04/16/2012, Velvet Room, Morning.
Elizabeth and Makoto are eating their breaksfast when the clock hanging on the wall of the Velvet Room tolls the 7am. The attendant looks at the clock before looking at her guest. "Makoto if you need me today I fear I won't be able to help you until tonight" suddenly says Elizabeth. "Why's that?" asks back Makoto while eating a slice of bread with jam. "I'm going to Hell, do you want to come too?" proposes Elizabeth. "Hell?" says confused Makoto.
"Yeah, well not where the damned souls go obviously. They go to different realms of the dead depending on the life they had and their beliefs. Still, some of them manage to reach this world's Sea of Souls" explains Elizabeth. Makoto slowly nods his head. "I have a club meeting today Liz, I'm sorry" he answers. "Oh that's ok, it's probably better this way. Our devil friends and the Councillor agreed it's better to keep your identity as secret as possible to avoid possible political issues". Makoto frowns at that, but accepts it.
After Makoto, followed by Ryoji, is gone; Elizabeth takes the Persona Compendium and starts leaving through it's pages. 'How does Makoto do it?' she asks herself stopping her hand on the page of Mercurius. "Oh God of Travelers I demand thee your precious help" tells Elizabeth. The Compendium lightens up as a voice is heard coming from it. "Oh Attendant, what a pleasure to hear you. Say, how can my peculiar skills help you?" asks the respectful voice of the roman god. "I'd like to make the most of The Wanderer and go to the Underworld, as it is called in this world" says Elizabeth patiently waiting for Mercurius' answer. "Oh I'd love to taste the air of this new world, unfortunately the Universe didn't need my help... yet, obviously. It's my pleasure to guide you Attendant, but I have two conditions" says Mercurius hiding his excitement.
"What are they?" Elizabeth opens the Tartarus' door preparing her departure. "First and most important I want the blessing of the Universe. Secondly, my personal condition, I want to visit this Underworld too".
Elizabeth nods her head accepting the conditions as he takes a cellular phone and dials Makoto's number.
Makoto hears his phone ringing while he was talking with Kiba who greeted him when he entered the school ground. "Don't mind me senpai, you can answer" politely says the blonde as he bows to Makoto and takes his way towards his homeroom. Makoto looks at his phone, an unknown number calling him, he picks up. "Elizabeth?" says Makoto. "How did you know it was me?" jokes the woman. "The only unknown number who has ever called me was you". "Yeah true, can I use The Wanderer?" asks Elizabeth without wasting time. "Why are you asking?".
"It's just a formality, Mercurius wants to have your permission to teleport me. Just a yes will be enough for him" tells Elizabeth as Makoto hums and simply says 'yes'. Elizabeth thanks the boy and closes the call. 'Are you sure it's safe to let Mercurius and the Attendant go alone?' asks a suspicious Kohryu. 'Mercurius is responsible enough to stop the Attendant from overreacting' comments Orpheus Telos. 'Unlike a certain Sun God' snorts Lucifer. 'They will be fine' tells Makoto to his personas, trusting Elizabeth.
"Shall we go now Mercurius?" back in Tartarus Elizabeth summons the blue caped God. Mercurius looks at Elizabeth from above as he flies over her, he wields the Caduceus hitting it on the ground. "Welcome to Mercurius Express, please name your destination" says playfully the god of travelers, barely containing his joy. "The Underworld, thanks" Elizabeth plays along and names her desired destination. "To the Underworld it is then!". Mercurius rotates his staff creating a bright light that surrounds them making the two to disappear from Tartarus.
04/16/2012, Underworld, Morning.
When the light fades Elizabeth finds herself in a place she wouldn't descrive as 'Underworld' or 'Hell' at first sight. The Velvet Room's attendant is in the middle of a crop field, around her, for dozens of meters, strange looking crops are waiting to be harvested. Purple wheat taller and thinner than the Earth one is cultivated in this field that seems to not require any source of water as there is no trace of it. Instead of the shadowy and grim place Elizabeth expected she feels the rays of a moderately warm sun on her skin.
