"So, you and Niffty huh?" Angel asked knowingly. Ever since he heard about Jersey's promise to take Niffty with him to a fishing trip, rumors had been flying about the two dating. This was mostly thanks to Niffty, who still struggled understand the difference between a friendly invite to a casual experience and an actual romantic outing.
The question was hardly a surprise to Jersey, who had just organized his lures into a cheap tackle box and was currently waiting on Niffty to come down to the main lobby to meet with him. It seemed like half of the hotel's population had to indulge their curiosity regarding an occasion as simple as fishing.
"If you are asking if we are going fishing, then yes." Jersey replied, his tone utterly tired. At the moment, he was dressed with an idea for comfort in the great outdoors, with a pair of khakis, a dark t-shirt, and a broad rimmed hat to keep the light off of his head.
"Come on, Jers. You know was well as I do what I'm talkin' about." Angel continued, his voice becoming suggestive. "I'm surprised you two have gotten to this point in your relationship. Though I gotta say, you could've chosen a more romantic settin'."
"Would you knock it off?" Jersey growled. "I have been telling you guys more than once: it is not a date. Just because I'm hanging out with a girl doesn't mean we are out on a date. I swear, you guys keep thinking I'm some Casanova."
Wednesday
The day after Baxter was reintegrated into the Hazbin Hotel, Jersey was confronted, albeit even handedly, by Vaggie. Needless to say, Niffty's gossip about the weekend had drawn newfound attention to his relationship with the cycloptic cleaner.
"Are you seriously going on a date with Niffty? And to a fishing lake of all places?" Vaggie asked.
She had an idea that Jersey was not particularly infatuated with Niffty, but they did have a tolerant relationship that sometimes led to mutual cooperation and even genuine concern and camaraderie. All the same, when Niffty was openly swooning about her "upcoming date with the handsome Jersey," she could not help but investigate. A relationship that got too intimate within the hotel might count as engaging in lust. The last thing she wanted was a guest who got off of one sin only to indulge in another.
"It is not a date, Vaggie. I swear, it is only a friendly outing to a lake further to the south of here. Any ideas of a date are just Niffty's... misunderstanding." Jersey did not want to disparage her obsessive behavior behind her back. He continued matter-of-factly. "The word date was not mentioned by me. My intentions are purely to enjoy some good old fashioned fishing. Niffty wanted to tag along, and I saw no reason to tell her no."
Vaggie relaxed, giving a gentle warning. "Just remember that you are on a path to redemption. Plus, if Niffty is convinced that you want a more intimate relationship, but you are not, please don't lead her on."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. You know how Niffty can be." Jersey observed. "Her energy is great for keeping this whole place tidy, but it comes at the cost of our personal space, not to mention the insistence on romance..."
"Yeah." Vaggie replied, chuckling a little. "She's pretty eager to please, especially when it comes to you."
"Me?"
"You're the only guy that she tries to cozy up to." Vaggie explained. "You seem to tick her boxes as far as being in a budding relationship, with the whole asking her to join you on a fishing trip. Even if you did n't, you've worked alongside her before, with the kitchen LEDs and going to Hoarder's General a while back."
Jersey nodded his head in a humble, lopsided manner, not entirely convinced that he was making any grand overtures to be in a relationship, romantic or otherwise. He had even explicitly told Niffty that he had no current interest in a girlfriend. Then again, it was a matter of perspective. If Niffty was a hopeless romantic, just about any chance to be alone with Jersey might count as a date.
"By the way," Vaggie continued, "how long is this trip, anyway? You guys aren't eloping for the whole weekend, are you?"
"Don't worry." Jersey insisted. "The fishing hole I've been researching is about forty-five minutes southwest of here. We won't stay longer than maybe a few hours. We'll be back in time for dinner, at the latest."
"Okay. Just don't forget the sign in sheet. Also, be sure to let Charlie know when you're on your way back to the hotel so she can be sure."
"Of course." Jersey said. He then thought of something he had not done since thinking of going fishing the day before. "If you want, you are free to join us."
Vaggie looked up, surprised, but she merely smiled and shook her head. "Charlie and I are going on a private picnic at the local park that day. Gotta have dates with each other sometime."
Jersey hummed in understanding. "I guess we both thought this Saturday was a good idea to get some fresh air."
Vaggie laughed briefly, feeling more relaxed at this time than she had in days. "Well, maybe next time. And remember, no sinful activities while you are alone with Niffty."
"Yes yes, no funny business. You can be assured that I'll be constantly reminding Niffty of the innocent nature of our outing." Jersey insisted. 'I really hope nobody insists on scrutinizing this thing. I just wanna do some goddamn fishing...'
One could imagine Jersey's surprise, or perhaps lack thereof, when Vaggie proved to be one of four people to ask about the nature of the fishing trip. Charlie had thankfully only given a shorter variation of the conversation Vaggie had given, even congratulating Jersey on his new friendship with the hotel's cleanly and conscious cyclops.
Then there was Alastor, who seemed unusually curious about the entire affair. It was only mentioned in passing over a chess game of all things, but it revealed how transparent the dynamic between Jersey and Niffty.
When he was about to leave Alastor after the game hd concluded, the Radio Demon warned Jersey thusly: "You are very much in the same boat as my living self was all those years ago: faced with a passionate woman who's affections were never going to be reciprocated. As such, you could play along with Niffty's little fairytale desire and pretend that you share the same infatuation she has continuously struggled to reign in whenever she sees a handsome face. To a certain extent, you are one of the more ideal men in Hell that Niffty has met in some time. I should know, I've known her more than you do.
"All the same, you and I know deep down that you lack the same zest for such amorous nonsense. In the end, it is up to you whether you wish to let her down now or later. Otherwise you'll lead her on. If that happens, you'll hurt her much more than if you admit the truth in your heart in the present. Woe to you if you continue to wait, my friend."
It was striking to him that Vaggie and Alastor of all people would agree on one issue: a romantic relationship with Niffty had to be carefully navigated for his own best interests. The reminders to be on his best behavior were becoming somewhat tedious, but he understood their purpose. Ultimately, it was a simple, friendly outing, and nothing more.
At least, that was what Jersey insisted it be.
The Present, 9:25 am
"Don't tell me you're gossiping about me and Niffty, are you?"
"What? Me?" Angel Dust answered in a lightly mocking tone. "I would never! Just trying to stir the pot a little. You do your damndest to never give me the chance, Jersey baby~"
"Fascinating..." Jersey drawled. "You'll be even more disappointed to hear that I won't be up to any salacious antics. This is a matter of sportsmanship. Besides, technically, my offer is open to anyone."
