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After another day, the Cuddle Room finally emptied, and things resumed as normal, Zerrex absently helping tidy up the huge room. Sin and Cherry were here as well, although almost everyone else had gone home with the exception of the twins, who stated that their first job was always to look after their Master. The Drakkaren couldn't exactly disagree with them, since they were his Iuratus, after all... even though I do have other Iuratus who are wandering around Hell somewhere, but I guess that's because I set them off on their different little missions.

The reptile finished his section, then he headed for the throne, preparing to throw himself down on the futons before he groaned as a specter appeared next to him in a kneel. Mist and Shine immediately both readied themselves, automatically reaching for the weapons they hadn't brought with them... and then the cloaked figure rose, and Zerrex held up a hand to call the two off as it said quietly: "Lord Zerrex, we'd like to request use of a small battalion of Royal Guards... we are prepared to attack the manufacturing plant we discovered, but they have larger forces than first anticipated."

"You can take as many as you need from the Western and Southern branches of the Royal Guards... and take two or three mages with you, too, just in case." Zerrex said absently, rubbing slowly at his muzzle. Never hurts to be careful, after all. "And before you even ask, you have clearance up to level two for equipment, but try to take them alive."

"Sir." The soldier stood and gave him a salute, then he hesitated a moment before speaking up hesitantly: "I... if I may, sir, is it... really important to make sure they're taken alive?"

Mist and Shine both glowered, then looked confused when Zerrex smiled, the Drakkaren looking at him thoughtfully. "I like to think that... almost all of us can be rehabilitated. While I'd prefer that in a life-or-death situation, you and your soldiers come out alive over the enemy... if we can get away with some scrapes and bruises but with most of everyone's heads intact on their shoulders, I would greatly prefer that. Because maybe then we can teach them not just what they did wrong, but why it was the wrong thing to do... and while it might sound stupid, I think every life is important."

The soldier looked at him for a few moments awkwardly, but then he nodded after a moment and vanished, Zerrex watching the last sizzles of energy travel through the air before he glanced over at Sin, who was frowning a bit. "Speaking of which, I meant to ask you about you sending the Shadow of Hell unit on an unscheduled patrol... did you get some information in or just have a feeling?"

"A bit of both... I'm sorry I forgot to tell you." Sin bowed her head with a bit of a blush, but Zerrex only smiled and shook his own, walking over to pat her lightly on the shoulder. "I thought it was important to act immediately, since I heard that something important was happening in one of the sectors off the usual patrol route... and since lately we've been having trouble with mechanically-enhanced demons, I decided to send them out on a hunch that the information I was given by Ixin might actually be on the level."

"Well, if there's one thing Ixin hates, its technology." Zerrex thought it was a bit odd nonetheless: Ixin was chaotic, after all, and often he preferred going after his own objectives rather than helping anyone else out. Yet then again, he and Ixin did get along fairly well - assuming Zerrex was relaxed enough to deal with him - and he knew that the immortal mage had a deep sense of honor well-hidden under his sheer idiocy, and he was the first person to stand up if anything threatened Zerrex's reign over Hell. "I think you did a good job, Sin, and made the right decision. I'm glad I have you... that I have all of you here and more."

"And we are truly honored to serve, Lord Zerrex." Mist said softly, and Shine nodded in agreement as they both knelt deeply to him. The reptile laughed quietly, rubbing the back of his head and smiling faintly, and then he glanced up as Sin touched him quietly on the shoulder, squeezing it lightly and gazing at him with a faint smile, blushing but proud herself: of them both, most likely, if not them all.

"Enough of this shit!" Cherry flailed her arms, bouncing up and down to get the attention of everyone in the room, all of them glaring at her. "Like, come on, am I the only one with any balls anymore? For fuck's sake, all of are turnin' into real pussies on me these days. Anyway, Boss, like. Uh. I heard that you were having some other reunion thing in a day or two, and I was supposed to tell you um. Probably yesterday that it's tomorrow. Not as in, it's today, but it's in the day after today because it was yesterday that I was supposed to tell you it was the day after today and now it's not yesterday it's today which means it's not the day after today anymore buy instead tomorrow, you get me?"

Zerrex stared at her dumbly, and Cherry coughed and rubbed the back of her head slowly, looking embarrassed. "Anyway, Desire told me to tell you it's gonna be held tomorrow. She would've given you more notice, but that was the best time she and Cypress could get between everybody... not exactly easy to gather a bunch of once-mortals up into one place, you know, but I guess it helps that you're you and shit. In any case, like, I'm totally coming too and-"

"Only if you promise to behave yourself." Zerrex said flatly, pointing at her, and Cherry winced and held up her hands, looking injured. "Seriously, no... being your usual self, this is an important reunion for me, not a big party."

Cherry huffed at this, crossing her arms. "And just what the fuck was this then, some... thing nothin' better than a random sex brawl? Fuck, Zer, I went through a lot of work here!"

The Drakkaren rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "Yeah, except here you could behave like you always do, and it really did turn into a big sex party. Besides, I'm pretty sure that all you really did was stay out of everyone's way and move heavy objects around. And there weren't even any heavy objects for you to move."

"Food crates are heavy!" Cherry retorted, looking at him sourly, then she paused before brightening and clapping her hands together. "Dude, hey, the place is like, clean and shit now, so we can totally go and visit Sin's Tower and-"

"No." Zerrex and Sin said together firmly, and Cherry snorted in amusement as the two exchanged a look before the Drakkaren bowed for the Naganatine to speak, the female wincing a bit as she rubbed the back of her head and looked over at Cherry. "Miss Cherry, it's not really a place for large groups of people to go... I'm not comfortable with the idea of all of us crowding into that sort of place at once, especially if all you want to do is... visit..."

"Oh, I'll do more than visit. You know Mist and Shine will too." She grinned toothily, and the twins exchanged a glance before both gazed at Zerrex and nodded to him. "See? Come on, it'll be fun!"

Zerrex grumbled and rolled his eyes, and then Sin paused before she looked over at the twins, asking them politely: "Perhaps you two would better enjoy restraining Miss Cherry here while Lord Zerrex and I visit the Tower alone? You can do whatever you like with her."

The male grinned at this and nodded as the twins looked up him for assurance, then they both turned to Cherry, their eyes gleaming with mischief. Immediately, Cherry shook her head and snorted, readying herself as she opened her mouth... but before she could start to speak, Sin had already led Zerrex through a portal, and she squawked before running for it as it began to close, going into a low skid to dodge past the twins and then leaping at it... but both of the females landed heavily on her back, and Cherry cursed, tapping a finger against the ground as she sulked and rested her muzzle on her other hand, saying flatly: "I am going to rape you two into the ground for this."

Sin and Zerrex emerged in a large courtyard filled with enormous dead trees, the blackened branches bending and creaking quietly, sometimes rubbing slowly over the mortared walls of the courtyard or scraping loosely against the clay shingles on the rooftop. Beneath them was a cobblestone path that led from a set of enormous metal gates to a single rusted metal door leading into the base of the immense tower, where it rested against a gargantuan cliff.

The tower itself was made of grey and white stones, with a single barred window at the very top. The whole structure stood alone on a plateau high in the mountains near the desert that surrounded the edge of Hell, and it was the only structure for countless miles around, and few, if any travelers ever made it this far up the rocky heights. But for as tall as the tower was, it went even further down underground... and the two traded a look before Sin took his hand quietly as they walked towards the large, rusted door, saying softly: "I hope you don't mind..."

"You know what twisted pleasure this brings me..." Zerrex responded with a slight smile, and Sin laughed quietly, shaking her head slowly as she opened the door and they stepped through, able to pass inside shoulder-to-shoulder without much difficulty. The outside of the tower was deceptively small: the room they stepped into was cold and empty, but it was also immense, with a spiraling staircase leading countless stairs up to the room above as magical fires burned in the spaced-out golden sconces here and there: Sin and Zerrex ignored this, however, as they instead walked to stand in the middle of the room, standing atop a beautiful golden illustration of a sun for a moment before the floor around them collapsed into a long ramp leading down.

The two walked leisurely down it and into what they both referred to as the 'warehouse,' a massive, concrete room that was full of ugly metal cages. A few of these were sitting in the corner and currently occupied, and one of the occupants was screaming loudly to be set free, and Zerrex tilted his head curiously as Sin blushed and smiled faintly, saying quietly: "While you were gone, I picked up a few more incurables, as you call them. Even after many years, none of them recognize the value of either life or anything but themselves, and they've been troublemakers even here in Hell... I thought you could use some fresh meat."

Zerrex licked his muzzle slowly despite himself as the two stood in front of the piled up cages, and the reptile's eyes settled on the screamer, a furious-looking female. She was some kind of Wrath demon, not exactly ugly... blonde hair fell from her head, her features were vaguely feline, and she was covered in both toned muscle and orange fur, although her face was gray skin and her eyes black. She was wearing the rags of clothes, and as she howled at them, trying uselessly to break free of the magically-reinforced cage she was in, the Drakkaren asked Sin calmly: "So is she more than ten thousand years old? And did you and several witnesses listen to her story and get more than one view of it?"

"Of course, Lord Zerrex. She's a vicious narcissist... would you like to play with her?" Sin asked quietly, and Zerrex rubbed thoughtfully at his muzzle for a moment before he shook his head, and the Naganatine bowed to him with a quiet smile. "Whatever you think is best. But I understand: you don't want to have to clean up too much for tomorrow."

"Let's go down, though... I want to check on the rest of the cells." Zerrex said softly, and Sin nodded as they walked away from the piled cages, the female now shrieking something about revenge... but there never was any revenge, or even any chance of it. Zerrex wasn't an idiot, after all... and this place was his private playhouse for his most twisted of fantasies. When demons came in... it was his choice what to do with them and their lives, and no longer their own.

