Charlie and Calli get back into the Hotel, after a solid two hours of riding around Pentagram's skies and teaching Charlie how to ride the bike on her own, and Charlie pulls the helmet Calli insisted the bike wouldn't turn on without being strapped onto her head off, saying "That was amazing, Aunt Calli! Can this bike make portals like your other one? Also, why are the lights all off?"
Calli's voice floats over, saying "Maybe the generator died. You sit down, I'll go take a look. As for the bike, no, it can't. That was a special request for my work bike - getting in and out of there is a lot harder than getting between Rings or to Heaven or Earth, you see."
As soon as Charlie gets to where she thinks the common area is, the lights suddenly turn on and at least a hundred voices all shout "SURPRISE!!"
Charlie jumps a good foot in the air, and her jaw drops when she sees everyone that jumped out of hiding - all the other Sins, the Von Eldritches, all the Hotel Residents, Fizzarolli, Blitz, Stolas, Emily, Octavia, Loona…everyone. "When did you guys- how did you…"
Bee squeals in delight, zooming over and picking her up in a massive hug, saying "Happy birthday, Charlie!!" Asmodeus is next, quickly followed by Satan and then Belphegor.
Asmodeus asks "As for your earlier question, how'd we all get here and how'd we get everything set up?" At Charlie's nod, he laughs good-naturedly and says "We've been planning this for months, Chars. Remind me to tell you about one time we couldn't agree on what color decorations to use."
Bee says "Oh, I remember this one. We called up Calli to ask what your favorite colors are…and she was up in Heaven."
Leviathan's head snaps over to stare at them in utter horror, and Belphegor says "I've never seen anyone try to disconnect a call so quickly, much less everyone in a room."
Calli rubs the back of her head, and says "I may have been slightly cranky from bad news, bloodloss, and slow poisoning. Sorry."
Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael all trade looks, they remember that to - and they also remember her being a little more than cranky. They remember her losing her shit and trying to either throttle Adam or just take his head off his shoulders.
Asmodeus shakes his head, saying "Anyway, Charlie, this is Fizz-"
"Ohmigosh, I knew it! I knew you two were together!"
Fizz looks a little scared as Charlie squeals and bounces in place - so much so that he actually retreats up to the Sin's shoulder once she stops hugging him.
Asmodeus says "She gets it from her dad."
"You're telling me that, once he hears I was Fizzarolli, he's gonna-"
Lucifer gasps in delight as soon as he hears the name, wings springing from his back as he flies up, and he starts bombarding Fizz with delighted questions even harder than Charlie did - Fizz just backs into Asmodeus' neck and fiery mane, eyes wide as saucers as the King of Hell tries to get to know him a little tooeagerly for Fizz. But, he recognizes that name! And he's leaping at the chance to meet the imp that kept getting mentioned alongside Ozzie on the news popups on his phone.
Calli flies up and pulls Lucifer down, saying "Slow down, Luce, I'm pretty sure Fizz has just about reached his limit right this moment."
Once the attention is off Fizz and Ozzie, Fizz slowly asks "Ozzie, is there anyone in your family that isn't super intense all the time?" There's Calli, the woman who went on a three-day killing spree in Greed Ring for him, Bee who gushed and cooed over him and called him an adorable sweetheart, he's all-too-familiar with Mammon, and now Lucifer and Charlie both just went from about 5 to 100 in 0.5 seconds upon learning they're together for all of Hell to know.
Asmodeus hums, saying "Belphegor. She's pretty much incapable of being anything other than chill."
"Oh, thank gods. Can we just hang with her for a bit? Please? Maybe with Blitz and Stolas?"
Soon enough, the party's in full swing, with Calli walking through the crowds with large platters of various snacks floating behind her - and Charlie still has the keys to Calli's bike, having been asked to hold onto them while Calli brought the food out for everyone.
