Big Brothers is Back part 4

from /hhg/ Hazbin Hotel general #411, #412 and #413
part 1: https://pastebin.com/LwRxTRNH
part 2: https://pastebin.com/7yHcR14j
part 3: https://pastebin.com/AfxC5i7f
Big Brothers is Back - de-conditioning part 1: https://pastebin.com/mW1E0BCD
Big Brothers is Back - de-conditioning part 2: https://pastebin.com/T8gpjxCJ
DC timeline Octavia: https://pastebin.com/tmxYDp4t
Dictator charlie - alt-ending: https://pastebin.com/NREXyytV
DC what if part 1: https://pastebin.com/pErwRZ58
DC what if part 2: https://pastebin.com/9B0FTHnT
Dictator charlie dealing with her inner demons part 1: https://pastebin.com/eKiaizwB
Dictator charlie dealing with her inner demons part 2: https://pastebin.com/y2Zrm8e7
Dictator charlie dealing with her inner demons part 3: https://pastebin.com/4aCEZ0Nc
Timeline shenanigans happens: https://pastebin.com/C1jgFV52
-----
>Angel couldn't sleep
>he just laid there, body curled around Fat Nuggets in a near-fetal position, listening to his quiet breathing

>he'd always have trouble falling asleep, even when he was alive
>and now...
>...well...

>he pulled on his duvet, pulling it tighter, until he had a loose corner of material which he could drape over the piglet
>he sighed

>it's been getting colder
>ever since Charlie...
>no
>...Queen Charlotte came to power


>"Queen Bitch." he muttered to himself, without much passion or ire
>really, he was just
>soooo
>tired


>he remembered
>the moment, he could tell, when something broke inside her, as her phone dropped
>it had already been a tough day for her, that, just after the yearly purge, and with little to show for her efforts on the Hotel after a year

>he shivered

>he saw the emotions drain from her face
>they were all invited to Lilith's funeral
>her dad could barely contain his sobs, and she gave a speech that...
>honestly?
>he felt sick to listen to
>it wasn't vulgar or anything - no disrespect for the dead...
>but it was just so...
>detached
>removed
>emotionless
>the others present, who had known her for longer than he did, looked worried

>the all should've been worried

>one month later, Lucifer was dead
>Hell was in turmoil, as the newly crowned Queen Charlotte began to consolidate her power

>and then, one by one...
>people began to disappear
>others were killed out in the open
>the Queen began to clamp down on her shrinking opposition - sparing only a few

>those she deemed useful

>he still recalled seeing the snake, stuffed into that uncomfortable tunic, staring ahead...
>...and tearing up...


>Cherri lasted all but one week, after she began to plot her revolution
>she fought hard, raised Hell, and generally just kicked ass
>it wasn't enough

>she was caught, tried, found guilty of treason, put on the Andrew's cross, and with one stab, it was over
-
>she put on a defiant face, up until the end
>but the moment their eyes met, he could tell that she was just...
>...tired


>that hurt him the most


>after her, it was over
>Queen Charlotte's reign was now absolute
>Hell was reshaped in her image
>...her warped, spiteful, vengeful image

>Hell was fun before
>loud, ugly and dangerous, but still fun
>now, it was a nightmare

>beyond Pandemonium, everything else was a column of concrete, block after block, as far as the eye could see
>sinners came
>sinners went
>no-one out on the streets, just those fucking Hell-exterminators, or whatever the fuck they called them, which Egghead has been churning out since day one

>he wondered how he was doing
>it sucked for everyone else, that's for sure

>Vox was chained to his desk, rubber stamping the programmes the Queen had approved of
>Trench and Killjoy did their reports like they were in a trance, barely emoting at all
>and, of course...

