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bonefall · 9 months ago

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Clear Sky is a Monster.

Of all the characters in Warrior Cats, I think Clear Sky was the most heavily mishandled.

At every turn, the narrative begs you to sympathize with him, to "understand" the "misunderstood." To this end, his brother Gray Wing is used to "keep faith" in his inherent goodness, his abused son, Thunder, is forced to go back to him over and over, and his second dead wife is completely lobotomized in death to absolve him of all sin.

Because of this, of all this set-up for the "redemption" arc they're trying to tell in the last three books, DOTC is Clear Sky's story. Everything primarily exists to benefit and serve his arc. Thunder and Gray Wing might have POVs, but HE is the character who truly drives the plot. So in order to HAVE conflict for that back half, two evil foreign cats, Slash and One Eye, are summoned to act as contrast.

Their narrative purpose is to display "true evil" to make Clear Sky look less bad in comparison. Unfortunately, Clear Sky is the most malignant, deadly character who has ever blighted Warrior Cats.

The "pure evil" examples they summon aren't effective contrasts because they're flat. Clear Sky is what real abusers look like.

His rhetoric is what it sounds like when a cult leader is trying to keep control over a group. He lies when it benefits him, justifies his actions with his tragic backstory to assuage his guilt and manipulate others, and violently lashes out when his feelings are hurt before blaming his victim for making him angry.

He only made "some mistakes" in that SOME of his actions were accidents-- the vast majority of them were malicious, self-absorbed, intentional choices to punish, hurt, and kill others.

I've spoken about Bumble. I've tallied his body count next to Tigerstar. I've talked about how his infant son's death was his fault in sequel books, and called attention to the infected wound face shoving scene that no one talks about. I can't fit every detail into a single post-- because he's so rancid that I would practically be posting entire books.

So what I want to do here is tackle the heart of Clear Sky. Everything he does, everything he's motivated by, is absolute and utter control over other people. He leverages his "trauma" to evoke empathy from his targets to make them easier to manipulate. He's a dirty liar. He breaks down to physical violence when all other tactics stop working.

He's one of the most severe and realistic abusers I've ever read about outside of very adult literature-- and when I read the reasons why he's attracted to Star Flower, my stomach immediately lurched.

The Killing of Misty

Starvation Rhetoric and the Memory of Fluttering Bird

Aside; a question

Hunger as a punishment; he doesn't care about starvation

Exoneration arc

Predation: Star Flower is a replacement for his son.

I think that index is an evocative content warning. But to say it again; this post contains child and domestic abuse, physical assault, public humiliation, incestuous grooming implications, and a lot of murder.

I need to start with the death of Misty. I see a few people saying that Clear Sky killed her for "being on his land" or trespassing, but this is actually a misstatement that I feel is important to correct.

Misty and her children were on their own land. It was her house. Clear Sky killed her to take it.

This is one of the most important details to remember about Clear Sky, that this is the consistent end point of his obsessive need for power and control. By harassment, by violence, or by death, he will brutalize anyone who does not give him what he wants, or who makes him feel bad, and find some way to justify it.

This territory expansion was for no logical reason. There was plenty of food and plenty of land. Any aggression that's happening on this territory is in response to how he's been stealing land and mauling people.

When it's found out she was fighting to defend her children, Clear Sky's immediate response is to slaughter them too.

Petal doesn't have milk either. It wasn't about the logistics. He wanted to kill the kids, because looking at them made him feel bad, and she just managed to stop him.

Starvation Rhetoric and the Image of Fluttering Bird

It is often said that Clear Sky is doing this because he's "traumatized" from how his little sister, Fluttering Bird, starved to death in the mountains. That the emotion came from wanting to feed people. That's incorrect. It wasn't about food. Fluttering Bird's death, and all the "starvation" he's faced, are used as manipulation tactics to guilt, influence, and control other characters, particularly when he might meet resistance or be held accountable for something.

It was always, ALWAYS, about control.

He does not care about actually helping people; "Starvation Rhetoric" through Fluttering Bird is an image he can invoke to justify the actions that are as bloody and cruel as the one this post starts off with. Either in his own mind, or in the minds of the cats he's manipulating.

He does this to Falling Feather, before slicing her face open in anger when she doesn't buy it. He does it to Rainswept Flower, before he strangles her to death. And he does it in the chapter just before Misty's murder, both to his Clan and then to Thunder,

Clear Sky climbed up in front of an entire crowd and gave a grand speech about hunger and "adjusting" the borders around territory he plans to conquer. When he gets to "forgiveness" he feigns pain to make his point because he is performing. If the sentiment is not a total lie, then at bare minimum, he is intentionally playing this up for the crowd.

He is rallying the Clan to support his violence against the cats whose land he wants to steal, and selling it with his life's hardships.

The audience is clearly well-trained, because several cats recognize the cue, particularly Frost who is praised for loudly comforting him. This signals "loyalty" because showing your sympathy towards his "suffering" is how this type of emotional manipulation works. It creates a persecuted, righteous in-group.

He's also apparently used this tactic before, since this entire crowd knows what "I Would Never Forgive Myself " means.

He's made sycophants out of his followers. Like a cult leader.

His abused son, however, hasn't been fully indoctrinated yet. Seeing Thunder uncomfortable with the idea of expanding the borders for no reason, Clear Sky calls him over for a personal propaganda session.

Clear Sky begins the exchange by calling this a "duty" and a "great honor." Immediately framing what he plans to do as righteous.

He puts on the act when Thunder shows resistance, dramatically pausing to let the guilt trip sink in.

"Thunder waited, realizing that he said the wrong thing."

And then Clear Sky launches into infantilizing Thunder, talking down to him like a child who's too inexperienced to see the "signs of starvation," acting like he's being "patient" in "explaining" it.

And then we get it. "I know what starvation looks like (so stop trusting your own eyes) because I have been through more than you (so shut up and do what I tell you), and I'm being a HERO for what I'm about to do (so opposing me would make you a bad person)."

Thanks to these crocodile tears, looking "moved," the act works. The victim is immediately wracked by guilt because the abuser seems genuinely emotional.

He even lovebombs him over the corpse of Misty in the next chapter, making Thunder feel threatened.

Thunder doesn't have the words to describe what is happening to him, but he knows that this sudden snap to praise isn't natural. That something is very wrong.

A Question.

Before I move on to show that this IS an act, and that he is lying about how important avoiding starvation is to him, I will ask a question. Please think about it, because I promise I mean it genuinely;

Why does it matter if Clear Sky actually believes this or not?

The victims are just as dead either way, yes? Thunder is just as abused and guilt tripped. The entire Clan has been driven towards violence while coddling and cooing at their Supreme Leader. Clear Sky is slowly annexing the entire forest. If you have ever accepted that he had "good intentions" as an excuse for the harm he did, or that abuse and murder was what he imagined was "the right thing," or that his trauma justifies the way he leverages his own pain to make cats do what he wants... why do you think that?

Why does that make it morally better, as the narrative concludes? Would you accept the same for every other WC villain or antagonist? Tigerstar? Slash? Tom the Wifebeater? Brokenstar? Rainflower?

How could you tell the difference, if you couldn't read their actual thoughts on the page? ...are there any other "good intentions" you've accepted, somewhere else?

Don't share that answer with me. It's a question for you. Sit with it.

Hunger as a punishment; he doesn't care about starvation.

...but, regardless, Clear Sky is not deluded about starvation. It's a justification for his obsessive need for control, and always has been. There was no shortage before stealing Misty's land and kits, he is fully aware that there's more prey than they can eat.

He punishes Falling Feather with hunger and harassment for thought crime, by briefly thinking of leaving. But first, he invokes Fluttering Bird at her like he did before, flying into a screeching fit of rage when she doesn't buy it,

"I'm sorry I hurt you... BUT" is THE wifebeater phrase. THE stereotypical line of a domestic abuser. "I'm sorry I hit you... but it's your fault for making me so angry."

She went through the same exact starvation he did, calls out that he's just framing his greed as being for the collective benefit of his subjects, and is assaulted for that.

When we're in his head, we see his REAL concerns are not about hunger. He invoked Fluttering Bird to try and make her shut up and bow down to him; what he's focused on is her "gossiping" and "whining" about the open wound he left on her face. He's still furious at Fircone and Nettle for how Thunder QUESTIONED him. So he will "strengthen their commitment."

When "starvation" DOES enter his thoughts, it is to assuage his own guilt and JUSTIFY what he already did. What he already WANTS to do. It's post-hoc.

He had to suppress his own guilt at how his greed and ambition made these children into orphans, completely unable to admit that he's ever been wrong or has a change to make, so he invokes the starvation rhetoric at himself to excuse it. So he feels less bad.

Everything, EVERYTHING, in this confrontation is about his pleasure at being able to torment his subordinates. To continue the abuse when the initial confrontation is over. If it isn't pride in his power and control over them, it's plain sadism.

He invokes starvation in front of the crowd, again, after being pleasured at the guilt in her eyes, hoping that everyone sees her writhing with shame and embarrassment. Fear wasn't at the root of why he assaulted Falling Feather; rage was, and now he feels better that he got to humiliate the person who offended him.

Starvation Rhetoric is a manipulation tactic.

It goes RIGHT BACK to his twisted idea of "loyalty." Obedience.

A cat who's actually, primarily concerned about starvation wouldn't encourage other cats to steal her food if they feel like it. He wouldn't be using it as a weapon to retaliate against her because she hurt his feelings.

This is paired with the fact he restricts and monitors the diet of his cats. They eat when he allows it, and only what he gives them, in spite of there being piles of dead animals rotting, going to waste.

We then find he personally doles out food from these piles, plucking carcasses off them and flinging them at his cats, one by one. Probably so he can watch how grateful they are to him and make sure they stay a little hungry-- and definitely because it means he can control WHO gets to eat at all.

If Clear Sky chucked a mouse at Falling Feather and someone took it? She would have gone hungry. For not groveling to him. Like when he decides to starve her brother; a hostage who he promised to feed and care for.

He's a dishonest snake. He lied about abandoning baby Thunder, calling it a "test of strength," he lied about Bumble's death, he lied about keeping Jackdaw's Cry fed.

And he lied about starvation to Thunder, because he was just making up an excuse to steal more land.

He wasn't "seeing the signs" of starvation when he moved to "adjust" his borders. Even FURTHER into this so-called "delusional slip" into tyranny, he's freely admitting that it takes months for a person to starve when it benefits his sadistic need to punish undeserving cats.

"Dumb moor cats, always expecting more than they DESERVE."

Not need. DESERVE. It's not a delusion about starvation and it never was. STARVATION is how he CONTROLS SkyClan, and once again he's angry that his pleasure has been sullied.

The massacre at Fourtrees was started over Jackdaw's Cry catching a bat after being starved, on land that Clear Sky has decided RIGHT NOW that he also owns, because it mades him think about being disobeyed.

The bat is forgotten as Clear Sky pivots into a tantrum, wanting to make his family HURT for being 'disloyal' and 'ungrateful.' For leaving him. He LIKES seeing people grovel, cower, and beg, getting PLEASURE from watching how he can hurt and command other cats, and if you don't give him what he wants he will kill you.

Which, make no mistake, is what the "First Battle" actually is. Clear Sky attempting to murder those who don't worship him or swear their undying fealty to him and his twisted dictatorship. Particularly his own son, the most prominent victim of his emotional abuse.

It's not about the bat. It was never even about food or starvation. It's about retaliation for any perceived lack of control.

Once again he breaks out starvation rhetoric to try and manipulate someone, and when Rainswept Flower doesn't buy it just like Falling Feather didn't, he murders her in another fit of entitled rage.

Exoneration arc.

