Cathulucos

Sighing Adora enters the Human Angel Safety classroom and takes her seat. Professor Adlay was already at her desk organising the days' lesson. Adora glances over the board before tensing. They’re learning about retirement today. How does that connect to Human Angel Safety? Why are they learning about retirement? Adora clenches her hands together and looks down at her lap scared. What if they know what she knows and want her to retire? What if they think she’s not strong enough?

“Hey Adora, hm we’re learning about retiring today huh? You seem a little tense? Everything okay?” Addon says sitting beside her like every day.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just, I don’t know what to think of todays lesson plan. Isn’t retirement like a big thing? Why is it in this class?”

“Well, I guess we’ll find out won’t we?” Addon laughs half heartedly pulling out his notes.

“Welcome class, today we will be learning about retirement in angels. Now I’ve noticed some rumours going around that I’m retire. And I am so you all can stop the whispers. Retirement happens when a worker is no longer able to complete their duties as a worker for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for retirement is because people get bored of the routine now a days, to those people I say disgrace. You choose this route you stay by it til the end,”

The whole class is shocked watching Professor Adlay. Everyone hangs onto her words silently. Adora stays silent with her head down, but she clings to every word just like the others.

“Other reasons are minor infractions that are not corrected through classes. These include falling in love with humans, interfering with the human world too much, starting fights, and ignoring jobs,” Professor Adlay continues.

Adora looks up quickly. She didn’t mention graves, or past lives. Why didn’t she mention them? Addon glances at Adora confused, who smiles softly back. The lesson continues on talking in depth about infractions and how retirement happens and the effects of it. The Human Angel Safety class always goes by so quickly with how much Professor Adlay talks. Soon enough everyone else is packing up the notes whilst Adora brews in her seat.

“You coming Adora?” Addon asked, looking at her with concern.

“I’m gonna stay back and talk to Professor Adlay for a bit. Don’t wait up for me, it’s alright,” Adora says smiling bright to hide the fear she’s feeling.

Addon furrows his brows but nods before saying his goodbyes and leaving. Once the class has dispersed Adora gathers her courage in a breathe and walks up to her Professor.

“Hello, Professor Adlay,” Adora says softly. Even though Adora was about a head taller than the teacher the aura she gave off made her feel meek and terrified. 

“Hello,” Professor Adlay says before standing to meet with Adora, “you’re Adora, right? What can I help you with. Did you struggle with today’s lesson?”

Adora was taken aback by her soft nature. In every lesson she seems so cold and rigid but right now she seems attentive and caring. “Not exactly. In your lesson plan. You said there were only five ways to retire: getting bored, falling in love with a human, too much interference, fights, and not taking jobs?”

“That’s correct, what about it?”

“What about remembering your past?” Adora asked softly.

Professor Adlay looked at Adora quizzically. “Knowing your past? Workers don’t know their past, they don’t have a past,” she says sternly.

“Don’t you remember your past when you find your grave though? I’ve been told that at least. And I was told that most angels don’t keep working afterwords. So I was just curious if that was true and why you would skip that?” Adora continued softly holding onto her dress tightly.

“Who’s telling you such things? Why are they telling you such things?” she asks, her voice turning sour and accusatory.

“Well, I don’t know, I heard it around. Because of the rumours. I was just wondering if it was true Professor,”

“You’re not a good liar Adora. Most angels retire after finding out about their past, but it’s not something you should seek out. That’s why it’s not in the lesson plan. So how did you find out?”

“I was taking a walk when I found my grave. I was just worried that I would be pushed to do something. But I still want to be a guardian angel, I still want to help people. I just want to figure some stuff out. I’m sorry Professor,’ Adora undertones.

“Don’t worry, I see potential in you. Not every angel that remembers retires. Sometimes it helps them grow as an angel. And you will grow to become a great angel. You have a strong dedication and seriousness in class. I see it,” Professor Adlay says setting a hand ontop of Adoras’.

“Hey, oh are you okay?” Addon asks his smile quickly fading. His gold eyes scan over her frazzled hair, puffy eye, messy wings, and unkempt dress.

“I’m fine. I got up late and didn’t have my usual time to get ready,” Adora hums.