"First off, I ain't into the usual bonin' that happens between a guy and a gal, so I wouldn't care anyway." Angel clarified. "Plus, you didn't really give out much of an invite. I certainly don't recall you asking me to cast a few lines."
"That's because the only lines you like are the ones you can snort." Jersey replied lightly.
Angel wheezed with laughter, holding his slim gut with two arms as he struggled to maintain his balance on the stool at the front desk. The comeback was a welcome change in Jersey's usual choice of words "He he he, you got me there! Not to mention the only pole I use is for strippin', not fishin'."
"In any case, I'm not lying when I say that I offered everyone a chance to go." Jersey explained. "Vaggie and Charlie are going on a date, Alastor was disinterested when I told him we weren't going to kill and eat the fish, Baxter looked pale as a ghost when I mentioned going to a lake, and Husker said it would be 'too boring' and 'without any stakes.'"
"Huh..." Angel hummed aloud "You'd think Baxter would've loved the chance, given he's a fish. I'm surprised Husky didn't wanna go either. Don't most cats eat fish?"
"He's more of a gambler type, and I don't want to play any serious card games that put actual money on the line."
"Sheesh," Angel Dust exclaimed, "for a guy who's down here, you must have one borin' rap sheet. Won't use drugs, hardly drinks, hardly even curses, what are ya down here for anyway?"
Jersey gave a little smirk at the spider demon next to him. "It's a secret..."
Angel simply rolled his eyes. "Sure, whatevah."
"The fuck are you two talkin' about?" Husker returned to the front desk, having answered a call of nature just a minute ago.
"Angel keeps asking about my weekend fishing trip with Niffty." Jersey replied. "You sure you don't wanna come with?"
"I ain't got the patience to fish." Husk said. "I also don't like water that doesn't come out of a shower head. Do you know how hard it is to get the stench of unclean water outta your fur? I ain't takin' the chance going to some dirty old lake to catch fish that I ain't even gonna eat."
"Suit yourself."
"So, is Niffty gettin' ready or somethin'?" Angel Dust interjected.
"Yup. I told her she didn't have to get too gussied up. We're just going fishing and all."
"Heh." Husk chuckled aloud. "I wonder if she really took your word on it."
"Ooh, what to wear, what to wear?!" Niffty fretted as she raced from her personal collection of outdoor wear and a ground level mirror that allowed her to see herself. "I know, Jersey said it would be casual, but I don't do casual!"
She had some time before she was expected to meet Jersey, but she had yet to settle on anything that was to her liking. The circle dresses that were best suited for outdoors activists were not in short supply, but not one of the colors Niffty tried on inspired a sense of afternoon relaxation meeting with the old fashioned dignity of the 1950s she lived in as a young, budding woman. Most of her dresses were either shades of red, pink, or yellow, and none of them had the right spark that she desired.
"Oh gosh," Niffty worried, glancing at herself in a sunny yellow top with ruffled shoulder sleeves and complemented hoop skirt, "here I am worrying about my appearance when Jersey's just wearing what makes him comfortable. I just wanna look good out on the lake."
She changed in a blur, and found herself in a very obscure dress that she often overlooked. It was very similar to her iconic poodle skirt and blotched white shirt, only it was a deep, relaxing blue, much like the color one would see if they were diving into the open ocean. The top was a v-necked shirt with short sleeves. The full, shin length skirt had a white, polka-dot like pattern that looked oddly similar to bubbles, gradually fading as they radiated away from Niffty's thin waist. The stockings on her legs were a paler sky blue, and she had even managed to find a broad sun hat with a blue ribbon for the occasion.
Blue was not Niffty's favorite color, but it was hardly her least favorite. Something about the arrangement and hue of her clothes really made Niffty feel like the outfit on her was meant for an occasion like this.
"Just one more thing." She dashed to her personal purse collection. Upon returning to the mirror, it reflected Niffty sporting a rich blue purse with gold plating.
"Alright, just play it casual." Niffty fretted once more, her heart racing with excitement. She gathered her Hellphone and her wallet, the only essential items that she would bring along to the lake. "It's not a date, like Jersey said. You'll just be enjoying an outing at a lake right next to a hunk with home building skills. No biggie!"
She then recalled that she wanted to organize a small lunch for herself and Jersey. Niffty raced down the hallway to prepare something tasty, but modest for the "not a date" afternoon.
"I'm here!" Niffty announced as she entered the lobby in a rush, a picnic basket in her left hand and her purse in the right. "I'm not late am I?"
"Not at all." Jersey said, approaching her with his fishing pole and tackle box in hand. "You ready to go?"
A moment of disappointment passed over Niffty's face. She had hoped that Jersey would at least compliment her attire. After chalking the lack of a comment to tiredness or excitement for the day, she resumed her peppy demeanor. "Yessiree! Ready when you are!"
"Okay then. Time to call a cab." Jersey said, walking to the front door. "Care to make the call, Niffty?"
"Sure thing!"
"Are you guys going on?" Charlie asked, entering the lobby with her own casual attire. In preparation of her picnic with Vaggie, she had a long pair of skinny jeans and a peach colored t-shirt with a coiling serpent logo on the back.
"Yup." Jersey replied as Niffty began to talk into her Hellphone at a frantic pace. "We'll be home just before dinner."
"Okey dokey! You two have fun!" Charlie called with a wave.
"Remember ta bring protection, kids!" Angel remarked obnoxiously.
"Don't get fuckin' eaten or some shit." Husk grumbled with a liquor bottle in his grasp.
Jersey bid the others farewell with a roll of his eyes. He opened the lobby door, letting Niffty go first. The rapidly speaking Niffty gave a brief, swooning thanks to the handyman before racing out the door with Jersey following after her. The lobby was briefly quiet.
"They're totally gonna fuck at that lake, aren't they?" Angel asked lazily.
"Angel!" Charlie yelled in a chiding tone. Her face became somewhat pink, as if the red cheeks on her face were starting to leak out across the sides of her face. "It's their first date! Why would they suddenly be that intimate?!"
"Because it'll be one snooze-fest of a date if they don't." Angel answered bluntly. "I mean seriously, fishin'? Who takes somebody fishin'?"
Charlie sighed, shaking her head in exasperation at Angel's amorous criticism of what was simply an outdoor activity between friends. "It's not a date. Jersey literally said as much. They're going as friends."
"If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck..." Angel quipped.
Husk gestured with his bottle towards the spider demon with a scoff, turning his attention to Charlie "This motherfucker only thinks in terms of people getting fucked, either literally or figuratively. There's absolutely nothin' in-between or out."
"Okay then, Husky," Angel said in mild annoyance, "why don't we bet on it?"
