Work Text:
All sinners experience their death all over again every year without fault, it's unavoidable, agonizing and not a pretty sight. But it's death, when has death ever been pretty or painless for a creature of Hell?
Hell is meant to punish and condemn sinners, it's meant to be vile and not comforting in the least, and this is heavily reminded to every sinner across Hell during their death day.
For sinners return to their human appearance, even the clothes worn during their death and their appearance as a whole during it, the death is as agonizing and merciless as when it first happened, it makes their demonic form clash against the human as it rips out from within the soul, a putrid representation of their sins.
Charlie knew about this, although she's never seen someone go through it, not until Angel Dust, at first she hadn't quite recognized the young, freckled blond man sitting at the bar getting drunk, with mismatched eyes, a pretty round face and odd clothes with suspicious stains on them, not until he spoke.
And it had been so odd, Angel had spent the day drinking, saying that it wouldn't be pretty and he would rather put as much fog as he could in his head while he still could even though it wouldn't help much.
She had tried her best to be there for him, but that's easier said than done, Husk had locked him in his room around 7 as Angel Dust had instructed when he had still been sober and coherent.
And Fat Nuggets had been released into the lobby. Needless to say, Charlie still had nightmares about the noises coming from Angel’s room. She had sat outside his room, even if she wasn't allowed to go inside, she wanted to be close, to not leave him alone, Angel had let her sit outside despite his own warnings that it wouldn't be pretty.
But she hadn't cared, she hadn't wanted to leave her friend alone, not during that.
He had cried, choked and gagged, sounds harsh, loud and desperate, like he had been fighting against it even though it was useless, like he was trying to latch onto life with every fiber in his being but was failing miserably, the sounds making tears stream down her cheeks as Vaggie held her.
She had cried as she heard him gasp desperately for air, as his harsh breaths died down, and she had clung to Vaggie during the hours he spent screaming, the sound of bones breaking and flesh being torn apart having left her crying unconsolably. The sound of glass breaking and stuff being thrown around, growls and curses between Italian and English.
She had sat there all night as instructed before invading his room the second morning came, there had been so much blood, he had been burning and barely coherent. Husk and Cherri Bomb had helped him take a bath while the others cleaned the room, Angel had spent the day having fits in his sleep, vomiting and shaking uncontrollably.
Everyone had made their best to take care of him, even if there was nothing they could do but keep him comfortable. The aftermath of every death day meant going through the phantom symptoms of their death.
The next day he had appeared as if nothing was wrong, which fair, she was told the recovery process only took a day, but still… she had hugged him and cried. Because Angel was so nice, he didn't deserve the suffering, he didn't deserve any of it.
The second person in the hotel to go through it had been Sir Pentious, not even a week after settling in, no one would have been the wiser had Vaggie not ran into him in the kitchen, at first she hadn't recognized the man with black, long hair, he had been wearing simmered victorian clothes, goggles on top of his head and even his face had been covered in grime. She might or might have not overreacted by pinning him against the wall with her spear.
Which hadn't lasted long after she realized it was a human. Humans in Hell more often than not meant a sinner’s death day, no way could a human survive in Hell’s atmosphere.
He had spent most of his morning with Angel Dust making innuendos regarding his appearance, Charlie hovering over him and his Egg Bois also hovering over him. Had locked himself in his room around noon with his Egg Bois outside, they knew perfectly well what to do during these days, guard his hideout (his room in this case) and don't let anyone in.
However, Charlie had sat outside and spoke to him until he could no longer speak, she hadn't wanted him to be alone, wanted to assure him he was safe here, no one would harm him. She hadn't been prepared for his screams despite having gotten an idea of how he died due the state of his clothes.
His screams had been loud, hysterical and flat out heart wrenching, the reek of smoke and burnt flesh filtering from under the door as stuff broke inside, as he kept screaming, even slammed against the door at some point in a certain desperate attempt to escape the pain, and Vaggie had been there once again to hold her. Even if Charlie knew she wanted nothing more but to not be close to anyone during their death's day.
Neither did she, but it felt like it was the least she could do for them, she wasn't a sinner, she had no idea how it felt to relieve her death every year, it was one of the things she would never be able to understand.
She couldn't stop it, couldn't do a thing to make their pain stop or save them from going through something so horrific, what she could do was be there for them, for them to not be alone as they probably were when it first happened. No one deserved to die alone, she wanted them to know they weren't alone, that this time, someone was there by their side, that as long as she was there, they would never be alone again.
So she sat through it, as he stopped screaming and it all went quiet, she sat there, even as it began, the second stage, of flesh and bones breaking apart, as his soul mutated, tearing through forcibly as his human appearance was torn apart by his demon one.
She's been told that it's one of the most gruesome things one can witness in Hell, to watch flesh melt off bones, bones tear through skin and even watch bodies just break apart, it was bloody, messy and not something people could just witness without having an averse reaction to it, a stage in which their minds are unstable and their appearance nowhere near what one would be used to.
It was a sinner’s actual true form, unshielded and raw, their soul’s filth exposed without any filters. A form many demons hardly could tap into outside their death day, for it wasn't something many could actually control.
Much like Angel, stuff had been smashed in the room, hisses and something akind to howling wails, and while with Angel it had sounded like he had been walking on the walls and ceiling itself, with Sir Pentious it had sounded as if something humongous was moving inside the room, ominous and unsettling.
But she hadn't let that affect her, next morning the Egg Bois had let her in, and just like with Angel Dust, while Angel himself alongside the Egg Bois helped Sir Pentious clean up, the others took it to clean his room, Charlie herself had watched over him all day despite knowing perfectly well she could do nothing to chase away the admittedly disturbing fever. And really, maybe Charlie should designate a room specifically for these events, that way nobody's room would have to suffer any destruction.
She might have to run that through the others since it was for them.
The third person to go through it though… it was certainly not one anyone expected.