The two stepped onto a black square of metal near a corner of the room, and it clicked, waiting for a moment before slowly descending down into the next area. This was an enormous steel ramp going down a long, circular shaft, filled with bloody cages with all manner of horror shoved away inside each, the sound of screaming, crying, and laughing filling the air. Zerrex put his hand behind his back, closing his eyes for a moment as he took a breath before walking forwards, and he looked into the cages as they passed: many of them were empty, but the occupants that were left inside were not exactly visions for the faint of heart.

Here a demon had been literally skinned alive, the blood draining off it steadily flowing down through a grating in the floor... here, a demon was crying from empty sockets, naked and trembling as it tried again and again to feel ears that had been cut off long ago... and down deeper, as they continued to walk, a female screamed the moment she saw him, dragging herself backwards, her legs useless and her sex stretched and ripped so violently wide open that it seemed to gape, still bleeding from how many times she'd been raped.

Zerrex rubbed at his face slowly as they continued downwards, and then he asked Sin quietly, for the thousandth time: "Doesn't it make me evil, a sadistic monster, that I did this? What would people say if they saw these terrible things that I take such sick pleasure in... am I not a beast?"

"Lord Zerrex... this is Hell." Sin said simply, then she smiled faintly as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, continuing quietly: "These people were given a million chances to redeem themselves, on the mortal plane and in Hell. They are the worst of the worst... rapists, murderers, thieves, people who knowingly caused suffering that... that can't be described or ever taken away. And then who even in Hell continued to do such things... and I know for a fact that often, mortals are so forgiving just because they think the people who cross them are bound for eternal damnation in the abyss." A pause, then she said quietly: "But it just doesn't work like that. Hell is Hell, yes... but it's not Hell, if you understand what I'm saying. What you've done here is made a Hell beyond Hell... but like you so often say... even suffering and pain can be beautiful. And now these people serve a purpose, even if their only real purpose is to bring you pleasure. They are your toys now, your experiments, your... special dark things, and even if you know every life is sacred... you also know that sometimes, we need to sacrifice one life to protect that of many.

"Besides, we've made progress and found out interesting things about all sorts of demons, thanks to what you've been doing down here..." Sin continued, as they paused at a cell where a babbling minotaur was circling around and around, laughing every now to himself as his eyes rolled in his head. Then he turned towards the wall, grasping his ears, a tattooed black rune seeming to glow on his back. "We've found out how we can modify the regeneration process in demons... we better understand demonic psychology... and we've discovered that sometimes pain and brute physical force over extended periods of time is the only thing that will influence a person's behavior, however positively or negatively. Cruel as you may be, Lord Zerrex, you are also very kind... although this is all a forbidden paradise for you, I also know that you watch their reactions and record anything that happens that's particularly interesting."

"I'm as bad as Mengele." Zerrex muttered, and Sin shook her head with a faint smile as they continued down the ramp towards the bottom, before he glanced away and asked quietly: "You know... if we're all just creatures based around primal, biological functions... then is it really wrong to rape? To murder? And what does it say if I get... aroused... by seeing others in such agony? That I take such pleasure in their pain... that it makes me feel not just powerful, but good, when I cause it?"

"Then it means mortals don't have long to live." Sin responded gently, and she patted Zerrex quietly on the bicep. "But thankfully, we all know that sometimes biology isn't always right, is it?"

Zerrex made a bit of a face, but he didn't argue as Sin opened the door at the bottom of the ramp for him, and they stepped through and into a long, faintly-lit corridor. Water dripped from the rusting pipes overhead, and there was a long path made of cement that was walled on either side by grated metal flooring covered in dried and fresh blood. Above the grated floors were meathooks of all different size and shape, and hanging from several of these were demons, one of them dead, the eyes white and body beginning to rot. The others, however, were still alive, and one - a Salamander - was moving weakly, gurgling quietly.

Zerrex paused in front of it, and then he reached up to grasp its shoulders, pulling firmly downwards and causing the hooks to sink deeper into its body, the creature howling in pain and then whimpering as it dropped its head forwards, panting as drool dripped from its jaws, eyes looking at the Drakkaren without hate: no, after awhile, as Zerrex knew from personal experience, you stopped even being able to hate your captors, and you only wanted freedom, or at least a brief respite from the pain. The lizard gazed up at the draconic demon for a moment, then he leaned up and kissed his neck quietly, tasting blood and sweat and fear, before he straightened and patted him gently on the cheek, leaving him dangling by no less than a dozen of the rusting, ugly metal hooks as he walked onwards with Sin, murmuring quietly: "I feel like such a coward at times like these..."

"You're never a coward, Lord Zerrex..." Sin smiled faintly as she hugged him quietly from behind, and then she slowly rubbed a hand over the Drakkaren's abdominals, sliding her hand down to grasp his belt as the reptile paused with a bit of a smile, glancing over his shoulder at Sin, who blushed a bit as she whispered: "Sorry. But... this place... the smells... the sights... I..."

"In the next room." the Drakkaren said gently, and Sin blushed a bit deeper before Zerrex took her hand and they stepped out of the corridor, and into an octagonal room. There were three doors leading out of it, including the one Zerrex closed behind them, and all along the walls were all manner of instrument that could be used for medicine or torture, and often both. And from the middle of the room hung roughly half a dozen meathooks beside a gurney... and the Drakkaren watched with a slight smile as Sin bowed her head forwards as she undid the back of her long dress, and then it slowly slipped off her body to reveal her naked back, as she strode quietly into the center of the room before turning around with a faint smile.

She grasped two of the hooks as if they were rings and easily hefted herself up, the sharp metal cutting into her hands as she gave a soft sigh of what could easily be pleasure, her eyes closed and her head bowed forwards... and then she leaned back, arching her back and releasing a long groan as she lowered herself against the other hooks, Zerrex listening to the sound of them ripping into her flesh as her glammer flickered for a moment, blood running down her back and her limbs as her hands slid over the hooks so they instead dug into her wrists, and then she hung there, suspended by at least four hooks buried into her back and her taut buttocks, her tail switching back and forth as her legs kicked a bit, her small breasts heaving on her chest as she took long breaths and gazed at Zerrex with only the faintest hint of pain in her eyes, whispering softly: "I don't want you to go easy on me."

The Drakkaren shook his head slowly as he walked in front of her, and he wrapped his arms around his waist as he pressed his head against her stomach, feeling it move against him with each breath she took. He could feel her blood running over his arms as it spilled down her back, and it was all strangely erotic and wonderful... and it helped how she was hanging so high off the ground her hips were at level with his shoulders. Maybe it was sick and twisted... but they were both sick and twisted, and he knew that if anyone could handle this - and that if anyone didn't have a problem with it - it was Sin.

He enjoyed the sensations for a few moments longer before he finally let go, gazing up at her with soft entertainment, and then he turned away to head over to the wall, musing thoughtfully before he picked up an ugly knife. It had a long, thick blade, and the handle was shaped so the reptile could best grip it so that it pointed backwards with the blade facing up: a specialty knife best used for jabbing at something on the gurney or, in this case... "Get ready, then, Sin..."

The both took a breath... then Zerrex stepped forwards, swinging in a long overhand motion to jab the knife home between Sin's breasts, shattering her breastbone as she gagged, her glammer shattering to reveal her true body as her unguligrade legs kicked hard, her thin arms spasming and lithe chest inhaling spasmodically, and then she cried out of her draconic jaws, eyes going wide as Zerrex grabbed the handle of the knife with both hands and dragged forcefully downwards, eviscerating her as the knife ripped from between her breasts all the way to just above her vagina. Blood splattered down over the reptile as her guts spilled out of the wound, bits of bone falling down over him as the Drakkaren tossed the knife away, gazing at his handiwork... and then he smiled slightly and closed his eyes as her intestines slid like snakes up his sides, Sin's breathing returning to normal as a shudder went through her and her violet eyes blinked, the tall black Mohawk of hair she had swaying as her long draconic horns gleamed in the faint light that came from the magical crystals imbedded in the ceiling. "Oh... do me a favor... cut those..."

"How about... I tear them instead?" Zerrex asked softly, gripping a coil of intestine, and Sin shuddered before arching her back with a low, guttural sound as Zerrex easily ripped it in half with his bare hands, spilling ichors and blood all over himself before he did it again to another length of her insides. And then, as he grasped another coil, her intestines suddenly wrapped around him with the strength of his tentacles, a few torn pieces of her gut falling out as she hefted him into the air with her insides wrapped around his waist and his arms, the last torn length of intestine stroking slowly along his face as she gazed into his eyes lovingly. "You're beautiful, Sin..."

"And you are powerful, my lord..." Slowly, Sin released Zerrex's right arm, and then she stroked along it gently with a tentacle of intestine, and the reptile stared as his arm trembled before the warped, twisted true form of it revealed itself through the scale, peeling off as his hand became an ugly claw and blue light pulsed through the cracks along the limb. "You've truly bonded with the strength of Mephistopheles... and your own power, your own desires were nothing paltry or unattractive to begin with. Thank you for... sharing with me... your power..."

Slowly, Sin set him down, and she rolled her head on her shoulders with a quiet moan as her intestines writhed before falling slowly to the ground, and she grunted as she spread her arms, her ribs cracking as the scales of her body peeled back somehow, her insides clearly visible as she whispered in a ragged voice: "Please, Lord Zerrex... go ahead... and help yourself. I know you want to... I know how much you delight in it... and you know that I will only feel the pleasure of pleasing you..."

