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"Have you heard of, 'Diablo'?" The Kid's friend asked him.
"I mean, yeah… Who hasn't, right?"
"Oh whatever, man!" She laughed. "You've never heard of, 'Diablo', have you?"
The young girl laughed, but she was incorrect. The Kid did know of "Diablo", but he couldn't let on as to why…
"He's literally, the 'Devil'," the girl explained, "But he lives among us… rumors say. Although they can't agree whether he lives in Gotham, or in one of the Burroughs."
"Oh yeah, THAT, 'Diablo'!" The Kid tried to convince his friend that NOW he knew who she was talking about…
"You still have no idea. Do you?"
"I, ah… I mean, of course, but… umm-"
"It's really OK," the girl laughed. "But with those vampires attacking that park… I just thought that, maybe Diablo was going to come real too. I thought vampires were just stories… I thought the Devil was just a story."
"Hey, listen. Don't be scared. I know that Arda is a dark, and scary place… But there are a lot of really good people on it too. And I think that the good guys win… more than they lose. So I don't think you need to worry about some, 'Diablo'."
"We don't have any superheroes in Queens, dufus!"
"Yes we do!" The Kid argued. "We have, 'The Spider'!"
"Who? 'A spider'?"
"No!" The Kid threw his hands up in disgust. He then tried to argue his case further, "You know, 'The Spider'! He shoots webbing from his wrists? Climbs up walls? Blasts baddies with his awesome machine guns!"
"How's that make him a superhero if he uses a gun like the criminals?" The girl looked genuinely conflicted about this statement.
"Well, ah… I mean… He doesn't always use guns… Just when he has to. He's got to protect the city, you know... and himself. But he'd never use a gun unless his life, or someone else's, was on the line..."
"And how do you know all of this?"
"I just… I believe in him."
"How did you even hear about him?"
"I, ahm. I think I heard it on the bus or something? I can't remember…"
"Doesn't Ned know a lot about this stuff? And aren't you guys like, best friends?" The girl mockingly asked.
"Well, obviously, I mean… And I know someone else.. He, he doesn't go to school here… But he knows about these things."
"Well ask him about 'Diablo'! And maybe find out more about what's the deal with your 'Spider'!" The girl laughed.
DING! DING! DING!
"Ah man, lunch is over. I'm not ready for science class," Thr Kid said.
"Yeah, I'm off to math class." The girl stuck out her tongue in a playful disgust.
"Nice… Well… I guess I'll see you later, Gwen!"
"See you later!"
…
"Hey, sir. Eh, Devil, sir. Thank you for meeting me."
"Yeah, Kid. What did you need?"
"Information. I need to know about this, 'Diablo'."
"And why do you need to know about him?"
The Kid then sat up straight in his chair. He had been nervous - never having been in a bar before, and definitely wouldn't have chosen this hole in the wall to begin with - but now his patience was getting thin.
"Everything! I've heard that he's either in Gotham, or one of the Burroughs… And I've heard that HE'S the one that's really the 'Devil', Devil…"
"Well, you've heard close to it all… but you think he's something he's not… He's an errand boy for Mephisto. Nothing more. He leads a group of vampires, and he hangs out at a bar down in Gotham Harbor. But he's really nothing, Kid. He doesn't move without Mephisto's permission."
"Gotham Harbor, you said. He hangs out at a bar there?"
"Yeah, Kid. But don't go down there without me. All you'll do is get yourself into trouble. Stay in Queens."
"Yeah, alright. Sure thing." The Kid definitely wasn't the most convincing person on Arda…
"Trouble, Kid."
"...So you said that Diablo works for Mephisto, directly?"
"Listen, Kid… you want Mephisto? Good luck! Don't kid yourself, Kid- His minions won't let anyone speak with their boss. Lucifer Morningstar and a demon-mutant named, Azazel, are the two in charge of executing Mephisto's wishes."
"Who are they? Would I be able to find THEM?"
"You might be able to meet them," The Devil said. "But I wouldn't recommend it...”
“And why's that, Devil?"
“Because when one deals with the Devil, Kid, everyone always loses. Only the Devil and his minions win. And I didn't take you for the wanting-to-lose type, Kid..."
…
"Vampires, I knew I'd find some here… Now lead me to the bar, vamps…"
The Kid was standing in the shadows of the docks at Gotham Harbor. He saw a handful of vampires walking along a sidewalk. They were heading south, in the direction of a few shops and other small commercial buildings… The Kid decided to follow them.
The Kid followed the group for a couple of blocks, just past the area that The Kid had initially expected. The vampires eventually stopped at a small, run down looking building…
The Kid moved from building to building. Getting closer to his target with each step. But he was sure to keep each step in the shadows. The Kid eventually stopped in an alley, adjacent to the bar. He watched as the vampires were lead in through the front door of the bar. Just as The Kid was about to make his move-
"The Spider!" A voice aggressively said. "What are you doing here?”
“The Batman! What are you doing here?" The Kid nervously repeated.
“I'm here to speak with Mephisto-"
“Good luck with that!" The Kid declared. "His minions won't let anyone speak with their boss. Lucifer Morningstar and a demon-mutant named, Azazel, are the two in charge of executing Mephisto's wishes. You might be able to meet them… but I wouldn't recommend it...”
“And why's that, Spider,” asked The Batman.
“Because when one deals with the Devil, everyone always loses. Only the Devil and his minions win. And I didn't take you for the wanting-to-lose type, Batman."