A/N: obviously I don't own this pic but look how cute these precious beans are!!
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Chapter 8
The Netherworld- the realm where all demons live. And the Monarch who rules is- The Demon King! However, the Demon King's throne has sat empty for ages. Only the most worthy will inherit this seat of sovereignty. But who will it be?
Irumi Suzuki, age 14. She is a pitiful girl who was sold off to a demon by her idiot parents. But, is her heritage all that it seems?
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Morning came following the now staple routine- yelp in terror from the alarm, be greeted and exchange sleepy good mornings with Opera and Sullivan, a morning bath before getting dressed with the help of Opera bandaging her more serious wounds that haven't fully sealed and Sullivan doing her hair. They ate together- with Opera's cooking being extraordinary as always, and finally yelled out her goodbyes to head to school.
But unlike the past mornings, there was something different awaiting her as she fixed her red-eye brooch at the doorway.
"Morning Sunshine!!" Clara greeted from behind the gate, grinning and waving her hands excitedly. Dancing next to Asmodeus who was standing in an elegant position, doing a slight bow in greeting. "Hello Master, a very good morning to you!"
Irumi blinked in surprise seeing them both there. Before a small giggle left her. "Wow, so full of energy already. Good morning." She greeted them both back.
"How wonderful!" Her chibi sized grandfather exclaimed, siping the rest of his Hell Grey tea. "My darling grandchild has already made two new friends."
Irumi stiffened at the words. "Huh?" She uttered in shock. "Uh-actually I'm not sure if I call them friends. We just sort of play together and talk." She denied. "Pardon, but I thought that was exactly what you call friends in the human world. How odd. Was I mistaken?" Sullivan questioned, setting his empty teacup on the floating saucer.
Irumi blinked, even more-so startled as her face turned bright red. "W-well you see I have no idea how they feel..and besides..because of- you know am I even allowed to make friends? And-I.." she looked down, looking incredibly ashamed. "I..never had..any before.." Irumi admitted.
Opera and Sullivan patted her head, somewhat cheering her up. "I'm certain things will work out pumpkin." "Indeed Milady, don't let such thoughts get to you. You may do whatever you wish-within reason of course. Have a good day sir, Princess," Opera said, waving them both off, being certain to say their farewells to Irumi as silent as possible. "Well the faculty is deciding on classes today! So I'm headin' off to school! See ya later!~" Sullivan sang while prancing away in a joyous stride.
"Come on Irumikins!! Let's go together!~ let's go to school together!~" Clara sang in a cheerful tune.
"Let us head to the cafeteria sir, there are still no plans today and you have yet to enter that part of school," Asmodeus said with a smile. Irumi's body stiffened. "Oh is that so?!" she exclaimed looking a bit overwhelmed.
'Even thinking about having friends freaks me out! I have never even been in a situation where this was even a possibility!!' She thought in distress. Not noticing Asmodeus's glances of concern.
After doing a short bit of playing with Clara, the three of them finally ventured into the Cafeteria. Irumi was in awe at how massive it was inside. To the side, somewhat close to one of the doorways was a student store, then there was the cafeteria line where from choosing your food you could see the cooks behind the scenes preparing dishes. And dozens upon dozens of large wooden tables and benches sat for the students to eat at.
"There is so much to choose from!~" Irumi chirped in excitement, her eyes lighting up in anticipation as she looked at the giant menu. It looked like a number rank was next to each section list- perhaps it goes by grades? She wondered.
"I'm gonna get the peek-a-boo lunch!!" Clara exclaimed. Irumi hummed, her hand on her chin as she thought about what she would want but didn't have the slightest clue on what to choose. She hummed again...before she could choose. "What's that?" Irumi asked Asmodeus, pointing out the symbols.
"Oh, that's a ranking crest. All of your performances at Babyls are ranked. And your food that you're allowed to order depends on where those rankings fall," He explained. "Oooh," Irumi uttered in understanding.
"As of now, you and I haven't even been ranked yet. So those are the only things we are permitted to order." Asmodeus continued to point out. This caused Irumi to pout. "But there is barely anything!" She cries out, reading over the bottom sign Asmodeus was pointing to.
