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In some ways, by the time the Hazbin Hotel was in its second year of operations it could be said they were hitting their stride. They hadn't yet redeemed any Sinners, but they had a few hopefuls checked in. The staff – and Angel Dust, who was almost honorary staff by this point, being their first, and for a while only, patron – had worked out most of the kinks in their relationships. Charlie even thought that Angel was well on his way towards his redemption. The relationship that developed between Charlie and Alastor was the most or least surprising, depending on who you asked. They very both very tactile, outgoing individuals with a love of music, dance and showmanship, but they held very different views. The two of them balanced each other out. Alastor reigned in some of Charlie's more overly optimistic outlooks with the occasional cutting reality check, and Charlie had proven to the Radio Demon that redemption might be possible, that maybe souls could better themselves – though he still debated with her over what form redemption would take, as he still didn't think that Heaven would open it's gates to let in a bunch of miscreants after they had already been judged unworthy.
Together, the two made a formidable team.
But after being open for more than a year,some Overlords were starting to take notice of the Hotel which they had previously dismissed it as a joke that wouldn't last long enough to see its first Extermination.
This, much to Alastor's annoyance, was how Vox came to the Hazbin Hotel.
The first time the Television Overlord had dared approach the building, Alastor had materialized in front of him, leaning forward, showing off all his large, sharp teeth, and asking what exactly he thought he was doing there.
Charlie had stepped in at that point. Alastor had defended his actions by explaining that the only reason the cultish bastard would be there would be to attack him, and therefore he was defending both himself and the Hotel from the inevitable collateral damage.
Vox had denied his intention to attack Alastor, and Charlie had calmly explained that unless and until he started something, they couldn't really turn them away, for it would go against the very spirit of the Hotel – and admitted to him in a low voice that it was the same reason she had given to Vaggie for letting him stay when he showed up that fateful day.
At that, Alastor officially lost the argument, but that didn't mean he had to like that, and resolved to watch the waste of space closely.
Charlie took it upon herself to deal with the rival Overlord whenever he showed up to avoid them provoking each other into starting a fight that would not only be detrimental to themselves, but also devastate everything around them – Charlie remembered the previous clashes these two had had in the past.
This, of course, did nothing to help Alastor's feelings on the situation. He'd taken to watching their interactions – so he could quickly intercede when the simpleton turned on the demon princess – gritting his teeth through his smile every time Charlie would smile at the television headed Overlord, or laughed at something he said or.... basically any part of their interactions. It irked him that he was behaving as the Vaggie in this situation. Honestly, he was rather sure he would rather try to behave civilly to the glorified Idiot Box.
And it was only made worse when the popinjay tried to subsume some of his role. Offering advertisement spots on his picture show boxes.
“I understand you don't like him, but you know we'll be able to reach more people. Even you came to the Hotel because you saw our interview about it on the television.”
One day, while Charlie was on the couch in the Lobby speaking with the Overlord, Vaggie took a seat beside him at eh bar, wearing an amused smirk. “Not so amusing on the other side, huh?”
Alastor's gaze snapped to the other Sinner with a glare before returning to watching his partner and rival. “I always understood your mistrust in me – part of the amusement was your perfectly reasonable concerns, and knowing that I had no plans in that vein.”
“Well, she got through to you. If anyone can change someone's mind to her side, it's Charlie”
At that Alastor's eyes narrowed in offense. “I may be a proud ruthless killer, but I have always had some morals! Husk, I treat those under me well.”
The cat demon grumbled, “You mean, those souls you own, that you pull into whatever bullshit you want, whenever you want with no warning or consulting them on the matter?”
Alastor huffed. “Really Husker! I could be so much worse. Angel Dust, you've been owned by that lowlife's vile associate, you can back me up on Vox's depravity!”
The porn-star shrugged. “Eh, didn't really get to know Vox all that well. It was Val who owned me, and I dealt with regularly. I only really saw Vox when Val was having me work a party he was at, or when Val called me up when Vox was with him. He certainly wasn't gonna be actin' all nice and shit around outsiders, especially people his boyfriend was making fuck him on the side.”
Alastor's eye twitched from both the vulgarity, and the betrayal of everyone being against him on this. “Well I have known him for decades. And I have a moral compass to appeal to – it's quite skewed, yes, but it exists. Vox had no such ethical code.”
“You've also known him as his chief rival. If anyone can get someone to embrace their better nature, it's Charlie.”
Alastor just chuckled halfheartedly. “Dear Vaggie, wouldn't knowing him as a rival allow me to be privy to just what depths he will sink, where there would ever be a line he would not cross?”
Alastor stumbled into his small, inconspicuous abode, clutching his side to hold back the blood seeping through his clawed fingers. It was rather dusty, as it had been quite some time since he had stayed here, and it was going to be a pain having to deal with his injury by himself. He'd gotten used to having people who would care if he was hurt, would help him if that was the case, but going back to the Hotel was... no longer an option.
