In the week since John had killed Valentino and freed both Angel and Vanessa, a visible change could be noticed in both of them.
Not that the change was very different… but it was noticeable enough.
Although… Charlie supposed how noticeable the change would be was nothing more than a matter of perspective.
"God dammit, why can't I get a hit, you asshole?!"
"Why, because of a fancy little thing called training."
Case in point… Vanessa had quite the foul mouth with John.
Granted, it was Hell, so no one really looked the other way when anyone swore. Nonetheless, it was so rare to hear the succubus so much as say 'crap', let alone full on swears. And yet… ever since being freed, Vanessa had been far more foul mouthed with the behemoth alone.
And yet… it would seem their relationship had only improved.
Because despite how angry Vanessa sounded, and how condescending John sounded, there were bright smiles on their faces as they got themselves embroiled in a game of Mortal Kombat.
And… well, even though she wasn't a gamer herself, even she knew by this point that Vanessa had set herself up failure.
"AGAIN?!"
"Now you know how I feel on Bloodborne, bitch!" John snapped back with a laugh, simply holding up his arm as Vanessa immediately threw her controller on the couch and turned to him, slapping at his arm furiously.
Yet, despite having literally just been called a bitch outright, the succubus had such a gleeful smile on her face…
It was a far cry from the incident that occurred during the trust fall exercise, and Charlie was happy to see that. Vanessa seemed like the teenage girl she really was now more than ever.
She was being the teenage girl she should've always been allowed to be.
"Hey, don't make me come over there!" Vaggie piped up in a joking tone, an amused smile on her face as she glanced at the two from where she stood next to Charlie by the stairs.
The two shot amused smiles of their own at the moth, before turning back to their game with large smiles still plastered onto their faces.
"Wanna go back to A Way Out?" Charlie heard John ask Vanessa, immediately receiving an eager nod in response.
"It's been a while since we played that. We left off the construction part, right?" Vanessa replied as she once again picked up th controller.
Both women smiled as they watched the scene, before Vaggie turned to Charlie with a soft smile.
"You look happier." She noted, offering a hand on Charlie's shoulder as a knowing expression took over her face. "Vanessa's doing better."
"Yeah she is." Charlie agreed with a nod, cupping her hands together over her heart as she turned to Vaggie with a smile of her own "It's good to see how much progress she's made."
"At the same time, has she really made that much?" Vaggie pointed out, raising an eyebrow as she turned back to watching the succubus get embroiled into whatever other game John had offered to play with her. "Vanessa never really got a chance to be like the rest of Hell. She was only dead a month when John brought her here, and it's only really been… two months? Since that day?"
"I'm pretty sure we're on number three." Charlie commented with a small giggle as she caught Vaggie's gaze once more. "But still, you're right. But wouldn't that mean she's also the closest to being redeemed?"
"There's only one way to know for sure." Vaggie replied, her smile fading in place of a frown as she let her hand fall away from Charlie's shoulder, instead opting to let it rest on her hip as her gaze swept the room. "But… I think we're doing good." She reassured as she offered the Princess another smile.
"No, Leo, don't run with that!" Almost the moment it was said aloud, the boy himself came sprinting down the stairs with… Niffty's needle?
The cyclops was hot on the heels of the Sinnerborn as she looked almost desperate, an almost manic look in her eye as usual as Leo managed to stay just ahead of her. Just out of reach.
But not for long.
Charlie and Vaggie watched as the boy turned the couch with the needle in his hand, which proved to be a grave mistake as John's hand flashed out with what was becoming a familiar blinding speed, smoothly lifting Leo off of his feet as the behemoth stood to his own after pausing the game.
"That," John spoke, a teasing yet stern smile on his as he took the needle from Leo's hands before setting him down on the recliner. "Is a timeout."
"Aw! But Dad-!"
"Wanna go for ten instead of five?" John asked, placing his fists upon his hips as he raised an eyebrow at his son.
At the threat of his punishment being extended, the boy let a defeated sigh escape him, before crossing his arms in a pout.
Something which only earned an eye roll from the behemoth.
"Don't give me that, you know better." John replied as he turned away from his son, leaning down and offering the needle back to Niffty. "Here you are, Niff. I think I saw some bugs up in the gym if you wanna go check things out there."
"Just keep that one away from my needle." At this point, no one knew for sure if Niffty was genuinely angry or not, considering she seemed to be about ninety percent pure nutcase.
Nonetheless, Niffty only glared at the boy for a moment while hugging her needle like a lifeline, before giggling in a manic manner as she took of to presumably kill the bugs that John was talking about.
And while Leo was in mind…
"I've noticed you've taken a liking to Leo." Charlie admitted, offering a knowing smile to Vaggie as she turned her gaze to the moth. Vaggie snapped her own gaze to Charlie in surprise, and the Princess could admit that she was amused by her girlfriend's embarrassed stuttering.
