HOME | DD

Description
Beelzebub awoke abruptly, a piercing howl echoing in his mind. He looked around to find that he was alone on the couch, even the living room was deserted.
Another howl brought him to his feet and down the hallway to investigate the source of the noise.
The Hellhound lay on the bathroom floor with Shiona sitting beside it. ShadowWing was perched on her shoulder as he instructed her on the use of the medicine she was applying to its burn wounds.
The injured Hound whined and howled each time the human female applied pressure with the washcloth.
"What in Hell are you doin' to it?" Beelzebub inquired, his hands clasped firmly over his ears to drive away the cries.
"We're just applying medicine, its being such a baby." ShadowWing replied, shaking his head.
"Can't Shiona just numb it enough to do this or what?"
Shiona shook her head.
"She doesn't have the strength to do so."
"Great..." He swiveled his head when a knocking sound cut in through the Hound's howling. "Oh, even better!" he grumbled. He hurried to the door and peeked out through the peephole. "And it just gets better..."
He slid the door open a fraction to reveal a middle-aged female dressed in a professional manner, her hair was up in a tight bun and she wore a dark blue dress suit with black heels and square-rimmed glasses.
"Beelzebub! What is the meaning of all this racket?!" she demanded in a curt tone, fiddling with the side of her glasses.
"Er...hello, Erika."
She planted her fists on her hips. "I have received five complaints in the last hour! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck. "Well you see-"
A sound like an animal dying reached their ears, causing the demon to turn his head.
Erika glared him down over the rim of her glasses, hard blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I will ask only once more, what is going on?"
"Eh-heh...just a little animal issue. My ah...friend brought over an injured animal and we were tending to it."
"Can't you do it more quietly? The other tenants are angry with all the howling."
"Sorry, Erika. We're nearly finished."
"You have blood all over your arm." she said suddenly.
"I do?" He looked down at his arm, crusted in dried blood from the Hunter. "Oh, ah. The animal got me a little bit, is all."
"Get cleaned up, then," She shook her head and turned on her heels sharply. "If I have one more complaint, you are in serious trouble!" she said over her shoulder as she walked off.
"Yes, Erika."
He waited until she was out of sight before closing the door, breathing a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was to be booted from his home due to the other tenants becoming agitated. He hurried back into the bathroom.
"Who was it?"
"Erika."
The scales on ShadowWing's face seemed to dull slightly. "Oh...she ah...didn't happen to be here for the rent?"
"No. Several people have put in noise complaints due to this little mongrel." He gestured to the Hellhound, who now was slathered in a shiny liquid with parts of its body bandaged.
"Sorry, we're finished now. It should be quiet."
"Better be. Now get it outta here so I can shower."
With great effort, Shiona was able to coax the injured Hound to its paws and lead it out into the living room.
"Two sets of clothes, ruined...and this was my favorite jacket." the demon grumbled as he looked over his torn jacket.
Once he had showered and dressed in a new pair of jeans and a sleeveless black shirt, he went into the living room.
Shiona was sitting on the couch hand-feeding the Hound small scraps of chicken pieces from a plastic container. ShadowWing was using the tip of his tail to flip through the menu of the television.
Beelzebub rolled his eyes at the sight before him. "Oh, sheesh..."
Shiona looked up at him and smiled, a full-fledged smile.
For a reason unknown, the demon found the blood rushing to his cheeks. He coughed distractedly and sat down on the couch next to his Charge, keeping his eyes fixated on the television screen.
"So...what are we naming this thing, if we're keeping it?" ShadowWing asked, looking up at Shiona expectantly.
She shrugged slightly.
The dragonette tapped his chin thoughtfully with the top of his wing as he sifted through the many names that came to mind. "Hm. Don't suppose we'll name it anything Draconic."
"Like what?"
"Jolek." The word was spoken with such a distinctive hiss that it was harder for the human female to understand.
Beelzebub frowned. He had heard enough Draconic words from his little dragonette companion to understand it somewhat, though the meaning was quite unclear. "What's that mean?"
"Hound." the dragonette replied with a chortle.
Beelzebub rolled his eyes. "How original. And besides...you know it's hard to pronounce those damned words anyways. So just keep it simple."
"All right, all right. Hm...Tobias?"
The Hellhound merely snorted its disapproval.