"What a quirky place, surely not your usual definition of Hell" comments the woman understanding her surroundings. "I agree attendant, heek" crows something. Elizabeth looks down at her feet seeing a rooster talking to her. The animal has bright golden feathers with blue crest and wattle, it's beak is of a shining silver the same colour as it's chicken legs.
"Ave Attendant! Do you hear me?" asks again the rooster with it's shrill voice. Elizabeth chuckles seeing the bird. "Yes God of Travelers, I hear you" she eventually says. "What is so funny?" asks the bird... Mercurius, annoyed. "Nothing, I didn't expect you to take the shape of a domestic bird" replies calmly the woman. Mercurius flaps his wings in disappointment. "Roosters are noble animals sacred to me Attendant, I'm also doing you a favour by disguising myself as one. You wouldn't want to draw attention to yourself, am I right?" tells Mercurius flying on Elizabeth's shoulder, however the rooster is too big to be able to sit there so he decides to move on Elizabeth's head.
"You can fly? From what I know of human domesticated fauna, the gallus domesticus lost it's ability to fly after generations of selective breeding" Elizabeth takes Mercurius and puts him on the ground as she fixes her hair. "It's obvious I can fly!" replies the now bird-like persona. "I want to explore this place Attendant let's go!" he excaims starting to comically walk ahead, his small legs rapidly moving forward.
"Yes Mercurius, let's see what this dreaded Underworld has in serve for us" says Elizabeth smiling after seeing Mercurius sliding left and right as he walks. The rooster stops, he looks at the attendant and slowly opens his beak. "Call me, Quicksilver!" he shouts, confusing the woman in blue. "Why?" she asks putting her hand under her chin. "Isn't it obvious!? We have to be sneaky! I'm also the God of Thieves after all" proudly crows the bird. "Oh that makes sense, I shall call you Quicksilver then" nods the ruler of power.
"And you are Agat-" the rooster can't end his sentence as he feels the Persona Compendium hitting his small head. "HAVE YOU GONE MAD!?" he shouts stepping back from the attendant while holding his head with his wings in pain. Elizabeth looks calmly at him. "No, I just won't use another name, this name was chosen by my master" she calmly explains walking towards a footpath that divides the purple wheat field. "Let's go, Quicksilver" she says. The roman god whines in pain, but follows the woman.
"Let's at least plan our cover" while the odd duo walk Mercurius, or Quicksilver as he prefers being called now, starts to ramble about the two identities they will use, with Elizabeth enlightning him with the Underworld political situation. Apparently Elizabeth is going to be a middle-class commoner devil from a family of once common troops of the devil army susceptible to magic. According to this made up identity's family history, during the devil civil war they fought for the New Satan's side and after it's end, and the uprisers victory, Elizabeth's family has been awarded with the middle-class rank.
With the creation of the Evil Pieces system all pureblood remaining devils, especially the ones who didn't come from a Pillar house, as they already had all the power and richness they could hope for, gained more notoriety within the Underworld; with the Great King Faction led by the Bael House having huge positive consensus between these purebloods, but still not noble, families. Elizabeth's family is one of these who rose the social ladder thanks to the Bael's agenda of blood superiority.
"Trust me At... I mean Elizabeth, this cover has no flaws. If what you said me about the Underworld's society is correct obviously" says Quicksilver. "Can I ask you something Mercurius? Would you have done the same with Makoto here instead of me?" asks the woman. "Heek, obviously not! I can't lie in the Universe's presence I must stand as an example of virtue for the boy!" crows the rooster trying to find an excuse, not wanting to admit he's doing this for fun and not entirely for practicality.
