Hullo everyone!

So quick note. I forgot to say this in the prologue but the music that Alastor keeps mentioning ex (If I were a Bell by Frank Loesser) are all real songs from the 1950s as were the people.

Also the chapters will be a lot shorter than the prologue (I'm sorry it was so long). The prologue was 8k words and this chapter is about 4k words.

Let me know if I should change the Gamemaster's name! I'm kind of on the fence about it.

I don't own Hazbin Hotel. I really wish I did thought. However if wishes were fishes we'd all be swimming in riches.

Chapter 1

How Niffty of you Part 1

Location: Denver, Colorado USA

Time/ Date: 1:05 am 12/21/1952

30 days before Niffys death.

The bar was crowded and full to the brim with people with drinks in their hands. Couples were kissing in corners, some more surreptitiously than others. Friends laughed. Shady businessman slipped items under the counter. Druggies handed each other packets and cigars under the table. A small band in the corner played some ambient jazz music.

"If I Were a Bell by Frank Loesser." thought Alastor absentmindedly."Or at least a version of it."

They had found an empty booth near the back storerooms. One couple had been lounging near the table- the girl's waist braced on the table as she was tipped back in a kiss. As though directed by an unseen force, they quickly moved away and the booth was occupied by 5 very tired demons.

They had sat there for about 10 minutes and had realized two key things. Firstly nobody knew they were there. Every time they moved into an area where people were populated, the group quickly moved away seemingly without reason. Secondly, they were still able to feel different temperature conditions and it could affect them. From the weather outside to a small candle inside, they could feel it.

This wasn't good for Charlie. Her nose was running and her fingertips had turned black. Her face was pale and her eyes were closed. At this point the concern for Charlie became the demons's first priority.

"Hmmm, this is most unsettling..."Alastor took a look at Charlie's skin. "Her fingertips are black, almost like frostbite. We must find something warm enough soon or she might go into shock. "

"This is a is nothing here we could use."said Vaggie.

"We could numb the effects with some brandy." muttered Husk.

"You just want some for yourself.I have an idea. We could go with good old skin on skin."suggested Angel Dust.

This drew a heated blush from Vaggie. "You fucking sex machine! This isn't the time."

"What? That's what you do when you've got hypothermia. It's valid."

"Well he's got a point… Although it wouldn't be useful at a time like this." Alastor said.

"What do you mean?"

"Charlie,darling is Hellborn. She doesn't belong in the world of men even if it is just an imitation. So she can only be warmed through means of Hell."

"So you mean…."

"Hellfire, Darkfire, Hounds fire, you know what I mean."

"We don't have any of those and we can't even conjour it cause our magic doesn't work!" Vaggie slammed her hand on the table. "There has to be something we can do."

Charlie shuddered."I-i-i-i-im f-f-fine. P-please j-j-just go f-f-f-find N-n-n-niffty." Her body was racked in pain and she could feel herself slipping away. The fire and comforting heat that were usually centered around her chest was dimming. She passed out against Vaggie.

"Charlie?CHARLIE?!"

"Hey wake up!" but it was too late. Charlie's breathing came out raspy.

"That's it."Angel rose. "I'm not staying here talking about things to do and not fucking do it!"

"What are you going to do?" snapped Husk. "We all want to help the princess but there's nothing we can fucking do." He took a long swig from a bottle he had stolen from the bar. That was another thing about this world-they could touch things and nobody would notice.

"So you're going to let her die, you bitch?!"He slapped the table and a cup rattled off the table with a crash.

"People die! Thats how this fucking world fucking works! Nobody gives two flying fucks about you and when you die, you die. Face facts ,whore, there's nothing you can -Hic- do!" The alcohol had been stronger than anything they had in Hell. It had loosened his hold on his temperament. The frustration, rage, fear and worry poured into his words leaving him seething in the end.

Angel Dust, Alastor and Vaggie were taken aback by this outburst. Some (Alastor) less than others.

Husk sneered. "What are ya going to call for your ma?" Then he paused. A look of disbelief crossed his face. It couldn't be that simple could it? He only had one way to find out.

Husk abandoned his bottle. "Hey moth. Do you guys have your phones on you?"

"Wha-? Oh!" before she could get over her shock at the sudden personality change, she realized what Husk was proposing. "Oh my Satan, got it." She fished out her phone as well as Charlie's from their pockets and passed them both over to Husk.

"What? Why do you need phones?" asked Angel walking around to watch.

Husk dug his claws into the back panel and ripped it out. Inside were wires and a silver battery pack. "Electronics in Hell aren't powered by batteries cause we don't have electricity. Instead they had to find another method. Something strong enough so that it doesn't need to be me yours as well spider."

"Hell fire." Alastor said.

Husk nodded." The downside is that it may blow up and kill us all. It's 50/50."

