Charlie's Angels - Aftershocks - Chapter 4 - Kkat (Kkat_FoE) (2024)

Chapter Text

Part One

Day Five - Hazbin Hotel, breakfast:

Niffty zipped around, delivering omelets to the late arrivals at the table. It had been a while since she'd made omelets. Charlie told her not to after Sir Pentious was allowed to keep his eggs here. Sometimes she wondered where they went. Were they all on the ship when Adam poofed it?

The thought of that still made her sad sometimes, even though Sir Pentious was okay and an angel now.

Angel Dust looked out a window. "Hey, there's a suspicious truck down by the gate that's been there all night. Anybody know about that? Do we have paparazzi again?"

Angel Dust closed the curtain and walked back towards the table. "Thought they all disappeared after the Heavenly light show.” He cringed at Emily's sad look. "Sorry. I meant the death laser thing, not your sister's fall."

Emily nodded, understanding.

Devouring half his omelet in one bite, Leonard told them, "That's my boss's. I'm picking up a delivery for him first thing this morning."

Husk looked sideways at Leonard. "This new job seems to be going well for you."

Leonard narrowed his eyes.

"You know you can park it in the back lot," Vaggie suggested.

Angel Dust sat down at the table. "Yeah. You really shouldn't leave it on the street. This ain't the Doomsday District, but it's still not a great neighborhood."

Leonard harrumphed. "I would, but the gate won't open."

Charlie blinked. "Still?" She had talked to Keekee yesterday. With ear scritches! Charlie looked around. "Keekee! I know you can hear me!" Charlie waited... and sighed "I'll talk to her again."

Emily looked at Angel Dust. "Hell has great neighborhoods? Ooh, I want to see."

"Well, you've already been to Cannibal Town."

The conversation was interrupted as the ceiling disintegrated into static. Strange red symbols flared to light above them as the static dissolved to black, spreading down the walls. The entire floor filled with an unearthly hiss.

Crymini shouted, "WHAT THE f*ck!??" and dove under the table.

The hiss became a storming crackle.

Vaggie looked around, shouting over the noise. "Where's Alastor?"

Husk answered in a worried tone, "I think he's still in his room."

Emily leapt up, creating an evacuation portal.

Everything snapped back to normal.

Everyone stared upwards in shocked silence.

Charlie growled, thumping her fist on the table. "All right. That's it!"

She stood up from the table. "He hid from me all yesterday, but not today. I'll be right back."

Vaggie started to get up, stating in a worried tone, "I'm going with you."

"No! He's more likely to talk if it's just me." Charlie leaned close and whispered. "I'm going to find out where he left that bullet, and we're going to Sloth to get a cure. Today."

Vaggie sat back down with a groan. "Please be careful. He isn't right. And he's dangerous enough when he is."

"I promise." Charlie turned and headed for the stairs.

Cherri Bomb looked about and smirked at Emily. "Hey, E? Nice thought, but I don't think fleeing into Heaven would have worked for all of us."

Emily turned to her portal, seeing Heaven on the other side, and eeped, blushing. "Sorry, I was more focused on away from here than where it would go."

Vaggie said, "Might as well get your Heaven chores done early, Emily. Sounds like we're taking a trip to Sloth today."

Emily pouted just a tiny bit at the thought. "Then I guess I should go..."

The seraphim smiled brightly down at Niffty. "Thanks for breakfast! It was delicious!"

Niffty grinned happily. "You're welcome!"

The little she-demon paused. "Oh! No room service today! I have another date!"

Vaggie blinked. "Before noon?"

"YEP!"

"Ya go girl!" Cherri Bomb cheered.

There was a knock on the front door.

Niffty was engulfed in sudden panic. "He's early!" She tossed the empty omelet tray on the table with a clatter. "I'm not ready yet!"

She spun in place. "How do I look?"

Angel Dust grinned. "Like a complete psychopath."

Niffty smiled with relief. "Thanks!"

She tossed off her apron and ran for the door, parkouring off the hat rack to grab the doorknob.

Niffty opened the door, looked up, and lost her frantic grin. "You're not my date."

Rosie looked down at her. "I'm afraid not, dearie. May we..."

"Great! I've still got time!" Nifty dashed off to get ready.

Vaggie got up from the table. "Rosie?" She moved towards the door. "This is a surprise."

Angel Dust picked up Niffty's apron. "I'll take care of the table and dishes."

Cherri Bomb raised her eyebrow.

Angel Dust shrugged. "I don't have a job. I might as well make myself useful."

Cherri Bomb shrugged and joined him.

Vaggie smiled. "Come on in. Charlie is dealing with something upstairs, but she'll be down shortly."

Rosie stepped in. "Actually, I'm here to see Alastor."

Vaggie said, "And that would be the something."

Rosie co*cked her head, her smile fading for a moment before returning in full force. "And there's someone else here to see you."

Vaggie stopped, immediately feeling an unpleasant jolt as her mind conjured an image of Lute. "Who?"

Rosie turned and looked down at someone standing just outside the door. "Come on, Timothy. Don't be shy."

Vaggie froze as the cannibal child moved into view, exchanging the cover of the door for hiding behind Rosie as he looked around. Whatever he was frightened of, he didn't find it.

The child moved around Rosie and walked up to Vaggie, staring at her. He looked exactly like the last time she saw him. She recognized him immediately.

Go. Run. Now!

Vaggie lifted a hand slowly, as if in a dream. "Hello."

Before she could react further, he was hugging her. "Thank you for saving me!"

Vaggie slowly processed and gently hugged him back. Her vision had become wet and blurry. She looked to Rosie, confused.

Rosie smiled at Vaggie. "You can thank your new popularity, dearie. He recognized you from your... libertine calendar." The Overlord looked at the child, her voice taking on a chiding tone. "Which a few of the children smuggled into town."

Vaggie had such mixed feelings about that. "Those were not my idea. Nor done with my permission. None of that was." She grumbled, "It's Velvette's way of harassing me."

The boy broke the hug, moving back next to Rosie, staring at the floor, ashamed. But his eyes kept shifting back to Vaggie.

Rosie frowned thinly, looking aside. "I see." She looked back at Vaggie. "I am sorry you are having to weather that."

"I'm afraid I also need to arrange a meeting with the Ambassador from Heaven." Rosie's tone became most serious. "I can't exactly seek her at the Embassy while it's a hole in the ground. Would you be able to facilitate that?"

Vaggie nodded, wiping her remaining eye. "Of course." She apologetically added, "You literally just missed her, but she should be back later today."

Vaggie frowned, not liking Rosie's expression. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so," the cannibal Overlord told her. "It seems not all angels in Hell care about the lives of cannibal children."

