Falling into Other Worlds

Interrogating Intentions

Audria sat across the table from Demmy, they were stationed in the kitchen as Seir took the others to see his boat as a distraction. Her pen clicked as she wrote, "I want you to speak calmly, this is just a simple questioning. Think of it as...as speaking to a close friend." She said, "I can tell you're tense, you've nothing to worry about Demaryous."

His hands slightly unclenched as she spoke, "I-I'm not that tense, I'll be ok." He blinked as Cackle went to the sink and filled a cup with water. The imp stayed to make sure that Demmy felt safe as well as tell any other details his master might not remember or even know. "Thanks," He nodded as Cackle handed him the drink.

"Ok. I want you to tell me about your dad, please." Audria continued as Cackle sat beside Demmy. "Was there a time when he wasn't like this? Where he was not violent and mistreating others?"

"I-I don't know, honestly. He's always liked work more than people, I can't remember a birthday where he was there without paperwork." Demmy shrugged, "Cackle and the imps were always there to celebrate, and Uncle Andy would show up on rare occasions with a gift or two."

"'Uncle Andy?' Who's that?"

"He is Astaroth's older brother, he was adopted into their family when he was thirteen." Cackle answer for Demmy, "He told me when he trusted me. Astaroth doesn't like people knowing."

"I see..." Audria circled something on her board, "And how is his family's treatment towards you, Demaryous?"

"Uncle Andy talks to me when he can, which is usually at the annual meetings of all the Ars Goetia. Aunt Stella... sucks. She doesn't talk to me, I don't really like her." Demmy mumbled. "I honestly didn't know Dad was adopted... strange."

"What do you know of Mia and her case?" Audria asked, looking up from her board and with a tilted head. "Do you remember her?"

"Mia? Who's that?" Demmy looked between the lawyer and his imp.

"Y-your... she was your mother, Demaryous." Cackle looked up to the peacock. "Don't you remember her?"

He put his hand to his beak in surprise, "I had... I had a mom? W-what happened to her? Where is she? Is she ok!?" He stood from his chair after hearing it, "W-why did she leave? Who was she?"

"Hon, she's been missing for years." Audria said, standing suddenly with Demmy. "She disappeared when you were about ten, you really don't remember?"

He stood with blank eyes, trying to remember anything from when he was ten. He could see birthdays from when he was nine, fun from when he was eleven, but...nothing of when he was ten. He sat back in his chair, too shocked to say anything as he put his hand to his forehead, trying to jog his memory. He grew desperant and started bashing his palms into his forehead, eventually turning into hitting himself in the head, trying to remember.

"Demmy, stop." Cackle said, grabbing his master's arm before it hit him again. "Stop. It's ok." He said as Demmy sniffled.

"I-I don't remember..." Demmy cried, tears ran down his face as Cackle pulled a cloth from his pocket to wipe his eyes. "I-I..."

"It's ok, just breathe." Cackle said, pulling Demmy closer to him and letting his head rest on his shoulder he bawled.

The room was quiet as Audria wrote, "What was my mom like?" Demmy asked after picking his head up from Cackle. "What did she do?"

Audria set her tools down again as Cackle cleaned the tears from his master's face. "She was a close friend of mine. She was kind and gentle, probably one of the best Goetia to be a mother. She would talk about you to our friend group when you were still an egg." She chuckled at the thought. "She would go on and on about you, saying you were going to do this and that. She was so excited to meet you, that before you hatched, she went and volunteered at a school to be ready to teach you and raise you."

"She was the light of a lot of people's lives, everyone who knew her was so distraught when she vanished. Her parents and family have been searching for her non-stop, they've also been looking for you." Audria put her hand on Demmy's, "She loved you, Demmaryous. She loved you so much, before and after you hatched. She wouldn't just leave, and that's why we're still looking for her."

His eyes weld up again, but he didn't shed a tear. "What happened to me....? Why can't I remember her is she was so great?" He huffed.

"You...you really don't remember her..." Audria sighed, thinking talking about her would help spark memories. She looked to Cackle, "Did anything happen when Demmy turned ten? Anything that could have scared him into shock?"

"I wish I knew, I wasn't working with Astaroth at that time. My dad was, however. My family has been in servis to his family for a while." He sighed, "We could ask him, but knowing his loyalty to Astaroth, we might not hear what we want to."

"What's his name?"

"His name is Ven, he lives in Greed." Cackle said, seeing the Goetia reach over to her board and write down the information. "I'll go with you when you look for him,"

"I'll go with you, too. I want answers. I want to find my mom." he blinked.

Audria smiled, "You have her determination, but you need to stay here, where it's safe. Cackle and I will go out in search of Ven, but we'll keep you updated on our search for her." She saw his face dim a bit, "You'll be able to help by finishing this interrogation,"

He nodded, resting his arms on the kitchen island they were sitting at.

She held her board up, reading the questions she had written on it. They continued with their interrogation, it wasn't too long since Audria crossed out anything relating to Mia, waiting to ask those questions to Ven when they found him.

"Last question, mostly for my own self-indulgence. Do you feel...happy or safe with Astaroth?" Audria asked, setting her board on the counter upside down. "Do you even miss him?"

"I'll be honest, despite everything that's happened, I feel...free. I don't have him around me and I'm making friends and talking about what I like." He thought of all the friends he had now, the thought of the people he met. He adjusted his hat on his head, thinking of his new best friend and first bandmate. "But he's my dad, the only parent I've had so a part of me, small and quiet, wishes he was here with me. Just for once, I want him to...to be with me instead of around me."

"I see... You're safe here, we're going to get to the bottom of all this. For Mia's sake, and yours." Audria finished up, "That's everything I had questions for, at least for now. I'll let you know if anything comes to mind." She messaged someone on her phone quickly.

Before long he could tell who she messaged, as Seir was already at the door with everyone. Octavia pushed past everyone to get to Demmy, "You're all good? Nothing bad happened?" She asked. She motioned for Demmy to follow her as they walked to the hallway to talk.

"Yep, in fact, a little better than before." Demmy said honestly, he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. Once in the hall he pressed his back against the wall with a sigh, "I...Learned I have a mom. And I'm going to find her, weather with or without Cackle and Audria... I have to find her, I have so many questions..."

"Count me in, Sherlock," She nodded.