~
“Where's Smiles at?” Angel Dust wonders out loud, he hasn't seen Alastor since his little spat with Lucifer yesterday, the guy hadn't exactly seemed to be in a good mood, had snapped at Lucifer when the other asked him if he needed a chair, slammed his hands on the table and pulled a frankly terrifying face before promptly disappearing. Dude's been a little touchy lately.
And Angel guesses it's understandable considering he was humiliated on Live TV, had his own parade of shame and all. He was taking it better than Angel would have expected.
“Yeah, I haven't seen him either.” Charlie said, remembering that she had, in fact, not seen Alastor all day, which weird, she usually ran into him in the kitchen in the morning, although he's been harder to get a hold of lately, has been way more… snappish.
“Maybe he finally realized his presence wasn't needed after all and left.” Lucifer states, grinning at the idea before wincing at Charlie's disapproving look.
“I hardly doubt it, he's petty enough that if he were to leave, he would have certainly taken Niffty and I with him.” Husk feels the need to add as he nursed on his drink, he can tell from that board this ‘bonding’ session will be headache inducing. Maybe Alastor knew it too and chose to hide away, lucky bastard.
“That's…” Charlie trails off, alright, she never quite considered that nor did she like the implications there, sure, Alastor was who brought Husk and Niffty, but surely he wouldn't actually take them away, they could make their own choices, could they not? But again, this is Alastor, who knows why he does things?
A fact that was strengthened after all that thing with Vox. She still had no idea why he let himself be caught or why he did what he did as a whole. It felt like he did it for a reason other than to mess with Vox, but he hadn't shared a single detail with her.
“King Roach said he won't join.” Niffty exclaims suddenly, momentarily distracted away from where she was petting Fat Nuggets. Her words getting her every eye in the room.
“When did he say that?” Charlie asks, confused, he would usually let Charlie know if he wasn't planning on joining, sure, he never participated, but at least he would sit in a corner all creepily more often than not, something was something.
“This morning after I brought him breakfast.”
That's… alright.
“He hasn't left his room all day? It's like 7pm.” Vaggie said, both judgemental and irritated, sure, she could care less whether he joined or not, but Charlie liked having him in their activities for whatever reason. Even more so since she had been all over him since he came back, Vaggie wouldn't be surprised if he was avoiding Charlie's repetitive questions about if he was alright, if anything hurt, or just apologizing.
“I’m not sure, I haven't seen him since then.” Lucifer scoffs at Niffty’s words.
“Bullshit. He doesn't get to sneak off.” In all truth Lucifer gave a flying fuck what Bambi did, was happy if he didn't appear at all, but if he didn't want to be here, that meant a great opportunity to fuck with him.
Thus, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers with a shit eating grin, he might not be able to harm sinners, but he can sure as hell summon them if he pleased, opening a portal just high enough to piss the other off, and lo and behold, Bambi dropped right infront of-
What?
For a moment, the room froze, all stares set on the figure that landed on his backside with a grunt, figure which was also momentarily frozen in place. The figure of a young man with olive skin, dark, brown curls, deep, brown eyes and black-framed oval-shaped glasses. Wearing a white dress shirt stained in red, dark pants and dress, white and black shoes.
And despite the monumental differences, it's clear who the figure is due the smile etched across his face, less wild and inhuman and more… human. Strained and not quite wide, but there nonetheless.
“Damn, Smiles, which supernatural entity did you piss off to get such a downgrade in death?” Angel Dust blurts out, and that's enough to get the other's expression to shift into something downright wild and vengeful, eyes blazing a toxic green.
“You entitled, abhorrent sac à merde!” Alastor snarls as he jumps to his feet, throwing the book he had been holding, which hits Lucifer straight on the face with a loud smack, snapping the rest of the room out of their stupor, he didn't even hesitate to snatch the fire poker sitting nearby and fucking lunge at Lucifer who's quick to jump back.
“Wait what?! Who-? What?!” Lucifer's 100% sure he meant to summon Alastor, not whoever this puny, angry human was. Though those eyes and those movements… ah, right, sinners had a death day or something that made them human for a brief time lapse.
Although human is a stretch with Bambi considering how much Voodoo magic seems to leak from every pore in his body, yeah, leave it to that guy to be freaky even in life, and shit, that's some magic he's got there, it's been a while since he's seen a human soul with that amount of admittedly impressive talent.
He dodges a fire poker to the face, taking flight as green glowing tentacles lash towards him, slamming into the wall with vengeance, the other jumping on the couch and almost managing to grab his leg.
“Jeez! You sure put to question the human concept.” Lucifer exclaims as he quickly turns around, Alastor's steely stare fixated on him like a predator obsessively fixated on its prey, and even though Lucifer knows he can't hurt him, it's still an admittedly slightly scary face, smile a little too sharp for a human and a stare that sends shivers down his spine.
And yeah, maybe he did mess up there, sure, he likes to tease the guy, but even he knows this is a delicate subject for sinners, but how was he supposed to know that today was Bambi's death day? Heck, he even forgot more often than not that the creepy guy was once a human!
“Wait! Wait, Alastor. Let's all take a breath, alright? Fighting is not the answer.” Charlie's quick to interject as she hurries over to stand between her father and… Alastor's very human appearance. He's got blood on his shirt but since he looks completely unbothered about that she chooses to ignore it.
He stares down at her from where he still stands on the couch next to a Husk that's leaning as far from him as possible with an unnerved expression.
“Please?” Charlie adds, nervous but determined as she holds her hand out, a silent request for him to hand the fire poker over, which he does end up handing back to her with a rather displeased look, the green glow from his eyes fading away. She puts the fire poker away before giving him a guilty look.
“I am very sorry about this, Alastor, we didn't -”
“That's alright my dear, you can't possibly be held responsible for your father's poor behavior.” He states, throwing the other a mocking, somewhat venomous look, and he sure sounds odd without the radio filter. Albeit he can still pull an admittedly unnerving presence as he steps off the couch, fixing his glasses with a bored look.
