Liquid hitting metal, a sound that most would associate with rain falling upon a car or the metal roofing of a house. It's a calming, almost rhythmic noise, and it can quell even the most conflicted minds and souls. But then, there was the Marine, and despite standing inside a decontamination shower, this soothing sound didn't affect him in the slightest. However, there was a reason for that; his hearing had changed since he was human; most of what he heard anymore was filtered out as static.
Only things important to the Marine were heard: specific audio he allowed to break through the white noise. An example of such was Harut and Marut, whose voices were the only ones he'd listen to. This is how he could hear them speak from outside the chamber, even amidst the chemicals that cleansed him and the other various sounds the decontamination shower created.
"Marine!/We've reviewed the mission data, and you've been in there long enough. Could you please come out so that we may talk?" Harut called out while Marut requested.
Not needing to look down at himself to know his armor was clean by this point, the Marine listened and shut off the shower, which then opened a few seconds later as everything turned off. The first thing he saw were the twins, who showed their true selves only to him and the other denizens of their realm. Like their sibling Abaddon, Harut and Marut didn't have traditional forms; they appeared as beings of light that resembled specters of some sort. That is how they could shapeshift so effortlessly, as physical limitations didn't bog them down.
"Oh dear, you're soaking wet./Honestly, when will you learn to take a towel with you?" Harut commented while Marut asked a question.
Watching as the sisters used the heat of their bodies to dry his armor quickly, the Marine didn't understand why they were like this. They cared so much about any little thing regarding him, even details that NO ONE else would notice, like if there were a minuscule chip in his helmet or one of his weapons needed to be polished.
"There we go. Now you won't trek water everywhere./Could you please try to remember the towels? We made them FOR this purpose, you know." Harut said while Marut made a request.
As usual, the Marine didn't say or do anything in response to their words, but the twins knew he heard them. Whether or not he'd finally start using the towels they made, which were amazingly effective and soft, would have to be seen at a later time.
"Now then. With all that blood removed from your person, we can begin our discussion./Which; we have a LOT to talk about." The twins began as they started leaving the area, causing the Marine to follow them, "As expected, your clearance percent was one hundred./Not so much as a rat or insect escaped intact. And you didn't even need to use a full fourth of your arsenal, exceptional performance." They praised as all three entered a corridor, "However, as we analyzed the data you recovered from those humans' research, we discovered something alarming./Yes. It appears mortals, human or otherwise, are starting to figure out the methods needed to open rifts through space and time at earlier dates than estimated./That is why you've received more missions far more frequently than ever before. In their insatiable desire to know and conquer everything, mortals are recklessly venturing into unknowns that are best left undisturbed./And although none of them are as severe as Doom was, should any of these entities be allowed free reign of ANY universe within the mortal realm. It could lead to a potential disruption in our research. Which is always top priority." They told him before reaching a door.
Placing both of their hands on the door's surface, Harut and Marut used their power to open it, showing that without them, it wouldn't have. Beyond it was a room, and inside was the twins' private workspace where they explored and constructed all that came from their imagination.
"We've been working on something./An upgrade for your suit, one that will help us deal with this problem." They started speaking again as all three entered the room, "However, what we have planned is by far the most involved we've gotten with any of the subjects we study./But, as stated prior, we cannot standby and allow them to continue this careless exploration of creation." They said before coming to a sudden stop, "So, what we are asking of you, Marine. Is that you become proactive./Prevent the problems before they arise. Remove the subjects who would become liabilities if left alone to their own devices any longer. In short, preemptively cleanse those who we are certain beyond any doubt will usher their undoing anyway." They explained.
For a few seconds, the Marine stood still. Contemplating, processing, in a state of surprise, Harut and Marut couldn't be sure. But, eventually, he'd move past them, showing that regardless of what the mission entailed, he, as always, was ready to get started. Happy that the Marine had no issues with what they had planned, Harut and Marut proceeded to get his suit upgraded and go into further detail about what was to come.
Lucifer's Circle, Morning...
