Go Big or Go Home
Desman looked down at Ash as their arms were entangled, he found reassurance in her eyes and he was ready ’One two three, one two three…’
The crowd immediately went wild as the center of the area rose up to reveal Black Ash, his electricity making a display that made dirt and dust particles go flying everywhere, he was showing off and they loved it.
Black Ash’s outfit starts with the pointed tips of his gold shoes, from the ankles his pants bell out and rise to his lower hips. Perfectly defined abs exposed to the public, smooth broad pecs half exposed, cloth around his neck and shoulders hiding his collarbone and nearly all of his face. He grinned behind layers, completed with a puffy hat. He looked like a man of the sands, wearing The Red Devil’s quill at his side like an Arabian prince. His red hair mingled with the gold and white fabric, in the sheets of crimson hairs were gold and black beads. On his fingers, gold rings, his arm sported a red Egyptian themed band.
He greeted all his fans with kisses in return for their anticipation, his coat flattering majestically against the wind as he stood in the middle. “So, where is my challenger?” That’s when he heard the gate screech to life. The fusion could sense the opponent, but it was fuzzy, like something was blocking them, forcing them to turn around to see whatever monstrosity had been pulled out of the deepest depths of the underverse to deal with the new champion in the making.
The red skinned man’s sword sprung to life as he pointed at the gate, and he waited with new ambitions. He just needed to kill anything they could throw at him, if he could do that, they could leave; They could be free. Yet, freedom was always paid with a piece of you in addition to the cost of despair created by the lump sums stated by the gatekeepers, and this would be no different.
The world went blank around them, and the most unusual sensation washed over the fused worrier.
Desman stood there, alone, in a space as blank and featureless as The Nexus he’s traveled through several times. Except there was nothing, no gates, no horizon, no fountain, no hope. He turned around several times until he was dizzy with desperation, falling on his face in the sand under his feet. The human groaned and rubbed his head, beginning to pull himself back together. When he finally braved getting back to his feet, he looked up casually and found a hand.
Instantly his mind went to Ash, and he grinned up hoping to see her face. Only for his eyes to meet a similar set to his…
“Hello, brother… It’s been a long time.” Nexus said, smiling down at him.
-
Ash found herself floating in darkness once more. She normally didn’t dream when fused with Desman. She was aware that this combination, for whatever reason, was more complete. Before she had individuality, control, and a voice. In this combination their thoughts were faster than instant, her voice has been reduced to reactional thoughts in the brain of their singular body. She didn’t even know what she looked like, she just understood that it was far beyond the other one.
Firstly it was more intimate, lot less separate. They weren’t two minds sharing a body, they were one mind, one body. It was poetic, it was serenity, it was peace…
It was suffocating.
That had been her first red flag. The very idea that she had comprehending thoughts about circumstances meant they were no longer joined in unity. Desman has abandoned her… So why was she not herself? What was this strange floating feeling? Had she bitten off more than she could chew when she demanded Neujimin give them something a lot more satisfying in prize?
‘Am I dead?’ She asked herself mentally, closing her eyes and trying to recall anything else.
As soon as she began though, she felt something step up to her as if she could feel the breath of another person on her chin. The storm demon opened her eyes to see a mirror before her. She knew it was a mirror because it was a direct reflection of her. Staring boredly back at her own face.
Only for the for her reflection to take on a life of its own in the next minute. Her blank eyes shifted into dread, sadness swirling into them. Tears began to fall on her cheek, washing away the bruised color of her skin as they slid down her face. It got so much that the reflection couldn’t hold back, and a wail cried out, the medium which Ash was floating on rippled out violently. She wondered for a moment if this was her mother’s doing…
“Damn it, Emma! Why are you always blaming mom!?” Isabelle’s voice pierced through the darkness, and when the reflection looked up it still wore Ash’s face but with nearly marble white skin, pure and untouched by scars. Streams of tears still pouring as she looked at her sister with desperation. She wiped more at her face, clearing away the drawn on rings as if a makeup artist had been hired just for this illusion. Even now the horns that had looked so real before were two-dimensional in appearance.
Ash - who had never shown an ounce of real emotion since this moment - chipped at her sister’s pain. Instead of looking past the image and dribbling out something to make this go faster, she stared at the pain raining down on her sister’s face. Emma herself felt pain.
Isabelle’s hands slapped against the mirror. “Emma! Please! Stop this foolishness. Please come home!” She begged, already starting to smack her fists against the window that separated her from her twin sister. “Emma! Please! Mother’s heart is breaking because you’re gone. Dad is sick with worry. I need you! We’re falling apart Emma, please!!”
Ash did not hurt because of the face her sister was making, nor the pain she appeared to be in for unrelated reasons. The fracture that lingered in her icy heart was for the real twin.
Shock washed over Isabelle’s face. “You… Don’t think I really miss you?”
“Isabelle, yes,” Ash said, her eyes turning dark. “You? No. You don’t even know me.”
“Wh-What?”
“Please… You already look rather stupid. Don’t make it worse for yourself.” Ash said, bluntly.
The fear and sadness melted away from the girl’s face, replaced with a smirk. “You’re much quicker than your boyfriend… Did I do something too cliche, then?”
“Not really.”
“What gave me away?” The eyes that looked up at her were now gold but still blank.
“Isabelle is far too boring to be here,” Ash said truthfully but with a matching grin.
Her twin coughed up a laugh, then raised her fist once more. The glass shattered dramatically before a brand new figure stood before Ash. Their elongated green arm seizing the storm demon by the throat and squeezing. The figure grinned wickedly as they looked back into her eyes. “And what about this, any last words? You are already so blue in the face…”
“That’s because… It's my fetish!” Ash moaned before stabbing the figure between the ribs with her Red Devil’s Quill.
The was a earth shattering screech from the creature then everything went black.
