Gluttony Blossoms I

Notes:

And for this time, we have a smooth ride to our next destination... In that there aren't any giant battles or natural disasters. It's character development, not padding, we swear!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes)

As everyone was about to call it a night, Maria decided to take a shower. Lucifer just so happened thought it was the perfect time to focus on their next item: The Flower of Temperantia. Beelzebub was by fire the least hardened of the group with her only real battle prowess being her cutlery.

Once she was cleaned off, Maria used the steamy shower to repeat her meditation from Pandemonium, every inch of her skin caressed by the warm water helping her enter that tranquil state. Soon her body was bathed in gold and her mind was flooded with images until more and more green came into view. Soon she saw a verdant mountain with orchids all around.

"The Garden of the Sleeping Giant in Fiji!" she exclaimed to no one. That awkwardness didn't stop her from getting herself dressed and rushing out to tell everyone the news. Only two seemed to have any real reaction. Beelzebub wasn't sure if her being second in line for an upgrade was exciting or offensive. As for Leviathan…

"WOOHOO! YES! ME AND LUCY-POO GOING TO FIJI! YEA-AH! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO!"

"Have you now?" Lucifer asked.

"Yeah! When I studied marine biology, I learned about the Great Sea Reef, one of the most gorgeous places in the ocean. I hoped to go there someday. AND NOW I CAN!"

Impressed at Levi's optimism, the prideful leader decided to throw her a bone.

"Well, in that case go ahead and take the day off to see these reefs… ONLY if you agree to practice those new powers underwater as well."

"Oh, thank you, thank you! I promise I won't let you down!" Levi squealed, squeezing her idol's side before running off. Lucifer chuckled to herself before turning her attention back to Beelzebub staring back at her with innocent curiosity.

"Alright Bub, here's the gist about this Flower. You aren't going to like this. This planet is quite beautiful and edible so when you get to this garden, you'll have to eat it."

Beelzebub lit up a little hearing that, until Lucifer continued. "Because this flower represents the virtue of Temperance, it has the power to make you never crave food again as it grants you power. Best case scenario: your appetite takes a major drop. Worst case: you'll never want to eat again."

That made Beelzebub's innards twist into knots and then shatter like glass as the world froze around her. "Wh-What?"

"I tried to warn you… Listen, don't freak out just yet. That's only a possibility. Focus on getting the flower now and we'll handle your diet later.

As much as Lucifer tried to assure the youngest demon, Beelzebub could feel herself zoning out What good would all that power do if she couldn't eat her precious meat?

Lucifer then planted a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Bub, I never said all food is going to disappear from the planet. You'll just have to make do with less, that's all. Besides, do you want to disobey a direct order?"

Beelzebub shook her head, refusing to break no matter how much going hungry the rest of her endless life scared her. She just nodded as Lucifer dismissed her and both went back to their rooms.

The next morning, Lucifer and her posse said their goodbyes to Legazpi, and took off on their private jet for Nadi Airport in Fiji, the closest landing zone to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant.

With several hours to kill, everyone was left to their own devices. Satan was dismissed briefly to check on the Hell's gates. Lucifer and Mammon busied themselves with a game of chess, a rare chance for the enterprising blondes to unwind. Speaking of which, Belphegor and Salem were still winded from their ordeal at the volcano so both of them used the opportunity to sleep in the comfy reclining seats. Asmodeus had excused herself to a backroom to indulge in a new adult film she had purchased while playing tourist. Leviathan was still working on and exploring her new powers, Behemoth acting as the audience and her enjoying his company for a change.

Beelzebub, deciding to take advantage of her free time and incoming diet, hit the snack bar and started relaying orders for everything from roasted peanuts with chocolate lava cakes and everything in between. This left Maria some rare alone time to check her phone, perusing through the photos she had taken of her and her new demonic group. As she went backwards into her first excursion with Lucifer and Levi, a sudden thought hit her.

When was the last time she contacted Mina?

A pang of guilt hit her hard, her fingers shuffling to find her old friend's number. She hoped Mina wouldn't resent her for this. Her heart thumped away until a silky voice answered.

