Chapter 1: The Ginger/Candy Corn Prick
"I am telling ya: it was named after me because of my popularity and my natural love for the stuff!"
"Oh come on the stuff was being worked on decades before your time!"
"Don't bullshit me; everyone who was a druggie like me and came after me verifies that the stuff didn't become mainstream until the 50s!"
Vaggie continued to point out facts against Angel Dust who was seemingly offended by said facts. It had been another day in Hell where a typical Angel Dust and Vaggie were having a conversation over certain random subjects. This time, it was the claim that Angel Dust's nickname was what influenced the real-life drug, not agreeing on as to when Phencyclidine had earned that name. Vaggie, who lived a good chuck of her living life up to the mid 2010s, held more knowledge than what Angel Dust had thanks to the convenience of being surrounded by the valuable resource known as the internet. This especially in Hell which naturally held that valuable resource…only Angel Dust did not care for such interest like Alastor who seemingly loathed technology past his era when he himself was alive. Then again, perhaps he did use that resource considering that he had a cellphone and started in adult films. Overall it was strange that Angel was seemingly acting coy to the nickname as he did die from a drug overdose of the mentioned drug hence his name.
"It was among the best shit in the '70s! You think it's a coincidence that it got the name after I died? Bitch please; my rep here in Hell was so high as a movie star that those gifted enough to visit the living again spread my lovely name-"
Vaggie groaned and rubbed a temple, annoyed with how big Angel Dust's ego was in regards to where the name was first presented upon over the other relevant subject. "Are you forgetting that there's not exactly a consistent flow of demons from Hell making it to earth? You were clearly named as the stuff after it gained that nickname! I-"
"You two ever shut the fuck up?" Both Angel Dust and Vaggie looked over the bartender who was enjoying a White Russian. "Seriously, I think I can accredit the two of you to me increasing my alcoholic intake ever since I started working here…." With that Husk began to drink…again.
Angel Dust scoffed. "Oh please you and every guy I blow would drink the same amount regardless of others, HA!" Leaning against the counter much to the annoyance of Husk, Angel Dust soon grew envious. "Hey um can I get one too?" he asked, looking over at Husk's empty glass. Vaggie rolled her eyes as she decided to look for Charlie, missing her presence and wanting to be around someone who didn't piss her off every five seconds.
And speaking of Charlie,
"…Ugh it's been a month and we've only had three demons check in?" Charlie frowned as she looked at the documents before her, groaning in frustration as things were underwhelming. Sure she had some idea that the hotel wouldn't be as popular as she would like, but considering how large Hell was, this was simply depressing. "I don't get it; even Alastor claimed that he was going to promote this place…"
"Well what do you expected? Demons aren't easily persuaded into changing for redemption; we're all pieces of shit actually," Niffty pointed out. Sitting literally on the table, she eyed the documents and considered something. "Think that you can do commercials for this place? I mean, your family financially supports you with this right? We finally got full stock supplies but it's a surplus at this point even with all of us using them out of luxury." As she spoke, he appeared on the other side of the table, a sign of her hyperactive behavior.
"My allowance is…kinda limited…" Charlie rubbed her temple before leaning back against her chair, completely frustrated with how little progress was being made. "And it doesn't help when most of the demons here are only here for rent free rooms… Alastor recommended that I get enforcement to get the residents here to be better committed to the program. But you don't do that; rehabilitation isn't supposed to be like that!" said Charlie, looking at more documents.
Niffty pondered something as she tapped her cheek, looking up at the ceiling. "…But this is Hell; isn't rehabilitation supposed to be somewhat sadistic? Maybe they'll appreciate what they have here if you remind them where they are and why they wanna go to heaven eventually."
"Huh…" Charlie actually agreed with that prospect to some extent. Yet she was still keen on her approach as she shook her head. "No, no, no…" Looking at the last few documents, she piled them neatly together before opening a drawer. Placing them away, she said, "I get what you're saying but I think that it's better to approach with an softer approach. And I think that we just need more demons who DO want to better themselves…" Spinning her chair around, she looked up at the ceiling with arms crossed. "We need to somewhat market this place to the group of demons who would jump at a chance to better themselves."
"Wasn't that the goal from the beginning?"
"I mean in the sense that there has to be a particular group that we can reach out to directly; isn't there something of a neighbor/community in Hell where there's less devious things going on? Maybe a neutral territory where no Overlord influence is?"
(Huh, I guess she's in her office,) noted Vaggie. She could hear Charlie's voice the closer she moved down the hallway, pleased that it didn't take long to find her longtime girlfriend. Yet she stopped as Charlie and Niffty began to speak more on a concerning subject.
"Well that's kinda hard when humans who arrive in Hell are pretty much corrupted the second they land here. I mean what would be the chances that the second that someone who lands in Hell, they immediately want to redeem themselves?"
"…Everyone?" Niffty shrugged her shoulders as she added, "I mean, humans who arrive here don't exactly find arriving in Hell to be a good thing; I was scared to the core when I found himself here and then realized that it wasn't so bad…" Jumping off the table, she stood before Charlie who was far from convinced. "When you got no options aside from mirroring those within the same environment as you, being vulnerable isn't an option. Hell, even if you immediately met them the second they arrived, why would they even trust you? When we were alive, we had this perception of tricky and hostile intent existing in Hell. Even as sweet and genuine as you are, they'll immediately assume that it's misleading and a trap the second they land there. Hell isn't exactly trusting…"
"But maybe we could try- Um…." Charlie hesitated as Niffty was not exactly wrong. "…" Looking to the side with a soft grip to the chin, Charlie then asked, "Is it really impossible…?"
"…" Vaggie frowned as she leaned against the wall, listening to the frustrations that Charlie felt. Rubbing her own chin, Vaggie then realized something.
*One hour later*
"Do you think that it could work? I don't think new arrivals would appreciate being stalked and taken by force to the hotel…."
"I know I didn't…"
"Oh come now Husk! I know you appreciate the free alcoholic options at the bar~"
Husk glared at a laughing Alastor as the conversation shifted from getting new residents to an irritated historical rant between the two of them…or at least from Husk. Vaggie called this meeting after considering the fact that Alastor-, as well as possibly others, could have the literal resources to physically bring new arrivals from earth to the hotel. Of course, Charlie wasn't 100% on broad with the idea due to her passive nature and feeling the need to respect one's will even in Hell. Vaggie on the other hand was supportive of the idea, even getting Alastor curious and interested enough to agree, likely for entertainment reasons. As for Angel Dust and Niffty, they were quite neutral and simply went with whatever was decided, whereas Husk was simply looking for a reason to rant out to Alastor at every chance he could get.
Overall the concept of bringing new arrivals to the hotel did hold some problems: one being of a sudden volatile of new residents to the hotel could become overwhelming. Not only that, but there was still the issue of a 100% commitment, let alone a 100% guaranteed interest. This was a hit and miss approach and quite troublesome for many reasons but with one issue above all, it was debatable if this was even possible to approach.
"…Alastor, how do we even know where to find new arrivals? There's not exactly a hot spot where a majority of new arrivals; even with what minions you have, do you know where to find them the second they arrive in Hell?" Niffty asked, appearing next to him on his left. "Where would we even await them?" This time, she was on his right.
"Afraid that I don't play attention to such details my dear~" Alastor admitted, spinning his cane before he leaned against the bar. "Most of my associates here and there are found on any random day ill regardless of where they're originally from. Of course, I am sure Hell would get another nice helping any day now, just as it got a nice helping when the Titanic sank, haha! That should bring some better perspective~"
"Wait why would the Titanic victims be in Hell?" Vaggie asked, raising her single eyebrow. "Or at least significantly?"