-
“N-Nexus?” Desman couldn’t believe his eyes, his brother was staying there, safe and sound, tears filled up his eyelids as he threw himself around the person he cared about most. “*sniff* How are you alive? How did you get here? How did you even know where to find me? …you know what. I don’t care. I’ve missed you.” The tears of Desman streamed down the younger brothers back, his head weighing heavy on the young man’s shoulder.
Nexus’ voice was calmer, more gentler, a voice that could make anything seem like it was alright. “I missed you Desman… BUT THEN YOU ABANDONED ME!”
Desman was suddenly pushed back onto the ground, forced to bear witness to his brothers hurt and anger filled face. “I was so happy when I realized that I’d finally get to see my brother again, of his own choosing too. But then you left me… continuing to live your life… YOU CHOOSE SOME PIECE OF HARDWARE OVER YOUR OWN BROTHER!!!”
“She wasn’t just some bit of hardware!” The words came out of Desman’s mouth without him thinking about it.
“Even now you still do it!” The tone of Nexus’ voice had been completely taken over by Anger, the feeling of hurt he showed at the beginning now hidden away. “Even when I’m right here in front of you and she’s nowhere to be found. And I'm not just talking to you, I’m talking to all of you. You all had chances to bring me back, yet you didn’t! I bet your new play toy is no different… you would happily sacrifice me for her happiness.”
Desman just stared at his brother, had he really inadvertently caused this much pain? It hurt Desman knowing this now.
“In fact, let’s prove this, you can either kill yourself and be with me, but leaving Ash in this ‘Underverse’. Or, you can kill me, allowing your precious Demon to escape hell.”
“Nexus…”
-
So far the audience that watched the fight from the seats in the stands were sorely disappointed by the lack of action going on. In the center of the stage was a cluster of green sacks. When the bright light flashed, it blinded the whole stadium, so when everyone could see again they were welcomed by the aftermath of what was going on. They saw their champion, a green demonic figure with spins like a cactus. He kneeled in the center of the crystallized goop in a pose he looked like he was pushing the two pods he’d created apart.
As to why there were even two was beyond everyone but Neujimin, he sat a little lower in his seat, a bit defeated. Damien had challenged him again after congratulating his successful retrieving of his fighter - this was after passive-aggressively commenting on how nice it must be to have a prime as a fighter. The dark haired demon knew he shouldn’t have taken the challenge, but that same day Ash had demanded to be able to fight something that would at least make a chip into their debt. He sighed to himself, his hardened shoulders dipping a little lower as he realized his mistake. Of course, she couldn’t handle these guys… Damien took the best for himself.
That’s when he, and the rest of the crowd, heard shattering noise as someone broke through the barrier of one of the pods. He hardly had the strength to look up, sure that it was Nathis - the champion - that was breaking free to throw his arms out in victory. His dread filled eyes lifted just long enough to confirm.
To everyone’s surprise, evident in thousands of gasps in chorus with each other including one cigar addicted demon, a very slender woman slid out of the pod, pulling her hips through and setting her legs on the edges like she would pounce whoever dared to put her in the bath of green liquid that fell off her nearly naked body.
He watched The Storm Demon twist her body over itself, slowly like a gymnast going for the gold - pointed toes and everything - so that when she released her grip on the pod she dropped to her feet in a stand. She did not stick the landing however and would lose a lot of points for it. Instead, Ash moved about the frozen scene, wiping off as much of the goo as possible while bringing her eyes on the pod that most likely held Desman in it. She didn’t seem all that interested as she only glanced. She looked far more interested in the statue that was her opponent.
Ash looked closely at the figure as if she were inspecting a piece of abstract art and trying to find a meaning to it. She stepped back from him and then concentrated on something she wanted, something that required a few moments of her concentration. Neujimin had by then gripped the wood of his seat and threatened to break it. While she was fucking around Desman was still fighting; Evidently loosing if Ash was capable of escaping faster than him. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to lose all opportunity to end this now…
‘Would you please just hurry the fuck up woman…’ He thought to himself.
The crowd around him let out a fearful gasp as she pulled out and revved her big blue chainsword up. Before anyone could react, she brought the rotating blade down on the creatures shoulder. It was an inch into the body of the creature and the thing didn’t even move. Ash noticed this as well, she had to of, she was a lot quicker than most people he knew. She hesitated to look at Nathis’ face but not even a brow had raised. He watched her shrug and then push the blade though. She seemed really disappointed that in the end that there wasn’t even enough reaction to make this fun.
The world sat there and watched her chainsword spray his dark green blood across the stage and herself, listened as it clicked across several hard layers of bone, and their nightmares would be haunted by the image of their champion’s loss where he could do nothing to defend himself. Defeated by a woman who knew nothing of fear and everything of brutality.
-
Nexus had Desman backed up against the corner, tears flowing down his cheeks like waterfalls, his brown hoodie draped over him like a blanket. “I can’t do this, please don’t make me have to choose.”
“It didn’t take you so long to choose back then…” Nexus was still on Desman’s chase, saying how every choice he made had hurt him.
“That’s cause I didn’t know seeing you was an option, I thought there was nothing after if I had stuck to my first choice.”
“You could’ve made that your wish,” Nexus retorted, “BUT INSTEAD YOU JUST WISHED FOR SOMEONE TO REPLACE ME!!”
“That’s not what happened!”
“THEN TELL ME WHAT D-” At that moment an arrow shot the boy's heart, cutting him off in mid-sentence. The boy who was his brother slowed in his steps, then stumbled to his knees. His image shifting like a programmed hologram being corrupted. It was all too familiar to Desman.
“No! Nexus, not again.” Desman scurried over to his brother. Feeling for a heartbeat, breathing, anything. “Please, not again…”
-
When Ash was done, she held up the frozen head and single arm up to the crowd. Showing them how easily their champion has changed. She grinned with wicked excitement as she walked it over to its master. Damien.
