Sombre notes echoed out over the skyline of Phrodival as Cobalt dourly pulled the bow across the strings of his violin, filling the warm evening air with the sound of a gentle dirge. He knew it was a song that didn’t fit the occasion in the slightest, but he didn’t much care. He wasn’t feeling all that celebratory to begin with. Taking a deep breath, he transitioned into the tune’s chorus as his legs dangled over the side of the rooftop. The Kerdals always left their roof access ladder town, and from atop their alchemy store, Cobalt could see almost the entire town. Over in the distance, by the town’s secondary school, he could see a lot of lights and hear distant music, much more upbeat than what he was playing. Almost the entirety of Phrodival was in attendance over there, his own family included.

A new generation of Succubi were graduating their secondary-level schooling. In a year’s time, they’d all either be entering apprenticeships throughout the town, taking on tutors up at the Matriarch’s place, or emigrating to forge their own paths elsewhere.

Taking a deep breath, the Incubus drew out a long, deep crescendo.

He should be down there, graduating with the rest. And yet…

Behind him, Cobalt heard the sounds of someone clambering up the ladder. He thought it to be one of the Kerdals, climbing up to give him a good telling-off, only to remember that Natasha Kerdal was in his class, and that her family was likely up at the school as well.

“Hey! Don’t think you can hide up here!” barked a demanding voice, drawing the Incubus’ gaze.

A second-stage Succubus girl stood by the ladder, her hands on her hips and her tail thrashing angrily. She bore a mean gaze, and her red hair had been tied back with a pink bow. Flowers had been pinned to her sweater; part of the school uniform, covered in celebratory blooms as dictated by the graduation ceremony.

The uniform policy used to be strict, calling for only shirts, sweaters, stockings and pleated skirts. It had gotten laxer in recent years. Cobalt’s fault.

“You should head back. They’ll be looking for you,” the Incubus responded in a glum voice, returning his attention to the violin.

“You’re supposed to be down there!”

“Leave me alone, Cherry.”

But Cherry Lattess was not one to be deterred, and Cobalt knew that better than anyone else. She stomped across the rooftop and grabbed his shoulder, forcefully pulling him back from the edge and almost causing him to drop his violin.

“I looked like an idiot up there! Do you have any idea what it’s like when-?!”

“When what? When you’re the one person sticking out of a crowd? Yeah, Cherry, I think I’d know a thing or two about that,” Cobalt snapped, jerking himself out of her grasp.

She glared at him, but could offer no response. For a moment, the two demons stood facing one another, with nary a word passing between them. He knew what they were both thinking.

Cherry Lattess and Cobalt Trayer used to be inseparable. Their mothers were the best of friends, and so it stood to reason that their children would be close as kin too; Jezebel Trayer’s youngest and Cocoa Lattess’ oldest. They spent nearly every day together, up until the day it was decided they’d both be moved up along the educational ladder together. Cherry wasn’t quite the same after that; she let it all get to her head.

“They introduced us together. ‘Our youngest graduates ever’ she said. And then it was just me up there. By myself.”

“All eyes on you, then. Just how you like it.”

“Excuse me?!”

Cherry took a step forward, her eyes blazing and her fists balled. On most days, Cobalt would have shrunk away from her. But not today. Not anymore. He had made up his mind to be her tagalong no longer.

“I’m not blind, Cherry. You hang around with me for the spectacle. Everyone wants to be besties with the Incubus’ best friend. Congratulations, you won-”

The Succubus slapped him right across the face, completely out of left field. Cobalt staggered back, dropping his violin bow to the ground in the process.

“Ow! What the Hell?!” he cried, clutching the stinging handprint on his face.

“Are you fucking stupid?! Do you really think I’m that shallow?!” she screeched, her whole body shaking with rage.

“I don’t know anymore! I’m looking back over my life with you and I’m starting to realise that this little thing we got was never on equal ground!”

“Little thing?! We’re supposed to be partners, Cobalt! Back-to-back for life, like you said when we were kids!”

“Yeah, back when you used to pull my tail and make fun of my voice and altogether make me feel like total shit!”

“I was just playing!”

“I’m done with you, Cherry!” Cobalt suddenly cried, his voice carrying out over the rooftops.

The Succubus froze up, her eyes widening as they continued to smoulder with cold anger.

