Even more infodump. Sorry about it, but sometimes one must infodump.
To Justreading: You mean Dybbuk? Hah, I agree. But Dybbuk at least had a proper backstory, which in a way makes him superior even to Iblis.
To 53: Well strictly speaking Iblis himself is just as male as ever. But whatevs, I'm glad you like this twist, I wasn't feeling too sure about it.
Gravel crunched under Nimrod's feet as he approached the front door of Bat Mansion. Faustina lived here now since the death of Ayesha, but Nimrod still felt uncomfortable here. He had never liked the place.
"You know, I was here once when I was young" he said. "It was shortly after my mother became the blue djinn. I still remember how much she had changed when I visited her here."
"U-huh" Iblis replied, disinterest evident.
"It was the year when…you know…"
"Yes, don't talk of it."
"The year when what happened, uncle?" Philippa asked, just to ask something. A few steps behind her, Rudyard and Zadie were arguing over which band out of two ones that Philippa had never heard of was better. It was kind of boring to her, so she joined her uncle's conversation.
"Oh, Philippa, well. That year was quite a turbulent one, it's a long story. Iblis, of course, was there too and knows it, but he prefers not to talk about it, and neither should we."
"Why not?" Philippa asked, finding her uncle's new secretive behavior kind of weird.
"Oh look, we're already here" Iblis interrupted. "Now would one of you Marid ring the doorbell? I'll just be in the back pretending that I don't exist."
Nimrod rang the doorbell, and sure enough the door was opened by Jonah Damascus, Faustina's croucher demon. The demonic servant led them into a spacious study with huge windows that let lots of sunlight in. Behind a mahogany desk sat Faustina and welcomed them with a warm smile. She was wearing a sky-blue sundress and looked absolutely ravishing. Philippa knew that Faustina, in spirit, was about twice her age, but her body looked like that of a fifteen-year-old girl due to all the difficulties she had had with it. This meant that Faustina appeared girly and grown-up at the same time. Her face was fresh and youthful, but experience and maturity, Philippa was almost inclined to say wisdom, showed in her bright gray eyes.
For a second, Philippa fervently wished she could look as pretty as Faustina.
"Welcome, Nimrod. And Philippa" Faustina greeted them, getting up from her seat to shake everyone's hands. "Oh, and Zadie Eloko. I think we met before, at Nightshakes?"
Zadie looked like she didn't know what to do for a second, then she curtsied. "Ma'am" she said. "I was indeed at Nightshakes, and I apologize for my immature ways back then. I was hypnotized."
"I know" Faustina smiled. "And there's no need for that kind of behavior. You don't need to bow before me. Such gestures are not only logically meaningless, they also weird me out. Oh, and call me Faustina, or Tina, not Ma'am." She glanced over to where the Ifrit stood in the back, pretending to not be there.
"And you must be Rudyard Teer" she assumed. "But tell me, Nimrod, who's your lady friend?"
Iblis' disgruntled expression was priceless. Nimrod gallantly swept in and explained: "This is not my lady friend, but Iblis. He had a few calamities with his original body."
"Tigers ate it" Iblis threw in.
"That sounds troublesome" Faustina commented politely. "Now, listen up everyone. You all know why you're here…"
"Not really" Philippa piped up.
"What?" Faustina wondered.
"I know that this is somehow about this cult that has been rising, and that there is a prophecy and the Marid must work with the Ifrit now for some reason. But it would be nice if you could explain…just how all these things are connected."
"Well" Faustina began. "You were right with the prophecy. It pretty much foretells that the djinn sect which calls itself the Trueborn Sons of Taranushi will arise, that is gain more power and more followers. They will look for some kind of item that is holy to them, and unfortunately that item, whatever it is, holds so much power that they can enslave every djinn in this world with it. I'm afraid that at least half of that has come true already: the cult is back, and they're attacking people, and I assume that they're looking for their artifact as we speak. Not much is known about how this cult came to be, only that, a long time ago, a small group of djinn with radical views separated from one of the tribes. That was right after the Baghdad Rules were established and the djinn refrained from using their powers against each other. In those days, good and evil djinn established some kind of silent agreement not to wreck the world in war. But this group of djinn didn't like that. And they still don't. They are of the opinion that fighting and destroying each other is the natural order of the djinn tribes. So Marid must always strive to kill Ifrit, and vice versa. The pax nova must be a considerable thorn in their side."
