"What a cold and dreary midday for the end of the week." Her comment was critical since for once she had expected it to at least be a little nicer out. Usually the thunderstorms common for this region of their underworld would at least sound off their appearance, but even these could get old fast when staring at the light produced by each clap of thunder lost interest in the spectacle. A fog would've also been welcome as well because they could go out for a nice walk together despite the moisture making it cold and damp. As it was, the boring rain still made it feel like the morning was cold from the looks of it, yet the blandness of simple rain was enough to tire anybody. "I was hoping for a little change of pace for once. Perhaps a tornado within the eye of a hurricane can be welcomed as a new sight if one were to pass across the valley yonder."
"I should hope not, Refi," Sin remarked with a small smile, eyes closed as she buttered two biscuits for herself, "at least, not for the next several days or so." Taking a bite out of one, she also averted her attention outside and gazed calmly at the rain pattering on the patio outside their parlor. "I don't mind the rain. I think it looks quite lovely. It's very serene, don't you think so too, Refi?"
"Can't argue with that," the Devil remarked from her spot at the window, standing there to watch a pair of vultures fight over a piece of carrion a short distance from the stone fence built for housing the outdoor garden. "Yes, it is indeed a peaceful atmosphere, like in all your sketches. I'd count the number of rain drawings in your gallery, though I'm afraid I'd lose count of your favorite weather scenes. At least the others are hanging to differentiate the display by altering the pace."
"I love the rain, but it's not my only favorite muse for sketching. I've got drawings I made of sights and vistas in my friends' worlds too, plus I enjoy drawing family sketches," Sin said, shutting her eyes again after chewing the other biscuit and swallowing it. "I have so many sketches I'd probably need my own storage room for them. That or a museum that can display them—well, I know the local museum in town accepted some of the drawings I gave freely."
"Either because you're a talented artist, or maybe it's because they don't want to disregard your donations because of your relation to me," Reficul pointed out, turning around and sauntering over to the couch so she could take a seat beside Sin and have a few buttered biscuits with her. "It could even be both, you know. Still, it's nice to know your works are receiving recognition."
"True," Sin responded with a brief giggle. "I bet Mors gets those technicalities of his from you. He really does take after you quite a lot, more so than myself. I'm just glad he's been brought up right and spends time with us whenever he's around. Speaking of which, where is Mors? Would he happen to be with some of his friends in town, Refi? I was too busy running errands to check."
"No, he is visiting Glasses. He has business he wished to discuss with him, so he'll be away for the next few days," the Devil explained and ate a biscuit. "I just hope Satanick will not bother them. That man is a horrible influence on others, though it's nice his own son despises him as well. I'm not fond of his mother as well, so hopefully she won't be a nuisance either. Glasses is a good individual and is an excellent businessman, so I'd welcome him here to discuss matters pertaining to the subject. He's one of the best foreign colleagues Mors knows; thankfully they get along and are on cordial terms with one another enough to be considered friends with one another."
"I don't like Satanick too, but Lil's a great friend. Please, try not to be so hard on her, Refi."
"You know I cannot stand her, Sin," Reficul said bitterly without applying venom into her voice and directing it at the snake demon. "She can be childish and she knows nothing of manners, plus she purposely tries to irk me whenever we're near one another. How she became his wife I'll never know, though I care not to bother myself with such disdainful subjects." She sighed to relieve a tad bit of stress produced from thinking about Lil and made eye contact with Sin with a smile to show she was looking forward to spending time with her. "I just want to have a quiet weekend, no objections or anyone who may bother us—save for the servants, of course, since they are welcome. Aside from them, it'll just be the two of us. We can enjoy a nice movie together and read some of the manuscripts in our library. Perhaps we can even dine on some fine cuisine or even go out. Your choice is always welcome, so please be sure to give what we can do some thought."
"Thank you, Refi," Sin smiled happily and embraced the Devil in a hug. "I appreciate that, though do recall I'll be having company over for the weekend since I invited my friends over."
"Friends?" Reficul inquired, somewhat confused. "You didn't say anything about that."
"I left you a note about that on the nightstand. We were both really busy with work and all that I couldn't find the time to really explain it beforehand. Luckily I had enough time to jot down the dates and who's coming so you could read it," the snake demon explained. "Have you not had a chance to read it yet, Refi?" It was an innocent question, one without malice as she was curious.
The Devil shut her eyes and put a bent finger to her chin so she could try to remember that. It had been a busy week, true, and neither of them had brought up that matter. "I think…" she said after a bit of thought, "there may have been something there, but it must've been buried beneath a few other papers, documents I've brought home from work to go over with standard junk mail. I'd thrown the latter out after shredding it, and your note might've been under those by accident. I am sorry for not reading it if that was the case," Reficul apologized to her sincerely, finishing a biscuit.
"Oh, that's quite alright, Refi," Sin politely waved it off with a smile, shutting her eyes. "It is no big deal really, just a usual gathering with the same friends from other worlds except Killie."
"Including Lil?" Reficul checked with some disinterest more in the individual than the idea of inviting her, though Sin nodded to confirm the suspicion regardless. "I see," Reficul said calmly. "So long as she keeps her distance from me while you help maintain that distance and her behavior, I've no problems with her coming over. Are you sure Rosaliya also has time to join us?"
