Damari is looking over at the window, sighing. Her hand slightly fidgeted still feeling the sting from when she slapped Angel. The girl felt the pressure of guilt weighing on her chest just thinking about it, but...
Angel's words still rang in her mind 'Little Whore." She hasn't been called anything like that since high school. but hearing it from Angel Dust, the one she thought she could trust the most in hell said it.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the famous Damari."
She turned to see Velvette.
"Who're you?"
"I'm Velvette. The backbone of the Vees. Life's not looking good for you right now, hmm? Oops, did you and Angel have a fight?" Velvette illustrated with a smug smirk.
Damari scoffs and faces back from the window.
"If you're here to insult me, don't waste your breath on me," Damari spoke nonchalantly showing that the demoness' words had no effect on her.
"Oh, don't be like that. You know I heard you're taking Valentino's offer on the deal." Velvette said as she got closer to the disguised human. Damari noticed her movement and stepped away to keep a distance.
"Yeah? What of it?" Damari said as she glared at the arrogant demoness.
"Just wanted to let you know he's a great helper. Not to mention that I'm bit of a potion maker."
Damari was shocked to hear that.
"Vox never told me that."
"Well, he's right about not knowing magic or anything to go to other world. I only make potions, but I can be of great help if you need anything I'll gladly make one." Velvette said as she scrolled through her phone. However, Damari wasn't buying this 'sales pitch'.
"...How would I know this isn't some sort of trick from Valentino?" Damari questions as her eyebrow rises in suspicion.
"Just wanted to let you know. See you in the meeting."
Velvette then walks away with a wave. Damari frowns and pulls out her phone. She goes through her gallery and sees a picture of herself and her family and friends. She just hopes she'll see them soon. Suddenly, a pair of arms places themselves on her shoulders.
"You ready for the meeting, kitty?"
Damari gasped as she quickly pulled away from the moth demon's grasp.
"I respectfully ask that you don't touch me." Damari growled as it made Valentino smirk in amusement.
"Of course, I wouldn't want to do anything to make you feel uncomfortable, Kitty." Valentino purred, causing the girl to shiver in disgust.
"It's Damari." Damari spoke.
"Well, shall we?" Valentino gestures the girl to follow with hesitation Damari complied.
Angel walks out of the dressing room when he sees Damari walking behind Valentino. Fear gripped his chest before he ran after the disguised human.
"Damari, where the fuck are you going?! Damari, what are you doing with him?!" Angel asked in a soft volume as he followed her.
"I'm going with Valentino to talk." Damari spoke coldly without glancing at him.
Angel gasps in fright, seeing his worst fear coming true.
"Damari, no! No, he's a fucking demon, he's a monster! Whatever he promised is a lie, I know it!" Angel spoke out, as he grabbed her arm attempting to stop her.
"Oh now, you seem to care?! 'Cause you sure as hell didn't act like it when you yelled at me and Charlie! We were trying to help you! And you call me a Whore! So mind your own goddamn business, you're good at that!" Damari shouted, as she pulls her arm away from Angel and follows Valentino.
"But... But, I..." Angel tried to speak but the girl was out of sight.
He then sobs as he lowers his head, knowing that she's right to feel upset. Yet, the spider demon tried to keep the girl safe from the life he's forced to have. Angel looks up at the empty corridor and just hopes that Damari won't make the same mistake.
As soon as Damari and Valentino walked away, Damari's swan demon starts fading and she's just in time to be inside the meeting room before the doors closes behind them. Damari's disguise disappeared and reveals her true form, but she didn't show fear as she faces Vox and Velvette who were waiting for them.
"Please, Damari. Have a seat." Valentino offered, pulling out a chair for her.
"...Thanks." Damari sounded off, sitting down before her chair was pushed towards the table.
Valentino sits down with Vox and Velvette as they face Damari.
"I want to know if what you're saying is true that you guys have a way for me to return to the human world." she stated, feeling uncomfortable with them.
"Little Doll, you can trust us." Vox grinned, making Damari glare at the new nickname. "We have resources and connect ones that no one else can dream for. We control a majority of the city and the most powerful overlord Vees in Hell."
