Chapter Seven: Too much, Too soon
After strolling around some more, and the sheer elation Emily felt from Vaggie winning her a big stuffed duck at a prize table, the angel was slowly beginning to lose some steam. Vaggie chuckled softly as she caught clear signs of sleepiness creeping into her fellow angel's eyes.
"Okay, you've ridden every ride, and eaten enough to knock out a greater demon. Let's go find Charlie and head to a nice hotel for some sleep." Vaggie whispered softly leading Emily by the arm. The elder angel lightly tugged away, holding her plush toy in one arm and pointing at another food stall with the other.
"I'm not sleepy Vaggie. One more churro, please?" she pleaded with her big gorgeous blue eyes pouring into Vaggie's soul.
"Fine, just one more. Don't forget we've got another day to enjoy tomorrow. Don't you want a good night's sleep so you can tackle the rest of greed, right?" Vaggie's words were enough to sway Emily who quickly swiped the sweet from an imps hands, tossed him a silver hell piece, then leaned against the shorter girl while they marched toward the parks opening.
When they arrived they saw two figures at the entrance. One was clearly a worn out but still smiling Charlie, the other actually grabbed their attention rather quickly. He stood tall, with midnight blue fur and bright golden eyes. His physique was large and muscular, his tail more akin to a black scaly serpents. Outstretched behind his back were two large leather wings and his face was a dark blue wolf mug. His dress was comparatively well made next to Emily's favorite blue gown.
Vaggie immediately increased her canter and Emily shook herself awake to more properly address the tall, built man-wolf she'd never seen before. Neither angel jumped straight to conclusions, but the did step to either side of their favorite demon in front of the towering man before them.
"Hey Vaggie, you wouldn't believe who's become more interested in the hotel. This is a marquis of the Ars Goetia. His name is Marchosias and he wants to get into Greater Heaven. He's even offered to speak with the other members of his family to help us against the Demiurge." Charlie's enthusiasm spoke volumes, but Vaggie had questions.
"I get that we agreed to bring up the hotel to help the Hellborn, but how much of a chance do they have to get into Heaven?" Vaggie personally wasn't sure what the odds even were. Marchosias quirked an eyebrow and gestured over to Emily.
"Are you not occupied by a very lovely fallen angel. If angels like Lucifer can fall, can demons not improve themselves in the eyes of the Trinity. Or have I assumed too much of the virtues of angels?" Marcho's voice wasn't too deep, but still husky with a sweet baritone. Emily could feel her insides clench a little bit just from his voice, before mustering the strength to speak.
"I'll be honest, I've had to accept the rest of my kind aren't always as patient and generous as we should hold ourselves to be, but that doesn't mean we all don't care. If you believe that you should have a place in Heaven, then I'd happily have you come to the hotel. The Hellborn deserve just as much of a chance to leave peacefully as any sinner or winner or Heavenborn. Seraph's honor."
Emily placed her hand over her chest and bowed respectfully to a marquis of Hell. Charlie was beaming and Vaggie smiled quietly, mentally reminding herself to be more willing to provide at least the benefit of the doubt to others before she truly knows them. Marcho straightens up and clearly appreciated the humility a seraphim was demonstrating.
"You honor me, my lady. When I arrive after setting somethings in order, I will speak to a close friend of mine about this gracious opportunity. She is the marquis Phenix, and she has long desired to find a place of belonging, away from the cutthroat politics of our families. I thank you." Marchosias bowed by Emily and Charlie, then excused himself after promising to arrive in Pride in one week.
The three ladies exited the park, and all climbed into the back of the limo where Razzle started the engine. Charlie let loose a long, tired lawn and leaned onto Vaggie's left while Emily slumped against her right.
"Man I'm wiped out. Mammon pitched a new park in every fucking circle, but he needed my authority to make the deals happened. Then I volunteered to check the children's safety measures, which was virtually nothing, and then during lunch he bitched and whined about his old employee Fizzarolli leaving him to work with his partner Asmodeus, and then…" Charlie's words faded into the background as Emily drifted off.
Vaggie felt somewhat awkward glancing over to the sleeping seraph, but in her soul she felt the same adoring sweet feeling she got the first night she spent in Charlie's room two and half years ago. Beside her Charlie awed with her eyes lit up.
"She's so sweet. I think she trusts you completely. I'm kinda jealous." Charlie's tone was more teasing, but Vaggie still felt a swell of shame fill her heart.