Charlie was usually a very vanilla sleeper; that meant that her approach to getting comfortable was so standard you'd think it was pulled from a sleep textbook. She'd take a shower after a long day of work at the hotel, put on her pajamas, do her nightly routine before bed, hop under the covers when she was done, then lay on her back and visit dreamland. Charlie never tossed and turned, didn't need to contort her body like a pretzel to get cozy, and only needed to be tired rather than having sex, a stiff drink, or drugs to slip into unconsciousness. Luckily, Vagatha was the same, down to the routine they shared before getting into bed and snuggling with each other to make falling asleep easier due to the comfort of being in each others' arms.
All of this came together to help ensure both Charlie and Vagatha would be well-rested, full of energy, and ready for each new exciting day and whatever challenges it brought. Unfortunately, both women were up somewhat late last night talking on the phone with Lilith, who, even after their meeting earlier in the day, still wanted to go over ideas and plans for Gabriel and Stella. As for what Lucifer was during that long phone session, he was "sipping" some "juice" that would help him sleep because he couldn't stand being forced to be a part of this circus. Anyway, due to their late-night scheme session with Lilith, Charlie and Vagatha were a bit more sprawled out and messy in how they laid on the bed; they were even sleeping in by a little, which was also a rarity.
But soon, a wake-up call would come for them, taking on the form of one of the hotel's staff knocking on their room's door.
"Miss Magne!" The voice of a bellhop called for Charlie, accompanied by a few knocks on her door.
"Zzz..." Charlie lightly snored, her hair flopped over her head as it hung off the bedside.
"Miss Magne!" The bellhop called again, still knocking.
"...Charlie..." Vagatha spoke with a few smacks of her lips, being the first to wake up, "I think you're being summoned..." She told her.
"Zzz..." Charlie continued to snore, entirely out of it.
"Charlie..." She repeated, now moving her foot to her girlfriend's head to begin nudging it.
"Ngh..." Charlie groaned in response.
"Don't groan, get up..." She commanded, increasing her nudging.
"No...I'm sleepy..." Charlie replied, showing that she was awake now but was opting to be stubborn.
"...Miss Magne?" The bellhop called out for a third time, now wondering if she was even in there.
"Vaggie...you get it..." Charlie said.
"Your name, you get it..." Vagatha countered.
"Please?..." She replied, yet didn't bother to look at her.
"Your cuteness has no effect while my ass is still in bed..." Vagatha said before raising her hand to point at the door, "Now, go...before I kick you onto the floor..." She told her.
Groaning in a way that a child would when they're forced to go to school, which Vagatha did find adorable, Charlie slinked her way out of the bed and over to the door. All the while, her mess of blonde hair covered her head on all sides, making her look like a particular cousin of a rather strange family after a trip to the barber.
"Hi..." She exhaustedly greeted as she pulled the door open, "How can I help you?..." She asked, followed by a yawn.
"Sorry to disturb you, mam. But I was sent by the front desk to inform you that your uncle is here." The bellhop answered.
"...What did you just say?" She inquired, sounding FAR more alert and awake. And, unknown to the bellhop, her eyes were wide underneath her golden locks.
"Your uncle, miss Magne. Gabriel, the archangel, the one who doesn't have a face? At least, that's how he looks." He responded.
After having the employee give that confirmation, Charlie slammed the door in his face as she needed to get ready. However, that was rude and uncalled for, so she opened the door again.
"I'm so sorry!" She apologized before grabbing onto his shoulders, "Take the day off. Consider it an apology present from me!" She exclaimed before closing the door again, only this time more respectfully.
"Thank you, mam!" The bellhop replied with a smile before leaving.
"Charlie, did you just give that bellhop a day off?..." Vagatha questioned, struggling to follow everything that transpired due to her tiredness.
"Mhm!" She sounded in response, unintentionally ignoring her as she went about the room getting ready.
"We've talked about giving the employees random time off..." Vagatha reminded her since this wasn't the first time it's happened.
"Uh-huh." She replied, still not paying that much attention to what she was saying.
"...You're ignoring me, aren't you?" Vagatha asked.
"That's great, hon." She absentmindedly answered before she went into the bathroom to fix her hair and tidy herself up.
"...Eh..." Vagatha grunted before focusing on getting back to sleep, not well-rested enough to do anything else.
Meanwhile, In The Lobby...
