Infernal Academia

Chapter 22 - Trayer Family Gathering: Part 1

"Mom!  Violet took my phone charger and she won't give it back!"

Shutting the vacuum off, Jezebel took a deep breath and surveyed her living room.  With the carpet hoovered, the mantle dusted and the lampshades wiped down, all she had left to do was-

"Mom~!  Make her give it back!"

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small notebook and flicked it open.  So that was the bedrooms, the bathrooms, the dining room, the utility room and now the living room.  By her count, there was just the front hall to clean.

"MOM~!  SCARLET WON'T LET ME BORROW HERS!"

Taking another deep breath, the Succubus set her vacuum aside and gently massaged her temples.  Even after all these years, after all they've done with their lives, they regress to petulant children once they come home.

"Violent, stop stealing your sister's things.  Scarlet, learn to share.  Amber, stop yelling at me," Jezebel called, carrying the vacuum under her arm.

"You lot really have no tact," spoke a voice from the stairs.

"Don't be rude, Viridi."

As her daughters continued to squabble upstairs, Jezebel set the vacuum down in the kitchen and grabbed her duster.  She didn't consider herself to be overly house-proud, but if she were to receive visitors with a messy house, she would be mortified.  

She heard a great clatter as somebody thundered down the stairs, much to Jezebel's chagrin.  And she told those girls so many times not to run in the house...

"Mom!  Mom!  What time is it?!" cried an exasperated voice.

One of Jezebel's daughters - Azul, judging by her blue apron - stood on the bottom step, clinging to the banister and gasping like her life depended on it.

"It's not time yet, honey.  Stop fretting," her mother replied, dusting down the ornaments in the hall.

Azul shook her head.

"I can't!  Do I look okay?!  Do I need to wash again?!"

Setting her duster down, Jezebel turned and faced her daughter.  It still filled her with pride to know just how well her children came out, even with the rough start in life that they had.  Scarlet, Amber, Viridi, Azul and Violet... Raising quintuplets by herself was no easy task, but she couldn't supress the pride they made her feel.  The five of them looked just like her when she was younger, save for their eyes, which was one of the few ways Jezebel could actually tell them apart.

Well, that and the colour-coding she sneakily worked into their outfits over the years.

With a sigh, the matronly Succubus stepped forward and gently wiped a tear from Azul's eye.

"You look wonderful.  Now stop panicking, okay?"

Taking a deep breath, she blinked the tears from her eyes and nodded.

"Okay... okay."

"That's my girl.  Now come and help me-"

"I'm gonna go do my hair again, though!"

With that, she spun on her heel and took off up the stairs towards the chaos upstairs.  Jezebel rolled her eyes and returned her attention to dusting the front hall.  Despite their myriad of differences, not one of her daughters cared much for keeping the house clean and tidy.  

Still, it kept her busy.

"MOM!  VIOLET TOOK THE STRAIGHTENERS!" cried Azul from on high.

"Girls, please!  Could you all just stop fighting?!  We're having visitors, for crying out loud!"