Chapter 4: A Deal with the Devil
Three years ago.
The voice.
The anger.
The blood.
What had she done? What had she done?
"Ary? You okay? It's me." The familiar voice of her best friend sounded behind the door. The girl inside the darkly lit bedroom was laying on her queen size bed, her hands clutching her purple pillow as her tears soaked the soft cloth. Objects around her room were randomly encased in dark green magic and either exploded or were sent flying across the room. The young girl blinked her tears away as she glanced in the direction of the door.
"Not…now, Chloe." She tried to yell, but her voice was still shaky from her crying.
"Ary, open this door or I'll open it for you." The other girl threatened.
Arella closed her eyes and whispered her mantra. The door was suddenly covered with dark magic and swished open long enough for her friend to step past the threshold. Her best friend sat at the foot of the bed, and looked aimlessly around the torn-up room.
"Did Maria call them?" Arella asked, her body shivering from exhaustion. The 'them' she was referring to was her parents, who her older sister, Maria, had threatened to call after the sorceress's little episode earlier today.
Chloe shook her head, the two long pink locks that framed her face whipping about her slightly rounded face. "Not yet. She may have just been bluffing."
Arella let out a sigh of relief. "Good. For once, her caring more about her precious reputation than me may just save my life." Arella lifted her purple-green eyes over to her friend, but was surprised to see her looking away.
"Oh no, not you too Chlo." Arella cried out, and she began shaking again, her powers sparking around her like a broken wire. Seeing Arella's reaction, Chloe reached over and took the frightened girl by her hands. The anxious teenager flinched away at first, but reluctantly allowed the other girl's touch.
"Arella, look at me, you've got to calm down or you'll bring this whole tower down." Chloe's serious aura and steady words anchored Arella back down to Earth. She sucked in a few deep breaths, before giving her friend a reassuring nod. "Okay, good." Chloe relaxed a bit. "Now stop your worrying. I'm not afraid of you, Ary. We've been through a lot together and I trust you."
Her caring words and affection put a small smile on the pale girl's face. "Thank you Chlo." However, her smile quickly fell. "But I'm afraid you are the only one who feels that way."
Arella took her hands back before buring her round face into the fluffy pillow. "Even Reed is afraid of me!" She yelled, but her voice was muffled by the pillow. Chloe couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Relax Ary, I'm sure your little boy toy is just . . surprised is all." Arella let out a grunt at the way her friend described the boy who had been crushing on her for the past year. "Honestly, I think we are all just surprised." Chloe admitted. Arella lifted her head to meet her friend's deep blue gaze.
"Surprised?" She parroted, confused by her choice of words.
"Well yeah." Chloe shrugged. "Can you really blame us? I mean, we've all seen you angry before, but never that angry."
The violet-haired girl dropped her gaze, remembering the nightmare she had lived just a few hours ago. The masked man, the small revolver in his hands, the click of the trigger. After that, the world became painted in red, and all she could hear was that voice screaming in her mind.
KILL HIM!
Arella gave her head a violent shake to rid herself of the disturbing memories. "How's Cassie doing?" She asked.
It was Chloe's turn to look away. "She'll be fine. It was definitely a close call, but I was able to heal her from the bullet."
Arella simply nodded her head in agreement.
"Hey Ary, do you think I could ask you a question?"
Arella looked back at her friend curiously. Normally, she would have sarcastically told her she already did, but decided now was not a good time for jokes. "Sure, Chlo."
"Well I understand why you snapped back there, I think we all would have if you hadn't of beat us to it, but…why did you kill him?"
Arella knew someone was going to ask her that, but she didn't expect that person to be Chloe. She honestly didn't know why she did. It was like she was possessed, but she wasn't. There was no doubt in her mind that this was all her. She was the one who threw him around like a ragdoll, who used her magic to break each one of his fingers, one at a time. She was the one who enchanted the gun, and turned the barrel to face the man's head. At that point, it wasn't the voice or her rage that made her pull that trigger.
It was all her.
But she could never explain that to anyone, including her best friend, so she lied.
"I don't know Chlo. I guess the demon inside me decided to hop in the driver's seat, and there was nothing I could do to stop it." Okay, so maybe not a complete lie.
Chloe nodded her head, accepting her explanation, but there was still one more thought that she couldn't shake. "So Ary, what if this happens again. What if you lose control again? What if…you can't come back next time?" Her last question came out just barely above a whisper.
Arella gave this some thought. Chloe was right. What if she became evil? Who could stop her? Then a lightbulb lit up over her head. She looked down at Chloe's waist, and sure enough, there was the blade, laying peacefully in its holster. "That. The broken blade your dad gave you. The one forged with angel blood."