"Sin..." Zerrex licked his muzzle despite himself... and then he nodded as he stepped forwards, grasping her hips as he leaned up and nuzzled into her guts, Sin gasping before moaning weakly again as he bit into one of her inner organs. Hot blood spilled down over the Drakkaren's face as he took a large bite of it, tasting raw, yet warm flesh and meat, and he felt a feral thrill run through his body as his muscles tensed and relaxed, his eyes shut before opening and glowing for a moment as he chewed ravenously, a lustful hunger overtaking him before he glanced down at her vagina, and he grinned a bit to himself as he said softly: "Let's start with dessert."

He leaned down and licked slowly up the Naganatine's sex, and he was unsurprised to taste not only blood, but her sexual fluids. Sin moaned loudly at this, her legs bucking as her eyes bulged, and then she trembled violently as Zerrex's tongue dragged hungrily again over her vagina, the reptile grasping lightly into her legs as he nuzzled slowly into her vagina. Her blood slid over his muzzle as her intestines coiled upwards, grinding lightly over his body, the Naganatine's own form exuding a brilliant heat as he pushed his muzzle harder against her blood-covered labia.

He pushed his tongue forwards, dragging it slowly around her entrance before pushing past and into the passage beyond, the reptile growling softly as he closed his eyes and grinned to himself, at the same time mouthing her sex gently. It made Sin moan again and buck her hips, more of her juices spilling down her passage as she began to pant lustfully, and then she gave another sound of ecstasy as Zerrex slowly pulled his tongue free and moved upwards at the same time, nuzzling into her clitoris before he suckled slowly and teasingly on it, his teeth grinding against the sensitive nub and causing Sin to all but scream in pleasure. Pleasure, despite the things he had done to her body... or perhaps in part of it.

Then Zerrex licked his muzzle hungrily as he drew back, before he leaned forwards... and Sin shrieked again, her hips rocking and eyes bulging as this time Zerrex bit hard into her vagina, his teeth sinking through the top of her labia and into her waist. He shook his head back and forth as blood ran down his jaws and sexual fluids burst from Sin's vagina, and then he tore hard and suddenly backwards, and the Naganatine's clitoris tore off with a large chunk of flesh and scale, the Drakkaren chewing loudly as blood ran down his jaws, grinning darkly up at Sin as she howled and bucked her hips several times, a deep blush suffusing her cheeks before her sounds heightened in volume as Zerrex leaned forwards and licked hungrily at her bloody sex, her legs bucking a bit before the Drakkaren grasped them and guided them up over his shoulders as he shoved his face between her legs, his claws digging into his buttocks as he began to hungrily rip at her crotch.

Sin bucked with every hard tear of the reptile's jaws, the Drakkaren's teeth loudly ripping apart her vagina as he tasted blood and the nectar of her sex... a sex that had already been horrendously devastated, Sin moaning and screaming in what likely sounded like pain... but then she howled Zerrex's name as the reptile bit into the remains of her vagina, one lip of her labia already completely gone and the other hanging from what was mostly a ravaged, destroyed crater in her crotch, blood and gore splattered all over the floor beneath her and all over the Drakkaren's chest and muzzle. Her hips bucked wildly, her head and breasts bounced, and the hooks buried in her dug in all the deeper to her form as she had an orgasm that shot her juices straight into the lizard's hungry mouth, Zerrex growling hungrily as his eyes flashed with victory, tasting blood and her juices as he paused to guzzle the sweet stuff bursting out of what had once been a vagina.

It ran down his chin with her blood, and Zerrex felt crazy with lust and hunger and passion, his pants beginning to tear as his penis grew erect, his breath rushing in and out of his lungs before he threw his head back with a groan as the fabric of his boxers and his jeans finally gave way, and his rock-hard cock exploded upwards to full, massive size, throbbing powerfully as his pants fell around his ankles. The reptile growled hungrily, his muscles flexing, wondering which he should do... and then Sin moaned loudly and cried out: "Please... more... more, Zerrex, until you're full, until you're satisfied... go ahead, let me be your feast, and then you can fuck my remains until nothing is left of me!"

The Drakkaren grinned at this, and then he let her legs drop, causing her body to jar and the female to shriek before his hands seized her sides as he shoved his muzzle up into her, hungrily ripping and biting at her insides, devouring her as if she was a rare steak and he hadn't eaten for days. To him, she tasted like the most delicious buffet he had ever eaten, as blood and gore and things he couldn't name dripped past him and onto his chest, onto his pulsing cock, onto the floor below... and slowly, her intestines rose up off the floor to embrace him as she hung by the hooks, screaming as every so often, Zerrex forcefully dragged her downwards so he could better angle his muzzle into her innards like a savage beast.

Finally, a hook snapped out of her back as Zerrex yanked her down hard, ripping out a large chunk of her shoulder, and Sin's wrists came loose from where they were resting with a splatter of blood, meathooks swinging back and forth as she fell over Zerrex's face. The rest of her body tore loose, and she collapsed on top of Zerrex as he fell backwards with a grunt, sliding down his body and letting out a weak gasp as the gigantic shaft of the Drakkaren pressed between them and up into the empty gap in her body... and they gazed at each other for a few moments as her blood and guts fell against him, both of them panting, and then they kissed slowly and passionately as she brought her hands up to tangle through his white hair, leaving red streaks behind in the already tainted locks, their jaws working together hungrily as they nipped and bit like animals at the same time.

Then they parted, and Zerrex wrapped his arms around her tightly, the female twitching as he cradled her close, and she curled up on top of him gladly, her breathing slowly becoming steadier, her body hot against the male's as his shaft throbbed inside her body cavity, snuggled up into her torn-apart organs. They lay together for a long time, until the Drakkaren had become flaccid and Sin had stopped bleeding, the Naganatine's supernatural regeneration already healing many of her wounds... and then Zerrex gazed at her quietly for a few moments, asking softly: "Can anything kill you?"

Sin smiled faintly and gently touched his chest, then she said softly: "Only one thing... and that's losing you." She curled up against him, and Zerrex blushed a bit, feeling flustered and deeply touched as she whispered: "Don't ever change, Lord Zerrex. There are so few people who would love the real me... the monster, the wicked slut of Mephistopheles... and yet you do. Even through everything, you've always loved and taken care of me... dealt with my urges and my needs and everything else that's wrong with me... and it means more to me than I can say, since it's supposed to be my job to serve you.

"I know that... in the aftermath of the hungers and the lusts... after you've let yourself go and allowed those dark urges, those pieces of you that are pure Wrath and Lust take over your mind and body... you often feel scared or like a beast." Sin stroked his face gently, then she took one of his hands as she breathed softly, her glammer returning over her body, looking once more like his mother: bloody and injured and with those black and purple scales that seemed to shift patterns back and forth, but clearly his mother nonetheless. "But you aren't. I asked for this... I was part of this mess, and as big a part as you were. If you're a monster, I am too, for enjoying the pain and the pleasure and the savagery of it all... your teeth inside me... it's... somehow so erotic, and the trust... the trust that we can do this with one another..."

She broke off, then simply smiled as she rested on his naked chest, whispering softly: "It's like that first time we both took on our real bodies and took a good look at each other... demon to demon. Trusting that neither of us would freak out or want to run away. It's just like that in so many ways, and it means so damn much to me that we can do these sorts of things, when most demons would take the opportunity to kill or feast on the other demon's power." Sin paused for a long moment, then she said softly: "But that's part of the reason why I like this... because it lets me share my abilities with you."

Zerrex shook his head, looking softly amused as he squeezed her quietly around the waist. "Nice try, Sin, but it's never worked... I may have absorbed some of your magic-related talent over many of these different little... meal-plays... but otherwise, it doesn't seem to have done much of anything. And there's no way I'm eating a piece of your soul or something else equally-horrifying... I mean, like. I think the soul is kinda important to keep intact."

"I sometimes think you have too much soul." Sin said with soft entertainment, and then she kissed his cheek quietly before grunting and rolling off him, closing her eyes and performing an incantation as Zerrex rolled on his side, watching her with a quiet smile as her hand glowed white and she slowly zipped up her stomach with the ease she'd zip her dress back up. She was so beautiful... and then something moved in the corner of the reptile's eye.

The Drakkaren frowned, looking up but not feeling any sense of impending danger: the Tower, after all, was nearly impossible to find or portal to, thanks to several displacement charms hidden throughout the structure and the courtyard. Anyone who tried to teleport or portal into the Tower or surrounding area would be violently repelled and tossed into some random location throughout Hell, and that could mean a lot of trekking to get back to civilization, if they landed in one of the many places that barred the usage of magic. Of course, Hell does have bugs. And bugs still make it down here sometimes.

He glanced over the pipes on the ceiling... and then he stared when out of nowhere, a large pseudodragon suddenly popped into existence, sitting primly on one of the hooks and squeaking at him. It was obviously Sammy, and his scales were now half-black, half-red... and he glared angrily at Zerrex before swooping down to land on his muzzle, at least six inches added to his size as he leaned down and bit his forehead firmly.

Zerrex flailed and yelped, and Sin laughed loudly as Sammy jumped off Zerrex's muzzle to land on the ground, his large talons clacking against it as he leaned upwards, squeaking and growling earnestly as if telling the Drakkaren off. The lizard stared dumbly at this, rubbing where the dragon's little beaky muzzle had torn a small gouge in his scales, and then he sighed, rolling his eyes as Sin said in an entertained voice: "It seems he was likely watching you this entire time, Lord Zerrex, and offended you didn't come looking for him."

"Well, when Desire left the party, she said she'd tend to Sammy and check on him. Come on, I thought you'd be eating, crapping, and growing during this whole phase of you... growing up!" Zerrex threw his arms out, and Sammy huffed and sat up on his haunches, the Drakkaren gaping as it crossed its small front arms and mimicked the grouchy facial expression Zerrex often made perfectly. "Okay, okay, I'm a bad daddy for a growing dragonlet, I know. Forgive me?"

