“What’s my power?”
“None… and all.”
“Is that your kind way of saying that I have no powers?”
“No, it’s just that you haven’t showed certain abilities… yet.”
“I thought so…” She tapped her foot to the ground, impatiently.
“So… Michael is a Healer. What’s that suppose to mean? Is he some kind of a doctor?”
“In a matter of speaking, yes. Michael heals every injury from the inside or outside of someone’s body, whether it’s physical or psychic. He doesn’t even have to pay any efforts on that, his simple presence will do.”
“Does it work on animals, too?”
“And plants. And earth, and everything you might have in mind.
“Demons?”
He looked surprised, but still answered her question.
“Only if he really wants to.”
“Did he ever…”
“NO!”
“Then how…”
“I just know, ok?”
Aeris paused, displeased.
“There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t it?” she accused him suddenly.
“It’s not that.”
“Stop it, Gabriel! What do you think, I’m seven? Can’t recognize a lie when it’s told or am I too dull to face the truth?”
“You’re not ready, that’s all.”
“And when will I be? When it’s too late? Maybe I should go and find Lilith, I’m sure she’ll be pleased to give me any information I need.”
“Yeah, right. You found the Good Samarinean”, he sniffed amused.
She made a face, then turned and marched inside the house.
“Right! Just great! Go and hide like you always do when things don’t end up the way you want”, he shouted to her stiff back. “I love your attitude…”
“You inspired it”, she shouted back from the stairs. “You keep saying that I should practice, but I’m stocked with those books with no meaning while you’re out there facing who-knows-what! I should learn how to fight, not wasting my time with dusty papers!”
In a minute, he flushed in front of her, his eyes looking dangerously furious.
She froze for an instant, barely remembering how to breathe in shock, but his moment of madness was over.
“See?” he calmly waved his hand around, “you do know how to fight.”
She followed his finger and her jaw fell open in surprise. Winter had fallen over the garden, icy statuette trees already melting in the summer sun.
“How did you do that?” she managed to say after a while.
“I did nothing”, he nodded, “you did.”
“Are you laughing of me? ‘Cause I can assure you that I’m not in the mood.”
“Me neither. In fact, is exactly as I thought. You are using your inner hate to interfere with your surroundings.”
“Fine! Now, in English, please?”
“What is it so difficult for you to understand?! You’re embracing your evil side. Do I have to draw it for you to see how wrong this is? In Father’s name, Aeris, you’re an ANGEL!”
“I had no idea”, she murmured stoned.
“I know… that’s even worse.”
He sighed, crossing his fingers through his wild hair.
“And worst of all, there is no chance for me to interfere with what you’re doing. No matter what I do, I can’t change your actions, so you’d better find a way to make things right. And fast.”
“But I’m not thinking of it, it’s something that comes from within. How will I ever be able to change that?”
“That’s another thing that you’ll have to deal with yourself…”
She took a look around secretly enjoying the view, linking the words like puzzle pieces inside her head and finally sighed.
“This is getting harder and harder…”
“Tell me about it…”
“But you did help me the other day, with the birdies. Why can’t you do it again?”
“’Cause I’m still paying for my first mistake!”
Shock spread on her face. She managed to swallow the nod in her throat, but the pain was still there, under the surface, waiting to erupt again.
She felt guilty for being the cause of his problems but still helpless in front of all the new things that she had to face every day. And she could also see in his eyes that he was sorry for what he said.
