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Achromatic Colors
II. Monotony
Normally, in the realm of the underworld, slaves of all kinds; human, animal, and unEarthlies, were used to serve the demonic race's purposes. No devil, no matter how low on the order of precedence, has to do labor jobs. Slavery is a commonplace in the realm as they were everywhere. As long as the master can afford to care for a slave - or in human description just enough needs to keep it alive - they had one. Physical or simple monotonous jobs that did not need the actual labor of devils were always pushed to the slaves.
The lowest ranked jobs always belong to the slaves, and the job of a lowly devil is to control and fill in the leader positions that were slightly above. Nevertheless, some devils did have tedious jobs. Lowly ones were contracted as servants in the no-slave areas like treasuries and nobles' quarters-- whose owners fear assassination or theft; not that hiring devils were any better. Other private patrons who think they are too important to have slaves work for them will also hire devils.
Luna was a low ranked servant for the royal satanic family. She had lived in the palace as long as she could remember and had started working as soon as she could walk.
She lightly skipped as she quietly strolled down the corridor to her prince's private quarters. Her straw colored hair was tied in the pony tail so it would not get in the way of her work. She looked about the age of fourteen. The small pair of wings grown from her back reflected her rank – Luna suspected that they will enlarge once a devil reaches certain class. Her amber eyes that had still maintained a bit of innocence shone in glee. Luna thanked her good luck again that she was assigned to be the elder prince's maid.
She has a crush on the elder Fuji in her childhood since the first time she laid eyes on him while helping her mother, who was also a servant, with her job. He is handsome, especially since he matured to the golden years. Most divine creatures stop aging when they reached their best teen years. He is the genius son of Lucifer who represents him in underworld affairs as his father had refused to show his face most of the time. He has power – no one has yet to evoke him into his true potential. He is from the royal family that commands the entire underworld and influences the mortal one.
Simply, he comes in the best package in the market.
'The intelligence of Syuusuke-sama is bit troublesome, although it is one of his charms and he needs it to maintain his position,' Luna mused as she unlocked the double door to her prince's quarters. Syuusuke has managed to shun all of his suitors for millennia. Most amazing thing is that he managed to do so without making it seem politically harmful to the hopeful upper class families to give them an excuse for a rebellion. Desperate to set a foot in to the regal class, those families have been sending their daughters to the palace in numerous creative ways. The courtiers were commonly all beautiful demons with skills of trickery and art of wooing they have been polishing all their lives. Heck, to Fuji's amusement and Luna's scorn, they have experimented with their sons as well. Though homosexuality was accepted here, it was not common.
She surveyed the room. Everything looks tidy enough. Luna didn't know why she was here. Syuusuke-sama didn't need a maid. He doesn't like others going over his things so he does the tidying himself. She never found any dust anywhere. She sighed. He only kept her because of formalities. She wasn't even allowed into any of the rooms beyond this one. Cleaning isn't difficult and tedious as what mortals think – as longs as you can perform the spells for them. But most nobles think they are too important to perform such spells. All she needs to do is replenish anything that's low and change things once in a while. Old bed sheets always look cleaner than the new ones she puts in for him… except those times. She winced as a memory flashed through her mind.
The prince, although he does shun lasses because of lack of interest, is always on the lookout to try something new; so sometimes one of those desperate whores suddenly might pop up in his bed… naked.
She entered the room to do her duties as usual. She gave a few knocks in politeness. As she surveyed the room, she quickly catches sight of a bulge in the sheets. Her face immediately turned into a frown. She knew the figure in the bed was never the prince; he was an early riser. The room would be usually empty – not that Luna was invading his privacy, she had been specifically instructed to finish her task at that time. 'It's one of those again…' Her eyes quickly went over the picturesque feminine figure curled up in her prince's sheets.
Hearing the bathroom close with a click, Luna would see the prince drying his hair with a towel, already fully clad.
"Good morning Luna." He always greets her with that blank smile of his as if nothing has happened.
"G-good morning Your Highness," Luna would always stutter.
