Present of the Broken:
Garden rooftop was coming along after most of the main work was put in and could be clearly seen. Lucifer checked out one morning when he heard Wywave over to put in planter boxes. Getting him alone to have a discussion without Adam around was a change.
"Your garden," Lucifer recalled his days before his fall, "Reminds me of my earlier memories."
"Needed to do something with land in the middle of those woods," Wywave took a break, "Area was previously cleared out by Exorcist's blade with no new tree growth."
"You seem to know what you're doing," Lucifer struggled, "So…"
"How did I end up in the depths of Hell?" Wywave asked him, "Thought my sister told you, what runs through our veins and how we were raised."
"Yea," Lucifer recalled, "She also told me about a contract you once had."
"Which ended when I was no further use to Carmilla," He brought it up, "I couldn't bring myself to design any more weapons no matter what she could inflict on me. She cut her ties with me and sent me on my way to care for my sister with what strength I had."
A quietness fell upon the two when Wywave stood up and pulled off his gloves to observe his work. Yelling at the hellborn demons he hired to take a break for a few minutes. Ended up scattering to the wind at the mere sight of Lucifer casually standing.
"Any apple trees going in?" Lucifer asked recalling various ones Wywave had.
"Black," Wywave pointed to marker he had placed, "Since you were so fawn of my prized tree."
"How is Adam's progress and Ajax still trying unlive him?" Lucifer tried to not laugh at latest news.
"Ever since I gave him that folk guitar to play," Wywave pulled off his gloves, "I've broadcasted him throughout the woods and Ajax stopped trampling him. He's lost that enough of that chip on his shoulder to the point, he stopped offending the harpies."
"He does know harpies are dramatically different from Exorcists." Lucifer pointed out.
"On a daily basis." Wywave smirked.
From Adam's first day of work beside the harpies when Lucifer personally brought him to Wywave. Adam made the mistake insulting a gesture toward one of the younger harpies. Almost got his hand and most of his face sliced into by an elder harpie. Left Wywave to intervene to save a trip to the hospital, also saving Adam at the same time. One only time Adam was warned around a creature that had little patience. To only learn as days went on, harpies were simple with high intellect that Wywave honored.
"He slips every now and then," Wywave shook one his hands, "Quickly corrects himself so as to not get screeched or clawed at. Heck! Rare times he isn't egomaniacal is when Ajax doesn't want to kill him."
"When he isn't egotistical?" Lucifer asked rather bothered about when Adam was self-seeking.
"I spend hours mending him," Wywave recalled the latest incidents, "I fear the last bit of egocentric thread he's holding on… is going to be his death certificate."
Lucifer knew that Charlie was looking forward to being filled in about Adam's progress. Fact he still had bits of his former self lingering wasn't something Lucifer wanted to hear. Left him with an idea of sorts that had him needing a few nights in the woods. Maybe a feral hellhound and an elder harpie or two that still knew old ways. Smirk that formed on his face from what formed on his face as he had a request.
8*8
Elanye stood outside the doors of I.M.P. In her signature attire with just one minor change. Heel of her shoes was modeled after the apple found on Lucifer's tophat in color and shape. Outer part of the sole had the texture of gold snakeskin, seen at right angles. Which was a gift to Lucifer to her for one of their monthly anniversaries. Which is why she was here in front of the office to make a delivery for Stolas. Had her knocking on the door with a gloved hand formed into a loose fist.
"Welcome," Gentlemanly looking imp greeted her upon opening the door for her.
He then allowed her inside while wondering what her business with them while noticing who she was. Putting a smile on her face when she turned down his offer to sit down and wait. Going on to introduce himself and most of the office staff that looked upon her. Chance she was given to reach up and remove her hood revealed her face. Loona became quiet over a minor celebrity in their presence. Had her taking pictures of Elanye when Milly shared that she liked Elanye's attire. Captioning who was currently standing in her dad's office with a delivery for him.
"I was sent by a Goetic Prince to make a delivery," She announced, "Is a Mr. Blitzo Buckzo in?"
"That would be a boss and get a selfie?" Molly asked Elanye.
She was also given a business card when her picture was interrupted by the usual amount of cursing. The person said that Elanye was here to see upon exiting his office. Which left an unpleasant taste in Elanye's mouth when she faced the imp calling himself Blitzo Buckzo.
