It had been a week since they had come together and Charlie was doing her best to try and keep everything under control. They had been on the move for the past several days and they had just found a new place to set up camp.
Vox had remained distant during this time period, choosing to close himself off from the others. Charlie told him not to start any conflicts with the others(notably Angel and Alastor) while he was there…
'I cannot believe I got stuck with Val's whore and Bambi of all people. To think I have to be in the same group of them makes me skin crawl…' He thought to himself as he sat on a log to catch a break from all the walking he had been doing…
As his thoughts clouded his mind, Vox hissed in agony when another surge of pain enveloped his mind, darkness clouding over him. Another migraine attacked his body and while it wasn't said, he knew that Mammon was the cause. The fucker had been giving him intense migraines that fucked with his mind.
The pain was so intense that had he not been sitting down he no doubt would've fell to his knees.
This was far from the first time he had been dealing with these aching pains yet they always took him by surprise. Ever since his escape from the carnival he had been dealing with these pains and the longer he was on the run, the worse they got. He could barely sleep and whenever he did, he got nightmares that felt like they spanned on for eternity.
"Fuck…" He snarled as he clutched his head, Mammon must've been upping the ante because usually only his head hurt but now his entire body was aching.
Whispers began entering his mind, telling him to give up, telling him that he'd be found and that they would reclaim what was rightfully theirs. Their voices got louder and Vox growled as he tried to tune them out to no avail.
Darkness threatened to consume his being, a dark force gripping his soul, as if it was a demonic presence and he could feel it creeping inside of his mind, influencing his state of being in every way imaginable.
He could feel it within his veins, at his fingertips even. The marking must be doing something to him, to his soul and it must've had an effect on his powers.
The sigil on his hand…no doubt it was causing this and the worst part was that it was fucking with his mind. It was driving him mad because it was targeting his darkest desires for power, the idea of hoarding it all to himself was enough to make him salivate.
The whispers in his ear…they were encouraging and they were telling they could grant him anything he could ask for. That he could have all the power and money in the world if he went back…
He would've been consumed by these demonic thoughts had he not felt someone place their hand on his shoulder, their touch threatening to freeze his entire soul over in the cold. He turned around and saw Helsa behind him sitting in her wagon.
He was a bit surprised he hadn' heard her rolling behind him but he figured the whispers had covered up the sound of her coming by. Instead he merely sighed and said,"Oh…hey Helsa. I didn't see you there…What's up? Is there something you want?"
Despite being mute, Vox could already tell what she was trying to say based off the odd look she gave him.
"I'm fine,"He assured me."I've just been having headaches ever since we left the circus. It's nothing major, I promise. I'm certain it'll pass sooner or later…."
Helsa raised an eyebrow skeptically in his direction, her icy cold eyes boring into his. Vox looked away, unable to face her gaze as he said,"Look, it's nothing. I'm just…a little tired that's all."
The ice siren looked at Vox and examined his current position. He looked…visibly exhausted. It looked like he hadn't had a goodnight of sleep in ages. His blonde hair was unkempt and his skin seemed a bit more pale than usual.
"You should rest…" She signed,"You look drained…Has something been bothering you?"
"It's nothing," He said,"I've just…been having trouble sleeping, that's all. These damn headaches are going to be the death of me with how irritating they are. They won't let me be and I can't wait for it to pass.."
"And what if it won't pass?"
Vox shrugged,"I'm not sure…I'll deal with it though. It's not like I'm dying or anything. I'll live and that's what matters…"
"Do you need an ice pack or something? Maybe it'll make your head stop hurting…"
He chuckled,"I appreciate the effort but I'd prefer not having my head frozen solid on accident…"
"I wouldn't freeze you over, not by accident in the very least. Now hold still…" Helsa scoffed before reaching out and cupping his cheek, using her powers to provide an icy feeling against her fingertips. It was enough for Vox to feel but not enough to freeze him over by mistake.
The feeling was…soothing and oddly enough, warm. She could've been freezing him in an enteral blizzard and Vox probably wouldn't have been able to tell with how warm his face felt, his cheeks heating up like a wildfire.
God, it had been so long since he felt like this, like his face was going to burn up like an exploding supernova. It felt so nice feeling someone touch his face in a gentle manner.
The only other times his face had ever been touched in the past decades was either when he and Val were being passionate and Val kissed his screen or when the moth demon took his anger out on him and shattered his face…
Helsas' hands were different compared to Val's. Val's hands were large, sharp and always had a rough feeling to them. Helsa's hands on the other hand were more dainty and gentle and the icy cold tips of her hands felt like winter kisses to him.
Maybe he was just going crazy but you know what? He was just fine with that, he already knew he wasn't mentally stable. If this was what being insane was like then he'd trade whatever sanity he had left in order for this to never end…
Vox reached for Helsa's face and motioned toward her as he asked,"Can I?"
Helsa fell silent for a moment, as if debating whether to go through with it.
A large part of her was tempted to pull away just to see the agonized look on his face, god the pain in his eyes would be intoxicating and seeing him suffer would be so entertaining. She could already see his heart wrenching in agony at being rejected for a kiss he so desperately carved, no doubt he had been longing for it for so long.
It was so tempting..yet a small part of her felt…pity for him. It was a pathetic emotion to feel given he was beneath her in every way yet she had a hard time not feeling sorry for him. He looked so desperate, like he hadn't felt this way for another person in such a long time and he wanted to feel loved again…
She could see it in those eyes, the desperation, the longing feeling throbbing inside as his pale blues had a hint of hope? Hope that maybe in this life he'd find someone who'd truly love him forever and ever perhaps?
