Here we go again! No reviews this time either, but I do have this.
Discord Server Invite: /YFnEkQ8Mer
Jaune inhaled deeply as he awoke once again, feeling not only better in body but in spirit as well! Who knew simply being blown like that could help so much? It was like Modeus sucked the stress away, literally! Still, he knew this was just a mere illusion, as the issue at hand was still present, but now, he was not too torn about it anymore. If anything, things were becoming clearer. More defined. He now knew how to proceed as far as his training went, and while he waited for his equipment to be done, he had another point of interest in mind.
Ignium.
Going to his bathroom, Jaune took the book he had used to summon Beel and searched for any way to contact demons from the human realm. Sure enough, he had found one and used it. And no sooner did he finish than his mirror shifted, like a rippling pond, before the image was replaced with Ignium's.
"Jaune! So nice of you to call!" The demon greeted him, a little surprised. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Do you want to inquire about the progress of your new equipment? Because it is going great! Tomorrow, in the first hour, it will be finished for you! The specialists we got pulled from here and there were quite thrilled to work on something again and even more thrilled about the benefits it brought."
"Thanks, Ignium, but that is not why I called." Jaune clarified, getting Ignium's attention. "Could you teach me? How to wield a sword and fight with it?"
That took Ignium by surprise. "You wish for me to tutor you, boy? That is quite the request to the newly appointed Emperor of Hell. I have a lot of duties, and as you know, time runs by faster in your realm compared to mine. I'd need to find someone suitable and loyal to take over for me for what might be YEARS of absence."
"So … "
"I will leave Behemoth and Shade in charge, along with the demon Dantalion; they should be able to keep Hell in one piece until I come back," Ignium stated, clearing away any worries Jaune might have.
"Great! When can you arrive, and when can we begin?" Jaune only got a laugh in reply. "Umm. Ignium?"
"Now."
Suddenly, a demonic portal opened in Jaune's bathroom, and the boy felt the smoldering heat that associated itself with the demon Ignium. The mirror returned to normal as he slowly turned around, and standing there, right behind him, was the Emperor of Hell in all of his glory.
Ignium wore a grin that was nothing short of devilish as a sadistic pleasure took over the demon. "Step aside, I got a call or two to make. Wait for me outside, and see about getting a training sword or something. We have a lot of work to do."
"Y-yes, Sir!"
Ok, it is safe to say that the knowledge that Ignium will be staying with them for a bit, or at least visiting often, didn't go unnoticed or non-argued. Specifically, Judgement had a bit of an issue with her father hanging around the place, but she accepted his presence in the end, given how he was there to teach Jaune more about wielding a sword. She had to admit that she was not fit for that kind of training but did lay claim on teaching him close-quarter combat.
Ignium did state, however, that he is pretty much going to travel between Hell and Remnant, as his buddies back in Hell didn't exactly let him slack off for the sake of the boy who made him Emperor. Disappointed but not defeated, Ignium accepted the arrangement. He is going to come weekly to do sword training, which was daily for Jaune.
"Thanks Ignium." Jaune smiled at him. "I really owe you one."
"No."
Jaune blinked a few times. "What do you mean, no? I appreciate what you are doing."
"I still owe you for freeing me, and this doesn't repay it." Ignium had a faraway look for a moment before focusing back on Jaune. "Besides, you're getting knowledge. That is worth what I am getting."
"Wait, what are yo-"
"I KNOW what being a Huntsman entails, Jaune. Do not think I do not have such souls down in my domain. I know what you will face when you become one. Many said they left behind their families when they perished … And I refuse to see my daughter, a widow in tears, Jaune." The demon stood tall, raising his sword, and pointed it at Jaune. It was just a training weapon, but Jaune froze at the intimidating sight. "To prevent that, I will make sure to whip you into shape. Unlike my daughter dearest, you don't strike my fancy. When you struggle, I'm not going to cheer you on or snuggle you when you think you need a break."
"Since when was Judgement THAT supportive?" Was all Jaune could think before the tip of a sword was in front of his face. "OH SHIT!"
The next thought the boy had was to wonder if Ignium had an attack that put a bunch of little knives in his mouth. Jaune coughed, and grass came out.
"Oh. That's what that was." Jaune slowly got up, grass stuck to his face. "I don't think that's what mom meant by eating my greens."
"Pick it up and do better this time."
There was a sword in front of him.
"And don't thank me until our training is complete … if you still want to."
Jaune bent over to pick it up, only to get the flat side of Ignium's sword to the back of his head. His face hit the ground, and his weapon.
"I want Judgement back!"
The rest of the first day went like that, though Jaune finally got to hold his sword. He was pretty sure that 'Pulling punches' wasn't something Ignium had ever heard of. The next round ended the same as the first, and the third was a repeat. Along with every number after. The only solace the boy could take was that the endings were getting slightly farther away.
The way the demon moved was unpredictable, with fast movement and decisive strikes. Yet Ignium seemed to move without a care, as if he was bored. He took every opening - which was a lot, considering he was less than a novice. But Jaune didn't pull any punches either.
Jaune had to rely on his aura to prevent damage more than once! The day went on slowly and painfully for him.
Ignium didn't look pleased in the least. "Your physical condition is good enough. Judgement did a great job with what she was working with, but your footwork, stance, and the way you hold your sword - pretty much your entire grasp on swordsmanship is … Awful."
"No need to rub it in like that, Ignium," Jaune commented, but the demon was not exactly finished with his criticism.
"Hence why I have to do this, Jaune. Lucifer!" He shouted for her, and sure enough, the head demoness came out of the house at his call.
"Ignium?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
"When his armor and weapons come in, do not let him have them."
"What?!" Jaune shouted, shocked by those words. "Why?"
