As Tommy left the Apartment Complex, he could feel nothing but anxiety. Everyone thought he was dead. Well, he WAS dead, but now he’s not. How do you explain that to people? As he was walking, Jason started to speak with him telepathically,
JASON : You should calm down. Your heart is beating pretty fast.
TOMMY : Easy for you to say…you don’t have to go find your Dad and Best Friend, and try to explain that you suddenly aren’t Dead anymore…
JASON : Well…I don’t exactly have Parents to concern myself with. No friends, either. Not up here anyway.
TOMMY : Right…sorry.
JASON : Sorry for what? TOMMY : Uh…for making you talk about losing your friends and family?
JASON : That isn’t something to apologise for. I chose to bring it up.
TOMMY : Oh…okay…
They walked in silence for a while, when Tommy’s stomach growled. He was so stressed since coming back to life he hadn’t noticed he was starving. It actually felt as if he hadn’t eaten in a Week. He reached into the pocket of his hoodie, and took out his wallet. He had a good amount of money, thanks to the allowance his Dad would give him. He knew a good Diner was nearby, and headed straight there to get something to eat. It was called Courtesy Diner. He ate there with Marco sometimes. He went inside and sat alone in a Booth. He sat quietly for a while, until a waiter came over.
WAITER : Are you ready to order, son? TOMMY : Y-yeah…um…I’d like some Tea…a-and a Double Cheeseburger, with a side of Onion Rings, please.
WAITER : Sweet or Unsweet?
TOMMY : Unsweet, please.
The Waiter left to go hand in his order. Tommy checked his wallet again. He had about $200, so he could definitely cover it. A little while later, the Waiter returned with his food, leaving it, and the check, at the Table. He checked how much it would cost first. All together, it was about $12. He left the money on top of the bill, along with the tip, and started to eat the food he ordered. It tasted weirdly good. It was strange, as if everything suddenly tastes better after coming back to life.
JASON : What is that?
TOMMY : It’s, uh…a burger? And onion rings? JASON : Odd…
TOMMY : Did they not have this kinda stuff in Hell? JASON : Not in Hell or Rome.
TOMMY : Rome? You’re from Rome?
JASON : (Sigh) I suppose proper introductions are in order. As I’ve said before, my name is Iblis Inferos. I was born in the Year 53, in Rome.
TOMMY : …BC or AD? JASON : BC. I was a soldier in the Roman Legion until the age of 61. That was when I died…
TOMMY : …On September 11th?
JASON : How’d you guess?
TOMMY : Your death date is around 9 AD…and that’s when the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place.
JASON : Hmph…so that’s what they ended up calling it.
Tommy finished his food and left. He was full, but still stressed. He had no clue how he was going to explain his situation to Marco and his Dad. While he was thinking, his irises briefly shined bright green, and he felt an intense, searing, burning sensation in his chest. It was so bad, he dropped to his knees, holding his chest and trying to breathe. After a while, it stopped. It may have only been seconds, but it felt like several minutes. Maybe even longer.
TOMMY : Wh…what was that?!
JASON : I felt it too…I have a hunch.
TOMMY : What do you mean…? JASON : Sin. Sin burns the soul. Wrath Demons can supposedly sense the Sin of any Mortals nearby…maybe because we’re sort of…connected now, you felt it, too.
TOMMY : So…so that means…
JASON : Mask on.
Tommy took a deep breath and took the Black Mask off his belt. He put it on, and transformed into Jason again. Jason stood up, and focused, his eyes glowing green. He saw a thin trail appear before him, which resembles a line of string. He followed it to an alleyway, but found nothing there…
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JASON : Hrm…nothing? Maybe I was mistaken…
They heard a sound slowly approach them. It sounded like someone whistling a tune. Jason looked around, confused. The sound kept getting closer and closer, louder and louder, but he couldn’t see anything. Jason braced himself, and growled
JASON : Enough! Show yourself!
A voice echoed,
??? : All you had to do…was ask~
Jason turned around, seeing a Demon standing before him. They looked mostly human, wearing a fancy dark grey suit and pants. If not for a grey tail extending from his tailbone, and clouds of black fog obscuring his head and feet, he’d easily be mistaken for a Human from a distance. Jason needed only a glance to recognize who it was…
JASON : Mephistopheles…
The Demon glided slowly and peacefully towards Jason, showing no signs of hostility.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Aah, it’s been a long time, Iblis. Far too long…
Jason growled angrily, while Mephisto simply laughed…
MEPHISTOPHELES : Why, the last we met…I gave your Soul to Satan!
