Desired | Chapter 1 | Mephisto Pheles/Original Female Character
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"I never thought I would come back here. It's been so long."
She was no expert on the subject, but the view reminded her of how houses look on rocky slopes—that kind of top view, or at least that's how she can describe the structure of the school, like a city built on a mountain. A chaotic mess. Although, considering the limited space Tokyo had for buildings, it made sense that the school was made that way since it's only a front for the real deal.
Cram school, where exorcists are made. The irony of it is that a demon king is running it.
«But I'm not here to meddle with that; even if the Vatican ordered it, I don't need to stick my nose where it's unwanted.»
Swiftly, she locates a door to try and open, drawing out the key supplied by Arthur two days ago. He never told her where it would take her, and she asked more than once, but he just said it would take her to the actual school. Exorcists like her were used to handling several keys; these keys increased depending on their rank since they were given a greater responsibility; moreover, the king of time was in charge of making them, so only those of middle rank and above had access to them. Ever since she became an exorcist, this way of traveling has never ceased to surprise her.
That didn't mean it scared her less, not knowing where it led; even if Arthur said it would take her to cram school, he never specified what part of it exactly.
«I hope I won't be interrupting any lecture.»
She really hates not knowing where she's going.
Slowly, the key turned, pushing the door open, welcomed by blinding sunlight, squinting her greyish-green irises slightly until she could make out her surroundings. The light came from a large window.
Good thing she's wearing her sunglasses; otherwise, the light would overwhelm her senses and sensitive eyes, which would finish badly.
"Avalanna Bran?"
Despite having nearly no interactions, she recognized the owner of the voice. It was none other than Mephisto Pheles, the chairman of True Cross Academy, her new boss, and an exorcist of a higher rank than hers. In other words, Samael is the king of time.
"I've been expecting you." Sitting behind the desk with a classic villain pose accompanied by one closed-lip smirk and piercing green eyes.
Thankfully, she still remembers what he looks like.
"Good afternoon, Lord Pheles, and to answer your question, yes, I am Avalanna Bran, the new teacher. I apologize if I interrupted your work. I did not know the key would take me here." Doing a small reverence while introducing herself, not noticing the demon's pleased grin at her manners. He likes her a little if she's this respectful to him; despite her uptight demeanor, she has other perks aside from the strange politeness one, which is her appearance.
He is a demon, after all. The woman in front of him has an innocent face, yet behind that uniform hides a sinful body. Few women form part of The Order, and he knows about all of them.
«So this is the woman who got a recommendation from the Supreme Advisors of the Vatican.»
Mephisto knows Avalanna is another spy of the Vatican, as if he didn't have enough of that rotten woman threatening him with her sword and that demon-obsessed arc knight. Now, there's a third party, and he knows nearly nothing about them, which irritates him.
However, it's not time for that, not when she's in front of him.
"Please, take a seat, Miss Bran." Gesturing the armchair beside her while still leaning on one of his fists.
"Thank you, Lord Pheles, but I must respectfully decline your offer; I prefer to remain standing. It's more comfortable for me this way." There was no sign of distaste or contempt in her voice, just stubbornness. Although he did not know why she was still wearing those sunglasses inside, daylight wasn't bright enough today to bother her.
Mephisto just shrugged it off, disregarding it completely.
"As you know, starting today, you will be the new teacher for two courses: Magic Circles and Seals, in addition to Potions and Poisons. However, that's not the true motive; they gave you a key to access my office." Now he is analyzing her; he will get his answers, or at least some, or she's not leaving the office. "Tell me, why did the Vatican send The Lady of the Lake here? That's how they call you, no?" His closed smile now reveals his fangs to threaten her.
There may not be enough information about her as an exorcist or before she became one, but the Honorary Knight knows at least that much about her.
"Yes, though I still don't get why they call me that exactly..." Muttering the last part more for herself while looking at the side. "As for why they sent me, I know as much as you, Lord Pheles. They ordered me to report on you and your management of Rin Okumura. Since Miss Kirigakure hasn't said anything for a while, and Mister Light turned his investigation elsewhere." Now, she's looking around the office and notices the rest of the furniture while answering the inquiries of the demon; she's not a fan of eye contact, yet she has to admit Mephisto has a peculiar taste. Who would have thought the devil likes pink? The red was no surprise to her, but pink for someone like him?
«Not like I know him anyway, but I thought a big shot like him would be more menacing.» How wrong of her to assume.
He watches as the woman turns and twirls her head and torso.
«Forget about her being polite.»
It irritates him.
"Miss Bran-
"I can only assume they heard about me applying for the position, and since they didn't get the results they wanted with those two, they sent me.. despite my reluctance." Unaware that she had interrupted him, Avalanna continued inspecting the room. On the other hand, Mephisto was trying not to lose his temper; usually, he had proper control of his sentiments. However, he dislikes feeling ignored, and that's how he feels right now.
