What If...Vaggie Joined I.M.P.

by The_TheGeneral

Summary:

Vaggie has fallen from Heaven. However, circumstances outside of her control has put her under the care of two imps. To thank them for their hospitality, Vaggie joins their assassination business which has them going to the living world. During her messy work life, Vaggie has to deal with her past, her eccentric boss and his troubles, and an affair with a certain demon princess and her dickbag husband.

Chapter 1: The Fall

Summary:

Vaggie has fallen, and now she has been left alone with her thoughts. Or maybe…she won’t be alone forever.

Notes:

Hey, I’m back! I take it some of you knew about my other What If fic, “What If Vaggie Remained a Exorcist” (And if you haven’t, please check it out)? Well let me tell you I got three cooking up in the oven with another two being brainstormed as we speak. This is one of the three dishes. I’m planning to take things a little differently with this one, and I have to let you know that much of the first few chapters will take after Helluva Boss heavily. Also—this is more so for the later chapters—there will be a lot of….triggering material present later. If you read the tags and the warnings, then you know what I am referring to. With that being said, enjoy this chapter.

Warnings for graphic blood, healing, and I guess naked Vaggie.

Time. Space. Reality. It's more than a linear path. It's a prism of endless possibility, where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know. I am your guide through these vast new realities. Follow me, and ponder the question... What if?

 

Charlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell, and heir to the throne. I feel like now we’ve become very acquainted with their romance with a certain fallen angel. Vaggie, the exorcist thrown out of Heaven for sparing a demon, fell in love with the princess of them all after Charlie saved her from her fall. The two would be in each other’s arms for years to come, their love never wavering.

 

But in another reality, Charlie’s heart was stolen by a different demon. Seviathan Von Eldritch, heir to the Von Eldritch family, a family very close to the Morningstars. Years before Vaggie’s fall, Sevi managed to convince Charlie to marry him, and she accepted. They would stay that way for years, even bearing an heir of their own.

 

But what of Vaggie? With Charlie married to her own prince, she wasn’t there to help the fallen angel in her darkest hour. And that is where our story begins…where she is saved by two very unlikely individuals.

 

---

 

Extermination Day has just passed. For sinners, it’s a sign of relief as the princess approaches the balcony of her palace to set off the fireworks declaring its end. For Hellborns, it’s business as usual. Sure traffic is backed up due to the surplus of dead bodies, prices are raised due to stores having either been ransacked or robbed of employees, and damn are lines fucking slow. But, since Hellborns were spared of extermination, they truly did not give a shit about it.

 

That was the case of Moxxie and Millie. The two married pairs of imps decided to go out for coffee after the entire event, and then went through their alleyway shortcut they always took to get back to their apartment in imp city. It was much faster than taking the sidewalks or streets that were lined with cannibals trying to feast on the bodies of the recently exterminated, plus Millie could take care of any shady individuals very easily. They were just going to appreciate their walk together, not knowing that down the alley was someone who would change their lives.

 

“Oh, Satan dammit.” Moxxie said in exasperation as he examined his coffee cup.

 

“What’s wrong hun?” Millie asked curiously.

 

“They spelled my fucking name wrong again. They spelt it ‘Moxie’ not ‘Moxxie’. I hate that.” Moxxie said to Millie as they proceeded to walk down the alley shortcut they always took, “Why can’t they ever spell it ri-IGHTTTT”.

 

Moxxie tripped over something soft and squishy, spilling his coffee that was definitely not cheap given all the demands needed to make it. Internally, Moxxie was dreading seeing what he tripped over. Though he was an assassin, hanging around dead bodies was not something he liked partaking in. He was more of the kill to get it done kind of guy, usually wanting protection on his person when disposing.

 

But, alas, Moxxie’s curiosity tempted him to at least look at what tripped him, only to cause him to gasp with shock. It was…angel wings! Not just any angel wings…exorcist wings! 

 

Moxxie was suddenly thrusted into a fit of panic. “Oh my crumbs! Are these wings?!” Moxxie yelled as he scrambled over to pick the wings up to observe them, noting the golden blood dripping from the exposed, broken bone. 

 

“Oh my stars! What happened here?” Millie asked, shocked at the sight while sticking her finger into the golden blood puddle on the ground.

 

“Don’t you realize Millie! These are angel wings! Wings that belong to the exorcists! Somemanaged to take out an exorcist angel!” Moxxie ranted, now beginning to panic, “Oh, crumbs! What if Heaven finds out? Who could’ve killed an exorcist? That has never happened! And Heaven would burn all of Hell because of it.”

 

While Millie wasn’t one to ignore her husband, her mind was preoccupied by something else. Her vision caught eye of a trail of golden blood splotches trailing across the ground towards a trash can that was currently filled with what seemed like a uniform. An idea suddenly clicked in Millie’s mind when she saw droplets of the golden blood dripping off the uniform. 

 

“Hey, Mox…” Millie tapped her husband’s shoulder with her finger while he continued ranting. 

 

“Wha..what Millie?” Moxxie asked after his wife poked him enough times to garner his attention.

 

Millie just pointed to the trail of golden blood that led to another alley. Moxxie, going against his better judgment, allowed his curiosity to take him over to the blood trail. He inspected the gray uniform in the bin, also moving by an exorcist’s mask. On closer examination, while still considerably torn and bloody, the uniform seemed to have been either willingly taken off by the injured angel or someone undressed her. Regardless, the outfit reeked of old rotten flesh and blood, a smell hellborn synonymized with exorcists quite a bit. His analysis of the uniform was interrupted by Millie yanking on his arm.

 

“Mox, look!” Millie said, pointing towards what seemed to be the body of a woman, seemingly close to her latest twenties. She had grayish lavender skin with grayish-white hair kept in a bob with light pink stripes at the end of her hair with long jagged bangs covering her left eye. She was wearing a light gray one-shouldered bra under a white minidress with loose straps, two light gray crosses on her chest, and a scalloped-trim at the bottom. In addition, she also wore a light gray belt around her waist. She also appeared to be wearing a pair of light slate-gray colored, fingerless, arm-length gloves and a pair of black tight shorts. Her legs were nearly completely exposed and she was laying down on the pavement, unconscious. The golden blood trail led back to her, specifically to her back. 

 

“Oh, fuck!” Moxxie yelled as he and Millie ran over to the angel. Moxxie put two fingers under her throat and felt a slow pulse of breath. She was suffering blood loss, that much Moxxie could tell. Turning the woman over on her stomach allowed the imps to examine her back, revealing two slits at the sides that would be where her wings would pop out. Instead, broken sticks of bone were all that poked out, ruthlessly snapped apart by an unknown force.

 

Then, the woman groaned in pain as Moxxie and Millie jumped from the angel out of fear. Though Hellborn typically didn’t fear exterminations, they certainly knew better than to confront an angel. Angels would attack hellborn when provoked, but the fear the imps were showing here was unwarranted, and they knew it. This angel was incapacitated, and clearly almost on death’s doorstep.

 

“Oh, crumbs! We have to get her to a hospital!” Moxxie cried, which confused Millie.

 

“What? Why? It’s an angel.” Millie questioned, which brought a gasp to her husband.

 

“Millie! I know you better than that! She’s hurt badly, and she needs our attention!” Moxxie argued, but his wife just stared at him blankly. 

 

“Moxxie, I get you are all about helping people, but look at her! Even if we do decide to help her, there ain’t no hospital in Hell that would know what to do with an angel! And that’s the ones that won’t try to kill her off the bat!” Millie counter-argued, which caused Moxxie to bring up a batshit idea.

 

“Then…then…Then we should bring her home! We have all the supplies we need, plus you know how to patch someone up!” Moxxie proposed, only to be met with a unsure expression from Millie.

 

“Man, Moxxie, I don’t know. That sounds dangerous. What if she decides to attack us, or is helping Heaven plan an assault on Hell? We don’t know why she’s down here or why she’s injured.” Millie tried to argue but Moxxie wasn’t budging.

 

“But if we just leave her here, she could die! And wouldn’t it be better to have her in better condition if Heaven is looking for her? They wouldn’t just leave one of their own behind!” Moxxie argued, but Millie was still unsure.

 

“I still don’t know. Wouldn’t Heaven still be made if we had her in our possession?” Millie asked.

 

“Millie, look at her! We don’t know how long she has. We have to help her!” Millie was still hesitant till her husband got down on his knees and pleaded, “Pleeeeaseee.”

 

Oh those watery puppy dog eyes. How could Millie ever say no to those? She was trying to, but found the need to convince herself that it would be alright. She noticed off to the side what appeared to be a weapon belonging to the angel; a spear with a black base and decoratively molded tip. Millie went to grab it and then faced back to Moxxie.

 

“Alright, but if anything happens, I will kill her.” Millie said sternly, prompting an eye roll from Moxxie.

 

“Yes, yes. And if that happens you can say I told you so.” Moxxie said humorously as he walked over to give his wife a peck on the cheek before looking back at the unconscious angel, “Now lets get her back to the apartment.”

 

---

 

Vaggie felt ill. Her head was spinning and writhing in excruciating pain. The exorcist felt headaches before but none compared to this. Her eyes weakly opened, fighting against the urge to close again. Her vision was blurry and incomprehensible, only noticing the colors of dark red and scarlet among the foggy imagery. Then, it started to clear, revealing a red wallpaper with what seemed like music notes plastered all over the walls. Then, she spotted a window at the corner of her remaining eye, with a glaring red glow of the sky of Pride.

 

Suddenly, it hit her where she was. She was debating in her head whether what she was experiencing was real or not. Turns out, it was. She was casted down, she did get brutally mutilated by Lute, and now she was…in an old ratty apartment? 

 

Panic started to grip her as she clearly remembers just being in an alleyway, writhing in pain as the blood poured from her back. Now, she was plucked up from her place of falling and now was just in someone else’s apartment? She gripped her hand, feeling fabric on it that belonged to an olive-colored mattress. She was in a bed, with her head lying on a red pillow and body underneath a purple blanket. Vaggie hastily looked around her person, only to snap her head towards the figure behind her. She raised her fist up like she was holding a dagger, only that nothing was in it. Despite this, the figure still jumped at the scared hostility that the fallen angel showed, raising his hands up as he dropped the tray of medical supplies he was holding.

 

“Oh, crumbs!” The demon said once he dropped the tray, being scared into raising his hands like he was caught in some robbery. He gave a nervous chuckle and nervous toothy smile towards Vaggie. 

 

It appeared to be an imp. Vaggie, alongside other exorcists, were basically forced to learn all the species of hellborn demon in order to tell them apart from the rest of the sinners of Pride. It wasn’t that hard to avoid killing them, as Hellborn don’t often choose to live in Pride. Alas, they still had to learn, and Vaggie was the best at it. 

 

It was a relatively short imp compared to Vaggie’s size. He, like many other imps, had red skin. To add to it, he had a long thin tail with a quadrilateral barb at the end, with two black stripes near the base. His cheeks had white freckles indented into them with his head being full of white pointy hair leading up to his curvy black and white striped horns. The horns were what actually told Vaggie he was male; as male imps had bigger white stripes on their horns then the females.

 

He appeared to be wearing a navy-black coat with red buttons and white cuffs, black pants that ran down to his goat-like legs with red cloven hooves, a white shirt that had a black turtleneck, a large red bow-tie, and fingerless gloves. His eyes had yellow sclera and black slit pupils. The imps demeanor also seemed strange, being much…softer than what Vaggie was used to? She didn’t really know how to describe it, but it was very clear that the imp was afraid of her, but still felt the desire to approach.

 

“It’s okay…I’m not going to hurt you.” The imp started to speak in a calm manner, but Vaggie kept her guard up. Demons were told to be deceptive creatures, and while sparing one was the whole reason she was in this mess, she wasn’t about to trust a random imp who plucked her from the alley. Plus, that was a child. This was a full adult.

 

The imp, clearly seeing that Vaggie was on edge, tells her “Um…well. I can see you are kind of freaked out about being he—”

 

Vaggie suddenly rushed up to grab the imp by his collar, bringing him to her face. Her expression shifted into a snarl as she said, “Who are you?! Why have you brought me here?”

 

Just as the imp was about to give a stuttering answer, a spear tip was pointed at her neck. Vaggie didn’t even have to look to know it was not only pointed at her, but was also her own spear.

 

“Keep your hands off him. He’s the only reason I am keeping you alive.” Vaggie heard a southern sounding woman’s voice and casually dropped the scared imp she was holding, letting him fall to the ground. 

 

Vaggie turned towards the current wielder of her spear to see another imp, female this time, with an angry scowl on her face. She was about as short as the other imp, well their size is even more obvious since Vaggie’s spear is twice as large, with the same type of red skin, red cloven hooves, yellow sclera eyes with the slit black pupils, and the barbed tail. However, there were some differences that made her unique from the other imp.

 

Her head was more human-like, and so was her flat white teeth that boasted a gap in the middle of the top set. Her horns were straighter and thinner than the male’s, and her hair were a short messy, bob cut-styled charcoal with bangs that cover half of her right horn. She had long, thick eyelashes protruding from her eyes with a small beauty mark under the right. She also had a black heart tattooed on her right shoulder, and makeup which consisted of shimmering dark red eyeshadow, thick black mascara, and black lipstick on her lips. Most peculiarly, she had white spots on her upper right arm, one on her upper left leg, two on her tail, and one on the tip of said tail.

 

Her attire consisted of a black choker around her neck, a cold-shoulder black crop-top with the straps being held by two golden-yellow buttons, black fingerless gloves, black torn denim-pants and black toeless footwear, which exposed her hoof-like toes.

 

The most glaring part about her was the muscle. Vaggie has seen muscle on girls, but this imp had a whole other level of definition to her. It made Vaggie sort of genuinely worried about ticking her off the wrong way and getting absolutely brutalized. Vaggie already was in an agonizing amount of pain after Lute somehow injured her, so she was now worried if demons could really hurt her or not. Thankfully, as she let go of the male imp and threw her hands in the air, the female imp calmed down and placed the but of the spear on the ground, tip facing up. The female imp still kept a killer glare on the angel, but the demeanor changed when Vaggie felt an oozing pain seep from her back. 

 

“Oh, crumbs!” The male imp said in worry as he glanced behind Vaggie’s back and noticed the blood seeping from it. Vaggie didn’t know what he was yapping about and turned towards him. The imp stumbled up from the floor he was dropped on once he noticed the angel’s glare, dusting himself off before giving a response.

 

“Your wings were torn off, but your muscles still think that they’re there and are trying to move the bones. We have to pull the bone out for the wound to heal.” The imp said, causing Vaggie to give a panicked and distrustful look. 

 

“Why would I let you pull my bones out!” Vaggie yelled in protest, prompting the female imp to ready the angelic spear in attack if Vaggie dared to lay a hand on the male imp. Thankfully, she was calmed down by a sympathetic look from the male, but still kept a snarl to the angel.

 

“We are trying to help you. We found you in that alley and we brought you here to heal you up.” The male imp explained calmly, garnering confusion from Vaggie on why a group of hellborn, especially imps, would care enough to care for her.

 

“Why?” Vaggie said in confusion.

 

“Well…um…in case of the event Heaven comes looking for you: having you nice and healed up will help ensure our destruction wont come.” The male imp said with a weak chuckle, but the answer prompted Vaggie to obtain a normal, slumped over sitting position on bed, and stare off into space in regret and fear. 

 

“I was thrown out of Heaven…” Vaggie said bluntly, causing shock among the two imps.

 

“Wha–wha—why?” The male imp stuttered, the question causing Vaggie slight amount of distress and discomfort. She wasn’t exactly clear what she should do right now. On one hand, the imps didn’t seem keen on hurting her if she just followed their instructions. On the other, they were demons so who the fuck knows what they will do. They seem disturbingly nice for imps as they were offering to heal her, but perhaps it was a trick? A guise to drop her guard so they could easily take advantage of her when she had her back turn? Was this hospitality an illusion so they could learn all about Heaven’s inner workings so they report it back to their king or whatever? 

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Vaggie finally said sternly. Thankfully that got the imps off her back while she would focus on a way to escape.

 

“Okaaayyy! Well, does that mean you are no longer an angel?” The male imp asked curiously. Vaggie thought about it for a moment, not sure what the demon would be getting out of this question, but it wouldn’t hurt to answer as even she didn’t know. Fallen angels were not a common occurrence, and if they were, they usually fell by trial. She never got a trial, just attacked and stranded.

 

“I’m not sure.” Vaggie said, prompting the imps to look at each other with strange looks. Vaggie was extremely on edge now. 

 

“Well, if you want, you are welcome to stay as long as you need.” The male imp said with a reassuring smile. Vaggie was baffled by this, and it was worn clear on her face. Why? Why would demons ever offer hospitality to an angel, let alone a fallen one? One that presumably has no use.

 

Apparently she wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as the female imp leaned over to the male and said in a whisper, “Mox, are you sure that’s a good idea.”

 

Mox…sounded like an affectionate abbreviation of a full name. Vaggie’s own name was abbreviated several times by her fellow exorcists and….ugh..Adam. They were less flattering than the nickname this female gave to…Mox was is? Vaggie wondered what his actual name was.

 

“It’ll be alright, Millie. We just need to make her feel comfortable.” Millie, huh? Meek name for a woman that looks like she would tear anything apart that crosses her. But the sweet smile she gave to the male imp as he put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her would prove that thought otherwise.

 

“Alright! So, considering your injuries on your back, we need to provide some sort of alleviation from the inevitable pain.” Mox explained in a sophisticated manner, but it took a while for Vaggie to truly understand what he was talking about. When she did, her edge immediately came back.

 

“You’re going to drug me?!” Vaggie yelled in outrage.

 

“No, no, no! Well…kind of. It’s pain relievers, strong ones as most drugs are but…” Vaggie immediately shut the imp’s explanation down.

 

“Hard pass!” Vaggie yelled. She knew better than let demons drug her. There is no saint thought that would make such a thing okay in her mind. 

 

“That’s alright. That just means we have to yank your wing bones out ourselves.” Millie said inconsiderately. Oh, there was no way Vaggie was letting these bastards get close to her back.

 

“No chance!” Vaggie protested, sparking a growl from the imp but Vaggie did not waver.

 

“How’d you even lose your wings anyway? And your eye? What happened?” Mox asked, only for Vaggie to snap at him.

 

“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Vaggie snarled.

 

“Hey! You don’t want to talk to my husband like that, unless you want your own spear shoved up your ass!” Millie and Vaggie snarled at each other. So they were married…interesting. Vaggie had no idea demons could get married, or even really fall in love…or care about love. And it doesn’t seem like either imp abused each other, so they were…happily married?

 

“Millie, relax.” Mox said calmly to his wife while putting a hand on her shoulder, making her back down, “I’m sorry. You probably are still experiencing trauma from what happened. I know what it’s like, but we’re going to help you through it. But we need to remove those bones so you can heal properly.”

 

What does he mean that he knows what it’s like? From what Vaggie could tell, there wasn’t a single injury on him, so what does he know? It was at this moment Vaggie felt around her face and touched what felt like bandages wrapped around her missing eye. She was honestly shocked at it.

 

“Yeah, we patched up that wound. I know a bit about how to patch something like that.” Mox said with a slight bit of assurance. It honestly was overwhelming the strangeness…the fact that these two random imps that she never met and by all accounts should want her dead were going out of their way to help her is astonishing. It felt wrong, and felt unnatural.

 

“Why? Wouldn’t it be better for you to just throw me to your ruler, or torture me until I confess something about Heaven? Use me for ransom, I don't know?! Why go out of your way to help me?” Asked, just absolutely confused while Mox just looked at her with a sorrowful expression.

 

“Hey, relax. We really don’t do that sort of thing. I mean, some people do, but not us. And as for rulers, I don’t think they would honestly care. Plus, we’re imps, so our opinion really doesn’t matter. We’re kinda bottom on the hell chain. But, we saw you out there on the ground suffering, and…I don’t know…I thought it would be more reasonable to help you then to just let you die.” Mox’s explanation was terrible, but it did give some insights to Vaggie. First, thank god that she wouldn’t have to encounter Lucifer or any other royal demons. Second, it is extremely strange that one of the most common demons of Hell were at the bottom of the society. Odd. And third, why did he find it more reasonable to take in an angel, the sworn enemy of Hell, into his own home. She could’ve endangered him and his wife, not that Vaggie had attacked them, but it was a hypothetical. 

“What my husband was trying to say was that despite where you came from, he still felt compelled to heal you up, regardless of what you did or where you came from. He’s just a caring guy.” Millie pinched Moxxie’s cheek, prompting him to sigh a “Aww”. Vaggie felt…jealousy, surprisingly enough. There was never a person in her life that came even close to replicating the relationship that those two imps had. She tried with Lute, but once it became clear that her lieutenant was in love with Adam and found her crush between her and Vaggie blasphemous…well…she guessed she should have seen her betrayal coming from a mile away.

