Revisions
by Concolor44
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Author's Note: Well, okay. What would YOU do if you were given a chance to tour Hell, knowing that nothing bad could happen to you? Think about that.
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Chapter Two
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The Eighth Circle
"Geez, could this place ever use a makeover!"
"And it will get one. But I have to introduce such concepts gradually."
"Do the demons actually like it to look this way?"
"We're … still exploring that concept. For so long they weren't given any choice in the matter, and old habits die hard, even if they aren't what you'd choose with a clear head."
"Eh. True enough."
Raven paused and brought Glitch's Truename to mind. The demon popped into being in front of them. "You called, Dread La-" He noticed Jinx. "My word."
"Glitch, this is Jinx. She is important to me. Her well-being is not to be altered or disturbed in any way. Do you understand?"
"Um … yes, Dread Lady."
"She is under my direct protection. I want that to be utterly pellucid to everyone."
"Of course."
"If anything were to happen to her … if she so much as breaks a nail due to the influence of one of the Eighth Circle's denizens … the offender would get to experience first-hand what it feels like to suffer a wrath worse than anything Trigon could have conceived."
"Absolutely. Thy will be done." He vanished.
Jinx turned to Raven with a smirk. "Glitch?"
"Simply his Usename. A demon's Truename is permanent, but the Usename changes periodically. It doesn't give anyone else any leverage over them, the way knowing their Truename would."
"Fair enough. Why 'Glitch', then? Does he know what that means?"
"We'll ask him later. Meanwhile I want to show off my new digs."
Several hundred rooms later, a goggling and quite overwhelmed Jinx collapsed across Raven's throne. "What the Hell – pardon the expression – does anyone need with a city-sized palace? This doesn't strike me as quite sane."
"Dear Ol' Dad wasn't. You never met him, for which you are thankful, or you'd realize it right off the bat. He made The Joker look as sober and upright as a Supreme Court Justice by comparison."
"… And all that power, too."
"Yeah. Bad juju, that."
"No kidding."
"Hey, you hungry?"
"I could eat."
Raven called an ornate table into existence. A few seconds later it was covered with several delectable dishes. A pair of chairs flowed up out of the floor and, with a flourish, Raven offered one to Jinx.
The pinkette whistled. "A girl could get used to being spoiled this-a-way."
"Curses! You've revealed my dastardly plan!"
Giggling, Jinx sat and studied the table. Her eyes lit up. "Sweet potato casserole? And are those pork chops?"
"They are. And that's a spicy cherry compote in that jar there. Try a little on the chops."
"Twist my arm!"
They ate for a few minutes, the conversation devolving mainly into moans of appreciation. Finally Jinx pushed her plate away. "Gonna embarrass myself if I don't stop."
"Too late."
"Ppbbbbbb!"
Raven waved a hand and the sumptuous feast vanished.
"Huh. Pretty cool. No dishes to wash."
"That's one perk."
Jinx sat back, thinking, her chin pinched between thumb and finger. "So … you're Large & In-Charge here, right? Pretty much, if you want it to happen, it happens. That's how it works?"
"That's … a bit of an oversimplification, but, yeah, it'll do for the basic concept. This dimension belongs to me. That idea takes on a lot more facets here than it does in Earth's home dimension."
"Is that because of that 'magical potential' thing you mentioned?"
"Exactly. The magic of this dimension will do what I want it to do, as long as I'm here. That was why Trigon needed me as a conduit to Earth. He could travel across dimensions, but he couldn't bring all his power with him. He wanted to have the same access to it on Earth that he did here, that I do now." Her voice dropped a little. "That's why I was conceived. The only reason I was conceived."
Jinx hopped up, came around the table, and parked herself on Raven's lap. "Maybe so. But it's not the only reason you have to keep going, now, is it?" Her look dared Raven to contradict her.
"You're just irresistible, you know that?"
"Of course."
Raven wrapped her in a warm embrace and simply enjoyed her presence for a bit.
"So where's our room?"
"… Anywhere you like. Literally." She allowed Jinx to sit up so they could look each other in the eye. "Also, what's your preference for how it looks? You can be the interior decorator, and I'll be the architect/contractor, only without the union card or the regulatory corruption."
"Heehee! They should have had you do the Big Dig. Maybe it wouldn't be such a wreck."
"Definitely." Raven considered a moment, then brought up a portal of soul-self. "Right this way, My Lady."
"Ooooo, fancy!" She followed Raven into the darkness.
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Later
"Altitude doesn't help it much."
"No," agreed Raven, "I suppose not. I'd say 'dreary' was Trigon's favorite color."
"At least there are some growing things here. Sort of."
"Agriculture isn't an endeavor that would interest your average demon."
Jinx cackled. "Now there's a statement no one could argue with." Then she cocked an ear. "What's that … sound?"
Raven concentrated, then grinned. "I'll show you." They flitted over the blighted landscape for a second before centering up over the colossal mosh pit Raven had seen during her first trip, though it wasn't quite as full. This time, though, there was a band. Jinx's jaw dropped. "Demons have rock concerts?"
