The Double-Blind Effect
Author Note: I have not felt very inspired in years because of my lackluster to create a story. I have written stories in the past on the website. This is my first attempt to write on A03 website, and I hope everyone will enjoy my story! I love comments, and I always try to reply to them. I am not a professional writer!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Hazbin Hotel characters or Disney characters and songs. I'm only creating parody Disney songs. This is merely for everyone's enjoyment to read.
Genre: Comedy/Romance/Drama
Notes: 'italic' means thinking.
"If something's important enough, try. Even if you – the probable outcome is failure."
– Elon Musk
Summary: "My dear, do you plan on seeking salvation for all deprived souls in Hell when they don't want to repent? This should be very entertaining." Alastor cocked his head to the side while a sinister smile raised his lips and his eyebrow quirked up mildly, curious. He wanted to watch those hopeful, moonbeam eyes turn into utter defeat and anguish.
All Charlie has hopelessly believed in is that there is a small bit of good in all demons. Now, what she needed to do was show it to them and nurture it. How hard can that be? Alastor was there willing to give her that helping hand, but what was in it for him? Tossing aside all her better judgments, she accepted.
Can Charlie keep Angel from falling back to old habits? What hope does she have if she can't keep one demon in line? Will Alastor gain the entertainment he has been seeking for?
Who will fall for who first?
Chapter One: And so, It beings
'I want to help. I want to help you run this hotel.' Charlie kept replaying the sentence repeatedly in her head as if she were trying to decipher the words between the lines. The words Alastor said were so foreign to her. Of course, Vaggie said she was helping Charlie with her goals, but this was her friend—no, her girlfriend, she expected it. This was like a breath of fresh air; however, she shouldn't get in over her head. This was Alastor, a deal maker. He clarified he did not believe in her; he was in it for the... sheer absolute boredom. 'What does he gain?' She thought as her lips bent down until it made a frown.
"Uuurrghhh!" She screamed inside the empty office of the Hazbin Hotel while her hands ran furiously up and down through her pale blond hair. With no care, her face plopped into the mahogany wood that was her desk. Many unwelcoming thoughts swarmed into her mind about the Radio Demon's ambitions. Some of them were frightening. 'Dad always said don't put up with other demon shit, but it would have been nice to know what kind of shit Alastor is up to.' She hit her head softly and repeatedly against her desk as if this was helping her produce an answer.
She then ended her assault and rested her head against the cold, smooth desk. "Maybe Vaggie was right—No!" She murmured and instantly regretted letting go of those words. "This is my decision." Of course, she couldn't fabricate an answer about Alastor's motives, but she wouldn't let his intention deviate from her motives! Charlie wanted to help all sinners understand there is goodness within them. Regardless of the cruelty they have committed and that they could repent and be sent into Heaven, thus eliminating Execution Day. It broke her heart to see her people suffering endlessly.
Charlie sat up from her desk and smoothed out with her hands any wrinkles from her long white sleeve blouse. Along with adjusting a tiny black bow tie that lay just below the base of her neck. What she needed right now was clear; she needed to keep her mind busy.
The Princess of Hell casually strolled out of the office and headed towards the great staircase, which she intended to slide down the rail. Without further-ado, she sat down on the thick wooden rail and slid down. Her bursts of laughter resonated across the hotel as she jumped from the end and landed gracefully on her feet. She posed in the traditional 'ta-da!' position. Her arms were high in the air, her eyes closed as if she envisioned a crowd cheering at her performance, but unfortunately, there was no soul in sight.
Charlie puffed her cheeks out unamused as her moonbeam eyes scanned the ground floor environment. Vaggie and Angel went shopping together and collected groceries, and she hoped that it wouldn't turn a brawl on aisle five. That left Alastor; he had gone out to pick up his belongings since he would take residence here, for long as he desired. It was her idea, even though her girlfriend opposed it. She shrugged, it felt right, and she could keep a better eye on him.
Everything was strangely quiet. It was her, Vaggie, and now Angel was thrown into the mixture until the last few weeks. She knew Angel wanted to better himself. She could see it, even if he couldn't. In addition, the Radio Demon will soon unite under the roof of misfit demons seeking salvation! She didn't want to articulate how it will work without violence.