She chuckled,'True love? What a joke…a pitiful one at that…There's no such thing as 'happily ever after's or 'true love's kiss' as they say. It's all lies parents tell their children in hopes to fill the voids in their lives, it's not true but reassuring lies sound better than the harsh truth…'
Maybe Vox thought he had that with her, likely viewing her as his third chance at love. A chance to regain what he lost back on Earth.
A happy marriage, a loving wife and someone he could care for without dealing with an onslaught of violent backlash.
It was a delusional fantasy, one that she'd have plenty of fun smashing into tiny little bits like pieces of brittle ice. She could hardly contain herself at the notion of seeing Vox's heart sink before her very eyes.
Maybe then he'd realize what an utter fool he was, thinking someone whose heart was colder than ice could ever love him. She could feign affection for him, make it seem like her cold heart was thawing but it was all an act.
Because she couldn't love him, not even if she wanted to. She was a Princess and Vox, while technically an Overlord, was still just a lowly Sinner in the grand scheme of things. She couldn't love a peasant, it would ruin her grand image she had built for herself for centuries.
Sure, she'd sleep with one(men were desperate and a fair few were attractive enough for her high standards) but once the night of fun ended she'd move onto the next one without batting an eye.
Vox was no exception, the only difference was that he was far more useful than the other men. He had even gone out of his way to save her from the fire and good tools deserved rewards for their actions, didn't they? He hadn't exhausted his use and one kiss wouldn't hurt would it?
Helsa decided to engage and leaned forward to give him a kiss, intending for it to be a small
peck on the cheek just like last time.
Needless to say, Vox interpreted the kiss much differently as he quickly closed in the distance between them greedily. He pulled her close and his lips meshed with her's, electricity clashing with ice.
The kiss…it felt different compared to the ones Helsa had given the past. The ones in the past were careless and sloppy with a sense of unbridled lust in the air.
This kiss…was controlled yet dominant, his kiss sending volts of electricity coursing through her body as he was eager to obtain more and more. Vox used his strength to lift her out of the wagon and began touching her body, starting from her back and going as far as to gently grope her breasts before moving downward to the small of her back to her hips.
Vox separated the kiss as a dark chuckle escaped his lips upon seeing her shiver. When Helsa saw Vox's eyes, she saw many things. Passionate desire, love and greed, so much so that his eyes turned a familiar shade of green in the process, his eyes resembling that of a snake.
Helsa gasped at the sight, those weren't the eyes she was used to seeing. Vox's pale blue eyes had evaporated, replaced with a sinful green shade. She wasn't certain if her imagination was acting up or something but she felt unnerved by Vox's change in demeanor.
"Something wrong?" He asked, his voice a tad deeper than usual as he brushed his hair back,"You look rather tense..Are you sick, dear? I could help you with that if you're so inclined."
The look in his eyes, it was like he was under the influence of something because Vox was never this confident when speaking to her. His sheepish nature was gone, replaced with a flirtatious aurora and she hated admitting his twisted charm was working on her.
'Focus Helsa…something is wrong with him…No matter how attractive he looks…' She then backed away and Vox cocked his head to the side,
"What are you doing, Helsa? I thought you liked me..do you not like me anymore?" His voice came somewhat distorted and demonic in nature despite being deadly calm,"Don't tell me you're shy now, are you? That doesn't suit you at all.."
Helsa flinched as tried to get away from him though Vox pulled her closer instead. He wasn't hurting her but he wasn't letting her go either.
"Going somewhere? We're just getting started, Helsa…There's no need to be afraid. I'm here for you…" He whispered into her ear, sending chills up her spine as blush stained her cheeks. His voice was controlled yet it felt like he was trying to hold something back or even resist whatever influence was inside of his mind.
Suddenly, a rock was sent flying in Vox's direction, hitting him in the head. He hissed in agony and Helsa fell to the ground when Vox let go of her. She winced at the impact and looked around, her jaw dropping when she saw Alastor standing there, the blind Overlord's eyes burning with disdain.
"What the fuck is your problem, Bambi!?" Vox shouted,his neck snapping in Alastor's direction,"We were in the middle of something, asshole!"
"Don't play dumb with me, Vox. I knew what you were doing, you filthy scoundrel. How dare you try and take advantage of someone of the fairer sex purely because that you can't control your carnal desires, especially when said person is not able to protest."
Vox spluttered,"What!? I wasn't going to rape her you sick fuck!"
"Then what were you doing? Why didn't you let her go when she tried to move away?"
"I just…wanted to keep her around me..I don't know why…but I didn't wanna let her go…"
"Uh-huh…" Al remarked, rolling his eyes in response,"Whatever your intentions were, I believe it's obvious to say they were nothing good." He then turned his attention to Helsa and knelt down to her and touched her cheek gently,"Are you alright?"
Helsa nodded her head and despite his blindness, Al managed to take note of this. He leaned in to comfort her, tenderly weaving his hand through her locks of hair.``So soft…" Helsa blushed at the contact before smiling at him even though he couldn't see it.
Jealousy flooded into Vox's veins, his eyes twitching with anger. How dare that blind bastard touch what was HIS! He had worked so hard yet it seemed that Alastor was trying to snatch Helsa away from him and be her 'knight in shining armor' so to speak.
"Why you…" He growled, pinching his fists,"Get your grimy hands off of her, Alastor!"
Al's neck snapped in his direction,"I'm sorry, you said something, Vox?"
"You heard me…Get off of her!" He hissed,"She's not yours, Bambi! Stop touching her like that!"
"Oh? I wasn't aware that Helsa belonged to anyone. I may not be able to see but I don't need sight to know that she doesn't have your name on her. Besides, I'm merely making sure she is alright after what you put her through."