Gabriel, as a judge, was not uncomfortable when several pairs of eyes were fixated on him, as it was something that couldn't be avoided when serving that position. But a big reason for why it didn't bother him was due to the context; they weren't staring or gawking at him; those sitting in his court looked at him to pay attention to the trials. Yet now, as Gabriel waited in the lobby of the Happy Hotel, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward as every demon who came through, or even stayed, looked at him as if he were some sort of exhibit.
"You doing okay there, Gabriel?" Husk asked with a raised brow, able to spot his unease from a mile away.
"Yes. It is to be expected that those who reside in Hell would be surprised to find an archangel, who also is one of the creator's children, to be sitting among them rather than be in Heaven." He answered, trying to sound unaffected.
"Want me to contact, Az?" Husk inquired.
"I appreciate your concern. But I do not need my sister to make me feel better." He assured.
"Then how about some coffee?" A new voice asked, alongside the appearance of a speedy red-haired demon.
When Gabriel arrived at the hotel, he was greeted by Husk and Nifty; the latter of the pair was present as she'd been talking with him. And, to be courteous, she asked the archangel if she could get him anything, hence the perfectly brewed beverage in her hand.
"Thank you, miss Nifty." He responded, taking the cup from her.
"You're welcome!" She said with a smile, "Also, you don't have to be so formal, Gabriel! We're friends!" She told him.
"Be that as it may, I shouldn't let my manners slip. I am a guest in what is both your workplace and your residence. Therefore, I need to be on my best behavior." He replied before taking a sip.
"Such a gentleman." She complimented, "You could learn a thing or two from him, Husk." She said as she looked at the feline.
"You try sitting here dealing with assholes all day. We'll see how long you stay perky." Husk countered.
"Where is the third member of your trio?" Gabriel inquired while pointing to the empty throne of Alastor, which was still bolted to the floor next to Husk's desk.
"Hopefully, dead in his sleep." He said.
"Husk!" Nifty exclaimed with a gasp.
"What? The man's only reason for existing anymore seems to be fucking with me nonstop. I can be a little hopeful he didn't wake up today." He replied.
"...Aren't you friends?" Gabriel questioned with a raised brow.
"No./Yes." Husk and Nifty answered simultaneously.
However, before they could continue their conversation, they heard the sound of footsteps running from the ground-floor hallway. But as they turned their heads to look and see who or what was coming, all three of them were caught off guard by the sight of Charlie throwing herself at her uncle.
"UNCLE GABE!" She shouted in delight with an ear-to-ear grin, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could.
"WHOA!" He exclaimed, doing his best to keep his chair upright from the force of her impact, "Well, that certainly is a warm reception." He said as he returned the embrace.
"Aww, that's so sweet!" Nifty commented with a smile.
"Enough to make you sick." Husk chimed in, still not big on public displays of affection.
"What are you doing here!?" Charlie asked while hugging him.
"I finally finished the prep work and carried out the trial for Valentino. And, due to how much of a toll it had on me, I decided I needed to take the first vacation I've ever had in my life." He explained.
"...Out of every possible place everywhere...you chose to come to our shit hole?" Husk questioned, dumbfounded by that logic.
"Shh! You're ruining the moment!" Nifty hushed him while lightly slapping his shoulder.
"I can't BELIEVE you chose to have your vacation here!" Charlie exclaimed, still happy as can be, "But why did you come to the hotel first? NOT that I'm not happy about that." She asked, now ending their hug so she could look at him.
"Well, it's because...I...was hoping for a majority of my vacation...you and I could...spend some time together." He answered slowly, as it was still hard for him to express how he felt.
"You...You want to spend your vacation...with me?..." She asked with widened eyes, shocked by what she had just heard.
"Yes, because we haven't been able to spend any proper familial time with each other. What with me getting captured and then the other messiness that followed. Despite how socially inept I am and that I'm not the best at these sorts of things, I want to do all that I can to have a proper relationship with the niece I've never truly known." He explained.
For a moment, Charlie didn't say anything, but only because she was overwhelmed emotionally and had tears forming in her eyes.
"I'd love that..." She said with a shaky smile before hugging him again, over the moon that her uncle wanted to spend time with her.
Like before, Gabriel returned the embrace, happy to see his niece so delighted by his decision. As for Nifty, she was on the verge of tears herself but was surprised when she heard a sniffle coming from her left.
"Husk?" She questioned, turning to look at the feline.