"Also, the school lunches are free to all and you can buy other items at the school store," Asmodeus said as they had moved up the line. Irumi hugging her tray uncertain what to pick as Azz was already dishing himself food while explaining all this. "H-hey..ah I'm not sure what to get..would you help me decide?" She requested looking at everything in uncertainty, before glancing up at Asmodeus. Her eyebrows furrowed cutely in a mix of concentration and concern.
The pink-haired demon smiled, pleased that his Master deemed him trustworthy enough to even handle the food she will be consuming. "Yes, certainly Master, but first-do you have any food allergies?" He questioned. Irumi shook her head. "Not that I know of, so whatever you get should be just fine," she replied. "Then I'll pick some random selections and bring them over to you, if there is anything you don't like, we can share it," Asmodeus said joyously. Irumi blushed at the thought of sharing food. "Okay, thanks."
Seconds later she went to find an empty table and sat down, setting her empty tray in front of her as Clara happily claimed the seat directly in front of Irumi, what looked to be a fish head on her plate sitting on some type of leaf- peek-a-boo lunch indeed.
'Share!~ just like a real friend!~' she thought giddily-the idea of having friends for the first time in her life filled her with warmth, soothing her more and more. In such joy, Irumi did not notice Clara running off somewhere. Her ahoge flicking in the air with a mind of its own, similar to a dog or cat waving or in other cases flicking their tail side to side.
"Sorry for the wait sir, I had trouble deciding what to get you." Asmodeus apologized, setting his tray down. But the moment he sat, an ungodly amount of food was dumped at their table. Irumi's eyes instantly brightened at the sight of all this wonderful food.
Asmodeus turned to two of the staff members tasked with serving the food. "Did you bring everything?!" Asmodeus demanded with a raging blood vessel. "Well, someone ordered fifty servings for this table." The guy explained, he and his partner were sweating a bit at the vicious glare of the Asmodeus heir.
"Fifty servings you say?" He scowled and in curiosity turned to look out in the other surrounding students' direction. Three were looking over, snickering. "Such a low brow prank! Master Irumi, please allow me to dispose of these-eh?!" Asmodeus was in shock. About thirty-eight of the fifty very full dishes were already cleared out in that short time, with Irumi blissfully eating it all. In her mind, she repeatedly sang 'friends' in glee at the thought. Her scythe shaped ahoge still fluttering happily side-to-side atop her head.
"He sure can put it away.." "where does that all even go??" "That's a ton of food!" Students commented in shock and awe as they witnessed the blissfully unaware Irumi. "What an impressive appetite!" Eiko chirped, her dragonic friend blushed as well, in awe and disbelief of what's happening, "but he's so tiny!" She exclaimed in confusion. The purple cyclopean demoness posed, "oh yeah, that's hot!" She commented leisurely.
"I-Irumi sir?" Asmodeus questioned out. "Hm? Oh! Was I not supposed to?! S-should I spit it back out?" She questioned, afraid she had done something wrong and had her hand at her lips in preparation in case she had to. "Ah, well no. It's just..you seem to be awfully hungry." Asmodeus stated as the next dish was set in front of Irumi just to be gone in a matter of seconds, the emptied plate neatly stacked up in a growing tower, then a next plate and a next plate. The truly amazing thing was that none of the food was devoured messily, it was eaten in a manner that left her perfectly clean and proper.
"You think so? Grandpa says it's normal and healthy for me!" She chirped, speaking of her hunger and a bit of the blood binding with how her body was adapting. Though thinking back on it, when she had the ability and the resources, she really did always eat quite a bit, since coming here it was like that boosted into an all new level.
"More please!~" she called out. Having finished the fifty servings but was still quite hungry. As she finished those helpings, "and seconds!~" the chefs took on this challenge, viciously preparing dish after dish to see just how far Irumi could eat till satisfied. "Even more!!" She exclaimed, joyously eating. And finally- the chefs fell one after the other. The last one collapsing, his utensil slipping out of his grasp as he crashed out in exhaustion.
"No! The chefs are down!" A worker yelled out. Students gathered in awe. "He broke the chefs!" They cried out in confusion and awe. As far as they knew, this had never happened before, beyond when the missing demon king himself attended Babyls -hundreds of years ago.
