Amitie was having a blast moving back into her old room at her house. She loved unpacking everything, reorganizing it, dusting it off…
She loves chores oh so much!
Though, regardless, it was exciting rediscovering her room. Brought back the memories she left behind in the mild hurry to take refuge. Also gives her an excuse to look through her closet, because she's was drawing a blank what was in there after so long.
Besides blue and pink shirts, and yellow shorts with big pink hearts of course.
Chapter 83: Demonic Favor
"And that's how I found this!" Amitie excitedly held a thing™ she sure found yesterday in her room's closet in front of Silvana in the latter's living room.
Silvana looked this thing™ over. "What's this?"
"I've no idea! But I can use it to grant a wish." Ammy's words got her the stinkeye. "What?"
"How have you never used it before?"
"I forgot I had it."
"Don't shrug that off. Hoooow?"
"I got it in the mail one day. It said I could use it to make a wish."
*Skeptical look*
"I know the guy who sent it. I trust him."
"I was thinking of wishing the doppelganger out of you. To make you a normal human girl."
Sil's eyes widened from conflicting emotions warring it out. Her head felt full yet relieved, and her chest felt light and heavy at the same time.
"Go on…" Was all Silvana could say with almost everything inside of her fighting against everything. She looked Amitie deep into her eyes. The blonde wasn't sure if this was a stare of serious consideration or hate. "Ammy… Do what's best for your sister and make the wish for me. I don't think my programming will allow me to do this myself. This is too big of a step to take all for me at once if this thing™'s for real."
"I know you can't, and okido." The blonde set the thing™ on the table and pulled out the instructions. "Lessee." Amitie skipped to the part of how to use it. "Okay, touch the thing™." Amitie touched it. "Keep touching it." Amitie did that too. "And when you're ready, close your eyes and try to imagine a mountain in hell with an office building on top, an office building surrounded by a green garden and what you think a genie lamp looks like on top."
Silvana tried to recall if she saw that building during her stay. She vaguely recalled seeing it. It could've been anything, it's been a while… 'Why hell?' She thought.
Amitie tried to sit comfortably and follow the instructions. "Touching. Check. Closed eyes. Check. Imagining a mountain in hell." Amitie shivered at the thought while Sil thought I'd be a neat vacation spot when she croaked again. "Check. Office. Check. Green Garden. Check. Genie lamp on top. Check."
And that's when the thing™ shone brightly. It was so enchanting the girls had to look at it.
*Beeeeep*
"What's that noise?"
"Sounds like a telephone." Sil just reminded herself the Circus needs a telephone pole nearby.
*Beeeeep*
"So do we wait?"
"I don't know, I've only used a phone like five times."
*Click* "You've reached Hell's Wishing Well, Inc.." A vaguely familiar-sounding, apathetic, defeated voice to both of the girls spoke. "If you've reached us that means you've come in to collect in a wish. (Obviously.)" The female voice on the other end snarked, seemingly off-script.
"How did you get a hold of this, Ammy?" Sil whispered asking again but was ignored.
"Hi~" Amitie greeted. "I wish for my sister to-"
"Whoa, there bucko." The young female voice sounded a bit agitated. "You can't just make a wish willy-nilly like that. I first need to know what number on the thing™ you've got is. Should be on the back. This is to check your thing™ is valid and/or to see if the expiry date has passed or not."
"Oh." Amitie turned it around. "[#]. [#]. [#]. 6. But the 6 looks a smudged 8, so I'm not sure."
"Ugh… Get. Flipping. Real." Sil barely heard her say that. She heard the facepalm pretty loud and clear though. "I'll have my co-workers work on it, miss. You'll talk to him later. Please stay near the thing™ and make sure there's plenty of space above the thing™ in case you're getting your wish."
"Okiday. Thank you very much~"
"Say, if you can wish me my full essence back, I'll pull some strings to pay you back and plan my r- Ow!"
"How many times!? Business talk only!" Her manager said?
"S-Sorry." The girl said regretfully and a little teary-eyed.
