Chapter Text
13 January 9998
Rosie
“What are you two talking about over there?” Rosie asked as she placed breakfast on the plates. As the days had passed, she had begun to feel doubts settle back in.
”Oh! We were asking Vaggie if she’d like to go to the next Verosika concert. It’s in July in Imp City, and I thought it would be fun. I know it’s not your kind of music, but it would be nice to go with someone,” Charlotte said.
”It sounds fun. Of course, I’d love to go,” Vaggie said.
Rosie put on a smile. Why does it hurt that Charlotte wants to go out with a friend? “Of course, it’s a wonderful idea. I can always arrange to go down to town and visit friends, or maybe go out with Grace.” She set the plates down and retrieved her own.
”See! Sometimes even we need time away so we can miss each other,” the princess said, reaching out and taking her hand as she sat down. “We love you so much.”
”I love you too, and with Vaggie there, you won’t be overwhelmed as easily.”
”Of course, if you wanted to come with us, we’d love it. It’s just not your kind of music.”
Why can’t it be? she thought to herself. Did I ever give it a chance? Did I ever actually listen to any of it?
“Rosie?” Charlotte asked.
She shook her head.
”You’ve been staring at your food for about five minutes,” Vaggie said.
”I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “I was somewhere else, I guess.” How many times was I told I couldn’t go somewhere? Or do something. My father. My husbands. Did I ever think to do something on my own? Build a town and make it into mine but I never looked beyond it. “Do you have some spare earbuds?”
”Of course. I just bought some new ones. The old ones are upstairs. They’re ok. Just not great.”
”That’s ok. Thank you.”
”So…what are we doing today?” Vaggie asked.
“Same thing we do every day…try to take over Hell!” Charlotte declared.
”What? No! We are…” Rosie giggled. “You’re being silly aren’t you?”
”Yes. Who wants to rule all of Hell…wellll…I guess I will maybe if something happens to dad.”
Vaggie said “She was quoting an Earth Cartoon. ‘What do you want to do tonight, Brain?’ ‘The same thing we do every night, Pinky…try and take over the world!’ It’s a silly cartoon.”
She felt herself get somber again. Did I ever have a childhood? She looked at Charlotte and the silly joy in her face. Have I ever been unabashedly happy? “Well, we aren’t taking over Hell, but maybe conquering breakfast wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
”Of course! And…I don’t know…maybe work on another room. I wish Charlie would wake up. She’s better at boring stuff like that.”
“I’m sure she will soon,” Vaggie said.
As the meal continued with light conversation, Rosie grew thoughtful. Can I really be what she needs? Sometimes I feel more like her mother than her fiancée. I love her. I want to be her partner. I want to be her wife. I don’t know how! All I do is coddle her don’t I?
Vaggie
She cleared the dishes as Charlotte daunted out of the kitchen. “I can take over some of the cooking, if you would like,” she said when she realized Rosie hadn’t left with Charlotte.
Rosie didn’t respond.
“Maybe make something traditional for me.”
As she put the plates in the sink and gathered up the knives, Rosie said “How do you be a partner instead of a wife?”
Vaggie very carefully put the knives next to the sink. “You’re asking me? I’ve had one relationship in twelve years and that lasted six weeks until Lute found out.”
”I’m sorry. It was stupid of me to ask.”
Vaggie looked at the dishes and walked over to the table. “I’m sorry. That was harsh of me. What’s wrong?”
”They deserve someone younger than me.”
“Is this because of the concert?” She sat down next to the sinner.
”Partially. I feel so much older than she is. Especially Charlotte.”
She reached over and took Rosie’s hand. “I don’t know. How about this? Start with something simple. The show she referenced is Animaniacs. It should be up on HellTube, I hope. So, try watching it. Some of the references might go beyond you, but it’s worth trying. Listen to some of Verosika’s music. What did you do as a child?”
”Mostly I hid in a cupboard.”
”Oh.”
“My father was horrible. I often had to work.”
She squeezed the overlord’s hand. ”I get it. You know why I said ‘yes’ to the concert?”
”Why?”
”I’ve never been. In all my existence, I never went to a concert. Life was hard. It was money I needed for food. I scrambled for food. Fought to survive.”
Rosie smiled. ”I went to the theater a couple times. I got to see a production of The Pirates of Penzance when I was, I don’t know, ten. I snuck in.”
Vaggie chuckled. “I saw a movie of it on TV once. It was fun.”
“I wonder if we can find it. I’d love to see it.”
”I’ll check. Movie night?” Vaggie found herself smiling. “For I am the very model of a modern Major General I know information animal, vegetable and mineral,” she sang trying to do justice to the music.
”You think Charlotte or Charlie would like it?”
”Who knows, but it might be fun to find out. You know, there’s all kinds of musicals we could watch. Sweeney Todd, Rocky Horror, Mean Girls.”
”Thank you. I would love to watch them. I think I’ve been so scared for so long I haven’t thought about any of this. I’ve fallen into being her wife, not her partner, and I honestly don’t know a lot about what she loves to do or watch.”
“Maybe talk to someone else about the wife thing. I’ve never had anything longer than a few weeks and a few quick fingerings behind the shed.”
”You really are blunt.”
”Yep. My most endearing quality,” Vaggie said with an impish grin.
Rosie smiled wickedly and stuck out her tongue for a moment. “At least I’ve had my tongue between a woman’s thighs.”
”You’re dating someone!” Vaggie pushed on the sinner slightly.
”I was…her name was Annie.”
She smiled. “Where has this Rosie been?”
”Huh?”
”The silly one. You’re always so tense. Maybe I should work on your shoulders.”
“Why don’t you and Charlie get some work done? I’m going to go into town. There’s someone I want to talk to,” Rosie said.
”Sure. And Rosie…”
”Yes?”
”Thank you.”
”I should thank you for putting things in perspective.”
”Any time. Now, I should get the dishes done. And I mean it, we’ll get some spices, I’ll make some food. We’ll love it,” Vaggie said.
”Shopping is later this week. Write it all down,” Rosie said, standing up. “So much to work on.”
”Of course,” Vaggie said as Rosie left.
Rosie
The walk into town wasn’t too bad. She queued up some music from Verosika Mayday and thought about what she was doing. The first song to come up with Handle Me…she smiled. “Okay, not so bad. Different era, same sentiment.”
