Corporate Contract
"Can't we work something out?" Jake asked, his gaze switching nervously between Lucas and the jar. "I mean... you don't really want my soul, do you? I'm a terrible person, there's no way my soul is any good."
"And just what are you proposing?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're just a human. Strictly speaking, there's nothing to be worked out, because you can't work with me. You'd have to be a demon before we could even consider making some sort of deal."
"So... wait, can you make me into a demon? We'd be able to work something out if I were a demon?"
"Well, I suppose it's possible..." Lucas said, pondering the request. "Mind you, you'd have to make it worth my while. I've already got a bird in the hand, and I'm not about to lose it for two in the bush. Still, I think we could work something out. After all, your soul has finished draining. I will simply turn you into a demon. I'll weigh out your soul, and find out what it is worth. You will go back out on the floor, and try and get as many of the workers under you to sign their souls to you. If you can sign over a higher amount of worth, I'll let you take your soul back. If you can't, then I get to keep your soul. Does that sound like a deal?"
"Well, a slim chance at keeping my soul is better than none," Jake said. "It's a deal."
"Then it is done," Lucas said, his eyes flashing a sinister shade of crimson when he spoke. "I'll be taking your soul from you. When you awake, you'll be a demon. Simple as that."
Lucas pulled the soul jar away, and Jake felt his vision blur. The world went black, and just as quickly snapped back into focus. "Was... was that it?" Jake asked, patting his chest where the jar had been.
"That was it," Lucas replied. "It may feel like only a slight lapse of consciousness for you, but it's actually been over an hour. I've weighed out the purity of your soul, and it came out at 23 feather units. Which, given that you're not familiar with the purity system... anything above 20 makes for a decent person, so I'm impressed. Heaven isn't guaranteed until 30 units, but at least you're above 10."
"So... I don't feel any different at all," Jake said, examining his arms. "Should I... be feeling something? Do I have any powers? How will I know which soul is good enough?"
"You won't know a soul's worth until after it's already been signed away," Lucas said, with a shrug. "But you've been their manager for a few weeks; you should have a rough idea of who is better than who. Although, I warn you, teenagers generally don't rate highly, as they haven't been out on their own to face temptation. Purity is nothing without a foil of perversion. As far as your powers go... as a low ranking repo-demon, you don't have any. But you can make offers. Get them to sign a contract on the cursed parchment, and then the terms will come to pass. The parchment has no limit, but try to sign away material things first- that sort of thing can come out of your paycheck. The purity of their soul, minus the cost of the wish needed to obtain the soul, will show up in the corner of the page so that you'll know how many souls you need to collect. Do whatever you need to do, but try not to blow your cover, hmm?"
"And just what are you proposing?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're just a human. Strictly speaking, there's nothing to be worked out, because you can't work with me. You'd have to be a demon before we could even consider making some sort of deal."
"So... wait, can you make me into a demon? We'd be able to work something out if I were a demon?"
"Well, I suppose it's possible..." Lucas said, pondering the request. "Mind you, you'd have to make it worth my while. I've already got a bird in the hand, and I'm not about to lose it for two in the bush. Still, I think we could work something out. After all, your soul has finished draining. I will simply turn you into a demon. I'll weigh out your soul, and find out what it is worth. You will go back out on the floor, and try and get as many of the workers under you to sign their souls to you. If you can sign over a higher amount of worth, I'll let you take your soul back. If you can't, then I get to keep your soul. Does that sound like a deal?"
"Well, a slim chance at keeping my soul is better than none," Jake said. "It's a deal."
"Then it is done," Lucas said, his eyes flashing a sinister shade of crimson when he spoke. "I'll be taking your soul from you. When you awake, you'll be a demon. Simple as that."
Lucas pulled the soul jar away, and Jake felt his vision blur. The world went black, and just as quickly snapped back into focus. "Was... was that it?" Jake asked, patting his chest where the jar had been.
"That was it," Lucas replied. "It may feel like only a slight lapse of consciousness for you, but it's actually been over an hour. I've weighed out the purity of your soul, and it came out at 23 feather units. Which, given that you're not familiar with the purity system... anything above 20 makes for a decent person, so I'm impressed. Heaven isn't guaranteed until 30 units, but at least you're above 10."
"So... I don't feel any different at all," Jake said, examining his arms. "Should I... be feeling something? Do I have any powers? How will I know which soul is good enough?"
"You won't know a soul's worth until after it's already been signed away," Lucas said, with a shrug. "But you've been their manager for a few weeks; you should have a rough idea of who is better than who. Although, I warn you, teenagers generally don't rate highly, as they haven't been out on their own to face temptation. Purity is nothing without a foil of perversion. As far as your powers go... as a low ranking repo-demon, you don't have any. But you can make offers. Get them to sign a contract on the cursed parchment, and then the terms will come to pass. The parchment has no limit, but try to sign away material things first- that sort of thing can come out of your paycheck. The purity of their soul, minus the cost of the wish needed to obtain the soul, will show up in the corner of the page so that you'll know how many souls you need to collect. Do whatever you need to do, but try not to blow your cover, hmm?"