The imp went flying through the door itself, sending splinters of wood flying through the bedroom. Rolling onto his side, he coughed up a trail of blood as he attempted to push himself up, only to be hit square in the temple by a book, sending him straight back down. His shaking red eye looked to the abyssal darkness in the doorway as a pair of pink eyes looked straight back at him, followed by eight smaller ones opening around them.
"Please…no more…" The imp wheezed, clutching his chest "I told you, I'd have it together by Monday!"
"Well, you didn't tell me that." Hissed the owner of the eyes as she stepped into the light. A four armed grey and white wolf in a striped pink jacket, her legs near entirely exposed save for her exposed underwear. She dragged her long, bushy tail against the floor as she flipped her wild, equally pink, hair.
The imp almost gagged as the wolf's eyes all began looking in separate directions around the room before all snapping back to him "Lots of Angel Dust stuff in here." She drew a knife, just as pink as her, and darted on top of the imp, putting the blade to his throat "You love him?"
"What!?" The imp yelped, flinched as the wolf's lower pair of hands gripped his sides "No, no! I-I'm just a fan!"
"Just a fan?" The wolf replied, flipping the blunt side of the blade onto the imp's neck and dragging it down "Well that's strange…if I'm right, that figure there?" She pointed to a small figure of the spider porn star on the imp's desk "Only 100 of those were made." Her voice was low, yet withheld a burning fury "You sure you don't love him?"
"Just…just tell me what you want! I can give you everything I have!" The imp attempted to wriggle free, only for the wolf's grip to tighten.
"They want you to pay up." The wolf tilted her head, teasing the imp's shirt with her knife "2 weeks overdue. Not a good look." Her one free hand slipped into the imp's jacket, his desperate attempts to resist ultimately futile as the wolf pulled out a black leather wallet, flipping it open to reveal a wad of cash "Well, now."
She flipped the wallet closed again and released the imp, standing back up to her full towering height "I think we have an understanding."
The imp sighed as he sat up, rubbing his neck "C-Can I have my card at least?"
The wolf turned around as she hid the wallet in her own jacket "Sure, sure." She spun the knife in her fingers "There's just one more thing to take care of."
"…What?" The imp whimpered.
The wolf's eyes shined a brilliant crimson as she looked over her shoulder "You." She gripped the knife and spun around, flying towards the imp "HE'S ALL MINE!"
Thunder clapped over the city in that instant, the bedroom illuminated to a blinding white as crimson liquid was sent flying onto the imp's bed.
The wolf let out a long breath as she stood up, observing the gaping gash in the imp's chest, her eyes following the trail of blood left from the tear. She grunted and sheathed the knife on the inside of her jacket, walking over to the imp's desk, her lower arms pulling the drawer open.
She rifled through books, papers and cards, tossing them to the floor as she did. Finally, a prismatic glow caught her eye. The remaining contents of the drawer went flying out, her clawed hands scraping up the card.
"Oooooh!" She held up the glimmering card of the spider, then looked to the limp body on the floor "You didn't tell lil' Mary Jane you had an exclusive, either!" She stuffed the card between her breasts, swiped the figure with her lower left hand and hummed a simple tune to herself as she left, the imp releasing a quiet wheeze as she vanished into the dark.
The downpour had reduced to a drizzle by the time she walked out the doors of the apartment complex. Mary Jane hissed as she stepped out into the open air, her ear flicking as a droplet splashed onto it.
"I'm tellin' you, man, the chicks in this part of the city are giants!" An imp jabbed a lion-esque sinner in the ribs with his elbow "You tellin' me you don't want one of those for a ride?"
The lion snarled and forced the imp's arm down "I came here to get drunk, Sam, not try and get syphilis."
Sam walked in front of the lion "You sure you don't want some spice in your night? C'mon-" As he walked to the side, he was hit by the arm of some demon, his eyes instantly turning a full scarlet "Hey, you!" He gripped the pink striped arm, the wolf freezing in place "Ohh, you're one of 'em. You think you're gonna get customers by butting into 'em!?"
Mary Jane slowly her head until it was well beyond the physical limits of most demons, a near full 180 degrees around. Her ten eyes glared into the imp's, the scarlet slowly fading from his as he released the estranged wolf "S-Sorry, miss."
Mary Jane snorted and snapped her head back around, walking past crowds of loud, drunken demons on her way through the streets.
"A chimera? Don't see those every day…" The lion muttered, crossing his arms as Sam scanned the street for potential hookups.
Further down the street, small party was sent flying out of the door to one particular club, Mary Jane's fist reacting in an instant as she smashed it into the face of one of the partygoers before they crashed into her, leaving them to fall straight into a puddle.
Mary Jane's eyes darted about before landing on a corner shop "Could use a drink, really…" She thought. The outside city seemed to fall mute as she stepped inside, ducking through the doorway. As she picked up an energy drink, a rumble outside caused one of her eyes to dart to the window.
A car had slammed into a pole. Again. She smiled at the carnage and walked to the counter, pulling out the black wallet.
"Crazy night tonight, huh?" The imp clerk smiled as he ran the drink through the system.