Sammy peered up at him, then huffed before it paused as Sin picked up a small chunk of gore from the floor, holding it out to him. It sniffed at it, then snatched it out of her fingers and chewed thoughtfully, giving Zerrex another look as Sin said with soft entertainment: "He's grown into a mature adult now... and despite his behavior, I think he still feels very connected with you. He reminds me of you... and of my lost brothers and sisters."

Zerrex nodded, then he sat up and smiled a bit over at Sin as Sammy wandered over to sit on his lap, peering down at the Drakkaren's penis for a few moments and squeaking before it looked over at Sin, then it purred softly as the lizard quietly rubbed behind its head, saying with soft amusement: "Then you should give him his second name. Go ahead, call him anything... I don't mind."

Sin looked at Zerrex, then she gazed down at the dragon and quietly touched him under the chin. It blinked and looked up at her curiously, tilting its head... and she said softly: "Then I think we should call him... a mortal name, a nobler name than my brethren have taken on... because of us all, few of us have stayed in Heaven and fewer of us still have managed to follow my Lord God's true hopes." She closed her eyes and shook her head, balling a hand up into a fist and hitting the ground quietly. "When I think about the past... it makes me so angry sometimes...

"So I know." She looked up with a smile at Zerrex, and the Drakkaren tilted his head, the two looking at her quietly as she said softly: "I'll call him my little future in the old tongue... Ch'vrah Dovis Ti."

"Dove." Zerrex said thoughtfully, looking down at the pseudodragon, and he gently stroked over its black-scaled back before he tickled the red-scaled underbelly, the young creature squawking as it spread its wings and stood up tall, but it looked positive. Damn thing is too goddamn smart already. "You know... doves have a lot of meaning on the mortal realm, because they're such a rare bird nowadays in Ire... but then again, in the mortal world, we see so few birds anymore... although I think the population is coming back now that so many cities are in ruins.

"What I mean to say is that... I like the name, I like the nickname it gives him, I like... everything about it." Zerrex paused, smiling slightly as he took Sin's hand, gazing across at her tenderly. "You know, so long as my future includes you." A pause as Sin returned the look lovingly, smiling warmly. "But what I wanna know is... how the hell did Sammy get in here?"

The dragon tilted his head curiously, and then Zerrex stared as it vanished before popping back into existence perched on the Drakkaren's shoulder, growling proudly and raising its head high. Sin laughed and sat back as she gave Zerrex's hand one last squeeze, then she looked over at the Drakkaren with quiet amusement. "He's bonded with you, Lord Zerrex... and it seems that at some point he picked up your distinct energy signature and whatever else he needs so that he can lock on to you and teleport wherever you are. I have to admit, it's quite a feat to be able to do that... but since this Tower was redesigned so that only a few people including yourself can portal to it, it means he must have tricked the magical charms into thinking he was you on the way in."

Zerrex looked curiously at Sammy as it nodded vigorously, and then the Drakkaren turned his eyes back to Sin as she stood up, casting a cleansing spell over herself to get rid of the dried blood, gore, and everything else. "Then how smart is the little bastard? It's like he's starting to understand everything I say, if he doesn't already."

Sammy chirped at this, then nipped Zerrex's cheek playfully before gnawing at his hair, the reptile rolling his eyes as Sin shrugged thoughtfully. "It depends... we'll know more when he's developed a bit more. He may have matured already into an adult body... but his abilities will take a little while longer to develop, and I'm admittedly surprised as it is that he's grown so fast. But I've never been too knowledgeable on magical creatures, especially the rare, specially-bred kind... you should check with that nice male you used to work with at the stables."

"Oh, uh, Kent? I haven't seen him in forever, but you're right, he might know a thing or two about Sammy here... he seemed to know everything about every other creature that every came into the stables." Zerrex paused, looking at Sammy thoughtfully before he rolled his eyes as the pseudodragon looked at him for a moment before it returned to chewing on his hair. "So how long until his body adjusts to the corruption and I don't have to worry about cleaning out his litterbox anymore?"

Sin shook her head, looking quietly amused as she picked up her dress, ran a cleansing spell over it, and then slipped it carefully on, the long cloth billowing around her legs as she smoothed the fabric gently out. "Mortals and their habits are so strange... but feces is a side effect of the body, that's all. I recognize that it doesn't seem to smell the best and I can't imagine what it must feel like coming out, but the process is-"

"It's gross." Zerrex said flatly, and then he stood up, pulling his pants and torn boxers up as best he could as Sammy curled himself cheerfully around his neck, slapping the Drakkaren's chest gently with his long, flexible tail. "It's a mortal thing, then, I guess, Sin. Most of us really do not like it, to put it simply. Hey, would you do me a favor and fix this? I'm no good at that whole repair spell thing."

"It's not a repair spell exactly..." Sin said absently, as she walked over and held a hand out above the reptile's crotch. She paused and gave him a look, a slight smile on her face, but Zerrex only rolled his eyes before she laughed softly, her hand glowing a faint purple as the cloth knitted itself back together and the button floated up off the ground to sew itself onto his fly, and then the zipper rose and his fly shut as she dropped her hand, Zerrex immediately grumbling and reaching down to adjust himself in his pants as he hopped a bit on one foot. "You've really gone and twisted my mind, Lord Zerrex. Everything seems so much more sexual now than it used to be, comparatively. I don't think that I really mind all that much, though."

"I'm glad to hear it... and thanks, Sin." Zerrex wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead softly, and Sin smiled warmly as Sammy squeaked and peered curiously around. Then the reptile paused as he glanced down on himself, but before he could say anything, Sin cast a cleansing spell over his body, and his scales tingled as the dried blood and other substances vanished from his chest. "Hey, I totally could have done that."

She didn't bother replying, only shaking her head with a smile and soft laugh as she held a hand up and created a portal, and the reptile took her arm with his own, making her blush as he grinned before they stepped through together and into the main hall of the Ravenlight Estate, and immediately the reptile groaned as Ixin bounced over from where he had been defacing one of the paintings on the wall with a marker, the male grinning widely.

He opened his mouth, then paused, peering at the pseudodragon suspiciously as it looked back at him, then it hopped up on top of Zerrex's head, the Drakkaren making a face as it spread its wings and growled at Ixin. The mage yelped, then he huffed and crossed his arms, snapping: "And what the fuck did I ever do to you? Hey, Zerrex, I already don't like your pet. Fuck, those things freak me out."

"You know about pseudodragons?" The Drakkaren tilted his head in surprise, and Ixin gave him the patronizing look that only he could somehow manage to pull off with a mere tilt of his head, making Zerrex glower. "Mage or not, I could bend you into a pretzel if I wanted to."

Ixin snorted, then he grinned widely as he struck a pose, flexing his muscles: they were deceptively large, since all-in-all, he didn't pack much of a physical punch: "Oh yeah? Then in that case, I challenge you to the deadliest form of mortal combat available: a breakdancing contest!"

Immediately, Ixin flung himself into the air, flipping backwards before he arched his back to land on his masculine breast, and in a smooth, liquid motion, he slid himself upwards before he spun around on his hip, Zerrex staring flatly at the mage as rolled on his back mid-spin and grasped his thighs as he brought his legs up to his chest, continuing to spin like a top before he tried to roll over and instead flopped onto all fours, grunting and wincing as he continued to lazily spin even on all fours, looking dazed as he squawked: "I meant to do that, it was just a practice run to get your confidence up!"

Zerrex rolled his eyes with a sigh, feeling amused nonetheless before Sin glanced over at him curiously, asking: "Why is that called breakdancing? And how do people dance together like that?"

"They don't... and well... uh... I dunno why, actually." The Drakkaren rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully, then he glanced down at Ixin, who was unsteadily getting to his feet, looking dazed. "I think he just likes it because you do all sorts of weird things with your body."

"If you'd only let me on the mortal plane, dude, I could bring in all sorts of hot chicks and bang-bang-bang all night." Ixin made a few awkward thrusting motions with his hips, grinning widely, and then he slid backwards in a passable moonwalk, pointing at Zerrex with a wink. "And hey, I might even be some help tracking down mages, you know. Nothing finds a mage better than a better mage, you dig it?"

"Not really." Zerrex said mildly, and Ixin huffed, crossing his arms and glaring at the other male, before he paused and reached up with his free arm to gently grasp Sammy and pull him off his head, putting him down on the ground. The pseudodragon huffed and looked up at him sourly, and the lizard sighed, wondering who it was acting more like at the moment as Sin gently tugged on his arm and led him towards one of the side doors. "I have to go for the moment, Ixin. Please don't ruin any more of my artwork while I'm gone, alright? Or I'll have to throw you into a Pit of Torment."

The mage huffed, looking pouty as he watched them leaving, Sammy trotting along beside Zerrex and shooting the mage a last sour look before the door closed behind them. The lizard glanced down at him with amusement, then he turned his eyed to Sin as they walked down the long corridor, asking: "So where are we going? You know the Estate better than I do, which is kinda twisted... I mean, in all my years here, I still don't exactly know where everything is."

"Well, it is a big large... I know that even Azazel and Astaroth sometimes had trouble getting around here." Sin said quietly, and she fell silent for a moment, looking down as she remembered her brother and sister. Zerrex remained quiet, giving her the time she needed as Sammy growled softly, and the Naganatine paused as they passed a redwood door, halting and looking over at the male as she said softly: "I think this is it."

She opened it, and the two entered into a large den after a moment, with a fireplace full of magical flame burning in one corner and a large round, wooden table in the center of the room, two couches on the east and southern edges of the table. In one of these sat Mercy, who was quietly knitting, headphones over her head as she rocked her head in beat to the music, wearing a ripped black shirt that showed off her belly and left her scarred arms bare, and torn black jeans that exposed a few of the scars on her legs. The two looked at each other, and then Sin said softly: "I'll go and get some food, Zerrex... why don't you see how she's doing?"