"What?" Chloe looked at her oddly, before tracing her line of sight back to her knife. Then it all became clear. "Oh no, no way, not happening!"
"Please, Chloe!" Arella begged, scooting closer to her. "That knife is the only thing that could stop me if I ever lose my humanity. Please, Chloe. You are the only one I trust to make the right decision. Promise me, Chloe, that if I ever lose my humanity, you'll stop me before I can hurt anyone." Arella looked to her with big, round, pleading eyes.
"Please?"
Chloe remained persistent, even going as far as to look away from her eyes. How could she? How could she kill the one person who had been with her through thick and thin? She COULDN'T . . . but then who would. "Alright. I'll do it, but only IF there ever comes a day where you lose all sense of good. Which will never happen by the way."
Arella smiled at her and wrapped her arms around the girl in a rare embrace. "I hope you're right, Chloe."
I really do.
Present Day
A dark verdant portal appeared on the beaches of San Diego California, two teenage girls stumbling out onto the loose sand below them. The girl in the dark green cloak fell to her hands and knees and dry heaving the empty contents of her stomach.
"Whoa, watch the boots. These were my mom's when she was a Titan." Chloe backed away from her vomiting friend.
She spat a few times to clear her mouth, "What just happened, what just happened?" she whispered to herself over and over.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. What the hell happened back there? Why did I just knock out your sister?!"
"Stop yelling at me!" There were a few explosions from some of the sand dunes and out into the ocean, "Just...give me a second." She panted, as she used her cloak to whip the corners of her mouth.
Chloe stomped off, tossing the laptop she had in her hands onto the sand. She began frantically pacing back an forth and waited . . . and waited . . . and waited.
"I messed up, Chlo . . . I messed up bad." Arella finally spoke up again. She was sitting in the sand, with her legs pressed up close to her chest and her arms wrapped securely around them. Her forehead was sandwiched between her legs. She's never looked so small and vulnerable.
Chloe knelt down in front of her friend, not quite sure where to start. "How bad?" She settled on. With her head hanging low, Arella used her abilities to float the laptop to her fingers. Once in her hands she opened it, pressed play and turned it to Chloe. There was no audio so the two sat in silence as it played out, but Arella knew when the section of the video came to the right part. Arella looked up to her friend, whose hands were over her mouth, and though she was shocked by what she was seeing, she wasn't horrified per say. Once the video ended, Chloe stood and began pacing again, her boots kicking up sand as she did so.
"That's pretty damn bad, Ari!" The pink-haired girl growled in frustration.
"I know." Arella whispered, her voice barely audible. They stayed silent once again, with Chloe pacing a few feet ahead, while Arella simply sat there, staring at the ocean waves as they came crashing against the sand, then sucked back into the large body of water.
"You know what you have to do right?"
Arella broke the silence, looking away from the ocean and over to her friend. Chloe spun around, looking at the other girl with confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Chloe spat at her.
The purple-haired demoness raised her right arm and pointed to the shining object sticking out of the dragon knight's belt. Chloe looked down, but when she realized what her friend was referring to, she quickly shook her head defiantly.
"No-"
"-Damn it Chloe you PROMISED!" Arella was on her feet in a heartbeat, practically begging at this point, "You promised me."
Chloe walked up to the broken girl, grabbing her by her shoulders and meeting her terrified gaze, "I promised you I'd kill you IF I can't save you. Now I want you to look me in the eye and you TELL me, there isn't an OUNCE of good in you?"
Arella opened her mouth to speak, the words died in her throat. She suddenly saw her parents, her brother and sister, her best friend, her aunts and uncles, the thank you's of people she had saved, the people she had helped, the kindness she had received. She remembered the love, all the love her family has given her. Suddenly it wasn't so easy and somehow, she managed to choke out the word..."No."
Chloe exhaled, her head hanging in relief. "Well then, that's good enough for me." Chloe dipped into one of the pouches of her belt and removed an old flip phone.
Arella, eyeing the curious object, went on the defensive. "What's that?"
"It's a phone moron and don't worry. I wouldn't knock out your sister, and aid and abed a criminal if I was just gonna call them now."
Arella scoffed, "So now I'm a criminal?"
She hit the speed dial, "Well yeah."
Arella folded her arms, but was happy for the fact that Chloe was still able to joke and play with her. She could hear the phone ringing from the other side, but no one answered, instead someone had joined them on the beach.