"Miss Bran, please look at me while we are talking, and don't interrupt me; I find both actions rude." Flinching at the tone, she did as told and tried to focus her attention somewhere around his face, so it would give the impression she was looking at him in the eyes. Now, without losing his smile, he resumes the conversation. "Reluctance, you say. Hah, Miss Bran, does that mean you don't want to be the Vatican's mole? Why would you tell me that and expect me to believe it?" There was a hint of mockery in his tone, although Avalanna didn't notice.
"Being a mole was never in my plans, I'm not interested in whatever mishap you and the headquarters have." Regardless of the ruthless confession, her voice remained robotic without emotion, perplexing the demon somewhat. "The only reason I'm interested in the job is because I seek another type of information for personal interest. I'm simply following orders, but that doesn't mean I'm committed to the cause." That part caught Mephisto's attention, yet she continued flatly answering. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, since, just like me, you are bound to follow orders, Lord Pheles."
«Did she threaten me? Reminding me of my place? HAH!» He tightens the hold on his fists slightly.
Now he's getting pissed, but he needs more information if he wants to get back at her for such disrespect.
"And what type of knowledge are you seeking that led you here? Is it connected with Lightning?" The stinky fellow he was referring to is currently searching more about the Illuminati inside the academy, and judging by how fast Lewin was making progress, soon he'll uncover some secrets.
«But she said it involves that ill-mannered excuse of a demon, yet mentioned Lightning's investigation taking a turn.»
"I have no clue what Lewin Light is doing or inspecting. My research is related to demons, or, to be precise, taming them." Again, blandness in her voice; he could barely read her, and her glasses didn't help either, not to mention the body language could only get him so far.
"Aren't you a Tamer already? That's why they call you Lady of the Lake; after all, your familiars consists mostly of Egyn's kin." Mephisto knows Avalanna Bran is an upper first-class exorcist. Why would someone of her level need to learn more about taming demons? If it was a topic regarding any of her other Meisters, he would understand, yet her wish is to know about taming demons.
Granted, Avalanna is a mystery to him; even for the Paladin and Arc Knights, her whereabouts and missions are an enigma; however, what they know about the lady is the fact she's an exceptional Tamer and unchallenged. Lewin may control quite a handsome number of powerful demons; nonetheless, Avalanna Bran earned her alias through skill alone, to the point that it compensates immensely for her abilities as a Knight and Doctor.
"I still don't understand how the kin of Egyn relates to the moniker..." Mephisto overheard her mumbling under her breath. "Yes, I'm a Tamer, Lord Pheles, but the purpose for which I want to research more about taming demons is because I want to know if there was ever someone else who treated demons with the same kindness as the deceased Yuri Egin." He couldn't see how her hands started to get sweaty at the use of such a heinous name in the history of exorcists.
It's incredible how this woman, during this brief meeting, has accomplished to get diverse reactions out of him. The king of time is intrigued by her words, especially the name that came out of her lips.
"Why would you want to know about a woman who is called a witch? Besides, with what goal in mind are you looking for that info?" He asks to provoke her while leaning his chin on his left hand.
"Lord Pheles, how long are you going to keep this interrogation? I thought today was my first day as an instructor for your students, and I don't wish to be late." For once, there's a hint of emotion in her voice. Irritation.
«Did I strike a nerve?»
"Until you answer me, Miss Bran, and I'm sure I don't have to remind you, but you work for me now, and as your superior, not only inside the Academy, I expect respect from you as an exorcist too."
"Then tell me if you believe she was a witch," Avalanna said, this time staring directly into his eyes, though Mephisto couldn't see it due to her sunglasses. One giveaway for pinpointing demons in 'disguise' is their eyes. Samael, who is standing before her, has green forest eyes with a red ring surrounding his slit pupils. "As far as I know, Yuri Egin was trying to show us another side of demons we haven't explored since we are so narrow-minded. She may be cataloged as a witch for giving birth to Satan spawns, yet that doesn't change the fact she was only showing kindness to demons." Avalanna said with a slight scowl directed at Mephisto, no longer holding eye contact, instead staring at his goatee.
«There's passion in her voice when she talks about the twins' mother, and she gets angry defending Yuri's actions.»
"Compassion aside, it does not change the fact she gave birth to Satan's brats; thanks to it, Satan killed many at the Blue Night. Isn't that enough to fault her?" He moved his head to the side with a genuine interest in her answer, his grin no longer present, which made the ambiance in the room more serious.
