Chapter Text
Lucifer looks at his daughter with a fair amount of pity, trying not to gag as hardest as he could. The remnants of what once was a sinners body are sprawled out on the pavement. His boot kicks one of the organs, trying to push it out of his line of sight. Not that getting rid of it could get the image out of his head. No, he will remember the disgusting guts for years at least, however long it'll take for his immortal memory to fail.
"Honey," he shifts his gaze to her, "as much as I love your enthusiasm about this-"
"No! Dad," her big eyes were pleading at him, her white shirt stained with sinners red blood and her hands trembling a bit.
"Just... Let's search a bit more? Please?"
How could he say no to that heartbreaking sight?
He reached out to her and pushed one single strand of hair out of her cheek to behind her ear. It was a fleeting touch of comfort for the young girl, but it was still enough to ease some of her worries. At least he hoped that could calm her down. She leaned into his touch and he let his gaze search her eyes for little sparks of time that were mere seconds.
He rubbed his template, "we can walk for few more minutes, mkay?"
She nodded with a strained smile.
"Let's just... get away from here..." He side stepped the bloody remains, moving with grace of a royal despite the grotesque scene, and turning to move further through the pentagram city.
Charlie followed close behind, and unlike him she was curled in on herself.
Hell like always was filled with screams and agony of souls from left and right. No matter where Lucifer looked, his kingdom was filled with bloodthirsty murderers. Every corner of the street had at least someone fighting eachother. Crowds gathering just to witness those fights and people sparing them vile and hating glances as they passed.
A drunken lady was shouting something at another sinner, and he cringed internally just at volume alone.
He tried to avert his gaze from those scenes the best way he could.
His ring was divided into 8 cities, 7 filled with sinners and 1 with imps. Each city being over thousands of miles long with nooks and crannies every way. A solid infinity of land compared to how big earth is. Still the wide space is not nearly enough to compare to the amount of sinners inhabiting the Pride ring. Thousands of years of human history was bound to bring millions of souls into Hell. A place made for specially for the danmed to live in, but as much as Hell is big, it does have it's end.
And so now the number one problem here is overpopulation of sinners.
Only recently when the exterminators started, the Hell's population started dropping significantly. Yet the perishment of thousands of souls is nearly a drop in a bucket in the mass he has to manage.
What was it? Over billion of souls already under his care? He lost count ages ago.
It's no wonder he sees people left and right sleeping, killing, fucking, drinking, gambling, and all other activities, right on the streets for everyone to see. He assumes they have nowhere else to do so. It's almost sad to look at, if it weren't that they earned this afterlife themselves.
"Dad, do you really think they can't be better?" Charlie, unlike him, was looking at all of the people around them with empathy filling her eyes. Her walk was opposite of what she was just a few minutes ago, gloomy and insecure instead of optimistic jog. He tried to bring her some comfort by slowing down to walking beside.
Oh his sweet Charile. She's so strong but so naive sometimes. Questions like these remind him just how young she is to this world, only around 200 years old. She's 20 in human years, combine that with her limited experience and it's no wonder she has the guts to ask something like that.
She believes that exterminations is something that one can prevent, a simple problem just to solve. That whatever the plan she comes up with would be enough to make everything fix itself. That Haven would ever listen to her.
"Charlie..." he searches for the right words, "sinners are not exactly the best of people. Quite the opposite, they're blood thirsty violent murders."
He laughed a little, "I doubt they would want to be better even if they could."
Looking up at her he saw her tearing up at him, and immediately a pin of guilt filled his heart. He reached out to her, ignoring all of the sinners starting at them both. His hand landed on her shoulder while they both stopped on the crimson filled sidewalk.
"B-but, that doesn't mean anything! I'm sure you'll manage to find some good in them."
"How am I supposed to do anything when my father doesn't even believe in me?" She whispered and he felt his heart shatter.
