My beautiful car Beaue is finally getting retired after two wonderful years of service. :( It was the first cash car I ever owned, a yellow 2013 Chevy Spark. Beau means beauty in French and "Bowie" is a cute name. And so, "Beaue" was their name! He is such a trooper, having survived for over 160,000 miles on a dying transmission. I'm replacing her with a much newer, nicer 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage. So far, Beaue II needs an inspection, oil and brake service, and a generous wash inside and out. I'm so excited for my journey with Beaue II.
Ḷöṅġ Ḷïṿë Ḅëäüë
You will be missed, my genderfluid angel.
— ML
Angelic: It's just a car. You knew it had problems.
Nothing could've prepared me for the week I've had!!
Angelic: Ignoring that check engine light for a year might've prepared you.
But...
Chapter 23: Listen To Me
24 March X792, 7:43 p.m.
(the following writing is a little bit rushed and sloppy)
Kyôka. I won't bother with proper formatting for notes. Jerza, Lady Mephistopheles, Mrs. Dragneel, Sir James, and Lady Penelope watch over us through hidden security cameras. No idea what they look like. Mollison was a spy, transferred to another prison. She could've dismantled us easily, but I scared that traitor into silence.
Jackal is a celestial wizard. A lacrima was implanted into his bloodstream, full of celestial magic taken from 17 spirits. That kind of power shouldn't be possible. Something must have happened to the Celestial King, assuming there is only one. Now I understand why his personality stopped making sense after solitary confinement. We have a lot to discuss once he shows his face again. If...
Angelic confuses me. She befriended us, listened to our stories, and wrote about our lives as if we were characters in a terrible novel. She gave us important books we cannot share with anyone, gained our trust, and then vanished without a trace. I don't remember a single thing we did together. I finally figured out where she went. Those who keep us locked away use Angelic's abilities. I wonder if her history she wrote is actually real. Did she have a family? Is her studious father real? Is she really nothing more than a coward scared to "interfere" with a sacred timeline?
I went to a place called False Line City-Guild. Guilds must be ranked by size in this country. That is a lot more organized mages than I anticipated. I imagine dark guilds also take up just as much space.
At the very top of that city guild is a Central Tower. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to explore anything else. I met a human. She is a nice girl and very annoying. She directed me to this tower, home to the council I observed. Lady Penelope, a Reaoer, knew I was watching the whole time. I'm thankful she spared me from punishment. I don't think I would have gotten this far if she decided to act.
Shura Kirigakure, graduating from False Line Academy in X798
DON'T FORGET TO BE THERE!
"You can turn this into a proper presentation for the others," Kyôka said as she finished her entry. "Don't mention the human girl too much. I don't know if mentioning her name could potentially endanger her. And make sure you ask others about the security. Someone could know a thing or two about these hidden cameras."
After much consideration, Sayla and Kyôka realized that meeting together in groups was too risky with Nina and her company phasing back into the guard population. With those creatures on the outside walls literally looming above inmates, they could be split up indefinitely for any reason.
Sayla had rewritten a simple summary of Kyôka's findings in French. She also planned to present Kyôka's—albeit unorganized—input as well. She carried her journal and the textbook To Summon a Lost Soul in her arms.
The homeless demon departed from her cell after sharing a passionate kiss with her wife. They lingered for a bit, their fingers grazing hair, hips, ass, or waist. Kyôka wanted to pleasure her wife, but they lacked the time for it right now.
"Good luck," the aviary demon whispered, not that Sayla really needed it.
First, she presented her case to Naomi and Lorenzo, who happened to be cellmates. Sayla kept her eyes anywhere but Lorenzo's face. His uncanny resemblance to Elfman made her too nervous sometimes. Naomi took her words at face value, with some questioning from her cellmate. After some explaining of the plot holes, they understood.
Next was Elfine. She believed almost every word of it. The elf knew relics as strange as a celestial lacrima were possible with enough corrupt and taboo practices.
After that, Tempesta and Lamy, who were currently eating breakfast in the cafeteria. They (mostly Lamy) were so overjoyed to know that Jackal was okay. Tempesta focused more on alchemy and the fact that Kyôka actually spoke to a human child of all creatures.
He pulled Kyôka into a firm yet gentle hug. They finally had their alchemist! The aviary demon gave a light flick to his forehead with a soft chuckle.
Lamy's "heart" blossomed. Her man was so cute, giving hugs out with so much happiness. The excitement was nonchalant on his face, but she knew he was probably jumping around in triumph at a completed search.
"Don't get too excited yet. I still have to actually learn this power. For now, I'm telling our inner circle first," Kyôka said.
"That's great, Koko! We're finally a step closer to getting out of here!" the bunny demon squealed.
"Go ahead and keep telling. We won't stop you too long with questions," Tempesta stepped back from his guildmate. She left with a wave and her notebook.
Once she was out of earshot, they exchanged looks. "She hates kids, but she bothered to memorize her name and the general date of some special occasion?" the male demon asked with a finger and thumb on his chin.
"Who cares? Jackal doesn't have a personality disorder!" Lamy announced with glee. Some folks gave her strange looks while others got up to distance themselves. Typical; no one wanted to witness a scene of any kind right now.
"How are you going to convince Bird?" Tempesta inquired in a lowered voice.
"He's a total bummer! And I think he's been avoiding our mapping task," Lamy added in a low growl. Sayla shook her head with a long sigh. Honestly, she was not surprised.
Tempesta offered her a boiled egg. The yolk was reddish-orange. "Are you eating breakfast? They served coffee, eggs, and toast."
"No, I'm not hungry."
She looked across the cafeteria, spotting Bird with a tray. Tempesta and Lamy also took notice as the bowl-cut demon walked around, slowly adding eggs to his once empty tray. Bird eventually walked up to the trio with a puzzled look on his face.
"What are you staring at?"
"Nothing, Birdie!" Lamy smiled sweetly. He glared at the casual nickname drop. Tempesta chuckled lightly.
"Bird, we need to talk in private," Sayla declared.
"About?" the male demon questioned with an arched brow.
"Lead me to your cell, and I will tell you."
He rolled his eyes, turned on his heel, and walked with Sayla close behind.
The hornless demon followed Bird to his cell in the old first-floor humans unit. The male demon was already annoyed that his breakfast of coffee and boiled eggs was disrupted by her urgency for a chat. He pushed his door open, going straight to bed for a proper seat.
She looked around Bird's cell. He had a big window just like Lamy's old cell from the second floor. Unfortunately, his window was bricked up on the outside. Bird's sheets were newly replaced, noted by the lack of old stains, holes, and other signs of use. His one pillowcase had two pillows stuffed inside it for a solid headrest. The second bed frame that would have been across from him was disassembled and stored underneath his bed.
"How did you do that?" she asked, pointing to the disassembled pieces on the floor.
"I stole a hex key to make more space," he replied, mildly proud of his spacious little cell.
