#《 ◈ 𝚒 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚒 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎 ;; 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 ◈ 》

[staticintone]

@electriccapitalist replied to this

"Come near me and I'll rip your heart out through your teeth."

“Funny thing is… I’m pretty sure he said the same thing to me once.”

A quiet but malicious laugh.

“Wouldn’t you like to see the world a little differently? Wouldn’t you like me to be on your side? All it takes is a bit of reworking, an upgrade, if you will.”

[staticintone]

"Would you kindly JOIN THE VEES?"

“I—…”

How long was this curse supposed to last? No more than 24 hours, yes?

“Fine.”

[staticintone]

@cannibalxroses wants to meet up!

Two weeks since the extermination.

And what an embarrassing endeavor that turned out to be. Fighting offensively for once had left him open. And two good hits had him running. It left him with another scar, and a broken voice for longer than he’d ever admit.

They won. At the cost of the hotel, at the cost of hundreds of lives on either side.

He usually wouldn’t care about casualties. But these were respectable people. And more importantly, they were Rosie’s people. If it was anyone—anyone else—he would have laughed it off and moved on. But she was one of the few who didn’t have to fight him for an apology.

And he would apologize.

Walking a little slower the normal route. Planning different ways to say what he knew he’d end up admitting anyway. Would she be expecting him? This was a conversation suited to being in person anyway. He didn’t want to halfheartedly play repentant over a poor connection. If she really was upset, she would come up with excuses to shoo him out the door.

���Rosie? I think we should talk.”

A little ominous, sure. But the hushed tones wouldn’t give his anxiety away.

[staticintone]

@siempreminta && continued from here!

Her voice was wavering. Only more confirmation that she was upset. And the question was confirmation of… something. He still wasn’t sure what she was—a Sinner or otherwise—but she was new.

“Alastor. Pleasure to be meeting you.”

She hadn’t answered his question. But the fact that she didn’t know who he was, what he was… Well, that explained why she had plopped herself directly onto his roof.

“And this is my territory you’ve decided to wallow in. So I will repeat myself—can I help you, dear?”

[staticintone]

Ah, so it was mostly playful. With a touch of too casual.

The earned paranoia first obvious in the way she sucked in her breath. He could almost hear her thoughts as he read her expression. And with her quickly trying to take it back…

“No, no. I want to know what you think. Please share.”

This was more amusing than insulting in his opinion. Even if the poor kitty had meant to offend him, she clearly wasn’t stupid. The regret said more than the comment itself. Even if the conversation had meandered, the retraction told him it was most likely about something quite personal indeed.

“You called it an obsession. And I want to know exactly what claim I am defending myself from. If it’s what I think it is, I have much more of reason than you might think.”

Not that he would speak too much about Vox.

“And I am not the ‘creepy’ one in that situation either.”

@staticintone || x

It was her first formal meeting with the Radio Demon. She was nervous, of course, knowing the amount of power Alastor had. But the conversation continued civilly and Black Star was able to feel at ease. But one off-handed remark that she let slip made her freeze up.

'Did I really just call it creepy?!' Thought the sinner, a grey hand raising up to cover her mouth. 'Is he gonna kill me? Eat me? Make me disappear?!' Her worried thoughts continued to race well after Alastor addressed her with his reasonable question. "Uh.. uh.." Black Star swallows a lump in her throat while sweat collects on her forehead. "I'm sorry! Th-That was out of line of me, s-sir!" The feline whimpers as she's quick to bow down. Ashamed that she let that comment about his 'obsession' with hating television without much thought.

[staticintone]

@top-shelf-tender wants to meet up!

The extermination was quickly falling away into a bad memory.

Getting used to the new hotel was a trial in and of itself, Alastor was finding. Fine, he had been... unavailable while they rebuilt it. But that didn't mean he didn't have opinions on the place. He kept most of it to himself. Most of it.

"It's lifeless around here these days."

At the bar, to the bartender. Even if Husk asked for clarification, Alastor would change the subject never to revisit the topic.

There was a time when Alastor would have shared more, been more open, especially to Husk. But that well had dried up somewhere along the line, and Alastor was less invested on refilling it. Sure, it would have been nice to converse freely, but if that came with strings...

"Tell me Husker, what have I missed?"

He'd been injured, recovering alone in his room for most of the time. Alastor still refused to admit the extent of his injuries, and he wasn't about to start now.

[staticintone]

@voxxcd replied to this:

“I’m not getting that close to you,”

“What? You think I would eviscerate you during a waltz? How paranoid can one be?”

He’s offended. Obviously.

[staticintone]

@hazbinned wants to meet up!

Having any of the V’s suddenly make an appearance at the Hotel was one of the last things that Alastor wanted.

And frankly, it was surprising it was this one.

