Charlie
"Come on…pick up…" I say to myself, having my phone to my ear.
It's only been about an hour since the first overworld admission to the Hotel…and I'm already calling my father because our newcomer wants to meet with him and Lord Stolas.
I know I'm the princess of Hell…but I'm not sure I'm exactly in much of a position to be requesting meetings with other faction leaders down here…
Given that I'm still not respected…no thanks to Katie Killjoy…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Dammit!
Voicemail again!
I know they're busy…but…
COME ON! A FEW MOMENTS COULDN'T HURT!
I thought you two of all people down here would be concerned about a disturbance…
Is this still because Dad still doesn't believe in the idea that demons can be redeemed?
Everyone at least deserves a second chance…why can't you even imagine that?
"(Sigh)"
It seems I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands.
I distinctly remember seeing a number father dialed when he talked to Stolas…let's see…
Slowly, carefully, all from memory, I press the numbers to hopefully match that of what I saw, and when the number is complete, I start the call.
Please…please let this work…
I know it's not my father…but I at least have leeway as his daughter to request a meeting with one of his associates…wouldn't look good if he declined it.
As if a miracle happened-
"Hello-o-o-o!" The sound of the owl demon comes through the line. "Stolas here!"
I take a deep breath away from the microphone, quickly composing my words and attempting to be more assertive than when I was 'ordering' Alastor to aid with the Hotel.
"Hello, Lord Stolas? This is Charlie Morningstar." I courteously greet him.
"OH! Lucifer's daughter, huh? It's been so long! How are you today? How goes your little project? I hope well!" He politely greets me.
Damn, haven't even spoken to him for more than 30 seconds and he's already given me more uplifting words than my actual father.
"I'm alright…and it's going. That's all I can really say. Listen, I have an… admittedly unusual request." I say.
"And…what would that be?"
"I request to meet with you, but specifically I have someone here who wants to. Is there a time I can bring him? The First sent him down here, gave him an identification badge, it was legit. I tried contacting my father several times about it, but he never picks up my calls."
"The First?! Oh my…that…that is something. If it's that important to where he would send someone down here, I can at least carve out some time…things aren't really going the best with my family…and it is early today…but I believe you can catch us after brunch. If you remember the last time you came here, you know where our throne room is, right?"
"Yes, I do."
"Okay, just be there at around noon, we should be there. I'll just pass it off to my wife and daughter as in impromptu meeting with a business associate, we'll be finishing up brunch at that time so it'll work."
"Alright. Thank you, Stolas. Greatly appreciate it." I say.
"Anytime, Charlie. See you soon!"
"You too." I say as I hang up the call.
I pump my hand in the air several times.
"GRR! YES!"
I can be professional and assertive…at least somewhat!
Okay, just need to let Kai know that it's settled.
I walk out of my personal room and through the hallway, making it to the elevator and hitting the floor our guest is on.
Once I make it there…what I soon hear perplexes me.
It's the sound of machinery running, not industrial sized, but it sounds like someone running power tools.
And when I follow the sounds…it's coming from Kai's room.
As well as some miniature tunes, an orchestral metal song, and some quieter rapping…
"I'll make no mistake like every borne and divine thing, rip-roaring like I'm Mick Gordon on a nine-string,
All of this unholy and impure disease, the demons all just wanna lock me down in quarantine-"
I courteously knock on the door, and the sounds of work cease.
A bit of shuffling occurs, and steps later, and the door opens.
Side note…I couldn't help but notice the footsteps seem…I don't know…heavier?
When I can now see Kai fully, I can't help but notice his attire is different than before.
