Day Seven
Part Three
Day Seven - Cafe Magne, late evening:
Emily and Cherri Bomb walked into the cafe. It was a fairly nice place, dark and busy, with several booths that offered high partitions for privacy.
There were whispers and hushed conversations all about them. Half of them seemed to center around Is that an angel? as the demons tried not to stare.
Cherri Bomb looked to Emily, "Ya sure about this?"
Emily nodded nervously. "I'm the Ambassador." Sure, yes. Ready? She was absolutely not ready for this if it was the enemy of angels.
Yet part of her hoped that it was. She was ready to send an orb to Lucifer. He and his 'friend' could be here in a moment. It would be nice if the danger could be over before nightfall. She might even be able to get Sir Pentious and Molly to join them for dinner. She could only imagine how disappointed Cherri Bomb was right now with Sir Pentious safely in Heaven. She was surprised the woman wasn't showing even more aggravation.
"Yeah, well, the note said bring the angels," Cherri whispered. "And we ain't exactly doin' that."
After the way Sera froze, Emily was not about to walk into an 'obvious trap' with her. Sera was safely in Sloth.
Emily stopped a moment, realizing how utterly bizarre that thought should have been.
Sera is safe in Sloth.
It was a perfectly sensible, reasonable and true statement. And yet before she met Charlie and Vaggie, those words would...
"Ya okay?" Cherri interrupted Emily's mental meandering, getting a jolt of focus and a nod from the seraphim.
As they approached the back, a waiter slid up to them and pointed out a far booth. "Your booth is waiting."
Emily did not recognize the two demons waiting in the booth for them. Both appeared to be young women, which alone told her neither was the demon seeking to spread an angel plague. She felt immediately less anxious.
"Hello, I'm Emily, the Ambassador from Heaven. You can call me Emily, Emi, E... whatever you want." She sat down, smiling brightly and reaching across the table.
The two women shook her hand in turn.
Cherri Bomb looked between them. "Okay, not a trap." She sat down opposite Emily. "Hello Clara, Odette."
"Oh!" Emily perked. "You know each other?"
"We have done business before," Clara stated softly.
Cherri Bomb nodded. "Yeah, but it didn't require a clandestine meeting."
Mindful of her surroundings, Cherri Bomb dropped her voice as softly as it could go without being a suspicious whisper. "So, what can we do for Carmilla Carmine?"
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel, late evening:
Everyone turned to stare at the door.
"Maybe it's the delivery I've been waiting for?" Angel Dust offered hopefully even though he could see the packages stacked just inside the door.
Charlie's glare shifted back to Seviathan. "Do you have any idea what he has done to one of my guests? Or how many of us he wants to kill?"
Sevaithan continued to hold up his hands. "In my defense, I arranged it for before you got back. If it wasn't for elevator kitty, none of you would be here."
"If he knew I was here, Valentino wouldn't knock," Angel Dust nearly whispered, his eyes wide.
Vaggie stepped forward, spear ready. "Angel, hide. In fact, everyone hide."
As people began to move, she grabbed Seviathan. "Not you! You go open the door." She shoved him forward.
"Charlie?" Vaggie asked hesitantly as Charlie stepped up next to her.
"I promised to protect you."
There was another knock.
"Okay, love," Vaggie said. "But Lute has me in a really stabby mood, so I'm happy to do this on my own."
"No!" Charlie chided her. "We're going to tell him that the deal is off, apologize and ask him kindly to go away."
Angel Dust ran for the hallway. Then skidded to a stop. "Fuck this. I'm done running from this guy." He pulled out his tommy guns. "If he wants another piece of me, let him try to take it."
Husk pulled out his weaponized card deck, a grin growing across his face as he glanced to Angel Dust then locked his gaze on the front door. "Oh, I've wanted to help you do this for months."
Lute watched everyone. Finally! The demon behavior she had been expecting. The depravity and bloodlust.
Like I've been any different.
She looked down, that brief illusion of superiority cruelly shattered. She didn't know the score here.
For all I know, they have better reason than I did. All my reasons were wrong.
She heard Vaggie warn, "Charlie, he's not going to do that".
Lute's gaze was caught by the glowing bottle.
Here! This will help you find love!
There was no impulse to drink it. Just a deep, dark pit of realization that there weren't two bottles. Apparently, only one of them was so bad that they couldn't find love in Hell without it.
Adam loved me.
That's the one thing I get to be right about.
She grabbed the potion, stowing it as she stood up.
Seviathan reached the door and opened it.
Day Seven - Cafe Magne, late evening:
There was a pause as a waiter delivered menus to their booth. Cherri Bomb ignored hers while Emily looked with wonder over the single sheet with its list of drinks and tiny dishes of confectionaries.
As soon as Emily put her menu down, Odette answered, "Actually, the question is: what can Carmine do for Heaven?" Her tone heavily implied she meant not her mother but the entire industry.
Cherri Bomb's eye narrowed.
Emily blinked, surprised. "Uhhh... In what way?"
Odette continued, her sister remaining quiet, listening. "If Carmine was to invest in the new Heaven Embassy and its professed goodwill mission, how would that best be done?"
Cherri Bomb snerked. "Invest? They're Heaven. Streets literally paved in gold and all that. They don't need money."
Odette nodded stoically. "But surely there is something you do need."
Emily was smiling. Cherri Bomb was regretting that they didn't bring Sera after all. This was not her scene. This felt like they were making a Deal.
"It's so great you want to help!" Emily squeaked happily. She began to ramble, speaking ever more quickly.
"I've been hoping more sinners would be open to letting Heaven help. We have so much to make up for it's hard to know where to begin. But the Hazbin Hotel is working hard to help sinners find redemption and get into Heaven..." She paused, catching her breath, then plowing on even faster. "...or at least become better people in Hell. Truth be told, there are a lot of people down here who would be better off here if we can help them make Hell better. But, that's really a long-term goal. I mean, we've barely got the outer walls up..."
Cherri Bomb groaned and muttered under her breath, "I really need to blow something up." She didn't voice or I'm going to lose it.
Emily stopped, looking at Cherri Bomb with surprise and concern.
Cherri Bomb bit her tongue. "Just be careful, E," she cautioned. "Carmilla Carmine is an Overlord. You know what that means."
Emily blinked. Then gasped softly, looking at Odette and Clara. "Wait, is this a Deal?" She frowned. "I've already made that mistake once with Alastor. I'm not making it again."
The two demonic sisters' eyes opened wide. Clara asked, "You made a Deal with Alastor?"
Emily frumped, crossing her arms over her breasts. "It's over. It was a do-this-and-I-do-that Deal, not one for my soul." She looked at the two sternly. "But it was a huge learning experience."
