A/N: Finally an update :) New episode of Season 2 coming out tomorrow, so I figure I can drop this one now. Have fun... is a bit crazy. :P
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"Alright, so here's the plan. We go downtown, check around for a nice place for dri... errr, can you drink?"
"Not necessarily. I mean, I don't think my dad would be really happy about that, but it's not like I'm too worried with what he thinks at the moment. Besides, I'm kinda curious to see what's all the deal with alcohol anyway."
"Collin?"
"I tried once... I regret it very much."
"Really? How bad was it?"
"If you don't mind puking your soul out for few minutes, not to add feeling like your head is about to explode from dehydration."
"Guess I'll pass on that. Yikes."
"Urgh, I'm really the only one drinking here? Come on Collin, not even one drink?"
"Loona, I really, REALLY, like you. But drinking is... too much. Please, don't make me go through that again."
"What? We had a good time, especially on the bathtub later on."
"I rather you two keep your personal experiences to yourselves, thanks."
Collin chuckled, feeling embarrassed as he threw a nervous smile towards Octavia. The Owl teenager was looking mildly annoyed and the topic of him and the Hellhound having such an affair was of no interest to her.
Blitzo was in a strange mood at the moment. Even Loona couldn't get what was eating the Imp from the inside, despite making a rather unnecessary remark of a certain Demon Lord eating him out a few times. Collin was struggling to understand what even is going on in this crazy place. Imp's dating powerful Demons, having sexual affairs and of the same sex on top of it. This type of scandal would turn Heaven upside down in a heartbeat. It was somewhat comical in his opinion, he personally doesn't care what the Imp makes of his life outside the killing business of his. At least it means Blitzo isn't a complete heartless monster of some kind, just... a bit of a nutcase.
Loona was constantly ogling him whenever she could. It was telling that she wanted to jump him on bed as soon as possible. He didn't share the same enthusiasm. He was still adapting to being an actual living creature that needs to keep himself on shape and well fed, now the complication of turning into a different kind of creature made things even more difficult to process. He wanted to tell her he needed some time to get around the change, but it was pointless from the start. If Loona wants something, she tends to have it one way or another. At least Collin hoped the Hellhound would listen to common sense more often, now that they were actually committing to something in between.
"So, what was the plan again? Besides the drinking?" He asked again, hoping to erase the sudden awkwardness in the room. Collin was still having few issues to adapt to his new form, his tail being the most problematic one, the fact it seemed to act as a mirror to his emotions didn't make him very happy about it. Loona often snickered whenever his tail started to swing rapidly if he got excited or happy about something. She probably didn't notice her tail doing the same several times before, or perhaps she was just having fun at his expense.
"How about the Sinner's Cove? That place is always fun to hang out whenever I don't feel like being around the office." Loona suggested with a bit of excitement of her own. Octavia shrugged while Collin raised an eyebrow.
"Sinner's Cove? Well, the name really doesn't get me, but what can we expect to find there?"
"Ah, plenty of food and drinks, staff is alright if you pay what you own them. Is not really busy during day time so we shouldn't worry about crowds of any kind."
"I still think we should be wary regardless. Octavia is important after all, we cannot let anyone sneak on us and get a chance to reach her in any way." He advised with a frown. The owl teen didn't seem very pleased with their concern.
"As much I'm thankful for the chance of doing something else outside home, do not mistake me for being hopeless in any type of manner. I can handle myself properly if the occasion requires me to do so. Or as much I feel like caring to do." She said with a tired sigh at the end. "Dad taught me some useful spells, although I have done a bit of my own when he wasn't looking. I get he wants me to better defend myself, but having more 'aggressive' options pays off at times."
"Oh, that... sounds better, I suppose." Collin replied, seemingly unsure all of sudden, he glanced towards the owl in wonder. "Say, how hard is to learn those spells? I... might feel like needing to expand my knowledge on this new variety."
Octavia returned his curious stare with a deadpanned one.
"How willing are you to lose a bit of your sanity? These spells are often cursed, I don't see how a Fallen would go around about learning this without being corrupted by them. Unless you feel like being able to control sudden bloodlust and bolts of irrational anger."
"Uh... that bad?... nevermind."
Loona stared at the wolf with a raised eyebrow. She is aware that Collin possesses some magic of his own, which was good enough to save a person from certain death. Why would he want to learn things that were meant to cause harm out of nowhere? It didn't seem to be the type of thing he would want to do. Collin was really hard to figure out at times, despite his gentle nature he still could act a bit out of the curve regardless of his best intentions. It wasn't necessarily bad, just surprising.
