Vol was...getting worse. He seemed more or less like a zombie than a person. Even if he was moving on his two feet, you could tell he was dead inside, the lackluster glow in his eyes could tell you that.

Velvet tried to help him, but she wasn't successful. Vol didn't respond to anything she did and brushed her off when she did things that he viewed as 'annoying'.

Alastor tried to approach Vol but...it didn't work. Every time Alastor attempted to engage with the fusion, he met apathy and indifference, Vol either walking right past him or straight up teleporting if he persisted.

At this point, Alastor and Velvet weren't certain what to do. Vol was getting worse with each passing day and yet he refused to let anyone help him. As much as they wanted to do something, Volastor's stubbornness prevented them from progressing and were thus forced to leave him alone.

The other hotel residents picked up on this and while they did try to approach Vol themselves , they got similar reactions. No matter what anyone did, Vol refused to care and merely fled the situation on the off-chance anyone continued to press him…

As a result, everyone directing their ire at Vox, as everyone was fully aware his words had pretty much made the situation ten times worse. Him going out of his way to antagonize the fusion had caused everyone to send him glares and whisper things in each other's ears. Whenever he was in a room, the air got tense and whenever he left, there were visibly sighs of relief.

Normally, Vox wouldn't have cared about this, however it was starting to get annoying as time went on.

The venomous glares shot his way even by someone like Charlie was enough to put him on edge and he didn't exactly feel welcome at the hotel with the hostility sent his way. He could even hear Vaggie say something in her native language whenever he walked by and while he didn't understand it, he had the feeling it was some curse word being used to describe him and his attitude.

'Fucking hell,' Vox growled,'This is so annoying! Everyone's treating me like a pariah all because I won't be nice to that stupid fusion! I can't believe everyone wants me to shoulder the responsibility of looking after that man-child! Alastor's gone fucking crazy if he seriously wants to have a relationship with that fucker. I must be the only one with common sense around here. I can't be expected to be anyone's care-taker! I'm an overlord, not a babysitter!'

He then slammed his fist against the bed,anger burning in his mis-matched eyes,"Fuck this. I'm done. I can't do this shit anymore. Fuck this hotel, fuck that promise, fuck everything. I didn't ask to be thrust into this mess and I refuse to be held to people's expectations. My other self may have been able to do it, but I'm not him. We're completely different people and I can't be expected to fill in for him like they want me to. I can't stay here any longer, this place ain't for me and I need to find somewhere to stay…"

Vox then felt something tug on his foot, noticing Vark was looking up at him with a worried glance. He sighed,"Oh hey Vark...Sorry you caught me rambling but I can't do this shit anymore. We gotta go."

The hammerhead gave him a bewildered glance.

"Vark, I know you like this place, but this hotel isn't for me. The people here were judgmental dicks and I can tell when I'm not wanted. My other self may have called this place home, but I can't. I can't live his life for him, especially not with that fusion around. I doubt you'd understand but I can't handle this. I just barely got out of that crystal and now I'm expected to saddle this shit? Fuck that, I'm out. But don't worry, you're coming with me. Even if you're not my Vark, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left you here in this dull inn."

Vark watched as Vox began packing up his things in a hiking bag, stuffing it with utilities he would need for a quick trip. He put some pet food inside and some tools that he'd need to keep his electronics powered up. Once he zipped everything up, he put the entire bag over his back and sighed,"Alright. That should be everything we need for this trip."

Vox and Vark then left, Vark giving the room one last glance before following his new owner with great reluctance. As they were making their way to the lobby, Vox noticed that Angel Dust was drinking some alcohol in his pj's, downing a bottle of alcohol from the back.

'Shit! The spider-whore is here! How the hell am I going to get past him without him noticing?' Vox tensed, he had hoped nobody would be around to see him leave. It was easier to just avoid the drama and slip through the cracks but Angel's presence through a massive monkey wrench into his plans.

Seeing no other choice, Vox hoped that Angel would ignore them as they walked by. As Vox was about to walk past him, Angel then said,"Going somewhere, TV?"

