As the demons (and Dawg) sat at the table, a feeling of joy, excitement and genuinely good spirits was felt among the group. From Charlie's eccstaticism that the hotel worked to Mad Dawg's excitement at the prospect of going home, even the usually drunk and depressed Husk was merely drunk tonight. Mad Dawg ate hungrily and heartedly, the jambalaya Alastor made was delicious! Even if he wasn't sure if there was demon or person in it, but after what he went through, he was willing to roll the dice on that one. So far, person-filled or not, it was delicious.
Heck, it was just a great feeling to have his friends here, from Charlie to Blitzo. Even Sir Pentious had joined in! Even though he and Cherri somehow ended up being seated next to one another, something which Mad Dawg was one-hundred percent sure wasn't coincidental. Yet, he lacked any method to prove that at the moment. So, he'd let it go. As they ate, Charlie seemed almost obsessed with ensuring Mad Dawg was okay, Husk even having to tell her to not spoon-feed him at one point, much to her annoyance. The kindness was wonderful though, and while Mad Dawg could tell part of it was because he proved the hotel worked, there was a part of it that was genuine, real, and that was good enough for him!
Speaking of kindness and not understanding it, there was a yet unresolved matter which Mad Dawg wanted to address, and now that everyone (including the strawberry pimp who matter most) was present, he decided to bring it up.
"Yo, Alastor."
"What is up my, diggty-diggty Dawg?"
"Okay, so, first. Never say that again."
"I make no promises."
"Fair. And from the top. What was your plan for all this?" Mad Dawg asked, raising a brow while others looked to him.
"He's got a point, why'd you go outta your way to help the pint-sized brat?" Cherri asked, earning an annoyed look from Mad Dawg.
"They make good points… everything I've ever heard suggests that you wouldn't ever do something like what you've done!" Moxxie nodded. He wasn't happy with Blitzo or Alastor, having been drugged, lied to, and then nearly getting exterminated, but he was willing to let that go, as right now, they were alive!
"You see, my boy. From the moment you walked in those doors, I knew you were an unjudged! It was easy to tell, based on your soul… or lack of one! Initially, I planned on letting you try to go through this hotel and see what happened! I would've enjoyed watching you stumble and fall as you went." Alastor laughed, this fact unamusing to most. "But… after the first unfortunate run-in with Vox and his wretched company, I knew that the actions you took wouldn't go unnoticed! So, I set to ensuring you wouldn't be found until I wanted you to be."
"…you mean Val and Vox were looking for me?!" Mad Dawg blinked, horrified by that implication. He knew they had been (they told him as much!) but hearing how much they had been looking, to the point where the Radio Demon had to step in was very unsettling.
"Somewhat. Yes." Alastor shrugged. "I just made sure they'd be going in the wrong direction! Before you ask why, it was because I knew sooner or later, Heaven would have to get involved. And get involved they did! Kace, my boy-" Alastor paused when he saw Dawg glare at him. "Er, Mad Dawg, you had an Arc Angel on your case. Frankly, I was more interested in how that would turn out than anything else!" Then, his voice lowered, and he seemed either angry, or annoyed, maybe both, but regardless his smile never faded, which was probably the creepiest part. "But then I saw what that wretch was trying to do. She was desperate to get you out of hell, and I couldn't understand why. It wasn't because you were an unjudged, at least, not fully. But because I realized like she did, you would succeed in leaving via the hotel."
Mad Dawg nodded. He knew all this.
"At one point, I considered working with her, but trusting an Angel is asking for disaster!" Alastor scoffed. Then, he grew angry, and it was cleat he was angry from the tone of his voice. "Not to mention what she left you to suffer through simply so she could try and kill the Princess."
"I don't understand. Whose side are you on?!" Vaggie exclaimed. It was a question the whole table, even Cherri and Pentious had to wonder. By now, the eating had stopped as they all listened intently to whatever reason or excuse the Radio Demon would spin. However, something Mad Dawg knew all too well, was that Alastor hadn't lied to him a single time since they met, and now? It made no sense for him to start now. Granted, Mad Dawg wouldn't be surprised if he chose to now. But that was neither here nor there.
"Mine!" Alastor shrugged. "If Dawg dies, that's a shame, but the hotel is still here for my own amusement, if Dawg dies and the hotel is gone, then I have nothing to enjoy! Then, when I saw how far Dawg would go to protect the hotel, and those here, I just wanted to see how far this would all go before it hit the climax!" He shrugged, then added quickly: "Plus, what they did to you was inhumane, and I wanted to help you get revenge."
Charlie's expression fell at that statement. Mad Dawg wasn't ready to open up just yet about what had happened to him at the Citadel beyond 'it was bad', and that her Dad had done something truly horrible to him. Heck, even when a few of the hotel occupants had so much as touched Mad Dawg, he had recoiled in fear or shock, which was drastically different from when he first arrived. Angel Dust had actually been keeping close to him, and it seemed like he had been able to somewhat reach Mad Dawg. Something which made Charlie realize how BAD things must've gotten…
"Why do you care about what they did to me? I thought that'd be like, the main thing you'd be after, estúpida." Mad Dawg grumbled.
"Estúpido." Vaggie commented under her breath, correcting Dawg on his Spanish insults. Dawg blinked, then nodded.
"Yes, yes." Alastor rolled his eyes in annoyance and mock offense. "It's true, watching you fight for survival, or being thrown through the Carnival of Carnage was great fun! But seeing what Vox did to you was just… disgusting." Alastor's tone lowered again as he explained his odd reasoning. "Seeing your memories, and the pain it caused, that wasn't the kind of pain that I could potentially use to push you to grandiose actions, it was the kind of pain which shut you down. Seeing them use that to break you was just boring. Then, seeing what they did to you after… I suppose even I have to have some sort of standard."
The silence around the table wasn't awkward, but very eerie. No one really knew how to respond to that, even those who knew Alastor better (or worse, let's be fair) than others remained silent. Finally, Husk broke the silence by laughing, somewhat drunkenly.
"Well, now I've heard everything!" He insisted. "The Radio damn Demon, claimin' he's got STANDARDS! Now ain't that a crock a shi-" He took a long drink before finishing his thought, no one corrected him, but Mad Dawg looked at Alastor. He didn't really believe him, but also had a feeling there wasn't going to be an answer that would make sense.
That actually really got to Mad Dawg and he frowned at Alastor.
"But for real, why did you?" he asked.
"I just told you, my boy."
"No, you told us the made-up reason. Why did you REALLY?"
"Made up? Hm… well, perhaps it was! Or perhaps it was the truth! You may never know…"
Mad Dawg was silent, considering this. Finally, he made his peace with it all. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Mad Dawg screamed, having to be held by Molly to keep him from going for the Radio Demon's throat. "THAT'S NOT COOL AL! YOU GOTTA TELL ME!"
Needless to say, Alastor found much more enjoyment in that dinner than he might have expected…
The next day, despite Charlie telling him it was okay and they didn't need to, Mad Dawg insisted on another therapy session, so they could get everything out in the open. Mad Dawg explained in time what had happened to him, the pain, the torture, and why he kept going. Needless to say, Vaggie had to prey Charlie off of Mad Dawg a few times while she sobbed uncontrollably into his hair. She was taller than him by a bit, and Dawg was tired, so he couldn't really free himself from her prison-hugs… Finally, they came to a question which Mad Dawg had been avoiding. Honestly hoping they wouldn't bring up. But, Charlie did.
"I'm not gonna be upset if you say yes, but I wanna know… were you planning on destroying the hotel?" Charlie finally asked. When Mad Dawg was in his hell-beast-form, his expressions were easy to read based on his body language, and the way he held his ears, knowingly or not. But now that he was human, it was much more obvious. The question was a simple, sincere one, and the look in his eyes was of conflicting thoughts, fear and apprehension.
