Hell Correspondence

Pause. 

Chartreuse green blinked as he glanced down at her, slightly widened in shock. “Me? Unhappy? No, no you don’t understand Ai; this has been my lives’ work since I’ve become a shinigami. This is exactly what I’ve wanted ever since I read the case files. And the fact he’s mentoring me, teaching me his final bits of secrets – I’m not unhappy; I’m elated!” 

Though the question made him pause. What would he do afterwards?

“… I don’t know, honestly. I fully expect that we’d end up being punished. It’s not exactly legal, what we’re doing. Shinigami aren’t meant to play with life or death – but I think after all this… I’d like to disappear, just like how the Undertaker did. Maybe see if I can challenge the superior. Wouldn’t that be neat?” 

He had mistaken her concerns, which was alright to the young demoness. She was one of few words so oftentimes, there needed to be explanations for her worries. “...I mean...you did not look happy...about what would come after...” Her concern was for when they were finished - they would leave her without a second thought. She partook in their activities for their company - not the end product.

… Hm. 

He hadn’t thought of it that way. 

“That’s a good question, Ai. I… don’t know.”

“I guess when our work’s complete, we’ll find out for sure.” He decided. Daniel had nothing waiting for him at the end of everything. The shinigami had no other goals beyond the creation of a perfect doll; after that… he might be content to embrace whatever sentence that they cast down on him. It wasn’t like shinigami could die permanently barring a few exceptions, after all. 

The smile he held was one she had seen before on countless humans. It held that hint of sadness to it. There was no hesitation as pale fingers gently grasped at his sleeve, tugging it softly to let him know she was there.

Every answer she gave brought with it more questions. Demons, the dead, the damned, things that no amount of religious rhetoric could have convinced him to believe. “So he was a person too…”

Enma’s touch was ice cold - the chill of the dead - causing Tenji to stiffen, a gasp hissing in through his teeth, either too stubborn or too scared to pull away. Though the rest of his face did not change, a flare of fright stirred in the young man’s eyes before they narrowed, considering her question. He’d never thought of it like that before, but she’d hit the nail right on the head.

“I… I guess they are, yeah…” He was, by most accounts, a fearful individual. Weak of body, he had to be wary — and yet, his curiosity drove him where others feared to tread. That was how he’d ended up working for Sakurazawa in the first place. “Is that… a problem? You’re… so cold…”

His tanned fingers ghosted over hers - a reflex or a compulsion.

“...It is no problem of mine...Merely...I am curious myself...” Her eyes flickered to the movement of his hand - letting it hover over her own as gentle fingers continued to touch his cheek. “...For you see...” Her eyes focused back on his face as she trailed off. “...most mortals are too afraid of me to let me close - yet you are not straying from my touch...You ask so many...trivial questions - like a child...when most older mortals take the doll and send me off...”

Pale lips parted as if she was going to ask a question before pressing into a thin line in thought. This one would prove to be very interesting - and she could see just how long he was to live if he pulled that string...

❥      “I didn’t know something like that would peak your curiosity.” He spoke honestly, reaching upward and touching his own lips. She was right the first time they spoke. She was cold. But it wasn’t unpleasant. The most unpleasant thing about her was the scent of darkness, and that wasn’t something she could help. “I’m sorry about that look…I didn’t mean it. My senses are just–sensitive to the elements. I promise you don’t stink!” He attempted to reassure her, rubbing her back with a nervous grin.

“I-I don’t have a problem with you being curious, Miss Enma. But…please let me know next time you have a curiosity. I want to help! But I gotta be ready next time~”

“...I know that I do not stink...it is just...” The demoness could not put her finger on the right word. Humiliating? Hurtful? Several different words swirled in her mind before settling. “...I am sorry if my...Darkness had affected you...I did not mean for it to...” That was the best she could do, lips settled in her usual frown.

… Why did he want to be like him?

A contemplative look came forth, and Daniel wasn’t… really sure how to answer that question. The case files had listed him as someone who was unhinged. Unstable. Incapable of understanding that the boundary between life and death was necessary. They had also noted that somehow, he had stopped his work, disappearing into the night with nothing to show for his desertion other than smoldering ruins and trashed research. 