Alastor laughed as he wiped the apparent tears coming from his eyes. "Are you joking my dear? Anyone who is stupid enough go onto a ship that only accommodated a mere twenty boats deserved to drown on that terrible day~"
"Yeah I don't think that information was public beforehand," Angel Dust pointed out, yawning as he was getting borer by the minute. "Also even for me that's pretty fucked up; and I am a piece of shit~" Angel grinned widely.
Surprisingly, Alastor seemingly agreed as he responded with, "Haha, that's a fine point my friend! But don't forget that someone who willingly goes on a ship without considering the risks also had it coming~" Odd it was that Alastor may have had some dislike for ships for some reason. Before anyone could follow up with his dark sense of humor, Alastor continued. "Now onto the matter at hand: the issue of finding said pattern should be our number priority and personally, I do think that there's no point for me to spread my minions here and there blindly without proper guidance. Perhaps your connections being the heir to Hell itself could grant us the luxury of said insight as well as more minions to get what is needed!"
Charlie chuckled uncomfortably when Alastor used the word "minions". "A-Actually, I don't have any…servants to do my bidding…save for Razzle and Dazzle." Preferring to use that term instead, Charlie added, "My father's servants are typically occupied doing his and my mother's bidding. Not only that, my father never cared for how new demons arrived; he once told me that he enjoys seeing disorder amongst the commoners..."
"Oh my! Father Lucifer being the agent of chaos is unsurprising! Although we do have an alternative towards getting the information: good old-fashion scouting~" With another spin of his cane, he pointed at Angel Dust. "I seem to recall that you have a friend who is quite active as of late?"
"Huh? The Hell you talking about Smiles?" Angel Dust blinked in confusion.
This time, Vaggie spoke up. "I think he means your 'Girl Buddy'; Cherri was her name?" In all honesty Angel Dust only mentioned her on two occasions since he took a room here.
"Ah yeah but she's spending most of her time building explosives and such. She ain't exactly as invested into the whole 'need to know' aspect as far as I know. We kinda…go with the flow, ya know?" said Angel Dust, shrugging his shoulders.
"But you do still see her regularly right?" Vaggie assumed. When Angel Dust nodded, she added, "Maybe she's caught some form of news; especially if she's out more than us in all honesty…."
"Considering how resourceful she is with her explosive habits, I say that the two of you can solve the mystery of new arrivals in record time my boy!"
Charlie however was a bit skeptical; at least with how Angel Dust and Cherri would approach this. "Can you at least promise not be…aggressive?" requested Charlie.
"Oh Charlie…" Angel stood up and made his way to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. A smile was shared between the two. "You know I can't," responded a quirky Angel Dust, as Charlie gave an annoyed expression.
*Much later*
Angel Dust continued to move about the streets of Hell while searching for his good friend Cherri. She had told him that she would be easy to find yet here he was kicking a vending machine out of frustration. "Piece of shit!" exclaimed an angered Angel Dust. "How the fuck do you run out of coke?!" Kicking it with more aggression, he attracted the attention of a curious Hell Hound who also shared interest in the vending machine.
"What the fuck are you doing…?"
"They outta coke!" snarled Angel Dust.
"WHAT?" Angrily, the Hellhound joined Angel Dust in assaulting the vending machine. Frustration and desire had drove the two unlikely allies to bust a large hole, satisfying their rage.
"Fuck me…what am I suppose to drink? Pepsi?!"
"Right? This blows…speaking of, you got any?"
"Nah but that machine there restocked this morning," said Angel Dust. Pointing across the street to the substance vending machine, he continued on his way. "Frickin' lazy asses can't even keep soda supply consistent…maybe Cherri could do something about-"
Angel's words were interrupted by a loud "hiss", causing him to stop walking the moment he crossed the street. The hissing grew increasingly louder much to Angel Dust's confusion.
"Da fuc-"
POP POP POP POP
Angel Dust slightly flinched as bright sparks came seemingly out of nowhere. While not blinding by any means, the sudden loud noises and sudden brightness was not something that the spider demon was known for liking. Slowly lowering his guard, Angel Dust blinked for a few moments before he looked the side, recognizing his buddy Cherri who waved at him.
"Hiya Angie!"
Cherri walked about without purpose, taking her sweet time as she stretched her arms directly above her head before slightly twisting her neck. "Sorry, did my new toys scare ya?" Grinning widely as she approached him, Cherri took pride whenever her explosives created an impact, both in the figural and literal sense. "To be fair, I should've warned ya…"
Scoffing at her words, he walked up to her with a familiar smile before retorting with, "Oh please girl you know that ain't nothing compared to the size that some of my co-stars are packing during Tuesday's production~"
"Oh like you find that shit 'scary'," she said, in a sarcastic tone before hi-fiving her buddy. "So those broads wanted you to hunt for some newbies or something?"
Nodding, Angel elaborated more on the situation. "Yeah Charlie thinks that fresh meat are more prone towards wanting to change; kinda makes sense for any the second they arrive in Hell and wanna get the fuck out as soon as possible..."
"You don't sound convinced tho."
"Eh I am not as optimistic as they would want, but I got nothing better to do. So…" Angel leaned against Cherri's head for support, reminding her the size difference between the two of them. "…you've noticed any…patterns or somethin'?"
Naturally nudging him off with a bit of pouting, Cherri gave an honest answer. "How the fuck should I know? It's not like I look for minions or anything..."
"Why not? Kinda saving you the trouble of having to micromanage any fuck who comes on this turf."
"But that's kinda the point…" Cherri Bomb held up a signature red explosive in her hand, tossing it up and down. "Honestly I am just in this for shits and giggles…"
"Fair enough." Angel Dust said with a nod. "So, where you wanna start? We just got to find someone lying on the ground and they're likely fresh meat. At least that's how I woke up here."
"Really? I came out of a coffin inside a warehouse," Cherri explained, tossing her favorite toy behind her as they walked. Within seconds, an explosion occurred behind them which they gave little to no attention to.
"MY DICK!" screamed a casualty.
"Really? I always thought we all woke up on the ground; guess I never had interest in how others woke up- Wait so that means that there's no actual hot spot where the new ones?"
Cherri gave some thought into that idea. "I mean…maybe everyone could be unique or there is a pattern; only so many ways to wake up in Hell, right?" Showcasing her own optimism, she pointed at a demon that was lying on the sidewalk.
"Nah he OD'd."
"How can you tell?"
"Just a guess; I just don't like how he looks…"
Not questioning it, Cherri simply came up with some suggestions to improve their luck. "We could check a different area; I do think that some could spawn outside the communities. Maybe some of the wastelands? I think something does influence a few arrivals to show up a bit away from civilization."
"Ha good one; 'civilization'…but yeah that's not a bad idea. But we kinda far from that sort of environment…." Angel Dust looked around, verifying his suspicions that from the far distance, only buildings and billboards could be seen. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen a forest since…well dang I can't seem to remember…." Angel then gave up almost instantaneously, allowing Cherri to suggest the next best thing.
"Maybe one of the overlords could help us….not that asshole tho…" Cherri looked to Angel Dust who didn't seem to assume that she may have been referencing Valentino. "…"
"Yeah…"
Cherri frowned as Angel began to rub his arms and shoulders afterward, avoiding eye contact. Nothing else was said between the two of them as they continued to walk on…
*Meanwhile*
"Jesus fuck man….fuck fuck fuck!"
