Chapter 8
Plaisirs Crus
"So, anyway," Vaggie started as they pulled out of the hotel's circle drive, "I've been wondering… Do you have anything to wear? You've been in that since day one. Seriously, how do you not reek?"
"I found the hotel's laundry room," she answered simply. "I use it every other night after everyone is either asleep or gone."
"Yea, but… you don't have anything else, so…" Vaggie's eye widened. "Wait, you walk around the hotel naked?!"
"I wear a sheet," Eliza answered, her tone so matter-of-fact that Vaggie was surprised at her lack of embarrassment. "It's a single unit, so I just set it and go to bed. Once the hotel becomes more populated, I will hopefully have more clothes."
"Actually, we were thinking about that," Charlie said sweetly. "I think we can get you something for now. I mean, you'll be working for us, and we need you to look professional anyway. Think of it as a thank you for working for free, at least until we have the money to pay you."
Now Eliza looked slightly embarrassed. "You mean..? I…" After a moment she decided to settle on a simple "Thank you," though it hardly felt sufficient. Charlie seemed to be one of the most generous people she knew, at least for now. She made a mental note not to take advantage of that in the future, should she continue.
Sure enough, they came to a very nice-looking store called 'Rosie's Emporium.' The sign looked very new, and the building was lovely. Eliza felt even more embarrassed. Apparently the hotel owner planned on spending some serious money.
Before Eliza could object, Charlie said "I know it looks imposing, but trust me, I'm not afraid to invest in the hotel's future. If that means making sure that our first therapist feels comfortable and professional, then so be it!"
Eliza bowed her head. "Thank you." She didn't know what else to say. After that statement, any objection would be incredibly rude, so she followed the excited woman inside as she pulled her girlfriend in behind her. She couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous, however. After all, surely she would owe Charlie for this, no matter what the demon princess said.
"Welcome to Rosie's Emporium," a polite young demoness greeted from behind the desk. She was a bit plump, with dark bluish-purple skin and darker lips. Her hair was flowing and silver, and her eyes were dark blue. "My name is Fauxi. What sort of outfit are you looking for today?"
"Business professional," Eliza answered, holding the woman's gentle, polite gaze with her own. "Slacks are preferable to skirts, please."
"Right over here," called a much more lively voice. A woman stood there, waving slightly to get their attention. She was much thinner than the cashier and slightly taller, with lighter skin and sharp teeth. Her hair was short and white, and her right eye was hidden behind her hair. Her left eye had a pink sclera with and a red iris. "I'm Prally! Let's get you fitted, shall we?" With that, she fussed over Eliza for quite some time, taking her measurements and searching for cloth. "Do you prefer button down blouses? Maybe a halter-neck to show those feminine shoulders!"
"A little too seductive for my profession, but thank you for the compliment!" Eliza beamed at the woman. "I'm a therapist. The goal is for my client to find themselves, not to stare at my body."
"High-neck, then!" Prally didn't miss a beat as she started laying out fabric. "Button-down works perfectly, since you can leave the top one undone if you're so inclined. Would you like ruffles?"
"On the chest? Certainly!"
"A little poof in the sleeves as well, I think." She got to cutting and shaping faster than anything Eliza had ever seen before. If people could work this quickly while alive, sewing machines would be nullified entirely. "Also, I believe I heard you prefer slacks, correct?"
"Yes."
Prally tutted disapprovingly. "Are you sure dear? You've got the legs for a fine pencil skirt. Wonderfully professional!"
"I prefer being able to move."
"Panel and pleated skirts work well for allowing movement," she insisted. "Oh, I know, a circle skirt! Professional, elegant, and wonderful for dancing! You would have no trouble in one of those! Please my dear, do not hide that body under pants. It's almost insulting!" She turned her lip up at Eliza's current slacks. Eliza's own lip curled slightly, but she caught herself. Charlie and Vaggie were looking elsewhere in the store to give Eliza her space with the seamstress, and she didn't want to cause a fuss.
"Very well, choose what you think is best," she conceded. "I do insist on colder colors, however."
"Of course!" Prally agreed. "Warm colors would contest your skin, though it would suit your lovely dark brown hair." The woman ran a hand through it fondly, making Eliza slightly uncomfortable. She did her best to withhold her reaction. "The rest of you is so colorless that it brings a little bit of life to you. Perhaps if you decide to dress up for a casual stroll, you should look into a yellow sundress. A straw hat may suit you as well!"
