Chapter 45: Red Eyes Upon Red Lights
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Dutch capital sparkled in the light of the full moon.
The streets were lively with humans and mamono as they went about their evening business. Surprisingly, the Venice of the North hadn't changed much since the arrival of Mamono around the globe. The city was quite open about many mamono pastimes before their arrival, especially so in the city's red light district, De Wallen.
Within De Wallen, prostitution, marijunana coffee shops, strip clubs and brothels literally lined the streets in this part of the city. It's internationally known as the sex tourism capital of the world, the perfect spot for mamono to really let loose! They quickly took over the brothels and became the most popular attractions along the streets.
But De Wallen was about to receive a new "tourist" as a loud bang could be heard from an alleyway. This part of the district was quite barren of people nobody bothered to investigate. But if they did they would have discovered a white haired demigod of a mamono, the fourth born of the Demon Lord in fact, Druella.
Crimson eyes snapped open as the mamono shot up, she looked around briefly before casting a spell to clean the filth off her. Druella then cackled, smiling wickedly, before strutting down the alley into the main street. She stuck her head out, peering down both sides of the street. To her surprise she saw both a pair of humans and a pair of mamono, even more surprising was that these humans were actively calling out to the mamono! Even when living together in towns and villages back in her world single humans rarely were the ones to engage with mamono.
She grew curious as the mamono walked over to the men. By now she had identified the mamono as a bogey and a night gaunt respectively. They grabbed the men by their arms and pulled them back across the street and into a building. Druella then finally stepped out of the alley and onto the street.
The bright red lights illuminating from all over gave the street the feel of a demon realm. However, Druella knew that this place wasn't even close enough to becoming a demon realm. The familiar smell of demonic energy was everywhere, but not in high enough amounts for it to be intentional. It seems the mamono here weren't trying to create a demon realm.
Druella deducted that she had no reason to hide, still she didn't want people recognizing her. So the lilim cast a spell to disguise herself, making herself look like a typical succubus. Her red irises remained but her black sclera was replaced with normal white, her hair had gone ebony and her runes had disappeared.
She looked up and saw a large sign, some sort of advertisement for a fancy, but very removable dress. She looked down at her current attire and realized that it might hinder her disguise. She quickly cast another spell, morphing the thin strips she called clothing into a near identical version of the dress of the sign; with this one cut low, exposing her an excessive amount of her impressive cleavage.
With her disguise all sorted Druella strutted her way down the street, eventually reaching a much more populated section. She was pleasantly surprised that the humans and mamono were getting along. She still preferred for this corporation to take place under a demon realm. But hey, you win some you lose some, she thought as she passed by a man and a mad hatter; the pair seemingly connected at the hip.
She continued past multiple couples but quickly ran into another problem. While she understood the mamono just fine she couldn't discern as to what language the humans were speaking. Concluding that she needed a translation spell Druella summoned her magic and did just that, as well as a reading spell just in case.
Suddenly she could understand the humans and read the signage on the buildings and walls. Druella then came to a startling conclusion, she had arrived at some sort of red light district. While not unheard of it was shocking to find one in a human city. Did the mamono establish it when they arrived here? Where is here anyways? Druella continued until coming across what appeared to be some sort of beverage shop.
She peered through the window in wonder as she saw humans and mamono alike inside, enjoying cups of what she deducted to be coffee. Back in her world coffee was allocated to the very rich and powerful, such as herself. To see these people enjoying it so casually was intriguing, but also filled her with a twinge of jealousy.
She also noticed many of them smoking some sort of plant, many of them even some mamono looked all too relaxed and sleepy. Clearly it was some sort of drug, but nobody seemed to mind so she moved on. Druella's attention then turned to the seemingly magical lights that lit up the shop; she knew that these, much like the lights lighting up the streets, were called lightbulbs. Still, it wasn't something she had ever seen before.
She continued on down the street, passing more mamono, humans and shops. Occasionally stopping to peer into the buildings, quickly realizing that some were actually brothels and strip clubs. This realization quickly peaked her interest as she dashed over to one of the more flashy strip clubs.