“… We’re moving to Brimstone. Mom’s enrolling me in a school up there, and we’ll be out by next year.”

“Wha…?” she breathed, taking a few steps back.

Cherry stood there, her eyes almost bugging right out of her skull as she looked the boy she once called her best friend up and down. Slowly, her face twisted; he brow furrowing as her teeth glinted in the amber sunlight.

“You’re abandoning me…?!”

Cobalt shook his head.

“You’ll be fine without me, Cherry. You’re smart, and you’re confident. Whatever you go on to do, you’ll-“

She swung at him again, but this time, Cobalt was ready. He ducked beneath the Succubus’ strike, just to raise his arm in order to block a follow-up slap.

“Fifteen years! Fifteen years and you just leave?! Just like that?!” she screamed.

“Cherry, calm the Hell down!” the Incubus yelled, raising his hands to defend himself.

But she just kept coming for him. He began to lose his patience, gritting his teeth tighter and tighter as she struck him again and again.

“We’re supposed to be a team, Cobalt!”

“What kind of team?! Why was I always doing what you told me, and never-?!”

“Because I knew what’s best for both of us!”

“You won’t even let me-!”

“Asshole! You fucking asshole!”

“Cherry-!”

“Fine, run away to be all by yourself! See if I care! No-one will even want to get near you, you Incubus freak-!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Infuriated by her incessant screaming and the rapidly-forming bruises on his arms, Cobalt lashed back with all of his might. His violin collided with the Succubus’ head, shattering into a dozen pieces as the body broke apart and the strings snapped in unison. Cherry toppled onto her back in a shower of splintered wood, her screams having cut off the moment he struck.

For a single, terrifying moment, she went completely silent. The neck of the violin slipped from Cobalt’s grasp as he rushed to her side, his heart hammering as he broke out into a cold sweat.

“Ch- Cherry? Cherry?!” he called, rolling her over onto her back.

Her head was warm, matted on one side where a little blood leaked through the wound left by his strike. Right as Cobalt began to fear the worst, however, the Succubus’ eyes fluttered open, the anger returned in an instant.

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“Y- You…! You stupid fucking sinac…!”

Scrambling to her feet, she launched herself at him with an inarticulate scream of outrage. Try as he might to protect himself, Cobalt was forced to intercept the full brunt of her tackle, knocking the pair of them backwards.

Right off the edge of the roof.

The ground fell away from Cobalt, causing his stomach to drop as the two Lust demons plummeted through the air, Cherry still clawing at her soon-to-be ex-best friend. They slammed against a smaller roof a few feet down, cracking and scattering tiles, before helplessly rolling down its slanted surface and falling down to street level. Crashing through the cloth awning that crowned the entrance to the Kerdal’s alchemy store, Cobalt and Cherry both struck the ground, with the Incubus taking the worst of the impact.

A shock of pain spasmed through his entire body as he heard voices cry out in shock all around him, drawn from the school by the sound of their conflict. While he languished on the ground in pain, Cherry wasted no time in straddling Cobalt, pinning him in place as she began to lay into him, fists bared.

“Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you, Cobalt! You promised you had my back! You promised!” she screamed, her eyes full of tears and her hair full of broken wood.

With each guttered admonishment, she punched him across the face, bloodying his nose and filling his mouth with the tangy taste of copper. People were crying out for help all around, but all Cobalt could register was the thumping of heavy footfalls growing rapidly closer, echoing through the cobbles beneath his head.

A mighty orange hand abruptly grabbed the back of Cherry’s sweater, prying her off Cobalt and hurling her back into the street, right as a second hand grasped his arm and pulled him to his feet. Dazed by the fall and his subsequent beating, he staggered forward, causing Lydia to hold him steady.

“L- Lydia… I’m-“ he began, coughing and splutter.

“We will speak on this later, young master,” the Oni remarked, turning to face Cherry.

She had plucked herself off the ground, ready to leap back into the fray, but Lydia was having none of it. As Cherry rushed back over, she just raised a hand and pointed at the Succubus.

“Oitargalfnoc,” the Oni said simply as her body heat rose drastically.

Blue sparks sprayed from her hands as smoke billowed from her mouth, causing a wreath of magically-conjured embers to cling to Cherry’s body, each glowing with a dim azure light. She froze in place, staring at Lydia as she raised her hand, fingers poised ready to snap.

