Chapter VIII: Charlie's Birthday

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some of the following material isn't mine. I have no claim over the song lyrics to 'Addict'.

Even though Angel Dust warned him, Alastor didn't exactly enjoy helping Cherri and Angel Dust rehearse… Burlesque shows were never his thing; and watching them pole dancing put him on the threshold of an asexual panic. He had to admit though, that they were putting on a deep and emotional show. With the choreography they worked out coupled with Alastor's shadow magic, they reenacted the pleasures of their addictions and sins, but at the end of the song Angel admitted to the misery that they were really feeling. They called the song 'Addict'.

In further preparation got the party, they cozied up to Charlie to find out some of her favorite songs to sing and reported them back to Alastor – He was a little busy setting up a magic circle that he refused to explain the purpose of, only that it was part of the rehabilitation. Alastor would take those songs and learn them.

Next – for their flyers – they got ahold of a film camera, because Alastor always distorted his image on digital. Vaggie was suspicious of a spontaneous want for a group photo, but Charlie was happy for it,

Cherri – knowing the technology of this camera better – set the timer and ran back to the group: "Everyone, look welcoming!"

*Flash, click*.

When the picture was developed: Alastor took to designing the flyer, although Angel Dust and Cherri were there to make sure that it didn't look particularly dated. The resulting flyer looked welcoming and classy. It gave the name of the hotel and displayed anonymous reviews: "Clean, cozy, and no one is out to get you for a change", "I can have fun without sinning!"

"Charlie's going to eat this up!" Cherri declared.

"Who knows, it may actually work; and with Alastor in the picture, our rivals will think twice before using this to track us," Angel Dust replied.

"What am I, the hotel guard dog?!" Alastor exclaimed.

Angel Dust slapped down a newspaper from the day after the battle with Vox. The headline was: Looks Like Radio Killed the Video Star! The article detailed the fight, showed pictures of the carnage and a distorted image of Alastor, and it even showed a picture of Vox's remains being taken by cannibals. The article finished with: So far, the Radio Demon hasn't made a move to claim Vox's company as a part of his territory, but it is suggested that no one take it until he makes his next move.

"Well I don't want a tech company. I'd sooner blow it to bits!"

"Hold on, if you're here to help Charlie run the hotel, you could stake your claim and use it to pool in money," Angel Dust told Alastor.

Cherri gave a snort of laughter: "Oh man, turn Vox's company into a charitable cause?! That'll be the last 'F*ck you' you could give him, Al, and did you just censor me?!"

"A splendid idea! I know someone I could position there to actually run it, and it'll be another surprise for Charlie!" Alastor announced in his radio host voice.

Ω Ω Ω

The next newspaper headline brought to Alastor's attention stated that he did claim Vox's company, but in truth, he struck a deal with another demon. The other demon would really be the one running the place, so long as Alastor got a decent cut for the Hazbin Hotel. He also made a rule that every television sold had to come with a free radio, but radios were also available for individual sale.

Right now, it was the early morning of Charlie's birthday, and Vaggie was planning on taking Hell's Princess out to a romantic brunch. This left the plotting trio to bake a birthday cake in peace. They picked Devil's Food for the flavor, iced it all over in black, but gave it pink roses of frosting and decorated it with bright rainbows and edible glitter.

"Ugh, the sweetness of this thing is making me nauseous," Alastor spoke as he watched Angel Dust pipe "Happy Birthday, Charlie".

"Well, no one said that you have to eat any of it… Well, she's going to want you to have a piece… Okay, it's done! Alastor, can you get this thing in position while we get dressed?"

Alastor snapped his fingers and the cake vanished: "Done."

When Angel Dust and Cherri left, Alastor sent Nifty out to put up the flyers, but gave her the specific order to make sure that Charlie didn't see her. He himself, sent out a radio broadcast that Angel Dust was doing a performance at the hotel for the princess, just to draw a bit of a crowd.

Ω Ω Ω

Charlie and Vaggie returned from their brunch in a chipper mood and looked to find Husk standing slouched by the stairs to the jazz lounge.

