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Alaric Neil

"Is it so wrong for me to love this world more then my own?"

0 · 558 views · located in Tokyo, Japan

a character in “Inland”, as played by Taunbon

Description


Image[ Name ]
Alciel


[ Nicknames/Aliases ]
Abbadon
Alaric Neil, currently used Alias. Unlike others, he refused to get rid of his name, and so took one that was close to it even if this requires him to be a 'foreigner' as, in truth, he is a foreigner anyways, so it isn't that hard to pretend.
Al, a name he despises.
Dread Lord, the title of those who leads the Dread Guard, the militaristic organization of the Reapers.

[ Age ]
Appears 24, but he is truly over nine hundred years old.

[ Gender ]
Male

[ Race ]
Demon, specifically, of the Reaper class. A class created by Satan to be enforcers and keepers of a semblance of order among demonkind.

[ Role/Occupation ]
Demon Lord and General, the Right Hand of Satan, Enforcer of his Will. Currently he is a Grief Counselor.


[ Face Claim(s) ]
Ichinose Tokiya - Uta no Prince-sama

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The Outside
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Image[ Hair Color ]
Black

[ Eye Color ]
Azure

[ Skin Tone ]
Pale

[ Height ]
6'2 (188 cm)

[ Weight ]
183 lbs. (83 kg)

[ General Description of Human Form and Demon Form ]


~Human Appearance~


Alaric is a handsome man, refined and regal, his chin held high and his back straight as he walks with confidence despite being in a completely different world. His skin is fair and unblemished as it never had the chance to be anything but. His sharp azure eyes seem to pierce though whatever they look at, and while they are beautiful, they are a cold beauty that often sends shivers down the spines of those that attract his attention, in fact, because of this he is almost ethereal, something beyond human. It is very rare for them to be warm, but when those rare moments happen, his eyes soften, and the small smile that slips across his lips transforms his cold, distant face into something else entirely, something approaching human.

Much like his demon form, Alaric is rather thin lacking almost any curves, but given that he is a man, that is a good thing. In fact, the only part of his body that is wide is his shoulders. He does have muscle beneath his skin, wiry muscle, but it his demonic physiology that grands him most of his natural strength which belies his lithe form.

The only thing that is flawed about Alaric is his unruly black hair. It is not by choice that his hair is so unkempt, no matter what he does to it, it refuses to obey him laying where it will. He often muses that it is the physical manifestation that represents the tiny part of his demonic self that is attuned to chaos and disobedience.

~Demonic Appearance~


Alaric's true form is the same as the Grim Reaper from human lore, in fact, it was his kind that inspired that figure of mortality among human kind. Standing over eight feet tall, Alaric is a decayed skeleton wrapped in a tattered robe. He would be ten feet if he was not constantly hunched over in this form. Unlike the idea of the 'scythe' Alaric does not use any weapon as his hands are more then adept. Despite his robe touching and rubbing against the earth, Alaric himself does not stand on the ground. Instead he floats a foot above it. While he looks frail, he is anything but as in this form he has incredible speed and power befitting his rank and class. Among demonkind, none are as terrifying and few are as hideous to look at then the Reapers with only the Pestilence Demons edging them out in terms of revolting appearance.

And so it must be some kind of divine jest, that Alaric's human form would be so handsome while his demonic form is so hideous.


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Inner Soul
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Image[ Likes ]
✔ Snow|| It is beautiful and pure. I also enjoy the cold.
✔ Junk Food|| How can something so bad for the body taste so wondrous?
✔ Fast Food|| When we retake our home, I am going to see to it that we build these.
✔ Music|| I am not overly fond of 'modern human music' especially this J-pop that seems so popular here, but I do love playing their pianos.
✔ Television|| Humans have amazing imaginations.
✔ His Job|| Who would have thought I would be good at helping people overcome their sorrow?
✔ Cats|| I find them rather, what was the word humans love to describe everything, cute, I believe it was.
✔ Winning|| I like to win, but who doesn't?
✔ The Stars|| They look the same as those from home, and they comfort me when I feel alone.

[ Dislikes ]

x Chaos|| I despise it. Given that my kind was created to maintain order, I suppose it is merely my nature.
x Anarchy|| Only a fool seeks something that is both unattainable and worthless.
x Vegetables|| I know they are 'good' for you, but I... I prefer to not eat them if possible.
x Sloths|| If you have something that needs to be done. Do it.
x Heroes|| They stole my home. Killed my people. I believe my hate is justified.
x Idols/Celebrities|| The fact that humans hold them up on such platforms revolts me.
x Teenagers|| Vermin lacking both self-respect and dignity.
x The heat|| I never realized how much I disliked it until I came to this world.
x Modern Tech|| How am I supposed to work a computer? It has buttons for its other buttons.

