New Oasis Memorials [Saga/Angel]

ome days just were not meant to happen or at least they shouldn't be allowed to happen. That was what was going through the young Angel's mind as she flew overhead just slightly out of sight, but still directly above her family's vehicle which carried her mother and auntie in simple black dresses and Her adopted Brother Leo and adopted Cousin Mushiko wearing simple three piece black suits. Angel had asked the school's Principal's permission to use her quirk to be able to fly her family over to the funeral, and to her surprise the man showed a bit of sympathy since the pair had gone through quite the ordeal together which Angel was still healing from with her broken ribs being wrapped up in bandages under her own suit and trench coat.

Once the family arrived on the New Oasis grounds and building which had been built on top of where the New Haven orphanage used to stand in the outskirts of Mustafu Angel allowed her family to park along with all the other guest's cars before touching down gently by the still wrapped statue simply resting her wings flat against the back of her trench coat. As the Surami-Nikos clan got out of their car Angel turned to look at the coffin that had yet to be lowered into it's grave in front of the yet to be uncovered statue of Natsuko. As Angel looked at the coffin she felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks silently. A few moments after this began she felt the familiar embrace of her mother from behind hugging her gently.

"You can't blame yourself Angel. You did all you could for poor little Natsuko. Sometimes even the mightiest of heroes can save everyone from everything. I just know that Natsuko appreciated you being there with her at the end. You were her hero. Take solace in that."

As Angel's mom Asui tried to console her heart broken daughter Angel's Auntie Rose tried to do the same with her newly adopted daughter Mushiko Kuwagata who was just hugging her tightly and had her face pressed into her new mom's shoulder. The last of the clan Leo Sinclair remained his stoic silent self though his eyes spoke 1000 words. Both he and Mushiko had once been residents of  the same orphanage just like poor Natsuko and her brother and so this loss was effecting them even deeper than it was angel though they expressed it in different ways. Once the family composed itself they headed inside the mostly completed New Oasis building and into the large meeting hall that was meant to be used for such an occasion to find the remaining children of the orphanage, Haruka Watanabe the co-owner of New Oasis and the former owner of New Haven as well as Natsuko's grand mother sitting in the front row of the mourners next to her grandson and Natsuko's brother Matrou who was doing his best not to cry in front of his grand mother. To the left of them sat 5 chairs meant for the Surami-Nikos clan. Once Angel opened the door and all eyes fell on her family they just filed in single file and all but Angel sat in their seat. Angel herself walked to the front of the crowd of kids, family, future employees and old friends of Haruka and her family that had shown up to pay respects. Once she was at the front of the room Angel cleared her throat and spoke softly into the mic that had been set up.

"Thank you all for coming. It truly means more than you could ever know to me and Natsuko's family. I just wish we were all gathered here for a more joyful occasion. Today we lay to rest young Natsuko Watanabe who sadly was taken from us at the mere age of seven. She was born with the unique mutation of not having bones. As a result every time she shrunk herself down her internal organs would be damaged. Sadly this fact was found out too late to be able to prevent further harm. Some of you may not know who I am, and that's alright. I am not only one of the owners of the building we find ourselves in, but also a friend of the Watanabe family. I am a junior hero at U.A. high school which was how I met young Natsuko, and how I was able to be there with her during her final moments.

I did not know the little Angel to awfully long, but I could tell from the moment I met her that she was a dreamer and a kind playful soul with wonder in her eyes. She also loved superheroes, and so upon meeting me despite me only being a hero student she instantly gravitated to me. I still remember her first words to me. She told me that her mommy said that a guardian Angel was watching out for her and her brother, and asked me if I was her."

Angel's voice caught at the end of her words as if she were going to break into sobs, and so she took a deep breath so that she could soldier on. This was the final heroic act that she could do for Natsuko and so she had to see it through.

"I told her that I was indeed her guardian Angel, and from that point on I would be watching out for her. I just wish I did a better job, and I can never apologize enough to her family for not being able to save her."

