Taking Out the Trash (CONQUEST)

To put it bluntly, Halluc almost seemed... defective? Jinx smiled at the other Majin as he came close, deciding it'd be best for her to not say such things aloud. "You can have a little nibble, since I'm feeling nice." She didn't need ANYONE'S help to do this; nor would 'help' be considered such to Jinx. She came here to gain more selfish power and look good to future subjects. "Nice one, Blue! A clean OHKO! Hopefully that'll teach sneaky little goblins like them to not mess with us!"

Oh. Erebos. "You have anger issues," Observed the Nova saliently, face scrunching as she stared at Erebos. "Maybe get that checked out." It was a miracle he had the restraint to NOT try and fight them. Demons will be Demons. "I don't really care what you say or think about me, but don't think being mean to my friends will slide if you keep doing it!" Threats and snide quips about her, her capability, her intelligence... Jinx was used to it. "I mean, at least Zerori HAD someone to confess to. You seem like a lonely, nasty little gremlin!"

At least he relented shortly after. The amount of portal closers had someone risen exponentially since she got here, but Jinx was growing impatient. "Now hold on, friend," She'd move to delicately yet firmly stop Zaffran with a single hand. "You didn't ask!" And she certainly wasn't given permission. "You can have a tiny bit, I suppose." An unusual emotion flashed behind her glittery rainbow eyes, telling the goat that it'd be unwise to question her generosity. "Alright! Now that Zerori has gone and split it up, allow me!" A portal half was further split by Jinx's deft hand slicing through it in a shower of rainbow magic, tearing off small chunks that'd she'd somehow toss toward Zaffran and Halluc.

It wasn't much. Two-thirds of the original half remained, but Jinx couldn't trust that the weak among them could handle much more. "Well rest assured," She'd address 'Plato'. "This is pretty much our home. That means we'll stop anything uber bad or exploitative from happening!" Jinx spared a glance at Erebos, sighing and tossing a half of the two-thirds of the half (geez) to him in pity. "Go on, Mr Dramatic! Impress me!" The ocarina's magic had begun to work, weakening the intensity of the void. "That also means the people are safe too. We wouldn't have shops or food or nice things without people to make them! But, uh, we're not gonna go the forced labor route either. That sort of thing isn't my speed."

Jinx combined the small piece of void left with the other, full half. Taking EXTRA care to stop or avoid anyone who tried driving after her meal suddenly, she'd swallow the entire thing hole, unhinging her mouth like a snake. It seemed to pass with issue, the Majin letting out a belch and patting her tummy. "WHEW that was hardcore! Like downing a whole bag of black licorice steeped in wyvern poison."

Anger issues? If he were angry, he might’ve said something like ‘how dare you!’ Or ‘bow to me cur’. But he was a totally normal guy! Shrugging, he rolled his eyes at her suggestion. She wouldn’t be so cavalier without everyone in her contact list actively being in the surrounding area, but he supposed he himself would be doing much the same.

”Therapy’s too expensive, but I’ll keep that in mind.”

As expected, the others quipped and gave their own little speeches and comments. As most high-powered folks were oft to do. Zaffran’s ravenous demeanor almost gave Erebos the final straw, but Jinx’s intervention held him back.

No reason to antagonize further. As fun as it would’ve been to rend the other horn from Zaff’s head, it would be rude not to let them have this one. So he sat and waited, trying not to listen too hard to Plato’s explanation of the horrid life that awaited Crotona, as well as the myriad of taunts he levied at him.

”Mighty big britches for a body-snatcher.”

Most surprising of all, however, was the sudden toss of a chunk of void toward Erebos! It was a sizable shaving, and so he took serious care to deal with it efficiently.

Rather than eat it, or perhaps even absorb it, he cut a criss-cross in the sky, splitting open a portal to the Shadow Realm. The void screeched as it made contact, like nails on a chalkboard, before it finally sucked through. Cracking his neck, the Shadowmancer dusted himself off proudly. No ill effects, and the void would be recycled through the shadows to become something. He’d thought about the exact place to send the void for a long time, and that particular corner of the shadows would be the perfect place.

”Well. That concludes our business, then. Seems we might have misjudged one another’s intentions.”

Erebos turned on a dime, giving a lazy wave goodbye behind his back.

”Zerori! Let’s meet up tomorrow morning, okay? I gotta find a hotel that accepts shadow dollars.”

The fingers that wiggled goodbye suddenly turned wavy and translucent, before the entire arm became a shadowy mass. As his other extremities vanished, he gave a death glare to Plato.

”We talk tonight. Meet me at whatever sorry excuse for a palace or castle the king lives in.”

With that, he began to vanish into the shadows.