"Good idea." Zerrex said softly, looking over at Sin for a moment, and then he quietly walked up behind the couch and patted Mercy gently on the shoulder. The female started, looking up at him with surprise with her deep, dark blue eyes, and then she hesitated before her sewed-shut mouth hesitantly smiled at him. "Hey, girl. How're you holding up?"

Mercy shrugged a bit, looking back down at her knitting and resuming it, but working slower so she could take glances up at Zerrex every now and then, as the Drakkaren walked around the couch and sat down beside her - not too close, but not too far, either. Mercy was a bit more nervous about close-contact than most of his family... and he looked at her softly before he asked her quietly: "So how's your magic study going these days?"

She looked over at him for a few moments, then she half-shrugged again before she put down her knitting and held out both of her hands, and they glowed faintly as she closed her eyes for a moment in concentration. A large blue butterfly suddenly flew up from them, appearing out of nowhere, before it burst into flame... but as it fell away to ash, the ashes swirled back down into her palm and became a block of ice. This melted quickly... but instead of water dripping down between her cupped hands, it became a chain of lightning that zapped back and forth from finger-to-finger, before vanishing altogether as she gave a quiet sigh and put her hands down. She rubbed at her muzzle for a moment, looking up at him awkwardly, but Zerrex smiled and nodded, saying quietly: "You've got a real mastery of the elements, Mercy... it's really impressive to watch."

Mercy shrugged a third time, but she blushed a bit as she went back to knitting, and the reptile looked down at it, realizing it was a little doll. She had already done most of the top of it, and he was impressed as always with the speed and precision she moved with, even when she was still looking up at him every now and then quietly, as if waiting for something. They were quiet for a few minutes, however... and then Sammy jumped up on Zerrex's lap, and Mercy started, staring at the pseudodragon for a moment as it squeaked at her before it suddenly ran up the back of the couch and carefully walked towards her, leaning in close and squeaking again.

Hesitantly, Mercy rose a hand to stroke quietly along its neck, and it growled softly at her, closing its eyes and leaning towards her as it kneaded its toeclaws into the back of the couch. Zerrex smiled a bit, and then he said quietly: "I just call him Sammy for short. I think he likes you... there's been a few people he's already clearly disliked, after all."

Mercy nodded and gazed at the pseudodragon as she stroked quietly along it, and then she glanced at Zerrex, asking him a question with her eyes. Zerrex nodded in return, and Mercy smiled a bit as she slowly reached forwards and gently picked Sammy up, holding it up in front of her and examining him before she carefully hugged him close, and the little dragonlet purred softly, gently nipping at her muzzle. Mercy twitched, but she shook her head, silently laughing before she stroked along his back and put him down on the floor, watching as he scrabbled around the room, sniffing at things and squeaking at them curiously.

She looked over at Zerrex, then smiled a bit to him before she patted the couch quietly beside her, and the reptile gladly slid a bit closer as Mercy put her knitting aside again to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her head on his chest. Zerrex wrapped his own arms around her body, and he slid her gently into his lap... and she blushed a bit, but the reptile only gazed down at her softly as he held her quietly close to his body, saying gently: "I still think you're beautiful, Mercy. And if you ever need to... if you ever need anyone to listen to, I'm always here, as your father, and as someone who will love and take care of you. You're different, but... I like different. I like weird." He gently kissed her sewn-shut muzzle quietly, and Mercy blushed. "I'm not scared of you and not going to hurt you, ever."

Mercy nodded against him, and then she closed her eyes as a few silent tears flowed down her muzzle, and she trembled for a few moments as she simply clung to him, crying in her silent way. Zerrex held her close, not saying anything as he rubbed her back slowly and rocked her quietly in his arms, as her headphones fell around her neck and the music rose to Zerrex's ears, and he gazed at her with quiet compassion as he kept her cradled close to his strong form. After a few minutes, she settled down, and she reached a hand back to dig her music player out of her pocket and turn it off before she curled up tightly against him, breathing softly in and out through her nose as she rested her tear-streaked cheeks against his broad chest.

Mercy had always been the odd-one out in his family: she was one of his older daughters, and her mother was Lily... a mother who was compassionate and loving, but who had still been raised with demon laws and who had been confused at first about what to do with a daughter who was mute. Demonic law, after all, said that Mercy would never be permitted into a truly high-standing or important position if she couldn't speak naturally or telepathically... and since so few demons were born with any sort of disability, usually they were exterminated to keep the folds 'clean.'

Zerrex would not hear of that, of course, and he also didn't care Mercy was born with few demonic traits or abilities. She wasn't unique, but she didn't qualify under any demon species, either... the closest thing she was to was a Dius, except she lacked the sexual aura and didn't seem to be much in the way of a Lust type. If Zerrex had to put a guess forwards, he'd say she was Wrath... she was certainly goddamn hard on herself, after all, but he thought that was because of all the torment she'd received from so many other demons over the years. He thought it was like a sick joke, after all... if she could speak, then she would have instantly been assigned an ambassadorship to Earth and Heaven, since her few demonic characteristics meant that whether in full demon form or this shape she liked to stay in, she would have been a perfect bridge between demons and the other races. It was almost like she was a half-demon... but since she was born of Lily and Zerrex, perhaps she was more the product of the fervent wish of the two to live like mortals even in Hell.

Mercy was untalented in physical arts, as far as it went for demons: with training, Zerrex knew she'd become a dangerous expert at any sort of weapon she went with, but she was clumsy enough that she'd have trouble even with a few mortals, and she hated training because she hated feeling stupid and useless. Zerrex had always tried to tell her she wasn't... but he knew that once you got something in your head, once so many people told you the same thing... it could be hard to get it out of there and focus on anything else. What Mercy was good at, however, was remembering incantations, spells, and charms of all level, although at first that had been useless to her... but now that she had started to master the art of casting without speaking, she was quickly becoming an adept sorceress, and Zerrex thought that if she kept up her hard work, she'd finally have something she could show everyone, to show just how strong she really was.

He knew that every now and then, she stopped practicing, though, because things became too heavy or the struggle just felt too useless in the face of the demons who still berated her and taunted her: it was weird to think about how a demon could be beaten down with words, how even a demon could get depressed and do stupid things, but there it was. But then again, sometimes words left marks fists couldn't... and Zerrex gazed down at her quietly, nuzzling her gently as he squeezed her close to his huge body, whispering softly: "It'll be okay... I promise. I know I've said that before, but... you are working your way forwards, and you are one of the best damn mages I've ever seen, Mercy... and you know I want to do anything I can for you to help you through things down here. You are all still my family, even if I want to return to the mortal world... and I just look forwards to the day when we can all be together."

Mercy nodded against him quietly, then she sniffled as she clung tight to his neck, squeezing him firmly. Despite their physical contact, however, unlike many of his other daughters, Mercy was one of his girls he had never been sexual with... but in a way, that meant he was all the more protective of her, since he knew she had never found much of a boyfriend anywhere else, either, and it made her seem all the more like his beloved little girl. He quietly nuzzled her as he continued to hold her close, and she glanced up at him quietly, before she blushed and pushed her face into his chest as she heard the door open... but as Sin stepped inside with a pot of tea, Zerrex said softly: "Don't worry... it's your favorite friend, that's all."

Mercy looked up hesitantly, then she smiled faintly as Sin sat down quietly beside them, patting her gently on the shoulder. She wiggled a bit towards her, then curled herself between the two, hugging her legs as Zerrex left a hand quietly around her shoulders and Sin gently stroked along her teary face, gazing at her softly. "I brought some of your favorite, Miss... I mean, Mercy." She smiled apologetically, and Mercy looked at her anxiously: she hated being spoken to formally by Sin, one of the few people whom she saw as a real friend. "I'm sorry, it's a force of habit. I still call your father Lord Zerrex even after all these years and... everything we've been through."

"Sin's a bit more nuts about the whole politeness deal than even I am, it's a little bit weird." Zerrex said amiably, and Sin shook her head, looking quietly amused despite herself. "You know, Mercy showed me some of what she could do... I was really impressed." Zerrex wanted to mention something about her knitting, too, but he felt that putting her magic abilities on the same level as a mortal pastime might just take a little bite out of the female's morale. Then again, it's so hard to tell sometimes... why the hell do feelings have to all be so goddamn complicated?

Mercy glanced embarrassedly up at Sin as she wiped at her eyes, and Sin quietly touched her cheek, saying softly: "You have no idea how hard she's been working, Lord Zerrex... and a lot of it to impress you, I might add." She smiled a bit as Mercy turned beet-red, shaking her head quickly and looking immediately away from Zerrex as the Drakkaren looked down at her curiously. "She heard, after all, that even you have mastered some very powerful magic... and I think she'd be very interested in seeing you perform some of that one day. Then again, I also think she'd be interested in going with you, perhaps, to meet some of the people at this reunion you're having... and I would come too, if you'd like, Mercy. All you need to do is ask."

The female looked down quietly for a moment, seeming embarrassed... and then she finally nodded and swallowed a bit, glancing up and quietly squeezing Sin's hand. After so many years with her, most of the members of the family had learned to understand whatever Mercy was asking with her expressive, almost-black eyes, and when Sin nodded, she turned the look on Zerrex, and she smiled a bit, glancing at Sin and saying with soft entertainment: "You're as troublemaking as Cherry is sometimes, you know that? But of course, Mercy... if only because I know that you'll fit in nicely with the rest of us, and I think some of the people there would like to meet you."