"I-I was just trying to make him feel comfortable." Vaggie replied, and though Charlie didn't doubt that for one bit…
Well, it was obvious whether she realized it or not that it had something to do with her continuing attraction towards John. And though Charlie thought that a part of her should feel hurt at the fact that Vaggie was acting on that attraction… honestly, she only found it absolutely adorable.
"Don't give me that, you love the little rascal." Charlie called her bluff with a teasing smirk, taking great pleasure in the way Vaggie's face blushed that rare red color only she got to see so often.
"Charlie…" Vaggie all but whispered, her eye going wide as she gave a frantic glance towards John. "He's right there!"
"Oh please, he's too focused on the game to be listening to us." Charlie assured, waving off the concern as she let an arm rest upon Vaggie's shoulder once more. "Besides, do you think he'd be mad? We all know him better than that."
"I know, it's just… it's embarrassing." Vaggie admitted, her face blushing red once more as she crossed her arms and turned her gaze away from the behemoth. "You know, I'm a lesbian and all, so can you imagine how many questions there'd be? Besides, I love you. Should I really be indulging that part of my… desires, I guess?"
"It's not like you're trying to get with him." Charlie pointed out once more with a reassuring smile. "Besides, you can't tell me Leo doesn't have that effect on everyone. He knew Husk for five minutes and basically labeled him as the favorite uncle." She reminded Vaggie as she glanced over at the cat demon… whom they watched sneak a small bag of candy to the boy while he was on timeout. "See?"
"Okay, sure, I guess…" Vaggie nodded, seeing the logic being presented. Still, the moth looked a little… uncomfortable. "But it's still John's son, Charlie. That… that doesn't annoy you?"
"Actually, I think it's cute." Charlie assured as she gently twisted the moth so that they were facing each other, and she offered a comforting smile. "Let's be honest, would you really be acting that different with Leo if he weren't John's? Because I do think you're making too big a fuss out of that part for no reason."
"But-"
"Shh." Charlie pressed a delicate finger to Vaggie's lips to shush her, shaking her head as she did so. "Nope, none of that. You're driving yourself crazy with this whole thing. I told you, it's not a bad thing."
"Even though I'm with you?" Vaggie couldn't help but to question, an unusually vulnerable look on her face as she looked up at her girlfriend. "That… really doesn't bother you?"
Charlie found a giggle escaping her at Vaggie's concern, and pulled the moth into a comforting hug. "No." She'd reassure Vaggie for however long it takes, because if there's one thing she knew…
Vaggie wouldn't do that to her. Despite the rough exterior, the moth simply didn't have the heart to do something so… vile, Charlie supposed would be the correct word. Even if Vaggie was falling for John… she was committed to Charlie, as Charlie was to her.
So no, Charlie didn't believe she had any reason to worry. The only one doubting Vaggie… was Vaggie.
"I don't deserve you." Vaggie cracked the barest joke as a soft smile took over her face, and she gladly fell into the hug as she wrapped her own arms around Charlie and returned the embrace.
"I disagree." Charlie returned the joke with one of her own as the two women separated, before turning their eyes back to watching as John played some games with Vanessa.
However, another question found itself popping up in Vaggie's mind, as she turned to Charlie with a questioning glance.
"Speaking of… have you found anything?" She asked, turning to Charlie with a questioning glance. Upon receiving a look of confusion in response, she gave a subtle nod towards Leo, and Charlie nodded in understanding.
Charlie had been looking into whatever history and knowledge she could find that could possibly explain Leo's existence in the first place. As had been discussed before, Leo's birth really should've been impossible, and it was a conundrum that Charlie really wanted an answer to.
Even with his immense power, both physical and overall, John was still a sinner. He was bound by many of the same restrictions as any other sinner, at least to their knowledge and his own. He couldn't traverse the Seven Rings, for example, unable to leave the Pride Ring.
So Charlie had been searching high and low for any possible answer as to why John was so powerful. And so far…
"Nothing." Charlie admitted with a shake of her head, a small sigh escaping her as she let her own gaze fall onto the oblivious boy still pouting away in the chair, waiting for his punishment to be over. "I can't find a single explanation in any of my books as to how it's even possible."
"Have you tried-"
"No, I haven't asked Dad." Charlie interrupted Vaggie before the moth could finish the question, already knowing what she was gonna ask. "But something tells me that if Dad knew, we'd know too. Cause John would know."
Vaggie looked confused at Charlie's line of thinking, before her eyes widened in realization and she gave an understanding nod. "Right, I forgot John knows your dad."
"Well, he calls John more than he calls me." Charlie couldn't help the familiar sting of hurt that lashed through her as she revealed that particular fact. "The most I ever hear of him anymore is when John tells me I should call him. That usually means Dad just called John not too long ago."
"You know, maybe John could help you two fix things?" Vaggie suggested, but Charlie shook her head at the idea in refusal.
