Shattered Innocence Ch. 05
The next morning, the Carmines and the seraphim are now waiting outside the penthouse.
Emily tugs at the waistband of the jeans loaned to her before pulling down the sweater. "Are you sure these are right?"
"I am," Odette confirms. "They are my own and we've already discussed that we share the same size."
Clara then suggests, "Maybe Heaven and Hell have different measurement systems? Don't worry, Em. I'll help you find something nice."
An irritated Carmilla takes out her phone. "Tooth! When did you send the car out?... Of course it's not here! I would not have called otherwise!..." the woman takes a deep breath before releasing a sigh. "Please do so," she then glances at the angel. "And you checked out the driver, right?... What do you mean there were none available!?... Fine! That would have to do," she then eyes Emily from the corner of her eye. "But I think it would be best if you place someone else as my assistant… No, you're not fired. There's just a need for a new set of eyes. At least for today. Make sure it's a woman… Thank you, Tooth," the Arms dealer finally hangs up. "Our ride should be here soon," she turns to her daughters and guest and then her eyes linger on the angel's wings. "Emily. Are you able to hide those wings? A lot of attention will be brought towards you as an angel."
Emily looks behind herself. "I think so. Just never had a reason to until now," she closes her eyes and takes a slow, deep breath as her wings are pulled into her back causing her to wince slightly.
Carmilla places a hand on the seraphim and out of concern, asks, "Are you all right?"
The girl nods. "Yeah. It only hurt a moment," her eyes then catch sight of a passing demon guy and Emily shies away as her chest eye opens again. "Are, are you sure I can't just stay here?" once the demon passed, the eye closes.
The woman lets out a sigh while turning towards the young angel and places a hand on her shoulder. "I understand that you are more comfortable in a familiar place. However! I'm not comfortable leaving you alone. There's an important meeting that the three of us must attend and I feel better knowing that you're nearby. Do you understand?"
Emily looks down before raising her head up to look the woman in the eye and nods in understanding.
"Good!" Carmilla nods before spotting an approaching limo. "Now, Emily. Brace yourself. I tried to accommodate you, but these things hardly go as planned. I need you to remain calm. Please."
Just as the limo pulls up to them, a Hellhound man steps out and Emily immediately tenses at the sight of him as her large eye opens once again. If it wasn't for the comforting hand of the matriarch, the girl would have fled.
"Apologies, Ms. Carmine," the Hellhound walks around and up to the group before tipping his hat. "There was some turf war going on and had to go around."
"That's a reasonable excuse, Gruff," Carmilla glares at the driver. "If proven true and trust me, I will look into it."
"Y-yes, Ma'am!" he opens the door.
The Arms Dealer ushers the girls in with Clara being first. Emily was hesitant but a reassuring smile from Carmilla and Clara offering a hand helped the angel get enough courage to enter the vehicle. Then Odette gets in followed by the mother. Once the Hellhound was in the driver's seat they took off.
For most of the ride, the group remained quiet. The Carmine's were afraid to unnerve the angel who remained staring at the front where the driver could be seen.
Carmilla finds herself staring at Emily's chest eye, still rather concerned about it being glazed over. The matriarch reaches up at a consol hanging above her to press a button and a panel rises between them and the driver.
Emily then sighs and her chest eye closes.
Clara then asks, "Can you see through that?"
"Clara!" Carmilla snaps.
"Sorry. I was only curious."
"It's alright, Ms. Carmine," the angel allows her large eye to reopen while closing her regular eyes. "I used to be. But now? I mostly get blurry images," the eye closes once again and reopen her regular ones.
Hearing this, Odette fiddles with her glasses. "Then, why continue using it? If anything, it would inhibit your vision as you're seeing clearly with your normal set of eyes and the blurry images with the other one at once."
Emily places a hand over her chest. "I don't really think about it. It just kinda opens on its own. I guess it be the same if you suddenly go blind in one eye as well," she points at the spectacled Carmine. "Would you really just stop blinking as soon as you can't fully see out of it?"