"Need I spell it out? Jaune, you built your body, not skill. At your current skill level, there is a fair chance you will end up hurting yourself with the weaponry we will provide you. For your protection, I will limit you to training weapons ONLY. Until I deem you are ready for them, you are not going to touch your new equipment. I know I may seem harsh, kid, but trust me, this is for the best at the end of the day. Chin up. It is not forever, and we have time to keep training. So what do you say? Fancy one last round before I have to return to the flaming bowels of Damnation?"
Jaune tightened his fist. He didn't like this. Not at all. It felt like his old home, where no one put any trust in him. However, he couldn't force the Emperor of Hell to do anything. He took several deep breaths, trying to think of a way to convince him. Calm and time gave him a chance to go over the situation. Quickly, he realized trust was not the issue. Ignium was training him and going by his words, and he was definitely going to get his new armor and weapons. Just not now. Not today, and most likely not tomorrow or next week. He will call them when the demon before him deems him ready to get them. He will not get them by sitting here, feeling sorry about his skill.
The situation won't change if he just feels sorry about himself. But things would change if he changed.
"AHHH!" Without warning, he leaps at Ignium, swinging his training sword at him. The demon seemed a bit surprised but blocked with no effort.
"Ha! Good! You are learning! There is no code of honor in a battle to the death, kid. Surprise attacks are a FAIR GAME!" He pushed Jaune back, and so they began their last round. It was not a little surprising that Jaune lost, but he showed slight improvement. He almost lasted 20 seconds.
This was his schedule for the next couple of weeks. Ignium would come, spar with him, teach him, and judge him at the end of each session. The 20 seconds from before turned to a full minute as he picked up on the way Ignium moved, starting to predict his movement. One minute turned to 3 as he began to match his speed in combat, and his training with Judgement bore more fruit. Thanks to his large aura pool and Heart Burn, his body was more buff than Jaune had thought possible.
Per Ignium's instructions, he began to pay attention to BOTH the weapon and the wielder behind it. Take each opening that presents itself, do not waste energy on useless strikes, and go for the killing blow. That lesson alone was something.
He had little contact with Ruby and Yang during this time, except for them coming to visit a couple of times. He even recalls one time they came over and spectated his training with Ignium. Their comments, however, were directed more at the demon than him.
"So … That's your father," Yang remarked as she stood next to Judgement, who was in her human disguise. Ignium was in his humane disguise as well, and the girls watching him train Jaune the same way he had been doing it since they began. Ruthless, with no moments to rest. Yang even flinched when Ignium struck Jaune on the back of his neck, something that would have been a killing blow if that sword had been real. "Yikes. He seems intense."
"Wait to see his po- semblance." Judgement replied.
Ruby perked up. "Semblance? He doesn't seem to be using aura, though?"
"That is because he isn't. My father hates protecting himself using his aura, and he prefers to go all in on the offense." Judgement replied.
"With mad skills like those, it's no wonder," Yang remarked, continuing to watch them go at it. "Though, Jaune is doing fairly well against him. He still seems to move a bit like a novice, but if what you said about his training time is real, then hot damn! He is learning fast."
"My father is strict. This is why we are keeping his weapons locked away."
"His weapons?! Do you mean those I helped him design? Why? Why are you not letting him use them?" Ruby asked, looking a bit frantic.
"Those, yes. And it was my father's decision. Said he will allow Jaune to have them when he DEEMS him worthy to have them. Right now, he still thinks he might harm himself more if he uses them, so he is not risking it."
Yang snorted. "Come on now, not even the armor?"
"Not even." Judgement replied sternly. "However, if my father is anything to go by … "
"GAH!"
"Not good enough, Jaune, you were too slow! Again!"
Yang and Ruby both flinched as Jaune got hit in the stomach with the hilt of Ignium's wooden sword. That had to have been a powerful blow, considering his aura flared quite strongly. Judgement took a look at Jaune's scroll, which was in her hands to monitor his aura levels.
"89%. Hit him harder! He barely felt it!" She shouted at her father.
"Will do!" Ignium replied with glee.
"He lost only 11% during the entire training session?" Yang asked in confusion.
"No, he is using his semblance right now to refuel himself. He lost 11% in one hit." Judgement was clarified, and the two women were shocked.
"All that from a mere wooden sword? Damn … Your old man is crazy."
Judgement scoffed. "He's crazy, alright. The bad kind of crazy."
"What do you mean by that?" Yang asked out of curiosity, but then Beel walked into the yard.
"Oh dear, they are still going at it. I hope they will finish soon; Lucy and I just finished preparing dinner." She stated, drawing their attention. Well, Yang's, mostly. Ruby was too captivated by Jaune and Ignium's sparring to pay attention to her.
"Say, Beel … How does Jaune survive in a house full of women?" Yang asked, receiving a giggle from Beel.
"Why, from experience, of course! The dear has a large family, being the only boy out of 8 children!"
"Seven sisters?!" Yang gasped in surprise. "I don't remember if he mentioned it before, but isn't that different? I mean, they are related; you guys are not. I expected him to maybe put the moves on one of you and maybe do something."
"Oh, dear, Jaune is not that kind of man. His mind is not all about how to get in our pants; he is more focused on training and preparing himself for Beacon. Respectable, truly. However, I do think he could use some … relief from time to time." The hint was not lost on the blonde.
"Relieve? And did one of you-"
"Oh, you bet. The girl was quite eager to get a taste, and we decided to let her have some. Jaune felt much better afterward, so it worked for both sides." Beel stated, admitting freely to Jaune's little encounter with Modeus in the past.
"Beel!" He shouted, catching her words, but that lack of attention caused him to take a hit right to the thigh.
"Focus!" Ignium shouted.
Yang whistled. "She went to him, you say? You know, you got me curious now. Jaune wasn't hard on the eyes before, but now he is looking yummy, so I don't think I'd mind giving him a try-"
Suddenly, a cold chill ran down her back as Yang turned around to look at Beel, seeing the woman retain her polite smile. Judgement simply gave her a side glance, but neither of them was the source of that chill.
