Chapter theme: In the end- In The End (Epic Cinematic Cover) feat. Fleurie & Jung Youth - Tommee Profitt - YouTube

Terminology:

SDT: SUBTERRANEAN DEMON TRIBE, often used to describe sentient and non-aggressive demons.

USF: UNITED SUBTERRANEAN FRONT, the recognized sovereign citizens of the Ebott. Valley demon association.

NNH: New New Home, the town's name. The only city located in the USF.

Central: Central Government, central city, main human settlement where the Grand Senate is instated.

WG: World Government, The coalition of governments, cities and island states, headed the Grand Senate.

WM: World Military, the standing widespread military for the entire world bar a few states and countries.

OTS: Order Of The Sword, a religious faction mainly situated in the city of fortuna, radical Sparda worshippers.

Disclaimer: Certain aspects of this story are based on a loosely fictional and exaggerated version of reality, of what is possible, of what could be, to understand this is to understand that there is no agenda… Make your own conclusions, what you think is right.

I own nothing.

Sin Trigger

A week has passed already since Ifalna had joined the group, her contributions hard to notice at first but she made herself useful and those who attended the bar during open hours seemed to grow more and more every day. Her nightly singing had become almost an attraction in itself, men from all across the city began to commune to Bianca's bar… However, Crono had quit his job to focus on finding Credo. With the profits coming in steadily, it was agreeable. He spent most of his waking hours searching, trying to find any clue whatsoever for where he could be held… But the hideout of their headquarters was a tightly kept secret, only the inner members of the order would be permitted. Not even a lowly knight could gain entrance.

And so He traveled through the city looking for any trace of his son every day. But the Order had become scarce of late, almost as if they were planning something… Crono hated it. He hated seeing his wife cry herself to sleep every night without their boy to wish them goodnight, he hated his purposeless life without him.

The passing days were not easy for the couple, that's for sure.

All in all, RISE had grown in popularity with the people of Fortuna. And so did Mettaton's show despite everything, little by little, a slight change could be felt in the air, but nowhere near enough. So, the search for Credo continues, and the interrogation of their prisoner does as well. Their only real lead is quite dry.

Although to Ifalna, her mind is elsewhere. Caught in a storm.

The rain beats down like a hammer, a thundering tropical typhoon. Not unheard of for Fortuna. But they weren't exactly wanted. Even as the temperature warmed through the change in seasons, rain was only good to the calm observer; and wind was even worse. The more wind, the faster and less expected the storm would be.

That's what Ifalna thought, anyway.

Coldness touched her legs, "Darn, my dress is soaked! And it's my only pretty one tooooo." She groans, wrapping her arm around her shoulders as she dashes through the downpour.

Her teeth are chattering, her flowers are drenched… The last time she got caught in the rain like this whole handing out flowers she was much younger, the former courtesan cursed herself for forgetting never to stay out when it looks like rain.

'I just hope it isn't soaked!' She holds something underneath the flower basket as she runs, protecting it from the downpour.

With the bar in sight, Ifalna lets out a sigh of relief before barreling through the door. Water drips from her dress and wetted hair onto the wooden planks below, the denizens of the bar all watch as she huffs near the entrance.

Bianca is the first to interject, like always. "Not you too! Damnit Ifalna, ugh. Let me get you a change of clothes and a warm shower going." They had the basic necessities built into the bar, very basic necessities.

Ifalna grinned sweetly at her friend, they had become close again and it was almost like before. "Thanks Bia! I'll clean up my mess!" She hollered down the hallway until Bianca was out of sight, she then checked the bar for anyone to stop her from… Well…

'Vergil's out on a mission… Crono is doing Crono things…. Brandon… He's sleeping like usual. Blooke? Oh, he's just listening to music.' Ifalna scanned the room before nodding, placing her basket on the counter and holding the object she was protecting in the air.

Her lips pursed into a smile, and the woman brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Perfect!"

She then scurried down the hall with her dress still drenched with water, making sure Bianca was out of sight. Ifalna scanned the hall for a second time before darting into the prisoners' holding room, a slightly mischievous grin growing across her features.

She quickly and quietly shut the door behind her, letting out a breath she was holding.