"And Rane too, don't forget about her," Sin reminded the Devil. "They'll all be here," she added as one of the maids arrived with a tea set so the snake demon could pour a couple cups of it for herself and Reficul. She took up the teapot and let the tea gently gush out into the cups, offering the first one to the Devil while taking the second for herself. "Hopefully all goes well, Refi. Please be sure to be on your best behavior with them, especially Lil and Macarona."
"Yes, I pro—wait, what?" Reficul uttered stoically with her eyes shut until they opened up in surprise. "Come again, Sin? Who else did you say was coming besides the other ladies?"
Sin smiled and closed her eyes. "Why, Macarona, of course."
Reficul whipped her head around to do a spit take and whipped it back. "SHE WHAT?!"
The snake demon sighed in frustration, having anticipated the Devil's reaction. "Yes, Refi, I've also invited Macarona over as well. Do be nice and try not to antagonize her," she instructed.
The maid who had come to deliver the tea appeared bewildered at the Devil's aversion as she was cleaning up the tea Reficul spat out. Yet she made sure to eavesdrop as she and some other servants liked to gossip about general topics. Occasionally Sin joined them, and the Devil had no qualms with their conversations so long as they weren't saying anything belittling towards anyone. Rumors were rumors, and Reficul did not interfere unless it happened to actually be true and she'd chosen to either disprove the notion or agree to its validity. The Devil's thoughts on all of the close friends Sin had were known to them, yet this new individual—Macarona—seemed to invoke some kind of fearful reaction from Reficul which made the maid chuckle slightly. Reficul and Sin didn't mind that kind of laughter either even if it was directed at them because the snake demon was quite capable of taking a joke aimed at her and the Devil couldn't really care less.
"But why?!" Reficul protested nervously, wondering what could have been the reason Sin had to even think of inviting the young angel over to their home for the weekend.
"Because, Refi, Macarona has given us a tour of Gray Village when we went there," came the logical explanation from Sin who merely shut her eyes and jutted a finger in the air as a means of further emphasizing her point. "I thought it would be proper to thank her by inviting her over to meet with us and get to know my friends just as she introduced us to hers."
"B-but, b-but, s-she's an angel!" the Devil pointed out which caught the maid by surprise; neither she nor Reficul ever heard about inviting an angel to an underworld of demons. However, the maid was familiar with the somewhat okay relationship between Satanick and Fumus since he had been over several times to conduct business and political negotiations with Reficul, and he did mention the God of his own world a few times. Furthermore, she heard of the Gray Garden through her masters when Reficul had aided in the conflict against Ivlis and after a day trip there. Even so, an angel in an underworld of demons…a tough concept to believe unless it was a Fallen Angel.
"Yes, she is. What difference does that make, Refi?" Sin scolded Reficul for that. "It's the same thing with you and Mercury; I know you're still acquaintances with her even though neither of you have ever seen each other since you fell from Elux's heaven." Ah, so the snake demon was also referring to another angel the Devil knew and was still cordial with despite the fact she wasn't on good terms with the Goddess anymore. "Are the two of you no longer on the same page? What does that mean about my friendship with Macarona? Are angels and demons not allowed to make peace and be friends? The Gray Garden's certainly the best place for such blissful harmony."
"Y-yes, it most definitely is," Reficul conceded the point hastily before adding, "She would be much better off in her own world than coming to a hostile world."
"I sent one of my rose badges along with the invitation to her, instructing Macarona to wear it while in our world so none of our inhabitants attacks her. The demons here are already aware of the Gray Garden and your friendship with its Goddess and Devil which comprises the alliance we share with that world," Sin went on in her explanation, remaining patient with Reficul. "Therefore, our demons may be suspicious of her even if she mentions her world, but the rose badge will help."
"B-but your g-guests won't accept her!" the Devil brought up another point, hoping she'd convince Sin to let Macarona know via mail or some other means of communication that the angel shouldn't have come. Granted, there was no real reason why she shouldn't other than a strong fear Reficul had of her—which was actually more of a phobia, really.
"I've already informed them as well and requested they treat her nicely. They replied back saying they would see what she's like and give her a chance to determine if they'll like her. I have even asked Rane to meet her at the train station to pick Macarona up and bring her here," came yet another point from Sin who had apparently thought through everything already.
"W-what if s-she d-decides not t-to s-show?!" Reficul asked, seizing the snake demon and drawing closer to her, desperately wishing she could hopefully avoid having the angel over.
"She replied as well, a little later than the RSVP date, saying she'll be here soon while also explaining why she couldn't contact me sooner," the snake demon commented and then continued speaking right away because she figured the Devil would capitalize on whatever the angel's reason for staying back was to try and persuade Macarona into staying home. "It seems her friend's older sister had gone missing recently, but she was found and her friend wanted her to come and acquire some stories about her time here as a get well present. Such a sweet gift for the poor girl, wouldn't you agree, Refi?" Sin then inquired because she thought it was nice of Macarona to do that, so she also wanted to know the Devil opinion on that too. "We can tell her all about our world."