She kept listening. It was a little jarring, but not badly so.
As she reached the edge of town, she turned off the music and put the earbuds away. The walk up the stairs to the room she sought wasn’t bad.
She waited for the door to open after knocking.
“Rosie?”
”Hi Alice. I need to talk to you, if that’s alright?”
”Sure, come in. I was just going over something with Harmony here.”
Rosie smiled at the woman as warmly as she could. I can handle Vaggie…but another exorcist?
The panic didn’t have much time to set in when Harmony said “I’ll head out, if it’s ok.”
”Sure. Hope you have fun!” Alice said.
”Thanks for the tips and directions,” the exorcist said.
”Aspasia’s places are good.”
”I hope so,” Harmony said. “And hello Miss Rosie. I hope you both have a nice conversation.”
“Thank you.” Once the door was closed, Rosie said “Is she going to be a problem?”
Alice turned to her desk and picked up two parts of a halo. “She did that herself. I think she just decided to walk away from Heaven. But…probably best to keep her away from Vaggie.”
”Please.”
”Now, what did you come up here for? It can’t be to ask for musical advice,” Alice said, sitting down. She indicated the bed. “I really might have to look into getting a larger apartment.”
”Well…” Rosie started, sitting down. “You have a similar style to me, but…more modern. I was hoping for advice.”
”Wait…” Alice giggled. “You are coming to me, the poster child for disaster goth, for advice on how to dress?”
”Yes.”
”Why?”
”This look of mine goes back a century. I kept it up because I was mayor of Cannibal Town. Maybe it’s stopped serving its purpose. And you usually look like you’re so well put together.”
Alice swept her hand down her body and said “Only during meetings. Is this about Charlie?” She was wearing a black shirt that had a couple holes in it, and a skirt that had faded from full on black.
”Yes. I fear that…maybe I’m too old for her or at least too mature.”
”Alright. You might find that love will sort things like age out.” Alice turned around and wrote something down. “That’s the name and address of my tailor. Honestly, easier for you to talk to her than to me. Being an overlord has its perks.”
”Like money coming in.”
”Yep.” There was a slight glaze to Alice’s eyes and a muttered “Yes, I know…no. I know…” She snapped up and said “Sorry about that.”
”No problem,” Rosie smiled slightly. “May I ask something personal?”
”Okay…I may not answer.”
”How many of you are there inside?”
Alice looked around. “Just…the two of us…as far as we know. Esme was just reminding me that I have to get ready for a meeting with Grace. We’re talking about me taking territory fully to the east. Maybe creating my own enclave or something.”
”Well, I hope that it goes well, and yours and Esme’s secret is safe with me. Has Harmony told you about her life?”
”Yes. Honestly, I’m surprised she’s halfway sane, and I do know that she and Vaggie were a couple.”
“Okay. You have a good meeting and thank you. I will head over there right away.”
”Take care and she’s really good. For a creepy black widow.”
Rosie smiled. “Some would say that about me.”
”I mean this literally. She’s a furry black widow and is about your height.”
”Ah…Take care, Alice, and say hello to Alastor for me. Maybe relay to him that I’d love for him to come up to the Hotel sometime later this month.”
”Will do. Now, shoo, I need to get showered and into something presentable.”
With a smile, she left the room.
Vaggie
She looked out of the open window as the acid snow that had been threatening to fall finally started. “What a lot of junk.”
”Yeah…well…ten thousand years is a long time,” Charlotte said from the door. “So…did you leave behind a girlfriend?”
”No. And that’s a rather personal question.”
”Oh…I would have thought a personal question is ‘how many women have you slept with’?”
”Depends on how you define it. Full on sex, I haven’t.”
”Oh. We weren't asking! We’re sorry. You didn’t have to tell us that!”
She turned to the window and threw some weird broken statue that looked like it was supposed to be of Lilith, but the arm was broken off. “It’s ok.”
She felt a hand on her arm. “It isn’t. You should have found love. You’re cute, and nice.”
”And grew up in a homophobic place and when I tried to escape, found I was in a place just barely better.”
Two arms enveloped her. “You will find love somehow even here in Hell!”
She returned the hug. I shouldn’t stay here. I don’t need to get attached to either of them. They’ll break my heart, but I could get so used to just being right here.
“We should warn you. Some things in these boxes are…a bit sensitive.”
”I already ran into one dildo and harness. I tossed them out. Did your parents not throw anything out?”
”Not really. Here, we’ll help you out.” Charlotte began to go through another box that was on the bed. “We don’t get why there’s so much junk. There’s rooms and rooms of this stuff.” The princess stopped. “Do you…what happens when someone falls out of love?”
”Um…they leave? I don’t know. I have no experience with any of this. Is there a problem between you and Rosie?”
”No! We were just thinking about mom. Why did she leave us? We want to make her proud. We want to make her vision a reality.”
”The whole redemption thing?”
”Yeah. What do you think it’s like in Heaven? We mean, Vox has shows about it…from there…but we don’t know. Maybe it’s different.”
Vaggie felt panic hit her. “I don’t know. Maybe they…maybe they have lots of rainbow sprinkles and koalas. Maybe they have an angel up there who is weirdly obsessed with pangolins.”
”That’d be weird, but somehow comforting. We have family up there, we guess. Family we’ve never met. Dad’s told me about Sera. She’s kind of sort of my aunt, isn’t she?”
”Who’s Sera?” Vaggie bit her lip at the lie.
“Sera’s the ruler of Heaven the way my dad’s the ruler of Hell. But…we miss my mom. Don’t get me wrong. I love my dad, but he’s always been kind of absent.”
”Have you talked to Rosie about any of this?” Vaggie asked, wondering if she could divert the princess.
”We…haven’t. We don’t want to burden her with our sorrows. She lost so much.”
”You need to talk to her. Communicate with her.” She reached out and touched Charlotte.
“But what if I burden her too much?”
”Take it slowly, then.” How in Heaven’s name am I suddenly their therapist?
Rosie
The shop she stepped into was crammed full of mannequins, dresses, hats, corsets, and all sorts of various items. She took a moment to take it all in. It looked like controlled chaos.
