Cobalt was thankful that Lottie chose to enlist his help on a weekend, because it took a long time to get back to Brimstone. After a night of heavy drinking, singing and dancing, the Incubus slept like a log in his bedroll, and found himself with a headache when morning arrived. After that came the issue of getting back down the mountain, and while Lottie and Quinn had no trouble navigating the icy slopes and rocky inclines, he almost slipped and fell to his death a couple of times. Thankfully the train ride home was long and uneventful, allowing him some time to think as his students fell asleep in the seats across from him.
The main thing that occupied the Incubus' mind was what Lilith had told him. While it was rather alarming to hear that he was complicit in stealing a Devil super weapon, a part of him respected her for doing what she did. Despite her seemingly-violent and gruff attitude, Lilith just wanted to keep violence to a minimum, much like he did. The rest of her story was a little harder to grasp. Most demons were under the impression that the Rapture was just a myth, that the sky never actually tore open a thousand years ago and angels never did attack Hell en masse. He was always more open-minded about the subject, but it was downright chilling to hear about a first-hand account of the event, especially considering how it coincided with Lady Fesser's attack on Pandemonium...
With plenty of new information to chew on, Cobalt returned to Brimstone that Sunday night, giving him the opportunity to snatch a few hour's sleep before he was unceremoniously thrust back into another week of school.
It passed by relatively quickly, much to his relief. With the turmoil of the first few weeks of his second year of teaching now over, he began to clock up the days, his confidence in his core class growing with every day spent with them. Before long the Autumn Festival came and went, signaling the arrival of the much-dreaded Parent-Teacher Meeting. But Cobalt was prepared this year. Now knowing what - and who - to expect, the Incubus had compiled large files on each of his core students, filled to bursting with academic scores, behavior reports and recommendations for the future.
On the day of the PTM, right as he was about to prepare his classroom for the meetings, however, he heard a sharp knock at his door.
"Come in!" Cobalt called, rearranging the many flasks of tea he had prepared for himself beneath the desk.
The classroom door swung open, revealing the sharp form of Mistress Viola. His entire body stiffened at the sight of her steely gaze.
"Boy," she said simply, shutting the door behind her as she approached.
Cobalt swallowed hard, remembering how he disappointed her the previous year. In his defense, he had no idea that she was the mother of one of his students.
"M- Mistress Viola, what a surprise! I don't have you until later this evening, I think," the Incubus said, checking his timetable.
"I am aware."
Marching up to the teacher's desk, she shooed him aside and began leafing through his carefully-organised folders, frowning as she flicked through each individual report. She looked irritated.
"You seem to have improved," she remarked, looking through Whitney Brode's academic report.
"Improved, miss?”
“Yes. Last I saw you, you were shaking like a leaf.”
Ah yes. Magnus Rost’s expulsion trial. Truth be told, so much had been going on in the past few weeks that Cobalt simply hadn’t had time to process everything. He still felt terrible for having a hand in the Oni’s expulsion, but… well… he had it coming. It had to be done.
“Ah, well…” he said, gazing down at his feet.
“I heard you had a busy weekend,” she continued, never once taking her eyes off the documents in front of her.
“U- Um…”
“Two students getting married in accordance to antiquated customs. That’s a first for this school, at least as far as I’m aware. Do give them my congratulations when I see them, and tell them that their union will not excuse any slack in their academic efforts.”
Neatly reorganising the stack of folders, Mistress Viola patted the top of the pile and fixed Cobalt with a piercing stare.
“I must commend you on your progress, boy. You seem to be shaping into a fine teacher,” she said, though she didn’t smile or change her expression at all.
“Oh, thank you!” Cobalt stammered, quite unused to hearing praise from his employer in any shape or form.
Glancing over at his empty classroom, a smile played across his lips.
“The longer I teach here, the more I realise that this truly is the job for me. It’s just so… fulfilling, you know? I like to think I’m doing what I can to make my students happy.”
“To say nothing of their parents.”
“A- Ah… right…”
Of course. That old chestnut. While he could deal with most of his class’s parents and guardians, there were a few that he wasn’t looking forward to speaking with. Charles Brode still harboured a grudge against him for ‘changing’ his daughter in ways he didn’t appreciate, and Lorenzo Suyas… Well, the last time Cobalt saw Izzbelle’s father, he had shot him in the stomach.
