Vaggie and Clara were in the kitchen, making an old favorite of theirs.
"So how are you finding the hotel? Has Radio-shit lord been leaving you alone?" Vaggie asked, chopping vegetables.
"Yeah, I don't trust him." Clara said, "You've been in those meetings before, you know how Overlords can be."
Vaggie readily agreed, having accompanied Carmilla, Clara and Odett to several Overlord meetings chaired by the Carmine matriarch herself.
"Try to stay away from him as much as possible" she then turned to her 'sister' knife in hand, but in a non-threatening manner, and added, "No matter what, don't make any deals with him! I know you're not dumb Clara, but Alastor can be...well persuasive and disgustingly charming, he'll offer anything; protection, for you, for Mo-Carmilla and Odette, but don't fall for it!"
She might be estranged from the Carmine family, even if it was by her own choice, but a Carmine she remained, and if her time with Carmilla had taught her anything it was that the Carmines protected their own no matter what.
"Don't worry, I've been around overlords enough to know not to make deals. Mom always did say to avoid making deals with Alastor." Clara said.
Vaggie smiled, put aside the knife and tipped the vegetables into the pan.
"And...how about Charlie, what do you think of her?" She hoped to keep her tone light, but there was an edge of nerves to it.
She knew Clara would be accepting, but she still hoped for her sister and girlfriend would also get along well.
"I think... you better name your first child after their favorite aunt." Clara said.
"I'm sure Odette will be very happy."
Clara gave Vaggie a glare, which made the fallen angel start laughing. It felt good to do so. It reminded her of the comfortable familial existence they'd shared as sisters for so long.
"That's not funny." Clara said.
Just as a pout appeared on Clara's face Vaggie elbowed her in the ribs gently.
"The second one has your name wrote all over them though" she joked.
"Oh joy." Clara deadpanned.
Vaggie laughed once with a shake of her head. With the food now ready to cook for a while, she hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter.
"By the way, any idea why those goons attacked us out of nowhere? It's not like some lower Sinners to be so reckless and randomly go after two daughters of one of the most powerful Overlords in hell." She stated, referring to Carmilla's wealth and long standing position as an Overlord, surviving even Alastor's slaughter several years ago, as well as her reach across the 7 rings. It was a good question, "I mean, I did have to deal with them, but this felt specifically targeted."
Sure, Vaggie did attack them with a bottle about a year ago, but even in hell, hitting someone with a bottle is rarely escalated into attempted murder. Clara shrugged.
"Could be some unsatisfied customer or potential customer mom rejected"
Carmilla didn't exactly allow just anyone to purchase her weapons after all. Few could afford it for a start but to Carmilla, distribution control was considered incredibly important.
"No doubt she's already planning on skinning them alive, if Zestial told her that is." Vaggie said.
Clara nodded.
"Hopefully she doesn't slaughter the entire workforce. With how meticulous mom is about new hires, it'll take until next Extermination day before she's up to full capacity. But I have a feeling Zestial and Odette can handle her. They're two of the only ones that can." She added lightly.
Vaggie nodded.
"Well, the food smells good." Vaggie said, jumping off the counter, "So, what do you say we dig in?"
Clara beamed, hungry from the days events, and began helping serve the food onto plates.
"What about the others? Do they make their own?" She asked, curious about the dynamics of the hotel.
"Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. There really is no schedule." Vaggie said.
"Well, as long as I'm staying here, that's going to change." Clara said.
Vaggie knew she should be afraid by this sentence (in the lightest sense of the word) The Carmine household ran on something of a strict schedule not that that was such a terrible thing in a place so unruly and chaotic as Hell, and the random hustle and bustle of the hotel grated on her at times, perhaps it would help for others to have to structure.
"An official organizer would take some weight off of Charlie. But on your head be it; Husk isn't exactly the schedule type" Vaggie said, wondering how the grouchy old drunk would take to being told what to do and when to do it by Clara of all people.
"Don't worry, I'll bring it up to Charlie later." Clara said, "I'm just going to be in charge of meals."
Vaggie chuckled, wondering how long that would last. But then, she recalled, Odette was the stricter of the two now that she thought of it, while setting their plates on the table. The fallen angel sat alongside Clara as they ate in companionable silence... Both were unaware of the dangers that would plague them and the hotel.
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