Heavens Genesis

In a way, Henry felt helpless, unable to ease the fears of this maiden. Soldiers would come armed, their voices drilling into their heads like spikes, demanding to know all the information they had obtained. This thought also made Henry feel uneasy, as if he had only now realized how deep he had truly gotten himself in. This is bad… What if I fail to protect her? Thought onslaught of mental words did nothing to bring courage boiling to the top. I can't just look the other way anymore. She deserves to find the truth about herself and where she comes from. It's not like I…have a life to go back to anymore. Sighing heavily, Henry looked back at the screen, cerulean eyes gazing blankly at the picture of Aya Mikage. Could this girl hold the key to who Verdandi is? She was just a kid herself, yet this Mikage had a child already. She must have gone through hell if she dealt with the misleadings we're facing now. I wonder how many Celestials came before Verdandi and how long this has been going on.

The way Henry saw it was that the DNA had to of come from an original host; an original maiden. Something this extraordinary couldn't have just been created without an original blueprint. This Aya may be the only hope available…yet whether she would agree to speak with them… Well, that was another fear residing within Henry's mind. Were they really too in over their heads? Inadvertently, Henry let out a dry laugh. They were in too deep…but the only way out was to fight through Genic and their twisted ideals. Verdandi deserved it.

"You should get some rest," Henry suggested, "We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." I still need to come up with a plan to get her on a plane… Then again, maybe a boat would be a lot safer. They wouldn't be able to keep an eye out on all the shores. There has to be a way without taking a plane. Not only was it likely that they would be spotted at the airport…but Verdandi's appearance alone would draw attention. They had to escape another way. Which then brought his mind to a grim conclusion: his ex wife, Veronica. She was the only one Henry knew who owned a boat big enough to carry them comfortably, but she was also an outstanding citizen. No one would think twice about checking her boat!

Henry swallowed hard, took another glance at Verdandi, before picking up the motel phone and dialing in Veronica's number.

"Hello?"

Henry swallowed hard, nearly tempted to just hang up and call it quits. Don't be a coward! "Veronica, it's me…"

"Henry? Is that really you?" Despite their broken status in marriage, Veronica seemed legitimately happy to hear from him. "My, God… It's been ages!" she said excitedly. "How have you been?"

"Better. A lot…better," he replied gingerly. Immediately the tone changed, even with silence on the other end, he could tell. "I lost my job at Genic, but not for the reasons you think. Something bad has been going on there, something…something that really shouldn't be messed with."

Veronica was silent for a long moment, clearly awed. "What do you mean something that shouldn't be messed with? Henry, what kind of trouble are you in?"

"It's complicated. It's better if I show you," he said softly. He had no doubt Verdandi was listening to the conversation. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable, a reason to distrust. So, covering the receiver with his palm, he motioned Verdandi over to the phone. When the celestial approached, however cautious, Henry put Veronica on speaker.

"Henry? Henry, are you there? Are you ignoring me?" Veronica accused angrily. "I know you're there, I can hear you breathing!"

"Relax… I'm here." He inhaled deep. "Veronica, I would like you to meet someone. Her name is Verdandi and she's a victim of Genic." During the last years of their marriage, Henry had confided in Veronica about the horrible experiments being performed at Genic, even gave her solid evidence to convince her. In fact, the reason they had gotten a divorce was because Henry refused to quit even after Veronica begged him to.

"A…victim?"

"Yes…. I told you about the special women, whose eyes glowed amber, their entire existence brimming with perfection…? Verdandi is one of them. In fact, she's the first one who hasn't died from their experiments. I broke her out… We need your help, Veronica."

There was a long pause on the other end. Henry was scared she had hung up, but finally Veronica's faint voice said, "I'll do it… What do you need?"

With Verdandi standing beside him, Henry explained to Veronica that he needed her and her boat. No one would think it was odd if Veronica was off with her boat, she went out often, really. Henry and Verdandi would be hidden, out of sight, while Veronica set them off to Scotland, one of the closest places to England. From there, Henry and Verdandi could catch a flight without hassle and be off to Hachijo Island in no time at all!

"Alright, Henry…. Stay the night at the motel. Tomorrow at dawn be here, ready, got it? If Genic soldiers are swarming the island like you say they are, dawn may be our only chance in getting you out of this place," Veronica said. "Remember, dawn. Don't be late!" With that, she hung up.

Henry turned to the celestial and laughed nervously. "She's…an interesting woman, but very trustworthy. You can trust her, Verdandi. She'll help us escape this place and soon we'll meet this Aya Mikage and learn more about your origins. Now…go rest up. We'll have to wake up early." Easier said than done. Henry hadn't slept a wink. He got up several times during the time to glance out the window, looking for any suspicious signs of looming danger. It would be tricky enough just getting the dock Veronica had her boat stationed at. Still, it was all worth the risk, at least that's what he told himself.