She finally had a face to the name. Well… More like a skull. He was the last and finally large figure in the crowd. He’d been the largest actually, without her knowing it her mind had been drawn to him that day. He showed no emotion as she tossed the corpse of his fallen fighter his way. Her throw was weak and it landed on a few people just in front of him, which scatter and scream in disgust. Their feeble normal minds breaking under just the idea of death being so close…
Damien didn’t flinch, he just stared straight at her. They met eye to eye while the rest of the crowd grew nervous and distracted by other things going on around them.
Specifically, the pods melting away until most of a body and a whole body lay in a puddle of green, both male. One was, of course, the fallen Nathis and the second a human with bright red hair, tears streaming down his face even now. A voice from overhead announces Damien the looser, if only because he couldn't name the winning fighter.
This, and only this is when Damien looked away as he turned to leave. Stone silence among the chaos that was between fans of the old champion and the new champion.
When Desman finally wakes up, he was in their bed, a full sized bed in a hotel sized room. In fact, it was almost just that. A large living space with a full sized bed and a table. There were two chairs for them to share a meal at or could be used as a makeshift desk. An angled wall cut off the bathroom that had a functional toilet, sink, and shower - all with limited water use via a timer which was reset by hitting the nob. Demons apparently were eco-friendly here in the underverse.
He was very much alone as well, he couldn’t hear any noises that indicated Ash was in the room. Not even her tapping on her cyberdeck. He moved to confirm this with his eyes and found the room empty, but also that he was covered in something that was green and sticky. It’s gotten all over the bed…
Ash would be fine, he had much more on his mind than his demoness.
Maybe a shower would help.
Go Bigger to Go Home
The official judgment room was full of people. Damien and Neujimin were among the biggest personalities that managed to fit inside of a relatively small room. Ash stood towards the center, in chains. Not that anyone thought they’d do any good against her if she really wished to escape. They were mostly for show, and almost everyone in that room knew that, yet no one said anything.
A man sat at the desk, a small creature that barely came to Ash’s knees. He had a flaming skull for a head, a dark almost featureless body, and a glorious bone white mustache. He stared at some papers and then looked up at her. Then at her master, and then at Damien. He did this for some time before bringing the papers together and setting them aside.
“In the case of Nathis vs Black Ash - Black Ash apparently being a fusion between two of Neujimin’s fighters which included Ash here, I proclaim that Ash the Storm Demon the winner and the New Champion. I had been there in the fight and have read the records left by the official judge. She not only escaped the pod that Nathis commonly used to immobilize his prey, but also was the one to cut his head off.”
“I was nice enough to deliver the trophy back to his master, too,” Ash explained, giving Damien a sweetened smile.
The short man cleared his throat. “I can’t say I am not entertained by that move, but it generally isn’t nice to throw things at your master’s competition.”
Neujimin stifled a laugh as best he could.
“So, officially, Ash, you are the champion. Your master may reward you with whatever prize he seems fit. However, this Desman does not share the victory and you are more than welcome to rechallenge him, Damien. So unless there is any further need for me, I ask that you leave my office immediately.”
“Of course, sir.” Damien’s voice was dark and smooth, like demonic chocolate. It surprised Ash.
Neujimin grabbed her by the chains and pulled her closer. “Thank you, sir.” He said, bowing to the shorter demon and they exited. Before she could even begin what Neujimin expected would be some sexual taunting to remind him of his promises of great rewards, Damien interrupted.
“Neujimin.” He said, as his followers closed the doors respectfully to the judge’s room. “Congratulations.” He said, his eyes turning to the female. “How much for her?”
“Sorry, Damien. She just bought her freedom.” He said, pulling on the lock and releasing the chains which turn to light and vanish. “Thank you for that. Now I only have one stubborn Prime to deal with.” He said, turning his back to Ash and facing his rival, pulling at the cigar in his mouth to talk more freely. “If you ask nicely though, I bet she will bend over for you before she leaves.”
“I’ll do that even if you don’t ask nicely,” Ash answered, slipping her arms around Neujimin’s, winking at Damien.
The skull made no attempt to share his emotional turmoil. If it could indeed at all. “Tempting.” He sounded just as bored as he looked. “But I have a fight I have to prepare for.” He said, reaching out a hand to the girl. When Ash offered hers he took it gently and leaned down to kiss it. As best as a skull can kiss a hand. “Maybe when we have a free night, Champion.”
With that, he changed directions and left the two where they were.
To break the silence, she turned to her master. “You might want to at least put the collar on me, or people might believe that I am a citizen. Might respect me or something.”
“I meant it, Ash.” He said, flexing his arm and putting his hand over her folded hands on his arm. “Welcome to the Underverse.” He took her by the chin and kissed her. “Never let me find you in his bed.” He demanded after pulling away.
She smiled that same grin as usual. “What about yours?”
“I’d tell you to be there tonight… But I need to set up a meeting with Diablo.”
-
Neujimin walked into their cell, Ash had insisted that she stay there with Desman and had made a point not to tell him of her freedom or her championship. Meanwhile, Damien has officially challenged the demon and his last standing fighter. “Desman, you have a challenge. You go in by yourself.”
“By myself…?”
“Yeah.” His master said, tossing the invitation onto the bed where he was curled up while Ash played with her cyberdeck.
“Desman doesn't really stand a chance by himself,” Ash said, getting up and snatching the paper from the bed.
“That’s probably why he’s picking his words carefully and singling Desman out. Now that he knows you are two different people he will try what he can to avenge his champion.” He looked up to see Ash grinning. “What?”
Ash begins to fan herself with the card. “It says ‘I challenge you and your fighter, Desman, to a brawl.’”
“Yeah… So?” Neujimin asked, knowing a good idea on her face when he sees one.
“The only reason me and Desman can fuse together is because he has a unique source of power to do it. How does finally punching Damien in the face for what he’s done to you sound?”