"Well we are already probably dead anyway. Go on Husker."

"How'd you know about this?" asked Vaggie.

"I ran a bar missy. People come in and out." He took out the battery and a few wires. "The 'battery' has fuel and the wires ignite it and convert it into energy. We just have to ignite it. "He looked at Vaggie. "You know how right?"

"It's not going to last for long." Angel said.

"That just means we have to find Niffty quickly and get the hell out of here." Vaggie took the battery pack. "I worked in a garage. I know how to light stuff on fire." She held it out arms length and teased out a wire. Then another. They were red and white respectively. She attached them together and teased out green wire. "Ok if I attach this then it will burn."

Angel Dust grabbed Charlies hands gently, wincing at how cold they were. "Shit." He placed them close to the battery. "Do it."

Vaggie turned her face away slightly. "3...2…..1!" She attached them and it sparked. The fuel caught on fire and rose into a tiny flame. Charlie's hands instantly tensed then relaxed and her skin color returned to normal.

The fire jumped from the battery and onto her skin. It ran around her body and Vaggie drew away with a hiss as it came close to her hands. It didn't burn Charlie, sensing that they were kin. It sank into her skin with a satisfying hiss.

She opened her eyes slowly and shook her head slightly. "What? What was that?" Then her eyelids shot upward."Husk, get down!" She didn't wait for him to react and jumped off the table and kicked the creature that was about to decapitate him, away. It flew back with a squeal and crashed into the bar. Bottles and glass rained all around it. The bar patrons didn't notice anything but a second later started dissipating into black smoke.

The side of the bar started to turn to ash slowly creeping towards the demons.

"Ah shit!" Angel cried.

"I would advise you all to make haste out of here!" Alastor sprang out of his chair.

"Ah! M-my legs!" Charlie tried getting up but collapsed onto her knees. "They're still numb.I can't get up..."

Vaggie scooped her arms below her knees and waist. "Hold on babe."Charlie nodded and wrapped her arms around Vaggie's neck.

Alastor shouted"Everyone out NOW!" He dropped all decorum and they all sprinted out of the door.

The jazz band played one last melancholy note before squeaking out of existence. The world was shaking now.

The scene outside wasn't much different than inside. The shops were disappearing and the lamp posts winked out of view. The night sky above was being consumed in ash.

They ran in the opposite direction of the black void that now replaced the scenery.

"What's going on?"Husk screamed.

"Run now. Talk later!"yelled Angel.

Suddenly winged creatures like the one that had attacked them shot out of the void. They screeched and howled,diving and clawing at them.

"Gamemaster!?" Alastor gasped ducking a beast. "He sent his toys after us!"

"Shit I thought you said he couldn't do that!" Angel rolled aside. A beast crashed into the lamp post in front of him.

"Well technically he can't be here but he can conjure his little minions!"

"Shut up! How do we get out of here?" Vaggie shouted.

"There! An alley! We can lose them in there!"

They ducked into the alley way, Husk narrowly avoiding being impaled by the thing's tail. The beast tried to enter but found that they were too large to enter. The hissed and flew upwards. The void continued to advance on them.

"Great one problem solved! Now what?" Angel huffed. His six arms were out along with his guns. He knew his bullets were limited so therefore did not shoot. Damn, he should have gotten the extra bullet cases even if they had cost a little extra.

"We keep running!"

"Really? That's your brilliant plan? What the fuck, Al?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

They ran through the alley emerging on the other side of a street. The strange void crept up to them from their left.

"Right!" The Radio Demon ran right and the others followed him. They continued this dance for five more streets until they finally reached a chain link fence.

"Shit now ,what?" Angel looked at it. The fence was at least 15 feet high.

In response Vaggie adjusted Charlie to her back and grabbed the fence. "We climb stupid! Or are those six arms of yours for show?Hang on, Charlie." She began her slow rise upwards, careful not to dislodge Charlie.

"Oh dear." Alastor looked at the fence briefly then looked behind him. Ash coated the air. The same ash he had seen 20 years ago.

Oh Alastor darling. It's nothing to worry about.

That's what you said about the book. Now look where we are, Lucifer.

Well you've got me there deary. Haha, get it 'deer'?

Yes Yes how amusing, Apple cheeks.

Boys stop your childish banter.

Oh, apologies my lady.

You know better than to call me that Alastor. Call me by my name. Lilith.

Haha! If you call her that, then you should call me 'My lord' shouldn't you?

Not unless you call me the Radio King.

You do realize that the nickname the Radio demon was given out of spite right?I should just call you Bambi instead.

Knock it off, lovelies. Ugh this ash is ruining my hair. I'm going to the lava spa once we're out of here.

You should take Charlotte with you. She would enjoy that. Girls night out and all.

Perhaps I will. Once we are out of here and all. Mama's gotta make her proud.

