The fairies introduce Dolores, a training Angel of Death, to Esperanza, the Angel of Hope, in a beautiful, secret forest.

 

Puck (sadly): Alright, well, this is where we leave you both.

 

Red Fairy (shyly): We have to go troll Trump and his goons.

 

Esperanza gently pats Puck’s hair and smiles at the other two fairies; Puck relaxes and smiles.

 

Esperanza (smiling): Thank you a million times, Puck, and you, too, little ones.

 

The Blue and Red Fairy curtsy in unison; then, they disappear.

 

Dolores: I’m sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances.

 

Esperanza (gently smiles): Don’t worry, young one! I know, in a way, how you feel.

 

Dolores (surprised): You do? I thought only beginner angels felt this way.

 

Esperanza (sadly): No, we still panic and lament the recent, excessive losses.

 

Dolores looks down at the ground, but Esperanza reassures Dolores.

 

Esperanza (continued): By any chance, have you recently picked up any animals or birds?

 

Dolores (puzzled): Ummm, now that you mention it, there was a crow who passed away. Why?

 

Esperanza: Did you by any chance visit the pick-up site afterwards?

 

Dolores (slightly ashamed): No, I’m sorry! We’ve been busy, but otherwise -

 

Esperanza (gently reassures): No, please, I didn’t mean it in a judgmental tone; I meant to show how it is natural to mourn.

 

Dolores: Nature mourns?

 

Esperanza: Oh, yes! Birds actually often hold gatherings at the site of their deceased. I think the first humans learned this from them.

 

Dolores (surprised): Really?!

 

Esperanza (smiles): Yes, after all, sadness is one of the universal emotions!

 

Dolores: How do you overcome sadness?

 

Esperanza (shakes her head): Sadness isn’t an emotion to be ashamed of, instead it’s best to allow it to happen.

 

Dolores: I’m just embarrassed at how I acted around my supervisor.

 

Esperanza: Oh, Carl?! No, don’t worry! If anything, I think he’s realized that even angels need someone from time to time.

 

Dolores (surprised): You know my supervisor?

 

Esperanza (calmly): Yup, I’ve known him since early civilizations existed, plus he dated a friend.

 

Dolores: Oh, okay! By any chance, how do you all keep moving forward?

 

Esperanza (sighs): Well, initially, it wasn’t easy; I won’t lie.

 

Dolores nods and stares at Esperanza intrigued.

 

Esperanza (continued): But then, my friends and I united, and Justicia remembered that that’s how precious evil men won for some time.

 

Dolores (intrigued): How??

 

Esperanza (calmly): By making people feel alone and without any agency.

 

Dolores (pensively): That’s true.

 

Esperanza: I won’t lie; I thought my power would leave me, and initially, there was a time I felt weaker.

 

Dolores looks at Esperanza sadly, but Esperanza shows her strength through her smile.

 

Esperanza (smiling): Luckily, humanity still has hope, and even if only one person can remember to hope, it’ll spread eventually.

 

Dolores: So, usually time does bring about wisdom.

 

Esperanza (chuckles): Yes, usually. After an all, like a wise philosopher once said: “Some might run against the test/ but those that triumph embrace the fight cause/ the fear is there to prove that courage exists”.

 

Dolores: Wow, that does sound like a brilliant definition of hope. I thought I had read everything about Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, but I guess I was wrong.

 

Esperanza: It’s not Socrates or his students.

 

Dolores (confused): Ummm, then is it Shakespeare?

 

Esperanza (smiles): Oh, it’s actually a quote from a modern day philosopher!

 

Dolores (surprised): They still have some?!

 

Esperanza (calmly): Yup, let me introduce you to Macklemore, oh, and Medusa’s favorite, Kendrick Lamar.

 

Dolores: Wait, I’ve heard of them!

 

Esperanza nods but proceeds to still teach Dolores about her favorite artists.

 

Esperanza: I hope you’ll join us in the reckoning of Trump and the billionaires!

 

Dolores: I thought that it was mid-way done!

 

Esperanza (gently smiles): Oh, it’s still barely beginning.

 

Dolores (passionately): Count me in.

 

BLACKOUT.