"F-fine, s-sure, whatever, b-but d-doesn't s-she have s-school or something?!"
"Macarona has also said her teachers and school principal encouraged her to come as well," Sin answered her, calmly sipping her tea. "Even Kcalb and Etihw heard about it too; they approve of her visiting us. She garnered so much approval from everyone, and I secured promises from my other friends that they will be open to her. Everybody is fine with this except for one person." Sin's smile turned into a frown and she began to look at Reficul with a critical gaze, unrelenting because she knew the real reason why the Devil was making such a fuss about this. "You, Refi," she stated in an acute tone of voice which she utilized to chide the Devil. "You refuse her out of fear."
"W-wha—M-me?!" Reficul asked, trying to sound shocked on purpose—the maid did not express any sort of surprise herself, seeing how she made a correct guess based on how the Devil's reactions came across as timid and demure. The poor Devil attempted to regain her composure due to having lost it entirely, though it unfortunate for her because she couldn't. At best, all she could do was stutter and stammer at the thought of having Macarona as a guest. "T-that's n-not—t-that's crazy! I-I-I would never refuse anyone!" she exclaimed, trying to sound more confident despite an intense straining of her voice which fractured because of her phobia. "I-I-I'm not s-scared of her!"
"Good, then you won't mind her spending the next several days with us and the others too," Sin remarked to end the conversation before it got worse for Reficul, closing her eyes while taking the final sip of her tea. She had thought the argument was over, but Reficul just had to be difficult.
"A-actually, I-I-I do mind!" the Devil kept trying to hammer her objection of having a lone angel come visit them and spend an entire weekend here. "W-we spent a day in her c-company! It wasn't t-that long! S-surely a single day trip would b-be necessary! Y-you can show her around!"
"No, absolutely not, Refi. I'll not refuse Macarona simply because you're terrified of her. She's a sweet girl, and I'm quite positive she'll be willing to overlook and forgive any problems you cause so long as you act mature around her instead of being a frightened kitten. You're causing animosity between you and her. Macarona isn't the problem, it's your actions that make her mad, Refi." Reficul kept trying to argue with the snake demon so she could at least go somewhere else and let Sin know she wasn't going to be around, but Sin refused to back down. "I'll not allow you to disgrace this get-together just because you're scared of one of the guests. It isn't often I invite them over since I usually go to their worlds, so all I ask if for you to behave properly. That's it; it isn't as difficult as you're making it out to be, Refi. Just a simple weekend and that's it."
"B-b-but, b-b-but—' Reficul tried to protest, but Sin interjected.
"No buts anymore, Refi, Macarona is spending the weekend with us and that's final."
"A-alright, f-fine, s-she can stay!" Reficul finally gave in, but not before she made one last comment about the debate. "I-I'll just go someplace else while you…" Yet her voice died away as she caught the snake demon glaring at her like a parent scolding his or her child.
"Refi…" Sin uttered, sounding exactly like the parent in this interaction as she applied the tone one used to rebuke the child via critical scolding when the latter did something wrong. It had made Reficul wince and squeak timidly as the Devil shrank away from the snake demon in fear.
"U-um, I-I'm s-sorry…" Reficul said bashfully, looking down at her lap in shame until she looked up at Sin again when the other lady patted her on the head. "S-Sin…"
"Please, Refi, just try to behave and act like a good hostess with me," Sin said calmly now that she had finally settled her down. She didn't have to scold Reficul anymore, and gave the Devil some comfort to soothe her frayed nerves. "I'm not asking for much on this. All I'd like is for you welcome our guests with open arms regardless of who they are. That's all, understand?" Reficul silently nodded demurely to show she did as Sin smiled happily, shutting her eyes while rising to slither away. "Thank you, Refi. Everything is already being prepared, so rehearse to be a hostess."
Reficul watched her depart and sighed nervously when she was gone, putting her face into her hands as she pondered just how bad it would be if she upset Macarona with the others watching her squirm and shiver in horror due to her phobia of the angel. A small chuckle from the maid who was still present made Reficul jump since it startled her. "W-what are still doing here?" she asked while her whole face turned red from embarrassment. "G-get back to work." The maid laughed as she left too, leaving the Devil alone with her fear of Macarona and how to try dealing with it.
…
Lowrie had told her everything he knew about this region of his old world; from what she'd seen so far, Macarona guessed he was right. For the past fifteen minutes she'd been sitting on one of the benches on a platform of a train station watching the demons go about their business as one of the trains scheduled for arrival came and left. All of them stared at her and whispered about her, wondering why an angel was amongst them wearing one of Sin's rose badges. They left Macarona to her own devices and she left them to theirs while she reflected on what she'd seen. The city was certainly impressive, what with its several skyscrapers and corporate offices reaching high up in the sky while smaller shops rested at their bases. Each of them were named after whoever managed them it seemed, save for a few examples such as a couple big businesses and many of the shops.