"Say, how about we try something different for a change? I think we could do something more interesting than just dumping ourselves into a bar." Octavia suggested, looking at the canines expectantly. She really felt like this opportunity was just too good to pass by. "What about the Human realm? We could do something fun there."
Collin frowned, his old self, protector of Humans, kicking in almost immediately.
"I'm not going there to partake in any killing whatsoever." He said firmly, crossing his arms to illustrate his disagreement. Loona raised an eyebrow while Octavia scoffed.
"When did I say anything of the sort? I couldn't care less about that stuff, I just wanna see what cool things Humans have invented lately. Or does anyone seriously believe that all this stuff we have is our creation? Like, the reason we have TV's, web, cars and so many other stuff is thanks to them. Hell doesn't shy away from using anything the Humans invented. Now, I think that's not Heaven's case." She said while giving Collin a questioning stare. The wolf huffed, somewhat unhappy that the Owl is right about it.
"Heaven is... conservative, perhaps too much, it was a struggle to convince ourselves to use more tech from Humans, we still barely make use of things they invented decades ago, but the rate they improve things is scary. We are being left behind, but Hell clearly isn't, not by much." Collin frowned as a thought entered his mind. "Say, you want to go their world, but how we are doing that? We aren't exactly subtle looking."
"What, you cannot disguise yourself as a Human?" Loona questioned, looking slightly perplexed. "How were you interacting with them?"
"I was just myself?" Collin replied, confused for a moment about the Hellhound's perplexity. "I... guess Humans react differently to what I used to look like, if compared to someone from Hell." He pondered, his attention shifting towards Loona's intense red eyes with white pupils. "Yeah, I can see why you would need a disguise though."
Loona grunted, slightly annoyed that she still causes Collin some discomfort due her appearance. Perhaps some things just can't be helped regarding the way she looked.
Or maybe...
"Say, how about we try new disguises? It could be fun. I just learned cause I wanted to get the fuck out of that damn chair for once." Loona suggested, tail wagging in excitement at the idea of trying new looks, despite being aware of how taxing it could get.
"I guess it can't be helped. I don't have a Human disguise and neither cotton candy there." Octavia replied with a subtle smirk on her face. Collin frowned lightly at the tease, fully aware his current fur color wasn't doing him any favors. "I honestly still can't get how the fuck you thought it was a good idea to date a Fallen. You're losing it girl, but not at Charlie's levels of crazy."
"What's a Charlie?" Collin asked, extremely confused on how a random name was used for the measure of someone's sanity.
"Not what, who." Loona immediately replied, sounding defensive all of sudden, glacing back at the Owl with annoyance. "I'm nowhere as that crazy, I just did what I felt like doing. This has nothing to do with some fever dream that dumbass has."
"Huh, what you're talking about?" Collin asked a bit more forcefully, starting to feel aggravated. Loona sighed dramatically while Octavia huffed.
"I'm talking about Hell's Princess." The Hellhound said with something akin to disgust. "That one that has TV adds running around about her fucking house of redemption or whatever the fuck it's called."
Collin gaped for a moment, his brain struggling to process what he's been told.
"Wait... are you saying... there's someone in Hell that actually is trying to redeem Demons?" He asked slowly.
"Crazy, right? Embarrassing even, considering she's the King's daughter and all." Octavia replied, rolling her eyes at the notion of turning around a Demon for the better. "Only a lunatic would think something like that."
Collin didn't reply right away. He was too stunned to think someone would be brave enough to attempt such a benevolent act in such horrible place. The princess of Hell?! The wolf could not grasp how she found courage or mental health to engage on such herculean task.
"How she thinks to accomplish that?" He asked, genuinely curious all of sudden. Loona crossed her arms while raising an skeptical eyebrow back at him.
"You don't think she's serious?" She asked, sounding perplexed at the possibility that Collin, regardless of being an Angel just a few days ago, would actually believe that nonsense. The wolf shrugged.
"Why not? Remember that talk we had about sinners and the gravity of the, majorly speaking, possible crimes they committed? You told me about the ring levels, what if there's someone up there that's worth the chance of a better afterlife?"
"Fuck me, you're serious." Loona mouthed quietly to herself. Octavia shook her head.
"There's little to no chance someone can hope to make a Demon, or any other type of entity living here, to go out of their way to become, as that idiot says; a better person." The Owl quoted with her fingers on disdain. Collin frowned.
"Yeah, but if she's willing to give it a try, the Princess of Hell, who I am to not even think the same? I know who I am, and what I was just last week. Again, how does she expects to accomplish this?" Collin asked, his tone firm. Loona sighed is despair, fully aware she was not talking him out of that one.
