Hell To Pay
PART 1
'Can you hear me cry out to you?
Words I thought I'd choke on
Figure out
I'm really not so with you anymore
I'm just a ghost'
- My Chemical Romance, This is How I Disappear
Chapter Two.
Ciel raised an eyebrow and the Undertaker laughed. "You don't seem to want to deny that you belong here."
Ciel shook his head, "I gave up on God a long time ago, and if such a place existed I knew I was bound for Hell."
It wasn't as he had expected. The man opened the gate slowly, revealing a land of red earth that was covered in haphazardly built houses – all with features from different eras. The houses seemed to get bigger and less destroyed the more they travelled into the city, Ciel realized. There were people everywhere, and at one point he turned to look at one at them and regretted it as the instant he was focused on observing people was the instant he saw that they were not people at all.
Some were completely human looking but with a simple difference –horns or wings sprouting from their backs – and others were more grotesque – one looked as if he was twisted around himself in ways that shouldn't have been physically possible.
"Are you scared, little one?" Undertaker cackled and Ciel shuddered.
"A Phantomhive is too prideful to be scared."
The moment Ciel uttered this, the man turned to face him so suddenly that Ciel jumped backwards. "What is your name?" He asked, all hints of humour gone from his expression.
"Ciel Phantomhive," he replied indignantly, "not that I see how that is any of your concern."
"What are you doing in Hell?" The Undertaker asked in shock.
"You said before, I belong here."
The man laughed and stepped closer to Ciel, "A word to the wise, if you don't want to see the true meaning of Hell, never utter your surname to a soul. If they ask, you've forgotten since your death."
Ciel huffed. "I don't intend on giving personal information out to just anyone, bastard."
"Make sure you keep it that way."
Ciel had to wonder why the man seemed so intent on him not revealing his name to another. Was 'Phantomhive' some kind of cursed word for devils?
"I have to go now, a new soul to ferry," the Undertaker chuckled, momentarily forgetting his seriousness from just before, "Hell just gets bigger day by day, so many sinners as time goes on."
He turned and walked away from Ciel and the boy started to run after him. "Wait! What am I meant to do?"
Undertaker continued to walk, not even turning back once as he replied with an exuberant laugh, "That's not my problem, Ciel."
Ciel scowled. "Bastard," he murmured.
Ciel sighed as he walked along, kicking a stone with each step. He'd been walking for hours and he was not tired as he had expected but rather, bored. Really, he hadn't been in Hell for even a day and he was used to it. What more was there to see? Just buildings and wretched looking creatures, nothing special at all. Although every now and then there was a beautiful one, so beautiful that they would have looked heavenly had it not been for that something sinister they carried – whether it be the way they walked or just the smirk on their face.
Ciel kicked the stone in front of him once more and was forced to look up when he heard not the usual sound of the rock bouncing along the ground, but a soft clink.
Before him stood a woman, clad in Scarlet. Her face was pale and angular, her eyes as red as the fieriest pits of well… hell. She had two small horns delicately curving from just above each ear and her outfit was a modified reminiscent of the Victorian Era.
"Well, hello there cutie~," she cooed, "Why, I could just eat you all up!"
Ciel raised a delicate eyebrow. "As interesting as that sounds, I'll have to pass."
She laughed, "Oh, darling. People call me Madam Red, or Asmodeus. But I prefer the latter as those silly humans myths have gotten the idea of Asmodeus completely wrong."
"I'm Ciel," he murmured, deciding to heed the Undertaker's earlier warning.
Madam Red smiled, "New in town?"
"You could say that," he muttered, "Is it obvious?"
She nodded vigourously, "Very. You don't seem to have adopted any demonic features yet. Don't worry though, honey, you'll mature eventually."
"Thanks for the reassurance," Ciel muttered dryly.
"You're welcome. Hey if you're not busy, why don't I show you a- "she cut herself off when her gaze strayed to something behind Ciel and she fell instantly into a bow. "Your Highness!" She chirped and Ciel turned to see who the intruder was.
A man, maybe in his early twenties was standing there, dressed in a midnight black suit and smirking as if the Madam's little bow was amusing to him. His hair was black and messy, his eyes red. But not the kind of red the Madam possessed in her eyes, but a kind that looked as if they had merely been stained with blood. Ciel was instantly wary.
"Madam Red, do you plan on mocking me so delightfully every time we meet?" The man asked.
She laughed, bringing herself back to a standing question. "Of course, is it not our tradition, My Lord?"
Ciel regarded the man carefully. She had referred to him as 'your highness' and 'my lord' which left only one thought in Ciel's head for the man's identity. He had to be some powerful kind of demon. The kind that even Hell's prince – or apparently, princess – would bow to.
"Have you been procrastinating here all day, Madam?"
"Not at all! I've already sent four souls to level two today."