 

“Anyway, the drugs won’t make you fall asleep. Even if it did, we wouldn’t do anything other than what is absolutely necessary to your recovery.” Mox’s elaboration, while helping calm her a little, didn’t help completely in alleviating her worries. “And to make it more comfortable, Millie will be the one pulling the bones out.”

 

That did not make it more comfortable. It seems even Millie was unnerved by this idea.

 

“Wait, what?” Millie asked in confusion. 

 

“What? You’re better at pulling things than me. I saw you rip apart people in half! I know you can pull out some bones.” Moxie gave an assuring smile. Millie just looked at him in the complete opposite way.

 

“I don’t know, Mox. I’ve pulled bones out of people before, but never to heal them. Plus, I never healed an angel.” Millie said in worry, but Moxxie still kept a reassuring smile.

 

“I know you can do it Millie. Plus, you’re the woman here, so she’ll trust you with exposed parts of her body than me. Not trying to sound…one note?...but I think she would find it safer if you do it.” Mox said with a nervous chuckle. Thankfully, his wife got the gist.

 

“Alright, I get your point.” Millie sighed in worry, “But I still have a bad feeling about this.”

 

“Don’t worry, Millie.” Mox gave a peck on her lips, bringing a small smile to her face, “I promise it’ll work out. Now, I’ll leave you ladies to it. Let me know when you’re done!” 

 

Moxxie waved goodbye to them before heading out the room. Millie turned towards Vaggie and said, “Alright, let’s get crackin’. Take off your dress.”

 

“What?” Vaggie said, shocked at the ask.

 

“You heard me. I need to see what I’m doing properly. Bareback, now!” Millie demanded, giving Vaggie a stern look to really make the angel feel unease.

 

“How do I know you aren’t going to…I don’t know, fucking kill me once I turn my back?” Vaggie asked, making Millie roll her eyes.

 

“Oh you’ll know when I’ll kill you. But for now, I’m going to try to remove those broken bones from your back. Whoever ripped your wings off was awful at it, so I’m going to have to sever some muscle before I remove them. This spear should do the trick.” Millie pricked her finger at the end of Vaggie’s spear she was holding to test the sharpness. Vaggie grew into a more defensive state, now not wanting this woman anywhere near her.

 

“You are awful at comforting people, you know that?” Vaggie said.

 

“Not trying to. Just know that even with these pills, there is going to be a lot of pain involved.” Millie said as she reached down to the floor to grab a pink pill bottle with a blue cap. From what Vaggie could see, it was pain relievers, specifically called ‘Relief Pills' apparently from some place called ‘Belpinks’. Vaggie was starting to get nervous as Mille slowly walked towards her, popping the cap off the bottle and pouring a bit of pills in her hand. They were a pink and purple color, and they did not look appetizing.

 

However, Vaggie still grabbed them. She was hesitant to eat them, until Millie went up and said, “Are you really going to question literally everything we do?”

 

“You are demons. You expect me to trust you right off the bat?” Vaggie said sternly. Millie gained an impressed smirk.

 

“You kinda remind me of my sister. What’s your name?” Millie asked.

 

The question, surprisingly, left Vaggie stumped. She…she never really wanted to change her name…but the way it was reminded her too much of what she was. And what she was…she despised. Vaggie, with a soft ‘g’, which sounded too close to another word Vaggie would not like to be associated with. It was always a name Adam lingered on, to rub in that she was a killing machine and nothing else.

 

“Not gonna say, are ya? That’s fine.” Millie said, “But ya gonna need to swallow those pills or ya gonna experience a lot of pain in the next few seconds.”

 

Vaggie kept her eye on the imp, realizing she stopped moving. Vaggie knew that she was waiting on her to swallow the pills, but Vaggie remained hesitant. There were a thousand ideas going through the angel’s mind on what to do and how to get out until one thought dwelled in her head. 

 

They’re trying to help you…it said, and suddenly all the other thoughts and ideas were shut down by the questions stemming from this though. Why would she leave when they are trying to help her? Why try to leave when she is brutally injured? Where would she go if she did leave? Would staying with them guarantee her safety in a world that she does not know? She had these thoughts circle her mind, and then looked down at the pills in her hand.

 

With a heavy gulp, she swallowed the pills which left a nasty, bitter taste in her mouth. She found Millie gifting her a water bottle to gulp it down with. Vaggie would have debated to herself if it was poisoned or not, but the bitter taste of the pills overtook any coherent thought process. Thankfully it wasn’t, but boy was Vaggie not happy about what she just ate.

 

“Alright,” Vaggie grabbed the skirt of her minidress and started to lift it past her abdomen, lifting it up to her arms and yanking it past her head. Eventually, her body, and most importantly her back, was exposed. “Let’s get this over with.” Vaggie said bluntly as she laid down on her stomach, putting her arms underneath her chin, and let the imp climb over to her to reach her back.

 

Millie looked up and down the back, and made several notes. There was at least one small bone in each of the flesh wounds, bits of flesh still hanging off them. There were small tendons that bounded the muscles of the back to what was left of the wing bones. It was a grizzly sight, especially with the unsettling golden blood, but Millie seen worse.

 

“Alright, get ready. This is going to sting.” Millie said, but Vaggie didn’t really hear it very well. The pills were already making her feel woozy. It made her feel numb and loopy. Millie climbed onto the back of the angel, pointing the spear downwards and trying to pinpoint the exact place to cut out the muscle. 

 

Eventually, Vaggie felt a sharp pain go through her back. Millie had started to slice into the muscle that surrounded the base of the bone. At first, the imp planned on just simply slicing the parts keeping the bones locked in half, but the muscles were more dominant than she expected. Millie pulled the spear out and went to grab the tray on the ground that Moxxie dropped. She placed the tray beside Vaggie and went back to cutting into the muscle, this time slicing a few bits out from her back and placing them onto the tray. Millie did her best not to slice into anything important, or make the already bad wound into something worse. All the while, Vaggie dug her grip into the blanket into the bed. She felt numb, and pills did help to nullify the pain, but she still felt a searing pain that rivaled anything she ever felt.

 

It was an agonizing long bit of ripping flesh before Millie finally felt comfortable with putting down the spear. Then came the removal of the bones. Millie readied her arms, brushing them with her hands before firmly grasping one of the broken bottom half of the humerus. Vaggie felt a forceful tug in her back and let out a yelp in pain. Millie growled in frustration at the stubbornness of the bone and put both of feet on Vaggie’s back to force the body down.

 

The struggle felt like it lasted forever. Vaggie could feel the ligaments in her back forcibly snap in half as Mille kept forcibly yanking. Vaggie was holding back pained yells and groans by gritting her teeth and basically ripping apart the bed with her hands. Eventually, it ended with a sharp jolt of pain as Millie ripped the bone out her back. Millie was slightly launched backwards from pulling out the stubborn bone piece, and dropped it onto the tray. Millie took a gander at the second wound, wrapping her finger around the bone residing in it. Vaggie prepared herself for the ensuing pain, and said pain did come and felt worse than the last point. One could guess that it was due to the pain of the last bone being pulled out not subsiding, or it was due to the pills she took wearing off due to the amount of stress her body was going under. Whatever the reason, it felt like she was getting her wings and eye torn out once again in her life.

 

But just like the last piece of bone, the pain reached a peak once it finally left her back. Millie put the bone down on the tray, feeling out of breath. While Vaggie took the brunt of the pain, it was no walk in the park for Millie as she pulled the broken bones out. It was a workout for the imp, one that almost rivaled many actual fights the imp took part of. Millie pulled bones out of people before, most of the time to kill her target, but none of them had the sheer strength and toughness the hide and bones of an angel. Millie now realized why nobody could kill them: they were too fucking tough!

 

Millie grabbed a white towel from off the floor and took to pressing it on the wounds of Vaggie’s back. Vaggie felt the jarring pain but still endured it with groans of agony. Millie mopped up any blood spilled onto the angel’s sides before pressing down on the wounds with the towel. Millie held it down for a while, occasionally lifting the cloth up in order to see if it stopped bleeding. Eventually, Millie just felt comfortable lifting herself off the towel and off of Vaggie’s back, putting her hands up as she tried to think of how to achieve the next step.

 

Then, it clicked. An idea her parents used to exercise back at Wrath. 

 

“Alright,” Millie started to speak as Vaggie was still struggling with pain while lying on her stomach, “I’ll be right back. Stay here!”

 

Millie jumped off the bed and proceeded to exit the bedroom door. It wasn’t like Vaggie could defy that command anyway. She still had her doubts that the imps wouldn’t harm her if she didn’t follow their every word, but the content largely stemmed from the extreme pain she felt for the procedure that just occurred on her.

 

Vaggie slightly heard the crashing of glass from the outside of the room, alongside the glaring alarm of Moxxie yelling “What?! Millie?!” 

 

“Sorry, honey.” Vaggie heard a voice that sounded like Millie as she started to hear water start running.

 

“Can’t you just do that in the bathroom?” Oh. Vaggie mind was grinding the gears to understand what was going on.

 

“Nope.” Vaggie heard Millie say bluntly, as well as the water suddenly coming to a stop. Soon enough, she started to hear grunting as well as the sloshing of water. The splashing on the wooden floor echoed throughout the apartment. 

 

“It’s just…a strange choice.” The splashing stopped once Moxxie said that, with Millie sounding exasperated with Moxxie’s comment.

 

“Look, she’s a mess. With the condition she’s in, she won’t be able to make it to the bathroom without covering the entire floor in gold. Just trust, alright?” Vaggie heard Millie say softly. Moxie left no reply as it sounded like Millie went back to moving whatever contained the water again. The splashes on the floor kept getting louder and louder until Millie busted open the bedroom door with a black tub of water. 

 

“Alright, I’m back!” Millie announced as she pushed the tub along to the side of the bed before running back to shut the door. It was here Millie finally turned on the lights and it blinded the hell out of Vaggie. The angel had to adjust her eyes several times in order to properly see anything around her due to the jarring sudden blindness. 

 

“So,” Millie started to speak as she dragged the tub closer to the bed, “I need to clean those wounds on your back. Me and my siblings used to fill up the tubs in our shed in case our plumbin’ broke and we had very bad wounds that needed to be washed. Now, while I don’t have a hose, I can still clean you good. Just take off whatever you have and hop in.” 

 

Millie gestured to the tub, ignoring the weirded out looks of Vaggie until she noticed the angel not doing anything but stare.

 

“Oh, come on!” Millie said, quite annoyed, “It’s just a fucking tub of water! If I wanted you dead, I would have done so already. I’m a straightforward, get it done kind of assassin. I don’t draw out deaths.”

 

That fact didn’t surprise Vaggie but it kept the same question flowing through the angel’s head. Why did they want to help her? The imp seemed to have properly confirmed that they weren’t going to kill her, nor did they seem interested in taking advantage or backstabbing her, but that just made things more confusing. Why help her, why keep her if they weren’t going to do anything to her? Why bother? She was worthless anyway….

 

Regardless, Vaggie proceeded to do what she was asked. She reached her hands behind her back to unhook her bra. It was ruined with the excessive golden blood, so Vaggie wasn’t all too fussed about tossing it away. Then the pants came off, which was fine because it was a part of her traditional exorcist outfit. Then, all of a sudden, Vaggie felt awfully way too exposed; like a cold air breezed over her, causing her to shiver. The female imp waited patiently, and while her look was nothing threatening or creepy, Vaggie couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

 

“Come on. We’ll get this over with quickly. Moxxie is making a nice soup for you.” Okay, so the other imp is making her food. That…sounds suspicious. Well, Vaggie was hungry, but there was a lot to take in when it came to grabbing food from demons. But then again, they didn’t seem to really be interested in harming Vaggie. They absolutely would, if this female in front of her is any case, but they didn’t. Not sure if that made Vaggie feel comfortable or uncomfortable being with these confusing demons.

 

After some thought, Vaggie slipped the panties off, and maneuvered herself towards the tub. It was…rather painful due to the scars on her back, but the imp seemed keen on helping her into the tub as the angel got off the bed. Water splashed onto the floor once the angel got in, but Millie didn’t seem to mind or care as she grabbed a rag from the floor and dipped it into the warm water that Vaggie managed to get into. Carefully, the imp dabbled the cloth onto the wound. Millie then handed a white soap bottle to Vaggie.

 

“Go ahead and clean yourself. You smell like hog-ass. Don’t touch your back, it will hurt you worse.” Millie said as Vaggie squirted a bit of the soap into her hands and started rubbing the soap onto her arms. Millie was right, Vaggie did smell like absolute shit. Sweat mixed with dried blood of her…..victims….

 

“Alright, now....let's close this shit shut!” Millie said, grabbing a suturing kit from underneath the bed. Blowing off the dust, Millie pulled out a needle driver and a needle, along with several thread strands. The equipment began to worry Vaggie a bit.

 

“Um…what are you doing?” Vaggie asked, nervously.

 

“Just going to stitch the wound close. Can’t keep you bleeding now.” Millie said as she grabbed the needle with the driver, making sure it locks in place with the clamps. Millie then grabbed a pair of tissue forceps and exposed her starting point in the suture; the bottom of the first wound. 

 

“So, is this going to hurt?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Like a bitch. But I managed to survive worse, and you’re tougher than me.” Vaggie had no idea what to think of that statement. Millie lined up the exposed flesh at the bottom of the wound as much as she could before pushing the needle in at an angle with the clamps. She twisted the needle, causing a wince in pain from Vaggie, but the angel endured and Millie proceeded as the needle came out the other side of the piece of flesh it was hooked into. Millie detached the driver and grabbed the tip of the needle that was now poking out, and then held a piece of thread by the needle holder with her free hand. After some careful movements, Millie grabbed the piece of thread with the needle holder and moved it through the hole produced by the needle.

 

Soon enough, with some fine finagling, trial and error, and a bunch of tolerance from Vaggie; Millie managed to create a simple overhand knot. Millie tightened it, and proceeded up the wound doing essentially the same to the rest. Millie had experience in stitching wounds, it was just that an angel’s flesh was much tougher and required so much force to pierce, which made it difficult to delicately stitch up the wound. Thankfully, the pain for Vaggie came to a close as Millie tightened up the stitching on the scar left by the left wing. Unfortunately, there was an entire right side to deal with. 

 

 After an agonizing hour of stitching, Millie closed it off by applying a bit of jelly from a container on the floor. Vaggie felt…weird. It was like her wings were just erased from her back and it left a painful after image. Vaggie tried to catch a glimpse of the aftermath of Millie’s improv surgery on her back. It wasn’t professional by any means, but it was done well enough that Vaggie had to wonder if she had done this before. 

 

Millie went off to grab a roll of bandages and walked back to Vaggie. Millie pulled out a strand and began wrapping around Vaggie’s body with the piece of bandage. It took a couple strands to fully cover the stitches on the back. Vaggie felt like there was no real point to the bandages, but it was better to be safe than sorry. But…that still kept the question on why? Why would they want to have her be safe?

 

Vaggie sighed, the question in her mind overwhelming her, “Why did you all want to help me?”

 

“I don’t know. Me and Mox just found you lying next to a dumpster bleeding out. I honestly wanted to leave you but my husband thought otherwise.” Millie said while wrapping the bandages around Vaggie.

 

“Why?” Vaggie asked again.

 

Millie was silent for a bit before finally saying, “I don’t really know. My husband is a caring guy and…I guess he felt bad for you.”

 

Vaggie hated that answer. That she deserved pity. She was scum, and it was mind boggling why these demons would ever want to help her. 

 

“He shouldn’t. I’m a monster. I slaughter hundreds, thousands, and here you demons are giving me pity…even though I slaughtered dozens of your kind.” Vaggie said, her voice swelling.

 

“Ah, you only killed sinners. Us hellborn don’t give a hellrat’s ass about them. Well, sort of. Technically we are lower than them on the hierarchy scale, and they’re the main payers of the company I work for; but overall I don’t care about them.” Millie said, finally getting done wrapping the bandage around Vaggie.

 

“Still. Doesn’t my presence scare you? Make you terrified, or angry, or something?” Vaggie said, struggling to wrap her head around the passiveness.

 

“I mean…not now. I was on the fence about bringing you here, but you are doing a good job at making me see something else.” Millie said, walking towards a red wood dresser and pulling a couple drawers out to grab some clothes.

 

“And what is that?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Guilt and self-deprecation. Moxxie and my siblings show that from time to time; especially Moxxie because he doesn’t like excess killing.” Well that made Vaggie curious. An imp, a demon that embodies the sin of wrath, doesn’t like to kill more than necessary? “And plus, you’re scared and nervous. It’s perfectly reasonable if you fell from Heaven. How did you fall?”

 

“I….I don’t want to talk about it. I said that already.” Vaggie said, turning her gaze away from the imp in embarrassment.

 

“Well, can you at least open up about your name.” Vaggie couldn’t respond to that question at first, considering she hated her name. But, she answered anyway, changing a key part she hated so much.

 

“Vaggie.” She pronounced it with a hard ‘G’ instead of a soft ‘g’. 

 

Millie smiled at the name, showing off her chipped pearly whites. “Vaggie. I like it. Sounds fierce.”

 

Millie walked over to Vaggie, a stack of clothes in one hand and another towel in the other. She handed the white towel over to Vaggie to allow the angel to shakily stand up from the tub and dry herself off. 

 

Millie handed her two specific items; a black t shirt that said “Wrath’s #1 bitch” on the front, and a black pair of pants, along with a slight purple pair of panties. Of course, being imp sized, when Vaggie put them on, they were tight around the ‘area’. Along with that, the shirt essentially became a crop top and the pants turned into shorts. Still, it was better than nothing. 

 

“So…are you ready to eat yet?” Millie asked, “I can have Moxxie bring the soup in.”

 

“No, I…” Vaggie was calmly interrupted by the imp.

 

“Oh, it’s alright. Mox and I are eating something different tonight. He’s making the soup just for you because it isn’t a good idea to be eating solid foods after your clusterfuck of an injury.” Millie said.

 

“Well, yes. But…I would like to eat alongside you two.” Vaggie said with a hint of nervousness.

 

“Really?” Millie said, surprised.

 

“Yeah. I…I think that would be more…” 

 

“Comfortable?” Millie answered for the angel, which left her silent as it was the correct one, “Understandable. Nothing like a good old dinner to help you get settled in!” 

 

“Settled in?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Yeah! You’re not going anywhere until you get slightly better! Besides, it's not like you can really go anywhere else. You don’t have a job, another home, or any family in Hell. So for the time being, you can stay with us as long as you like.” That was awfully generous, but so what happened in the last few hours.

 

Millie sprinted towards the door and opened it for Vaggie. Vaggie was still quite weak in the legs at the moment and had to resort to Millie helping her out. Despite everything she knew about demons (Or what seemed to be more accurate; knew was wrong with demons) she felt…safer at least. Her relationship with her fellow exorcists was strained before she fell; so in a way, Vaggie could have seen the betrayal coming. But, for now…she would keep such in the back of her mind to have a good old, burning hot magmato soup. 

 

She was safer now. Eating with those strange imps helped make sure she felt that. But she couldn’t help but feel envious of their flirtatious and heartfelt banter, and alone when they lovingly kissed at the dinner table. She looked down at her soup, her reflection showing. 

 

So this was her new home…It certainly feels more like one compared to the one she had before. But that is not saying much....

 

Notes:

Well, I'm back with another what if....

So, I'm going to clarify some things. Due to finals coming up, you won't see any chapters next week. I am also experiencing burnout from school so I'm going to use the summer to take some time off, as well as organize the structure of this story considering I dedicated less time on this idea than the last one.

Second, I'm planning to branch out into other fandoms; not just with the Alternate Timelines, but full on rewrites and crossovers. I currently have one planned.

Thirdly, a few chapters of this is going to cover a few Helluva Boss episodes beat for beat but with minor things changed. I'm letting you know this because it's one of my biggest pet peeves of writing. I'm going to try to make them different, but I'll hope other chapters will help make you understand why they were the same.

Chapter 2: Adjusting

Summary:

Vaggie recovers from her injury, and now the imps that saved her want to help get her settled into her new home.

Notes:

No warnings for this chapter other than your typical Hellaverse fair.

After a few days, Vaggie felt so much better. She was still stupidly sore, but the pain relievers were good enough to not make her feel agony every time she got out of bed. She would take about four pills each day, and then get it with overwhelming pain that caused her to collapse back on her bed. 