'God fucking dammit!' Vox growled before saying,"Yeah, I was going to go out. What's it to you, Angel?"

"Well you're not supposed to be leaving, Vox. The curfew was a few hours ago and you're not allowed to leave at a certain time," Angel informed slyly as he drank some of his alcohol.

Vox scoffed,"I don't give two fucks about a curfew. Besides, it's not like you're abiding by it either because face it, neither of us are supposed to be awake."

"That may be true, but do you see me leaving while everyone's asleep with Fat Nuggets?"

Vox averted his gaze, shifting uncomfortably,"No…."

"Precisely. Getting a few drinks before bed is hardly the same as sneaking out in the middle of the night. Besides, where the hell do you think you're going at this hour? It's pretty late to go to a party and the luggage is a bit much, don't you think?"

"I'm leaving."

"Leaving where? If you were just going out for a stroll I doubt you'd take your shark or that backpack with you…"

"Because I'm not going out for a stroll. I'm leaving this hotel and never coming back…"

Angel blanked,"Woah, where the hell is this coming from? I knew you already had a stick up your ass but you up and leaving out of the blue is a pretty big leap, Vox. What the hell happened in that brain of yours that made you think up and leaving was the best choice of action?"

Vox scoffed,"Isn't it obvious? I've been sent dirty looks and have been talked about behind my back ever since I got here and I'm sick of it. I refuse to stay anywhere. I'm not welcome and this hotel has made it pretty clear that no one wants me around…"

"Have you thought of why that is? You've been kind of a massive dick, and not a good kind either. Perhaps if you toned down the hostility everyone would be nicer to you..."

"Pfft! You're one to talk, Angel. You're one of the most crass demons staying in this damn inn and you're lecturing me about my tone? That's beyond hilarious."

"Hey, at least whenever I say crude shit, people actually find it funny. Everything you say makes people upset and angry."

"Hardly my fault people can't handle the harsh realities of this world," Vox replied dismissively.

"Yeah,but you don't need to be such a dick about it. You can't treat everyone like shit and expect people to like you. Especially with your cold-hearted response to those who were at risk of dying for real…"

"By cold-hearted you mean realistic, right? If Baxter didn't come up with that cybernetic idea he would've died anyway and for all we know, he still may. There's no telling if that idea will work in the first place. Just because I don't entertain naive delusions doesn't make me less right in situations like these…"

"Doesn't mean you have to be such a dick. If you were more soft about it people would've probably treated you better."

"Like give a damn."

"You clearly do, given you're gonna hit the road over this," Angel retorted,"Which I don't get why, all you gotta do is own up and apologize to those you hurt and this would all blow over."

"Are you insinuating that I apologize to fusion? Like hell, I'm not apologizing for jack shit. I have no reason to be sorry."

"Dude, do you have a short memory? You remember what you said to Vol, right? Ya hurt his feelings pretty badly. It's probably why he's getting worse day by day, if you just apologized and helped him things would be going smoothly."

"Why should I?" Vox asked,"I have no obligation to apologize, especially when everyone expects me to be this fucker's parental figure. I didn't even live long enough to have my own kids, how the hell am I expected to look after this bastard who just so happens to be a teenager with the body of a grown man? He's not even a child so I don't get why I'm the one who has to look after his well-being. He doesn't need me, he can handle himself."

"Not the way he is now, he's like super depressed, Vox. If you, Al and Velvet worked together you could probably at least be able to get him to function. Though that requires you to man-up and apologize to him. He might not forgive ya, but if you do, he may slowly let you back into his life instead of ignoring you…"

Vox rolled his eyes,"I'm not getting guilt tripped into accepting a responsibility that isn't even mine. I already got manipulated into making that stupid promise, I'm not being manipulated into apologizing, especially not to that fusion. I'm not his father figure and I never will be, there's no point in trying to engage when he's made it clear I'll never replace the Vox he knew."

"But that doesn't mean you can't at least try and help him. Even if he doesn't see you as his father figure you can still be close if you swallowed your pride…"

Vox huffed, folding his arms.

Angel sighed,"Good god, you're so fucking stubborn. No wonder Volastor is the way he is, he's made up of the most stubborn people in this entire circle."