"Oh, really? Didn't you just get pounded by Alastor with only his words and caused a huge blackout in this city?" Damari scoffed.
This causes Vox to glitch and forces a grin, feeling the sting from that. Velvette and Valentino snickers.
"Ohh, she got you there...!" Velvette whispered. "I like her already."
"Like I said, you can trust us. I made my word." Vox said through his strained grin.
"Yeah. We still can get the materials you needed to create a portal from Hell to Earth. Like a spell book." Velvette said, scrolling through her phone.
"Then where's proof? Do you know what kind of materials that's needed?" Damari demanded.
"Honey, this is the only chance you got to get back home." Valentino said.
This made Damari silent for a while. He's right. This is her chance for her to see her family again. But she needs to be sure that she can trust them or if they're truthful enough.
"You've helped demons, right? Sure, you're famous, but can you actually do that?"
Valentino grins.
"My dear, sweet little kitty. That's what I do - it's what I live for. To help unfortunate demon folk or human folk - like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to." he said through his lying teeth.
Damari gives him a doubtful glance as Valentino begins to sing.
I admit that in the past I've been a nasty
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a moth
But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light and made a switch
True? Yes. And I fortunately know a little magic
It's a talent that I always have possessed
And here lately, please don't laugh
I use it on behalf
Of the miserable, lonely and depressed
Valentino whispers to Vox and Velvette with a frown.
"Pathetic."
Poor unfortunate souls
In pain
In need
This one longing to be thinner
That one wants to get the girl
And do I help them?
Yes, indeed
With his hand moving surreptitiously against Damari's waist, Valentino brushed passed her. The touch gave Damari an uneasy shiver. He was still singing along to his tune, and she was still watching him.
Those poor unfortunate souls
So sad
So true
They come flocking to my cauldron
Crying, "Spells, Valentino please!"
And I help them?
Yes, I do
With a tiny scowl on his face, Valentino backed away and put a hand on his chin, proving to Damari that he had done so, and sang the next stanza with a much darker undertone while inhaling cigarette smoke.
Now it's happened once or twice
Someone couldn't pay the price
And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals
Yes, I've had the odd complaint
But on the whole I've been a saint
To those poor unfortunate souls
Valentino pauses and grabs Damari's face.
"Now, have we got a deal?" he asked.
"If I do this, I'll never be with my family or friends again." Damari said, not liking where this is going.
"That's right... But - you'll have your freedom to the surface of the Earth. Life's full of tough choices, innit? Oh - and there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know." Valentino explained.
"But I don't have any -"
Valentino puffs out red smoke at Damari's face to shut her up, making her cough.
"I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle. You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is... your soul." he said, whispering at the last part.
Damari touches her heart with fear.
"My soul?"
"You've got it, sweetcakes."
"But without my soul, how can I -"
"You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!"
Valentino shakes his hips and resumes singing.
The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore
Yes, on land it's much preferred
For ladies not to say a word
And after all, dear, what is idle prattle for? Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
It's she who holds her tongue who gets her man
Come on, you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead!
Make your choice!
I'm a very busy man
And I haven't got all day
It won't cost much
Just your soul!
You poor unfortunate soul
It's sad
But true
If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet
You've got to pay the toll
Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Velvette and Vox seem to be smiling when Valentino turns to face them once more.
Vox, Velvette, now I've got her, guys
The boss is on a roll
This poor unfortunate soul
Utilizing his magical abilities, Valentino extracts a quill shaped like a skeleton along with a golden contract. While closely reading the contract, Damari looks at it in anxiety, as if she is unsure about what to do.
"Go on. Just sign this and all your problems will disappear."
With a sadistic grin, Valentino pushes the contract towards Damari and hands her a quill. Damari stared at the contract with hesitation while Valentino, Vox, and Velvette eagerly and anxiously waited.
"I... I don't know. Isn't there another way?"
To push her further, Valentino inhales his cigarette and puffs out red smoke towards her face, causing her shake her head and feel suddenly dizzy.
