Neon Genesis Demon
Chapter 1
Mana stood silently, looking over the room.
Hild still lay where she fell. Her mouth was wide open in a soundless scream. She had put up a fight, several areas of the wall near the door were scorched. There was even a pattern on the floor where a fireball had exploded against a shield. Sadly, it hadn't been enough for the attackers to take Hild's life, they had to take her eyes as well.
Seeing the room before her, Mana hadn't felt the kind of rage building within her for sometime.
"Where are the Guards that were on duty?" Mana asked, her voice very cold and hard.
The Demon Official gulped.
"They were found dead at their posts Milady." He replied.
"All of them?"
"No Milady."
"I want to see the survivors then." Mana said, "Someone had to have seen something."
"Of course Milady." The Official replied, "But there is something that must be done first."
Mana turned and glared at the Demon.
"Something more important then finding out who killed the Queen?"
The Official swallowed hard again.
"Yes Milady."
Mana's eyes narrowed at the Demon, before she turned back to Hild's body.
"Very well."
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The Official led Mana to the throne room. There, she found Mara, Welsper, Sayoko and Urd waiting. Urd's eyes seemed red from crying, but they narrowed when she saw Mana. Mana moved to stand by Sayoko, preferring to keep her friend between her and Urd.
The Official turned and faced the gathered group.
"The Queen of Hell, as you are all now aware, is dead." The Official replied, "In accordance with protocol set down many thousands of years ago, then hereditary title of Queen shall be handed down to the next in line."
Urd paled. Sayoko and Mana both turned and looked at her.
"But I'm a goddess." Urd whispered, "I can't rule Hell."
"We know." Mara said, "And if there was no one else, we would have tried to convince you."
"Fortunately," Welsper said, "There is someone else."
"Who?" Urd asked.
Mara and Welsper both looked at Mana. Now it was Mana's turn to pale. Urd however, remained unconvinced.
"You must be kidding." Urd said, "Mana was adopted by my mother. And she's half-mortal!"
"Thanks for reminding them." Mana muttered.
"That is true." The Official stated, "But Mana is a Princess of Hell by blood as well."
"What?" Urd asked, shocked.
"There has been a secret that was kept from all." Mara said, "Only the Queen, Mana, and very few others new the truth."
"And that is?" Urd asked.
"Mana is the Granddaughter of the Demon known as the Soultaker." Welsper said.
Urd whirled around and stared in shock at Mana.
"She's WHAT?"
"The Soultaker was Hild's sister." Mara said, "She had a son, who became Mana's father. Thus, Mana is a descendant of the Soultaker."
Urd was in shock. She was even more shocked by the lack of response from Sayoko.
"Sayoko! How come you aren't surprised!"
"Mana told me after she found out." Sayoko replied, "It was a surprise, but didn't change who Mana was to me."
"You realize your mother is going to throw a fit when she finds out."
"Mom will probably be upset I didn't tell her." Sayoko replied, "but then it wasn't my secret to tell."
"Hild confided in Welsper and me because we were close to Mana." Mara said, "We couldn't tell anyone."
"So what happens now?" Urd asked.
The Official looked at Mana.
"Should Lady Mana accept," the Demon stated, "there will be a coronation proclaiming her as Queen. And then she will preside over the funeral of Queen Hild."
"And if she doesn't?" Sayoko asked.
The Official shrugged. "There will probably be open warfare as those with power try to claim the throne."
"That would weaken Hell considerably." Welsper stated, "Something which we do not need while under the threat of the Rogues."
Sayoko looked at Mana. The Demoness' eye was closed with her head bowed. She lifted her head and opened her eye, looking at Sayoko questioningly.
"It's up to you." Sayoko said, answering the unasked question. "I really can't help you."
Mana took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She then turned to face the other Demons.
"Alright." Mana said, "I accept."
The Official nodded. "I'll make the preparations." He then quickly left the room.
Mana looked at Mara and Welsper.
"You've made the right choice." Welsper said.
"Have I?" Mana asked softly.
"Yes," Mara answered, "You have, my Queen."
Mana closed her eye. Mana realized that she was now heading down a road that was very complicated. As the others congratulated her, Mana let her mind drift to a less complicated time.
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2021
A Cemetery.
