The five brothers raised their eyebrows in question at the demon standing in front of them.
"Before you jump in like idiots, I gotta make sure you're all prepared for the atmosphere down there. Now c'mon. I gotta conjure up these stupid ass chokers for you all, so you better be grateful." Satan drawled out, twirling his hand and summoning five black chokers with an inverted cross in the middle of each one. "Take one and make sure it's secured around your necks. Don't want any of you to lose it and to die down there, now do we?" A grin etched its way back onto his face as his gaze sauntered over towards Jyushimatsu.
The five stepped forwards and hesitantly took a choker from his hand, each fastening the chokers around their throats.
"Now that they're all fastened, you might wanna jump before I push you in. Also, there's nothing to cushion your fall. So have fun!" Satan laughed.
"Wha-!" Choromatsu growled as he stepped towards the portal, the fire blowing his hair and clothes slightly. Willing down the anxiety and fear, he jumped.
Karamatsu followed behind, Osomatsu just behind him.
"Ichimatsu nii-san…" Ichimatsu turned towards Jyushimatsu and held out his hand.
"C'mon…" The two jumped in after the three.
Satan looked up to where Dekapan was hiding behind the table. "Thanks for letting me borrow your floor!" He jumped into the portal and closed it behind him.
Dekapan shivered as he peered over the table, trying to gather his thoughts on what the fuck just happened.
Choromatsu screamed as he landed on the stone slab ground. Groaning in pain, he tried to sit up and take a look at his surroundings. More screaming followed suit as Karamatsu and Osomatsu fell after him. Ichimatsu fell and landed on top of Karamatsu, trying to cushion Jyushimatsu's fall. Satan floated down with his wings folded out, that ever present shit-eating grin on his face.
"If you could fly, you could've helped us down!" Osomatsu complained as he stood up.
"And carry all your asses? Nah, I'm good." Satan chuckled, flicking his forked tongue at Osomatsu.
Satan looked around and tsked in annoyance. "Damn. Looks like I teleported us just outside of town. Aw, and the festival is today too!"
"Town?" Karamatsu questioned. "Are there multiple towns?"
Satan shrugged. "Kinda, I guess. The place is massive."
"And what's this festival thing you mentioned?" Choromatsu asked, patting himself down for any injuries.
"Just an annual thing we hold for the royal demonic family. We throw parties and set up games in the market town." Satan explained, watching the lights from the town beginning to illuminate the area.
"So, kind of like the summer festival...?" Ichimatsu asked, letting go of Jyushimatsu.
"Wha? Yea, sure, whatever. Let's go." Satan motioned for the five to follow him as he began to walk towards the town.
"If this is Hell, why is there a sky?" Jyushimatsu asked, pointing upwards.
"You could ask the same about Heaven. If it's in the sky, why is there a ground you can walk on?"
As the six entered the outskirts of town, Satan grinned as he separated himself from the group without anyone noticing. "Hope you all enjoy your stay…" He whispered to himself as he maneuvered himself through the alleyways and to the marketplace. "Now...where to find Lucifer…"
Choromatsu's eye twitched in annoyance when he realized they were lost.
Oh. And that Satan totally ditched them.
"We managed to get here, only to get lost!" Choromatsu screamed, pulling at his hair.
"Maybe we can ask around?" Karamatsu offered.
"And how do we know if they speak Japanese?" Choromatsu questioned, glaring at his older brother.
"Well, the ones we've met spoke Japanese. And if they're the rulers here, certainly the others speak our tongue as well." Karamatsu pointed out.
The five shuddered in fear as a fairly large demon passed by them. Karamatsu attempted to approach them, only to back off when the demon snarled at him.
"Okay so...let's not ask for directions." Osomatsu suggested, laughing nervously.
"Yea! We can just find our way through town!" Jyushimatsu cheered, jumping up and down with excitement.
"Let's go, boys!" Osomatsu commanded, marching through town with the five following him.
Demons hissed and snarled at the brothers, knowing they were not from Hell but not wanting to interfere due to their likeness to the rulers.