Exactly nobody thinks that was a coincidence, but nobody's going to comment on the likely idea that Calli's going to say Charlie's holding the gift she got/made for her when Calli's cooking or baking is involved.
Emily blinks when Charlie comes over, two gray-skinned demons in tow, and says "Emily, this is Helsa and Seviathan Von Eldritch! We go way back, been friends for over a century. Sev, Hels, you might remember my cousin from the meeting?"
Helsa nods, giving Seviathan a sharp nudge in the side, and says "We remember. So…your mom is Calliope Peverell, huh?"
Seviathan swallows, and says "That is…borderline terrifying, actually."
Charlie rolls her eyes, saying "Aunt Calli isn't that scary, guys!"
"Were you in the same history class I was?!"
Emily says "Gabriel and Sera were freaking out at the very idea that she'd go up to Heaven with you, Charlie." While she's in complete agreement that Calli's harmless to those she cares about…she also knows she's not always the kind, gentle woman Charlie's clearly used to her being. Her very real threat to Vox is all the proof she needs.
Vaggie reluctantly adds "You remember the night I met her…right? Where she said she'd vaporize me if I ever hurt you?" As great as Calli is, as great as they get along, she never forgot that off-handed threat on her very existence - she gets why, really, but someone being able to so casually say 'oh, yeah, by the way, I can vaporize you' isn't exactly a sign that she's all cuddles and sunshine all the time.
Seviathan promptly gulps, breathing out "Oh fuck…" Oh, he's dead, he's so dead...
Charlie blinks, then asks "Sev, are you…afraid of Aunt Calli cause we used to date?"
Before Seviathan can answer, a familiar voice asks "Everything alright?"
Seviathan jumps a straight mile in the air, Helsa squeaks, and Emily and Charlie trade glances before Charlie says "Aunt Calli!"
Calli looks at all of them, one eyebrow rising towards her forehead as she takes in everyone's expressions. "Ok, what's going on and who's dying as we speak?" Charlie and Emily are quick to jump on that, both saying nobody's dying at all. Calli hums, then says "So, you're Seviathan and Helsa. Last time I saw you two, you were just starting to walk."
Seviathan looks like he'd rather drink battery acid as he shakes her hand, but says "It's good to meet you…does the meeting count?"
Calli shakes her head with a small laugh, saying "No, not really. Why so jumpy? Your parents have been friends with us for ages now."
Charlie says "We may have been together for a bit, but…"
Calli hums as Charlie trails off, then says "Let me guess, didn't work out?" At their nods, she asks "You two still on good terms? Just better off as friends?"
Seviathan nods so hard his head looks like it'll fly off his neck, even as Charlie nods as well.
"Then, we're cool."
Seviathan looks like he could melt into a puddle of goo right then and there.
Raphael and Gabriel glance around at the lively party, huddled away as they all are in a table in a corner - mainly to avoid Frederick Von Eldritch, who was so willing to end them at the mere idea of who they are - when Gabriel spots Calli making her way through the crowd with another platter of snacks. Honestly, this has to be the most social they've ever seen her - if they'd first met her somewhere like this, they'd think she's a socialite altogether.
They wouldn't think she's dangerous, like this, at any rate.
It's certainly the most relaxed they've seen her in such a large group, that's for sure - even as she taps the sticks five of the children are waving around to turn them into pseudo-sparklers.
And then, suddenly, Leonardo appears next to them with a grumpy expression on his face and a book in his hand. "Scoot over, Michael. I've hit my limit for being social." He doesn't know how Calli can fake it so well, and he knows she gets just as exhausted by it all as he does - she said something about attending far too many balls and parties during her time on the 'Wizengamot' in her old world, but most of it went over his head.
The detail that she got better at hiding just how done she was with being social the more parties she was forced to attend for one reason or another...not so much, but he's no interest in going to that many.
Michael obligingly scoots forwards a little, and the second oldest Angel promptly sits down behind him and curls his knees under his chin to be out of sight of everyone while he reads.