Cries of horror repeated for at least a solid ten minutes as the new demon was mentally unstable, having realized where he was the second he retained consciousness. Clearly his life's choices were not on a stable path to the orgasmic lifestyle known as heaven, but rather the abysmal lifestyle known as Hell. More and more did the demon ram his head against the ground, hoping to awaken from this terrible reality that he found himself in. This had to be a mistake…right? Yet it was also natural for a new arrival to experience shock and denial, which would soon be followed with anger as the demon cursed and started to kick the ground like a child throwing a tantrum.
The area was hardly pleasant for the first impression of Hell: black leaf-less trees were plentiful for as far as the eye could see, while the red ground gave a clear indication of drought; mud cracks were common despite the temperature being quite fair for this new resident. And above all, no sign of civilization could be spotted despite the demon's best attempts to gain a higher level with the help of a tree. This made him wonder if this was either the standard that Hell had to offer to any, or if this was his own variation of Hell. While he wasn't particularly religious, this creature had known that a perspective of heaven could exist based on what he learned when he was once human.
"Oh fuck me fuck me fuck me! Come on! I-I-I don't deserve this!" Panicking, the demon aggressively rubbed his head, failing to acknowledge the fact that it lacked a consistent shape. "I CAN CHANGE! COME ON I CAN CHANGE!" Now entering the stage of bargaining, he looked up to the sky as if God were listening to him…only he wasn't. "I promise to go to church on Sundays! I promise to donate half my salary to charity! I-"
TUMP TUMP TUMP
Yelping, the demon immediately fell from the tree. The sound nearly gave him a heart attack- if he even still had one- and made him wonder if the Grim Reaper had arrived greet him. Yet the source of the sound paid little attention to him as said source was walking towards the path that was available. This somewhat relaxed the demon, as he was scared shitless seeing the only other "living" thing since he arrived not fifteen minutes ago. His vision followed the figure who seemed to be concerned with something else, not bothering to acknowledge the onlooker. From what said onlooker could tell, this figure was taller than him by at least af oot. Based on how heavy the steps were, he held a safe bet that the figure was wearing boots. His attire was not completely obvious, as the distance between the two of them made some details unclear, such as what he wore below the waist. Perhaps they were cargo pants given by some distinctive linings, indicating pockets despite the apparent ripping that were barely recognized. Above the waist, he wasn't too sure; he was covered even up to his fingertips in some thick material. Maybe a thick jacket, although he saw no indication of a hoodie…yet he was sure that he was wearing something on his back. For his face…it was mostly covered by a strange helmet.
While that sounded straight forward, the witness realized something "odd" from his perceptive: substance was dripping from its body. It didn't seem to be blood from what he could tell, although it was leaving dark footprints with each step. "W-Water….?" Was there actual water in Hell? He did not explore that much yet…which meant that civilization had to be near…right? If this figure were walking away from a large source of water, logically this would make him believe that the figure was going to someplace that held more importance. Then again, this could be a misleading trap; this is Hell after all.
"Fuck it…" As quietly as he could, the demon slowly followed the figure from a respectable distance. Naturally not wanting to press his luck, he kept track of the figure's body behavior in case of hostility arising. After all, he had little options and decided to gamble on what the figure's path could lead him to.
*Five minutes later*
The surrounding environment barely held any variety, aside from the different shapes and sizes of tree and earth. While it was too early to be pessimistic, this demon was not comfortable with the lack of answers and a vague guidance before him. (This fucking sucks…) His mind repeated that same phrase for nearly ten seconds after he decided to follow this figure, knowing full well that this could clearly be the start of his "Eternal Hell". After all, what was a clear indication that there was even a reason to follow this person? Maybe he'll soon lose track of time and lose the ability to comprehend reality itself.
"Ah…" Much to his surprise, the stalker realized that his "guide" stopped. It was only then did he acknowledge a large metal structure, convinced that it once was part of a large aircraft. As he came closer, he was surprised that there was a lack of corrosion which then led him to believe that such a crash occurred only recently. That and he felt an increase in temperature the closer he got to it. (I didn't notice anything when I first came to...did I just miss this? There's no smoke but….)
The demon began to feel more comfortable with his surroundings as the figure was moving along the structure, clearly equally if not more intrigued by the wreckage. Perhaps this figure was following this aircraft for quite sometime before he himself arrived. As he examined the large structure, he then realized that his suspicions were accurate; there were actual windows still secured into the designed frame. With the likeness of a commercial aircraft, one couldn't help but wonder if there was anything of great importance inside. Curious, the demon edged closer, praying that nothing would be greeting him on the other side. Yet when he took a quick peek, he immediately yelped and fell backwards in response to what he saw. "Fortunately" for him, it was just his reflection…just his reflection.
"!" Suddenly rushing back to the window, he realized that it was tinted to the extent where he could see his new appearance quite clearly. And not a good impression was it for the new resident. "Oh man, oh fuck- this is really fucking crazy…" Rubbing his "face", he watched as his fingers disappeared into the flames that shaped his head, unable to understand why he was not feeling anything solid. The flames did not harm him, and naturally did not prevent his fingers from locking within his "head". Yet he had eyes- which lacked pupils-, and a mouth- which lacked teeth-, that perfect expression his shocked reaction. All green with black lines shaping his eyes and mouth, as well as the "shape" of his "head".
"I am on fire-"
"Hey you."
The flame demon jumped as he turned to see that his "guide" finally acknowledged him. Yet when he jumped back and pointed at him, the flame demon gave a natural response. "W-What's your problem-"
"You a fucking demon or something?!"
"What-"
"You're a literal talking flame!"
"Wait, you're not a demon?"
A moment of silence was shared between the two figures, as it became clearer that neither of them were "locals".
"…You…also just got sent to Hell didn't you…"
The flame demon watched as the figure came closer to him. "Y-Yeah…" Feeling more comfortable to a certain extent, the flame demon got a clearer look of the individual before him. While he was able to accurately make out what he saw beforehand, there were a few added details:
For one thing, it looked as if this "man" was wearing a thick heavy vest. Over that vest and as well as his arms, there chains that looked heavily corroded and quite overall heavy. These chains looked to be used to restrained something heavy and large. Not only that, but once they were only a few feet apart, he only now realized that this figure had many MANY black chains around his body. He wasn't sure if it was one long continuous link that started on one arm and ended at the other, but both ends had a hook that was seemingly as large as his hands. And upon closer inspection of the man's head, he was wearing a strange helmet with attached goggles. Noticeably, one side of the helmet was heavily damaged and revealed the man's entire left face. No injury was obvious on the man aside from the ripped holes that were spotted. And the substance that was dripping from his body looked more closely related to water than blood-based on its thickness.
Yet none of that was strange compared to the man's overall appearance in terms of his colors scheme: he was completely white with orange traits spread across. His pants were orange, his gloves were orange, his boots were orange and his vest was orange. As for his physical traits, his eyes were orange in different layers; his sclera was of a darker shade of orange while his iris was bright orange. The pupils were a freighting white tone, possibly silver. His mouth when opened revealed teeth that were completely stained black with only an orange tongue to help outline said teeth. What hair he saw had a blend of the main focused colors of orange and white, matching perfectly with the man's exposed skin that was as paled.
"…"
"What?"
"…Orange…." That simple word was expressed by the flame demon. "You don't look that intimidating with white and orange…"
"Look you seem to be under the impression that I had a choice- wait, did you get to decide how you would look?" the man asked, now confused himself. When the flame demon shook his head, the man groaned. "Well I promise you that I wouldn't choose this…" He looked at his reflection at a cracked window, clearly not happy with his current faith. "I look like a fucking ginger…save for the freckles that I lack…am I all orange or is that a bit of yellow?"
The flame demon quickly got offended. "Hey I am a ginger!" he claimed. Or at the very least he was before he arrived in Hell.