Suddenly, Niffty ran feverishly through the corridors and chased a beetle to the entrance before capturing her prey with a needle. "No escapees," Said the small demon, and she swirled confidently with her catch, and at that moment, she spotted Charlie. "Hi, Charlie!" She gushed.
That's right, Niffty was here. She almost overlooked that Alastor was now providing staff, Nifty, and Husk. Where the hell was Husk? He was probably out buying booze and hopefully not drinking it all. It's been a few days since the Radio Demon first entered the hotel. "Hey there, Nifty. How goes the cleaning?" Her smile matched the one-eyed demon's.
"It's going super swell; however, there are a whole bunch of rooms that are still quite filthy!" She cheered anxiously.
"You're right about that. There are at least 300 rooms, if not more." Charlie retorted. She thought of her parents when they gave her this hotel to do what she willed. Even if they, like the entire world, were skeptical about her intentions, they still supported her.
Then the idea hit her! "Hey, Nifty, would you like some help cleaning today?" The princess looked down at the little demon with a certain zeal in her eyes.
Niffty ever-so-slightly tilted her head to the side, bewildered by the Hell Princess question. "No offense Charlie, but have you ever cleaned before?"
That's right, she neglected cleaning, and it made her feel pretty lame about it. How the hell were two demons, suppose to clean an entire hotel and try to spread the good word about being saved?! Not to mention keeping their one patient out of trouble. She cleared her throat. "You're right, I haven't been a very good keeper to this hotel, but that is about to change!" This was the kind of distraction she has been looking for. Alastor may have hired her to clean this hotel, but she felt bad for having Niffty take on the responsibility.
"If that's what you want, I'll take you up on your offer, but I'm expecting perfection!" Nifty responded with an approving smile. "You can take the top floor, and I'll continue working from the bottom up. The others should be back in a few hours, and by then and we can all have lunch!"
"Sounds like a plan!" Charlie gave two thumbs up, and harmoniously they smiled at each other. The two followed their separate paths. Charlie returned upstairs, which almost was at the highest level of the building, and she entered her room. She made her way to the walk-in closet and ventured in. Fumbling through her wardrobe that mostly comprised of suits and a few formal dresses. Continuing her search, she finally found what she's been looking for. "Ah-ha!" The Hell Princess exclaimed and withdrew a simple white apron that would tie around her body, and she rolled her sleeves to her forearms. For the last part, she tied her thick pale blonde hair into a high ponytail.
The Hell Princess balled her hands into fists and grinned confidently. "Aright, let's do this!" She cheered for herself and ran out of her room to return to the hallway, where she located the cleaning closet. She pulled out a cart that contained the supplies needed, and she went to the first area that had to be cleaned.
It's off to clean the unused bathrooms by scrubbing, dusting, and wiping down everything from top-down. Charlie reminisced about her early childhood memories while cleaning. Her parents purchased this building before she was even born, and shortly after she was a few years old, they closed it. What kind of place was this before she took over? The exterior and interior of the hotel remained strong. The problem was the accumulation of dust from decade's worth of neglect.
"I should probably open the windows and get some air circulation going." She opened several windows of the floor that she cleaned, and then she took some cleaning tools to the highest point of the hotel, the attic. As she entered the weakly illuminated attic, she could see the floating dust particles. The room was rather large with high ceilings, and many antique pieces of furniture were covered in white sheets. Several arched windows throughout the room were covered by thick velvet red curtains that shielded against the sunlight. The room contained numerous boxes of all sizes scattered about and an assortment of old knick-knacks throughout the room. "This won't do."She deemed and sauntered over the curtains, throwing them open to allow light to engulf the room, and she made way for the French doors that led to a small balcony.
The princess inhaled the fresh air, placing her hands upon the metal rail, and took in the view of the crimson sky. She remembered hearing tales of the mortal world: blue skies, a sun, moon, and stars. Oh, what a sight to behold, but alas, she was borne in this realm. A small smile arched her onyx lips, and her face held a delicate expression for the city just below.
Charlie hummed and strolled back inside and unconsciously tapping on various objects such as books, glass cups, and porcelain plates. Each object produced its own unique sound, and some resonated. Without realizing it, she started creating a beat.
Why can't life be musical?
"Life would be simpler if we sang with our hearts." Her dark lips curled into a mischievous smile, and with the snap of her fingers, her two bodyguards manifested Razzle and Dazzle. As if the three were connected on the same wavelength knowing what the other was thinking, the small demons went to their designated area.