>Velvet and Val were dead

>he never found out what happened to her, but Val was brought in front of all his former prostitutes...
>...including him...
>...gashes and welts covering his body, his two lower arms thorn off at the shoulder, limping with a hunched back
>golden tooth pulled out, one eye missing, socket covered in a splodge-shaped burn mark

>he was gassed
>in front of all of them
>they watched him claw at the glass of the chamber, his screams reduced to pathetic whimpers through the thick door
>he agonized for nearly an hour

>the gas had been administered in a diluted form, making sure he suffered as long as he did...

>and then...

>he was told to turn right, whilst the others turned left, received their simple clothes, and got their due dates tattooed on their arms


>he was spared
>as one of the Queen's close acquaintances


>she said he was safe
>that she wouldn't harm him, or any of her friends
>that he was now forever safe from Valentino, or anyone who would come to "claim" him
-
>she even spared his family
>well, she spared Molly...
>...and left 'Niss and their old man to him

>not the "you can only spare one" bullshit, or anything like that
>just
>having their fate rest in his hands

>he was given a day


>Molly was doing fine, now that she was staying with Paimon
>the old coot was one of the few nobles left that the Queen had spared out of reverence
>he was happy to house his new guest
>and even happier when he received another

>he met up with Molly, from time to time
>sometimes, they would even have 'Niss join in
>there was still some... Distance, between them


>they never saw their old man after that way

>when he was told of his decision, he spat
>"Like I'll accept pity from a faggot!"
>they all saw the recording
>it broke Molly's heart

>the stupid, stubborn fuck couldn't help, but to hurt one of them, even in his final moments


>Angel didn't care anymore
>he was too tired by then

>he was always tired
>without the drugs, the sex, the booze, he spent his days ambling in the hallowed halls of the palace
>reading books he didn't care about
>playing with Fat Nuggets
>talking with Husk or Vaggie
>and avoiding the Queen


>she said they'll all be safe

>and then, one day, Al disappeared

>he had become increasingly forlorn as the weeks went on, barely talking with anyone
>even the radio static, that constantly surrounded him, seemed to die down in the last couple of days

>only later would they find out, that Charlie had had his patron demon executed, stripping him of his powers
>he was spirited away some nights later, and was done and dealt with
>no trial, no special treatment

>for Charlie...
>for Queen Charlotte...
>...he was just another Sinner

>why she kept him around, rather than putting him in one of the blocks?
>they never knew

>the day after, Niffty stopped smiling
>she slowed down
>eventually, she just stopped performing her duties, altogether
>she would lay about, here and there, like a broken doll
-
>if she had any desire to resist, she didn't show it

>unlike Razzle and Dazzle, who decidedly abandoned Charlie, and chose to follow Vaggie around instead


>the Queen had them thorn apart


>their bodies were then re-used as the prototypes for her "Enforcer" units, but once they began to break down, she just had them incinerated


>his stomach still turned from it

>one day, he and Husk found Niffty quietly weeping in one of the now-abandoned rooms of the palace
>she had been watching the news

>they had Mimzy liquidated that day

>Rosie had been gone close to a week beforehand
>"She's doing away wih-with everything!" she sobbed, inconsolably

>that was the last time they heard her speak
>nowadays, she just laid about, barely eating or drinking
>Husk carried her tiny body around
>giving the Queen a dirty look every time their paths crossed

>she just took it, stonefaced


>so many people were gone
>the few that were left either had their days numbered, or were huddled together, and had only each other to rely upon

>Angel sighed

>things have gone to Hell
>double Hell
>and if this was how it'll be from here on out, well...

>he still had Fat Nuggets
>and, if nothing else, the Queen respected him enough to not fuck with his pig

>perhaps, she knew...


