I'm not giving up. Even though I know it will be fruitless, I'll keep trying on both fronts. I could never live with myself if I just gave up. I just... wish there was something.
[ He sighs, sounding so defeated that with the expulsion of air that his demon form dissipates, leaving the pant leg that his tail had been coiled around so tightly torn. ]
Look, the odds might not be good. But you'll regret everything if it just settles right now.
[ He reaches out now that Satan's demonic form had dissipated and ruffles his hair a little bit. ]
Zelda... she's your important person, ain't she? Important enough that you gave her a huge chunk of yourself already.So keep tryin' but... don't get so wrapped up in it that you forget to give her the happiest now.
[ There's still a flash of irritation in his eyes at the hair ruffle, but he doesn't have the energy to do more than that. ]
I know. That's what I tried to keep telling myself after we talked.
[ But it's hard. The more time passes, the more the dread of what will become of Zelda consumes him. ]
You know what the worst part is? That I understand Lucifer a little bit better. Why he was so determined to keep us together by force if necessary. Because I'd like nothing more than to tell her no, and just... not allow her to be burdened by her responsibilities as the Princess of Hyrule anymore. And if I did that, I'm not sure which one of us would hate me the most.
[ Mammon lets out an annoyed sound and turns his head away from Satan this time. Obviously it wasn't okay. He hasn't even gotten time to process what Satan said about them really. Nor did he want to. he wanted to just focus on Satan, but of course he would turn it around on him like that.]
There's no universe in which I'd ever believe that.
[ Satan frowns, risking pushing him just a bit more. ]
I just dumped basically all of my feelings out over here. I'm not saying you owe me the same, but... do you think I'm going to judge you? You think I'll make fun of you if you don't have all your thoughts in order?
[ Mammon really wishes he had something to throw at Satan right now. Anything. Anything at all. Instead he balls his hand into a fist and swings it backward to hit the wall behind him in frustration.]
And what do you want to hear from me, huh?! That I'm pissed off to know they vanished without a damn trace? That there's nothin' I can do to stop it an now Im just sittin'; with this knowledge knowin' it's gonna happen!? Ya wanna hear be cry out for them???
[ Mammon turns around swiftly to punch the wall again, with more force this time. ]
What am I supposed to do with this information?! What am I supposed to do? I told them the next time they were in danger they better let me save them and what do I do? I let them disappear forever!
[ He feels a little relieved that he did make the right by telling Mammon. He had genuinely been considering if it was better to withhold the information about their human, but he's glad he didn't. ]
It won't be forever. Barbatos can probably find them.
[ The real problem is whether Diavolo will let Barbatos find them. He can't see why he wouldn't, but there's no real guarantee, either. ]
But... like I said, I don't think there's anything we can do about it. Not unless we're lucky enough they get pulled in here, too.
[ Sure. Zelda will just decide to not sacrifice her life for her kingdom. She absolutely won't become the Light Dragon for however many thousands of years it takes to imbue sacred light into a sword. ]
When we return to our own world, we'll have a much better shot at saving them. Time doesn't move in our reality while we're here. So we have time to think of solutions in case... Barbatos isn't able to do it.
[ Satan glances up at the ceiling briefly before returning his gaze to Mammon. ]
It's not a matter of if he can do it, it's a matter of if he feels like it!
[ His voice even takes a growly tone to it, the aura around him looking angry. Satan probably can recognize that aura well by now... ]
How the hell can you sit there and talk to me so calmly telling me all this?! You were just saying there's nothing we can do and now I'm just supposed go be all OH WOW IM SO HOPEFUL AND HAPPY BECAUSE THEIR LIFE DEPENDS ON BARBATOS' WHIMS?? Well I'll tell you somethin' you stupid little—
[ And just like that, Mammon's anger triggered his luck magic, and wouldn't ya know, negative emotions usually point toward a negative luck. The floor underneath Mammon cracks quickly and Mammon falls through. ]
[ It takes Satan a moment to move from his spot, finding the energy to do so only thanks to the obligation he feels to check on him. Words spoken in anger are still words that are spoken. He knows that better than anyone.