Both demons grinned before looking Desman up and down like a piece of meat.
Desman, Damien, and a date with Diablo
Ash knocked against the door’s frame, but she was already passing through with Neujimin looked up. “Close the door.” He commanded, with a softer tone than if it were Desman. He made no motion to leave his desk or the work that was scattered across the table top. She did as she was told and moved in closer, leaning against the desk on his side and waiting to be acknowledged. She noted how easily he glanced at her, grinning to herself as he went back to work.
“You were the one that summoned me, Neujimin.” She purred, reaching over and stroking his thick bicep through the paper thin silk shirt.
“I’m finishing up your letter of recommendation at this moment.” He taunted, a pen flicking like a paintbrush across the paper.
“Does that mean I should be a good girl and keep my hands to myself until then?”
“Do I really turn you on that much?” Nuejimin asked, not even looking up.
“Strong men with power and a thick cock tend to.” Ash cooed, then giggled to herself before she got to her feet. His office was about as boring as you’d think an office would be. Shelves of some hardwood that was sturdy enough to hold important books and such. In his case, old first place trophies that probably weren’t in style anymore.
To her surprise, however, as she was looking at the polished achievements she came across her own image in a clear stone propped up for anyone to see. She stood there, holding the head of the last champion by the back of the neck while it gave the viewer a thumbs up. Before she could stop it, a laugh burst past her fangs.
“I see you’ve found your monument of glory.” He said, turning around in the chair to face her.
“Did you do this?” She asked as she pulled it out and pointed to the arm raised.
“I thought it was only fitting for you.” He said dryly, though smiled afterward. He then presented her a folded and wax sealed piece of paper. “Here. Your meeting with him is later tonight.”
“How much later?” Ash asked, taking her attention off the appropriately not very serious trophy and coming closer to accept the letter.
“About the time our fight is. You’ll have just enough time to present a sense of moral support before you can slink off.” Neujimin let her take the note, then leaned back. “I imagine you won’t be back unless someone is waiting for you with a banishing circle. So it would be best to get any other business out of the way now.”
She smiled down at him, moving to place the letter aside while she climbs into his chair, straddling him. “You mean, if I have any other strong men with power I want to fuck, I better get to it?” She teases, letting her hands glide up his chest and then get entangled into his soft black hair.
Neujimin’s hands came over her body instantly, welcoming the storm demon into his lap and even encouraging her actions by rubbing her butt. “Among many other plans.” He whispered before presenting his mouth to her’s. She took it without hesitation.
-
When they were done she was naked in a different chair, legs over the arm of one side. She was in thought while he was back to work. She kind of liked the idea that he spent his fifteen-minute break just to fuck her. She was too busy thinking about what else she could possibly do in the Underverse. “Neujimin.”
“Hm?”
“If I do get banished again, should I just come back to you?”
“My bed will be here, sure.”
Ash laughed at that. He knew her a bit too well, didn’t he? “What about my bed? My place?”
“I can’t hold a top-tier cell for you,” Neujimin said, looking up. “Who did you piss off?”
“The Empire.” Ash said with an equal neutral tone.
“How did you manage that?”
“Prison break.”
It was Neujimin’s turn to laugh. “You know where my office is, sweetheart. Just come find me. I’ll put you to work.” He teased.
“As long as I get to sleep in something more comfortable than this chair when you are done with me.” She teased back, twisting in the chair and getting to her feet.
“I do have a place of my own, I’ve rarely used it since I purchased you.”
“Because you went broke on a good investment?” Ash baited.
“Because you are always getting into some trouble.” Neujimin batted her away. “I’ll send you the information later.”
-
Damien. He is easily as tall as Dust, in Ash’s opinion. He had large horns pointed out of his skull and his eyes bored down on the two before him. Ash stood in the mostly empty audience section. This was an official fight, but not officially public. Damien wanted to prove something, not parade another one of his collection about. He was going to be fighting Desman. He planned to destroy the human.
Desman gulped down his fear and looked over at Ash for that support she promised. She waved at him happily, and he felt a little braver.
“Come to pat him on the back, Neujimin. That’s sweet.” Damien mocked, but his voice lacked humor. Just darkness and a hint of anger.
“Actually. I am here to fight.” Neujimin said, offering the judge the letter of the challenge with a highlighted portion.
“I challenged you to a one on one,” Damien said, baring his glare on the human who seemed to buckle under the stress.
“Yes, but you challenged me and my fighter. And who would I be if I did not honor that request? As it just so happens, we can do both. See Desman here can fuse with almost anyone.”
Damien who has been hard to read since then has turned an obvious glare onto the human-like he misjudged who was the more powerful. The judge that would make the calls was interrupted. “I’ll allow it, but then I want to wager a warrior on the result.”
“Deal,” Nuejimin said, offering his hand to shake before Desman could argue. Not that he could to begin with.
“Deal,” Damien replied before giving Neujimin’s hand a hardy shake.
“The deal has been acknowledged by the official rule makers and will be enforced in the even either party attempts to dishonor it. Fighters have 3 minute to prepare themselves. Damien vs Neujimin and Desman will start in 4.” The smaller pumpkin creature announced.
Both sides split.
Desman came up to Ash. “Your planned worked. Now what?” He whispered in a hurry.
“Now you just have to win.” Ash smiled down at him. “Good luck.” She said uncharacteristically cheerfully. It went without notice.
“Okay Desman. Follow my lead.” His master called after him before taking up the masculine position for a tango. Desman pouted, but headed over regardless. He hoped Neujimin is at least half as tough as he acted…
Meanwhile, Ash slipped into the mysterious halls that surrounded the Colosseum, hanging a right as instructed by Neujimin. Heading to her audience with Diablo.
Desman looked down at Ash as their arms were entangled, he found reassurance in her eyes and he was ready ’One two three, one two three…’
The crowd immediately went wild as the center of the area rose up to reveal Black Ash, his electricity making a display that made dirt and dust particles go flying everywhere, he was showing off and they loved it.
