Author's Note: Greetings to all the readers who have tuned in for the twenty-fifth installment of Drifters! We've got another longish chapter this week, so I'll once again keep this pretext short so you can all dive right in!
But before that, onto Reviews!
An Angry Green Boss: The improvised trio is certainly in for an interesting time in Heaven! And despite how ill equipped each of their personalities are to face Paradise's danger… I can't tell you how excited I am to put the characters in a new environment!
As well as have them interact with certain (Cough) Amp (Cough) Angels XD
Gamer of Action44D: All those small deviations from earlier are definitely starting to lead the cast off the map! With the new trial being a huge catalyst for divergence. Given the defense arguing the case will have two opposing objectives… not to mention all the new found secret goals on Heaven's sides.
Speaking of secret goals, Amp's journey throughout the trial arc is one of my favorite parts!
I will say, I think you are right that Lute and Adam had told the others what she did to Vaggie after it had happened. But for this story, I had them keep it a secret from the other Exorcists. Not only because they wanted to cover up their crime, but also because they wanted to cover up the fact they knew angelic Steel could permanently harm Angels long before Amp made the discovery on the drone. Which, hopefully, adds some extra spice to this story's portrayal of Heaven's dynamics!
I swear, the reviews get more fun to interact with each week!
But now, without further adieu, besides my traditional apology revolving around any grammatical mistakes that may pop up along the way, I welcome you back too….
Drifters
A Hazbin Hotel Fanfic
Chapter 25:
Transdimensional Security Angel
The time of Heaven's 'invitation' was fast approaching. And from his spot in the middle of the lobby, surrounded by his fellow discount attorneys, Nester never felt more uncomfortable in the hotel than he did right now. As all the analog clocks hanging on the wall, or standing tall upon their golden stands, reverberated their slow ticks down upon him.
Each swing of the pendulums added to the metaphorical weight compressing his shoulders.
Of course, that paled in comparison to the physical burden he was being loaded up with.
"Aaaaannnndddd that should just aboouuuut~" Charlie strained on the tips of her hooves whilst clipping a buckle three feet above Nester's head, "Do it!"
From what he was extensively told, Nester was only supposed to be in the realm of Angels for the better part of the day. However, with a comically overstuffed hiking pack, three times his height, two times his width, and fifty times his weight, Charlie had certainly equipped him for an eternity beyond the pearly gates.
The heiress swayed back into a stable stance. And turned her grunt of effort into a satisfied nod. That shook a smile onto the blonde's face, not aware that the puffed out cheeks of the brunette signaled his hollow bones were just about ready to shatter.
With the only questions on his mind being what would give first. His knees, or the plastic strap that held back the explosion on his shoulders.
"Oh wait…" Charlie raised a finger. And unfortunately, the almost childlike optimism in her voice signaled her realization wasn't about his current crisis, "I forget the sunscreen, let me just-"
Luckily, Vaggie had far better situational awareness. For like a guardian Angel, the security guard guided Charlie's turn towards the stairs, into a full spin.
"You know how I've mentioned you tend to overthink things from time to time." The white haired warrior stated flatly.
"…yeah."
"This is one of those times." Vaggie crossed her arms.
And if Nester didn't fear that any slight movement would bury him under a home improvement store, he would have vigorously nodded his head in agreement.
"Really?" Charlie's own cranium cocked to the side, and to an orchestra of deadpanned blinks, tumbled into its own obliviousness, "How so?"
"Off the top of my head," Velvette, having wisely placed her luggage to the side, began sarcastically, "I can't say."
Charlie's eyelids echoed out in confusion at the remark. And the only reason the room wasn't dumbfounded into silence, was because Nester's squeezed lungs created a high pitched ambiance.
"God fucking dammit." Husk muttered. Surrounded by the debris of his own travel back he had slipped out of.
Nester's vision only offered a peripheral view of the cat at the moment. But from the looks of things, the feline pinched his eyelids closed with the force of somebody trying to glue them shut.
"Careful kitty," Angel's purr nearly caused the bartender to scratch his orbs out, "Do you really want to risk using the Lord's name in vain around the Angels?"
"Who says it's in vain?" Husk grumbled, "The second I say it, they'll either sympathize with my struggle, or kick me back down here. Either way works…"
Nester's involuntary whine only added support to the cat's pause. Yet even with Vaggie's hand gesturing Charlie's eyesight onto him, the blonde still didn't understand the Doorman's plight.
