Charlie was roaming around Pentagram city, looking for sinners who need help after the extermination. Soon she comes across a boy about her age, laying against a wall near a dumpster, his eye cut out. Charlie kneeled down and started to wrap his eye, oblivious to the fact that he's a fallen angel.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?! God, I hate it when the angels hurt other demons." Charlie said gently, continuing to wrap my eye."
I winced as she helped, but I tried to remain composed. "Who… are you?" I asked, confused on why she's helping me. Charlie paused for a second before looking back up at me.
"Oh! I am Princess Charlie Morningstar. I'm the Princess of Hell, actually." She had her soft smile on her face the whole time as she explained. My remaining eye widened as I looked at her face.
"The Princess of Hell herself? You?" Charlie nodded before letting out a nervous giggle.
"Oh my goodness, I always feel awkward when people react like that. I promise I'm not really that big of a deal!" As she finished her sentence, she finished wrapping my eye with the bandages.
"Why… are you helping me? You don't know who I am."
Charlie stopped for a moment and thought before she finally spoke.
"Yeah, I don't know who you are, but you are an innocent demon. The angels hurt you, which is a wrong done to you. I'm just trying to make sure you're okay and make sure you get your health back." Charlie's smile then brightened back up as a cheerful expression. My face softened, but my skepticism was still evident.
"You're not… who I thought you were. What I've been told." Charlie's face slowly became inquisitive as she continued to look down at me. She eventually spoke with some confusion in her voice.
"What did they tell you I would be like?"
"That the Princess of Hell is, well, not nice to say the least. That the royal families of Hell are the worst." Charlie looked a little saddened when I said that, but she eventually gained her smile back.
"Oh, they told you that?" She made a little nervous laugh after she spoke. "I promise I'm not that bad! I may be the demon princess, but I'm still nice and kindhearted to others. At least, I like to think so."
"You're… you really aren't evil, are you?" The comment gave Charlie a sudden sense of joy and excitement. The joy was evident in both her smile and her eyes. She then shook her head and said while looking right at me. Her face was filled with excitement.
"Nope! Not evil at all, just compassionate and kindhearted." I try to get up, but I groan and fall to my side. Charlie looked at me and frowned, immediately jumping up and rushing to my side before kneeling down so she can be at my level again. "Oh! Are you okay? Do you need help?"
"I need… to get somewhere safe." Charlie's face immediately brightened back up with a bright smile as she nodded.
"You can stay in my hotel! It's safe, it's the reason I made it, actually! My hotel, it rehabilitates sinners so they can change for the better! Or at least… that's the plan when it opens."
"A rehabilitation hotel?" Charlie nodded as she spoke.
"Yeah! I always thought that most demons and sinners were really just kind of misunderstood. Sometimes, they're just hurt by someone else, or they get put through too much pain. I want to make a place where this can be helped."
"But… don't they just spend their afterlife indulging in hedonism and violence? I don't see how they can be redeemed." Charlie's face became slightly solemn again, as her smile slowly faded to a more serious expression.
"I always believed there was hope for anyone. I just wanted to show that I care enough to try. At least, that's what I hope will happen."
"If it's a place where I can rest… I'll go to this hotel of yours. I don't care if it's not completed yet." Charlie's face brightened up again when I agreed to stay at her hotel. Her smile was wide and she had the same kindhearted look in her eye. She began to help me stand up, getting slightly closer to me without realizing it, since that's just how kind her personality was.
"Awesome! I'll lead you there right now."
"Thank you." As she helped me up, I took hold of something next to me not commonly found in Hell; a holy spear. Charlie quickly noticed the holy spear that I had taken a hold of, and she stared at it for a moment before a slightly concerned look appeared on her face. She turned back up at me and spoke as she looked me back in the eyes once again.