"Ignoring that it's not his responsibility, I feel like John is trying to help in his own way already, or I wouldn't even know Dad's calling in the first place." Charlie admitted, before crossing her arms as another hurt expression took over. "But… that doesn't change the fact that Dad calls John all the time, and he hasn't called me since that meeting with Adam."
Vaggie let a sympathetic expression cross her features at Charlie's plight, and she brought a comforting hand up to the Princess' shoulder and offered a reassuring squeeze, along with a gentle smile.
"Maybe… maybe you do need to take the first step?" Vaggie advised, causing Charlie to look at her in confusion and disbelief. "What? If either of you want your relationship to get better, one of you is gonna have to make the first move."
"But what's the point when he'll just forget about it three days later?" Charlie once again averted her gaze as she shook her head. "We could finally make some progress… and then it's all gone with the next phone call." She couldn't help the sad sigh that escaped her at that.
She missed her dad, she really did… but at the same time, Lucifer Morningstar could be so frustrating and admittedly a bit much to handle when one considered the fact that he seemed to pay little attention to anything but whatever's currently on his mind.
Honestly… Charlie didn't even really know her dad growing up. He'd always stayed so secluded, and then when the idea of redeeming sinners came up… well, it wasn't necessarily a violent argument, but it was more than heartbreaking.
Since… well, Charlie hadn't had much contact with her father. And as much as it hurt… she felt it may have been for the best. After all, if her own dad wouldn't support her… well, she'd just have to prove him wrong, right?
Sinners could get redeemed into Heaven. Charlie knew it. It was just taking a little longer than planned, that's all.
"Alright Leo, times up. Get up." John spoke aloud, interrupting their thoughts as the two women turned back to looking at the recreation area of the lobby. They watched as Leo let an excited smile come onto his face, as the boy immediately hopped off his chair in excitement and bolted out of the lobby eagerly.
"Don't steal nothing else!" John called after his son with a firm tone, a similarly stern expression on his face. "Especially not something dangerous!"
The only sound that answered him was Leo's laughter, and John let his stern expression fade in place of a fond smile as he chuckled and turned his attention back to the game.
A game which would have to wait, unfortunately.
"So, this is the great Hazbin Hotel." That familiar voice was accompanied by the sound of the lobby doors swinging open, and all eyes in the lobby turned to the source… where they found the familiar and very welcome forms of Vortex and Bee entering.
"Aunt Bee!" Charlie couldn't help but to cry in excited surprise, an eager smile on her face as she immediately zipped over to the Sin of Gluttony and threw her arms around the elder demon.
"Hey, kiddo!" Bee returned the greeting with just as much enthusiasm as Charlie, gladly sweeping the Princess off her feet and twirling her around in her arms as she spun in place, while everyone watched with smiles on their faces.
"This is a nice surprise." John commented as he too approached, offering Vortex a careful fist bump as he gave the hellhound a smile. "What brings you two here?" He asked, letting his gaze wander to Bee as well as he voiced the question.
"What, we can't come visit our favorite sinner?" Vortex joked as the two giggling women next to him ended their familial embrace and separated. "Hell, Bee's been excited about coming up here for a while. Wanted to see how her niece's Hotel's been doing."
"Fair enough." John agreed as he turned to the Sin herself, offering a smile as well as a fist to bump. Bee gladly returned the gesture with a smile of her own. "How've you been Bee? Still working out the buzz of Lu Lu World?"
Bee let an amused snort escape her at that joke. "Please, the people in Luci's park taste just as bad as good." She commented with a shake of her head, chuckling a little as she did so. "No, I think I'll get more buzzed here than at that old place."
"Bee!"
Their conversation was quickly interrupted by the familiar form of Vanessa crashing into the Sin, a massing smile on her face as she caught the unsuspecting demon off-guard with a hug.
"Oof! Slam into me like that, you might knock me over." Bee teased the succubus, an amused grin on her face as she returned the greeting embrace, before separating from the girl as her grin shifted to an inquiring smile. "You're a lot more chipper since I last saw you. Taste a lot better too."
"Oh, right, you can sense and taste emotions." Vanessa looked genuinely embarrassed at forgetting that fact about the literal Sin of Gluttony, but she didn't let it deter her as it would've before as she brushed some hair out of her face. "Well, I think I have a good reason. John got me and Angel out of our deals!"
"Okay, yeah, that's a good reason." Vortex agreed, causing Vanessa's smile to widen even more with glee as she turned to the hellhound as well. Something Vortex took note of, as he returned the smile with one of his own and spread his arms in an invitation. "Come on, Nessa."
Vanessa giggled like the gleeful schoolgirl she should've been as she gladly accepted the offer, slamming herself into Vortex in much the same manner she did to Bee and actually stumbling the hellhound in the process.
"It's so good to see you!" Vanessa sounded genuinely happy to see someone who hadn't been a part of the Hotel for so long, and Charlie couldn't help the small smile that worked its way onto her face at the sight.