"Pax nova?" Philippa asked.
"That is Latin" her uncle explained. "It means new peace."
"Yes, the New Peace" Faustina went on. "You must know, Phil, that the prophecy also states that the uprising of the cult and therefore our doom can only be stopped by, and that's a direct quote, good and evil joining hands over the abyss. We're not really sure what that means yet. It could mean two djinn, two djinn tribes, or all the tribes, and the abyss could be a metaphor or a literal abyss somewhere. But anyway, prophecy or no, I think it's high time the six tribes got their heads out of their backsides and sat down together to talk. Under Ayesha, this wouldn't have been possible, but I'm the blue djinn now, and I see that the old system has more flaws than benefits. I'll enforce some changes. Therefore, someone must call all the tribes together…and that's why you're here."
"So we'll be, like, your emissaries?" Rudyard asked, speaking to Faustina for the first time. Oddly, he looked neither spiteful nor unhappy with the mission, but almost happy about it.
"Something like that, yes."
Rudyard smiled. "Cool."
"I thought it was about fighting that cult" Philippa said.
"We'll have to, eventually" Faustina answered. "But right now, we don't even know where they're at or who their leader is. There's not much we can do right now, so I'm putting diplomacy first. When they attack, and believe me they will, it's important that we stand united. Incidentally" and here she turned to the Ifrit, "I have just received a very incensed letter from one Jirjis ibn Rajmus." She took the letter from her desk and waved it around.
Iblis raised an eyebrow. "Jirjis? What did he want?"
"Well, first of all he claims that you are dead and that he is now leader of the Ifrit."
Iblis shrugged. "I'm pretty sure that I'm alive, which reduces his claim to a lot of hot air. Even if I was dead, it's stupid. Jirjis is like my cousin once removed, and I have sons. There's such a thing as succession, you know."
"I know. He also claims that we should hold with 'traditional values' and that the New Peace was, and I quote, 'absolute bullshit'. Additionally he wants me to prostitute myself for him, preferably before drowning."
"What? Let me see that." Iblis took the letter and scanned it. "Ah. Suck my dick and then go die in a well, you little bitch. That's Jirjis for you." He sighed. "Our two families have a problem."
There was an audible intake of air by the assembled Marid. "Way to go with the subtlety, Iblis" Nimrod said under his breath.
"Well, you could phrase it like that" Faustina Sachertorte said sharply. "One could also say that our problem is called you. But we're not here to discuss that."
"We're not?"
"No. I'll never like you, Iblis Teer, but right now I need you. As it is, the Ifrit need a leader, and I'd rather put up with you than Jirjis. Your punishment can wait. At least if you choose to aid me with the New Peace, and not stand in the way of me."
"Sure thing" Iblis said hurriedly. "New Peace. Awesome. I'm game."
"Very well. Then next up we should discuss your mission! Or, if you want it, your new adventure!" Faustina beamed and threw her hair back. Philippa too had to smile.
"Zadie, your aunt is the Jann leader" Faustina continued. "So I take it that the Jann agree to join the peace talks, or else you wouldn't be here."
"We support you, Ma'am. Um, I mean, Faustina" Zadie said.
"Nice. So, one tribe won over, five to go, huh?"
"Of course you also have the Marid's support!" Nimrod exclaimed.
"Of course, Nimrod. I didn't doubt that for a second. So you, along with our new friends the Teers, will go and talk to the leaders of the remaining tribes. That includes the Ghul and the Shaitan, but I've heard it said that who rules over the Ifrit pretty much rules over them too." She looked at Iblis for confirmation of that fact.
Iblis shrugged again. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but…let's say they'll listen to me."
"Good. Phil, I reckon you'll accompany Nimrod?"
"But, Faustina" Philippa said timidly. "I don't know if you've heard, but I kind of lost my powers…John too. I don't think I can be of much help, especially when there's danger…"
"Oh, Phil! Don't worry! Of course you can help. In fact, your predicament makes you the ideal emissary. No one will suspect a trick from you, see, which will make people trust you more."
"If…you think so" Philippa said hesitantly. Had Faustina calculated all of that? It did sound logical.