If she had time to tour this place in greater detail, Macarona would've loved to because she wanted to learn more about this world and its customs. Looking up at the ceiling to observe all the magenta purple and navy blue tiles covering the entire framework, the young angel closed her eyes and stretched her arms in the air before checking her watch for the time. It was nearly two o' clock and it had taken her several hours to get to this world, partly by foot and partly by a tram car which traveled between the underworlds. Even the demons there gave her odd looks which she attributed to hostile curiosity, yet even they refused to attack her because she had the rose badge clipped onto her sailor uniform. Adjusting the position of her cap, Macarona pulled her cellphone out and began to check for any messages she received from her friends asking her what the trip was like. So many of the other students at school heard about it, and they wasted no time bombarding her with worded inquiries about Reficul's underworld, but she replied back with a simple message letting everyone know she'd share her stories with them once she returned from the brief vacation.
She had just pulled it away when her eyes caught a glimpse of two demons from the crowd split from them to approach her. They looked mighty suspicious of her, but Macarona wasn't even bothered by that. She was a stranger in a strange world, after all, especially since she was an angel. It was only natural they'd be bothered by her presence. Maybe they were even upset about it. One of them didn't seem to portray any discomfort as he appeared to be somewhat interested in why a lone angel had come to their underworld. The other just looked plain ferocious with his fists drawn at his sides; from what Lowrie said, it appeared this cow demon was Ushio.
"Well, well, what have we here," the other demon attired in a gray shirt, black pants, along with a long, white coat said to get her attention. His shoes matched the color of his pants, plus his wings did too. Those were in sets of four which protruded from both his back and his head as those bangs over his head hung down in three distinct points that weren't too sharp. "An angel in a world of demons." His voice was full of poisonous venom which he directed her at when he spoke. "And just what might a young angelic lass like yourself be doing here of all places, girlie?"
Although this guy sounded unpleasant, Macarona wouldn't let him disturb her as she was an outsider in this underworld. His suspicion and spiteful attitude towards her was justified in that regard because he was a demon who belonged here. Her presence was unlike anything he must've known about this place, so it was only natural for him to interrogate an unwelcome angel. Demons, even if they were foreigners were probably still allowed because they were demons, but angels did not meet the same standards of approval because they were meant to be enemies of demons.
Macarona was aware of this distinction despite having come from a world where that didn't apply anymore. She learned about it from her teachers at school, particularly Lowrie, and even the Goddess and Devil had spoken about it too. Even Ivlis' invasion was a good example even though his was an outside force. In any case, the young angel sought to make a good impression even if it was going to be difficult getting that across to them. "Good day, gentlemen, how may I help you?" she asked with a smile. "My name's Macarona, and I come from the Gray Garden." She opted for a direct approach by politely introducing herself to them. Although Macarona could've asked this cow demon if he really was Ushio, she felt that was jumping the gun a little bit.
"Ah, the world our Devil seems to appreciate," the demon, a doctor by the looks of it, said in response. "You people were recently invaded by that airhead a while back, am I right?" With a nod to confirm the inquiry as true, she allowed him to proceed in the conversation. "I suspected as much; you do have that air about you. It's unlike the standard impressions one gets from angels. I suppose you must think of yourself and that pitiful world of yours quite highly for being unique in that regard. It's a shame you people are not dead yet. I was personally rooting for the airhead."
Macarona was going to ask him if he and his companion here would politely stop insulting her world, but decided against it and kept her tongue in check. Saying the wrong thing could reflect poorly on herself and the Gray Garden, plus it risked inciting another invasion and a possible war. She smiled slightly uneasily and chuckled, successfully stifling her discomfort and hiding it behind a wall of proper etiquette. "Yes, I suppose we might be considered out of the ordinary, but we are satisfied with the decision our respective people made to stop fighting. We don't ask for much and we are pretty content with our lifestyle, but all we seek is peace and harmony between us."
"Then why don't you get your ass back to your own world, bitch?" the cow demon asked in an aggressive tone. "And when you do, be sure to tell that jackass, Lowrie, I'll kick the shit out of him next time he shows his worthless mug around this joint, you follow?" Huffing in annoyance, he dusted off the gray coat he wore and crossed his arms to display his irritation.
"Oh, you know Mr. Lowrie?" Macarona asked, attempting to act surprised. "He's a teacher of mine at school. I like him a lot because he's a really great guy and he's so nice. Though I appear to be getting ahead of myself since I haven't yet asked you gentlemen for your names."
"Oh, she still refers to us as gentlemen despite the fact we're not even close to receiving a highly prestigious honor like that," the other demon commented sarcastically, averting his eyes to the cow demon. "Such nice manners for a pathetic angel like her, right Ushio?" he asked him while the other smirked in agreement and snickered. "But very well, I suppose we can entertain this petty formality for a bit." He had turned back to Macarona when saying this. "I'm Alibe, a doctor in this grim city, and this here is Ushio, a military colonel and an infamous street fighter."
"Haven't lost a match once except to that damned birdbrain," Ushio uttered in disdain.
"Says you; you got your ass handed to you on more than one occasion by other fighters."
"Shut the hell up, Alibe! This bitch doesn't need to know that!" the cow demon retorted.
"Um, gentlemen," Macarona spoke up sheepishly to try and break up an argument that was probably going to escalate into an armed conflict, "if you would be so kind as to direct me towards somebody I'm waiting for, I would really appreciate it. I'd still be thankful even if you didn't know because you would've taken the time to see if you could help me look for her."
