Tests

"Yes, just like that," Mara said, one hand on the girl's shoulder. "Just focus. Feel it. Let it flow through you, building up, aching for release." 

Sweat beaded on the girl's brow.

"I-I don't know if I can do this..." 

"Of course you can~" Mara urged her on. "You just need to... pull it out." 

The girl - Grace, was it? - kept trying harder and harder.

Then, the orb flickered, its light sputtering like a dying candle. 

"Aw, unfortunate. Try again, you'll get the magic right this time." 

Mara watched the new girl curiously. The poor thing was trying SO hard to make the healing orb work, her tiny face all scrunched up. It was adorable. 

[She's like a lost lamb,] Mara thought, smiling. [I just want to scoop her up and squeeze her.] 

While Grace worked on that, Mara moved to get some answers. 

She leaned closer to Celestia, her chest brushing against the other angel's arm.

"So, did you just so happen to steal this girl from Eternia herself?" 

Celestia scoffed, her eyes stuck on Grace's struggling form.

"Nothing that amazing. You..." Celestia sighed. "You felt it, right? Nymera's passing?" 

Mara hummed, the sound rumbling through her chest in a way that always distracted everyone around her.

"Yes. One of our most experienced Bravery Sisters, dying to protect some tiny village. Could hardly believe it." 

"Well..." Celestia glanced over at the new white-haired angel. "With her dying breath, Nymera vouched for this girl." 

"For her?" Mara looked over again. 

"Indeed. The girl killed a Primal Demon." 

"Sure, I guess she must be faster than she looks-" 

"No, Mara, you don't get it," Celestia grabbed her attention. "She KILLED a Primal Demon. PERMANENTLY." 

"..."

Mara's jaw dropped. She couldn't close her mouth for like ten seconds before she just blurted out:

"What?" 

"I know. But I saw Nymera's memory when I checked the girl after she showed up. I saw it and I STILL can't believe it. That girl stabbed a Primal Demon in the back and after Nymera dealt a finishing blow it just... vanished." Celestia looked over at her. "And then, she failed the Bravery test." 

"Failed it?" 

"Oh, completely," Celestia laughed. "Utterly. Couldn't hit me once, so we know she didn't kill that demon with some hidden speed or strength. Though, to be fair..." Her lips curved up. "I might have been distracting her a little." 

Mara raised an eyebrow.

"YOU? Distracting? Never." The sarcasm was thick as honey.

Their attention snapped back to Grace as the orb in her hands sputtered and died, making the room dark for a second.

"Well, that is... unfortunate." 

Celestia frowned, looking confused.

"I don't get it. I was SURE she'd have an affinity for Compassion, since she didn't with Bravery. That's why I brought her here. But if she can't heal either, then..." 

Then, Celestia's eyebrows shot up. 

Mara turned to face her, a knowing look in her eye.

"You don't think...?"

Although Celestia was an angel, the grin she gave in response could only be described as evil. 

"Oh, I'm starting to think..." 

Mara looked back at Grace, who was staring at the dead orb in her hands like someone had killed her pet chicken. The poor thing looked so sad it made Mara want to hug her. Though, really, anything she did made Mara want to hug her. 

[Well then,] she thought, her smile turning mischievous. [Let's see how our little lamb handles the Sisters of Love.]

She walked forward, her hips swaying with each step. She could feel Grace's eyes on her, could practically TASTE the girl's nervousness. It was delicious.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Mara said, reaching out to tuck a strand of white hair behind Grace's ear. The girl jumped at the touch, her cheeks turning pink. "We have one more test for you. And something tells me..." She leaned in close, her breath hitting Grace's ear. "This one will be right up your alley."

Grace swallowed loudly, her eyes wide and full of a mix of fear and... was that excitement?

[Oh, this is going to be fun,] Mara thought. 

"So, Sister Mara," Celestia asked, "will you come with us?" 

"Of course," she replied before Celestia even finished asking. "I HAVE to see this." 

"Figured you'd say that. Guess it can't be helped." 

Mara linked her arm with Grace's, loving how the girl seemed to melt against her side.

"Come on, dear. The Sisters of Love are waiting for you."

As she led Grace away, Mara caught Celestia's eye over the girl's head. The archangel's smirk said it all.

Mara chuckled. Oh yeah, this was going to be very entertaining.

---

{Grace}

Grace swallowed hard.

[Sisters of Love? That... That sounds weirdly scary.]

All of this had been oddly terrifying. Mara, who had "Level 71" over her head in blue letters, had made it so difficult to breathe for the last dozen or so minutes. Grace felt like she was going to be passing out anytime now. 

They led her through the heavenly city, past huge towers of white and gold, until they got to a building that made Grace freeze in place.

Where the rest of the city was all clean and bright, this building was... different. Gold and pink swirled together in crazy patterns, and the air felt weird on her skin, making it tingle.

But it was the angels inside that really made her stare.

"I... What... They...?" Grace blinked over and over, trying to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

[W-What are they WEARING?!]

Or more like, what were they NOT wearing? The angels hanging around the building had on tiny bits of silk and lace that showed off WAY too much. One was a girl with long, rosy hair who was basically in a loincloth. Another was a dark-skinned girl with short, curly brown hair in a dress with a slit up to her hip. All of them had those "levels" and pink letters floating above their heads.

They all moved with this slow, smooth way that was somehow scarier than Celestia swinging swords or Mara doing healing stuff.

As Grace and her angel guides got closer, the barely-dressed angels perked up, their golden eyes locking onto Grace like cats who just spotted a mouse.

"Well, well, well," one of them purred, walking over. "What do we have here?"

"The rumors were right? Fresh meat," another one giggled, circling Grace slowly.

"Oh, I could just eat her up!"

Grace felt like a chicken being sized up by very hungry, very pretty foxes. She moved closer to Mara without thinking, hoping the older angel might protect her.

"He-he-he-he-he-help..."

Mara laughed, the sound rumbling through her huge chest.

"Now, now, girls. Play nice. This is Grace, our newest recruit."

"Grace," the first angel said, saying her name like it was candy. "How... fitting."

Celestia stepped forward, her rainbow wings spreading out to show who was boss.

"Grace will be taking her final test here, under your... guidance."

The angels giggled with excitement, their eyes NEVER leaving Grace.

"And what test would that be, oh great Archangel?" one of them asked, sounding kind of rude.

Celestia's smile was sharp enough to cut Grace's heart into dozens of tiny, gay pieces.

"A kiss."

Grace's heart stopped dead.

[A WHAT?]

The angels started squealing with joy, clapping and bouncing in a way that made Grace's face burn RED HOT.

"A kiss!" they all shouted. "Oh, how fun!"

Grace looked back and forth between Celestia and Mara, hoping one of them would say this was all a joke. But they looked serious. Well, as serious as they could while trying not to laugh their butts off.

[A kiss? They want me to kiss one of... of THEM?]

The angels were closing in now, their perfume surrounding Grace in a cloud of sweetness that made her dizzy. Hands reached out to touch her hair, to stroke her cheeks, to run down her arms.

"Don't worry, little lamb," one whispered right in her ear. "We'll take very good care of you."

Grace swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding, her skin was tingling, and she was pretty sure her face was redder than a tomato.

[... I might just die a second time. I'm going to have a heart attack.]