"So you've been playing 40k and doing some confession circles huh?" Vortex inquired as they stood in the room.
Brief nodded. "Yep. It's been a blast teaching them about the lore and how to make the figurines. Charlie can do it with a snap of her fingers! I got everyone working on it here!"
"Like who? Even the Princess?" Loona asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Yeah. She loves the Tau, actually." Brief said, chuckling at Vortex' supressed wince. "Oh, and we dressed up too. That was nice." He sighed, looking up as he felt his stomach rumble a bit. Nebula, who had sat with her boyfriend, perked up immediately. "Oops! 'Scuse me."
"Did you eat at all yet?"
"Ummm, no. Haven't had dinner ye-" Brief began to say before being shushed by Nebula.
"Let's go find that Princess and tell her to stuff you up good. You're practically wasting away here honey!" The motherly hellhound exclaimed, getting to her feet.
"I-It's fine, really. I had breakfast today and I don't really–"
"Well, this is a hotel. They better serve the fixin's!" Nebula marched to the door, then paused. "Oh uhhh, how are we going to explain us… being here?"
"Oh. Yeah." Loona winced, rubbing her arm. "Intruding on the Royal Princess' turf… that doesn't sound good…"
"Oh, Charlie's really nice! Let me go and get her." The red haired boy got up and trotted the door, opening it.
Right to reveal a beaming Charlie Magne who was about to open it. "Oh! Heeeey Brief and-Oh wow!" She exclaimed, and Vortex and Nebula turned around looking bashful, while Loona's eyes were wide. "I see have more guests! Funny, I didn't see them come in."
She had a look in her eye that he… couldn't quite nail down.
"Ummm, just… recently." Brief said. "They… see, they didn't want to bother you, and you were so busy I didn't–"
"Princess Charlotte?" Loona spoke up, holding the grimoire in her hands as Charlie turned, the shorter blonde looked silver haired hound up and down. "H-Hi, we got here because of me. Brief didn't call us or anything we… we just wanted to check on him so… I used some connections, a little spell and… here we are." She confessed as Brief blinked. "If we messed up anything, sorry for the trouble, your highness."
"Is that a Goetia grimoire? Those are some pretty heavy connections!" Charlie said, playfully, stepping up and extending her hand. "Oh, where are my manners! I'm Charlie, Charlie Mange, owner and proprietor of the Happy Hotel! And you are?"
"L-Loona. My name is Loona." She admitted as Charlie held out her hand, much to the taller girl's surprise. "Your Highness."
"Please, call me Charlie. And it's nice to meet you Loona." The hound girl took it, and they shook lightly. "And it was no bother, just next time you portal in, do so in the lobby. Gotta register all guests in the logbook." Charle laughed, while Loona looked at Vortex and Nebula, who simply shrugged. "Paperwork. You know how it is."
The three hellhounds stood in awkward silence. Even Nebula and Vortex with their prior experience with the Princess of Hell were having trouble reconciling her sweetnatured politeness with her pedigree. For her part, Loona was skeptical, but her time with Stolas had softened her to the idea that Demon Royals were fully capable of genuine kindness. Still, no one in Hell could be as nice as this 'Charlie' seemed.
"So… not that I was eavesdropping or anything, but did I hear something about dinner?" Charlie said, breaking the awkward silence. "I can have the cooks whip up something really tasty! What are you feeling like tonight, Brief?"
"Well… I like pizza. And burgers and tacos and… Easy stuff, I guess." The boy admitted. "Nothing fancy."
"Well you're in luck!" Charlie said, snapping her fingers and winking. "Angel Dust is in the kitchen tonight and he-"
"Angel Dust the Porn Star is here?!" Loona exclaimed, glancing at Brief. "Is that, like, appropriate?"
Brief blinked and took a deep breath. This past hour felt like it was both moving way too fast and taking a small eternity. "Who? Anthony? Nah, he's cool." He smiled back at Charlie. "A friend, even."
Brief could tell from the lack of surprise twinged with relief in Charlie's eyes that she knew a lot more than she was letting on. Did she know about Angel Dust's attempt earlier? About his and Anthony's reconciliation? And what about the portal? Did she notice that too? So many questions.
His belly clenched and rumbled. 'I can't eat answers, dipshit! FEED ME!'
Fair enough. "And he's Italian! I bet nobody knows pizza better than him!"
"Well, why don't we ask him for any specialties then?" Charlie chirped, taking Brief by the arm and escorting him out of the room.
Loona's ear twitched at the sudden and easy contact.