>or, maybe it was Vaggie
>after everything that had happened, but ESPECIALLY after Al's disappearance, she had grown desperate to preserve their little group
>then again...
>she yielded to the Queen, like he had never seen her do to anyone before
>not to Killjoy, not to Al, no-one
>and yet, as the Queen's consort, she became... demure
>cold
>and quiet

>a mask of obedience


>the spider frowned
>God fucking damn it, if this is how eternity will go, then...!
-
>there was a commotion outside
>it roused him from his half-sleep, so, careful not to wake up the pig, he slipped out from underneath the covers, and tip-toed to the door (he no longer wore his kinky boots - the Queen practically ordered him to burn them, as part and parcel of her idea of ridding him (and everyone, as it seemed) of anything that would've reminded them of the past. Husk lost his top hat, Vaggie lost her polearm... Only Niffty was spared, but then again, she had already lost enough)

>creaking the door ajar, he stared outside, just catching a glimpse of a pair of thugs dragging something - someONE - along the corridor

>...they were heading towards the Queen's office, and...
>wait


>isn't that Charlie's brother?
--
I think moxxie would have command codes
>Angel stumbles across anon and moxxie carrying a newly revived cherri
>Anon swears them both to secrecy
>Unfortunately moxxie answers directly to charlie after anon
"Override code Alpha Sigma 56-14-58, Moxxie you are forbidden from telling Charlie about this. I'm sorry."
That shit would be tense on their relationship
--
MONTHS LATER...


>"...Wait. Is that?"
>"Oh, shit! Angel..."
>"Wait, anon? Oh fuck, what's going on? Why do you...?!"
>"Angel, ANGEL, CALM DOWN! Look. Just... Keep this between us."

>you paused for a moment

>"You too, Moxxie."

>the imp seemed hesitant
>he struggled in place, looking like a machine which had its gears jammed

>"I... Can't..."
>"Holy shit, it TALKS?!"
>"Angel, shush! What do you mean you can't?!"
>"I... Sir... I... Must... Above you... The Queen... I... I..."
>he began to sweat, and looked like he was suffering a stroke
>shit, you gotta act fast

"...Overwatch Commander 1789!"

>he froze

>"Override code: Alpha. Sigma. 56-14-58."

>all at once, the imp's limbs went limp, before slowly, as his muscles were being pulled taught by ropes, he stood back up straight, staring ahead, empty eyed
>Angel looked at him, shocked, and began to reach out to him, but then, you spoke up

"You're not allowed to disclose anything that happened between me, Apollyon, or Abbadon, regardless of the name the Queen uses, and our most recent, and of our ongoing encounter with Angel Dust..."

>you pondered for a moment

>"Nor any orders I give to him, or you, from here on out. Nor should you disclose of any actions taken by me, Abaddon or Apollyon, or Angel Dust. Understood?"

>the imp nodded, robotically
>the spider was horrified

>"At ease."

>and with that, Moxxie blinked, shook his head, and looked around, groggily
>"Sir?" he asked, his body taking on a more natural stance "What happened? Where are we? Why...?"

>you stared, incredulously, as his eyes widened - with a very natural expression of shock - upon noticing the still comatose cyclops
>"Wuh-Why is she here? Where are her clothes?! What--AH!" he suddenly began to clutch his head, whilst simultaneously leaving your mind spinning


>you weren't sure how or why, but the override command seemed to have broken his conditioning
>you had to act fast
-
>"...Moxxie?"
>"Gah... Agh...! Ah... Yes, sir?"
>"Remember what I said?"
>"Yeah... That I shouldn't disclose of AH!" and he clutched his head again

>"I'm sorry."

>you really were
>though the Alpha-Sigma code only caused sharp, but quickly dissipating migraines, most of the other override codes allowed for more lethal outcomes, should the thrall attempt to do something they shouldn't
>You've been working hard, together with Stolas, Octavia, Paimon, or anyone you could find, to undo the most dangerous ones on Moxxie, and you got rid of the worst
>the paralysis code was still active, though, with enough intuitive brain activity on his part, he should be able to undo it himself, eventually

>you now turned to the spider

"Angel, I know this is a lot to take in, but please... I need your help!"

>Angel blinked
>"...MY help?"