"If he isss exiled, doesss that mean I can take hisss place?!" Sir Pentious eagerly shouted. The sole inhabitant, besides Charlie, who actually envied the three short straws who'd get to ascend to the clouds for the day.
"Not a chance." Vaggie's monotone voice was absolute.
For when the snake's enthusiasm had earned him a hopeful smile from Charlie, the loss of her girlfriend's attention had caused the guard to frown.
"And why not?" The serpent asked for the millionth time. A fact emphasized by the lack of verbal responses.
And even Charlie's giggled head shake was aimed at the inventor with all the grace of a parent denying a child who asked for dessert before dinner.
To his credit, Nester would gladly sponsor the snake's curiosity if it meant he could trade away his spot on the trip.
Unfortunately, like many things, the elephant currently placed on his back crushed the endorsement in his lungs. And even as Vaggie finally moved forward to help herd the beast off him, the process of unloading something so stubborn, without shattering all his bones, didn't exactly give him many opportunities to voice his anxiety.
"Oh, let me Vaggie," Charlie eyes once again noticed Nester's pack for the wrong reasons, "I can reach the top-"
"Then help me lower it down," the security guard grunted, as the avian felt more and more pressure shift from him to the guard.
"… I don't understand?-"
Vaggie's grunt interrupted Charlie before a choir of groans, or Nester's sigh of relief, could. And as he doubled over gasping for air, the luggage was lifted off his shoulder. As the spear wielder half placed/half dropped it to the floor. Where the bag managed to crush her girlfriend's question mark into a period.
"To tackle the worst, you prepare for everything." Vaggie calmly started. Or at least, if the ringing in his ears wasn't playing a trick on him, that's how it sounded to Nester, "And you're a kind person for trying to look out for ours friends."
Vaggie motioned towards the three packs, whose strained fabric pulsated like hearts. And at that point, Nester was convinced that when the supply crates inevitably burst, a kitchen sink would be the first thing he'd see.
"But Heaven's gonna take one look at these things, and think they're filled with nothing but ill intent." the white haired woman explained, "And you know what that means."
"I need to provide them with custom documents?" Charlie snapped her fingers.
"I need to perform a full body search on the travelers?-" Angel's stretched wrist was snapped by Husk's hand.
"I need to implant illegal goodsss within an organic hoist if I wish to sssmuggle contraband itemsss into Heaven?-" and Sir Pentious' neck was violently snapped by Velvette's.
"No…" Vaggie rubbed her temples, "It means, they don't need to bring anything except you're notes."
Much like her spear, Nester watched in winded amazement as the security officer whisked out three suitcases from her mane.
"Your notes that I revised." the guard continued. No doubt preemptively answering the question Charlie's raised finger brought up about why the leather bags no longer looked like overstuffed turkeys.
"I suppose that makes sense." the owner cautiously mumbled out. As she awkwardly rubbed Vaggie's logic along her arm.
Nester wasn't proud of it, but when he rose from the ground, it wasn't because his body had achieved enough oxygen to inflate. Rather, it was because his 'no shit' facial expression wanted to form up with Velvette's and Husk's as they bore down on Charlie.
"… sorry." The youngest Morningstar quietly surrendered to the assault.
"Don't stress over it." Vaggie offered a gentle smile to her partner. However, her narrowed eyes informed the hotel's three representatives she was speaking on their behalf. A small threat they all agreed to adhere to with various levels of acceptance, "No matter how well you have prepared everybody, last minute nerves were gonna sneak up on you no matter what."
Charlie's head, well it lowered to make eye contact with Vaggie but, raised a smile to her girlfriend.
"More like last second." she awkwardly chuckled, as the ever present ticking of the clock corrected her answer.
"Shit… is that how much time's left?" Angel muttered.
All too aware of the hour, the Doorman's nerves kept him from confirming the actor's shock. Not that the furred Demon even noticed the answer Husk and Velvette's rolled eyes offered. Instead he scanned the room.
Evidently confused at the lack of divine signs signaling a holy Uber was on its way. Or the lack of attendants ready to see them off.
"I'm sure they'll be here right on time." Vaggie's smile faded to a grumble. With her eye traversing through the entrance, and towards the clock tower Heaven had erected as a testament to their punctuality.
