Scenes from a celestial changing room

Gabriel was the first to materialise. Bahamut had granted them any desired form they deem appropriate to defeat HIS enemies in the arena. Gabriel didn't understand why she should change. She had never felt the urge to change through the millenia that she had spent fighting for her god. The body that she had chosen when her spirit became flesh, had served her well in the countless fights and would do so, when she would bring done the new challengers.

A sudden smell of forest and moss made her turn around just to look into a face made of bark and plant-like matter, surrounded by dark red leaves.

"So you have chosen the forms of your ancestors, Uriel. You haven't embraced your origins in quite a while!"

"Well, after all these years, it's still the form I'm most comfortable in, and furthermore, the fight will take place in a natural environment. So what could be better than to become what I once was: One of the original protectors of the Feywild!"

"Well, look at you two: A fragile female and a tree! Hardly the comrades I usually long for in battle". Raphael burst into laughter and ducked below the swinging branch-like arm that was aiming for his face. His perfectly polished armour gleamed as it reflected the reddish light from the braziers.

Gabriel walked over to him with a played seductive smile "Well, if you want to convince fragile women, you should have perhaps chosen a form with,.... how should I put that,....... less scales?" She knocked a finger against his exposed arm and smiled at the hollow sound.

Uriel chuckled "And don't forget his bad breath!"

Pointing his massive sword towards Uriel, Raphael replied with a smile "Careful or I use my sword for decortication! So only our fearless leader is missing? I wonder in what form he will greet us when his two legs bring him here!"

A sound made them all turn....and burst out in laughter in unison. Gabriel put his hand on Raphael's shoulder, already tears running down her eyes "Did you say 'two' legs?".

Michael looked at the three creatures bellowing with laughter in front of him and started to get annoyed "Hardly the greeting I had expected!"

Raphael managed to look up "Come on Michael, what's with the long face?"