Grimm opened his bedroom door, pepper and Thirteen stayed in the room as to not upset Ceberus. "Hey boy." Grimm said, as he walked out of the room with the ball of webs. Ceberus tilted its heads, looking a little confused. "You want the ball?" Grimm said, shaking the ball of webs in his hand. Ceberus looked at the ball, all three heads looked excited, forgetting about pepper and Thirteen. "Go get it!" Grimm yelled as he threw the ball of webs, it went down the hallway that lead to where pepper and Thirteen met Hades. Grimm turned his neck and signaled for pepper and Thirteen to follow him. pepper and Thirteen nodded and came out of the room.
"Alright, I don't think he followed us." Grimm said, as the three walked through Hades' Castle.
"Good, I doubt I could fight that thing." pepper said with a sigh.
"He isn't a 'thing' he's a dog. Don't disrespect my dog." Grimm said, not trying to be rude but wanting it to be known.
"Alright, my bad." pepper said, not understanding why the dog's so important but not caring enough to ask.
"Anyway, the Gate is in the basement and through the dungeon, it should only be a twenty to thirty minute walk, assuming we aren't interrupted." Grimm said, as they all continued to walk.
"This place is huge... that's a long time..." Thirteen said, feeling like it's gonna be a huge pain.
"That's just how it is. Though I don't really see the problem." Grimm said, as they all walk up to a door.
"Is that the basement?" pepper asked, as they stood infront of the large, iron door.
"It is." Grimm said, as he reached out for the handle.
"What's up those stairs?" Thirteen asked, as she pointed to stairs that were behind them.
Grimm opened the basement door and turned around. "Oh, that's just more rooms and stuff, though my mother should be up there." Grimm said, as he fully opened the door and stood against it to hold it open.
"Why are you making us go down first?" pepper asked, feeling suspicious of Grimm.
"Sorry, this door is extremely heavy to you guys, for a God it's nothing, so I decided to hold it open for you." Grimm said, secretly feeling a little sad that pepper found his action suspicious, but also understanding pepper's suspicion.
"I see, that does make sense." pepper said, as he took a moment to think. "Alright then, let's go." pepper continued, as he began walking down the basement stairs.
"It's quite dark down here..." Thirteen said, as she held onto pepper as to not get lost.
"Is it? I suppose Itsy Bitsy lets me see better than I normally would in the dark." pepper said, realizing that it's a lot darker than he thinks.
"Oh, here." Grimm said, as a flame sprouted from his right hand, lighting up a small area around them.
"Oh, awesome!" Thirteen said, feeling grateful.
"Sorry it's not exactly bright, but I'd rather not burn down my home." Grimm said, wishing he could do more.
"No, this is great, thank you!" Thirteen said, trying to show Grimm her appreciation.
"Oh, um... Yeah, no problem." Grimm said, feeling a little strange since he isn't used to gratitude.
"Kehe haha!" A noise sounded out, echoing through the basement as the three walked.
"Did you guys hear that?" pepper said, becoming cautious.
"I did." Grimm said, with a sigh.
"Hear what?" Thirteen said, feeling worried.
"It sounded like... a laugh, or a chuckle." pepper said, slowly, as he tried to listen. 'That... sounds like... small movements, like the pitter patter of small feet.' pepper thought, as he heard something he can only explain as movement.
"Prepare yourselves." Grimm said, as his flame flew out of his hand and floated in the air.
"Prepare? For what?" Thirteen said, as she pulled out her Scythe.
"Imps. They aren't exactly harmful, but they're extremely annoying, especially the ones here in Hell." Grimm said, as he looked around.
"Imps!?" Thirteen shouted, in confusion.
"Yes, Imps. You're from Hell, aren't you?" Grimm asked, confused of how she doesn't know about them.
"I am, but I've never heard of Imps before." Thirteen said, keeping on her guard.
'They can't be more than fifteen inches tall, maybe twenty if there's some sort of bad ass one.' pepper thought, trying to thinn about what to do and where they are. 'But the point is, since they're small, they likely attack in a rush of numbers... I have an idea, it's flawed but just maybe...' pepper continued thinking, trying to figure out how to lower the attacking numbers as Grimm and Thirteen talked.
"You mustn't be from the city then, they're everywhere but they're like rats in cities." Grimm said, trying to figure out where Thirteen is from.
"Kiyaaaa!" The Imps yelled, as they rushed out from cracks and under boxes, they came from every direction.
"They're here!" Grimm yelled. 'Damn, I was right, they are Imps.' Grimm thought, as he began to think about something else.
"Grimm!" A male yelled.
"Yeah, Dusk?" Grimm said, as Grimm walked up to Dusk.
"Don't go in there." Dusk said, with heavy breaths.
"Why? Are you okay?" Grimm asked, worried about Dusk.