He smiled kindly to her shy response. Never giving his one night stand a glance, he went past her and saunters out of the room leaving Luna awkwardly with the woman. She would leave the room to come back later – much later on these days – until the tramp leaves and sometimes that can take a while – especially if the bitch is in denial.
That is nothing to be surprised of; this is the netherworld after all. But she couldn't help but have a pang of jealously every time she experiences those kinds of situations, only to brighten up later when she sees the same bitches moping about later when Syuusuke has spurn them. Luckily for Luna's sanity, the prince quickly bore of this activity as well long time ago. Up till now, no devil has managed to get into Syuusuke-sama's bed twice.
Of course being the royal family, Yumiko and Yuuta was also source of target too, but Syuusuke managed to deflect them all (it's too gruesome and mystifying to describe most of his antics). Nevertheless Luna wasn't interested in them. Only Syuusuke. Yuuta-sama is also very attractive too, Luna thought, but he isn't as strong as the elder and he is too childish. His older brother has protected him well. Although he is a bit rebellious, he maintained his innocence and immature views on the cruel realities of the real world. He won't be able to survive in the world of treachery at all on his own. Yes, Syuusuke is her only objective. Plus she doesn't want the prince on her bad side.
If anyone had the sense, they would tell her that she is a bottom class servant, and Syuusuke-sama is the heir to the throne and the current figurehead authority. If no one has yet to succeed, why should she? But Luna is optimistic. She always remembered Cinderella, the fairytale about a poor girl who married the prince her mother use to tell her about before she passed away.
Why can't she be Cinderella? She is young; only a few centuries old. She had the looks, although she admits she cannot compare herself with those hookers. Maybe all the prince needs is someone different. He probably is already bored of the same type of whores chasing after him. Being different, she might entertain him for a while. She prayed that being close to him she would have more of a chase than other devils. She can only hope now…
She hugged the red satin silk sheets of the prince's bed. Syuusuke's smell. Luna inhaled deeply.
Now, to only trick Syuusuke-sama to fall for her… She grinned deviously.
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Fuji Syuusuke sighed.
It's not that Fuji did not like the 'small' gatherings. He simply had bore of them. Devils from all over the underworld may gather together to socialize. Those activities generally consisted of trading, mingling, gambling, and entertaining themselves.
Usually Fuji would not bother to attend these occasions and prefer to confine himself in his studies if the consul or Eiji didn't manage to drag him somewhere or when the opportunity presents itself, 'playing' with his little brother.
But he is compelled to stay because this party is about him. Though Fuji knows it's just a justification to force him to stay. Not many important members are gathered anyway.
He ignored the women trying to grab his attention with whatever technique they can employ. Honestly, how much cleavage can a person stand before even a pervert gets sick of them? He pretended not to see.
'They are all the same… so boring.' He talked to Eiji to distract himself.
He was bored. He was tired. But most importantly he was bored. And Fuji Syuusuke did not cope well with boredom. Eiji is fun, but there is so much childishness he can stand before he gets tired of it.
He is sick and tired of this hell hole. He didn't ask to be the son of Lucifer. He certainly did not want to carry the responsibility of steering the underworld. If only Yuuta would understand his position, the younger heir may be more open toward him.
He wanted out. He wanted to visit the mortal world again. His advisors had kindly commented that it would be dangerous for the Fuji family to wander outside of their protection. Think of your duties, they say. Fuji had the urge to smack them. Protection by the devils? He is the one who needs to fend the family from them when his underlings get a little daring.
He made up his mind. The next chance he gets, he is venturing to Earth. He always sneaks out when the setting becomes unbearable anyway.
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Fortune telling was more of a hobby then a duty for Yumiko. Sure, she does make predictions in different mediums for the kingdom. Many had complimented that her predictions are indeed very accurate. Most of her fortune telling is done to the mortal world as little change happens in the divine realms unless the two conflicting sides start to wage a war again. She shuddered slightly as she remembered the holy war that took place when she still had the appearance of a child.