"Hey now, you know that's not true," he searches her hellish red eyes, "If there's anyone who can redeem them it's you. I believe in that."
"Don't ever doubt yourself, okey?"
"How can I?"
"Because you're strong honey, and your dreams only make you all the stronger."
"Okay," she smiled softly.
Proudly she puffed up her chest as she yelled, "I'll do my best to fix hell and redeem sinners!"
"Now there's that confidence I like!"
He dropped his hands from her shoulder and wrapped her up in a hug, throwing her off the ground despite the fact that it looked comically at best with his much shorter height.
She laughed, "Dad, you're embarrassing!"
He pulled away from her.
"Nonsense! I'm being the perfect father by believing in my favourite daughter!"
"I'm your only daughter."
"Doesn't change things! You're still my favourite out of everyone one of you."
"I don't have siblings!"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Dad!"
Lucifer chuckled a bit as he let Charlie gather her thoughts.
He looked out over at the whole wide street of his city and breathed in the polluted air. The place was way too overpacked and overcrowded for either of Morningstar's comfort, but what can one do?
The stares he's been receiving ever since he's just arrived hasn't stopped yet, and he has doubts they will anytime soon. It's normal for him that people stare, after all he's the devil himself. Over thousands of years he lived as the king, it's only natural that people would gwak. Doesn't make it less annoying though.
Cars passed them by as the comforting silence stretched over the two of them.
"I just hope that I can bring good to our people." She gazed at the redden sky
"I'm sure you will, sweetheart." Lucifer turned his attention back to her.
A ringtone startled them both.
"Aw shit sorry dad," Charlie fished out her phone form her pocket, "I forgot that I made plans with Sev for later."
She turned on her heel as she picked up the phone.
Respectively, Lucifer tuned out his daughters conversation. His mind, almost on instinct ventured towards his latest collection of ducks he ordered from Mammon. Oh what an adorable little ray of creatures. If he remembers correctly, each one of them had different poison dispensers installed into them. Why? And why not.
Who wouldn't want a collection of ducks that can kill your whole family?
He started fidgeting with the buttons on his suit, as the usual cane tapping wouldn't be possible without his cane. The king of hell predictably, needed to change from his costly attire into something more appropriate for walking the streets of Hell. He put on one of his light pink simple suits and called it a day. Left his top hat and cane at palace and felt it was enough of a disguise for the people of Hell.
Still if anyone bothered to, they would recognise him on a whim. That's why some of the sinners plainly started at him and his daughter as they passed them. Uncomfortable is only scratching the surface of what he feels while being here, and yet here he is. Good thing no one bothered to attack them yet, if they did he would rip out their arms out. Permanently. With angelic steel.
Some sinners are that dumb to try their shot at killing Lucifer, and he wouldn't put it past then to believe they stand a chance.
"Dad, I'm really sorry but I gotta go! There's this club I wanted to go with Sev today and they are only open on rare occasions. "
He snapped his attention back to what was going on around him, "oh- oh yes sure Char Char!"
It felt wired to just leave it at that so he stupidly added, "Just don't do anything stupid."
She paused processing his words.
"I'm not 15 anymore," she rolled her eyes.
"Ah, yes I know that." He scratched his head in a nervous manner.
"Taxi!" Charlie waved for transportation and a pissed off looking driver immediately pulled over not even a minute later.
"You coming in bitch?" The snake demon slowly rolled up the window. His face eched in a scowl, typical for a sinner.
He glared at the driver. Making his point of hating the plain disrespect towards his family an obvious thing. Who does this sinner think he is? Lucifer swears that if he could he would surely make time for personal punishment of every sinner if he didn't had better things to do. It would be like those silly books form earth described hell, with eternal punishment and little devils running around stabbing everyone in their buts with tridents.
When the driver finally noticed the King of Hell, his face paled with recognition.
