Chapter 16:

A 2 sided coin

The silence was almost deafening, only periodically broken by the ticking of a nearby grandfather clock as its pendulum swung rhythmically from left to right, causing Vallery to tense up as she sat on a sofa in the hazbin hotel's resident therapist, Emily's office, awaiting the arrival of this "Sera"

She'd periodically clamp her teeth together when she'd feel the familiar tugging of her unwelcome mental passenger pluck at the edges of her psyche, but with whatever willpower she had, she would push Ink down as she sat there….waiting….

The sound of the doorknob being twisted would cause her to jolt as the door slowly opened, Charlie's head sticking through the opening "Sera should be here any minute now" as the princess fully emerged and sat down next to her "…..nervous?"

Fidgeting with the hem of her dress, Vallery gave a short, quick nod "That'd be putting it lightly…..Ink's not happy….she's gnawing at the edges of my mind…."

Charlie would sit perpendicular from her as she placed her hands on those of Vallery "Ok, Vallery, I want you to look at me and repeat after me, ok?"

She'd nod as the princess began to take slow, deep breaths through her nose, eyes closed.

Vallery would follow suit, before, after holding it for a bit, Charlie slowly breathed out through her mouth.

Vallery followed Charlie's instructions as she managed to ground herself before the demon belle spoke "It's a breathing exercise we learned from Angel Dust, it can help center yourself"

Shortly after this, Vaggie would peek her head inside "She's here, you ready, Vallery?"

Giving her an uncomfortable smile, the fox sinner nodded "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose"

The fallen angel gave her a firm, understanding nod before she'd once again disappear through the door, Charlie following her, before Vallery was able to hear the 2 of them talk to someone on the other side of the door.

A few minutes later and the door slowly opened as a tall, slender figure ducked its way inside, and as she rose to her full height, Vallery was able to take it all in.

The large, 6 wings emerging from her back, the halo almost resembling a tiara or crown, her mocha skin, hair as white as snow, her piercing blue eyes…..this woman was gorgeous…

"Greetings, mortal soul…be not afraid….my name is Sera, I am the high seraphim overseeing the heavenly realm and its people" as the tall angelic woman gave a polite bow with her head, before strolling up to the nearby office chair, using what seemed like angelic magic to shrink herself down to a more manageable height and sitting down.

"You are the one calling herself "Vallery Lavender", correct?" as with a wave of her hand, a golden quill and scroll manifested, as it unrolled and the tall angel began to take notes.

Vallery just sat there, staring at the tall angel "ive…..seen you before…..". This caused Sera to raise her gaze in surprise to meet Vallery's "what do you mean?"

"Ink tried to come on to you, hasn't she?"

Sera widened her eyes in surprise "How did you…" before she realized something "You were….aware of that?"

The sinner woman just nodded "You also visited her at the club she sings at"

Sera slowly got up as she approached the shorter woman with wide eyes "Have….have you been aware….this entire time?"

Vallery lowered her gaze as she slowly nodded "I saw everything she did…." Before shuddering "…."everything"….."

Staring at the girl before her, Sera would mumble under her breath "…..it can't be…." To which Vallery looked up curiously "Can't be what?"

Taking a deep breath to recompose herself, Sera gestured to the sofa the woman was sitting on "Would you be so kind to lay down for me? On your back, and close your eyes, I need to run some tests"

Nodding, Vallery did as instructed and not long after, Sera's hand would glow with a golden energy as she hovered it over the girl, almost as if scanning for something "….in all my years…"

..

..

It was about an hour and a half before the door to Emily's office opened and Sera gestured for Charlie and Vaggie to enter, as by now, they were joined by the angelic arms dealer, Carmilla Carmine.

Once the 3 of them were seated on nearby chairs, Charlie piped up "So…were you able to find out anything?"

Sera sat behind Emily's desk, fingers slotted together, elbows leaning on the desk's hard, wooden surface, eyes closed in deep thought as her brow furrowed in concern, before finally opening her eyes and looking Charlie in the eye from over her hands "What I found was…concerning…." Catching both the princess and her partner's attention, as well as causing Vallery to rubberneck into Sera's direction in shock.