"Or maybe their TSA agent had a heart attack when they got word of how many water bottles Charlie packed in our bags." Velvette mumbled.
Ironically, Nester was the only one who didn't stare at the doll as if she had two heads.
Which was a surprise. Given the golden sparkles that began to rain down must have been a hallucination created by his oxygen deprived mind.
"God, you're all so fucking…"
The twinkled illusions began to knit themselves together. Until enough stitched their way across Nester, Velvette, and Husk that it seemed like a blanket of sunlight had been thrown over their eyes. A paradoxical cloth that produced a brighter and brighter shadow.
"Old." and when Velvette's sentence flowed upwards along with his center of gravity, Nester realized he hadn't conjured up a false reality.
For when the warm light around him illuminated past the point of color, and exploded his vision back into joyous focus, he understood all his exhausted brain had done was delay his acceptance of the fantastical existence around him.
XxxxxxX
If Charlie's stress was supposed to leave with Husk, Nester, and Velvette, then the heiress was struggling to find a polite way to inform the emotion it had missed its flight.
Not that she could even blame the feeling for doing so. After all, as she and the other spectators left in the hotel stared at the empty space that had been filled a mere second ago, Heaven hadn't exactly announced their boarding process.
"… guess you weren't kidding." Angel's bewildered whisper broke the silence first.
"I never am." Vaggie replied, her own shock receding next.
"Fascinating." Sir Pentious on the other hand, appeared perfectly content at being star struck by the divine act.
Charlie herself was far too anxious to be amazed.
The sudden departure of her guests, even if planned, only increased her worries that she hadn't prepared them enough for what was to come.
And the sight of the three bags Heaven had left behind did little to lighten that heavy thought.
"They'll be fine Hon."
She felt Vaggie's hand reach up to squeeze her shoulder.
"… I know…" Charlie began, before she shook her head at the self made lie, "I mean, not really, but there's nothing I can do about it now."
She tried to take in a deep breath, and forced out a grin to her girlfriend. The small smile reflected back did somewhat calm her nerves.
Although, as she floated her head around the room. She couldn't shake the feeling of discouragement that had infected her earlier this week.
Her three employees had just gone to make the most important pitch ever for the hotel… and here she was left behind in its all but empty shell.
Niffty hadn't been around for the departure because, to quote, 'Why would I want to waste my time around goody two shoes?'
A justification, while not very odd given the maid's personality, the heiress wished she could have debunked. If only to have another body around to warm the lobby.
Alastor's and Odette's absence had been a bit more of a surprise. With both having attributed their rain check to a flash flood of work.
As for her Dad not being here… Well, Charlie couldn't exactly blame him for not wanting to take the risk of seeing an estranged family member.
And with Sir Pentious in his own world, the only ones left on the premises were…
"Awkward silence, a depressed mood, and a criminally low number of balls." Angel's harsh words were softened by the light chuckle they escaped on, "Reminds me of the good old days."
Charlie wouldn't exactly use the word 'good' to describe the hardships of those times.
"Keep spouting that shit," Vaggie growled, "and I'll rewind you back into the sewer we found you in."
"First of all, I was only down there per a client's request." Angel rolled his eyes before crossing two sets of arms, "And second, I'm just trying to liven up the place."
"By bringing up how dead it is?" the security guard rubbed her temples.
"No, that was just an observation." the spider shrugged. His gaze went down to his third level of arms that popped out with a wrist watch, "The real anti depressant I ordered should be arriving…"
He blinked at the ticks of the clock that went by.
"Well… you can't expect all trains to run like Heaven's. But trust me, the one I've got coming will arrive with far more style." The actor nodded to himself with a satisfied smirk.
"You planned a gathering for us?" Charlie's head actually slumped upwards in gracious joy.
"Not like I had much of a choice." Angel's snort rode upon an expanded smile, "Throughout the week I could basically hear your blood pressure rocketing through the roof. So I took it upon myself to take precautionary measures to lower it when the actual stress arrived."
His furred hand fluttered over to the entrance… yet the door did not budge.
"Was your plan for this preemptive stress relief to arrive late?" Vaggie deadpanned.
"No…" Angel retorted with just as much emotion, "but I probably should have expected it too."
"Either way…" Charlie's soft words quietly ushered the edges of her lips up, "I'll use this chance to give you a preemptive 'thank you' Angel."
