He was born incomplete, while his counterpart was born too complete. On his back was half of a demon's wing, while the other was born with an angel's and a demon's.
Fang glanced at the brunette. It was visible that he was hiding something. Something big. Something important. Something celestial. He could tell by the way he carried himself: a silent gesture of serenity and judgemental power.
If his gut hadn't sealed the deal before, Boboiboy's behaviour certainly did. He always had a healing factor that no one was able to decode or interpret, its regenerative abilities similar to Fang's. Perhaps a little too close for comfort, but it solidified his theory.
The only question was: what was he?
Coming from a long line of fallen angels, Fang had learned to hide, to obscure those that didn't make him seem human-like. He'd always thought he was alone on Earth, but apparently not.
Angels can't sense demons and demons can't sense angels, so Boboiboy had to be a demon. Despite this, he seemed inexperienced. He didn't know how to mask his aura just yet. Fortunately, those who surrounded him were humans, whose scent masked his growing one.
When Fang met him, he could tell that he was definitely a celestial being. Boboiboy wasn't powerful in a godly manner, but as a hero, he was a force to be reckoned with. His elemental abilities surpassed his celestial traits and gifts by miles to come.
With them growing older and their presences growing stronger, Kaizo pulled Fang aside during a team training.
"I sense demon blood on one of your friends," he said. "It's faint, but it's there."
Fang nodded. "I know. Do you know which one?"
Their eyes fell on the elemental manipulator in sync.
"Of course." Fang curled his lip.
Kaizo sighed. "Refrain from coming in physical contact with Boboiboy. Until he admits his lineage, I'll keep a close watch on him."
Either Boboiboy was blissfully oblivious of his heritage, or Fang was digging too shallow. He'd asked questions regarding Boboiboy's childhood. He glared at the back of Boboiboy's jacket so hard that Ying had to snap him out of it.
"Oh, come on!" Fang cursed at himself when Boboiboy confronted him on his actions.
Boboiboy frowned. "Honestly, you could've just asked. If you're a celestial being, I got nothing to hide. You're not wrong about me being a demon, but I don't think I'm going to fight you anytime soon."
He removed his orange jacket. A folded black wing was beneath the fabric. The wing resembled a bat's, but there was only one. Fang gawked at this sudden discovery.
Boboiboy stretched the one wing. "I was born incapacitated. I can't fly; I can't use magic—and I don't know why. I gave up searching after I met Ochobot. Can't afford to let anyone else know."
Fang nodded hastily. "O-of course."
"You're a celestial, aren't you? Can I see your wings?" Boboiboy seemed like a kindergartener rather than an immortal being.
Reluctantly, Fang slipped his sleeveless jacket down. A pair of wings stretched through, its size nearly similar to the ceiling. One wing was pure silver, the other pitch black, a sinister version of Boboiboy's.
Boboiboy poked at a feather. "Let me guess: Fallen angel? Wonder how Kaizo survives this."
Fang's expression darkened. His wings drooped. "He severed his own wings for the sake of combat. He can use magic, but not as potent as before."
"The things people do for power," Boboiboy murmured, returning its jacket to its original place. "I mean, why would he do that? Isn't celestial magic sufficient for him to survive?"
"You're not wrong, but remember that celestials—even you—are hunted down. I don't know why your wing is in its predicament, but it has something to do with your personality." Fang grimaced at the memory of Boboiboy's measly demon wing the size of half a door. "Demons aren't meant to be... soft. Like you."
Boboiboy shrugged. In a sense, Fang was correct. There was a nagging suspicion that his heroism had interfered with his demon growth or whatever, but it was never testified. Now with the theory coming from a more experienced celestial, it could be true.
All his life, he'd wanted to be complete. Demons had no parents, since they were borne from pain and suffering from the mortal world. Each demon represented a negative emotion.
Boboiboy was born of a mix of bloodlust and sadism.
He was meant to be the most powerful demon, since his base traits were extreme. However, he wasn't like that. He couldn't act insane even if he tried. Something had to be wrong.
Unlike angels or fallen angels, demons survived by feeding on emotion. The stronger the emotion, the more filling it would be. Boboiboy hadn't fed for years, which could explain his height and lack in masculine structure.
Fang hadn't told Kaizo about Boboiboy. He needed to solve him out before anyone else did. It would complicate matters if someone discovered any of their identities.
Being half-demon, Fang was able to assist Boboiboy in balancing his elemental powers with his non-existent demon traits. This proved to be futile, because the damn shorty wouldn't even show the slightest bit of anger in just about anything, even remaining calm to the point when Fang strangled him with a shadow snake and the guy still was a saint.
"Will you just be angry at me for a moment!" Fang hissed, shaking Boboiboy's shoulders violently. He was supposed to be destroying a boulder, but Boboiboy could barely conjure a simple levitation spell.
"I—I ca—can't!" Boboiboy argued.
"Argh!" Fang threw his hands up in the air. By the way this was going, before Boboiboy could unlock his potential, Fang would provoke his demon side first.
Eventually, he called each elemental form out and searched for the one that would fuel his celestial friend the best. So far, it was Lightning and Leaf.