"Oh, I had no idea they could be taken apart so easily."
She looked over at his breakfast tray. He had managed to take seven boiled eggs from inmates who didn't want their eggs. Bird always took scraps from others that eventually added up to a decent meal with three servings of whatever decent drink inmates got to have. Sayla always wondered how some inmates managed to stay in shape. Stealing, scrapping, or trading was the best way, she supposed.
"It would be nice if I could have a mixed drink every once in a while," Sayla sighed as she leaned against the opposite wall.
"The old prison I was at before this one served alcohol only on rare, special occasions. But then, some dumbass got too drunk and started a fight," Bird conversed. He cracked and peeled the first egg, popping it into his mouth. "It waf meffy."
"Something like that happened on New Year's Day too," Sayla replied with a frown. From experience, humans ruined everything nice.
Saint Patrick's Day and all other holidays that involved alcohol consumption were banned due to an unmentioned ruckus in January. Bummer.
Sayla looked up at the ceiling when a single light glowed behind a protective cage. Light in the cell was definitely a peculiar sight. Nothing decorated Bird's walls.
A few months in the past, when humans were still around to share their crafts, Kyôka used to hand out handmade crochet projects: little colorful banners, mini tapestries, coasters, hats, and even door decorations. She only ever made one sweater, which was tragically torn up in a fight. She loved her crafting. But that too had to end once her supplies were made scarce. Greg had to stop contributing when more restrictions were placed on the mystery imports.
"You wanted to talk, right? I'm waiting," Bird deadpanned. Sayla brought her attention back to the task at hand with a glance.
"Right. One sec."
She placed her book on the floor and opened her journal, having already rehearsed and presented her piece to Izumi, Wendell, Lamy, and Naomi. Kyôka was responsible for Elfine, Tempesta, Lorenzo, and anyone else who might need to know.
"Now, before I begin, I must warn you that what I'm about to say will probably sound like a load of nonsense to you."
"That's about 80% of anything that comes out of your mouth," Bird smirked. "Lay on the fairytales, Worm."
"That nickname is not for your impolite mouth," she glared at him.
"What? It's almost as funny as your level of delusions."
She flared her nostrils in frustration, relaxing her shoulders. We can't get off topic with bickering. Just get into it.
"Do you remember Tempesta mentioning an alchemist?" Sayla asked to steer them back to the subject.
"How could I forget? I hear about that and the rest of the gossip all the time now," he answered. "Why? Did he finally give up on the impossible?"
"No, we found her. It's Kyôka."
Bird stared at her for a moment. Then came the doubtful look in his eyes as he sipped his black coffee. Sayla frowned at his dismissiveness.
"I don't care if you doubt me, Bird. It is true. And I have more."
"Oh, yeah? What else?"
"Kyôka and I were given new study material from Angelic. This book." She paused to pick up the book and handed it to him. He set his coffee aside as he wiped his other egg-eating hand on a towel. He flipped the page open to a thin bookmark on the astral projecting section.
"It appeared in our cell out of thin air. We used a spell from this very book to send her spirit outside the prison, and it worked. When my wife left her body, she met a creature called Sylvester. Angelic wrote to me briefly that he would show her the way, and he did."
Bird flipped through the pages, skimming lines here and there. He flipped to the last page, 312, and the rest was reference material, an index, a glossary, and notes from the author, Adrien Dragneel. His eyes bulged at that name. He looked at Sayla in bewilderment, then back at that name.
The hornless demon tilted her head to the side in curiosity. Perhaps he is finally seeing my perspective of things...
While Bird read other pages, she turned the page in her notebook to a drawing. She presented her interpretation of Sylvester. His hands and feet each had three sharp fingers and toes. His one eye was drawn with what Sayla assumed those special marks might look like. The spots on his flesh were shaded gray at the forearms and thighs, to black toes and fingertips. Bird inspected the drawing, nodding in approval at her artistic creativity.
"At least some people here know how to draw."
She smiled at the compliment. He rarely gave those out.
"This creature took my wife to a place called False Line City Guild, located far from here in the northwest. She told me the architecture was like a massive collection of buildings on a floating island that overlooks False Line City. Remember, we do not know what any of the cities look like in this world unless someone else were to describe it. Furthermore, Kyôka also described a student that could see her in her spirit form, Shu... The human is not very important right now, however," she muttered, clearing her throat to save face. Phew, that was close.
"Kyôka's search took her to a tower where other folks come together to discuss operations about this very prison. She saw a Jerza, a gentleman named James, a lady called Penelope, and another lady, Mephistopheles. Mrs. Dragneel was also present."
"Black hair, fully black eyes?"
"Yes. Also, Jerza is planning to come and find the alchemist and the prisoner who killed Milford—"
"Wait, Milford is dead? Since when?" Bird blurted in disbelief.
"He's been dead for around two days. According to the five people there, his corpse simply bled out from a puncture wound," Sayla replied. "No struggle, no fingerprints, nothing. Forget about him for now. Jerza, the warden, will be back. We still don't know when, but now we know why Nina and her guards are here."
Bird looked over the front, back, and spine of the hardcover book.
"Mrs. Dragneel, black hair and black eyes... About this missus, she's a pretty infamous Reaper," the bowl-cut demon whispered. "This book you have here? It's extremely rare. So few copies of Adrien's works exist, and yet one casually popped up in your cell of all places."
"I already told you; Angelic provided every single book we own," the Sayla replied smugly. "In case you weren't aware, Adrien Dragneel's name was mentioned in most of our hidden books." Finally, he is taking me seriously!
Bird thought of how strange it was that a single Reaper could grow so fond of six Earthland demons that she willingly gave them rare items from her own collection for the sake of a foolish jailbreak. Either this Reaper and Angelic were massive idiots or a couple of colossal nut jobs.
Hey, that's not very nice. Dragneel is my most reliable source of information on Earthland creatures.
"Alright, Sayla. I give up. I believe you," he grumbled at last, to Sayla's delight. Her calmer expression broke just long enough for that smug smile to widen. He rolled his eyes, chewing his second egg.
"I knew you would. You just needed a proper conversation for your persuasion."
"You've still gotta prove your little curse actually works. I've seen Minerva cut up rocks like paper. I heard about Izumi's sensory link to her son too. That's fascinating and all, but I have doubts about your Marco-whatever curse. You don't do anything with it," he said with suspicion in his eyes.
"I'm getting there, so calm yourself!" Just for that, I'm going to mess with him later.
"Moving on from that, Kyôka found out that our other guildmates—Torafuzar, Keyes, Franmalth, Ezel, Silver, and Mard—are still alive in another world."
"What kind of world?"
"I actually don't know a lot about it. It is a labyrinth planet Angelic's father used to study with many other people. Two of our guildmates sent us a letter that arrived on Christmas. We don't know how it bypassed the guards," Sayla explained. She watched Bird's short-lived acceptance regress right back to total skepticism.
"I wanna see a glimpse of this letter. You have to show me that much."