[ Weaknesses ]

☠ Terror|| His power is his own weakness as, in his true form, it effects everything around him. Even those he does not wish it to.

☠ Pride|| Alaric is very proud of his race, abilities and name. He is easily provoked into a confrontation be it words or with physical violence. He is also one to underestimate others, especially, normal humans.

☠ Distant and Cruel|| Alaric has always been distant, as if at arms length with everyone at all times. Coupled with his sardonic nature which often makes him seem abrasive and out right cruel to others, Alaric is not someone who can easily, or ever, make friends or allies. He is also not comfortable when people get too close to him, physically or mentally.

[ Abilities/Skills ]

✶ Entropy|| His primary power is to cause life and matter to wither into dust. In his human form, he needs to touch what he desires to destroy while in his demonic form, it happens around him, although what he touches in that form will decay at a remarkable rate. This power requires a massive amount of power which is incredibly hard to get in the human world.

✶ Inspire Dread|| All reapers have the ability to inspire terror in others, in his human form, he needs to consciously pick who he wishes to terrify, and it does drain his magic, but in his demonic form, it is done automatically to any near him or that can see him. Those with great willpower can overcome the terror. This power has caused hearts to stop from sheer terror.

✶ Lock Picking|| A skill he picked up from his past that he retains to this day.

✶ Observer|| A man born with a keen eye and sharp mind, Alaric is constantly on the watch for the slightest changes and details in others and his environment. This lets him pick up on things others would miss.

✶ Leader|| A general who once lead thousands of demons into war as well as being Satan's right hand, Alaric is a very capable and confident leader.

[ Personality ]


[Sardonic||Responsible||Confident||Distant||Sympathetic]


Alaric is a very sardonic person. He cannot help but make light, almost mockingly so, of others and their decisions in life. It matters very little to him their station or race as if they do something worthy of mockery then that was their fault to expect others to turn a blind eye to it is incredibly foolish and vain. This is second nature to him, and he has little control over his tongue. There are times, rare as they are, that he will regret what he says and will understand that he crossed a line, but he will not apologize for it as his pride would not allow him to do so.

Perhaps he feels guilty because of his responsible nature. He has been the right hand of Satan for over three hundred years, the leader of his race; the Reapers, and a general who once lead thousands of demons in war. Duty is something that strikes a cord in Alaric, and he does whatever is necessary to preform his task at hand. He is incredibly dependable, and despite his mocking nature, he will pull through for people no matter the situation. But because of this nature, he cannot stand people who do not stick by their oaths and promises, and he cannot stand lazy people who are willing to slink at their duty in order to make their own lives a little easier.

Confident to the point of arrogance, Alaric has the utmost confidence in his abilities as a demon, general, and leader. This does make him blind to his own faults and flaws and over-cynical of others. Few things have the ability to shake his confidence, but once it has been done, it tends to throw him for a loop. When he makes mistakes, it tends to crush his spirit as he is incredibly hard on himself and over-critical of himself of any mistakes he makes.

Despite being just as hard on himself during his failures as he is anyone else, it is often hard to see this as he is a very distant person. He keeps his thoughts and feelings to himself and does not allow others to get close to him. While all Reapers are fairly distant to other races, they have to be given their old job and the distrust, and even hatred, they received from other demons, Alaric takes this a step beyond. Even to those that confess to be 'close' to him cannot read his thoughts, not even his creator, Satan. This makes it incredibly hard, nigh-impossible, for anyone to get close to Alaric. He may see someone as his comrades or even his leader, he has not seen anyone as his 'friend' in centuries.

Despite his sardonic and distant nature, Alaric is a 'softie' much to his annoyance. He does not enjoy hurting others, at least physically, and he is a very sympathetic soul which allows him to excel in his current occupation as a grief counselor. This softer side is hidden, the only time he allows it to show is during his job as showing sympathy is part of it, but he also feels responsibility for all of his clients that he takes under his care. There have been times, numerous times, when he forgets that they are a different species, that he has a home he needs to fight for... when he starts to think that the human world is a... nice place.


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Memoirs
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[ History ]

Born nine hundred years ago, Alaric is not an ancient demon, in fact, he isn't that old at all. Born amongst the Reapers, Alaric was born into a life of duty and responsibility. There was only one future that awaited him, to serve as part of the Dread Guard, the elite enforcers of Satan a mixture of bodyguards, oppressors, and police. The Reapers, themselves, considered it to be a great honor to be entrusted by their creator to see his will done, but it was not so for other demons. Demons are chaotic by nature, they hate and despise order when it is opposed on them as they are beings of free spirit, but Satan required some measure of Order, and so the Reapers delivered. They became hated and feared by the rest of their race.