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel, late evening:
Valentino stood tall beneath the marquee of the Hazbin Hotel, smiling as Seviathan opened the door and Charlie stepped forward with Vaggie next to her, spear held threateningly. Beyond the shelter of the marquee, the acid rain had begun to fall in earnest. The first flash of lightning ripped across the clouded sky.
"Oh dear," Valentino schmoozed with a smile. "Am I too late for the photo op?"
Charlie's prepared dis-invitation faltered. "The what now?"
Valentino gracefully slipped by her, keeping Charlie between himself and the angelic spear tip. "I was asked to drop by for a little photo shoot."
Vaggie sidestepped Charlie, blocking Valentino before he got more than a few steps inside. "Get out! Now!"
He grinned genially. "Really, Vagyna?" His smile widened as her pupil shifted into the shape of a skull. "I was told everyone is welcome. I even have it in writing." He produced a paper. Vaggie recognized it as one of the flyers she helped put up in the Doomsday District three days ago. "In the Princess's own crayon."
"Val," Angel Dust said warningly, tommy guns pointed.
Valentino's smile faltered for a moment, his eyes glowing with rage. He plastered his charm back on quickly, but there was blood trickling from his sharp grin. "Angel, amorcito! You don't call, you don't write..."
"Cut the crap, Val." Angel let out his extra arms, holding an additional pair of submachine guns. "You ain't welcome. Nobody's here to take pictures with you. The only 'shooting' for you here would come from me."
"Wait, this is the guy you thought I could fall in love with?" Lute blurted, hands held out towards Valentino. "The porn demon's pimp?!"
Valentino turned. "And there she is. As lovely as promised." He frowned. "Nobody mentioned the one-arm thing." His smile returned. "But I can work with that."
Valentino stepped past Vaggie and her spear dismissively. He moved closer to Lute, bending down.
Instinctively, Charlie growled, "Don't touch her."
Husk curled the fingers of one hand, black diamonds and red spades flickering around it.
"I could make you a star," Valentino promised.
Lute scowled at him with a glare of absolute disgust and revulsion. In a tone that conveyed the deepest possible repugnance, "I'd rather fuck Vaggie."
Niffty whispered, "Awwwwww. Luggie is a terrible ship."
"Don't you fucking dare!" Vaggie snapped.
"Enough of this!" Angel Dust stepped forward.
Valentino whipped around, Moneyshot in his hand and pointed at Angel Dust's temple. His pleasant masquerade had vanished.
"Did you really think you could break your Contract with ME and walk away, you whore!?"
With a yapping growl, Crymini launched herself, biting Valentino's wrist, pulling Moneyshot away from Angel Dust as its report echoed through the hotel.
The bullet shattered the shell of the parlor light nearest Lute, who didn't flinch.
The black and red motes around Husk's hand evaporated.
Valentino shook Crymini off his arm, flinging her back into the fireplace hard enough to get a loud yip.
Before anyone else could react, Valentino was wrapped about the waist by a giant black tentacle and yanked back out of the building.
The tentacle lifted him high into the air. He was briefly silhouetted by another flash of lightning before the tentacle hurled him down. Valentino slammed onto the hotel's driveway with enough force to shatter the cobblestones.
Valentino moaned as he pushed himself up off the ground.
Alastor's shadow rose beneath the marquee. "Stay back, everyone," he demanded cheerfully with a loud hiss of radio static. "This dance is mine!"
Day Seven - Cafe Magne, late evening:
The two sisters looked at each other and seemed to relax. Odette straightened her glasses. "We are not offering a demonic pact, just an alliance."
"Oh." Emily dropped her arms and began to smile again. "That's wonderful then!"
Odette nodded. "We will bring everything said here back to mother. I am certain that there is a way Carmine can facilitate your long-term goals."
"In return for what?" Cherri Bomb asked. "More angelic steel from Heaven, I'm guessing? Without the Exterminations, your resources must be drying up."
Emily wilted a little. "Oooh. We can't do that!"
Odette shook her head. "We would prefer to table talks of that until trust has been established. For now, Carmine just wishes to establish a diplomatic avenue with Heaven. And offer aid for the mutually beneficial goal of peace between Heaven and Hell."
Emily nodded. "That... sounds good. That sounds great!"
Cherri Bomb frowned. "That sounds dangerous." At the sister's looks, she waved a hand, "And if it wasn't, we wouldn't be talkin' in a private booth after havin' a note tossed out a car window, would we?"
Clara frowned and nodded. "First, mother understands that Alastor has invested in the Hazbin Hotel. She does not wish to appear like she is making a power grab while he isn't well. In fact, mother is concerned about his condition."
Emily ooohed. "Oh, he'll be better soon. We gave him the cure this morning."
Cherri Bomb slapped her forehead, making her eye sting. Don't just tell them shit like that, E! she wanted to scream. Fuck.
Odette asked, "The cure for the poison from Valentino?"
Emily nodded. "Yep! It was delivered by owl this morning. He'll be okay in a few days."
Odette and Clara exchanged looks. They said together, "Good to hear."
Odette continued, "Second, Carmine wishes to ensure that the Heaven Embassy may continue to function as a diplomatic outreach between Heaven and Hell with peaceful intentions."
Determination filled Emily's demeanor. "We will. The Exterminations will never happen again. Heaven is never going to threaten Hell again."
"E..." Cherri Bomb said warningly.
Odette nodded. "And your word on this is sacrosanct as the new High Seraphim, correct?"
Emily nodded firmly. "Yes."
Cherri Bomb's thoughts skidded to a halt at another flashing warning light. "How did ya know that? I mean, everybody knows E as the Ambassador."
Clara answered, "She said so at the big show a week ago. Vox wiped out the cameras, but mother had people in the crowd."
Odette continued to address Emily. "Then so long as you are High Seraphim, there is promise of peace."
"Oh shit," Cherri Bomb whispered.
Emily looked at Cherri Bomb, her brow furrowing. She nodded slowly to Odette. "I mean... as long as... oh." Emily's eyes widened, her happiness dropping away in horror.
Odette and Clara look at each other. "She knows."
Clara turned back, her expression suddenly desperate. "Carmine isn't behind it. Mother wants to stop it. But she can't act openly right now."
"Not without the fuckwads who are behind it targeting her," Cherri Bomb said. At Clara's nod, Cherri added, "I've heard she's not about that."
Cherri Bomb closed her eye, thinking: And I just figured out which wanker's cameras we're in here hiding from.
Odette pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "As an opening enticement to pursue negotiations with Carmine, we offer a gift." She started to pass the paper to Emily, but paused. Then slid it towards Cherri Bomb.
