Lupita didn’t answer the door as Dick expected and hoped--it was Lupita’s tiny friends, Tial "Swagger" Inbali and Demeter Voit. Dick thought they might’ve all been roommates considering how often they were at the house, and dead people probably weren’t allowed to own houses. Swagger dressed like Tabby, in a lot of colors and layers of clashing accessories, while Demeter wore only downtoned shades of blue. And just like their fashion senses, Swagger was social and hyperactive, but Demeter was shy and, as far as Dick was aware, deaf. Upon noticing Lupita was out of the house, Dick began to worry Ted was gone too. 

“Did you do it?” Swagger asked while Demeter simply waved to the boys. Swagger had spoken to Dick, who she was familiar with, but then her attention was drawn to Spence, the only one she didn’t know.

“Not yet. Is Ted here? We have someone who wants to join,” Dick replied.

“I never said I wanted to join,” Spence said, but Swagger ignored him.

“Great! He’s downstairs,” Swagger said. She unlocked the basement door and watched as they walked down, shutting it behind them. Spence seemed to be taken aback by the striking contrast of the decor in the basement compared to upstairs. He was finally at the end of the group when he stopped to gaze at all the red, while Dick was knocking at the Viper Room door.

The door unlocked but, when Dick went in, Ted was still sitting on the couch as if he hadn’t gotten up to answer. His tail flicked in interest and he smiled upon Dick’s appearance. “Done?” he asked. Dick looked down in shame, even if it had only been an hour or so since they went out.

“No. Sorry,” Dick said. Ted lowered his chin as he put out his cigarette in the ashtray beside him. 

“I know,” he said. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fast and skittish, like a spider. It doesn’t behave normally, like most demons do. It doesn’t seem to have human intelligence…”

Ted trailed off as Dick, Franky, and Viktor sat on the couch next to each other, revealing Spence, still standing awkwardly in the doorway. He had to duck his head a little so as not to hit it on the top of the doorframe. Ted’s eyes widened in fascination at the newcomer.

“Oh, Spiellercence,” Ted said, a smile creeping onto his face again.

“It’s…Spence,” Spence said, pausing in confusion. “How do you know?”

“I know everyone.” Ted checked his perfect nail polish. “Especially those I have a history with.”

“But I don’t know you.”

Ted stood up, and even his height couldn’t top Spence’s. “My, you’ve really grown,” he said. “What brings you here, darling?”

Spence looked, uneasy, over at Dick, who wasn’t paying attention at all to Spence’s horror. Ted’s demonic features could’ve easily been a cosmetic trick, he thought, but how did Ted know him? And how did he move his string-like tail so flawlessly without any noticeable hints of mechanics?

“He’s a hostage,” Dick said. “We brought him as a sacrifice.”

“No I’m not,” Spence replied. He turned back towards Ted. “I guess I just…wanted to meet you.”

“You don’t think I’m real, do you?” Ted smirked. Spence blushed a little.

“Well, I did think that…How did you know?”

Ted cocked an eyebrow.

“So you’re really a demon, then?” Spence continued.

“A god.”

Ted lowered his head, showing his horns to Spence. “Do you want to feel them?” he asked. Spence gingerly ran a finger along the dark ivory, feeling it stuck to Ted’s skull. He looked into Ted’s inverted eyes--glowing white irises and green surrounding. Upon closer inspection, it seemed Ted’s tail was made of a dark crimson flesh encasing a thin vertebrae. And then his wings protruded from his back, spreading the red flesh thin between the moving bones that collected on a white horn on the end. Gold hoops pierced the skin and dangled below. 

“Is that enough?” Ted asked. Spence looked over at Dick, who was staring intently at Spence’s changing mind, waiting for him to admit his fault. He sighed, and his shoulders fell slightly.

“Yeah. Sorry,” he said plainly. 

“I tried to tell him, Ted, but he called you a stupid asshole and wished violence upon you,” Dick said.

“I didn’t say that,” Spence replied. He looked back at Ted, but he didn’t seem upset at all. 

“It’s really alright, dear, but--you know how you could repay me if--if I was mad at you?” Ted’s smile widened in challenge as he crossed his arms over his chest. Spence’s posture completely dropped now as he breathed his last feeling of dignity and self-worth.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll join,” he said. “As long as there’s no blood sacrifice or anything like that. I’m scared of sharp things.”

“Nothing of the sort, honey. The only thing you need to sacrifice is compassion for humanity and your sense of guilt. Is that something you have around?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Then it’s already done. Welcome to the Valian’s Cult, Spence.”

Ted shook Spence’s hand before he tilted his chin down to meet his face. That sadistic white spark lit in his eyes as he swiped his blue tongue over his sharp teeth.

“You look just like your father,” he said.

“You knew my father?”

“Very well.”

“But…don’t you know everyone very well?”

Spence backed away from Ted, feeling squeamish beneath his touch. Ted shrugged, a light blue blush dusting his face. 

“Well, I knew your father personally. Dick, you’ll show Spence around, won’t you?”

Dick stood up and broadened his shoulders, holding his hands behind his back like a soldier. “Yes, sir,” he said. Ted cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head towards him.

“And you’ll take good care of him, won’t you?”

Dick paused for a moment. “...Yes, sir.”

Despite what he knew about Spence, Ted placed his hand on Spence’s back and guided him towards the door. Dick and Franky followed, while Ted gave Viktor a pat on the head before he set the three off, forgetting about the task that got them on the street in the first place.