He wears a red plated vest covering his torso with segmented plating keeping it together, the formation of which reminiscent of carved muscles. Attached to his shoulders are pauldrons reminiscent of the same material but attached to it is a cloak that seemed to have been torn in half. One half is on his head as a hood ready to be thrown over his head, seeming compatible with his deployable mask, and the other seems to be attached to the belt that he wears right now as if it had sentimental value. Attached to his armored vest are long blue sleeves made of an apparently dense, almost shock absorbing-like material. At the end of the sleeves, he wears red gloves meant for resisting things like friction, heat, electricity, basically everything you'd need if you were an industrial worker or something like that, but these have seemingly hardened knuckles I'd imagine are for deadlier punches. the aforementioned belt visibly has gadgets I'd have to assume he somehow crafted on his own attached to it, like grenades, speed loaders, magazines, as well as holsters for two intricately engraved pistols. I'm not too much of a weapons expert, but objectively they look beautiful with the designs put onto them. His pants seem to be nothing more than brown cargo pants with some armored upgrades, on his feet are plated boots ready for combat.
Also, strapped to his back is that mechanized spear he had, and I just about notice a couple things underneath his sleeves next to his gloves…of which I'd assume are his tricks…
Is…that…?
Did he always have that axe on him?
Or am I just forgetting things?
Hotel operations must be getting to me.
I find it weird how it's somehow built into his left sleeve, there's a joint mechanism where his wrist is that I'd assume is for rotation purposes.
"Charlie." Our human greets me politely, snapping me out of my thought process.
"Hey, just wanted to let you know I managed to get the meeting with Stolas set up. We can meet him at his mansion at 12 in his throne room." I say, he smiles.
"Appreciate it."
"Uh, sorry if this is prying, but are you building stuff in there?" I ask, glancing inside.
I just about notice a workbench with an old flintlock pistol with a cartridge mechanism put into it, as well as a high tech device with a progress bar labelled 'Completed'.
The pistol looks like it had some MAJOR upgrades to the point where I think it was entirely remade, with a scope, metal exterior, and everything. Almost like a hunting pistol.
He's…inventing stuff?
"Yeah. Fixing something and synthesizing another."
"Synthesizing?" I ask, confused.
"Oh yeah, you didn't get the context." He says, scratching his head.
"What context?"
"Long story short, big reason why I'm here is because Imps and a hellhound from down here jumped me on the overworld." He explains. "I'm fixing/upgrading one of their weapons and synthesizing antibodies for syphilis."
I stare at him deadpanned at the seemingly ridiculous nature of what he just said.
"Huh?!" I exclaim.
"Yeah."
"But…why come down here where there's more of them?" I ask, confused, and forgetting to ask about the whole thing with the syphilis antibodies.
He looks to the left and right of the hallway we're in.
"Let me first and foremost say you seem like a decent person, and given you're the princess of Hell, considering the population down here, that's a huge thing. It's for this reason I can entrust you with this secret." He says seriously.
"Okay…?"
"Come in and lock the door. Security reasons." He requests, I do so and seal the door, leaving only us in the room as I notice him at his workbench.
He takes that late 19th century looking modified steampunk pistol with snake scale-like carvings on the handle, as well as a metal tube seeming compatible with it, and sets both inside of a rugged messenger bag that he slings over his shoulders. In addition, he also takes what looks to be a vial from his little machine, locks it inside of a militaristic medicine-injector thing, and puts it inside as well.
He walks over to and reaches into a case that he seemed to have brought with him and pulls out a clothed object.
"When I say to never mention this to anybody, I really mean it. Got it?" He stares at me in the eye as he asks.
"Got it." I nod.
When he uncovers it…
"The Goetia Grimoire?!" I whisper-exclaim, having to resist seizing it from him and opting instead to graze my hands on it. "How in hell did you get that?! A book like that is one of the most secure things any demonic faction down here can even remotely have!"
"Secure? My ass. The Imps and the hellhound they were with seemed to have this on them. They opened a portal using a spell from this and I took it from them before knocking them through. With the help of the First and his family, they were able to send me here so I can return it. Everyone in the overworld is still on watch and the First is watching over his dominion. I'm the only one with the flexible calendar." He explains. "I'd imagine they stole it from him or were provided it by ulterior forces."
"Why?"
"Because according to their hellhound, they were forced to do so because these ulterior forces would kill someone otherwise. The question is, who exactly is so important not only in the hierarchy, but to them specifically that they would have to resort to doing so?" He asks rhetorically as he puts away the book and returns it to the case he stores it in.
"Who are these forces?"
