Daily Disclaimer: Check out my DA for art and type EmeraldOverlord in the search box since I have art of my fic on there.
Also sorry for the late chapter, my phone was having problems and I couldn't get this chapter out earlier because it was causing issues with my PC and my access to my doc. As a way to make up for this, this chapter will be a bit longer than usual.
'You have gotta be kidding me…Why him of all people!?' Seviathan heaved, already cursing their luck. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, reality proved to be far more grim than either of them had given it credit for."Belphegor!? W-What are you doing here?"
"Ah, so you do remember me, Prince Seviathan," He claimed oh so eagerly,sounding like a child in a candy store,"I was a tad worried you two had forgotten all about me. Oh, I still remember when you two were just little babies. It's been so many centuries since then and we believed you two were lost for good when you ran away all those years ago. It's such a pleasant surprise to see you return after all this time. Aren't you excited to see Uncle Belphie?"
The twins didn't share Belphegor's enthusiasm upon being 'reunited', already having a terrible feeling within their gut about the situation they were in. Their gaze shifted towards each other with great unease, Helsa gripping her brother's hand tighter than before.
"There's no need to be shy, you two. It's not as if we're strangers. I understand it's a little jarring to be put under someone else's care, no doubt the ride here was anything but comfortable with how they put you in those glass coffins and waking up with legs must've been quite hard for you…"
'Nothing we're not used to..' Seviathan scoffed,"Release us at once, Belphegor. I don't know what they told you but we are not your playthings."
"You misunderstand me my dear boy, you have no choice,"Belphegor chuckled,"Lucifer granted me full custody of you and your friends. And until further notice, that is how it's going to stay. You may not like it, but what you want has little bearing in this situation. Besides, there's no need to be afraid, you're in good hands and I'll be certain to put you all to good use in due time. But first…we need to get you two in proper attire. It wouldn't be proper to have you two to walk around without a uniform on after all."
Belphegor then snapped his fingers and handed them an assortment of orange prison attire that resembled what people in modern times wore when they went through the prison system. The twins began to make their picks of their own attire, taking advantage of what little freedom they had.
Seviathan put on an orange jumpsuit with long sleeves and a classic collar, the cuffs of his sleeves folded with black on the other hand decided she wanted a more…unique look, preferring to wear her jumpsuit wrapped around her waist without a top, the only thing covering her breasts was her hair and the boots on her feet.
"Helsa, are you serious?" Seviathan asked,"Why are you not wearing the jumpsuit properly?"
Helsa rolled her eyes, unfazed by her brother's glare. It seemed to be some kind of act of rebellion and her preferred style, wearing as little clothing while still covering the bare necessities.
"It's her choice, Seviathan. Besides, it hardly matters…" Belphegor admitted,"However, before we get going, I need you to put these collars on. Since I know you two have powers it'd be in my best interest to have them contained before I allow you into the general population. Now hold still, it'll be a tight fit but I assure you that it will fit…"
The twins tensed as he put a metal collar around their necks and their wrists and an ankle brace, replacing the one they had with a futuristic damn thing was the most advanced thing they had laid eyes on in this world. Seviathan made a move to pull it only to wince when an electric shock coursed through him.
"Argh! What the fuck was that!?"
"A security protocol to prevent escape, I've had some unruly patients in the past who…weren't fond of my care so I had to up the security measures when they got close to escaping. Thankfully it's been a few centuries since anyone managed to get far but I still want to keep the security up just in case someone gets any ideas," He mentioned absentmindedly,"Do not worry, the shock isn't fatal. It's just the right voltage to dissuade anyone from trying to remove it. These collars suppress your powers, however when I do experimentation on you and your friends, I'll temporarily disable the electricity protocol in order to run my tests. Do not get any ideas, as once I'm done, it'll return to it's normal setting…"
Disturbing. That's what it was. To hear this was how they were going to be treated. The worst part was that Belphegor hasn't dropped his childish and affable mask, remaining as cheerful as ever at the prospect of experimenting on them, as if it was some sort of game.
And the worst part was that it seemed they could do very little about their current predicament.
Belphegor then embraced the twin in a one-sided hug,"Now don't look so blue you two! I know it's a little different to the privileged life you two are used to living, but I promise that once I'm through with you, you'll all thank me later. Try thinking of this as a vacation from home! Well, not really a vacation but you get the idea!"
The twins didn't share his excitement, Helsa shoving him away and hiding behind her brother, glaring at him with disdain. Seviathan returned the glare to a lesser extent while Belphegor brushed off his sleeve.
"Aw, not that's just rude…" He pouted before sighing,"No matter, I'm certain we'll get to correcting that behavior soon have all the time in the world to get you adjusted to the situation. It's not as if you're going anywhere, are you? Oh wait, don't answer that, we both know the answer!" He then laughed maniacally, as if he told the funniest joke in the entire world."Ah, how I make myself laugh…"
Belphegor then looked at them with a smile before saying,"Come Along, children. We still need to get you two in the database. And don't worry, your friends will be just ecstatic to see you again once we're done!"
Helsa tensed up, already dreading who'd she see on the other side. She didn't move an inch and Seviathan had to more or less drag her forward, his sister's wobbly legs refusing to move on their own.
"Come on sis, we have to get going.." He said before muttering,"Not like we have a choice in the matter anyways…"
Belphegor led them out of his laboratory and down a large corridor of hallways with large metal doors and numbers on top of them, resembling cells that you'd seen in maximum security prisons where everyone was confined anyway from the other. As they were walking, the twins jumped when they heard a deranged screech from one of the cells, the screams didn't sound human and sounded akin to a creature driven mad from the isolation than any person they had ever heard.
"Pay no mind to the screams,"Belpehgor said apathetically,"Sometimes they get a little antsy when they are locked away. It's nothing out of the ordinary, just about every prisoner screams from time to time, it's normal. Don't let those screams frighten you because if you listen to them too often, you might become as mad as they are. You wouldn't want that now would you?"
The twins shook their heads in response to his question.
"I thought as much."
Eventually Belphegor led them to an area that appeared to resemble a police lineup in modern times with a height chart. Belphegor handed them a black card with all their information on it before instructing them to wait while he got the camera ready from the other side of the glass.
As the twins stood in the room, Helsa took the time to examine her and Seviathan's board which said the following respectively:
Patient #666170
Von Eldritch, Helsa
Classification: Ice Elemental
Belphegor's Asylum
Patient #666169
Von Eldritch, Seviathan
Classification: Water Elemental
Belphegor's Asylum
"Alright you two," Belphegor said,"Be obedient children and stand in front of the line up for Uncle…"
The twins begrudgingly did as they were told and stood in front of the police line up accordingly. As they stood up near the height chart, Helsa couldn't help but notice just how much she had shrunk. Back in Hell, she was 6'5 while her brother was 7 foot. Now, she was 5'8 and Seviathan was 6'3.
This world…it had changed them in more ways than one, and Helsa dreaded to find out if anything else had changed about them or rather, what Belpehgor would change about them in the coming times. This man had experimented on countless people in the name of science and they were his latest test subjects, assuming he didn't kill them. By the end of this, she had the feeling she was going to wish he had….