"The o at the end of my first name is silent," He looked Elanye over, "What does a number ten on the attraction scale have for me?"
"You have nothing like what I heard about you," Elanye tilted her head at him, "I must say, our top customers were right about you."
She then removed a velvet jewelry box in the shape of an apple with a bow near the stem. Handwritten tag carefully attached to the box was written in a familiar hand Blitzo knew. Telling him this was a special delivery she usually doesn't do outside her usual work. That was a favor she was running for one of her brother's business clients.
"Stolas sent this?" Blitzo took the box from her, "Thanks."
"Yes and you're quite lucky to be given this," She felt touched by what was inside the box, "May I call on you again?"
"Uh…" He flipped the box around in his hands, "Ok."
"I already know how to leave a message," She looked in the direction of Loona, "I like her."
Suddenly being the center of the attention has her putting her phone down when she stopped typing. Hoping the photos she took and posted didn't get her into too much trouble. Putting her best smile as her eyes shifted when she noticed that everyone stopped talking.
"Glad to meet a fan." Elanye waved to her.
"Really?" Blitzo was surprised.
"She comes from a place in hell," Loona shared she knew some about Elanye, "Still has feral hellhounds and is kinda popular among the higher ranked demons for multiple reasons."
"That brother of hers buys hell hog meat from my folks around Harvest Moon festival time," Millie recalls, "Always in the company of those harpies fellows."
"I always wanted to look into the products of Sweet Tooth." Moxxie shared out of his curiosity.
Elanye then pulled a paper catalog from her basket to hand to Moxxie while pointing out their newlywed discount. He graciously accepted and Loona wanted to look through the pages. While Moxxie started to do by stopping at the index as Millie looked over his shoulder.
"We have meals we deliver, clothing line, furniture, and lots of others," She pointed out, "All hand made and grown without chemicals."
"Check out their hemp and lube section." Milie pointed them out from catalog's index.
"Black Forest, Nightmare, Goat Man, Red Deer, Blue Flame, and Light of the Night." Elanye named the strains her brother grew, "The lube is just a few creative mixes my brother made."
"You done?" Blitzo asked, interrupting her explaining, "I got a business myself to run and yours seem done."
"Then goodbye and hope to see you all," Elanye was on her feet, "Again."
She made sure to hand Blitzo a business card as she informed him about tea her brother was having with Stolas. She wanted him to attend the next one so she could see him outside his work. Wanting to talk about the interpersonal relationship he has with Stolas. Which he was about to tell her off when he noticed a change in her eyes when she walked away.
"Leave the details with my daughter." His last words with her.
He got a thank you from her and a gentle smile that stirred memories of the tragedy of losing his mom. How he's slamming the door in her face without saying a word to her. Which didn't bother her when she spun in place and walked toward the barely working elevator. Walking pass the door of Verosika's business with little interest in seeing her.
8*8
Bloodmarch Grimoire that was in Wywave's possession came with him when he died. He didn't like recalling how his family's Book of Shadows ended in hell with him. When asked by Adam one day when he came across the book on a stand. There he learned of Wywave's death and house fire of the Bloodmarchs' ancestral home.
"Book will reject you," Wywave warned Adam, "Only someone of Bloodmarch descent can touch it and use the contents. Has a nasty security system if you even try to touch a single page."
"A guy can't just want to ask out of curiosity?" Adam asked in a huff.
"Care to tell me where this bout of curiosity came from?" Wywave asked back.
Adam went quiet for a long period of time when he plopped down on the couch next to Wywave. Trying to process a bit of human history and how magic was taught to them. How this knowledge was recorded and handed down through generations of humans. Clear example was sitting a few feet away on a book stand in written form.
"Let me guess," Wywave figured, "You were never informed about the fallen teaching forbidden knowledge to humans?"
"Hard to take in." Adam sat back in his seat.
Wywave would have gone further in the conversation with Adam on the topic when he caught the time. Which had him reminding Adam, Lucifer was going to be dropping in this evening. Wanting to personally see what changes that Adam has gone through since sent here. not informing Adam what Lucifer has in mind for him when recalling this mornings conversation.