”Oh my Lucifer! That cannot possibly be Rosie Morningstar!” The voice came from somewhere in the back of the store.
”Not Morningstar yet,” she said, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
The woman who came into view was tall, dignified, and definitely something of a spider. She looked something like the actor Angel Dust, but with more pronounced curves and red and black fur. Two glowing red pupilless eyes looked at her. “I had heard that you had married the young princess. Still, to what do I have the honor of serving the Princess Consort?”
”Quite the royalist?” Is she seriously that enamoured of me?
A fanged grin graced the woman’s face. “I always was, and I always will be.”
”Which monarch?”
”J'ai eu l'honneur de vivre sous Louis le Grand, le Rois Soleil.”
It took Rosie a second to translate with her minimal French. “You lived under Louis XIV?”
”Oui. I was quite the dressmaker even then. Now, how may I help you, madame?”
”My friend Alice, the New Radio Demon, recommended you. I wish to update my wardrobe.”
”Ah!” The woman looked over her shoulder. “Louisa, please watch the front of the store while I deal with our esteemed guest. Oh! Of course, I forgot to mention my own name.”
”Madame Araignée. Alice did tell me.”
”Of course! Follow me, please.” It took a few moments and the threat of an avalanche of clothing to get through to the fitting room. “Please disrobe and I will begin taking measurements.”
Rosie did as she was asked, and stood there as the dressmaker worked her magic.
“Your last dressmaker was really good. And those reds work and are so nice on you, but I think that black accents will definitely bring out those black, soulless eyes of yours. What do you think of this?” Araignée created an image in front of her. She could see how the clothes would look. Shorter skirt, heeled shoes, exterior corset, puffy sleeves and a low cut to the blouse.
“It looks gorgeous.”
”Mais, you do not think it is for you?”
”I do not know. I love it. It looks so beautiful. I just…am not sure.”
”Change is hard, but let me say this, you can certainly pull off this look. Or this one.” This time in dark grey and rose pink, the outfit was similar but for the boots. “Of course, this is not for day-to-day. This is for those meetings you overlords have.”
She nodded. It would definitely set her apart from both Grace and Frankie. “Can you make, say, three versions of this kind of outfit and a few house dresses?”
”Of course! If nothing else, you can see if they will suit you. I will also vary the colors slightly. You can also do well with pink and grey. And if you wish, I can weave in the Morningstar crest or…perhaps roses and apple blossoms?”
”I would love varying them between dresses, if you could.”
”It will take me a few days to get them made, of course. Should I send them to the palace?”
”To the old Hotel.”
”Ah, oui. That is where you are staying. Slumming it with us peasants?”
”Somewhat. Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?”
”Payment will be when you come back in a week for final fitting. I have no doubt that you will pay me and mine.”
“Most gracious,” Rosie said, getting dressed.
14 January 9998
Rosie
She stepped out of her and Charlie’s bedroom and quietly closed the door. Calm had returned to the Hotel. The days that had passed since the big meeting had been little more than gentle cleaning and helping Vaggie adjust to her new world.
She stopped on her path to getting a glass of water when she heard Vaggie cry out “No! I don’t want to do this! Please!…Adam I don’t want to hurt her! She’s sweet! She’s kind…”
She gently pushed open the partially ajar door to the fallen angel’s room. She deserves to suffer. Look at what they did to the souls out there. Hacked to pieces. Tortured. Gone from existence, a very dark part of her said. She could practically see an exorcist with a spear flying down towards her as she ran towards the basement.
Instead, she stepped into the room. She didn’t pull on her powers, but instead began to sing very softly. No one deserves to suffer.
As she got close, she saw Vaggie’s breathing become more regular. Charlie’s really changed me, hasn’t she? The idea of forgiving an exorcist for what she did.
What she did under duress. What she was forced to do.
As she turned to retreat, she heard “Thank you.”
She looked back at Vaggie. The angel pulled herself up until she was sitting with her knees under her chin.
Rosie sat on the edge of the bed and said “You’re welcome. If you want, you can tell me what you were dreaming about.”
“I was back on the initiation stone. It’s not the first time I’ve had nightmares about it. They have us kill some random sinner they’ve abducted. In all the billions out there, someone goes missing and it isn't necessarily something that goes noticed, right?
”This time…” Vaggie hid her head behind her knees. “This time they wanted me to kill two people. You and Charlie were chained there. Lute told me if I killed you both I could come home. All would be forgiven. I would be welcomed back into the fold. I wasn’t bad, just misguided.”
Rosie reached out and grabbed the fallen angel’s hand. “You aren’t bad or misguided.”
Vaggie looked up. The pain in her face was hard to miss. “I want to though. That’s the worst part. I want so much to. If it was anyone else, I would. I think. I don’t know.”
Rosie shifted so she could gather the former exorcist into a hug. “You miss the abuse, don’t you?”
”No…yes…it was part of every day for me.”
“Well, you’re welcome here.”
”They told me I could go home. They told me they forgave me! But that was never home. I spent the last Christmas up there in an empty dining room eating food given to me by Emily. She even offered to come and sit with me and I said no. I don’t deserve anything.”
Rosie made a shushing noise. “You deserve quite a lot.”
Vaggie shifted to make the hug easier. “That place isn’t home. This…is this home? I don’t know what to do.”
She held the fallen angel’s head after a moment of hesitation and said “A year ago, I was forced from my home too. I ran from angels trying to kill me and ended up here. For more than half a year, I stayed here alone. Barely surviving. Then Charlie showed up.
”I wanted to make her into a weapon I could use. I could take her back to Cannibal Town and reclaim everything I had lost. Then…this place became home. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. I’m sorry I was so harsh to you.”
”Thank you. It’s nice to be around others.”
”I can’t imagine you being all alone in Heaven. From what the TV shows depict, it’s all friendship, rainbows, and happiness.”
”Unless you don’t fit in.”
”H-Heaven?” Rosie’s heart sank as she looked over at the door. Had she been so lost in helping Vaggie she hadn’t heard Charlotte?
She raised her hand and motioned for Charlie to approach. Once Charlotte was close enough, she took her young love’s hand. “We were waiting for you to feel better before telling you. It’s been so chaotic lately.”
Vaggie pulled away and smiled wanly. “I was..I was exiled.”
