"No way!"

  Aria was quite confused, her eyes making circles.

  "If what she's saying is true, doesn't that mean G.o.d is your grandfather? Huh? What are you exactly, Miss Audrey?!"

  Well, when she put it like that, I suppose it was quite the shocker. Not like I believed that woman though.

  "That's funny, you guys can't even say Father's "name" properly.It just sounds like three separate letters when you say it."

  "Hold on a second! You mean to tell me that green thing over there is reted to something divine?!"

  I didn't like how Jessica pointed her finger at me like I was a zoo animal.

  "I see, that could expin why my other self said you smell like she does when "we" first met."

  "Hold on! Aren't you believing her way too easily? I don't even know this woman in the first pce. Besides, do you guys not realise what she just said?"

  "Excuse me but I heard perfectly!"

  "Jessica, you don't mean to tell me you don't know how much the fact she calls herself Gabriel makes no sense? Think about what she said for a moment."

  "Isn't that just a common name? Why are you getting so worked up over that?"

  Maria talked, trying to burn the ustensils that were pinning her to the wall at the same time, to no success.

  "You really are full of surprises, Madonna. You ought to expend your general culture more."

  Aria continued.

  "Miss Cortez does have a point, Gabriel is an archangel. Even if you're not the religious kind, the archangels names are common knowledge."

  "They are?"

  I suppose Jessica lives in her own bubble where she's the only one that matters...

  Still, even if what she said is true, which I doubt it is, does she really expect me to be happy to finally meet my mother?

  That same woman that was never in my life since I was a baby?

  While my father was a desperate alcoholic, he at least was there, contrary to this woman.

  "Miss, you shouldn't lie like that, my mother is most likely living above."

  I pointed to the ceiling, trying to refer to the sky. I was met with the questioning look of Alma, Aria and Jessica.

  "You mean the second floor of this bar?"

  I thought you were smarter than this, Jessica...

  What does she even mean a second floor? This is a bar.

  "Miss Audrey, are you trying to imitate Miss Li by saying weird things?"

  Imitating Li's eccentric mannerisms was the st thing I would do.

  "I can hear all of you guys thoughts, including you, sweetie, you know. I kind of embody the concept of communication itself."

  "Please don't call me that and what do you mean?"

  "I know you're having trouble to accept the fact I gave birth to you for example."

  She turned to Jessica, smiling.

  "This one feels remorse regarding this one and feels like she owes the friend at least respect."

  Her index was directed at Aria.

  "The foul mouthed dy over there is having an internal struggle with the copy of her ego."

  She got back to me.

  "And you believed that witch about that cursed body stuff. I'll say it right now, she didn't know what she was talking about. Even her mother doesn't."

  "Why do you know about her!?"

  "I told you, an aspect of my being is litteraly the concept of communication itself. I can feel, see and understand what any living being on Earth is thinking or feeling at any time."

  "Maybe if you don't believe your little mother yet, I should mention your apple shaped birthmark?"

  "How?!"

  "Don't make me repeat myself, Honey."

  This sense of familiarity, how much we look alike, the fact she has the name of an archangel, the way she knows those things about me. Even though I don't want to accept it, she most likely is my...

  "Mom?"

  "I always wanted to say things like Sweetie and Honey. I can understand why humans enjoy saying those to their kid. I don't understand why but it makes me feel joy."

  "Hm? What is an angel even doing in a bar, serving humans as that and why does she look so... Human..."

  As much as I didn't want to admit it, Jessica was making good points.

  The woman scratched her cheek, embarrassed, like she had been caught doing something bad.

  "About that... Let's just say Father didn't like you existing, Honey..."

  I bet he didn't...

  "So, after discovering I had you, I got... You know..."

  Yup, I had a feeling. She definitely got exiled from Heaven.

  "As punishment, Father put me in this mortal coil I was using to visit the mortal realm sometimes permanently. Fortunately, he didn't rid me of all my authorities but I can't really go back."

  "Mortal Realm?"

  "Yeah, I'm as confused as you, Miss Jessica."

  Maria still pinned to the wall, having accepted her fate gave them answers.

  "Didn't Venus talk to you about it, Madonna?"

  "No?"

  Jessica focused, closing her eyes in the process.

  "She says she's busy crafting clothes right now and to ask her ter."

  "What's the point of crafting clothes in the mind of someone?!

  "Don't ask me, it's not like she listens to me for the most part! As if I have any idea why!?"

  Maria sighed.

  "Anyway, the world is separated by three karma pnes, the heavenly realm where all gods reside, as well as all angels, the realm of death, were living beings end up in when they die, home of many demons and many karmic creatures and the mortal realm, where we live."

  Interesting, Li never mentioned such a thing to me when she had to expin all that karma stuff. Maybe she isn't as knowledgeable as I thought?

  Hm?

  Wait a minute!

  "What do you mean Li and her mother were saying wrong things about my body?!"

  "The truth is you were always a girl. I gave birth to you, I would know. While what this little witch said has some truth to it, I'm an archangel, my genes are way stronger than those of a regur angel. They're so strong that you were never defective like a regur hybrid would be. Think about it, did your dad act surprise when you became how you are right now?"

  Yeah, he didn't, he just brushed it off like nothing happened. I put it on the fact he had drank too many bottles but maybe that wasn't right?

  "So, then, why was I a guy for a a good chunk of my life? Like, 16 years?!"

  "You probably don't know but there's this group called Creature Hunt. They hunt supernatural beings in a quest of delusional grandeur. They knew what you looked like so I had to use one of my abilities to seal your real self. I'm just way too strong so the "curse" ended up being that long."

  "Why'd you do that instead of going after them?"

  "I know you must hate me and I can understand why but until Apophys chose the Child of disaster to create a situation chaotic enough for them to physically manifest in the mortal realm, I was litteraly forbidden to interact with you, Honey. Father wouldn't have hesitated to kill you regardless of how I felt about it if I went against him. I know my absence took a toll on your dad and yourself as well."

  I don't really know how to feel about all of this.

  "I know..."

  She moved faster than my eyes could see, already embracing me, her arms around my waist, a serene smile on her face.

  "I'm sorry for not being there, Aubry. It might not make up for the time we couldn't spend together but know that I love you. As much as it's weird for an angel with such authority as me to say this, you're the greatest thing that happened to me."