HEAVEN'S SUPPORT GROUP || sidemen/kstar/minizerk

#53- Purgatory

//'All you have to do,' repeated Michael, 'is get the leader to me. You in?'//

Simon's POV

'No.' Tobi said.

'What?' JJ said, shocked. 'I thought the vote...' He was interrupted with Tobi waving his arm in dismissal.

'No, we won't do it. Not unless you answer some questions.' Continued Tobi. Smart guy. Michael rolled his eyes.

'Darlings, I haven't got all day.' He said.

'Do you want us to do it or not?' Tobi asked. Michael sighed overdramatically, then nodded, but not without complaint.

'Fine, fine. What first, then?' He said.

'Who are you? The Whites, I mean." Tobi asked.

'Tough question. I was once like you. An Eidolon. You know, scared, clueless, the whole thing. I was here for a little while- got Judged after a couple of decades, I think. Ended up a White. We're kind of the good guys here, honey. We run the upstairs, try and keep the humans in check. Someone's got to save the little puppies and whatnot.' Michael said.

'Keep the humans in check?' Josh asked.

'Exactly. Don't get me wrong, we're not miracle workers. Not obviously, at least. We give people chances to be good, like... ah! Tobi, you know how Manny found that therapist a couple of miles away, with some free appointments for teenagers after school? Or, JJ, how your lawyer after your brother died was unusually good, too good for a public defender? Josh, that therapist after the 3rd arrest? That was all us, darling. We don't save you people from the eternal fires of hell or whatever, but we give you a chance. Gave you a chance.'

'Fuck.' Tobi said, rubbing his face. 'Seriously?'

'Of course, hun. What can I say, you stubborn idiots wouldn't let yourselves be saved. Shame,' he said, staring me down. 'I would love to have you up here, where I can get get my hands on you.' He continued, winking at me. I gulped. Semi-luckily, Joshua and Josh didn't catch on or Michael would have been in trouble, supernatural being or not.

'What about Reds? Who are they?' Ethan asked.

'Reds are chosen here, based on Eidolon judgement. You don't just become a Red, though. You see, being a Red involves a lot more... cruelty than most people are capable of. You get your standard rapists and serial killers that do the job just fine, but others take a little more convincing. That stereotypical fire-and-brimstone hell? It's real. Only it's not just sinners they're torturing; it's their own people. After decade of torture, anyone would comply to command.' Michael said, a frown wrinkling his features.

'Why?' Ethan asked quietly.

'To build up numbers, of course. To build an army. To take over Grey and White Territory, Earth, everything. Obviously they have other jobs to do before the army is really needed- kicking a few toddlers and the like. We try and influence people to do good- they do the opposite. There'd be no sin without temptation. They invaded the Grey Territory to try and claim some more Eidolons for their army. From what I heard, they invaded the rooms themselves- came up out of that blackness below the platform. The Greys were forced to let your sections free to block the attack. If the door to the rooms you're held in are closed, then the door to Red Territory below is open and vice versa. They let you go to close the doors for the Reds. You section and a few others were the only ones not already overrun. Then they had to destroy the CCTV, the records, all of it. All to fuel the Red's measly army. A war is coming, don't get me wrong. Eventually the Reds' anger will spill over an the real fighting will begin, but this is just a minor skirmish. We have them every few centuries or so- none are usually this sucessful, but it's nothing to worry about, especially with your help.'

'Do it yourself then, prick.' JJ muttered under his breath. Michaels' face contorted into anger that vanished as soon as it appeared.

'You don't think I'd have thought of that?' Michael asked, his previous composure regained. 'The Reds blocked the entrance- no one can get into the Grey Territory.'

'And we can still get out?' Tobi asked.

'Of course, sweetie.' Michael asked, before seeing the look of distrust on our faces. 'Scout's honour.' He said innocently.

'So why are we here? Why are we not Reds already?' JJ asked. He looked shaken from what Michael said about his brother.

'Because, sweetie, you're not all bad. For some of you,' he gestured at Josh, Vikk, Harry and Tobi as he spoke. 'You tried to be good, but couldn't. You had no control over the bad things you did or that happened around you, no matter how much we tried to help. The rest of you did bad things, but they weren't always your fault. Mental health problems, that kind of thing. Poor darlings.' He said, pouting towards me. That, Joshua managed to notice, and he moved from standing between me and J to me and Michael. Shame- Michael was kind of cute.

'So, this is like purgatory?' Josh asked.

'Like what? Oh, is that one of your weird religious things?' Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Purgatory, you know, that place between heaven and hell, your final judgement is decided there and you atone for sins?' Tobi explained.

'Then, yes. Think of this is as purgatory.'