"Helsa, look more focused, dearie. The photo won't look right if you look like you're slacking during your picture,"Belphegor called out, snapping the former siren out of her trance.
Helsa scowled before adjusting her stance, holding the plate over her breasts as he took a photo. Belphegor demanded that they have their photos taken from the side and after getting the pictures perfectly, it was claimed that he no longer needed any more photos out of them.
"That should be it for now,"He admitted as he printed out the photos and shuffled them in his hands,"These will do good in my journal…"
"So what now?" Seviathan asked, barely able to hold back the disdain in his voice,"Are you going to experiment on us or what?"
"Not yet, Seviathan. Even a great scientist like me needs time to plan accordingly,especially since I'll need to accommodate the rest of your friends as of now. It took a lot of time getting you two your legs back and I doubt you two are in any condition to run any useful tests. Right now, it'd be better to get you accommodated into your living situation until I can fully plan what I'm to do with you. For that, I'll need some alone time to get my mind together since brilliance needs time to fester to the best of its ability. Instead, I'll have the guards escort you to where the other subjects are being kept whom I'm certain will be just ecstatic to see you two. The nurses shall escort you there…"
"Nurses?" Seviathan then turned and saw women dressed as would've looked normal had they not had bandaged over their faces and blood splotches on their dresses and gloves. The twins winced as the nurses bowed before Belphegor and said,
"Master Belphegor, you called?"
"Yes I did, actually. Please escort these two subjects to the general population of the asylum…"
"As you wish, Master…" The nurses then 'looked' at them, twisting their necks in an inhuman manner as they said in a monotone yet creepy voice,"This way you two…"
Helsa and Seviathan were unnerved by the nurses who escorted them.
As they left Belphegor couldn't help but grin. It had been so long since he had any interesting subjects and the twins being in his care made him just as ecstatic as a kid in the candy store. So many fascinating subjects with a variety of powers, oh how he could already imagine putting them to good use!
But out of all of them, he felt fascinated by the twins the most. He had been wanting to have an ice and water elemental under his care for years. Something about water and ice made him tick, it was a subject that deserved more study and study he would…
The twins were fascinating subjects and if he could perfect them, he'd be able to perfect the rest and turn them into the ultimate weapons. Their gifts could be used to the Deadly Sins advantage…but first, he had to dissect them and make sure to boot out any flaws within their mind.
They both had potential of course, all of them did, but out of the group, he saw something in that boy. As a Deadly Sin, he could naturally sense the malice within the hearts of others, their sinful nature being the first thing he was able to detect.
All of the subjects had a malicious nature within them, to varied levels of course but it was still very much a presence. Seviathan's maliciousness however, was different.
It was hidden beneath the surface, something most wouldn't notice. There is a great amount of hatred, rage and injustice within him. That boy had a lust for revenge, against whom he wanted certainty, but Belphegor knew those that wanted revenge were desperate to get it by any means necessary.
Seviathan had great potential and if Belphegor played his cards right, he could use Seviathan's grudge to his advantage.
The only barrier blocking this was his sister, who seemed distrustful of him and was someone who Seviathan seemed intent on protecting. She always stood behind him and seemed to influence the boy's decisions.
Belphegor smirked, he had dealt with 'problematic' subjects before. Those who cared for others could be broken one way or another.
He had done it before with his 'successful' experiments and even someone as stubborn as Seviathan could be morphed into a perfected soldier, a beast that would follow its master's orders and ideally,the perfect son that parents would kill for…
The Prince had potential and Belphegor was more than willing to play the long game if it meant getting what he wanted. He was a monster in the making and all he needed was a little push in the right direction to become what he was destined to be…
'His soul…is twisted…tainted with hatred and malice…A spawn of pure evil in the flesh…' He thought to himself,'Frederick underestimates that boy..they all do, but I can see it. I can see what he can be. I only need to bide my time, break him down and examine his weaknesses so he gives into his lust for blood…'
He'd need more time for this, he always did. He needed to examine all of their weaknesses to morph them into the perfect machines. But who would be the first 'perfect' one was still up in the air. He'd have to break their spirit and their mind, but for the good of his cause, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make in the name of science….
Because the mind and soul was a small price to pay in the grand scheme of it all, and to Belphegor, perfecting an elemental soldier was always his dream and now….he had many, many chances that he was going to exploit for all he could.
The nurses were far from talkative. In fact, they hadn't spoken a word since Seviathan and Helsa met them.
They weren't sure what they were, but there was one they they were sure of, they weren't fucking people. The nurses acted almost like robots set on following commands and their only purposes seemed to be to obey Belphegor's demands without having a mind of their own.
Their movements were uncanny and they walked in a very perfect manner, not taking a step out of place. Their moves were coordinated and precise, like a robot. But they were too lifelike to be completely robotic, they still had skin and it ain't like with Robo Fizz, who was likely a past invention with many flaws and robotic mannerisms despite Belphegor's best efforts…
These creatures…whatever they were under those bandages,were alive in a physical sense, but in their minds(if they had one at all), they were mindless drones to Belphegor's whim, no doubt one of his many experiments 'gone right' so to speak.
When the nurses finally dropped them off, they had led them to an 'open' area of the asylum. It wasn't exactly much, the other 'patients' of the asylum looked absolutely miserable and it was beyond crowded. Some were in straitjackets, others fidgeting and making strange noises. Others had stitches across their heads, no doubt signs that lobotomies had been made and those who did have them stared blankly at walls, as if their bodies were still there but their minds had stopped functioning, as if they were living zombies.
There were many 'interesting' characters around and most of them don't look friendly. As the twins walked by, Helsa pulled on Seviathan's arm.
"What is it?" He snapped before she pointed up ahead. Seviathan followed her gaze and saw Vox standing there, leaning against the wall. The blonde was standing there wearing an orange jumpsuit with long sleeves with small tears in the sleeves.
"Oh, it's him…" Seviathan said,"What about him? You know he's nothing special, Helsa. Don't tell me you're going to try talking to him are you?"
Helsa narrowed her eyes at her brother's statement, her eyes averting from him.
"Helsa, I don't know what's been going through your mind but whatever it is, it's beyond foolish. Vox has figured you out and when I saw him last, he was fairly pissed after finding out about your charade. Not a doubt in my mind that he'd respond poorly if you tried to approach him. And what for? Don't tell me you feel bad for him? Or worse, you actually grew a tad affectionate towards him?
Helsa scoffed at his statement, eyes rolling into the back of her head as she turned her body away from her brother.
Even if she felt a tinge bad for him, it was only because of how pathetic he was. Vox was a sad, pathetic man…and yet she still found it within her to try and talk to him for reasons she couldn't fully understand.