“Well, the classes only last for three months so don’t worry too much. If you ever need help with them I’m here for you,” he responds smiling.

Adora nods smiling back and goes to her seat. The Dealing with Death class was a lot easier. Maybe it was because they worked on getting to know eachother the day before, or Addon being there. Maybe it was the teachers attitude. He seemed to know how hard the subject was and took it slow and made the environment comfortable. 

But soon enough the class was over and it was time for Human Angel Safety. The strict class, the strict teacher.

Addon smiles at her as they walk together to the new building. “Y’know, Professor Adlay seems scary but she’s just passionate. She had to retire so she’s a teacher now. That’s what’s going through the grape vine,”

“She retired, how, why did she retire?” Adora asked in a hushed whisper. She was worried about saying something inappropriate or that would reveal she found out about her past.

Addon shrugs taking his seat as Adora sits next to him. Professor Adlay walks in and immediately starts the class. The second day was filled with a syllabus and basics which Adora was grateful for. Still, she was curious. Adlay, she had wings still. What could have happened that made Adlay retire? Retire and become such a passionate Human Angel Safety teacher? Maybe, one day Adora could ask, if she needs help with her past. 

After class Adora stayed still, in her head, for a while. 

“Would you like to go out for coffee?” offered the cupid beside her, “the dead has been setting up new cafes,” 

“Oh I uhm-”

“You look like you want to talk about something. I don’t have any missions until night.”

“You’re still working while in class?” Adora asked shocked.

“Yeah, mild offence, and once you’re as old as I am they kinda don’t mind. So, coffee? Talk?” He smiles and Adora nods. The two head to a small cafe.

Getting two cups of coffee and sitting by the window Addon waits for Adora to start. “Well, you said you’re an old cupid right?”

“Well, you don’t have to insult my age,” he laughs nodding.

“No not that, I mean, and in our death class you said the queer people get killed and it upsets you. And when I went to visit Cupids before they got mad when I mentioned queers and I connected that a Cupid fell because he was uh…” Adora pauses to think of the best way to ask about Xander.

“Ah, him. Yeah, he was the best cupid there was. Alexander. Y,know today you reminded me of him,” Addon chuckles. The gold in his eyes shining bright.

“Alexander? I’ve been told he was bad? Wait reminded you of him?” Adora asked her head swarming. Addon seemed so happy thinking of Xander, Alexander? He must have lost the A when he fell.

“He was always so messy when he was working. So disheveled. But he made it look perfect,” A blushe crept up on Addons cheeks as he looked away taking a sip of his coffee. “His motto was that everyone would be loved and happy and safe. He could use every weapon and was the top cupid of his time,”

Adora nods taking a sip of her coffee. Her nose scrunches softly at the bitter taste setting the cup down.

“It was going great until one night, we were…” Addon blushes covering his face with his hand, “Work partners and when I shot the couple, two girls, one of their dads came out. He was mad. Calling them sinners and unfaithful, and disgusting awful things. It made Alexander so angry but I tried to explain that humans have free will to do and believe what they want,”

Adora turns her head nodding. Xander had said that God had told him the same things. 

“I was able to calm him down, we were more cautious, using his foresight for couples but it didn’t stop. After years he went to God and flipped about everything. That’s when he fell,”

Adora observed Addon’s face. He was looking into the cup of his coffee his face filled with guilt, anger, longing? “Can you keep a secret” Adora whispers.

Addon looks up quickly eyes narrowing curiously and nods. “I won’t tell a soul,”

Adora glances around leaning in, “He’s still helping people if that makes you feel better,”

Addon laughs whole heartedly earning a few glances. Once the onlookers go back to their business Addon smiles. “I know that. He may hate me with his whole heart but I could never hate him. I still check in on him from time to time. But to know that, that means that you’ve met him,”

Adora nods softly, “He’s actually been a huge help. I’m not surprised he was the top cupid,”

“He’s always been one to try and help others,” he hums smiling back.

“I’m sorry that he hates you,” Adora mumbles watching Addon.

