Deal with the Devil (Rei no Kaado)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Adachi had done as Lucius told him and gone to the old run down club around eleven. He'd been waiting there for a while, knowing not when Lucius would be arriving. The note had said twenty-five o'clock. Even going by military time, that was more than a tad bit off. But it had to have been intentional. The five had been written so that Adachi would have had to been blind to miss it.

He looked down at his watch again. It was getting close to midnight. To tell the truth, he was bored. He'd nodded off a couple times, to tell the truth. Shook himself awake soon afterwards, but it had been sleeping sure enough. He didn't want to be asleep when midnight hit. After going over things a bit, he was sure Lucius meant that weird space of time around midnight when everything turned green, people turned into coffins, and the water turned to blood.

He was pretty sure Lucius knew about it, too. That kid just unsettled him. And before, there had been something about his eyes that had forced Adachi to keep eye contact with him. It was creepy. Adachi wasn't even sure what the hell he was thinking being here. This was all to get rid of the Ring. He had to remind himself that. This kid who knew way too much was going to help him get rid of the Ring. Even though Bakura probably wanted nothing to do with him now, he still wanted to help him. He still had to help Bakura...

---------------------

Abel had been out most of the day after making his escape from the Hotel. He'd almost lost it there. Just... the bloodlust and the craving for Magatsuhi and... He felt sick with himself. At least he'd kept himself in check enough after leaving the hotel that he hadn't attacked anyone.

He had discarded his ripped shirt in a dumpster after realizing he couldn't go walking around with three massive gashes in his chest. At least with his demonic endurance, he didn't have to worry about the wound itself too much, and in fact, he was already on the mend. After throwing away his ripped sweater, he had stopped by a clothing store and managed to haggle himself some clothing. The rather nasty wound on his chest probably helped in that regard. As of such, he was now wearing a white shirt with a black jacket on over it as well as some black pants (which the cashier had insisted he take since his positively magenta pants were more than a bit splattered with blood). He was still wearing his headphones, but his MP3 player wasn't actually clipped to his shirt like it usually was, but was in his pocket for once.

Abel didn't even realize he was heading toward the same place Adachi was already waiting for Lucius at until he sensed the man's presence. He had been walking with his head down, and he hadn't looked up until he sensed something familiar. He didn't know how he knew the presence. Probably recognized it from back when he was human. He paused. No, that wasn't it. There was an aspect of it that was slightly similar to Souji's. Specifically, Souji's Persona. That had been how Abel had realized it was Adachi that he was dealing with.

He swore under his breath. He didn't want to deal with the man right now. He knew Adachi would know about what he did to Bakura. Abel could easily turn back and go the other way, but somehow he knew Adachi had already spotted him as he came around the corner. The fact that he was still wearing those stupid headphones made him even easier to spot, too.

[mugenginga]

Lucius was actually already there when Adachi arrived. He was inside the building. It hadn't been hard to get in with the front door knocked down, after all. He was in a corner near the back, watching Adachi fidget and look around. He would be impossible for Adachi to see with his human eyes, but the vision the "teenager" was using wasn't human. His eyes weren't slitted, there was no need for them to be for him to see in the dark. And he didn't really need that with how nervous Adachi was. Lucius was neither human nor demon. He wasn't exactly an angel either, but he supposed that was the closest description.

He was actually amused Adachi had actually shown up. The man had been granted time to think about his actions, to think about the specific words he used. He'd do anything. Lucius intended on making him eat those words if he had to. Despite his true self being called the Father of Lies in some lore, it was a horrible misnomer. Lucius prided himself on never lying... he specialized in dodged or half truths, not lies.

He had adjusted to stand up when he sensed a unique energy signature. He dropped his plans of standing and smirked, now allowing his eyes to slit. The grin was nothing short of psychotic. The very slightest of energy flares had arisen due to the display of power. It was less than what he'd had shown around Izanagi, and only Abel's position and new physical race would allow him to sense anything. It would be enough to unsettle him, possibly know something very wrong was in the area, but nothing more. If he was lucky, he'd get to see things degenerate between the source of the unique energy and Adachi. If he wasn't, he'd have to show himself. No big deal, really.

