The window opens on it's own, purple raindrops pouring onto Melody's floor. Melody looks confused and walks over to investigate. "Huh?"
As the raindrops impact with the floorboards, they release a purple smoke, which slowly forms into a human shape. Melody steps back, watching curiously. Fenrir Asmodeus manifests in front of her. "๐๐-๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ!" The door slams shut, locking from the outside with a padlock.
Melody looks panicked, stepping back. "N-no- leave- you're bad-" She tries to leave the room but obviously cant.
"๐๐ก, ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง! ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ! ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ, ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐ซ!"
Melody whimpers fearfully. "What do you want?"
"๐๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค!"
"A-about what?" Melody stands far away from him.
"๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐! ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฒ!"
"You hurt Cole and hurt me and Asphodel!" She holds her arms where the thorns had pierced her
"๐๐ก, ๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ. ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ? ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง, ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ! ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ, ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ง๐!"
Melody shook her head. "No he wouldn't have! Second papa is nice and protects us!!"
"๐๐'๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ. ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ?"
"W-what?"
"๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐'๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ, ๐ฒ๐๐ฌ?"
"N-no- he- no he wouldn't kill anyone-" Melody whimpers, holding her ears in distress.
"๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐. ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ?"
Melody looks conflicted. "I-I dont know-"
"๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐."
The note Apollo took from Cole's crawlspace appears in Fenrir's hands. He shows it to Melody. Melodys eyes widen and she tears up as she reads it. "Im scared..."
"๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฒ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐ฒ๐๐ฌ?" He opens his arms to her for a comforting hug. Melody nods and takes the hug, hugging him tightly.
She starts crying into him, shaking like a leaf. "Everythings so confusing...."
"๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐จ๐จ๐ง, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฒ. ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง."
"O-okay... I just... I don't understand why nice people are mean and mean people are nice it makes my head hurt..." She whimpers, clinging to him for dear life
"๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก, ๐ฒ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ. ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง."
"I-I see..." Melody says, nuzzling him. Her crown of lilies still perfect as always
"...๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ ๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ. ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ, ๐จ๐ค๐๐ฒ?"
"O-okay... where are you going?"
"๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ, ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ค๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐."
"O-okay- I wont- tell Icarus and Suno i say hi please-"
"๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ. ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ฒ."
Fenrir dissipates into purple smoke, as does the padlock on the door. "Bye.." Melody lays back down on the bed, thinking about Cole. She then gets up and heads to the kitchen.
---
Luna's in the kitchen making a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Kade, Eurydice, and Mailman are also there. Mailman stands in the corner, staring off into space, and Eurydice is cuddling Kade. And done! One fresh peanut butter and banana sandwich just like Jane would make her. Free of any impurities that the dogpeople enjoy so much.
"Do you think I can make a sandwich like this," Kade says.
โKiss me please Iโll cry,โ Eurydice responds.
Mailman jumps slightly, "I CAN COOK!"
"Huh!?" Luna just about drops her sandwich on the ground but catches it with her psychic magic.
Eurydice recieves kiss and Kade looks to Mailman, "What"
"I can cook, what do you want, I can cook," Mailman smiles.
"Uhhhh... I'm good, thanks.." Luna says.
โI want you to cook us a feast fit for the dogboys,โ Eurydice says with a smile.
Mailman nods with a smile, "Of course! Right away!" Mailman begins collecting pots and pans as he starts cooking.
Melody walks in and sees Mailman, running and hugging him. She's wearing a new flower crown of lilies and a oversized flannel. He pauses cooking and looks down at her while still holding a pan, "Hello"
"Hi!! How are you!!"
"I'm a bit busy. I was asked to prepare a feast," Mailman smiles.
"Oh hi Melody!" Kade says with a smile. Mailman has changed.
"I see! Sorry!" Melody lets go and waves at Kade. "Hi!"
Mailman resumes cooking. Kade waves back with a smile.
โMelody,โ Eurydice yaps.
Melody looks to Eurydice. "Yes?"
โI think youโre cute so if anyone ever hurts you or tried to manipulate you tell me so I can stop them ok?โ They have a grin.
"Okie!!!" Melody looks like she wants to say something but closes her mouth instead.