"A Chaos deity and 2 powerful beings I know of. The fact that they're in kahoots, so to say…is…troublesome…"
"So…is there a coup that's going to happen or something like that?"
"Knowing these forces…inevitably that's what they're planning. But not just here in hell…this would just be the start…" He whispers. "For the time being, I just want to focus on getting this back to Stolas. Establishing good relations down here could be key to building defenses against these underminers. I already got things situated on the overworld and have someone training people for combative purposes, now that I'm down here I also hope to find others to join the cause. These guys are powerful enough to where they neutralized the First's son Damian's powers."
"HUH?!" I almost let out a loud audible gasp.
"Yeah. Blocked off access to it." He says. "Saw it with my own eyes before I saved him. I've given him means to defend himself as a substitute for the time being, if you're concerned."
"Thank you. Guessing we don't have a choice in this matter if they have the capability to do that to someone like the literal Antichrist over there..." I bluntly say.
"It's either do or die at this point. It doesn't matter how strong you think you are. If I don't help you guys find out what you're up against and prepare you for it, I doubt you'll survive." He says.
"How do you know?"
He remains silent for a moment…until I look at him deeper in the eye.
He has the eyes of someone who is not lying, nor exaggerating. Somebody who knows what's coming and desires to aid us. He tells the truth, nothing more, nothing less.
"Okay…" I say, understanding now. "Guess that throws in the wrench of the Hotel's operations…"
"Yeah, I've actually wanted to ask, how exactly do you plan on bringing in sinner demons here?"
"I guess if people are having enough with the Exterminations every year they'd want to come here. If a demon is killed by a weapon from heaven, like an Exterminator's spear…then they stay dead."
"If the creatures down here die, considering they're spectral beings, is it that their spirit is destroyed?" He asks.
"Think so." I shrug.
"Okay." He nods, satisfied with his answer.
CRASH!
"ANGEL! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BOOZE!" I hear a not-so-good scenario being played out even up here on the 5th floor.
"C'mon old man! I'm sober!"
"YOU KNOW THE DAMN RULES!"
"Ah crap! Not again!" I exclaim, sprinting over to the door and unlocking it, hauling ass to the elevator and getting it open to head downstairs.
I start mentally preparing myself to have to deal with the nuisance known as our first attempted attendant as I start to feel something behind me.
"This a common thing?" Kai asks.
How…did he get here without me knowing?
Even with his apparently new heavy footsteps…?
Guess he followed me and slipped in while I was running somehow.
"Yeah." I say, exasperated.
"Don't worry. I'll help." He offers, I exhale slightly in relief.
"Thanks…"
I'm glad to have someone else around here besides Vaggie who is relatively normal in wanting to help…it's…nice.
Also…I can't stop thinking about the whole thing with him working on that old pistol…might be inventing something…as I was thinking earlier.
I guarantee you he'd get along really, REALLY well with Baxter, considering he's an inventor too.
When the elevator dings and opens, it reveals our employee and patron who have gotten into a shuffle, Husk is holding back Angel while the latter is trying to reach for the bottle in the former's other hand.
Before intervening, I can't help but notice Kai looking at Angel in an analytical way…
Weird…he did the same thing when he met Vaggie and me as well as Husk…of which I admittedly will say I did the same to him as well.
Considering he was building/inventing stuff in his room, he's obviously a smart guy, given he basically gave us the higher-thought treatment involving our hotel operations…
You know, I haven't even known him for a day, but if I'm putting myself in the shoes of everyone who might've knew him before he came here, I'd imagine this is how they imagine his thought process would go, he looks at Angel and takes in his appearance, committing it to memory as he did with us:
Angel has a slender build and is the tallest of all of us. He's 6 and a half foot tall without his heels and 8 foot with his heels…which are really just extremely tall boots…he really likes being taller than everyone else. His fur is white, and he has a mop of fluffy white hair that extends from both the front and back of his head, with splotches of light pink across it. He also has a distinctive and focal light-pink heart pattern on the back of his head. The light-pink outline of a heart also encircles his chest, the bottom point of which extends past his waistband.