"Any reason they shouldn't?"
They watched for a bit. Jinx observed, "Looks like they're having fun."
"This sort of activity would have gotten them blasted into oblivion when Trigon ran the place. He was a sour sort. The only thing that really made him happy was the agony and deaths of millions."
"He would have given the Homeowners' Association fits."
Raven gave her a long look and shook her head. "Right."
"Can we go down and, uh, like, join in?"
"What, us?"
"Hey, it's a catchy beat! I haven't been dancing in months and months!"
Giving her a quick kiss, Raven said, "Anything for my little morsel."
"So, what, now I'm an appetizer?"
"And the entrée. And the wine. And dessert." She licked her lips.
Jinx evinced a slight flush, but pointed resolutely down. "Please?"
"Sure. Why not."
Once on the ground, the demons nearest them gave the pair a few panicked looks, but as soon as they started grinding against each other, the rest of the dancers shrugged and went back to their rave. After a few minutes of the pounding rhythms, the girls sort of got lost in each other. So they didn't notice at first when a group of succubi surrounded them. Eventually, though, Raven caught on to the swaying circle and held up, steadying her partner, who gave her a quizzical look. A few of the demonesses shuddered and stopped moving, opening starry eyes to stare in rapt admiration at Jinx.
The pinkette looked around, suddenly worried. One of the succubi stepped forward, and said, "No, please, don't stop on our account!"
Shooting a glance at Raven, Jinx asked, "What, exactly, are you doing?"
"We feed off feelings of lust and arousal in mortals." Kneeling before Jinx, she added, "and you've been a total banquet."
"… Huh?"
"It's the way you feel about the Dread Lady. You love her and you lust after her and you cherish her and want to make her feel everything that you can give her … and all that comes through without any kind of filter! We can't get the full experience in other dimensions, and I haven't felt anything like that in … in ever! It's just so good!"
One of the other succubi elbowed her. "Not 'sposed to say 'good'. Remember?"
Raven addressed them. "You may use any descriptors you like. If it makes you feel good, just say so."
A double-dozen mouths dropped open. "Really?" "No shit?" "But I always thought-" "But it's always been-"
"Bup-bup-bup!" Raven held up a hand. "Remind me: Who's in charge here?"
A forest of fists lifted skyward. "YOU ARE, DREAD LADY!"
"Damn straight. Now." She swept Jinx up and engaged her in a deep and passionate kiss. After a second, Jinx wrapped her tightly and returned the favor with great enthusiasm, and the succubi started to sway and moan. Two of them actually swooned.
When the girls had to come up for air, a spontaneous cheer broke out, developing quickly into, "JINX! JINX! JINX! JINX! … . . ."
Raven floated up and pointed a finger at the instrumentalists, who had stopped to watch. "Hey, you guys heard of the band Bolt-Thrower?"
"YES, DREAD LADY!"
"How about their song 'Unleashed'?"
"OH, HELL, YES, DREAD LADY!"
"Do it!"
Raven and Jinx spent a good two hours soaking in the crashing, spitting sonic storm.
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Quite a bit Later
One leg thrown indolently over the arm of her throne, Raven remarked, "You never told me that before, Glitch."
"It, ah, never came up, Dread Lady."
Jinx was flopped out on a large divan to Raven's right, a glazed look in her eyes and a silly, crooked smile on her face.
If Glitch had any ideas about what they'd been up to before he was summoned, he kept them to himself. He did, after all, have a strong sense of self-preservation.
"So how many of these tech-savvy demons do we have?"
"Ahhhh … well, as to that …" He tugged at his bow-tie. "Perhaps somewhere between twenty and forty. It is not a field of endeavor that your, ah, predecessor considered to, ah, have much value."
"So he only let the ones live that he didn't consider a threat?"
"Oh, no, Dread Lady! That is not it at all. If he discovered any demons with a bent for technology, he ended them. The ones that are left are the ones that were smart enough to stay out of his notice."
"Hmm. And you can contact them?"
"Assuredly, Dread Lady."
"Make it so."
"Immediately, Dread Lady." He vanished.
Jinx took a couple of deep breaths and slowly turned over on the ornate couch. "You thinkin' maybe these guys can help rebuild the Tower?"
"That was uppermost in my mind, yes. Nightwing has access to a truly ridiculous amount of money, but he has to account for all expenditures. I doubt he would enjoy having to explain our current woes to the Batman."
"It'd be cool, for sure." She stretched luxuriously and asked, "Where in the world did you learn that … that thing you did that made me scream?"
"Which time?"
"The last time. I'm still swimmy-headed." She tilted a sly glance Raven's way. "And I think I could go another round without too much persuasion."
Raven just grinned as she dropped them through a portal.
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End Note:
Wanted to give a shout-out to everyone who has Followed or Favorited or Reviewed. This series has garnered a LOT more interest than I thought it would. Thank you all so much!
All comments cherished.