"Hello, darlings." Landon pocketed his matching phone and he stood before the two girls. His eyes moved from one to the other, then the computer on the ground that had stopped at the end of the video. He let out a long breath and pursed his lips. "Oh dear...you girls are in quite a pickle." He laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Arella looked to her friend with angry red eyes. "Are you serious? This is your plan?"
Chloe held up her hands defensively. "Just listen for a sec alright. Remember when we made that pledge, to kill you if you ever go completely bat-shit crazy?"
Arella rolled her eyes, but gave her a small nod.
"Well after that, I decided to do some digging into demon lore. I wanted to see if there was another way to stop the demon inside you from taking the reins. Then I thought, who better to dig of dirt on demons than the dirtiest demon of them all."
"Oh, Chloe darling, you flatter me." The demon in question teased, but the girls ignored him.
Chloe continued her explanation, gesturing to the man in the suit. "I called him wanting to know if there was any other way. He gave me this phone and told him to call him when things started getting harry, and I think this qualifies."
Arella listened to her friend intently and finally just shook her head. "So, this was your plan all along." She turned to the well-dressed man, who was looking towards the ocean, pretending not to be listening to their conversation.
"Oh, are you talking to me? Sorry, I thought you forgot I was standing right in front of you." He deadpanned, scowling at the girls with slight annoyance.
"Thanks for not killing me Chloe!" The pinkette mumbled to herself. "Oh no problem, Arella that's what friends are for."
But Arella and Landon purposely ignored her. "You've been trying to get me to work for you ever since I was a little girl!" Arella pointed an accusing finger at the disinterested demon. "I saw you talk to my mom that day in the Congo! You tried to convince her to send me to live with you! Then you make this secret deal with my best friend five years later, and then you show up again, conveniently after Maria discovers my secret, to try and talk me into going with you...AGAIN! Did you plan all of this? Is this part of some sick, twisted plan of yours to get me to come with you? Why do you even want me so badly?!" When Arella's rant finally came to an end she was out of breath.
"Wait, Uncle Landon, is all that true? Have you been pressuring Arella to go with you?" Chloe questioned as she stepped up protectively between her best friend and uncle.
The composed king tightened his plain red tie, before motioning Chloe aside. "Let's have a little chat." Chloe narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, but decided to play along. Arella, growing frustrated, pulled Chloe back by her bicep.
"Answer my question first, Landon." The irritated empath demanded.
Landon let out an uncharacteristic sigh, and rubbed his temples, clearly running thin on patience. "Calm yourself, love. You'll get your answers, but for now, I need to speak with my niece. Now save me the trouble, and make yourself scarce."
With a frustrated huff, Arella, for once, did as she was told. She left the two to their devices and settled down on a nearby sand dune. She folded her legs in lotus position, and it didn't take long for her body to begin floating in the hot air as she fell into a deep mediation.
Chloe turned to the ocean, allowing the cool ocean breeze to brush against her skin. How she wished for the days when things seemed simpler. "To answer your question, dear, no I have NOT "schemed" for Arella to join me in my ranks of hell. Now my question to you is, why are you working so hard to save her life?"
Chloe shut her eyes and took a deep breath of the salty sea air. "Arella and I have been through a lot over the years. We were both unplanned babies, we were both ridden pretty hard by our parents, and we both saved each other's assess more than once," she turned to face him, "And Dragon's, by instinct, are loyal friends."
Landon examined her features, seeing the same steely expression he had seen on her father. "I see. And what did your parents say when you told them of this plan of yours to save Arella's life?" There was a small minute twitch of her jaw, something Landon was able to catch. "Oh god, they don't know do they?"
"No," she closed the distance getting into his face, "and they're not going to find out."
Landon couldn't help but smirk at the young girl he adopted as his niece. The beauty and elegance of her mother, the tough badassery of her father, and his mischievousness. And he had never been prouder.
"Just promise me one thing," she implored, "Just promise me, she'll be safe."
He gave a soft reassuring smile. "You have my word darling." Chloe exhaled in relief and wrapped her arms around his neck before they joined Arella in her meditation. "So, Arella, ready?"
Arella eased herself from her meditation and got to her feet. "I guess." Landon instinctively stepped aside for the two girls to say their good-byes. "You know your gonna catch hell for this right?" She glanced briefly toward Landon. "No pun intended."
Chloe shrugged, "Just don't make me regret it." Arella chuckled before the two shared one last hug before the demoness went off with the demon king.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chloe remained stoic and collected as a scowling Maria slapped power canceling cuffs onto her hands. They were of a similar design as when the Gordanions captured Starfire which covered her forearms to her hands.
