Pandemonica was working, when the Slayer came up to her. "Here, how about a break? I know a place for coffee you'd like. Especially if you're curious about Earth's history. Issue would be—"
"Hiding myself?" She asks, glancing up at him. "Because you don't want people to know who I really am, or who you really are?" She finishes the question with a whisper. "Bill?" She then resumes a normal volume. "I know just the trick. I can't magic the eyes off, but I do have a way. Here, let me get ready. Where are we going?"
"Seattle. A certain coffee shop recently celebrated its reopening," he says as he walks out.
Later, they're both wanderint the streets of Seattle, eyeing all the reconstruction going on. A lot of progress has been made, but because the damage was so extensive, there's still more to do, a lot more. He was dressed casually, and she was too, but with a beret to hide her horns. Luckily, she wasn't known much outside of the Fortress, and nobody had questioned the white hair. He led her to the coffee shop, and they ordered their coffee, going to sit outside at a table once they got it. "So this is the first one? This location on Pike Place?" Pandemonica asks as she sips her coffee.
The Slayer looks around for a bit, before continuing. "Yes and no. Where I was..." he says quietly, so he's not heard by anyone outside of Pandemonica, "This location was the first. Here, the actual first was down the street or something, I think. But then they moved to this location."
Pandemonica nods, eyeing a group of ladies that were sitting at another table. They were all glancing in their direction, mostly at the Slayer, and with her slightly better than human hearing, could tell they were all whispering about "Oh what's a man like him doing with someone like her? I would love a man like that," and other similar things. On one hand, she didn't blame them, after all, the muscles, the jaw, the eyes, all of him screamed the peak of manliness. She did have to smile to herself though, as only she knew his secret. But on the other hand...Back off ladies, he's mine. Wait, did I really think that? Just then the Slayer notices her gaze, and turns his head to look. "Understandable that they'd notice. I mean...the years have been kind to me. But trust me, they don't want me for anything more than something short. They'd never want me long term. They may think they do, but they don't." He says with what seems to be a sad smile. Pandemonica raises an eyebrow, but then changes the subject.
"I found them," she says, pulling out her phone, as the Slayer gives a questioning look. "I found your family. The Blazkowicz's." He gives another look of curiosity, so she continues. "Richard and Laura Blazkowicz, survivors of the invasion, currently live in a small town in Minnesota. They have 2 sons. Or rather...had 2," she says somberly. "Corporal William Joseph Blazkowicz III, named after his grandfather, served in the ARC Marines when the demons invaded. He led the evactuation of New York City, and stayed behind to make sure the ships could get away safely. He gave his life in the process," she says, the Slayer giving a salute. "And has saved a lot of lives."
"A good death. Honestly, one I thought I would have, but...fate, I guess you could say, had other ideas," he says grimmly. "But this Bill has a brother? Not something...that I had," he continues quietly.
"Yes. Lieutenant Jonathon Blazckowicz, and he has quite the story," Pandemonica continues. "His tour of duty has taken him all over the world. He even led the mission that rescued the civilians from Sydney, Australia. But he went beyond. He took Sydney back from them. Yes, he took a city back from Hell. This earned him a Medal of Honor, as well as a new nickname." She takes a sip of coffee. "His old nickname, based on his name was—"
"Ghost Rider," the Slayer says, causing Pandemonica to sigh.
"And I thought Malina was the nerd. But the new nickname he earned? The Helltaker. Took quite the beating too. Lost some of the feeling in his arms. Got an honorable discharge, and once the invasion ended, he's now helping his parents out at their diner. They live decently, though the diner struggles. Go to church on Sundays." A small smile comes to her. "Apparently, they might convert to Slayerism. You should meet them, they might like—"
"No," he interrupts. "I can't meet them. I shouldn't." Pandemonica was surprised, shocked, that he'd outright say no to such a thing. "They wouldn't like me."
