Saint Peter was simply doing his duty at the gate of heaven. With a warm smile on his face he would greet the next soul to traverse. A man in a red shirt approached him awaiting his judgment while Peter took out a clipboard. 

Peter with a smile and a cup of coffee

“Okay so it’s Ted, right? Let’s see. It says here you run an animal shelter that’s nice.”

Peter peers into the board. His eyes widened and jaw dropped.

“Oh……...oh no. no no no no. I’m pretty sure every religion has a rule against something that fucked up.”

Ted

“So do I go to heaven?”

Peter, sarcastically

“Oh yeah you go to heaven. If you could go back in time before doing that and if Heaven was under staffed and I was blind deaf and dumb. Sorry buddy. Off to hell you go.”

Peter pulls the lever and the man named Ted screams as he plummets below. When the latch closes, peter looks up and notices Vanatos flying closer to him as he reaches the gates. 

Peter, calm and chill

“Hey Vanny, was wondering when you’d be back.”

Vanatos, replying annoyed as he walked to the gate.

“Don’t call me that. I have returned with a full report and shall be attending the meeting as scheduled.”

Peter

“Oh yeah, the meeting started an hour ago.”

Vanatos paused before his hand reached the gate. Then turned to him with an explosion of anger

“Are you kidding me?! Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?!”

Peter picking up the news paper

“I’m not your mom.”

Vanatos’s eye twitched but saw no point in arguing with him so he simply turned his back to him and passed the pearly gates. 

The city of Heaven was just as you’d expect. A gorgeous golden city filled with winged people who were smiling, laughing and having a good time. Vanatos would turn his head to see many of the main attractions. He would see the yogurt dispensers that were pure gold, fountains of soda, photos taken by hot models, kids flying around, theaters that showed the best movies throughout history and so on. And all he could think about was how these people were utter fools for not taking the threat of hell seriously. He thought to himself as to how everyone should be focusing more on the war between heaven and Hell. Even though the war has ended, Hell is still a threat. 

When he finally made it to his destination, Vanatos opened the door and entered the room. A round table and sitting at that table were all the Angel guardians of the Seraphim corp, the main policing force of Heaven and the ambassadors of the realm itself when on diplomatic meetings with the representatives of Hell. All of them clad in golden armor, especially the head Angel who stood at the head of the table. Bigger than the rest of them yet still as radiant as his white beard. All of them had their eyes on Vanatos and not a single one of them looked happy. 

Vanatos as he sat down.

“I know I’m late. Apparently someone neglected to inform me of the times of this meeting while I was on patrol in Hell.”

The head Angel spoke with a low but strong voice

“Oh we are well aware of your time in Hell. Especially the debacle between you and the one they now call Drakehelm. I wonder how early you would have been had you not wasted your time with him.”

Vanatos eye twitches

“With all due respect captain. His life no longer matters. I see no reason why.......”

A strong young feminine voice boomed from a side. 

“Just because you don’t think demons live matter doesn’t mean its true. Did it ever occur to you that you’ve been wrong about everything?”

 Vanatos looks to his side and spots another angel. The one who spoke up. Only slightly shorter than him with freckles, white hair, golden eyes and a face that would be considered angelic. 

Vanatos, scoffs at her

“You were not there, you don;t know how barbaric these sinners are. Their lives are less than us. Always have been. This courtroom has no place for your weakness, Amelia.”

Amelia, scolds

“Oh piss off, you just kind stand being around people who look and act different than you because you’re nothing but a coward.”.

Thunder boomed in the room. Vanatos’s eyes sparked with rage as the same angelic lightning surged through his hammer. The slower he got up, the more the thunder overtook the room.

Vanatos said darkly

“No one calls me, the first lieutenant of the Seraphim order, A coward. Perhaps a demonstration is in order.”.

But before he could even attempt his next action. Another angel appeared before him. She looked similar to Amelia but taller and fitter. With even more power surging through her as he met Vanatos in eye level. With the tip of her sword just barely touch his chest.

The angel

“Touch my sister. And your very being will be reduced to cinder.”.

Vanatos, not showing even the slightest hesitation.

“Move out of the way or you will join her, Muriel.”.

But then the captains voice thundered more than the any of them as he slammed the table and shouted.

“ENOUGH!”.

The whole room went quiet for a moment. No one said a single word. And the only thing the filled the silence was the captains heavy sigh.

Captain

“Vanatos, would you like to tell us your report?”

Vanatos glared at the sisters who glared back. Then turned to the captain while seated. 

Vanatos

“it would seem the intelligence was correct. Someone in Hell is somehow involved in the disappearances of some of our Angels on patrol. Just last month. Lucona had vanished. I was able to find his feathers but was unable to tract them.”.

Captain

“What do you think is the case?”

Vanatos

“Normally I would strongly believe that it would be another revolution from Hell and would advise going down there for retribution. If not for......”

Captain raised an eyebrow.

“If not for what?” 

Vanatos, puzzled.

“The same force that has abducted angels, I believe they are also abducting sinners as well. Just a few days ago, one of our demon informants by the name of Hogsten has also disappeared from the scene.”.

Captain

“Sinner Vs sinner? Not uncommon given their nature. But given that they also somehow held the power to abduct angels as well. That should not be possible. No sinner has been able to gain power over angels since the great war.”. 

Vanatos

“All the more reason we should go down there and demand whoever is responsible.”

Amelia, standing up and crossing her arms.

“Oh yeah going down there and plant an iron boot up there asses as we order their co operation. Because that worked so well last time, didn’t it?”.

Vanatos

“And what’s your plan. Hug them for information?”

Captain slammed his table again to silence them again. He stood up, spreading his wings. 

“Amelia is right. If we go by force, we invite resistance. But we also cannot stand by and let this fiend continue. So here is what we will do. Vanatos, you are relieved of duty for the remainder of the week.”

Vanatos, exclaimed in shock.

“What? Then who will continue this investigation. You can’t possibly mean to send Amelia.”

Captain

“Unlike you, she is the only one who remained impartial in this crisis and given her track record and experiences of de-escalation, she might yield better results. Plus we can;t have you causing more conflicts than you already have. And if you interfere again, you will be court martialed. Is that understood?”.

Vanatos grit his teeth as and clenched his fist as tiny sparks emerged. But ultimately he let go. But his face was still stricken with frustration as he painfully said.

“Understood.......Captain.”.

He slowly turned to her. And to add salt to the wound. She gave the cutest bubbly smile like a freshmen college graduate on her first sorority. All the while slowly giving him the finger.