Shattered Innocence Ch. 28
Emily is pacing back and forth in her room with phone in one hand and the other placed over her belly.
Ever since hearing about what happened with her friends, the angel has been debating on what to do. So many times, she lifts her phone up ready to press call only to chicken out.
The young seraphim was about to consider her actions again when there was a knock on the door.
"C-come in!" she immediately hides the phone behind her back.
The door opens and in walks Odette. "Hey, Emily. I thought that I should let you know that Sy is over again and is currently in Clara's room with her. It's time to inform you the meaning of a scarf on the…" the spectacled Carmine notices the nervous look on her sister's face. "Whatever trouble you are up to, I want nothing to do with it," and was about to leave until her name is called.
"Odette, wait!" Emily looks down. "I, uh, I could use some advice for a, uh, a friend."
Odette stares at her with a stoic expression before walking over to the expecting Carmine and leading her to the bed so they can sit.
The angel takes a deep breath before explaining. "My friend has these friends that she really cares about. They're in some trouble and I want to help. But if she helps them then she might be in trouble and her family might get dragged into it. I really don't know what to do. Er… or what to tell my friend what she should do," looking over, Emily sees that her sister is in deep thought.
"You want to know why I don't stop Clara even though I know that she'll get in trouble and only warn her?" Odette turns to her. "It's because in the end it's her choice. Her choice to do what she's doing or to ignore my warnings. I cannot force her to make a different choice. You want to know what you should do? Follow your heart. It's what you're good at," with that, the spectacled Carmine gets up to leave the youngest to her thoughts.
Emily takes out her phone to contemplate what to do and finally hits the call button.
"Hey, Angel!"
"What's up, sister?" the Spiders voice leaves the device. "Don't have much time to chat. I'm about to head in to work."
The young seraphim smiled. "So, you're not at the Hotel at this very moment?"
"Yeah?"
"Okay, Angel. I need you to listen carefully. Ask me if I know anything that can help you against the Exorcists."
"Okay… Why can't you just tell me?"
"Angel," Emily pleads. "This is important. Because of the situation I can't just offer it to you. But you can ask."
"Alright, Sister. I'll bite. Do you know anything that can help us against the Exorcists?"
With a sigh of relief, the New Carmine says. "I don't know the full details, but I'll tell you everything that I can."
.oOo.
"So…" Alastor offers his hand to Charlie. "Do we have a deal?"
Two goat demons tried to get between them only for the Princess to push them out of the way and reaches for the Radio Demon's hands. And just as they were about to make contact, the door is thrown open.
"Charlie!" Vaggie shouts and gets between the two with a spear pointing at the Overlord. "What are you thinking? Making a deal? You know a deal no matter how inconsequential it may appear can go a long way."
Alastor glares at the Fallen Angel. "But she has no choice as I have some very helpful information. One that I am unwilling to share unless there's something I get in return."
"Vaggie," Charlie points her girlfriend's spear to the ground. "I have to do this. Not just for the Hotel but for my people," she then goes up to Alastor once again but is stopped by the Manager grabbing her should and pulling her back.
"I got some information as well," Vaggie glares at the Radio Demon. "Angel just called. Emily told him that Exorcists can be killed."
"What!?" Charlie's eyes widen and Alastor glares.
"It's true. She says that she couldn't say much. Only that we'll need to talk to mother about it personally."
"Th-that's great!" Charlie hugs her girlfriend. "We might actually have a chance! But there's still only a few of us against an army. If we could only get some help then we can actually do this."
"I know someone that can help," Alastor voices, visibly happily. But internally, the Radio Demon is ready to snap as the perfect opportunity was taken from him.
.oOo.
Later
Carmilla throws open the doors to the penthouse shouting, "Emily!" she enters the room and not two seconds later, her youngest walks out looking down at her feet. This tells the matriarch that her daughter knows exactly what this is about.
Odette walks out as she is curious as to what the young seraphim has done to earn their mother's wrath.
"I just spent the entire day teaching an angel how to kill Exorcists," Carmilla glares down at Emily. "What the f(bleep) have you done?"
The New Carmine flinches as she knows that her mother is not above using fowl language but has never heard her use that word before. "I, I only wanted to help."
The matriarch then grabs her by the shoulders. "That doesn't matter! Do you have any idea what you've done? You completely disregard the Pact and have done business on another Overlord's territory! I know Alastor well enough. He will not let this go lightly!"
"I know," Emily starts crying. "I know but they're my friends. I couldn't just stand by knowing that I could do something. It's my fault that they're in this mess in the first place."