Ever since John had freed her and Angel from their deal, which was essentially nothing more than slavery, the teen had really come into her own and seemed far more relaxed in the time since. This was just even more proof of that.
"You too." Vortex sounded slightly out of breath despite the grin on his face as he returned the hug, before a chuckle escaped him as the two separated. "You seem a lot stronger than the last time we met. Been working out?" He teased, causing Vanessa to once again blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, no." Vanessa replied with a shake of her head as she glanced at the two of them. "I'm not that much stronger, am I?"
"Well, if someone owned your soul when we met, then yeah, you'd be a lot stronger." Bee pointed out, nodding her head in response to the succubus' question. To the teen's own surprise.
Something John took notice of.
"How do you think Overlord's get so powerful?" The behemoth asked, raising an amused eyebrow as he caught Vanessa's attention. "When someone owns your soul, all of your inherent power is theirs to use and control, not yours. Val probably had any and all abilities of yours that were actually impressive."
"I can't really have abilities like that, can I?" Vansessa couldn't help but to question, her brow furrowing in confusion as she did so. "Wouldn't I have shown something already?"
"Not with Val owning your soul, or you being more focused on just relaxing while you can." John replied with a shake of his head, before his own smile softened as he let a hand come to rest upon Vanessa's back. "But hey, now you can see what all you can do when you have the time."
"I know she's got the basic succubus abilities, but that's a given." Bee commented with a grin. At the uncomfortable look on Vanessa's face, however, the Sin quickly corrected herself. "Not that I see her using them, but they're there in case she has a use for them."
"One ability she's got is a helluva sailor mouth." John remarked with a chuckle, earning him an ineffective swat to the stomach from the succubus at the jab.
"Like you have any room to talk, dickhead."
"See?"
"No, she'd got you there." Vortex found himself agreeing with Vanessa at John's expense, something Charlie found herself wanting to join in on.
"You could care less what comes out of your own mouth." The Princess pointed out with a smile as she found herself entering the conversation. "Every swear I've hear her say, you've said a hundred times before. Besides, she only ever says them to you."
"Because he's the only one who I actually need to swear at." It was a playful jab, if the smile on Vanessa's face was any indication, and it served it's purpose in earning a few laughs from everyone else.
"So, how's the squirt?" Bee asked, referring to Leo with a small smile as she turned her attention to John. "I've been interested in seeing how he's been considering the little guy managed to drag me out from behind a car."
John couldn't help the way his eyebrow shot to his hairline in amused disbelief, before shaking head with a chuckle at that bit of news.
"Well, he's doing good." John assured, a fond smile on his face as he glanced down the hall that Leo had run off to, listening to the boy's laughter echo through the halls of the Hotel as he got himself into whatever mischief he'd managed to find. "It's nice… not feeling like he's in danger every time he leaves his bedroom."
"Something tells me that the little guy is gonna be just as strong as his dad when he's done growing." Vortex joked, offering the behemoth a playful slap on the arm to catch his attention once more as he grinned. "I don't think you gotta worry too much."
"Doesn't mean I won't."
"Isn't that the mother's job?" Vanessa couldn't help but to comment with a teasing grin, only for John to return the look with a raised eyebrow.
"Need I remind you of what happened a week ago?" John pointed out, referring to the events of Val's slaughter. "Honestly, me being a protective brute shouldn't be that surprising."
"You're pretty damn calculated in a fight to just be called a brute." Bee retorted with a raised brow of her own, crossing both sets of arms as she did so. "Or should I remind you of the scrap you had with Oz last year?"
"No, actually." John assured, raising a hand in surrender as he chuckled. "I think I still have a cracked rib from that fight."
"Wait, Oz?" Charlie questioned in genuine surprise, her eyes wide in disbelief as she recognized the familiar nickname for the Sin of Lust. "As in Asmodeus? Uncle Oz?"
"No, the other Oz from Heaven." Bee replied with a teasing smile as she brought a hand up to ruffle her niece's head. "Try to keep up, Charlie."
"Why does it seem like you know my entire family?" Charlie couldn't help but to comment even she fixed her hair, looking at John with a teasing grin of her own. "Seriously, your best friend is dating my aunt, you fought my uncle, and you have my dad on speed-dial."
"Blame Tex for you Aunt and Uncle, and blame Adam and the Exorcists for your dad." John shot back without missing a beat as he shook his head in amusement. "It's not like I planned this shit."
"So, wait, what exactly happened with Asmodeus?" Vanessa questioned in confusion, a curious gaze on her expression as her gaze moved between the three demons.
John, Vortex, and Bee all looked at each other with knowing smiles on their faces, before answering in perfect harmony.
"Shotgun incident."
Now Vanessa was even more curious, considering it was the second time that particular incident had been mentioned. And she was genuinely eager to know what that story entailed. A sentiment Charlie echoed.
Something all three of them noticed.