"Hey!! Me too!! I am very open to kicking ass." Kade says.
โI noticed that. Say it!!!โ Eurydice smiles.
Melody looks torn. "Um um ummmm"
โCome onnn!!! Pleaseee?โ Wrath skullpuppydog eyes.
"No pressure of course. Make sure to take your time!" Kade smiles warmly.
"Well- Cole- isnt good..." She says nervously.
โWhat do you mean?โ
"H-he was made to kill! If if Fenrir didnt show him a lesson he wouldve killed us!"
"Huh???" Luna asks.
โMelody. Fenrir is lying to you.โ Eurydice says.
"I mean Cole's designed to fight but he's not the kind to kill us like that." Luna says.
"W-who said he said that-" Melody says, nervously.
"You said 'If Fenrir didn't show him a lesson.'" Luna replies.
"C'mon, you act as if we're helpless lambs." Kade snickers.
"W-well I am!" Melody says.
"No, you're not." Kade sighs.
โYeah? Fenrir didn't show him a lesson. He KILLED Cole. Nobody around here supports that! Who else would trust him!โ Eurydice explains.
"H-he knew Cole would come back-"
"And? Does that make it any better?"
Melody holds her head. "I-I dont know- hes a god- he knows best-"
"Fuck Gods. Except for Enoch, Nammu, and L1m." Luna says, "And Caitriona too... please don't kill me ;-;"
"A fucking lie." Kade groans, "All gods don't know best. They just think they do."
โMelody, Lucifer was Godโs favorite yet he fell from grace and led an uprising. What makes you think everyone in power can be trusted?โ Eurydice asks.
"They treat us like unknowing pieces of shit while they make moves for us. It's wrong." Luna says.
โHe doesnโt know best. Nobody knows best.โ Eurydice says.
"Y-youre supposed to-" Melody pulls at her ears, tearing up. "This doesnt make any sense! You listen to your elders, nice people are nice, mean people are in stories, everything is supposed to be okay!"
"Melody.. it's alright. It takes time to learn." Kade steadily sets the two down.
โNo. Stop this. Stop talking. Listen to me.โ Eurydice wriggles out of Kade's grasp and kneels down, putting their paws on Melodyโs shoulders, โWill you listen to me? Please.โ Melody nods and looks at Eurydice. Pupils appear in both of their eyes, โStop trusting strangers. Stop trusting gods. Trust those who love you and keep you safe. If I followed the teachings I was taught and what I believed God thought was best, I wouldโve committed suicide the day after my 18th birthday. You got that? Are you listening to us? We need you to listen to Orpheus, okay?โ
Melody nods, tearing up. "W-who do I trust? Y-you guys?"
โYes! Us! Weโre your family now, ok? You need to forget everything you were taught. You need to forget whatever you worshipped. You need to start learning what the world is actually like.โ
Melody nods. "O-okay..." She hugs Orphydice.
โFenrir was the one who told you Cole was bad, right? That was Fenrir?โ
Melody nods nervously. "Mhm... H-he showed me a note..."
โWhat was the note?โ
"I-it was Cole saying how much he likes killing..."
โAnd Cole was a very different person back when that note was written than he is now! Very, very different.โ
"O-okay..." Melody says, hugging more.
โCole is a killing machine. He is. Thatโs undeniable. But you know why he kills now? To protect us! To protect you. He would kill all the evil in the world to protect you, ok? And if you ever do see him hurting one of usโฆ Donโt worry. Thatโs Cole being manipulated. Like Fenrir tried to do to you. Thatโs why you need to be strong and stay safe yourself! So you can be there for him during moments like that. โฆDo you understand?โ
"Yup. Cole only killed me because The Moon told him to." Luna smiles, "I've already apologized to him and understood why it happened."
Melody nods. "O-okay... I understand." She nuzzles Orphydice's fluff, "H-he killed you?"
"...a couple days ago yeah. Thankfully it's actually really really hard to end my life." Luna says, "But like Eurydice said, he only did it because he was manipulated."
Eurydice hugs Melody tight, nuzzling back. Their pupils return to normal.
"Cole's since apologized for the action and I've forgiven him. I was taught that ages ago, to err on the side of forgiveness." Luna says.