“My poor behavior?! You are the one with shit behavior!” Lucifer snaps as he reappears before the other, pointing down at him as he stands on the armrest. Alastor grins, tilting his head to the side and eyes narrowing deviously as he looks up at him.
“What's the matter, your shortness? Need to step up to make a tantrum?” He questions, mockery dripping from every syllable, prompting Lucifer to violently snatch him by the neck of his shirt, eyes blazing.
“Just so you know, you are currently not a sinner, I can beat you up if I want.” Lucifer warns sharply, to which Alastor only snickers.
“Sensitive much?”
“That's enough!” Charlie interrupts as she stands next to them, arms crossed over her chest with a disapproving look. “Dad, let Alastor go, you are not to lay your hands on him, I won't condone violence inside my hotel nor among the people I care about.”
Lucifer makes a face before releasing the other. Alastor fixes the neck of his shirt with a smirk, although he admits it is unsettling to be so exposed, and apparently able to be killed off by the short stack over there. Not a comfortable thought.
He will get back at him later for throwing him here, he had been just fine hiding at Rosie's, was bad enough he had forgotten his own death day and had to travel to Cannibal Town through a cheap glamour, risking his own skin while walking among sinners who wouldn't hesitate to tear him apart while he was most vulnerable.
Now he's stuck in this damned hotel while at his weakest, sure, he was in no danger here, Charlie would never allow harm to come to him, she was just that disgustingly nice, but he didn't like it, these days weren't great, and while his relationship with Rosie was currently a bit strained and uncomfortable, he would choose her over anyone else during these times, especially during these times.
And this was gonna get even worse in… he threw a side glance at the clock on the wall.
7:48.
Not good. He had to get out of here, now.
“Well, as fun as this has been, I will be taking my leave now.” He states, he didn't have the time to get back to Rosie's house, so that left him with his room, at least it was soundproof, a good addition Lucifer installed when reconstructing the hotel, not that he would ever admit it out loud.
Yet, as he turns around, Charlie stands before him.
“If you need anything-”
“I won't, I assure you.” He cuts off hastily, smile a little too tight. He doesn't have time for this.
“Let him go Charlie, don't waste your kindness on good for nothing ingrates.” Alastor is above responding to teasing, but he's not been in a good mood, all he did to free himself, all the humiliation he put himself through, it had been for nothing, in the end the stupid leash was still there, the only good thing that came out of it was that Rosie had ended up fixing his staff.
Even if late, he was still on edge and not in a mood to be trifled with, this situation was just, as youngsters would say, the cherry on top of the shitcake.
So he blames his next actions on his less than stellar mood. As he just turns around and shoves Lucifer off the armrest with his magic, harsh enough to send him crashing into a wall. Lucifer lands with a hiss as his hand flies to clutch his side, his injuries not quite healed completely just yet.
“Alastor!” Charlie snaps angrily, which he ignores as he turns around to leave, he needs to leave. Now. But he's stopped as the floor disappears once again underneath him, this time he's prepared enough to yank Husk’s chain maybe a little more violent than intended, but human bodies are so fucking frail, he crashes on top of the ex-Overlord rather than the floor. Charlie spins to glare at her father this time. “Dad!”
“He started it!” Lucifer defends.
“Hey! Don't drag me into your bullshit!” Husk snaps as Alastor steps away, as if he didn't just fucking use him as a landing zone. He stood up, rubbing his head with a scowl, flinching when Alastor threw him a glare, if looks could kill. The guy's been way much more hostile since that whole thing with Vox.
Which he guesses makes sense all things considered.
“Alright, that's enough.” Vaggie exclaims as she stands up, she points at Lucifer who’s standing next to Charlie with a pout. “You, respectfully, stop egging him on.” She orders, she then turns to Alastor. “And you, go to your room or whatever, you can keep trying to bite more than you can chew later, on your own, don't drag others into it.” He regards her with a glare, which Vaggie doesn't look away from.
Alastor’s eyes narrow before he turns his back on them, he doesn't need her to order him, he was already planning on going to his room anyways. Still, all he gets is a few steps into the hallway, away from the library, before he stops abruptly and tenses, a shiver running down his spine and his heart skipping a beat, he knows this feeling, rustling, clinking.
Shit.
He feels it before he hears it.
An explosion burst through his head as a gunshot echoes in the distance, the world shifts beneath his feet with enough violence to send him crashing to the ground, ears ringing and every corner in his body screaming, vision swimming violently as a fog obliterates everything. The reek and taste of metal overtaking his senses, he can't move, can't focus, can't breathe, heart racing and world quickly fading away.
Yet, he's still aware enough to hear the echoes of barks in the distance, muddled echoes, sharp teeth tearing through skin, but he can't do anything about it as he chokes on his own blood, as awareness rapidly slips away, like water slipping through his fingers.
And then the world goes black.
~
“What do we do?” Charlie asks as she kneels next to Alastor's unmoving form on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding him, with a hole right on his forehead and skin torn apart in several places, definitely animal marks. At least his death had been quick.
A gunshot to the head and probably animals finishing him off. That didn't sound like a comforting mix, had he been murdered?
She hadn't been prepared to see him on the floor when she heard the crash in the hallway. She thought he had broken something out of pettiness, even if it was out of character, turns out it was something completely different.
“Get him back to his room, I sure wouldn't want to be seen like that.” Angel states, uncomfortable and unsettled, because that's basically Alastor's corpse in the middle of the hallway, and they had a window of just 3 to 2 minutes before shit got even worse.
“How do you suppose we do that without touching him?” Husk questions, touching a sinner in this state was both suicidal and just not recommended, their soul was unstable and they could either lash out or go insane. Husk does not want to know what Alastor going insane would be like nor who the fuck would even be able to take him down.