"All I'll say is that if you ever get drunk at a party, make sure a gun is fake before you pick it up." John explained with a chuckle, which ended up shifting into full blown laughter as he found his gaze wandering over to Vortex. "I'll never forget the way that big sumbitch jumped in air when that fucking shotgun went off."
"I mean, you did shoot him in the ass." Bee pointed out with a teasing grin, snickering as she recalled the incident herself. "You're lucky you're as strong as you are, or that all that training of yours wouldn't have been worth a damn."
"Training?" Vaggie asked as she approached, injecting herself in the conversation as her brow furrowed and she glanced up at John. "You have training?"
"The militia I was in was housed at Area 51." John pointed out with a shrug. "Is it really that much of a shock? Yeah, I have advanced military training."
"That… actually explains a lot." Vaggie admitted, bringing a finger to rest on her chin in thought as she seemed to be recalling something, before looking up at John. "Is there anything else you're trained in?"
"I was taught jiu jitsu and systema till I mastered them, and I got the basics of karate." John answered with a nod, looking confused by Vaggie's questioning. "Can I ask why?"
"Other than the fact that you're a nine foot behemoth that doesn't really need any training in the first place?" Vortex guessed, once again teasing the behemoth and earning a chuckle in response.
"Better safe than sorry, as that fight with Oz proved." John retorted, earning a nod of agreement from both Vortex and Bee.
"Fair."
"Touche."
"So come on, girl!" Bee spoke up once again, turning to Charlie with a smile as she let a hand lash out and snag the Princess into her side with a smile. "You've been going all out with this place, and I'm ready to see what kind of progress you've made."
The somewhat reserved, and even Charlie herself used that term very loosely, Princess disappeared in place of the usual eager child Charlie would always be at heart as she nodded gleefully. Giggling like a schoolgirl, Charlie gripped Bee's hand and immediately dragged her further into the Hotel, leaving everyone to watch as she began to rapidly show Bee everything.
"We're gonna be here all night, ain't we?" Vortex joked as he watched the sight, just barely glancing at John in time to see the amused nod that escaped him.
"Yeah…" John agreed with the joke, before turning to Vortex with a grin, "But hey, it gives us time to catch up. Me and you ain't really had a chance to actually sit down and bullshit like we used to."
"I'd like to know more too!" Vanessa admitted, practically bouncing on her toes as she looked at the Hellhound. "You were… really nice at Lu Lu World. And I… I kind of want more friends than just Angel."
"Ouch." John joked, feigning hurt and earning him another slap to the stomach in the process.
"You may as well be my brother, you don't count." Vanessa retorted with a playful glare while the behemoth laughed it off, before turning back to Vortex. "All my friends are at this Hotel though… and as safe as it is here…"
"Being a free demon means it starts getting a little claustrophobic?" Vortex guessed with a chuckle, nodding his head in understanding. "Believe me, I get it. I'm twenty-five now, and I was twenty-three when I finally left home."
"If you're that restless, why don't you stay with them a bit?" It was thrown out so off-handedly that both Vortex and Vanessa looked at him in utter surprise. "What? So long as she's got Bee's blessing, she can come down to the Glutton Ring with you two and stay there for a bit. Hell, those parties of Bee's might actually do her some good."
"That's… not a bad idea, actually." Vortex admitted with a nod of agreement, before turning his attention to Vanessa. "What do you say? You get out of the Hotel, and you don't have to really worry about anything."
"Other than getting used to seeing nothing but hellhounds left, right, and center." John teased, earning another chuckle from Vortex. "All jokes aside though… it'd probably do you some good, like I said. Let you know that getting out and exploring isn't some big thing, even in Hell."
"But… there's so much bad in Hell."
"I mean, that's true, let's not beat around the bush." Vortex clearly saw no point in trying to fool the succubus, a sentiment John clearly agreed with as he nodded his head at the hound's words, before Vortex offered Vanessa a smile and let his hand come back up to Vanessa's shoulder. "But not everywhere's bad. I'm telling you, Bee's place is one of the happiest places in Hell."
"And if you're just looking for a place to make you feel normal, like you did when you were alive, we could call and talk to Andre." John added that as a suggestion as well as Vanessa turned to look at him in surprise. "I doubt Andre would say no, and it might do you some good to have friends of your own and a nice little community that you can trust."
"But won't that hurt the Hotel?" Vanessa asked, still apprehensive about actually leaving the Hotel, regardless of her developing cabin fever as she crossed her arms and met John's eyes with a wary gaze. "Charlie's trying to get someone redeemed before the next Extermination. If I leave, won't that hurt the chances of that happening?"
At the question, John let a sigh escape him, before he turned away for a second and glanced towards Charlie and Bee.
Upon seeing the Princess quite animatedly telling her Aunt about the wall that always seems to get broken, he turned his attention back to the succubus as he crouched to one knee.
