30 minutes later -

"What the fuck are you sitting there for?" Husk asked Coco at the bar while he spat in a glass and cleaned it. Pretending to be doing his job. "Didn't I already tell ya ta fuck off an hour ago."

"Never trust a demon with time or deadlines," was all Coco answered, then looking down at her lap where the book laid open.

Angel was late but Coco had sort of predicted that, so she sat on a bar stool ignoring Husk while reading from the book. She wasn't sure if anyone here would know about the apparently valuable magical item so she had to be fairly secretive about it. Although that could just be the fact that she didn't necessarily trust anyone here.

'I still don't really know anything about Hell or this Hotel,' Coco thought as she flipped through the pages of the book. Studying the most interesting illustrations she could find and skimming page by page. 'Oh wait. Maybe this page has something interesting…'

Outlined was something that looked similar to her curse mark was a two page spread of 8 circles surrounding a pentagram. While there was one circle more than her tattoo, Coco saw they each had an interesting inscription laid out around them. One of which was in bright red while the others were still black.

"Ring of Fire," Coco read out loud, quietly under her breath while following it along with her finger.

"May the circle serve to separate,

Encircle the space of light,

And emit the fire to reject the dark,

The shared space remain whole at night.

So that the life of knowledge may be protected,

Like a star that floats in space.

The star will expand and implode when the circle ends

Leaving all outer space

Rejected."

Like that made any sense.

"What kind of crappy novel is that?" Husk asked half interested, laying over the edge of the bar with his arms crossed. He was bored of pretending to work and decided to pick at the human for laughs.

"It's not crappy," Coco responded, closing the book and blushing while giving Husk a pouty expression. "Just… some riddle or something."

"Sounds dumb." Husk said, covering up how he didn't understand it either.

"…" Coco glared at Husk for a second before turning back to the book, opening it up a crack to keep reading. "I think it's about circles or something. Maybe about this curse…"

"Sounds like you need to get creative."

Coco was about to comment how that was a good idea before Husk slammed a bottle of whiskey onto the counter top. She just slowly stared at him at he popped off the bottle top.

"I'm not sure I'm supposed to drink in here…" Coco said, looking very uneasy about drinking in Hell from an innocent mostly sober point of view. "Or how that's supposed to be creative…?"

"Creative as hell to me," was all Husk commented before pouring whiskey into the spit smeared glass he had been working on. "At least it'll make your mumbling at my bar less irritatin'."

Coco just glared at Husk again and went back to reading. Assuming the first circle might have something to do with the random Hell Burn that happens when things get too dangerous, maybe the other rings would help. The second one next to it had begun to glow a light amber red and drew Coco in curiously.

"Chains of Rhythm," Coco read under her breath, again following the words with a finger as she studied them.

"When we hear their cries,

Their voices reaching out,

For possession or want,

We will not judge their account.

Let their anger be strong,

Their fear breed will to persevere,

Chains that bound one to another,

Will bind to the fire of the first sphere."

"Ya mind not boring me to tears with your poetry." Angel said, leaning up against the bar with one elbow and letting out a yawn. "It's making you more depressing to look at than normal."

"GAH!" Coco slammed the book shut and looked up at Angel with a deep blush. Yet again being eavesdropped on. "!Madre de Dios! Can you not listen to someone when they're not talking to you!"

"So I'm supposed to ignore the crazy chick mumbling to herself ova' here?" Angel said with a side long smirk. "So. Are we gonna get this shopping thing ova' with or whateve'?"

"FINE." Coco said briskly, still red with shame all over as she hopped off the bar stool with the book under her arm. "Let's just do this and go…"

"Ya seriously bringin' a book with ya?" Angel said, crossing a separate pair of arms while pointing one hand at the book with a look of disgust. "What am I? Ya baby-sitter now?"
"You're being paid to look after me in public," Coco reminded him darkly, tying up the book to her hip. "So yeah. Baby sit me."

"Oh, please tell me I get to whoop your ass for all this "smart talk" ya shovin' at me." Angel said semi-exasperated with a sarcastic expression, even more desperate than her to finish this and move on.

But he stopped as Coco walked to the door while putting on the face mask Moxxy gave her. It helped cut down on her human expressions so it made Angel feel less paranoid with being seen taking her out in public with.

"Alright~!" Angel cheered, putting back on his false cheerful persona to do this with. "Leeeet's just have a ball with this shit. First stop, downtown Pentagram City! Here I come!"

"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to regret this?" Coco asked herself as she followed Angel back out into the blazing heat.

Downtown Pentagram City-

"I regret all of this."

Coco stood uncomfortably close to the edge of a poorly thought out sidewalk on the main street in the middle of Pentagram City. She wasn't quiet sure how they had gotten there given that she kept her eyes glued to the book for the entirely uncomfortable 30 minute transit in some kind limo they took. All she knew now was that it's hot, the sky is red, it smells bad, and the noise here is even worse than in Imp City.

"What? This shit hole not up to your standard or anything?" Angel asked before laughing at her. "Sorry Doll Face, but you're stuck with this down here."

"I don't even know what I'm looking at…" Coco said more to herself, looking around confused at all the…. "shops".

Everything leading down in displays looked like they were in varying states of over-sexed and uncomfortable. It was like looking down a street of poorly made +18 Halloween costume stores with no return policy in sight. Everything was red or black, looked uncomfortable, had too many ropes or buttons, and didn't cover much. A particularly seedy store was basically selling scraps of fabric glued onto a mannequin out front with several demons lingering about to stare at them.

"Is there anywhere here that sells something…" Coco looked for the words while gesturing at herself to show she wanted clothes that actually covered her body. "Normal?"

"This is normal here, bitch." Angel said with a shrug. He was pretty used to this kind of whining by now so he took it with salt. "Now, you wanna look like you have some style or keep the homeless bum thing goin'? Cause I got a guy for both, either way."

"Ha… Okay." Coco sighed and pinched the skin between her eyes. At this rate, they'd be arguing in circles. And there's no point in complaining about style or decency when you're clothes shopping in Hell. "Fine, I'm sorry. Show me your… style."

"Great!" Angel turned to walk down a road, not caring if Coco followed or not. "All I need is some smart mouthed, know-it-all, hypochondria-lookin' snot followin' me around where I shop. Nope. I'm takin' ya somewhere I don't care bein' seen in."
"You really know how to make it something bad even worse." Coco commented, reluctantly following him as he's the only person she remotely trusts down here.

"Thank you~"

The heat was beating down and Coco had trouble seeing too far, so she held the book up over her head to make some shade as she followed Angel's long foot steps. And the farther they walked, the more Coco noticed that the place seemed to get… well it kept getting worse. There were demons bumming around street corners and in shady alleyways, tall buildings with cracked walls and sheets hanging out of broken windows. Aside from the few vending machines on every couple of corners, the place reminded Coco of war zone pictures.

"Where are we going…?" Coco asked, feeling uncomfortable with the amount of glances she was getting just standing behind Angel Dust who either didn't seem to notice or care. "Weren't we already at the place or…?"
"We're goin' to some place I know with some shit I wouldn't be seen in," Angel answered, also paying no mind. He seemed to be on the look out for something else but wouldn't tell her what. "But, since Little Miss Sunshine here needs some neat threads that don't make ya stick out. This place would be betta' for you."

"Ooooookay?" Coco said, straightening up. That seemed actually nice of him, to a degree without the insulting. But she couldn't quiet figure out what this place was still and was finding the taller buildings more and more menacing. "Where are we though? This place… doesn't look…"

"It's a haunt." Angel said darkly. He also knew what she thought but figured he'd keep it short and simple. "Place where newbies who can't make it land and squat. Lots of peoples' set up shop and business here. Just be happy ain't none of it open till dark."

"Wait, if nothing opens until night time, then why are we here?"
"Nothin' worth bein' seen in is open till night," Angel corrected, looking over his shoulder at Coco. He grimaced at how she had book over her head but got over it as he turned his head around. "But, uh. I wouldn't recommend comin' down here at the after hours'. 'Specially not you, Doll Face. In fact, we're just gonna steer clear out of here soon as' ya done."

"Why?" Coco asked, looking around the few corners she could see. "Does something happen here at night?"

"Uhhh nothin' you're old enough to know about~ Heh heh." Angel cracked himself up with that one. Haunts were popular hangouts of general vice and seedy business for those willing to pay for it. He wasn't going to mention the purging that happened a few weeks ago and the turf wars rollin' through. He figured, the less she knew, the better. "And ya mind takin' that thing off ya head and ya face yet? Ya look like a moron."

"I can't see without some shade." Coco said, glaring at Angel. "And I can't breath without the mask."

"One or the other, kid."

Angel picked the book off her head and dropped it on the ground. Coco quickly picked it up and was about to tell him off before he pressed a pair of big, pink round sunglasses on her.

"Ugh." Angel looked at Coco confused before backing up for the whole picture. "How the Hell do you look even more like a nerd now? The shades make me wanna push ya even more."

"Great. Thanks." Coco said bitterly. She was getting really close to actually hitting Angel now, the insults getting too personal and built up. "Can we just go somewhere now or-"

"Don't get ya' panties in a twist," Angel said, waving one of his hands off and pointing over at a building across the street. "We're here, Doll Face."

She looked over and saw a semi-normal looking store that was run down and sorry looking. The three story building was made of dark red and black checked print that was slightly curved with black and white awning over the main windows. The storefront window had two mannequins dressed in old clothes that were stitched up, posing beside an old piano and bookshelf filled with broken and repaired knick-knacks. There were five steeps steps leading to a big green door with angular shapes and a sign hanging above.

Haven's House of Ugly Antiques.

You break it, we fix it. You buy it, we take out the curse!

"Huh," Coco said, looking over at the place. Weirdly enough, the honest character of the place made her like it better. "This looks kind of cool."

"Ew…" Angel looked at Coco with mild disgust. His expression remind her of someone who was trying to hold in a sneeze. "Only losers actually shop here. Ugh, no wonder you have no sense of taste…"
"I swear, one day I will squash you…" Coco said darkly under her breath before turning angrily at Angel. "Can you just go in with me and not make a scene?"

"Oh~ I'll try so hard not to embarrass you~" Angel said mockingly, walking beside Coco while continuing the taunting charade. "How awful would it be never to be seen again in this trash hole~ Oh! The travesty! The embarrassment~!"

"I'm. Sorry. Please. Stop. Now…" Coco said quickly, mortified as she walked quickly in front of Angel with her head bent down, pretending not to know him.