"I'll help." Nebula chimed in as Vortex perked up.
"Babe, you just got back from a week in Gluttony. You really want to go back into the kitchen again?" He asked as Nebula looked back and leaned up, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"I'll be fine. Besides, it's dinner for us all. I'll cook you up the super meaty stuff, Tex~" She purred as she scratched beneath his chin, as Vortex bit his lower lip and let out a husky growl.
"The more the merrier!" Charlie beamed, stepping to the side to let the plump and curvy hellhound through, Vortex following from behind.
"So, ummm, what about you Loona?" Brief asked, and he wasn't sure why. The answer just… spilled out as Loona perked up.
"Umm, what?"
"Yeah. I mean, I know what I like. But you're a guest here too for now. What would you like? Maybe I can ask Miss Charlie to pass it along for ya." Brief smiled brightly.
Loona blinked, clutching the grimoire… her tail gave the briefest of wags.
"I… I like, uh, anything." Loona muttered, rubbing her neck. "I'm kinda… an open mind when it comes to, like, food."
Brief blinked, then smiled. "Okay cool. You sure though?"
Loona looked to the side, taking a deep breath. "Pizza."
"Great!" Charlie clapped her hands together. "Now let's go down and get some grub!"
(X)
Husk let out a sigh as he set down the bottle, eyes back on his phone as he looked out at the barren lobby. His bar was only tended to during the night hours, and he saw Angel Dust walk towards the kitchen several minutes ago. To do what? Get white girl wasted on cooking wine? Again? And that wasn't the only odd thing to perk his interest. 'Walk' was the key word, not strut like the back-alley hooer he was. Instead his stride was clipped, reserved, and quick, like he didn't want to be noticed. Wonder what got him to act normal for once in his life?
"Okay, come on down, this way to the kitchen!" Chimed the ever perky Charlie as she led a group of hellhounds and the human.
Wait, hellhounds? When did those mutts show up? And how? He'd been behind the desk all day and it had seen less traffic than a nun's cooze! Did they sneak in? Pssh! That Grinning Gimp had the Hotel warded to the nines! No way they'd have gotten past him! So how…?
Husk raised the bottle of booze to his lips, studied it for a moment, and shrugged, taking another gulp. "Guess I'm just a shit doorman."
Husk set the bottle down again, wiping his lips as the motley crew set off towards the kitchen, his gaze narrowing at the human. Briefers Rock.
Sure, the war board game was a nice distraction from the monotony of things. Learning of the Warhammer Orks and their war-like culture and broken cockney English was amusing too.
Still didn't take the human off of his shitlist. The sooner he leaves the hotel, the faster the proverbial Damocles Sword that was Charlie's father or Lucifer-Adjacent beings would leave them be.
"Angel! Razzle, Dazzle! We're going to cook up pizza for our guests!" Charlie yelled out.
"Pizza ey! Oh don't you worry boutta a thing, toots. I already got the Bois here whippin' up my Ma's sauce recipe for margherita and marinara sauce! Don't matter what ya put 'em on, they'll knock your socks off and knock 'em up wit' a lil paisan!" Angel said, leaning out of the kitchen door, noticing the hellhounds. "Where'd Paw Patrol come from?"
Good question, and some fuckin' answers better be on the menu!
His ears perked up as scurrying sounded from within the vents. Seems like Niffty's hungry too, and not just for pies.
"Hnnngh." Husk got up, taking one big swig from his bottle before setting it down and marching over to the dining room where he saw the mutts from the other day take their seat.
"Oh hey, Husk! You hungry?" Charlie asked, turning around at him as his presence was noted. The Big Scarred Galoot narrowed his eye at him as his thicc bitch stared stoically at him. "Nebula here is going to show us how things are done in Gluttony!"
"I could eat." Husk sniffed, nodding at the hounds glaring at him. "More I was wonderin' where these mutts came in from. I didn't see 'em in the lobby, and if I got one job in this shitheap, I'm gonna do it."
"Who're you calling a mutt, furball?" The new one, a rather tall, pretty, silver-haired creature said, sitting next to Rock.
"I don't see other hydrant humpers 'round here." Husk uttered. "Christ on a crutch, we runnin' a pound now or some shit?"
"Now, now, let's be nice. Husk, they… sort of dropped in." Charlie chimed in. Husk quirked an eyebrow. "With magic."
Husk looked to the hounds and the brat, then back to Charlie and took a deep breath, clawed hand raking over his face in quiet dismay.