Lucifer and Frederick finish with a duet the two of them were performing, Lucifer on Violin while Frederick sings, and they get off the makeshift stage as Anthony and Bee face off on Dance Dance Revolution. Calli's just walked over to talk with them, a smile on her face as she does - they'd think she was twenty-something, if this was the first time they'd met her while she looked like this, not several millennia old - but suddenly freezes and frowns, one hand going to her chest.
All the warning bells start ringing in Raphael's head as loud as possible right then, even as Lucifer clearly asks what's wrong - he leaps up from the chair, making his way over to them…just in time to see Calli's eyes widen just before she collapses to the floor.
Alastor groans when he manages to sit up, trying to catch his breath - Eve's been more erratic than ever, thanks to Lucifer and Calli's deal however long ago it was - he's not sure, as it's nigh-on impossible to tell time down here, he just knows it's been far too long since he had something to eat - and now…now it's somehow reached a boiling point altogether. Maybe the knowledge of Calli's return to Hell, of her reunion with Lucifer, perhaps the idea that she knows of Eve's presence and Lilith's current predicament.
Likely a combination of everything, all her - unfortunately effective - plans falling apart around her ears and her no closer to Roo.
And now, who-knows-how-long later, she's finally reached the end of her patience - Lilith's humming is only doing Alastor so much good, gagged as she is and only able to when he's collapsed next to her, but the siren-like sound manages to magically offer him some comfort and support nonetheless. And his shadow's taken to hiding behind Lilith, waiting for a good time to free her from her bindings.
And then, suddenly, Lilith's humming reaches his ears once more, and he feels a weak wave of energy wash through him - just before Eve's hand grabs him by the back of his collar and hauls him to his feet.
Alastor stumbles when Eve throws him to the barrier, righting himself after a few steps, and she says "Seeing as nothing else has worked, break it."
Alastor blinks, and asks "Come again?"
"You heard me," Eve says, striding forward until she's right in his face, "break the damn wall. I chose you because of your strength, Alastor. Now show me why I was right to do so."
"You do realize your chain restricts most of my power, right? How am I to break down a magical barrier you've thrown everything you can at if I'm not at full strength?"
Eve pauses for a moment, gaze going hazy and unfocused, and Alastor thinks she's considering it for a moment - while he's not wrong, breaking down the stone barrier blocking the way forward is the last thing on his mind. If Eve actually grants him his full strength, he's unleashing total darkness in the cavern and then using it to rip Eve apart.
Unfortunately, Eve's gaze sharpens and she glares at him before saying "Can't have you turning it all on me. Break the wall and I'll consider it." She then grabs him by the shoulder and half-throws, half-shoves him over to the ominous stone wall - this close, the oppressive aura is almost literally crushing him, and all he wants to do is go to the far end of the cavern if not all the way back to the Hotel altogether. Eve never made him come this close before, and he's no idea how she's apparently basking in it right next to him. He does know she's never tried touching the barrier before
Swallowing to himself, Alastor puts both hands on the wall and pushes a little magic into it - just trying to test the proverbial waters, nothing serious - and the whole thing lights up with intricate runes blazing a brilliant emerald green.
A familiar emerald green - Calli's magic. The familiar sensation of her magic breaks through the oppressive aura like a brick through a window for a moment, and Alastor sighs in relief even as Eve shrieks in outrage…right up until the both of them get violently blown to the far side of the cavern.
Well, Alastor thinks, good news, nobody is getting through that barrier. Ever. Bad news...Eve has never been one to take no for an answer.
Eve sits up, then starts shrieking and throwing an absolute tantrum - Alastor, meanwhile, just lays where his body landed for a moment, hoping not to draw her attention if at-all possible.
And then, suddenly, a sound much like a gunshot echoes through the cavern - when Alastor snaps his head up to look, Calli's standing there…until she falls to her hands and knees and throws up.