(A/N: To commemorate the first part of the season one finale of HB.)
Before the invasion a few months prior, Olivia Mayberry hadn't seen much in the way of things so shocking they affected her deeply. But whereas the hordes of Doom had horrified her to the core of her soul, what Samur showed her as they walked through the UAC filled her with wonder. It was all so incredible, from technological marvels only thought possible in works of fiction to a staff comprised of both humans and angels that worked seamlessly together, everything within the UAC left her speechless. Thankfully, Samur filled the silence with his words, informing Olivia with as much detail as possible while also taking care not to overwhelm her, proving that he was just as capable as a tour guide as he was when it came to running this entire organization.
"I apologize I cannot take you further into the R&D wing." He said to her as they left the Research Division, "But the experiments conducted there are incredibly sensitive. So only authorized personnel who've been fully briefed can be in the vicinity." He explained.
"That's completely understandable." She replied with a smile, "Even so, you've already shown me so many wonderful things. And I haven't even begun working officially yet." She said.
"All part of your induction into the UAC." He responded, not believing it to be that significant of a gesture, "Now, the last stop on this tour will be the Security Division. Luckily, there isn't anything classified nor delicate there." He told her.
"Not even the weapons?" She inquired.
"So long as you don't attempt to wield one yourself, I think we'll be fine." He joked, which managed to earn a light chuckle from her.
"I don't think I have the required physique." She replied in jest.
Continuing on their way towards the nearest elevator to leave the Research Division, Samur received a com-link request from his Intern when they reached it, which was one of the many features of his robotic form.
"Pardon me. I'm being called." He informed Olivia before accepting the transmission, "What is it?" He asked.
"Sir! I'm SO sorry! I tried to stop them!" The Intern exclaimed in a panic, but his tone wasn't so dire that it made Samur concerned.
"Stop who?" He responded.
The elevator they were about to call arrived at that exact moment, and not a second later, the doors opened to reveal its unexpected occupants. Two human individuals dressed in finely made suits with sunglasses on their faces, despite being indoors. As for the finer details of either one, well, neither Samur nor Olivia could take them in before both of them lunged out of the elevator and began rambling.
"Ah! There he is! The head of the UAC!" The one on the left, who appeared to be a man, started things off, speaking with an accent that Samur couldn't place, "Mister Samur Maykr, right? WE are here to be interviewed to work for your INCREDIBLE company!" He informed.
"That's right!" His partner, who was a woman, joined in, speaking with the same accent, "You see, LONG before the invasion, WE have been at the forefront of the supernatural! We tried to warn everyone about demons, evil, and everything else that wanted to kill us! We'd be perfect employees! Why we could even start today!" She suggested.
"I-"
"Now, now! I KNOW what you're going to say!" The man interrupted, keeping Samur from saying so much as a word, "We're just a couple of lunatics! Running around through your operation as if we own the place! But we have a good reason for that!" He assured.
"Yeah! We had a meeting with you today! But apparently, something important came up, and you had to reschedule. At least, that's what your secretary told us." The woman explained.
"So that's why-"
"So that's why we're here!" The man interrupted again, holding a finger up in the air as he did, "We needed to see you immediately! To show you why the two of us would be the GREATEST hires you'd ever make for the UAC!" He told him.
"We're smart! Good with guns! Crafty! We think quickly on our feet! We're universally capable of anything!" The woman listed before she and her partner put their backs together and outstretched their arms, followed by them suddenly speaking in unison, "So won't you please consider hiring us for the UA-"
CLAMP
Within a split second, Samur had grabbed onto both of their heads with his intimidatingly large robotic hands, effectively silencing them. Olivia, who had been a spectator in...whatever was happening, jumped back slightly when this occurred since she was standing next to him. As for the man and the woman, now that they weren't flapping their lips at Mach speed, Samur could easily take in their appearances. The man was a ghostly pale white and had short brown hair; the woman had a dark skin tone and light blonde hair of the same length.