When dawn came, Henry went to Verdandi and gently placed his arm on her shoulder, unsure whether she was awake or asleep. "Verdandi, it's time to go," he whispered. What little belongings they possessed had already been packed away. All that was needed was Verdandi and Henry to get the hell out of here.The drive, luckily, was short. Very short. Just down the road short. Outside, Veronica was casually walking around the dock, enjoying the slight chill in the air. When she spotted Henry's car, she paused, unsure of herself suddenly. She had no idea what to expect, after all, which became all the more clear the second her eyes landed on Verdandi.

"Oh, my… She really is beautiful!" she exclaimed. "I'm impressed…"

"Be impressed later. We have to get a move on," Henry urged. "Her name is Verdandi." He turned to the celestial. "Verdandi, this is Veronica… Go with her, okay? She'll get you settled. I have to go park my car somewhere so they don't catch on that we came here." I gotta get rid of it…but how? Where should I park it?

"Why don't you just drive it into the ocean? By the time someone finds it, it'll be too late," Veronica suggested. She led Verdandi up onto the boat, though both were still visible to Henry on the dock. "Okay, okay… too dangerous. I'll wait here with Verdandi, okay?" Henry nodded, jogging back to his car and getting in. "Don't worry, he'll be back," she assured the celestial.

However, just as Henry vanished around the corner, likely dumping his car, Veronica caught a strange man walking along the shore near the docks… "Verdandi, was it? Quickly, we have to hide you. Someone's walking around…I can't be sure--"

"Hey, lady!" Veronica froze. The man walking around…he'd just called to her. Slowly turning, she smiled, trying to look convincing. "You need help lady?" Her heart began pounding…for the man was dressed in unusual military garb, much like the one Henry had described.

"Quickly Verdandi, get out of sight!" Veronica urged in a whisper. This couldn't possibly be good…. She hoped Henry wouldn't walk into sight, exposing them. Veronica still wasn't sure if the soldier had even seen Verdandi.

Henry was stunned into silence. Hearing Verdandi's words, the sorrow and determination within her voice...it made his heart cry out. "Verdandi..." He didn't care if others gave them strange looks, nor did he believe it was necessarily the right place to be discussing such matters and yet...yet he stood from his seat, allowing his body to walk automatically to where Verdandi stood by the door, his hand reaching out to rest on her shoulder. "Don't fret. I promise you we will find out about your origins," he assured, trying his best to muster up a convincing smile. The thing was, he didn't know the first thing about where to look. He hadn't been given the major details on where the celestial DNA came from or what direct purpose it served to the laboratory.

His eyes narrowed, hand dropping as he suddenly turned his back to the celestial. There was one thing he remembered... A name of some sort, it could be a lead! "Mi... Mika...." Damn, what was that name? Henry shook his head, turning back around to face Verdandi again. Mikage...that's it! "Verdandi, tell me, did anyone at the laboratory say the name 'Mikage' to you?" From what he could gather, it was Japanese...which meant Japan may be their first lead. But...where would they even start looking when they reached Japan? He sighed heavily. All of this was giving him a terrible migraine.

"Verdandi, let's go find somewhere to stay for the night, okay?" he suggested. He knew the celestial would not be pleased to hear they would have to go inside again. "It's only for the night. It'll give me time to find out more about Mikage. If I find something out, then we may have a lead to go off of, someway of finding out more about you and your origins." He went back to the table to placed a few bills on the table to pay for their meals and walked outside with the celestial. "I promise you, I won't let them take you back there... And if it's possible, we'll do everything we can to help the other celestial find freedom as well." If it wasn't too late already.

Henry led Verdandi to a quaint little hotel and got a room on the first floor. If Genic sent their dogs ater them, they had a better chance of escape than on any other floor. Plus, they had better internet connection on the lower floors. Once they were inside the room, Henry pulled the blinds up, allowing rich rays of sunlight to filter in. After, he headed toward a single dinky computer and sat down, turning it on and letting it boot up. "Verdandi, I should be able to find out more about the name Mikage," he told her. His fingers seemed to be going a mile a minute after the device booted up and within seconds a name emerged. "Aya Mikage?" He glanced at Verdandi, raising an eyebrow. "It says here she had a twin brother, now deceased, named Aki. She currently lives on Hachijo Island. There was quite a bit of stir with some of her family when she turned sixteen... Anyway, she might have information that will be useful to us. What do you think, should we check it out, see if she knows anything?" If the celestial said yes, he would book plane tickets under an alias Genic didn't know about. If he was lucky, they would be able to sneak by their guards waiting at the airport and be off to Japan in no time at all.

