#faustfanfic

[ladymacabrebeth]

La Vita Nuova by Lady Macabre Beth

The sun was at its peak as Amanda walked the putrid streets. She buried her hands in her black cashmere sweater and kept her head down. Amanda avoided eye contact with the people passing. Finally, she entered Luna Cafe. It was her go-to place after classes, and she liked it there. It was peaceful.

"Hey, Mandy!" Bob, the barista, greeted her.

"Sup, Bob!"

Bob was in his 50s, and he was like a second father to her. She found comfort in him, unlike her emotionally absent father. Not to mention, her father favored her identical twin sister more.

"You playin' today?"

"Yeah!"

"Whatcha playin'?"

"An original."

"Amazing! I can't wait to hear that." Amanda nodded, smiled, and sat. Bob started adjusting the microphone as more customers entered the cafe. He tapped the mic and finally announced, "Alright, our first performer is Amanda Gilmore! She'll be performing an original song. Let's give it up for Amanda!" The audience gave a faint clap as she went up the stage.

Amanda clipped the aux cord on her kalimba and plugged it into the stereo. "H-hello. I will be performing my original piece, Age Like Fine Wine." She nods her head and gives a queasy smile. The audience gave a faint clap again. She started playing the kalimba and sang:

I looked in the mirror. I didn't like what I saw. Yeah, I looked in the mirror. I didn't like what I saw.

But like an introvert slowly blooming to reveal her inner rich world. You'll age like fine wine. And like a caterpillar blooming into a butterfly You'll age like fine wine.

She finally finished. "Thank you!" She whispered on the microphone. The audience yet again gave a faint clap. However, there was a mysterious man in a suit slowly clapping. He looked a bit out of place from the audience. The customers in the cafe were usually hipsters or around her age. Or proletariats according to her Upper East Side perspective. But one thing is that she vibed with them more than with her childhood elite circle.

As she sat down, the man in a suit approached her. "Hi." The man greeted her with a baritone voice. "H-hi." She replied while fixing her hair to the side. "I know it when I see talent." He leans his arms on her chair. "I'm Lucio. I'm a talent manager and couldn't help but notice your performance." Lucio stretches out his hand.

"T-t-thank you." Amanda gave a queasy smile as she shook his hand. "Amanda, right?"

"Yeah."

"Here's my calling card. Don't hesitate to visit this address any time. I can smell when an artist is passionate about her craft. Oh, remember to knock three times" He winked as he handed over the calling card. "Thanks." She got the card, and Lucio left the cafe. On the card, it said: Lucio's name. It didn't state his full name, only an address. The address was Six Morning Star Building, 66th Avenue.

Amanda took the last sip of her iced Spanish Latte, grabbed her bags, and waved goodbye to Bob. "Hey, kiddo! Who was that?"

"Uh, he said he's a talent manager. He gave me a card."

"Ah, be careful, kiddo. Where ya headin'?"

"Of course! I've got another gig tonight."

"That's awesome! Keep flyin', kiddo! Where is this?"

"Ah, down 33rd street." She rolled her eyes.

"Ah, that! Where the normies are." Bob giggled.

"Uh-huh!" Mandy replied with a chuckle. "Anyways, I gotta bounce."

"Alright, take care!" Bob waved goodbye.

As Mandy arrived at the next venue, it was packed with people obnoxiously talking. Something about the atmosphere made her feel uneasy. It overstimulated her to hear loud voices.

"Yo, Kayla! Over here!" A man with a buzzcut beckons Mandy to a seat filled with what seemed to be male and female jocks. His girlfriend nudges him. "That's Kayla's twin, you dumbass!"

"Oh right. Kayla wouldn't wear that scarecrow black cashmere sweater." They chuckled. Mandy rolled her eyes and proceeded to the gig handler. "Sir Jeffrey."

"Ah, hey, Mandy. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, totes!"

"Alright, just go whenever."

"Okay. Thanks!" Mandy got on the stage, adjusted the mic, and connected her kalimba to the speakers. "H-hello, I'm Mandy. I'll be performing an original." No one listened. Everyone seemed to be busy chatting. She tried again to project her voice. "Hey, everyone! I'm Mandy, and I'll be performing an original song." Finally, people looked, but it didn't catch their attention so much. She started playing the kalimba and played the same song. Afterward, no one seemed to care. The chatter was endless. No one even clapped. She hurriedly removed the aux cord from her kalimba and left the stage. As she was about to exit the premises, people started cheering. "Kayla! Kayla! Kayla!"

Amanda clenched her fist when she saw her twin adjusting the microphone. "Hey, everyone! Are you ready to party?"

"Yeah!" The crowd replied. Amanda couldn't help but roll her eyes and shut the door behind her. Mikayla, the bane of her existence, is her twin sister. She ran in the streets that were getting damp as twilight fell. Tears started to flow as the rain started pouring. She then pulled herself into a shaded corner. "I can smell when an artist is passionate in her craft." Suddenly, Lucio's voice echoed in her mind. She quickly pulled out the card from her pocket. Six Morning Star Building, 66th Avenue. Coincidentally, 66th avenue was just a station away. She wiped her tears, then pulled out her umbrella. Afterward, she started walking toward the metro.

