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[Thugren]

zero helps the girl down and places her on the ground as he takes the box from chalice, moving on ahead so the girl and doll can speak without being overheard, but staying close enough so that they can see him.

 

he leads tyhem back to the brothel and offers the box, makign the old woman smile excitedly as she leads vale and her doll to a private room.

 

"Zero is goign to help me...Im going to bring you a nice meal little girl... Please be a good girl ok?"

 

the curtain closees leaving the two alone.

[Oce]

Chalice immediately reaches out to Vale, before spotting the blood splattered on her porcelain flesh and dropped it back to her side. She didn't want to sully Vale. All the things that she had wanted to say to the girl left her mind, leaving her mind painfully empty. What would she say? 'Hey, I used to be a pretty bad person, but im on your side, you saved me'? It wouldn't help either of them. 

 

Releasing a long breath, Chalice murmured "Thank you for trusting me," near Vale's ear, hovering uncertainly close. 

 

Vale smiled softly without looking back at her Doll, nodding to acknowledge her words. She wasn't used to people asking things of her aside from 'disappear already!' or demanding that she moves out of their way, or to suffer. Even more unfamiliar was the the odd sense of satisfaction that came from someone expressing their appreciation. They were both silent for the rest of the short walk, Chalice eventually relaxing behind her.

 

When they were ushered into the room once again, Chalice bristled a bit as the woman and Zero left. "Why is she treating you like an infant, I don't understand it."

 

Vale chuckled nervously, shrugging with a soft "It's fine."

[Thugren]

it takes a while, but soon , the woman comes back, carrying a large stew pot.

 

"I am so sorryfor the wait."

 

she says as she puts out several bowls and puts rice in them.

 

"Madam shango has never sent me a child that looks so much like my own..... It made me smile."

 

zero sits and grabs a bowl, eating quickly as the woman chuckles.

 

 

"always such a big appetite."

[Oce]

When the old lady returned to the room, all rebuttals Chalice had to defend Vale died on her tongue. It would be needlessly harsh, and it wasn't like she had called Vale incapable. Smothering a sigh, the doll leaned against a wall, out of the way. She wasn't hungry at the moment and there was a stubbornness that had refused to let her budge. 

 

Meanwhile, Vale hesitated, only taking a bowl once Zero had finished nearly half of his, eating much slower and cautiously, almost like a timid mouse. The old woman's comment just made her think back to her own parents, and how they had left her, terrified of what once was Ida. 

[Thugren]

She folds her legs beneath her and begins to pour some tea.

“ you ... doll with resting bitch face.”

The old woman says with a smile.

“ being a fresh born soul means your body is burning calories much faster than normal.. please sit down and eat..”

[Oce]

Chalice was too startled to react to the taunt at first; she hadn't often been addressed with such blatant disrespect, much less by some old wench. Vale smothered a laugh with her hand, politely hiding her grin when unable to remain entirely stoic. The girl's laugh was enough to make Chalice frown, mildly hurt over it. She bit back a harsh retort, forcing her limbs towards the table and to gather herself a serving. 

 

"Rude," Chalice muttered close to Vale's ear, causing the girl to look away ashamed. 

[Thugren]

It’s more rude to stand in a hosts home when she has prepared you a meal....”

She pushes over some chicken and she pours herself a flask of gin.

“ do not take it out on the small one ,”

[Oce]

Chalice bowed her head over her bowl, obscuring her face. Vale wasn't certain, but it seemed like the doll was pouting like a chastised child, and it helped to relax her enough to enjoy the meal, digging into a piece of the chicken as she felt more comfortable in the room. She wasn't worried about Chalice's remark, the doll hadn't been malicious, more pouty than anything. It was almost cute.

[Thugren]

the old woman smiles, watching them all eat.

 

"Miss shango is so busy now a days..... That demon must really be taking its pound of flesh from her."

 

Zero sits stock still and looks at the woman, his eyes confused as to how she could have known that

"silly boy...."

 

the woman says wityh a smile as she lights her pipe.

 

"Madam shango may be your mistress...But she cannot hide anything from these old bones...I taste his presecnce every time she opens that eye of hers."

[Oce]

Chalice looks up, her eyes hardening as she recalled the vicious looking snake that had threatened her earlier. "May I ask what you know about the demon?" She wasn't sure if it was proper for her to ask, but she couldn't resist, and she could feel Vale's more subtle curiosity spark at the mention of their mistress.

[Thugren]

Alistair crowley ...”

She says very calmly as she puffs rings of sweet Tabacco into the air.

“ a fallen of incredibly greed and avarice .... a being that exists at a crossroads always making a deal.”

She looks at zero than to cake and chalice.

“ she sold him her eyes for her abilities .... have you ever noticed how one is simply a replica?”

[Oce]

Vale lowers her gaze, chewing on her lip as she pushed her bowl away from her, hands falling into her lap as she fidgeted. She knew of this, but it still made her feel sad for the mistress. Shango had been so nice to her, and listening to hardships of someone she liked didn't sit well with her. She didn't want to be able to relate to someone in that way. She didn't want others to suffer as much as she did. 