No, that chill came from inside the house, from the very demoness the others didn't dare to cross easily. Lucifer overheard Yang, and she was not exactly keen on letting a mere human girl lay hands on HER claim. The others are another story, but Yang? She had to prove herself if she wanted in on their little arrangement.
And Lucifer was not easily pleased.
"A-anyway! When would you think he'll be ready for some more serious sparring, cuz I've been itching for a good round for some time now!" Yang said, changing the subject. Judgement hummed at the suggestion.
"Well, I am also teaching him raw hand-to-hand combat, and he is more advanced in that regard compared to his swordsmanship, so maybe we can set something up soon." The demoness stated.
"Great!" Yang cheered.
"Good to know you are enjoying yourselves." Beel giggled before shouting at the boys. "Now, you two, the food is going cold!"
So, yeah. Safe to say he has a spar with Yang to look forward to. They had been sparring often, yet as the weather got colder and colder, winter was soon upon them. Ignium seemed very pleased with his progress during the few short weeks they had been working together, so much so that on a certain day, he told Jaune something he didn't expect after their session.
"Jaune? You are ready." Ignium said, catching his attention. "Take the rest of the month off. Next month, in January, we are going to start sparring with REAL weapons. Best be ready by then, understood?"
"Understood, Sir," Jaune replied respectively.
"Also … " Ignium began. "Talk to Azazel about something called Christmas. And be ready with gifts for everyone."
And so he left through another hellish portal, returning to his land of absolute torment and woe, leaving behind a slightly confused Jaune.
Chris-mmass? The name sounded weird. Or was it an action? It needed gifts. Still, it sounded odd, and most things that sounded odd had to do with powers and places not normal to Remnant. Sure, Azazel had happily told him about the other realms, but the boy was still not sure about the entire deal with the Demons, this being called God, and so on.
Sure, he knew little things that people picked up as they went through life. He knew how to pray and what to ask the Brothers for, even if he never did it himself. But that didn't tell him who he was asking things off.
So, who better to ask to set the Theology straight than the Devil herself? He didn't want to bug Azazel too much anyway. He had to know who was first: God or the Brother Gods.
He went to her, the Devil simply lying on the couch. She looked bored but … content. Alright, with being bored? Did that count as lazy?
"What can I help you with?" She asked, looking up at him.
"I was wondering if you could clarify some things for me." He replied. "Namely, the theology of both God and, well, no offense, you and the Brother Gods."
Lucifer looked at him with a sly smirk, then readjusted herself on the couch, watching Jaune take a seat next to her. The fact he came to her to know about this swelled her pride a bit, but she had to keep her self-boasting for later.
"Well, where do I begin? It has been a few good eons since then, but I guess I should begin with a simple order of business: He was there first." She said, pointing up and referring to the Almighty One. "He always has been. You see, contrary to common belief, the Brother Gods didn't design the humans, but He did, making them in his image. But here is the question: How did the Brother Gods take over? Well, you could say the world had the reset switch strapped onto it. When the first humans were created, He kept them in his garden, Eden."
"They didn't listen to God and gave into temptation, correct? I think Azazel told me some things about that." At this, Lucifer tensed up a bit, showing a faint blush of embarrassment mixed with pride. "You were responsible for it, weren't you?"
She took a moment to answer. "Yes. Humanity was born AFTER my war against Him after I fell. You could say the start of my great revenge started with you, the humans. I took the form of a snake and tempted Eve, the second Woman, to-"
"Wait a minute, wasn't she the first?" Jaune interrupted.
Lucifer scoffed a bit at the interruption, but it was expected at some point. "The first was Lilith, who today is regarded as Mother of Demons. She refused to submit to her husband, Adam and ran away. She found herself in Hell, becoming the first Fourth Generation demon," She replied. "She is usually forgotten, and not all churches include her. But back on the main track, I tempted Eve to bite the forbidden fruit, and Adam, at her request, did the same. Seeing humanity forsaken like that was truly something."
"Ok? I don't know how to feel about that, but I guess what is done is done," Jaune replied, scratching the back of his head while processing all of the information. There were implications with living with someone who did that, but Jaune was going to shelve those thoughts later. "Continue"
"As humanity was struggling, that was when the Brother Gods arrived, coming from a realm even I have little knowledge of, bringing with them Magic and Grimm to the world." She shrugged. "God had forsaken them, and I even asked him myself what he made of that heresy. But when the one you ask is an All-Knowing being, a fact you tend to forget, the answer is usually vague. A few millennia later, His religion was barely practiced anymore. Don't get me wrong, He and the God of Light struck a few deals, but it was mostly their turn to rule. But that changed one day."
"What happened?"
"A Usurper." Lucifer frowned. "A foolish human woman who wished for her husband back. She tricked the Gods, making a mockery of them and the balance between the living and the deceased. As a punishment, the Gods made her immortal so that she would never reunite with her lover again until she learned the value of that balance."
"But that's -"
"Horrible? Harsh? Unfair? It may be all of them, Jaune, but her sin was done. Her trickery almost sent the Brother Gods into a fight." Lucifer rebuked him, and then she took a second to get back on track. "She used her immortality, gathering an army. She turned humanity on the Gods and them, more specifically the God of Darkness, wiped humanity from the face of the earth, and left this world. The Usurper, her followers, and even the animals were eradicated. No life was left par the Grimm."
"Then how come humanity and the Faunus kind still exist?" He asked, making Lucifer smirk.
"It all started when He, in His everlasting love, felt pain in his heart seeing humanity so easily swayed again." She replied. "Some angels thought I had something to do with this genocide, but He cleared the misunderstanding. He decided to forgive humanity and thus gave them a new life. That is also how Faunus came to be as well - a side-project of His. Perhaps in the image of the brother gods? Who knows with Him? But they had to be forgiven, to have their sins - committed by their ancestors - cleaned. He sends onto them his only son to bring salvation."