"Come on, Doll Face," Angel said, teasingly as he opened the front door with a chime ringing in. "Lighten' the mood a little. If I'm stuck hangin' out with your ass, I might as well have some fun."

Coco just chose to ignore him while stepping into the store. The whole place was packed wall to ceiling with different things that were old and very old. Antiques, vintage clothes, book, paintings, fabric, furniture. It was like a mix of a museum and junk store that got smashed together into some kind of abstract painting. But there was cool air and the walls were actually a nice whitish cream color with green peeling wall paper, so it was a nice kind of pathetic store.

Something like this existed in Hell?

"This place is different," Coco said, taking off her mask and the rose tinted sun glasses to keep looking around. "Looks kind of old too."

"Smells like old wet Hell," Angel commented dryly before looking around. He had a fairly disinterested look but kept curiously tipping things over. "Anyone actually work here? Place looks deader than road kill."

"You mean you don't even know if anyone's here?" Coco questioned slightly aghast. Following behind Angel slowly as she caught whatever objects he tipped and knocked.

"Nobody who isn't a loser," Angel said with a laugh. "Doll, nobody with class would be caught dead here-"

"Oh I have lots of classy dead bodies."

"AAAAAGGHHHHHHHH!"

Angel and Coco screamed and jumped back, grabbing on to one another arms in surprise just to blink and look was a smallish Imp with three horns wearing an old brown suit-vest and eye glasses. Other than the fact he was obviously a demon… He seemed nice.

"…. hello," Coco said quietly, still uncomfortable with other demons and choosing to hold onto Angel.

"What da' fuck?" Angel said simply before noticing Coco was attached to his hip. He pushed her off roughly and smiled when he heard her fall on the floor before looking down at the Imp with the oversized horns. "An' what'er you? Some kind of freaky grave robber?"

"ANGEL!" Coco yelled as she hopped up next to him. She glared at Angel in deep disturbed rage before slowly turning to look and give the Imp an awkward smile. "UM. We-we're sorry. Uh, is this store… open?"
"I'm not sorry," Angel clarified, crossing both pairs of arms. Sticking by all his assumptions that this place is a dump, Coco is stupid and this was a waste of time.

The Imp acknowledged both of them before nodding. He looked like he didn't have any opinion about why they were there or what they looked like. Which made Coco appreciate him even more.

"If you're lookin' to rob us blind then I wish the best of luck. Given this whole place is set to cause massive internal bleeding and rectal ruptures to thieves." He said way too calmly. "But if you're paying customers then please come in and ignore the scent of disappointment."

"um." Coco stood there with an awkward grin on her face like she couldn't understand how easy that was. "Okay… Where are your clothes?"

"Scattered and gathered on the second floor." He answered with a nod and then turned around. "All of it are just things demons either brought down with them or pawned early on. Old treasures or junk. Really your choice to decide which is which. I just charge more for them than they're worth no matter what."

He then walked off and left the two of them alone, as if he really couldn't care less whether they decided to stay or not. Coco and Angel just looked at each other skeptically, shrugged their shoulders and went on.

"Welp." Angel just shrugged his top set of shoulders and moved on to walking around the dump. "Let's get somethin' and get out of here quick."

"I actually agree with you for once," Coco replied while following.

The whole place felt cramped and dusty, but it seemed like there were some interesting things hidden around. When Coco looked carefully, she could actually see things like antiques and vintage items. All from different time lines, just scattered about.

A crinoline. A gramophone. An old walkman. A blue tricycle. Three book shelves filled with assorted trashy novels and cookbooks. Two sets of old cameras. A sewing machine. Four shrunken heads. A stapler shaped like an apple. Three oversized monocles. An old Atari system. And a pair of ice-blue, fresh Air Jordans.

It was like a giant jumble you could spend an afternoon lost in. But Coco didn't want to get lost. She wanted to find clothes and get out of here so she could stare blankly at her new bedroom wall and pretend to sleep with her eyes open.

"What do people even wear in Hell?" Coco asked, walking around curiously to look over shelves and at mannequins. "Like style wise?"

"Depends." Angel answered while sorting through a box of junk before just picking it up and dumping out all the contents on the floor. That was vaguely amusing. "What'd'ya wanna say? That you're a crack whore or a crack dealer?"

"Are those my only options?" Coco asked, hand on hip but wondering if he was being serious.

"Pretty much." Angel shrugged and threw the box away over his shoulder while walking past Coco. Not really looking at her but giving her a side-long glance to tell her he didn't care to look at her. "Not sure if you can pull of the look though. Somehow, you look too pathetic to even be a whore or dealer."

"And can I guess which one you'd be?" Coco asked sarcastically, crossing her arms and leaning against a shelf of old luggage and what smelt like bleach. "Scratch that. I don't really want to know."

"'Fraid you was too stupid to figure it out, heh heh." Angel chuckled lightly under his break before reaching a curtain and pulling it back. Swept up in some kind of dust and coughing a bit before he saw something unimpressive. "Hey. C'mere. Found somethin' you'd probably like."

"A puppy?" Coco asked while popping her head out from behind him.

She looked over and saw a small circular clothes rack hung with clothes that looked in various forms of wear and tear. Different materials in different shades of colors and lengths. But they all managed to look… passable.

"Oh hey that's nice." Coco walked over and began flicking through the rack. "Actually some really nice stuff here…"

"You are so gross I can't even bring myself to explain it," Angel said while leaning against a back wall of some sort and crossing his arms. He glowered boredly as Cocos' expression focused on the clothes, he was avidly confused in her interest and found it disgusting. "That stuff looks like somethin' a nun would wear."

"What did nuns wear when you were alive?" Coco cracked a grin and flashed him a pair of black denim shorts that she tucked under her arm. "Oh come on, it's not that bad. Closest thing I've found to normal and comfortable since being here."
"You keep throwin' around 'normal' and 'comfortable' like they're the same thing here." Angel pointed out, rolling a hand around in circles before pointing at Coco. "'Cause here they mean 'boring' and 'ugly'. Christ. You're leaving me in tears here with how much of a newbie you are! It's actually sickening."

"Quit exaggerating." Coco pouted.

"I'm not exaggerating." Angel said, leaning in with a sneer that flashed his one gold tooth. "I'm stating facts. And quit it with the kiddy-pouting crap. That sorta shit's gonna get you killed and eaten here. Everyone's out to pick a newbies' head now-a-days. I suggest you learn a thing or two about how things work here before ya end up on the dinner table."

Coco tossed a light glare but stopped and considered it. He was right, she absolutely screamed "completely clueless". Hell wasn't safe for someone who looked so innocent, and definitely wasn't safe for a human.

She couldn't go about regular things like shopping and dressing like she normally would. That would make her stick out too much and create an obvious threat sooner or later. No, she had to blend in enough so no one paid her any attention and she could safely get from work to the hotel without anything happening in-between.

She needed to look like everyone else, or just enough to be un-noticeable. So she needed some more advice.

'Why is he the only one I can ask though?' Coco complained, twisting inside at the thought of having to ask Angel about anything. She didn't like any of his opinions and definitely didn't want to dress like him! 'But… I've got no other options.'

"Okaaaaaaaaay…" Coco dragged out before putting something down and looking up and over at Angel Dust. Her expression just spoke of her levels of annoyed and she didn't even try to hide how unenthusiastic she was about this anymore. "Fine. If you had just come here, what would you wear?"

"What?" Angel said, looking over with a quirked brow. "You want me to dress you?"

"No." Coco corrected quickly with a glare. "I don't want to look like you. I just… what did you wear when you first got here? Or, what's something someone should wear to not look like such a newbie?"

"You wanna find somethin' in here that doesn't make you look like a newbie?" Angel thumbed the rack and cackled. The very thought of someone who could survive the streets wearing old human clothes was laudable enough, now add in this chick's completely punchable face! "Haha! What? You think some pointers here will make you look cool or somethin'? Ha! You're out of your league if you think you can match my style with these seams, Doll Face! You'll be lucky if any of these threads keeps ya from gettin shot, let alone look good with your frame."

She ground her teeth down, feeling a light pop. This guy, this demon, this ass! Seemed to take advantage of every possible second to insult her looks, opinions or even sense of self. Which is really weird given they've only interacted maybe three times in the last day together.

'Why couldn't Charlie or at least Vaggie come with me?' Coco continued to complain, hate starting to seethe into her bones.

But. Again. Because she has no other friends, no other options, no other choice: She has to try and get along with this guy.

"Some help you are." Coco said, putting a hand down on her hip as she glared up at Angel. "You dragged me down here to somewhere you don't know, to place you know nothing about and now you can't even help me find something in here? Sounds like you don't know anything about style or Hell either."

"What was that?" Angel stepped away from his corner and walked in front of Coco. Eight eyes glowering down and two pairs of arms folded as he towered above her. How could this pipsqueak try to pretend to have some authority here? "You complainin' about shit I can't fix? Hey. You're the one who asked for ugly trash, don't whine to me just 'cause you can't handle it."

"You're the one saying he knows everything about Hell and how to get along here." Coco challenged, crossing her arms and boredly looking up at Angel. "But all I see is someone who just stands around and insults anything and everything. How'd you even survive this long? A bigger jerk talked down to you the entire time?"

"Like you even know anything about being a newbie here!" Angel growled, now leading down and giving a full on glare. "For your info, I've been working my ass off down here to survive! You think I don't know shit about the businesses here? How to blend in is the least of my problems. It's the most boring one out there! So you betta' start actin' straight a little 'cause this shit is getting annoying, smart mouth!"

"Maybe I'd know more if you actually helped!" Coco complained as she stood up on her tip toes, barely an inch under his top set of arms now. Her green eyes burrowing into his mismatched pair and returning an equal challenge. "Instead of just complaining, this would go faster if you maybe you know- Helped me! It's like I'm working alone here with how much you've helped so far."

Coco sat back on her shoes and pouted below him while Angel seethed. He ground his teeth and flexed his fists. He had many options he was considering:

Ditch her. Hit her. Leave. Tell her to fuck off. Call a guy he knows and drive off somewhere regrettable while leaving her alone with a bill.

But, no. No for only two reasons:

He had no where to go if he didn't bring her back to the hotel with him.

… He really had nothing better to do.

And while as intolerable as it is to get bitched at by a human and have to deal with a total newbie, he also knew he had promised to do just that.

So he sucked his teeth, stood up straight and stifled a yell to get through this next part.