"It's... a hotel? I think that's what it was, don't remember th-
"Hazbin Hotel." Octavia interrupted, her eyes locking on the wolf with sudden interest. "If you really think that's worth any sort of time and effort, well... be you, I guess. I just gonna warn you this once, Charlie may look to be all about helping and whatever, but she has very questionable choices for employees, especially her business partner. Between you and me? My dad is a very sane person next to Alastor." She added with a chuckle.
Loona's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"W-What? Alastor?! She's working with him?!" Octavia merely nodded, a troubled expression on her face. "Fuuuck. Dude, Collin, there's no fucking way I'm going near that place."
Collin felt a strong sense of dread fill him up, it was very unusual for him to see Loona actually being frightened of something.
"Who's Alastor?" Loona let out a humorless laugh.
"Just one of the most fucking dangerous Demons out there, the likes of insane you want to avoid, no matter what." She replied with utmost seriousness. "Don't let the way he looks fool you, that's his game. Makes you lower your guard and believe any crap he says."
"Isn't that how most Demons do it anyway?" Collin asked, his sudden wish of checking the hotel slowly fading away. Octavia shook her head.
"Alastor is just not like any other Demon, he harvested enough power to rival those of the Demon Lords themselves. Even my grandfather is wary about him. He's known across Hell as the Radio Demon." Collin chuckled at the silly name. "You think it's funny? I would like to see you finding humor during the days he massacred half of a ring level, broadcasting to the entirety of Hell to witness. I wasn't born at the time, but there's lots of recordings from that day still around."
Collin blinked, he glanced back and fort between the two females before addressing Loona.
"I thought massacres were not a thing in Hell. You said so." Loona involuntarily scratched her arm, looking slightly nervous as she felt the intense stare of Octavia on the back of her head. Octavia frowned slightly, giving Collin a penetrating glare, internally wondering if the Cherub was playing dumb regarding New Year's Event.
"Welllll, not exactly the way you thought. It's just... there's this day, each three hundred and sixty five days, something called The Cleanse happens. It's... I just don't like talking about it!" Loona sighed tiredly. "I saw some folk I knew die during those days. It's a time that, under no circumstance, you should be outside. Sometimes you gotta hope you don't get blow up, even if you're hiding inside somewhere, things get... intense."
"Wait... I just realized. What happens when you die in Hell?" Collin asked distractedly, the memory of Cletus and Keenie dying horribly coming back to his mind. "You just... die?"
"You cease to exist, if that's what you're trying to imply." Octavia immediately responded. "Now I'm not sure how that works for Hellborn or Heavenborn, or on your case, Fallen. Not that it would be that simple anyway, it takes angelic weaponry to kill Hellish inhabitants, which is something that only really concerns anyone during The Cleanse. If someone kills you with anything that not angelic, you just come back later on."
Collin tilted his head, curiosity peaking at another mention of that particular event.
"What really is this 'Cleanse' you both mentioned?" He asked dubiously. Both Octavia and Loona eyed him in utter shock.
"Wait! You're telling me you don't know?!" The Hellhound nearly shouted, jaw hanging open as a way to express her incredulity. Collin shrugged apologetically.
"Should I?" He replied, a tone of concern as he saw both girls giving him very skeptical glares. "What?! I don't know what that is! I'm not lying!" He defended himself, worried by the hostile stance they possessed. Loona blinked, her body relaxing as she realized she had hunched over on a rather threatening way towards the wolf, even Octavia looked a bit more imposing than usual.
"Sorry Collin. Is just... I find very hard to believe that, for a very good reason." Loona replied, her voice carrying a lot of uncertainty. "This is really fucked up and it's mostly Heaven's fault."
"Huh?!" Collin's head snapped back, being his turn to express bafflement. "Excuse me?"
"The Cleanse is nothing but the mass murder that Heaven commits, every single fucking year, to handle Hell's overpopulation." Octavia said, no words betraying the absolute distaste she felt. "They stab with magical spears, arrows and lances. They rip us apart, whether with spells that pull your members out or explosions. Fiery magical waves of enchanted fire that can actually burn until you melt into nothingness. If I didn't know any better, I would say they take great joy on killing us as brutally as possible. Quite bunch of hypocrites considering they see us as the monsters." The Owl was seething at that point. "They think themselves better than anyone, we loathe them so fucking much! If you really knew how we truly feel about Heaven... which is why I was fucking puzzled as to why Loona didn't rip your head and feasted on your body right on sight."
Collin felt a huge lump on his throat. His mind screaming him words that just didn't make any sense. He knew they weren't pulling his leg with such sinister details, but the fact that Heaven was to blame for such horrific atrocities...
"I... I don't get it... how Heaven could... I..." He was at loss, the shock being too great for him to contemplate the subject properly. He felt out of breath, legs wobbly, looking for a nearby chair to rest his body and spirits, for he never felt so emotionally devastated before. His head was spinning, he felt like puking and passing out at any second.