"You sure you wanna do that?" Husker asked with a bored expression.
"If they aren't at least swappin' spit by dinner time, I owe you ten bucks."
"Pfft." Husk almost sounded amused by the modest stakes. "I don't normally take limp dick bets like that, but I'm fuckin' bored. You're on, you coked up cocksucker."
"Deal!"
The two demons shook on the agreement. Charlie just looked on in disbelief before shaking her head. She hoped the afternoon would be a calm and ordinary one.
Niffty could hardly contain herself as she was strapped into her seatbelt. She and Jersey were now in a cab, heading down to the place where their "not a date" excursion was to happen. It took every ounce of willpower to not act as manic as a ricocheting bullet.
"I can't wait to get there!" Niffty quickly realized one minor discrepancy. "Uh, what is this lake called exactly?"
"Lake Maul." Jersey explained. "Despite the name, most of the fish their can be handled with some kind of special chain mail glove. We'll be given at one pair once we get ourselves through reception."
"Chain mail?" Niffty had been in hell for over half a century, but she had no experience with any of the aquatic wildlife that was native to the Ring of Pride, let alone the kind that required armor to safely handle.
Jersey knew otherwise, but it would take a good deal of time to explain the specifics of some of the game that could be expected at Lake Maul. "Let's just say we aren't catching minnows here. You'll see soon enough."
Shrugging at the explanation, Niffty resumed her optimistic squirming. "Oh gosh, this is going to be so fun! I bet we'll catch something on our first try!"
A smile grew on Jersey's face. Her eagerness for one of his favorite pastimes was a refreshing experience so far. "We'll see, Niffty. We'll see."
Lake Maul, 10:20 am
The cab arrived in good time, and after Jersey lended the appropriate tip to the driver, he and Niffty made their way towards the largest building in the area. Much of the land was significantly different from Pentagram City. Many more trees, most of which were pines, stood in asymmetric clusters, with some areas looking like proper, undisturbed woodland. The air was considerably cleaner, though if Jersey enhanced his sense of smell, he could detect the far off stench of asphalt, car exhaust, and industry to the north. Jersey had rarely seen grass in Pentagram City, and he was surprised to see that it looked no different from ordinary, green grass in a forest glade in the human world.
The reception area where he and Niffty were to purchase their one-day tickets to enjoy recreation on the grounds of the lake was located in what looked like a modern architect's take on a long cabin. Broad, made of what looked like massive planks of dark timber, and with an obtusely wide triangular roof, it sported the full, proper name of the outdoor establishment in bold, bright blue text on the second floor level: Lake Maul Recreational Park and Wildlife Reserve.
Outwardly, as Jersey and Niffty approached the front door, the building appeared to be a larger, genuine cabin project. However, inside was a different matter. The front door was a revolving one, and once indoors, Niffty and Jersey felt the refreshing chill of an active air conditioning system. A general lack of noise indicated that there was a modest crowd, likely because it was so early in the morning. The floor was designed to look like marble, and there were multiple shops and other facilities to be enjoyed. However, the two latest arrivals made a beeline for a kiosk where they were to gain permission to access the lakeside.
The desk was much larger than that of the Hazbin Hotel's. There were also three demons working at the counter, which circled a large central column with tv screens showing various outdoor brands. The one employee that Jersey and Niffty approached was a shaggy beaver man with buck teeth, and tired, dull grey eyes. The simple, brown name tag on the left side of his shirt simply read, Donny.
"Morning, what can I do for you two?" He asked in a withered tone.
"We would like to fish out by the lake."
"Alrighty," Danny answered as he took slow, deliberate clicks on the computer he was stationed at, "for two adult tickets, plus tax, that'll be forty four dollars, seventy eight cents."
Jersey handed over forty five dollars, and Danny carefully counted the change, giving back two dimes and two pennies. "Okey, dokey." The demon beaver pulled out two clipboards that had a single page that had to be signed. "You'll have to sign these here consent forms. If somethin' bad happens to you whilst you're castin' your lines, we can't be held responsible."
"Consent?" Niffty asked.
"Yup, little missy." Danny answered. "The fishies in the lake are purdy dangerous, so if you wanna try a gander at fishin' 'em, you'll have to sign a document acknowledgin' that you know the risks."
The disclosure forms were hardly complex, for they guaranteed that the Camio Naturalist Foundation will not be held legally liable for any harm that might come to those who sought to fish directly at Lake Maul. After reading the three measly paragraphs on the page, Jersey made a signature at the bottom. Niffty did so as well, largely glossing over the text over the consent form.
"Alrighty then." Donny retrieved the documents and placed them in a filing cabinet. He then turned and pointed to another desk in the back area of the main building. "You head on over to Lizzie there. She'll give you some safety gear and go over the rules. Y'all have a safe, fun time out there."
"Thank you!" Niffty dashed over to the back desk, leaving Jersey behind.
"Quite the little go-getter, ain't she?" Donny chuckled.
Jersey said nothing, moving with some haste to catch up to the little cyclops. He found her asking multiple questions to a yellow frog demon with an hour glass figure and an irritated look in her red, cat like eyes. She too, was wearing a name tag, and as noted by Donny, her name was simply Lizzie.
"So, do we get to keep the fish we catch? Do we get a boat? Why do we need some special glove for this fishing place? What if-"
"Would you please let me talk?!" Lizzie roared back. "I can't explain anything when you keep asking me a thousand, goddamn questions!"
"Please forgive my colleague." Jersey explained, stepping between Niffty and Lizzie. The last thing they needed was to cause a ruckus that would result in them getting kicked from the recreation center. "She is quite eager to start casting lines, as you can guess."
"Colleague?" Lizzie gave a scrutinizing stare at the two customers before her. "How old is she?"
Niffty gave an offended huff. "I'm twenty-two, if you please."
Lizzie let out a heavy sigh, glad to see that the little demon who was playing two hundred questions was not some little kid who had no business being at the lake. She set about explaining the lake and its rules. "Okay, in case you weren't aware, the fish that lurk in Lake Maul are dangerous as hell, pun intended. That means you'll need some special gear to safely handle the fish. Before we do that, I gotta go over some ground rules."
"Okey dokey!" Niffty said brightly.
The amphibious employee gave a slightly disbelieving stare at the little cyclops' child-like behavior. "...Right. So, rule number one: you stay within the perimeter fence. The woodlands beyond the fence are full of dangerous creatures, and only researchers are allowed beyond the fencing. Rule number two: no killing the fish if you can help it. Rule number three: no keeping the fish. These aren't pets. Rule number four: no polluting the place, or else we'll sue your ass and then ban you. Rule five: no sex. Don't even think about it, you perverts."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Jersey replied with a dry tone.