>"I need you to come with us. We're taking her to Paimon, where she'll be able to recuperate. I'll tell Charlie that you've decided to live with your siblings. She'll probably understand, and if she'll not, I'll cover for you..."

>still startled, he just stared at you, as you continued
>"She'll be fine, but she'll still need time to recover..."
>"...OK." he said, finally "...But why...?"
>"Let's just say that she's crucial to something that I have to do. Something that NEEDS to happen, or we'll loose everything! Charlie will---!"
>"Wait."

>you stopped, immediately
>in an instant, his voice went from uncertain to stern
>"How the fuck does SHE come into the picture?" he asked, looking you all over "What are you planning?"

>you decided you're not going to fuck about with wild stories or metaphors


"I'm gonna have her overthrown."


>immediately, Angel's eyes widened, and Moxxie gasped

"And I want Cherri to do be in charge of it."

>"Wha--? Why?!" he snapped
"Keep it down!"
>"NO! SHE'S ALREADY BEEN KILLED ONCE! I WON'T LET YOU USE HER!"
-
>you stared at him like he lost his damn mind
>he'll loose his damn head at this rate

"I'm. Not. Going. To."
>you hissed through your teeth, shout-whispering
"I just need her to lead the damn thing, to keep it coordinated. Rather have her do it than anyone else."
>"But why? Why her?"
"Maybe because I don't to end up with my head on the fucking chopping block?!"
>you growled, causing Angel to back off
>"OK, OK..." he muttered "...But still... Why Cherri? I mean... Wouldn't she be the one to want your neck the most?"

"Maybe..."
>you mused
"...But I trust her. And you."

>Angel's eyes widened, and he nodded
>you sighed - FINALLY, you could get this thing rolling

"Moxxie, please, help Angel carry his stuff down from his room."
>you then turned to the spider
"Bring down your pig, and some clothes. I'll have the rest brought over tomorrow."
>"OK..." came the dazed reply "...I can't believe I'm doing this. Hell, I can't believe YOU'RE doing this!"
"But I am."
>you said simply
"Now, get moving! I don't want her to catch a cold..."
>"Where did you get her back from, anyway?" he asked "She looks so pale..."
>you looked at him, dead in the eye

"Well, as it turns out, there IS a double Hell."

>he looked at you, wide eyed

"And it's ruled by Abbadon. You know. The guy I mentioned?"

>he slowly nodded

"It's also know as the Abyss."
>you went on
"You wanna know why?"
>"N-No, I'm fine..."
"Right. Well, I just had Apollyon release her from there, so she'll be a bit... Out of it, for a while. Just a heads-up."
>"Thanks..."


>the doors slammed, Moxxie settled in the back seat, eyes on the road, whilst you slipped behind the steering wheel, Angel beside you with his piglet on his lap
"You sure he'll be safe there?"
>"Yeah." he said, summoning his lower set of arms "Just don't brake too hard."
"I'll try."
>and you set off


And this is where I'll end it.
Rest is up to you guys.
-----------------------
Checked
I'll start on my little thing that could be used as a front-end for the next part of the "main" story if it works

>You're not really running late, per-se, but you've probably kept them waiting somewhat, so you put a little extra hustle in your step
>Moxxie is already out there with Heaven's ambassador
>Though this is meant to be a strictly peaceful occasion, angels were still classified as the enemy, and "Standard Operating Procedures" dictated that he needed to give her a quick once-over before any member of the nobility could interact with her
>Although your and Millie's efforts had managed to dredge a good deal of the real demon up out of the mindless automaton he'd once been, he'd been very insistent that the rules needed to be followed to a T here
>The way Millie explained it, that wasn't out of character for him; he was always something of a straightlaced fellow

>You pause at the corner to make sure you're presentable
>Your ridiculous hat is on straight
>The palmful of medals that Charlie has added to your coat for some reason are shining
>Good enough

