"Alright, let's get on with it already..." Angel Dust said with a sigh as he leaned back into his chair.
Ever since the film had started production, Angel Dust seemed to get more and more deflated as the days went on. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the others with who he shared breakfast, but none of them had thought to mention it until now as he genuinely looked defeated.
"Hey, you doing okay, dude?" Cherri asked, she and the others watching him sink further into the seat.
"Yeah, why do you ask?..." Angel Dust responded, his face devoid of all emotion and life.
"You look like a used condom," Blitzo commented.
"Blitzy! Not at the table!" Stolas scolded, making the Imp roll his eyes.
"What? He's white, he looks pathetic, and he's wrapped in pink. That perfectly describes a thrown-away dick glove filled with spunk." He argued.
"And just like that, I'm done drinking this..." Moxxie muttered as he set down his glass of milk.
"You have such a natural talent for making everything repulsive..." Vox added, putting down his silverware as he was about to cut into his eggs.
"Ignoring that WONDERFUL comment..." Katie spoke, getting the conversation back on track, "You do look like you need some time off, Angel. Getting so worked up and obsessing over the movie isn't doing you any favors." She told him.
"Yeah, why don't you take the day off?" Velvet suggested.
"HA! That's a good one." Angel Dust replied, "We can't afford to take even ONE day off! Not if we want this thing to get done in time for Christmas!" He exclaimed.
"Wait, hold on." The Slayer said, a look of surprise and confusion on his face, "YOU guys celebrate Christmas? That...sounds like a paradox..." He commented.
"Well, yes and no." Sir Pentious responded, opting to be the one to explain it, "You see, we don't celebrate Christmas for the family values and Jesus Christ. What with the latter being exposed as a con artist LONG ago by Lucifer. Christmas in Hell is almost entirely focused on the commercialism aspect of it. Very little caroling and cherishing the ones you love, and more so murdering your neighbors and fellow Hellspawn to get the screeching brats that new smartphone courtesy of Vox's company." He informed.
"Truly the most lucrative time of the year for me~" Vox chimed in with a smile, thinking of the profits.
"Ah, okay. That makes a lot more sense." The Slayer said.
"Yeah, which is WHY the movie has to be done by then. People will KILL each other to get tickets for the screenings. Then, we'll be the richest assholes in Hell." Angel Dust explained.
"I think you guys are blowing my fame a little out of proportion. I get that I'm popular, but I think people have started to normalize my existence." The Slayer suggested.
"Oh? You think so?" Katie inquired with a smirk, finding that amusing.
"Will, you've fought and killed literal god-like entities. Therefore, your existence can NEVER be normalized." Octavia countered.
"I beg to differ. I bet I could go out, and it won't be as big of a deal as you guys think. Some people will want to take a few pictures with me, get some autographs, but the majority won't care at all." He argued.
"Alright, let's make a wager then." Cherri decided, wanting to make things interesting, "ALL of us bet that you can't be out for more than a couple of hours without all of Pentagram City getting into an uproar about it. We win IF you manage to make the midday news broadcast from good ol' Tom Trench." She said.
"What's the reward?" He asked.
"Hmm...how about...if we win, or instead WHEN we win, we each get to ask you to do one thing. Obviously, nothing sexual. It can be embarrassing but not degrading. And if it's what we want, it can involve you buying us something." She answered.
"So, basically the slave wager. The oldest bet in the book." He said.
"Pretty much." She replied with a grin.
"Alright, fine. And, if everyone would be okay with it, I'll get the same reward except reversed." He suggested.
"Done!" She agreed on everyone's behalf.
"Gee, Cherri. Thanks for consulting us on that one." Katie said.
"No prob." She responded.
"Will, please. I'm begging you. You CAN'T go out. We NEED to work on the movie..." Angel Dust pleaded in a tired and desperate tone.
"No. What he needs to do is take you with him. You need to get out more than he does." Loona said.
"Agreed." Everyone chimed in.
"And HOW would I getting swarmed alongside him be any better?" He asked.
"Well, if more of us come with you, then it shouldn't be an issue. Oh! We can make a fun trip of it!" Stolas suggested with a smile on his face while clapping his hands together.
"Sorry, we can't. And I'm not just saying that to get us out of it." Octavia responded, "Loona and I have to get to work on the new tracks Pentious and Vox asked for." She informed.
"And while they are doing that, we need to start work on the final parts of the game." Vox said before looking at Velvet, "And NO rendezvousing with your mysterious friends. All hands on deck." He told her.
"They're not mysterious; they're fellow potion brewers." She countered, "And don't worry, they're busy with some personal stuff, so I'm free for a while." She added.
"I can't go either. I need to try and speak with Charlie and Vaggie about the promotional event I want to hold at the hotel." Katie said.
"I'm good to go!" Cherri exclaimed while raising her hand, "Plus, it'll allow me to make sure that Will doesn't spend all morning in a bathroom to try and win the bet," She added with a cheeky smile.