"Alright, FINE." Angel complained loudly, turning around to wake to the other side and grab a few tolerable pieces of clothing. He wanted to get this done quick so he could ditch her inside the hotel and never look at her again. "I'll give ya some advice. But only because you're a complete dumbass and it'd be insulting for me to have to see you walking around like a clown!"

"Thank you. I guess." Coco huffed and rolled her eyes. No longer thankful for the help but dreading the next minuted of their continued interaction.

She did not expect Angel to walk back around with two arm fulls of stuff and start picking things out of her hands, though. She had hoped he would have just given her vague illusions to pants or colors and hat styles. Not… give her complete outfits and a style guide.

"First. Lose anything that's not red or black." Angle said, snatching the few shirts she had picked out and threw them away over his shoulder. "And ditch the pink. That's MY brand~ Second. Don't dress like a fucking closeted fag. Nothing makes you stick out more than tryin' to look "proper" when you're obviously a newbie. Which leads to number three. Newbies look homeless. Don't. Clothes here are tight 'cause it means you got somewhere to sleep at night and enough cash to make you look not mug-worthy. So on that note: Four, show some skin. But for my eyes sake, not too much or we'll all throw up."

He then dropped a pile of clothing in her hands and and stood looking down at her. The pile made her take three steps back from the sudden weight. But when she looked down, she was actually pleasantly surprised at the collected outfits.

An office outfit set:

Two button down sleeveless white shits, a black pencil shirt, and black pants with suspenders. A cropped black vest with white stars on the sides and two different ties to accessorize with.

A casual office set:

Two pairs of black jeans, a red long sleeved shirt with cutouts, a black sleeveless turtle neck, a white satin scarf.

Street set:

A white shirt with a black and red checked pattern going across. A mini skirt and two sets of ripped leggings. Several graphic prints of vague design and ripped red jeans. Black shorts with suspenders attached.

Add-ons:

A brown leather jacket. A shear pull over to wear on-top of sleeveless shirts. A cropped blazer.

The clothes in Cocos' hands seemed… normal. If not a bit excessive. She wasn't sure if they would fit her the way she normally wore clothes. But they were clothes that looked like anyone here would wear them. Light enough for the heat, covering everything enough to not attract attention or stares.

Coco looked up at Angel surprised but only caught him sauntering away towards the other end of the hall.

"That's all the help you're gettin' outta me for the rest of your life, Doll Face." He called, flipping her off with one hand while walking away. "I'm hangin' out downstairs somewhere no one can see me. Find me when you pay for the digs."

"…" Coco watched him continue to walk away and, while debating with herself whether she should continue to hate him, weakly said. "… Thanks."

She looked back down at the pile of clothes and let out a light breath.

They were nice. They looked like they fit. And she really shouldn't have been so rude to Angel Dust.

Sure, he'd been an ass this entire time and had been doing nothing but insult her. But she had asked him to be the one to help her out. She was relying on him, and probably not making the job that much easier on him.

'Maybe I should apologize.' Coco wondered as she started walking past a mirror. She looked over at her reflection, looking less recognizable from who she was a few days ago before she fell to Hell. 'It's not fair to make someone else bend backwards just because I'm uncomfortable. I guess, he has a point…'

She pouted, not liking to feel so belittling. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something red and blue. The first time she'd seen blue down here!

Over on the corner of a rack hung an old padded bomber jacket. It had a solid white body and dark blue sleeves with red dart-stars going up the sleeves. When she walked over and touched it, Coco felt how lightweight its fabric was and how new it seemed. It must not have been in here very long to be so new looking.

"…" Coco stared at and blushed, checking around to make sure no one was watching as she put everything down at her feet. "I-I just wanna see if it would fit…"

She pulled it off the hanger and pushed her hands gently through the sleeves. The jacket seemed to fit well, even if it was just slightly bigger than she would have liked. It's contrasting colors didn't hide her away as much as she would've liked, but it complimented something that she really wanted to project:

She was bright and didn't belong here.

When she looked in the mirror at herself, she didn't notice the makeup or the fake horns or weird fashion. She just remembered what she usually wore. What she'd usually being doing on a normal afternoon. Where she'd normally be and what she'd be doing by herself.

She felt safe in the jacket, and that made her smile.

"So are you going to buy all of this or set it on fire?" The old Imp who appeared out of nowhere asked.

"GAAAAAH!?"

Coco screamed, fell down and momentarily stared up at the Imp in pure panic from the floor. She had gotten so self obsessed that she forgot where she was and why she was here and why it's a terrible idea to be spaced out in the middle of Hell while surrounded by other demons. Yep. Bad idea girl.

"…" Coco stared up at the man, heat still beating at 65 miles per hour and sweat running down the side of her head. When she could process language again she ended up letting absolute dribble spill out of her mouth in a response. "Uh yes I I-I am I-I've got a uh uh uh money to to to pay for the the the things I w-wear and um there's nothing else I really need to uh uh uh where's my friend?"

"He's being a general nuisance down the hall." The man said, picking up everything she had just dropped in one hand and getting on with this sale. "Tell him to stop manically breaking things and I'll let you leave with your fingers."

"… yes sir." Coco said quietly, picking herself up off the ground and following the imp.

Once they walked over to the desk, Coco caught Angel idly picking up cups, examining them, then ceremoniously dropping them on to the floor to watch them break into pieces. She frowned and walked over, carefully stepping around pieces of colorful glass, ceramic and whatever else he had been breaking.

"Why am I not surprise." Coco stated as she looked up at Angel, his own expression vague yet bored. "I'm done, if you want to leave."

"Great. I was gettin' bored of breakin' shit around here." Angel started to move away before remembering something and pushing a fairly large box towards Coco. "Hey, check it out. I found some shit to make your room less depressing. Figured this cheap crap was right up your alley."

Coco quirked a brow then bent over and checked out the box. Inside was an assortment of junk, weird shit and actually decent stuff. Funny shaped neon-novelty lights, fairy lights, Christmas ornaments, burnt ends of rugs and tapestries, hand-mirrors and ornamental doorknobs. Mostly bright colors and things you wouldn't normally look at, but actually seemed nice since there was almost nothing like it in the rest of Hell.

"Thanks," Coco said, taking the box and keeping her eyes off of Angel. It was weird to try to be nice to someone who seemed… like an asshole. But, you have to make amends to everyone somehow. "So, uh, let me just buy this stuff. Um. Do you want anything or…?"

"What? From here?" Angel let one hand gesture around the place before he spat at his feet. "Ew. No. Just hurry it up, Doll Face. I ain't got all day to be bummin' it down here."
"You got a day job?" Coco asked.

"No."

"Then you've got time." Coco replied snidely and turned with the box under her arm to the counter.

As she walked away Angel made a mock-mimic of her then flipped her off. He turned and crossed his arms looking out the window, changing to a disturbed and semi-worried expression. It was getting dark.

'How long have we been in this shit hole?' Angel tried to think of the time but just groaned. He never kept track of time. Never kept track of many things. But this was bad. Very very bad to be in a Haunt as the sun goes down. 'Fuck. Great. And there's no way I can hitch a ride without gettin' shot! We gotta get outta here now before someone runs us over…'

He was stopped by Coco tapping on his arm and twisted around to see her standing below him holding nothing. He looked confused, especially since she was just smiling up at him.

"Uhhh I don't think you've got this "buyin' shit" thing right." Angel said, turning all the way around so his sour glare had full impact. "Ya see, you're supposed to take the shit you pay for. If you're just handin' over money for nothin', that's just a muggin'."

"He said he delivers~" Coco half-bragged while rocking on the back of her heals. She was still wearing the blue-on-red jacket and felt nice knowing they had finished. "Okay. I'm done. What's next?"

"We get the fuck out of here." Angel replied and immediately turned to walk out. "Keep up, Doll Face."

"What? But-" Coco panicked at the quick speed of Angels' steps. She turned and quickly assessed they were leaving and, rather than arguing with it, she just sighed and tried to leave the place on pleasant standings. "Thank you for the help, sir! We'll come again!"

"Don't die out there." The Imp at the counter stated, already boxing things up and preparing to have it shipped. "The only paying customer I've ever had. Glad I didn't have to kill 'em this time…"

Coco quickly skipped out and ran behind Angel, who just walked off the stairs and was currently looking around for the nearest way to get the fuck out of here. He wouldn't mind having to hang around a Haunt so much if it wasn't so soon after the last turf war. He didn't bring anything fun with him. Just a human who might start dying any minute.

"What now?" Coco asked, pulling out the face mask and putting it on. She couldn't look up at Angel because of the glare from the sky, so she stuck to watching his boots clip and clop down the sidewalk.

"We're gettin' out of here, that's what." Angel spat, giving a glare to a passing demon that had been eye-ing him. Things were really starting to annoy him.

"Back to the hotel?" Coco asked, slipping on the sunglasses Angel had put on her earlier.

"Back to where-ever the fuck you want. I don't care!" Angel shrugged and hissed between his teeth. "Hotel. The park. The hell, whatever. Let's go."

"Okay! Okay!" Coco said quickly, feeling like she had to defend herself from his random, venomous onslaught. "Jeez. Sorry I asked."

It was weird. Her never ending questions were tiring and frustrating. They made him want to squeeze her cheeks so hard that her teeth cracked. They also made him want to do a cacophony of other things. Things that were currently buzzing in the back of his mind and making his palms sweat whenever she got just a little too close to him to smell her hair or sweat or arms or anything really.

Her smell drove him crazy. Along with her mouth and general sense of self-righteousness.

How in the world was he supposed to stay civil around someone he'd like to both ignore and tear to pieces to at the same time? Why should he care about her? Because some "princess of Hell" told him to?

No. It was all some challenge. Also another world for a joke. A big joke. A big bad, lame, unfunny as Hell joke!

And the joke was Angel, a lust embodied demon of some fame and standing, was supposed to show kindness to a green at the ears, probably virgin, boring human girl. And get nothing out of it?

It was like the worst joke in the world! Add in that being around her for five minutes gives him a headache, then after another five minutes it makes him feel both ravenous and murderous. It's like the world's worst joke that no one was laughin' at!

And yet: Here she is. And she's still talking!

"So, how are we getting back?" Coco asked, looking around and seeing a few more signs of life in the Haunt. Both a good thing and terrible. "Do we take a bus or-"

"A bus? You wanna take a bus?" Angel asked sarcastically while looking over his shoulder at her with a side long glare. "Sure. Go ahead! The bus back to Pentagram Central is right ova' there."

"Okay, I'm sorry! Dumb question, I guess." Coco tried being patient. They weren't going to get any closer to the hotel if they argued now. "So. Where are we going to go to get there?"