It had started off as a regular morning. The Radio Demon had been out on one of his usual walks when he sensed an attack and was just barely able to move before he was hit by the electrified cables Vox had sent his way. The deer demon had grinned manically at this. He wasn't on the Hotel grounds, and Vox had clearly attacked first. There was nothing that Charlie could fault him with, and if Vox happened to succumb to his injuries.... well, that would just be such a shame...
The two managed to trade a few blows, before Alastor's eyes widened, seeing a something around Vox's neck that should not be there.
“Oh, you like this,” gesturing to the charm – the protective charm that Alastor had given to Charlie, one that was not just charmed against general harm, but also specifically effective against his own powers, and had been enchanted that only the one who owned it could take.
It had been a birthday present, some time into their friendship, and been a gesture of goodwill. and to help keep her safe from collateral damage in the event that there was a large fight. It wasn't a well-made replica to throw Alastor off, the Radio Demon could feel his magic in it – Charlie had to have given it to him.
The television Overlord had used Alastor's distraction to drive a knife into his side with a ridiculing laugh. The Radio Demon had channeled his hatred and anger into a clawed swipe at the television the fool had for a head – and it was the charm's protection that allow him to keep it. It gave his opponent enough damage though for Alastor to regroup.
He'd need the time to come up with a way around his own through protections... now that Charlie had turned against him.
That. That was the part that hurt the most. And angered him. The Radio Demon didn't let people in, but Charlie, like thief, had slipped past his defenses. Only to give a defense against his powers to his greatest enemy. It made it very clear where she stood. He wanted to eviscerate her.
No.... he wanted to want to erase her. But even knowing g that she must have sided with Vox against him, helped his enemy to try to send him to the void, he couldn't help but feel horror at the thought of driving a knife through her chest. He felt ill at the idea of Charlie's blood staining his hands and he hated it.
Well. Charlie obviously wanted him gone, so being unable to kill her, and unable to slay Vox with her transferred protection, Alastor resigned himself to simply staying here, away from the Hazbin Hotel.
It was a week later that there was angry pounding on his door. Alastor opened it surprised to find Vaggie standing in his doorway, looking up angrily at him. “Have you been here the whole time, asshole?!”
Alastor blinked. After he'd collected himself for the attack, he'd reached out to Husk and Niffty. While he could, of course, just pluck them from where they were and bring them somewhere else whenever he wanted, he could also make such a summons a request, allowing them to decline. While the princess of Hell had betrayed him, it was also possible that wouldn't hold his ownership against his underlings and would not try to harm them. But he had sill been a bit surprised when they brushed off his request as they had. He had kept the escape option open however in case they were threatened as well.
“You just up and disappear after that fight, Charlie has been worried sick – ”
“Oh yes, I'm sure she's quite disappointed I survived,” Alastor shot back mockingly.
“Fuck you! You know Charlie better than that!”
“Perhaps she was not quite part of the attempt on my afterlife. Still, she made her preference clear when she gave my little charm to Vox to keep him safe from me.”
A bit of the heat from Vaggie's glare gave slightly. “You really don't know what she did, do you?” she asked, then pointed to the plume of smoke drifting lazily on the horizon.
Vox was lounging in his chair patting himself on the back. It had been a few days since he and the outdated deer had tussled, and the geezer was still hiding. He couldn't blame him, with his new little charm Alastor was severely handicapped, and Vox could finish him off as he pleased. It made those months playing for the bleeding heart princess worth it.
She'd been wary at first, but she just wanted to believe in everyone so badly, all it took was letting a few less pleasant part of his relationship with Val slip and she was falling for it hook, line and sinker. In someways, maybe Alastor had helped ensure his downfall with more than just crafting this little trinket: he had convinced the princess that even an Overlord could be brought down to be a week little lackey for her.
He could sense the Radio Demon's power in the charm, and with his ability to see and hear through every screen in Hell it had been easy from him to learn what that charm did, and know it was the key to putting that obsolete deer down for good finally – long over due if you asked Vox.
Of course, it had been a bit trickier to actually get it than he had thought. The thing had zapped him as soon as he touched it the first time he'd tried to pickpocket it, but he'd played it off as a tinge from an injury he'd received from Val, and the stupid princes had been thoroughly distracted, and more sympathetic to him, letting down her guard even more.
It had been fun to fuck with Bambi while he was at it too, making him jealous, driving a wedge between the two of them, twisting the knife before finally pulling it through to gut him completely.
Vox had figured out the charm in the end. Blood was a big thing with the Radio Demon's magic. He'd subtly arranged for the princess to cut her hand, and discreetly pocketed the cloth he'd used to help clean it up. He'd used that the next time the opportunity arose to get the charm, and it had worked. A detailed replacement avoided any loose ends.
Now he could finish the fucker off whenever he damn well pleased.
The the door to his office was kicked in, revealing the princess of hell, horns our, eyes red, teeth sharp, flames shifting in her hair behind her. “You.”
“Ah, princess,” Vox said calmly, leaning back in his chair. “is there something I can do for you?” A smug smirk spread across his screen.