It was 23:55 PM.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Adachi had indeed seen Abel. He had seen the man walking down the street as he passed under a street light, and now he was approaching him. He might have missed him if it weren't for those damn headphones. But because Abel had chosen to continue wearing them, he had seen exactly where the teen was. And Adachi had a few words for the bastard.

Abel had paused as he felt something from the club, this time a stranger energy. It felt off, but one thing was clear. There was something demonic inside that club. He didn't know what; the flare-up had been weak and it hadn't been very long. He hadn't been able to get a lock on whatever had created the flare up.

He turned as he saw Adachi coming toward him and sighed before approaching the man as well. They stopped when they were a couple yards away from the other.

"You. You attacked Ryou, didn't you?" Adachi growled.

"I did," Abel said truthfully. He paused. "Are you here for revenge?"

"Yeah," Adachi said.

"Sorry, but I can't die just yet," Abel said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his COMP. Alright, Adachi could play that way. But he wasn't going to stand back and die.

Adachi moved quickly once the COMP was out of Abel's pocket, summoning Magatsu Izanagi and then making the Persona knock the COMP from Abel's hand. The demon king looked down at his hand, looked back at his COMP, and then looked right at Adachi, and then he smirked, his pupils slitting. Adachi looked a little nervous at that.

"Fooled you," Abel said. He held out his hand, and it glowed with a red energy for a moment before two demons appeared next to him, a Rangda and a Cerberus. "If you're going to use your Persona, then I will use my demons."

Adachi smirked. "Fine. I only have to kill you anyways. You're gonna pay for what you did to Ryou!"

Abel gave a smirk as well. "I might let you get a cut in. If you can catch me, of course."

It was now 23:57.

[mugenginga]

It was when Abel's pupils slitted Lucius was finally able to get a fix on why the aura was so unique. He couldn't have guessed at the specifics if he'd cared to, none of his attached dimensions had any history involving a demonic war between Bels. Had Abel still been human, Lucius may have been able to pick up on something there, but he wasn't. It was why Lucius was able to pinpoint just what was special about Adachi's opponent. And under different circumstances Lucius might have been inclined to let the King of Demons kill Adachi. But as of right now, he'd just keyed in on a target Lucius had chosen first.

At 23:58, Lucius stood up from where he was sitting. He was as human as possible for what he was. All Abel would get in terms of direct evidence was something was off about him. Inferred evidence due to the demonic-like flare earlier would help, though. After all, Abel had experience with demons in human form before. He came out of the building at 23:59 and counting, his hands in his pockets and his outfit the same it had been earlier. Adachi was already suspicious about him, but he found entertainment in how the Demon King of whatever world he heralded from might react to him.

His smirk and eyes still bore the maturity beyond his physical years as he stepped into a streetlight behind Adachi. His lead foot hit the center of the light just as the world changed over into the Dark Hour. He stopped as any after image effect the light might have faded and his illumination came from the sliver of waning moon above him. He looked bored despite the smirk as he looked up and let out a mock irritated sigh. Well, Adachi had stepped away from the club.

"What part of my instructions did you misunderstand, Adachi?"

He didn't seem phased by the Cerberus and Rangda in the least. Well, he had told Adachi he had experience with demons before. Wouldn't make it much less unsettling. Wouldn't change the fact that any demon in the area would sense something of about Lucius, either, or the fact that none of them would know just why the teenager was unsettling. The sensation would likely be similar to how that man with the odd taste in suit colors had unsettled Abel and his friends before the King had gained his crown... the fact that said King was now a demon would likely make the sensation even more unsettling.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Adachi and Abel had both been about to go at it when the sky turned to green. They both paused, and Abel looked up at the sky and scoffed. He hated this time of the day. Adachi just looked confused, though. Shouldn't Abel have turned into a coffin like everyone else? If he thought back, he would have realized Abel had been awake during the Dark Hour before. He'd watched Keiichi return to the apartments together with Yuugi's little group after one Dark Hour.

