The Quest of the Heart – Hell’s Kitchen : SS.

Had the Demon of Gluttony bitten off more than he could chew?  Never shake on a deal when you don’t know what is at stake.  The quest is just beginning.

 

Razorbackwriter:  

Hell’s Kitchen – The Lab

All actions and choices have consequences far more diabolical than could possibly be imagined by those partaking in the game. Was this all that it was? A game? To some perhaps, to others not. In another part of the lab, a dark figure was sitting at a table, his legs crossed and tapping his foot in time to some strange music that was playing on an old phonograph. An Asian woman was fanning the dark figure with a large cane handled fan, while on the other side sat a man in all white. He was of considerable age and had a long white beard that had to be tied off at the end for fear of it touching the floor. Overhead a fan was spinning slowly, while a grandfather clock was ticking. The setting would be regarded as peaceful almost like it was being played in a park or….at an old age home. Tick…Tick…Tick…..As events were taking place down in Cardis Tomb, upstairs the affects of those making choices would be felt like a pulsating echo that radiated. A game as old as time itself. Everything was about to change.

“He may not take it.” The man in white said, touching the top of a chess piece. Rocking the piece back and forth as he mused over his move. The Dark one on the other side was balling his tongue into his cheek. A delicious smirk upon his wicked features. “He’s the Prince of Gluttony! Hunger burned with desire. Eat eat eat eat…feed feed feed. Insatiable….It’s never enough!” The Dark one went to exercise his point, by scooping up a hand full of pig intestines and then chewing on them with blood running down his chin. It was disgusting.

“You’re foul.”

“This is a delicacy in some countries. Now….move.”

Down in Cardis tomb, the moment of truth had come. The Doctor had led the group along with the Prince down to his inner most private sanctum. The place that held his most valued treasures, and his army of nightmares. All of which that were suspended in special green bubbles. Hooked up to machine after machine. A marvel of technology…and science. There was nothing magical about it at all.

The Doctor handed the right arm of Doom over to the excited Prince of Gluttony, who was waiting with an eagerness that was hard to describe. Would he just look at it, and then ask of the deal of what the payment would be for such a prized artifact? The Doctor opened his mouth as the Demon of Gluttony started to speak…..but right at that moment the Demon did the unexpected.

HE PUT THE ARM ON TO HIS OWN BONE!

Upstairs a large time piece chimed, while another which was an hourglass of great size started to turn over. Both the man in white and the dark one looked across from their chess game and it was hard to tell if it was shock or joy that they witnessed the event for themselves.

“OH….MY….GOD!!!!!” The Dark one stuttered, while the man in white put his frail hand up to his face and tried to cover his eyes. What had Beel just done?

“You’re usually satisfied with demon parts and gold. Is that still the deal here?” Beel asked as the arm fused with his own body. The symbols on the arm glowered a magnificent shade of red, as the arm accepted it’s new host. The Doctor just stood there….it was like he didn’t know what to say. “No…no it’s not.”

Wilhelm would have continued but at that moment, Madame Green chose her timing so….so badly. Arriving at such a significant moment, that it was as if maybe she knew. Did she know? The power that she radiated caused a flash to go right through the entire lab and was not unfelt by the Dark one and the man in white.

“GREEN?!…..Ahahahaha…Oh..oh…I need tissues.” The Dark one slapped his knee as his assistant handed him a box of tissues which he kept dabbing his eyes with. He kept waving his hand in front of his face, and tears of laughter were running down his cheeks, as he found the whole thing hilariously funny. The man in white took his fingers off the chess piece and was ready to kick his chair out from under him in fury. It was rare for such an old man like him to feel fury, but damn that woman. “Nosey bloody bitch!”

“I could kiss her.” The Dark one laughed as he waited for the next part. “Siya…popcorn! STAT!” Siya bowed and went to get some popcorn, as the dramas continued in Cardis Tomb.

Theatrics and sarcasm. So unneeded and yet Madame Green was on a roll. She was practically giddy about the Right hand of doom that was firmly attached to the Prince’s arm. The Doctor kept staring at the woman silently, as she went into an oscar winning performance about her real reason for coming down to Cardis Tomb. It was not like she had been invited, but some pests were hard to keep out. Wilhelm pulled on his collar, when she fussed over the undead army, going as far to say that it had taken him ten whole years to create them, and all done with the help of the wars that had gone on between the kingdoms. In a way, it was what had resulted from the Kingdoms own need to sate their desires.

Wilhlem had not managed to finish his conversation with the Prince, yet this woman would not stop talking. It was almost distressing.