Mercy smiled hesitantly, and Zerrex patted her quietly on the shoulder before he laughed as she hugged him suddenly, and he hugged her firmly back, gazing down at her compassionately. "Alright, alright, no worries, huh? I'll be glad to have so many people in one place... but come on. What about you, me, and Sin take a little look around the Estate, huh? Maybe we can find something to occupy our time with, or you can tell us one of your stories."

Mercy smiled a bit, looking abashed: although she knew sign-language, it was something Zerrex had some trouble learning himself, even if he'd mastered the basics... but they never used it, because Mercy was able to communicate almost anything to him instantly with a few basic gestures and the way her eyes always seemed to speak far louder to him than any gestures or words could. She had, however, picked up a special knack for telling stories with just her hands or small puppets, although sometimes it could get like a game of charades, which would frustrate her... but nonetheless, they were able to communicate and even converse animatedly between one-another for long periods at a time. Zerrex always enjoyed it, because Mercy was a lot smarter than many people would give her credit for, and she had his weird sense of humor... and he knew that she enjoyed it too, because it let her express herself and share with them.

It took a bit of coaxing, but they finally managed to get Mercy to walk with them as she rubbed at her cheeks awkwardly, and the three lost track of time as Sammy bounced along behind them, squeaking and bounding around as Mercy made her gestures and Zerrex laughed and Sin smiled and nodded, looking as if she was having a casual conversation with anyone. Then, as they walked through the gallery full of pictures of the major enemies Zerrex had fought in his life and conquered - something Sin sometimes had a bit of trouble with, because many of the pictures on the wall were of Naganatine - Cherry suddenly appeared out of a portal and Mercy made a bit of a face, sliding back to half-hide behind Sin and Zerrex as the muscular demoness charged forwards and slid to a halt, grinning at Zerrex and spreading her arms as she said clearly: "It's time, dude. Come on, we're headin' uh... well... a little south of here. By which I mean we're going out to your backyard."

Zerrex rolled his eyes, feeling amused nonetheless: his 'backyard,' as Cherry insisted on calling it, covered some thousand or so private acres, and included a gargantuan hedge maze, a small lake - Zerrex had given up long ago on referring to it as the 'pond' - a full-size stables, and had a large area referred to as 'the court,' which was used as a meeting place for large groups and soirees, since it was a mix of soft grass and beautifully-carved granite tile. He paused as Cherry peered suspiciously at Sin and Mercy, and then he said mildly: "They're coming to."

Mercy looked relieved at this even as Cherry huffed and grumbled, then she rubbed at her head, saying flatly: "You know, your other two bi... daughters, daughters, I said daughters!" Cherry waved her arms quickly, grinning stupidly as Zerrex glared at her irritably. "Your other two daughters are uh. Hanging around with everyone already, you know. And knowing Selena, that crazy bitch will probably show up at some point, and you can never tell with Lily. I think they're anxious to..." Cherry suddenly glanced away, swallowing, and Mercy and Sin both looked confused as the demoness took a moment to regain her composure, grinning weakly but looking anxious all the same. "Anxious to meet everyone, you dig?"

"I dig." Zerrex said quietly, then he reached out and patted Cherry on the shoulder before he knelt, and Sammy hopped up onto him, scrabbling over his back to land on his shoulder with a chirp. The reptile stood up as it gnawed lightly at his hair, and then he said softly: "Sin, do you mind doing the honors?"

"Of course, Lord Zerrex." Sin rose a hand, and a white portal instead of a black one appeared, large enough to accommodate them all. Zerrex stepped forwards, and then Cherry took his hand, muttering something to him as Mercy took his other, and Sin took Mercy's, the four walking forwards quietly as Zerrex took a long breath himself before he could let nervousness overwhelm him. There was no sensation of travel through this portal as they entered directly into the courtyard as if they had just walked through the grass, and it closed behind them before Zerrex could think about going back as his stomach did a flop, looking around at the milling people, tables here and there and people sitting at them as the conversation stopped, Cypress and Lily looking up from where they were talking with a little girl who looked like a china doll, and the Drakkaren smiled a bit as this little angel girl climbed up awkwardly onto a chair, the feline picking up a glass and tapping a spoon against it to get everyone's attention.

The little girl in her pretty little white dress and matching white hat smiled back and forth at the silent guest, and she said clearly: "Everyone, let me introduce the host of this party and the Drakkaren who has affected all our lives in his long, long lifetime as a mortal. Accompanying him are Lady Sin, and a daughter of his whom I believe is named Mercy, and of course I'm sure most of us know Miss Cherry, for either her mouth or her attitude." A bit of a laugh went through the crowd, and Cherry huffed, then grinned and struck a pose, flexing her enormous biceps powerfully with a playful growl. "But now, allow a meager Prophet the pleasure of introducing Lord Zerrex Narrius... and Lord Zerrex, I will now bow aside to introduce to you the true guest of honor at this party."

The little girl bowed deeply, and the crowd parted to reveal three figures walking slowly towards them: a border collie who shone with a faint white light on one side, dressed in plain mortal jeans and a white shirt, her figure curvy and her eyes alight with happiness, the border collie's fur fluffy and seeming to float around her as she gazed happily at Zerrex... and on the other side of the figure in the center was a succubus who was grinning widely, the vixen's leathery wings furled on her back and her long horns standing tall and proud out of her skull, her eyes a burning black. She was dressed in long black leather gloves, a stylized leather corset with a thick belt around her middle, and a long pair of black stockings that left her taloned feet bare and connected up into the loincloth that hung down from her waist, a red R with a raven wing stretching out of emblazoned near the end of the hanging material. Sarah and Mel... and it didn't surprise him how they had both turned out, one a Benevolent and the other a succubus.

But in the center was an angel... and the three figures halted about ten feet away as Sin and Cherry gently pushed Zerrex forwards, and the angel in the center came forwards herself. She was dressed in a beautiful golden dress that had a single strap over one shoulder, and it went well with her tawny fur... and she gazed up at him after a moment with her bright hazel eyes, almost the same color as the smudge of brown fur that circled one eye and covered one ear entirely... and then she reached her hands out and gently took one of the lizard's, saying quietly: "Hey, Zerrex... did you miss me?"

"More than I can ever say, Mary." Zerrex responded, and his voice felt weak, his throat scratchy and dry as he looked down into her eyes, his stomach twisting itself into knots as he gazed around at them: three girls from Baskin's Grove he had never, ever forgotten, no matter what they must think of him. "I'm glad to see you... and yet I'm sorry at the same time, more than words can say."

He dropped to one knee, holding her hand tightly and pulling it against his face as she looked down at him quietly, and Zerrex closed his eyes as he bowed his head forwards, whispering: "Can you ever forgive me for failing you? And Mary, Mary... you were right. All those years ago, you were right about me, and I'm sorry for all the times I lashed at you... for... everything I've done that's cost so many lives and brought so many people down here." Zerrex looked around at the crowd, trying to hold in his emotions as he trembled a bit, feeling his heart racing in his chest before he gazed up at her with overbright emerald eyes, simultaneously wanting them all to stay and wishing they'd go away, if only because he knew he was humiliating himself, and never out of any sort of anger against any of them. "I'm so sorry..."

"No... I'm sorry..." Mary hugged Zerrex's head tight against her stomach, and she leaned over him, squeezing his hand gently with her own petite one, the five-foot-five feline doing her best to comfort the enormous reptile as she gazed down at him sympathetically. "I thought I knew everything back then, Zerrex... and that I knew you. Had I ever been able to even guess at everything you'd be forced to, I never would have tried to push you so hard... and had I known just what Lone wanted, I would have fought instead of simply... giving up, even if they were all so much bigger and stronger and scarier than I had imagined..." She looked at Cherry, and the female blushed and turned away, looking humble and humiliated. "Get up, Zerrex. We're all here... for you."

"For you." echoed Mel and Sarah, as the two walked over to his side and gently hugged his arms, and the three lifted Zerrex back to his feet, as the reptile quietly rubbed the back of his wrist against his eyes, and all of them smiled up at him faintly as they lined up in front of them. He gazed over all three of them, wishing now that he'd brought Cindy, so they could see her in person... and then he smiled a bit as he instead half-turned and rose a hand to Mercy, as Sammy squeaked on his shoulder, staring down at Mary as if enrapt.

"Let me show you my daughter, then... one of the girls I'm proudest of." Mercy blushed deeply at this, then she finally took her father's hand, and Zerrex pulled her forwards as he looked down at Mary with a faint smile. "This is Mercy of the Ages Narrius... she's very talented in magic, and she reminds me of you in some ways, Mary... very hard on herself but... innocent and beautiful, too."

Mercy fidgeted a bit, and then she smiled faintly as Mary bowed to her, bowing back quietly. "She looks beautiful... but please, Zerrex... don't let me hog you all to myself. We have eons to catch up... so long as you promise to visit, that is." Mary gazed up at him with quiet entertainment, and Zerrex blushed deeply, looking away as a few people in the crowd laughed. "And really promise. Because... I've missed you and your awkward charm and hearing your crazy stories. You've visited my grave more often than you've visited me, you know."

"I thought I'd never see you again." Zerrex said bluntly, and then he squeezed Mercy gently around the waist, murmuring softly: "But even if I went to Hell... I'm glad that it exists, even with all the trouble I went through to get things back in order. I will visit, though, I promise... but look at you, an Angel, and a priestess by the look of it... it suits you."

"I'm only an initiate..." Mary shrugged, blushing a bit as she gazed softly at Sarah, nudging her gently as the collie continued to simply gape and stare at Zerrex stupidly. She made a face, then struck her firmly with her elbow, and Sarah flailed a bit and staggered past Mercy and into Zerrex, knocking her head off his abs and falling on her rear before she flushed deep red and stared up at him some more. "Sarah refuses to try and get her wings."