"What I put her through!? I would never hurt her you sick bastard! Now get your hands off of her!"
"Or what?" Al asked,"All I'm trying to do is help her. Maybe if you weren't blinded by your emotions you'd be able to see that…"
He then grabbed Helsa's chin and Vox gripped his head in agony as another wave of pain surged through his body,hyperventilating as the world around him began to spin.
Horrifying images of Alastor tearing Helsa limb by limb, devouring her flesh all while he helplessly watched in horror. The screams from Helsa were threatening to deafen him entirely and he was on the verge of a mental breakdown at the thought of Al hurting her.
He couldn't let it happen..he wouldn't. Al would die before he allowed that fucker to touch what was his.
The images were causing him pain and his body was shaking with anger. The mere idea of Alastor touching was his was enough to set him ablaze and the malicious energy that had been plaguing him was now radiating off of his body.
Corrupted energy coursed through his veins as he attacked, roaring as he charged at Alastor at lightning speed and attempted to strangle the bastard, his hands crackling with volts of electricity.
Al gasped when Vox jumped on top of him and his breathing was restricted. One moment he was trying to help that siren and the next he was thrown to the ground and being attacked by his rival. Alastor tried to push him off of him but Vox had a good grip on him and refused to let go.
"G-Get off of me!" Al growled.
"Not until you stop breathing, one touches what is mine and gets away with it…" Vox whispered in a far too calm voice, his wrists cracking with lighting that shocked Alastor or the core,"Come on…scream for me, Bambi-Bitch..I want to see you suffer before you die. I won't let you get your hands on her you sick cannibal! I won't let you carve her up like your other victims!"
Helsa gasped, horrified as she saw Vox's eyes glow, his pupils vanishing and replaced with an ominous glow of green. She had never seen anything like it before and she knew that if she didn't do something, Vox would actually kill Alastor.
Vox chuckled as he saw Alastor's life draining before his eyes, ready to end the Overlord's life. However before he could finish the job he let out a scream when he got hit with a burst of ice.
Alastor took that opportunity to shove Vox off of him and headed towards Helsa,"Nice job, darling. Now let's get out of here before that brute gets back up again…"
Al then knelt down and carried Helsa in his arms and made a move to run for it. He didn't get far when a bolt of lighting struck the ground, just narrowly missing him.
"Going so soon, Alastor?" Vox asked, his fists crackling with lighting,"Now now, that's no way to treat an old friend. Especially when you still have something that belongs to me.."
"She is not yours, Vox…" Al growled,"Besides, she doesn't feel safe around you. The fact she attacked you is proof of that…"
"Nonsense…that was just…a fluke. She wouldn't ever hurt me…" Vox said,"Right Helsa? You wouldn't hurt me, would you? That was just a joke, right? Right?"
"You're scaring her, Vox. Stay back. I won't hesitate to bury you alive where you stand," Al growled, summoning some rocks to back up his point,"One wrong move and you're history…"
"That's assuming I don't kill you first…" Vox hissed, the thunderstorm overheard picking up speeds, the skies turning a greenish color, the winds picking up speed.
Helsa felt terrified, here she was in the middle of a battle between giants and they looked on the verge of killing each other where they stood. It was only a matter of time before the two men murdered one another and she was forced to watch, unable to say anything or protest what was happening…
Thankfully for Helsa, it didn't get that far as Husk and Niffty rushed over to the scene, Husk quickly acting to restrain Vox from behind while Niffty headed over to Alastor to check on him.
"Let go of me!" Vox shouted.
"Not until you calm down, Vox! I don't know what the fuck you two are fighting over but it needs to stop!"
Niffty pat Al on the shoulder,"Are you alright, Al?"
"A little shocked…but otherwise, I'm alright…" He admitted,"The siren saved me from Vox's wrath. I don't know what came over him but he didn't exactly appreciate me touching her.."
"Because she's not yours!"
"She ain't yours either," Husk retorted,"Helsa is her own person, Vox. She's no one's property. I don't know what's gotten into you but you need to cool it unless you want to get kicked out of the group. These violent outbursts are out of character and I'd hate to get rid of an ally just because you can't control yourself. Now are you gonna calm down or what?"
Vox snarled before letting out a scream in agony, clutching his head. His eye color flickered from green to blue several times before his pale blue eyes returned and Vox blinked in confusion before wearily asking,"W-What…What happened to me?"
"You know what happened, you had a violent outburst and attacked Alastor because of it…"
Vox groaned,"I…I know that…But I don't know why I did that…"
"How do you not know why you did something!?" Niffty demanded,"That doesn't make any sense. Everyone knows what they're doing,whether they admit it or not!"
The former TV Demon sighed,"Listen…I…I don't know what came over me…"
Husk rolled his eyes,"It ain't a bad thing to say you let your anger get the best of you. I don't know what exactly Al did to piss you off and it may have been a good reason but you need to drop the subject. Remember, we're all a team here and we shouldn't make the Deadly Sin's jobs easier by killing each other."
"You also promised Charlie not to cause trouble, Vox,"Niffty reminded,"Are you already going back on your word so soon? That's really disappointing, Charles will be very upset to hear this…"
"You're going to tell him about this!?"
"We kind of have to,"Husk admitted,"Don't worry, I doubt he'll kick you out, the guy is a massive softie but you'll probably get a warning and a stern talking. You'll probably get worse if you repeat yourself though so I Suggest being on your best behavior Vox. I'd hate to lose ya this soon."
"Fine…" Vox sighed before looking at Helsa and reaching out,"Helsa, I swear, I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry if I scared you…We can still talk..can't we?"