The first emotion that returned to the actor's face was shaken on with a smirk. And as much as he tried to let her know she 'shouldn't read too much into it' the owner of the hotel couldn't help but do the opposite.
Not only was the small act of kindness by the furred Demon proof she didn't need to worry about the three she sent Heaven bound, but it also… it also just felt good to know the new relationship she was forming with Angel was being built on a far more stable base.
"Whatever you and your friend have planned, it'll certainly beat pacing around an empty lobby." the blonde tries to jumpstart her energy. And make herself worthy of Angel's olive branch.
"I don't know…" Vaggie sighed, more so at the fact the devil she was defending had already lost, "With nobody around, this could finally be are chance to relax in the lobby without the fear it could-"
Unfortunately, nobody was prepared for a prosecutor named Murphy to cut the guard off. For the second before Charlie's girlfriend could say it, an explosion rocked the wall by the front door.
As pink smoke clouds flowed through the new hole, all widened eyes were forced closed.
"What is up my bitches!" and when they opened, they all saw a familiar cyclops standing in the bay window she created.
Fiery red hair tied back in a fused lit ponytail. Freckled shoulders glowing like phosphate embers. And a crimson slashed pupil, Angel's bomb shined her fanged teeth across the flash banged crowd.
"Seriously-" Vaggie's cough entered Angel's lungs, "You thought- She'd bring about a- Stress free evening?!"
Charlie would try to calm her partner down by saying it was alright, and perhaps Angel would defend himself by explaining how… but unfortunately, the two were too busy hacking up a lung to speak.
"You better believe it!" The demolition expert answered on the spider's behalf. Jumping about like the grenades she juggled, "Normally I wouldn't bother taking out a bunch of fucking squares like you lot!"
Through her watered eyes, Charlie could just make out the tall cyclops stop before her.
"But then I got to thinking," the explosive Sinner slapped Charlie back, sending the heiress into another coughing fit, "how often am I going to be in a position to get an actual princess shit faced?!"
"Fucking- Never-" Vaggie's desire to get the answer out only empathized the lack of oxygen in her lungs.
"What she means is…" Charlie began, having let time run its course to overcome the smoke, "We're excited for an afternoon and night on the town, but let's just try to keep things PG-13 Cherri."
"Pfht, you guys know I can't promise that!" The cyclops Demon strode over to Angel, and slapped a reply from him.
"Why not?" the actor wheezed.
"Nemesisss?!" a slurred voice of a recovered Sir Pentious answered before Cherri's smirk, "Quick minionsss! To battle!"
And to the sudden chatter of a dozen or so hard boiled hooligans, the pop of five pupils, and crackle of a lit wire… Charlie suddenly realized the day was going to be rated R for gruesome.
"Bring it on old man!" Cherri's declaration exploded alongside the ordnance she tossed the snake's way.
And for better or worse, Charlie's mind had become successfully distracted. As Angel's special guest started the outing off with a bang.
XxxxxxX
"…old." Velvette's words had traveled an insurmountable distance, yet had entered Nester's ear within the blink of an eye.
He'd say that such a feat was astonishing, but his mind was very much preoccupied with the other miracles assaulting his senses.
Instead of a bloodshot sky, the Doorman and his compatriots stood upon a white cloud sailing through teal air. Instead of a sulfur odor burning his nose, a gentle scent of mountain pine strolled into his nostrils. And instead of the constant background screams of the damned, the avian's ear picked up the relaxed tune of salvation's hymn.
Left speechless, even the ever nihilistic cat to his side was taken back by the scenery.
With the bartender's eyes wide, and his shoulders relaxed, it almost seemed as if he was in the embrace of a far off memory that had become a dream.
And perhaps the now quiet Velvette and Husk had been dead long enough to have that luxury.
Nester though, did not.
For he still recalled the first time he stood before the golden gates of Heaven in far too much detail. So much so that this second bout of awe, may as well have been a delayed whiplash from the first wave that hit him a handful of months prior.
"Hello there!" a joyous voice rang out a gentle church bell across the crowd.
And after a quick shake of his head, Nester's eyes found the source of the instrument.
Podium raised from the nimbus beneath his feet, and reflecting the golden hue of the barrier it stood before, a blonde Angel radiated his friendly smile towards the recent arrivals.
"People don't often materialize up here in pairs, let alone triplets!" the man's upbeat words practically sailed his arms into a motion for them to approach, "You three must have quite the story to tell!"