Cherri Bomb opened it and looked it over. "What is this?"
The header of the page gave her one answer.
Decommissioned V-owned facilities with the laboratory capacity to create an airborne variant of a virus.
There were five locations on the list.
Clara gave her another answer. "You wanted to blow up something, right?"
Cherri Bomb began to grin. A lot. Her eyes and teeth glowed as she drank in the most beautiful piece of paper ever.
It was a list of targets.
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel, late evening:
The grounds in front of the hotel were scorched, with black marks smearing the draconic statue of Dazzle. Clouds of magenta dust lingered.
Battered and bleeding, Valentino lifted himself, stance askew as he stood on a broken leg by sheer force of will.
Alastor advanced, tall and lanky, face covered in stitching, horns spread to a magnificent black rack. Spinning his microphone and smiling. Always smiling. Letting this sorry excuse for an Overlord know he was nothing but a mouse trapped with a tiger.
Not letting anyone know how frayed he felt. Valentino hadn't even scratched him. But the effort had left him running on little more than fumes.
Curse this weakness!
Valentino beat his wings, hurling another blast towards him. Alastor swiped with his microphone, raising a shield of swirling shadow as the cloud erupted in a pyrotechnic blaze.
"Running out of tricks?" he taunted, accompanied by a staticky laugh track. "You've done that one already."
Alastor dropped the shield as the fire dissipated. And found himself staring down the barrel of Moneyshot.
"This one too," Valentino sneered at him. A taunt that saved Alastor. For in that moment, staring at the dark hole in the front of that gun, Alastor found himself frozen.
It passed, and he shadowed out of the way. But he could only be reasonably certain that he had kept smiling in that moment. He'd been doing it so long it would take conscious effort to stop.
Alastor reformed from his shadow with a stumble. He was right to be worried about how much this fight would take from him. Not wasting energy on intimidating that driver was a good call. He focused on his opponent. He no longer saw the gun.
Valentino spun and launched himself into the air. Before he could attack again, Alastor opened a pit into the Other. A new mass of giant black tentacles rose up to enwrap, strangle and crush.
Valentino's pathetic, agonized screams told Alastor the wretch was too busy hurting to notice his own wobbling, or the way he could not maintain his demonic aspect. He shrank, his antlers becoming mere prongs atop his head.
Time to end this.
He heard Charlie shouting at him, "Alastor, stop!"
Alastor commanded the tentacles to slam Valentino back to the ground with enough force to break many of his still intact bones.
The sky crackled and distorted around him as he advanced one last time on the vile moth. "Thank you, old pal. It's been far too long since I added a new voice to my broadcast!"
Something fell from above.
Alastor stopped, finding a small, sharp angelic blade pointed at his nose. He looked down at the glaring fallen angel in the I'm doing fine! shirt and nothing else. The arm holding the angelic dagger was red and scaley. Horns rose from her head.
She glanced at the broken mothman and hissed. "Go! Flee now!"
"You think you can threaten me with that?" Alastor asked with a crackling laugh, the canned audience laughter whispering about him.
"It's killed a greater man than you," the fallen angel spat back.
Well that can't stand.
Alaster reached up and touched the tip of the blade with a finger, pricking himself as he moved it down from his face. "I don't know who you are, my dear. And I don't care. But step out of my way, or I will rip you apart."
His eyes narrowed almost to slits as he saw Valentino stir and begin to drag himself back from them.
"Alastor," Charlie shouted at him. "Don't! You can't kill her!"
"Give me one good reason."
The angel narrowed her eyes. Red eyes with red irises. Like his own.
He felt himself on the verge of collapsing. He could rip Valentino's soul apart. Turn the defeated Overlord's eternal screams into a broadcast for the ages. Or he could destroy this interloper for daring challenge him.
But he knew he could not do both. Not now. Not in this state.
Charlie gave him one. "She's Rosie's!"
Alastor stood back, twirling his microphone once more. "Well then. I wouldn't want to deprive Rosie of her new plaything."
He looked to Valentino, the mothman was crawling away, bleeding and shattered. The air filled with a tuning whine. "You can thank Charlie and this angel of yours for your continued existence." The whine snapped with earsplitting sharpness. "Cross any of us again, and not even they will be able to save you."
He turned, merrily ambling back into the hotel. Silently, internally thankful for the graceful exit Charlie had provided.
As he passed through the doorway, he heard a gloriously enraged Vaggie shouting.
"Are you fucking kidding me!?"
He turned to watch, enjoying the entertainment as a chaser to the experience. Leaning against the doorframe without it looking like he needed the support.
Vaggie was all spit and fury. She gestured wildly. "You finally show a bit of decency, and it's for HIM!?"
Niffty was standing next to her, clapping happily.
"Somebody had to!" The fallen angel retorted, "You all showed me kindness and mercy. Where was it for him? The moment he arrived, you were all exterminate!"
Alastor could tell she chose that word for impact.
The fallen angel thrust her normal hand towards Charlie. "Only Charlie here... and fucking Adam's killer... kept to the morality you all play at!"
Vaggie wheezed. "That's... that's not what was happening!"
"Sure looked like it!" the fallen angel spat. Then turned away. "Besides..."
The angel, to Alastor's amazement, tossed the angelic dagger to Niffty as her demonic aspect faded. A moment later, the arm used to hold it was gone.
"...Niffty thought he could love me."
Vaggie rasped, "What?!"
The angel glared at her again. "Not that I want that. But love is the only thing I've ever been right about. So if I'm worth saving, he has to be too."
Charlie stepped forward. "Lute... that's... beautiful." Her eyes shone with sparkles and happy tears.
"That's fucked up," Angel Dust countered. "I can't believe you're assuming Niffty is right about him. Valentino's never loved anybody, toots! I don't think he can!"
The angel, Lute, trudged past Charlie and Vaggie, moving back under the marquee and towards the door.
"So you say. But I trust her more than any of you."
Alastor watched as Niffty jumped up and down ecstatically, holding up the angelic dagger with a manic grin. He wondered what she meant as she cried out, "You passed the lesson!"
Day Seven - Streets of Heaven, late evening:
Sir Pentious faced Molly in the center of the square. The crowd had dispersed, but the tension felt worse, not better.
Sir Pentious smiled. "Sssssee you tomorrow, Misss Molly?"
Molly nodded. She looked down the street behind her, then turned back to him. Brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, she admitted, "I wish we lived closer."
Sir Pentious nodded. "My loft is far, but it is much nicer than camping in the Courthouse." Amused, he added, "And the window reminds me of my airsssship."
"It is a great window," Molly said with a cheery laugh.