>You strut around, head held high, trying to project that you have arrived exactly when you meant to, and not a second later
>Solagne is sitting beside Moxxie, speaking to him too quietly to hear at this distance
>They both seem to be in a pleasant enough mood
>Surprising, perhaps, for Solagne, given the circumstances, but then again, maybe she's a glass-half-full sort
>Oddly though, her overcoat has been cast aside, and she appears to be in the midst of buttoning her cyan undershirt back up
-
>They both notice you just as you draw near
>Moxxie straightens himself up and greets you with a crisp salute
>Solagne joins him once her clothing is back in order and offers a nod of acknowledgement
>You throw a salute back at the both of them
>You have to fight down the instinct to bow
>In your youth you'd gotten very good at it, able to convey all sorts of respect and reverence and classiness with the simple motion, earning regular compliments from the parents of other princes and princesses
>But it had been made clear to you that your lineage didn't bow to anyone, for any reason, anymore

>Solagne approaches you
>Moxxie follows, but remains at a respectful distance, allowing you to begin an idle stroll through the palace in relative privacy
>Charlie has yet to arrive
>Probably by design
>She's made her contempt for her angelic counterpart quite clear
>Deliberately wasting her time is probably just one more act of vengeance against her
>You look to her and start trying to fill the empty air

>How was Moxxie as a conversation partner?
>You know from experience that he can be a bit stiff
>She shrugs

>"I didn't mind it so much..."

>She runs a hand over her long, jet-black braid

>"I'm not sure if this is correct to say, but I rather like imps. They're kind of like...unholy cherubs, I suppose"

>Solagne seems to pick up on the odd look you're giving her

>"Is something wrong, Your Highness?"
-
>Ugh
>Well, first of all, she doesn't need to address you by title
>You do have a name

>"Okay, Anon"

>The smile she shines at you with that statement compels you to grant one in return
>In spite of who she is
>What she is

>In spite of what she did

>You can't help but feel a certain softness toward her
>It's more than just some thoughtless, irrational instinct
>It's not just the fact that she looks more than a bit like Charlie
>It's the fact that you can see little reflections of your sister, for better or worse, in the pallid, blue-eyed angel
>She has an air of mercy to her, of forgiveness, and an eagerness to please, just like Charlie used to
>And guilt
>Intense guilt and regret, like what you currently see in Charlie when she forgets to keep it buried
>You see it in Solagne whenever she looks you in the eye for too long
>There are moments when she hates herself at least as much as Charlie does
>But this isn't one of them

>"Well then, Anon, is anything wrong?"
-
>Ah, right
>Well, you couldn't help but notice that she was fussing with her clothes as you'd arrived
>You certainly hope she knows that even if she thinks he's cute, Moxxie is a married man, and that counts for something even down here
>You let a little bit of a tease sneak into your voice
>She'd better not be up to anything

>Solagne slows to a halt and her expression slackens
>From a faint but genuine smile to something cool and pained

>"We were talking about our respective tours of service"
>"Just showing him something I thought he'd be interested in"

>You can think of a dozen double entendres to hurl back at that statement, but her tone has robbed you of your humor
>Her sapphire eyes stare unflinchingly into yours

>"Would you like to see as well?"

>Her hands are in motion before you can actually decide if you want to jump down this rabbit hole
>A few buttons undone, she pulls her collar off to the side and turns her head
>You try as best you can to keep from reacting, and strongly suspect you're failing

>The angel has a sort of...electronic...plug...laying flush against her ivory skin
>Riveted, well-polished silvery metal, with assorted coppery and crimson filaments bundled up in the center
>She turns her head to the other side, revealing a matching implant on the opposite side of her neck
>Both are ringed with thin bands of angry, red scar tissue
>She offers an explanation

>"This is where the exterminator armor connects to you"
-
>She begins to rebutton her shirt and close her collar back around herself

>"I've got a couple more"
>"Two at the base of my wings, and four more on my legs, for the enhanced locomotion suite"
>"A bunch of little ones in my wrists and up my arms, for the assisted combat engine"
>"They all have to be anchored to the bone, otherwise the life-support system won't work right"
>"I think one of the technicians may have come up with another design that would have been a lot less invasive..."