"Fucking dust..." He cursed as he rubbed his eyes, "Nifty, ya need to do a better fucking job of cleaning around my desk. I got shit in my eyes." He told her.
"Right, sorry." She apologized with a smile.
"So, are you staying with mom and dad?" Charlie asked after their second hug was over.
"No. They don't even know I've arrived yet. I was hoping if there was a free room, I could stay here at the hotel so we'd have more time with each other?" He suggested, which made her gasp.
"Oh my gosh, yes! That's a perfect idea!" She agreed, "Better yet, there's a vacant room right next to mine and Vaggie's! We'll be neighbors!" She exclaimed before looking around, "Where're your things? I'll have someone take them to the room right away!" She offered.
"You don't need to worry about that. I brought nothing with me." He said.
"Not even a change of clothes?" Husk inquired, being the first to comment on that because they all found it strange.
"I only have one cloak." He replied while gesturing to his attire, "It never gets dirty; I don't have a body, so there aren't any odors, and I've never had a need to wear anything else." He explained.
"Well, what about stuff you take with you everywhere?" Nifty asked.
"I can summon my spear should the need ever arise. But apart from that, I don't own anything that doesn't belong in my chambers back in Heaven." He answered.
"Which are?" Charlie inquired, wanting to know how much her uncle had.
"Quills, parchments, bottles of ink, candles, and a few books and tomes." He responded.
"...Wow." Husk said as he folded his arms, "I didn't know how depressing your life is." He admitted.
"Are you okay?" Nifty asked with genuine concern, which confused the archangel.
"Of course I am. And I don't consider the status of my possessions to be disheartening. I am a simple man with simple tastes. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" He answered, ending with a question.
"That isn't acceptable!" Charlie exclaimed with a huff, "My uncle deserves to have the best things! So, we're going to go shopping!" She decided.
"We are?" He questioned, unsure of what was happening.
"Yes, sir!" She replied before grabbing onto his arm.
At the mercy of his niece, Gabriel was dragged out of the hotel by Charlie, confused all the while.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned..." Husk began with a smirk, "But pity is the bastard who tries to stop one from shopping." He said.
"Very true." Nifty agreed with a nod.
Elsewhere, At The Center Of Pentagram City...
When it came to staying up all night, Verosika was a well-experienced individual. Hell, when she felt like it and when things were crazy enough, she could stay awake for days on end, propelled by a mind buzzing cocktail of drugs and liquor. But this is the first time Verosika could recall where she stayed up all night, after coming back to her apartment when her concert was finished, because she was thinking. Her mind was occupied by her conversation with Asmodeus and Fizzarolli, as well as what she could potentially do to un-fuck her situation.
Even now, as it was morning, Verosika was sitting up in her bed still dressed in last night's clothes, wracking her brain about the pros and cons of every possible decision. For despite having agreed so quickly to work under the powerful demon, she wasn't a submissive bitch who'd yip and yap on command like a cocker spaniel; she only did that to not make shit harder for herself.
"Okay..." She spoke with a yawn while tiredly rubbing her eyes, "So... there are three options...one, I suck it up like a good girl and do what I'm told...two, I try to figure this shit out on my own without getting anyone else involved...or three, I just up and confront the Slayer about it." She listed, ending with a sigh, "Honestly, the third option's my best bet to fixing this shit immediately. But the thing is that even IF he believes me, which, I think he would. He can't just walk into Ozzie's and shove a shotgun in Asmodeus's face. As that stupid fucking clown said, he's kept a clean record. So, if the Slayer of ALL people randomly kills or threatens a demon who is adhering to the reform without any issues, it'll cause a whole lot of trouble for everyone. And put me deeper in the shit." She continued before looking up at her ceiling, "But still...it is the best move...I'm not a dumbass, but I'm nowhere close to being able to match Asmodeus and his fellow bastards in a game of backstabbing strategy. But...like I JUST said, he's got nothing on him that'll add credibility to my accusations...god, fuck me..." She concluded.
Staying still for a few seconds to try and let her mind relax, Verosika was slightly startled when she heard someone knock on her bedroom door, which she'd left open.
"Verosika?" Stella asked with a look of worry, "Are you okay? What time did you get in last night?" She added, noticing her unchanged attire.