"You assume too much, brother," She spoke through sign language,"Vox was a tool, nothing more. I simply wish to cure my boredom. It's been quite awhile since I've had anyone decent to talk to and even Vox can provide suitable company when he's not busy making himself look like a fool…"
"Uh-huh…So that's what it is, is it? Strange, to me it looked like you were getting a tad attached to him. Are you losing your edge, sister? Because it seems you're softening up just a bit if you truly care even the slightest bit about that man…"
"You're delusional. My heart is colder than ice, Seviathan, we both know I have no use for compassion. That would after all, stain my image and I can't be known for being a pushover like a certain blonde bitch we know…'
"Hmph, fair point. Well, I won't stop you, sister. It is your choice after all. Just don't say I didn't warn you…" Seviathan said before turning his back,"Now if you excuse me, I'm going to try and find the others…."
When her brother left, Helsa took a deep breath before making her way towards Vox. The blonde was fidgeting with his collar and hissed in agony when a powerful electric current forced itself into his body, letting out a pained growl.
"D-Dammit…" He snarled, the pain was enough to nearly cause him to fall to his knees, hyperventilating from the affect the electricity caused to his body. He then flinched when he felt someone place their hand on his shoulder, his body straightening at the contact.
When Vox saw Helsa, his bemused expression taking hold.
He was taken off guard at her presence, staring up and down at her, noticing her pair of legs,"W-What? How…." He then narrowed his eyes as it clicked in his mind,"Belphegor…No doubt he's behind this…If this is what he's capable of, who knows what he has in store for the rest of us…"
His expression then turned grim as he looked at her, noticing she still remained in her place, his voice becoming colder and detached as he shoved her hand away, refusing to allow her to comfort him,"And yet…you're still here…Why is that? Why do you pretend to care for me? Was I just that entertaining to you that you still continue to be within my presence despite your plan being foiled? Why bother being around me now?"
Had Helsa had her voice she would've spoke her mind.
He pinched the bridge of his forehead,"Listen, Helsa, I don't know why exactly you bothered to come talk to me, but you should leave. After all, to you, I'm just another foolish guy who fell for a pretty face. I really should've known better honestly, it's just…I thought you might actually care…" He then smiled wearily, a wicked cackle escaped his lips,"What a joke. Love is a cruel game…Especially when only one is playing fairly. I gave you my heart…and you crushed it into tiny little pieces…."
Helsa remained silent, her expression unwavered.
"You know…I'm not even mad at you. Hell, I can't even hate you, and believe me, I've tried, I really tried…" He admitted,"I just can't do it anymore. It's too much energy to put into hating you,even after all that you've done. Yet, still, I remained disappointed. Not just at you, but at myself. I should've been wiser, I should've known better than to fall for you, and yet I did despite the signs. It was foolish and I sacrificed so much because of it," He said, looking down at his worst and seeing the sigil on his hand,"I did this for you, Helsa…I did so much for you, things you don't even know about. I've sacrificed so many parts of me. And for what? A lie? What a waste…"
Helsa couldn't help but feel something crawl down her back, like an itch that refused to go away. A tiny particle of guilt wedged between her skin but ultimately chose to force it back inside her. She has a reputation to uphold. Sentimental emotions were for the weak and she refused to be weak, least of all in front of him.
"Worst part is..I can't really do anything about it anymore. Mammon still owns me at the end of the day and he can do whatever he wants with me. I don't know what he plans on doing once Belphegor is finished but I know it's nothing good. Not like you would understand, you've never had anyone own your soul. I deeply regret my choice, but it's not like I can go back now. It's too late and I don't really have anything left now. He owns everything…my soul…my mind…my body. And he can do what he wants with them, regardless of how I feel about the matter. He's done it before and no doubt he'll do it again…"
The way Vox spoke was hoarse, his voice threatening to crack. Something about the way he said this statement, it was as if he resigned about the fact. Vox looked defeated and Helsa couldn't help but feel curious about what Mammon had done to him to make him so unresistant about his predicament…
"What did he do?" She signed for him, feeling somewhat curious. Not like she cared, but she did wonder what he had done to make him this upset.
Vox's mind went blank as he reminisced about his time with Mammon.
God, he could still feel the aches the man caused him.
He remembered all of it, the painful thrusts that tore through his body like a sledgehammer, wrecking his insides brutally.
The way his body writhed against the Greedy Lord's with twisted enthusiasm, eager to gain more friction. The way he screamed out his name with great need, whimpering and moaning beneath him as Mammon whispered sweet nothing in his ear, sinking his fangs into his ear to draw out more uncouth sounds out of him. His hands ghosted over his body, the way that deep voice demanded submission and no matter how he tried to resist, he always gave in, shouting out his name to the Heavens.
A large portion of him felt ashamed he could remember those moments crystal clear, those moments kept him up at night and he couldn't forget about it if he tried. He hated that his body enjoyed it and that the way Mammon spoke to him sent shivers down his spine in a far too pleasant way.
Helsa tapped Vox on the shoulder again to bring him back to reality. He didn't move away like last time but he seemed rather shaken up by this.
"I'd rather not talk about it," He said,"It's nothing you would understand. It's not important anyway, it's not like talking about it will change anything. I've made my choice, now I just have to live with it." He then chuckled at her expression,"Aw, don't tell me you feel bad now, now do you? Don't waste your pity, it's not worth it. It's not like I'm an innocent person anyway, I probably had something like this coming. My foolishness has come back to bite me and it's a decision I'll have to live with for the rest of eternity. This was my choice, and I'll have to live with the consequences…"
Helsa attempted to follow him but Vox shook his head,"Don't. I don't need anyone taking pity on me. It's not worth your time nor mine. Leave me be, Helsa, there's nothing for you here and you certainly won't be getting anything out of me. Like I said, I don't hate you…but I can't stand the sight of you anymore. Looking at you…it only causes pain to me and I can't stand it any longer. I'm sorry if you expected some emotional outburst or a dramatic speech, but I can't afford to care anymore…"
He turned his back and left, leaving Helsa behind.
The Princess of Envy was at a loss for words as he walked off. At first, she was angry, nobody ever walked away from Helsa Von Eldritch and got away with it! But this anger was quickly replaced with a tinge of sorrow, recalling the look of disappointment within Vox's pale blue eyes as she recalled his words…
"Like I said, I don't hate you…but I can't stand the sight of you anymore. Looking at you…it only causes pain to me and I can't stand it any longer. I'm sorry if you expected some emotional outburst or a dramatic speech, but I can't afford to care anymore…"
For once in her life, Helsa felt…uncertain what to do next. She had never been in a situation like this before.
The closest thing that came to this was when some guy broke up with her years ago before she had the chance to end the relationship. She couldn't' recall what they broke up over but she remembered being pissed off not because he broke up with her(by God's no, she was going to break up with anyway), but that he had done it first.
She was the one who broke people's hearts, not the other way around.
But it was different here, she and Vox weren't technically in a relationship and because of Mammon spoiling her plan, she couldn't' have successfully gained his full affection.
'Goddamn that clown! He ruined EVERYTHING!' She thought bitterly, stomping her foot with rage, fury spreading across her features.
How dare that clown spoil her plans! She had everything all planned out and now because of him, Vox couldn't even look at her anymore! Her hopes of rebuilding what she had started had gone down the drain and that clown had fucked it all up!