Demons would never hate their creator, their god, but his enforcers? Yes. Reapers were the symbol of oppression, of brutal control. It did not matter that they were created for this; it only mattered they that preformed this task as that was more then enough reason to despise them. Amusingly enough, because they were so hated and feared by other demons that the Reapers could never search for any other occupation, it caused the Reapers to be blinded by zeal and made them distant from their fellow demons which in turn made them harsher which in turn made the other demons hate and fear them all the more. A vicious cycle, but it worked. Satan needed the demons to obey him, the Reapers forced obedience and Satan was not the one blamed... a functioning system.

It was the world Alaric was born into, one of hatred and fear. Of duty and power. He was destined to become a member of the Dread Guard as every other Reaper was. His youth was consumed with martial training, 'crowd control', harnessing his natural appearance into a weapon, and the rhetoric of honor and duty being beaten into him before he could even walk. He had no friends outside his species despite trying, the other children at the castle would scream and flee from him, and other Reapers did not get friendly with each other. Even such notions as love was nothing more then doing their duty to continue their species. The world of the reaper is cold and harsh. No exceptions, no mercy.

Many other demons would have rebelled, would have fought against the confines of expectations, but not Alaric. Not a reaper. This was everything to them, they were 'designed' for this singular purpose, and it was easier to bend their heads and follow orders then it was to face the world that despised them for what they were. This created a sense of belonging, and while they were not warm to each other, there was an unspoken bond that connected every reaper because they all understood, on a fundamental level, that they were all each other had.

As Alaric grew into 'adolescence' he was inducted into the Dread Guard and sent out on missions. Sometimes it was simple, they would stand in a small village and remind the populace of the law. Other times they had to put down insurgents and rebels which were... interesting, they never had a desire to overthrow Satan, but they wanted freedom from the constricting law and order, but the Dread Guard would not allow such, and they never failed at their task no matter how brutal their methods. In fact, when Alaric was young, they burned down a village and killed the demons living inside of it, nailing them to their houses as a symbol and message to all who would disobey the rules. Alaric can still remember their screams, and if he had the ability, he would have wept for them. He can still remember how his gnarled bone hand shook as the demonic blood rushed over his hand as he nailed a small child to the wall.

Satan may or may not have approved of everything they did, but one thing was clear, it was necessary, and it was those missions that turned Alaric into what he is now. He is distant because he understands that a day may come where he must kill the ones he cares for, so it is better to not care for them. He knows he must do what must be done no matter his feelings on the matter. Alaric, unlike all other demon generals, is a true soldier. During his six hundred years of service that he attracted the attention of Satan who appointed him to be the Dread Lord, the leader of the Dread Guard where he served faithfully and loyally for hundreds of years taking personal responsibility for every action the Dread Guard made in the name of Satan... and it was Alaric who lead them during the war.

Alaric and his Dread Guard were not like the other Generals, they were brutal. Yes, while Noire may have been the most destructive on the battlefield, Alciel was brutal even to his own troops for the Reapers, long hated and feared, could never lead by example. They had to lead through fear which is why Alaric would attach Reapers to the units in order to force them forward. It was a simple and effective method, the demon warriors would be more afraid of what lay behind them then what lay ahead, and Alaric gave his Dread Guard permission to strike down any who tried to flee as an example to the others.

The Dread Lord, became one of the most feared generals of the demonic army because he was fear itself. Leading a unit of nothing but Reapers, Alaric would charge into the thickest of the fighting, the combined Fear Auras often causing the enemies to fall to their knees in shock, their hearts failing, and it was only the very bravest of heroes that could stand before them. But alone and surrounded, they were easy to deal with. In the War, Alaric never tasted defeat... but he did have the highest casualty rate as he would do whatever it took to hold the line where the other two would be sensible enough to retreat for a more favorable position. It was said to be sent to serve under the Dread Lord was to sign their own death warrants, and Alaric can remember the look of hatred and terror that came from his own men. Once, a regiment turned and attacked their Dread Guard Commander, Alaric had the unit skinned. It was... harsh, but in that time when they were on the edge of certain defeat, Alaric would let nothing stand in his way, he would do whatever was necessary, even if it would have him executed by Satan afterwards for his actions in the war so long as it saved his people. His duty was all he had.

When news reached him that Satan's keep was under siege, Alaric lead his personal Dread Guard unit at a breakneck pace as they were his bodyguards, they should have been with him... they did not arrive in time. Alaric came to the castle as it was burning, as the screams filled the air, as Lucifer failed to hold the walls. Leading his units in charge that would only result in their eradication, Alaric fought his way to the throne room to see the hero that defeated Lucifer fled into the portal followed by his fellow Demon Lords, guessing that Satan had to have fled through it, Alaric charged through it, leaving the rest of his Dread Guard behind despite knowing they were going to die.