"Rule number six: no killing people, again, if you can help it. Rule number seven, no swimming in the lake. Trust me, you'll regret it if you do. And rule number eight: if you plan on eating, keep it well within the fenced perimeter or at the courtyard beyond this door. No need to attract anything to yourself by hanging near the woods. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am!" Niffty saluted. "Can we go in now?"
"Hold on, you'll need a pair of of these, if you plan to fish." Lizzie ducked down and retrieved two pairs of dark gloves with a layer of thickly interwoven chainmail over the cloth. One pair was of standard size, but the other was almost comically small. "A lot of the fish in the lake have really sharp teeth. These will keep you from losing a finger when you try taking the hook out of their mouth."
Jersey carefully tried the glove on. It was clear it was going to be hard to get used to, as it significantly reduced the dexterity of his hand. 'Looks like I'll have to either compensate while I'm reeling and casting, or I'll have to use one glove in an off hand.'
"And here's your lake passes so that you can get in and out of the lake." Lizzie handed out two green lanyards that had plain, laminated cards on the end. Each read, "Lake Maul Recreation Fishing Pass." It only took a moment's time for Jersey and Niffty to put the passes around their necks, with the latter's almost reaching to her knees.
"Other than that, have fun, and stay safe." Lizzie finished. "Just remember to turn the gloves and those lanyards back in when you're done."
"Thanks for the help." Jersey replied.
"My pleasure, sir."
Niffty leveled a light glare Lizzie's way. Then she grabbed Jersey's one free hand and began to drag him towards the door leading to the lake area. "Come on! Let's get to it!"
"Alright, alright, no need to drag me!"
Lizzie looked back, a corner of her thin lips quirking in amusement. "Talk about opposites attract. Kind of a cute couple though. As long as that dude isn't some cradle robber."
The two hotel employees were greeted by an early spring breeze and a courtyard some one hundred square feet in size. Many circular tables and accompanying chairs were scattered around, most of which had umbrellas overhead. The area, which was surrounded by dark railings, was somewhat raised from where the natural ground was level to, and a stony staircase enough for four people to pass through lead to the rest of the park. On the far left was a concrete pathway for handicapped individuals to take if they wanted to get down to the lake.
Moving down the short stairway, Niffty and Jersey found themselves on a paved pathway. It went on for miles, making a rough oval shape around the area of the park that was accessible to most of the public. Before them lay Lake Maul, all ten square miles of dark, placid waters where there was no shortage of fish to be caught.
Niffty was quite awe inspired by the sight before. "Wow... I've been down here for decades, and I've never been here before."
Jersey had to agree. Yet again, just as with Cannibal Colony, were it not for the crimson sky and the ominous, pentagram engraved lunar body above them, the lake would appear normal. "It sure looks impressive. I can't wait to try my luck fishing again."
"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's find a spot to set up!" Before she could rush off to search for an ideal spot, Jersey grabbed one of her lithe arms in anticipation of her running off.
"Let's try searching for a spot together, shall we?" Jersey asked with a grin that almost looked fatherly.
Niffty realized just how fast paced she had been leading up to this point. "Oh, right. Sorry." She apologized sheepishly. "Shall we search together?"
Jersey just continued grinning. "That sounds like a swell idea."
The two traveled down the pathway which branches off to the right side of the lake. It ran parallel to the west side of the lake, and was flanked with carefully planted, maple-like trees. Eventually, they came across a slightly elevated part of the bank that was flat enough for a picnic blanket to be smoothly laid out. Jersey immediately chose the spot for its proximity to the lake whilst not being too close or too far from the recreation center.
"How about we set up here?"
"On it!" Just as with cleaning the hotel, Niffty efficiently and rapidly made the grassy area suitable for their afternoon picnic. In less time than it took for Jersey to choose a hook for his fishing pole, Niffty had a sitting area and a basket full of lunchtime snacks set up for the two of them.
"Alright, nice work." Jersey complimented.
"Oh well," Niffty said with the shyness of a school girl sitting next to her crush, "it's nothing compared to keeping the hotel in shape."
"I bet." Jersey had put a siwash hook on the end of his line. The bait in question was a simple jig and grub with a pale, ribbed body and a curling fake fin at the back. It was a versatile lure that could catch a variety of fish.
"Now what?" Niffty asked, cocking her head slightly as she saw Jersey move the bail arm of the fishing pole to allow the line to be spooled out freely.
"Now?" Jersey parroted, feeing his heart beginning to beat faster with anticipation. He felt normal for the first time since falling into Pentagram City. "We cast our first line."
Using his right pointer finger to keep the line from dropping all at once, he drew his arm and wrist back, the hook and lure swinging back like a wrecking ball. Then, with a sharp flick, the lure was sent flying over fifty feet away, landing with a visceral 'plop' into the dark waters of Lake Maul. As if the sheen of the calm body of freshwater was broken, a series of ripples spread out from the moment of impact.
Immediately after, Jersey pushed the bail arm of the fishing pole into its second position. Once the line was secured, Jersey began to steadily reel the lure back to the shoreline.
Standing up, Niffty craned to see the approaching end of the fishing line. She had never witnessed fishing before, and was hopeful to not miss out on the action. Although her eye was quite large, it could only somewhat detect the pale, grub-like lure flitting under the surface of the lake.
Jersey, however, did not have typical eyes. Much like an owl's eyes, they could perceive objects in the dark of night. Even now, he could see some small, dark, squat bodies of fish swimming calmly in the waters below.
The lure swam at a frantic pace through the water, heading straight for Jersey's position on the shore. Then, as it was roughly ten feet away from its caster, it vanished as if swallowed by darkness. Then the fishing line became taut as something beneath the lake's surface began to pull, desperate to consume the lure it had just grabbed.
"Here we go!" Jersey exclaimed, throwing one foot behind him to anchor his position. It was a balance to not use overwhelming strength, lest he unnecessarily harm the fish or damage the very fishing rod in his hands.
Niffty was ecstatic about the immediate response of the local wildlife. "Oh my gosh! You got one on the first try!"
"It's not gotten until we get it to shore." Jersey replied, struggling to hide his smile.
The fight to get the fish onto the bank was going smoothly, ebbing and flowing every time the fish swam in a different direction. At one point, a splash from the dark fish's tail broke the water, much to the entertainment of Niffty. The fish was starting to get within six feet of the shoreline.
"Niffty, search for a pair of pliers in my tackle box! It should be behind me."
Niffty quickly opened and rummaged through the box. She produced a simple pair of needle nose pliers. "Got it!"