"Hey Princess," A gruff and familiar voice from behind called, snapping her out of her vengeful tirade. She turned and saw Husk sitting not too far away, wearing his prison uniform with short sleeves and a white shirt underneath that granted him longer ones.
Despite her discomfort, she somehow found it within herself to come closer to him.
She hadn't seen him in quite a while and she had to admit, the man certainly didn't look too swell without makeup on. The bags under his eyes were more prominent and he seemed to look older, more gray with his raven hair.
She cringed at the sight of him and Husk seemed to notice her repulsion as he said,"Yeah, I know, I look like shit, Helsa. No need to rub the obvious in. I'm well aware I'm not the prettiest face to look at. It may be a surprise to you, Princess, but not all of us have Godly genetics you know? Regardless, my appearance is the least of our worries isn't it? You seem like you have a lot on your mind, Helsa. Did Prince Charming rejecting you hurt your feelings?"
Helsa scoffed,"As if I never cared for him anyway. I was just mad that Mammon ruined everything. He was mine to toy with, not his…."
He rolled his eyes,"I know it's deeper than that, Helsa. I know everyone thinks you're just an alpha bitch without regard for anyone but herself, and to some extent it's probably true but I doubt you're that shallow. I've seen your expressions when speaking with Vox and you've got a bit more depth to ya than most would think…"
"If you're implying I have weaknesses then you are wrong. Nothing has changed about me, Husk. It's just a tad hard not to pity such a poor fool. He's such a confusing fool at that, giving off these strange mixed signals, claiming he doesn't hate me yet he can't stand the sight of me either…How peculiar…"
"Some people are like that, Helsa. I know you have no experience with that given how everyone who hung around you feared the sight of you and bathed you with compliments, but some people when they get hurt, just shut down and their way of functioning after a traumatic event is to ignore the person responsible…"
"It still doesn't 'explain why he doesn't hate me…"
"He probably still mixed feelings about you deep down. I know you don't really understand Helsa, but he really loved you and finding out you were just using him did a number on him."
She laughed,"You jest, do you not? No man has ever truly loved me. Sure, they may say it, but we both know that's a lie. They only see me for a pretty face, nothing wrong with that of course, but I'm not deluding myself into thinking they actually care."
Husk frowned, this was new and he hadn't heard Helsa speak like this before. Deciding to press further he asked,"Why do you think that way, Helsa? Has it ever occurred to you that not all guys are like that? I know a lot in Hell are, but there are some who have the potential to genuinely care for someone like you…"
"Mother said that as a Princess, many men would die to have my hand in marriage. You won't believe they tried to 'tame' me, they all failed of course, but it was entertaining to see them try. Sometimes I played along, made it seem like I cared…only to shatter their hearts the next day. It was always funny seeing their soul crushed expressions, believing that they might have been different only to fall prey to the same trick I've used countless times in my life."
"Why do you care what your parents say after what they've done to you?"
"Well these people aren't technically my 'real' parents. My true parents are still in Hell as far as I'm aware and while my Father never spoke much to me, he did say I was a better heir to the throne than my brother due to my cunningness and Mother did often advise me to be weary of men and to exploit them to get what I want. And Mother has never lied to me, all the guys in my life never truly cared and I saw no reason not to use them as I saw fit."
"But Vox did care, Helsa…" Husk stated,"He traded his own soul just to get the chance to save you and you're telling me you never once considered he might've truly cared?"
"No..Of course not. Why would I? No man has ever cared for me before, why would I think of him differently? Mother's philosophy has proven to be right throughout my entire life. I know someone like you wouldn't understand, your life was rather small compared to mine, but I've lived for centuries and I've been without men to know that while they may look different, on the inside, they're all the same. Some hide it better but I can see through their deception. And since they don't care, I never saw why I should care about them either…"
Husk scowled,"Vox wasn't like the other guys, Helsa. I know you don't quite get that but I can assure you he really did care about you. He sacrificed his soul, his freedom and a lot more for you. You probably don't understand what he's had to do in order to ensure your freedom…" He then looked away,"And not just your freedom, but all of ours. Because as much of a bastard as he is, he's the only reason we ever got out of that carnival. Your view of the outside world was limited due to Mammon keeping you in a tank, but I was with him from the start."
"Are you speaking this way because he is your friend now, Husk?" She inquired.
Husk dry lily laughed,"Friend? Me? As if, an old geezer like me doesn't need any friends. Not like I consider him one, the guy is and still is, a massive jackass. Truth was I could hardly be the bastard when we first met. He was an insufferable, egotistical jackass and I knocked his ass out when he was getting on my nerves…" He snickered,"You should've seen his face, he looked ready to commit bloody murder in that second. It was hilarious and he claimed the second we got out of the circus he'd get back at me though as you can see that never came to be."
"You humiliated him and yet he never bothered to get back at you?" She asked, bemused by this. With Vox's reputation as a ruthless Overlord she would've thought he would've tried getting back at Husk the moment he was able to.
"Trust me, he was very bitter about the whole thing and we were pretty much clenching our teeth working together up until we discovered Mammon's old carnival by accident. When we broke in we decided to investigate the place and Vox went inside one of the old areas Fizz performed at. I offered to stay outside as a lookout and waited for him to come back. It was quiet for a while…but then a crack was heard and when I went to check it out, I saw a giant human-sized floorboard had caved in. I already knew the place was aged but I was uneasy at the notion of going downstairs in fear the roof itself might collapse on me."
"Then why'd you continue going? Couldn't you have left him there?" She asked because most demons would've dropped someone like it was hot if going back for them if it meant they could get hurt, especially for someone they didn't like.
"I considered it, but I knew I wouldn't be getting out of this carnival without him and I didn't want to give up on him just yet. I found him of course and once we got all we could out of the place we left as soon as we came. After that, the tension between us lessened. We didn't exactly like each other, but we had a common enemy that brought us together. Vox was willing to do anything to earn our freedom and he had to do…unspeakable things to get it…"
"Like what?"
"If I told you, I think Vox would strangle me…" He admitted,"All I can say is that…it's nothing pretty…" He sighed,"Listen, you probably don't understand the point of me telling you all this and that you probably think I'm just a rambling old man. And you're probably right on that account, but I just wanted to give you some advice since it seems like you're not happy with your life."
"Since when do you care about my happiness?" She asked with a raised brow,"And what of it? I feed off of people's misery, Husk. Seeing people suffer just livens my day…"
"And how is that working out for you?" He shot back,"No offense Helsa, but your tactics to remain superior to others have done nothing but drive those who care about you away. If you weren't so focused on ruining people's lives you probably could've kept Vox's affection because he was likely one of the few guys who truly cared about you. And you saw his affection and stomped all over it without a second thought for your own amusement."
"And what are you suggesting I do? Apologize?" She balked, as if she had been insulted personally,"Apologizing is for peasants and I have nothing to apologize for since that would imply I've done something wrong."
