Angel Dust had never been to a proper hotel. Throughout his life, whenever he didn't sleep in his home or a car, he stayed in a motel. That isn't to speak negatively of motels, mind you. It's just that when you think of a true hotel experience, you think of something grand and opulent. Even if the hotel in question wasn't expensive or legitimately fancy, they always tried to present that image and create the accompanying atmosphere.
However, even if Angel Dust had been a frequent guest at hotels, he knew there was nothing on Earth that came close to what Charlotte Magne had created. To say that the Happy Hotel was luxurious wouldn't be correct. Well, it would, but it also wouldn't capture the full scope of the environment. The building's goal was not solely opulence. Likely by intention, the hotel's founder wanted this place to feel like a haven in Hell.
The Happy Hotel, with its breathable air and soothing color scheme, was designed to make guests feel at ease. The absence of grandiose decor was a deliberate choice, as the hotel aimed to create a homely, comforting environment. Portraits of landscapes, potted plants, and comfortable furniture filled the common areas. Focusing more on the furniture, it matched the color scheme of the walls and other parts of the structure: gray, blue, or a combination of the two. Yet, all that has been described only references the public spaces within the building. The lobby, the dining area, the recreational room, etc.
The living quarters within the Happy Hotel were blank. That meant no furniture, decorations, or something to cover the walls, such as paint or paper. Charlotte wanted each guest to have full control over their room. Additionally, another difference between the Happy Hotel and those found on Earth was that the size of its rooms was equivalent to a house. If there were one particular part of the structure's design where the Princess flaunted her Royalty, it would be there. She was determined to pamper her guests as much as possible.
Charlotte's vision for the Happy Hotel extended to the rooms' designs. She didn't just want the residents to feel at home; she wanted them to feel like they were in their own homes. That meant the guests' control over their dwellings was far greater than what anyone would anticipate. Essentially, while within their assigned spaces, the occupants had the same power as God.
No, that isn't hyperbole. When Charlotte assigned a room to someone, she literally bound it to their soul. Then, once inside, that individual could make any request that they desired, and the Happy Hotel would realize it without failure. Did that imply the building was alive in some capacity? Not at all. The simplest way to perceive it without getting into all of the finer details is a structure infused with the power of the Almighty Ones. That was possible since Charlotte was their Granddaughter, meaning she had the same abilities.
All of that culminated in Angel Dust having many first-time experiences when after arriving at the Happy Hotel. To Charlotte's satisfaction, Angel Dust felt welcome and protected within the building's walls. Upon discovering the amount of control he had when inside his room, Angel Dust broke down into a sob. Naturally, Charlotte held him in her arms as he cried without restraint. It had been so long since Angel Dust had ANY control. Getting it back, no matter how much, was one of the happiest moments in his life.
But now, as Emily and her Exorcist bodyguard moved into the Happy Hotel, Angel Dust would soon experience another first: roommates. The closest thing he had to that was living with his family on Earth and the few times he crashed at Cherri Bomb's pad. Regarding Emily, she was already gushing with excitement at the idea of spending time with Charlotte and Angel Dust. Her want to get to know the Sinner more was entirely sincere, which flattered him to no end.
Then, there was the Exorcist. Angel Dust remembered that Sera called them Viola, meaning that they were likely a woman. Yet, no matter what the Exorcist's sex was, Angel Dust was indescribably intimidated by her. Funnily enough, it wasn't because this person was an Exorcist.
Angel Dust didn't know how to describe Viola's vibe. You'd think an Exorcist would have a menacing aura that warned any soul who felt it that they could die in an instant. But see, there wasn't an aura. Heck, there was barely anything to go off of. The most Angel Dust could sense was something that he'd describe as gray. It was like a perfectly neutral balance of every aspect of the soul.
Emotions, thoughts, and everything in between were actively being kept in check. Viola wasn't letting ANY part of her true self be detected. Were all Exorcists like that? Angel Dust genuinely didn't know. He met Valentino a week or so after arriving in Hell, and that year's Exorcism had happened a month prior. So, by the time the next one rolled around, Angel Dust was already in Valentino's possession, putting him out of harm's way. That was the only good part of the relationship after the contract was signed.
Still, although he hadn't seen an Exorcist firsthand, Angel Dust heard stories from plenty of Sinners, including his best friend. Everyone made the Exorcists sound terrifying and unsettling. But if Viola was an accurate representation of one, then they weren't the unhinged psychopathic murderers that he'd been led to imagine. More fittingly, Angel Dust would describe an Exorcist as a robot, especially with how Viola acted and only directly responded to anything Emily said.
"Thank you, Viola," Emily told her bodyguard as the last of her luggage was brought into the lobby. A portal to Heaven rested in the middle of the room. Viola's belongings were EXTREMELY minimal, whereas Emily might've overpacked.
