Chapter: 3
I quietly hummed as I sat in the office of I.M.P, idly playing with a ball of pure spatial energy. It had been a few hours since Blitzo and the crew, including Luna, went up to the human world for some bet Blitzo had made with his ex. The office felt still, with only the low hum of hell's atmosphere as background noise. I.M.P was closed for the day, so it wasn't like I had much to do. I shifted the orb of energy between my fingers, barely paying attention to the world around me.
'What should I do? Maybe I should say hi to Stolas,' I mused, considering how to pass the time.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the ringing of my phone. The ball of energy dissipated as I fished the phone out of my pocket, the caller ID making me smile. It was a name I hadn't seen in a while.
"Lily?" I greeted, a smile creeping onto my face as I answered.
"Victor! I heard you were down in hell." Her soft, familiar voice brought a wave of nostalgia.
"Yeah, it's been entertaining so far," I chuckled. "So, what's the occasion? Why the call?"
"I've got a favor to ask," Lily said, her tone calm but with a slight urgency.
I raised an eyebrow, already intrigued. "A favor? What is it?"
"Can you look after my daughter for me?"
That caught me off guard. "Your daughter? Oh… Charlie?" I asked, piecing things together.
"Yes, exactly," she confirmed.
I leaned back in my chair, thinking for a moment. "Sure, I can do that. Where is she right now?"
"She's running a hotel in the Pride Ring. It's called the Hazbin Hotel."
"Alright, got it. I'll swing by and check in on her."
"Thank you, Victor. I really appreciate it."
"No problem. Oh, and if you run into Eve, tell her I said hello."
Lily chuckled softly. "Will do. Take care."
"You too. Later."
I hung up the phone, slipped it back into my pocket, and stood up, stretching slightly. It wasn't every day Lilith herself asked me for a favor, so this was bound to be interesting. After a moment, I decided to head out, leaving the office behind.
Stepping onto the street, I hopped onto a nearby rooftop, moving with ease across the buildings as I made my way to the Happy Hotel. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble Lilith's daughter had gotten herself into. I'd heard rumors about the Happy Hotel and its unconventional mission to rehabilitate sinners, but I hadn't paid much attention to it until now.
'Well, this should be fun,' I thought with a grin, speeding up my pace.
It didn't take me long to find the hotel (After weaving through the chaotic streets of Hell, I finally arrived at the Hazbin Hotel. The place was… something. The exterior, while ornate, was a mishmash of structures, as if someone had tried to piece together parts from ships, carousels, and old airships into one giant, Frankenstein-like building. One turret was clearly damaged, and there were signs of wear and tear everywhere. It stood tall, though, towering at least seven stories, with some of the floors appearing more intact than others.
The hotel had a sense of grandeur, but it also looked like it had been forgotten for a long time, patched together in a desperate attempt to stay functional.
"So this is what Charlie has been doing."
Peering through one of the large, dirty windows on the ground floor, I could see Charlie inside, speaking to a group of people. There was another familiar face in the crowd—someone I recognized immediately. I dissolved into lightning, my form vanishing as I slipped through the cracks in the walls.
I materialized silently behind Charlie, putting my hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" I said playfully.
Charlie froze, startled, but quickly relaxed, recognizing the voice. "Victor?" she asked, half-turning with a laugh. "What are you doing here?"
Before I could answer, Vaggie, who had been watching our interaction with narrowed eyes, sprang into action. She darted forward, brandishing a spear-like weapon that seemed to appear from nowhere, and slashed toward me with surprising speed.
Reacting just as quickly, I sidestepped, a smirk playing on my lips as I caught her wrist with one hand, halting her attack without breaking a sweat. Brining my left-hand back A black portal appeared reaching imto it I pulled out a golden sword (It's the fate Excalibur) and pointed it at Vaggie's neck.
"If you're going to use a weapon, you better use it properly," I said
Vaggie gritted her teeth, glaring at me with a fiery intensity. Despite her aggression, I could see the underlying concern in her eyes, concern for Charlie. She didn't trust me, and her instinct to protect was admirable, but misguided. Still holding her wrist in place, I glanced at Charlie, who seemed torn between stopping Vaggie and trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there, Vaggie!" Charlie interjected, stepping between us. "He's a friend! Victor's with me."