((I hope I left you enough to go off of... Let me know if I need to add a little more, okay? (: ))

Quite the mess, he thought sardonically. She's here, just staring at me…but she hasn't said a single word. It's like she trying to read my mind or something. He laughed and turned away, his gaze looking out over the ocean, a flock of seagulls soaring in search of their dinner. I wonder if she even knows what's going on. She was created after all. He gulped back his scotch, tightening his grip around the glass until his knuckles were bone white. Why had he brought this shit around him? I should have let her die with all the rest!

Henry Anderson was a running deadman, mark the word of Genic!

It was ten years ago today that Henry had fucked himself over. The company he worked for was called Genic, a lax group funded by the government to do scientific research. When the opportunity arose, a single chance to become apart of it all, he was elated. He truly believed that this would change his life…but in more ways than he'd ever imagined. Who wouldn't decide to pick a job offer in England's most leading, high-end facility over living his career inside a cubical? The choice was rather clear, he thought.

A year after Henry had joined, he was given a chance to perform his specialty: splicing. To be given endless genetic samples, endless DNA…it almost seemed too good to be true. During his time there, Henry had never been able to complete a successful splice until he was partnered up with a geneticist, a woman he came to call "Sannie" despite her clear dislike of the play on her name Sandra. The two managed to do the impossible, too busy wondering if they could…rather than if they should. Sandra and Henry had discovered an unnatural DNA sample. When completing the DNA code, the results were remarkable. A celestial woman, reborn along with countless others. A creature who once existed within Heaven itself.

Henry had second thoughts about the project when the "Celestials" began developing irrational blisters among their skin, lungs soon filling with blood before dying soon afterwards. No one within Genic could diagnose the Celestials and human medicine only made matters worse. After two years of watching the excruciating deaths of those he created, Henry vowed to quit after terminating all the Celestials and their DNA…putting an end to their suffering and to the entire project. But, to his immense surprise, two of the Celestials managed to survive, displaying no symptoms of illness or degeneration. They were complete, unlike any other created. Still, Henry knew he had to destroy them as well to stop Genic from abusing Heavenly DNA… But as Henry destroyed the sick Celestials, he found that he was…unable to destroy the successful Celestials.

Instead of destroying them, Henry made a vow to help them return to Heaven where they rightfully belonged, to take them away from Genic forever. His plans were drastically altered, for Henry managed to escape with only one of the Celestials, the other remaining in the tight grip of Genic. And now, the very company he worked for the help create such creatures was now hunting him down, doing everything in their power to retrieve their missing piece of work: the Celestial he now had with him inside a mottle room on the edge of one of England's many coasts.

Henry sighed and shook his head. Reflecting back on his actions he knew his decision to save the Celestial may have very well cost him his life. He was labeled a traitor to Genic and there was no way he would be dragged back there to work…so the only option his former company had was to annihilate him to keep this 'incident' from becoming public.

Except…now he was at a loss of how to even deal with a Celestial, one who likely knew nothing of his world. Hell, he wasn't even sure she could speak! Henry removed himself from the window seal and slowly walked over to the Celestial, kneeling down before her. "My name is Henry," he said softly. "Do you have a name?"

(Any appearance, personality and abilities: all up to you (: )


'Who am I? Do I even belong here?’ Tucking black-brown tresses behind one ear, the golden-eyed Celestial flickered inquisitive gaze back and forth, surveying important details inch by inch without missing crucial facts. Paned windows, sparse furniture, mottled paint replaced the vivid mental picture ’Verdandi’ held of the enormous facility once called ’home’. Scientists clad in white laboratory coats, soldiers sporting fearsome-looking weapons as well as unfamiliar woman shared miniscule memories with the Tennin, however those drab tints triggered more questions, then answers. Who was she? Where did the young woman belong? Would she ever return ’home’ to the laboratory that had housed countless Celestials before? What happened to her fellow brethren? ’Woman like me…..we shared countless similarities….but why did some vanish?’ Verdandi reminisced pensively, replaying certain events in her mind where scientists scurried around like rats in a maze; hastily attending to beautiful woman spitting out mouthfuls of blood. ’Don’t worry about them….we have the situation under control.’ Glossy lips thinned downwards, slightly puzzled as to why past words still replayed in her mind. Perhaps, the sentence held sentimental value or could darker forces be at work? Dismissing bothersome thoughts aside, the black-haired Celestial focused discerning eyes on the handsome stranger sipping his drink. Judging from how quickly he gulped down the contents, the young man could be suffering from an unknown number of ailments. ’What is he thinking?’ She wondered silently, after all not a single sound had come out of her lips just yet.