"Leaf?" Boboiboy snorted, incredulous. "You do realize that the nature element represents innocence..."
Fang shook his head. "I don't even know at this point."
"Well, try harder," Boboiboy quipped sarcastically.
"You try harder to be a better demon."
Boboiboy rolled his eyes and returned to the rocks. From where this was going, they'd be stuck here for eternity.
"How am I supposed to know that I'm not meant to be a demon?" Boboiboy huffed, his one wing drooping. "I don't even feel like one. Let alone be one myself. I'm not all... evil and stuff."
Fang raised an eyebrow. "So you're worried about being a villain? Don't worry. Most demons retain their conscious and sadly, their sense of humour."
Boboiboy was so conflicted he didn't even bother to correct him. "Will I change? What will our friends think of us? Does anyone else know about you or me or Kaizo?"
Fang shook his head. "It's a secret only secure within us. I would've told you earlier, but your aura is hard to sense."
"Yeah. Because I'm weak."
"No," Fang disagreed. "It's hidden."
The brunette stared at him.
"You realize why you're the only celestial to have half a wing?" Fang sat down next to him. "It's not just because of you being born wrong. You said you were born from insanity and sadism. The strongest demon I've met was born from greed. I've never seen or heard of a demon that's the same calibre as you."
"Ever consider the fact that we're 0.001% of the entire population?"
Fang stared at him for a momentary lapse before sighing. "And I thought Gopal was pessimistic."
The two fell into a remote silence. The night was high, with the crescent moon basking them in a liquid silver glow.
Fang turned to the younger male. Under the moonlight, he seemed at peace and serene, the furthest thing from a demon. If it wasn't for the one demon wing behind his back, he'd mistake him for an archangel—the highest and purest of all celestials.
But all he saw was blood. It was half a second that resembled an Undertale glitch. Boboiboy's hair turned silver, his eyes red. His wings were complete, larger than Fang's, veiled in an aura of death.
The glitch halted. He saw Boboiboy staring at him with confusion.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Fang nodded hastily. "Ye—yeah. I'm fine. We should return. Day's arriving."
Boboiboy rose and stretched his limbs. Putting on his orange sleeveless jacket, it seemed like the wing wasn't there at all. It was magic, otherwise they'll be seen lugging a bunch of leather or feathers on their backs.
When they returned, Kaizo wasn't there to greet them. Normally, the captain would await their arrival and demand reports on their progress. Despite this, he left them to their business. He never interfered. Maybe he found it suitable that someone near Boboiboy's impulsive age should be the one to guide him through this. Besides, Kaizo no longer had those wings.
Instead of Kaizo, it was an army, all wielding tasers and electrical nets. In front of the line were Yaya, Ying and Gopal, along with the admiral and the commander.
Boboiboy poked his head out of the ship. "Is something wrong?"
The commander raised his stumpy arm. "Fire!"
Fang spluttered. "What?" He pulled Boboiboy out of the ship before it exploded. He conjured a shadow wall to shield them. "Is something wrong? What's happening?"
"Capture them!" The admiral's voice boomed.
The ground beneath them was suddenly layered with pink. A force crashed onto them, forcing their bodies to the ground. Instantly, members of TAPOPS swarmed them, removing their power watches and jackets, revealing their wings to the world.
Fang grunted. He knew where this was going.
"How did you know?" he demanded. "Where's Kaizo?"
"Executed for harbouring two celestials," the commander harrumphed.
"WHAT?" Boboiboy and Fang chorused, lashing out.
"How did you know!" Fang scowled. He turned to his former team. "Aren't you our friends? Why are you helping them kill us?"
Yaya straightened. "It's not about friends. You're celestials, and we're hunters. It's a method of business."
The admiral held Boboiboy's wing up with two fingers in distaste. "This one's weak. He won't be worth much."
Fang burned with anger. His friends were frauds. Kaizo was dead. If they didn't do anything soon, they would join him. As much as he grieved for Kaizo, they had to live to grieve. That's what Kaizo had taught him.
Stripped of their powers, the only thing that he could rely on was his magic. It was their only choice, considering the enemy's numbers and Boboiboy's inability to use magic.
Fang's eyes burned amber gold and silver, his wings coursing with power. His demon was coated in a veil of grey and his angel feathers were glowing gold. He had one chance, and he couldn't let himself, Kaizo, or Boboiboy down.
"Stop him!" Ying cried—
In a shockwave, he knocked everyone close to him down, freeing him and Boboiboy. He grabbed Boboiboy's wrist and bolted for the exit. He knew that both of them didn't require oxygen, but Boboiboy couldn't fly. His one wing will just throw him off balance. He grabbed both sides of Boboiboy's waist and flew towards space, where jetpacked soldiers and ships pursued them.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Fang groaned, voice resonating as if it was echoing.
"No one's kidding you!" Boboiboy murmured. "How do we get out of here? Can't you just do a teleportation spell?"
"There's no such thing as a teleportation spell!" Fang chastised. "At least not for multiple people! I can only teleport myself."