"Why do you have that?" I just realized that she still hasn't recognized me as an exorcist angel who's fallen. Thinking quick, I convincingly lie,
"I, uh… I managed to wrestle this away from one of the exorcists. They roughed me up good as punishment, as you see, but they fled by the time you found me. I guess you could say this is my prize for surviving now." Charlie was visibly more comforted by the idea that I "won the spear" from the exorcists, instead of being an actual fallen angel. Her face once again lit back up with the cheery and kind smile she always had.
"Oohh. Well, you know what? That's a pretty neat prize! I'm glad you managed to get away from those nasty exorsists."
"Yeah. I barely made it though. I'm sure that I would've bled out if you haven't saved me a few minutes ago."
"Well, you know what? You are pretty darn lucky I came across you." Charlie began to think a little bit more before speaking again. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask your name."
"Ryan."
"Ryan? Ooh! I think that is a pretty neat name. Well, Ryan, you ready to head over to the hotel?" Charlie asked as she gave me a reassuring smile.
"Yes please."
"Well then, let's go!" Charlie started to walk off, assuming that I would follow her. She walked at a very slow and leisurely pace, making sure that I could keep up with her. During the walk she kept glancing back behind her to make sure that I was following her before she spoke again. "You know, I'm actually really excited for the hotel to actually start opening. I'm just glad that I'm able to start it at all. There are so many demons I want to help. Even if they all laugh at me."
"They laugh at you?" I ask, using my spear as support as I follow you. "I admit the hotel sounds far fetched, but shouldn't your citizens be afraid of criticizing you?" Charlie shook her head but she kept her confident, soft smile as she spoke.
"They laugh at me because they think that my ideas are kind of childish and silly. They think that no demon would ever want to change. I mean, most don't. But I still want to help the ones that do. I want to show that anyone can be redeemed and that demons aren't always just inherently evil."
"Well, you're certainly making me reconsider on that belief, just be being you in spite of your royal title." The comment immediately lit Charlie's face back up with warmth and joy. Charlie's eyes were lit up by a bright smile, and she spoke with a soft and cheerful voice.
"Well thank you, I'm really doing my best! I know that I won't be able to get a lot of the demons to change and be better, but even if I can't change everyone, it's better than nobody." I weakly smile, before I look ahead to see the hotel. Or at least most of it, with construction nearly finished.
"This is your hotel?"
"Mhm! It sure is!" Charlie's tone and expression was filled with excitement and joy as she spoke, showing how proud she was of her new little project. She began to walk faster as she came closer to the hotel and continued to speak. "We're almost there! Once it's finished it's going to be a place where people can get rehabilitated, where they can change. Where people have the chance to prove they can be better." I hobble on after you as we get closer.
"Why do you want to redeem these people? How do you know any of them deserve it?" Charlie began to think deeply for a moment before she finally spoke again.
"Well, I don't know if all of them deserve to be redeemed, but how else can we ever be sure if we don't give them a chance? Everyone deserves a fair shot at changing. Sometimes people just make mistakes, or they get put through things that we have no idea about. Everyone deserves a chance to do better. And… I want to save them from the yearly exterminations. It breaks my heart to think of every Sinner who dies before they even have a chance to save themselves." I could only look at you astonished, my remaining eye wide.
"You… really care, don't you?" Charlie's response made a small blush rise into her cheeks as she got slightly embarrassed by my comment. Her eyes were filled with kindness and compassion.
"Of course, I do. I'm the Princess of Hell. I don't want people to be killed. It's a responsibility of mine to care at least a little bit." I take a few minutes before weakly smiling, closing my eye.
"You're too kind. Your title is unbefitting of someone of your character." I open my eye again. "But… maybe that's for the better, against what I think should be." The words made Charlie's smile even broader as she laughed softly.
"That's what everyone says. I'm not sure I believe them yet, though. My dad keeps trying to convince me that I'm still too kindhearted, but I also don't believe him." Charlie laughed again before she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She pointed towards the entrance of the hotel. "Well, we're here!" I enter, and find a luxurious red lobby.