Just as Charlie wanted to speak up, Sera continued "She doesn't just host 2 souls….but both these souls…..originate from the same mind….it seemed that she had suppressed her dark urges for so long, her soul literally split in 2…..became 2 separate beings…..2 halves of a whole….2 different sides of the same coin"

To this, Vaggie piped up "Like Vallery is doctor Jekyll….and Ink is her own Miss Hyde…." To which Sera nodded firmly "It's the most apt way to describe it"

Vallery threw her hands up in frustration "Oh great, so I'm insane?"

Sera sighed "It's not that simple, Vallery, you and Ink are 2 separate entities, ….BUT you are stuck together in the same body"

"But if both of them sprang from the same mind, how come Ink has been in control for so long? Doesn't that mean they should have equal share of the body and its power? I mean, if Ink is an overlord, shouldn't Vallery be too?"

Carmilla, who, until now had remained quiet, stood up as she spoke "I believe I might have an old friend who might be able to help us with that" as she smiled.

"Who might that be?" Sera would raise a curious brow.

Carmilla smiled.

"The oldest overlord hell has to offer…..my dear old friend Zestial….if there's anyone who knows all about being an overlord, who can help us, it's him"

..

..

Having returned to her room in the hotel, Vallery laid on her back as she stared at the ceiling, letting the information from the day before sink in….her soul….split in 2…..it makes sense now…..

And yet, this revelation brought with it more questions than answers.

Soon, it wouldn't matter anyway, she may finally get more answers "Let's hope this Zestial knows more" she mumbled to herself….

That was until she heard it…a ing from the hotel room's on suite bathroom….

That eerie….skin crawling chuckle…..she knew that laugh….

Slowly getting up, she'd unplug a nearby desk lamp and brandished it as an improvised weapon as she slowly approached the bathroom door.

Pushing the door open gently and peering inside, she breathed a sigh of relief when the bathroom was as empty as ever.

About ready to turn back around and return to her thoughts, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she suddenly heard it "…oh Vallery…..oh you sweet, innocent little lamb….you really think you can keep me trapped inside your mind forever?"

Her posture tense, Vallery slowly turned back towards the bathroom, and as her gaze settled on the mirror….her reflection began to elongate and warp….as it began to smile….

"I'm claiming my life back, Ink" she spat out through gritted teeth "I won't let you get away with this"

As the form of the spider overlord finally settled in her reflection, Ink just rolled her eyes with a condescending smile "Oh you poor, simple fool, but I already have…..do you really think I'll ever set you free?" as she threw her head back and laughed, a laugh that went through bone and marrow, a shrill sound that send shivers across the spine.

"If you do….oh I'm sad to say little one….You will NEVER be rid of me, dear sister….we are 2 sides of the same coin, you and I"

"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!" Vallery would scream angrily into her mirror, to which Ink just chuckled in a mocking tone.

" And yet, it is YOUR very darkest impulses that brought me into existence….dear sister….i am that which you try to hide from at night when you rest your head" as the reflection began to claw at the other side of the mirror "….when you drift off to the dreamy realm where I cannot tread"

Vallery turned away from her eerie reflection "No…you're nothing but a bad memory….a bad dream"

"A bad dream? YOOHOHOhoho….oh no, dear sister…I am real….VERY real…I am the monster in your dreams, THE NIGHTMARE THAT GOES ON FOREVER! Face it, dear sister, I am your deepest, darkest impulses manifest, I AM AND FOREVER WILL BE A PART OF YOU…just as much as you are a part of me"

Clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white and squinting her eyes shut, Vallery had heard enough, as she reached for a nearby towel rack, pulled one of the fluffy towels off and threw it over the mirror before walking away "I WILL be rid of you, Ink….one way or another….i won't let you torture anyone ever again…."

Before the eerie voice of the spider demoness fully vanished again, Vallery was able to hear her one last time…

"Alright, "dear sister" ….if that's what you want to believe…..but that little amulet can't save you…i WILL be free once again….it's only a matter of time…"