Chapter 29: The Return (Birthday, Part 3)
Charlie was pacing in her office. Her index fingers were pressed against one another, close to her lips so she wouldn't lose control of her deep breathing. Husk and Nifty did their best to keep their distance from her and close to the door. Alastor and Angel Dust weren't back at the hotel yet. And Vaggie was stunned by how tranquil Charlie's frustration was.
"What… were you thinking exactly?" She asked, turning to look at Indigo. She was sitting on a chair right between Octavia and Stolas.
"It was an accident, Charlotte! I assure you!" Stolas began. Charlie raised her finger to silence him and pulled out the letter Paimon had previously sent her.
"'Subjected to various bruises and broken arms.'" Charlie quoted. "'We cannot send her back to your location in her current state.' 'She will be unharmed and returned.' You know, Stolas, your dad has a REALLY funny way of describing injuries. Maybe he'd like me to mail him my archive of Angel Dust's injuries from his employment?"
"I cannot vouch for my father, Charlotte. I did what I could, but he ensured that Indigo was well-taken cared off…"
"By dragging her around the Goetia parties?" Red threatened to appear in Charlie's eyes. "I was TOTALLY fine with Indigo doing stuff with Octavia for her birthday. Honestly, I think it's awesome these two are friends! But WHY did Paimon drag Indigo into nearly every Goetia event this week?"
"Uh… so Gusion could make fun of my mom?" Octavia sat stiffly in her chair. "She's having the time of her life boasting about how Indigo is way better than my mom…"
"Probably directly poking me for what I…" Stolas sighed. "Via, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for your birthday to turn out like this…"
"And I didn't mean to cause a scene by…" Indigo muffled her laughter.
"Indigo! It's not funny!" Charlie said.
"I'm sorry!" Indigo laughed. "But… with the giant mangrove skipper and the sickle on her face…"
"Never imagined my mom to wet herself in public!" Octavia agreed. Stolas just grinned. Charlie's scowl made him clear his throat.
"Still… I can't believe you smuggled a sickle from my collection into the party," Stolas said, though he sounded more amazed than disturbed that his daughter's friend had brought a weapon to the former's birthday party. "But look on the bright side, Charlotte! She threatened my ex-wife with a sickle! She has officially sinned and can be rehabilitated by you!" He giddily clapped.
All the demons in the room just stared at him. Even Octavia and Indigo weren't very pleased by his comment. "Too much?" He chuckled weakly.
Charlie facepalmed herself.
"We let of our sight for ONE WEEK," Vaggie's hair was agitating, "and you go around pointing gardening tools at marquesses? What else did you do?"
"Uh, I bit Octavia's mom." Indigo listed with her fingers. "I got dragged into a lot of Goetia parties. Gusion wouldn't stop comparing me to Octavia's mom to make her look bad. I cooked breakfast for Mr. Stolas' staff…"
"Really? How nice!" Charlie smiled.
"Then our friends came over and we played Sins' Hold 'Em."
Charlie's smile dropped.
"Woah! Sins' Hold 'Em?" Husk crawled out of his hiding spot. "Did ya win any rounds, kid?"
"Not the point, Husk!" Vaggie hissed.
"She's right… besides, Naberius kept beating us. Good thing we didn't bet on cash." Husk scoffed at the cheap values. "The Ars Goetia wouldn't leave me alone. Octavia tried to sneak me back to the hotel but her shitty grandpa kept bringing us back…"
"Did you just say a swear word?" Vaggie asked.
"Yeah, Octavia and Stolas' peers are the worst! Then Octavia and I talked books and I was frustrated with Stolas over his relationship with his boyfriend because he is THAT bad at communication…" Red admirals were popping out of her hair. "And earlier today, Paimon had me put on a dress and shitty glass shoes that kept cutting me, and he forced me and Octavia to go to the Seventeenth Brunch…"
"He took you to the Seventeenth Brunch?" Charlie gasped in horror.
"He wouldn't even let me talk to Alastor and I had to pretend like I was some PERFECT… thing!" Indigo got off her seat, pacing around while the red admirals got bigger. "And then, there was this… this WEIRD doll! Velvet! I mean, WHAT was her problem? I mind my fucking business, and she comes asking for me with fucking comments! She was annoying, and loud, and she… WHY does she dress like some Lolita wannabe dressing up as an Annabelle and Alice crossover? She. Was. HIDEOOOOOOOOOOOOOUS!"