"Maria? Is that really you?"

"Mina! Oh my gosh, it's so great to hear you again!"

"Same here! Like, where have you been? Everyone at the school has been worried about you. I haven't heard from you since that freaky sinkhole appeared at the church."

Maria had to hold back a flinch. That was months ago and she's kept Mina in the dark the entire time. And it's not like Maria could exactly explain everything about angels and demons…

"Mina, I'm so sorry for ghosting you like that…" As much as she hated having to tell white lies, she had to come up with something more probable than her misadventures with Lucifer.

"After the incident, I started questioning some things so I thought a break from my studies would help. I ended up meeting this woman, Lucy, who's part of this traveling theater troupe and claimed she could open my eyes."

On the other end, Mina smirked mischievously. "So, she was quite enlightening… In the bedroom?"

Maria's blush could've made a tomato jealous. "Wh- wh-what?! No! That's not what I meant!"

"O-hoh, man! Relax, Maria, I'm just giving you shit. That's cool to hear, though. A traveling thespian, huh? Has she taken you anywhere?"

"Yeah, I've been to a lot of places with her! We went to America a couple times, Paris and even London! And we just left The Philippines."

"Damn, you go girl. Now I get why you've been gone for so long. This Lucy must've been pretty generous to fly you all around the world like that."

"Well, her lifestyle and rules took some getting used to but it all worked out in the end. What about you?"

"I actually met someone too, name's Tanya. I know what you're thinking and while I've usually got my eyes set on guys, this girl is just that exceptionally hot! So, I got the courage to ask her out and we've been doing it ever since."

Given how forward Mina was with her derriere, Maria wasn't surprised that her friend turned out to be bisexual. "Mina, that's great! I hope I can meet her sometime."

"Sure! You should meet her friends too. Quite a few of them are guys and they're actually cool. And with you gone, they've been fun to talk and hang out with."

Maria frowned at that reminder. "I mean you didn't do anything wrong. I was just saying, it's good to have friends, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. These troupe performers took some getting used to, but lately they've become my friends… Maybe even my new family."

A brief pause followed that. "Wow… Maria, that's really deep. I'm happy you're in a good place with them. Can I meet them sometime?"

"I don't think so. They're not very fond of visitors and very busy, so they wouldn't have the time. We're actually heading to Fiji for another show right now."

"Man, that's a hectic lifestyle! Don't be a stranger, Maria. Come visit me, Tanya and the boys sometime. It's given me something to do since our studies have gotten boring."

Maria had to bite her tongue. If only Mina knew the things that were delaying her studies…

"Sure Mina, I promise I'll keep in touch with you more! It was great catching up."

"Definitely! Have fun in Fiji, Maria!"

"I will. Bye!"

With that, the two friends hung up. At least Mina didn't resent her silence. A somber mood set over her as she remembered what she said about family, breaking even the flirty girl's mojo. Now that her conscience was clear, Maria was free to look over at the snack bar and promptly do a double take.

The little horned girl was still at her seat devouring several smorgasbords worth of grub. Lining every inch of the bar were boxes of snack cakes, crown roasts of lamb

Unlike the previous times Beelzebub seemed to be scarfing down the food so quickly that she couldn't savor or enjoy it. Maria nervously chuckled at how gluttonous this was even for her and something told her she needed to step in.

"Hey, Bub… That's a lot of food… Are you sure you'll eat all that on your own?"

Beelzebub glanced behind her, almost looking offended that someone would interrupt her only to recognize Maria and wave to the seat next to her. The schoolgirl helped herself to a kebab while Beelzebub started wolfing down a platter filled with bacon.

"Careful, you might choke before we get to Fiji."

"I know, but I need all the food I can get before it's gone forever."

"We still have hours to spare. We could take our time and enjoy this meal together?"

Beelzebub, a strip of pork dangling out of her mouth, replied with a resounding "Mmmmhmm."

The next few minutes were the two eating together in bliss, Beelzebub devouring the rest of the bacon followed by a pink frosted donut, eggs benedict and moving on to a Reuben sandwich. Maria was still preoccupied with the kebabs as she ate the savory beef much slower, her mind ruminating on how to get to the littlest demon's troubles.

