“Angel! What the actual FUCK?!" Vaggie shouted upon the group's arrival at some sort of sex dungeon.

“No activity requires more trust than BDSM, baby," he explained flirtatiously, holding a pair of fuzzy handcuffs. “No bond stronger than those formed through bondage. That's their motto."

To prove his point, Angel Dust pointed at a poster that said exactly that.

“You sure that's not just marketing?" Carrot Cake asked skeptically.

“Well, it got me sold," Angel Dust chuckled.

“Angel, love the enthusiasm," said Charlie, rather uncomfortable. “But umm, uh... Hmmm..."

“What makes you think anyone would be into this?!" Vaggie asked angrily. Then, they all heard Husk purring like a kitten as someone gave him a massage.

“Ya know, I... I don't hate this," he chuckled. Just then, Niffty showed up clad in black leather with a crop in her hands.

“I'm ready to punish some bad boys," she said with an evil giggle.

That was enough for Husk. “Never mind, I-I'm out."

Carrot Cake shrieked... er, whinnied... in pain as some random demon whipped her flanks and she kicked him into the wall with her back legs!

“Next time you wanna play cowboy with someone who's half horse, ask first," she shouted as the other guy groaned in pain. “Of course, I'll say no, but you could ask."

Charlie, too polite to push them away, had to be pulled by Vaggie away from other demons who attempted to get too close to her.

“Ugh! I can't fucking believe I let you drag us here, Angel," Vaggie groaned, quite repulsed. “This is disgusting!"

“It's no big deal, Vaggie," Charlie insisted. “You know, maybe I can just help, uh—"

“No," Vaggie denied. “I told you, you could trust me, and I'm not going to let you down."

After some consideration, Vaggie had a plan on how to get the others to trust each other.

“I just need to teach them... the way I was taught."

★

“THIS IS HOW YOU LEARNED TO TRUST PEOPLE?!" Charlie screamed as they all witnessed, from atop a building, a turf war with live gunfire and people on fire.

“Yee-haw!" one demon yelled, his skin covered in prickles. “Bring it on, bitch!"

“I can go all night, baby!" his rival screeched.

“There is nothing stronger than the trust between comrades in arms!" Vaggie shouted, back in drill sergeant mode. “Buckle up, buttercups, because today, you boys become men!"

Vaggie smiled as an explosion made her hair sway and she advanced towards Sir Pentious.

“You..."

“Wait, wait!" he pleaded as she picked him up. “I can't fight without my minions!"

“...are gonna survive together!" Vaggie shouted, throwing him off the building. They all heard Pentious scream as Vaggie turned to Angel Dust. “And you..."

“D-d-don't you even think about it!" he stammered, freaking out as she grabbed him.

“...are going to make this hotel work!" she finished, throwing him off as well. As Angel screamed, Carrot Cake backed up nervously and noticed Husk heading inside.

Good call, she thought as Niffty jumped up, raising her arms in excitement.

“My turn! My turn!" she said with a psychotic grin. Vaggie picked up Niffty's tiny body, but just before she could throw her...

“Vaggie, no!" Charlie exclaimed, snatching Niffty out from her girlfriend's arms.

“This is the only way they'll learn, Charlie."

“No, it's not!" Charlie argued, putting Niffty back down only for her to jump off the building and into the crossfire herself. “There are other ways, it just takes time!"

“Time we don't have!" Vaggie pointed out. “How many Exterminations will have gone by before these idiots get their shit together?! How many times do we have to watch your people be killed before we make headway?"

“Vaggie..." Charlie said softly. Carrot Cake tilted her head as she watched them.

“I took charge today, and it all went sideways," Vaggie said, downhearted. “I'm supposed to make your dreams a reality. I'm supposed to protect you. I'm supposed to never fail you."

“... And I blame you for this, you crazy bitch!" they heard Angel Dust shout from below.

“You didn't fail me," Charlie insisted, but she refused to face her. “Vaggie... You're not... You're not..."

“If I can't help you, what's the point of me?"

Charlie gasped. “Vaggie, don't say that! You do so much! It's—"

Vaggie just cut her off by raising her hand to her. “I'm sorry, I... I'd like to be alone for a minute."

Just then, Angel Dust came back up the fire escape with Pentious over his shoulder before dropping the battered snake demon.

“Made it!" he cheered wearily.

“Let's go home, guys," Charlie said sadly as she headed for the door.

“Ugh! I just walked up all those stairs!" Angel Dust complained, and began dragging Pentious back down before he noticed Carrot Cake still standing there. “You coming, cupcake?"

“You guys go ahead," she replied. “I think I'll stay here for a bit."

“Whatever," Angel Dust said, and kept dragging Pentious back down the fire escape.

After giving Vaggie some time to breathe, Carrot Cake made her move and stood next to her, watching the fighting and shooting and explosions..

“I guess this is what it was like for my dad," she said, attempting to sound casual. “He was a soldier long before I was born. Never knew what war he fought in, though. Or what the point in it was."

