Titanic (Aziraphale X Crowley)

Chapter Two: The Maiden Voyage

The launch of the Titanic was a huge event. This was the biggest ship ever built. At least for its time. The docks of Southampton were filled with passengers and onlookers, waiting for the massive cruise ship to set sail on its maiden voyage. The crew was loading the cargo for the ship such as cars, anything they were bringing to America, and mail to bring to America as the Titanic was a Royal Mail Ship. That's what RMS stands for. All the passengers were starting to board the ship. But there were a few who hadn't arrived yet.

A few cars came forward with wealthy people in the back. They stopped and let their passengers out. This was Aziraphale back when his body looked younger than it was now with his superior, the Metatron, and Aziraphale's boss, the Archangel Gabriel. While the two looked impressed at the ship, Aziraphale was the opposite. He didn't understand what the fuss was about as it didn't look any bigger than the Mauritania, the ship they were meant to go on before the Titanic.

Gabriel told him that he could be unimpressed by some things but not about Titanic as it was over 100 feet longer and far more luxurious than Mauritania. Gabriel commented to Metatron that the Principality wasn't very easy to please. They started to board as Gabriel's Valet, Sandalphon, told a crewmember what to do with their luggage. As Aziraphale passed the Third Class passengers, he watched as they all went through a lice inspection before boarding. It was the Ship of Dreams to everyone else.

To Aziraphale, it was a slave ship taking him to America in chains. Outwardly, he was everything a well-brought-up Angel should be. Inside, he was screaming. The steam whistle of the Titanic blew as we make our way to the bar at the other end of the docks. There, two men and two demons were playing Poker. Two of the men had bet their tickets to Titanic while the two demons had bet all the money they owned. One of those demons, Ligur, got annoyed at his friend, calling him crazy for betting everything they had.

His friend didn't seem to mind all that much as he was used to it. But I should introduce you to him. This was Crowley, or Anthony J. Crowley among the humans. An artist from Hell. He had traveled around some of Europe before accidentally getting stuck in England with no way to get home. That's what led him to a bar in Southampton, playing poker with two Swedish men he had met on his travels. And he couldn't go very far in his travels due to his lack of money.

But he did want to win the tickets so he could leave England. As their card game went on, it was soon time to decide who would be staying, and who would be leaving for America. Crowley asked Ligur if he had any winning cards but he had none. So he turned to the man across from him. Nothing. So he turned to the man next to him. He had some winning cards. Now it was up to Crowley. He turned to Ligur, apologising to him. Ligur thought he had lost and started yelling at Crowley for losing their stuff.

But Crowley continued his apology, saying that he wouldn't see his other demon friends for a while because the two of them were going to America. The man had to pairs but Crowley had a Full House. The two demons celebrated the success while the other two men became upset that they had just lost the chance to travel to the new land. But the Bartender had to point out something to the winners. They wouldn't be going. Because Titanic was leaving for America in five minutes. Now in a panic, they collected all their money and all of their belongings and started to sprint to the Titanic.

They ran as fast as they could through the crowds of people, cars, and horses. They didn't want to miss this trip. In just the nick of time, they made it to the gangplank to a crew member who was ready to shut the door. The officer asked if they went through the inspection. Crowley confirmed that they had and the officer let them on. Crowley was so happy that he got this opportunity. He thought he would never have a chance like this again in his life.

Crowley and Ligur went up on the top deck to join the other passengers saying goodbye to family and loved ones. While none of his family or friends were there to bid him farewell, he did it anyway. As some smaller steamboats pulled the ship away from the docks, everyone waved goodbye to the people left behind. The propellers started to spin, taking the ship forward and out of the bay.

As the dock became less visible, Crowley and Ligur left the deck to go and find their cabin. When they found the room, the two said hello to their temporary roommates and got comfortable. Meanwhile, in First Class, Aziraphale was unpacking his things and tried to make the room more colorful with some paintings Gabriel had bought him. Not that he wanted to. He thought it was all a waste of money as he thought they were just finger paintings. Aziraphale found the art fascinating. A maid asked him what the artist's name was.

Aziraphale had forgotten it but it was art by Pablo Picasso. Gabriel laughed at the fact that Aziraphale couldn't remember his name and commented that Picasso wouldn't amount to a thing. But at least they were cheap. At Cherbourg, a woman came aboard named Margaret Brown. Everyone called her Molly. History would call her "the Unsinkable Molly Brown." Her husband had struck gold someplace out West and she was what the Metatron called "new money." By the next afternoon, they were steaming west from the coast of Ireland with nothing out ahead of them but ocean.