"You mean… we could have had Ozzie or any big league Demon King just… pop in, unannounced." Husk growled. "And you didn't even fucking consider this?!"
"Look, look, it's being taken care of, Husk! Trust me." Charlie assured, Brief sucking in his lips. "Alastor's going out to do some errands and toughen up the wards. I'll even help!"
"Still doesn't change the fact we could have been royally fucked just now if that brat's other secret admirers decided to visit!" Husk barked.
"Got a problem with that?" The white haired hound snarled, and Husk glared daggers at the growling hound.
"E-easy Loona, no harm no foul, right?" Rock said, wilting before the Sphinx Sinner's glare.
"I got a problem with all of yous. The sooner you can fix whatever fucking sin got you here, or better yet, shake off that meat suit and take a long walk-"
"-off a short pi–huh?"
He found himself out of the kitchen and back at his bar in the blink of an eye, Charlie at his side, smiling.
A very brittle, forced smile that didn't quite reach her red eyes, which were presently burning holes in his.
The memories of those times Alastor was mocked by his indebted chumps came roaring back, and Husk's anger snuffed like a candle in a blizzard, the buzz of his cheap gutrot sizzling away as his blood ran cold.
"Husk? Do you know there's this saying up on Earth?"
"Uhhh, what sayin', Chuck?" He asked.
"If you don't have anything nice to say." And she opened her eyes, and Husk instinctively took a step back as her normal eyes were gold with red in them. "Then don't say anything at all."
He found his mouth dry as he gulped. "U-Understood."
Sweet Christ, so this was Charlie when she's this pissed huh?
"Good. For now…" She sighed. "Keep your thoughts to yourself about Brief, okay? What you were about to say was this close to the mark."
Husk crossed his arms, turning away from her. "I was just sayin'–"
Charlie stared back at him. "I know what you meant."
She leveled one last crimson glare at him and was gone in a flash, back to the kitchen.
Husk blinked and leaned against the counter of his bar.
Redeem whatever got him here or…?
"Oh."
So, that's what got him down here…
"Ohhhh…" Husk groaned, shaking his head. "I'm an asshole."
Husk pulled out his special flash and took a hard swig. He'll wait to grab some leftovers when the dog party's over with. Or cook up a pretzel. Those always go good with booze.
(X)
Brief stared ahead as Angel and Yula set about getting the dough ready, pulling out ingredients and as the Goats stirred and sampled the sauces. Their chatter was amicable enough for him to tune out, his heart thudding in his chest, ears perked for harsh tones.
"Fucking cocksucking chicken winged Sinner," Loona growled, drawing his attention.
"Loona it's fine. He was just… nervous is all. Considering, yknow, who I am," Brief said as he looked to the side.
Loona scoffed, incredulously. But it was true. Brief didn't begrudge Husk one bit for his misgivings. Every second he was here, not just at the Hotel, but in Hell, was another second closer to actual fucking Judgement Day. Maybe he was right? Maybe, for the sake of Creation–
That mortifying line of thought was interrupted by a surge of sweetly perfumed air as Charlie did her Speedster thing, smiling like she'd just sat in something and didn't want anyone to notice.
"Hey! Sorry about that!" Charlie said, clearing her throat. "Just had to remind our doorman that client care is not within his scope of practice. It won't happen again!"
"He's your employee?" Loona asked as Charlie walked back into the room. "Should do a better job vetting your staff."
"He was, uh, a package deal with our primary investor…" The blonde admitted with a rub of his arm. "But don't worry, he won't be an issue. So! What's on the menu?"
"Pizza? Or do you mean toppings?" Brief inquired. "I'm not sure what's available."
"We already got started on the dough!" Nebula declared, rolling out a ball of dough as she twirled it in the air, all the motion making it very obvious that the busty hellhound neglected to wear a bra today. "Spinning dough is less about your arms and more about you shoulders and core, y'know!"
"Is that so…?" Brief muttered, staring as his eyes were glued to those massive mounds, much to the visible irritation of the other, slimmer hound.
"Oh, please I couldn't ask you to do all that, Miss Nebula!" Charlie interjected, impressed despite her objection. "You're a guest!"
"Babe's a cook down in Gluttony," Vortex stated, smirking. "Asking to stay outta the kitchen is like telling a succubus to wear a rubber."
"Razz, Dazz, them sauces smell ready. Go grab the tomatoes and basil" Angel poked his head out the door as Nebula sniffed the sauces, nodding approvingly.
"I'll get the rest of the dough ready. Care to grate the cheese there, honey?" Nebula asked.