Sarah mumbled, blushing some more, and then Mel slid sinuously forwards past Mercy, the female awkwardly stepping away before she traded a hesitant smile with Mary. "And I've missed you... you have no clue how good it is to be sexy again..." She closed her eyes and breathed softly through her mouth, then she winked up at the Drakkaren, drawing a finger down his chest as she added softly: "I feel so open and free now, Zerrex. Maybe, just like old times... we could find some time to get together and have a good old-"

"Get, get off him!" Sarah huffed as she stood up and pushed at Mel, and Mel pushed her back, the two glaring at each other before Sarah rubbed a foot against the ground and stared up fawningly, saying apologetically as the Drakkaren rubbed the back of his head: "Sorry about her. She's... let herself get a bit loose over the years, I guess. I'm sure glad to be here, though." She paused, looked around, then mumbled: "Well, you know what I mean. I'm really sorry I wasn't there to help you out, but... well... the Hez'Rannan Death Squads killed every Ginsbury in the phonebook, since I was supplying the rebels with food from the old grocery business after Daddy passed away. It really is a whole new world, though, huh? It takes the edge off dying... I just wish I was less of a klutz."

"You're still the same old Sarah... and I'm glad to see that, klutz or not." Zerrex patted her gently on the shoulder, and Sarah beamed up at him happily before the reptile looked around, then he stared at a Dragokkaren who was grinning stupidly at him, clad in dirty coveralls and with only a large pair of ram's horns coming out of his head as a visible demonic sign. "H... Huck?"

"Zerrex, dude!" Huck exclaimed in old Hez'Rannan, and then he ran forwards as the Drakkaren walked out to meet him, before the reptile yelped as Huck picked him up in a bear-hug with a laugh, spinning around and then grinning embarrassedly as he put him down, rubbing at his head slowly. "Sorry there, but damn, it's good to see you! Hey, how's Albossatross doin' and Churchill and all the others? Fuck, it's been so goddamn long down here, but... well..." He paused, looking serious. "This is where all us faggots go, right?"

The reptile groaned and slapped his forehead, and then he glanced curiously around the huge, well-built Dragokkaren. Huck paused, then he snapped an arm suddenly back and dragged out a slender Daius, the male squeaking and flailing as he blushed deep red against his blue scales, small horns almost jabbing Huck in the face every so often as the huge Dragokkaren said pleasantly: "You remember Hans, right? He's like my cute little bitch now. Except I'm the one who makes dinner and does most of the chores, but I ain't a little bitch even if I am cute." Huck batted his eyes at Zerrex, then he laughed and grabbed him in a headlock, squeezing him firmly to one side and Hans to the other. "Shit, it's been way too long! Everyone party!"

"Hell yeah!" Cherry called from somewhere, and Zerrex and Hans looked at each other awkwardly before the Drakkaren managed to slip free, and he gently pried Hans out after a moment as Huck stomped over towards her waving wildly at her. Hans blushed and tried to stammer something out, and then he glanced over to Mercy as she nervously approached, before he blushed a deep red, staring at her.

She looked back, looking hurt at first... and then she paused and looked closer at him as the demon rubbed at his naked, slender chest before he adjusted the waistband of his loincloth, stepping hesitantly forwards. Mercy looked over at Zerrex, and the reptile smiled slightly, saying politely: "Hans, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Mercy. Mercy, this is Hans... during the Great Hez'Rannan War, he helped me out quite a bit with a few different things. He's very sensitive and intelligent, so I think he'll be able to understand you clearly, so why don't you two get acquainted?"

Mercy nodded with a bit of a blush, rubbing at one of her arms as Hans shifted awkwardly, and then he finally said in a rush: "Thank you Lord Zerrex it's good to see you Lord Zerrex thank you!" A pause, and then he coughed and giggled awkwardly, and Mercy smiled and shook her head.

Zerrex glanced around, and then he caught sight of Sammy, looking disgruntled as he wandered around the reptile's feet before he finally leapt up with his surprisingly strong legs, flapping his wings a few times to land back on the Drakkaren's shoulder. Zerrex gazed at him with soft entertainment, and Sammy gave a nervous squeak, but then he calmed a bit when the reptile patted him quietly under the chin. "It's alright, they're all friends here. We're in good company." Zerrex paused, then he smiled as he saw another angel approaching him, stepping forwards and picking the badger up in a one-armed hug. "Very good company, in fact... how are you doin', Tinny?"

He dropped him, and the Tinman landed awkwardly on his feet, coughing and rubbing at his body as he blushed and looked up at Zerrex with a warm smile. He had an athletic build, and was wearing dress pants and a plain, long-sleeved dress shirt, all the buttons done up and looking as if he was going to some formal occasion. He squeezed an ear tentatively, then gazed up at Zerrex with his innocent, gold-ringed eyes, saying softly: "Fairly well... and what about you, Boss? It... it really is really good to see you, Zerrex, I mean, it's just been so long, and... I kinda missed you."

He shuffled a foot against the ground, and Zerrex smiled warmly before he stared as Vampire pranced up behind Tinny and hugged him tightly, making the angel yelp and flail his arms in surprise before he smiled warmly as Vampire spun him around and kissed his forehead delightedly. The huge black wolf gazed up at Zerrex, and the Drakkaren crossed his arms as he looked back at the scantily-clad male in his loinplate, the demon saying amusedly: "Hey, dude, I am totally from your old life. I fucked it up in more ways than I can count."

"You've managed to sneak into every party I've had so far. You really are a bitch, aren't you?" Zerrex said amusedly, and Vampire shrugged agreeably as he patted Tinman on the head, the badger sighing but smiling warmly nonetheless at the childish treatment. But it was true: Tinman and Vampire were both from the Goth Legion, although in those days, Vampire had been a homophobic, vulgar-mouthed asshole... but he had changed once down in Hell, and the causeless rebel had not just been knocked out of him, but he'd been forced to realize everything he'd missed and the pain he'd suffered. Zerrex thought it was mostly pure luck and Vampire's own awkward need for friendship that had really blossomed him into what he was now - no pun intended - while Tinman was the same as he always was, even in that bloodthirsty group: loyal, friendly, and truly brave in ways few people would ever know.

Then someone patted Zerrex on the shoulder, and the reptile turned around curiously before he stared with delight at a smiling, healthy-looking coyote and a bright-eyed vixen, the female wearing Royal Guard armor and the male a Benevolent like Sarah had been: a mortal who had gone to Heaven, yet not earned the special and rare privilege of becoming a true angel. Mortals aren't supposed to become angels except for rare circumstance, after all, even if Narrius corrupted that rule... but it looks like Mika here didn't go for the easy go, while Felicity... "You two look amazing. It's great to see you both, Felicity, Mika... how are you holding up in Heaven?"

Mika smiled warmly at him, the coyote's brilliant silver eyes seeming to shine with intense light from within as he squeezed the fox's hand gently, gazing at her lovingly. "We're doing wonderfully... and well, I'm okay." He laughed, glancing down at his own plain black clothes and the heavy leather jacket he was wearing, before he looked up with amusement at Zerrex. "I got into the mortal import business up in Heaven and... afforded myself a few luxuries, but it's nothing like Felicity here."

"Shut up, jerk." Felicity blushed as she squeezed Mika's hand lightly, then she let go to throw herself against Zerrex, hugging him tightly as the reptile smiled and hugged her firmly back, the golden full-body armor she was wearing clanking lightly, silver chainmail glinting between the heavy plates as she stepped back. She was a bit larger now than she had been in life, and her fur had almost become negative: black where the red had been and ghostly ivory instead of eggshell white. Two large ram's horns twisted out her skull, and she had two tiny, triangular horns just above her eyes, the vixen awkwardly rubbing at her head. "I was just lucky to have people like Captain Lazarus-" A pause as the offended male howled that his name was Vampire, not Drake Lazarus, and Felicity leaned slightly past Zerrex to flip the male off. "People like Captain Vampire to help me out once I became a full-fledged Wrath demon. Go figure, me a Wrath demon. At least I'm not Envy, like that asshole Tank."

She muttered something about eviscerating him, and Mika coughed into a fist before he nudged Felicity gently, looking amused. Although he was still his same mortal height, Felicity had grown to almost seven feet tall, and Zerrex could see that she had the muscle to match from the shape of her armor... and she rubbed awkwardly at one of several of the piercings in her face, looking at Zerrex with a bit of a blush. "What? Not gonna make any jokes about me or shit? Say that I really should have been a Lust demon or... you know..."

Zerrex shrugged amiably, and then he gave her a gentle hug around the waist against his body, and Felicity smiled brightly as she rested her head against his chest with a quiet sigh for a moment: when she had been a mortal, she had been a huge fan of his after all... and even if once they'd fought, her dying wish had been for one last hard fuck, one final time that would kill her... and he had granted it. As these memories played out in his mind, he whispered softly in her ear: "You were never a slut like well... Cherry, or me, or a lot of people I knew, Felicity." He paused, then added mildly: "And you were always a bit of an angry person."

The vixen huffed and smacked a gauntleted fist against his chest with surprising strength, and Zerrex snorted amusedly as he swayed backwards as Mika laughed and shook his head. Then they both stared as Sin stepped up beside Zerrex, and Felicity dropped to a kneel, bowing her head as she said respectfully: "My Lady. It's truly an honor..." She paused, then looked up at Sin, taking a slow breath as she stared at her for a few moments, and Mika did the same, still standing dumbly. "My..."

"It's only an illusion." Sin blushed, motioning for her to stand quickly as she looked embarrassedly at Zerrex. "Please, please show me only the respect you do Zerrex, treat me as you do him."

Felicity nodded and stood, looking at her for a few more moments before she shook her head a bit and looked instead at Zerrex, biting her lip and then suddenly blurting out: "So are you two really together?"