Amitie held her hand over her heart. "Oh, sorry to hear that. I'd cheer you up if I could, I'm training to be a clown."
"I hate clowns."
"Oh…"
"But it's the thought that counts (I guess), thank you, miss."
"Bye! Hope life goes well for you."
"Afterlife as we call it here. Gottahangupnowmybosswantsmetostopbyepleasestandby!" *Beeeeeep*
Sil wanted to say something. But that's for later. "Oh no…" Now she had to worry.
"What is it, Sis?"
"I fear the worst. I'll be right back." Though Sil played it cool, she was scared for the next possibility and did not want to show it.
"Okay?" She said as she waited until that thing™ did to talk back to her.
Minutes later, Silvana came back dressed and masked differently. Rather than her usual duds she wore, she wore a loose turtle neck sweater and baggy pants. Her mask had no features other than a semi horrified looking 0.0 face with eyelashes. The eyeholes had seethrough black cloth as usual so nobody could see Sil's features behind while she could still see theirs.
She also had wrapped herself in a bedsheet with Arms and had undone her twin tails.
"Wow, I keep telling you that you look great when you dress casually, Sis." Amitie complimented. "Why the mask though?"
"In case of something I hope that doesn't happen…" She sat down.
"Oh! Maybe a good idea actually." Sil looked at her sister.
"..." 'Did she catch on to what I meant?' Something else hit her. "Oh no…" She inaudibly uttered as she tightened the bedsheet around her. "Ammy…" She got her sister's attention. Amitie looked at her sullen because of her tone. "How are you planning to word your wish?" She asked squeezing Arms tight.
"Don't you worry, Sis. I memorized my lines."
"..."
"..."
"Explain."
"Explain what, Sil?"
"That you "Memorized your lines"."
"I rehearsed plans A, B, C, D, E, and F and I'll do my best at improv." Amitie just sounded exhausted from it all.
"What plans?" Sil asked as she appropriately moved Arms'... arms.
"Oh! We didn't tell you, Sil?"
"Mostly likely not." She snarked. "Also… We?"
"Yep~ Grampa Akuma, Lemres, Sig, and me got together to come up with the perfect wish(es) for you to safe you the headache."
"Aha…" Sil felt a little more relieved. But it still felt it had the chance it was her last day alive. She hated that feeling. Especially if it's because of people she trusts. "I thought you found this yesterday?"
Amitie pulled a confused look. "I never said tha-"
And that's when the thing™ rapidly glowed and started playing a low-quality version of that boss theme from the fourth boss of Sonic Mania. It made the girls jump a bit from the couch.
The blonde touched the thing™. "Hello Yellow!" Amitie answered with a chirp.
"Thank you for waiting." A completely different voice from before spoke before the thing™, a more professional voice. "We would like to inform you that your thing™ is still valid and that we thankfully managed to get a hold of our boss to repay you in person. Just like this thing™'s serial code dictates."
"Oh, thank you."
"Haha, no problem, miss. Now, please move the thing™ on a flat surface (preferably) the floor." Amitie did just that. "Judging from the rumbling noises it's on the floor now?"
"Yup~"
"Now, miss, make sure there is plenty of space surrounding the thing™ and there's nothing on top of the thing™ as well."
"Done and done."
"Thank you, miss. I'll hang up in a moment please prepare yourself for arrival."
"Gotcha."
*Beeeeep*
The thing™ started glowing green as the living room's lighting seemed to dampen.
Silvana clutched her bedsheet so tight she thought it was gonna rip.
Out of the thing™ came some mist leaking out. Amitie was wowed by it, the lights looked great in the mist. Sil took notes.
And in a puff of smoke, He shall appear!
What appeared was a tall, handsome-looking gent, dressed in blue, with long luscious green hair, wings, and horns on his head. It's precisely as Silvana feared, there he was. And there went another solution down the drain of hell along with her life if Amitie slipped up.
Her life is in Amitie's hands now. A reversal of what happened last year, if she had the rational to think of it that way.