"Jesus Christ." Jaune mutters, to which Lucifer nods.
"He was every bit like his father, I swear. Even on the cross, with nails through his flesh, he never dared loathe humanity." She looked outside at the falling snow. "With his blood, you were forgiven, and Heaven's gates became opened for you. Although that meant fewer people for Hell."
"Aura, Dust, and Semblances are not His or mine to take for creating; The God of Light bestowed those last gifts onto you while his brother left the Grimm behind as a curse and punishment. The entire history of humanity can be summarized in many ways, but I mainly call it a herd of sheep changing Shepherds." She sighed. "Was this little history lesson enlightening to you?"
"Very." He replied. "It changed everything I knew about the world. To know the Brother Gods exist - granted, I should have figured it out sooner since God and you exist. What happened with The Usurper? You said she was immortal."
"Likely reunited with her love." She replied. "I doubt they did a half-hearted job at erasing humanity."
He smiled. "Glad to hear. You know, in some strange way, I cannot find it in me to even hate that woman. I mean, I know what she did was bad, and … She brought genocide to humankind. But she did everything to be reunited with her loved one. She did everything to be with him, even standing up to the Gods themselves."
Lucifer listened to him closely, but a question lingered on her lips. "Jaune?"
"Yes?"
"Would you do the same for us as well?" Her crimson gaze fixed on his ocean-blue eyes, waiting for his answer. Jaune saw no hint of wine in sight either, meaning she was sincere. "Would you dare defy and stand before Him - who created your kind and gave you your second chance, for us damned beings?"
He took a few moments to process the question. Going against God himself? He might have a demon girl harem, living in sin already, but could he do that? For them? For Justice, Judgement, Pandemonica, Cerberus, Malina, Baphomet, Zdrada, Beelzebub, Modeus, maybe even Azazel, and … Her? Standing up to God for Lucy? A few months ago, he might have needed more time, but the girls grew on him. Despite the terrible week once a month, their sometimes annoying antics, and the high pancake demand, he cared about them all.
Who was he trying to fool? After what he's done, there was only one outcome: he couldn't even convince himself otherwise, let alone someone else. The gates to Heaven might as well have a flyer with his face on it that says 'STAY OUT' by now. But if it means living this life? With them? On his way to becoming a Huntsman? To fulfill his dream? Then maybe giving up on Heaven wasn't so bad.
"Lucifer, for you and the other girls, there is nothing I don't think I wouldn't do anymore. Standing up to God? I admit it sounds crazy, but that comes from the same guy who strolled through hell alive, has a demonic harem with Lucifer herself in it, and played video games with Hell's Top Man." Jaune let out a laugh; crazy talk was normal then. "So, in short, yes. Race be damned. You girls have your own souls, so who can say your race defines you?"
Lucifer's eyes grew wide as she listened to him, even thinking she had been hearing things due to alcohol. But she was not drinking any wine, so that was immediately abandoned as a reason. Her heartbeat quickened, listening to him, feeling a warmth she hadn't felt in eons. She let a blush creep on her pale skin, focusing harder on keeping up a confident, smug smile. "Jaune?"
"Yes? Wh-"
At that moment, a miracle occurred. Lucifer moved swiftly and, without warning, planted a kiss on his cheek. The boy froze instantly.
"Thank you." She replied, the blush on her persisting. However, when she looked at him again, expecting an answer or some reaction - well, she guessed that was a reaction of sorts. She giggled, seeing him wide-eyed with his jaw dropped. Still a virgin? Lucifer thought Mo would have had her mouth all over him.
"Watch out for flies," She said, using her hand to close his mouth, and then she got up. "Beel might not like being left out. I'll see you later during dinner, Jaune."
She left the living room and went upstairs to her room. There was a subtle swing in her hips as she ascended the stairs with confidence.
And Jaune? To put his state in simple terms, has encountered an unexpected hormone overload and needs to reboot. And where does said reboot come from? Well, most of the girls were off doing their own thing, except for Monica … Who had her horns enlarged a bit … Jaune did not register such a bad omen.
"Oh? You ok, Jaune?" She asked in a faked worry, waving her hand before his eyes. No effect. He was just plainly staring into the void, waiting for it to stare right back at him. Or for it to swallow him whole.
"Wakey, wakey!" She mused, snapping her fingers this time. She was starting to get pissed, so she brought her pencil out.
"Well, if you won't listen nicely … " She held the pencil like a knife. "I'll make you listen."
Her pencil went into his hand and rebooted. Though, he wished it hadn't.
Later that evening, Jaune was in his room, a bandage wrapped around his hand. Ignium had apparently taken all his aura in his last spar. Now he was getting ready for bed, trying not to dwell on what happened after Lucy … Can you even call that a kiss? Don't get him wrong, that was a kind of kiss, but even then, he was somewhat embarrassed.
If he froze up like that from a peck on his cheek, then how badly is he going to react to the actual kiss - wait, no, Malina kissed him back in Hell. That was sudden, for sure, and unexpected. Kind of a heat-of-the-moment action.
He didn't fully dislike it, but the way Malina was acting about it, requesting him to do her? That had him spooked. He sighed, sitting on his bed and unwrapping his hand. Healed. Aura came in handy with those girls at times, healing most injuries without leaving a lot of marks. Then again, all of the girls could use some magic, and Azazel's healing, which was used every time Judgement trained him until he broke something, was really good to have. Not to mention keeping him from turning into a demon.
It seemed that his hectic life only got crazier by the passing day. And frankly? He would never trade it off for anything. Though, as he sat there, he couldn't help but feel like he forgot something …
Oh right. Ignium told him to ask about that strange and probably demonic word. He got up and went to Azazel's room and knocked on her door.