Black Ash’s outfit starts with the pointed tips of his gold shoes, from the ankles his pants bell out and rise to his lower hips. Perfectly defined abs exposed to the public, smooth broad pecs half exposed, cloth around his neck and shoulders hiding his collarbone and nearly all of his face. He grinned behind layers, completed with a puffy hat. He looked like a man of the sands, wearing The Red Devil’s quill at his side like an Arabian prince. His red hair mingled with the gold and white fabric, in the sheets of crimson hairs were gold and black beads. On his fingers, gold rings, his arm sported a red Egyptian themed band.
He greeted all his fans with kisses in return for their anticipation, his coat flattering majestically against the wind as he stood in the middle. “So, where is my challenger?” That’s when he heard the gate screech to life. The fusion could sense the opponent, but it was fuzzy, like something was blocking them, forcing them to turn around to see whatever monstrosity had been pulled out of the deepest depths of the underverse to deal with the new champion in the making.
The red skinned man’s sword sprung to life as he pointed at the gate, and he waited with new ambitions. He just needed to kill anything they could throw at him, if he could do that, they could leave; They could be free. Yet, freedom was always paid with a piece of you in addition to the cost of despair created by the lump sums stated by the gatekeepers, and this would be no different.
The world went blank around them, and the most unusual sensation washed over the fused worrier.
Desman stood there, alone, in a space as blank and featureless as The Nexus he’s traveled through several times. Except there was nothing, no gates, no horizon, no fountain, no hope. He turned around several times until he was dizzy with desperation, falling on his face in the sand under his feet. The human groaned and rubbed his head, beginning to pull himself back together. When he finally braved getting back to his feet, he looked up casually and found a hand.
Instantly his mind went to Ash, and he grinned up hoping to see her face. Only for his eyes to meet a similar set to his…
“Hello, brother… It’s been a long time.” Nexus said, smiling down at him.
-
Ash found herself floating in darkness once more. She normally didn’t dream when fused with Desman. She was aware that this combination, for whatever reason, was more complete. Before she had individuality, control, and a voice. In this combination their thoughts were faster than instant, her voice has been reduced to reactional thoughts in the brain of their singular body. She didn’t even know what she looked like, she just understood that it was far beyond the other one.
Firstly it was more intimate, lot less separate. They weren’t two minds sharing a body, they were one mind, one body. It was poetic, it was serenity, it was peace…
It was suffocating.
That had been her first red flag. The very idea that she had comprehending thoughts about circumstances meant they were no longer joined in unity. Desman has abandoned her… So why was she not herself? What was this strange floating feeling? Had she bitten off more than she could chew when she demanded Neujimin give them something a lot more satisfying in prize?
‘Am I dead?’ She asked herself mentally, closing her eyes and trying to recall anything else.
As soon as she began though, she felt something step up to her as if she could feel the breath of another person on her chin. The storm demon opened her eyes to see a mirror before her. She knew it was a mirror because it was a direct reflection of her. Staring boredly back at her own face.
Only for the for her reflection to take on a life of its own in the next minute. Her blank eyes shifted into dread, sadness swirling into them. Tears began to fall on her cheek, washing away the bruised color of her skin as they slid down her face. It got so much that the reflection couldn’t hold back, and a wail cried out, the medium which Ash was floating on rippled out violently. She wondered for a moment if this was her mother’s doing…
“Damn it, Emma! Why are you always blaming mom!?” Isabelle’s voice pierced through the darkness, and when the reflection looked up it still wore Ash’s face but with nearly marble white skin, pure and untouched by scars. Streams of tears still pouring as she looked at her sister with desperation. She wiped more at her face, clearing away the drawn on rings as if a makeup artist had been hired just for this illusion. Even now the horns that had looked so real before were two-dimensional in appearance.
Ash - who had never shown an ounce of real emotion since this moment - chipped at her sister’s pain. Instead of looking past the image and dribbling out something to make this go faster, she stared at the pain raining down on her sister’s face. Emma herself felt pain.
Isabelle’s hands slapped against the mirror. “Emma! Please! Stop this foolishness. Please come home!” She begged, already starting to smack her fists against the window that separated her from her twin sister. “Emma! Please! Mother’s heart is breaking because you’re gone. Dad is sick with worry. I need you! We’re falling apart Emma, please!!”
Ash did not hurt because of the face her sister was making, nor the pain she appeared to be in for unrelated reasons. The fracture that lingered in her icy heart was for the real twin.
Shock washed over Isabelle’s face. “You… Don’t think I really miss you?”
“Isabelle, yes,” Ash said, her eyes turning dark. “You? No. You don’t even know me.”
“Wh-What?”
“Please… You already look rather stupid. Don’t make it worse for yourself.” Ash said, bluntly.
The fear and sadness melted away from the girl’s face, replaced with a smirk. “You’re much quicker than your boyfriend… Did I do something too cliche, then?”
“Not really.”
“What gave me away?” The eyes that looked up at her were now gold but still blank.
“Isabelle is far too boring to be here,” Ash said truthfully but with a matching grin.
Her twin coughed up a laugh, then raised her fist once more. The glass shattered dramatically before a brand new figure stood before Ash. Their elongated green arm seizing the storm demon by the throat and squeezing. The figure grinned wickedly as they looked back into her eyes. “And what about this, any last words? You are already so blue in the face…”
“That’s because… It's my fetish!” Ash moaned before stabbing the figure between the ribs with her Red Devil’s Quill.
The was a earth shattering screech from the creature then everything went black.
-
“N-Nexus?” Desman couldn’t believe his eyes, his brother was staying there, safe and sound, tears filled up his eyelids as he threw himself around the person he cared about most. “*sniff* How are you alive? How did you get here? How did you even know where to find me? …you know what. I don’t care. I’ve missed you.” The tears of Desman streamed down the younger brothers back, his head weighing heavy on the young man’s shoulder.