Todomatsu laughed as he tossed one of the rings at the bottles. The brothers were behind him enjoying everything about the festival. It was even better since Totty was with them. Lucifer smirked as his eyes glowed and made sure the last ring got around the bottle. Totty looks so happy he didn't want his dreams of winning being crushed. Belphegor glared at his cheating older brother.
"I WON!" Totty shouted excitedly. "I never win at these kinds of things!"
The brothers clapped and chuckled.
"Luck for being with us now," Lucifer winked.
"NOW THEN! THE ULTIMATE CHOICE! Which prize Burazzah!" Beelzebub posed. Todomatsu looked carefully at the plushies. There were plushies of each of the five princes, animals, and masks. Totty suddenly caught his eyes on a round pillow that had six color crest designs on it, he looked at his brothers for a minute and smiled and pointed to the pillow.
"That one please," He smiled and hugged it after he was given it. The brothers tilted their heads, confused.
"A pillow?" Lucifer asked. "Not a plush of your favorite?"
"Oi! Don't make him choose favorites!" Belphegor shouted. Totty chuckled at their confusion.
"The crests represent us, right? Even my crest is on there. I can hug it at night and think of us all as a family and all of our memories we've shared," He smiled. The others relaxed and smiled. Lucifer and Beelzebub ruffled Totty's hair while Mammon nuzzled him and Leviathan was petting Todomatsu's soft wings.
Belphegor watched Todomatsu carefully with a puzzled expression.
' ALL of our memories?... He's not…. gaining any of HIS memories… is he? ' He thought to himself quietly.
The boys walked around for a bit longer and enjoyed the festival. It was getting close to the annual festival ceremony speech. Lucifer kissed Totty's forehead and smiled.
"Stay here alright? Don't go wandering off," Lucifer grinned ruffling Todomatsu's hair. Totty smiled and nodded, hugging the pillow he won and watched his five brothers head to the stage.
As the five walked onto the platform, their mere presence demanded attention. Festival-goers and some stall-workers walked over to the front of the platform as the speech began. Mammon snuck in a small wave at Totty, who couldn't but chuckle as he waved back.
A hand on Todomatsu's shoulder shook him out of his concentration on listening in on the speech, he turned to whoever touched him. A man wearing a long trench coat with fur laced around the hood, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, black camo pants tucked into knee-high combat boots stood next to him. The horns on his head looked like the ends of fish hooks, they jutted upwards but curved down at the point. His hair looked ruffled and his eyes, fully red with yellow pupils. Todomatsu felt like he shouldn't trust this man, but he learned not to judge someone based on their looks. The man released his shoulder and put up his hands, and apologized.
"My bad. Sorry for grabbing your shoulder there." He smiled. He looked at the plush in Totty's hands. "That's strange...everyone usually goes for a plush of one of the princes."
Totty let out a small chuckle. "I guess so. Guess I'm different! My brother wanted me to choose favorites, but I wanted this instead."
The man stared at Todomatsu. "Brother? Is he here with you?" He asked.
Totty pointed up on the stage, at the five princes. "My brothers are up there."
The man blinked in surprise. He chuckled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. 'I see what's going on.' He thought as he turned his attention towards Lucifer, who was currently speaking. He turned back towards Todomatsu and spoke, "I don't know what they told you, but you're definitely not their brother."
Todomatsu stared at the man, his grip on the plush tightening ever so slightly. "W-What are you talking about? Of course I'm their-"
"No you're not." The man cut him off. "You're a human-turned-demon. Or by going by your wings, a fallen angel. You were never their brother to begin with. They just took you because of their own guilt."
Todomatsu looked at the man in sheer confusion. "'Their own guilt'? They took me because my real brothers were cruel to me! They gave me a family, something my human brothers never did!"
The man scoffed. "Have you ever wondered why they looked so similar to your human brothers, and yet there was no version of yourself?"
Todomatsu's eyes widened. "Well...I...I have wondered...but they always changed the subject before I could ask…" He stammered, looking away.
The man smiled, staring at Todomatsu. "Those idiots probably never wanted to tell you, or probably waited for you to find out on their own."
Totty gulped in fear. "W-Why are you telling me this?"
The man simply shrugged. "Listen, and listen good. Those morons...even if you went up to them and asked, they'd most likely try and lie, to paint themselves in a better picture, to not make them the bad guys. But guess what? They're using you."
