Track 04: Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na) - My Chemical Romance
Immaculara 2.9:
"This was never supposed to happen," Seraphiel murmured, distressed, "The Final Reward, spoiled! Lucifer, what have you done?"
"Much was not supposed to be, yet is," Adam spoke, leaning on his spear. He had not parted with the weapon since it had formed in his hand. "We thought the realms sealed and apart, accessed only through Death. And yet, Hell has reached Heaven. We must prepare our defense, that we might smite the hand of our foes should they grasp again."
The gathered angels looked to Adam in horror and grief. "You believe they will reach Heaven again?" Uriel asked, wings flicking with anxiety, "By your own hand Adam, you struck down their Prince and closed shut the door."
"I was not alone," Adam said, turning to the silent Choir of Heaven who watched the meeting with wide eyes. Lute stood at their front along with the injured young angel he had saved, his spear in her hand. She smiled at him and stood tall. "The Prince held the souls of the Sinners and they wore their chains as armor against the Light; with his power brought low, they could not withstand its Radiance. Even before, the Song of the Choir deafened and debilitated them with its purity. Heaven would have fallen if not for them."
There was a great rustling of feathers as the Choir straightened, the fear present since the invasion lifting. The Lord Adam had faith in them, and it brought joy to their hearts even on the darkest day.
"They are meant to sing the Holy Harmonies, they are not warriors," Jophiel sadly rebuked, "You would send such nubile angels against reavers?"
"I would teach them to use the spear, the bow and the sword," Adam replied, tapping the butt of his spear against the ground, "For the Enemy is numerous and as Greed themselves and shall not stop until they have stolen what we have earned. I will teach all who would ask, and construct that which may defend us."
Another of the Seraphim stepped forth. He was Michael, Archangel of Tools, blond hair drifting akin to golden flame. "Adam, I would be the first to ask. Teach me of what you know, that I may forge our plows into spears until they are no longer required. I will construct whatever is required."
Adam bowed to the Seraph in thanks. "First, we must construct a great gate to hold our enemy at bay. Then, we must ask who among the Host and the Innocent will learn. Finally, they must be taught."
"Heaven, encircled?" Sera mourned, "Weapons among the Reward? How I wish it weren't so…"
The First Man set his spear aside and drew the Seraph into his embrace. "We do what we must, because we must," he soothed as the angel clung to him. "Sin mustn't despoil Heaven further."
"I will begin the formation of the gate and the walls," Michael nodded and departed, calling to him many of the Choir as to aid him.
"I will search the Archives for what knowledge may pertain to personal defense," Jophiel allowed.
Sera stepped away from Adam's arms. "We shall do as much as can be done to prepare." She took his hands with hers and looked upon him with sorrow. "I wish it would not be necessary for you to fight, Adam, but I am thankful you are here to do so."
The Seraphim departed, and Adam turned to the remaining Choir and Innocents. "Rest this night," he ordered kindly, "If you seek comfort, know I will give it to you. Tomorrow, we begin."
Before Adam could head for his home, a hand grasped his arm. Raphael, Archangel of Healing, bore an expression of great sorrow. "Adam, I would not come to you, for your day has been arduous, but I must ask for your help. Something has happened, and I hope only that there is enough time…"
…Time.
…Time?
"-enough time, do you think?" Adam shook his head and looked at Heck, one of his Eradicators.
He thought back. They'd decided to hang back and let Charlie work off her anger on the Sinners, and to spend a little more time together before laying down the law. Or Treaty, as it were. "Prolly," he shrugged, "Who gives a shit? Let's make our entrance, Bitches!"
Heck pointed at her lips and stood on her tiptoes, so Adam leaned down to give her a brief peck before she pulled her mask back on. Naturally, the others wanted the same thing, and it wasn't like kissing multiple literally Heavenly beauties was a chore. Gladii made it a tad awkward with a three-way kiss, but he had a lot of practice with twins.
Cracking his neck, Adam pulled on his own mask and the seven of them crossed the ballroom, stepping over the black pit where Charlie had thrown her shit-fit. A well-deserved one, too, what kind of bastard parents made their only child think they were unloved? Especially one with such a kind heart?
Literally Hellish ones, that's who.
It was something many parents had overlooked; by sheltering their kids, they denied them the chance to actually strike out on their own, to learn in the wild and take risks and thicken their skin. Without that experience, sheltered kids went down two paths, usually: they either turned into entitled assholes who believed they were owed everything simply because they'd gotten everything; or gaping pussies who gladly took whatever abuse was shoved their way because that was the only way they knew how to solve conflict.
The Big Ls' kid being the second had been kinda funny at first, but only at first. Being a folding chair for people who spat on you was a fate very few deserved, and Charlie Morningstar most certainly wasn't one of them. Not with her dream.
Sure, her little attempt at duplicity had pissed him off; he'd just about driven himself nuts wondering if the daughter of the First Liar and the First Whore had some kind of aura that messed with his ability to see the Truth. Learning she was a sheltered little dreamer, plus his sick-ass Musical Number, had done a lot to help with that. It was easy to profess the will to do something when asked, but under the heat of judgment and the pressure of failure? Heat and pressure shattered glass, but it also created diamonds.
And those horns, those eyes and that tail do something for me, which I am not alright with.
True Conviction was a rare thing, and rarer still in Hell. Nurturing it would be a treat for multiple reasons, not just personal ones.
It'd be funny as shit, too.