Then... he arrived in the human world in a human body. One that was... different. He got looks from humans, but they were of interest and curiosity not hatred and fear. For the first time in his life, Alaric was at a lost, and so he did the only thing he could do, he started looking for Satan. By an odd chain of events, he found himself as a Grief Counselor for humans as a means of funding his search and housing himself, but while he doesn't admit it or allow himself to think about it, he is... happier in the human world then he ever was in the demonic one.

[ Others ]


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So begins...

Alaric Neil's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Atsuko Inoue Character Portrait: Kimiko Linn Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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The sky was a bright, cheery blue; people bustled through the streets on cars and bikes like ants scurrying to obtain food for their Queen. Large piles of slush were stacked up high on the sides of the roads, dirt from cars turning the ice a blackish gray. The trees bare and shivering from a gust of wind that shook the Christmas lights which adorned absolutely everything, stood tall like gangling ghosts of a past season. The warmth inside of the building was a welcome compared to the freezing outside. A fresh, light layer of flurries began to blow through Tokyo with the fury of a stampede of a thousand elephants. The hot breath of fire places across the city exhaled life into the busy city as well as heaters from tall edifices that towered into the sky.

Inside of one of these structures was a red head shadowing one of the wealthiest men in Japan as he recorded a new single for his holiday album. The studio was decorated as brightly as the interurban sidewalk trees, spirits were high as the next day began winter break for schools and families alike. The rock star emerged from the sound proof room and his assistant, Yuzuki Haruna handed him a bottle of spring water. He smiled down at her like he always did with that irritatingly charming expression the Demon General occasionally wanted to slap off of his face although she remained perfectly pleasant and reflected his exposition so as not to get fired from another job. Give me the run down Yuzuki-chan," he said as they walked out of the recording studio and to his office. Yuzuki took a deep breath and began to read him the notes she had taken yesterday after a whole morning of phone calls and getting yelled at by his publicist for not showing up on time for an exclusive press preview of a music video the rock star had recorded last month.

"Oh and you have one more thing before the holiday break!" They stopped at the entrance to his office; he turned towards Yuzuki expectantly, patiently waiting to hear what this something might be. "A one hour meeting with a Make-A-Wish child from the America chapter," he nodded his head and entered the office. A large work space with panoramic windows, carpeted floors, bean bag chairs and other things he had deemed "essential" to work adorned the open room. Yuzuki sat on one of the many plush couches and took a deep breath in. Soon she would be rushing to the supermarket to grab a box dinner for her and three others before heading home to Satan-er-Ryuu's castle.

The male headed over to his desk and pulled out an envelope. He placed it on Yuzuki's clipboard and winked before going to freshen up for his meeting with the MAW kid. The red head stuffed the envelope in her pocket and prepared the room, cleaning up a bit and attempting to make the office presentable before her work phone rang to inform her that the child was here. It was a quick, painless appointment that went on a bit longer then it should have. Yuzuki didn't understand anything the excited adolescent spoke about, his cystic fibrosis or how he underwent seven surgeries before his lungs were fixed for now. In Crestia they didn't have such diseases running rampant in children's bodies.

"Goodnight, Merry Christmas!" Yuzuki called on her way out after changing out of her heels and into her outdoor shoes. She quickly headed towards the supermarket in order to obtain dinner for Ryuu, Azezal, Alaric, and herself. She adjusted the navy scarf around her neck and fidgeted with the plush purple gloves on her hands; the cold was not a kind element and Yui's cheeks had already turned a blush pink. She stepped into the shop and headed towards the back where the discount meals were. It wasn't as luxurious as the food her sister used to cook back home, but it was better then cucumbers and jelly or the sustenance Yuzuki had survived on during her first month on earth. As she checked out, the envelope in her pocket drew her attention once she had taken the bag from the grocer and it rumpled in the folds of her skirt. Yuu took it out and dropped it in the plastic sack on her way out, savoring the warmth of the store before the frigid temperatures seeped into her bones.

Yuzuki placed the food on the counter in the apartment, her stocking feet making hardly a sound on the tatami mat floors. The kotatsu sat in the middle of the dining room, waiting to be used by the demons and their creator. She placed the meals in the fridge and turned the heater up a bit, taking the envelope out of her pocket and reading it slowly, her eyes widening in shock when she looked at the amount of zeroes on her Christmas bonus. Yes, the demon King would be most pleased with her efforts.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil
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#, as written by Taunbon
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Alaric leaned back in his chair, the file resting comfortably in his hands as his azure blue eyes scanned it over before flicking up to the Asian woman in front of him, holding her purse in her hand and fidgeting as she waited for him to speak, "Ms. Kato," Alaric said purposely using the English address, "Your son has shown wonderful improvement over the last two weeks, I believe he is starting to make headway after the passing of his father last year. Has there been any changes at home or in school?" He asked flicking the vanilla file closed in his hands.

