Obsession

Sylvia followed White Codex to a side room off the large hall. It felt like a private office but there were some curious things about it. There was a very ordinary desk with a very ordinary looking lamp at a far corner of the room. She couldn't see through the lamp-shade to tell how it was lit. Seeing something so seemingly modern in the room made her feel strange. There was also a fat, round stove with a kettle sitting on top in the back corner opposite the desk. Some strange vials and powders were arranged on the shelves above the stove and a round wooden table was beside the stove holding extra teacups and a teapot. A small box with some dark substance, possibly coal, was on the far side of the stove.

Sylvia forced her attention away from the clutter by the stove as White Codex pointed at a bright red two-person sofa and ordered "Sit."

She didn't dare refuse so she sat there and placed down her rabbit pillow, allowing it to take up the space next to her. She watched as White Codex busied himself at the stove. He lit the stove using some matches he pulled from his pocket and while the kettle on top was heating up he grabbed some vials and powders from the shelf. He added unidentified substances to the teapot one by one. He didn't look at Sylvia even once during this process, it was as if he'd forgotten that she existed. Since she didn't want to keep staring at him and had nothing to do she leaned against the back of the couch and simply closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes once more, White Codex sat on the other sofa across from her. Two cups of what smelled suspiciously like black tea sat on the shallow wooden coffee table between them. It was the sound of the cups being placed onto the table that had roused her. She rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. After White Codex picked up his cup and drank some of it she did the same. It was sweeter than she had expected but it was a pleasant surprise.

"Well, I've already introduced myself before. You don't need to be too formal with me, you can speak freely."

Sylvia was surprised at the sudden break in the silence. After a momentary pause she nodded and then hesitantly replied, "I'm Sylvia Somnol, might I ask... umm..." She wasn't sure how to continue her question.

White Codex gave a faint smile and didn't wait for her to gather her thoughts. "My job right now is to tell you about O-Types. Listen closely since I don't want to repeat myself."

She could only shut up and listen, drinking her mystery tea while secretly cursing him for being unsociable.

White Codex began to lecture her seriously, "It's actually not that difficult to comprehend. The O stands for obsession. I'm an O-Type and Black Lexicon who you met is also an O-Type. R-Types can vent their negative energy in order to reincarnate, however, we can not. Because we have an obsession. We constantly absorb the negative energy to feed our obsession. We can use negative energy just like R-Types after developing our abilities but we can never completely eliminate it unless we give up our obsession. You could say that while the R-Types are the sinners, we O-Types are Hell's permanent residents, demons."

Sylvia's eyes widened and she blurted out, "Demon?" She pointed at herself in confusion.

White Codex picked up his cup of tea and slowly brought it to his lips, seemingly savoring it while leaving her hanging. Sylvia felt that he was just like that Black Lexicon guy, somebody with a terrible personality! She could only lower the finger that was pointing at herself and squirm in her seat while waiting for a reply. After he sat down his cup he finally looked at her again.

"As I was saying, we are the demons of Hell, the ruling class... although the currently accepted term is O-Type." He frowned at the last part and it seemed as if he was a bit unwilling. Sylvia didn't really understand what part of that statement was disagreeable but didn't have time to contemplate as he continued, "The R-Types can be considered as rather fortunate, even if it takes thousands of years they can leave if they have the will to do so. Of course, we have no problem with helping them if they don't have the will to do so as well, this is part of our responsibility. Thanks to the apocalypse up above, it's really crowded lately so our policy towards R-Types has gotten more strict and we are really busy. Many O-Types have been recruited to deal with the influx. You don't have to worry though, especially since you're obsessed with sleep there is actually a very good job position available for you and you wouldn't have to deal with them much."

Sylvia was surprised to hear something about a job position. Did she come to Hell so that she could get a job? Didn't she love the apocalypse because she was able to literally sleep herself to death? This really was HELL! At the same time she was also somewhat concerned. Since they were demons did that mean she'd have to torment people? She really wasn't into horror or gore. She wasn't somebody with a horrible personality that liked to torment others.

White Codex seemed to notice the unease that was written all over her face and told her, "Don't worry, it's not a difficult job for you I'd imagine. Recently a new communications system called the Dream Network was established but one must sleep to enter. After coming to Hell sleep is fundamentally unnecessary, so other than those who are cursed most would find it tedious to sleep excessively. You shouldn't have a problem though."

Sylvia agreed but she still wanted to ask some questions. However, White Codex, with a dangerous tilt of his lips, trampled all over her desire as he commented, "Of course if you want to question my choice I can introduce you to someplace more lively."

She immediately shook her head and forgot her questions. She could only pick up the delicate porcelain tea cup in front of her and sip her tea, not knowing what to say. White Codex seemed pleased with himself and they sipped their tea in silence until Black Lexicon came to join them.

Lexicon looked at the two of them sitting in silence and smirked. "Ah, you two seem to be having a lovely conversation, sorry to interrupt."

White Codex simply rolled his eyes and said nothing at the sarcastic comment. Sylvia didn't know what to say as she looked between the two of them. Lexicon seemed absolutely unbothered by this response.

He came and sat next to Sylvia, forcing her rabbit pillow to the side. She hastily picked it up and held it in her arms. Lexicon smiled at Codex and asked. "Won't you make me some tea as well?"