“An undead army… Impressive, admittedly.. Though, how long did it take you? Oh, wait.. I know that.. Ten years. Ten years, doctor… Impressive.”

The Doctor nodded as she spoke, hoping for a word in so that he could speak of the deal. He had to tell the Demon Prince….he had too. But then….she said…

“At least you are committed, as you can see from him, Lord Beel..” Committed? He would need to be after this. The Doctor’s face was turning white. He even put his hand up to his cheek and dragged his fingers down in frustration. God, please shut up woman. Wilhelm was thinking. But no, she started on her real reason for being there. A child. One that was to be the son of Raul the Black and Bandit the thief. What did that have to do with anything?

Upstairs, the Dark one sat perfectly still as the sand was starting to fall from the hour glass. A slow and evil smile was now showing, as Siya brought him the popcorn. He dunked his hand in the bowl and took out a handful, stuffing it into his mouth and chewing slowly. The suspense was killing him. Down in Cardis Tomb, the Prince was growing tired of the woman’s sarcastic spew of words and plots. To Beel, he was no one to be trifled with, and a baby….well that was nothing. Not that he now had the right hand of doom. He had reached for Green and gripped her solidly, pulling her up off her feet.“Surely, that army, and you would be enough to guard me, even in the face of the flames of my enemies.”

The army.

The Doctor bowed his head, and then spoke softly.

“My Lord Beel….the deal.” He turned away from the pair, and then strode back over to the same place where he had pulled the right hand of Greed from. Next to it, was a small box. Bigger than a cigar box, about the same size as a woman’s jewel box. He took it out of the cupboard slowly, and turned around baring it in both hands.

“I do not need for coin….or simple demon parts. A prize such as the right hand of doom must be traded for an item of similar value.” He started to walk back over, and then undid the catch on the box. The center of which was lined with a red silk, and it had an impression in it….for something special.

“You need to collect a certain heart to place in this box and return to me.” The Doctor paused, his eyes going over to Madame Green, then back to the Prince of Gluttony. He had already accepted the arm….this was the deal now.

“You must bring me a proud heart….the heart of Pride.”

If the Demon of Gluttony wanted the army now, it was best to agree to the deal, since….he had already accepted the arm by putting it on.

Upstairs, the Dark one stood up from his chair as the bowl of popcorn went spilling onto the floor. A look of triumph etched upon his face. He took out a small recorder…and started to play.

It was terrible, off key…but the song itself had meaning at this moment. The man in white started to cry.

~RB~

 

Artie: While the others may have flinched in some sort of way at the news of what seemed to be an impending battle, Madame didn’t even blink. In fact… she smiled. Ah, the more time she could waste, the better, to be frank.. As Gluttony pulled her back she would then make a face of surprise, her entire upper body pressed up against him, her hips meeting his in a way that make her vocalize this surprise in a gasp and then a small, “hmph.” Her eyes would flicker up to the hourglass, a light smirk coming onto her face… Wasting time… More mayhem. That would make her day, frankly.. But how to keep the immense glutton from talking immediately, from making his decision? Oh, it was a delectable plan, one that only a woman could pull off, as her eyes flickered to the Doctor before going back to the demon prince..

And she would grab his shirt’s collar, ignoring its qualities and pulling him down, her lips pressing fiercely against his. Oh, oh yes, she had. And Madame would continue to do so, ignoring whatever sounds or shocked silence that seemed to come from the others – even laughter, maybe, from the Dark One.. Her tongue pressed against his lips, feeling him surprised against her as she would slowly work his open, a rather deep kiss.. But she did not close her eyes, staring at him intensely in response back.. This would last a few moments before she moved away, smirking lightly and then pulling from the large prince’s grip. “Ah. Doctor, Eren, Narcissa.. Lord Beelzebub..” A flicker of her eyes as she would meet the gaze of the Dark One, hiding in the corner where none could see, at the male in white.. She would know their names only because of her powers..

Another look back at Beel. “Don’t forget us, for later.. Hmm?” A grin overcame her features, her brow raising in confidence.. And then a lightpop, as Madame disappeared in thin air, accomplishing what she had came here for. More time had been wasted, more precious time had been taken, by none other than the Madame herself.. But what if those minutes she had taken could have been the time for finishing the deal? Every moment counted.. had she just taken the few minutes that Beel would have needed to complete?

