Chapter III: At the Hotel

"Why did you do it?" Angel Dust asked.

"I saw that you were struggling against that perverted fiend and felt best it would help."

"Ya, but why do you care if I make my recovery? You came to the hotel thinking that it was a big joke and to see people fail. If Val had taken me, wouldn't that have made me a failure?"

"Perhaps, but I want to see you climb higher towards redemption before you fall back down again. The greater the fall and the greater entertainment I'll find," Alastor replied.

"Hey, now lemme get something straight for you: I'm already a fuck up and if I'm going to fuck this redemption thing up, then all I'd ask you is for you to let me do it on my own merits! Sound fair?"

"Fair enough, in the meantime, we should do something about the state of your dress."

Angel looked down and saw that it was splattered with Valentino's blood: "Ah, don't worry about it right now, let's just blow this joint, and head back to the hotel."

Like the gentleman that he saw himself as, Alastor assisted Angel back to his feet and they strode out of the restaurant together.

It was only a short while later when Cherri Bomb dropped from the buildings before them: "Yo, Angie, look at you, and I just came over to see what shit went down at that restaurant!"

"Yeah, you missed a bit of excitement there," Angel Dust told her.

"Pardon, but before you continue, who is this, Angel Dust?" Alastor asked.

"Oh, right, this is Cherri Bomb - friend, comrade, anarchist with a flair for turf wars; and Cherri Bomb, this is Alastor the Radio Demon. He was behind the excitement over in the restaurant."

"So what went down?" Cherri asked.

"Valentino caught me there and since it's been a while since I worked for him, he wasn't too happy to see me. Just as he was about to drag me back into that studio of his, Alastor... Well... Let's just say that Valentino won't be bothering me anymore."

"Awesome! It's about time someone took down that creep! How did you do it?"

"Perhaps this will be a discussion better had at the hotel, Angel Dust," Alastor suggested.

"Not a bad idea... What say you, Sugar Tits?"

"Sounds good to me!' Cherri replied.

Ω Ω Ω

Angel Dust stepped in first and Charlie and Vaggie screamed: "ANGEL, WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"Get me a smoke and I'll tell ya everything; but first I'll introduce you to Cherri Bomb!" Angel Dust told her with a straight face. Cherri and Alastor arrived at the same time.

"Isn't she the girl you were with to fight in a turf war?" Vaggie asked.

"I told you that I owed her! Now, where's that smoke?"

Alastor overheard him and dealt him a cigarette and gave him a light: "Miss Cherri and I will be in the next room," he spoke, and he pulled Cherri Bomb away.

Angel Dust took a puff of his cigarette and told Charlie and Vaggie: "You broads have no idea what you've gotten me into."

"We want to know why you're covered in blood," Vaggie told him.

"Yeah, I'm getting to it! Be nice to me and I'll tell you what I've dug up on Alastor on top of it," he snapped. The girls were quiet and he continued: "It was a good lunch, I told him about my life and how I ended up here - the hotel and Hell in general - and then he did the same for me. Turns out that the guy was a serial killer!"

Charlie and Vaggie seemed both aghast and yet expectant of such a disclosure. It was like getting confirmation on a horrible assumption they had about Alastor.

"Hold on, because I've also got a hunch that even in life he might've also been a cannibal."

"I told you, Charlie, that he's evil!" Vaggie exclaimed, but she managed to keep her voice hushed.

"Hold on now, because it gets better... Okay, so we eat our meals, we talk, and I go to freshen up, only to come out of the bathroom, and then face my old boss, Valentino. Alastor heard me cussing out that pervert and come over to talk him out of dragging me back to the porn studio. Well, Valentino refused and Alastor went full-demon and tore the guy to bits before my eyes!"

The girls' eyes went wide and hands clapped over mouths with shock.

"So yeah, this is Valentino's blood on my dress. That was both the most terrifying thing I ever saw, and the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me!" Angel Dust finished.

"Wait, what?" Vaggie asked.

"Did ya not hear me? Alastor saw that I was in trouble and he came to help me - first by talking and then by attacking. It seems to me that he became a serial killer out of a warped sense of justice."

"What about the cannibalism?" Charlie asked.

"Well, he's a demon that looks like a deer and he ate venison; and then, after he tore Valentino apart, he ate a piece of him right in front of my face! Plus, given the fact that he was actively killing during the Great Depression, it wouldn't surprise me if he took to cannibalism then if only to just have some meat at hand."

"Ooh, that's just sick," Vaggie groaned.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that, Angel, and that we pushed you into taking Alastor to that lunch. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" Charlie asked.

"Ha, are ya kiddin'? Alastor just blew down my greatest tormentor in all of Hell! I owe him now; and he was a gentleman the whole time with me. I think that I'll stick with him and see what happens," he replied.

"Wait, you actually like him after all of that?" Vaggie asked.