As she exited the metro station for 66th Avenue, she then pulled out her umbrella again. She walked the damp streets and stumbled upon a building with neoclassical architecture. How come she's never come across that building before? She thought. Engraved on the wall was the number six on a thin gold plate. "Remember to knock three times." Lucio's baritone voice echoed in her head. She then grabbed the round door handle and knocked three times. The door opened on its own.

As Amanda entered, a long narrow hallway lit by candles greeted her. As she reached the end, a golden double door opened. Inside, a man and a woman in a golden fox mask nodded their head to her. "This way, please." The lady beckoned her to the stairs that led to a basement. As she reached the bottom, a man gave her a golden mask. Except, it was a cat. She wore it and finally entered a large hall with a dome above it. It almost resembled a Catholic church. In the center, There was a chair with a statue of what appeared to be a goat with wings. On its right hand, it held a peace sign. On the chair, Lucio was sitting with the most charismatic smile. He was still wearing his suit, clean and crisp. His curly hair and dark eyes stared right into Amanda's soul. In a semicircle, men and women wore robes and masks to disguise themselves. "Ah, there she is!" Lucio clapped, and the whole crowd stared at Amanda. It made her feel uneasy.

"Come here. Come forward. Don't be shy." Little by little, she inched her way towards Lucio. The crowd gave way. Lucio came down from his throne and touched her on the head. "Our newest member." Without a word, each person from the crowd came forward and kissed her. While each kissed her, she noticed the word furantur, occidere, and perdere engraved on the ceiling. Afterward, Lucio grabbed her by the face and kissed her forehead. "Welcome, we are your new family." Amanda smiled.

"Now come here. What is it that you truly desire in life? Is it money? Fame? Love? Luck?"

"Uh..."

"Don't be shy. What stays in this circle stays. Anything you wish, I'll grant."

Amanda clears her throat. "Uh, fame?"

"Good. Now, tell us. Why did you choose fame?"

"Erm, because...uh...because-"

"It's alright! Spit it out, my dear."

"My sister. She gets everything she wants without trying. I always try my best, but I get no recognition." Tears started flowing from her eyes. "All I want is to be appreciated for once in my life."

"I can make that happen if you vow to be one of us."

"I-I-I...how?"

"Come forward." He beckons her, wipes her tears, and leans in for a kiss. Afterward, each man and woman wearing robes and masks lined up to kiss her lips. "Welcome." Each of them whispered. They formed a semicircle around her and passed a goblet and knife. Each slit their left palm and poured the blood on the goblet. As each member finished, Lucio handed over the goblet to Amanda. "Now, drink." Amanda looks at Lucio with hesitance. "It's alright." He came to her and poured the blood into her mouth. "Just a sip is fine."

After taking a sip of the mixture of each member's blood, Lucio pulled a knife from his pocket. "Don't worry. You'll be fine after." He quickly slit her left palm. She gasped. "Darling, it's okay." He grabbed her hand and poured the blood on the goblet. Then he drank it. Afterward, he passed the goblet to each member. They drank from it. After, Amanda slowly lost her vision. "Quick! Take her to the seat." Two out of the twelve members wearing robes aided her palm while the other inserted the rest of the blood in her mouth.

While in her weakest state, Lucio whispered in her ear. "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Offer me the person you loathe the most and the name of the person you desire the most. As a sacrifice, you'll get what you desire." Amanda replies with a moan. "Mikayla. Fuck that bitch. I want her life." She mumbles. Lucio stares at one of the male members and beckons him. "Get her sister." The male member nods and quickly heads out.

"I want Christopher. What the fuck does he see in my sister? Stupid obnoxious bitch!" She mumbles yet again. In a few seconds, she loses her consciousness.

An hour later, two escorts carried a woman that looked like Amanda. "What in the kinky hell is going on here?" The woman giggles while tripping on her heels. "Dean, I didn't know you were into such kinky shit!" She nudges the man with blonde hair wearing a robe and a mask. Lucio made eye contact with Dean as if to give a warning.  

Finally, Dean and the other escort laid Mikayla's body on a bed made of cement. Afterward, they handcuffed her arms and legs on the bed. "Ooh, spicy!" Mikayla mumbles. Dean removes the mask from her face and ties a cloth around her mouth. Mikayla's face was red from overdrinking at 33rd street.

Later on, a chainsaw and a loud voice shrieked. It awakened Amanda from her slumber. As her eyes opened, her pupils dilated. She looked as if she was reborn. In front of her, the twelve apprentices stood by the side of her sister's chopped body. "What the fuck? What did you do to my sister?" In horror, she approached her twin's meat. "Here in the chuck and shoulder of the body, we can cook pot roast beef." One of the female apprentices uttered. Amanda glared at the apprentice for a moment. Afterward, she let out a loud chuckle. "You all killed my sister for me? Hahaha!" Suddenly, she gauges the left eye of her sister. The apprentices look in shock. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, it's mine now!" She grabs the left eyeball with green eyes and devours it.

"She's the perfect fit." One of the apprentices whisper in Lucio's ears.

"Certainly."

"You chose your Lilith well, Lucifer."

Lucio smiles.