Elizabeth rolls her eyes as she searches for living beings around herself apart from the many crops around them. Elizabeth's sight falls on a old looking man who is taking care of the fields. Mercurius notices the man too and whispers to the woman. "Remember Elizabeth, I'm Quicksilver, your familiar. We are here for research purposes". As the rooster tries to speak with the woman in blue, she simply ignores him walking towards the man.
"Sorry kind sir" says Elizabeth approaching the man who looks up as he hears someone calling him. "Uh? What is someone like you doing here?" grunts the man eager to get back to work. "I'm sorry I have interrupted you during your task, but I'd really need to know where we are?" asks the woman. The devil grunts again as he gets back to work. "We're in Auros I think it's obvious girl, now go. I have work to do. The city is over there just follow the path". Elizabeth thanks the man as she and Quicksilver continue their walk directed towards the city of Auros.
"Elizabeth do you perchance know something about this city?" asks the bird who is following her with rather difficulty due to his rooster's legs. "I think Serafall mentioned it last time I talked with her. We should be in the Agares House's territory. Lucky us, I really wanted to visit the floating city of Agreas, we could ask where it is" suggests Elizabeth.
After more or less ten minutes of walking the city, and it's surrounding walls, are visible. Auros is a fairly small city as it's inhabitants are mostly farmers, the guards of the town, the mayor sent by the central government, but still approved by Lord Agares and the merchants who come here to buy the food and then take it to the other parts of the Underworld. The only remarkable location of this city is it's large market located in the main plaza, only the plaza alone is about half the city as the market has the largest and best food stalls of the devils' Underworld, apart from the one in Lilith, the capital city of the devil race.
The city seems to be crowded, more crowded than usual, as many farmers haven't gone to work yet despite being morning. The entrance of the city is guarded by more soldiers than than the average city as a procession led by a fancy carriage is entering the city. "Oh is there some kind of festival going on?" asks to herself Elizabeth seeing the carriage is accompanied by guards in shining and expensive armors. "Maybe a carnival?".
"I don't think that's the case Elizabeth" crows Quicksilver. "It is probably a noble parade" theorizes the rooster.
04/16/2012, City of Auros' Front gate, Morning.
On the main road leading to the city Elizabeth, with Quicksilver right behind her, is slowly walking among the crowd of devils trying to make her way through the people and properly enter the city. Around the woman many devils are rejoicing and greeting a carriage pulled by two brown bicorns wearing black harnesses. The carriage itself shouts nobility from everywhere as it's white valuable wood is plated in gold and silver. "Why is there so much noise for a carriage?" Elizabeth curiously asks the first person she finds.
A man looks at her, surprised by Elizabeth's ignorance. "What? No one talked about anything, but this for weeks. Today the heiress of the archduchy is visiting our city!" shouts the man to Elizabeth who doesn't seem surprised at all. "Oh, why is that such an important thing?" Elizabeth's question shocks the man even more. "Where have you been all this time? Inside a cave? Lord Agares was the one who made our city the food node of the nation, it's only natural to celebrate his daughter visiting us!". Elizabeth nods at the man and continues her way towards the city gate. 'I guess archduke Agares is quite loved by his people' thinks Elizabeth observing the crowd's joy.
"Elizabeth, what part of not drawing attention did you miss?" complains Quicksilver, but he's ignored by the woman. The two arrive at the main gate when the carriage has just crossed it. After passing the gate and roaming through the city's main road, Elizabeth suddenly hears Quicksilver crowing in pain. "Attendant! Attendant! I'm being kidnapped! Ah! Help! Help!" desperately calls out Mercurius alerting everyone around. Instead of doing something Elizabeth looks at the scene amused by seeing the god turned rooster trying to free himself from it's 'kidnappers'.