"Yes." He finally said, quietly. He couldn't even look at the two demoness' while he continued forcing himself to speak. "I- I considered it a lot, but I don't know if I would be able to do so willingly. I think that's why Delilah's plan worked so well. If I did it in a haze, or under some sort of spell, it'd be easy to claim 'it's what your heart desired' or somethin' like that. I don't think I'd ever be able to actually do it, but… I'm more than capable." He seemed so hurt saying those words, as if he was admitting to willingly killing someone close to him, and it made sense. His desperation, his want to go home, and the words of someone who should be pure of spirit would add up to a dangerous poison which would cloud his mind.
Vaggie wasn't sure what to expect from Charlie, honestly. She seemed to be crying, which made sense, but she bit her lip to fight back the tears as she wrote something down. "Kace, I want you to know, I'm not upset with you." She said, slowly. Mad Dawg didn't seem to believe her, so she pressed on. "You were lied to. We all were, but the fact you're being honest with me… means a lot."
Mad Dawg inhaled and exhaled. It felt like a weight was taken off his shoulders, it felt like when all that fur and muscle had melted off of his body, allowing him, for the first time since coming to hell, to feel like himself. "So- so I don't need to sleep with one eye open tonight?" He asked, jokingly.
"No, you absolutely should. Really, as long as you're in hell, know that I will always be coming for you." Charlie said, her voice growing more demonic as her eyes turned red and horns sprouted from her head. "To hug you when you're sad, silly!" She laughed, finding Dawg's frightened reactions amusing. Vaggie had seemed concerned, a bit shocked, but couldn't help but laugh when Charlie revealed her true intentions.
"NO! THAT'S EVEN WORSE! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Mad Dawg screamed, whipping a pillow at Charlie while he perched on the back of the couch as if getting ready to flee, only to fall off the couch, face-first onto the ground. "Ow." He moaned, his feet sticking up over the back of the couch. Charlie was silent, then she burst out laughing, followed by Vaggie, and then eventually, Mad Dawg. It felt good to laugh, after all they had been through.
"Mad Dawg…" Charlie said softly, tearing up a little bit. "I think… I think we're done here." She said, setting the clipboard down and smiling at the teen. "I think you're ready to go home."
Not long after, Angel Dust had kicked the doors in, told Charlie he was doing his 'good deeds' for the day, and grabbed Mad Dawg, running out of the room holding him over his head. Charlie had been too surprised to say anything, while Vaggie had watched baffled and annoyed. Dust ended up dragging Mad Dawg down to a bar – which was already a good start, as it wasn't a turf war – and he, Cherri and Dawg had enjoyed a somewhat chaotic lunch of soda, beer and nachos. Dawg wasn't drinking (despite Cherri and Dust pressuring him too) but he was having a great time. Husk was there as well, doing what he usually did. Drinking. But, he had raised his pint in a saluting toast when he noticed Mad Dawg was there.
"So, is there a reason you brought me out here? Really?" Mad Dawg asked. Dust and Cherri looked to one another, then nodded.
"Two reasons, actually." Angel Dust began. "First, we noticed you don't really have clothes right now, so we wanted to get you some."
"Second, we wanna ride you." Cherri added, refusing to word her sentences in a way which made sense and didn't sound creepy as heck.
Mad Dawg dropped his fork and looked to the demons he sat across from. Then, he reached down, and pulled a knife from his boot. He lost his shotgun and crossbow a while ago… that jerk Striker had em', and he doubted he'd be getting them back ever… so hopefully this got the message across.
"The other you. We wanna ride you while you run through the city." Cherri corrected herself.
Some demons may wonder how the claw marks got so high up on the buildings after that day, and yet others would question if the giant hell-hound like beast they say was real, or if they were losing it. But, some would claim the cheers and hollers of excitement were genuine. And they were, they were the exclamations of friends, and as dumb as this sounds, those were the realest there were!
When asked if Mad Dawg wanted to go on a road trip, he had been down by the van before Millie had even finished asking her question. When he found out they were going to the Wrath ring, he had been a bit confused, but didn't question it. When he found out they'd be visiting Millie's parents… he was nervous. Actually, he wasn't nervous. He was utterly, and completely terrified beyond words and reasoning. Because, y'know, he was the one who nearly got their daughter EXTERMINATED.
This led to him having to be tied up by multiple sets of seat belts after he tried to escape out a window of the moving van. Multiple times.
"Dawg, they're gonna love ya! You got nothin' to be scared about!" Millie promised for the twelfth or fourteenth time with a smile while she messaged her folks that she was almost there with her friends.
"MmMmMMphh!" Mad Dawg tried to speak, but his mouth was covered by duct tape. Millie looked back and realized this, her eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Which'a you did that?!" She demanded, the frustration clear in her voice and eyes. Moxxie was jolted awake and seemed to notice what had happened as well, and failed to hide his laughter.
"Sorry, thought that's what we were doing." Blitzo raised a hand, dismissively. Loona finally looked up from her phone, snapped a picture of the annoyed Mad Dawg, then took the duct tape off his mouth.
"They're gonna love stabbing me after they find out what I nearly did to you…" Mad Dawg said quietly, and Loona snorted.
"Stabbing, really? They're way more creative than that!" The hellhound smirked, finding Dawg's attempt to be frustrated or angry less intimidating when he was as smol as he was, and much less furry. As well as less demonic.
"Yer not helpin'!" Millie snapped, annoyed as the van pulled into the ranch where Millie was raised. Mad Dawg was tossed out (after saying he was fine staying in here) and tried to keep himself calm and small as a tank of an imp and a kind-looking older female one hugged Millie as she ran up to them. Mad Dawg could overhear them questioning if she was okay, asking why she was fighting angels, and so on. But to Mad Dawg, it meant he was screwed. So, deeply, deeply screwed.
"Oooh, I woldn't wanna be the poor sonabitch they're talkin' about…" Blitzo muttered, then remembered Dawg was standing next to him. "Whoops…"
"So, which'a you's was the one those Exterminators was lookin' for?" The older Imp asked, looking among the group. His tone and expression were serious, and very wrathful. Understandable, as one of them (Mad Dawg) nearly got Millie (and Moxxie) killed! "Cause I'wanna have a word with the bastard who put Mildred through everythin'."
The group was left in surprised silence, until Mad Dawg stepped out from behind Loona. He was about at eye level with Joe, but something about the way the imp was built compared to Mad Dawg made Dawg feel much smaller. "That'd be me, sir." Mad Dawg said, nodding, looking him in the eyes as he confessed and signed his death warrant.
"Mad Dawg, waitasec!" Millie began, but her Father spoke up first.
"Hrgh… So, you're the Unjudged hell's been loosin' it's horse shoes over?"
"Yeah."
"Yer the one them angels came down to find?"
"Yes."
"Yer the one, that nearly caused an extermination a second time this year, and nearly got my daughter exterminated?"
"…y-yes."
"And you're the one who fought tooth and claw to protect them, even when you could've been erased?"
"Yeah, I did."
"And you, even after all that, have the balls to stand here, look me in the eyes, and admit to all this?"
There was a long silence, before Dawg steeled himself, and looked Joe in the eyes.
"Yes sir, I do."
"Well then boy… I have only one thing t'say t'ya…" Joe said in a low growl before suddenly pulling Mad Dawg into a crushing hug. "It's great t'a finally meet ya! C'mere kid!"
Mad Dawg let out a high-pitched yelp of surprise as he was pulled into the hug which cracked his spine, and actually felt really good. He was lifted up off the ground then set back down while the older Imp laughed. "Uh it-it-it's a pleasure t-t-to meet you, s-sir…"
"Ahh, knock off that 'sir' crap, son!" Joe laughed, slapping Dawg on the back. "Just call me Joe! An'if y'don't mind me sayin' y'sure are hell ain't what I was expectin'!" He laughed, looking Dawg over again. "Some skinny little runner's what pissed off heaven and hell? Damn, they really make em' look like whatever they want these days!" He laughed.
"W-wait, you're not- not gonna kill me?"
