The Red Hand

"So, exactly what am I dealing with here?" Akagi said as her gaze turned to the Demi-Gods, both of whom shrank under her gaze. "Are either of you actually competent fighters? Or are you useless errand runners?"

"While we're nothing special when you compare us to some of the best fighers, we're not terrible." Kelson replied as Marion continued to hide behind him, fearful of the Demon. "My forte is covert operations. I'm more at home planting a dagger in an unsuspecting target's back than fighting an opponent head-on."

"Hah." Akagi squeaked out an uncharacteristically surprised laugh.

"Oh, that's right, you used to be a shadowy assassin." Halifax snickered while partially mocking her. "Hearing that must've taken you back."

"Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, yeah." Akagi replied as Yumi stepped out of her shadow and chuckled. "I won't say those were the good old days, but they're certainly something I remember fondly."

"Everything was much simpler back then. We took contracts, and there were no world-ending threats to be worried about." Yumi commented.

"Yeah." Akagi nodded with a warm smile on her face. "Oh, the days when I could freely hunt Hishya and not get scolded by my Sister. Good times. Good times."

{Poor Lizard.} (Halifax)

"Uh... Um... Ms. Demon Lord." Marion squeaked as she peered out from behind Kelson. "A-Are you really going to make us fight Rehael?"

"I mean, to be fair, fight is probably a reeaaaaaally generous interpretation of how that encounter will go down." Kelson figured they'd be turned to paste in seconds. "Marion and I are able to fight, but we can't do anything to her. Compared to some of the more combat-focused Demi-Gods, we're severely lacking in offensive prowess."

"I've only met you two a few times over the years, but I'd agree with your assessment." Halifax nodded before turning to Akagi. "Having them take her on in serious combat will just result in their untimely deaths."

"That's fine, I don't really need or want them to fight the spooky Angel lady anyway." Akagi shrugged. "That's Kana's job anyway, so you two can focus on backing up the other Earth forces in dealing with the army she brings to help her."

"That sounds considerably more doable." Kelson said with a wry smile, still concerned about fighting such a force. They'd never dealt with hundreds of thousands of monsters before, and even during the worst events in Enoris' history such a thing had never really occurred.

"And naturally, if you go fucking around on Earth, you will find out." Akagi said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So I'd advise not."

"Do not anger the kitty, for you do not wish to see its claws." Halifax chuckled. “Or its angry mews.”

"I... Think I'm good." Kelson said with a nervous laugh. “Yeah...”

"M-Me too!" Marion said while vigorously nodding her head. "I don't want to see that scary cat's claws! Nope!"

{That girl is going to bring out my worst tendencies with how easy she is to spook.} (Akagi)

"Hmmm..." Akagi paused as a thought crossed her mind. "Well, now that I think about it, we do have a third idiot we could send along with you. One that might just be a bit more powerful and who might be a help handle the fodder."

"Wait. No! You can't possibly be thinking of sending her to Earth?!?" Halifax protested. "She might be cooperative right now, but that's still a huge risk!"

"Meh, said risk can be managed." Akagi shrugged, not seeing any real issues. "Bring her in here. This can be part of her repentance if you think about it philosophically. Her first step on a long road to redemption."

{How long is yours?} (Yumi)

{Multiply infinity times two and you're only halfway there.} (Akagi)

"Fine..." Halifax said with a deep sigh, deciding not to argue any further. "Maybe we'll luck out, and Rehael will kill her in the fighting. Demon Kitty knows that would save me the trouble" She grumbled before shuffling out of the building, dragging Penelope back a few minutes later.

"Sister, there's no reason to drag me around by the collar! I can walk!" Penelope wiggles as Halifax pulled her along the floor by the scruff of her pajamas which Akagi found amusing.

"I know." Halifax said, ignoring her pleas, before depositing her and Arcus between Akagi and the other Demi-Gods. “One Penelope, delivered as promised. Where's my tip?”

"Such a rude woman." Arcus chastised her playfully. "We'll be sending a formal complaint to your boss!"

"Yumi, prep the paper shredder." Akagi said, playing along with his bit.

"Ah, ha! I've prepared for that! For you see, you can't shred it if I make it out of shred-proof paper!" Arcus retorted with a triumphant laugh.

"Yumi, get my shred-proof paper shredder." Akagi smirked.

"Nooo! My full proof plans!" Arcus yelled in defeat. “I should've foresaw such an thing!”

{I hate that those two somehow get along...} (Halifax x Penelope)

"Wait... Penelope?" Kelson's eyes went wide in surprise. "I... Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"T-That's what everyone else was saying..." Marion shared in his suprise.