The small woman seemed to jump when he spoke to her, which was odd, Ms. Kato had always been rather polite and had a docile nature, but she had never been startled by him before. He almost wanted to asked how she was holding up, but she was not his client, and he would not cross that boundary, "He has been fine, Neil-san, he even smiles once in awhile. He doesn't stay locked up in his room so often and his grades are improving," she said still finding her feet incredibly important.

"Wonderful," Alaric said, crossing his legs and placing his intertwined hands on his knee, "I believe in another month, he will fully have moved on enough to no longer need me," the sudden pause in the woman's fidgeting sparked a raised a dark eyebrow, "Is something amiss, Ms. Kato?"

"I-I," She started her voice wavering, "Since my husband passed away," she let the last part out softly as if afraid to have to hear it again, "Money has been tight, and I don't think I can afford to bring him here anymore," her voice had died to but a whisper, but Alaric could sense her shame at not being able to provide help for her son who needed it.

Alaric looked her over once again, trying in vain to meet her dark brown eyes, "Well that is rather odd," he said almost thoughtful as he uncrossed his legs and reopened the folder, "Because it says here that you already paid in advance for this month, how peculiar."

Her head jerked up, her dark brown eyes wide with shock, "But that can't be," Alaric made an the effort of looking over the file once again, "You must simply have forgotten about it, I understand it has been a busy and stressing time for you."

Reaching up to wipe the edge of her eyes, she pushed herself to her feet and gave a small bow, "Thank you, Neil-san," the smallest of smiles breaking out over a face that has been worn with far too much stress and grief then should have been present on the otherwise attractive mother.

"For what, Ms. Kato?" Alaric said raising his eyebrows in mock bewilderment, "I look forward to seeing Akito in session on Tuesday, oh, and Merry Christmas, Ms. Kato." giving another bow, Kato took her leave, gently closing the door to his office behind her.

Turning his chair around, the room devoid of all beings but himself, he looked out his window towards the outside world. This world had a certain beauty to it. A beauty he would miss.





Pushing open the door to the small apartment he shared with three people, Alaric braced himself for the initial blast of hot air that the other demon generals insisted be so unreasonably high which, in turn, made their utility bills unreasonable. He did not understand their aversion to the much, much cooler weather, he found it incredibly pleasant and a nice change of pace if anything.

Pausing inside the door, he loosened his tie before pulling it free of his neck and hanging it up near the door as he was in no hurry. He slowly pulled down the suit jacket and hung that up above his tie and rolled up his white shirts sleeves past his elbow. He did not take off his loafers, that was one thing he did not understand or agree with, why people seemed to love to take their shoes off or change them. It was nothing more then a tedious hassle.

Turning on his heel, Alaric headed towards the kotatsu as his stomach was gnawing away looking forward to whatever food Noire had brought them. Oh, how he hoped there was still potato chips left that he could enjoy in the privacy of his room later tonight. His steps announced his presence long before any introduction could do, the hard soles making a loud clack with every step as they collided with the tatami floors.

Sliding down to sit near the Kotatsu, but not under it as he saw no reason to make his legs even hotter then the rest of him already was, he sought to enjoy the position closest to the window that let wisp of the cold outside air into the overly hot apartment. His azure eyes fell onto Noire standing in the kitchen and reading, what appeared to be, a check, "Good news, I assume?" He asked, his blue eyes running over her human form that looked so much like her demonic true form, yet at the same time, not quite like it. She blended in far better then he did in both worlds it seemed.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil
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#, as written by moahi
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Azezal’s lanky frame was draped over a chair in his room, hands moving fluidly over the keyboard as he typed yet another manuscript to send to the editor. Writing was an activity that came easily to him, much to his surprise. He just had to try out several plots, writing styles and genres, collate the results of its sales, then do what people like best.

Easy. The only problem is perhaps being well known. He had no idea why information in the human world spread so fast, but he didn't like it. It was bad enough that they were being looked for by the Hero than him attracting unnecessary attention to himself and the others. The fact that he couldn't use his usual methods to silence others by breaking a few fingers because apparently it was unacceptable in the human world was an upsetting factor in itself. And many still wonder why he left for the darkness…

Still, Azezal had to admit that it wasn't a bad source of income for him, although you could never be too careful. Currently, he was using several different names to publish his stories, making sure to change the writing style accordingly to prevent being found out. It was a pain to cover it up, but it was worth the work. He couldn't hope for a better working place where he could just stay inside and heal up slowly, not having to be exposed to the danger of being found out.

