Peter immediately grabs the baby and begins to cradle it between his arms. "It's okay, it's okay. Daddy's here." He said while gently patting the baby's back. After a few pats it burps. Pietro doesn't seem to care but Alice is clearly disgusted.
Peter continues to cradle the baby. After a few seconds it falls asleep. Peter sighs, turning towards Alice after. "So how did your daughter die." He said.
Pietro remains silent and Alice's skin begins to tear. Peter immediately backs off. "Okay okay. I was just curious. I just want to know how I should treat you." Strong bloodlust begins to fill Peter's eyes. Alice looks to Pietro, rusty chains falling from her bleeding hand. He signals no in response. Alice frowns but still puts the chains away, her hands looking fine and healthy immediately after.
Pietro gives Peter an annoyed glance. "Be clear."
Peter sighs before responding. "The reason my daughter died was because of my addiction. I regret it. If I could I would go back and change it all but it's to late. I made a mistake. I hate myself but I hate people who abuse and kill children even more." He said. As if responding to his emotions the baby begins to cry, black smoke coming through its mouth every now and then.
Pietro looks to Alice and remembers the moment he killed her. His stomach begins to churn as he remembers the blood that gushed from her severed head. I really am a failure, he thinks to himself. Before Pietro can dive further into his memories Alice speaks.
"My dad doesn't kill or abuse children. In fact he killed my not mother and not father. Ah, he did kill me? but I asked him to! So dad is a good person!" She said while waving her arms.
Peter moves back and gives Alice a confused look. Pietro sighs. Alice looks at them both, clearly confused. "Not dad and not mom hated Alice so they're not my mom and dad. Right dad?" She said while looking at Pietro.
Peter, seeing Alice's innocent confusion smiles. "Your right. People who hate their kids aren't parents. Can you tell me why Pietro is your dad?" He said while crouched down, silently pulling a small dagger from his right boot. Seeing this Pietro pulls Alice behind him.
She looks at Pietro confused. In response he glances at his right boot. Alice immediately understands and moves to the ground. Silently she sends two small chains underground through the soles of her feet. "Dad is really nice. He killed my not dad and not mom and took care of me. He gave me toys and food and he would never hit me or take away my food. He also never said he didn't want me, no matter what I did." She said.
Peter glances at Pietro then at Alice. After making sure Alice isn't being forced to say anything he relaxes. "Alright then. So what are you here for?" He said while caressing his child's head.
"Do you mean why i'm in hell or why i'm in the fields?" Pietro responded.
"Why you're in the fields I guess. Though, I would really like to know why you're here in hell." Peter said.
"I'm in the fields so I can become a hunter. As to why i'm here with you. I'll never say." Pietro said as he began to walks towards the hunters association.
As Pietro moves Peter follows, an annoyed sigh escaping his lips shortly after the first step. Seeing this Alice looks to him and sticks out her tongue. Peter just smiles in response. Of course, Pietro is completely ignoring them, instead wondering what weird monsters he'll get the chance to kill.
Within a few seconds Pietro finds himself to be right inside the hunter's building. Seeing the semi-modern appearance of the inside Pietro is somewhat surprised. He ignores the various people and monsters inside the building, though Alice clearly notices the monsters. "So many doggies!" Alice screams.
The interior resembles a modern rustic restaurant. Every few feet there's a round red wood table with four light brown stools, a person or incarnation sitting on each one. The building is especially large so there are ten of such tables inside. In between almost every table is a small cat, dog, or lizard monster. Every single one seems to have been abused.
In the back right of the building is a spiraling staircase. Right next to it is a large door as wide as as five people. Directly in the center of back, is what seems to be the front counter considering the short line of people in front of it.
Alice immediately moves to one of the dog monsters. Pietro tries to stop her but Peter tells him everything will be fine so he lets her. She moves to the skinniest one. Its ribs are tightly wrapped by skin and its hip is tiny, plus it's twice as tall as her. It seems to be a doberman.
She begins to pat its bloody head. It's fur, or at least the little fur it has, is matted so she has to pet it hard. Her cheeks puff out and her face goes red as she slides her hand up and down the dog monsters bony neck.
It just sits there, turning around to lick her after a few seconds. "Hehe I like you too doggy." She said while hugging its thin neck.
While Alice does that Peter guides Pietro to the front desk. They both skip the line but nobody seems to care. The moment the desk lady sees Peter she completely dismisses the person she was talking to and moves to him. The guy sighs but doesn't do anything.
She's wearing a light brown one piece dress with long sleeves reaching to her wrist as well as a matching cap. The outfit perfectly complements her lightly tanned skin, her plump pink lips and sapphire eyes adding a special charm to her. "Why hello there mister Peter." She said while placing her left arm under her rather large breast.