(TC)

 

Zetta:  Beelzebub opened and closed the confides of his new right hand, continuing to familiarize himself with all of it’s feelings. Right when Madame planted her kiss, after a forceful pull down to meet face-to-face, an amazing feature as he was almost 4 feet on her. A testament toward her will, beyond her physical strength as she had actually rose to pull him down in the first place with the firm belief that it was actually possible to do so. Again, he felt overwhelmed, his eyes widened in a response to the shocking experience, amplified from the passion in their contact.. She held him for at least a full minute before releasing with an abrupt suckle, his head draw aback from his sheer height. But, having received mostly what he would’ve gone for himself, he smirked. “Hmph.” His head yanked back some, just to show off an inquiry with visible expressions, his face twisting some as well. “You won’t get away with that, woman!” He began to reach for her as she pulled away, but then she announced her leaving, individually naming the important players as they were. A popping sound, and the vixen was gone, leaving the gluttonous prince to grit his teeth in silence. That spicy personality leaving to the unknown, and without a way to track her that could easily be their last confrontation. How detestable…

The right hand of doom fully latched onto the rest of the prince’s limb.. The arm suddenly began connecting itself. Instinctively, his power took effect, almost immediately devouring everything that the thing was starting with the inside. A visual of this was a thick red aura, flaming in appearance centered only on his right arm.. After calming himself down though he halted his own ability, to not eat the arm he had only just received entirely. While it would have been easy to simply digest the thing and then utilize it as his own hand, he wanted to finally appease the doctor. The man had yet to name his price, and Beelzebub personally considered it to be a dangerous move to get unknown metals into his system. Only weary now after his brief affliction with that drug he was introduced to earlier, from Blitz. This hesitation would pass in due time, and with a mere force of will, he reformed the insides of the hand of doom to no noticeable effect. On cue, Willhelm began to tell him what exactly it was that he wanted in return for the sold item here.

This thing turning into a trade instead, the likes of which practically begged the glutton prince to ignore everything else the Laboratory had to offer and digest the item like his instincts told him to in the beginning.. However, he needed to assure his availability with the Doctor’s resources, if this was an army before him, then he would not leave so casually without it. Eren had questioned this actually, towards his new recruit he turned halfway to face him, a small preference wanted the man at his side. As he was currently the only one who was here under Gluttony still. “Why leave so soon? When the doctor has been treating us all so well.” Said boldly, as if it was a matter of fact, only because Beel was being intrigued so much and so consistently. The trade was offered with such hesitation, as if it was a delivery of some incredibly dire message. Beelzebub was already planning to total the other Kingdoms and assimilate them, just like everything else he wanted. So what if he couldn’t eat the Prince of Pride now, he could preserve it with the thing’s head and scales for his own personal use. In fact, it only worked towards his benefit, this deal. Calling on an initially deep chuckle to come, leading to his distinct evil laughter, bellowing out from the large stomach of the hulking male. “Is that all?! The heart of a dragon… Hmph, I had planned to demolish someone else first. So how long do I have to bring it to you?” He lazily looked towards Narcissa, the freak of nature they’d all been shown before coming down here. “Before you send that creature after me.” Saying even that with an excited tone, he was probably just joking and thus had maintained his bright attitude.

He felt like nothing could really stop him, even mentioning that someone would come after the prince insinuated that he was careful, but in reality he just wanted to take part in a payment for the wonderful gift he had just been given. A sturdy hand that he could punch a hole in that damnable armor with, if he ever made contact with it again. That being over with he then glanced at the creepy looking man further into the place, giving him only a brief acknowledgement the first two times he spoke. “Now lets talk about this force of undead nature you’ve got stored here. What’s the price on all of them?” He inquired, with this flash of candies, he was going to take a grab at each one until he left the shop utterly satisfied. “And him.” An insinuation, made clear with a quick nod towards that man surrounded by two other variables. “Does he come with it?” Clearly with no idea who that cretin was.

 

Razorbackwriter:  

Hell’s Kitchen – The Lab.

Women. Such terrible time wasters. When in the midst of talks between men, they were nothing but a pure distraction – speaking and acting as if what was being discussed was not of great significance. The Doctor could only stand by and watch the woman’s pathetic attempt to kiss the Prince of Gluttony. Wilhelm dare not roll his eyes at the scene, but inwardly he just wished she’d go join the nearest witch knitting circle. Thankfully, she did make her announcement that she was taking leave. And about time too. Wilhelm, being the gentleman that he was – bowed ever so politely, whilst the Prince gave her a good telling off to the affect that she would not get away with such indiscretions. Madame Green left with nothing more than a simple ~pop~ and the Prince’s attentions were once again focused upon the hand on which he had now attached to his own arm. The Doctor kept a watchful eye upon the Prince, to see him calm once more so that talks could continue.

