the-caged-bird-performs

[the-caged-bird-performs]

That was Lucifer? She had caught sight of him during the night, those red and yellow eyes were hard to miss. But, well, he didn't look at all what she had pictured the devil himself to look like. But from the way these assholes were shaking in their boots was enough for her to believe it. And those eyes.

But Madeline wasn't one to be caught off guard for long. And the bastard holding her had loosen this grip on her.

Lifting her heeled foot she slammed it down on the guys foot causing him to howl in pain. She then shoved her elbow into his gut before flipping him onto his back. Lifting her foot one more time she stomped the guys face finally knocking him out.

"Now," Madeline said, turning to the last demon standing. "You going to fuck off or are you going to try your luck."

Thankfully he was smarter than he looked and gave a scared yelp and ran away. The adrenaline now slowly disappearing she was a bit sore but otherwise uninjurered. She picked up her purse turning to Lucifer with a smile on her face and a hand on her hip.

"I guess I owe you my thanks, your Majesty. My name is Madeline," she said doing her best curtsy despite being in pants. "If you didn't show up it might have gotten a lot worse so I'm grateful. I must admit you aren't what I had expected the Devil to look like. Definitely a lot cuter than some of the interpretations I used to see while I was alive."

@morningstar-the-king-himself

"Ah Fuck off," she had dropped the keys. Oh course on this night she has dropped the fucking building keys. She didn't know why she offered to close up the Crimson Garter. But it was far too late to regret it now. Not when the rest of the night had been shit. Ruined her favourite costume. Had to help kick out not one but three douchebags and had drinks accidentally spilled on her not one but fucking twice. So dropping her keys was just another thing that had to happen because fuck her.

Finally picking them up again she managed to close the door, lock it, stuck the keys in he fucking bag and begin the walk home. She was coming up to the first alley when she saw someone leaning against the door blocking her path. Oh fucking lovely. Turning she saw that someone had come from behind her and a third man was coming from her side pushing her towards the alley.

"Look I've had a rough day and I'm not in the mood for this. So can we just not do this."

She started backing up into the alley, keeping her eye on all three of the sinners. And to make matters worse, they were the three she had kicked out."

"Miss had a rough day you hear that. The same bitch that kicked us out." One of them said, slurring his words.

"Hmm I think we should give her an even worse one."

One of them came close enough to find out just how bad of a mood she was in. She swing her bag making him lean back out of the way putting him off balance enough that she moved forward fast enough to knee him in the gut. Grab his head and ram her knee into that too before letting him go to shove her palm into his nose.

Unfortunately she has been so preoccupied, so angry that she didn't hear the other sinners come up behind her and grab her pulling her back. Fuck he was stronger than her.

"So what do you say we do with her huh. Especially after she hurt Jimmy."

"Let's just start slow and find out."

She kicked and moved and fought as hard as she could. Fuck. She was in real trouble.

Then she saw a flash of white fabric? What?

[the-caged-bird-performs]

@morningstar-the-king-himself

"Ah Fuck off," she had dropped the keys. Oh course on this night she has dropped the fucking building keys. She didn't know why she offered to close up the Crimson Garter. But it was far too late to regret it now. Not when the rest of the night had been shit. Ruined her favourite costume. Had to help kick out not one but three douchebags and had drinks accidentally spilled on her not one but fucking twice. So dropping her keys was just another thing that had to happen because fuck her.

Finally picking them up again she managed to close the door, lock it, stuck the keys in he fucking bag and begin the walk home. She was coming up to the first alley when she saw someone leaning against the door blocking her path. Oh fucking lovely. Turning she saw that someone had come from behind her and a third man was coming from her side pushing her towards the alley.

"Look I've had a rough day and I'm not in the mood for this. So can we just not do this."

She started backing up into the alley, keeping her eye on all three of the sinners. And to make matters worse, they were the three she had kicked out."

"Miss had a rough day you hear that. The same bitch that kicked us out." One of them said, slurring his words.

"Hmm I think we should give her an even worse one."

One of them came close enough to find out just how bad of a mood she was in. She swing her bag making him lean back out of the way putting him off balance enough that she moved forward fast enough to knee him in the gut. Grab his head and ram her knee into that too before letting him go to shove her palm into his nose.

Unfortunately she has been so preoccupied, so angry that she didn't hear the other sinners come up behind her and grab her pulling her back. Fuck he was stronger than her.

"So what do you say we do with her huh. Especially after she hurt Jimmy."

"Let's just start slow and find out."

She kicked and moved and fought as hard as she could. Fuck. She was in real trouble.

Then she saw a flash of white fabric? What?

[the-caged-bird-performs]

Madeline sat in the chair that had been pulled out for her, crossing one leg over the other and placing both hands in her lap. Guess the etiquette classes had come into some use after all.

"I am. As I've said before I work as a burlesque performer at the Crimson Garter. Well besides being a performer I've also become sort of a, protector if you will, of the other women I work with. I'm usually the one helping the bouncer or doing the kicking out myself when we have some not following the rules. I've also had situations where they will come to me and I will, deal, with the problem. But unfortunately this is a bit different.

"Calliope, one of our waitresses, was attacked and assaulted. And as much as I would love to go to this fucker's place myself he's apparently a powerful sinner with a couple souls under his hat. Some dead Mafia man or something. Suffice it to say I'm a bit out of my league in this but I can't just do nothing. So Lacy gave me your number.