The demons ran for cover. Vapor spewed out of Indigo's screaming mouth, her blue locks erupting into reddish orange flames as the red admirals swarming out of her turned into a meteor shower flying upward. They crashed a hole through several floors until they could see the sky from Charlie's office.
Vaggie opened the window to let the vapor out once Indigo had calmed down enough to revert back to normal. At least one plane fell down from the sky due to the swarm and those that landed were swarming around Pentagram City. Vaggie quickly closed the window. Indigo huffed and dropped her butt on the ground.
"Wow. And I only hear Alastor cuss so much when he talks shit about Vox," Husk got out of hiding again.
"Indigo seems a bit angry," Nifty said rather obviously.
Charlie walked over and gave Indigo a small hug. "Look, I'll write a letter to Paimon giving him my order as princess to not force you to attend any Goetia-related event or the Seventeenth Brunch. With my seal on the signature, he'll have to comply."
Indigo sniffed and merely nodded her head.
"But Charlotte, the only seal that can surpass yours is your father's," Stolas said, standing up. "I really can't comprehend or explain the intentions of MY father, but I wouldn't be surprised if he goes to Lucifer to nullify your order."
"Paimon wouldn't do that!" Charlie said. She hesitated. "He wouldn't, right?"
"Eh, forget it!" Husk scoffed dismissively. "No offense, princess, but Old Scratch gives close to zero interest to this hole AND he values your safety. He wouldn't get involved with anything you do. Besides, you're the princess of Hell. You automatically outrank all those Goetia bitches." Stolas and Octavia frowned a bit at his insensitive pointer. "After all, 'you don't take shit from other demons'."
Charlie smiled. "You're right, Husk! You know what? I'm going to file that order right now and have Stolas hand-deliver it to Paimon!"
Stolas hissed weakly.
"Well! I'm sick of talking about my grandpa. We brought my cake in the kitchen; anyone want some?" Octavia asked.
Close to 11:30pm
That birthday cake really was something. In fact, it was so tasty that nearly all the demons got full and went to bed. Indigo wrapped up the last two slices' plates with plastic and put them in the fridge. Octavia helped clean the dishes while Stolas checked some messages on his phone.
"I know Alastor's not really into sweets, but who knows? Your cake was delicious!" Indigo closed the fridge door. She readjusted the magnets so that her sketch of Fat Nuggets wouldn't fall off. "I'm surprised they're not back yet."
"Errands, perhaps?" Stolas suggested.
"No… Angel and Alastor are always home at this time." Indigo checked the clock on the oven. Some butterflies escaped her hair when she scratched her head.
Octavia dried her hands. "You know, craziness aside… I had a good birthday today."
Her father and friend stared at her like she was an alien.
"I mean, there was shit, sure. But I had a delicious cake, decorations that were me, and most importantly, I got to have some good times with my dad and my friend!"
Indigo bit her lip. She didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to apologize. Another wanted to say thank you to Octavia.
"I'm still sorry it wasn't the exact birthday you wanted, Via…" Stolas stroke his daughter's cheek. "If I can make it up for it before my upcoming errand on the mortal realm, let me know, OK?"
Some tears escaped Octavia's eyes. Her arms immediately hugged her father. Indigo looked away.
She still missed her own father on Earth…
Why aren't Angel and Alastor back home yet?
Soon enough, the Goetia demons started making their way.
"Hey." Indigo quickly caught Octavia's hand, stopping the latter. "We're still friends, right? Despite the mess I caused?"
Octavia's brief stiffening almost had Indigo fear the worst.
"And, you know, now that we know about the Apocatombs… You know you can use them anytime you…"
Indigo felt Octavia's finger tightening against hers.
"I know, Indigo… But please… Stop doing things for me if it's going to make you uncomfortable… I didn't do anything for you to deserve it!"