At the end of this battle that was entirely his own fault, we're introduced to the hollowed-out ghost of Storm. She has been flushed of all personality, so that she can be the perfect narrative mouthpiece.

She accepts yet another Fluttering Bird Invocation in spite of how we saw it's not sincere. He was lying the entire time and using starvation rhetoric as a manipulation tactic to get control over his victims.

And that's it.

That's the consequence. Storm's a little mad at him until he says "Buttering Flird" and she swoons.

He doesn't have to be ""afraid"" anymore because the cats just invented an afterlife to believe in. He keeps all of his power and influence and gets off scot-free, because "guilt" (which we SAW him repressing anyway) is supposed to be the best consequence for murder, abuse, and tyranny.

The husk of Storm even materializes again at the end of book 5 to say it outright; he "never drove anyone away." Not even after Book 4 where it's also his fault One Eye took over his Clan for 5 minutes. It was just destiny.

His "redemption arc" is just an exoneration arc. The narrative doesn't think he really did anything wrong.

EVERYTHING about Clear Sky has ALWAYS been about making grabs at power, but since the narrative didn't see a problem with him extorting his personal tragedy and the death of a child, his own sister, he continues doing it. As if these behaviors are normal personality 'traits'.

Even when that sister COMES OUT OF HEAVEN TO YELL AT HIM DIRECTLY,

He finds a way to COMPLETELY miss the point, so he can interpret her words in a bizarrely specific way that will conveniently end with him being the supreme dictator of the entire forest. Just like he ALWAYS does.

It's the entire 5th book. Clear Sky trying to convince everyone, including himself, that it's Fluttering Bird who wants him to grab at power, NOT himself and his own ambition, that THIS time, he promises, for realsies, it's actually about keeping everyone safe.

But just like ALWAYS, because he does not change, when this tried and true tactic manages to work on Thunder, during ANOTHER exchange where he's dramatically pausing and using the cold shoulder to make his pitiable act land harder,

He lapses right back into bullying his child, creating situations where Thunder will have difficulty or be put in pain, so that he can have an excuse to mock and belittle him.

And this all comes to a head when Clear Sky takes romantic interest in Star Flower, his abused son's previous romantic interest.

Predation: Star Flower is a replacement for his son.

Direct parallels are drawn between Thunder and Star Flower. Star Flower contrasts her loyalty to her father to Thunder's "disloyalty" to his own, in an appeal to Clear Sky.

Clear Sky brushes it off for now, citing that he cannot accept her because of who her father was.

But then, Thunder makes the connection between himself and her, because he knows what it is like to be a victim of parental abuse and correctly clocks that they have this in common,

On his vouch, Clear Sky accepts her into the group. She starts trying to offer himself to him; hunting twice as hard as the others, self-imposing harsh conditions like taking a wet sleeping spot. In their second interaction, Clear Sky begins to take interest in her.

Thunder himself points out that Star Flower is seeking an abusive tyrant to replace her own father, which reads like he's deflecting the stress of how his father is abusing him to deny a connection he already made. As if Thunder sees so much of himself in Star Flower that it makes him (rightly) feel sick that his father is romantically invested in her;

Thunder then goes on to follow his own advice and form his own Clan, because Clear Sky IS like One Eye... while Star Flower remains here. At Clear Sky's side. Because she feels like this is what she "deserves," that she "understands" him, truly believing that her crime (warning her father that Clear Sky brought an ambush in case he lost the 1 on 1 death match he requested, which he did) are on the same level as his abuse and murders.

Clear Sky is attracted to Star Flower because, in his own words;

She is young.

She will not betray him.

She won't question him,

and she obeys him.

We've seen what "betrayal" is to Clear Sky-- not taking his excuses or his beatings. To "disobey" is betrayal. To "question" is disobedience.

These are ALL things he's tried to drill into Thunder. We saw him happily exploit their difference in age to tell him he can't have an opinion. He constructed humiliating games in retaliation for ever being questioned. He tried to murder Thunder and his friends for their "betrayal." Even now, being disobeyed causes explosive reactions.

He was previously grooming the things he now identifies as attractive in a young woman into his child.

If your body becomes too useless to serve him, like Frost and Jagged Peak, you're thrown out. If you don't unquestioningly follow his bloody commands, like Falling Feather or Thunder, you're subjected to abuse and public humiliation. If you're in his way, like Misty or Rainswept Flower were, you die.

If you meet all of his expectations...

You will be in a horrific position where you will never have agency over your own life ever again. Every move, every word, will have to be carefully crafted so that he feels like you're "loyal" to him by the arbitrary standard he feels that day. Never step out of line, never doubt his decisions, never live for anyone except him and the children you will give him, not even for a moment, because then you will not be "worthy" of his grace.

Star Flower would be in serious danger if this series wasn't written by abuse apologists. They accidentally wrote a perfect reflection of how child abuse victims often find themselves in unsafe and toxic romantic relationships with large age gaps which mirror what they went through as kids; but this team doesn't clock it, playing this relationship as wholesome and genuine.

He finally has someone who ""understands"" him. Because they think the character they wrote is misunderstood.

but reality is plain to see.

Clear Sky is a monster. The most realistic monster in all of WC-- far, far closer to real life predators and domestic abusers than the "born evil" rogues like Slash and One Eye. The Erins seem to believe that what separates Clear Sky from One Eye is "fundamental" good and "fundamental" evil, when the truth is that they'd be separated by very, very little.

If they had realistic motivations, they would be exactly like the character their existence is meant to excuse.

Slash and One Eye HAD to be kept flat and one-dimensional. If the book was more earnest, the only difference between Clear Sky and One Eye would have been that One Eye is stronger. So strong that Clear Sky needed to manipulate the other groups into helping him.

While anyone can change, not everyone will, and Clear Sky has no reason to. He sees no consequences. He has everything he wants; power, a pretty and obedient young mate, and unchecked authority over a brainwashed forest cult. There is always a victim on a leash, a naive enabler, or a bunch of desperate and gullible marks somewhere in his proximity to bully into doing his dirtywork

Whether his "intentions" were sincere or not (evidence points towards not) at its root it was always about control. Power is something he perpetually keeps, and continues to violently use.

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lovelyverosika · 10 months ago

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You didn’t know but with a twist

Hazbin Hotel! Adam x Fem!Reader

Warning: swearing

A/N: Hey<3 My name is Verosika and I’ll write fanfictions whenever I have the time to :) This is my first time writing one, so it’s based on the song "You didn’t know" to make it easier for me. Just to let you know english isn’t my first language..so be prepared for some grammar mistakes :,D

Y/N POV:

We all sat in the courtroom, waiting for the trail to begin. Next to me was my husband Adam and Lute. I wasn’t supposed to be here but Adam wanted me to hear the "childish" and unrealistic ideas of the princess of hell.

After everyone was here Sera spoke "We're gathered here today to determine whether or not a soul in Hell, can be redeemed into heavenly realm by means of this 'Hazbin hotel', Princess Morningstar?",Sera said wanting Charlie to speak up.

I looked down to Charlie,my head resting on Adam’s shoulder. "Webster's dictionary defines redemption as-" before Charlie could speak Adam interrupts her: "Objection, lame and unoriginal". I sighed at his immature behaviour and gave him a slight bump with my head.

Charlie was flipping through her cards making Adam roll his eyes. "If you have actually evidence, then show it already." He said,glaring at Charlie. "We have two patrons already they’re making incredible progress" Charlie defended and I smiled, "Who?", I asked. "Angel Dust" Charlie spoke. "Oh yeah, the pornstar demon" Adam snickered as he added. "He's totally worth being redeemed".

Suddenly Monika,another demon stood up. "Well then, if you know so much…what do you think it takes to get into heaven?",she spoke. It was quiet until I asked if Adam was okay. He scoffed as he pulled out a golden paper from his pockets and a pen, "Give me a fucking moment, okay?",he then started writing and gave me the paper as I read it out, "Act selfless, don't steal, stick it to the man?", I chuckled looking at him with an raised eyebrow. He shrugged "Uh, yeah? Sure got me here...didn't it?",he said seemingly questioning himself. Sera sighed before saying: "He was the first human soul in heaven."

In the following hours Charlie showed us the improvement of this demon called Angel dust and how he did everything what Adam wrote on his list but nothing happened. Sera only sighed as she wanted to declare the trail as failed and that we will see what brings someone to heaven when the first soul arrives. I sat there with my head hanging. I felt bad for keeping my secret,especially when I looked over to Emily,who held the paper that Adam had written earlier.

Emily: But she was right, Sera. She showed us a soul can improve. He saw the light, Sera. Checked all the boxes that you said would prove a person deserves a second chance. Now we turn our backs, no second glance?

Sera: It's not as simple as you think. Not everything is spelled in ink.

Charlie: It's not fair, Sera!

Vaggie: Careful, Charlie, keep a cool head.

Charlie: No! Don't you care, Sera? That just because someone is dead, it doesn't mean they can't resolve to change their ways turn the page, escape infernal blaze.

Y/N: I'm sure you wish it could be so. But there's a lot that you don't know.

Lute: What are we even talkin' about? Some crack-whore who fucked up already? He blew his shot, like the cocks in his mouth. This discussion is senseless and petty.

Lute & Adam: There's no question to be posed!He's unholy, case closed. Did you forget that Hell is forever?

Adam: A man only lives once, we'll see you in one month. Gotta say, I can't wait to…

Y/N: Adam…

Adam: Come down and exterminate you.

Emily: Wait!

Adam: Shit…

Emily: What are you saying? Let me get this straight…You go down there and kill those poor souls?

Charlie & Y/N: You didn’t know?

Adam: Whoops

Lute: Guess the cat’s out of the bag.

Adam: What’s the big deal?

Emily: Sera, tell me that you didn't know…

Sera: I thought, since I'm older it's my load to shoulder

Emily: No!

Sera: You have to listen, it was such a hard decision. I wanted to save you, the anguish it takes to do what was required.

Emily: To think that I admired you, well I don't need your condescension. I'm not a child to protect! Was talk of virtue just pretension? Was I too naive to expect you to heed the morals you're purveying?

Charlie: That's what the fuck I've been saying!

Emily,Charlie & Monika: If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie! If angels can do whatever, and remain in the sky. The rules are shades of gray, when you don't do as you say. When you make the wretched suffer just to kill them again.

Monika: Don't you act all high and mighty!Adam did you ever think your "sweet" wife might be a liar?

Y/N: Huh? Wait no…please!

Monika: Don’t be such a crybaby! Why hide the fact that you were a demon just like us?

Part 2

#hazbin hotel #adam x reader #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel adam #hazbin hotel adam x reader #x reader

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kaylopolis · 6 months ago

Text

Alastor's Shadow (18+) Chapter One

Pairing: Alastor x F!Reader, Alias: Thestral

Synopsis: There’s a new Overlord in town and it isn’t the Radio Demon. Six years after you fell into Hell, you finally earned your seat at the table as Pentagram City’s newest and baddest. Now, with the Extermination coming six months earlier than planned, it is time to implement your ultimate endgame. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of power and chaos? Your plans bring you to the doorstep of the Hazbin Hotel as Charlie��s newest Redeemer, but who you find waiting for you will not only turn your entire plan upside down but also challenge your grab for power…

Tags: Slow burn, rivals to lovers, eventual smut

Word Count: 67+ and counting (of the whole fic)

Chapters: 10/??

Warnings: Minors DNI! 18+! May contain disturbing, gruesome, and graphic sexual scenes. Graphic violence. Blood. Obsession. Mentions of abuse. Mentions of substance abuse. Trigger warnings will be given at the beginning of each chapter.

Link to Masterlist: Masterlist

____________________________________________

Author note: Hoteliers, This is my first attempt at a fanfic, but I was just so inspired and wanted to post it somewhere after writing like +67K words (and counting). So here goes nothing I guess?

