Now I want to make something clear here. Amphibia and the new Helluva Boss fanfic will be worked on. However, something needed to be remedied. It has come to my attention that...as a fan of Vivziepop, that Cherri Bomb gets little attention sometimes. Especially in fanfics. There are fanfics where Cherri has the lead role and sometimes its both Cherri and Angel Dust, but it's few and far between. Honestly it's very criminal that there isn't enough fanfics that focus on Cherri or Angel Dust. Better yet, not enough that focus on both Cherri and Angel. This needs to be remedied. And I know just how to do it. See, let me tell you about an inspiration for me. Last weekend before two days ago, Halloween 2022, I watched a found footage horror film called Frankenstein's Army. You may have heard of this movie during the development of Resident Evil Village when Capcom was accused of stealing creature assets from the film for one of the monsters. Overtime I grew curious of the film and gave it a watch I think last year when the accusations popped up. The movie goes is that it's set in an alternate history during World War II, where Soviet Red Army troops invading Germany encounter undead mechanical flesh golems created by a descendant of Victor Frankenstein. So there's that. I hope to make this fanfic work.
Track 1: To Myself I turned
I couldn't know if I
I will be strong enough for this
I have to choose
Do I want to be free?
- Cristina Scabbia, In a Reverie - Lacuna Coil
"Maybe I should...rest...here," Orion said as he stumbled into an alley near a studio of some sort. He was exhausted after having wondered into the Pentagram upon washing up on shore. He recently had landed in Hell after having been waterboarded in ink. In other words, head dunked drowned in it.
Orion Jukka, when he was alive, was an up and inspiring animation director and animator on the brink of national success. When he was a little boy, he was fascinated with animation. Particularly, his very first cartoon he saw when he was a little boy was Popeye the Sailor Man. When he got older, he found it amusing and amazed that way back then, cartoon characters were like rubber. Essentially with rubberhose style of animation where characters could change shape and any injury inflicted on them was non-fatal.
Then there were cartoons with fantastic storytelling and fantastic fight scenes. In school, Orion liked drawing flipnote animations and as soon as he got older, with enough training and education, he became an animation director and animator. The cartoons he helped out with has garnered success. However, one day, he had an idea for a cartoon concept involving reincarnated demi-gods from mythology as they prevent an end of the world scenario. It was greenlit and he let pride go to his head.
This has caused strife for one of the coworkers. This has led to a kidnapping where the coworker mercilessly beat him to death and then drowned him in ink, killing him. And because pride is one of the many sins, Orion was condemned to Hell for eternity. However, unlike most souls that land in Pentagram City, his soul landed on a sort of island in Hell. After it happened, he felt himself and noticed he could feel and think. He looked into a puddle and noticed that his appearance had changed. He resembled that of an old style rubberhose cartoon character. All black and white. He was also tall, wore a sort of suit, top hat, had cat ears and a tail, and his eyes pie shaped.
However, he couldn't do much thinking right now as he felt he was being watched. He noticed several eyes watching him. Orion was then surrounded by what looked like tribal devils. He defended himself and tried to run, but he was ambushed and then put in a death game. He was forced to engage in combat and was promptly sliced in half as a result. Orion thought that his second life in this netherworld was already wasted. But to his surprise, he didn't die again. As a matter of fact, he didn't bleed. It was as if had toon force powers.
Using the opportunity to use his powers against his captors, Orion murdered the entire cannibal tribe and began to leave. However, he needed to build a raft in order to get out. So, he manifested a mallet and began gathering wood and leaves in order to build a raft. Once done, he sailed off to whatever dry land was there. Before that, he made sure to gather food and water. But few hours later, a storm had washed him up shore and then this is where Orion has found Pentagram City.
Finally with the exhaustion kicking in, Orion collapsed and then passed out. Upon doing so, a figure was taking out the trash and then noticed the Sinner, "Well, well. What do we have here?" he wondered.
Orion was unsure how long he had passed out from exhaustion, but the next thing he knew upon opening his eyes, he was lying in bed in a bedroom. He tried to look around when something came into his vision. The toon demon panicked and flailed a bit before the being calmed him down, "Hey cool it, hot stuff!" he exclaimed. The individual himself was different. Unlike himself and the cannibal imps, this one looked like a spider of some sort.