"Damn, you spared no expense, have you?" Charlie's confidence and joy was filled back up as I entered the lobby. My reaction made her laugh softly as she looked around, seeming to be very proud of her creation. She started to speak again.
"I did spare no expense, because I wanted this hotel to be a haven for sinners. I want them to feel welcome, I dont want them to feel like they don't belong. We can't rehabilitate the people who need it if they don't see the hotel as a safe and welcoming environment."
"Fair point. Where's the rooms that I can sleep in?" Charlie's smile remained on her face as she answered my question. She pointed to a large set of stairs leading upstairs.
"The rooms are up above. We have individual rooms, or we have shared rooms, although I'm assuming you'd prefer your own room. Just go up those stairs and pick any empty room that you feel like having. Don't worry about the other rooms filling up. I'll make sure not to let any one else into any of the rooms."
"Thank you." I limp up the stairs, using my spear to support me going up. Once I got to the top, I saw that there was a hallway filled with a lot of doors, most of which were empty. The walls were painted a dark red, and the carpet under my feet was soft and thick. The hallway had several potted plants scattered about to make it feel warm and welcoming. It was quite a contrast to everywhere else in Hell that I experienced. I enter the closest room I could find, dropping my spear with a clatter against the wooden floor, and just collapse on the bed, fainting from pained exhaustion. Charlie heard the noise of the spear falling to the ground and immediately became worried. She quickly ran into my room and noticed my condition. She walked to my side and sat down next to me on the bed.
"Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" Charlie spoke in a concerned tone, quickly leaning towards me to make sure I were responsive. I just simply snored, showing that I was just asleep. When I began to snore, Charlie let out a soft sigh of relief. She began to think of everything I had been through just today and was thankful that I was finally able to get some rest. Charlie sat by the bed and watched me sleep, smiling softly. She wanted to make sure I was okay, and she wasn't going to leave me until she was sure. I was unaware of her presence. Three days, I've slept, my body needing the time to recover from my grievous injuries. Charlie sat by my side for the whole three days that I were asleep, constantly watching over me and making sure I were actually healing. She noticed that I was finally getting better every day, although the process was extremely slow. She wanted to make sure I under her care recovered with her help like feeding and bathing me.
After three days, I finally began to wake up. I slowly opened my eyes and I was still half asleep, and looked around the room. Charlie sat by my side with her happy and soft smile, seeming to have been keeping watch for me the whole time I slept.
"Ugh, where am I?" I groaned. My body was still sore, but I felt very much refreshed. Charlie quickly noticed the fact that I was finally awake. She smiled softly at me and spoke in a soft and quiet tone.
"You're in my hotel. You've been asleep for the past three days after I found you. You've been healing all this time. I've been watching over you the entire time, taking care of your every need while you were sleeping."
"My every…" I felt around my face. It felt clean, and I felt an eye patch covering where my left eye used to be. I blushed. "You didn't need to do that." My blushing made Charlie giggle softly and she quickly spoke back.
"Oh, come on, if you were asleep then why wouldn't I take the opportunity?" She jokingly said with a teasing tone. Her face then became soft and kind as she continued to speak. "But really though, I want to treat you the best I can. Besides, I couldn't exactly leave my only patient to fend for themselves while they were unconscious, now could I?"
"I wouldn't have wanted you to waste your time on me, when you have a hotel to finish." Charlie smiled softly as she shook her head slowly. She seemed to be very happy that I was grateful for her help.
"I don't think I was wasting my time at all." She spoke in a soft and gentle tone, putting much meaning behind her words. "In fact, it was only a pleasure to take care of someone and make sure they recovered properly. After all, how I can I run a hotel if my guests can't fully recover?" I look down, feeling humbled.
"Thank you." Charlie chuckled softly and nodded.
"You're welcome. It's my pleasure." Charlie continued to sit by my side for a few more minutes before she spoke up again. "So... How do you feel now? Do you at least feel a bit better?"
