Fallen

Chapter Three

My Name Is Azrael

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Feather Duster was having another rough day on the job, being a maid in Canterlot castle was truly an honor. But when she was assigned to the sections of the castle that prince Blueblood spent most of his time? Feather had many stressful days of the week. Today was no exception, and she could already feel a throbbing in the back of her head. Hopefully a migraine would not set in before she was done with her tasks.

While Feather Duster was cleaning one of the noble's studies, a duster held in her mouth as she worked. She had just flown up to dust the top of a bookshelf when she heard a sneeze from below her. Feather narrowed her eyes as she prepared for what she knew was going to come.

"You peasant! Can you not see I am reading here? Go clean elsewhere if you insist on kicking up dust into the air!" Scolded the terror of the maid staff, prince Blueblood.

Feather answered this with a sarcastic salute and flew off to another room to clean, grumbling under her breath. Blueblood 'harrumphed' at this and went back to his reading. In a mere minute however he was distracted again by the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Blueblood looked up to the doorway with an incredulous look on his face as he beheld the maid he had just scolded with an evil grin and the vacuum in her hooves.

"You will pay for your insolence!" Blueblood yelled as he dropped his book and took off in the direction of the maid Feather Duster.

"You will have to catch me first princess" Feather chuckled darkly as she hopped on the vacuum and propelled herself down the hallway with her wings.

Blueblood gritted his teeth as a vein began to bulge on the side of his temple. He would have used his magic to grab the maid of he was thinking straight, but he was currently seeing red. Nobody called him princess.

The two chased each other through the halls twisting and turning in the maze that was the castle. Feather finally lost control however of her makeshift getaway vehicle, and she crashed through a set of doors. Blueblood jumped into the room after her and tackled her to the ground as she began to pick herself up. The two wrestled with each other, and though one would think a stallion of Bluebloods size would have no trouble with a petite mare like feather, the match was near even.

"Ahem..." The pair froze at this, both mid swing, hooves near each other's faces.

"Care to explain?" princess Celestia asked, an eyebrow quirked up. The pair had crashed into one of the spa rooms where Celestia currently sat and soaked in the hot water of a mineral bath.

Blueblood was the first to recover the ability to speak, "This peon had the audacity to trouble me while I was reading, and she then called me a princess."

"He was being a stuck up jerk and got in the way when I was trying to clean." Father returned.

"Well, I normally don't have a problem with small pranks like that... But why the violence? Perhaps I should suspend your duties for a while Feather. Just to have you see a therapist. I know the work around the castle can be stressful." Celestia cut in before the fighting could resume.

"No, thank you princess... But with due respect... I quit." Feather turned her nose in the air and walked out on a stunned Blueblood and Celestia.

Blueblood after a minute looked over to Celestia, and smiled sheepishly. Celestia shook her head and rose from her bath.

"We are going to have a talk before I lose more of my staff." Celestia said calmly.

Celestia had just finished scolding Blueblood when Luna walked in to the throne room. Blueblood walked past the princess of the night with his tail between his legs as he hurried out. Luna gave this a quizzical look before turning to her sister.

"One of our maids quit because she got into a fight with Blueblood." Celestia exlpained.

"But sister, why then wouldst you talk with Blueblood? If the maid hath not the desire to work it is her own right to leave." Luna argued.

"They got into a physical hoof fight with each other." Celestia said as she rubbed her temple with a hoof.

"They what?!" Luna exclaimed.

"Yes, they burst in on me while I was having a bath and they were fighting." Celestia said.

Captain Shining Armor then walked into the room flanked by a few guards who had an earth stallion cuffed behind them.

"My princesses I have here a criminal that awaits your judgement on him." Shining said as he walked up and bowed before the princesses.

"You have a what..." Celestia said slowly.

"This criminal was found beating his wife, a most heinous crime." Shining said sternly.

"I-I don't know what came over myself I swear!" pleaded the stallion.

"How is his wife?" Celestia asked softly.

"She has been hospitalized but she is stable..." Shining said solemnly.

"But sister, you said Canterlot hath been free of any sort of crime for a hundred years now..." Luna mumbled

"It was..." Celestia said as she stared at the first pony to be sent to the Canterlot dungeons in almost a hundred years.

