Rin woke once more, this time drowsily, his minute movements sluggish. He was content to lay there in a half-asleep daze for a while longer, but a soft knock at the door kept him from his slumber.
" Yukio, It's too early. Le'me sleep." He slurred, brows scrunching in confusion at the deep chuckle his brother omitted. Oh, right. Dad was home. " Dad? Is tha' you?"
" Yes, did you have a nice rest, my child?"
Rin was about to respond with a hum of agreeance, the sleepy noise dying in his throat as the voice registered in his mind. He shot up, dizziness hitting him head-on, peering at the man who claimed to be his father.
He was abnormally pale, with long white hair and blood-red eyes, taller than any man he had ever seen before, with twin horns swirling on top of his head, electric blue in colour. On a closer look, he realised that they were on fire. Blue fire.
" What, you're not dad!" He shrieked, paling as the man came closer, reaching out to pat his hair.
" Hm, I'd always hoped that one of my children would get my hair colour, even Lucifer's and Azazel's is off by a few shades, but yours matches perfectly. Although, your eyes are as blue as your mother's, even in demon form. What a perfect combination." He stared into Rin's eyes with adoration and obsession, not solely aimed at him.
Rin's mind raced to catch up, his mental turmoil showing clearly on his face. The most he could croak out was a small "What?"
The man opened his mouth, revealing sharp, deadly looking fangs, lips twisted into a mockery of a sweet smile. " Now, there's no need for you to think so much about this, young one. It's best to just accept-"
" No! What? You-you took me! Where am I? I want dad! I want dad! Dad!" Rin shouted, gripping the sheets harshly, tears rolling down his cheeks. A ripping sound reached his ears, and he looked down to see the sheets in tatters, claws adorning his fingertips. " W-wh-what-" he croaked out, trembling slightly.
" You interrupted me." Came a cold, unfamiliar voice that sent shivers wracking down his spine. Rin's head shot up, body recoiling as his gaze met with glowing red eyes, many pairs of them that had begun to sprout on the man's body. " I do not and will not tolerate such a thing. Usually, you would already cease to exist, my dear boy. But, since you are my son and new to Gehenna, I will give you a simple warning. Never interrupt me, or it will be the last thing you do, mine and Yuri's precious son or not." His eyes dimmed, receding into his skin, the icy look disappearing as if it had never existed. " Now, Rin, what do you say about having breakfast, hm? The chefs have been working for hours on end, I ordered it to be perfect for you, as it is your first meal here, after all."
The man snapped his fingers, and Rin was suddenly dressed in formal wear, gaping down at himself.
" Come along, we don't want it to get cold. Besides, Beezlebub has probably started eating already." The man reached down, slipping his arms around his waist to cradle him against his chest, Rin too stunned to move.
Satan flings open the door with a gust, startling the guards who were awaiting from behind it. The group immediately dropped to their knees, heads pressed to the floor.
" We greet the honourable high Lord Satan and his highness Prince Rin!" The man didn't even bother to acknowledge them, stepping over their kneeled forms as if they weren't even there.
" Sa-Satan?" Rin shakily questioned, eyeing the man with trepidation. He'd heard all about the demon named Satan from his dad, who warned him of the evil entity and that to meet him would mean his demise.
" No, you call me father, as you are my son." He glared slightly at the inaccurate address, earning a hurried nod from his son. Satan looked forward once more, arms tightening slightly as Rin leaned to get a better look at his surroundings, wary of how fragile he may be, being half-human, after all.
Rin looked around in awe, eyeing the elegant tapestries that showed bloodied battles lining the walls with wonder and a healthy dose of fear. Each seemed to show the same outcome- bloody, battered people strewn across the ground with demonic figures standing atop their bodies proudly.
" Ah, do you like them? After every battle we win, I have one commissioned for the castle by the very best Gehenna has to offer. Soon, though, it seems that we will run out of space. I'll have to have another castle built for them." He seemed smug at that, whether it was the fact that he'd won so many battles, or that he could have another castle, Rin didn't know. He didn't want to know, really.