Mephistopheles began to chuckle in amusement, with his light chuckle soon becoming a loud and malicious laugh.
JASON : And just what is one of the eight Lords of Hell doing on Earth…
MEPHISTOPHELES : Tsk tsk. So unfriendly. Well, I hadn’t come to speak with you…but, I do have something to discuss.
Mephisto sat on top of a dumpster. He was so casual, in contrast to Jason, who was ready to attack at any moment, even if he knew the consequences would be dire.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Tell me, Iblis…what do you hope to achieve?
Jason was silent, so Mephisto continued to speak,
MEPHISTOPHELES : After all the havoc you wreaked across the World, after all the lives you took, all the destruction you caused…using the Power I gave you…do you truly believe that simply changing your name and pretending your past doesn’t exist will allow you to do better this time around~?
JASON : What are you getting at, bucco…
MEPHISTOPHELES : Why, it’s simple! Redemption is horribly difficult…not to mention complex! Yet you act as if you can do it all on your own, while you’re restricted to using a mere boy as a host…I’d like to propose a deal, just as we did before. A deal that will help you on your quest, just like before.
Jason glared at Mephisto, but let him continue speaking,
MEPHISTOPHELES : It’s a simple deal, really…I’ll free you from the Black Mask and I’ll even give you more power than you have now! And just as an extra bonus…I’ll pull “her” Soul from Oblivion.
Jason’s eyes widened. He clearly knew who Mephisto was referring to…
MEPHISTOPHELES : And in return…I only ask that you kill that Boy. Think about it, Iblis…what’s the life of a mere Human you barely know, who should be dead anyway, in the face of your redemption, and getting to feel the embrace of your Lover once more?
Jason looked at the ground. Part of him was considering the deal, while the rest of him wanted to puke at the suggestion. He looked back up, but Mephisto had vanished from sight. He suddenly felt a hand touch his shoulder, and a cold chill ran up his spine. He was frozen in place, unable to move or make a sound at all.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Really think about it. All you’ve ever wanted…and all you need to do…is send Tommy back to Purgatory, where he should be anyways…
Jason clenched his fist tightly. He took a deep breath…and he spun around, trying to strike Mephistopheles with his elbow. He knew it’d be in vain, but he also knew the Demon wasn’t going to leave him alone unmotivated. However, to his shock, Mephisto was nowhere to be found when he spun around. He once again turned, facing where he was before, only to be grabbed by Mephisto, who gripped his face tightly.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Very well, then. I will get to the matter at hand.
With a single fluid motion, Mephisto deactivated the Black Mask, pulling it off and forcing Tommy to transform back to normal. Tommy stumbled backwards, shocked and staring wide-eyed at Mephisto. He approached Tommy, holding the Black Mask in his hand. Mephisto slowly leaned over, getting closer to eye-level with him.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Hello there. I am Mephistopheles, a Lord of Hell. You may simply call me Mephisto if you wish.
Tommy was silent, staring at him with his body quivering slightly.
MEPHISTOPHELES : Tsk…this Mask is quite a burden isn’t it? God had sentenced you to death at such an early age…and you have to suffer such consequences just to return to life? Quite unfair…quite unfair, indeed, wouldn’t you say? Tommy said nothing in return, so he continued,
MEPHISTOPHELES : Tell you what…what if I take this Mask away, and bring it back to Satan? I’m quite close with my Master, if I do say so myself, and I’m sure I can convince him to let you out of the Deal. Finding a better host would be easy, wouldn’t you agree? Not to mention…
Mephisto leaned in close, whispering in Tommy’s ear
MEPHISTOPHELES : I can guarantee you a bright future with the ones you love…your Father…that bodyguard of yours…not to mention that Boy you like~
Tommy was still quivering, but he remained silent.
MEPHISTOPHELES : …Stubborn, I see…very well.
Mephisto dropped the Black Mask on the ground in front of Tommy, and turned his back to them
MEPHISTOPHELES : I will just say…you went to Purgatory instead of Heaven for a reason. Do not assume yourself so far above Hell, boy.
With that, Mephisto walked away, whistling the same tune he was earlier. Once he was a good distance away, he seemed to just vanish. Jason spoke to Tommy telepathically,
JASON : I’ll admit, you have guts, kid. Not everyone can stand stoically before a Lord of Hell and-
While Jason was talking, Tommy leaned over and started to vomit. Sweat drenched his face as he puked his guts out.
JASON : …I see. You were just too scared to answer him if you wanted to…