"I might need it in case that hook is deep in its mouth."
The fish was starting to get within the shallows. With a depth that was barely six inches deep, the capture looked assured. Suddenly, the fish used its considerable strength to jump out of the water, shaking its body rapidly. In a brief moment of air time, the fish revealed itself.
It was modest in size, no more than seven inches at the longest, and almost five inches tall. The fish's color was a dark, murky green, almost black in its pitch. It's eyes, positioned on either side of its vertically inclined head, were dark as the waters it had originated from. Most distinct was a patch of scales over the gills. This section of the fish's body, no bigger than a silver dollar, looked as dark red as the center of an uncooked steak.
Within this moment of a fish being out of water, the hook was shaken out of the little creature's mouth. With a heavy plop, the fish retreated towards the center of the lake. The thrilling tug at the end of the line had ceased.
The first hopeful catch had gotten away.
"Aww..." Niffty cried, disappointed at the last second escape.
"Well," Jersey remarked, taking the development in stride, "you cannot help it. Sometimes they get away from you. That was a bloodgill. Had that red patch over the gills, you know."
"Still, that stinks." Niffty said.
"Don't you worry." Jersey remarked with a hopeful smile. "The afternoon is young yet, and there are many more casts to be made."
Sending the lure out with another tremendous cast, the process of encouraging a bite began anew. This time, nothing of note happened. The lure returned to shore without even a nibble happening to it.
"Huh..." Niffty remarked, her energy beginning to deflate.
"It's like that old saying: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
"But we're fishing..."
"... the point still stands."
11:18 am
"This is boring..." Niffty sat, increasingly unamused by the lack of action at the lake.
Jersey, hearing the blunt complaint, gave a sigh before reeling in his one hundredth and thirteenth cast of the day so far. Fishing was, in the end, a most inconsistent activity. Even the finest lures and the most skillful of fishermen could not unlock the secrets to continuously attracting the attention of the quarry of their choosing.
From Niffty's perspective, the afternoon was becoming dull as all get out. The fresh air was a welcome change from the typical atmosphere of Pentagram City, but that was so far the only positive. Inwardly, at the back of her romantically inclined mind, Niffty wanted an opportunity to slowly but surely garner the affections of the Hazbin Hotel's enigmatic handyman. To her frustration, he never even so much as complimented her dress. It appeared as though she had fussed over her appearance for nothing.
'Maybe I just need to draw his attention again.' Niffty thought, glancing up at the increasingly disheartened Jersey. "Um..."
Jersey had just reeled in a casting spoon lure. The reflective bait did nothing to improve his fortunes, and it was the third lure he had used in the first hour of the trip. "What is it, Niffty?"
"You wanna... take a break?" Niffty asked hesitantly. She was less focused on romance and more on compelling her fellow employee to do something other than cast a line in futility.
The question made Jersey stop mid cast, letting out another sigh. He shook his head in the direction of the water, but not in disagreement with the cycloptic housekeeper. "I guess we can eat a little something. This has gotten us nowhere."
The answer was all Niffty needed to hear. "You wanna have some crisps first?"
"I assume that their flavor is plain, right?"
"Yup!" Digging into the basket briefly, Niffty took out two bags of Cain's Crisps. She tossed one bag over to Jersey, who deftly caught it as he put down his fishing pole and sat down across from her on the checkered cloth blanket that she had brought along. Putting the chain Mail glove off to the side, Jersey quickly inspected the underwhelming, red texted logo of the chips in his hand.
"I've never tried these. Are they any good?" Jersey commented as he opened the bag with a pop.
"I like them! I don't eat them that often; one has to keep up their figure, you know?" She laughed, a blush coming to her cheeks and she realized how silly her comment sounded.
"You don't say..." Jersey pulled out a flat, fried chip with an asymmetrical, circular shape. Putting it in his mouth, it tasted like an ordinary potato chip. "Not too shabby."
"I'll say." One of the advantages of having twig thin arms and little, dainty hands was that Niffty could pull out a chip smoothly from the bag and minimize the amount of grease that got onto her.
"Thanks for making up a picnic for us."
"Sure thing!" Niffty replied. The next few moments were enjoyed in silence, with only the sound of crumpling plastic and the crunch of chips to highlight the snack break.
Eventually, Jersey slowed down his eating, glancing over then fishing rod he had put off to the side. Perhaps switching back to the grub lure would result in more action. Barring that, relocation was another legitimate option. Perhaps more agreeable fish were located further down Lake Maul.
"So... notice anything?" Niffty spoke expectantly.
"Aside form the fact that no fish are bothering with even nibbling my bait: nothing much."
Niffty resisted the urge to growl in frustration. "No, I mean about me?" To make her point obvious, she grabbed the hem of her dress with a clean hand.
Jersey glanced over her before realizing what she was referring to. 'Remember not to get too caught up, Benjamin. She's your coworker. Keep it professional.' He nodded slowly. "Very appropriate dress for the lake. I assume you are comfortable, right?"
His answer was not the romantic or impressed response Niffty was looking for, but she reminded herself of the virtue of patience with a man. "Thank you. Had some trouble finding something that felt right for the occasion."
Jersey hummed with another nod of his head. He was quite terrible at small talk, especially with women.
Once more, Niffty found her tactics falling short of creating a conversation that would open Jersey up. Then she recalled that most of their moments were spent on the well being of the hotel.
'Maybe talking about work will do better...' Niffty cleared her throat. "So... how do you like working at the hotel?"
The question somewhat surprised Jersey, but he dared to relax in the presence of a topic that he had a moderate interest in. "It's good work. Haven't had the chance to use all of my skills on one project in a long time."
"Really?"
"I used them to build and eventually upgrade my humble abode in life. Outside of that, I focused on individual aspects of the home as a handyman. It was either plumbing or electrical problems that people hired me to solve."
Niffty gave a little smile, happy to see that something could spark a conversation with the man she had grown attracted to. "Is that why you've been trying to do jobs outside of the hotel?"
"Well, I'm not a big fan of waiting around. Besides, what else should I do? Sit on my hands until something else breaks?" Jersey asked rhetorically. "So, I'm taking initiative to expand the reach of my talents in the meantime. I get money on the side, and ordinary demons who want good quality work get my services at a price well below the competition."
"I just hate it when something can be done about a mess and no one else is trying to take care of it." Niffty replied in an agreeable tone. "It's a shame that only Mr. Alastor has bothered to keep me on for my housekeeping skills."
"You've talked about your previous employment before." Jersey recalled aloud.
Niffty shrugged, her face falling with the recollection of less than happy memories of being in Hell. "Mostly three star hotels and apartments. Always got complaints for being a 'Chatty Cathy' and worse besides."
"Sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. I usually got too caught up my work to bother with them. There was this one time when there was this creep who said-"
"Maybe we should hold off on that story until another time."
"Oh. He he, sorry." Niffty looked flushed for being cut off from another ramble.
"How did you come to meet Alastor?" Jersey asked, interested in understanding the circumstances behind her association with the Radio Demon.
"I got indebted to him about five years into my time down here. Got into trouble with a big pervert. Mr. Alastor showed him what for! Then I swore myself to keeping his properties clean."
"That's it?" Jersey was surprised at how candid the answer was.
"Mr. Alastor could tell you the whole story. I was happy to work for somebody who didn't hate me for wanting to chat so much."
"I see..."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Technically, you just did." Jersey quipped, allowing a tiny smirk in the corner of his mouth.
Niffty rolled her eyes, but she would be lying if she did not find the response a little bit funny. "Hardy har... what I mean is... did you ever have... a lady in your life?"
Jersey's eyes began to lose the shine of interest from before. His eyelids grew heavy, as if he wanted to fall asleep. In truth, they were heavy with memories that filled his heart with melancholy.
The change in demeanor was not lost on the dainty cyclops who was sitting across from him. "Jersey?"
"No." Jersey pressed his lips together, letting out a staggered breath as he continued to dwell on heartache that he had suffered in the past. "There... was one woman. She was the closest thing I ever had to a mother."
"A mother?"
Jersey nodded curtly, his green eyes looking cloudy with introspection. "She was the only person who ever cared about me when I was but a boy."
Niffty stared, surprised that she was hearing this much from a man as poignant and stoic as Jersey. "What happened to her?"
"She died." He squeezed his eyes shut, as if mentioning the two words was physically painful for him. "Let's just say I'm not good with becoming close with people. There's just too far much pain when you realize those whom you care about are either gone, or doomed to die, never to be seen again."
Niffty gripped the hem of her skirt, feeling sympathetic towards Jersey's admission. "What was she like?"
"Too good for the time and environment she lived in." Jersey explained cryptically. "After she was gone, it was like the one light in my brutish early years became extinguished... forever. Guess that's why I'm not the best when it comes to making friends."
"I see..." Niffty pressed her bottom lip between her teeth, careful not to break the skin. She had not intended for the conversation to bring down the mood. "Jersey, I was wondering if-"
"I feel ready to start fishing again." Jersey said as he abruptly took to his feet. The underlying message did not need to be said: the conversation was over.
Niffty looked down, sighing. 'Stupid! Why did I ask about ladies in his life?' Deep down, she knew why, but she berated herself all the same.
Jersey quickly put on the grub lure again. With no ceremony or even a smile on his face, he launched the lure a considerable distance before returning to the business of steadily reeling in his line. Aside from the initial ripple, nothing of note accompanied Jersey's return to fishing.
Once more, Niffty felt underwhelmed. The afternoon had not gotten her any closer to sparking a relationship with Jersey, and the fishing aspect of the outing was proving to be a very unentertaining affair.
She could not accept that things would continue on like this.
"Look, Jersey I-"
"Whoa..." Jersey began to feel a familiar stirring in his chest as he felt the line go taut with the bite of a fish. Beneath the dark, calm water, the outline of the fish in question could be detected by Jersey's eyes, which were not deterred by the darkest of conditions.
It was another bloodgill, by his estimation. 'Maybe this time...'
"What's happening?" Niffty asked, rising to her feet to get a better look at the situation.
"We got another one." Jersey explained, his tone energized for the first time since his first casting. The battle was going smoothly, with the fish steadily being lured closer to the shore. "Dang... I forgot to put on my glove. You got your pair of gloves, Niffty?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, I got them!" Niffty hastily put on her own pair of protective gear, grimacing at the weight of the coverings. She then joined Jersey's position a few feet from the water's edge. "Now what do I do?"
"Once I bring it onto shore, you put your thumb into its mouth, and hold it up. The glove should protect your hand from the fish's teeth." Jersey instructed.
Niffty looked on as the fish came within six feet of the shore line. It was swimming fiercely to not get caught by the owner of the lure in its mouth. Then, with a final reel and a tremendous lift of the fishing rod, the bloodgill was lifted out of the water, plopping onto the grassy shore with a soft thud.
Initially, the defiant flipping and flopping of the fish prevented Niffty from accomplishing her task. Even when she tried to gently pry open the nickel sized mouth of the fish with her glove covered thumb, it fought valiantly. Despite this effort, it began to lose stamina, and its half a centimeter, triangular teeth were no deterrent to the well protected hand of Niffty.
It was a surprisingly thrilling moment for Niffty to be holding a live fish in her hand. "Oh my goodness! You caught a fish, Jersey! You finally did it!"
"We caught a fish, Niffty." Jersey remarked with a satisfied grin. "It took a while, but it's almost been worth it, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah..." Niffty said with a chuckle. "Now what?"
"We get the hook out of its mouth." Jersey put his fishing rod down, and donned a glove to do the deed. After carefully receiving the fish from Niffty, Jersey dipped the fish into the lake to ensure it was able to receive oxygenated water. Then he swiftly grabbed the hook inside the bloodgill's mouth and removed it, leaving only a small puncture wound that would quickly heal with time.
"Hey Jersey?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you take a picture of me with the fish? I wanna show Mr. Alastor and Husk when we get back."
Jersey grinned. "Won't you look like a proper outdoors-woman? Hold on. Let me get my phone."
Once more, the bloodgill was passed, this time, back to Niffty, who gave a thousand watt smile as she posed with the fish that was wriggling in her hand. Jersey kneeled down to get a proper shot with his phone's camera.
"Okay, steady. And... cheese!"
"Cheese!" Niffty parroted through her grinning maw.
Jersey's finger pressed the button to take an image. Then there was an explosion of water from behind Niffty, followed by a scream.
The attacker was as large as a bottlenose dolphin, only it was a shark with a charcoal coloration and a white underbelly. Much like its mortal plane counterparts, it sported rows of triangular teeth: ideal for rending flesh. However, there were distinct differences.
First and foremost were the eyes. Instead of the typical two eyes, this shark had six, three on each side, with the middle most pupils being larger than the ones flanking them. Then, atop the torpedo shaped head, two dark horns, much like a bull, sat curved like a pair of head fins.
The beast had launched out of the water without warning. Grabbing the back of Niffty's dress, it effortlessly jerked the little woman off of the bank and into the water. With a ferocious deluge of splashing lake water, the shark made a beeline for the deepest part of the lake, leaving a mortified Jersey in its wake.