Angel went silent for a moment to collect herself once more while passing a regret filled glance to Haruka and Matrou before removing the mic from its stand and continuing.

"The events of today will go as follows. I will step aside and allow young Natsuko's surviving family to come up and say a few words followed by a couple of her friends who knew her best if they wish too. I will then perform a musical tribute to Young Natsuko as chosen by her Grandmother Haruka Watanabe. We will then make our way outside to pay our final respects and say our final goodbyes, as well as reveal one final gift to her. We will then come back inside and make our way to the banquet hall for a celebration of life catered meal so that we can share our memories of the departed."

Angel then held out her free hand to Haruka and Matrou.

"Would the family like to come up now and speak?"

s Natsuko spoke of his now dead sister, and what a light she was in the world Angel found herself looking down at the floor as she placed her hand over her left side where her new quickly healing surgical scar lay on her skin from having to have two broken ribs fixed after preventing, or rather helping prevent a zombie outbreak. Despite the pain in her side, and all the pain she had overcome from injuries and from her own past history of abuse hearing about Natsuko's light and what New Oasis would mean to her hurt more then all of that combined. A swelling pit of guilt filled Angel's stomach as it was all she could do to prevent herself from sobbing. Angel's mother seemed to see this and just spoke softly to herself and her family.

"Oh dear, I think I know what's going through our dear Angel's mind right now. She's blaming herself for the little one's death despite there being nothing she could have possibly done."

Hearing this Leo would look over at his adopted mother with both stoic worry, and slight confusion on his face. 

"Why would she blame herself for poor Natsuko's fate Sue? She died from an illness brought on by her quirk. She wasn't killed an accident, some quirker or mugger. Angel may be one of the strongest people we know both inside and out, but despite her wings and beauty she isn't a celestial. She isn't a goddess that is responsible for every human life in the world."

Upon hearing her son's questions she nodded in understanding, but just as she understood her son so too did she understand her daughter's mindset. Just as becoming the Angel of Mercy had given her true strength in freedom from her abuse it also seemed to act as chains of her very own making chaining her to the world that she had sworn to protect. In a way she had made sure that her soul would never be truly again until either she passed on the mantle of the Angel of Mercy, her mission of bringing an end to bigotry and hatred through love and unity or if a villain somehow managed to get her. This was both the gift and the burden of the Angel of Mercy.

"My dear dear son. You know how the country...no the world is coming to see heroes. Some Quirkless civilians have come to see them as the demi-gods of our age, and that's just the pro heroes. Angel and her class of junior heroes are the first ever batch to ever come out of U.A. The first new round of demi-gods to step up to protect country and our world. It is the fact that she has such power at her fingertips and the responsibility that comes with it that is the very reason she is feeling this loss so deeply. She sees it as a personal failure."

Upon hearing his new mom's words Leo looked down at the floor for a moment before sitting back in his chair. He had chosen to leave U.A and attend a civilian high school because unlike his sister his dream of a perfect life was not so lofty. He just wanted a normal life with his new family. He would fight to protect them if they were put in danger, but he was no hero certainly not the kind his sister and her peers were that was for sure. Angel had been willing to risk her life in order to save the city from the zombie outbreak and nearly lost it as a result, and yet here she was standing by a pair of grieving civilians despite the emotional, mental and physical pain she was in. She may not yet hold the title of Pro hero, but she was a hero to him, the rest of her family and most likely every person in this room.

Once Natsuko's brother finished speaking Angel removed her hand from her side and looked toward her elder Haruka Watanabe with regret filled eyes, but still tried to give her a smile.