Day Five - Alastor's room, morning:

Charlie knocked on Alastor's door. There was no response.

Charlie knocked again, more insistently.

"Alastor! I know you're in there. At least, I hope you are. We need to talk. Now!"

No response.

Charlie listened. Knocked again. Listened.

There was a soft thump from inside. Nothing else.

Charlie tried the doorknob. The door was locked.

Charlie quickly checked her pockets, only to find them empty. She looked up, calling out, "Keekee? Keekee, please open this door."

With a cacophony of soft clicks, every door in the hallway unlocked and opened.

"Ooookay."

Charlie braced herself and pushed open the door. "I'm really sorry to intrude, but..." Her words trailed off as she saw Alastor crumpled on the floor. Well, not exactly the floor. Crumpled on the ground in a broken bayou that somehow existed where the back half of his room should be.

Charlie immediately stepped in and closed the door behind her.

She moved towards Alastor only to stop nervously at the ragged edge where the proper hotel gave way to the fractured swamp. She was in this room days ago and it did not look like this. The bayou didn't look like anyplace she'd seen in Hell and it didn't look like it wanted to stay. It was splintering at glacial speed, like a jigsaw puzzle under mounting pressure.

Charlie jumped the division and ran to Alastor, picking him up and carrying him back to his bed.

"How d-dare you!" Alastor growled.

"You can be pissed at me all that you want for helping you, or seeing you like this, or whatever," she said, laying him down gently on the bed. "Later."

Alastor's face was pale, his eyes sunken yet glowing, pupils misshapen like radio dials. His grin looked more like a laughing rictus of pain. "No, I c-can't."

Charlie brushed that off. "But right now," she said, lifting his head to slip a pillow under it, "You're going to tell me where that bullet Valentino shot you with is!"

"Didn't g-give that lout enough credit. This is a very... very... good p-poison."

"Where's the bullet, Alastor?" Charlie pressed. "Did you take it out yourself? Did someone else take it out for you?"

"You going to save me, Charlie?" The room filled with the sound of a laughing audience. But the laughter stretched and warped, like a taped recording being played on a dying battery.

"That's the idea."

"f*cking hate you."

"Don't care." Charlie knelt next to the bed, taking one of his hands in both of hers. "Now talk."

Day Five - Streets of Pentagram City, morning:

The black and malachite limo drove through the open gate to the Hazbin Hotel, pulled around the statue of Dazzle and waited.

The wait wasn't long. The front door swung open and Niffty pranced out excitedly, dressed in a white and gold variant of her normal attire, a frilly hat and a bag under one arm.

The mid-jaws of the limousine open. Seviathan waited inside. He reached out a hand and helped her in.

They sat on the back tongue together as the maw closed around them, plunging the interior of the limo into darkness.

Seviathan complemented Niffty's attire. "Bone and angel blood. The colors look good on you."

Niffty giggled and blushed.

The limo began to move.

"Color me intrigued," Seviathan said, curious. "What's in the bag?"

Niffty pulled the bag closed, keeping its contents hidden. "Another outfit. One I got at a place Angel took us."

Seviathan’s eyebrows rose. "Oh? Do I get to see it?"

Niffty grinned wickedly. "Depends on how bad you are!"

The limo pulled out through the gate and turned down the street, pulling over less than a block away. It sat, idling.

Seviathan played his fingers through the air, tracing swaths of obsidian light tinged with malachite and jade.

Outside, the wind blew down the street and over the black and malachite limousine, washing away its noticeability like salt.

Minutes later, Seviathan and Niffty watched as Leonard strode quickly down the path from the hotel, pausing briefly to stare at the open gate before leaving the property.

The huge shark climbed into the truck parked half a block away, starting it up and pulling into the street.

Niffty bounced with excitement.

Seviathan grinned at her. "Here we go. Let's see if he'll lead us to a fallen angel." He knocked on his window.

"Follow."

The limo pulled out and began to tail Leonard's truck.

Day Five - Hazbin Hotel, late morning:

Charlie was walking down the hall, gaze downcast, when her attention was caught by the clearing of a throat.

Charlie looked up. "Rosie? Oh, hello!"

"Which room is Alastor's?" Rosie asked politely.

Charlie swallowed and looked back down the hallway. Her internal debate against divulging that information died at the sight behind her.

Charlie admitted heavily. "The only one with a closed door."

Charlie held up a hand. "But Alastor is really, really not up for visitors right now. He would not want to be disturbed."

Rosie nodded. "I'll take my chances. And don't you worry. I won't enter without his permission."

Charlie frowned. "That may not be enough. He's... right now..."

Rosie smiled. "Thank you for wanting to protect me. You're a good girl, Charlie. And you're a good friend. But this is Overlord business, and I'm afraid it can't wait." She looked in the direction of the Radio Demon's room and back at Charlie. "Now, would you give us the hall?"

Charlie sighed. "I understand. Of course."

Charlie walked to the elevator and hit the button. It opened promptly, having just delivered Rosie to this floor.

Charlie entered, hitting the button for the lobby. In seconds, she was there.

The large area that encompassed the parlor and bar had a lot fewer people than when she left.

"Where is everybody?"

Vaggie got up from her chair, breaking off an awkward conversation with a cannibal child that Charlie did not recognize but assumed came with Rosie.

As Vaggie approached, she told Charlie, "Leonard left for work. Niffty left on her date. Emily went to Heaven to run her errands so she would be here to take us to Sloth later."

She slowed, looking at Charlie. "Are you okay? You look rattled."

From the direction of the bar, Charlie heard Husk say, "Hey kid. Why don't you come over here."

Angel Dust suggested, "Why don't you give him a bloody mary?"

The little cannibal perked. "Is Mary really in it?"

Crymini spat, "Like f*ck he will. Grandpa here won't even give me a real screwdriver. That poor guy looks half my age."

Husk shot Angel Dust a look. "I'm not giving the kid vodka." He turned to the kid with a smile. "How about just some blood?"

Crymini peered at him.

"Okay." Charlie watched the kid climb onto a bar stool. "Thanks mister."

Husk crouched down behind the bar.

"You slittin' your wrists or something?" Crymini asked as she climbed up onto the bar to peer over.

"A f*ckin' minifridge with blood in it?" Crymini looked up at Angel Dust, who was just smiling. "Sure. Why the f*ck not?"

The puppy demon sat back down and watched Husk pour the kid a glass of blood.

Husk smiled at the kid. "There you go." He turned to Crymini. "We spent a month training folks from Cannibal Town to fight."