Razzle pulled a sheet off a piece of furniture that revealed an old black piano and went straight to work by generating a happy key rhythm. Dazzle had to improvise using silverware and began to cling to many objects to synchronize with the melody.
The sound of -radio static approached the Hazbin Hotel, and a pair of radiant crimson eyes blinked open.
Charlie nodded in approval to her little helpers, and without thinking, she would sing from the heart as she walked once again to the balcony. Her voice held a high degree of optimism and beauty.
Little town it's a bustling place,
Every day like the one before,
Little town filled with little demons rising up to say….
"Bitch, where's my money?!" A bull demon roared.
"Fuck off!" A goat demon shouted back while flipping the bird.
Charlie spotted one of the town's pimps strolling down to his hoes to collect his money.
There goes the local pimp I see each morning,
To the same old hoes that he knows.
Every day it's just the same since the sinners first came
To this poor decrepit town…
"Ahh fuckin shit, the brawd is at it again." One demon was sighing and looking at Charlie singing joyfully on the balcony.
"You think, she'd learn by now after embarrassing herself on television." A female wolf demon shook her head in disapproval.
"That's cause her heads up her ass." A second demon retorted.
"That girl is fuckin wacky." A lizard demon hissed.
"Hey toots, show me dem titties." A lustful male demon licked his lips.
"Ha-ha, no." Charlie lightheartedly laughed with the slightest annoyance in her tone and dismissed him. She turned back inside the hotel and dusted the cobwebs from the tables with a feather duster as she stepped gracefully onto several sofas.
She danced to the beat that her servants generated as she collected dust from the top of bookcases and dressers. Even her arms were nimble and carried grace. The princess leaped from the couch to a long table and landed on her tippy-toes as she twirled like a ballerina collecting more webs from a low-hanging chandelier.
It's a pity that we sin.
But I see what's within,
That there's absolutely a chance,
A demon can be saved!
The static of radio waves peered up into the attic.
Charlie slid across the table and took a bottle of spray with a rag. Without saving a second, she jumped to the other side of the room and landed on a slightly elevated piece of furniture, which was just another dining table. With one hand, she sprayed a glass cabinet, and in the other hand, wiped it away effortlessly with the cloth.
Her black pool eyes lingered up to observe a hanging gold-trimmed canvas with various works of complex fruit bowls. Similar ones are vertically stacked against the same wall. Charlie twisted the rag, smacking it against the painting to collect a network of webs.
Maybe a chance that I could try to save one.
You know it's worth a try.
Please come to my hotel,
I'm sure you'll think it's swell!
Please let this be that there's absolutely a chance!
A demon can be saved!
The Hell Princess became so entranced by the music and lyrics that she lost sight of her environment, and she didn't know that she was no longer alone. Her eloquent dance would not cease; instead, her footwork increased. Beads of sweat formed and dripped down the sides of her temples as she whirled and span faster.
With her eyes closed and her mind focused solely on dancing, she soared off the table yet again, but this time there was no furniture to catch her.
The music abruptly stopped, and her two helpers vanished when they caught sight of him.
Instead, Alastor took this upon himself to catch Charlie in his arms. Humorous as it would have been to watch her fall flat on her butt. He thought that this course of action would provide him more entertainment. The princess was still in her imaginary world, full of puppies and cotton candy. He took the opportunity to dip her down as he grazed his gloved claws down the small of her back and pressed her closer against his torso. His other hand would grasp her much smaller one, and his nose virtually touched hers.
For a split second, his guard was off, and he inhaled the air. Alastor got a whiff of her scent. The aroma of fresh, dewy roses filled his nostrils. The smell brought him back to when he was alive in New Orleans, smelling the fresh-cut roses in the shopping squares. Where young gentlemen would buy their sweethearts a flower, he shuddered in discontentment and shook his head back into reality with a strained smile. The Radio Demon convinced himself that there was virtually nothing vicious about this demon belle.
"Ma Chérie, you are truly an enigma," Alastor said in his usual friendly tone, and in the background of his voice, the radio audience gave a brief laugh.