"You think so little of me." The Slayer playfully responded.
"And we can come too!" Millie joined in, speaking for herself and Moxxie.
"Alright! Then Blitzy and I shall go get the limo ready." Stolas told them as he stood from his seat.
"Why do I have to come along? I didn't agree to this." Blitzo asked.
"Think of it as punishment for your earlier comment." He answered before grabbing the Imp's hand and pulling him away from his seat.
"Hard to say no when your boyfriend's twice your size." Moxxie joked as the duo left.
"While they're busy doing that, I'll go get Daisy." The Slayer said as he rose from his seat to go to his room.
"Ugh." Angel Dust groaned since it was clear he was going whether he wanted to or not. Causing Katie to roll her eyes.
"Oh, suck it up, you diva." She told him, "A few hours of relaxation won't hurt the damn movie." She added before taking a sip of her coffee.
Elsewhere, In The Shopping District Of Pentagram City...
Earlier, Gabriel had felt the Happy Hotel's residents staring at him due to who and what he was. Now, he felt just as many if not more pairs of eyes all glued to him in the present. However, these eyes were most likely staring at him for a different reason, as it was unthinkable to any person who lived in Lucifer's circle that they'd ever see an archangel of ALL things carrying, as scientists would describe it, a metric fuck ton of shopping bags. In all fairness, the combined weight of the bags and their contents was nothing to Gabriel, barely a strain on him; what he was concerned with was how MUCH his niece had already purchased for him and how she didn't appear to be slowing down.
"Charlie." He spoke from behind the small mound that had accumulated in his arms.
"Yes, uncle?" She responded, looking over her shoulder as they walked.
"Would you mind telling me what it is I'm carrying, exactly?" He requested, not knowing the bags' contents because Charlie had asked him to wait outside every time they reached a new store.
"Nope! It's all a surprise!" She said, "And no peeking!" She added.
"I don't even know if all of this will fit in my chambers..." He muttered.
"How big is your home in Heaven?" She asked.
"Not home, chambers." He repeated, "And to answer your question, I'd say it's the size of a standard bedroom. If a bit smaller." He clarified.
Hearing him say that brought Charlie to a halt, which Gabriel noticed, thus keeping him from bumping into her.
"Uncle Gabe, PLEASE tell me you at least have a bed..." She requested.
"Like with most of these inquiries, my response is that I've never had the need. It is a RARE occasion that I feel any exhaustion. In my downtime, when not attending to my duties, I mostly sit in the dark, a lone candle on my desk providing a comforting warmth, as silence envelops me and allows me to get lost in a sea of my thoughts." He described.
"...Are you SURE you're okay?" Charlie asked, bringing up Nifty's question from before as she was getting increasingly worried about her uncle.
"Why does everyone see my preference for solitude as a desperate cry for help and attention?" He questioned.
"Because you should want to surround yourself with things that make you happy and people who care about you!" She exclaimed before adorning a determined expression, which Gabriel couldn't see, "Next stop, the furniture store!" She decided before resuming her walk.
"Wait! Charlie!" He called after her as he followed.
Moving past people the best he could without bumping into anyone, Gabriel managed to do a fantastic job right until Charlie reached a corner. For after that, he lost her as she disappeared into the crowd, forcing him to stop to try and gather his bearings.
"Charlie!" He called out for her again, attempting to rearrange what he carried, so his line of sight would be better, "I see she inherited her father's stubbornness..." He muttered.
Deciding that shuffling his cargo around was getting him nowhere, Gabriel began to set everything down so it would be easier. And yet, even as he was bent over someone amidst the sea of people managed to spot the archangel the moment her eyes saw his white-clad visage.
"Holy shit! Gabriel?" A familiar voice asked aloud before he heard the sound of hastened footsteps approaching him.
Looking up to see if his assumption of the person's identity was correct, Gabriel saw none other than Verosika hurrying over to him.
"Ah, miss Mayday. A pleasant surprise to see you here." He greeted as he stood upright.
"Pfft, miss Mayday? Call me Verosika, you big lug." She responded before hugging him, "How've you been? And WHAT are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be torturing the rapey moth bastard?" She asked.
"Finished that business yesterday. And, as a reward to myself, I decided to take a vacation here so that I could spend some time with my family." He answered.
However, before they could continue talking, someone else would make themself known as they called out for the succubus.
"Verosika!" The voice of Stella was heard from close by in the crowd, "Why did you run off so suddenly? I thought we were going to-"
When the owl demon emerged from the masses and laid eyes upon the duo, she immediately stopped speaking and stood still.
"Oops, sorry, Stella." Verosika apologized, now realizing her mistake, "But hey! I have a good reason! Look who I found~" She revealed while gesturing to Gabriel.
"Ah, miss Stella. A sight for tired eyes such as mine." He greeted with a smile.
"...Ahem." Stella cleared her throat, recomposing herself, "Hello, Gabriel. It's wonderful to see you." She returned with a smile of her own before walking closer, "I...wasn't expecting to see you so randomly. While also surrounded by shopping bags." She admitted, taking note of how many he seemed to have.