<3 Stay Smutty

Chapter One - The Commercial

Content Warning: None but let me know if I missed any!

“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear…” - Mahatma Gandhi

____________________________________________

Your fingers find the brass handle as anxiety builds in the back of your throat.

Are you nervous? Why are you nervous? The commercial seemed so inviting and everyone seemed so nice - even if it was a bit glitchy in some frames. If they are indeed as altruistic as they appear, then you’ll be fine!

But, what if they don’t accept you?

Nonsense, you just need to show that you care, that you can help. After all, Princess Morningstar wouldn’t turn help away, would she? You were there in the courtyard a few days ago when Heaven’s clock ticked down from one year to 6 months: 182 days right before your eyes. Damn… But it gave you an opening - a reason to repent as opposed to just showing up out of the blue and inventing some backstory in an attempt to explain your sudden desire to achieve redemption. It was an opportunity you couldn’t refuse.

“Okay, so the Extermination is coming in six months instead of a year. No big deal…”

As you stepped into the Hotel, you couldn’t help but be underwhelmed by the state of the place. From the outside it seemed big and glamorous - despite the random bits of cell phone tower and… was that a mast from a ship? On the inside, it was worse. Way worse. It wasn’t gross, it was an array of stuff… that was probably the best way to put it. The carpet was torn, the wallpaper peeling, parts of the wall had been tacked together with newer planks of wood to repair unknown sources of damage. It was… Well at least it didn’t smell… that bad…

Emerging into the foyer, small suitcase in hand - after all, you didn’t own much - you searched for the front desk, but the only thing resembling any sort of check-in area was a bar where a cat-bird thing was organizing bottles.

To your left was a small inlet before a fireplace, fit with television and radio where two demons sat, listening to a blonde haired bellhop pace.

“… well just handle it! Right!?” The girl grabbed at her hair.

No, not a bellhop. Princess Charlie Morningstar. God, she looked just like her dad. The only thing she got from Lilith was her height. Probably a good thing…

Your heart sank at the sight of her. Biting back the flood of memories threatening to spill down your face, you take a deep breath and enter.

“Yes,” a grey demon stood, a waterfall of dark hair brushed the floor as she walked. “We will.” She grabs Charlie’s shoulders, forcing her to stop pacing.

They still hadn’t noticed you. Was this eavesdropping? Were you being rude? That wouldn’t make for a great first impression.

You took a few hesitant steps forward hoping they’d hear your heels clack against the wood.

“Oh please,” the spider-looking thing sitting on the couch scoffed, staring down at his phone as he talked. “Ya’ had less than half a chance before you started all this salvation bullshit. And now… ain’t no silver linin’, toots.”

You cleared your throat, having practically snuck up on the group.

“Oh my gosh!” The blonde squeaked as the grey demon with ridiculously long hair pulled a spear on you, stepping before the Princess.

You dropped the suit case immediately, raising your arms to show you meant no harm.

“Who are you? What are you doing sneaking around?” She demanded.

Your eyes flit to the “X” eye patch, then to the silver tip mere inches from your nose.

Oh shit, this girl’s the Fallen. Relax, you accounted for that. So long as she doesn’t recognize you…

“I’m sorry!” You squeak, taking a half step back. She follows, her spear not leaving your face. “I tried making noise but you must not have heard me. I was just looking to check-in but…”

“Huh!” The Princess gasped so loud it made your ears pop.

Pushing the ex-Exorcist - huh, funny - aside the blond grabs your shoulders and squeezes. “Are you a guest!?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Well, yeah. I was hoping…” you didn’t get a chance to finish before she brought you into a hug so tight you couldn’t breathe. She lifted you off your feet and spun you in a circle before placing you back on the ground.

“Yay! Vaggie, our very first guest!” She sang.

“Hey!” The spider finally looked up from his phone. “I’m sittin’ right ‘ere ya’ know?”

Did he have six eyes or two? Hard to tell but the pink dots decorating his face blinked when he did.

Creepy.

“Okay, hun,” the Fallen drops her spear, taking Charlie by the arm in an endearing way, but you really knew it was to hold her back. “Let’s give our guest some space. Let her breathe. She can’t be redeemed if you suffocate her and she dies… Again.”

“Right,” she laughs, reigning herself in. “Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel!” Her arms fan out to the room, gesturing to the rundown establishment.

You musture a genuine smile, not because you’re impressed with the place but because the Princess’ happiness was infectious.

“My name is Charlie!” She takes your hand in hers.

“My name is Thestral,” you answer between the vigorous shakes rolling up your arm.

“Okay, that’s enough,” the Fallen pulls Charlie away from you. “I’m Vaggie. The guy on the couch is Angel and Husk is behind the bar.”

Angel gives you a mindless wave, frowning at something on his phone. The bar cat tips his hat to you before pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

Was the bartender supposed to drink the supply? Also, wasn’t it barely nine in the morning?

“Let me get your bag!” Charlie snatches the hardback suitcase before you have a chance to protest. Dragging you by the elbow, she insists upon a tour.

The Hotel was cute - if not a weird hodgepodge of thrown together dimensions. The bar was clearly cut from somewhere else, the piano room is definitely not of this century, and don’t get you started on the pool. All in all however, it was cute. You could see yourself here, in the library reading late at night with a glass of red, in the music room practicing your piano, on the back balcony enjoying the breeze and screams of innocents. It wasn’t perfect - nothing compared to the luxury you experienced before Hell - but it felt home-y.

“This is you!” Charlie pulls a key from her pocket as she stops before a door. “Angel is to the left and Alastor is just across the hall.” Grabbing your arm once more, she drags you inside.

It’s cute but humble - something you’d expect from a bed and breakfast and not a city hotel. The room is huge, with a four post bed wrapped in white sheets, neatly tucked into the sides military style. To your left is a small sitting area with a couch and coffee table. Past that were two doors, one leading to a small walk-in closet and the other a tile bathroom.

Frankly, coming from sharing a cramped city apartment in Cannibal Town to this was a huge step up as far as you were concerned.

“Here you are!” She dropped a black key in your hand, a cat’s eye decorating the handle. Finally, a room to call your own. “Nifty cleans on Sundays and…”

“Wait, my room gets cleaned?” You scrunched your nose in confusion.

“Of course! We don’t want you to have anything to worry about when you stay with us. Redemption is the goal, afterall!” Charlie sang.

That was going to be a problem…

Charlie stood staring at you for a long moment, her eyes sparkling in the low light. Her hands cupped her chin as she smiled at you with such emotion you were surprised her face didn’t split in half right there. She looked like a small child, waiting for a candy bar or something.

God, you didn’t realize how enthusiastic she would be about all this. Now is definitely not the time to tell her you had no intentions of being redeemed. You were just here for the chaos. Frankly, any normal person would feel guilty right about now, but not you.

Oh, you had far bigger plans for Ms. Morningstar, she just didn’t know it yet.

“Okay,” Vaggie steps up, grabbing her by the collar. “We’ll let you get unpacked. It’s Sunday so brunch is at eleven in the kitchen. We’ll come get you and show you the way. If you need anything there’s a rotary phone by the bed, just call Husk at the bar. He’s always there…”

“A rotary phone?” You scrunch your nose.

Sure enough, a black rotary phone sat on the bedside table. What century was this? Cannibal Town was stuck in the 1900s but at least they had cell phones.

“Yeah, the Hotel Manager is a bit outdated with his tastes…” Vaggie grumbles. You sensed tension in her comment but didn’t ask for further details.

“Anyway!” Charlie puts a hand on your shoulder. “We’re really, REALLY glad you’re here.” She breathed in your face, her voice cracking with the threat of tears.

God, she even had Lucifer’s mannerisms…

You huffed, blowing off the extra emotions her smile pushed into you. “Thank you for taking me in.”

Watching as the Exorcist pulled the Princess back down the hallway, you shut your door and collapsed against the wood.

“Fuck,” you breathed. Charlie was going to be someone you could only handle in small doses.

The Princess definitely didn’t recognize you and neither did Vaggie. She might be Hell Royalty but she was oblivious.

Did she know about Vaggie? Maybe she did and has already accepted it. This place is about second chances after all.

It didn’t take you long to unpack, after all you didn’t have many personal possessions. A few sets of clothes, some boots and heels, your toiletries and makeup… The suitcase was only half full when you packed it with every possession you owned. Now all you could do was stand before the mirror in the bathroom and stare at yourself as the anxiety began to build again. You fixed your red lipstick over and over until it drove you mad. Throwing the makeup back into your bag, your mind turned to your outfit.

You were dressed in black slacks which sat high on your hips, fanning out at your legs. Tucked into your waistband was a white button up, giving you the hourglass appearance. Your silver hair was twisted into a bun at the back of your head, a metal clip holding it in place. Your eyes seemed to glow in the dim light, your yellow irises emitting their own form of light.

Out of all the animalistic appearances in Hell, you were gifted the rare form of a somewhat normal human shape. No tail, no ears, no horns - well, in your normal state anyway. It was just you, with skin as pale white as Charlie’s and a nose tipped in black. You stood a normal five foot four, but in heels you could argue five and a half. You didn’t have canines as sharp and distinct as others, but hey who needed them? You preferred fighting with your hands, anyway.

Frankly, you were boring compared to the Sinners and Natives of Hell. The most interesting note was the tattoo which spanned your back from shoulder blades to your hips, but that wasn’t important at the moment.

Your mind returned to your clothes again. They were nice, nothing too flashy and definitely not Velvette brand, but were they too much? Weekend brunches in Cannibal Town were always such a classy affair, something you were expected to dress up for despite the messy array of food which was served.

Was that expected here?

As if on cue, a door opens in the hallway and footsteps echo across the carpet.

Perhaps you should ask.

Racing to the door, you peak your head out to find Angel heading to the stairs, his nose stuck in his phone.

“Uhm, excuse me?” You chirp. It was barely audible and he wasn’t paying attention but you were a new voice, which definitely drew him from whatever battle was playing itself out on his screen.

“Oh, hey!” He tucked the cell phone back into his pocket. His face contorted into a smile, he was doing his best not to show his frustration but it was still quite obvious. “They put ya’ right next to me aye?” He leans against the doorframe, one arm on the wall, the other three at his hips. “Just a fair warning. I can get a little loud. If ya’ know what I mean?” He winks at you, a knowing smile spreading across his sharp teeth as he elbows your side.

God, he was tall, he’d have to be like six foot three or something.

Up close, and with his attention fully on you, you could finally study his eyes: right eye sclera black, left white. Someone owned him, but with restrictive conditions.

You already knew the answer: Valentino. Hey, what can ya’ say? You did your homework.

“Do you guys dress up for brunch or is it more casual?” You smiled, doing your best not to stare at the pink dots blinking back at you on his cheeks. Still creepy.

“Oh, uh, I dunno, toots. I normally just go in whatever I have on.” He gestured to his pink striped shirt and long boots.

Casual it is then.

“But if ya’ prefer. I could go in nothing at all,” he purrs, his eyebrows wiggling at you suggestively.

You couldn’t help but giggle. You got the sense that it wasn’t genuine flirting. That he was trying to make you smile more than anything else. He enjoys entertaining others like that. Probably why he became a Porn Star - and such a famous one at that.

His face lit up at your laugh.

“Great, the wire in this bra is killing me!” You mime a pain in your back, eliciting a laugh from the spider demon himself.

“I like yous,” he holds out a hand to shake. “Names Angel Dust.”

“Thestral,” you shook his furry hand - he had so many, you wondered how he went shopping for shirts.

“Thestral? Like the dead horses from ‘arry Potter?”