A man lay quietly upon a tomb, looking up at the star filled sky.
"Nice night."
The man glanced over as a second walked up.
"Whatever." The first said, "So…?"
"I did it." The second replied with a grin. "She didn't even know what hit her."
The first chuckled. "You evil sadistic basterd. How was she?"
"Bit tight at first," the second said, "but she loosened up quickly."
The two laughed.
"Do you mind?" a female voice spoke out. "The dead want some peace and quiet."
The two men stopped laughing and looked over in the direction the voice had come from. There, unnoticed by them until now, was a young woman dressed in black. She was kneeling on the ground staring at the gravestone before her, her red hair streaming down the sides of her head, hiding her face from view.
"Well what do we have here?" The second man said. He glanced back at the other. "Maybe I'll have a chance to show you my technique."
The first man rolled his eyes. "If anything you'll learn from me." He hopped down from the tomb. "Alright pretty lady, you ready for some fun?"
The woman stood up and turned to face them. Both men gasped as a pair of red glowing eyes stared at them.
"You are disrespecting the dead here." She said softly, but forcefully. "Leave now or you will join them." As added emphasis, she raised her hand. Lightning crackled within her palm.
"Fuck this!" the first man shouted. He turned and ran, followed closely behind by the second.
The woman watched them run away. Slowly her eyes returned to their normal green. She turned and looked back at the headstone.
"Sleep well Mother. I will see you again soon."
Mana Kirishima, Demoness 2nd Class, turned and left the cemetery, leaving behind her in a grave the only reminder that she was half-mortal.
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I walk a lonely road
The only road that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Till then I walk alone
I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the borderline of the edge
And where I walk alone
Read between the lines of what's
Fucked up and everythin's alright
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone
I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone I walk alone
I walk this empty street on the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'till then I walk alone
Boulevard of broken dreams – Green day
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Mana walked across the silent campus towards her dorm. Two years had past since she'd graduated from High School and left some of the only friends she'd ever known.
Of course she considered one of those friends more of competition for the affections of one boy. Sadly, he'd chosen that girl, and not Mana. Still, there was always hope he'd see the error in his ways.
Then she'd be there for him.
Mana shook her head.
'Shinji made his choice.' She thought to herself. 'There's as much chance of him leaving Asuka as there is of me becoming a Goddess.'
Mana walked up to her dorm and entered. She headed towards the stairs and had no sooner reached them when she heard a loud cough from behind her.
"You do realize it's past midnight don't you?"
Mana sighed and turned to face a graduate student that lived in the dorm, Miss Chiyo Mihama.
"Really Kirishima." Chiyo said, "What would the dorm resident say about you breaking curfew?"
"She'd do what she's always done." Mana replied, "Yell at me for about an hour, then forget about it the next day."
Chiyo shook her head. "Not anymore. The Dean has been getting more and more upset over the vandalism going on at night. He believes the students here should set a higher example."
Mana rubbed her forehead. "I already get good grades."
Chiyo frowned and crossed her arms. "You could do better."
"Well I'm sorry." Mana replied, "Not all of us are child prodigies and get on the Dean's list every semester."
"That's not fair!" Chiyo shouted, visibly upset.
Mana sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry Miss Mihama. I'm just tired."
"Fine. I accept your apology." Chiyo then turned and headed towards her room.
Mana walked down the hall and opened her door. She waited until she had closed and lock the door before turning on the lights.
"You realize it's past midnight don't you?"
Mana slumped to the floor, her back against the door.
"First Mihama. Now you?"
A black and white cat walked over and sat in front of the demoness.
"Look," Welsper said, "I'm trying to help you here."
"I know, I know." Mana replied, "I had a rough night ok."
"What happened?"
"Some idiots desecrating the cemetery Mom is in."
"I see." Welsper replied, "So what acts of chaos and despair have you committed?"
"None." Mana replied, "Unless you count those two idiots in the cemetery."
"Mana, Mana, Mana…" Welsper said, shaking her head, "How do you expect to become a First Class demon at this rate?"
"I know, I know."
"I don't think you do." Welsper said, "You were lucky you even became a Second class. Of course, that was mostly Queen Hild's efforts."
Mana glared at Welsper. The demonic cat was unimpressed.