"Hey ,I don't saying you had to do anything. Just giving you my thoughts. And maybe apologizing wouldn't hurt, though I wouldn't do it now. Vox still seems hurt by your treachery and while you may view it as beneath you, perhaps you should learn to act like the rest of us 'peasants' by doing something called 'humility'."
"Is the drunkard with no friends lecturing me on humility? You're a sinner, Husk, you have no right to judge me as if you are some kind of saint…"
"Never said I was a saint and I'm not deluded enough to claim otherwise. I know I'm a fucking sinner. I'm a man of many vices, I drink, I smoke, and I gamble far more often than a man my age should. I've killed people on the orders of my superiors for a war I had no interest fighting. I won't deny I've done terrible things, things I regret to this very day. The shit I was forced to do in the war…it kept me up at night."
Helsa didn't say anything.
"I can't remember the last time I slept with a calm mind and every so often I remember seeing my comrades die before my eyes, knowing we were just pawns in some elitist game and being unable to stop it as our lives were thrown into combat. I've spent years wishing that it was me, that I had died in the war instead, because when I got back, my life fell apart. I started drinking excessively, I smoked and began to gamble whatever money I had. I struggled to pay the bills and my wife grew sick of my behavior and eventually left after it became too much, ran off with some guy who she met while I was still in the war. Probably had an affair with him too and just never had the guts to tell me…"
He then brushed it off,"Not like it mattered, our relationship was beyond salvaging and it only got worse as the years went by. I was an addicted and miserable man and I was a shadow of my former self. I was never a really happy person, but the war took so much out of me that I constantly wondered whether I'd wake up the next day. I didn't have anything to live for, my wife left me, all my friends died and most people you counter don't like drunk people who smell like booze and are constantly giving into their addictions after all…"
"Why do you tell me this, Husk?"
"Just felt the need to vent, and who knows, maybe something got to you? Because there are very few people in this world who will love you, Helsa, and when you drive them away, they usually don't come back. And sooner or later, you'll find yourself alone and even your brother might be there for you one day, and only on that day will you find someone who didn't fear you.."
"So…on the nonexistent off-chance you're right and Vox did actually care about me, what is the point in telling me this? Is it to make me feel guilty?"
"If you feel guilt, that's one you, Helsa. I'm not trying to make you feel anything, just trying to give you something to think about. What you do with this information is up to you. After all, I'm just a drunkard old man in your words, you don't have to take words for it…"
She scoffed,"I take no one's advice, Husk. I'm not a child…"
"Never too old for advice, Helsa…" He said,"Like I said, you don't have to listen to me, but if you do ever feel like you need someone to talk to, I'm always here since you know, it's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon…"
Helsa said nothing, ready to say something when a group of men approached them.
"Hey there beautiful, is this old grouch giving you trouble?" One of the men cackled, winking at Helsa,"Because if so, we can easily take you away from the trouble…" He then touched Helsa's shoulder, his hands attempting to get lower until she slapped his hand away, shooting a glare,"Ooh, she's a feisty one, boys…"
"Fuck off,"Husk growled, standing up to them, his eyes filled with disdain,"She ain't interested in you guys. Get away from her…"
"Or what tough guy? You know you can always share your lady. There's no need to be greedy and we all have needs here. It's been so lonely and it's not like you have your name on her…"
Helsa looked disgusted at them, how dare they think she was his property! If these cuffs weren't preventing her from using her powers she would've no doubt frozen these bastards where they stood.
Husk thankfully intervened and punched the leader across his face, sending him backwards onto the floor.
"Sorry, but you weren't listened to and I had to get physical,"He apologies sarcastically. The other men scrambled to help their leader to their feet and as they did so, Husk continued to threaten them,"There's plenty more where that came from, so I suggest you fuck off if you value your lives. These cuffs may restrict my powers but they sure as hell don't restrict my physical capabilities. I may not be in my prime but I'm more than capable of kicking yoru asses…"
The men quickly fled, scrambling away in defeat. Helsa chuckled maliciously at the sight of them running away, taking great joy in their pain and Husk himself couldn't help but let out a cackle when he saw them run.
"It's always fun when miserable fools run…"
"That is one thing we can both agree on.." He admitted,"Say, Helsa, what do you think your brother's doing?"
"Hell if I know. It's Seviathan, he does his own thing when he's left to his own devices. I wouldn't worry too much about him…"
Meanwhile, Seviathan went off to distract himself. In his pursuit to cure his boredom, he encountered Velvet who was currently talking with Niffty. Velvet's uniform had short sleeves on her jumpsuit with a striped long sleeve shirt underneath that was white and orange while Niffty only had short sleeves and ripped shorts to expose her legs.
"Isn't he cute, Velvet?" Niffty asked.
"Eh, he's a little hairy don't ya think?"
"He's supposed to be that way!" She huffed,"Don't be rude, Vel, you're going to hurt his feelings. He's very sensitive…"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Seviathan asked with a raised eyebrow, approaching the girls with curiosity.
The girls jumped, Niffty and Velvet's necks twisted to see Seviathan, the two shocked to see him on two feet.
"Woah…" Velvet gasped,"What happened to you!?"
"Belpehgor happened."
"Oh god…" Niffty murmured,"If he can do that, who knows what else he can do…We're in so much trouble…"
"Niffty, chill…" Velvet said,"Let's not panic preemptively. This situation is already bad enough, let's not freak out before anything has truly happened yet. Given Seviathan couldn't walk before this is probably an improvement…"
"Are you saying his experiment on us is a good thing because it MIGHT have positive effects?"
"Of course not! I'm just saying that it doesn't look like Seviathan's in any pain and that it seems Belphegor isn't a complete lunatic sticking things together. Not like that's saying much but there's a chance you won't end up like marionettes with arms and legs stitched together in the wrong places…"
"That is not comforting whatsoever…" Niffty mumbled.
"Hey, I never said it was a good thing," She huffed,"By the way, Seviathan, what are you doing here? Did the mad lunatic decide to let you guys wander with the rest of the general population for funsies?"
"Pretty much," He admitted,"He says he hasn't planned on what to do with all of us yet since we're all new into his database. He seems like he wants to collect all the data he can on us and he needs time before he can do that…"
"That's not good…that's not good at all…" The red haired woman stammered,"Who knows what he has in mind for us. Oh I just hope he won't hurt Harry…"
"Harry?" Seviathan inquired,"Who is that?"
"He's my pet spider!" She said, holding Harry out for Seviathan to see,"I found him crawling on the walls in my prison cell back when Lucifer was keeping us! I was going to kill him at first but I felt connected to him somehow, like he could understand me and I could understand him and felt the desire to keep him."
"Wait…you kept that spider with you the entire time, even while you were being transported?"
"Of course! I couldn't leave him in that grimy cell after all! Course I couldn't carry him in my hand all the time so I had to put him in my hair for safekeeping. He really likes it there…" She said while petting the spider gently.
"Don't you think it's a little weird to treat a random spider you found as a pet?" Seviathan asked,"He doesn't' even look cute…"
"Seviathan!" She hissed,"How could you say such a horrible thing? You hurt his feelings!"