“You know your JK Rowling?”

Angel had to have died in like the 40s/50s - from what research you did before coming here. How did he know about the books and movies made popular in the 2010s?

“Yeah, she ended up down here after she died. Kept writing weird shit about her characters. Really changed my views on the Potterverse. It was shocking for a while but you can only be so entertaining on Sinstagram and Vitter for so long these days.” He shrugged.

“Huh, for some reason that doesn’t surprise me, but thank you. The last place I lived, everyone was expected to dress for meals and I just wanted to be sure.”

“No problem, toots. If ya’ don’t mind me askin’, how long yous been down here? If ya’ didn’t know about the Potter thang, it couldn’t have been that long?” His accent: New York?

“Just shy of six years, actually,” you rubbed the back of your neck anxiously, feeling the bubbles beginning to fester inside you.

You’ve done work to gather information before, but you’ve never had to act like you were now. You were always behind a mask… How many details were too many to share?

“Oh, damn, just shy of being a Fleshy!” He smiles.

“A Fleshy?” You scrunch your nose.

“Yeah, the living or whatnot.” He pulls out his phone again, frowning at the notification screen before pulling up an app. Something was definitely bothering him. “Hey, whatcha say we head down a little early? I can pull up her Vitter page and show ya’ some good ones?” The spider demon smiled, frustration weighing down his eyebrows. He had a single gold tooth which sparkled in the low light.

“Sure!” You tried to respond not too excitedly.

This was the plan. Get in early with one of the Hotel mates and use it as a way to get information on the others.

You had thought it was going to be Husk. What bartender didn’t love gossip? But here was Angel offering himself up on a silver platter.

You only had about an hour before brunch was served, but those sixty minutes laying in the alcove by the fireplace were the most hilarious minutes of your life. Angel had you laughing so hard you were crying. Things were going well. Despite the constant text messages from Valentino you pretended not to notice chime across the screen.

At about eleven, a small girl named Nifty - who introduced herself as the housemaid - emerged from the kitchen to announce that brunch was ready, and as everyone piled into the room and found their designated places, you realized you didn’t know where to go. It was like being the new kid at school walking into the lunchroom with a sack lunch and not a friend in the world to rescue you.

“Hey” Angel waved you to the only available seat left, which just so happened to be at the head. “Sit next to me, will ya’?”

Relief.

“No! That’s Mr. Alastor’s seat!” Nifty protested from her place by the oven. Her entire body practically vibrated with energy.

“Mr. Alastor?” That name definitely did not come up in your research.

“Relax, Tiny. Smiles is on the terrace this morning drinkin’ his tea.” Angel leaned back in his chair, one set of arms folded behind his head. “What he doesn’t know won’t kill ‘em. Or maybe it will and we can finally be free o’ him and his creepy, ol’ timey ways. Either way, we’ll be fine.”

You blinked a few times before hesitantly falling into the seat. Nifty gave a great sigh as she watched you sit, not liking it but allowing it. She busied herself with serving platters of food, her lips twisted in a pout.

It’s a chair. You didn’t think it was that big of a deal? Maybe he was one of those people who was territorial with their things?

As you sat and passed the food around, you couldn’t help the hairs which prickled on the back of your neck. How could you have missed another guest at the Hotel? You swore you wrote down everyone you saw in that glitchy commercial and did thorough research before coming here. You were never this sloppy.

“Can I get you anything to drink, Thestral?” Charlie was at the fridge with five different bottles of liquid in her hand, eagerly awaiting your answer.

“Coffee would be great,” you smiled through a mouth full of eggs, one hand over your face to be polite. God, Nifty was a great cook. You usually never ate breakfast but this was amazing.

The Hotel inhabitants sat and talked like family. This place has only been open what? Two weeks? And already they got along like they’ve lived together for years. It was kinda cute actually but spelled issues for your plans. A close-knit group like this - especially so fast - only meant it was going to be harder to work your way in. Sure, Angel hung out with you for the past hour and you had a great time, but that was just surface level stuff. You were going to need to dig deeper.

“No! Nobody look at me,” Husk grumbled from a few seats down. “That machine is a nightmare.” He motioned to the silver espresso machine sitting on the corner countertop behind you.

It looked brand new, barely been touched! A machine like that probably cost hundreds and they weren’t using it?

“I’m sorry.” Charlie frowned from her place by the fridge. “We’ve had it for a while and no one can figure it out. Husk took a look at it last and although he tried, we got nowhere. Nifty bought beans for it and everything…”

A small smile found your lips, “Mind if I take a look?”

“Goodluck with that kiddo, that machine is cursed,” Husk buried his head in his arms, the orange juice in front of him bubbling with alcohol - which you would guess was more booze than orange at how much of his flask you saw him pouring into it earlier.

Seems like everyone knows, as no one glanced his way when it happened, but no one seemed to mind his drinking habits this early in the morning. Most likely a recurrent behavior then…

Husk was an old soul, probably the oldest one in this room. The cat had a history of gambling debts which mysteriously disappeared one day - the day he fell from power. You didn’t know the exact details but you heard it wasn’t pretty afterwards. The Vees swooped in pretty fast and gobbled up what remained of the fallen Overlord’s territory. It’s part of the reason they are where they are now. You wondered if the others knew about him? Maybe, seeing as how he’s found himself at the hotel built on second chances.

Taking the beans from Nifty, you quickly check over the machine. It’s a simple Breville Barista model, nothing too top of the line, but still a commercial appliance.

You wonder who they sent out on the errand to get this because they clearly had no idea what they were getting. This thing was meant for a high end coffee chain, to be used for hours straight, not sitting in a run down hotel’s kitchen. Regardless, you knew the model and how to use it.

Preheating the machine, you fill the grinder with beans before asking, “Hey Husk, pick your poison.”

He blinks at you a few times before answering. “Double espresso.”

Simple enough.

Clicking a single wall basket into the portafilter, you fill the metal device with ground beans before tapping it flat. Sliding it into the machine with a click, you grab two shot glasses and watch as the brew fills to the line, the fresh scent of chocolate, caramel, and nuts fill the kitchen. You pour both into a white glass and send it down the table to Husk who sits dumbfounded at the end of the kitchen. In fact, everyone had stopped eating completely to watch you work.

Anxiety bubbles in your stomach as you count the eyes boring into you.

Oh, fuck. You drew too much attention to yourself.

“Fuck, kid. This is good.” Husk chirps from the end of the table, having taken his first sip. “Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I worked at a cafe just outside Cannibal Town when I first got here,” you rub the back of your neck, an uncomfortable laugh escaping your lips. “They had a machine just like this, but far bigger.”

That was true. After you fell, you were set up with a place to stay and a job at the local coffee shop which sat inbetween Cannibal Town and the border zone. It didn’t only serve certain… appetites, but was meant for a wider audience. You served everything from finger cakes (yes, fingers in the cakes) to bagels and cream cheese alongside the coffee creations.

“Oooh, Cannibal Town. This kid’s got bite,” Angel laughs. “I didn’t know you swung that way.” The spider demon shovels another pile of eggs onto his plate. He ate a lot.

“Oh, no. Not really, I just happened to… land there.” Technically you weren’t lying.

That first day in Hell was brutal. You smacked into cement face first, a pile of blood and broken bones. Luckily the streets weren’t crowded, and you were found and taken care of before anyone even noticed.

“So you just stayed in Cannibal Town for fun?” Vaggie didn’t look impressed. In fact, she looked suspicious - ever the hypervigilant soldier she was designed to be.

“Well…” There it was, the rubbing on the back of your neck again. By the end of today, your skin was going to be raw.

God, why was this so much easier with a mask on?

“Hey!” Charlie cut in, clearly sensing your discomfort. “You don’t have to tell us.” She cups your hands within her own. “You’re here now and that’s all that matters. We can get to know you at your own pace. Don’t push yourself. Okay?”

You offer her a sweet smile.

Wow, the Princess was really buying your act - or lack thereof, by how anxious this job was making you.

“Now, do you know how to make a cappuccino?” She motioned back to the machine. You silently thanked her for the change in conversation.

A genuine smile formed on your lips, “what kind of milk?”

The rest of the brunch passed quickly after you showed off your artistic masterpiece that was to become Vaggie’s coffee. The Princess ordered the beverage for her girlfriend, and after making a butterfly out of the milk atop the bubbles everyone else quickly got in line and ordered their own.

It didn’t bother you, in fact it made you more comfortable. You got to observe their behavior and interactions as a silent third party noting the ways in which they teased each other.

Husk could be a grump but you got the sense that he was a big softie. You couldn’t tell if Angel was actually flirting with the cat demon or just pushing his buttons, either way, the barkeep slunked out, flask in hand, with red cheeks.

When the chair started rattling, Nifty was prohibited from drinking anymore caffeine. She put up a pretty good fight but as soon as she saw a bug, she took off after it, needle in hand.

Angel returned to the couch, face in his phone, clearly stressed about something.

After helping with the dishes - Charlie protested but you insisted - she invited you to join the three of them by the fire where you had found them earlier that morning. You didn’t really have anything else to do, other than to try and win over the Hotel natives.

You could go hide in your room - the Lord knows your social meter needed the break. The group was welcoming but was… a lot. Especially Charlie, but the Princess and Vaggie had questions about the commercial and how Sinners were handling the recent date change for the Extermination. You shrugged and offered whatever you could - which wasn’t a lot.

“They’re desperate,” you answered.

“That’s right, they’re desperate. Maybe desperate enough to try anything to escape the Extermination,” Vaggie smiled, smacking her fist against her hand.

“Worked for me,” you shrugged, watching Angel from the corner of your eye.

Your heart melted a little for the spider demon. Valentino was known to be ruthless and manipulative - and the way he treated women… It was why you never took a job from the Overlord, let alone gave him a card. In fact, none of the Vees had your card. You didn’t like them, but you didn’t need to see how it affected Angel to decide that.

“This would be a perfect time to recruit more Sinners for the Hotel! We should get more rooms ready!” Charlie beamed. Of course she would find a way to spin this into something good.

“Cute idea and all, but are you really gonna go out in all this?” Angel turns his phone around, videos of the Doomsday Distract flash across the screen.

It was pretty chaotic, but when was that place not on fire?

“Well, it’s not like all Sinners are going to show up on our doorstep like Thestral did.” Charlie offered, motioning to you.

She wasn’t wrong…

BOOM!

Ah, perfect timing, Princess.

The entire Hotel rocked as dust and debris filled the foyer burning your lungs and eyes.

“Show yourself, Alassstor!” A voice echoed from outside.

The four of you ran to the now collapsed wall, veering into the streets to get a better look. Husk simply rolled his eyes and took another drink.

He was used to this?

Floating above the cobblestone streets was a yellow blimp equipped with an army of… eggs?

“Who are you?” A voice chimed from above, but it was… different - static-y…

“Who am I? Who am I?! I am the great Ssssssir Pentiousssss!” Deep within the zeppelin stood a black and yellow snake at the helm. He was dressed to the nines in army regalia.

Hmm, Sir Pentious? Had you heard of him before? You wracked your brain trying to think but nothing immediately came of mind. He had resources - clearly Carmilla Carmine supplies him by the brand on the metal - but was he a threat? He did put a hole through the building.

You spun studying his dirty work.

A missile? Sloppy, but still a step up from the lowest rung of demon.

“Inventor, architect of dessstruction, villain extraordinaire!” The snake twirls his arms, gesturing to himself and his work.

You scoff. Yeah right…

“Ooh you tell 'em boss!” The eggs chime.

What the fuck…? The eggs are sentient? Now that’s kind of interesting.

Testing the waters, you let an invisible finger of power slip from you and slither over to the zeppelin. It poked and prodded till it found a way through the metal before coming to rest by the snake demon’s tail. Gently, you caressed his form, searching for the power his soul possessed.