"WHAT?! WHY WOULD THEY-" Todomatsu yelled, only to be cut off by the man shushing him.
"You're just a replacement. A replacement for someone they lost."
Todomatsu's grip on his plush nearly ripped it in half. "Why would they use me…? They've been nothing but kind to me...WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT?!"
The man sighed. "You're a replacement for their brother that they killed."
Totty's hands went limp and the plush fell onto the ground. "Wha...what're you talking about? They wouldn't…"
"You say they took because your human brothers were cruel to you? If only the same happened to their youngest."
Todomatsu felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"You say that they've been nothing but kind to you, right? It's just a cover up. They just don't want a repeat of what happened to their brother."
"You're lying…"
"Their brother killed himself because he couldn't handle being treated cruelly by his own family."
"You're lying!"
The man grinned. "If I was, you'd still be fully human."
Todomatsu tried to hold back the sobs that tore through his throat as he turned away and ran.
The audience cheered once the speech had ended. The brothers rightfully gave a bow and walked to the end of the stage to exit. Only to be stopped by an individual.
Lucifer tsked in annoyance once he recognized the figure. "What do you want, Satan?"
Satan chuckled as he walked onto the stage and swung his arm over Lucifer's shoulders. "Aw, is that any way to greet your older brother?"
Lucifer pushed Satan's arm off him. "Just tell me what you want and leave." The other four stared at the two conversing, anxious to leave and get Todomatsu.
"Alright, alright!" Satan laughed, backing off. His playful expression immediately changed into a serious one. "As I was heading over here, I saw some humans in the city."
The five brother's eyes widened.
"What?!" Beelzebub exclaimed.
"How close were they to the festival?!" Belphegor demanded.
Lucifer grabbed Satan's collar, "Were they our disgusting clones?"
Satan merely chuckled. "I saw them leave the festival carrying something. After they left, I saw this on the ground and picked it up." He said, holding up the plush that Todomatsu was holding.
The brothers felt their blood run cold and their hearts freeze.
"GUARDS!" Lucifer screamed.
Two large soldiers ran up to the stage. Lucifer turned towards them, absolutely furious.
"CLOSE ALL THE GATES! NO ONE GETS IN OR OUT! CHECK EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO PASS THROUGH! EXECUTE ANY HUMANS THAT YOU MAY COME ACROSS!" Lucifer barked out the orders, the soldiers saluting and running off to warn the civilians and the other soldiers at the gates.
Lucifer turned back towards Satan and snarled. "You will tell me everything that you saw. If I find out that you lied, I'll have you publicly executed."
Satan chuckled as Mammon swiped the plush from his hand and held it to his chest. "You know me, lil bro. I don't tell lies."
Todomatsu continued to run until he couldn't breathe. He stopped, trying to catch his breath as more and more tears fell down his cheeks. He fell to his knees and cupped his face in his hands, sobbing.
He stayed like this, on his knees and crying his poor heart out in the middle of the street, for a couple of minutes. Sniffling, he stood up and began walking again.
It took him, from what he assumed, to be a half hour, before he realized he was lost. Wiping his tears on his sleeve, he continued on until he found an area he was familiar with.
The second a hand touch his shoulder, he flinched. He didn't know who it was, and it scared him.
"Excuse me, but do you know where we are?" The voice asked.
Todomatsu's eyes widened. He slowly turned around, more tears welling up.
"Karamatsu nii-san…?"
"Totty…?"
Karamatsu's eyes widened and tears swelled his eyes. He didn't hesitate to pull Todomatsu into a hug. "Todomatsu… oh my god, you're okay… you're…."
Karamatsu choked, having a hard time speak. He focused on his wings and horns.
"Totty… what did they do to yo-"
"TODOMATSU!" Jyushimatsu ran over and hugged Todomatsu, sobbing and not letting go. Totty watched, seeing his older brother cry like a little baby that lost everything.
"J….Jyushimatsu…nii-san" Totty quietly sobbed. He looked up, seeing the others run over, tears in their eyes. "W… What?... What are you guys doing here? Why are you here?"