“It’s nothing to be sorry for. I deserve every bit of hate he has for me. I’m not as good of a cupid as he ever was,”

“You’re an amazing cupid though! What do you mean. I’m sure you guys could work it out somehow. Maybe-”

“It’s okay Adora. You don’t need to worry about it. It’s centuries old problems that can’t be fixed by an apology.” Addon says softly getting up. “Was that all that was on you mind?”

Adora sits silently thinking. How can he be so okay with being hated by someone he looks up to so much. She nods nonetheless standing.

“He’s probably told you this but, it’s not a smart idea to visit him too often. The security might notice and get ideas,” Addon says softly before leaving.

This one had an enchanting humming noise drawing Adora closer. Of course, it could just be someone mourning but it sounded soft and familiar. Adora continued to follow the humming noise until she was at a grave. It had a soft white glow surrounding it and the humming was obviously coming from the grave.

In Memory of

Mary Clara Wils

Loving Daughter

1829-1846

Adora stared at the grave in curiosity. Why was it humming, why was it glowing? Like it was calling her? Kneeling down, her hand reached out grazing the cold stone. Her golden eye widened a gasp leaving her lips.

A young girl, probably seven, with brown hair and amber eyes was playing outside climbing trees in her tattered dress. She was calling out to her father that just gotten home and he began to yell at her. “A lady shall not do that. What are you thinking!” He yells. Quickly the child gets down receiving a slap on the cheek

The girl, around ten now, her hair braided into a bun and a dress covering bruises. She washes dishes, she does laundry and cooks. Sighing she smiles and tells her father all the work she had gotten done that day and he yells at her “You made what! I told you to leave the cooking to your mother! You wasteful hog we don’t have enough money!” He slaps her again leaving a bruised eye.

She’s seventeen now. Smaller than she should be, her family isn’t getting enough food. Bruises litter her body as she completes the daily chores. When her father comes home she smiles saying nothing to not invoke his rage. It still wasn’t enough. After he was finished taking the rage of work out on his daughter he left her alone lying on the kitchen floor in blood.

Weakly she stood up grabbing the wall for support. She could barely walk but she knew one thing. She didn’t want to die in this house. So hobbling she walked out and continued walking to lay by some nearby trees. Blood filled her lungs with every breath, as she closed her eyes.

Adora gasps falling back. She cries shaking, who was that, why did she see that? Why was she hurt? That must have been Mary. Mary… that name was familiar to her and it pained Adora. She cried hugging herself tight. She needed help, she needed someone. Adora envisioned Xander best she could weeping as she called for him.

“Adora?” Xander asks softly behind her.

“Who is she?” She yells shaking.

Xander kneels beside Adora looking at the grave. “Ah. Your grave,”

“M-mine? I’m Adora?! I’m Adora!” Adora responds. “Marlo isn’t any different. Why am I different?”

Xander rubs her back softly. “Calm down, shh it’s okay. When you become a worker angel they alter your memory during school. It’s why you don’t remember. No one remembers they’re past life unless they find their grave and it’s unlikely they’d stumble across it. Or unless…”

“Unless they fall?” she finishes wiping the tears away.

Xander nods smiling, “you learn a lot when you fall.”

“So I’m Mary?”

“Adora. If you want to be Mary you can be but you’re still Adora. You may have lived and died as Mary but you’re Adora now, you keep people safe as Adora, you learn and help as Adora,” Xander explains.

Adora nods slowly processing everything. She grabs onto his hands softly to ground herself. So much is going through her mind still she doesn’t understand what to think. Who she is? Who she was?

“It’s okay, I had the same thoughts when I fell. I had a lot of memories come back. It was difficult to deal with but you don’t have to deal with this alone okay?”

“Yeah,” Adora says softly, “I have you, and Ariel, I wonder if she knows her past. I wonder who knows their past in the workers.”

“Many angels retire after finding our their past. Some can’t handle it but I am certain that you are strong enough. You can continue. I promise,” Xander states.

Xander stands helping Adora up. Adora nods softly hugging him. “You’re first day of classes were today right? How did they go?” 