"Then do it!" Boboiboy hiccupped as Fang did a barrel roll to avoid a missile. "Leave me! You're more powerful!"
"That's why I'm protecting you!"
"That sounds as gay as it gets! Just go!"
A sniper hovered over them, unnoticed.
"I regret telling you that!"
She took aim of Fang's back, aim steady and ready for fire.
"For the love of—do your stupid spell and leave! Kaizo wouldn't want you to die!"
She cocked the tranquilizer.
"And I don't want you to die, you little piece of—"
As soon as Fang felt something land on his back, he pushed Boboiboy as far away as he could. He burst into yellow electricity, countering his celestial abilities. Dazed in pain, he could see that Boboiboy looking like he was trying to swim but failing miserably.
Run, he tried to say.
Fang couldn't resist as a net encased him, dragging him towards the enemy.
* * *
Boboiboy would like to say he saved the day. That his power suddenly awakened and he ninja'd Fang out of their predicament. He didn't. The true heroes were Emotibot, Cattus and Bellbot, who he'd befriended in his journey. Emotibot manipulated the guards to let Boboiboy go. Cattus and Bellbot tore anyone who tried to pursue him apart.
He landed on an alien planet. His body ached. His mind was overwhelming with disbelief.
Fang was captured because of him.
If it wasn't for him being so useless, he could have helped Fang. He could have avoided all of this from happening. Kaizo was dead. Fang's condition was a mystery.
They're right—he is a demon.
He caused the people who cared for him nothing but the cold embrace of death.
I'm fixing this mistake. Anger boiled in Boboiboy's veins. Anger he'd never felt before. He was downright furious. A splitting pain exploded from his back, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to tear those hunters apart limb from limb.
His wings grew pitch black, growing bigger than Fang's. They were ablaze with blood red fire. Power coursed through his veins. For a moment, he lost his sanity. He lost who he was. With his feet lifting off solid ground, he took off towards TAPOPS in light speed, leaving only a blur of silver and red in his wake.
* * *
"Set him still," the scientist ordered.
Fang grunted. His insides were still fried, but he could make out who was restraining him. Yaya and the admiral. They were in the evidence room that he'd grown so familiar with, and now he was going to die within it.
The cuffs on his hands clanged against the chains. His wings were spread out, ready for dissection, courtesy or Yaya. Ying and Gopal were virtually useless, considering time doesn't affect immortals like him and the only thing Gopal can turn to food was his clothes, which will only make it awkward.
"A magnificent specimen." The scientist paced around him, studying his anatomy. "I've never seen one in person."
"Well," Fang growled, "maybe it's because of your charm. It's so foul it's keeping us away."
"You are in no position to insult anyone." The scientist's hand hovered over his array of scalpels. He picked one that was bladed with laser. "Ah. Yes. This. For the maximum effect."
He poised the laser scalpel over the base of his angelic wing. The chains around him tightened, as if preparing for his slaughter.
Fang closed his eyes. He bit his tongue to prevent screaming. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. Before the incisor was ever made, a sudden sense of death descended onto everyone.
Even if it was a mental effect, it was so overwhelming that everyone stopped what they were doing. Fang, being a celestial, was not affected.
The people present dropped what they were doing. All of them collapsed to the ground, clutching their heads and whimpering in pain. The feeling was multiplied by tenfold, sending everyone near Fang into a coma.
Being half-demon, Fang was immune to its effects. He could tell that this wasn't a normal demon. It was the absolute devil itself.
Footsteps echoed from outside. It was heavy, with thuds following its every step, as if bodies were collapsing in its presence.
Boboiboy opened the door. Three more guards collapsed behind him, blood oozing from their noses and ears and mouths.
Fang paled.
Boboiboy's hair had turned silver, his eyes blood red. He was exactly like the counterpart that Fang had seen in that momentary vision. His expression was blank and absent, as if he was dazing off.
"T—this was what got you mad?" Fang stuttered.
Boboiboy looked around the twitching mess of bodies. He hadn't laid a finger on them, but they were close to death.
"Guess so." His voice was angelic, but his appearance said otherwise.
Fang swallowed. His mouth felt dry.
"Um," he stammered. "Could you turn that lightshow off? It's starting to affect me..."
Boboiboy's expression turned sad. He looked down. "I can't. This is who I am. A harbinger of death and insanity." He turned around. "If it's affecting you, I'll leave."
"Wait!" Fang called before he left. "This isn't who you are! You're a demon, yes, but you're still Boboiboy. The punk who's scared of a platypus."
Boboiboy grinned sadly. "That platypus was ten feet tall. If you need me, just send me a messaging spell."
He left the station, teleporting away in a miniature storm of red.
The members of TAPOPS awoke, all suffering from migraines.
"Ugh," Gopal belched. "Where are we?"
Fang snapped his fingers. "You showed me and my brother no mercy, and I'll show you none."
In an instant, half a dozen of shadow wolves pounced on the members of TAPOPS.
Fang left the station to its massacre.
* * *
A reader asked me why I don't leave author's notes.
Why on earth would I need those??
Idk imma just drop a bomb of a chapter and let everyone who reads it hate me for making their fav chara suffer