It seemed like an odd impulse. Indigo felt the need of hugging her friend. She felt each feather shivering as Octavia cried. Thank goodness Stolas had gone ahead to the limo. At each caterpillar egg that formed out of her eyes, Indigo started to feel it. The pain she hadn't felt before. The actual pain of her internal waters forming into shells. The cracking of the eggs whenever a caterpillar hatched. Why the caterpillars hatched into gaudy commodores, she wasn't sure. Perhaps because she was hugging a wounded Octavia for comfort…
Indigo gently let her go. "Your dad's going to get worried…"
Octavia nodded. "Guess we'll see you Monday…"
Indigo rubbed her eyes. Dozens of caterpillar eggs landed into her palms. The gaudy commodores hatched and flew around the kitchen. In the midst of the swarm, Indigo failed to notice Octavia's hesitation. Like she wanted to say something or reach out to someone. In the end, a quick good-bye was all Indigo heard before Octavia left. She sighed and went to sit on a kitchen stool, her only company being the butterflies.
How sad.
Indigo tensed.
The voice. The voice that had cruelly tormented her when she had first found the Library of Envy. The voice that questioned and taunted her.
Why was it in the kitchen?
In the end, you never really belonged with those nobles.
"If you're going to harass me about the hierarchy, save it for someone else," Indigo muttered. She turned her stool around. She was alone in the kitchen.
What? I wanted to apologize!
Indigo frowned before scoffing. "The disembodied voice that tortured me wants to apologize? You think I'm going to fall for that?"
Not really. And that's why I want to apologize! You completely proved me wrong!
"What are you talking about?"
Remember when I asked you some psychological bullshit about your relationship with the Goetia nobles? How your nature would repulse that Octavia girl? Not gonna lie, I thought she was going to roast your antennas off when she found out you were a sin-devourer! And she gave you Colchis kelp! You really had me fooled there. You know how to trust your secrets VERY well!
"Yeah, still not well. I wish I could have told…" Indigo got up.
The arachnid whore? Your daddy-in-Hell?
Some red admirals flew out of her hair.
Your biological family would be really resentful. I have no pity for your birth father. Could you imagine how he'd react if his dead daughter found new parents in Hell? The voice gasped. I forgot about the Radio Demon! Wow, you're literally the only thing keeping them from tearing each other apart.
"Angel Dust and Alastor dislike each other, they don't hate each other!" Indigo snapped. "And I'm not betraying my dad! Angel and Alastor just happen to be the demons I trust more!"
More than your Goetia friend? I'm sure she won't get jealous once she finds out that a prostitute and a cannibal are higher than her in your priority trust list!
"What's your problem with me anyway?" Indigo raised her arms aimlessly in the air. "I did nothing to you, some weird… stranger's voice! I shooed you out of the library!"
I wanted to check up on you. Especially after your return from the Ars Goetia. Tell me… How did it feel?
"How did what feel?"
Stella Goetia's envy?
Now Indigo was really confused. "Octavia's mom? She's not jealous of me! I'm a random sinner!"
The disembodied voice laughed, vibrating the pans hanging above the kitchen counter. Indigo reached for the pans and stopped them from shaking. But then, the microwave and oven began to ding in synchronization with the laughter. She shut the devices closed.
"Yeah, no. Not falling for those horror movie clichés…" She muttered.
YOU! A random sinner? Don't make me laugh!
"I'd rather not. Alastor prefers the kitchen in one piece!"
No, it's just laughable! A random sinner would have either been kicked into the curb waters or towards the kitchen dishes! To the Ars Goetia, a sinner is basically an imp with more prospects and cash. But you, INDIGO CALIGO, are clearly not a random sinner! Think of it. Surrounded by all those aristocrats, the literal pit of decadence, luxury, and monarchy advantages. Following you like moths to a flame. They preferred YOU over one of their own. One of the Kings even showed you off to the Devil. You… drove Velvet, an Overlord of Envy, into jealousy.
"That bitch isn't jealous of…" Indigo stopped in her tracks. "No! Why would you even insinuate that an Overlord and an Ars Goetia are jealous of me?"
You know how the girls on Earth freaked out back when their dolls weren't as trendy as Malibu Barbie? The voice dryly asked. Any sentient thing will be jealous of what surpasses or Can surpasses them. You have the favoritism of the higher-ranking Goetia nobles, which Stella Goetia doesn't have. Singlehandedly, your presence is a challenge to Velvet. A threat to her empire and her reputation as Hell's youngest Overlord!