"Hm? Oh, damn. You like to shop, Gabriel?" Verosika asked, now noticing them too.
"As odd as it may sound, these are all presents for me. Purchased by my loving niece who has forbidden me from taking even the slightest glance at what they might be." He explained.
"Oh? Charlie's here?" Verosika inquired, before suddenly adorning a wicked smile, "Why don't I go find her for you? So that way, you and Stella can catch up?" She suggested.
"Verosika, don't you da-"
"Why, thank you, Verosika." Gabriel interrupted Stella, appreciative of her offer, "Charlie said she was going to a furniture store. Would you know which one?" He asked.
"Seeing as how she's a high spender, which I can respect, I know where she went." Verosika answered before walking away, "Have fun, you two~" She told them with a wave as she departed.
"Verosika!" Stella called after her, unamused by this ploy.
But to her misfortune, the succubus kept walking until she was out of sight, leaving the two of them alone together.
"Well, that was kind of her." Gabriel started things off.
"Yes, she's VERY considerate..." Stella replied, thinking of all the ways she could get her back for this.
"How've you been? Are you and Octavia doing well?" He inquired.
"I've been doing better with each day, and so has Octavia." She said, "What about you? I assume that since you're here that HE has been dealt with?" She asked, referring to Valentino.
"I gave him the worst punishment that is allowed by both Heaven and my father. Be rest assured, he's never coming back." He promised.
"That's wonderful to hear." She responded, releasing a sigh of relief afterward, "I hope you don't think less of me for being so elated by the news." She said.
"Of course not. After what Valentino put both you and your daughter through, you have every right to revel in his misery." He assured her, "Also, I could never think less of you. You'd have to burn down all of Heaven for that to happen, miss Stella." He added with a smile.
And there it was, the thing that Verosika knew would happen and what Stella was hoping wouldn't. Her heart skipped a beat, her posture stiffened a little, and she hesitated to speak for a moment.
"No, no, no, no, NO!" Stella thought as she remained calm, "That is in the past. An infatuation brought on by circumstance. He is an archangel and one of God's children; you are a demon of Hell. An acquaintanceship is ALL this is. Now, respond." She asserted before talking, "The charmer as always, Gabriel. But, honestly, you should be careful what you say. You might give off the wrong idea." She told him with a smile of her own.
"I'm afraid I am not capable of charming anyone. I only speak the truth." He replied.
"Don't be so modest. You're easily the best flatterer Hell has ever seen." She complimented as she looked down at his bags, "Would you like some help with those?" She asked, wanting to change the topic.
"Hm? Oh, no. I can handle it." He answered, which prompted him to pick one up from the ground, "I just need to figure out the best way of carrying it all so I can see." He explained before picking up some more, which made her chuckle.
"Don't be stubborn, Gabriel. It doesn't suit you." She said as she began to pick some up herself, "However, if it will make you feel better, I will allow you to carry the heavier ones." She told him, which made him laugh.
"Such a kind and gracious offer, I accept." He replied.
After getting all of the bags sorted, Gabriel and Stella then set off to find his niece and her pain in the ass. As they walked, silence came between them, caused by Gabriel assuming their conversation was over while Stella did her best to think of something to continue it.
"...Oh!" She suddenly exclaimed as she walked beside him, "I nearly forgot to say this, thankfully I remembered. I'm SO sorry for how many letters Stolas wrote." She apologized.
"Ah yes, the mountain." He joked, followed by a sigh, "Honestly, I understand he is grateful that I saved you and Octavia, but the man has to know that there is only so much you can report in a letter when they're written so frequently." He said.
"It is amazing how much he could put into each one despite how little has happened." She replied, "Did you read all of them? Or did you stop somewhere around thirty?" She asked.
"The latter. However, I always did check to see if perhaps one was different. Possibly from my brother or you." He answered.
"You...were expecting a letter from me?" She inquired, surprised by that.
"Hmm...I don't know if expecting is the right word to use...I suppose...hopeful is more accurate." He suggested, needing a moment to think about it, "Preparing the trial required absolute focus and total isolation. The only person I talked to was another member of my family, Michael. He's the one who brought me Stolas's constant letters. And as time passed with only Michael's daily visits and the flicker of my candles' flames to break the silence. I grew to miss the days we spent chatting over lunch, all of the topics we conversed about, and your delightful insights and commentary on certain things. So the idea of getting a letter from you that could somewhat replicate those times did cross my mind." He explained.
"I...never knew you valued our talks so much, Gabriel." She admitted, her eyes now wide and an undetectable blush hidden beneath her face's feathers.
"I value every moment we spend together, miss Stella. As I said back when we embraced in the Sentinel marketplace, you're the first person outside of my family with who I've formed such a close relationship. Excluding them, you're the most important person in my life." He told her.