Outside it were two bouncers, one a seven foot amazon the other a burley human male. Given that the two kept glancing at each other when they weren't clearing visitors it was obvious that they were either married or at the very least had feelings for each other.
While the human bouncer cleared a man for entry the amazon beckoned Druella over to her, to which the disguised lilim did as such. Her platinum blonde hair standing out from her tan skin as her emerald eyes scanned the "succubus." Unlike any amazon Druella had seen before this one wore a deep black suit, covering her entire body save for a pair of small holes for her wing and tail. Her sword was missing as well, but that certainly didn't mean she was defenseless.
"Well hello dear, you seem new. You come in from another part of the city?" The mamono asked Druella. The lilim already had an answer for the amazon however, the truth. "I actually only just arrived here on Earth."
"Oh! Is that so! Well then welcome dear to this wonderful place called Earth! You landed in Amsterdam, a city in the nation known as the Netherlands. You specifically landed in De Wallen, the city's sex district, or as they call it a 'red light district.' A wonderful place that is perfect for mamono like ourselves!" The amazon exclaimed. She went on to tell her that De Wallen was established even before mamono started to arrive. This was another shock to Druella. Humans willingly setting up a place such as this?! Perhaps humans are better than I thought.
"Well thank you for the information dear amazon. Now I would like to request entry into this establishment. All that talk about this place has gotten me, thirsty, so to say."
However, the amazon shook her head and blocked her path. Druella stared at the amazon for a brief moment before voicing her objection. However this did not deter the amazon.
"While normally you would be cleared for entry, I cannot allow you to go in before you get registered with the Dutch government. I could get in trouble for letting you in here without you being accounted for."
"What are these witless demands?! Why submit to human law this way, this is outrageous!"
"Believe me dear many mamono feel this way, but it's because I followed the rules that I met my husband, found a job I enjoy and am able to live in this country with all the conveniences it has to offer. I'm not saying I agree with it but this is the best shot we have to live alongside Earth humans peacefully."
Druella scowled, she wasn't going to let some stupid human laws prevent her now! She quickly waved her hand casting a spell on the amazon! The emerald eyes became unfocused as she began to slightly wave back and forth. Thankfully nobody seemed to notice so far.
"You will let me pass," Druella demanded. To which the amazon nodded and stepped aside, allowing the disguised lilim entrance. As soon as she was out of sight Druella snapped her fingers removing the trance from the amazon.
Maya shook her head slightly as she looked around, the succubus had left it seemed. But she was confused, why couldn't she remember seeing her leave? Maya stood there for a moment before hearing her husband, Zaan, calling to her.
"Are you alright, love?" He asked as the line became non-existent. His wife nodded, smiling slightly, before leaning down to his six foot frame to give him a brief kiss; to which he reciprocated.
Druella stepped inside the strip club, taking in the stench of sex and alcohol the permeated the building. An elevated stage, hosting mamono "entertainers" was the highlight of the building. Humans, mostly men but a few women and mamono, watched on in interest and lust as an aspara finished her dance. They cheered and threw strips of paper at her, to which she collected. She glanced lustfully at one man before heading beyond the curtain behind the stage.
The next mamono to step out, a girtabilu, did so as some exotic music began to play. The scorpion mamono began to dance as the crowd threw more strips of paper at her. She didn't take off her veil but Druella knew she was smiling as she continued to dance.
After a while she stepped out of the crowd and made her way to the back. She was curious and wanted to speak with the mamono, to see how Earth was treating them. A few simple spells ensured she wouldn't be stopped from this endeavor. She entered the dressing room and quickly encountered the mamono from the stage, plus others.
The apsara was talking with a ren xiongmao when they noticed the newcomer to their little dressing room. A fairly normal looking succubus, however, that attribution didn't sit right. There was something more to her. Nevertheless, they had a visitor and turned to greet her.