Nexus’ voice was calmer, more gentler, a voice that could make anything seem like it was alright. “I missed you Desman… BUT THEN YOU ABANDONED ME!”
Desman was suddenly pushed back onto the ground, forced to bear witness to his brothers hurt and anger filled face. “I was so happy when I realized that I’d finally get to see my brother again, of his own choosing too. But then you left me… continuing to live your life… YOU CHOOSE SOME PIECE OF HARDWARE OVER YOUR OWN BROTHER!!!”
“She wasn’t just some bit of hardware!” The words came out of Desman’s mouth without him thinking about it.
“Even now you still do it!” The tone of Nexus’ voice had been completely taken over by Anger, the feeling of hurt he showed at the beginning now hidden away. “Even when I’m right here in front of you and she’s nowhere to be found. And I'm not just talking to you, I’m talking to all of you. You all had chances to bring me back, yet you didn’t! I bet your new play toy is no different… you would happily sacrifice me for her happiness.”
Desman just stared at his brother, had he really inadvertently caused this much pain? It hurt Desman knowing this now.
“In fact, let’s prove this, you can either kill yourself and be with me, but leaving Ash in this ‘Underverse’. Or, you can kill me, allowing your precious Demon to escape hell.”
“Nexus…”
-
So far the audience that watched the fight from the seats in the stands were sorely disappointed by the lack of action going on. In the center of the stage was a cluster of green sacks. When the bright light flashed, it blinded the whole stadium, so when everyone could see again they were welcomed by the aftermath of what was going on. They saw their champion, a green demonic figure with spins like a cactus. He kneeled in the center of the crystallized goop in a pose he looked like he was pushing the two pods he’d created apart.
As to why there were even two was beyond everyone but Neujimin, he sat a little lower in his seat, a bit defeated. Damien had challenged him again after congratulating his successful retrieving of his fighter - this was after passive-aggressively commenting on how nice it must be to have a prime as a fighter. The dark haired demon knew he shouldn’t have taken the challenge, but that same day Ash had demanded to be able to fight something that would at least make a chip into their debt. He sighed to himself, his hardened shoulders dipping a little lower as he realized his mistake. Of course, she couldn’t handle these guys… Damien took the best for himself.
That’s when he, and the rest of the crowd, heard shattering noise as someone broke through the barrier of one of the pods. He hardly had the strength to look up, sure that it was Nathis - the champion - that was breaking free to throw his arms out in victory. His dread filled eyes lifted just long enough to confirm.
To everyone’s surprise, evident in thousands of gasps in chorus with each other including one cigar addicted demon, a very slender woman slid out of the pod, pulling her hips through and setting her legs on the edges like she would pounce whoever dared to put her in the bath of green liquid that fell off her nearly naked body.
He watched The Storm Demon twist her body over itself, slowly like a gymnast going for the gold - pointed toes and everything - so that when she released her grip on the pod she dropped to her feet in a stand. She did not stick the landing however and would lose a lot of points for it. Instead, Ash moved about the frozen scene, wiping off as much of the goo as possible while bringing her eyes on the pod that most likely held Desman in it. She didn’t seem all that interested as she only glanced. She looked far more interested in the statue that was her opponent.
Ash looked closely at the figure as if she were inspecting a piece of abstract art and trying to find a meaning to it. She stepped back from him and then concentrated on something she wanted, something that required a few moments of her concentration. Neujimin had by then gripped the wood of his seat and threatened to break it. While she was fucking around Desman was still fighting; Evidently loosing if Ash was capable of escaping faster than him. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to lose all opportunity to end this now…
‘Would you please just hurry the fuck up woman…’ He thought to himself.
The crowd around him let out a fearful gasp as she pulled out and revved her big blue chainsword up. Before anyone could react, she brought the rotating blade down on the creatures shoulder. It was an inch into the body of the creature and the thing didn’t even move. Ash noticed this as well, she had to of, she was a lot quicker than most people he knew. She hesitated to look at Nathis’ face but not even a brow had raised. He watched her shrug and then push the blade though. She seemed really disappointed that in the end that there wasn’t even enough reaction to make this fun.
The world sat there and watched her chainsword spray his dark green blood across the stage and herself, listened as it clicked across several hard layers of bone, and their nightmares would be haunted by the image of their champion’s loss where he could do nothing to defend himself. Defeated by a woman who knew nothing of fear and everything of brutality.
-
Nexus had Desman backed up against the corner, tears flowing down his cheeks like waterfalls, his brown hoodie draped over him like a blanket. “I can’t do this, please don’t make me have to choose.”
“It didn’t take you so long to choose back then…” Nexus was still on Desman’s chase, saying how every choice he made had hurt him.
“That’s cause I didn’t know seeing you was an option, I thought there was nothing after if I had stuck to my first choice.”
“You could’ve made that your wish,” Nexus retorted, “BUT INSTEAD YOU JUST WISHED FOR SOMEONE TO REPLACE ME!!”
“That’s not what happened!”
“THEN TELL ME WHAT D-” At that moment an arrow shot the boy's heart, cutting him off in mid-sentence. The boy who was his brother slowed in his steps, then stumbled to his knees. His image shifting like a programmed hologram being corrupted. It was all too familiar to Desman.
“No! Nexus, not again.” Desman scurried over to his brother. Feeling for a heartbeat, breathing, anything. “Please, not again…”
-
When Ash was done, she held up the frozen head and single arm up to the crowd. Showing them how easily their champion has changed. She grinned with wicked excitement as she walked it over to its master. Damien.