"Don't compare me to him," Vox hissed, his eyes flaring up with rage, fist clenching.

"And why not? Whether you like it or not, you were once a part of him and he did end up inheriting a lot of your traits. You just don't see it because you're too stubborn to admit it. You two are more alike than you'd like to admit."

The TV Demon scoffed, rolling his eyes,"The whole more alike than you realize bullshit is getting old, Angel. What point are you trying to make again?"

"Well, I'm hoping I can convince you to not go just yet and apologize. You know it's not too late…"

Vox remained silent, not saying anything in response.

"And even if you do leave, where do you plan on going? Do you even know?"

"Hell if I know. Probably go back to the Studio and hang with Val. I know he's not my Val but I'm certain he wouldn't be able to tell the difference or care if I'm not his."

Angel tensed,"Uh Vox? Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Val died."

Vox stared at him in disbelief,"What? He died? But how!?"

"Your other self killed him. Val sided with Lucifer and attacked us in the underground maze. I'm not certain how he found out we were there but something must've tipped him off. Val shot Velvet and we weren't aware she had armor underneath so we assumed she died and attacked Val in response but ended up losing when he used his smoke army to swarm us. I didn't get to see it happen but your other self snuck up on Val while he was distracted and killed him with Vaggie's spear."

"That's a joke right? Val can't be dead...that isn't possible."

"I saw Val's dead body on the floor in front of me so no, it's not a joke. Val's dead as a board and his Studio got burned down not too long ago."

Vox narrowed his eyes,"Lemme guess, it wasn't an accident was it?"

"Nope. Vol burned that place to the ground earlier. It was why Val helped kidnap him in the first place because he was pissed his empire was destroyed. Vol pretty much destroyed everything and your other self finished the job. Only real downside is that I'll never be able to get closure. Kind of wish I could've killed the son of a bitch myself. Guess I'll have to settle with someone else having all the glory cuz either way, the fucker ain't ever coming back."

Vox looked down,"I...I can't believe it...I know Val and I had our differences but I still can't grasp the concept of killing him. I don't get how my other self could do something like that..."

"Probably cuz Val forced himself on him beforehand."

Vox stared at him in disbelief,"He would never…"

"Vox, you underestimate Val too much. Val don't give a fuck about consent. It was why Vol burned down the Studio in response. Poor sap walked in on it and blamed himself for a while and only stopped when your other self confronted him about it…

Vox snickered dryly, the guilt starting to weigh on him once again,"Too bad that won't happen with me. My relationship with Volastor is too damaged to be repaired. He clearly loved my other self and all I am to him is lesser than copy. My other self will always be his father figure and I'm not cut out for that life. I can't do that shit. I know it may sound cowardly, but I'm not someone who can handle that shit. I'm not anyone's parents and if I was, I already fucked up massively. Vol clearly resents me and I doubt he honestly wants me in his life at this point. It'd be better if I just left…"

Angel put a hand on his shoulder,"Vox, Volastor needs you, you can't just leave because he's being difficult…"

"Yes I can," He replied,brushing him off," First of all, Volastor doesn't need me. He needs my other self and I'm not him. I can't replace him and I'm sorry that offends you. My presence is making shit worse anyway and it's clear that nobody wants me here so I don't see the harm in leaving. I'm probably doing everyone a favor. I have no one who wants me around and I can tell when I'm not wanted. Everyone here is weary of me and it's best I take my leave before I make it worse."

"But what about Velvet?"

Vox raised an eyebrow at this question,"What about her? She's not my Velvet and I'm pretty sure she can handle herself. She doesn't need me and nobody else does either."

Angel cringed,"Vox, I...I doubt I can change your mind and it is your choice, but I do still think it ain't too late. Vol may not wanna admit it, but he really does need you. He's barely functioning and I think if you at least tried to repair the relationship, things would get better."