As Charlie witnessed that exchange, she continued her conversation with her partner. "I'll be okay, Vaggie. Alastor... was like an entirely different person. But I got a description of where he had the bullet removed. A little clinic in the Doomsday District near Cannibal Town. Hopefully, the doctor there still has it."

Vaggie looked over at him. "Nothing like that. Um... remember when I told you... finally... about what I was and what happened to me?"

"Yes." Charlie's eyes widened with dawning understanding. "He's that kid?"

"Y-yeah." Vaggie teared up a little again. "He's that kid. His name is Timothy."

"Eeeee! And he's still around. He made it through all of them. Because of you!"

"Yeah. I know. It... feels good." Vaggie looked down, wrapping her arms around herself. "Doesn't make up for any of what I did before that. But it feels good."

Charlie gently took Vaggie's chin and turned her face to look at her. "Remember you are forgiven. Even by yourself."

Vaggie drank in the love in Charlie's eyes. "Right. Sorry."

After a moment, Vaggie frowned. "There's something else. Lute killed two children from Rosie's territory."

Charlie gasped in horror, her heart breaking for those poor children.

"Rosie needs to meet with Emily," Vaggie added.

Charlie felt a surge of distress.

"And it happened in the Doomsday District near the edge of Cannibal Town. Same general area as our weird clinic. I can't imagine any reason Lute would hang around there for five days, but we should keep an extra eye out."

Charlie nodded. "Fortunately Emily has plenty to spare."

Crymini barked, "Are you f*cking nuts?"

Charlie and Vaggie both turned to see Crymini standing feet from them.

Crymini stared at them with disbelief. "Have you met Emily? That angel is stupidly innocent and in no way ready for Hell, much less the Doomsday District."

"Actually, we've walked through it with her before," Charlie said.

"Yeah, on the main road." Vaggie pinched the bridge of her nose. "And Emily literally had someone explode on her. That was just a week ago. Crymini's right."

Charlie winced. "I'd... forgot about that. Right. No taking Emily."

"Take me," Crymini said.

Charlie found the idea as appealing as nails on a chalkboard. "No. I'm not taking one of my guests to a place that might or might not have a crazy fallen angel..."

"I live in the Doomsday District," Crymini reminded her. "Or did. I know the place like the back of my hand."

Charlie looked to Vaggie for support.

Vaggie admitted, "It's... not a great idea, but without Emily, we could use the help."

Charlie stared. Closed her eyes. Took a breath. Looked at Crymini.

"Fiiiiiine."

Day Five - Belphegor's Estate, Sloth, late morning:

Crude black burst and spilled down the wall. A bubble rose in the center of the filth, swelling and popping, spitting an inky geyser that coalesced into Frederick von Eldritch.

Lucifer watched before turning his attention back to Belphegor, who was on her phone.

"Thank you for the update, Missus Morningstar. We will be waiting." Belphegor patiently listened. "Yes, I will pass your love to your father."

Belphegor ended the call and turned to Lucifer. "Your daughter believes she knows where to get the poison she wishes a cure for. She also said she loves you."

Lucifer smiled happily at that last part. Then his brow furrowed. "Did she ever say who was poisoned?"

"Yes."

Lucifer waited.

Frederick walked up. "No more luck finding Victor. I'm sorry, but I've run out of options short of going door-to-door."

He stopped, staring at a light from under the door to the guest room.

Lucifer continued to wait until it became clear that Belphegor was not just taking an extra slow time answering. "And? Who is it that Charlie is risking herself for this time?"

Frederick tried to interrupt. "Uh, Luci?"

"She told me not to tell you."

Remembering Belphegor's use of he earlier, Lucifer put it together. "Oh you have got to be KIDDING ME!"

Frederick turned to the Sin of Sloth instead. "Bel. Open the door. Now."

"Frederick?"

"She's awake and she's doing something in there," Frederick told the Sin. "Open the door."

Belphegor lifted a hand and made a downward motion.

The door unlocked and opened into an empty guest room.

Lucifer's face fell.

Day Five - Victor's Clinic, late morning:

Leonard parked the truck and got out, hurrying down the alley and climbing down the stairwell to the door of Victor's clinic. He knocked briefly.

Leonard announced through the door, "It's me, doc." Then turned the knob. The door was unlocked and allowed him entrance. Unlike a certain gate he had uncharitable feelings towards.

Victor looked up at him, surrounded by boxes. "Oh excellent, Leonard. Please start moving everything into the truck."

Leonard moved into the room. "Sure thing. We need to move."

Victor opened the long box with his angelic tools and placed his syringe into it. "Agreed. I'm ready to start pneumonic work, but we really can't do it here. Not with the locals. I've procured a larger lab across town, and I'd like to be moved in there by tonight."

Leonard started to grab the first box, then stopped cold, seeing Lute's body. "Holy f*ck. Is she dead?"

Victor nodded. "Very. Time of death was roughly thirteen minutes after 3am this morning. Which means I have my strain. I'm just waiting now to see if she resuscitates."

Leonard picked up multiple boxes. "Might want to do that at the new place."

The plague doctor turned to him.

"The f*cking daughter of Lucifer is on her way here," Leonard told him as he started up the stairs. "Probably with the High Seraphim of Heaven."

Victor's hands clenched into fists. He was absolutely silent and still until Leonard returned. "How did they find out about this place?"

Leonard grabbed more boxes. "The Radio Demon. I couldn't make out everything they were whispering, but apparently Charlie Morningstar wants his bullet."

Victor picked up a nearby box. "With haste, then. Do you know how long we have?"

"Maybe an hour?" Victor guessed. "The angel has 'chores' to do in Heaven. But once she's back, she can just open a portal here."

Across the street, in a hidden limo, Niffty and Seviathan watched Leonard and an unknown individual loading the truck with boxes.

"That's a lot of boxes," Seviathan said with an air of suspicion. Anyplace in the Doomsday District having that much of a stockpile of anything was cause for suspicion.

"Leonard's picking up a delivery for his boss," Niffty recalled, kicking her feet. "Probably drugs."

Day Five - Hazbin Hotel, late morning:

The looming tower came crashing down, rubble clattering across the surface of the bar.

Timothy cheered at his victory.

Husk hid a smile. "Damn. Just not my lucky day."

Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb returned from washing the dishes to find Husk had pulled out some of Charlie's games. The winged feline demon and the cannibal child were picking up Janga pieces that spilled to the floor.

Cherri Bomb took a seat and started bulldozing the pieces on the bar into a pile.

"Hey, Husk," Angel Dust asked, "Think I should talk to Leonard?"

"You looking to be my wingman?"