"Just sign it, kitty. Trust me."
In daze, Damari thinks for a moment and glances down at the photo of her family from her phone, so she proceeds to sign it. With an infectious grin Valentino cups her cheek and plants a kiss, extending his long tongue, which is dripping with pink saliva. She was unaware that her jacket's pocket was shifting.
Damari was holding the quill when she heard a familiar yowl and a black blur pushed it out of her grasp just as the quill was about to contact the paper and Valentino's tongue was about to meet her lips. Damari recoiled from Valentino, letting out a startled yell. She turned to see KeeKee on the table hissing at the Vees. KeeKee had secretly changed into a key in order to follow Damari and hide inside her jacket.
"KeeKee!!"
KeeKee then proceeds to scratch the contract into bits, much to the Vees' dismay.
"You little stupid runt!!!" Valentino growled angrily.
"Damn it!!" Vox yelled angrily, punching his fist on the table.
"No!!" Velvette whined.
Valentino pulls out his gun and goes to shoot KeeKee. Realizing this, Damari brings out her hand, not noticing it's glowing red.
"No!"
Valentino, Vox, and Velvette are propelled out of their seats by a sudden burst of crimson force. Damari is shocked by what has transpired and is staring at her hand. KeeKee catches Damari's attention by meowing at her. She gives a shake of her head, snatches the cyclopean cat, and bolts, shoving the doors open as the Vees rise.
"We will have you, Damari Valor! You hear me?! We will have you!!" Valentino shouted at her departure.
Damari ignored him as she sprinted past the demons and out of the building. Even though she's racing through those demons in the streets, she doesn't stop running till she leaves the area. She feels so foolish for allowing that to happen to her that tears begin to flow from her eyes as she runs. She accelerates and slams the doors open as soon as she spots a Hazbin Hotel, drawing Charlie, Vaggie, and Husk's attention. KeeKee is let go by Damari, who doesn't even bother to acknowledge them before sprinting toward the stairs.
"Damari?" Charlie called out with concern.
"Damari? What's wrong?" Vaggie called.
"I need to be alone...!" Damari sobbed out, running towards her room.
Damari slamming the door shut is heard. Husk looks worriedly toward the direction that Damari left, seeing her run in with tears in her eyes and a horrifying expression on her face. Damari is leaning against the door, gasping for air. She moves over to the corner and curls up within. She puts her knees over her face, hugs her legs, and begins to cry as she realizes that she was about to sell her very soul to the Vees out of an absurd desire to return home and be with her family.
"I'm so stupid! I'm so stupid! Angel is right...! I'm sorry, Angel...!"
It isn't until she hears a knock on her door that she realizes she has been crying for an hour. She walks over to it, wiping away the tears, and opens it to see Husk carrying two glass cups and a bottle of wine.
"Oh, hey Husk."
"Need a drink?" he offered.
"No... I... well, maybe just a little. Come in." she said, letting him inside her room.
Husk filled a cup with her wine, gave it to her, and filled up another cup for himself as the two took a seat on her bed. Before taking a sip, the two clicked their glass cups together. Damari looks down, sighing at the flavor of the wine.
"Something wrong?" Husk asked, taking another drink of the wine from the cup he filled.
"Angel and I had a heated argument. He yelled at Charlie and me to leave the studio, and I became enraged and yelled back. He also referred to me as a whore. And I delivered him a slap." Damari looked remorseful and sorrowful as she said.
"Shit. That bad, huh?" Husk frowned.
"Things grow worse. Along with Velvette and Vox, I also met Valentino. All along, they were aware that I am a human. They have been watching me. And when Valentino dragged me inside following my fight with Angel, they managed to get me a meeting with them."
Husk's eyes widened in shock and horror.
"You didn't... Did they...?"
"No. Luckily, KeeKee came and saved me from them. Next thing I knew, I ran."
"That's good to hear. You would've regret that for the rest of your life. Trust me, I know I have." Husk said, looking down.
