Daughter Of An Overlord

Act 2.... Playing Catch Up

The next morning, after breakfast, Ms. Charlie proposed my father and I got to know each other a little better by going on an outing around the Pentagram. He seemed rather reluctant, but it made my heart leap for joy when he agreed it would be best to catch up. Now we found ourselves walking down the street of a sector in the Pride Ring that was foreign to me, and I ventured to asked, "So, dad, what IS it that a Demon Overlord does?" "Pardon?" "What role do Overlords have in the Underground? There must be SOME reason why you're so highly revered." I reiterated. My father placed his cane into his elbow crease, and put his finger to his lips in thought before finally replying with his signature grin, "We are nobility in a nutshell. Each of us oversees a sector of the Pentagram, and our influence is law." "But isn't there a king? "Lucifer", right?" "My dear girl," father laughed, "Do you REALLY expect the king of the lost and forgotten has that kind of time and capacity to oversee every sector and ring in the Pentagram? We may be under his boot, but everyone else is beneath ours!" "Huh.... I never considered king Lucifer to be so-" "Useless? Weak? A nonsensical waste that nobody respects?" My Father interjected smugly. "N-No? I was thinking more "Mundane"-seems a tad less harsh, don't you suppose?" I asked, raising my brow to him. He simply shrugged as he replied, "To be harsh is the way an Overlord ensures nobody DARES question your authority- even amongst other Overlords you must choose your allies wisely." "You mean that there are Overlords that betray others? But WHY?!" We stopped walking for a second for my Father to take my shoulders firmly as he replied with one word, "Power." ""Power"?" "Preeeeecisely! An endless, overflowing well of strength that no mere human sinner could EVER dream of! To have such power is a great advantage over your enemies, and ensures your ties to your allies are cemented. But it's nothing for you to worry your sweet, pretty head about!" We continued to walk again, this time with him offering me his arm-which I happily obliged before sighing, "I'll have to worry about it someday if I'm going to fill your shoes." "Say what now?" "Well to put it simply, father, I'll have to fill in for you when you're long gone. Even in the afterlife immortality isn't something to be expected to all of us, and even the promise of a long one isn't as certain than if you were in Heaven! You and I have nearly the same powers, so if you were to retire or pass, which I much prefer the former than the latter, it would be up to me as your only child to fill your allocated role. Am I wrong?" I looked over at him, only to find his eyes blank, and an unsavory expression plastered across his face. "Dad?" I asked, making him snap back into the present as he quickly replied, "It'll be a while before that time comes, so don't fret yourself over it. Now, where did you say you were taking me?" "Oh, right!" I said, my eyes lighting up excitedly as I explained, "We're going to see my Aunties in Covettville. They'll be absolutely chuffed to find the two of us reunited after all this time! What's more, they'll FINALLY get a glimpse of the lucky Demon who gave me life." "O-Oh....." was all my father said as he glanced to the side in dismay. "Don't be so gutted, daddy. They're really lively for dead folk, and sweeter than my tea in the afternoon! As you've told mummy once before-"You're never fully dressed without a smile", so PLEASE dad, if not for them smile for me?" I asked as we crossed onto Envy boulevard. We were FINALLY at the Envy Ring! I looked around at the children on the streets fighting each other for toys, and the teenagers fighting over the best looking ladies and gents as a rush of familiarity and comfort soaked itself into my being. My father looked around anxiously as we approached a colourless, bland looking complex building, and I knocked on the first door to the right. "Who is it?" A sing songy, high pitched voice answered. "It's meeeeeee!" I sang back, and a pair of footsteps rushed to the door as quiet arguing could be heard. The door opened, and before me stood a gorgeous woman with two heads: one with long, lustrous red hair, and one with short, volumous purple waves. "Jessie!" They both screeched happily, pulling me into a hug before both heads planted kisses on both sides of my head. "Hello Aunties! You two look stunning as ever." "Awwww, how sweet!" One head chirped. "Mercí, little one!" The other added, her voice a tad deeper than her twin. I pulled away from them, and I took my father's arm gently as I announced, "Aunties? I have someone with me that I think the two of you would be thrilled to meet." I pulled him into their veiw, and one clasped a hand over their mouth as the other gasped loudly. "Oooooohhhh, the resemblance is absolument frappant sister!" The purple haired head fawned. "Oui, sister, the apple didn't stray too far after all!" The red haired head agreed with a nod as they approached him. "What a strong physique!" "And a Magnifique fashion sense! It's no wonder her mother was attracted to such a bel homme like yourself Monsieur!" "He