The Incubus frowned and held a hand to his midsection. Strange, back then a single bullet was enough to almost kill him, but Quinn had shot him multiple times back at the monastery, and yet he had seemingly shaken it off…
With a sigh, Mistress Viola sat herself behind the desk.
“Take the rest of the day off, boy. I’ll be handling your meetings,” she told him as she reorganised the stationary.
He stared at her blankly.
“I- I’m sorry?”
“You know I don’t like repeating myself.”
“I- I know, I just don’t understand what you mean.”
Rolling her eyes, Mistress Viola reached into her cloak and produced a hipflask. Taking a swig of what smelled like very strong brandy, she wiped her lips and glared at him.
“It’s for your own sake. I’m willing to bet money that a fair few parents are itching to meet you in the flesh, given your heroics last year, and will bear no qualms over trampling one another to get to you. That kind of chaos can quickly get out of hand, especially when handled by someone who can’t stand causing a fuss. No offence.”
Cobalt swallowed hard at her thinly veiled slight.
“Um, none taken?”
“Good. Believe me, I’m not looking forward to this either. At least you’ve got everything I’ll need to cover out in writing for me. Small mercies,” the Succubus sighed, gesturing to the document folders.
With a meek nod, Cobalt awkwardly shuffled about for a moment before broaching his next question.
“So… what do I do now?” he asked.
“Like I said, take the evening off. It’s really not up to me to tell you how to spend your free time. Just try to remain discrete; you’re still something of a famous face.”
Thanking the Headmistress for her generosity, Cobalt quietly slunk out of the classroom, feeling rather lost. He had spent so much time preparing for the upcoming PTM that he no longer knew what to do with himself.
“Psst.”
Ears pricking up, Cobalt looked around the hallway. The students had all cleared out of the school for the day, and what few staff members he could see were too busy rushing about in order to prepare the place for the soon to arrive parents.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Over here.”
Squinting, he looked over just in time to see someone duck around a corner. Sighing, Cobalt followed them, only for a stockinged leg to suddenly jut out from behind the wall, tripping him up. Before he could careen directly into the linoleum floor, a pair of hands firmly grasped his shoulders, spinning the disoriented Incubus around and pinning him against the wall.
Before he could react, he felt the plush sensation of a soft body pressing against his, choking the breath from his throat. Before him, Karazelle Terna grinned devilishly, her hands holding his wrists above his head.
“You’ve been avoiding me, sugar. Now what did I tell you about breaking my heart like that?” she asked in a sultry tone, raising an eyebrow as she leaned in close.
“K- Karazelle, what…?” he stammered, barely able to get a word out.
She smelled nice. Her perfume had a way of messing with his thoughts.
“First you run off on me in AD class, and now you won’t even give me the time of day? Oh sugar, what did I ever do wrong?” the Succubus pressed in mock-despair.
“It’s not like that Karazelle, I just-”
She pressed a finger to his lips.
“Shh. I get it. Weird biological stuff you don’t understand, right? I figured as much.”
She gazed deep into his eyes, causing the Incubus to shrink a little.
“Still, I’m lucky to catch you like this. What, did Momma kick you off lip service duty?”
The light played off her own lips when she said that, forcing Cobalt to look away.
“M- More or less. She said too many people would try to thank me or something.”
Karazelle giggled. Her whole body shook as she did so, rubbing her against the Incubus.
“Oh no, can you imagine? All those mothers desperately trying to ‘thank’ you~?”
“Karazelle! Inappropriate!”
“I mean, I don’t think I’ve made good on my promise to thank you for saving us, and I’m not even a mom.”
The Succubus gave him a sultry wink.
“… yet.”
Clearing his throat, the Incubus grew incredibly flustered as he squirmed out of his student’s grasp, smoothing down his shirt as Karazelle watched on with a satisfied smile.
“A- Anyway, Miss Terna, is there something you needed from me?” Cobalt stuttered, looking away in order to hide his rapidly reddening cheeks.
“Actually, there is. Wasn’t planning on getting your ear so soon, but now that I have you, how about coming out for drinks, sugar?” she asked, straightening out her skirt.
He raised an eyebrow.
“Drinks?”
