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Irina and Xenovia shared a look. He did not like the meaning hidden behind the reverence. Asia did not copy their reverence, or was simply too excited to notice. She was gazing at the Archangel again, her expression hopeful.
"Can I ask you another question?"
Uriel tilted his head to one side. Patience emanated from his frame.
"That would depend on whether your question has an answer that is within my power to give."
Asia nodded before her features scrunched up in concentration.
"What is Heaven like?"
Uriel gazed down. His smile was almost fatherly.
"A kingdom amongst the clouds. White, gleaming towers, their tops mounted with golden domes. It is a limitless domain, and a bird could fly a lifetime across its vast expanse and not see an end. There is no night there. No darkness. Only light. A light that warms the skin no matter the season and inspires the heart no matter the occasion. A light that sings to your soul, the harmonious choir which all beings in Heaven can hear. And across its perfect streets walk angels and those few humans who have been granted access to Heaven," the mischievous grin returned, "along with cats. Lots and lots of cats."
Asia had closed her eyes throughout the whole description. She opened them when it was done. The smile that had been hovering ever since the angel started became very confused indeed.
"Cats?"
"Why, yes," the angel said brightly, "God created dogs to be man’s best friend. He created cats to assert his dominion over man. It was not one of his more well thought out plans, I can assure you," Kiba snorted and Issei looked like he was about to laugh, "And now they are all over the place, chucking hairballs in the most obscure of corners."
"I... see," the former priestess furrowed her brows. The seraph winked and leaned in close to whisper.
"When they say it is raining cats and dogs, it is mainly just cats, and that is because they have congregated in a portion of Heaven that is too weak to hold their combined weight, and they sort of just leak through."
Asia giggled at the image. The rest shared her earlier confusion but none of the amusement.
"Cats," Xenovia repeated with far less enthusiasm.
"That was a joke," Irina recognized, then wavered, unsure, "That was a joke, right?"
"Why, yes," Uriel beamed at them, "I believe it was."
Asia made a disappointed sound.
"So there are no cats in Heaven then," she looked almost saddened by the thought.
The Archangel’s gaze softened.
"Heaven is what we make of it," he said gently, "And if you are one of the chosen few selected for the honor of walking through its sacred halls, I think Heaven will do its best to accommodate your wishes, even if they are things as simple as cats."
The former priestess smiled in understanding.
"Though your friend there," the seraph nudged his head in Issei’s direction, "Replace the cats with naked women with large breasts, and the ivory towers with sculptures of the same, and you would get a remarkably accurate assessment of what his Heaven will look like."
The aforementioned boy started when the attention became suddenly focused on him. Issei scratched his head sheepishly and grinned before pointing to him.
"What does his Heaven look like then?"
It was meant to be a joke. But to Personas, everything was literal.
Uriel chuckled. He frowned and was about to say something when the angel overrode him.
"There is a city. And within that city there is a house. Not a big one, mind you, just a regular sized one. And in that house there is a boy. A boy who goes down the stairs every morning to see his parents waiting for him. He drinks in their greeting, stays there for as long as he can before the knock on the door. He goes to open it, and there gathered on the outside are a group of people. His friends. And within that group there is a girl. She is special to him, and him to her, and together, the girl and the boy and their friends go on whatever adventures boys and girls their age go on. He is happy there, content, and this repeats, and repeats, and repeats, until the cycle will eventually be broken, not by him, but because time immemorial has ended."
A pregnant silence followed.
"That is rather... tame," Kiba muttered.
The Archangel smiled.
"Sometimes, the things we wish for in Heaven are merely the things that were taken from us in life."
They turned to him, sudden understanding alight in their eyes. He did not mind the sympathy. He just had no use for it. He sighed and leveled a look at the one responsible.
"Ah, and now the Nephilim is mad at me," Uriel said with mock despair, "For my transgression, he will banish me to the darkest depths of the Sea of Souls. That is what happens to those who disappoint him, you know. They sink under and are never called upon again. It is such a sad fate."
Asia frowned at him.
"You won’t do that, will you, Arisato-san? Uriel is a very nice Archangel."
He eyed the balcony and the piles of armor that lay unmoving on its wooden surface. His lips twitched.
"Listen to this one," the seraph noticed and chuckled, "I am a very nice Archangel."
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