"Niffty!" Without a second thought, Jersey threw down his phone and leapt into the water like a jungle cat. Swimming with intense athleticism, he entered into the darkness of Lake Maul with one goal in mind: either rescue Niffty, or viciously murder the fish that did her in.
The demonic shark made swift progress diving to a level where the light of the Ring of Pride could not penetrate. Gnashed between its teeth was the blue cloth of the very dress that Niffty had meticulously chosen for an afternoon of fishing. Niffty had escaped being perforated with the fish's monstrous rows of teeth, but this was a small blessing.
She had inhaled a good deal of water. What little breath she had in her lungs would not last long. Normally, she would fight like literal hell against this adversary, but she had left her knife in her purse. Furthermore, even if she could inflict some parting injury onto the shark, it would be a miracle for her to return to the surface.
Abandoning any concern for her state of dress, she tried to break free from the shark's grip. If she left the lake with the back of her dress missing, it was but one moment of public indecency she could endure. Her window of escape was shortening the longer she used the oxygen in her blood to power her struggle for freedom.
The shark was hardly concerned. It had found a small meal on shore that had caught another fish from the lake. It was a two for one deal, never mind the fact that the bloodgill in Niffty's grasp had made good its escape upon her forceful plunge into Lake Maul. Once in a secure place where no other fish could dare to challenge it for its catch, it began to shake its head to encourage its diminutive meal to drown.
The rough thrashing only undermined Niffty's fight for survival. The fabric of her dress was taking a beating, but not enough for her to break free. It was a fight to hold what little air she had left in her lungs.
The shark continued its simple killing technique. Then, a herculean force smashed into its back. Dropping the weak form of Niffty, it landed on the bottom of the lake bed. Its eyes easily found the assailant: a tall, thin human looking being with large, tan wings sprouting from his back. Jersey hastily scooped up Niffty into his arms. Using his wings like the fins of a fish, he raced back towards the shore where he had just come from.
After being momentarily stunned, the shark decided that it would prefer taking its chances with the larger target trying to retreat to the shoreline. Lifting itself off of the lakebed, the beast raced upwards towards the retreating form of Jersey. The quarter ton beast soon began closing the distance, even as Jersey was able to stand with his upper torso above the water.
Now within ten feet of striking distance, the shark opened its jaws wide enough to engulf a soccer ball with ease. Its six orbits became milky white as their nictitating lenses rolled forward to protect the eyeballs from potential harm. Furiously waving its tail, the shark was now at full speed, displacing the water before it at a volume so fearsome, it sent ripples throughout the lake.
On a dime, Jersey turned, his face cold and his eyes a burning, hateful orange. One of his arms still cradled a barely conscious Niffty whilst the other one branched out towards the shark that was hurtling towards him. His palm was open, but his fingers were curled as if grabbing an oversized door handle. Most unusual about this action was an orb of demonic energy that was coalescing just an inch away from Jersey's hand.
Darker than shadow, it was no larger than a golf ball. Even if the shark could properly see given the protective lens over its half a dozen eyes, it would not be perturbed by the small, concentrated ball of shadowy magic.
Just as the shark was but half a yard from breaking the surface of the water and biting the man standing defiantly in the face of it, the orb was launched with the speed of a bullet. In a time faster than any naked, mortal eye could perceive, the orb collided with the inside of the shark's mouth. A great explosion followed, causing a bubble of bloody water to erupt in front of Jersey.
Now the body of the shark, completely missing the front third of its body, floated with morbid tranquility to the bottom of the lake. In an area close to ten feet in circumference, obliterated flesh, pulverized cartilage, shattered shark teeth, and a deluge of blood polluted the water.
Jersey allowed the gruesome scene to burn into his memory before attending to Niffty. Turning her onto her belly in his right arm, he saw much of her dress had been shredded, and even the strap of her brassiere had suffered some damage. At the very least, she remained decent for him to apply some amount of first aid.
Given her small size, he decided that CPR would only risk to badly injure Niffty's rib cage. As such, he carefully slapped the back of her upper torso, trying to dislodge whatever lake water had been inhaled into her lungs. To his relief, it only took a handful of firm pats to make the little maid cough up the offending liquid.
Niffyy spluttered frantically, and greedily gasped for air. She was somewhat nauseous from the rollercoaster of an ordeal she had been through. Otherwise, she was unscathed, and began to thank her fortunes for the hasty rescue as Jersey carefully lowered her to the ground. Now on his knees, he propped her up against the picnic basket she had brought along for the trip, watching attentively to make sure she was recovering.
"Niffty, are you alright?" Jersey asked, glancing about her front for any signs of bleeding or other forms of damage.
Niffty did not answer immediately, content to catch her breath and assure she was not going to lose the rather small lunch she had eaten just several minutes prior. Then, she looked up at the concerned look of Jersey, whose eyes were back to the cool, forest green that she was familiar with. Color began to return to her face, and she permitted a small laugh at the situation.
"My hero~" She uttered in a smitten fashion.
Jersey cleared his throat, trying not to appeared flustered. He never gave a second thought to diving literally headfirst for the sake of Niffty.
'Perhaps this is what you do for... friends.' He thought. It was a bit ironic given the conversation he had shared with her prior to the shark attack. "Well, you were in trouble. I'd be a rather awful person to just leave you down there."
Niffty felt her heart begin to flutter again. She tried to reach out, to place her hand on the handsome face of her rescuer. But she was still out of breath, and had to let her limb drop onto the picnic blanket beneath her. "So... how was the picture?"
"Picture?" Jersey was puzzled. A picture was hardly something of worth compared to his coworker's well being. "I guess I never checked."
Finding his Hellphone off in the grass, he clicked onto the photos app to show Niffty the image of her posing with the bloodgill he had caught. It was an excellent shot, with the fish in her hands staying still enough to. It cause any motion blur. Furthermore, it was taken just a second before the demonic shark attacked, ensuring that it would not be immortalized within the picture.
"Regular outdoors-woman, eh?" Niffty joked.
Jersey just grinned sagely, glad to see her in good spirits despite the circumstances. "Yup."
Niffty nodded in tired appreciation. "I think I've had enough fishing for one day, Jersey. Is that okay?"
"I think we've gotten quite the fisherman's tale today." Jersey agreed. "I'll get us packed up."
"I can do something too." Niffty tenderly rose to her feet, making a good show of her commitment to tidiness.
"Are you sure? I don't mind doing this alone."
"No shark attack is gonna stop me from cleaning up. Besides, coworkers gotta help each other out, right?" She said with some of her usual enthusiasm.
"Okay then." Jersey replied, admiring Niffty's resiliency.