{ “Are you worried? Don’t fret Verdandi….our staff is qualified to deal with every day emergencies.” The scientist whispered encouragingly, prodding his startled test subject to walk further and further away from the unfolding scene. Agonized shouts, rampant footsteps, electric feeling atmosphere leaked into Verdandi’s perspective mind igniting an overwhelming urge to stop dead in her tracks. “What’s going on? Aren’t the magnetic cuffs supposed to be working!?” Bret growled in question, frustrated by his subject’s lack of cooperation. Maintaining order among scientists was hard enough, but keeping a Tennyo’s powers in check was an entirely different story. Their strength varied immensely, from woman who could break glass by telekinesis alone to those endued with mild powers of flight. Of course, man-made couldn’t hold enraged angels down from causing massive amounts of damages, as shown when one of the subjects damaged key computer components before dying of internal bleeding the next day. While, the blonde-haired scientist busied himself tightening magnetic cuffs…Verdandi had all of her attention focused on several men running back and forth. One man brought with him medical supplies, the other held onto the ill celestial coughing up massive amounts of coagulated blood.} Bringing herself out of disturbing mental images, the raven-haired woman stiffened body abruptly…before shifting attention onto the laughing young man. Why was he laughing anyway? She hardly saw anything worth humoring, unless he had suddenly gone insane. ’Strange man.’ Verdandi muttered mentally, turning around to look outside the window in mystified awe. What lay outside left her breathless, especially seeing picturesque blue-green waters lapping hungrily at the shoreline and strange avian-like creatures flying deftly about.

'You want to know why we don’t allow freedom? Well let me explain the world outside is cruel and harsh…..intelligent woman don’t need to be looked upon by filthy eyes.’ Verdandi repeated the sentence three times in her head, quelling strong urges to explore unknown surroundings. ’Is the world really a cruel place to live?’ Pressing vermillion-colored lips together, the obsidian-haired female rested head wearily on her knees, anxiety forming an unpleasant sensation of emptiness behind her chest. Flickering golden-brown eyes back to the young man, she examined him extensively. He had definitely worked at the laboratory, however it seemed his career took a drastic nosedive into oblivion. ’Wasn’t he the same one rumored to have murdered countless C-genomes…?’ She questioned cautiously ’The rest were killed…… I managed to come out alive…thanks to him, but why is he keeping me here? What does he want from me? Does he intend on keeping me here forever?’ True, the young man terminated countless ill Celestials……yet he couldn’t get rid of two survivors who held stubbornly on to life. ’I must live…..’ Henry’s sigh brought Verdandi out of inner thoughts, while intuition latched onto conflicting emotions swirling inside the brunette-haired male. ’He doesn’t look very happy at the moment, I wonder what is troubling him?‘ She pondered mentally, watching him move away from the window and come towards her at a steady walk. Did he intend on harming her? Apparently, such intentions were irrational fears planted into the heavenly maiden by scientists to maintain control over their test subjects. The male situated in front of her held an aura of peace, which probably explained why Verdandi kept calm, however his soothing voice encouraged automated speech out of her. “H--Henry?” The raven-haired female struggled noticeably, voice coming in hoarse syllables “N-Name…..? What is a name? I just recall being called Verdandi all the time. I would also like a chance to go outside……this place feels stuffy.”



OCC: Phew...storms let up a little.



Henry mulled her words over in his mind before answering with a carefully chosen response. "A name is a method used to communicate and recognize," he said softly. "My name is Henry. People call me this to show they recognize me. The same applies to objects." He placed his hand, palm down, on the table next to her. "This is a table. Table is its name, just like Henry is mine." He truly wasn't surprised to see she lacked certain knowledge. He had anticipated as such. "The people at the laboratory called you Verdandi. That is the name they gave to you," he explained, smiling. "Do you like the name Verdandi?" At this point, Henry had had very little contact with the Celestials except when he… Angry flashes assaulted his mind, sending his thoughts spinning before he forced them under control again. Such disipicable things he had to resort to… It made his stomach churn.

Eyeing the window once more, Henry stood, inhaling sharply. Genic would hunt him down until they had their filthy hands back on Verdandi, dead or alive. England was probably already crawling with Genic security, swarming like insects, taking the form of normal citizens. No doubt airports and docks would be the first to be secured and checked…the next being motels, much like the one they were currently in. His home, located not even five minutes away from the dock he used to go to the laboratory was being watched. Where could they go that had absolutely no chance of being watched yet? His stomach made a soft growl and quickly he turned back to the celestial woman, smiling sheepishly. "Perhaps it would be best if we found something to eat?"