"You bet your tits, I will." Angel winked.
"Never figured the top Porn Star in Hell could cook," Vortex mused.
"He cooks himself comfort food when he gets back after long nights at Valentino's Studio." Charlie said, sipping the sauce, smiling in delight. "Mmm! Always so good! And much more constructive than booze and drugs!"
For Loona she looked back and forth. The Princess of Hell making small talk with Tex of all people, and hell's top XXX Adult actor working on a pizza.
"So uhhh, Loona," Brief admitted as Loona looked down at him. "Got any… pizza preferences? Like what would you like on yours?"
"Pssh! Kid!" Angel scoffed, shaking his head. "On a traditional Neapolitana, yer options are sauce, cheese, basil, and tomato! Anythin' else is Yankee sacrilege! And this is from a New Yorker too by the way."
"Oh, what nonsense!" Nebula scoffed, reaching into the fridge and filling her arms with various meats and veggies. "It's your pizza, sweety. You can have anything you like on it!"
Angel blinked, putting down the block of mozzarella, his features tightening as he sucked his teeth. "Tch. Excuse you?"
"Oh boy, here we go," Vortex muttered, rolling his eye. "A traditionalist."
"You can't tell people what they can and can't put on pizza!" Nebula exclaimed, her hackles raising.
"Watch me, sister!"
"Uh, guys?" Charlie said, stepping between them. "If we could just maybe–"
"Pizza is a blank slate! Tabula rasa!" Nebula asserted, passionately. "Crafting the perfect, personalized pizza is an expression of individualism!"
"Yula, baby, maybe we could–" Tex began to say, hands out placatingly.
"Y'know, it's talk like that what made Rome fall!" Angel scoffed. "Yer individualism might as well be a slice a'pineapple on my people's heritage!"
"Oh yeah? Well, I like pineapple on pizza! Pineapple with anchovies!" Nebula growled, jabbing a thumb at herself before pointing to Angel. "What d'you think of that, paisan?"
A pause hung in the air, Loona's eyes darting back and forth between the hellhound and the Sinner. "Holy shit."
Angel's eyes narrowed as he growled, his many arms at the ready. "Oh, bitch best believe it's hammertime."
"Bring it, bugboi!" Nebula snarled in return. "I'm a line chef in Gluttony, I know how to carve a rump roast!"
"Intervention!" Brief cried out, leaping out between the two, arms spread as his hands were on Angel's slender stomach and Nebula's muffintop as he separated them. "I know how important it is for you to defend your heritage and stuff, but why not, uh, show us how it's done? You could use this side of the kitchen to make your traditional pizza. Away from, uh, contamination?" Brief turned to a bristling Nebula. "And Yula! You could take up the station behind the counter. Maybe even have all the toppings on display, let people pick and choose their own? Then we'll all compare and contrast, see who likes which better!"
Angel and Nebula glanced down at the tiny Human before looking back to one another, glaring.
"Ha! As if yer Frankenfood'll even compare!" Angel said, taking off for the other side of the kitchen. "You'll see! Viva Italiana! Trust me Brief, ya haven't lived without eating a true, perfect pizsa!"
"Food fascist!" Nebula called out after him, before turning back and smiling at Brief. "Wonderful idea, sweetie. Now, why don't you tell me what you like on your pies?"
Brief breathed a sigh of relief, noticing the bright smile on Charlie's face, clearly proud at how he defused the situation. "Three cheese with pepperoni, well-done."
"Coming right up!"
(X)
The Hazbins filtered in, each one glancing back and forth between the two retail options. Angel and Nebula had divvied up the dough, opting to make mini-pizzas so that each customer could get a custom and a traditional pie and compare the two. The orders made, the two chefs set off on the good-natured(?) competition.
Loona sat down next to Brief, scowling down the table at the boozy sphinx-demon, who returned the ugly look with his own and a bird. Still, that indignant anger he'd been sporting before seemed to have been doused, even if it was still very obvious he still wasn't wild about them being here.
'Charlotte must have read him the riot act…' Loona thought to herself, recalling what the prick had said. 'For her to lay down the law that hard, what he said must hit some kind of mark.'
She turned back to Brief, who was chatting idly with Vortex about… something. She listened in:
"Tau? Seriously?" Vortex said, chuckling.
"Yeah, I think she's just enamored with anyone espousing a 'Greater Good'," replied Brief, shrugging.
"She's in for a rude awakening when you fill her in on the lore."
