Morella

[Koal]

Cheshire was a simple woman, if she were to describe herself. Low maintenance, pretty, and strong were the words she'd use. She'd awoken in this world with no one, a lone demoness at a fountain with no source. Then she'd come here. A world of innovation, with rules for everything, stipulations on everything from who could live where to how you were allowed to fucking breathe. Just so she could have some semblance of structure in a world in which everything and everyone was a stranger. And then she found Tobias. A hulking mountain of a demon of rage, with a cool exterior and elegant mannerisms. He had been her rock for the longest time. There to protect her and be her anchor. They lived in one of the poorest places, and she felt terrible for not being able to contribute more. But they had scraped together a life for themselves, and they got by that way. A hollow existence, capitalized by a fear of Primes, who had done nothing but threaten people for money and power. Then, they met another of their kind, an aura of Pride emanating around him. He had captivated her, and from the way he hadn't been able to take his eyes off her, so was he. A Prime, a demon like them, breaking down expectations and building up confidence in her where there used to be false bravado. Building Pride in her, even as she poured the warmth and fire of Wrath into him. And thus, their symbiotic relationship was formed. To feed of one another, instead of draining humans. To become better than themselves.  

Looking at Koal now, even after a few short days, she could see the changes in him. A slightly more relaxed body posture, the dark bags under his eyes slowly fading away after a few nights of uninterrupted sleep. Presently, he was crouch down, bartering like a professional salesman, with tact and without being offensive. He was wearing his leather jacket, which was thrown over a loose-fitting red t-shirt. She watched him for a moment, before letting out a small huff as she crouched down to peer curiously at the small object in his hands.  

A small silver chain lay coiled in his palm, curled up like a small serpent. Small and dainty, Cheshire knew it would never fit Koal, and let her mind wander as she rested her chin on his shoulder and listened to the alto timbre of his voice. 

" Half a parcel for the silver chain, sir." 

" How about a prism?" 

" Counteroffer: Half a parcel and I give you the bracelet and the matching necklace, hm?" 

She could feel the taut muscle underneath her chin shift as he moved his weight from one leg to another. Reaching back to grasp the small pouch that swung lazily at his hips, Cheshire watched in almost slow motion as the old man in front of them pulled out a gun, putting it in Koal's face. Her hands tightly grasping his jacket, Cheshire felt the power in both of them thrum, the ancient blood of demons singing to life, a symphony of screams and pain. Both of them moving in tandem, Cheshire pushed off of Koal, even as he deftly smacked the gun out of his face, the demons both igniting in a storm of lighting and fire. The entire bazaar around them ignited too, as firebombs throw from surrounding building shattered against the faux stone ground. Then everyone could hear the screams and feel the pain. Her very skin turning to living flame, she jumped through the fire to Koal, who wore a cloak of crimson lightning, looking every bit as a prince of Hell.  

And then the real fun began. 

Soldiers in steel-grey armor filing into the square, boots hitting the ground from every direction. She and Koal moved back to back, preparing for the worst. 

"I'm sorry kids, but our employer needs to have a word with you. Say you've been poking in places you don't belong." 

"Oh, wow, another place I don't belong. Just when I thought there couldn't be any more." Cheshire almost wanted to smack him for the nerve he had to make a joke when being quite literally outnumbered and outgunned. She settled for marking down on her mental to-do list. 

"Too bad I don't feel like cooperating today. You can take me there in chains, or not at all. But I'd like to see how many of you I'll take down before you get me." She felt his voice deepen and settle into a growl. And rolled her shoulders and widened her foot stance, letting her razor-sharp teeth show and the first in her soul to consume her living form. She practically felt the roar that Koal let out and let out one herself as they threw themselves at the soldiers, who roared their own battle cry and met them with equal ferocity. She ducked under the barrel of a gun, sweeping the man's legs out from under him, driving a burning hand through the seam in his chest plate, incinerating his heart. The solider next to her found a black great sword in his chest before a thousand volts erased him from the plane of the living. Down went a score of soldiers, falling under the might and fury of the duo.

But in the end, all she could do is watch as Koal thrashed against chains that wouldn't break before she felt herself give into the comforting world of her waking nightmares.