Vaggie remained silent and just gave Carrot Cake a brief glance. Carrot Cake sighed and placed a hand on the one-eyed woman's shoulder.

“Look, boss," she said, “I'm really sorry shit went south today. It's just the rest of us haven't known each other nearly as long as you Charlie have, so it's harder for us to trust each other. Especially if you grew up around the people I knew."

“Yeah, I guess you're right," Vaggie admitted. “But Charlie means everything to me. I met her when I was... right after I lost everything. Just being around her makes me feel like a better person. I've done some shitty things in the past, if you can believe it."

“No offence, but after today, I certainly can," Carrot Cake said, making Vaggie laugh. “So, if Charlie can somehow make you a better person, then maybe you can help her do the same for the rest of us."

Vaggie nodded. “I have to. What good am I if I can't?"

“Vaggie, you shouldn't stress yourself just to prove your worth," Carrot Cake said. “I've done that my whole life, and it did me no good. If it had, I'd probably still be alive. The truth is, people have a tendency to... fuck up. Some of us more than others. But you're surrounded people who don't expect you to be more than who you already are. So just try to cut yourself some slack. All that really matters is that you try, even if you get it wrong."

Vaggie stayed silent. Carrot Cake took this as her cue to leave.

“I'll see you back at the hotel," she said, and headed down the fire escape alone.

★

After buying a shoulder bag on her way back to the hotel, Carrot Cake looked at her phone and saw more creepy comments about Angel Dust on her Sinsatgram. Having enough, she decided to change the comment settings. However, she noticed a message request and saw Ramm had sent her a picture of a coffee spill. Carrot Cake glanced at her butterfly tattoo and with a smile, she took a picture of it and sent it to him.

“I must be out of my mind," she said to herself, and hit the follow button. No immediate response, so she just put her phone in her bag and continued on.

“Carrot Cake, where ya been?" Angel Dust said as she stepped inside.

“Just had some stuff to take care of," she answered. “How are you guys holding up? After... you know..."

“We got thrown off a building and had our asses kicked?" Angel Dust chuckled.

“Yeah, that."

“Still pretty ssssssore, but still pretty alive," Sir Pentious replied.

“Oh, yeah," Angel Dust said with a smirk. “You should've been there, Carrots. Newbie here was tossed around like a ragdoll!"

“And he had all six of his arms stretched like rubber!" Pentious added, making the others laugh.

“And then," Angel Dust said, “when that buff guy started beatin' the shit outta you...!"

Pentious laughed. “Yes! With the dismembered arm! Yes, that was particularly unpleasant."

Niffty giggled. “I liked that part."

“Well, hey, at least you can take a beating like a champ," Husk said, giving Pentious a pat on the shoulder. “You did okay, new kid."

“Really?" Pentious gasped in surprise. “Oh, well... I suppose I did get into a little of the old rough and tumble today. And..." He turned to Angel Dust. “... thank you for pulling me out of there."

Angel Dust slapped Sir Pentious in the back and they all laughed together, until Niffty began to sound a little too... insane.

Creepy giggling from Niffty aside, Carrot Cake felt quite happy for her... fellow sinners. She never had a group of friends before, so to call them that felt rather soon.

Just then, Alastor returned with Sir Pentious's minions.

“Alastor!" Vaggie called out from a balcony besides Charlie. “Failed to get rid of the eggs, I see."

“Yes, well, the little monsters prove to be rather useful," Alastor replied with a sinister glare.

“Why don't you give them back to Pentious?" Vaggie suggested, causing Pentious to perk up in delight.

“Really?!"

“Yeah," she answered. “After today, I guess I can trust you with them. But seriously. No. More. Weapons."

“Ahhhh! My eggs!" Pentious sobbed as he hugged his Egg Boiz. “Oh, it's so good to have you back... Now, go clean my quarters this instant!"

Carrot Cake giggled as Pentious ushered the eggs off. She heard her phone chime and found a notification that read, “@RAMMBAMM IS NOW FOLLOWING YOU BACK."

“So, you made the move this time?" Angel Dust said, looking over Carrot Cake's shoulder.

“I didn't make any moves," she insisted, heading up the stairs with Angel right behind her. “He's the first person I met since I died, and after all these trust exercises today, I think I can consider him a friend... so long as this is the only contact I have with him."

“Alright," Angel Dust shrugged. “But y'know he's still gonna want you."

“Yeah? Well, that's his fault," Carrot Cake huffed. “Only a moron or a crazy person would want a... me."

“I don't think so," Angel Dust argued. “In fact, I think you're the biggest babe to ever walk this side of Hell. Well, next to me, of course."

“Really?" Carrot Cake asked, with Angel nodding in agreement. The two of them shared a friendly smile.

“Well, goodnight, Carrot Cake," Angel Dust said as he headed for his room.

“Goodnight, Angel Dust."