12 Chapter 12: Rings of Hell!

After separating from Armyn Tucker returned to Valentine Tower, currently he was going through the sinstagram app and was trying to figure out how it works.

He got the basic run down but didn't really understand why he needed to update himself.

Would it not be more fun to meet up with friends and tell them what's been happening in your life instead?

Though confusing, it nevertheless fascinated Tucker. 'Should I upload a photo, how do I find Valentina and everyone else.' But the phone answered his question as the moment he made an account he saw the option of adding contacts on your phone.

So he did just that, now he just had to wait for the friend request to be accepted, he also didn't forget to follow all of them. Though the only one who didn't seem to have an account was Lilith, but that was fine.

'Wait, maybe I should use one of those Giffy things Valentina always uses, where was that button again, huh, I can't use gifs as a profile picture, only saved photos...I don't have any saved photos.'

Or do I...Tucker went into his gallery but didn't see anything so he just...wait it seemed that there was something, pressing on the box, the moment it opened his face blushed red with blood, and he quickly looked away.

On the gallery was a picture of Summer and Dia...um well, flashing the camera...he immediately turned off his phone, though it truly was unfortunate, or lucky that he had a photographic memory...

Now he couldn't get the image out of his head...and now that that image appeared, the image of Valentina also nude in the spa appeared and his cheeks turned even redder before he slapped them.

He took a few deep breaths to calm his mind, and his lower half." Water, I am water, formless...shapeless...I am...water."

He was finally able to calm down. He decided to deal with his profile picture at a later date...so he made his way home...Shaaaaaw!!!

However, as he approached, his attention was abruptly caught by a scene of worry unfolding from Valentina's floor.

Smoke billowed out of her window, accompanied by a series of frantic beeping noises.

"Valentina!!!" Alarmed, Tucker teleported to her floor, arriving just in time to see her robot assistant desperately fanning a stream of smoke.

"Valentina, what happened, are you okay??" Tucker exclaimed as he stepped into the smoke-filled room.

Valentina, coughing and waving away the smoke, looked up from her disastrous attempt at cooking. "I thought I'd try cooking a steak. How hard could it be, right?" Her kitchen looked like a battlefield, with charred remains of what might once have been food and cooking utensils strewn haphazardly.

Tucker couldn't help but deadpan at the sight. "All of this was caused by you cooking...why didn't you just have Kitty make something for you."

"I wanted to cook something for you before you came back." She said with a sigh." Stupid Jeffery and his stupid hard-to-follow instructions."

Huh? Jeffery...why did that name sound familiar...in any case, he decided to first help Kitty clear the smoke away.

He began by opening the windows to let out the smoke. "First rule of cooking: don't burn down the kitchen."

Valentina, slightly embarrassed watched as Tucker took control of the kitchen. "I've conquered stages across Hell, but this," she gestured to the culinary chaos, "this is my nemesis."

"Then let's beat her together," Tucker said as he tightened the apron that was around her back, as he got close, she sniffed and got closer to him.

"Why do you smell like Skank...Sniff, sniff...Specifically two skanks." Valentina asked with narrowed eyes and Tucker couldn't help but cough, what are you a bloodhound?

Tucker ignored her question and instead cleaned up the kitchen before helping her, to show her how to properly cook.

Tucker guided her through the basics of cooking a steak...but each attempt seemed to end in a new and creative disaster.

Whether it was over-seasoning, undercooking, or somehow causing a small fire, Valentina's culinary skills were proving to be special.

"Okay, let's try this again. Medium heat, not hellfire," Tucker instructed, trying to stifle his laughter.

Valentina, determined to get it right, followed his instructions to the letter, yet the result was still far from edible. "I think my hands are cursed," she said in dissatisfaction, poking at the rubbery, oddly coloured piece of meat.

"..." Tucker couldn't even comfort her, he honestly thought the same as well.

After several more attempts, each more unsuccessful than the last, Valentina flopped onto the couch, defeated. "I admit it. I'm a culinary disaster. How about we order in?"

Tucker nodded, patting her shoulder sympathetically. "Your talents lie elsewhere, Valentina. Let's stick to what we're good at. I'll order your favourite."

As he placed the order for takeout, Valentina relaxed on the couch, the tension of the cooking fiasco melting away.

They spent the rest of the evening eating good food and while Tucker told her about everything that happened that day, though when he got to the part about Summer and Dia, he could have sworn he saw her eyes turn black for a moment.

.....

As they settled into the comfort of the couch, indulging in takeout amidst the smoky aftermath of the kitchen fiasco, Valentina suddenly perked up.

"Tucker, I need a favour," she began, her expression turning serious. "Remember Verosika Mayday, the singer I mentioned? She has a performance coming up in the Wrath Ring. Could you go check it out? I value your opinion on people's character and potential."

Tucker nodded thoughtfully. "Sure, I can do that. "

Tucker agreed without much thought, but the logistics of his travel posed an intriguing question: How could a sinner like him, typically restricted to the Pride Ring, venture into another Ring of Hell?

The answer to this lay in a unique incident that had occurred a few months back.

Unlike other spinners confined to the Ring of Pride respectively, Tucker discovered he possessed an unusual ability to traverse between the rings without restriction.

The realization dawned on him following an accidental trip to the Gluttony Ring, he had thought that the Elevator at the edge of the city was for visiting the undercity of Gloutvile...it was not.

When Valentina, saw him coming back with cotton candy and some merch that could only be brought in the Gluttony wring...and seeing him walk passed the great barrier herself...she fainted.

To his surprise, and contrary to all known rules of Hell, the magical barrier that prevented other sinners from leaving Pride did not affect him.

Since then, Tucker had cautiously explored this unique freedom, though he and Valentina agreed to keep this ability a closely guarded secret.

The implications of a sinner moving freely across the rings of Hell were significant and potentially dangerous if discovered by the wrong demons.

It was a power that, if revealed, could lead to unpredictable consequences, both for Tucker and for those associated with him.

"I understand," Tucker assured her. "I'll be discreet."

The conversation shifted to the logistics of his trip and what Valentina hoped to learn from his assessment of Verosika.

As they talked, Tucker couldn't help but feel intrigued by the prospect of seeing the Wrath Ring and observing this up-and-coming singer.

"I'll give you an honest opinion, Valentina" Tucker promised. "I'm curious to see her perform myself."

Valentina smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Tucker. I knew I could count on you."

They then resumed watching the Hellashians. Tucker hated how addicted he was to the show.

He couldn't help it. Tucker found himself increasingly drawn into the drama, and he couldn't get enough of it.