"Oh fuck- I mean here." The driver looked anything but calm under the Devils intense stare. He quickly jumped out of the vehicle to open the door himself and bow in a clumsy manner. Truthfully Lucifer didn't care if the sinner did that, he would be satisfied if he just didn't call his daughter a bitch.
Charlie glanced at him with a frown but didn't say anything.
"Thank you," she politely smiled at the sinner and stepped into the back seat of the taxi.
Lucifer felt like he wanted to argue a bit about the drivers treatment, but stopped himself before he could utter anything. His glaring hasn't stopped though.
"Your... Uh highness? You getting in in?" The driver addressed him.
"No, no need." He tried to be polite. Key word tried. His expression came out as disgusted at best and horrified at most, at the prospect of getting into the machine.
"Don't worry about him, sir. He's just gonna get back home." Charlie came in to rescue.
"If ya say so miss." The sinner shut the door and got back into the drivers seat.
She sighed before waving at him, "bye dad."
"Bye Charlie!" He perked up and waved his hand ten times faster at her. Slowly the car rode away and with that he was left alone in a crowd of sinners around him. Each person that passed him, either disrespected his personal space or completely avoided him the best way they could.
He already felt his annoyance rise at the crowds.
Breathing in a big breath of air he tried best to pull himself together and look at least little less bothered.
What to do now? Ah yes. Going back to the palace.
It would be easy as spreading butter if there was some space around to pull up a portal. Too bad there isn't. He won't be going to the trains or the buses or any other public transportation that's in Hell. No way. Do you know how much it in stinks there?
With how big the Hell is, there needs to be public transport unless people want to walk for days into one location or the other. A way of travel for those not able to conjure up portals or shadow travel so well. Which means majority of Hells population. Good thing that humans invented all of the travel methods, from subways to air recently.
He doesn't pity those fuckers who can't make disappearing act like himself.
Not even that long ago, around 200 years ago, the only method was traveling on foot or on horses. Hah, wasn't that just Hell for everyone!
...
Anyway...
Lucifer pulled himself away from the main street and entered an allway. The smell of piss intensifying significantly, to the point he had to scrunch up his nose. Gross, he thought.
Few people layed sprawled out behind the dumpsters, he payed them no mind as he hummed under his breath and adjusted his suit before popping his knuckles. A satisfying pop echoed throughout the ally.
He breathed out a content sight, pointedly ignoring few souls that gawked at him.
"Interesting..." A voice rang out from the darker pits of the alley.
He felt the air fill with electrifying power, a low hum of magic that would have an ordinary sinner squirming from fear. Shadows moved from and rose from under the building, giving an impression of darkening sky. The once calm, albeit moody atmosphere, was now change into something far more sinister. Overall the demon gave Lucifer an almost impressive show.
Almost.
Lucifer seen many powerful demons over his whole existence, some sinister and other more depressing. He witnessed ages of constant battles in his territory that is Hell, some of which he participated himself. The power he felt from particular kinds of monsters was horrifying to witness even for himself, but right now he felt nothing but irritated. The magic humming in the air not even holding up to a fraction of his own power.
Yes, it was impressive. For a mortal soul.
It was clear the person was in the higher ranking demons of his ring. Matching those who called themselves Overlord and Dealmakers. Those who sought power and got it from crawling their way over to the top. Like animals tearing through throats to just get to the podium. Making it their live goal to just have their name remembered for their terror spreading feats.
He just saw those sinners as little pests that he could ignore or let manage lager parts of the ring on their own. He had no interest in directly engaging with every little nook of his kingdom so he let sinners handle their affairs however they wished to do so.
"The king himself paying a visit to the old city?" The voice continued as the static accompanied his every word.
Every other sinner upon hearing the sentence rushed to get out of the alley, leaving Lucifer alone to ponder what the hell did his life has come to.
"Oh, my father..." He grabbed his forehead, already feeling the headache coming.
The shadows seemed to take a form on the wall, pulling themselves together until he saw a red suited demon step out of them. The air calmed, but not without tension lingering behind in its place.