As much as he’d hate to admit it, he was currently in no condition to fight with his wounds still healing. However Azezal had to be patient, opportunity nearly always came knocking if you simply bide your time. It was the way he had survived, after all. He shut the laptop with a snap! Sighing quietly as he leaned back. Noire, no, Yuzuki should be back any minute now; or at least it felt like that time. He glanced nonchalently out of the window, looking on in indifference as the mortals scurried around; every person always so fixated on their own activities. How pointless. It was strange how the human race managed to live in peace with each other and even then, he still felt uneasy in a world with no chaos.

It was Christmas currently and the streets were abuzz with mortals purchasing gifts for the occasion where the fat man dressed in red sneaks down the chimney. Humans. What puzzling but interesting creatures… A light smile of amusement danced on Azezal's lips at the mere thought. His time on Earth had being more interesting than he expected, and he was actually interested in the creatures made of flesh and bone. Different from demons, they actually found a way to coexist without a lord to keep watch over them. In a way, they still needed officers, though theirs were a far cry from the governing force of Crestia. Speaking of the Dread Guards…

There was a faint click as the door unlocked, hinting that someone had came in followed by the hard clack of shoes hitting the tatami mats. Azezal slid from his seat and casually stepped out of his room; his eyes instantly settling on the leader of the Dread Guard, Alaric, and the third demon General Yuzuki. To his annoyance and surprise, Azezal's ears must not have picked up the sound of the female entering. His senses were slowly deteriorating from under use compared to when he inhabited the world of darkness. “Good news, I assume?” Azezal heard Alaric speak, addressing Yuzuki as she smiled at the thin strip of paper, most likely a check, in her hands.“By the looks of it, even a fool could tell.” He spoke, partly teasing, but mostly just making one of his careless comments as he slid under the kotatsu. This world was never hot enough for him and unlike Alaric, who found the cold pleasing, he didn't quite enjoy it as much. It was hard to believe that the man before him was the former leader of the Dread Guard, Alaric's fear powerful enough to make death quack in his boots. The infamous leader of the demon world had been reduced to but a mere human grief counselor, which was amusing in it's own right. Azezal had no understanding of why Alaric enjoyed his job so much, to help the assist species that had destroyed their homes, that were filled with nothing but greed and pride.

“Speaking of which Alaric, how much have you earned from your job? Were you allowing the humans to take advantage of you in an act of what they call 'kindness'?” he asked, inclining his head slightly in the first General's.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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Coming close to the apartment was the sound of a motorbike riding down the road. The noise of it slowing down as it arrives at the front of the apartment building could be heard before it finally stopped as it parked right by the front door. The recognizable resonance that Ryuu had arrived finally. The cadence of his slow, firm foot steps rang in the air as he made his way toward the door; turning the nob and opening it as he made his way inside.

"I hate this human worlds' cold." With a loud slam, King Satan himself walked in with a blue coat bundling around him. A rather annoyed look adorned his face as he pulled the goggles off his eyes and up onto his forehead where he tended to keep them so as not to loose them. "How can Tet's creations possibly withstand these temperatures without any problem? It baffles me." Ryuu muttered under his own breath and pulled off his coat before making his way toward the kotatsu to join his Generals Yuzuki and Azezal in it's warmth. Once his body temperature adjusted to the heat, he finally focused his sights on his Generals around him in their human forms.

"I see you all have returned from your tasks. What do you have to report so far on this coldest of days?" While still in the form of a human, he didn't falter to keep his position in mind as he spoke to his Generals. He knew that today was some sort of human holiday, which meant a few bonuses and such would be going around. With any luck, they might be able to pay off some of the bills with the extra money earned.

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Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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The red headed demon shifted her legs under the kotatsu in order to accord Azezal some space, her eyes never lifting from the check for fear that if she looked away the numbers would change. "Yes, very good news." Yuzuki replied, addressing Alaric's inquiry. "Satan will be most pleased with my efforts." She purred contently; speak of the Devil, the sound of his motorbike could be heard arriving even from their apartment. He really should get that engine checked. The female adjusted her legs once more, knowing he would want a spot under the heated table blanket as well.

Yuzuki finally looked up upon the entrance of the Demon King and stood in respect, giving him a quick salute before going back under the toasty warm embrace of the kotatsu. Honestly how did Alaric withstand the freezing air? "I see you all have returned from your tasks. What do you have to report so far on the coldest of days?" Excitedly Yuzuki showed them all her holiday bonus. "Because of how well the Idol's Christmas album sold, I was able to get a 16,500 yen bonus!" On top of that Yuzuki had received a 2,000 yen raise because of how hot the Idol had become in both Japan and overseas.

