Carole's class was at its end. She tried not to show her anticipation to leave towards her students.

Although, Holger seemed more focused on her than usual. Her mind was occupied by what she would do once this was all over.

Lucky... No, Emelia after so many years of distance would finally meet her in person.

Never would have thought that would happen. A bitter last meeting at that hospital should have stayed that.

Who would have thought this new job would allow her to see that girl? On the tip of her tongue, it tasted bittersweet.

Once the class ended, she found herself alone outside of the manor’s gates. Even as the sudden gust of wind nearly took off her cap, she simply clutched the cap down on her head.

How long was she standing outside for?

2 minutes.

3 minutes.

It honestly would not be all that surprising if that girl turned out an hour late.

Or was she being too cynical?

However before she came to such a conclusion, Carole saw a gaudy yet cheap-looking white car drove up to where she stood before it came to a complete stop all thing a sputtering sound. Even though the sign nearby stated no noise, that familiar lovely obnoxious electronica music blasted from the car's speaker. Even with the windows rolled all the way up, Carole could hear that beat from a 5-year-old song.

Even after all these years, her music tastes never changed.

The driver door opened with a click, revealing the not so deadly skinny girl known to her years ago as Lucky.

An ironic name from their circumstances.

Her cheeks were flush with life, her eyes sparkled like jewels, causing Carole to swallow a bit at the difference and defiance at what she expected and look away. Her ears were not as pierced as she remembered them to be, Carole could see the faint, already healed marks on her ears and nose.

Carole at first thought maybe the low-quality camera was covering up her previously washed-out appearance.

That girl turned herself around.

Lucky’s gaze landed on Carole as they, for just one moment, stared into each other's eyes.

Neither saying anything to each other. Lucky gave her a wary smile and she simply nodded back

Lucky gestured her into the car, beaming with joy as she said, “Hop in. We're going somewhere.”

"Sure...as long as you actually clean that thing," was her response.

Without another question, Carole carefully did so, sitting in the back of this car.

Lucky gave a low whistle, "soo, in the mood for some hot drinks."

Carole noticed she did not say alcohol.

hm...

"Sure, let me guess hot chocolate right?"

Lucky seemingly oblivious to the potential awkwardness smiled and said, "Well yeah, unless you want something bitter coffee's hot right?" She started up the engines.

"Ice coffee"

“Ew, that ruins the point." Lucky chuckled, "this gonna be a city drive, sooo we have many fun stops and,” She said as the wheel turned.

“aren’t we supposed to be doing something important instead,” Asked Carole.

Lucky pouted, “Carole, come on, just a quick drive. This is the first time I'm in this part of Ilden's you know... As creepy as it is."

"Yes creepy, but still weren't you the one going about I should leave earlier?"

“Damn, using my words against me huh,” Lucky let out a bubbly laugh, “I just need to get stuff anyway. So you plan to stay all day in the car pup- Carole?”

Now that Carole got a good look at Lucky, noticing the slip in her tongue. Lucky must have noticed it too as she was oddly quiet on the rest of the ride.

They eventually stopped at a coffee shop, peeling paint and tacky bright neon sign. Although Carole said she would stay in the car, Lucky more or less dragged her inside. Not that she regretted it. In two hours she was calmly sitting on the plush cushion with a thick layer of marshmallows hot cocoa sprinkled with blueberry sprinkled

Carole took the drink in her hand and took a big sip, allowing the warmth to kill for the frozen air within.

“You like?” Lucky said, flashing her grin.

Carole nodded with a bit more energy than she was used to, “hm… yes… I do like... Could do without the potential sugar poisoning thou”

Lucky stuck out her tongue, "Hey Know that's your favourite."

She took a big sip of her own, somehow covered in even more marshmallows, this time in various colours.

Carole expected a growing mild bitterness. Maybe it was because Lucky was actually focused.. in her own way at least. Maybe it was what Carole knew what her next course of action was. but... she wanted to enjoy their time together.

Lucky sighed rubbing her hands, “damn it, this place is cold as hell…or cold as ice... cus”

"Cus we're cool," Carole finished, "Lucky I know that one."

"Brr Carole... way to reveal my cliche." Lucky stirred the drink with her straw.

“It's always like that,” Carole said. She bit into her lips, “You do know no one is allowed inside the compound... unless they’re staff and things like that…”

Lucky rubbed her hand over her face in annoyance, “Seriously. All I got was these people were some hyper-religious nutters. But I think any rando can tell you that.”

Lucky gave a cheeky smile as she pulled out a small clip, turned around in her seat and clipped it onto Carole’s shirt collar.

“.... What is this?” Carole said staring at the clip in bewilderment

Lucky pointed to it with excitement and replied, “A cute audio and visual camera, bought from some store and improved by your little goat friend.”

Lucky handed her a small earpiece to put in her right ear, “And a little earpiece for our talking.”

