"What is that offending creature in your arms?" Lucy wrinkled her nose like a stinky sock had been placed under it.

"Don't judge it," Michael paused, trying and failing to hide the raccoon from his sister's judgemental blue eyes. "Every one of Father's creations is beautiful."

"Yada. Yada. Yada." The voluptuous redhead rolled her eyes, "Of course, you would think that. Father's pet." Crossing her arms over her chest, she pet the metal monstrosity squatting beside her.

The look gracing his sister's face not a second ago took to him. "What is that abomination?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

Lucy shook her head. "I thought it was a sin to judge, brother."

"No, it isn't." Michael stood up straighter. His long, blond hair fell in soft curls over his shoulders. "Moreover, it's not one of our father's creations."

"Are you certain?" Lucy asked, crouching next to her pet. The metal contraption wagged its tail; its once-hollowed sockets now sporting two golf ball-sized ebony spheres fixed the archangel with a cold stare.

"Do I look stupid to you?" The blond narrowed his eyes.

"Well...ummm."

Michael left an exasperated sigh and set the raccoon free. "Go, little one. Take shelter in the woods."

"As if there are any left." Lucy snorted.

Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "Thanks to you."

The woman's mouth fell open. "Take that back. Now!"

"Why should I?" Michael approached his sister unafraid.

"Humans did this to themselves. Father gave them free will, remember?"

"But you did everything possible to make them lose their way, did you not?" The archangel waited for his sister's retort, but it never came. "Lu, this time you truly have bitten off more than you can chew," he added, squatting down on the patch of grass that remained untainted by time and patting the place next to him.

Weariness filled cerulean eyes. "I am sorry for fucking up, bro. I didn't think it would go this far." Taking her place next to her brother, Lucy gestured to her pet to stay. "I don't know what to do. I can't sway them... the monsters, I mean. Reason means nothing to most. And those who are willing to listen are few and far apart."

The archangel scooted closer to his sister and took her in his embrace. "We will fix this, Lu. We have to."

All pretense left the woman's person. She clung to her brother. Melting in his arms, tears rolled down her fair cheeks. "Father is furious, isn't he? Are you here to reprimand me on his behalf? He has already banished me to hell, what more can he do to punish me?"

"He doesn't know. At least, not yet." Michael whispered in his sister's ear, reluctantly letting his arms fall away from her. "He has been busy experimenting with a new idea. Gabriel is making sure he doesn't turn his eyes on Earth. Gab isn't sure how long he can keep it up. We need to do damage control. We need to do it now."

"I know. But I am afraid the worst is yet to come."

"I don't understand. What-"

"Humans have found their way to Que1101."

The archangel left a shuddering breath. "What? How... why?"

"How it happened is the least of our concerns, brother. What I fear most is that they might be there to invade it."

Michael was at a loss for words. Within seconds, his day had gone from bad to horrendous. What was he to do now!? Que1101 was one of only four planets beaming with life... life that his eccentric father had created. Unlike Earth which had been plagued with darkness to its very core, Que1101 was pure. Untainted, like the patch of grass the siblings were sitting on. "How can you be sure?"

"One of my disciples was lucky enough to hitch a ride on the vehicle that took that human, Pipaluk, there. She has been in touch with me since they landed on the planet. The reason I called this meeting was to update you on this development. Brother, can any of your angels penetrate the planet's shield?"

The archangel's deep gray eyes looked past his sister. What was he to do now? Over the millennials, he had lost most of his brethren. Raphael and Gabriel were his only allies left standing, the rest had abandoned heaven in favor of a more rewarding life in the underworld.

The underworld! That's it. That was his answer. "Lucy, where is that neferin....your daughter?" Michael demanded, desperation clinging to him like a wet shirt.

"She is not a neferin, and she has a name. Don't tell me you forgot it after the mess she almost caused. Father almost disowned you for letting her escape."

Michael gawked on his lips drawing nectar. Its sweetness quoted the inside of his mouth. "Aera. Where is she now?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"If I can unlock her power she just might be able to fight this war for us."