"I'll take it under advisement," was Eliza's response, though she detested the idea. She hadn't worn bright colors like that in years. Light blue was the closest she came, otherwise it made her feel so strange.
By the time Eliza checked out, she had a lovely new work outfit. The blouse was a lovely lavender long-sleeve high-neck with ruffles down the chest and silver buttons. The skirt was, as Prally had suggested, a circle skirt, which flared out any time Eliza would spin in place. It fell beneath her knees at her request, and was admittedly a lovely thick, silky black fabric. She also found some beautiful slip-on black dress shoes. The point in the toes was loose to accommodate her shapely talons, which Prally seemed to fawn over. Eliza wondered if she gave this level of attention to every customer. She certainly hoped so, or else this would be really awkward. She felt like a steak hanging in front of a starving dog.
"Come back any time, my dear!" Prally called. The more subdued cashier, Fauxi if Eliza remembered correctly, merely smiled and waved. She had taken a brief smoke break while her slender partner worked on the outfit, and Eliza noticed she dropped the smile as soon as she walked out the door, rubbing her cheeks as though they were terribly sore.
"It gets easier with time," Eliza told the young lady, who blushed slightly when Eliza pointed at her own smile. "Take it from a professional: faking it will feel natural soon enough. Keep at it; the smile suits you."
The girl smiled more genuinely before the customer left, though her expression became somewhat confused the more she thought about Eliza's words.
"So she fakes it, too…" Fauxi whispered to herself. She was surprised. The fair demoness seemed very genuine. Still, she had never been complimented on her smile before.
"Quit talking and get back to smiling," Prally snapped, though her own grin was still firmly in place. "Rosie won't tolerate another long face. Don't screw this up or your next business dinner will be very unpleasant!" Fauxi stretched her lips once more, the thought of being disemboweled making for a fabulous motivator. She hated her smile, though maybe she hated it a little less now.
"Te voilá, mon ami!" Alastor called joyfully upon seeing his friend. Rosie stood outside with her parasol protecting her from the glaring red sun. Above her, sitting on the roof of a rather fine-looking establishment, was a sign that read: 'Plaisirs Crus,' which translates to "Raw Pleasures" in French.
"How wonderful to see you, dear," she greeted warmly. "And how rude of you to be late!"
"Forgive me, I have been quite busy! Come, let us sit and enjoy this lovely day."
"Let's, and let me hear of this new business venture of yours."
Taking an outdoor table, they ordered an appetizer of lizard heart and Alastor regaled her with the details. By the end of his explanation, she was laughing shamelessly. A bit unbecoming of her, but Alastor was not one to deny someone their right to laugh at something so ludicrous. The waitress came out, looking a bit nervous about serving the two overlords under the watchful eye of her bosses. Alastor sampled a slice of the heart, saying it was quite tasty, which had the waitress walking away with a sigh of relief.
"My, my!" she said, collecting herself. "I never would have guessed you'd be helping the princess with her ridiculous dream!" She took a dainty bite from a slice of heart. The taste had a natural bitter-sweet flavor. It was very tasty, indeed.
"Ah, but I am," he stated pleasantly.
"You don't honestly subscribe to the notion of redemption, do you?"
"Of course not, my dear! But who's to say what is truly possible? Is Hell the end-all be-all for sinners across the globe? Or is it possible to claw their way to heaven? Unlikely, but with a grand promise of entertainment! Imagine all the deals they'd be willing to make in their deprived state! Drug addicts, sex addicts, murderers and cannibals… The possibilities are endless!"
"And who are we to deny them the empty feeling of failure and false fulfillment of relapse?" Rosie's grin spread from ear to ear. "Oh, Alastor, you are a clever man. So tell me, what do you need from me?"
"An intelligent woman like you needs only to guess," he countered.
"Flattery? Oh, don't even start." She waved him away in mock dismissal. "But you're right, I can guess. A non-profit hotel can't run itself without sponsors."
"Correct, mon cher!" Alastor praised, applause emanating from his inner radio. "We need sponsors to get this exercise in futility off the ground!"
"I would be more than happy to, with the promise of the usual: ads, recommendations, maybe events to show off my work…"
"But of course," Alastor agreed. "Though an event at the hotel is more than our guests could ever deserve, my dear. Don't spoil them too much! I want them to honestly try to better themselves. It's not entertaining if they're around just to enjoy the benefits. The pain of their internal struggle is what I'm there to enjoy!"