His eyelids are light-pink, and the color extends up to his eyebrows, giving the effect of eyeshadow, and his lashes are dark and thick. His irises are cerise pink. His right eye has a light-yellow sclera, his left eye has a dark sclera. He has a wide mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth and possesses a single golden fang that sits slightly to his right of center. He has three cerise-pink dots under each of his eyes, which are intended to evoke freckles, although they are another set of smaller eyes, as he has told me.
One of his most noticeable features is his prominent chest. It's composed entirely of fluffy fur, which Angel intentionally pushes up into a breast-like formation with his tightly pinned jacket for show.
Angel's everyday attire consists of a long light pink suit-blazer with horizontal white stripes down the length, reddish-grey miniskirt, and long reddish-grey thigh-high heeled boots, accessorized with a reddish-grey bowtie with a cerise-pink center and a black choker. On his top set of arms, he wears long cerise-pink gloves with white detailing at the cuffs, on his bottom set of arms he wears long white gloves.
In addition, Angel has a third retractable set of arms that he can summon at will, as I've seen him use when he was fighting in turf wars.
I'm guaranteeing you this is exactly what Kai is thinking right now…
"PRINCESS! YOU JUST GONNA STAND THERE?!" Husk shouts at me, pulling me out of my head.
"Oh shoot! ANGEL! GET OFF HIM!" I sprint at him and shove him off Husk's alcohol.
"I'm thirsty as hell, broad!" He insults me as I keep pushing.
"Vaggie!" I call for help, she shows up relatively quickly.
"It wouldn't kill you to stay sober for ONE DAY?!" She exclaims, charging into the fray.
"Yes, it will!" He quips as he keeps reaching for the cheap booze.
BANG!
"Guh! WHAT THE F-" Angel almost curses, feeling something blast up against his head, but we manage to get him off of Husk, who runs to lock away his drink. "WHO THE HELL-?"
"Enough of this banal child's play." I hear the voice of the masked newcomer assuming a commanding voice, holding his smoking unique revolver with an apparent lower barrel smoking. He opens it up and replaces a shotgun shell that was in there and closes it, readying it should he need it again.
"Ya shot me…" Angel stares at him, fury beginning to boil.
"It was rock salt, it just peppered you, you'll survive." He twirls his gun a few times before holstering it.
Angel feels up his head where he was shot, besides a bit of grazing and bruising he hasn't been damaged any more than just that.
"Maybe ya should-wait…" Angel stops himself and eyes him up a little more. "Aren't ya the…thing that fell outta the sky? That red armored thing…?"
WHOO-CLICK!
Kai's mask flies back to its stationary position, revealing his face to Angel.
"OH-HO-HO, BABY! Sure as hell didn't know demons kept their upstairs look!" He quips, smiling as he's eyeing him up, almost flirting.
Kai glances at Husk, who first gives an impressed look at his advanced helmet, and then gives a 'Told ya' face as he grins at him. The former goes to join the latter as Vaggie holds Angel back from following.
Kai and Husk both watch our inevitable banter/shenanigans ensue, eventually engaging in conversation as they do.
Surprised the two of them got along so well so quickly…it's so unlike Husk to make friends that easily…must've found something in common.
"Angel, you were 'out' again, weren't you?!" Vaggie scolds Angel as he whistles innocently.
"Mmm, not at all Miss Twisty Taco…"
"DON'T YOU F*CKING CALL ME THAT!" She gives him the death stare and points at his face.
"Angel, we so graciously let you stay here, the only deal was that you just. Stop. Doing. That." I reiterate to him.
"Hey, guy's gotta make a livin'." He dismissively says, shrugging.
"Says the dead guy…" Vaggie shoots back at him.
"Takes one to know one!" Angel mischievously smiles.
"GUYS! ENOUGH!" I shout at them before they get into another brawl, getting between them to shove them away.
"Oh come on, missy! Why cease the show so early? It was just getting entertaining!"