He had a slender build and was tall. Like eight feet than Orion. His fur is white and he had a mop of fluffy white hair that extended from both the front and back of his head, with splotches of light-pink across it. He also had a distinctive and focal light-pink heart pattern on the back of his head. The light-pink outline of a heart also encircled his chest, the bottom point of which extended past his waistband and down to his crotch area. His eyelids are light-pink and the color extended up to his eyebrows, giving the effect of eye-shadow, and his lashes are dark and thick. His irises are cerise-pink. His right eye had a light yellow sclera, his left eye had a dark sclera. He had a wide mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth and possesses a single golden fang that sat slightly to his right of center. He had three cerise-pink dots under each of his eyes. His chest was composed entirely of fluff. The demon wore a long light pink suit-blazer with horizontal white stripes down the length, reddish-grey miniskirt, and long reddish-grey thigh-high heeled boots, accessorized with a reddish-grey bowtie with a cerise-pink center and a black choker. On his top set of arms he wore long cerise-pink gloves with white detailing at the cuffs, on his bottom set of arms he wore long white gloves.
"Hot stuff? Really?" Orion asked, "What? You do kinda look cute yourself. First time being here?~" the demon flirted, "Uh...where is this place?" Orion asked, "You're at the Porn Studios. It's where I work. Call me Angel Dust," the demon called Angel Dust introduced himself, floofing up his fluffy chest in a sexual manner, "So wait a sec, I'm in a strip club?" Orion quizzed, looking around, "That's right. What's your name, little kitty?" Angel asked, "Orion Jukka," Orion introduced himself. One of the demons entered before they could talk, "Angel, Val is ready to see you~." the sinner informed. Angel turned to Orion, "I'll make sure to get a good word in with Val. Just wait here," Angel instructed. However, upon speaking, he had a brief flash of dread from mentioning Val's name. Orion wondered why.
Within minutes, Angel left. Orion sat up in bed. He listened to the conversation Angel was having. Then after a few minutes, another demon came into view. This one was different than Angel Dust. As a matter of fact, instead of a spider, he was a moth. He had greyish-lavender skin and cerise-pink eyes, over which he is seen wearing gold-rimmed heart-shaped sunglasses with cerise-pink lenses.
He was taller than Angel, about ten feet long. This one wore a floor-length vivid-red coat, which featured a white fur trim at the wrists, as well as black and white striped fur trim down the coat center-front to the bottom hem. A large fluffy white 'collar' decorated with small red love-hearts is wrapped around his neck - this plumes up from his coat's break-line, although it is unclear whether this collar is attached to his body or the coat.
His coat is pinned with a gold chain and gold love-heart shaped broach fastenings at the breast. He accessorized with a matching vivid-red top hat, that has a wide, asymmetrical zebra-print hat-band. Two appendages sprout from the band of the hat: on his left, one black spiked antennae, and on his right, what appears to be a large black and white striped feather.
"I take it you're the owner of this establishment?" Orion asked, tilting his head as his cat ears twitched, "That's right. I'm Valentino. I'm the owner of this place. So..what's a cutie like you doing here in the Pentagram~?" Valentino asked. For some reason, the way Val was speaking was kind of unnerving to Orion. Nonetheless, he kept his cool and explained his situation of how he died and how he ended up in Pentagram City, as Val called it, "Ah...I see. An inspired animator/director who has met an unfortunate end because he let his pride outweigh his passion," Val said, smoking a cigarette that emitted red smoke which surrounded the toon sinner.
"Yeah. I really did," Orion agreed. He took out a cigar and then blew a billow of smoke which doing so made the sound like a steamboat, "Er...pardon me for the awkwardness of this conversation here. It's just...I have never been to a porn studio or a strip club before in my life," he admitted, "Hey, I can understand. You know what they all say, there's always a first for everything. Wouldn't you agree?" Val asked, flashing a grin. He was shown to have one golden tooth. Just like Angel.
"Tell you what, you seem to have been through much upon descending into this infernal home. Why not stay for awhile and we'll keep you company? I have a spare guest room for you that you can sleep in. And on top of that, why not see a show for one night?" Val offered. Orion wasn't so sure about this guy. He seemed pretty sketchy but at the same time, he hasn't tried anything...not yet. And considering this was Hell that he was in now, for the time being at least the pimp was offering a roof over his head for the time being, "I guess. Just don't get mad if I get embarrassed since I'm new to places like these," Orion answered.
"Good kitty~" Valentino said in his sultry voice. He had his cohorts escort Orion out of the room and into another. What Orion was unaware was a sinister look on Val's face. Behind his back, Valentino had a grin on his face, his golden tooth flashing. Almost as if he was planning something. Hiding something. Across the hall, Angel looked guiltily at the escorted toon demon. Almost as if Val had claimed another victim.