"Sure is." Mary Jane smirked out the window "Something tells me a whole lotta people are about to die~" She licked her lips as she spoke, swiping the imp's card on the scanner "Always fun."
"…Right." The imp nodded "Enjoy your evening."
"Oh I will." Mary Jane smirked as she took the drink and sauntered off back into the mayhem of the streets.
Continuing to hum to herself as she strutted through the city, the chimera eventually crossed by an alley. Her smaller eyes darted to look into it, and she stopped, turning to look into the shadows. She heard whisperings first, then a pair of imp eyes staring back at her, followed by two pairs of smaller ones. They stared each other down for a moment before another pair of eyes appeared, this time a brilliant red.
Mary Jane's larger eyes briefly glanced down to the sound of something struggling in there with them. After a brief pause, she just shrugged and carried on her way.
Far through the city streets, in front of a decrepit, cold and grey building, stood a demon clad in a brilliant red suit, adjusting his equally red top hat as his rich orange eyes looked up at the flickering neon sign above the door. He chuckled "This looks like the place." He hopped up the stairs and pushed the door open, immediately being met with blasting heavy metal.
And in front of him lay a desk with a demon sitting at it, their white shoes, combined with the book in their hands, blocking view of their face. The red demon smiled as he approached, now able to see the lavish white coat this other demon was clad in, the golden trimmings shining in the light. He brushed his green hair out of his face, his glowing yellow eyes piercing the darkness his ten-gallon hat cast over his face.
…And he said nothing. Instead, he just tipped his hat back down and went back to the book.
"Faust, correct?" The red suited demon asked, his voice unbearably posh.
No response.
The red suited, grey skinned demon sighed and placed a box on the desk with a loud THUD. Faust looked to the side of his book to examine the box, and finally smirked.
"Ah, you are here for business!" His german accent was like the other end of a magnet when compared to this demon's "Apologies, I was pre-occupied."
"I could see that much." The red demon replied as Faust put his book down, assuming a much more business friendly posture in his chair "I assume you're open."
"Ah, no, not a business…technically." Faust shrugged "We're open as long as I'm awake." He reached into the drawers of his desk, pulling out another, much thicker book and a blue pen "What can ve do for you?"
The red demon crossed his arms "I am here to discuss some…assassinations I wish to be carried out."
Faust blinked before quickly swapping out his blue pen for a red one "An assassination, you say? And not just one, but multiple?"
"Indeed." The red demon nodded, unfurling his arms to reach into his pockets and produce a neatly folded letter "This will provide more details."
Faust took the letter in two fingers, gently chuckling at the presence of the wax seal "My, you are fancy." He said as he unfolded the letter.
"Faust,
My name is not important, I must remain anonymous, but you can call me M. I am here today to request a highly prestigious series of assassinations.
It is my belief that Hell has become a system beyond meaning. I intend to bring meaning to this meaninglessness, and I require your help to do this.
As such, I request your assassination of these targets.
Stolas, of the Ars Goetia
Valentino, of the Overlords
Alastor, the Radio Demon
And, if you feel adventurous
Charlie Magne, Princess of Hell."
Faust glanced up at the red demon as he read further.
"Inside this box I have provided you will find none other than a tooth that once belonged to Lucifer himself. As it tastes the blood of these demons, you, and your crew, shall become more powerful than you could ever imagine.
And it's all yours. You may rule over Hell as you see fit. A family like yours would fit just right in the power vacuum left behind.
Yours truly,
-M"
Faust slowly put the letter down, humming to himself as he picked the pen back up and flipped it in his fingers. He got up from his chair and walked to the window "Do you know what you ask…M?"
"Of course." The red demon nodded.
Faust stared up at the pentagram that hung in the sky above them "Fighting, let alone killing, an Overlord, an Ars Goetia, or even Charlie herself, is a high order. We possess the means to do it, of course, but…" He looked the red demon straight in the eye "You will have to be offering more than just a tooth and the potential of power for us to do this." He clenched the pen tight enough for his fist to tremble.
M nodded once more, producing a vial of blue liquid that made Faust's eyes widen, along with a stack of cash "Angel's blood…and more than enough money to cover the fees. Simply pour this liquid on any weapon you choose and you have a weapon that may reduce the Overlords to ashes."
Faust continued to stare as he went back to fiddling with the pen, dozens of sequences running through his brain, voices, possibilities…and a whisper for that promised power.
He walked back to his seat, slowly sitting down as M placed the items next to the box "Well?"
Faust's hand crept over to the book, hovering over it, fingers twitching. Finally, he relented, flipping the book open and clicking the red pen.
"Excellent." M grinned.
On the street just outside, Mary Jane stood leaned against the wall, arms crossed "Can't believe you'd keep a lady waiting." She muttered to herself as a black car rounded the corner. She pulled out the wallet as it approached, walking to the curb.
"Sorry we're late." A demon covered in golden jewellery and other fancy clothes smirked as he rolled the window down, leaning against the opening as the music blasting from the car echoed off the surroundings "Traffic got busy. You get the stuff?"
Mary Jane huffed and held out the wallet "He didn't wanna work with me."