Whelp that did it. The snowy white face of Stella was rapidly becoming a bit pinker with each passing second after Gabriel shared that information with her. But as if it were mercy from God himself, before Gabriel could say ANYTHING else like that, one of their missing shopping partners reappeared.
"Uncle Gabe! There you are!" Charlie exclaimed from a ways away before she ran over to him and Stella.
"Ah, Charlie. Let me guess; I am now the proud owner of a full set of furniture?" He joked, which made her roll her eyes.
"No. Of course not. Furniture is something you need to pick out yourself. But I DID find a lot of good choices." She replied, "HOWEVER when Verosika came to find me, she made an AMAZING suggestion!" She exclaimed.
"Oh God no..." Stella muttered, instantly horrified.
"What was it?" Gabriel asked.
"She and Stella should come with us to go clothes shopping! You can try on different outfits for us, and we'll tell you how they look!" She answered.
"She's dead. That succubus bitch is dead. I'm going to strangle her. No one will ever find the corpse." Stella thought, her eyes wide yet again, only this time from rage.
"I don't know..." Gabriel said, which sparked some hope for Stella, "It's one thing to have a family member come with you for something like that. At least, I assume it would be. But to bring Verosika and miss Stella along seems inappropriate. And besides, they came here separately; we can't ask them to take time out of their shopping to watch me put on clothes." He said.
"YES! OH, GABRIEL, YOU BEAUTIFUL SENSIBLE ANGEL!" Stella cheered on in her mind.
"Nah, it'll be fine, uncle. People shop like this ALL the time! Why Vaggie and I went shopping with some of the others not too long ago, and everyone was perfectly fine showing off their outfits." Charlie argued, "Also, this WAS Verosika's idea, so to reject it would be rude." She added, trying to make him feel guilty.
"Hmm...I suppose it is an invitation issued by her...so, as long as miss Stella has no problems, then I'll concede." He said.
"Well, Stella?" She asked, now looking at the owl demon.
"...Yeah...no...that's...amazing...good ol' Verosika...having another of her flawless ideas..." Stella answered, struggling to maintain the volatile cocktail of anger and panic that was swirling inside her.
"Great! Then let's get going! Verosika's already got the perfect store picked out and is getting some outfits for us!" She exclaimed before leading the way.
"After you, miss Stella," Gabriel said, allowing her to go ahead of him.
"Thank you...Gabriel..." She replied before accepting, her mind a bit preoccupied with the many different ways she planned to kill her roommate.
Not Too Far Away...
"Okay! We're almost there!" Stolas excitedly exclaimed, informing his fellow passengers of how close they were to the shopping district.
As usual, Stolas couldn't keep himself from getting invested in a day out with most of their group, as he saw it as the perfect bonding experience for everyone. On the opposite side of the spectrum, you had Angel Dust and Blitzo, the Imp now sharing the spider demon's grumpy disposition after getting dragged into this by his lover. Millie, Moxxie, Cherri, the Slayer, and even Daisy were all eager and happy to be doing something other than their work at the studios or something rehab-related at the hotel.
"Stolas, could you turn down the pep by twenty?" Blitzo requested as he rested his head in his hand, his arm propped up on the left rear door.
"Yeah, what he said." Angel Dust chimed in.
"You know, guys. I think you'd be a LOT more comfortable if you tried removing the sticks from your asses," Cherri suggested.
"Yeah, try to lighten up," Moxxie chimed in, slightly annoyed by their attitudes.
"Neither of us want to be here. We were KIDNAPPED." Blitzo said with emphasis, looking at Stolas when he did.
"Come on; we're going to have a great day out. Right, Will?" Millie asked, hoping his input would help to raise their spirits.
"I think so." The Slayer answered before holding up the lapin in his lap, "And Daisy does too." He added.
"Will, she's a rabbit. She's indifferent to everything." Blitzo replied.
"Oh? You think so?" He inquired.
"Yes. I do. Because at the end of the day, Daisy's no smarter than any other-"
WHAP
With remarkable swiftness, Daisy, after being released by the Slayer, leaped at Blitzo and delivered an impressive smack to his face with her rear legs, which bounced her away right back into her owner's lap. Seeing that unfold led to a few reactions; Cherri and Moxxie burst out into laughter, Stolas stifled one of his own, Millie was impressed by the bunny's athletic display, and the Slayer appeared to be proud.
"THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" Blitzo questioned as he began to rub his face since Daisy's two-legged kick did feel like a punch.
"I guess she wanted to show you how indifferent she was to you, sir," Moxxie responded, which earned him another uproar of chortling from Cherri.
"Nice one, Mox!" She praised, giving the Imp a high five afterward.
"Wow! I didn't know Daisy could do that without her suit from the battle." Millie admitted.
"Yeah, well, I MIGHT be training with her when I can. You know, in case some asshole tries to pull any shit with her again." The Slayer shared as he petted Daisy, which she happily accepted.
"Alright, listen here, ya little shit..." Blitzo said in a low voice as he squinted his eyes, leaning forward so he could be at her level, "I've got my eyes on you. If you try anything like that again, I'll-"
"You'll what?" The Slayer asked, causing Blitzo to look up at him.
