Chapter 6: An Errand to Run

"What. The Hell. Happened?!"

With morning came a summons to the office. I should have expected as much, since it hadn't been a full day, and I had already broken the fourth rule of the hotel. Charlie's face was full of disappointment, and Vaggie stared disapprovingly at me with her arms crossed as I sat before them in a chair in front of the desk.

"All that talk you spewed out yesterday, and you cave after one day?" Vaggie growled, "You couldn't go one day, one day, without a fix?! Do you need your cigarettes that badly?!"

"You make it sound like I killed somebody," I said with a grunt.

I always tried to remain confidential with the readings and visions that pertained to other people. Whatever knowledge I held was nobody else's business, but I knew I couldn't hold this in forever. The images and conversations that happened in my dream were driving me mad! If I continued to keep quiet about it, I would most likely never put my cigarettes down again.

Charlie cleared her throat, "Juniper, if you'd be so inclined to share, I would like an explanation for this behavior."

Her tone made me look up. She stood with her back straight and her arms crossed. The expression on her face was serious and unwavering, but she peeked past her nose for half a second, shooting me an encouraging smile and a wink. She was definitely getting better at keeping a strong tone and remaining confident. I wasn't sure what made me feel better; the fact she was trying to comfort me, or the progress she seemed to be making.

I sat up straighter in my chair and let out a sigh, "I had another vision last night. A glimpse into Alastor's past."

The stern looks I was being given fell into looks of concern and intrigue.

"How is that possible?" Vaggie asked, "You two barely know each other. How are you able to get visions that pertain to his past?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, but it was so vivid, I... I just needed something to calm myself down. I'm sorry."

Vaggie's expression softened with my apology. Behind her eyes, I could tell she was checking herself, too. I may have broken a rule, but it wasn't like I had gone out and committed mass genocide. It was just a few cancer sticks, and I had willingly forked over my payment at the time I had took them. No lies, no trickery. At the end of the day, the cigarettes and lighter would be back in the closet, and I'd start over. I think she realized that her scolding was just a tad bit harsh for the situation.

Charlie rounded the side of her desk and took a seat next to me, "Do you want to talk about it? Is it bad?"

I nodded, explaining everything; the bar, Mimsy, the attempted rape, the murder. Everything was explained as close to how I remembered it as possible. Something about it must have hit too close to home for Vaggie as she backed off and shut herself off from the discussion towards the end. Charlie had her hands over her mouth as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"You really saw all of that?!" she gasped.

"Every bit of it," I responded, "If it was an ordinary dream, I would have intervened, but I can't do anything about my visions. I can't change what I see or what happens in them."

"So you think Al was really sexually assaulted by Mimsy?"

I nodded again, "Niffty said something about him not wanting to be with anybody, and that he prefers it that way. That vision gives a pretty good explanation as to why."

"Makes sense," Vaggie added, "Mimsy has always been the type to chase after demons who've been around since the twenties and thirties. It definitely explains why she always has her radio going in the club that she owns."

Vaggie's words confirmed my earlier suspicions. The flapper girl I had seen on my way to the hotel was Mimsy, and if I had to wager a guess, she was possibly still looking for Alastor, if the two of them hadn't crossed paths already. I could only hope that there wasn't any bad blood between them. Sexual assault and murder didn't exactly make for a great history between two people, and if Mimsy ever came to the hotel with ill intentions, things could get ugly around here in an instant.

"I'm sorry you had to see a horrible thing like that in one of your visions," Charlie said, "If you ever need to get a hold of me, you can always give me a call."

Charlie reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out something I hadn't gotten my hands on in years; a smartphone. Hell phones, as we called them, they had all the same qualities as the modern day touchscreen phones of Earth. Rather than the cutesy, somewhat annoying alert sounds and ringtones that humanity had, however, the cell phones of Hell were riddled with recordings of demonic vocalizations and the tormented screams of the damned. Hearing someone's phone go off in this realm was a whole different experience when you hear someone getting bludgeoned to death inside of someone's pocket.

I took the phone and turned it on. It was already set up with Charlie and Vaggie's contact information, as well as a few gaming apps to keep me entertained. Picking up a touchscreen phone after being in Hell without one for so long was like reuniting with an old friend; so different, yet so familiar. On top of that, the Wi-Fi connection down here was astoundingly fast. Then again, with so many of Hell's residents enjoying porn sites and red rooms in their free time, Hell needed good internet speeds, or this place would have more riots than Lucifer could probably handle.

I furrowed my brow as I looked the phone's contacts over, "Al doesn't have a number?"

Vaggie barked out a laugh, "Ha! Give the 1930s radio host a hell phone, and see what happens! It'd be like asking someone to solve a Rubik's cube!"

I chuckled, "Yeah, I guess you have a point there."