"Yeah, I'll be getting around to that later," said Brief, pulling out his phone. "Turns out 40k isn't even a thing Down Here, so I hope I can remember all the finer points."
"I can snatch you up a few of the updated codices next time I'm Earth-side," Vortex offered. "A cliffnotes compendium sort of thing. Or I could just do a wiki-rip on a hard-drive."
"That would be great! Thanks, Tex!" Brief said, chuckling. "You should stick around and play when you drop it off."
"Sounds like a blast, kid."
"Who do you main, by the way?" Brief said, pulling out a notebook. "I main Ultramarines, but Salamanders are a close second."
"Salamanders when I'm feeling 'heroic'," said Vortex, smirking wolfishly. "The Thousand Sons when not."
"Oh, I wouldn't have guessed! But it makes sense, since–" Brief said, excitedly, the genuine smile on his face made Loona's heart flutter. It flickered a bit when he noticed her studying him. "Oh? Oh, Loona, I'm sorry, I kinda ramble when talking about my hobbies. I didn't mean to exclude you."
"Hey, it's fine. Nice to see you exited about something," she said, shrugging and pulling her chair closer to him. "So, uh, why don't you fill me in on this, uh, Warhammer thing?"
Brief beamed at the offer, pulling out his notebook and clearing his throat as Vortex smirked and rolled his eye, settling in for the deluge. "Okay, so…"
(X)
The Goat Bois bleated as they pushed the serving carts out of the kitchen, everyone's pizzas set in pairs. Niffty streaked around the table, setting down cups and napkins. Nebula and Angel joined them shortly after, washing their hands and strolling up in their flour and sauce stained aprons, watching intently as each of the patrons sampled their pies, first the traditional wares of the prickly Italian purists, and then the topping-laden custom orders of the experienced Gluttony Chef.
An anonymous poll was taken after the first few sample bites and… it was a tie.
"Are ya kiddin' me?!" Angel groused, throwing up his hands.
"I guess sometimes people just want to be told what to eat," Nebula grumbled.
"Yula…" Tex said, reproachfully, arching an eyebrow.
Nebula sighed and turned to Angel offering her hand. "But… a draw beats losing. Put 'er there, your sauce recipe is truly inspired."
"Ey? Ya think so?" Angel said, taken aback for a moment before taking her hand in his. "Eh, comin' from you, Nebula, that's sayin' somethin'! 'Sides, who am I to argue wit' democracy. S'why my family moved to the States after that prick Il Duce took over!"
"That was delicious! Thank you all so much." Brief espoused.
"Of course! Thank Angel and the twins," Charlie beamed, as Angel gave a light wave while Razzle and Dazzle nodded and preened under the praise. "They really got the ball rolling in a hurry!"
"Baaah!" Razzle bleated.
"Bah." Dazzle added after in affirmation.
"Not a problem. Felt nostalgic, cookin' up something my Uncle Gio would make. Owned a pizza parlor himself." Angel was wearing his normal attire plus an apron with a big heart on it. "Glad ya'll could enjoy. Oh, and we can't leave out Yula, here. Never seen nobody handle dough like she can!"
"Creative differences aside, that was a fun experience!" Nebula chuckled as she undid an apron a bit small on her rubenquse figure. "Making flat crust was an adventure. Most of my time down in Gluttony is making the loafs as big-as."
"Didn't think the cheese would have such blatant white spots." Loona mused, having cleared her plate as did everyone else, with Charlie getting up to collect them. "That a human thing?"
"Yeah, put the mozzarella down in big bunches on some pots and let it melt down, that's how Neopolitans and Margerittas are made." Angel smirked.
"There's pizza named after beverages?" Loona asked.
"I think?" Brief cocked his head, turning to Angel. "Angel?"
"Chick-egg," said Angel, shrugging. "Who knows? Howzabout you, kid? Which didja like better?"
"Oh, uh, well, I can't really say! We made the vote anonymous for a–"
"Ah bup bup!" Angel cut in, clapping a hand over the boy's mouth. "Ya don't gotta say a word! I already know, Rocko."
"Rahho?" Brief said under his muffled hand.
"Yeah, Rocko." Angel winked. "Or prefer Rocky?"
"Uhhhh… whichever js fine." Brief replied.
Charlie laughed awkwardly and she lightly shooed away the goat boys into the kitchen. "Soooo I hope you all enjoyed. So, know how to get back Loona?"