Their suits, pants, and shoes were the same, telling Samur that these two do everything together. But, from their first impressions, he could also determine that both the man and the woman were, unquestionably, absolute morons.
"Listen." He said to them slowly, his voice in combination with his hands around their mouths sent chills down their spines, "When I am through speaking, I will release you. When I do, you will start over only this time introduce yourselves in a way that is not insane. If you do ANYTHING other than that, I will smash your heads together, rendering you unconscious, and leave you for security, who will then throw you out." He explained, "Do you understand?" He asked.
Not needing to be told more than once, much to Samur's surprise, the man and the woman nodded their heads together to show they understood. True to his word, Samur then released them from his grasp, although he was ready to grab them again if they repeated their stunt from before.
"We're here to apply for jobs." They said together before the man took the lead in the conversation, "You see, we hadn't had much luck finding anything to do since...well...the total collapse of all governments and societies when the invasion happened." He began.
"Yeah, we're not exactly qualified for regular work...or ANY work that doesn't involve demons, or ghosts, or monsters, etc." The woman continued.
"We've spent our whole lives trying to prove this stuff was real, but then out of nowhere, it proves it's real for us, and now...we've got nothing." He carried on.
"So, we know we probably seem like a couple of psychopaths who wandered in off the street, but we'd REALLY appreciate it if you could just give us a chance. We're willing to do ANYTHING!" She concluded, clasping her hands together as she did.
What followed was a tense silence for these two individuals; their entire future rested within the hands of the benevolent Samur Maykr, who had shown nothing but kindness and compassion to all of humanity thus far with his efforts through the UAC.
"No," Samur said, not even taking five seconds to humor their request.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Uh...please?..." The man replied with a nervous smile. Both he and his partner's hearts sank to their stomachs when they heard that.
"No," Samur repeated before he moved past them without so much as a glance in either's direction, "Now, get out. You can leave on your own, or the security, as mentioned earlier, can toss you out. Those are your only options." He instructed as he stepped into the elevator.
Whelp, that was it. Both the man and the woman's entire world just came crashing down around them in a single swift instant. And as a result, their expressions fell, they looked to the floor, and you could've sworn someone just shot them given how lifeless they appeared.
"Olivia," Samur called out, gaining her attention as she had been looking at those two with a look of concern, "Come, we still have to visit the Security Division." He reminded.
"Right. Of course." She responded, giving the duo one last look before joining him in the elevator.
Once she was inside, Samur wasted no time inputting what floor he wanted to go to, which caused the doors to close, leaving the pair alone with their thoughts and emotions.
Meanwhile, In Lucifer's Circle...
"Ah, that was SO good~" Katie breathed out in a blissful sigh as she leaned back into her chair.
As Angel Dust was busy destressing in his bathtub, The Slayer, invited by Katie, had lunch in her office. And while he enjoyed her company the entire time, it was this moment as she reveled in the taste of the Sentinel recipes that had become the norm for their studio that was the most entertaining for him.
"When are you guys going to get over the food?" He asked with a small smile.
"When the food stops tasting like Heaven..." She answered with her eyes closed as she began to relax, "How is it that YOU aren't affected?" She inquired.
"Countless banquets, celebratory dinners, and other festive meals whenever the Sentinels and I were victorious against the demons has made it lose its magic on me." He explained.
"Oh, right. Forgive me, your majesty." She jokingly apologized, just then remembering he was royalty in their world.
"Oh no, don't you start." He responded as he looked up at the ceiling, "I've had a lifetime's worth of people referring to me as their king, god, and every other title you can imagine. I don't need my friends joining in on that." He said.
"Sorry...m'lord." She replied, eliciting a groan from him.
After that, silence filled the room, but it was the comfortable kind. Katie and the Slayer had reached a point where they didn't need to talk so much with each other; they just enjoyed spending any amount of time together now that their schedules were so busy these days. Of course, this would apply to any of the Slayer's other friends, but there was something different about Katie, something they hadn't discussed since it started.