As brief as their interaction had been, Nester tensed up. The gatekeeper clearly didn't recall the bird, considering his primate features had been far more prevalent before his fall, but the brunette on the other hand still remembered him.
Everything from his neatly cropped blonde hair, to his snowy field complexion, and icy blue eyes.
Even the man's warm smile and welcome seemed like a recording of the past… which is why Nester knew more than anyone that the Angel's friendly grin could fast forward into a fearful frown at any moment.
And plucking the quill attached to his ear, the bird could still feel the horrible moment his body had followed the fall of those lips.
"Well don't just stand there silly!'' The man's chuckle made Nester aware of the two other souls that waited on him. As Velvette and Husk had already taken the first step towards the podium, only looking back when the Angel made them aware their third companion hadn't.
"S-sorry…" Nester scurried after the cat and doll's rolled pupils, and right up to the heavenly scribe.
"Think nothing of it!" the man happily hummed, "I know more than anybody how much of a shock this can be for people!"
The Angel beamed out his smile, as he opened up the mother of all thesaurus. A soft ray of light illuminated his face onto the page.
"But I assure you, for better or, let's hope not, worse," the blonde chuckled with a wink, "explanations are on their way. Before you receive them though, we'll have to start with introductions!"
The Angel clapped his hands together. And in the split second the pleased blonde closed his eyes, Nester took a gulp of air, whilst Husk's softened face took the opportunity to harden into its natural state of annoyance, and Velvette's made a motion to gag.
"I'm Saint Peter, vanguard of Heaven's gate, and guardian to the righteous list of Winners. Unfortunately, my presence before you does mean you have all come down with a teeny tiny dose of death." Peter sang through his smile, "But don't worry, because if your names are on my list, then do I have a treatment plan for you!"
The saint threw his arms towards the… abstract concept of heaven.
"So if you would please…" he lowered his volume along with his gaze. Sweeping out a hand, as if presenting a place for three to speak their names.
"Jesus Christ." Vel was the first to answer. Her monotone sigh to the 100 cc's of pure happiness she just witnessed came to her as naturally as the playfully smirked that appeared soon after. As she then motioned towards Nester and the sighing cat, "and these are my pals Moses and Buddha."
Saint Peter's spit-take almost rained down to Earth a storm.
"I-I'm sorry-" the flabbergasted man began again.
"Oh no, you're right." Velvette interrupted by waving him off, "My bad, he's probably going to be listed as The Buddha."
"I-I see… it's just that," Peter cocked his eyes confused, "I don't think I'm supposed to check for that name on the list."
"Oh my," Velvette's eyes shot open in offense, and as she feigned anger… Nester took a sidestep away from her, "I wasn't aware the afterlife was so intolerant. To think the land of paradise views Buddha as a Demon."
"Seriously?" Husk pinched his eyes.
"I'm sorry, views The Buddha as a Demon." Velvette corrected, much to the cat's annoyance.
"W-we don't- Of course he wouldn't be-" Peter stuttered before taking a deep breath to, ironically, find his zen, "The Buddha isn't on the list for the same reason Moses isn't-"
"Anti-Semitic as well!" Velvette gasped, and Nester's shuffle away from the time bomb she built was halted when Husk's claws hooked his collar in place.
"N-not at all," the frantic saint waved his arms. His anxiety quickly infected his pale face with a fever, "Jesus isn't in the book either-"
"Jesus isn't on the list?!'' The doll certainly could put on a performance. If Nester wasn't so overcome with fear, he'd be impressed by her ability to act out so many different versions of the same offense, "What kind of afterlife operation are you running here?! Just you wait until our friend Brahma arrives and hears about this prejudice-"
The claw that didn't clip the bird's wing swung around and stitched the Vee's mouth shut. An action that, unfortunately, only seemed to turn Saint Peter into more of a nervous wreck.
"I'm Husk, the bird shitting his pants here is Nester," the bartender cocked his head towards the avian before rolling his eyes at the influencer, "and the bad comedian is Velvette."
"Oh thank the lords." Saint Peter breathed out.
The Angel still needed a second to catch his breath. And as Nester's feet stopped running on air, the bird almost didn't let him. As the curious use of a plural turned his head towards the gatekeeper.
But before he could voice his confusion, a growl from Husk shut the brunette's lips closed.