Right, yeah, this rabbit was the pet of someone who could shove his arm up Blitzo's ass and work him like a sock puppet.
"...Tell your owner how NAUGHTY of a rabbit you're being." Blitzo finished his sentence before leaning back in his seat.
"Heh, now that's funny." Angel Dust chuckled, a small smile on his face.
"Oh, ho, ho! So, the statue can emote! That's incredible!" Cherri joked, making him roll his eyes.
"Don't get your hopes up. I'm still not planning to have any fun today." He responded.
Just then, the limo stopped, which told everyone they were at their destination.
"Okay! We're here!" Stolas exclaimed, electing himself as the leader of today's outing, "So, what're we going to do first?" He asked.
"I'm going to step out of the limo, get the immediate fans out of the way, and then we can decide what store to check out first." The Slayer said as he held Daisy out towards Cherri, "Would you mind?" He asked.
"Not at all. Come here, fluff butt." She answered, gladly taking the rabbit from him.
"Wait, Will." Moxxie spoke up before the Slayer even moved to get out, "I was thinking, you're probably going to need some bodyguards. Want Millie and me to have your back?" He asked.
"Heh, I appreciate that, Moxxie. But I'm a big boy. I can handle a few people treating me like a celebrity." The Slayer assured.
"I don't know, Will. I think Moxxie has a point; the people down here, whether they used to be humans or were born in Hell, are WAY wilder when it comes to this kind of stuff." Millie explained, supporting her husband.
"Look, if it'll make you two feel better, then sure. You can be my bodyguards today." He accepted.
"In that case, give us a few seconds to make sure it's safe." Moxxie requested before he and Millie exited the vehicle.
"They do remember nothing in all of Hell can hurt me, right?" He asked as he looked at the others.
"It's not so much that they're worried you'll be injured, rather that you'll get molested," Cherri explained.
"Guys, come on. I know this is Hell. But a lot of the people here used to be on your Earth. And the reform has been active for a few months now. Surely it won't be as bad as you're used to." He argued.
"Hey, I hope you're right. I know we made a bet on how quickly shit will spin out of control. But I still don't want to see you getting groped by twenty different women and men." She said.
"If ANYONE puts their hand on what I've had a claim on for nearly a year now, I'll start shooting." Angel Dust warned, and he meant every word.
"Pfft, what claim? Katie's been doing better at getting to his dick than you. The same goes for Nifty." Blitzo told him.
Thankfully, before Angel Dust could summon his weapons and shove them into the Imp's face for that comment, Moxxie and Millie popped their heads back in.
"Okay, so, a decent-sized crowd has started to form. But nothing we can't handle." He informed.
"However, once they see who's inside this limo, the horde will be summoned." She warned, making it sound like an apocalypse was about to happen.
"But I can still step out, right?" The Slayer inquired, wanting to be sure.
"Mhm. We'll stick to your left and right." Moxxie responded.
"And here. We. Go." Cherri said in a slow, hyping manner.
With Millie and Moxxie standing on opposite sides of the door, the Slayer left the inside of their luxurious limousine and stepped into the daylight. And not even before he got all of his head outside of the vehicle did someone let out an audible gasp and shout as loudly as they could:
"IT'S FUCKING DOOMGUY!"
Elsewhere, Inside The Changing Area Of A Clothes Store...
"How's it going in there?" Charlie asked her uncle, who still hadn't come out in the FIRST outfit picked for him.
As expected when dealing with someone who's never worn anything else besides their hooded robe in their entire immortal life, Charlie, Verosika, and a reluctant Stella accumulated a mountain of clothes for Gabriel to try on. However, the reason why he hadn't even shown them the first outfit yet isn't that he didn't know how to put it on; it's because, much like Azrael who changed her appearance to be more regular, he was doing the same for the first time...well, ever. The truth is, beneath the seemingly endless shadows of Gabriel's hood, Gabriel didn't have a face, or eyes, or anything that could be described as features, and the same could be said for his body. So, this would be the debut of a brand new Gabriel, and he wanted to get it just right.
"I'm almost done. I'm sorry it's taken me so long." He apologized.
"Nonsense, Gabriel! This is the start of an exciting new life for you!" Verosika encouraged, "And if Lucifer's anything to go by, you'll be a stud." She complimented, which made him chuckle.
"Well, I hope I live up to your expectations then." He replied.
"Verosika..." Stella said in a low voice, lightly jabbing the succubus with her elbow to get her to stop.
"Oh, come off it, Stella. Do not pretend like you DON'T want to see what Gabriel's going to look like the moment he steps out from behind that curtain." She responded.
"Of course, I'm curious. But the MOMENT you saw Gabriel outside, you've been trying to force something that WON'T happen. And I don't appreciate it." Stella said.
"Hey, I'm not trying to push you, okay? I just figured with how well you two get along that you'd like some alone time with him before EVERYONE else gets in the way." She told her.