”She…Rosie..she murdered people!”
”So did I. And I ate them. I fed them to others. You forgave me, right?”
“But…but…that’s different!”
”Yes, it is. I chose to. She didn’t.”
“I was recruited without knowing what they were doing and then…if I didn’t they threatened awful things. I spared as many as I could get away with and got exiled because of that.”
She was about to grab Charlotte and hug her when the princess walked around, climbed up on the bed and gathered Vaggie into a hug. “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have gone through that.”
”There’s more.”
”But not for tonight,” Rosie said, feeling that there wouldn’t be a need to go over everything and give everyone nightmares.
“Did you really spare a sinner?” Charlotte asked.
”Yes. A lot of them. Twenty-six.”
“Thank you for sparing some,” the princess said.
”You…you don’t hate me?”
”We all fucked up. It’s why we’re down here. Well, except my little princess here,” Rosie reached out and touched Charlotte’s shoulder. “She was born here. Now, we should all get some more sleep.” The terror in Vaggie’s face made her hesitate. “It might be a bit tight, but you’re welcome to share our bed if Charlotte’s alright with that?”
”Sure,” the princess said with a smile.
This is going to be interesting… Rosie thought as they headed into the bedroom.
Vaggie
She woke to two sets of arms wrapped around her. I could get used to this, she thought to herself.
She carefully extracted herself from the arms and stood up. The walk to her room was short. The conversation the night before had taken the weight off her shoulders about hiding it from the princess.
She heard a strangled cry from the other side of the hallway. She hastily threw on her dress and started to head into the other room.
She was just inside the door when she heard the princess say “No! Please leave me alone.”
”You’re safe, my little flower. You’re safe.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand on the princess’ arm.
”R-Rosie?”
”Yes. I’m here for you. I love you. You’re safe.” The overlord looked up at her for a moment and smiled. “Even our friend Vaggie is here. Is it Charlie?”
”Yes. I thought I was still being pulled down by that thing in my head.”
”It’s ok. You’re safe. Vaggie? Could you put some water on for tea and make some coffee please?”
”Sure.”
She saw a smirk on Rosie’s face like there was a joke she wanted to make.
”I know, I’m a ‘true angel’. At least I’m not an archangel. Most of them are a pain in the ass.”
”We’ll be down shortly.”
She headed down the stairs and filled the electric kettle for water before starting the coffee.
She reached up and touched the bandages over her eye socket. She was mostly healed already. Once the coffee was ready, she poured herself a cup and sat down with it. The temperature outside had shifted and the chill was starting to seep into the hotel. The warmth of the mug felt good on her fingers. She looked up at the window and realized it was snowing.
”At least it’s not scream rain. Acid snow is bad enough,” Rosie said.
“I should probably get an eyepatch, btw. Arrr…I’m gonna look like a pirate!”
Rosie chuckled. “You know, they were used to keep one eye permanently adjusted for the dark, not because they lost an eye?”
”I did, but glad to hear I’m not the only one with a mind for trivia.”;
Rosie poured herself some tea and sat down opposite her. “I do a lot of reading. Thank you for coming in and comforting Charlie.”
”I had to.”
”For a brutal murderer, you have a kind heart,” Rosie said in a light tone.
”For a cannibal and eater of sinner flesh, you’re not too bad at the old heart situation either.”
”Touché. You know, it’s going to take time for me to get used to you.”
”Same. Incidentally, is that your big plumed hat in the bedroom?”
”Yes, it is.”
”The cleared sign is a cross in a diamond. It looks a bit like an eye, honestly. If you ever find yourself outside during an extermination, get to a basement and etch that on the door. Use an angelic weapon. It’ll light up on the helmets.”
Rosie looked around.
“Drab colors are also important. Sinners appear on the helmet displays, but they are going to show up more if they’re wearing bright colors.”
”Thank you for the advice. I will probably not leave this building when the next extermination happens.”
”Okay…I’m up to speed,” Charlie said from the door. “Have I really been out of it for almost a week?”
“Yes.”
”That’s…I hate that! So much happened and I wasn’t there for any of it. It’s not easy just getting told what happened. Oh, and Vaggie?” Charlie put a hand on the fallen angel’s shoulder. “Thank you for helping out.”
”You’re welcome. I’m glad to help.”
”Thank you again. I need some coffee and some food. Actual food. I swear Charlotte tends to eat nothing but sweets.”
”Is she always like this?” Vaggie turned to Rosie and half whispered.
”Yep. They’re always like this. They talk about each other like we know what they’re talking about, and talk to each other without us hearing more than a quarter of the conversation. I’ll start on breakfast in just a moment.”
”I’ll help,” she said.
”Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Rosie
The meeting had been fairly quick. It mostly had to do with the reconstruction efforts, which were largely overseen by the various overlords on their own; however, it had been two weeks since the last extermination and some resources were scarce. She had offered to find a way to get them moving.
“You look…a little brighter,” Carmilla said.
”Thank you. It is good to be back here,” she said, smiling.
“And how are things going with you and your love?”
”That is why I am staying behind. I could use some advice. I do not know if you would be the best person for it though.”
”I can certainly try.”
”How do you be a partner and not a wife?”
Carmilla seemed taken aback by the question. “How do you mean?”
”I spent my life with men. Even here, I took women as lovers, but never anything that lasted.”
”And you are worried you are coddling the princess?”
“Well, what could I possibly have to help you with that? I am not sure how two sapphic women interact.”
”And here I thought that you might have some advice given how long you were married to Raul.”
”While there are many things which likely cross over like communications, shared interests, I have noticed that two women can be quite different from a man and a woman. Odette’s interactions with Isabela are quite different from how I interacted with Raul.”
“Thank you. I should probably try talking to Grace about it.”
”That might be for the best. Besides that, how are you doing?”
”We took in a new arrival who got maimed by the exorcists. She’s mostly healed now. Beyond that, learning to be less guarded in some ways.”
”I hope that goes well. I do have to go, though. I have a meeting with one of my suppliers shortly.”
”I will see you at the next meeting.” With a sigh, she moved to the elevator and home.
Vaggie
She sat on the lip of the skylight and looked at the world around her. Clouds were gathering on the horizon. “I really need to walk more,” she said to the air. “I’ve relied on my wings too long.” Even around Heaven she would fly more often than walk. It wasn’t uncommon even.