She was instantly met with violet colored eyes, "Oh! It's you! Oh man, I thought it was that bastard with the angry face again." A young voice came out behind her and Ifalna turned to see a young man leaned against the wall, a hand against his chest.

He then smiled at her, "I still can't believe you managed to get them to cut me loose… Boy I thought I was a goner." Ifalna merely smiled at him before sitting down in her wet clothing across from him, he followed her action and sat as well.

She held out a bag, steam rising from within. "I brought you your favorite, you've been as forthcoming as possible, and you deserve a reward right?" Her voice was like an angel to the young man, he blushed at her kindness.

He wasn't very weathered, no older than eighteen. He had blonde hair and purple eyes, both had cleared up after Ifalna managed to convince Crono to let him loose… He was rightfully mad at the organization that stole his son, but this cruelty… It got them nowhere, he was hardly in the position to even respond.

He sighed suddenly, reaching into the bag and pulling out… A scone? He shoved the confection into his mouth, chowing down loudly. Ifalna merely watched with her hands in her lap, smiling idly.

At that point, the young man stopped chewing so loud and blushed again. "Listen… Thank you and all but… I really don't know anything else. They don't tell low brows like us what's going on. Hell, I didn't even know about the kid! They told us to stand guard around that compound without a reason." That's what she thought, this was a waste of time.

Ifalna raised a finger suddenly, silencing him. "Don't mind it, I'm just trying to be nice… Mother Diana always told me that a little kindness goes a long way." Her auburn locks jostled as she giggled suddenly, "Plus, you smelled very bad!" He flushed and rubbed the back of his head before gardening his gaze.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm not the one soaking wet right now!"

"Hey, I'm soaking because I went to grab your scones after selling my flowers! Be grateful, Nico!" She crossed her arms and hmphed at him.

Nico grumbled, his cheeks brightening. "Well… Thank you." He repeated himself before leaning back and laying down, sighing. "I just can't believe the order would do something like this… I thought we were supposed to protect people, not… Not steal kids!"

Ifalna grimaced and placed a finger on her cheek, "... Mother Diana always did say that the order lost its way." Her green eyes became morose, "But still, it was surprising when I first heard too."

The younger man was silent, his lips pursing at her decoration.

She wondered if Nico even knew mother Diana, he wasn't giving any indication but… She was rather popular in the slums. Her wisdom and experience in the city went back many many years. But even then, Nico seemed to go silent at the mention of her.

Ifalna's ears twitched as she heard the bath faucet deactivate, she stood up. "That's my que, later Nico!" She waved at him before scurrying to the door, leaving the young man with his cones.

"Will you visit tomorrow?" He asked offhandedly.

Ifalna paused for only a moment, "Hm, sure." Before shutting the door quietly, slipping out without detection. Her mission was completed.

Kindness… It could spread like a wildfire, if cultivated. It only took one person, a true act of goodwill… Always sparks another.


It was many hours later before Vergil finally returned, and even with the continued support of their subscribers… Vergil felt like he was fighting against Asriel all over again, an insurmountable endeavor. Even with all his strength and presence, he couldn't just overrule the generation spanning influence of Andrei, much less the order. Even with the growing subscription base he was garnering, it was akin wind blowing against a mountain.

His blue eyes burned with discontent, "Why can't the diva just contact us privately? Seems foolish to me." He says, taking a drink from his cup of water and taking a seat next to Blooke.

Blooke sighs and turns away from the frustrated half-devil l. "He's busy… You know he can't risk sabotaging us… Or himself." If word got out that Mettaton was funding an organization that openly opposed the order, then things would get a lot worse for them…

Vergil rolls his eyes, "Of course, the damnable diva would worry more about his reputation." Shrugging, the son of Sparda stands to his full height and scans the room. "Hm, where's Crono?"

Shuffling with unease, "... Uh, he's busy in the back with your 'friend.'" Now that elicits a smile on his lips, even if the former ghost isn't too happy about it. "I still don't think this is the best idea… He's just a kid." Then again, he was actually older than Vergil himself…

Vergil then turns to Blooke and places a hand over his shoulder, "Don't worry too much my friend, when this is all over… I want to see you smiling. I will put an end to this plight, I must in order to follow in Sparda's footsteps." Of course, smile… Just, just smile. He tried, but he could only get his mouth half up.

