Work Text:
There was deafening silence within the studio following Angel’s words. Charlie’s eyes teared up, realizing just how much she fucked up. She took a step back and took a deep breathe.
“Angel, I really am sorry I swear-“ her words cut short as she saw bruises blooming under Angel’s fur, patches of him growing just a tiny bit darker. Looking up, her rage swelled as she saw a smirking Valentino. Her insides snapped as her powers, normally in check, threatened to burst out from her. She took another breath before looking at Angel, her hands lifting to touch a darker patch on the sinner’s face only to see him flinch.
“I am sorry. I did not mean for all of this to happen. I will leave…but first, Angel, I need to ask you a question. Please be truthful.”
Angel scoffed, “Anything to get ya outa here Charlie. You’ve wasted our time enough.” His hands folding in front of him.
“Tell me. Do you like your contract?” All of a sudden, a pink glittery blob surrounded them, not unlike the ones that flowed during her song with Pencious. Soon they were encased in a dome of pink and glitter, all sounds in the studio failing to penetrate the dome and leaving the two in complete silence.
“W-The hell do you think you’re doing toots?” Angel asked, angry and frantic as he tried to punch through the dome. “I want you to be truthful Angie, and we both know that won’t happen under your boss’ sight. No one can see or hear us here.”
She walked closer to Angel, her eyes hardening. “Once again, do you like your boss and contract? Tell the truth Angel.”
“What’re ya, crazy? Of course I like my jo-“ Angel shivered, Charlie’s hair was starting to float as it sparked with power. Of course they’ve seen the princess in her demon form before, all of hell had after her disastrous TV interview, but never quite like this. A haze of pink grew within the dome, and even as Charlie’s face stayed in a smile, Angel could feel the tension she’s trying to restrain.
Angel swallowed, sighing. “I… I do like my job sometimes, but Valentino is an asshole. But Charlie, I signed a contract with him. I… I know it’s my fault, okay, and it’s already done and there’s nothing else we can do so please.” Two sets of his hands gripped Charlie’s shoulders, his eyes frantic and fearful.
“Please just leave. I- I can take whatever he’ll do, and he won’t go too bad this time since it’s directly before a shoot. But you… Charlie I don’t want him to hurt you.” His face was streaked with tears, something Angel knows would get him punished later but right now, he needs Charlie to understand the gravity of the situation.
Charlie pulled him into a hug, much to the surprise of the sinner. The dome slowly dropped, revealing their form to the rest in the studio. Charlie chuckled as she pulled back, wiping the tears from Angel’s face. With a grin she whispered in a singsongy tune, “I think you’re forgetting something!”
She dislodged herself from Angel before walking to Valentino with a smile, turning back to Angel “I’m the princess of Hell.”
Her smile remained sickly sweet as she approached Valentino. “Mr. Val, siiiir, I’m sorry for taking more of your time. Angel finally cleared some things up so I won’t be staying long. I just need to ask one teeny tiny question?” Her eyes were wide, her hands held together in a fist-like prayer.
“Well I’m sure we could spend a few more moments from our extremely busy schedule to… accommodate our Princesa.” The overlord replied sarcastically, and Charlie beamed.
“Great! Now I’d just like to ask… did you know of Hell’s history? Specifically my mother, Lilith’s, contribution?”
“Princess, I think just about everyone has heard of your mother. First succubus of her kind, capable of seducing even an Angel to the point of falling.” Valentino’s grin widened as he added, “If you see her, do tell her to contact me won’t you. We can use talent like hers. She could serve as a model whore for the rest of my actors.”
Charlie bristled at the comment but her smile remained, albeit showing disappointment this time. “Well, I’ll be suuure to tell her.. that. But I see you haven’t heard of her…songs? How it powered the rest of Hell? It’s a shame to see sinners not knowing their own history, nor the history of their Royals.”
“Pity that, yes. Now are you quite done with your questions? I’m afraid we really don’t have much time to spare, Princess.”