She leaned over and looked down into the skylight and was surprised to find that it didn’t really lead anywhere. It was almost as if someone made the hotel without knowing what it should look like or how it should function.
With a sigh, she stood up. “Walking is a good idea,” she said to herself and then laughed lightly. “Maybe I’m going a little insane.”
She looked up at the sky at the half obscured glowing orb of Heaven, took a step and fell to her knees.
Dis pressed her against the wall. Pain bloomed along the left side of her face. The dark alley they were in was one of the back routes to the exorcist headquarters. It was far enough from the routes the winners used that no one was likely to find them there.
”Adam thinks you’re such an excellent little soldier,” the angel’s voice came as a whisper in her ear. “He’s so wrong. Lute’s right. She’s always right. You’re weak, and I’m going to prove it to you. Go ahead. Make a sound. I’ll tell Lute you’ve been shirking your duties. Letting sinners flee. Marking places as clear when they aren’t.”
Vaggie started to panic as she felt Dis’ gloved hand grab the hem of her uniform tunic and pull upward.
The sting of mild acid on her skin woke her from the memory. She tried to stand up again only to stagger forward and end up on her knees again.
She felt someone lift her up and a weird pulling. She opened her eye and found Rosie holding her in the living room. She felt herself placed gently on the couch. Rosie sat next to her and hugged her.
“You really don’t want to stay out in the acid rain.”
”I didn’t mean to. I…”
”Flashback?”
”Yes.” She started to cry. She didn’t ask why it had happened.
”It’s ok. You’re safe here. You don’t have to tell me anything.”
16 January 9998
Charlie
“So…um…you have the list right?”
”Here. I won’t really be able to hear you while I have my headphones on.”
Razzle floated nearby as they entered the store.
“Why are people looking at us like that?” Vaggie asked just before she put her headphones on.
”Oh…I don’t know. We’re just here to get a few things anyway.”
She’s so pretty isn’t she? Charlotte said. I would love to curl around her. Can you imagine her and Rosie at the same time?
I hope you weren’t like this when I was asleep.
Of course not! I behaved myself. I didn’t want to… Charlotte replied.
Didn’t stop you from staring at her ass every time you could, Kara said.
Vaggie’s hand touched her arm. She lifted the right side of her earphone. “Yes?”
”You were kind of lost somewhere.”
”Oh, sorry.”
She began to walk towards the aisle they needed. Vaggie looked around like she was taking it all in.
Someone approached them. She couldn't really make out what he was saying, but Vaggie suddenly went stiff. When she started yelling at him, it got through the music.
The guy tried to throw a punch, but the fallen angel ducked out of the way and punched him in the throat. He staggered back before fleeing. Vaggie tapped her head.
Lifting her headphone, she said “Yes?”
”Let’s make this quick.”
”Okay. Aisle Five.”
”What…what happened?”, she asked once they were safely in the car.
”That…man came up making lewd jokes. And not even really lewd ones. Don’t worry about it.”
She reached out and touched Vaggie’s arm. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t expecting that.”
”I wanted to shove the shopping cart up that man’s ass until he choked on it.”
”Are we going to have to order things from now on?”
”I don’t know. We’ll talk to Rosie about it.”
Vaggie looked over as she took her hand. “Thank you for protecting me.”
”You’re welcome.”
Her smile is so cute.
You’ve been smitten with her since the moment she arrived, Charlotte!
What? She smells so good. Different from Rosie, but lovely too.
Are you about to start trying to collect lovers?
Why not? We’ll be a princess on a throne with six hot women and two hot men lounging around us.
“You really would, wouldn’t you…” she said aloud and then froze as the image of Rosie having her on a leash rose up from the depths.
She blinked and was inside wrapped in Charlotte’s arms. Char was at the window.
“I’ve got you. I’ve got you,” Charlotte said. “What happened?”
”Bad image.”
“Okay. Rest.”
Vaggie
She pulled the princess into a hug when the body went slack. A few moments passed and she stirred. “You ok?”
”Um…Um…yes…I think so. Bad memory came up. Ow…” the princess moved to sit up. There were subtle differences to how the princess moved and she wasn’t sure who was fronting.
”I hope it wasn’t too rough.”
”Oh! Yes. Charlotte has Charlie. I know. It sounds weird. Like. Imaginary. I know. It sounds. Weird. Sorry. Fronting is hard.”
”It’s ok. So you’re Char or Kara?”
”Char. Sorry. Hard to think.”
”I’ll hold you until things are better.”
“Thank you.”
17 January 9998
Rosie
She stopped as she got close to the kitchen door. She could hear the lid of the washing machine close and it took a moment for her brain to catch up with the fact that Vaggie was standing on tiptoe to start up the machine. She was wearing one of her torn and stained shirts.
Thoughts finally caught up with her body. Fuck…No. I’m with Charlie. And Charlotte. And… She let out a laugh and entered the kitchen. Great…I don’t need to be horny right now, I have a meeting in an hour. “Do you need some help?”
“Got it. But thank you.” The machine whirred to life. “Good morning. I hope you don’t mind. I brought down my laundry to do, sat down to have some coffee and spilled it all over my clothes. I grabbed what was available.”
The blouse reached almost to the fallen angel’s knees. “No, it’s fine. I was going to try to repair it.” She did her best to not blush. The buttons on the top of the blouse had come off and there were a few tears which gave a quick view of the former exorcist’s skin.
Vaggie poured herself another cup of coffee and sat down at the table. “I’ll make myself something to eat shortly.”
”Did you sleep well?” She walked into the kitchen and turned on the electric kettle.
”Mostly. I feel a bit bad sharing your bed like a frightened little child.”
The water came to a boil and she put honey into her own mug and poured water into it. A bag of simple black tea followed. After a couple stirs, she took the mug and sat opposite Vaggie. “It’s alright. Your presence seems to be helping Charlie and Charlotte avoid the worst of their nightmares too.”
“Three badly traumatized women in one building?”
“Honestly, it’s hard to find someone down here who isn’t carrying severe trauma either from life or the exterminations.”
“I feel bad about that.” Vaggie looked up. The floating X over her eyepatch was probably a manifestation of her guilt along with the corruption slowly seeping into her body.