"You were?" Raising an eyebrow, he looked to the flame demon with curiosity. "…Is that why you're in Hell?" he asked, grinning as dark humor began to loom over them.
"Oh really? We making those kind of jokes now?" he spat, crossing his arms.
"You're right; waaaaay too soon for that type of shit…." Looking around, he gave his first confession to the flame demon. "I've been walking for a while...like, two hours by this point. I don't suppose you would know where to head to?"
The flame demon relaxed slightly at the question, as it was quite clear that they were both lost. "I thought you knew…" Now confessing to his stalking, the flame demon leaned against the metal structure. "How'd you end up here? Or at least…how did you die?"
There was silence once again, as a surprisingly cool breeze greeted them to intensify the tone. "…" Looking at the flame demon, he shrugged slightly before answering, "I...fell. You?"
"…" The flame demon looked down, as if he were having trouble putting the words he needed together. "…All I remember was getting really wasted and that was it…."
"I see. Well I am Roy."
"Christopher."
Feeling increasingly at ease with this man, Christopher walked over to "Roy" and held out his hand, as if he held such a desire to shake his head. There was obvious hesitation even from Roy as he took his time. Slowly but surely, they held each other's hand and shook it in a very calm matter. "I would use the word 'pleasure', but nothing is pleasant about this…" Roy broke the handshake and looked behind Christopher before looking behind him. "Well, which way do you think we should go?"
Christopher walked away from the structure and gave it some thought, looking to both pathways before looking at the one from which they came. "I think it's better luck going on what you feel; you, after all, found this…" He faced the structure once more.
"Only because I fell off of it; when I…came to, I found himself in this thing as it began to fall from the sky and I happen to land on a lake. I saw what direction this was heading towards and went in this general direction.
"Wait, what? I just woke up randomly on the ground somewhere!" This was strange to both men as it became clear that there were unique experiences when arriving in Hell. "Ugh whatever…the fact that you found yourself in a lake tells me that Hell has more to it than just this…." He gestured at the landscape around them. "Dumb question but did you happen to see any signs of civilization? If that even exists in Hell?"
"Aside from that," Roy pointed at the "moon" above them that was displaying a pentagram. "I saw nothing…but I am sure that there has to be something close by…." Looking to one path, he sighed for a few moments. "I am just going to take this path…you coming?" Roy's new companion nodded as the two headed towards what they hoped was civilization. "By the way, what did you do before…you know?"
Actually thankful for the conversation starter, Christopher was honest. "I was a student…I was studying business. You?"
"I was in the Navy; I worked on an aircraft carrier."
"Oh man that's cool…um, thank you for your service…"
"Heh, kinda irrelevant now don't you think?"
A small smirk formed on both companions as they continued to walk. The conversation was simple in regard to what their lives were prior to death, although there was the natural hesitation when discussing the details of said death. Neither had pressed on that topic given that the conversation was eventually focused on how Hell was like, and what hostilities they could possibly come across. As such, Roy would correctly make the assumption that all new residents of Hell automatically became demons, given by how he and Christopher were now. Then again, Hell itself was still unexplored by the two so maybe there were non-demons.
Eventually, after walking what felt like hours, they finally found what they were looking for: civilization. In all honesty, neither had expected it to look similar to the society that they themselves were familiar with. Yet they knew better; the overall appearance looked quite shady and run down to a great extent. Despite this, they were equally surprised with the diversity of demons that they came across, realizing how unique a majority of the population was. With that in mind, there were some similarities here and there, such as the horned red-skinned demons of various shapes and sizes. There were also the animal-like demons of the canine and feline variety which made one wonder if they were once canine/feline beings from the living world.
"Why was that guy's flame bigger than mine?"
"How'd the fuck should I know? I guess to make up for the fact that he's half your size?"
"…Maybe…"
It had not been ten minutes since they arrive and already were there complaints towards how hell was based on these new surroundings. Fear and intimidation naturally came here and there depending on who they came across, but overall it felt like home to Roy in particular. As if he was back in New York dealing with the fair share of assholes. With that being said, both were being careful in not trying their luck with whoever rubbed them the wrong way.
"You know, it's not that different from Earth…" Roy watched as some demons were removing supplies from a trunk. "Kinda underwhelming in a way…."
Christopher nodded. "Hmmmhmm…" Watching a small demon being chased by a much larger one, he stopped and asked, "You don't think that there's some guide out there for new arrivals like us, do you?"
"Well considering that we're in Hell itself, I doubt that we get that level of curiosity; I think it's a safe bet that it's everyman for himself..."
"Yeah…that um…makes sense…." Crossing his arms, Christopher looked around the area and chuckled. "I guess we gotta find a place to stay? Likely find a job-"
Christopher's words were cut out by a loud explosion heard from a distance. Both he and Roy shifted immediately wondering what was going on, only to be greeted by a large vehicle that was heading their way. From a quick glance, it looked like a cliché out of a post-apocalyptic vehicle; there were "spikes" designed in the front and sides while the wheels in the rear were double the size compared to the ones in front. While completely black, no windows were seen, allowing one to see the crazed reptile demon yelling at the two of them.
While Christopher was naturally stunned and started to reference Mad Max, Roy's priorities got them out of the way. While hugging the buildings and just generally staying on the sidewalk would be ideal, this abnormal car was wide enough to run over any who was off the road. Thus, they soon found themselves in an alley moments before the fast-hostile vehicle flew past them, irritating their sense of hearing. It did not help that the speed and size also created a force of wind to set them off balance.
"What the actual fuck?!"
Roy was far from pleased, and the feeling was mutual with Christopher whose flames were increasing in size, as well as shifting to a purple-like tone.
"What is this, Sacramento?!"
Christopher angrily kicked a can and looked at Roy. "Man fuck this place…" He began to walk along the alley with the desire to stay off the literal streets.
Following him, Roy wondered if he had a plan. "Wait where you're going?"
"Away from here! This is just a taste of what this place has for us; a causal day and I haven't even been here for at least four hours! I gotta find a place far from all of this…"
"For my sake, I hope you're right; I am sticking with you-"
Both instantly froze as a loud sudden sound came from behind.
"…"
"…"
Slowly but surely, both Christopher and Roy glanced at one another for a solid ten seconds before slowly blinking and turning their heads to see what was standing behind them. At first, only a few tentacles were spotted in the exposed lighting that the red sky provided. Yet as the sounds grew increasingly loud, a thick trail of smoke began to drift from the shadows in a surprisingly high level of visibility. More and more did the smoke begin to surround the general space, causing both men to shift their bodies and face the source of the smoke. Tensions within the new arrivals increased at an alarming rate, with neither of them knowing if they were going to be breathing within the next few seconds. The concept of dying yet again but within hell never crossed one's mind until facing something as intimidating as the yellow eyes that appeared behind the smoke and shadows.
Roy simply crutched his fists, feeling a sweat break and running down his forehead while Christopher was trembling beyond what he wanted to show. It didn't help as the strange creature revealed itself bit by bit, slowly approaching them and revealing more of its abnormal appearance:
First, the collection of white and blue tentacles crawled towards the two causing them to back off. These were as thick as their own limbs, perhaps even thicker if a closer inspection and comparison wasn't out of the question. As it broke through the smoke, it was revealed to be a very feminine creature; while the tentacles were clearly her "legs" and even seemingly sticking out from her back, a familiar curvy hour-shaped glass was more than apparent. A lovely bust and normal arms were seen, covered by what seemed to be a white long sleeve dress. At first, they assumed that the smoke came from the cigarette that she held in her hand, only to realize that the smoke was her actual hair. Shapeless like Christopher's flaming head, the smoke danced around her head in a volatile matter, holding no consistency with the length. Although it did allow bits of it to separate and mask itself within the smoke that came from her cigarette. Finally, her eyes were completely yellow with no signs of pupils, not unlike Christopher's own eyes. Black makeup was seen around her eyes and lips, blending well with the blue and white skin color that was on her body.