"...Hey." He spoke after nearly five minutes had gone by without any sound.
"Hey." She repeated back to him, her eyes still closed.
"Would it be alright if I asked you a question?" He inquired.
"Pfft, are you serious?" She questioned, "Will, I think we're well beyond the point of either of us needing to acquire permission to ask a question. Regardless of what the question might be." She told him.
"You sure about that?" He responded.
"No, Will. I'm lying to you." She said, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Alright, you've made your point. Smartass." He replied, which made her chuckle.
"Then go ahead and ask the damn question. Don't keep a lady in suspense." She told him.
"Fine. Katie, why did you kiss me?" He asked.
A second silence filled the room, only this one would be far shorter than the last, and it was awkward as opposed to pleasant.
"...Shit..." Katie cursed beneath her breath, finally opening her eyes afterward, "I knew we'd have to talk about this eventually...I was just hoping it'd take years..." She admitted.
"Do you regret it?" He asked, wanting to know why she was hesitant.
"FUCK no. Easily the best kiss of my life." She answered, dispelling any concerns he may have had.
"Really? I barely did anything." He said.
"Yeah...but...still...it was the first time I've kissed someone who I didn't hold some kind of contempt for." She explained while looking off to the side, "Plus, you got me that dagger from the marketplace. Which was and still is the best gift I've ever gotten from anyone." She confessed before raising her left arm, "I still wear it in the holster you MADE for me. In case you were wondering." She revealed as she pointed to where it was beneath her clothes.
"Wow. I didn't think it'd mean that much to you." He admitted.
"Well, duh...it came from you, after all..." She replied, though a tad bit quietly as this was embarrassing for her, "But enough about that shit. Why did you want to talk about this?" She asked.
"I just wanted to know where we are, is all. And whether or not things are slightly different between us." He answered.
"I mean, it's not like we've changed." She said with a shrug, "And besides, while that kiss did mean a lot to me, it was a heat of the moment thing. We were about to fight a battle that would determine the fate of everything; you'd given me a present, we'd spent the day together, it was a lot of things." She listed.
"So, we're good then?" He asked, wanting to be sure.
"Yes, Will. We're good." She answered, "Things aren't suddenly going to weird or shit like in some stupid sitcom." She added, which helped to make him feel better.
"Alright, that's good to know." He said with a smile.
Suddenly, a knock came from Katie's office door, followed by a familiar voice.
"Yo! Will! Are you in there?" Loona called from the other side, "I went to the set to see if you were free for a bit, and Cherri said you came here to have lunch." She informed.
"What do you think?" The Slayer asked, still speaking to Katie.
"Hmm...from how angry Angel was earlier...I say he's most likely sleeping in his bubble bath. You should be good for a few hours." She estimated.
"Okay, thanks." He replied before rising from his seat, "Coming, Loona!" He called out to the Hellhound.
Waiting until the Slayer was gone and well out of earshot, Katie slumped in her chair and let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Goddamn it, Katie..." She quietly said as she closed her eyes again, "Why...WHY couldn't you just be honest with him for fuck's sake?..." She asked, hoping that the warm food she just ate and the comfiness of her chair would help to take her mind off of where she and the Slayer were at right now.
Elsewhere, Within A Well Furnished Luxury Apartment...
"Stella! Have you seen my earrings?" Verosika called out from her bedroom since her roommate was sitting on the couch in the living room watching television.
"No, I haven't!" Stella called back, "Have you checked under your bed? Or maybe in the bathtub? You WERE plastered when you came back last night!" She told her.
Among the many changes and developments that had happened since the battle with the Dark One, one of them was Stella and Verosika living together in the center of Pentagram City, where all the rich and famous thrived. The cause of this was apparent; with Helsa being gone, they had no reason nor any right to stay at the Eldritch estate; that'd be all kinds of wrong since her family was constantly worrying about her. But, surprisingly, Stolas welcomed Stella and Verosika into his home with open arms until they got things sorted out. Moreover, he and Stella's relationship greatly improved after she and Octavia's unfortunate encounter with Valentino.