I held Vaggie's wrist for a second longer before releasing it gently, my smirk softening. "Relax. I'm not here to cause trouble. Just checking in as a favor to someone we both know."
Vaggie, though clearly still suspicious, lowered her weapon slightly, but not without keeping a defensive stance. "You better not be lying. Who sent you?"
"Lilith," I replied, watching her expression shift from suspicion to shock. "Charlie's mother asked me to keep an eye on her."
Vaggie's grip tightened around her weapon at the mention of Lilith, but she stayed silent. Charlie, however, perked up.
"Mom sent you?" Charlie blinked, surprise lighting up her face.
"Yeah."
"Well, you are running a hotel for sinners in Hell," I teased lightly, sheathing Excalibur back into the void. "Kinda hard to imagine that not causing a bit of concern."
Charlie laughed softly, her tension melting away. "Yeah, I guess it's not exactly the safest job down here."
"No kidding," Vaggie muttered, still eyeing me warily but lowering her weapon completely. "Fine. But don't think I'm going to just trust you because of who sent you."
"Fair enough." I shrugged.
With the immediate tension diffused, I heard another voice speak.
"Well, that was entertaining." a Radio esk voice (Fix)
Turning toward the source of the voice, I saw a figure leaning casually against the wall, his crimson eyes glowing with amusement. Alastor, the Radio Demon, his signature grin stretched wide across his face, though I could sense the slight shift in his demeanor as our eyes met.
"Ali, how are you?" I asked, my voice going from childish to dark.
Alastor, recognizing me, backed up his ever-present smile, faltering a bit.
"Victor," Alastor's voice drawled, though his usual confidence wavered slightly. He straightened up, still smiling, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes now—caution. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I could say the same," I said, my tone returning to normal.
"So Victor, let me introduce you to everyone else," Charlie said
Charlie, still smiling, motioned to the rest of the group standing nearby. I noticed a few more faces that hadn't drawn my attention earlier—probably because of the whole Vaggie-spear situation.
"Everyone, this is Victor," Charlie began cheerfully, gesturing to me. "An old friend. Victor, meet Angel Dust and Husk."
Angel Dust, a tall, lanky spider-demon with white fur and pink markings, was lounging on a nearby sofa, looking thoroughly unimpressed. He gave a lazy wave, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. "Hey, hot stuff. Gotta say you're pretty bold to get Vaggie all riled up like that."
I smirked, glancing at Vaggie, who rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It wasn't my intention. But it's nice to meet you too, Angel."
Then there was Husk, a grumpy-looking, cat-like demon with tattered wings and a perpetually unamused expression. He grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze flicking briefly in my direction before turning back to the drink in his hand. "Yeah, yeah, nice to meet ya, or whatever."
Charlie beamed, clearly excited about the introductions, even if the rest of her crew didn't seem as enthused. "And you already know Alastor, of course."
Alastor gave a slight nod, though the air between us remained tense. I didn't blame him—there was history there, though now wasn't the time to get into it.
"Well," I said, turning my attention back to Charlie, "now that I've been properly introduced, what's next on the agenda?"
Charlie seemed to perk up at the question. "We're actually in the middle of planning our next big outreach! The goal is to get more sinners into the hotel and start rehabilitating them, giving them a chance at redemption."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the ambitious idea. "Rehabilitation in Hell, huh? That's a tall order. How's that been going so far?"
Vaggie huffed. "It's been... difficult."
"Understatement of the century," Angel Dust quipped, taking a long drag of his cigarette.
"Well, whatever the case, this place needs a fix-up. No one is going to want to stay here for long with the place like this." I said
Charlie's smile faltered slightly as she glanced around the worn-down hotel, a touch of embarrassment creeping into her expression. "Yeah, I know... It's been tough to maintain, especially without the money to do so."
I stared at Charlie briefly before sighing you owe me for this." I said.
"Huh."