"But, pray tell, however will you find others to fund this? Not everyone is willing to throw money at something merely to enjoy the failure of others. They will want something more… substantial."
"I'd offer a meat locker, but with the existence of orphanages and homeless shelters, they're a dime a dozen. Although," he added darkly, "I do look forward to the bitter taste of failure. The flavor will be divine."
"Such a ravenous appetite. But you're correct, though I'm sure we have a couple acquaintances who would gladly pay for such delicacies."
"I have already spoken with one of them. Dear old Jack is hesitant to invest, but the promise of the sexually deprived made him excitable enough. I practically had to wipe the drool from the receiver!" He pulled back his lip in slight disgust. Rosie had to admire his expressiveness, given that his smile never truly vanished.
"Jeffrey might be willing to pay for the meat directly," Rosie suggested. "His cannibal cooking show is growing steadily in popularity."
"Tempting, but I need to lay low on publicity," Alastor mourned. "If the princess finds out why they're backing the hotel, she'll have me thrown out in an instant! I'm too invested to give up this early! Besides, doesn't he prefer to eat his lovers? I doubt he'd have an interest in the scum we're likely to draw in."
A couple crows landed nearby, and Alastor perked up slightly. He threw the last slice of heart onto the ground, hoping for one of his favorite spectacles among the animals of Hell. He was not disappointed, watching gleefully as the larger of the two killed its partner. Greed and gluttony were two wonderful sins to behold.
"Oh, that bird will be insufferable now," Rosie commented, though she sounded far from disappointed. "Well, I think we're done here. Shall we go inside?"
"Let's!" he agreed. "I'll bring our plates. Wouldn't want these lovely ladies to be assaulted by this blood-crazed feathered beast!" The two went inside, where the four owners waited with baited breath. Rosie had promised them Alastor's honest assessment of their work, and he didn't disappoint. They swooned at his kind words and took his criticisms as gospel. One of the ladies, a plump woman with blonde hair, black-and-silver eyes and pale skin, noticed some movement outside and looked behind their guests. She smiled widely upon recognizing the approaching individual.
"Excuse me for a moment!" she interrupted, excusing herself. Alastor's eyes followed the woman as she left, and he caught a glimpse of the distraction in his peripheral vision.
"Well, well," he said, mischievously. "How interesting."
"Are you sure?" Vaggie asked for the hundredth time. "Seriously, we can just drive around."
"Thank you so very much," Eliza responded genuinely. "But I really wish to walk from here. I would appreciate you taking the clothes, however. I don't wish for them to get accidentally dirty or damaged."
"Seriously, your priorities are messed up," Vaggie chastised.
"Here," Charlie said, handing her a cell phone. "It doesn't have a lot of features, but both of our numbers are hooked up to speed dial. I'm 1, Vaggie is 2. Just… Call us if something happens, OK?"
Eliza looked downright honored by her consideration, and Vaggie briefly forgot that she could be downright sociopathic at times. They waved goodbye and the limo took off towards the hotel. Eliza, however, went the other direction. She saw something on their drive that interested her. Upon arrival, she read the very well cared-for sign: "Cannibal Colony." She hated feeling drawn to this place, but morbid curiosity guided her.
'Like that's the only reason,' a familiar, cocky voice laughed in the back of her mind. Eliza grimaced slightly, but walked forward regardless. She really wanted to see this place. 'I wonder if there are restaurants…' Id continued, tormenting her with tempting thoughts.
'We are not eating anyone. I'm just here to look.'
'Sure you are,' Id mocked. 'Don't even pretend you're not curious. You want to know what people taste like.'
'Probably not the same as they would on Earth,' Eliza countered. 'Everyone here tends to look like some sort of animal. They probably taste like them, too.'
'Way to ruin the mood,' Id complained. 'Don't make me lose hope.' Suddenly, "Cannibal" by Kesha became stuck in her head, and Eliza fought the urge to growl in annoyance. 'Although, that cannibal lady said they took that big lizard bastard's body to a restaurant. Betcha it's around here somewhere.' She could just feel Id's smug smirk in her mind. She had thought about checking that out before, and now it was haunting her.