"Oh for fuck's sake, don't be dramatic. It's a spider. It doesn't understand a word we say…"
"But he does! I can tell!" She insisted,"Harry understands me, just like a normal person. And I understand him. You need to apologize!"
"I am not apologizing to a stupid spider…"
"Apologize!" She growled.
"Seviathan, do yourself a favor and just do it,"Vel advised,"She really likes that Spider so I suggest avoiding her wrath if I were you…"
'I'm not scared of this woman nor her spider…' He thought to himself, rolling his eyes at this. He didn't fear her, not at all, but god was her voice like nails on a chalkboard. Perhaps if he pretended to feel remorse this woman would stop being so hysterical over her pet…
"Fine…I'm sorry…"
"No, not me! Apologize to him!" She said, holding the spider up Seviathan's face,"Go on, apologize…"
'Oh for fuck's sake…' Seviathan scoffed before saying,"Alright, I'm fucking sorry, Harry…"
Harry hissed at him and spit venom at him. Seviathan growled as the venom hit him,irritating his skin. It wasn't' conscious enough to seriously harm him but it sure did leave an itch on him.
"Argh! What the fuck!? It just spit poison at me!" He snarled,"Your pet is a menace!"
"He is not a menace!" She shot back,"He's a living creature and deserves to be treated with respect. You wouldn't understand, Seviathan, he's my friend and I won't tolerate disrespect towards him…"
"Then take it somewhere else, I'm not gonna stand here and let this spider spit poison at me just because you think of it as a pet."
"I will…" She huffed,"Come on, Harry, let's take our business elsewhere…"
As Niffty stormed off, Velvet shook her head as she said,"Did ya really have to do that, Seviathan? That was kind of mean."
"I couldn't care less, just because you feed her delusions about the spider doesn't mean I have to tolerate it,especially after it spits on me,"He said,"Why do you humor that woman? It's obvious she's gone mad, believing that spider is speaking to her like a person? Do you believe her delusions or something?"
"Hey, I ain't gonna judge someone on being crazy, I ain't exactly right in the head either,"Velvet shrugged.
"Hmph…"
Velvet then whistled before leaning to the side,"Sooo…Seviathan, was it?"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask ya something?"
"Sure."
"Thinking back on it, I noticed that you and Charlie had…history together and you know I'm big on gossip. I've heard a lotta things about you and I was wondering, were the rumors true?"
Seviathan groaned,"Which rumors are you speaking of, Velvet?"
"Ya know, those ones…"
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Don't play dumb with me,"Velvet said,"Ya know what I'm takling about. I was just wondering, did you or did you not hit the Princess?"
"Never in my life."
"Then why was there a controversy about you hitting her? You know it was a huge ass scandal and it's still pretty popular despite it happening centuries ago…."
"You really want to know? I'll tell you why, because despite Charlie making herself out to be the purest, most saintly person in Hell, she's still a demon, a demon capable of committing evil. She may not want to admit it nowadays, but she's not as squeaky clean as she makes herself out to be."
"So you're saying she lied?"
"Of course she did. Sure, I made fun of her ideas, but it was because they were silly. Redemption is a ridiculous concept. The idea that demons will just be accepted into the golden gates because they acted nice is ridiculous."No demon is going to act 'nice' without a reason,especially since Hell already provides them with what they want. Why would any demon redeem themselves when Hell provides them with all the drugs, sex and alcohol they want? They can commit crimes without any sort of consequences and if they have enough money they can do just about anything. As far as the denizens of Hell are concerned, they'll think she's just a dumb blonde bimbo trying to take their toys away by offering a chance ot get 'redeemed'."
"And how did she react when you told her that?"
"She got upset, claiming I had no faith and shit. Said I was just like her Father and told me that we are through since I 'disrespected' her ideas. I of course tried to rekindle the relationship but when I went to the Magne's residence, Lucifer attacked for 'hurting' his daughter and nearly ended my life, saying I would pay for 'laying my hand on her' and Charlie had the nerve to show up at the last second in order to call her Dad off and when I tried to tell him she was lying, he didn't believe me and threatened to kill me for 'making up lies' about his baby girl."
"So it was a lie…" She said,"I always knew there was something sketchy about that Princess! I'm almost surprised. Now it all makes sense why she stood by and let us get handed to Belphegor…"
"She what?" He asked, his voice shaking with anger.
"She literally just stood there as we were getting hauled away. Not even a peep. She didn't even try and help us. The bitch betrayed us and didn't even bat an eye…."
Seviathan growled,"I'd say I'm surprised…But I know better than that. Figures she would do something like this. She'll keep up the kind facade but once you start upsetting her, she'll do whatever she can to ruin your life while claiming any harm coming to you was 'incidental…"
"So why didn't you try getting revenge on her?"
"And have her Father kill me? No thanks…" He said,"Believe me, if her parents weren't protecting her I would've tried something years ago. She's ruined my life, Velvet. She slandered my name, made my parent's lose faith in me and ruined my one chance at gaining their approval. I could've had their love, their affection if it weren't for her!" He hissed.
"Guess you're gonna have to abandon your plans then since she's out of reach…"
"Oh I'm not giving up that easily,"He chuckled,"I've endured ridicule, slander and hate for centuries. Centuries of being forced to remain silent as other's jeered my name. Charlie's ruined my life and she's gotten away with it for far too long…"
"And how are you going to do that? You're stuck in an asylum, Seviathan. And chances are, we're not getting outta here anytime soon…"
"I'll find a way…" He said,"One way or another, Charlie will suffer as I have and I'll make sure it's by my hand…"
Suddenly a bell rang and nurses came out and an automated voice from an intercom system shouted,"All subjects return to your cells at once."
"Looks like that's our cue to go…" Velvet grumbled,"Just great.."
The assigned cells were far from peachy. Especially since none of them had a choice of who they were staying with. Due to how many prisoners there were, anyone who wasn't delegated to solitary confinement cells for being 'too unstable' likely shared their room with another inmate.
Angel Dust scowled as he stared up at the top bunk bed that Vox had taken. They had been dubbed Patient #666147 and Patient #666150. Angel was wearing his jumpsuit zipped down, revealing a white shirt underneath.
As you could imagine, they were just as happy as one could imagine in this situation.
"For fuck's sake,"He snarled,"Of all people I get stuck with, it just had to be you, Vox.."
"Don't act like I'm any happier…" The former TV Demon retorted,"I'd rather be with Bambi than be with Angel Dust. It's not like we have much of a choice in the matter, those nurses just locked us in here and probably won't let us out until the morning once Belphegor has his plans together. And unlike last time, he's truly got all measures put in place with these cuffs on us to prevent escape."
"Speaking of which, why don't ya use your electric powers to fry the circuits to this thing and cut us loose? You can control the lighting , can't ya? The shocks shouldn't hurt ya!"
"If it was that easy I wouldn't have this damn thing on me," He scoffed,"I can still be hurt by lighting, especially without access to my powers, Angel. It doesn't help that Belphegor's increased the voltage on my collar in order to ensure I cannot break loose since I can stand lighting far more than you guys can…"
"Great…just fucking great…Not only are we stuck here but there ain't no way to get these stupid ass collars off! This is all our goddamn fault, Vox!"