Vergil nodded, "I'm heading out again soon, however, I need more from our prisoner. At least a target who can give us answers." The pressure on his artificial body is released suddenly, Vergil taking his leave towards the back and leaving Blooke alone in the bar.

Well, except for Brandon…

The feline slides next to him, "Hey Blooke! Do me a solid won'tcha?" Nudging his metallic frame with a hopeful grin, the music composer rolls his eyes.

He wasn't in the mood to do any weird favors, "What now Burger-pants… Do you need me for a double date again… Because I'm not sure-" The feline demon interrupts him with a slightly red face, elbowing his cybernetic arm.

"No you dork, didn't we agree to never mention that again?"

"Hm… Maybe…" The rare sass elicited a tick mark on Brandon's forehead.

He groaned dramatically, "C'mon, I just need you to go grab some snacks for tonight… Y'know to celebrate our new member and all, and cause human food is terrible!" Querying a brow, Blooke shakes his head before standing up. They were running low on actual demon food, maybe he should…

After a slight pause, Blooke nods. "Alright."

The feline cheered with his claws raised to the sky, "Yes!"

"... Scones?"

"Hell yeah scones, from Travis." Plenty of vendors for demon food existed in Fortuna, it was highly demanded for one reason. But Travis was one of the few who didn't care about them being demons, something that wasn't quite good for his reputation though.

Blooke nodded, "... Alright, I'll grab a pizza for Vergil too then…"

Brandon wrapped an arm around his shoulder and squeezed him, "Knew I could count on you Blooky!"

Shaking his head at his old nickname, Blooke exited the bar and sighed out loud. Popping earphones out of a department in his shoulder, he inserts them into his ears and thinks of the song he wants to listen to…


Music was his escape, his true calling in life. The ability for music to convey expression was unmatched by all other artforms, with visual art you had to digest the imagery, to understand it at a fundamental level… But music? You could feel music. Music can tell a story through feeling, and when someone has spent most of his life trying to create music… In fact, even now he does in his spare time. It's the only time he can truly be himself.

So with his tunes in each ear, he finally feels somewhat at peace. Walking through the streets of Fortuna with his hoodie draped over him to defend from any scrying eyes, there's always something moving, talking, or both. Cars whiz by and he sees everything with his incredibly fast intelligence nexus… He's a robot after all.

He sees everyone, even ones like him. Demons like him being pushed and shoved by men standing in an alley… Becoming just statistics. Blooke can remember how big their group used to be, the entire staff from MTT. Nowhere was safe for an SDT Outside of the USF or Central… Fortuna is one of the better cities in this regard, to say the least.

"Is that… Is that one of them?"

"Yeah, don't get too close."

"A peaceful demon… Right."

"Well… What about the Azure Knight?"

"What, he appeared once or twice, so what?"

'Just ignore it…'

At least they don't look at him, only a few nowadays seem to be bothered by him as an SDT… But still, they don't really care. Only about his money, his services.

A man steps out of the shadows with a wide jacket, "You interested in some crystal?" What? Why would he hold jewelry on him? "For a little gold I can hook you up eh?"

Blooke raises his hands defensively, "Erm… No thank you…"

"Shame."

Blooke hastens his pace from the shady guy, the further he goes into Fortuna and the further he goes from the slums… The more peddlers and scammers there are, the more he sees bustling businesses, this is what you'd think when you hear the name of the city after all… A bustling marketplace.

Blooke is glad, it means the store isn't too far away now. And yet… The density of the streets seem to lessen with each step he takes.


"I'm sorry, but I reserve the right to not serve you." Travis sighed and avoided eye contact with the shocked SDT, placing the sign over his vending stan; dozens of snacks and magical food items litter all around it.

'What?'

Blooke quivered, "But… But the USF supplies you!" He swallowed, trying to understand… Why? Was everything and everyone here just a cruel bystander?

Travis placed his hands together and, "Please! Just give me a week okay? Do you have any idea how many customers I've lost? The knights spread word about me serving demons! I tried to relocate my vendor but word travels fast!" He shakes his clasped hands at Blooke, begging him to understand.