"Idiot! We're here to get our baby brother!" Osomatsu sobbed, hugging him tightly. Todomatsu's eyes widen and he sobbed more. He began crying and feeling completely shattered.
The real brothers watched, not understand if he's upset seeing them or glad.
"Totty…. What happened?" Choromatsu kneeled down. Totty sobbed, just thinking of it. Ichimatsu kneeled down and took Todomatsu's hands.
"Todomatsu… I need you to look at me… and breathe. We're here… it's okay… but you need to tell us what happened… please," Ichimatsu said calmly and seriously. Todomatsu took a deep breath like Ichimatsu said to calm down. He nodded and explained everything that happened. How nice the Akuma brothers were, all the fun stuff that happened… but then everything Satan said. All of their eyes widened in anger. Jyushimatsu especially had a scary smile going on and Osomatsu and Karamatsu looked like they were about to slaughter someone.
"It's okay now Totty… we're taking you home now… fallen angel or not…" Osomatsu assured.
"He's not going anywhere…" A familiar voice said in a stern, angry voice. They all turned toward the voice and froze in place, seeing Lucifer and the others, demons started surrounding the area. "Execute the copies…. Bring our baby brother to me…"
Todomatsu flinched, hearing Lucifer's hellish voice. As the demons aimed their weapons, Totty stood up and defended his real brothers with his wings around them as much as he could wrap around.
"Wait! Hold your fire!" Beelzebub shouted to the guards.
"Please don't kill them…" Toddy felt tears forming again. The Akuma brothers stared in shock.
"Todomatsu… They're trying to take you away from us. We're family-"
"DON'T LIE! SATAN TOLD ME EVERYTHING!" Todomatsu bawled. Totty's real brothers flinched seeing Todomatsu break like this. The Akuma's on the other hand flinched in anger and on guard.
"What. Did. He. Say. Todomatsu?" Lucifer said quietly.
"That I was just some…. Some replacement…. That….. THAT MY COPY KILLED HIMSELF BECAUSE YOU WERE CRUEL TO HIM! SO IN REALITY, YOU ARE REALLY LIKE MY BROTHERS AREN'T YOU!? AND YOU FEEL SO GUILTY THAT YOU USED ME TO HIDE THAT GUILT!" Todomatsu sobbed in sadness and anger. Lucifer watched him with widened eyes. Mammon had tears forming and walked closer.
"Todomatsu…"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Totty screamed.
"Todomatsu going back to them will be no better… We are better! We treat you like family!" Lucifer glared at Osomatsu.
"But they came back for me-"
"THEY PROBABLY FEEL GUILTY TOO TODOMATSU! LOOK WHAT THEY DID!" Lucifer raised his hands as an image formed in front of Todomatsu's eyes of his brothers in the bath house, the night Todomatsu went out and got kidnapped.
"Hey, where's Totty?" Osomatsu looked at Choromatsu.
"Ah he didn't want to come. He wanted to be alone and go to the convenience store," Choromatsu sighed, annoyed. Osomatsu sighed along with Choromatsu.
"Of course he did. That's all he ever wants," Osomatsu snarled.
"Totty doesn't want to be with us?" Jyushimatsu asked.
"Of course not Jyushimatsu! I bet if we died he wouldn't care! He's selfish, arrogant, whiney, and a piece of shit."
"Like we're any better," Ichimatsu said quietly, too quiet for Osomatsu to hear.
"You know, I wish Todomatsu was gone!" Osomatsu pouted.
"Honestly… I do too. I'm done with him" Choromatsu nodded.
"He is my precious bruzzah, but even I have to admit he has his issues," Karamatsu nodded. Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu just nodded.
Todomatsu's eyes widened and began shaking. His wings loosened around his brothers.
"Totty! Please we didn't mean it, it was a joke!" Osomatsu looked.
"Please! You meant it all! That's how I found you! I felt your rage and your wish!" Lucifer snarled.
The two groups of brothers began fighting. Todomatsu's body began shaking, fists clenched and tears streaming from his face. He suddenly started to chuckle and then laugh. The brothers stopped and looked at Todomatsu with nervous expressions.