She finally had a face to the name. Well… More like a skull. He was the last and finally large figure in the crowd. He’d been the largest actually, without her knowing it her mind had been drawn to him that day. He showed no emotion as she tossed the corpse of his fallen fighter his way. Her throw was weak and it landed on a few people just in front of him, which scatter and scream in disgust. Their feeble normal minds breaking under just the idea of death being so close…
Damien didn’t flinch, he just stared straight at her. They met eye to eye while the rest of the crowd grew nervous and distracted by other things going on around them.
Specifically, the pods melting away until most of a body and a whole body lay in a puddle of green, both male. One was, of course, the fallen Nathis and the second a human with bright red hair, tears streaming down his face even now. A voice from overhead announces Damien the looser, if only because he couldn't name the winning fighter.
This, and only this is when Damien looked away as he turned to leave. Stone silence among the chaos that was between fans of the old champion and the new champion.
When Desman finally wakes up, he was in their bed, a full sized bed in a hotel sized room. In fact, it was almost just that. A large living space with a full sized bed and a table. There were two chairs for them to share a meal at or could be used as a makeshift desk. An angled wall cut off the bathroom that had a functional toilet, sink, and shower - all with limited water use via a timer which was reset by hitting the nob. Demons apparently were eco-friendly here in the underverse.
He was very much alone as well, he couldn’t hear any noises that indicated Ash was in the room. Not even her tapping on her cyberdeck. He moved to confirm this with his eyes and found the room empty, but also that he was covered in something that was green and sticky. It’s gotten all over the bed…
Ash would be fine, he had much more on his mind than his demoness.
Maybe a shower would help.
Go Bigger to Go Home
The official judgment room was full of people. Damien and Neujimin were among the biggest personalities that managed to fit inside of a relatively small room. Ash stood towards the center, in chains. Not that anyone thought they’d do any good against her if she really wished to escape. They were mostly for show, and almost everyone in that room knew that, yet no one said anything.
A man sat at the desk, a small creature that barely came to Ash’s knees. He had a flaming skull for a head, a dark almost featureless body, and a glorious bone white mustache. He stared at some papers and then looked up at her. Then at her master, and then at Damien. He did this for some time before bringing the papers together and setting them aside.
“In the case of Nathis vs Black Ash - Black Ash apparently being a fusion between two of Neujimin’s fighters which included Ash here, I proclaim that Ash the Storm Demon the winner and the New Champion. I had been there in the fight and have read the records left by the official judge. She not only escaped the pod that Nathis commonly used to immobilize his prey, but also was the one to cut his head off.”
“I was nice enough to deliver the trophy back to his master, too,” Ash explained, giving Damien a sweetened smile.
The short man cleared his throat. “I can’t say I am not entertained by that move, but it generally isn’t nice to throw things at your master’s competition.”
Neujimin stifled a laugh as best he could.
“So, officially, Ash, you are the champion. Your master may reward you with whatever prize he seems fit. However, this Desman does not share the victory and you are more than welcome to rechallenge him, Damien. So unless there is any further need for me, I ask that you leave my office immediately.”
“Of course, sir.” Damien’s voice was dark and smooth, like demonic chocolate. It surprised Ash.
Neujimin grabbed her by the chains and pulled her closer. “Thank you, sir.” He said, bowing to the shorter demon and they exited. Before she could even begin what Neujimin expected would be some sexual taunting to remind him of his promises of great rewards, Damien interrupted.
“Neujimin.” He said, as his followers closed the doors respectfully to the judge’s room. “Congratulations.” He said, his eyes turning to the female. “How much for her?”
“Sorry, Damien. She just bought her freedom.” He said, pulling on the lock and releasing the chains which turn to light and vanish. “Thank you for that. Now I only have one stubborn Prime to deal with.” He said, turning his back to Ash and facing his rival, pulling at the cigar in his mouth to talk more freely. “If you ask nicely though, I bet she will bend over for you before she leaves.”
“I’ll do that even if you don’t ask nicely,” Ash answered, slipping her arms around Neujimin’s, winking at Damien.
The skull made no attempt to share his emotional turmoil. If it could indeed at all. “Tempting.” He sounded just as bored as he looked. “But I have a fight I have to prepare for.” He said, reaching out a hand to the girl. When Ash offered hers he took it gently and leaned down to kiss it. As best as a skull can kiss a hand. “Maybe when we have a free night, Champion.”
With that, he changed directions and left the two where they were.
To break the silence, she turned to her master. “You might want to at least put the collar on me, or people might believe that I am a citizen. Might respect me or something.”
“I meant it, Ash.” He said, flexing his arm and putting his hand over her folded hands on his arm. “Welcome to the Underverse.” He took her by the chin and kissed her. “Never let me find you in his bed.” He demanded after pulling away.
She smiled that same grin as usual. “What about yours?”
“I’d tell you to be there tonight… But I need to set up a meeting with Diablo.”
-
Neujimin walked into their cell, Ash had insisted that she stay there with Desman and had made a point not to tell him of her freedom or her championship. Meanwhile, Damien has officially challenged the demon and his last standing fighter. “Desman, you have a challenge. You go in by yourself.”
“By myself…?”
“Yeah.” His master said, tossing the invitation onto the bed where he was curled up while Ash played with her cyberdeck.
“Desman doesn't really stand a chance by himself,” Ash said, getting up and snatching the paper from the bed.
“That’s probably why he’s picking his words carefully and singling Desman out. Now that he knows you are two different people he will try what he can to avenge his champion.” He looked up to see Ash grinning. “What?”
Ash begins to fan herself with the card. “It says ‘I challenge you and your fighter, Desman, to a brawl.’”
“Yeah… So?” Neujimin asked, knowing a good idea on her face when he sees one.
“The only reason me and Desman can fuse together is because he has a unique source of power to do it. How does finally punching Damien in the face for what he’s done to you sound?”
Both demons grinned before looking Desman up and down like a piece of meat.