"Quit asking so many stupid questions." Angel said tiredly, still walking ahead. "Just shut up and follow me."

"It's not a stupid question!" Coco said offended, still keeping up but now angry. "I just- Don't know where we're going and-"

"Yeah. Ya don't know." Angel wanted her to just shut up and not talk for one minute. One minute in God Damned Hell so he could not have to listen to her or smell her breath or be reminded of her general presence in any way. "So quit fuckin' actin' like I gotta answer ta you and just fuckin' follow me."

"Hey! I'm here too ya know!"

"Yeah, and you won't let me fuckin' forget it."

"Well just tell me what we're doing so I can-"

He wasn't sure why but that had to be the last straw.

Probably because she hadn't stopped asking questions all day or the fact that she hasn't been listening all day. But suddenly, Angel couldn't take it anymore. He had to stop pretending to be on his best behavior. He just had to get her to shut. up.

"UGH! You are just so annoying!" Angel stopped suddenly and turned around, facing Coco with maybe the most down out, tired and sick-of-it expression he could muster. As soon as he got his mouth started, he couldn't stop the insults from flying out. Whether he wanted them to stop or not. "And needy! A fucking attention whore! You can't go two minutes without everything being completely about you, can you?"

"What!?" Coco stopped, looked shocked and tried to start processing all of this. His angry switch had happened so fast, her brain barely had enough time to function. "You-You're the one who's been dragging me around without telling where we're going! And now you're just leaving me!? Why would you-"
"Hey, shit face." Angel stopped her with a dead set glare. One that just read 'I don't care' in bold letters with a grimace. "You asked me to come. I did my part. But, oh my god, I cannot deal with this bullshit anymore! You can't take criticism. Can't take advice. And certainly can't take a hint! You're like, the dumbest thing I've ever been forced to hang out with!"

Coco's shoulders backed away an inch as her face dropped in surprise. Suddenly, she didn't know what to say anymore. Her brain had stopped working. Words weren't forming inside her head yet.

But her body was sending her reactions before her mind could form the proper words. She felts her knees begin to fidget like they wanted move but her feet were built into the sidewalk. Her fingers were stretching and balling, gripping into fists before dropping down uselessly over and over again. She could feel her face go slack but the edges of her lips began to quiver and tears sting the corners of her eyes.

Was she mad? Scared? She couldn't decide. These were mixed reactions and mixed emotions all into one, non-responding person who didn't know what to do next.

"Got nothin' to say?" Angel said with a smirk. Pleasure oozing off that grin of his has he put a set of hands on his hips and crossed the other. He nearly giggled at the sight of her outraged silent fluster. "Well, it's about time~! I've been so sick of hearin' your mouth go non-stop since this mornin'."

"You're no better…" Coco managed to get out. Her mind felt blank, she couldn't think of a proper response. Memory wasn't serving her, she felt like an idiot just standing there. She had to say something, had to say something to this smart ass bastard! "Who… Who said you knew everything here! You're just you're just you're just so- UGH! Impossible to deal with! I can't even- How can I even talk to you! You can't even pretend to not hate everybody!"

"What? This just cause I can't stand pretending to be nice to you?" Angel rolled his eyes before sucking his teeth. This ordeal was getting old fast. It felt like this kid didn't know the biggest fact of her life and it was driving him crazy. "News flash, Doll Face: Nobody wants to be nice to your ass! If you haven't figured it out yet: No one cares what you think of 'em! No one even cares when you try acting polite. You look like a stupid little shit every time you try being "nice" and "friendly" to everyone you meet here! It makes me sick. Watching you fake being nice to everyone when you can't catch a clue that no one's gonna give a shit if you're hurt or being fucked over by someone else down here."

Coco couldn't really respond to that either. Just quiver her bottom lip a bit more while her fists curled in tighter. It felt like he was insulting something at the core of her very being, but she couldn't defend it because she didn't know what to say about it.

It felt like she was letting someone tear her apart brick by brick. And as if there was no way she could either stop it or move away from it.

"What? Can't think of somethin' to say? You wanna act smart now?" Angel stepped closer, a grin etched on his face as he bent down while Coco glared up at him. "Because, that's what you always have to be, right? The smartest person in the room. God, haha! You really are over compensating for that ego of yours!"

Angel started laughing. Laughing and laughing. Laughing at a new joke, a joke only he could see because it was an inside joke. A joke inside of Coco as he looked down into her green eyes and self reflection staring right back at him.

It all was just a big joke to him, isn't it? If you can't laugh at your own fake-innocence then you can't take a fucking joke. Can you?

"You know what's the saddest part?" Angel started, the laughs going down as he touched his chest. He liked this part. The part where he got to get everything off his chest. "It's that, I can't even tell what you're not overcompensating for! That you're small? Not so pretty? Dumb as fuck? Smell bad, even for a human? Annoying to be around? Got no style? Got no personal opinions? No life of your own? Ha! The list goes on!"

"Shut it…" Coco wanted to look away but she couldn't, couldn't stop staring Angel in the eyes even as her teeth caught her bottom lip and her nails started digging into the palm of her hand. "Stop it…"

"Why? This hurting your little feelings?" Angel "asked". It was weird how much he honestly wanted to know what was going through her head because he was confused at why exactly he was doing this again. He enjoyed the pain she was going through, liked her squirming. At the same time, he couldn't admit that he hated how much pain he was putting her through. "You want me to stop, so you act like you're gonna cry. Why? Want me to feel bad. Pssh, bitch."

Angel swatted his hand like knocking down a ball. This was supposed to be fun, be funny. Because he does this. This was the kind of person he is.

He bitches people out. He strangles them with truth. He brings out all their dirty little perversions and uses them to his own advantage. Uses them for fun. Hell, she should be paying for this kind of service.

So why was it getting harder and harder to not care?

"I've had to deal with bitches exactly like you all my life." Angel said carelessly. "You overcompensate for all your problems, blame others for them, then guilt trip everyone into tolerating ya' cause they can't deal with ya'. What? You bullied in high school or somethin'? I don't care."

He turned around and bent at the hips so he could look her in the eyes again. Past the mask and plucking the sunglasses off carefully for a good close look.

"What's really sad is: this." Angel said, gesturing all over Coco like he was presenting a present. "I can sum you up in five minutes. Figure out your whole fucked up life and failures, and you can't even see it yourself. You're probably the stupidest fuckin' person I've ever met! 'Cause, I bet ya stand around wonderin' how you got here and how you never get anythin' right. Well here's thing, Doll Face. It's not 'cause of anyone or thing else. It's just you~"

If Coco could name everything that was going on around her as Angel drilled into her heart and bled her out, she would of summed it up like this: Five cars passing by at extremely fast paces. Street lamps flickering, one exploding. The sound of some kind of herd of murderous birds flapping overhead, settling down on electric lines and probably glowering. Three, no four, random demons passing by and ignoring them.

And not one single thing on this street could comfort her. Could help her find any kind of solace. Because all she heard was someone she didn't like, didn't care about and didn't even register as important, just tunnel down into her. He made her feel like she had just gotten hit by a bus. Been hit, flattened and was still getting run over then backed over in the street.

Not because it was mean or rude. But because… she felt like he was right.

Because no matter how hard she tried to cover it up or put a smile on it, Coco knew there was something wrong with her. Maybe not horribly wrong, but just wrong enough that she never seemed to get anything just… right. How she'd make new versions of the same mistakes, or would always be surprised when small or minor failures seemed to blow up in her face and trash everything she'd work for.

How was it that Coco ended up in Hell? How come she couldn't avoid getting tied up into a place that wanted to kill her and working in a job that might also keep her stuck in Hell? She didn't know, maybe it was the same thing that made her run all the way over the world and never find anything she could do. Maybe it was the same reason she couldn't make anything herself, have anything of substance she can show as proof that she hadn't been wasting over 5 years of her life chasing after… nothing in disguise as opportunity!

All Coco could think was that… that…

'He's right and he's wrong and he's so awful…' Cocos' fists rubbed against each other raw as she tried to keep the burning tears from spilling out at angles down her face. 'Why did I… Why did I even want him to be here in the first place…?'

Why was she standing there taking this?

So Coco just turned on her heal and walked away. Like every other problem in her life that she couldn't overcome, that she couldn't bring herself to deal with.

She just walked away.

"Where ya goin'?" Angel quirked a brow as Coco turned and started walking vigorously away, he felt semi-responsible and vaguely interested. "What? Can't take a little honesty?"

"If you just wanted to be an asshole…" Coco said loud enough to be heard but with no inflection. Not turning around to acknowledge Angel as she walked away, like she was just speaking to herself. "Why did you even both coming…?"

She kept walking away without any real plan and just kept her head buried down. Angel stood there and watched as Coco marched away in the direction of the bus stop, crossing his arms then uncrossing them in a state of confused indecision. He felt… weird.

Her face was weird. Well, her face is always weird to him. But her face was really weird now. This time, it did something. Made his stomach turn a little at the bottom and his lungs seemed to suck in air in a tighter way.

He didn't like that she just walked away like that without fighting for herself. She just gave up. Which is no fun.

"…" Angel stood there, debating himself whether or not he should really put any more thought into this 'self reflection' crap. It was embarrassing. And hard. And annoying. And made him feel like shit. "Eh, who cares. I got better things to do then hang around and babysit…"

Yet he had trouble moving away. He couldn't shake it. This lingering feeling of being on edge after he said all that. It felt like something sticky was stuck to his gums that he couldn't lick off or spit out.

He felt like shit for doing that.

"…" Angel looked down at his feet and pondered his options. He could do the, ugh, "nice thing" and go apologize right now. Before it's too late and he could never take back those words because they would sink in forever about what she thought about him. Or, he could do what he always did when he felt shitty. "I'm gonna go get a pick me up…"

Coco had been walking down the block with her fists balled up to her sides and her eyes pointed to the ground. She looked like a boxer cornered in the ring. Like a tiny little bomb about to explode as she walked down the street. And she felt like it.

'Just keep walking. Just keep walking Just keep walking.' Her mind played. She wasn't acknowledging her feelings, not the mixture of anger and fear and the words that Angel said that she couldn't properly argue because all she could feel was rage rage rage rage rage rage rage rage. But she didn't acknowledge that. 'Don't look up. Don't look up. Don't look at anyone. Don't cry don't cry don't cry. You can't cry you can't cry. You're not allowed to cry. Not allowed to scream. Just get back to the hotel. Go back to the hotel. Get in bed, get under the covers and just scream into the pillow. Just go go go go go go go go go go go go go!'

