When the "Die Dämonin" walks into a pub - Mephistopheles vs Vivi

[Over mainyu]

It was a quiet night. Too quiet for the Prince of Hell, but not by much, because tonight he was looking for a challenge, a test to put himself. Dressed in a trench coat and a top hat to blend in, illuminated only by the streetlights and the moonlight, he walked through the city late at night. He was alone, without any of his companions, because this was one of his “escapades” in search of chaos and to spread his message: a message that no one dared to deliver. Without drawing attention to himself, he was looking for a Pud, a Pud for villains, a place where he could unleash chaos to his heart’s content. He had heard rumors that every hero who entered didn’t end well, but the difference in his case was that he wasn’t a hero; he was a demon. The worst of them, to be exact.

He finally found it; he had to admit that its design was quite nice, like any self-respecting English pub. He was able to walk in without any trouble and without drawing attention. He went straight to the bar to sit down and order a drink. to be specific, he’d order a beer, the strongest one they had. It didn’t take long to get it; he drank half of it only to spit it into the air, splashing the table and other patrons. “PLEASE, you call this a strong beer? I’m drinking tap water that tastes better than this stuff, and you want me to pay for this crap? Don’t fuck with me.I even feel like they should be paying me to drink this swill” With those aggressive words and their mocking and unfiltered behavior, he’s trying to get attention and attract a certain type of person, and if everything went according to plan, he’d be able to prove a point.

[Hagen-Autem]

The bartender girl reacted immediately, trying to remain calm, but spitting on other customers was simply unacceptable.

"Sir! You can't do that!"

She called out while pressing a button discreetly tucked into her waistband. Before long, a pair of security guards would arrive to see what was happening and deal with the situation.

"I'm afraid you'll have to pay for that and then leave the premises."

Several patrons were already watching the scene unfold. Not all of them were good people, however. Some were looking for trouble, while others were simply eager to watch a spectacle. The wrestling event wouldn't be starting for a while yet. So a Mephistopheles's show like this would make for a fabulous preview!

[Over mainyu]

The bartender reacted angrily to the clown’s annoying behavior regarding his complaints about the beer he was drinking, especially when he started bothering other customers who were sitting there. It got to the point where she had to call security to intervene and surround the troublemaker so he couldn’t escape. The bartender told him to get out of there, but not before he finished paying for the beer he’d drunk.

Meanwhile, other diners began turning to watch the scene. The violet demon simply stood up from his seat. These guards weren’t who he was looking for to deliver his message; he was after something else. He put his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, searching for something, and said to the woman, “Miss, no one can give orders to this harlequin of chaos." He laughed for a few seconds with a chuckle that was somewhere between evil and genuine amusement, and quickly grabbed one hand from each guard, revealing that what he was looking for in both of them were some Joy Buzzers, which he deftly slipped onto each hand, giving both guards a jolt since the two little toys had an electrical charge equivalent to a stun gun.

This left the customers speechless, while the Clown of Chaos just laughed before turning around to look at the woman again. "Look," he said in a mocking tone, "let's just say I'm a bad guy who really rubs other bad guys the wrong way." He continued, "Listen, this is where the 'villains' hang out, so I thought I’d put on a comedy show for they tonight,” and with one hand he pointed to the ring inside the venue. “So here’s my proposal: how about I take on one of your ‘villainesses’ who reigns here tonight? If she wins, I’ll pay what’s due with a tip and I’ll never come back here, but if I win, I don’t pay a thing and I can come back to cause trouble as often as I please, hehehehe. Deal?” He held out his hand to the bartender to seal the deal.

[Hagen-Autem]

The bartender was in a right pickle – one of the few she’d faced since she started working here. Usually, all she had to do was be friendly, put on a flair bartending show, and call on the bouncers only when a customer got too cheeky or troublesome. But tonight, it fell to her to deal with a clown with “toys” straight out of a horror film.

Her legs were already shaking, but you couldn’t tell from behind the bar. Calling for backup was an option, but what were the chances he had more tricks up his sleeve and would just keep causing trouble, or that he might decide to electrocute her too for making things difficult for him?

Then the harlequin demanded her attention and made his penchant for chaos clear—she swallowed hard as he carried on, adding what he really wanted.

In that instant, her shoulders slumped. He staged a show super-villain-style heist just to try and get his date ring with one of Gart’s three vipers! That was it. This bloke was taking his fantasy of facing one of the club’s popular girls far too seriously. Furthermore, she cannot endorse deals on behalf of the owner or his girls.