"News of my death was greatly exaggerated." Penelope said as she got to her feet, Akagi noting internally how amusing it was that she'd said that line. "Though I fully expected to have been put to the sword, especially after..." She shook her head. "Now is not the time for that. Halifax mentioned that I was needed?"

"Yeah, you're going to go along with these two to Earth and provide some backup to my forces there." Akagi explained, her words catching Penelope off guard. "You wanted to start on the right path? I think battling Rehael's invasion is a good place to start."

"Rehael?!? Invasion?!? What?!?" Penelope's head spun as she tried to make sense of everything.

{When did this all happen?!? What did I miss?!?} (Penelope)

"You might want to run her through the background a bit on this one. Tossing her into the proverbial deep end without context isn't going to help matters." Halifax sighed, knowing that Akagi was doing exactly that because it was amusing.

"Fine." Akagi shrugged as she brought Penelope up to speed, the girl's face growing tense as the scope of her mission became clear.

"A battle against Rehael will be no easy feat." Arcus said. "Though Halifax probably told you that already."

"I've never even heard of her losing a serious fight." Penelope said, her mind switching into analysis mode. "She was always brought in when Lor.... Gale wanted things done."

"Her entire purpose was to be his cleaner, and clean she did." Halifax nodded.

"Like the world's most powerful janitor. Truly, the bane of dirty floors the world over," Akagi nodded, internally laughing at her own stupid comment which Yumi cringed at.

"I cannot defeat her." Penelope said. "She is far beyond me, and even with Kelson and Marion assisting me, we stand no chance of winning a straight up engagement. The Angel of Death is far too powerful."

"That's fine, you aren't going to fight her anyway." Akagi explained that she was to aid the Returnees in their battle against the undead, not the Angel.

"If all we need to do is clean up the monsters, then that will be a simple task. I just hope you're correct in that your Sister can defeat Rehael." Kelson said. “Else...”

"Child, I've given this entire scenario more thought than you can imagine." Akagi interrupted him, her face swapping from playful to serious. "Kana will defeat Rehael, I guarantee it. All you need to worry about is beating her backup dancers and setting the stage for her eventual victory."

"I'm still against sending Penelope with them." Halifax interjected, her words stinging the Demi-God. "It's too risky. If she decides to turn, it will cause huge headaches." Penelope wanted to retort that she wouldn't, but knew that it would be hard to get them to trust her after everything else that had happened. "I'd rather she stay here, and is preferably locked up so that nothing stupid happens."

“Harsh, but fair.” Arcus said.

“Really?” Penelope sighed.

"Don't worry, I've got a way to keep her compliant." Akagi said as she reached into her shadow and pulled out a small, black, collar. "Catch." She said before whipping it at Penelope, who quickly found it tightly wrapped around her neck. "There. You go fucking around, and you'll find out really quickly." She smirked. "And to be specific, the finding out will be the shattering of your soul. So, unless you want to stop existing, I'd advise being a good little girl and color within the lines."

{I never would've imagined that line being so ominous.} (Yumi)

"I guess that works..." Halifax rolled her eyes at both the collar and the turn of phrase. "Penelope, you're getting a chance at doing the right thing; don't fuck it up."

"Sister... I promise you that I won't!" Penelope said as she balled her fist and saluted with her hand across her chest.

_____________________________________________________________________________

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"This had better be important." Akagi called out to the person knocking on her door. After meeting with the Gods and Demi-Gods, she'd retreated into her office to plan for the battle and get everything prepared for the coming confrontation, only having just gotten off the phone with Hishya to brief her on the situation; said conversation going about as well as one would expect.

"I would not be bothering you if it were not, and you know that." Elariel said as she entered.

"Sure you wouldn't." Akagi rolled her eyes while reading a report on her tablet. "What do you need?"

"Two things." Elariel continued. "First, to remind you that Gale is an incredibly complex schemer. While this may outwardly be intended as a simple trap to keep you occupied, you must not forget that your opponents are Gods. This will be unlike any other battle you've ever fought, and it should be expected that my kin will be prepared to fight you despite the power difference."

"That is to be expected. As jovial as I can be about the situation, I am fully aware that Gods are dangerous." Akagi paused her reading to meet Elariel's gaze. "I will be taking this battle seriously."

"I just hope that Gale lacks anything too unexpected." Elariel sighed.

"And the second thing?" Akagi asked, motioning for her to get on with it.

"For the second thing..." Elariel paused for a moment. "I'd like for you to release my bindings and allow me to return to the Heavens."

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