Throughout the lobby, there was silence.
None dared to speak as two of the most powerful beings in Hell faced off. Standing with his back facing the front door to the Hazbin Hotel was Lucifer Magne: King of Hell, the Morningstar, the most beautiful of God's angels, the Demiurge, and master of the Circle of Pride. A mere foot from him was his flesh and blood daughter Princess Charlie: the self anointed benefactor of sinners, borne of Lucifer and Lilith, heir to the throne of Hell.
Lucifer's eyes were glazed with a teasing confidence. His pearly white, shark-like teeth glinted in the modest light of the lobby as he smiled without even the slightest hint of fatigue.
Charlie, only slightly shorter than her father, matched his amused glare with stern defiance. It was not the first time that she had come to rhetorical blows with her own dad. However, this confrontation was different, as most of the prior clashes were Lucifer reacting to Charlie's resolute belief that sinners could be redeemed if given a chance. Now, Lucifer, for the first time in months, had come to visit his daughter, unannounced, during the first group redemption session to happen in the Hazbin Hotel.
The reaction from the others in the room were largely predictable. Husk was behind the bar, trying his best to keep a low profile. Jersey was also at the bar, feeling mildly trapped between the nearest stairwell and the stand-off taking place.
Vaggie was within arm's reach of Charlie, but she hesitated to do anything. She had seen such familial tension on several occasions, and knew that any interference on her part, while brave, was not going to convince Lucifer of the justness of a redemption effort.
Still on the sofa located to the right of the entrance to the lobby, Alastor was keeping a very close eye on the unfolding argument. His grin became very mischievous as he covertly summoned his microphone staff. The one eyed artifact buzzed quietly to life as it began to record the audio in the room.
Just feet away from the Radio Demon, little Niffty was watching with rapt attention. In her mind, this fixation was just as much about morbid curiosity and a deep seeded love of drama. This was better than the usual morning soap operas she sometimes watched when not preoccupied with housework and other chores.
Internally, Charlie had her initial suspicions as to her father's actions less than half an hour ago. Unfortunately, she lacked the same level of perceptual clairvoyance as her father, so she would not know for certain unless she made an effort to ask him directly. Before any such conversation could be made, Charlie asked another preliminary question.
"Shall we take this to my office?"
Lucifer hummed, then made a pose as if legitimately considering the offer. It was unsubtle play acting as the fingers of his right hand, elegant and wrapped in black kidskin, rubbed his sharp chin in an exaggerated manner. All the while, that infuriating smile remained on full display.
His answer made his daughter's heart fall into her stomach. "I think not. Besides, you've already had a terrible habit for making a poor argument for your childish act of charity in a public manner. Lest we forget..." This time, his eyes narrowed in disapproval.
Charlie swallowed down a wave of recurrent shame as her father dared to bring up the Channel 666 interview. 'Of course.' She thought bitterly. 'Why should I expect anything less?'
"Okay Dad, we can play this game." Charlie remarked. "So, why did you do it?"
"Ah, my little interruption? I figured I had to get your attention somehow. Besides, can a father not have a visit with his little girl now that she's running her own business?" Lucifer gave Charlie a little pinch on her left cheek.
The Princess gently, but firmly, grabbed her father by the wrist to stop him. "But you didn't stop there. Bringing up the mistakes of Angel. Mentioning what Baxter did... how did you even know about... well-"
"The debacle of Baxter's initial stay at the hotel?" Lucifer interjected, bringing his hand away from Charlie's grip, bringing it up to his chin. "Why, thanks to your unconventional business partner. His latest radio program has given me some... interesting insight into what has been going on at the Hazbin Hotel."
Charlie cast a betrayed look behind her father in the direction of Alastor. The Radio Demon took a modest sip of his tea, utterly insensitive to her distress.
"Alastor!" Vaggie shouted. Her hair showed an intimidating display of piloerection, looking like the tail of a porcupine. Her one, good eye tried to burn a hole through the Radio Demon's yellowed smile.