"Huh? I suppose not."
.oOo.
Carmilla escorts her daughters and Emily to her office where they meet a female imp on her phone.
The imp turns to them. "Gotta go!" she says before hanging up and putting on a bright smile. "Thanks for this opportunity, Ms. Carmine. I'm Pyke."
"Pleasure to meet you, Pyke," the Arms Dealer kept her cold gaze while looking the imp up and down. She's not familiar with this employee but the Carmine trusts Tooth to have picked a suitable substitute. "Today you will act as my personal assistant. Your first job is that while my daughter's and I are in the meeting you are to tend to the needs of my guest here," she gestures to the angel.
"Will do, Ms. Carmine," Pyke bows.
"I'm not going with you?" Emily looks up at the Carmine.
"Sorry, Emily, but no," Carmilla sighs. "Some of the other Overlords happen to be men. And god forbid that the Vees are actually attend this time. The last thing I want is for you to have a run in with Valentino. It's best that you remain here. The meeting room is only across the hall so I nor Clara and Odette would be too far if you truly need us. Okay?"
The seraphim gives a nod. "Okay."
"Good," the woman then turns back to the imp. "If anything happens, come and get me."
"Yes, Ms. Carmine!" the imp beams at her boss.
Carmilla turns back to the angel once more. "Take care, Emily," she then addresses her daughters. "Come."
They left the room with the sisters briefly turning back to Emily, giving her one last worried look before closing the door.
"Ugh!" Pyke scoffs as she sits in the office chair. "Finally get a chance to impress the Carmines and I'm stuck babysitting," she pulls out her phone and just starts tapping the screen.
Emily remained there in silence for a couple moments before trying to make conversation. "Hi, I'm Emily."
"And I don't care!" the imp just waves the angel off. "Now be quiet. I'm getting a phone call," she answers. "Hey, girl!... As good as it can be…" Pyke glances at Emily. "Hang on. Some b(bleep)ch is annoying me," the imp turns to her. "Unless you absolutely need something, I suggest you turn around," then gets back on the phone while messing with stuff on the desk. "Now what were you saying?... Ha! That's hilarious!"
The angel just does as she was told and kept quiet, unsure what to do exactly aside from looking at the decor. At one point the imp took a picture of Emily.
After several minutes, the office doors burst open, startling both the angel and imp. The imp was quick to get out of the chair hoping that her boss hadn't noticed.
Emily's chest eye opens back up as she notices Zestial walking in alongside the Carmines.
The Ancient Overlord glances at the trembling angel. "I shall excuse thyself," he goes to leave but is stopped by the angel herself.
"No!" she immediately looks away as the Spider Demon turns to her. "I mean. You're here for a reason. Don't let me inconvenience you."
Zestial examines her, still seeing that she's disturbed by his presence. "Only if thou are sure, Young Emily," and bows briefly.
Carmilla hides a smile, seeing that Emily is at least trying. "Thank you for watching over things, Pyke," she addresses the temporary assistant. "You may be excused."
"Thank you, Ms. Carmine," the imp bows before leaving the room.
As Overlords started up a conversation, the only thing that Emily could do was stare at Zestial. She had paid no attention to what they were talking about until one thing caught her attention.
"Wait!" the angel turns to Carmilla. "You killed an angel? We, we can die?"
The Overlords wearily glance at one another, wondering how they should proceed.
The Matriarch lets out a sigh. "It appears so. It was during the recent Extermination, and they came after my daughters," she looks over at the sister who come over to hug her. "I truly didn't want to, but they left me no choice."
"Why not!?" her large eye closes, seemingly forgetting the male presence. "If you can defend yourselves from this genocide then shouldn't all of Hell know. You may be able to survive the next one."
"Emily!" the Carmine snaps at her for the first time since meeting, startling the poor girl.
The angel looks down. "I didn't mean to step out of line like that. Sorry."
"I should be the one to apologize," Carmilla walks up to her, "I didn't mean to shout at you like that," and gently places a hand on her should. "But it's not that simple. If everyone finds out then Hell will rise and there will be no telling the costs of such a battle. Especially one that could lead to an all-out war."