Truthfully, she felt like she wanted someone to stop her. Wanted someone to see her explode, make her explode. Make her scream. Let her cry. Ask her what happened. Help her get home. Be there for her. Not ignore her. Recognize her and see she's in pain…

But Hell is not the kind of place where people, er demons, recognize any pain. They don't acknowledge other people. Don't try seeing things from others perspectives. They wouldn't give a shit if Coco just started screaming or balling her eyes out right there on the sidewalk. To them, she just looked like a pitiful and stupid little Imp-y girl walking around in a 'X' mark face mask with a dumb ass expression.

Nobody would care if she got home safely. She was on her own.

"UGH!" She finally stopped and let out some sort of pent up growl out. Her shoulders where bunched up and she had to squeeze them back down in a pseudo-relaxed position so she could look forward. She felt tired. She felt angry. She felt pissed and sad and mixed up and self-rejected and just ready to go find somewhere to curl up and go to sleep. Except-

She really had no idea where she was going.

"Hey useless cursed item," Coco held her wrist up and exposed the Moral Compass. She looked down tired and dryly, surrendering herself to the fact that she'd have to rely on a demon enchanted tattoo over any 'living being' down here. "What's the quickest way back to the hotel? One that's least likely to kill me."

The compass woke up and the needles spun around the invisible circumference. It ended up pointing towards her so she turned around and caught the faintest outline of Angel Dust turning around and walking elsewhere.

Before the idea could even register as a complete thought in her head, Coco's pride popped up to quealsh it. It did so by stomping out the idea and grinding it to the ground like a lit cigarette bud on the sidewalk.

'Well no way that's happening.' Coco thought solidly and looked back down at the compass.

"Uh-Uh." Was her only response as she glared at it. She then remembered Angel saying something about a bus up ahead. "We're taking the bus, I guess."

Randomly the smaller needle woke up, spun around and pointed up to 'N'. 'No'. It sounded off like a warning. Some sort of being was telling her that going on Hell's public transportation system was a bad idea for many reasons. But it may have also been pointing out that she really did need to think about this. She can't rely on herself and she should just bite her lip and-

Nope. Pride. Prideful human. Stupid prideful human that won't admit anything or ask for help unless she's dying and even then she will lie through her teeth about how it happened and how bad it is.

"Yep. Straight ahead." Coco commented, already putting her hand in her jacket and walking towards the bus stop with the single minded intent of getting the fuck out of this Haunt and hiding under her bed until tomorrow. "Let's get this show on the road."

She could have been just imagining this but Coco felt like some sort of great and powerful Being was banging its head against her skull in annoyance?

Well whatever it was it could go fuck off because Coco was busy swimming in self-disappointment and hate as she stood at an empty bus stop. She had no idea what she was doing, whether this was the right bus or if it would even take her money (probably would). She just knew she didn't want to be standing out here in this place or near Angel Dust any longer.

So when some large, broken, weirdly made black and red contraception on 8 wheels rolled up she didn't even question it. Didn't care that it looked more like a decrepit dump truck or was probably falling apart on the inside and would still go way too fast for a normal thing on the street. She didn't care as she walked up, dropped a bill in the drivers' hand and then walked towards the back. She avoided eye contact with everyone and was too self-absorbed in her personal misery to care if anyone was staring at her or attempting to threaten her as she walked.

'Just get the fuck out of here…' Was the only thought in Cocos' mind as she sunk down into a torn and empty booth. She touched the book on her leg and then ran a hand through her hair, feeling it come back moist from sweat near her skull. 'Great. I just love being sweaty and uncomfortable in places I don't know…'

Maybe it was because it was so hot and she was sweating so much? Or because she was showing more skin than the last few days? Honestly, it didn't matter.

She just felt tired and disgusting and wanted to get to the hotel already.

And this was why she didn't notice the sudden stirring and commotion up at the front of the bus…

Meanwhile -

"Aaaaaaaand this one's fuckin' broken too."

Angel stood there in front of yet another broken vending machine and seethed. He crossed both sets of arms and kicked the thing, unsatisfied and still unfulfilled. It was the third machine just like it that didn't work and probably wouldn't bust open easily. Even worse, it ate up the last of his quarters!

"Anyone got any fuckin' ideas how to put me out of this miserable mood without drugs!?" Angel loudly complained while turning around, muttering to himself. "Fuckin' haunt…. Fuckin' human… Fuckin' daytime. Fuckin' crap. Fuckin' hotel. Fuckin' Hell! Fuckin' - Just my Fuckin' LUCK!"

He started walking away as he muttered, not caring to pretend to want to be seen or what others' thought. These were all newbie-nobodies anyway. Probably about to get eatin' tonight with no hopes for survival. He's been there, done that a long time ago.

A place like this just makes him feel miserable.

"Agh! Why the fuck am I hangin' out around here for anyway again?" Angel asked no one in particular before shrugging his shoulders and crossing both sets of arms. It was a rhetorical question, of course. "Right. Coffee girl. That's why. When's Doll Face gonna come around and come cryin' back in her little drag outfit ova' here so we can leave? It's been 10 minutes, must've been enough time to cry it out and write in her little diary, heh heh."

Angel laughed to himself for a few minutes before it began feeling awkward. That's weird, he had expected she'd be back by now. After all, this is Hell. And she's a human, an idiot, and doesn't know how to do anything by herself here.

'There's no way she'd actually be dumb enough to go off on her own.' Angel turned and looked down the road, figuring Coco had only walked a few blocks away before stopping or turning around. 'I mean, what absolute fucking idiot would actually be stupid enough to go off on their own in a place that'd kill 'em without a second thought! I mean, you'd have to be really fuckin' stupid to-'

He only saw the moment when Coco climbed on to the bus from ten blocks down to realize how much he'd just fucked up in the last five minutes.

"Oh shit." Angel said to himself. So shocked for a minute that he stood dumb still before going wide eyed and starting to panic. "She is dumb enough. HEY! Stop the bus!"

Back to Coco -

Coco sat back and pressed against the back of the bus seat uncomfortably, feeling the moist squish of sweat and whatever was on the seat against her back. She had momentarily tried to look out the window, only to remember that Angel had taken back his sunglasses and everything in Hell looks equally horrible. So she picked the book up off of her leg and sat with it blocking the red glare from everywhere.

'Never have I ever hated a single color more than this,' Coco thought, sighing internally and closing her eyes. 'Whatever. Just. Just. Try and. I don't know. Relax. For one measly minute, try and calm down…'

And for a little while, it worked. She was breathing fairly steadily, the headache was subsiding, and Coco could feel the edge of the strain wear off a bit. Maybe she could relax a little bit before panicking about which was her stop. Maybe she could calm down…

And that calm-ness lasted only about five seconds before she busted full-awake at the sound of horrible screaming and tearing up at the front of the bus.

GRRRRRRrrrrrrrryeeehaahhaaaaaAAAAGAGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

'WHAT.' Coco didn't even have time to process fear and went straight to the point. 'What is happening now?!'

Peeking over the top of the seat in front of her, Coco caught the sight of over three far-too big demons in some kind of threatening game. Each one was foaming at the mouth a little, pupils dilated as small as the tip of a pin, and their facial expressions like starved animals. They were up in their seats and hunched over like animals…

"Where the fuck is it…" One of them began, starting to crawl down from the seat on four arms and two legs. Starved. Salivating. Mad. "Where the FUCK IS IT!?"

"The smell is drivin' me CRAZY!" Another one said, hoping on top of the seat. "Give it! I want it! Give it right FUCKING NOW!"

"I'mma tear you limb for limb if ya don't whip it out right fucking now!" Another shouted, already diving into the isle. "Drugs? Food? Fuckin' whatever- GIVE IT TO ME NOW!"

Coco panicked. She sunk back down into her seat and pressed into the back of it in an attempt to disappear. She heard the three up front continue this rant while more of the demons around them started to shift in their seats. Uncomfortable growls and hisses were starting to rise in front of her, and Coco could only feel her heart sink in.

"Wh-what's going on?" She spoked under her breath and tried not to be seen. Coco looked around her, trying to see what could be causing this. She brought up her wrist and looked down at it, trying to see if maybe it could help her figure out what was going on. "W-W-What's making this happen? I-Is something here or or or-"

Coco stopped when she saw the long needle appear, twist around several times before pointing at her. She wondered for a second if it meant behind her and if she should risk turning her head. But then she felt something weird, something unusual come from the back of her head and just cover her mind.

YOU.

"… Me?" Coco asked.

Almost on the dot, the smaller needle appeared and pointed up at 'Y'.

'It's… me? My fault?' Coco couldn't wonder where that voice came from because she had bigger, more important problems than a moral one to deal with. She ran her hand through her hair and tried to think about why this could be happening. 'B-But why! I didn't bring anything! How could it-'

She stopped and pulled her hand out from her hair. She looked down and saw that her hand, the X wrist band and end of her sleeve was absolutely covered in sweat. It glistened. It smelt.

"'Cause you stink like never endin' humanity," Angel said. "That kind of smell drives stupid demons crazy! Sets their basic instincts into over-drive: Kill or Fuck."

'My smell…' Coco sat and understood. 'These things can smell me. My sweat and everything is making them want to to… murder and and eat…. me.'

Coco could feel a scream begin to creep up her throat, but she had to swallow it down and push it out of sight so she could get a grip. She needed to make a decision on how to get out of here.

'I-I gotta get off this bus before something happens…' Coco looked around and saw more and more of the demons begin to slowly flip out in their seats. She maybe had five minutes. 'Okay. Okay! Let's think. Um. Front of the bus is a no-go. Back of the bus, it's closer. And there's less demons there. There's a roof top cover on top I could try and pry open, but it looks locked and heavy… Then there's the window. Right. Jump out a window from a moving bus. That's a great idea Coco, you fucking idiot-'

Before anymore of this self-panic mode could take over, Coco saw a huge claw rip through several of the front seats before her. A horrible roar made it's way through the bus as more sounds went through.

GGGRGRRRAAAAAAGGHHHGIMMIETHEFUCKIINNNAAAAAAAGHGHHHGGH!

'FUCK THIS!' Coco didn't even want to sit through this panic. She just wanted to get the fuck out of there! 'Back door. Back door. Back of the fucking bus!'

Jumping up and attempting to crawl away was not the smoothest way to get away from some kind of rampaging demon. That, an add to the fact that apparently the bus driver was not doing his job so great while being harassed/injured meant that the whole bus was swerving from side to side. So there was no way she could stand up and keep her balance for long.