Naturally, Alastor looked unconcerned at the demoness' indignation. To the Salvadoran's astonishment, he raised his tea cup up to the air as if to make a toast to her. "Do not act so surprised my dear Vagatha. I was completely honest in my intentions with this hotel, and I did benefit greatly from the semi regularly scheduled chaos and discord this place has seen."
This did not make Vaggie any less angry.
"However the source of my intel, I know for a fact that your charity has become a circus." Lucifer strutted around his daughter. "Now, I would normally be proud of you for showing some of your old man's style of management, but you have been trying to curtail the baser instincts of your worthless guests."
"Don't call them worthless!" Charlie barked firmly.
Lucifer stopped in his tracks. His smile tightened and his hands, which were held behind his back, clenched tightly into fists. "That is precisely what I am talking about, Charlotte. You claim that the worms in this derelict old place have redeeming qualities, but look at what they have done so far.
"Your first 'patient' betrayed your trust in hilarious fashion, and to this day, he continues to engage in the very behavior you seek to wean him off of. Another nearly destroyed his room, and made you, your staff, and your guests experience a miserable night. Even your latest acquisition is only at this hotel because she needs a roof over her head. I doubt that wench could spell redemption, much less believe in it."
Charlie leveled a hard glare at her father. Her eyes, once an approachable black, began to show yellow sclera. All who were in tuned to demonic energy, particularly Jersey, could feel her true potential beginning to reveal itself as her temper began to flare.
"Why tolerate such duplicitous and self serving wretches? Why don't you accept the truth that even the people you've put so much faith in will never undo the sins they've made in life and beyond?"
"I won't give up on them." She answered immediately. "Redemption takes time and work. I don't expect them to become saints overnight."
"But at what cost? How do you know that any one of your guests believes in your charitable view of their character?"
At this, Charlie had to consider her words. It was true that of the four sinners who accepted her invitation to be a part of the redemption program, only Angel Dust had thought himself capable of being redeemed. Even that was the result of him protecting his ego, insisting that he was a perfectly suitable candidate for the then named Happy Hotel.
Jersey was primarily interested in having a job and housing. He was the most openly cooperative, but he too had some doubts about the efficacy of the program. Baxter had resorted to the Hazbin Hotel because his scientific investigations inevitably forced him out of every previous boarding house and apartment he had called home. Crymini only wanted housing as well, and she made it perfectly clear that she thought she deserved to be in Hell.
The palpable silence concerned Vaggie. Part of her wanted to address her girlfriend by name, fearing that she was spacing out whilst thinking about her father's interrogation.
The Princess spoke from the heart. "I believe in them. I believe they can redeem their souls if only they were given a guiding hand and a chance."
'All I need to do is prove that redemption is possible.' Charlie thought with conviction. 'Then things down here can be so much better.'
Lucifer stared at his daughter. Then he chuckled, seemingly amused by her statement. "Belief, eh? I know a thing or two about the power of belief."
"And?" Charlie was almost hesitant to ask.
"I know it is intoxicating, to have a shared confidence in something higher than yourself. But it can also be self destructive, or used to commit truly terrible things." Lucifer lectured. "I know you could not bring yourself to harm a literal fly, but what will your guests think if their good behavior goes nowhere?"
At this, Charlie winced. As true as the implication was, she preferred not being bogged down in the skepticism that sinful souls could even be redeemed.
"Let's take your, plumber, was it?" Lucifer walked away from Charlie and approached Jersey.
The handyman of the Hazbin Hotel was sitting at the bar yet again. He leveled a neutral stare at the fallen angel, though internally, he wished he had returned to his room. Behind him, the normally fearless Husker averted his gaze awkwardly, looking abnormally focused on wiping a glass that was already squeaky clean.
"What of it, your majesty?" Jersey mentally balked at the formal words which left his mouth, but caution governed his language. The last thing he needed was to invite punishment or destruction at Lucifer's hands. Even in this relaxed state, Jersey was fully aware of the king's power, and he struggled to think he could stand toe to toe with him in a worst case scenario.
The question prompted a small, hearty laugh. "Oh please. Dispense with the formalities my fellow. Lucifer will do just fine. Now, you are a relative newcomer to Hell, yes?"
Jersey nodded. "Correct."