"...Is that true?" Stella asked, hesitant to believe her.
"Yes. I swear." She answered, "Although, I will admit. I did want to see how you'd react to this; again, I give you my word that it was purely for my amusement and not to try and force anything to happen. I wouldn't put you through that." She insisted.
"I see...well...thank you, Verosika. Even though I still plan to get you back for this, it's nice to know you weren't scheming to get Gabriel and me to do something we're not comfortable with." Stella said, which made both of them smile.
During that conversation between the two women, Charlie had an unnoticed look of pure regret and fear. Thankfully, before either Verosika or Stella could see it, Gabriel spoke up, getting their attention back on him.
"Okay. I'm done. Now, I want you to be as brutally honest with me as possible. I'm looking for all the feedback you can give. I've never done anything like this before, so any advice or insight as to what isn't right would be greatly appreciated." He told them.
"Aw, don't worry, uncle. I'm sure you look great." Charlie said, hoping to comfort him.
"Enough suspense! Come out here and show us what you've got, angel boy!" Verosika exclaimed, possibly more excited for the reveal than either Charlie or Stella.
This was it, the moment of truth. Gabriel grabbed onto the curtain, steeled his soul, then finally pulled the curtain to the side to show himself. And when he did, it turned out that Charlie was wrong; Gabriel didn't look great, he looked...he looked...
"Ho...Holy shit..." Verosika muttered as all three women stared wide-eyed at him.
"What's wrong? It's the tone of my appearance, isn't it? Or the hair? I considered growing it longer, but I thought to differentiate from Lucifer and Michael, it should be short." He explained.
"No...you've got it wrong, uncle Gabe..." Charlie said before an ear-to-ear grin appeared on her face, "You look INCREDIBLE!" She exclaimed with glee before springing to her feet.
Unable to control herself, Charlie rushed over to her uncle to take in EVERY detail of his appearance that she could, because holy hot fuck, this was insane. To begin, the simple way to describe Gabriel would be the complete opposite of Lucifer, but not in an insulting way. Instead of snow-white, near porcelain skin, Gabriel had opted to give himself a very alluring brown, the same color one would find in finely made leather. Also, rather than having plentiful blonde hair, or long flowing locks like Charlie or Michael, Gabriel chose to have short-cut black hair that was a tiny bit spikey but not too much.
But then came the physical traits, and by Vega's name Gabriel was, as Verosika herself would put it, a heaping hot hunk of man MEAT. Gabriel's face was like that of a sculpture, a perfect balance of angles and smoothness that gave him the ideal appearance of firm and knowledgeable, but also portrayed his polite and warm nature; ANYONE would love to talk to him from his face alone. Then there was his BODY, which had been dressed in a standard black tuxedo since Charlie wanted to start his outfits with something nice and handsome. It filled out the suit perfectly; Gabriel's arms were big and strong but not to the same degree of bulk as the Slayer's biceps, his chest and torso were significant as well, but the latter slimmed a bit as it went down.
Which brought the ladies' gazes to his legs, which certainly had the same look of strength to them as Gabriel's arms, and fit his pants just as well as everything else did. Which, in all honesty, did make Verosika wonder how the archangel's ass looked. And to top all of it off, he had these warm, inviting amber eyes that made you want to pour your heart and soul out to the man. Oh, and as for his height, that remained unchanged, which was the ONLY thing that Charlie, Verosika, and Stella expected.
"Are you sure, Charlie?" Gabriel asked as his niece walked around him while looking up and down, "I didn't go overboard, did I? It all looks...sensible?" He added, trying to think of the right word to use.
"Not at all! You did a WONDERFUL job!" She praised, right as Verosika stood up and walked over.
"Hey, Gabriel." She spoke to get his attention, "Come on, be honest; you wanted to look hot, right?" She inquired.
"What? No. I would never do something so vain." He replied, genuinely shocked she'd ask such a thing.
"Then why are you the LITERAL embodiment of sex?!" She questioned as she held her hands out in front of her, gesturing to his...EVERYTHING, "The body, the skin tone, and the face! You're the kind of guy that'd get put on romance novels until the end of time!" She exclaimed.
"Did you have something you used for reference, uncle?" Charlie asked.
"Actually, yes. You see, I have a passionate interest in all forms of art. Beyond literature, I've always been fascinated by the imaginations of mortal artists from all parts of creation. So, when I was looking in the mirror in my changing room, I thought of all the paintings and sculptures I've seen, specifically the ones made by humans since you, Lucifer, and Lilith all have chosen to resemble them to a certain extent. And, not wanting to be the odd one out, based this appearance on those." He answered as he looked down at himself, "But if it's too much or too unoriginal, I will gladly change it to something-"
"NO!" Both Verosika and Charlie shouted at the same time, although for ENTIRELY different reasons.
"Oh..." He said in surprise, caught off guard by their outburst, "So...it's good then. You both like it?" He asked, wanting to be sure.
