Emily's Fall 2: Rising Above

Ch. 8: Fun at the Park

Lucy was running around the park, just being Lucy and having fun however she can.

There weren't many children in Pentagram City but she could still have fun on her own, chasing bugs or small animals, or even playing with Niffty.

Meanwhile, Velvette and Emily smoked cigarettes on a nearby bench as they watched Lucy.

"Mmmm, damn I missed these." Velvette said, holding hers in her mouth. "And they're so much better than the ones Val smokes."

"Because they're laced with his pheromones?" Emily asked, holding one in her right hand.

"No, it's because he has horrible taste." Velvette said blankly. "He mixes his pheromones in the smoke to disguise it."

"Oh, you mean the brand." Emily said.

"Exactly. That shit always left a bad taste in my mouth." Velvette said, taking an inhale and blowing out smoke. "But this stuff you have, it's twice as good."

"Yeah, I have expensive taste when it comes to smoking." Emily said with a grin.

'Especially when I get these straight from Sloth. Best ring to get medicine or drugs, even nicotine.' Emily thought as she took other drag. 'Aunt Bel really knows her stuff.'

Turning back to Lucy, the daughter of the queens was now swinging in the trees with her tail as Niffty chased after her playfully.

"Look at me go! I'm a little monkey swinging in the jungle!" Lucy said as she swung into the air with a tuck.

"You're the cutest monkey around and I'm gonna get you!" Niffty said.

"They look like they're having fun." Emily said as said as she felt Velvette's glance.

"Yeah but doesn't the princess need friends her own age?" Velvette asked.

"Not very easy." Emily said, blowing smoke. "The only kids in hell are hellborn, and most of them are either scared of our strength and status, or want to use said status to get higher up on the hierarchy."

"What about the Gluttony sin? Last I remember, she's with a hellhound, right?" Velvette asked.

"Two actually. Uncle Tex and Aunt Loona." Emily said with a sigh. "And not to mention that Aunt Bee is only three months pregnant, so Lucy won't have a playmate for a good number of years."

"Got it." Velvette said with a nod. "What about imps? I've seen a few around before."

"Meh, I don't really know many other than my Uncle Fizz and Aunt Loona's family." Emily said, "Not to mention they are adults."

"Hmmm." "Velvette hummed as she took a drag and exhaled out the side of her mouth.

She didn't know why she cared so much if Lucy had friends her own age, even if her cuteness had something to do with it, a part of Velvette just didn't want this child to be surrounded by just grown ups as friends for her whole life.

"Hey, I got it!" Velvette said, remembering something. "There are kids at the cannibal district!"

"There are?" Emily asked, suddenly remembering Vaggie's story of how she fell from heaven.

Sparing a young cannibal boy during an extermination.

"Yeah. Apparently, cannibals can have kids." Velvette said.

"... HUH?!" Emily shouted as she almost dropped her cigarette.

"Yeah, no clue how it works." Velvette said

"And people don't know about this?" Emily asked in shock.

'Hell just keeps surprising me!' She thought.

"Cannibals keep to themselves. Everyone else in Pentagram City are afraid of them since they eat people." Velvette said, shrugging.

"Well... I'm sure we can go visit the place later." Emily said, taking a bit of a long drag before blowing out smoke. "After all, you were there for a bit, right?"

"Eh, I popped in from time to time but never officially settled." Velvette said, giving a "so-so" gesture with her right "hand."

Which was a bunch of sticks that Lucy tied to her stump.

"Hehehehehehe." Emily giggled at Lucy's "replacement" gift for Velvette.

"Laugh all you want, I make these work." Velvette said, holding up her "left hand" to show it was the same.

A bundle of sticks tight around her stump.

"Sure you do but thank you for not taking them off. Lucy would've been so sad from that." Emily said, seeing Niffty and Lucy now on the swing set in the park.

"Not like I could if I wanted to." Velvette said, shrugging.

'But yeah. I'm not so cruel as to crush a kid's spirit.' Velvette thought as she glanced at Lucy, seeing a brief flash of her younger self when she was alive. 'Nobody has the right to crush a kid's spirit.'

Suddenly, Lucy then came running up to them.

"Alright, ditch the smokes." Emily said, putting out her cigarette.

"Ugh, do I have to?" Velvette asked with a groan.

"Yes. Now spit it out." Emily said, holding her hand up to Velvette.

"I am not a fucking dog." Velvette said.

"Spit it out." Emily repeated firmly.

With a little pout, Velvette spat the cigarette out with literal spit well into Emily's hand, making her frown.

"Really?" Emily asked.

"Woof woof." Velvette let out mockingly as she smirked.

"I would slap you if it wasn't for the fact that we're in public." Emily said, dropping the cigarette.

"You still could but your niece would wonder why." Velvette said.

Suddenly, Lucy ran up and smiled...while missing a tooth.

'WHAT THE FUCK?!' Emily thought with wide eyes.

"Auntie, look! I'm going to get a visit from the tooth fairy!" Lucy said holding up her missing tooth.

"..." Emily blinked slowly before she turned to Niffty, who was standing a short distance away with a nervous grin. "That's GREAAAAAAAAAT, sweetie. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I ran into a tree!" Lucy said, before a bit of gold blood ran down her nose, "It was fun!"

"Oh wow, she needs friends her own age more than I thought." Velvette muttered in surprise.

"That's wonderful, Lucy. Can you stay here with Ms. Velvette for a bit while I talk to your aunt Niffty?" Emily asked while gritting her teeth.

Lucy got on the bench and sat next to Velvette, happily kicking her feet.

"Okay, auntie!" Lucy said, smiling and showing her tooth gal once again.

Nodding to her, Emily stood up and briskly walked over to Niffty before snatching her arm.

"Come with me. NOW." Emily demanded, dragging Niffty to a large tree.

'Someone is in big trouble.' Velvette thought, watching Niffty struggle and drag her feet.

And she didn't mean Niffty would be getting a pink slip.