"Be honest with me, do you really think that redemption is possible for you? You would not be down here for no reason. That's before even mentioning the lack of a precedent for any demons to be redeemed and sent to heaven. Has my daughter, optimistic though she may be, given even an explanation for her theory that demons can cleared for their sins?"
The question was loaded, and Jersey suspected this was by design. With regard to the implication that he died to go to Hell, just like most other sinners, Jersey was still not entirely sure of how he came to fall to the Ring of Pride. No information could be gleamed from what few internet and blog posts he had seen whilst possessing a Hellphone.
On a separate issue, he knew he could never get to Heaven, for that would require a human soul, and he lost that soul centuries ago. Jersey felt he had to answer to those who did not have his specific circumstances.
"I'll admit that Charlotte has not made a hypothesis with regards to redemption."
Lucifer beamed at the answer. Charlie looked downtrodden.
"However..." Father and daughter felt equally confused as Jersey continued to explain his reasoning.
"I believe it was Augustine of Hippo who believed that evil does not exist as a creation of God. Instead, he proposed that evil was a state caused by rational beings who chose things which corrupted them, such as lust or Pride. Evil does not exist as a natural state, but the absence of good, just as darkness is the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat.
"Therefore, if one could create an environment, like a habilitation center," Jersey continued as he gestured with his arms to represent the Hazbin Hotel, "you could theoretically create the conditions to restore people to their natural state, that being goodness. It just takes someone willing to go that far to maybe, just maybe, redeem themselves."
As he finished, Jersey took a humble sip of whiskey. Glancing at Lucifer, he noted how unsettling his stare was. The ruler of the Ring of Pride looked stunned, like a teacher being upstaged by his student. Behind him, Charlie gaped as she processed Jersey's explanation, then settled into a grateful smile.
When Lucifer dared to smile again, it did not look warm and inviting. "A man-of-work who fancies himself a philosopher. How peculiar..."
'Perhaps I said too much...' Jersey thought, praying that the attention would leave him. Thankfully, Lucifer merely tutted and turned to face his daughter once again.
"Congratulations, my little appleseed. You managed to garner the support of someone who can craft a deluded hypothesis for your little charity." Lucifer muttered.
"Don't say that about Jersey." Charlie ordered. "You want to criticize me, so be it. Leave my guests and my staff out of this."
"So I am not allowed to point out the frequent betrayals of your own guests?" Lucifer asked. "You may have succeeded in increasing your number of test subjects, but nothing indicates that your flock of willfully wayward souls is bettering themselves."
"Rome wasn't built in a day." Charlie said, her dainty hands clenching into fists as she stared her father down. "I will redeem at least one of them. You might have no faith in them, and the rest of Hell might not care, but I will do everything in my power to save them from having to face the Extermination."
Lucifer laughed at his daughter's newfound assertiveness. "You can't stop the Cleanse, my precious. You can't even change the nature of your guests."
"I'll give my people another choice: a choice besides being killed helplessly and cowering in run down buildings and locked cars!" Charlie cried out.
"This is the way things are, Charlotte." Lucifer replied with certainty. "Millions inevitably find themselves in this sea of vice and suffering, until one day, they find themselves as either slaves or as corpses. Only a lucky few get to have power and relative security like the Radio Demon."
"That is true..." Alastor remarked.
"The rest are either destined to serve others or to be little more than prey." Lucifer concluded. "It's a bit like the circle of life, only there is more cannibalism, drug addiction, and brutal death at the hands of God's agents."
"Then I'll break the cycle." Charlie remarked firmly.
Lucifer cackled briefly. "A bold claim! Just like your earlier assertion that you could prove that redemption is possible."
"I won't rush things." Charlie explained. "I've gone out of my way to earn the trust of my guests, and I will not betray that just to satisfy a timeline that was never discussed."
"Trust. Ha! Such a thing is just a pretty word: something alien in this infamous kind of afterlife. Do not be so naïve, my sweet little honey crisp; that faith will only leave you more embarrassed than on Katie Killjoy's vapid program."
Charlie's glare turned to a hurt grimace. She could not bring herself to respond to the jab at her credibility.