Suddenly a young man, approximately fifteen appears behind her and hits her head hard with both hands, knocking her to the ground. He's wearing a casual white t-shirt with lose jeans torn on the right knee. On his back is a white base guitar covered in blood.
His neck is covered in bruises and his face is covered in puss filled stab wounds. Half of his hair has been torn off, exposing an 'Emily' inside a heart tattoo. Before vanishing it leaves only a single word with it's raspy voice. "Cheater." It said.
After a few seconds the woman stands up. Her face is covered in wrinkles and her hair has been dyed a light white. She seems so have aged a few decades. Peter completely ignores this. "My friend here wants to register. Can you help him out?" He said.
Emily gives me an annoyed look before turning to peter and smiling. "Sure." She said. She then moves goes through the back door. By the time she closes it she seems to have returned to her youthful appearance.
Seeing Pietro stare at Emily, Peter decides to speak. "Don't get near her. I can guarantee that she will drive you mad."
Pietro just nods in response while Alice gives Peter a curious look. Seeing this he smiles and looks to Pietro. He nods once again.
"Do you want to know why Alice?" He said.
"Mmhm!" She said.
"Well It's because she's a hypocrite. Just look at her incarnation. She cheated eight times first and when her lover cheated, she killed him. Apparently cheaters deserve to die hehe." He said
Alice gives Peter a confused look as she's never had any meaningful relationship beyond the one with Pietro.
Pietro smiles thinking about how much fun Emily's incarnation must be having messing with her. Looking around at the various people and incarnations the atmosphere seems to be friendly. Though, one of the incarnations will fling an insult or two every now and then.
After a few seconds of silence between them Emily returns, her incarnation closely following. It's face is intact now. It looks like a young man in his early twenties. His brown hair is somewhat long, it's curls giving it a puffy look and his emerald green eyes are clear as a lake. His lips are a tad thin and the bridge of his nose is a little high.
All in all he looks pretty average.
Before Emily can even say anything the incarnation jumps to Peter. "Get away from here!" It screamed. Peter just socks it in the face in response. Emily, seeing this smiles. "So do you have any dust on you?" She said with a flirty smile.
Once again the incarnation punches Emily. This time she just falls to the floor and stays there.
"Nope." Peter responded.
"Can I reserve some then?" She said while still hiding under the counter, her voice still raspy.
"Nope." Peter responded.
"...are you sure?" She said while still hiding, her voice regaining a tinge of youthfulness.
"Positive. Now will you hurry up and help my friend here register." He said while pointing at Pietro with his free arm.
She goes quiet. Peter stops paying her any attention and instead begins to focus on the baby. He gently cradles it back and forth with both arms while humming a slow lullaby. While peter does that Alice looks at the baby with tender eyes.
In the mean time Pietro wonders what dust is. It could be some kind of drug or maybe it is some magical bullshit, he thinks to himself.
After a few seconds Emily stands up and goes through the back door. Her young appearance has returned. Pietro, Peter, and Alice wait a few minutes for Emily to return. Peter asks Alice if she wants to hold his daughter.
She panics and immediately rejects, violently shaking her head sideways. Right after Alice's neatly combed hair becomes messy. In that moment she looks like she just woke up from a century long nap in the middle of a wild tornado.
Turns out Peter's daughter is named Olivia
Seeing this Peter chuckles. Alice, clearly confused, looks at him. Peter just points to his hair in response. Alice tilts her head to the side before feeling her hair. She instantly figures out why he chuckled. Her face goes cherry red before she hides behind Pietro.
Seeing this Pietro sighs. He gently picks her up with one arm and begins to lightly caress her long hair. With his fingers he combs her smooth golden hair, making it neat and even once again.
Suddenly, as things finally become peaceful for the father and daughter pair an annoying voice ruins the mood. "So did you kill her yourself?" Emily said while resting her arms against the counter.
Peter, Pietro, and Alice just ignore her question.
She sighs before handing Pietro a pair of white and black roses. "Just press these against your chest and your set." She said before she moved back to the person she left alone.
Pietro looks at them suspiciously. Peter seeing this decides to explain to Pietro. "These flowers are what give us permission to kill the monster here." He said before unbuttoning the top of his shirt.
Right above his heart is a tattoo of two roses, one white and one black, tangled together, a faint gray shadow near the edges of each roses petals.
Pietro immediately remember's the monster he killed. Out of all the thorn monsters he only managed to catch one. He clearly remember's catching the thing's heart and crushing it.
He remembers the warmth that filled his hand as black blood and pink flesh exploded from his closed fist. The thorns withered, the heart was crushed, and it clearly died. Pietro absolutely refuses to believe that monster is still alive.
He looks at Peter, then to Alice. In the end he decides to do it.
He unbuttons his shirt and presses the two roses against his chest. They shine a dull gray light nearing black as they fade into his body. Within seconds they completely vanish.
"So I guess I should show you around town." Peter said while cradling Olivia.