"Blackie?"
"Hm...I got an easy one. Seth."
The Hound wagged its tail and let out a small bark.
"Well, I guess he likes it."
Beelzebub reached out and lightly patted the Hound's head. "Welcome to the family, Seth."
Seth commenced licking the demon's hand until it was drawn away.
"Oh, dammit! I just washed that, too!"
Shiona suddenly got up and rushed from the room.
"Oh, great."
She returned a few moments later with a washcloth and wiped down Beelzebub's slobber-covered hand.
"You seriously didn't need to do that. I got a pant-leg."
Shiona backed away, clutching the wet washcloth to her chest. "Sorry..."
"No worries. Sit back down."
She quickly moved to the other side to return to her seat.
Beelzebub draped his arm across the back of the couch. "Say, Shiona...I have a question for you."
"Hm?" She looked up at him quizzically.
"Why...why did you lock Jukan away?"
"Oh, well..." She looked down at her hands, wringing the washcloth nervously.
"You could have just run away."
Shiona shook her head vigorously. "Never."
"Why?" He watched as a light blush crept to her cheeks. "You can tell me."
"...that thing...I couldn't stand to know you were trapped..."
"Is that the only reason?"
She looked away, touching the tips of two fingers to her lips. "No..."
Beelzebub leaned closer. "What other reason was it?"
She shook her head slowly and closed her eyes.
The demon frowned, dissatisfied with her reaction. He slumped against the back of the couch with a sigh and pressed the subject no further.

Later that evening, Beelzebub had retired to his room, leaving Shiona and the other two to their own devices.
Shiona was lying curled up in the corner of the couch with Seth lying on the floor below her. ShadowWing had settled himself on the arm above her head.
"Shadow...?" Shiona started in a tentative whisper.
"Yes?"
"Can I...can I ask you something?"
"Of course! Whatever may it be?"
"Who is...Natalie?"
"N-Natalie? Er...wherever did you hear that name?"
"Jukan...he said something to me earlier...about it being like with Natalie all over again."
ShadowWing wiggled his body in an almost distressed manner. "Well..."
"Please tell me."
"She was Beelzebub's girlfriend. I shouldn't even be telling you this!"
"Oh, please, Shadow." she begged in a soft tone.
The dragonette sighed. "All right. Just don't say anything to Beelzebub, he'd kill me!"
"Oh, I won't!"
"Natalie was more than just his girlfriend. She was an Angel, one of the lower Elites. Not quite a Zaldurian. They're the fighters. She was a Peace-bringer, a Seraphim. The love the pair shared was forbidden beyond more ways than one. But they persisted when all had turned against them."
"But something happened?"
"Yes. Jukan escaped from Beelzebub's control. He went on a rampage. Before Lasandra and the Council could push him back, he killed Natalie in the slowest way he could. Being around the Angel's presence had driven him mad with pain."
"I...I didn't think Angels could die..."
ShadowWing shook his head slowly. "Neither did we. But she did. I have not voiced my opinion on the matter to Beelzebub, but I feel that she was not truly killed. As a Seraphim, she had greater powers than what any of us know. Her God would not allow her death so easily, I think."
"So...you believe she's alive?"
"She could be."
"But if she is, why has she not come back to Beelzebub? His soul...is so blackened from grief."
"You can see his soul?!" the dragonette asked in alarm.
Shiona flinched violently and ducked her head. "I...did I do something wrong?"
"No, no! Not many can see another's soul. It is a rare gift."
"Oh..."
"But to answer your question, I do not know. It is simply a hunch of mine that she even lives at all. Why did you wish to know of her?"
"I just...wanted to know...it would explain why he acts as he does."
"Actually, Shiona. I've never seen him act as he has been with you. I was only with him a short time before Natalie's death. He had found my egg hidden in a crevice near the poison pits-though he was a demon and not a dragonoid as dragonettes are supposed to be with. He was loving with her, but not quite the same as he acts with you."
Shiona blushed. "He's merely doing his job...protecting me from danger."
"But he could have just taken you to the Healer when you were sick, but instead he fought me and made you stay here. The Beelzebub I know from before would never have done that, he would have made you go to the Healer."
"But...what would he see in me? I'm just a human..."
