So much chaos went off in the minutes it took to traverse through millions of cages. Charlie could feel everything. Every Tyranid was in pain from the carving necessary to scoop out what was left of the angels. She could hear it all. The confusion, the rage, the anxiety. So many thoughts and concerns flooded the hivemind, pondering as to how they would leave this situation. Every second that went by, the angels were more likely to be devoured even more by the acid. The stakes were in, and they went all in.
Charlie reported the situation to Phenax's staff, who responded swiftly to the news. Legions of demons moved to remove the angels from their captivity surgically, although they would switch to more brutal methods if the situation called for it. He said they would have no further access to numbing drugs, he would still provide whatever manpower was necessary to handle this zoo. Though the Ars Goetia was quite miffed at the events unraveling, he understood their importance. Without the angels, they will not have a chance in Hell to keep these animals contained. Hopefully, his coffers can survive these beast's stomachs.
"Charlie, what's going on? Why are they dying?! I THOUGHT ONLY ANGELIC WEAPONS COULD KILL THEM!!" "AH-Vag-Vaggie, please, not so loud. I already have hundreds of voices to sift through." Vagatha is taken aback by this reminder, and gives her beloved the peace she needs to focus through the web of thoughts to try and soothe the fears of millions of souls trying to deal with intense stomach cramps. In this connection, Charlie is more or less separated from the outside world, sitting down as her mind raced to keep everyone calm and collected. So many voices, so little time. Serenity makes use of the limited anesthetic available, and injects a dose of the neutralizing drug into its neck. The creature stumbles onto its side and its exposed stomach allows the angel to grab the nearest object and lift it to rescue her sister in faith. However, Vagatha holds the hand lifted to inflict harm on the beast, and hands her friend a miniature saw. It wasn't a chainsaw, one used to flail around violently. Rather, it was a medical item, designed to make slow cuts and efficient removals. The tool certainly had a sharper look than the Earth equivalent, though it was strangely appropriate for this animal's hide. No words were spoken, as Serenity felt no need to say anything. But as the blood soaked the floor deeper, the need to reconnect with her former best friend became too great to leave untouched. "So…how long have you…you know?" "Scalpel. For a few years now, I can't believe she would give me the strength to get back on my feet." The women were disgusted at the sight of a strange organ sticking out as their search traversed deeper into the beast's abdomen. It had chambers like a heart, but it was…inactive. Like a backup engine to a car, when the first one went out. How strange, that this creature had passive parts that took up space that could have been better given to a better heart, thus removing the need for a second heart. Evolution is a strange process to behold. "You have no idea how long I cried, thinking the worst of what could have happened to you. It's good to-" As their skin became even more drenched in green and…pulsating blood, they could hear….crying. The angel is still in there but in incredible pain.
Serenity heard this crying and began to dig faster. This lack of concern for the Tyranid caused it to bleed profoundly, forcing it to awaken faster. Vaggie is attempting to help her long lost friend come to her senses. "Serenity, if you could be a little more gentle with the creatures we're cutting into, that would go a long-" "I'M NOT SHOWING THESE MONSTERS MERCY!!" The
angel tried desperately to dig through the alien's organs, hoping that her sister in faith could be saved. But the harder she dug through the flesh of this beast, the harder it resisted. As the creature began to move, Vaggie could see the shaking causing the angel to shift deeper into the creature's body. Vagatha sees this and turns to the Goetia servant. "Give me 20 liters of Halothane, stat!" The imp dases through the labyrinth, as Serenity pays no attention to what her friend is doing at this time. Buckets of blood kept flying out as the angel kept digging deeper until a roar echoed in the cell. Serenity is taken aback as the beast stands on its legs, the hole they worked hard to open begins to heal. All her struggle, again failing her today.