"Ha! I just figure he hasn't really warmed up to this place. And I'm guessin' that's tied up with his animosity towards you" Angel Dust suggested, "If I can help him see you've changed, maybe he'll be more open to it all?"

Husk shrugged. "You're welcome to try."

There was a knock on the door.

Angel Dust jumped up. "My turn!"

The spider demon ran over and theatrically pulled both front doors open wide. "Well cum to the Hazbin Hotel, hot stuff!"

Angel Dust looked up and felt immediate regret.

"I've come to see my sister." Sera said.

Angel Dust stepped aside as Sera entered, seeming to glide across the floor rather than walk.

In a cautious tone, the spider demon said, "So, you would be Sera. Emily's told us so much about you. I'm Angel Dust..."

"I know who you are," Sera told him, looking down at the p*rn demon who had been the subject of that fateful hearing nearly two months ago

How could I not? You've been the center of so many arguments.

Angel Dust shedding some of his nervousness. "Yeah. I hear you've been spying on me in court."

Sera frowned. "Obviously not anymore."

Stop engaging with him.

Her frown turned to a scowl, her multitude of eyes opening, tracing things only she could see... looking upwards and then over until they fell on Husk.

Sera suppressed a shudder.

This is the company my sister has been keeping?!

"Where is Emily?" Sera asked.

Husk answered, "Emily is in Heaven right now. She'll be back later."

Sera cursed her timing, but was thankful Emily could enjoy Heaven. She stood just outside the parlor. "I'll wait."

Sera felt a presence draw close and looked down to see the child with sharp teeth and pits for eyes. Her eyes widened as she recognized him as a cannibal. Possibly one of those who feasted on slain Exorcists. But her revulsion was gutted by the realization that he was a child. A cannibal child.

Timothy asked shyly, "Are you one of the good angels or the bad angels?"

Sera froze at the question. She pulled her eyes away, looking for someone who could provide an answer. "Who is this?"

"Oh, that's the kid that Vaggie saved from the Extermination three years ago," Cherri Bomb said almost jovially "Ya know, the act of mercy that got her eye cut out and left in Hell by Adam and Lute?"

Husk shot Cherri Bomb a what the f*ck? look.

Angel Dust added, "And her wings ripped off. Don't forget that part."

"Oh yeah!" Cherri Bomb co*cked her head, tipping a finger at Sera, and asked almost nonchalantly. "Ya signed off on that, right?"

Timothy frowned and backed away, almost squeaking in fear. "Oh. You're a bad angel." He ran to hide behind Cherri Bomb.

Sera stated, "This was a mistake."

"You think?" Angel Dust agreed.

Husk glared at Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb. "Will you two knock it off. This is Emily's sister. Not to mention probably the most powerful woman in Hell. If you're not going to show civility, at least show some common f*cking sense."

Sera looked to Husk, unable to bring herself to say thank you but thankful nonetheless.

"Forgive me. I did not know there were children in Hell. Other than Hellborn, of course."

Cherri Bomb spat, "How would you not know that?!"

Angel Dust stared, speechless.

Sera sighed. "And Adam's report merely said that Vaggie had retired," she said, still using the soft 'g'.

Cherri Bomb tossed her arms up in exasperation. "Which did you fall for first? Evil or gross incompetence?!"

Husk growled at Cherri Bomb. "STOP!"

Cherri Bomb huffed and crossed her arms. "Right. Most powerful woman in Hell. Emily's sister. Got it."

Husk stared at Cherri Bomb. "One of these days, you and I need to have a private conversation."

"Pffft. You got something to say to me, say it," Cherri Bomb challenged. "In front of Mrs. Genocide. Go on, I'm all ears."

Husk grumbled. "Fine. Look, I know you are fiercely loyal to your friends. And you don't like bullies. But is that really all that's at play here?"

Husk spread his hands. "Because you're also an adrenaline junkie. And I can't help but notice how eager you are to clash first with Alastor and now with Sera."

The winged feline demon threw his arms wide. "So you tell me. Are you so addicted to putting your life in danger that you're picking fights way above you? Or are you trying to commit suicide by greater power?"

Cherri Bomb stood up. "Tell me they didn't deserve every f*cking word."

Sera clinched her eyes shut, trying not to see herself and Emily in the argument.

Over and over, she had begged Emily to do the safe thing. Do the sensible thing. Only to hit a wall of righteous anger. Even their last argument...

At least go to the Embassy.

Did you seriously think I would?

Sera watched as the argument continued in front of her, and the association grew teeth.

We argued just like this. Are these demons arguing like angels? Or did we argue like demons?

"Please stop."

Husk and Cherri Bomb paused, surprised.

"I'm not going to defend myself. If I didn't deserve it, I wouldn't have fallen," Sera stated. "I'm not going to lash out. I'm not here as 'the most powerful woman in Hell'. I don't care about any of that. I just want to see Emily."

"Well now, that's totally understandable," Rosie said, appearing at the top of the stairs. "But you can't expect everybody else not to care about that."

Sera’s eyes widened, stepping back.

"Sorry if my appearance is disturbing. Alastor tells me you can see the chains." Rosie descended the stairs. "For what it's worth, I can assure you every one was forged willingly."

Sera grimaced. "I'm surrounded by monsters. How can Emily live here?"

"Hate to break it to you, dearie, but you're a monster too. But look on the bright side. You'll fit right in."

The cannibal child ran to Rosie, taking shelter behind her.

Pulling out her fan as she walked towards Sera, Rosie said, "Now I've talked with your Emily. Fine girl, that one. Very honest. Doesn't hold back her feelings. Could use some work on her diplomacy..." Rosie paused, fanning herself. "...a lot of work, but she has a good heart. And as representatives of Heaven go, she is by far the best we've ever seen."

Rosie pointed her fan at a chair. "Now, why don't you sit down? We'll have a nice visit while we wait for your sister to return."

"What would we have to talk about?" Sera questioned.

Rosie smiled beatifically. "Well, your plans for your Throne, for starters. Everybody wants to know your intentions for Hell." More genuinely, Rosie offered, "Or we could just talk about Emily. Might help you feel better. I'm sure you have loads to tell."

"No! I am not talking about my sister with a demon like you." Sera's voice rose. "I don't have any plans for Hell. I don't have any intention of having a throne. I don't want to be 'the most powerful woman in Hell'. I don't want to be in Hell. I've already told Lucifer this. How many times do I have to say it?"

Husk whimpered, "Christ."

Sera turned her glare on him.

Rosie blinked and sat down calmly. "Wow. I've never seen someone hit so many stages of grief at once. All the first four."

"Acceptance? Now that's the hard one." Rosie looked down. "I'm sure it's also hard to hear anything from someone who looks like me."