Valentino had his own reputation; setting almost every single person—staff or guest—on edge immediately. Alastor had actually made a small case for him, if for no other reason than to watch Angel Dust and Husk squirm. It equated to nothing more than hearing him out, which wouldn’t be enough to keep the wolves at bay for long.

In fact, Husk would probably have to be on a shorter leash than usual. But that was a worry for if and when it became an issue.

With everyone all but ignoring the moth, it was up to Alastor to make an introduction, and potentially even give a tour. He listened closely for any odd feedback, was careful when Valentino pulled out his phone, all in case this was just a plot to get bugs in his space. He wouldn’t put it past any of the V’s.

“I’m certain this is the welcome you were expecting, however cold it has been so far.”

He stood plainly, a good distance away, the same smile sewn in as always.

“Are you looking for a tour? I assume you’ll be investing, rather than staying here yourself.���

[staticintone]

Oh, wonderful.

Alastor had been raised a certain way, and he took it to heart, most of the time. But Susan was an exception. She reminded him of those horrible little church women, who always had something to say about the littlest of transgressions.

It was a surprise they never got along.

“Susan. How lovely to see you.”

His voice dripped with sarcasm. He knew she would likely notice, but it would have been worse if he didn’t acknowledge her at all.

@staticintone

The bell to the tailor shop rang and clacked in frantic succession as customers hurried out of the shop. The apprentice stood shaking behind the counter as two of three of the most notable cannibals from Cannibal Town each stood waiting for service.

Lady Susan had an appointment. The walk-in just happened to be another loyal customer, the one and only Radio Demon.

"Alastor." Susan addressed firmly and coldly.

[staticintone]

@televisionrotsyourbrain wants to meet up!

The obligations were taken care of.

Alastor had been to the Hotel, had done his part to make nice with the Princess and her little occupants. He’d brought his own attendants in kind. But something was missing, wasn’t it?

Wasn’t it about time he picked up what was rightfully his?

Oh, the Vees, they could pretend all they wanted. No news for as long as he was gone? Convenient. It wasn’t as though Alastor hadn’t done this before. He knew how far to go to keep something alive.

Yes, there were risks. Obviously.

Pulling something apart, putting it back together. Over and over and over and over again. Finding the right nerve endings to peel, to tear up and replace, to make it as painful as possible, that was only step one. The rest happened internally. Between the conditioning and the actual technical reworking… it had better have shown results.

His little creation was alive. If it wasn’t, that certainly had nothing to do with him.

Getting into the building was nothing. Effortless. Even if they had been trying to keep him out, they had failed. Finding him was harder. Not impossible, following transmissions and waves that seemed to throw in wild directions.

But there he was.

How much did he remember? Erasing memories as soon as they were formed hadn’t been easy, but he’d certainly tried.

“Did you miss me?”

[staticintone]

@voxuli wants to meet up!

Some things didn’t change.

With the excess of flower shops only growing larger, Alastor was perfectly content to partake. There had been a rumor floating around that Vox was no longer sick—good—except that it had quickly come back around. For a split second, Alastor had thought that Vox had known better. What a shock that he didn’t.

Alastor had sent Vox’s own flowers back to him. A little spiteful gift with a note attached that simply said ‘Condolences’. Vox could interpret that however he wanted. Whether it was about their little spat live on air or about his self-inflicted illness, that was open and entirely up to Vox.

He wasn’t sure if the other Demon would reach out afterwards. He certainly hadn’t heard anything in the days that followed. It was pure luck that he ran into him on the street.

Or maybe not.

He never knew with Vox. Maybe he’d been followed down the road.

“Well… there’s a sight to make your eyes sore.”

A joke, teasing. Mostly.

“What brings you out this way, old friend?”

[staticintone]

@arachnaemboss replied to this!

ah, so he is asking everyone.

“Lucky for you that you were able to say no.”

[staticintone]

Alastor didn’t want Vox’s soul.

Not explicitly, and not particularly under these circumstances. To find him alone, mourning and vulnerable with grief, his thought process was distorted. An offer to ‘take care of him’ became something more sinister as Alastor pushed, without any resistance. Once it was done, there was no turning back. There were too many moving parts now.

And having that level of certainty over Vox was not something he would easily give up.

He was not expecting the integration to be as disastrous and disappointing as it had been. For as volatile and unpredictable as Vox often was, he still had his own desire to keep up appearances. Or maybe that had fallen with his team, his freedom. It had for Husk, so why was Vox such a surprise?

Maybe it wasn’t a shock, just a disappointment. Alastor hadn’t had to pull on the chain to get Vox alone. Even if he was antagonistic behind closed doors, there was some level of mutual respect, at least for now.

Alastor stood opposite his former friend; an oak tree against the wind. Vox’s wilder mannerisms stood out contrasted to his own stillness.