Figuring now was as good as ever, with her having just finished her corned beef delicacy, Maria spoke.

"Bub, have you ever felt like you're just a bit part in a much bigger story? Like, you wonder why you're even a part of it?"

"I feel like that all the time!" she blurted instantly, "I mean, look at me! I don't even feel like I belong with the other Sins! They attract followers because they're gorgeous and can seduce people! I attract followers because I'm cute and I just wanna eat food with them! But I can hardly 'attract' anyone because I look like a tween... And that's exactly how the other Sins feel, too!"

Maria raised any eyebrow as Beelzebub continued.

"They only see me as their little sister or even their daughter. And I love them, I really do, but it would be nice to not have them constantly look down on me and be something more… I wish I could be sexy if I wanted."

Maria couldn't comment on that. She couldn't imagine a "sexy" Beelzebub and most certainly didn't want to, but this was a very real issue to her.

"The other Sins and you all have this power that I never will, even with Lucifer's heart inside me. I was just a regular girl before she brought me into this, and most of the time I have to be the damsel needing to be saved. At least you're a bigger player in this than me…"]

As Beelzebub munched on her mutton while Maria talked about how her fate, the demoness silently remembered how becoming the Sin of Gluttony was a surprise to her too, though she pushed those memories away. It was definitely a strange thing to have in common but it gave both something to smile about.

Nearby, Leviathan decided she had done enough training and a small bit of relaxation was in order. A hot shower sounded terrific right now so she slipped into the bathroom. She stepped in, expecting the glass shower stall to be free. It certainly was but the room itself was occupied by Salem… Sleeping on the floor with his arms crossed over his chest like he was impersonating Dracula.

A vein throbbed on her forehead for a bit before screeching "What the hell are you doing sleeping on the bathroom floor, asshole?!"

He awoke instantly, grumbling as he registered that he indeed wasn't in his chair. He didn't sleepwalk, at least before his life took a turn for the demonic. It wouldn't even fit for any of the other Sins to do this without a good punchline.

"Honestly, no clue. I'm more wondering how it smells so nice in here…"

"Oh, don't feed that load of crap! I know you're in here waiting to perv on Lucifer and you dozed off! Asmodeus told me you had the hots for her."

Salem felt like he was being pinned to the wall with Levi's accusations. Any rational person would think something fishy was going on.

"Listen to me, Van Gogh, the only one who gets to look at Lucifer like that is me! Capiche?!"

"Oh wait, this isn't a rational person, it's Leviathan…" he thought, now thoroughly annoyed.

"First off, call me a liar all you want but I am stumped as to how I got her. Second off, I have ways of getting my jollies off that don't involve being a voyeuristic creep! And as if I would do that Lucifer, a woman who could easily rip out my small intestine and use it as a jump rope! And third, what infernal force decided that you and only you get to look at Lucifer!? Asmodeus and Maria are either around her more or more likely to make a move and you aren't barking up their trees!"

Leviathan stumbled back like Salem's sass had slapped her across the face. No matter how uppity she got with Maria, she barely heard a word of backtalk. Salem took this has his cue to leave before he got on the purplette's bad side even more.

As soon as he left, Levi groaned. "So I finally made nice with Maria and now some artsy-fartsy dude with a kink for blondes to compete with?! Who have I pissed off to deserve this?!"

That left Salem with the need to avoid Levi the rest of the trip. The young artist set his eyes on Beelzebub and Maria chatting it up at a table already packed with food as more waiters came in. Better company and a good meal. How could he refuse?

"Hey girls, is it alright if I join you?"

Neither of them saw any problem and happily invited him over as he set his eyes on the fresh Belgian waffles, Beelzebub passing a plate to him once he sat down.

As Salem looked at the two young ladies enjoying their respective food, a quick glance at both of their faces set something off. They both had green eyes and shared a refreshing youthful innocence about them made even more obvious by a similar facial structure. Despite Beelzebub's obvious demonic traits, the artist was fishing for the ideas swimming around in his head.

