When
angels are born, they are genderless. They develop into male or female
as they grow (this was ruthlessly lifted from Kaori Yuki's Angel Sanctuary),
a process that usually ends when an angel is 10. Angel's wings grow
with the angel's body: they do not reach their full size until the angel
is 18 (or thereabouts), although most angels are capable of flight at around
14 (some before then, if their bodies are small). The only way to
kill an angel is to cut off both wings: their flesh vessel will turn to
dust after this and their spirits will rejoin with God. Cutting off
just one wing leaves an angel in pain (and unable to fly) for the rest
of their existence--to do this is considered extraordinarily cruel.
The wings are the only part of the angel's organic body that can't regenerate.
If the wings are left intact, then an angel can eventually recover from
any kind of injury, no matter how severe. The base of the wings is
a nerve center for angels (in Angel Sanctuary it is -the- nerve center,
but TCP angels just have a lot of nerve endings there, which I think simply
makes sense, since it's where the wings connect). Touching an angel there
is considered taboo in their society (basically doing so constitutes sexual
harrassment XB).
Feathers themselves
have magical properties, but I can't explain that here cos it'll spoil
a part of the story. X3
Each angel
has a set of special characteristics endowed to them by their sphere.
For example, Shamshiel, the angel of Day, can become an invisible mist
in daylight, whereas Leliel, the angel of Night, can become invisible in
darkness. Some of these characteristics can also potentially work
against the angel--Shamshiel also glows in the dark. :B; They are able
to learn other abilities as they age, in addition to their intrinsic skills.
One skill shared by every angel is the natural ability to sing, but we'll
talk more about that in social conventions.
Angels become
adults at age 18, but their physical appearance is generally determined
by their will. They can't change it at random: it takes great force
of will to become older or younger once an age is settled on. Most
TCP angels look like they're in their early 20's, although some look much
younger (Shamshiel) and some a bit older (Shateiel). The only part of their
appearance they control easily is their wings, which can be brought in
or out of their backs at will. Keeping the wings extended for long
periods of time, especially when they're not flying, will often cause backaches.
Eventually the skin will break and bleed over the strain. But at
the same time, keeping them constantly compressed will also cause backaches,
even more severe than those cause by prolonged extension. This is
rarely a problem because most angels do rely on their wings to get around.
The occasion
that an angel will be born with anything but pure white wings is rare.
Discolorations do happen, but not very often at all. Even Lucifer's
wings are white, despite his current status.