He had a sinking suspicion that food would be a new experience too. All the meals generated at Genic were tasteless, perfectly balanced proportions of food…the exact same thing day in and day out. How would Verdandi even react to taste?

"Come now, let's find something different for you to wear," he said suddenly, realizing Verdandi was still dressed in the white dress-like gowns each maiden was forced to wear. For now, the clothes would have to wait. From what he'd heard Dr. Sandra say about the maidens is that their nutrition was always priority, whether it was due to metabolism or just the laboratories impatience, Henry really didn't know. "Shall we walk outside to get something to eat? I agree, it's stuffy inside this room." The only thing now that worried him more than being found by Genic was the attention Verdandi would no doubt bring. Her appearance defied everything known about human beauty, exceeding in every single category. Sighing, Henry walked to the motel door and cracked it open, going slow as to keep from startling her. He wouldn't even know where to begin explaining taste to her….

As they left the motel, Henry walked beside Verdandi casually, humming a soft tune to ward of the pending silence drifting in and out between them. Just down the road, close to the motel, was a small cafe styled restaurant. From what Henry could gather on the outside, only one other person was inside, making it a rather ideal place for peace. That, and there were windows everywhere, meaning it wasn't likely the celestial would feel closed in. He stepped ahead of her and opened the door, allowing her to enter first before following. "We find a table we want to sit at," he explained. "Then a woman asks us what we would like to eat. The food is much different than what was given to you at the laboratory. I'll order something and allow you first to taste it, okay?" He didn't believe much of what he was saying was really sinking in. She might not even know what the word taste even meant.

He chose a table directly stationed by one of the large paned windows and sat down, motioning for Verdandi to sit at whichever seat she wanted most. When she sat, a perky young waitress bounded over, stopping short when her eyes met the celestials. Breathless, she handed them each a menu…although Henry watched Verdandi carefully, examining her reaction. The last thing he needed was a runaway celestial in a world she knew barely anything about. "Just bring a small serving of soup, please," he asked the waitress. Any type of soup was likely the best way to introduce Verdandi to taste. But, just in case, he added a small vegetable dish, something that closely resembled one of the dishes served at the laboratory.

When the soup came, Henry kept it by him until it cooled, then with skilled fingers, he took up a spoon and put just a teeny bit in it and gave it to Verdandi. "Soup. Put it in your mouth and tell me if you like it or dislike like."


The raven-haired Celestial scrunched facial expression slightly, undivided attention focused solely on absorbing important pieces of information. A name wasn’t just a word without meaning, the singular lexicon placed recognition and communication on an advanced level unknown to Verdandi. She could’ve gained amazing knowledge of outside workings, if only the white-coated scientists weren’t insular-minded individuals. ’What is my purpose here? The laboratory where I was born….is that the place truly called home?’ The Celestial contemplated, golden-brown eyes fixated on Henry’s masculine features before eyelids fell half-closed as she considered his statement thoughtfully. “Communicate and recognize…..is what name is…right?” Verdandi repeated softly, allowing eyelids to open again and twisting head sideways to follow his movements.

“You are Henry. That object next to me is a table…and the name given to me is Verdandi.” Careful repetition of Henry’s previous explanation stamped itself into the Tennyo’s subconscious mind for later usage, while cellular resources worked on analyzing unfamiliar-looking surroundings. “The people at the laboratory gave everyone different names, We didn’t have any form of liberty to choose what we wanted. Verdandi was the ’name’ given to me by an unknown person…..I can’t state for sure if I like it or not. However…..since I am an object….the name is part of my identity.” Verdandi responded placidly, although undertones of bitterness laced her soft voice. ‘Name? What type of name should we give you? A number would work wonders, but my fellow scientists and I decided on naming you ’Verdandi’. The origins don’t matter, I’m sure you’re already aware of the dazzling future awaiting a woman of extraordinary beauty and grace!’

Pressing petite body against mottled-colored walls, the obsidian-haired Celestial couldn’t help falling back into the customary routine of dreamless nights obscured by masked covered people and machines specialized in testing how much energy an organic creature could produce. Living life at the laboratory was equivalent to a rat trapped inside a mesh cage with little to no hope of escape, the only fate guaranteed came in form of swift termination whenever the scientists grew weary of their test subject. ’Trapped…..’ Her conscious whispered softly, prompting bent knees to begin straightening and soon Verdandi found herself standing unsteadily. Placing lithe hand against cold cement wall, she balanced precariously on graceful legs unused too walking such long distances. The laboratory flooring had always been smooth, with no signs of dirt or abrasions anywhere; perhaps that’s why mandatory cleanliness made grey walls seem bleak. “I wonder where those people are now…?” She trailed of, seemingly unaware of the danger Henry had gone through to liberate her from the very hands working to exploit Heaven’s many treasures. Dropping supporting hand from the cement wall, Verdandi trudged carefully towards paned windows over-looking an exquisite back drop of ocean and vibrant blue skies.

