Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael trade glances as Charlie tries to find out what's going on in the kitchen yet again, to no avail yet again - Calli and Alicia are in the kitchen, cooking and baking like it's going out of style as they get all the food ready for Charlie's surprise party.
Which means the three of them got instructions to keep Charlie out of the kitchen no matter what - so long as they don't get caught up in whatever is going on in there. Last any of them saw, Calli was almost feverishly stirring a bowl of batter, Alicia was making some kind of snack, and there were about ten other dishes being made at the same time.
Lucifer took one look at the almost manic energy Calli seems possessed by and tiptoed away, a pretty sure sign she's not to be interrupted right now.
Half the hotel residents, including Stolas, Blitz, Millie, Moxxie, Loona, Octavia, and the original group seem to be in on the mission to keep Charlie occupied and away from the baking and cooking frenzy going on in the kitchen. Even a tall woman with white hair, black eyes, and teeth that rival Alastor's comes in, and she and Charlie start chatting happily - she's a friend of Alastor's, apparently, and stopped by for a visit.
Finally, though, Calli pokes her head out of the kitchen and gives Lucifer a thumbs' up before disappearing. About five minutes later, Calli practically skips out into the lobby from outside and asks "You know what we haven't done in forever, Charlie?"
Charlie blinks, and semi-cautiously asks "…no? Not specifically?"
"We should go flying on my bike! It's outside!" It's about as subtle as a brick to the face, and everyone knows it - Charlie doesn't get the chance to argue, though, before a helmet Gabriel recognizes gets tossed into her hands.
"You sure, Aunt-"
"It'll be fun, c'mon! I can show you how to work it, to!"
Charlie gives Calli a look that says she knows something's up, but she hasn't got a clue what. And, honestly, she's been wanting to learn how to use one of her Aunt's flying motorcycles for ages now.
Rosie raises an eyebrow when Charlie follows Calli out, and asks "That actually worked?" Of all the things Calli could've done to try and keep Charlie distracted, she never thought the red-head would be so obvious about it.
And yet...she didn't think anyone would go along with such an obvious ploy, either.
Miracles do happen, who knew?
Husk says "Wait for it…" The silence that follows seems so tense Rosie's sure it could be cut with a knife…right up until the sound of an engine starts up, that is.
As soon as Charlie's shriek of excitement fades, Lucifer quickly opens up a portal and several massive demons immediately tumble through. Angel recognizes Asmodeus immediately, even though he's holding several boxes with white and green streamers. Fizz comes through next, arms filled with hanging decorations and rolls of tape. And the giant ox-like demon is carrying two Dance Dance Revolution machines over his shoulders like bags of grain. The large four-armed flying fox that comes through, hands filled with unused white and red balloons, squeals in delight and says "Let's get this party started!"
"Beelzebub," the fish-like demon in heels and a scale-like dress drawls, "relax. We need to get everything set up, first."
The goat-like demon close behind hums, saying "Chill, both of you. This is about…where is Charlotte, anyway?"
Lucifer quickly walks over, saying "Calli's keeping her busy, Belphegor. Do we have everything? Or- oomph!"
Bee spins the two of them around mid-air, saying "Luci! It's been so long!"
Lucifer chuckles a bit, saying "I know, meetings don't count."
Beelzebub sets him down in front of Vortex, who's looking mildly anxious at just suddenly being right in front of him, and says "This is Vortex, my boyfriend! Tex, this is Lucifer!"
Luckily, the massive Hellhound is saved from having to try to greet the King of Hell himself by another voice saying "Lucifer, my good man! It's good to see you again!"
Vortex - a Hellhound twice as tall as Lucifer and three times as solid with absurd ease - sighs in relief when Lucifer turns to greet Frederick Von Eldritch, and murmurs "Warn a guy next time, Bee."
"Freddie!" Lucifer's face splits into a massive grin, and he bounces over to the tall, dark-skinned demon.
The two go in for a man-hug, clasping each other's hand and pounding each other on the back, and Frederick cheerfully says "It's been too long, old friend!" And that would be when he sees Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael standing there, all three of them looking like they're not quite sure what they're supposed to do.
"Lucifer," Frederick asks, all cheer suddenly absent from his voice, "who are those three Archangels, why do they look so much like you, what are they doing here, and are they who I think they are?"
Lucifer audibly swallows, and says "If it helps any, in the first three days they were here, Calli sent them hurtling down her memories, made them reconsider everything they thought about her cooking and faceplanted Michael in the gro- no, really, Freddie, we're good now!"