"I believe in Charlie, I do." John began, before shaking his head with a sad sigh. "But the simple truth is that redemption takes time, and six months? Well, I hate to say it, but Charlie's a bit delusional if she believes she can actually manage it in that time."
"You don't think it'll be done before the next Extermination?" The fear in her voice was clear as day, and that was more than understandable. After everything she'd been put through in both life and death from John's knowledge… death after finally achieving some semblance of peace wasn't exactly an enticing prospect.
But the behemoth simply offered a reassuring smile, and Vortex couldn't help the fond one that took over his own as he watched one of the only sinners he trusted work his magic.
"What did I tell you about those Exterminations?" John asked, raising an eyebrow as he did so.
Vanessa's eyes seemed to bounce between meeting John's gaze and the ground, before she offered a small smile as she finally fixed her eyes upon the behemoth's own.
"They don't happen wherever you are?"
"Exactly!" John let his hand shoot up and ruffle the succubus' hair, causing her to furiously swat at his hand before trying to fix her now jumbled lockes as she shot the behemoth a short glare. "So there ain't nothing to worry about, alright? Besides, I think Charlie would agree that you need something to cheer you up, give you a bit of a kickstart."
"While it's on my mind, Verosika asked me to say hi." Vortex spoke up, gaining the behemoth's attention as he turned towards John. "I know it may not mean much, but for what it's worth, she did try to actually come when I told her."
"Popstar life ain't all it's cracked up to be, huh?" John guessed, raising an amused eyebrow at his ex's predicament. "Well, tell her that I'm rooting for her either way, alright?"
"For sure." Vortex nodded his head at that. Verosika couldn't definitely use the encouragement.
"BEE!"
Well, Leo had just discovered Bee's presence in the Hotel. Something made quite clear when he seemed to almost manifest atop the Sin's shoulders, genuinely surprising her as it took her a moment to realize the sinnerborn was currently playing with her lava lamp hair.
"Hey, good to see you too, Leo!" Bee had no issue with the boy currently playing with her hair, her eyes flicking up towards him with a broad grin as she greeted him. "What have you been up to?"
"I found the library!" For such a simple achievement, Leo sounded utterly proud of his discovery as he held a hand to his chest in pride. "I'm gonna surprise Mom by studying for homeschooling!"
"I'll be sure to wake you up when you pass out from boredom." John joked, an inside joke for the adults more than Leo himself, as almost everyone either chuckled or laughed in response.
"No dumping ice water on your kid." Charlie sounded rather stern as she said that, jerking a finger at the behemoth with a tone that offered no room for argument. "We're still cleaning the up the kitchen from that little prank."
"What? It was funny." The behemoth offered, chuckling despite knowing that it really wasn't a valid response. "And besides, I could've been an even bigger asshole. We had a jug of spoiled milk in the fridge."
"Oh god, you'd still do that after Viv?" Vortex couldn't help but to ask, disgust mixing into the amusement as he shook his head and glanced at John. "It took a month to get the vomit stains out of the carpet."
"Hey, that she got for stealing my knife." John replied without a single hint of remorse or regret, before chuckling. "Though, I do find it kind of funny that she's got that knife, now."
"Well, to be fair, the thing's not exactly a pocket knife."
"Can we get back to talking about something we all are in on?" Vanessa spoke up, crossing her arms and feigning a hurt look that failed to fill it's effect due to the smile on her face. "Because I don't like being confused in these conversations."
"Well, get used to it, cause me and Vortex got a lot of stories." John replied as he began moving past the succubus and deeper into the Hotel, nodding the two of them towards the couch as he did so. "What do you say, Tex? Should we tell her about Pentious first attack or your first date with Bee?"
"Oh Satan, don't remind me."
"Mother?"
Carmilla's eyes rose from her computer at the sound of Odette's voice, and she made sure her daughter knew she had the Overlord's full attention.
"What is it?" Short, sweet, and to the point. It was work time, and though her children would always be a priority, they were employees right now.
"I… I came to check on you." Odette admitted, adjusting the glasses on her face as she stepped through the door, shutting it behind her as she stood on the other side of the room with her hands behind her back, taking a more confident demeanor as she remembered that she was supposed to be working at the moment. "You haven't come down to the factory for your observations… I was concerned."
Okay… Carmilla knew they were supposed to be working. It was her own rule after all, so as to make sure everyone knew that not only were her children protected, but they could handle themselves if they needed to.
But she also knew when her children weren't being entirely honest, and she could also detect the discernible concern within Odette's voice.
"Let us cease the formalities." Carmilla instructed, letting a small sigh escape her as she stood to her feet. Despite the straight face, she couldn't help the small amount of amusement that creeped up.
Being a mother was a twenty-four hour job.
"What is it that concerns you, sweetheart?" Carmilla asked as she strutted around the table, while Odette visibly relaxed and made her way closer. "You know that you are always free to speak to me if you wish."