 

It was strange…her current situation of living. Vaggie hadn’t left the apartment of the imps who found her, nor did they ever expressed interest in her leaving. In fact, they seemed more interested in making her stay. They made their walk in closet into a bedroom for the angel, finding the need for Vaggie’s privacy important, but also because they did not have a guest bedroom. They brought a mattress and grabbed a few bedsheets, pillows and blankets for the angel; though the bed notably did not have a bedframe. Vaggie was comfortable because at least the mattress had a softer feel than the brick stone barracks that she had at her time as an exorcist. Vaggie….Vaggie didn’t like being reminded of that.

 

Vaggie woke up in the walk in closet. The closet was roughly the width of the mattress, plus a makeshift bedside stand created by stacking a few boxes. Vaggie had her clothes given to her by Millie folded on top of the boxes in a neat fashion, alongside her normal clothes that she kept after her fall. She preferred the clothes she fell with for sleepwear as the tightness of the imp’s clothes were really starting to grate on Vaggie. It was too constricting to walk or sleep in, so she vastly preferred just wearing her old clothes, though she had her own dry blood covering the back.

 

Not like anyone other than Moxxie and Millie could see it though. She never left their apartment even if they left for work. Vaggie wasn’t sure what or who they work for, but she knew they were assassins. When they prepared her room, they cleared out boxes of various weapons and guns from the closet; and every day, Moxxie packs two pistols, and Millie either packs a knife or an oversized ax (Well, oversized for her). Vaggie often stayed in the apartment by herself, but the imps were kind enough to give her free reign. She didn’t do much…but it was comfortable and she didn’t feel trapped in any way. In fact, she felt safer here than with any thought of going outside. 

 

The imps only had her for about a week but Vaggie was already getting into a routine within that time frame. She would usually wake up to Moxxie’s alarm, get up from bed, exit the closet, and go and get breakfast before the imps left for work. They would say something along the lines of ‘Goodbye’ to her before they left for work, leaving Vaggie alone. Alone to snack on anything she found interesting and watch tv.

 

Vaggie wasn’t used to making her own meals, at least..not at first. She used to just grab whatever she would find in the pantry or fridge and just plop herself on the couch. There wasn’t much she watched on the tv, as alot of it was overwhelmed by rom coms and straight up porn, none of which Vaggie was a fan of. She did sit down to watch an episode of that cooking show featuring Jeffery Dahmer, but was too disgusted by the cannibalism and….necrophilia to continue watching. Then, somewhere during the week, Vaggie found a particular show that the angel grew a liking towards. “Hell-A-Novella”, a soap opera starring an imp and hellhound couple navigating a troubled relationship that is fueled by the hellhound having an affair with the imp to escape his loveless marriage. Seemed like hot garbage at first, but…something about it felt…cozy. And there were a few moments in the show where the main two leads expressed genuine love to each other and it made Vaggie feel…alone.

 

It was no secret to the exorcists that Vaggie had a crush on Lute. Lute knew that herself and for a while, they were trying so hard to be with each other. But Adam…Adam had other ideas. Before wanting to be lovers, Lute and Vaggie were friends, but Adam kept a wedge between them. He pushed both angels to be better than the other, with Vaggie doing it out of loyalty, and Lute doing it out of the need to be recognized. Soon, Vaggie saw that Adam wanted Lute to himself, and it seemed Adam saw that she noticed. He began to berate Vaggie, prompting the hardened Lute to do the same, and it made Vaggie question her purpose, her life. And it led to her fall, and now she despised Lute. She despised Adam. She despised Heaven. She despised herself.

 

A part of her regretted sparing that kid. It was a moment she thought back on so much in the mornings, and it made her give considerable effort just to get the fuck out of bed. Usually, Moxxie & Millie had an alarm that went off on their work days. But today was their day off, so they could stay at the apartment for as long as they wanted. Vaggie had only been with them on one other day off, and it felt strange and slightly peaceful; with Moxxie making a nice brinner and...well…it was more of a date night for him and Millie. Of course Vaggie wasn’t left out, but she didn’t feel included either. She felt like a ghost merely watching in the corner as Millie and Moxxie sang together while the husband strummed a guitar. It was a romantic moment, something which Vaggie never had the pleasure to experience. While the imps weren’t technically to blame for it, Vaggie cried herself to sleep that night. She wanted love such as that, especially after the shit she’s been through, but…being the monster she was…she didn’t deserve it.

 

But those thoughts shall be shoved away for another day. Today, Vaggie got out of bed after sleeping in intensely late. Vaggie was used to being sprung up awake in the early mornings, but her sore body aggravatingly kept her in half-sleep mode. The painkillers she took during the night certainly aided in that. 

 

Vaggie squirmed her way out of bed, landing onto the floor of the closet half-hazadly and rattling the flimsy doors. She groaned and picked herself up from the closet floor, managing to reach up for the single hanging light fixture above her head. It significantly brightened her surroundings, and it made sure to keep Vaggie awake as she went to grab her exorcist shorts and slide them onto her body. It was only then that she actually exited the closet. 

 

She always hesitated with this. Trusting the imps wasn’t a problem anymore, but she knew better than to walk out of the closet or into the bedroom after what happened last time. Safe to say that she found out that Moxxie is a bottom. Even then, they can be quite loud, to the point Vaggie has to yell over her headache for them to calm down on it. 

 

Thankfully, the imps were well awake at this point, and Vaggie proceeded out of the closet and out of the bedroom. Moxxie has expressed the idea of moving to a two bedroom apartment so Vaggie could get a proper room, but Vaggie felt it to be unnecessary compensation on their part. She wasn’t worth all of it, not after all she’s done. 

 

Vaggie wandered into the kitchen and went to approach the nearby cabinet for cereal. Millie, who was currently washing dishes from her and her husband’s breakfast, stops what she was doing to greet the angel.

 

“Good morning, Vaggie!” Millie waved to the angel with a cheery voice, “How was your sleep?”

 

“About as good as anyone who got their wings torn off a week ago.” Vaggie said in a gravelly, tired voice as she pulled out the ‘Greed Seeds’ cereal and went to the fridge to grab milk. Millie was less than enthused by the answer.

 

“Well, hopefully today won’t be as bad as that.” Millie said with optimism. 

 

Vaggie simply shrugged and put her food items down on the counter. She went through the motions of making herself a bowl of milk & cereal. She sat down by the kitchen counter, sitting down on a wooden stool to eat.

 

“Oh Vaggie!” Moxxie called out in a jolly voice as Vaggie was midway through eating her cereal. Vaggie turned her head to see Moxxie walking up from the living room with a small orange present box held out in front of him and a nervous smile on his face.

 

“What is it, Mox?” Vaggie asked with a playful smile, curious as to what could be inside the box. Mox was a nickname Vaggie took up from Millie for the male imp, and luckily it was a general nickname for him rather than a romantic one. Vaggie had also learned a lot about Moxxie, including how utterly cheesy he is. Kind of off putting, given that he was an assassin; but it wasn’t like Vaggie didn’t already have a body count so she soon found such endearing. 

 

“Wellllll,” Moxxie said, dragging out his first word to build suspense, “To commemorate your first week in Hell, we decided you deserved something special for the occasion.”

 

Moxxie walked over to Vaggie with a pep in his step, handing Vaggie the box. Vaggie grabbed the box gently out of his hand by the top before examining it herself. She gently shakes the box, noting the rough noise hitting the sides of the box. The weight was also somewhat hefty, and the noise produced only lasted a little shuffle between sides. It was something big, at least compared to the hand sized box.

 

“Well, go ahead. Open it!” Millie encouraged, having finished the dishes. Vaggie carefully pulled on the strand of ribbon that emerged from the bow, pulling the ribbon apart to let the top free. Vaggie took the top off the box and looked beyond the multicolored stuffing paper to find a…another box? Reaching inside the present led her into pulling out a box for a ‘Hellphone’. Vaggie opened the red box to pull out the square device, marveling at the black case with red patterns. The back of the case had art of a red eye with a slit black pupil, surrounded by red lines that resembled the shape of wings at either side of the eye. 

 

“We believe it is time to let you…explore your surroundings outside of the apartment. So we brought you a ‘Hellphone’. I picked the version from ‘Forbidden Fruit’ because I didn’t think you would like the crappiness of a greed’s ‘Autonomiss’ or the lack of privacy from a ‘Voxtek’.” Moxxie explained as Vaggie examined the phone. She pressed a button on the side which turned the device on; revealing the time, date, and notifications above what seemed to be an upside down pentagram, and a lock symbol above the time. At the top of the phone to the right was something that said “Hell-o Iron Bars Calling”, with battery, what appears to be signal and data being depicted at the top left corner. Towards the bottom right corner was an icon that resembled a phone, presumably for phone calls, and the left corner was a camera that was presumably to take pictures. Vaggie had heard of phones before but was never allowed to have any. None of the exorcists were. Only Adam ever had a phone, and he broke his in half after being frustrated on not knowing how to use it.

 

“We have already set up your account, and you are directly connected to our service plan. Everything else that involves that phone is up to you.” Moxxie explained. Vaggie pressed the pentagram of her phone and received a message asking her to create a passcode using the star. Vaggie pressed the various pieces of the pentagram, before hitting confirm when she felt she was done. So far so good. She might have never had a phone, but the concept wasn’t foreign. And even then, she could read the instructions.

 

“Wow, this is…” Vaggie felt touched by the kindness, feeling confused and slightly overwhelmed, with curiosity driving her exploration of her new device.

 

“And, as a bonus, we are taking you on an entire day of exploring the Pride Ring!” Millie said with excitement, with the words hitting Vaggie like a brick. 

 

“Excuse me, what?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Well, you can’t just be locked up here forever! There’s so many cool things to explore out there!” Millie said, appearing giddy over the entire thing.

 

“Well…um…I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Vaggie said with an uncertain tone. 

 

“Don’t worry. We will make sure nothing bad happens. Plus, you are as much of a killer as we are; I’m sure you can defend yourself.” Moxxie said, but it didn’t exactly make Vaggie feel better. 

 

“Yeah, if anyone decides to mess with the MMV; we’ll beat the shit outta them!” Millie said with vigor.

 

“MMV?” Vaggie said in confusion.

 

“Moxxie, Millie, and Vaggie?” Millie makes it sound like the abbreviation was obvious.

 

“I don’t remember us ever choosing a nickname.” Moxxie said in an equal amount of confusion.

 

“Well we chose it now!” Millie yanked Vaggie towards her, locking the angel in an accidental headlock that was surprisingly strong for a woman of her size, “I got so much to show you Vags. And that is only one ring! And I got an idea of where to start!”

 

---

 

Vaggie walked alongside the imps on the street of Pride. The red aesthetic was really starting to grate on her eyes while also putting her on edge. Not helping was the various crimes she started to see throughout the streets. From basic stealing, to full on murder, and some other things she would like to no longer think about; Vaggie felt extremely unsafe and uncomfortable. Thankfully, somehow, there were some good things.

 

The best thing about their walk so far is that no one seemed interested in actually interacting with them, even less to actually mess with them. Another good thing was that the imps seemed to know their way around the city, stopping casually to let a situation play out before walking again.

 

This happened a few times. Sometimes a random explosion would go off inside a building and Vaggie watched as sinners ran out on fire. The imps didn’t have any reactions stronger than pure confusion, still trying to comfort Vaggie in various ways before walking onwards. They walked Vaggie all the way to a bank with a fairly generic label, but at least the building looked sort of nice and fancy. But the question was…why were they even taking her to a bank?

 

The building was tall, with cyan colored walls with mustard-colored windows. It had a pink side with a dark blue oak frame and jagged black writing that just spelt ‘Bank’ with dollar signs at both sides of the word. Interestingly, black jagged steel spikes decorated the outside of the giant window that resembled an eye that hovered above the sign; and the giant dome at the top of the building. The building also had another section to the side with a giant money bag statue on the roof.

 

“Um…why are we going here?” Vaggie asked.

 

“1: To get you a credit card so you can make your own purchases. And 2: To get you an account. You can basically wait in the lobby while we get your account solidified.” Vaggie was confused by Moxxie’s explanation.

 

“Why would I need an account? I never leave the house, and I doubt anybody here serves angels.” Vaggie told Moxxie.

 

“But not everyone knows you’re an angel. If we pass you off as a hellborn, you can get a lot of stuff!” Millie exclaimed, which did nothing to ease the nagging feeling of uncertainty from Vaggie.

 

“But wouldn’t that require, like, I don’t know, a citizenship?” Vaggie asked, getting confused looks from both imps.

 

“What’s a citizenship?” Moxxie asks, giving Vaggie all the answers she needed.

 

---

 

The account setup was nothing special, and during the whole thing, Vaggie was twiddling her thumbs. She occasionally chimed into the setup process to ask a few questions, before finally getting the credit card. After that was a bunch of talk with Moxxie and their accountant, which Vaggie didn’t bother listening to. The one thing she did catch was Moxxie calling her a ‘hybrid’. Vaggie wasn’t sure what that meant, but she couldn’t ask until she walked outside the bank with Moxxie.

 

“Hey, Moxxie?” Vaggie leaned towards the imp as she held her new credit card to her chest, “What exactly is a ‘hybrid’ demon.”

 

“What? Oh!” Moxxie replied back with, “hybrid’s aren’t exactly a type of demon, more like the combination of two different demons which were produced by…interspecies romanc?”

 

Moxxie nervously smiled, hoping it was a good enough explanation. Granted, it was, but that left a new question in Vaggie’s mind.

 

“Oh, okay. So…what exactly would I be a hybrid of?” Vaggie asked, causing Moxxie to genuinely think.

 

“Well….perhaps we could pass you off as some kind of cannibal…succubus hybrid. No..no…maybe a cannibal/possessor hybrid!” Moxxie proposed, ignoring Vaggie’s look of concern.

 

“A cannibal? Why a cannibal?” Vaggie protested.

 

“Well, very few demons look like you so....I'm leaving room for improv.” Moxxie said with a nervous chuckle.

 

Vaggie thought for a moment and said, “Yeah, I guess that makes sort of sense. But, are you sure that would work?” 

 

“Sure it will. Exorcists were the only angels who really go down to Hell, and even then, they’re exclusive to Pride. I doubt the people who live down at the lower rings have even seen an angel!” Moxxie exclaimed.

 

“Huh. Really? Hey, do you think they’ll find out I’m not hellborn if I try to go down to the lower rings? When I was an exorcist, we were forbidden from going down to the lower rings. Do you think they would find out that I’m a fallen angel? What if they punish you all for providing me safety?” Vaggie asked with worry.

 

“I’m not sure. I doubt anything would happen, as long as we keep our heads down. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you stay safe…as safe as you could be in Hell.” Moxxie’s words bring some form of relief to Vaggie as she rubs her arms.

 

“Alright, enough of that worry talk! We got a whole day ahead of us! And you have money now! Which means you could buy some new clothes. I know you’ve been wanting to get out of those rags you got dropped from the sky in. And I know just the place.” Millie said with a giant grin while rubbing her hands. Vaggie felt like this would be a long day for her, but…at least she wasn’t going to spend it alone?

 

---

 

Out of all the things Vaggie was expecting, she surely didn’t expect so many options to be presented when she walked into a store called ‘Cryptic Couture’. It was almost eerie how much variety there was in the gothic clothing store. Skirts, dresses, jeans, stockings; you name it, they most likely had it. It was almost overwhelming to Vaggie, and the imps just kind of let her do her own thing. She…never really had a choice in how she dressed, so it was weird for her to just be given the freedom to pick out anything she wanted. Vaggie tried out various clothing options, most of which did not suit her at all; but she was experimenting, which is what counts.

 

“I don’t know guys. Do you think this fits me?” Vaggie asked, holding up a black minidress with a long dress skirt and gray high waist shorts. Millie, who was looking at some new clothes in case she wanted any new ones, looked at Vaggie with a slightly confused expression.

 

“That seems nice. But it’s up to you.” Millie stated bluntly.

 

“But…I’m not good at deciding this sort of thing. I don’t know what I want.” Vaggie tells Millie.

 

“Well it ain’t for fashion. Just new clothes for you to wear so you won’t have to steal mine.” Millie said before turning her attention back to the bra she was holding, sizing it up to her chest. While Millie was technically right, it didn’t make Vaggie’s decision any easier. Though she did feel attached to the items she had in her hands. She decided to grab a few more items before heading into the dressing room.

 

Soon enough, Vaggie stepped out in her new clothes. Her black minidress was now on full display on her body, revealing the makeshift rips and tears around the skirt—to the point where a piece was ripped out to reveal her left thigh—and the red crosses on her chest. Her dress was now held up by a light gray belt around the waist, and the straps were hanging by her arms loosely. She was also wearing thigh-high stockings; her right being a full light gray while her left was striped in light pink and light gray. 

 

Vaggie felt loose. She felt unchained. She felt free. The clothes she had as an exorcist was something given to her, something she was required to wear. Being able to pick out her own clothes was something she never really had the freedom to do. The entire idea of choice was something she had been struggling to get used to. But here, it felt elevating, like it was an entirely different person she was looking at in the mirror.

 

In the mirror, Vaggie saw that her hair had gotten longer. It was quite an unusual sight for two reasons. For one, she hadn't really stayed in Hell for that long, unless time moved differently from Heaven, and her body is reacting differently to the time. And Secondly, Exorcists usually kept their hair short. Not only did it fit into the helmets they wore better, but they made fighting easier. Hair was an obvious weak spot for anybody, and the longer the hair, the more likely people would tug at it. Plus, it was just distracting, and kind of carried weight as well which made maneuvering difficult.

 

Vaggie didn’t know how she felt when she twirled a piece of the lengthening hair that decorated the back of her head with her finger; but before she could dwell on it, she was startled by the voice of Moxxie.

 

“Hey, you’re looking good!” Moxxie said with support as Millie walked behind him holding what seemed like a hair tie. 

 

“Um..”

 

“In like…a design way. Not like…a sexual manner…just…..We picked something out for you!” Moxxie said as he gestured towards Millie, hoping that Vaggie would forget the entire previous interaction.

 

“We found something that would go perfect with your new wardrobe.” Millie said as she held out the hair tie. It was bright red, and had two horns made of a soft styrofoam-like fabric sticking out the top. 

 

“What’s this for?” Vaggie asked as she grabbed the hair tie to examine it.

 

“We felt it might help better to disguise you.” Vaggie said. Vaggie put the tie around the stray lengthy hairs hanging on the back of her head. It was a struggle to fully form a ponytail with the tie, but the result was a loose fit. Vaggie looked back at the imps and realized that Millie was still holding something. A piece of loose strap. 

 

“What’s that?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Oh, this?” Millie said, holding the piece of strap, revealing a large piece of fabric attached to it, “This is an eyepatch. You didn’t think we would let you walk around with bandages your entire stay in Hell, did ya?”

 

To be honest, Vaggie forgot about the bandages covering her missing eye. Not the missing eye itself, that was hard to forget; but the bandages wrapped around the socket was something she grew used to in the week. That may also be the result of wonky time zones or just being stuck with them on her head that she genuinely forgets until the pieces start digging into her skin once she presses into her pillow.

 

Vaggie picked up the eyepatch, examining the slate-gray coloring and the hot pink ‘X’ symbol on the front. She put it on just to test how it felt and, despite being a little tight at the back, was mostly fitting. Vaggie took it off and handed it back to Millie, letting the imp grab it out of the air.

 

“It’s…fine.” Vaggie said in a monotone manner.

 

“You know you can show a bit more emotion than boredom and nervousness. Nobody is going to judge you.” Millie said, egging Vaggie to show a bit more of her soft side. Vaggie just turned away and headed back to the dressing room, ready to switch back into her normal clothes in order to change.

 

“Hey, um, Vaggie,” Moxxie called out, “Maybe after this we can go to a restaurant. There’s a nice coffee shop that me and Millie go to. And maybe we can explore around, see what other things you might like.”

 

Vaggie thought for a few seconds before finally answering, “Sure. No point in being stuck in the apartment.” 

 

With that, Vaggie went back to change. She liked the outfit she picked out, so it didn’t hurt when Moxxie and Millie bought her spares. 

 

---

 

The outing of the imps was actually fairly fun. It was quite unexpected for Vaggie, since all she saw Hell for was the atrocities committed by the denizens. But the imps made sure to take her to a few locations that wouldn’t cause absolute distress to the angel. 