As he and his babes approached the lounge, they could hear Charlie's voice on the other side. "-second chance, but this is your only one, got it?" Considering the snake Sinner had tried to blast the hotel to ash and then planted cameras, it felt more like a third chance to Adam.
But he wasn't there to do much more than watch. And eat popcorn. And point and laugh. Maybe throw the popcorn, too.
"Alright, now…there's something I may have…not exactly talked about. So, there's actually someone…special sponsoring the hotel-"
Adam grinned, as did his girls. "That's our cue," he muttered, and went for the doors.
"Uh, Sir," Ficus tried to point out, but Adam had already stepped through.
The crunch of wood and plaster made the Sinners jump and spin around. The frame had not been made to fit all the ten or so feet of solidified Man that was Adam. "Door's busted," he said casually, trailing dust and smirking as he took in the looks of fear, surprise and dismay on the Sinners' faces.
Though not all of them were quite as scared as he'd like. The deer or elk demon who couldn't more obviously be evil if he tried merely smiled and chuckled as if he knew something everyone else didn't.
Adam would change that.
The cat demon at the bar had taken one look at them and started downing a bottle of something, while the spider demon seemed caught between fear, a sort of grudging respect and…arousal?
Seriously, the fuck is with these freaks?
The bitch wasn't happy, obviously, and the snake demon who looked like he'd lost a tussle with a bear seemed like he would've almost preferred to still be with the bear.
And then there was-
Adam held a hand out and caught the tiny cyclops demon as she lunged for his face with a giggle and a feather duster in one hand. "The fuck is this and can I kill it?" He asked, though he already knew. The 'maid' had nearly caught them on more than one occasion but was easily distracted by the numerous pests.
"Nifty!" The tiny demon said, still reaching for his mask with the duster, "Are you a bad boy? You're a dirty boy…I like dirty boys."
"She's the maid and the only one who keeps the place even slightly clean, please don't kill her!" Charlie interjected, looking a little panicked. "She's like, eighty…seventy percent…harmless."
Thinking of the hotel in a worse state was shudder-worthy by itself. "Uh-huh," Adam muttered and tossed the small demon away, "Hey look, ants!"
"Purge!" Nifty growled demonically and raced off.
"Anyways, you stupid Sinner fucks, someone special is sponsoring this hotel," Adam grinned and held his arms out then pointed his thumbs at himself, "This guy!" He bobbed his head, "And technically the rest of the Seraphim, too."
"Would you care to introduce yourself and your lovely companions, my dear man?" Alastor spoke up, smile widening just a tad.
The angels turned a glare on the Radio demon. "You don't need to know their names, Period Piece," Adam said flatly, "As for myself, well, I never pass up an opportunity to play my theme song. Lute-" She had just set her halo to speaker mode when they were interrupted.
"He's Sad Daddy."
There was a literal record scratch as everyone, Alastor included, swung around to look at Angel Dust who had been holding his phone.
"…What?" Vaggie asked in disbelief, echoed by the others.
Especially Adam.
"Yeah, Sad Daddy," the pornstar shrugged, "That's what everyone calls him on Voxstagram. Almost everyone, I mean." He looked back at Adam and winked salaciously, "I bet I could make you very happy, Daddy~"
Adam's mask turned red as he silently stalked up to Angel who swiftly lost his smile, looming over the Sinner. "…You're saying that Sinners, almost all of them, call me. Adam. The-"
"The Dickmaster!" His angels chanted…as did Charlie, to Vaggie's visible consternation.
"-The Sentinel of the Gates, The Wings of Vigilance, The Scourge of Hell, the Leader of the Eradicators, the Righteous Retribution…" His voice had dropped to chilling hiss, "…Sad. Daddy?"
Angel swallowed and not in the way the pornstar would've preferred. "I-I mean, there's also, uh…Wing Daddy. And the- the First Daddy." Adam loomed even further over the Sinner, eyes narrowed into slits. "…but yeah, mostly Sad-"
"WHY."
"The video!" Angel Dust squealed, showing the screen of his phone and the video BJ Princess had filmed.
Adam's wings, which had been extended and glowing dangerously, slowly lowered even as he growled. Then he spun away sharply with a snarled, "Fuck!" Crouching on his haunches as he rubbed his temples.
Goddammit, now they know I'm sad.
Two of the angels rubbed his back as another stepped forward. "Hey Sinner," she said with a sharp jerk of her chin.
"Angel Dust," the spider demon replied, patting his chest to settle his heartbeat.
"What-the fuck-ever, can you keep provoking Adam, please?" She asked sincerely, getting curious looks from the Sinners. "Adam's the reason why the term 'apocalyptically angry' exists, so keep at it until he turns this entire place into a crater and we can leave this shithole to work his temper off back home. I'll thank your memory."
Angel Dust squinted at her. "…Work his temper off how?"
"Why would you ask that?" Husk muttered, pouring himself another drink.
The angel smirked behind her mask. "Bed-breaking, pelvis-pounding, concrete-cracking sex, with multiple glass-shatteringly loud screams of pleasure, obviously."
"Obviously," the cat demon shook his head.
Alastor merely chuckled. "Good to know an active sex life isn't a deal-breaker!"
"Er," Pentious spoke up, wilting under the attention as he tried to cover up his regrowing eyeballs, "Not to be a cock-block, but, wouldn't that break the treaty?"
Adam rose from his crouch, giving the twin angels a head pat each. "Masterfully fuckin' executed segue, Ficus," he muttered.
The Sinners tilted their heads. Why was he thanking a plant that wasn't there?
"Happy to help, Adam," the angel said proudly, moving back to stand with her sisters.