"Look Charlie, there's something we need to discuss. It's about Emily, and how close we all are." Vaggie found it incredibly hard to properly broach such an uncomfortable subject, buy her Charlie leaned over and kissed her armor on the cheek.
"I've noticed. It's kind of hard not too. Baphoma made it clear during the meeting, and when I saw Emily naked, well it was hard to get the picture out of my head. I don't want to make you ever feel unloved or unappreciated, but I don't know if I can deny that Emily is… noticeable." Charlie's own face was flushing and Vaggie's got a silent rush at the implication.
"I know babe, she's honestly beautiful in the same ways you are. Guess I've got a type, lucky you." Vaggie winked at her girlfriend who squealed under her breath.
"Damn right I am, and I think it would be nice for us if Emily was maybe included, but let's take it slow. I don't want either of you to feel to overwhelmed or neglected. This is going to take a lot of time and trust to make work, and I think we all want this to work." Charlie nuzzled Vaggie shoulder before she closed her eyes peacefully.
Vaggie took a second to process everything that was happening since Emily had dropped on their doorstep and sighed in contemplation. Normally these events would be cause for her to insist on putting things off and focusing on the primary task at hand. Protect Charlie, guard the hotel.
But something about the last few weeks had changed that mindset. She loved and cared for the hotel stays, knew she could trust Charlie with her darkest secrets, and most surprisingly admired a seraph for all she'd willingly given up to support her love's dreams.
'Could I have done that? I didn't know Lute would attack me and that Adam would leave me. I spared a sinner on a whim, but Emily didn't hesitate to give up her cozy existence so she could stand by her principles. She's so strong, and so beautiful, inside and out.'
Vaggie turned her attention to the lovely girl on her right, and leaned over to peck her periwinkle haired paramour gently on the temple.
'For everything you've done for us, and all you've lost, I'll be here for you. I'll protect and support you and Charlie. You are my angels.'
After the limo arrived at the hotel Charlie had booked, Vaggie and Razzle had to take a moment to shake the princess and seraph awake so the former could check them into their private suite. Charlie yawned long and loudly, but still was able to jostle herself enough to hand over her father's business card which the imp behind the desk quickly swiped and scanned.
Once the room was paid for the four scooted themselves to the elevator, which took the party up five stories, and then they slipped down a funny smelling hall to their private abode. The suite had two bedrooms with a wall separating them, one big bathroom complete with a jacuzzi setting and a descent sized kitchenette and pantry.
"Wow this is a good place Charlie. What you'd pay for this place anyway?" Emily dreary voice murmured barely audibly.
"Eh it wasn't cheap. Most of the places hear don't offer a lot of quality for a fair price, but this place at least has all of the expected amenities you should have on vacation. Now if you'll excuse I need to pass out for the next ten hours." Charlie's tired voice resonated with her partners on a profound level, so the three bade each other goodnight. Razzle curled up a the foot of Charlie and Vaggie's queen sized bed while the aircon blasted next to them.
Emily slipped into her own room and after sampling a quick bite from her snack and a sip of the wine cooler, she flumped down bare naked onto the sheets and fell fast asleep. Her dreams however weren't as peaceful as she'd wanted. She was floating in a black expanse, her heavenly glow greatly diminished to almost a dull gleam from a rusted halo.
'Did you think you could run? Hide away from your creator?'
Emily spun about and tried to find the source of the voice, but in the endless darkness she saw nothing, but felt as though something unimaginably massive was just out of sight.
'Poor little angel. Poor sweet thing unable to accept the truth right in front of her. There's no saving those miserable little souls, but your too damn stubborn to recognize that not all deserve a place in the peak of the cosmos.'
The voice was terribly full of malignancy and a deep seated desire to crush Emily with the force of each syllable. She sucked in a deep breathe, and tried to flare up her power as much as possible. All that happened was her halo barely lightning a small amount of space around her, illuminating a single gigantic eye in the far distance.
'Yes I see you my dear. Such a waste, nearly two millennium Seraphiel spent attempting to provide me the seventh of the Archons, yet your just as miserably idealistic as that scum Morningstar. No matter, I have found an ascended soul who's desire to annihilate every single demon filth almost rivals my own. Prepare your forces my sweet, for when mine arrive, they will be crushed into nothing.'
The burning, enraged golden eye burst into a blinding light, though for a moment Emily saw the mighty outline of an endless, massive winged serpent eclipsing the sun itself. With a loud gasp Emily jolted of her bed and collided with the roof. Her head spinning, she fell back to the bed and bounced on the floor. She heard a surprised scrambling and the door to her room popped open, allowing Vaggie to see the dazed angel lying naked on the floor.