"FUCK!" Coco yelled after tripping and hitting the grimy floor of the bus. She just managed to be able to crawl on her elbows under a seat to keep away from yet another thing jumping around or getting crushed by several demons running all over the place.

'OKAY COCO' Her mind said as she found a place to hide under, her entire body pressed into the metal seat until further notice. 'Gotta find a way out. Gotta get to the back of the bus. Gotta open the door and and and find a phone? Yeah… yeah find a phone and and call Charlie or IMP or whoever to get me. Just gotta get my stuff, make sure the book is alright and-'

As she thought this, Cocos' hand graced her thigh where the book was SUPPOSED to be. Yet she ended up only touching an empty patch. She stopped thinking to look down and confirm that the book was not there, then felt her heart beat stop.

'No.' Coco looked up and in front of her. 'WHERE!?'

She didn't have to look for long as she spotted the book across the isle on the other side of the bus. It must have broken off of the leash and slid across the floor as she crawled away in all of the commotion.

"Fffffffuck…" Coco felt a wave of panic roll over and disappear. She needed to get a grip on this. "Okay. Just gotta fucking… get the book and-"

That minor thought was pulled to shreds when a random HUGE ASS CLAW RIPPED THROUGH THE SEAT RIGHT ABOVE HER FUCKING HEAD.

"AGH!" Coco shouted, sliding out of the way just to miss getting beheaded.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS IT!?" The demon shouted, now sniffing at the seat and locating Coco's scent. "IS IT YOU? YOU FUCKING GOT THE SHIT!? HAND IT OVER!?"

"Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood-" Coco just kept stating the obvious before pulling herself and trying to stand.

She needed to it get out, get the book, get a fucking grip, and stop feeling like she was burning up all at the same time! Now this tall as demon with huge jaws and claws was standing in front of her and about to pounce.

'Please please please,' Coco kept thinking as she stood up and found that thing burning his blood-shot eyes into her. 'Something just happen so I can get out of this and-'

Do I really have to be the one to do everything around here?

'….. What?' Coco remembered hearing that same voice from a while ago. It seemed so close then-

Before she knew it, the flaming circle of Hell Burn came out of her, this time smaller and more compact. It swept over and flung the demon standing in front of her to the back of the bus, burning him near to crisp along the way.

That didn't settle the panic at all. Now Coco heard a cacophony of yelps, screams, growls and total chaos she couldn't discern from.

She crouched down, tried to see the book again and tried to calm herself. She couldn't find the book like this. She needed something to tether her here.

'Find something to focus on,' her mind told her. Trying to calm her body down. Trying to make her not panic and lose herself in the midst of this. 'Find something. Look for something. Listen. Anything!'

Trying to see and hear past all of the noise and screams and violence; all she could hear was the steady beat of the window shaft slamming open and shut as the bus swerved and flung. Open shut. Open shut.

Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump.

Like the beat of a drum, a steady rhythm. Something to calm her down with, follow along the chaos. A drum roll during the jazz symphony. She could work with that. She could focus.

Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump.

When Coco opened her eyes again she could see the book. She could see past everyone running and fighting and threatening. She could get to it.

'I can do it.'

Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump. Bam. Bam. Pump.

But not before she felt one of the circle on her arm begin to light up and… turn.

'Chains that bound one to another,

Will bind to the fire of the first sphere.

Will open and turn,

To the voice that is clear.

Let the rhythm sooth and guide to beat,

With the prize in sight far or near,

Past the fire that burns of venom,

Grab hold of what power you hear,

One may hold the Chain of Rhythm.'

Coco couldn't even stop to ask "What" before the Hell Burn ran down her arm, into her hand and flung out at the book!

She was first afraid she was about to burn it to a crisp before seeing it wrap around and… change.

"What…" Coco watched as the hot fire died down and solidified. "What's happening…"

You've opened the second circle…

Now wrapped around her wrist from the curse mark all the way to the book was a chain. A long, heavy looking chain that felt like it weighed nothing. It shouldn't have even been real. But with its touch in her hand and her skin feeling a strange warmth- she knew this was real.

"This is insane…" Coco said, looking down at something that just appeared out of fire and no where. "How did it…"

Before asking more questions, she saw a demon run up down the isle towards her!

Checking to see if this thing was useful, she yanked the chain up! It pulled the book over and she grabbed it with both hands!

Getting the book and picking herself up, Coco dived for the nearest seat to avoid being mauled by some crazy demon. She sat there, holding the book in one hand that was connected to this crazy magical chain wrapped around the other! She had a feeling this thing must be heavy, must be strong. But didn't feel like she could win any fight right now as she is.

'Nice but I still gotta get out of here!' Coco grabbed her bags and stuffed the book carefully inside while looking out. Now that panic had subsided she could really think. 'I gotta get to the back, find a way to jump out and-'

"You little Impy-shit!" A demon jumped up on the other edge of the seat, barring it's teeth and screaming at her.

"AGH!" Coco backed up and pressed into the wall, holding the chain tightly but not sure what to do. "Stay away from me!"

"Fucking… little… shit…" It couldn't reason. Couldn't properly form a coherent threat but felt some sort of mauling instinct to just go nuts. "Think you can… fuckin'… run away from me…"

"Hey pal! That's my line!"

Before any of them could think, a leg swung out from the window behind her head and kicked the thing back to the other side!

"What?" Coco said before looking up and seeing- "Angel Dust!"

'In the flesh, Doll Face." Angel Dust continued to climb out of the window, as gracefully as anyone who's long, beautiful and hung over could. He settled down onto the floor and looked around at the ragging chaos of the bus and just nodded. "Yup. Rush hour."

"How did you get here?!" Coco cried out, jumping off of the seat before glaring at him. "No- wait. What are you doing here! What took you so long and and and-"

"Hey. You know how hard it is to run afta' a bus and jump through a window in these boots?" Angel gestured down to his boots that had skid marks on them and glared. "Listen: Less chat-y more escape-y."

Not even arguing, Coco just shut her mouth and nodded before pointing down towards the back door. Grinning like he agreed, Angel and her jumped over the back seat and made a run for it as quick as they could!

Once they made it to the back, Coco tried opening the emergency exit. The door knob wouldn't turn, so she began slamming into the side of it to see if it would come loose.

"It's stuck!" Coco shouted.

"Le'me give it a try." Angel pushed her aside and kicked through the door to the point it came flying off! Satisfied to the property damage, Angel grinned and gestured before falling back and catching a seat rest to steady himself. "Ta Da~!"

"Great," Coco stood up, unbalanced and possibly about to fall to her death instead of being mauled to death now that the bus couldn't controlled. "GAH! We gotta get out now!"

"And how are we gonna do that, genius!" Angel yelled and gestured to the wide open road. "In case ya didn't notice- We're goin' fucking 100 miles an hour and the landin' ain't gonna be pretty at this speed neither!"

"Come on…" Coco tried to think before looking down at her now bare arm and getting an idea. She stretched out her arm towards Angel Dust with a focused look. "I got it! Take my hand!"

"What!?" Angel looked at her like she was crazy. "You wanna make some kinda suicide pact with me now?! I ain't gonna get double dead with your ass attached to me or-"

"Just trust me!" Coco yelled at him.

Looking at her then back at the road. Angel Dust grimaced before reluctantly taking her hand.

"Now what?" Angel asked, seeing several demons starting to climb towards them. "'Cause in case you weren't motivated enough, I think I see two guys comin' up here who don't tip well!"

"Just gotta…" Coco stood still before closing her eyes for a second to focus. She tried to listen for anything but couldn't find a steady rhythm anywhere.

'Okay,' Coco came up with and idea and picked up her foot. 'Just gotta make a beat! Just make a steady beat….'

Just like keeping time in a band, Coco stomped out a rhythm.

Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap! Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap! Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap!

Again Coco felt it. The second circle lighting up, the fire twisting into a chain that now twisted around her and Angle's connected arms. It fell into her other hand and when Coco looked up- She knew all she had to do was aim and throw.

Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap! Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap! Stomp! Tap! StompStomp! Tap!

"What the fuck is that!" Angel yelled out. "How the fuck did you-"

"Eye's up front!" Coco yelled out before throwing the chain end over her head and launching it towards the nearest light post! It wrapped around tight and she could feel it holding on to the two of them carefully. She grabbed the bags tighter and stood closer to Angel. "Look! On the count of three we aim carefully and jump straight ahead!"

"What!?" Angel yelled back.

"Just listen and jump together!" Coco yelled as she grabbed the chain carefully while looking straight ahead. "One!"

"This is fucking nuts!" Angel yelled out as he looked behind them. "No way this is happening!"

"Two!"

"We're gonna die from the jump before they even fuckin' get us!" Angel yelled as he spotted them. "They're right here and-"

"JUST TRUST ME!"

Angel looked down and saw Coco's green eyes staring right back at him. He knew he just had to do it. Just had to take his chance. Hold his breath. Hope for the best.

His mouth tightened and he nodded, wrapping one of the lower arms around her waist with nothing left to lose.

No second guesses.

"THREE!" Angel shouted.

They launched off out of the bus and the chain glowed red. Their feet glided on the air as the chain pulled them from the far end over safely to the light pole.

The speed was sudden but careful, like some kind of jump. And they felt the grit of the road hit their feet as they bounced three steps together at the pole.

Once Coco and him had landed safely, the chain rattled and began to disappear part by part until Coco no longer felt it. When both of them were released, Coco noticed how she had been standing on tip-toes to make up for her and Angel's height distance.

She rested her feet on the ground then felt the breath catch up with her. Her breath was racing and her heart was having a hard time catching up.

"Hooo-weee," Angel said, looking back at the bus. "Yep. Glad we got off that ride."

Coco turned her head and looked back to the bus that was currently swerving this way and that. She was more demons fighting and a general feeling of hatred and mayhem come off the air from that. It left her with one thought:

'I did that.' Coco stopped and looked over at her arm. The curse mark now with two red circles filled around the double pentagram. 'I caused that. And I didn't… I didn't even stop it. I couldn't even stop the mess that I made. How many people are going to get hurt from that…'

Coco looked on and, somehow, felt diminished. Everything she had done today, everything she had said and started, lead up to this. To something so out of control and awful that no one would be able to fix it for a long long time. And Coco hadn't thought about anyone else but herself. Getting herself out of it and not caring what happened to anyone in there.

She felt like she didn't deserve to be standing so far away from it all.