“Yeah! Me and the girls wanna take Quinn and Lottie out to celebrate.”
Her face lit up.
“Aw, but aren’t they just so adorable together?! Sweet hellfire, I always kinda knew they had a thing for each other, but seeing it happen before my eyes…! And that big pretty gem they have! Lottie proposed with that! Isn’t that so romantic?!” the Succubus tittered excitedly.
Karazelle certainly seemed to have a penchant for this kind of thing.
“I know, Karazelle, I was there…” Cobalt murmured, scratching the back of his head.
“Anyway, are you coming or not?”
The Incubus thought for a moment.
“Well… I suppose I have nothing else going on at the moment,” he said.
“Great! I’ll go tell the others! Meet us at Bloody Hell, alright sugar?”
“Sure.”
Giving him a wave, Karazelle turned on her heel and took off down the hallway, nimbly avoiding bustling teachers and staff members as she ran. Watching her go, Cobalt took a deep breath and gazed out the window at the setting sun.
“She’s a live wire,” remarked Lilith.
The Devil had been getting a lot less coarse with her comments since their conversation. Perhaps nothing broaching politeness, but he appreciated her attempts nonetheless.
“There’s certainly never a dull moment with Karazelle around, that’s for certain,” he replied, peering out at the school grounds.
Lilith replied with something snide, but he didn’t hear it, as at that moment Cobalt noticed something. There was a figure hunkering in the boughs of a tree outside the window, hidden by the gloom. All he could make out was a pair of acidic purple eyes staring right back at him.
Swallowing hard, he turned away and began to briskly make his way towards the school’s front entrance.
-----
“So we were talking, and once the final exams are over with, me and Lottie are gonna see about getting this whole thing officiated in a marriage office. Do it proper like.”
“And then we can get a house and a dog and a-”
“A- Alright, hold your horses, love! One thing at a time! So until we get proper certificates done, just think of us as girlfriends, alright?”
Everyone around the table murmured in agreement. Beside Cobalt, Karazelle smiled slyly and leaned forward, propping both elbows upon the scratched bar table.
“So… how was the first night~?” asked the Succubus, eliciting a plethora of responses from the entire group.
Whitney and Jelli both went red in the face at her brash question, while Izzbelle physically recoiled. Lottie, on the other hand, smiled sweetly.
“Oh, it was fun! Quinny asked me to sit on- mmph!” the Golem cried, interrupted as the Imp hastily clamped her hand over the Golem's mouth.
“Let’s not talk about that in public,” Quinn quickly said, looking very flushed.
Izzbelle, though just as red-faced as the Imp, bared her teeth and glared at Karazelle.
“You can’t just go askin’ people shit like that!” the Oni chided, nearly cracking the table as she slammed her fist down upon it.
Karazelle, as ever, was completely unfazed.
“Oh, looks like someone’s jealous that she missed out on her own wedding night~” teased the Succubus.
Before things devolved further, Cobalt hastily excused himself from the table and walked over to the bar in order to fetch the group’s drinks. Bloody Hell was usually everyone’s go-to club whenever the Autumn Festival rolled around, but tonight he and his students appeared to be the only patrons in the bar. Approaching the bar, he looked up to see Dassie Dals – a well-built, one-eyed Succubus – standing behind it, cleaning a glass as she grinned at the ensuing chaos.
“Well, if it isn’t the hero of the hour and his gaggle of distressed damsels,” she quipped, grabbing several glasses as she began to pour out different measures of alcohol.
As much as he disliked his students being referred to as damsels, he let it slide in Dassie’s case. She was a good woman.
“Good to see you again, Dassie.”
“Likewise, kiddo, likewise. Clubbing life is fine and all, but I miss the days when this was a quiet watering hole.”
Cobalt flinched as Izzbelle suddenly swore at the top of her lungs, right as Karazelle began to laugh.
“Rowdy patrons notwithstanding,” the barkeep added with a grin, uncorking a bottle.
As she set about preparing their drinks, she continued to speak without missing a beat.
“Can’t help but notice the horns. I take it that had something to do with Diate?” she asked, turning her back.
“Something like that…”
“Aye, well I won’t pry then. You’ve probably had enough of that, yeah?”
Organising the glasses onto a tray, the Succubus chuckled.