"I'm fine, but there's an Imp infestation in the basement." Dusk said, as he walked past Grimm.
"Did you at least get it?" Grimm asked, hoping Dusk got the item.
"Hehe..." Dusk snickered. "Who do you think I am? 'Course I got it!" Dusk said, as he held up a ball.
"Yes! Ceberus will be thrilled!" Grimm said, excitedly.
"Told you I knew where it was." Dusk said, trying to be right.
"Boys." Hades said as his shadow lingered over Grimm and Dusk.
A chill went down both their spines. "Yes, father?" Dusk said, both him and Grimm turned around to face Hades.
"Come with me." Hades said, as he walked away.
'After all these years... I didn't think the Imps would still be here.' Grimm thought, as he watched the Imps crawl out from hiding, though it felt like eternity to him. 'Though, I guess we never did anything about it. After that... Dusk wasn't able to tell father... And I didn't have the strength to tell father how I found out the Imps were there.' Grimm thought, beginning to feel sad. 'After all... I'd have to mention his name... to father.' Grimm continued thinking, losing focus on the Imps.
"Grimm!" pepper yelled, as a spider leg shot out and killed an Imp that had jumped at Grimm. "Get your head out of your ass!" pepper said, trying to get Grimm to focus.
"Oh... r-right, sorry." Grimm said, as he began to squish the Imps under his shoe.
"Hah! It worked." pepper said, feeling slightly proud of himself.
"What?" Thirteen said, as she sliced through five Imps, causing their bodies to disintegrate into dust.
"I put little webs on the ground in some areas. Look at them struggle to get out!" pepper said, laughing a little.
"That's... kinda sadistic..." Thirteen said, wondering if pepper is a sadist.
"Is it? I just think it's silly how it struggles..." pepper said, as he paused for a moment. "Okay, I understand how you see it as sadistic, but I swear it isn't meant to be." pepper said, trying to explain himself.
"I dunno... seems kinda sadistic..." Thirteen said, making fun of pepper.
"I'm not sadistic." pepper said, with a laugh, joining in the fun making of himself.
"We're fighting and you two are joking around?" Grimm asked, confused if they even understand a battle.
"Yeah? What's the problem?" Thirteen asked, not understanding Grimm's concern.
"Well... a battle is supposed to be taken seriously..." Grimm said, explaining what he thinks is common knowledge.
"Says who?" Thirteen said, smirking.
"What do you mean?" Grimm asked, feeling confused, as they all continue killing the Imps.
"You can do whatever you want, screw what other people have told you." Thirteen said, trying to get Grimm to lighten up
"Easier said than done..." Grimm said, as he burned Imps.
"Hey, I thought you said they weren't violent." pepper said, as he pulled small needles out of his legs.
"They typically aren't, but... these ones are different somehow." Grimm said, looking towards pepper.
"Either way, they running off now." Thirteen said, as she put her Scythe away.
"Yeah." pepper said, with a sigh.
"Well, I guess we continue." Grimm said, as they continue through the basement.
"After this is the dungeon, right?" Thirteen asked, making sure she remembers correctly.
"Correct. We're approaching it now." Grimm said, as another iron door could be faintly seen in the distance.
"I see, so just through there?" pepper asked, wondering if that's the door Grimm is referring to.
"Yep, once we're in the dungeon we'll just have to walk through it, which is a long walk to mortals apparently. " Grimm said, feeling unsure if that was accurate.
"So, what's in the dungeon?" Thirteen asked, feeling curious.
"What else do you put in a dungeon?" Grimm said, feeling like it should be obvious. "There's people down here, souls that don't get to go to Heaven." Grimm continued, answering Thirteen's question.
"Oh... I don't know what I expected." Thirteen said, feeling slightly stupid.
"Okay, I'll open it again, it's also heavy." Grimm said, as he opened the door.
"Thanks." pepper said, as he walked down the dungeon stairs, Thirteen followed, and so did Grimm.
"Wait, hold on." pepper said, stopping.
"What?" Thirteen asked, wondering why he stopped.
"Do you see something?" Grimm asked, curious of pepper's reason.
"No..." pepper said, beginning to think.
"What's going on then?" Thirteen asked again, beginning to become worried.
"I... I sense... something." pepper said, with a short pause. "No... someone. Someone familiar, someone I... killed." pepper said, feeling a little worried. 'I haven't been able to sense anyone ever since I've been in Hell, but maybe it's because I'm close now.' pepper thought, beginning to sweat.
"So are we just gonna stand here...?" Thirteen asked, wondering what pepper's doing.
'I haven't been able to sense my girls since I got here... I only know that they're alive, but I'm sure they're suffering... But why am I sble to sense... reppep?" pepper thought, wondering if he should even move.