Pink Palace, spy dolls with button eyes, a bricked-up secret door, an "Other Mother" offering a perfect world in exchange for sewing buttons into the eyes...
The pieces fit into Lief's mind perfectly.
From the movie Coraline.
That was no longer a simple legend or a ghost story... but a dark animation movie enough to become the childhood nightmare of countless people.
And the entity behind the door was not a mother, but a witch known as Beldam.
An illusion-weaving spider that hunted children, using their deepest desires as bait to trap them, devour them and collect their souls as eternal trophies.
It was fine that it was a simple memory from a movie... But he didn't expect it to exist in this reality!
His thoughts spun quickly.
Given that it is a story whose plot he knows by heart, then the initiative is completely in his hands.
Although Beldam is macabre, she is not invincible.
Lief stood up slowly, projecting a shadow of security to anchor her.
"Coraline, listen to me well," his voice said lowering to a serious tone. "I believe you. I know exactly what took your parents and I know how to get to her."
!
The girl looked up, and for the first time since she entered, the trembling in her hands ceased.
"As of this moment, your case is absolute priority for Devil May Cry," he declared, circling the desk to stand in front of her. "I am not going to let that thing touch a single hair on you. We are going to bring your parents back."
Coraline nodded strongly, biting her lip to contain a sob of relief.
"However," Lief continued, turning his head toward the full-length mirror in the corner, "to hunt an illusion-weaver on her own ground, I am going to need specialized reinforcements."
"Airam, what do you say? Are you interested in going on an excursion? The reward will be... substantial."
"..."
Being a spirit, Airam could taste the trace of energy that clung to Coraline like an oil stain.
Another world? Trapped souls? A witch? That sounded infinitely more entertaining than floating in the limbo of the office.
"An excursion?" Her smile widened, showing too many teeth. "Of course I'm going. I've been bored in here for too long. But..."
"I can't go like this. I need to prepare myself."
"Where are you going?" asked Lief, seeing that her image was beginning to fluctuate.
"I have to go 'get dressed' for the occasion," she replied with an enigmatic tone. "Give me two minutes. Don't start the party without me."
Without looking back, disappearing from the mirror.
"..."
Coraline was left staring at the empty mirror with her mouth open.
...
Two exact minutes later, the mirror's surface rippled.
First a white sneaker emerged, stepping on the office's wooden floor and immediately after, the rest of the body crossed the threshold, materializing completely.
It was Maria.
Or at least, she was wearing her blue jeans and her black T-shirt.
However, it was enough to notice that the person at the wheel was not her.
The timid posture had disappeared, replaced by absolute confidence, relaxed shoulders and the look had an edge that did not belong to a normal person.
"No matter how much time passes... it still feels weak," said "Maria," flexing her fingers and rotating her neck until it cracked. "Maria said she will watch us from the mirror, but she warned me not to break any of her nails."
"Welcome to the physical side, Airam," Lief said with a smile. "Ready to stretch your legs?"
Airam rolled her eyes.
"You better hope the action is worth it."
Seeing her, Lief knew he had the right backup.
He turned and said to Coraline, who was still somewhat stunned.
"Coraline, this is Airam," he introduced her, omitting unnecessary titles. "She is my assistant. She is going to come with us to make sure nothing approaches us from behind."
Coraline nodded, swallowing saliva.
"Hello... Miss Airam."
"Hello, Coraline," Airam stepped forward, giving her a pat on the shoulder.
"Alright, we don't have time for long introductions," Lief clapped. "Before we cross, we need to secure communications. I don't want screams if things get ugly. Relax and don't fight the sensation."
Without further ado, he activated his new ability: [Psychic Link]
A sudden sensation, like a snap of static at the base of the skull, followed by a sudden clarity.
An invisible thread connected the minds of the three instantly.
[Secure Channel Established. Active Users: Lief Connor, Airam Brennan, Coraline Jones.]
'Woah... this is weird. It feels like you are screaming inside my head,' Airam's voice resonated directly in Lief's and Coraline's brain, clear and without distortion.
'It is a private channel', Lief's thought replied, 'Maintain communication through here once we cross. If that witch has ears in the walls, we don't want her to hear our plans.'
'It is incredible!' thought Coraline, her eyes opening wide. The momentary surprise displaced the terror, 'I hear you perfectly!'
"Alright, let's go," Lief said out loud, breaking the moment.
He walked toward the door, put his hand on the knob, but did not turn it yet.
"Coraline, I need you to act as the GPS," he instructed, looking at the girl. "Close your eyes and I need you to concentrate on the living room of your house. Not the Other Mother's beautiful version, but the real one. Visualize the door, the smell, the furniture... the clearer, the better."
She nodded, Coraline closed her eyes tightly, her fists clenched at her sides. Her face wrinkled in a gesture of concentration, searching her memory for every detail of her home.
Lief felt the change in the door's resonance.
Without hesitation, he turned the knob sharply and pushed the door open suddenly.
Fuuosh
A cold gust of air hit them in the face, bringing with it the unmistakable smell of dust and abandonment.
Before their eyes extended the living room of the "Pink Palace," plunged into a depressing gloom.
The lighting was poor, as if the outside sun was afraid to enter through the windows.
The wallpaper was peeling in the corners, revealing the moisture stains. The furniture was covered with white dust sheets.
And there was an uncomfortable silence.
But they were not alone.
On the sofa, right in the center of the room, there was something sitting.
A doll.
It wore a yellow raincoat identical to Coraline's and had blue wool hair. But the most disturbing thing was its eyes: two black and shining buttons that captured the little light of the room, and that seemed to be looking directly toward the door through which they had just entered.
________
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