Alastor took a step back, refusing to allow Vox to touch her,"Keep your distance, Vox. You are not to be trusted. The others have to be informed of this so we can decide what to do with you since you've already proven you cannot keep your promises."
"That's not your call-"
"It is now," Al replied,"We'll be informing Charlie of this incident, Vox. He may be merciful in giving you multiple chances but I am not as easily fooled. You may think you can hide your intentions but I know better. You should consider yourself lucky if you manage to stay the night after your rowdy behavior."
Al then turned his back and left, Husk and NIffty following after. Husk and Helsa were giving him sorrowful looks as they left and Vox was left in a state of shock before falling to his knees.
"Dammit…W-What is wrong with me?" He asked himself, his hands shaking. But deep down, Vox already knew the answer. He knew what was causing this…
It was Mammon…he was doing something to him. Likely he was trying to drive him insane by influencing his behavior and he despised the fact he had this much control over him. Mammon was trying to tear him apart and it was working…
The worst part was that the thoughts never left, he could still hear their whispers, hear their taunts even as the migraine subsided(yet the pain was still there). He was still within Mammon's grasp, just a plaything for him and there wasn't a doubt in his mind that Mammon was loving every second of his suffering.
He was making him think things, making him do things he normally wouldn't have done and if he dared tell them the truth, they'd shun him for it.
'Fucking bastard…' He growled to himself, his body still in great pain. He thought about how the others were viewing him, no doubt they all thought he was crazy, and Helsa..oh god, she probably thought he was a monster of some sort…
He choked out a sob, silently crying by himself as he did as the thoughts of greed threatened to consume him whole.
Charlie sat near the fireplace, the dying fire barely able to keep her warm. Vaggie had left to go get some more wood and she was left to sit by the dying fire, eagerly awaiting her friend's return.
She heard footsteps approaching and she hadn't bothered to look as she enthusiastically asked,"Vaggie, is that you? Have you returned with the firewood?"
"Hate to rain on your parade, Charles, but I ain't Vaggie,"Angel said, walking to her with Wiggles in his arms.
"Oh, it's just you, Angel…" She sighed,"Well, it's still nice to see you. How have you been?"
"Eh, could be better,"He admitted as he sat on the log,patting the pig gently,"Ain't gonna lie, I still don't understand why you let Vox and his pals tag along. We really didn't need extra people dragging us down. Especially since two of them can't walk…"
"Angel, we've been over this. We need all the help we can get. Even if it's from the unlikeliest of people. I get you and Vox are not friends by any means but like it or not, he's in the same position as us and we wouldn't be doing ourselves any favors tossing out valuable allies.``
"I suppose you're right. Still, that doesn't mean I gotta like the fucker. I can barely stand the guy and he's got the most punchable face I've ever seen."
"You know not to punch him right, Angel?"
"I'll hold my punches, for how long depends on how irritating he is. Bastard has quite the mouth on him and he's asking to get his teeth punched in with that pretentious personality of his…"
"Just try not to attack Vox when you see him, Angel…"
"I'll try, I won't make any promises though so don't bet on anything not happening…" He then sighed before asking,"So…how's your arms? Are they feeling any better?"
"They're alright…" She mumbled,"They're a long way from being healed but it's getting better…slowly…"
He frowned,"I know I shouldn't be surprised but it's pissing me off how I couldn't heal ya.I got your hopes up for nothing and I couldn't even fix the damn thing. Makes me feel like a massive moron the longer I think about it…"
"Angel, She chastised,"Don't beat yourself up, it's not your fault and you know it. You tried your best and that's what matters. I get you really wanted to help me but there's no use in being upset with yourself that you couldn't heal me…"
"You say that now but what about later, Charles? What if you get into a serious scrap and need medical attention? I won't be able to help ya and I'll feel like shit if ya get hurt or worse…"
"Nothing is gonna happen, Angel. Don't beat yourself up over hypothetical scenarios inside of your head, what matters is that I'm here for you and that it's gonna be OK. I promise, we're both gonna be alright and nothing is gonna happen to me, not while we're all together."
"You sound too certain, Charlie. You never know what the future holds. What if we ain't here to protect ya?"
"Hey, I'm not completely defenseless, Angel. Just because I don't have any wacky powers doesn't mean I don't have ways of defending myself. I still have this sword and while I don't know how to use it that well, I think I can at least get a few hits on anyone if I need to."
"But what if-"
"Let's not concern ourselves with what if and focus on what's actually happening, Angel. I understand your concern for me but there's no need to be so paranoid. You're starting to sound like Vaggie."
"I'm not trying to be a nag, I'm just being cautious with ya that's all. Wouldn't want anything happening to you while we're here you know?" He elbowed her gently in a teasing manner and Charlie laughed in response.
"Yeah, I guess that's a fair statement," She admitted.
"It is…it really is…" He sighed,"You know,I gotta ask, how are you so good, Charles?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're so nice..so kind…so caring. I've never seen a demon who was this kind before. It's refreshing, honestly. Usually anyone who poses as kind in Hell is just waiting to take advantage of ya, but not you. You've treated just about everyone ya ever met with kindness..even those who probably don't deserve it. You gave people second chances despite their prior actions towards you and let them join our little squad despite their history without a hint of judgment to be seen. Tell me…how'd you end up being so kind, Charles? How'd you not succumb to the hellscape around you and give into your inner demons like the rest of us?"
Charlie paused, for as long as she could remember, her Father always tried to influence her into being the pure evil Hellspawn that he envisioned her to be. It never worked though as despite her parent's best efforts, Charlie rebelled every step of the way and did the exact opposite of what was expected out of her.
From the moment she could speak, she was aware of good and evil, what was right and wrong and when she saw the choices put in front of her, she stood on the side of justice and righteousness above all else.