The first thing I couldn't help but accomplish with my new hell phone was take a selfie with Charlie and Vaggie. In the living world, being a murderous witch that hexes everyone around her doesn't really amount to having a lot of friends. Charlie, Vaggie, Alastor, and Angel Dust were the only people I could identify as my friends, apart from Hector and a few others that lived in the south side of Pentagram City. Despite our sharp-toothed smiles and unearthly appearances, finally being able to say I now had friends, and could make memories with those friends, felt amazing!

"So, are we good?" I asked, slipping my phone into a pocket in my jeans; Niffty having returned my clothes after spending the past day and a half washing them out and mending any holes and tears, "Am I free to leave now?"

Charlie nodded, "You're fine, June."

"Yeah," Vaggie chimed in, "We don't really blame you for what you experienced last night. Just make sure those cigarettes make their way back to the closet before tomorrow, or you'll really be in trouble!"

"Got it. I've got an errand I need to run, anyways."

"What's the errand?" Charlie inquired, "Do you need something?"

"Ehh, not so much as need something as it is need to do something. I'm going back to the south side."

A slight look of shock and worry crossed Charlie and Vaggie's faces.

"Why?" Vaggie asked, "What about the hotel?"

"Oh, I'll be back before dinner time, but I need to return to them with word about this hotel. They're probably getting worried. I'm going to see if I can convince a few of them into come back with me."

Charlie eyes lit up with excitement, "You'd do that? Seriously?"

"Of course! It wouldn't make sense for me to go back to the south side to tell them all about this place, only to come back without bringing a few curious demons along with me. Who knows? If word about this place spreads, hopefully you start getting new residents from all over the city."

The demon princess squealed with delight. Her smile was so big and so bright that she had to rub her cheeks to ease the ache from their muscles. Vaggie seemed to be just as happy as she was, but in a more refined, low-key kind of way. Now, I could only hope that there would be a few demons in the south side that would actually be willing to give the Hazbin Hotel a chance. It'd be a little depressing if I came back here empty handed.

I stepped out of the office and into the lobby, only to be put off by the demon I found manning the check-in counter. Alastor was sat there elegantly, his head resting on top of his hands as he leaned on his elbows. A steaming mug of coffee was sat on the counter in front of him, filling the room with its rich aroma as he hummed a lazy tune. I could tell this was his first cup of the day, judging from how the Radio Demon's eyes still drooped sleepily to the point where he looked like he could doze off any second.

I strode up to him and tapped the little silver call bell. Alastor perked up immediately and his smile widened.

"And what can I do for you this morning, Miss Charms?" he asked.

"Where's Husk?" I inquired, taking note of the cat demon's absence.

"Ohh, I'm afraid he's a little 'under the weather', as they say. A nasty little case of the brown bottle flu!"

I shook my head. Judging from how I had watched him nurse his hangovers with more alcohol in the past, and then continue on drinking, I figured that it had been a long time since Husk was actually sober. He probably wasn't having the best of times being forced to go clean. Given that he was forced to give up his gambling addiction, too, he most likely couldn't afford a cheat day like I had.

"I wanted to ask you a favor," I piped up, earning an intrigued flash from Alastor's blood-red eyes, "I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me on my trip back to the south side today."

Alastor let out a musical hum, though I wasn't sure if he was pondering my request, or if he was doing it out of drowsiness. He rested his head in an upturned palm as he reached for his coffee.

"Now why would I want to do that?" he inquired, taking a few decent sized gulps from his beverage.

"Because the south side is your territory, not mine," I stated, "The denizens in that part of the city may try tuning into your station on the radio, but they see me as their leader. Some of the demons over there even think you're dead. Don't you want the satisfaction of at least startling them a little? Besides, it'll give you a reason to get out of this place for a little while. I know I'm itching for a bit of fresh air."

Alastor slammed down the rest of his coffee and tapped a pondering finger against his chin.

"Hmm, let me think about it..." he hummed before slumping tiredly in his seat, "... over another cup o' joe."

My footsteps fell noiselessly against the sidewalk as I began the long walk back to the south side of Pentagram City. The streets were already alive and bustling by the time I headed out; although, I guess they could be compared to the streets of New York as a city that never sleeps. There was always some sort of action going that sinners liked to wrap themselves up in, whether it was the news, sports, business, or just plain mischief. Life down here could be almost identical to the ways of the living world, at times, only with a lot more crime and a lot less people that gave enough of a shit to stop it.

I couldn't help but focus my attention on the set of footsteps following closely behind me, clapping loudly against the concrete in a rhythmic stroll that sounded almost as pompous as the person that was making them. Admittedly, my company was making travel a lot more peaceful as other demons peered cautiously over my shoulders as I passed them by. Some chose to look the other way, some gave a respectful nod of their heads, and others just flat-out ran in the opposite direction. No more shoving. No more attempted muggings. Nothing but peaceful, uninterrupted walking.