"And would this someone happen to be Lady Sin?" Alibe inquired suspiciously while he'd begun to reach his hand out to check if the rose badge was authentic or not. "She isn't here. She's at the keep she and our Devil call home if I had to venture a guess. Her shop was closed today."
"I know, she wrote back to me saying another demon named Rane would pick me up."
"And just why the hell is Sin interested in a stupid angel like you?!" Ushio demanded in a surly tone. "There's no way in hell she'd even look at you! You're a pathetic angel, she's a strong demon! Get with the damn program and get lost before I cave your face in and send you to Lowrie in a body bag, pipsqueak?!" He was getting riled up, yet Macarona had to remain calm in front of him even if she wasn't fond of his spiteful attitude. She needed to act like an adult.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Alibe said before she could speak up. "The rose badge on her is legit, though that in of itself doesn't mean Lady Sin actually gave it to her. We can't rule out the possibility she stole it from another demon she knows; plausible, but I'm siding with the theft."
Ushio averted his gaze to Macarona and smiled. "Then I can kill her?" he asked sadistically, punching the palm of his right hand with the left fist. "It should be a bloody message for Lowrie."
"I would not go that far," Alibe suggested, jutting a finger up in the air and looking at him. "Lady Sin wouldn't take too kindly to it in the event she did give this girl a rose badge. Perhaps a severe beating will suffice, though just don't go too far and leave her on the verge of death in case her testimony is correct and she was indeed invited by Lady Sin. And when you are punished, just do me a favor and leave me out of it; I'd rather avoid the trouble of being fingered as the perpetrator who gave you the idea to tone your aggression towards this angel down just a hair."
"Yeah, sure, whatever, I do owe you that much for readjusting my spline, Doc."
"Think nothing of it."
"U-um…" Macarona murmured nervously, afraid of the conflict that seemed to already be breaking out as the crowd gathered around to watch the cow demon inflict harm on her. She quickly reached for one of the two suitcases she brought with her to carry her things and opened it to take out the invitation Sin had sent her. "This is the invitation Sin mailed to me. It's in her handwriting."
"Let me take a look to confirm the validity of this," Alibe remarked, accepting the form to examine it for her. He scrutinized it carefully and eventually shrugged, handing it back. "Sure, it's the same handwriting; though that still doesn't mean it's not a forgery."
"True, I can't argue with that," Macarona conceded the point. "All I have is my word, and you gentlemen are right to distrust me for being an angel regardless of where I come from. I'll not deny that, but don't you believe it would be better to take precautions about this matter so we don't have to fight?" she asked sensibly, hoping they could all avoid a confrontation peacefully. The two demons and the rest of them most likely didn't favor that outcome, however.
"Quite right," Alibe nodded in agreement and looked over to the armed guards over at one of the vending machines. "You guys have no qualms watching an angel get beaten, correct?"
"Nope, all good here," one of them called back as he and the other guards wanted to enjoy the show. "Our money's on good ol' Ushio! Give this wimp the beating she deserves!"
"Thanks, dudes, you should come see me fight in the streets!" Ushio extended an invitation to them with a smile. "I'll split cuts of my earnings with you! The usual place we all go!"
"U-um, gentlemen, I know I said I have only my word that I'm telling the truth, but please allow me to speak to whatever charges you believe are being put against me," Macarona remarked to hopefully settle them down. "You claim I stole this rose badge, but Sin personally said she sent it directly to me as the letter states. You've looked it over extensively, Dr. Alibe."
"True, it said that," he conceded the argument on that.
"Yes, and nobody else from your world has ever visited mine. Ms. Reficul's been there on more than one occasion, once to help our world when Ivlis invaded, and Sin and Mors only visited once with her," Macarona explained, trying to dissuade Ushio from violence and the crowd from joining in whether directly by beating her as well, or by betting on either them—specifically Ushio. "The three of them are stronger than I am, I admit, so how could I steal a rose badge while forging an invitation in her handwriting when I've only seen it once during their day trip?"
"You make a fair case, outsider," Alibe commented, shutting his eyes and crossing his arms while nodding in agreement with her. "But what's not to say you're an individual who has the skill to steal it and forge handwriting from merely glancing at it once from experience?"
"Fair enough, Dr. Alibe, though why don't we ask Sin herself about this matter," the angel suggested, using the idea as a possible notion to avoid this unnecessary conflict.
"And just why the hell would we do that?!" the cow demon retorted angrily, jutting a rude finger at her. "You've no back-up with you, and you're just a puny, little shit who thinks diplomacy gets anywhere! You want us to take it to Sin, give us a good reason why!"
"Well, say you do proceed to beat me? What do you think will happen when she finds out and she has invited me?" She raised another good point, one which made some of the demons who came over to observe the spectacle whisper amongst themselves. Some of them took the risk while others merely walked away because they didn't want to incur the snake demon's wrath onto them. A few had already placed bets on the cow demon, but withdrew them as they departed. Even Alibe didn't want to go that far despite not showing hesitation; he did say Sin might've invited her.