Charlie's eyes fluttered open with dismay, and like a deer trapped in the headlights, Alastor's glowing eyes captured hers. What was to be the white part of his eyes corresponded with the scarlet red of iris. Astonishingly, she felt attracted to them, as if they were pulling her into uncharted territories. He smiled at her mysteriously.
He brought her back up to her feet but didn't break contact.
'Whoa, too close.' She thought.
She sucked in air, and her face turned three shades of red that rivaled her permitted rosy cheeks. "Ah, A—Alastor! What—how—huh?" She gasped and sputtered around with words to form a sentence but failed. Altogether, she struggled against him to break the contact. Thankfully, he relinquished her, but she fell back and landed hard on her butt.
"Charlie, what is it dear, cat's got your tongue?" Alastor inquired with a small chuckle as he cocked his head to the side and raised his brows inquisitively. He saw the princess crawled backward away from him and laughed hysterically.
'My, what a funny creature she is,' he thought and smiled cruelly at his victim. She never ceased to astound him… for now.
Charlie's heart pounded so hard that she could hear it thumping in her ears out of sheer embarrassment that he caught her singing! Her heart never pounded this hard before when Vaggie caught her singing in the shower. Was she that embarrassed? He was pretty close to her, and at that moment, she felt it was rather intimate, but he didn't do anything inappropriate, so why couldn't she stop blushing?
She crawled backward until her back hit against the china cabinet. A stack of plates wobbled and fell. "Oh, shit—!" Charlie shrieked and caught the few plates in her hands before they could hit the floor.
"You scared the bejeebers out of me!" Charlie breathlessly said and put her hand on her heart, trying to regulate her breath. Someone should consider putting a bell on him, just not her.
The sounds of radio static played.
"So—um, just how much of that did you hear?" Charlie questioned while getting up off the floor and placed the plates in their original setting.
"All of it, my dear! And I must say what a splendid performance!" Alastor said in his typically blissful manner, and in the background of his voice, an audience clapped and whistled. "My, if you were on a picture-show I would consider actually watching it!"
Her heart skipped a beat. "Ha-ha, so does that mean liked my song?" Charlie's cheeks flared up again, and she rubbed her forearm with her hand fretfully. She looked down to the ground before cautiously meeting his gaze.
The Radio Demon's eyes were half opened, and his smile grew as he looked down at her angelic face. Oh, what an open book. Her face expressed all emotions such as hope, laughter, and sheer bliss compared to his façade how he wanted to see her hopefulness rise to the highest peak only to come crumbling down. Now that is entertainment.
He licked his suddenly parched lips, wagging his gloved claw at her. "Tch-tch, no, my dear, that song was wacky! What I speak about is your flawless footwork."
Alastor broke their distance and grabbed her hand to spin her out, then reeled her back. His gloved hand clamped around her waist, and in the same movement, his other claw would pinch the princess's rosy cheeks in a teasing manner. "If you ever consider a dance partner, I'd be happy to throw my name into the ring." He purred lowly into her ear as the radio static left his voice, revealing his true one.
'He is teasing you; he is teasing you.' The thought ran on repeat in her head. Charlie felt his hot breath tickling against her ear, which made her feel like butterflies were in her stomach.
Her face burned brightly.
Maybe if she told Alastor that she had a serious case of irritable bowel syndrome, she could leave.
No, that won't do. She had to calm down, so Charlie took his hand from her waist and plucked its hold as she took a step back. "Ahem—what can I do for you, Al?" She questioned professionally.
The Radio Demon held in a chuckle at the sinful thoughts that played in his head when questioned. He adjusted his coat, and his gloved hands slide down into his dealer's pockets. "Well, I finished up collecting my belongings earlier, so I took it upon myself to come to you and inquire about our little arrangement for this hotel."
"Right, well, how about we reconvey this later once the others returned and we've had some lunch. I'm stravin." She proposed with a smile.
Alastor grinned down at her and chuckled lowly. "As you wish till then, my demon belle. Au revoir."
And just like that, he left.
After a few minutes passed, Charlie peered over to the doorway to make certain he wasn't there. She let out a long relieved sigh. "Oh, man—what happened there?" She felt like a clumsy idiot. The worst part about it was she let herself get carried away by Alastor's teasing and handsy manner.
She got a whiff of the foul odor in the air, and ever-so-slightly she lifted her arm to smell her pit. "Phew, I reek! I need a shower, proto!"