"I also managed to acquire four discount meals from the convenience store in Akiharaba upon my to return to your Castle, sir." Maybe they would be able to afford to have a real human celebration? She had been watching advertisements all season of these so called "x-mas traditions" such as buying a tree and decorating it, or gifting meaningful things to your closest friends and family. Her hopes had been shot down more then once by the other three due to how impractical it would be waste such funds, not to mention that it was a mortal holiday that declared the birth of one of their deities. Yuzuki had been invited to her boss's holiday party, but she wasn't going to attend due to the fact that last time she had gone to one of his functions, it had ended up being a half baked ploy to flirt with every girl that came his way and she had stood awkwardly in the corner glaring at every man that dared to lay eyes on her.

Coming back to reality Yuzuki glanced at each General before resting her head on her closed fists, elbows propped up on the table as she anticipated the good news of Alaric, Azezal, and Ryuu. Just thinking of their human names sent a buzz through her head, a powerful reminder that they were not in Crestia, this was not their territory, and they could not wreak havoc like the olden days in order to obtain what they wanted. Yuzuki had been working diligently in order to please Satan, but she had been a walking disaster. The first few months without her wings had thrown the demon off balance and she was on the floor more often then not. After that she had landed a steady job with the rising Idol and worked her way up to his personal assistant. Of course he had admitted more then once that he had only chosen her because of her looks, but Yuzuki didn't care; the pay was great and food was provided by the office. Dammit Yuzuki, stop spacing out!

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Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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Alaric turned his head slightly, his sharp azure eyes falling on Lucifer for a few seconds before looking back towards Noire. He would ignore that comment for now. A real fool is one who could not even hold a castle against a few heroes thus ending them all up in this situation. If it had been he, the Dread Lord, at that castle, they would not be here. That and Alaric found that often the best way to deal with Lucifer was to ignore him. Pick your battles, as it was, engage him when needed, taunt him when the desire arose, but to not get stuck in his pace. Arguing with a fool only created two, after all.

He turned his attention back to Noire as she answered him... Satan would be pleased with her efforts, her desire to please others, even if it was their creator, was an interesting trait she had. Although he seemed to enjoy this world more then the others, he could not help but feel that she fit in here better then the rest of them. Alaric opened his mouth to say... something to her, what? He wasn't sure as he was merely responding on reflex before Lucifer south to try and take a stab at him again. His cold eyes snapped over to the white haired fallen angel, the insult, this time, far too great to ignore.

"You dare imply that I," His words died off in an annoyed tsk as a loud, annoying, noise came closer. The rumbles echoing through the small apartment, how Alaric hated that two wheeled vehicle. Why did they seek to make so much noise? Was it some kind plea of attention? Much like a child screaming and tugging on their mother's dress? Whatever reason inspired the desire to own such a vehicle, Alaric just wished it didn't see the desire to make as much noise as possible. If it was not Satan on top of the crude device, he would venture that only the insecure drove such vehicles.

The coldest of days? Was it really the coldest? Alaric lifted his head to examine the ceiling as he thought it over, it hadn't been that cold, he was still waiting for the thing humans called snow to appear, but it seemed it had elected on evading his grasp for now.

As Noire finished her story, her excitement palpable, something that was oddly amusing at times as she brought a spark of life to the humble... castle... compared to the rest of them, he brought his eyes back down to face Satan, "My work is rather difficult during this time. Despite the human's belief that this is a time of happiness and frivolity, it seems it also sparks a lot of pain, grief and anger, so I have been.. busy. I do not get Christmas bonuses in my work," He said smoothly which was true.. although a few of his clients had added a little extra into his pay as a thank you which would cover the fact that he let one of his clients go without paying for the month which happened... more often then he would admit, "I should be bringing home the same amount as normal. If you wish, I can check my records to tell you the exact number."

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Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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He listens to each of his generals' response, nodding in understand of their situations. Turning to Alciel's offer, he gently shakes his head. " There is no need for that. I only wished to know the additional ones for now. I have already been keeping a track of the current income." After letting him know of that, he turned his attention to all three of his generals to speak out.

"Very good then. With Noire's bonus we should have enough to get a little something extra then. How do you all feel about keeping up with this world's tradition and getting ourselves some gifts during this holiday?" In saying those words, a smile came across his face close to that of a child eager to get a present. It was never something that was done in his world before since during all the centuries he ruled the demons, there was never really any time for gifts when his creations mainly preferred battle. While he knew he had a task to regain power and return on the attack against the humans, blending in better by taking part in a festivity wouldn't hurt. "But for this to work, we need information on this holiday. Any detail so that we will not mess it up and be noticed by the humans. What do you all know about it?" He looks among his generals, hoping that at least one of them had the information they needed for this "mission" seeing as he hadn't been able to look into it himself.

