Vaggie had no experience with small children.
Or with this new parenthood, that Charlie had told her about and seemed to be beaming with happiness.
The story of how she found the girl in an alley, set off alarm bells for Vaggie.
It was mysterious and worrying how first this light blue mist had appeared, then this hologram of a demon goat, followed by the letter , from a Charlie Morningstar from another universe and finally the appearance of the small child herself.
Some of the points in this story, could have come from the pens of the inhabitants of hell , who did not mean well for the princess of hell.
Who would prefer to see her in a gutter herself, broken, shattered and far away from the royal family.
Vaggie has heard a lot on the streets. Rumors, behind-the-scenes sayings and meanness, compared to the bubbling positive source of energy and hope , that her partner brings to the fore every day ,with her very special character.
It wouldn't be unrealistic, if someone had played a bad joke... perhaps used illusion magic or a sick kind of genetic duplication?
The truth of the matter , made Vaggie react with caution.
And the woman with the long bow in her hair ,didn't seem to be alone. Husk, in addition to his bad, grumpy mood, was also rather skeptical about the child's appearance.
"Charlie? Even though I love your euphoria... what if it's a trap?"
"But Vaggie! The photo and the letter! Why would you disguise something like that as a trap?"
Husk cleared his throat once and made this dry comment as follows.
"After your appearance on TV, not many inhabitants of hell are speaking positively of you... or the hotel"
"It was all an unfortunate chain of coincidences"
"You don't have to justify yourself to Husk, Charlie... besides, I thought you were playing poker on the day of the
broadcast?"
"It was a live broadcast , that was shown in the background on a television"
"Okay guys... no reason to start an argument now, because without this really chaotic interview, Alastor would never have noticed us and would never have brought such wonderful members of the Hazbin Hotel family here. Have I ever mentioned, how happy I am that Husk and Niffty are part of the team?"
Husk just rolled his eyes and Vaggie put a hand on Charlie's shoulder.
"Charls... I don't want to take away your joy of being a a new mother... but we should be careful," Vaggie said honestly.
She hated the possibility of exposing her partner to a possible source of danger.
"That's nice of you, Vaggie, but our daughter is totally harmless and so cute! Look, she's sitting in the lounge trying to wake Keekee up" - Charlie claimed and while Husk went back to cleaning his glasses at the bar, Charlie grabbed her partner's hand and led her to the lounge in question with the many sofas, armchairs and the cozy fire crackling in the fireplace in front of her.
Keekee had closed her eye, her front paws hanging slightly over the edge of the sofa , on which the cat wanted to take a nap. The cat heard the voices of Charlie and Vaggie and laid her head on her front paw, sighed softly and the crackling of the fire in the background had a calming effect on the animal. She liked lying here and feeling the comfort of the soft fabric of the sofa beneath her. And since no one wanted to pet her in the last half hour, Keekee had decided to sleep here for a while.
"Keeke? KEEKEE"
The cat jerked open her eyes and jumped backwards closer to the back of the sofa , as a very young demon ran towards her and excitedly stretched out her little hands towards her... and called her name in a very excited manner.
Keekee eyed the little creature suspiciously, who didn't stop and tried to support herself with her hands on the edge of the sofa to give the cat a big grin.
"Keekee...Ley-Ley Hi", said the girl and one of her two hands wanted to pet the cat.
But Keekee saw it differently. The cat let out a threatening hiss, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and with another leap, Keekee jumped off the sofa.
"Not bye bye...Keekee!" the little creature called after the animal, but Keekee did not want to be petted by someone , she did not know and who was so... loud.
The cat ran through the entrance hall and disappeared around a corner.
The little girl looked after the animal in surprise and did not seem to understand , why the cat suddenly ran away from her and did not want to be petted. They were friends after all!
"Don't be sad Ley, KeeKee - is not always open to new friendships. She doesn't know you yet," said Charlie and sat down on a free spot on the sofa, pulling Vaggie with her.
Ley looked sadly from the direction in which Keekee had disappeared, up to Charlie and the other female person she had not met before.
The toddler tilted her head questioningly for a moment and then decided to hide behind Charlie's left leg , when she felt Vaggie's scanning gaze on her.