"This shit again, Angel?" He groaned,"You know why I did what I did, Angel. Do not act as if I planned for any of this to happen."
"Does it matter? Your carelessness is the reason we're all trapped in this stupid insane asylum with a bunch of nutjobs! The people here have lost their minds and half of them look like experiments gone wrong. I literally saw someone with their eyes in their hands! Belpehgor's gonna turn us into his next freak shows and it's all because of you and your inability to think with your dick!"
"Don't act like you wouldn't do the same thing in my situation!" He snapped,"Haven't you ever been in love before!? It makes you do things you normally wouldn't do. Besides, you're in no position to judge. You gave your soul away for fame and fortune so it's not like you've got any ground to stand on."
"Oh fuck you, that's different,"Angel retorted,"Sure, I wont deny I joined Val for the fame and fortune. And I know damn well I ain't the first. Val's charm was convincing, he made it seem like we'd get all the drugs, sex and fortune if we worked for him and we took it since most of us were struggling financially and need the money. What's your excuse, Vox? You're a fucking Overlord, you know how this shit works and yet you still did it! And you know what's worse? You're the lucky one! Mammon doesn't even seem to treat ya half as bad as Val treated me!"
Vox narrowed his eyes,"You assume too much.."
"Oh yeah? Then what'd he do? Say a few mean words? Hit ya a few times? Big whoop, I've dealt with far worse and yet I'm still standing. What's your damage, Vox?"
The former TV Demon refused to say anything,"I don't want to talk about it."
"And why not? I never took you for being shy, Vox. You're the most egotistical and talkative jackass I"ve ever seen. Why so quiet now?"
"You'd know…"
Angel blinked, astonished by this response,"What the fuck does that mean?"
"Shouldn't you know because…You know what? Forget it," Vox groaned,"Just forget it alright. I'm not in the mood to discuss this with you and it won't change anything.."
"But you didn't even explain anything!"
"You have no right to know. Now go to bed," He hissed before turning over in bed, muttering something under his breath that Angel didn't understand, likely some German curse or phrase if he had to guess.
Angel fell silent for a moment, that reaction was…unexpected. He had never seen Vox so quiet before, it was peculiar as every time he saw Vox with Val, he was arrogant and collected. Now, he just sounded defeated and resigned…
Normally he'd laugh but something didn't feel right about it. He couldn't place his finger on it but something about the way Vox reacted was bothering him and he didn't like it for one second….
'Try not to think about it, Anthony…' He sighed to himself before grabbing the covers and going to bed.
"Husker, why can't I have the top bunk?" Al asked irritability as he laid in bed wearing bandages over his hands with his long sleeved jumpsuit.
"You can't see shit and if I let you sleep up here there's not a doubt in my mind you'd find a way to roll off the bed and cry about hurting yourself."
"That's ridiculous, I would never cry!"
"That's what they all say…" Husk grumbled into the pillow,"Listen Al, can you stop fucking being annoying and just go to bed?"
"But I'm not tired," He whined like a child, going as far as to pout and fold his arms over his chest.
"I don't give a fuck. Now leave me be…" Husk grumbled as he turned over in his bed, trying to get comfortable. As Husk attempted to get to sleep, his eyes snapped open when he heard,
Hello it's nice to meet you,
Can you tell me where I am?
I don't know how I got here but I think I'm starting to understand!
I don't belong among the Angel's, and baby that's just fine with me!
The things I did up there were high-school but now I'm going for my degree!
'Oh for fuck's sake! Is this Radio Bastard singing!?' He groaned before putting his pillow over his head in an attempt to block out the noise, yet it seemed like Alastor's voice found a way to enter his eardrums despite his best !
Sorry but you just got in my way
I promise honey I can feel your pain
And maybe I enjoy it just a little bit
Does that make me insane?
Haven't been the same since I expired
Doesn't mean that I plan to retire
And now I have the power to
Bathe all of you in
Entertaining fire!
"Oh my god, shut the fuck up!" Husk snapped, Al quickly quieting down,"Seriously, some people are trying to fucking sleep! You're not the only motherfucker in this goddamn cell, Al and I'd appreciate it if you started acting like it!"
Al scoffed,"Well sorry, some of us need to find a way to quell the boredom we feel,especially when we aren't tired."
"Well do something else!"
"Like what?" Al asked,"There's nothing to do here, Husker. This cell has nothing other than a bed and a floor as far as I can tell. Our powers are restricted and there are no sources of entertainment to indulge ourselves in."
"I don't know, just stop singing!"
"But it's what I do at night to go to sleep…"
"What are you talking about?"
"I've always had problems sleeping since I was young and my mother used to sing to me to get me to bed. Course since she's not here I sung to myself to get by…" He admitted,"It's been years since she's passed but I still miss her…"
"I never had a Mother…" Husk grumbled,"Well, I obviously did, it's just that she just died after I was born."
"I'm certain she would've been a wonderful woman…" Al said,"Say Husker, did you ever truly love someone?"
"I lost the feeling of love years ago, Al…"
"I know, but before that…"
"I had a wife…But then the addictions came and it all fell apart after that. I never really had any friends when I was alive and she was the only one who stuck around. Once she was gone, I lost interest in loving another and I haven't felt that feeling since then."
"I've never loved anyone to be frank. Not romantically at least. It's not something I'm against but I simply don't find anyone attractive in that light. Though if there was the chance to spend time with someone who didn't fear me and respected my boundaries and who I am, I'd do it. Do you think there's anyone out there who'd do that?"
"Probably not. Most people don't like serial killer cannibals who drive fear into those who glance at them. But who knows, people will be attracted to anything nowadays. Maybe you'll find someone to tolerate your ass because I can hardly stand ya…"
"You're such an interesting fellow…Never change, Husker. Never change…"
"Don't worry, I don't plan on changing anytime soon…" He huffed,"Now go to fucking sleep before I come down there and knock your ass out."
Al chuckled, it was an empty threat and they both knew it, but it was always entertaining to hear the gruff man ramble about hurting him and yet never laying a finger on him.
Velvet and Vaggie glared at each other hatefully from the bunk beds.
'Of all people they put me with, it just had to be her,' Was a thought they mutually shared.
Vaggie adjusted her prison uniform that was zipped down, one side hanging off of her while the other side was normal. She wasn't exactly a fan of the situation but she was trying to make the best of it but the Doll Demon was anything but pleased.
Velvet kicked the bed, causing it to shake.
"Hey! What the fuck is your problem!" Vaggie snapped,"Quit kicking the bed!"
"And what if I don't wanna?"
"Quit acting like a child, Velvet! This isn't a request, it's a demand! Now quit kicking the bed! I've had enough shit to deal with as it is and I don't need you fucking up my sleep schedule with your temper tantrums."
"Ugh, what are you,my mom?" She asked,"Seriously, you're such a buzzkill."
"I hardly call wanting sleep being a buzzkill.." The former Moth retorted,"And if I remind you of your mother, perhaps that means you should listen to me."