"Now then, let's," the saint's fingers finally became still enough to flick the pages open, "see…."
Unfortunately, his nerves only seemed to transcribe themselves into the book. As the blonde's eyebrows furrowed the longer and longer his eyes scanned the pages. Halfway through it, his expression seemed to morph into one of pity.
But by the time he reached the end, all that was written on his face was a blank expression of confusion.
"That's… not possible." He whispered to himself more than his audience, "Your names aren't on the list… they aren't anywhere on the list."
"Well, the 'driver' you guys sent to fetch us certainly seemed to know who we were." Husk crossed his arms. The point he dropped, alongside Velvette and Nester, lost on the gatekeeper.
"Maybe he needs to know our real ones." The pinkette scoffed her frustration at the feline.
"Nice try 'Jesus'," the cat sneered back, "but even Feather's isn't stupid enough to give out his in front of a Vee."
"In front of a…" the blonde Angel shook his head, as if to shake some sense into this situation, "I-I'm sorry, but why aren't you all giving me your true titles?-"
An over-saturation of light once again drowned out the sound of curiosity. Only this time, the blinding rays that bleached Nester's pupils had a heavenly voice attached to it.
"Because they are visitors," an echo soothed out its power. And from his cracked lids, Nester's recovered retinas began to make out the light of one large and two, relatively, small silhouettes descending from above. Each glowing a blue or yellow shadow within the white ray, before it mixed together, and another flash of purity left him momentarily blinded, "and here as the High Court's honored guest."
Taking rapid blinks, Nester's eyes were on the brink of just calling it quits on this whole sight thing. However, as water flowed into the shriveled orbs, the softer light of the world once again began to organize itself into place… or at least ,he thought it was organized. He didn't know how much he could trust the images in his brain given the three figures that had emerged beside Saint Peter.
A jester masked Angel equipped with silver longsword in her hands, and evidently a useless sheath at her side, was regretfully the one newcomer Nester didn't need to second guess his vision about. For with ashy wings, a black threaded jacket, and a stitched face, she was clearly an Exorcist. And for all Nester knew, could be one of the first souls he actually saw in Hell.
However, the two she accompanied were far more… Well, alien wouldn't be quite the right word, but it would be no more wrong then using the term human to describe the two angelic beings.
Both were adorned in white dresses that matched their frost colored hair. And were stitched with archaic blue patterns that glowed in unison with their cosmically hued skin. Each also had a majestic set of six wings, putting the puny ones attached to Nester's back to shame.
However, whereas one's head hovered a handful of centimeters above his own… the others towered above him. Easily twice his height.
"Our apologies for the confusion Saint Peter," the taller one's soothing voice echoed her maternal figure, "we shall take it from here."
"O-of course High Seraph… im." The Saint stuttered out. Caught up in their mesmerizing entrance.
Although, most of his awe seemed to be rerouted for the taller being. As the added 'im', much like his glance towards the smaller blue skinned woman, seemed like an informal addition.
Not that Nester could really blame him. The larger Angel certainly left him in a state of shocked, almost fearful, awe. And the only reason he didn't give into the urge to faint was because...
Well, because that reaction had been offset by the utter embarrassment and confusion Nester felt from the giddiness that had parked itself a whopping two inches away.
Personal space endangered, every time the bird blinked, the details of the mysterious woman's excitement became ever clearer.
Whether that be in her growing pupils that eyed him like some sort of Christmas present, or her growing smile that inflated itself upon puffed out freckled cheeks holding back a squeal. And honestly, the only reason he hadn't instinctually stepped back, was because he feared any small tremble through the ground would cause her to explode.
That, and with the Exorcist's sword now lined up with his eyesight, Nester did not want to give the Seraph's enforcer an accidental reason to attack him.
"Umm." Nester's confusion was squeezed out a whisper by Husk and Velvette's side glares, "Hi?"
"Hello!" The angelic woman's enthusiasm rode its high pitch. And was spoken with all the confidence and energy Nester lacked. Hell, or he guessed Heaven in this case, where his wings folded in shy defeat, this Seraph's half dozen ruffled her long mane outward in excitement, "I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am you're here!"
"Fucking," Velvette mumbled, her finger currently drilling itself through her ear, "keep up the explosions and you won't have to tell us anything."
The smaller Angel blushed… if a deeper shade of purple on blue cheeks was the divine way to do so.