Yes you are right. After all if Hell's strongest demons can't handle this then it is beyond even its creator.

'No it was beyond us. And now we are all paying the price.' Alastor started climbing the fence.

They dropped to the other side of the fence and started running again. They were in the middle of a chain link brick, buildings surrounded them.

"Fuck" Angel was bent double, heaving. He tripped and crashed to the ground. Husk paused to haul him up.

"Get up!"

They stumbled after Vaggie and Charlie who were still in the lead.

The void was now moving faster and nipping at their heels. The demons backed up against the fence opposite of the one that they had climbed over. They grabbed the links and hoisted themselves up.

Husk had tripped and was lagging behind. Alastor had gotten halfway up the fence when his tattered coat snagged on a link. He grunted then yanked it free, ripping it even more. He reached out a gloved hand to Husk.

"Grab on, Husker! Don't make this weird!"

Husk grabbed his hand with an appraising look. "Shitlord."

Before, Alastor could haul him onto the fence, something strange happened. One foot from the fence, the void had stopped. The ash never passed beyond that point and the sky above them remained blue. Sunrise was winking into existence now, dotting the sky in different colors.

The air stood still and for a moment it seemed like the world had been frozen. The creatures disappeared. Then Charlie let out a grunt. She shifted her weight and placed her wobbling legs on the fence next to Vaggie. She tried not to move her shoulder from where one of the creatures had slashed at her while she tried to defend Vaggie.

"Charlie are you sure you should be doing that? You just recovered..."

Charlie flashed her a quick smile. "I'm good. You've been carrying me for too long."

Angel Dust reached the other side of the fence. "Let's get a bit further cause if that thing starts up again I don't want to be in its line of fire."

"Amen to that." Husk winced. His wing had slammed into a wall while running.

All of them were beat up and battered and bruised. And hungry.

Vaggie's stomach growled which she blushed at. "Shit I haven't felt hungry since…."

She didn't have to say it. Since she was alive. In Hell there wasn't an actual need to eat. Demons just ate for the sake of it and perhaps to try and regain a little bit of their humanity. Their bodies didn't need nutrients and the feeling of hunger was simply a craving their bodies wanted. The opposite was true for Charlie. Being Hellborn, she needed to eat to keep her energy up even in this world.

"We need to locate Niffty." Alastor was leaning heavily on his microphone but he did his best to mask it. "We're all injured and in no shape to fight those creatures if they come back. We need the book."

"Look Al, I get it. You're the expert here but if we don't get any rest then we wouldn't even be able to make it to Niffty." Charlie said. She gestured to the group. "We need rest. Only for a bit."

They couldn't see the void by this point. The buildings and trees around them made sure of that. Low hanging arches hung all around them shepherding them towards a large gothic looking building.

"Why don't we stay there?" Charlie asked. "It's got good cover and perhaps there is food." Also, she didn't add that she was curious about it.

Husk gave her a sidelong glance. "That's a fucking church princess. Ya know, the demon hating kind."

"Unless it's a Satanic church. Churches have never sat well with me. Rather drab and boring places." mused Alastor. "However I will honor the princess's wishes. Let's go greet God, sinners."

They limped into the church. It was well lit with the large crucifixed Christ near the front. Its eyes seemed to be the only thing that noticed their entrance. Nobody was in the church anyway, save for a few squeaking mice.

Angel immediately spread himself on a pew. 3 arms dangling off the bench while the other 3 hung off the headboard. "God damn it all. Fuckkkkk I just want some drugs right about now."

Vaggie sat on another pew and slowly removed her boots. She got one off before Charlie had to help her with the other. Her feet were covered in raw red blisters.

"Hey….You okay?" Charlie asked tentatively.

" I'll be good Hon. Just need a moment." She reached a hand out to Charlie who clasped it and sat down next to her.

"Hey Vaggie...What happened before?"

Vaggie began to explain everything that had happened in the bar in a hushed tone.

Husk sat in the pew in front of Alastor. Something was nagging at his mind that didn't add up.

"Alastor. This is the same book from 20 years ago, isn't it?"

Alastor smiled his usual grin albeit sadly. "I'm afraid you're right Husker. It seems my punishment is still in motion."

"Last time you went with Lucifer and the princesses parents right? Maybe you should tell her-"

"No"

"No? What do you mean 'no'?"

Alastor steepled his fingers then laced them. He placed his chin on it. "No means no, Husker. Drop it. I may not have my powers but I can still tear you apart."

Husk raised an eyebrow. "Not in the state you're in. She's lived 20 years without knowing where her mother was and you fucking know something about it. Besides she will find out eventually. Shes not as stupid as she looks."

"Please, don't act like 20 years is a lot for , we don't have that kind of luxury Husk. Besides if we are going to get out of here then we need to be working together. I can't have her hating me right now." Alastor rose to his feet. His clothes were tattered and his hair was matted to his face with sweat but an aura of danger still engulfed him.