She simply inhaled her nicotine-filled item with a smile as the men looked back at her. While the stare down was far from being hostile, her overall appearance was arguably the most polarizing thing that they have come across in this city so far. At least, within the first fifteen minutes…
"…" Roy looked at her from the ends of her tentacles to that smile that she had on her face, completely unnerved by how unnatural calm she seemed. Sure she was likely a long time resident here in hell, but that didn't mean that it was less creepy sneaking up on them like this. Looking at Christopher, Roy wondered how he felt as he heard him speak a few words.
"…I am gonna be honest with you…" Christopher slowly turned his head towards Roy while keeping his eyes on this strange creature. "…she's kinda cute." He failed to notice the sudden jaw drop from Roy as the creature began to giggle, now gaining both their attention completely.
"Well aren't you sweet? I don't think I've seen you two cuties around here before…" As those words escaped from her mouth, the tentacles began to curl up putting emphasis on how she saw them. Yet the problem here was not the physical traits of hers, but rather how deep her voice was.
So deep in fact that both Christopher and Roy simultaneously performed the sign of the cross out of fear, indicating their previous practices of Christianity ironically. This naturally amused their new "friend" as she chuckled…deeply. "Oh that's really cute…don't you two know how pointless that is here in hell?" As she said those words, she crawled closer to them with only her tentacles moving while her upper body was completely still and consistent. "So do I scare you?"
"YES, YES YOU DO." Christopher immediately said, as he and Roy backed off trying to create some space. "Why the fuck is your voice so deep?!"
"Oh honey that's just years of smoking in Hell; even when I was alive I never knew how deep my voice could get from smoking. But hey, it's one of the few pleasures that I still get to enjoy while dead…"
"You smoke them, or eat them?" asked a very uncomfortable Roy.
"Oh very original." Rolling her eyes, she took another hit from her favorite thing. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Don't you know any better than to not make a woman uncomfortable?"
"Not to be rude but I am very uncomfortable…"
"You mean we are very uncomfortable!" said Roy.
"Oh baby that's the last thing that I want for you; I have a soft spot for fresh meat~" As those words escaped from her mouth, the tentacles immediately began to surround Christopher who was now shaking nonstop.
Thankfully, Roy worked well under pressure and reacted quickly once again for his benefit. Yanking Christopher, Roy got them on the run, not daring to look behind as the street was well within reach. However, they would soon realize a major issue, as tentacles could be seen running along the walls based on their peripheral vision.
"Oh and where do you think you're going? I wanna get a nice taste of that flaming cock!"
As they continued to run as fast as their bodies would physically allow them, Christopher managed to notice something about the tentacles that were traveling along the walls.
"UH ROY?!"
"YEAH-?!"
"LOOKING AT THESE THINGS-"
"YEAH-?!"
"I DON'T THINK SHE USES LUBE!"
Both men screamed as they picked up the pace, completely baffled with how slow time was moving for them. Just one of those troublesome moments that any could relate to when under extreme moments of stress. Yet by some miracle, they reached the sidewalk with a leap of faith, laying on their faces with everlasting relief. Panting, both men began to rise, laughing as they were so happy for that single moment in hell.
"Holy fuck- We actually-"
THWMP
"…"
"…"
Both Christopher and Roy blinked as they looked down to see that the former was completely wrapped by a single tentacle. It squeezed slightly while it continued to cover him from the neck down.
"…We should have not stopped."
"No, no we shouldn't," agreed Roy. Yet almost as instantaneous, Christopher was suddenly yanked back into the shadows of the ally, along with the other tentacles that were giving chase. A clear indication that she would be satisfied with just Christopher. "CHRIS!"
"ROY I WAS RIGHT; THESE ARE DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY…."
His voice vanished moments after his screams echoed from a large distance. Freaking out and feeling helpless, Roy immediately began to stand up and call out to his friend once again. "I AM COMING-"
Roy was rudely interrupted by a sudden motorcycle that nearly crashed into him. Stunned and most importantly, pissed, Roy angrily looked in the direction of the rider who was already a block away in the distance. "YOU FUCKIN-"
The second interruption was not much better for Roy…literally. One instance, he was standing. The next? Well he soon found himself being hit by a second motorcycle. Only, rather than him being flown towards the same general direction that it was heading, he somehow ended on the rear seat much to his confusion. Something out of a classic cartoon from when he was a kid in the '90s. Blinking and rubbing his head as he was moving at dangerous speeds, he looked down to see a small red demon eyeing him.
"…"
"…"
It was then that he noticed another small red demon was driving the motorcycle that they were on. Before Roy could properly complain to them, the demon in front of him spoke.
"Uh honey? We accidentally got a hitchhiker!" she said, turning to her apparent boyfriend.
"What?" The demon in front turned and was thrown off from Roy's physical presence. "What the- WHY are you on our cycle?!"
Naturally angry with everything that just happened in the last five minutes, Roy clutched his hands in anger, failing to realize the fact that the orange on him was glowing. "What am I doing? You fucking ran over me you asshole!"
"Sorry about that! We're trying to fix a mistake we made on the job!"
"What-" Roy looked down to the female demon who was pointing at the other rider that was they were gaining on. By this point, Roy realized that they likely drove past a few blocks within the time that he was riding on them. This unnatural speed reminded him that anything could happen in Hell. That and the fact that they were making sudden turns did not cause him to fall off by some miracle. They were so deep into the city that he had no idea what direction led to where. "Your job…?" was what Roy managed to ask her.
"Yup!" Giving a smile with a noticeable cute gap between her teeth, she reached into her pocket and held up a card for him.
Grabbing the card for some reason, Roy looked at it and was immediately confused by what he saw: seeing the word "IMP", he saw an image that was instantly recognizable. Or at least two-thirds of the image as he recognized the two demons that he was currently riding with. As for the third and in the middle, he did not know. But the interesting thing that changed the expression on his face was the description. "…Immediate Murder Professionals?" he asked, looking at her in confusion.
The demon gave that same adorable smile as she nodded. "Yup! If you have any unfinished business with anyone back on Earth, give us a call!"
"Wait, so that means that you're-"
"Millie! He's close enough!"
Roy watched as the demon girl immediately turned around and pulled out two pistols, firing nonstop at the rider before them. Instinctively, Roy began to freak out as the loud sudden noise caused him to lose proper sitting on the motorcycle.
"I swear I keep telling him that we gotta have Loona watch the portal and prevent any humans from coming through!" growled the male demon.
"Wait, portal-"
Roy never got to finish that sentence as a sudden bump on the road caused his larger body to fall off. "SHI-" Roy found himself at the mercy of the road as his body impacted against the ground while rolling with aggressive momentum. It was possibly a good five seconds before his momentum began to relax, giving him a proper chance to collect himself. Unfortunately for Roy, it didn't give the other vehicles on the road a reason to stop; at least in the sense where they simply avoided him to avoid damaging their own rides. Thus Roy struggled to get up as he made his way to the sidewalk, thankful for the chains that were wrapped around his chest and arms as well as what he had on his head.