”It’s ok…no it isn’t, but you seem sad that it happened. At least you won’t be doing that again.”
”Fuck no. That cabrono Adam and his perra Lute should be down here somewhere not up there.” Vaggie took a sip of her coffee. “About yesterday…”
”We should probably start ordering in food and limiting trips to Uptown and New Cannibal Town,” Rosie said, removing the teabag from the tea and putting it on a little plate that was there for that reason.
”Good idea. I’m glad I was there.”
”Vox is going to be a problem.”
“Agreed. I’ll make you some breakfast too. I’m hungry.”
”Thank you, dear, and then I have to go off and meet with Grace, Prick and Maestro…what have I gotten myself into…”
”Politics?” Vaggie said.
”I hate politics.”
”Too late now…” the fallen angel said with a chime of a laugh.
22 January 9998
Vaggie
”Hey,” Vaggie said. “Just getting some more boxes of junk tossed out. You ok?”
The princess looked worn. There were bags under her eyes and she seemed to be unfocused. ”Yeah. Still tired. It’s Charlie, just so you know.”
Vaggie stopped and sat down on the old bed. “I think I should find a place on my own. Maybe down in Cannibal Town. I can walk up here every day and help, but…”
”But what?” Charlie asked, walking over to one of the boxes.
”I don’t want to get in the way of you and Rosie. You two should have time on your own. I understand that Alice is creating her own enclave, so I could live there.”
The princess frowned. “We love having you here. You’ve been so much fun and I swear Rosie’s been up to something because you’re here.” Charlie walked over to the fallen angel.
”Yes, but…I’m sorry…if I keep staying here, I…” Vaggie blushed.
”Oh! You’re afraid that we’re going to get jealous? Do you have a crush on Rosie?”
Vaggie nodded.
“She’s cute, you know. Sexy. Wonderful.” There was a slight shift in the voice. “Really good with her fingers and tongue.” There was a momentary pause. “Charlotte! And I can’t be jealous.”
She closed her eyes. ”I don’t want to get in the way of what you have. It’s not like I deserve anyone loving me.”
Her eye flew open when she felt Charlie boop her nose. The princess sat down. “You know something. I love Rosie a lot. I don’t mind sharing her. I’d love that. And…do you have feelings for me?”
”Yes…a little different, but yes.”
”We should talk to Rosie about it fully. We’ve talked a little bit here and there. Do you think you could share?”
“I don’t know. I already feel like I’m sharing,” she said, pushing Charlie with her shoulder. The princess giggled.
”Okay, how about we get this lot done and we can rest a bit.”
23 January 9998
Vaggie
She was almost to the kitchen when she heard Charlie yell ”Why are you so scared of me going out?!”
“I’m not scared of you going out! I’m just…I would prefer it if you went to Imp City,” Rosie said, strain showing in her voice.
She found the overlord with her back to the counter and Charlie leaning in aggressively.
”But I don’t know what’s there! Besides, I just…”
”If you want to go out, give me a little bit and I’ll come with you,” Rosie said, sounding tired.
”I want to do this alone. You go out all the time on your own.”
“I can protect myself.”
”So can I!” Charlie yelled.
”I’m just worried about you…”
”You’re suffocating me! We don’t want you with us all the time! You’re just like our mother!”
She saw the pained look on Rosie's face.
“She would do that all the time. ‘Oh, spend time with Seviathan. Go enjoy Helsa’s company. I’ll go with you to the theater!’”
Vaggie ran quickly and tried to grab Charlie’s hand as it started to shift into something darker. Rosie finally seemed to snap and there was a bit of a shift in her too.
“I am not your mother! Do you know what she could be like? Oh, I know you know what she was like as a mother…but elsewhere?”
She stepped in between the two of them. “Alright, what the actual fuck is wrong with you two?”
“We just want to go down to the store or something. We’re tired of being cooped up in here!”
”And I’m scared of her going out.”
”And you’re fighting about this?” Vaggie said, not happy that she couldn't look at both women at the same time.
Rosie backed down first. “I’m…sorry. I really…I’m scared. What if someone like that man attacks her while she’s out.”
”We can’t live by your fears!”
”Charlie, that doesn’t help!” Vaggie snapped.
”No…it’s ok. I deserved it.”
She looked at Rosie, who was leaning on the counter with her arms hugging herself and looking to the side. She turned to Charlie, who finally seemed to have snapped out of the anger.
”You’re…you really are that scared of something happening to me?” Charlie said, quietly.
”I don’t know if you can be killed. There’s…there’s a lot of angelic weapons out there. What if someone had one and used it on you. Even if it didn’t kill you. Just hurt you badly, and I wasn’t there to protect you. You’re all I really have,” Rosie said. “You could live forever without me…but I can’t live without you. You’re all I will ever have.”
“We just…we want to go out. We want to go to a movie. We’re not sure if you would like it or Vaggie. It isn’t showing in Imp City,” the princess said.
”You could have told me that,” Rosie said.
“I’m sorry. We got caught up in…a lot.”
”So, this movie…why do you think I won’t like it?” Rosie asked.
”It’s kind of a kids movie. I know there’s no kids here really except Cannibal Town and a few other places, but…um…”
”Like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty? I mean the Disney versions.”
“Yes…like that. You’ve seen Sleeping Beauty?”
”Of course! And a lot of other Disney movies,” Rosie said.
”Beauty and the Beast was what did it for me,” Vaggie said, but didn’t expect anyone to say anything.
”Then…you might love this. It’s about family and family trauma.
Rosie smiled. “I’m all for it, and Charlie, how about we make a few trips to Imp City together and then, well, you can go there when you need to get away. Or you know. You could always go to Crystal City or Beelzehaven. I can’t even go there with you.”
”Alright. And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I shouldn’t have compared you to my mom,” the princess said.
Rosie walked over and hugged her. “It’s ok. We got caught up in the anger.”
Vaggie grinned. “See, problem solved. You two enjoy your date.”
”Oh no…you’re coming too…” Charlie said.
”But!”
”You got in the middle of this…alright, Let’s all get ready. Do you have a theater in mind?” Rosie said.
”There’s one showing it in Uptown. Keeps us away from the ED. Um…maybe dinner afterwards?” Charlie said.