"But it's not...!" Damari bit her lip. "I almost willingly gave my soul to them! All because I was desperate enough in wanting to go back to a human world! I knew that now it was all a lie! But I was stupid! Angel was right and I didn't listen! I regret ever being cold towards him."
Damari starts crying again. Husk frowned and patted her back with comfort.
"There, there. At least, you're still alive and okay and not bounded by those Vees." he assured her.
"I just wanted to go home...!" she sobbed out.
"I know. I promise you that we'll do whatever it takes to get you back to your parents. I know Charlie is willing to do that."
"You really would?"
"I promise. No more lies or secrets."
Damari sniffs and calms down.
"...Thank you."
"No problem, Damari."
Damari thinks for a moment and then looks at him.
"You don't think I'm a little whore?"
Husk appears surprised.
"What? You? That's fucking stupid! You're not. Who would call you that besides Angel?"
"It just that... When I was in high school, I spent two weeks dating my ex. I thought he was nice and handsome," she said briefly grinning before scowling. "But after I discovered he was having an affair with a different woman, I abruptly ended our relationship without waiting for an explanation. I had no idea that anything would go wrong until my ex began telling everyone that I had cheated on him and that I had freaking slept with other men, which is untrue! It was him who cheated on me. I suppose he was upset that we broke up and that he would have preferred for me to suffer while he cheated. Every student used to call me a whore, but that is untrue because I have remained a virgin both then and now."
Husk couldn't help but get angry.
"What an asshole." he growled.
"I know. Good thing my two best friends Marceline and Bonnie found out about it and beat him to a pulp and got him to stop spreading rumors about me. Everyone now knows who's the real culprit and now no one wants to be around him nor date him. But it's still burned into my mind that someone would call me a whore when I never did anything wrong." Damari said, looking sad.
"Well, I think you're the most amazing woman I've seen."
She chuckles a bit.
"Oh, stop."
"No, I mean it. Anyone would be damn lucky to date you. You aren't a whore. You're beautiful." he said, smiling softly.
This made Damari blush and glance away shyly.
"...Thanks. No one has ever called me that before, well except my parents of course."
"Well, get used to it. I would be happy to date you."
Hearing this made her face turn pink and a puff of smoke pops out of her head. Husk's face turned pink in realization of what he just said and immediately got up from her bed and took back the cups and a bottle.
"A-Anyway, I'm glad you're okay. So uh... see you."
He then quickly walked away and closed the door after getting out of her room. Damari lies down on her bed and curls herself into a ball, feeling her heart just got warm. She pulls out her phone again and looks back at the picture of her family. She smiles for a bit before shutting off her phone and gets out of her bed.
Damari finds herself in a dark room as she looks around and a spotlight shines upon her. She then starts singing.
These four lonely walls have changed the way I feel
The way I feel
I'm standing still
And nothing else matters now, you're not here
So where are you?
I've been callin' you
I'm missin' you
She sees the figures of her parents and her friends from Earth and reaches out to them when they disappeared. Damari looks down, saddened.
Where else can I go? Where else can I go?
Chasin' you, chasin' you
Memories turn to dust
Please don't bury us, I got you
I got you
She walks through the dark, creating water ripples beneath her from every step she makes.
Runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Ain't runnin' from myself no more
Together we'll win it all
I ain't runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Ain't runnin' from myself no more
I'm ready to face it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
Damari recalls all the horrid things she had to face the first time she was brought down to Hell until she met Charlie and the gang that helped her and took her in under their wings.
I've outrun the fears that chased
They're standin' still
I'm runnin' still
I'm runnin' still
And every voice that cried inside my head, forever drives
Forever drives
I've killed the lights, oh
Where else can I go?
And where else can I go?
Chasing you, chasing you oh
Damari keeps walking through the dark as the water ripples beneath her now glows light blue to show she's no longer afraid as she realize she has friends in Hell that are willing to help her.
Runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Ain't runnin' from myself no more
Together we'll win it all
I ain't runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Ain't runnin' from myself no more
I'm ready to face it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
The dark room then fades away to reveal Damari's hotel room.
"Don't worry, Mom and Dad. I'l find a way to get back to you." she vowed and then left the room.