"It's just… I'm confused." She admitted with a sigh, looking up at her mother as she came to a stop in front of the older demon. "We're… we're weapons dealers, correct? And we specialize in angelic weaponry. How… how are we supposed to do something good?"
Carmilla genuinely couldn't help the small smile that took her face over as she brought an oversized hand up, hooking a finger under Odette's cheek as the younger demon's gaze averted itself and gently bringing it back to meet Carmilla's own eyes.
"We are in Hell, Odette." Carmilla reminded her daughter, her voice soft as she did so. "I'm afraid there's not much good to be found in the slightest. But for our plans to work, all Overlords must contribute, including myself."
"But how?" Odette questioned once more, her brow furrowing in confusion as she looked at her mother with a lost expression. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but I'm afraid that neither me nor Clara see exactly what you plan to do."
"You speak as if you are a soul I own and not my child." Carmilla pointed out allowing her arms to gently close around her child and pulling her into a loving embrace. "As I said, no formalities for the moment."
"Yes, mo-... yes, Mom."
"As to your concerns, I have it handled." Carmilla assured as she released her daughter, letting a hand slide down her shoulder and gently gripping her hand as she began to pull Odette to the other side of her desk. "Would you like to see?"
"If… if it's not too much trouble." Odette nodded her head, managing a small smile for her mother as she did so. "It's… It's just been the same thing for so long, and I'd like to know how we're changing, I suppose."
"Not so much changing as we are adding an… extra precaution, you could say." Carmilla corrected as she retook her seat at her desk, before gently pulling her daughter closer so that she could see the monitor properly. "I'm afraid that in terms of genuine good, our options are limited. As you said, we're arms dealers. Not business owners in the same vein as the Vees or Zeezi."
As she said that, she turned back to her computer and began to type away, the custom made keyboard and mouse perfectly designed for her oversized hands being put to good use.
She clicked off the page, which she didn't doubt Odette noticed seemed to be in regards to more research on the cause of their current management change. She moved swiftly to the computers files, and navigated her way to the upcoming change plans for future developments.
When she saw what she was looking at, Odette's eyes widened in surprise.
"A security system?"
"An unfortunate compromise with Vox." Carmilla wasn't a fan of working with the egotistical Overlord, and when he'd originally proposed the idea of Angelic Security, she'd vehemently refused.
More than likely, it would be filled with spyware regardless of if it did it's job. And Carmilla had the unfortunate displeasure of speaking from experience, as her original computer had been developed by Vox after the ballerina had commissioned his work.
A month and a few flings later, Velvette's social media went viral with far too many pictures and videos of Carmilla in her birthday suit in intimate moments with… various men.
That's all Carmilla would speak of about the incident.
Needless to say, Carmilla and the Vees had no love lost. Another reason Carmilla wasn't exactly sad over Valentino's permanent end, considering that he'd also taken every bit of footage they'd had and published as 'The Lustful Life of Carmilla Carmine'.
Oh yes, Carmilla was the star of one of Val's many films. And she didn't like it one bit.
But, the less said about all of that, the better.
"I'm honestly not sure if it will work, as we'd need an angel to test it on." She explained with a small smile as she looked up at her daughter. "Unfortunately, I'm also unsure of how much good this endeavor will do, considering our clientele. But… if John is as good as Flow and Alastor claim, then I suppose it's a step in the right direction of making him an ally."
"Speaking of… have you also found more information regarding him?" Their life in Hell had unfortunately meant that even her children felt slight fear towards Carmilla. It was a sad truth, one the demon sorely wished she could change.
But despite any fear they felt, at least they knew their mother loved them more than anything in existence.
So, Carmilla sought to alleviate the fear for a moment as she nodded her head with a smile.
"This stays between us, only your sister can be told. But… yes." Carmilla nodded as she once again stood to her feet. "Follow. You are correct that I have observations to attend to."
"Formalities?"
"Not just yet."
"Yes, Mom."
Their shoes clicked against the marble floor as Carmilla made her way around the desk, Odette following in her mum's footsteps as they made their way out of the room, through the unoccupied meeting room, and to the nearest elevator.
"I have indeed discovered more about our behemoth. Specifically, he has a registered address." Carmilla explained as she stepped into the elevator, turning to face Odette as the younger demon entered before Carmilla pressed the button. "Watch the doors." On instinct, Carmilla lifted a guarding hand as she pressed the button for her underground factory, keeping her daughter a safe distance behind the doors.
"Wouldn't it be the Princess's Hotel?" Odette questioned in confusion, only for Carmilla to shake her head.
"Princess Charlotte wouldn't be the kind of person to impose such restrictions in the first place." Even Carmilla knew that Hell's Princess was quite the oddball. It was no wonder she was considered a joke, but there was also a reason no one ever outright attacked her, either.
From what she heard, the Wrath Ring Arena was still being repaired a hundred years later. Lucifer and Lilith had not taken Satan teaching their child swears very well.