"Indeed, that could get very messy and troublesome for us," he uttered to demonstrate that he understood the consequences of doing something to upset the snake demon. "Lady Sin already threatened to have me sacked from my job and imprison me for supporting Warwick. I can't have her use more military force to keep me under tabs and stop me from communicating with him. I'll pull out for now and head home seeing as how I already returned from seeing a patient. Ciao." He finished speaking and turned to walk off, heading for a staircase to the front lobby. Several armed guards who were also among the crowd, but not with the others by the vending machine, had gone with him. Macarona inferred he was under some kind of internal arrest or something from what he said, though she thought nothing of it since it was probably something to do with a faction dispute. Lowrie told her all about how each underworld had different factions which either worked together or fought against one another for benefits gained from emerging victorious over the defeated party. Reficul's world appeared to be no different in that regard, but she couldn't jump to that conclusion just yet because it was a generalization she hadn't experienced for herself.
Soon the crowd dispersed further. Even the armed guards present didn't want any trouble.
The only two individuals left at that spot were Macarona and Ushio. Sighing in relief since she felt thankful for having peacefully nulled the worst of a dispute through diplomacy—although, it was really more or less a logical threat of angering Sin—the young angel opened her eyes while sitting back down. Stretching her arms behind her head and resting them there, she leaned against her guitar case and continued to make eye contact with the cow demon. "I guess it's just us now," she spoke casually, staying polite even in the face of danger emanating from a demon who would not let this setback stop him from picking a fight. "So what are you going to do now, Mr. Ushio?" It was a valid inquiry, and she wasn't even trying to taunt him. "Do you want to risk angering Sin, or would you like to settle this peacefully and let me know where Rane might be if you know her?"
"Like hell I'd tell you! You think you can get away with this?!" he threatened her and made sure to stomp his foot on the floor to emphasize his rage. "What a load of shit! As if Sin can come to your aid when she isn't even around! I'll pulverize you, you hear me, girlie!"
"Please, Mr. Ushio, I do not want to fight," Macarona held her hands up in defense to plead with him. "I only came here because Sin invited me, and I don't wish to enter a conflict because it would spoil my visit here and leave a bad impression on your world. I know I may not really be a representative of my world as that's not the capacity I'm in, but my actions reflect on the relations my world shares with yours regardless of whether it's through your Devil and her family and also all of the inhabitants of the Gray Garden who would welcome you and your people in peace."
"You think I give two shits from a rat's ass about that?!" the cow demon demanded, having already become so enraged he refused to listen to reason and common sense. "You'll pay for trying to get out of this, bitch, and don't think anyone's going to come around and help you!"
"True, nobody here would come to my aid aside from Sin, her family, and Rane," Macarona remarked to validate his argument. "That being said, however, I can actually hold my own. I know I may not look like much, but I am quite strong for somebody with a weak constitution. I'm a good grappler for one thing, and I also know a couple styles of martial arts like karate and taekwondo."
"Oh, so you can fight?" Ushio didn't sound surprised, but felt enflamed by the fact she was preferring nonviolence over raw conflict. "Then prove it, here and now!" Saying so, he put up his fists and took an offensive stance against her with a smirk because he believed himself to be quite victorious already. "Go ahead, I'm not afraid to hit a girl like you, wimp!"
"Do you really wish to fight so badly?"
"Hell yeah, I do it all the time!"
Macarona closed her eyes and sighed. "So be it, but I must apologize in advance for hurting you. I truly wish to settle this peacefully, but if you insist on sparring with me, I'd be glad to help you let loose some steam to calm yourself down." With that said, she got up and set her things on the bench so nobody would steal them since she was staying close by. Taking a few steps towards a spot several feet away, the young angel took several deep breaths to prepare herself for a brawl. As much as she wanted to avoid it, it seemed there was no way of stopping Ushio.
"That's right," he goaded her on as she raised one hand without forming fists. "Dukes up!"
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Ushio; I hoped it wouldn't come to this," she said in response.
"Screw your apologies and fight!" he commanded before throwing the first punch. Yet the attack was blocked by Macarona's left arm which forced him to use his free fist because she made sure to quickly seize the other arm. Unfortunately for him, the angel grabbed that too once she had guarded against it as well. Ushio smiled, getting ready to head-butt her when he suddenly felt quite a sharp pain his forearms and cried out while she swept a foot under both of his to knock him down as she then proceeded to maneuver behind him after doing so. Her legs wrapped around his to trap them so he wouldn't be able to kick her off even if he could, and she still gripped his arms tightly. "What the hell, girl?!" he shouted in pain, a couple tears forming in his eyes as Macarona suddenly bent the upper half of his body forward with his legs and immediately yanked back quickly. It was a critical blow, and the cow demon swore he heard and felt his ribs and back crack due to pressure from the blow she inflicted on him. He screamed in pain as she released him from her grip and let him slide off her before getting up to stand over him. "W-what the hell did you do to me?!"
"I cracked your forearms, ribs, and back; vital areas of the body that can hinder an opponent from performing effectively in combat. Thankfully I was careful not to choke you via a headlock, otherwise you might fall unconscious or die," she explained and returned to the bench. "I'm really sorry for harming you, Mr. Ushio, though I'm afraid you have asked for it."
