"Mmm..."

Stirring.

"A-ahh... Al'..."

More stirring.

"N... not so..."

Finally, Alastor gathered the energy to open his eyes. He slept pretty well for being cramped up in a car. 'Hmm. I don't remember acquiring a pillow though...' He gripped it and was quite pleased with the texture, squeezing. Soft and firm in just the right places. Looking off to the side with one eye, he saw Husk was still driving.

Alastor yawned, still a little groggy. "I must ask how I came to be in possession of such a wonderful pillow. What brand is this?"

Hearing a moan, he looked up to the source of the noise, seeing the face of a red-cheeked, sleeping Angel. Finally, he realized what he was doing, his face buried deep in the spider's bosom, along with his hands resting on the form's hips. Removing himself quickly, he once again bumped his head on the roof. Looking back to Husk, the tiniest hint of amusement was visible on the cat's face.

"You slept like a fawn."

"And you saw nothing." Alastor glared as he blushed profusely, though both knew the threat was empty at this moment in time. Turning around, he did not recognize the area they were in. The city was no longer behind them. It also occurred to him that he didn't know where exactly they were headed. They never discussed beforehand, and he had fallen asleep. The drive was taking them hours.

Alastor's embarrassing moment was forgotten for now. "Where are we going?"

"Anyplace but the city. It'll be near impossible for them to search for you out here... we lay low, and once you're fully rested, we're good." Alastor gave a nod. It put his mind at ease to have someone like Husk on board. He was street smart and knew his way around. Although he did have an outburst earlier, he was typically level headed and knew the simple, easy solutions to a problem. He brought reliability and loyalty to the table. Something else was on Alastor's mind though as he leaned against the dashboard, and folded his arms together.

"I'm very thankful you're doing this. I'm sorry I had to drag you in."

Husk waved this off. "Hey. If there's anyone to blame here, it's me. Everyone knows once you're in, you never get out. Not without consequence." The deer remained silent after this. It was so final, but it was true. As if happy endings could exist in hell anyways. "We'll be stopping at a hotel soon. I know the guy, and we should be safe there. "

"Excellent..."

"We're here."

"Mm, finally." Angel finally rose and wrapped his arms around his captive prisoner who wasn't too resistant, though still squirmed, eyes narrowing.

"Angel, please. We have important business to attend to."

"Fine, fine..."

Surprisingly, the hotel wasn't some beat up place like Alastor had imagined. It was definitely top of the line, the outside of the gigantic building enough to determine as much. Lights shone out into the sky, and many vehicles surrounded it. The pillars were made of a shiny silver and took inspiration from Greek architecture. It was an accomplishment of combining modern technology and classic design. In big, golden letters, the name was spelled for everyone to see. Pulling up to the front, there was a red carpet. The three stepped out, Husk handing the keys to a valet.

"Madness Palace. I've heard many things about this place." Alastor took a moment to admire the design of it all. Casual conversation filled the air, devoid of the annoying yelling, screaming, and obnoxious tones from the city were present. This must've been an area untouched by gangs; or at least, they were more civilized. Angel's eyes seemed to shimmer as he spotted the bar, but decided against it. He had a job to do. Separation would be easy, the crowd around them being a double edged sword if someone decided to attack.

"Ironic name." Alastor remarked, still looking left and right with curiosity. It seemed no one recognized him, or at the very least, there were too many demons to keep track of.

"Mhm. Anyways, we need to get you that personal protection."

"Protection? I can't trust anyone from here. I thought we were here to rest?"

"Just follow me. I'm not talking about hiring. We are here to stay for a while though."

The three entered the building and easily blended in, barely any breathing room; it was jam packed. Husk led the way to a backdoor guarded by a bouncer, the burly muscle blocked the way with both his size and a stare. He recognized the cat however, and stepped aside. Before they could go in all the way, the lion spoke. "You workin' again?"

"Afraid so. Hopefully it'll be a temporary return."

The lion said no more and let them on their way.

The guarded hallway led to just one door. It was the manager's office, indicated in bold, black letters. It was noticeably a very minimalist room as they entered, the only furniture being a desk a man was sitting behind, and the chair of course. It was another cat. Upon closer inspection, the two felines looked similar. Most striking were the marks on their ears. The fatter cat was counting bills and smoking a cigar, flipping through a large sum.

"Let me do the talking here." Husk looked to the two, then stepped forward alone.