Did this mean he was Lucifer? Or Satan? Ciel's eyes widened. Phantomhive's didn't fear anything, but there was a difference between cowardice and stupidity. He had to get away from this freak and it seemed that the man hadn't noticed Ciel yet, he realized with relief. The boy gently began to edge away, as subtly as he could manage.
The man's head snapped towards Ciel's direction and the boy froze instantly. He smirked in a way that would make even Hercules cower. "Who's this stray kitty?"
"Ah, Ciel, you're screwed. Once Sebastian calls you a kitty there's no escape. The idiot loves all things felines," Madam laughed.
Ciel looked at her in a way that questioned her sanity. But she had said that the man's name was Sebastian, which had to mean that he couldn't possibly be His Infernal Majesty. "Who are you?" Ciel asked the man, finding no desire to be polite.
"Sebastian Michaelis is what I go by, but you don't seem to realize that I am the current ruler of this land."
Fuck. Of course, of course Ciel had to meet the freaking Devil during his first day of Hell. The Ferryman Charon was actually an eccentric, dark comedy driven main called undertaker. Asmodeus, prince of hell and personification of lust, was a scarlet hued and big busted woman. And His Infernal Majesty was some pompous, cat loving –albeit very attractive- man called Sebastian.
Really, did mythology get anything right? This was just ridiculous.
"This is Ciel, er – what was your last name?" Madam murmured.
Ciel frowned, "I've forgotten a lot of things since I woke up on that boat." He had opted not to tell a lie but creatively tell the truth instead – he had forgotten quite a few things, just not his last name.
"Hmm…" Sebastian looked at him as if he was critiquing every aspect of the boy's appearance.
"How about I show you around, Ciel?" Sebastian grinned and Ciel couldn't help but feel as if this were one of those moments that for the rest of your existence you would regret having ever happened.
On one hand, Ciel had no idea where to go, what to do or who to speak to here. On the other hand, this was some freakish Devil that was offering to spend time with him.
The first problem needed to be solved the most though, and Ciel was beginning to suspect that he didn't actually have a choice in the matter – phrasing the offer like a question had just been a courtesy.
"Sure," Ciel mumbled, defeated by his own logic.
Sebastian smirked widely.
"Ah, good now that that's settled, perhaps you should leave now." Madam Red cut in, seeming nervous suddenly.
"Why the sudden hastiness, Madam?" Sebastian asked, pretending to feel hurt, "Are you so eager to be rid of me?"
"Never, Sebastian, it's just that…" She trailed off.
"Is there not an to this sentence or do you need time to come up with an excuse?" Sebastian pondered.
Madam sighed, "Shut up, Sebastian. I'm trying to warn you that at any time Grell-"
"Ooooh Sebastian~."
"- could arrive," Madam finished with a defeated look and Ciel had to assume that the rush of red that suddenly latched itself onto Sebastian was the one Madam was referring to as 'Grell'.
Ciel just gaped at the fact that someone had the audacity to throw themselves onto someone with the authority of Sebastian.
"Grell, if you don't remove yourself from my personal space, I will have no qualms in resorting to crushing that face of yours," Sebastian scowled.
"Oh, Sebby, you're sooo mean!" Grell pouted for a moment before adopting a Cheshire grin, "That's what I love about you." He stepped back from the Devil.
Grell turned his attention towards the previously ignored Ciel. "Who's the brat?"
Taking a look at the man, dressed in a simple black and white outfit but topped off with a ruby coat to match his long, scarlet hair – he seemed to have a thin black tail, ending with what looked like a little arrow.
"No one of your concern, Grell. He and I shall be leaving now. And get back to work." Sebastian signalled for Ciel to follow him and strode away, without a glance back to see if the younger boy was actually complying.
Ciel heaved a sigh and took after the man. At least he wouldn't be cursed with the boredom he had often met on earth…right?
[END OF PART 1, CHAPTER 2]
A/N: Thanks for reading. Reviews always very welcome.
MYTHOLOGY (Feel free to skip/skim read)
And the fun little facts of this chapter…
-Asmodeus also is referred to as one of the seven princes of hell. In Binsfeld's classification of demons, each one of these princes represents one of the seven deadly sins(Pride, Lust, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Wrath). Asmodeus is the demon of lust and is therefore responsible for twisting people's sexual desires. It is said that people who fall to Asmodeus' ways will be sentenced to an eternity in the second level of hell.
-Asmodeus is supposed to be an ugly, man with multiple heads in mythology, thus why Madam Red is annoyed at the humans.
-And Grell, although I didn't specifically mention it, is Leviathan. In Demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper. He's the demon of Envy.
-Finally, our darling Sebastian is loosely based on Lucifer, In English, "Lucifer" generally refers to the Devil, although the name is not applied to him in the New Testament. He's the demon of Pride, which is why he's taken an interest in our prideful little Phantomhive.