A week had passed since Feather Duster had quit her job, and she was currently living off of her savings from working as a maid. Albeit this was a fair sum, the maid staff were paid well for their hard work and they did not have to pay for things such as room and board while working. But things had gone terribly wrong.

The first few days were like a dream come true, Feather had found an apartment to live in and she had been stress free. But by the fourth day she began to notice how much the ponies of Canterlot truly were jerks. While in the marketplace to buy some fresh produce Feather had gotten into an argument with one of the stall owners. Since then she just could not shake the feeling of anger she felt all the time.

It only grew worse with each passing day, her headaches grew more often, the throbbing often was unbearable. Today she swore to herself however, was going to be different. She was not going to give in to her anger and argue, she was going to be bright and cheery to everypony she met. Perhaps acting positive would result in a positive outcome.

As feather left her apartment instead of brushing him off, she gave the geeky looking apartment owner a bright smile and asked how his morning was. The stallion gave a nervous smile and they had a short conversation before Feather returned on towards the market place again.

Feather headed straight towards the mare she had the argue with a few days previous.

"Back to tell me my goods aren't worth what I charge again?" The mare scoffed.

"No, I came to apologise, I was in the wrong and I should not have yelled at you." Feather started. The clerk looked at her with a surprised look.

"Oh... Well... Apology accepted, and I am sorry too I guess." the mare said nervously.

The two shook hooves and Feather walked off to buy some tomatoes so she could make a salad later. Things were already looking up for her as she went on with her errands. Perhaps she would even look for a job tomorrow. Many nobles lived in Canterlot, most of them not even at the castle, somepony was sure to need a maid.

On her way home however, Feather Duster was stopped by her landlord.

"Hey, um... I was wondering if you... Wanted to go out sometime..." The nervous stallion started good, but was mumbling by the end.

Feather was stunned by this, she was flattered at the honest advance, but she had no interest in the geeky looking stallion.

"Oh, I'm sorry but... I uh... Am kinda not interested in a relationship at the moment..." Feather said with a smile as she slipped past the stallion, her shopping bags held under her wings.

The stallion hung his head, and as Feather disappeared from his view, a single tear fell to the ground.

A few days had passed, and Feather's job hunt had finally turned out in success. She was going to start her new job next week, working for a rich fashion critic Hoity Toity. She was giddy for her new job, but she had a nagging feeling she was hired more for her looks than for her impressive resume of working at the Canterlot Castle for three years.

But that did not matter, she was finally back on her hooves. Her life was looking better already. Her pay was not going to be as good, but she was going to be staying at the maids quarters and no longer needed to pay for a room.

Feather was going to tell her landlord that she no longer needed the apartment, but as she opened her door to leave he was already there.

"Oh hey, I was just looking for you. I found another job and starting next week I won't need to keep renting this room." Feather said with a smile.

The landlord only glared back at her.

"It's okay though... you can keep the rest of the months rent, and still rent out the room. I understand we had a contract for the entire month." Feather said nervously.

The landlord pushed Feather further into the room and closed the door behind him. He then turned to her, the glare still present on his face. He slowly advanced on her.

"Hey umm, what are you-" Feather was cut off by a hoof smashing into her face.

The landlord continued to lay into the mare as she quivered on the floor and was mercilessly beaten. With each collision, a dull fleshy sound was released. The landlord openly wept as he glared down at Feather and continued his assault on her face.

Fifteen minutes passed of Feather screaming and whimpering before a guard finally broke down the door, having been informed by a passing pony of the commotion. The landlord was taken to the castle, and Feather Duster was sent to the hospital.

Feather awoke a full three days later, she opened her eyes slowly and took in the sterile white environment of a hospital. A nurse with a red cross cutie mark was adjusting her pillow, and looked down as she noticed Feather's eyes were open.

"Hey there, don't worry you're stable now." The nurse said.

"W-where..." Feather mumbled out. Her whole face was numb, and it was difficult to move her jaw.

"No! don't try to talk... Your jaw was broken, and the doctor's magic could only mend so much of the damage. If you strain too much it could reopen some of the cracks." The nurse said.

"My new job..." Feather mumbled.

"Sorry but... About that... Your employer wanted us to let you know you don't have to worry about that, and they already have your replacement." The nurse said with a solemn look.