I tossed a glance over my shoulder. Alastor kept pace with me, choosing to stay a few feet behind me as he shot pointed stares at anyone who thought to try something funny. I even saw a silver-furred hellhound stick her tail between her legs and scamper off the moment she made eye contact with the Radio Demon, and hellhounds were some of the meanest demons out there!

Having a demon overlord as a travel buddy really had its benefits.

"You know, Miss Charms," Al piped up, "You have wings."

I shot him a look of mock surprise, "What an astute observation, Alastor! Yes, I know I have wings."

"So why don't you use them?"

"Because I'll be shot down the moment I take off. I have a few scars I can show you from the last time I tried flying around Hell, if you're interested."

"I'd rather not..."

"That's what I thought."

"Even so!" Alastor danced his way in front of me, blocking my path, "Flying would be a far more efficient way of reaching the south side before dusk. Wouldn't you agree?"

He wasn't wrong there. At this rate, we wouldn't reach the south side until dusk. By that point I'd be too tired to try to convince a few sinners to come back with me, let alone make the tiring walk back to the hotel. But flying wasn't as easy as just opening my wings and flapping up into the air. It either took a running start to get going, or a drop off of a very high surface, like a cliffside or a rooftop. Not to mention the ever-present risk of being shot down like some piece of wild game. And what about Alastor? I didn't see a pair of wings on him he could fly around with, and carrying him during flight would be easier said than done. And God forbid it if he was afraid of heights...

"Trust me, my dear," the Radio Demon continued resting a hand on one of my shoulders, "In my company, the only demons that will be taking aim at you are those with a death wish!"

I froze as I watched Alastor's appearance gradually grow more demonic with each word that slipped out of his mouth. I didn't even think that was possible, but I could only watch as his eyes retreated deeper into their sockets, turning into red, blazing radio dials. His little four-point antlers that stuck out of his messy red hair spread into a looming eighteen-point rack, and the static that he emitted in his speech seemed to manifest in the air, blotting out everything around us. His maniacal grin was wider than I'd ever seen it, and there appeared to be eight times the number of sharp yellow teeth in his mouth than there normally was.

"O-okay, okay, point made!" I stammered out, "We'll fly. I just need a running start, is all."

I took a moment to make sure all of my belongings were secure. The last thing I needed was dropping my new hell phone when I was hundreds of feet in the air. At least I hadn't bothered with my cloak or travel bag this time around. All I had really bothered to bring was my phone and wallet, just in case I got hungry or I needed to contact someone back at the hotel. The less cumbersome items on me that I could potentially lose mid flight, the better, because I already knew I'd have one hell of a time with Alastor as my passenger.

I took a few steps forward and opened my wings. The sound they emitted seemed to serve as a warning bell to the other demons in the area, as I watched the ones that were in my path jump back a few feet, opening up a fair stretch of the road. Now all I had to do was hope there weren't any cars that would try to hit me while I was taking off.

"I'll come back for you in a minute," I said, tossing a glance over to Alastor.

The Radio Demon flashed his teeth once before I took off down the street. Like my tail, my wings had a mind of their own most of the time. The only difference was that I could trust my wings. It took getting pushed off of a few cliffsides and taking a a couple of nasty falls while training, but once I had learned how to fly, using them came as naturally as breathing, and they didn't fail me this time around, either, as they started flapping in time with my strides.

One strong kick up off of the ground was all it took to make me airborne, my wings lifting me higher until I was gliding above the tops of the buildings. I circled back to where I had left Alastor, easily spotting him down below as his red attire stood out against the dingy grey of the city streets. The spaces were narrow, but I was able to dive down towards him, flexing my fingers as I readied myself to pick him up. As my fingers mainly consisted of my razor sharp talons, snatching passengers up off of the ground was a delicate process that required accuracy and high precision. The last thing I wanted to do was accidentally disembowel the guy.

As I flew down closer to him, I reached out my hands and gestured for Alastor to grab a hold of them. The timing was nearly spot on as we both got a grip of each other's forearms, the Radio Demon's hands slipping slightly as my wings beat just a bit harder than they needed to in order to get him up off of the ground. I could already tell I was going to have a few decent sized claw marks from where his crimson claws had drug down my skin.

"You're a lot lighter than I thought you would be," I commented as I started taking off back towards the rooftops, "What are you made out of? Cotton?"

Alastor barked out a laugh, "Dear, my body is a testament to the devastation that followed the stock market crash of 1929! Of course I'm lighter than I ought to be!"

I had to pause and think for a second. History was never a strong suit of mine back in the living word, but I had learned all kinds of history from the other demons around Hell. That included finding out a thing or two about the Great Depression. I felt like at this point I had heard it all; from individuals tapping into their neighbors' electricity, to acts of cannibalism. Disasters like that could bring out the best in people, but it also brought out the worst; the people that did whatever they had to in order to survive. Whatever they had to.

