Jarod sat up, rubbing his eyes. He was tired of waking up because each time he would wake up, he'd be more tired than he was when he went to sleep, so the whole point of sleeping was pointless. Even if he doesn't choose to go to sleep, it seems that each time he does it's because he gets knocked out.
Oh yes, he could tell. Today was going to be a bad day. He got up and walked out of the room, not even trying to notice the details. He's been in so many different beds that it wasn't even funny, so a different room each time he woke up, he learned that he wouldn't stay there for long, hence why he didn't want to learn the details of the room.
He walked out in what seemed to be a large living room. It had multiple leather couches and a regular recliner with a gigantic flat-screen TV on the wall that was bigger than the wall at his old house with his mom. Under the TV, was a large table, that had every console that was ever invented, with a giant bookshelf next to it, with tons of games for each console on it.
On the left of the TV, was an even bigger bookshelf, that had comic books, mostly DC and Marvel, with mangas of every series ever, even the ones he had yet to read or come out with! He ran up to the shelf and grabbed a quick manga, his favorite manga back on Earth that hadn't been completed, labeled "Completed Edition". He almost cried as he opened up to the last page, and saw something that he had never seen, before closing it and setting it down, promising himself he'd read it when he had the chance.
There was also a foosball table, along with a pool table and a ping-pong table, making him grin. "This is my-" He was saying to himself before another voice spoke up.
"Dream room? Yeah, that's the point." He turned around and saw Arlyn laying down on one of the many couches in the room. He never saw her, which confused him more, but what confused him, even more, was what she was wearing.
She had on a white wool sweater and pajama pants on that had various comic book characters on them, along with a pair of pink bunny slippers. Her hair was cut right below her shoulders, framing her face, making her seem even more beautiful than it already was. He said the only thing that came to his mind.
"What's with the slippers?" She turned a bright pink before sitting up.
"None of your business!" She yelled. Jarod just laughed awkwardly before gesturing to what was around him, silently asking her to explain. She sighed and stood up completely. "This is what our King had invented for you. Apparently, he knew about you all along and had been watching you since the day you were born. He knows everything you ever liked, loved, disliked, or hated." Jarod's small smile turned into a frown.
Jarod's fist clenched, his knuckles turning white. "Then why didn't he stop them?" He said, his teeth grinding against one another. She rose a brow, knowing what he was talking about, yet playing ignorant.
"Stop who from what?" Jarod turned away. All those beatings, all of those lies. Ryan.
"Nothing, I don't want to talk about it." He found interest in one of the pool tables. "Why didn't he want me?" He whispered to himself, unaware that Arlyn had heard him.
"He did want you, Jarod, he just couldn't take you. He's not allowed out of Hell, and sending a demon to take you took time." Jarod looked at her, his eyes rolling in their sockets.
"So he sent you and Morina after 15 years to pick me up huh? Thanks for your quickness." He said, sarcasm dripping off of his tongue in waves. Arlyn just ignored his comment.
"I hope you don't talk to him like that, son or not, he does not tolerate people who are disrespectful." Jarod turned around, glaring at her.
"What would you do if you had to abusive parents for all your life, then found out that something could've been done!" Arlyn looked away, and Jarod found out he had said something wrong.
"You're not the only one who is abused, Jarod. I'm hated. I'm the daughter of two lesser demons. Every demon hates me because of Master choosing me instead of a noble. I'm not 'special' in the eyes of the council or the rest of Hell."
Jarod looked down at the floor, unable to meet her gaze, ashamed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"I know you didn't. If you did, however, I'd kick your ass." She said plainly. Jarod sat on one of the leather recliners.
"So, what type of abuse was it? I'm guessing emotional abuse which can be worse than physical at times." Arlyn nodded.
"Yes, it was mostly emotional, but sometimes, incidents as of last night happen, but I'm always saved by Lord Satan or Master." He nodded.
"Well, this turned all depressing and shit. Have you ever played pool or foosball?" Arlyn shook her head. "Would you like to?" She pondered over it for a second and nodded.
"Sure, why not. I've got nothing else to do besides watch you." She walked over to the foosball table. "Teach me how to play this so I may destroy you in it."
And that day, Jarod learned that he should never, ever challenge Arlyn in any kind of sport, because she was either a cocky winner, or a sore loser.
"Ha! Eat that!" Arlyn shouted, twisting one of the handles of the foosball table, hitting the ball into the goal, causing Jarod to fall to the ground.
"Damn, you keep beating me." He said, wiping the sweat off his brow. It was an intense game, both players had only one more point to go, and he had lost. Again.
"It's not my fault you suck." She said as she kicked him softly in the side as she looked down at him. Jarod made a fake groan and clutched his side.
"I don't suck, you suck! I just let you win!" He said. "I'm just a gentleman." One of Arlyn's eyebrows went up, a small smirk on her face.
"Want to back up those words?" Jarod just groaned and rolled over to his side, wanting to keep whatever dignity in foosball he had left. "Thought so." She walked up to a large chalkboard and drew a line.
Arlyn: 10
Jarod: 1
He groaned, seeing the scoreboard, before getting up. "I never liked foosball anyway." He said, turning away from the game table. Arlyn rolled her eyes.
"Sure you didn't." He sat on the couch, and turned on the TV and switched it to a show called Adventure Time.
"Aren't you a little too old to be watching cartoons?" Jarod gave her a mock gasp.
"How dare you?!" He said. "This is the single greatest cartoon to ever exist, how dare you even try to say I'm too old? I bet God himself watches this masterpiece!" She rose an eyebrow.
"Very doubtful." She said before the doors to the large room started opening.
"Sorry to interrupt your fun, Your Highness." A girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair in a maid outfit said. "But the King wishes to see you." Jarod groaned in protest as Arlyn dragged him by the arm and into a different room, where he could see his father sitting behind a large office desk, his arms crossed.
"Sit. The both of you." He snapped his fingers and two comfy looking chairs appeared in front of his desk. The two teenagers sat down in the chairs. Jarod and Arlyn then felt their energy-draining from their bodies, Lucifer's eyes were dark, and they couldn't tell what he was doing. "Both of your powers have been taken from you." Jarod's eyes widened, along with Arlyn, who had tried to stand up in protest but found herself stuck in the chair.
"Why my Lord-" She began but was cut off by him.
"Silence!" He yelled. "The council does not wish for Jarod to live, and since I can't just straight out kill them, I made a compromise. If you can survive out in the real world with only your demon auras and skills without powers and complete a quest, then you will be able to come back and live here."
"But why Arlyn, she didn't do anything wrong!" Jarod yelled.
"The Hunters will kill us! If you're going to take our powers, take our auras too! Those are like beacons!" Arlyn yelled. Lucifer sighed and stood up.
"This is the only way. And your master suggested this Arlyn, not the council. She chose you to go with Jarod, since you're the only one we can trust to go with him." Arlyn just looked down at the ground. Jarod was glaring at his father.
"Aren't you the King? Why can't you control your subjects?!" Lucifer sighed.
"It's not so simple." Jarod scowled.
"When I survive, and when I become King, I'll slaughter those god damned councilmen," Lucifer smirked.
"Oh please do it. It'd be very beneficial." The binds that had restricted the teens to their chairs released.
"You have 1 hour to take what you need before you will be forced back into the real world." Arlyn grabbed Jarod once again and dragged him into a room filled with weapons.
"We're going to need a lot of these." She said in a low whisper.