"Absolutely not! It is carefully hidden for a good reason. If Jerza or Nina found out..." She trailed off, envisioning the worst outcomes possible. Her guildmates on that planet could die. Her guildmates close by could suffer punishment. "They can't find out anything. Besides, none of us know where it is hidden," she shrugged. "You don't have to believe me on that. What matters most is that all of my guildmates are definitely alive. However, Keyes and Franmalth were taken into custody by the Reapers. They plan to make those two into new Reapers. There is nothing we can do about that, sadly."
"Yes, that is true. Once somebody is chosen to replace a Reaper, they stay that way for a long time," Bird said. "I learned about it as a kid. It was supposed to scare us into behaving, but then I knew someone who became a Reaper's apprentice."
"Really? They take apprentices too?"
"Yup. They're essentially a guild, but with a lot more complications and secrecy."
"I see... what will happen to Keyes and Franmalth, then?"
"I have no idea," he replied as a matter of fact.
"How unfortunate; another cliffhanger." Sayla turned the page with a disappointed sigh. "Well, that's not all Kyôka learned. Her alchemy comes from a special jewel she swallowed, one that was divided into a pair of earrings."
"Earrings?" Bird sat up, anticipating another drawn example.
She showed him the drawing in question on the backside of Sylvester's sketch. One sketch was of a jewel identical to the cyclops-gremlin's eyes, and another sketch was of two studs of the same design.
"They, the folks my wife spied on, called it a Sacred Jewel. I suspect that Sylvester is bonded to that jewel, giving the alchemy its power. We don't know exactly how it works, so I really can't prove her alchemy to you yet."
"How convenient," Bird muttered before finishing his first coffee. Sayla decided to let his doubt slide this time. This kind of conversation was so much easier on Earthland, where mysterious things always made sense to the right people.
"One lady in this False Line council described Milford as a messenger for this center of operation. He most likely reported anything and everything we were up to, in addition to the security technology we cannot see. They even showed images and recordings to back up claims they addressed. This base sees and hears everything we do here."
"Heh, that doesn't surprise me," Bird replied nonchalantly. "No one in this day and age would build a prison with nothing but a deadly Thunder Palace for security."
"But we don't know what their spyware looks like."
"Of course not! If we knew what the spyware looked like, we'd eventually figure out how to destroy it!" Bird chuckled. "Did this HQ address why you and your friends are so special?"
"No, but Kyôka thinks there is a larger purpose for our being here. They know everything we do in Tartaros Fairy. They have expectations for all 12 of us. Jackal is a prime example. According to them, he is a celestial wizard," Sayla informed him. She even lowered her voice to create a subtly ominous atmosphere. Storytelling was once her expertise. She couldn't help but let it slip at times. The hornless demon half expected him to show some interest in that.
Bird instead burst with laughter at that statement. Sayla gawked at him, honestly shocked that he would laugh at anything she said. Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment.
"This is serious, Bird! Stop laughing!" Sayla ordered. He coughed a little from cackling. He started on his second cup of coffee to wash the dryness down, then exhaled sharply.
"That nutcase can't possibly be a celestial wizard. They're pretty damn rare as it is!"
"It is possible, you nutbrain. He is plagued by something that was put in his body in October. Jackal suffered from unpredictable mood changes and triggers that seemed to split his personality all the time. His behaviors were so inconsistent with the Jackal we know. And now we know why. Because of one bloody implant, his mind is occupied by 17 spirits fighting for control of one body. It might not make sense to you, but this makes perfect sense to us. You weren't there for most of his struggles, so be quiet!" the female demon sneered. "And don't you dare mock me for trying to understand him!"
He leaned back against his hands, giving a dismissive scoff, head shake, or other mannerisms of his lack of interest. Sayla clenched her fist, itching to punch that look off of his face.
"Oh, give me a break, Worm. I'm trying really hard to believe you!" Bird retorted at last. "The only reason I haven't kicked you out of my cell is because this book—" he said while holding up the aforementioned textbook. "—is from a collection so rare that folks spend millions trying to find them. This, you can't lie about. But celestial spirits implanted in a body? That's bullshit. Anyone with enough knowledge about summoning wizards knows that a celestial spirit can't be trapped outside their world and survive."
Sayla could not think of a proper rebuttal to challenge his response. Of course a spirit eventually died after a prolonged period of time outside their world. No one had ever forced celestial magic down into a condensed lactima form. How could she possibly prove her case?
Well, there's one thing I can prove: my own curse.
"I am sick of your judgment. Give me that!"
The bowl-cut demon gasped when Sayla snatched his half-eaten egg right from his hand, shoving it in her mouth. The hornless demon knew some of his saliva was on that egg. She held her palm out to him as she chewed and swallowed that tiny bit of genetic material. Damn, that egg is delicious.
Bird jumped when a slit in her palm formed, revealing a black demon eye staring back at him. The strange sensation sent a comforting shiver through Sayla's body. It was the closest she'd get to her old Etherius form.
Everyone else believes us but him! I've had it with this nonsense. If anyone's going to put him in his place, it's going to be me.
"Your saliva and my willpower activate my Macro Lilin. Your emotional state is under my control. This is all I can prove right now," Sayla whispered.
For once, he had nothing to say. The words were stuck in his throat like a wad of paper. Cold shivers traveled down his spine with fear. His heart was pounding too hard to focus. The aura radiating off Sayla was intense, unlike anything he had ever seen behind bars or walls.
"A-alright, I get it! S-stop it!" he blubbered out between panicked breaths. He pulled his knees up to his chest, scooting up against the wall when Sayla stepped closer.
She could see the fear in his eyes, unable to look away from such an uncanny sight. It was only natural that his eyes were stuck. She held her hand closer to him as if she could strangle him without touching a hair on his head. The humans she targeted on Earthland always looked that way moments before she brought them down to her feet. The dread on their faces as they killed themselves and the ones they cared about. The pleas for mercy or death. The quivering lip of a grown man looking into life's eyes... She missed this empowering position.
You will listen to me. Cower before me. Obey me!
Sayla bucked at him, balling her demon eye into her fist. Bird flinched hard, shielding his face and torso with his limbs. A feeble whimper escaped his dry lips. When the hell did they get so dry?!
She smirked, relaxing her posture. Bird glared angrily, gritting his teeth. He was furious, and she loved it!
Sayla kept her voice level as she spoke. "Your alleged support for our cause has been rather questionable. With all of the criticism you spew to discourage us from taking risks, I'm not convinced you even respect our cause. Are you with us or against us?"
"I..."
"Answer me!" she growled, causing him to flinch again.
"I... I'm scared," Bird whimpered, forcing every syllable out. Sayla's brows furrowed in a deeper glare. He was afraid?
"Why?"
For good measure, the demon eye perished from her palm. Bird finally relaxed, his chest rising and falling with each shaken breath. He still stayed by the wall, holding his chest. His heart raced like he'd just woken up from a nightmare. That one little eye nearly broke him. How the hell can one eye do that?