"Oh, hey...girlfriend..." Verosika greeted with a light chuckle and a weak wave, "Yeah...I'm cool...I...was just...given some strong shit at the club last night. Kept me awake, and now I'm coming down from the high." She lied.
"Verosika, we've talked about this." Stella said as she crossed her arms, "I understand that you like to party, and to be fair, last night WAS your first concert since the madness. But I am worried by how frequently you've been coming home in these states. For both your physical AND mental health." She told her.
"Heh...you're letting those recently discovered maternal instincts show, again..." Verosika joked.
"I'm serious, Verosika." She stressed as she walked over, sitting next to her on the bed, "I'm concerned. I don't want to be watching the news one night and see you doing something insane because you're buzzed out of your mind. Nor do I want a visit from the Authorities telling me that you've been taken to the hotel for rehab. Luckily, Stolas and I got my situation sorted out once things calmed down. But if you get put in there now, then...I'll be by myself again." She said.
"Hey, don't say that." Verosika replied as she put a hand on her shoulder, "You've got your daughter back. You're making shit work with your ex. You've got people who'll be there for you. I should be the one saying shit like that. If anything happened to you, well, I've got no one in my corner then." She argued.
"That wouldn't happen. It's not like I have anywhere else to be." Stella assured her.
"And neither do I." She responded, "But you do make a solid point that IF I don't start calming down a little, then it might not be up to me. So, I'll start trying to make an effort." She promised.
"Thank you," Stella said with a smile.
"No problem, sis." She replied before stretching out her arms, at which point, an idea came to mind, "Hey, why don't we go shopping?" She suggested.
"Seriously? In YOUR condition? Don't you want to go to sleep?" Stella asked with an amused smile.
"Couldn't if I was fucking hit over the head. I've got too much shit going on in there right now." She answered, "Give me time to shower, which will rejuvenate me, then I'll get dressed, we'll have a quick breakfast, and we'll throw all our worries away alongside our cash." She said.
"Well, alright. If you're sure, you're up for it." Stella agreed before standing up, "While you get ready, I'll make us a proper breakfast. I think you could use it after your exciting return to stardom." She told her.
"You are a fucking ANGEL!" Verosika complimented, which made the other chuckle as she left the room.
Meanwhile, On Earth...
"This looks like a good place to die." A man wearing a suit and sunglasses said as he looked down an empty alley.
The two individuals from yesterday, the man and the woman who hadn't given their names to Samur when they forced an encounter with him, didn't wander too far away from the UAC's main base of operations. Admittedly, as sad as it may sound, they just walked around all night hoping to come up with an idea of how to win the Seraph over. But, eventually, both the man and the woman accepted that it would be pointless and they should give up, allowing their long streak of misfortunes and bad luck to turn them into pessimistic nihilists.
"Yeah. Not that many bugs or rats in this one." The woman commented, "And hey, it's even got a dumpster! So, we'll have some real estate." She said.
"True. Maybe we can do something colorful with it? Get some Christmas lights to decorate the inside, if ya know, those are still around." He suggested.
"Oh! We can also get an oil drum and light it on fire! You CAN'T have an alleyway without an oil drum fire!" She exclaimed.
"Good call, good call." He praised with a wag of his finger.
Standing there, with their hands proudly placed on their hips, the man and the woman looked at the alleyway, thinking of everything they could do with it. But as time passed, seconds became minutes, their overly happy attitude and acceptance of their current state in life disappeared.
"Aw, who're we kidding? We'll be lucky to make it until the end of the week..." The man spoke with a sigh.
"I'm so hungry; we haven't eaten in FOREVER!" The woman exclaimed, holding her stomach.
"I told ya we should've stolen some food before we left the relief zone, but NO! YOU said that if we got caught, then it'd hurt our chances with the UAC! And yet, HERE we are! In their TRASH!" He shouted at her while throwing up his arms.
"Hey! I was the one who wanted to do a song and dance routine to WOW the boss! But you were the one who told me that all we needed was big smiles and enthusiasm. Well, LOOK WHERE THAT GOT US!" She shouted back at him.
As before, this version of the couple quickly disappeared, as neither of them felt good about shouting at the other.
"I'm sorry." He apologized first.
"Me too." She responded, both letting out sighs afterward.