“He's right, we can't touch him.” Cherri exclaims, eyeing the Radio Demon’s corpse, such a weird concept that this guy was one of Hell’s most terrifying demons.
“But I don't want to leave him here.” Charlie said, lost on what to even do.
“We should leave, or like, can't you make a portal and throw him back in his room or something?” Vaggie says, turning to look at Lucifer, she just knows Alastor wouldn't take well to being seen like this and she really doesn't want to deal with whatever tantrum he chooses to throw.
“No, I… I can't do that. They are not to be touched when they are like that, if my magic touches him it could harm him and I can't hurt sinners. Remember?” Lucifer feels the need to remind, shifting uncomfortably by the doorframe, he really didn't mean to do that, had he known what day was today for Bambi he wouldn't have bothered him, and maybe he shouldn't have kept him from leaving or egging him on.
Sure, he doesn't like him, but Charlie does, for whatever reason, he would rather keep her happy, even if that means having to put up with that arrogant asshole.
“But he's human right now.”
“Not anymore, kind of, sinners aren't really humans during their death day, but it's more complicated after they, well, die, bottom line, I can't touch him.”
“Alright, uh, just…” Charlie trails off before nervously circling the body, bending down to grab the rug. He was laying on the rug, they could try to drag the rug somewhere else, maybe the library. “Maybe we can put him in the library, that way no one will be able to see him, right?”
“He's gonna destroy everything.” Angel Dust feels the need to remind, he doesn't read much, but even he knows the library doesn't deserve to have Alastor thrown into it right now, the transformation back to demon was not a pretty one, it was bloody, messy and blinding, hardly letting you think straight or remember your own name. Alastor's left quite clear his demon form could be altered into a much bigger size, Angel doesn't even want to know how much he might break off the hotel.
“We can fix that later.” Charlie states as she pulls the rug, everyone stepping out of the way as she did, she leaves him inside the library, snatching the radio there before quickly walking out, slamming the door shut behind her. “There, that should be fine.” It's the best she could do with the time limit. Alastor would have to accept that. “Now everyone, let's head back to the lobby.”
Not that that would help much since this place wasn't soundproof, but it might help muffling most of it. She's quick to usher everyone, grabbing her dad's arm and dragging him along, just in case he got any funny ideas. Although she left Niffty to clean the blood off the ground, not without warning her off entering the library, she trusted Alastor wouldn't be that mad if it was Niffty near him.
Hopefully.
However, it takes nothing but a few minutes before a guttural, haunting elk-like shrill echoes throughout the entire hotel, reverberating through the walls and bouncing off corners like a cacophony of horrifying screeches, horrible, damned wails and anguished cries, overlapping each other and echoing down the halls. Turning their blood to ice and making their hairs stand on end.
There was something else in there, something predatory and hushed underneath it all, like an alluring, near hypnotic whistle inviting you to come closer.
“What the hell?” Baxter whispers, mortified, what the hell was that?
The sound of a door breaking made everyone tense, Husk wisely jumped over the bar, yanking Angel and Niffty who were at the bar, before cursing as he realized that there was no way they could get upstairs without coming across whatever the fuck Alastor was on. And he's not in any way, shape or form about to try that.
“We gotta get out of here, now.” Husk calls out, stressed, heart racing and cursing the fact alone that Lucifer had to drag Alastor here, maybe the guy would have stayed in his room if he had been left alone.
“There's no need for alarm, I can make us invisible in all but noise, so, uh, try to be quiet.” Lucifer exclaims as he snaps his fingers, turning everyone in the room, in fact, invisible.
“What the-?” Husk smacks his hand over Angel’s mouth, ear twitching as he hears a noise.
And the room tenses as approaching steps come within earshot, heavy, yet whispering, as if purposely letting himself be heard. And soon enough, it's not just the steps, but soon, the lobby is engulfed in an intoxicating, near asphyxiating reek of rotten meat, burning through their lungs and making their stomach flip violently.
“That’s some nasty ass-” Vaggie slammed her hand against Lucifer's mouth just in time for something to emerge from the hall, a giant, humanoid creature with limbs a little too thin and a little too elongated, almost disproportionate in size and shape, lights flickering above as the radio nearby began screeching, a shriveled radio feedback rippling through the air violently and loudly, making everyone flinch inwardly.
The creature’s flesh was ashen grey and split apart as bones flash underneath the flickering lights, head of something akind to an elk or a deer’s skull, but much more monstrous and deformed, with a red, glowing ‘X’ on the forehead, row of sharp teeth and hollow eyes, a red glow burning from within. Antlers several sizes their usual size, almost scratching the ceiling above as the creature, Alastor, turned its, his head upwards.
The massive, pawlike hands that ended in sharp, crimson claws and the hooves like legs move with a bloodcurdling stealth, not even the whispers of his footsteps could be heard, the fact that he's covered in blood, green stitches and peeling, hanging flesh doesn't help one bit, neither does how his very presence seems to cast shadows over every corner in the room, a chill rippling through the air.
Lucifer made them invisible, yet, the very way he moves feels like he can perfectly see them, eyes burrowing straight into the closest person, Vaggie, head twisting sideways, bones cracking and jaw unhinging past anything remotely possible.
And Vaggie barely has any time to jump away, yanking Charlie and Lucifer along as Alastor fucking pounces at the couch, jaws lodging around it before he's throwing it across the room, couch hitting the wall with a resounding crash, that same elk-like howl reverberating through the walls, loud and deafening beyond words, the heavy, near suffocating sense of run obliterating the air as the lights burst, engulfing everything in an unnatural darkness.
“You said he couldn't see us! He totally saw us!” Vaggie shouts as she jumps over the bar, hiding behind it where Husk, Cherri, Angel, Niffty and Baxter somehow got to at one point. Talk about moving fast.