"YES." They answered, again, for VERY contrasting reasons.
"Huh, alright then. I...guess this is how I shall look for the foreseeable future. Or, at least until I go back to Heaven." He decided with a smile, only to then realize something, "Oh! Miss Stella, you haven't said a word." He noted as he looked at the owl demon, who'd been silent.
However, Stella wasn't in right now, her mind was overcome with fog, or perhaps it was steam? Smoke? Clouds? It was hard to be sure. What Stella WAS sure of is that she never imagined before this moment what the archangel might look like when not hidden by his cloak, and now, she knew, and...she couldn't process what her feelings were about it.
Luckily, as if Vega had been watching and took pity on the poor woman, the others' attention was directed to the store as practically everyone else in the building was suddenly running as if they were a stampede.
"What the fuck is going on?" Verosika was the first to ask, although it was Charlie who poked her head out to see.
"Something must be going on outdoors because that's where everyone's headed." She reported before pulling her head back in, "Should we go check it out?" She asked.
"We can't." Gabriel said while gesturing to their bags and the rest of the outfits they picked out for him, "What about all of this?" He asked.
"It'll be here when we get back!" Verosika answered before grabbing onto his wrist, "Now come on! Let's go see what's got everyone in an uproar!" She instructed as she pulled him out.
"Wait! Verosika! We haven't paid for this suit!" He told her.
"Don't worry, uncle! As Verosika said, we're coming back! We'll pay for it then!" Charlie replied as she followed behind.
"I don't believe that's how it's meant to work!" He exclaimed but was still helpless against their pulling and pushing.
Unintentionally, the trio forgot about Stella, who still sat in the changing area staring blankly ahead of her. But, in all fairness, it's not like she noticed herself and was likely not to for quite some time.
Not Too Far Away...
"BACK! BACK YOU SAVAGES! BACK!" Moxxie ordered as he did his best to keep people at bay.
"YOU HEARD HIM! STAY BACK UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR KNEES BROKEN!" Millie shouted alongside him, also trying to keep them at a distance.
Okay, so the Slayer was wrong. But, of course, no one can be right ALL the time; it's to be expected. And yet, he always believed he'd be wrong when it came to something far more critical or mundane, and not what his celebrity status in Hell was like.
"Everyone! Please, calm down. You don't need to get so crazy like this." The Slayer said, hoping if he got involved, it'd help.
"DOOMGUY! COULD YOU PLEASE SIGN MY SHIRT!"
"SIGN MY ARM!"
"SIGN MY TITS!"
"SIGN MY ASS!"
"HE'S NOT SIGNING ANYTHING!" Moxxie interrupted the assault of increasingly inappropriate requests, "AND MISS! PLEASE, PUT YOUR BRA BACK ON!" He requested to the topless woman.
"HEY! I SEE YOU OVER THERE, ASSHOLE! IF I CATCH SO MUCH AS A GLIMPSE OF YOUR DICK OUT OF THOSE SLAYER BOXERS OF YOURS, IT'S COMING OFF!" Millie warned as she saw someone else wanting to strip so the Slayer could sign various parts of their body.
All of this was happening outside of the limo, in which Cherri with Daisy, Blitzo, Angel Dust, and Stolas all watched on from the safety of the vehicle.
"Hey! Those are our boxers! Glad to see the underwear is still selling well." Blitzo commented with a strangely proud smile.
"Blitzy, please." Stolas responded with a disappointed sigh, but it wasn't directed at him, "Our day out isn't looking too good after this mess..." He said.
"Aw, come on, Stolas. We ALL knew this was going to happen." Blitzo told him.
"He does have a point." Angel Dust chimed in.
"I hate to agree with the two spoilsports, but yeah, this was a no brainer, hence why I made a bet~" Cherri said with a smile, "All that's left is to wait for noon, turn on the limo TV, and see Will's face plastered on the news to seal the deal." She added, which caused Stolas to sigh a second time.
"I know...but I was hoping it might not be as bad as we all expected. I did want to have a pleasant day with all of you." He replied.
Seeing how bothered Stolas was, Blitzo did feel some guilt creeping up from how he acted earlier. But before he could even think of something to say or do and then also muster up the courage for either. Angel Dust, who'd been looking out the window like them, scanning the crowd for any especially interesting lunatics, suddenly sat straight up in his seat with his eyes wide open.
"HOLY SHIT." He said, which got their attention, "WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?!" He asked, pointing to where he was looking so they could follow his gaze.
Curious about what gave the spider demon this jolt of life, Cherri, Blitzo, Stolas, and even Daisy all peered out the same window. Approaching from the end of the street they were parked on was, to their surprise, Charlie, Verosika, and...whoa.
"Holy shit!" Cherri exclaimed, similar to Angel Dust, "Who the FUCK is that with Charlie and Verosika?" She asked.
"I...I have no idea..." Stolas muttered, "But, I must say, he is quite handsome." He added.
"Hey! The fuck?" Blitzo questioned, taken aback by that.