"Speaking of the Treaty," the First Man said, reaching into his sleeve and withdrawing a silver scroll, "There's been some changes to accommodate this little Hotel of Redemption idea. Going through the whole thing would take hours-" He rolled it out and the silver vellum went half the length of the table with a little left curled at the end, "-So I'll summarize the actually important shit."
Charlie 'ooh'd as she ran her fingers along the edge, where strange blocky runes framed the words of the treaty itself. Even having been in Adam's sleeve and Hell itself, the vellum was smooth and cool to the touch and smelled faintly of lilacs. "Woah, this is really pretty for such an important document," she murmured, stroking the holy paper. "I kinda wanna frame it in my room."
Adam smiled at her innocent fixation. "Us Heavenly types like our shiny shit, that's for sure. Here's a copy." He flicked a silver playing card at her which Charlie caught.
She squinted at it, then up at him. "I mean, this is cute and all, thanks, but it's really small. Is this a treaty for ants or something?"
"Where?!" Nifty called shrilly from under the table.
Adam reached over and plucked the card from her hand and pinched the corners before pulling, the copy expanding.
"Oh right, magical," Charlie said sheepishly, before straightening up, "So, what's the deal? I mean, I know it's not that kinda deal…"
"It might fuckin' feel like it!" The First Man replied with an unusual amount of pep, which made a few of the Sinners nervous. "The first, most pertinent section is here. You, Charlotte Morningstar, have One Year," he held up a single finger, "To Redeem the Soul of One Sinner as a proof of concept. If that condition isn't met by the end of the year, the day before the next E-Day, then there will be consequences."
"What consequences?!" Vaggie jumped in, standing at Charlie's shoulder.
Adam barely glanced at her. "World up-ending," he simply said.
The youngest Morningstar looked around the table briefly, her eyes skating over Pentious and Angel Dust, then back at Adam. She nodded firmly. "Deal."
He quirked an eyebrow. "I mean, that's cool and all, but your compliance wasn't a factor here, this was already decided days ago. Secondly, it states that your sponsor, me," he unnecessarily pointed at himself, "Has the final say. Should I witness that a Soul has been Redeemed, or has made enough progress that I deem it capable of such, I'm allowed to suspend the consequences and we'll redo the Treaty afterwards to account for the possibility. If I'm given good reason to believe a Soul is acting against the interests of the Hotel's stated goal and myself, I'm allowed to Eradicate them after fair warning. Now, as your sponsor, you'll be required to house me for six days a week-"
"WHAT?!"
The shouted question hadn't just come from the Sinners, but the Angels too. "Six days?!" The twins cried, all sense of decorum lost as they grabbed Adam around the waist. "But why?!"
Adam grunted as Ficus jumped on his back, her arms around his neck as she hugged him tightly. "Because they're Sinners-" Heck slammed into his side, nearly taking him off-balance, "-can't exactly trust them to make the best decisions-" He almost tripped as Sanguinara, Devourer of Blood (Devo), clutched onto his leg, "-So supervision was declared to be necessary."
Angel Dust had to keep himself from laughing at the sight of 'The Scourge of Hell' with five angels clinging onto him like limpets, as well as a slight sting of envy. The sixth angel standing off to the side facepalming was the cherry on top.
Adam sighed deeply. "…And you wonder why I call you 'needy bitches,'" he shook his head and tried to shake Devo off, "Why are you needy bitches so surprised? I told you all of this days ago." He glanced up and internally cringed, as it appeared his intimidating reputation was close to being in tatters by now. Charlie was watching the whole thing with amused sparkles in her eyes, the pornstar was hiding his laughter behind his hands, the bitch at least seemed disgusted, while the cat was actually somewhat smiling and Period Piece was still smiling.
Gladii looked at each other. "…Well, Devo was crying really loudly, so we might've missed some details."
"Fuck you no I wasn't!"
Lute, who had been trying to maintain her composure, finally snapped. "Sisters!" Her voice was like the crack of a whip, making them drop from Adam and stand at attention. Some noticed that Vaggie did as well, though hurriedly tried to seem casual. "Remember where we are!"
"Sorry, Sir!" The angels stood back in a line, though if one looked closely they could see some of them trembling just a bit.
Alastor chuckled, the laughter echoing over a nearby radio. "Don't worry, my dear friends," he toasted them with a teacup full of blood, "It's only a year, after all. And what's a year to an immortal?"
"Anyway, as I said," Adam returned to the Treaty, "As your sponsor, you'll be required to house me for six days of the week with the exception of Sunday, obviously. Room and board will be paid for by me-"
"Staying here is free, though," Charlie protested, frowning adorably at him, "I'm here to save souls, not pinch pennies. Everything's provided for no charge, room and board included."
The First Man looked at her for a long second, mask expressionless. "Hm," he hummed, "I'll also be allowed to return to Heaven for no more than an hour each day, barring special events. This will continue throughout the year or as such Redemption has been seen and declared."
"Speaking of 'seen,'" the pornstar cut in, "What's with the mask? I mean, we already know what you look like under there."
Under the table, Vaggie subtly opened up her phone and found the video on Voxstagram.
Adam looked at Angel Dust with a frown. "The fuck you mean? I…" he thought back to E-Day, when he'd pulled off his mask to See The Truth on Charlie, and then forgotten to put it back on. "…It was that fuckin' video, wasn't it." With a sharp tug and a deep sigh, he pulled the mask off and let it dissipate.
…I'm so tired.
Vaggie smirked and hit play, having forwarded the video to the section with the lullaby. "You mean this video?" She asked faux-innocently.