Azazel opened the door slowly. "Yes? Ah, Jaune, what a pleasant surprise! What can I help you with?"
"Hey, Azazel, I wanted to ask you about something Ignium told me. Something called Chris Mess." Jaune watched Azazel light up the moment he said the last part.
"Oh, Lord in Heaven, I almost forgot! Jaune, we HAVE to celebrate the birth of the Lord's son! It is the biggest day of celebration, both in Heaven and on Remnant! Well, it was the biggest celebration on Remnant once, but that doesn't matter! Can we celebrate?" Azazel was too distracted to correct him on his pronunciation.
"Sure? I am not entirely sure about it, so why not tell me more about it first?"
"Absolutely! I will tell you everything you need to know about it so we can prepare!"
And so, Azazel told him about this celebration of the birth of a miracle. And oh boy, did he like what he heard about it.
He liked what he heard a lot.
Later that week, the girls were busy helping Jaune with a little something. He liked what Azazel had told him a lot, so why not give this entire holiday a try?
"Higher, Beel!" Jaune shouted from below to Beelzebub, the demoness flying up on fly wings to hang up some Christmas lights. Jaune was dressed in a white winter jacket with golden fur at the collar, his Pumpkin Pete's sweater underneath to offer more warmth to his body. Good thing the material was rather stretchy to fit his newly built muscles.
"Here?" Beelzebub asked, placing the lights on the house, the last of them, thankfully. She was dressed in a long winter coat that was red with black fur at the collar. She was the one to get everyone those winter clothes, making them herself. It was why they all had similar designs.
"Yes, perfect!" Jaune shouted, then watched as Beel descended, putting her wings away. "Flying sure seems useful."
"Oh, it is just another perk of being me, I guess." She chuckled. "Shall we head inside? The other girls must be waiting for us."
Jaune nodded, and then the two went inside the house. The Christmas lights would be turned on later. For now, they had to get the other details ready. Beel had been easy to convince to go along with the festivities. Being in the abyss for so long, she was happy to get some color around her.
Stepping inside the house, he immediately picked up the mouth-watering aroma of the sweets being cooked in the kitchen. Knowing who was making that smell brought his mind back to one of the harder ones to convince. He had gotten lucky with his first try with her, that was for sure.
"What would you think of celebrating Chris Mess."
Lucifer snorted at the pronunciation. "I may not celebrate it, but I'm pretty sure it is pronounced Christmas."
"I don't know Lucy." Justice smiled. "Chris does make a mess every year."
It had taken some convincing and a bit of bribery via pancakes, but he had gotten the queen demon on board.
Jaune shook his head at the memory as he and Beel walked into the kitchen, seeing Lucifer, Judgement, and Pandemonica working in the kitchen.
"What took you so long?" Lucifer asked, looking back at them. She was wearing her apron and handling the kitchen while Judgement and Pandemonica were helping out. "You sure have nerve, having me do the cooking while you spend time with the fly."
"Oh, what is it, Lucy? Jealous?" Beel teased, making Lucy scoff with a slight blush.
"As if!" She replied, trying not to give herself away. It only worked on the dense Jaune, not the other girls. "Are you here to join the efforts in the kitchen?"
"As much as I'd like to, I have to check on the others as well. Mind waiting for me a bit longer?" He asked.
"Sure, that is no issue. What about you two?" Lucifer turned to Judgement and Pandemonica, the former shrugging.
Judge changed her outfit once winter came around since it became too cold for even her. Currently, she was dressed in a red Christmas sweater along with a pair of pants, to Jaune's relief and, strangely, chagrin. Monica kept most of her outfit, which was her skirt, but she also got on something more festive in the form of a simple jacket and shirt with festive decorations.
Judgement hadn't been hard to convince; it was just sort of going along with things. Monica was indifferent. That was painful, relieving.
"I see no issue with it. JUST MAKE SURE TO HOLD TO YOUR PROMISE!" Judgement said, making sure to add the last part with her trademark screaming.
"Judgement, please; I think we are past the whole shouting phase already, don't you agree?" Monica said, pressing her glasses up her nose. "But she is right, Jaune, you better return here as promised. Lucifer might know how to make the sweet parts of the Christmas dinner, but she is not as skilled in the other departments."
"Who said I wasn't?!" Lucifer chimed in, feeling a hit at her pride from Monica's statement. "I can make a dinner delicious enough to leave everyone in this house wishing for more until next year!"
"Last time when you tried to cook something other than sweets, you ended up burning nearly all of the food." Monica pointed out, making Lucifer cringe and blush. That was true. "So I think I speak for everyone when I say we do not want to try again."
"F-fine!"
Jaune chuckled at the antics of the girls. In the beginning, he might have been acting a bit awkward, but as time went on, he started to build his confidence. Or rather said, Judgement and Justice helped him build confidence. He owed Judgement for training him and Justice for being a good person to hang out with.
Blind as she might be, her optimism and how she doesn't let it get to her are inspiring. Leaving Beelzebub in the kitchen, Jaune went up the stairs to Azazel's room, where she, Baphomet, and Zdrada were in charge of the inside decorations. He saw the decorations as he walked in, admitting that the girls did a good job, but he wanted to know if they needed anything else. He arrived at her door and then knocked.
"Come in!" Azazel cheerfully replied from the other side of the door, allowing Jaune to come inside her room. It was just as he remembered, the walls being painted a pristine, heavenly white with a bed situated in the corner of the room where the angel slept. Jaune once took a seat on it, and he can confirm that it was a bed out of this world.
The room had a closet where Azazel kept her clothes and other stuff and a few drawers as well, but she didn't have a TV or PC, instead preferring a desk and a lot, and I mean a lot, of books about the human realm and Hell to research. Usually, her room was pretty messy with a bunch of papers and pens lying around, but today, it has been tidied up by the angel for the occasion that is, in her words, 'the birthday of the Lord's son.'