Adachi jumped as he heard Lucius' voice behind him and wheeled around, Magatsu Izanagi disappearing as he did so.

"Hey, I've been out here for at least thirty minutes!" Adachi said to Lucius. Dammit, this kid unsettled him. He pointed at Abel. "And this is the guy who attacked Ryou before!"

Abel narrowed his eyes at Lucius. There was something indescribably off about him. Neither Abel nor his demons could put their fingers on it. It just bothered Abel a lot. It almost reminded him of that purple suited man who Abel had been almost completely sure was a demon.

That was how Abel decided the teenager before him was a demon. That flare up of demonic energy before, and the feeling of something undescribably wrong about him now... he had to be some sort of demon in human form.

He looked back to where his COMP had been tossed and quietly said something in the demonic tongue to Cerberus, who left Abel's side temporarily to go pick it up. Abel refocused on Lucius once the COMP was back in his hands. Even though it was useless right now, he'd rather have it with him than away from him.

"Who are you...?" Abel asked. Adachi looked back at Abel and scowled.

[mugenginga]

Lucius rolled his eyes and looked bored as Adachi defended himself. He pulled his left and seemingly dominant hand up and looked as his fingernails as the man informed him the blue haired teenager was the one who had attacked Ryou. He looked up from his hand after Adachi stopped. He didn't even ackonwledge that Abel had spoken as he addressed Adachi again.

"I said to meet me in front of the Club, and you are quite a bit away from there. And even if you didn't know what 25:00 meant, you had to have suspected," Lucius gestured towards Abel and his demons but had yet to give the King of Bel eye contact. He was smug about it as opposed to not locking eyes out of submission, the amused smirk as he continued made it clear, "If I hadn't decided to see if you were nearby, he'd have killed you at best. It's no skin off my nose if you insist on fighting him, but he will make you regret the action."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Adachi sighed. Now he was being scolded by a teenager who he was increasingly sure was not a teenager. He had to wonder if this was all worth it. Of course it was worth it. He would be getting rid of Anpu, wouldn't he?

"He's right, you know," Abel said. "You may have been a challenge to Souji's little group, but that's because he was trying to keep you alive. I have no such qualms." He was keeping an eye on Lucius as he spoke. The odd blond-haired teen was avoiding eye contact, and it wasn't out of some form of submission. Already there was something odd about Lucius, though. He seemed to recognize his power to begin with.

Adachi ignored Abel. "Look, I said I was sorry. Now what did you call me out here to talk about anyways?"

[mugenginga]

"Things I don't feel like being eavesdropped on about," Lucius raised his hands with the palms upwards and gave an exaggerated shrug.

He then looked towards Abel. Now that he'd actually deigned to acknowledge Abel's presence as a person, he was keeping direct eye contact. There was clearly no intention to avert his gaze, and his insistance on it was greater then even Cain would pull towards Abel. His smirk widened a bit and he gestured to the side the way a noble might dismiss a servant.

"Do you mind?" His tone was superior and mocking, "This isn't really any of your business."

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Abel glared at Lucius as the other teenager dismissed him. Cerberus and Rangda both took protective stances next to Abel, but Abel waved them away. He was keeping eye contact with Lucius, and now that he had it, he could see that there was something there.

"I'll pass on leaving," Abel said. Adachi resumed his glare at Abel.

"He said he didn't want to be eavesdropped on," Adachi said.

"And I said I'll pass. Besides, two guys, one of which I've had problems with in the past and am having problems with in the present meeting outside a club during the Dark Hour? Seems suspicious," Abel said. Adachi blinked. So that was what it was called? He resumed his glare at Abel.

"Geez, you're pissing me off," Adachi said. Abel shrugged.