Irumi finally realized what happened and shyly wiped her mouth with her handkerchief. A blush lighting her face softly. "..I'm still a little hungry too..oops.." she said softly to herself as Asmodeus happily congratulated and voiced the magnificence of her hunger. Truly in awe at the representation of her gluttony and greed but in such a graceful manner that it was truly beautiful.
Camu-Camu, the shop keeper then came at them after a loud crash. Irumi's eyes widened, taking in the huge mess around them and the School Store. "Take with you!" Camu-Camu demanded as Clara grasped and hung on the tip of his spear. "Whoopsy~" Clara giggled.
"What in the world?" Irumi questioned. "Yay! He played with me! He does that whenever I come over to this school store! I love him!!" Clara exclaimed, happily flapping her arms as she stayed on the top of his spear. Camu-Camu sighed in dismay. "Not play, threaten! Threaten!" He stated, dropping Clara to the floor.
"You banned from store!" Camu-Camu explained, pulling out a book. It had a male student named Jazz on the other page; the page he was pointing to had Clara's name and picture. "Power replicates what she sees. Same as stealing! Must beware this demon! Shoplifter stab with spear!!!" Camu-Camu exclaimed as Clara playfully hissed as the shop attendant repeatedly stabbed the air. 'So violent!!' Irumi thought in alarm.
Students were gathering around in awe, apparently with nothing better to do, it would seem they took Irumi and her group as grade-A entertainment. "Silence," a familiar voice demanded from the entry of the Cafeteria.
The students gasped; their attention turning to the teacher as Irumi stiffened up a little at the sound of that voice. 'Oh dear..' she thought in worry. "Honestly, I finally come back to work and some fool is brash enough to-eugh-" he froze his hurried strut, his eyes widening and teeth clenched together in a scowl as Kalego stopped right in front of Irumi.
Said girl flinched back at the teacher who no doubt hates her guts.
Twitching in ire, Kalego took a hasty step back. 'The damn heathen I want to see the least- of course, it was this brat!!'
"H-hi there Kalego-sensei..are you feeling better now..?" She timidly asked. "How dare you ask about my well being!!" Kalego yelled at her. She winced away, an uncertain but polite smile on her lips as she looked up at him. Kalego's eyes narrowed into a glare.
"A-about the other day-" "Don't care!!" He snapped, looming over the girl as he menacingly pointed his finger. "Listen well Irumi, I won't be your familiar! Not now, not ever! Don't get a big head because you restrained me!" He snarled darkly.
Irumi deflated, leaning back further as she couldn't get out what she wanted to say-which was an apology. "Understood sir.." she whimpered, never any of those things in the first place.
He sighed, menacing aura vanishing as he looked away from the infuriating, small, nice smelling student. "What's all this rigamarole about anyway?" He asked, his gaze falling onto Clara. 'Their numbers have grown,' he thought in near despair. "What fresh hell is this...?" He questioned, not certain he even wanted to know.
Clara leaped forward basically onto Kalego, much to the man's agitation, Asmodeus's annoyance, and Irumi's horror. 'Oh no..' the two thought as Clara continued on. "Hi! I'm Clara! So I went BOOM! in the school store and got in trouble! And Irumikins saved me! And then Azz-Azz gave me a snack! Ya like chocolate?! Edgy-teach! I'll put some in your pocket!" The gremlin of a girl rambled on.
Kalego growled in stress.
Obnoxious + brash + spectacularly inconsiderate of others = the type of person Kalego hates the most.
Unable to stand any further of this hell, he slumped his figure. "I'm leaving." He stated dryly and turned on his heel to make a fast getaway. But Clara was faster. With a startling strong grip, she reached forward and took hold of his uniform. "Wait Edgy-Teach! Is it true you're Irumikins familiar?!" She chirped in curiosity.
The gathered students began to whisper in awe and confusion, the rumor spreading like wildfire through the cafeteria- was that rumor and school paper telling the truth? Were they about to see the fearsome and powerful teacher as a little familiar? "Seriously?" "Whaaa" "oooh" the students wondered to themselves as spectators eager to witness what was next.
With a pensive growl, Kalego looked back in absolute loathing at the girl, trying to get away from this inconsiderate student even more so now. "I wanna see! I wanna see!" Clara pushes on in excitement, seeming to restrain his struggles for escape with ease.