Oh…no…
The old timey staticky transatlantic voice of a certain someone…
I turn to see our…sketchy associate…
Alastor: The Radio Demon
He's a slim, dapper sinner demon, with beige colored skin, and usually having a broad smile full of sharp, yellow teeth. He is approximately 7 feet tall He wears a pinkish-red cropped, angled bob-cut with black tips at the ends and two large, black tipped tufts of hair extending from the top of his head, evoking the ears of a deer. The style has an undercut at the back, and two small black antlers protruding from the crown, which get bigger when he shifts into his full demon form. His eyes have dark red sclerae, bright-red irises and thin black pupils (which can change into the shape of radio dials when shifting into his full demon form, as he's shown us). He also wears a dark-red oval-shaped monocle, rimmed with black, over his right eye. He wears a red pinstripe coat with dark-red lapels piped with white, which is ragged along the bottom hem. Underneath this he wears a bright red dress-shirt with a black cross on the chest, and long black dress pants with matching bright red cuffs.
He accessorizes with a black knotted bowtie with a bright red center, black gloves with red at the fingertips, and black pointed-toe boots with red deer hoofprints emblazoned on the soles. He also carries a thin cane with a sentient vintage style microphone attached to it, which he uses to play sound effects and broadcast his voice, as he's demonstrated to us before.
He's an Overlord, one of the most known and powerful demons down here in Hell.
And someone who's somewhat on our side…emphasis on the somewhat.
"Al." I say. "Where've you been?"
"Doing the weather report! Radio Demon doesn't always do carnage…considering the storm and quake that brewed earlier…someone had to let Hell know!"
"Didn't take you for a meteorologist." Vaggie says, staring him down.
"HA! HA! HA! I have no idea what that is! Though speaking of ideas…I'd imagine you might have one of what exactly that was…dearie?" Alastor asks as he leans into me.
"Potentially…" I say, still uncomfortable with his presence.
"You by chance know…who…it was…?" He ominously says…as he turns his head to our newcomer, still conversing with Husk.
Okay, I'm shooting down this vintage plane before it even takes off.
"Yes, and YOU are not to make any deals with him. He's here on professional business and is not entering any contracts with you." I assert myself, pointing at him.
"Oh-ho alrighty then. No need to be such a downer!" He cheerfully says despite my declining what he likes to do. "But even so, dearie!"
He leans in even closer to me.
"You can feel it too…can't you? His foreign nature?" He whispers to me.
"I…I know. Not just the fact he's alive…but…I know he's different. I just…don't know how." I admit, looking at Kai, who glances at us as he goes back to talking again.
"Even I will be the first…well…second to say I am unaware too…but it only makes it all the more compelling to know…"
"Yeah, but I'm making it clear that we're not prying. We'll cross that bridge when we get there." I order him.
"Oh, do not worry, love! Why pry and ruin the anticipation now when the plot thickens? It's all plenty entertainment even now…"
Always one looking for some…
"Yeah, sure. Can you just call Niffty and have her clean up this mess? And where's Baxter and Crymini?" I ask, gesturing to the evidence of the previous scuffle.
"Crymini's on the roof and Baxter's in the basement." He says nonchalantly while snapping his fingers to summon Niffty.
"So…normal?" I ask, he nods.
Crymini likes to hang out on the roof because she gets solitude and better phone frequency, Baxter works on his inventions in the basement where he won't bother too many people with his mechanical tests and progress.
From the nearby fireplace as she normally comes through, the little one-eyed demon known as our little cleaning lady appears in a cloud of soot. Her singular large eye has a hot pink and yellow sclera with a light-yellow iris, and a black pupil. She also has a single eyebrow and white skin. She has short pink hair with a yellow highlight. Her teeth are sharp and light yellow, and she has small pink dots at each corner of her mouth, evocative of dimples. Her attire is that of a red 1950's maid dress and a white apron over it with three dripping splotches. She wears a dark red neckerchief. She has small, pointed limbs with her arms being black and her legs colored dark red.
Damn, thought process is already becoming like Kai's!
Becoming an analytical one…
"OOH MAN THIS PLACE IS FILTHY!" The young-sounding maid rapidly sprints throughout the area and whips out her duster and miniature broom, sweeping away the dust and trash that was strewn about. "NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!"