Adam's rough, quiet voice filled the air though slightly scratchy from the lacking quality.
…
Immaculara, 2, 10:
"The Seed of Sin has taken root in their bodies," Raphael whispered, standing before the tent where the most injured lay, "It is infecting their flesh as a poison…and soon it will consume their souls. They are running out of time…and soon they will be Damned."
Adam closed his eyes in sorrow and bowed his head. "…Why did you ask for me, Raphael?" He asked, though he already knew.
The Seraph began to weep softly. "…I am the Archangel of Healing, Adam," he sobbed, "I cannot…I cannot take-cannot grant them-"
Adam embraced Raphael, holy tears soaking his robe. "…I understand," he murmured, his heart aching for what he must do. "I will grant them mercy, Raphael."
"I am so sorry, Adam," the angel cried, "I did not know who else to ask."
Adam released the Seraph and bade him to leave. "Do not linger or listen, Raphael. Your tender heart will not withstand what will come," he said kindly.
Raphael bowed to Adam and left.
The First Father entered the tent and hardened his heart. There were many within, all crying and writhing as Sin ate away at their purity. Adam swallowed his grief, and then he sang.
He sang the lullaby he had sung for Eve, when his wife's self-doubts, recriminations and fears had gotten the better of her, and she fell into sorrow. He sang the lullaby he had sung for his sons and daughters. He sang the lullaby he had sung as he had prepared Able for burial.
He had not sung it since he had found Heaven bereft of his family.
Two voices joined him and the song became a soothing chorus. The Innocents stilled and fell into sleep as Lute and the other young angel stood at Adam's side, as he granted them mercy with small lances of light to the base of their skulls. Their spirits would return to the Well of Souls and be reborn, but who could say they would earn Heaven again?
The last bed held the woman Adam had saved, but her eyes were open. "Adam?" She asked, trembling, "Will it hurt?"
"No, my dear," Adam replied as he stroked her hair, "I promise."
The Innocent fell into slumber, and he held her to his chest as he granted her mercy. If only I had been faster, he thought. "Damn you, Lucifer," Adam allowed his sorrow to spill forth, "I wish I could Damn you further…"
Lute and her sister embraced The First Father at his sides, their wings wrapping around him. "It will be alright," Lute said softly, running her fingers through his hair even as her tears flowed thickly, "Thank you for bringing them mercy, Adam…"
…Adam.
…Adam?
Charlie shot her girlfriend an expression of mixed incredulity and disbelief; teasing Adam with the video would likely have been funny, if the subject-matter weren't literal mercy-killings, but his reaction had been…
His eyes had lost focus, as if he were staring miles beyond the phone's screen, his face blank and expressionless. He stood stock still, his fingers gripping the edge of the table with white knuckles, but his breath was methodical…almost too much so.
"…I didn't know that would happen," Vaggie shrugged apologetically, though Charlie noted that the one-eyed Sinner seemed more sorry that Adam's state bothered her than putting him in it in the first place.
The youngest Morningstar frowned at her girlfriend, eyes promising a stern talk before the day was done, before she softened as she turned to the first man. "…Adam?" She asked gently, laying a hand on his arm, ignoring the way the angels tensed. "Are you-"
Adam inhaled sharply, his eyes regaining their focus. He blinked and looked down at her hand, then up at her. He gave her that look again, as if he couldn't figure out what her angle was. "Lost track," he said, voice hoarse. He coughed and pointed at Husk. "You. Whiskey sour, please."
The cat demon quickly poured the drink and brought it over. Alastor simply watched with his ever-present smile.
Adam drank the entire glass in a single swallow, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and set the glass on the table. "Anyways," he continued as if nothing happened, "It won't happen all that fuckin' often, but if they want I'll bring one of my Babes to supervise, too. I doubt they'll wanna spend any damn time in this shithole." He grinned, looking over at Alastor, "Speaking of…anyone been to the Embassy lately?"
Charlie blinked at the sudden change of topic. "Er, no," she tapped her chin in thought and looked at the others, getting ambivalent head shakes and shrugs…except for her girlfriend, who was staring at the table with a frown. She looked down and realized she still had her hand on Adam's arm, "I don't think so, why? Although I thought that's where we would meet after I blew your cock-"
Angel Dust coughed as Husk choked on a drink while Vaggie had paled dramatically, somehow. "What?!" Alastor simply chuckled, tapping his foot to a song only he could hear.
Adam grinned as he pulled out the origami rooster made of gold paper and blew on it, the cock jumping to life and flying through the air to land in front of the Sinners before unfolding. Suck It, it read. Then Nifty's hand reached out from under the table to snatch it.
"Aha, so you haven't noticed that the embassy is emba-gone-" The First Man narrowed his eyes in thought, "Emba-gone away? Emba…gas in the wind? Fuck it, that'll do," he shrugged, "Yeah, it's not there anymore, and all because of this little section."
They leaned in to read it. "Heaven will only be allowed one building within all the Circles of Hell where Adam, The First Man, will take up residence," Alastor suddenly shot to his feet and Pentious began to laugh raucously, "By the Rule of Claimant Dominae, any being who resides within a certain area, defends that area and is known to be the most powerful within, will take that area as his territory as put forth by Lucifer. Therefore-"
"You can't do that!" The Radio Demon spoke up, his smile for the first time dropping, "That-that's property theft! I own this building and the land it's built on!" He forced a chuckle and adjusted his bow tie, "My good angel, that's stealing, after all, and stealing is a sin is it not?"