“You’re making a fool of yourself.”

His eyes blank, his smile unwavering. It wasn’t meant as a direct insult, just a statement. It wasn’t even intended to get under his skin.

“You pick your battles, and so do they, but these aren’t ones that you can win.”

Vox being removed from the Hotel was not an option. He had to be where Alastor could see him, for more reasons than just power. Half convinced that Vox would do something horrible to himself or others if given the slightest opportunity.

“You want to fight? We do it here. Controlled, private. Wherever your anger is, it doesn’t belong out there where you can actively harm someone just as weak and fragile as you.”

He wasn’t expecting Vox to accept easily.

He knew he’d have to push to get him to break, to snap.

But if he could do it right here and now, under his oversight, he was going to push as hard as he had to. Vox couldn’t hurt him—not anymore—there was no danger in sight.

“Go ahead. I have the time.”

Plotted starter for @staticintone !

"Seriously. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

Yes, Vox had been lashing out at the other hotel residents. He'd incited multiple arguments with Vaggie-- at least six. He wasn't keeping track, but they could be counted on two hands. He'd made Niffty, the hotel's maid (and the one he was supposed to assist), feel so unwanted that she was refusing to talk to him, despite being what she had once dubbed a 'bad boy'. He'd goaded Angel Dust into a fight, and wound up pulling on the spider's hair. He'd gone off on a rant about Charlie's shortcomings, to Charlie.

The only one who Vox had been consistently civil with had been Husk. He could relate to Husk— Vox also knew what it was like to be an Overlord who had fallen from power and was now owned by Alastor.

They had common ground.

Husk didn't know what it was like to lose his lover and life partner in the same day, however. Valentino, Velvette-- their faces haunted Vox every time he closed his eyes, every time he blinked. Prior to the Extermination that had stolen them, Vox had always figured that he would be willing to sacrifice the other two Vees if it came down to it. If it meant preserving his power, it would be worth it. It would be easy.

He realized, now, that he couldn't have been more wrong. He would have allowed Alastor to keep him, his souls, and his empire, forever, if it meant that he could have Valentino and Velvette back.

Vox wasn't fond of that discovery. It was driving him crazy.

The issue at hand today was not Husk himself, but the fact that Husk, like the other residents, still had people who cared about him. Vox loathed him for that. He'd flown off the rails— Vox usually tried to keep his callousness at bay when Alastor was present, but he hadn't seen the stag standing there. He'd started pushing Husk's buttons, and it had spiraled into a big thing, details notwithstanding. Husk had rattled something off about the other incidents-- slights that had gone unchecked due to Charlie's kindness.

Now, Vox and the Radio Demon stood in Vox's room, behind closed doors.

"They can fight their own battles, Alastor," Vox elaborated, fixing him with a split-second glare before dropping his eyes to his own nails and examining them. "You're wasting your time and mine."

His voice was stiff, and so was he, but he felt like he was going to snap. He couldn't stand this. There had been a time where he would have done anything to speak to Alastor, but Alastor's act of 'mercy' from a few weeks back had Vox feeling completely cold toward him.

He'd never thought it possible.

[staticintone]

🕯 Val 😜

I don’t get it.

He’s disinterested, unfocused, volatile. He never thinks before speaking, and acts unfiltered entirely.

But also… he seems legitimate.

There’s something honest in his instability. If Vox was looking for something brazen and bold, he found it. Only at the cost of courtesy and etiquette.

It’s interesting.

I don’t hate it.

I don’t like it either, but it’s intriguing enough to find out more.

[staticintone]

WHY IS IT TURNING OUT LIKE THIS!

“… How we have anything in common is incredibly shocking to me.”

[staticintone]

“Hmm… depends on the Overlord.”

It didn’t. He absolutely had no intention on agreeing to this deal. There was no exception in his mind, and it wasn’t as though Angel Dust was out there trying to sweeten the pot somehow.

But Alastor could use this to mess with the spider.

“Though… if you bring me the one holding your leash, I’ll cut both yours and Husk’s. How does that sound?”

A verbal offer wasn’t an agreement. Even if it was possible—Alastor knew it wasn’t—it might actually make for an interesting conversation at the least.

Continued for @staticintone

"Three!? That ain't even a fair trade!" He huffed, because that wasn't even an 'eye for an eye.' The task was impossible. Which Alastor of course knew, which was why he had offered it. Husk was far too valuable to the Radio Demon to give him up so easily. He chewed on his lower lip, mind racing a bit, before he snapped in thought.

"What if it was one Overlord, but two extra sinnas?" That seemed a little more doable. He couldn't think of a single Overlord that would easily give up status, though he was close enough to a small few. With Vox's ridiculous obsession with Alastor, maybe that was a possibility.