They quickly got confused by the odd smile on his face so Salem asked "Has anyone ever told you that you two could pass for sisters, at least facially?"

Bub and Maria looked at each other. They could see it a touch but they wouldn't call it a resemblance.

"Come on, you may not be able to see it, but I can. So, how would you two like to be the basis for my next painting?"

That took both ladies by surprise. Neither of them had been offered something like that before. And yet they were curious to see more of Salem's talents, plus it was just so flattering. They both smiled, nodding at him.

"Great! And by the way Maria don't worry this won't be anything lewd, to be honest I think it's cool I get to branch out and draw something tamer."

While Beelzebub felt a twinge in her stomach at that, she knew he had a point and that Maria would welcome the change.

"Alright! Let me go get my things and we'll get to work!"

Only a minute later and he was equipped with his canvas and paint, he then instructed the two on how to pose. Maria was to give a look of pure horror while Beelzebub was to be innocently confused, wide eyes and all. With his work already finished in his mind, his brushes streaked paint in their wake with brown and black to form the background before moving onto paint his models.

Several minutes later, Salem was finally ready to show both of them his finished work. The instant they saw it, they both gasped.

The schoolgirl and the demoness were painted in a gothic twilight where Maria, dressed in a black Victorian hood, gaped in terror with her hands held up to her cheeks at the younger girl in front of her. Said girl was dressed in the same gloomy fashion only her clothes were rife with tears. Bat wings had sprouted from her back, a hardened horn stuck out from her forehead while her expression was more confused… And completely at odds by the crimson ring lining her mouth. The newly demonic girl had holding a hog's heart, a noticeable chink having been ripped out of the organ, like she was caught stealing cookies and not performing a hellish ritual.

The two ladies were astounded at the atmosphere of the painting. Maria was a tad disturbed by the gore and barbarism of the younger girl's actions. The technique was still impeccable and she was flattered by how well Salem got her likeness. Beelzebub barely noticed the blood, instead appreciating how she wasn't portrayed as a vicious monster.

They noticed Salem glancing back and forth from them to the painting, clearly waiting for an opinion. While it looked nice, they guessed there was a deeper meaning and began working through the story on display.

A pair of sisters in a gloomy world, living in the conformity this era called perfection, until the younger sister shed this society's cloak and embraced freedom. Whether that demonic form was her true self or a recent change was up in the air. Either way it left the older sister in shock and horror, baffled at her sibling's sudden change while the carnivorous child was wondering what the problem was.

"Wow Salem, that's so intense and deep." Maria complimented.

"Thanks! You may not see the resemblance, but my mind just gets stuck on ideas like this."

Beelzebub was still engrossed in this painting, gazing at the young girl that bore her likeness, bringing a finger up to the bloodied cheek on canvas.

"Salem? I know this is your painting, but can I have this?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

"So, am I going to look for the Flower of Temperantia myself?"

Satan answered that one immediately. "Absolutely not, I forbid it! The forest is not a safe place for those with loli looks. You know the kind of FREAKS out there who drool all over you!"

The entire crew slowly turned their gaze at a particular direction, differing levels of distaste on their faces going from contempt to suspicion to disappointment. The strongest of these was Satan, looking ready to gut the first lech that dared look at Beelzebub that way.

Soon their private plane was approaching Nadi Airport, Lucifer having continued her game of chess even as Mammon lobbed multiple accusations of her boss cheating. She decided to humor her subordinate by stalling the game until the last minute and not claiming several checkmates. Both blondes conceded and cheekily agreed there'd be more games in the future.

As their pilot let them know they would be landing soon, Lucifer moved to the front of the plane. Everyone else was seated barring Satan who had already left for guard duty. Beelzebub's table was now cluttered with stacks of dishes from her indulgent meal and yet the demoness was making several to-go orders.

"Here's hoping you don't need a stomach pump in your mission, Bub…" Lucifer thought with a smirk before shuddering. That hellhole of a hospital… The single humiliating moment was when Belial managed to stick her hand up Lucifer's derriere.