”Alright…” Vaggie said smiled broadly.
Rosie
”That was sweet,” she said, walking down the street flanked on one side by Charlie and the other by Vaggie.
”I loved the songs,” the princess said.
”The songs were great, but I’m not sure if I liked Mirabel all that much…” Vaggie said, but there was a teasing tone to it. “Like, she needed to stand up for herself a bit sooner.”
”It’s hard to stand up for yourself when you’re constantly being told how wrong you are…” Charlie said. “How you aren’t very good.”
Rosie laughed and took the princess’ hand. “The abuela was the one in the wrong, though, but trauma makes you do stupid things.”
”Like try to protect your girlfriend too much?” Vaggie said, gently pushing Rosie’s left arm.
”Yes. And…Charlie…”
”Yeah?”
”I’ve been trying very hard to…you know…try things that you like,” she said.
”Oh…and I loved that Pirate movie we watched. ‘Oh better far to live and die under the brave black flag I fly!’” Charlie began to sing.
They stopped and looked at each other. “We spent months together watching things because we didn’t want to offend each other, didn’t we?”
”I guess. I did enjoy the helanovella, though. You really listened to Verosika for me?” Charlie said.
”Yes, I did. And I love some of her songs. Others…not so much.”
”Same. I love some of them, hate others. Handle Me is okay, but not great.” There was a smile on her face.
”Now, now…I like that one…”
”But it’s kind of weak…”
”I think it’s about her standing up to a toxic ex,” Rosie said. She’d grabbed both of Charlie’s hands.
”She had a rather big falling out with an imp she was dating…Blitzo something or other. Stole her car or something. Very public breakup.”
”Let’s get some food you two. We can talk about music while we eat,” Vaggie said.
”Alright. Now where to eat…” Charlie said.
Rosie looked at Vaggie as she turned around and started walking. I can’t remember what life was like without her…
Rosie
She sat down in one of the arm chairs as Charlie and Vaggie took up the sofa. The date had been wonderful. If I leave, they can thrive. I’ll go hide somewhere far away until this is over and just…live quietly. I have too much blood on my hands to be here with her. She closed her eyes. She could practically feel the scalpel in her hand as she reached down and cut into the man on the table. His screams filled her head.
”What do you think, Rosie?” Vaggie asked.
Her eyes opened. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” They look so cute together.
“We were thinking that it might be a good idea to attend a few more balls. We’re going to work together to be more…resilient to what we face,” Charlie said.
”And I was thinking that we could alternate the balls, and I’ll go into Uptown with Charlie and you can go into New Cannibal Town with her. Wouldn’t that be better? Maybe some trips out with the three of us.”
”That sounds wonderful.” She did her best to smile. She saw Charlie blush a little when Vaggie accidentally touched her hand. I’ll leave in the morning.
”Could you get us some drinks, Vaggie?” Charlie asked.
”Sure. I’d love some coffee. Back in a few moments.” Vaggie left.
Charlie stood up and walked over. “You don’t look ok. Is something wrong?”
She unconsciously played with her ring. After a moment, she slipped it off. “You deserve her more than me. Today made that clear. Have it resized for her, please.”
”No. We will not. Do you honestly think that I will let you leave?” The voice had a harsh edge to it. She noticed the violet color to the roots of her hair. “I don’t think you understand. Your place is eternally here.” Violane took the ring and her hand. The band slipped back down to its normal place. The violet disappeared.
“You love Vaggie, don’t you?” she asked.
“Yes, we do. We love being around her. We love being around you too. We love you both. Can a heart have love for two?”
”I mean…mine has love enough for four…”
”Oh…yeah…” Charlie giggled. “I keep forgetting that we each count as part of this, don’t we?” There was a glazed look in Charlie’s eyes. “I never thought of it as a relationship, Charlotte. We’ve been together for a hundred and fifty years! We grew up together…Alright…yes, you three count too…I know we’ve done things in the headspace Kara!”
She smiled.
“Did you really like some of Verosika’s music?”
”Yes.” She stood up carefully. “What do you want to do?”
“I think she wants to ask you what’s pretty obvious,” Vaggie said from the entranceway.
“Can we call Vaggie our girlfriend also?”
”Of course.” No matter what Violane said, I should make…
She hadn’t realized that Vaggie was right up on her. “I feel like I’m going to have to climb a mountain just to kiss you.”
”Huh?”
”See?” Vaggie said, laughing and standing on tiptoe. The former exorcist barely managed to reach her neck, but she wasn’t prepared and the weight pressing into her made them both topple down and push the armchair out of the way. The neglected glass of water that was on the table fell over and spilled.
“I’ll get the mop!” Charlie said.
Vaggie was giggling like a maniac.
“I’m so lost.”
”I talked to Charlie…and yes it was Charlie…about how I felt about you! And you know what…” Vaggie sat up and pulled Rosie up with her. “I love you as much as I love her. Look, we’ve been dancing around this for weeks now. I have nightmares about them taking you away from me the same as I do with Charlie.”
Rosie looked at the fallen angel. “I’m very fond of you.”
”No, you love her,” Charlotte said. “We’ve seen it in how you look at her. You’ve almost grabbed her hand in the middle of dinner.”
”I’m still conflicted though.”
”I know, but you were so conflicted with me too.” Charlotte leaned the mob in the bucket against the wall and sat down next to the other two. “And I bet you were thinking ‘if I give Charlie over to Vaggie I can walk away because I don’t deserve my darling little princess’, right?”
“Yes,” she said, sheepishly.
She let out an ‘eep’ as Charlotte grabbed the front of her dress and pulled her closer. “You’re stuck with me for eternity. You promised me that. How long do angels live?”
”Human soul ones…for eternity. If I wasn’t born human, a few dozen centuries.”
”See. When creation burns down and ends, we three will be there to see it together.”
She playfully batted at Charlotte before drawing her into a kiss and let out a giggle. I never had a childhood. I didn’t shatter like Charlie did, but I never had a childhood. I have to learn how to be someone who scares me. Myself.
”No fair. No hogging.”
She wrapped her arms around Vaggie and kissed her too.
She looked over at Charlie and realized that Charlotte had stepped in. “Maybe we should celebrate my way…”
”As you wish…” she said in a very quiet voice brimming with love.