However before Elizabeth stops playing around the two criminals run away bringing Mercurius with them. 'Attendant! For the mightiness of Jupiter! Why did you left me!?' mentally shouts Mercurius. 'Oh sorry, I found it quite comical, but fear not, I'm sure someone will help us and stop those criminals' calmly answers Elizabeth still smiling remembering the scene. 'I must tell Makoto this, I hope he will find it amusing as I do' thinks Elizabeth. 'No! Tempus fugit! Attendant do something! and don't you dare tell something so embarrassing to the Universe when we are back!' pleads the roman god. 'Can't you free yourself?' asks Elizabeth. 'Oh right! No one is gonna question a rooster using godly powers in the middle of a royal procession!' sarcasm fills Mercurius' words.
"We hit a jackpot, this chicken seems of a rare breed!" says one of the two thugs who kidnapped Quicksilver as they run through the inner parts of the city, now desert thanks to the procession being held along the main road. "I heard the Phenex collects all the types of magical birds, if we find one of their merchants we can make a good stash out of this little guy" says the other. Quicksilver crows trying to free himself using his beak. "Stay still! We aren't gonna eat you, you should actually thank us. If the Phenex buy you you are gonna live better than most of us" the first criminal who was holding Quicksikver shuts his beak, holding it with his hand. "Yeah buddy, you will live the best life a rooster can dream and in change for that we become rich. Deal?" tries to sway the second thug. 'Attendant!! I don't want to become a pet!' mentally shouts Mercurius to Elizabeth.
Meanwhile Elizabeth isn't taking this situation as seriously as Mercurius would like. The woman approaches a guard and touches his shoulder. "Excuse me, my familiar has been kidnapped" says the Velvet Room denizen. The guard frown. "Uh? If you can't make your familiar stay put is not my problem. Don't annoy us with such trivial matters, we have work to do" answers the sully guard. "I a-" the guard silences Elizabeth. "Don't bother me while I'm at work, this is the heiress of the archduchy we are talking about. Go away".
Elizabeth gives up and walks away. 'I'm sorry Mercurius, but familiar kidnapping is out of the local authorities' jurisdiction. And like you said I am a simple middle class magician, if my familiar disappears I can't do much' says Elizabeth making fun of the situation and of Mercurius. 'Attendant! I won't let you use The Wanderer anymore if you don't come immediately!' desperately says the poor god of thieves, leaning on his Theurgy. 'I just need Makoto to summon you and ask him to use it in my place' says satisfied of herself Elizabeth. 'Don't use the Universe against me Attendant!' Mercurius shouts. 'I was just playing with you, I'm coming. I must say you and my dear brother Theodore are very much alike, both of you are so fun to mess with' giggles Elizabeth as she starts to walk towards Quicksilver's location.
Back with the unlucky rooster the two thugs have arrived in the city's plaza, Auros Square named after the city and it's founder Auros Agares, second generation devil of the Agares' house. The biggest market the city has ever seen is currently being hosted to celebrate the visit of the young heiress Seekvaira Agares. "Today the trade exponents of each Pillar House should be present. Let's search for the Phenex one" says criminal number one. "Wait, what will we tell them?" asks his colleague. "Do you really think the Pillars care about trades' legality? As long as we have something they want to buy we don't have to worry" says smirking the first one.
The criminals start their search and soon they find a devil wearaing the classic clothes of the Phenex household, an elegant jacket adorned by coloured feathers. This man is speaking with his labourers and is ordering them to finish to fix the Phenex's stall so they will be ready for the customers. The two thugs nod at each others and approach the merchant. "Greetings my lord, it's an honour to have an exponent of the prestigious Phenex House in our humble city. Me and my colleague here think we have something that might be of interest of your house" says one of the two as the other shows Quicksilver who was strangely being good and not trying to run away.