"Hey, you might be a crazy bastard who nearly brought the end'a hell to us all, but you also backed up your mettle and fought t'defend my kin! I can respect that!" Joe nodded. "Besides, you didn't drag her into nuthin'! 'Perently it was her choice, for whateva reason. But I was also told you fought tooth and nail to keep her safe! I got's no reason to gut you like a pig and hang out to bleed out." The analogy-threat wasn't lost on Dawg, who paled a bit.
"Man, he's already doing better with your in-laws that you ever could." Blitzo snorted.
"Shut up, sir." Moxxie muttered, not needing that pointed out even clearer to him… still he chose not to say anything, this wasn't the right time.
"Settle down Joe, I think yer scarin' the boy." Lin commented, now getting a good look at Mad Dawg, who looked at her, then looked away somewhat awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "Aww, ain't you just the cutest little thing hell's ever seen?" Lin asked, playfully tugging on Dawg's cheek. The recently de-demonified human laughed awkwardly, and looked away, embarrassed. This didn't help his case for trying to be tough. "Heh, c'mon in y'all! Suppah's almost ready!"
As they entered, Mad Dawg was suddenly assailed by a group of rowdy imps. One shoved him, another chest bumped him, a third noogied him, and by the time the fourth went in to give him a skull-butt as a greeting, Mad Dawg grinned and returned it. They cracked skulls and chanted like drooling buffoons. "HOO HOO HOO HOO!" Millie's brothers – as Dawg would soon come to find out that's who they were – seemed determined to give Mad Dawg a Wrath-style hazing, and Mad Dawg was ready to take everything they threw at him. Sure, he came out battered and bleeding a bit (much to Lin's frustration and Joe's amusement) but he was high-fiving the group as they moved like a pack of apes with one of them holding a flaming torch. This was going to end badly, but really, everyone wanted to see how badly it would end… And Dawg met Millie's sister, who seemed to be trying to flirt with him, which Dawg (respectfully) turned down. To her annoyance.
As they sat for dinner, Mad Dawg watched the odd cut of meat being passed around, and noticeably, passed by him per Millie's request. "Aw, c'mon Mills! I can take it!" He protested in annoyance.
"Hon, this food's meant for imps. Yer not a demon no more, I don't know how you'll react to it!" Millie said like a concerned parent.
"Hey now, Mildred. Let the boy try it!" Joe chuckled, eating a hearty bite of the meat. "He fought exterminators and lived! He's got some tough skin!" He offered Dawg a slice.
"Yeah, I can take it!" Mad Dawg protested, taking the forkful and eating it, while Millie watched with clear concern in her eyes. He tasted the meat, surprised by how it tasted. It was like a very rich meat, he didn't see what Millie was so worried about! "Hah! See, that wasn't so-" THUD. Without warning, Mad Dawg was face-down on the table, letting out a long wheeze. The Imps present looked on in shock, and then burst out laughing.
"Ahh, don't feel bad, pup! Not bad fer'a mortal!" Joe laughed, taking another big forkful of the meat. Concerningly, Mad Dawg didn't move. "…kid?"
"Kace?" Moxxie said, nervously.
"Mad Dawg?" Blitzo blinked, reaching over and pushing Mad Dawg, trying to wake him up. To no avail.
"WHOOOOOO!" Mad Dawg suddenly burst up from the table, his face red, but eyes wide. "LET'S GO BABBYYYYYY!" He shouted, to the cheers of the Imps. "MAN, THAT STUFF BURNS!" He cried, shaking like a smack addict going through withdrawal. "Gimmie another-" Thud!
"And, he's out again." Sally Mae commented, blinking in surprise at what had happened over the past ten seconds. Mad Dawg didn't stir until Lin brought out her apple pie, which in the words of Millie 'could stir the dead with its scent!' which seemed to be the case as it finally woke Mad Dawg up from whatever the heck had happened to him.
That night, Mad Dawg had found an unclaimed couch (as the guest rooms were being used by the farm hands. Sally Mae offered her room and bed to him, but again, he said no.) and while Lin had offered him a few other places, he was oddly content on the couch.
"That is a strange boy." Lin remarked as she watched Dawg sleeping half-on, half-off the couch. Millie bit her lip, then felt the need to bring something up.
"Yeah, uh- Mad Dawg can get kinda… loud, at night." Millie remarked, trying her best to be tactful.
"Ha! Well, if a boy's gotta get some business done, he's gotta get it done!" Joe laughed, and Lin hit him in annoyance.
"What? No! At least, I don't think like that…" Millie muttered. "I mean apparently B would get to the office and Dawg'd wake up screamin' something fierce."
"The little fella gets night terrors? Can't say I don't blame 'im." Lin sighed. "If anything happens, let me handle it, I think I'd be best suited to try an'deal with 'im."
"Hang on, Ma. I ain't askin' you t'be his therapist or nuthin'-" Millie began, but Lin cut her off.
"I don't care. He's been through the ringer, an'he's still kickin'? I can respect that. He's done all he can t'save you from exterminators? I respect that as well. But he's a kid, Mildred. He ain't even an adult yet!"
"How do you-"
"It's in his eyes, he's tryin' t'seem tougher than he is, but it's catchin' up with him." Lin said, calmly. It was something she had seen before, but she didn't know the half of it all.
True to Millie's word, Lin was awoken by the sound of a knife being thrown and hitting something. Upon inspection, she found a knife stuck handle-first in the floor, looking over, she saw Mad Dawg breathing heavily. It didn't take a genius to put this together.
"Hiya, hon." Lin smiled sadly at him as she approached. "Havin' trouble sleepin'?"
"Agh, sorry, Mrs. Lin… I didn't mean to wake everyone up…" Mad Dawg looked up, trying to hide his fear, but not doing a great job. Lin smiled and sat next to him on the couch.
"You didn't wake anyone up, kiddo." She smiled. "Except yourself, obviously."
"I just- I'm sorry, it's my fault, I wasn't-"
"Kid, stop apologizin', you just went through things no one could imagine, and you're here, givin' it your all. That's good enough for me, and I won't hear you say another bad word about yourself, understood?" The older imp said sternly. Mad Dawg seemed embaressed, then nodded. "Aww, just rest your sleepy eyes, hon. Gramma Lin's gotcha." Lin smiled, patting Dawg's head. It was weird to be treated like… well, a dog. But her voice was so calming… Before Mad Dawg knew it, he was asleep, and he didn't have any nightmares again.
The next day, Mad Dawg was dragged outta bed by Millie's brothers, and after breakfast, Mad Dawg threw himself into whatever work he could do to help. At first, it was pretty simple stuff, carrying boxes, helping move haybales and the like, but then the plough had broken down and despite Dawg's knowledge on machines and vehicles, he wasn't able to rig up a solution to get it running again. BUT, what he could do was change into his 'Beast' form, attach the plough to him, and then plough the fields like pilgrims would do with a bull or an ox. Needless to say, the horror and confusion on everyone's faces as Dawg's body snapped and changed had been pretty amusing. Still a few hours later, the field was ploughed and Mad Dawg was lying face down in the dusty dirt, his body tired and muscles aching. He wasn't against physical labor, but he hadn't done this kind of work in a long time, so his muscles weren't used to this. That wouldn't be a problem, if he hadn't passed out in the hell-boar pen. Still the roars and squeals which brought everyone running ended up in rowdy cheers as the Beast had locked horns with an angry boar and the pair were thrashing about the pen. Despite Dawg's best efforts, he couldn't crack the shell-skin-defense-thing it had going on, until Sally Mae yelled out to go under him. At first, Dawg was a bit put off, but then realized its underside wasn't protected. Needless to say, everyone saw what happened when the Beast caught its prey. It- it wasn't pretty.
Roaring in animalistic triumph, Mad Dawg held the dead boar above him as the blood drained onto his face as he unleashed a bellowing cry of dominance and pride. It was only slightly undercut by the shark which appeared from nowhere and piledrived him into the mud.