Seeing her daughter become vulnerable, Carmilla kneels down. "How is that your fault?"
"I was the High Seraphim's sister! I should have known about the Extermination! I could have stopped her! I could have done something! But I'm not strong enough!"
"You are strong, Emily," Odette walks up to them. "You are an angel in Hell. An innocent angel. You have firsthand experience of the worst Hell has to offer. But months in not once have you let that change who you are. A lesser person would have let that break them believing that's the only way they could live now. Look at Mom," she gestures to the matriarch who raised a brow. "Mom is not one who'd easily let someone into her life. You have any idea how many people she was willing to care for before you came along? Three. Us, her daughters and Zeastial. She let you in and now she's willing let others in. Whether she knows it or not."
"Odette," Carmilla stands up. "You know that Zestial is merely a business associa—"
"Mom," the spectacled Carmine cuts off her own mother. "Please don't lie about it. I know, Clara knows, and I'm sure that Emily has an idea by now."
That's when the New Carmine pipes up. "It's the same as the scarf on the door. Right?"
The mother stares and blinks at the youngest, "Emily. Where did you learn that?"
Odette then lets out a cough. "Um… Sy is here in Clara's room… with a scarf on the door."
At that, Carmilla sighs, shakes her head, and rolls her eyes. "Of course," she then looks at her youngest who is still visibly upset. "There's going to be an Overlord meeting before Extermination Day. Alastor will most likely bring up your interference then. By that time, I'm sure we'll figure out what we can do. For now, how about once the scarf is removed we watch a movie together as a family. I think we all had enough drama for the day and can do without anymore."
Just then, everyone jumps at the scream.
"The Hell!?"
.oOo.
Sy finishes butting up her top and starts putting on her shoes.
"I'm sorry," Clara zips up her skirt. "It was just the heat of the moment."
The one-eyed Demon straightens up. "Heat of the moment?" and turns to the Carmine. "The heat of the moment was about fifteen seconds before you asked me to marry you! Who proposes like that in the middle of sex!?"
"I just thought you liked me, and I really like you," the puffy-haired Carmine squirms a bit. "I might even say I love you. I don't see why you're upset. I'm a Carmine, anyone would be lucky enough to be with me."
"That's why I can't marry you!" Sy snaps with a tear threatening to drop from her eye. "You are a Carmine! No matter how much I like you, how much I love you, do you really think anyone is going to look past the fact that I married a Carmine!? I already cut off most of my friends because they kept asking me favors from you. I am just a lonely Sinner in Hell who is lucky enough to have a job that doesn't involve sex, drugs, or murder! No one is going to accept us! Not even your mom!" the two girls then flinch at the voice of the matriarch.
"What makes you think that I wouldn't?" Carmilla walks in, carrying a scarf in one of her hands. Odette and Emily are peaking from behind their mother, wanting to know what's going to happen next.
Sy's eye looks away, wanting to see anything other than her boss. "I, uh, I thought you didn't want to hear this kind of talk?"
"Where I am uncomfortable marrying off any of my daughters," she glances at Clara, then, over at Odette, and finally lands on Emily. "I am learning that they are capable of making their own choices and that they are willing to accept what comes from them," the matriarch then turns back to the driver. "Since Clara became open with your relationship, I've kept an eye on you, Ms. Symone. My daughter has given you gifts and where you don't show them off, records show that you're not selling them either. But you have been selling your own stuff and quit spending money on yourself just to get her some gifts in return."
"How do you…"
"I have my ways. The point is. You have a surprisingly clean record for a resident of Hell. If my daughter chooses to be with you then I'll support her in that decision. I'll also let you in on a little secret. Out of all of Clara's previous partners, you are the first woman for her to say that she actually loves."
At that, Clara whines. "Mom!"
Sy looks between the mother Carmine and her girlfriend.
"You know," Emily butts in. "Where there wasn't a yes, there wasn't a no either."
The driver looks at all the eyes on her. Carmilla and Odette seem indifferent, Emily trying to hold in her excitement, while Clara has a hopeful look.
"Alright," Sy walks up to Clara with a smile. "I'll marry you." Clara, her fiancé suddenly kisses her.
Emily lets out a shriek. "Yes!" and runs up to hug the two. "I'm getting another sister!"
"Now then," Carmilla walks up to them with a small smile. "I promised Emily a family movie night. Would you like to join us, Ms. Symone?"
Sy takes Clara's hand. "I'd love to, Ms. Carmine."
The matriarch shakes her head. "If you are to truly become family, then you may drop the formalities, Symone."
"Thank you, Carmilla."