okay, I learned a lot about this franchise. Apparently, my perception of hazbin hotel and its universe is wrong like completely. Alister is not one of the most powerful demons even if Vaggie said it word for word. I guess it's because demons above overlords don't come to the top ring beside charlie obviously. Overlords are normal sinners, but they prefer to be viewed as true demons and they believe it too (this story). I don't know if the many leftover angel weapons can properly kill a demon and I as such gave mason's weapon a little different from Abby since I wanted him to have a way to permanently deal with shitty characters. I have zero idea about the powers of sinners, but it is what it is, So let's go.
"Please, please... I-II-I don't know more!" A poor demon in the hands of a retired man. He was leaking blood from the cold dry cracks over his whole body. His torture purred burning liquid over him which would heal the worst of his wounds.
"I believe you." The broken demon feels a bit of hope for its hell in hell to end. "But they don't," Soon demons that tried to break him before rushed in with various torture tools, however, the light in the eyes of the demon didn't disappear. It was finally coming to an end, he would gladly embrace them if it meant the monster would leave.
Velvet and the other torturers wondered how Mason did it. The truth was simple. One simple thing that made him break was his persona through his eyes. The broken demon has been through agonizing interrogation before. He prides himself on the ability to grit through anything, and after lots of pain and agony, he would see his tortures annoyance, and frustrations. But he's different, his eyes never showed amusement or glee, his face never contorted in frustration and anger. He didn't talk or ask questions, he just started with the agony and continued and continued and continued and continued and... The demon broke and spilled its guts figuratively and literally.
The three were on their way to their respective homes and giving Mason a lift after his successful "persuasion". It really was five as Valentino apparently always had two chicks with or more like on him, but at least they weren't the same who almost died.
"You know, I just lost a bet because of you," Valentino kept his smile. It was hard to figure out if he was angry or just messing.
"Don't know why you're being ominous and shit. Got him to talk, didn't I?"
"You sure did! Guess Val has learned not to underestimate my Mason." She said not even bothering to look away from the phone.
"Your Mason?" the one in question asked immediately.
"Yeah, I practically own you." Her expression and voice left nothing to compromise as she turned to me.
"Sure when hell freezes over." Despite the invisible pressure, I felt I stood my ground. "Besides won't the gentleman here mind?"
She adopted a weird face that said 'what are you talking about?'
"You two aren't a thing?" The question earned the silence of all present. "I mean mr. Valentino gave quite strongly the cucking vibe when we made out." Velvet was laughing hysterically and pierced the limo. Valentino looked genuinely offended as his smile diminished and dense pink smoke escaped through his sharp teeth.
"My, my what a sweet scent of sin," Alister commented as Mason entered the Hazbin hotel.
"The smell clung to me that bad?" He sniffed himself for confirmation.
"My precious resident it's quite disappointing if that's your level of commitment." Despite his words, his smile never wavered.
"It's not like that... um... ah, think of it as a giant last carb-rich meal before I start a diet."
"My, my, what an amazing analogy! In fact, you are starving yourself of the most essential to a sinner, hahaha. Mason, my precious resident I'm persuaded to keep this little thing a secret for you, all on the house."
He bowed while giving a reassuring smile that did little to reassure.
Mason gives a small smile, "Alright, what room is mine?"
"UUUUU, I can show you! Please let me!" A small too energetic cyclops yells.
"We gotta make it quick, I'm so exhausted I could fall over any minute."
Mason followed the hip-tall demon but quickly noticed something off. "This isn't the way to the rooms. Where-"
"The infirmary, you look awful." Not skipping a beat to answer.
"Thank you... Why you stop?"
The little demon looked down giving Mason an eerie feeling. "What did you say?"
"Thank you?"
"One more time!" The gleam in her eye shined dangerously bright.
"One last time, alright? Thank you."
She jumped up and down like an excited kid and blurted out "That means we're friends! Let's hurry!"
The confused Mason didn't even react as the little demon carried him with little effort and ran to the infirmary where he got disinfected.
"I'm good now." He put his bloody shirt on after they were torn off when the little demon learned he was injured besides his face. "You did an excellent job cleaning my wounds, I'm honestly impressed."
She just smiled and swayed herself left to right like a giddy little child. "What's your name?"
It was against my better judgment to ask as she seem just as unstable as everybody else in this shithole.
"I'm Nifty, I clean this hotel." she introduced herself as she did a little curtsy.
"And people... tell me where did you learn medical treatment?"
"I can't tell you that, Al would mind."
"Alastor?"
She nodded somberly, but that mood changed in an instant as she loudly proclaimed, "Let's get you to bed!"
The night was horrible his bed was stiff from dried blood. He had a headache the size of a mountain. He was hungry and thirsty, but too tired to care. Only when a knocking came from his door did he manage to sit up.
"Come in" He weakly shouted as he tried to rub his drowsiness away. "Bad bed hair or something?"