Everything he knew, everything he grew up with, all the Heavenly values he learned. All lies.
They lied to him.
They used him.
And discarded him like trash for something that it was not his fault.
Loona watched as the wolf melted into his own despair in front of her eyes, no once of doubt remaining that Collin, indeed, didn't know about The Cleanse, which made things even worse when looking at the bigger picture. Octavia sighed heavily, realizing the amount of problematic repercussions if people in Hell were to know that there are folk in Heaven who are actually oblivious about The Cleanse.
The Hellhound carefully approached the dismayed Collin, crouching at his side as she fought to think of words that could counsel him somehow, even if such a thing was beyond her grasp. Loona has never been in a situation that would require her to be the one providing advice of any sort. She could sense that, despite hiding behind his knees, he was silently crying in sheer agony. The sight made her heart ache in a way she hasn't ever felt.
"I... I'm sorry. It... is what has been happening since Hell exists. I don't understand why would they hide this from you, perhaps even others." She started slowly, hoping to find some sense in her own words that would give him some sort of comfort. "Despite the horrible things they did, even if you come from the same place... you're not like them Collin. You... you're truthful. You're kind, gentle, caring and... pure, in all ways I can think of, even when you don't have to be." She smiled as the memory of their first night together came to mind, the details so vivid due how recent it was. "I cannot think of any other person I would want to spend my time with, someone that I can actually trust and care for in a way that... I know they will care too. You... you're a true angel. You're not like those pretentious assholes. I... I feel kinda like an ass for saying it, but... I'm glad you're here, even if you don't deserve it."
The wolf slowly raised his head, looking back at Loona with puffy eyes, although the expression of amazement on his face was enough to assure the Hellhound she got to him.
"I... wow, Loona. That's..." He sighed, looking conflicted for a moment before chuckling. "Thank you. I... for a moment, I wasn't sure of what was right or wrong anymore. I honestly thought that... perhaps there was no point being good."
"Don't think like that!" She quickly replied, which earned her a look of confusion from the wolf. Loona huffed. "What they did to you does not make it who you are! It's what you choose to be that makes you the person you're now. You don't have to believe about what Heaven preaches, but... believe yourself for a change. Heaven made horrible things, but that does not make you a horrible person. I know this because... that's what you taught me, even if you think I wasn't paying attention. I do care Collin. That... goes for some on Hell too."
Octavia, who was quietly observing the two of them with some apprehension, chuckled.
"Oh, that's for sure. Especially if you get to known Charlie any of these days." The Owl said while rolling her eyes.
Collin's eyes travelled towards the Owl, his mind still struggling to process the idea of a princess in Hell that wanted to reform Demons somehow, to the point they could actually go to Heaven. It was... pointless. Heaven kicked him out for something he was not at fault. What chance those, who were condemned, have even if they try their best to come clean on their misguided deeds from their past life and so on?
"Hey... why don't we go check that Hotel? I... kinda wanna see what it looks like?" He suggested, taking a deep breath before standing up again. He felt much weaker than when he was a sheep, which was no small feat. "I... could use the distraction." Collin added with a supplicant stare towards Loona. She frowned, conflicted about the idea of going anywhere near one of the most dangerous beings in Hell, but giving Collin some peace of mind was a urgent necessity. She knew it would help him cope with the horrible truth he found out, maybe.
"I mean... if Octavia is okay with it." Loona replied, looking back at the Own hesitantly. Octavia merely shrugged.
"As long we get moving, I don't care where we go, but... I will keep myself away from Alastor if he's around. Last thing I want is for dad to know I was near him." Loona nodded in agreement, letting out a heavy sigh before stretching her arms forwards, focusing on necessary steps before performing precise motions with her hands and arms, conjuring a dark-blue ominous portal on thin air.
"What the fu-
Octavia stood flabbergasted, she recognized the spell right away. The one Stolas always used whenever he needed to travel somewhere for work, study or purely entertainment. Also, how in the nine rings could a Hellhound have enough power to perform such a complex conjuring?!
"You and I are gonna have a talk." Octavia said, pointing directly at Loona. The Hellhound blinked, unsure of what gotten the teenager worked up.
"Huh, okay?" She said slowly before looking back at Collin. "Ready?"
Collin didn't reply right away. His eyes focused on the image being displayed through the portal. A giant building with many windows with few adjcent structures, one being of half a sunken ship from early twenties, which was bizarre on its own. Huge letters rested atop of the gigantic structure, their saying clear enough for any to view at extreme distances;
Hazbin Hotel
"Yeah, I'm ready, in a way. Let's see what that place is about."