'See little guy? If we work together we both are going to earn from this' thinks the kidnapper as he waits for the Phenex merchant's answer. "I see, quite the rare breed you have here" says the merchant. He takes Quicksilver and examines him closer. "His wings are strong, he can fly. A rare breed, indeed. I think Lady Ravel would love to have another pet, moreover his conditions are immaculate. We can definitely talk about it" says the merchant adjusting the cuffs of his shirt.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you" says a male voice. The two criminals turn around to see a young black-haired man probably around his early twenties wearing a butler uniform. "That animal is the familiar of another person, I saw you two kidnap it. I suggest you give the familiar back to his owner" calmly says the young butler. "Who-" the thug doesn't end his phrase as the merchant greets the young man in front of him shaking his hand.
"Oh Lord Alivian, what a pleasure to meet you. I thank you for alerting me of the nature of these two criminals" says the merchant, immediately betraying the thugs. "Wait! We can explain" tries to say one of them, but he instead meets the cold gaze of Alivian. "There is nothing to explain, now tell me who owns this fledged friend?" asks coldly the young man.
"He's mine, come here Quicksilver" says Elizabeth who just arrived in front of the Phenex's stall. 'Finally Attendant!' mentally whines Mercurius to Elizabeth. 'Don't be fussy' answers the woman. Quicksilver flies towards Elizabeth and sits on her head despite the attendant's annoyed look. Alivian nods his head after seeing the rooster back to his owner, he waves his hand as two guards immediately come to pick the thieves. "Thank you for your help" says Elizabeth smiling at Alivian. "Pleasure is mine, Miss?" he asks her name. "Elizabeth". "Alivian, nice to meet you Miss Elizabeth" he says with a respectful bow.
The Phenex merchant looks at Elizabeth before making his move. "Sorry Miss, this bird is your familiar right? My name is Tagollan, I'm a merchant working for the prestigious Phenex Pillar House, my offer is still valid. I'm sure the Phenex family will kindly repay you with a strong familiar, obviously it comes with a monetary compensation too" offers the merchant rubbing his hands. Elizabeth shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but I won't sell Quicksilver. Also, I don't think you could be able to find a fine replacement" she answers.
Elizabeth's answer makes the merchant to fume in frustration, she is hurting his pride as a business man. He will make this woman accept his deal. Alivian looks interested at the conversation, usually a devil magician would immediately jump at the chance of an offer like this, the Phenex are the richest peoples in all of the Underworld and are famous to overpay everything, showing off their wealth in a prideful way. However this woman wasn't even tempted by it.
"Miss I'm sure we can work this off, I assure your familiar will be loved and treated like a king. If you are worried about the costs for dissolving your familiar contract and making a new one with another familiar, the Phenex House will gladly cover all the costs" says Tagollan embellishing his words. "As I said I'm not interested nor is Quicksilver, now I must go. I'd like to see the rest of the procession" kindly dismisses the offer Elizabeth as she takes her leave. "Was that bird really worth that much?" asks Alivian who silently listened to all the failed negotiation. "Yes, it is. I'm sure you could feel his innate magic power too Lord Alivian" says Tegollan. 'Now that I think about it Lady Seekvaira was searching for someone capable with familiars' thinks the queen of Seekvaira Agares. 'But I should talk with her before doing anything'. Alivian takes his leave too, heading back towards the carriage.
"You surely took your time Attendant! If that devil didn't show up you would have been forced to blow up our cover to rescue me" crows Quicksilver on Elizabeth's head. The woman takes the rooster by force and puts him down. "Next time you mess my hair I will have to tell Makoto we need to find a new method of teleportation, my kind master taught me many things before coming to this world and I'm sure no one will miss you Mercurius" threatens the attendant in a rare and silent outburst of rage. Quicksilver falls silent not daring to protest, Elizabeth smiles at him, contempt with his reaction. "Shall we head back to the procession Quicksilver?". No answer comes.
04/16/2012, City of Auros, Midday.