“He shouldn't be able to see us.” Lucifer whispers, mortified, what the hell just happened? Sure, Bambi was fucking creepy, but he's never seen a Sinner that could shapeshift into something so eerily disturbing let alone be able to see through his invisible disguises.
“Well, he did, and how are we gonna get the fuck out of here now?” Vaggie snaps, wincing as she hears furniture being thrown around, glass shattering and wood splintering, harsh stomping and earsplitting shifts in the radio’s static, like a broken microphone, shredded radio frequencies and bloodcurdling screams.
And she had no idea which was worse, that, or when all of a sudden, it all grew deadly quiet, so quiet it felt much more deafening than all the noise he had been making. As everything seemed to grow impossibly dark. The air growing cold past anything remotely reasonable, ice seeping through their skin.
And then that godforsaken, admittedly nerve-wracking whistle rippled through the air, alluring, hypnotic, inviting you to come closer. Warm. Comforting. Home.
“Charlie.” Lucifer and Charlie froze, that voice, that soft, welcoming voice, was that-? “Charlie, sweetie, where are you?” The voice came again, unmistakable, familiar.
“Mom-?” Charlie calls, voice trembling, but she was stopped as Vaggie latches her arms around her as she yanks her back down, covering her mouth, heart racing and eye wide, she had no idea what was happening but every instinct within her was screaming uncontrollably, danger. Danger. DANGER. RUN. HIDE. GET AWAY.
Their hearts drop for a second as a giant shadow casts above them, the elk-like wails deafening and haunting, closer than ever and terrifying, as all eyes look up, there he looms, a vastness of impossible darkness and blood, rows of sharp teeth and hollow eyes staring straight into their souls, red glowing from within, infinite and hypnotic in a way that's downright impossible to look away from. To even move or try to run from. Even as his jaw unhinges in that surreal way past anything remotely normal.
Yet, he stops, jaw clicking shut and ears perking up, as if listening to something no one else could as he leans back, and right infront of their eyes, they watch, shocked and bewildered, how a golden chain materializes around his neck. A chain that could only mean one thing and one thing only. Which made no sense at all.
Because this is Alastor they are talking about, the Radio Demon who listened to no one and did as he pleased whenever he pleased, who could possibly own one of the most terrifying Overlords in Hell? Why would anyone possibly own him? What would lead him of all people to sell his soul?
The group flinches when the door from the entrance opens, and they watch, with ice in their veins, as the chain is visibly tugged, although not violently, it's still harsh enough to force him off the bar on his own, there's a hiss, like nails scratching a chalkboard and a harsh stomp followed by a chilling growl. Yeah, he's definitely not happy.
“Now, now my dear, that's not a very nice behavior to show a lady, is it?” It takes Charlie a moment, but she recognizes the voice, and she jumps to her feet within the second, for a moment forgetting the issue at hand.
“Rosie?!” She can't help but shout, surprised and confused as she watches the Cannibal Overlord stand at the doorframe, with the very humongous Alastor standing infront of the bar with his back to it, stance aggressive yet unmoving, stare fixated on Rosie. Chain still glowing, connecting him to Rosie who twists it in her grip when he turns back to Charlie, being yanked away before he can think about attacking her. Rosie owns Alastor's soul.
Charlie has no idea what to think of that, last she checked those two were friends, she's never seen someone treat a soul they owned so… as nice as Rosie treated Alastor. And what even led to that? When? How? It didn't make sense, Rosie was one of the nicest people she knew, but again, she was an Overlord, and a Cannibal, but she had been so nice to Alastor.
That wasn't a relationship between an owner and its… soul? What did she see the souls she owned as? A toy to exploit like Valentino? No, Rosie was too kind for that. A tool to use like Alastor himself then? No, she had seemed to treat him too… not fitting for a soul she owned. It didn't make any sense whatsoever.
“Hello darling, I hope everyone is alright, yes? I apologize, I did not notice he was gone until later.” Rosie said, all sweet smiles and warm voice as the others began rising from behind the bar, some still shaking over the fact that they almost fucking died.
And that woman spoke totally normal, as if she didn't have an eldritch thing out of nightmares prowling towards her with the very pose of a predator about to strike.
The Cannibal Overlord actually owns the Radio Demon.
Sure, Husk had known Alastor was on a leash, he had been able to feel it when Alastor first won his soul. But he never even considered it would be Rosie, the Cannibal Overlord who seemed to be one of the few people who Alastor seemed to genuinely like.
“We are okay, and, uh, it wasn't his fault, he was with you, right? Dad uh, sort of teleported him here. We didn't know it was his death day, I would have made sure no one bothered him if I had known. I-”
“That's quite alright dear. I was wondering what would possess him to leave Cannibal Town. But no harm done, everybody’s alright.” Rosie assures, turning to look up at Alastor who was now towering over her, she arches an eyebrow, unimpressed, as if she totally didn't have an eldritch monstrosity one second away from eating her like a tic tac. “You better think twice before you do whatever you are about to do, I haven't yet forgotten your latest stunt, you are still on thin ice, so, back off before I make you.”
She orders, voice stern, irritated as he keeps glaring her down, so rude. She knows it's not his fault, but it's still rude.
And when he doesn't listen, has the nerve to growl, ears pinning back as the shadows around her draw closer, she glares right back, twisting the chain in her hold harshly, just enough to send a message.
She might like to tease him, but she doesn't like hurting him. Even less using this chain to puppet him unless strictly necessary. Which is now the case. Cannibals were a different flavor of unpredictability during their death’s day, it's why Alastor was supposed to be with her. As the Cannibal Overlord it was her job to look after her people during these days if necessary.
Alastor was the most problematic of all, if not handled properly, he could wreck a lot of havoc, as shown during his first death day, hundreds ended up dead and scattered all over the city. Blood and entrails everywhere. Eviscerated or just completely gone.
Still… the twist is enough to at least get him to stop growling, taking a step back from her and head turning away, ears laying flat against his head. Body shifting completely into a less aggressive stance.