Her smile faded. He could tell the next words were hard for her. That they were not words she ever thought she would feel the urge to say in Heaven. He lifted a hand to silence them on her lips, but she said them anyway.
"Be safe."
Sir Pentious nodded. "I will. And don't you worry, pretty ssssspider. The new projector is nearly ready for tesssting, and you are working on a lovely speech. Everything will be right again ssssoon."
Molly blushed. "Pretty spider? Okay... now I have to ask. How's Cherri Bomb feel about girls?"
Sir Pentious blinked rapidly, his hood flaring, and blushed. "I wasn't sssuggesting..."
"A polycule?" Molly teased.
Sir Pentious gave her an amused scowl. "Cherri Bomb is Anthony's older friend. I think that might just break him."
Molly laughed. A bright, giggly laugh. Sir Pentious suspected that was not the deterrent he expected it to be.
"Goodnight, Molly."
"Goodnight, Sir Pentious."
The two turned and headed off in opposite directions towards their respective homes.
After several minutes of slithering, Sir Pentious found his thoughts returning to the earlier conversation and the thought of getting some of Heaven's medical geniuses working on the plague problem. It seemed like an obvious and smart idea.
But there were two problems. The first was secrecy. Molly was right. Heaven felt like the proverbial tinderbox. Word of a demonic threat would spread panic, and make the worst responses feel justified. The damage that would do to Heaven could be irreparable.
The second was that there really wasn't a lot that his scientific peers could do. Not without a sample of the plague to work from. In Hell, demons might horde supplies in preparation, but this was Heaven. Supplies were infinite.
To his understanding, there was at least a version of it that was not airborne. If they had that, they could make a huge head-start on making a cure. But without it...
Wait.
Sir Pentious changed course, slithering back towards the Courthouse as fast as he could.
He pulled out his phone, calling Molly. She answered on the first ring. "Misssss Molly, I have an idea! Maybe."
"I need your help. I know it is a horrible risssk, but I am certain there are doctorsss in Heaven who can be trusted with ssssecrecy," he explained. "Doctors with experience in contagionsss. We just need to find out who. We sssshould be able to find that in the Golden Library."
He stopped to catch his breath, panting. "And then, we need to get a message to Emily. We might be able to get a ssssafe sssample of the plague after all."
Molly asked how? and he answered, "From the one Cherri Bomb called Typhoid Puppy."
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel parlor, late evening:
Charlie took a deep, calming breath. She let it out slowly.
"You need to leave."
Her eyes fixed on Sevaithan, locking onto his. "I'm sorry, Seviathan, but you are not welcome at this hotel anymore."
"Charliesauce, hellkitten..." he started, but she held up a hand.
"You have endangered my guests and staff," Charlie said, counting with her fingers. "You invited Valentino here. You brought Lute here without checking with me first. You are a terrible influence on Niffty. Her shipping fantasies would never have escalated into what happened today if it wasn't for you. And I can't even think about what you intended with that potion."
Sevaithan, to his credit, said nothing. Charlie took another deep breath and let it out. "If Niffty wants to date you, that's her choice. She's a grown woman. But if she does, you will have to pick her up at the curb. You are not welcome anywhere on the grounds."
"Goodbye, Seviathan."
Sevaithan looked at her for a moment. Then tipped his top hat. "Farewell, my dear Ex Gee Eff. It has been unique remaking your acquaintance. Perhaps we will again some day."
"I'd prefer we not," Charlie replied calmly.
Seviathan turned, blowing Niffty a kiss and making an unnatural, wiggling motion with his fingers that sent a shudder up Charlie's spine. Because she knew it was his "friendly tentacles" gesture.
Then Sevaithan left the building. Charlie turned to the others.
Crymini was limping towards the bar, Husk alongside her. Charlie started to ask if the girl was okay, but Husk answered with a small smile before she could get the words out.
"She's a little sore. But nothing a stiff drink won't cure."
"Finally!" Crymini groused. "About time you stopped treating me like a child."
Husk chuckled. "I figure if you can fight like an adult, you can drink like one."
Charlie moved over to Lute. The woman was fumbling, attempting to wrap the blanket about her waist like a skirt. A difficult chore with one hand.
"Here, let me," Charlie offered, and was surprised when Lute held out the blanket with a scowl. After a minute, she had it tied as best it could be.
"We really need to get you a full set of clothes." Charlie said, giving her an encouraging smile. "When you feel up for it, Angel is really good at helping everyone with online clothes shopping. If we rush it, we can get it here... well, it's prooooobably too late now, but by early morning."
"That reminds me..." she heard Angel Dust say. The spider-demon moved to collect his packages. He looked through them and passed a large one to Crymini. "These are for you."
Charlie heard the puppy demon reply with slightly uncomfortable thanks.
Lute stared at Charlie. Not scowling as she usually did, which made Charlie feel a surge of hope.
"Why bother?" Lute asked. "I'm Rosie's, right?"
Charlie felt a pang. She looked around, trying to spot Alastor, but the man had disappeared. Hopefully to his room. Charlie didn't think he should have been out of bed so soon.
"I'm sorry, Lute. I said that because I knew Alastor... well, I hoped it would get Alastor to back down." She sighed. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do."
She offered a smile. "But what I do know is that what you did out there was beautiful. I'm..." She considered who she was talking to. "...not going to say I'm proud of you because I suspect that will upset you. But I am going to say I think you're worth trying to save."
Lute looked away.
Charlie looked to Vaggie, who was sitting in a chair far from Lute, trying to watch and not watch at the same time. Charlie started towards her.
Charlie's phone rang. A generic tone, which told her it was a number she didn't use frequently enough to assign a special one too.
She stopped and checked her phone. Belphegor was calling? That was a stroke of luck!
"Hello?" Charlie answered. As soon as she recognized the Sin of Sloth's greeting, Charlie squeaked happily. "Belphegor! I was just going to call you. I mean, in a few minutes. I kinda need your help again..."
"Then the timing is good," Belphegor said in her familiar lazy tone. "Are you free to visit now?"
Charlie looked around. "Yes. Well, Emily isn't back yet, but she should be any time."
"Good," Belphegor said simply. "I look forward to your arrival." Charlie blinked as the Sin hung up.
Charlie stared at her phone a moment then put it away, walking over and around Vaggie's chair to lean over and hug her from behind.
She whispered, "I am going to say how incredibly, overwhelmingly proud I am of you."
Vaggie flinched in her arms. "Why?" she asked softly. "I'm acting horribly, and I know it. But I just can't... not with her."
Charlie stroked Vaggie's arms gently. "You have extremely good reason to not be civil with Lute," Charlie told her. "But I see you trying. You gave her your shirt. You got Niffty something to clean her feathers. And I can't know how hard you are having to fight to do those things."