Feather slumped and the throbbing of a headache began again, she had just gotten back on her hooves. Now this...

Luna had just raised the moon, and she returned to the throne room to meet her sister. But when she arrived in the throne room Shining Armor was there again, talking to Celestia. Over the last few weeks this had become a common occurrence.

"What happened this time, hath crime rates risen again?" Luna said wearily to the solemn look her sister gave her.

"No Luna... Remember the maid that left and was hospitalized three days ago?" Celestia asked.

Luan nodded in response, she remembered hearing about that quite well. The mare's landlord had asked her out, and she had turned him down. A few days later he had assaulted her and left her hospitalized. Luna found this especially atrocious due to the fact that the stallion felt no remorse for his actions.

"I just received word that... She committed suicide in the hospital..." Celestia said. Luna the noticed how red her sister's eyes were, she was on the verge of crying.

"S-suicide! But... Nopony hath committed suicide in over a thousand years, even during Discord's reign nopony even considered it." Luna said, unwilling to believe what she had heard.

"It is true, she bit her own tongue off and bled slowly to death... The doctors and nurses did not find her in time for she his herself in a closet when she committed the act..." Celestia said.

"Princesses... What is going on? First crime and now this, Is there something causing all of this?" Shining said, looking between Celestia and Luna.

Celestia rubbed her forehead with a hoof, and Luna took note of this, "Sister, you hath had headaches a lot lately... Is something wrong?

"Well Luna... To be honest I have been feeling a little off. Every time I hear of these crimes and such I get so... Angry." Celestia said through gritted teeth

Luna and Shining exchanged glances before Luna spoke up again, "Sister, when did the headaches start? Perhaps what is affecting our ponies is what is giving you these headaches."

"Well they began shortly after... Daring..." Celestia froze and her eyes widened.

"Did Daring mention something about the angel Luna? I can't remember correctly with this throbbing..." Celestia said her teeth still gritted.

"Oh no..." Luna mumbled her eyes becoming as round as dinner plates.

"What was that sister? Please speak up it is becoming hard to focus, I think this is going to turn into a migraine... " Celestia said.

"Sister, I think she mentioned the angel had fallen into wrath..." Luna stated, as she began to cast her eyes about the shadows.

"Princesses... What is an angel?" Shining said, a nervous look on his face.

"Angels are ancient beings that used to be the personal soldiers of the gods... There are not that many left these days supposedly. Most of them were supposed to have died according to legend." Celestia explained, holding her head in her hooves.

"Sister, should I fetch a doctor to get some medicine for you?" Luna said, taking a step towards Celestia.

"That will not be necessary." A voice that seemed to emanate from every direction called.

Celestia suddenly jumped from her throne and bucked in pain before collapsing onto the floor weeping from the migraine.

"Hmm, you are not taking my gift all that well are you? Hold on, I will take it back..." The voice called again.

Celestia suddenly stopped moving. Luna's breath caught in her throat, as did Shining's. After a moment Celestia picked herself up off the ground however, and she turned her attention to the shadow that hung in the corner of the throne room.

"I know you are there angel, what do you want? your kind has left this world alone for longer than even I have been around. Why are you here now?" Celestia said, her voice filled with bravery, despite the shaken look on her face.

"We have left this world alone because the last of the gods bound us to different places across the world. Do not fret however, I come in good faith that we can be friends..." The voice trailed off into a hiss at the end. The shadows in the corner of the room drew in upon each other and began to take form.

Out of the darkness stepped a pale skinned bipedal being, with long, straight black hair on the top of its head. It wore a bright white toga, that left open the right half of its chest and part of its stomach. The toga stood stark against the jet black wings that were folded against it's back. The eyes though, were the most captivating feature of the angel. The irises glowed a deep crimson, and were held in a pitch black sea where the whites of his eyes should have been.

The angel's face held scars over both eyes, starting above each eye, and continuing to the top of his cheeks, as if his eyes had been cut out at some point. His expression held a carefree smile, that clashed with the intensity of his gaze. Celestia fought down her shivering, and pressed on.

"What have you done to my little ponies?" Celestia's voice held barely suppressed anger.

"There it is! Let your anger show, do not hide it." The angel's carefree smile turned into a joyous grin.