Sera stared down at Rosie, thrusting out a hand at her. "Maybe that's because you're a cannibal. Or because you're drowning in the chains of souls you own. And you're here, trying to find a way into Heaven?"

Rosie laughed, waving a hand in negation. "Oh no. I'm just here visiting a friend. Emily has already made Heaven's stance on cannibals very clear. And even offered to help us make life better down here instead."

Sera's stare softened in surprise. "That is admirably diplomatic of her."

"As for these chains, they don't go one way," Rosie told the fallen seraphim. "Each one of these is a responsibility. In most cases, I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. In some, I am still doing so. But in every case, they are my clients."

Sera reluctantly sat down. "That, I will admit, is not a feeling foreign to me."

"See?" Rosie smiled. "Common ground. You find it in the most surprising places."

"But it is not the same," Sera told her. "You chose to take power and claim responsibility. I had it thrust upon me, and that led to the Exterminations. Now Hell wants to thrust it on me again?"

Day Five - Victor's Clinic, late morning:

Leonard put the last of the boxes in the truck and headed back down the stairs.

All that was left was the dead angel.

The incandescent bulb overhead shined down on the plague doctor. He was standing next to a medical gurney where he had laid out the angel's body. Leonard was a little surprised that the body was unrestrained. Even though it was a corpse.

Victor spoke. "I had really hoped to observe her long enough to see if she comes back."

"We're not taking her with us?"

"No." The plague doctor waved a hand about the room splattered with golden blood. "We have enough time to pack. Not enough to clean up. If we took her, they would be driven to look farther."

Victor fished a bottle out of his coat pocket. "Better for them to find what they are looking for." He set the bottle down between Lute's breasts, the bullet rolling about within.

Leonard nodded. "Good thinking. Shall we go then?"

The plague doctor turned, the angelic blade flashing in the light as it slashed across Leonard's neck.

Victor watched Leonard stumble back in shock. "Sorry about this. You have been a good Igor, Leonard. But the news you brought has proven it is unwise to let anyone know where I do my work."

Leonard lunged towards Victor, but the plague doctor avoided the clumsy charge.

Victor watched the huge shark fall to the floor, knocking the gurney which rolled several feet, clutching his neck, bleeding out.

He pulled his angelic bonesaw from his coat as Leonard died.

Victor placed the handle of the bonesaw in Leonard's right hand, closing the hand around it. He moved Leonard's arm until the blade was pressed to the shark's neck.

"I'm sorry again, Leonard," Victor told the corpse before sawing. "But if I leave them a victim, I have to leave them a killer.

Day Five - Just outside Cannibal Town, noon:

Seviathan and Niffty watched the stranger in the plague doctor getup climb into the truck and drive off.

Seviathan frowned. The doctor went in. Then Leonard went in. The doctor left. So Leonard was still in there. Alone.

"Leonard's still here," Niffty said, echoing his thoughts. "Is this his place? Think Lute is here?"

"If she ever was," Seviathan replied. "None of those boxes were Exorcist sized. Either way, he knows where she is, right? What do you think? Time to ask Leonard about Valentino's new girlfriend?"

Niffty nodded eagerly.

A moment later, the two appeared on the street. Seviathan twirled a hand, obsidian and jade energy dancing between his fingers, then clapped. The black and malachite limo once again became noticeable. Especially so as it was the only vehicle on this stretch of street.

Seviathan reconsidered. "The fallen angel could have been in those boxes. Back in high school, my sister Helsa once cut another student apart and mailed all her pieces to different districts." He added, "But that seems unlikely."

"Why'd she do that?" Niffty asked curiously.

Seviathan told her, "My sister wanted to see how long it would take a girl to pull herself back together before trying to do that to Charlie before prom." He'd had to remind her that Charlie was hellborn, and informed their father when even that proved insufficient to deter her. "Helsa still holds a grudge that I stopped that little plot."

Niffty scowled. "If I meet Helsa, I'm gonna stab her."

"Oh please do."

Seviathan opened the truck, revealing a collector's prize of weaponry from which he plucked his sword cane and dueling pistol. They served him well on the last date. It had been exhilarating, being surrounded by demons like that and just cutting loose.

Niffty had beaten his body count by three.

Niffty looked over the selection. She took one of the big, really scary knives last time, but... "I think I want to try the sickle!"

Seviathan grinned. "That would be fun to see you swing." He offered, "Take both if you'd like. No harm in having a backup."

Niffty began to laugh.

Day Five - Hazbin Hotel, noon:

Husk felt a brief, fiery itch accompanied by a raspy sound like a fresh deck being shuffled. It was a sensation he last felt when he was an Overlord. One felt only during Exterminations.

The others were focused on Sera. Angel Dust had taken a seat opposite her and Rosie. Cherri Bomb had retreated from the bar and was sitting on the stairs. Husk felt ignored enough to turn his back and start looking through his Contracts.

"Sera, what you say isn't going to matter," Rosie was explaining to her. "What matters is how you act."

Angel Dust addressed Sera, "Hey, if you want to act like one of the good angels, maybe you should join us in buildin' the new Heaven Embassy. That would be good and symbolic, wouldn't it?"

Sera's eyes shifted, considering that.

Angel Dust sweetened the pot. "And hey, Emily will be there. A chance to spend some time with her."

"Emily will be there."

Angel Dust nodded. "Yeah. Plus Sir Pentious and my sister. They're taking a little vacay to Hell to help out."

"Oh..." Sera felt hesitant at the thought of seeing Sir Pentious.

Angel Dust perked. "Hey, that's right! We have something in common!"

Sera raised a dubious eyebrow, seriously doubting she had anything in common with the former drug-addict mobster p*rn star on the path to redemption.

"Your sister dated my sister!"

Sera's face fell. "Molly. Molly is your sister."

How did I not see it?

"Molly will be there?"

Sera recalled the last thing Molly said to her: Your sister, Emily, knows a great little hotel that I'm sure can help you with that, you know, if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood.

Sera fought off the emotions that came with that. "I... can't."

Husk voiced softly. "That was Leonard."

Angel Dust looked up. "Huh?"

Husk turned to Angel Dust. "Leonard's dead. Permanently. Killed by an angelic weapon."

From the stairs, Cherri Bomb clapped. "Great job with that, Sera."

Husk growled.

Sera looked at the cyclopean demoness. "Excuse me?"

"We didn't have the ability to permanently kill each other until ya came along," Cherri Bomb noted. She stood up, mocking, "Hey, we don't want ya to rise up against us, so we're going to permanently murder a bunch of ya on the reg, traumatize the rest, and then leave behind the only way ya could ever have to rise against us."

