In the Pride Ring of Hell, Stolas's Clan Home
[ X ]
For Stella, this was the last place in Hell she wanted to be. There was too much pain... Too much hatred for the man who lived here to reside here for long.
How she just wanted to be rid of him.
Still, when the Goetic Prince requested a meeting, one did not refuse. She simply brought her brother along with her for insurance.
Stella had heard the rumors of who the man, who was still her husband, had been seen in the company of.
"It's good to see you again, Stolas. It's been some time. Have you been well?" Andrealphus greeted the Goetic Prince.
"Could be much better," Stolas sat at the table, keenly watching their every movement as they sat before him side-by-side. "I believe you understand why I have called you here. Let's not waste any time. I want my daughter, and I'm willing to make a deal with you."
"Excuse me?" Stella shrilled, looking offended. "You were the one who cheated on me! She stays with me!"
"You are correct. I admit my fault in our broken relationship... But I must admit, it would be a struggle for anyone not to cheat on... such a refined woman such as yourself." Stolas calmly retorted, lacing his voice with venom as he held back what he genuinely wanted to call his wife.
"You... bastard! We are done here!" Stella clicked her beak, fuming in fury, standing up from her seat.
"Stella, calm yourself. You are too easily wound up by such simple banter." Andrealphus addressed his sister's outburst before calculating meeting Stolas's gaze. "However, I agree with her. If this is all you have called us here for, we have nothing to talk about..."
"How about the assassins your sister hired to kill me with your money?" Stolas darkly rebutted his claim, snapping his finger.
An imp barely clinging to life was tossed on the table. From the shadows, a hellish fox emerged with a toothy grin. "Yo! How ya doing?"
"Stella... You are such a fool." Andrealphus palmed and dragged his hand over his face.
"Well, how else was I supposed to pay? I'm certainly not using my money!" Stella entitledly screeched.
"Yes, after ensuring it went through other channels in an attempt to disguise where it came from." Her brother groaned.
"I agree. You are really bad at this. This was one of the easiest jobs I've ever had!" Naruto gave a toothy grin before gesturing toward the unconscious imp. "Not to mention, this little guy was a little too eager to spill everything just for me to save him from his zealous captors... I might not have the contract, which is in your name, by the way, but it won't take me long to find it if I apply myself... You know I have the contacts to do it." Naruto added while pointing over at Andrealphus, his eyes twinkling.
Begging for him to do something. To give him a reason.
"...ha... What do you want?" Andrealphus exhaustedly exhaled.
"As I said... My daughter." Stolas leaned back in his seat, glaring daggers at both of them. "I'm not a fool. I know you two have blackmail against me, and I wish to bury this issue so neither of our crimes sees the light of day... Whether or not my wife was competent enough to inform you of it is a different matter, for you wouldn't have sent an assassin after my life if you knew."
"What? What am I missing here?!" Andrealphus loudly clicked his beak, glaring at his confused and then startled sister.
"What? You mean giving the grimy book to that lecherous Imp you've been fucking?!" Stella recoiled at the realization.
"Oh fucking Satan... You are dumb as hell." Andrealphus hissed, steely glaring at Stolas and Naruto, "So... to keep all this under wraps so none of us get into trouble, all you want is Octavia to live with you, yes?"
"Indeed, all I desire is for my child to stay with me and learn what it means to be heir to the throne." Stolas crossed his fingers and nodded. Even with a harsh glance toward his wife, he clicked his beak again and exhaled. "I'll even do you a shred of kindness. Octavia can choose whether she stays with you over the weekends."
"Do we have a deal?"
[ X ]
Almost Midnight, in Charlie's Room at the Hazbin Hotel
[ X ]
Where was he?
Charlie was beginning to worry. The fact that Naruto still hadn't returned to the Hotel bothered her. She knew he was busy. She was aware that he had to sort out a lot of things...
It was just... It had been forever since she had seen him. Her father... her mother.
...if something were to happen...
"Charlie," Vaggie's voice reached Charlie, snapping her out of her funk as she paced back and forth in front of her bed. "You know he's alright. There isn't much that can harm him, let alone kill him..."
"That's not the point, Vaggie." Charlie glowered, turning to face her girlfriend as she lay in bed, crossing her arms and huffing for a moment. Her demeanor turned dour, and her shoulders sagged. "You know how long it has been since I've seen him... Since I've seen my dad! Until he randomly showed back up in my life, I hadn't seen them since... since..."
"The day your mother vanished." Vaggie gave Charlie a look of compassionate understanding. "He's not gonna disappear like that..."
"But he could," Charlie bit her lip, on the verge of tears. "I have known since I was a child that he could disappear one day. ...return home... it's just..."
"I ain't ready to go back yet. Got too much shit to do." Naruto's voice resonated from the balcony.
"You're back!" Charlie, without missing a beat, beamed as she suddenly hopped before Naruto crouched on her balcony.
Before grimacing as a lamp smashed Naruto in the face after being tossed across the room.
"Could you knock?" Vaggie snarled, glaring at Naruto. "The last thing any of us wants is for you to walk in on us like that again!"
"I said I was sorry!" Naruto complained, rubbing the lump on his forehead while grumbling. "...not like I wanted to walk in on that..."
"So..." Charlie attempted to calm the situation while addressing what had happened. "...is everything...?"
"It'll be fine for now. One major issue has been technically solved for now. Another billion to go." Naruto sighed and shrugged before forcing a smile. "Now, it's time to work on another..." Naruto exhaled, reaching out...
And shoving Charlie to the ground.
"What was that for?!" Charlie complained, looking up at a more stern Naruto.
"You could have easily stopped me from doing that. Why didn't you?" Naruto screwed his face into a sneer. "You are more than strong enough, so what's the problem?"