After reverting to his human self, Mad Dawg had been ordered to get in the shower to wash of mud, blood, and poop off his body. He had tried to tell them he was fine, and wanted to keep working, but Millie had made it clear he wasn't being asked, so Mad Dawg obeyed. Sure, that had lead to Sally Mae cracking one off about him being a well-trained puppy, but the handful of 'mud' (he thought it was mud) he scored on her face made it worth it. As he walked back down the hall, he heard soft strumming coming from a room, and a voice was singing from behind a door. Mad Dawg knew better than to eavesdrop, but he did it anyways.
"You make my spirit sing, yeah, you make me glad I live in hell… Our love is a story sweet to tell…" Slowly opening the door, Mad Dawg watched in amazement as Moxxie was playing a guitar, while writing something down with his tail. He stopped and started again, repeating the verse as he seemed to grow more confident or satisfied with it. Finally, Mad Dawg stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.
"I had no idea you could play."
"AAAH!" Moxxie jumped in shock, whirling around to see Mad Dawg watching him. "Dang it, Mad Dawg! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Right, right, sorry." Mad Dawg waved it off. "But for real, Mox, I had no idea you could play!" Mad Dawg remarked, genuinely surprised. "That sounded amazing! What song was that?"
"Oh, uh…" It was clear Moxxie was caught a bit off-guard by Dawg's genuine praise, and it took him a moment to collect himself. "Well, it's one I wrote. I wrote it for Millie, actually."
"Ahh, is it her birthday soon? Or is this just because?"
"Actually, it's our anniversary in a few days." Moxxie smiled, seeming a bit embarrassed. Mad Dawg looked shocked.
"Dude! Why didn't you tell me?! I would've done something!" Mad Dawg exclaimed. He was trying to think of what he could do when Moxxie put a hand on his shoulder. The Imp seemed both happy, and a tad embarrassed.
"Kace, you don't need to worry about it." He said with a smile. "Look, this is a big deal for Millie and I, and I appreciate your offer, but you don't need to get worked up over this. With everything that's been happening, you should just relax, focus on yourself for a change."
Mad Dawg frowned. He wasn't sure he liked being called 'Kace' in this situation, but he understood why Moxxie called him that. Also, while he would've preferred to do something, if Moxxie was telling him not to, he didn't wanna be a Blitzo in this situation. Still, he'd try and get them a card, or a loaf of banana bread, or something like that. Come to think of it, what did people DO on anniversaries? For Mad Dawg it was usually 'have a mental break down, drink heavily, contemplate killing himself and then pass out' when the anniversary of the Omnic Blackout rolled around 'Holy shit I need actual therapy.' Mad Dawg thought to himself. Yet despite his connections he had made throughout his travels, he didn't really know anyone who was married. Or, know anyone who was married well enough to ask them what they'd do on a wedding. Mad Dawg looked away, not sure what to say, before he found his voice. "So… what are you doing?"
"I'm taking her to Ozzies." Moxxie smiled, proudly. "It took a LOT of work to get the reservation, but it'll all be worth it to see her reaction to what I have planned!"
"Nice, Ozzie's is a great place!" Moxxie looked at Mad Dawg as if he'd just told him he was his biological son.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"
"Ozzie's is a great place."
"…you've been there?"
"Yes."
"How? They only allow couples, and- oh, right." Moxxie began, but as Dawg's expression sourerd, he realized what had happened and coughed awkwardly. "Right."
"Yeah."
"Ooh…"
"Mmhm."
There was nothing said for a few moments.
"No, but for real, she's gonna love it." Mad Dawg smiled. "And if the song's half as good as what I heard, you'll love it too!" He laughed, then realized that didn't come out right. "Wait-"
"Mad Dawg, if you're okay with me asking, what happened in Lust?" Moxxie slowly asked, noticing Mad Dawg twitch and tense up. It was harder to read his body language when he wasn't covered in fur which would stand up in fear or anger, but Moxxie could tell this might not be the time for this conversaition. Just as Mad Dawg began to reply, the sound of panicked running echoed throughout the house, as the ranch seemed to come alive in a furious fight or flight situation.
"What's happenign?!" Mad Dawg shouted, looking around then out the window. He ran to the hallway and jumped over the railing, falling two stories to the main floor. "Loona! What's-"
"No clue!"
"Boss!"
"Sorry kid, not a clue!"
"Mill-" Mad Dawg began. However he was silenced when one of Millie's brothers racked a slug in a shotgun, hollering to the others in a mixture of fury and reservation.
"Shit! Get the guns, Ma! That bastards back!"
Mad Dawg grabbed Ol' Rusty Mk II from behind him in one hand, and has his chainsaw in the other. Well, he might have… had Rusty not been gone… Stupid Striker. He had no idea what was going on… By now, most of Millie's family had armed themselves taking positions by the windows and doors, and Lin grabbed Mad Dawg, nearly throwing him to the ground in an attempt to keep him from getting hurt in whatever might be happening. Actually, speak of the devil, as the wind died down and the dust settled, Mad Dawg noticed smoke on a still horizon, and then- oh crap. This was bad.
"What the hell is Striker doing here?!" Someone demanded.
"…he's here for me." Mad Dawg said quietly. He couldn't think of any other reason why the outlaw was here. Someone had hired him again to bring him in… and knowing what Striker had access to? Mad Dawg wasn't gonna let him threaten his friends. Everyone looked to him, and he added: "Let me handle this."
Despite the protests and threats, the doors to the house opened, and Mad Dawg stepped out into the hot, dry air. He narrowed his eyes from the dust and paranoia, and he headed down the dusty path towards Striker…
"Damn it, Dawg! Don't be an idiot! You're not on the company hellth insurance anymore!" Blitzo shouted.
"We have hellth insurance?! Since when!?" Moxxie exclaimed.
"We don't, but shut up!" Blitzo hissed.
Slowly, Mad Dawg walked out towards Striker, who leaned against the gate post at the entrance to the ranch. The entire ranch seemed to go still, as if curious as to how this was going to end. Mad Dawg heard his boots crunch on the ground, and the wind blew a few tumbleweeds about, but other than that, there was nothing but silence.
Bong… Bong… Bong…
A clock on the ranch chimed out its hourly announcement, and Mad Dawg paused, counting the chimes until he realized what time it was.
"It's high noon…" The voice of his best friend, and (sort-of) older brother could echoed in his head, and Mad Dawg narrowed his eyes. Knowing if Striker wanted a showdown, then he wasn't leaving this alive. When he was about twenty feet from Striker, the hunter took a bag off his horse and threw it towards Mad Dawg.
"These are yours." Striker commented. The mutant recognized his weapons… but he made no move for them. "Relax, Kace. I ain't here t'fight ya." Striker remarked as Dawg got closer. To Striker's confusion, the name only seemed to piss Mad Dawg off, as he bore his teeth (which weren't nearly as intimidating as when he was the Nekro-Lycan, but Striker knew he was on thin ice right now.) as he kept walking towards him. The duo were about fifteen feet away from one another when Mad Dawg finally broke the silence.
"You got's a lotta nerve, comin' back here, puta madre."
"Yup." Striker nodded, now standing up and looking to Mad Dawg. The mutant teen could see the revolvers at his hips, but Striker didn't seem to be making any sort of suggestion that he would go for them. Then again, Mad Dawg had seen McCree move faster than he thought possible.
"Who hired you this time?"
"No one." Was the simple reply.
"This business, or pleasure?" Mad Dawg pressed. He didn't believe Striker came her of his own choice, but he wanted this dealt with, fast.
"You could say a bit of 'A', an'a bitta 'B'." The Imp bounty hunter replied, coolly. Mad Dawg was having trouble gauging his intentions, and the tone of voice he was speaking in certainly didn't help things.
"If you came looking for a trophy, you can have the esteemed honor of knowing I let you walk away." Mad Dawg said, pointedly.
"Ha!" Striker smirked. "Now that sounds like a movie quote." Striker laughed. He knew the kid was trying to be 'intimidating' but he didn't have the spine for it.