"Uh huh. How do I get you to leave?" Indigo asked.
When you start accepting my advice.
"Did it occur to you that I don't want to…"
"HEY, BOSS!" The kitchen door burst open and in came Scrunchy. He was waving a bouquet of mistletoe and speedwells in his hand.
"Scrunchy!" Indigo hissed as quietly as she could. "The others are sleeping!"
"My bad! I was wondering where you thought I should put this." He showed the bouquet of mistletoe and speedwells to her face. "I thought a pinch of fragrance would go for the kitchen or Angel Dust's bathroom. I personally think the kitchen would be better. Fragrant flowers can really do wonders for the soul when you're cooking."
"You should have done that tomorrow morning. Please put it in that Art Deco vase Alastor likes so much." Indigo sighed. The horrible voice was gone, finally. She checked the clock. Right on cue, it struck twelve. "Where are they? Alastor and Angel Dust should be home by now!"
"Oh, they're back!" Scrunchy put the bouquet in the vase. "Matter of fact, the spider's scaling the wall right now to reach the Radio Tower. Probably so no one would see the Radio Demon's broken leg. That's why I thought decorating the bathroom…"
Indigo ran out of the kitchen after 'broken leg'.
Meanwhile, in Envy-Carlo
The Ithomia Castle's master bedroom had a great view of the Pride Ring's sole largest body of water. Right now, its boiling and eruptive waves scared off the few locals the Envy Sector had.
Cain chuckled to himself, drinking coffee and looking at his compact mirror. In the glass, the annoying toy scorpion was putting the final arrangements on the mistletoe and speedwell bouquet in the kitchen before following his mistress. The first murderer blessed the protective barriers of holy-enhanced flora and his father-in-law's allergy to speedwells. Envy could never tolerate kindness.
He put his coffee mug down on the amethyst table and shut his compact mirror closed. "Did you need something, Trixie?"
His son's imp assistant revealed herself from behind the couch. "Hi, Lord Cain Adamson!"
"I told you to not call me that."
"My bad!" Trixie cleared her throat. "Hi, Mr. Cain Adamson! How's it going spying on your son's doppelganger who happens to be your stepdaughter and Scrunchy's charge?"
The first murderer turned himself at 90 degrees to properly look at the bold imp. "What makes you think she's my stepdaughter?" He calmly defended himself.
Trixie dropped her cheery attitude and scowled. "Would you prefer the harsh of sugarcoated perspective?"
"Hm. I'll pass on sugarcoat."
"OK! I'm not blind, sir. A butterfly demoness born on the same day as Auggie? Looks nearly like him without the color swap and glasses? Who seemed REALLY into his project proposals at Overlord Rosie's dinner? Whom you gave a ride to after you berated the D.A.S? And come on! You literally have Scrunchy bodyguarding her. Scrunchy's twin sibling is Auggie's bodyguard!"
Cain just took a breath. "How long did it take you to figure out?"
"Your free time interests and your depression." Trixie jumped over the sofa, landing headfirst on the cushioned seat. She catapulted herself into sitting. "You know, that shit you're doing is unfair."
Any deadly sin or their families would have incinerated a lowly imp for their disrespect and lack of regards for the hierarchy. Trixie was an exception. Aside from being the personal assistant to his son, Trixie was also August's friend. Trixie's mother was one of the few imps brave and sturdy enough to have survived working for the royal family of Envy. Trixie was born in the kitchens a couple years after August Aglais. Though she was assigned from birth as his slave, she was also his only friend. Her white scars came from all the times she took hits for August from his bullying cousins. Cain couldn't really blame the imp for being loyal to the master she supported since birth, even if it meant speaking against the first murderer.
"What is unfair?" He asked.
"That you know and he doesn't." Trixie clasped her hands together. "I don't want to tell him because that's YOUR job. You're his dad, so YOU need to tell him."
"OK." Cain groaned. "How do you want me to tell my 16-year-old son that he has a twin sister born after his mother forced herself on a mortal man, that the twin had to be raised by her mortal family with no clue of her heritage, her mother had assassins kill her on her 16th birthday, and now the twin's in Hell unaware that her grandfather Leviathan has destructive ambitions for her and her twin brother?"