She was always mocked for it, not just by her classmates but by her family,especially as she grew older. The Hotel was really just the final straw in the camel's back, cementing her belief that her parents were unable to understand she wasn't the pure evil hellspawn they wanted her to be.
They were always disappointed by this…and to an extent she felt bad for disappointing them yet she knew she was right. She knew that she was on the right side of history. She was making the right choice, even if nobody else agreed with her and saw her as nothing but a fool.
"I…I don't really know,"She admitted,"I was always like this. I always knew the depravity and sin I saw around me wasn't right, it wasn't fair and I wanted to change it. I've always wanted to help others, to give them a second chance that they likely didn't believe they deserved. My parents thought my beliefs were silly, everyone did but it didn't stop me. Because I believe every demon, hellborn and sinner, can be better if they just try."
Angel stared at her for the longest time, his grassy eyes boring into hers. She wasn't quite sure what Angel Dust was thinking, perhaps he thought her ideas were silly but she wouldn't have known how serious his expression was. He could've thought she was the biggest clown in the Nine Rings and she wouldn't have known it behind his handsome face.
His calm expression shattered as he chuckled at her,"You really think so,eh? Think even the cruelest sinner can change? Really Charles? You really think that?"
Despite his chuckle, it didn't sound like he was mocking her, his laugh sounded like it was all in good fun. Like it was a light-hearted chuckle and not a cruel laugh that she was used to hearing after explaining her ideals to people.
"Y-yeah," She stuttered,"I really do think people can change if they're just given the chance…"
"And what if they don't take it? What if they blow it? What if despite your best efforts, they prove themselves unwilling to change their ways?"
"Then I guess they just weren't capable of it in the first place. But I know that not everyone is a lost cause, there are people out there that can change. I can see their potential in there, because inside of every demon is a rainbow, at least, that's what I say."
"I dunno about demons having any rainbows inside of them but I gotta say, that's an interesting perspective. Usually most people just let the damned be damned. You know the saying, there's no rest for the wicked…"
"I've heard of that one before…Can't say I'm a fan of the proverb.."
"Well it does go against everything you believe in so that's fair. I personally don't understand your ideals, Charles but I'm flattered to believe you think any of the fuckers in Hell are worthy of salvation. Not saying you're right or anything but it is an admirable cause to believe that even the wicked souls damned to suffer for all eternity can change…"
"Because I really believe that. I know it's silly but I think even they can change..Even someone like you can change, Angel…"
"Huh? What? Me?" He laughed,"That's sweet Charles but I gotta bring ya back to reality here. I ain't redeemable, no way. Not me…"
"You saying it doesn't make it true. I know you can change yourself for the better, Angel, even if you believe otherwise. Because I believe you have a rainbow buried deep inside of you,deep,deep down in that heart of yours is a rainbow waiting to shine…" Charlie then prodded his chest repeatedly, Angel making a small squeak when she poked him.
"Really?" He asked,"You actually think I'M redeemable?"
"I know you are…you just gotta let it shine…"
Angel's face heated up as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head,"I dunno about that, Charles. I'm flattered you think I'm worth redeeming but I ain't too sure about that sort of thing. The idea of redemption seems pretty far fetched but I'll give ya credit, ya actually made me consider it for a moment…"
"Really?"
"Well not really…" He mumbled, trying to do damage control for allowing that last sentence to slip out,"Of course I wouldn't actually consider it,not seriously. I was just humoring ya for a second,that's all…Yeah…that's all. I wouldn't actually consider doing it, just wanted to make you feel a bit better for having such silly ideals…"
"You don't need to lie to me, Angel. It's alright to admit you wanna improve. The first step to changing is admitting you want help after all.." She then grasped his hand comfortingly,"It's alright to say you're uncertain how to go about changing. Redemption isn't something that occurs overnight, it takes time to become a better person. It's alright to ask for help and remember, I'll be here every step of the way."
Angel blinked before saying,"Charles…that is the kindest thing I've ever heard someone say to me…I'm not too sure about redemption and all but I appreciate you're willing to help me out, even if it doesn't work."
"We won't know if it'll work until we try. That's all we really can do."
"I'm not sure about this redemption shtick honestly but I'll give it a shot if it makes ya happy. Though I wouldn't get your hopes up on the others joining the suite. Some people simply cannot change no matter what you do for them."
"I know, but it wouldn't hurt to try would it? It's always worth giving people a shot when it matters the most…"
Angel then put a hand on her thigh"Hey Charles…you know..I was thinking that since you're such a nice guy and I really like ya that we could have a bit of…fun so to speak."
"Aw that's sweet, Angel! I'm so happy you consider me your friend!"
Angel 's face fell for a second,"What? No,Charles..not like that…"
"What? You don't consider me a friend?"
Angel facepalmed,"No! I mean, I REALLY like you…like REALLY REALLY like you…"
"OH! So you mean we're mega BEST friends? That's awesome, I'm so happy you feel that way, Angel!"
Angel's eye was twitching as he resisted the urge to tear his horns out of his skull. Charlie was so kind…so nice…so handsome….yet so FUCKING DENSE that it hurt!
He was flabbergasted, never before had he met a man so dense with his flirtations.
Most men would be jumping on him by now yet Charles was staring at him like an idiot. Even Alastor at least told him he wasn't interested, Charles on the other hand was completely oblivious to his feelings for him and he was at a loss on what to do.
He probably would've said something else too, had it not been for Velvet's voice cutting in and catching them off guard, Charlie jumping a little scooching into Angel's arms in response.
"THAT'S BULLSHIT ALASTOR! VOX WOULD NEVER DO THAT! THAT'S NOT WHO HE IS!"