“Is that all?! The heart of a dragon… Hmph, I had planned to demolish someone else first. So how long do I have to bring it to you?”

So, the Prince had other plans before he was to complete the quest. This brought a happy squeal of delight from the Dark one, who finally chose to emerge from the shadows, closely followed by Father time.

“The Doctor is the middle man, dearie. You should be asking me. I am the one that gave the Doctor such a wonderful limb. Fits snugly, doesn’t it?” The Dark one wiggled a brow as he was now well and truly exposed. In behind him, the man in white – Father Time set down the sand glass that already had the sand falling through it. He appeared stern in light of the conversation, while the Doctor stood there holding the red satin lined box. Turning around, his jacket swirled as he assessed the many rows of undead soldiers that were still in the green goo like sacks. “An Army…fit for a King.” A little shoe shuffle and he bounded up onto the nearest work station.

“I was surprised you didn’t just pop the right hand of doom in your gob and swallow it whole. Smart move that you didn’t do that.” The Dark one touched his nose and gave a wink, before continuing on, while the Doctor looked at the Prince with a forlorn expression. The man in white – Father Time coughed loudly and this brought a look of disdain from the Dark one, who was just as eager to waste the Prince of Gluttony’s time as much as Madame Green had.

“AH YES! The time limit on this…quest.” The Dark one pointed at the sand hourglass which was much bigger than that of normal ones. “You have exactly seven days in which to return to the Lab with the Heart of Pride before you lose the chance at the BIG PRIZE!” Now the Dark one was acting like a showman under the big top. Another prize? This would be news to the Prince for sure. What did he think would happen to the arm if he failed? That it would just fall off? That it would lose it’s power? Hardly.

“Not sure if the Doctor explained to you, but he barely scratched the surface on the powers of that hand. What he didn’t tell you was….that that hand you have so snugly attached to your arm…is a key.” The Dark One jumped down off the table and strolled right up to the Demon of Wrath and whispered. “Bring back the heart of Pride, and I will tell you where to activate the key….and you will gain powers and treasure the likes of which….no other Prince has seen before.” The Dark one was appealing to the Prince’s everlasting hunger for more. “If you don’t, well…..then its just a hand.”

Father Time nodded in agreement.

This would be a lot for the Prince to take in, but he had asked about the army. The Doctor took out a locket in his pocket and opened it to stare down at a picture of his beloved, the one he had lost after a deal with the Dark one. The Dark One owned him now, which meant he owned the lab as well.

“The Doctor will release the army to you when you are ready to take on Pride. Seeing as you have….other business to attend to first.” The army was not quite ready for release, as the Doctor had to make final arrangements himself. The Dark one then glanced at the ever eager servant of the Prince. “Just send him back to collect and the army is yours. Oh….but we do have the rights to collect all dead from this conflict to be recycled. Think of it as our ‘keep Hell beautiful’ policy.”

The Doctor snapped shut the locket and put it back in his pocket, before offering the box that was for the heart of Pride to the Prince. The heart was to be taken from the Prince of Pride….still beating. Within the box, it stays alive…so does the Prince of Pride. The only way to truly finish the Prince was to destroy the heart, and there was no way the Dark One wanted a dead prince on his hands.

“I think that wraps things up. Tick tock…dearie…Tick tock!”

Time was marching on, and if the Prince and his entourage had any sense, they would take the lift back up to the foyer of the Lab now.

The Man in white fell back into the shadows, and the Dark one danced off after him as he sang:

Black ride the men
Who ride with death
Under the midnight sky
They will never die
Murderers walk the earth…
Beneath the curse of Cain…
Men shall die for this
Prepare to meet your god
He grants them no last wish
Just kiss of flintlock gun
Fires of Hades…
Will welcome his slaves…
Crimson clouds before their eyes
And flames about their brains
Blood has left their souls
Its everlasting stain
Pilgrim without land
Only has will of steel
Waves his rapier hand
For him the weak should kneel
Where’s your daughter?
…He will take her home
(Blues for Satan!)
We’re the drums, soul of doom
We’ve head the same call too
Where heresy grows so fast
We shall make you last
Solomon Kane
God’s warrior
Solomon Kane
That chap’s insane
Solomon Kane
Bittersweet man
Solomon Kane
All God ever had
Right hand of doom
Will swing for you
Apocalypse…
Will begin soon!
Solomon Kane!

The doors of the lift opened wide, ready to take the Prince and his entourage inside.

~RB~