Emily still looked down, regretful for speaking out of place. "This Extermination is just unfair. You're all facing eternal damnation only just to die all over again." she then gets a remainder of the sole male in the room and her large eye opens. "You're mortal souls. Demon or not, no one deserves that."
"I am surprised that Hell allies in Heaven," Zestial says.
The seraphim looked down, only it wasn't to avoid the Ancient Overlord's gaze this time. It's out of shame. "It's hard for Heaven to be against Extermination when no one knows about it. No one beyond the Extermination Army and the High Seraphim herself."
The demons blink at her a few times before Odette asks. "How come you know?"
Emily tightens her eyes. "My sister Sera is the High Seraphim, Leader of the Seraphim. Just after the last Extermination I came across the reports from the Exorcists. What I saw was horrible. They detailed everything from how many Sinners were killed to how they were killed. It was almost as if they were competing," she looks up at them teary eyed. "I confronted Sera about it and even threatened to tell everyone."
"Emily…" Carmilla worriedly looks at the angel. "Is that why you're here?"
The seraphim started crying. "She didn't even hesitate! Sera didn't want to risk anyone else finding out! Her reputation and the denial of Heaven possibly being in the wrong meant more to her than me! Her own sister!" A set of arms is then wrapped around her, followed by two more.
"Someone who casts out their family like that doesn't deserve you," Carmilla tells the girl. She backs away to see her daughters still hugging Emily. "Why don't you girls head home for the day? I think it's been eventful for everyone."
The three girls left the office, none of them noticing the small egg following them out.
Once they were gone, Carmilla got on her computer and clicked on a file that opens security footage of her office.
Zestial walks up to her desk. "It's been but a few days, yet you've already grown fond of the angel."
"I don't know what you're talking about," the Carmine answers as she watches the video of Pyke telling the seraphim off. "I'm merely trying to help her heal from the trauma."
"Perhaps," the Ancient Overlord hums. "But the care you show her I have only ever seen you give to your own daughters."
"It's a difficult process. One that makes Emily quite fragile," the Arms Dealer then narrows her eyes as she noticed the imp taking a picture of Emily. She is quick to open Sinstagram to find this employee's social and the woman glares at an image of Emily taken from the back with a caption.
Look at this Little B(bleep)ch I'm forced into the same room with.
Might've done her if she didn't look so plain.
Carmilla picks up her phone. "Tooth! Tell Pyke that if she wants to remain working for my company, then she will delete her Sinstagram Account… Yes, I'm serious!" she then watches as the post and account suddenly became unavailable. "Good! Now demote her to the lowest available position… We could always use another janitor. If she asks why tell Pyke that her attitude could have been forgiven but that post respectless to my guest," the woman then hangs up before turning to her fellow Overlord. "Now, what were we discussing again?"
The Spider Demon smirks. "Nothing of importance, Old Friend," with that, Zestial leaves the office as the woman starts going over some paperwork.
.oOo.
Once the Egg walks out he is stopped by a mic.
"So…" Alastor leans towards the Egg Boi. "What did you hear?"
"Oh, uh, first, the Old Guy was all you're not yourself. You're the one who killed the angel and then the Knife Lady's new angel daughter is like I can die and—"
"What was that last thing?"
"The angel daughter?"
"Before that," the Radio Demon then hums. "Though that is intriguing."
"Oh? The Knife Lady killed the angel."
"Interesting," Alastor then became staticky. "Let's keep this between us. Shall we!"
The Egg salutes. "Got it, Boss!"
NOTE: As a prompt from Sunwolf27 I've decided to have this story take place near the beginning of the show rather than post Season 01 or an alternate ending as other similar stories revolving Emily as this does help set this one apart from the others.
NOTE 2: I'll probably reference some things from the show but not too often as this does mainly focuses on Emily and the Carmines. But there may be scenes that I'll show to reveal how things differ due to the young Seraphim's current situation.