It seemed, however, that someone was indeed guiding her feet, for it didn't take long to find a restaurant. It was called "Plaisirs Crus", and it looked rather fancy. And sure enough, as she approached, the lady she had just thought about ran out to greet her.
"Hello~!" She said in the same sing-song tone as when they first met. "I'm so glad you found us! I wasn't sure I'd get to see you here."
"Good to see you again." Eliza was genuinely glad to see her, even if she felt like she should have stayed away. This was a terrible idea. "How long has this restaurant been here?"
"It just opened officially yesterday! We're catering to a specific clientele at the moment, but next week we'll open up to the public. Oh, but you're welcome inside any time! In fact, I just served the heart of your donation to an esteemed customer! He quite enjoyed it!"
Eliza would die before admitting she was flattered, or that her mouth started to salivate slightly. "How wonderful," was the response she settled on. She hoped her tone wasn't too flat as she began to feel very uncomfortable.
"Why don't you come in? You can meet Rosie. She's our patron. Oh, and Ala-" She was cut off by the assault of a large, enraged crow, blood dripping from its beak and chest. "Argh! Get away, you. Shoo!"
It met Eliza's gaze as it turned towards her, and her eyes shifted immediately. She stood there, gazing into their red, soulless depths. It cawed in protest, but hovered there, uncertain. Finally, it flew to the nearby fence and perched there, glaring at the two women it had just attacked.
"Stupid bird," the other woman hissed. It didn't react at all. She turned her attention back to Eliza, whose eyes had returned to their normal state. "Anyways, should we go inside?"
"I would love to," she answered, shooting the bird another inverted warning look. It cooed in understanding, and she entered the establishment.
"That was well handled, my dear Eliza!" The sound of radio static surprised the therapist, making her jump.
"Alastor!" she greeted, her surprise evident. She recovered after a moment. "It's good to see you. I was wondering what you've been up to!"
"Oh, you two know each other?" The restaurant owner looked between them, her expression shifting between happy, surprised and utterly jealous.
"She is the newest addition to Charlie's hotel!" Alastor explained, mostly to the woman directly to his left. She was rather lovely, with her pale skin, short grey hair and sharp-toothed smile that rivaled the Radio Demon's in intensity. She wore a lovely red and black dress with a red sun-hat, sporting a red plume so audacious that one could only marvel at it. Her eyes had Eliza slightly captivated, as they seemed to be empty black sockets. The therapist found the woman to be very beautiful.
"You're a client there?" Rosie inquired.
Eliza shook her head, partly to recover her senses. "No, my lady. I work there as a resident psychiatrist."
"Oh, how delightful!" Rosie said excitedly. "You'll be seeing to the hopeless loafers that cross our dear princess' threshold. Tell me, do you believe as she does? Or do you share a more… skeptical view?"
"I prefer to keep an open mind," she answered. "After all," she shot a glance at Alastor, "Who am I to deny the possibility?"
Alastor laughed. "So true! Tell me, are you here to take a plunge into the delectable taboo of cannibalism?"
"I'm here out of curiosity, but not for the food." Even as the words came out, they felt like a lie. "I wanted to see what this colony was like. Finding this restaurant is merely a happy coincidence."
"And, pray tell, how do you know my associate, fair lady?" He turned to the plump, blonde demon, who gushed slightly at being addressed so sweetly.
"We met on Route 6," she answered. "My friends and I were sitting and keeping an eye out for good meat outside the colony. It can get so dull here sometimes. Anyway, she had just killed someone who attacked her. She didn't want the body, so she donated it to us!"
Alastor looked at the young therapist in surprise. She kept her composure, but he was sure she felt uncomfortable. She was, after all, openly gentle. But still…
"When was this?" he asked.
"Oh, a couple days after the Cleanse, I think!" One of the other ladies piped up. She was taller than the rest with grey skin, grey curly hair and downturned eyes. "This brutish lizard had a couple friends, but they ran off."
Alastor didn't realize that her fight with the gorilla demon had been her second of the day. "You had a busy day, didn't you?" He turned to Eliza, who was hiding a blush.
"Everyone was all riled from surviving the purge," Rosie cooed at the flustered demoness. "There's no need to be embarrassed, my dear."
"I arrived the day after," she answered. "I have only second-hand knowledge of the purge."
"Ah, I see, so you are very new here!" Rosie clasped her hands off to the side as if Eliza was a cute child. The therapist flinched internally, her smile feeling strained for a moment.
