Demon Queened - Chapter 72 (Rough Draft)

Devilla

“First things first,” I declared, there’s still a few matters to take care of. I’ll need one of you to get Jahara from the kitchen, for starters…”

“Who?” Abigail asked, frowning.

“The dragon I fought,” I explained to her. “She apparently has the ability to take a dragon girl form.”

“Really?” Lucy asked. “I don’t  think Grell mentioned that…”

“I suppose Grell was more enamored with her original form,” I replied, shaking my head. “Regardless, the fact remains - she’s currently in the kitchen.”

“The kitchen someone made a giant mess of?” Abigail asked. “...You know what? Nevermind. I’ll go grab her real quick while you… do whatever it is you need to keep Doll alive, I guess.”

“Tell her to behave, or I’ll take back what I said about dessert.”

“I hate the fact that you think that’ll work,” Abigail complained, shaking her head but nevertheless leaving the room.

“I’ll go help her,” Lucy said, after glancing back and forth between me and the door. “I think she could use some company right now… Her world got turned upside down, too, even if it’s not quite the same as with us.”

I nodded, before frowning at Doll. “So I take it that you know the spell to recharge yourself?”

“I know all spells accessible to the Demon Queens,” Doll replied, her tone as matter of fact as always. “I am the receptacle of knowledge promised by the Rite of Insight, after all.”

“...That wouldn’t happen to include a holy depetrification spell, would it?” I asked, before holding up a hand. “You know what? Nevermind. I’ll ask you again in the morning. Tonight is dedicated to helping Lucy and Abigail destress… not to mention myself. So, for now, just tell me how to charge you again?”

“Not yet,” Doll replied. “There remains one last enchantment you must scrape off of me, for certainty’s sake.”

“And you’re only mentioning it now?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. “After the others have left the room?”

“The wolf is still here,” Doll pointed out. “Though I would wish otherwise… this enchantment is different from the others, and the less unpredictable variables the better.”

“And by ‘unpredictable variables’ you mean…?”

“People. Your behavior alone is difficult enough to predict. That of your companions? Nigh impossible.” 

I sighed, then glanced at Bailey. “Go wait in the bedroom, alright? I promise to stay safe from the scary Doll lady.”

Bailey nodded, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and headed out.

“Now can you tell me where this extra special spot upon your person is?” I asked, exasperated.

Doll nodded, before pointing at her belly button. “Around this,” she told me. “The enchantment is somewhat complicated, as it involves the control and use of divine energy. Something only Luci or the Goddess herself can master. All you need to do is scratch out this one character here - do you see it? - and another here. The first will disable the holy magic trigger, and the latter will release the divine magic to ensure that even a direct order from Luci will not be able to turn me into a  valid threat against you.”

“Here,” I muttered, turning on my holy vision again so that I could see where she was pointing. “Fine,” I murmured, coming closer. “At least it’s only a couple symbols this time.”

She nodded, silently watching me as I scraped the first, and then the second. Only, just as I was about to do the final pass with my fingernail, she suddenly called out, “Wait!”

Too late, however - my nail scraped off the last bit of the enchantment, and something emerged from her belly button. Something white, and misty, almost steam like - except steam didn’t hurt like this. It didn’t burn the flesh of my fingers, leaving them blistered and red. 

“Ow!” I cried out, in what might very well have been the first true physical pain I’d ever felt - though I was already healing, even as I shouted, the redness subsiding as my hand returned to normal.

“Eena?!” Lucy called out, running into the room, with Abigail and Bailey just a step behind her. Jahara trailed behind the three, looking much less concerned.

“What’s wrong?” Abigail asked. “It sounded like you were in pain, or something.”

Doll shot me a look, subtly shaking her head. A silent warning - or perhaps a plea - to keep things simple, and secret.

Except secrets were never truly simple, were they? Even when Lucy explicitly gave me permission to keep them. They were like a barrier, between me and those I kept them from - one through which we could see each other, even feel each other, but never truly connect in every way that mattered.

“I was burned,” I explained to them, ignoring Doll’s slightly narrowed eyes. “By what I take to be divine magic. It escaped the spell it was confined to, within Doll, and harmed my hand.”