"Sorry…" she started again. Her volume lowered. However, much to Nester's own reddened face, the being's hadn't decided to move her sound waves back "I've just never met human souls from Hell before, and I'm just- I'm just so excited to get the chance too!"
"… seems like a weird thing for an Angel to be excited about." The influencer mumbled.
"Is it any weirder than the daughter of Lucifer dedicating her immortal life to our salvation?" Husk deadpanned.
"… touché," Velvette conceded before rubbing her temples with a sigh.
"There will be plenty of time to discuss the Morningstar's… redemption initiative later," the larger Seraph flowed herself down behind the other. And grasping her shoulders, she ushered the smaller one to her side, "Right now, let us take a page from Saint Peter's book and introduce ourselves."
The Angel raised one lengthy hand to her chest, as the other came down a railroad divider before her jittery protégé.
"I am Sera, High Seraph of Heaven, and this is my disciple-" the titled Angel opened her lowered hand… only to find it gesturing to an empty spot.
Although, with the car having snuck through the crossing the moment the bar came down, Nester's personal space hadn't even gotten the chance to breathe before it was invaded again.
"Seraph Emily at your service," the long haired Angel shook the title into all three of her hands, before her kind smile craned over them, "but please just call me Emily, or Emma- Oh, or maybe even E if that's what you prefer!"
"Oh my God," Velvette breathed out, as if she only just now realized what she got herself into, "everybody here's gonna be just like Charlie."
"I-I wish…"
With Emily's eyes so close, Nester's ping ponged all around till they landed on the masked face of the one Angel he actually wished would act more like the Seraph.
"Don't worry about Sargent Amp, she's harmless!" the up beat being motioned at the guard, "Or at least I think she is! I just met her this morning!"
Emily finally flew out of Nester's personal space… and right on into the sword wielder's.
"But I'm excited to get to know her along with all of you!" The Seraph's blue cheek melded into the stitched cloth of the reaper's mask.
"… holy shit," Husk mumbled while watching the Exorcist struggle to keep her sword aimed at them instead of using it to pry herself from Emily's unwanted hug, "she really is just Heaven's version of Charlie."
"Ma'am." Amp's monotone response was almost comedic given the embodiment of joy being rubbed on her.
"Emily." The older Seraph's stern voice almost came out a gentle lullaby, "Don't distract the Exorcist from her job."
"Or the ambassadors from theirs." the smaller one fluttered into the air. Following the embarrassment that rose on her cheeks. "Sorry…"
"Hey, if it keeps a sword out of my chest," Velvette's vexed sigh turned into an annoy shrug, "distract her all you want."
"Why would her sword end up in your chest?"
For a moment, Nester honestly thought Emily's question was in rhetorically bad taste. However, when he saw the tilt in her head had been weighed down by innocence, his own cocked in confusion.
"Because she's an Exorcist," Husk stated the obvious, "isn't it her job to-"
"Check all visitors for weapons!" Sera's stream-like melody momentarily picked itself up into a rapid, "I know it's a tedious rule, but it's been so long since we've had guests bound to another realm, we just didn't have the time to update it."
"Pretty sure Charlie told us this is the first time-" Husk brought up a hand to pinch his eyes closed. But before he could, a black and white blur appeared at his side, "What the-"
Amp pushed the cat's words aside… quite literally. And in horror, Nester watched the bodyguard pat the bartender down with a series of shoves.
"Holy shit," Velvette gasped. Her eye twitching as the Exorcist squeezed the feline's wrist till his claws popped out for inspection, "forget Charlie, what's the deal with Heaven Vag-"
The avian watched the guardian Angel drop a shaky, and quite possibly violated, Husk to the ground. Just in time for her hands to inspect the Vee's collar for weapons.
Why such an action needed to be done with enough force to trap the Sinner's words in her throat was beyond Nester, but it left his lower jaw hanging nonetheless.
"Don't worry," Emily's smile became forced. As her eyes cringed in discomfort at the Exorcist action, "we'll be sure to have the practice revoked at the upcoming meeting."
When Nester heard the usually steadfast Vee fall to her knees, the bird opened his mouth to ask if the head Seraphim had the authority to pass an executive order in the next couple seconds.
However, before his eyes could fully make out the fact Sera looked more relieved at Amp's actions than concerned, he felt a cold palm dig its way between his wings.