(Thank fucking christ for cranials…so glad I died with this thing still on my head…) As he finally turned himself on his back, he panted aggressively while removing his flight deck cranial. Looking at it, it was surprisingly still in one piece. Or at least no different than when he arrived in hell. Regardless, he needed a proper breather in order to collect himself as he tried to get on his feet. His legs were in the utmost of pain itself, causing him to groan and openly produce clear indications of discomfort. "…" Looking at his new surroundings, he acknowledged the fact that no one batted him an eye and continued on with their business. In reality, Roy wasn't bothered that none were concerned for him, but rather bothered that he wasn't in a familiar environment anymore. Hell he had no idea how to find the alley that Christopher himself was in. Once again, he was all alone as he struggled to stand. He took a moment to think about the events that led him to here and thus, closed his eyes in frustration.
"…"
Painful memories came within Roy as tension began to form on his face. Perhaps for nearly a minute, he thought about the life that he had hours ago. So much he valued and never took for granted, Roy thought about his love ones and how his death would have such an effect on them. Guilt did overwhelm him the moment he found himself in Hell, but this was just another instance of that sensation. Without hesitation, he immediately began to put his cranial back on.
"Where the hell do I go now…" Roy got his bearings together and looked at his surroundings, pondering what he should do next. If anything, he would like to find Christopher but it was impossible to simply retrace the path that he was taken to. He did hope that his only "friend" was okay. (She didn't seem to want to kill him or me; I think I'll see him again eventually…) Trying to hold some optimism, Roy thought of his next move. Based on those demons that he rode with, the female one at least seemed friendly and not hostile like her apparent boyfriend. So maybe there were more friendly demons in hell than he expected so long as he didn't give them a reason to dislike him.
Of course, there was also the question if he was going meet the devil himself; be it Satan, Lucifer, whatever the ruler of Hell was known as, he did not know why he never met this person since he was sent to Hell. "I guess it's not that formal here…" Roy's perception from his upbringing as a Catholic and overall knowledge from other religious portrayals of this place conflicted with what he was seeing. Quite frankly he would be content if he never had to come face to face with him. The thought was beyond intimidating for Roy as he continued to walk.
(Man there's different things left and right…they have currency here?) Roy wondered, looking at some billboards. As he walked, the pain that he was experiencing was thankfully going away. Optimism returned as he was feeling better both mentally and physically for the time being. (What kind of work can you get in Hell? Can't be that good since this is Hell…) Roy knew that he would likely be homeless and likely gain hunger; he could see some apartment buildings with demons seen through the windows as well as demons eating various things in general. How pleasantly edible things were in Hell he did not know, but from what he could tell none of it was unappetizing to glance at.
(I wonder if they have a Five Guys-)
Roy froze as he almost walked directly into traffic, realizing how busy some of these streets were. He was so used to the nearly empty roads that he did not consider that most demons had actual means of transportation. At least for the next minute as the road was empty soon after. A few demons who waited like him began to move, hinting that all was well now. Yet Roy should have known better as another wave of vehicles immediately came and nearly ran them over.
"Come on!" Roy shouted as the other demons were mutually angry like him before walking across. Annoyed, he looked left and right before making his way across the street. His anger continued to build as he couldn't catch a single break; yes this was Hell but consideration should still be universal. Although perhaps he felt biased like this since the other vehicles avoided him when he fell off that motorcycle. (Maybe they didn't want to fuck up their cars…) Looking forward, he wondered once more about possible employment as that could make the rest of his existence much easier within this place.
HONNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
"…"
Roy slowly turned as he saw what appeared to be a red limo with bright headlights glaring at his overall existence. A few more honks irritated Roy to no end as it was forced to slow down and cease its momentum thus the increasing lengths. So much so that he faced the limo and began to walk towards the long vehicle with anger, intending to take out his frustration even as the window rolled down.
"Move out of the way you fucking ginger!" A black fox wearing a typical driver suit had a significant portion of his body out the window, gesturing and pointing at Roy with hostility. "I am about to run you over and leave you out for the pieces of shit who can't afford a meal and-" Yet his words began to slow down as Roy was actually having the nerve to walk towards him and make direct eye contact with him. The tone changed completely as anything orange on Roy began to glow brightly. "W-What you gonna do- I am driving a-a-a O-Overlord-"
Roy's comprehension of what the demon was telling him failed; as if Roy knew based on instinct, his hands dug into the door's frame with little effort. Without hesitation Roy ripped the door off the limo much to the driver's shock. Soon after, he was holding the driver by the collar and it was quite clear just how much taller he was.
"Y-Y-You're gon-na have to a-a-answer to-"
"SHHHHHHHHHH…." Roy held up his finger as he hushed the driver. "What you say next is COMPLETELY irrelevant; it hasn't been even four hours from what I can tell since I got here, but I've gone through a lot of shit in that amount of time. And really don't appreciate you attempting to run me over despite the obvious fact that I was crossing the street…"
"I-"
"You really don't listen…do you?" Roy lost complete patience as his anger was increasing with second spent in Hell. As he reaching out to the demon's face with a free hand, he heard a sound on his right.
"What the hell is going on? I told you I wanna get to the studio-"
Roy's expression shifted as he saw someone sticking their head out of the window in the rear end. That tone of voice was so bizarre to Roy, as that tentacle creature in that alley didn't compare to this. The first impression Roy got from seeing the person in the back was basically associated with the word PIMP. The glasses, the hat, and a fur collar that was a clear indication to his overall style, this was one of the things he least expected to come across. The supposing pimp shared the same expression as Roy, as if they were both equally thrown off by each other's look. That or the fact that he saw what happened to the driver's door. It grew stranger as the man then revealed an unappealing smile much to Roy's confusion. Those teeth were beyond intimidating to Roy, especially with how hungry this creature looked at him.
"Well what do we have here?" he spoke, looking at Roy up and down. A hand soon came out of the window to lower his rose-colored glasses as he was clearly into Roy. "I don't believe I've seen you around here…"
(Holy fuck…) Roy's grip on the driver softened, allowing the demon to fall on the ground and hastily move back into the driver's seat. Unsure why he was being so honest, Roy responded with, "I am a new resident…." Giving a harmless smile as he gestured around their overall surroundings. Maybe it was clear enough to say that he was referencing Hell itself and not this particular area.
"Well that explains it…you're looking for a ride…friend? Perhaps you're looking for something more than just that as well?" His voice reminded Roy of a swarm of buzzing critters that would stalk him until he was a respective distance away. "Please…come in…" Within seconds, the figure disappeared into the limo and the door opened completely for the invite.
Now normally Roy would hightail away from someone who spoke in such a matter to him. Yet logically he knew that he tried to push his luck any further, chances were that he would not get far. This credited by the fact that he had near misses so frequently that he understood building positive relationships would benefit him in the long run. Not only that, but someone who came off as a pimp could potentially benefit him when it came to "connections". At least he assumed if someone like him was riding a limo in a place like Hell, he must have had some status, right? On top of it all, could he even refuse and get away with doing that? Thus he only needed a few seconds to then accept the offer by making his way into the rear of the limo, realizing that it was more than just the man who invited him.
Looking around for a second before he moved inside, he noticed how vibrant the purple tone was. And if he didn't know any better, the outline of the furniture was stylized by LED lighting. As for the atmosphere overall, it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either; there was a hint of fruit in the air, blended with the familiar smell of alcohol and nicotine. Depending on who you were, this could be either appealing or the opposite. With all of that in mind, Roy looked to acknowledge the other passengers as the door was closed before feeling the limo move yet again.
"May I offer you a drink~?"
Roy felt a small sweat sliding down his cheek, having now a clear visual understanding of what invited him into his limo: clearly a tall S.O.B., this figure could easily tower over Roy by at least a couple of feet; despite the fact that Roy himself was over six foot. Another pair of arms were seen wrapped around two smaller demons who appeared female. His clothing completely covered his arms and legs, allowing only black gloves and boots to be seen from a glance. In one hand, he spotted a cigarette that was releasing an odd distinctive red vapor. Perhaps it was due to the lighting in this limo or maybe it was something different from tobacco. Of course, Roy had more priorities to focus on…such as answering his host's question.
