I'll Love You More Than Anything

3

Charlie was oblivious to where they were going as she ranted to Alastor about Vaggie, who remained silent as he listened to his soulmate. "Three years! THREE YEARS I've been sharing my life with her, and I tell her EVERYTHING! My hopes, my dreams, my insecurities, my embarrassing habits, what fucking DEODORANT I like, and she keeps something, like this, from ME? Why would she lie for so long? Did she think I wouldn't accept her? I was her best friend Al. What about me...me...says un-under- standing? Misunderstanding, dis- under, wait wh-" the princess stumbled over her words when she finally noticed where they were, looking around finally. "Uh, where are we?" Alastor walked a few steps in front of her before spinning around and throwing his hands out. "Cannibal Town! There's a dear friend of mine who lives here," He replied enthusiastically as he looped her arm around his. "In Cannibal Town! But it's...it's surprisingly nice here," Charlie admitted as she looked around. "Isn't it though? And it's all thanks to a very special someone!" The radio demon replied as they stopped in front of a store. Charlie felt a sudden feeling of insecurity and a bit of jealousy. A special someone? I know Al said that they were a dear friend of his...but I just can't help but feel like they were something....more.  Alastor had paused in opening the door when he heard Charlie's thoughts and felt her insecurities and perhaps jealousy? Turning back towards her, he took her hands in his large one which she was unconsciously wringing, causing her to come out of her thoughts and look up at him with her doe like eyes. "Darling listen to me," Alastor said softly, his voice, void of its radio filter like it usually is, soothing her racing thoughts. "The person we are meeting is just a dear friend of mine. They are only special to this town, nothing more. You have nothing to worry about." Charlie placed a nervous smile on her face. "Okay. I trust you Al." The princess replied. Alastor gave her a gentle smile and squeezed her hands before releasing them and opening the door and allowing his demon belle to go through first. Once they enter, they see a woman at a desk talking with young woman at the desk in front of a long line. "Well who hasn't thought about eating their first husband? I certainly would have if he didn't taste so bad! Hehe, I tell ya what, you bring ol' tall dark and armless to me, and I'll straighten him right out, Okay sweetie?" The woman gives the younger one her card as she continued speaking. "Now here's my card a- Oh, my, stars! Do my eyes deceive me? Alastor? Alastor! Where have you been? These halls really lost some of their sparkle without your lively presence and-  The woman broke off from her conversation with the woman who had walked away as the woman who was behind the desk made her way over to the pair, pushing through the crowd, before cutting herself off after noticing the princess standing next to the deer demon. "Oh. Who's this ya brought with you? Come now, Alastor, she's much too young for you! Oh I'm just kidding. I know you're an Ace in the hole." The woman replied jokingly. Alastor tilted his head slightly trying to understand what Rosie just said. "A what now?" His radio filter more prominent in his voice now. "But where are your manners mister? Introduce us why don't you?" Rosie chided, ignoring his question. Alastor grinned before walking over to Charlie. "Ahh, yes. Charlie, this is Rosie," the radio demon introduced as the tall woman curtsied politely. "the most darling, delightful and dangerous Overlord this side of the Pentagram!" Rosie chuckled slightly at Alastor's introduction. "Oh! Always such a charmer." Alastor simply grinned, before gently pushing the princess towards her. "And Rosie, it's my pleasure to introduce you to princess Charlotte Morningstar. Daughter of Lucifer and heir to the throne of Hell!" He replied enthusiastically. Charlie gave a nervous smile. "How do you do?" The princess replied waving nervously. "Well well! isn't this a regal surprise! Come in! Come in! Can I offer you somethin' to eat? I'm sure I have a leg around here or somethin'. Oh, what am I thinkin'? Small thing like you? You're probably watchin' your figure! How bout some nice pinkie fingers instead?" Rosie replied as she brought Charlie over to her desk and then proceeded to look for something before lightly poking her in the stomach and offered some pinkie fingers wrapped up in pink bows. "Um...No. no, thank you, though." Charlie politely declined. "Oh look at you!" Rosie exclaimed as she patted her head, "so polite! Alastor, you could learn a thing o' two" the Cannibal overlord remarked as she put away the box of pinkies and proceeded to guide the demon princess to a table in the back of her boutique, with Alastor following. Once the two demonesses sat down at the table, Rosie offered a seat to Alastor, who politely shook his head and remained standing beside Charlie, choosing to lean against her chair. "Tell Auntie Rosie what she can do for you. Ya know, Alastor. I got a premo-connect on a guy with about eight blocks of territory and not enough goons to run it. Prime pickin's for a deal to be made, my friend." Rosie replied casually. Alastor grinned at his dear friend. I appreciate the offer, but we're on business of another