Charlie looked at John, curiosity eating away at her as they walked to the Mall.
She had offered to just call her limo, but John had politely refused, stating that either the his back would break trying to squeeze in, or the limo would break trying to move with him in it.
She hadn't questioned him on it.
Now, another question was eating away at her as they walked.
"Hey John?"
"Mmhm?" He glanced down at her as they walked.
"The two most powerful Overlords in Hell, to my knowledge anyway, are Alastor and that TV guy."
"You mean Vox?" John asked. Charlie nodded.
"Yeah. Anyway, from what I've heard, they are evenly matched. Does that make you more powerful than they are?" She asked, looking up at him with her head tilted.
John chucked. "Is this about the fight with Alastor that we talked about last night?"
Charlie nodded. "Yeah. I mean, with Alastor's nearly unmatched power among mortal souls, I would've thought that someone who could out muscle him would be more notorious."
"Well, there's two reasons." John said, holding up two fingers as he spoke. "One, it happened in the Hell Hole. Alastor didn't want people to know he had lost a fight for the first time in decades, and I really didn't need people coming to try and pick a fight with me or make deals and try to be my friend."
"So?"
"Well, The Hell Hole is a tight knit community. We all look out for each other. So when someone says "Keep your mouth shut", there's no threats, blackmailing, or begging. It's polite request that all of the residents are happy to follow.." John chuckled as he recalled a memory. "Hell, Alastor actually has some genuine friends their outside of Husk and Niffty."
"And the second reason?"
"Let me ask you something, Charlie." He looked down at her with a smile. "What's between power and strength?"
Charlie looked at him in confusion. "Huh?"
John chuckled. "The difference between power, and strength. Well, physical power, and physical strength."
Charlie brought a finger up to her chin, trying to figure out what he meant, but she shook her head. "I… I don't."
John chuckled. "Let me put it another, who's stronger between me and you?"
Charlie looked up at him. "Me, why? I mean, you could probably still kick my butt, but I'm just naturaly stronger as hellborn, especially as Lucifer's daughter."
John chuckled, stopping in his tracks. Charlie stopped as well, looking at him in confusion. "Can I see your hand, Charlie?"
Charlie froze. "Uh… why?"
John chuckled at her nervousness. "Nothing bad, I just want to show you something."
Looking at him for a moment, Charlie conceded, hesitantly raising her hand up to John. John raised his own hand and gently wrapped it around Charlie's. The sheer size of his hand completely engulfed hers, along with a portion of arm. His grip was surprisingly gentle, firmly wrapping around her hand without any ounce of force.
"What are you-"
"Try to pull your hand from my grip."
Charlie looked at him confused, before obeying, attempting to pull her hand from his grip.
And failing miserably.
When she couldn't pull her hand out at first, she tried harder. Gradually, she began struggling more and more, eventually getting to the point where she was actually jumping and planting her feet on John's large hand, trying to use her entire body as leverage in a cartoonish display of desperation.
John chuckled at her actions. "Give up?"
Charlie pouted as she dropped back to her feet, nodding as she looked up at John. "Yes…"
John chuckled and let go of her hand. "I thought you said you were stronger than me?" He joked. Charlie pouted, glaring at John playfully.
"I thought I was." She said, somewhat sore at how easily he proved her wrong. John laughed.
"Charlie, you made the same mistake a lot of people do."
Charlie looked up at him, confused. "Huh?"
"Charlie, I'm physically stronger and tougher than you are by a multitude of levels. You were assuming your power was your strength."
Charlie looked up at him, following along as they began walking again.
"They aren't the same?" Charlie asked, surprised. John shook his head.
"No. See, you are more powerful than me, Charlie. I'm willing to bet that you are the second strongest being in hell, outside of your dad." He looked down at her with a smile. "But power does not necessarily mean physical strength. In a pure physical brawl, I outmatch you, and probably your father by a great deal. But in terms of power? Like, mystical, able to shit rainbows kind of stuff? That's all you."
Charlie nodded, understanding what he was saying. "So, back to that fight with Al, basically, he is more powerful than you. But you said you barreled through everything he threw at you. Are you saying your physical prowess outmatched his power?"
John shrugged. "There I don't know. I feel like Al was holding back, he, Husk, and Niffty say that I am stronger." He looked down at her. "That may be the case, I don't know. Sure comes in handy on Extermination Day, though."
Charlie's eyes widened as John froze, processing what he had just said. "What do you mean by that?"
"Uhhh… Hey! We're here!" He said, gesturing in front of them.
Looking in front of them, Charlie was surprised to see that they had in fact arrived at the mall. Time must've flown by them.
"Well, let's hurry and get those groceries." John seemed to be in a rush as he said, this, hurrying to get the door for Charlie.
As Charlie approached the door, she looked at John, confusion on her face. "John, what did you mean when you said that your physical abilities come in handy on Extermination Day?"
John was quiet, his mouth open, as if he was trying to come up with an excuse, before sighing. Charlie could actually see the discomfort coating him as he looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Can we please not talk about that, Charlie?"
Charlie looked at John for a moment, taking in his uncomfortable appearance, before smiling. "You know, there's a dairy shop here that serves the best milkshakes. Wanna get one?"