"Tell me why you're scared, or I'll use it again," Sayla demanded.
"I'm scared of being killed over this, okay? I regret committing to your suicide mission. There, I said it!" Bird shouted back.
"Tch! That's it? We're all a little bit afraid of death," Sayla remarked.
"Are you kidding me? Your guildmates don't even have hearts, Sayla! How can you possibly fear death when you are basically undead?"
"Well—eh..." Sayla gave up on a comeback and closed her mouth. He had a point, actually. Normal creatures died when their organs developed wrong or were missing entirely. Tartaros Fairy lost important body parts and lived normally.
Lamy has no larynx or most of her tongue and still spoke well. Tempesta could still hear without ears. Sayla also spoke well without a proper tongue. They all could breathe, bleed, feel, and do everything one without a heart shouldn't do. Perhaps death was not the worst thing that could happen to them. Bird's fear was reasonable, as a mortal with everything intact.
Sayla sat on the edge of Bird's bed, facing the wall. This tension left her mildly fatigued. He reached over for his tray of eggs, pulling it away from the demon.
"I am very scared, Bird. I'm scared for Minerva, Jackal, Izumi and her family, my wife, everyone. And because of that, I keep going. We will keep finding ways to fight back until we can leave this place. We have to do it scared, or we'll never be free."
Sayla turned to look at Bird. He hadn't touched his last four eggs yet. He set the tray in his lap, stretching his legs off the side of the bed next to her. He listened, his eyes downcast.
"Angelic has helped us in every way she can. But to be honest, we cannot trust her either. Because of Kyôka's spying, we know that she helps those who are in charge while helping us too. We especially cannot trust that a Reaper will genuinely come to our aid in time. I'm scared of failure because we are relying on totally unpredictable factors. We're... fucked if we quit!" she gnashed in frustration, clenching fistfuls of bedsheets.
"Although I emphasize Tartaros' unique physique and higher purpose in this life, we are still very weak. When I use my demon eye, I can only manipulate one's emotions without actually controlling their body. Tempesta and Lamy have no curse or magic. My wife has no idea how alchemy works, and there is minimal space to practice! Minerva can cut almost anything, yes, but I would never force her to kill for us. I don't think she has the courage to do it. Jackal won't speak to any of us, so I know nothing about his abilities. My ignorance is my ultimate weakness..."
Bird looked up from his tray, silent. He wanted to say something, anything to show that he cared even a little bit. But just minutes ago, he talked so much crap about her and everything she stood for. He did not think she would believe him so soon.
Jesus, this is so awkward. What do I say? Women don't vent to me!
"You know, I felt the weight of a heavy burden on your shoulders. It was so alien carrying something I could not perceive with my normal eyes," she said with a look of concern showing in her eyes. "I don't know anything about you, but you know many things about me."
He swallowed and cleared his throat. Sayla handed him the half-empty second coffee. Her light smile dropped into a look Bird couldn't read. For some reason, that made him nervous.
"Bird, who are you?"
He didn't answer.
"Please, Bird. Tell me what's on your conscience. I've shown you everything I have, so you owe me that much."
"I guess there's no use in hiding anymore," the male demon mumbled. Sayla tilted her head to the side. "Elfine and I used to be guards."
She turned away, slouching with her elbows on her thighs. Somehow, that did not surprise her. "What happened to you two?"
"Nothing special, really. Like you and your mates, we started noticing all the corruption and didn't like it. We questioned why some folks deserved foul treatment just for existing, while others were left alone. We asked too many questions and resisted total submission to the Dominique Empire. We knew too much and stepped out of line. To keep those secrets secure, they tossed us into the system, discarded like trash. And here we are, involved in the same scheme that got us locked up."
"Hmm... alright," she whispered. "What are your real names?"
"Can't tell ya. I don't know Elfine's real name, and she doesn't know mine," he answered. "In the guards' line of work, they're given fake names to stay anonymous to the outside world. They forbid us from revealing our identities because it could get us killed. I could still get killed just telling you my name right now."
Sayla understood strict authority. It was all the same in any dimension. It did not matter if prison staff fell to the lowly existence of a prisoner. They were still property of the state.
"What I can also tell you is that getting a Reaper on your side and harnessing your curse are your best bets. Guards can use curses, magic, and weapons. They could easily squash us. You can forget about that spyware. They're probably shaped like small bugs, hidden in every nook and cranny possible."
They sat through another moment of silence. Sayla sniffed the air, sitting up. Bird did not smell anything off. The hornless demon stood, stretching her arms over her head. She scratched her scalp. Just for a moment, she hoped to feel the remains of her horns. Alas, new hair started growing when they used to be. On the bright side, the pesky bald spots would go away with time.
Bird knew what she was doing, scratching for a horn that was no longer there. Every inmate who used to have horns was disbudded so that they couldn't injure anybody. Who knows if she would ever grow horns again?
He cracked an egg and peeled its shell off before biting half of it. If only he had some iodized salt to go with this meal.
"For whatever reason, they keep letting us organize. They're probably looking for results," the male demon thought aloud between chews.
"Do you think they want us to become strong enough to beat them?" Sayla asked softly. She traced an eye-shaped outline in her right palm. Bird shrugged.
"If what you said about higher expectations and a greater purpose is true, then I wouldn't doubt it."
"... All this time, were you trying to discourage us from endangering ourselves the way you did?" Sayla asked. He bit the inside of his lower lip, nodding. He only confessed so she wouldn't use that stupid eye again.
"Huh. Well, you did a terrible job. Now, I am even more certain that we have to fight back," she smirked.
"I thought you'd say that," he sighed. "Maybe one day, I'll tell you our names, but only if you win and set us all free. If not, I'll haunt you for ditching us."
"Haunt me? I'm already haunted," the hornless demon replied. "You could've told us about this. You didn't have to live a play-pretend around Tartaros. We are repenting for far more sins than this."
"Don't be stupid, Sayla. Minerva wouldn't help us with anything if she found out. Just the other day, Lamy freaked out when she saw Nina and her cronies. Tempesta's been drugged, what, twice? For confronting guards. No one is going to join a rebellion with a couple of pigs," he yawned as he slicked his hair back, just for it to fall over his eyes again.
"You aren't pigs anymore. You're vermin just like the rest of us," Sayla refuted calmly. Bird cracked a halfhearted smile.
"You remind me of my aunt. Always fighting to prove herself for some reason or another."
"Good. I prefer that over a reminder of a wife or girlfriend."
"Well, you are shaped like my ex-wife," he said, motioning to her mildly curvy figure. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring.
"I am much more attractive than your wife!" Sayla stuck her tongue out at him.
Bird held out his last two boiled eggs that were already peeled. "Take them. Your demon eye killed my appetite."
"Thank you, Bird." She graciously accepted the small breakfast.