Luckily, they only needed to stay there for a week or so, for that's how long it took for Velvet's connections to FINALLY find out what love potion was affecting Verosika, which allowed them to at last cure her. And when the succubus popstar's head was pulled down from cloud nine, which in her mind was shaped like the Slayer, life for both of them got back to normal...for the most part.
"Yes! I checked the bed and the bathtub!" Verosika responded. In the same way, a child might speak to their parent in this situation, "I need to find them before I head out! I've got this gig in the Lust Ring today, and I have to look my best! It's my first performance since my ass got drugged with that potion shit!" She explained.
"Which was YOUR fault, might I remind you!" Stella replied.
"Nope! You don't need to! I'll NEVER be able to live down the shame!" She assured.
Although amused by that statement, Stella wouldn't be able to say something else as Verosika let out a sharp gasp in surprise.
"THERE YOU ARE!" She shouted in relief, "I found them! They were under my pillow! I must've taken them off before I went to bed but didn't put them on the nightstand!" She told her, offering a possible explanation.
"And your necklace?" Stella inquired.
"Managed to take that off before passing out!" She responded before walking out of her room and appearing within the hallway, "How do I look?" She asked in a far lower volume now that they were closer.
"The same as your posters," Stella answered as Verosika put on her earrings.
"Great! That means those horny fucks in Lust will lose their shit." She said with a smile.
"What time is it?" Stella inquired.
"It isn't for a few hours. Meaning you and I can spend some quality time together." She replied while walking towards the kitchen, "You hungry?" She asked.
"Already ahead of you. I ordered us some food from that lovely restaurant we went to last week. It'll be here shortly." Stella revealed.
"Damn, nice." She said, now walking back to the couch since she didn't need to cook anything, "Thanks, again." She told her before sitting down.
"Not a problem," Stella assured.
With lunch sorted out, Verosika became silent as she focused on what was on the television. Then, however, Stella suddenly muted it, which caught her off guard.
"Something wrong?" Verosika asked.
"There's something I've been wanting to speak with you about." She began as she turned towards the succubus, "It's about your jewelry." She said.
"What about it? Do you not like it?" Verosika questioned.
"No, of course not. I just find it strange that you've only been wearing one pair of earrings and one necklace, despite owning a treasure trove of accessories." She explained.
"I like them the most. Is it wrong to have favorites?" Verosika asked.
"Not at all. But WHY are those earrings and that necklace your favorite? Is it because they're the gifts that Will gave you?" She suggested.
Upon hearing that, Verosika squinted her eyes at Stella, an unamused expression forming on her face.
"No. WHY would that be my reason?" She spat back while crossing her arms, "I'm not in love with him anymore. A potion caused THAT; my entire being was in a stupid puppy dog trance because of it. I only like this jewelry because the Sentinels are godlike when it comes to making shit. NOTHING in ALL of Hell compares to it." She told her.
"A fair counterargument. But, the last serious relationship you were in was with Blitzo. And we BOTH know how horrid he is in general. So, I don't think it's outlandish of me to assume that even now, with the potion's effects being gone, that you'd have some lasting attraction for Will since he was the first person you've had an interest in, genuine or otherwise, that treated you well." Stella responded.
"First of all, he is the SLAYER. We are NOT by ANY means close enough with him to refer to him by his name. I did enough of that stupid shit when I was drugged." She argued, "Secondly, you're not someone who should be talking about being honest with her feelings when YOU can't even admit that you have a thing for a certain angel who HAPPENS to be the brother of our Circle's ruler." She reminded.
"Much like with you and your potion, Verosika. The circumstances of my life caused ANY infatuation I had for Gabriel at the time. I'd just been forced to finalize my separation from my husband, I was going to live in the hotel for my rehabilitation, and everything along with everyone didn't give two shits about me. So having someone like Gabriel treat me with respect and any amount of kindness was something I desperately needed in what was the lowest point of my life. So, don't you DARE act like I don't know what I'm talking about." Stella told her.