kind." Alastor replied, placed a gentle hand on the princess' shoulder who reached up to touch it after he gave her a comforting squeeze. "well don't keep me in suspense! I'm a very busy woman" Rosie stated as she took a sip of her tea. " Well, as you know...the extermination is coming early. It'll be here in a month, and they're....they're coming for my hotel and my friends first, and I-I-I-I..." Charlie rushed out as she started panicking, Alastor sensed her panic and anxiety through their bond an interrupted the princess and placed a hand on her shoulder squeezing it lightly. "We need your help. Well, your cannibals help at least, to fend off the attack." Alastor replied as he placed his hands behind his back once again. Rosie placed her cup down before she spoke, "Wow! when you ask a favor ya don't start small, do ya, your highness? Oh now, don't fret," the Cannibal overlord got up and made her way around the table to stand in front of the princess and radio demon. "I didn't say I wouldn't help. But I assume there's more to this plan then a bunch of unarmed cannibals." She guessed. "Oh, your people will be far from helpless when we're done with them. And by the end, they will be able to eat, their, fill." Alastor replied flippantly as he walked closer to Rosie, a feral grin plastered on his face. "Well, in that case, sure! Why not?" Rosie exclaimed. Charlie looked up in surprise before standing up. "Really?" Rosie nodded in affirmative. "What can I say? I like your moxie girl. And old Alastor has never done me wrong before." She replied arching a brow towards Alastor. "Oooh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Charlie replied excitedly as she held Rosie's hands. Alastor couldn't help but genuinely smile at the princess' display. You truly are something else ma cherie. Your enthusiasm is infectious. Alastor thought to himself, as he felt Charlie's excitement wash over him. The trio then made their way outside with Rosie calling for a meeting in the square. "Cannibals and Cannibettes, assemble in the square." She called out through a megaphone as she, Charlie and Alastor walked towards the gazebo in the middle of the town's square. "Now, darling, you know I would do anything, anything for my clients, but I can't exactly command all of Cannibal Town to follow someone else into battle. Now, don't get me wrong, they love carnage and bloodshed, but to get this group into line, you got to win 'em over." The woman replied as she placed an arm around the princess' shoulders before calling out through the megaphone. "Settle in! Settle in! Important meeting!" Charlie watcheed as the cannibals formed a crowd in front of the gazebo's stage. "But how do I..." Charlie stammered. "With sparkle! Razzamatazz! and that oh so appealing moxie of yours." Rosie encouraged. "Shouldn't be a problem. It's not like you've ever failed to inspire before." Alastor teased, as he leaned against the railing of the gazebo, even though he was proud of her, he didn't show it, Charlie groaned at him before walking towards the edge of the stage, to stand next to the tall woman. "Now, fair warning. This group sticks together. So in order to convince any of them, you'll need to convince all of them. And there's one in particular..." Rosie started before she was interrupted by Alastor, much to her disdain. "Uuuugh, Susan." Alastor replied, disgust clear in his voice as his ears went back. "Susan, who's a bit of an... uh..." Rosie stammered, trying to come up with a nice way of addressing the woman. "Ornery old bitch?" Alastor supplied coming to stand next to Charlie. A tight smile on his face. "That! She's tough, but win her over and the rest will be easy as pie. Ready?" Rosie replied. Charlie swallowed nervously before responding. "I guess." Rosie nodded and proceeded to address the crowd once more. "Everyone, we have a very special, very royal guest this evening! Please put your bloody hands together for Princess Charlie!" The woman the woman then moved away from the princess of hell and stood next to Alastor. Charlie looked over at them after she stood behind the microphone on stage. She saw Alastor give her a thumbs up, before a wave of encouragement washed over her through their bond. Taking a deep breath, she looked out to the crowd. The princess smiled awkwardly and waved. Before she could respond, an elderly woman started shouting, which annoyed Charlie greatly, already knowing that this woman is going to give her hell. "Booooo, bring Rosie back!" Charlie's expression went from awkward to unamused and looked over at Alastor who had his ears laid flat and Rosie who had a sympathetic smile on her face. "Susan?" She guessed, her tone flat. "Susan." The two overlords agreed in unison. Charlie closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh before opening her topaz eyes and addressed the crowd. "Sorry. Uh, okay, uh, my name's Charlie, and..." She started and was almost immediately talked over by Susan. "Well, I run this hotel with my part... well someone and...Wait, let me start over. Angels are coming to kill us all and we need help defending our realm. So...we, uh... we need your help... With your assistance, we can make a stand for...I...I have a dream and I..." Charlie stumbled, before trying to sing, getting increasingly fed up with Susan trying to over talk her.