"Completeness manipulation," I said as I raised my hand
there was a flash of light that encapsulated the entire building. The light subsided, and I dropped my hand, watching the transformation take hold. The once battered and mismatched structure of the Hazbin Hotel had morphed into something new—sleek, polished, and modern, like one of those five-star hotels you'd see in the human world. The previously cracked walls were now smooth, the turrets restored to their former glory, and the old, dirty windows were replaced with gleaming glass. The interior, visible through the new pristine windows, was equally luxurious, with polished floors, elegant lighting, and stylish furniture that screamed opulence.
Charlie gasped, her eyes wide as she spun in place, taking in the changes. "Victor… what did you do?!"
"Just a little something I thought might help," I replied casually, pocketing my hands. "You're trying to run a rehabilitation hotel, right? Figured people might be more inclined to stay if the place didn't look like it was falling apart."
Vaggie, still stunned, looked around in disbelief. "You… you completely renovated the entire building. In seconds. How the hell—?"
"Completeness Manipulation," I repeated, shrugging. "I can create objects, concepts, and life itself into being but also imbuing them with a profound sense of history, purpose, and experiential depth. They can seamlessly bring forth matter, energy, ideas, and sentient beings, enriching them with layers of complexity that extend beyond their superficial appearances."
Vaggie blinked, clearly overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what had just happened. "You're telling me you not only renovated this entire building, but you gave it a history and a future?"
I shrugged. "More or less. The place is now intertwined with the fabric of Hell itself—its past is now a part of its very existence as if it's always been this way. Anyone who walks in here will feel like they've always known this hotel as a five-star establishment, not the rundown mess it was before."
Charlie looked like she was on the verge of tears, but they were tears of joy. "This is… incredible, Victor. I don't even know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything," I replied, giving her a small smile. "Just make sure to put it to good use."
Angel Dust whistled, his usual smug attitude replaced with genuine awe. "Damn, hot stuff. You've really outdone yourself. Maybe I should hang around you more often."
Husk let out a low grunt, eyeing the newly pristine bar area with suspicion. "I better still be able to drink."
I chuckled. "Don't worry. The bar's stocked with everything you could need."
As everyone marveled at the transformed hotel, I noticed Alastor standing off to the side, his grin more subdued than usual. He was watching me carefully, clearly not entirely pleased with my display of power.
"I suppose this place will be more interesting now," Alastor said, his voice laced with amusement, though there was a hint of something darker beneath it.
"Interesting is what I do best," I replied, meeting his gaze evenly.
Charlie, ever the optimist, clasped her hands together, eyes gleaming with newfound determination. "With the hotel looking like this, we'll definitely be able to attract more souls looking for redemption! Thank you so much, Victor!"
I smiled, nodding at her enthusiasm. "I'm just glad I could help."
Vaggie, still slightly wary but clearly impressed, sighed, crossing her arms. "Alright, fine. You're not so bad. But I'm keeping an eye on you."
"You won't have to. I won't be here much anyway," I said
Charlie blinked in surprise. "You're leaving already?"
I nodded. "I was just checking in, remember? I've got other things to handle. But I'll drop by when I can."
Her excitement dimmed for a moment, but she quickly recovered, giving me a bright smile. "Well, thank you again! You've done more for us in one day than I could've imagined."
Vaggie gave a small nod, her earlier aggression now replaced with reluctant respect. "Yeah… thanks, I guess. But if you ever decide to come back, just remember, we've got rules here."
I chuckled, holding up my hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Got it, boss."
Angel Dust, lounging lazily nearby, gave a wink. "Don't be a stranger, sugar."
Husk, still nursing his drink, gave me a half-hearted wave. "Yeah, whatever. Thanks for the upgrade."
Alastor, though still keeping his cautious distance, nodded in my direction. "Until next time, Victor. I'm sure we'll cross paths again."
I gave him a brief nod before turning back to Charlie. "Take care of yourself, alright? You do have my number, so don't be afraid to reach out if things get... complicated."
She smiled warmly. "I will. Thanks again."
With that, I dissolved into lightning once more, my form scattering as I shot through the hotel and back out into the chaotic streets of Hell. Materializing on a building not too far from the hotel. Looking back I muttered,
"Good luck, Charlie."
Chapter 3: end