’Such an array of colors! I never thought beauty could exist outside these four walls.’ The young woman mulled, widening citrine hues intent on watching storm petrels dive straight into foamy waters. Nature’s spectacle engrossed her to a point where words wouldn’t break through, at least not until Henry’s growling stomach dissolved Eden altogether. Cocking head sideways and eyes shimmering with an inquisitive light, the heavenly maiden looked somewhat startled “That noise? Did it come from you?” She inquired, hardly noticing Henry’s sheepish smile as curiosity bloomed inside her chest “Eat? I can’t recall ever eating anything…..but those trays filled with bland meals.” Verdandi explained, clearly aware of how tasteless laboratory food could be. Still, the notion of trying new meals enthralled her more than anything.

Leaving curiosity on the backburner, Verdandi glanced down at her odd clothing consisting of a white dress-like gown and pale alabaster-colored flats. Metal tags hung from thin chains around her slender neck, serving two important purposes; identification of the Tennyo wearing them….as well as the name of the scientist. Absentmindedly, the obsidian-haired angel clutched metallic name tags gingerly in her hand as if attempting to hold onto nightmarish dreams, however a single yank at the thin necklace revealed true intent. “No longer am I bounded….to inanimate objects.” She hissed lowly, tossing name tags towards the furthest corner in reach. ’Isn’t it true that an object doesn’t have feelings? The people told me….Celestials experienced very little emotional activity.’ Shaking head to dispel cumbersome thoughts, her mind digested Henry’s words about dressing differently, problem was the young woman didn’t know what type of clothing to wear anyway.

“I’m afraid….this is the only garment available.” Verdandi pointed out, knowing a change of dress might require going back to the laboratory and certainly it was the least favorite of places to visit. ’I would rather die…then ever be locked up again.’ Plus, going outside to eat shouldn’t be such a bad experience, right? Henry appeared dependable, although it seemed he was having a lot of inner troubles lately. “Sure, let’s go eat…I would also love to explore the area a little further.” She finally answered, trailing closely behind the young man until the motel door cracked open. Brilliant shafts of sunlight invaded Verdandi’s unaccustomed eyes, while harsh bird cries resonated through out the England coast. “T-This place is wonderful.” The celestial maiden stammered, boldly taking initiative and stepping out into broad daylight.

Rolling waves slamming into the shoreline, tangy scent of sea salt invading oceanic breezes and impressive panoramic views overwhelmed Verdandi’s sensory system with foreign sensations. “Many sounds! Many colors! Many feelings! I don’t even know where to begin.” She muttered breathlessly, pausing momentarily to look down at the pounding surf licking playfully against beige sand. How would the water feel against her skin? Would she feel cold? Warmth? ‘Let me see….the scientists used this word commonly. Was it water? No…they used another type of terminology…’ Shrugging lithe shoulders nonchalantly, the raven-haired maiden abandoned her futile word search, preferring instead to focus on more urgent matters; such as find the path leading down to the lone restaurant. As the duo drifted further from the motel, Verdandi had fallen into content silence besides Henry, although his soft humming warded tranquility away.

Complete silence didn’t bother her nor did noise, after all laboratories were notorious for having both types of atmosphere, thanks to the emphasis placed on finishing projects. ’Projects….’ She reminisced, golden-brown eyes landing attentively on the small café styled restaurant just at the end of the road. The building appeared tiny in Verdandi’s vision, but distance often caused objects to be deceptive. Narrowing golden-brown hues slightly, the celestial made out a faint outline reflected through crystalline windows built around the entire facility, apparently allowing natural sunlight in without wasting extra resources. ’Plenty of open space….I don’t feel trapped like I did in the motel room.’ She scrutinized mentally, instinctively nodding in acknowledgement as Henry provided instructions. “Alright, I just wonder how the food will taste.” Verdandi commented, obviously unable to grasp exactly what he meant.

Biting inner lip anxiously, Verdandi ambled straight into the strange establishment before watching her companion choose a table next to one of the larger windows. “What should I do?” She muttered beneath her breath, shifting honey-colored eyes to study an interesting array of decorations tacked securely to the white-washed wall. Various flower vases adorned sea foam-tinged shelves, while colorful murals illustrated how rich and varied England’s fishing industry was. Indeed, the open styled restaurant felt airy enough to satisfy the heavenly maiden’s desire for freedom. From the corner of her left eye, the young woman saw Henry motioning her to sit in whichever seat she wanted, however insatiable curiosity wasn’t satisfied just yet. ‘I want to explore more…..’ Still, a bit of compassion for the hungry male wouldn’t hurt at all. Maybe after lunch, he would be willing to give her an exclusive tour of the entire area. ‘One can always hope.’ Verdandi wasn’t choosy of where she sat, of course the chair situated near the massive paned windows became occupied by an overly zealous celestial maiden.

