The Afterparty

[Mariella]

"Will we beat the DEvils.. ?
"I can't answer that, my dear.."

A circle of green light approached her, but she wasn't ready for the step back to life..

"Wait.. you don't ask me, in what shape, I wanna go back ? You always asked me, before you send me away.."

"I thought, there was no other shape than the Angel.. You want to beat the DEvils.."
"Can we match that, when the third on is also a wight ?"

"Look in there, my sweetness" the voice said and a window opened in the middle of the hall..

She saw Browning, frustrated, cause the alc didn't work, and two friends were gone whitout a chance of saying good bye..
Tears were running over his face and he was wearing a smile that could have bring fear into the world..
"I need a new ship", she heard him say..
It broke her heart, to see him standing there, alone and full of pain..

Then the window changed its shape and color..
She saw a place within the green clouds of Omicron Alpha.. On the first sight, she only saw the wrecks of a few brave men, that lived times ago..
Then she noticed the black Sabre..
"No", she shouted.. "He's not allowed to do that.."

"He's already cold, darling" the voice answered.. "Choose the human shape, and you will be too late.."

"The Angel-shape. Quick!!" She closed her eyes and waited for the pain of rebirth as Mariella, again.
"This way or that way, Nightfall, we won't come together.."

With a flashing ray of light, she entered the world of the living, again..
She found herself in a black Avenger with golden tips on her wings.. the badge of her final existence.
**********
Nightfall was cold. His brain refused to work and the shadows of death were already surrounding him..
"Mariella.. Me.." she heard his thoughts.. "Kill.."
Suddenly, he felt a heat that was nearly barbarous.. "so that's, how the end feels.. aurevoir, Malta.. - keep my orange-fields"
**********
With an Outcast in her cargohold, he left the dimension and moved on the tracks apart..
She noticed a kind of scream - someone was angry - a DEvil.. just slipped out of her view..
Within seconds, she reached the Ampoliros.

"Ampoliros, this is Mariella.. get me Browning into the docking bay and give permission to land..
Your Boss is in my cargo hold and needs some Anejo, Browning knows, where it is.."
**********
Browning stood already in the bay, grinning, when the cockpit of the Avenger opened..
"I thought it might be a good idea to bring the complete chest with me" He was smiling from ear to ear
and took her in his arms. "Welcome back, honey, glad you made it back and brought the dumbass with you.."
He pointed with the opened bottle on her ship: Golden wing-tips on a black Avenger.. it suits you"

She sended the medic-staff away and said: "He needs a drink.. that's all.."

While Mendoza held the Anejo on Nightfalls mouth, Mariella took Brownings hand, leading him some steps away..

"I am again an Angel.. not a human being.."

He raised an eye-brow, took a sip and said: "good for us, honey.." he turned his head to Night, "but bad for him."
Covering her shoulders, he said: "Come with me.."

He gave her his blowrag - she urgently needed to dry her eyes..

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