"I shall begin an endeavor to find suitable attire for myself seeing as that bastard tore these up." He announced to the others. "I shall try to find food and supplies as well however we must make haste. If the Gamemaster found us before he could most certainly do it again. Does anyone need anything?"

Angel rose as well. "Sounds like fun. I'll come with."

"There is really no need, my fine fellow. "

"Hmm maybe but if that guy really does appear who's to say you wouldn't freeze up again? Then what? Nah, it's better if I at least provide backup. Plus I could enjoy playing dress up with you."

Alastor was miffed. Angel was right even if he didn't want to admit it. "Sorry to burst your bubble but you will not be dressing me. In fact if you persist on coming-"To which Angel giggled "-you will stand outside the store."

"Fine. Fine. Killjoy" Angel muttered.

Charlie padded up to them. "Can you grab Vaggie a new pair of boots and socks? Hers are too worn. The soles are coming off.

"Of course my dear. How very 't worry. We shall be back in a jiff."

They walked out of the chapel, slamming the door behind them.

Compared to the others the princess had suffered relatively light injuries and thus was tending to the others. She had found a white cloth in a little niche and had proceeded to tear it to strips to use as bandages. After haphazardly patching herself up she had turned to Vaggie. She found some water in a sink in the back and soaked the cloth in it. Charlie wrapped them around Vaggie's feet and arms. Vaggie then fell asleep in a power nap.

She then went over to Husk whose eyes were seemingly close.

He recoiled when she reached out and touched his wing. "What the fuck?"Then he noticed her makeshift bandages. "No. No way. I'm fine, princess."

"Then why do you keep wincing?" Husk cursed. She had a point.

"Che fine." He muttered reddining slightly. "Make it quick."

Charlie started to wrap the cloth around his wing. It was sprained slightly but would heal with time. "I wanted to thank you. I heard the story from Vaggie. You saved me even after I got us into this mess."

"No big deal. I just happened to know something. Nobody blames you."

Then to Husk's surprise, Charlie hugged him tightly."Oi-" but he couldn't continue his surly retort. The hug was warm and gentle.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It was so cold and there was a light and I was going towards it but you guys conjured a light even brighter. " Fat tears landed on Husk's shoulder."I don't want to die. I really don't want to leave you guys."

He placed his arms awkwardly around her. Even if his stone cold heart rebelled at the thought, he rather liked this warmth. It made him feel almost like the person he was before the alcohol consumed his life. "Stupid."

They broke apart. Charlie's nose and eyes were red. She laughed with hiccuping breaths.

"Thank you."

"You already said that. Rather unfortunately I've come to like you. Only a little bit so don't let it go to your head."Charlie smiled. "We're going to get through this. After we get the book back we'll get back to that idiotic hotel."

Husk turned around and Charlie started to clean his cuts. Vaggie snored softly nearby. "Do you know anything about the book?" Charlie asked.

"Hmm. Only what I've been told. That son of a bitch went in there about 20 years ago."

"How did you know he went into the book?"

The cat demon flexed his paws. "I ended up owing him a few favors so basically I was his own little slave. One day he went missing. At first I thought it was one of his normal theatrical stunts but he disappeared for 5 entire years. When he got back, he wasn't the same. More ,what's the word, distraught. And erratic. By that time his territory had been stolen by a few of the other overlords so he went on a most of the overlords and warded off the rest. That was his most famous broadcast."

"Wait a second. He kept on saying my dad's name over and over again and that this was his fault. Did my dad go into the book as well? I remember he wasn't there for a while but I had Razzle and Dazzle so I was fine." Charlie's eyes then widened. "My mother lost contact with us around that time. Dad said that she was away and would be back. Did she…..Did she go with them?"

Husk was quiet.

And that was all the confirmation she needed.

The bowl of water crashed to the ground.

"S-she's dead isn't she? My mother? " Charlie whispered stricken. It felt like the world was crashing down on her chest. "Why did nobody tell me? Why didn't my dad?... Why didn't Alastor? They knew…. So did you."

A storm of emotions rose in her chest. Anger. Frustration. Fear. Dismay. Sadness. Why does everyone have to hide things from her? Why couldn't everyone just tell her things? She's not the helpless princess people thought she was. She's the fucking princess of Hell, daughter of a succubus and a fallen angel! Charlie bit her lip and clenched her fists.

She began to walk towards the door."I'm going out for some fucking air."

"Charlie, wait." but it was too late. By the time Husk had reacted the doors had swung shut. He was left with a pang of guilt and he didn't know why.

I hope y'all enjoyed that chapter! Let me know if I made any mistakes or if I did anything good. If you have questions feel free to leave a review or message me directly!

Per Aspera ad Astra