Adoptive Family (Death and War)

Ariel was now officially War.

She had taken up the mantle and stopped the prize fight between Michael and Lucifer, but she didn't manage to prevent the one last move of Lucifer when he dragged Sam down to Hell. It pained her that he had suffered for her but he was back and he seemed relatively unharmed which was amazing - the return should have left some damage but, there was none to be seen.

The difference she felt was massive of course, it was crushing her daily, the fact that she could no longer return to Heaven. To her favourite Heaven there, a bell ringer's in Notre Dame to be precise, and to her family who were all currently in Heaven still squabbling over who knows what.

Ariel was struggling with dealing with the loss of her angelic powers, but that was nothing compared to the loss of her brother Castiel. He returned alive after Lucifer had killed him, however he was up in Heaven more than anywhere else now and it pained her. Why would he go where she could not follow, when she needed him the most?

Sighing softly, Ariel sat down on the hood of her cherry mustang, parked in one of the many 'view spots' along the side of this mountain. It posed a wonderful view of the sunrise and for some reason Ariel felt her pain easing the higher up that she got, maybe it gave her some misplaced sense of closeness to her former home?

There were so many questions, and nobody could answer them for her. Dean, Sam and Bobby were busy with their own problems and even if they did ask how would they know how to advise her it wasn't like it was in a book.

So, Ariel merely tried to forget all the pain, and lose herself in the beauty of the sunrise with a flask of green tea by her side and the peaceful silence in the air around her.

The sleek white car rolled up to the view point to park up alongside the cherry red mustang, gentle music almost wafting out of the open window.

This is the end... my only friend... the end...

The car pulled to a stop and the music stopped abruptly. Driver's door opening silently, a well polished black shoe touched the ground as Death exited his car. His pale horse of the modern age if you will. Closing the door slowly and with just as much silence as when it opened, Death strode forwards with his cane in his hand.

It was for show to be honest.

Coming to a stop parallel to the hood of the Red Mustang, Death looked out across the scenery with a small amount of contempt but mostly a crushing amount of apathy. Sighing a little bit, he turned to face Ariel,

"You have done something I had not expected you to be capable of doing." he spoke quietly, his voice soft and smooth but with a menace that crept in after his words no matter what he said, "I was actually surprised."

He clapped once, softly,

"Impressive for a child."

Ariel blinked in surprise when she actually heard another car on the road, and when she turned around to see who it might be, she was in for a bigger surprise. It was Death. He had finally come to see her. Despite being War for a few months now, she hadn't met her only surviving Horseman and she had wondered why but couldn't do much about it.

He would meet her when he wanted to, and it seemed as if he wanted to now.

It had taken her time to get used to her duties as War, but she kept them up and she knew now how to get the right level of confrontation going on while keeping the general pace quiet. The world needed some time to heal after it had just encountered the apocalypse - there was a chance for a rest break, a little peace before the next threat.

As Death stood beside her car, Ariel turned her head to look at him. He was imposing, and definitely intimidating but she couldn't bring herself to fear him directly. She didn't know why.

Her wild hair blew softly across her cheeks as the breeze wafted, and it hid the small smile that she grew when Death complimented her. There was no extravagance in her work, it was quiet even for War, but it meant a lot that he thought she had exceeded his expectations.

"Thank you." she murmured softly "I was concerned about my responsibilities but, I think I have them under control at the moment. I'm happy, I believe that you are hard to surprise." Ariel added, a little cheeky smile appearing on her lips as she turned to take Death in again.

There were so many questions, but, was this the time to ask?

"I had wondered...if and when we would meet. Is there a reason why it is now?"

Death could see that his words had an effect on Ariel and it was a positive one. Apparently she took some form of pride in the fact that he had believed she performed her duties with a greater degree of success than he had expected.

To be honest the loss of Sam Winchester's soul to the cage was barely worth mentioning to him.

Not compared to the billions would have lived in his place. And besides, the weak demon Crowley had brought back enough of the younger Winchester for the world to be moving along with. Any more and the balance would be affected in ways that would be hard even for him to change. He hummed a little bit and looked out at the landscape,

"Think nothing of it." he told her before glancing at her, "You are correct in one aspect and incorrect in another. For you see I am very had to surprise. But you have made a slight miscalculation in another regard."