"Wait wait wait" Nimrod suddenly said. "Don't you think that it would be hazardous including Philippa in such a mission? I am still her uncle and, in the absence of her parents, her guardian, and I say…"
"Please, uncle, I want to come with" Philippa said. "I admit I was scared at first, but after I heard all of this…I want to help. We can do something really great here. I don't want to be left out."
"Still, I won't let my niece get involved with all that danger" Nimrod said, still talking to Faustina. "She's not even grown up yet."
"Hey, don't talk over me like I wasn't here! You took John and me to more dangerous adventures when we were twelve!"
"Yes, but you had powers back then…"
"We barely knew how to use them! Everyone left us in the dark about so many important things!" Now Philippa was getting slightly angry. She had given up her powers to save the world, and she got…that in return? Being treated like a child? "I lost my powers, right, but I'm not useless now! I can still do good! And if you think I'm useless now, you think just like…like them!"
"I too have a son who lost his powers" Iblis threw in, examining his nails with a bored expression. "His name is Nicholas, and we always include him in our evil stuff, because being left out feels just cruel."
"You should allow Phil to come with" Faustina advised. "I mean, she'll be protected by all of you. And that's some of the most powerful djinn of all the tribes…right?"
Nimrod looked around between them. "I…I'm not…I think…well, fine" he huffed. "I'll tell Groanin." And with that he turned around and marched out of the room, without even waiting for a dismissal from Faustina.
"Wo-ow" Iblis said. "What's with him? Has he grown even more uptight than when I last saw him?"
"He's been kind of different lately" Philippa said worriedly. "Secretive. As I said, he never filled me in on everything. He's also been…well, distant, somehow. And not just now, but ever since last year."
"Ah, I see. That's the guilt of the survivor" Iblis declared airily.
"Huh?"
"That absolute moron" Iblis said, "has never had to make difficult decisions before. He never had to weigh the needs of the many against the needs of the few. He's unused to dilemma solving, a dilemma being defined as the sort of problem where there are two outcomes, none of which will be pleasing to all parties. Another useful term here is 'damned if I do, damned if I don't'. In short, Nimrod feels bad about urging you and your brother to sacrifice your powers in that…freak chocolate-related volcano-eruption incident. He tried to get me up to date on what happened while I was confined in…in the…while I was out of the picture, but frankly, I find that last thing very confusing. I almost wish I had been there."
"Yes, it was a bit of a confusing adventure" Philippa agreed, thinking back on it. "So you think uncle Nimrod feels guilty because he still has powers while John and I haven't?"
"It fits his general character, yes."
"But we told him we are happier for it…and that's true!"
"Still. He made you do something, and it resulted in you losing something. And not just some something, but an important part of yourselves. Maybe there might have been another solution to the problem, one that didn't require such a sacrifice? Who knows? Not me. And not Nimrod. And it's just like him to beat himself up over something like that."
"He's probably just worried that he can't protect me as well as he used to."
"What do you mean?" Faustina and Iblis asked, comically at the same time.
"Well, the thing is, he's slowly losing his own powers. Just like Mr. Rakshasas did. He has to be careful with them, or else he'll run all out."
"That's unfortunate…" Faustina said, only to be cut off by Iblis.
"What? Nimrod? Losing his powers? Never!"
"Yes, it's true. He said so himself."
Iblis looked at his nails once more. This time his face looked almost worried.
"I don't like that" he muttered. "I don't like that at all." He glanced at the door through which Nimrod had disappeared. "Are we done here, boss lady?"
"Yes, we're done" Faustina said. "You may now leave."
Philippa walked to the door with the rest of the group, when Faustina called out: "Phil, could you stay behind for a minute?"
"Yes?"
When they were alone, Faustina took a deep breath and asked: "So…how've you been? And your brother? And why wasn't John here?"
"Oh. We've both been fine. John has gone on holiday to the Hamptons with…um, he has a girlfriend now."
"Girlfriend" Faustina echoed. Her smile flickered for a second. "I'm happy for him. Tell him I said hello, okay? And I wish him the best of luck."
Oh. Okay. Philippa knew that her brother had once been totally head-over-heels with Faustina. But then they had met again and she had appeared so changed…apparently she wasn't as changed as they had thought she was…
"I'll tell him, I promise."
"Good luck to you too, of course. With your mission." Faustina sighed. "Bye, Phil."
"Bye, Tina."