For the next few seconds, both women stared at each other with an intense glare, equally upset by what the other had said. However, much like feuding sisters, these two couldn't maintain that anger after everything they've been through and how much they've grown closer since living together.
"Same time?" Verosika asked as both of their faces softened.
"Yes," Stella answered.
"I'm sorry." Both women apologized in unison while also letting out sighs.
"I shouldn't have pried," Stella added afterward.
"And I shouldn't have taken such a low blow," Verosika said.
"Should we vow never to talk about that shared low point in our lives?" Stella suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Verosika agreed.
With that settled, both women smiled and focused back on the television, which Stella unmuted.
"...Hey." Verosika spoke up, causing the other to look at her again, "Just out of curiosity, how is Gabriel? He's still dealing with that bastard Valentino, right?" She inquired.
"He is." Stella confirmed with a nod, "He's kept in contact due to Stolas sending him a letter damn near every day." She revealed, which made her roommate stifle a laugh.
"Wow. Maybe Stolas is the one who's in love with him." Verosika joked, which made Stella laugh.
"FINALLY! His taste in men has improved!" She responded, which made Verosika join in on the laughter.
Meanwhile, In Heaven...
The last time the court of Heaven was populated by its residents was when the Slayer was under investigation by the archangel of justice. Angels from every pantheon looked on in awe and amazement at the unrivaled killer of demons as he walked towards the center of the room; whispers and excited murmurs were spoken all the while. But now, as a beaten down and broken soul was marched to the same spot that the Slayer once stood, divine shackles and chains bound to them to keep them in line, the only thing that the angels had for this individual was looks of disgusts and hatred.
"Ahem." Michael, who was at the base of the judge's stand, cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "We are gathered to bear witness to the trial and sentencing of a sinner from Hell. His name, Valentino. His crimes, one of the most extended lists Heaven has ever seen. And while all will be covered in the trial, it should be noted that his primary reason for being summoned is due to his WILLING cooperation with the Dark One." He informed.
"Burn the bastard in the righteous fire of Heaven!"
"Cast him into a pit far worse than Hell!"
"String him up and make him an example for all of creation!"
"Torture him until the end of time!"
"Send him to the realm of death!"
The crowd gave these and so many more exclamations, all of them having learned of Valentino's transgressions before the trial. Some of them even threw small objects like stones at the accused, an action that would usually be punished, but today no one seemed to care. But all of this rowdiness and outcry fell silent just as quick as it had begun, for everyone heard the sound of the court's judge entering the room and approaching the stand. Soon, the radiant visage of the archangel appeared, sitting down within his chair, ready to begin the trial.
"Hmph. It appears I missed something rather...exciting." Gabriel spoke, taking note of the objects that littered the space surrounding Valentino, "But, there is no time to dwell on that. We are gathered here to determine the fate of the soul who stands before me. If anyone should have any objections or comments they'd like to give, please do so now." He requested.
Giving the crowd a few seconds to say ANYTHING at all, to everyone's surprise, it was Valentino who tried to speak.
"P...Please..." He stuttered out, tired and weak from all the pain the Sentinels inflicted upon him, "Please...show mer-"
THWAP
Just then, a rock flew from the crowd and hit him in the back of the head, keeping him from saying more.
"He dares to try and defend himself!"
"How disgusting! Even now, he knows no shame!"
"What trial is needed? Condemn him now!"
"Enough!" Gabriel exclaimed, accompanied by the sound of his gavel hitting the stand, "I understand your anger. If anything, I am the one most entitled to berate and insult this man for what he has done. But this is Heaven's court. And in its entire history, I have never forsaken the proceedings for ANY person brought before me." He said as he let go of his gavel, "However, that is not to say that the accused has any chance of lessening his sentence. There is NOTHING he can say or do that will change the outcome of the trial. So, what harm will it do to hear what nonsense he has to share with us?" He asked before looking down at Valentino, "Go on. Continue." He urged.