The queen of the underworld snorted. Eyeing her pet, who let out a low growl, she left her brother's side. "After what you pulled last time, only a fool would believe you. And I, brother, am no fool."

Michael watched his sister turn away. He knew what came next. "Don't go, Lu. Please. Yes, I did try to end her existence, but I stopped. Have you bothered to wonder why I did that?"

Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. Her hands fisting at her sides, she turned. "No, I haven't. Because all that matters is that you intended to kill her. Maybe you realized that you couldn't even if you tried."

Michael shook his head. "Lu, I changed my mind because I couldn't live with you hating me. And you would have if I followed Father's command. I didn't... I didn't because we have a bond that even Father can't touch."

Lucy's frame shook. Her bright blue eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

The archangel's heart ached with emotions that could never be known. To anyone. Ever. Yes, the secret needed to stay buried where the light of truth could never touch it. Michael reached for his sister's hand. It was warm. Just like always. "If you walk away this time, I won't be able to shield you from Father. We need to save Que1101 and salvage what's left of Earth. That's the only way I can stop Father from banishing you to Darkness."

"Darkness is a myth." Lucy sneered; pulling her hand out of the angel's, she spat, "There is only one hell and I rule it. Get your head out of the clouds. The almighty is lying to you. Now, if you will excuse me-"

Michael caught up to his sister. Turning her to face him, he said, "Oh, it's real. I caught a glimpse of it when..."

The Queen's eyes narrowed. "When? Go on. What are you not telling me?"

A few hours later, the siblings stood in the presence of Annapoornamika, the Holy Mother of all things living. The entity was as ethereal as one could be. At first glance, she looked like a creature straight out of a fairytale. Her arms appeared akin to unfurled butterfly wings; partially shrouded in fog, her elongated frame with an hourglass waist draped in a shimmering pearl white gown, fell below her feet, as she levitated inches above the lush rolling meadow she called home.

To Michael, Mother looked worn, like she hadn't had a peaceful day in forever. She hadn't, at least since her husband had created man. The obedient son went to his knees and bowed his head in reverence. "Mother, your son and daughter are here to seek your audience. Will you-"

"What adorable beings they are." The creature drifted towards the guests. "I haven't seen anyone like you. What are you?" she demanded of the metal contraption being held on a tight lease by its mistress.

The queen of the underworld mimicked her brother. "Mother, she is of my making."

Green pupils dilated, even as the giant form shrunk till it looked no different from the woman on her knees. "Not a creature of this realm then."

"No, mother." The queen's eyes refused to meet her mother's. "Does it offend you?"

"No, it doesn't. Neither do you, child. Now, rise." The Holy Mother commanded. "Tell me what brings the four of you here."

"Four?" The archangel cocked his head.

"Yes. The two of you, this fascinating being from the underworld and this furry mammal whose human name evades me at present."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Brother, did you not notice that your stray never really left your side?"

"I guess I didn't."

Annapoornamika smiled, creating whirlpool-like dimples on her cheeks. "The more the merrier. Now, let's get down to the matter at hand, shall we?"

How could I have forgotten that she can read hearts? Michael thought. Fear snuck into his tainted conscience.

Looking between them, the youthful-looking woman added, "I am afraid I can't help you find your daughter."

Lucy's eyes snapped up to catch her mother's. "Why? You know, even if you choose to stay in this make-believe world you have created, Earth... mankind is-"

"On the brink of death." The Holy Mother finished in a calm voice that shocked her audience.

"Don't you care, mother?"

"On the contrary, I do. But I also know there is little hope for its resurrection. Lucy, you should have known how flawed humans are. They didn't need your help to ruin themselves." Her green eyes moved to her son, "And you, your love blinded you to her faults. You hid her failings for your father. You showed her mercy when you ought to have taught her a lesson."

True. All true. It is all my fault, Michael lowered his eyes in shame. His love had destroyed one world and brought another to the precipice of the same. What have I done?

