Take a Gamble

"Oh the responsibilities are a great deal more than "hefty", darling, I can assure you. Which is the main reason why no one else is suited for the throne, and why whether or not I tire of the work isn't of much consequence."

He spoke idly, not seeming to care much about it one way or the other. Means to ends, ends to means- all he did was what needed to be done, one way or another.

"Though I would like to say I do take vacations, however brief. My subordinates would surely find their time much more stressful if I did not, and they know better than to try and launch a coup in my absence. So long as I am not absent for too long, things down here continue running as they should. But I suppose your question deserves an answer, regardless."

He crossed one leg over the other, leaning forward in his seat as he seemed to ponder the question.

"While being reduced to a powerless thing like the rest of you is not my favorite idea, I suppose it could be amusing to truly experience how you all view things in your day-to-day. Perhaps I'd do something questionable just to take advantage of the temporary mortality, experience how that kind of adrenaline feels. A visit to a bar, perhaps. Come nightfall I should think it would be pleasant to find a quiet place to appreciate the starlight, as I haven't in quite some time..."

He mused, a brief moment of silence passing before he shrugged and leaned back into his throne.

“Hm? Apparently it is news, then~”

He let out a short hum of amusement.

“Yes, it happens every few decades or so. All a part of keeping this place in order as it expands, of course. No better guard dog for the damned and the rotten than a Hellhound, once trained.”

He eyed over the short but familiar visitor lurking in the shadows as usual, and smirked.

“Well hello, darling~”

He grinned, pouring more drink into his glass before setting the bottle aside.

“Oh, nothing terribly exciting. Sharp increase in soul population down here, quite a few more deals than usual, stronger desires. Had a small hand in a bit of sabotage, I suppose. A bit of dramatic irony for a good laugh. Shame it didn’t last. Otherwise, all the usual brimstone and torment one would expect~”

There was a longer pause as he took another sip, the faintest hint of contemplation in his expression before he set the glass down on the armrest.

“Well, philosophically speaking, I’d say congrats~ You lot have to take your winnings where you can get them, after all, however temporary.”

One claw tapped the wine glass he held in his hand, a slight tilt of his wrist swirling the deep red contents within.

“Of course, any warrior can boast about the size of their sword. But ultimately, how it's put to use is what matters, no? Experience and skill are the deciding factors, and in the end, all that boasting leads to naught. And the warrior falls in an embarrassing defeat to the greater swordsman.”

He chuckled casually, taking a small sip before speaking again.

“Hardly.”

He replied with a somewhat bored tone, seeming more interested in inspecting the claws at the ends of his fingertips. One got the impression it wasn’t the first time he’d been asked something like this.

“As easy as it is to put that blame on me, I am not the cause of every terrible event that befalls the human race. More often than not, you lot put yourselves in these messes. The rest of it... well, I think you should be directing your questions upwards for that. Though I will say,”

“Swing dancing~?”

He chuckled, rocking back on his heel with his hands in his pockets. The pointed tip of his tail swept across the floor behind him.

“Well, I suppose you could count it as one of my many hobbies~ It would almost be a crime if I didn’t know how, wouldn’t you agree? Considering a handful of the music required for it had my name so graciously placed on it~”

As if on queue, a melody rose up within the space, not seeming to originate from any one source. It wouldn’t take long to realize it was a jazz composition, the signature “soul” of the genre sounding clear. He thought it ironic that such a term be applied to music once considered sinful, but he kept that comment to himself. His shoe tapped the floor before he strode towards the asker, tilting his head just slightly.

“I can say that it certainly can be entertaining, once learned. Steady footwork is key. And, of course-”

In a fluid motion, he took the guest’s hand and pulled them forward, sending them into a spin before there was time to react. At the end of the twirl, he held them at arm's length, knowing just how easily he could release their hand and leave them to stumble. Instead...