"I... uh..." Charlie attempted to find an answer while Vaggied wandered over and assisted her to her feet.
"I think I know where this is going..." Vaggie mumbled, giving Naruto a half-hearted glare. "She hasn't gotten soft, if that's what you're implying."
"I beg to differ." Naruto crossed his arms, jumping down from the balcony to stand before him, staring intently at Charlie. "You forgot the most important part of the lesson I imparted on you all those years ago. You can't do good in the world unless you are willing to fight for it. To be ready for anything that Hell, or Heaven, throws at you. And now we have to deal with an early judgment day from Heaven, and I can guarantee Adam's gonna target you for having the balls to go to Heaven and try your best to start a redemption program."
"But... I..." Charlie stuttered, someone despondent, before she hung her head. "You're right... I was being too naive again. He is gonna come after me after such a bold action. It's probably what incited him to move up the next Extermination."
"Charlie..." Vaggie bit her lip, seeing the look of depression on her girlfriend's features.
"Nah, that guy was just looking for a reason. Always has been. Don't beat yourself up on that." Naruto shook his head, softly smiling. "And I don't think you were. We should have a redemption program for Sinners to earn their way into Heaven. But that's something we're gonna have to fight for and be ready to defend ourselves when others come after us... And I fear you haven't trained a day for years..."
"Decades, actually," Vaggied added with a wince.
"Vaggie!" Charlie exclaimed, horrified that her girlfriend had told on her.
"Heh, well, that changes... For everyone in this hotel." Naruto grunted, hand on his waist. "From this day forward, I'm instituting Boot Camp to whip everyone back into shape. And it starts tonight for you."
"Ehehe... I don't get a say in this, do I?" Charlie winced, letting out a pitiful sigh at the glare she received from Naruto. Slipping off her red coat in order not to scuff or tear it to shreds, she gave him a mild glare. "Would you mind that I changed? It's been a while since I've trained..."
"I don't even know if I'll fit in my old workout clothes."
[ X ]
Elsewhere, in a room full of rubber ducks
[ X ]
"So this is what you've been up to all these years?" Queen Bee scrutinized the piles of rubber ducks, picking one up and squeezing it tightly as she looked the duck in its eyes...
Only for her face to be blasted by a stream of fire coursing from the duck's beak.
"Cute," Bee smirked, tossing it back onto the pile.
"Don't laugh at me." Lucifer smoldered, turning from his work desk and leaning back. "What do you want, Bee? Why are you here?"
"To come see you, obviously." Beelzebub snorted, throwing a shade glare at Lucifer. "Everything has been going as expected, hasn't it?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." Lucifer frowned, glaring at Bee as she wandered through his work office, taking everything in.
"Of course you don't," Bee sarcastically responded and dully glared at him. "We all knew what happened and where Naruto was... Much as I hated to see him in that state, he was content, so we just... Left him alone. And then you decided to get off your ass for the first time in years and reintroduce him to Hell."
"What's your point?" Lucifer crossed his arms and stared back at Bee. "He was miserable. He was broken."
"Like you are?" Bee flashed a grin that caused Lucifer to recoil. Seeing that act only caused her to growl. "You knew damn well once he crawled out of that hole, the landscape of Hell would change. Naruto makes waves wherever he goes. That is who he is and who he has always been."
"And?" Lucifer raised his brow and shrugged. "Maybe I thought things needed to change."
"As do I. You don't know how excited I was to see him break free of the chains he shackled himself with. It filled my heart with wonder and glee to see him out of hiding." Bee agreed before her expression softened. "I have always wanted this world to change... But I don't want to lose him for that to happen."
"You're being greedy. It has always been his choice when that day comes." Lucifer frowned.
"I am being gluttonous!" Bee roared, her demonic form flaring before she restrained herself back into her lesser form. "I want more of him. I want to devour him to my heart's content! To this day, it pains me that he cannot fill himself on me! ...I'll do whatever it takes to keep him here with us and satiate that void in his heart."
"Says the woman with a current boyfriend." Lucifer scoffed.
"Vortex has always been aware of my intent. I tell every boyfriend I've had the same thing. When my king returns, I am his." Bee snarled at the slight.
"...I'll ask again, why are you here, Bee?" Lucifer stated, unfazed by Bee's sudden outburst and admission.
"To inform you, we're not allies." Bee hissed, heatedly staring into Lucifer's gaze. "It just so happens many of our goals align. For now, I will help you with those... But at the end of the day, my motives are my own. Just know that." Bee huffed, turning her way and hurried to the exit, wishing to stay there no longer.
But as she went to exit, Lucifer stopped her. "You know, if you told him how you truly felt, when the time comes, he might stay."
"I've already told you I wasn't enough to sway his heart." Bee clicked her tongue, hanging her head in despair before a fire burned in her eyes. "But... I do have to thank you. With a little help from that darling hussy of a Hellhound that has him wrapped around her fingers might be enough to do it."
"And how do you know that isn't what I'm trying to accomplish?" Lucifer simply questioned, causing Bee to pause. "You think you know me so well, but all this time, my motives are far simpler. Charlie ain't giving me grandkids. At least the boy I saw so much of myself in that I took him under my wing just might give me a few someday if I keep throwing hot vixens at him!"
"You... bastard." Bee openly stared at Lucifer. "That's all this has been about, hasn't it?"
"Hmph, and you thought you understood my true motives. Tsk, tsk. Why do you think I've been making all these rubber ducks for all this time, trying to perfect the perfect one?!" Lucifer proclaimed, gesturing toward the piles of ducks all around his workshop before scoffing. "This has never been about anything else!"
"All I want is someone to take over for me, rule Hell in my stead and leave it a much better place than the stink hole that it is, and give me a grandchild to spoil!