“I’m very impressed by the open atmosphere.” She finally spoke, only to freeze on the spot as the perky waitress appeared out of nowhere, carrying two menus in hand. Shimmering eyes dilated nervously, however the young woman fought desperately to keep herself calm. “Henry…do I have anything on my face? Why was she staring at me?” Verdandi questioned quietly, watching him order soup and a small side order of vegetables. Resting one hand beneath her chin, Verdandi eyed the lukewarm broth briefly until Henry used skilled fingers to scoop out a small amount of soup into the silver spoon. Balancing spoon carefully in her grip, the obsidian-haired Tennyo put the utensil in her mouth and immediately met with an invasion of flavor. “It’s really good…but shouldn’t you focus on eating as well? Don‘t worry about me…I haven‘t felt hungry lately.” Verdandi said matter-of-factly “Tell me….who are you? What is my purpose here? And why did everyone keep referring to me as Tennyo-Type A? When can we leave this forsaken place? I’ve been getting unusual chills since coming out of the room.” She interrogated, handing the spoon back to Henry…though the small side dish remained largely untouched.



Henry remained silent, eyes closed, thought humming relentlessly within the walls of his brain. The questions filtering through the Celestials lips at an alarming rate were expected, and each question deserved a thorough answer, knowledge that Verdandi would take her own way. Slowly, his eyes opened, locking with honey-colored hues briefly before shifting to the window.

"You're different," he said bluntly, his tone remaining kind. "Compared to myself, you are seen as extraordinary, as something ideal and perfect. Humans want perfection, to eradicate flaw and maintain an ideal standard for the future. You aren't human, but the creation of a DNA sample scientists discovered a long time ago. To put it in simple terms, you were created from a being known as a Tennyo, or Angel. Celestial even. You belong in Heaven, not on earth with humans." He returned his cerulean hues back to her, sighing softly. "The laboratory you were at considered you an object, when in reality, you are something much more. You are proof that Heaven exists, a place that gives people hope...a place to look forward to when death consumes them."

When the soup arrived, Henry took in her reaction with a fascinated look. "You shouldn't worry about me," he assured. "Just eat. Right now you may not feel hungry, but even an angelic being needs nutrition... especially since you are not in your natural home like place. Tell me...does the word 'Mana' mean anything to you?" In variations of legends he'd heard as a child during his stay in Japan, there had been a mention of Mana, or life force. He had his suspicions that the Tennyo that died weren't strong enough to be separated for long periods of time from their life force. In the legend...the Tennyo who remained on earth chose to place her mana in a safe haven while she chose to live out a normal human life-span with a man she had fallen in love with. If the stories were true, then there was a chance this Celestial had a chance to return to Heaven where she belonged.

"There's a Celestial who survived, but I was not able to get her out in time. She is still at the laboratory. Do you...sense others like you?" Another portion of the legend was that the original celestial had children...who then had children of their own, thus leaving descendants. Likely they were spread all throughout Japan. Perhaps it would be wise to find more out about the legend if it truly did apply to this particular Tennyo....


'Unanswerable questions continue to haunt me.’ The heavenly maiden contemplated mentally, distraught worries gnawing away at her stomach. Why? Why did nervousness make itself present? Why did Verdandi feel fright by the unknown? Shouldn’t she place all her trust in Henry? Amid a torrent of inquires haunting her fragile mental state, Verdandi kept golden-brown hues purposefully locked with Henry’s cerulean ones, as she waited for his response. ’Are you doubting him already? He hasn’t shown any interest in betraying you has he? In fact….his intentions are pure and without selfish reason.’ Swallowing dryly, the Tennyo dissected each word carefully. Betrayal. Selfish. Pure. Among those three words spoken in her consciousness, Verdandi placed more emphasis on the first two lexicons.

Experiencing ambition first hand from white coated scientists made trusting anyone nearly impossible, but Henry on the other hand was an exception. Primal instincts possessed by Tennyo could distinguish between friend or foe, that is if those innate senses weren’t suppressed via metallic bracelets, specifically made to hold down an angel’s vengeful streak. ’I shouldn’t allow myself to relax….although I feel quite safe here.’ She told herself absentmindedly, petite fingers tightening around the spoon’s thin handle. ’We can’t let you go! The future is within our grasp…soon a new world will flourish…thanks to the discovery of real living and breathing creatures!’ Objects? Is that really how the scientists perceived their precious experiments to be? ‘I’m alive…aren’t I?’ Petite facial features creased slightly, marring pallid skin with taut lines of concentration ’What a silly question!’.