Cherri Bomb glared. "Bloody brilliant, ya c*nt! I see why they put ya in charge."

Angel Dust turned to Cherri Bomb. "Now even I am telling you to shut up."

The spider demon turned back to Sera. "She's right though."

Cherri Bomb held up her hands. "Okay, okay. Apparently I'm the only one in the room who isn't ready to play nice with someone several steps down from Alastor..."

Rosie gave her a matronly scowl.

"But if you want to pitch acts to help her not look like complete sh*t, how about she deal with Lute for murdering two more children?" Cherri Bomb suggested. "Wouldn't dealing with fallen Exorcists be her responsibility?"

Sera felt frozen, gutted. "Two. More. Children?" She stood up. "I... am sorry."

"I can't be here." Sera turned and rushed out of the Hazbin Hotel.

"f*ck!" Husk spread his wings and chased after her.

Day Five - Streets of Heaven, noon:

The sky was a bright and particularly beautiful blue. The air was clean and refreshing. There were faint strains of celestial pop music in the air. In the distance, Saint Peter was welcoming a new soul to Heaven.

Emily whistled as she skipped down the street, pausing to smile brightly and wave at the angels around her, many of whom smiled and waved back.

She recognized a couple from her less cheerful walk nearly a week ago. They waved back, having shed their apprehension of her.

The joy in her heart wasn't even tempered by the poster on the wall outside the clothier:

HOW CAN WE PAY RECOMPENSE WHEN WE HAVE SLAUGHTERED MILLIONS?

Or, if it was, that temperance was stripped away by the wave of the smiling spider demon in the doorway.

Emily skipped up and hugged Molly. "Did I keep you waiting?"

Molly grinned. "Yes, Emi. The perfect amount. Just enough time to get bored, go through your clothes, and then have the tailor summon up two new shirts to match the one you left behind." The spider angel winked. "In Charlie's and Vaggie's sizes."

Emily eeped and giggled happily. "You're the best, Molly!"

Molly reached back into the store and grabbed several bags, pushing one into Emily's hands. "I'm going to hold onto theirs until the get-together. I want all three of you to be wearing your new shirts for reconstruction day!"

She pauses, putting a finger under her chin. "In the meantime, I need to figure out what Annie would like. I can't come bearing gifts for your girlfriends and have nothing for my brother."

Emily nodded, bouncing a little and smiling a lot.

"Okay, spill, Emi. What's got you extra perky today?"

Emily erupted in a cheer. "The Charliegasm absorbers are done!"

Emily blushed as she realized several angels were looking at her questioningly.

Molly stepped in to the rescue. Loudly. "It's okay. Just that one of her girlfriends creates earthquakes when Emily makes her org*sm!"

"Molly!" Emily blushed more furiously.

Most of the angels stared a little longer before going about their business. Although she caught one "You go, girl!" from down the street.

Molly casually said, "Oh wow. Gally and Al work fast!"

Emily flicked Molly's halo in playful retaliation. "Stop teasing the Ambassador."

She refocused on what Molly said. "Well, they said it's the first new project they've had in a while. And there were lots of other scientists who pitched in to help."

"I'll bet."

Emily gave her a playful smirk. "They've got another new project now though." The seraphim clapped cheerfully. "With Sir Pentious! They're remaking Heaven's projector, bigger and better than before!"

Molly nodded. "I know! And he's so happy over there!" The spider angel sighed a little. "Now I just have to figure out what you should say while he works on a way for you to say it to all of Heaven."

Emily asked, "How... is that going?"

"I have appointments with a few philosophers today and a master of rhetoric tomorrow. But..." Molly fretted a little. "I'm really thinking this is something we should just work out together."

Molly added with extra thought, "Maybe with Sir Pentious. Or your girlfriends."

Emily thought about that. "You're probably right. If it's not in my own words, it might sound weird. I don't want souls to start thinking I'm hiding things from them."

Molly's eyes opened wide and a grin spread across her face. "Oh, I know just what to give Anthony!" She paused. "No. No. That might actually be a little bit evil. Emily, have you corrupted me?"

Emily blinked, shocked. "I.. what?!?"

Molly pretended to think aloud, "Besides, I couldn't do that anyway. I'm sure you invoked privacy filters before you did anything with Charlie and Vaggie, so..."

Emily felt a dawning, horrifying comprehension. In a panicked voice, she told Molly, "I need to run to the Golden Library now. Thank you. Bye!"

Emily opened a portal into the library and jumped through.

Molly waited for the portal to close. "Oh, wait, I already did that for you a week ago."

The spider angel giggled, taking her packages and hurrying away.

Day Five - Just outside Cannibal Town, noon:

"Turn left," Crymini instructed, clinging for dear life. "There are three narrow alleys over there with doorways to basem*nts."

Vaggie flew over the Doomsday District along the border between it and Cannibal Town. It was a slow, laborious flight. She'd carried Charlie in her arms several times, a few of those while flying. But the addition of Crymini riding on her back was making her wish they had waited for Emily after all.

Charlie spotted something below. "Is that...? Vaggie!"

Vaggie felt a moment of panic. "What?!"

Charlie pointed at the street below. "That limo! Land there!"

Vaggie searched the visible roads, the limo easy to spot. "Yep. That's the one that picked up Niffty."

Below, Niffty looked up and started waving frantically from the edge of a narrow alley.

A moment later, Vaggie landed, putting down Charlie and prying off Crymini.

Charlie watched, commenting, "I'm surprised you didn't enjoy that. I heard hellhounds like riding with their faces in the wind."

"That's because of the smells," Crymini told her. "Have you smelled the Doomsday District?"

Vaggie smirked teasingly, "She's not a hellhound, Charlie. Just a bitch."

Crymini stood her ground. "I said what I said."

Charlie rolled her eyes.

The conversation had started when Crymini spotted another of the Vagyna Model advertisem*nts and suggested to Vaggie that Velvette "must really want up your skirt". Vaggie's reaction only encouraged the teenager to needle her. Charlie had blocked out most of the conversation with daydreams of purring kittens and cotton candy.

Niffty ran up, Seviathan following at a leisurely pace.

"Checking up on us, Charlie?" Seviathan asked.

"No," Charlie responded, only to immediately question, "You're taking her to the Doomsday District again?"

"Oh, we're not playing war this time," Niffty said. "We're finding Lute!"

Vaggie froze. "You're what?!"

Seviathan asked Charlie, "Then what are you doing here?"

"Uhhhh..." Charlie felt bad about breaking her discretion and telling Alastor's secret to Vaggie and Emily; she was not about to tell Seviathan.