“Wait a second,” Abigail interrupted. “It hurt your hand? Yours? The magical hand that’s, like, impervious to all mortal harm?”

“This wasn’t exactly mortal,” I remarked. “It was divine. A step above even me…”

“More than a step, if making contact with it is enough to hurt you like that,” Abigail remarked.

“Divine magic is akin to fire,” Doll said, joining in to my surprise. “It can be warm, and gentle when tempered properly, but if left uncontrolled it can turn fierce and hot. Sticking your fingers in it - whether you be made of holy energy, or mortal flesh - is ill advised. 

“…Perhaps more so in the latter case, though.”

“Wait a second,” Lucy muttered. “I just realized! You’re made of holy magic, right, Eena?”

I nodded, wondering what insight she would bring.

“Then no wonder I have all that positive energy ‘staining’ me! It must have come from you! When we… you know…”

“Ate each other out?” Abigail suggested, causing Lucy’s cheeks to turn a little pink.

“It’s weird to be able to actually say it aloud, in front of people, but yeah!” Lucy confirmed.

“I suppose that could explain it,” Doll confirmed. “In a normal mortal, I doubt consuming holy magic in such a way would matter much, but when combined with the blessing carved upon your soul… it might indeed have put the energy you gained to use.”

“Wait, what do you mean carved into her soul?” I demanded.

“Yeah, I’m kinda curious too,” Abigail admitted, while Lucy nodded fiercely.

“It is only a theory of mine, at the moment,” Doll told us. “But in theory, the only way to grant a blessing such as yours would be to carve it into the very soul of the individual…”

“Then… does that mean that there’s actually only a singular Heroine?” I asked. “That she’s actually a… reincarnation?”

I didn’t know how to feel about that. About the thought that Lucy might share a soul with those monsters… Thankfully, Doll shook her head.

“I do not imagine a Heroine’s soul would survive even a singular cycle of abuse, let alone many. A mortal’s body and soul are not meant to utilize holy or unholy energy the way the Heroine does. Yet the Heroine utilizes both to strengthen herself You see the effect upon their mortal brains, in how they go insane - their positive and negative emotions dramatically magnified, in line with the positive and negative energy that now strengthens their flesh… Yet what it does to the mortal mind cannot even compare to the damage it would wreak upon a mortal’s soul. I imagine the souls of most Heroines break apart before they can ever enter the reincarnation cycle.”

“...Well, on that delightful note,” I said, “the holy words to recharge you, please?”

“Sythorum driveen borunt.”

“Sythorum driveen borunt,” I repeated - yet  what had been just words for her felt like so much more to me, as my holy energy surged forward to fill her. More, and more she took from me, and for the first time I actually felt my holy magic drain significantly, as Doll’s features lit up.

She was glowing. Literally.

“Full range of emotional expressions - restored. Full vocal range - restored. Soul-sight - restored. Emergency medical operations - restored. Laser eyes - restored. System on and operational.”

“Is it just me, or was one of those a little different than the rest?” I asked.

“You must have imagined things,” Doll said, with a bright smile. One I was very much not used to seeing on her face.

“Let’s… just get going on our date,” Abigail said, after a moment. “Because, honestly, I don’t even know where to begin.”

***

Abigail

***

“I can’t  believe I’m doing this,” I muttered, for the umpteenth time. Devilla must have been tired of hearing it, by now, but she didn’t say anything. She just looked at me, with her eyes full of worry, obviously trying to think up something to help. “It’s fine, Devilla. It’s not like I’m blaming you or anything. This is… just… a lot.”

“Leaving the tower?” she asked.

“Leaving the tower to go on a date with the Heroine of all people. Not to mention the fact that it’s a double date with the literal Demon Queen. Though I guess I’m kinda over that last part, at this point. I just… sometimes, I wonder how the hell I got into this mess… You, Lucy, you’re both important. Plus, you’re apparently wrapped up in a whole conspiracy about revenge, with your intertwined fates, and… it’s like you were practically destined to get together.”

“I assure you we were not,” Devilla replied, dryly.