Vox shook his head,"Sounds like a massive waste of time. We both know he won't accept me. There's no point in bothering. Besides, he already hates my guts, I'll be doing him a favor by getting out of his life. The moment he doesn't see me walk by he'll probably feel a massive weight lifted off his shoulders. I've been nothing but a dick to him, that'll be one less problem to deal with in his eyes. Bastard is already depressed, he doesn't need me making his life worse for him. I already fucked up, I may as well do everyone a favor and leave."

The spider simply sighed, Vox already sounded defeated. There was no realistic way he could stop him now. Vox had already made up his mind...

"So...where are you going to head out from here, Vox? Do you have a place you could stay at?"

"Yeah," Vox said,"But I'm not going there. I don't want to be anywhere close to this hotel. My place is still in Pentagram City and on the off-chance someone tries to look for me, I'd rather not risk a confrontation. If I'm leaving, I'm going to leave somewhere nobody can find me."

"But Vox, you're still a sinner. You can't exactly leave the circle."

"I know, but the Pride Sector is still a large place and there are places you can go,especially if you have wealth. I'm certain I can find somewhere to hide in the meantime..."

"So that's it huh? You're not even gonna give anyone a chance to say goodbye?"

"If I do, someone will inevitably try and stop me. It's better I avoid the drama and just hit the road before anyone else notices…"

Angel calmly sipped his drink,"Hmph. Fair enough. Still, I hope you know what you're doing, because your absence will be noted one way or the other…"

"I won't be around to see it," Vox shrugged,"So it hardly matters. I'm certain everyone here will do just fine without me. Especially since I'm not my other self, who everyone clearly prefers. I already fucked up, may as well do everyone here a favor and take myself out of the equation before I make matters worse."

"Well if that's how you're gonna be, then I see no reason to continue this conversation," Angel admitted,"As much as I don't approve of your decision, I know I can't really do anything to stop ya. Besides, this is your life and I ain't gonna get in the way of your decisions. Just know your actions have consequences, Vox…"

"I'm well aware of that, which is why I'll be taking my leave. Thanks for the talk Angel, but I know when I'm not wanted. This place isn't my home and I need to find somewhere that is…" Vox then stood up and looked at Vark,"Come on, boy. Let's get going…We're not wanted here anymore. It's time to go..."

Vark reluctantly nodded before following after Vox, Angel making a face as he saw the two leave in the dead of night, the wind causing chills to run up his spine.

He rolled his eyes,"Starting to miss the other Vox...at least he didn't wuss out when things got tough. Ain't like I can do anything, but that was still a bad call. Hope this ain't a permanent change…"

In Pentagram City, the night was unusually quiet at this hour. A taxi was going down the lane when they noticed someone standing on the side of the road with their thumb up near the Happy Hotel entrance.

Reluctantly, the car slowed down and came to halt, a middle aged imp cracking down the window,"Hitchhiker?"

"Yes…"

"What are you doing out here? Isn't it rather late to be out here?"

"I just…need to get away from it all and I figured now was a great time…"

The driver then tilted his head,"And the shark?"

"He's my pet. Trust me, he doesn't bite...usually…" He mumbled,"Look, I just need a ride to the nearest airport, can you do that for me?"

"Err...sure...Hop in…"

As the door to the car was closed, the driver asked,"So, what's your name?"

"Vox."

"So you're that techy overlord, huh? Didn't think I'd ever see you taking a gives? This sounds like something below you, don't you think?"

"Not the one you're familiar with…" Vox then pulled out a load of cash from his wallet,"Look, I'm not in the mood for questions so just take the money and floor it to the nearest available airport, understand?"

"Sounds good to me...Sit back, we're gonna be here for a while, Vox.."

And with that said, the taxi sped off into the night, the light from the car growing dimmer until it was out of sight.

Thanks for 7,019 views! Tell m what you think below!

Enigmus-288: Eh, Lil doesn't really have much known about her other than her being quiet and calm. Also I remember the official caste system saying she and Charlie are around the same social standing/power(though personally I think she's more powerful than Charlie but still weaker than Lucifer). I'd say she'd act the same since she's more logic based.

Mitsuru6: And Vox kind of realized he had no one to turn to and said fuck it, I'm out in this chapter lol. And yeah, Alastor is basically the voice of reason last chapter.