"I'm doomed," Rose murmured. Why hadn't she been able to focus on a single word he said? She had spent a whole year getting to know him, liking him as a friend—her best friend. But they'd only been together on Earth for less than a day, and now in the most crucial moment when he became her boss and she had to give her best to earn her place in the Society, all those strange feelings were flooding her. Am I for real? This is insane. I'm actually insane…
"Penny for your thoughts, girl!" Sandy's bright laugh cut through the heavy atmosphere of Rose's panic.
Rose spun around. Sandy was leaning against a sleek gray marble wall a few meters away watching her with an amused expression.
"Sorry I wasn't eavesdropping or anything. Locious told me to give you the Bo staff and take you to the armory but you were truly lost in your thoughts. You didn't even hear me when I called you so I just waited here for you to snap out of it," Sandy explained.
Sandy pushed off the wall with a graceful shift of weight turning to start walking down the silent hallway. Rose scrambled to follow. I have been so consumed by Locious that not only have I gone functionally deaf but I've also become completely stupid. There is something seriously wrong with me. she thought, their footsteps echoing through the pristine space.
"I should go see a doctor. Maybe I have brain damage," Rose whispered, completely lost in her own mind again.
"You know we have people who specialize in illnesses so don't go to any human doctor. Just let Loc... no, let Carol know and she'll get you checked out. But I don't think you have brain damage, haha."
Sandy stopped in front of a heavy metal door. She looked at Rose intensely as if attempting to read her thoughts and then opened the door without a word. It led into a gymnasium that seemed to be four times the size of Rose's house. It was brightly lit and fully functional equipped with a mix of high-tech machines and a large padded arena that looked exactly like the one used during Rose's training. However it was also messy: training mattresses were stacked haphazardly in the corners, weights lay unevenly near the racks and even some bandages were scattered near a discarded water bottle. The controlled disarray which had "Sandy written all over it" was a stark contrast to the meticulous neatness seen in the rest of the office halls.
They walked across the floor to a second door behind the arena which led them into the Armory. The air here was sharp with the scent of polished metal and the almost electrical prickling of raw residual energy. The room was lined with silver racks overflowing with all kinds of weapons. Sandy led her directly in front of a wooden rack filled with Bo staves.
Rose picked up the one that immediately caught her eye: it was completely black with crisp white stripes resembling a snake and when it caught the light it gave a faint almost ethereal shimmer.
Rose turned the staff over in her hands. It was lighter than it looked but perfectly balanced. She gripped the black material and performed a rapid sequence of movements to ensure it fit her fighting style. She had used all kinds of weapons before during training but this was the first time she felt so comfortable. The staff seemed to have been made for her. She felt a surge of confidence, wiping away all her previous anxiety and grinned, a genuine wide smile as she lowered the staff.
"I love it! It's so light but at the same time it feels like it wouldn't break even if I hit a wall," she exclaimed with excitement.
Sandy laughed at her enthusiasm. This girl was... intriguing. Sandy had been part of the Society for more than a few decades and very few people truly caught her attention. She knew this was because she never felt she fit in. Those who passed the Ambassador exams tended to be uptight rigid and strict rule-followers which clashed with her own rule blender and messy personality.
Sandy's entry into the Society was chaotic fueled by urgency and despair. Locious who was only just taking the reins after the crisis with their previous boss—who no one knew much about—was the first person who really caught her eye. Not romantically even though he was attractive; he was just... well Locious. At first glance you would think he wouldn't follow any rules; he would laugh and flirt with every girl and guy he encountered. But the more Sandy learned about him, the more she realized that he merely flexed the rules a little bit but never broke them and didn't let anyone else break them either. This made her feel more relaxed about him, realizing that having fun and being oneself wasn't wrong as long as one lived by the core rules. They had shared a few all-nighters, missions and even went drinking a few times, mostly as an excuse to get together and talk. Both of them had their own secrets, but in that secrecy they bonded. She didn't ask unless necessary and he didn't pry unless it affected their work flow which allowed them to maintain a genuinely equal relationship.
And this girl Rose gave her the same impression Locious did, perhaps a little wilder. She also seemed to have a genuine friendship with Locious and he clearly cared for her. However there was that strange look on Rose's face when he was explaining the mission. Sandy was sure she knew what was happening but before explaining anything she had to ensure Rose was trustworthy. After all she had learned about this specific side effect over drinks with a Fallen Angel a few years ago; it was supposed to be a secret that could act as a litmus test for people's true colors. The weird part—and why Rose was so intriguing—was why Locious who seemed to get along so well with her hadn't warned her.
"Okay, so to make it smaller you press this button here and it will shrink until it's the size of a baton you can rack on your back," Sandy said and noticed the strange look Rose was giving her. Sandy had spent too much time inside her own head and forgot about the pressing matter she had in front of her. Was Rose trustworthy enough to share such an important piece of information?
"Did you listen to a single word Locious said? Because you looked completely zoned out."
Rose's eyes widened in surprise. "Did you notice?" she asked. Her face flushed red and she looked down at her feet.
It was a funny sight and Sandy would have laughed if the conversation hadn't been so crucial.
"It was hard not to. It was written all over your face. Look, if you aren't prepped for this I'll take your place. A distracted partner gets people killed. If you're compromised by feelings you can't control you are a liability to him." Sandy closed the staff with a sharp click and waited.
"I don't know what's happening to me," Rose stammered. "I care about him and I consider him my best friend so I have no idea why I'm having these thoughts. I just feel like I'm not myself. As if someone else had taken control of my body, of my own mind. It's driving me mad. But if I'm a liability... if I'm going to put his life in danger then I quit. I won't go."
That was the answer Sandy wanted. If Rose had insisted on going despite the risk Sandy would have blocked her path. That kind of obsession was the most dangerous consequence because it usually blinded humans to logic. Only a few people could overcome the biological pressure and prioritize their partner's life over their own desires and this girl had just done exactly that. Even if she felt she was losing her mind she still cared about him enough not to risk his wellbeing.
Sandy's heart and expression softened instantly. "Great answer Rose. You passed."
Rose blinked, confused. "Passed?"
"The truth is... and this is a secret you can't tell anyone. Not even Locious. He can't know I told you. Dang! He can't even know that or how I found out about it. He'll pester me forever."
Rose swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.
"Angels on Earth aren't just physical entities. They are primal energy and they radiate. That radiation is called the Angel Aura. It's a high-voltage defense mechanism that hits human brains like a drug. It feels like love mixed with primal lust but it isn't real. It's just biological interference. It's your brain misfiring in the presence of too much power. Anyway, it passes after just a few days or a few weeks at most so for now you just need to ride it out and not do anything stupid."
Sandy watched Rose's expression. The girl looked dazed. The information clearly hadn't sunk in completely yet.
Shit I probably shouldn't have said all that. Sandy thought. But who could blame me? Between the crazed hallway muttering and those big shiny blue eyes staring up at me... I caved. I need to get the conversation back on track before she starts spiraling again. So distraction, here we go.
"Now that the air is clear let me tell you about this mission…"