"No, it's not." Agitated, she no longer remained standing calmly; instead, she had taken a step forward accompanied by the clack of her heel, her posture rigid, and some shallow breathing could be heard. "Yuri Egin was a tamer like me; she had a different mindset compared to the rest of the demon haters inside the Order." Another step, the movement causing her silvery, spiky hair to flick simultaneously with her body motion, the glasses slipping slightly. "Lord Pheles, you should know better; after all, you are a demon." Hooded greyish hazel eyes were seen for a fleeting second until a hasty move of her hand shielded them again with dark shades. "The headquarters doubt you for being one and misjudge you despite all the help and support you offer. Don't you think it's unfair? Shouldn't you be dissatisfied? By the prejudice you and the rest of your kind receive?"
Avalanna now is only two steps away from the chairman's desk, her hand gestures frantic while pushing answers out of the demon, brows furrowed, and an intense stare he couldn't see.
"Don't compare me with lower demons, Miss Bran. They are below me. So why would you care about it? What is it to you?" A dangerous glint from those acidic green irises accompanied by knitted brows, he was slightly angry by the remark, though that's not the real reason he presented himself like this. Mephisto wants to know the truth.
"Why would I care about it? Because it's wrong, Lord Pheles! Demons aren't slaves! My familiars aren't just tools that I can discard once they do the job! That's not how-
Suddenly, she stopped, her eyes widening as if realizing the outburst. Immediately, she bows down. "I apologize-
Mephisto hides his smirk by putting both hands near his mouth.
"That's not how what? Please continue, Miss Bran. I'm interested in what you have to say." His voice carried some playfulness.
"I apologize, Lord Pheles for raising my voice and losing control. Concerning what I was about to say, please forget about it. Besides, I don't wish to be late for my first class."
She hasn't raised her head, still bowing down with tense muscles.
«Back to the emotionless demeanor I see.»
"Hm, you are right." Snapping his fingers, a cloud of pink smoke envelopes them, and their surroundings change spontaneously.
"Mephisto, why are you here?" Shouted angrily, one student jumped from his seat.
"Lord Pheles, what brings you here?" A male voice in a calm, serious tone asked. Avalanna could see a mouth moving and some moles, except the full picture wasn't showing.
"Yeah, you are interrupting my class!" Not a high pitch, nonetheless, it was a bold feminine voice that shouted those words, plump lips, and purple eyes, the same outcome as the boy (she still has a bit of a hard time discerning the age of others). She couldn't complete the puzzle.
Avalanna does not know who they are; not even their voices ring a bell.
«Damn it.»
She knew it would happen! But she thought her new boss would call a meeting to introduce each member of the staff to her! She should have known they didn't call Mephisto Pheles a clown for nothing. The demon just poofed them both inside a classroom, earning everyone's attention.
Sure, she knows the names of most exorcists actively working; even so, if she can't put a face to the name, there's no meaning to it. The woman turned her head to the side and bit her inner lip, clenching and unclenching her fists that were on her back.
"Mister Okumura, I'm here to give an announcement to all of you. Miss Kirigakure will no longer be teaching Magic Circles and Seals; instead, she'll be focusing solely on Swordsmanship and Combat Techniques." Mephisto stated this while standing in front of her as if trying to cover her appearance from the audience in the room.
Yukio said nothing and kept arranging his stuff so he could depart, briefly glancing at the woman behind Mephisto. Shura, on the other hand, didn't hide her curiosity and inquired.
"Not like I'm complaining, but shouldn't you be telling me that beforehand? Besides that, why the change?"
"Yeah, I thought Shura was covering for Lightning!" That voice...hmm. The silvery-haired woman takes a whiff of air, causing her pupils to expand and return to their size.
«I don't know who he is, but he smells like a demon. Someone else besides him has the same scent...»
Does that mean the twins are here?
"Are we getting a replacement soon, Lord Pheles?" A new female voice made the question to the principal.
"Ms. Bran will continue the work Mr. Neuhauss was previously doing with all of you. As you know, Ms. Kirigakure took that charge, and after her came Mr. Light. However, he can no longer impart this class due to other matters, but Ms. Bran will now aid her by teaching Magic Circles and Seals along with Potions and Poisons." Explained Mephisto while gesturing towards her with a sharp grin to the audience surrounding him.
Before the demon could add anything else, she spoke.
"As Lord Pheles said, I'm your new instructor, and I'll specifically be taking charge of both your magic circles and potions studies while at the same time helping train the Tamers of this class." She said in a monotone voice while putting away her sunglasses for the first time, revealing her dulled green orbs along with the slight dark circles surrounding them.
Shura narrowed her eyes, and Rin raised an eyebrow at her statement. Everyone was watching her. Without blinking, she said.
"Miss Kamiki, Miss Moriyama, please take one step forward."
Kamiki, even though she's unaware of who it is, did as ordered, her exterior reflecting calmness. In contrast, Shiemi felt somewhat overwhelmed and clumsily took one step forward.
"Now, Lord Pheles, if you could take us to the training grounds, please."