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Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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Alaric blinked, his blue eyes fluttering in confusion. Why in the world did their Lord desire to celebrate this holiday? At least, he had used the word 'ourselves' so it seemed he would not have to try and but them a gift as that would have been disastrous. He had no knowledge on what they would enjoy for a gift. Well... he supposed a large metal throne would be suitable for their Lord, but he highly doubted he could easily afford one or, carry it up the stairs in his current form, fitting it through the door posed yet another challenge, but Lucifer and Noire? He supposed Lucifer may enjoy a pretty bauble of some sort... something shiny in which he can gaze at himself from, but Noire? He had not the faintest clue.

A gift for himself was almost as daunting a task. He had never pondered that before, what he would like to have. Not require, but want to have. An, odd thought. He would, more then likely, merely keep the money to cover his income should it falter, money seemed to be a practical gift.

For the second time that day, Alaric was at odds with their Lord's sudden interest in the holiday, but as always, he was quick to respond to orders, "Due to my status as a 'foreigner', a word that comes with much curiosity and distaste depending on the speaker, it has been relatively easy to plead ignorance on their customs. I did have to learn how it is done in the United States, but I do not believe that would be relevant, but this festival, despite being something that is supposed to inspire merry greetings and greed fueled materialism, it inspires," he paused to find the right word for the... audience he was speaking to, "Darker feelings in mankind. Depression, loneliness, guilt, regret, and sorrow being among their number."

As if on cue with his words, a rumbling in his coat pocket followed by a low buzzed filled the air, and Alaric bowed his head slightly to his Lord in apology, "I apologize, my Lord, for the interruption. It is most likely something with work."

Slowly pushing himself to his feet, somewhat glad to be even further away from the heat of the small table, he approached his hung jacket and fished out his phone, staring at the screen for a few seconds as his eyes scanned over then name, Ms. Kato, "It is probably nothing, most likely a client merely wishing me a... Merry Christmas," he said, but his blue eyes stayed locked onto the screen until he could no longer deny his curiosity, he tapped the image of a smaller green phone on the screen and raised it to his ear.

"Ms. Kato, I assure you it is no..." His voice died off as the frantic voice of a mother with no one else to turn to filled his ears, "He," he said softly before continuing as if he could not trust his own voice, "Did what?"

Alaric closed his eyes as the voice filled his mind and gently let his shoulder lean against the nearby wall, "I understand, I shall be there. Yes. I will call a cab. No, it is fine. I shall see you shortly, Ms. Kato."

Lowering the phone to his side, he stared at the wooden door for a few minutes, before turning back around and bowing his head slightly forward, "I apologize, my Lord, something with work came up that I must take care of. Forgive my absence."

Raising his phone back to his face, as if in effort to block out the rest of the world as he fought to hold his normal calm and professional demeanor as he dialed for a taxi cap to pick him up.

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Character Portrait: Atsuko Inoue Character Portrait: Kimiko Linn Character Portrait: Azezal Nero Character Portrait: Yuzuki Haruna Character Portrait: Alaric Neil Character Portrait: Ryuu Miyamoto
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The announcement from their King that they were going to celebrate Christmas was something to be excited about and yet the other two Generals didn't seem to be as ecstatic about it as Yuzuki; their first human holiday together! Speaking of which Yui had some information to volunteer. "They put up lights on the exterior of their homes and decorate with something called tinsel, I believe it is plastic made to look like snow although I'm not quite sure. Oh! That reminds me, my company is having a holiday party tomorrow night and they said I should invite my family!" They were as close to family as Yui had considering everyone she loved was dead.

The sudden call from Alaric's phone startled her and Yuzuki jumped, her knees hitting the top of the table. It hardly hurt, but Yui winced anyways; possibly from habit of having to display emotions so her coworkers didn't think she was some sort of monster immune to pain. Quietly she listened to the phone call and noticed the notes of distress in Alaric's voice. She frowned, wondering what could have possibly gone wrong during what mortals considered to be the most wonderful time of the year. Yui always found it funny that Alaric took his job so seriously, the former leader of the Dread Guard reduced to a mere Grief Counselor. Still they all had to pick and choose their battles in this world.

"I apologize, my Lord, something with work came up that I must take care of. Forgive my absence." Abruptly the female stood up, bearing the cold and striding over to the General. "I'll go with you. It would be lonely if you went alone, right?" Something about his expression bothered her and so Yuzuki did not want him to go alone. "Would that be alright my King?" Regardless of his answer Yui would go, she was already pulling on her jacket and buttoning it up.