"It's what I do," Abel stated.

[mugenginga]

Lucius kept his gaze locked. So the demon wanted to bash egos? Well, fine enough, he'd bashed egos before. He took a step towards Abel and narrowed his eyes. It might have been a look of standard intimidation if it weren't for the wide smirk. No, it was a look of pure and willful defiance. If it wasn't a challenge, then nothing was.

"Go away," Lucius ordered.

What made it more interesting was the "teenager" was spitting defiance at the same person he'd told Adachi wouldn't hesitate to kill him at best. He didn't look to have anything ready for an attack. He wasn't flaring anything, so he remained as just off to the King of Bel. Well, off and extremely stupid, more than likely.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Abel's glare continued as Lucius ordered him to leave. Ordered. If there was one thing that Abel had issues with, it was people ordering him or his court around. Finally, he broke the glare with a smirk, which made Adachi damn worried. At least he wasn't grinning.

"Make me," Abel said. "I'd really love to see you try. I could use the entertainment."

Rangda and Cerberus exchanged a glance. Even though the teenager Abel was currently bashing egos with felt undescribably off, they figured Abel could handle this himself. He certainly handled most demons just fine now. The only reason he hadn't handled Nirad well was because he'd been holding back, after all. Finally, the two demons took a couple steps back. If Abel wanted their help, he'd ask for it.

[mugenginga]

Lucius returned Abel's ante up with his own. Where as Abel had smirked, Lucius took care of that grin Adachi had been grateful for having not occurred. This was more entertaining then Adachi's willingness to do "anything" as he had put it. If the man had really meant that, a little bit of revealing entertainment wouldn't change it.

He let his energy flare. His form didn't change, but he read now as a demon as his eyes slitted. It was in an identical fashion to how Abel's slitted. Considering the only demon that Abel had ever known to do that while having such a human appearance was him...? Yeah, a bit unsettling. And his aura now read as fucking overpowered demonic... but it was "off" the same way his human energy had been. Like it wasn't quite right, either.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Abel moved to grinning as Lucius' eyes slitted and the teenager definitely read as a demon. Just as he thought. Another demon with a human form. And the power level he was giving off actually excited Abel. It had been a long time since he met someone he felt like he could have an equal fight with. Okay, so the energy still felt off. But at this point Abel didn't care. He allowed his own eyes to slit and his own energy to flare a bit.

Adachi was now taking a few steps back. What the fuck had he gotten himself mixed up in!?

Abel glanced toward Adachi as he sensed the other man's slight fear responce before looking back toward Lucius.

"Nice to see someone showing their true colors for once around here," Abel said. He motioned for Rangda and Cerberus to come a little closer to him. Oh, he could handle himself, but he had a feeling Lucius had some tricks up his sleeves.

[mugenginga]

"Who said anything about true colors?" Lucius chuckled as he gathered energy in his left hand, "Or do you still think I'm a simple demon? I think this will get boring fast if that's all you're sensing."

He threw the Megidolaon at Abel, not expecting to hit. He'd sensed the fear coming from Adachi as well. It wasn't his fault if the man got caught up in the situation. He sure as hell wasn't going to care if the man got in the way, and he doubted the demonic king would either. Right now the encounter was far more entertaining than any potential soul acquisition.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Abel very quickly moved out of the way of the Megidolaon, though Rangda and Cerberus weren't so lucky, and were hit by the powerful Almighty attack. Abel scoffed at the two demons and sent them away with one wave of his hand, the two demons disappearing in a swirl of red energy.

"No, I just assumed you were more than you appeared. Looks like I assumed wrong," Abel said. He gathered the same kind of energy Lucius had used in his hands and quickly dodged behind Lucius before sending three powerful blasts of Holy Dance at the blond.

Adachi took a few more steps away from the fray. He was not getting mixed up in this little fight. He continued to observe until he felt an incredible sense of forboding and turned toward that giant tower the hotel turned into at night. What the hell...?