"You are also the only company he's had since Natalie's death. He exiled himself to this realm to drown in his own misery and prevent Jukan from killing anymore of his friends. Lasandra somehow thought he would be a good candidate to take on the assignment to protect you. Though I know Calenth would have been...actually, no. He's a bit too rambunctious," he laughed to himself. "But when they locked Jukan up the last time, they also locked part of Beelzebub's powers along with it, to create and strengthen the barrier. So he isn't as strong as he once was. Shiona...will you tell me what you could not tell Beelzebub?"
Shiona's face flushed darkly. "I...will you tell Beelzebub if I do?"
The dragonette held his wing-tip over his scaly chest where his heart was located. "Your secret is safe with me."
"I feel silly even thinking this...he has been the only person that seems to actually care...besides you, of course." she added hastily, hoping she had not upset her friend.
"No offense taken, dear. I am a dragonette. I am not meant for humanoid relationships."
She sighed in relief. "Okay...I've never felt like this around anyone before. Somehow...I can see his soul brighten briefly when he's around me. I don't know what it is...but it makes me...happy. I've not been happy in so long...I've forgotten what it feels like."
ShadowWing gave her head a comforting nuzzle with his snout. "I hope you are happy here. We certainly are, even if Beelzebub won't admit it. I most definitely am. You have been of great company and of great help to me."
Shiona placed a light kiss on ShadowWing's snout. "...thank you..."
The dragonette squeaked in surprise and coiled himself up, green smoke billowing out from his nostrils to display his embarrassment.
"I'm sorry!" Shiona cried, covering her mouth with her hands.
"It's quite all right," ShadowWing said after a few moments of re-composing himself. He lifted himself up out of the coil. "Just wasn't expecting that."
"I...wasn't either..."
The dragonette chuckled. "Indeed. But was that what you wanted to tell him? He makes you happy?"
Shiona nodded slowly. "He would laugh at me for it...but he does. You both do."
ShadowWing wrapped his wings over her head in his version of a hug, causing the young woman to stifle a shriek. The dragonette laughed sympathetically. "Poor dear. If we could just get you to stop screaming over ever little thing."
She ducked her head shamefully. "...sorry..."
"All in good time. You've been too abused to not react that way."
She sighed quietly and nodded.

Description
Beelzebub awoke abruptly, a piercing howl echoing in his mind. He looked around to find that he was alone on the couch, even the living room was deserted.
Another howl brought him to his feet and down the hallway to investigate the source of the noise.
The Hellhound lay on the bathroom floor with Shiona sitting beside it. ShadowWing was perched on her shoulder as he instructed her on the use of the medicine she was applying to its burn wounds.
The injured Hound whined and howled each time the human female applied pressure with the washcloth.
"What in Hell are you doin' to it?" Beelzebub inquired, his hands clasped firmly over his ears to drive away the cries.
"We're just applying medicine, its being such a baby." ShadowWing replied, shaking his head.
"Can't Shiona just numb it enough to do this or what?"
Shiona shook her head.
"She doesn't have the strength to do so."
"Great..." He swiveled his head when a knocking sound cut in through the Hound's howling. "Oh, even better!" he grumbled. He hurried to the door and peeked out through the peephole. "And it just gets better..."
He slid the door open a fraction to reveal a middle-aged female dressed in a professional manner, her hair was up in a tight bun and she wore a dark blue dress suit with black heels and square-rimmed glasses.
"Beelzebub! What is the meaning of all this racket?!" she demanded in a curt tone, fiddling with the side of her glasses.
"Er...hello, Erika."
She planted her fists on her hips. "I have received five complaints in the last hour! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck. "Well you see-"
A sound like an animal dying reached their ears, causing the demon to turn his head.
Erika glared him down over the rim of her glasses, hard blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I will ask only once more, what is going on?"
"Eh-heh...just a little animal issue. My ah...friend brought over an injured animal and we were tending to it."
"Can't you do it more quietly? The other tenants are angry with all the howling."
"Sorry, Erika. We're nearly finished."
"You have blood all over your arm." she said suddenly.
"I do?" He looked down at his arm, crusted in dried blood from the Hunter. "Oh, ah. The animal got me a little bit, is all."
"Get cleaned up, then," She shook her head and turned on her heels sharply. "If I have one more complaint, you are in serious trouble!" she said over her shoulder as she walked off.
"Yes, Erika."
