Chapter Text
Silence.
That is all that seems to fill this place, except for the endless white space.
Everything would have remained so, if not for the ringing clatter of heels, which breaks the crystal clear silence.
By the sound, you can understand that more than one person is wandering around the white space.
There were two of them.
A person with a head in the form of a bird (yea yea not a bird XD), who was dressed in a rather expensive-looking ceremonial suit, and on top of it a cloak with bizarre patterns in a dark blue tone developed, underneath which a blood-red color is visible.
And a beautiful, young-looking girl with long milk-colored hair, who was dressed in an elegant dress in dark blue shades with a corset and bows on the sides.
Their clothes are not the only element that unites them. Eyes. Devilish blood-red eyes. They are both not only devils, but, one might say, a rare phenomenon.
They are one.
It seems that they themselves do not know where they are going, and how much time they have spent in this strange space. But, it would seem, this does not bother them much.
They simply walk in silence, sometimes exchanging glances and touches.
This space reminded them of the space of the now deceased Great Devil Caesar. Just as white. But, unlike that whiteness, which was not quite complete due to the strange portraits of the contractors, there is nothing here.
Even the aura that could be felt in Caesar's space, or in Caron's space, is not felt here at all.
Without knowing at least approximately how much time had passed, the changes were finally noticeable. Something was visible in the distance. It could not be but pleasing that there was at least something here, besides this blinding white color.
When they got close enough to see the mysterious object, their footsteps slowed down, and their gazes showed even more confusion.
- The door...?
Finally Noel's voice sounded, slightly surprised. She glanced at the object briefly and then looked back at her partner, waiting for his reaction.
- Hmm... I wonder. Why would they be here?
Behind her, Caron's low voice could be heard. He also briefly examined the door from top to bottom. But... He turned his head to the right. It seemed that something had caught his attention.
It was another door. A couple of devils were walking around this doors, examining it in more detail this time. They looked really ordinary. But they definitely couldn't be that in a place like this.
Noel decided to end this short silence.
- Maybe... we could open them. I don't know how bad of an idea this is, but...
- It can't get any worse. Let's try.
- Yes... I'll open the door on the right.
Noel walked to the door without hesitation and pulled the doorknob.
Inside... There was another space. But this time it was completely black. Taking a couple of steps forward, she noticed something.
A body.
Her former body.
It seems simply unconscious.
She had already forgotten that image over the centuries. That black dress with a jacket that was almost identical to the red one that was completely torn from her first contract.
Those prosthetic legs that Caron had given her as a replacement for her real legs. Noel unconsciously glanced at her legs.
They had long been available to her, as had her limbs, after her rebirth as the Great Devil.
The more she looked at her "copy", the more memories stirred in her head. Making deals, revenge on Mayor Burrows, her best friend Jillian, the battles with demons and battles together with allies... friends... farewell to her life...
Despite the fact that she had to come to terms with her "new life", and it seemed that she had already accepted this fate, sadness still slumbers in her.
She misses that life where she had everything.
Before, even before that royal competition, she had no one except her parents, to whom she treated... Indifferently. She tried to get their love, when she obeyed them, she was perfect in everything... Especially playing the piano...
Although Noel loved the piano, it seemed to her that if she didn't try, she still wouldn't deserve her parents' sincere praise. But, she still tried to reach that unattainable "ideal".
Then Jillian appeared to her. She was the only friend who treated her like a real person, not like a doll that they didn't want to touch just because she was from the upper class.
The days she spent with her still echo with warmth.
Then a really idiotic incident happened, where she was cheated... That's what she thought then... But now she has a different opinion, was it really a coincidence...
Or was it...
Fate...?
But after that, a lot happened... A LOT of things. There were a lot of enemies and friends, a lot of chases, escapes and missions, a lot of blood from the enemies themselves and injuries, Laplace's secrets and the victory over the mayor, for whom they did it all from the very beginning...
It all just disappeared... now it's all in the past...
In her new life, she is no longer Cerquetti. That last name - it no longer belonged to her.
The only thing she has... what she has left... is her faithful partner, who accompanied her from the very beginning of her journey until her death.
A new life in a pair with Caron does not seem bad. He taught Noel all the subtleties of the devilish existence that he knew; taught her how to properly form a contract to avoid misunderstandings when concluding it, determining the price, and how to take the price...
And after concluding the contracts, they were not ashamed to stay a little longer in the human world, before going into an "eternal sleep" until they were called again.
When Noel had difficulty accepting the fact that she was the Great Devil in the first days, Caron supported her, gave her advice, sometimes even jokes to cheer her up.