Maria finished locking the cuffs and stepped outside of the cell shutting the door behind her. The cell was especially designed to hold metahumans of ever factor captive. It was a small, square room, with white walls all around. Inside, there was a twin-sized cot pushed in the corner. There was also a couple of metal chairs and a table for eating or interrogating. Right now, it was being used for the latter. With folded arms and her scowl set firmly in place she stepped to the window, glaring at her carefree looking prisoner.
"So, what now Maria?" she asked, "you gonna call my parents? Tell them to come pick me up, because I've been a bad girl?"
"I don't want to, but you helped a murderer escape-"
"No, I helped your SISTER escape."
"Do you even know what she did?" Maria snapped.
"Irrelevant-"
"It's completely relevant! She killed people! Slaughter them like sheep! She committed an act that would have sent anyone else on our most wanted list, and you made it possible for her to do it again!"
"Well she won't!"
"And how can you possible know that?"
"Because she's-" Chloe suddenly shut her mouth tightly, a small twitch forming at the side of Maria's mouth. She almost had her. Chloe sat cross-legged on the floor and pursed her lips. "I'm done talking till my parents get here."
Maria sighed almost desperately. "Chloe just tell me where she is. She doesn't need protection, she needs help. We can help her."
Chloe fought the urge to laugh, in fact she fought the urge to talk at all, so instead she sat quietly, eyes closed and breathing deeply, letting out wisps of steam from her nose as she did.
Maria tried a few more times before finally giving up and leaving the young Knight to herself. Chloe waited until she was sure she was alone before heaving a sigh of relief. Hopefully between the time Chloe left Arella with Landon, and the time her parents showed up, that would give them time to put some distance between them. In the meantime she was in her own little cell with nothing but time to think. . . .
Five minutes later. . .
"Wow I'm bored. I still have no idea how Arella did this for hours." She let the back of get head hit the metal wall behind her in the hopes of maybe getting sleep, but twenty minutes later the door to her cell opened. She prepared herself to face Maria again, but to her surprise it wasn't her this time.
"Hey Chloe," Reed greeted, "I brought you some food in case you were hungry."
Chloe glanced at the tray in his hands and raised a brow. "You brought me a meat lovers sandwich?"
His grin faded, "I thought you loved meat lovers?"
She stared with a "really?" look, and showed him her hands concealed in the canceling cuffs. " . . . oh. . . " The fire ball flashed on his shoulder. "You're not helping."
Chloe chuckled while shaking her head. "I can feed you if you want?" Her smile faded at the thought. She was not one to accept help very easily, but her stomach began growling in protest of her hesitation.
"Fine." She mumbled with a slight blush.
His grin returned and he took a seat beside her. "Here comes the airplane. Brrrrrrrrrr."
The sandwich was by her mouth, but she only glared. "Do that again and I'll beat you within an inch of your life with my cuffs."
The poor boy paled. "Fair enough."
Chloe took a bite of the delicious sandwich, without noises.
"So . . . is it true?"
And there it was. "With all due respect, Reed, it's none of your business."
"Chlo, she's our teammate and friend-"
"-And you've been crushing on her ever since you first laid eyes on her."
The fire-bender's freckled face turned beet-red. "I just want to make sure I have all the facts."
"You want facts? Fine here's one for ya, it's none of your damn business." She spat after swallowing other bite of her sandwich. She instantly regretted her words when she saw him visibly flinch. It was like she had just kicked a puppy.
Chloe let out a defeated sigh, and scooted closer to the young man. "I'm sorry, I know your heart is in the right place, but believe me, you don't wanna get mixed up in this."
Reed pursed his lips in thought, giving Chloe a chance to take another bite. "She had to have been possessed, right? I mean Arella wouldn't really do that." He reasoned.
Chloe rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Look Reed, Arella has issues okay, I know you know that-"
"-Yeah but who doesn't?" He interjected, knitting his eyes in frustration.
"-No Arella is the very definition of complicated, I'm sorry but I'm just trying to protect you."
"Well don't!" The boy finally snapped. He tossed the sandwich back on the tray and jumped to his feet. He began pacing the small room and running his hands through his messy, auburn hair. Chloe stared at him in shock, not use to the sweetheart in front of her blowing a fuse. But he was quickly forgotten as she gazed longingly at the delicious sandwich he had abandoned.