“...Okay, yeah, my bad,” I admitted. Considering how we were dodging their so-called destiny, and all, it probably wasn’t the best way to describe their relationship. “But it’s just… you’re two big figures, on the world stage. I’m just… me.”

“That ‘me’ you’re referring to is someone I happen to care a great deal about,” Devilla said. “I would ask you not to look down on her so much. She’s quite important in her own right, you know - I don’t even want to think about where I’d be without her comfort and guidance.”

“Out in the wilderness, trying to survive off roots and berries?” I suggested. “Seeing as how you were planning to run away and all…:”

“I’d like to think I’d have found a place amongst humanity,” Devilla replied. “Though, truth to tell, you might be right… I don’t seem to blend in very well.”

“Yeah…” I laughed, a nervous awkward laugh that I hated the moment it came out of my mouth. It felt all sorts of wrong, and out of place.

Sort of like me.

Thankfully, it was at that incredibly awkward moment that the door swung open to reveal Lucy. Still in her casual clothes, with the red top and the black skirt, and the white sunhat, but now with the addition of a dragon-themed eye mask.

“You know I can see your eyes through that, right?” I pointed out. “Which means people are going to be able to see mine.”

“A good point,” Devilla admitted, striding up to Lucy and pulling her into a hug. “Perhaps we can claim you’ve attached some special lenses? Considering we’re excusing your wings as a costume, I don’t think another flourish such as this will tip the scales of suspicion in anyone else’s favor.”

“I guess,” I said, taking one of the masks from Lucy. Easy enough, with her arms still wrapped around Devilla, and the masks sticking out of her hand. “So now what?”

“Now we can go out on our date!” Lucy said, with a big smile. “I sent Jahara off with Grell and Dyona, by the way, so we don’t need to worry about her, either!”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked, unconvinced. “We’re talking about a dragon, right? King - or Queen, I guess - of the monsters? The most powerful thing the monster realm can throw at you?”

“And an absolute glutton,” Devilla said, shaking her head. “She’s attended the festival many times before. So long as she stays in her fully human form, she should be fine.”

 “I still can’t believe you’re controlling a dragon with food. I know your fries are decent, but… wait, what did I say?” I asked, noticing how Devilla’s expression had soured.

“It’s nothing,” she tried to tell me, but her expression definitely said otherwise. “It’s just that Jahara actually found the fries… middling, at best, shall we say? It was everything else the chefs cooked that won her over.”

“Devilla…” I started, before stopping, and shaking my head. “Nevermind…” 

“It’s not good to keep things bottled up,” Lucy told me, with an expression that basically screamed sincere concern.

What the hell was I supposed to do with that? The Heroine, showing concern over me…

“Abigail?” Devilla asked, frowning.

“It’s nothing,” I repeated. “You know, you don’t have to express every little thing, right? Sometimes it’s alright to keep thoughts to yourself.”

“I guess,” Lucy agreed. “Everyone’s allowed secrets, after all… but it’s different with complaints! Especially when it comes to the people you want to spend time around. Complaints that you keep to yourself are complaints that’ll never be solved!”

“It’s not even a complaint! I just… don’t… entirely get why Devilla is always getting bent out of shape about potatoes, alright?”

“Me?” Devilla asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yeah, you. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, alright?”

“I’m not going to be hurt by you not loving potatoes as much as me,” Devilla insisted. “Especially not when you’ve already admitted to the greatness of a properly deep fried french fry.”

“Aren’t you?” I asked, unable to help myself. “You can be sort of fragile, Devilla. It’s hard to know what’ll set you off sometimes.”

“That’s… fair,” she said, after a moment. “But I’d rather you risk it than keep things to yourself, when they’re bothering you.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to hurt you. Did you ever consider that? Maybe I’d prefer to keep some minor complaints to myself if it means you don’t break down in front of me… at least until you’re stronger.”

“I think those are both perfectly valid points,” Chloe said. “But maybe take a deep breath and step back from one another? Because it feels like you’re gearing up for what might be a very stupid fight about how neither of you want to hurt the other one. Not the best start for a group date, wouldn’t you agree?”

“....Chloe?”

“Chloe!?”