"Start talking, or start screaming." Mad Dawg said, and he felt the slightest bit of amusement in Striker's genuine apprehension upon hearing his words. Okay, maybe the kid DID have the spine for it. The Imp realized that small-talk wasn't something Dawg was in the mood for. Then again, Striker couldn't blame him in the slightest.
"I won't lie, you fought like a crazed monster." Striker commented. "I respect that. I don't get why you were fightin' to protect who you were protectin', but whatever. I wanted t'let you know, that I don't have any hard feelin's over what happened. And…" Striker trailed off, it was clear anyone with any shred of decency would say 'I'm-sorry-I-left-you-at-the-hands-of-demons-who-tortured-and-assulated-you', but this was hell, Dawg didn't expect that.
"Whatever. You got your money, that's all this was about." Mad Dawg said with a scoff. Striker actually seemed caught off-guard by the comment, but nodded with a sly smirk. He realized Dawg was giving him an out, and he needed to take it. "And I will give credit where it's due, you're a heck of a hunter."
"Fer what it's worth, I thought you were just some kid who robbed some farmer's hen house, I didn't expect t'see ya fightin' angels." Striker had to admit, and this time, Dawg could tell his words were genuine.
"You gotta do, what you gotta do." Mad Dawg answered. "Who hired you to help me?" He finally asked.
"No one, I was just curious what you'd do." Striker was being honest, and Mad Dawg hated that fact. He wanted to believe this was some sort of ruse or that Charlie had hired him, but no. Striker was being sincere. After a long silence, Mad Dawg nodded, accepting his words.
"I tip my hat to you. One legend to another." Striker nodded, tipping the brim of his hat. He pulled the dagger he had stabbed Dawg with, and threw it into the ground. "Happy trails, Mad Dawg."
"You too, Striker." Mad Dawg nodded in a twisted form of respect, as he watched the Imp mount his horse, and then ride off into the wildlands of the Wrath Ring. During his time as a Bounty hunter, and even a debt collector, he knew the code well, and he knew one thing all too well. This wasn't personal, it was just another job. Most hunters he had met wouldn't even consider meeting their targets a second time, and certainly not in the way Striker had. For that, Mad Dawg had to give him props. He may be a monster, but Dawg could respect his breed of monstrosity. Gathering the knife and his weapons, he turned and began walking back to the Ranch.
"Mad Dawg! A'you all right?!" Millie exclaimed, rushing over to him. Mad Dawg looked at the knife, then lifted his shirt, looking at the 'S' that was now (and probably forever would be) carved into his body, and then let out a small sigh.
"Yeah, we're all right." Mad Dawg nodded. "This wasn't personal, it's just business."
Millie didn't seem convinced, but Mad Dawg didn't say much more. There wasn't anything else to say. At least, not right now.
Come by my place. Need to talk. Tonight, if you can.
Mad Dawg wasn't sure what Octavia wanted with him, but he did want to say good-bye to her before he left tomorrow. He wasn't sure if/when he'd see her again, so he was happy to use this as an excuse to see her and possibly Stolas. He knew Moxxie and Millie were in lust, so he made sure to have said good-bye before they left, in case he didn't see them again. Hopefully, he could see Blitzo tomorrow as well… He had seen Loona and Tex, as they had invited him to a party which he had timidly accepted the invite to, and despite being the smallest one there, he was the life of the party! It was wild, unhinged, and a lotta fun! Plus, having Loona essentially act as his bodyguard in some ways was a plus, as it kept the rowdier and more drunken demons at bay. Some of Verosika's crew where there, and despite his attempts, he wasn't able to escape without them smothering him in kisses… not that he'd admit to this but he didn't mind too badly. As he slipped into the manor, his mind was all over the place. A mixture of nervous excitement and anxiety at the thought of leaving, something he never considered when hell was in the cards, but at the same time- "GAH!" Mad Dawg almost ran into Stella, who didn't really seem to be happy to see him…
"What are you doing here?!" Stella demanded, clearly not in the best mood. Mad Dawg shrunk back and coughed awkwardly.
"Uh, I-uh, I was just passing by, Octavia texted me-"
"She's not here this weekend." Stella said curtly. After Mad Dawg didn't budge, she added: "I believe it may be time for you to go."
"Y-yes ma'am!" Mad Dawg nodded, wondering what the heck happened to put her in such a bad mood?! Still, he bit his lip and added: "Uh, where's the bathroom?"
Stella sighed, rubbing her face in annoyance. "Down the stairs, take a left, third door." She said, curtly, and walked past him, casting a glance over her shoulder as Mad Dawg left to find the bathroom. Once he was in there, Mad Dawg opened a window and crawled out, beginning to scale the building to head for the ground. If Octavia wasn't here, then why did she ask him to be here? As Mad Dawg got ready to shoot her a message, he saw Stolas a few floors up, seeming downright miserable. Donned in some royal garb, it looked like everything had gone from worse to Mad Dawg's life levels of bad! Pausing his text, he scaled the building and slipped up onto the balcony.
"Lord Stolas?" Mad Dawg said, bowing respectfully. "Um, sorry for intruding, but is everything all right?"
"Look me in the eyes and ask yourself is this the face of someone who is fucking alright?!" Stolas' answer was harsher than Dawg expected, and the belligerent tone hurt more than he had expected it would. Stolas didn't even seem to upset that Mad Dawg was here for some reason. But the glowing of his multiple eyes made Mad Dawg shrink back and look away, afraid of what might happen to him. He couldn't die! Not when he had come so far!
"Okay, previous theory is correct, something bad happened…" Mad Dawg frowned. Stolas took a moment to compose himself, but Mad Dawg could tell he was moments away from crying. "Holy crap, what happened?!"
"Mad Dawg, I'm sorry. That- that was very out of line, both as a royal and as someone who has no ill will against you." Stolas managed to get out. "It's just- I just-" He couldn't find the words, and slumped down in defeat.
"Lord Stolas, it's cool, ese." Mad Dawg said, sitting next to the MUCH taller demon Prince. "Um, you don't need to tell me what happened, but- are you okay? I mean, you're clearly not, and me asking that probably isn't helping, and crap I'm making this worse." He sighed, annoyed. Why was it when he needed to be reassuring he wasn't? Was this a thing that happened to everyone? Or was he just stupid?
"It's many, many things Mad Dawg. There is so much you don't know about, and frankly, you're better off because of it." Begrudgingly, Mad Dawg had to agree on that. They sat in prolonged silence, but oddly, Mad Dawg felt good about it, as if this silence was what was really needed. No words, just being nearby someone who needed more help than he could offer. But still, Mad Dawg would be lying if he claimed he didn't wanna know what happened!
"I was in Lust, with Blitzo. We went to Ozzie's and I thought it was everything I ever wanted!" Without warning, Stolas began opening up, and Mad Dawg felt his stomach drop.
"Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!" He cursed. "What the hell is wrong with Blitzo?! He wouldn't just lie to Stolas so he could go follow Moxxie and Millie, would- Wait, yes, he totally would. Damn it." Mad Dawg mentally groaned, realizing his Boss would definitely do that. Why the heck was Blitzo so starved for some sort of connection? Didn't he… upon brief reflection, it occurred to Mad Dawg that Blitzo had never mentioned his family. Was he…?
"The passion, the invitation, it came without warning, and then…" Stolas trailed off, and Mad Dawg felt like he had to say SOMETHING! So, he did what he thought was best, and said nothing.
"Was- did he cheat on you? I mean, I doubt he would, but-" Mad Dawg began, feeling bad for asking this, but knowing he had to.
"Kace." Stolas began, and before Mad Dawg could speak up, added: "I understand your reservation over being called by that name, but I only address you as such because I want you to understand how absolutely sincere I am in speaking with you. I am not speaking to you as someone I would see as a lesser, but an equal." Kace had no response to that. He merely blinked, the words felt like a joke, something Stolas or a demon would say to build someone's confidence up, only to tear them down for their own amusement. But- well, Stolas didn't seem like that was his intention. Or at least, he was really good at hiding it, and begrudgingly, Mad Dawg decided to see where this went. He sat down on the railing and looked up at the Goetia Prince.