"Please," She said, "I'm not some low class demon to be scared of a simple glare."
"Right." Mana muttered as she turned and prepared for bed.
"Don't you turn away from me!" Welsper shouted, "I am your teacher! I expect total attention from my student which is you!"
Mana rolled her eyes, then reached into her nightstand for her secret weapon: a ball of yarn with catnip spread throughout it. She tossed it past Welsper's head as she continued to shout.
"Hild wouldn't stand this from anyone!" Welsper was saying, "All I have to do is call her and……" her eyes followed the ball of yarn. "Oooo yarn!"
Mana chuckled to herself as Welsper now devoted her entire attention to the yarn. She quickly hopped into her bed and turned out the light. Sleep didn't come quickly though. She stared at the ceiling for a while, her thoughts turning to her mother, Chiyo Mihama's comments, as well as Welsper's.
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"Which brings up today's topic." The Professor said, "The Greek Gods."
The Professor paused to look around the classroom. Though it was an early morning class, the ancient history class was a required by most majors at the university. This meant that the class would be packed full of students.
It did not, however, mean that they would all be awake.
Case in point. Several rows from the front and sitting in an aisle seat was a red headed student. She had barely been awake on entering the class, and now, though still seated upright, her eyes were closed and had been for the last ten minutes.
"Can anyone name a Greek God?" the Professor asked. He saw several hands fly up, but he ignored them. His attention was on the redhead. He called her name up from his memory, then spoke.
"Miss Kirishima."
The student shifted slightly in her seat, but did not wake up.
"MISS KIRISHIMA!" the Professor shouted.
This time she did wake up. She looked around startled while several students chuckled.
"Well now." The Professor said, "I hope you had a pleasant nap."
The student turned a deep red.
"Now then," the Professor said, "Back to my original question: Can you name a Greek God?"
Miss Kirishima thought for a moment. "Thor?"
Several people chuckled throughout the room. The Professor ignored them.
"Try again."
"Anubis?"
"One last time." The Professor said.
"Uranus?"
Now the entire class was laughing. The Professor was not one of them.
"See me after class Miss Kirishima."
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Mana's day was not going well.
After her talk with the Professor regarding her sleeping habits, she had left the classroom to find it raining heavily outside. Unfortunately, her next class was on the other side of the campus.
As she walked along the sidewalk to her class, a car of frat boys zipped up the street. They intentionally zoomed close to the sidewalk, causing Mana to leap out of the way. Out of the way in this case meant she leaped into a large puddle of water.
Mana slowly raised herself up on her elbows, water streaming down her face. She blew a clump of wet hair out of her face.
"Frat boys suck!" she shouted.
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"Was that her Mitch?" one of the boys asked as they drove further up the street.
"Yeah," the driver, Mitch, said, "She's the one."
"When do we get her?"
"Louis said not until we've gotten a few others."
"I can't wait." The first muttered, "It's been so long since our last one. Are you sure he won't be mad at us?"
Mitch took a moment to glance back at the boy before returning his attention to the road.
"Bobby, lighten up. Dejerak knows that we had to let things cool off before we got anymore."
"But the pact….." Bobby began.
"Is still in force." Mitch replied, "Trust Louis."
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Mana stormed into her room after her final class, her hair dripping with some kind of liquid. Welsper looked up from where she was sitting.
"What happened to…" Welsper began before Mana turned and glared at her. It wasn't her usual glare. This time her demon markings had flared into existence on her face, as well as the fact both of her eyes glowed a bright red. She pointed a finger at her.
"Don't you dare say a single word." She practically snarled.
Welsper looked at her curiously.
"It was those damn frat boys!" Mana shouted, "First they nearly run me over, causing me to jump into a fucking puddle. THEN they wait outside my class to dump soda on me." She stalked about the room as she ranted. "Now my hair is all sticky, I still smell like puddle scum, my Professor have yelled at me…….." Mana turned back to Welsper. "….and I'm not taking any shit from you today."
Mana stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Welsper let out a sigh as she heard the shower start running. She padded over to the bathroom door and looked up at the knob. The knob turned, opening the door. Welsper continued into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She moved past the pile of clothes, which Welsper agreed smelled pretty rank, and hopped onto the counter.