Adam bobbed his head and wobbled his hand. "Eh, taking without need is a Sin, but stealing to survive isn't," he grinned toothily, golden eyes glinting with schadenfreude, "And technically speaking, this ain't stealing. It's the law of land, after all…or what fuckin' passes for it in this literal Hellhole."
"You…" Alastor clenched his hands around his mic stand/pimp cane, teeth growing sharper, "I won't stand for this! I'll-!"
"Do what, take a stroll up to Ol Scratch's man cave, knock politely and civilly air your grievances?" The First Man mocked, glee evident on his face, "Have you forgotten where you are, you stupid elk fuck? There's only one person-and I use the term 'person' loosely-whose opinion matters on who owns what land…and that would be the King's. Sure he's the King of Cunts, bastards, assholes, shitheads, dipshits and so on, but…" Ignoring Charlie's pout, Adam reached over and flicked the very end of the scroll, "He's also the cunt who signed the Treaty."
There, plain as day, was the loopy, swirly signature of one Lucifer Morningstar.
The Radio Demon was aghast, and for the first time seemingly lost for words. Charlie had to admit, seeing the Cannibal Overlord lose his smug smile was indeed satisfying. She still felt bad, though.
…Just a little bit.
In contrast, Pentious had not stopped laughing and his Egg Boiz were dancing around him.
Adam's grin had become a smirk. "Don't worry, Period Piece," he echoed, "It's only a year, after all." He snapped his fingers in thought, "Oh yeah, that's right, I do actually have something for you, some kinda remuneration I believe, or…ah, here it is!" He held out a small scroll.
Alastor took it, his hand shaking slightly, and unrolled the message. In large letters, it simply read: FUCK YOU I DO WHAT I WANT. And it even had a miniature Adam giving him the finger. "…Indeed," he said through gritted teeth, and sat down again.
The Sinners looked to Adam, his grin growing. "That's right, bitches!" He crowed, laughing, "This hotel is the Embassy now! And believe you me, I am not living in a shithole!" His axe coalesced from golden light and he began to play a quick lick, giving Husk a knowing look, "You aren't gonna have to wait for that class much longer!"
The cat demon perked up, almost smiling for a second…and then he paled.
"Hippity, hoppity," Adam sang, and despite the nonsensical words, his voice was still nice to listen to, "Your property is now my property…suck it biiiiiiiiiitch!" Energy had formed around the strings of his guitar as he played, and with a final strum he unleashed the holy energy from within.
Waves of light washed over the building and before their eyes, it changed. The carpet went from a dark, dusty red to a rich combination of dark blue, deep red and purple dotted with white speckles, like the nebulae of a galaxy. The wood became polished mahogany, the faded black metal shined brass and the tile, marble. The walls were a lighter though still dark blue and no longer cracked, with scalloped light fixtures that spread light so it was easy to see, but still moody and dramatic.
Husk was pleased to note that the cheap rotgut lining the shelves had become literally top-shelf booze, and every appliance down to the rags and glasses had become clean and new.
Charlie gasped, eyes sparkling as she took in the new decor. "Wow…! It's so…pretty and shiny and-"
"CLEAN!" Nifty cried joyfully, zipping out from under the table and grabbing Adam's knee. Her uniform has become a light powder blue with a clean white apron. "Nifty…Nifty likes dirty boys, bad boys," she sniffled, looking up at him with a teary eye before grinning saucily, "Nifty will make exception…rowr~"
And then she started humping his leg.
Adam peeled the tiny demon off of his leg and hung her from a coat rack. "No," he said simply, throwing his arms out at the far improved lounge, "What d'you think, eh?! Classy. As. Fuck!" His angels had their hands on their hips, shoulders thrown back proudly. They liked seeing their man work his magic.
They did not, however, like seeing the Princess of Hell practically leap into his arms and hug him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Charlie babbled, squeezing him tightly. Like the first time, Adam didn't hug her back, but he also didn't stop her. She looked around his torso and gulped slightly at the searing glares the angels were giving her. Not wanting another chorus about how much she sucked, the youngest Morningstar backed away from Adam and smiled brightly up at him. "Ahem. Thank you, Adam, this is really nice of you."
He tilted his head. "Is it? I gotta live here too, you know," he smirked, "If you like this, Ministar, maybe you should-"
"-The outside!" She squealed, bolting from the lounge. Vaggie shot Adam a suspicious look as she swiftly followed her girlfriend, with the other Sinners trailing them. Alastor's smile seemed to have become locked, his teeth glowing in time to his breathing and pupils almost like the dials of a radio.
The First Man chuckled at the awe on their faces. "Better than your shitty apartment, eh?" He asked as he walked by a gaping Angel Dust.
"…Miles better," the pornstar muttered, before his gaze snapped to Adam's back.
A hand seized him by the scruff of his neck before he could move, and he was pulled back to look into the mask of an angel. "Don't. Touch him." She hissed, shaking him like a disobedient cat.
"Nope!" Angel denied easily, "I'm gettin' at least one hand on all that man, and dying to get some would be worth!" He waggled his eyebrows, "I've bent more than few of the straightest lines in my time, I bet-"
"No!" Adam called back through the door.
"You'll be here for a year!" The spider demon shouted after him, "I'll get through to you! I ain't dying or going to Heaven without riding the OG dick!"
Adam ignored him as he walked down the hall to the entrance. Completely contrary to its previous appearance, the hotel was well-lit, clean and welcoming. The carpets were a pleasant beige with plush alternating blue and yellow rugs, lights every few feet, chandeliers hanging at junctions with dark paneled wood pillars and off-white walls.