31 January 9998
Rosie
She laughed as Charlotte pulled her down onto the bed next to her. It had been completely by accident. They were working on a damaged patch of ceiling and Charlotte had slipped, grabbed her and that was it. A cloud of dust from the old linens enveloped them. She then heard Vaggie thump down on the other side of the princess and the bed gave way. The ladder clattered to the ground in front of them.
The three of them began giggling, but that gave way to coughing soon after. Even with a fan in the window, the dust still had to clear.
She looked over and saw Vaggie be the first to lever herself up onto her elbows. The fallen angel wouldn’t be able to see her due to her missing left eye.
For a moment, she felt somber. When did we fall in love?
”How did that happen?” Charlotte asked after a moment. “And my wings are so uncomfortable like this!”
She looked at the princess. Her powers weren’t draining as quickly now, but she was still prone to periods of sleep. At that moment, it was Charlotte instead of Charlie fronting. In part because Charlie hated fronting in the middle of her period.
Their system had been working carefully to shift the body so that it resembled more of the way they were comfortable, and for Charlotte, that meant the more succubus features were prominent. Not that it changed her skin color or the pattern on her horns, but her wings were a little larger and her tail seemed more succubus-like. The biggest difference was in her eyes, which were serpentine.
”I’m sorry, I over-extended,” Vaggie said.
“Alright. We need something to drink. Could you do that, Vaggie?” Rosie asked.
“Sure. You two take care of this dust!”
When did this ease start? When did we find ourselves so comfortable with each other? she thought. Once Vaggie was out of the room she felt Charlotte shift on top of her. “Charlotte!”
”What? She’ll be a few moments. Are you sure you don’t want to invite her? Charlie and Kara agree we should. It’d be fun. All three of us. It’s always going to be fun.”
”And all this dust!”
”You’re right. Don’t want the dust down there. I can’t wait for the new bed.”
Rosie sat up managing to not spill Charlotte onto the floor. It still put the princess above her. With a quick kiss, she said “Soon. Besides, you’re still so sleepy. Don’t want to get halfway through and you fall asleep on us.” She gave into temptation and ran her hand down the princess’ spine under her dress. That elicited a squeal of laughter.
”No fair!”
”If you two need a moment?” The voice was deep and sonorous.
”Uncle Ozzie?!” Charlotte hopped off of her and stood up brushing dust off and trying to straighten her clothes. After a moment, Rosie followed and stood up.
She glared at the Sin. “You were supposed to call and arrange a visit,” she admonished.
”And what? Have you put on a show?” There was something softer about Asmodeus’ voice. “Come on you two. I left your friend downstairs with my business partner.”
Charlotte turned around and gave her a fluttering kiss before walking to the door. She followed suit.
Vaggie
Vaggie sheepishly handed Charlotte and Rosie their drinks before they sat down. She took up her now normal position on Rosie’s left.
The overlord said “Do you two need anything to drink?”
“I snagged them something,” Vaggie said. “I hope they don’t mind the colas. We need to do some shopping soon.”
Asmodeus sat down in one of the chairs. “You know…when I first met you, Rosie, I thought I saw someone who wanted nothing but power.”
”What changed your mind?”
“What I just saw, and a few things I’ve heard. You don’t use someone just to have that kind of relationship.”
”You met me at one of the worst times.”
”I was having a meltdown, uncle. You know I don’t do well with crowds. Rosie was desperate to get to me.”
”I didn’t have time to sit there and talk. And, frankly, yes, I did intend on corrupting and manipulating Charlie. I thought about it quite a lot.”
Asmodeus smiled. “Love changes you, doesn’t it?”
”It does.”
”Now…”
”Hey, don’t look at me. I’ve been here three months. I’m not part of their insanity.”
“Hey! Yes you are!”
”Hush you! You’re the crazy one.”
Charlotte burst into laughter.
“Rosie…I’ve heard whispers about you as well. That you’re no longer the woman I met at Vassago’s ball.”
”That was my doing. Accidentally. I shared my power with her.”
”I see.”
”Lucifer pushed things along. I’m not sure where my powers will level out. Bel thinks it will be another six months before that’s complete.”
”Well then…”
”I’m already more powerful than Paimon.”
Asmodeus laughed. “Well, that pompous twit won’t like hearing that!”
Vaggie looked at the imp sitting in the chair. She was familiar with him through various commercials and programs. He kept looking over at Asmodeus, but it wasn’t the usual paying attention. He was doing it when others were talking too. Hypocrite, she thought, or thought she had thought. She suddenly noticed every eye on her.
”What did you say, my dear?” Asmodeus said.
She sighed. She could feign having misspoken, but “How long have you two been a couple?”
”I…I don’t know what you mean,” Fizzaroli said, talking for the first time in a while. She could tell that his voice was scarred by something that had happened.
”You keep looking over at Asmodeus even when he’s not talking. He does the same thing. You keep almost reaching out to touch him. It feels a bit hypocritical to be in a loving relationship with an imp and act like Rosie’s ascension to something above sinner is a relief. I’m a sinner are you going to be upset with me loving them both?”
Asmodeus nodded. “Imps and sinners are two different things. Besides, you are not a former overlord. N”
”They are, but they aren’t at the same time. Mr Fizzaroli, aren’t there imps out there who get paid to murder people?”
”Yeah…”
”Lead crime syndicates?”
”Yeah…”
”Sinners are just as bad. The only difference is we’re effectively immortal, right?”
”You’re right.” Fizzaroli looked like he was about to say something when Asmodeus lifted his hand. “No, you’re right. Rosie, Charlie, I am so sorry I doubted your relationship. If everyone knew about me and Fizz here, it would make life nearly impossible for us too. I am sorry.”
”Thank you,” Rosie said. “Apology accepted.”
“Thank you, uncle.”
Vaggie smiled. It took her a moment to catch up to the fact that she was sitting with her blind side to Charlie and Rosie but she could see Asmodeus and Fizzaroli just fine.
”This will get further than us, you know that right? There are Sins who will not be happy about it,” Asmodeus said.
”I know, but I think we can handle it,” the overlord said.
Asmodeus stood up. “I could only come up and do this briefly, but I am pleasantly surprised, Miss Rosie.”