---

With a look of victorious glee, Zerori watched the portal that resisted her as valiantly as… well, a portal could, before it was rented into two before her blade. The two parts floated ambiguously like a giant floating amoeba before Jinx and the others took to the pieces in their own respective ways. For her part, she would merely watch on and keep her guard about her, the darkness no temptation to the Demon Hybrid. Her mother, likely, would have enjoyed eating some part of the noxious mess but she’d fight an army of Hell before she ever allowed her Mother to touch this shit. Not after all it took to finally regain her form and partial power back.

Watching was fun, anyway! Jinx gave Erebos a solid tongue lashing that made her smirk out of sight (and unwillingly admit that she was glad Ise was ever in her life to begin with) before she cocked a look over at Crotona (Plato? She was hearing that swords woman say that name, too) to listen in. They had a rather interesting explanation for how Demons came to be. Sure, she knew some Demons came from negative energy and could be ‘created’ but whatever traditional way they came to be, Zerori was sure she was a bit of an exception.

The immediate agonizing screech from Erebos’ own doorway to the voice cannibalizing on the one she’d sliced in half brought her attention back to him. With a growl, she brought a sword up and carefully tried to nurse her eardrum with a pinky, “Noisy,” She hissed before hearing the Shade prince’s words and returned his lazy wave, “Fine, but it’ll be the first thing!” She countered just before he was on his way.

Speaking of, it appeared by the way Jinx had eaten her part, Halluc had nearly choked in his and Zaffran was regretfully gnawing away at their chosen portions. By the time they’d eventually finished, she would thankfully only have stinky whiffs of the portal hanging in the air - a far cry from the oppressive presence it was before. With her work done, there seemed little more to do than either tag along with the after-party with the Novas… or-

She looked down at Imugi where they’d fallen, the sword long since fallen some distance away from them. I owe you one for keeping those ogres from my sword, don’t I? Zerori lamented with a softer smirk before turning back to the Nova’s but more specifically speaking to Salvo. “Thanks for not killing that one. Maybe it’ll teach ‘em not to butt into business they shouldn’t but I’m grateful all the same I can close out a debt!” And with a grin, Zerori had just about begun to float down toward Imugi-

-When her ears caught the exchange between Zaffran and Halluc. Possessive impulsiveness must have been amplified by her form because she was near Halluc with a greatsword leveled at his neck the very next moment - her other broadsword pointed tippily toward Zaffran with a very suspiciously glowy glimmer of magic. Her grin sharpened with vicious delight before she spoke, “Dibs, you greedy fat fucks. You got your share. That one belongs to me. Wanna fight about it? Come find me.” Her threat and very real promise delivered, she would lower her weapons and fly down to the ground. If she wasn’t stopped, both the limp body of the invalid and their sword would be taken into her (quickly shrinking) arms. She’d mutter to the fallen Demon, “At least you’re not heavy.” Before attempting to take off in an impressive sprint to get imugi some place to recover.

“Heh? That is not going to happen.” Plato waved at Zaffan. The demon could believe whatever self delusion they wanted. It would do them no good. In this cosmo’s might made right. That what Plato believed, even if the other voices screamed out to him that was not true. The Hundreds of other voices that were growing so silent. All around them yes? Of course, he was hearing things that didn’t exist but that was just who he was. And soon be the magic that Crotona would obtain. He just had to make her see things his way. So she could protect Konats. That was what her bloodline had done. But she was too weak right now to defend it all alone. She would seen reach her destiny and he’d reach his.

Erebos proclaimed they would be meeting soon, as he began to leave. He flashed a grin, seems things were working out in his favor. However, as he was leaving Plato felt a powerful pull from deep within his soul. He grabbed on Crotona’s head as Jinx spoke up explained that this was indeed their home, but that didn’t mean they were not going to run things. It was good enough for Plato but not for Crotona. “We will deal with that later.” Two voices no longer one voice spoke as Erebros was making his departure. ‘Bastard. I assumed the connection was weaker then expected. Everyone else is like a wash. But he always comes. He always appears for Konats or Namek. What a villain he tries to play off. When he just wants to be the hero’ Plato eyes fixed with rage. He might actually have to kill that Demon. He might get in the way.

With no more time to spare Plato begins to take his departure. “You all can handle the rest. I’ve done my part. The souls of Konats may not be able to rest in peace but they may at least be able to rest in some manner. Nothingness is better than the torture of the Void.” Plato grabbed the side of their face and began to walk off. “Now I have a meeting with a Demon Princeling to attend. So if you will excuse me.” Plato would take off flying off as the horns began to fade and the hair took on its original flare as Crotona began to take back control.


Wc:405
Twc:2,741
Attempted Exit!