#ask-devilplier

“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?