After fifteen seconds of silence, Trixie shook her head. "That's not a confession. That's a shitty television drama plot when the network cancels the show."
Cain got up and walked up to his room's coffee maker to refill his mug. "It's far complicated than that, Trixie…"
"Color me unsurprised, Mr. Adamson. Everything in Hell's complicated. I mean, can you at least say WHY you won't say anything to your son?"
Cain filled an extra mug with coffee. "I can. Leviathan has ambitions for the twins. Just them."
"Yeah, I get that." Trixie accepted the cup of coffee from her master's father. "The Great Underdweller has, what, 20 grandkids? None of them qualify for his ambitions?"
"Have you ever heard of Castor and Pollux?" Cain got his answer with the imp shaking her head. So, Cain explained. "During my years on the run on Earth, much before the solidification of monotheism, pagan gods were everyone. One of the Greco-Roman gods, Zeus or Jupiter, was known for having affairs with mortal women behind his wife's back."
"Like what Auggie's mom did?"
Cain nodded. "One time, the god spotted a mortal queen bathing in a lake. He transformed into a swan and seduced her. Forced himself on her. She carried his half-divine children. However, she was also carrying her children with her mortal husband."
Trixie gasped. "Shut up! She was pregnant with both her husband AND the god who fucked her? Wait… how'd she manage to give birth after sleeping with a human and a swan?"
Cain grimaced. "You don't want to know." He shuddered, resuming his story. "The point is, she had four children. Two girls and two boys. Two sets of children, one mortal and the other half-divine. Don't get me started on the girls, because otherwise we'll spend the whole night. Anyway, Castor and Pollux were twins…" Trixie raised her hand. "EVEN THOUGH Leda gave birth to four kids from two different creatures, fate just made the boys twins even though one was fully mortal and the other was half divine." He continued after Trixie lowered her hand. "Long story shortened, Castor and Pollux were legendary twins, fighting monsters as a team, assisted a prince in a legendary quest overseas, and even rescued their half-divine sister during a great war. The twins eventually died, but Pollux was given immortality while Castor went to the pagan underworld. Rather than be separated from his twin, Pollux split his immortality with Castor and the two commuted between the underworld and the gods' realm before they were eventually transformed into a constellation. Makes sense?"
By the time Cain was done with his story, Trixie was finishing her cup of coffee. "So… The Great Underdweller has ambitions… for Auggie and actually-his-sister Indigo Caligo… because they're twins born to your wife but one of them was the kid of another dude? Yeah, I don't get it."
Cain gritted his teeth. "Trixie! How did you not comprehend the whole story of legendary twins born of superfecundation? It made sense!"
"Oh, it did!" Trixie crossed her legs together. "I just don't get why the Great Underdweller has ambitions for THEM specifically. Auggie's got so many cousins. Can't the Great Underdweller just, ya know, PICK two of the other kids to fill in for the twins?"
"It's really not that simple…" Cain shook his head. "The twins have something unique that can't be revealed just yet. Their mere births fueled Leviathan's ambitions… And it's better if they stay apart from one another." Cain got up and walked towards the window revealing the still bubbling sea.
"But… wouldn't August be happier… if he could properly reunite with his twin?" Trixie asked.
"NO!" Cain exclaimed. The imp ran to hide behind the couch. Cain shook his head. "Trixie? I'm not going to harm you."
"I'm aware." Trixie peeked from behind the couch.
"Just understand… Them learning the truth is less worse than Leviathan having Indigo dragged to the Envy Ring and imprisoning her until his ambitions come to fruition. Right now, the safest bet… for my children… is that Indigo doesn't reach the full extent of her capacities before the due date of Leviathan's ambitions. Once his ambitions fail, she'll be of no use to him. Besides, would you honestly want her in the Court of Envy? Why do you think I allowed August to move to the Pride Ring to manage NV? My priority is their safety, especially August's… even if it means that he'll never know he has a twin sister."
"But you'll… tell him at one point, right?"
Cain couldn't answer the imp's question just yet.
Nor would he find out that on that day, some unlucky demon was unfortunate to have eavesdropped on his conversation with the imp.
Back at the hotel
Alastor was injured.
Those were the only words repeating like an ominous Catholic choir in the back of Indigo's mind as she ran up the stairs. Climbing up the hotel's stairs was a work against gravity, but Indigo could care less about the pain. Paimon had stolen that pain.