"Ohmigod!" Charlie's squeal of pure joy echoed through the entrance hall, and Adam allowed himself a chuckle as he stepped outside. A thick wall surrounded the property line, a square acre, the white stone laden with wards so that the only way in was to be invited and portal through, or step through the front gate and sign the guest book. His wards were second only to the Seraphim, so unless Lucifer or a couple other Princes decided to band together, he and the guests would be safe.
A driveway led up to a roundabout before the steps to the entrance, with a three-tiered fountain spewing fresh water in the center. At the top of the fountain was a statue of Adam rocking out (naturally), water coming from the head of his guitar and the hands of the four angels clinging to his legs and throwing up the Horns.
"Grass!" Charlie shouted joyfully, rolling around on the lawn. Trees were also there, in neat rows up the driveway and a small, dense copse just behind the building for privacy. "Vaggie, roll in the grass with me!"
"It's turf, actually, real grass would die down here pretty fuckin' quick," Adam interjected, making the two look over at him, "It's as close to real grass as I can make it, though." He smirked as Charlie's eyes glittered with joy, running her fingers through the grass and giggling; Vaggie seemed torn between smiling happily at her girlfriend's enthusiasm and frowning thunderously at the fact that Adam was the reason.
There was one more thing. Well, two.
"…Is that…the moon?" Husk whispered in awe, staring up at the white and gray orb shining in the distance, a spotlight in the dark, star-speckled sky, "It's been so long since I saw the real thing I…I'd forgotten what it looks like." He swallowed hard and took a pull from his flask, "This is…unbelievable."
"It's a projection," Adam said, twiddling his fingers to make the moon look like a smiley face for a second, "But yup. It's too goddamn red down here. Well, not here here, now."
Alastor had become so mad at that point that the air around him was filled with red static.
"There's a fountain now?" Angel Dust gaped as he stepped out and looked around, "With real water?"
"There's a pool in the basement, too," Adam added proudly.
"Filled with what?" Angel Dust and Husk asked at the same time, with far different inflections.
The First Man shot them both a rather concerned look. "…Water? What else would a pool-know what? Never mind, I don't even wanna fuckin' know."
Pentious was splashing in the fountain with his minions, ignoring his healing wounds in favor of enjoying himself. "Wait," he paused and looked up, "Where'd my war zeppelin go?!"
The other Sinners followed his line of sight. The building itself was perfectly intact and freshly painted in neat sections of blue, yellow and white paint, every window lit from within and spotlights shining on an art-deco angel on each side of it. And then, at the top…
Charlie gasped sharply, making Vaggie whip around to look at her. "What is it? Babe?" The one-eyed Sinner noticed the tears pooling in Charlie's eyes, "What's the matter?!"
The youngest Morningstar pointed at the hotel, all the way to the top. There, perched on the roof and shining like a beacon was a sign made of lights.
THE HAPPY HOTEL, it read.
The Princess of Hell choked back a sob as she pushed herself off of the grass and looked around at the lawn, the fountain, the hotel itself and even the moon. "…Just like it," she murmured, swallowing thickly, "This looks just like I dreamed it would…" She sniffled, tears sliding down her cheeks even as she smiled so bright it outshone the moon overhead, "My dream is real."
"Not to be a downer," Adam said, smiling softly as Charlie turned to look at him, "But your dream isn't real…yet. The opportunity, though, is. It's going to take-"
He stumbled slightly as she hugged him again, burying her face in his robe. Unlike the previous times, though, he wrapped his arms around her and returned the embrace, and Charlie sighed as his warmth seeped into her body. She was so comfortable, she could almost sleep then and there.
"Thank you…" She murmured, "I…I don't…this is…thank you…"
Adam chuckled, and she could feel the subtle rumble of his chest against her ear. "Don't look too deeply into it, Princess," he said, patting her back, "I'm going to be down here for a while, can't really give up something I've had nine thousand years to get used to. And hey, since my ass is already stuck here, might as well bring something else just as Heavenly for contrast."
Charlie giggled. She knew he was avoiding the truth without particularly lying. "I thought you said my name for it sounded like a whorehouse?"
"It does," Adam said bluntly, before softening, "But the ones who really want the chance to earn redemption don't deserve to be insulted for wanting to better themselves, Sinner or not."
She smiled and hugged him tighter.
If Vaggie's gaze was as literally venomous as it looked, he would've died on the spot.
His hands fell on her shoulders and he gently pried her away. "Alright, that's enough touching from the Ministar," he said, pushing her back and straightening. Adam looked at the gathered Sinners, even Alastor who was as close to frothing at the mouth and Nifty, who was wringing her hands as she looked about. "Listen to me, Sinners, and listen well."
They all looked to Adam, who loomed above them at his full height, golden wings slightly extended and glowing. Six angels flanked him, three on each side.
"Trust and Redemption are very similar things," he began, his eyes shining out of the dark of the night, his voice deep and old, "They must be built on sturdy foundations and of strong materials. With only one, what is built may last for a while, but will eventually crumble. Built with both, it endures. But once it is broken, it is broken forever." His voice rumbled ominously. "You have been gifted a chance no others before you were allowed. It is a precious thing, this chance, a delicate thing. It must be cared for, nurtured, and in time it may grow into something wondrous. Left alone, though, and it will wither and die."
Adam held out his hand, a spear of golden light forming in his hand, and he slammed the butt against the ground. A wave of gold dust rolled forth, making the Sinners recoil.