"Booooo! Get off the stage, you blue blood bitch! Booo! We don't give a shit about some hotel! Leave before I eat those big-ass eyes of yours! Boo! Get off! Where's the showmanship? Where's all the finesse? Fucking mediocre!" Susan yelled. Having finally just enough of Susan's antics, Charlie flipped her off and yelled into the microphone. "Fuck you, you old bitch!!!!!" The crowd gasped in surprise before Rosie came to the princess' aid and addressed the crowd. "Okay! We'll be back after a brief intermission." Rosie replied before escorting Charlie away from the stage and into a parlor inside her boutique. "Alright, what has you so out of sorts, Darlin? Ya clearly got more on your mind than angels." Rosie stated matter of factly as she prepared some tea. "What do you do when someone who is your best friend lies to you about who they are and then betrays you? Charlie whispered softly, wrapping her arms around her middle. "Eh, romance is more my specialty, but come on, dearie. Details, details!" Rosie stated excitedly coming over to the princess. "My best friend is an Exorcist angel, she never told me, and she betrayed me while we were in court with the angels in Heaven." Charlie replied dejectedly. "Oh, shit! Quite a secret. How does that make you feel?" Rosie exclaimed, clearly not expecting that.  "Just, angry, because we share everything, because she always supported me, and my ideas, and-and- and now, I don't know whether or not that was just more of the lies! *gasp* Oh no that's a horrible thing to think! Do i think that?! Yes! N-no. Kinda?" Charlie gasped as she realized what she just thought out loud and sat down on the couch her hands gripping her head as she let out a small whimper. "You said this girl is your best friend?" Rosie asked. "Yes. Or well, I...yes" Charlie stammered. The woman hummed. "Have you ever once doubted that she she required your friendship?" Rosie asked as she sat down next to the princess who shook her head. "Well, then what's the problem?" Charlie looked down at her hands in her lap. "She took part in the very thing we've been working so hard to end!" The princess replied. "Well, isn't that silly hotel of yours all about redemption?" The cannibal overlord inquired. "Yes?" Charlie replied. "Perhaps this girl, was trying to redeem herself too." Rosie supplied. She knows better than anyone that I believe in second chances, why not tell me and then betray me? Granted I now know that Adam had set her up to betray me. But still, why though?" Charlie questioned. Rosie hummed before answering. "It can be difficult to admit to things you're not proud of, especially if those things hurt the ones you love. She fucked up, sure. She's flawed. But, hey, who down here isn't? If there's anything I've learned, it's that words are cheap, but actions, they speak the truth. So, what have her actions said?" Rosie pressed. Charlie thought for a minute. "That she believes in me, and what we're doing. Right now she's off learning how to protect everything we've worked for. And, I can't even pitch my hotel right!" Charlie replied, realization dawning on her about her best friend. "Well how do you normally explain your hotel?" The woman asked, arching a delicate brow. "By singing. But that never works." The demon princess said before looking away. "It will work here. Trust me." Rosie replied placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder making her look up. "Now enough of that. Tell me about you and Al. You too seem pretty close for just being business partners." Rosie guessed. Charlie hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much she should reveal. But something in Rosie's gaze told her that she could trust her. Taking a deep breath, Charlie finally spoke."Rosie, Alastor and I... we're soulmates. We have a connection that goes beyond anything I've ever experienced before. We can feel each other's emotions, hear each other's thoughts sometimes," Charlie explained, her voice barely above a whisper. Rosie's eyes widened in disbelief. "That is incredibly rare, Charlie. Almost nonexistent in Hell," she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. Before they could delve deeper into their conversation, Rosie glanced up at the clock on the wall. "It's time we head back to the town's square. The crowd is waiting for us," Rosie said, rising from her seat. Nodding in agreement, Charlie followed Rosie out to the gazebo's stage where the cannibals were assembled, eagerly awaiting their return. The two demonesses stood side by side, their presence commanding the attention of the crowd. Charlie stood nervously looking out at the crowd of cannibals, before a red microphone staff was held out to her in her peripheral. Turning she saw Alastor holding his microphone staff out towards her, a soft smile on his face. Returning his smile she took the staff from him and turned towards the crowd and began to sing.