The Interview Part 2

A Tangled Web

"Yes." He affirmed. "Back in the day, when I was a monster too."

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I woke up groggy in an empty bed, and Mephisto was nowhere to be found. Surprise, surprise.

Yet, after surveying my surroundings, I realized I wasn't alone. A pair of bright green eyes stared at me with curiosity.

"Hello there." A young girl announced, sitting cross-legged next to me. "He told me to stop your nightmares. I'm a part-demon, and I excel at stopping demons from entering the sleep world."

"Who told you?"

"Mephisto." She smiled. "I live here in the palace. My name is Petra."

"Uh...hi," I answered shyly, pulling the blanket up to my naked shoulders.

"Oh, don't worry about that." She hopped from the bed. "My mom is all about body positivity. Naked bodies are not a shameful thing. She's a bit of a hippy."

"You're mom?"

"Uh, yeah." She huffed with annoyance. "Y'know, Shura. Weren't you best friends? Did she really never mention me?"

"You're Shura's daughter?"

I continued to stare at the child, dumbfounded. She was tiny and elfin with pastel purple hair.  I realized at once that she had features similar to Mephisto, only delicate and feminine. Her eyes were bright and inhumanly large for her face. They swirled like portals into micro galaxies, framed by thick, purple lashes.

"Nice to meet you, Petra. I'm Eve." I extended a hand. "Uh? Where is your father right now?"

"Um, my dad lives in Spain...." She answered slowly with equal confusion. "I visit him every other month."

"Oh, sorry!" I quickly corrected. "I meant Mephisto."

"Yeah, about him. He's at some big meeting at the Vatican." She brushed a spiral purple curl from her eyes. "That guy is a trouble-maker, or so mom says. Yet, she's been his roommate for years and years. She sticks around because he's funny, I think."

"Are you close to Mephisto?" I was intrigued.

"I guess so." She shrugged her shoulders. "He's a bit of a weirdo, but he takes care of us. He's also the director of the exorcist school, and tutors me and Antoin. We have supernatural powers and such. I can make simple barriers and stop bad dreams."

"Thank you for that. I don't want to experience those dreams again."

"Hey, don't mention it!" She winked. "But it's getting pretty late, we need to get breakfast."

I followed the barefooted teen up the hall into the kitchen, I remembered. The room had been remodelled to the current style, but everything was in a similar place. The kid rifled through the cupboards and pulled out a box of cereal. She snapped her fingers, and the rainbow-coloured flakes tumbled into a bowl. She stared at the contents with distaste.

"Mephisto picked out all the marshmallows." She sniped. "He has no consideration for the next guy wanting cereal. It's all about him, all the time."

I bit back a laugh. She had him down in spades.

"Can I make you some eggs?" I offered. "I'm a decent cook."

"No, way. You're a guest!" She pressed a button on the wall. "Belial will make us something if I ask nicely."

A chime sounded, and a familiar voice spoke through the speaker.

"Mistress Petra, what would you like?"

"Eve is awake, Belial."

"Excellent. I will make you both a wonderful breakfast."

"Awesome! You're the greatest Belial." She grabbed my hand, shouting. "We're gonna be in my room!"

"Are you sure that's what the Master wants?" Belial was a bit concerned.

"I don't care, when is the last time we had company!? I'm going to show her my  manga collection."

"Petra, wait." A voice sounded from the doorway.

"Mom?"  The girl inquired.

 Shura stood in her pyjamas with two cups of hot coffee.

"Why don't we all have breakfast together? And let yer mom catch up with an old friend?"

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