In the guest room, he was offered dinner. And one he couldn't wait to chow down on since all he ate was fish when he was adrift at sea on the way over to dry land before the storm washed him up. Spaghetti and meatballs. He hungrily devoured it and then chugged down a glass of water. He belched and then saw on a table was a hellphone. He took it and then began scrolling through social media. Hell's version had social media such as Sinstagram, Voxflix, VoxTube, Voogle, Shuttervox, and others.
So it seems that based on what he's seeing, Hell has it's own culture of some sort. He wasn't able to know this before since he was exhausted from his struggle to survive. But now that he was calm and had a room for the night, he could learn alot about Hell itself. But unfortunately, he was getting tired. He shut his newly acquired hellphone off and then began to drift into a deep slumber. Alot better than the last time.
When he awoke the next morning, Orion was given a tour of Porn Studios itself after a hefty breakfast he was given. He was quite impressed with the layout. It seems for the first time, he was looking forward to the upcoming show that Val had planned. But soon, Orion will learn the hard way of trusting anyone in Hell much less Valentino.
At 5:00, Orion was given the VIP treatment and sat on one of the chairs. Many demons were gathered to see the special show. This would indicate that strippers would be involved. One of the first of them was Angel Dust himself. Neon lights begin to light up behind the spider demon as his body was darkened, only first showing his glowing pink eyes and a heart outline across his chest glowing. He had on what looked like lingerie to entertain the patrons tonight. So, this is the show Val was talking about, Orion thought.
Quite honestly, this is the first time he was seeing Angel perform on stage in a porn studio. He could see Valentino flashing a lustful smirk as he saw Angel perform on stage. Something about that smirk unsettled Orion. And from the way he saw Angel perform, he may seem like he's enjoying the spectacle, but it seemed to only be a mask. Orion though wasn't sure. Nonetheless, he was impressed by Angel's moves.
"So, little kitty, enjoy what you're seeing~?" Val asked in a sultry voice, "Yeah...I guess. You were right, there is always a first time for everything," Orion shrugged. Val looked at the two suitors beside him, "Angel Cakes sure knows how to make the money don't you think?" Val asked, "Mmhm," the toon demon muttered. Valentino blew smoke from one of his cigarettes which surrounded both Angel as he performed and Orion as he watched. Hours later, the show was finished, and Val began conversing with Orion with a proposal.
"So, little kitty. I may favor Angel Cakes but I'm willing to let you get the share as well. How's about working with me in this establishment? It could suit you well since you and Angel didn't go off to a bad start," Val offered. Orion began to think for a minute. He was unsure if it was a good idea. I mean the way he looked at Angel and the latter demon feeling like he was unhappy with the job seemed like a red flag, "I'm not sure. I mean it's nice that you allowed me the VIP treatment to the show but, it's just not my thing. I mean keep in mind; I was an animator...was anyway. Strip clubs and porno movies are just not my type. So, I'm going to have to politely decline," Orion explained, "Thanks for everything. Really. Now...can you show me the door? I'll try to seek a home wherever I can."
Valentino sighed. Angel from the corner and emerging from the hall, back in his usual attire. He looked as Val had a look of disappointment on his face. The pimp motioned to his guards, which looked like canines, to the door and Orion found the exit. He walked over and turned the knob of the door to exit the building. In this instant, Val motioned for the guards and just before the toon sinner could leave, the guards grabbed him and then wrestled him to the ground, "Hey! What the fuck?!" Orion shouted before he was slammed to the ground.