Charlie kissed Vaggie on the head. "You really are the toughest fighter I've ever known."
She could feel Vaggie trying to relax. "What good is it being a former Exorcist if I can't even battle the demons in my head?"
Charlie could feel by the way Vaggie tensed that she immediately regretted her words. "I understand what you mean, love."
Any further conversation was interrupted by the opening of a golden portal off to the side of the parlor.
Charlie watched Emily and Cherri Bomb step through. At the sight of the angel, her heart swelled with joy. She moved beside Vaggie, offering her hand. Her first partner took it, smiling a little herself at their mutual love's return.
Emily was already squeeing happily, flying across the room to them. "I have wonderful news!"
Charlie smiled back. "It's great to see you too."
Emily stopped, staring down at Vaggie's bra. "What happened to your shirt?" she asked with a tone of worry.
Emily waved a hand back towards the portal. Charlie could see patrons in an unfamiliar coffee shop staring at them before the portal collapsed.
Vaggie looked askance. "It's fine." Charlie bit back a small chuckle at the perfect choice of words. "It's being borrowed."
Emily nodded. "At least it wasn't blown up."
Vaggie sighed, letting go of Charlie's hand and crossing her arms over herself. "Thanks to Velvette, it's not like I have any secrets." She put a hand to her head. "I'm going to go get a shirt."
Vaggie whispered to Charlie, "And a skirt for blanket girl." She walked away towards the stairs.
Emily looked to Charlie. "Vaggie looks super tense. Is everything okay? Cherri Bomb said you called and everything was alright."
Charlie ummmed. "Things got a little crazy again after that. But everybody is okay. Physically, at least."
Emily looked around. Cherri Bomb had joined Angel Dust and Crymini at the bar, where Husk was sharing drinks with them.
Her eyes fell on Lute. Charlie saw how Emily's wings tightened to her back and her hands clenched into fists only for the seraphim to force them open again.
Lute stared back at her, eyes wide. "High Seraphim," she acknowledged, her voice timid. Then Lute looked down at the shirt she was borrowing and back up at Emily. Her face flushed.
"Oh fuck no!" Lute began working herself out of the shirt, the blanket coming undone in the process. By the time Vaggie returned, Lute was again naked in the parlor.
"I'm sorry," Lute said. "But I'm not wearing that shirt if she is wearing that one."
Vaggie glared for a moment, but the glare softened. "Well, at least I'm not the only one. I swear Hell conspires to make angels naked."
Seeming to relax when Vaggie made a joke, Emily piped up. "Can confirm!"
Vaggie picked her I'm doing fine! shirt off the floor. "Niffty? Can you wash this please?" She then offered Lute the skirt she brought. And with a sigh pulled off the shirt she just put on and offered that to. "I have a whole closet full of them."
Emily chimed in, "She's been in it and everything!"
Angel Dust laughed. "Gang, we've corrupted her!"
Lute's eyes narrowed. "I'll bet."
Vaggie turned to Charlie. "I'm going to go get another shirt."
Charlie responded with "I love you."
As Vaggie left again, Emily looked back at Lute, watching her put on Vaggie's clothes. "She shouldn't be just walking around here, should she?" Emily asked, her voice wavering between cross and concerned. "I know I shouldn't have watched that record, but I can't stop thinking about what she did to Vaggie."
"Neither can Vaggie," Charlie suspected. "Having her here isn't good. But... I don't really think she's going to hurt anyone. She even gave Niffty her angelic dagger back."
"I'm not deaf," Lute grumbled.
"Have you apologized?" Emily asked her.
Lute's expression hardened further. But Charlie was surprised when, instead of glaring at Emily, the fallen angel could not meet her eyes.
"Are you sorry?" Charlie found herself asking.
"What?!" Lute snapped. She clenched her fist, then just stared at it. Charlie could not imagine the battle Lute was fighting with her own demons. "Am I sorry I tore off that cunt's wings?" Her voice slowly rose. "Cut that eye from her face? Left her here? As if any of that is something you get to say I'm sorry for?!"
She stared at Charlie and Emily with a cold, exasperated fury. "I know I was the villain! I know it was wrong! But sorry?"
"I'll take my punishment, even if it's being eaten alive, because I know I deserve it," she told them flatly. The slightest touch of desperation crept into her deadpan voice. "Can't that be enough? Or do you really need me to be broken even more."
"She judges everyone and everything because she hates herself." Charlie heard Vaggie's voice from the balcony. "I know the feeling."
Vaggie spread her wings and descended, again fully clothed. "I got my wings back. I traded an eye for Charlie, and Heaven for people who actually care about me. And who I care about."
Charlie beamed at her. And then looked around to see everyone else smiling at Vaggie too, aside from Lute who was staring in disbelief.
Vaggie looked lovingly at Charlie and Emily. "If I figure I traded my halo for Emily, I can truly say I've only traded up."
Turning back to her former nemesis, Vaggie admitted, "I still hate you Lute. I can't stand breathing the same air any more than you can. But I do forgive you. You didn't mean to, but you did me a favor."
Charlie reached out, beckoning Vaggie, who tucked her wings and moved to her. Charlie took her gently and kissed her, deeply and passionately. Emily wrapped them both with wings.
"You're amazing, Vaggie!" Emily swooned. "I love you so much!"
Vaggie broke the kiss with Charlie and began to ask something only to be kissed by Emily. The seraphim's wings rustled happily.
After a minute drinking in the sight, Charlie pulled her gaze away, reluctantly, to note Lute had decided to sit on the parlor table and stare resolutely at the empty fireplace.
When Emily finally let Vaggie up for air, her shorter partner was hotly flushed. Vaggie stammered, "Y-you had something wonderful to tell us?"
Charlie eeped. "Oh! Can you tell us in Sloth? Belphegor called and wants us to visit."
Emily nodded energetically. The seraphim immediately summoned up another portal which opened to a familiar pink-tinted hallway. The floor was still marred by the circular Goetia symbol in her dried blood.
"One moment!" Emily said, holding up a finger. She flew back to Cherri Bomb, who had taken a seat at the bar.
Charlie watched Cherri Bomb pull out a folded sheet of paper and open it for her. She glanced at it just a moment before Cherri Bomb slipped it back into her cleavage.
"Emily, hold up," Husk requested before disappearing behind the bar. He resurfaced, handing her a dark, glossy card with flashy lettering and suggestively dancing silhouettes of androgynous insect demons.
Emily looked at it curiously. "Neon Ant Farm?"
"I was thinking about that Favor and Crymini suggested this place."
Crymini downed several gulps of her dark sienna drink. "I was on my way there the first time I saw Charlie," she commented before giving Husk a challenging look.