"Oh, Blitzy. You know I love you. But come on, even YOU must admit that gentleman is attractive." He argued.
"...He's alright," Blitzo replied as he crossed his arms, unimpressed.
However, as one would expect, the Slayer also noticed the two women approaching alongside this mysterious man.
"Charlie?" He called out, which got Millie, Moxxie, and the swarm surrounding them to notice as well.
"Oh! It's Will!" Charlie exclaimed to her companions before she started waving, "Hi, Will!" She greeted him as the trip approached.
Amazingly, everything fell quiet when all eyes fell onto Charlie, Verosika, and the unknown person in their company. Well, perhaps not EVERYTHING, because the crowd quickly began to whisper and stare at the handsome stud who was standing between the princess and the pop star.
"Holy shit," Moxxie muttered, unknowingly having the same reaction as their friends in the limo, "Who is that?" He asked, referring to the man.
"I don't know." Millie chimed in, just as stunned as her husband.
"Uh, hey, Charlie." The Slayer responded with a wave of his own as they approached. The crowd was kind enough to allow them through as they walked, "Who's...your friend?" He asked.
"It's me, Slayer," Gabriel revealed, which made the others' mouths drop open, except for the Slayer.
"Wait...Gabriel? But...you look so...normal?" He questioned, not affected by the archangel's attractiveness like everyone else.
"Yes, well, Charlie insisted that I expand my wardrobe. And to do so, I needed to follow in Azrael's example by giving myself a more mundane form." Gabriel explained.
"Ah, gotcha." He said, accepting this far quicker and easier than literally everyone else in the vicinity.
"WAIT!" Someone from the crowd shouted, causing them to look in their direction, "Gabriel? As in THE Gabriel? Lord Lucifer's BROTHER Gabriel?" They asked.
"Why, yes. I'm surprised that you know who I am." Gabriel answered, flattered by the unexpected recognition.
For the next few seconds, everyone in the crowd began to look at one another, almost as if they were secretly planning something.
"Uh...Will..." Moxxie said quietly, getting nervous, "I THINK we should get back inside the limo..." He advised.
"Yeah, good call." The Slayer agreed, trusting him and Millie's expertise on this stuff after what they just went through.
"Hey! Don't leave us out here!" Verosika exclaimed as she grabbed onto Charlie and pulled her towards the limo, her life as a celebrity giving her all the experience she needed to know what was about to happen.
"What's going on?" Gabriel asked right as they were inside, closed the door, then locked it for good measure.
"Sorry, Gabriel! It has to be this way!" She apologized from behind the window.
"I don't understand; you're acting like something bad is about to-"
Then, in an instant, like a school of sharks converging on a bleeding morsel, Gabriel was swarmed by the crowd.
"Why do you look so different from Lord Lucifer?"
"Can I take a picture with you? PLEASE!"
"Hot damn, you are BUILT! Could you take Doomguy in a fight?"
"Is everyone in Lord Lucifer's family as sexy as you?"
"Can I have your number?"
These and many, many more questions or statements were thrown at the archangel. And, like a deer in the headlights, all Gabriel could do was stand there as he had NO idea how to respond to ANY of this. As for the others, they watched on from inside the safety of their limousine, each of them, except the Slayer, still fixated on his new appearance.
"I CAN'T believe that's Gabriel..." Moxxie said in disbelief.
"I know, right? He's sexy as FUCK!" Angel Dust exclaimed, in far better spirits now that he was horny.
"Hey! Don't you get ANY ideas, Angel! He's still MY uncle!" Charlie exclaimed, not appreciative of how he was eyeing Gabriel.
"Charlie, I think you have a LOT more to worry about than Angel. That crowd's going to strip him if this keeps up." Verosika warned.
"THE HELL THEY WILL!" She shouted in rage before unlocking the door, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY UNCLE! HE ISN'T A TOY!" She ordered, asserting her authority as the princess while she stepped out of the vehicle.
"So...Cherri." The Slayer spoke up, getting her attention, "What're the odds that Gabriel makes the news instead of me?" He asked with a smirk.
"...FUCK!" She exclaimed since she didn't think about that, "Goddamn it...you're going to win the fucking bet..." She said with a sigh, which made him chuckle.
"I...I still can't believe that is Gabriel..." Stolas muttered, unable to stop staring at the man.
"Careful, Stolas. Your boner is showing." Blitzo said with his arms crossed, a bit annoyed at how he was acting.
"Oh, Blitzy. Don't get so worked up. You know my heart belongs to you~" He cooed, which only annoyed the Imp more, "But you can't blame me for being so amazed. Who here would've guessed our favorite archangel would be so handsome?" He asked.
"No one." Angel Dust answered, speaking for everyone.
"Precisely." He said with a smile, "Even so, I can't wait to speak to him once Charlie disperses the crowd. There's SO much we need to discuss!" He exclaimed, giddy as could be.
"Well, that won't be for a while. So, we better settle in." Verosika told them as she put her feet up.