Looking like a high school reunion in here with all the people…
As she finishes up the floor, she goes up to the bar to finish off the last bit of dust and debris around.
When she picks up the final piece of trash, her singular eye just so happens to pass our human.
And one thing that I seriously forgot about her suddenly comes rushing back as her head snaps back to his face, staring him down in disbelief while her pupil comically shrinks.
"RAZZLE! DAZZLE! RESTRAIN HER!" I command the goat-like plushies lain on the counter, they materialize into my satyr bodyguards and after assessing the situation, sprint to Niffty, grabbing her by the arms as she suddenly goes feral, lunging at Kai who nearly shoots her out of the air with his revolver on instinct.
"MAN! MAN! MAN! IT'S A MAN! LEMME AT THE MAN! HUMAN MAN! REAL MAN!" The miniature demon flails and thrashes her arms around, all directed at Kai, trying to either feel him up or do whatever her fantasizing mind desires as she's held back. "DON'T DENY ME MY DREA-A-A-A-AMS!"
"Razzle, Dazzle, lock her in her room until she calms down. We can't have this going on right now." I request them as they nod, comically dragging Niffty away like a mental patient while she continues to thrash. "Maybe give her some of the stuff to help with it! Double dose just in case!"
Kai holsters his weapon and glances at me, raising his eyebrow at the nature of our cleaning lady.
"Yeah…forgot about that…" I hold my head in embarrassment. "Sorry."
"She always does this?"
"Unfortunately. She's got the most energy out of all of us." I say.
"You know it almost hit the fan, right?" He says as-a-matter-of-factly.
"I know. I know. Just…again…sorry."
"It's all good." He assures me.
"Facing down the beast with no sign of panic?! What a showstopper!" Al exclaims as he normally does, I facepalm.
"Alastor, huh?" Kai asks. "Radio Demon? Overlord?"
"Absolutely! Though I do not consider myself to be the latter. What can you do, my intellectual fellow?!"
"I can ask questions."
"And what would that be?"
"How'd you get so strong?" He says bluntly, my survival instincts instantly go in as I notice Al with his manic face start to get uncomfortably still as I look at the time on my watch.
OH, THANK GOODNESS!
"AH, HEY-KAI…HOW-ABOUT-WE-GO-GET-AWAY-FROM-HERE-AND-GO-TO-OUR-MEETING, THAT GOOD?! GOOD!" I quickly sprint over to Kai and comically push him away from Al, not wanting any more trouble from our Radio Demon than he's already brought in the form of Niffty right now.
Especially since I've seen what he's capable of…
I figuratively drag Kai outside and have him sit inside our limo.
"Charlie? Where're you going?" I hear Vaggie call as she walks down the steps.
"We…have a meeting with Lord Stolas we need to get to. It's almost noon and we have to be there."
"Stolas? Does your dad know you're meeting up with one of his most powerful associates?" She asks, putting her hands on her hips.
"No…but he doesn't know anything he doesn't care about. It's like…when you call up your business partners to check up on them. Nothing degrading, just…making sure they exist." I explain with a cheeky grin that basically says 'I am definitely hiding something, ask me what it is'.
The grey woman raises her eyebrow.
I throw my hands up in the air slightly before going in for a whisper.
"Okay, fine! It's more important than that! When I say that, I mean it! I'm not sure of what exactly is going on outside of this…but we're just doing this to get things going…so to say."
"And what do you mean by 'going on'?"
"Nothing good. It's confidential, but once we get this done, I at least can fill you in a little more."
"If it means danger is around, I'm coming with you."
"As much as I'd like you to come, I need you to stay here. Are you sure the Hotel can survive in our absence?"
"Hey, we got a well-behaved Husk there. Never saw him be anything akin to nice to anybody before our little friend here showed up." She gestures to the limo.
"Only hoping Angel doesn't try anything like he did earlier…"
"Wishful thinking." She stares at me.
"Just…I have to get this done." I say. "Keep the Hotel in relative peace until we get back, please?"
She sighs, but nods in agreeance.
"I won't let you down." She assures me, I chuckle as we both share a smile.
"You never do. See you when we get back."