He looked in the center of the room and saw Azazel trying to untangle some Christmas lights to hang around her own room while Zdrada was smoking on her bed. Baphomet was trying to but failed to aid the angel. He wished Zdrada aided them, too, instead of smoking, but he knew by this point that trying to make her do something else other than smoke was pretty hard.
Heck, he got her to help out with the Christmas decorations, but he is willing to bet she mostly watched as Azazel did the work. She wasn't hard to talk into having Christmas in the house, but Jaune doubted she cared either way.
"How are you girls doing?" He asked.
"We are doing great!" Azazel cheered, looking up at him from the floor. She, too, had a new winter get-up consisting of a sweater and furry jacket to keep her warm, with the pants mostly unchanged on her. Her clothing was the opposite colors, as expected, from the other girls.
"I must say, this is quite the occasion, Jaune! I didn't expect that you'd celebrate this … Well, I won't call it a joyful day, but at least you can rely on us." Baphomet remarked, wearing a similar design to Beel, but her attire had more … Goat drawings on it. Jaune hadn't received any resistance from her, so he guessed that goats could be Christmas-related, he thought.
"Yeah, no need to worry, Big J!" Zdrada commented from the side, blowing some smoke out before watching it being taken away by Beel's enchantments. She learned not to get mad about it much since she could smoke inside again now. Her clothing was pretty simple, only wearing a winter jacket over a thinner black shirt that hung loosely around her neckline, offering a clear view of her collarbone. Her usual jeans and, on her feet, a pair of winter boots. "We got everything done, and we are ready to celebrate the birthday of that dirtbag."
"Zdrada!" Azazel called out.
"Oh please, I am a demon. What did you expect?" She replied to Azazel, standing up. "You'll need a good fucking miracle to get me not to do that, and I am afraid it was already wasted with me helping to decorate the place."
"I guess she has a point, Azazel," Jaune replied awkwardly. "Either way, it's not like we have to worry about getting smitten. Pretty sure it would've happened already, seeing as nine demons are living in this household."
"I guess that is true … Still, you can never be too cautious!" She cheered. "I also need to observe how everyone acts during this time! Back in heaven, the celebration of the Lord's son is a big parade! But here, it seems so much smaller in scale! And I never once saw how demons celebrate it!"
"Meh. We usually just do our own thing and spit whenever someone says his name or mentions the day." Zdrada dryly replied.
"That is true," Baphomet added. "Predictably, we demons, especially the first generation, do not enjoy such days, given how they are meant to celebrate His oh-so divine grace further."
"Ummm. Are you guys ok with us celebrating then?" Jaune asked, feeling a bit unsure about the celebration. Did he misread how the girls felt about Christmas?
"Oh! We just don't care, that's all. However, it is still a nice holiday here and there. Besides, did you know I actually used to know Santa!" Baphomet continued, holding her cheek. "My niece, Krampus, used to be his sidekick! My, those were joyous days indeed! I still remember the screams of the terrified naughty children as Krampus dumped them from her bag mid-air."
"Oh … Lovely," Jaune replied awkwardly. "Wait, niece? Baphomet, I was not aware you have a sister."
"Oh, I guess I never mentioned it! I do, as do other siblings. We were all angels back in Heaven, but after falling, we stuck together as a united family! He made us at the same time, so it was natural!"
"Ah! I see, that explains it." Jaune stated.
"Yeah, I guess having a family is nice and all," Zdrada stated, drawing more smoke from her cigar. "But in my opinion? Fuck it. Family or no family, this damn day will go on as usual. I mean, who needs some annoying brother or sister to tell them what to do and not do? Am I right?"
Jaune flinched a bit after hearing her. "I-I am not so sure about that … "
"Meh. You'll come around." Zdrada shrugged.
"From what Azazel told me, Christmas is mostly about family, and … " He squeezed his arm slightly. "I'm sorry. I need to go check on the other girls."
Jaune rushed out of the room, his behavior a bit worrying as the girls took note of his speedy departure.
"Was it something I said?" Zdrada asked, to which Azazel, having a connection to Jaune thanks to being his guardian angel, replied.
"No … he just misses his family."
As Jaune hurried up the stairs to his room to try and get a grip, he ended up stumbling upon Modeus looking through his room.
"Oh, Jaune, I wasn't-" However, his face had the demon worried about something other than looking for his underwear. "Are you ok?"
She walked over to him. Modeus was dressed in a large sweater that stretched down to her hips and down a bit more until it reached her thighs, the rest of her legs being covered by black stockings and shoes.
Jaune, for his part, didn't expect Modeus to be in his room, but right now, he didn't mind.
"I … I don't know, Modeus." He said, taking a seat on his bed, the demon girl sitting next to him. Modeus has proven to be a good person to talk to when it comes to emotions, and her little 'research' about romance has done some good for her overall attitude as she learned to understand human emotions better.
The Bad part? She has an easier time with romantic things now, meaning he had a harder time getting her off him when she got too horny. Right now, she was gently pressing her shoulder against his as she sat beside him. Handholding was coming, and Jaune felt like he was somehow the one unprepared for it.
"Jaune, I might be able to read only lustful thoughts, but I can see something is bothering you. Please tell me," She asked, looking at him. He sighed, deciding that keeping everything in was not a good idea.
"I miss my family, Modeus. My sisters and mother must be worried sick about me and wondering where I disappeared to, and I doubt the household itself is holding well this year. I just...I cannot forgive my father yet, even for the sake of my mother and sisters. I do not wish to return to that house. But at the same time? I guess you could say I am lusting for the chance to return there … " He replied, throwing a bit of a pun in as well.