"We could've helped," Charlotte chimed in, standing beside Angel Dust near the lobby's main sitting area. "You didn't need to carry all of those bags yourself." She added.
Viola shook her head. If the Exorcist was capable of speech, she REALLY didn't want to say a word to anyone other than Emily. Of course, she could be mute, but there was no way to determine that without prying. Obviously, Angel Dust wasn't going to be the one who attempted that.
"Don't bother," Emily sighed, hanging her head slightly. "Viola does this ALL the time. She's ONLY meant to act as protection, but she insists on taking care of me as well. It's exhausting." She informed them.
"Are all Exorcists like her?" Angel Dust asked, feeling like that was a safe question.
"Ugh, you have NO idea..." Emily groaned, now throwing her head back. "Devotion and servitude are the Exorcists' bread and butter. The word zealot doesn't BEGIN to scratch the surface. The selection process for candidates is also EXTREMELY strict. It's exceptionally rare if a soul is given the opportunity upon their arrival. Usually, if a mortal seeks to become an Exorcist, they have to spend years, possibly decades, training and refining themselves to be fit for the role." She answered.
"Huh..." Angel Dust reacted, now looking at Viola. "Is she one of the chosen few? I'd imagine it takes that much to be assigned to a Seraph." He inquired.
"Mhm!" Emily replied. "Viola and her Sister were deemed Saints LONG before they died. When they got to Heaven, they-"
THUMP
Viola suddenly gripped Emily's left bicep. The grip wasn't forceful or meant to cause her discomfort. This gesture allowed Viola to maintain her silence while also conveying to Emily that she wanted her to stop talking.
"Oops, my bad," Emily apologized, realizing what she had done. "Sorry, guys. I forgot that Viola likes to keep things private, which includes any mention of her past or her sibling. Although it is a lot to ask of you, please don't look into either one any further." She stated, ending with a request.
"N-No! It's my bad. I should've known better than to ask about an Exorcist," Angel Dust responded while waving his hands in front of himself. Afterward, he looked off to the side to avoid upsetting Viola.
Very quickly, tension manifested. Everyone knew that there'd be an adjustment period, especially for Angel Dust. So, it was up to the Princess and the Seraph to keep things moving along.
"Emily," Charlotte spoke, getting the group's focus. "Before we take you and Viola to your rooms, maybe we should tell Angel about the Exorcisms?" She suggested.
"Oh! Right!" Emily exclaimed with a smile. "That's my first objective! I need to enlighten you on what happens when a soul is cleansed!" She remembered.
In the next few seconds, everyone took a seat in the lobby's main sitting area. As they did, Emily closed the portal leading to Heaven. When the group was settled, the Seraph started speaking.
"First, let's refresh ourselves on the history of Hell. We're not going through everything, only its origin and why it serves the purpose that it does," Emily began, ensuring she was composed. "When the Almighty Ones were shaping Creation, their children busied themselves with personal projects. Lucifer, who took after his Mother, wanted to explore the endless potential of a soul. Any assumed barriers, limitations, inhibitions, and so on were easily overcome through his experimentation and exploration of sentience in its entirety. That may sound complicated, but it's not. All Lucifer did was conduct tests revolving around the core principle of cause and effect. If he did something, what was the result? If he changed a little or a lot, how would that affect the outcome? As time passed, Lucifer became obsessed with Purity and Corruption. He wanted to know all of the intricacies of how both properties functioned and what caused them to appear within a soul. Luckily, around that time, the Almighty Ones had finished making the Earth and designing its first people. There was Adam, the original man, and Lilith, the original woman. Much like their Son, the Almighty Ones were experimenting to see how things would play out. Alas, Lucifer couldn't resist the temptation to indulge his interests, so he sought out Lilith and proceeded to-"
Knock Knock
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Knock Knock
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"Uh, Charlie?" Angel Dust whispered, glancing at the Princess. "Who is that?" He asked.
"...I...don't know..." Charlotte answered, no less shocked than him.
The air was so quiet that Emily and Viola could hear Charlotte's whisper. When the words reached the Exorcist, she sprang from her seat and summoned a holy weapon. It was a custom-made spear that had been designed with the input of its owner. The armament was as gorgeous as it was deadly.
"Viola!" Charlotte quickly exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "There's no chance that this is dangerous! We're in the center of Pride's capital. The only people who could be at the door are Hellspawns." She told her.
"Or...Overlords..." Angel Dust muttered, eyes slowly widening. Reactively, he pushed himself against the couch to create more distance, even if it was minuscule.
"Angel, look at me," Charlotte instructed, swiftly rejoining his side. "You are safe. You know that. Valentino and his partners can't get here. Yet, even if they could, they wouldn't make it through the doorway." She said, gently grabbing onto him.