"Yeah, I got the book with me." Loona held up the tome she brought down. "I'll make a portal back to Vortex's place then I'll go to where my car is. Blitz is likely worried given its been a day and Stolas did his duties-" Suddenly her phone went off, and the silver haired hound reached into her pocket and looked down. "Speak of your dad Charlie." She drlyly commented, standing up and leaving her spot. "Hey Blitz."
"OH LOONIE THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" Loona moved the phone away from her ear, Blitzo's blubbering screaming making her flinch. "ARE YOU OKAY? DID STOLAS DIDDLE YOU BECAUSE IF HE DID-"
"Blitz." Loona sternly said, looking back as she saw Brief and Vortex converse a bit with Nebula, Charlie finishing clearing the table. "It's fine. I got the book back, I rested in the car inside Stolas' driveaway through the night." She lied. She's gonna MISS that comfy bed of his… "And nothing happened."
She heard a sigh of relief.
"Alright, that's good to hear Loona. There's some nasty traffic going from where that stuck up boney-ass Owl is from, so take whatever route's safest. Side streets, other highways, whichever."
"Yeah, you got it." Loona replied.
"you have no IDEA how worried I was I sent you dozens of text messages and I didn't even get a response and I ate all the ice cream in the freezer then I went to the gym and the shooting range but I couldn't take my MIND off of you…" He let out a sigh. "I'm glad you're okay…"
Loona winced. Jeez he was THAT worried? "Blitz, I'm fine." She assured. "I'll be home when I can."
"How soon?"
She looked back, seeing Brief and the Hounds stand up after their lunch. "Two hours, tops if the traffic's okay in the side streets."
"That's gonna be three because traffic never is…" Blitzo murmured. "Alright, just hurry on back. Love you Looney-tooney~"
"Later…" Loona groaned, hanging up and pocketing her phone. God he can be so clingy sometimes and cringe most of the time. She let out a sigh of frustration.
"Was that Blitzo? Your dad?" Brief asked, Loona looking back at him.
Oh yeah she told him a lot when she was drunk that one time.
"Yeeeah… I need to get home quick so, if you guys have anything left to do here you should do it ASAP." Loona took a deep breath. "I'm going outside to have a smoke." Need that buzz after hearing to Blitzo's simpering drivel. She's twenty-two for fucks sake not a toddler!
(X)
"Sure thing Loona, I'll see you guys soon." Brief mentioned with a wave.
"We're gonna wash up a lil ourselves." Nebula asked. "Come on babe."
"What?" Vortex asked.
"You always use the john whenever ya eat, out with the old and in with the new." Nebula mentioned, as Vortex looked to the side. "Besides, I wanna check out the royal bathrooms!" She trotted around as Vortex looked Brief's way and shrugged as the orange haired boy sighed and looked to Charlie.
"They're something else." He mentioned.
"They're a couple. They know each other's faults and strengths." Charlie said as she walked up to Brief as the boy stood up and walked past. "They are guests here. If they want to wash up, they're allowed to. I definitely have Niffty focus on those since well, we do technically live here." She chuckled.
"I can tell." Brief replied as they walked out of the dining room and towards the balcony. Brief paused, looking at the door.
"Something wrong?" Charlie asked.
"Well… is it okay for me to, well, be outside?" Brief asked. "Like, I know the Hotel is safe, and the balcony there is a part of it but… I would still be technically, outside. Get some fresh air."
"We're a good distance away from the city proper." Charlie went up to him, opening the door and Brief saw it all. The dark-red skyline of Pentagram City, with said pentagram hanging high in the sky. It seemed to stretch on forever, reminding him of Daten City.
He can hear the horns, and the distinct sound of crashes and… cannon fire?
"Don't mind the ambiance. That's just the usual turf wars going on. They won't come close to us." Charlie said as she joined him as Brief took in a deep breath.
The air was akin to Daten and Oten. Not clear. But its still air as he leaned on the railing.
What he could give for fresh air and clear skies.
"This is all so surreal… And this is from someone who has fought the undead before too." Brief mused aloud. "And fought against fallen Angels and Demons and corrupted spirits…" He sighed.
A literal Heaven and Hell existing. He knew of that given the Anarchy and Demon Sisters and their origins. Yet to be in one of those exact locals while still… alive. His soul still attached.
"I can't imagine. I bet on Earth it must be so peaceful." Charlie mused.
"Not really. We have our crazy politicians bickering with each other and wars being fought all over the world… I just didn't think it would be expaserated like, times ten down here." Brief mused. "Then again, it is Hell."