Shoving aside cumbersome thoughts, the raven-haired Celestial kept herself in total silence until Henry’s blunt, but kind tone spoke out. Loosening hand from around the spoon, Verdandi’s shimmering eyes expressed visible interest in his explanation, while lithe body tensed unconsciously beneath the dress-like gown. The young woman may not be fully aware of innate instincts, her cells though recognized every single sentiment and power surge conducted by subtle maturing of molecular structures occurring within.

“I’m different?” She inquired lowly “Different from a human? Even though I possessed two legs and humanoid appearance….I’m still considered as being different? I can’t understand…no I don’t understand! Perfection is just a stupid ideology! After all….I’m not entirely different from the rest of my brethren in the laboratory…..we came from a DNA sample what glory do people find in that? We might have come from a heavenly being’s genetic material…but still we are missing our identity.” Verdandi responded, anger causing her steady tone to waver “Extraordinary. I don’t consider myself extraordinary….I haven’t shown even the slightest amount of strength to those people. Now that I think about it…there was always talk about how amazing other specimens were.” The young woman paused momentarily, taking Henry’s last words into serious consideration. Heaven and hope. Her very existence gave humanity proof of divine Eden? ’Should I feel honored?’ Verdandi mulled ’No…if existing means abuse of heavenly powers…then I refuse to participate in human’s quest to eradicate imperfections.’ She promised herself, golden-brown hues hardening in determination.

Grinding teeth back and forth, the obsidian-haired Tennyo glanced down at her reflection etched onto the spoon’s polished surface. Raven colored hair tinged with blue highlights, luminescent topaz eyes, and graceful feminine features stared back from the inanimate exterior, further dampening Verdandi’s mood for lunch. How could she eat nonchalantly, when the entire truth had just been spoken? How could the young woman keep herself calm after everything? “Henry…thank you for answering my questions.” The heavenly maiden mumbled her gratitude, placing ladle back into the lukewarm broth. ’My appetite continues to dwindle, but he is right…..I need strength.’ Petite shoulders sagged in defeat, as a small smile touched Verdandi’s soft lips “You’re right, I should eat at least to keep my strength from fading. Still, you should eat as well…otherwise I‘ll also worry.” Wrapping willowy digits around thin handle, she mimicked Henry’s earlier gesture of adding soup to the spoon, before placing it in her mouth and swallowing the savory liquid.

However, the mention of ‘Mana’ caused Verdandi to suddenly freeze in place as memories of an ancient symbol resurfaced from obscure depths, somehow triggered by fresh knowledge that she was a Tennyo. Hands loosened considerably, dropping eating utensil onto the Formica table with a strident melodic sound. “Just now…..I saw a familiar symbol appear in my head.” She said, blinking widening eyes several times “Since being created in the laboratory…..I’ve been seeing the same sign appear time and time again. Mana? I…I can’t remember exactly what it does, but instinct tells me it’s important.” The raven-haired female answered truthfully, running slender fingers through glossy black tresses. ’Mana? I’ve heard that term used before, but the details continue to elude me.’ Verdandi brooded, feeling slightly disappointed at her own naivety. Shouldn’t a Tennyo be proverbial with certain terms and usage of powers?

“I’m sorry…Henry. The extent of my knowledge is minimal….I only remember what the people in the laboratory said…now I’m partially aware of why those individuals treated ’me’ with utmost care.” Her smile faded instantly as she heard the news of another surviving Celestial still trapped in that hellish facility. “Another survivor…like me? Still trapped in hell?” All thoughts of nourishment quickly vacated Verdandi’s mind, while the heavenly maiden nodded mechanically “Yes, we Tennyo can sense each other without hindrance. Unless…specialized barriers are used to blind our sense of awareness.” She explained, drumming fingers lightly against table top. ’I must rescue that Celestial at any cost.’ Squaring jaw mulishly, Verdandi turned towards Henry “While…I’m here wallowing in freedom…..she is trapped with those people. I can’t stand idly by anymore….Henry! I must do something.” Sliding swiftly out of her seat, the heavenly maiden tried bolting towards the glass doors only to stop mere inches from opening said object. “Returning is like committing suicide…..I barely know about myself…yet here I am wanting to rescue someone.” Pressing forehead against cool glass surface, Verdandi muttered out loud “Henry…before I do anything hasty…I want to know where my true origins lie. Will you help me find myself?”