"I wouldn't think that I'd ever get the pleasure to meet you, your Highness." The demon spoke, his tone much less 'intimidating' as he stood with an elegant manner. His posture straight and relaxed as his hands flew behind his back. The condescending tone of using Lucifer's title not going unnoticed by him.
"What? Why you-" he coughed and took a moment to just rethink his own words. With a calmer tone he added, "who are you? And what do you want?"
"Just a simple curious soul. I wonder, why would someone your status bother with visiting these streets after such long absence?"
He rolled his eyes, "if it's a fight you're looking for, I'm afraid it'll be a short one."
"Goodness no! I'm just-"
"Cut it and get to the point," he frowned at the sinner.
The deer very much looked unbothered, not even a twitch changed in his expression. A wide smile still plastered onto him.
"Excuse my manners," something switched in the deers tone, making Lucifer raise his eyebrow. He bowed, low but not less confident and introduced himself, "Alastor, the radio demon."
"...who?"
His ear twitched and his eye furrowed, but just as fast as Lucifer spotted the expression it was gone.
"It's not everyday that you see Lucifer come out of his hidey-hole."
"I'll have you know that I've been going out plenty enough."
"Once a year? Far too few for a king!"
"It's plenty enough."
A few moments of silence passed between.
"Perhaps," Alastor gestured, his smile widening a bit as he slowly stepped forward to the king. His shoes rang a clinking sound against the pavement, echoing through the walls. "But, don't you think Hell would benefit from your presence?"
"Pffft, I don't need to babysit your kind."
Alastor ignored him.
"As an overlord with quite the influence, it makes me curious why hasn't the devil active at all for the better part of the century."
Lucifer felt his horns grow a little and his tail flickering behind him. The low growl coming from his throat was promptly ignored as Alastor choose to start circling the King. His cane swirling in his hand as he toyed with it.
"It's not nearly enough to manage all of hell. Especially with your wife now gone and not being able to keep sinners in check the way she used to. The exterminations keep happening. More territory wars than there ever been, and the overpopulation problem keep growing."
"Your point is?"
"You need to step up, your majesty."
"Oh hell no, I'm not going to do something that a person like you tells me to do."
He laughed, "It's merely a suggestion! I'm not forcing you to do anything~"
Lucifer scoffed, "it's a no."
The deer demon looked much amused, he spun his cane until it landed on the ground. He leaned on it while Lucifer was fighting the itch to rub his arms from discomfort. By the way Alastor stood it was clear he treated this conversation like nothing but a joke, at least that's the impression he gave off. His form blocked the exit to the streets.
"Still don't you think that hell could use your influence?"
Lucifer let the silence answer for him.
"How about that..." He hummed, "There's an overlord meeting next week. They're trying to discuss the upcoming extermination and what are they going to do about all of thier precious property killed. As a ruler of Hell, I'd assume you'd want to calm down at least the most influential people."
"There's nothing to calm them down about, tell them to hide their stuff better if they're so worried."
"So cruel of you to compare people to things, your majesty."
"Hey what?! I didn't do that!"
"Of course not," he snorted.
Lucifer huffed out a smoke of air through his nose.
"I thought that you'd want to inform people of what actions you will take against Haven, too." Alastors form melted into a shadow and he reappeared on the side wall of the alley which he leaned against, his eyes dropped a little as he waited Lucifer's response. For someone who had only a smile plastered onto his face, he sure knew how to portray the exact emotion he wanted to.
"What actions?" The devil took a moment to catch up to what Alastor was saying, his confused look portraying all of the emotions he felt.
A beat of silence.
"Oh! Pfff HA-" nearly maniacal laughter sprouted from the demons throat. He laughed as if what Lucifer said has the best joke he ever got to hear, his voice echoing the allay and no doubt venturing out of it.
"You're not going to do anything! HA!"
"Oh shut up-"
"You're so incompetent, really!"