"Maybe… I should just take my own life…" Totty looked at them with a scared but serious expression. The brothers gazed at him in horror.
"Todomatsu don't you dare!" Lucifer pointed.
"Why? Hehe…. Why should you care?... I'm not your real brother…. Just a replacement. Just to hide all your guilt! It was all a set up! And my copy… I can't imagine what you all must have done to him!" The Akuma brothers flinched, not wanting to even remember.
"Totty-" Choromatsu reached out.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU GUYS ARE NO BETTER! YOU CALL ME A MONSTER! SAY I DON'T HAVE A HEART! OR THAT I SHOULDN'T EXIST HELL YOU WISHED IT!" Todomatsu sobbed, having a breakdown.
"HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT I JUST WANT TO MEET PEOPLE! THAT I WANT TO GET SOMEWHERE!? I'M THE LITTLE BROTHER IM GONNA BE IRRITATING BUT NO I'M AUTOMATICALLY THE ONE PICKED ON!" Lucifer's heart shattered listening, it's the incident all over again.
"Totty!" Jyushimatsu sobbed.
"Todomatsu please!" Mammon cried along.
"NO!... I…. I WISH I WAS DEAD WITH MY COPY! NEITHER OF YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH EITHER OF US!"
Red lightning suddenly shot up in the sky and the sky turned blood red. The Akuma's flinched knowing exactly what is going on.
"Todomatsu come here now.." Lucifer reached. Totty backed away shaking his head, not even caring.
"TODOMATSU RIGHT NOW!" Lucifer shouted in anger and fear. A dark laughed filled the area and suddenly Todomatsu was in the arms of Satan himself. His hands covering Todomatsu's eyes. Todomatsu cried in fear feeling the cold skin and sensed nothing but pain, agony, and darkness.
"Shh shh… There, there little Todomatsu. I'm going to make that wish come true… and take you to your new friend…" Satan smirked with his eyes glowing with hellish excitement.
"LET HIM GO SATAN!" Leviathan snarled.
"GIVE US OUR BROTHER BACK!" Karamatsu shouted in anger. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
Satan laughed, putting Todomatsu to sleep.
"I'd like to see you try human… I took our real baby brother's soul… and now I will take his copies… a demon soul… and a human soul… with that together… I will be able to be on the Earth's surface longer and consume enough human souls to where I will take over and bring hell to the surface!" Osomatsu glared, hearing Satan's plan.
"You piece of shit… YOU TRICKED US!"
"Hehe… You were stupid enough to believe the king of hell… Farewell boys!" Lightning flashed and before everyone knew it, Satan was gone with Todomatsu. The Matsuno brothers and the Akuma brothers looked at each other and clenched their fists.
"Beelzebub! Belphegor! Leviathan! Mammon! Let's go! We are getting Todomatsu back!" Lucifer growled. Osomatsu grabbed Lucifer's wrist.
"You're taking us with you! He's our baby brother!"
"I think not! You're only going to get in the way an-"
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR FIGHTING!" Jyushimatsu shouted, sobbing. "I WANT MY TODOMATSU BACK!" Mammon suddenly grabbed Jyushimatsu by the neck, choking him, his eyes glowing.
"Todomatsu. Is. MINE," He growled. "I AM A BETTER OLDER BROTHER THAN YOU WILL EVER BE!"
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" Ichimatsu and Leviathan shouted.
"It's all of our faults… They are guilty and so are we… We are all pieces of shit. What matters is we need to find Satan and save our baby brother!" Ichimatsu glared. Leviathan looked at Lucifer and his other brothers.
"We can't hide our guilt any longer… We need to move on and give Todomatsu back to his brothers… He belongs there. He isn't Asmodeus… As much as we want him to be," The Akuma brothers looked down, tears forming. Lucifer let out a sigh and held a hand out for Osomatsu.
"... Let's get Todomatsu back…" Lucifer didn't look once. Osomatsu stared at his hand, but took it.
"I'm still pissed and want to kill you but… That's going to have to wait," Osomatsu nodded. Mammon and Jyushimatsu glared at each other but nodded. The two groups shook hands and looked ahead to the mountains behind the castle, where Satan lives and holds Todomatsu captive.