"Oh hello! Are you another entertainer? I haven't seen you around before," the ren xiongmao asked as she looked over Druella's disguise.
"Oh I'm no entertainer, I just wished to talk with you all. You see I'm new to Earth, and having a rather interesting conversation with the amazon guard here I wanted to ask some questions. I hope this is alright?"
By this point the other mamono who weren't getting ready for the stage had taken notice of their visitor. The girtabilu and a few others gathered around as the succubus strutted into the room away from the doorway.
"No offence but that isn't alright at all. You can't just be back here, we don't necessarily mind but our employer might," the girtabilu began. But before she could continue Druella discreetly casted a few spells to make the girls more agreeable. The girtabilu's objection died in her throat as she seemed to forget what she was talking about. The others around her did the same as the apsara piped up.
"Well, alright, I suppose we could do that," the apsara said. "What do you wish to ask?"
"Well to start with how long have each of you been here, here on Earth?"
They each gave their respective answers. Some had been here only for a month or so, others longer. The longest amount of time was given by the ren xiongmao, who had been living in these "Netherlands" for almost a year. Druella continued her interrogation, more detailed answers on Earth and its ongoings beyond Martha the lich's broad strokes for answers. She learned more of nations like America and China who were rivals on Earth. It was things like rivalries she could use to her advantage in her quest to conquer Earth.
"Another question girls, this ones a bit more personal however. Do you like living on Earth?" She knew this was probably a dumb question, but Druella still wished to know what these mamono personally thought of their new situation.
The apsara immediately answered the lilim's question. "I love it here! Sure I don't like a lot of the rules, honestly I'd prefer this whole place to be a proper demon realm. But the advanced technology is quite marvelous, and the humans! By the gods the humans! It's so relieving to see that most of them don't fear or hate us! The fact that some humans are even willing to take the initiative in a relationship is so sweet!"
"Yeah!" One of the other mamono, a quite voluptuous dark elf, spoke up. "Just the other day I saw a human propose, propose! To his gargoyle lover. The poor thing, she burst into tears when she saw him pull out the ring and get on one knee. Not just her either, the mamono around her began crying at the event! Hell, I shed a tear at the sight. Something like that NEVER happens back home."
This last bit was yet another surprise for Druella and yet more proof of just how open Earth humans were compared to her homeworld's humans, she was impressed. Perhaps someone here on Earth was actually worthy of me!
Druella deemed her questioning almost over, just one last piece of information was needed. "Do you know anyone that admires Princess Druella?"
The mamono looked to each other for a moment, a few shrugged but nobody gave an answer.
"Nobody? That's a shame, well we're done here!"
Before anyone could ask her what she meant by that the lilim cast a few spells in rapid succession! By the time she was done the mamono were asleep and had forgotten their whole conversation. She admired her handiwork but as she turned to leave the dressing room someone else came in!
"Girls what's going on back here!" A man's voice came as Druella looked upon her intruder. He was a middle aged man, late forties, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes with an average build. And some average spirit energy. Druella thought as she looked him over.
"What the! Who are you?!" The human asked the disguised lilim, to which she smirked before casting yet another spell. Unlike with the mamono it was easy to get the human to fall asleep. She stepped over his sleeping form and out into the hall. She went down another direction when she saw a sign that said "exit."
The lilim stepped out onto the street, looked around, and shed her disguise. She morphed her clothes as to what they were before, but she kept in mind to ask the seamstresses back home to make her an identical dress.
Luxure seemed to not teleport many, or even any of Druella's sympathisers to Earth. Whether this was intentional or not she didn't know, but Druella knew without support her plans would fail. Sure the "average" mamono was more than willing to get rapey if it came down to it. But most "average" mamono weren't willing to do whatever it took to secure their control over humanity. For Druella's cause, it was unlikely for her to try and recruit new members to the Radicals without being detected. She would have to import her allies from back home.
But that could wait, there was a whole world to explore, she had plenty of time. And so the leader of the Radicals took off into the night, ready for new discoveries.