Thinkin combat was now unavoidable, she is taken aback to see Vagatha attempting to console this animal. HEr hand extended appeared to give the impression that she was not seeking to harm. In response, the dinosaur slowly approached Vaggie, stepping further away from Serenity. "You're hurting, I see your pain." "The stomach ruptures, the meal escapes." The way it speaks was spine-chilling. Alive, yet alien. "It's a person. A living being, like you. She told you about this." "The Charlie." "Yes, and she has every right to live as you do." This creature then turned to Serenity, the main cause of its agony, wondering how to respond to her poor treatment. Vagatha slowly placed her hand on "She'll be more careful. You have my word." The beast then lays back down, in time for the imp to come in and dispense one of the containers with the halothane into its bloodstream. "The Charlie…trusts you. We trust…the Charlie." Smiling at the news that the Tyranids were compliant enough for the operations to continue, Vaggie took out the scalpel and slowly removed the skin in the way of the stomach. Within the weaknesses of the carapace, the fallen angel found many ways for the blade to cut into without threatening to break the tool. After seconds of careful incision, she removed the covering like a slice of pizza. Serenity was still coming to terms with the events that had taken effect within the last minute. "How did you…do that?" "Oh, just keeping in mind the frame of this guy, and cross referencing-" "No, not that-well, that too, but talking…to this...thing. It…it talked."
"Of course, it talked. They're alive." "Oh, like you knew that when they showed up." Vaggie rolled her eyes at details that were not important at this time. So she responded accordingly. "Callarse la boca." Hearing Agatha speaking in her native tongue made Serenity feel nostalgic. So she decided to re-spark some lost memories. "Hazme, Vata." Vaggie's eyes lit up, knowing her friend was trying to goad her. "estómago ligero!" "boca seca!" "cofre pequeño!" The bantering of how the former prostitutes would adapt to the oppressive nature of their cartel was quite an accomplishment, and distracting given the precise amount of attention necessary for surgery.
Coughing tells the two all they need to know of this one's survival. Her flesh reforms at slowed speeds, telling Serenity she was in that…guy's stomach-ugh! It was not something she was used to saying now. But she recognized a face that she was used to: Esme, an ally she only knew from association. To her, Esme being was enough. But Serenity recognized something else: Esme was naked, only covered in the green blood of these aliens. A moment of curiosity leaked into the angel's mind as she discovered "Heh. You look as cute as ever, Serie." Serenity began to blush at the mention of her beauty by the only person that mattered to her in the physical world.
Vaggie made a request for some blankets for cover and warmth, ensuring Esme that she was in good hands. Serenity was starting to get comfortable with hell and the initiation to save the angels in here. Perhaps she could rest now, heaven knows she n-a scream in the distance! The crew was stunned at the sound, except for Serenity. She dashed through the halls of the maze, going back and forth, opening door and door until she found a strange dinosaur fighting an escaped angel. The celestial's body was expectedly damaged and desperately trying to buy enough time to regenerate from her intensive wounds. There were not enough distinguishable features for Serenity to make out just who this warrior was, but the exact opposite was true for the beast.
The creature was red, with a black carapace. The back was hunched back, with fumes at the sides suggesting a unique export of unusable gasses. It stood on two hooved appendages that for the life of her, Serenity could not call feet. They were too jagged, too focused for combat. At the front were a pair of pincers, in front of two scythe like blades, ready to stab and cut any and all opponents in its way, as evident in the angel in front of it. And most disturbing was the small skull, and the fact that it's mouth was half of it. If the more T-Rex was barely able to follow through with holding still for the closest thing to a pregnancy, Serenity couldn't imagine this monster was capable of even the most basic concepts such as empathy for those weaker than it.
She picked up a broom, knowing it would hardly injure a creature with such a build. No, it was to make her look built for combat herself, give the monster a threat to attack rather than the angel incapable at defending herself properly. The pincers break through the wall plate removed to protect the victim from death marching through her door. As the creature ripped through the cover, Serenity managed to land a blow into one of its eyes, forcing it to go into a mindless frenzy. "RUN!" ran through the angel's ear, as the repairing frail legs dashed away from the threat. Serenity stood her ground with only half a broom, as the beast broke the other half from its skull and roared defiantly. This was it, Serenity lived a good life, and was willing to give it to save someone else and ensure they live even a little longer. This was the way of a righteous person, to stand between impending doom and an innocent bystander. The angel she wished she had.