Yes, he definitely still had his soul, but from what you gathered - or rather, lack of what you gathered - this demon was no more a threat than a mosquito was to an elephant. But a better question was, what brought him here?

A chime of static fills the air, like little bolts of electricity, making the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

What the…?

You spin, checking behind you to find the source of the static snaking its way down your spine, but no one was there.

Charlie yelps, bringing your attention back to the group, as a trail of shadow crawls between her feet, giving way to a demon in red materializing from the darkness.

How did he do that?

The demon’s back was to you, his attention fully on the blimp. You didn’t recognize his silhouette. His deer ears, hooves, and antlers were pretty iconic, but you didn’t know any demon like that. He wasn’t a Hellborn, his profile didn’t fit any of the creatures Hell bred. So a Human Sinner then?

The demon stood before you, a red suit complete with red-tipped black boots, and black slacks. His jacket was long, ending at his knees. The hair atop his head was cut cleanly, red and tipped in black, and tousled ever so perfectly.

Yeah, you had no idea who this guy was. Which did not sit well with you.

Nifty materializes on his shoulder. When had she slipped out here? “Ooh, he’s a bad boy,” the tiny demon sings.

Okay then…

The demon lifts her from his person and drops her gently onto the cement. “Ha, well if all that's true, you'd think I'd have heard of you!”

His voice isn’t just static, it’s like a radio?

The snake drops his smile. “I attacked you literally last week.”

The red demon cocks his head.

“We've done battle, like... 20 times.”

The demon brings both hands to his staff. No, that’s not right, microphone? “Well, you must have been really bad at this.”

You snort, but do your best to stifle the giggle into your palm.

The demon stiffens. You swear you see his shadow elongate in your direction. A trick of the light? An hallucination? You look to Angel for direction but he’s too busy watching the interaction, clearly entertained.

“Silence! Now cower! For when I've ssslain you, the almighty Vees will finally acknowledge me as their equal.”

Nifty reappears on the demon’s shoulder, garnering his attention. “Ooh! Wait, who are the Vees?”

“Oh, nobody important,” the red demon sings.

Nobody important, eh? For someone to so easily dismiss the Vees like that they’d have to either be stupid or think themselves more powerful - in both cases, they’re stupid. I agree, independently, the Vees are more annoying than anything. One by one they weren’t a threat, but all three together…

Testing a theory, you let that tendril of power sneak from your core, and just as you had Sir Pentious, you let it slither to the base of the demon’s shoes. Delicately prodding…

SMACK!

A slap hits your power so hard it sends your head spinning. You fall backwards into Angel who wraps his arms under your shoulders to steady you.

“You okay, toots?” Angel whispers in your ear, your vision spinning.

Holy shit.

It was either the sheer force of the blow or the dizziness in its wake, but you swore you saw faces laughing at you in the shadows.

“Uh,” you shake your head, willing the sting to subside.

Jesus, what was that? You’ve never had a reaction like that before…

“I think so?” You find your feet. “Just all the excitement… Caught me off guard.” You give him a fake laugh. He shrugs it off.

What the fuck…?

The next thing you know, Charlie’s grip is on your arm. “I promise it’s not always like this!”

From the corner of your eye, you see Vaggie shake her head. “Yes it is..” she grumbles before swearing under her breath in… Spanish?

Patting Charlie’s arm, you assure her that it doesn’t bother you. That Cannibal Town - and anywhere else in Pentagram City for that matter - were far worse than this place. Which was true. The only place you could get any peace and quiet was the Wrath Ring - way out in the country. Not that you’d been to the Wrath Ring… Technically…

The attention is finally turned away from you when an array of tendrils shoots from the red demon’s form. They descend upon the blimp, shredding it to pieces. The eggs spark into a panic as their helmsman desperately shouts commands.

Maniac laughs bubble in the demon’s chest as he slowly gets to work. It takes a moment before you realize it, but he isn’t taking his time because he has to, he’s doing it to toy with the snake demon. He enjoys the destruction.

You watch as the tension in the demon’s shoulder slowly diminishes with each attack. The pure enjoyment brings a small smile to your lips.

So this guy enjoys chaos just as much as you do, huh?

“Um… Alastor!”

Ah, so this is the famous Mr. Alastor?

The Princess slowly approaches the demon, but it isn’t fear you smell wafting off her person, it’s… anxiety? “I think he’s had enough.”

Vaggie is on Charlie’s heels in an instant, her hands flying to her back to summon her spear just in case.

So little Ms. Morningstar wasn’t afraid of him, but Vaggie sure as Hell doesn’t trust him. Interesting.

“Nah. He’s got a few more hits in him.” Angel crosses his arms, clearly entertained by the onslaught. Despite the chaotic scene before us, his eyes occasionally flit to the red demon - keeping him within eyesight.

Hmm, Angel didn’t trust him either.

You take a step forward but Angel pulls you back, shaking his head.

The snake demon falls from the zeppelin, landing face first with a smack on the pavement. You couldn’t help but grimace. That had to hurt.

Alastor twirls his staff - microphone? - as an egg falls and breaks into pieces at Charlie’s feet.

“Thanks for another forgettable experience!” He sings.

Okay, that you do laugh at. This guy was pretty witty, you had to give it to him.

The four Hotel Natives shoot you a look of disbelief as you giggle into your hand. Looking between you and the red demon, fear slowly etching across their brows.

Alastor’s shoulders stiffen as he turns, finding the source of giggles rumbling through your chest. His smile is pulled taut across his cheek, but the look he gives you… it wasn’t confusion necessarily swimming behind his eyes, more so like he didn’t know what to think.

The giggles die down as your cheeks heat under his gaze.

Was he not used to people finding him funny?

“Thank you… For letting your guard down!” The snake’s tail whips forward and rips the corner of Alastor’s suit from his person. A small chunk of fabric gives way. “Aha! Yah!” The snake celebrates before noticing the purely demonic smile overcoming the red demon’s face. “Oh, shit…”

The red demon’s antlers grow as an aura of green overtakes the atmosphere. From his microphone an explosion of green bursts through, sending the snake demon flying across Pentagram City.

Hmm… Why didn’t he just kill him? He’s just gonna come back. The mosquitos always do.

“Well, it looks as though I need a visit to the tailor!” The demon inspects his jacket. Despite his jovial attitude, you could see the irritation in his eyebrows.

A mask. This demon was wearing a mask.

Finally, now that the chaos was over, you had a chance to inspect the red demon. He must have felt your eyes on him, for when he finally looked up, his gaze was locked with yours. Your cheeks heated under the pressure of his gaze. His eyes, glowing like red crystal in direct sunlight, made your legs feel heavy and your chest tight.

Was it getting harder to breathe or was it just you? Are you… Are you intimidated right now? No. You’ve never been intimidated by a demon in your life. Angels maybe, but never a Human Sinner. What was wrong with you?

“And who might this be?” Your heart fluttered at the purr in his voice.

Twirling his microphone behind his back, he took a step towards you, standing tall at his full height. He had to be an entire foot taller than you, now cast in his shadow. It felt eerily colder in the shade, but there was something else there too. An extra presence you couldn’t quite put your finger on.

The demon was dressed to the nines. His red suit perfectly tailored to his form. It splayed out around his hips, accentuating a waist line supporting a broad chest. His hair was cropped short around his angular face, his eyes half-lidded as they bore into you. The red of his irises practically glowing. He was a classy demon, clearly not of this century. He regarded you with a sense of curiosity - an aura of green still lingered, however. It was meant to intimidate you, not necessarily threaten you.

Okay, this guy thinks he’s tough shit, huh?

Before Charlie had a chance to intervene, you thrust your arm forward, meeting his eyes, not backing down to his overwhelming sense of self importance.

“Thestral, pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Alastor.” You offer him a soft smile.

You took the shift of stiffness in his shoulders to mean that you had made the wrong move. This was a demon who carried himself quite highly - probably used to lesser demons cowering in his presence, not laughing at his jokes or meeting his eyeline let alone offering their hand first. At that, he didn’t know what to make of you, which made you dangerous. Which made you a target of interest.

Shit.

Day one and you’re already fucking up the whole “lay low” part of the plan.

“Oh, darling, you flatter me,” he takes your hand. “Just Alastor will do.”

A shiver rolls down your spine as the tips of his claws scrape across your skin, so sharp they could cut flesh. They probably have, but you weren’t worried. He couldn’t hurt you anyway. Not really.

“Well, ‘Just Alastor,’ thank you for the entertainment.” You cross both arms behind your back mimicking his stance. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Angel’s jaw drop.

“Of course! I live to please! I’m not the Hotel Manager for nothing!” There it is again, a small shift in his body language. He didn’t know what to make of your lack of fear.

The static is interrupted by a laugh track, sounding as if from a live studio audience - from a radio.

“So does that mean you’re going to do you’re job?” Vaggie takes a step forward, motioning to the half destroyed wall of the Hotel.

“Of course! Can’t let my new project fall into disrepair already! What would the papers say?” With a snap of his fingers, black ink demons appear with construction tools.

Five. Five faceless demons. Which means he owns at least five souls. But that was not nearly enough power to equate to the destruction you had just witnessed.

By the time you turn back to him, he’s already strolling down the cobblestone path and off into Pentagram City. You couldn’t help still feeling watched, however, like the sensation of his red eyes still on your form, but nowhere to be found.

You spun but again, no one was watching you.

“Word of advice, stay away from him,” Vaggie crosses her arm in Charlie’s, ready to lead her back inside.

“Yeah, Hairclip,” Angel Dust appears behind you, poking at the silver metal in your hair. “You got a lot of balls on you to stand up to that one.”

“What does that mean?” You scrunch your nose in confusion.

“Well…” Charlie takes a step forward, touching the tips of her fingers together with anxiety. “Alastor can be a little…”

Before she has a chance to respond, Vaggie and Angel offer suggestions.

“Creepy.”

“Unpredictable.”

“Insane.”

“Murderous.”

“Bloodthirsty.”

“Aren’t those basically the same thing?” Angel shrugs.

“He’s a bad boy,” Nifty chirps by your ankle.

Where did she come from?

“Temperamental,” Charlie offers with an awkward smile.

Why did that not feel like a compromising adjective?

“The point is, Alastor is dangerous. It would be best not to poke and prod him too much,” Vaggie runs a hand through her ridiculously long hair, huffing.

Poke and prod… Shit! Shit! Shit! That force I felt slap my power away earlier, was that him? Did he know it was me? No! No! No! This wasn’t good. This was anything but good.

The blood melted from your face.

“Hey toots, you don’t look so good. Maybe we should get ya’ back inside?” Angel’s arm comes to rest on your shoulder, leading you towards the doors. “Don’t sweat it too much. He’s harmless as long as you’re not a threat. He won’t lay a finger on ya’, we won’t let him. Right gurls?”

“Right.” They chime as you made your way through the double doors.

This job just got a lot more complicated…

SCREECH!

“What the fuck is that?” Husk yells from behind the bar, his claws over his ears.

The television by the fireplace hisses, having turned itself on.

“Welcome home!” The box sang. “I’m going to make you wish that you stayed gone!”

The screen jumped through a few stations of fuzz before settling on a news broadcast. Vox, the media demon, sat behind a reporter’s desk, going on and on about… the Radio Demon?

As if in response, the radio in the foyer screams to life, making the five of you jump.

“Salutations! Good to be back on the air!” You recognized the old timey voice as Alastor’s.

“What the fuck is goin’ on!?”Angel screamed over the noise.

Vaggie ran over to the television and ripped the cord out of the wall. No good, the television continued to flash images of Vox screaming as if he could hear and respond to Alastor’s radio.