The way Charlie and Vaggie stared irritated him as they didn't answer his question. He ran a hand through his bloody hair, but quickly and painfully hit something hard. His headache spiking in pain.
Through the pain, he carefully explored his scalp and found 3 horns sticking out. He ran to his bathroom and looked in the mirror. His face gained rough features but still maintained its sharpness. The most notable thing was the 3 horns. Two of them were perfectly sat on the top corner of his forehead. The one on the left was only an inch tall then it followed his scalp, the right side was another story. Instead of one, there were two and unlike the slick horn on the left, they grew straight up in the air with a little bend. The outer one was bigger than the other, but the bigger was max 2 inches taller than the slick. Either way, it looked ugly if he had to describe it.
"Wtf... I need a bath, I'm fucking done." He took his nightclothes off and stepped into the shower. "I'll be taking a bath!"
"Alright, um... just take your time. There's breakfast at the bar."
Mason too tired to even hear embraced the warm water that turned out to not be that hot since the giant bathroom mirror was clear. Showing a vastly different Mason with unhealed wounds here and there.
"I look so damn blue... maybe pale blue... Still." He flexes in the mirror admiring his fit form. He had always been strong and trained a lot, but they were never that defined granted he loved eating and drinking.
It was nigh impossible to get into a t-shirt because of his horn and then it hit him. Why did so many demons wear suits? They looked nice, but they weren't ideal in a dangerous environment.
He ended up wearing a dress shirt, but annoyingly he had to shop for more clothes as his t-shirts were useless.
"Abby."
"What! I'm sleepy. You better... I'm definitely too tired for this shit."
Just as quickly she appeared she vanished. Mason shook his head and wanted the princess's offer... He blinked many times in a row. What did he say to the princess? He hopes internally that he wasn't rude.
It was not as lively as he feared but rather a nice slow morning. He found some food on the bar table, but he wouldn't describe it as breakfast. It is better than nothing even if it was pure sugary pastry.
Since he was alone he opted to go behind the bar and make a morning drink for himself. Obviously, there was only one acceptable morning drink and that was his favorite white russian. There was some leftover coffee and a bottle of vodka, but where would the cream be?
On his hunt, he found the princess of hell itself. "Need a hand, your highness." He bowed slightly and adopted his most polite smile.
"Yes please and you can just call me Charlie, no need to be so formal."
"Alright princess Charlie." He went to grab the decoration she was trying to get on top of an old shelf.
He failed as she withdrew her hand, "Charlie just Charlie will do fine."
"If you insist Charlie," She handed the picture frame to him.
"I do and afterward we can go over the plan for the rest of the week."
"I haven't eaten yet and if it's not too much can you tell me where the milk or cream is located."
"I'll grab it in a jiffy for you and we can talk as you eat." Not skipping a beat she skipped as she disappeared into what he assumed was the kitchen.
He looked down at the picture, it was a portrait of Charlie and her parents if the faces were anything to go by. The man was taller than her but smaller than the woman. The picture was littered with marks of being crumbled and a few places abit dissolved properly from tears. He had seen many pictures like this in his line of work.
Usually, it would be a picture of a better time, a simpler time. Perhaps it was family issues or an addicting abuse that's out of control. He can't really imagine what kind of relationship it would be between the king of hell and his child.
He placed the picture at the intended place and killed his curiosity as he went to eat.
"Here's your coffee." Charlie happily handed the drink over to him.
"Thank... So what is in store for me?" Mason quickly stopped himself from thanking her as the incident from yesterday was still fresh in his mind. She added perhaps a bit too much, but nothing catastrophic.
He took a bite and she began explaining her plan. "First we are gonna cut your substance intake and I would like if you would be honest with me if you take anything."
He looked to his drink for a bit and then her and took a sip... "I don't do any illegal drugs unless alcohol is illegal."
"No that's fine, but please don't go overboard, and now for the most important question why are you here?"
"Yes, I'm awfully curious myself."
"HIIIIII" Charlie jumped out of fright as Alister spoke behind her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to make a sneaky entrance my dear. Now Mason if you don't mind?"
His smile still rubbed him the wrong way. " I wish I knew for certain, but if I should guess it would be my profession. I was what you would call a field agent. "
"Surely you jest. When one dies you get judged very thoroughly. I myself had a very obnoxious deer judge me... I've never had a desire to hunt a flying deer..."
"Right, but I died and woke up free-falling from the sky... What?"
They both looked weird at me. "Mason you've been wronged, I, I'll try to get a hold of my father."
She left and then the two demons were alone. "I would ask about your new features, but I doubt you have answers."
Mason just tiredly nodded his head "I'm going to get some new clothes yet again, you can tag along if you want."
"Why, of course. We can't allow my favorite patron to be poorly dressed and I know just the store."
long chapter and nothing much besides charming banter. Just chill.