Zerrex snorted amusedly, then as Sin looked down quietly, he gazed at her softly and said gently, as he wrapped an arm around her: "She's probably my favorite wife. Just don't tell anyone I said that, especially not Selena."

Sin brightened immediately as she looked over at him happily, and Zerrex smiled as he winked at Felicity, who was looking enviously at the two of them now. "What, aren't you and Mika together?"

"We're brother and sister more than anything else, still." Mika said mildly, then he squeezed Felicity gently around the waist, as she huffed and crossed her arms. "She's harder to get into bed than you'd think, even if she doesn't have a whole lot of guys throwing themselves at her, her being all huge and everything."

"Oh, shut up." Felicity grumbled, and then she stared as Huck appeared on Sin's other side. He looked at her for a moment as she looked awkwardly away, then she blushed when he leaned on her shoulder and winked at her, grinning widely as Zerrex winced a bit. Should I warn him or...

"You are beautiful, babe." He paused, and Zerrex felt Sin's body growing colder as Huck leaned in closer curiously. "What, you don't like me? Dammit, Zerrex, stop stealing all the hot chicks!"

Huck huffed and leaned away, crossing his arms, and Sin smiled a bit and covered her mouth, but she looked happy nonetheless even as Felicity glared over at the male. Huck paused, then he leaned in close again, his eyes shining with interest. "Hey, you must be Lady Sin! Oh fuck, wow, this is an honor..." Sin suddenly looked disillusioned, and then it turned to surprise as he grabbed her hand, squeezing it in both of his as he rambled: "Oh wow, you're the one who built the Eternal Gyre, and who helped in the construction of places like Daemon Cuoure and even the Central Spire! Dude, dude, due, I mean, like, ma'am, you really totally have to teach me your secrets, how you weave magic with the machinery!"

He paused, then leaned past her to look at Zerrex mildly: "See, like, I'm really good with the engineering stuff still, but I can't get magic worth a damn. Look at this babe, though! Frigging hell, she's a motherfucking genius!"

"I never had a mother." Sin said, looking confused as she pulled her hand awkwardly away, and Huck and Zerrex traded a look before both laughed, Mika chuckling and even Felicity smiling a bit as she rolled her eyes. Sin looked around at them with a wince, but then she only sighed and looked flatly at Zerrex. "You're going to hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry, Sin. It's just... you say the cutest things. And I don't mean that in a patronizing way you... really do have great comic timing." Zerrex rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as Sammy squeaked nervously at him, and Sin grumbled a bit as she crossed her arms and looked at him sourly. "Yeah, I know, Sammy. My mouth gets me in trouble a lot."

The pseudodragon chirped agreeably, and then Felicity glanced over her shoulder and excused herself with Mika as Sarah approached, and Zerrex carefully slipped away from Sin as Huck began babbling again about all sorts of crazy things the lizard didn't exactly understand. He shook his head with a smile, walking onwards, and then he paused as he caught sight of an Angel who was sitting across from the angelic little girl who had first introduced him and having some intense discussion, both of them leaning on the table and sharing a large bottle of apple cider as Desire watched them both intently, seated in another chair and leaning on her arm as her eyes flicked back and forth like she was watching some kind of adrenaline-pumping sport.

Zerrex quietly approached, and he smiled slightly as the little girl said seriously: "No, even in the furthest past that I know of, he's shown a remarkable amount of not just cruelty, but kindness, even if he never recognized it himself. It all centers around when he really developed that sense of rightness, and by that I don't mean holy righteousness or goodness, but his eccentric obsession with manners and mannerisms and politeness."

"Okay, I'll admit that yes, even when he first came to Baskin's Grove, he liked order and he was always respectful and polite, even when he was having a bad day." The other figure said, leaning on the table. He was a chubby feline, his fur a faint orange and his eyes a calm, serious brown. His clothes were distinctive, an antique red vest overtop a white dress shirt, and a pair of dress pants; another person who looked dressed for a formal occasion, but then again, Elliot Meral had always dressed like this, even when he'd been busy tending bar as a mortal. "But you know he was always a bit of a bastard, too... but then again, it was what helped him get the job done. I'm not saying he's a monster, though..." The cat paused, glancing to the side and sliding the bottle of cider towards the empty seat, smiling a bit at Zerrex. "Just that he could be a bit unnecessarily rough."

"Never heard you complain about my methods when the work needed to be done." Zerrex replied mildly, sitting down beside the cat and looking at him with quiet entertainment. The cat snorted as he rested back, and then the reptile turned to look at the little girl, smiling at her warmly as Sammy jumped off his shoulder and chirped curiously. "Thank you, Little Arcy, for the wonderful introduction, too. It meant a lot to hear you say that... and I suppose you're the one who organized this whole thing, huh, Desire?"

"Cypress too... I think she's talking with some of the other guests." Desire said warmly, and then she sat up as Zerrex poured some cider into a glass and slid it over to Sammy, who chirped and immediately stuck his head down into it, lapping up the liquid eagerly. "But it's the least we could do for you, Daddy... they can all tell such interesting stories about you, and if anything, their memories of you are all the clearer from the Death Effect."

Zerrex nodded, looking faintly amused: although some of his memories after dying were a bit fuzzy here and there, all of his memories as a mortal were clear as day, as if he had just experienced them. Apparently, it was one of the more-positive effects of dying... although admittedly it all still felt a bit strange to him, that death should make his life so clear. "You know, you guys don't have to mindlessly debate over me when I can just answer any of your questions myself. Besides, this is a reunion for all of us."

"But centered around you." Little Arcy replied easily, pointing at him with a wink before she leaned back and added: "Besides, it was really Elliot who started it... he was talking about how he met you and we compared meetings, although mine was rather short... but you know I've made studying you my whole life, and I'm not about to let you swat my ideas aside when you barely know yourself."

"I know myself better than... shut up." Zerrex huffed, crossing his arms, and the little girl laughed before the Drakkaren glanced over at Elliot, tilting his head towards him. "But what have you been up to? I know I've come across you more than I have most of the people here, but..."

"Yeah, I know, you still feel bad over what happened, but you shouldn't. I feel bad that I didn't do a better job of hidin' Marina... God only knows that a few more minutes might have stopped the whole Great War in its tracks." Elliot responded grimly, and Zerrex shook his head, looking quietly amused. It was a debate they'd had many a time before, about this and that and various what-ifs... and even if Zerrex knew it was pointless, it was still comforting in its own way. "So don't feel bad for anything."

The reptile grunted in return, and then he paused before glancing over his shoulder as he heard loud laughter, Cherry and Huck approaching with an arm around each other's and grinning widely as the female shouted: "Hey, see, Jimmy here agrees with me, you should totally take off your pants."

"It's Huck, not Huckleberry Jim! I mean... you know what I mean." Huck said immediately, glaring at Cherry and shoving her, and then he squeaked girlishly when Cherry rammed him with her shoulder and easily knocked the huge Dragokkaren on his ass, wincing away. "Okay, okay, you're totally way too bignormous for me!"

"I am Queen of the gays!" Cherry shouted imperiously as she flexed, stepping on Huck and striking a pose, and Huck hugged her leg, looking up at her with fawning eyes. Zerrex sighed, then he looked over at Elliot, as Little Arcy tapped a spoon against the tabletop dryly. The male feline, meanwhile, was looking at the two sourly, and then he finally shook his head slowly as he turned his eyes to Zerrex.

"So how have you put up with her over all these years?" Elliot asked mildly, and Zerrex looked up thoughtfully for a few moments before he winced as Cherry grabbed the back of his seat and grinned over his shoulder, then she huffed as Sammy squawked loudly at her, the two trading glares as he stood up on his back legs. "I see your friend thinks as much of her as I do."

"Sammy, thankfully, seems to have some good tastes." Zerrex replied mildly, and both Huck and Cherry huffed, before they both stared as Mel slid sinuously in front of them to wrap her arms around Zerrex's neck and press against him with a smile, closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh. The Drakkaren coughed, reaching up to gently squeeze one of her wrists as he added amusedly: "And... I'm glad to see you, too, Mel."

She laughed and nuzzled him gently, gazing at him with soft entertainment. "Well, not half as glad as I am to see you, my darling..." The succubus paused, then she looked over at the pseudodragon and winked at it. "It seems you've picked up some pets of a different nature than myself over the years, too... he looks like quite an interesting little creature."

Sammy squeaked at her suspiciously, then he hopped away, running over to Little Arcy and looking up at her curiously, and the little girl stroked gently down the back of her neck, looking softly entertained. Zerrex shrugged a bit as he squeezed the female's hand, and Mel pouted a bit as she watched it go before she said mildly: "Well, what matters is that you like me, not that he does. You do like me, isn't that right, Zerrex?"

"Of course." The Drakkaren nodded with a quiet laugh, glancing at her for a moment, and she smiled brightly before sitting herself up on the table, looking at him with entertainment in her eyes as she primly crossed her legs and licked her own muzzle slowly. Zerrex coughed, then he glanced awkwardly away towards where Little Arcy was tapping a finger against the table, looking a little more than displeased. "So what have you been up to in Hell, Mel? I thought I saw you once or twice around here, but I was never quite sure..."

"I work a beat in a few of the cities... I'm under protection of the Snakehead Brothel, which operates throughout the Eastern and Southern Provinces... it's a much more pleasant job than a lot of other people think." Mel replied, leaning down on her elbows and gazing at him adoringly. "They took me in once my punishment had ended... I didn't end up doing much time, most of it was spent in Lust, learning to... deal with my urges..." She stopped, then sat up suddenly and cleared her throat, watching as Mercy approached and looking at her with her teeth grit, as if she felt threatened. "I guess I'm not very fond of mages, though."