The next thing he knew, he was on his knees. One of the Exorcist's hands violently combing his feathers like a brush through knotted hair. Face twisting in pain, the agony only got worse when the following frisk was delivered to him as a series of one inch punches.
And having failed to push him back down to Hell, by the time Amp's extensive search was over, Nester was left prone on the cloud. The world spinning along his twirled eyes.
"They have been cleared of external weapons." the soldier listed off.
And maybe it was just the trauma of going through the world's most invasive security check, but Nester could swear the guard sounded frustrated by the fact she hadn't found any dangerous items on them.
"And the biological ones?" All of the motherly concern Sera shot towards the Sinners was directed at her pupil trying to help them up.
"You mean besides," when she finally managed to get on her feet, Velvette's anger hissed itself through clenched teeth. "the fist she jammed down my throat!"
Luckily, for all their sakes, Emily's nervous chuckle was the only angelic response the Vee received.
"During the search I took initiative and filed down the feline Sinner's claws." Amp listed.
"What?!" Husk shoved the hand rubbing his head towards his face.
And with more emotion than he had ever seen from the bartender, Nester watched Husk's black fur nearly shed itself white when his extended claws emerged small dulled buds.
Wrapping Nester's arm around her shoulder, Emily raised the limp Doorman onto his feet. And along with supporting him, tried to offer the cat an apologetic look as well.
"The two humanoid ones lack any animalistic weaponry," The Sargent continued, ignoring all the reactions, "and the avian's wings are too minuscule and underdeveloped to fly. Outside of being an eye soar, they aren't a threat."
"D-does every security guard know more about these things than me?" Nester gritted out. Albeit more at the pain his muscles emitted when he mistakenly tried to shift his own weight from the helpful Seraph too soon. Although, Amp's insult certainly left the avian agreeing with Velvette that the Exorcist was a more intense version of Vaggie.
"Maybe they don't."
A warm whisper entered Nester's ear, and shaken from his thoughts, he turned to see it had come from the Angel lifting him up.
"I think your wings look really cool. They're also around the same size as mine." Emily kindly offered with a smile. "And if I can fly, I don't see why you can't too."
Nester stared back. And much like when he ran into Charlie for the first time, he didn't know how to respond to the first true bit of kindness Heaven offered.
"U-um… maybe because you have four more than me," he stuttered out, before, much like his reconstructed skeletons, he cracked an unstable smile, "b-but thanks for the pick me up."
Embarrassed, Nester leaned back, stumbling from the Angel's grip and onto his own wobbling feet.
"Don't mention it!" Emily brightly responded, as if the Sinner wasn't flicking his quill into a buzz saw.
"If you two are done measuring your wings," Velvette deadpanned face drew in attention Nester didn't want, "can we get this show on the road?"
"Oh, of course!" Emily fluttered out and upward, "With formalities out of the way!"
"Is that what just happened?" Husk hissed out, still staring at the remnants of his claws like they were funeral mounds, "I swear to God, this trip can't get any worse."
"Saint Peter, if you would please open the gates!"
The blonde Angel nodded his head. A concerned expression on his face now that he knew where the three arrivals had come from. But coughing into his hands, he seemed to recenter himself as he flew upwards.
Nester opened his mouth, and perhaps infected by Emily's kindness, tried to see if he couldn't stumble out some nice words of support for the feline.
However, before he could, the background orchestra seemed to grow louder.
Louder and more focused, almost as if it was pulsating in tune with Saint Peter's cleared throat.
"Dearly beloved, it is my pleasure to say unto thee…"
No, that wasn't quite right, the music seemed to be emitting from the saint in harmony-
Nester eyes widened in an unwanted realization. One that was only confirmed by the moan that slacked Velvette's shoulder, the gleeful look in Emily's eyes that the Doorman had seen once before in Charlie's, and if that wasn't enough… Husk's groan of a man twice damned.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me-"
"Welcome to Heaven!"
XxxxxxX
Seriously, with Sera and Emily, I'm pretty sure Hazbin is only able to produce amazing characters!
Thank you to all those who have read through the twenty-fifth chapter of Drifters!
I will try my best to upload a chapter every Friday. But until next week, please feel free to leave a comment! Criticism is always welcomed, so long as there's an attempt for it to be constructive.
As of this moment I am still looking for a beta reader, so to anyone interested please feel free to shoot me a PM.