"I will give you credit for kicking her overly rotund backside. It's like I have always insisted: you don't take shit from other demons." Lucifer added. "A shame you lack that kind of attitude towards the rest of the despicable rabble out there."
"Are you done?" Charlie asked with increasing irritation. Her joyless tone and expression were a stark contrast to her usual empathetic nature.
"Not unless you are willing to admit this project is a failure in the short term and a future stain on your legacy." Lucifer answered. "You should be grateful that you still have an allowance to keep this rathole standing."
"There are no rats." Niffty chirped from the side.
Lucifer was momentarily thrown off by the seemingly random comment. The King of Hell turned to stare at the petite maid. "What?"
Niffty looked mildly embarrassed to have drawn Luficer's attention. She plucked up the courage to repeat herself. "There are no rats."
"..." Confusion still governed Lucifer's expression. "How do you know?"
"I personally saw that they did not stay." Niffty's voice had suddenly become deep as her sole eye appeared to fixate maniacally at Lucifer. She looked half crazed.
Lucifer considered the little demon's words. Then he laughed in a less chilling manner. It sounded like genuine amusement at hearing the implication of Niffty's anti-vermin crusade.
"Ruthless and dedicated to servitude... I like you." Lucifer commented.
Niffty just beamed up in pride at the compliment. Impressing Lucifer was no small feat.
"She is quite the daring darling, isn't she?" Alastor added.
"Uh, dad..."
"Hmm?" Lucifer realized he had gotten off topic. "Ah, forgive me, my little appleseed. Now, will you finally realize the futility of your cause and come home?"
"No." Charlie said. "This is where I'm needed. Maybe you have no confidence in any of my guests, but I do. We made good progress just a couple of minutes ago when we had our first group exercise. Not even your intrusion stopped that."
"Intrusion?" The word was alien to Lucifer, and the tone of his voice was not facetious. "I'll remind you my dear, that all of Hell is my domain. I may go wherever I damned well please."
Charlie kept her composure better than most demons if faced with Lucifer in an irritated mood. "Be that as it may, I can't abandon my friends."
Lucifer snorted in amusement. He promptly grabbed a handkerchief seemingly from no where to contain his rather unkindly display of amusement. "These pathetic creatures are your friends now. How quaint..."
"I'm not leaving."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely?"
"Yes."
"Positively?"
"Yes."
"...are you sure I can't bribe you with tickets to Luu Luu World?"
"Dad, I'm staying here to continue my redemption program!"
"Ugh, fine." Lucifer grumbled, his attitude practically doing a 180 degree turn. "I suppose I'll get out of your hair."
The Morningstar made his way back to the front entrance. "When you are already to give up on this futile exercise in benevolence, your mother and I are more than happy to welcome you back home."
"It's a good thing I have faith in the demons that love in this hotel. They will prove you wrong, Dad."
Lucifer stopped, then chuckled sinisterly. "Don't ever give your trust so liberally, my dear. That kindness will get you in some very hot water."
Charlie said nothing.
"Anyways, off I go! Love you, my sweet little honey-crisp! Your mother says hi!" Lucifer bid as he strolled in a peppy manner out the door towards a car even more luxurious than the one driven by Razzle and Dazzle.
Charlie gave a weary smile. "Bye... Love you too..."
Needless to say, such words seemed hollow, considering the obvious contention between father and daughter. Jersey looked especially bewildered at the departure of the most powerful being in Hell. The distant sound of a car door shutting, followed by the revving of an engine, was all that indicated that Lucifer was gone.
"Alastor!" Vaggie took the opportunity to conjure up her rage and direct it at the smirking Overlord.
"Moi?" He asked in a coy manner.
His blasé attitude nearly made Vaggie combust with vexation. "Do you think we're fucking stupid you hijo de puta engreído?! You've been airing out the dirty laundry of the hotel behind our backs you sadistic shitwad!"
Alastor stood up from the sofa. He let out a knowing sigh and summoned his microphone staff. The Radio Demon was walked at a turtle's pace towards Vaggie as she bristled as his blasé attitude.