"Irumikins!" Clara shouted, startling Irumi who stood next to the store. "Grab that sticker!" The green-haired girl basically ordered. Startled at the request, Irumi began to follow the instructions given to her out of habit and without a single thought of what she was doing. "Stick it onto your hand! And now throw your hands up!" Clara yelled, pulling and keeping Kalego away from the exit.
"Wait! No! Don't! That'll turn me-!!" A plume of smoke covered the immediate area as Irumi threw her hands up, innocently following directions. "Ah-eek! I'm so sorry!" Irumi yelped, finally realizing what she did.
Around them, the students gasped in amazement. "He really is a familiar!" "That's him?!" They questioned and exclaimed, mesmerized that the Guard Dog of Babyls and the most harsh teacher could be reduced to something so small, cute, and fluffy.
Flying above Clara, dodging the overwhelming girl's attempts at grabbing him, Kalego yelled at Clara to stop before turning his attention to Irumi after the fruitless arguing with the insane gremlin of a girl. "Hey! Clap your hands!!" He ordered out of nowhere. "Huh..you..want me to clap a rhythm..?" She asked in uncertainty.
"It'll undo the summoning you junt!" Kalego yelled. "Oh, ah let's see here," Irumi said, raising her hands to clap. But before she could, her body automatically dodged to the side, her instincts screaming something sharp and pointy was jabbed her way. "Stabbb!!" Camu-camu yelled in a battle cry. "Eek!!" Irumi yelped, dodging and rolling away. "Punish shoplifting!" Camu-camu exclaimed, a dark aura of miasma shrouding his body.
"Shoplifting?!" Asmodeus yelled back, angered at such accusations towards his prestigious master. Startled, Irumi looked back down at the sticker on the back of her hand. "Oh right this sticker was merchandise!" She cried out before the three of them had to dodge the incoming spear stabs. Quickly the three ran for it, escaping and leaving Kalego still as a cute little bird-like familiar to fend for himself.
"Wait!! Undo the summoning first!!" He yelled out in dismay, a net suddenly thrown on top of him as Camu-camu menacingly peered over Kalego in a frightening manner. Eyes glowing, "Pay me or you're stuck here." The shop attendant threatened.
Outside, out of breath, and quite frankly a little shaken up, Irumi laid out on the grass panting and very winded. Her bandagings were putting an uncomfortable pressure on her ribs as she mumbled to herself. "*huff huff* Man..that was totally scary.." she forced out through her attempts at air.
Asmodeus, having caught his breath, turned to Irumi's direction from where he sat. "Well thank goodness there was a decoy then," Asmodeus said with a smile. Irumi groaned, sitting up a blush coloring her face as she looked down in uncertainty. "Should we have left him?" Irumi wondered, she didn't want Kalego to hate her even more.
"Hey! Hey! Want ice cream!!?" Clara chirped, coming over to them, seeming to be done with what she was doing, wiggling and waving her limbs around in the grass. "Huh?" Irumi uttered with Asmodeus, their attention being drawn towards her. "These were on the ground so I picked them up!" She explained cheerfully.
Irumi's eyes widened, "why- we have to pay for those Clara! That was merchandise!" She sighed, "though I suppose we can handle that later.." Irumi stated, not eager to return there at this moment of time. Casting the ice creams an uncertain look. 'She said she grabbed them off the floor..is that even sanitary..?' But in the end, accepted the teal and purple spotted ice cream Clara offered over. "Yay! And we have three of them! Cheers everyone! Here's to hoping we all end up in the same class!" Clara announced as they cheered their ice creams.
Irumi looked up at them after hearing that, the question burning in her mind now. Hopeful that they..they could be. She swallowed, instead favoring the other question. "Oh? Will they be announcing that tomorrow then?" Irumi asked. "Hmph, it's unthinkable that the master and I would be separated," Asmodeus stated with confidence. Clara threw her hand up, cheering. "And don't forget me!!"
"Ahuh.." Irumi agreed to both of them, a blush on her face as she looked down. "I hope we will be in the same class together too." She said, her voice soft and gentle. The blush was so prominent as she cupped her ice cream's purple cone with both hands. "Yes! I can't wait to spend my education with you!!" Asmodeus announced in joy. "It'll be so much fun! Right, Irumikins!" Clara giggled.