Sniffing she looks up smiling, “good. My teachers seem nice but my Human Angel Safety teacher seems really strict. She’s scary. One of the girls in my dealing with death classes is a child angel, seems really cool. And I think I’m making friends with a cupid. He’s really old too. Roman era, we have matching eyes. He’s nice. In our death class he said he felt guilty when his same sex couples die and we share our safety class too,”

“Hm, that sounds cool. Pretty old. I died in roman times too. It was fun to be a cupid, before everyone became so strict and prissy,” Xander responds looking off to the setting sun.

“Hm, I wonder if you know him then? Addon, gold eyes brown hair. He was super nice and said we could help eachother with our strict safety teacher,”

“Addon?” Xander asked looking down his eyes fluffing out shocked.

“Yeah Addon, yknow him?”

“You should rest, you have a lot that you have to process. I’ll see you around,” Xander said. His voice hinted with annoyed as he gave her a final hug before leaving.

Adora watched Xander leave tilting her head. Why was he so defensive, I guess he does know him. Xander doesn’t seem to like the other cupids anyways though. Adora sighs soft and heads back to her dorm.

Ariel knocks on Adora’s door before opening it, “ADORA! How was your first day! Where were you. I wanna hear all about it!” she hums walking in.

“Hey Ariel. I’m pretty tired. I did chat with a cupid, I might be making friends with him,” Adora says smiling softly yawning.

“That sounds nice. You gotta tell me about it when you feel better okay. If you need any help, ask me.”

“Good morning class. I will be your teacher for this class. I am Professor Mary but you can just call me Mary if you'd prefer. In this class, we'll focus on what mental health is in humans and how as guardian angels you can help with mental health,” Mary introduces setting up the class. Adora smiles sitting down and taking in the class.

The first day of class was spent on introductions. Introducing the students to the concepts, terms, and things that Adora and her classmates will encounter in the syllabus.

 Afterwards, Adora heads off to her next class Dealing with Death. She knows this one will be a little heavier than the last class but it'll be alright. Adora has a ton of support: Xander, Ariel, and the other guardian angels. This class is to help her get through this as well.

“Welcome class. I am Professor Noah, and I will be helping you through death. We talk about why death happens, how it happens, what goes on within the living world, the afterlife, feelings, and the best ways to cope with any emotions that come up during death,” the Dealing with Death professor introduced. “How about we go around, if you want to share, raise your hand and tell us why you’re here. What’s your name? What happened?”

Adora’s eyes widened shocked. That feels so sensitive, why would anyone want to share that, is that normal?

A hand is raised quickly and a small girl stands. She’s short, looks like she died young, with bright blue eyes and blonde hair and a strong loud voice. “My name is Abigail. I work with children and recently had a child die from parental abuse. It was very hard and she was a very sweet girl,”

“Thank you Abigail for sharing, anyone else?”

There’s a silence in the room as everyone looks around. Another one stands up. A man, “My name is Addon. I’m a cupid but…My clients. They deal with partners dying and dying because of who they love and…I feel responsible sometimes,”

“Thank you, Addon, we understand, but know, it is not your fault,”

Adora takes a deep breath. It feels more normal to share her experience now. So she raises her hand before slowly standing. “H-hello. I am Adora, I was assigned this class because my patient committed suicide. And it’s been very conflicting to deal with,”

“That’s very hard to deal with Adora. Thank you for sharing,” Professor Noah responds. The rest of the class goes on with people going on about why they are in this class and it makes Adora feel a lot less alone. She smiles softly as she leaves the class.

It was the last class of the day. Human Angel Safety. So far, the classes and teachers have been nice. Adora enters the building and takes a seat looking around to her classmates. She sees the cupid from before and waves him over.

“Hi, I’m Adora, we share the Dealing with Death class,” she says smiling.

As he introduced in the last class, Addon the cupid, sat next to her. “Hey. I’m Addon. You’re a new angel, yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m still pretty new, only been dead a couple of centuries, guardian only a few years. What about you?”

“Oh me? I’m old. I died in Roman times, early Rome. I became a cupid in the Republican Rome era. It was a fun time to work,” he says.

“That's cool. Hm, Cupid, I've only run into you guys once. You seem a lot nicer than those guys were though. They were a bit,” Adora pauses. She doesn't want to insult Addon's coworkers 

“Uptight?”