The Exorcist fisted the cord in frustration before pulling her spear from the Void. Charlie stopped her, however, preventing her from destroying the only piece of real technology in this building besides the coffee maker.

The Hotel Natives and you were subjected to the torture that was Alastor’s and Vox’s tantrum, until finally, they both shut down.

“Holy Jesus, what the fuck was all that about?” Angel screamed, his ears ringing from the noise.

“Fucking Vox and his ego,” Husk grumbled from the bar. The cat poured himself a drink.

“Ahhhhhh!” A eardrum splitting scream pierced the air, making you all, yet again, jump and cover your ears. Vaggie ran to the radio and shut it off rescuing whatever was left of your hearing from… well, whatever the fuck that was.

“Was that part of Alastor’s bit?” Angel asked the room.

No one answered, for no one knew the answer. Seems Alastor is a big mystery around here.

“Drink anyone?” Husk raised a bottle of whiskey in question.

Fuck, after that you needed one. Silently cursing yourself for your lack of thoroughness in your research, you joined the bar cat.

You huffed as you sat on the stool.

“You good?” Husk asked, pulling out a menu.

“Yeah,” you rubbed your temples, willing the forming headache away. “Just a lot of homework to do.”

____________________________________________

It was late, the sky turning towards darkness as opposed to its usual red light.

The Greed Ring always smelled like metal to you. Not copper, like blood, but like the cold steel of coins. You weren’t in the Greed Ring, of course. Sinners couldn’t travel out of Pride - technically. Yet the stench clung to them nevertheless.

You landed at the bottom of the cement path leading to the mansion, outside the gates.

Normally your meetups were discreet, often conducted in the shadows of terraces, rooftops, or alleyways. Oh so rarely did people invite you inside.

But not this time. This employer loved appearances so much so that he rented out a mansion on the edge of town just for this: a meeting that would last five, ten minutes tops. The vanity of Greed…

The demons next to you jumped as black smoke began to curl away revealing a hooded figure.

“I believe I am expected,” a deep voice growled from beneath the fabric. Concealed in shadow, the shark demons opened the gate to let you pass, their guns shaking in their hands. Nearing the door, another set of demons stepped to the side, their eyes filled with fear.

Ugh, how you so enjoyed the scent of terror as it wafted in waves from their forms. Pathetic, honestly.

You found Crimson sitting before his fire, a glass of whiskey in hand, his hat set on the table next to him. The imp rubbed the bridge of his nose between forefinger and thumb, clearly it had been a long day. The servant standing next to him, whiskey bottle and towel in hand, leans down to alert him of your presence.

“Huh? What?” The crime lord jumps to his feet. “Already!?” He lets out a joyous laugh, before finding his hat and setting it between his horns.

Out of the corner of your eye, the waiter slinks from the room. The liquid in the whiskey bottle jostling as he shakes in fear.

“Chaz is swimming with the fishes already, aye!?” Both hands grabbing the lapels of his suit jacket, he stands before you, offering you a seat at the end of the table. Sliding into the head chair, he offers you a drink, which you refuse of course.

He takes a long sip of his whiskey, letting the burn sink in before continuing. “Did he suffer?”

You frowned. No questions. He knew this. That was part of the deal. It was always part of the deal.

“Ah, come on, can’t fault a guy for trying?” He laughs, but you aren’t amused.

As if on cue, a shark demon enters the room, dropping a suitcase onto the table before skittering out of the room. Crim opens the case and turns it towards you to reveal fat stacks of cash lining the case’s bottom.

“It’s all there, I assure you.” He lights a cigar and leans back in his chair. “Pentagram City currency, not the Native stuff.”

You ignore the money. You knew it was all there. You knew none of the bills were traceable. Crim was a pro when it came to moving money around. You didn’t have to worry about covering your tracks from this job like the last ones. Honestly, you didn’t deal in money that often. Your trade was in souls, but Crimson was a Hellborn, and head of a mafia gang at that. You’ve never done business with a Hell Native, so you were hoping your reputation was enough of a threat to keep him quiet.

But, the money wasn’t why you took this case.

You narrowed your eyes at him, knowing he could see their yellow glow - the only part of your face anyone ever saw - before slipping a black gloved hand from your cloak. His eyes find your fingers, uncurled before him expectantly, as the scent hits your nose.

Fear.

You knew this diphsit wasn’t stupid enough not to be afraid of you. Was it the sight of your claws? Or the red still staining the leather?

“Right. Right.” He dug into the hidden pocket of his jacket, producing an obsidian calling card. The flames from the fire flicker across its metal surface as he holds it out to you.

Finally, you had won this card back. It had taken forever to track it down after the last person you entrusted it with lost it in a game of cards. Of all the things to wager! You’d have killed the demon, but senseless death wasn’t part of your repertoire.

The card disappeared from the Pride Ring soon after, passing amongst the hands of Hell as it made its way downwards. It eventually became useless, a piece of metallic junk which eventually landed in Crimson’s hand. He figured out what it was, of course he would. He had eyes and ears everywhere - even in the Sinner’s Ring. So when he appeared in Pride a week ago and summoned you in the dead of night you knew you had to do whatever you could to get the calling card back.

Even if it meant taking down a low level mark and solving some petty personal drama. The calling card now safely tucked away in the leather of your shirt, you stood and made your way to the door.

“Ain’t you gonna take the money?” Crim motioned to the suitcase still sitting open on the table.

With a flick of your wrist the case closed, locked itself, and slipped into the Void.

As you exited the room you could hear the imp demon call out after you, “Pleasure doing business with yous!”

Crim was known to be a man of his word, or he’d soon find himself a dead man…

Link to Chapter Two!

Masterlist Link: Masterlist

#alastor smut #alastor x reader #alastor #alastor x you #hazbin hotel #hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel x reader #reader insert #x reader #alastor x reader smut #alastor shadow #smut

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sammyaftxn · 9 months ago

Text

︴✧Dating husk headcanons ✧︴

Gn reader, general hcs for husker :3

When you first arrived at the hotel, you we're genuinely seeking redemption.

Your life wasn't horrible per-say, but you had definitely done some hell-worthy things, thus ending up down here.

When husk first saw you, he wasn't even paying attention. He simply saw a new resident and payed no mind

Although, you made an effort to bother him into being friends

You sat by the bar every once in a while and started up a few conversations, mostly with him grumbling a response.

After a while, he realized you were the only one at the hotel being genuine with him. You didn't put up an act or fake anything

He started talking to you more and more

Shit, does he actually enjoy your company?

Apparently, yes, because the two of you would talk more and more

He started noticing the little things

How you looked absolutely gorgeous in whatever you were wearing that day

How you looked into his eyes with such a caring gaze

Fuck he's so in love

When angel caught on that a little something was going on, he first came to you

Trying to convince you to go for it

Obviously you were reluctant

Luckily you didn't have to do anything!

Husk was drunk out of his mind talking to you at the bar, when he just threw out a few compliments and ended it with "mghfh-wish ya' were ma' girlfriend honestly..."

Fell asleep right after

Wtf do you do after that?????

The day after you full confessed and started dating!!!

Things about dating husk:

This man can NOT tie his own bowtie. Wore a clip-on for years because his paws were so big

You do it for him!! Help this big boy get a proper bowtie on

He is surprisingly cuddly, he's just very embarrassed about it.

It'll probably take a few months before he's fully opened up to sleeping with you (not like that y'all 😭)

He has trust issues and really needs support, but he knows you're always there for him

He's also a big fan of kisses! He loves it when you kiss his paws

Definitely gets all flushed and tries to hide it the first time you do it.

After a long day of work, all he wants to do is plop down on your chest and purr like a baby.

SPEAKING OF

this man purrs like CRAZY around you

Tries to hide it when cuddling? Fails miserably.

But you reassure him that you love his purring.

"Did you know cat's purring has been proven to have therapeutic benefits?"

That definitely calms his insecurities a bit

Overall 9/10 boyfriend. 1 point taken for alcoholismLMAO

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!! requests are open! Please send in asks ♡

I write for everyone ‼️

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin angel dust #hazbin #hazbin hotel x you #husker #Hazbin hotel husk #Husk x reader #Hazbin hotel husk x reader #husker hazbin hotel #hazbin husk #headcanon

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wc-confessions · 2 months ago

Note

I think people go way too easy on Breezepelt. (Before reading this ramble, I already know people will say, "That didn't happen in the books" I just wanted to assure you I've done my research. Go to Breezepelt's wiki page and Ctrl+F any character names mentioned here if you don't believe me)

Crowfeather's Trial's attempt to redeem him is a joke. It lies that Breezepelt didn't know the Dark Forest's intentions or never attacked Windclan cats. Then, it sweeps the murder attempt of Jayfeather and pregnant Poppyfrost under the rug.

Why was Breezepelt pursuing a relationship a few moons after he tried to kill his family? Did he seriously think he was in a safe mindset for that? That is why I hate BreezeXHeather. She was already traumatised by Lionblaze; why does she have to be the redemption reward for another violent tom? This seriously just comes off as an 'I can fix him' dynamic.

The content within Crowfeather's Trial isn't good either. Breezepelt attacks anyone who criticises him, acts recklessly with the stoats and threatens to kill Pickle. Nightcloud's disappearance was a convenient way for Breezepelt to focus on her instead of his actual victims. He was aggressive towards Lionblaze the super edition. Breezepelt may have swatted a few stoats off of him, but his 'apology' was vague and half-hearted: "You’re a Clan cat, and my loyalty should be to the Clans.” I believe he only said it because Lionblaze confronted him first.

Even in the later arcs, Breezepelt hasn't changed for the best. Fans cling to his appearance in Daisy's Novella like ants on a leaf. Are our standards so low that we praise Breezepelt for not wanting newborns to starve to death? Well, it certainly didn't stop him from trying to kill unborn kits.

For every step forward Breezepelt takes, he takes four steps back. The entire fandom ignores all his negative interactions.

He is still as prejudged as ever, saying Tree can't do a warrior's job. He still needs his clanmates to babysit him and prevent him from attacking others prematurely.

Breezepelt didn't want Shadowclan to get the yellow cough cure, even snarling at Medcine cats. He still has a grudge against Squirrelflight and victim-blames her for Ashfur. He hypocritically says Shadowclan cats who joined from the kin should remain in exile, including pregnant Yallowleaf. With the rebels, he said the Thunderclan camp should be invaded during a time when it wasn't necessary, and he didn't care about potential casualties.

#confession #anonymous #breezepelt

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charliesloser · 7 months ago

Text

HAPPY LESBIAN VISIBILITY WEEK BITCHES!! i bring you angst.

——

Redemption

Chaggie x Emilute

——

“But she was right, Sera,” Emily sang, hopodiah up the paper, “she showed us a soul can improve, he saw the light Sera,” she flew up, “checked all the boxes the you said would..” Emily continued and Lute felt guilt coming up in the pit of her stomach.

“It’s not fair, Sera,” Charlie jumped in, a mix of determination and anger spread on her face.

“Careful, Charlie, keep a cool head,” Vaggie placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.

“No!” Charlie pushed her hand off and walked forward, “don’t you care, Sera? That just because someone is dead, it doesn’t mean they can’t resolve to change their ways! Turn their backs, escape infernal blaze!”

“I really wish it could be so, but there’s a lot that you don’t know!”

Lute knows she’s gonna retreat this, but she chimes in as well, “what are we even talking about, some crack whore who fucked up already?!” Lute avoided Emily’s eyes, “he blew his shot like the cocks in his mouth this discussion is sensless and petty!”

Adams jumps up and the two start singing, “there’s no question to be posed, he’s unholy case closed, did you forget that hell is forever?!”