"I imagined as such." The demon frowned as he took the wallet "What a weasel." He pulled out some cash from the wallet "Here you go, your cut." He held it out, to which Mary Jane's lower left arm reached out and took the money "I trust you got some additions, too?" He eyed the figure in Mary Jane's other hand "Looks rare."
Mary Jane giggled "Little sucker."
"Well, Miss Kelly, I believe that's our business done." The demon smiled "I look forward to working with you again."
Mary Jane nodded as the demon rolled the window back up, the car rumbling off onto the main road "Kch…egotistic shit." She growled as she walked up to the doors of the cold, grey building.
Before she could walk up the stairs, however, she stopped. Stood in the opposite opening of the alleyway was…Alastor? No, that couldn't be him, they were tiny compared to the Radio Demon. A pair of pink eyes pierced the darkness, staring at the chimera.
She jolted back slightly as the eyes bore into her, a row of glimmering teeth appearing in the light. She raised a hand and waved to the chimera, then as soon as MJ blinked, she was gone.
The door came flying open with a loud BANG, M and Faust quickly snapping their heads over to it "Mary Jane!" Faust beamed "Come here, come here, we have a new client!"
"Already?" Mary Jane asked, head tilted "And I just got back." Her eyes darted from place to place as she stared at M "Fancy pants over here."
"The lovely Mary Jane." M smiled, bowing slightly "It's a pleasure."
"…Yyyyeah." Mary Jane nodded "Whaddya want?"
M gestured to Faust "I believe your boss will fill you in on the details."
"Boss? No, no, not boss." Faust shook his head "We are family, no one is the boss. I just…eh, take care of ze business part." He shrugged "MJ, you go relax, take a shower, maybe. You reek of blood."
"Hm." Mary Jane looked at one of her arms "Guess the smell does cling to ya." She gave M one last look before ducking through a door of beads and disappearing into the back.
"Now, then, let's look at this tooth." Faust reached into the box, grasping onto something round, yet sharp. Pulling it out, he was greeted by an ornate metal container with equally decorative red windows. And in the middle of it hung a sharp, white object, suspended in the air.
Lucifer's tooth.
"My, my." Faust grinned, adjusting the placement of the container on the desk "How ornate."
"I thought it should at least look good while not in use." M waved his hand "Consider the container a bonus."
Faust spun the pen in his fingers as he went back to the book, scanning over the scrawled down notes and details before flipping it round and pushing it closer to M, the pen resting in the space between the pages "Sign here, please."
M nodded and wrote down a simple yet fancy M in the box, then returned the book to Faust, who snapped it shut.
"Very well!" He grinned "Done deal!" He adjusted his hat "Is there…anyone you want us to do first?"
"I shall leave the order up to you." M crossed his arms "I believe it should only get easier for you as you go. The more blood that tooth has, the more power it bestows already. It's when it gets fully charged is when the…entertainment begins." He bowed once more "A pleasure doing business with you, Faust."
Faust nodded "Likewise." He waved as M left the building, the door quietly clicking behind him.
Faust blinked.
"RASPUTIN!" He screamed as loud as his lungs would let him.
"Odnu sekundu!" A thick Russian accented voice yelled back "The kettle is almost boiled!"
Faust's hand glided over the table to the book he was reading before M had entered "You and your hot chocolate…" He muttered as he placed his feet back on the desk.
A page later, Faust's attention was taken by approaching, heavy footsteps. He looked over as an extremely tall, muscular black imp walked into the room, his entire body like a black void thanks to his equally dark clothes, only broken up by his orange scar tissue "You called?" He spoke, taking a sip from the comparatively tiny mug he carried "Oh, that's hot…"
"New job." Faust opened the thick book once more, pushing it over to Rasputin "Take a look."
The imp placed his mug on the desk, then picked up the book, reading over the red writing "Assassination, eh? Hoho, this is…" He froze "…Are you insane?"
"No no no, hear me out." Faust picked up the fang's container "This here's our ticket, ja? We kill one of them, catch them off guard, say, and that causes a domino effect. That, and he gave us this." He showed Rasputin the vial of Angel blood "Turns any weapon into an Overlord killer."
"Mmm…" Rasputin mused, looking over the book once more "Charlie, of all people, surely you are not considering her?"
"Nein, nein, Charlie is suicide unless we have this thing empowered." Faust gestured to the tooth "We'll have to figure out an order."
"Faust, I must be honest with you." Rasputin placed the book back on the desk "I've supported every decision you've made since we met and got into this business, but going after the Overlords, let alone the Ars Goetia? I…have my doubts this time." His voice shook as he picked up the mug in place of the book, tapping his fingers against it.
"Ve took out ze president of America, Rasputin." Faust chuckled, shrugging "It only makes sense we get another foot up the ladder, ja?" He looked to the tooth, tilting his head as he heard the faintest of whispers in the back of his mind, only for them to fade as soon as he noticed them.
"Want me to let the others know?" Rasputin questioned from behind him.
Faust was silent for a beat longer than he needed to.
"Once MJ has gotten herself cleaned up." He responded "I'll be in here, I…want to get a better look at this thing."
Rasputin nodded and went back behind the door of beads.