"I'm sore, but I don't feel like I'm going to die on my feet or back." Charlie gave off a bright smile and seemed really happy that I was feeling better.
"Oh, good. I'm glad that my care is paying off." She became slightly more cheerful after speaking again. "Do you feel like you want to take off your eye patch at all? I mean, I don't want you to strain yourself, but I feel like now that you're more healthy you might want to take it off."
"No, no. I wouldn't want to off put anyone by letting them see my empty eye socket. I should keep it on." Charlie's soft smile dropped slightly as she heard my answer. She began to speak again, this time with a slightly more concerned tone than she has been using since I woke up.
"I don't think anyone would be too off put by that. I mean, maybe at first, but if I'm being honest, I don't think it would bother me much." I looked reluctant, but I sighed before removing the eye patch she gave me. Part of the skull around my left eye was burnt, both my eyelids over it were gone. Where my eye used to be, is just a dark hole.
"Is it bad?" When I removed my eye patch, Charlie was initially shocked at the sight. However, she immediately recovered and spoke in a calm and comforting tone.
"It is, well, jarring, don't get me wrong. However, I do not think it looks too bad. It's certainly not the worst thing I've seen in Hell." I again sighed.
"Perhaps, but I don't want that to be everyone's first reaction every time someone sees me." I put my eyepatch on, securing it so that it didn't fall off. Charlie could tell just how embarrassed I was by my injuries. She tried her best to cheer me back up by speaking in a more positive tone.*
"I'm sure that not everyone would react so strongly. In fact, I'm sure that if you just act confidently, they'll just forget about it in no time. I mean, who needs two eyes these days, anyways?" She playfully joked. I looked at her unamused.
"Try saying that after you had one of your eyes ripped out by an exorcist. Depth perception is important." Charlie immediately felt guilty the second she finished speaking. She looked away from me and was speechless for a moment.
"... Fair point." She then continued to speak again, in a much quieter yet more gentle tone. "I'm sorry... I... I shouldn't have said that." I sighed.
"It's not like it matters anyway. What's passed is past. The only question now is… is what to do with my life now. I've lost… everything. To those exorcists." Charlie's warm smile instantly dropped into a solemn one. She knew that I had lost everything and that it was probably very difficult on me.
"Don't say such gloomy things. It's true that you've lost everything, but now you have the opportunity to rebuild your life with me and my hotel. I want you to feel welcome and loved, like you belong here with me." I looked up at her, surprised.
"You… want me around?" The question caught Charlie off guard for a second, but as my gaze met her own eyes, she continued to smile warmly and softly at me.
"Of course, I do! You have nothing left, and I'm the only person in your life who cares enough to give you a chance. I want you to stay with me and the hotel, at least as a place to call home." I look down, in deep contemplation. Charlie let the moment of silence linger between us before she finally spoke up again. "So... Are you going to stay? I want you to, but that's ultimately your decision." After about a minute, I get out of bed, and I force myself through the soreness in my body as I grab my spear in the corner. I walk up to you, and I kneel, being completely serious.
"I accept your invitation. For saving me, I owe you my life. Whatever you wish of me, I shall carry it out to my fullest ability." Charlie was completely shocked by the sudden kneeling and serious gesture.
"I-... You really don't have to kneel to me or owe me your life. You really don't owe me anything at all." She spoke in a confused and slightly flustered tone. She had never seen anyone be this serious for her before and it took her a moment to think of what to say next.
"I do owe you. It would be a dishonor to myself to not commit myself to you out of gratitude. For a brief moment, I had no meaning to live for. But you've given me a new purpose. A purpose I will fulfill as best as I can." Charlie smiled warmly at me as she took in my words. She was very surprised that I was committing myself to her like this. She had never thought that I would do this much to show my gratitude to her. Her soft expression only grew brighter with happiness as she spoke back in a tender tone.
"Oh, wow... Well, I really appreciate all of this, but you don't need to be so committed to me. You don't have to let me control your life like this. I was just doing this because I care." I look up towards you.