Seviathan oozed smug. "That's what I thought." He turned away and started walking towards the narrow back alley.

Speaking slowly, Vaggie asked, "Why are you looking for Lute?"

"To get some of her feathers!" Niffty exclaimed.

Vaggie groaned. "You can't still be on that Lutino thing."

"Yeah, you should trade up," Crymini teased. "I hear Vaggette is much better."

Vaggie stiffened. "Lutino is fine. Stick with Lutino."

"Okay!" Niffty turned and ran down the alley.

Crymini followed her.

Vaggie reluctantly followed Crymini, grumbling about dark fates for the puppy teen if Niffty should start posting Vaggette fanfiction before Velvette's magical algorithm ran its course.

Charlie moved close to Seviathan and whispered, "Niffty's a friend of mine. What are you up to?"

"You're friend?" Seviathan asked casually. "I thought she was your maid."

Charlie growled. "They're not mutually exclusive."

Seviathan stopped and turned to her. "Look, it's not like I'm going to date her for very long," Seviathan told her. "I mean, can you imagine my father if I got serious with the help. But I like her. She's fun. She's sexy. She's dangerous. And she's broken. All my favorite things."

Charlie stared possessively. "Do not hurt her, Seviathan. I'm warning you."

Seviathan finger-gunned. "See, that's why we lasted as long as we did. Three out of four ain't bad."

Charlie crossed her arms and fumed as Seviathan walked off down the alleyway with the others.

Day Five - Victor's Clinic, early afternoon:

Seviathan stood in the darkness at the bottom of the steep concrete stairs. He grasped the handle of the door to Victor's clinic, rattling it. "Locked."

Charlie looked at the door. "This looks like the place Alastor described. But why would Leonard be here?"

Seviathan drew back his hand, obsidian and malachite tendrils of energy dancing between his fingers. "Stand back. I'm breaking it down."

Charlie held up a hand. "Um... wouldn't that be really aggressive?" She turned to Vaggie. "I wish Emily was here. She'd just portal us past the door."

"Are you f*cking kidding me?!" Crymini pushed past, crouching down, and began picking the lock.

Nifty vibrated with hyperexcitement.

The lock clicked.

Crymini stood, swinging the door open, and waved everyone through. "None of you would last a day here."

She followed them in, grumbling while scratching at a new itch on the back of her neck.

Crymini watched Niffty pull out a pen light, the beam piercing the darkness. "Except maybe Niffty."

Niffty drew the narrow beam of light across walls splattered with golden blood. "Oooooh."

Vaggie tensed. "That's... a lot of blood."

Charlie pulled out her phone and held it up, the screen casting a wider fan of light.

The light revealed Leonard's body.

Charlie gasped, covering her mouth, her face an expression of horror. "No."

Vaggie moved to her. "Charlie, I'm sorry."

Vaggie stopped, seeing the gurney in the dark corner, wings draping off the edges. She hissed, "Charlie..."

Charlie was only paying attention to one thing. "No, no, Leonard, no."

Seviathan stood over Leonard's body. "Well, f*ck."

Vaggie gently took Charlie's hand and turned the phone to light the corner.

Niffty gasped. "Nooo!"

Vaggie's hand tightened on Charlie's unintentionally as she fought to process her emotions, including an entirely inappropriate level of joy.

Charlie pulled her hand free and collapsed on her knees next to Leonard, dropping her phone and reaching over him.

Charlie gingerly pulled Leonard's arm back, tearing the angelic bonesaw out of his neck. Blood spurted from the wound, landing across her face. Tears fell from her eyes, mixing with the blood and streaking down her cheeks.

This wasn't like Sir Pentious. This was so much worse. Leonard was still here. And there was no convenient villain to allow her to channel her sorrow into rage.

Niffty was drawn towards the angelic body on the gurney, once again buried in darkness. But she stopped when she heard Charlie start to sob. The little woman turned, moving back to Charlie and putting a comforting hand on her arm while staring down at the dead shark.

This wasn't like Sir Pentious. She barely knew Leonard and had no attachment to him. But his death was making Charlie sad. And that made her sad.

Crymini scratched at her left arm before pulling out Angel Dust's cell phone and relighting the corner.

The light glinted off the jar sitting on Lute's unmoving bosom.

Vaggie approached, spear suddenly in hand. She lifted the spear as she got within what would have been arm's reach if Lute wasn't missing one.

"What are you doing?" Seviathan asked in a harsh whisper.

Vaggie’s eye narrowed. "Checking to make sure she's dead."

Seviathan grabbed the shaft of Vaggie's spear. "With an angelic weapon?"

Vaggie growled. "Yes. Repeatedly. In the head."

"You know this slit?" Crymini asked as she moved close with the light. "What the f*ck is wrong with her?" She panned the screen light over the small buboes. "She looks sick. As well as, y'know, dead."

Crymini reached out and picked up the jar from between the dead angel's breasts, casually moving to pocket it.

Lute's chest expanded with a wretched gasp. Her eyes flew open, glowing red. The buboes on her neck and under her arms shrank. Her wings blackened to the color of pitch and horns sprouted from her head in a mockery of her former Exorcist helmet.

Crymini jumped back, dropping the bottle which rolled towards Charlie and clacked against her dropped phone.

Seviathan stepped back, jerking Vaggie's spear away from its target as she tried to bury it in Lute's chest.

Niffty rushed forward with a cheer and promptly tore several feathers from one of Lute's wings.

Lute screeched, jerking away and overturning the gurney. She crashed to the floor and rolled over, kicking off the gurney as it fell across her. Overwhelmed, hurt and disoriented, Lute shoved herself up against the corner of the room with both hands, eyes locking on the tiny monster that killed Adam.

Charlie jumped up as the gurney was sent across the room, hitting the far wall hard enough to mangle it.

"What?..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Lute, the fallen angel's new demonic aspect surging violently.

Lute clenched her eyes shut, her head screaming with wrongness. Her eyes opened, staring at her hands. One as albino as her skin, the other bloody red, scaled and tipped with sharp black talons.

Tears spilled from her glowing eyes as she let out a scream. Her vision blurred, confusion and nausea overwhelming her, and she passed out.

Crymini's chest heaved as she fought down the surge of adrenaline. "Christ on a bouncing crucifix! Whattheabsolutef*ck!?"

The puppy demon fought to stop trembling.

Seviathan shoved Vaggie's spear downward to point at the floor and let go.

Crymini calmed unsteadily, scratching the back of her neck again as she watched the not-so-dead angel's demonic aspect fade, leaving her again fully unconscious and half unarmed.

"I've never seen a resuscitation like that before," Seviathan said, a touch of awe in his voice.