She really did hate asking for help on this. She still couldn't see why she couldn't just go to this guy's house and deal with the problem on her own. She had dealt with dangerous men after all.

"You also must forgive me, I have not been in hell very long compared to some. And Lacy didn't exactly explain to me who you are or why I got your number in the first place but I trust her judgement."

The Hemlocke house was aware of Madeline's arrival. How could they not be? A woman was in need, and Henrietta felt it her sole and solemn duty to aide every woman who lived lives dire enough that they landed themselves in hell. It was an undertaking that weighed heavy on her, but she carried the burden willingly. It's not like anyone else was willing to bear the weight.

It was not Henrietta Hemlocke herself that greeted Madeline at the door. That role was reserved for her right hand. Chatelaine, who held the title of "The Eldest" when it came to the trio of harpies the Lady loved like her daughters, stood in the entryway, waiting for the wrapping of the brass knocker against the large metal double doors. It echoed around the high ceilinged foyer, metal against metal clanging like the ringing of a church bell. She did not let the sound linger, immediately opening the door. She regarded the fellow bird sinner with watchful eyes, assessing her body language and general demeanor as she spoke. "Madeline, I presume?"

@the-caged-bird-performs

[the-caged-bird-performs]

Madeline had glimpses in her head as she was led through the house. The movie Clue had come to mind, old Sherlock Holmes novels she read through after leaving home. Batman's trusty butler. This place of course felt a lot less depressing and dark thankfully.

As they walked through the very impressive house with the very many plants she ticked through her head the details she had gotten about Henrietta. One, she absolutely hated all men. This was fine with Madeline after all she performed for herself not for attention. She also knew this woman was a fierce protector of abused and mistreated women. Something Madeline immensely respected. If she could help Callie, then that was all that mattered.

Once they finally entered the main room, her shorter black heels clicking on stone, she finally got to see Henrietta.

The first word that came to mind was intimidating. Working in the business she did for as long as she did she had to feel people out get a sense of who she was dealing with. And this woman, put Madeline in the mind of a mob boss or a Mafia woman. She recalled in her head stories from the rim running days of those two rival women bosses who controlled so much. This Henrietta was not someone to play around with.

"My name is Madeline," she said walking over to the table, shoulders back head up. Not challenging but she didn't want to appear weak. "I work at the Burlesque house crimson garter. One of our waitresses, Calliope, has been assaulted by some pretty powerful sinners. Lacy gave me your number. Told me you could help me.

The Hemlocke house was aware of Madeline's arrival. How could they not be? A woman was in need, and Henrietta felt it her sole and solemn duty to aide every woman who lived lives dire enough that they landed themselves in hell. It was an undertaking that weighed heavy on her, but she carried the burden willingly. It's not like anyone else was willing to bear the weight.

It was not Henrietta Hemlocke herself that greeted Madeline at the door. That role was reserved for her right hand. Chatelaine, who held the title of "The Eldest" when it came to the trio of harpies the Lady loved like her daughters, stood in the entryway, waiting for the wrapping of the brass knocker against the large metal double doors. It echoed around the high ceilinged foyer, metal against metal clanging like the ringing of a church bell. She did not let the sound linger, immediately opening the door. She regarded the fellow bird sinner with watchful eyes, assessing her body language and general demeanor as she spoke. "Madeline, I presume?"

@the-caged-bird-performs

[the-caged-bird-performs]

Madeline hadn't wanted to become a protector upon waking up in hell. Hell was a place where bad people went. And yet, old habits died hard. She had taken a job as a burlesque performer, she had the confidence and strength of someone who had lived this life even before dying. So naturally people started coming to her. Not to mention having a habit of being the first one to respond to someone trying to hurt one of her girls. Her girls, old habits really did die hard.

This problem though was much, much bigger than her. Callie, one of the burlesque house's waitresses had been assaulted. And while Madeline would have loved to just find and end this guy, apparently according to Hazel he was some big shot and if she walked up to his house or whatever she would be finding herself very, very dead. But she couldn't just do nothing. So Lacy had given her an address and a phone number. And a meeting had been set up. It was a very nice house. Madeline prayed she was in the right spot as she knocked on a brass knocker. Not even a moment later, a tall harpy demon answered the door, looking her up and down. She took a deep breath, centering herself and answered clearly.

"Yes. I'm here to see Henrietta? We spoke briefly on the phone. I'm friends with Lacy at the Crimson Garter. Lacy is friends with Zenobia who had gotten help from Henrietta."

The Hemlocke house was aware of Madeline's arrival. How could they not be? A woman was in need, and Henrietta felt it her sole and solemn duty to aide every woman who lived lives dire enough that they landed themselves in hell. It was an undertaking that weighed heavy on her, but she carried the burden willingly. It's not like anyone else was willing to bear the weight.

It was not Henrietta Hemlocke herself that greeted Madeline at the door. That role was reserved for her right hand. Chatelaine, who held the title of "The Eldest" when it came to the trio of harpies the Lady loved like her daughters, stood in the entryway, waiting for the wrapping of the brass knocker against the large metal double doors. It echoed around the high ceilinged foyer, metal against metal clanging like the ringing of a church bell. She did not let the sound linger, immediately opening the door. She regarded the fellow bird sinner with watchful eyes, assessing her body language and general demeanor as she spoke. "Madeline, I presume?"

@the-caged-bird-performs