"What's up?" He asked, softly.
"Did Blitzo… did he ever show any signs that he may have been returning my affections?" Stolas asked, looking to Mad Dawg, who's eyes widened in confusion, disbelief and sorrow. Everything clicked at once, and he realized what had happened. "I know it's an odd thing to ask, but you were with him more than I was, was there- was- was there anything, at any point?"
Mad Dawg stopped and thought about it. In all the time he knew Blitzo, his Boss rarely, if ever mentioned Stolas. When Dawg had pieced together that it was because he was using the Grimoire to travel to earth, and had to make a deal with Stolas, he had decided to leave it at that. They had a deal, and it wasn't his business, so why should he pry? But, he had pried anyways. From what everyone had told him, Stolas always seemed happy to see Blitzo, but Blitzo… never seemed happy to see Stolas. Guilt and concern washed over Mad Dawg, feelings of genuine sickness threatened his stomach and mind as he had to question himself if Blitzo had actually cared for Stolas, and then by extension, had he ever cared for him? Or was he using them for his own gain? Mad Dawg had been through that before, and in fact, he was used to being used. A slight issue he had picked up was he'd sometimes assume people wanted to use him, and he in turn accepted that, using them back to get by. If that was true, why had Blitzo came to help with the Exterminators? The teen had to cut his line of thought short when he remembered Stolas was waiting for an answer.
"I… I don't know." Mad Dawg confessed. If Stolas was honest, that was the answer he had hoped least to hear. The uncertainty, the disconnect… the indifference.
"Kace, I was so desperate for something, a spark, a flame, I don't know how to word it, but I needed something which had been missing for years." Stolas confessed. "You were right, back in the Citadel, you accused me of only using Blitzo for my own sexual desires-"
"Bro, I don't wanna hear about that."
"Shut the hell up and listen." Stolas ordered.
"Yes sir."
"You said that all I wanted was a thrill, and at first, that was true. I felt a spark, a wild sensation of passion. And then, it just grew. I assumed at first it was just a rush of emotions, a feeling of freedom, but then- well, I realized I was in love with him! I did everything I could, I wanted to make him happy, I wanted him to love me back!" Stolas pasued, dropping his arms down and sighing deeply. "Now, I wonder if I was chasing after someone who was as bad as I feel."
"Hang on, whoa, no." Mad Dawg frowned, looking at Stolas. He paused, taking a puff off the smoke he bummed from Tex, and then realized this wasn't a cigarette. Whoops. He took a deep inhale, and then passed it to Stolas, who took a deep hit as well. "Look, Blitzo is a lotta things, and he was a real jerk at times to me! He made me clean up the messes after they got their weapons dirty, which was my job, but he also made me listen to his hour-long presentation on which horse breed was the best! He's arrogant, self-focused, egotistical-"
"And he-" Stolas began but was cut off by several long, gross hacking coffs. Seemed like he wasn't much of a smoker. "-uses everyone around him and then throws them away!"
"He pushes them away!" Mad Dawg countered, and Stolas blinked, surprised. Letting a smoke ring escape his mouth, Mad Dawg added: "He'll never admit to it, but he's terrified of being alone."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I lost two families, and lived on my own for over half a decade." Mad Dawg replied. "You saw my memories, right?! I had no one! I was trying to find a home, but they never wanted me, so eventually, I didn't want them."
"You surround yourself with people who want the approval of, but live in fear of losing, so you do what you can to make yourself part of their life, while alienating them simultaneously." Stolas finished. "You feel unfulfilled, so you set out to do whatever it took."
"It wasn't until Overwatch found me that I finally let my guard down. I had Don Kim, and he was my family, he was my Dad! But… it wasn't what I wanted. I needed something else, and they gave it to me. I didn't have the fear Blitzo had of wanting approval, I just wanted to feel safe." Mad Dawg confessed, admitting to something he had struggled with, and still did to this day.
Mad Dawg looked at his hands, thinking about what they had done, and shook his head. "Thing is, Blitzo isn't a bad guy through-and-through." Mad Dawg said, softly, thinking to himself. Stolas looked down at him, and Mad Dawg looked up at him. Cracking open a Black Bull Energy, he handed it to Stolas, then opened one for himself. "When I was on the run, before Octavia found me, I went back to I.M.P. HQ, I wasn't sure why, but I was trying to hide, or find weapons. Striker showed up not long after, and demanded they hand me over. Blitzo had every reason to. I didn't work for him, I didn't even offer to pay him. Striker offered him everything he wants. Money, recognition, cash, fame, fortune, treasure, capitol, wealth…"
"Considering this is Blitzo we're talking about, I'm surprised you didn't add several other synanons for money." Stolas mused. Taking a sip and coughing at the strong drink. Mad Dawg shrugged.
"Couldn't think of any." Mad Dawg confessed. "But… he didn't. He lied, again and again to Striker's face, even when he was told the devil was the one who hired him. Blitzo didn't have to, but he chose to. He had every reason to sell me out, and yet he didn't. He lied to Striker, he lied to everyone. Heck, he even went out of his way to save me! Blitzo cut a deal with the Radio Demon, and he, Mox and Mills came to save me when Delilah wanted to kill me… if he was only ever thinking about himself…" He paused, and looked at himself. "I'd be gone." He said, quietly.
"Well, he probably owed you considering the work you did for him, and the unpaid wages he wasn't able to furnish for you." Stolas tried to reason.
"Blitzo never paid me." Dawg countered. "He offered me money, but I didn't want it. I was just looking for a place to sleep while I was recovering from what Val and Vox did to me…" While he didn't see the horrified expression, he did hear Stolas' sharp breath. He bit his lip, and chose not to comment on it. "I think, really and truly, that Blitzo doesn't know what to do right now." Mad Dawg admitted. "I think he needs someone in his life who isn't after something he has, or someone who he can relate to. If you get down to it all, he's not sure how to open up. At least, that's my thoughts on it."
Stolas paused, thinking it over. Then, he thought about what he and Blitzo had been. It was simple, they have a romantic rendezvous, Blitzo uses the grimoire. Wait, was this his fault?! Had he given Blitzo the idea that-
"Stolas, don't act like what we have is anything but YOU wanting ME to fuck you, okay? You make that really clear, all the time." The last words Blitzo had said before leaving not too long ago, before he realized the truth.
Stolas was silent, not sure what to say, or think. As Mad Dawg got up to seemingly, leave, Stolas put a hand on his shoulder, the request was silent, but understandable. Kace nodded and sat back down.
"I think… I have many things to think about." Stolas mused, the weed beginning to hit his brain. He wasn't a stoner, or a smoker, so he felt a bit funny, buy his dour emotions weren't quelled. Looking to the young boy who had literally turned hell upside-down, he thought of something, and asked aloud: "How do you deal with your issues? When things seem impossible to deal with, what's your solution?"
"Typically, when shit gets too hard for me, I just… run away." Mad Dawg said quietly, reflecting on his past choices, and how much he regretted them. "It always seemed like the right thing to do. It was my fault, I was the problem, if I wasn't there, what was there to be concerned over?" He asked, looking up to the night sky.
"You truly believe that?"
"I do, and I don't." Mad Dawg admitted, quietly taking another sip from his drink. "Like, whenever things got that bad, I didn't have anyone to turn to. Running just made sense then." He paused. "Now, I dunno, I don't have some magical answer for you Sto, all I can say is… sometimes you gotta just wait until tomorrow."
Stolas considered his words, 'wait until tomorrow'. So simple, yet so… welcoming. Sure, it wasn't a solution to all his issues, but right now? He felt like following those simple instructions.
