Slender

II

Heading back to see Lucifer the next morning, early this time, I run into Simeon yet again.

"Hello, Simeon. How are you today?" The polite greeting slips from my mouth without a thought.

"MC, you're early today. I'm well, how are you?" He asks with a kind expression. The conversation carries on a bit longer before we part ways. Eager to complete today's mission quickly, i hurry to Lucifer's office.

•••

"MC, perfect timing." Lucifer rises from his desk, walking around to greet me. "I won't be leading you on your mission today."

I look at him, surprised. "Why not?"

"Michael sees a great amount of potential in you. He's decided you must learn the ways of the guardian as well." He leans against his desk, a small sigh escaping him.

"So who will be talking me today?" As soon as the words leave my mouth, the door opens, revealing the the woman from yesterday. She looks back and forth between the both of us before speaking.

"The guardian you requested, from Michael." She steps aside and through the door walks a tall, well built man. He carries himself as if upset about something, looking around the room before acknowledging Lucifer, completely ignoring my presence.

"As a superior guardian angel, I expect you to be able to teach, as well as protect. She's new, and the only one ordered by Michael to learn multiple ways. She is delicate. Do not let her break, Beelzebub." Lucifer orders as if he does so frequently.

Beelzebub? Like Lilith's brother? At that moment, Beelzebub turns to look at me,stopping dead in his tracks as we make eye contact. I blink back in surprise, his orange hair catching my attention almost immediately. Orange? I feel by breath catch in my throat as what's actually happening registers in my head. Lilith was right.

"Our father really did...."

Lucifer stands watching us take each other's features in, unaware of what's going on in front of him. "Ahem, MC, this is my younger brother, Beelzebub. He'll be taking you on your mission today."

I turn and meet his uncomfortable tone with one of indifference. "Alright. D-do you know how long it'll take?"

Beelzebub answers, taking my attention away from Lucifer. "I'm not sure. My mission lengths tend to be different each time. Lucifer, thanks for explaining the situation. I'll be sure to keep her and my clients out of any danger."

Lucifer nods in response, and we leave the room.

•••

"MC. Like Lilith's friend MC?" He asks.

"Beelzebub. Like Lilith's brother Beelzebub?" I answer, and he laughs.

"Please, call me Beel. Only lucifer calls me Beelzebub and he's usually unhappy when he does." He looks at me and smiles. "Ah, there he is."

I turn around to see a familiar face walk into the cafe Beel had taken me to. "Him? But I thought he wasn't supposed to die until next year. I had no clue he was in any danger." I look back to the angel in front of me, his face covered in confusion.

"How do you know that? Beginners don't get information like that without the approval of a superior." He runs his hand through his already messy hair, revealing a piercing gaze.

"I, uh, I came down her yesterday with Belphie and Lilith. We met with him at the hospital." I can't seem to look away, captivated by his purple eyes.

I see his face turn a little pink as he looks away. "We'll be tailing him today as part of the mission."

I look away as well, but before I'm able to respond, Beel says something else. "Wait, you met up with him? You already knew him?" Looking back at him again I see his eyes widened in surprise.

"Nonononono. I just met him. Lilith already knew him. She introduced us." I explain rather fast, leaving out how Lilith knew him.

Beel stands suddenly, "We need to go. He's leaving."

•••

We follow Daniel for most of the day, deciding to call it a day when he arrived home. Not much had happened, and Daniel has remained safe. Beel and I sat at a park before we went back to the celestial realm. Beel is so busy usually, he rarely has the time to enjoy the scenery.

"So what exactly do guardian angels do?" I already know the answer. Kind of.

"Don't you already know?"

"I uhh, may or may not have forgotten. It's been a while?" I say trying to keep me face relatively blank, knowing that ultimately I failed when I heard him start to laugh.

"Alright. Crash course it is." His smile lights up his face as he begins to speaks. "A guardian is chosen really young, because unlike other angels, we show the traits really early. From there they take us out of regular schooling and we're sent to the academy. At the academy they drill into us 'protect the souls', and 'don't fail the missions'. We run simulations, complete tests, and we have to do good, we have to succeed because if we don't, the guiding angels come in to finish it. To guide our failures." The excitement in his voice drops for a second. "After we complete our training, we get our first mission. For the first few missions, we have a partner, and the supervision of a superior. The more successful missions, the higher rank we become." He looks at me, a smile displayed. "I'm really good at what I do, that's why I'm a superior now."

I giggle in response before something causes me to stop, changing my expression completely. "We need to go do something, Beel."

I start to walk away before he can answer, causing him to call my name. I ignore him, following the faint ringing, noticing it gets louder the closer to the hospital I become.

The hospital? But Daniel is at home. I quickly walk in, becoming invisible to humans as I pass through the doors. I follow the noise, consistently getting louder until, silence. The floor is almost empty. I can feel someone here. I glance around seeing a number of rooms, unaware of what I'm supposed to be doing here. I start to walk towards a room when something stops me. Beel. I forgot he was here.

"MC what are you doing. This isn't our mission." His tone is serious as he grips my wrist.

"I have to. They were calling for me. They must've been." I look back to the room I was headed for, pulling myself from his grip. Entering slowly, I look around. No one's here.

"MC, we need to leave. Now." Beel's expression is stern as I turn to face him.

"We can't."

I continue down the hallways checking each room until I see something. I hurry to the other side of the bed and there's someone lying there, unconscious. Beel walks around the bed as well, sighing as he sees what's happened. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the energy that pulled me to the hospital to begin with. It's much weaker now. There isn't much time left.

I move the body to get a look at their face, focusing on their energy. It's different. I need to go somewhere else. I quickly lift them onto the bed, rushing past Beel, causing him to call for me again. I ignore him as I pinpoint where I need to be. There. The energy gets stronger as I cross the hall, until in the doorway it stops. I peer into the room and see someone holding someone else against the wall. As they pull away the other falls to the floor. Not again, please. Not another victim. Something shines in the light, catching my attention. A syringe? The first person, a man, turns around, the sinister look on his face sending chills down my spine as he takes a step towards me. He walks past as if I'm not even there. Beel grabs my shoulder, and I look up at him, concern evident in his eyes.

"MC," he starts, as I walk to the body. Their breathing had already stopped. I was too late. I pull their head to my chest, whispering apologies and sad reassurances.

"It'll be okay again soon. I promise." The last thing I say before gently placing a kiss to their forehead, and going back to the doorway.

"Are you ready to go now?" Beel asks softly, warning a small nod from me.