During this period, they became even closer. Hugs, kisses, and affectionate words significantly diluted the oppressive atmosphere of bad thoughts. And so on for three centuries in a row.
Suddenly, her thoughts are interrupted by a gentle touch on her shoulder.
- How are you? Are you okay?
Noel turned sharply to the source of the sound. There stood Caron, who was looking at her with a worried look.
- Ah... I'm sorry. It's okay now.
Noel added a slight smile to her words. It seemed that this did not convince her partner very much.
- You haven't left this "room" for quite some time. You didn't even hear me call you! Noel...
Noel already knows that when he says her name like that, then she should expect a lecture from him. Before, it only annoyed her, but now she doesn't really mind it that much.
- ...I told you before, you don't need to justify yourself to me. But if you're feeling bad, at least say "I'm feeling bad."
I don't like that you're still trying to hide your feelings behind your "it's okay." I'm not blind. I can see it perfectly well.
After his lecture, Caron knelt down to match Noel's height and hugged her tenderly. Noel reflexively hugged him back, suppressing her desire to cry.
If only he didn't want his partner to be so blunt about speaking up when she's feeling down... But he's the same way.
Noel knows that Caron also feels down emotionally sometimes, but he'll never show it or admit it to her.
He's too proud to show such weakness when he's currently the mainstay of his beautiful partner's emotional state.
The warmth of her beloved devil's embrace brings her back to normal. After being in this position for about two minutes, they parted ways.
*If I were alone, I would have gone crazy long ago.*
Finally, when the pair of devils calmed down, Caron turned to a figure that looked like the former Noel with one arm.
- So you have almost the same... I checked the room on the left. You can guess who is there.
They left the "Noel room-space". After walking a few steps forward, they turned around, and again fixed their gaze on the doors they had opened.
- And... What is this supposed to mean...? We have walked so far in an unknown empty place, not even knowing how we got here... And now, we meet past versions of ourselves!
- I am starting to understand this place less and less... If this is some space that is connected to us, then there should be some hint of it here. Or...
Could this be a hint?
Noel was curious about what was behind the door on the left. Of course, she already knows that the unconscious body of the past Caron is there. But, still, she wants to look at it after so many years.
As if hearing her intentions, a hand fell gently on her shoulder again.
- This time everything will really be okay. I just want to look at you.
- Hmmm...
Caron closed his eyes, lowered his head, and raised his hand to the beak-like part of his head, making a thoughtful face.
- Was it even right to look through this doors... We are lucky that the bodies are still unconscious. But... What will happen if they see us? We don't even know if it can affect our past if we interact with them... Maybe we should close this door so that some kind of paradox doesn't happen.
To Noel, this thesis seems very logical. They don't even know how this space works. Well, perhaps such a risky but tempting idea to touch the sleeping Red-Eyed Devil could have a big impact on their past, and then...
But then her thoughts were interrupted by a louder thought.
- Yes, but... Aren't you curious about the reaction of "those of us"...?
-...Huh?
Caron would like to talk Noel out of this prank, but it seems she has something else to say.
- It's just... We're already walking around this space. I don't even know if we'll be able to get out of here at all, and if we can, then... When and how...? And here... There's at least something interesting...
The Sharp-Eyed Devil now doesn't know whether to scare Noel away from this idea, or to still tempt fate and come face to face with the past. Boredom has also overtaken him since they got here.
It seemed like they had been stuck here for an eternity, definitely not a couple of days or months. And the idea of interacting and seeing the reaction of the same past Noel... It would be a really interesting sight.
After a little hesitation, he decided to share his partner's curiosity.
- Well... It seems there's nothing to do here anyway... Swap rooms?
- Huh? You just said that this intervention could serve as a paradox!
The girl blinked at her devil, who had just let it be known that it might be unsafe.
- I know, I know... But... you're right. I'm curious about their reaction to us. And... I'm tired of going God knows where right now.
Caron folded his arms demonstratively and turned his head to the side. Noel could not have expected such rather childish frankness from him, she couldn't help but laugh at this.
- Hahahaha... Me too.
The devil was still visibly "puffing", as if demanding that something be done about it. To calm him down, Noel took Caron's hand, kissed it and pressed it to her cheek. It worked.
The devil's gaze finally focused on the girl. With his free hand, he stroked her head with a light movement.
Having looked at each other long enough, the partners gave each other a tender look at the remains, and passed each other in front of the door.
They tried not to think that this could really lead to something terrible. After standing for a while, Noel and Caron went through the open doors.