“Yeah, a bit,” she agrees 

The professor for Human Angel Safety walks in stopping their conversation. She was a tall lady, with grey hair in a braid, glasses, and small wings.

“Welcome students to my class. I am Professor Adlay. My class will be the most important class you may ever have in your angelhood. I do not take jokes lightly. Our safety is of utmost importance as are humans. If you cannot handle that take the F now and get out,” the professor starts off. Her voice is sharp sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

It frightens Adora as she tenses in her seat. Addon smiles softly over to her. She tries to smile back ignoring the nerves wracking over her.

“We will start with the materials you will need for my class,” Professor Adlay started again. She began listing books along with how she expects everyone to have a fresh quill, ink, and paper every day.

Once class got out and Adora was out she took a deep breath. Addon held her hand softly looking into her eye.

“It'll be okay, we can help each other,” he assured her.

“Yeah, though I don't know how much help I can be to you,” she responds looking down.

“Tons Adora. You're a guardian angel, I don't know that stuff. Besides, sometimes us oldies forget stuff y'know,” Addon chuckles smiling. 

Adora looks over shocked and sees Xander, but he looks different. His wings are hidden and his third eye is gone. His fashion and hair have stayed the same. His eyes, pink as ever, have anger in them as they glare at the older lady he’s addressing. Adora steps closer to fully witness the situation.

“You’re insane! You’re all insane!” The lady says before huffing off.

Xander turns back to the young boy he was protecting and smiles. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, thank you, sir,” he says smiling hugging him.

“Xander?” Adora says softly. His eyes flicker up then back to the young boy.

“If you’re okay then I'd best go, I have errands to run. Stay safe, ok,’ Xander says before walking away. The boy nods watching Xander leave oblivious to the angel following the secret fallen cupid. Turning a corner with little people Xander hides, “Adora, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you about a mission I just had… and failed,” she says softly looking down.

“Failed? How badly?” Xander says softly watching his friend.

“He died. But it’s confusing. He likes the afterlife, but we said goodbye to his family today and it wasn’t nice. He cried and he was sad and so were his friends and family. But when he was alive they were ignoring him, who he was. He was trans and he wasn’t able to really transition and… he feels free now I guess but,”

“Death is complicated Adora, even in ideal situations there’s mourning. There’s always gonna be someone sad, from family, from friends, from the deceased themselves. They may miss their old life, childhood, companions, or body. You just need to give the support you can,” Xander explains.

Adora nods tearing up again being reminded of all who she hurt.

“Don’t cry. It’ll be okay. You just need to learn and adapt,”

“How do I help someone who doesn’t want to live? Who wants to hurt? With only persuasion? I hurt him. I hurt him so much, he died because of me,” Adora cries hugging Xander.

Tensing at the sudden contact Xander hugs back patting her back. “There’s a few ways: therapy, journaling, walking. I’m sure your classes will go through them. But if they don’t I can show you afterwards.”

“You can? But don’t you help people by being there physically? Since you’ve fallen?”

“Yes, but I know a thing or two about humans, and how they cope from living down here for so long. Don’t worry. I’ll help you okay,”

“Thank you so much, Xander,” Adora says calming down smiling softly.

Xander smiles back nodding while Adora lets go. “If you ever need something, Adora, in the human world, I’ll tell you to reach me. In case you need advice or something, but don’t use it too much. I don’t want you to get in trouble,”

“Thank you so much, Xander. I’d appreciate that so much. I promise I won’t use it much, just in emergencies,”

Xander nods before taking a deep breath. “Hold your hands close to your heart, vision me clearly and call my name. You have to put a lot of focus into it,”

Nodding, Adora smiles softly waving. “Thank you. I’ll be off then. Goodbye,” As she flies off Xander watches curious as to what will happen with her.

Adora finishes the week by observing Marlo’s family and friends and making sure Marlo transitions well to the afterlife. A pamphlet arrives at her dorm telling her what classes she will be taking.

Adora’s Class Schedule

Humans Mental Health 1000 building 100

Dealing With Death 1200 building 333

Human Angel Safety 1400 building 210

3 months

If you fail these classes you will have to retake them 

Only three classes for three months, it’s only her first mistake so it's natural they don’t overbook a new angel.