The author drew Sayla with bigger thighs and a fuller figure than her original Mashima design. Average feet, somewhat toned arms, and the usual big forehead that most of Mashima's characters sport. She just can't stand excessive curves with destroyed organs and ribs.
On the same page is Kyôka as well. More of a muscular hourglass. Yes, her forehead is small. That is a realistic trait, so please don't judge too harshly. Her hair is short, her tail feathers aren't shown, and a couple of other small details were added to each gal pal for some personality.
Later on, she will post that to =underscore= lequi =underscore= writes =dot= crap on Instagram.
Jackal wouldn't let me narrate. He wrote in Potemelian. I actually cannot read it. The date is now March 25.
Late (?) March
(When I tell you I screamed at those fucking spirits... I made a penguin cry. Aries was too stunned to bother. Auriga and Scorpio actually STFU for once. I regret nothing. If I'm going to stay sane, these bastards have to listen to me. I'm allowing only one spirit to front each day. I choose the spirit. No negotiations or bitching and complaining. I don't wanna hear it! I'm not going in order either. Y'all can wait your fucking turn until next year for all I care.)
(I had a dream that they all ganged up on me and ripped me to pieces. I watched in third person but it hurt my soul anyway. They fuck with my dreams. I caught Camelo and broke his massive neck over my knee.
YOU'RE LUCKY YOU DON'T HAVE A REAL FACE BITCH (I'LL SHANK YOU)
(Every humanoid will turn into their animal forms every time they walk in my sight. Fuck you, fucking skanks. Can't pull me apart when 11 are on four legs I can easily break in a dream. I hate this place. I'm so fucking mad, I want to rip my eye out and force Triangulum to eat it. Where the fuck is my therapist? Doctor?? Whatever!)
(I want out. Angelic said I have to wait. God fucking forbid I want to fuck my girlfriend and make out with my boyfriend??? It's so empty in here, I might rip my hair out. I gave up eating my nails because they won't stop growing so damn long.)
Fuuuuuuuuu I need cuddles. Tits. Ass. ANYTHING. FUCK.
Jackal threw his journal across the room, cursing obscenities at the world. He fell to his elbows and knees, banging his head a few times.
"I hate this. I hate this. I hate this."
He lay down on his belly, resting his cheek on the cold stone. He spread out his arms and legs, letting out a long.
Patience, Jackal. I promise you will get through this.
Jackal: And I promise to break your nose if any of my allies die on your watch.
Me: Your allies will not die here. I can guarantee that much. Sleep, for now. It is quite late.
Jackal: Time is in isolation, dumbass.
Sometime at Night
The aforementioned doctor somehow knew it was all a dream from the moment he emerged into an abyss. His body alone was visible, from the formal clothing to the rectangular glasses he wore interchangeably with his other lens shapes. He thought about a different shape, and the lenses molded into little fireballs pointed inwards.
If this is a lucid dream, I must look my best for whomever I meet.
His best is essentially work attire with interesting ties and glasses intended to elicit a small chuckle from viewers. He is but a chill guy. :-) (Yes, THAT chill guy in the sunset)
A tiny flame ignited on an even smaller wick, easily catching Yuichi's eye in the pitch dark. His gaze followed the red scales of the creature holding that candle. Its chest and belly were tan yellow, matching the four claws on each of its hands. Two yellow eyes blinked at him. Long, orange whiskers grew from its snout, twitching as it sniffed. Yuichi was only a head shorter than this creature. He realized this was a lindwurm dragon, one that had arms, wings, and no hind legs.
Draco curled his lips back in a crooked smile, patting Yuichi's head. His glasses fell lopsided on his face from the heavy hand. He smiled back at the dragon as he straightened his glasses.
"Hello, Draco. Your true form is smaller than I expected," the doctor observed.
He took a step forward when Draco extended his little palms, offering the candle. It sat on a little plate with two handles for his fingers. Yuichi bowed as he accepted it.
"Is this another dream, Jackal?" he asked, looking around for the blonde demon. If not, who would he meet in his place?
"Of course, honey. I—we just love to see you!"
The doctor turned to the source of the voice. The frosty giraffe spirit stood before him. Once again, his eyes traveled upwards, following the familiar grayish-white pattern of a giraffe's two-meter-tall neck. He froze up when a head brushed against his.
"Ah, Camelo," Yuichi mumbled. He subconsciously patted the spirit's head. "Say, why is it dark?"
"Aries likes the dark, and Draco wanted to have candles instead of proper light," Camelopardalis replied. He nuzzled Yuichi's palm. The doctor smiled softly, thinking of this setting as an alternative petting zoo rather than his own mind.
"I see. How are the others? And why are you in this form?"
"Jackal's tweaking," Camelo replied in a pout. "He caught me in a nightmare and decided that we animal spirits couldn't turn into humans for a while. Such a jerk!"
This puzzled the doctor. There had been no mention of odd dreams for several days. He would have to broach that topic later.
"Was it a bad one?" the doctor asked.
"Who cares? I feel ugly and restricted in this form!" he whined, pressing his forehead up under Yuichi's neck. "His wrath is scary! So not fair!"
At least you're big, Camelo!
Yuichi felt ready to jump out of his skin when a scorpion appeared on Camelo's head. The arachnid was black, white, and red all over. Scorpio hissed and twitched her tail as if threatening to sting. Yuichi sighed in relief, for it was not going to hurt him here. He did not like bugs of any kind, but a celestial spirit was definitely the exception.
An eagle with a lightning bolt on its chest perched itself on Draco's arm. Yuichi waved a greeting to Aquila. He squawked in response.
I'm sorry I couldn't protest, Aries whispered. A soft pink and white ram stepped into his limited source of light. Her eyes, shaped by black lashes, were relaxed despite her restrictive state. On her back was Cancer, the red crab. His claws were as sharp and shiny as his signature shears.
"Hi, Yuichi!" Aquarius floated up beside him for a hug. The lava mermaid looked the same as always, decorated with her golden jewelry and precious stones. Yuichi allowed her to hug him only for a moment, adding a friendly pat on her warm back. Actually, her entire body was hot to the touch.
"Ah, sorry," she laughed softly, noticing his heated discomfort.
"No worries. I've never touched a spirit before, that's all," he smiled reassuringly. Aquarius giggled softly, swimming off into the abyss.
Virgo suddenly laughed loudly as she pointed at his glasses. He jolted to the right, facing the maiden with an alarmed expression. He was thoroughly confused at the sight of her black floor-length dress and white accessories typical of a maid.
"First it was stars, now fireballs! You're hilarious!" she said with a giddy smile.
"Ah, Virgo! I did not recognize you," Yuichi replied with a bashful grin. His glasses turned green, reflecting his spark of joy at her positive reaction. Outfits aside, she was nice.
"Jackal forced you all into your simplest forms over a dream? Is that not bothersome?" Yuichi asked around him.