“You understand what this is?” the maid asked in a commanding tone, staring daggers at the Succubus.

“… Pyromancy,” Cherry breathed, not daring to move an inch as the sparks danced across her body.

Lydia nodded slowly, her single horn glinting in the light from the blue flames surrounding her. Standing by her side, the heat washed against the side of Cobalt’s face. The light was dim, but the heat was unfathomable.

“I snap my fingers, and you will detonate. Consider this a warning.”

Cherry bared her teeth, but even in her rage, didn’t dare push it. When it came to Lydia, no-one dared overstep. Most of the town had seen what she could do when she put her mind to it. Instead, the Succubus glanced over at Cobalt.

Her eyes were filled with anger, but it wasn’t alone. There he could see sorrow and betrayal, too.

“Cherry…” he began, taking a step forward.

The Succubus shook her head.

“No. No, you’re done with me. I get it. Have fun at your fancy new school, sinac,” she spat, turning on her heel.

She walked off down the street, the eyes of passers-by and rubberneckers burning into her. As she crested the horizon, Lydia lifted her spell, but before Cobalt could say anything, the Oni planted a firm hand on his shoulder and glared into his eyes.

“You didn’t think to attend your own graduation,” she said simple, cutting right to the heart of the issue.

“I… well…”

“Mistress Jezebel made special arrangements to be here for you.”

“I- I know. It’s just that…”

He looked away, the anger returning bit by bit.

“What’s the point? Me and Cherry barely did anything. Just got moved up because Gramma said so,” he said dourly, folding his arms.

“And that’s a good enough excuse to throw yourself off a building?”

“That was an accident!”

Lydia stooped down to get on Cobalt’s eye level.

“Your mother returned home to tell you something very important, young master.”

“Why couldn’t she have just written a letter, then? She only ever-”

“She’s retiring at the end of the summer.”

His eyes widened.

Time was Jezebel Trayer spent a lot of time at home with her family. Some of Cobalt’s earliest memories involved spending time with his mother and sisters in their home by the crater wall. But as he got older, Jezebel started receiving casting calls from Bramble Close, and once she was over there, they seemed to never let her go. The studios loved her, and for a span of around ten years, she starred in more movies than most actors performed in a lifetime. She had an unstoppable work ethic, and the rawness of her performances ensured that she became a household name the world over.

Save for her own. Cobalt couldn’t think of exactly when he stopped hoping for his mother to be home in time for birthdays and special occasions, only that he was still afraid of the dark at the time. At the very least he had Lydia, and his sisters were still around on occasion, but hearing that Jezebel was giving up acting…

“What…?” he breathed, staring right into the maid’s eyes.

“Once everything is squared away over in Bramble Close, Mistress Jezebel will be joining you in Brimstone.”

“You mean you-?”

“I will remain here to look after your family’s affairs while you’re gone.”

Cobalt shook his head firmly.

“I… no… Why can’t she stay here, and you come with me?” he asked, feeling his eyes begin to sting.

Lydia’s other hand gripped his shoulder.

“Your mother did this for you, young master. As much as you missed her, she missed you just as much. It isn’t for either of us to question her.”

He swallowed hard.

“B- But I don’t wanna leave you here, Lydia,” he breathed, eyes glimmering with tears.

Sighing, the Oni wiped the blood off his face with a handkerchief.