Thus, soaking wet, the two began to pack up. The only thing they had lost was the pair of protective gloves that Niffty had been wearing, likely sunk to the bottom of Lake Maul because of their density. Before they left, they made sure to give a very stern complaint to the park staff about the presence of a shark in the lake.
11:34 am
Charlie sighed as she enjoyed a local park with Vaggie. The fresh air and the chance to go on a date with the most supportive person in all of Hell was a welcome distraction from the usual tribulations of the Hazbin Hotel. At the moment, she and Vaggie were sitting on a bench, with two lunchboxes opened to reveal the culinary contents within.
Vaggie, too, looked very content with the situation. No one had bothered them all of the early afternoon. The temperature was comfortable, and the lunch they had packed was quite delicious. Moments like this were when Vaggie was most at ease.
"We ought to do this more often." Charlie commented aloud. She was wiping the corners of her mouth to clean it of crumbs from a roasted chicken wrap she had prepared earlier in the morning.
"It is nice." Vaggie commended. "No annoying press, no Alastor, just a calm afternoon for once."
"Oh come on Vaggie. The hotel's not that hectic."
"Trust me Charlie," Vaggie insisted in a somewhat joking tone. "It'll be a miracle if nobody stirs anything up today." She allowed a small frown when she remembered her least favorite acquaintance at the hotel. "Are you sure Alastor can be trusted to look after the hotel?"
"Do you trust Husk to keep the place from being destroyed or harassed by reporters?"
Vaggie grumbled slightly. Charlie had a point, but she refused to concede her distrust on principle.
"Let's not think about the hotel for once." Charlie said soothingly.
Vaggie laughed in a good natured manner. "That sounds strange coming from you."
Charlie just pushed Vaggie's shoulder playfully. Then she heard her Hellphone ringing. "Hmm?"
"Oh no." Vaggie expected the worst. "What is it now?"
"It's Jersey..." Charlie said, confused by the timing of the call. She answered the hotel's resident man of work. "Hello? Hi, Jersey! How's your fishing trip going? You're leaving already? Was the fishing hole no good?"
Vaggie listened intently at the change in tone. She could only vaguely hear Jersey's voice on the other end of the line.
"What?!" Charlie cry of concern set off alarm bells in Vaggie's head. She nearly leapt to her feet as a response. "Is Niffty okay?!"
Vaggie felt a chill go down her spine. 'Is Niffty hurt?'
Charlie put a hand to her chest, calming herself with a few deep breaths. "Okay. That's good. So you are heading back to the hotel? Okay. And what time to you think you be there? Okay then. If you're sure... tell Niffty I'm hoping she's alright. Okay, bye."
"Charlie, what the hell is going on?"
"There was an accident at the lake Jersey and Niffty were fishing at. Niffty's okay, but they decided to call it quits afterwards." Charlie explained as the Hellphone in her hand returned to her pocket.
"So Niffty got into trouble?" Vaggie pressed for details.
"It's a bit of a long story..."
The Hazbin Hotel, 12:16 pm
"Sorry that the trip was boring before it became, well, exciting in the worst way imaginable." Jersey apologized, letting Niffty into the hotel.
The cycloptic demon took the apology in stride. To further protect her modesty, she had wrapped herself in the picnic blanket. It was not comfortable, but it was a good makeshift shawl to hide the badly damaged dress she had worn to Lake Maul. "It's okay. I had a little fun."
"Still, you shouldn't have been put in that situation." Jersey replied.
"Well well well," came a familiar, coy voice, "do my eyes deceive me, or do I see the telltale signs of passion in this couple before me?" Its owner was sitting down on one of the lobby sofas, grinning like a Cheshire Cat at the soaked sinners before him.
Jersey was not in the mood for any of Angel Dust's teasing. "We got in an unexpected visit from a shark of all things at Lake Maul. I had to rescue Niffty from becoming chum in the water."
"A shark?" Angel could not believe what he was hearing. His smirk returned once more. "Nice try, Jersey baby. You just got attacked by a shark, and didn't have any watery love makin' going on-"
"If you must know," Niffty replied in a no nonsense tone, "I did get attacked. That mean old fish did a number on my dress here." She pulled away the blanket over her petite form, revealing the shredded blue fabric, the pale, wet skin on her back, and the strap of her bra. The proof was hard to explain away.
"Wait, you mean that you and Jersey didn't-?"
"No." Jersey said, his tone sounding like he had no tolerance for the accusations of lewd misadventures. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to get out of these wet clothes and wash up."
Angel Dust looked disappointed, and his last question underline his increasing desperation. "Didja at least kiss?"
"No, Angel." Jersey replied thunderously. He and Niffty headed for the nearest elevator. Neither wanted to waste more energy walking the stairs in wet shoes.
Back at the front desk, Husk was giving a sly grin. It was perhaps the first time he had ever smiled at the hotel. For Angel, it was an unsettling sight to see. "Pay up." Husk extended a paw to emphasize his order.
This was the last time Angel made any bets on others love lives. "Jersey you goddamn motherfucker..."
"So, is there anything I can do to help?" Jersey asked.
"About what?" Niffty asked, looking up in an innocent fashion. She almost looked like little red riding hood with the blanket over her body.
"Your dress got shredded up. I ought to pay for compensation."
Niffty smiled gratefully. "It's okay. This wasn't my favorite dress or anything. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Jersey nodded, glad to see the experience did not leave his newest companion with hard feelings. The elevator door opened, and the two made their way towards the end of the hall, where Niffty's room was located.
"Thank you, for saving me Jersey."
"No problem. Anything for a friend."
Niffty's smile grew even more. "I thought you didn't easily make friends."
"Well," Jersey explained, "I've had a few weeks to try and remedy that."
Niffty giggled lightly, then she grabbed the handle of her door. "And thanks for the escort o brave hero."
'I'm not a hero.' Jersey thought otherwise. Niffty had only scratched the surface of his history. "Thanks for bothering to go with me to that damned lake."
"Anytime. See you at dinner?"
"Same time, same place."
As Niffty entered her room, she immediately set about getting a quick rinse off before getting something clean and dry to wear. The efforts of a proper housekeeper never ceased. In the flurry of moves to undress and turn on the tap in her shower, she had one thought in her mind:
She had found the best man in Hell to be her spouse. To make it official would take time and subtlety, but Niffty was convinced deep in her heart that their relationship was meant to be so much more. It would take the apocalypse to keep her from doing everything in her power to convince him to be her dear husband.
So, we have the hotel's hopeless romantic becoming smitten with Jersey. However, only time will tell if such feelings will be reciprocated.
As always, thank you very much for your support for this story.