 

The coffee shop was nice, even if the coffee tasted like piss (but then again, Vaggie didn’t usually drink coffee, so perhaps the taste would grow on her). Moxxie decided to take the angel to a shooting gallery to teach her how to shoot a gun because, in her own words, “To know how to use a firearm is pivotal to survival in Hell.”. Thankfully, nobody thought of shooting at them with the very real guns in the gallery; and after intense tutoring from Moxxie, Vaggie almost felt herself getting a hang of the firearms. Pistols were the easiest to learn, though she did try the submachine guns to…limited success. Crossbows were something else she was surprisingly good at, and rifles, while bulky, were not all that much of a hassle to use. Vaggie would have limited her selection of firearms to use, but Moxxie and Millie egged her on that having knowledge on a variety was a good thing. Vaggie didn’t see the reason why; it’s not like she owned any of them.

 

They spent quite a bit of time at the gallery, but the uncomfortable environment caused the imps to take her away. They went to a blood bath spa around the violence circle, but the hot and steamy environment was just weird for Vaggie. Understandable, as she never really got to treat herself with pleasures such as a spa day. The line was drawn when the imps tried to convince her to get a massage. If there was one thing Vaggie would not allow, it would be another demon she knew nothing about touching her. 

 

M&M decided it was about time to head home, only to find Vaggie distracted by a shoe shop selling a nice pair of silver ballet slippers. Millie noticed her interest and went to buy them for Vaggie, with the excuse being that the angel didn’t actually have any shoes to wear. Vaggie also found a black choker in the shop (for some reason) and the excuse was ‘it looked neat’.

 

Eventually they did get back home, after grabbing a few milkshakes. They certainly tasted weirder than the ones in Heaven, but that may be a byproduct of the skull cattle that apparently live in Wrath; which, in Millie’s own words, “Are nasty sons of bitches.”

 

Moxxie, Millie and Vaggie got home in surprisingly good moods. Home…such a weird thing to call the ratty apartment, but Vaggie couldn’t really call it anything else. Maybe her mind was truly unraveling at the seems, that she was driving herself crazy? Maybe she was feeling homesick? Though Heaven never really felt like home. Or maybe…she was simply getting attached. Maybe the idea of people caring about her, them being demons notwithstanding, was so alien to her that she couldn’t help but latch on. But even then, she still didn’t feel like…well...really anyone at that point. She felt alone as the married pair of imps went to the couch to turn the tv on. “I Fucked Your Sister, So What?” Was on and it made the imps immediately cringe into changing the channel to ‘Hell-A-Novella’. 

 

Vaggie was content on going back to her flimsy excuse of a room inside the imp’s closet before Moxxie called to her, “Hey! Vaggie! Your favorite show it on!” 

 

Vaggie rolled her eyes at Mox with a light smile. “Ya wanna watch it with us?” Moxxie asked.

 

“Ooh, I know this episode! I love this episode!” Millie said with excitement once the previews for the episode came on. 

 

“Alright,” Vaggie said with fake exasperation, “Just let me put my stuff away and I’ll be right out.”

 

It’s weird. Crazy weird. The fact she was feeling a sense of comradery with these…imps despite it only being a week. Maybe it was Stockholm syndrome? Maybe it was loneliness? Whatever it was, Vaggie did like it somewhat, but it didn’t help relinquish the memories of what caused her to be down here in the first place. How could she forget it when the memory was plastered on her face. 

 

Vaggie took to unwrapping the bandages around her head, using Moxxie’s mirror in his and Millie’s room to do so properly. Eventually, she was left staring at the black, empty socket where her left eye used to be. She reached into her clothes bag to grab the eyepatch out. With a heavy breath, she wrapped the patch around her head to cover the eye, letting her bangs cover it. It…it didn’t feel all too different to the bandages. Maybe less restricting? But Vaggie…Vaggie felt tears. Tears she was struggling to hold. Tears that represented her regret…her guilt…her loneliness.

 

She would have had a breakdown, if not for the wooshing from her closet room. Vaggie turned around to see a shadowy figure with a long tail and massive horns facing backwards. Vaggie could clearly see the tooth grin and yellow eyes shining against the darkness. The figure opened the door that led to the living room, holding a camera in his hand. Vaggie somehow knew it hadn’t noticed her yet, which allowed her to slink over to the closet to grab her spear and slowly walked up to the figure who was grinning sadistically. 

 

A flash went off from the camera the figure was holding, allowing a photo of Moxxie and Millie cuddling on the couch to fall out. The figure picked it up, so satisfied with his work that he failed to notice the ex-exorcist walking up behind him.

 

---

 

Moxxie and Millie only heard a familiar yelp and the door to their bedroom slam open before they went running. They saw Vaggie standing over another imp with her spear pointed right at his throat.

 

The imp was rather tall compared to Moxxie and Millie, as were his tail and horns. His skin was in similar color to Moxxie’s, and his horns showed that he was distinctly male. There were oddities in his appearance, like white marks appearing on his tail and taking up the right side of his face. His back was covered in black spines as well as the back of his head and tail; with said tail having a black tip with two black stripes coming from the base of the triangular tip. He had red irises with slit black pupils and yellow sclera, which was looking at the fallen angel in panic. As for his attire, he wore a tattered slate gray collared coat with red buttons down the breast, black knee-high boots, and elbow-length black fingerless gloves featuring large, rounded yellow decorations on the upper side of them. Notably, he had a heart-shaped skull symbol on the center of his forehead, something mostly every imp Vaggie saw lacked, and a red skull charm around his neck. 

 

Vaggie was treating the imp like an intruder, shouting at him “Who are you?!” while he just gave very confused and panicked mumbles while Vaggie pointed her spear right at his throat. 

 

However, Millie immediately recognizes the intruder as “Blitzø?” 

 

The imp looked up at the married pair of imps while being forced onto his back. 

 

“Oh, hey Mils! Mox!” Blitzø said in a surprisingly calm manner as he looked back at the very on edge angel and then back at the imps, “Who’s this broad?”

 

“Sir, what are you doing in our house?” Moxxie asked, annoyed while Vaggie put her spear down, absolutely confused.

 

“Wait, you know this asshole?” Vaggie asked, to the annoyance of Blitzø.

 

“Yeah, unfortunately.” Moxxie said.

 

“He’s our boss. He likes to come into our house and watch us.” Millie explained so casually that it only really served to confuse Vaggie more.

 

“Wait, what? He comes into your house and spies on you?” Vaggie tried to comprehend, but it was impossible to wrap her head around.

 

“He comes in here on occasion to film us or snap a picture. It really is pointless to try and get him to stop. I stopped trying months ago.” Moxxie said, exasperated.

 

“Hey, I’m your boss! That means I can do anything to my employees. And plus, I don’t judge you on your boring mushy stuff that you all do in your spare time. In fact, the only reason I came over today was because I hadn’t seen you all in a while.” Blitzø tried to defend himself, but his reasoning only made Vaggie hate him.

 

“You see us at work everyday!” Moxxie tried to announce.

 

“Mmmmm…Doesn’t count!” Blitzø tried to exclaim, earning an annoyed look from Moxxie and a growl from Vaggie. Thankfully, Blitzø suddenly remembered the angel who wasn’t hesitant in taking his life and asked “So who is she?”

 

“Oh! That’s Vaggie! She lives with us now!” Millie said with enthusiasm, something which Vaggie herself was not comfortable with.

 

“Oh, alright! Didn’t know you all wanted to start a threeway with someone! You know if you want to quadruple it, you know the man to go to.” Blitzø turned his body so he could lay on his side in a sensual way earning a groan from Moxxie.

 

“No! No. No. She’s just living here…in our closet.” Millie said.

 

“Really? I thought that was a weird new kink you developed. What, can she not afford her own apartment? Where did you find her anyway? She looks like she could snap a spine in several different places.” Blitzø asked as he got up, dusting his suit off and examining the spear Vaggie had.

 

“And is this an angelic spear? Where the fuck did she get this from? Aren’t these things rare?” Vaggie was getting increasingly annoyed at the crass imp and yanked the spear away from him.

 

Moxxie sighed and scrunched up his nose with his fingers, before finally making a big decision, “Sir, if we tell you what she is, will you promise to just keep it between us?”

 

“What the fuck do you mean? What do you mean ‘what she is’? What’s happening?” Blitzø asked, now very much baffled. Vaggie was now beginning to panic as well.

 

“She’s…she’s an exorcist angel. Or at least was.” Millie explained which earned an angered and worried groan from Vaggie as she facepalmed.

 

“Wait…that bitch…that bitch right there!....is an exorcist angel? What the fuck is she doing here? How did she get here?” Blitzø asked in a voice that was way too loud for a normal conversation and it was getting on Vaggie’s nerves fast. 

 

“She won’t tell us. All we know is that she was thrown out. And she has no wings. Or halo.” Moxxie said as Blitzø looked back at Vaggie, no feeling awkward over the situation.

 

“Wow.” Blitzø said bewildered, “That’s a fucking bummer. So…you no longer with those exorcists anymore? No longer a heavenly angel?”

 

Vaggie sighed, “Yes.”

 

“Well.” Blitzø said awkwardly as he swayed back and forth by the heels of his boot and and his red fingers in his pocket, before an idea struck him. He scrambled to one of his pockets and pulled out a card.

 

“Um…Well…since you aren’t technically an angel, and you live with my two current best employees, perhaps I can give you this?” Blitzø asked as he gave the card to Vaggie, the words “I.M.P.: Immediate Murder Professionals” written on it with a sinister looking logo.

 

“We are a assassination business in Imp City. Since you already have experience murdering people, perhaps you want to be paid in doing so. Of course you are going to only be murdering people we are paid to, but that kinda comes with the whole business.” Vaggie just stared at the card baffled. Why would she ever want to go back to a situation where she was forced to kill random people simply because she was told to for an even more selfish reason. Also…what did it mean to get paid?

 

“What makes you think I would accept this?” Vaggie ask, slightly offended.

 

“Well…it’s not like it is a foreign thing to you with the whole ‘exterminations’ thing. Plus…it’s not like you’re doing much here anyway.” Blitzø said, not knowing how much he personally offended the former angel until he looked up at her steaming face.

 

“I see…not a fan. Welp, still. If you ever need a job, just call me. The name is Blitzø, the O is silent. And M&M, I hope to see your asskickery tomorrow, alright!” Blitzø began wandering out the door to the apartment before looking back and calling to Moxxie, “Still if you want a threeway, just call me up!”

 

“Out!” Moxxie yelled as Blitzø stuck out his tongue, slinking out the door and shutting it behind him. Vaggie went back to studying the card and began thinking about what the imp said. Was he right? Was she just a natural killer? Was the exterminations really all that different from this assassin business, or was her mind fully collapsing inwards. There was a dilemma within her, because she wanted to accept the fact that she could be good; that she could be a good person and not a monster that those exterminations molded her into. But…how could she? No sinner would ever truly forgive her for what she had done to their kind, and if any demon found out who she was besides the three who knew, they would surely put her head on a spike. 

 

Vaggie had her thoughts interrupted as she saw Moxxie walk up to her.

 

“Sorry about that, he doesn’t really understand how people act. Though…I kind of hope you accept the offer. Though our boss can be a nuisance and our receptionist is shit, I think it would be a great way to help get you on your own two feet. Hell, I can even help further train you in firearms!” Moxxie said, with pride.

 

“Yeah! And I can teach you some combat tricks my ma and pa taught me in my youth! It will be so much fun!” Millie said, hopping with excitement. Vaggie was conflicted. She almost forgot that the imps who gave her salvation were assassins themselves, and they seemed to be decent people to others. Maybe there were a few more morals when it came to the business they worked for. Maybe she didn’t have to be a monster. But then again, killing another person just felt wrong now; especially since sparing someone was what led her here in the first place. There were just too many conflicting messages, and not all of them could be easily read. 

 

“I’ll think about it. But…You know…going from an exorcist to an assassin is not exactly a smooth transition.” Vaggie said.

 

“I know. Trust me, I know. Leaving an old life behind is hard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy moving forward. Just look at me.” Moxxie said as he wrapped his arm around Millie to bring her in. Both imps headed towards their bedroom, leaving the door open for Vaggie. Vaggie stared at the card again before heading back into the bedroom.

 

The imps and Vaggie would get ready for bed. As the lights went out and the imps were fast asleep, Vaggie was left lying there on her mattress in their closet staring at the ceiling. Was it wrong that this I.M.P. was an enticing offer? Maybe she was just a monster, seeking her next kill by any means necessary. Maybe she just felt she had no choice? Or perhaps she just felt alone, desperately seeking any reason to move forward with her life which at this point, had no meaning? She was made for one purpose, to kill. So on that level, this Blitzø guy was right. But then Moxxie’s words started to swarm her, the idea that you can shed your past for a brighter future. But, judging by the situation Vaggie was in, she could just consider the imp lucky. He had someone while she has no one. While the imps who provided her this hospitality were certainly kind, Vaggie hesitate on calling them friends. 

 

It was complicated, and Vaggie hated complicated. Vaggie held the card she had in her hand and the same few questions swarmed her head. 

 

Should she accept?

 

Should she forget it?

 

Was she a monster?

 

And what fucking O?

 

Notes:

So that Full Moon episode, huh? To be honest, that was the thing that got be motivated to write this fic again. And I'm glad because I have a lot of heartbreaking ideas for this story.

I feel like Blitzø wouldn't care that much about Vaggie being an angel. He didn't have much reaction to cherubs ruining his day so I doubt he would have anything more than slight confusion around Vaggie.

I like to imagine that without Charlie to comfort her, Vaggie would suffer loneliness because while Millie and Moxxie are good conversationalists, they don't have the exact dynamic (yet) where they could easily comfort the ptsd, self loathing angel.

Gay shit with Princess Charlie and Vaggie will happen soon. We have at least one more chapter to go before we finally get introduce to the princess of Hell and her shitty husband. And boy will things happen.

Chapter 3: Acceptance

Summary:

Vaggie thinks back at the job offer given by Blitzø, and decides to take the next leap in her life.

Notes:

Warning for your typical Hellaverse affair, and for a lot of Vaggie angst.

 

Vaggie didn’t want to wake up today. She felt way too miserable. Despite now technically having the freedom to leave the apartment whenever she likes, she still felt trapped. Mostly because she didn’t really have anywhere to go. While Moxxie and Millie did show her around Imp City, it wasn’t welcoming enough to explore. Crime was rampant in the city, Vaggie could swear she heard pained screaming outside her window, and none of the residents that she didn’t already know were all too welcoming. She thought about moving out to somewhere safer feeling, only to realize it was Hell so nowhere would truly feel safe. Even then, how would she do that? She had no job, no established place in Hell, and nowhere to live other than this ratty apartment. 

 

That card. Vaggie thought about that card that ratty imp gave her a few days ago. Vaggie still occasionally sees him around, and grows to increasingly dislike the demon. He came around with a camera to watch Moxxie and Millie do typical couple stuff, even when they do…well…sex. While Vaggie grew…uncomfortably used to the sounds of passion the imps made, the idea of someone actively watching them go at it left a bad taste in Vaggie’s mouth. It reminded her much of…Adam. Exorcists were bloodthirsty, no doubt about it…but they had lives outside of such. Adam, however, never let them have a moment's peace or an ounce of privacy. Their personal lives were always monitored and/or hijacked by the self-proclaimed “First Dick” and it constantly got on Vaggie’s nerves. And no exorcist thought it was a problem. 

 

That is what the behavior of—what’s his name…Blitzø…with the silent O—reminded Vaggie of. And just like her fellow, or not fellow, exorcists back home; Millie did not view this invasion of privacy as a problem. Thankfully for Vaggie’s sanity, Moxxie did. Vaggie thought that Moxxie enjoyed the validation of thinking that Blitzø’s blatant perversion was wrong. Vaggie often sent him away during the nights, with often increasing threats and decreasingly subtle hostility. One time she even found the imp in the fridge. Vaggie grew to hate this…thing…but his words from their first meeting were still ringing through her mind.

 

It was just a little much to overthink such words, because they were just that…words. But still, it felt hurtful…and true. Yes, she was a murderer…and nothing will change that. Nothing could right the wrongs of what she did. What this business did on a daily basis was likely more humane than the thing she did once every year. So…who could say that she would be a worse person because of it. She deserved to be down here…after all she did; so why not take up a profession to utilize the only skill she had. The only skill she knows. But then again, a part of her didn’t want to be that person again; and another part told her that is all she ever was and will ever be. 

 

Regardless of her thoughts, Vaggie still got out of bed and got dressed in the new attire she acquired from her last outing with Moxxie and Millie. The look started to grow on her, and she might go out to buy some other new clothes, if she could get a job…if.

 

Vaggie looked at the card that Blitzø guy gave to her again, really taking in the red backdrop to the black logo detailing three imps holding various weaponry. They were depicted with crooked, sharp smiles and blood red eyes with no pupils. Vaggie took a look at the acronym of I.M.P., which apparently stood for “Immediate Murder Professionals”. So Moxxie and Millie were professional assassins, that’s…concerning. Vaggie wasn’t sure if Blitzø himself was an assassin, but it seemed like he was judging by the middle imp in the logo. It was so odd to think of the people who she was living with being these professional, hired killers; but the moment you learn about what Vagge herself did it makes them look like saints. 

 

Vaggie also noticed her hair was growing longer still. Good thing she had that hair tie. It was very ineffectual as a disguise, but it did well to keep her hair up. She had noticed her skin also getting slightly darker as she looked in Moxxie’s mirror. Perhaps it was a signifier that she was losing the part of her that was an angel? Who cared though…she was a monster. Filth that wasn’t even worth being called an angel. Lute was the exact same, but…she was right when she called her sinful filth. No demon in Pride would forgive her for what she did. God couldn’t help her when Lucifer finds her down here.

 

Vaggie walked into the living room, very tired and dreary. Vaggie spotted Moxxie and Millie preparing themselves for work, with Moxxie checking his pistols and Millie polishing her ax. It was fairly typical preparation for work that Vaggie learned they did. But now…it felt different. 

 

“Hey, M&M…” Vaggie cringed at herself for saying that as the first spoken piece of dialogue this morning. The imps didn’t seem to mind.

 

“Morning, Vaggie! How are you?” Moxxie asked, before looking back at his pistols to make sure they were not loaded.

 

“I’m good…” Vaggie said with a clear bit of anxiety before clearing her throat, “So…another day at the office?”

 

“Yep! Maybe it won’t be as slow as last time? More customers seem to be floodin’ in, especially with the exterminations getting more violent…no offense.” Millie said, and while Vaggie appreciated the sincerity, it didn’t stop the conflicted thoughts pouring through Vaggie’s mind.

 

“So…about your job. Do you all work with other people to kill who you're hired to or…?” Vaggie asked with a bit of hesitation.

 

“Oh? Nah. Just our boss. We are a small single team. If you are thinking about joining, you are free to come with us.” Moxxie said as he put his pistols in his pockets while Millie gave him a kiss on the cheek. Moxxie wrapped his arm around Millie and both imps proceeded to turn towards Vaggie, waiting for her answer.

 

“Well…I…I’m still thinking about it. It’s…it’s hard…you know, considering what I was.” Vaggie stumbled over her words while trying to figure out what to say. 

 

“Well, you’re not an exorcist anymore.” Millie pointed out.

 

“I mean…yes but…I never told you all why I got kicked out, did I?” Vaggie said as her voice got heavy.

 

“No you didn’t, but you don’t need to. If I were to hazard a guess, it was for sparing a demon?” Moxxie asked, quizzically while baffling Vaggie.

 

“What?! How did you know?” Vaggie asked, which honestly surprised Moxxie that he was right on the mark.

 

“Well….I didn’t expect me to be that accurate. I just thought with how you exorcists usually act, and with the dilemma of how you acted when Blitzø gave you the offer, I just thought…....so why?” Moxxie’s question confused Vaggie.

 

“Huh?” Vaggie said, confused.

 

“Like, what led to that decision? I mean…you don’t have to tell me now, I’m just curious.” Moxxie explained hesitantly, really trying to scope around her feelings.

 

“Well…….I don’t know. A lot of things. I just……I don’t know what to do now. I’m not an exorcist anymore, yet I still feel like a monster for what I have done. I did what I did because I thought I was protecting Heaven from the demons that lived here, but you all have shown me that it all was bullshit! And now, I feel even more heartless because I killed so many for no reason! At least you all have morals! I didn’t! And now I’m left with this offer to do the one thing I have only known to do! So what do I do? Is this all I am? Is killing people all I am worth? I just…” 

 

“All right, calm down.” Millie said once Vaggie started to get intense, leaving the angel to stare at the imp who was slowly approaching with concern, “We aren’t pressuring you to go back to that. You don’t have to take the offer. You can leave that all behind. It’s got to be tough having to be punished for the one selfless decision you decided to make. I get that. But, hey! You’re one of us now! Sure we only knew each other for about a week and a half, but we work well! Like we said, you are free to join us at our profession, but we will leave the door open if that is not what you want. It will always be open. And we will make sure you have enough time to think before you make your decisions. Okay?”