"before we continue, would you care to say a few words Mrs.Watanabe?"

ngel made sure to remain silently respectful as Ms.Watanabe spoke of their loss, but more so how young Natsuko would love how they were trying to use New Oasis to help the young people of the country so that none of them would have to suffer like she, Angel or any of the other orphans of the country who had their worlds ripped away from them had too. Angel considered herself one of the strongest warriors that U.A. had to offer much like one of the demi-gods of legend, but she knew that her true calling and purpose was to act as a mortal Eros and his mother Aphrodite who's job it was to spread love, peace, kindness and mercy throughout the world. Angel had many ways of doing so, but she knew her biggest chance of success would New Oasis as it would hopefully outlast her long after she and her family were long gone.

Once both Ms.Haruka and her grandson were done speaking Angel lightly hugged them both and motioned for them both to sit back down. Once they were seated Angel motioned for her mother to turn on the musical selection that had been chosen. As the music started Angel grabbed the microphone and spread her wings wide causing a few shocked looks from those who didn't know her in the crowd. She then began to sing the song "Tears of an Angel" in perfect Japanese as she hovered above the stage. Angel wasn't the absolute best singer and yet as she sang she could see tears begin to break out in the crowd including from her own family even her gothic stoic little brother Leo who was usually emotionally reserved. As Angel sang those who payed attention or knew her well could hear the pain in her voice as she struggled to keep it from trembling as she began to tear up silently. Once the song was over Angel landed and put the mic back in its place. She then wiped her eyes, and did her best to smile as she addressed the crowd before her.

"Now that we are done with the part of the service that takes place in this room I would ask you all to go single file into the court yard where young Natsuko will be put to rest with full honors. Please allow the family of the departed to go first followed by my family. Once we are all outside the priest that we have asked to perform the ceremony will speak as my family and the Watanabe family bury the coffin. Once that is all done, and you all have said your final goodbyes we will head to the banquet hall for the feast where you can stay as long, or leave as soon as you wish. The purpose of the feast is to celebrate the young girl's life. When the Watanabe family is ready we will head outside."

ngel remained silent as she allowed the close friends and whatever family Ms.Haruka had left to carry out the coffin. The young junior hero did her best to avoid looking at her family the best that she could so that they couldn't see how upset she truly was even though they already knew. Once they were outside and the coffin had been lowered into the ground where it would rest forever, and everyone began to honor the departed by dropping dirt over the coffin Angel felt both her Aunt's and her mom's hands clasp her own and look at their beloved Angel over her shoulders.

"Honor her in your own way Angel. You were her personal hero."

Auntie Rose nodded at her sister's suggestion and gave her niece's hand a squeeze before looking back at her nephew and her new daughter, and gave them both a nod to toss in the tokens that reminded them of the fallen young one. The three youngsters all looked at one another as if they seemed to have a quick silent  conversation leading Leo to step up, and pull a pair of plastic vampire teeth that the young girl used to wear when she tried to cheer the goth boy up. He then dropped them in smiling slightly.

"For the little light in this vampire's dark life."

Once Leo stepped back Mushiko stepped up and pulled out a little headband with bouncy bug antenna on the top and dropped it in as she shed a tear.

"For my favorite little playmate."

The last to step up was Angel who simply plucked one of her longer feathers from her left wing and dropped it in as her tribute. She looked down at the three tokens and took a slow inhale through her nose.

"For my youngest fan, friend and supporter who I failed to save. Forgive me young one."

As twilight came and the young girl's body began to be lowered into the ground Angel spread her wings and took to the sky. Once there she began to fly through the lower clouds in a way that caused them to form the Kanji for goodbye and for the young girl's name. In the twilight as the sun began to fade away Angel's wings cast a large shadow over the crowd until she landed and rested them flat against her back.

"If everyone is ready, we can go back inside to the banquet hall for the rememberance feast where if you like you can share any fond stories you have for the departed."

Without another word Angel just lead the way back inside, and to the large banquet hall. It was now time to try and celebrate instead of mourn. The next couple of hours seemed to go by in a flash as Angel made her rounds talking to the mourners and did her best to comfort the children the best she could, and entertain them with tales of heroics. As she did so however she felt a deep pit of regret and shame filling her stomach which she knew wouldn't be going away any time soon.

(THREAD END)