"You too."
I fly into the roomy limo, and I order the driver to take us to the Goetia Mansion as we take off.
Soon, we're on the road.
I slouch in my seat, trying to breath after learning of all these developments…and at the time when my hotel is supposed to be getting off the ground…at least that's what I tell myself…
Kai's looking out of the window, seeing the decrepit-city behavior of all the denizens down here.
He's…an interesting guy.
I've never seen anyone like him.
Put it this way:
Somebody you've known for almost a day is supposedly of the people who'd be gnashing their teeth when they come here. In fact, he came here WILLINGLY. I know it's for professional reasons…but I think going to Hell is a little out of the definition of professional, isn't it? Plus, he's far more courageous than most…or more foolish than most for being here. There are forces here nothing up there could ever contend with!
Yet…even when the mere mention of the Overlords down here much less coming face-to-face with one…
He's never shown a shred of fear.
Even staring down the literal afterlife of the damned…of whom I rule over…sadly…
All I can do is look down to the ground in shame.
This is Hell, I'm its princess…and these are my people.
He seems to notice my quiet lamentation and catches my attention.
"Hey, Charlie, it'll be okay." Kai assures me.
"I hope so…" I say, partly pessimistic.
"You doubt yourself, don't you?" Kai asks me, seeming to share Vaggie's concern she has for me.
"I've got so many people telling me I'm a failure…that I won't amount to anything than just being the devil's daughter. I look for the best in everyone…it's just that I so seldom find it."
"And you're listening to the denizens of hell, many of whom were condemned to a lifetime of eternity in limbo because they were being the worst of the worst, and the natives here tending to be the embodiment of negativity?" He asks, looking outside.
"I know…but I still feel like there's good somewhere in them. I always say, 'Inside of every demon is a rainbow'." I say, remembering that song I sang half a year or so ago.
"That is certainly an optimistic view. Not saying it's bad, very good mindset to be in if you're trying to help people." He says. "But how do you imagine you'd get their attention if they truly want out of here?"
"I…never really thought of that. So how would we go about this?" I ask.
"So, we've already had a discussion on the matter in which this place may conduct its operations. But one thing to note is that if you're trying to attract people here, you need to get the message out, and be assertive in doing so especially when patrons start to flock there. Be confident, articulate, moreover commanding, as well as looking like you know what you're doing." He explains.
"Unfortunately I don't exactly have much of those attributes…" I say, sheepishly.
"Then how about we build that confidence?" He asks, smiling.
"How do you do that?"
"Ever learned how to throw a punch?"
"I can handle myself pretty well in a fight, but my combat experience doesn't go beyond fighting a news reporter…"
"Do you have abilities, by any chance?" He asks, taking me aback slightly at the weird nature of it, but I oblige.
"Well, like most demons, I can shift into a full demon form. When I do so, it's really more me tapping into my demonic side and drawing from that power. I also can create fire, I've been able to shoot fireworks from my fingers and uh…lit a co-news reporter ablaze..." I explain, trying to remember everything I've done, Kai seems to chuckle at that last part. "What've you managed to do?"
He takes a deep breath, collects his words and recollects his memory and-
"In the time I've been here, I've fought Damian, the First's son. Defeated 2 vampires in his jurisdiction, fought another being who put Damian to shame, and obliterated 3 Imps and a Hellhound from this wing of Hell. And I've also trained Damian as well as his classmate Zill and virtually both of their friends." He explains. "So, you could say I've got a good career so far."
We just stare at him blankly.
No wonder he never feared any of us!
He's already fought so much here!
Even survived THE FIRST'S SON?!
I can't even…damn…
But I'd imagine that 'being' is what was of concern…especially what he mentioned earlier.
Even more so…I can't help but ask…
How did he get so good?
He seems about my age, and if we're basing this on experience, all that has to have been a decade of experience…minimum…
"You know, if you're open to it…I'd like to show you the art of war when we have the chance." He offers graciously.
I hesitate…mainly because I'm not one who's keen to get violent all the time.
"I'm…not sure…"
"If demons down here won't respect kindness and compassion, they'll respect strength and good authority. Damian taught me that." He says.