Slumping their shoulders and putting their backs to the wall of the alley, they slid down so they could sit on their butts and be sad in silence.
"..."
"..."
"...Excuse us." A voice spoke, coming from outside the alley.
Slowly turning their heads to see who it was, the man and the woman expected to find a UAC employee coming to tell them to get lost. But, in reality, what they found was something WAY better. Standing there were three tiny people; two were goats, the other resembled...a baby? Or, maybe a young child?
The trio stood side by side, with one sheep, which was light purple and seemed to be male, standing on the left. In the middle was the young boy-looking individual, and on the right was the second sheep, who was yellow and seemed to be female. However, there WAS one thing that all three of them shared: the wings on their backs and the halos above their heads.
"Are you two alright?" The purple sheep asked, revealing himself to be the voice from a second ago, "Why're you sitting in an alley?" He inquired.
"It's where trash is dumped. So, it seemed fitting." The man answered.
"Oh no, don't say that about yourselves!" The boy-looking one exclaimed, "You two look mighty important. What with your cool suits and sunglasses!" He pointed out.
"Fake it until you make it, as the saying goes." The woman replied.
"Look, I know it must be hard given all that's happened over these last few months. But you'll get back on your feet in no time!" The yellow sheep assured with a smile.
"That's a nice thought, but we've run out of ideas and options. There ain't anything left for us." The man responded.
"There's ALWAYS a silver lining!" She insisted before her smile became a grin, "If anything, this might be fate! Perhaps, the three of us were meant to find the two of you!" She suggested.
"Yeah! That makes sense! I mean, that's what we used to do before the whole demonic invasion thing happened." The purple sheep agreed.
"And what was it that you did?" The woman inquired.
"In a way, you could say we were guardian angels! Looking after folks who needed some divine intervention!" The young boy said before putting a hand on his chest, "I'm Cletus." He introduced.
"I'm Keenie." The yellow sheep introduced.
"And I'm Collin." The purple sheep introduced, "And we, are Cherub!" They all said together with a smile.
"Cherub? Isn't that a SPECIES of angel? At least, that's what some religious texts used to say." The man questioned.
"Yes, sir. But our group is also called Cherub. It's a creatively worded acronym!" Cletus explained.
"Okay, well, what did you guys do?" The woman asked, "I know you said you were guardian angels who carried out divine intervention, but what does that mean EXACTLY?" She clarified.
"We saved people's lives, kept others from committing suicide, and in general did good deeds to make people happy!" Collin said with a smile and zest.
"So...you're going to make us...happy?" The man guessed, which made all three of them nod their heads.
"We'll do our darndest!" Cletus vowed with a swing of his right arm, "But first, you need to tell us how we CAN help you." He said.
"I'm afraid the only way you can help us is by getting us a meeting with Samur Maykr, head of the UAC." The woman told them.
"Wait, REALLY?!" Keenie questioned with widened eyes, "That's where we're headed! Word for word!" She revealed.
"...No way." Both the man and the woman said together, their eyes also wide.
"Yup! As I said, this HAS to be fate! We were meant to meet you two!" She replied.
Holy shit, HOLY SHIT! This was it! A second chance to not be total screw-ups! Springing to their feet, the man and the woman wiped down their suits and pants, eager to get going.
"Well, well, look who got some pep in their steps!" Collin exclaimed, happy to see their spirits raised.
"Are you sure you want to do this? You could get in trouble. NOT that we're not grateful." The man asked, not wanting to cause any problems for these saintly saviors.
"It'll be fine. Our meeting was promised by the big man upstairs, so I think we can bring along a few friends." Cletus assured, "But if you don't mind, could you tell us what your names are?" He requested.
"Yeah, sure! That's totally fair!" The woman agreed, opting to go first, "I'm Jane." She said.
"And I'm John." The man said.
"John and Jane, huh? Sounds like you two are a pair!" Collin noted.
"Have been since we were kids," Jane replied.
"Yeah, just a couple of tykes on the playground, both with a shared interest in the supernatural," John explained.
"Aw, that's adorable," Keenie said with a smile.
"Alright, John and Jane. Are you ready to make ALL of your dreams come true?" Cletus asked.
"Yes, sir!" They both exclaimed.
"Then let's get going!" He directed before walking away, the others all following behind.