"The child you sired turned to dust. Her body was unprepared for the change the parasite demanded of her. Her blood, though, has accepted it with open arms, albeit the initial struggle."

Michael glanced at his sister from the corner of his eyes. Had she caught on to what their mother had said about the child? From how Lucy's arched brows had crawled closer, she hadn't. The archangel breathed a sigh of relief. His secret was safe, for now.

"Mother, are you telling me the monsterization virus killed Aera?" Lucy's voice shook. Disbelief colored her words red. The metal contraption beside her whined as its mistress's anguish bled into it.

The wise woman took her daughter in a comforting embrace and ignored her son, just like his heart had begged her to do. "Child, take heart for she was loved in her lifetime. She was happy as her spirit descended to purgatory."

"Mother, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Eyes swimming with hurt, Lucy asked, "Why did you keep her passing to yourself? Didn't it occur to you that I might want to know?"

"You would have, but she didn't want that. She wanted to forget her lineage. She wanted above all to be human."

The reply broke the distraught mother's will. Her only child was gone. She was alone. All alone. And it was all her doing.

Michael felt a pang in his heart. The path of a spirit as conflicted as Aera's would be long and plagued with turmoil. In the end, her will would decide her final resting place. But what did his mother mean by her blood?

As Lucy clung to her mother and cried her heart out, the celestial entity continued in a sweet, kind tone, "That's not true; you aren't alone. You still have the boy. He is your blood as was she. You see, all is not lost."

Lucy leaned away from her mother. "What?" Wiping her eyes she fixed her mother with a calculating gaze. "I don't-"

"Cha HyunSo." The all-knowing mother went on like she hadn't heard her daughter at all, "That's what the boy goes by. I can sense him...just barely." She closed her eyes, "Strange-"

"Mother!" Lucy yelled, drawing everyone's attention towards her tear-stricken face. "Can you slow down a little?"

"Sure, my dear." With that, the woman fell silent, till her son asked, "Mother, this boy, HyunSo, has he inherited Aera's traits?"

The Holy Mother remained silent.

Cerulean eyes met ocean green ones; Understanding dawned in the former. "Mother, tell me where he is. Where is the boy?"

The wise one pursed her lips and shook her head. "I am not sure. I can tell you the parasite inside him has fused with him completely. They are one now." Glancing at and taking in the empty expressions her children directed toward her, she explained, "The child has mastered control over his monster. Calling on its power when he needs it. I think it was his desire that saved him."

"What did he desire?" The archangel asked; standing to his full height, he approached his mother, "And if he had succeeded in controlling his monster, why can't you tell us where we can find him?"

"Because I can't feel his existence on Earth. Which usually means that his spirit has departed for its final resting place, but I am sure it hasn't. Though I can't read his heart I can sense them. For instance, I can tell you he is conflicted. Sacred. And as for his desire. There is only one thing he has always wanted."

"Which is?" The siblings asked in unison.

"To be a good person; live a decent, honest life."

This was nowhere close to what the archangel had expected his mother to say. His jaw fell open.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Lucy, who seemed to be over the news of her daughter's unexpected demise, crossed her arms over her chest. "What kind of dumb, useless desire is that!?"

"Truth be told, it's a wonderfully rare desire. One of its kind, I reckon. More importantly, it has managed to keep him alive. That's something, right?"

The apple sure had fallen far from the tree. The archangel wondered if the boy, the thought of whom conjured an image of a fluffy, harmless golden retriever pup chasing a butterfly, could even save a fly, let alone a planet. Glancing at the raccoon that had taken a shine to him, Michael asked the mammal busy licking his boots, "Que1101 and Earth are as good as doomed, aren't they?"

"Silence. It's Lily, my one and only link to Que1101." Lucy ordered; closing her eyes, she scrunched up her nose. A minute later, cerulean eyes shone, "I found my grandson. He is with Lily on Que1101." Smiling from ear to ear, she added, "We might still be able to stop this disaster, brother!"

*****
[Word count: 2481]

Written for Round 2, Part 1 of The Spec-fic SmackDown.