Adam smirks, “a man only lives once, we’ll see you in one month!” He steps closer to Charlie, “gotta say I can’t wait to..”

“Adam..” Lute mumbles under her breath.

“Come down an exterminate you!”

“Wait!” Emily flies down.

“Shit..” Lute looks away.

“What are you saying? Let me get this straight, you go down there and kill those poor souls?” Emily was furious.

“You didn’t know?” Charlie tilts her head.

Lute takes a deep breath, “guess the cats out of the bag,” she puts on a fake smile.

“What’s the big deal?” Adam smirks.

“Sera,” Emily looks at Sera with pleading eyes, “tell me that you didn’t know.”

Sera flew down there, “I thought since I’m older, it’s my load to shoulder!

“No..”

“You have to listen, it was such a hard decision!” Sera reached her hands out but Emily pulled away, “I wanted to save you, the anguish it takes to do what was required!”

Emily clenches her fists and starts flying, “to think that I admired you, well I don’t need your condescension, I’m not a child to protect! Was talk of virtue just pretension? Was I too naive to expect you to heed the morals you’re proveying?” Emily flies down to Charlie.

Charlie nods, “that’s what the fuck I’ve been saying!”

They grabbed each other hands, “if hell is forever then heaven must be a lie! If angels can do whatever and remain in the sky! The rules are shades of grey if you don’t do as they say, when you make the retched suffer just to kill them again!”

“I was told not trust in angels,” Charlie gave Vaggie a soft look and she gave the princess a look of guilt.

“By her?” Adam smirks.

Lute knew she was in deep shit so she just doesn’t care anymore, “ha! She should go,” she smirks and places an arm on Vaggie.

Vaggie pushes her off and walked closer to her girlfriend, “we should go-”

“No!” Charlie grabbed her hands, “don’t you see we’ve come so close? Look at them fighting, they’re at each others throats!”

“Don’t you act all high and mighty,” Lute and Adam circled Vaggie, “did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar?” Adam smirked.

“Adam, don’t, please..”

“What’s the fuss?” Adam walked closer to her, “why hide the fact that you’re an angel just like us?” Lute pulled on Vaggie and made her face Charlie with a smirk.

Charlie had a look of anger, confusion, and terror in her eyes as she fell to her knees. Her hands were in her face as she starts crying and Vaggie runs to her, wrapping her arms around her.

——

The portal closes as soon as Charlie and Vaggie are back in hell. Vaggies heart is beating and Charlie’s eyes are red and puffy from crying. A lot was revealed today, and neither of them know how to feel.

“Charlie-” before Vaggie can even get a chance to speak, Charlie walks out of their room. She groans and plops down on the bed, her face in the pillows.

There was a knock on the door, “go away!” Vaggies voice was muffled because of the pillows.

Despite what she had said, Angel barged in. “Hey, so Charlie just ran out of the hotel with her horns and tail out. Mind telling me what happened?” Charlie usually only has her demon form out when she’s really stressed or emotional.

“I. Don’t. Want. To. Talk.” Vaggie mumbles into the pillows.

“Talkin’ about it will make ya feel better, toots,” Angel sits on the bed.

Vaggie sighs and rolls on her back, looking up at Angel. She knew he wasn’t gonna give up. “So, let’s just say a lot happened at the meeting,” she sighs and he gave her a look that tells her to continue, “well, apparently no one but the head seraphim and the exorcists knew about the exterminations.”

“Oh?” Angel crosses his arms.

“And we used you as an example, but they still believe that no soul can be redeemed,” Vaggie rolls her eyes. She left out the one part that Angel deserves to know, and Angel picked up on that.

“Is that all?” He tilts his head.

Vaggie takes a deep breath and stands up from the bed, looking out if the window. “No, there’s..” she turns to look at him, “there’s something else that I need to say,” she sighs and Angel nods, “it was revealed that..I used to be an exorcist angel.”

——

Emily’s in her room, her head pounding and her heart racing. There was so much that was impacted in that meeting and she doesn’t know how to handle it all.

There was a knock, “come in,” her voice was soft and the door opened and shut. Her back was facing the door and she was sitting on her bed so she couldn’t see who walked in, but she didn’t need to see. She just knew who it was because it’s the same person who comes to see her after every meeting.

Lute takes a deep breath, “Em, I-”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Emily stands up and turns to face Lute.

“Please-”

“No! You’ve kept something from me you knew that I deserved to know! These exterminations have been happening for god knows how long, and you didn’t tell me!” Emily snaps, “those souls, human souls..they don’t deserve that, demon or not!”

“If you understood-”

“What I don’t understand is-” Emily sighs, “what I don’t understand is how you could keep something like this from someone you fell in love with.”

“Emily, please-” Emily ignores Lute and flies out her window.

Lute clenches her fists and throws her helmet on the ground.

——

Charlie returns to the hotel. Her hair was a mess and she had dark circles under her eyes. Vaggie looks over, she was sitting on the couch with Angel.

Charlie yawns as she drags her feet to the bar, ignoring Vaggie and Angel. She isn’t one to drink, but she really needs this.

Husk raises an eyebrow as he makes her a drink, something light since she isn’t really used to it, and hands it to her, “you look like shit.”

Charlie groans, “you have no idea,” she takes a sip of her drink and makes a weird face, shaking her head.

“I heard..what happened,” Husk sighs, “do you wanna talk about it?”

“Depends..is she here?” Charlie asked.

Husk shakes his head, “Angel took her out..she looked like she needed a break.”

Charlie scoffs, “she needs a break? As if she didn’t lie to me for years? We share everything together, she should’ve known that I would’ve understood if she told me that she was an exorcist angel.”

Husk opens his mouth, but closes it, trying to figure out what to say. He opens it again, “well, did you try asking her why she didn’t tell you?”

Charlie looks down and shakes her head, “I’m..afraid of her answer.”

Husk sighs, pouring himself a drink, “you know,” he takes a big drink, “it’s okay to be scared, that’s apart of life..but so is talking. Relationships aren’t always so perfect. Fights and mistakes are what makes them healthy and special. I’m not saying that you need to fight 24/7, I’m saying that..you guys will overcome this situation. All you need to do is talk it out.”

Charlie sighs. She knew that Husk was right and she nods, “when did you get so good at this relationship stuff?” She jokes with a smile.

Husk smiles back as he looks at Angel, who’s talking to Vaggie, “since I got into one myself,” he looks back at Charlie, “now, go talk to her. Make things right.”

Charlie nods, taking a deep breath before standing up. She slowly makes her way to the couch and Vaggie looked up from her conversation with Angel, making eye contact with Charlie. Charlie holds her hand out with pleading eyes and Vaggie doesn’t hesitate to take it.

——

Lute finds Emily on the top of a mountain, but not just any mountain. It was the mountain Emily took them in their first date, before they made it official. Lute remembers it like it was yesterday.

Emily had taken them to the tallest mountain in heaven to have a picnic. She decorated it so the trees lit up and the pink roses were brighter than before. Back then was so easy, Lute thought. Never in a million years would she had thought that Emily found out about the exterminations.

Without saying anything, Lute turns to fly away, thinking about how stupid this is, but she stops herself when she hears a voice, “you know..” Lute gulps and turns to look back at Emily, “maybe I overreacted.”

Lute tilts her head as she sits down next to Emily, their legs hanging off the edge of the cliff. “What do you mean?”

Emily sighs as she stares at the city of heaven, “maybe I overreacted..” she repeats herself, “after finding out about the exterminations,” she pauses, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped, it’s just..we’ve been dating for a few months and you’ve..kept something from me that goes against what I’m trying to stop.”

Lutes breath is shaky as she opens her mouth, but then closes it. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t find the right words.

The two were quiet for like 15 minutes, neither knowing what to say. Until Emily opened her mouth, “can we just..forget about everything?” She takes a glance at Lute, “maybe I overreacted, I just-”

Lute takes Emily’s hand into her own, “it’s okay, you didn’t overreact. I should’ve told you about the exterminations to begin with, I acted stupid,” she sighs, “I’m sorry, I really am.”

——

“I’m sorry, I really am,” Vaggie speaks, her voice is quiet and soft. She and Charlie were sitting on their bed, “I’d understand if you didn’t forgive me, or if you needed time..I should’ve told you, I was just scared, and..”

“Vaggie-” Charlie tries to cut in.

“When you found me that day, you were so nice to me..”

“Vaggie-” Charlie tried again.

“I just..I don’t understand..how you could be so nice to someone you knew nothing about. I didn’t tell you because I was scared..scared of losing the best thing that happened to me..and I’d understand if you wanted t-”

“Vaggie!” Finally, Vaggies eyes meet Charlie’s. She was expecting a look of anger and disappointment, but she was brought a look of love. Charlie cups Vaggies face, “it’s okay,” she whispers, “I promise..I overreacted and I should’ve let you explain. I was hurt, but I’m not now. I just..wish you would’ve told me sooner, and I would’ve preferred finding out from you and not some prick,” the princess smiles when she hears Vaggie let out a chuckle. She presses a kiss onto her forehead before pulling her in for a hug, “I love you.”

Vaggie smiles for the first time in a few days, “more than anything.”

#hazbin hotel #chaggie #charlie morningstar #vaggie #emilute #hazbin hotel lute #emily hazbin hotel

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clangenrising · 4 months ago

Note

Following the previous question, how do you feel about redemption arcs from the "bad guys" in general? Even if they've murdered, kidnapped, the whole shabam, would you try to give your characters one often? Those in other media like movies you watched?

So, I think that there's a difference between a Redemption Arc and a Growth Arc. I would honestly be hard pressed to find a Redemption Arc that isn't a Growth Arc as well, but a Growth Arc doesn't have to be a Redemption Arc, the difference being that Growth is the pursuit of becoming a better, kinder person and Redemption is the act of repairing relationships with the people you have harmed. More under the cut.

Whether or not you, as an author, give a character a Growth Arc or a Redemption Arc really depends on the kind of story you're trying to tell and the character in question.

The story I want to tell with RisingClan is one about human nature and especially human nature in the face of complicated circumstances and imperfect choices. That lends itself really naturally to Redemption/Growth Arcs because a lot of my characters are going to have made mistakes and even done harm as a result of those complicated circumstances and imperfect choices. Scorch is going through a Growth Arc and has been since the start of the story but she isn't going through a Redemption Arc because none of the characters in the story have been particularly wronged by Scorch in a way that she needs to redeem herself for.

However, despite my story being inclined towards Growth/Redemption Arcs, not all characters in my story are subject to have one and the main deciding factor is "does the character want to grow/be redeemed?"

Ghost is getting a Growth Arc (and maybe a Redemption Arc with his daughters specifically) because he realized he was doing harm and wanted to change. Without this important factor, these arcs are impossible (or at least impossible to do well). It helps that nothing Ghost has done has been particularly monstrous -- he hasn't killed anyone in cold blood, he hasn't tortured anyone to death, he hasn't assaulted any of the other characters. He's just a kind of shitty guy who has heretofore been fairly unconcerned with the ways that his womanizing, lack of commitment, and complicity in an authoritarian governmental system have caused harm to the cats around him. And those are transgressions that people find easier to forgive than others.

However, if I had written Ghost to have done those things -- if he had ignored Scorch's lack of consent during their relationship, if he had murdered Smokyrose with his own two paws, if he were more actively policing the Chaff -- he still would have been able to go through a Growth Arc as long as he recognized that he was in the wrong and committed himself to changing his behavior.

One of the most important parts of Restorative Justice (a philosophy which I try to live by and reflect in my writing) is allowing harm doers to change their behavior and be accepted back into their communities no matter what harm they have done. As long as they are willing to change they are welcome. There's a quote I heard once that I can't seem to find again that basically says "If someone is a cop and then they quit and try to make up for the harm they did, we have to allow them to do that because if there is no place for them in a socially just society then what reason do they have to want that society?" Basically, if someone does something wrong and then that forever bars them from being allowed in society and deserving kindness then we aren't actually making a kind and caring society.