Time was running out…

Her gaze shifted between this bloke and the security camera in the corner. Several times. Praying someone else would break the news: she can’t make deals; she just works here, that’s all!

But it looked like she’d have to do it.

"I-I can’t make those dea--."

But just then, her boss’s voice reached her ear. Through the earpiece.

"Give me a minute, please." She turned her back on the Harlequin. "Yes?... Are you sure?... No, no! It’s just that… well… You’re the boss." Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and turned towards Mephistopheles.

Her hands were clasped in front of her skirt, tried to completely change her demeanour. Following protocol, it was as though nothing had ever happened here.

"…Fine...Go ahead." She hesitated before saying it. "Over there, go through the door that says CLUB." It was the only large door in the place with that neon sign. "Go down the stairs, and the rest will be taken care of." She tried to be as professional as she could, but just in case it needed saying.

"You’ll be the headliner stepping into the ring against a queen. Good luck… and don’t do your weird stuff on my shift again, Weirdo!"

[Over mainyu]

Terror hung in the air. Who the hell was this guy, and why did he want a fight with the queens of this bar? These were questions that would be answered once he stepped into the ring; the clown could only watch as the bartender was horrified by this guy and his hellish behavior. Security had failed, and she didn’t know what to do. Even though she was just the one serving drinks, she found herself caught up in a Faustian pact that would affect everything that happened tonight, while the devil’s right-hand man continued to wait to see if they would accept or not, still wearing a smile on his face.

But luckily for him and the rest of the bar, her boss contacted her company to tell her what to do. For a moment, Mephis stared straight at a camera that was broadcasting him live, just to give it a friendly wave, knowing that the person in charge of the venue was watching him as he went about his business that night. The reason he put on this whole show was because simply asking for it wouldn’t be so easy. And if he’d managed to get it, they most likely would have made him fight a second-rate competitor; but after this performance and grabbing the audience’s attention, it was now impossible for them not to have him fight one of the top contenders at the venue.

In the end, he did get the good news that he was going to fight tonight. This news made him and the rest of the bar happy, knowing that a “Hell vs. Hell” match is always a treat to watch. “Oh, thank you so much. You have no idea how hard it is to get a fight in a bar these days,” he said in a humorous, over-the-top tone to further emphasize his behavior as a jester from hell. I pointed out where he needed to go while they took care of everything; he just laughed and headed for the stairs, but not before saying, “Ah, I did my comedy routine… I can’t promise anything for now, but I’ll try not to bother you anymore during your shift… I’m never sure.”

Once at the stairs, he began climbing them slowly until he saw his reflection in a mirror hanging next to them for some reason (probably for last-minute touch-ups). He paused for a moment and looked at himself. He didn’t look at his reflection as if he were a vain person or someone self-centered; he was looking at it with… guilt… as if he were being accused of something. Before his smile faded, he snapped back to reality and continued up the stairs as he prepared for tonight’s fight, which he was eagerly anticipating.

[Hagen-Autem]

The pub lived up to its promise. On the other side of the stairs, a much larger arena awaited him. It looked like a miniature arena of its own, complete with its own bar, circular tables, people bustling about, a betting area, and electronic music pulsing in time with the neon lights. The place had a completely different atmosphere. Both venues almost seemed like two completely separate establishments, divided by little more than a flight of stairs, and anyone would have taken that for granted.

But that is the magic of the place. Gael had given a great deal of thought to the idea of having that staircase with lighting effects that change depending on the direction in which the diners move, as well as fitting it with noise-dampening measures that help emphasise the transition from one side to the other. Still, that's something they'll gladly brag about another night.

The harlequin was escorted to the ring as soon as a security guard spotted him; like everyone else in that section, the guard was wearing a sophisticated dark tuxedo. It was clear they were trying not to get in the way of certain diners while screening incoming guests. Moreover, they seemed to be aware of the prankster’s manoeuvres, as they didn’t dare touch him. A simple nod toward the ring was all they gave him.

Everything suggested the match would be underway any minute now… unless Mephisto wanted to order something to get himself ready.

--------

Great Wednesday of Chaos
Evil Gentleman vs. Evilish Lady

"Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready?"

The announcer's voice boomed through the arena as the match graphic appeared across the venue's screens. Was projected onto the venue’s flat-screen displays. One side of the screen showed the challenger: Mephisto, whilst the opposite side showed the shifting silhouette of a beautiful woman. As if this pub side hadn’t yet decided which girl to send out against him.

"We’re in for a special night tonight. After all, it’s not every day we welcome a buffoon who seems to have a thing for electroshocks."