"Then...who is it?..." Angel Dust asked again. The poor spider couldn't help but be scared as his mind worked against him.
"Mam," A woman's voice was heard. It...came from Viola! "What is your order?" She inquired, speaking to Emily.
"Charlie, can Viola answer the door?" Emily requested.
"..." Charlotte debated that for a moment. Admittedly, if there somehow WAS a threat on the other side of that door, then having Viola handle it was a great idea. The Exorcists were bestowed blessings by the Almighty Ones. In short, only Charlotte, her family, the High Angels, and other Exorcists could harm them.
When ready, Charlotte gave a nod to show her approval. Afterward, Viola cautiously approached the entrance. Emily watched her bodyguard while Charlotte continued consoling a frightened Angel Dust. Additionally, there were no more knocks since the second set, which could've been caused by the one responsible having heard the group's chatter.
But then, this happened:
"Attention! Attention! There has been a false alarm! Please put down your weapons!"
"STOP!"
The first voice had come from the other side of the hotel's twin doors. It sounded as though it were speaking through a radio. The second voice had come from Charlotte. When she realized who their mysterious visitor was, she jumped to her feet once more.
Before anyone could say or do something, Charlotte rushed toward the entrance. When she reached the doors, she hastily opened them so that she could see...
"ALASTOR!" Charlotte squealed with unbridled glee, throwing her arms out to her sides as she did.
"There she is, folks! The Princess of Hell!" That static-filled voice from before replied to Charlotte's greeting. As she hugged its owner, Angel Dust, Emily, and Viola came closer to see who it was.
Standing outside the hotel was a seven-foot gentleman. He was dressed in a well-worn brown suit, wielded a cane carved from bone, and had a deer skull for a head that possessed metal antlers.
"..." Slowly, Angel Dust leaned closer to Emily and Viola, who were standing next to him. "Psst, do either of you know this guy?" He asked.
"Nope," Emily answered. Viola shook her head as she made her spear vanish.
"What are you doing here?!" Charlotte inquired, overcome with joy. She managed to pull herself out of her hug so she could look at the man's...uh, sockets.
"A delivery, Miss!" The man revealed. Interestingly, his bottom jaw never moved when he talked. The mouth was open, but that was it.
"A delivery?" Charlotte questioned, confused by that.
"First-class mail, mam! Sealed with wax!" The man clarified before pulling a letter out from within his suit jacket.
Charlotte's perplexed look worsened when she saw the envelope. There was a VERY short list of people who could have this man act as their messenger. Yet, when her eyes fell onto the wax seal, it all made sense.
"..." Charlotte's brow furrowed, and her expression changed to displeasure. "A letter? Really?" She questioned.
"I asked the very same. You know me, I love the classics. But even I thought this was pushing the envelope!" The man responded, forcing her to stifle a laugh.
"Al, this isn't the time for jokes," Charlotte said, maintaining the sudden seriousness she adopted. "Is this important? What was the atmosphere like when you were given this?" She asked.
"It was a private summons, Miss! The head honcho invited me to his study so the lady of the house wouldn't hear us!" The man answered.
"...I see..." Charlotte muttered, displeasure returning. "Well, I suppose if my Father spared the time to write me a letter, then he can do it again to read it out loud." She decided.
"Ooo! A reversal recital between the Royals! The audience waits with bated breath!" The man replied.
"Sorry, Al, but I'd like this to be a family-only thing. Is that okay?" Charlotte requested.
"Hmm, a problem arises! The Devil expects his courier to return. What is a loyal letter runner meant to do?" The man questioned.
"Pfft, that's no big deal," Charlotte scoffed while rolling her eyes. "You stay here and wait for me to come back. I promise that you won't get into any trouble. If anything, once my Mother learns about this, it'll be my Father who's in the hot seat." She told him.
"Splendid! Good show, Princess!" The man cheered, causing her to giggle.
"Oh, come on, Al," Charlotte reacted with a playful dismissive wave. "Make yourself at home. I'll only be gone for a bit." She vowed.
Instantly, the Princess of Hell disappeared in an eruption of fire. When the flames dissipated, that left the man to look at the other people inside the building.
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"Uh, hi," Angel Dust greeted him, wanting to break the awkward silence.
"A Sinner, A Seraph, and a Saint!" The man exclaimed once he discerned the type of entity each person was. "All we need is a bar, and then we'll have ourselves a real knee-slapper!" He carried on, being unusually relaxed in the presence of a Heavenborn and an Exorcist.
As the man walked inside and closed the doors, the trio wasn't quite sure what they were in for. It would've been nice if Charlotte properly introduced them, but that task now fell onto the stranger. Of course, given how lively he appeared, he wasn't going to be a stranger for much longer.