" So, ah, uh fuh-fah-father?"
" Don't stammer so much, speak clearly! It is improper of a child of mine to have such a flaw."
" Um, F-father?"
" Hm?"
" Where-where are we goin'?"
" Did you not listen to a word I said? We are heading to the dining room to have breakfast with your siblings. Do listen next time, I dislike having to repeat myself."
Rin wisely didn't respond, only bunching his fists tighter into the fabric of Satan's cloak, eyeing passing demons with wariness.
" High Lord Satan! My Lord!" A demon came from around the corner, dressed finely. Satan seemed to appraise him for a moment, before nodding his head for him to proceed. " Your presence is needed for a few short moments, my Lord. Many demons are hovering around the gates, clamouring to see the Prince." Satan tutted, placing a startled Rin onto the floor.
" Head to those doors over there and go in. The others should have only arrived recently. I will be there soon." He vanished in a swirl of blue flames, leaving Rin on his own.
He stood there for a while, confused, before shakily making his way to the ornate doors that had been pointed out. The guards in front of them opened them without a glance towards him, so Rin stepped inside the room warily
As he grew closer to the table, the occupants finally took notice of their entrance, each rising to their feet to bow, grudgingly it seemed for most of them.
" Greetings, little brother." The one who had brought him in, he couldn't remember if he'd told him his name, spoke, being copied by the others. He had a snake wrapped lazily around his shoulders, who seemed content to ignore his presence, although it did float off as he came closer after a few hisses towards the man.
Rin stopped short from the table, staring wide-eyed at the strange gathering of humanoid figures.
One that stood out, however, was the giant of a man that sat close to him.
" Little brother! How lovely of you to finally join us in Gehenna! We are overjoyed that you are here, aren't we, Bee?" The creature grumbled out, knocking his elbow into the side of another of his apparent brother's, who looked up from his dish with a dark glare. He grinned, standing up to stomp his way over to a frightened Rin. " And look, your fire, It's blue! Just like Father's!" He joyfully crowed, before grimacing. " You're going to take all of his attention now, aren't you? Ugh."
" Astaroth." Came Satan's deep voice from behind him, causing the giant man to cower into himself.
" Fa-father! I didn't see you there."
" Yes, I guessed that. Do not let your jealousy overcome you, it is unbecoming of one of my children. Your brother is but a baby demon, and you are fully grown, of course I'm going to give him attention." He drawled out as if it was an obvious thing, laying a hand on Rin's shoulder to steer him to the grand table.
" Of course, father."
Rin was lifted onto a chair to the right of Satan's, who sat at the head of the table, eyes wide in bewilderment as he took in the odd 'food' that lay upon it.
He was even more in shock when his plate was suddenly filled with an assortment of it, looking around to see that the others were already eating as if it was normal.
Gingerly, Rin picked up a fork, prodding at a particularly alive looking noodle, jumping in his seat when it let out a hiss. His fork clattered to his plate, staring at it with wide eyes.
" What are you waiting for? Eat up." Satan ordered him, slurping up his own noodle things with grace only the ruler of Gehenna could achieve.
" It-It hissed at me!" Was Rin's response, pointing at the noodle still making small, threatening noises.
" That means that It's fresh."
" Um, what is it exactly?" Rin stared at it, watching as it slithered around, feeling himself blanch in disgust.
"#*£$%~*" The word was guttural, deep and incomprehensible to his ears.
" What?" Rin asked once more, sure that he had misheard what the man had said.
" We do not say 'what', we say pardon. Although it is to be expected that you lack etiquette, I suppose, being raised by that filthy Excorcist." Satan muttered to himself, scowling. "The dish is called #*£$%~*. It's a delicacy here in Gehenna, a very rare thing to get ahold of." Satan waved his hand at Rin's plate, looking up at him expectantly.
Rin was hesitant to even put his fork near the 'delicacy, but Satan seemed as though he wouldn't relent until he ate the thing. With a grimace of disgust, Rin reluctantly scooped up a fork-full, messily shoving it into his mouth so that he wouldn't have to look at it any longer.
