Chapter 51 – Three Years Later and a New Acquaintance
Atop the giant tree that offered a panoramic view of the entire sprawling city below, Razan — now fully adult, his once-childish features almost completely gone, standing tall at 1.89m and finally no longer resembling a kid — gazed downward thoughtfully.
Well, the city hasn't changed much. But one week after we arrived, as if it were fate, Charlie met Vaggie. How nice. I thought I wouldn't get to hear the joke about gay powers.
Razan then surveyed the massive city, now even more densely populated with souls from all corners of Hell.
Razan said aloud to himself:
— Well, who would've thought the population would increase so much in three years. But considering this is the only city in Hell where you don't have to worry about being killed just for walking down the street, it's normal. People want to live here. Well, but I'd better go. I arranged with Charlie to prepare Loona's birthday. She promised to help me.
With that, he leaped from the high branch, free-falling gracefully toward his mansion far below.
He landed softly on the grounds, the impact barely disturbing the grass.
Just then, Razan spotted Charlie rushing toward him, launching herself for a hug.
Razan smiled warmly and caught her effortlessly in his arms.
— Well, now you're a woman in a relationship. You have to be a little more careful hugging other people.
Charlie laughed.
— Well, you don't mind. And Vaggie knows I see you as a little brother.
Razan looked at her with a teasing smile.
— Just because you got a girlfriend doesn't mean you stopped being the idiot Charlie. You just evolved into idiot Charlie with a girlfriend.
Charlie protested.
— Give me some respect!
Razan grinned.
— You want respect? Make me laugh.
Charlie challenged.
— Oh, is that so?
She then threw herself on top of him playfully.
They started wrestling on the ground, laughing and tussling like old times.
At that moment, Loona and Vaggie appeared at the entrance, watching the scene of them rolling around on the mansion floor.
Charlie said while pulling Razan's cheeks:
— Respect me! I'm older!
Razan pulled hers back and said:
— No! You have to respect me. I'm smarter than you!
Charlie said irritated:
— Are you saying I'm dumb?!
Razan smiled triumphantly.
— Well, you admitted it yourself.
Vaggie, watching Charlie play-fight, said with a tired but amused face: When Charlie first told me she was going to introduce me to the black dragon who gives the angels so much trouble, I imagined something more majestic or grand, like a meeting of important people. Not two people who look like siblings playing around.
Loona, already older at 1.76m tall, having left behind her childish appearance and flat-as-a-board body, looked at Vaggie and said:
— Well, they've been like this since they met. I think that's their way of getting along with each other.
Vaggie looked at Charlie with a smile while she continued playing with Razan and said:
— Well, I think it's nice that Charlie managed to find real friends in this place.
Loona said: Well, when you think and act a certain way, you attract people who think the same. Charlie wants to create a hotel to help sinners, and Razan does that by rescuing people he believes still have salvation every year during the angels' exterminations. And since they have very similar thoughts, they became best friends quickly.
Vaggie looked at the two of them smiling and asked curiously to Loona:
— Doesn't it make you jealous of them?
Loona smiled and said: After three years together, you should have noticed some small flaws in Charlie by now, right? She's very, very innocent and believes everyone can change. If someone tries to kill her and then says they're sorry, the chance she'll forgive that person is very high, right? Besides, although both believe in helping others, Razan is more realistic, believing only those who haven't made a very big mistake deserve to be saved, and Charlie is more idealistic, believing everyone deserves to be saved. As friends, that difference isn't very important, but as a couple, that difference destroys relationships.
Vaggie said: Yes, I know Charlie is naive and that she believes everyone can be saved. I believe in her dream and I'll support and protect that dream.
Loona said: Great. That's what you should do. That's why you're her girlfriend and not someone else.
Vaggie looked at Loona and asked:
— And do you support his dream?
Loona looked at her and said: His dream is to keep me safe, and my dream is to keep him safe. We've already passed the dream phase. Our relationship is much stronger than that.
Vaggie, hearing this, stayed silent and said:
— Well, I hope one day my relationship with Charlie reaches that level.
Loona said: Well, it will. So let's go get our happy idiots.
Vaggie smiled and said:
— Well, let's go.
They then went to break up their fight.