“Heh, this takes me back, you know. Your dad used to bring his friends around here whenever he was working nights. Hell of a time, kiddo, Hell of a time.”
A strange, wistful sensation settled over Cobalt, the same feeling he felt whenever the subject of his father was brought up. He couldn’t describe it. It was like missing someone he had never met.
Noticing the look in his eyes, Dassie reached over and roughly tousled his hair, startling the Incubus.
“I miss him too. But don’t worry; I know for a fact he’d be proud of you. Here; your friends already paid for these,” she said with a smile, sliding the tray over to him.
Thanking the Succubus barkeep, Cobalt hefted the tray of drinks into his arms and carefully carried it over to the table. It was fairly easy to tell who ordered what; a large whiskey for Izzbelle, a sugary alcopop for Jelli, some strange fruity cocktail for Whitney, a cider for Quinn, a White Russian for Lottie and a measure of red wine for Karazelle.
As for Cobalt… a Dustop Divekick. Brass Trayer’s own recipe. He smiled fondly as he held the glass in his hands.
Before he could take a sip, however, Izzbelle suddenly slammed her fist down on the table and pointed at Cobalt.
“Alright, it’s decided! I’m takin’ you to the gym, dumbass!” she shouted.
“Wh- What?!” he stammered.
Slurping her drink through a straw, Jelli gave her teacher an apologetic look.
“Izzbelle was worried that you, um… that you might need training,” said the Glutton, sounding as though she was picking her words carefully.
Karazelle snorted.
“Or maybe she wants you to train your neck muscles to handle an Oni’s weight,” she joked.
“THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!”
“Izzbelle, can you, like, stop yelling? You’re hurting my ears,” complained Whitney.
As the general chaos that came with the whole group being together gradually ensued, Cobalt took a tentative sip of his drink. The first time he ever tried it, he felt as though it was scorching him from the inside out. But now it didn’t taste so bad. It made him feel warm.
“I think it’s a good idea. You’ve got mad hidden strength,” Quinn commented, reaching over to prod her teacher.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” he quickly said.
“Start of the year, you blocked one of my hits. Now I’m hearin’ you bodied an outburstin’ Imp? No, you got somethin’ special goin’ on,” Izzbelle added, shaking her head.
Again, the Succubus at the table snorted.
“Something ‘special’, huh? You sure you don’t just wanna see him in gym clothes?”
“KARAZELLE, I SWEAR TO FUCKIN’-!”
“N- No fighting! Please!” Jelli suddenly piped, nearly spilling her drink everywhere.
Though Cobalt could practically see the smoke beginning to spill from Izzbelle’s mouth, the Oni sighed and kowtowed to her companion’s request, sitting back down.
“Still… I’m not sure if going to the gym with a student is a good idea,” the Incubus said quietly.
“You went swimming with Jelli, didn’t you?” Whitney reminded him, checking her phone.
“W- Well, yes, I suppose, but-”
“And imagine what would have happened if you didn’t.”
He frowned. Fair point. But Izzbelle – despite her short fuse – didn’t show any of the major warning signs of outbursting.
“Plus if you don’t go, you might make Izzy cry,” Quinn added with a grin, adjusting her shoulder so Lottie could snooze on it.
“I’m not gonna fuckin’ cry!”
“Sure~”
With a heavy sigh, Cobalt hung his head.
“Alright, I suppose there wouldn’t be any harm in it. Besides, I admit I could certainly do with some more exercise in my life,” the Incubus admitted.
Saying that caused Izzbelle’s attitude to completely turn on its head. With a raucous laugh, she pulled Jelli close and raised her glass into the air.
“Alright! We’ll get some meat on those scrawny-ass bones yet! I’ll drink to that!” she yelled, tipping her entire drink down her throat.
Spurred on by a chorus of laughs and sighs, Cobalt raised his glass along with everyone else as they clinked them together above the bar table. Once sat back in his chair, he sipped his Dustop Divekick and smiled.
“This… is nice,” he heard Lilith admit quietly.
He looked over at Izzbelle as she held a blushing Jelli close, before turning his gaze onto Karazelle as she poked fun at Whitney. Finally, he smiled at Lottie as she clung to Quinn, already fast asleep.
“That it is.”
Cobalt looked down at his own face, reflected in the surface of his drink.
“That it is…”