White Codex sat down his own cup gently and finally responded, "No way. You need to take this child over to get her residence permit. Unless you want her to stay in the dorm with the sinners until moonfall?"

Lexicon chuckled, "How could that be? I just thought we could converse for a while first. I'm sure you just lectured this kid and didn't answer any questions right? Just like always you're good at lecturing but your conversational skills stink like corpse flower camembert."

Codex seemed to turn slightly green at the mention of this so called "corpse flower camembert" and he made a "hmph!" in response before deliberately picking up his cup and turning his head away from them as he drank it.

Lexicon seemed to take this as his victory and then looked over at Sylvia. "Well, welcome to Twilight City. You probably have some things you want to ask right?"

Sylvia nodded while clutching her pillow. She really wanted to ask what was "corpse flower camembert" at first but then thought better of it. She had lots of questions about things like the so called levels of hell and the Twilight City where she was at now but she just didn't know where to start.

So she chose an easier question that she was curious about at the moment. "Do demons never age? Earlier you said people that were killed would return to their natal form after they die... is the way we looked when we died our natal form?" she asked, looking from Lexicon to Codex and then back again.

Lexicon shook his head. "We do not always look the same. Demons especially can change according to our obsession. As our obsession grows deeper the more likely our appearance will change. Older demons can often change their form on a whim. And the natal form is a person's most comfortable and natural form, usually the form they had when they came to hell. For those R-Types they will take a little longer than us to return to their natal form after being killed but it's good for them. Ripping apart their body will help some of the negative energy they've gathered be dispersed."

Lexicon smiled somewhat evilly. "When we punish them or let them go fight in the Bloody Hell we are actually doing them a favor, letting them quickly go to reincarnate. But right now there are too many R-Types, it's difficult to deal with them all so we don't force them unless they go too far. Letting them use their abilities to create new products and comforts is also useful to us and it can let them release their negative energy in a more constructive way."

She was a little surprised to hear him say this, especially with that malicious smile. So those R-Types should be thankful for being tormented. She decided not to think about it.

Looking at these two who each had their own... special characteristics she couldn't help but ask, "So you two are actually very old?" The two of them looked like adult men but the precise age was too hard to judge, they looked very youthful but their aura and presence was the opposite.

Lexicon smiled faintly and Sylvia heard a scoffing noise from the expressionless Codex. She almost thought it was an illusion but she thought perhaps her question was a bit rude and felt embarrassed. She continued, explaining herself, "It's not like I want to know precisely it's just you said demons, er, O-Types never leave Hell. So I thought maybe you are both very old?"

Lexicon leaned against the back of the couch with a thoughtful look and held up his book, "Do you want to know why I'm called Black Lexicon?"

Sylvia wasn't sure the relation between that and her question but she nodded anyways, she was indeed curious.

Lexicon pointed at the book with his free hand, "Heh, this is the Black Lexicon, that is why I am also called Black Lexicon. That fellow over there is the same. We are so old that we forgot nearly everything about ourselves except our obsession. What we were originally called there is nobody who knows anymore. So even if you ask how old we are, we also wouldn't know. You may also become like us eventually." He gave a slightly evil laugh after the last part of his statement.

Sylvia felt like she was getting used to this twisted fellow, at least he was easier to talk to than the special snowflake sitting across from them. She felt that a lot of things were both confusing and of concern but she honestly had a hard time thinking of questions to ask. Conversing with these people was like walking on nails, she wanted to quickly get it over with.

She recalled Diana's question and asked, "How come everybody here speaks the same language? We can't remember where we came from but were we all from the same place? Is it always like that?"

Codex replied to her before Lexicon could. "When new souls descend to Hell they tend to naturally gravitate toward places which they sense an affinity or resonance with. The places in which new souls appear are generally fixed, though a few will slip away and appear randomly. The most terrible souls will first appear on the lower level. They-"

Lexicon interrupted him before he could continue. "Arg, no lecturing I can't stand it! She'll know it all eventually anyways."

Sylvia really wanted to roll her eyes but she restrained herself and only looked away. Wasn't he the one who was encouraging her to ask questions but now he didn't want to hear the answers? She couldn't tell if he did it on purpose or just really didn't want to listen.

Her eyes were drawn back to Lexicon as he commented, "There's a place in the city called the Archives. Most big cities have them so you can go there later. Ours is pretty good although the ILL- Literati are a bit annoying."

Sylvia heard Codex muttering under his breath, "Aren't you also a member..."

Sylvia didn't get to ask anymore questions as Codex got to his feet, picking up the white codex that he'd kept at his side. He made a shooing motion and drove them away. "Go take her to get her residence permit and don't forget to introduce her to the Dream Network people afterwards."

Lexicon looked like he was in a good mood at being driven away and Sylvia could only follow him from the room into the now empty hall. Lexicon looked back at her and smirked, "Well, let's take care of your business first I guess."

She nodded as she wondered if all the O-Types she met would be this annoying. Was that a prerequisite to become an O-Type or was it because they lived too long? She couldn't think of herself as an annoying person but acknowledged that she was a bit of an oddball. She could only hope to be the one annoying others and not the one being annoyed in the future.