"P...Please...show mercy..." Valentino repeated, his head hanged low, "Haven't...I...suffered enough?..." He asked.
In reply, Gabriel said not a word. Instead, he chuckled, which slowly became a boisterous laugh, something the angels who populated the court had never seen in any trial before. However, it quickly died down, and the look he gave Valentino when it did was one of complete and utter seriousness.
"Valentino. Allow me to paint you a picture." He began, "Let us say that you weren't who you are. That you never did ANY of the things that you have in your entire life. In this version of yourself, you are nothing. A random person amidst an endless sea of souls that has never done anything to stand out. You never hurt anyone, never raped anyone, and, for argument's sake, you never committed an evil so heinous that it warranted you being sent to Hell for atonement. In that version of your life and of yourself, you would've arrived in Heaven and spent the rest of your days living in paradise. And yet, despite never having committed the slightest transgression against anyone, in the end, you still served the Dark One. You, of your own free will and sound mind, agreed to help him in his conquest to rule over creation. If he had succeeded, then Heaven would be no more. My father, the Creator, would be imprisoned or tortured for eternity. And all souls throughout creation would be at the mercy of the single most vile and evil entity to ever exist. This crime alone is enough to warrant a punishment so severe that NO ONE else in all of history has ever received it." He said, before leaning over his stand so he could look into Valentino's eyes, speaking to him in a low and sinister voice, "But then, we add everything you HAVE done in THIS life. All of your victims, all of your sins, and all of your actions are considered. And by the end of it all, Valentino, only a fool would suggest that you have suffered enough. Which, given who I am speaking to, is accurate without any doubt." He told him, sitting back down in his chair once he was done, "So, unless you wish to say more nonsense, I suggest you keep your mouth shut and for the first time in the mistake that is your existence, accept responsibility for what you've done." He concluded.
Again, to everyone's surprise, Valentino actually listened to Gabriel. He didn't make so much as a desperate whimper or whine in response to the archangel's words. And with that acceptance that there was nothing he could do to save himself, Valentino, and the rest of the court, settled in for the rest of the proceedings.
...?...
Viscera and gunpowder, a combined scent that very few have savored to the point where it's become ingrained in their sense of smell. Although, in all fairness, those who have reached that extreme wouldn't wish it upon anyone else, for the amount of violence and death one would need to be exposed to was far too much. But sometimes, some were made for it, they might not know it at first, but when the time comes when they are thrown into madness, they discover what they are. That was an apt description of the figure who marched through halls littered with corpses; some were there before he arrived, while the rest he'd made himself.
The bodies comprised humans and creatures that couldn't be easily put into words, monsters that defied most realities' laws and rules, for they didn't exist where the beasts came from. This was a sight that the figure had seen so many times; it was the very reason he'd come here. Extermination, cleansing, damage control, whatever you want to call it, THAT was his purpose. And now, as he was through killing the abominations that roamed this former facility, the figure marched towards his last objective.
At the end of the hall, there was a door; it led into a safe and secure bunker. Inside of that bunker were people, some men, some women, and they were hiding from the horrors he'd been slaying. So, as you'd expect, once he reached that door and opened it via means that none of them would be able to determine, the first thing they felt as they saw him was hope.
"Oh, oh my god! We're saved!" One of the people inside the room exclaimed as they and everyone else smiled and cheered, "See? I told you they'd send help! We just had to wait!" The person continued before approaching the figure, "Sir! Is it safe to come out now? Has the problem-"
CRACK
That was the sound of the person's chest cavity being broken, shattered into countless pieces as an armored fist was put through it. Screams and shrieks of terror filled the air as everyone saw this; the figure who they'd believed was their savior revealed himself to be nothing of the sort. With no regard for the life he just ended, the figure tossed the now lifeless body of the person to the side, his left hand and arm covered in their blood. The last thing that would be heard within this facility, which had now become a mass grave, was the cries and shouts of the people inside that bunker, as the figure summoned two machineguns from seemingly nowhere and opened fire.