“I guess… I want to understand why I feel like the way I do.” He said, after a moment. “He surrounds himself in laughter, and immerses himself into his curiosity without abandon. I was a good worker for a handful of years, maybe thirty years or so; dutifully did my work without complaint. But I guess like him, I was curious. I wanted to see if I could snatch the veil away.”

Daniel stretched a little, bones popping in and out of place, “But, y’know, I just want to see if its possible to just be like him. Without a care, work without the care of rules or how the structure works. Just like him… I wanted to protect something dear to me.” 

“...” Emotions were not her forte. When others spoke of wishing to protect something dear, Enma could only imagine a handful of people and things - all for trivial reasons she wished to protect. When he spoke of understanding what he felt, the demoness was conflicted.

“Nah, if we do that they get too agitated. The purpose of the incense is to keep them from roaming all over the place. A loose doll means we can get caught, and we’re trying to keep a low profile.” He chuckled a bit. He didn’t mind the questions at all! They were welcomed, and Daniel had a feeling that Samuel would feel the same way. 

The cackle he heard from where the legendary reaper was working cut into his thoughts, and he glanced to the room. “He must’ve thought of a good joke.” He mused to himself, finishing with the placement of the final incense. 

“Though if you’re wanting to know the inner workings of the doll, you’re better off asking Samuel, he knows way more than I do. He’s the original creator after all. I’m just hoping to be like him one day, is all.”

“...I see, yes...Forgive my ignorance...” Even in the short time she had known the both of them, Enma thought the two as precious - and would often try to help in their experiments. The fact the two wished to keep a low profile was strange as well, considering that they both stuck out to her in a crowd.

The cackle from the Undertaker off in the other room brought no reaction out of the demoness, returning her attention to Daniel.

“Incense.” He hummed to himself, as he placed one up on a shelf. “Y’see, the dolls we’re creating. Sometimes they get a little too worked up when a soul is nearby. The incense helps create some sort of a fog for them so they can’t sense the souls as clearly as they normally can.” Daniel explained, “Samuel created it, so he knows more than I do.” The Undertaker. 

“Of course, I think it’s a little too much, but when teach says its important, you don’t ask questions, y’know?” 

@hellsdolls​ sent in 💋 to straight up kiss my muse!

❥     Shock shot through Riku as the Demoness’ lips met with his. He had gotten used to the smell of her specific scent of Darkness, but up this close it a was a little overpowering. His nose wrinkled and his eyes narrowed. But despite the look of displeasure, his cheeks flustered and hands trembled nervously. 

     Reaching up, he placed his hand on her back. Letting her know it was okay despite his expression. And as they pulled away, he looked at her with a glance of confusion.

“W-What was that for, Ai-chan..? ”

As the demoness pulled back, there was a sense of unease at seeing his expression. Such a look of disgust made Enma feel so...dirty, though the hand on her back as a little reassuring. His hands were shaking, his face flushed, the demoness wondered if it was really okay or was her darkness affecting him. Shyly, she touched her fingertips against her lips - letting her gaze drop to his chest. 

Tenji felt a chill run down his spine when she stepped nearer, shivering and letting out a trembling breath. He watched her touch graze gently over the thread as if she might tug it loose herself. Was that legal? He supposed it didn’t matter.  There was something in the way she spoke which piqued interest upon interest  in the host - the halting pauses in her speech, the way her large eyes blinked sagely, at once childlike and yet ancient unlike anything else he’d ever known. She was fascinating, and despite his instincts warning him against poking around too much, he couldn’t help but seek more from her.

“I understand. I won’t lose him.” Tenji licked his lips nervously. “What… is he, exactly? The doll?” Not that he had much experience in summoning denizens of the underworld, but Enma seemed amenable enough to his curiosity - even if it was clear she didn’t much care to answer most of his questions. He’d been expecting somebody a bit more… hellish.

Mortals were so curious about everything they laid their eyes upon, but she was no better herself. Her round, glimmering hues looked up at him through her long lashes - studying his face as he nervously asked her questions. He stared at her, not as if she was some animal on display - but a frightening doll. Pale lips parted, a soft hum emitting from the demoness.

“...He is a wandering soul...Full of anger in his time of death that he became a demon...I found him and gave him a purpose...He is my servant...” It was the same for the rest of her household. Just lost souls hurting from their time living, brought into her care and finding new life. “...He will not speak to you for now...as this doll form binds him to my duty...”