"D-damn…" the cow demon murmured softly, feeling the pain as he attempted to stand up by himself. Finding he couldn't since it was difficult to do alone, he whipped his head towards the other demons who were still present and raised his voice in a commanding tone. "Move your asses and help me, goddammit!" They each looked to one another, exchanging glances because they've begun to wonder if it was a good idea or not. Even the armed guards were cautious despite keeping their hands on the weapons sheathed to their sides, unsure if they really were supposed to do their duty as officers by aiding a demon who held the rank of colonel in their army on military business. What held them back was the uncertainty concerning whether Sin would allow it or not. "W-well," Ushio demanded as his face turned red in anger and embarrassment over his defeat at the hands of an angelic girl younger than him. "Is anybody coming?! A bunch of cowards, the lot of you!"
"Allow me," Macarona commented and helped pick the struggling demon off the floor and dusted him off too. "I suggest you take some anger management classes, Mr. Ushio. It's not healthy staying mad at others and fighting with them all the time." Ignoring her offer, Ushio jerked himself away from her and winced in pain while grunting. "I know it hurts which is why I suggest you lay down at home and get some much needed rest. Don't do any strenuous work and it'll get better."
"Piss off, like I'd consider your advice," he retorted coldly. "You cheated anyway."
"You wanted a fight, but never specified the rules of the engagement," Macarona said and went back to the bench. "That's why I assumed anything was fair game with no restrictions. Sorry if I was wrong in my thinking, Mr. Ushio." Although she could've gloated over him since the cow demon was being a sore loser, the angel knew it wasn't nice to brag, especially to her opponent. It must've been difficult for him to accept the fact he lost to a girl, a stereotypical notion of the guys being better than girls which actually changed the perspective into an idea of both sexes being able to do the same things if they put their minds to the tasks and were treated equally. The Gray Garden implemented this lesson into its culture and she was happy that there were no restrictions on anyone who strived to be equal while retaining their differences which contributed to their equality. It was one of the best freedoms she could imagine because she and everyone else in her world advocated for values like individuality, peace, and the aforementioned equality and differences too.
"You damn well were wrong! Alibe and I mentioned I was a street fighter! There are rules in street fighting, you know!" Ushio threw a temper tantrum in spite of the loss and the physical pain. "Shove your damn apologies up your ass and fight me for real!"
"I'm afraid you're in no position to persist in this endeavor, Mr. Ushio," Macarona said as she brushed locks of hair away from her face. She'd been checking to make sure she had everything with her like her guitar; clothes; a couple books from home; and the manuscript she'd been working on regarding Project Dynol Peiriant, the conspiracy, and Clarabella's Museum of Arts and Crafts. She also had her wallet, cellphone, and her purse with all the regular things in it such as an ID card in addition to a couple credit cards as well, plus other ordinary objects. Sitting on the bench while setting aside the last suitcase, Macarona looked up to make eye contact with him. "Your forearms will eventually get tired as the pain could spread throughout the rest of your arms too. With regards to your ribs and back, you won't be able to maneuver efficiently because your arms pull back once you draw them back from performing an action requiring them to move forward. You will slowly begin to feel more pain in these areas of your body should you continue to confront someone in a physical conflict. Further activity could place you at risk of fracturing these key areas of the upper body, thereby reducing you to a state in which your upper body shall be ineffective."
"I can still kick the shit out of you!"
"And I can guard against your legs too and also throw you off balance and crack them too," Macarona added to express her point that additional activity of this sort wasn't recommended. "I'd apologize for cheating in our brief match, though again I must hearken to the original premises of the duel, that being the lack of any rules clarified on what was allowed and what wasn't."
"Think you're so smart, huh?" Ushio asked bitterly to which another voice spoke up.
"Duh, Ushio, no wonder why you're still not very bright," a spider demon commented with a slight chuckle as she sauntered over, her eight legs clicking against the red ceramic floor beneath them. She wore a dark brown dress in tatters—likely because of her legs—with some dark red and a spider web-like pattern on the front of it over a white blouse with a red ribbon over it. Her yellow eyes were quite bright as she gazed upon the two of them while applauding the winner before she scratched at an itch on her cheek with one of her long, black nails. She had a second red ribbon in the left side of her pink hair which flowed down to her waist. The hairstyle was straight, though it included messy bangs and an ahoge. "You've got to have brains over brawns if you seek victory."
"Shut the hell up, Rane, I don't need no stinking brain to pulverize a snot-nosed girl," Ushio barked at her before slinking off in the direction Alibe went in before, making sure to get one last look at the girl who turned the tables on him. "This isn't over, punk, I'll get you for this."
"Good luck!" Rane called towards him sarcastically and giggled at his grumbling. She went over to the bench and smiled down at Macarona. "Macarona, correct?" she asked.
"Yes, you must be Rane, right?" Macarona inquired to confirm she heard Ushio correctly.
"Yep, just stick with me and no one here will think again before bothering you," the spider demon remarked and took a seat besides the angel after Macarona set her things on the floor while Rane did the same with her things too. "Looking forward to this weekend?"