Michael quickly pulls Raphael and Gabriel behind him, quietly cursing the detail that he left his sword up in their room - but, see, this is why he was so hesitant about his younger brothers coming down here! Even with Lucifer apparently ready to stand...well, hover between them and imminent danger, wings outstretched as a kind of shield.
"Lucifer," Frederick says, entire body starting to glow an eerie dark green reminiscent of Alastor's own magic as he tries to see past Lucifer's six wings keeping him in the air, "get out of the way and get behind me if that's really the same Michael I'm thinking of."
To Michael's exasperation, none of the other new arrivals for Charlie's birthday party look surprised by this. The giant spider-like one raises an eyebrow, looking amused, but not surprised. Crossing his arms, he asks "How'd you get past Calliope if you're getting this bad a reaction?"
"Mammon, not helping! Really, guys, Calli gave them absolute here before letting them anywhere near me, I swear. Made them relive her memories, faceplanted him, the whole deal."
Frederick stops glowing ominously, even if his expression doesn't get any friendlier for the visiting Archangels, and he flatly says "Calli's version of 'the whole deal' historically includes removing someone's limbs, Lucifer." Generally, she saves that for convincing someone to see her point of view or do what she wants, usually someone that can regrow the limbs, but still. They all have all their limbs, from what he can see.
Mammon adds "By ripping them off. You're seriously telling me she didn't do that and just…what, drastically mellowed over the past few months?" If he sounds skeptical, it's because he is. She's ripped his limbs off multiple times over the past ten millennia to get a point across - at least she can say it's always been because he's gone too far with something and the other Sins asked her to 'reason' with him. But, still, limbs aren't easy to grow back!
"Eh, more like she couldn't…needed to play nice since Heaven is actually cooperating with us for once…"
Michael swallows audibly, and Raphael murmurs "Oh, shit…" Gabriel nods his head in agreement - they…didn't know that either, back when Charlie, Calli, and Vaggie went up to Heaven for that meeting. Now they're all wondering just how lucky Raphael actually got when all she did was pin him to the far wall that day.
"Well," Beelzebub says, "she seemed alright with them just a few weeks ago, so…let's get everything set up, yeah?"
Frederick spears Michael with a sharp look for a long moment, then says "Fine." Lucifer sighs in relief and lands, putting his wings away…right up until Frederick says "After the party, Lucifer, we're going to talk, I'm going to examine each of your wings, and if there's so much as a single feather out of place, all of Heaven will learn exactly why the Von Eldritches are demon royalty."
Lucifer just laughs nervously, rubbing the back of his head, and half-jokingly asks "How do I keep gathering overprotective mother-hen demons…?"
Bethesda walks over and mock-consolingly pats him on the shoulder, saying "It's your charm, Luci. That and the fact that it is so easy to want to protect you when one actually gets to know you. I'm afraid your stuck with all of us."
Beezelbub's nose suddenly twitches, and she asks "Hold up. Anyone else smell that?"
All of the new arrivals simultaneously breathe in, and Frederick says "I recognize that scent…"
Bethesda clasps her hands together, saying "Calli's been cooking!" And, oh, has she missed Calli's cooking.
All the Sins trade looks, and then there's a mad stampede to get to the kitchen - they actually get stuck in the doorframe, only Lucifer and Leviathan being spared. And that's only due to Lucifer speeding out of the way and Leviathan wearing heels - all five of the other Sins are firmly wedged in the doorframe thanks to Asmodeus, Mammon, and Satan trying to squeeze through at the same time.
"Oh, come on!"
"Satan, the last thing we need is you raging right now!"
"It's all right there! And none of us can reach any of it!"
"What's that note say? Can anybody read it?"
"Uh…for the party, don't touch. Has been Warded to deter snackers."
There's a collective groan of defeat, and Bee says "We should probably get out of here. Erm...any ideas?"
Asmodeus is the first to get out of the doorframe, which makes everyone else fall to the floor.
Lucifer claps his hands together excitedly, and says "Sooner we get everything set up, sooner we can see if the Wards will disappear when it's done!"
It's a whirlwind of activity after that, Sins, Hellborn, and Sinners going nonstop setting everything up - hanging decorations, blowing up balloons, getting tables set out, all of it.
Azrael and a blue-haired Angel with small glasses showing up via a portal only adds a bit more chaos into the mix…right up until the sound of fireworks exploding happens, and it seems to be the cue half of everyone was waiting for. Lucifer quickly says "That's the signal, they're coming back! Hide!"