“Chloe!”

“Yup, that’s me!” the kitsune confirmed, puffing out her chest. “Trickster extraordinaire! Wanna guess how I came to be here?”

“Not particularly.”

“Not really.”

“I really want to know how, but I don’t think everyone else feels the same?”

“Seriously?” Chloe asked. “It could have been an elaborate chain of highly unlikely events!”

“Or maybe you heard about the festival and wanted to join in,” I guessed, dryly.

“...I mean, if you want to boil it down to the bare bones, I guess…”

“Were you seriously keeping yourself hidden this entire time?” Devilla asked. “Just waiting for the right time to pop out?”

“Yup!” Chloe confirmed. “I was actually sort of starting to get worried there wouldn’t be one, but nope! Perfect dramatic entrance moment found. Speaking of which… You guys really care about each other, huh?”

“Of course I care about her! I’m out here trying to date her, aren’t I?”

“And I, of course, care about her,” Devilla replied. “I wouldn’t have entered a relationship with her otherwise.”

“Exactly!” Chloe said, with a grin. “You care. But you both express that care in different ways. Devilla, you wanna take on burdens, and share them in turn, while Abigail…”

“It’s not like I don’t want that,” I protested. “I mean… it sounds nice, I guess? But if I shared every complaint that comes to mind, we’d be here all day! Besides, most of them are just petty complaints, anyways - I don’t actually want you jumping to fix my every complaint.”

“But you do want to express them, don’t you?” Chloe asked. “Maybe to a party who could understand? Like, say, me? Once a week? We can have breakfast, you rant, and I help you filter out the things that are maybe actually worth saying to Devilla, instead of letting them build. You know, friend stuff.”

“...Seriously? You’d do all that?” I asked. “Just because we’re friends?”

“And because you three are going to look the other way while I go party it up at the festival… right?” she asked, with a wide grin.

Devilla sighed. “Go… Just be back before dawn. I’m sure your illusions would keep you safe, but I’d rather you not test them during sunlight.”

“Don’t worry! I can turn fully human, just like that dragon friend of yours. Kitsune trick.”

“I’ve never heard of that trick,” I said, narrowing my eyes at Chloe.

“It’s not exactly something we broadcast,” Chloe replied. “Or use of late. I mean, who wants to look human in the middle of the tower? Comes in handy when we’re pulling off tricks, though.”

“If you’re lying-” I started, only to stop in the face of Chloe’s serious expression. Not because I was totally swayed by it, though. More because I was shocked at just how badly it suited her face.

“I don’t lie,” she said, simply. “Ever.”

“Never?” Lucy asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

“Never!” Chloe confirmed. “Communication’s too important to me for that sort of thing. I’ve already got a mark against me, as a trickster, you know? If I was actually known to tell lies, on top of that, how would anyone know when to trust me?”

“Yes, well, so long as you’re not caught, I think that’s good enough,” Devilla broke in. “Still, I’d rather you back by dawn, all the same. I need to be sure everyone’s properly returned to the tower before I move on.”

“That’s fine!” Chloe promised, her bushy tail wiggling happily behind her as she reached for the door. “See you soon!”

“...She didn’t bring any money with her,” Devilla sighed, shaking her head.

“Somehow, I doubt that’ll stop her…” I sighed. 

“Let’s worry about it later?” Lucy suggested, to my surprise. “We’re supposed to just be normal people on a date, today,  right?”

“...Right,” Devilla confirmed a moment after, a smile on her lips.

“Right,” I said, shaking my head and heading for the door. “Well then, let’s get this perfectly normal show on the road, then…”

~~~

Author's Notes

Struggled a bit on whether to bring Chloe in - as well as how to explain it, if she did arrive - but in the end, I really felt like the scene needed her.

...Of course, now I need to write side stories for not only Jahara's fun with Grell and Dyona, but also Chloe if I can manage... But it was a worthy trade off, in the end.

Next up is a chapter of Naughty Magic, and then another chapter of DQ as fast as I can manage to get back to a 5 chapter buffer. Also hope to get the next chapter of that fanfic commission done sooner than later... busy, busy, busy. At least depression's improving again?