did you do to it?"

"Er..."

"Stashed it, have you?" Crowley scowled, a frown on his face. "Give it back." He demanded, tense with a soft glare.

Muttering inaudibly, Azira said, "I gave it away."

"You what?" Crowley asked in shock, eyes wide in surprise.

"I gave it away!" Azira yelled, "you don't get it back for one. And, they looked so miserable! And there are vicious animals, and it's going to be cold out there, and she's expecting already, and I said, 'here you go, flaming sword, don't thank me.'" He could see it now, as he ran up to the man and woman, handing it over and holding a hand to stop them from saying anything. "'And don't let the sun go down on you here'..." He had sent them on their way, they seemed grateful.

Crowley looked forward, the to the apple tree, then forward again. "I do hope I didn't do the wrong thing." He said, as he glanced up nervously. This was all his fault, and he could have gotten that Flaming Sword back, maybe Azira would have tempted them and he would have hand an answer for his curiosity, and the Flaming Sword.

Azira glanced to the angel, and saw his worry, "oh, you're an angel. I don't think can you do the wrong thing." He assured.

Relaxing, Crowley said, "oh, oh, thank... thank you." He smiled, genuinely. Relieved. "It's been bothering me."

Roaring sounded in the distance, and the two watched as Adam used the Flaming Sword on a poor lion, as Eve stood in the back worried.

"I've been worrying too." Azira admitted, "what if I did the right thing, with the whole give-the-sword business. A demon can get into a lot of trouble for doing the right thing." He looked to see Crowley staring at him. "I mean, sure it helps them... A lot. But, you don't get it back now. Gone forever."

Crowley hummed, very true. It was both good and bad, just like how he did something good and bad.

Azira grinned, "funny if we both did the wrong thing, hmm?" Crowley looked to a smirking Azira. "If I did the good thing, and you did the bad one."

They both chuckled slightly, before Crowley came to his senses realising what he was agreeing with. "No! It wouldn't be funny at all."

"Well..." Azira shrugged, a smile on his face still, shrugging. He saw the lion fall, Adam in triumph as Eve held his hand.

It began raining, the thunderstorm staring. Droplets of water pattered down onto the Wall, ground and the celestial beings. Crowley automatically held up his white wing, watching Eve and Adam stare at the lion, and Azira shuffled over next to Crowley, sheltering under the white wing carefully, not needing to duck down.