The rays of the Underworld sun are hitting the agricultural city of Auros. Seekvaira Agares, a green-haired girl,.heiress of the powerful Agares clan, just finished the stressful parade that lasted all the morning. She could now finally rest and not think about her duties as an heiress for a while. She is laying on the bed of the Auros mayor's house guestroom when she hears a knock on the door. "Come in" she says. Opening the door is Alivian the queen of her peerage, a reincarnated zmei, or russian dragon. "Lady Seekvaira I brought your lunch" he says pushing a food trolley full of some of Auros' best products carefully cooked into delicious dishes.
"Thanks Alivian" she says sitting on the bed and starting to eat the food Alivian prepared. "It's a pleasure" replies the butler going for the door. "Before you leave, where did you go earlier today? You left the carriage, but you returned quite soon" asks Seekvaira looking at the queen with an inquisitive eye. "I stopped a kidnapping" briefly answers Alivian. "A kidnapping? Elaborate" demands the Agares heiress.
"Two criminals stole a bird familiar from a magician, they tried to sell it to the Phenex exponent, but I stopped them. The interesting part is that when the merchant made another offer for the familiar the woman refused" says Alivian satisfying Seekvaira. "All of this just for a bird? However if the Phenex merchant was willingly to pay it must mean something" comments the green-haired girl. "If I heard correctly he thought it could be a fine addition to Lady Ravel's collection of featherly pets" adds Alivian.
'Last time I visited the Phenex household their private collection of birds was huge to say the least, I've never seen such biodiversity even at the Agreas' zoo' thinks the pureblood devil while eating. "Alivian did you recognize this magician?".
"No, but she said her name is Elizabeth, I'm sure she was not a reincarnated devil nor a noble one" answers the butler. "She probably is a commoner susceptible to magic. I've heard some of them are still able to manifest some weak demonic traits even if they aren't from the pillar houses. If she's talented in the summoning field we could ask her for getting a familiar for each one of my peerage member. I don't want to wait for an available visit spot to the Familiar Forest" points out Seekvaira. "I'm going immediately, Lady Seekvaira" says Alivian leaving the room.
Back in the city, Elizabeth and Quicksilver are looking around the market in search for something that might catch their attention, or at least Elizabeth's attention. Mercurius has been silent since Elizabeth's threat and decided to quietly follow the attendant. 'Should I buy something for Makoto?' thinks the Elizabeth looking at the many stalls around. 'Oh, beverages!' Elizabeth's eyes shine at the sight of a stall selling various types of canned drinks made by the fruits harvested in the fields around Auros. 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight. Eight different types of beverages' counts the woman lost in her thoughts. 'Now that I think about it I didn't ask Serafall what currency devils use. Fine by me, good old gold will always work. Should I buy one of each? No I will go with two of each, one for me and one for Makoto' she nods her head satisfied of her decision.
The woman's gaze then stops on Quicksilver, the god-bird freezes. "Do you want some wheat grains Quicksilver?" says Elizabeth teasing the roman god. Mercurius puffs out his rooster chest and crows in confirmation. Elizabeth looks surprised at his reaction, she really didn't expect this. "I will think about it" she says turning to the vendor of beverages.
"Good day sir, how much do you desire for two cans of each of the drinks you sell here?" asks Elizabeth to the stall owner. "Two of each? Twenty luciferings, do you desire a ba-", the vendor stops, his mouth wife open in astonishment, as he sees Elizabeth putting a whole lingot of pure gold long almost half a meter on his table. Everyone around Elizabeth looks at her dumbfounded. "Is there a problem, you don't accept gold here?" asks the attendant. "No, no here are your drinks. Enjoy and come back soon" quickly says smiling the shopkeeper giving Elizabeth the cans inside a bag. "Thanks" she says.
Alivian was once again walking around Auros Square in search of that woman, Elizabeth, when he hears a group of people shouting vigorously in the market as many guards try to calm down the mass. 'What is it again?' he asks himself as he runs towards the origin of the uproar. "What is happening?" he asks the first guard he sees who immediately recognizes him. "Lord Alivian, people started to fight over a lingot of gold, someone used it to pay one of the merchants" explains the guard. 'Paying with a lingot of gold? Is someone here asking to be robbed?'. Fortunately for him the situation is soon fixed up, as no one gets hurt, with the guards scolding the people for fighting over a lingot of gold. After all they were devils, it was hard to resist greed, but still not impossible. They weren't monsters, or at least not all of them.