Angel Dust promised, "The name makes more sense if you've met the Overlord who owns it." He grinned. "And the best part? Valentino never goes there."
Husk smirked back at Crymini, then offered, "Next time we have a night open, why don't the five of us take a trip to Neon Ant Farm?"
Emily grinned, her wings beating with excitement. "Yes please!"
"Hope you like it loud," Cherri Bomb teased.
Emily laughed and swooped back to where Vaggie and Charlie were waiting at the portal. She followed them through, closing the portal behind her.
Day Seven - Belphegor's Estate, Sloth, night:
Charlie stepped into the classy hallway, with Vaggie and Emily right behind. She winced with awkward discomfort as she danced out of the Goetia symbol, her blood on the floor dried nearly black.
Charlie turned as Emily closed the portal. Belphegor was lazily leaning against a fluted column at the opposite end of the hallway. Charlie stepped towards her, raising a hand in greeting. Then her ears caught the music.
Beautiful notes from a perfectly tuned piano, light yet melancholy. Her heart leapt. She knew the song. It welled up inside her. The gentle piano drew her forward.
This rendition was slower, with more somber notes, played in a minor key. She knew the melody intimately. Charlie danced down the hallway towards the source of the music, twirling. They had arrived in the middle, so she held off breaking into song until the key change and tempo shift that came with the bridge.
Vaggie and Emily slowly followed behind her. Vaggie's face showing a mixture of surprise and love. Emily's face was a mix of joy and wonder.
Charlie adjusted instinctively for the new key and tempo, singing out along with the melancholy piano.
"There'll be no more fire, and no more screams. Just puppy dog kisses and cotton candy dreams..."
Charlie danced past Belphegor and into the grand circular lounge. Extremely comfy chairs and sofas furnished the room, along with a pentagram of lamps. And at the center, an ivory grand piano.
"And puffy-wuffy clouds, you're gonna be, like..."
Charlie sang, the last word of the line coming out in a breath as she saw Razzle at the piano. He looked up, meeting her eyes, his forehooves not missing a key. "...WOW!"
"Once you check in with meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Charlie 's hands went to her chest, eyes dancing with joy and wet with tears, as she belted out the rise.
She slowly walked towards Razzle, the two of them completing the song together. The moment the last note was played and the last word was sung, Charlie dropped to her knees. She scooped Razzle into a hug, crying happy tears. Razzle hugged her back.
Behind her, she could hear Vaggie's voice, talking to Belphegor. "When? Saint An's never called us."
Belphegor answered, "Early this evening. I had him transferred here immediately. And I told them not to."
"Why?" Vaggie asked.
Charlie hugged Razzle tighter, showering him with affection.
Belphegor answered, "So I could see this."
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel bar, night:
"Sounds like I missed a lot," Cherri Bomb complained lightly as the others filled her in on the events of the evening.
Angel Dust nodded. "I owe sour puppy here my life," he said, nodding to Crymini.
"I'm still washing the taste of that guy out of my mouth," Crymini griped while downing the last of her third Old Fashioned.
Angel Dust grimaced. "You have no idea how much I know the feeling."
Husk looked at Crymini. "Normally, I'd cut you off a drink ago, but you're holding far better than I expected. Need another?"
Crymini nodded and shoved her glass at him. "This stuff is too good to have such a geezer name."
Husk humphed and began mixing her another. With fresh ice cubes. His one hold-out requirement to serving the girl real alcohol: always on the rocks.
"Seriously, Crymini, thanks." Angel Dust said earnestly. He shuddered, thinking of Stolas' words. What the poison on those bullets did to a demon. Un-makes who they were. "After everything, the idea of being ended by Valentino's poison..."
Husk reached out to him, putting a hand on the nearest reachable shoulder. "Hey. He didn't. He won't. We won't ever let that happen."
Husk looked to the others.
"Fuckin' right!" Cherri Bomb immediately and heartily agreed.
Crymini gave a put-upon look, but mumbled, "Yeah. You fucks are worth another mouthful of moth."
Cherri Bomb grabbed Angel Dust, giving him a supportive nuggie. Then let him go at his laughing ow!
"So, what were you saying about this Doctor Victor, Husk? What's this motivation you're talkin' 'bout?" She frowned, "Cuz Emily and I got clued in that the Vees are backing him. Helping him try to make that angel plague airborne."
Next to her, Angel Dust cursed. "Fuckin' cockwipe!"
Husk grumbled. Then explained, "When Sera fell, she was saddled with a massive amount of power and the responsibilities that would inevitably fall on her because of it. None of which she wanted. So she gave her power away to flee it all."
"Yeah," Cherri Bomb nodded. "So?" She was still pissed at the Dealmaking going on in the hotel, but she was willing to give Husk a pass on that one after spending the day with the far less genocidal (or suicidal) Ms. Genocide.
Husk continued, "I figure Victor is like Sera. He's been forced into a role he wants no part of. Only he's taking the opposite approach, doubling down as hard as he can." He looked around. "I don't think Victor cares about angels or demons. He's just using the powers he's been given to fuck up the board enough that his prophesied role goes up in flames."
"Or, failing that, just give the biggest middle finger possible to everyone involved."
Day Seven - Belphegor's Estate, Sloth, night:
Sera glided across the floor, bearing dishes full of fruit salad. She set them before the new guests, starting with Charlie and Razzle who was sitting on Charlie's lap.
She smiled to Emily as she gave her sister the last bowl. "It is good to see you well after the obvious trap."
"The what now?" Charlie asked, sounding mildly concerned but mostly confused.
Emily smiled. "Oh, it wasn't a trap. It was a secret meeting."
Sera ahhed. "So shall I assume you failed at it spectacularly?"
Emily shot her a pout.
Vaggie snickered. And got an Emily-pout of her own. "Sorry, Emily. But Sera's got a point. You and secrets don't usually coexist."
Emily responded with an exaggerated eye roll. "I did fine," she insisted. "Anyway, the meeting was because Carmine wants to help!"
Vaggie exchanged surprised looks with Charlie, then asked, "Wait, Carmilla Carmine?"
Emily nodded excitedly. "Yes! Carmine wants to help back the Embassy in establishing peaceful diplomacy with Heaven and helping make Hell better for those who would be better off down here."
Charlie's smile squeaked.
At Sera's questioning look, Emily added, "Like the cannibals. Rosie is helping them, but there are loads more sinners who could use Charlie's help to be better people but shouldn't be doing it to try to get into Heaven."
"Ohmygosh! That is so amazing!" Charlie gushed.
"I know, right?" Emily gushed back.
As Emily and Charlie continued to bounce their escalating excitement and hopes between each other, Sera shared a look with Vaggie.