There were no other customers at the moment, for some reason… The citizens of Fortuna were avoiding him like the plague.

Blooke feels eyes glaring into the back of his head, and yet is entirely focused on the man begging in front of him. "I have to make a profit, I must provide, you know how it is! Please, just give me a week, I'll try to sneak you guys some stuff after then."

Blooke gulps, his eyes darting to the floor. "O-of course, I'm sorry… I just… My friend asked me to come over here-" Suddenly, Travis's eyes went wide with fear and he instantly reached up to close his vendor. Leaving Blooke in the rain, in his silence.

He… He didn't say a word. What caused that reaction? Something… Something behind him? Blooke turned to look, only to see nothing but the empty street behind.

And yet oddly enough… Certain shops and peddlers began to shut down, escaping from the scene… The citizens of this city seem to become more and more sparse the longer he walks, almost as if his mere presence is enough to drive them away…

Or maybe, the presence of something else entirely.

'Somethings going on…'

"Hey, SDT! Napstablook, right?"

His circuits chill suddenly, afraid to respond. Without him even noticing, shadowy figures dressed in fancy garb, ties and suits… And special gloves; they'd managed to surround him on this sidewalk… The light peppering of rain covered their footsteps, and his music blinded him, merely going through the motions until now after reaching the vendor… How had he missed them?

"Hey, I asked you a question… Are you the SDT: Napstablook."

It was almost a threat.

"... Yes I am…"

"Good, you're coming with us then." It was at that point that a car pulled up next to him, two men with more masks stepped out… They didn't carry any weapons on them but they looked tough, dangerous.

'Mettaton told me about these guys…'

Splicers, Andrei Royai's personal security force… They only appeared when absolutely necessary, when Andrei wanted someone gone… Or wanted that someone for himself, they were incredibly dangerous and efficient to the point of brutality… At least that's what Mettaton told him.

'This is bad…'

Clenching his fists, Blooke doesn't make a sound, doesn't move or even display a sense of aggression. He watches them approach without making any fuss, perhaps that is what they want… Perhaps once they get what they want, they will leave him alone… But…

'Why?'

'Why is it always…'

He feels their gloved hands wrap around his arms, jerking him away from the sidewalk and dragging his unresponsive body into the street. For the few who watch this occur, they look on without worry or any of the sort… They know that…

'I'm useless…'

All except one.

He blinks a few times as a young woman with orange eyes burning bright comes into view, running up to him and the Splicers with a crazed expression not befitting a young lady.

She raises a finger at them, "Oi! What the hell are you thugs trying to do huh?" She jerks the SDT out of their weak grasp, surprisingly strong for a human woman… Her hair is dark, as is the rugged dress she wears. "You bastards need to learn who to pick on, ain't that right." She's taller than him, only barely… A woman with a sailors mouth.

The splicers chuckle at one another, one cockily gestures towards her and elicits more laughter. "Listen little harlot, I'm not sure if you know how things work around here or not-"

Raging at him with a scalding tongue, "You can stuff it pig, Fortuna ain't just for you! Sparda let the SDT's live for a reason!" The woman grips tightly onto his hand, standing protectively in front of him… For what reason?

"You think I care about Sparda?" She tsked.

Blooke slightly recoiled from her vulgarity, but found himself almost… Thankfully staring at the back of her head, a complete stranger was coming to his defense… Why? Didn't she know… Didn't she know what he is?

The Splicer crossed his arms, waving his hand. "... Heh, as I was saying, this is Andrei's city. You want to bitch about it, go talk to him, what he says goes." Behind his mask, it was impossible to see what he was thinking… They began to close in, and yet the woman did not back down.

'They're coming… Just leave me… It's… I'm not…'

She aggressively defends him from the increasingly growing group of splicers, "I'll tell him to fuck off back to central, and take your cronies with him!" She was vulgar, even if she had good intentions.

The splicers were getting impatient, "Listen, we'll slide ya fifty if you just-"

Smack.

A globule of spit impacted the lead splicer's mask, silence echoing harshly. Blooke felt raw terror fill his soul, 'Please… Why won't you JUST STOP!'