Not to mention the Princess's own potential, of which no one wanted to be on the receiving end should she finally snap.
"No, our man has a registered address at his home in the Hell Hole." Carmilla clarified, and Odette nodded her head in understanding. That made a lot more sense. "You see, he's registered to a small apartment complex known as Grundy's Plaza. I actually intend to pay a visit before the next meeting."
"Really? Couldn't he consider that a threat and retaliate?" Odette pointed out. As Flow had made very clear, so much as the slightest finger cut upon a loved one would seal her mother's fate, and the younger demon couldn't help but to voice her concern.
"That assumes I go there with the intent to attack." Carmilla replied without missing a beat, barely glancing at her daughter as she raised an amused eyebrow. "Or do you see me as a fool?"
"Um, forgive me, mother. That wasn't what I meant."
"I do so wish you and Clara didn't feel so nervous around me." Carmilla admitted with an amused eyeroll. Though it hurt, admittedly, there were times Carmilla would use it to her advantage. After all, a mother's favorite pastime was teasing her children. "But to answer your question, I intend to only question, not attack. And without its veteran guardian, I don't see anyone attempting to attack me, either."
"You plan to gain info?" Odette repeated with a much simpler summarization, before nodding her head. "Okay… but what if no one wants to talk?"
"Then the trip will be a waste of time." Carmilla admitted outright. "The trip will be to sate my curiosity, nothing more. Should no one wish to speak, I will not draw the Juggernaut's ire by attacking his loved ones." She explained, glancing down at her daughter with a soft look on her face. "Do you believe you and Clara can watch over the factory?"
At that, Odette gave a genuine smile, a proud look on her face as her nervousness disappeared at the question. "You've taught us more than enough, Mom. You can trust us."
"I'll always trust you." Carmilla assured as she leaned over, a hand coming up from behind her back and gently cupping the side of Odette's head as the ballerina leaned down and planted a loving kiss upon her daughter's head, before her expression leveled. "Now, compose yourself. We are nearly there."
The elevator continued to descend for another few moments as Odette did as instructed, composing herself and taking on an expressionless face as the platform finally came to a stop.
The elevator doors slide open with a ding, and Carmilla and Odette stepped out of the elevator and onto another elevated platform. A catwalk, overlooking an utterly massive factory.
Thousands of demons were hard at work in the underground factory, operating each and every piece of large equipment and machinery in the admittedly scorching heat of the facility as they all melted an abundance of angelic weaponry to be repurposed into angelic steel for Carmine weaponry.
Guns, swords, shields, bullets, grenades… if it was a weapon that existed, Carmilla had both regular and angelic variants of it.
"How is our latest weapon coming along?" Carmilla asked, turning to her daughter with a raised eyebrow.
"Shoes you have requested are almost complete." Odette relied without missing a beat. "They have tested the retractable heel so that you are not force to balance constantly, but they are testing the balance of the shoes themselves to make sure they fit your quality."
"I can maintain balance on my own, no matter the scenario." Carmilla assured, though she couldn't help but to let her composure break as she gave her daughter a knowing smile. "Am I to assume this is Zestial's doing?"
"A recommendation we happily took heed of." Odette nodded her head in response. "Only the best for you, mother."
"Very good." Carmilla made sure her children knew their work was appreciated. As did all of her employees.
Although cruel and harsh when needed, Carmilla made sure that whether by will or by force, all of her workers were genuinely appreciated for their efforts.
Five days of vacation every six months was more than enough to keep everyone hard at work, even without the threat of instant and permanent death at her hands should they disobey.
Carmilla may not always give her souls a choice… but she'd make damn sure that she was fair. Zestial had taught her that.
As long as they are treated fairly, souls owned by Overlords tend to work best knowing they are actually doing something productive in some sense and making a living off of it. Carmilla paid her workers as Zestial did, Carmilla rewarded her workers as Zestial did, and Carmilla punished her workers as Zestial did.
And his empire had lasted hundreds of years without anyone truly challenging him. She doubted following his genuine advice would fair badly for herself or her children.
"As well, the suit of armor you requested has finally begun development." Odette informed her mother, catching the ballerina's attention as she tore her gaze once more from the factory below.
"When is it estimated to be completed?" Carmilla asked.
"By the next month. If you'll permit me to ask, I have a question, mother."
"Speak your mind."
"What exactly do you need armor for?" Odette asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she looked at her mother. "You fight best without the weight the armor will provide."
"The armor is not for me." Carmilla replied, though she refused to elaborate further. Odette knew better than to press the issue, and nodded her head.
If there's one thing Carmilla knew…
There was a war coming. Meeting John and learning what she had about Heaven, Adam, and the Exorcists made that very clear.
And for better or worse… John may be the key to victory, Carmilla could decipher that much.
Yes, it would do very good to have the behemoth on their side. And Carmilla believed that she and the other Overlords could manage it.