is QUITE a beau, isn't he?" I laughed, reveling in the sight of my Aunties examining, and interacting with daddy. "And you ladies are-?" He asked, shaking them off of his shoulders. "Do forgive us. Meeting you face to face for the first time and seeing our little rosée des fleurs has us both aflutter!" "My name is Lynn." The head with the purple hair introduced. "And I'm Fuschia!" The red haired head added. My father's eyes went wide as he asked in astonishment, "YOU'RE Lynn and Fuschia?!" "Oui! We are jumeaux siamois." Auntie Lynn explained. "Siamese twin sisters from France!" Fuschia translated happily. "Qui es-tu, sir?" Auntie Fuschia asked curiously, to which Lynn translated, "And you are, Monsieur?" "I'm Alastor! A pleasure to meet you ladies-QUITE a pleasure." My Father replied, shaking both of their hands cordially before wiping his hand on his coat. "Oh, what kind manners you have, Alastor!" "A true prince en peau de bélier. Come! Both of you must be exhausted from your walk." My Aunties escorted the two of us inside, and the first thing I heard was a gruff, booming voice say, "Hey, Jessie sweetheart!" "Oh my! Uncle Ruebin? Is that you I hear?" "The one and only, sugar puff. Welcome home!" A Demon with a large gut, and gnarly talons said, getting up from a chair to greet me with a hug. "Oh, Uncle, it's always a great day when you're here." I said, embracing him tightly. Once we parted, I introduced him to my father, and Uncle Ruebin chortled, "So THIS is the ole' man of the hour! Great to finally see you, Al." "That's ALASTOR, if you don't mind..." daddy grumbled, glancing off to the side with a frown before being bear hugged by my Uncle. "Awww, you two get along like Biscuits and Cream!" I exclaimed, then I noticed the displeased look on daddy's face before reminding him silently to smile. "Ruebin, darling?" "Could you get the baby in bed, and the children cleaned up for lunch?" My Aunties asked, after my Uncle released my father. "Sure thing my snickerdoodle. I'll be back in a few!" He replied, dancing his way down the hall and making me laugh. "You're..... Both married to him?" My Father asked, confused. "Of course!" "And we couldn't be happier. OH! Jessie, ma fille, we have a couple dresses that no longer fit us that you are more than welcome to have if you'd like to try them on." "And feel free to get out of your stuffy clothes, and into something more casual if you'd like." "Certainly, Aunties. I'll go do those right away." I replied, and they handed me a box before shooing me off to my room. I used to share the room with Mummy, and the murals she painted on the walls were absolutely breath taking! Walking into the familiar room, I took a deep breath in, and flopped onto the mattress, taking in the beautiful paintings all around me: Autumn Woodlands, Polar Ice Caps, ALL of it! Sitting back up, I opened the box my Aunties gifted me, and found a beautiful, modest, blue laced dress with a zipped back. I took the beautiful dress into my hands, and was enchanted by the heart and wing designs in the intricate lace, and I quickly tried it on before looking in the mirror. The colour of the blue made my skin look glowy, and I admired the way the skirt flared outward, giving a cute, elegant charm. The second dress I pulled out seemed to be a red night dress, sinched at the waist below the breast, and flared all the way to the floor. It had white lace on the hem, and the straps were black and made of matte silk. I tried it on, and felt REALLY comfortable-almost so that I could swear that my eyelids were growing heavy! I threw it off, and browsed the wardrobe for something comfortable when I found a black crop top, and gray sweatpants. "This'd do nicely! I'll just hang my dress up for now, and put it back on once we leave." I said, putting on the simple outfit before heading out of my room. Closing the door behind me, I heard a pair of footsteps run from the far end of the hall, and a small boy ran in front of me with a large grin as he giggled. I followed the young child back into the lounge where he proceeded to excitedly examine my father; making me laugh as I leaned against the wall with a light heart. Hearing me, the boy turned around, and he exclaimed, "JESSIE!" "Hello Rodney!" I replied, equally happy, and he ran to me as I embraced him. Rodney had a Raven's head like his father, and a humanoid body splashed with black feathers on his arms with his father's crooked talons. After we pulled away, Rodney asked, "Why were you gone for SO long?" "I was looking for someone VERY special, and VERY important to me, Rod. You remember my mummy telling you about my daddy?" Rodney's eyes widened, and a certain light twinkled in them as he asked, "You FOUND him?!" "Yes, Rodney. Come! Go see your Uncle Alastor." I replied, turning Rodney to him happily. Rodney bounced a little in place before running up to daddy, and wrapped his tiny arms around his legs tightly as daddy dear became flustered. "Wow, you're so cool lookin'!" Rodney breathed in admiration, squeezing tighter around his legs. "Y-Yes.... Th-Thank you for your kind words...." my father replied, awkwardly patting the young demon on his head. "Momma! Momma!" A