>Solagne allows her hands to fall back to her sides

>"...but that would have added too many extra steps to the manufacturing process elsewhere, so the idea was discarded."

>You know you're gawking at your sister's raven-haired doppelganger, but you can't help yourself
>What the fuck are you supposed to say to this?
>Does 'I'm sorry' even come close to being adequate?

>"You don't have to be sorry. You didn't install them."
>"I'm quite used to them anyway"
>"They're really not difficult to keep clean"
>"They don't hurt too badly most of the time"
>"Sometimes I forget they're even there"

>By all the nine circles...
>What an existence
-
>"Anyway, if you don't mind my asking, is OC-1789 making good progress?"

>Heaven's ambassador is on to the next topic without a second thought

>Her question has to rattle around in your mind for a bit before you realize what an odd thing it is for her to ask
>Progress?
>Just what sort of progress would he have to make?

>"You're de-programming him, aren't you?"
>"Surreptitiously"
>"Trying to keep Queen Charlotte from catching on"

>You gape at her once again
>Despite the loosening of the shackles on his mind, Moxxie was still a good enough actor to pass for a brainwashed grunt around Charlie
>At least for a time, before her surveillance network, or whatever means of monitoring your activities she had, blew the whistle on what you were doing...and then she shrugged it off as if it were nothing...
>But Solagne had seen through the facade after just a few minutes alone with him?
>How?
>Are you actually that transparent? That obvious? So that even a stranger can tell what you're up to at a glance?
>The raven-haired angel smiled sadly, knowingly

>"He reminds me of myself"

>How so?
>The angel looks back at the imp
>Now that you're not going anywhere, he's busied himself with making sure his sidearm shines like a mirror
>He doesn't even seem to realize you're talking about him

>"He's...confused."
>"Upset too."
>"It's a jarring experience, suddenly remembering that you're an individual, after living like a machine for so long."
-
>Solagne shifts her piercing blue gaze back to you

>"That's what we were: angels made to act like machines."
>"The first exterminators were unreliable. They were just drones. They were known to go berserk and target things they weren't meant to target."
>"Eventually they realized that the task was beyond a mere machine. They needed something with a soul, but that could still be programmed and controlled like a machine."
>"That's where we came in."

>You gulp as your process her meaning

>She was 'Re-conditioned'?
>'Programmed'?
>...Brainwashed
>To kill indiscriminately?
>She, the child of an archangel?

>Solagne nods

>Didn't her mother have anything to say about that?

>"It was her idea."
-
>You're certain she must notice the look of horror that you feel overtaking your features, but she breezes past it

>"You bodyguard, your...Moxxie was it? He's starting to remember, isn't he?"

>Yes

>"He's remembering pleasant things, right? What he likes to eat, to wear, his favorite places to be?"

>...yes

>"That's the first stage."
>"The next stage could be much more difficult."
>"Programming someone is a...damaging process. And unstable."

>The angel turns around, her massive wings suddenly manifesting and tucking in around her small frame protectively

>"When it starts to come undone, it can be rather trying."

>Solagne sighs

>"There was no one there for me."
>"When...when it happened."
>"When I..."

>When she killed your mother

>The angel nods silently

>"That was when it started to break down for me"
>"The shock of my crime was enough to knock my mind loose"
>"When I got over it, the rest of me started coming back"
>"I started to remember who I was"
>"But I had no one to help me"
>"Then I started remembering all the other terrible things I'd done"
>"All the things I wished I could undo"
>"I couldn't stand to fight anymore"
>"But to them, that just made me a defective weapon"
>"They didn't care why I'd stopped working, they just wanted me fixed"
>"I had to come to grips with it alone"

>Solagne turns back around to face you

>"It was agony"