Good. At least he wasn't all instincts.
Her little display made everyone's jaws drop momentarily.
“What the hell was that? How did he -? I mean, he was calling Charlie, with her mother's voice.” Vaggie said, giving Alastor a suspicious look, because what the hell had been that? How could he-? How?
“There’s no better hunter than that which can lure its prey by mimicking the voices of those they love.” Rosie gives as explanation, she almost looks proud. What the hell? He could mimic voices? Since when?
“No offense Miss, but how did you get him to sell his soul to you?” Angel Dust asks out of nowhere, no shame or fear whatsoever as he climbs over the bar, now with the assurance that Alastor wouldn't tear them all to pieces as long as the other Overlord was there. And holy shit, the guy actually sold his soul, what the hell for?
Rosie startles for a moment, as if not expecting such straightforwardness, this before chuckling in amusement.
“Well, I’m afraid it's a rather boring and anticlimactic answer. He reached out to me while he was still human.”
“You made a deal with a human?” Vaggie can't help but blurt out, caught off guard, Rosie shrugs.
“What? Like it's rare? Tons of humans love summoning all sorts of demons for all sorts of things. He was one of those, a rather interesting character he was, no fear, no hesitation, a soul unlike any I have seen before.”
She had known from the moment she heard him that he would be the one. An opportunity she would eternally regret not snatching while she could.
“What did he want?” Lucifer asks, suspicious, a demon owning human souls was one thing, but an Overlord? Most were too proud to waste their time with humans, so why did she answer to one?
Rosie hums, as if considering whether to answer or not. And then.
“Well, he knew what waited for someone like him in the afterlife, he wanted to, as you would say, make preparations for his arrival, secure himself amongst the highest demons. I agreed of course, it was a request like nothing I have heard before and he showed a lot of promise.”
And she wasn't wrong, he climbed into power at a speed not even she could have predicted, he was a natural at this whole thing. Unusually so.
“He was mine long before he died, which isn't much considering he got himself killed the next day in the most anticlimactic and funniest way possible.” She says, snickering to herself, as if reminiscing about the most hilarious thing ever rather than someone's death.
Funny and anticlimactic she said. A shot to the head and being mauled didn't seem hilarious nor anticlimactic. Like, at all.
“That’s why he's been more powerful than average since day one.” Lucifer realizes out loud. A human making a deal with an Overlord, seemingly for power, a human who had already had some serious magic within. He doesn't care much about sinners nor whatever has to do with them.
But ever since he's been more active he's overheard the whispers and rumors, about Bambi's rise into power, about the random sinner who appeared out of nowhere, targeting powerful Overlords and harnessing a power never seen in a mortal soul before.
Turns out it was all an Overlord’s doing, mix the correct ingredients and from it something above average might turn up, humans who had such a strong connection with magic weren't normal, meant there might have been some supernatural component somewhere in their bloodline at some point. Granting Alastor the gift to harness strong magic even as a human, strong enough to pull an Overlord over rather than a regular demon.
Once he became a demon, and with that kind of deal, it was bound to give him some insane power.
And of course she hadn't wasted the chance to put him on a leash. Smart. She said his soul had been unique, made him wonder what she meant with that, did she mean him being able to do magic of such level? Or was there something else? Alastor did have certain oddities. Like the fact that he could actually change his own size and change his appearance so effortlessly.
Although how can an Overlord grant the kind of power Bambi had? How powerful would that make her then? Sinners shouldn't be able to make other sinners so powerful to begin with, regardless of her power she shouldn't be able to make anyone any more powerful than she was herself, something wasn't adding up there.
Yet, Rosie just smirks.
“Of course, although I must admit I didn't expect him to rise into power as quickly as he did, I underestimated his resolution. But he's been lovely, a little defiant lately, but lovely otherwise.” Her smile is as disturbing as Alastor's, skin crawling as she reaches over to pet him, and he doesn't even twitch. And what the hell does she mean by that? The guy spent the last few days kidnapped by Vox, when did he have time to turn on her?
“And what did you want in return?” Vaggie dares to ask, not sure what someone would want from the Radio Demon, and suddenly the Cannibal Overlord felt twice as terrifying than Alastor himself. If that fucking walking nightmare is on a leash, how dangerous and powerful is the one holding the other end?
Rosie just hums, smirking.
“That's for me and him to know.”
Suddenly, Alastor tenses, shrinking in on himself before a shadow with green ripples engulf him, the same elk-like shrill reverberating through the air, radio screeching impossibly loud, making everyone cover their ears before it stops abruptly, shadows disappearing completely altogether.
And where the humanoid, humongous Alastor had been, now laid his usual self, flat on his face and unmoving, his antlers still a little bigger than usual and ears twitching stiffly all over the place, more like shaking. Even the stagnant reek in the air disappeared completely altogether.
“I knew Vox lied!” Angel blurts out of nowhere with a triumphant grin, pointing at the half lifted red and black deer tail, which could very much be seen since Alastor was only wearing very destroyed pants.
Any other time Angel would have pulled his phone out and taken a picture, yet, if it were him, he would eviscerate whoever took a picture of him during his death day, doing the same to Smiles would be not just hypocritical but also shitty.
He could tease him about that cute little tail later. Even if just once and risking death. But it would be fucking worth it.
Rosie kneels next to Alastor who's taken to gripping his hair, gunshot to the head had to be giving him the mother of all headaches and migraines.
“Do you need help taking him to his room?” Charlie asks, now that it was safe to touch him, plus, she feels like Alastor would be way more comfortable away from all eyes right now. Yet, Rosie shakes her head.
“He won't stand up now.”
“Why not?”
“It makes the headache a whole lot worse. Last time I tried to make him get up he tried to bite me. So rude.” She said with an affronted look, as if him being rude was more insulting than the fact that he tried to bite her.