He paused,

"There is too little conflict in the world at the moment." he explained, "It's not by much and we can chalk it up to your inexperience. You came closer to the correct mark than many others would that is for certain. I understand you wish to leave conflict to a minimum... but the human realm needs some more. Just a touch..."

Ariel was surprised to hear that she was wrong about something, she had been purposely watching what she had said in an effort to impress Death and make him think better of her. Not to mention the fact that she wanted to be cripplingly polite in case he took offence that he now had a woman as a member of his family, and she'd taken over from a closer brother.

The glance that he gave to her, made her heartbeat rise to her throat. How on earth was she supposed to know what she had said was wrong? Was it wrong in an offensive manner? Oh she hoped not.

Unfortunately she hadn't wanted to hear what Death was saying - she liked the world as it was now, peaceful and war free but then again it was her job, and as long as there were wars that she was overseeing personally then it would be better than letting the humans go unchecked. It needn't be anything major, she just needed to up the aggression in some areas perhaps.

"Oh." Ariel stated, shoulders deflating a little bit, she had been wanting to do a perfect job after all and there was a mistake in her work "Well you do know best, I shall do as you advise. Thank you for correcting me."

Biting her lip softly Ariel looked up at Death and she decided that she would hesitate to ask a question to him;

"I have something I am confused about, can I ask you about it?" Ariel inquired, her large green eyes showing that expression of hopefulness again maybe Death could answer her questions and give her some measure of comfort while Castiel and Crowley were busy doing...whatever they were doing.

Death knew that some people tended to speak to him with respect and Ariel seemed to be one of those people and he was okay with that. It wouldn't do for people to end up being more like Dean Winchester. Sometimes he liked the fact that demons and angels were predictable, it made up for the fact that humans, despite being so basic, were so... chaotic.

He raised an eyebrow.

So... she really did care about the humans who died under her watch. That made a change from most angels he had to admit. He looked forwards again,

"If you increase war a touch do you know how many people die? A few thousand." he explained to her, "But because they die countless massacres of civilians are prevented. Diseases are not as well spread and close to a million people live longer lives."

He glanced at her,

"Does that make the decision easier?"

Death waved a hand casually,

"I am not one of your petty, childish, archangels Ariel." he told her quietly but firmly, "You are a Herald as I am... speak as you will."

Ariel wondered what was going on behind those eyes of his. What clever thoughts and knowledge did Death know that she would never become old enough to know herself? If she asked him maybe one day he would tell her some of the things that he knew, about other galaxies and planets, other life forms if they were the same as humanity or vastly different. She doubted she would ever get to see for herself.

His numbers made Ariel bite her lip, she knew them of course, it was her job to but...she still had so many problems with accepting killing all of those people but it was for the best. If she could continue to prevent greater scale battles in Heaven and on Earth then it was worth it.

"I understand the numbers and know it is for the best but, some parts of me still struggle with the choices that I make." she stated truthfully, cradling the cup of green tea she was drinking from in her pale hands "I know that I need to raise the numbers, and I shall do immediately, I just thought I would try."

Smiling sadly, Ariel sipped some of her green tea before turning back to Death rather shocked at his contempt for angels. Did that mean that he disliked pretty much everything and anything that wasn't himself? If so - this was an incredibly stupid question.

"What are we to each other?" she asked, her brow gently furrowed in confusion "I know that...before, you were brothers, family. I know that I probably can't fill the shoes of your brother but, I'm just wondering if we are family like it used to be, or something new?" Ariel finished her question, hoping she didn't offend by mentioning his brothers.

Death knew that she knew the numbers but she needed him to be the one to repeat them because she needed someone to give her advice about something unknowable. Something that only another horseman could possibly know. He knew things that she did that no one else did and he would be the one who knew the answers to questions older and bigger than her.

He looked at her and merely waited for to explain what her problem was. It was a concept that none of his brothers had ever struggled with. They enjoyed being what they were and doing what they had done. But not here. Death decided to do something he only did with other Heralds... he touched Ariel lightly on the shoulder as he turned to leave,

"The fact that you would try makes you better than a million others."

As he began to walk back towards his car, he shrugged slightly,

"I don't know." he explained honestly, "I have only ever known those three as my brothers, as Heralds. You are new to me... but we are as blood together. Come to me with the questions you know only one such as we can answer... and I will aid you. Come to me if you feel alone... for I am the only one who knows the feeling better."

He smiled politely,

"Goodnight... sweet sister."

Death, and his car, simply vanished.