Between blinks, they looked at Adam and in his place was an armored figure, clad in thick plates of gold. A halo of curved swords hovered over his head, casting a nearly blinding radiance and his wings were as gilded fire.
"This is your only chance."
Adam dismissed the spear, and the shadows of the night grew shallow. The Sinners were silent, even Alastor. They knew what they had seen.
Adam, The First Man. The Spear of Heaven. The Sentinel of the Gates. The Righteous Retribution.
Then he cracked his neck with a groan. "Whelp, I don't know about you, but I'm fuckin' starving!" Adam announced cheerfully, reaching down to hoist the two closest angels onto his shoulders, "And I wanna break in that bar! Later, bitches!" And then he strode off with the other angels eagerly following, all clamoring after food and alcohol.
The Sinners looked at each other. Husk blinked, then followed after them, the thought of some high-class bourbon almost bringing a smile to his face. Angel swiftly joined them, and Charlie and Vaggie came along as well. Nifty…was exploring the grounds.
On his own, Alastor looked at the clean, classy and well-kept hotel that had taken the place of his. He sighed, deeply. "Ffffffucking Adam," he muttered bitterly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
…
Sir Pentious slithered sneakily into the library, checking the corners carefully before proceeding, his Egg Boiz bumbling after him. The others were distracted doing something or another, which left the serpent Sinner unnoticed. He glanced around at the fancy clean shelves, soft blue chairs and the roaring fireplace crackling comfortingly, and reached behind a pair of books leaned together. He pulled out the last one of the cameras he'd planted earlier that day, and paused.
"Maybe there's some decent footage, boss," one of the Boiz squeaked, climbing over another to look at the camera, "Just enough so that Vox won't be too pissed at you."
Pentious turned the camera over, his eyes finding the V stamp. His mind went back to before, playing around on the stage, Charlie encouraging him and the warmth it gave him, then the relief and fear he'd felt as she kicked in the door of the torture chamber. She'd brought him to safety and given him quite the talking-to, her disappointment an almost physical thing, but her worry for him…
His hand closed around the camera and before he could stop himself, he'd crushed the device beyond repair.
The Egg Boiz gasped. "Boss, what're you doing?!" Another one squealed, tugging on his wrist. He brushed them off and slithered over to the fire, throwing the camera into the flames. One by one, he crushed each camera and fed them to the fireplace.
When he was done, Pentious swallowed and licked his lips, his hands shaking. "…I don't know why I did that," he murmured, flexing his fingers experimentally, "I…maybe there's something wrong with me?" Despite his words the serpentine Sinner, if anything, almost felt…lighter. Ignoring his minions, he slithered from the library and headed for his room. Maybe he'd feel different after a good night's sleep?
A pair of shadows dropped from the ceiling and stepped up to the fireplace to watch the cameras melt into slag. Adam hummed as he used the poker to make sure they burned evenly. "Interesting."
"Sir?" Lute asked.
"A Sinner, acting against his interests?" The First Man murmured, "Feeling regret, remorse? Hm."
"We disabled the cameras as soon as he set them, though," the angel pointed out.
"…He didn't know that."
"Sir…Adam," his oldest companion spoke slowly, "You don't…do you think a Sinner can actually be Redeemed? In the near ten thousand years of your life, have you ever seen it happen?"
He chuckled, a deep, weary sound. "Oh Lute, my love," he said tiredly, taking her hand and interlacing their fingers, "I don't actually know. For the first time, I cannot say 'no' with absolute certainty. And that…that is the closest thing to hope I have felt in a very long time."
The angel held his hand for a few long, silent minutes. "…I don't trust them," she said, "Any of them. If they betray you…I don't care who they are, any who hurt you will die."
"Your devotion is scary sometimes, you know?" Adam smiled at her and kissed her lips gently.
"I would tear apart all existence if it would mean you were safe and happy, Song of My Heart," Lute declared, though her eyes were soft and filled with love.
"I know," he said simply, before straightening up, "Let's go find the Ministar and see if she actually has some sort of fuckin' plan for this dream of hers, then snuggle up for the night. Sleeping in the shadows brought back memories, not all of them pleasant. The company's fucking immaculate as always, though."
Lute giggled, still holding his hand as they left the library. "Just so you know, the girls are waiting to ambush you the second you walk through the door so we can christen every surface of your temporary abode. And yes, I'm telling you now so I get first go."
"Needy bitch," Adam chuckled fondly.
As the door closed behind them, a pair of red eyes looked around a bookshelf.
Charlie Morningstar felt many things at that moment. It wasn't believing in her dream, but it was the closest anyone had ever gotten, so she would gladly take it.
…Why did the thought of Adam being with the angels make her stomach twist, though?
She resolved to work it out on her own lover.
…
Vaggie was sweaty and fulfilled, but even then Charlie was still kissing her neck and fondling some sensitive places. The fallen angel wasn't sure how to feel, and that feeling of unsurety had lingered even after the multiple rounds they'd just had. It didn't help that-
"-Ooooooooh, Adam! Aaaaaahhhnnnn~!"
The neighbors were very active, and very loud. Vaggie couldn't even blame the noise on them faking it, she knew the differences between fake screams of pleasure and real ones, and they had all been unfortunately real.
Another unfortunate thing; all the noise only served to excite Charlie, but it did the opposite for her. "C'mon babe," the Princess murmured, licking the shell of Vaggie's ear, "Let's make it an even dozen?"
There was a loud thump and a high-pitched cry of pleasure followed by blessed silence.
