Mephisto

            🕸️ — How could he not be entranced by the lecture. At least it felt like a lecture. Was it a lesson he was due to learn?  Or a concept that the lowly clone could only hope to grasp at. He noted the eye roll, and flashed an apologetic frown in response… It wasn’t Kaine’s intention to overstay his welcome. He knew he hadn’t earned these answers, even if their worth weighed little in the others eyes. 

                “I guess that always sounded too good to be true…” For it to not matter. Did it matter that he was a clone?  Did it matter that he was different, that he felt and hurt and loved in a way completely separate from the person he “once” was?  That was up to him to decide – which was precisely why he chose not to. “.. and terrifying at the same time.”

            “All good things are too good to be true. Such is the way of things. it doesn’t matter how you came to be about but what does is your choices. Take for instance.... deals. Many come to me for them - many more beg for them to be undone. It doesn’t matter how it came into place, but they always want something more.”

As it happens, he got it wrong, as mortals are oh so prone to. Now, he gets it, scolding claws becoming one with the ground as he retains the mark of respect. It’s not that the realm subdues emotion, as he so thought - it simply encourages the darker, more primal notions in all men, perverts and corrupts them to something Mephisto can play on, worth with. One’s true self.

And, so, in all his grief, hubris, he got his wish. Unfathomable power. Hellish resolve. To surrender his soul, identity, so that he may, some day, gain vengeance upon God. The old him, the lesser him, would’ve made some quip or another over how long he’s been kneeling, that it’s a humiliating loss of control, but, for Brimstone, there’s no greater sense of gratification, purpose. And, on those words, pride.

There’s not even so much as a grunt of appreciation, thanks, so literal has he taken the command of silence.

The challenge to mold Ketch into what he wanted had been a taxing one. Not so much the deal, but after the fact. Changing him into what was needed and ensuring that things happened a certain way. Perhaps things were.... not as they seemed - that they were less hectic than he remembered, but Mephisto didn’t care.

No, he had what he wanted, and now? He got to play with his ‘son’ in whichever way he wished. If that meant forcing him into silence? Just so that the demon could bask in his work? So be it.

“You’ve been doing well,” he said, hands clasping together lightly. “Far better than those other two - who’ve failed me constant times. Couldn’t even take on falcon on his own and the other does nothing, but... I have so many plans for you.” 

Down upon a knee, head bowed.

Yes, Lord Mephisto. Yes, Father.

Now, that was more like it. Brimstone was his favorite ( so far ), but even then,  he needed to put down barriers. He needed to put down certain lines. Silence when requested was one of them - not out of anger. No, simply out of the means he could do so. 

Perhaps he did make the perfect one.... the perfect heir. 

One that obeyed him at every command ( oh how he enjoyed this ).

“ Hey, I’d like to think I’d be ranking pretty high, if I was. ” 

“You are what I say you are, Danny.

“ Didn’t realise your bar for sons was so low. ”

“ Oof. Even Blackheart? ” 

“ He’s the best in the business, but Blaze would never serve without some persuasion. ” 

“ Like you care, ” comes a dismissive scoff, bunching up a sleeve to wipe off his tears.  In times past, he would never have been caught dead letting Mephisto see him so weak, nor would he so readily enter his company, but that was then, and this is now, and times have most certainly changed. Not once had he thought to humour the bastard, nor pay his comments any mind, but, after being royally screwed over by God, well, let’s just say he’s starting to consider alternative views. 

There’s not as much spunk as he’d have previously addressed him with, voice little more than a distant mumble, but, to his credit, Dan draws his gaze up a staircase of bodies, beyond the throne itself, to make contact with Mephisto. Features pale. Posture weak. Eyes wild with aching need.

“ Not much to talk about. ” Hasn’t everyone been screwed over by God? Is he ever truly there when you need him? Eh, maybe he’ll humour him, just this once. “ Got roped into some angel business. Seemed like a good idea at the time. ” Guess not. “ Got fucked over at the last minute, kicked outta Heaven by the big man himself… ” Stripped of all power. Weakened. Mortal. “ …The rest’s pretty obvious… ”

“ I thought…All those years, I…Everyone thinks he’s perfect, y’know? God. Like…he’s God. ” A jaded, watery laugh escapes him, bordering more on a sharp exhale. “ But, I’ve met him. I’ve seen what he can do, what…what he’s done…and he ain’t. He ain’t! ” All this time, he’d been drinking the kool-aid, believing that crap about how the demons are the source of the world’s problems, when, in reality, they’d been opposing a tyrannical nutcase. Even then, at the dawn of it all, they saw the flaws in God, his creations, and…he’s starting to get it, too.

“ Whatever future I got, I know it ain’t gonna be spent at the pearly gates… ”

“And so you’ve learned the absolute truth of the cosmos.  You thought that they’d be the source of all answers and then you were kicked out. You... were tossed out like yesterday’s garbage. Powerless, defenseless, and you caught the attention of someone like yourself. It’s... almost poetic. You, me - all over again like it was old times.” 

It wasn’t old times, not even close, but... at least he was being decent (for now), and not bringing up old wounds. If anything, Mephisto wasn’t going to push his luck unless it was absolutely needed - even then? It would be done carefully. 

“Your past... isn’t one for much debate - you were one of my best. You were many things, but then again? You decided to... attempt to change the rules. You let yourself get  wrapped up in lies - not that I can blame you.  You were only human at the time. You only were doing  what you felt was right, but now? You know the truth.”

“The question,” he said, leaning back in his throne, “Is simply if you’re willing to do what is necessary to obtain what it is you desire. You can’t go back there and you can’t stay on earth too long either. You’re too weak - if I could see it through your rantings? So could anyone else. It wouldn’t be too hard to simply... end you, but I believe we can come to an arrangement of sorts.”

It wouldn’t be easy, the thought of what Mephisto was planning was vast, but perhaps - yes, perhaps it would just work. It would be a fair agreement - an equal partnership (well, not so equal) and most importantly it was something that Danny wanted.

             🕸   ❝    that sounds   REALLY SPECIFIC    . .  i’m going to guess you’ve messed around with that before.  all the fun and probably getting the one in question killed in the process.  those who’ve lived longer than most   . .  need to find better hobbies than just messin with us.     ❞  he frowns  ;  he knows and doubts it’ll happen in his lifetime   –  if he even  LIVES   that long at this point. 

considering mephisto’s view of   fun.

                  ❝     have you ever    STOPPED   to wonder why i’m always   OPEN   to little negations?     i’m sure you’ve have a thought or two about it.   why i,   someone  so   HIGH   above the rest would stoop down so low to    AID   someone like you.    ❞  it was a question that mephisto    DOUBTED   would be answered,    but he knew it was one that was    NECESSARY   to be pondered considering the fact of mephisto’s little   SCHEMES  over the many years.