“Yes yes, I’ll be leaving soon. It’s reaaally just a shame, because had you known…well… you would’ve also realized just how much our songs can do.”
A pink haze covered the studio, the floor becoming a pink, glittery mess as she slowly stepped back, her voice resounding throughout the studio.
Wither and decay
Charlie’s horns grew, her eyes turning black, and her hair floating as it sparked flames and gold.
End this destiny
Gooseflesh erupted from the audience, the more furry ones had their fur rising, looking electrocuted.
Break these earthly chains
A smoky tendril formed between Angel and Valentino, hardening into chains that wrapped around Angel’s neck. A gold contract appeared in front of the moth, basking him in a soft golden glow that he cannot help but stare into.
And set the spirit free
Charlie walked to Angel with a soft smile, her hand lifting to touch the chain on his neck. Slowly it glowed gold and disintegrated into dust. The golden glow moved towards Valentino, dissolving the chains on the way until it reached the end within Valentino’s hands.
The spirit free
All of a sudden the contract burned gold.
And so did Valentino.
Screams were heard all over the studio as the Moth Overlord burned alive in angelic flames. Puffs of pink fumes can be seen as he tried to extinguish the fire but to no avail. Angel Dust, still reeling from the loss of his contract and restraint, rushed to Charlie and held her arms.
“Charlie, toots, I- I think he’s had enough.” Charlie’s demonic form remained, her face in a soft smile. “Nah,” she said, “I think he’s got a few more hits in him.” It was reminiscent of their conversation with Alastor and she chuckled. Angel’s eyes grew wide, unable to comprehend if this really is the girl that preached about puppy dog kisses.
Everyone else remained in a still panic, fearful yet unable to move as their boss burned in front of them, not wanting to aggravate the princess further. All the while Valentino screamed, till his screams turned to sobs.
His sobs soon turned into silence as the flames ebbed away. Everyone couldn’t take their eyes from the sight as they waited for the worst. Charlie, still gleeful, stepped forward the hunkered sinner. She bend down, taking the overlord’s face in her hands, not caring about the molten flesh sticking to her hands, nor the slight smoke still emanating from his charred form.
“This was supposed to be Hell you know. THAT was supposed to be Hell. Ever burning angelic flames that sustains just as much as kills you.” She stood up, flicking away the moth’s face, and gestured to everyone. "Burning you alive for all of eternity."
“My family took these flames away to give you sinners just a modicum of comfort, to let you live a second life and hopefully repent for your sins. Through the years the royal family lost that hope.” She looked again at Valentino, glaring.
“I, unlike the rest of my family, still believed that every demon deserves a chance. Fought tooth and nail too to keep them from summoning back the flames. But perhaps I was naïve.” She gracefully kicked the moth-man’s body, chunks of his flesh sticking on her shoe. The man could only groan in pain, unable to muster the strength for more.
“I see now that some sinners do deserve the flame. Be glad, you taught your princess a lesson.” With a grin, she wiped her tainted shoe on the carpet beside him, spitting at him in the process. She walked back to Angel and guiding him to the smoking mess of an overlord.
“As I said,” Charlie began again, “I shall be leaving shortly. And I’ll be taking Angel with me. Do you have anything else to say to us?”
Everyone else looked at her in confusion, it was clear that the charred charcoal of a man that was Valentino could not speak…what with his body being fused with itself. Charlie tsked, her horns receding as she returned to her more human form staring at the mess in disappointment.
“Your princess has deigned to show you Hell’s history, and was magnanimous enough to not let you stay in angelic flames for too long. Surely you can spare some gratitude, ignoble trash that you are.”
Everyone’s eyes stared in horror as the man tried to speak. Sounds of molten flesh ripping from itself, along with guttural groans rang from the form as it tried to open its mouth. With an impatient huff, Charlie lifted her hands, floating the form and chucking it to a wall. Ignoring the pained cries, she grabbed all of Angel’s hands with an excited grin.
“Let’s get you home. Alastor’s making Jambalaya.”