Mixed reactions followed, filling the empty space with voices he could not separate. Spirits spoke up close, from afar, right in his ear, in his head. He covered his ears at the overwhelming sensation all the mixed thoughts produced. He had no idea what anybody was saying. A wall of whispers closed in on him. He grabbed his head, cringing with discomfort.
"S-so loud..." he murmured, ready to fall over and wake up.
"Get the fuck outta here!" Jackal stormed up, his bushy tail lashing with fury.
"Yikes!" Camelo abruptly shrank behind Yuichi, a trembling human despite Jackal's orders. Aries trotted away to enjoy the darkness elsewhere and possibly to escape the demon's anger. Scorpio simply vanished from sight.
"I didn't do anything, I swear! I just talked to him!" Camelo insisted with desperation.
"GET OFF THAT HUMAN!" Jackal barked. Yuichi's initial anxiety turned to confusion.
That human'?
Camelo groaned theatrically, dragging his feet away. Draco snickered, shrinking into his tiny lizard form with flapping little wings. Jackal growled until both spirits vanished. Aquila fluttered off out of the light. Virgo was already gone with the rest of the invisible pack. Yuichi noticed the blonde demon's hair practically standing up as he bristled with aggression.
He really is a cat, the doctor thought.
"We can hear each other's thoughts, you know. Of course I'm a fucking cat," Jackal grunted. The doctor smiled innocently.
"Jackal, I think some of your spirits are rather uncomfortable with your demands."
"So what? I'm trying to control the spirits who don't fucking listen to me. If I don't scream at them and kick them out of my way, nothing would be peaceful, and your wimpy ass wouldn't be safe."
I'm going to ignore that wimpy remark.
GOOD!
"You should treat them with respect, Jackal. The spirits can't always help their true nature."
"Boo-friggin'-hoo," the blonde demon scoffed, rolling his eyes. His cold attitude was to be expected.
"Oh, fuck off, Yuichi. You try taming an army in your head all week while keeping it together. Be grateful I even tolerate you," he glared. Yuichi sensed an ominous warning behind Jackal's "tolerance."
"I'm very grateful that you make an effort," the human replied plainly. "Did one of your spirits somehow merge our dreams?"
"You ever heard of Angelic?" Jackal responded, crossing his arms. His bristling tail also relaxed.
"Yes, I have. Your friends talk about her quite often."
"Yeah, I'm sure they do. But they don't really know her," Jackal said. Yuichi tilted his head to the side, waiting for the full explanation.
What does she have to do with this dream?
Shut up, I'm getting there!
Maybe ten minutes later...?
Jackal and Yuichi sat on the floor of the dark space, huddled around the only candle. Yuichi watched the flame flicker as he listened to the blonde demon's story.
Essentially, Angelic slowly inserted herself into Tartaros Fairy for what Jackal now assumed was spying. She had the power of clairvoyance, teleportation, memory altering, veering (feeling someone's emotions and physical sensations through telepathy, or something), and probably other powers she might have. Yuichi thought that Angelic was far too powerful to be a real person, much less a little kid.
She witnessed many things and contributed multiple pages to Jackal's diaries. Jackal was so pissed at her pusillanimous refusal to make anyone's lives easier. He attacked her and made her leave. However, she still watched from wherever she was hiding now. When she emerged and gave her message to Jackal in a dream, all of his memories came back.
"It was just a whole clusterfuck that made me snap, and she left right after. The last time we spoke in a dream, she told me that if I hear rapid gunfire, I have to escape and kill guards only in self-defense. If they don't attack me, they'll be spared. And tonight, I asked her to merge our dreams so that I could tell you without those pigs listening in."
"That is... a lot to process at once," Yuichi murmured.
"I figured that since you and I are pretty close, you had to know. Angelic is useful sometimes, but she's also a double agent or whatever the fuck."
"Thank you for sharing this," Yuichi smiled softly. Jackal averted his troubled gaze when Yuichi looked up.
"It's whatever, really. I doubt she even talks to anybody else," the blonde demon said, scratching the back of his head. "One more day, and I think I'll be ready to leave. There's uh, probably a few other spirits I haven't found yet."
"Don't you want to see your friends or partners yet?" They had already spent so much time in this cell. Nearly two weeks had passed by now.
"Hmm, has been a while... I want to be, uh, stable. Yeah, that..."
"You don't have to hold yourself to a high standard. You're doing just fine," Yuichi assured the demon. "I'm certain they will accept you no matter where you are in your progress."
"I know that. But I wanna make sure I'm safe to be around, I guess," Jackal mumbled. He couldn't bear the thought of regressing to aggression and violence over something small. He did not feel remotely ready for the outdoors. Every time he thought he was prepared, he remembered hurting Lamy, screaming homophobic hate in Tempesta's face, and other incidents fueled by turbulent spirits. He felt guilty about breaking Angelic's nose. Hell, maybe that guy Gary (whatever his name was) didn't need an ass-kicking to respect him.
"You are safe to be around," the doctor refuted gently.
"It's your job to say that," Jackal frowned.
"It is my job to tell the truth to all my patients," Yuichi corrected him. Jackal was still not convinced.
"When I leave this shithole, I don't wanna fear what my power will do. I wanna protect the people I love. To do that, I have to control my spirits as easily as I breathe. I can barely handle their feelings. You saw how bitchy I got over the others eating my food. I injured you at the sight of a fucking needle! If I can't get it together, then I don't deserve to see anybody yet. I didn't really talk about it before, but it's really hard managing everyone," he confessed, lowering his head until hair covered his face. "When I'm awake, I can barely hear my own thoughts most of the time. So, so what if I yell at the spirits to have a little bit of peace? I didn't ask for this burden!"
Yuichi meditated as he spoke. He commended Jackal for being honest with himself. The truth was never easy to speak aloud. The doctor knew it was especially difficult for Jackal to admit how easy it was to fall into a vulnerable state.
He also had to refrain from analyzing the feline demon's mannerisms. Jackal sat too close to the flame. Sometimes his hair just barely grazed a potential accident. His shoulders were constantly tense. He picked at the skin near his cuticles. Even in a dream, those tiny spots bled a little bit. He ate those delicate slivers of skin like a comfort snack.
His right eye spaced out as if he were grazing memories like a book. Yuichi wished he had the ability to better understand where a patient's mind truly went when they regressed, dissociated, hyperventilated, or cried out their pent-up energy.
Well, not really. Telepathy is too invasive. This is strange magic enough.
Jackal looked like he wanted to move his body to a rhythm only he could follow. He hesitated a lot. Sometimes his eye wandered up to his watchful gaze, then back to the candle flame. After a long pause, the blonde clicked his tongue.
"Stop staring at me like that, ya creep!" Jackal snapped. Yuichi looked up.
"Like what? I'm just listening quietly."
"I'm not stupid. You always look like that when you're dissecting me with your creepy eyes! Stop that! Right now!" Yuichi's humored look only made Jackal madder.
Auriga: I can't stand this guy! I can't! Stand him!