>She chokes a bit on her words, and takes a moment to regain her composure

>"That imp, Moxxie, he's going to start remembering things he'll wish remained forgotten"
>"Be there to take care of him"
>"Promise me you'll take care of him"

>Out of every way you'd considered a conversation with this former warrior angel going, this hadn't been among them
-
>"PROMISE ME"

>Solagne steps toward you
>Her eyes glow with harsh, blinding light
>Her halo suddenly grows jagged, like a bundle of razor wire

>It's shocking
>Frightening
>But not unfamiliar

>She's just worked up

>This is just like how Charlie would morph when her emotions would run hot back in the day, letting her horns out and her teeth sharpen
>Or heck, even yourself when you got too excited, allowing your claws to extend and your eyes to go from the faint red and silver you'd inherited from your mother into hideous pools of crimson

>But Moxxie doesn't know that
---
>"FREEZE!"

>Moxxie somehow found his way in between you and Solagne in the past few seconds
>He holds his handgun aloft
>Aiming right between Solagne's eyes
>His jaw is set with grim determination

>"Give me an excuse"
>"Give me one good reason, angel filth, and I'll send you down to Apollyon"
>"The Void is hungry"
>"And you're just the right size"
-
>Solagne shifts back to her natural form and takes a step back, then another
>She slowly raises her hands up in surrender
>Your bodyguard continues to glare at the raven-haired angel
>You can see his muscles tense, and his grip on his weapon grow tighter
>You reach down, very slowly, and place your hand on his shoulder

>Moxxie...
>Moxxie
>It's okay
>She didn't mean anything by it
>She's not trying to hurt me
>...Moxxie?

>You sigh to yourself

>Overwatch Commander 1789?

>The imp turns and meets your gaze
>Weapon still at the ready
>His tawny eyes are empty, hollow
>The conditioning
>At least this part of it
>Is back, and in full force

>You bring your mouth close to his ear and whisper an override command
>A minor one
>Just enough to take him out of attack mode and make him holster his weapon
>You don't like using them, but it seems to be necessary now
>At the very least, this is one that won't hurt him, just make him obey
-
>Moxxie goes all but limp
>He neatly tucks his weapon away
>Then he just stands there
>One...
>...twooo...
>...threeeeee.....

>The imp blinks several times as he comes back from the stupor you inflicted on him
>He looks at you
>With recognition, familiarity
>Maybe even a bit of warmth
>A warmth that he shares with Solagne when he looks over to her, now covering her mouth with both hands in terror as she looks down at him

>"All is in order, Sir?"

>You release a breath you didn't know you were holding

>Yes, all is in order
-
>All is in order
>In perfect order
>So how about he take a little break?
>He's been on his hooves since before breakfast
>He can take ten
>Take that new phone he's been issued and ring up Stolas' manor
>See if Millie can spare a few minutes to tell him about how her day's been
>Keep it light, don't say anything that Vox might have to report

>He nods in affirmation, then offers Solagne a salute before returning his attention to you and giving a bow
>Then he's gone, no doubt counting out his reprieve from duty by the second

>"Angel filth..."

>Solagne muses under her breath

>Well, fuck yourself sideways

>This got awkward in a hurry
-
>"... angel filth..."

>Fuck

>What are you supposed to do now?
>What kind of apology will suffice here?

>Solagne turns back toward you, plainly distraught
>Her ebony wings pull in even closer, enveloping her in a dark, feathery cocoon

>"He really is just like me."
>"His programming is the same as mine."

>Solagne's eyes begin to glisten

>"We had to be merciless."
>"We had to hate."
>"They taught us so many terrible things to call you."
>"To make it seem like all the hurt we were doing didn't matter."
>"And they would just come spilling out of our mouths without even thinking."

>"I know he didn't mean it, but..."

>"But......"
---
>But it still hurts?

>Solagne nods

>"It's not what he said."
>"It's...knowing that I would once have done the same."
>"It's not fun, remembering how wicked you were."

>You can imagine