Finishing the stack of cash he was counting, he dropped it, then looked up with a squint. "Haven't seen you in a while. And Angel Dust..." His voice was rough and low, just like Husk's. The last name was spoken with a tinge of annoyance, his voice turning even more monotone.

"Yours truly." Angel replied smoothly, winking.

Looking to the middle, his eyes twinkled with interest. "And last but definitely not least, the radio demon..." The deer's minder taking notice of this, and took a step closer to Alastor. "This is quite the gang. What brings you to my hotel?"

"We need guns."

"Hmm, okay. Let's see the money."

Snapping his fingers, Alastor's suitcase appeared right on the desk, some smoke covering it briefly as it came into existence. The code dialed itself in, opening. The manager's eyes were wide as saucers as he looked inside.

"Just don't let me smell fear on you." The fatter pulled something from under the his table. The surrounding, blank gray walls shifted and twisted. Lo and behold, walls of firearms appeared. Ammunition, armor, guns of every caliber revealed themselves. "Fear will be for the enemy after you leave this room. I guarantee you that ANYTHING from these walls are bound to fix what's bothering you. Take as much as you need."

Alastor gestured to both of them, and Angel happily obliged. "Candy store for adults..."

As he did, Husk turned to Alastor. "This is what I meant by protection."

"Indeed. I'll leave it to both of you then."

"That's not it. Listen, I know we're your bodyguards now. But..." Grimacing, Husk paused. "Let's say Angel and I die. The odds aren't exactly good here. You're going to need to be able to take care of yourself if that happens."

Alastor was quiet as Husk walked away towards the opposite side of the room. Eyeing the seemingly endless selection, he spotted rifles, shotguns, explosives; anything a gun nut could think of. Yet, he had no idea what to even consider taking. He had never wielded a gun in his life. An uncomfortable feeling settled upon him as he eyed a hunting rifle, a shiver crawling up his spine. Seeing as he definitely needed to get something, he settled on something he'd see often in the news. It surely looked well designed with its wood finishes and unique shape. The drum barrel at the bottom was easily recognizable. But, it also looked a pretty complicated. Looking around some more, he looked to where Husk was. He was right next to the rifles, feeling out a double barrel. Alastor definitely wouldn't be taking one of those. Then, he looked at angel, who was already looking at him.

"You've never used a gun before, I'm guessing?"

Alastor shook his head no, almost feeling embarrassed. "I never had the need for one. Not until now."

"Hmm. Well, want my recommendation?" Blushing lightly, the radio demon gave a single nod. It hurt his pride to ask for help. He had already broken down in front of Husk, but he felt especially sensitive now. This was Angel he was speaking with.

"Here. Tell me how it feels."

Catching a small revolver, Alastor held it awkwardly. His arms were limp, and he pointed at a wall in a mock stance. "...it's light."

"Yep. They call the .32 a woman's gun, but they're not going to be insulting you when they've got a bullet lodged in their skull. But I gotta say... that is a terrible stance." Angel went behind him and pushed his arms straight up, and adjusted his shoulders. Alastor stiffened at the touch.

"What are you...?" Feeling the hands grab him more, his cheeks flared an even deeper red.

"Relax. You wanna be loose when you shoot. Now, one foot slightly above the other, and... perfect." Circling the deer, he nodded to himself. "Don't try what you've seen me do at home. Not until you've mastered shooting normally."

"I see... thank you." As Angel walked away, Alastor watched, feeling a strange feeling welling within his stomach and chest. Looking to where Husk was, changing focus, he noticed someone else's eyes; the manager. The manager seemed to be thinking of something. The deer held his breath, staring back with the same intensity.

"Alright, we're all done here. We'll be on our way." Husk announced, finished as well. The three proceeded to head towards the exit; the only door in the room. The sound of a slide being pulled back stopped them in their tracks. Alastor slowly turned around.

"So. The radio demon is buying guns for his crew not just for them, but for himself too."

"...so what if that is the case?"

"I've heard many stories about you. About how you killed a hundred demons without so much as breaking a sweat. And not with bullets either... magic."

Alastor was silent, just staring into the fat cat's eyes. Angel and Husk looked at each other for a brief moment, but a hand from the deer told them to stay back.

"What I'm trying to figure out is... why the hell you'd need a piece?"

The adrenaline kicked in. 'Don't freeze.' Alastor told himself, his eyes wide, and his grin splayed. His hand hovered beside his hip, knowing where his pistol was. The two noticed this and suddenly felt nervous.

"This is a bad move." Husk whispered, but his warning was ignored.

Alastor's arm shifted up, and two shots sounded in succession.