“That makes sense, I think… but we can't leave him there, that's not comfortable and he's still got tomorrow to deal with.” Charlie exclaims, she knows how bad standing up with a headache can be, she doesn't want to imagine how it might be for him. But she can't leave him in the middle of the lobby either! That's just not right, he should be somewhere comfortable and away from any potential threats.
“I can grab Bambi there.” Lucifer ends up offering with a sigh, not liking the idea of it, but it would help Charlie, might make amends since it's his fault Alastor was here in the first place and it would be amusing to remind him later on that he helped him.
“I don't think that's a good idea, Your Majesty.”
“Why? He can't hurt me.”
“Doesn't mean he can't get any less volatile if you push him too much.”
“Maybe we can get him to the couch, he can lay down and it would be easier to get him to his room.” Charlie quickly suggests, dragging the couch as close as she possibly could.
Rosie arches an eyebrow.
“That's smart. We can do that.”
“Alright-”
“Not yet.” Rosie's quick to hold her hand out before Lucifer could get closer. “Wait until his ears are less twitchy, otherwise… well, let's just give him a moment.” She would rather not set him off, he often gets spooked during this stage since he can't hear nor think straight, at least that's what he once told her, he will bite and scratch at whoever touches him, or worse.
And while Lucifer might not be harmed, she would rather not put Alastor through that, their relationship was still a bit… tense after the events from the past few days. And she was still a bit mad at the nerve he had to attempt to break their deal, but that doesn't mean she won't protect him in his current condition.
“Oh, alright.” Lucifer nods awkwardly, and since they aren't entirely sure on what else to do, everyone starts clearing the broken stuff away while Rosie just sits by Alastor's side.
Some threw looks at them from time to time, it was odd to see Alastor so subdued, seems like even he had it bad during his death day. The radio was still spouting static and the shadows still seemed to shift amongst the corners, as if something were lurking in them.
Meanwhile, Rosie watches Alastor's ears, waiting for them to stop twitching all over the place and signal that he wouldn't attempt to pounce or lash out if she touched him. It took a while, longer than usual, she guessed it must have been his little slip towards the residents, it took longer for him to settle his mind if he got to hunt in the previous state.
Yet, once his ears stop twitching as much and just drop, still shaking slightly and pressing flat against his head, tail also dropping and hands clutching his head tighter, she reaches over, stroking his hair for a moment, just to test the waters. He groans, well, that was as good of a sign as he would give right now.
“Alastor, dear, I need you to sit up for a moment.” She says, she knows he will not like having such a wide public witnessing his current… deplorable state. However, he just turns his head, tail flicking harshly.
“Non.” Comes the muffled, small retort.
“You are on the floor, I hardly believe that's gonna help you in any way.” She tries.
“Leave me alone.” He snaps back, ears pinning back and antlers shifting, growing just enough to make her withdraw her hand from his hair, although he himself reaches out to snatch her arm in his grip before she can completely move it away, contradicting his own words, she frowns, gaze wandering towards the shadows that bend and curl around the walls, rolling through the floor and spreading like spilt ink across the rug.
Her gaze falls back on Alastor, ears stiff and pinned back, body tense, antlers shifting in size repeatedly, his grip on her tight. Oh, so this was gonna be one of those.
“Is he… uh, is he alright?” Angel Dust asks, nervous as he glances at the shadows shifting all over the place, radio static whistling and glitching in between frequencies.
“Oh, he's fine.” Rosie waves dismissively. “He just gets a little out of balance sometimes and can't quite seem to focus on his powers, might disappear through shadows unprompted, it's such a hassle to keep track of someone who teleports through shadows.” She sighs, a hand on her cheek.
“Couldn't you, you know, just yank him back?” Husk wonders out loud, it was an interesting mental picture, entertaining even, of Alastor being yanked around like a dog by someone else, great karma. Yet, Rosie shakes her head.
“Once he's halfway within the shadows it's hard to force him out without risking damage. Last time I tried it almost tore him apart.” She states, pointing at the crisscross scar across his back, he had ended up halfway across the Pentagram and going on a rampage.
The others winced.
“It's fine, as long as he has an anchor to ground him he won't be going anywhere.” Rosie assures.
It takes a while before the shadows withdraw and his antlers go back to their usual size. Another moment before he releases Rosie, just then does she nod at Lucifer who draws closer.
“Alastor, would you sit up now?” He gives her a miserable groan in return. “I know, but trust me, this is no place to stay.” He groans again.
He sounds positively petulant, Rosie ignores him, pulling on his arm to make a point. He shifts, seems to struggle for a moment before finally managing to sit up, legs crossed and head dropped as he curls in on himself, fingers digging into his hair and ears pressing against his skull impossibly tighter, another groan leaving him.
“Je me sens comme de la merde.” Comes the gracious mumble as she grabs his wrists, carefully pulling his hands off his hair.
“I know darling, but you can't lay in the middle of the lobby.” She exclaims as she stands up, letting Lucifer take her place, he hesitates for a moment before kneeling infront of Alastor, it's admittedly off-putting to see him so… off. To the way his ears display how he truly feels right now to the way his breathing seems to tremble.
He glances at the others, which have put a good deal of distance between them, Rosie giving him a thumbs up with a smile a little too sharp. He swallows, Alastor can't hurt him, but he still feels nervous as he turns back to him and reaches over to grab his arms, making a point at avoiding the places he had seen the bite marks on. The resistance the other puts at first isn't surprising, however, he's far stronger than a sinner.
Thus, he pulls him up, shoving him back onto the couch before the other can lash out. Yet, he was so busy worrying about his teeth, antlers and claws he was not prepared for the hooves that slammed straight into his stomach with merciless vengeance, sending him flying across the room and almost crashing into a wall had he not caught himself on time. Holding his stomach despite all with a curse.
“Son of a- fuck.” Lucifer wheezed, coughing and almost dropping on his knees had it not been for the arms that caught him.