But just as she was ready to charge in, the creature folds it appendages inward and entered a more docile state. Serenity looked around, knowing she couldn't be the reason it was backing off. She turned to behind her, seeing Charlie slowly walking towards it. Serenity couldn't hear a word from either of them, and yet…somehow she knew they were talking. A ham was given to the monster, which was devoured in seconds. It was a relief that this happened, but to her it didn't feel right. They did so much to hurt them. Charlie looked back and attended to her guest after ensuring Grazo was docile.
"You have every right to be angry at the situation, but you're not alone. These guys were from a place where there's only war. So they are used to solving their problems with violence. We need to be more considerate of them." The utter nerve of this princess, to assume she was not being merciful. The fact that this creature was still breathing is a testament to this. "THEY ATE US!"
The aggression in Serenity's voice took back the demon, so she tried another way to explain it. "I know your pain. It's tough to see a monster tearing through your expectations , throwing all your hopes into the fire along with the lives of those you have come to appreciate. They are special in their own way. And yet, a force beyond your ability to stop or even alter comes down and ends so many, right then and there. Truly, a tragedy beyond words."
Serenity hears the speech Charlie seems to have put her heart onto…and sits on the floor. She was no doubt referencing the "We're supposed to kill the bad guys! Hell's supposed to be the bad place, where the killers and rapists go!" Charlie saw an opportunity to embed a seed of change, and decided to take it. "There is far more than just those guys here. Hell has more than just those people. There are thieves, liars, those who committed suicide. There are those who disrespected their parents, that were lazy, that were too proud of themselves, that regularly used pornography, and possibly the most unrecognized and alienated group…atheists."
A few of these items of sin made sense, but the last one struck out. "Wait, atheists? You mean those ignorant enough to hate God and his-?" "No no no, that's a wild misconception. Atheists don't hate God. They don't believe he exists." This hurt Serenity's heart. So many people were oblivious to the fact that OBVIOUSLY creation demands a creator. When her faith in God was the second thing keeping her sane in the cartel, this fact that others deny his very existence was revolting. "But how could a painting exist without-?" "A painter? How do you know it's painted? Does it look like a canvas? Is there some watermark to identify who made it? Anything in the painting that could not possibly exist in an unpainted world? Is there a wall that the painting is hanging off of, or an easel that it's resting on? If the universe is a painting, how are humans supposed to know that?"
Serenity was less focused on the philosophical debate in front of her, and more concerned with the survival of her sisters. But as she moved to get up, she sees one of them in a towel being escorted out by two imps ensuring she walks towards the exit safely. "Don't worry, Phenax's forces are doing their jobs. The operations so far are mostly successful, and several angels are being pulled out as we speak." "And the ones that aren't?" From Charlie's face, Serenity could see the truth. She knows not how, but it was as if the princess was tapping into the minds of all those dinosaurs. "There was nothing we could have done." Serenity wanted to fight. She wanted to scream and tear all these bastards apat and leave them stranded in hell for new creative punishments. But for all her rage…she knew better.
"What now?" Charlie chuckled, looking at the bug as it layed down and rested again. "Now, we do what we can to improve the situation. You probably know there's a lot to change about Hell if we want to maintain a good relationship with the Tyranids." "What? how?" The angel's head turned towards the alien, only to notice it was slowly crawling towards it like a dog this whole time. Charlie pets it, giving it the satisfaction it wanted. Perhaps…these guys could learn how to live with humans. Maybe…she could see some of those people in heaven; provided they learn how to maintain their diets. Slowly, Serenity also places her hand on it, resting it on its faceplate. The way it…purred? It was the only way she could comprehend it…it was adorable. She sees
potential in these creatures, and wants to assist in anyway she could. The way Charlie looked at her showed her the devotion she has for them was just as strong."So…you want to help us?"
"What do you need?"