"Shit, sorry!" Vaggie ducked her head back in as Emily came to. Quickly scrounging her room for a night dress, she slipped a thin white one from the closet on and peaked her blushing face into the kitchen. Vaggie was sitting awkwardly on a high stool glancing at Emily with her own face bright gold.
"Hey uh, you good? Bad dream?" the gray angel asked sounding concerned.
"I'm okay, but you should probably wake Charlie, she's going to want to hear this. I think I spoke to Yaldabaoth, and he's ready to attack hell soon." Emily's words caused Vaggie to briefly go breathless. From out of her bedroom a second voice sounded out.
"Are you sure Emily? Are you positive it was real?" Charlie's questions weren't accusatory or demeaning, just very straightforward.
"Yes I'm positive. It was super brief, but I saw the demiurge eclipse a star. He's flexing all of his power, and wants us to fly into a panic." Strangely Emily felt surprisingly calm and collected, helping the other two keep from panicking. Vaggie sucked in a breath, then jumped onto her feet with a narrowed eye.
"We need to call Lucifer, get him to wrangle the sins as best he can, and bring everyone together a lot faster. Maybe we should go talk to the head honchos themselves, get it into their heads that danger is coming quickly?"
The other two nodded and Emily and Charlie jumped in the showers. After Vaggie and Razzle finished their's afterwords, Charlie and her crew all climbed into the limousine and drove off through Greed. Charlie had already discussed things with Mammon, who'd at least help fund the development of more angelic arms under Lucifer's orders to protect his ring.
"As for the Ars Goetia, I set up a quick meeting with Marchosias and his friend Phenix. They can spread the word out, and get more greater demons to head the call. After that we should go down to Lust and speak with Uncle Ozzy. You'll like you two, he's way easier to talk to than Mammon or Satan."
"That's nice. What about Leviathan and Belphagor?" Emily wondered out loud. Charlie winced and sighed to herself.
"Bel's not so bad. Just really ambivalent and hard to motivate. She'll only get really involved if we convince her danger is literally on her doorstep, but she's still easy to talk to. Levi is not as stubborn but more frustrating to be around. Any chance to show up the other sins is right up his ally, but talking to him without triggering his bad attitude is really frustrating." Vaggie nodded to her girlfriends words.
"This is going to take some time and patience then, while your dad can deal with the upper sins, we'll take care of the lower ones. What about the Goetia demons, are they hard to deal with?"
"Not sure, haven't met many of them. I did use to babysit for Prince Stolas' daughter Octavia, and met Lord Ba'al at my twenty-first birthday. They were pretty laid back and kind, but Mom was fast to shuffle me off after receiving my gift from Ba'al. Looking back it is kinda sinking in how much she and Dad barred me form most of demon-kind. Makes me wonder is they ever thought I'd be ready to take over Hell."
Vaggie reached over to take Charlie's hand. To Emily's surprise her princess took her own into her left hand. Looking at the her crushes she saw them smiling so kindly at her with adoring eyes. Taking a quick breath, Emily leaned against Charlie, who chuckled and pulled Vaggie and Emily under her arms.
"Of course I'm not that worried. I've got my two favorite girls in Heaven and Hell with me and a wonderful father who's got my back. I'm sure it'll work out." Charlie said wistfully. Her girls happily snuggled next to either side of her as they smiled contently. For a moment not a one worried about the increasing stakes or the incoming crisis.
One hour later limo pulled into a fine looking estate with a nice garden surrounding a rustic looking chateau. Emily let loose an impressed whistle at the various wild animals that filled the large yard stretching into an actual hedge maze on the left.
"Dang Marcho knows how to live. Kinda reminds me of what King David's homeland looks like back in Heaven."
"Wait, the King David? The giant slayer?" a youngish voice behind Emily asked. Spinning on her heals, the tall seraph spotted a young hellhound with black fur that was red at the tips and bright silver eyes. She was looking up at the angel with a mix of fear but unquenchable curiosity. Putting on a kind smile, Emily knelt down and held her hand out.
"You bet, the herder who became one of the most legendary men to have ever lived. He's actually super charming, and very good looking." Emily winked at the little wolf who giggled at the silly blue angel.
"That's cool, my name is Ruby and Marcho is my big brother. He says that he was going to some weird hotel to see is the princess actually knows anything getting into Heaven. My dad says it's pointless, but I kinda want to know if it can happen." Ruby's eagerness was lightning fast to win over the older women who all had to try hard to not gush at the cute pup's words.