Jackal growled at the invasive voice. He really couldn't stand the endless nagging from Auriga. Yuichi couldn't suppress a tiny laugh escaping him.
"Laugh at me again and I'll kick your ass! This is my dream, so I can really fuck you up!" the blonde demon warned him.
Yes, this was only a dream. Yuichi felt very relaxed for that exact reason. He would simply wake up if he "died" here, just like the snowball attack. Besides, Jackal was leaning right over a flame that was about to set his hair on fire in three, two...
"AH! FUCK!" Jackal shouted when that flame shot up his locks. The doctor scooted back as he flailed on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the flame. In his fit, he swiped the candle across the floor, and everything went black.
"No, no, no! Come back!" Jackal cried.
His shaken breaths sounded like actual crying would soon follow. The doctor came forward without hesitation. His body was immediately crushed in a tight hug. He was used to the demon nearly knocking the wind out of him by now. Damn, it still hurt.
"I'm... I'm here. You're s-safe," he whispered, petting his messy hair. Why was he afraid of the dark? The doctor assumed he had conquered that fear by now. Did Jackal lie? "C-can't breathe!"
Jackal thankfully loosened his grip around Yuichi's torso. He took a deep breath. The demon trembled, hiding his face in the doctor's coat.
"It's okay, Jackal. Just light another candle."
Yuichi held one hand out, expecting something to spark to life. Sure enough, a little green flame came to life over his palm.
"Look, Jackal. Problem solved," the doctor grinned down at him. The demon kept his head down as he scooted away. Yuichi knew he was embarrassed. Humiliated, even.
"I.. don't think it really went away."
"You lied to me?" the doctor questioned.
"I-I don't know. I really thought I was fine..." Jackal's ears dropped and his tail went limp on the floor.
"Are you fully present with me?" Yuichi asked.
"Obviously."
"So, what I'm hearing is that Aries took away your fear of the dark. And without her nearby, you're still afraid."
Before Yuichi asked his question, he took a deep breath. If he was not careful with his next words, he might actually wake up in a cold sweat and terror. "And following that... logic, what does Camelopardalis do?"
The blonde demon did not reply, staring blankly at the floor. He curled his tail under his leg.
Yuichi decided to jog his memory.
"He took me out to dance in a dream the other day. It was fun. You know, I actually might have met your Angelic. She was only present for a moment. I think she also gave Camelo enough magic to merge our dreams. Were you aware of that?"
"...Yeah, I was."
"Really? I initially thought, 'I'll stay long enough to keep him entertained.' Honestly, I was a little bit concerned for my safety. Regardless, I let my guard down so that he could be himself. He thought my coping with fear was so funny," Yuichi snickered. "We danced to a beautiful piece accompanied by violin (or viola, I'm not sure) and wooden guitar. The following morning, I heard the same melody from Tempesta's guitar. It was off-tune, unfortunately, but it was a love song. Camelo chose such a sweet and comforting tune. And then, I understood!"
Jackal's shoulders tensed up when Yuichi stood, dusting his slacks off.
"The spirits bring out parts of you you otherwise keep hidden. You must yearn for affection from someone you love. But because of Camelo, who is very fond of humans, you've fallen into a habit of looking to me for comfort. To combat this dependence on me, I want to schedule a meeting between you and Tempesta and a later time for you and Lamy. I did not want to overwhelm you with larger group support just yet. And don't worry about your nyctophobia. We can work on that as we go."
"Sure." Jackal kept his head down, sulking on the floor as Yuichi moved around with his tiny green light. Where was that candle...?
Camelo: This is great! I can finally meet your man properly! Are you hyped or what?
Jackal: This is a nice gesture, but...
Aquarius: I don't think that's a good idea, Jackal.
Columba: Yuichi is only appealing to you because he understands things no one else knows about yet. Do not let this infatuation confuse you.
Jackal: Duh. I don't like humans like that. I just... I wanna stay a little longer. Just one more day...
Camelo: You say that every day.
Auriga: We want out! Now!
Draco: Your metaphoric heart is very confusing.
Aries: I can help you be content in the dark so you don't have to depend on me.
Yuichi picked up the candle a few feet from Jackal. Luckily, the candle itself was still in one piece. However, the little plate was missing. The doctor turned to find Jackal walking up with the plate in one hand. He held the flame to the plate until the solid wax on top softened, did the same to the bottom of the candle, then pressed the candle on the plate.
"Thank you. Now, was there anything else we needed to discuss here?"
"Yeah, one more thing."
Jackal rested his forehead against Yuichi's as his free hand caressed the back of his neck. A rush of butterflies shot through Yuichi's chest. He was caught completely off guard. The feline demon's hand was warmer than any temperature Jackal had given off since they began their sessions. It felt so alive. His lips were just as warm connecting with his. Just one short peck. The demon's lips felt too human.
He doesn't like humans. He despises them. He only tolerates me. This. Means. Nothing.
Yuichi had no clue where to put his hands. He did not want to do anything that might make this more awkward. His breath hitched when sharp teeth lightly scraped his lower lip. He squeezed the blonde demon's arm, a silent request to stop. He either ignored the signal or had no idea what it meant. Jackal's half-lidded right eye bore into Yuichi's stunned gaze.
Words... n-not working.
"Relax, I won't bite you this time," Jackal smirked.
"Why are you... doing this? Is this... is this a cry for help? D-don't you hate my kind?"
"Eh, as much as I hate humans, I don't hate you."
"I'm supposed to be an ally, nothing more," Yuichi frowned. "Don't do this. Think of the others."
"I thought about it a lot. I'm not doing this for me. Tempe and Lamy will understand," Jackal replied. He felt unsure of himself, in truth. Was this really just infatuation because this man is nice? Was it Camelo?
Baby boy, I didn't do shit... Don't stop, though.
"Are you sure?" Yuichi whispered. I already know the answer.
"I don't care. You know that."
The blonde demon's tail slowly swished to and fro. He looked into Yuichi's gentle brown eyes again. His black hair looked a little brown in this lighting, combed to one side like always. When he finally noticed the strange glasses, he smiled.
"Has anyone ever told you you have a punchable face?"
Yuichi nearly facepalmed at the question.
"Uh-huh, all the time," the doctor replied sheepishly. "I don't understand it at all."
"Well, you're really beautiful, for a man," Jackal said with a shrug. "You're sort of symmetrical, smart, respectable, and a huge dork. No visible scars, no obvious mental issues; you're so perfect, I want to punch you in the face."
"You think I'm beautiful?" Yuichi asked in disbelief.
Camelo: That's all he got out of it??
"Absolutely, and it pisses me off," Jackal whispered back, taking a step closer to close the space gap. "Seeing you flustered, scared, pretending you're not mad... I like messing with your perfect image. Something in me wants to, to..."
"Lose control of your impulses, like right now," Yuichi finished. Jackal nodded. He felt his quick pulse in the human's chest. The blonde demon was so envious of his heartbeat. He placed his hand over Yuichi's heart.