"Yeah, I am. I'm glad Sin invited me," the angel shut her eyes and smiled. "Thank you for showing up, by the way. I was afraid things might've taken a turn for the worse."
Rane smiled. "No problem, Macarona. Sin's told me a lot about you, so I'm glad I made it before things became too ugly. Sorry I'm late, the bus just got into a bit of traffic on the way here, what with this rain and all. These other demons here didn't give you any trouble, did they? We'll speak to Sin about it later once we arrive at the keep; she'll be sure to help out."
"A crowd did form after Mr. Ushio declared he would beat me. I tried explaining why I'm here to them, but they didn't back down until I put forth the idea that Sin could be mad at them for that. I showed the invitation and I've got the rose badge on; Dr. Alibe himself confirmed they were real, though he claimed it could've been a forgery and theft—not that I blame him since he's right to be suspicious of me. I am an outsider in your underworld, and an angel, after all. That's why I'd rather not pursue them for revenge because it's wrong, and I don't want to press charges."
"True, the demons here aren't too trusting of angels; they're fine with other demons if they aren't our enemies too," the spider demon agreed. "However, Sin trusts you a lot and I do too since I trust her judgment. I'm a close friend of Mors and am considered part of the family. If Sin claims you're a friend of hers, you're a friend of me too. Don't feel like it'd be wrong to do what's right; they were in the wrong by suspecting you, so feel free to inform Sin about it. It should help cement your position as our friend because she can lay down ground rules for them to follow. Though let's not discuss that until we arrive at the keep. I'd like to get to know you on the way over, Macarona."
"Sure, it'd be a pleasure," Macarona remarked as their train was announced over a speaker while it pulled into the station. "That must be the train," she added while gathering her things.
"It is," Rane nodded and picked up her own stuff. "Wait till you see their keep. It'll be the most impressive sight you've seen today. Mors isn't in since he's visiting otherworldly friends of his own, so it'll just be us girls with the servants who work for Reficul and Sin. You'll make friends out of the other guests, too, I just know it," she added confidently, knowing it was going to be fun.
"Thanks, I'm looking forward to meeting them!"
…
The weekend is upon us both in real life and this fanfic! Quite a coincidence, eh?
I know the hints I provided for the other main characters of this story were given not too long ago and that it was probably a little too early to reveal their identities, but I decided to just confirm a few of them. Rane, Lil, and Rosaliya Phantomrose are in this story, but I'll stay mum on the identities of the angel from Reficul's world and the other demon from Lil's world for now. They'll be revealed when the time is right, so look forward to seeing them.
Warwick is another OC character I've created, though he doesn't appear in this story. He'll be involved in a few of my other projects down the road, though I can give you a general idea of what he's like. His name comes from the sixteenth Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, who was an active participant in the Wars of the Roses and helped depose two kings. He was known as the Kingmaker because of this latter achievement, and he also fought for the Yorks. He also maintained connections over the borders of England and was influential in garnering political support from others to aid whatever his causes were.
Although he is partly based on this historical person, in my mind he will also be more like Black Mask from the Batman universe, specifically Roman Sionis, the first Black Mask. Jeremiah Arkham became the second Black Mask. Black Mask is one of my favorite Batman villains because of how ruthless he is, and he definitely made quite an impression in Arkham Origins in my opinion (it was revealed that Joker usurped him). I liked the treatment he had received in that game, so it'll be the inspirational point I'll look to when developing Warwick. I also recommend watching Deathstroke: Arkham Assassin, a fan made YouTube video that shows how Deathstroke was hired to be one of the eight assassins in the game. Black Mask's role in that video definitely fits his image set by Warner Bros. Montreal in Arkham Origins.
You can find more about Richard Neville and Black Mask on Wikipedia, and you can also watch the aforementioned Deathstroke: Arkham Assassin, a nonprofit project made by fans on a YouTube channel called GoingNowhereShow. I highly recommend it, though if the people who worked on Deathstroke: Arkham Assassin wish for me to not look towards their project as further inspiration, I shall respect their request and refer only to Arkham Origins.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Gray Garden; it's owned by Mogeko. I don't own Batman and Black Mask; they're owned by DC Comics. I don't own Deathstroke: Arkham Assassin; it's owned by GoingNowhereShow. I don't own Batman: Arkham Origins; it's owned by Warner Bros. Montreal.
I hope you enjoy reading this as I enjoy writing it.
Edit: I have edited a couple things in this story. First, I had mistakenly written Kiku's name as Kic, which is the same way Ludella wrote her name in a one-shot called Satanick's Romantic Misfortunes That, Sometimes, Are Fortunate. At first I thought Kiku was referred to as Kic in canon until I recently Googled her character. Due to my mistake, I have removed the references to her from this story to avoid committing plagiarism and I am sincerely sorry for not having realized it sooner. I also capitalized 'Fallen Angel' within this chapter of the story to stay consistent with the capitalization of it in a later chapter.
Edit Two: Since I have made the decision to include Killie amongst Lil's friends when I was writing An Otherworldly Marital Dispute, I have decided to mention her in this chapter of the story. However, she is only mentioned because she's not a character in this story, hence why she doesn't make an appearance. An Otherworldly Marital Dispute explains why.