Between the crowd Alivian manages to see the same woman clothed in blue with a bag of goods in her hand and her familiar following close behind. 'Here she is, if I am quick enough I can catch up on her' thinks Alivian as he make his way through the crowd too.
"I think this is enough for today Quicksilver, let's head back home" proposes Elizabeth trying to find an empty alley to summon the door of the Velvet Room. "Elizabeth you just paid with a lingot of gold, going there is straight up stupid. We're also being followd by at least six devils" says Quicksilver. "And? We are just going home" replies Elizabeth uncaring about their pursuers. "Are you really that naïve attendant?" rhetorically asks Mercurius, knowing too well the answer is yes.
Quicksilver and Elizabeth are indeed being followed and not only by Alivian, who's trying his best to catch up on her without causing too much problem. 'This woman is a magnet for troubles, first those two poachers wannabe, now these five. Or this woman attracts all the criminals in town, or this town is the problem' thinks Alivian not believing what he witnessed today, not one, but probably two crimes. He better fly to catch them if the things get harder.
Elizabeth arrived in a hidden dead ended alley far from sight or so she thought when five devils show up on the other side of the alley. "Well, well, well. Who we have here? a rich girl with so much money to spend she used an entire lingot of gold for some pieces of tin with some liquid inside" mocks one of them. "Who do you think you are? A noble from the Pillars? Sit down and learn your place!" shouts another. "And while you are at it give us your gold" says a third one.
'This isn't going to end well, when we'll get back I'll tell the Universe to teach his attendant the rules of a working society' whines Mercurous regretting his decision to bring Elizabeth here. "Oh is this what they call a robbery?" asks amused Elizabeth which only angers the five devils even more. "Makoto watched a TV show, it was called Phoenix Ranger Featherman R if I'm right, they people like you so if I beat you I guess I'm to be considered a hero too?".
"What are you blabbing about for Satan!?" shout in unison the devils as they get closer to Elizabeth. "Oh is that a magic book? Like you could use it, ah give it to us and no one will get hurt". Elizabeth frowns as she grabs the Persona Compendium. "How you dare..." she whispers caressing the cover of the book. Mercurius immediately turns towards Elizabeth looking at the woman opening the Compendium. A bad, bad feeling overwhelming him. "No! Attendant don't do it please!" shouts the rooster. "You call yourselves devils? Let's see how you behave against a real one. Beelzebub!" says Elizabeth, her eyes shine with bright light and the summoning of the Ultimate Persona of the Devil Arcana begins.
However, before anyone can do anything Mercurius shifts into his original form and spins the Caduceus teleporting himself, Beelzebub and Elizabeth back to Tartarus.
04/16/2012, Tartarus, Afternoon.
As soon as they are back in Tartarus Beelzebub vanishes leaving only Mercurius and Elizabeth. "Why did you stop me?" asks the Attendant frowning. "Are you serious!? You were about to wipe out that city Attendant!" shouts Mercurius. "Yeah, I took it personally, they overstepped their boundaries..." replies Elizabeth, feeling a hint of guilt.
The door connecting Tartarus to the Velvet Room is opened, Ryoji appears from the looming shadows created by Tartarus' architecture in front of Elizabeth. "Attendant!? What happened? Makoto felt Beelzebub being called and we hurried back!" shouts Death. "Liz!" as soon as Elizabeth hears Makoto's voice every hint of guilt disappears leaving only her usual playful face. "Ehy Makoto I bought this for you. Here take" she says happily offering the blue-haired boy the bag containing the cans.