"You're so lucky, you don't even know it. You have all the time, knowledge, nourishment, and wealth that we might never have. You can leave whenever you want. You have freedom. And what do you do with it? Waste your life away in a prison, coddling a lowly insect like me."
The human brushed hair away from Jackal's scarred eye (his other hand was still holding his forearm). Jackal watched him curiously. His bangs were always in the way. There was no point in adjusting them here.
"I haven't wasted anything here."
"How so?"
"I found something extraordinary and special in your guild. I believe this world needs more extraordinary folks like your kind. And you were the only Tartaros demon to trust me completely with your life. Not a single moment is wasted when I help you to help yourself and your movement."
"You like helping me?"
"I try to enjoy the ride," the doctor shrugged lightly. He pulled his hand away from Jackal's face, having noticed it caressing. The blonde demon pouted. He kind of liked that feeling. Shy bastard.
"Besides, I am not afraid of you anymore. I sit on the edge at times, yes, but that is because I anticipate something I've never seen before. It makes me happy when I do, say, or make things that stabilize layers of your magic. It's a bit funny when spirits quickly pick up on your emotional responses to protect, support, fight, or do anything else you might need. But most of all, I choose to work at this prison because I like to follow the lives of folks just as important as mine."
"What's the word for that thing where you care about people too?" Jackal asked.
"Different things. Compassion, empathy, or admiration, depending on who you ask," Yuichi replied.
"Do you admire me?" the blonde demon smirked. The doctor cleared his throat, averting his gaze.
"Uh, well, I admire any creature who is positively peculiar."
"Close enough!" he grinned, grabbing the doctor by his waist. Yuichi wrapped his arms around Jackal's neck before he fell backwards. The demon tossed the candle away. This time, Yuichi was certain the wax broke to pieces on impact with the floor. Jackal kissed him again in that moment of distraction. The doctor's eyes flew wide in surprise.
Something tugged his mind away from the exhilarating rush. Jackal's body against his felt like magma in his arms. Numbness began to take over his senses. He could only assume that the dream was ending.
Yuichi held on tighter to the gelatinous demon. He wasn't ready to leave yet. "Wait! I have more questions!" he shouted.
"Figure out whether you'll take me or not, then come find me," Jackal said, his voice fading out of reach.
What does that even mean? Don't leave me on a cryptic cliffhanger, damn it! NOOOoo—
That Same Midday
The cell was still and bathed in complete darkness, save for a faucet in one corner with the occasional drip. In the middle of the cell sat Jackal, his legs crossed and his hands resting in his lap. His hair was pulled back into a braid with a strip of cloth keeping his uneven bangs away from his face.
Jackal.
Angelic.
How did you know?
You don't sound like any of my spirits, and I'm not dumb.
Right. You've been writing all night.
No, it was probably the others. I was obviously busy.
I see you finally found the card I designed.
In his left hand was a plain black card. On one side was a circle drawn around a triangle. The circle resembled a snake eating itself. At each corner of the triangle were smaller symbols. In front of him sat his open journal, flipped to the very last page. All the other pages were filled with writings in English, Kanaji, Potemelian, and a little bit of Japanese that he could remember.
He peeked his eye open. Draco lit a tiny flame on his fingertip to show the card by light. He inspected the blank backside as well.
What is it, exactly? And don't give me some vague bullshit again.
It's called Ouroboros, a symbol derived from ancient alchemy. The triangle and Latin script surrounding the self-consuming snake relate to the ritual that made you and your five guildmates into the creatures you are now. It is a symbol of immortality. But don't fret. You can still die in this form with enough damage.
For once, Jackal barely even twitched at the fact. Functional immortality again? If there were a Zeref in this world, he's just as much of a wackjob as his Earthland counterpart.
Is it possible to make our bodies mortal?
It is possible, yes. But the process of reversing this condition is difficult. You must first locate your hearts, eyes, tongues, and any other parts missing from your bodies. Additionally, you need all the Sacred Jewels left in this world.
Okay. I need my left eye, my heart, and some jewels.
Yes. After you find those ingredients, I will guide you through the rest.
Fine. Keep your secrets.
I have to keep my secrets, or else the wrong people will find out.
Plot armor already? What an honor, he rolled his eye.
Suddenly, the cell door was unlocked. Yuichi Misono cracked the door open, spilling light into the cell.
"Good afternoon. How are you doing, Jackal?"
Jackal squinted his eye open, adjusting to the light. He gave the human doctor a soft smile. Camelopardalis loved to see that perfect, clean face every chance he got. But for Jackal's sake, he wouldn't rush into the human's arms and scare him away.
"I'm doing well."
"Do you need another day? Are you ready to leave?" Yuichi asked. Jackal shook his head.
"One more day."
"This is your fourth so-called last day, you know."
Yuichi crossed his arms, leaning against the cell doorway. The light reflected off his glasses, concealing his eyes in white. Jackal stood up, walking over. He already hid the card in his pocket.
He cupped the doctor's cheek, caressing gently. Yuichi parted his lips to speak, then quickly composed himself. He gave no reaction except indifference to the blonde demon's warm touch. The uncomfortable feeling in his chest and stomach had to be dealt with quietly.
"You shouldn't do that, Jackal," he murmured. If looks could kill, the sheer emptiness in the human's eyes would have taken Jackal's soul and eaten it.
So cold...
The feline demon patted his cheek, walking around the isolation cell.
"I barely touched you, unlike yesterday." Whatever. Lamy and Tempesta are actually mine, anyway.
"How many?" Yuichi asked, changing the subject.
"How many what?" Jackal replied, turning back around. But then the question fully registered. "Oh, that thing."
"How many do you see now?"
Jackal stood still, closing his eyes in thought. He couldn't see spirits in his vision unless they chose to come out in their simplest forms. However, none of them bothered to invade like usual. He almost felt alone in his head.
Leo: I will do my best to keep us in line.
Scorpio: Humph!
Triangulum: I'll cut up his face if he ever looks at us like that again!
Aquarius: When is lunchtime?
Aries: I'm sorry, I don't know.
Virgo: Should I punish him?
Camelo: Tem-pe! Tem-pe! Tem—
Cancer: Stop yelling, baby. My ears hurt.
Boötes: We don't have ears. What a relief that I don't have a limp either.
Jackal: Only 17, right?
Unison: Yes!
"Seventeen," the blonde demon replied. He gently pushed past Yuichi to go to the bathroom. Once he made it past the bathroom doorway, the floodgates finally broke. He slid down to the floor, holding back the sound of his painful weeping.
It... hurts... so fucking much...
If you made it this far, I love you. Thank you for your patience! :) I've been pretty busy with research through anime/manga, car trouble, working, and frolicking in concert venues. I'm also getting sick with a cold (I have work later today and it's also 04:00)! :D h e Lp
— ML
P.S. Thank god I'm not working while sick! *party emoji*