She ignored the neon paintings and shadows lurking the empty rooms, hissing at her to leave. She found the single, occupied door that led to Alastor's Radio Tower. Whenever he wasn't broadcasting, the sign on his door was 'OFF-AIR.'
"ANGEL! LET ME IN!" Indigo begged. The moment she started banging on the door, she forgot her strength. She could care less if she shattered the door. All she could think about was that Alastor was injured.
Alastor's desk was just across from the steps leading to the door. Everything on the desk had been scrubbed aside. Lying stomach first on his desk was the Radio Demon, struggling to smile. His left pant leg was rolled up, exposing his greyish skin coated in scars, burnt marks, and a ghastly opening just behind his knee. Angel Dust stood on the other side, using all six-arms to weave some sort of silk inside the injury.
Alastor was starting to quiver.
"ALASTOR!" Indigo ran towards the desk.
"Don't get too close!" Angel Dust exclaimed, eyes quickly darting off his webbing.
"Angel! What happened to Alastor?"
Alastor was mumbling something incoherent.
"H… He… Indigo, now's not the right time!"
"Not the… For fuck's sake, Angel! Alastor was just fine earlier today! He looks like a CHICAGO M.D. patient! What happened to him?"
Angel kept webbing inside Alastor's wound, sighed, and fessed up. "V… Somebody struck him on the leg in an alley and… they stuffed a GHB-coated tissue on his nose while he was in pain! This was minutes ago and his shadow's trying to kick the shitty substance from inside his nose! Don't get too close, I don't want him to hurt you under… Indigo!"
Indigo searched through her hair and pulled out a gas mask and rubber gloves. Once she put the equipment on, she searched through her hair again and pulled out a jar of tennis ball-sized caterpillar eggs. Once one was taken out of the jar, Indigo crushed it in her hands. A Dryas Iulia opened its round eyes at her.
"Whatever doesn't belong in him, get it out."
Taking off her sock, she shoved it into Alastor's mouth. The Radio Demon's growls were muffled by the accessory. Indigo pinched his nose's bridge and the orange butterfly crawled inside the right nostril. Angel Dust finished his webbing and quickly wrapped Alastor's knee in a bandage. The deer demon wiggled and grunted horribly. Bumps moved around the flesh of his face. Angel Dust grabbed Indigo and they hid behind a cabinet. Alastor stood up on the table, all radios in his office emitting static screams, he opened his mouth…
The butterfly was sneezed out of his nose and landed on the wall. Its thorax was now glowing a neon pink shade and its wings still fluttered despite being soaked by blood… and…
"Oh… HELL!" Angel Dust covered his mouth. "Why does his booger smell like dead people?"
The gas mask couldn't protect the smell, so Indigo ran to open the window and throw up. "My God…"
"Uh…"
This time, the groan was Alastor's. He wobbled to sit up on his desk and rubbed his eyes. His voice had no static. "What… Why does my mouth taste like feet? Angel Dust, did you violate my 5-foot rule again?"
Angel Dust sighed in relief. The annoying, static voice was back.
"Alastor! You're OK!" Mangrove skippers flew around when Indigo, to the startlement of both adult demons, had the audacity of running and giving a hug to Alastor. "I was so worried! You guys were back late! I didn't know when you'd come home, and Scrunchy said that you were injured and that Angel Dust climbed the hotel to bring you to your station! I'm really sorry for stuffing my sock in your mouth and for putting a butterfly in your nose to get that drug out! I'm also really sorry for what happened at brunch, but Paimon was so awful! This week was just awful without you and Angel Dust! I missed you guys so much…"
Indigo started to sob and flood the Radio Tower's floor with caterpillar eggs. Alastor sighed and Angel Dust tried to walk through the egg waves.
"Well… it was quiet without you around, m…" Alastor paused. He sat there and let her keep hugging him until Angel Dust got close enough for Indigo to hug him instead.
"Angel Dust! I… I'm so sorry! I tried not to, but… I was forced to meet her! I don't why she hates me so much, but now I really hate her guts!"
"Who?"
"Velvet! I can't stand her!"
While she cried in his arms, Angel Dust gave Alastor a vicious glare.