"What do they normally have in Hell…?"
A chuckle came from the mysterious demon. "Ha I knew it: you are new…"
"Forgive me I wasn't clear with what I said before," said Roy. His eyes peered over at the females who were cuddling up to the man and just eyeing Roy.
"Well I assure you that we pretty much have whatever it is you crave from your previous life; as for what's unique to Hell itself, you can't go wrong~ The name is Valentino by the way…" After introducing himself, Valentino nudged at one of the girls to fix his guest a drink as Roy introduced himself. Particularly, the feline looking one who didn't seem to mind as she shook her rear slightly, as if trying to tempt Roy. Yet Roy was still being cautious; he watched as she began to mix in a few liquids and even a familiar fruit- a cherry-, finishing the drink and offering it to him.
Roy nodded slightly as he took the drink, eyeing it as the fragrance did smell appealing. The liquid swirled between a mix of blue and red on the top layer, yet as he examined it from the side, he saw that the majority at the lower layers held a perfect balance of purple. Just as he was able to inhale more of the scent, he heard another chuckle, causing him to turn his head.
"I assure you my friend: it's not spiked…"
A cocky smirk formed on Roy's face as he suddenly took the entire drink in one go, sighing deeply. "Hmmm…." Licking his lips, the flavor was quite well but perhaps too much fruit for his own taste. "I never assumed; I just like observing new things before I taste them for the first time…" In all honesty, the drink wasn't as strong as he expected; perhaps there was a natural delay with this beverage, but nothing seemed to hit…yet.
Valentino stroked his chin as he looked at Roy for a bit. "I must say…you must have been quite the drinker before you came down here boy…."
Roy took some pride with that compliment, given by his previous life as a sailor. "I've lived an adventurous life before, so yes." Roy leaned back and looked around. "I don't mean to be rude for making assumptions, but you do look like an actual pimp; is that a thing here in Hell?" Asking that question, he looked at Valentino from head to toe with curiosity. "Or maybe you're just a man who holds a certain status…"
"Brilliant observation…" The tall demon ran two of his hands down the sides of his female companions. "But I am more along the lines of being a business owner-"
(I mean that's not exactly not a pimp-) Roy quickly thought.
"-of an entertainment company. A film studio if you will."
"Wait, they got film productions here in Hell?"
"Well yes; entertainment is just one of the many things that we must rely on. Over time influences from new residents straight from Earth naturally allowed Hell to 'keep up with the times' so to speak. But there's more to me than just being a business owner; I am one of the few Overlords that run Hell." Inhaling from his suppositive cig, he then elaborated on his status. "We're pretty much mob bosses who control a respective amount of territory and run things within our own jurisdiction…"
Roy listened in and felt displeased to hear this; he had his reasons but people who held such status over others- especially in a place like this-, brought a bad taste in his mouth. That aside, he wondered if this also meant that they served directly under Satan himself…or Lucifer; whatever name he held.
"You're lucky to have come across me Roy. Not all Overlords are as kind as I; some are complete assholes…"
It took all of his willpower to not to laugh, let alone, smile immediately at what Valentino just said. "I would not have expected any less," he admitted.
Valentino laughed openly when he said that. "Trust me kid: I am not blowing that shit out of proportion. Some will just cut your balls off for just looking at them funny…although you may have the means to protect yourself~" Valentino leaned back as the females began to rub against him with affection.
"By associating myself with you?" Roy assumed. Yet he was surprised when Valentino insisted otherwise.
"Nah honey, I am referring to your gifted abilities; it's not an easy feat ripping off the door off a vehicle like mine."
Roy said nothing but noted what Valentino was implying. (What's so special about this limo? Didn't seem that special aside from look…wait, how did I rip it off with ease?) He then looked at his hands, wondering if arriving in Hell did have some kind of effect on him. And by effect, he was considering more than just how he looked now. There were more changes to him than he initially thought from what Valentino was telling him.
"I see you haven't realized it yet, have you? Some demons are gifted when they arrive in Hell; depending how they died and how overall outline of their individualism affects their unique traits the second they arrive here…"
"So…I am powerful or something…?"
"That's putting it waaaay too simple Roy...and too generous in my personal opinion." This time, his host shifted away from his women and leaned forward towards him. "Some demons in hell are gifted just well enough to make a statement, while others are just gifted well enough to survive…" He leaned back and finished his smoke, drilling it into an ashtray that was resting under the window on his right. Relaxing a bit more as the red smoke traveled between his sharp yellow teeth, he continued. "I think that you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I also think that you're gifted enough to benefit me when needed."
Roy began to understand as his expression shifted softly. (I guess I am valuable here in Hell… I don't know how much he's referring to or if he's telling the complete truth, but I do think I have something going on within me…) With that in mind, Roy wasn't going to completely trust this strange demon out of nowhere like that; he needed to invest more time and knowledge before making a choice. "So are you inviting to 'join' you?" asked Roy.
"It is an invitation, yes," Valentino verified. Shifting a bit, he added, "But nothing that you have to decide now. We can keep in touch should you find interest in having a friend…" With that, the Overlord reached into his robe and pulled out a white card, reaching out and offering it to Roy.
Taking it, Roy couldn't help but be skeptical with this Valentino. Trickily could be at work here, as Valentino was still shady despite the hospitality that he provided. After all, could anyone in Hell be this considerate to let him think about such an offer? Maybe this was his way of indoctrination for all he knew…still, it couldn't hurt to hold on to the card. "…I appreciate it…so what now?" Roy asked, wondering why he was given this card now.
"Now? Hahah…well now you get the fuck out of my limo son…"
"Of course…" A fake wide smile came on Roy's face as the limo stopped, seemingly on cue. Within seconds, Roy found himself outside once again, looking at Valentino and the two girls that he was with. "I appreciate the advice…"
Valentino tipped his hat to Roy. "You take care of yourself Roy~ Be a shame if a new face like you ended up someplace nasty…" With that, the door closed and the limo once again continued on without Roy. Valentino had a nasty smile on his face as he thought about his conversation with Roy.
"Daddy, why didn't you just demand his loyalty~?"
The moth demon hummed as he looked at one of his women. "Now Dia you have to understand that sometimes you need to coax something like that to be your friend…" As he said those words, he grasped her head and began to push it down. There was a natural hesitation from her considering how forceful he could be, but as always, she went with the flow. "I don't know how dangerous he would be should he ever think about crossing me…best that I don't give him a bad impression…ahh…."
The other demon frown as she watched Valentino's hand keeping Dia's head right on his most important aspect. "Was he that powerful?"
"Hmmm…yes Summer my dear…yes he was…." Licking his lips as he began to lose himself to pleasure itself. "That glow and raw power….it's been ages since I've seen such promise from a once mortal…I'll have to keep my eyes on him….."
*Meanwhile*
Roy watched as the limo continued to drive away, leaving him once again surrounded by an area that he had little familiarity with. Looking at the card, he noted the details onto his mind before putting it away in his pocket. At least one option for him came up as he began to consider what his next move would be. Looking at the street, he then noticed a club from a respectable distance. While he was not wanting to involve himself with yet another potentially shady environment, he had considered that maybe there would be good pay there as he made his way to said spot. After all, while Valentino's offer did seem to be the simple fast way to a better life in Hell, it was best not to hasty rush into making such a decision without added context.