“So that’s what you've been working with him on?” Carole looked at the device with mild intrigue. None which showed but Lucky may have been used to that.

“Pfft, yeah, I’m a med student, not some tech guru. I can barely manage a microwave.”

Wait... medicine?

“Lucky… you’re doing medicine now,” Carole honestly did not expect that.

Lucky turned to her with a tilt of her head, “Yeah last year, I got my undergrad's degree after-” Her eyes flashed once she realized the implications of her statement and crossed her arms and sighed, “Yeah... I’ve been clean for a while if you're wondering.”

If someone was to tell Carole years ago Lucky would attempt to study medicine. She would not believe it and would prepare to pay for it when she dropped out. But... She has changed.

This decision on what to do with Ildens... is gonna hurt...

It will hurt and hurt.

But what else can she do?

“So I guess you want me to go to the Chapel?” Carole sighed as the car drove.

Lucky nodded, “I’m suspecting a few things, okay many things. But I want some confirmation before I can confidently tell you."

"If it's someone secretly being a vampire..."

"So what is it?"

Lucky’s playful demeanour dropped as she, "It's probably not that, I mean we have to check, but..."

Carole hesitation?

The car eventually came to a stop at the manor and with that Carole exited the car with little of a word and said, “Fine, it couldn’t be anything worse than turning out to be just a human with wings.”

Lucky gave a sad smile, "Carole, you're more than that alright?"

She... did not want to be more.

Not with what this place was.

But her plan... Lucky... Hide...

Will not get a happy ending out of this...

Carole with another word made her way back to the manor.

Such a fun outing that ended with a promise to meet again.

She entered past the guards and occasionally gave notice to a few staff members who waved at her as she passed by to appear inconspicuous.

She was just tired. In all honesty, she had no idea what to do right now. Her plan to end this place was just a random thought that popped into her head. She had no clue on how to really go about it, but despite that, the thought would not leave her alone. As if... she can do that... but how?

She needed a drink, but now... even the sound of alcohol was repulsive to her. Several things were disgusting and felt gross, sounds, touch... That was how she normally felt about the world, but now it felt more intense than ever.

She finally found herself in the church itself, the same as always. Just like before, her touch caused the walls to open up, revealing the things grown and torn from her back hanging limply. Her old wings. The tiny space where she found the scroll was still there.

She tapped her earpiece, turning it on, and said, “Here.”

Her eyes went to her camera clipped on her shirt, “Can you see?”

She heard a clap from the earpiece, “Yup, Can see this not so little church bright and clear. Dang, that goat boy’s good with his little gadgets.”

“He sure is,” Carole answered more to herself rather than to Lucky, who chuckled on the other head.

“How old is he? though I would get early 20's to”

“He’s older than me.... probably much older,,, Yes, I didn’t believe it either, let's move on,” she said, and she could feel Lucky’s pout from the other end.

“What do you want me to see, anyway?” There was nothing much she could say about the place that she had not already stated.

However, Lucky's voice, tinged with anxiety, ran out, “Carole… those wings. They grew from you, correct?”

“Yeah, from what I remember anyway.”

“Yeesh... Do you remember that day like… at all?”

Carole rubbed the temple of her forehead. This was already making her nauseous.

“Look, I barely do, I was just a little kid... I told you this already.”

“I'm... sorry that happened..."

"Doesn't matter."

Strange... Something was wrong, something felt wrong but Carole wanted to get this over with. Carole used a chair for additional height and reached out her hand.

And touched her wings….

They were soft, feathery.

Her hand moved on its own as she only barely heard the hurried voices on her earpiece, instead, she heard an unfamiliar voice.

Ver... lift

Up...

Your...

Wings...

Under near the mounted appendages was a painting of…

A tall, dark-haired angel with words inscribed in the script below.

“In his last moments, Ver cursed them all, cursed Orbis for their stubbornness... He cursed them for what they had allowed Fer to turn into. Thus full of hatred... Ver destroyed................ We shall use his blood and kin to justify our city's of existence.”

"An angel that never wanted to be one for such a place."

Carole’s eyes read those words repeatedly. She finally heard that voice through her earpiece, mind putting it all together.

The feeling of rot…

That rot made her want to tear it out…

“Artificial… Remember, these people are no stranger to putting monsters into people... In a last ditch effort for an angel. The corpse of a child was used to house the first angel… Ver…………………………………. Failure….. He wanted nothing from the new existence.”

“Carole is... Host to Ver himself-”

Stop it…

That was what she was?…

She was… a corpse….

It hurts, some memories suddenly entered her mind… Memories not her own...

She gripped the flesh on her arms.

Wings felt..so heavy…

She saw that machine

Wings of tar...

“Okay Okay but… Carole?!”

She felt crimson running down her back.

“I was dead by the time they tried to resurrect Ver..."

Wings she had always wished to be a uniform white, were a pitch black.

She Laughed

It was funny.