Hazbin Hotel: Sins and Second Chances

Chapter 16

Vaggie knew deep down that Charlie wasn't going to like the outcome of her meeting at the embassy. She had seen enough to know how this was going to end. Heaven wasn't going to side with Charlie's ideals, no matter how passionately she presented them. A part of her wished she had gone with her, to stand beside her and protect her from the disappointment that would greet her in the end. Yet, she knew what would happen if she did do that.

Her hands clenched tightly just thinking about Adam and his Lieutenant. The memories of her past life and how she fell made her tense, and it was obvious enough for Zack to notice.

"You okay?" Zack asked.

Vaggie snapped her head toward him, her single good eye locking onto his. For a moment, she debated whether to let him on what was going through her mind but then she simply shook her head.

"I'm fine," She replied.

"You sure?" He pressed, not convinced with her answer.

Vaggie let her eye drift toward the now closed door Charlie had gone though, singing and dancing her song of optimism, then back to Zack.

"Guessing you're worried about her?" He would ask, his eyes seemingly studying her.

Vaggie didn't respond right away. She just stared at him. He wasn't a fool. Of course she was worried about Charlie. How could she not be? She cared deeply for her, and even if Charlie came back unscathed physically, she knew this meeting Lucifer had arranged for her wasn't going to end in triumph. She could already imagine Charlie returning with a forced smile, trying to convince herself that she had made progress, even though Vaggie knew better.

And then there was Zack. Deep down, she was worried about him too ever since she learned about Charlie's reckless plan. He didn't belong in this place, he shouldn't have been dragged into all of this. Lucifer help them if Charlie was boasting to Adam about how she had pulled Zack down to Hell to help her 'redeem' sinners. Everything she warned Charlie about last night would go through her mind again. Just one wrong move. Just one wrong word. The Exorcist won't even knock. What would they do with him? Send him back to his body? Clear his memory? Or perhaps he would be seen as a perdition and his soul would be extinguished along with all the other souls who fall victim to them every year. It was hard to say.

She waved off his concerns, though her voice still held tension. "I can't believe you agreed to this. All of it. Either you're crazy, misguided, or batshit insane."

Zack blinked at her, unsure how to respond. She wasn't entirely wrong. Last night when Charlie offered him this...opportunity, he had agreed rather quickly. Wasn't even 30 minutes or so until he said he would give it a shot. Was it really only that long? Maybe his head was in a state where he shouldn't have made that choice in the first place. Maybe it was the shock. The shock of being dragged into Hell, meeting the daughter of Lucifer, and discovering that all things he was taught as a young boy in church was all real, give or a take a few interpretations and assumptions.

Perhaps it was foolish. And now, here he was, surrounded by demons. Yet, they weren't what he expected. If he didn't know better, Charlie seemed like she should be in Heaven with how she presents herself. The rest of the demons almost seem relatable. Angel Dust, Husk, even Vaggie, they were all stuck, trying to navigate a situation they didn't fully control. They weren't that different from him in that way.

"Yeah," Zack finally admitted. "I guess I am all that."

For a brief moment, he thought he saw a flicker of amusement on Vaggie's face, almost like a reluctant huff of acknowledgement.

"At least you're honest," She said. "And I'll admit, Angel agreed to talk to you and you didn't quit the moment soon afterwards." Vaggie sighs as she shrugs. "Though whether he'll take it seriously, well, that's another story."