"Husk, is something up?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, something's going up in the lounge. I was told to bring you there," he replied in his usual grouchy tone.

Charlie and Vaggie ascended with some trepidation, but they were shocked to find that there was a crowd of random demons gathered in there, and sitting in front of the stage was a giant birthday cake.

Lights went dim as Alastor appeared on the stage to announce: "Welcome to the first live show at the Hazbin Hotel! Now, in honor of the Princess of all Hell, we have a performance by the one and only Angel Dust!"

Just as Alastor disappeared into the shadows, Angel Dust popped out the top of the cake, blaring 'Happy Birthday' on the trumpet, wearing a black show jacket with blue trim- no doubt concealing a much more revealing top. With another set of arms he hoisted himself out of the cake using rails they had set up and lowered himself onto the stage.

Alastor's shadow creatures moved the cake out of the way so everyone could get a better view of the stage. One shadow took away Angel Dust's trumpet while he himself took a position by a dancing pole and tossed aside his jacket to reveal a corset top. Offstage, Cherri awaited.

Cue the music and the lights:

'Til death do us part

But we're already past that phase

This is a brand new start

AndIthink I deservesome praise

For the way that Iam

Despite having overdosed

And ending up comatose

I don't give a damn

I've let my emotions go

Fuck being a sober ho

This is the mantra, this is my life

You're playing with now 'til the end of the night

Surrounded by fire, the passion ignites

A hit of that Heaven and Hell, a hell of a high

Angel Dust danced, the lights followed, and he was quite sensual about it, but as the music entered the chorus, Cherri came on the stage to join him. Charlie and Vaggie exchanged looks as those two entered an energized dance.

I'm addicted to the madness

This hotel is my Atlantis

We're forever gonna have a fucking reason to sin

Let me leave my soul to burn and I'll be breathing it in

I'm addicted to the feeling

Getting higher than the ceiling

And we're never gonna want this fucking feeling to end

Just concede and give into your inner demons again

Music took over and now a shadow looking like Valentino took to the stage while Cherri moved off the scene as Angel Dust re-enacted the abuse and misery he endured. The shadow show finished with him dropping into a defeated position. With it done, Cherri took center stage armed with flash bombs and performed her verse.

Well, you fell in love

But you fell deeper in this pit

While death rains from above

So count your blessings, cause this is it

You're not letting it go

So what if I misbehave?

It's what everybody craves

You already know

So come if you're feeling brave

And fancy yourself a mate

You want it? I got it

See what you like

We could have it all by the end of the night

Nobody in power, my sinful delight

A hit of that Heaven and Hell, a hell of a high

They went into the chorus again featuring more pole dancing, flash bombs, a show of camaraderie as they punched at shadow figures of their rivals, but then came the finale, where Angel Dust recovered his jacket and the music took a somber mood as he sang solo:

I'm addicted to the sorrow

And the buzz ends by tomorrow

There's another rush of poison flowing into my veins

Giving me a dose of pleasure that resides by the pain

I'm addicted, I'm dependent

Looking awesome, feeling helpless

And I know I'm raising Cain by every highway in Hell

Maybe things won't be so terrible inside this hotel

Angel Dust and Cherri cleared the stage while applause sounded. Charlie couldn't stop smiling; the song was so emotional and expressive, and even with the somber ending, Angel Dust sang that the hotel brought him a ray of hope.

Shadows then swallowed the stage, save for a glowing pair of red radio-dial eyes. A glowing yellow smile stretched from within the blackness, and Alastor stepped forward: "What an entertaining performance! Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb everyone!"

There was a smaller round of applause before Alastor continued: "Now, I've got a little something for the crowd!"

His shadow creatures took to the stage with instruments, playing some swingin' music and Alastor sang in a clear and smooth voice this time:

There came the night I paid my due

Fallen down, I'm below the ground,

My manifestation

Brings no salvation

For this is Hell for you,

And this demon is looking for a brand-new sound!

Angel Dust looked to Cherri: "Well this wasn't part of the plan!"