"Then, how would you have me? I'll be anything you need." That response again caught Charlie off guard. She never got so many bold and straightforward words from anyone in her life. She was a bit taken aback, not knowing exactly what to say to them. She smiled kindly at me and she spoke back in her soft and gentle tone.
"I don't need anything specific from you, just so long as you're with me and I can see you happy and healthy. I don't want you to be my servant or anything. I just want us to be friends, working for the hotel."
"As you wish." I stand up. "I won't be your servant, but as your friend and partner." My words caused Charlie to smile brightly. She was extremely happy to have met someone who didn't treat her with fear or distrust. She was finally glad to have a friend in this city of sinners. She continued to speak once more in a soft and calm tone.
"So, now that we have things settled... Do you want to come explore the inside of the hotel with me? I can show you the different parts of the building. I'd introduce you to the staff… but I'm the only one here." She awkwardly chuckled. "Just the founder."
"Very well. I wouldn't mind a tour of my new home." Charlie smiled warmly at you as she began to lead me around the rest of the hotel. She explained each part of the hotel as you went along, from the kitchen and staff quarters to the rooms and different guest areas. When we eventually finished our tour, I had finally seen all there was to the building except for one major room left.
"Alright, now that we've finished, there's just one more thing for me to show you."
"And what's that?" Charlie continued to smile softly as she looked over at me. She took my hand and continued to speak with that same kind and gentle tone of hers.
"My room. I've been dying to show my personal room to you, because in here is where I like keeping all the stuff that makes me, well... Me." Her face slowly began to light up with excitement as she finished speaking. "So... Would you like to see it?"
"Yes please." When I agreed to see her room, Charlie immediately grew very excited. She excitedly began to lead me up the steps and stairs to her room. For a moment, she felt like a little kid as she guided me up the stairs. Soon we reached the final step to her room. Before entering she turned toward me and flashed the sweetest smile she could and she spoke in a playful tone.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes." Charlie's sweet smile grew more brightly when she heard my answer. Then, she went ahead and opened the door to her room. She stood back so that I could enter first, letting me see what her personal space looked like. As I walked in, I began to notice that it was a royal suite, and everything that came with it.
"I like it. Just as I would expect."
"Hehe, thanks." She then asked, checking on me, "So, how have you been handling living in Hell?"
"I've been getting by. At least, I learned how to survive, because before I met you, I trusted no one. Hell is a place for scum, and I knew that if I turned my back unguarded, I would invariably double crossed somehow." She listened quietly to my words, taking in what I was saying. It was sad to hear how little trust I had and how paranoid I became. She didn't blame me, though. She was completely aware of how dangerous and scary Hell truly is. It's only natural that a person would develop that kind of distrust after experiencing so much betrayal.
"Oh, that's such a horrible way to live. If you haven't met me yet, you would still be out there alone and unable to trust anyone."
"Heck, if you haven't found me, I would've died three days ago from my injuries." Her smile immediately dropped once I revealed that information.
"That's… Very scary to think about. If I didn't find you when I did, you would've died due to no medical treatment. I really should get a doctor on staff to stay here and watch over people who come in with injuries. It would be very convenient, especially considering my position as the founder!" She paused for a moment before she continued to speak. "Anyways, it's scary how close you were to death before I found you."
"But you saved me." I put a hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to worry. I'll be fine now." She continued to look over at me as I placed my hand on her shoulder, her solemn expression beginning to lift slightly up into a more gentle one.
"You're right, I don't need to worry about you now. You're safe and that's all that matters. However, I just feel so guilty for you having to go through all of that, alone. I don't want you to have to go through anything like that ever again."
"I won't. You won't have to worry about it anymore." She smiled softly as she looked down at me, placing her hand atop mine on her shoulder.
"I believe that you won't, but still. I want you to always come to me without hesitation if you need any help, okay? I'll always help you and make sure that you have whatever it is you need." I nod.