He clasped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from spitting it out immediately. The food wriggled disturbingly in his mouth, and he couldn't bring himself to chew on the things, turning green with revulsion.
A laugh startled him enough to bite down, and he promptly spat the things out of his mouth at the texture.
" It seems as though Gehenna's food isn't up to standard for our Assiah raised prince, father. He seems to be far too human to appreciate our world's delicacies. What is to be expected of a half and half bastard child with a pathetic mortal mother!" One of the men, Bee if he remembered correctly, was sneering his way condescendingly, looking up to Satan with eyes filled with wanting. It seemed as though he wanted praise for his observation.
" Beezlebub, mind your words. He is as much of a son to me as you are, and I will not hold back on punishing you if you so crassly insult the only child of mine who has inherited my flames. A feat you will never do." The words were icy and direct, causing the man to shrivel up in his seat.
" Yes-yes father, It won't happen again!"
Rin could no longer stomach the sight of the 'food' on his plate, so he took his time to observe the room, his eyes drawn to two people standing in the shadows, their forms mostly obscured by the darkness.
Satan watched his son intently, a glint in his eye. He wished to see how Rin would react in the presence of some of his most powerful demons who were far less humanoid than any of his offspring.
" I see that you are curious of our guard's, Rin. It seems introductions are in order. Abbadon, come and introduce yourself."
A tall man came forward, his muscles bulging underneath his suit of armour and rusty red wings engulfing the area as they swept outwards, the man bowing to him deeply.
" Yes, My Lord. Greetings, Prince Rin. I am his Majesties advisor, kin of Lucifer."
Lucifer. That name seemed familiar. He remembered what Satan had said to him just a little while before, about how he finally had a child with his shade of hair, and that two others by the names of Lucifer and Azazel came close. There were only two other's in the room with light hair, so he surmised that it was one of them.
" Leviathan."
This time, it wasn't a man who stepped forward, but a floating snake with multiple heads, looking terrifying to Rin. It was the same one that had been wrapped around Lucifer's shoulders earlier but majorly enlarged. The snake-creature eyed him with curiosity, its heads simultaneously bowing.
" I greet his highness, Prince Rin. I am the advisor to King's Lucifer, Samael, Azazel and Egyn, as well as Queen Iblis. Kin of Lucifer." The voice was more of a hiss, ancient and hypnotising to his ears, neither masculine nor feminine. He watched with wide eyes as the demon retreated, curling around Lucifer's shoulders, its job done.
" Behemoth."
" Your royal highness Prince Rin. I am the advisor to King's Beezlebub, Amaimon and Astaroth, as well as your own. Kin of Lucifer."
The final man was smaller than the rest but not any less intimidating to the very much overwhelmed five-year-old. He had unnaturally green hair, a face spotted with red commas, and a strange warty creature lounged on his shoulder, making the occasional grunt. He eyed the Prince as if waiting for a response.
" Uh, hi?"
He could almost feel Satan's disappointment at his words and heard him mutter to himself. " This will take a while."
A little bit of a time skip next chapter, just a couple of days though.
Yes, I know Amaimon's hobgoblin is called Behemoth. Trust me, it will all make sense after a little while.
While I was writing this chapter, more information came out about various characters. I don't care. This is not a very canon-compliant story, you see. So many characters may be OOC in ways :)
It probably won't take 5 months for another chapter, closer to 1 in reality, I just struggled with this chapter.
I do read the comments, even if I don't reply to most of them. That's because I can't find anything original to comment back, and it feels a bit lacklustre to comment 'Thanks' back to someone who has written many paragraphs of things.
With the dark Rin idea, I'm sure Rin will be a lot more dark grey than pure dark, but he won't go crazy and such. I don't know. Depends on how the story progresses.
Also, yes, it may look like Rin has adjusted already, but he has not. He is very confused and scared, but he is five. He doesn't understand exactly what is going on at all, and so goes along with it since these creatures aren't exactly hurting him or anything.
-Any ideas for future chapters are welcome :) Please point out any mistakes or ways that I can make this chapter flow better. Feedback is appreciated.