In that moment, the only difference between her own feelings of I love her so much, but please reign in that optimism with a little realism and what she saw on Vaggie's face was that the much smaller angel clearly substituted them for her.
Sera could not help but tell Vaggie, "And now you have both of them. Enjoy."
Vaggie smirked back. "Oh, I do. It can be exhausting, but I do."
Sera turned to Emily. "And did this Carmine say what she wanted in return?"
Emily's grin was bright enough to light the room. "Nothing! At least, not yet! They just want to help us be successful!"
Emily looked aside, "I mean, they did talk about reciprocation being something we could negotiate in the future. But right now, it's just help with no strings attached!"
Sera and Vaggie exchanged looks again. "Except possibly developing dependency on that help," Sera noted. At Emily's slight sadness, she admitted, "But you are right. This does sound beneficial. For now. Just please be careful."
Vaggie nodded. "Extremely. I know Carmilla. She's trustworthy, but she's also very smart and dangerous. Moreso than Alastor."
Emily looked at her with shock and a spark of worry.
Vaggie quickly amended, "Fortunately, she's not an evil, sadistic asshole like he is." With a moment of thought, Vaggie offered, "Carmilla is protective of her own. I'd warn she doesn't really care what happens to anyone else unless it directly affects her own power or the safety of her people."
Sera frowned a little, hating the familiar notes in that description. From Emily's brief look at her, she knew her little sister caught them too. Not that Sera ever cared about her own power, nor that what she allowed to protect her people did not weigh heavily.
And then Sir Pentious made her re-evaluate her concept of her people.
I am where I deserve to be. And I will not continue my mistakes. I will do better, or I will do nothing at all.
Nothing was particularly enticing. Lucifer might grouse all he wanted about her Deal, but she was fucking retired!
Emily took in Vaggie's warning, nodding slowly. After a few moments, she added, "They did give us an 'enticement gift'. Five locations the Vees could have given the plague doctor to make his angel-killing virus airborne."
Charlie's eyes widened. "The Vees are backing the guy who killed Leonard?"
Emily nodded. "Carmine's daughters were careful not to actually say that. But I've been Sera's sister long enough to know when somebody is telling me something by pointedly not telling me something."
Sera felt a swell of approval and a welling spark of...
"That's not something to be proud of," Emily told her with a little glare.
Day Seven - Hazbin Hotel bar, night:
"And then they had this whole long talk about the Other," Crymini complained.
Angel Dust huffed, "Well, I'd never heard of it before. Not until Charlie's freaky ex showed up."
Cherri Bomb blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
Angel Dust turned to her. "You know about that?"
Cherri Bomb pffft'ed. "How didn't ya? Ya stick your guns in it all the time. Hell, I figure that's where your other arms hang out when ya ain't usin' 'em."
Angel Dust stared at her in disbelief.
Cherri Bomb laughed. "Cunt, I have enough bombs packed in the Other to blow a hole in God! Why ya think it was so annoyin' to have to lug that bag around last week?"
The three of them stared at her blankly.
"Because the Heaven Embassy is holy ground?" Cherri Bomb prodded slowly. Even more slowly, "Because it's scripturally Heaven, and I didn't want to get there and find myself unarmed?"
"Oh, you can use the Other in Heaven," Crymini corrected. "Spear-girl confirmed."
Cherri Bomb exploded, "WHAT!?"
She got up abruptly. "Fucking... fuck... FUCK IT! I'm going to bed!" She turned, stomping off to her room before she said, did or blew up anything she would regret in the morning.
Day Seven - Belphegor's Estate, Sloth, night:
Charlie looked around the table. "Belphegor, is dad here?" The Sin had moved languidly to stand beside Sera, putting a hand on her arm. Even sitting, Sera was taller than the Sin of Sloth.
"I am not your father's keeper," Belphegor told her.
Charlie took that. She pulled out her phone. "Dad should know about what Emily learned."
"Careful, Charlie." Vaggie looked to her. "It sounds to me like Carmilla is making a play against the Vees and is hoping we... or your dad... will do the dirty work."
Charlie lowered her phone a little, listening to her partner's warning.
"Alastor already has a thing with Vox, and now he has one with Valentino. Right now, that's Overlords versus Overlords," Vaggie cautioned. "But we do this wrong, and you'll be moving Hazbin Hotel into a war footing with the Vees."
Charlie considered that, looking at Vaggie as she turned those words over in her mind. But the words melted away as she really took in her partner. She looked to Emily. And made a decision.
Putting away her phone, she turned to Belphegor. "I need three favors."
"Yes, Princess Morningstar?" Belphegor responded.
Charlie recognized the change in stance and didn't like it. She would rather this just be between friends. But she plowed on. "I need medicine for Keekee. She appears to be suffering PTSD after the original hotel was destroyed, and she is acting out and displaying phobias she never had before. I need something that will help her."
Belphegor nodded. "It will be my pleasure. I can have that for you by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow morning?" Charlie asked.
Bephegor considered. "I suppose. What is the second favor?"
"Would you be willing to keep Razzle here for a couple more days?" Charlie asked. Razzle shifted in her lap, looking up at her, his expression one of worry.
"I have a situation at my hotel that I don't want to subject Razzle to right now," Charlie explained.
Charlie cringed a little, then picked up Razzle and set him on the table, facing her. "Another angel was banished from Heaven," she told him. "The one who killed Dazzle."
Razzle's eyes widened in shock. Then narrowed as he growled, tiny tears forming in his eyes.
"She's our... prisoner right now," Charlie told him, "And we need to figure out what to do with her."
Razzle's face told her he had a lot of very unpleasant suggestions.
"Razzle," Charlie said to him, her voice soft and earnest. "She's evil. And what she did is pretty close to unforgiveable. But... I think she can change."
Razzle's eyes widened. A tear fell from each. Charlie's heart hurt.
Charlie paused and looked into Vaggie's eyes before looking back into Razzle's.
"Before we decide what to do, I'm going to need to know if you're willing to let me try to help her," Charlie said softly. "You know what the hotel is for... but I will understand if that is too much for you."
"Charlie!" Vaggie almost whimpered, understanding.
Razzle turned away.
Belphegor spoke. "Razzle may stay with us for a few more days while he makes his decision."
Sera watched, amazed to see this. How could she have never internalized that such kindness, such compassion, was not exclusive to Heaven.
Sera breathed to Emily, "I understand why you love her."
Emily returned the confession with the warmest smile.
"And the third favor?" Belphegor asked.
Charlie responded, "Do you have an extra bed? Large enough for three?"
"I am the Sin of Sloth."