"I don't know…I just doubt it'll really change anything." I say pessimistically.
"Then how do you know if you don't take that leap of faith?" He says.
"I…(sigh)…just…never even had faith in myself…much less anywhere else…" I fumble my words, only to be stopped with a raised hand from Kai.
"Let me leave you with this…Charlie." He says, smiling.
He carefully walks over to me in the car as it continues to move, setting himself down to my side and looking at me dead in the eye.
"Some say self-doubt…is an invitation to be greater." He says, taking my hands and shaking them slightly for emphasis. "And this is your opportunity to prove it. Show them what you can do!"
We continue to stare at each other in the eye, the message setting in as the food for thought begins to feed my mind.
It…really could be…
What a guy…
He's more mature than anybody I've ever known my age!
Dropping more advice and encouragement in one day than I've ever gotten from my family in my entire life!
It's…nice…so to say.
When I glance outside, I just so happen to notice the Goetia mansion not too far away, about walking distance.
We're almost there!
But suddenly…his eye go wide…and his pupils shrink…in fear?
HUH?!
"Oh no…" He utters.
Before I know it, he throws himself and his arms over me, seizing my entire form whilst my confusion soars through the roof.
"What're you-?!" I try to say to him, but-
"CHARLIE CLOSE YOUR EYES! HOLD ON!"
CRASH!
Then next thing I know is that he thrusts his legs from the floor, caving it in as he's pulling both of us through the window as it shatters into pieces. I follow his advice on instinct, mainly because I don't want the glass in my eye.
"DUDE! WHAT THE HELL?!" I shout at him when I look at him, my emotions still at an all time high at the spontaneous nature of what just happened. "WHY DID YOU-?!"
WHEEEE-KA-BOOOOM!
My question is answered by a sudden projectile, moving faster than I can even perceive, lands straight into our vehicle, caving the entire structure in as it explodes, lighting up the area and reflecting off my eyes.
What…the…?
He adjusts his grip on me to where he's holding me bridal style, and when we land (smoothly on his part, have to give him that) he sets me down.
"Come on!" He orders me, but I'm still standing still in shock at what happened.
He notices this and gets closer to me, shaking my shoulders and shouting in my face.
"COME ON CHARLIE! YOU WANNA LIVE FOREVER?!" He stares in my eye as I shake myself out of my stupor.
"O-okay!" I shout in response as I instinctively pick myself up and follow him while we haul ass to the mansion.
We soon come under more fire as Kai goes on the defensive while we're on the move, he whips out his pistols and fires on the glowing projectiles, causing them to explode before they come into contact with us.
When I make the mistake of turning…I can just about witness the source of the incoming fire coming from 2 distinct beings…in the sky?!
We just about make it to the front door of the mansion, and I open the grand doors to let ourselves in.
"Kai! Get in!" I tell him desperately.
But I'm instead met with him thrusting the covered Grimoire into my hands.
"STAY INSIDE! DON'T LET ANYONE YOU DON'T KNOW IN!" He orders me as he shoves me inside.
Wait…his eyes are…like mine…they're glowing red!
Weren't they different before?
Before I can even respond, my senses are met with an overwhelming force, evident by a glowing black and white light emanating from a form of which I can only make out an armored leg that collides with the blocking Kai as the door closes, knocking him out of my field of vision as another being spontaneously shows up right in front of me.
It's a black-haired armored woman seeming a bit older than me, with the most sadistic and ill-intent grin I've ever seen as she stares into my soul…
But what disturbs me is the fact that her eyes are glowing with that same light…and surrounding her is…
A fiery black and white aura of power
She reaches in mockingly as I'm frozen…seeming to either seize the Grimoire…or me…
"GET OVER HERE!"
To her disappointment, she's met with a grappling hook of sorts that locks onto her armor, yanking her away and getting her away from me…of which I'd have to imagine was courtesy of Kai…
The door ominously closes, leaving me alone, shellshocked in this empty giant hallway.
Are…these… the forces…he warned me about?
What I felt there…put Alastor to shame…
We're so f***ed…
Chapter End