"I don't gotta listen to a word you say. You're not my Mom and even if you were, I wouldn't listen to you anyways. Bitch never believed I could be an internet sensation, said I should focus on my studies and stop partying. Well fuck her, I became the biggest social media pop-star in Hell so she can go suck it!"
"But you had to die just to get that fame,"Vaggie pointed out,"Something you couldn't get while you were alive. Wouldn't it actually matter if you were alive to get all your views?"
"It would've been nice, but being dead gave me a bigger platform than I could've ever imagined. It was so worth drinking bleach over!"
"You drank bleach!? For what?"
"A challenge, dummy! I was bored since my ex broke up with me first so I thought of a way to get back at him and post it on the internet for clicks!"
"You killed yourself for views….that's not even sad, it's pathetic."
"Hey! It's not pathetic! I became the biggest sensation in hell and my death went viral! Sure, it was nothing compared to the views I had in Hell, but it was a good start!" She laughed,"Not like you'd know anything about that, the path to stardom takes sacrifice and so few are willing to take it!"
"Yeah, because most people have enough common sense not to drink detergent fluid just to impress others. Is your life that sad that you'd do anything for views, even the most dangerous things?"
"Well…yeah," She said,"Gotta give the people what they want, Vaggie. Can't have the audience getting bored and dangerous things always catch people's eyes. You wouldn't know that though, you're too boring to try anything fun."
"I'm not boring, Velvet, I merely have a sense of pragmatism about me. I do not wish for my life to end because of some stupid dare. You wouldn't understand of course since you seem to have the brain of a teenager. Perhaps your mind not fully developing did have its negative effects."
"Pfft, being older is overrated. Not everyone wants to be an old lady like you!"
"Old lady!?" Vaggie snapped, offended by the accusation,"I'll tell you that I died when I was twenty five! I wasn't even middle aged for fuck's sake!"
"Maybe if you weren't such a nag I would've thought you were younger."
"Well being a 'nag' is just who I am, Velvet. Someone needs to have a level heard around here and I'll be damned if it's not me."
"Ugh, drama queen. People like you are no fun. No wonder ya don't have any true friends."
"Of course I have friends, Velvet."
"By that ya mean the Princess don't ya? Ya know she's a massive liar don't you?"
"How would you know?"
"Seviathan told me. Ya know they used to date right? Turns out she's got a few dirty secrets and while I won't spoil it for ya, she's not as squeaky clean as you'd like to think she is."
"Whatever Charlie did is in the past, Velvet. I know she's not without her faults but she's not this cruel and heartless person you think she is. She's not a monster, she just has flaws, just like the rest of us. Even Charlie's made mistakes and whatever she did, I'm willing to forgive her for it…"
"Your forgiveness is not the one she needs, Vaggie,"Velvet sneered.
"You won't hurt her, Velvet…"
"Oh, you shouldn't worry about little old me! I would NEVER hurt your 'precious little Charlie'!" She giggled manically,"Oh no, I'm not the one you should be concerned about, Vaggie. You should be concerned about him…"
"I won't let him hurt her…"
"Never say never, Vaggie. Some things are just outta your control. And nothing ever gets more personal than a vengeful ex out for blood. Oh, I can just taste the drama already…"
"What even is he mad about?"
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough! It'll be more fun that way!"
"This isn't a game, Velvet! People could be in danger!"
"Aw don't be such a drama queen, a little spice won't hurt. Vengeful exes always have the best type of tension!"
Vaggie rolled her eyes, it felt like she was talking to a teenager(then again, she was). The former Moth Demon feared the worst, especially in regards to Seviathan and she didn't trust him for a moment…
As she laid in bed, she prayed that the days would pass quickly and that things wouldn't go downhill while she was here…
Niffty sat in her bunk bed at the top all by herself. She wasn't sure why she didn't have a bunk-mate but from what those deranged nurses said, the other tenant that lived here had…met an unfortunate fate, leaving the entire room to herself.
It was such a shame, she would've loved to make new friends! Regardless, she didn't consider it a total loss, it wasn't like she was living alone after all! She was living with Harry, her new best friend! And she had spent the time inside making the room look nice since it wasn't exactly very clean.
Niffty watched as the spider sewed a web nearby and clapped,"Wonderful job, Harry! You did great! It's so beautiful!" She then put her palm out and allowed the spider to crawl into her hand.
Usually the idea of something creepy and crawly on her would make her skin itch. Before she would have no doubt squashed him but now, she felt a connection to the spider and viewed him as a friend. She had fed him whatever crumbs of food she could find and carried him around wherever she could and he stuck around despite everything.
She noticed the spider was lowering his head and she noticed his sadness,"Aw, are you upset that meanie was rude to you? Don't worry, he just don't understand you, Harry. Heck, they probably all think I'm crazy, but I know I'm not. I know you can understand me, and I can understand you, right?"
The spider titled his head.
"I know you can't speak, Harry…But I know a part of you understands me…Somewhat anyway. The others don't see it, but I know you're special ..." She then nuzzled him before letting out a yawn,"I'm tired…better go to bed…Night night, Harry…"
She set the spider down and went to bed, quietly snoring. As she did so, Harry began to crawl up the walls, going up the asylum ventilation system. Crawling through, Harry found other spiders and greeted them with glee as he began to communicate with those of his own kind who seemed interested in what he had to say.
Seviathan narrowed his eyes as he stared at the ceiling of his bed. He couldn't sleep, he just couldn't rest...
He reflected on all of it. All the times in his life where he was put down, seen as lesser than and how Charlie had ruined his one chance at gaining his parent's approval. The thought made his blood boil as the Princess's lie cost him not only the throne to Hell itself, but his chance to earn his parent's complete affection...
He wanted revenge, to make Charlie feel the pain he had felt for all these centuries. These years of ridicule, the years of resentment that he had buried within him was threatening to bubble to the surface. He clenched his fist, calming himself,'Not yet Seviathan...you cannot get revenge, not as long as you are confined to this cell. And so long as these restraints remain, I cannot act on my whims..'
The Prince of Envy's mind drifted elsewhere. He couldn't have his revenge so long as he was confined here. Charlie had abandoned them and no doubt the other's had given up hope...
But he refused. He wasn't going to give up, not when he had his goals in mind. Charlie...she needed to pay, and he most certainly did not need her help. He would find his own way out of this asylum and when he did. It would take time, it wouldn't happen overnight or tomorrow for that matter, but he knew that if he used his resources correctly and found a way out, he could gain their freedom as a whole.
And when they were free...what he would do when he was free...
For may the Heavens have mercy on that girl and rue to those who dare stand in his path to right the injustice down to him.
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Enigmus-288: Lucifer's a gullible dick and Zesital's just kind of exploiting his selfish love for his family to his advantage. Smart, but cruel obviously but it's Zestial so no surprise there. Nobody is going to believe her, even Lilith is just trying to placate Charlie and everyone(except Mammon who's figured her out) thinks Charlie's just pitching a fit about losing her dollies and treat her like she's a child. No one really takes her seriously and it shows.