"Ah~~~ What're ya gonna do?" Angel said cheerfully. Happy to be out of there and somehow closer to the hotel then they had originally been. "Just another day in a fucked up place. Alright then. Let's get a book on it! Think I can find a driva' or a' phone ta call those little goat shits out here somewhere."

Angel began walking on then stopped when he didn't notice Coco's scent anymore. He looked back and sighed, walking back to Coco's standing corpse. He checked her face, waved his hand in front of her a few times, then figured she must be mentally lost since he wasn't catching her attention.

"Hello~~~?" Angel half sang before sighing annoyed. "Hell to Coco. Wake up, Doll Face. We're wasting peace time out here! Let's pack our shit up, find a car, and get the fuck outta here before anythin' uglier shows it's face to us."

Angel wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting, not exactly compliance but at least a reluctant head nod. But instead, all he saw Coco sink to to her knees in the middle of the road and look down out of nowhere.

And.

'Oh fuck.' Angel looked in horror as he watched Coco's face. 'This is fucking terrible!'

She was crying. Big, welled up tears spilling down from her green eyes and slipping off onto the scorching pavement. No real sounds were coming out of her yet, just subtle whimpers and an itched in her throat.

"Oh no, Doll." Angel looked around to make sure no one was watching, trying to do something in-between a panicked stutter while freaking out. This was bad. "You can't just cry! You can't cry in Hell! That's like, the biggest unspoken rule there is! Now just stop it and-"

"I can't cry!" Coco yelled out of no where. Taking out all the other sounds in the district and becoming the only thing she or he could hear. "I never cry but how can I not cry! All I ever want to do is cry! Since I first came here all I've wanted to do is cry!"

Coco sat there and finally, after building up all this pressure and all of this steam, finally began to decompress. She felt so small. So helpless. But the crying out and the suffering inside her needed to get some air. She needed to speak this pain to somebody.

She needed to tell someone that Hell was starting to get to her. And she was afraid of what that meant.

"I'm stuck here, alone, and I can't leave! I have nothing with me! I'm wo-working f-for serial killers! I-I can't a-afford an apartment. I-I suck at school. I can't sleep! I don't know what I'm doing with my life! A-And now, I-I don't even have a friend to help me through this!"

All the truth was spilling out along with her tears and sobs. Angel listened on and felt some sort of old twist inside of him. Some recollection of the past that made sense of all of this to him. Something human.

"A-And I'm stuck with you! A-And you'd rather d-do anything else than be with me!" Coco whipped her hand across her eyes then looked up and pointed at Angel Dust. All her emptiness, her sadness and frustration coming out into sincere anger at him for what he's done and hasn't done. "You know how insulting that is! I-I might not be the best thing ever, but I wouldn't just leave you alone and tell you t-to "FUCK OFF" if you needed me! I-I wanted to be nice to you! I wanted to have a nice day for once! B-But you j-just keep m-making me do this shit and almost getting me k-killed and you think it's funny!"

And she was back to crying. Back to closing her eyes and feeling this world-swallowing sense of drowning. And it felt like nothing could help and nobody could pull her out of it.

Until she felt Angel pick her up by her shoulders. She stops crying enough to just stand there and sniffle with an accusing look on her face.

'What does he want now?' She thought, about to yell it out. 'To make fun of me more? Say I'm stupid? That I'm about to get us killed? I don't care! I don't care what you think anymore, I don't-'

But the next thing she knew, he pulled her into… into a hug.

She stopped crying completely, being squeezed only lightly yet held completely still. Like someone had dragged her out of the deep end. She wasn't drowning but she was still in the pool. Still in the pool with another sinner.

Angel stood there for a second holding her. His face blocked from her so she couldn't see how conflicted he looked. He didn't know what to do next or why exactly he was doing this. He just… had to do something.

"Ugh, okay okay." Angel said quietly, speaking into Coco's hair. He couldn't bring himself to look at her tear filled and red stained eyes. So he stuck to being close and carefully thought out his words. "Look, this is Hell. It's screwed up and so are we. And so are you for that matter…. And, damn it, I can't change any of that! No one can. Not even Miss Princess of Hell or any of the morons who follow her. There's nothin' you can do about life down here, so there's no point in cryin' over it… Except…. I know It's hard down here too. So… I guess, it's okay to be… sad or whatever…"

Coco felt this strange and sudden lightness. It was weird, but the tears seemed to stop and the feeling seemed to feel less overbearing.

She stood up on her toes a bit and backed up to look up at Angel Dust. He had this sort of sheepish look, something in-between sad and nervous. Very out of character for him. Like he regretted something.

He looked sort of… human.

But that look changed as he shook his head and put on a more natural scowl. He avoided eye contact and looked over his shoulder, checking that no one was targeting them or anything. Then looked back at the top of her head, avoiding the eyes.

"Look," Angel started, the same sullen tone changing to slightly more authoritative. He wanted this to be finished. "I don't know what you want from me but-"

"All you had to do was say you're sorry…" Coco's voice had a slight croak and was deep with the sound of a protruding sob. She sounded sincere, like a child who could only tell the truth after a long time of lying to themselves. "You don't ha-have to change the world. Just say you're sorry…"

"… I," Angle stopped. He didn't know what to say. He was about to go on a tirade about how he ain't gonna apologize about how things work down here or make her feel special just because she felt bad and felt she was special but… but then he saw how Coco just looked up at him with those big green eyes. "Ah… I'm sorry, Doll Face."

'Satan,' Angel mentally cursed himself. 'Those eyes are gonna kill me one day…'

Coco just stared at him, unsure of what to do. But no matter how sincere or insincere he could be; Coco accepted it. And she pulled herself in and held him tight.

Coco could accept Angel Dust for who he is.

"…." Angel stood there, being hugged and feeling nothing but this strange little girls' arms wrapped around his body. He usually didn't like being touched like this, feeling caught. But again, he couldn't seem to bring it to himself to push her away just yet. So he stood there and simply rubbed the back of her head platonically. "Okay…"

They stood there for a minute, just taking a second to breath. Because today had been too long, and too many things had happened. They both just needed to breath.

"So… what?" Angel asked, gesturing with one of his hands for a new thing. "You want me to kiss ya now or somethin'?"

"No…" Coco said, pulling away and stepping back. She rubbed her itchy eye a bit and stretched the other arm. "The apology was enough."

"Okay. Fine." Angel crossed his arms and shrugged. Happy it was over and cheerful enough to throw her a grin. "Your lose."

Coco shot a grin at that.

The next thing they knew, a double sized pink limousine came barreling down the road! Both Angel and Coco jumped back three steps only to see the limo stop right next to them and open the back doors.

"What?" Coco asked.

"Wait a minute," Angel peered over to the front of the car and squinted carefully. "You two little shits!?"

"Who?" Coco asked as she looked over.

The front window rolled down and out popped the little goat heads of Razzle and Dazzle! Both smiling, although Razzle looked like he was smirking more.

Coco broke out into a relieved smile.

"Razzle! Dazzle!" Coco cried in joy. Seeing these two goat boys making her happier than anything else. "You guys came to get us! How did you find us?"

"Those little creeps keep tabs on everybody…" Angel sneered but reluctantly trudged in and pulled Coco by her sleeve to follow him in to the back seat. "Y'all stock up any booze back here?"

"Thank you guys!" Coco called out before crawling into the back. All things considered, she followed Angel in and sat across from him in the wide limo. She looked around at the pastel and deep purple colored leather.

"Actually," Coco said, setting the bags and the book down as she relaxed in her seat. "I could really use a drink too…"

Later, at the hotel -

The drive wasn't note worthy. Both Coco and Angel feeling too exhausted to talk or complain, they just laid back and waited for the limo to come to a stop at the Hotel. They both got out and Dazzle offered to take her bags for her, which she let him do after taking the book out of the bag.

When they walked into the hotel, they were immediately greeted by a worried Charlie and Vaggie.

"There you guys are!" Charlie ran over, her face knit in worry and tired. She sounded like she had been doing nothing but looking for them everywhere until they had arrived. "Where were you? It was getting so late and we hadn't heard anything from either of you!"

"Ever heard of a cell phone, idiot!" Vaggie told Angel specifically while walking up to him. "It's almost night time and nobody could even find you! And now you come back hours later from some kind of Haunt!?"

"Hey, we went shoppin' alright?" Angel said tiredly while looking over towards the bar. Already tired and annoyed, ready to do nothing but sit back and drink. "We're out, we're here. Just drop it, ai'ght?"

"Oh Coco what happened?" Charlie asked, stepping up close to Coco. "Your eyes are all red and puffy."

It was then that Angel Dust panicked and Vaggie looked vindicated.

'Shit,' Angel thought as he looked over at the two of them. 'If they find out I lost her and she almost got killed, I'm screwed!'

But Angel didn't have anything to worry about. Coco just… laughed a bit and touched Charlie's consoling hand.

"It's fine," Coco commented, gently pulling the 'X' mask off of her face and showing her smile. "Just a lot of pollution. Angel tried to give me his sun glasses but they didn't fit."

"Oh really?" Charlie asked, looking a bit confused before looking up at Angel and smiling. "That's so nice of him. Thanks for looking out for her Angel!"

Angel Dust just stood there with a baffled look on his face. Sure, he did that. Once before taking them back later. But. Did she just lie for him? Why?

"…" Angel stood there a moment longer before he realized he should say something, and did so shyly. "… No problem…"

"You should call us next time you're coming back late," Vaggie told Coco strictly, walking up to her with her hands on her hips. "We-Charlie was freaking out!"

"I'm sorry…" Coco looked down shyly to her shoes before looking back up, twirling her fingers nervously. "My uh my phone broke when I landed here…"

"…. Oh." Vaggie glared awkwardly. "Well, uh, f-fix it before you're killed on my watch!"

"Okay." Coco nodded vigorously.

Angel watched on in strange fascination. Something so strangely… human was happening. It was so awkward that it was cute, which made him want to throw up.

Speaking of things that were so cute they made him want to throw up, Charlie was standing next to him. And smiling.

'Ew…' Angel wanted to run away but couldn't.

"Thanks for taking her out, Angel," Charlie said cheerfully. She touched his elbow gently, which made him want to jerk back and insult her. But he didn't so she kept it there. "I know you didn't have to, but you looked out for her! That's a nice thing for the day in my book."

"… So I don't have to try to be nice again?" Angel asked for clarification. "Like, for the rest of the day?"