"I'm sorry to say this, Velvet but perhaps you didn't know Vox as well as you thought. He is capable of far more than you realize and while he may not show his ugly side to you, that doesn't mean the rest of us are exempt from his wrath."
"What is going on over there?" Charlie asked.
"Sounds like Vox ended up causing trouble, just as I expected,"Angel sighed,"And it seems Smiles and the pigtailed freak are having an argument about what he did. Wanna see what the hub-ub is all about? I do love a bit of controversy if I do say so myself…"
"We'll have to go anyway. I wouldn't want to risk things getting ugly…"
"Aw, Charles, don't be like that. We'll miss out on all the fun if we intervene though…"
"Angel…"
"Alright, fine. Have it your way…"
Charlie rolled her eyes before heading over to investigate, Angel following behind her. When they got to the scene they saw Velvet and Alastor butting heads while Husk and Niffty stood to the sidelines with Helsa nearby.
"What's going on here guys?"
Husk sighed,"About time you showed up, Charlie. I was worried this conflict would never end. And to keep things short, Vox ended up attacking Alastor not too long ago. We're not entirely sure what prompted this but he got angry when Al tried to get Helsa away from him and it spiraled out of control from there. Right now, Velvet seems to be having a hard time believing such a thing."
"That's because it wouldn't happen! Vox would never do something like this! It's not who he is!" Velvet intervened,"Don't fucking listen to them, Charlie! I know Vox better than all of them combined, he would never do something like this, ever!"
"Clearly you don't know him well enough," Al retorted,"I have first hand experience of him attacking me, Velvet, regardless of your opinion of him, it is true that he had an outburst and had to be restrained in order to avoid causing further damage. You're lucky Husk and Niffty intervened, else things would've gotten much worse for everyone involved.." He then turned to Charlie with a stern look,"Come on, Charlie. Please take my word for it, Vox 's presence has caused nothing but trouble and I implore you to consider removing him from our group."
"Oh no you don't, you're manipulating Charles into doing what you want, Alastor! I can see right through you! You're just trying to get Vox booted out because of your petty rivalry!"
"My dislike of Vox has nothing to do with this, Velvet. He is a threat to our safety and has proven he cannot be trusted. He may have you fooled but the rest of us aren't and we need to make a decision before it costs us dearly. Charlie, please listen to me, don't let Velvet's rambling get to you."
"Guys, enough!" Charlie shouted,"Badgering me won't solve anything. I get you two have issues but if we're gonna solve this we're gonna have to hash this out like adults, meaning there is to be no yelling over one another."
"She started it…" He chided.
"It doesn't matter who started it," Charlie hissed,"What matters is coming to a conclusion. Now I've already got the gist of everything from your little argument but I'm gonna have to ask another source for what happened since you two can be very…biased. Is anyone going to provide a truthful claim of what happened?"
Helsa made a noise and Charlie turned to her,"Oh, Helsa…do you know what happened? Can you explain to me in depth what occurred?"
"She can't speak," Husk cut in,"She's mute, Charles…"
"Oh…" Charlie flinched,'That explained why she didn't rat me out earlier…she couldn't speak…'
Normally she'd make fun of Helsa but…this didn't seem like a good time…
"So…how do I understand her then? I can't read her mind…"
"Don't worry, I already spoke with Helsa and she told me the gist of things. Apparently she found Vox having a headache of sorts and decided to try and comfort him only for things to escalate from there. He started..getting a little handsy and while Helsa admitted she would've liked to continue, she noticed something off about him that her backed away from him only for him to pull her back. Al heard the commotion and intervened and Vox became enraged and tried to strangle him. He likely would have succeeded had Niffty and I not intervened and we separated the two…"
"I see…" Charlie narrowed her eyes,"And why exactly did Vox attack Alastor again? He did promise me not to cause any trouble and I'm disappointed to hear he's already gone back on his word so soon…Surely there is a reason for this isn't there?"
"Whatever the reason is, it had to be serious," Velvet said,"It's not like Vox to just attack out of nowhere. I know he wouldn't just act like that without a reason. There's gotta be an explanation for this."
"Well do you have one?" Niffty asked,"No one has any concrete answers, Velvet. I get he's your friend but it's' getting harder to defend his actions lately."
Charlie narrowed her eyes,"Husk, Helsa, I don't mean to bother you two but can I ask if Vox has ever acted like this before?"
Husk shook his head,"Not as far as I'm aware. I was with him for a long time and I never saw him like this. The guy was dick, but he wasn't crazy and he never behaved this erratically before. After we left the circus, he started getting a little quirky, mumbling stuff and rubbing his head
sometimes but I brushed it off as him having a minor headache up until now.."
"If it's recent that leads me to question why he attacked Al in the first place. When he was speaking to me he seemed calm and collected yet when you guys describe him he sounds like a crazy person. Was there anything off about him in particular that you saw of him?"
Helsa then began speaking in sign language,"I swear I saw his eye color change…I'm not sure what was wrong with him but it felt like something was influencing his mind somewhat. Making him see things that weren't there and having him lash out in response because…even when he was attacking Al, he was concerned for me and feared that Alastor would cut me into pieces and eat me…"
Having taken a sign language class in Hell-school(despite Helsa claiming it was for nerds) Charlie understood what her vial said and was left in a state of shock. She wasn't certain how to respond until Angel asked,
"What's she doing with her fingers, Charles? Is she trying to do hand puppets?"