"Kace, my friend, I shall deeply miss you when you are gone." Stolas said aloud, the two lying on their backs, looking up at the stars as their minds began to haze over.
"I'mma miss you too, Vanoss." Mad Dawg smiled. "You and Octagon… you two helped me a lot more than I think you know…"
It was Mad Dawg's last night in hell. He was excited, and anxious. Back at the hotel, he finished something up and hid it as a knock came at the door. "Yo."
"Hi, Dawg." Charlie smiled, entering. "Uh, just- just wonderin' how you're holding up!"
"As good as you can expect, your majesty." Mad Dawg laughed, getting up and cracking his back with a sigh. "I think it's time I hit the hay though…" Charlie nodded in understanding.
"Is there anything I can do?" She asked, feeling a bit lost now. Mad Dawg was redeemed, tomorrow, he was leaving! So… what else was there for her to do?
"Actually, Charlie, there is one thing I'd like you to do for me." Mad Dawg remarked, a small smile on his (human) face.
"What's up?"
"Remember when I came back, and we met on the balcony?"
"Yup!"
"You were singing a really nice song. Uh, could I hear it?" Mad Dawg asked, and Charlie's grin threatened to split her head in two. Mad Dawg's answer wasn't verbal, but he found himself being pushed back onto his bed. At first, he felt the need to fight, but then Charlie gently pulled the blanket up over him.
"At the end of the rainbow there's happiness~" Charlie sang gently as Mad Dawg fidgeted awkwardly. He wasn't a baby, but Charlie seemed to be treating him like one. The look on Vaggie's face said 'Just go with it, kid'. So, he did. "And to find it, how often I tried… But my life is a race. Just a wild goose chase, and my dreams have all been denied…"
Mad Dawg felt himself growing tired. How? She had just begun, but her voice… it was so relaxing, so reassuring, he couldn't help but feel tired.
"Angela…" Mad Dawg whispered as sleep overtook him.
"I'm always chasing rainbows… waiting to find a little blue bird, in hell…" Charlie finished her song, and smiled as she saw Mad Dawg breathing peacefully in her sleep. Vaggie smiled, then noticed that he was crying.
"Babe, you okay?" She asked, stepping up. She had a feeling she knew what was wrong, but she had to ask anyways. Her answer was not what she expected.
"He's going home…" Charlie whispered. "He's finally going home…"
"Yeah, you did it, Charlie." Vaggie smiled as the two left the room, shutting the lights off and closing the door quietly.
The next day, Mad Dawg slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, leaving a letter on his bed, and left the hotel, slowly looking around as he left, seeing everything new that had been added during God's reconstruction. Despite all that had happened here, he oddly felt like he was leaving his home again. Sighing, he finally made it to the lobby, where 'GOOD-BYE, MAD DOG!' was written on a large banner, only for 'Dog' to be hastily crossed out and his name to be spelled correctly.
"SURPRISE!" Was shouted by everyone. Mad Dawg felt like he was gonna cry, but fought them back for now. The whole gang was here to see him off, even the I.M.P. crowd, Octavia, Molly, Sir Pentious, Tex, and even Cherri.
"Wait, how is this a surprise?" Sir Pentious blinked, realizing something. "He knew this was happening."
"Yeah, but 'get out' didn't sound as nice to shout at someone." Blitzo shrugged.
"Would'a been fun, though." Angel Dust shrugged. Mad Dawg was already laughing by the time he got to the others. As he began saying his good-byes, Nifty raced up and handed him something, it was a beanie like the one he wore, but a dark blue. HE put it on, and it felt really nice! He decided not to question how she got his head size, or what it was made out of, for his own safety.
"Uh, Ha sido rare, ¿no?" Mad Dawg asked, trying his best to remember the proper annunciation of the words. He was SO close…
"Ha sido raro, ¿no?" Vaggie corrected him, rubbing her face. "Aprende a hablar el idioma, idiota." Vaggie smirked.
"¡Lo estoy intentando!"
"No lo suficientemente bien." Vaggie laughed, punching his shoulder playfully. "Realmente te voy a extrañar, chico."
"Anyone have any idea what they're saying?" Husk asked, raising a bushy brow.
"Nope." Was the general consensus. Mad Dawg laughed, then awkwardly walked up to Alastor.
"Well, I guess this is it, Smiles." Ma dDawg coughed awkwardly. "Hopefully you're not to disappointed in how my tale ended in lies, deception and violence..."
"What you did was sneaky, underhanded, and downright distasteful..." Alastor spoke up, seeming brutally honest. "I loved it!" He beamed, extending a hand not for a deal, but for a gentleman's shake.
"Hey, maybe even you can change." Mad Dawg smiled, shaking the Radio Demon's hand.
"My boy, if you think I'll ever change… you are gravely mistaken." Alastor said, his eyes and mouth glowing as his voice depend, sounding much more human. Mad Dawg just grinned in response and shook his hand.
"Well then go... fuck yourself." Mad Dawg said, earning a genuine laugh from the radio demon. He moved onto the next demon he needed to say good-bye to.
"Angel." Mad Dawg said. "You're boring. And you're a drug addict. But your sexy."
"You finally said it!" Angel Dust pumped multiple fists in victory.
"Yes." Mad Dawg nodded, hugging him. "Thank you for everything." He said quietly.
"Don't mention it, Kace. Literally, don't. I have a reputation to uphold." Angel replied quietly, Mad Dawg scoffed, and was then hugged by Molly.
"Molly, take care of your idiot brother." Mad Dawg smiled. Molly wiped a tear from her eye, and only seemed to tighten her hug on him. "Molly?"
"I don't want you to go…" She whimpered. When she let go, Mad Dawg made his way over to Octavia.
"It's been real." She nodded a small smile on her face. "Damn, it's gonna be boring without you." She sighed, shaking her head. Mad Dawg just chuckled.
"Right back at ya." Dawg nodded. He wished that somehow, he could talk to her, figure out what was happening and help her, but right now, he couldn't. That wasn't his job.
"Imma miss you, boss. Keep your dreams alive!" Mad Dawg said, hugging Blitzo. "Keep singing, keep getting better..."
"You can't go... who's gonna help me steal Moxxies' sandwiches?!" The Boss imp asked, hugging Mad Dawg back.
"Microphones." Mad Dawg whispered. He turned to the next one. "Loona… bite me." He said, flipping the hellhound off, who looked up from her phone, smirked, and flipped him off in response.
"Not gonna lie, I just started liking having you around." She remarked, messing with Dawg's hair slightly.
"I could stay!"
"Feeling's gone." She said flatly. "Get out."
Millie had hugged him before he said a word. He wanted to say something, but neither of them could. He simply nodded and hugged her back. After saying his good-byes to the others, and having to decline a tearful invitation from Sir Pentious to stay and be his right-hand-henchman, he came to the last one he needed to say good-bye too. Charlie.
"I'm so proud of you." Charlie said, tears in her eyes. "You changed, you truly have." The two hugged, and then Mad Dawg felt others join in. Vaggie, Molly, Dust, Annie, Husk (not willingly), Nifty… He didn't want it to end, but he knew eventually it had to. When the others let go, Charlie took his hands in hers and smiled widely. "Go home, go back to your family." She said.
Nodding, Mad Dawg walked out, and was greeted by several angels. One of them nodded and reached out their hand, and then the soft flapping of wings could be heard as two angel wings appeared on Dawg's back. It took him a minute to see them, as he kept trying to turn to see them, but this only solidified the fact that this was happening.
"It is time to go, young one." An older angel nodded, motioning for him to follow. Turning back, Mad Dawg saw everyone waving and cheering. Waving back, Mad Dawg began to follow, and then began to run… he picked up speed, going faster than he thought he could, and then…
He jumped. And he flew.