 

Millie put a hand on Vaggie’s shoulder, slightly calming down the angel. The angel smiled at the imp once she gave a smile first, then sighed “Alright…”. Taking the que, Millie freed her hand from the angel’s shoulder and hopped back towards Moxxie.

 

“Have a good day at work!” Vaggie called out while waving the imps goodbye.

 

“Thank you!” Millie said with a jolly voice.

 

“And consider the offer! We would love to work with you!” Moxxie said as Millie rushed out the door with him. As the door shuts, Vaggie is left alone in the darkness of the apartment. The angel took out the card again and flipped it to its plain, white back. There was an address to the building of I.M.P. described in black letters, and Vaggie looked over it several times.

 

It was confusing, this whole thing. And Vaggie never failed to constantly debate it in her mind. During her consistent inner discussion, a few thoughts continuously rung throughout her head.

 

What would be different?

 

Why are you still debating?

 

Regardless of your choice, you will still be a monster.

 

You will ALWAYS be a monster.

 

Nothing can change that.

 

So why change?

 

“Shut up…” Vaggie said to herself. Yeah, she was absolutely going insane. Now she was talking to herself! While her mental health may have been declining, these thoughts…they weren’t wrong…. She was a monster, and nothing was going to change that. Vaggie looked back down at the card and studied the address again.

 

At least you’ll finally be worth a damn! You will only be a burden to those imps until you join them in slaughter. 

 

“I said shut up!!” Vaggie yelled louder before shaking her head to get control of herself as she went back to staring at the card. 

 

Take the leap. Be who you are. And maybe…

 

Vaggie grimaced at the card in her hand. 

 

You can be a professional.

 

Vaggie heard that final thought, and took one final look at the card. Gripping it tight, Vaggie made a final decision. Vaggie grabbed her spear out of the closet room, her phone, and headed out the door; giving the apartment one final glare before shutting the door behind her.

 

---

 

It was not a difficult time finding the building where the I.M.P. office is, but boy was it a stressful one. The thing Vaggie noticed about Imp City was that there were more hellborn, particularly imps, than sinners. That made things feel much less nerve racking as being around sinners was the last thing Vaggie wanted considering her history with them. She proceeded to walk deep into the city until she got to a big black and dark gray building with black and white horns built onto the sides that resembled the horns imps had. Quite fitting, being in imp city. The building was decorated with black window panes and various spikes decorating the roof alongside tacked on antennas. There was a crowded and ratty parking lot next to the building, and overall, it was in very poor condition. Certainly a far cry from the buildings in Heaven. 

 

Vaggie would have completely passed the building if not for the fact that she noticed several I.M.P. posters littering the front; some of which were covering a condemnation notice which did not let up the stress Vaggie was feeling. But that was hell. It did not care about what you felt. 

 

Walking inside the building through the glass doors, her footsteps echoing amongst the shaky black tiles that littered the floor as the doors shut loudly behind her. Vaggie looked around and saw a lobby desk with a bored looking female imp with brown hair and white marks around her eyes. She was slumped over on the desk, surrounded by computers while supporting her head with a single arm. She didn’t even notice Vaggie walk in even after making the loud sounds of her entrance. Vaggie looked around to see if anyone else was in the lobby with her, but at long last, she was alone with another imp. 

 

“Um…” Vaggie started to talk hesitantly.

 

“Yes?” The imp asked bored. Vaggie proceeded to approach, putting a hand on the desk. It was at this moment that Vaggie realized that bringing an angelic spear, commonly associated with the creatures that bring a daily genocide to an entire ring of Hell, was sort of a bad idea and tried to hide it behind her back. Thankfully, the imp didn’t seem to care; but that may be because she was hellborn, which made Vaggie feel incredibly stupid for acting like she would care. 

 

“I…um…I was wondering if a company called I.M.P. occupies this office?” Vaggie asked nervously.

 

The imp scoffed and said, “Seventh floor. Can’t miss them.” 

 

The imp pointed towards the elevator, not even looking at the ex angel. 

 

“Thanks! See you later!” The imp scoffed at Vaggie’s cringy politeness. Vaggie awkwardly maneuvered to the elevator and hit the button to go to the seventh level.

 

---

 

Vaggie was almost surprised with how utterly easy it was to find the office. It only took walking past a few doors in the office in order to reach a brown door with the words “IMP Headquarters”, which was strangely written without the dots in between the letters. There was a bit of hesitation that swept through Vaggie before she opened the door to the office, second thoughts that begged her to reconsider. However, her will to open the door won, and she opened the office to enter a fairly spacious room. 

 

The room had basically an empty middle, only filled by the light brown and dirty carpet. The walls were decorated with dark and light stripes that repeated in a vertical pattern. The baseboard of the wall was decorated with dark red squares amongst a lighter red backdrop that scoped around the entire room. The ceiling of the building was also patterned, with a checkered blush on merlot red. As for scenery, it wasn’t very stunning. There was a small bookshelf in the corner of the room that seemed to double as a dresser. Next to the books on the shelf seemed to be something akin to a radio. Next to the bookshelf seems to be a shot up painting of an imp alongside what looked to be a picture of the profile of a purple horse, only it looked to have four eyes and teeth from the sideways shot that Vaggie was seeing it in. It also had purple text that said ‘Ride’ at the bottom of the picture. 

 

Around the side of the door where Vaggie came in was a poster for I.M.P. saying “Call Us!!” which was odd because it was their office. It also seemed to have an incomprehensible phone number under the tagline that Vaggie couldn’t even begin to remember. Around the back of the room were two doors that were directly across from each other, though one was located on the back wall, separated by the aforementioned bookshelf, posters, and a giant fish tank filled with demonic looking eels. The door on the wall to her right had red marked text on the window that said “Blitzø’s office” and next to it was a blue desk with a decorative eyeball with blue spiky vines on the front. The desk itself had an old looking telephone with a bone as the handset, and a computer screen with a keyboard whose keys are blood red. Next to the desk was a Hel-9000 printer and a brown spiky cactus with a cowboy hat and a tag that said “To Millie: From Dad''. The wall that dwelt behind the desk also had a confusing demonic clock with a bunch of spikes on it. Across from the desk was a ratty, striped, torn up couch with a bunch of pictures that ranged from drawings to actual photos that looked to be nailed to the wall with arrows. The place as a whole looked worn down with bullet holes in walls, cracks in the ceiling, and dirt and grim festering the carpet. 

 

Over by the desk, as Vaggie noticed, seemed to be another demon. It looked to be a hellhound, which was a unique species in Hell. Unlike imps, who have key distinguishing features that separated them from the sinners of Hell, hellhounds looked almost exactly identical to a few canine-like sinners. Hellhounds can also come in a variety of different subspecies, looking remarkably similar to most of the dog breeds of Earth, which also can make it difficult to tell them apart from similar sinners. But there is one way to tell the two apart. Horns. Sinners who take the appearance of a canine have black horns most often, but hellhounds never have horns that aren’t artificial or the result of crossbreeding of Hell’s species. 

 

Vaggie could tell this was a true hellhound, and the creature was still staring at her phone. Hellhounds were a bit trickier to tell the gender by as because they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and forms, they do not have consistent tells on who is female and who is male. It all came down to body shape, and with this Hellhound, there were no questions. She had a slender, curvy body; as well as predominantly female adjacent clothing. While Vaggie was no stranger to males wearing that clothing, because boy was Heaven filled to the brim with men wearing dresses and skirts, it was more likely for females to wear the sort of clothing then males.

 

The clothing in question was a tattered gray, off-the-shoulder crop-top held up at the neckline by a series of criss cross spaghetti-straps that form an inverted pentagram alongside a set of black shorts that are tattered at the hems, with a white crescent moon detail on the right side. The hellhound had her feet on the desk while texting on her hellphone, which allowed Vaggie to see the black thigh-high toeless stockings; which ran up to white, paw-like feet with black sharp claws protruding outwards. The hellhound had a largely wolf-like appearance, with a pointed, dog-like muzzle with sharp and pointy teeth, a dark gray nose, white fur with gray countershading encircling her face, gray patches on her shoulders, a digitigrade stance, and long, voluminous silver hair swept to the side to reveal her dark gray ears. Her accessories included a large, spiked black choker around her neck, black fingerless gloves; two small, black hoop-piercings on her left ear; and a piercing on her right eyebrow with a black hoop for jewelry. Her face was lit up with red sclera and white irises, typical traits of hellhounds that were consistent no matter what form they came in, with gray eyeshadow and black winged-eyeliner forming her make-up. To cap it all off, she had a large, dark gray bushy tail with white on the underside.

 

Vaggie nervously walked over to the hellhound, looking around the space in the room as she did. Nobody other than the hellhound was there, so Vaggie assumed they were out doing a job.

 

“Hey….um…” Vaggie tried to speak as she really took in the sights of all the bullet holes in the room, “Where exactly is your boss?”

 

“Huh?” The hellhound questioned, looking up from her phone.

 

“Well, I just got a job offer from him, so I just want to….make sure I know what I’m getting into before I join.” Vaggie said, giving a fake smile to the hellhound. 

 

The hellhound sighed and said, “Well, you’re gonna have to wait a bit.”

 

“Why?” Vaggie questioned.

 

“Cause they’re out doing a job. I didn’t think Blitzø lent out offers, so nobody told me you were coming. Who are you anyway?” The hellhound asked.

 

“Vaggie. My name is Vaggie. When will they be back?” Vaggie asked, but the hellhound just shrugs.

 

“I don’t fucking kno—” The hellhound’s words are interuppted by her phone ringing. Pressing the call button, the hellhound greets the caller with a “Hi, Blitzø.”

 

Vaggie could faintly hear Blitzø’s voice, but she couldn’t decipher exactly what he was saying. The hellhound heard him perfectly though, and after a brief bit of understanding, she replied with, “Alright, I got you.”

 

Suddenly, the hellhound pulled a strange book out from under the desk. The book had a navy blue cover alongside golden borders with a large red gem on the center of its spine. The front cover is emblazoned with a moon encircling a seal that Vaggie did not recognize, but did know it belonged to a demon of high power. Alongside the moon was along with four stars which resemble upside down crosses located at the top left and bottom right corners of the cover. 

 

The hellhound opened its page, revealing the gold reflective pages separated by a dark burgundy ribbon. The hellhound summoned a gust of red mist and threw it onto the ceiling. Suddenly, a red portal opens on the ceiling and three familiar imps pop out, landing on the ground in action poses while absolutely being covered in blood.

 

“Welp!” Blitzø yelled out, proud of his work, “Another client fulfilled, and another payday incoming! We are on a roll here M&M!” 

 

“Sir, this is only our first client in weeks.” Moxxie stated while trying to wipe off the fleshy bits on his suit. 

 

“Yeah? And your poi—” Blitzø stammered as he finally noticed the shocked Vaggie who had her spear at the ready. 

 

“Oh? Hey Vaggie!” Millie said with joy while rapidly waving at the angel. The angel awkwardly waved back as she was still processing what just happened. The portal on the ceiling closed, but not before Vaggie saw a shocked Human woman peering through it. They were covered in red blood, the blood that Vaggie usually saw come out of sinners. Did they….?

 

“Vaggie? What are you doing here?” Moxxie yelled out, absolutely flabbergasted. Moxxie then noticed the guts he was covered with and tried to brush them off, nervously laughing as he did. 

 

Vaggie remained speechless as the hellhound answered for her, “She said she was here for some kind of job offer.”

 

“Really?! Loona, you should had let me know!” Blitzø said, disturbingly overjoyed.

 

“I didn’t know you even gave out offers!” Loona said, overly defensive. Vaggie remained speechless only to shake her head to ask a simple question.

 

“Was that the mortal realm?!” Vaggie yelled while pointing her hand at the ceiling.

 

“Oh? Oh! You mean the human world! That’s our job. Bitter sinner assholes pay us handsomely to kill those who they felt wronged them.” Blitzø said as he walked over to Vaggie with a smug, prideful grin on his face.

 

“You…You kill living humans?!?!” Vaggie yelled, completely baffled.

 

“Oh, hey, hey, hey. It’s not that bad. We only kill who we are paid to. It’s not like we massacre without reason. We would probably get in trouble for that…” Blitzø said, trying to calm a mad Vaggie down.

 

“What?” Vaggie said in reply.

 

“There are some demon laws about traversal to the human world. Technically what we’re doing is illegal. We just got out of trouble.” Moxxie explained.

 

“So you all just let sinners bribe you into killing innocent humans in the living world?” Vaggie could not morally wrap her head around the idea of what these imps were doing. That they were as bloodthirsty and morally corrupt as she had been. That she is!

 

“No…well…not really. Sinners come here to have us exact vengeance on those who felt wronged them in life and led them here.” As Moxxie explained, things started to slightly make sense only for a dark thought to enter Vaggie’s mind.

 

“So…you’re saying that sinners come here to pay you to kill those who felt led them on the path of arriving to Hell?” Vaggie asked, but it was really to reconfirm her thought process.

 

“Well…yeah…I guess.” Millie said, unsure but it was the answer Vaggie needed. And boy it was a heavy answer. Vaggie had to take a step back, hitting the desk behind her, causing her to stop and slowly lower herself to the ground.

 

“Vaggie?” Millie tried to call out, but Vaggie was lost in thoughts.

 

“What is usually the reason sinners feel like they went to Hell?” Vaggie tried to ask calmly, but ended up coming out shaky.

 

“Huh? Um…well murder, attempted murder, thievery, things like that.” Moxxie answered, confused on what exactly Vaggie was thinking.

 

“And you said that they were made to commit these acts? Or manipulated? Or something?” Vaggie began frantically asking.

 

“Okay, calm down now. I’m not sure it’s that deep, you know. Some people are just nasty cruel fuckers who take joy in knocking others down until they start biting them in the ass.” Blitzø said in a startling nonchalant manner.

 

“Sorry, I’m just……I didn’t know it was that one sided.” The idea that anyone can be sent to Hell for one action, and an action they were forced into shattered Vaggie’s mind. Suddenly it made the slaughter of souls she performed for most of her life feel that much more cruel. That they were only sent down because of the actions of someone else. 

 

“Hey…it’s alright.” Millie tried to comfort her, and tried to find a way to change topics, “Hey, aren't you here about that job offer?”

 

Suddenly, Vaggie’s mood changed, as the reason she was here completely slipped her mind. Vaggie cleared her throat and said, “Yes. Mr. Blitzø,”

 

“Oh, she is calling me Mr…Why can’t you be like that Mox?” Blitzø asked as he nudged Moxxie with his elbow.

 

“I want to learn about the open position at this company, just so I know exactly what I’m getting into before I fully…register as an official employee.” Vaggie said, trying her best to be formal.

 

“I mean, I don't think anybody would care if you aren’t an official assassin. This is Hell. But, yeah. As you just saw we go up to the world of the living to exact vengeance on the person our clients feel has wronged them in their brief time of life.” Blitzø explained.

 

“And do you actually check if what they are saying is true?” Vaggie asked, only to be met with silence and blank stares. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Vaggie said, breaking the silence.

 

“Um….Um….No?” Blitzø said nervously, “We are new to the whole ‘killing the humans’ thing so that never really crossed our minds. We probably should, shouldn’t we? I mean, I don’t really care but Mox over here throws a hissy fit over the whole ‘killing innocents’ thing so maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Blitzø said, much to Moxxie’s annoyance at the diss.

 

“I believe so. What else?” Vaggie asked.

 

“That’s…..pretty much it. We just kill whoever we are paid to with various weaponry.” Blitzø said, struggling to keep the conversation interesting.

 

“Like?” Vaggie asked, trying to gather more information out of the imp who clearly hasn’t had a new employee since Moxxie and Millie.

 

“Pistols, crossbows, katannas, axs, machine guns, knives, and that little spear you carry.” Blitzø said as he pricked his finger at the tip of Vaggie’s spear, “Basically anything that can kill people.”

 

“And that’s it?” Vaggie asked, still reluctant to pursue her decision. 

 

“Yeah, that’s it. So are you joining or what?” Blitzø asked, now getting impatient with Vaggie’s constant questioning.

 

Vaggie thought on the spot as efficiently as she could, but then it hit her. It didn’t really matter what she said. She killed thousands, if not millions before. The only difference between that and this is most likely, it would be less guilt ridden as she would be killing those who truly deserved it. 

 

With a heavy sigh, Vaggie said, “Yes. On the condition you train, help me train in using more weapons than a spear and that you properly look into these stories these sinners tell.”

 

“Then it’s a fucking deal!” Blitzø said happily as he held out his hand. Vaggie stepped back and readied her spear, expecting a green glow to emminate from his hand or something. The imp just stared at her reaction stupidly and asked “What the fuck are you doing? I’m just offering a handshake. I’m not signing your soul away.”

 

Vaggie realized how stupid it was to react that way, but you can never be too careful. Vaggie delivered an unsure handshake to an enthusiastic imp that left her struggling to stand upright once it was broken. 

 

“Alright, wait right there as I go to my office and—” Suddenly, Blitzø’s phone started ringing. 

 

“Yello?” Blitzø answered as he pulled the phone out his pocket and answered, “Yeah Stolas? No, I’m kinda in the middle of something. What do you mean you need it now? Gathering? Why do you need the book for that?”

 

Stolas….STOLAS!?!? Of the Ars Goetia? The Fourth most powerful demon oligarchy of Hell? Vaggie had heard about those types of Hellborn demons, ones who elevated themselves from overlord status into full on royalty. And this absolute clown was in cahoots with one of them? And he was just so casual about it?

 

“Why should I give a Satan fucking damn about some stupid party involving some fish-fucker? I don’t give a shit about how high of status he is. Why are you all of a sudden telling me now?.....of fucking course. I don’t suppose this book has anything to do with it…….why should he care, he has nothing to do with it? Fine, fine….but you owe me one for this, alright? Alright, I’ll send one of my people down to give it to you, I have just the girl. New gal too!.....What, did you think I was going to break in there? Bitch, after the last time I realized that I’m not cut out for that whole breaking into a gathering sort of shit, alright?.....Stop laughing….Look, I’ll just send her over. Keep an eye out for her alright……oh for Bel’s sake, FINE!...alright, goodbye…” Blitzø hung up right when Vaggie heard a bunch of obscene profanities that Vaggie now wished she hadn’t heard from the call.

 

“Was that Prince Stolas?” Moxie asked.

 

“Yep, he wants the book back. Like, now!” Blitzø said as he then looked over towards Vaggie, “Alright, Vag—gie is it? I have your first task.”

 

“What? Already? But I’m technically not part of the company yet.” Vaggie argued, but it was quickly shut down.

 

“Yeah, but you will be after you do this.” Blitzø snapped his fingers, signaling Loona to come over and give him the magical, portal book, “I need you to take this book to someone called Stolas.”

 

“Huh?” Vaggie said as Blitzø just thrusted the book into her arms.

 

“He’s gonna be at some rich bitch party over at the Morningstar Palace. The second one, where the princess lives. You’ll know it when you see it. It’s not the bigger one at the other side of the pentagram. That’s the king’s house. Don’t go there. Stolas should be easy to find considering he is expecting you, but if you aren’t confident; he’s the tall ass owl fucker who dresses slutty. He needs that book back because apparently the princess’s flaccid fish-face husband wants to check up on his “progress”, whatever the fuck that means.” This was a lot of information, but one thing stuck out. The Morningstar’s Palace? THE PRINCESS?! Vaggie would be going towards the house to the next in line to the throne of Hell! And Blitzø was treating it like it would be a normal day at work.

 

“We’ll drive you there. And no need to bring the spear inside there either. You probably would be mistaken for trying to assassinate someone if you did. But if you need help, just call us.” Moxie explained, which also reminded Vaggie that their contacts were automatically in her phone. It eased some of the worries, but certainly not all of them. Because it’s the FUCKING MORNINGSTARS!!! This was a party being thrown by the Princess. Of. Hell.

 

Who knows what she could be like? Who knows what could happen?

 

Notes:

Well, I think we all know where this is going. I have been eager to properly get to the princess and her reluctant marriage to her prince. Things might be…darker than Stolas’s marriage however.

I got to say, writing this made me realize how utterly similar Moxxie and Vaggie are. Both are straight men to their loud and obnoxious work places; both have boisterous and energetic loves; both hail from regrettable pasts they would wish to forget; both had intense morals that usually got them in trouble; both are skilled fighters who were raised in backgrounds that were particularly high in violence; both have that father/authority figure from their past that they despised; both are highly loyal to their loves; both have to deal with an obnoxious coworker who cracks sex jokes daily; and both are absolutely bottoms.

Pacing may feel a little odd. I’m trying my best to not only match the pacing of a typical Hazbin or Helluva episode, but also not keep you all waiting until we get to the good stuff. And boy will the good stuff come. But there is still more set up to be had.