"So you've come to cash in a favor of the creator AND the ruler of Puyo Hell… THE DARK PRINCE!?" The man was a ham on a microphone as he chewed the scenery.
Silvana's grip tightened.
"Hiya, Satan!" Amitie cheerfully greeted the most powerful being your average joe is bound to learn about. The person, while a giant, petty kook of a God, is still a God, if he boasts that he can smite you he can totally do it.
So that's why Silvana found it a little surprising the Dark Prince, who she always saw in a negative light, someone to be feared, actually had a genuine smile on his face from what she saw from a peek. "Oh, you're one of Arly's good friends. Umm… Don't tell me." The Handsome Devil snapped his fingers four times. "Amitie was it?"
"Yup~ Long time no see." (Read: Amitie's Journey From off Top of her Head at your own risk).
"Indeed. How have you been?"
"I'm a circus clown now~"
"I see. Good for you. I didn't take you for the type to have a respectable job."
"Hey!"
"You misunderstand me! I love circuses!"
"Really?!"
"Indeed! Though my stance on clowns does change every 100 years or so."
"So whaddya think of me?"
"How should I know?! I haven't seen you in action. Though I must say from what I know about you, you got the perfect job."
"Teehee~ I know right?"
"So." The Dark Prince warmed up his hands. "What's your wish?"
"Um…" 'Well, Plan A and B aren't gonna work now… So this is Plan D? No, it's E.' "My wish isn't for me. It's for my big sister, Silvana." Amitie pointed at the stuffed bedsheet next to her on the couch. Amitie scooted over and affectionately wrapped her arms around the alpha clown. "Is that okay?"
"You'd be surprised how little unselfish wishes like that get asked of me. So this is fine by me, admirable, considering what you went through." Note: evil wishes will get you sent to Puyo Hell by The Devil, children.
"Yippie!" She skipped. "You see, my sister's face got burned off AND she's really face shy. She'd be a real babe if she wasn't. You should see her in a bikini." Amitie improvised those last bits.
"Ammy, please stop." Sil shrunk further in her cotton cocoon.
The Prince of All Darkness shook his head sympathetically to the masked bundle. "'Tis always a shame when a pretty girl is defaced." Sil turtled and turtled some more. "I sense that you been revived by a Hohow Bird."
"Eep! Don't take me back yet! I'm not ready!"
"Tch." Hell's ruler found it a little amusing. "I don't care. Enjoy your second chance at life, you'll be back someday." He sat down on the couch on the other side of the table while crossing his legs.
"Th-Th-Th-Thank y-y-you..." Sil whispered. 'Phew… H-He doesn't know…'
"Though do be careful with Amythest Hohows. Your essence seems tainted with amethyst magic, no doubt because you're revived by one. Someone might hunt you down for it. Amethyst magic is one of the most sought out magicks. No to mention seen as a threat."
"N-Noted…" Saves her the trouble of making up a cover.
"Now, this spell I have can restore your original face, or it can give you a different face."
"Y-Yuh…" Sil couldn't get the words out. 'He can? Of course, he can…'
"Oh that sounds wonderful!~ What kinda face do you want, Sis?"
"Hold on." The green-haired demon lord stopped the younger clown. "I do need a photo or any kind of reference material of what you want your face to look like."
"Ah…" Sil sighed (semi-relieved?).
"Oh! Sil's adopted. We don't have any pictures of her face." Not that that's the goal.
"I see no issue with that then. Perhaps maybe have a poster of someone prettier than you?" The Dark Prince suggested.
"She can have my face!~" Amitie liked her idea.
"No, offense, Ammy. But I don't wanna look like a kid with a maturing body…"
"Awww…" Amitie pouted.
"Cute thought, though."
"Thanks~"
"Ahem." The horned prince got their attention. "I don't have all day." He said. His patience didn't look like it was thinning yet. But that could always change if they annoyed him enough. He gets cranky very easily.
"Um… Do you have a pin-up poster or something like that, Sis?"
"No! Neither do I have photos of people's faces I'd be (relatively) okay with."