Intrigued by her actions, he ignored the fact that she just ordered him and did as she asked.
"Einz,"
"Zwei,"
"Drei!"
Another pink puff of smoke brought them to their destination, the same place where they received their P.E. class with Sideburns. Everyone got transported there, even Yukio, whose class was over. There was a reason for it.
«Purple hair and small chest. Blonde with a large chest.»
The new teacher approached each girl and gave each one a paper summoning circle as well as a needle.
"Get your familiars out, I want to test you." Both girls summoned their familiars without hesitation.
"I genuinely call the Deities of Harvest. Follow my wishes, leave none unfulfilled!"
"Nee-chan, come out, come out wherever you are!"
«Byakko and a Greenman.»
Not bad.
"Now, heed my warning, just because I'm testing you doesn't mean I'll be soft with you, so be prepared."
Avalanna took out an earbud on one ear, keeping the box inside her coat's pocket. The familiar sensation made her release a soft sigh, and the music soothed her senses somewhat.
She took off the coat, throwing it away in the process, not even bothered by the risk of dirtying it.
'Overnight'
Without that layer of cloth, what lies underneath it could be seen, exposing her arms covered with tattoed magic circles, yet her gloved hands remained to be seen.
'Making'
"Eerie cries of the dreadful night, Nue. For all who behold its eyes perished, Basilisk. A nocturnal giant of death, Nachtkrapp. Tread on serpents and scorpions."
'The world'
When those words left her mouth, the three creatures attacked, and she joined them.
'My'
Avalanna jumped at the summoner of the Byakko while the chimera charged at the other girl, leaving the reptilian to slither their way towards Mike and Uke, along with the ebony bird whose target was Nee.
'Own'
"W-Wait!" But the woman didn't stop, and by luck, Izumo dodged her gloved fist, aimed at her lower face around her jaw.
"Shiemi!" Shouted Rin, running towards the blonde girl without thinking, saving her from the attack of Nue. However, Shiemi didn't make it unscathed and got a cut on her left shoulder made by the claws of the chimera. Rin growled at the monkey-faced demon at the sight of Shiemi's blood.
"What are you doing?! This goes beyond testing us!" Izumo screams at Avalanna, angered by the situation, Rin supports her claim.
"Hey, that wasn't a test!"
"In a real fight out there, you can't depend solely on your familiar to protect you, even if you have more than one; you must learn how to fend off on your own," Avalanna answers them both while grabbing the blade attached to her hip, unsheathing the sword, a maken. "Professionals know this, and that's why they take more than one Meister to protect themselves and fellow exorcists. It's true, that exorcists work in groups as a team; nevertheless, you never know what will happen on the field." Pointing the sword at the boy who held the blonde girls in his arms, his scent was putrid like sulfur. "That's why I'm attacking you while our familiars fight each other. Who is to say the enemy won't overwhelm you with their numbers? Or that they won't defeat your familiars easily? What guarantees you another demon won't harm you?" She wasn't looking at any of them and stared at random spots of dirt on the floor, swinging the maken with graceful expertise despite using such motions as a distraction for herself. "What will that make you if not defenseless?" She stops her actions, causing the blade to land and point at Izumo. "If Lord Pheles, Mr. Okumura, or Ms. Kirigakure thought it was dangerous, they would have intervened already."
The three that were mentioned remained silent at her comment since it was true. Konekomaru trembled slightly at the sight of the three demons the woman summoned; Bon stared agape at the scene since he just heard the woman use a simplified chant to order those demons; Shima felt a little intimidated by the new teacher, although he kept thinking she was another babe like Shura.
«A new piece arrived at my side of the board, I can already see you'll be much fun, Avalanna Bran.»
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<< Prologue - Chapter 2 >>
Yeah that's Qveen Herby song from tiktok. Anyway, regarding the prologue, like I said, I added a bit of my own world-building stuff; for example, the word 'Praise' is a way to thank spirits. I just wanted to say it in case someone felt curious about it.
Here's where I'm going to explain a few things.
Avalanna has a hard time remembering and putting together faces, so if you were wondering how she knew who Izumo and Shiemi were, she distinguished them by their clothes and other features, such as hair color. Another thing is how she knows who Yukio is. Well, she just heard Mephisto refer to Yukio as Mr. Okumura, so she remembered that piece of information.
Plus, as part of my world-building shit, I use chants as a way to communicate stuff better with demons. Example: When Avalanna says, 'Tread on serpents and scorpions' she means to crush them under your feet, in other words, 'Attack'.
Now that that's out of the way, I feel insecure about the way I'm portraying the characters, to be honest, besides the fact that I fear people won't give a shit about Avalanna or any of the stuff I have planned to adapt the world-building ideas I have in order to expand Blue Exorcist's stuff we already know about but don't have enough information on.
So I guess tell me what you think in the comments, please.