Val made a tsk tsk sound before lowering to look into Orion's face, "And just where the fuck do you think you're going? You should know daddy doesn't take no for an answer," the moth pimp taunted. Orion gritted his teeth, "What the hell is your problem?" he exclaimed. Val gave a nasty chuckle, "I don't have any. But let's just say that once I'm through with you, I'll have two bitches I own. Soon, like Angel baby, I'll own you. And you'll do exactly as I say," Val sneered. He lifted Orion's chin for emphasis to make sure he was paying attention. Orion could smell the smoke from the cigarette he was smoking earlier. It sounded too intoxicating, "When I say, "Dance," you say, "Yes, Val," and when I say, "Suck a dick," you say, "Yes, Val," "
Orion shuddered. So, Valentino has shown his true colors. It seemed that the mask Angel was wearing figuratively was coming to a horrifying truth. Valentino emotionally and physically abuses his employees. It reminded him too much of how he let pride get in his way that outweighed his passion as an animator in his mortal shell. No. He was not going to let this asshole push him around. He didn't care if he died again. He remembered he had cartoon physics and was ready to use it on this dickhole, "So what do you say? Do we have a deal? Do as I say, and I'll be a little nicer to you. To sweeten the deal, I'll make sure you and Angel Cakes share the same room together,"
(To Myself I Turned - Lacuna Coil)
"Yeah...if that's the case, why don't we play a game?" Orion offered. This made Val raise an eyebrow, "Oho, baby. A game huh? Sure. What game is it called~?" Val asked, flashing the toothy smirk. Orion smirked back, knowing full well that the pimp was about to be in a world of hurt. Well, netherworld of hurt in this case, "Let's play Opposite Day, because that's what today is. And here are the rules to you. When I say, "Release me," you say, "Yes, Fleischer," and when I say, "Fuck off," you say, "Yes, Fleischer!" Failure to do so will result in me bashing your skulls in!" With that, Orion pulled his arm in, causing the hound guard to lose his grip and fall. Then he got up and unfurled his arm and punched the second one in the snout, forcing the guard to release the toon demon. Valentino stared in shock, "What?!"
Orion then stood up, reached into his back, and with toon physics, pulled out a cartoon mallet. Valentino pulled out a handgun and fired a shot past the toon demon, which hit the guard. It seemed to burn with something since it glowed with a sort of holy energy. The guard died instantly; his blood splattered on the walls. Angel yelped as he saw this. He was afraid that Orion was gonna end up dead before getting to know him more.
It now seemed like Val and Orion were at a standstill, "Oh baby~. You sure know how to play hard to get. I like that in you. I hate to break it to you, but you should know it's a bad idea to mess with an Overlord like me. Fuck, even Angel baby knows his place. So if I were you, I'd quit while you still can," Val flirted. Orion sighed. It seems that unfortunately Val had the advantage in that he had holy weapons. He didn't know how he got some, nor how they ended up in Hell in the first place. But it seems that Orion needed to think fast and act fast. Use his wits to outsmart Valentino. Just like a certain cartoon bunny. He needed to play his cards just right, "Are you sure?" Orion asked.
Valentino lowered his gun for a moment, "Sure of what?" he asked, "The deal. That if I work for you and do as you say, you'd be a little nicer to me and I get to know Angel better?" Orion asked. He knew he only one shot at this. It's like gambling. One wrong move and it was going to cost him. Val then smiled, "That is the deal~." he said. The toon demon inhaled and then exhaled, "Alright. You got a deal. And before it can be signed, allow me to introduce a little secret handshake. Just the two of us. And Angel too," Orion offered.
Valentino raised his eyebrows again, but decided to do so, "Alright, baby. So...how does your little secret handshake work?" he quizzed, "Well first of all, I have to initiate it first. So...it goes like this. The first part is the shoulder touch...like this," the toon demon said. He saw that Angel was looking and gave him a wink. He placed his hand on the pimp moth's shoulder. And to Val's shock and dismay, he felt a zap from an electric shock. And then, with Val now vulnerable, Orion whacked Valentino in the chest, causing him to be sent into a wall and his hat to fall, revealing him to be bald. He also dropped the gun, "Agh...god...dammnit!" he tried to yell, but due to the impact into his chest, he was wasted and gasping for air.
Orion wasted no time in using his arm like a lasso which wrapped his body and his arms together to prevent him from doing anything. Then he pulled Valentino towards his face, "I told you, failure to do so will result in me bashing your skull in. You're lucky I only went for the stomach. Hurts, doesn't it?" Orion sneered. Valentino could feel the blood oozing from his lips. The toon demon raised his mallet, ready to strike, "Now...I'm willing to offer mercy. Because you're right. Even I know it's a bad idea to mess with an Overlord, which I don't know how that works, but I'll learn eventually. And when I do, I'll get strong enough to take you down and whoever else you're aligned with. Then, I'll free Angel from your grasp," Orion snarled. Angel from a distance could see and be impressed that the toon demon was not scared of Val. As he said this, he slithered to the exit, "Now you got a choice, you either let me leave, or I'll crack your fucking skull so that I'll add one more thing to your pain meter,"
Val knew that he was outsmarted. As much as it pissed him off, he had to admit, Orion had the guts to stand up to him. Something not even Angel was capable of, "Fine. I yield...for now. I gotta say, you had the guts to stand up to an Overlord. I'm impressed. You're free to go. But just know this...this ain't done. Not by a long shot, Orion~," Val jeered, his smirk showing his teeth again, "Don't call me that. I'm not Orion. He's a mortal shell that's now six feet under in the mortal world. Plus, a guy like you doesn't deserve to call me that. Refer to me by my name: Fleischer."