At least now the vainglorious demon gotten her comeuppance, forced to live with the same humans she despised.

"What are those two up to nowadays? Hmmmm…"

She could worry about those two later. Right now, she had bigger concerns: Bub's mission and her insecurities, Salem's training and the mission at large. With Satan absent, the young man needed a teacher…

"Levi!"

The purplette cuddling Behemoth with an anticipatory smile, looked up at her idol. "Yeah?"

"Salem's going with you to the reef."

"WHAT?!" Both Leviathan and Salem exclaimed, the latter doing a spit take.

"He still needs training and Satan's not here. Besides, you need to practice your new abilities. You'll still see that Reef and whatever else you want, but my point still stands."

Leviathan and Salem both looked at each other, an awkward tension as they both wondered. But they had no choice but to go forward as the plane started to descend.

One breezing through security later, the octet now stood in awe of the natural splendor of Fiji.
Clear blue skies, tropical humidity, even cleaner air than Legazpi, and the fragrance of a bevy of flowers marked their destination.

As they headed towards the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, some couldn't help but wonder where the name came from. Maria instantly did an internet search for the answer.

"According to this article, the Sleeping Giant is actually the mountain itself which was named after a legend about a giant that feasted on the locals here and fell asleep with a full stomach."

Her eyes widened at what she just read, especially given the supernatural company she kept these days. This giant could very well be real!

Lucifer, however, laughed out loud to herself. Beelzebub was giggling, both demons' thinking the same thing. Their comrades were either bewildered or smirking at that thought.

"Sounds like this giant was quite the glutton…"

"At least he's pretty now…" Beelzebub added as she giggled, taking a bite of lamb stew.

The chatter was interrupted by the sound of scribbling. They turned to Salem, popping up from out of nowhere once more, his hand a blur working away at his sketchbook. He only noticed them staring several seconds later.

"What? I couldn't help myself… I bet it looked something like this!"

He flipped the sketchbook around to reveal a 50-story tall man with tangled branches and deep moss adorning his rugged skin that resembled bark. A blading figure whose only hair was a bush like beard with an expression of indifference as he effortlessly threw a couple of ancient tribal natives into his gargantuan mouth. Yet despite its ferocious hunger on display, the giant somehow came off not as a mindless beast, but a creature just trying to survive.

The observing ladies were once again transfixed with his impressive artistry and that this was the first undemonic thing he drew for them.

"An artist has to branch out sometimes, you know? I'll work more on this later."

For now, however, Leviathan, Behemoth and Salem had to be off with Lucifer bidding them good luck and to have fun sightseeing. Leviathan grabbed Salem's arm and teleported off with him to a nearby beach. Lucifer and the others headed off into the town of Nadi to get some directions.

While the beach was pristine, the same couldn't be said for Levi and Salem's demeanor. Sure, they would be touring some of the most scenic reefs but with the current company…

Regardless of that, they had a once in a lifetime opportunity and reef diving meant swimsuits. Behemoth simply waited by the water as they changed in nearby stalls. Salem brought his own, making the others cringe at the thought. He stepped out wearing a black and white striped two-piece that wouldn't be out of place in an old-timey photo. He then waited for Leviathan only to be stopped dead.

Leviathan emerged wearing a mermaid swimsuit complete with a tail only yellow top barely covered her chest, and a violet bottom that was riding up her ample rear.

For all his gentlemanly qualities, Salem was still a man before a very buxom girl showing off almost her entire body. His hands moved to hide his growing desire. Unfortunately, Levi caught that.

"So, you gonna ogle my ass all day or are you ready to go swimming, perv?"

Salem laughed a little too loud to be natural. "Swimming of course!"

And then they were off, all three running into the ocean before diving beneath the crystal blue water until they skirted the ocean floor. Salem's worries about drowning were unfounded as Leviathan summoned a bubble mask around his head while leading him towards the reefs.

Notes:

So, a tropical island with a magic flower to find AND a subplot involving Levi and the last man she wants to be with! It might just make her miss the volcano...
Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to leave questions or comments below.