"You don't have to be afraid, that's Vaggie, she's my partner and a very good friend!", said Charlie patiently and gently reached for her daughter's hand with her free hand, to lure her out of the hiding spot and bring her a little closer to Vaggie. Ley took a few hesitant steps forward and gave Vaggie a shy look.
"Hi? Like Charlie said, I'm Vaggie", Vaggie said, a little overwhelmed, and she noticed the child's green eye.
Demons don't have green eyes, do they? At least not the combination of green and red. She should definitely ask Charlie later about this.
"Do you remember Vaggie? Has Mommy ever met her - at home?", Charlie asked, and after a moment Ley shook her head.
"Vaggie nice?" Ley said uncertainly, her gaze sliding over to the lock that was still lying where Vaggie had dropped it.
"There's been a no weapons in the hotel rule since Vaggie arrived - you don't have to worry, Kid", Husk said from the bar, and Ley looked from Husk to Vaggie, then up to the bow the woman was wearing, and then to the pink X that was over her hair.
"Pretty bow. Like Ley's...oh", Ley grabbed her head where she thought her little bow was, but she was grasping at nothing.
Charlie had put it in her pocket on the way to the hotel and kept it safe.
"Oh, I have it here, Ley, I could put it on your...", Charlie pulled the small hair clip out of her jacket pocket, on which the child's full name could be read, but Ley reached for the small hair clip and shook her head again.
She looked away and seemed to be looking for someone in the entrance area. Her gaze slid questioningly back to Charlie and Vaggie.
"Where, Pinky-Pie? Help, Ley. Bow?", the girl asked and only saw the puzzled faces of Vaggie and Charlie.
"Who the hell is Pinky-Pie?", Vaggie said.
"I... have no idea," Charlie whispered back, confused.
"Maybe someone she knows? It doesn't seem to be Vaggie," Husk replied with a stifled grumble.
"Say that again and I'll come closer to hear it properly, Husk", Vaggie said with a dark undertone.
Husk just shrugged his shoulders.
"You know, Ley, Vaggie is really great at putting bows and pins on the hair?" Charlie tried to convince the girl of the suggestion.
But before Ley could answer or react, the radio demon appeared in the entrance area, followed by his dark shadow and seemed to be attracted by the surreal situation.
"I heard it turned out to be quite an amusing situation? Has anyone spectacularly missed their personal Goals?" - said the radio demon with a broad, interested grin.
"What are the chances, that Ley meant Alastor by Pinky Pie?", Charlie whispered quietly to her partner.
Vaggie shook her head almost imperceptibly , as the Overlord walked towards the small lounge and seemed extremely interested in this unusual situation.
"Admit it, Alastor, you are behind this... nonsense!", said Vaggie and stood up from the sofa to glare angrily at the radio demon.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Vaggie. What is my work supposed to be, dear?", Alastor replied with a steady smile.
"You used your powers to bring a child from another universe that..."
"My child Vaggie"
"Yes, Charlie's child from another universe here...just for your personal amusement and to get on our nerves"
Alastor, however, was not impressed by Vaggie's angry manner.
He looked calmly from Vaggie to Charlie and Ley and shook his head almost regretfully.
"I'm afraid I have to disappoint you, Vaggie. Unfortunately, my magic and abilities do not include jumping through time or even into other universes, even if that aspect is fascinating", Alastor said and was amused when Vaggie let out a frustrated sigh.
"Vaggie is just a little worried, Alastor. But it's great that you're here because...", said Charlie and while she put Ley on the sofa just to be on the safe side, the little lady seemed to have a name correction for the radio demon here too.
Because before Alastor could answer, Ley announced the following.
"Mommy no! No Pinky-Pie. Uncle Star!"
Alastor's right eye twitched for a moment , before he stepped closer to the sofa, but kept a safe distance from the little demon child and corrected her.
"I'm not a fan of nicknames, dear. You'd better practice pronouncing my name correctly", Alastor said to Ley and the toddler looked at him for a moment, took a breath and said the following words with a broad grin.
"Star!"
Alastor heard Husk's quiet, amused laugh and sent his shadow over, to punch the soul under his contract , in the ribs. He was neither the child's uncle nor would he tolerate the nickname Star.
Never.
"I wanted to go into town and do some things, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open, Charlie, maybe the child's appearance isn't the only surprise", Alastor said and disappeared from the hotel lobby a few moments later with his shadow.