"Well if you want to know the truth, then let me tell you a secret. I met a sinner who made it to Heaven, and hey if angels can fall to Hell, who says demons can't go to Heaven." Once again a new voice cut into the conversation.
"Well now that's reassuring. Perhaps you and your company can expand on that over a hearty luncheon." Emily rose up and turned to see Marquis Marchosias smiling down at her and Ruby who quickly dashed over and hugged her brothers legs. He chuckled then scooped his baby sister up which made Ruby squeal excitedly.
Emily actually had to keep form biting her lower lips seeing the wolfish hunk clearly demonstrate how fatherly he was, which somehow made him sexier. Charlie stepped up and bowed politely to the other royal before her.
"Thank you for entertaining us my lord. I must admit it's nice seeing how eager little Ruby is at learning about Heaven. Is she also wanting to come to the hotel?" though the young demon actually shook her head no.
"Nope, I'm inheriting Marcho's legions when he retires. I just wanna know if I'll have to recruit more if some of them want to leave and got to Heaven. I don't want my forces to be weakened too badly." Ruby claimed puffing her chest up. Even if the older girls didn't agree with the motive, they all quietly gushed at the adorable sight.
As the group traipsed through the gardens, Emily keeping Ruby entertained by asking about the various roses and what he favorite colors were, (it was red), Vaggie inquired if any other demons that Marchosias knew were serious about the hotel.
"Only one so far. I've been considering speaking to Stolas, but his daughter needs a healthy support structure, and it's definitely not her damn mother or uncle. Though the one who is interested has been for nearly 1,200 years. She almost gave up hope up until now." Marcho led the visitors through a white archway into a wide opening where a table and several chairs was located under a bodega.
Seated at the table was a gorgeous eagle like demon who was tall, graceful, and colored a vibrant range of red, gold, and amber. Her eyes with a burning crimson, and her feathers and dress gleamed almost as bright as Heaven's own light shining from the sky. As she turned to face the on-comers, her beak spread into a warm smile as she rose from her hair, to walk over and bow to Princess Charlie.
"Your Majesty, I cannot express the sheer honor it is to make both your acquaintance, and I pray your guidance. For over a millennium I have been striving to discover a way that I may defy the circumstances of my birth and ascend to something greater. Do you have that means?" Phenix asked, her voice almost trembling, desperation in emotional eyes.
Charlie was actually at a lost for words, having never met a demon who so earnestly cared about her project. Though now she understood for many this wasn't a princesses passion, it was an answer to prayer they'd been denied for centuries. Feeling honored and humbled, Charlie had to compose herself before responding.
"I can't begin to express how much it means that someone whom sinners assume would have everything she could ask for would want to give the hotel a chance. I know it's probably seemed impossible, and many will see it is, but there's someone that I think you should meet." Charlie gestured behind her where Emily was handing an excitable Ruby over to a reluctant Vaggie, then stepped up to Phenix while unfurling her wings.
The two greater demons tensed up, but Emily simply curtsied very respectfully giving the two the upmost respect she could offer. Rising her Emily proudly generated the image of the angelized Sir Pentious. Both demons widened their eyes, and Phenix actually reached out as to seize the treasured truth she so desperately had desired for centuries.
"Twelve hundred years. I've wanted to be more than an embodiment of flame and destruction for so long. To not walk with the shame of the circumstances of my birth, but transcend into something that I could be proud of. I don't have to be a monster." Phenix eyes were brimming with shimmering tears, as Marcho leaned over and pulled his friend into a close hug. It was a sight almost too much for Emily to bear.
"You are not a monster. Demon or not, Hellborn or sinner, you have a soul and a purpose. If you want to get into Heaven then I will help you. Not because you need redemption for being born a certain way. Demons can be kind, and angels can be cruel. What matters is what you decide to be, instead of what some self-entitled Demiurge decides. I promise I'll help you no matter what."
Emily's words practically had Phenix bawling her eyes out, and Marchosias was looking at the seraphim with a fierce respect. Behind her Charlie and Vaggie were both gazing at their friend with equal part adoration and even a small amount of desire. Ruby had a hard time following the conversation, but still reached over and tugged on Charlie's pants leg.
"Can you really help them? Get Phen and Marcho to Heaven, even me?" she whispered. Charlie knelt down and patted the little wolf on her head.
"No matter what, I will do what ever I can to help you become whatever you choose to be."