Charlie stared in shock, then stepped towards Lute, her foot bumping against something. She looked down, the light of her phone illuminating the bottle and the bullet inside.

Charlie wiped her eyes and reached down, picking up both the bottle and her phone, then using the latter to illuminate the former as she stared into it.

Vaggie stared at Lute, shaking and unsure why.

Crymini was still getting her breathing under control. She moved closer to the fallen and unconscious angel. "She still looks sick. That's all kinds of f*cked."

In all of Crymini's experience, when a demon came back from death, they came back whole. Or, at least, as whole as they ever were down here. She'd known demons who killed themselves as a shortcut to detox. She'd done it herself.

Seviathan noted, "Not as sick as she did before though. Whatever it is, I think she's fighting it off now."

"Good," Niffty said firmly. "Sick is icky!"

Charlie was still staring at the bottle. "This must be Alastor's bullet."

Vaggie wrenched her attention from Lute, looking at Charlie.

Vaggie battled to corral her emotions, finally settling on existential betrayal, clenching her remaining eye shut and screaming.

"Her demonic aspect gives her a f*cking arm and mine makes my bow cute? How the f*ck is that fair!?"

Charlie was holding Vaggie before she even realized she had closed the short distance that had been between them.

"I'm..." Vaggie stopped before echoing Emily by saying she's fine. "...I don't know what I feel. But you being here helps. And..." She motioned with her free hand over at Leonard's body, "You had good reason to be distracted."

Vaggie quietly let Charlie just hold her until she stopped shaking.

Vaggie looked back at Lute, then really looked around at the blood, her eyes finally falling on the bloody holes left by the wall-mounting. "What the f*ck happened in here?"

Seviathan observed, "Not the story set up for us. Leonard here was murdered."

Charlie stared from Seviathan to Leonard and back.

Seviathan told them, "Even if I would believe someone committed suicide with a bonesaw, we know there was somebody else here. A demon in a lab coat and an old plague mask who drove off in a truck."

Charlie scowled, growling. "The one who took out Alastor's bullet, Doctor Victor."

Seviathan eyes opened wide then narrowed dangerously. "Please say that name again."

Day Five - Hazbin Hotel, early afternoon:

Husk flew out through the front doors and looked around. Sera was nowhere in sight. He looked up in time to see her disappearing onto the roof of the Hazbin Hotel.

Okay, not fleeing the area, just running from facing everybody.

He turned and jumped. Flapping his wings, Husk shot up the face of the hotel. He crested the top, hovering above the giant emblem of the hotel's key and landing on it. He slipped between the lit struts of the Hazbin Hotel's sign and jumped down onto the rooftop.

"I wanted to be alone," Sera told him.

Husk closed his eyes, giving serious thought to his options, even as he heard the rhythm of the piano and drums.

Sera wrapped her wings about her, staring up at Heaven, her voice mournful as she began to sing.

"I know that I made mistakes,

Allowed sin in Heaven's name,

Let Them punish me for that,

But this burden is insane!"

Sera lifted up her hands, summoning up orbs of angelic power.

"All this power burns too bright,

Drawing moths who crave my flame,

Unless I somehow douse my light,

I'll never escape from their game.

Sera dropped her arms to her sides, the orbs hanging in the air, fading, as she sang.

"I'm so sick of all of this,

Heaven knows I tried my best,

Yet They cast me down to Hell,

I just want to...

The fallen seraphim drew her wings about her, scowling, eyes clenching shut, each shedding a single tear.

"...f*cking rest."

Husk sighed. Fine. Here we go.

The winged feline demon approached slowly, singing in response:

"You want them to leave you be

Fine, I can make that happen.

Douse your light and cut you free

From the role that you're trapped in."

"But I can only help you shed,

Your responsibility,

By taking your power instead,

If you choose to sign with me."

He reached out to her.

"To break this curse, shake my hand

Can't save you from the life you led

But you'll be free to start again."

Husk frowned, singing, "Or if you want just stay in bed."

Sera turned, glaring, her many eyes glowing a bloody crimson. She sang back:

"What you offer is a chain!

Do you think me that naïve?

That's the opposite of free!

Take your paw back now and leave!"

Husk drew back, retracting the offered handshake, ears flattening. He sang to her:

"Is that really what you want?

I'm not trying to screw you.

This is an offer to help!

Ask Emily. It's what I do."

Sera’s eyes widened at the invocation of Emily's name.

Husk pressed with his verse:

"I'll make it a feeble chain,

You can end the whole contract,

And reclaim what I took from you,

If you truly want it back."

Sera frowned, not willing to be fooled, singing in response:

"You expect me to trust you?

Even Heaven smells the stink."

Husk countered:

"You're not up there; this is Hell,

Everything's written in ink."

The two stared at each other as the music dropped into silence.

Sera said, "Fine."

Husk smiled, conjuring the golden scroll of the Contract.

"But..." Sera added.

The music started again, faster paced for the bridge.

Sera sang as parts of the Contract were unwritten and rewritten by her will:

"I have a few provisions,

Some clauses and revisions."

Husk nodded, understanding. He sang:

"Precise wording is the goal,

"For a Contract binds a soul,

Sections of golden scroll blinked into existence, hovering about the contract, replacing parts that were removed as the contract grew and grew, the details far in excess of the words of the song.

Husk grinned, his eyes glowing as he truly began to enjoy this.

"As a former Overlord,

"I promise before you commit,

"I will give as much control,

"As a Contract will permit."

Sera sang back with refined smugness:

"You may have once been Overlord,

I was High Judge for Heaven's Court."

The scroll reached down to the rooftop before they were done. Finally, it shattered into pages which swooped together and collated into a novella-sized Contract.

"I am... surprised," Sera admitted when they were done. "You have been shrewd, and not let me take advantage of you. Yet you have met my every demand."

Husk reached out to her, his hand enveloped in a flickering green energy.

"Then won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?"

Sera rolled her eyes and reached out.

The moment Sera's and Husk's hands clasped together, the light show began. A surge of power unlike anything either expected. Arcane demonic energy cut symbols into the air all around them. Symbols of clubs and hearts, spades and diamonds. The rooftop around them was ringed with glowing, translucent ghosts of poker cards five feet long, the royal cards emblazoned with images of Husk or Sera. The cards began to spin around them as wind picked up and wisps of holy and infernal power burst out from Sera, infusing the spinning cards until Dealmaker and client were in the center of a localized tornado of fire and light. Shooting stars lanced across the pentagram over Pentagram City, pulled into the vortex.

Both began to sing a final chorus together. But through the roar of power, no other soul could have made out their words.