Tears form in his eyes as the man approaches them, 'I…' And yet she still stares without a hint of fear, defending the demon despite being outnumbered…

'I'm…' His breath quickens as the vibrations increase, his body shaking in fear… And in anger.

"I'm not worth it…"

The man stops half a meter in front of the brave woman, his expression hidden cleverly by the use of a mask. He's over a head taller than her, and almost twice as wide… Blooke can smell his breath from here, and can see the slightest movement of his fingers.

He raises his hand in one quick motion.

Crushing a blow against the side of her unblemished face, Blooke watches in slow motion as her skin tears away and blood spurts from the welt… Her head snapping to the side before she goes careening into the sidewalk, tripping and landing face first in the cement with a thud.

Red

She's bleeding.

She's… Bleeding.

He can hear her labored breaths, his enhanced cybernetic senses are going into overdrive. Why? Why is it always… The world dims as his inner machinations begin to whir and burn, steam emanating from beneath his hoodie.

Reflected in his cyan eyes is the unconscious form of the brave woman who'd come to his rescue, she's bleeding from the blow… Unconscious.

Her blood seeps into the puddle below the sidewalk, draining into the sewers below… And inside he feels a nasty feeling grow inside of him, it grows and grows, bearing an apple brighter than a furnace blazing in rage!

'I can't watch this anymore…'

'I can't stand by anymore…

The lead Splicer chuckles at his enraged expression, "Looks like we get to have some fun after all boys! Get that SDT FREAK!"

He's entirely motionless, not a single movement of machinery or his body, the main Splicer reaches out for him… His gloved hand slowly making distance, the world slows down to a crawl.

The violent grip is a hair width away… Building, burning, beneath the skin, in his circuits, in his soul… A sharp intake of breath, even if he doesn't need to… It promotes his…

Sad fury.

Eyes widening in pure fury, tears run down his face and Blooke sidesteps the hand with a crack of movement, feeling it brush against the side of his head as he presses forward with the ball of his soles. His eyes blazing into a raw fury, cyan eyes beginning to burn red as the crimson light of his circuitry bleeds through the hoodie.

'Enough NO MORE BULLIES!'

His teeth are bared in the light, "I'M NOT GONNA WATCH THIS ANYMORE!" He cries outfor the first time in memory, his slightly modulated voice cracking as he presses forward into the man and clotheslines him with his metallic arm.

He's done running.

Releasing a choked cry of pain, the main Splicer tumbles away from the blow falling at the feet of his allies who aren't prepared in the slightest. The others then turn with rage written across their face, all directed at him.

His eyes burn a deep crimson, tears running down. "G-get away from me!" Blooke backhands another splicer with a resounding crack as if his arm was a steel whip, the man crashes against a car violently drawing the eyes of the thugs, a few backed off… But this was hardly a deterrence.

"Leave me alone!"

One of them looks back towards the enraged SDT only for his fist to utterly eviscerate through the mask, the Splicer's face warps around his metallic fist followed by a violent crunch! His teeth eject from his mouth as blood spatters through the air and against the robotic devil's enraged face. Why! Why is it always him!

Feeling two arms wrap around his body and then behind his neck after brutalizing the other splicer, Blooke is pulled into a full nelson; his body is heating up.

"I said, GET OFF!"

Headbutting the splicer into a wall with a meaty crunch, Blooke catches a fist from another before launching his own punch and breaking a second pair of nostrils, spittle and blood rushing through the air, his cybernetic body releasing steam from every coil, from every outlet. Dozens of people watch on, crowding around them as Blooke grabs his head and shakes violently.

His teeth clattering, he releases a choked sob. "DO YOU THINK I WANTED THIS!"

Raising to the sky, Blooke roars in victory, his mechanical voice distorting and glitching, his victory is short lived… He turns to see another splicer running towards him, only for the largest of the group to tackle him into the street with a gargantuan effort.

Blooke is pressed against the asphalt, two gargantuan hands attempting to crush his throat only to be burnt by his metallic skin. "Just… Stop!" Blooke cries out and launches a heavy left hook against the lackey's temple, sending Andrei's crony tumbling away as if struck with a metallic baseball bat, his large body no more heavy than a bag in the wind.