He heads outside, opting to just jump down carefully from the tree house. ]
[ Mammon wasn't lucky enough to land as gracefully as Satan did. Face first into the ground, body aching, part of the floorboard hitting him upside the head as he "landed". By the time Satan comes down the hole Mammon created, Mammon was sitting up, avoiding any kind of eye contact.
A sassy quip of "Why, you want to kick me while I'm down? It's the only thing I'm good for" sits at the tip of his tongue, but instead he just mutters a quiet "I'm fine."]
[ Satan look at him sitting on the ground, not really sure what to say. If he offers to use healing magic, is it just going to piss him off more?
Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he should have kept it to himself. What would the harm have been? It's not like anything would change from him knowing. All Satan has done is upset Mammon when it was completely unnecessary to do so. ]
[ Mammon hates talking about his feelings. It never goes well. He doesn't want to think about all this stuff going on in his own mind. It was so much easier to talk to Satan about his own problems. It was so much easier to work out Satan's problems with him. Why did he have to be so persistent? He could have just repressed those thoughts like he does everything else and it would have been just fine.
Now he's gone and caused a pathetic scene and took it out on Satan. Getting help from Satan wouldn't piss him off more, it'd just make him feel more pathetic. ]
[ Satan doesn't move right away. After a moment, though, he silently crouches beside Mammon, green magic flowing around his hands. Wordlessly, he casts a low level healing spell on Mammon. It won't do much, but it might help dull any aches and pains Mammon might be feeling from the fall as the magic washes over his body.
When he feels like he's done what he can, Satan stands up again and picks up the floor board, then moves to beneath the hole Mammon left in the floor. Again with magic, he repairs the damage to it, then floats it on up to the hole above to magically fit it in and mend ruined floor.
There isn't a time in recent memory where Mammon has lost his temper like that. Satan hadn't been trying to mock him or make him feel bad on purpose. He'd only wanted Mammon to be open and honest because Mammon had only ever encouraged that of him.
Satan glances at Mammon again. ]
I'm sorry.
[ For bringing any of this up in the first place. For thinking he, the most emotionally stunted of his brothers, could handle speaking about the situation with the delicacy it required. For thinking he could return the favor of Mammon allowing him to speak honestly, even if hurt and was embarrassing to do. ]
I'll go fix what I can of the wall and the ceiling.
[ Even if it's faint, Mammon can feel the bits of healing magic and curls up a little more. He goes and throws this big stupid tantrum, enough to fall through the floor and Satan still deems him worthy enough to even pay attention to? If Satan were any of the other brothers they would have left him down here to suffer alone. Even go as far as to shout at him "Good, sleep out there tonight" or something like that. Even after acting like such a child Satan still found him even the tiniest bit worthy of help...
ugh he was disgusting. ]
Don't be.... [ He thinks to himself 'I'm the one actin' like a power enraged toddler....'
...I asked you how you felt, and you told me. I wasn't as delicate as I should have been when I told you the news. What's more is that I asked you to tell me how you felt immediately after. I've had all this time to process it, and you haven't. I thought... it would be helpful to talk about it in the moment.
[ After all, Mammon had talked him down just moments ago when he was so angry he was in his demon form. ]
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[ He sighs, sounding so defeated that with the expulsion of air that his demon form dissipates, leaving the pant leg that his tail had been coiled around so tightly torn. ]
I hate this.
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[ He reaches out now that Satan's demonic form had dissipated and ruffles his hair a little bit. ]
Zelda... she's your important person, ain't she? Important enough that you gave her a huge chunk of yourself already.So keep tryin' but... don't get so wrapped up in it that you forget to give her the happiest now.
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I know. That's what I tried to keep telling myself after we talked.
[ But it's hard. The more time passes, the more the dread of what will become of Zelda consumes him. ]
You know what the worst part is? That I understand Lucifer a little bit better. Why he was so determined to keep us together by force if necessary. Because I'd like nothing more than to tell her no, and just... not allow her to be burdened by her responsibilities as the Princess of Hyrule anymore. And if I did that, I'm not sure which one of us would hate me the most.
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Yeah, knowing the type of girl she is, she'd probably be furious with you. Like punch ya in the lower regions an' leave ya writhin' in pain furious.
It ain't easy... an even if you think it ain't enough... even the littest bit of help would mean the world to her.
