In the Beginning there was Nothing. Which raises the interesting question if there really was a Beginning. After all, if there is Nothing, then there also isn't Time, which is part of Something after all. So if there is no Time, how can there be a Beginning?
Fortunately, there was a lack of Nothingness way back then in the Beginning. God was already there. As was Heaven. And the angels.
And war.
Which raises another interesting question. Do angels have free will? They were created by God to be His servants so, really, what use is free will to them? Nevertheless, some rebelled, others simply turned away. Angels must have free will. Either that, or God's plans for the Universe are very strange indeed.
And the important thing that many people forget is that, just because someone has Fallen or is burning in the lakes of fire, doesn't mean a former angel's free will has suddenly become forfeit.
Kim's eyes slowly fell shut, tired as she was after another day of school work, cheerleading and saving the world from megalomaniacal madmen. She wasn't quite asleep yet, but her mind had already started drifting to well beyong her control. In less than a minute she would be fully asleep. Provided nothing unexpected were to happen, of course.
Part of the room suddenly burst into flame.
Kim jerked awake and upright staring at the fire. Her first instinct was to run for the extinguisher, but her second instinct was to wonder why nothing was actually burning.
BEHOLD THE METATRON. HERALD OF THE ALMIGHTY. VOICE OF THE ONE TRUE GOD.
Kim closed her eyes and rubbed them. This had to be a result of that cheese sandwhich she'd had just before going to bed.
BEHOLD THE ME…
“Yes, I heard you the first time,” Kim snapped.
HEAR NOW THE WORDS OF THE ALMIGHTY.
Kim frowned. “Do I have to?”
YES.
“But I don't believe in God.”
THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE DOESN'T EXIST.
Kim sighed. “Fine. Whatever. What does God have to say?”
YOU KNOW, A BIT MORE RESPECT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.
“Sorry, but I don't react well to people bursting into my room when I'm about to go to sleep.”
OH VERY WELL THEN, BE THAT WAY. NOW THEN, THE MESSAGE.
“I'm listening.”
There was a moment's hesitation.
ACTUALLY, I THINK I'D BETTER SHOW YOU.
Shego looked at black tome Dr. Drakken had triumphantly placed on the table mere seconds ago.
“It's a book,” she said. “Why are you so happy about having a book?”
“This isn't just any old book, Shego,” said Drakken. “This book will be instrumental in my plot to take over the world.”
“Uh-huh,” said Shego. “What is it? Some kind of manual for constructing deathrays or something?”
“No, nothing as mundane as that,” said Drakken. “No, this book has pages of brimstone and the very fires of Hell as ink.”
Shego raised an eyebrow. “I dunno. It looks a lot like paper to me.”
Drakken sniffed. “You have no flair for the dramatic, Shego. Anyway, the spells and incantations in this book will bestow powerful infernal… uhm… power unto the reader. I'll have more than enough power to crush Kim Possible once and for all.”
“Right,” said Shego. “And you got this book how?”
“eBay,” said Drakken.
“Of course,” said Shego. “If you don't mind, I think I'm gonna go do something useful. Like filing my nails.”
“Fine, go ahead, mock me,” said Drakken. He took the book and opened it. “I'll show you.”
“Whatever,” said Shego.
Drakken frowned and cleared his throat. Then he stared at the words in front of him for some time and, deciding that he couldn't understand any of it, tried to speak as phonetically as possible. The result sounded as if something was tearing something else apart. A something else that was still living.
“What the…” said Kim. “Are you saying Drakken actually has infernal powers?”
NO, NOT REALLY.
“But…”
THIS IS DRAKKEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
“So then… Shego,” said Kim. “Shego accidentally got a lot of power?”
YES.
“And… you expect me to fight her, I suppose.”
OF COURSE.
“Typical,” Kim groaned. “Do I even stand a chance against her now that she's all infernal?”
NO.
“That's cheering.”
FORTUNATELY, I CAN HELP YOU.
“Really? How?”
Early morning light filtered into the room. Kim blinked a couple of times and sat up in bed. Feeling a bit woozy, she shook her head. And, after that, she almost convinced herself that the whole talking fire thing had simply been a cheese-induced dream until she noticed the top of her pyjamas had been torn apart by the white wings sprouting from her back.