Angel Dust shrugged: "I'm down here for a reason too, so who am I to judge him? Besides, if you want him to come around to your cause, I think that I can figure him out."

"You think?" Charlie asked with hope in her eyes.

"That depends on how far he's willing to go with me," Angel Dust replied. He took a long draw on the cigarette: "I better go check in on Alastor and Cherri. I'll keep you girls up-to-date on how things are going."

"Wait, Angel, would you like to change your clothes first? Something less bloodied, perhaps?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, I could shed these glad rags."

Ω Ω Ω

Angel Dust came back down wearing his usual getup while holding fat nuggets and found Alastor and Cherri sharing laughs.

"What did I miss?" he asked them.

"Oh, I was just telling your friend, here, about that time we blew up that club!" Cherri replied.

"A stellar act in revenge, I'll admit," Alastor stated.

"Yeah, Cherri's helped me through some tough times down here... Thanks to you, Smiles, Hell's not lookin' as bad as it used to."

They sat a moment and Cherri looked around: "So, this is where you've been staying, Angie?"

"Yeah, it's not very exciting, but the rent's free. All you've got to do while you stay here is play nice."

"Why?"

"Ah, Princess Charlotte runs the place, she wants to see if it's possible for demons to redeem themselves and go to heaven. As for why I'm here, she found me having a miserable time on a street corner and made an offer for me to be their first test subject."

Cherri looked taken aback: "Oh, is redemption something you want?"

"It's a bit complicated because there's no guarantee that it'll work... Though in the meantime, this place would be more interesting with you in it too."

"I'm sure that Charlie would be ecstatic to have a willing guest," Alastor put in.

Cherri sat back and thought about it for a minute and got up and returned to the lobby.

"Cherri," Vaggie greeted flatly.

"Um... Where do I sign in?"

"Checking in? YOU'RE CHECKING IN?!" Charlie exclaimed, it looked like sparkles surrounded her.

"Yeah, I've got nothing to lose here," Cherri replied.

"Alright, here are the conditions: You get to stay, eat, and drink here so long as you make an honest attempt at betterment. This means no turf wars, drugs, excessive drinking, or blowing things up... Oh unholy hell... Charlie, we better pool some money together and start bringing in means of creative outlets," Vaggie stated.

"Okay, if this is a new thing, you're not likely to get me to do any arts and crafts. Out there, I've got a reputation," Cherri told her.

"Oh, maybe you can help us out then... ANGEL CAN YOU COME HERE?!" Charlie called out.

Angel Dust came out, soon followed by Alastor.

"What's this about?" Angel Dust asked.

"Vaggie and I are going to pool some money together to give the guests some creative outlets, something that you can do to temp you away from sins. Also, Cherri Bomb is checking in!"

"YOU ARE?!" Angel Dust exclaimed, looking to his best friend.

"Yeah, I figured that I'd give it a shot. It might prove - in the end - to be a greater thrill than blowing shit up."

Vaggie put a hand to her head: "We also need to cut back on the swearing."

"Anyway, Angel, we were wondering about some things that might be of interest to you."

"Well, in life I've always liked guns - target practice ain't a sin, fashion's pretty important, music is always a good outlet, and if you could at least get some pasta in the dang kitchen, I might actually be able to cook up a decent meal."

"Since when do you cook?" Vaggie asked him.

"It's been a while."

"Okay I can definitely swing for some musical instruments, crafting and art supplies, designing materials, and get us some better food... Guns on the other hand..." Charlie trailed off.

"Whoa, hey now, Princess; exactly what does a redeemed demon look like to you? What do you think paradise looks like to the likes of us?" Cherri asked.

"She's making a point, Charlie. I ain't exactly a big fan of sappy and emotional stuff and you're not going to catch Cherri, here, picking up knitting needles unless its to stab something. We need action and releases to be badass!" Angel added.

"Might I offer a suggestion?" Alastor spoke, Vaggie gave him the side-eye, but Charlie gave him her attention: "Single-round hunting rifles with lever action. You have to reload after every single shot. Sleek, elegant, and they can't cause as much trouble than they could with a tommy gun. Also, when not in use, you can keep them under lock and key."

"You callin' me out, Alastor?" Angel inquired.

Charlie thought about it for a minute: "Okay, I think I can swing that. However, there will be conditions: first you'll have to attend and participate in therapy, second will be that if they're used against any of my people you'll be ejected from the hotel, and third will be that they all have to be returned when not in use."

"Eh, sounds fair enough," Angel told her.

"Okay, I can go and get the goods... Alastor, I think you and nifty can set up a jazz lounge in the room at the back of the building on the second floor, it has a stage and great acoustics."

Alastor's smile broadened, he couldn't pass up an opportunity to have control to set up a whole new room - especially if music would be its focus.

Ω Ω Ω

New arrival at the hotel! Charlie's so happy!