"Mana." She began.
"I mean it." Mana's voice came from behind the shower curtain. "I really don't want to hear anything from you today." Suddenly she pulled the shower curtain open and stuck her head out. "Wait, I do want to know something. Why can't I do anything to those frat boys?"
"Because Hild said no." Welsper replied.
Mana's eyes narrowed.
"Why no?"
Welsper shrugged as much as a cat could.
"It is not my place to question the Queen of Hell." Welsper replied.
Mana growled, then vanished behind the curtain. Welsper wisely chose to leave the bathroom.
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An hour later, Mana was sitting at her desk, her hair still slightly damp from her shower. Before her was a pile of homework that had been assigned that day. Welsper was sleeping on the bed. A knock at the door gave Mana the break she had so wanted from the homework.
She opened the door and peered out. Chiyo was standing in the hallway, along with two other girls from Japan.
"Yes?" Mana asked.
"We're going out." Chiyo said, "You want to join us?"
Mana sighed, "I have a lot of homework…….."
"Come on." One of the other girls said in Japanese, "We're all here in a foreign country. We need to hang around familiar faces, even speak our own language for a change."
Mana's eyes narrowed, "My mother may have been Japanese, but I was born here. And like I said, I have a lot of work to do so……."
The other two girls grumbled and walked away, leaving Chiyo behind. Chiyo looked at Mana with sorrow in her eyes.
"You have to do fun stuff sometime." She said, "Promise me you'll come out with us some other day, even if it's just you and me."
Mana started to reply in the negative, but the look on Chiyo's face changed her mind.
"Alright Mihama. I promise."
Chiyo smiled and headed off after the other girls. Mana closed the door and sat back down at her desk.
"You know that as a demon you don't have to keep that promise?"
Mana glanced at Welsper, who was still acting as if she was asleep.
"You know there is a Humane Society down the road that would love to take in an unwanted cat."
Welsper's eyes snapped open.
"You wouldn't."
Mana smiled. "Try me."
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"I wish Kirishima would have come." Chiyo said with a sigh. She and the other two girls were sitting in one of the local hangouts frequented by students of the University.
"I don't."
Chiyo stared at the girl who spoke.
"Cho that's horrible."
"Is it?" Cho replied, "That girl is wacko. She always sticks to herself."
"Her last and only roommate said she has this strange cat with her too." The other girl, Kana, added. "The cat doesn't act like a normal cat. She said it seemed intelligent."
"Aren't most cats intelligent to sum degree?" Chiyo asked.
"Not the way this one was." Kana said, "It was spooky, like it was looking into your soul."
"That is creepy." Cho said, "But not as creepy as Kirishima herself. You ever seen her when she's really stressed during a test? I swear her eyes start glowing."
"Really?" Kana asked, "That is so freaky."
"Kirishima is not freaky." Chiyo said, glaring slightly at the other girls. "She's been displaced from school twice. First when she moved from here to Japan, then when she moved back here. She's had to adjust to the different cultures."
"Still doesn't explain why she's a freak." Cho said.
Chiyo rolled her eyes.
"Will nothing I say change your minds?"
"Nope."
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"Which one?"
"The one on the left looks good."
"You sure? Why not the little one?"
"She's helping me with an exam. We'll take the one on the left."
"Alright."
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Several hours later.
"Chiyo is very sure about Kirishima." Kana said as she and Cho walked down a dorm hallway.
"Chiyo is still young." Cho replied.
"She is a genius."
"Academically." Cho said, "But you know all Geniuses are eccentric. Maybe having Kirishima as a friend is Chiyo's eccentricity."
"Right." Kana glanced at a door. "This is my room. I'll see you tomorrow in class."
"Night Kana." Cho said as Kana went into her room and shut the door.
Cho continued down the hall to where her room was. Just as she opened the door, something slammed into the back of her head. Her last conscious memory was falling into her room.
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Cho woke up to find herself bound and gagged on top of a platform. Around her were robed figures, chanting in some strange language. One of them moved forward towards her.
He stood before the platform and shouted out something in the strange language. The others replied. The figure then pulled a knife from his robes and held it over Cho.
Cho shrieked from behind her gag as the figure continued to chant.
Then he drove the knife downward into her chest, and she knew no more.