pair of voices called, and a two headed demon girl came into the room, dressed in a purple sun dress. One head had their hair in a long, pink braid, while the other was made up in a blue, curly ponytail, and their tiny, heterochromic eyes looked up at me in astonishment. "Jess!" They cheered, and ran up to me before leaping into my arms. "Emory! Delilah! Oh, how you both have grown so!" I replied, picking the tiny pair up from the floor. The two were like their mother in looks, but they had their father's short, yellow beaks, adding to their overall cuteness as Emory said, "We missed you, Jessie." "Where have you been?" Delilah asked, setting her head on my shoulder and tracing the embroidery on my top. "Finding a special someone of mine." I began, turning to face my father with the girls, "This man is my dad. He's one of the Overlords that run the Underlands." The girls looked over at him, and he forced his best smile as he did an akward wave. "What's an "Overlord"?" Delilah asked in interest, and I quickly recapped how my father explained it, only in a way that was comprhendable to a young child. "I don't like him. He looks scary!" Emory cried, hiding her face from him, and causing my father to hold a tense look for a split second. "I think he looks like a prince. Like the ones from our story books!" Delilah commented fondly, lifting her head off my chest to look at him fully. My father seemed unsure how to take the whole interaction, and he stayed quiet for a bit before mustering a small, "Th-Thanks...." "He seems nice too!" Delilah giggled excitedly. "Awww, I'm sure he's going to love ALL of you by the end of the visit." "Emmy?" "Della?" Their mum called, and I sent the girls off to see what it is they needed before settling down on the sofa, and crossing my legs. "Do have a seat, will you dad? You're visiting too, after all." I invited, patting a cushion on the sofa next to me. Dad hesitated for a good while, but reluctantly gave in with a sigh as he planted himself next to me. Uncle Ruebin entered the room with a light swoosh, making myself, Rod, and the twins laugh before waltzing his way to the kitchen to kiss his wives. "How did the outfits fit, Jessie chérie?" Auntie Fuschia asked, busily chopping veggies. "Like a glove. Thank you Aunties!" I replied, leaning to the side and yawning. "Tired, are we?" My Uncle asked, pinching my nose lightly. "Unclllllleeee. You KNOW I don't like my nose touched." I whined, covering my poor sniffer from his talons. "Still fun to mess with you about it, Jess. But seriously, if you're tired you can take a nap and I'll getcha when lunch is ready." "That sounds..... Really...... Great......" I said before falling asleep on my father's shoulder. I don't know how long I've been out since then, but the next thing I knew I was gently shaken awake by the twins. Sitting up, I was no longer in the lounge.... Did he....? REALLY?! I turned on the lamp beside me as Emory and Delilah said in unison, "Momma says lunch is ready." "Thank you, girls. Run along now." I replied, stretching as I let out a squeaky yawn. Getting up from the bed, I sluggishly made for the partially opened door, and made my way down the hall to find my Aunties, setting food down for the little ones in the kitchen, and my Uncle watching Shrunken Head Baseball with father, whooping and hollering for his favorite team while my father sat there annoyed. "Good afternoon, everyone." I greeted while rubbing my eyes. "Good afternoon sleepyhead." My Uncle greeted back warmly as he walked over to give me a hug. "Sleep well?" My father asked coarsely, forcing a smile across his lips as I replied cheerfully, "How kind of you to ask, daddy. Yes, I've slept wonderfully- it's no cushion like that Hotel of yours, but a bed in a house is still meant for the comforts of sleep." ""Hotel"? I didn't know we were in the presence of a business man!" Uncle jested, nudging me a bit. "Well, I'm not EXACTLY it's owner. Just a host is really all!" Father giggled nervously. "And a wonderful host he is as well! Why, just last night I saw him conversing with one of the patrons, and he was just SPLENDID in his mannerisms." I complimented, reminiscing how he had fetched a Demon lady who was sickly a bucket while Miss Charlie tended to her. "It wasn't worth the mess...." he muttered before shuddering, and I came behind the sofa to lean over as I added, "He's quite modest in his personality as well!" "M-Modest? Don't be silly, child, I was just stating the obvious!" He replied, dashing his eyes from side to side in embarrassment. "It's alright, daddy," I began, laughing brightly, "you don't have to put your walls up around us!" Feeling daring, I leaned over, and pecked my father on the cheek causing him to reel back from me in shock and a bit of disgust. "Awww, don't be so shy Al. I give my children sugar around company ALL the time! It's a natural habit for dads-'specially for dads of little girls." My Uncle declared pridefully as he sucked in his gut to puff out his chest. "Well do consider, Uncle, this is only the second day he's been with me. It's not like he's known me forever after all!" I defended, feeling a bit sad for his rejection, but