His wings lifting him into the air, Mad Dawg flew upwards, then plummeted back down, crashing and skidding across the ground. "Ow…" He groaned, a few wincing, and other laughing. He tried again, and took off, flying upwards, then flying back down to circle over his friends before being pulled upwards by some unseen force. The other angels flew alongside him as they ascended. As Mad Dawg began to fly upwards, a trail of angelic energy followed behind him. The denizens of hell watched in amazement at the sight of a demon actually leaving hell. For so long, none of them believed this was possible. As the pentagram in the sky came closer what appeared to be a bolt of angelic lightning shot across it, ripping the fabric between hell, Earth and Heaven open, and as Dawg flew into the light, everyone heard his final yell echo across the city as he disappeared.
"Telll… Myyyy… Storyyyyy…~!" Mad Dawg's voice echoed throughout the city as the rift sealed shut, and he was gone.
"Good-bye, Mad Dawg!" Charlie shouted, waving wildly with the biggest grin on her face. "Good-bye, Kace…"
There was silence for a moment, as everyone took in what had happened. He had done it, Mad Dawg had been redeemed. And now, he was gone.
"I call dibs on that Toblerone he left in the fridge!" Blitzo exclaimed.
"What?! No way, he left that for ME!" Angel Dust spat back.
"What are you idiots on?! He said I could have it!" Cherri lied.
Epilogue, Two Days Later…
"WECOME TO 666 NEWS! I'm your host, Katie Killjoy!"
"And I'm Tom Tren-"
"Diving into our main story tonight."
"Hey, I wasn't done!"
"Apparently the actions of that mutant freak known as 'Mad Dawg' have resulted in this year's extermination has been suspended. Huh." Katie blinked, reading the news. "Seems like that bastard was good for something after all!"
"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said about anyone." Tom Trench remarked, surprised.
"Shut the hell up, Tom."
"Regardless, instead of the annual cleanse, today has been declared 'Kick-The-Ever-Loving-Shit-Out-Of-Those-Overlord-Pricks-Day'." Kathy continued as footage of a small gang of demons violently beating Velvet into the ground played.
"Heh, I could get used to that!" Husk laughed, watching. "Hey, what do you think ever happened to the devil himself?"
The devil had made one last visit to the archives, it was brief, but it needed to be done.
"Lore-Keeper?"
"Y-yes, my lord?"
"The file on the one known as 'Mad Dawg'… have it sealed away for good. I never want to see that freak's face again. Understood?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
lucifer groaned, rubbing his face as he left. What else was there to do!? He was the prince of all darkness, the king of sin! Yet, he was bested by a mere child. He realized in that moment, that this was his hell. But unlike Mad Dawg, there was no way out.
Charlie was trying a new outfit and hairstyle, and poked her head into what was once Dawg's room. She promised herself she wouldn't cry, and was trying her best to uphold that promise, and looked around with watery eyes. But she wasn't crying, so she hadn't broken her promise! As she entered and sat on the bed, she noticed something, a slightly burned envelope under the pillow. Taking it out, she saw her name was written on it, so she opened it. Part of Charlie expected a hate letter, or a ransom note, or erotic fanfiction… Yet what she found caused her to break her 'no crying' promise.
Charlie,
I just wanna take this time to thank you. For everything. I'm not great at expressing my feelings in writing, but I'm gonna try. When I first got here, I was terrified, and admittedly, I still kinda am. But I know you didn't give up on me, even when I gave up on myself.
I'm not supposed to tell anyone this, but I'm telling you anyways. Delilah and your dad both tried to show me something, some weird basement-thing where it turns out those 'redeemed' via the Happy Hotel are turned into living batteries or something and their existence is an eternity of misery. They tried to tell me that this is what awaits me if I go through the hotel. They've also told me I have two choices, destroy the hotel, or stay in hell forever.
Maybe they're right.
I don't care though.
I've decided that I'm staying in hell. And I'm going through the hotel, even if it kills me! For real, or forever, or whatever.
I just wanted to write this down so I could let you know that if I'm acting weird/have been acting weird, I promise, it's all part of a plan I'm working on. I think Delilah isn't being honest with me, and I wanna try something and see how she reacts to it. If I'm wrong, oops. But if I'm right… well, I hope I'm wrong, actually.
You may wonder WHY I'm telling you this… it's because I trust you. My inability to talk things over has ruined my relationships the past, and I don't want to do that this time. Never again. I trust you, and I hope you know who I am on the inside well enough to know I wouldn't do something that messed up.
Regardless of my fate, thank you. And thanks to Vaggie, Dust, Nifty, Husk, Alastor, Molly and everyone else who helped me when no-one else would.
Thank you so, so much.
Kace Horatio 'Mad Dawg' Constantine Holloway
Charlie held the letter close while she let her silent tears of joy run down her face. This was written prior to all that had happened, and it only solidified her belief that Mad Dawg HAD changed. Rising to her feet, she wanted to show someone (Vaggie) this, when she heard something she had never expected but nearly had a heart attack over. Someone knocking at the hotel door! Faster than anyone would think possible, she was down there and had it opened before Nifty could call to tell her someone was there. BEfore her was a young imp, she looked familiar.
"H-hello, y-y-your majesty…" She mumbled, awkwardly. "Um, I-I-I was wondering if- if-if if your hotel had a vacancy…"
"SURE!" Charlie literally screamed in joy. While that might scare anyone else off, the imp did flinch but then smiled, in relief.
"R-really?! Thank you!" She exclaimed. Charlie opened the door and asked a simple question:
"What made you wanna come down?"
"A- well, a very good friend of mine told me about how this place really was what you claim it was. I was nervous to believe him, but after what I saw him do, I wanna do right by him!"
"Your name was Annabelle, right?" Charlie asked, remembering the imp Dawg mentioned saving, and befriending during his brief excursion away from the hotel.
"Um, it's 'Annie' your majesty..." Annie replied meekly.
"My name's Charlie, you don't need to worry about the whole 'Majesty' thing." Charlie smiled. "C'mon in. Welcome to the Happy Hotel! We believe you can change if you're willing to, and..."
As the two walked deeper into the hotel, the doors closed behind them. Meanwhile, Husker opened the mini fridge and found a six-pack of Phoenix Energy tallboys. He blinked, not knowing how they got there, but shrugged. He took them out and Dust grabbed one, Molly did as well. In the end, five of the hotel residents had one, and they opened the sixth one, but left it where it was. On that day, the denizens of the Happy Hazbin Hotel swore that if you listened closely, you could hear the faint sound of a familiar mutant's laugh echoing through the lobby.
The End
And so, it ends! The (currently) story I put the most time and effort into. The one where I wrote out dozens of interactions and then chose the best, the one where I tried to ensure everything was in character to the world, and those within said world. But also figure out how to break character.
This was also definitely the darkest story Mad Dawg has (or ever will be) had. Yes, a Dawg's Tale had some really heavy implications, but here… well, it's hell. I felt like I was free to run to some darker places; but the challenge was not to wallow in them for too long, how to have characters get hurt, but learn and change, for better and worse.
Honestly, the biggest issue I had was writing the villains. An early draft (see Ashes From The Trash) had Virus manifesting immediately in hell, and he and Alastor teamed up until eventually the Dj went 'too far, for sophistication'.
Another draft simply had Alastor being the 'villain' who had no issues with Dawg leaving hell, but was going to make it a LIVING hell to get out.
Another draft had Mad Dawg starting in Heaven (as he would've actually died) and ends up getting roped into the Exterminators. This led to two different ideas: One where he ended up seeing how 'human' the demons of hell were, and turned on the Angels, resulting in him being left in hell, and the second concept was essentially a prequel to the show itself. But again, Ashes From The Trash for more info.
THAT and the fact that Helluva Boss was being released WHILE I wrote this story, and would try to in cooperate parts of it into the fic for continuity reasons (and fun) and the show kinda gave me more to work with then Hazbin Hotel (at the moment). Regardless, I think the balance was a bit wonky, and there was a lotta jumping around in this final chapter, but I'm happy with it.
So, I had another story planned after this one, but it just isn't coming together, so we're gonna do a bit of a time jump. Check back soon for chapter one of The Mutant Of New Meridian!