"I think he needs to stake a claim here," she replied, and Alastor entered another verse:

I've spent some time playing a whole new game,

Brought down more than one overlord.

Now listen here, it's no longer the same,

Over decades, this demon's gotten bored.

At least the crowd was getting into it.

Though it's the price for your lives of sin,

I've long gotten tired

Of your flesh on the fire

Another pyre, what's my care

I cut enough deals to have souls to spare

Then the picture shows brought me to Hotel Hazbin!

A swinging instrumental cut in.

Redemption and salvation,

Here in Hell, what a spiel!

But it set inspiration in motion!

I came to strike another deal!

So, if in my grasp, you fear crushing

Come on, sign in, and instead you may end up under my wing.

The music faded, there was another round of applause.

"He's not bad a singer," Cherri remarked. Angel Dust nodded to her.

Alastor took his bow and then announced: "Now I believe it's time to invite the Princess of Hell herself up to the stage! Charlotte Magne!" With a wave and a flash, Charlie was suddenly onstage, and Alastor took a seat at a piano to strike up one of her favorite tunes. Angel Dust, Cherri, and other little music helpers

She looked so happy as she belted and danced to some of her favorite songs – they let her sing three of them, and she sang them beautifully– but they still had one last surprise for her. So, Alastor waved Angel Dust and Cherri back onto the stage, a present in their grasp.

When Charlie opened it up, she was excited to see the flyer, but then Alastor announced: "What she's holding is the original, but just outside you'll find that they've been posted all over the city!"

That's when she started crying tears of joy! The cake, the songs, the visitors, and now they made her a present to show her some support for her cause! Well the icing on the cake for her day was that a few visitors actually checked in!

Ω Ω Ω

Vaggie rounded up the troublesome trio shortly after the cake was distributed.

"Okay, what in the nine circles got into you?!" Vaggie exclaimed.

"You told us that it was her birthday, Toots. You wanted us to do something nice and we did something nice! Ya welcome! Plus, we figured that this could help us make up for that fight with Vox."

"Well I've never seen her so happy!" Vaggie went on, her tone was quite cross.

"So, why do you sound like this is a bad thing?" Cherri asked.

"Because now I feel like I owe you one!"

Angel Dust bust out laughing, leaving Vaggie to steam for a bit. Once Angel Dust recovered, she told them: "I was just thinking for the past couple weeks that you were all absolutely hopeless in being redeemable! Now you go on and pull that off, and I actually think that there may be a chance for the three of you!"

Now it was Alastor's turn to take a laugh: "Darling, you seem to be forgetting that I'm not here for the rehabilitation. I'm here to help Charlie run the place."

"Yeah, and how's that going for you? The most I've seen you do is prepare meals for us," Vaggie replied.

Alastor's grin grew: "Follow me then and let's bring Charlie along."

Ω Ω Ω

The door opened to a disturbing sight. On the floor was a ritual circle that looked like it had been painted with blood. There were so many runes and symbols drawn out that it was hard to look at.

"Ugh, please tell me that's not…" Vaggie started, looking like she was about to puke.

"Oh, it is blood, darling. However, it came from those deer we brought back from our hunting trip. The circle also has a preservation spell on it, so there's no hope of it being cleaned out," Alastor replied.

"So, what's it for?" Charlie asked.

"It's a means for sinners to look back on their lives. I've set up a box here where they can fill in a date or a name of a personal event, and they'll be able to revisit that day and bring some companions along with them," Alastor explained.

"Shit, that's a good idea, actually," Vaggie replied.

"That's what I was thinking. However, to activate the spell, the sinner must use their own blood to write in the date or event they want to revisit. That's the only spot within the circle where the blood can be cleaned."

Angel Dust and Cherri looked between Alastor and the circle in curiosity while Charlie thanked him and excused herself to make sure the new arrivals were getting situated.

Vaggie turned to them and told them: "You three can take the next couple days to have some fun, but please try not to cause too much trouble."

They smirked in return.

Ω Ω Ω

Again, I have no rights to 'Addict', however the song that Alastor sang was my own. Please review.