He fired up the crowd to get everyone in the right mood as the lights focused on Mephisto. He continued, as if they wanted to grant him that moment in the spotlight…or paint a target on his face.

"But, of course… what would a bout with such a special guest be without a hostess of the same level of madness?"

The lively theme of one of the queens took over the venue as ViVi S. Valentine strode through the pub's doors, swaggering down the red carpet that ran from the entrance to the ring in a single, sinuous curve.

Of course, the crowd parted as the petite queen carried herself with unmistakable regal confidence. She rarely made an entrance like this. But today her boss had given her free rein to do whatever she wanted with her rival... after comparing her to that clown.

Upon reaching the ring, the diva climbed the steps, walked the edge of the apron with her best poise, and even posed for a moment in profile with one heel slightly raised – all before turning her back completely on the spectators. Then she grabbed the ropes and leaned out over the crowd. She looked down at the fans, revelling in the cheers her gaze elicited. Then she straightened up, only to rise onto her tiptoes and sway her hips vigorously, making her skirt flutter.

As a grand finale, she mocked the crowd by pulling down one eyelid with a finger and sticking out her tongue before darting into the ring with a finger whilst sticking her tongue out at them, before darting into the ring, leaving the crowd even more ecstatic. Though that same playful display was not directed at her opponent.

ViVi practically glared him down as she made her way to her own corner. It’s not known what they might have told her, but Mephisto had definitely managed to offend her.

Spoiler

[Over mainyu]

The other side of the pub was a completely different world. While the first section was a more traditional bar, this part felt more futuristic, with neon lights and electronic music, as well as a ring that was in pretty good condition and well-built for what bar rings usually are. You could tell they’d invested a lot of money in this place and made sure to create two completely different experiences.

As if it were a portal leading to another dimension, the staircase connecting the two areas looked exactly like that, but was it a calmer world? Of course not. The clown knew this was nothing more than hell in disguise, hidden among drinks and revelry, and that the patrons were little devils preparing to watch as one of their queens tried to tear him apart in front of everyone for their amusement. a kind of abyss that this harlequin had already experienced, facing villains in their own territories, and he knew that what he had to do was become one with the place and take advantage of it.

When he ran into the guard in charge of this part of the compound, he noticed he seemed a little nervous, which was understandable given that just a few minutes earlier he’d been the one to kick out two of his colleagues along with their game consoles. The guard told him where to go, but the Devil was about to say something: “Hey, I know I knocked out your colleagues and all that, but… can you do me a favor and hold onto this for me?” He took off his trench coat and fedora and handed them to the guard, revealing his ring gear. “Give them back to me when the match is over. And don’t worry, there aren’t any bombs or weird stuff, those are right here.” He pointed to the bag he was carrying and headed for the ring.

Spoiler

Realizing he had to make a somewhat unusual entrance, he pulled three colored spheres out of his bag and began juggling them as the audience watched him approach the ring. When he reached the ropes, he stopped to step over them, and once he was in the center, he threw the balls into the air, revealing that they were smoke bombs that exploded mid-air.

---------------

It was time for the match. They hadn’t announced his opponent for tonight yet, but any one of the three queens would do for him. In any case, he was going to face one of the evil lieutenants of the place and establish himself as the enemy and antithesis of the modern heels plaguing L.A.W.

The announcer introduced him as “the Electroshock jester.” For Fausto, he’d be more like “the certified heel slayer.” He could tell how all the lights were trained on him in the center of the ring, a classic cheap trick to intimidate heroes stepping into that kind of ring. So I took the opportunity to strike a classic, sexy, masculine pose on the mat now that I had all the attention in the world.

And they introduced his rival, Vivi was her name, one of the three queens who reigned over this bar, more specifically the heartbreaker, hopefully that would work on the demon I had to face right then, whose heart had already rotted away years ago.

Just by looking at her, he noticed several things: first, her devilish costume, which, curiously, matched his own theme; second, her high level of confidence and self-assurance, as if tonight were just another routine night for her; and finally, she was considerably shorter than him, possibly about 20 cm shorter.

He noticed her playful and teasing attitude toward the audience, not unlike his own but with a sexual edge that Mephistopheles couldn’t afford to have, as she swirled her skirt and began taunting the crowd until she entered the ring with a look of pure hatred directed at him.

The jester simply pointed at himself while feigning surprise and looking all around, turning his head from side to side. He hadn’t even done his routine of anti-heel jokes yet, and I was already hating him. It was a new record. “A woman of few words, I suppose? That’s strange coming from a villain like you,” the demon blurted out. He quickly got to his feet and headed to his corner to finally kick off the show.

DING DING DING