"I have a headache," Vaggie grumbled, turning away from her girlfriend and squeezing her eye shut.
Charlie spooned up behind the fallen, teasing one of her breasts, "You know what's good for headaches, right?" She whispered, giggling lustily as Vaggie began to loosen to her ministrations.
The rhythmic thumping and moaning started again, though the voice was different.
Vaggie snarled under her breath. "Sleep!" She grunted, scooting away from Charlie and pulling her pillow over her head.
Charlie looked at Vaggie's back with a frown. Without the distraction of her girlfriend's soft, sensitive flesh, that feeling had returned. "Fine," she huffed, rolling her eyes and flumping back on the bed, "I'm gonna remember this next time you try to sweep all my shit off of my desk for a quickie," she muttered.
Vaggie either ignored her or the pillow was working.
The Princess sighed and crossed her arms. With the sweat cooling on bare skin and actual working AC, she was getting cold. Pulling the blanket up to her chest, Charlie cast her mind about for a distraction, reaching over to the nightstand and pulling open the drawer to retrieve the book inside.
The History of Hell.
With a practiced hand, she flicked through the pages, eyes taking in the familiar words and images. Once upon a time, she had soaked the information up like a sponge, sure that what was presented was the truth. At first, it seemed like it.
Adam was a crass asshole who controlled his angels, even naming them after plants and objects, exulting in the deaths of Sinners and partying without care for the destruction he'd left behind, only to leave back to his cushy Heavenly home to be waited on hand and foot for being the first human with a dick.
…Except…
Everything else. The cold, uncaring and controlling man who had leashed her mother didn't sound like the type of man who would hold a Sinner stained with Lust as she cried, soothing her to sleep with a lullaby before cleansing her soul and sending it to be reborn. The crass misogynist she'd been told of didn't seem like the type of man who's angels were so devoted to him that they cried at the thought of him being away from them for a year; the man who tenderly held an angel's hand, called her his love even as she professed her desire to destroy everything for him.
…The man whose embrace was so comfortable, even the memory of it made her warm and sleepy. How she missed it, despite the body of her lover close by.
Charlie looked through the book again, and closed it with a snap.
She was starting to wonder if it was even made of paper.
…
Immaculara, 2.11:
"Thank you for your comfort," Adam said to the angels as they embraced him, "I know of you, Lute, but who are you, young angel? Might you also be in need of a name?"
The second angel smiled at him. "Because of you, Lord Adam, I lived to be named by Raphael. When the Prince tore from me my wing, I feared my life, so short, would be lost. And I thank you for saving my sister from those who have drowned in Sin." She spread her wings. One was silver. The other had a line of silver feathers where it had been broken.
"Aren't all angels brother and sister?" Adam asked.
"Yes, but we were born of the same harmony at the same time," Lute answered, still holding to Adam's arm. "We are twins."
The other angel took Adam's hand and kissed it. "As I said. Would you take me as you have Lute? Endow me with knowledge and weapons, that I might fight at your side as she does?"
"I will need your name, first." Adam said with a smile.
"Vagatha, Lord Adam. I am named Vagatha."
…
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A/N: Oh boy.
NS: Period Piece is such a great insult for that preening peacock of a radio-stag-cannibal…thing.
Now that I think about it, the line: "Much was not supposed to be, yet is," might as well be the description of the entire world and backstory as I've built it. I mean, Eden was a Paradise humanity was supposed to inhabit, Earth was Earth, and there wouldn't be War. Instead, Michael was the Archangel of Tools and only became the Archangel of War because he had to. Same with some others.
Originally, I was gonna use 'Hellflake' as Adam's nickname for Charlie, but I really like using 'Ministar' so that's what I've gone with instead.
NS: I'd say I like it a little more, especially given the frequency of its use. Hellflake is a bit more…affectionate. Which Adam isn't, for her.
yet
And here comes one of the biggest changes to the whole thing: The Hotel is now the Embassy, and Adam's Territory, and no longer for the has-beens but the Happy! I know it's a minor thing, but seriously, has-been? Way to be a dick to anyone who actually wants to try, you know?
NS: Fuck you, Alastor.
Plus I got to use 'hippity hoppity your property is now my property' and that makes me chuckle.
And frankly, I'm not a fan of the 'untouchable manipulator' archetype, they piss me off.
So, the Sinners at the Happy Hotel, which I will now proceed to call 'The Happy Few,' get to meet their new roomie, the law is laid down and the Hotel is no longer a shithole. Is it possible for a Sinner to actually earn redemption? Plus, oh no, here come some complicated feelings! I doubt there's going to be any drama arising from that, no sir!
Should be exciting to find out! Hope you're eager, too!
Big thanks, of course, to NSG for being that guy (that's right, he's him) give him a look-see and tell him Sol sent you!
And thanks to the peeps in the discord! The story's up to chapter 5 on AO3, and up to 7 on my Pa-treon.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, why not like, follow and favorite and all that jazz, and leave a review?
Whatever you do, I appreciate the time you've spent reading this story, and I hope you're looking forward to more.
Stay Awesome!
~Soleneus
P.S.: This gravy train is still rolling. No station in sight. Keep-a chugging you bastard, let's see where this takes us!
There are multiple chapters complete, if you'd like to get a peek or simply talk to some cool dudes, hit up my Discord, if you like!
My summer's been going alright, you know? Steady job, exercising, writing. So far, not bad. Hope it's going good for you, too.
Next chapter, the first day starts for real this time. Oh boy.
Stay Awesome Some More.
~still Soleneus