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.
Agreeing, Ochako began to explain, "Well... my quirk "awakening" wasn't due to my actual quirk. It was because months before, when she..." The brunette angel glanced at the carved depiction of death, "...placed another soul in me. Of a boy named Izuku Midoriya. He killed himself because of borderline torture for his quirkless status. He's actually a really kind guy, once you get to know him..."
"Wait, you're possessed?" The Pope asked, his voice tight. Suicide was considered a sinful act by the church... but he was more concerned with that possible effect on her.
"No. It's not possession." Katrina interrupted. Her voice was slightly colder, meeting "It's different. And suicide... isn't a sin. We don't... can't use that for... power. Lady Death clearly didn't... jam... the two together, she tried to make it a balance, but it's unstable. That... is why we are heading to Hell. Dark and Light... two sides of a coin... and necessary."
"I... see..." The Pope turned back to the gates, while Shiozaki asked, "Is that why... the green eyes, and highlights?"
Ochako smiled slightly, nervously. The Midoriya name was a bit of a give away. "Yes."
Looking into both eyes, the vinette asked, curious, but also worried for her. "Can... can he speak?"
"Yes." The head angled to the right, only showing the green eye as she spoke, "Hi... um... I don't normally speak to you directly, but you're all very nice... better than the first class, if I'm being honest... except Hagakure, she's the best."
So that's Midoriya... Ibara and the Pope mused, the elder man interrupting the nice moment of introduction. "Well, you... three... must get moving. I'm sure Yūdō-tō is missing you, Ibara Shiozaki."
"Of course. I should not halt your journey." The vine haired girl leaned over to give her a hug. After a moment, she let go, before realizing she hugged a boy, tangentially. "Or both your journeys."
With the words of goodbye said, there was nothing left to hold them back from leaving. It was at this point that Julius gestured to the airlock, which the interior door opened with a hiss. The three technicians operating the space watched as both the Demoness and the angelic girl entered it, sealing it behind them, and then opening the door on the other side. Stepping through, the first thing that Ochako obviously noticed was was how... heavy the air was. Damp, warm, yet... a little hard to breathe. It was clear that it hadn't had clear ventilation in a while.
Katrina's sleepy drawl interrupted their thoughts. "They built that... checkpoint... to make sure undesirable... demons don't use this gate. No air... no lingering demons... besides... there are more throughout the world, but... they aren't well known. And I hope to keep it that way." Katrina stepped towards the gate and placed a hand on the door with Life on it. Red light traced the outlines of the carvings, indicating an activation of magic... demonic magic. After a few moments, the door swung inwards... revealing a dark tunnel. Covered in a faint red glow, it was easy enough to follow. Especially since there were cracks of an angry yellow color, almost like magma.
"Angels first..." the demoness gestured ahead, and Ochako sighed. The air was fresher there... technically... and there was no turning back.
"Right..." Striding forward, Katrina followed right behind, the gates of Hell closing behind them, solidifying their exit from the mortal world.
Walking through the tunnel, Izuku asked, glancing behind them. "What is... Hell like? Is all like this? Hot and lava based?"
She laughed, after all, if it was all lava and heat, then there would be nothing left for them. No place to live, survive... thrive... "Oh, no. We're just passing through... the Upper Mantle..." Ochako blanched, clearly wanting to hear how they could possibly justify that. She knew astronomy and geology, as it concerned her quirk and her natural interest in space. And, fortunately for the brunette, they didn't have to wait long as Katrina continued, "Hell itself is... hidden... behind an iron and nickel shield. The power of my mother, Tenebris... allows us to... live... there, separate from the rest of the world." That just gave her more questions. For once, Izuku realized what it was like to always be peppered with questions he didn't have the answers for. Some of the highlights included the realization that the Outer Core of the Earth itself was just... a shield. That alone shattered what she knew. Granted, nobody had ever visited the Earth's inner core. Nobody had ever been to the upper mantle, never mind the core, and survived. They'd be the first in that, yet again... "Wait... if the Outer Core is just a shield... how, no, why does it create a magnetic field?"
Katrina shrugged, "I do not... know... mother could tell... but she is... secretive..."
It was still unbelievable. "And you just... live in the inner core?"
"What... you theorize... to be the inner core... doesn't exist..." She said, but then smiled, "I am... not going to spoil anything more... just..." She noticed that the walls started to shine, and held onto her hat. There was a steel button on it, drawing the wide brimmed straw hat upwards. Clearly under the influence of magnetism. "We are now... passing through the shield..."
It was a short journey, relatively speaking. Only five minutes before they reached another large stone door... and then exited. They were on a high cliff, where she couldn't see anything yet, but once she'd get to the edge, she would.
Katrina strode past, and looked beyond the rocky cliff. Sighing appreciatively, yet, with a sense of forboding, the woman smiled, "Ah... to be... home... again..."
The duo souled individual slowly strode to see the view the demoness clearly appreciated... and gasped.
It was absolutely beautiful.