Pretending she did not just ask a very stupid question, Charlie requested, "I'd ask if you would be so gracious as to allow us to stay the night here."
"It's been a very long day, and we are all very tired. And I know my partners would get better rest if we weren't staying under the same roof as Lute tonight," Charlie confessed.
"I'll call my father in the morning, once we are rested, and ask him to join us for breakfast," she added. "We can fill him in on what Emily has learned when we are all in a better state to make big decisions."
Day Seven - Cherri Bomb's bedroom, night:
"So. Fucking. Stupid!"
Cherri Bomb grumbled as she pulled one explosive after another out of her bag and stuffed them away.
There was a knock on the door.
Fuck 'em.
The door unlocked.
Goddamn cat!
Wait. Cherri Bomb paused. Isn't Keekee with Charlie in Sloth or something?
The door opened and Crymini slipped in, stowing her lockpicks.
"What do you want?" Cherri Bomb snapped, looking at the girl. At least she was wearing her own clothes now. The new skull dress suited her - much like the old one, but black with red. And Cherri liked the new spiked collar. The broken chain was a nice touch.
"Well, I'd ask if you are okay but pffft no," Crymini said. "So how would you like to blow off some steam?"
Cherri Bomb lifted her eyebrow. "What did you have in mind?"
Crymini grinned. "Skullfuckers took out the Dragons. Permanent-like. And their leader is still putting herself back together after I turned her into a splatter."
The puppy demon's eyes glowed as she leaned closer. "I happen to know where the Dragons kept one of their hidey holes. Want to go see if it's unplundered?"
She stood back up and waved a hand. "Of course, I'll just go myself if you're tired and need to get your beauty sleep."
Cherri Bomb smiled broadly, rising to the challenge. "I can sleep when I'm double-dead."
Crymini grinned devilishly. "Yes!"
Cherri Bomb set aside her bag of bombs. "You armed?"
"Always! Claws and teeth," Crymini responded.
The puppy demon cocked her head, looking curiously at a poster on the wall. "My Chemical Romance? Really?" She snarked, "Isn't that a Living World band? I thought you had taste."
Cherri Bomb snarked back, feeling better already, "Hey, if Vaggie can have her gothy stuff, I can have my own guilty musical pleasure. Besides, Na Na Na is the fucking bomb."
"Not taking your word for it," Crymini challenged. "Give me a listen."
She sat on the bed, adding, "How do you get a song from the mortal world anyway?"
"Ya have to know the right succubus," Cherry Bomb told her as she dug out her phone. "They go to the Living World all the time."
Moments later, Cherri Bomb watched as Crymini listened with her earbuds attached to Cherri's phone, pretending not to like it. The wagging tail betrayed her.
Cherri Bomb reached into her cleavage and pulled out the folded paper, opening it. "Hey, Crymini. How you feel about really tearing up the town tonight?"
Day Seven - Belphegor's Estate, Sloth, night:
"And I thought our bed was too big," Vaggie stated with a tone of awe.
Charlie peeked into the bathroom. "No showering together," she noted teasingly. "Belphegor only believes in bath tubs."
Emily let out a playful awwww.
Vaggie nodded. Getting clean while laying down? Yeah, that tracked for Sloth. "Go ahead and take yours first, babe."
After a pause, Vaggie somberly added, "And thank you. For giving me that choice. I... I don't want Lute at the Hazbin Hotel. But... but this is your dream, and I promised myself to it."
Charlie's smile slipped away. "Vaggie... this is different."
"No. This is just where it gets hard. Really hard." Vaggie felt Emily embrace her. "I never expected it to be this hard, but I never expected it to be easy either."
Seeing her partner's eyes wet with empathy and love, Vaggie shoved her reservations and her hatred for Lute down and committed. "If you believe she can change, and you want to try to help her, I stand with you."
Charlie moved from the bathroom door and pulled her into another kiss, crying.
Vaggie lost herself in it, surrounded by the pressing warmth of her girlfriends. Letting herself cry too.
It took a long time for her to break this one.
Eventually, she was able to shoo Charlie back to the bathroom.
Emily watched her. Looking for a sign.
Vaggie looked back at the bed, distracting herself with its absurdity. Even as a trade-off for lack of showers, it was excessive. "Even Poly Molly doesn't need a bed the size of a swimming pool!"
Emily flapped her wings in mild annoyance and shot her a look. She reached for a pillow to throw at her, placing a hand on the bed for support as she leaned over it.
Emily fell onto the bed, sinking with an adorable EEP! The bed rippled out from her.
"And it's a waterbed," Vaggie noted, her impression of Belphegor complete. She watched Emily fight to right herself.
"Help!" squeaked Emily, although she didn't really need it. That voice washed away the somberness of the moment before.
Bringer of Joy indeed!
Vaggie waited for her to get upright before jumping onto the bed on her hands and knees, causing ripples that sent the seraphim toppling into the pillows.
Vaggie sat up to see Charlie, half undressed, watching them with a barely contained squee. She waved Charlie off to take her bath.
Vaggie was sitting primly upright when Emily conquered the roiling waterbed. "I... don't think we should try anything more than sleeping," she said. "This feels unsafe."
"First time on a waterbed?" Vaggie guessed, flapping her wings. Watching Emily try to sit still without falling was too cute.
Damn, Charlie was right. Just being here felt like it was draining the stress.
"These exist outside of Sloth?" Emily gasped with a hint of mock terror.
Vaggie flapped her wings playfully at her seraphim partner. Within seconds, the two were embroiled in a wingfight.
Minutes later, they were laying on the bed together, breathing heavily. That was fun, but didn't last long.
"Ooh, yeah, I am definitely tired," Vaggie admitted.
"That was fun!" After a pause, Emily teased, "Awww, tired? So no melting you tonight?"
"You just said no anything tonight."
"But you look like you could use it!" Emily said, reaching over to boop her. "And I'd enjoy it. So would Charlie."
"Last time, I could barely walk most of the next day," Vaggie pretended to complain. Then, thinking of Charlie's morning plans, she added more earnestly, "Tomorrow's probably going to be busy."
Emily nodded to that, relaxing, clearly tired too. Her eyes widened, "Ooh, Charlie would have wanted to see that! She likes our wings."
"Yes, she really does." Vaggie said, chuckling, "I'm pretty sure Charlie's thing for wings started the night after I regained them. Possibly earlier that evening, when I came back from Carmine's with them out. She gave me such a look."
Emily tucked her wings on one side and rolled cautiously on the unstable surface to face Vaggie. "I totally get it."
"Oh?"
Emily squeed in delight. "Charlie's little hoovsies are so cute, and I just want to kiss them!"
Vaggie snerked. Then laughed. It was a good, relaxing laugh.