"Yep. And it's Home." Charlie added. "See up there?" She said, as Brief followed her gaze, looking into the sky. Past the blazing red Pentagram that seemed to take up the entire sky above, and through the starry cosmos, was a bright white planet with a ring around it not akin to Saturn's rings. But it was golden, with light. Like a halo.
"Is that…" Brief mused.
"Yep. Heaven." Charlie finished. "The place where I'm trying to get people to go. To be redeemed down here."
"So… when a person is redeemed, is there like a giant elevator or escalator or does Heaven send down some kind of space shuttle?" Brief asked. Charlie chuckled, her eyes rue and wry as she rubbed her arm.
"Hehe,Not really." She awkwardly admitted. " It's a… work in progress on my end. You and Angel are my first two guests here." Charlie admitted as Brief rubbed his arm.
"Guess we'll be first if this works then." Brief added, looking out beyond the vale and towards the city.
"That it will!" Charlie beamed, keeping that chipper attitude as Brief looked to her and sighed.
"And if I do get redeemed… it'd mean I'd have to leave here." Brief mused. "Like, I get it. Hell's bad. I almost got jumped and cannabilized when I first came here. Had to hide in a trunk not to be passed around like a blunt by succubi. Had to hide from a bunch of Hellhounds but… I met…"
He paused, his thoughts going to Vortex and Nebula who gave him safe shelter when they didn't have to. To Anthony who helped him release some much needed stress and anger towards his father.
And to Loona.
"I met so many nice people here. Tex. Yula. Anthony." Brief mused, ignoring the smell of smoke. It likely came from the city itself. "you guys," He looked over to Charlie who had a warm smile on her face. "And Loona…" He paused.
"I have met the nicest people in my life… and all it took was for me to almost kill myself and go down to Hell fighting off a BDSM demon…" Brief mused. "After I saved the world and… drifted from the people I knew on Earth." He took a deep breath, and buried his head in his arms.
"My life's a fucking mess."
"It was." He felt a hand on his shoulder, seeing Charlie smile at him, her red eyes so full of warmth and compassion. "But look at you. You're making friends here. You're getting better Brief. I just know it."
"Yeah… but I'm not redeemed yet." He mused, looking down at the ground. "Doubt Heaven would want a friendless loser like me." He let out a chuckle. "Can't believe I'm making those friendships… in Hell of all places too."
"Did you… not have many friends back on Earth?" Charlie asked.
"Nah. I was the super rich kid, son of the most cutthroat businessmen in America sent to a normal high school, not one of the pristine private ones, but the one with the cafeteria food that made you question if you lived in a prison." Brief mused. "No one wanted to do with me out of fear of my father, any who did was asking for money… And then life at home well… my Dad is, as Anthony helped me out, is a cunt." He looked up to the sky.
"Well… what about your mom?" Charlie asked in concern.
"Died when I was born… heard my dad plucked me right out of her arms too." Brief shook his head. "Never got to meet her…"
He felt her hand on his shoulder again. "Well… I can relate, a bit." Charlie winced. "I didn't have many friends back when I was in high school too."
"High school sucks, doesn't it." Brief mused.
"It does… but it is… important. For dealing with crappy people. Had my first break up back then." Charlie mused. "No one really wanted to hang out with me, well, due to fear of my own father too. You know, being the daughter of the Devil and all." Brief was silent, looking her way. "So I got by, went through a goth phase to try and fit in with an Alt Rock group once, realized how much time I was wasting and whenever I saw the Exterminations taking place I knew I had to do something." Charlie mused. "That's where I found my calling."
"Your calling huh…" Brief sighed. "Helping sinners redeem themselves?"
"you bet." Charlie nodded as Brief smiled back at her.
"Wait." He blinked. "You went through a Goth Phase?" Charlie rubbed the back of her head.
"Yeaaah… part of me wanted to fit in with that rock band, other part wanted to stick it to my dad but… he wound up liking it and called me adorable so the phase came and went-ish." Charlie waved her hand a bit.
"Wonder if I'll go through a phase." Brief muttered.
"You are." Charlie said as Brief turned, eyebrow raised. "The Phase of Redemption and Friendship."
…
Brief smiled…
It was massively corny but…
It was nice.
"Thanks Charlie." The blonde Princess of Hell ruffled his head.
"Don't mention it. Let's go check in on Vortex and the others. You want to say goodbye to Loona, right?"
"Definitely!" Brief beamed, the thought fo the sivler haired hound making him forget his troubles as he wlaked back inside.
(X)
Down below, Loona leaned against the wall, smoking on her cigarette as she processed what she just heard.