“-a healthy dash of finesse~”

With a wink, he pulled them back in and, with another guided twirl, they were back in their original position. Releasing his grip then, he slipped his hands back into his pockets and casually strolled away.

“It’s a factor of your race that hasn’t changed for centuries.”

He strolled across the floor just in front of his throne, an alluring sway to his walk as his shoes clicked on the floor. It was a casual yet calculated pacing, each step passing in rhythm like the seconds on a clock.

“You value gemstones over more durable rocks because of their colors, work harder to preserve endangered animals because of their dwindling numbers, place ancient artifacts in museums because you can’t hope to create anything like them again.”

He paused and then turned, proceeding to walk the opposite direction as he spared the masked guest a glance.

“You value and hold that which is unique in the hopes that owning such things will, in turn, make you more unique. Or at the very least, grant you a more unique experience in an otherwise average life. But of course, as your example shows…”

He stopped again, his face partially obscured to the anon as he adjusted his cufflink. Still, it wasn’t difficult to notice his smirk.

“Pineapple on pizza? Of all things to credit me for, you’re all choosing a fruit topping?”

He sighed, his amused expression undertoned with a weariness. While he didn’t mind attention in the slightest, surely they could be just a tad more creative after all this time?

“An entirely new life, hm? A full 180 package?”

He grinned faintly, one hand moving up to stroke his chin with interest.

“Can’t say I haven’t been asked for the same from others before... yes, I do believe a soul would suffice for something like that~ Seems an equal trade to offer me your old life for a new one. Just don’t start complaining when all the thrills make you miss the simpler times, because you won’t be getting those back once the deal is sealed~”

The grin widened just a tad, his eyes glittering with obvious and perhaps somewhat unsettling contentment.

“I should think it rather obvious what the catch of offering your soul to the Devil would be, darling~” 

He chuckled briefly, inspecting his nails without any real interest in the action.

“Your soul becomes mine and only mine, and ensures that any other sort of afterlife is off the table for you. The initial process doesn’t hurt, no. Unless I desire it to, of course~ But in most cases, you hardly feel a thing, save perhaps an initial feeling of something being just ever so slightly out of place.”

His gaze flicked back from his idle observations to look at the guest before him.

He quirked an eyebrow. Not an unusual word to be thrown at him, by any means. But based on the flustered, hasty reactions that followed, he couldn’t help but see a wonderful opportunity to have a little fun with this.

“Oh~?”

The King slowly shifted in his seat, the fires behind him almost seeming to dim and put more attention to the glowing light of his eyes. The stare was piercing, intent, and unwavering. It made it seem as though the seconds extended longer than they were, as though even time was cowering under the weight of that golden gaze. A rumbling sound came from him then, after a moment of silence, and it was difficult to tell if it was a laugh or a growl. Perhaps it was both.

“Attempting to test me again, are we, morsel? Not the wisest decision for you, especially not when I’m hungry. Though I suppose that’s why you would do it, hm? Add a bit of thrill to your little human life? Playing with fire and all that, I suppose? Well, allow me to offer you this- ”

His grin stretched wider as he rose from his throne, clawed hands folding neatly behind his back as he strolled forward. Each step echoed as it landed, only furthering the tension. When he stopped, he leaned in close, relishing in spiking their panic.

“If I wanted, I could easily make you repeat what you just said. Over. And over. And over. Until you couldn’t say it anymore. But~!”

He pulled back, his voice rising from the low tone it had been to something more melodic and peppy, as though nothing had transpired. He turned back towards his throne in stride.

“Ah yes, the robot fellow with the not-so-subtle murderous intent, yes?”

He hummed thoughtfully, recalling a few incidents not too long past.

“Well, seeing he is yet another byproduct of humanity’s insatiable desire, I can’t say I blame him for having such a bloodthirsty undertone. Imagine being created with such a high level of intelligence only to be used as a maid for everyone else’s pleasure. Quite unsavory~”

He smirked, his hand lazily twirling in the air as he continued.