"Air dirty laundry? That's just utter foolishness. Everyone knows you use a washing machine for cleaning one's clothing. As for making public light of this establishment's many misadventures, I already told you and Charlie of my ultimate desire for entertainment, my irked friend."
Vaggie could barely contain her murderous desires. She summoned her spear and began to stalk towards the Radio Demon. Her eyes flared with hot rage. Jersey stood up, believing he would have to interfere, lest Vaggie get herself killed as a consequence of her blinding fury.
Thankfully, Charlie stood in her way. The heiress to the throne of Hell stepped in front of the incensed Salvadoran, gripping her shoulders to further impede her malicious march.
"Charlie..."
"No Vaggie."
"Nos ha estado follando este tiempo!" Vaggie tried to raise an arm to hurl her weapon like a javelin.
"I know!" Charlie yelled. "But we can't resort to violence! Not here, in a place of redemption!"
"Fuck you, Alastor!" Vaggie roared.
"I assure you, I have no attraction towards you, my dear." Alastor's calm, almost dismissive attitude was both impressive and infuriating.
Charlie turned to glare disapprovingly at him. "Alastor, you and I need to talk about this."
"What is there to talk about? You already know of my thoughts on redemption. I made that transparent the first day I joined your hotel project. In spite of that belief, I have continued to help you."
Vaggie immediately thought back to the radio advertisement, only to remember that Alastor had used that same means of communication at the Hazbin Hotel's expense.
"How does making a goddamn radio skit help us?!" She demanded.
"It's another part of the advertisement effort, in a less sterilized way. Everyone knows that you ladies are indeed recruiting more guests to be a part of your redemptive program. Need I also remind you of the daily ads that I consistently provide, giving everyone the sense that you are serious in running the Hazbin Hotel?"
"So that makes it okay?!" Vaggie pressed back.
Alastor sighed. "Answering a question with a question... how droll... Have I really done anything so heinous as to warrant such venom, dear Vaggie? Is my radio program any worse than the debacle of that wretched broadcast you made with the bitter as vinegar Katie Killjoy?"
"Do you have a point?" Charlie asked with strained patience.
"Those who are mocking you for your charity are unlikely to be convinced otherwise." Alastor explained. "I get to garner an audience, and you still get the word out through the radio advertisement. Between the new employees and the protection of my power when necessary, I should think letting me indulge with what I am good at as being a fair exchange."
Charlie crossed her arms, looking like a mother trying to discipline an obstinate child. "You could have told us earlier. We're business partners. A modicum of communication and trust should be a virtue."
At this, Alastor chortled. "Virtue? Trust? Your memory of just the kind of wretches you are dealing with is truly flagging, my dear."
Vaggie tried lunging forth, a feral growl erupting from her throat. Charlie just managed to hold her back from attacking the Radio Demon.
"You ordered, and I quote..." Flourishing his microphone cane, he poured some power into the semi autonomous staff. It glowed red with power before playing a static laden recording of Charlie Magne's voice from weeks and weeks before.
"I hereby order that you help with this hotel... for as long as you desire!"
"Now where did you require constant communication and forbade me to make a new, entertaining series on my radio channel?" Alastor asked hypothetically. "If you intend to be a business woman worth your salt, you ought to have a proper contract developed. Word of mouth, especially in such a short notice, is hardly a guarantee of seamless cooperation."
Charlie stayed silent for a few moments. Vaggie was beginning to have her own internal struggle. She understood that taking any deal with Alastor was a disaster waiting to happen. All the same, she hated how he had concocted an excuse to resort to unhelpful behavior. The primary difference between Alastor and Angel was that the Radio Demon was infinitely more subtle and not focused on predictable vices like drugs and sex.
"Then we need to amend that." Charlie said.
"You don't say?" Alastor asked.
"I do say." Charlie took a breath to compose herself. "As Princess of Hell, and heir to my father's throne, I order that you participate in all meetings with me and Vaggie regarding matters related to the hotel. Furthermore, I order that you inform us of any independent decisions you make while you are helping us in operating the Hazbin Hotel."