"Thanks?" says Makoto confused by Elizabeth's behaviour. "Attendant what happened?" asks Ryoji. "Nothing, we just wanted to go back home" dismisses the question Elizabeth. Mercurius is about to say something, but a glare from Elizabeth shuts him.
"Makoto do you want to go eat somewhere together this evening?" asks Elizabeth like nothing happened at all. Makoto is sure something happened, but he trusts Elizabeth enough to let it go. "Sure" he answers. Ryoji too wants to ask some more questions, but he has other thigs to think about. Namely how he can help Gremory.
Today the devil heiress revealed to him she is in a forced engagement and her only way out is by winning a fight, a Rating Game as she called ot. 'The Attendant is keeping her secrets, the same as me. Gremory is Makoto's Priestess, but she herself said she didn't want to involve him. Neither do I, he has too much weight on his shoulders' thinks Ryoji looking at Elizabeth who looks back at him. they share a look for a mere second, but that look says much. Ryoji doesn't know what Elizabeth done, they are hiding things from Makoto for his own sake. The boy has too much things he has to think about, he's the only one able to defeat an existential threat suchs as Nyarlathotep. That is enough for a seventeen years old boy.
04/16/2012, Lilith, Late Afternoon.
"Are you really telling me Elizabeth almost caused the worst incident in the recent history of the Underworld just for five criminals who were quickly arrested by the Heiress Agares' queen!?" asks flabbergasted Sirzechs Lucifer to his colleague Serafall inside his office in the capital of the Underworld, Lilith.
"Yeah... I know, what should we do?" asks Serafall exhausted. "Simple, nothing. You said it yourself Sirzechs, all is well what ends well. We are up against forces far beyond our strength, you don't want to admit it, but it's the truth. Even the two of us are not strong enough. However, the only witness to what happened today in Auros is Alivian, who quickly accepted to not say anything not even to his king. A remarkable feat indeed we should be grateful it was him who was there" says Ajuka, once again the voice of reason between the four Satans.
"I agree with Ajuka" yawns Falbium, already starting to forget this matter. "From what your siblings reported a new shadow, Shadow Izanami managed to defeat the goddess Inari with one single hit. I think we can sacrifice five unknown criminals for this" says Falbium before going back to sleep. The four Satans come to a decision, they will just cover up this matter, after all they have done worse during their time as the rulers of the devil race. This will just be normal routine for them.
"Let's talk about something else. Serafall how is the dialogue with the Fallen Angels going?" asks Sirzechs changing topic. "It's going quite well, the only problem is the cadre Kokabiel. From what Azazel told me he is the only cadre who doesn't know about Mako's existence" says Serafall. "Why's that?" Ajuka carefully listens to the Foreign Affair Satan. "He suspects Kokabiel might betray Grigori sooner or later. Other than that, I think Azazel is using Mako's identity as the Messiah to mend the relationship between Grigori and Heaven" explains the former Sitri heiress darkening the mood inside the room.
"I don't like this, if Makoto Yuki can really reverse the fall of the members of Grigori it could lead to a union woth Heaven. Leaving us behind and vulnerable" grimaces Sirzechs. "We would lose our only advantage. Numbers thanks to the Evil Pieces" adds Ajuka. The three awake Satans come to the conclusion that as long as Makoto will be present war will not ignite. Still, there is something that haunts their minds. If Makoto fails, Nyarlathotep is gonna bring an age of suffering and desperation with no one able to fight back. If Makoto succeeds and goes back to his original world they risk a war against the united Heaven and Grigori, back together almost like the fall never happened. Silence falls on the room, only the snoring of Falbium breaking it.
"Ehy Zechs... is Rias marriage with Riser Phenex still a thing?" asks Serafall to her red friend and colleague wanting to talk about something else. "Unfortunately yes, haven't you seen it? Father and Lord Phenex are advertising it throughout all of the Underworld" whines the red Satan. "I've been too busy with work I didn't see anything" answers Serafall.