Now, that doesn't mean that, for example, if Ghost had ignored Scorch's lack of consent, that she would be obligated to forgive him and let him back into her life if he decided to change his ways. No individual is obligated to forgive someone who harmed them or be nice to them or what have you. But as a society, we must take care of them and allow them to make new relationships and forgive themselves. I believe that wholeheartedly and as a writer I like to put representation of that grace in my writing because it isn't very common in media to see restorative justice like that (although shows like Steven Universe and The Owl House are great examples of it).

However, that kind of Growth/Redemption cannot happen if the person in question is unwilling to change their behavior. Razor, for example, was never going to stop causing harm -- or, at least, a LOT of very particular circumstances would have needed to aligned and even then the chances are slim. He enjoyed hurting other people and he had no incentives to give up his power over them. In that case, there was no chance of him having a Redemption/Growth Arc. While in an ideal world, all harm doers would change their behavior and find a place in society, it is a sad fact that some people are causing too much harm and trying to "save" them cannot take priority over helping the people they are doing harm to. So, as much as I believe in Restorative Justice, I don't think it was wrong for the Clans to kill Razor because doing so was a matter of life and death for many vulnerable people he was targeting.

So, to sum up, I think that Growth Arcs are very interesting and satisfying in media partially because of my own personal beliefs in Restorative Justice. I think that Redemption Arcs can be good too but they're trickier since the victims of the character's harm do not owe that character forgiveness so you as the writer really need to make sure they earn it. As far as when to "give your characters" one of these arcs, I think it really depends on the character's personality if you're working with preexisting characters. I like creating characters who fit well into Growth Arcs but I don't think that they're "better" than other kinds of characters or anything, that's just my personal taste.

So, yeah!

#not art #asks and answers #anon asks #tw sa mention #Ghost #Razor #Scorchplume

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svtminji · 5 months ago

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mingyu redemption arc when🫣

𐙚 ‧ MIMI ─── mingyu's redemption arc or not!

╰ every member has their favorite person and would it be a crime to admit the guy she's gotten 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 with for the last 4 years be her favorite? not to minji, but she would never admit it.

pair. mingyu x oc warnings. theres a sex scene but idk if u could classify it as a sex scene anyways i don't want -18 interacting w this post.. if u do then idk man go touch grass or something, consensual infidelity/cheating, poly stuff? idk jeonghan is ok with it, dub-con ig???, obvi height differences are mentioned, and they were roommates, mingyu's parents are minji's korean parents, forced marriage ideas, younger mingyu & older minji memories, unrequited love type shit, slow burn shit idk man mingyu will never win, jeonghan and his devilish plans, oh and jeongmi marriage mentioned word count. 1.8k tags. @smh-anon @mymartiniblue

mimi: 🐶🐈‍⬛. ─── dynamic

🎼 ─ agora hills by doja cat & one of the girls by the weeknd

minji has raised this man since she was 17 and he was 16. she was one of the members who had already completed their studies in school and she took several younger members under her wing

mingyu has always held minji in high regard and her caring nature had him gain a crush on her. mingyu never acted on his infatuation towards her but one fateful night led him to join in the fun with johnji AND jeongmi ;3

on the other hand, minji felt uncomfortable with the idea of being romantic with someone younger than her. despite the drunken words and pleas of mingyu, she gave in.

freakiness aside, their friendship is more wholesome rather than sexual. minji and mingyu are the best of friends and their dynamic doesn't falter even if people try to break it. many people and fans alike point out the cute height difference between the pair and the struggles in communication between them.

as to what jeonghan thinks about their relationship, he doesn't mind another person as long as mingyu doesn't entirely cross the line. jeonghan knows minji will always go back to him at the end of the day and he 100% trusts her to do the right thing

roommates: propaganda is real and the truth is.. mingyu doesn't clean. between the three roommates, mingyu is in charge of the kitchen, minji cleans, and wonwoo sits there and looks pretty.

mimi: 🐶🐈‍⬛. ─── family

mingyu's parents really love and adore her. she's their second daughter and they will always support her in anything she does. they are definitely her second korean parents and she's super grateful they took her under their wing.

they also thank her for taking care of their sweet boy while they were trainees and have dropped comments about a future marriage but minji quickly stopped it.

his sister + minji -> A MESS. women LOVE to gossip and they will gossip til it's midnight. mingyu loves to see two of his favorite women interact and it makes him super happy.

minji's parents also adore mingyu. although they have a preference for jeonghan, they still wholeheartedly appreciate every single member. her parents don't need to know what happens behind closed doors.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 민지 ⠀𓍼⠀⠀⠀ℳ.⠀⠀⠀민규

to an experienced carat, mingyu and minji had shown countless sexual tension after minji’s initial break up with johnny. perhaps it was how he became more protective of her or how he demanded her attention whenever there was something he was proud of. or maybe.. it was how she looked at him with that glint in her eye that showed him that she wanted him.

being roommates was the worst. he couldn’t fathom his thoughts and emotions, especially regarding the sole female member. she had seen him grow into the man he is now and the way his parents had taken her under their wing set the emotions on fire. it didn’t help that they would call minji their “daughter-in-law” or “daughter” in general. he noticed that his parents pushed the agenda of marriage onto them. though he knew minji would never marry him, or even date him, especially when her emotions were locked behind a barrier that could only be broken with the right amount of force. the only person who had managed to break it was jeonghan and mingyu knew he couldn't go behind his member's back to pursue the girl he liked.

╰ 2022: the beginning of the current present

jeonghan and minji have had many conversations about her prior relationships and what she thinks about them now. from seungcheol to her boyfriend, jeonghan knew all of her relationship histories and brought up something interesting: mingyu and his attraction to minji. he recalled how mingyu had originally felt when the '95 pair began dating and suggested something minji would never believe come of his mouth.

"you mean a polyamorous relationship? so you're okay with me practically 'dating' mingyu?" minji responded to the statement jeonghan made with a focus on the dating part.

jeonghan shook his head and continued, "it's not dating or a polywhatever relationship but if you feel something and i'm not there, you're allowed to go with the people i choose." he could see how she thought about many possible conclusions. but she failed to even consider it.

"i don't know if i would even be able to do that to you, consensually or not. it just feels like i would be mentally breaking your trust and i don't want to even think about losing you."

jeonghan sighed and opened his arms for a hug, which she gladly took. he rubbed her back and reassured her that he felt completely sure about it. "if it makes you feel better, i'll be there with you, and him i guess, and see what i feel about it."

"would you really do that for me? even if it causes you pain?"

"sweetheart, nothing you do would ever make me feel pain. don't worry about it, my sweet mizuji."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 민지 ⠀𓍼⠀⠀⠀ℳ.⠀⠀⠀민규

when the day came, minji was shitting bricks. she invited jeonghan to her shared dorm and both of them sat down on her bed and stayed quiet. within their almost two years of dating, jeonghan had never felt this nervous but he still persisted. as he was going to open his mouth, minji's door was opened and the man that lingered in their thoughts was the perpetrator. mingyu saw the look on their faces and knew something was wrong. closing the door, he made his way to sit down on the empty chair at minji's desk.

"so.. why has everything gone quiet? i haven't seen you guys this quiet since forever." mingyu questioned him as he had his signature pouty face. jeonghan cleared his throat and let out a sigh. it was now or never.

"well, i'm not sure how to begin to tell you this. minji and i," hearing her name being involved his ideas, minji slapped his arm, "ow... okay okay. i have been thinking about something serious and after a long time of talking it out, how would you feel about spending time with minji... romantically?"

mingyu couldn't believe what he heard. him.. being romantically involved with minji? was he dreaming? no, he couldn't be... minji never looked this good in his dreams but still, he couldn't tell if jeonghan was serious or not.

"are you serious?"

"why wouldn't i be?"

"and is she okay with it?"

"i'm literally right here. but if you want to know so bad, then yes, i am okay with it." minji spoke after keeping her peace. "hannie caught me off guard with the idea as well, but he reassured me that he was one-hundred percent sure that he felt comfortable with the idea."

the trio spent a few more minutes talking about consent, other barriers, and limits mingyu had because it was still jeongmi's relationship at the end of the day. let's just say jeonghan started getting a little freaky and minji had to convince mingyu to join them. he joined.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 민지 ⠀𓍼⠀⠀⠀ℳ.⠀⠀⠀민규

these :3-somes happened pretty often as it allowed the trio to let out their stress after a busy day of schedules or just for fun ^0^. though moving on more towards jeonghan and minji's engagement, jeonghan had decided to cut it down more since their future marriage would put a stop to it (for a while), and because jeonghan wanted a family.

jeongmimi aside, mingyu and minji have had a massive messy relationship from 2018 to the present; yet it never faltered and managed to maintain its strength even after all those years.

╰ mingyu's birthday / ideas :3

everyone ages and it lets us reflect on what we have accomplished since when we were born. for mingyu, it was many things and perhaps this birthday surprise was the best one he had in a while. resting on the bedframe behind him, he kept his gaze on minji who was sitting on his lap, smiling at him. her small frame against his larger frame had him getting harder each second, and for sure, minji had felt it. a slight whimper came out of his mouth every time she slightly moved on his lap. her pink nightgown had a bow that would expose everything in one tug of a string, and mingyu knew she was dolled up just for him (not really but let him be delusional). men have huge egos and minji wasn't afraid of feeding into it sometimes.

mingyu knew that she would let him do anything to her and he flipped her over so he would be on top. although he preferred to be on the bottom and watch her get off from him, he wanted to see his pillow princess fall apart because of him. when it comes to mingyu and his small habits during sex, he bites and leaves bruises on the areas that would be easy to hide from the public eye; although he had forgotten one day and minji had a poor look of shame when getting her marks covered up by her makeup artist.

he always mutters praises to her, telling minji how gorgeous, perfect, and precious she is for taking him all the way. did i mention he likes to take photos? i didn’t.. anyways this guy definitely had intimate photos/polaroids of their sexual encounters and probably a sex tape or two. though sometimes he gets too lost in his own pleasure that all he can hear is the pap pap pap coming from their bodies and minji's own choked sob that comes out everytime along with her small whimpers. whenever mingyu feels the familiar pressure coming, minji allows him to come inside her, and it's no surprise the man practically empties his balls inside of her.

nevertheless, when it comes to aftercare, this man is on it. from making sure she pees after and cleaning his mess to getting her a new change of clothes and blankets, he's the perfect man for it idc argue with the wall. mingyu enjoys the domestic feeling of minji between his arms and cuddling her; yet as soon as she gets up, he knows he will never actually feel the same feeling coming from her. he lays on the bed as he watches minji get dressed to go run errands and the sight of it makes him blink away a tear.

minji hates seeing her members cry, especially if its because of her. wiping his tears away, she kisses him goodbye and tells him she'll see him later. he knows she doesn't have the heart to lie to him and at the of the day, they're close friends and band members with a complicated history. he knows he will never have the relationship he wants with minji, but being her close friend makes up for it.

mingyu and minji have called it quits since november 2023 as minji and jeonghan are preparing for their wedding. although they have ended things on a good note, minji can finally admit that mingyu is her favorite, after her boyfriend. don’t worry, both of them saw the photos burned along with the tapes.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 민지 ⠀𓍼⠀⠀⠀ℳ.⠀⠀⠀민규

can u tell i dont know how to write 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 scenes... LMAO. this was everywhere my fault and yes, she is on birth control 🙄 she learned her lesson a 6 years ago

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