"THE sin of pride, not picking up a fight to protect his ego?"
"We're done, sinner." Lucifer turned on his heel before he could do something he would regret later. In his mind he was already picking up a fight with the lowly pest, and yet he had half the mind to drop it.
"And now he walks away yet again!"
"Ughh..." He snapped his hand and a golden portal appeared before him.
"What would Charlie think?"
He stopped at hearing that. Oh that sinner is getting his ass beat now.
In seconds, Lucifer found himself facing the maniac face to face. He pinned him against the wall and although it looked comical with his height, he unfolded his wings to float up above the sinner. His horns were fully out now, with red bloody eyes that stabbed daggers into Alastor own eyes.
"Get my daughter's name out of your mouth, you filth." He sneered.
"I'm simply making a point sire," he looked unbothered and untouched, even if the Devil himself was close enough to snap his neck.
He let the king get his anger out by ducking out of the man's grip when he swung his flaring arms at the spot when Alastor's face just was. Swiftly he fixed his suit as he appeared from his shadow travel just behind Lucifer's back.
"She'd be disappointed if she'd knew her father was letting a genocide happen, willingly at that!"
"As if she'd listen to a dirt like you."
"She doesn't need to. Your actions are plenty enough to let her know."
A beat of silence passed as Lucifer looked to the side. It's not like has a reason to pick a fight against Haven. It's not like he could ever win. He knew he couldn't. He can't. There was no need for further bloodshed of his people.
There was no need. Never was. Haven didn't changed their mind last time, and they certainly won't change it now.
Last time he started an uprising, it was hundreds off years ago. The consequences were immense. In every ring there were millions of deaths, hellborn, sinners, goecia and countless other creatures were killed. A brutal strike from his brother's angel army was all it took to shush his entire kingdom for years.
Blood poured from soldiers wounds all over the gravel ground. His hands shook as he put what little of magic he had left to heal her.
"Stay with me-" he pushed the soldier to her side. A sinner, one of the many that hold the position of power in his ranks. Catty was one that stood his cause from the very beginning right until the very end. Never fretting and loyal for all entirety.
She was one of the humans he would consider friends. A rare feat for him to willingly like a sinner, yet he did.
Now she was dying right in his arms.
He pushed her back hair out of her face, and took special care to make her feel comfortable. To make her feel cozy just for the last time. She had her head in his lap as he stroked her hair.
"My King... " She weakly opened her one eye at him. Lucifer saw the life slowly drain out of her amber eyes. A sign that a second death was soon approaching his companion.
Panic filled his heart yet his voice remained soft, "hush shush now. Let me take care of you, okay?"
She slipped back into her slumber, looking peaceful despite the fact that carnage was raging just a few meters away from them. Demons and angels were fighting at every corner of the wasteland, his wife was killing off everyone with her songs, yet he had found the time to take care of his dying soldier.
Lucifer felt his teeth set into a grimace. Desperation clutched at his chest as he tried to forcefully shove his magic into Catty's many wounds. It was pointless, all he did was make her cry out in pain. An unimaginable shriek of pain that broke his already shattering heart.
He begin to humm a soft melody, as he let her drift away off.
The melody was one of many he hummed that day.
He looked back up, forcing the memory back down into the pit that is his fractured mind.
"What do you want?"
"Like I said, the overlords could use your input."
He doesn't want to have to feel like his is falling his Char Char. She has enough on her mind as it is now with all that's been going on for the past year. She has her own dreams and problems, own youth to live through and troubles to bear.
Her idea of redeeming sinners might be silly, but he's not the one to clip her wings just because he doesn't believe her.
What kind of a father he would be if he forced Charlie to take on her mother's role this yearly in her life?
As much as he starts to despise this deer sinner, he also has to admit he has a point. He needs to get out of the comfort of his palace and finally do what king is supposed to do. Manage his kingdom.
"Fine, where is that thing?"
A sharper grin adored Alastor's face.