Irumi's blush merely brightened further. Bowing to them both slightly as she couldn't help herself asking this question. The amount of hope in her chest swelling to the point it hurt. "S-so ah..would you-will you..both..well- would you two please be my friends!" She requested eyes sealed shut in fear of the rejection. 'They aren't- they aren't saying anything! Did I mess it up?!' She thought in horror and dismay.
After a moment longer, Irumi couldn't stand the silence anymore and timidly peeked an eye open. Before both of her eyes opened wide at the clueless expression they were giving her. "Pardon me Irumi sir..but what are these 'friends' you speak of?" Asmodeus questioned. Trying to wrack his brain but couldn't think of anything.
"Like mochi?!" Clara chirped in curiosity. "W-what? You don't know?" Irumi asked, a little startled. "Embarrassingly, no!" Asmodeus stated, looking disappointed in himself and distressed at the lack of knowledge on his part. "Ooey-gooey Mochi?"
Irumi's blush kicked back up into high gear. 'I see..so demons have no idea what the concept of friendship is- but grandpa seemed to know? But I guess he has gone to the human world before..' Irumi thought to herself when Asmodeus and Clara slid forward, getting into her face. 'Close!' Irumi thought in a flustered panic, automatically leaning back.
"Tell me right now! What are these 'friends'?!" Asmodeus asked in distress, wishing to know what his master was speaking of. "What are these ooey-gooey Mochi-mochi's?"
"A-ah..well they're..friends are people you do cool stuff with..and tell things to..and eat meals with..and they are really important to you..and w-well I think..so.." she looked down, and to the side, flustered, "so..if you accept that'd make you my friend number one and friend number two.," Irumi explained shyly. "Sweet!" Clara declared as she threw her hand in the air. "Then I'm friend number one!!!" She exclaimed like a champion.
"What?!" Asmodeus yelled in outrage at her claim. "Don't undermine me! It's patently obvious I'm number one!!" Asmodeus stated in fury. Irumi quickly held up her hands, a joyous expression on her face. "You're both number one!" She said, "l-let's go pay for that stuff now at the shop like we said-eek!" Irumi yelped as she tried to diffuse the situation.
Clara had suddenly jumped on top of her in joy. "Stop suffocating him will you?!" Asmodeus demanded. "No way!!" She denied. Immediately Asmodeus got between her and Irumi, trying to pry the green gremlin of a girl off of his master, nearly falling into Irumi's lap in the meantime. "Let go of him! Unhand him Valac!!"
Clara shoved Asmodeus away, hugging Irumi's arm as the two continued to argue.
Irumi all the while looked down, so happy and pleased. Her first ever made friends!! 'There is still so much I don't understand about my life at Babyls. And this world is still full of doubts and surprises...but with these two, I think I might be able to enjoy my life at school a little more easily.' Irumi thought to herself as she giggled. In the end both Clara and Asmodeus fell into her lap. 'I just hope things will get peaceful...'
Elsewhere in the school, at the Principal's office, Sullivan sat in front of his board of teachers. "So, I assume there are no objections remaining after this faculty meeting. This officially concludes the class assignments for all the new students. Valac, Asmodeus, and Irumi will be joining the Misfit class for problem children. That's the only acceptable option for them obviously." Sullivan stated as the three student files were stamped.
Back with Irumi and her two newly acquired friends, Asmodeus paying back Camu-Camu for the things they took. "We're so sorry!" Irumi apologized with Asmodeus and Clara, all three bowing. "Payment for the summoning sticker and ice creams." Asmodeus handed over the money. Camu-Camu readily accepted it. "You just be more careful next time. Heeh, what a bad day! Didn't even get to finish my meal!" Camu-Camu grumbled in annoyance.
"Meal?" Irumi asked. "That birdie, roasted." Irumi stiffened in alarm. "But turned into a demon halfway through and fled. So close," Camu-Camu gripped and complained. Irumi paled further, seeing herself needing to deeply apologize to Kalego for the next time they will run into each other.
"Oh dear..." she muttered in dismay.
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A/N: Next chapter is a bit messy but hope you enjoy!