In seconds he was sent flying as a well landed punch threw him through a wall and halfway into the next room before he even saw her move.
“You hurt my friend. And you used me to do it.” She'd closed the distance by this point, and grasped her charm still around his neck. “You stole a present he gave me to do it.” She kicked him back by his stomach as she yanked harshly, reclaiming the charm as the cord snapped, singeing his throat where the cord had touched and tossing him against another wall.
Vox was, by this point, freaked out. Where was the peppy cinnamon roll that had looked down cast on the news when Angel fucked up her reveal of her hotel and everyone laughed at her? Who blindly let him waltz around her joke of a hotel? This was what people thought of when they heard 'Princess of Hell' when they first fell.
As she advanced, he pulled his ace of his sleeve, throwing an Angelic Blade he'd picked up from the black market after and Extermination. The knife, capable of erasing immortal Sinners and demon Royalty alike pledged into her shoulder and she hunched over. But Vox's confidence vanished when she raised her head, glaring at him, and pulled the blade out like it was nothing, the metal shimmering under her touch – like it did when angels wielded them during the Cleanse.
“You don't have the Power to Smite me.”
Absolute horror washed over Vox. It was only now occurring to him, that the foolish demon princess was centuries older than even the washed out Radio Demon. That she was descended from an angel. From Lucifer – of course, he knew that – but that it meant she had the blood of the divine, from one of the most powerful angels, who fell and ruled all Hell. That just because she didn't use that power often, it didn't mean she didn't have it.
“You will not hurt my friends ever again.”
Charlie hadn't killed Vox. She had beat him to a pulp, leaving a permanent reminder not to hurt what was hers, and burned down his building.
She didn't like it though. When she'd seen the news of Alastor and Vox's fight, she had seen her charm. The one she had felt guilty for for ever mistaking the fake for – Vaggie had taken it out of here hair one night! She wouldn't have been able to do that if it had been the real charm – and she'd seen the look of surprise and betrayal in Alastor's eyes when he saw it, and figured out what he thought happened – she'd watched the footage enough times.
The only thing she could think of was that she'd gotten so used to Alastor's power lingering around the hotel that she'd stopped consciously noticing it unless there was an unusually large amount. That sounded so terrible when she thought about it – that she's stopped noticing something about her friend. Husk and Niffty had both comforted her, saying hat it was a sign that she felt comfortable and safe enough around him not to have his power setting her on edge. The little cyclops assured Charlie that she had to think about sensing Alastor's energy too, and Husk only did anymore when he'd done something Alastor particularly didn't like and the Radio Demon purposefully used the static to ruffle his fur.
She didn't like that she'd hurt Alastor – however unintentionally. She didn't like the fact she had succumbed to her wrath when she'd confronted Vox – though there was no way she was letting him get away with what he did. She didn't like the fact that she'd felt some satisfaction at the Overlord's fear when he realized that she was serious and could hurt him. Had she set a bad example? But forgiving someone, letting go of hate didn't mean just letting someone hurt you over and over and over again, it wasn't letting people do bad things and get away with no consequences. People didn't learn if they did bad things and faced no repercussions. At worst, she was protecting everyone in the Hotel, and under her care, by providing a deterrent from Vox trying something like this again. If he came to the hotel again, truly looking to change, she wouldn't turn him away – even as angry as she was right now, she knew that she wouldn't if he showed up that minute injured and repentant – but she wouldn't trust him. Not for a long, long time, maybe never. Maybe that was enough.
As she sat there wallowing, the door creaked open. Charlie lifted her head, expecting to see Vaggie or Angel Dust walking in, but instead was Alastor standing in the lobby.
“Al,” she exclaimed and raced over, stopping just out of arms reach, with tears in her eyes. “I am so sorry! I should have noticed Vox switched the charm, and then you never came back, and I didn't want to chase you, because I thought you'd think I was going to try to hurt you and– and–”
She cut off with a sniffle as Alastor placed a hand on her head.
“Did you really give Vox a good trouncing and burn down his self-aggrandizing tower?"
Charlie gave another sniffle and nodded.
“Ha! Well, that ought to teach him not to try that again!” He then continued seriously, “I know you, and I perhaps shouldn't have been so quick to assign you actions so outside your character, it makes far more sense for you to have been tricked by playing on your believe in others capacity for goodness than backstabbing betrayal.” Alastor gave a sigh.. “I suppose I had been... jealous of the time you spent with that miscreant, and that you seemed to be taking more of his suggestions and assistance over mine.”
“Oh, Alastor. I was excited at the idea that another Overlord was interested in the Hotel – it meant we were being taken more seriously – and I wanted to help him with his problems, like I would anyone else who walked in that door. But you can't just swap people out for one another like light bulbs. I never meant to make you feel excluded.”
“I know.”
The Sinner then pulled Charlie into a familiar side hug. “Now! What's been going on here while I've been away?”
As Alastor pulled her farther into the Hotel along side him, a smile slowly but surely crept across Charlie's face.