She remembered cradling the baby Syuusuke in her arms as he stared wide eyed at the heavenly battle. Yuuta wasn't even born then. Every time she remembers about the war her eyes would fill up in tears. Their father received a massive injury that was wearing him down until he disappeared last century – just in time for Syuusuke to mature enough to lead the people. The Fuji family was reluctant to announce Lucifer's supposed death as it would cause chaos, revolution, and perhaps give the angels an opportunity to exterminate the demonic race once and for all.
Syuusuke is holding out so well covering for their father. She felt bad for pushing all those responsibilities on him. It's not an issue of heredity. Gender and age didn't matter like the mortal world. Yumiko just did not want to lead the people. Syuusuke was simply the most talented for the position. She wanted to make Yuuta understand that being the eldest son was not an easy business. At least she can do was read his fortunes on his birthdays. Not that it would make a difference anyway.
She entered her workroom. Light sprang as she clapped her hands. Various magical instruments hung from the green painted wall became visible. She took out her special tarot card set from the drawers and began mechanically shuffled her tarot card set. She took the first card from the top. She flipped it over, already fully anticipating something.
She was dumbfounded; her jaded expression instantly torn from her face.
In her hand, she held the twelfth card: the Hanged Man.
She stared at the picture for several minutes before her brain began to process its meanings. The hanged man, she thought, have many meanings like all cards; sacrifice, submission, passivity, suspension, acceptance, renunciation, patience, new perspective, contemplation, inner harmony, conformism, waiting, giving up. But Yumiko instantly knew its message; it is attachment. She never had drawn that card before for her dear brother. Ever.
She drawn a chair and did a full reading, this time paying full attention to her task. Nine cards were drawn randomly from the deck of seventy eight. Three cards were placed in each of three rows faced down. The first row represent the past, the second the present, and the third the future.
Her hands reached out to reveal each of them. She held her breath. The first row representing the past showed the emperor, the fool, and the devil. No surprise there. The emperor and the devil can be taken quite literally. Yumiko looked sadly at the zero card. To Syuusuke, it is the card of wandering. She could feel that the current Syuusuke had no purpose in life.
She quickly moved on to the next row before she drowns herself in grief. The hanged man, there it is again. She looked at the second card silently going over its meaning with a child's curiosity. The third card showed the temperance. Yumiko blinked. Rather than take its meaning of true will or unity, she gazed at the picture of the card; an angel.
With the situation getting clearer, she moved on to the last three cards. The first card made her frown; the tower, warning of oncoming danger. She frowned over the second card. Something big was happening. She was sure of it.
Then Yumiko's frown instantly evaporated into pleasant surprise and joy.
In her hand was the sixth card: the lovers.
Even though there will be conflict, I'm sure everything will be alright, she thought. Yes, it's Syuusuke I'm talking about. 'As long as you are happy Syuusuke…'
On one of Yumiko's crystal balls, a faded image of an angel is shown. In his arms was a snowy Himalayan cat.
Lots of background information?
Luna is not very important character wise, but she does get used as a mean for providing background information and also give the perspective of a general hopeful fangirl. (I know, fanfiction readers hate OC but I need her for a few scenes. No, I don't think she's going to take up a scene of this length again.) As much as she accuses Yuuta for being childish, she's pretty unrealistic too. (That's human thinking for you.)
Not all cards are revealed as they contain spoilers.
I've decided to have only the best of the best (that have some characterization) or useful characters from the manga as arches.
I do not intend to include Mizuki in this fic. I HATE him. Why Fuji lets Yutta attend that St. Rudolph, why he's still alive (I realized that the manga Fuji isn't as sadistic as general fanfic Fuji), and why would fans pair them is beyond me. Okay, fine, it COULD work. It does provide materials for authors to write about but there is no why I can incorporate it into my fic because Syuusuke and Yuuta is at a higher rank. (Mizuki cannot use his manipulation, unless Yuuta is smitten over him which I HIGHLY doubt.)
Tell me what you think. Your opinions are valued (which equals more reviews? XDDDD)
Published: 24/12/07