He waited until she was out of sight before closing the door, breathing a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was to be booted from his home due to the other tenants becoming agitated. He hurried back into the bathroom.
"Who was it?"
"Erika."
The scales on ShadowWing's face seemed to dull slightly. "Oh...she ah...didn't happen to be here for the rent?"
"No. Several people have put in noise complaints due to this little mongrel." He gestured to the Hellhound, who now was slathered in a shiny liquid with parts of its body bandaged.
"Sorry, we're finished now. It should be quiet."
"Better be. Now get it outta here so I can shower."
With great effort, Shiona was able to coax the injured Hound to its paws and lead it out into the living room.
"Two sets of clothes, ruined...and this was my favorite jacket." the demon grumbled as he looked over his torn jacket.
Once he had showered and dressed in a new pair of jeans and a sleeveless black shirt, he went into the living room.
Shiona was sitting on the couch hand-feeding the Hound small scraps of chicken pieces from a plastic container. ShadowWing was using the tip of his tail to flip through the menu of the television.
Beelzebub rolled his eyes at the sight before him. "Oh, sheesh..."
Shiona looked up at him and smiled, a full-fledged smile.
For a reason unknown, the demon found the blood rushing to his cheeks. He coughed distractedly and sat down on the couch next to his Charge, keeping his eyes fixated on the television screen.
"So...what are we naming this thing, if we're keeping it?" ShadowWing asked, looking up at Shiona expectantly.
She shrugged slightly.
The dragonette tapped his chin thoughtfully with the top of his wing as he sifted through the many names that came to mind. "Hm. Don't suppose we'll name it anything Draconic."
"Like what?"
"Jolek." The word was spoken with such a distinctive hiss that it was harder for the human female to understand.
Beelzebub frowned. He had heard enough Draconic words from his little dragonette companion to understand it somewhat, though the meaning was quite unclear. "What's that mean?"
"Hound." the dragonette replied with a chortle.
Beelzebub rolled his eyes. "How original. And besides...you know it's hard to pronounce those damned words anyways. So just keep it simple."
"All right, all right. Hm...Tobias?"
The Hellhound merely snorted its disapproval.
"Blackie?"
"Hm...I got an easy one. Seth."
The Hound wagged its tail and let out a small bark.
"Well, I guess he likes it."
Beelzebub reached out and lightly patted the Hound's head. "Welcome to the family, Seth."
Seth commenced licking the demon's hand until it was drawn away.
"Oh, dammit! I just washed that, too!"
Shiona suddenly got up and rushed from the room.
"Oh, great."
She returned a few moments later with a washcloth and wiped down Beelzebub's slobber-covered hand.
"You seriously didn't need to do that. I got a pant-leg."
Shiona backed away, clutching the wet washcloth to her chest. "Sorry..."
"No worries. Sit back down."
She quickly moved to the other side to return to her seat.
Beelzebub draped his arm across the back of the couch. "Say, Shiona...I have a question for you."
"Hm?" She looked up at him quizzically.
"Why...why did you lock Jukan away?"
"Oh, well..." She looked down at her hands, wringing the washcloth nervously.
"You could have just run away."
Shiona shook her head vigorously. "Never."
"Why?" He watched as a light blush crept to her cheeks. "You can tell me."
"...that thing...I couldn't stand to know you were trapped..."
"Is that the only reason?"
She looked away, touching the tips of two fingers to her lips. "No..."
Beelzebub leaned closer. "What other reason was it?"
She shook her head slowly and closed her eyes.
The demon frowned, dissatisfied with her reaction. He slumped against the back of the couch with a sigh and pressed the subject no further.

Later that evening, Beelzebub had retired to his room, leaving Shiona and the other two to their own devices.
Shiona was lying curled up in the corner of the couch with Seth lying on the floor below her. ShadowWing had settled himself on the arm above her head.
"Shadow...?" Shiona started in a tentative whisper.
"Yes?"
"Can I...can I ask you something?"
"Of course! Whatever may it be?"
"Who is...Natalie?"
"N-Natalie? Er...wherever did you hear that name?"
"Jukan...he said something to me earlier...about it being like with Natalie all over again."
ShadowWing wiggled his body in an almost distressed manner. "Well..."
"Please tell me."
"She was Beelzebub's girlfriend. I shouldn't even be telling you this!"
