Guardian Angel Deku

Highway to Hell

Ibara Shiozaki was deeply afraid for her angelic peer. She could feel the... wrongness in the air. There was already something off about her... companion... but after finding out she was a Demon Princess... things made more sense. Now, though, it was clear that she had been telling the truth, as eventually... The group of four reached a room, with glass and metal splitting the space in half. One one side, the human half, there was computer setups and monitoring equipment, with energy readings and more analysis of the object in the other half. Stuff she didn't, or wouldn't ever recognize or understand. In the center of the opposing wall was an airlock of sorts. To keep others from accessing the Vatican proper through that gate... or to stop mortals from getting through. Through the glass... an ancient stone structure could be seen. A simplistic gate, but with carved designs on them. The old stone doors had figures that she didn't recognize. On the right door, was a robed woman, the chisel work reflected that she wore a darker cloak, used a scythe as a walking stick, while extending her free hand out towards the crack in the door. Meanwhile, the other side had a man with frazzled hair with lighter robes, and a... is that a knife? A scalpel-like blade angled back, held in a reverse grip behind him, with a hand extended towards the other figure.

The doorframe, however, had different carvings around the side. Of fire and brimstone, with seven figures. One, though... bore a striking resemblance to the redheaded woman, the self proclaimed demon... if that didn't confirm it, nothing else would, at this point.

What drew her attention away from the door, however, was the fact that Uraraka stiffened, immediately recognizing the larger figures on the door.

Concern lining the vinette's voice, she asked, "Uraraka? What's wrong...?"
Shaking her head, the brunette spoke up to her friend, while the other two adults listened, "Nothing's wrong... it's just sinking in that I've met them both."

That didn't make sense... not in her rational, albeit theologically informed mind. But... she wouldn't doubt someone who knows more than them. The Pope confirmed as much that this, all of this, was real. And since she clearly had firsthand experiences with them... who better to ask? "Who... are they?"

She pointed to the figure on the right, the one with the scythe. "That... is Lady Death. The grim reaper. She's... terrifying... yet, soothing? It's hard to describe to people that don't know." She then pointed to the other, "Senior Researcher Life. Harsh, caring, yet unrestrained. Believes wholeheartedly in survival of the fittest." She paused, before saying outright. "Lady Death gave me my diagnosis. Life healed my body. Now... I have to strengthen my soul."

"By going from Hell to Heaven..." Shiozaki finished, Just as Dante did for his Beatrice... and this... demon... is his Virgil... but after a moment of thinking, she came to a startling realization: Why must she do this?  The simple question made her wonder more, eventually causing her to ask: "There is one thing that does not... make sense to me. Why must you do this? Go through this trial? Your soul was more than strong enough before..."

The Pope was also curious, but didn't say anything to push the issue. Not least of which was because Katrina was there as well.

It was then that the angelic girl turned to her, facing her properly. This was the first time they had met in a long time, and it was clear that she had changed greatly. Before, she was pale, with rosy cheeks, brown hair, and brown eyes... but this time, her eyes were heterochromic, one green, one chocolate, framed by similarly heterochromatic hair. It was truly something that hinted at something deeper. Her eyes alone were a little mesmerizing, radiating a kind of power she couldn't understand... a different kind to Katrina, but something which left her unprepared for the next question. "I promise to tell the others later... but can you keep what I tell you secret? For now?"
Surprised, she nodded. The brunette glanced at the Pope, who nodded silently. She was placing immense trust in him, and he knew almost as much as she did, through second hand knowledge.