“… This isn’t the place to discuss it, young master. Come; let’s go find your mother.”

~~~~~

A scream of hot pain tore through Cobalt’s body, shocking him awake in an instant. He crumpled to the floor, the cool tiles doing little to assuage the inferno coursing through his veins. Every inch of his being hurt; his muscles felt like they were writhing beneath his skin, while his bones ached and groaned. Even his teeth hurt, as though they were begging for something to sate them. He clutched his arms, his nails digging into his skin as he struggled to get a hold of himself. Somewhere above he could hear frantic footsteps; Lydia, maybe. She was always close to hand when he needed her.

Looking around with wide, frightened eyes, Cobalt found himself in the kitchen. Not the familiar wood-panelled kitchen with hand-carved furniture from Phrodival, but rather a colder, tile-covered room filled with cooking appliances. For a moment he lay there confused, until something in his empty mind told him that he was in Brimstone.

His skull buzzed with the memories. Phrodival. A violin. Cherry. Graduation. It all hurt to think about.

The door to the kitchen flew open and the light flicked on, nearly blinding Cobalt with its intensity.

“Young master?! Are you alright?!” called the familiar voice of Lydia, startling him.

He tried to get to his feet, only to cry out as he cut his hand on something sharp. All around him, the kitchen was in complete disarray. The cupboards had been torn open, and the floor was littered with broken glass and smashed plates.

His body felt warm. Was he sleepwalking…?

“Stay right where you are. I’ll come to you,” Lydia’s voice called.

Cobalt shook his head and curled back up into a ball.

That girl, Cherry… The way her words struck him… They were close. Closer than close. Siblings, but not by blood. And yet she spoke to him like one would a dog. They were equals. She was just that bit more equal that he was.

His faithful Oni maid approached him, dressed in her nightclothes as she gently swept the glass apart with her bare feet. Taking a deep breath, she stooped down and tried to pick him up, only for Cobalt to flinch and scuttle back, bashing his head off the kitchen island in the process. The pain was dull, almost unnoticeable. But when he dreamed of striking the Phrodival cobbles, of when Cherry punched him in the face…

“Master Cobalt. Are you alright?” Lydia asked him slowly and steadily, stooping down to look deep into his eyes.

He shook his head harder.

“I- I don’t want to be here. I want to go back.”

“Back to where?”

“I don’t know…! I don’t fucking know, just… not here!”

He clutched his head.

“Dreams… I’m not supposed to have them, am I? Then why are they there?!”

Clearing herself a space, Lydia sat down opposite him. Without her cap to contain it, her hair cascaded almost all the way down her back.

“Focus on my voice, young master. Steady your breathing,” she told him, keeping her own voice low and calm.

He couldn’t. Not with so much coming back to him all at once. It was like in the past few days, he had managed to build a dam between himself and the crushing weight of what he didn’t know, but it had all come undone with one single dream. He felt scared and alone, without half a memory to fall back on.

“I wanna go home…” he breathed, clutching his knees.

“You are home, young-”

“No, I’m not! This isn’t…! This isn’t home! This is somewhere else!”

Lydia cocked her head.

“You wish to return to Phrodival?” she asked.

The Incubus swallowed hard, thinking for a moment before shaking his head again.

“I don’t know… I just… Where’s Cherry?” he queried in a small, pitiful voice.

The Oni let out a long, heartfelt sigh.

“Young miss Lattess… She’s elsewhere,” she said in a dour tone.

“I- I remember her. The day we graduated.”

“And you both tumbled off Miss Kerdal’s roof.”

“I hit her. I got so angry and just… my violin, I…”

“Master Cobalt.”

He looked up. Lydia had drawn that little bit closer, sweeping the glass aside.

“Do you wish to be somewhere else?” the Oni asked in a calm tone.

“I don’t know… I don’t know…”

Nodding slowly, Lydia reached forward, offering her hand to her charge. He stared at her palm for a moment before reluctantly accepting it. Leaning on her for support, he allowed himself to be lifted to his feet, only to stumble as his bad leg buckled. She offered to carry him, but he shook his head, insistent that he was fine.

Gradually, the pair made their way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs, where Lydia was able to tuck her master back into bed. His bedroom was in disarray; when he stumbled out of bed, he did so in a panic.

“There is something we can do to make you more comfortable, young master,” Lydia said as she drew the duvet over him, “but it would involve quite a lot of travel.”

He sunk down into the mattress. This town – Brimstone – was getting too much for him. Despite how hard he tried, he couldn’t properly familiarise himself with the house, and the news he constantly heard about his supposed past exploits nearly sent him into fits of panic. He thought he could handle all of this, but it was clear that he couldn’t.

“Please. Anything. Anywhere but here,” Cobalt murmured, laying back into the pillow.

She nodded and bid him a good night, before shutting off the light and leaving the room entirely. Cobalt shut his eyes, a little hesitantly, as he heard her voice rumble through the walls.

“Yes… I’m fine, Mistress Terna… Yes. Him too… I wanted to speak on your suggestion… Yes, the Furnace job… I believe he’s at least willing to consider it…”

Rolling over, the Incubus pushed his face into the pillow.

He wanted to go somewhere quiet.

Anywhere but here.