"Very well, Charlie." This gesture of mine once again melted Charlie's heart and she was glad to see that I trusted her that much. She paused for a moment before she spoke up again.
"That's wonderful to hear. There is one last thing I want to do before we finish up for today."
"What's that?" She smiled warmly and softly once more.
"Would it be alright if I gave you a hug right now?"
"Oh. Uh, okay." I awkwardly try to hug her, unused to making the gesture. Charlie let out a small laugh and immediately wrapped her arms around me. She gave me the most tender, heartwarming hug she could. She wanted me to understand just how much she cared about me, especially after everything I had been through. I soon broke away.
"Well, let's get on with the hotel, shall we?" She smiled softly at me once more before she got herself together and spoke politely.
"Yes, let's! There is one last room I wanted to show you before we're done."
"No, I mean work on it. The hotel isn't going to complete itself." Charlie couldn't help but crack a small laugh once again when I said that. She loved my blunt but honest attitude, it was a refreshing contrast to the people she dealt with day to day.
"Oh yes, you're absolutely correct. My apologies. The hotel won't fix itself. We have much work ahead of us to complete the hotel."
For some time, we worked on the hotel, overlooking construction, trying to incorporate rehabilitation methods for every sin and crime, and how to run a hotel at the scale you're planning. It took a long time, but we're so close to reaching completion and grand opening. All this time, I've been her only friend, co-worker and self-appointed bodyguard. And the only friend she could trust, too. Throughout those long, tiring days of putting the hotel together, it was comforting to know that she had a person like me by her side. I never failed to bring a smile to her face and always had her back whenever she needed it. The work was always tiring and draining, but she would never trade those days of hard work for the world. The feeling that came with building something from nothing and being able to finally help people in need made all of it worth it in the end. And, admittedly, I eventually grew to have a love for her during the process. Since I had no prior experience to romance or how to do things romantically, I just came forward and awkwardly expressed my feelings, hoping she'd recuperate.
When she heard my sudden confession, her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but blush and turn slightly red when I spoke those words. It was very sweet to hear those words from me and it filled her with joy to know that she had someone who loved her that much when all she was trying to do was help people. She smiled softly as she tried to gather her thoughts.
"Would it be too much of me to ask what exactly made you fall in love with me after all of this time of working together?"
"Just… how wonderful you are." I gulped. "You're the only thing down here in this miserable place that makes me feel happy, and everything will be alright. I've come to love who you are, and I want to be more than just friends. If you'll have me, that is. I don't want to force anything. Just, you know." I looked away, blushing with a smile while my eyepatch faced towards you than my good eye. The way I acted when I began to express my feelings was very cute to her. She looked back at me and smiled brightly. She was completely taken back by your words and was completely speechless. Although she had to pause for a moment to think about what had just been said, she eventually broke the awkward silence by gently grabbing my chin and looking me dead in the eye. She spoke softly and softly while holding my chin.
"I… I'll have you as more than just a friend. You're mine now." I smiled big and nervous, and I lifted her up to kiss her, feeling her long, full blonde hair within my arms. "I love you." She was completely overwhelmed by my sudden show of affection and her cheeks immediately began to fluster red. She couldn't help but blush as she was lifted up and kissed me back. She had always had a certain thing for being lifted up and that feeling only increased even more when I suddenly kissed her. Her lips were sweet and I enjoyed every last second of it. She couldn't resist the kiss anymore and she hugged me harder.
"I love you too, more than anything else." I put her back down, and offered her my hand.
"Let's finish this hotel together, my love." She quickly took my hand with a bright and wide smile spreading across her face. She was completely enamored and in love with me. She was so happy to finally have someone like me to spend the rest of her life with.
"Of course, my love. We're almost done with the hotel. I can't wait to see it completed and ready to accommodate the rest of the residents and guests." I smiled when she said that. While we had plenty of set backs continuously delaying completion for the next three years, they were well spent for us.