Orion, now called Fleischer, released Valentino. This time Val didn't attempt to attack. But the toon demon watched him carefully as he opened the door and left. But not before giving Angel a look that said, "Hang in there, buddy. I'll get you out someday,"
Fleischer then began to run into Pentagram City. Far away from Porn Studios. He couldn't believe that he trusted a demon as much of an asshole as Valentino. But he was lucky to have outsmarted and escaped with his freedom intact. But now, he had to find where to crash. Considering this was Hell, this was gonna be hard since anyone could be as manipulative as Val. He saw an alleyway and decided to enter. He made sure he wasn't being followed in case Valentino sent men after him. For all he knew, Fleischer was right to believe that their little charade was not over.
He decided to construct a box fort to help him make a roof over his head. Just as he did this, a figure approached him. It was a canine just like one of Val's guards. Only he looked elderly, "Hmm...what's going on here?" he spoke. Fleischer noticed the elder hound, "Oh...eh...what's up doc?" he said, smoking a cigar that made a steamboat sound, "Pardon me, I just needed a roof over my head. Didn't know this was your territory. You're not gonna dismember me for intruding in your territory, are you?" the toon demon asked.
The elder demon seemed to look sympathetic at the toon's plight, "No of course not. I see that you have a look of exhaustion on your face. Who are you hiding from? Serial killer? Terrorist? Cannibal? Maybe a rapist?" the elder asked, "More like an Overlord," Fleischer corrected. He explained his mortal life, how he ended up down in Hell, landing on the island, the cannibal imps, washing up on the shores of the Pentagram, collapsing in the alley near Porn Studios, the fake hospitality, and having escaped Valentino's grasp.
"I see. Not a smart idea taking on an Overlord like one of the Three Vs," the elder hellhound scolded, "Three Vs? Pardon me I just have so much to learn here. Like the Overlords? How do they function?" Fleischer quizzed, "They are a class of powerful demons that rank above regular Sinners like yourself. They rule over parts of Hell based on the territory. Some can represent a form of media. The Three Vs themselves? There's Vox, Velvette, and the one you encountered, Valentino. Vox represents television, pornography for Valentino, and social media for Velvette."
Fleischer listened. Perhaps, he thought, if he was an Overlord, he could represent something. Maybe cartoons, "So tell me gramps, how does one become an Overlord?" he asked, "I'm afraid I can't tell you. That's something you'll discover yourself. If that is your purpose," the hellhound answered, "Eh, fair enough. Maybe if I do have a purpose in Hell, maybe I can learn something myself...I'm going to crash here for tonight. And then at dawn I'll be out of here," the toon demon decided.
The elder hellhound nodded and slipped back into the shadows. Fleischer took off his hat and dug into it, pulling out a blanket with his toon physics a la the magic satchel animation technique. Then he used his hat as a pillow and then fell asleep. The events that had happened upon landing in Hell was only just the beginning for him. He knew that an adventure is calling for him.
When he woke up the next morning, he noticed a plate. He saw on it was a sausage biscuit. There was a note that read.
Take care
- Grampa Tartarus
Fleischer took the biscuit and then took bite of it. Then he got out of the box and then left the area. He then used his physics to make stretchy arms and then got to the top of one of the buildings. Then he looked out into Pentagram City. For an infernal netherworld, it was beautiful. The red sky, the pentagram symbol seen in the atmosphere, the buildings, the traffic. Perhaps maybe Fleischer could get used to this place. Little did the toon demon knew was that soon, he'd make two more friends. One of which, combined with his cartoon shenanigans, would raise Hell like there's no tomorrow.
Hope you enjoyed this first part of the story. It's surely one way to prepare for Hazbin Hotel coming in summer of 2023. I have faith in A24. No matter the drama, controversy, or otherwise, as long as the hype for it never dies, I think Vivziepop and A24 can deliver. I mean when it comes to indie horror films, A24 delivers: The Witch, X, Hereditary (I wonder how Helluva Boss Paimon feels about the movie LOL), Midsommar, and most recently Pearl (I havent seen it but I heard it's a prequel to X). I say Hazbin Hotel is in A24's good hands. Anyway, that's all for now. Til next time, we're gonna make it pop!