"I'm sick and tired of everyone on this team treating me like some kid that can't handle bad news. In case you forgot, I'm the same age as you! I know I might not be as bad ass as you all, but I certainly know how to swallow a bitter pill!" He stomped over to where Chloe was seated, and grabbed her by the shoulders. He shoved his face close to hers, their noses just centimeters from each other. Chloe jumped at the sudden movement (she had been eyeing the sandwich the whole time), and her stomach began to do summersaults as she felt his hot breath tickle her face. His bright green eyes radiating with anger and concern. It was both challenging, and oddly alluring.
"Now I know Arella is your best friend, but don't make the mistake that YOU are the only one that cares about her."
Chloe's blue eyes looked down as she absorbed his words.
"If you can't tell me where she is, can you at least tell me she's safe."
Nothing.
"Please, Chloe." His grip got a bit tighter, but she barely registered it. "Just tell me she's gonna be okay."
Chloe glanced back up to meet his intense gaze. She gave him a small nod. "She's safe, Reed. Where ever she is, she's safe."
Reed sighed with relief and stepped away to give Chloe some space. "Thank you, Chloe. That's all I needed to hear."
She shook off the encounter. "Yeah sure thing. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to finish my sandwich."
The boy looked back at the abandoned food, and with an apology scurried back to his seat, and picked up the sandwich.
"Okay, now open wide!" He said happily, as if his meltdown had never happened. Chloe shook head, bewildered.
"I can still kill you." She threatened, earning her a flash of fear in his eyes.
"Shutting up."
After Reed left, it was several hours before she received another visitor. The unbearably bored dragon knight was laying on the bed, when her sensitive hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the door, she prepared herself for her next guest. Only she was dismayed to see the older figure of her mentor step through the door.
"I told you, I'm not talking!" The prisoner snapped at the older women. Chloe got into a seated position, her cuffed hands dangling over the bedframe.
"I'm not here to interrogate you, Chloe." Maria began, her voice sincere and her eyes pleading. "I'm here, because I just want to know that she's safe."
Chloe regarded her a moment, in an attempt to gage her intentions. "Are you asking as her mentor, or her sister?"
"Her sister." Maria said without skipping a beat.
Chloe considered the woman's emerald eyes one more time, and with a sigh, she decided to put her mentor's mind at ease. "She's safe, that I can guarantee you."
Maria let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Thank you." With that she turned to exit the room, but only took a couple steps before spinning back around. "Just, one more question."
Chloe let out a frustrated sigh, but nodded her head nonetheless. "Fine."
"Why did you help her escape?"
Chloe met her mentor's serious gaze unshaken. "She's my best friend, Maria. She needed me, so I helped her. I didn't do it, because I thought she was innocent. I did it, because I knew what she needed, wouldn't have been found in a cell. I would think, you of all people would understand that."
They shared a knowing look. Chloe's words held a challenge, but Maria was in no mood to open that can of worms.
"I understand your intentions, but I also know, that isolating one's self, never solves the problem." She warned, memories of her past flashing behind her eyes.
Chloe sat back in her bed, a smirk over her lips. "Humph…who said she was alone?"
Maria's eyes brightened at the slip of the other girl's tongue. She could tell it was deliberate, however, because the pink-haired girl just continued to smirk. "Your parents have been notified of the situation." Maria deadpanned, pleased with herself when that annoying smirk fell to a frown. "Just thought you should know. They'll be here soon, as will some of the members from Leadership."
Chloe's nervous look perked up slightly at the news. "And by that you mean?"
"My parents. So, you won't be the only one who has some explaining to do." Maria growled.
Chloe let out an empty laugh. "Sounds like a grand 'ol time."
"Oh, I'm sure it will be." Maria bite back sarcastically as she turned and headed back for the door.
"Oh, and one last thing." She called over her shoulder, stopping at the door. "Did you have to hit me with a diamond bat?"
Chloe could pick up on the slight humor from the changeling's question, so her little smirk returned. "Don't be too pissed that I got the drop on you."
Maria scowled. "Have fun spending the rest of the day in a cell. I hear it's quite entertaining." The door was shut, but she could still hear Chloe from the other side.
"Just FYI, my dad's not big on cuffs and cages," An earsplitting roar coming from outside the tower, confirmed Chloe's words.
Author's Notes: So now the ball is rolling! Next chapter, we will explore what Landon has planned for Arella, and how she reacts to her new life. Then after, the parents are coming home!
As always, please leave a review! All reviews are greatly appreciated and keep bearhow and I's creative juices flowing! we also want to hear for our readers regarding our OC's. Who's your favorite? Who's your least favorite? What do you think will happen next? What would you like to happen? Share with us in your review!
- LB
Disclaimer: OC's owned by either bearhow or Lou Buggins or both. DC character's owned by, you guessed it, DC Comics.