"So is that how you died, then?" I asked, "Starvation?"

"Ha ha ha! Don't be ridiculous! The day a Louisiana man starves to death in any era is the day pigs fly! No, no, I managed to get on just fine through the use of an 'alternative' diet."

"I don't even want to know what that's supposed to mean..."

I took us higher into the air until we were gliding well above the west side's tallest buildings. With a bit of adjusting, and some aerial acrobatics, I managed to situate Alastor to where he was riding on my back. He was slender enough to where he didn't hinder my wings' mobility, and it would be more comfortable than leaving him dangling from the tips of my claws until we reached a south side.

"My my, what a view!" Alastor commented from over my shoulder, "You can see everything from up here!"

I let out a chuckle, "Is this your first time flying, Al?"

"Indeed, it is! Truly breathtaking!"

I flinched when I heard a bout of static coming from the Radio Demon, only to catch him adjusting his monocle and summoning his microphone stand. I still wasn't quite able to grasp the nature of the sentient objects some demons chose to possess. The only thing I did understand about them was that they seemed to share the same personality as their owner, and were almost as alive as the sinners down here. And from what I could tell, Alastor's microphone was more than a little surprised to find itself several hundreds of feet in the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for tuning in!" it took me all of a moment to realize that Al was broadcasting this little experience of his to the entire city, if not to all of Hell, "This is your host, the Radio Demon, coming to you live from the skies of Pentagram City! Yes, you heard that right, folks. This radio host is airborne!"

I tried my best to contain my laughter. I think under any others circumstances, I would have been annoyed, but the excitement in Alastor's voice was so genuine that decided to roll with it and let him have his fun.

"I am joined here by my pilot, the lovely Miss Juniper Charms," he continued, "We decided to make use of her wings, as I find a walk from the west side of the city to the south side to be unsavory. Kind of like my father's recipe for Étouffée, leaving everyone recovering for weeks!"

And that's how it went for most of the trip. Alastor announced anything and everything that he could through his broadcasts as I followed my course towards the south side of the city. For the first time since arriving in Hell, I was able to fly with my mind at ease. Al was right. Nobody bothered trying to shoot me down. With how much he stood out, as well as making it known that he was the passenger on a flyer, nobody bothered to take aim at me with him in tow. The perks of being in the company of a demon overlord, I suppose.

"Say, Juniper?" I heard Alastor pipe up, "How fast can these wings of yours carry us?"

"Do you want a number or a demonstration?" I asked.

A continuous, droning, electrical hum answered me, hinting towards Al's eagerness for a demonstration.

"Well, tuck your microphone somewhere safe, and hold on tight, because it's pretty fast!"

Within a few seconds, the microphone vanished and the Radio Demon had a firm grip on my ibex-like horns. Normally, I hated having anything touch the long, curved outgrowths, since their individual weight alone often made me suffer from massive headaches and made me feel like I was being scalped whenever someone was dumb enough to pull on one of them. In this scenario, however, gripping the base of my horns was probably the lesser of two evils, as I knew it was going to hurt a hell of a lot more if Alastor tried using my dreadlocks as reins.

I beat my wings harder, getting more wind beneath them, and dove downwards. The effect was almost immediate as I plummeted, the combination of gravity pulling me as my wings and body steered sending me shooting through the streets at remarkable speeds. Many demons dove for cover as I passed by, spewing curse words and swearing up a storm as they dodged my path. I could've sworn we cleared the entire west side of the city in less than five minutes.

With my remaining momentum, I launched myself back into the sky and slowed myself back down to a steady glide as I tried to catch my breath. I hadn't flown that fast since Hector challenged me to a race to the north side of the city over a year ago! I had almost forgotten how exhilarating flying could be after being grounded for so long.

"That was stupendous, Miss Charms!" Alastor cheered, "You're quite possibly the fastest flyer I've ever seen! And look! I reckon we've made it to the south side in record time!"

I cast my gaze ahead of us. In the distance sat the looming shadow that was the south side of Pentagram City; a dark, shadowy, triangular piece of land that contrasted with the neon lights and bustling activity of the rest of the city. It was different seeing it again. After only two days of being away, I felt depressed at the sad state it'd been left in, but at least I'd be back in the place that I was most familiar with.

Something put me off as I approached, though, something that troubled me more than just the gloomy aura that tiny piece of Hell always carried. I wanted to think they were just campfires that belonged to the denizens of the south side, with the smoke that was rolling into the air from the piles of rubble the demons there called home. I was wrong... Oh, god, how I was wrong! I could make out deep indentations in the ground where it looked like bombs had been dropped. What little remained of the homes there had been reduced to a smouldering pile of ashes and charred metal. The entire area had been all but leveled.

The south side had been attacked!