Desman, Damien, and a date with Diablo
Ash knocked against the door’s frame, but she was already passing through with Neujimin looked up. “Close the door.” He commanded, with a softer tone than if it were Desman. He made no motion to leave his desk or the work that was scattered across the table top. She did as she was told and moved in closer, leaning against the desk on his side and waiting to be acknowledged. She noted how easily he glanced at her, grinning to herself as he went back to work.
“You were the one that summoned me, Neujimin.” She purred, reaching over and stroking his thick bicep through the paper thin silk shirt.
“I’m finishing up your letter of recommendation at this moment.” He taunted, a pen flicking like a paintbrush across the paper.
“Does that mean I should be a good girl and keep my hands to myself until then?”
“Do I really turn you on that much?” Nuejimin asked, not even looking up.
“Strong men with power and a thick cock tend to.” Ash cooed, then giggled to herself before she got to her feet. His office was about as boring as you’d think an office would be. Shelves of some hardwood that was sturdy enough to hold important books and such. In his case, old first place trophies that probably weren’t in style anymore.
To her surprise, however, as she was looking at the polished achievements she came across her own image in a clear stone propped up for anyone to see. She stood there, holding the head of the last champion by the back of the neck while it gave the viewer a thumbs up. Before she could stop it, a laugh burst past her fangs.
“I see you’ve found your monument of glory.” He said, turning around in the chair to face her.
“Did you do this?” She asked as she pulled it out and pointed to the arm raised.
“I thought it was only fitting for you.” He said dryly, though smiled afterward. He then presented her a folded and wax sealed piece of paper. “Here. Your meeting with him is later tonight.”
“How much later?” Ash asked, taking her attention off the appropriately not very serious trophy and coming closer to accept the letter.
“About the time our fight is. You’ll have just enough time to present a sense of moral support before you can slink off.” Neujimin let her take the note, then leaned back. “I imagine you won’t be back unless someone is waiting for you with a banishing circle. So it would be best to get any other business out of the way now.”
She smiled down at him, moving to place the letter aside while she climbs into his chair, straddling him. “You mean, if I have any other strong men with power I want to fuck, I better get to it?” She teases, letting her hands glide up his chest and then get entangled into his soft black hair.
Neujimin’s hands came over her body instantly, welcoming the storm demon into his lap and even encouraging her actions by rubbing her butt. “Among many other plans.” He whispered before presenting his mouth to her’s. She took it without hesitation.
-
When they were done she was naked in a different chair, legs over the arm of one side. She was in thought while he was back to work. She kind of liked the idea that he spent his fifteen-minute break just to fuck her. She was too busy thinking about what else she could possibly do in the Underverse. “Neujimin.”
“Hm?”
“If I do get banished again, should I just come back to you?”
“My bed will be here, sure.”
Ash laughed at that. He knew her a bit too well, didn’t he? “What about my bed? My place?”
“I can’t hold a top-tier cell for you,” Neujimin said, looking up. “Who did you piss off?”
“The Empire.” Ash said with an equal neutral tone.
“How did you manage that?”
“Prison break.”
It was Neujimin’s turn to laugh. “You know where my office is, sweetheart. Just come find me. I’ll put you to work.” He teased.
“As long as I get to sleep in something more comfortable than this chair when you are done with me.” She teased back, twisting in the chair and getting to her feet.
“I do have a place of my own, I’ve rarely used it since I purchased you.”
“Because you went broke on a good investment?” Ash baited.
“Because you are always getting into some trouble.” Neujimin batted her away. “I’ll send you the information later.”
-
Damien. He is easily as tall as Dust, in Ash’s opinion. He had large horns pointed out of his skull and his eyes bored down on the two before him. Ash stood in the mostly empty audience section. This was an official fight, but not officially public. Damien wanted to prove something, not parade another one of his collection about. He was going to be fighting Desman. He planned to destroy the human.
Desman gulped down his fear and looked over at Ash for that support she promised. She waved at him happily, and he felt a little braver.
“Come to pat him on the back, Neujimin. That’s sweet.” Damien mocked, but his voice lacked humor. Just darkness and a hint of anger.
“Actually. I am here to fight.” Neujimin said, offering the judge the letter of the challenge with a highlighted portion.
“I challenged you to a one on one,” Damien said, baring his glare on the human who seemed to buckle under the stress.
“Yes, but you challenged me and my fighter. And who would I be if I did not honor that request? As it just so happens, we can do both. See Desman here can fuse with almost anyone.”
Damien who has been hard to read since then has turned an obvious glare onto the human-like he misjudged who was the more powerful. The judge that would make the calls was interrupted. “I’ll allow it, but then I want to wager a warrior on the result.”
“Deal,” Nuejimin said, offering his hand to shake before Desman could argue. Not that he could to begin with.
“Deal,” Damien replied before giving Neujimin’s hand a hardy shake.
“The deal has been acknowledged by the official rule makers and will be enforced in the even either party attempts to dishonor it. Fighters have 3 minute to prepare themselves. Damien vs Neujimin and Desman will start in 4.” The smaller pumpkin creature announced.
Both sides split.
Desman came up to Ash. “Your planned worked. Now what?” He whispered in a hurry.
“Now you just have to win.” Ash smiled down at him. “Good luck.” She said uncharacteristically cheerfully. It went without notice.
“Okay Desman. Follow my lead.” His master called after him before taking up the masculine position for a tango. Desman pouted, but headed over regardless. He hoped Neujimin is at least half as tough as he acted…
Meanwhile, Ash slipped into the mysterious halls that surrounded the Colosseum, hanging a right as instructed by Neujimin. Heading to her audience with Diablo.
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Ash is leaving Desman behind to go see Diablo herself, Making the request to leave.
![[Image: tumblr_maolcpnQS61qakj1do1_500.gif]](https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maolcpnQS61qakj1do1_500.gif)
Warning: Anything that involves Ash should be rated M. Possibly higher.
Erik Vrell : Ash has a 'love' fourth dimensional shape
Erik Vrell : As in its wide and unfathomable for us mere mortals