“Dad!” Charlie was next to him, holding him with a concerned look. “You alright?” He waves her off.
“Just peachy.” He assures with a thumbs up and a smile that's more of a grimace, he's 90% sure several of his injuries might have re-opened.
“Told you it wasn't a good idea.” Rosie states as she walks over to the couch where Alastor now laid, curled in on himself and clutching his head, glitched static rippling through the air.
“Aren’t deer like, real good at kicking?” Angel wonders out loud, Lucifer gives him a look of betrayal.
“You tell me that now?”
“Well, I didn't think Smiles had it in him, I have never seen him kick someone before.” Angel said, snickering at the king’s glare. Mental note to never let Alastor kick him. Speaking of… the Radio Demon was all curled on the couch, his back to them, Rosie was sitting on the armrest stroking his hair, for someone who claims to hate touch it's surreal how quickly the static dies down and how he even stops shaking. Even that cute little tail wiggles momentarily.
And Angel is so not letting him forget about that cute little thing now that he knows he has one. How the hell did Vox not see it? Did the guy shove it in his pants or did Vox just lie or didn't bother to check?
“Well, let's get him to his room now.” Charlie exclaims, which is how it all comes down to Lucifer opening a portal to Alastor's room while half of them drag the couch through it.
“Of course he's got a whole ass bayou in here.” Husk deadpans as he catches sight of the thing taking half of the room, and seemingly going on forever in a way the room certainly did not.
“Thank you, I got it from here.” Rosie says, to which Charlie smiles.
“It's no problem. If you need anything, feel free to ask, and if you need any help with him, I can gladly offer it.”
“Oh, thanks darling, but that won't be necessary.” Rosie assures.
“Alright… also, I am so sorry about this whole thing. We didn't know-”
“It's alright my dear, as long as I’m here he won't be a bother, I promise you that much.” Rosie cuts off, voice assuring. And she said that so easily, as if controlling the Radio Demon was a walk in the park. It gave her an eerie kind of presence.
“Alright, uh, he won't like, hurt you, right? Or like, you won't…” Charlie trails off, uncomfortable, she's known Rosie long enough to want to believe that she's kind, but she's also an Overlord, and she owns Alastor's soul, people aren't kind to the souls they own, she's had that clear long ago. The action alone of owning someone was flat out wrong.
Rosie chuckles.
“Oh, Charlie, you have nothing to worry about, he won't lay a hand on me nor will I lay a hand on him, I have never laid a hand on him nor could I see myself doing so, even if he's been incredibly testy lately.” The best way to keep someone like Alastor loyal, at ease and in line was through kindness and friendliness, he wouldn't respond well to being hit around, humiliated nor toyed with.
A reminder she got after she refused to fix his staff. Although she doesn't regret it. He was way out of line for thinking he could demand things of her or try to manipulate her. He was lucky all she did was remind him who was in charge and tease him a bit. She's killed others for less.
Charlie still seems hesitant, but at least she nods, once everyone leaves, Rosie turns to him, staring at him for a moment before sighing.
“You can be so problematic sometimes.” She states at last, materializing a blanket and draping it over him.
This should remind him why he should be grateful she was the one who owned his soul.
~
“I still can't believe she owns his soul, like, I thought for sure those two were fucking or something.” Angel states as he sits at the bar, still processing the whole thing, Alastor had been all over the Cannibal Overlord when she had stayed here before the battle with the angels. They had looked way too close, like friends or something. Not a fucking pet and owner.
And shit was that bastard smart even in life, to make a deal for power, to basically secure himself as something above average.
“And what the hell did she mean by him being defiant and testy lately? Wasn't he like, kidnapped not even two days ago? I thought he liked her.”
“He might like her, doesn't mean he might like the idea of belonging to her.” Husk said, Alastor's far too proud to stand the idea of being under someone else’s thumb, and Husk himself has seen first hand how he gets when his deal is so much as mentioned. The guy hates that leash. Which makes no sense considering how he treats the one holding it.
Husk does wonder how the guy’s gonna react when he learns the hotel now knows he's on a leash. He shudders at the sole idea of it, they were so dead.
“You didn't seem that surprised. You knew already, didn't you?” Vaggie says, making Husk shrug.
“I knew he was on a leash, but I didn't know who was behind it though. Word of advice, don't bring that up, like, at all. The guy's really touchy about that particular subject.” He warns, wincing at the reminder of the last time he mentioned it, he had thought for sure he was gonna die in that hallway.
“But it's not right. I mean, I know Rosie's nice to him, and I know he seems to like her, but it's still wrong, people shouldn't own other people.”
“Princess, trust me, you do not want to talk about that with him, even less now, she said he's been testy, I wouldn't put it past him if he's been trying to break it since his fight with Adam, I’m willing to bet something about that kidnapping and the V’s was supposed to help him with whatever idea he had about breaking it. Meaning he's gotta be real pissed that it didn't work. I sure as hell would.”
Husk sure as hell would attempt to break the stupid leash if whatever was promised to him didn't meet his standards. Having gotten his ass handed out to him by Adam definitely had to have hit a nerve. He's just surprised Rosie hadn't killed Alastor for it. And yeah, he was definitely not jealous, should have fucking met Rosie first, maybe being owned by her would be less stressing than being owned by that fucking psychopath.
“You seriously think he would put up with all that public humiliation just to break that leash?” Vaggie asks, unable to believe that.
“You seriously think he could lose against the V’s? He didn't seem to be fighting all that seriously to me, looked more like he was toying with them until he could sink his claws into what he truly wanted.”
“I gotta admit it, if that's true, that's some commitment right there.” Lucifer said, he would die before he admits that it is a bit impressive if Alastor did all that to break free, and fucking hilarious that he went through all that humiliation for nothing. Hah! Karma as its finest!
Husk for his side just shrugs.