Brief had no friends. Isolated due to his status and blood. And he had helped save the world? How was that possible? And he had a shitty dad. A really shitty dad if he just… plucked his only child out of his dying mother's arms and isolated him in high school. And she remembered seeing his house, he lived in a fucking Goetia-like Palace in that city, Daten City if she remembered.
She exhaled some smoke, looking to the ground. The portal didn't work. She can't even go anywhere close to Asmodeus considering his succubi legions go to Earth with those crystals.
Was his only way out using Princess Charlotte's method? Which, by the Princess' own admission, hasn't even been proven to work?
Was he condemned to live in this literal hellhole? With no possibility of leaving or redeeming himself?
Then again, he would be with his first ever friends.
But he's human, his soul still mortal in the eyes of Big G. He doesn't belong.
Yet still…
She took the cigarette out of her lips and exhaled again.
Fuck why was she thinking so hard about this. Why did the idea of helping that jumpsuit wearing dweeb take up much of her brainspace now?
Because he listened to her spill her heart out after one of her more miserable benders.
Because he didn't so much as take advantage of her once, being considerate and kind. A rarity here in Hell.
He listened.
And he cared.
…
What the hell can she do?
She Finished her drag, stomping out the deathstick and walking back inside as she saw the group gather in the front lobby. She gave a sideways glare towards the sphinx sinner, Husk, who was at the bar as he was tending to cleaning glasses. He gave a glare back and Loona focused back on the group.
"Alright, thank you all so much for, well, dropping by." Brief admitted.
"Not a problem." Vortex waved. "Thank Loona here. She was the one who made this possible." He gestured, the muscular hound looking her way.
"Uhh, yeah. No problem." Loona admitted, looking to the side. "So uhhh… since we can't do phones and well, Imp City is too far away and all uhhh."
"Should we what?" Brief asked.
"I dunno." Loona shrugged. "Hang out?" Brief blinked.
"Well. I'm down for that. Heck, I'd be happy to, ummm, watch some movies too. But considering your job, you're a lot busier than me."
"And you have your whole therapy thing too…" Loona mused.
"I'll keep my door open." Brief nodded. "You're welcome here anytime."
…
"Thanks. It was fun dude." Loona said.
"Yeah, it was… Maybe… you can bring over movies and stuff?" Brief suggested. "Hey Charlie! Can we do movie night!"
"We could!" Charlied poked her head around the corner. "But we will need to time it with Alastor's Overlord meetings. Him and video mediums mix like oil and water, haha." She slinked back, no doubt talking with Vortex and Nebula again as Loona hefted the grimoire.
"Alrighty. So… see ya around Brief?"
"See you around, Loona." Brief smiled, and Loona could see it through those bangs. Those entrancing emerald eyes of his.
She offered a fist, and he bumped it with her's as Loona smiled, doing her best to quell the rush going to her cheeks as she walked off, tail wagging.
She got back to Vortex and Nebula. "Charlie, thanks. Sorry for the intrusion."
"Not at all. You're welcome anytime. Just, use the lobby next time." She gesutred to the wide open space. Loona looked around, the and the hound committed it to the memory with a sniff.
"Got it." With Grimoire in hand, she pictured Vortex's home and conjured the portal.
"Bye sweetie! We'll be back soon!" Nebula chimed, hopping on through.
"Later lildude." Vortex winked, stepping through as Loona followed and she looked back, seeing Brief and Charlie wave back.
She smiled, one last glance at Brief before closing the portal and exhaled.
Back in Vortex' living room.
"Well, I better be going." Loona said.
"See ya 'round. And hey, we got bowling next week." Vortex made a phone gesture to his ears. "Gimme a ring if you wanna come."
"And it won't be as jampacked as this one. Just more close knit." Nebula had her arm wrapped around her boyfriend's waist as she smiled back at the silver haired hound.
Loona felt… something blossom.
"Y-Yeah, I can do that. Thanks." Loona beamed, nodding as she conjured her portal, Stolas' estate right on the other side as she made her through. "See ya!"
"Bye Loona!" They waved back, and she closed it off and sighed. The IMP van and the Goetia manor before her. She got inside, grabbed the hand detergent she kept for Blitzo to keep clean and healthy. She wiped her hands, ridding herself of Brief's scent and started the van for the long drive home.
And she drove home with a smile.
Big thanks to Wr1teAn0n once again. Sorry for the wait on this one. Both of us got tied up with other things and projects. Brief's taking some important steps forward, and Loona is finally getting friends. And maybe something more too...