"Weeeeeeel," Charlie looked awkward as she tried to think about how to answer this. "Technically, no. B-But I mean-"

"Sounds good enough to me!" Angel said cheerfully before turning on his heels and walking over to the bar. "If ya need me, I'm ova' here tryin' forget everythin' I learnt today."

"Hmmmmmmm." Charlie groaned awkwardly, not enjoying how this turned out.

He went over and sat down, grinned over at Husk who sneered at him and walked away. Angel giggled a bit, questioned the variety of drinks he wanted to order, and then saw Coco sitting at the bar right next to him.

"GAH!" Angel yelled, almost fell over until his lower arms grabbed the table. "What're you doin' here!?"

"Remember?" Coco waved her hand over to Husk. "I said I needed a drink."

"You? A drink?" Angel questioned as Husk walked over.

"I'm with this lanky whore on this one," Husk said, not looking at Angel but pointing his thumb at him. "You? Drinking? You even old enough to do that?"

"You actually care?" Coco questioned.

"… Good point." Husk said while taking out glasses.

"I thought drinking was a sin~" Angel teased. "Ya not gonna preach over us with this?"

"I never said that," Coco pointed out, laying her head down on the bar tiredly. "I just caused a screaming bus to rampage on the road. I think a little bender won't matter much in the grand scheme of things."

Angel just listened then shrugged his shoulders, he sort of understood, before turning and grabbing a bottle of whatever on his own. Husk stood up and sat down a bottle before drinking out of it.

"…" Coco silently glared as Husk and Angel drank without her. "We're one of those bottles supposed to be mine?"

"You think I'm just gonna give you some random shit from Hell?" Husk questioned.

"… point." Coco sat up and decided to try this politely. "Ya got any tequila?"

Husk picked something up from a low shelf and then sat down the oldest bottle of tequila Coco had ever seen. The brand was ripped off and the bottle a pale green color. The only thing making it look remotely human-drinkable being a smiling cactus mascot on the part of the left over label.

"… I can live with this," Coco said, reaching for the bottle and a glass. "Or maybe I won't. Is there any orange juice?"

"What am I, your maid?" Husk said, getting semi-outraged.

"…" Coco just dryly stared before setting down a small stack of money onto the bar.

"Orange juice's in the back," Husk said while snatching the money and walking to the back.

"Hey, your gettin' the hang of this~" Angel cheered sarcastically while making his own mixed drink. "Let's see if you can actually hold a drink."

Coco just gave Angel a mild glare that spoke "watch your mouth" with her eyes and turned away. Angel looked on confused before Husk returned with a carton of orange juice and left again, having done the maximum amount of work he would be willing to do.

"…" Angel felt awkward. And, while not being much of a fan of casually talking to someone he doesn't like while drinking, had this nagging feeling like he should say something right now. "Soooo… You uh, didn't tell them about this afternoon."

"Nope." Coco poured the tequila a quarter of the was up and reached over to grab an ice cube and a slice of something green sitting in a cup.

"…" Angel watched as she poured and waited for more. He picked up the lime wedge in his drink and bit into it, savoring the sharp sour punch, then tried again. "Yeah well… why?"

"…" Coco seemed to have not heard him as she poured an half an ounce of orange juice into the glass and watched the ice and wedge float around to the top of the mix. "Just didn't feel like it."

"So you lied." Angel grinned.

"Didn't lie." Coco said, taking a swizzle stick and ran it round and round inside the glass. Blending orange and liquor together. "I was just… tired. Didn't want to talk about it."

"Heh. Whateve' you say, bitch." Angel took a swig from his glass and made himself a refill.

He smiled casually, but when he looked over he saw Coco just sat there. She looked at her glass sullenly like the color wasn't right. She looked as tired as her voice sounded.

And Angel felt a lot more talkative now.

"Not what you wanted?" Angel asked, trying to feign sarcasm under actual, mild, almost non-existent, concern. "Sure you weren't hopin' for some kinda strawberry smoothie or chocolate milkshake?"

"I actually wanted a beer," Coco clarified. She picked up the glass then set it back down, still debating whether she was ready to start drinking or not. "But, you know. Hell."

"There's beer here, Doll Face." Angel said, going back to her original nickname. "What? You really some kind of drinker?"

"…" Coco thumbed the bottom of the glass for a minute and just looked at it. "I haven't drunk anything in over two months. Since the last time I ended up sleeping under a table in a bar in some part of the city I didn't know… I don't like drinking without friends around."

Angel listened on and sat there with a semi-understanding look. Sure, he'd been there. He's been there both upside on Earth and then back down in Hell. That never stopped him.

But she had rules. Coco didn't like to drink like that. Seemed she had a history of bad nights with liquor. Not terrible ones, but bad enough to make her stay away from drinking alone.

"…" Angel took a moment and just looked on at this pathetic girl who didn't even trust herself enough to drink the shit she just poured. But he also saw someone who was honestly sad, tired, and probably just needed someone to push her a little. "So what's stoppin' ya?"

"… Me." She answered honestly.

And then she sat up, with drink in her hand, and pressed the glass into her mouth while tipping it up. The orange juice hit her tongue first while the cold taste of tequila ran past down her throat.

Her first drink in two months. It was funny how ironic drinking alone in Hell seemed to be to her. So funny, but she didn't laugh.

When she put the glass down, she expected to see half of it already gone. But barely a sip was taken and only a few drops were around the rim.

"At'ta girl," Angel mock-cheered while returning to his own drink. "Sobriety's for the dumb and the ugly anyway."

"Seems like I shouldn't be drinking then." Coco whipped her lips with her sleeve and then looked over at Angel. "By that logic."

"Heh." Angel laughed a little too sincerely. He looked over and saw her looking at him, then made an awkward grimace. "I uh… Yeah. Guess I've been kind of a jackass…."

He quietly took a sip from his cup and looked away for a second. Hoping she'd change the subject. But when he looked over, she was just looking at him. Hadn't stopped looking at him with this strange inspecting stare.

"…" Coco debated her next words, thinking carefully. She could say many things now, many truths or insults. But, to do that would mean to prolong this conversation into a more unpleasant thing that she didn't want. So, instead, she picked up her glass and went for another drink. "There's room for improvement."

"… Heh," Angle laughed when he realized where he remembered that from. He was actually kind of embarrassed that she's been listening to him this whole time. "Yeah. Guess there's room for all of us here then…"

It was weird how quickly drinking became depressing. Or that either of them had overlooked how depressed they already were. But for them to get this serious while side stepping the problem was more frustrating than actually talking about it.

So Coco decided to change the subject.

"You know what I really regret?" Coco said suddenly and loudly. The tequila loosening up her tongue a little and dulling the small ache in her head. She felt like this would get a load off of her chest even though she didn't really like Angel Dust. "The one thing that really… really… reeeeeeeally bugs me?"

"No idea." Angle said non-commitedly while staring his drink with the little pink swizzle stick.

"…" Coco just sat there and stared up at the ceiling, bringing the drink back for another sip. Seemed like the conversation starter was a miss, it was a long shot.

"Well don't leave me hangin'." Angle sighed out, taking the bait and pitching back the next

conversation part. "Spit it out already!"

But Coco wasn't ready just yet. She had to finish the cup, signal that she was making another one, then stir it all together and drink it half way down before she could even begin to explain it.

Luckily she didn't have to think about it too hard. It had been really bugging her for awhile now.

"I left the movies I rented out on my bed." Coco said as she finished her sip and placed the half empty second glass on the bar. "I forgot to take them back before I left for the show. So they're just sitting there. Over due. Again."

"… That's it?" Angle deadpanned. That was all the build up? The excitement? Here he was expecting an actual payout and all he got was this!? "You're seriously all bundjed up over a' couple of tapes? That's you're biggest regret! That you forgot to take back some stupid tapes to the store before you fell backwards and dropped into Hell!?"

"Yep."

Angel wanted to say something to this. Wanted to say something smart and sarcastic to roast this moment. But he was so baffled and outraged that he sat there in silence and seethed.

Then both he and Coco took a coordinated sip of their drinks and began paying attention to them.

"And~" Coco, with a loose tongue and steady gaze, carefully went into the next part. "I now have an outstanding fine next to my missing persons' report on the two stupidest films in history."

So she wasn't finished.

And Angel, who for all intents and purposes could be described as just the single most uninterested person in all of Hell, couldn't help but be curious. It was buggin' him. So much so that he would be annoyed all night unless he heard the end of this.

"Fine. I'll bite." Angle said almost exhaustedly. He laid both pairs of arms down on the bar and rested his head in them, looking over at Coco with a tired gaze. "But only because it's so pathetic that it's interesting. What stupid movies did you rent?"

"I re-rented 'Body Doubles'. And." Coco's inhibitions stopped her for a moment, giving a sudden dramatic pause to the story that she didn't intend to set. But then she took another swig and finished her drink to settle them. "And… and 'Alice and Tanya's Happy Vibrators' Sleepover with Matt'…"

Angle sat there quietly as Coco took the tequila bottle and emptied it into her glass. He was not… shocked. Maybe a little disturbed. Or just… confused. Because that little bit of information conflicted with a lot of his preconceptions about what or who this girl is. Both in taste and in pass times.

Coco just drank quietly and looked as dead as five minutes before she even said this. It seemed like the least embarrassing thing Angle knew about her, given the past afternoon they spent together. Plus, that thing had sort of been weighing on her mind and it felt good to say it and get it off her chest.

"A porno." She clarified. As if she needed to.

"…" Angle stayed quiet for another ten seconds, finished his drink in one gulp and turned his head to stare at Coco intensely. "Okay. Now I'm interested."

"Yep." Coco stated while swirling unmixed tequila together with ice cubes in her cup. "I will now have to live it down that all my roommates know about me is that I have written a terrible musical script, let our house be infested with street cats, and I like to watch horror and porn together in the same night."

"Holy Shit." Angle cracked a smile. A sincere, honest to God, cannot fathom the deep appreciation he has had for a single conversation in years; smile. "You-"

"Hey." Coco held up a hand like she would signal 'stop' but then turned it into a shrug.

She took one swig, this time tasting the sour punch, twisting acid and letting it burn a little in her mouth before swallowing. Hating the taste, loving the feeling.

"I had to have something to do on a Friday night!" Coco said with the biggest, dopiest grin.

And they laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

They had a roaring fucking time because they were sitting there at an empty hotel bar. The city was set on fire and everyone knew it would still be there tomorrow. So the two of them drank until the halogen lamps faded and laughed until they didn't know what was funny anymore.

It was a great kind of night to be in Hell.