'Condescending bitch,' Id growled.
"So you had your first kill the day after your arrival?" Alastor knew he was twisting a knife in the woman as he praised her darker tendencies. "How impressive my dear! I would never have guessed that you had such strength in you!"
"And I would not have pegged you for a cannibal," she said, desperate to change the subject. "While you look at others as entertainment, I've never seen you look hungrily at another demon."
"We all have standards. A restaurant is a perfect place for such distasteful displays. Although, I have recently had the joy of butchering my own beast." Eliza's mind jumped straight to the gorilla demon who had attacked her, and she felt ashamed at how much she had enjoyed his screaming. He was being butchered at the time. Explains why it sounded like he was going through hellish torture. She couldn't imagine being butchered alive as being a pleasant experience. "It's always so satisfying to eat something you've killed."
'Think we should ask for a sample?' Eliza mentally punched Id in the face.
"Were you a hunter in life, or a serial killer?" Eliza needed to shift the topic away from her, and she knew Alastor enjoyed talking about himself. Still, bringing up such a topic was a risky maneuver. If he was merely a hunter, it would be a short story that may lead back to uncomfortable topics. But if he was a serial killer, he would be prone to brag to his adoring audience.
Luckily, it paid off.
"The latter, my dear!" he answered, almost too joyfully. "Oh, what a joy it was to tussle with a victim! They think they have the upper hand, so they stand their ground, challenging you with such fierce arrogance…" The therapist watched as the ladies of the restaurant gathered around to enjoy his gorey tales. Rosie left his side and walked over to Eliza.
"Would you like to join me for a stroll?" she invited, holding out her arm. "Alastor will be at it for a while. This is the perfect time to talk, wouldn't you agree?"
Eliza hid her nerves well as she took Rosie's offered arm. "I would love to!" When they walked outside together, Rosie's other hand opened her parasol with ease.
"The sun can be downright dreadful for my complexion," she explained. "Perhaps you should consider one. You're pale skin rivals mine."
"I have scales," Eliza informed. "They don't seem to mind the light at all."
"Ah, how lucky you are, then!" Rosie looked at the fence as they walked past. The crow from before was still sitting there. It stopped preening its feathers as they passed to coo at Eliza. "Oh, my dear, I think it likes you!"
Eliza looked at it inquisitively. For reasons she would question for days, she held out an arm for it. It merely cawed at her and took off.
Slightly disappointed, she sighed. "Crows are my favorite birds. I always wanted one in life. Too expensive, and my career didn't afford me much time."
"Persistence is key," Rosie encouraged. "Come by every now and then. If it's around, try feeding it. Who knows, it may stay with you one day!"
'It also brings us here regularly to be tempted to fuck up and try cannibalism,' Id mused. 'She's a clever and manipulative bitch, isn't she?'
'Yes, she is,' Eliza agreed. The woman was fair and polite, so Eliza did feel more comfortable with her than most, but still…
"It's strange how polite some people are down here," Eliza stated. "Alastor is always playing some sort of game, but he's a gentleman about it. It's so... odd."
"He has a strange moral code, unlike most demon lords," Rosie agreed. "It's no simple matter making friends down here. Most are always looking to use you. But he and I have been friends for many decades now. Such rare relationships are to be treasured."
Eliza's mind went back to her living years. Friends were scarce, but they tended to be more of a cause of grief than anything worth dwelling on. Besides, the world tended to be full of people not worth knowing, and the few that were didn't really stick around in her life for one reason or another. It had been such a long time since she spared a thought for them; the memories were inhibiting factors. It took so much willpower to abandon who she used to be, and thinking about them always threatened to pull her back into something she didn't want. To see someone else who treasures friendships felt almost pitiful, though she would never say so out loud.
"If you say so," Eliza said, sweetly. This would be an argument for another day. Perhaps over dinner, if the restaurant served something other than meat. Still, thinking that Alastor, a demon all about enjoying others' pain and suffering, would care about a friendship just for the sake of it seemed… Unlikely.
Author's note:
Hey guys! Sorry for this chapter crapping out for a bit. I reposted it because I had to fix all the italics, then it turned out I accidentally replaced it with chapter 7, leaving two chapter 7s for you to read. I've been having some difficulty with the Doc Manager, so I do apologize for... whatever the heck happened, lol. Hopefully I won't do it again, but don't hold your breath on that. Enjoy the story!