The order did not appear to dampen Alastor's Cheshire grin. He extended a his right arm, as if offering a handshake. "Shall we make it official?" Green, insidious energy began to snake around the confines of his thin, manicured hand.
"No deals." Charlie answered immediately. "I know better."
Alastor retracted his hand. The show of his power died down in a near instant. "Ha! I knew it." He turned on his heel and returned to his seat. "I look forward to extending our conversational opportunities, dear Charlie."
"We need to look at getting out a positive word out on social media." Charlie said as she turned to Vaggie. The Salvadoran had become apathetic from glaring at Alastor for the past ten minutes.
"To your office?" Vaggie asked.
"To my office." Charlie remarked with a determined smile. She was looking forward to working. It would get her mind off of the emotionally draining conversation she had with her father.
"Am I not invited to this meeting?" Inquired Alastor from afar.
"That depends; do you want to make a social media account."
The Radio Demon appeared to shiver momentarily. "Good golly... I'd sooner try eating glass with my bare hands. Leave me out of it."
"That's what I thought." Vaggie remarked as she gave a rare smirk in triumph. At the very least, there were a few ways where she got the last word. With that, the two founders of the formerly named Happy Hotel retreated to Charlie's office.
"Ah, what a refreshing bout of interfamilial quarreling. What do you think, little Niffty?" Alastor asked, now confident he was out of earshot.
Niffty responded rather cheerily in spite of the bitter circumstances of Lucifer's visit. "Oh it was great! It reminded me a lot of the old dramas I love to watch..." her energy was stunted by a realization. "I feel sorry for Charlie though..."
The Radio Demon set down his now empty tea cup, then rose to his feet. "Thank you very much for the tea."
"My pleasure Mr. Alastor!" Niffty took the tea set to the kitchen at nerve-wracking speed. Either by skill or mere fortune, not a single piece of china was broken.
"I must say," Alastor said as he approached the front desk, "I never expected such rhetoric in the name of Ms. Charlie's dream. How ever did you know of Saint Augustine's beliefs?"
"Yeah, what the fuck was that about?" Husky questioned with far less finesse.
Jersey tried to play the comment off coolly. "I read. I get stir crazy rather easily, so I often read different subjects. Sometimes it proves useful."
"A most well read man-of-work, no doubt." Alastor mused. "It's a wonder you don't participate in more invigorating past times than replacing pipes and installing electric furnishings."
"And with your power," Jersey replied sarcastically, "it's a wonder you don't engage in widespread distraction instead of radio wave whimsy."
Alastor played along, giving a feigned gasp of shock. "Give up my finest talent!? Perish the thought."
"Then maybe you should not make such assumptions about me." Jersey stood up and walked away from the front desk. "Thanks for the drinks."
While Husk dealt with the used glass that Jersey left behind, Alastor pondered in silence, his vermillion gaze following the departing handyman. Now he was sure of Jersey's intelligence and could try to seek a profitable relationship with him without second guessing himself.
The real question was the setting for his charm offensive. Deep down, he could think of only one place.
"I'll have to call her for the first time in years." The Radio Demon muttered, his voice becoming wistful. "I just hope she can forgive me."
The two co-founders sat across from each other, separated by a desk made from the finest black walnut. Charlie had a notepad on her right, and a computer to her left. The latter was to put down ground rules with regards to using a brand name social media account to advertise the Hazbin Hotel. The computer would add tabs to popular social media sites, allowing Charlie to set the account in short order.
"I know that would help to expand potential recruits, but are you sure that kind of advertisement will be worth it?" Vaggie did not need to be a major influencer to understand the caustic environment that was Hell's social media landscape.
Most posts on any typical website was filled with vapid, self indulgent garbage, while the rest was swamped with unmitigated hatred and nauseating degeneracy. Gore, pornography, and rampant attempts to scam other demons were a fact of life, and a genuine attempt to advertise a redemption program would be not only out of place, but liable to constant abuse.
"It'll be cheap." Charlie countered. "We don't have to argue or reply to anyone. The point is to get a positive word in edgewise. Out of millions of demons on accounts, at least one of them has to be remotely interested."