At times, lust can be associated with desire, and right now, he desires to be with the rest of his blood family. Modeus, hearing him, feels bad for him and leans to him, hugging him from the side.
"It's ok, Jaune. I understand … Truth is, I was always lonely in my cave as well, but my family, my father, and many siblings whom he sired did use to visit at times. I miss them too now, but do you know why I can handle it?" Her heart-shaped eyes stared at him, and he got lost in how sincere they were. "Because this place is more of a family than they ever were to me. Sure, we fight and sometimes disagree on things, but isn't that what all families do?"
Jaune reflected a bit on her words, finding meaning in them. It is true. Those girls are his family now, aren't they? A Harem is basically having them all as wives, so that must have been a given. Guess that makes Shade his brother-in-law and Ignium some sort of father-in-law, or something like that. Behemoth can be seen as a family, too, like an uncle. It was a strange feeling, having such a literally demonic family. But he still yearned for his real family. "Hey, Modeus? Mind if you tell the girls I will be going into town for a while?"
"Sure Jaune." She replied, then she stood up. "How long are you going to be gone?"
Jaune got up as well. "If I am not back by midnight, tell Lucifer she can run amok trying to find me and that Zdrada can burn down the forest."
Modeus giggled and smiled at him. The last part was meant as a joke. "Sure. Good luck"
She left the room with a slight sway in her hips to emphasize her sweater-covered curves. Heh. Still lustful as ever, trying to seduce him even now. Jaune inhaled deeply, checking his tail. He decided to let his hair grow out and simply tie it up in a ponytail. It became a bit of a habit to make it tighter whenever he felt nervous or was about to do something that would probably make him nervous.
Jaune closed his jacket and descended the stairs, just in time to see Cerberus, Justice, and Malina return inside the house, all of them in their winter clothing. All of the Cerberus had identical winter cloaks running down their bodies to their knees with woven-in gloves. Malina's winter jacket was accompanied by a neckcloth that was dark green and red, and Justice was wearing a sweater, with her coat mainly hanging on her shoulders. That was her style, so why change it?
Cerberus and Justice were all on board for Christmas, while Malina was resistant. Bright lights, gifts, singing, and a happy atmosphere weren't her idea of a good time. Jaune had to agree that there would be eggnog, and he would have some. Whatever that was. Considering she said she needed to buy more alcohol, Jaune hoped his liver would survive to the new year. But at the moment, none of the girls spotted him.
Justice, however, did smell him and smiled widely. "What up, Jaune? Ready for Christmas?"
"Y-yeah. I am just going out to get some air, going on a walk into town and back." He answered, and then Cerberus popped up beside him.
"Can we come as well, Alpha?! Can we? Can we?" They all asked in unison, excitedly wiggling their tails around him.
"Sorry, Cerbi, but I need to go alone," Jaune replied.
"Why do you want to go out anyway? I mean, you have business there?" Malina asked.
"You could say that. Anyway, I'd better go before it gets dark. See ya." He said before heading out, walking to the door, and letting the winter air hit him. It was a cloudy day, likely to snow later, and there was already a good amount of snow laid down on the ground.
The sound of the snow under his boots was heard with each step he took. He closed his winter jacket up all the way, covering his neck. He walked until he reached the edge of Beel's barrier. He marveled at it. It was something to keep the Grimm away from their home, given how they were a bit far from the other people. Not to mention, it also worked to hide them better in more ways than one.
Still, he continued onward.
He couldn't help but smile seeing the lively town, with the people running around and the children playing in the snow. He remembered how he and his sisters used to play as well, even last year's snow fight. He chuckled at the thought. He walked by a store with a mirror on sale in the window. He stopped for a moment, noticing how much he changed. He was slightly taller and had more muscles thanks to his training, and his new hairstyle made him look like a completely new person.
He walked forward, deeper into the market area, watching some people give him strange looks. Expected, given how he was quite the new face in town, and there were quite a few rumors about him going around. Some call him the second coming of Tai The Love Long. Whatever that means.
Still, to them, he was a stranger. He did not expect anyone to know him, and he'd rather-
"Jaune?"
Spoke too soon. Turning around, he came face to face with an older man in his late 50s. The man was an old, retired Huntsman who moved into Ansel when he was four and sometimes took care of him and his sisters. During his career, and the reason it ended, he had lost a leg, which he had replaced with a cheap prosthetic. He was a bit shorter than Jaune, with a scruffy beard and bags under his eyes. His skin was of a darker shade of brown, and he wore glasses on his nose, along with brown pants and a thick winter coat that went down to his knees alongside a cane to help him walk. The man looked at the boy in disbelief.
"Oh my Dust, is that you?"
"Mister Colt?" Jaune mused but didn't get to say more as the man half sprinted, half hobbled at him, and hugged him tightly.
"It is you!" Mister Colt said again as he hugged Jaune, then he took distance, looking at him. "Look at you, my boy! You have grown! I can feel the muscle underneath your clothing, and I must say I like the new hairstyle! Have you been training?"
Jaune chuckled, holding onto his arms to help support the elder. He smiled at him, liking the sound of a known voice. "Yes, I have. I must say, it has been a rough couple of months, but I got myself some muscles and actual sword skills."
"You did? Well, would you give this old man a spar sometimes?" He asked jokingly, punching Jaune lightly in the chest.
Jaune chuckled. "Sure, if you can keep up, old timer."
Colt scoffed and hit Jaune in the shin using his cane, the boy yelping at the contact. Colt hummed at confirming his thoughts. "I see you have an aura now as well! And also, do not go calling me old! I still have enough youth in me to put you in your place, boy, understand?"
"Y-yes, sir!" Jaune replied quickly, and then both of them cracked a smile, breaking into a laugh. "For real. It is really good to see you again. How have things been? How come you are on Patch?"
"Jaune, my boy, things have been going well for this ol-ahem wise man. The missus and I moved here last week." Colt replied, but then he sighed. "But I cannot say the same about your family."