 

Chalice was more curious about the demon that she had seen more than anything. "He agreed to serve her in exchange for her eyes? Or is it the other way around?"

[Thugren]

oh...THat relationship is very much equal....Crowley gifts her incredible power over dollmaking and magic...and he has a host that will keep his essence from being hunted."

 

she watches vale and smiles.

 

"SHe can see just fine my tiny one.....But her eye....It contains a malignant curse of uroburos.....Those she affixes with it for long enough become soulless dolls."

[Oce]

Vale's frown didn't lessen at the woman's words; instead she just looked progressively more sad. She tried to think of it as if the demon, Crowley apparently, as Shango's friend, but she couldn't help but worry that it was more like a tick that had latched on and was infecting her. She understood that that wasn't the case, but she still felt saddened that Shango couldn't view the bits of beauty that lingered in the world without having to worry about accidentally stealing someone's soul. She didn't have words to respond to their hostess, so Chalice continued as if she didn't feel the darkness weighing her down suddenly. 

 

"She certainly is frightening when she wants to be," the doll murmured, recalling the intimidating snake.

[Thugren]

Oh.... she most definitely can be.... but she talks about her daughter non stop,”

She motions at vae as the room seems to get colder. The woman looks around curiously as zero begins to wobble, until he slumps forward into his soup with an audible snore and the woman follows suit.


“ so sleepy....”

A soft masculine voice says , snapping your attention up to the door where a man in a suit and top hat stands, his hand on a diamond cane.

“ are you vale ? And chalice?”

He asks with a smile .

“ we need to talk.”

[Oce]

Vale's brow furrowed at the new information; Shango had a daughter? She never mentioned her, but then again the Mistress and the castaway child weren't exactly close, in most regards. Yeah, Vale thought the world of Shango already, but there was little to no way that it was mutual. Chalice merely smirked in her corner of the table, not quite as oblivious as her counterpart. 

 

The amusement faded as soon as Zero began to waver; Chalice already shoving herself away from the table to stand up to meet the new threat that had just walked in head on. Something about this man made her stomach churn with distrust, even though something about him seemed vaguely familiar. Vale's strangled whimper behind her did nothing to calm her, as the girl was too worried about her new friend who had just collapsed, even though his snores were hardly quiet.

[Thugren]

Chalice sit down before I chain you up again.”

The beings voice oozes malice, a familiar sound ... something chalice knee all too well.

“ you always talk a big game but can never follow up,”

Sitting at the table the figure looks at vale and only one eye can be seen, though it shockingly looks similar to shangos.

“ hello tony girl... I am asmodeus ...... shangos benefactor .... and your doll friends own personal tormentor ....., I come bearing a gift for you... one I hope you really like.”

He pulls out a small black case and slides it over to vale, the satin looking so soft and inviting .

“ a thank you.... from me to you.”

[Oce]

Chalicie didn't budge at the threat, though she stilled just beside Vale, her eyes cold daggers as she glared at the demon. She didn't bother retorting solely because she knew how it well it would go over, but she still wouldn't leave Vale entirely defenseless when a fucking demon was in the room. She could sense the unease from Vale, only amplified by her own. 

 

Vale for her part, wasn't certain how to react to hearing her friend threatened. It certainly wasn't pleasant, but she tried her best to believe that this .. being, Asmodeus, didn't come here with hostile intentions. While half of her reasoned that demons are meant to be the equivalent of bad people, people like her parents, or the ones who enjoyed tormenting her, kicking her while she was down quite literally, the other half of her tried to remain hopeful. 

 

"You.. Look after Mistress Shango, right? And she looks after you?" Her voice was slightly raspy and unsteady, still unsure if he could be trusted or not. After all, he caused Zero to pass out when he was Shango's favorite. ".. Please stop bullying Chalice, she's done nothing wrong." 

 

To her credit, Vale didn't flinch as Asmodeus moved to set the box down, unlike Chalice who reacted solely by digging her fingers into the wood of the back of the girl's chair. Vale didn't reach out to touch the satin, not needing to read Chalice to stay still. "If there is one thing that I've learned.. It would be that nothing is ever freely given. Strangers would love to give a poisoned apple if it brought them some amusement."

[Thugren]

The demons eyes sparkle , and he snaps.

Zero jerks up and you can see he is instantly ready to attack. His arms beginning to open as asmodeus tuts.

“ calm down boy.... we aren’t doing this again... I will stop bullying chalice.”

He opens the box and reveals a sparkling stone, a core to a doll that seems to shimmer.

“ this is known as a cordeus core..... it will help you make more effective dolls.... shangos has one... and as her student you will need one as well.”

[Oce]

Vale relaxes marginally, though Chalice doesn't budge. She half reaches out for the stone, before freezing and withdrawing, looking up to meet the demon's eyes. "That still doesn't explain why you are the one giving this to me. Tell me what you expect in exchange."