[Tatara looks back, and will find Solomon's eyes still trained on Ibuki, even from the distance he keeps. Exhausted, fond, and somewhat mournful. A complicated sense of regret.
His eyes flick to Tatara. But he doesn't speak. This is not something he's having an easy time remembering, but he's not going to interrupt it.
...
Thirteen comes crashing back in and slaps the phantom Solomon across the back of the head once again before Ibuki has any chance to respond.
No! She stiffens her jaw, pointing at Ibuki as well. No, no promises, no oaths, no pinky swears, nothing! Don't you dare! Solomon, you know better, that's against the rules. Ah... right, right. Sorry.
Ibuki looks confused, hesitating as though trying to ask something. But Thirteen interrupts again, swatting Solomon away to go fetch blankets. He absconds with a tired laugh and leaves Thirteen to speak with Ibuki alone.
The memory shifts, with the faint request from Thirteen:
Solomon. Hey, you're coming with me. I've got intruders in my maze, and they're YOUR problem, so I'm not going to make it MY problem. Got it? Go clean up your mess, and don't start an incident with the monarchy on my property or I'm finding your candle in Candy's things and using it in my next machine, got it??
Time blurs with passage. Hours, a fight, an escape. The feeling of being cornered.
They're back at the fountain. Thirteen stands off in a corner with disapproval. Solomon stands in front of Ibuki. A few blurred figures of distorted shape and color now occupy the space.
You are one thoroughly disgusting human... do you know that? Well, what do you expect? You've made it very clear that you consider me your enemy.
Lucifer sneers towards Solomon, even as the sorcerer smiles, the same smile he always wears.
Ibuki. You're the one I'm looking for.
They try to placate him. They say they can explain.
Explain? What could you POSSIBLY have to say worth hearing? It's far too late for that now.
He advances, with an energy that shakes the room.
Why did you show up when you did? Why did you appear before us? Lucifer. That's enough. Don't get any closer to Ibuki. Quiet.
Lucifer snaps his hand up, and Solomon's entire body is drawn to a halt, frozen in place with a grunt of pain.
Just because you're lauded as the greatest sorcerer in human history, you think you stand a chance against me?! You think you could defeat the Avatar of Pride? You? A human???
There's protests from the others around the space. Other demons, though it seems their voices and appearances aren't the importance of this memory.
Ibuki speaks up through the mess.
You're not actually angry, are you? That's not it.
Lucifer goes quiet. He advances on Ibuki, in words you cannot hear... before Ibuki starts to choke, crushed under the force of Lucifer's magic without him even moving a muscle. The other demons continue to protest, but none move to stop him. All are too scared of the consequences.
Cowards.
Ibuki. I don't care whether you are a demon or a human. It doesn't matter. But you possess the power to force every single one of us into submission. You can extract our power against our will, and use it as your own. Regardless of who or what you are, you are a threat to us.
I resolved never to put my family in danger again. No one harms my brothers. I won't let that happen.
There's a holler. It's from Thirteen. In her hands she holds a book. A grimoire.
Everyone in the room freezes. Some of the demons are confused, and others explain its purpose. A book of magic, created by a human, with information to summon and subjugate a demon against their will.
This is where every grimoire on every demon out there is born. It all happens right here. Because this is the Fountain of Knowledge, after all. Which is obviously why that sham of a sorcerer over there decided to come here. He was after this...
Thirteen's eyes narrow towards Solomon with barely veiled disappointment.
no subject
His eyes flick to Tatara. But he doesn't speak. This is not something he's having an easy time remembering, but he's not going to interrupt it.
...
Thirteen comes crashing back in and slaps the phantom Solomon across the back of the head once again before Ibuki has any chance to respond.
No!
She stiffens her jaw, pointing at Ibuki as well.
No, no promises, no oaths, no pinky swears, nothing! Don't you dare! Solomon, you know better, that's against the rules.
Ah... right, right. Sorry.
Ibuki looks confused, hesitating as though trying to ask something. But Thirteen interrupts again, swatting Solomon away to go fetch blankets. He absconds with a tired laugh and leaves Thirteen to speak with Ibuki alone.
The memory shifts, with the faint request from Thirteen:
Solomon. Hey, you're coming with me. I've got intruders in my maze, and they're YOUR problem, so I'm not going to make it MY problem. Got it? Go clean up your mess, and don't start an incident with the monarchy on my property or I'm finding your candle in Candy's things and using it in my next machine, got it??
Time blurs with passage. Hours, a fight, an escape. The feeling of being cornered.
They're back at the fountain. Thirteen stands off in a corner with disapproval. Solomon stands in front of Ibuki. A few blurred figures of distorted shape and color now occupy the space.
And one specific creature - a demon, and a powerful one at that - is advancing towards the two humans. Lucifer.
You are one thoroughly disgusting human... do you know that?
Well, what do you expect? You've made it very clear that you consider me your enemy.
Lucifer sneers towards Solomon, even as the sorcerer smiles, the same smile he always wears.
Ibuki. You're the one I'm looking for.
They try to placate him. They say they can explain.
Explain? What could you POSSIBLY have to say worth hearing? It's far too late for that now.
He advances, with an energy that shakes the room.
Why did you show up when you did? Why did you appear before us?
Lucifer. That's enough. Don't get any closer to Ibuki.
Quiet.
Lucifer snaps his hand up, and Solomon's entire body is drawn to a halt, frozen in place with a grunt of pain.
Just because you're lauded as the greatest sorcerer in human history, you think you stand a chance against me?! You think you could defeat the Avatar of Pride? You? A human???
There's protests from the others around the space. Other demons, though it seems their voices and appearances aren't the importance of this memory.
Ibuki speaks up through the mess.
You're not actually angry, are you? That's not it.
Lucifer goes quiet. He advances on Ibuki, in words you cannot hear... before Ibuki starts to choke, crushed under the force of Lucifer's magic without him even moving a muscle. The other demons continue to protest, but none move to stop him. All are too scared of the consequences.
Cowards.
Ibuki. I don't care whether you are a demon or a human. It doesn't matter. But you possess the power to force every single one of us into submission. You can extract our power against our will, and use it as your own. Regardless of who or what you are, you are a threat to us.
Lucifer's stance grows taller, wings spreading wide.
I resolved never to put my family in danger again. No one harms my brothers. I won't let that happen.
There's a holler. It's from Thirteen. In her hands she holds a book. A grimoire.
Everyone in the room freezes. Some of the demons are confused, and others explain its purpose. A book of magic, created by a human, with information to summon and subjugate a demon against their will.
This is where every grimoire on every demon out there is born. It all happens right here. Because this is the Fountain of Knowledge, after all. Which is obviously why that sham of a sorcerer over there decided to come here. He was after this...
Thirteen's eyes narrow towards Solomon with barely veiled disappointment.
Weren't you, Solomon?]