The SDT's body's self preservation programming is going into full effect, he can't keep it back anymore… His anger, his fury, his tears… This was the end result.

He wouldn't wait for them to fight anymore… They wanted to TAKE HIM! Steam rose from his body as drops of rain continually peppered down around them, washing the blood from his face.

"AUUUGHHHHHHH!" His modulated voice shudders out as he shoulder checks another splicer and knocks him to the ground, Blooke presses his body against the downed thug and then coils a fist back before hammering down again and again and again.

The man's face is broken and bloody, bludgeoned by metallic knuckles until unrecognizable. Blooke combines both his hands into a hammer blow before releasing his final attack against the thug, blood and sinew flying into the air and drenching his face with the crimson life.

He dismounts the Splicer and feels a heavy blow against the side of his head, "Fuck! What are you made of!" The man who hit him cradles his bleeding and torn hand, Blooke merely growls in response before rotating on the balls of his soles and crushing his heel against the thugs arm, breaking it.

Finally… The last splicer has fallen.

"Huff."

"Huff."

"Huff."

He's programmed to breathe just like a man, he's programmed to be as human-like as possible… But his body is still metal, still dangerous… Still capable of snapping. Rage.

Blooke stands hunched over, his metallic and animalistic groans flushing through the air as the Splicers groan on the ground. Furiously wiping the blood off his face, the SDT begins to hyperventilate, covering his ears and kneeling down in a puddle of blood.

"W-What did I do?" His eyes quiver. "Why... Why is it always me?"


The Splicer leader struggles to stand up, his air passage still somewhat clogged… But he does anyway, gazing over his men and seeing them beaten so utterly… He taps an interface on his wrist.

Lightning shoots from his palms, and he leaps into a sprint.


There's so much blood… It's everywhere, his metallic black hair is caked with the crimson life. Blooke can smell the strong stench of copper, it's overwhelming. The lights in his circuitry die down and revert back to their cool blue coloring, his eyes reverting as well.

Staring at his hand covered in blood, the bodies of his opponent litter in the background. He's attacked these men, mutilated them with his robotic body and hands. This would draw attention, this would ruin their plans, this would ruin RISE.

His fingers shook, "What have I done… Oh no, oh no, oh no no no…" His voice gets quieter and quieter, his teeth grinding against another as he curls in himself into a fetal position.

Repeating himself over and over again, he can't hear the heavy footfalls approaching him rapidly until the very last second…

"Naptime, you damn savage demon!" The Splicer presses his palm against Blooke's exposed back, shocking him with thousands of volts.

Spazzing rapidly, Blooke shakes in place and fully extends his body. Vibrating violently until finally, he stops moving.

Roman removes his mask finally, retracting his palm from the SDT's body and breathing heavily, caressing the purple welt etched over his neck. Disabling his taser and fingering his pocket for a phone, he quickly dials the first number and waits for it to pick up.

"Boss?"

"... The demon put up a fight, all my men are incapacitated…" He spits on the corpse of the fallen demon, snarling. Disgust filled in his eyes. The SDT simply lays there motionlessly as rain washes the blood away, rain droplets making tears in his dead eyes. And so the onlookers moved on, turning their heads from the devil and leaving him to the mercy of a man. Some even encouraged it, some were even delighted to see a demon in this state.

And yet.

The disgust in his eyes is replaced with an open shock, "Devils… Don't cry…" Somehow, this devil did. Despite everything. It was easy to dehumanize a devil, and yet… Looking at him now.

Most simply didn't care, and that was fine by him initially. A team would come, and they would take him back, and that would be the end of it. He wouldn't have to worry, because the devil was taken care of, nobody got hurt, nobody of value anyways.

But…

Crouching down next to him, Roman almost feels pity. "You know, maybe you're not a slave to the axiom, your axiom. The axiom that all demons abide by…" To kill, to destroy, to ruin. Roman eases his gaze upon the devil, soaking in the rain as he is.

His gaze hardens, "But I am a slave to mine." He sighs, despite himself.

Maybe he was wrong. "And for that, I am sorry, but I am only human…"

"And you are a demon." And that is the way things are.

A cruel world.