As he approached the entrance, he noticed that there was no line but rather two large intimidating looking demons who seemingly acted as bouncers. When approaching them, they seemed to care very little for him. Despite this, he faced one of those bouncers and asked, "Hey, who runs this place?"
"Who wants to know?" asked the one on the left.
"…Someone who needs a job," answered Roy. He was surprised that they didn't ignore him at all.
"Lady Mimzy doesn't simply allow scum into her club," said the one on the right.
"This is Hell; aren't all of us scum?" asked Roy, being somewhat of a smart ass. There was silence as the two bouncers suddenly glanced at one another. Surely that could not have been the first time anyone brought this up, right? "Look I am just trying find a job-"
"A job?" interrupted the one on the right. "Why would you have interest at Lady Mimzy's club? She has high standards here…"
Roy was naturally growing frustrated but did his best to show patience to the bouncers. After all, they were at least talking to him and not blowing him off completely from this establishment. "I am going to be frank with you two: I literally just arrived here like four hours ago or something like that; I am completely new to this lifestyle in Hell and I am just trying to make ends meet. I was considered a ridiculously hard worker before I died," he explained, trying to make a solid argument for at least minor interest.
"Oh is that so? And what did you do to end up-"
"Does it matter?" Looking at his companion, he added, "Lady Mimzy did say that newer arrivals have higher potential to be less shitty; if it hasn't even been half a day for this one, she may be able to take advantage."
Roy raised an eyebrow. " 'Take advantage'-"
As Roy wanted them to elaborate on what he meant, they both opened the door and allowed Roy access into the club. "…Much obliged…" He began to walk into the club.
"Don't make us change our minds," warned the first demon.
Nodding as he came into the club, he was pleasantly surprised to see how well kept everything was: the floors, tables, stage, everything that he glanced at told him a lot about how much pride the owner had with her investment. The colors weren't blinding like the ones inside of Valentino's limo, the smell was fairly neutral and not intoxicating at all, and the aesthetics overall were appealing in design reminding him of the early 1900s.
"I could get used to this…" Roy actually smiled, as he could see himself working at a place as retro as this. There was something truly visually appealing to the aesthetics that was purposely designed upon this club. Although this was assuming that he could land actual employment here should the owner was opened to it. "Now where is she…"
"Can I help you?"
Roy stopped as he looked down to see that a short chubby woman looking up at him with minor interest. Her eyes did throw him off at first, but he quickly remembered that he himself had similar eyes, as well as a respectable number of residents in Hell. Regardless, he did his best to be as polite as possible. "Um yes I am looking for a Miss Mimzy? I was wondering if she was possibly available to talk to me…"
"You're looking at her sweetie~"
Smiling, he held out his hand. "I am Roy it's a pleasure to meet you; I am kinda 'new' if you know what I mean…"
Her expression shifted slightly as she grasped his hand and shook it. "Fresh meat huh? How long have you been?"
"No more than a couple of hours; just got to this city like over an hour ago though…"
"Hmmm…and I am guessing you're looking for a job?" As she correctly assumed, she began to make her way towards the bar and effortlessly jumped onto the seat, crossing her legs and rising herself closer to his level. "Normally I don't pay a single mind to people who come in begging for change, but I do admire the fact that you actually have some manners. It doesn't normally take long for new arrivals in Hell to become unlikable pricks, yet you're lucky that you left a good impression on me especially since you're new here…"
Listening to her words, he thought more and more about the lifestyle of Hell itself, given by the diverse set of personalities that he came across. It seemed that it was very possible for even a place like Hell to hold people with proper mannerisms and overall positive social interactions. Quite different than what he and many on Earth expected…
"But considering how hostile this place can be, it's not hard to understand why…with that in mind, seems like you're not at that point yet." She spun around to face the bar as she let out a loud whistle. Within seconds, a bartender appeared and began to mix in two drinks. "Join me sweetie; tell me about your life before you kicked the bucket…"
Taking her offer, he made his way to the bar, noting that two martinis that were placed. "Well I was a sailor in the Navy…" Joining her, he took one and noted how simple it appeared; at least not abnormal like that previous drink when he rode the limo. Taking a sip, he realized how accurate he was with his assumption.
"Ooooh a sailor? I had a thing for sailors when I was alive…that and when WW2 had a bunch of them coming through here regularly decades ago…." Taking a sip from her drink, she was feeling somewhat nostalgic. "Although forgive me for being skeptical but you sure as hell don't look like a sailor…why you wearing that thing on your head?"
Hearing her words in reference to her life and WW2 made him realized that she was from the early 1900s. This made sense as to why her, the owner, would make this club look the way that it did. If she was here during WW2 then she must have died sometime before that event in the mid 1900s. His thoughts then shifted as she commented on his appearance. "Heh, well things in 2020 are different compared to your time…no offense intended…." Removing his cranial, he allowed his hair freedom once again and placed it on the table. "…The Navy kinda 'evolved' since your time..." Running his hands through his hair, he decided to move onto the man topic at hand. "So about a job here…"
"Well assuming that you're really are a sailor, I take it that you're a hard worker? What else can you do aside from scrubbing things clean? Ever had experience in a place like this back on Earth?"
Pondering for a bit, Roy did make some suggestions. "I know my way around alcohol, and I can work as a bouncer if you need more…"
"Alcohol? So you consider yourself to be a cultured man?"
"A respectable amount; even then, I figured Hell has some things not found in the world of the living…" Roy glanced at the respective content seen behind the bar.
Mimzy took a few more sips from her drink as she eyed his strange helmet. "Well you're not wrong, but if you're committed, I'll be more than happy to take you under my wing~ A cute face like that needs to attract more costumers for me." She took another sip. "Plus it would be nice for this place to have some muscle behind the bar at the same time…think you can handle it?"
"I've had my fair share of fights with Sailors and Marines…"
Finishing her drink, she placed the glass down with care before responding with, "Convenient. Now-"
"Hey Mimzy!"
Both Mimzy and Roy shifted their attention to the entrance of the club. Two figures began to approach them with smiles, indicating that they have a positive relationship with the owner of this club. Looking at Mimzy, Roy saw a smile being shared as she held out her arms.
"Angel! Cherri! How are you two?" Now focusing on her two friends she said, "Came by for a drink? We're not opening for another hour if you're here for entertainment…"
"Nah Mimz, I am always here for a drink regardless~" This white and light pink colored demon made his way to sit beside Mimzy on a free stool while the cyclops demon simply stood in front of Mimzy with her arms crossed. The former looked oddly feminine despite sounding like a male; was it a drag queen? This was different than the strange creature he came across in the alley not too long ago. It wasn't entirely clear for Roy as he could at least tell that the cyclops was all female. "Me and Cherri were in the neighbor and decided to stop by and say hi…" Looking at the bartender, he winked at them who got the message and made his regular favorite.
"I've heard this place has gotten busier lately," said the strawberry blonde. "I am impressed with how tight you keep this place…" Complimenting on Mimzy's commitment to keeping the club flawless, the one eye demon grinned widely as she seemingly held a fondness for this place, moving around in place to admire their surroundings. Yet her expression changed as she eventually landed her eye on Roy.
"Who's this fucking ginger?"
Angel Dust finally acknowledged Roy as he leaned back against his stool to get a better look, who suddenly broke his martini glass in response to her remark. "Da fuck did you just call me?!" Roy's orange accents began to glow as he snarled at Cherri, who seemingly welcomed the hostility.
"Oh you wanna go you candy corn looking ass bitch?!" A wide grin soon followed as she pulled out a red bomb. Angel simply began to take a sip out of his drink while he watched the events unfold. Mimzy on the other hand began to reach out, trying to stop them with a horrified expression.