Vaggie cautiously nodded. She trusted that Charlie could ignore the bile and noise to simply announce the mission and progress of the hotel. "As long as we don't attract the wrong kind of attention..."
"Considering all the updates we've made to the background checking and verification process, we should be fine." Charlie promptly stood up from her seat and retrieved a copy of the rules and regulations they had in place from a filing cabinet marked 'Administration'. "Unless you've thought of a new measure to add, we're unlikely to have any new issues."
"Okay, I guess you're right." Vaggie conceded. "So, it's just a cheap internet advertisement, right?"
"Basically." Charlie confirmed. She quickly jotted down a line of words to summarize the purpose of the social media venture. "We won't use the accounts to challenge people, and we will make it imperative to ignore the inevitable tide of mockery and hate. This is for those sinners who are active on social media who can see what we're up to without anything being caught up in noise."
"Sounds like only trusted people can access these social media accounts."
"Yup!" Charlie made a second provision to limit access of social media outreach to one or two people.
"Then it should be you." Vaggie suggested.
Charlie paused, thinking on the matter. It would be another duty for her to do, but it did not require any especially strenuous effort. "So, are you not up for taking on social media management?"
"Hell no." Vaggie answered. "I can get way too angry with the bullshit that can go on in social media. Why do you think I deleted my Ledger account last year?"
Charlie gave a nervous chuckle. "That makes sense. I'll do it, then."
"I just thought of something..." Vaggie muttered. "Well, technically I've thought of two things."
"What is it?" Charlie asked as she quickly wrote the final rule for using the hotel's future social media accounts.
"Why don't we make a hotel website?" Vaggie suggested.
Charlie blinked at the inquiry. 'I guess it would function the same way. Still...'
"That would probably require lots of time to make sure it was functional and secure, but it would be another means to reach out via the internet." The Salvadoran sinner explained.
"True, but do you know anyone who would readily make us a website?"
At this, Vaggie shook her head, sighing in disappointment.
Charlie reached across and patted her girlfriend on the shoulder. A caring smile stretched across her face. "We'll put that on hold. Now what was the second thing?"
"Jersey: specifically what he said."
"Oh, yeah..." Vaggie was split between her old suspicions about the man and admiration for his support for Charlie's goals whilst under the scrutiny of Lucifer's biting inquiry. "That was... something."
"It was pretty unexpected. I've never even heard of... who is he called."
"I think he called him Augustine of Hippo." The name was just as alien to Vaggie's mouth as it sounded to Charlie.
"He's a hippo?" Charlie asked, scrunching her face in bewilderment. "How is that possible?"
"No, like he lived in a place called Hippo."
"Oh." Charlie felt silly, a blush coloring around her exceedingly rosy cheeks. "That makes more since."
"Yeah. Not exactly something that you'd expect to hear from a plumber of all people." Vaggie was tempted to look up information on Augustine right away, but she was mentally exhausted after watching her girlfriend be confronted with predictable disapproval and scorn from her own father.
"Well, whatever he is called, I think we should do a bit of research about him." Charlie decided. "If he has a suitable theory of... sinfulness, then we can use it as per of a framework to better redeem our friends."
Vaggie snorted at the word friend. None of the hotel guests had earned her trust, but she assumed Charlie wanted to describe the other demons with a word that was in keeping with her compassionate approach. "Do you think we can even find something about Augustine?"
"We have to try. If can help the hotel, then anything is worth looking into." Charlie started up the search engine on her computer. "Remind me to catalog the notes from the group session. I think we did much better than either one of us expected."
"Can't argue with that." Vaggie stated. She rose from her seat to find a spare file folder as requested by Charlie.
The unpredictability of the day soon melted away as the two women refocused on their mission of mercy. It was back to work.
I want to apologize for the delay. The website has been a bit of a butt lately, with difficulties editingthe story as of late. I also had some trouble putting ideas to proverbial paper, hence the days of no updates.
This is the last chapter of my fanfics in the year 2021, but I will hopefully have a prompt update sometime in January next year. I wish to give sincere thanks to everyone who has followed and favorited this story. I hope you all have some very happy holidays and I look forward to getting back in the writing groove.
Have a happy New Year.