"B-but, it's your family, B-Bill!" She says a bit loudly, almost angrily. All the effort she put in, on the idea he'd want to meet them, wasted? But it calmed down when she saw him. The look on his face was not one of disinterest. No, if anything, he was greatly interested, or at least as great as he'd show. But there was what looked like sadness there too. A sense of loss. They're alive though! What reason could you have to—
"I understand why you'd think it would be good, for both them, and myself," he says calmly, interrupting her thoughts, and he gets quiet, as if he didn't want to be heard by anyone but her. "And if I had never met the Sentinels? I probably would be interested." Pandemonica frowns a bit, confused, but continues to listen. "First off, Sentinels or no, it would be very awkward for everyone. The Bill they knew, is dead. They probably still mourn him. Maybe they've healed from it, but they still know him to no longer be amongst the living. If they saw me, they'd see a ghost. And maybe they might like me, but I'm pretty sure there's differences. Things that I would do, this Bill would not, and vice versa. I would constantly remind them of how while I may look like their Bill, act like their Bill sometimes, I'm not their Bill. Nor do I have the memories of their Bill. They would grow to resent me." He says, Pandemonica nodding with some understanding, but still confused as to why he brought up the Sentinels. "And that's just if I had come from my Earth to here. But I haven't. I got DM'd. My family here will age, all of them. I will not. Any children John has will age, but I won't. I would be the immortal uncle they have. They would get jealous as a result. To visit them, is to curse them with knowledge," he explains, and Pandemonica finally understands. Being related to a man that has become, and is worshipped as, a god would be rough. She could see hints of sadness in his eyes. He clearly wanted a mortal life. But it was taken from him. She had a revelation just then. Was the DM a gift? Or was it a curse? It was odd, to see such emotion from the Slayer, but she understood. Even sympathized. Finishing her coffee, she threw out the cup, and gave him a hug, sensing that underneath the armor that was the Doom Slayer, that the Blazin' Bill inside of him needed it. A hug that he returned in kind.
"There might be things you can do though," she says, tapping her chin, as the Slayer looks in confusion. "You could give anonymous donations to their family, act as a bit of a guardian angel. They need never know it came from you, or You," she says, extra emphasis on the second "you." "When nobody is around, you could pay your respects, to Bill." She cracks a smile. "Can you imagine what he would think? He would be inspired, I'm sure," and with that, a ghost of a smile does cross the Slayer's face. "What might be possible? Ordering their food, leaving an endorsement, and then the world thinks 'hey, the Slayer likes this diner,' the marketing sells itself," she chuckles.
"Issue there? I can't show up in-store," He says with a chuckle as well. "I'd have to take my helmet off to eat. Unless they do take out, and/or delivery. Yes, I've done things like that before. How do you think all the pizza boxes got there?"
"I bet that's an interesting experience for them. To see you walk out of a portal, full armor, take the pizza, and leave." Pandemonica continues.
"Oh, I'm sure it is. But I'm always friendly about it. I give thumbs up. And if something ever did mess up, their customer service was always nice." He says with a smile. "Speaking of, you were Hell's customer service?" He asks quietly. "That almost doesn't make sense. What was it like?"
"Well, I get why you're confused," Pandemonica says as she gets up to stretch a bit. Slayer does the same, and they walk together. "But it's kind of short-hand. If the sinners count as the customers. I kept track of those coming in, the Hell energy flowing, as well as what kinds of Corrupted the sinners became."
"Which means I feel like I have to ask. What was THAT time like for you?" He asks, with Pandemonica fully understanding.
"It was odd. Demon death is nothing new, mortals get lucky sometimes. But here I was getting reports of multiple demons dying, which was confusing as earlier reports had mentioned a total devestation of all the forces on Phobos. Or at least, nearly total. 1 man left didn't count for us. So my first thought was that there were hidden forces that had returned. Or that a message had gotten out and troops had landed and were sweeping the facility. But then, I was told to catalog all the incoming from Earth. And I had. Where things really got interesting was when we were rebelled against. Because then, I was out of a job. I was being held prisoner by those who I normally bossed around. I tried everything. But then I had an idea, one that was crazy. The one person that could save us all from Hell. You. It was a long shot, but...it worked," she says with a smile. "And if you're curious, I prefer life here. The Corrupted can sometimes be messy, but the Fortress isn't. And if things like this get to happen," she says, looking around at everything, taking in the air, "Then I'm as willing to renounce Hell as any of us."
"Good to know," the Slayer says, as they make their way back once out of sight. Back on the Fortress, Pandemonica meets up with everyone else. "Good coffee," she says with a smile. "Unfortunately, it seems he has no desire to meet his family," which earns her multiple groans and confused looks, "but I understand why," she says as she catches everyone up to speed.
"I never thought I'd say it, but I feel for him," Modeus says, extra hearts floating around her, others nodding in agreement. "The Slayerists would take interest though, in knowing that he suffers for their benefit. Like how Jesus suffered for man's sins, the Slayer seems to suffer for man's protection. Mortal pleasures are gone, and all because of the DM. The masochists out there would love that. The kind that would whip themselves to understand the suffering of their saviors," she continues. "But he does have us. We can help keep his mind off of his troubles."