"No, she's speaking sign language. And Helsa just told me that Vox seemed to be…influenced by something. I'm not sure what it is but I think it's doing something to him since it seemed he only lashed out when he thought Al would hurt her…"
"It could be a trick," Angel admitted,"That TV could be acting in order to gain sympathy. This is probably what he wants, making people feel conflicted so they don't suspect he's up to something…"
"I don't know about that, Angel. That sounds pretty convoluted, even for someone like Vox. I know the guy is a bastard but I don't think he'd do something like this. Besides, it'd make no sense to attack Alastor right after he promised not too…"
"People go back on their word all the time,"Al dismissed,"It wouldn't surprise me if Vox was merely biding his time to attack. He was likely itching for an excuse and saw the perfect opportunity."
"We don't know that for sure, Al. Besides, I don't feel right making a decision about Vox when we don't know all the details. We don't know what he was thinking when this happened."
"We don't need to know," Niffty said,"It's fairly obvious that he's got something wrong with him. Alastor is right, he could be a danger if we allow him to stick around. I understand he's your friend, Velvet, but he's proving to be rather unpredictable."
Velvet growled,"I'm telling ya, Vox wouldn't do this on his own! Ya gotta believe me!"
"Ah yes, how dare we not believe the crazy pigtailed lady who likely chopped someone's head off to see if they bled candy," Angel retorted,"Seriously, Velvet, you ain't helping your case acting like a crazy bitch."
"Then perhaps we should take the opinion of someone who isn't crazy then…" Charlie said,"Helsa, I need you to be completely honest with me when I ask you this since it'll be impacting my decision on the matter. Since everyone has their own opinions on this situation I felt it'd be best to ask the person who was caught in the middle of all of this and get a true answer. Now tell me…did Vox hurt you?"
Helsa raised an eyebrow in her direction.
"You know what I mean, Helsa? Did he hit you? Did you feel scared for your life? Did you feel that you were in danger?"
The siren fell silent before choosing to shake her head. Vox hadn't hurt her despite his anger and frustration. Sure he looked intimidating as hell when he was using his powers and there was clearly something wrong with him but he hadn't laid a hand on her the entire time.
"I see…" Charlie said before rubbing her chin,"Well, in that case, I suppose I cannot be too harsh. Still, in order to keep things fair, I believe the others deserve to be informed about this so we can come to a decision as a group on what we should do with Vox. How does that sound?"
"That sounds…fair…" Al growled through gritted teeth,"I still don't like the idea of giving that bastard a chance. It seems to be someone like him. "
"Al, we need to make decisions as a group. It's only fair and even people like Vox deserve a chance if they are deemed worthy. Now come on, I'm certain Vaggie and Seviathan would like to know of the situation just as much as we do…"
When Vaggie returned from gathering the firewood, it had been a bit harder than she expected. Wood was a bit scarce in this area and she had to search a bit further just to find a decent amount. When she got back to camp she hadn't expected to see everyone(with the exception of Vox) gathered around in a circle.
"Am…am I missing something?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the sight before her.
"Oh Vaggie, you finally came back. We were all waiting for you!"
"I can see that, Charlie…Though what for?Has something happened while I was gone?"
"You could say that…'' Charlie mumbled,"You see…long story short, Vox ended up attacking Alastor though we're not entirely sure why. After some discussion, I've decided the best way to handle this is to have a group vote on what we should do with him since we can't just allow something like this to occur without any type of push-back."
"Oh…Well, can I ask why he attacked Al? Because my reaction depends on what exactly Al did…"
"Well from what was said, Al was only trying to help Helsa since Vox was..acting strange prior and his behavior was off putting and he lashed out when Al touched her. This is an entirely new behavior and we're not sure why he's like this but we still think it's best to make a decision on the matter.."
"Hmm…I don't know…I don't really like either of them and I'd prefer both of those guys not be in our group…"
"Vaggie, you can't just kick someone out just because you don't like them.."
"I know…still, I don't trust this…"
"It's your call…" Charlie admitted,"Alright…let's have a vote. Everyone who is in favor of Vox leaving, raise your hand."
Niffty, Al, Angel and Vaggie raised their hands.
"Four votes…Alight then..everyone who is in favor of Vox staying, raise your hands."
Velvet, Seviathan, Husk and Helsa raised their hands.
"Hmm…a tie…" Charlie mumbled,"Cant say I'm surprised by that…"
"Well, not everyone voted," Seviathan said,, giving his ex girlfriend a glare,"You still technically have to vote, Charlie since you're part of the team. You need to make a decision."
"Charlie," Velvet said,"Look, I don't really care what those guys think but you gotta believe me, Vox ain't like what Al's described him as. He would never attack someone like that without a reason. I don't know what's going on with him but you gotta believe him."
"Don't listen to her,"Al snapped,"She's trying to get you to let her friend stay on board for her own sake, not caring one bit about our safety."
"That ain't true, Al!" She snapped,"Vox ain't like that! I told you and I'll tell ya again, he's not like that!"
"Tell that to my sore throat that he nearly throttled…" Al snapped back.
"Charlie, I don't wanna pressure ya but I'm just saying you should go with Smiles on this one. Vox ain't right in the head and he could be a danger to the rest of us if he stays. Besides, the less people, the less baggage we gotta carry so it's really a win-win…"
"I hate agreeing with these assholes but he's got a point. If Vox can't control himself, he's too dangerous to be around us," Vaggie admitted,"We can't take risk with people like that…"
"Speaking of which, Husker, why do you side with Vox after all this time? What has he done for you that makes you willing to overlook his actions? Why are you all so keen to defend him at all?"
"I'm not overlooking anything, I'm just saying that I've known Vox well enough to know that what we saw of him earlier wasn't how he usually was. I don't know what's going on with him but I don't think it's an act."