John could tell that she was trying to change topics, and he was grateful for it.
"Yes ma'am."
Vaggie watched with narrowed eyes as John followed Charlie into the mall. She knew that Charlie would be mad if she found out that Vaggie had been tailing her and John the entire time, but she couldn't help it.
John may have come off as nice, but a lot of people in hell did at first.
And after… her death… Vaggie refused to ever trust men again. Let alone any man in Hell.
And her suspicion only raised at John's remark on Extermination Day.
What did he mean by that remark? That his physique came in handy on that dreadful day?
He was clearly uncomfortable talking about it. Charlie was obviously either too kind, or very naive, to not press John further on that remark.
Vaggie, however, was not.
She didn't know why it made him uncomfortable. For all she knew, Charlie could've been close to figuring out some dark secret. Something that could put her in danger if found out. After all, John already showed that he was much stronger than she was! What could she do to defend herself against that beast?! For all she knew, John was secretly planning to hurt Charlie, kill her, use her in some way for his own needs or pleasures, like she had been! MAYBE-!
"Enjoying the sightseeing, Miss Vagatha?"
The familiar and extremely unwelcome voice of the Radio Demon had Vaggie spinning around, her spear pulled out, ready to attack Alastor at any given moment.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Shitlord?!"
Alastor chuckled, pushing the spear out of his face. "Why, I could ask you the same thing, my dear!"
Vaggie growled, gritting her teeth. "None of your business." She said, turning around away from Alastor as she approached the mall.
"Oh… but it is, Vaggie."
Vaggie froze. Alastor's radio feedback had disappeared from his voice. Instead, constant radio static could be heard coming from him, and as much as she hated to admit it, a chill ran down her spine at the deep tone his voice took.
Turning around, she gasped when she saw that Alastor was looking extremely different. And much more intimidating.
His size had increased immensely, muscles bulging through clothes, much more prominent than the thin, sinewy figure she was familiar with. His face had changed as well. His nose and mouth had disappeared, replaced with that of an almost living deer skull, and the tiny miniscule antlers upon his head had grown in size to resemble real deer antlers.
His eyes weren't the radio dials they had changed to yesterday, instead, they were nothing but little, blood red dots in a pool of black, pulsing with rage and malice.
His microphone had disappeared into thin air, not that his hands would be able to hold it anymore. They had increased in size as well, especially his fingers, which resembled long, razor sharp claws now.
His legs had also changed as well, bulging with muscle as well as they had shifted to look more like a goat's rear legs, his finely tailored shoes now resembling large hooves.
Alastor didn't look like the scheming, cocky radio demon she had known him to be.
No, now, he looked a fucking wendigo!
"You see, Vaggie, Jonathan has grown on me in a way no one else has outside of my own mother."
He slowly approached Vaggie, who admittedly found herself taking a step back in slight unease.
His voice was still missing the radio feedback, but it wasn't as demonic at the moment.
"I was content to mind my own business until I saw you sneaking after Miss Charlie and Young Johnathan. When I saw you with your spear."
"What's your point Alastor?!" Vaggie said in a fit of anger, tired of Alastor's game.
It totally wasn't out of fear.
Alastor chuckled.
And then Vaggie was gasping for breath as Alastor lifted her up off the ground by the throat, his large hand enveloping her completely.
"Whereas you care for Miss Magne, Jonathan is my concern. And though the boy may be able to handle himself, his naivety to the society of Hell can and will eventually hurt him."
He was in Vaggie's face, and whatever sadistic mirth on him vanished.
Now, all she could see were his malicious eyes, filled with unbridled rage.
"If I sense you intend to hurt him in any way, I will make you suffer in ways you can't even begin to imagine. I will tear your relationship apart, and make sure you have nothing more to do in Hell than to sell yourself on the streets, as the worthless vermin you seem to be."
Alastor had a reputation for toying with his victims, but this…
Vaggie had the feeling that John and Alastor had a bigger bond than either had really alluded to.
"You want to spy on Miss Charlotte and Johnathan, that's fine, but you will have me as a partner in crime, do I make myself clear."
Vaggie looked at Alastor with a look that was equal parts rage, fear, sadness, and resignation.
"F-Fine!" She was forced out, made difficult by Alastor's grip on her neck.
She crumpled to the ground as Alastor released her, shifting back into his normal form in the blink of an eye.
She looked up at him, that godforsaken cocky and malignant smile on his face once more.
"Well my dear… shall we?"
A/N: So yeah, that's that. I feel like when it comes to Charlie's safety, and her own distrust of men, Vaggie will go borderline paranoia mode and tail her if she doesn't know or trust who Charlie is with.
And while it's not a main relationship of this story, nor is it romantic in any capacity, John and Alastor's relationship will play a role in John's character development as the story goes on.
And one last thing. For anyone who is interested or grows interested as this story continues, I am working on an origin story for John before he died, titled Strength. You can read it over on Fictionpress, using this link here. Please feel free to review it as it progresses and let me know what you think.
s/3357488/1/Strength
And yes, I am assuming Hazbin Hotel is set in a world where actual superhumans exist, not just biblical elements.
Anyway, that's all for this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it.