"Oh, please, Shadow." she begged in a soft tone.
The dragonette sighed. "All right. Just don't say anything to Beelzebub, he'd kill me!"
"Oh, I won't!"
"Natalie was more than just his girlfriend. She was an Angel, one of the lower Elites. Not quite a Zaldurian. They're the fighters. She was a Peace-bringer, a Seraphim. The love the pair shared was forbidden beyond more ways than one. But they persisted when all had turned against them."
"But something happened?"
"Yes. Jukan escaped from Beelzebub's control. He went on a rampage. Before Lasandra and the Council could push him back, he killed Natalie in the slowest way he could. Being around the Angel's presence had driven him mad with pain."
"I...I didn't think Angels could die..."
ShadowWing shook his head slowly. "Neither did we. But she did. I have not voiced my opinion on the matter to Beelzebub, but I feel that she was not truly killed. As a Seraphim, she had greater powers than what any of us know. Her God would not allow her death so easily, I think."
"So...you believe she's alive?"
"She could be."
"But if she is, why has she not come back to Beelzebub? His soul...is so blackened from grief."
"You can see his soul?!" the dragonette asked in alarm.
Shiona flinched violently and ducked her head. "I...did I do something wrong?"
"No, no! Not many can see another's soul. It is a rare gift."
"Oh..."
"But to answer your question, I do not know. It is simply a hunch of mine that she even lives at all. Why did you wish to know of her?"
"I just...wanted to know...it would explain why he acts as he does."
"Actually, Shiona. I've never seen him act as he has been with you. I was only with him a short time before Natalie's death. He had found my egg hidden in a crevice near the poison pits-though he was a demon and not a dragonoid as dragonettes are supposed to be with. He was loving with her, but not quite the same as he acts with you."
Shiona blushed. "He's merely doing his job...protecting me from danger."
"But he could have just taken you to the Healer when you were sick, but instead he fought me and made you stay here. The Beelzebub I know from before would never have done that, he would have made you go to the Healer."
"But...what would he see in me? I'm just a human..."
"You are also the only company he's had since Natalie's death. He exiled himself to this realm to drown in his own misery and prevent Jukan from killing anymore of his friends. Lasandra somehow thought he would be a good candidate to take on the assignment to protect you. Though I know Calenth would have been...actually, no. He's a bit too rambunctious," he laughed to himself. "But when they locked Jukan up the last time, they also locked part of Beelzebub's powers along with it, to create and strengthen the barrier. So he isn't as strong as he once was. Shiona...will you tell me what you could not tell Beelzebub?"
Shiona's face flushed darkly. "I...will you tell Beelzebub if I do?"
The dragonette held his wing-tip over his scaly chest where his heart was located. "Your secret is safe with me."
"I feel silly even thinking this...he has been the only person that seems to actually care...besides you, of course." she added hastily, hoping she had not upset her friend.
"No offense taken, dear. I am a dragonette. I am not meant for humanoid relationships."
She sighed in relief. "Okay...I've never felt like this around anyone before. Somehow...I can see his soul brighten briefly when he's around me. I don't know what it is...but it makes me...happy. I've not been happy in so long...I've forgotten what it feels like."
ShadowWing gave her head a comforting nuzzle with his snout. "I hope you are happy here. We certainly are, even if Beelzebub won't admit it. I most definitely am. You have been of great company and of great help to me."
Shiona placed a light kiss on ShadowWing's snout. "...thank you..."
The dragonette squeaked in surprise and coiled himself up, green smoke billowing out from his nostrils to display his embarrassment.
"I'm sorry!" Shiona cried, covering her mouth with her hands.
"It's quite all right," ShadowWing said after a few moments of re-composing himself. He lifted himself up out of the coil. "Just wasn't expecting that."
"I...wasn't either..."
The dragonette chuckled. "Indeed. But was that what you wanted to tell him? He makes you happy?"
Shiona nodded slowly. "He would laugh at me for it...but he does. You both do."
ShadowWing wrapped his wings over her head in his version of a hug, causing the young woman to stifle a shriek. The dragonette laughed sympathetically. "Poor dear. If we could just get you to stop screaming over ever little thing."
She ducked her head shamefully. "...sorry..."
"All in good time. You've been too abused to not react that way."
She sighed quietly and nodded.