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[ Satan reaches up to remove Mammon's hand from his head. ]
Don't think I haven't noticed you haven't said much about the one we do share a pact with.
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We ain't talkin' about me here. We're talkin' about you an' your feelin's.
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[ Yep. That's all. Nothing else is going on here. Just a kind and caring older brother helping out his younger brother. ]
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So what if I am?
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[ Satan frowns, risking pushing him just a bit more. ]
I just dumped basically all of my feelings out over here. I'm not saying you owe me the same, but... do you think I'm going to judge you? You think I'll make fun of you if you don't have all your thoughts in order?
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And what do you want to hear from me, huh?! That I'm pissed off to know they vanished without a damn trace? That there's nothin' I can do to stop it an now Im just sittin'; with this knowledge knowin' it's gonna happen!? Ya wanna hear be cry out for them???
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[ But he can't quite tell if Mammon believes him or not. ]
Would you rather I kept it from you? I know I can't take it back, but...
[ But if he did make the wrong decision, at least he'll know what Mammon would prefer him to do next time. ]
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[ Mammon turns around swiftly to punch the wall again, with more force this time. ]
What am I supposed to do with this information?! What am I supposed to do? I told them the next time they were in danger they better let me save them and what do I do? I let them disappear forever!
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It won't be forever. Barbatos can probably find them.
[ The real problem is whether Diavolo will let Barbatos find them. He can't see why he wouldn't, but there's no real guarantee, either. ]
But... like I said, I don't think there's anything we can do about it. Not unless we're lucky enough they get pulled in here, too.
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[ Mammon punches the wall again, this time the ceiling above him starts to rattle. ]
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When we return to our own world, we'll have a much better shot at saving them. Time doesn't move in our reality while we're here. So we have time to think of solutions in case... Barbatos isn't able to do it.
[ Satan glances up at the ceiling briefly before returning his gaze to Mammon. ]
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[ His voice even takes a growly tone to it, the aura around him looking angry. Satan probably can recognize that aura well by now... ]
How the hell can you sit there and talk to me so calmly telling me all this?! You were just saying there's nothing we can do and now I'm just supposed go be all OH WOW IM SO HOPEFUL AND HAPPY BECAUSE THEIR LIFE DEPENDS ON BARBATOS' WHIMS?? Well I'll tell you somethin' you stupid little—
[ And just like that, Mammon's anger triggered his luck magic, and wouldn't ya know, negative emotions usually point toward a negative luck. The floor underneath Mammon cracks quickly and Mammon falls through. ]
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He heads outside, opting to just jump down carefully from the tree house. ]
Are you all right?
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A sassy quip of "Why, you want to kick me while I'm down? It's the only thing I'm good for" sits at the tip of his tongue, but instead he just mutters a quiet "I'm fine."]
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Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he should have kept it to himself. What would the harm have been? It's not like anything would change from him knowing. All Satan has done is upset Mammon when it was completely unnecessary to do so. ]
Do you want me to leave you alone?
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Now he's gone and caused a pathetic scene and took it out on Satan. Getting help from Satan wouldn't piss him off more, it'd just make him feel more pathetic. ]
Just.... do whatever you want.
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When he feels like he's done what he can, Satan stands up again and picks up the floor board, then moves to beneath the hole Mammon left in the floor. Again with magic, he repairs the damage to it, then floats it on up to the hole above to magically fit it in and mend ruined floor.
There isn't a time in recent memory where Mammon has lost his temper like that. Satan hadn't been trying to mock him or make him feel bad on purpose. He'd only wanted Mammon to be open and honest because Mammon had only ever encouraged that of him.
Satan glances at Mammon again. ]
I'm sorry.
[ For bringing any of this up in the first place. For thinking he, the most emotionally stunted of his brothers, could handle speaking about the situation with the delicacy it required. For thinking he could return the favor of Mammon allowing him to speak honestly, even if hurt and was embarrassing to do. ]
I'll go fix what I can of the wall and the ceiling.
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ugh he was disgusting. ]
Don't be.... [ He thinks to himself 'I'm the one actin' like a power enraged toddler....'
Mammon hugs his knees to his chest more. ]
'm sorry....
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[ After all, Mammon had talked him down just moments ago when he was so angry he was in his demon form. ]
I knew I was pushing. I pushed you too far.
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