 

I hope you all will be around for the chapter when it happens. The next chapter will be about the princess and her first meeting with our fallen angel.

Chapter 4: The Princess

Summary:

Take a step in the shoes of the daughter of the Morningstar and see how our darling fallen angel meets the princess of all of Hell!

Notes:

Serious warning time: This chapter has a segment at the end that will be very sensitive to a few people. I want to make it known that I do not endorse what Seviathan does, and that I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who suffered through situations like that.

I hope you still like the chapter regardless. I tried and will continue to try my best to represent this issue in our world the best I can.

With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter.

Pain. Aching pain. That's what it felt like when she woke up every morning. Charlie Morningstar woke up with an horrendous migraine, alone in her bed. Considering the possibilities of what she would wake up to, that was probably the best outcome. 

 

Charlie struggled to sit upright in her bed, absolutely not ready to stay awake for today. She rubbed her eyes and groaned, before maneuvering her naked body out of the messy bed. Charlie went to her dressing room to pick out an outfit for today, hoping to god Seviathan left the palace for something. 

 

Charlie skimmed through the closet for an acceptable dress that she would not only tolerate but Seviathan won't throw a fit over. Charlie hated wearing dresses, but it was common royal etiquette for women to wear dresses. She hated royal etiquette, but it was necessary to follow in order for anyone to take her seriously. In reality, she would rather wear the various nice, tailored made suits in her closet. But alas, those suits were essentially closet filler these days. While she used to wear suits in her youth, memories of those times were long behind her since she got married; and yet her uncle Ozzie still gifts her them constantly. They were really quite nice and Charlie always felt bad for not wearing them, but she knew better. 

 

Charlie threw on a nice red bathrobe with a black piece of cloth that tightened around her waist. Charlie grabbed a hanger containing a red scarlet, sleeveless short dress with a black belt around the waist and golden seams that formed a serpent on the front. It was the only real dress Charlie could tolerate, being made by her father by her request. He knew she hated dresses that covered her legs, as they were always tripping her up and restricting her, and had a dress made that was short, flexible, and still looked sort of nice. She hung the dress on the doorframe of her bathroom to wear later, as no doubt that Sevi will ask her to change later this morning. For now she would enjoy the bathrobe. 

 

Charlie sulked over to the mirror of her bathroom, feeling miserable. That woman she saw in the mirror was her, and boy did she hate it. The bags underneath her yellow sclera eyes with red pupils, the washed out white skin, her messy ankle-length blonde hair with thin light coral streaks on the paler-blonde highlights, and her sniffling black nose. Looking in the mirror, she also noticed her rosy cheeks developed into a duller shade that just made her feel even more miserable. Charlie tried to smile in the mirror, revealing her fangs, but couldn’t keep it for long before slinking back into a frown. It was hard to keep a genuine smile anymore. Charlie couldn’t find a reason to. That’s why she decided to reach for the “Happy Pills” that she decided to get from the Sloth Ring from her auntie Bel. She always could rely on the lazy goat for her meds, especially when it came to her pregnancy.

 

After popping a few pills from the colorful bottle, Charlie didn’t feel any better. Happy Pills were more stress relievers rather than being able to cause happiness to you, but that was good enough for Charlie. As Charlie stepped out of the bathroom, she threw on her white, fluffy goat slippers on her red, goat-like hooves before maneuvering to the mini fridge that was located underneath the bed stand. Opening up the black fridge, Charlie pulled out a wrapped crimson, caramel apple and pulled out a silver, decorative tray from the top of the fridge. Charlie couldn’t help but lightly smile when glancing at the apple. Charlie took it with her as she went out of her bedroom.

 

Charlie walked down the upper floor of her palace. She never really wanted a palace. Always too spacious for her. She had ideas to get her own place, but marriage kind of hijacked them. As she was walking, she could lightly hear her husband talking to someone. She didn’t remember inviting anyone over to the house, but then again Seviathan loved to do things without notifying her first. But frankly, she couldn’t care less about Seviathan’s business. Seviathan would prefer it that way.

 

Charlie saw two demons fly up to her mezzanine that overlooked the entrance to her palace, stopping just short in front of her. They were highly similar, having similar red fur, long black horns, yellow eyes with red irises, similar suits, and red bow ties. However, one had more pink fur and his eyes are reptilian-like with thin vertical pupils, while the other's fur was more scarlet and his eyes are larger, with his pupils being round and circular. Both possessed dragon-like wings, and their tails were long with the end shaped into a point. Their "hands" had close resemblance to hooves, and their cheeks had pink spots, as well as what appeared to be freckles located beside their eyes. The key difference between the two goat-like demons was that one had a light shade of red, while the stripe going down his snout is darker red in comparison to the other which had the darker red fur with the stripe on his snout being a lighter shade of red. 

 

“Razzle, Dazzle. Good morning to you.” Charlie said to her servant goats. She never really liked calling them servants, more like extended family. They usually have to wait for her to let them out of the cage that Seviathan usually stuffs them in at night, but she guessed that he must have granted that mercy for her. His reasoning for such was that they had servants that already did what they did, but that was the thing. Charlie never liked having servants, which was why Razzle and Dazzle were created. Lucifer realized her unease around having servants and thus created beings that could serve that purpose for her. To be honest, Charlie didn’t like having servants simply because she didn’t find it necessary to have people do things for you that you could easily do yourself. She was always a hands on type of woman, and thus Razzle & Dazzle never fulfilled their servant purpose. Rather, they functioned as an extra set of hands and company for Charlie, and it always broke her heart to shove them into a cage every night. They didn’t mind though.

 

“Tell me, is Sevi up?” Charlie asked, getting nods from the two goats. 

 

“Did he let you out?” Charlie asks, getting shaking notions that implied no. Fuck, they must have escaped themselves. Not a surprise given how utterly oblivious her husband was. Husband, she hated using that word to describe him…but that was what he was.

 

“Alright. Just hover behind me. I have to get this done first and then I’ll feed you two.” Charlie said as she booped the goat duo on the noses, earning happy bleats from both. Proceeding down the mezzanine hall, she stopped at a red crimson door, which Charlie steadily maneuvered to open. 

 

Opening the door only slightly, Charlie could see her pride and joy, her son, sleeping soundly in his bed. He was clutching his pillow tightly, but he seemed to have had a decent rest. Charlie felt a warm feeling of comfort and joy at seeing him, taking the time to place the tray she was carrying on the desk near the door, placing the caramel apple onto the tray. Being as quiet as she could, she gently closed the door behind her as she left her son to slumber. 

 

She loved her son. He was one of the few things that she truly felt happy about. Someone who could truly bring joy to her heart. Out of the two of them, Charlie usually made the decisions revolving around her son. Seviathan could bitch about it all he wanted, but whatever she said goes. It was the agreement in their marriage, that both sides of their family would have an heir to both of their names. Charlie’s son was a Morningstar in name and in blood, and even Charlie was allowed to keep her last name at the very least. Sevi would also gain a Von Eldritch in name, but Charlie hadn’t been all too successful in producing one. 

 

As Charlie came downstairs, her bodyguards in toe, she could hear Seviathan aggressively rambling to what she assumed to be her father on the phone. As she went into the kitchen, she could finally see Seviathan, fully dressed in a a green coat with neon green trimmings, green pinstripe pants and a green hat with a light green trim that had eyes and a toothed brim. His suit was accompanied by a neon green ascot and undershirt. His physiology was fishlike, like many of the possessors he resembled, having dark bluish gray skin and dark green hair with gray roots. As Charlie walked into the kitchen, Seviathan shot her a glare with his dull red eyes with neon green irises, thick eyebrows furrowed as his mouth curled up into a snarl that revealed his neon green colored sharp teeth.

 

Charlie just stared at him as she moved towards the fridge. Sevi continued to stare at him before the voices on the telephone caught his attention. Charlie could see a little female servant imp trying to hold the phone up to her level, clearly scared of the man who was currently exercising frustration towards his caller, who Charlie was certain was her father.

 

“Look, I know you all don’t treat it as such; but the accomplishment of our fellow royals is a thing worth celebrating.” Though Charlie didn’t want to, she felt obligated to try and say good morning to her husband, but she just held up a finger to silence her as he continued listening to Lucifer.

 

“Well I didn’t say you all have to come! You can just stay in your little hole making those stupid rubber duc—Oh hi Lilith.” As Seviathan kept talking as it appeared that Lilith took over the call, Charlie simply prepared herself tea and gave a few donuts to Razzle & Dazzle. She went to sit down by a window side breakfast table, preparing to read a newspaper that was just lying on the table. She had to do a massive spit take as she saw what was on the front page. “Royal Business Dance: Hosted by Seviathan Von Eldritch and Charlotte Morningstar at the Morningstar Estate. Royals only.”

 

“Seviathan. What in the fuck is this?” Charlie said in anger. She hated royal parties. Always found them too pretentious and stuck up for her tastes. She also hated it when Seviathan just did things without her acknowledgement, which he did very often. And of course it had her full name in it! She hated being referred to as Charlotte! But of course her husband didn’t care!

 

“Oh, come on Charlotte.” Sevi said, annoyed as he covered the receiver of his phone with his hand, not wanting Lilith to hear what he had to say. “As the future King of Hell, I believe it very important to check into the progress of my fellow royal demons on their various activities. As future Queen of Hell, you should find it just as well.”

 

“But make it into a ball? Why?” Charlie asked.

 

“You know I enjoyed parties. I remember when you did too. But you don’t have to come, if you truly want to lose ground with your future royal subjects.” Seviathan replied smugly, which struck Charlie like a sharp, painful stab in the heart. In her youth, royal demons never really took Charlie seriously. No demon really did, except her own family. Seviathan’s comment made Charlie realize why she married in the first place, and she reluctantly to a massive gulp of her tea. 

 

Maybe she could ride it out.

 

---

 

It was very clear that this was not a business party at all. This was just another excuse for Seviathan to get drunk and talk to his sleazy buddies. Nobody had even bothered to talk to Charlie and honestly she preferred that they didn’t. She wanted to disappear from it, wanted to find a moment to leave, but that would do more harm than good. So she just had to stand there, tolerate the entire event, and smile. No matter how fake it was.

 

Charlie wore the dress she picked out, alongside a pair of knee high black socks with silver shoes and fingerless opera gloves. She also had a tiara on her head that consisted of a dark scarlet red with a slender red dot on each of the three points that stood up from the crown. The tallest point, the middle, had a red tip as well. She liked the tiara. She had one all her life because it represented what she was. A princess. Even if she didn’t often feel like one.

 

Looking around, she could see various demons of all varieties dancing, talking, drinking and having an all around good time. Turning her head to the corner, Charlie could see her husband talk amongst his sleazy mates. A shadowy looking black demon with yellow eyes and mouth, a taller goat-like demon with a red skull-like head and black fur, and a pale spider-like demon with sabers for hands and needle-like teeth that left his mouth agape. 

 

“So after all of that, she just lets out a pitiful little moan. She is just so fucking awful in bed. If she actually took some initiative, maybe she would have more spunk in the mornings.” Seviathan said as he took another swig of wine from his glass.

 

“I don’t know man. It seems you’re just fucking awful at sex.” The shadowy demon said smugly, being met with laughter by everyone except a very pissed Seviathan.

 

“Oh, fuck you Amahl! What do you know?” Seviathan said in unprofessionally loud fury that made Charlie deeply embarrassed.

 

“I’m just saying. My wife always feels nice and rested after our daily nights of freaky fun.” The shadow demon said smugly while straightening his black suit.

 

“Probably because she claws you up like a scratching post.” The skull-headed goat demon said which earned a few chuckles, and it seemed like Amahl wasn’t bothered by the comment.

 

“Yeah…It’s fucking hot. I love her.” Amahl said fondly with everyone giving him weird looks.

 

“Point is…she just doesn’t care. It’s pathetic. Honestly, Charlie needs to take more initiative in our relationship because I’m here doing all the work.” Seviathan said, taking yet another wine glass to sip from.

 

“Yeah. You think she would be doing more considering she’s the princess.” The saber handed spider said with a nasally voice.

 

“Exactly!” Seviathan said as all his friends started to walk away laughing, before Seviathan turned his glare back towards Charlie who was sitting by one of the food tables.

 

“Such a pathetic woman.” Sevi said smugly, which made Charlie give a nasty snarl once he turned his head away. 

 

Charlie stood there, her already bad mood completely twisted into anger as she swirled around the wine glass in her hand. Eventually, a female waiter imp who was going around delivering snacks and drinks comes up to the princess.

 

“Excuse me!” Charlie called out to the imp, gaining her attention, “Do you have anything stronger than this?”

 

“We have absinthe, your majesty.” The imp said in a sheepish voice.

 

“Bring me all of it.” Charlie said as she grabbed one of the caramel apples on the tray and put down the wine glass. Charlie took a mighty munch of the apple, chewing it slowly to bring out some kind of emotion other than pure apathy and frustration.

 

---

 

“Alright, this is the place.” Moxie declared as he drove the van up towards a giant, scarlet mansion with what seemed to be apple-like decorations. 

 

Vaggie wasn’t used to riding in a van. Heaven didn’t really have that kind of transport because mostly everyone can fly. Someone did try to introduce cars once, but that was banned because nobody could drive properly and thus people kept getting run over. It wasn’t a shitty van, by any means, it just wasn’t what the former angel was used to. 

 

The van itself was filthy inside. Condoms, soda cans, and various other disgusting items. The imps didn’t seem to mind it, so it must have been a common occurrence in Hell. And that disgusted Vaggie. The van’s exterior was of gunmetal gray with red stripes running down both sides. Both sides also had a hastily spray painted I.M.P. logo on the sides.

 

The van stopped in front of a pair of crimson gates decorated with apple symbols carved into the steel. Moxie unlocked the doors to the van, allow Vaggie slide it out and properly see the giant palace that stood on the property. It was magnificent, but damn was it threatening. Vaggie felt a gulp going down her throat as she picked up the magic book she was meant to give back to Stolas.

 

“Hey, Vaggie? You okay?” Moxxie asks.

 

Vaggie gulps again and nervously says, “I’m not sure I can do this.”

 

“Oh come on, you’ll be fine. You just need to get in, give the book to Stolas, and get out. If you need us, just call us up.” Moxxie said.

 

“We’ll be waiting out here until you come back.” Millie said. 

 

Vaggie looked back at the book in hand, and then up at the Palace. With a heavy breath, Vaggie stepped out of the van and walked towards the gate. She did not feel safe coming near here, especially without her spear. But if she wanted the job, she was going to have to suck it up. That’s the only bit of advice from Adam that Vaggie could say was moderately useful. The I.M.P. van drove off, leaving Vaggie alone as she looked around to see any onlookers and/or guards. When it seemed like the cost was clear, Vaggie took to climbing over the metal gates, the cold steel soothing her hands as she climbed. It was an elegant climb too, which led to a smooth landing on the other side. Vaggie got up to look around again for any signs of trouble only to find none. 

 

Vaggie was about to take a few steps forwards when all of a sudden a bunch of hellhounds appear out of nowhere and jump her. She found herself pinned to the ground with the book still in her hand.

 

“Don’t struggle! We got you!” Said the husky looking hellhound. It was at this moment Vaggie realized that these were all security guards, with their black suits, earpieces, and black sunglasses. They must have seen her climb over and were wanting to give her a false sense of security.

 

“Let go of me!” Vaggie yelled, only to find her arms grabbed and forced to her sides as the hellhound forced her to stand up. 

 

“We’re taking you to the princess. I’m eager to see what she has to say about you.” That left a shiver down Vaggie’s spine. A sense of dread that not even her fall could match.

 

---

 

Charlie stood around the massive ballroom located at the back of the Morningstar Palace off to the side. She really would like the party to be resolved at this point, but it was usual for Seviathan to drag things like this out to extraordinary lengths. It was par for the course really. 

 

“Your majesty!” Charlie heard a voice call out. At first, she thought it was directed at someone else, but that was quickly disproven when she heard it said again with it sounding much closer.

 

“Your majesty!” Who was calling her? Charlie whipped her head around to see a steadily walking owl-like demon coming towards her. He was tall and slender, with a white, heart-shaped facial disk and small black beak alongside two pairs of almond-shaped red eyes, one set atop the other, with no visible irises or pupils. The owl demon had gray-blue feathers, which gradient to dark gray-blue on his head and long, plume-like tail with a lighter gray-blue puff of fur on his chest. His limbs were long, thin, and black with his feet being tipped with bird-like claws. He also dressed fancy too, having a deep red tunic with six linked golden buttons down the breast, and beige breeches; with a feathery tophat that featured a regal gold crown encircling it, as well as a long burgundy cape, tattered at the hemline, with a plush ermine-look fur collar, and long black gloves with white feathered trims at the elbows. 

 

As he approached, he respectfully bowed in the presence of the princess, which Charlie returned with her own bow.

 

“Your majesty, it is an honor to be in your presence.” The owl demon said.

 

“It is a pleasure to be in yours, Stolas.” The princess said. 

 

“My word. I didn’t expect you to be at this gathering. I would have certainly dressed better than this, I’m sure if we were all notified about it.” Stolas said. He had reason to not expect her. Seviathan never really let her go to gatherings outside of the palace that wasn’t directly connected to a Morningstar event, which was fine by Charlie. Sure the house felt a little restricting but it wasn’t horrible.

 

“Well, that’s fine. Sevi didn’t notify me of this event until the day of, so you’re excused.” Charlie said in a dreary tone.

 

“Your majesty? Is something the matter?” Stolas tried to question, only to receive a correction instead.

 

“Please refer to me as Charlie, alright.” Charlie said in response. She hated being referred to by titles. Made her sound stuck-up and hollow. People always latched onto the title rather than the person.

 

“Really? Is that a nickname? Because everyone else here calls you Charlotte.” Stolas said.

 

“And I hate that. Please call me Charlie. And if you are wondering what’s the matter, I’ve just been a little cross with my husband as of late.” Charlie said, irritated. She shot a glare at Seviathan having a boisterous time with his mates, which Stolas could certainly relate to.

 

“Ugh…I know the feeling. My wife dragged me here for the sake of showing up and declaring our fortune. I swear, me and that woman are never eye to eye.” Stolas said as he took a sip of wine.

 

“Tell me about it.” Charlie said. Okay so maybe the gathering wasn’t all bad. She hadn’t seen or interacted with Stolas much but compared to most royals, he was a considerably nice guy. 

 

“If you don’t mind me questioning, why isn’t your son Charrion at this event?” Stolas questioned which struck a nervous chord within Charlie.

 

“Well….he doesn’t do great in these types of social situations, especially in our house. Sevi still brings him to those events on weekends but my son prefers to spend his afternoons alone.” Charlie said. As much as Charlie wanted Charrion to interact with more people, especially those around his age, she wouldn’t force that onto him. Seviathan was not so understanding.

 

“Strange, Via is just like that. But at least Stella either leaves her home or with her brother.” Stolas said before taking another drink of his wine, “I do have to ask when your husband will get to the point of this party. I hastily prepared a presentation of my studies at the last minute.”

 

“To be honest, probably never. He gets wrapped up in these. Why did you feel the need to present your studies?” Charlie asked.

 

“His request. He keeps talking about things like prophecies and destinies being written in the stars and I keep telling him ‘That’s not how that works’ but he never listens.” Stolas said, rather annoyed at the thoughts.

 

“Yep, that sounds like Seviathan.” Charlie said in response. All of a sudden, a waiter imp came back with a green bottle of absinthe. The imp was prepared to pour it in several glasses for the princess but Charlie ended up taking the bottle and chugging it. Stolas was quite disturbed by the sight, because he knew for a fact it was a bad sign.

 

“Your highness!” A gruff call yelled out which spooked Charlie into choking on her drink. With help from Stolas, she was eventually able to calm down. Turning around, she found two of the hellhound security guards holding a woman dressed in black and gray with a red horn hair tie which forced her hair into a ponytail. She notably had a missing eye and dark skin, and was unlike any hellborn Charlie had seen before. She was....stunning.

 

“We found this nasty demon climbing your gates. What should we do with her?” The woman struggled to get out of the hellhound’s grasp, being semi successful thanks to that eerie book in her hands.

 

“Get off of me, you assholes!” Vaggie said as she struggled out of their arms, before turning to Charlie and saying, “Look your highness, I’m not trying anything here. I was sent by my boss to give this book to a royal named Stolas.”

 

“Oh! Oh! That’s me! That’s me! Charlie, can you tell your men to step away while I clear this up?” Stolas asked a Charlie who was still stunned by the unconventional beauty of the woman in front of her, only to snap out of the trance as Stolas asked the question.