"You know what?" The Dark Prince stood up from the couch. "I have plans tonight I can't stick around for too long. How about I decide your face for you?"
"…" Sil uncomfortably moved to whisper in her sister's ear as she covered her mouth. "You're the one who needs to make this decision for me or else I'll rebel against it, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. Please, Mr. Satan! She needs a new face." She pleaded.
"Muhahahahahaaaaaa!" The tall ham laughed. "Consider it done! Please wait here, and keep clear of that thing™! Ahahahahaaaaaa!" He teleported away in an overly campy way.
"Wh-What's he planning?" Sil felt a lot of pressure lifted from her. And that made her feel she's about to hyperventilate regardless. "Why does he owe you a favor?"
"Because [Read: Amitie's Journey From off Top of her Head at your own risk]." Amitie explained.
"I'm happy you made it out alright, Ammy. But why would he do that?!"
"Sis, I don't think it's time to complain."
"I'll complain all want, Amitie! Because that's because of what I am. And you got to sit here and take it until I've been further beaten down to accept the new face! Sorry about that…" Sil said apologetically.
"It's okay." Silvana got her third-most favorite thing. A hug. "You're probably handling this better than I ever could if I was a doppelganger."
"…" Before Sil could answer, from the thing™ the Dark Prince appeared in a less showy way.
"I have returned!" The Prince held something behind his hand. "I have something here most mortals wouldn't risk making, but once made it's perfectly safe."
"Aha." Sil made a noise. The green-haired man showed off something floppy.
"This is a special mask. An expensive, rare, and hard and dangerous novelty item to make (for a mortal). It can realistically copy the voice, and the face of anyone, and it moves as it should as if it's your true face. This one is pre-used however so you'll have to make do with the shape it's already in, it should appropriate to your age. And don't worry, I got more for myself."
Sil gently took it out of his hands. She couldn't recognize the face because of the flat state it's in. 'It's like that one I've got of Raffine's face.'
"Fits any size and it even breathes." Satan added.
Amitie recognized the mask type and got happy for her sister. "Say thank you, Sil." She big sister'd.
"..." The actual big sister whispered again in Amitie's ear. "Please pretend I whispered a thank you to him. I don't think I can say that without whatever spell Sig has over me."
"Sig's got a spell over you?"
"Figuratively, Ammy… Just thank him for me."
"Okido~ She says: Thanks, Satan!"
"Ahahahahaaa~ It was nothing. It's almost adorable how shy she is."
Amitie giggled, embracing her sister. "Then you should see her when she isn't."
"Please don't." Silvana protested.
"Well, I'll be off now. Hope you're good with your wish, Amitie. This thing™ will cease functioning when I return. I'll have to go before I'll fall-" And that's when he prematurely teleported away like a dope.
"He's gone! I'M ALIVE!" Sil yelled freeing herself from her bedsheet.
"Let's go to the closest mirror! Ooooooh! I hope your new face's pretty~"
'It better be if I'm getting a new face…'
*Sil's room. In front of a big mirror…*
Under mild protest, Amitie put Sil's new real looking skin mask on her face. As with her Raffina mask, it was a seamless fit.
Once it was on, both the refreshed Silvana and Amitie got a good look. They were both surprised at the girl staring back.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Well, ehehe. At least you got a pretty face, Sis~" Amitie nervously joked.
Sil slowly turned to look at Amitie's face. Amitie had trouble reading the expression, but it wasn't uncanny, so the mask did work. "Nothing has changed. It looks a little younger and my eyes are yellowish-brown but that's it." She said in a neutral tone and in a voice that's a perfect match for Arle. Arle having a higher voice than her clone.
"Aw, phooey."
"Phooey indeed." She turned back to the mirror. Silvana liked her red eyes more, so she ripped off the mask to give to either Sig or Amitie later. "Tell Gramps and Lemres I'm a failure again." She said so casually even if this was only a scary experience at worst and hollow at best.
"What about Sig?"
"Pretty sure he's accepted me as such."
Author's Notes:
No notes for once.
Next up: Arle visits the graveyard.