"Tell me now!" Screamed Celestia.

"I have given them the gift of anger and wrath. A trait that this world seems to lack in..." The angel said offhandedly as he looked around the throne room.

"Wrath... Your wrath had caused crime to start! A pony committed suicide today!" Celestia was furious, and the angel seemed to revel in it.

"All violent crime starts in anger... And what more violent a crime than to harm oneself? All anger and violence falls under my gift of wrath. Why? Do you not enjoy it? All the gods before you reveled in the carnage wrath and greed brought upon the mortals." The angel explained, a look of confusion on his face.

"I am not a god." Celestia confirmed.

"You may not call yourself one, but look how your precious 'little ponies' depends on you and worship you. You are a god, though a more pure and innocent one than any I have ever seen before. Your sister too, though she has a linger scent of envy on her..." The angel eyed over Luna.

"If I am a god then why do you not fear me?" Celestia puffed out her chest, gaining courage.

"Because, unlike the others I have a unique power among the angels." The angel then ran his fingers through his long hair and flared his wings as he yawned.

"A-and what would that be?" Luna finally spoke up.

"I can take the life of an immortal god..." The angel said with a vicious smirk.

Celestia and Luna froze, to take the life of an immortal was unheard of. Sure immortal did not mean invincible, often times immortal beings were sealed away once they had run rampant for too long. But to be killed? The whole reason Luna was banished and Discord sealed was because of this fact.

"I thought you would enjoy the power one can gain off of the blood of mortals. But I see I was wrong, and I will admit that. Truly I was trying to thank you for freeing me from the garden I was bound to. I am glad to be free, even if it means I cannot return to see my brother's grave." The angel took on a more solemn pose.

Before Celestia or Luna could respond the angel melded back into the shadows, and after a brief moment, light again retook the corner as the shadows faded. Celestia and luna both fell on their rumps. This entire time, all this crime was meant to be a thanks to them.

"Truly the world was a darker place before discord took reign." Celestia stated numbly.

"You don't think all this could have caused him to break free again do you?" Luna said as she looked out the window towards the gardens.

"No, Discord would not emerge if he felt the angel's presence. He apparently knew of this angel if it really came from Eden. He told me once that the only things he feared was boredom, and the one trapped in the Garden of Eden..." Celestia looked over to where Shining armor had fainted halfway through the angel's visit.

The guard captain then began to stir and picked himself up, "What happened... Wait, where did the angel go?"

"He left in peace, though I fear what his influence will have on this world..." Celestia stated.

"Let us hope instead of 'gifting' us with crime, he instead gifts us with peace." Luna huffed, still embarrassed about fearing the angel.

"How did we free him though? Daring was the one that went to Eden..." Celestia mumbled.

"The sword!" Luna exclaimed.

The sisters shared a glance, then took off to the vault. After teleporting inside they found the angel sitting on a throne inside the vault, the sword lay across his lap, no longer on fire. And held in his hands was the element of loyalty. His eyes no longer glowed as if they were burning coals as he eyed the element.

"I was loyal once... To both the kingdom of heaven and to my kin. But when I had to choose between them... I lost them both." The angel looked up, and a crimson tear of blood ran down his cheek.

Celestia and Luna stared, glancing between the angel and the element. The angel then dropped the element on the ground, grabbed his sword and faded into darkness once more, taking the throne with him, and leaving only the necklace that represented loyalty on the floor.

A single pegasus stallion walked through the streets of ponyville. Normally the streets were bustling with activity, but everypony was outside Ditzy Do's house, for her famous cousin was back in town. Daring however, had snuck out a back door and evaded the crowd of fans. She was looking over her shoulder when she bumped into the stallion.

"Oof, sorry. hey please don't tell anypony where... I... Icarus?" Daring looked up to the tall stallion she had spent three days in the Garden of Eden with, but his eyes were shut.

When he opened them Daring took a step back and gasped. She then began to shake her head and mumble to herself. The Stallion was a spitting image of Icarus, white coat, long black mane. But his eyes were a deep crimson. Daring then noticed his cutie mark was the same old tome as Icarus had.

"No, not anymore. I am his master." The stallion said to Daring, a smirk on his face as he towered over her.

"And my name is Azrael"