 

“Um…yes. Guards, you can step away. We can handle it from here.” Charlie said as guards just looked at each other and walked away. Stolas approached Vaggie and took the book she held out in front of her.

 

“Thank you…um?”

 

“Vaggie. My name is Vaggie. I’m assuming you know my boss?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Well…yes…Know is a word for it. I expected him to be delivering. Are you a new employee of his?” Stolas asked as Charlie became increasingly interested in the conversation.

 

“Well…sort of. I haven’t technically joined yet, but he did tell me to give that book to you.” Vaggie said, anxiously scratching her head. 

 

“Excuse me? What is this all about?” Charlie’s words spooked Stolas, who began nervously laughing, “Are you giving the Grimoire of the Ars Goetia to some random hellborns?”

 

“Your maje—I mean Charlie, not so loud!” Stolas quietly begged as the royal demons around started to give weird looks to their presence. Charlie noticed the seeing eyes and then looked towards the nervous woman who was dragged here by her staff. 

 

“We’ll discuss this elsewhere. You both must come with me.” Charlie said in a stern manner. She never liked using authority, but the years of her being both married to Seviathan and a parent forced that authority to take over when it needed to. And plus, what kind of princess would she be without it?

 

Charlie started to walk towards the exits of the ballroom, Stolas and Vaggie following, happy to finally have an excuse to leave the party.

 

---

 

Vaggie felt an overwhelming fear crawl up her spine as she walked through various rooms of the palace. Charlie led both her and Stolas down a hallway decorated with various pictures of both the Von Eldritch and Morningstar family, and something was immediately odd about them. Vaggie had heard about the Von Eldritch family, a group of royal demons that rose the rank of Hell by becoming overlords, some of the first if Vaggie was to be correct. But she only heard about them through the marriage of Charlotte Morningstar and Seviathan Von Eldritch, she had no idea that this family was so close to the Morningstars. She could see group paintings and photos of the members of the Von Eldritch family with a few of the Morningstars, most of them having happy smiles alongside the Envy demon’s crooked grins. But then they stopped, as pictures of Charlotte and Seviathan during and after their marriage began sprouting down the hall, which severely shifted the tone that was once shone. 

 

Each photo of Charlotte and Seviathan kept getting increasingly glum and stale, as their smiles felt more and more force with each photo. There were a few that broke this pattern, but it had nothing to do with Seviathan. It was with what appeared to be Charlotte’s son, Charrion Morningstar, that garnered any true smile in the photos. Some depicted her at a theme park with the child, others depicted her doing magic for him that seemed to make him squeal in joy as a toddler, and one that really made Vaggie’s heart swell was one where Charlotte was holding him as a newborn in her arms surrounded by both her mother and father. That picture was in sharp contrast to a similar painting where Seviathan appeared beside her alone. It was odd, like every picture Seviathan took with Charlotte just made the princess uneasy. 

 

“Now Charlie, I think this is a big misunderstanding. If just….” Charlie sharply turned towards him and held out her hand, clearly wanting the grimoire. Stolas reluctantly gave it to the princess, who tucked it under her arm as she began to unlock one of the doors in the hallway.

 

“We’ll discuss things later. For now,” Charlie opened up the door to reveal a green, Envy inspired wine cellar with what seemed to be a tea table with fance furniture surrounding it and a bookshelf at the far left of the room, covering the wall. Clearly this room was meant for relaxation, having a glass of wine and reading a novella to get your mind off things. Charlie let the two ‘demons’ walk into the room before asking “Who wants a drink?”

 

“Excuse me?” Vaggie asked.

 

“Your majesty. I thought we—” Stolas was interrupted by Charlie.

 

“We will, but you are in my house and thus you are my guests.” Charlie went over to the bar and behind the counter, pulling out various bottles, “What would you like to drink?”

 

“I don’t drink…” Vaggie said awkwardly. 

 

“Perhaps some base red wine would be good enough?” Stolas proposed, which prompted Charlie to grab a bottle and several glasses. Stolas and Vaggie proceeded to sit on a couch that was located in the middle of the room near a table, while Charlie went over to place glasses down and sit in a nearby, green cushioned chair; placing the book in her lap.

 

As Charlie began pouring her guests their wine, she began to speak.

 

“So, Stolas. What’s this…entire business of lending your book to outsider hellborns about?” Charlie asks, handing her guests some wine.

 

“Well…um…it’s a long story. But the main thing is that….well…there’s this company.” 

 

“Go on.”

 

“And they are made up of assassin imps who go to the living world with that book to fulfill client requests.”

 

“You are having imps go to the living world by illegal means?” 

 

“Well, not really. They’re independent in their cause.” 

 

“But it’s still illegal.”

 

“Yes…but they haven’t done anything that ensures that Hell would suffer from their decision. Plus, they are just imps. Inconsequential to the development of Hell.” Charlie could clearly see through Stolas’ act. A common play by most royals, mostly to hide their fragile egos and failures. But this act was to hide his desperation. But the reason for the desperation was unknown to her.

 

“Really? What is their business?” Charlie asked, knowingly backing Stolas into a corner of confession.

 

“Well…um…they….kill living humans…..per their clients request!” Stolas said, which caused Charlie to take a dramatic pause as she processed the information.

 

After a bit of silence, Charlie took a deep breath and calmly said “What the fuck, Stolas?!?! You think I can simply just allow that? Allow you to let demons kill whoever they like up there?!” 

 

“I said it was under client’s specifications. A client pays them to take out an individual target and I.M.P. simply carry out their part of the transaction. No malice or larger purpose other than to take requests and make money. I don’t really have anything to gain from such aside from....personal…rewards.” Stolas said as he took a sip of wine.

 

“If you have nothing to gain, then why give them the book?” Charlie asked with an expression of worry.

 

“Its….Its....its personal....Charlie, I need to let them have this book! Please consider…” Stolas pleaded, but was silenced by Charlie putting her hand up.

 

“How personal?” Charlie asked, which left Stolas stuttering. She asked again, “How personal?”

 

Stolas was left twiddling his fingers, clearly too nervous to speak. Charlie felt remorseful, and felt obligated to say, “This will just be between you and me, Stolas. How personal was it that you had to give such a powerful artifact to them?”

 

“I….I can’t say….especially to the princess. My family would never forgive me for such a transaction, let alone make it known amongst such higher power like yourself.” Stolas said in sadness.

 

“What was the transaction?” Charlie asked, which caused Stolas to whip his head towards Charlie, clearly hearing the past tense. At this point, Vaggie was doing nothing else but listening in between the lines of the conversation.

 

“Well…..um…..We had....we…we have....we have an affair.” Stolas said, ashamed, “And in exchange, I offered the book to him so he could continue his business.”

 

“You had an affair with an imp?” Charlie questioned.

 

“You don’t understand, your majesty! I….We…..I was….Me and Stella never were happy in our marriage. And I…..I have feelings for him…..Please, please understand what I did.” Stolas pleaded, which left Charlie contemplating. Now it suddenly made sense why Stolas was hesitant to talk. Royals had a taboo against having relationships with those of technical lower status. It was considered a sign of weakness and quite frankly, embarrassing. Charlie never really believed that love was love to her, but she could understand it; especially if someone came from an annoyingly high status family.

 

“I understand, but what you did wasn’t right. And neither is this.” Charlie said, getting up from her chair while grabbing the book from her lap, “I’m very disappointed in you, Stolas.”

 

Charlie walked past her two guests and towards the bookshelf towards the other end of the room. Stolas immediately figured out what she was going to do. Vaggie could only watch the two royals have a debate while thinking about how much she screwed up by coming here.

 

“Charlie, please!” Stolas called out as Charlie was making room in the bookshelf for the grimoire. 

 

“No.” Charlie bluntly said to the owl prince before trying to put the book on the shelf.

 

“But that is Goetia property. We need that to fulfill our duties for all of Hell! Even if it was shameful of me to be in such an affair with an imp, and betray the loyalty I pledged to my wife, I cannot let you confiscate that book!” Stolas yelled as he got up from the couch and approached the princess. Charlie wasn’t threatened by his presence, but at the same time he wasn’t trying to. He knew that would be stupid, and rude; he was just trying to reason with her.

 

“I understand, but until you can get your own drama and affairs in order, I shall hold onto the book as long as I deem necessary.” Charlie said to the bird, the book still in her hands.

 

“.....What if we work out some sort of exchange? Favors for favors? You give the book to me to give to the imps, I take the book back to you. In exchange, I have to do whatever you decide. Does that sound fair?” Stolas hoped deep down that his words would work, only for Charlie to tuck the book under her arm and walk back towards the table.

 

The princess sent a long, studying look towards Vaggie, which made the angel deeply uncomfortable. Not helping was that the princess was trying her darndest to suppress glee and adoration towards her. She was just so stunning to look at. Such an illuminating figure; such a gorgeous face; such smooth hair; and such pleasing skin that makes Charlie wonder what it must feel like to touch. Vaggie shot a nervous smile at the royal, which made Charlie feel her heart flutter rapidly; like it skipped a few beats. Charlie was forced to turn away, trying desperately to hide her blush from the perceived hellborn, but Stolas could see the struggle; as it was one he grappled with as well. He got an idea.

 

“Vaggie….your name was?” Stolas called over to the grayish-lavender woman sitting on the couch of the room. 

 

“Huh?” Vaggie said, her attention being driven away from the royal princess she was afraid she angered, “Oh! Yeah.”

 

“Perhaps a sort of exchange can be arranged between you two?” Stolas said, which sent surprise through Charlie.

 

“I’m not the type to make deals with anybody.” Vaggie said sheepishly.

 

“That’s alright, neither am I. My husband is usually the dealmaker. But…I will make an exception with you Stolas.” Charlie said, doing the best to maintain a professional demeanor by pouring herself another glass of wine.

 

“With me?” Stolas said, surprised.

 

“Yes. You are the current owner of the grimoire. And you keep to your word. There is no one I feel more comfortable with making a deal with like you.” Charlie said, taking a drink of wine before turning her attention back towards Vaggie.

 

“So,” Charlie started speaking to the little lady, which sent a shiver down Vaggie’s spine. What also made this interaction uncomfortable was the fact that Vaggie was finding the princess somewhat attractive; no, smoking hot was the better word for it. And she was the princess of all demons! The bride of a ruthless overlord! The Antichrist incarnate! And Vaggie thought she looked hot!?! 

 

“You came here to represent the company you work for, correct?” Charlie asked, snapping Vaggie out of her flustered gaze.

 

“Um…well….yes…I guess. Maybe I could?” Vaggie wasn’t sure she was that. Blitzø just kind of dropped the role onto her out of lack of consideration and motivation. It almost reminded Vaggie of Adam, and that is a really bad sign. 

 

“Good. When you go back you make it clear to your boss.” Charlie said with a smug grin.

 

“Um…make what clear?” Vaggie asked, confused.

 

“My deal with Stolas.” Charlie said, taking one more sip from her glass before setting it down. She turned towards Stolas and said, “Stolas, I wish to make a deal with you. Not for your soul or for mine. I simply wish to confirm an exchange that will make absolutely sure that you will not exploit my kindness.” 

 

“I assure you, I won't.” Stolas said shyly.

 

“Regardless, I still wish to make a deal with you.” Charlie said as she started to approach the owl.

 

“Fine then. What are the terms?” The owl demon said. The Goetia family was used to making deals, and were experts in the details of making them. Stolas was no exception.

 

“When your…imp…comes to return your Grimoire, you must give it to me. I will authorize what you shall do with the book down to the minute detail. Once your task is done, I shall give the book back to the imps.” Charlie said, turning her look towards Vaggie, “I expect you to be the one to receive it.”

 

Vaggie blushed and stuttered out a “Ye–ye-yes ma’am….”

 

Charlie smiled, then turned back towards Stolas “That sounds fair? You will still see your imp, but I heavily advise that your affair stops before things get really out of hand. While my father doesn’t care about such trivial matters, my father-in-law does. I cannot be caught with this deal by anyone outside of I.M.P.”

 

“So we shall stay in silence. But what about I.M.P.?” Stolas asked.

 

“What about them?” Charlie asked in response.

 

“Charlie, unless we are exchanging their souls, we cannot force these imps to do our bidding.” Stolas implied. While Charlie had no intention of doing anything with the imps as much as monitor Stolas, she realized what Stolas was saying. 

 

“I suppose them being silent about the entire exchange is a bit out of the question. Unless…” Charlie got an idea, “Stolas, does anyone else know you have been giving the book to the imps?”

 

“Not really. Not even my wife. All anyone knows is that I had an affair with an imp.” Stolas said, “But, Charlie, I fail to see what that has to do with the issue of the imps being silent about our exchange.”

 

“Well it means that those imps might be better at hiding things than we thought. If we present this exchange as purely professional to them, they won’t go spouting anything. Especially if it involves the integrity of their business. They wouldn’t do anything to risk it, no matter how greedy or self-serving they are.” Charlie said with confidence before hearing Vaggie pipe up.

 

“What about me?” Vaggie asked, earning a look from Charlie that made her shrink, “I mean, I’m hearing all of this right now.”

 

“Well, that depends.” Charlie leans on the table, putting on a sly grin as she leans closer towards Vaggie to stare into those gorgeous eyes, “Are you going to use this deal against us?”

 

Vaggie was very much afraid of the tall ass woman that was leaning close to her, but was also slightly aroused by the sheer dominating presence. Scaroused, Vaggie heard such a thing referred to? Vaggie stuttered a “N–n-no ma–ma–ma’am.”

 

“Good.” Charlie simply said, before reeling away. That was a close one, according to her. Any longer and Charlie would have started melting at the feet of that adorable woman she was so close to. She put a hand over her mouth to stifle a smile before turning back to Stolas, “We got a deal?”

 

“So you want me to give you the book once Blitzø returns it to you, and let you monitor my activities with said book, just so you can return the book back to them? I feel like that is not necessary of a deal.” Stolas said.

 

“You’re right, it isn’t. It seems one sided. But I already demonstrated what I want out of the deal. Now I want to hear what you have to say.” Charlie said, walking towards the owl.

 

“Oh….um…I don’t really have anything I need right now…” Stolas said meekly.

 

Charlie gave herself a bit of thought before asking, “You want to preserve this relationship you have with this imp, correct?”

 

Stolas nodded in reply.

 

“Well if this relationship is ever threatened by outside forces, then you can call upon my assistance to help nullify the threat. Along with that, if I.M.P. is ever threatened in any way, you can call upon me to help resolve the issue. I am at your beckoning call. However, if this relationship is terminated by either your or the imps hand, the deed is broken. Likewise, I shall call upon your assistance for whatever I require. Of course we are both sworn to silence because of this deal. If either one of us breaks that silence, the deal will be broken. Does that sound enticing enough for you?” Charlie asked.

 

Stolas thought upon it for a bit, and then asked one final question, “When shall you return the book back? I receive the book every full moon and give it back shortly after my duties have been fulfilled.”

 

“How about this for a schedule? Every Full Moon you shall receive the book from your imp, and I shall give it back to them every Third Quarter. One week from when you received it. Vaggie here will pick it up from me.” Charlie said, restoring confidence within the owl.

 

“Do we have a deal?” Charlie outstretched her hand to Stolas, revealing a bright red glow emanating from it as well as producing wind from its palm that blew around the room. Vaggie was taken aback by the sheer force of the wind as it hit her face.

 

“You do realize that a deal with a sin such as yourself is everlastingly binding, correct?” Stolas asked to truly make sure Charlie was confident in making the deal.

 

“I already told you the requirements needed to break the deal. I made sure there was a way we can both break if it was unsatisfactory for either one of us. Now…is it a deal?” Charlie asked again. 

 

Stolas took a deep breath and held out his hand, “Deal.”

 

They firmly shook, the energy that bursted from the palms being sucked back into the handshake that was shared. It was all jarring for Vaggie as she watched the handshake break and the demon royals giving each other satisfied looks of approval. 

 

“So, I assume I shall be seeing you next week?” Stolas asked.

 

“Exactly.” Charlie said, turning towards Vaggie, “And I will be seeing you next week as well.”

 

Vaggie blushed at the comment. Charlie smiled at the woman, but it was quickly ripped away by the sound of the door handle shanking. Soon enough, it opened and Seviathan walked in with a stupid toothy smile on his face.

 

“Hey, honey!” Leviathan called out joyously which made Charlie cringe, “You weren’t anywhere in the party. Why is that? You know I like having you by my…”

 

Seviathan stopped mid sentence at the sight of Stolas so close to his wife, his smile dropping into a scowl. 

 

“Oh, your majesty!” Stolas nervously bowed before explaining himself, “In case you were wondering, we were discussing business between each other!”

 

“Is that what you were doing?” Seviathan said, lending a furrowed death stare towards Charlie, who gave a nervous smile.

 

“Yes…yes we were. In fact, they were just leaving!” Charlie said frantically, which weirded out Stolas and Vaggie. Charlie only paid them brief glances, which only served to confuse them more. Charlie had a look of frantic panic that the fake smile on her face desperately tried to hide, but the dashing pupils that kept darting back and forth between the individuals made such a plan fail. But, there was a clear message, and they would be fools to not acknowledge it.

 

“Yes…yes we were. Come Vaggie.” Stolas called out, and Vaggie was quick to listen, exchanging eye contact with both Charlie and Seviathan. Stolas was quick to walk out the recently opened door, and Vaggie was quick to follow. 

 

“Hope to see you again next week Charlie. Goodbye! See ya!” Stolas said as he walked out, holding the door open for Vaggie.

 

“Yeah…see you soon princess.” Vaggie said, walking out as Stolas closed the door behind her. Once they were both gone, Seviathan turned towards Charlie.

 

“See you soon? What’s that supposed to mean?” Seviathan asked with disapproval.

 

“Ugh. Nothing much honey. I just made an agreement with Stolas to watch over his Grimoire until he rightfully needs it. Keep it safe from thieves, you know?” Charlie said carefully as she put the Grimoire on the bookshelf.

 

“Really. Thank Satan because I was worried you were getting a little handsy with the owl there.” Seviathan said jokingly as he started to approach Charlie.

 

“Never would dream of it.” Charlie deadpanned.

 

“So, uh, who was the little lady? Heard Stolas was starting to have a thing for peasants, his screeching wife wouldn’t shut up about it.” Seviathan said, getting closer to Charlie.

 

“Just another servant of his. She will come to pick up the book every Third Quarter Moon of the month. And her name is Vaggie.” Charlie said with a tone that particularly irked Seviathan.

 

“Mmmhmmm. So…tell me, when were you the one who started making deals around here?” Seviathan asked in a questionable tone.

 

“What?” Charlie asked, confused, “It wasn’t a deal. It was just an agreement. I would watch over the book, monitor his activities, and give it back to him once he’s finished.”

 

“Don’t fucking lie to me. I hate it when you lie to me. I can tell a deal when I see one. What was it?” Seviathan said with a growl as he started to pick up the pace of his walking, leaving Charlie fearful.

 

“There was no soul trading involved! Just transactional stuff! Really, I think this would come to benefit us, Sevi!” Charlie said sporadically and with fear. Then…there was a cry. A cry of pain as Seviathan slapped Charlie to the floor with brute force. Charlie looked up at him in sheer panic as she felt her muscles tightened up and her breathing shallow. He was standing over her with a nasty green glow in his eye. And then…he bent towards her.

 

“You don’t make the deals around here, I do!” Seviathan growled as he grabbed Charlie by the dress and pulled her closer to him.

 

“Please, Sevi. I didn’t mean anything by it…I really didn’t. I thought you would want that.” Charlie pleaded, only to be forced to lock lips with her husband in a crude kiss. Charlie tried to struggle out of it, but Seviathan held the back of her head so he could keep the kiss for as long as he deemed necessary. Charlie just stopped moving and rode it out, feeling Seviathan’s disgusting tongue inside her mouth before he finally broke the kiss and left her gasping. 

 

“You drive me crazy, woman.” Seviathan moved his hands to grab Charlie’s wrists, “That means I’m gonna need to teach you a lesson!”

 

Seviathan threw Charlie to the ground on her stomach. Before Charlie could even react, Seviathan was already directly on top of her, crushing her with his weight. Seviathan forcefully grabbed Charlie’s arms and forced them to her side as Charlie struggled to get out of the grip. Seviathan just grabbed her hair and head, putting a hand over her mouth, before sniffing her golden hair. Charlie struggled to scream, but Seviathan just tightened the hand that covered her mouth and prevented her from doing so. Seviathan continued to sniff Charlie’s hair and neck before delivering several sloppy kisses to the base of her neck. At this point, it was clear what was going to happen, and proceeded to go stiff and close her eyes. Seviathan knocked her out of this state by delivering a sharp bite to her neck, one so deep it drew blood.