Jaune felt the joy of seeing Colt die and be replaced with worry. "What about them? Are they ok? Did something happen?"
"Yes and no. You see, shortly after you vanished, your sisters didn't exactly keep quiet about what your father tried doing to you. The entire village was awe-struck! Nicholas never seemed like the type of man to do something like this - sealing the aura of his child! Let alone for such a petty reason!" Colt said, a hint of anger visible in his voice. "What respect he had among the people vanished, and there were even some Huntsmen who talked about arresting him. But alas, your mother's big heart had us all stop from doing something rash."
"My mother?" Jaune echoed. "How is she doing?"
Colt spit on the ground. "Not good, my boy. Not good. It's like she has gone on auto-pilot or something! She barely utters a word to anyone, only doing her shopping and then going back home to do her chores. I once visited the house, and all she did while I was there was staring at an old picture with you and all your sisters … And do not call me by name if she wasn't fighting back tears."
Guilt began to pool inside Jaune, hearing the state his mother ended up in. He knew things might have taken a bad turn, but he never thought it would be this bad. "What about my sisters? Are they ok?"
"They are a little better than your mother, yes. Coral returned from Haven a week after you went away to help her family."
"What?! What about Haven?! She wanted to be a Huntress - surely she cannot just leave!" Jaune replied.
"Of course not! However, this itself could count as a family emergency, and if I remember Lionheart well enough, then he would allow something like this." Colt explained, placing both hands on his cane. "I talked with her, you know. She is mighty pissed at your father … I assume you are too."
Jaune's eyes told Colt everything he needed to know, how Jaune looked down instead at him at the mention of that man.
"My point exactly. Sapphire, Alice, and Coral have been the only ones to keep the house together and going since! They did call me a few times to have a chat and maybe ease things, but … Your younger sisters, Jade, Lapis, and Silva, are feeling the absence of their big brother, Jaune."
"I know … I miss them too," Jaune replied, his fist tight. Colt could only nod. The boy was conflicted between what his father did and the feelings he had for the rest of his family. But there was another issue at hand, something Colt noticed all too well.
"Jaune, be honest … Do you live close by?"
Jaune tensed at that question and tried to avoid looking at Mister Colt. But the older Huntsman had his tricks.
"Hey, look alive!" He snapped his fingers, making Jaune look at him as he finally made contact with Jaune's eyes, then used something he hadn't used in a long time: his semblance. Colt's semblance could allow him to force someone to answer a question when asked by making eye contact. Good for interrogations. And to get certain kids to say who ate the last cookie.
"Yes, in a wooden house north of here, through the woods. Can't miss it," Jaune replied against his will, and then he covered his mouth. "Mister Colt!"
"Sorry for that, sonny, but it was a needed thing." He apologized. "But good to know you are good. I assume that looking at your troubled face, you are taking this walk to clear your head?"
Jaune, knowing that answering it was better than being forced to respond, decided to stop resisting.
"Yes, and I miss them. I miss them dearly." He confessed. "But I cannot return, not yet. The wound is still hurting, but I do not hate my mother and sisters! If I could, I would take them with me, but I cannot."
"Why?" Colt asked again, and then he recalled something he heard the other day. There were rumors around Patch that a lady with white hair was going around. She was new, and when he asked her once where she lived … Wait. "Jaune, are you living with a certain white-haired woman?"
Jaune's breathing hitched. He forgot Beelzebub had done some shopping in town and had taken a human disguise. She must have exchanged some words with the locals.
"Yes, she is the landlady of the house I live in." He replied, telling Colt a half-truth. Technically, being the one to build the house, Beel technically owned it. "There are others as well, good people I live with. I cannot pay since I do not have money, so I offered some other services instead."
"My goodness, boy, are you sleeping with her?" Colt asked but only got a strong denial.
"What?! No! I cook, clean, and even take care of the Grimm from time to time! There is someone there who was willing to train me!" He said, dropping truths and lies mixed. Heh. Living with so many demons rubbed off on him, didn't it? "You know me, Mister Colt, I would never do something like that!"
"Really? A shame, she was nice." He replied with a hint of disappointment that confused Jaune. Was this old geezer hoping Jaune was SLEEPING with BEEL? Granted, such thoughts did cross his mind before, but …
Damn it, Modeus … Damn you, hormones.
"Regardless if I may or might not be a virgin anymore," Jaune said, trying to change the subject back. "My family - more precisely, that … man."
"A mess … An absolute, miserable mess. Since everyone turned on him, your father has been spending a ridiculous amount of time on the Grimm around Ansel, specifically around your house. He has started coming to the bar as well." He sighed, looking up at the sky as the snow fell on the ground. "I saw men being destroyed before, but this? This is new even to me. I am not saying your father deserves any sympathy for what he has done - Not at all! Nor do I believe he should be forgiven! But that … is up to you, boy."
"Yeah, I guess … " Jaune replied, tightening his ponytail again. "But I guess I cannot exactly call everyone to have dinner at my new place either. Place is packed, and even then, we are on the other side of Remnant."
Not to mention, it was full of demon girls, which he was not ready to reveal.
"But … Mister Colt, can you do me a favor?"
"For you? Anything."
"Call my family, and tell them … Tell them you met me. Tell them I am alright and that they don't need to worry about me. I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and enough company to last me a lifetime." And an entire afterlife.
"Will do, Jaune. Will do." Mister Colt said, nodding his head. "Anything else you need?"
Jaune thought about that for a bit; then he realized something. "Actually, yeah. Care to shake my hand? No gloves."
The old man arched his eyebrow but didn't question it. He interrogated the boy and took his time, so he did as Jaune asked. Jaune took the chance to do what he intended.
Only the Truth, Mister Colt's semblance, was now part of his arsenal.