"Not to mention he saved me and Helsa's tails back at the carnival," Seviathan added,"I may not like him all that much but Vox did save our asses back there and it's only fair I return the favor but preventing you all from kicking him out. So what about it, Charlie? Who are you gonna choose?"
"Um…uh…." Charlie stammered, flinching at being put on the spot.
"Hon…it's your choice…just…be make sure to make the right call…" Vaggie said.
"I…I say he stays…"
"Oh come on, Charles-"
"Angel, you know what I believe. I believe that even the worst demons can change and while I don't know what Vox is going through, I believe he can be helped. I know you don't want to do that but I'm willing to give him a chance just like I've given everyone else here one."
Al scoffed,"What a laughable idea. Demons cannot change, Charlie. We blew our chances back on Earth, it's too late to save our souls. That ship has sailed long ago, I don't get why you think Vox can be salvaged, he's already crossed the point of no return ages ago just like the rest of us."
"You may think that,Al. But I don't. And I'm gonna give him a chance. If he does anything else, then we'll consider kicking him out but until that happens we are going to give Vox a chance to prove otherwise. My decision is final, there will be no ifs or buts about it. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes…"
"Good..now if you excuse me, I'll be out to try and find Vox. I need to go talk to him…"
As Charlie planned on leaving, Velvet tapped her shoulder and Charlie turned,"Yes?"
"Thanks…"
"For what?"
"Sticking up for him…I know you didn't have to do that. Could've just agreed with your friend and booted him out yet you gave him a chance. I don't really buy the notion of demons being able to change but it's nice ya think Vox is worth saving. I'm certain he'll appreciate that you thought of him that way…"
"You're welcome, don't mention it…"
Velvet watched as Charlie left, storing this memory inside of her brain for future reference. She was crazy, but she wasn't the type to forget when someone helped her. And Charles helped her big-time…
Vox sat near a pond,looking down at his reflection. His body felt numb and ached with pain and his mind was swimming with dread and conflict, fearing what awaited him back at camp…
'Alastor probably convinced everyone I'm a lost cause…guess that serves me right for making a deal with Mammon. Fucker is controlling me and he's making my life worse…Maybe I deserve this…but I wish it didn't come at the price of those I care for thinking I'm a lunatic…'
The former TV Demon flinched as another migraine hit him and his eyes shifted from blue to green, the haunting whispers rushing back into his ear and him. The few moments of peace he had obtained were shattered within the blink of an eye and the only thing he could do was clutch his body in hopes he didn't faint.
"Vox?"Charles called out from afar,"Are you there,Vox? I want to talk to you…."
He sighed, this was it. This was the end of the line for him.
Bracing himself, Vox turned to see Charles walking towards him. Charlie sat next to him and he dryly chuckled,"So...you here to kick me out?"
"Huh?"
"Don't blame dumb, Charles. I'm well aware of what type of trouble I'm in. I'm frankly surprised it took so long. Did Bambi have a tough audience or something?"
"Vox…"
"Oh god, I would've loved to see that. It would've been quite entertaining. It's too and I couldn't have been there to see it, I bet it was packed with all sorts of drama and tension…"
"Vox…."
"So no hard feelings, alright? I already had a feeling this was coming so don't feel bad and-"
"VOX! YOU'RE NOT KICKED OUT!"
"I'm not? Strange...I thought Bambi would've convinced you all to kick me to the curb…"
"You had a fair few allies and sympathies in the group. Husk, Helsa..Seviathan...Velvet...me..we voted to keep you here."
Vox laughed,"Husk!? I understand the other's but he actually voted to keep me here!? Damn...I must've grown on him if actually bothered to try and keep me on the team. Bambi must've been fuming...Oh god I would've paid to see his face…"
"Vox, I understand you're surprised but let's not focus on mockery, especially since I didn't just come here to bring you back to camp…"
"Oh? Then did you come here?"
Charlie looked into his eyes and tensed, his pale blue eyes were cloudy with a malicious green and it was clear there was an evil aura in the air.
"I…I'm not all too sure what's wrong with you, Vox. I've been hearing a lot of things about you and I'm still not certain how to feel. Still, I just want you to know that we're here for you and there's no need to hide your suffering. We can help you if you let us."
Vox laughed, it wasn't a genuine one, it was more of a dry and mocking laugh if anything,"That sounds nice, Charlie. Too bad things are never that simple. I hate to disappoint you but you can't help me, Charlie. None of you can. This is beyond your comprehension."
"I doubt it is. You can tell me, Vox. I promise I won't freak out…"
"You...you wouldn't understand...None of you would...Listen, I get your cornered but I can do this on my own. I won't get into any more physical altercations...just don't interfere with my business. This is my problem and mine alone…"
"You don't have to do everything on your own, Vox…"
"But I have to…"
"Just know that if you ever want to tell me anything, I'm always open…"
Vox said nothing, merely shrugging his shoulders before heading back to camp, Charlie sighing in defeat as he turned his back on her. Charlie wouldn't understand..she couldn't understand what he was doing. None of them would. He'd much rather keep this a secret until his grave than allow them to know he had sold himself to Mammon, even if he meant he suffered in silence for the rest of his life.
Thanks for 7,796 views, tell me what you think below everyone!
Enigmus-288:Still, it's not worth the risk of getting loaded up with holy bullets. He can't shoot Val withuot triggering his army of goons into killing them so getting Henroin out of the room was the safest option since Val would've killed him anyway if he stayed.
Guest: I'm supervised I haven't seen them interact more in fics. Guess if you want something done the best thing to do is to do it yourself as they would say. Though yeah, Charlie and Helsa interacting(more like signing in Helsa's case) would be interesting and something I plan on doing sooner or later.