 

Charlie yelped from that bite, her head moving so sharply it broke from Seviathan’s grasp. Charlie whimpered a “Please…no…” but Seviathan’s hand covered her mouth once again. At this point, Charlie could feel a clawed hand slither up her thigh. Charlie felt it go up her skirt and lift it up, causing her to cringe and close her eyes again. She knew what was going to happen, and as Seviathan forced her arms to her sides again, he slid his hand up her thigh all the way up to her hips and began rolling her panties down her legs. Charlie continued to whimper until Seviathan took his hand off her mouth and actually stood up from her body. During this moment of temporary relief and freedom, Charlie could hear the unbuckling of a belt. 

 

Charlie began to panic once more before Seviathan slammed himself down on top of her again, this time pressing one of his hands upon one of her wrists. Charlie could feel it, Seviathan’s erection slither behind her. And then…she felt pain once again. A sharp piercing jab around her lower regions, particularly where Seviathan inserted himself into her vagina. Charlie could feel his hot breath on her, as well as his slimy tongue slither along her head. Charlie just stayed silent during it, knowing that saying anything or even uttering a cry beyond that of a mere whimper would spell trouble for her. Seviathan then began thrusting, and Charlie began to cry.

 

Seviathan was uttering nonsense between moans while Charlie was just stuck there, pressed to the floor by his body weight and forced to feel the jabbing pain of his thrusts. Charlie then felt him getting more handsy with her body, and then felt him move the straps of her dress down to her elbows. Seviathan flipped the covering for the chest down so he could just fondle her breasts for the mere sake of it. Charlie felt the scraping claws dig into her breasts before they returned to her wrists. Seviathan pinned them in front of her as he began thrusting harder into her. All the while, Charlie was reduced to nothing more than silent tears.

 

13 minutes. 13 minutes of pure agony was when Seviathan finally climaxed inside of Charlie. Charlie felt numbness throughout her whole body, as those thirteen minutes felt like they were dragged out for hours. Charlie could feel the white, gooey liquid ooze from within her onto the floor, and she couldn’t bring herself to move anymore. Seviathan got off her, proceeded to dust off his suit and buckle his pants. He walked only a slight bit away before pulling out a cigarette and a lighter. He lit his cig stick and breathed a puff of exasperated smoke all the while Charlie struggled to get onto her back. 

 

“You know this could have been avoided, right?” Seviathan said while Charlie moved to her back and whimpered after the horrible experience, “If you just took some initiative to be a good wife, this could be avoided a lot more often. But you’re stubborn, and I get that. Not everyone can handle being the queen to their king.”

 

Charlie just cried silent tears as Seviathan kept rambling. She moved herself off her back to a vaguely upright position, putting her back on the bookshelf behind her. Seviathan tossed away his cigarette and proceeded towards the door.

 

“I’m going to wrap up the party, send everyone home. I expect you to be cleaned up when I’m done. Maybe you can order your little pets to whip us up something?” Seviathan said as he opened the door out of the room, “I’m gonna let you have this one deal, but make anymore and there will be consequences.”

 

With those words said, Seviathan slammed the door behind him, causing Charlie to flinch. Charlie was left alone in a dark room, an absolute mess. Charlie hated feeling this way. Being this much of a toy. But it was her fault really, at least that’s what she led herself to believe. Everytime she did something wrong, this would always be Seviathan’s plan on disciplining her. He must have known she hated it if it was his go to punishment.

 

A part of Charlie wished she never married, and maybe there was a universe out there where she never did. Or at least, married someone better. She wept, curling up into a ball to cry in silence. She learned how to cry quietly very well, especially after times like this. Besides, no one could know that Charlotte Morningstar was such a failure. It was more useful to bury your emotions, because they could always be used against you. Charlie learned this the hard way, and now she was paying for it. Charlie cried, silently hoping to herself that wouldn’t remain her life, even though deep down, it needed to be this way. She would never be queen without a husband, and she would be a failure if she wasn’t a queen.

 

Charlie’s thoughts were muddled. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to take the deal. She was just doing what she thought was right. Maybe she had too much sympathy for that owl, or maybe it was jealousy. Jealousy at the freedom he had. And then there was that woman. She was beautiful. Beauty radiated from every feature of that woman, but there was a level of sternness and power. But the way she interacted with Charlie implied there was a level of respect for her. Respect wasn’t something she was used to having, so it was major for her. And she was going to see her again a week from now. That felt like a long way off. 

 

Why was she obsessing over a woman she just met? That wasn’t how it worked. It took years to build up the relationship she had with Seviathan, though…now that she thought about it…that wasn’t much of a relationship. She knew it was wrong to feel this way towards someone else while being married, but….she couldn’t help it. She felt something towards that woman, the same thing she used to feel towards Seviathan only this time…there was respect. But then again, she was married. But so was Stolas, and he got it on with some random imp because he felt no love towards his wife like he did with that imp. But it was wrong for her, she couldn’t get away with that. What would her parents think of her getting it on with some random hellborn? What would all of Hell think of that? What would Seviathan do to her if he did find out? 

 

She sighed, and stared at the ceiling. There wasn’t much she could do. She had a deal to still uphold, so she would still be seeing that woman again regardless.

 

 

Notes:

Poor Charlie.

This was a difficult one to write. I didn’t want it to be some kind of erotic smut, but I also didn't want to leave out details because I think they are essential to showing what exactly Charlie is going through. I truly hope I represented the issue well enough to not get people mad at me, and if not then will I truly strive to be better.

Next chapter is thankfully going to be lighter in tone, and thankfully things will be going down hill for our flaccid, fish-faced fucker! Hope you all will be eager to see it!

Chapter 5: Contemplation

Summary:

Now returning back to her new job, Vaggie has to break the news to her fellow workers. Meanwhile, Charlie contemplates her marriage.

Notes:

Again serious warning for Emotional Abuse, specifically of the marriage variety. Seviathan is a dirtbag and I need people to see that.

With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter.

Vaggie didn’t know what to think. She was afraid of the possibility that she just screwed up the lives of several imps by going to the princess. It wasn't technically her fault. She just got tackled by those guard hellhounds and dragged all the way to her. And now…she has potentially locked this company into a doomed deal.

 

Deals were not an abnormal concept to Vaggie. Yes, while Heaven forbid anything of the sort, her years of being an exorcist showed her what dealmaking in Hell was. It was a way for demons to gain power from forging deals for another person’s soul. Souls were currency to the elite of Hell, especially amongst sinners. Of course, not all deals are for souls, like the one Vaggie just saw, but there was still a threatening aura that oozes from such a deal.

 

“Soooooo….how'd it go?” Moxxie asked while tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Vaggie had to snap out of her train of thought to finally realize that she hadn't talked to either of the imps since she got into the van. 

 

To be honest, she didn't want to, or at least not until she got back to the workplace. So she lied, “It was alright.”

 

“See! I told you there was nothing to worry about.” Millie said, feeling validated.

 

Vaggie just kept sitting in silence, thinking over the entire conversation that sparked the deal, and the deal itself. Thinking about it deeper, there wasn't anything inherently wrong with the deal. The ones who made it could easily break it off, and so could I.M.P….so why did the concept of it make her so nervous?

 

Here's an answer! It was with the fucking princess of Hell! Vaggie heard sparse things about the princess, mainly through Adam's bitching, during her career as an exorcist. Mainly, how she was married to one of the most ruthless overlord of all of Hell, and how she would be queen once Queen Lilith retires. And now, Vaggie had accidentally dragged the second most powerful demon in Hell into an affair with the company she just got into.

 

Vaggie could hear the van come to a stop in the parking lot. Soon enough, she stepped out of the van alongside her fellow employees. It wouldn't be that bad if she broke the news to her new boss right? Oh, who was she kidding? If her boss was anything like Adam, he would blow everything out of proportion and she would get the short end of the stick. That's how it always went for her. 

 

Vaggie walked alongside her new fellow employees, at least she hoped they would be, as they walked her back to their company's office. She was antsy the whole time, completely afraid of what her “boss” would think of her accidentally locking their only way to the human world behind a deal.

 

Moxxie opened the door to let the two ladies in the room. Much to Vaggie’s ire, Blitzø was there waiting for them on the ragged couch, laying down while staring at his phone. As soon as she walked through the door, he got up and began walking towards Vaggie with a toothy grin on his face.

 

“Hey, Vags! So how'd it go?” Blitzø asked. Vaggie was left just struggling to tell any type of lie that would prevent her potential boss from getting mad at her, but she was very much a terrible liar.

 

“Well…it wasn't…too bad.” Vaggie said with a hint of nervousness that thankfully Blitzø did pick up on.

 

“Hope the bird puss prince didn't cause you too much trouble. I'll make it up to you when we go down to clown later this month. Stolas just needed the book back for that rich fish bitch, you know how Royals are right?” Blitzø kept rambling, but Vaggie felt compelled to interrupt him for an unknown reason to her. She had no reason to open her mouth, but she did anyway.

 

“Umm…about that.” Vaggie began to speak which made Blitzø confused, “I accidentally got the princess involved! I'm so sorry!”

 

“Wait, what? The princess? What about her?” Blitzø remained confused while Loona, who was on her phone by the desk, perked her head up.

 

“She found out about your little arrangement with Stolas and…she made a deal with him.” Vaggie said with reluctance once she saw the worry in Blitzø's eyes.

 

“A deal?!” Moxxie screamed in confusion and panic, “What deal?”

 

“She said she was going to take up ownership of the book until the…Third Quarter moon. About a week from now, I will be able to pick it up from her.” Vaggie said with a hint of nervousness.

 

“What about Stolas? Is he okay?” Blitzø asked.

 

“He…he's being monitored by the princess.” Vaggie said.

 

“And what about us? Do we just lose our big meal ticket?” Loona yelled.

 

“No…we can still keep the business but we cannot talk about this deal to anyone. AT ALL!!! We just drop off and receive the book.” Vaggie clarified.

 

“So we still get the book?” Blitzø asked.

 

“Ye-yeah…” Vaggie said.

 

“Well what's the worry then?” Blitzø asked in an amused voice.

 

“Don't you get it? I got us stuck in a outside deal with the fucking Princess of Hell!” Vaggie said with gritted teeth.

 

“Oh, relax! As long as we don't say anything, we don't lose our ticket to the living world! Everything’s fine!” Blitzø said rather loudly.

 

“I'm not too sure…” Vaggie just had to say.

 

“Oh! and I almost forgot!” Blitzø turned back to Vaggie with a red card in his hand, “Here is your business card!” 

 

Blitzø caused Vaggie to bring out her hand so he could put down the card in her palm. The black text on the card had the company name and her name on it to signify it was hers. Vaggie stared at it for a long while, struggling to comprehend it. It was…a lot for her to realize that this was it…..this was the first step in her brand new life.

 

“Vaggie?” The sound of Moxxie's voice barely was able to snap Vaggie out of her trance.

 

“Hey, look! You're part of the team now!” Millie said excitedly once she saw the card in Vaggie’s hand.

 

“Yeah….I guess I am..” Vaggie said in a mellow voice.

 

“Hey, don't worry. I know the sound of killing living humans sounds…awful all things considered, but I'm sure you will grow….I don't know…used to it?” Moxxie tried to say in a comforting manner, but Vaggie just turned her head back to the card to stare at it.

 

“I'll let you process.” Moxxie held out his hand for Millie. His wife graciously grabbed it and started to walk with him out the door to the office. It was at this moment that Vaggie was snapped out of her contemplation.

 

“Hey, guys!” Vaggie called out to the married imps, quickly gaining their attention, “Do you think you all could give me some lessons in….like…the job of an assassin. Like weapon tips, or combat techniques, things like that?”

 

“Oh, I would love to! Me and my siblings learned all sorts of nasty ways to take down others! I would love to show you!” Millie said excitedly with stars in her eyes.

 

“And I could teach you how to wield more firearms. It's especially important to learn how to use them in high intensity situations.” Moxxie said with pride.

 

“Cool…I guess we could start tomorrow.” Vaggie said.

 

“Oooooh…It has been so long since we worked with someone else. It's usually just us and Blitzø when it comes to the job, so I would love to start working with ya!!” Millie declared, which made Vaggie smile.

 

“That would be pretty cool.” Vaggie said as she walked over to the imps and walked out with them, shutting the door to the office behind her.

 

It's interesting…what her life has become. It's so odd, yet so fascinating. She fell from Heaven, from a job that participated in genocide, then got extremely lucky and managed to room with a married pair of assasin demons who go to the living world to kill actual humans. And she got a job with them. Perhaps Vaggie was starting to go insane to find it all strangely endearing, or excited. Maybe she had shredded all of her virtues. Or maybe…….maybe Lute was right? That she was just sinful filth and she deserved to be down here.

 

However, strangely enough, that wasn't what was clouding Vaggie’s mind. What actually took up her thoughts was the princess. She got so close to that woman, Vaggie was shocked she wasn't dead. But then the princess surprised her by being…nice? If you could call it that.

 

The princess didn't impose anything on her, and in fact respected her boundaries, which was rare for Vaggie to experience. There was a sort of elegant but genuine charm to the princess that complimented the beautiful body she had. Wait….

 

No, Vaggie couldn't think that…She always was told it was taboo. Strangely, the taboo seemed exclusive to the exorcists because Vaggie constantly saw women with other women in Heaven. Like their deaths gave them a sense of relief in being attracted to other ladies. And sometimes, Vaggie could even see some other exorcists with other exorcists in a romantic way. But when she tried to get close to Lute in that way, Adam instantly shut them both down from that.

 

But still, that princess was pretty, and terrifying. But what was strange was when her husband walked in on the aftermath of the deal. Now, Vaggie has heard all sorts of terrifying things about the most cruel overlord in Hell on his quest to become future king; but something was odd about his interactions with the Princess. She seemed…scared of him. Which is odd because she was more powerful then him in every way. But she looked like she was caught in a murder when he walked in the room.

 

There was a sense of dread that was emitted when they were together in the same room, and secretly, Vaggie hoped that things turned out alright. For her.

 

---

 

Another day passed. The party was wrapped up much to many royal sleez-balls satisfaction, and to hers. Parties meant that Seviathan was distracted, which meant he left Charlie alone. She used to hate when he used to pass out drunk in the living room from a rough night of partying, but now, she secretly hoped for it because those were the nights that she would actually be able to sleep in.

 

Alas, that was not to be. Seviathan walked into the bedroom while Charlie was sitting on the bed in her sleepwear–She wore very little for reasons she didn't want to admit was true–while having a smug, confident look on his face.

 

“Well that was a damn fun time!” He proudly declared while Charlie just stared out at the window. Seviathan seemed to have noticed a lack of attention from his wife.

 

“Hey…you're not still mad at me, are you?” Seviathan said in a condescending tone. Charlie hated when he spoke to her like that.

 

“No Sevi.” She said plainly. She already made the mistake of pissing him off once already.

 

“Good. I'm glad you learned your lesson.” Seviathan said satisfied before looking out the window alongside her, “The stars are beautiful today, aren't they?”

 

“Yes, they are.” Charlie said in a dull voice before looking down. She already knows what's coming. Thankfully, she's ready for it.

 

Seviathan took a long pause before he started speaking again, “Your dad and mom ain't very happy with me because of those parties. They say I'll have to straighten my act if I'mever to become king. I think they'll come around. Besides, they blame you more for not keeping me under control, my queen.”

 

Charlie winced at his words. Charlie hated it whenever he brought up her parents.

 

“I think you need to take more responsibility, my queen. Which includes fulfilling the part of our deal which requires another heir.” Seviathan said smugly before taking off his hat, setting it on the dresser, and then walking over to the bed to sit down next to Charlie. Charlie said no words to him, as he mostly blended together into noise in her mind. Seviathan noticed, and while he didn't shed his calm voice, his words had more venom to them.

 

“I own you, Charlotte…or have you forgotten that. I see you stare out that window, wanting to be free from responsibility that you signed your soul away to. But let me say that will not happen as long as you want to be queen. Everyone in this kingdom, especially your family and mine expects that of you. And I have my own responsibilities to deal with, so you need to start taking up your own.” Seviathan stated, but Charlie did nothing more than close her eyes and wince.

 

“You know there is no way out of this. I don't want it anymore than you do. It pains me to see you like this.”—Lies, all of it—“But you know for a fact, that you are never going to be queen without this. Without me. And if you opt out now, your parents will hate you. You would be a disgrace to their name.” Seviathan's words cut deep, as Charlie’s thoughts of reluctance hit the wall of what was true in her mind. The last thing she wanted was to be any more of a failure than she already was. 

 

“My family is no different, so we're in this together. I just need you to be more of a”, Seviathan moved his hand onto Charlie’s and leaned closer to her ear to whisper, “team player.”

 

With a heavy sigh, and perhaps some sorrow in the situation, Charlie turned towards her side of the bed and layed down, back up, burying her face in the pillow as she said while holding back tears, “Just get it over with.”

 

Charlie buried her face in the pillow, almost ready to cry as she braced for the rough night she would have. She swears that she could hear the smug grin on Seviathan's face as he says, “Good girl.”

 

With that, Seviathan unbuckled his pants and proceeded to undress. It wouldn't be long before he started riding Charlie to whatever high Heaven a sick man like him could reach. Charlie just had to lay there and take it. There was no point in resisting, as that would make the process more unnecessarily painful than it needed to be. 

 

Any amount of arousal Charlie could have would entirely be forced, as she grew cold and apathetic to the act of sex from her husband; no matter how much he scratched or bit her to the point of bleeding all over. Charlie could only stare at the wall, thinking about how it all went wrong, how she could've gotten out of something like this, and more so, how it was all her fault.

 

There was another thought that lingered in her mind. Her conversation with Stolas revealed to her that he cheated on his wife with another imp because he wasn't happy with her. And the way she structured the deal with him would dictate that the adorable hellborn girl with the red cross eyepatch would come around again. And that meant Charlie could see her again. Maybe…maybe even…..

 

No! She couldn't use someone in that sort of way. But then again, she hadn't felt so utterly enthralled with anyone before. She was desperate, desperate to feel something other than pain, misery and apathy. Desperate to feel like her old self again. 

 

A time where she never worried about Queen or motherhood. A time where she hung out and talked to her parents all the time; sung songs that echoed throughout Hell; drew up her future visions and ideas for Hell with crayons and colored pencils; tried every sugary treat around and was so full of life and energy. It felt so much like an afterthought now, but after seeing that girl, Charlie couldn't help feeling like she regressed back to the days where she first fell in love…with Seviathan.

 

Perhaps she wouldn't be so lucky. Plus…who knows what people would think if the Future Queen of Hell managed to sleep with a random Hellborn girl while being married and having a son. She would be a laughing stock, and nobody in Hell would take her seriously despite everything she had tried to do to make that so.

 

After what felt like an hour, Seviathan finally had enough of her and swifty cummed inside her. No care, no tenderness, no nothing. Not even a cuddle or an I love you before he took up his side of the bed and went to sleep. All that was said was simply “Goodnight, Charlotte.” before he went to sleep, facing away from her.

 

Charlie was too lost in her thoughts to care. Or even sleep. She was miserable. What little joy could come out from her hollow life now came from memories of what she once had. That, and her son. But even that had complications, as her son wasn't exactly happy either; and it's mostly her fault once she thought about it.

 

Charlie still lingered awake, even though it was far past midnight, as the image of that hellborn girl still dwelled in her mind. And then, memories of how happy Charlie used to be. 

 

Charlie went to sleep silently crying over what used to be. 

 

Notes:

Well, well, well; I've been gone forever! Sorry for the extreme absence, it was not something I wanted to happen but I needed to really plan out where I wanted this story to go. I didn't just want it to be a role swap of Stolitz and Chaggie, I wanted to make it truly unique. The uniqueness will come later, but for now I hope you like what I've been cooking.

Despite the long wait, this was rather a short chapter because I feel like we need a breather before we get into the real meat and potatoes that is next chapter. I feel like a lot of you will love what that chapter contains.

I want to clarify that Vaggie’s eventual relationship with Charlie isn't going to mirror Stolitz’s exactly. The beginning will but things will happen that will set it apart from the other ship. Things that will force both characters out of their comfort zone.

Regardless, thank you for the surprising amount of support I keep getting from you all! I'll have you know that a completely separate story is in the works that has nothing to do with this "Alternate Universe" series or Hazbin Hotel, and so is the sequel to "What If...Vaggie Remained an Exorcist."

Notes:

This work is inspired by two others you should check out: first is Royal Pain by Redacted_Zoom, and the second is Holy or the Broken Hallelujah by CoveredinWrackspurts

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Alternate Timelines, Alternate Realities