nonetheless understanding given the circumstances. "R-Riiiiiiiiiiigggggggghhhhhhhhtttttt...." My father stammered, looking back off to the side nervously. "He'll get used to you in no time, Jessie." My Auntie Lynn said, coming to the threshold between the kitchen, and lounge. "In the meantime, why don't we all gather around for lunch while the little ones are upstairs?" Auntie Fuschia offered, and my Uncle boomed, "WOOOOHOOOOOO! I'm STARVING!" He danced his way towards the dining room, making me laugh as my father asked in annoyance, "Must he ALWAYS be so loud?!" "That's Uncle Ruebin for you. It's why he's such a joy to be around!" "Ha, ha, ha. You're SO hilarious, Amy!" My Father said, sarcastic and unenthused. "It's "Jessie"? Dad?" I corrected, feeling a little akward. We both walked into the dining room where my Aunties were busy preparing plates for everyone and herself, and I took a seat next to Uncle Ruebin before patting the chair beside me for my Father. "Fine...." he sighed, taking the seat reluctantly before slouching a little. "Here we are!" "Potagé a la Pari!" My Aunties announced as she sat down beside Uncle. I took the bowl of rich, earthy smelling broth in front of me as my stomach growled, and I took a fork in hand to take some of the meat off the top to eat. "Mmmmmmm, this is AMAZING Aunties!" I breathed, the heavy umami taste lingering on my tongue. "Fantastique!" "We are happy you like it chérie." My Aunties replied with a large grin on both of their faces. "Oh, Alastor monsieur?" My Auntie Fuschia began, getting my father's attention mid-bite before continuing, "There was a slight tweak to the recipe we used since you were allergic to a certain spice." "Oh yeah! It was sage, was it not?" I asked, looking over at him as he exclaimed, "H-How did YOU know that?!" "Easy." "We knew your lady love since before Jess was born." My Aunties replied, and I added, "Who else would I learn about MY daddy from? Honestly, I think I know you more than you realize, father." We all laughed while he remained silent, and we enjoyed our lunch visit with family up until the last bite. After conversing a bit more and telling dad a bit more about me, I helped my Aunties clean up before going back to my old room, and grabbing my dress from the closet. "Jess, sweetheart?" I heard from the doorway, and I turned to see Uncle Ruebin enter the door with a bittersweet smile. "Is something the matter, Uncle?" I asked, setting my dress down to take his talons into my hands. "If you want to, you and your old man are free to stay the night. You know that, right?" He asked, looking to the floor. I placed my hand to his feathery face softly, and replied softly, " 'Course I do, Uncle. But my father isn't quite used to you all yet, and I'll not force the matter if he wishes to return to the hotel." "We..... Hardly see you, anymore, Jessie, and..... Well.... We thought it'd be nice to have us all here before I had to leave tomorrow morning for my truck run-that a way I could spend a bit more time with you and your dad before you two headed off..." he sulked, looking down at the floor. "Uncle Ruebin," I began, consoling my uncle, "It's not like you'll never see me again. I'll try to come over as often as I can, and bring father as well if he's feeling up for it." I hugged my Uncle tightly, feeling a good sight more disheartened by the idea of leaving so soon. It was understandable that they felt the way they did since they were a big part of my afterlife, and I hated the idea of leaving them, but Alastor is my father, and he deserves that respect from me as well even though we hardly knew each other. My Uncle said his farewells, and left for me to get ready to go, and after I had said goodbye to my cousins and Aunties, my father and I made our way back to the Pride Ring. "I thought that was a splendid visit, don't you?" I asked, walking back down the streets we took to get to the Envy Ring. "I found it really..... Frustrating..... Especially that bit where I was forced to watch that GHASTLY picture box, and the head splitting headache from that lardy loud mouth you call an "Uncle"!" My Father snapped, holding a displeased expression. "He was only trying to make you comfortable. Honestly! MUST you be a black dog about it?" I sighed, feeling a little irritated by his attitude. "Oh, I'M the bad guy in this situation? They never ONCE considered to ask me how I was doing! They were more busy trying to assimilate me to a topic that I could care LESS about than making me "Comfortable"." He growled in response, shooting me an angered side eye, and frightening me just a small bit enough to make me advert my gaze back to the ground beneath us, and my doe ears fold back. "Hmph! "Black dog". What nerve!" He muttered, and my face fell into a frown. Was this a mistake? NO! I REFUSE to cave now! When we returned to the hotel, my father quickly sped off to his room-not even considering the fact Miss Charlie was about to ask us about our outing, and I found myself in my own room, stressed about how the visit went, and how angry father must be with me. "Oh well." I sighed after a while of muttering to myself, "Tomorrow may go a bit more pleasant, I suppose."